Chapter 97
“Ahem, Crown Prince. I think there’s something I should say about that.”
Anox glanced toward where Kasselard and Ephinia were, then turned his gaze back to Jeremiah. It wasn’t something he had done, but since he was Kasselard’s father, he had to be the one to bring it up.
“The Crown Prince… was married recently, so he has a consort. That Guide over there is the Crown Prince’s consort.”
When the Emperor mentioned her, Ephinia lowered her head slightly in place of a greeting. Jeremiah was taken aback for a moment.
‘He got married?!’
Until they sent word, Karnan’s Crown Prince had clearly been unmarried, but he held the ceremony before their delegation even arrived? That fast?!
“What… I don’t believe we were told anything like that.”
“That’s how it turned out.”
“It was only that the possibility was being discussed. It was the Nabel Empire that departed before even receiving a definite answer about a state marriage, so I don’t think there’s any reason for us to provide an explanation here, is there?”
At Empress Yekaterina’s annoyingly sharp reply, anger surged in Jeremiah. What she said was true, but the Karnan Empire had never expressed a refusal either. From the moment they permitted entry, wasn’t it no different from tacit consent?
‘So that’s why they shut me out at the gate?!’
Jeremiah whipped his head around and looked at Ephinia. This was a matter between nation and nation. Even if the Emperor or Empress had a reason to do this, they wouldn’t use a method like this. And it fit Kasselard’s personality as Crown Prince even less.
So…
‘Did that vixen seduce that bastard Kasselard or something?’
It was even more infuriating because she looked like someone soft-hearted and easily swayed by others. For his plan to be tripped up by a woman like that!
Jeremiah tried hard to calm his anger. For the sake of the Nabel Empire’s dignity, he should have poured out his rage here and turned his back on them, but…
‘Everything it took to come here will go to waste!’
And besides, they still hadn’t used up all their cards. If, through Ibella, who could imitate an S-Class Guide, they could only ensnare Kasselard… if that alone was possible, then this game could be overturned.
“For things to have turned out like this… it’s regrettable for our Empire, but we can only offer our congratulations.”
Jeremiah continued, lowering his fiercely burning eyes.
“It is unfortunate, yes. No matter how difficult a Transcendent’s waves may be, Ibella is an outstanding Guide who can match them, so His Majesty our Emperor had high hopes for this marriage.”
“Is that so?”
It was Emperor Anox who raised his voice as if surprised. Jeremiah flicked his eyes toward Kasselard, but he showed no sign of curiosity, as if he were thoroughly bewitched by his Guide.
But if the Emperor was interested, that would be enough.
“If you doubt it, then please confirm the match rate here.”
At his gesture, the Nabel Empire envoys called in attendants and brought in a large magic device. It wasn’t a magic device made by the mage tower, but it was clearly a tool for testing the match rate between a Transcendent and a Guide.
“Hm… Crown Prince. Since this is only to test the Nabel Empire Princess’s ability, would you check it once?”
The Emperor spoke as if in passing, but everyone here knew he had another intention. The marriage between the Crown Prince and Baroness Linier was basically a rushed grab. It was a marriage carried out without the Emperor or Empress’s permission.
Separate from being angry at Kasselard, Ephinia wanted to tell him not to do it, but there was no way to refuse when the Emperor proposed it like that.
“If it’s only testing, then there’s nothing wrong with it. I’ll check.”
Ephinia was disappointed that Kasselard answered like that, as expected. He looked at her with an earnest expression, pulled her hand closer, and kissed the back of it.
“I’ll be right back.”
“……”
While she didn’t answer, Kasselard rose from his seat. The Emperor felt relieved, and when Jeremiah looked to Ibella, she moved as well.
‘That woman. No matter how I look at her, she doesn’t look like an S-Class Guide.’
Maybe to an S-Class Transcendent of the same rank, it might seem like she had her waves well contained, but he was an SS-Class Transcendent one rank above, and he had also met Agnes, another S-Class Guide, and received her guiding.
Even waves she tried to hide would inevitably be sensed by an SS-Class Transcendent like him. If his condition had been before he met Ephinia and received deep contact guiding… if he had been in a situation that desperate, then maybe he could have been fooled.
But right now, he was in peak condition, and because of that, he could tell that she was a fake imitating the waves of an S-Class Guide. With that amount of energy, she was nothing more than a D-Class close to B-Class.
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