The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Eldest Daughter Walks the Path of Flowers Episode 102

There were three candidates for Charle’s princess consort.

Rollis Relbelloa from House of Relbelloa, the Empress’s maternal family, Elizabeth Russel from the Russel Ducal Family which could be considered moderate, and Clara Coban from the Coban Duchy belonging to the Bellius Party.

Olivier thought.

‘The Empress believes she’s very clever, but seeing how she still hasn’t made such an important decision shows she’s no different from Charle.’

The selection of the 1st Prince’s consort, who was practically the future empress, was a very important matter.

If the Empress chose Rollis Relbelloa, she could strengthen her maternal family, House of Relbelloa.

Or she could choose Elizabeth Russel to embrace the moderate faction.

On the other hand, if she chose Clara Coban, she could extend a hand of reconciliation to the Bellius Party and seek harmony.

However, Adrianne had been postponing that decision for a very long time.

Olivier poured strong liquor into his glass.

Seeing this, Charle’s eyes widened.

“Brother, what’s the matter?”

Olivier downed the liquor in one gulp and wiped his lips.

“Brother, if you keep hesitating like this, I’ll go first.”

“What? What are you going to do?”

“Marriage.”

Charle’s mouth fell wide open.

“B-brother? You’re going to get married?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe it! You’ve rejected all those beautiful young ladies until now, so where did you find a match? Which family’s daughter is she?”

“A young lady from the Tilrod Family.”

“Til… rod…?”

Charle seemed to be turning his mind inside out, and Olivier could almost hear it.

Charle shook his head with bleary eyes and said.

“Was there such a family in the capital? Which faction does the family belong to?”

Olivier answered kindly.

“It’s natural that you don’t know them – they’re a small knight family from the south.”

“Yes, if it’s small enough that I don’t know them, it must be a really small family. But you want to marry a young lady from that family?”

“She’s a very pure and warm person. A woman like spring.”

“Pure and warm and like spring…”

Charle looked so shocked that he seemed completely sober.

“Olivier, would that really be enough? You can’t expect any support from your wife’s family.”

Due to the strong liquor, Olivier’s face had an unusually rosy flush.

This made his rigid face appear somewhat more human.

With his reddened face, Olivier said.

“Brother, do you know that everyone in the world except you considers me a potential usurper of imperial power?”

At his words, all color drained from Charle’s face.

“Wh-what are you saying! You would never do such a thing!”

Olivier said in a calm voice.

“Of course that’s not the truth. However, if I were to marry a young lady from an excellent family, it’s obvious they would clamor that I covet the Crown Prince’s position.”

Olivier continued in a chillingly gentle voice.

“My marriage will become a weapon to cut out the seeds of distrust. I will marry a woman from an insignificant family and plan to establish a small estate in Duras, not in the imperial court, to build a family. And I will assist Your Highness by your side until you need me. And someday when you no longer need me…”

“Ah, Olivier!”

Charle’s eyes widened greatly.

“What are you saying? That I would come to not need you!”

“Brother, please listen to me. If that day comes, I will finish my long duty and leave the capital without any regrets.”

“My brother!”

Charle jumped up and walked over to Olivier, embracing him tightly.

“Even though the imperial court is a cold place, such a day will never come! There’s no one who cares for me as much as you do, so how could I not need you?”

Though he had expected an extreme reaction, Olivier had never imagined that Charle would actually embrace him, so he let out an annoyed sigh.

Charle said in a trembling voice.

“Look at Lord Runtier. Though he chose to retire, doesn’t he still play a part in politics? Couldn’t you continue to assist me by my side like him?”

Trapped in Charle’s plump arms, Olivier said.

“Of course, if Your Highness wishes it, I will do so.”

“Yes. Leaving the capital! This is your home, so how can you volunteer for exile and spend the latter half of your life lonely in a foreign land?”

Charle released his arms and shook his head vigorously.

He patted Olivier’s shoulder affectionately before returning to his seat and filling his glass with strong liquor.

“Yes, rather than such ominous talk, let’s have a pleasant conversation. Don’t worry about the marriage to that spring-like young lady. I’ll speak to Her Majesty the Empress… no, to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“To His Majesty the Emperor?”

Charle grumbled.

“My mother will surely make all sorts of calculations and drag out the time again. She’ll rack her brains talking about factions and such.”

Charle scratched his cheek with dissatisfaction and said.

“An empress can be replaced.”

At his words, Olivier felt both disgust and joy simultaneously.

The disgust was naturally directed at Charle, who thoughtlessly spouted such words in front of Olivier, the son of the former empress who had been deposed and met a miserable death.

However, it was Olivier himself who had made Charle into such a perfect hopeless case.

His plan was being completed magnificently, and he accepted this fact with joy.

Olivier concealed his smile and poured another glass of strong liquor.

“When my marriage comes up, Her Majesty the Empress will also put an end to her long deliberation.”

“I don’t care whether it’s Rollis, Jojot, or Clara, so I plan to follow mother’s decision. But your marriage, a spring-like young lady! I’m truly looking forward to it, hahaha!”

The glasses of strong liquor clinked lightly in the air.

After dinner, Charle, pleasantly drunk and in good spirits, departed for a place where his soul-stealing, charming mistresses and, in Charle’s words, gambling tables with ‘money he had set aside’ awaited him.

Olivier, who had unintentionally drunk too much, walked through the garden in front of the banquet hall, letting the cold wind hit him to sober up.

The garden, where spring had not yet arrived, felt only dark and cold with just the evergreen trees.

However, spring would soon come here too.

A beautiful spring that would last forever…

Olivier closed his eyes and called her name.

“Radis…”

As he thought of her, he felt his stopped heart begin to beat again.

Standing still, he recalled the sensation of holding her in his arms.

It seemed both hot and cold.

It was soft like a feather, but he also felt the firmness as if embracing a solid, beautiful tree.

The memory of every moment was too intense.

Emotions he had never felt before poured down like a torrential rain, and he couldn’t classify each one separately.

Only the shock remained, like experiencing rain for the first time in his life.

‘Radis. Every day, teach me one by one…’

An out-of-place sound pierced his ears as he was lost in ecstasy.

“Sob sob…”

It was a woman’s crying.

Coming to his senses, Olivier realized he had walked to the center of the small garden attached to the banquet hall.

And that someone was crying in the nearby gazebo.

Olivier sent a contempt-filled gaze toward the person who had ruthlessly shattered his peace, then tried to leave.

However, the other party seemed to have no intention of letting him go.

“O-Olivier sir…!”

Olivier let out an annoyed sigh and turned around.

“What is the matter?”

It was Elizabeth sitting in the gazebo crying.

Her beautiful golden-brown hair was disheveled and messy, and she had cried so much that her makeup was smeared.

She breathed roughly, her deeply cut white chest heaving greatly, and said.

“A, a lady is crying like this and you’re just going to pass by? Isn’t that too much?”

Olivier said with a face as cold as ice.

“I apologize. With darkness falling, I failed to notice the lady. Then I’ll take my leave.”

As Olivier turned around, Elizabeth jumped up from her seat.

“O, Olivier!”

At her tearful call, Olivier had no choice but to stop walking.

Elizabeth said while sobbing.

“Please lend me a handkerchief.”

Olivier said coldly.

“I don’t have one.”

It was a lie.

There was always a handkerchief in the inner pocket of his coat.

However, Olivier didn’t want to get Elizabeth’s snot or such on his belongings.

“How cruel…”

Elizabeth had no choice but to wipe her tears again with the handkerchief that was already soaked with tears.

Watching her, Olivier let out a short sigh and advised.

“Lady Russel, the priests who serve God lack sufficient reverence for the future Emperor. It’s no wonder the 1st Prince finds them disagreeable.”

At his words, Elizabeth, who had been wiping her tears, looked at him with wide eyes.

Her tear-soaked, vividly clear pupils felt somehow uncomfortable, so Olivier avoided her gaze and continued speaking.

“If you also desire the position of Empress, you should better understand the 1st Prince’s heart…”

Then Elizabeth interrupted his words.

“Oli.”

That was the name Elizabeth used to call him in childhood.

“Because you treat him so preciously, as if he’d fly away if called harshly or burst if gripped tightly, that fool Shar is becoming an even more serious fool…!”

Olivier stopped speaking and slowly closed his mouth.

Elizabeth saw the expression spreading across Olivier’s beautiful face.

He seemed somewhat surprised, and also looked a little disappointed.

His gaze, which had already been cold, was now so frigid that it felt like her cheeks were stinging.

Elizabeth unconsciously covered her mouth with both hands.

After a moment of silence, Olivier lowered his gaze and said coldly.

“Lady Russel.”

“…”

“The 1st Prince, who would wipe away your tears, has already left this place.”

His words were very gentlemanly, but his tone was as cold as his gaze.

“The garden is still too cold for shedding tears alone. I shall arrange for a carriage to take you home.”

After saying that, Olivier turned around and began walking quickly.

Only his words were kind, and his attitude showed he didn’t care whether Elizabeth followed or not.

Elizabeth clutched the tear-stained handkerchief tightly and said.

“…Even if the 3rd Prince hadn’t said so, I was already planning to return.”

Those words were her self-defense to protect her last remaining pride.

However, Olivier didn’t hear those words.

No, even if he had heard them, he wouldn’t have felt any emotion.

Just as it had been long, long ago.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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