The Lord Of Sinal (5)

“How… did you recognize me?”

Liris asked Damon cautiously. They sat facing each other at the table. The topic was sensitive, so her legs kept trembling. Damon answered in a calm voice without taking his eyes off her.

“It’s a story from over twenty years ago, but when I visited the Isles as Baras’s envoy, I had the honor of meeting the late Empress. Eleven years ago, I saw the Crown Princess as a child in the Isles and thought she resembled her greatly; now that you’ve grown, it’s even more so.”

“I see…”

“If you had even used sacred power, there must have been quite a few who could recognize you; I’m curious how the rumor hasn’t spread yet.”

“Ah, that is…”

Liris’s cheeks flushed at Damon’s question.

“Master took great care to make sure my appearance wouldn’t be revealed.”

‘He must have kept her hidden because he thought she was beautiful. How adorable, Your Grace the Duke.’

“…Is that so?”

Damon stared at her for a moment, then let out a small sigh.

“His Grace is pursuing marriage with the Crown Princess.”

Damon noticed she had something in mind when Liris nodded without surprise.

“When the retainers opposed it, he even declared he’d give up his ducal title if necessary.”

“What?”

This time Liris was startled, her eyes wide.

“He announced he’d give up everything and seclude himself in the Red Moon rather than not take the slave-born ‘lady’ as his wife.”

“Th-that’s…”

Liris felt faint.

‘That mustn’t happen. If it did, everything would unravel…’

Damon’s expression hardened as he watched her grow pale. He deliberately didn’t add what followed. If there had been no other motives, whether Kaiston renounced his duchy or not would have meant little to her. However.

“I’ll ask directly.”

Damon did not think the Crown Princess had approached him without purpose, naturally.

“Why are you at His Grace’s side? What on earth are you planning? What are you and your father up to?”

Liris fell silent for a long moment, considering where to begin and what to reveal, then let out a long sigh.

“Damon. Before you hear everything, please believe just one thing.”

“What is it?”

“No matter how it started, no matter my purpose, I truly like him very much, that is the truth.”

Damon frowned at Liris’s words.

“I didn’t expect this of myself either, but now my heart belongs entirely to him.”

Damon cleared his throat.

“His Grace is rather charming, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He’s the first man I’ve ever known in such a way, truly.”

“I understand.”

“I’m glad you sympathize, Damon.”

Both of them, whose stiff expressions had softened unconsciously, realized and composed themselves again.

“Ahem, I understand your current feelings, but you must tell me the original purpose anyway.”

Liris nodded at Damon’s words.

“This might take a little while.”

After gathering her thoughts, Liris began calmly.

“I heard that the Emperor originally intended to marry me to him. It didn’t happen because my lord resisted fiercely.”

Liris calmly told of what happened after Kaiston went to the Red Moon: the two men newly proposed as grooms, Millen Grandis and Raiden Ronwood, and their brazen behavior. Damon looked quite surprised. To think they’d try to throw around the most noble woman in the Empire as they pleased. He shook his head at their twisted greed treating a woman like an object.

“When girls in the Isles give their parents trouble, the parents say, ‘We’ll marry her off to the Duke of the Red Moon.’ I’ve heard that often too.”

Having seen her cousin’s sinister intent and Millen’s two-faced nature—the one she thought a friend—she couldn’t accept any of them as a groom. But since the next succession was at stake, both sides’ powers had already grown vast, and Liris needed a third party to surpass them. So the Emperor sent her to the Red Moon, exactly as he had intended.

“They said he poured all sorts of insults at the Emperor, saying he’d never marry me.”

“That is…”

Damon gave a wry smile.

“It’s true. His Grace considered it humiliating to become the groom of the daughter of his enemy, and of a Crown Princess only eight years old.”

“If he finds out I’m the Crown Princess, he’ll be very angry, won’t he?”

“Well.”

Damon gave an ambiguous answer to avoid committing.

“My lord will not be able to live quietly, because of you. There are only two choices: abandon you or fight.”

Damon shook his head at Liris’s words.

“He won’t abandon the Crown Princess.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. I’ve seen His Grace since childhood, but this is the first time I’ve seen him fall in love.”

“Fa-falling in love…”

Liris unconsciously grabbed her cheeks with both hands. Her body twisted in surprise. She’d heard him say he liked her a few times, but love! Love!

Damon laughed at her reaction.

“I think I understand why His Grace fell for the Crown Princess.”

“Ah… but I didn’t think he’d be willing to give up his title because of me.”

“Don’t worry about that. The retainers of Sinal aren’t foolish enough to let His Grace go easily.”

“Is that so?”

“They’re likely already groveling and doing their utmost to handle things even more perfectly than His Grace desires.”

Watching Damon say that with a faint smile, Liris felt somewhat afraid of him.

“In any case, Crown Princess.”

“Yes, Damon.”

“Tell His Grace the truth before it’s too late. Once the banquet is held and the nobility of the Isles come into Sinal, your identity will be exposed in an instant.”

“A banquet?”

Liris’s eyes widened. This was the first she had heard of it.

“His Grace ordered a banquet to find brides for the Commanders, but due to a misunderstanding, invitations were sent across the Empire. A considerable number of nobles have accepted and are heading to Sinal.”

“Ugh. Re-really?”

‘Why start such an unusual affair now of all times?’

Liris’s head ached.

“Nothing is going according to plan. He removed my restraints and my sacred power was discovered too quickly. I never expected talk of marrying so soon, or that he’d try to give up his duchy. And what’s with the banquet?”

Damon spoke as he watched her complain.

“Think simply. In the end, what does the Crown Princess want? What do you want His Grace to do?”

“I…”

Liris bit her lower lip.

“I want my lord to crush Raiden and Millen and any others beneath his feet.”

“And?”

“I want him to become the ruler of this Empire.”

Damon watched her silently. The ruler of this Empire.

“That won’t be easy.”

“I have power that can help my lord, though I won’t reveal it now. The Crown Princess’s husband holds the first place in the succession, so I think it’s entirely possible.”

“No. More than that…”

Damon sighed deeply.

“What I mean is that it’s not easy to make His Grace greedy.”

“Ah… th-that…”

“You’ve likely experienced it, so you know.”

Liris nodded, aware of what he meant. That was her greatest worry as well.

“If the Crown Princess merely turns His Grace’s heart.”

A faint smile touched Damon’s lips.

“There will be nothing difficult for him.”

---

It was late at night when Kaiston returned to the bedchamber carrying a file. Liris, who had been dozing and waking while waiting, was fully awake when she saw the documents inside the file he handed her.

‘Good heavens.’

She couldn’t help but admire the retainers of Sinal for their initiative. In less than a day after arriving, they’d prepared the duke’s marriage notification to submit to the imperial family court. That document alone proved how much they respected the duke’s wishes.

“Using the transmitter in the Mage Tower, I believe we can get a reply within three days. Then we can introduce you as the duchess at the banquet.”

Liris stared blankly at him and then at the documents. His signature was already completed where his name appeared.

For the document to take effect properly, Liris herself had to write her real name: Liriana Louise Lucrecian de Aikadum, the Crown Princess’s full name.

‘What should I do? What will happen?’

Liris bit her lower lip without realizing it.

“Liris.”

Kaiston lightly brushed her lips with his thumb.

“Why are you like this?”

“My lord, you know…”

Liris smiled shyly.

“I’m a bit embarrassed… Could you go wash up? I’ll finish the paperwork in the meantime.”

He watched her quietly, snorted softly, and nodded.

“All right. I understand.”

After he lightly stroked her hair and went into the bath, Liris quickly grabbed the file and went to the table. She didn’t forget to pull the cord by the bed to call the servant. When the servant arrived, Liris asked him to fetch Damon.

While Damon was coming, Liris filled in the empty signature fields one by one.

Liriana Louise Lucrecian de Aikadum. Liriana Louise Lucrecian de Aikadum. And sign, and sign again.

Her heart pounded. Like a child doing something naughty, she nervously finished the paperwork. Finally, she checked the document carefully from the first to the last page for any mistakes, and only then did she slip it back into the file.

Knock, knock.

A neat knock sounded.

“Your Grace, Damon.”

“Come in, Damon.”

Liris opened the door herself. Damon glanced around the room and cocked his head.

“Is His Grace not here?”

“He’s in the bath. I asked him to fetch you for me.”

“Is something the matter?”

“These documents…”

Liris handed over the file.

“Oh. This is already completed?”

“Yes. My lord brought it.”

Damon’s face hardened as he casually turned the first page of the file. He saw the Crown Princess’s full official name written there.

“I haven’t told my lord yet… but he said the papers must be submitted quickly…”

“I understand.”

Damon nodded.

“Tell His Grace I visited first and brought them because time was urgent.”

“Yes. Thank you, Damon.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Damon bowed his head in greeting.

“Then, rest well.”

After he left, Liris breathed a long sigh of relief.

‘Haah, really. Nothing is easy.’

Liris glanced at the bathroom door. He’d come out soon. Her amber eyes sparkled. She slipped out of the white dress, removed all her undergarments, and put on only a sheer slip.

She stood before the mirror and examined herself. Her round breasts pressed the front of the slip taut; the silken fabric revealed their erect peaks. Having eaten little at dinner because of her worries, she liked her slightly hollow stomach. Her narrow waist contrasted beautifully with her shapely hips, and her long, smooth legs extended enticingly.

Liris struck pose after pose and lifted the corner of her mouth in a smile.

‘Good. This level of preparation can be considered battle-ready.’