Chapter 76
***
Until now, the Emperor had never once shown any interest in Loella. One could say that officially acknowledging her lineage without outright denial was the only thing he did as the man who passed on his blood, to fulfill his responsibility as her father.
That was not a wise move. Had he managed to win over Loella alone, the power dynamics within the imperial palace would be different now. Knowing this, the Duke of Schwaben had also exerted every effort during Loella's childhood to prevent any affection from developing between father and daughter.
But the Emperor's complete lack of interest in Loella rendered those efforts unnecessary.
So it couldn't be that he was now trying to charm the heir to play political games. Loella was more a person of Schwaben than of the imperial family, and besides, she was completely smitten with Ezekiel. The Emperor surely knew that too.
'Has his disposition changed somehow?'
The chamberlain lowered his eyes, trying to clear his mind. Thinking was not his role. He was merely to attend to the Emperor's comfort and report what he saw and heard directly.
Because he did not think, the Emperor had kept him by his side for a long time, and the Duke of Schwaben had also granted him considerable autonomy. He knew he was a buffer zone. He had to remain so, for the Emperor's own sake as well.
He answered respectfully.
"I will convey it."
"Very well."
Albrecht answered, his gaze drifting outside the carriage. If asked why, he had been prepared to lie—to say he was trying to be a father—but it was fortunate he didn't have to.
"I have a request."
They sat side by side on the bench, talking with Olivia for hours. Albrecht heard how she had survived, and how she had grown up happily in the County of Lutgard.
And he had also gained the chance to explain himself to her. That his relationship with Lilian had never been his true heart, that he had longed for Adelheid and her all this time.
Olivia listened to his explanation with a kind face and believed him. Instead of the baby's hair he had let slip from his hands, he could now feel the warmth of his living daughter.
But at the end of that story, she still spoke to him with that affectionate manner, yet with eyes that were surprisingly cold.
"It's fine if you say you can't listen. Princess Loella is also a daughter to Your Majesty. I think it's only natural to feel a sense of responsibility, no matter the circumstances."
"No, I would never..."
"But Princess Loella and I cannot be together. You understand, don't you?"
Albrecht nodded. He did not consider Loella his daughter. When she was born, he had felt guilt, wondering what sin a newborn could possibly have, but even then, he had not thought of her as his daughter.
Loella was, in a much more fundamental sense, the daughter of Schwaben. His only daughter was Olivia.
"Count Lutgard is in the capital for the vow ceremony. But the imperial court is delaying it because they want to put Princess Loella forward as a proxy for Your Majesty."
"Lord Helmut must be behind that."
"Entrusting the ceremony itself to Princess Loella is unthinkable, but I was wondering if we could compromise by holding the celebratory banquet under her supervision."
Albrecht looked at Olivia with a puzzled expression. He wondered what value such a compromise could possibly hold for her. Even if it was just the banquet, having Loella take the lead on anything at the imperial palace itself would solidify her position as the mistress of the house.
Giving her that opportunity just to move Count Lutgard's ceremony forward didn't make sense. Even if the ceremony were postponed, the sole heir's inheritance rights wouldn't be shaken.
"I have a plan."
And Olivia explained the details.
'If it's what she desires, I must do whatever it takes.'
He slowly closed his eyes, his expression fading. Even if he couldn't protect his daughter or illuminate her path ahead, he couldn't stand in her way.
***
Although Emperor Albrecht was effectively under house arrest, he wasn't completely ignored within the palace itself.
If it had been a message going out, the imperial guards would have stopped it at the gate. But they couldn't block a messenger going to the princess. It was something that hadn't happened in the past twenty years, so even the captain of the guards was momentarily flustered and failed to take appropriate action.
Even Caroline, facing the attendant bearing the Emperor's message, was at a loss.
"What is it?"
Stepping past her as she hesitated at the door, Loella herself stepped forward and looked at the attendant. The attendant bowed respectfully to her and said,
"His Majesty the Emperor wishes to dine with the Princess this evening, if there are no special circumstances."
Hearing this, Loella was so stunned she couldn't close her mouth for a moment, only managing a few hollow laughs.
"Now?"
She voiced the question no one else dared utter aloud. The well-trained attendant maintained a soft, expressionless face, keeping only a respectful posture.
Loella slammed the door shut. Even so, she couldn't just turn the Emperor's messenger away like that, so Caroline quickly whispered to the maid Hermine nearby.
Unable to reopen the door in front of Loella, Hermine dashed to another room. She intended to slip out into the hallway unseen and relay the message to wait for a reply.
Loella returned to the table, her anger unmasked, snorting indignantly.
"Unbelievable. After driving Her Majesty away, now this."
"Please don't, Your Highness."
Caroline quickly moved beside her, patting her shoulder as if to calm her, then took her hand and led her back to her original seat.
The attendants began fanning her again. Loella popped another piece of fruit into her mouth, chewed a few times, then reached for water. She needed something cool.
Caroline spoke in a soft voice.
"Your Highness, I think you should meet him."
"Hmph!"
Loella only snorted in disdain.
Her father's affection had never been bestowed upon her.
Moreover, she was born with a temperament sensitive to the direction of power. She far preferred and admired the capable, influential Duke of Schwaben over the powerless emperor. In truth, it was the former duke, not her father whose face was unfamiliar to her, who had ever shown her kindness.
"I don't care what tricks he's trying to pull now."
"If His Majesty the Emperor is attempting some sort of... scheme, wouldn't it be better to meet him?"
Caught off guard by this unexpected perspective, Loella widened her eyes and stared at Caroline. Caroline smiled back at her.
Even among those under Schwaben’s command, not everyone shared the same thoughts, nor did they blindly pledge loyalty to Ezekiel. Caroline, too, had ambitions.
She coveted the position once held by Sofia, the chief lady-in-waiting. The position of the de facto mistress of the imperial palace.
Of course, even if things remained as they were, Loella would become Empress, and as her chief lady-in-waiting, Caroline could wield a certain degree of power. Considering Loella's careless nature, it wasn't hard to guess she would delegate most matters to her. In truth, it wasn't much different even now.
But why settle for what was given and let things unfold as they might? If she could wield power as Loella's proxy, the greater Loella's influence grew, the more advantageous it would be for her.
The current Loella was far too indifferent to politics. This likely stemmed from her unique position as the sole heir to the imperial house, lacking rivals yet simultaneously not destined to actually become emperor. She simply relied on everyone Ezekiel had placed around her.
Caroline herself was included among those 'placed around her'. But she wished Loella would exercise her rights and power more actively. So she could become a greater force within Schwaben itself.
This was a good opportunity.
"Wouldn't it be wise to find out what schemes His Imperial Majesty is plotting using Your Highness, and inform His Grace the Duke?"
"Ah... But if I don't react, it won't matter anyway, will it?"
"That is one approach, but Your Highness can't make a show of it, can you?"
Caroline whispered, as if trying to coax her.
"It's far more advantageous to find out in advance and counteract it than to do nothing. The Duke would be pleased too. This is truly something only Your Highness can accomplish."
Loella blinked. Caroline's words sounded plausible.
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