Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - Chapter 177

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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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Chapter 177
If an easier path existed, there was no need to take the long way around.
The imperial court had been without a woman for decades, after all, and someone needed to lead society.
Yet somehow, it felt unfair.
“Did you all rehearse a script before I got here and coordinate your parts?”
Mother laughed and scolded me as I pouted like a child.
“Everyone’s thinking the same thing. Which parent wants to just stand by and watch their child, their niece, their granddaughter walk a difficult path?”
It was touching—the Former Renckels Count made a loud, theatrical cough, as if to announce that this speech was meant for him.
Right. Mother was introducing herself. I’d been about to walk the same road.
“Still, we didn’t oppose it outright. We simply withheld our permission.”
Mother pouted, bristling at that detail—just like me.
Exactly like me.
* * *
In the end, I accepted the position of heir to the Renckels Count Family.
Before diving into formal social activities, I carved out time between investigating the plague the Temple was spreading to take lessons in etiquette with Ibeta.
Mother had taught me the basics a noble woman needed, but I’d only mastered the fundamentals.
Since Ibeta had worked diligently to catch up and we were at nearly the same level, I found myself sitting alongside her in class.
I rose before dawn to help with research into the plague the Temple had unleashed, attended brief lessons in the morning, and then
Fortunately, it was mostly fine-tuning what I already knew, so it didn’t take much time.
After lunch, I handled my duties as the Emperor’s aide in the Emperor’s Palace.
If Ed and I hadn’t shared an office, I might not have seen his face all day—my schedule was that packed.
Because of that, I learned about the rumors of a new Saint and Oracle the Temple was promoting a bit later than everyone else.
‘Since the fallen Saint has failed, the Temple now bestows a new Saint upon you—follow her divine will,’ they said.
Most Oracles throughout history had been riddles, difficult to interpret, so this was remarkably direct.
And on top of that, an Oracle that typically came once every seventy years had now appeared twice in one year.
I laughed at the Temple’s increasingly desperate moves, even as I watched how the Empire’s people reacted.
‘This has to be their last gambit. They’ve gone all-in.’
We were still hiding the fact that we’d found a cure for the plague.
With the Temple now parading a false Saint while we remained silent, it was definitely a blow.
But to respond aggressively would turn this into a confrontation.
That would be playing right into the Temple’s hands.
‘If we do that, only Ibeta—the real Saint—loses.’
Ed and I consulted and decided to announce my engagement a bit early to shift the conversation.
‘We were planning to announce it anyway.’
A royal engagement required at least six months of preparation.
But Ed seemed intent on mobilizing resources to compress everything into the shortest possible timeframe.
I didn’t stop him, and things moved at such a breakneck pace that we nearly ended up just announcing we were already engaged.
Even setting the false Saint aside, the timing was reasonable enough.
Right after announcing the engagement, I launched into social activities.
‘I need to keep the people’s attention on this so the false Saint gets buried.’
My first event was a tea party hosted by Legia.
Ibeta, Bes, and several other attendants’ daughters were invited, along with a few young ladies from core Imperial Faction families.
“Welcome.”
Legia greeted us as the hostess.
“Thank you for having us.”
After presenting our gift, we followed Legia’s guidance to the Marquis Family Garden where the tea party was being held.
Bes and I sat at Legia’s table, while Ibeta joined Harper and Rosina.
As we took our seats, apparently being the last guests, Legia spoke in a pleasant voice.
“Today’s seating arrangement deviates slightly from proper etiquette, but since this is an occasion for introductions, I hope you’ll understand.”
Of course, no one objected.
By etiquette, I, Ibeta, Bes, and the three attendants’ daughters would have shared one table.
‘But that wouldn’t be any different from the tea time at the Separate Palace.’
I leaned toward Legia beside me and asked quietly.
“What was your criterion for the seating?”
There’s a saying that a hostess’s seating arrangements test her political sense.
Still an intermediate, I only knew the orthodox approach and couldn’t quite grasp her reasoning.
Legia answered, barely moving her lips.
“The table where the Saint is sitting includes people interested in the Welfare Foundation.”
It was essentially a patron recruitment gathering.
‘So Harper and Rosina are their pawns.’
“And this table has the young ladies from the Imperial Faction’s core families—people you should know, Lina.”
My table was for networking.
Once the brief whisper ended, as if waiting for the cue, a young lady asked Legia for introductions.
“As you likely know, this is Carolina Diaz, heir to the Renckels Count Family.”
With my position as heir, my surname had changed.
My title had shifted from Miss Diaz to Miss Carolina.
The new title still sounded unfamiliar to my ears.
But I hid my discomfort behind the Elegant Smile I’d recently learned.
My unease with the new title was fleeting; I soon found myself naturally drawn into the conversation by the warm atmosphere.
Since it was my first tea party, the topics were generally light.
Ed’s and my engagement, the hottest gossip in society, wasn’t mentioned at all.
The talk centered on new works by emerging artists and current fashions in society.
Fortunately, I’d studied these beforehand and managed to keep up.
“Ah, I found that artist’s work striking as well. The use of color was so original.”
“Is it true that lace trimming became fashionable again recently because of that? That’s too kind.”
As time passed, my nervousness gradually eased.
Soon I had the freedom to glance toward Ibeta’s table while answering a question, watching how she was doing.
‘She’s doing well too.’
The fundraising for the charity foundation seemed to be going smoothly.
“Miss Carolina, your necklace is absolutely beautiful. Do you mind sharing which artisan made it?”
“Oh, this one is actually from a new designer…”
As I answered the flood of questions from all sides, the sun began to set and the tea party drew to a close.
Everyone was so considerate and warm that the time seemed to vanish in an instant.
The young ladies said goodbye with regret.
“We’ve become such good friends in just this short time. Would it be alright if I sent you an invitation card?”
“Me too! We’ll soon be hosting an exhibition of artists our house sponsors. We’d be honored if you could attend, Miss Carolina.”
Many of them expressed hopes to see me again.
I’d taken a liking to them as well, so I accepted readily—and suddenly found myself with a stack of commitments.
After a lengthy series of farewells, the sun had completely set.
One of the Marquis’s servants approached and whispered something to Legia.
Legia, who had maintained an Elegant Smile even at the news that Ed and I were courting, showed a moment of surprise.
Though she recovered quickly.
“My, look at the time.”
She then hurried to organize the gathering.
As Legia saw us off, I noticed two carriages bearing the imperial crest waiting at the exit.
It was odd—those of us who’d departed from the Separate Palace had arrived in one carriage.
“There are two imperial carriages.”
“Indeed.”
As we both looked at them in confusion, the window of the left carriage opened.
“Lina.”
The passenger was Ed.
“We’ll take this carriage.”
“See you at the Separate Palace, Lina.”
Ibeta and Bes hurried to greet Ed, then climbed into the remaining right carriage.
The moment they were inside, the carriage seemed to rush off as if the driver had been waiting for the signal.
“There’s no need to leave in such a hurry…”
I sighed as I watched the carriage disappear.
But Ed’s expression as he descended from his carriage was so grave that I found myself grateful Ibeta and Bes had departed first.
I asked carefully.
“Is something wrong?”
Ed nodded with a grim expression and replied.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone the engagement.”
It was less severe than I’d braced for.
“I see.”
I was disappointed, but I’d already anticipated that fitting everything into the autumn Ed wanted might be impossible, given how hastily we were preparing.
“But why?”
If there was a compelling reason, I could accept it.
“We have intelligence that the Nobility Faction will declare war within a week.”
Wait—that has nothing to do with the engagement…

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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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