Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - Chapter 173

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 173
“I didn’t take this lightly.”
Ed objected carefully.
But my parents’ expressions remained unmoved.
Not a needle’s breadth of give in them.
“Nor did we come here with a light heart.”
The atmosphere grew heavier by the moment.
“Mom…….”
As I moved to intervene, Ed gently tapped my arm beneath the table.
He worked to persuade my parents himself.
“I love Lina with all my heart. She’s the only person I’ve ever wanted to spend my whole life with.”
The sincerity he spoke so plainly melted my parents’ coldness just a little.
Ed seemed to catch that their resistance was weakening.
‘That’s working. Keep going!’
I cheered him on silently.
Whether the Telepathy worked or not, Ed continued with eyes grown damper still.
“Will you become my family?”
It was the killing blow.
There wasn’t a soul in the Empire who didn’t know Ed’s story—orphaned of his parents and younger sister at so tender an age.
My father, a man of tender sentiment, crumbled entirely.
He tried belatedly to compose his touched expression, but it seemed too late.
Even my mother couldn’t speak, hesitating instead.
I could feel the force draining from my parents’ resistance.
‘Now.’
I, who had been waiting for my moment, broke the silence and spoke.
“But do you think we could…… manage it? It might be too hard.”
As I drawled out my brows and spoke mournfully, everyone looked startled.
Ed especially looked not just aggrieved but truly wounded.
“Was I not clear enough?”
Ed asked, almost petulant.
I summoned sad thoughts to dampen my eyes, then laid my hand over the back of his.
“It’s not that…….”
‘Mom, Dad, I’m sorry.’
“But everyone keeps saying I’m just a fleeting romantic interest—not the sort of person you’d actually marry.”
“What?! Who says that!”
Ed flared up, but then seemed to recall that Mother had said something similar at the Separate Palace, and he didn’t press further.
He made no effort to hide that he was subtly watching to see if Mother was offended.
But Mother seemed entirely unbothered by his words.
Her gaze had settled on me instead.
Under my mother’s silent consent, I continued the performance.
This was the climax, after all.
“There are so many I couldn’t count them.”
Not that I’d bothered trying, but it was true enough that there were quite a few who opposed my relationship with Ed.
‘Most of them just can’t show it because they’re frightened of Ed.’
The very fact that despite all his overprotection and my own relentless busyness, I still heard such words at all spoke to their number.
Not that it mattered whether they had the right to oppose—objections whispered behind my back hardly deserved my notice.
Fortunately, my strategy had its intended effect.
Father grumbled indignantly, “Those fools don’t even know our Lina—how dare they speak against our precious Lina like that.”
Aunt, who understood how society turned, recognized that what I’d said wasn’t entirely false, and wore a grave expression.
Mother watched Aunt’s face, then lifted one corner of her mouth coldly.
It had been her chief worry since learning her daughter’s lover was none other than the Emperor, but seeing her child face public disapproval now seemed to genuinely displease her.
Exactly the reaction I’d aimed for.
“Given my station, I imagine…… marriage would be impossible?”
I spoke like a tragic heroine, and Mother’s expression turned ice cold.
“What could you possibly be lacking?”
Mother was no less of a doting parent than Father, though she showed it less obviously.
She gazed off at the trees for a moment as if lost in thought, then spoke to Ed as if she’d reached a decision.
“We raised Lina plainly. She’ll be quite different from the refined ladies of noble houses who’ve polished their accomplishments since childhood. Very different, in fact.”
With an attitude considerably gentler than before, Mother finished, and Ed answered at once.
“It doesn’t matter. I love Lina as she is. And what I want is not an Empress, but my companion.”
Ed’s sincerity melted Mother once again.
“Then…… I won’t oppose further. After all, it’s Lina’s choice to make.”
It was as good as half consent.
“I think it’s wonderful, so I’ll take that as permission.”
I smiled brightly at Ed and spoke to my parents.
Mother sighed at us as if to say we should understand something.
As if to make clear that she knew exactly what we were doing and was letting us get away with it anyway.
As Ed and I both stiffened, Mother smiled faintly and added:
“Still, for the child’s reputation, I think an engagement would be advisable.”
“I’ll arrange it at once.”
Ed answered as though he’d conduct the ceremony tomorrow itself.
“Not this instant, surely.”
I nudged his ribs repeatedly to hold him back.
Left unchecked, he really might arrange the ceremony for the very next morning.
* * *
After the atmosphere had warmed considerably and we’d lingered a while longer, I rose to see my parents and Aunt off.
When Ed tried to follow, I stopped him and linked my arm through Mother’s, and she pretended not to like it while clearly enjoying it.
“Will you be heading straight down to Lanheldin?”
I wanted to spend more time with my parents if possible.
When I asked coaxingly, Mother met my eyes and smiled.
“No, we’ll stay a few more days. Your father took a short leave, after all.”
“How wonderful—I’ll show you around the Capital. You haven’t been here in ages. And recently a place called a hotel has opened up, which might suit you well. It works like this…….”
I spoke with deliberate brightness, but my parents didn’t return a positive answer.
Instead, Aunt and Mother exchanged a glance.
“Lina, the thing is, your parents will be staying at the Count’s Residence.”
Aunt explained carefully.
‘At the Count’s Residence?’
For a moment, I wondered when their relationship had healed so completely.
Mother and Aunt had always been close.
Aunt made time to visit Lanheldin and see our family regularly.
Even after Mother’s estrangement from the Previous Renquels Count, when she began refusing to see Aunt, Aunt sent her letters steadily.
I’d expected them to reconcile someday, but never imagined it would happen like this—or so soon.
Least of all at the Renquels Count’s Residence itself.
The Previous Renquels Count still lived in the Capital residence and hadn’t gone down to his fief even after passing on his title.
‘Though I suppose I don’t know what sort of father he was to Mother.
He wanted to look after his granddaughter even though he’d only seen her once, and he tried to give me things too.
I just formed a bad impression from how that first meeting went.’
Seeing my confused face, my parents grew confused in turn, and I quickly composed myself.
“That’s wonderful!”
And I meant it.
I was just surprised by this unexpected development.
“Isn’t it?”
Aunt smiled with satisfaction while my parents smiled sheepishly.
“You see, these two haven’t set foot in the Capital even once since their marriage. Especially your mother—she’s been receiving a flood of letters from old acquaintances who heard she’d come. Your father likewise. So give your parents a few days of freedom.”
Aunt spoke gently, as if coaxing me.
Mother laughed awkwardly and couldn’t quite meet my gaze, while Father wore an expression tinged with guilt for some reason.
Those expressions made me realize there was far more to my parents’ history and their troubles with the Renquels Family than I knew.
‘Of course there’s more than just the cause and effect of Mother opposing the marriage and then breaking ties.’
There must be countless other stories woven between those events.
I smiled like a daughter who’d suddenly grown wise and nodded.
“But you’ll come see me before you head to Lanheldin, yes?”
“Of course.”
Father answered, and Aunt added:
“Or would you stay at the Count’s Residence for a while? It would be nice if the Twins and Anika had come too.”
Aunt seemed to be dreaming of a complete family reconciliation.
Mother answered with a small grumble.
“The children need to study.”
Having lived more than twenty years as Olivia’s daughter, I gathered that meant they could come during school holidays.
Aunt laughed brightly.

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