This year’s Hunting Festival was fraught with problems on all fronts.
“Such incidents at the Sacred Royal Festival are absolutely unacceptable.”
“Indeed. No matter it’s Valentine, a mere noble lady disrupting a sacred rite is unheard of.”
The most talked-about event was Liliana Valentine’s sudden intrusion.
“The suspension of the Valentine Count’s Knight Commander isn’t nearly enough!”
“Exactly. Someone who has publicly lost honor cannot be allowed to protect the Imperial Court.”
Because of this, Kaidrich had yet to return to his post.
Some even whispered that Kaidrich might never reclaim his position as Knight Commander.
It was, without question, the most humiliating moment in Valentine’s history.
“This all stems from the Empress’s throne being vacant, as expected.”
Moreover, this Hunting Festival ended poorly beyond just Liliana’s disruption.
The Archduchess Leontheim, chosen as the Festival’s Lady, was absent, further diminishing the Imperial dignity.
“Your Majesty, you must appoint an Empress, even now.”
“Indeed. Such a crucial position cannot remain empty indefinitely.”
The position of Empress—
Even those without royal blood could become imperial family by occupying it, securing the golden thread to embrace the future Emperor.
Come to think of it, isn’t our current Emperor the same?
Ludwig’s mother was not an Empress.
When the previous Empress suddenly passed, the sole Imperial Consort who bore two princes received Empress treatment.
The youngest of the two princes was Ludwig himself.
Though the way he ascended the throne remains unsettling.
Regardless, he was the current Emperor.
Every noble gathered in the meeting shared the same thought.
They too believed that securing the Empress seat would grant them entry into the Imperial family.
“Your Majesty, the events of this Hunting Festival will greatly influence the nobility.”
“Yes. Discipline must be restored.”
Nobles present, mostly from families with marriageable daughters, clamored for action.
Ludwig was not unprepared for this.
He understood why he had always prevented the selection of an Empress so strictly.
He knew well how his mother had entered this Imperial Court, and how he himself had become Emperor.
But today, Ludwig was different.
Seated at the head, he absentmindedly touched his lips, lost in thought.
Normally, he would have cut off this topic early on.
From the start of the meeting, nothing else registered in his mind.
Why hasn’t she come?
Only thoughts of the woman with the pale lavender hair filled his mind.
He couldn’t erase her from memory.
Since the moment they met, it was as if time had frozen.
At first, I thought her status was low.
Her posture was clean, her simple yet neat attire—
The more he thought, the more she seemed like high nobility.
If that was true, she was not some woman to be shoved into a bedroom.
…Could she be the woman who longs for me?
Ludwig’s brow twitched.
But then he recalled how she had pushed him away.
A sour feeling began to rise in him.
It doesn’t matter either way.
No matter who her parents are, they’d want to bind her to me.
In this empire, no one would refuse him.
“So, Your Majesty, you must take an Empress—”
Bang!
Before the noble could finish, Ludwig slammed his right hand on the table.
Everyone startled, trembling.
Resting his chin on his hand, his crimson eyes rolled toward the speaker.
The noble under the Emperor’s gaze felt like a prey thrown bare before a beast, swallowing thickly.
“Did you say Empress?”
“…Y-Yes, Your Majesty…”
He felt his life was forfeit.
At least until now, nobles who questioned this matter while the Emperor was in a foul mood mostly ended up crippled or worse.
Blinded by power, they had committed a grave error.
Seeing the trembling noble, a slight smirk lifted one corner of Ludwig’s mouth.
“That sounds perfect.”
“I sincerely apologize—”
The would-be apology caught in the noble’s throat as he looked up.
It wasn’t just him.
All the nobles, looking like drenched mice, stared at Ludwig as if doubting what they’d heard.
“We shall hold a selection contest. Summon all unmarried noble ladies of Count rank or higher.”
Just as Ludwig stood to leave, he paused.
No lady may marry while the selection is ongoing.
He added slowly,
“The pale lavender hair would be especially welcome.”
Fortunately, the new story was very well received by the children.
“What kind of fairy tale is that?”
“I want to read it too!”
Though Iris found it a bit troublesome to insist it was a different fairy tale,
it seemed she wasn’t the only one who disliked this story’s tragic ending.
As they sat in a circle sharing stories, Iris noticed a child.
On the child’s fair, delicate arm bloomed a red flame-like fever mark.
Without realizing it, she reached out to stop the child who was about to wander off.
“Yes? What is it?”
“Sorry for grabbing you suddenly, but… are you feeling unwell?”
“Oh, no! I’m fine now!”
The child, young but speaking clearly, shook their head.
But…
“Now?”
“Yes. I had a bad cough until a few days ago, but it got better quickly.”
Hearing that, Iris recalled seeing children coughing here and there.
Carol seemed to be isolating them quickly.
Before she could think more, Carol returned, wiping sweat, having just left another child in a room.
“Wan-seok, I told you to stay inside until your fever breaks.”
“But it’s so boring!”
“Carol, do the children get sick often?”
“Not severely, but it seems a mild cold has been spreading lately.”
Carol lifted the child with a light tone, but Iris’s expression darkened.
‘A mild cold, huh.’
For some reason, it didn’t feel like an ordinary illness.
Perhaps her memories of the original story and her past life made her uneasy.
‘But the timing is so different.’
In the original, this came much later—far too late for any preparation now.
Still, Iris was certain the symptoms matched those of two diseases.
‘The Mana Plague.’
Originally known to affect only plants, this devastating plague begins with fever marks and a mild cough that worsens into a deadly illness.
In the original, it caused heavy casualties in Cedric’s forces.
‘And it nearly collapsed the Valentine Treasury.’
It had existed even before her return.
Back then, many merchant guilds released cures for the Mana Plague, and among them, Liliana had fully sided with one.
‘My sister wouldn’t help, so I had to take matters into my own hands. She couldn’t even help with something so simple? How unfair.’
The contract signed without Iris’s consent had ended disastrously.
Later, the guild went bankrupt due to the overwhelming effectiveness of a new cure released by a rival guild.
Of course, their investment was lost.
‘And in the original story…’
That incredible achievement belonged to a guild founded by a certain baron.
They sold the cure at exorbitant prices, filling their own coffers.
That was all the information Iris had.
‘At least both guilds are in the capital.’
Most guilds that produced cures before her return were accounted for.
“Your Grace.”
“Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
“It’s alright, but… um…”
Realizing she was holding onto Carol’s sleeve, Iris quickly let go, awkwardly smiling as she met the child’s eyes.
‘Luckily, this child caught it early, so it shouldn’t worsen.’
But reinfection was much easier for young ones.
‘So young…’
There was no way they could endure the plague that awaited them later.
“…Make sure to drink plenty of water.”
That was all she could do for now.
Those who drank more water delayed the onset of symptoms.
Watching the child disappear with Carol, Iris’s gaze shifted to the cheers coming from another direction.
“Your Grace!”
“Oh dear, everyone’s going to trip if they keep that up. I brought some snacks outside, go on out.”
“Waaah!”
“Your Grace.”
It was Sylvia, who had said she couldn’t come due to urgent matters.
Surprised, Iris greeted her, asking,
“How did the urgent matter get resolved?”
“Of course, everything’s settled. It wasn’t anything serious.”
Seeing the children rushing out like the wind, Sylvia said calmly,
“The Emperor has announced he will select the Empress soon. He declared a ‘Selection Tournament’ for it.”
“A selection tournament?”
Iris and Cedric exchanged glances.
Cedric looked puzzled, and so did Iris—this wasn’t in the original nor in her previous life.
And that explained why Sylvia had said it was urgent.
Before the tournament officially begins, a banquet will be held.
Chapter 98