#138. I Am Truly Grateful
“…Because it was something I could take care of.”
Melchizedek covered his face with one hand. That alone was enough to hide his expression.
Melchizedek knew Blanche. Ja Cheongneung knew Yi Baekryeon. Blanche intended to resolve this matter herself.
That’s why she had hidden it so thoroughly—she didn’t want to create a situation where others could interfere.
Baekryeon had always been that way. If something wasn’t beyond her capabilities, she would never borrow another’s strength.
Even if relying on others would make the path shorter and easier, she would insist on walking the harder, more complicated road.
And that principle applied even to Cheongneung, to whom she had devoted her entire life.
He only ever found out there had been a problem once everything was already over.
Cheongneung had always wanted her to change that tendency…
“All that, just because of that?”
The Emperor, who could command all things in the world, frowned in disbelief.
The man who had once stood at the pinnacle of all and could one day sit there again, however, sympathized with the reasoning—though in a different way.
“I feel the same, honestly.”
Why did she always interpret his goodwill as a debt? He had no intention of ever asking her to repay it.
“Well, it won’t cause great harm to the Empire, but we’ll need to keep an eye on international affairs.”
“Hmm. You think Princess Blanche won’t be satisfied with just taking over Lamore Kingdom?”
“Most likely.”
Melchizedek gave a short reply.
“She also needs a justification for the poisoning of the seven royals, doesn’t she?”
“That’s something she could handle domestically.”
“But if a princess who lived her entire life abroad returns only to immediately carry out internal purges, do you really think the nobles will accept it?”
Of course, Blanche would find a way to manage even that. But if there was an easier path, one she was even more skilled at, why wouldn’t she choose it?
“So then?”
“Blanche will wage war against the Kingdom of Kartian.”
Verken’s eyes widened in shock. For anyone unaware of Blanche’s true identity, such an answer would be unimaginable.
“That’s absurd.”
Blurting out his raw reaction first, Verken then stammered through his reasoning.
“The difference in national power is too vast. Their armies aren’t even comparable. And Lamore Kingdom is attacked by barbarians every year… If their supplies are plundered annually, sustaining a war would be impossible.”
Everything he said was correct. In fact, had Melchizedek not known about Blanche’s past life, he would never have chosen that answer either.
But Melchizedek knew Blanche was Yi Baekryeon—
the genius commander who succeeded Yeon Noksah, the so-called Incarnation of Martial Might, and achieved continental unification.
For someone like her, differences in military strength or northern barbarian raids were hardly issues at all.
“Believe me or not, it doesn’t matter. Lamore’s sword will never point at us anyway.”
“…Because of your bond with her?”
“You say you know Blanche, don’t you?”
At that ridiculous question, Melchizedek gave a hollow laugh.
“You have a sister-in-law, after all.”
Blanche could easily overcome disparities in strength—unless, of course, the opponent had the reincarnation of the God of War on their side.
“She’s already established favorable ties with the Empire, and there’s a steep mountain range between us. If she needs to vent internal turmoil, she’ll do so against Kartian, not us.”
“If she’s that rational, wouldn’t it be wiser to pick on another smaller state instead? But fine, I see your point.”
Verken rubbed at his throbbing forehead.
He’d only come to listen to his younger brother’s grievances, yet ended up burdened with a tangled diplomatic issue. But it was fine.
There was still plenty of time before any official communication arrived from Lamore. He could think about it later.
So, he returned to his original purpose.
“Well, that’s my job as Emperor to worry about. —What about you?”
With the woman he liked having returned to her homeland, likely never to come back, and even the occasional twice-a-year meeting now impossible—was his brother truly spending his thoughts on whether that woman would go to war or not?
If Liana had walked a similar path, Verken doubted he would have been able to stay sane.
Melchizedek was silent for a moment.
“Brother.”
“Yes, Melki?”
“If I did something reckless for the sake of love, would you forgive me?”
Verken gazed into Melchizedek’s eyes—the eyes of a brother who had always seemed too mature, which worried him.
“If it’s something within reason for you to do, then anything is fine.”
It was not the right thing to say as Emperor. Melchizedek was his only true alternative for succession.
But Melchizedek had become Crown Prince despite being the second prince only because Verken himself had chosen love over reason.
So it was only fair to give Melchizedek the chance to make a foolish choice as well.
Thus Verken spoke words no Emperor ought to say:
“Just… give me a little warning when you decide, so I can brace myself for it.”
He lightened the gravity of his words with a touch of humor, and his younger brother’s lips curved into the faintest smile.
“Mother would probably faint.”
“Haha. You don’t know—she’s already used to it. Our late father was also a man blinded by love.”
He couldn’t offer the counsel he’d intended, but Verken was relieved enough to see his brother’s expression brighten a little.
Still—
“Melki.”
“Yes, brother?”
“…Was it a mistake for me to arrange that first meeting between you two?”
This much he had to ask.
Had his brother ever regretted falling for Blanche?
Were there not better choices for his brother than that girl—who, to Verken’s knowledge, had already left him with scars twice over?
Having noticed Blanche even before Liana, Verken had always wanted to ask this.
“No.”
But that was only a worry born of his ignorance of Melchizedek and Blanche’s shared past life.
He thought their bond had begun with his own arrangement, which is why he could even ask.
“No, brother. Quite the opposite. I’m deeply grateful—to you and to sister-in-law—for introducing me to Blanche.”
For Melchizedek, who was forced to live a second life without ever properly resolving the bond of the first, it was a question that required no hesitation.
Lady Martina—Fania Seine Martina, the second daughter of Duke Martina—gazed nervously out the window.
Though the scenery of this foreign land was not much different, it felt strangely alien.
Her friend, though born here, had spent her life in the Empire. What must she be thinking, now in such a strange place?
“They say we’ll arrive at the royal palace today. You should rest, so as not to show a tired face to Her Highness the Princess.”
Noticing her daughter staring out wearily after the long carriage journey, the Duchess of Martina gave a word of advice.
As her mother said, Fania’s purpose here was to encourage Blanche, who must be enduring loneliness in this kingdom.
So she couldn’t greet her looking utterly exhausted. She knew it—but still couldn’t sleep a wink. By the time they arrived at the palace, her eyes hadn’t closed once.
“The Imperial envoy from the Duchy of Martina has arrived.”
Following behind her mother, Fania was unimpressed by the royal palace. To a young lady raised in a ducal household of the Empire, it seemed small, and its workmanship could not even begin to compare with the Imperial Palace.
She’d heard another princess besides Blanche had survived. Wouldn’t it be better to leave matters to that one, and let Blanche return to the Empire?
She had things she wanted to do together with Blanche…
Suppressing such complaints, she endured the long, dull procedures until finally she was granted a private audience.
Blanche had seen her name on the envoy list and requested a meeting.
“Blanche!”
“Fania.”
In an unfamiliar place, the sight of a familiar face—Fania rushed straight to her friend without caring about others, and hugged her tightly.
“Are you alright? You don’t know how much I worried when I heard—”
Her friend’s face looked tired, but far more intact than expected. Still, knowing how easily Blanche overexerted herself, Fania couldn’t shake her concern.
“I’m fine. You came all this way just for me? Thank you so much.”
Only once the attendants had withdrawn did Blanche’s weary face soften.
Seeing her smile, Fania felt the endless carriage ride had been worth it.
“Of course, it’s only natural. His Grace the Grand Duke was worried too. He said if you need anything at all, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask.”
“Oh my… I’m truly grateful…”
Her expression softened further.
Fania clasped her friend’s hand and went on about how many in the Empire were worried for her.
“They even wrote letters. I’ll bring them to you once we’ve unpacked.”
After sharing those encouraging words, Fania hesitated, then asked:
“…Have you decided what you’ll do now?”
She thought she already knew the answer.
Even from a brief audience, it was clear how much the new king of Lamore relied upon his sole surviving relative.
“I’ll stay here and support my sister.”
As expected, that was the answer.
