It was said to be an annex, but as soon as the door was opened, a huge round table conference hall appeared as if it was built only for meeting purposes. Since the seats were assigned in descending order from the person of highest status, the Grand Duke William the Great was seated at the highest position, then Count Rixis, and then the elders were seated one after the other in descending order.
And the positions of Irene and Noel were right after the Grand Duke. Originally, Noel had not yet been officially appointed as the Grand Duke heir apparent, so he had to sit next to Count Rixis, but today’s meeting was held for the two people, so a seat was reserved for convenience.
However, everyone in this place knew that it was not just for mere convenience’s sake.
As the two of them entered the conference hall, their gazes on Irene were persistently attached to them. Because the tables had turned because of her, the majority of their eyes were resentful. The atmosphere in the conference hall originally was not very bright, prompting their gazes on Irene to be even gloomier.
However, as if nothing happened, she proudly raised her head and straightened her back.
She had been hesitant several times until now, and she was very worried before coming here, but she could not show any signs of that in front of those who were desperate to find fault with them. Because she could be a flaw not only for herself, but also for Noel.
“Come here.”
The Grand Duke called Irene and Noel. Noel, who bowed slightly, took Irene’s hand, and passed between the Kristen vassals and elders.
“Goodness!”
Each time the two of them passed by, they heard unpleasant mutters of condemnation, but neither Irene nor Noel cared.
They climbed the stairs and stood where the second highest seat was. The inside of the conference hall could be seen from this position. Count Rixis, Count Ascardo, and everyone they saw at the banquet was all gathered together.
When Irene and Noel were also seated, the valet opened the door for the meeting.
“Everyone attended, with no one absent. I will start the meeting with this.”
“Yes, but before that, there was a new couple blessed yesterday, and no one is congratulating them?”
At the Grand Duke’s words, the vassals looked at them and clapped their hands.
“...Congratulations.”
“...this will make the Grand Duke even more stable.”
“Congratulations!”
“With this, a new breeze will blow in the Grand Duke family too!”
There were those who applauded with shaky expressions, while there were also those who got up from their seats and clapped loudly enough to make everyone in the venue clap and express their joy. In any case, the favour was leaning toward Noel, and they hurried to line up in order again.
The two forces were sharply divided, creating a diametrically opposed atmosphere.
Since Irene and Noel were seated in a high place, they could clearly distinguish the two forces with their naked eye. Even amongst the elders, there were already some who were trying to curry Noel’s favour.
But still, there were a lot of people who remained opposed to Noel... However, it was clear that it was a very big change when she remembered that all the vassals and elders kept Noel in check at the 700th anniversary banquet.
And if the two factions consisted mainly of Ascardo and Noel, Irene was at the centre. However, her position was like a dream, and their view of her was completely different.
“I am going to make an important announcement at this meeting. As your lords know, there is one condition I have made for the Grand Duke.”
“...”
There was no introduction. The Grand Duke went straight to the point. Immediately, the conference hall became quiet as if cold water had been poured. No one was willing to make a sound.
“Does anyone know of that condition?”
At the Grand Duke’s question, the vassals and elders exchanged glances with one another. There was no one who did not know. How impossibly large was the burden of that condition? On the contrary, it was even rumoured that the young Duke had been completely abandoned by the Grand Duke Kristen because of the conditions.
However, bringing those words out at this place was no different than recognising Noel as the successor to the Grand Duke.
Of course, those who supported Ascardo kept their mouths shut, and those who supported Noel were hesitant to observe Earl Rixis’s attention. This was because, unlike the Grand Duke, who lived on his own, the Earl of Rixis had a great influence in politics. He was a well-versed veteran in the political sphere and so, no one wanted to stand out and be seen in his eyes.
While they were looking at each other like that, a surprising event occurred.
“The condition was that if he could marry a woman recognised by the Great Kristen, he would inherit the Grand Duchy.”
A clear voice came out, bursting the silence. The voice was not too far away from the top either. The eyes of Irene, Noel, and the Grand Duke fell a step down. Amidst the attention of the startled gazes, Ascardo stood up from his seat with a smile on his face.
“That’s what I remember, right? Grand Duke Kristen.”
“...right.”
Why on earth did Ascardo reveal that fact in the first place? Even though the person who was most disadvantaged by that condition was himself.
Not even the Grand Duke could understand his intention, so he narrowed his eyes. Ascardo, who had seen Irene leisurely smile, looked at her. When their eyes met, Irene felt a chill for some reason.
Intuitively, she knew that Ascardo was up to something. And it had a lot to do with herself.