TRETTHD 47

#47. So Just Ignore Them.

“Why are you crying?”

“……”

“Velia.”

Khalid rose from his seat, gently wiped away Velia’s tears, and asked with the utmost tenderness.

Velia couldn’t answer. She only reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

“Hm. Do I look that pitiful to you?”

With a soft smile, Khalid pulled her up so they faced each other in his embrace.

“Velia.”

She buried her face against his neck, letting out a deep, trembling breath. The storm of emotions inside her refused to settle.

Not knowing any of that, Khalid teased her with a playful tone.

“Can I kiss you?”

Velia shook her head quickly.

She hadn’t sobbed uncontrollably, but her face was streaked with tears. She must look a mess right now. Suddenly, she became painfully self-conscious about how he might see her.

“No?”

Still hiding her face against his neck, she gave the faintest nod. Khalid chuckled lowly at her response.

Then he held her close, like one would cradle a child, and softly stroked the back of her head.

“…Khalid.”

“Yes.”

“The throne belongs to you.”

Velia meant every word.

Perhaps sensing her sincerity, Khalid pressed light kisses onto her hair and asked quietly:

“…Should I stay here tonight?”

His voice was suggestive.

But Velia quickly wiped her tear-stained eyes with her sleeve and answered firmly.

“No.”

For the man who gave her so much love, and for herself who had come to love him, she had to keep moving forward.

We will be happy.

In this life, without fail.

Her damp eyes gleamed with determination.

“We should return. To our battlefield.”

Everything he had lost, everything that rightfully belonged to him—Velia was determined to place it all back into his hands, one by one. Along with herself, who now belonged to him as well.

That day was Raul and Lady Canterif’s engagement ceremony.

Velia dressed in a deep violet gown and stepped outside. Engagement ceremonies usually didn’t last long.

“Velia.”

Khalid was waiting at the door, hand outstretched.

Velia smiled and placed her hand in his.

“In the end, the wedding was set for next autumn.”

“Of course. Unless His Majesty has gone mad, he wouldn’t seriously try to postpone our marriage.”

Velia shrugged lightly.

“Seems he just wanted to put you in your place a little.”

Thinking it over, it wasn’t only the Empress Dowager’s nagging. It was also the Emperor’s veiled way of showing displeasure at Khalid surpassing Raul and successfully accomplishing several tasks.

“But that’s not what matters.”

Velia’s voice lowered to a whisper.

“What matters is that the Emperor has started paying attention to us.”

Soon, the pushback would come.

“No matter how quietly I’ve lived, I must still be a thorn in his side?”

“That old man has disliked our engagement from the very beginning.”

Khalid’s voice was edged with scorn. He didn’t want to continue speaking about the Emperor, so he quickly changed the subject with a stiff expression.

“Ah, by the way. I invested in the place you mentioned before, under the name of my trading company.”

“The southern winery, you mean?”

Khalid nodded.

“Wine made from this autumn’s harvest will be a masterpiece—one people will talk about for years.”

The vintage produced this year would become such a rarity that nobles in the future would flaunt their power by whether they owned a bottle or not.

I know what’s coming. I can’t just let it pass by.

Velia had no intention of missing such a clear opportunity. But if she acted directly, it would attract too much attention. So she used Khalid’s trading company as cover.

Through it, she signed a contract to buy up more than half of this year’s production with a large-scale investment.

“It will bring enormous profits. Just wait and see.”

“The merchant lord who went to inspect the winery himself came back very excited. He said the grapes this year are excellent.”

Opportunities like these, flowing exactly as in her past life, could be seized quietly without provoking the First Prince’s faction too much.

“If it’s your advice, how could I not trust it?”

Indeed, Khalid had gained plenty whenever he followed her guidance.

Especially financially—so the moment he heard about this investment, he immediately ordered his trading company to act. The merchant lord, surprised by the sudden instruction, visited the winery himself and returned deeply satisfied, even curious about the mysterious source of such information.

“He wants to meet you.”

“I’d be glad to.”

Velia smiled brightly. She wanted to meet everyone in Khalid’s circle.

Come to think of it, I also need to meet Duke Tessa one of these days…

The thought made her lightly tap Khalid’s arm.

“Will Duke Tessa attend our wedding?”

“Grandfather? Of course. He’ll be there to support his only grandson.”

“Then perhaps we should make time to visit his duchy beforehand.”

Khalid seemed pleased at the suggestion.

“He’ll welcome you anytime.”

“That’s a relief.”

She had to meet the Duke eventually—he would be entangled in their affairs repeatedly in the future. She needed to know for certain whether he truly supported Khalid…

…or if he was just another man trying to use him.

Their conversation carried them all the way to the great hall where the engagement was being held.

Velia and Khalid took their assigned seats.

The Empress, sitting nearby, glanced at Khalid and then turned warmly toward him.

“It’s been a while, Khalid.”

But Khalid replied curtly, face cold.

“Indeed.”

“That stiff attitude of yours never changes. I know you dislike me, but could you at least smile today? It is your brother’s engagement, after all.”

Her voice was elegant, her smile gentle. But her eyes were cold as ice.

“Princess Velia, we haven’t seen each other since then, have we?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“You must visit my palace more often. I’d love to chat with you. Perhaps next time I’ll arrange something with Lady Canterif as well.”

It wasn’t an invitation Velia particularly welcomed.

But, just like the Empress, she smiled politely and answered with grace.

“It would be an honor.”

Her composure was flawless.

“The Empress is kind-hearted, always so considerate,” the Emperor added from beside them.

Khalid, however, remained silent, staring straight ahead without a flicker of expression.

Hmph…

Velia caught the exact moment the Emperor’s disapproving gaze swept over Khalid. He hadn’t even greeted him.

Should I make a scene? Or not?

Though irritation bubbled inside, Velia only smiled pleasantly and squeezed Khalid’s hand tighter. She fixed her gaze on the Emperor, who treated Khalid as if he were invisible, and spoke softly.

“Khalid. Do you remember our engagement?”

At her words, Khalid’s lips curved slightly as his eyes met hers.

They weren’t showing it openly, but both Emperor and Empress were certainly listening.

Velia smiled mischievously.

“In the Kingdom of Ronica, when we got engaged, the priests showered us with flower petals, remember?”

Realizing immediately why she had brought this up, Khalid stifled his laughter as he replied:

“You mean the priests sent from the Holy Nation?”

“Yes. His Eminence personally sent a delegation along with gifts.”

Velia’s mother, Queen of Ronica, had once been a priestess of the Holy Nation.

Not just any priestess, but of the purest bloodline—daughter of one of the Five High Priests who ruled the Holy Nation.

The structures of the Empire and the Holy Nation differed, but her rank could easily be considered equal to that of an imperial princess.

Velia wanted them to remember who she truly was—and more importantly, to know who she had chosen.

“His Eminence even said he would attend our wedding…”

“The High Priest himself said that?”

The Emperor cut in hastily, barely letting her finish.

The Holy Nation was notoriously closed off. For a High Priest to personally travel was almost unheard of. That he might come for a wedding in the Empire—no wonder the Emperor was shocked.

Velia covered her lips with her hand, suppressing a laugh.

“Yes. That’s what he said. But His Eminence is a very busy man. Depending on circumstances, he may not be able to come. Still, I plan to send him an invitation.”

The Emperor’s face lit up.

“Then send that invitation under my name.”

For the Empire’s history, having a High Priest visit by imperial invitation would be a monumental achievement. The Emperor couldn’t pass up such glory, so he eagerly seized the chance.

“If His Majesty would do so, I would be grateful. Still, I intend to write a personal letter as well, to ask after my grandfather’s health.”

“Excellent, excellent! Yes, your letter will please him even more.”

The Emperor laughed heartily, overjoyed. The Empress, however, couldn’t quite hide her displeasure.

“Sounds like your engagement was full of interesting events.”

The Emperor leaned closer to Velia, clearly more fascinated by this topic than the actual engagement before him. His eyes glittered with thoughts of prestige.

Velia hid a scoff.

In the end, his own honor matters most to him.

He might dote on Raul, but his first priority was always himself.

That made him easy to manipulate.

Feigning hesitation, Velia tilted her head and asked Khalid:

“Khalid, do you remember the delegation from the southern kingdom? They brought so many rare treasures as gifts, didn’t they?”

Her voice was warm with reminiscence. Khalid nodded.

“Yes. I even brought a few of those gifts with me to the Empire.”

“Exactly.”

Velia beamed.

She had smoothly pulled him into the conversation with the Emperor. Now others watching would have to reconsider the relationship between them.

People were simple creatures.

“Oh? Yes, yes. The southern delegation did visit the Empire as well, didn’t they? Hah!”

It must have been when they stopped by after their trip to Ronica.

“Such peculiar people.”

“Surely it’s because Your Majesty’s reign is renowned even in the south.”

Even in offering mere courtesy, Velia’s words made the Emperor laugh again, swelling with pride.

He wants to restrain us, but I need to remind him—we’re not so easy to suppress.

That was the message Velia planted once more.

She could never bow to them completely. She had to stay cautious, but strong enough to be a threat.

“It’s a pity the King of Ronica cannot attend your wedding,” the Emperor mused, stroking his chin.

Ronica was blessed with vast fertile plains, rich in grain and minerals. It was self-sufficient, and its strategic location made it impossible for the Empire to treat lightly.

To the west lay the Ingot Empire, to the north the Holy Nation, to the east the Kingdom of Yakum, and to the south across the desert a union of nomadic tribes.

And the current Ronica maintained good relations with all of them.

So just ignore them.

If you show your contempt too openly, people are bound to get angry.

Velia let the corner of her lips curl into a knowing smile.