[Raul's PoV]
The following day, many nobles arrived at the Imperial Palace to attend the Emperor's three-day birthday celebration. This event serves as an opportunity for their children to socialize and for nobles to meet others with specific agendas.
Duke Alvaro—my father—only arrived here this morning. He sent me a letter yesterday expressing his desire to discuss something with me today.
"I wonder what he wants to talk about?" I muttered.
We are talking about Duke Alvaro here. He is one of the most cunning men in the game. He also possesses an "Insanity" trait that makes his character incredibly difficult to predict.
I have already changed many plots in this world. Is it possible that Duke Alvaro's plan to sacrifice the people of the Duchy of Toledo will also change? If that is true, then the future will be far harder for me to forecast.
Could he be changing his target? But where would he get one million human souls on such short notice?
In the game Path of Destiny, there is an artifact capable of collecting the souls of the recently deceased. However, they only have a window of a few hours before those souls vanish from our dimension. At that time in the game, Duke Alvaro used forbidden magic that required ten years of preparation to harvest one million human souls directly in the Duchy of Toledo.
Is he really going to cancel a plan he has been building for so long?
I don't know...
Without any clues, it will be difficult to predict his next move. However, I must remain vigilant. He is one of the most troublesome antagonists in the game.
Before long, I arrived in front of his room. Alfred was standing guard beside the door to Duke Alvaro's office.
"Young Master," Alfred greeted with a respectful bow. "The Master is waiting for you inside."
I nodded and entered the room after Alfred opened the door. Inside, I saw a middle-aged man in his 40s writing something on a piece of paper.
"Father, I have arrived as you ordered," I said to him.
"Oh, so you do consider me your father?" Duke Alvaro remarked without looking up, still focused on his writing.
"I am merely acting as I should," I replied. "So, what did you want to discuss with me?"
Duke Alvaro finished writing and placed the paper into an envelope. He then sealed the letter with the Garcia family crest.
"Alfred, come in," Duke Alvaro called.
The old servant entered the room and bowed.
"Deliver this to the usual place, understood?" Duke Alvaro said, handing the letter to Alfred.
"I shall carry out your command, Master," Alfred said, taking the letter and leaving us alone.
Duke Alvaro finally looked at my face and smiled. "Sit down first; this is going to be an interesting conversation."
I did as he said and sat in the chair in front of his desk.
"How was the exam?" the man asked, like a normal father asking his son about his school results.
"You're asking that because your spies couldn't get close while the students were taking the exam, right?" I said bluntly.
"Hee~ You noticed? How did you do it?" Duke Alvaro asked, this time looking genuinely impressed. "He is one of the spies I obtained from the Ashina Clan, famous for their killing techniques."
The Ashina Clan, huh? If I recall correctly, they are descendants of Ashina The Shadow, rumored to have come from the far-off eastern continent.
"I don't have the power to detect his presence yet," I answered honestly. "I just guessed you would be watching me, given the significant amount of money I've spent in the last few days."
It was true; without detection magic, it is almost impossible to track assassins from the Ashina Clan. However, I have a special trick to lure him out later.
"Fine, let's end the small talk," Duke Alvaro said, his smile fading.
Alright, this is it. Is he going to talk about destroying the Empire? Is he going to talk about human sacrifice? Or worst of all, is he going to talk about selling my soul to the demons?
"Raul, you are going to marry Princess Alisha."
"Huh?"
Marriage? With a Princess? Since when did this man care about his son's marriage? Did he hit his head on something, and has his soul been swapped with someone else's just like mine?
"Oh, I've surprised you, it seems," Duke Alvaro said, smiling again. "Does the idea of marrying a beautiful Princess from the North make you that happy?"
"No, no, no." I quickly denied his thought. "You're making me marry her to reach a deal, aren't you? There's no way you'd do this to me without a specific reason."
Duke Alvaro took a sip from a glass of wine on his desk before answering. "True enough, this marriage is part of my agreement with Tsar Feodor. You don't need to know the details, Raul."
An agreement, huh? I wonder what their deal is. Let me think...
Raul's marriage to Princess Alisha does not happen in the game. Princess Alisha herself actually dies in the fourth chapter after graduation.
This means Duke Alvaro's plan to marry me off to Princess Alisha was only devised after I first met him. That means some of his plans have changed from the original game plot.
I remember reading in the newspaper a few days ago that a monster attack disaster recently occurred in the Slavic Tsardom, which ruined the country's economy.
That means it is highly likely Duke Alvaro is engaging in a business partnership or investment with Tsar Feodor in his country. But what does Duke Alvaro gain from this? With the economy in ruins, it will take time for such an investment to yield results.
There must be something he wants there, whatever it is.
"Princess Alisha will arrive here in a few days," Duke Alvaro said, breaking my train of thought. "She will be a transfer student at the academy along with her personal maid. The Garcia family will also begin its cooperation with the Slavic Tsardom starting tomorrow."
Seriously, what is this man planning?
Nothing good ever comes from a scheme devised by Duke Alvaro. This means I have to find out the details—either by sending a spy to that country or by extracting information from Princess Alisha.
***
[Elena's PoV]
The exhausting meeting from yesterday is over. Currently, I am feeling bored, alone in my room.
Earlier, I wanted to ask Raul to walk around or spar with me. However, he is currently with his father to discuss something. Some academy students will also be present tonight with their noble families. However, there are only a few of them I am close to at the academy.
I wanted to play with my younger siblings, Antonio and Reana. However, they aren't here right now; they went with Mother to the family mansion in the city of Zurau.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
"Princess Elena, you are summoned by His Majesty to his study."
I heard the call of the maid guarding the door.
Father? What does he want to talk to me about, considering his schedule has been incredibly busy lately? It seems this is a rather important conversation.
"Very well, I will be right there."
After leaving my room, the maid escorted me to Father's study. Many nobles were already present in the palace; they greeted me and bowed as a member of the Imperial family.
When I reached the front of Father's room, two guards were watching the entrance.
"Could you inform the Emperor that I have arrived?" I asked them.
Even though I am his daughter, I still have to request permission to see him unless Father approaches me himself.
"Certainly, Princess."
One of the guards went inside and returned shortly after.
"You may enter now, Princess," he said while opening the door.
I nodded and entered the room. I saw piles of paper on his desk. He seemed to be truly busy.
"Ah, Elena, you've come."
I turned to the side and saw Father approaching me while carrying a book.
"Of course, Father. What did you want to discuss with me?" I asked curiously.
"Let's go to the lounge so we can discuss this comfortably," he suggested, walking to the adjacent room which was more spacious, featuring a comfortable sofa and a fireplace to warm the room.
We sat on the sofa, accompanied by a cup of refreshing warm tea. I took a sip; the fragrance of the leaves began to relax me.
"Elena, how is your schooling at the academy?" Father asked, starting the conversation.
"It's going well, I think. Aside from the monster incident, there haven't been any dangerous events threatening the students," I replied. It seemed this was just small talk.
"That reminds me... wasn't the one with you earlier Duke Alvaro's son?" Father asked again.
Ughh... Why does he have to go in circles like this if he wants to tell me something important? Is it because Father often talks to nobles who always express their goals in convoluted language, making him accustomed to speaking this way too?
Truly, I will never get used to this style of speaking.
"Yes, he is my classmate and also a colleague on the Student Council," I answered without rushing.
"Is that so? This is the first time I've seen you with a man your age, Elena," Father said, taking another sip of his tea. "What made you choose him as your guard, Elena? Did this man catch your interest?"
I sighed before answering him.
"Not exactly, Father. Raul has a bad reputation," I answered casually. "He has a poor personality, is dishonorable in duels, always acts mysterious, and I have no idea what his thought process is at all."
"And yet, you still trust him as your guard," Father said with a smile. "You have a unique expression when you talk about him, Elena."
Huh? Is that so? I reflexively touched my face upon hearing Father's comment.
"But, there is something I must remind you of, Elena," Father said, his tone no longer as warm as before. "You are a Princess of the Empire; the future of your life must be dedicated to giving the best for the Empire."
I looked down upon hearing Father say that. Why is Father suddenly discussing this? Don't tell me...
"I plan to betroth you to Prince Vlad of the Kingdom of Draconia."
The moment I heard Father say those words, my body felt cold, as if summer had suddenly ended. Even the warmth of the tea I drank earlier had no effect on my body this time.
"Why do you want to betroth me to a Prince from the Draconia Kingdom?" I asked in a voice as normal as possible.
Father sighed at my question. "After discussing it with several Ministers, we have concluded that a conflict with the Republic of Venetia will be unavoidable."
The Republic of Venetia? A country that borders the Empire to the north.
They hold territory on the coast of the Gulf of Cosentia. With their strategic location in the middle of the continent, their trade and economy have developed very rapidly, making the Republic of Venetia the wealthiest nation on this continent.
"Their dominance of trade in the gulf hinders our nation's economic development," Father said, explaining the reason behind the betrothal plan. "If left unchecked, our influence on this continent will only continue to shrink."
Is that so? Does Father want to form an alliance with the Draconia Kingdom? Or just a defense cooperation? But if the information about my betrothal spreads, the Republic of Venetia will be more wary of our country.
"But Father, the Republic will surely do something if this alliance leaks," I said, doubting the plan.
"Rest assured, Elena. For that reason, we will gauge the Republic's reaction first by inviting Prince Vlad to study at Grunbelt Academy in a student exchange," Father said, answering my concern. "I hope you understand this, Elena."
It is true that I am willing to sacrifice my heart and soul for my beloved country. But why, when faced with a choice like this, does my heart feel so wavered?
"I understand, Father. I will do anything for this country."