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My steps felt heavy. I found myself consciously controlling my breath, even thinking about where to position my tongue. It was awful. Why would Enen give me such a trial?

Of course, I didn’t expect such a challenge right from the start.

“It’s my first time entering with another family. It feels different.”

“Yes, yes. It’s the same for me.”

I tried hard not to look to the side, but it was impossible to ignore it when a duke spoke to you directly.

My head still spun. The Iron-blooded Duke? Me, walking side by side with a duke? For a mere baron like me, this was too harsh of a punishment.

But maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.

I thought of Louise, who must be following behind with her mother. This might feel like a sudden punishment to me, but for Louise, it was a good sign. It meant that her relationship with the duke’s daughter was close enough for the Iron-blooded Duke to acknowledge our family.

I had been so worried. I also felt happy when Louise smiled with that happy expression while wearing the ring. But when I heard that the object of her affection was the Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office, I seriously considered whether I should intervene.

Even someone like me who rarely left our territory knew the gossip of the social circles. He was the man who caught the attention of the youngest daughter of the Iron-blooded Duke and another dukedom’s eldest daughter, a man caught between two of the most powerful families. And now, Louise was caught in the middle of it all.

In some ways, it would have been better if she had been ignored. If her love failed because of that, it would be an acceptable outcome. In the worst case, the two duke families could take offense at a baron’s daughter getting involved, and not only would her love fail, but Louise’s future could be ruined.

“It’s okay. He’s already accepted my feelings, and Lady Marghetta supports us too.”

But I couldn’t bring myself to stop her when I saw her truly in love. Louise had gradually distanced herself from others after Hilda left us because of our incompetence as parents. How could I, in good conscience, stand in her way now that she was finally tearing down those walls?

And for some reason, the youngest daughter of the Iron-blooded Duke supported Louise so much that they’d become good friends.

It doesn’t matter who Louise likes as long as she’s happy.

With Louise’s happiness and the duke’s daughter’s support, there was hardly any reason to oppose this. I had always thought that I would accept the person who could finally reach her heart, even if he were a commoner.

…But I never imagined that the problem would be that his status was too high and not too low. After all, noble marriages were usually made between people of similar standing.

“Here they come. It looks like they’ve spotted us.”

“Ah, you’re right.”

The Iron-blooded Duke glanced around and fixed his gaze somewhere, and I answered instinctively without even knowing who he had seen.

Dear God…

Then, the sight of a young man in black clothes approached, followed by five others froze me in place.

I had never seen him in person, but given his appearance and the people with him, it was clear who he was.

***As expected, the people who entered with the Iron-blooded Duke were from the Naird family. The blond man who was suddenly thrust into the awkward position of walking next to a duke was none other than Baron Artini, Louise’s father. ŕ�

“His Grace really has no mercy. Walking right beside the duke must be quite the burden for a baron.”

The minister’s murmured words which were full of feigned sympathy caught my attention.

The nerve of this man.

I bit my tongue to keep myself from saying, ‘Is that really something you should say’ It was bad enough for the baron to have a duke next to him, but a whole entourage of finance ministry civil servants trailing behind the Prosecutors’ Office’s Executive Manager? Wasn’t this overkill?

I had planned to go pay my respects alone, but, as usual, this group of old-timers moved like an RPG party, sticking together as if they were hunting a demon king. There was no villain to defeat here, so why were they traveling in a pack? I wish they’d all just disappear.

“I apologize for not greeting you sooner. I should have at least sent a message in advance.”

“Haha, there’s no need to apologize. You must’ve been busy with your territory, right?”

Baron Artini, flanked by a duke on one side and surrounded by civil servants from the Ministry of Finance on the other, had wide, trembling eyes and a heart surely pounding out of his chest. Unlike Count Flanbell, who was used to dealing with high-ranking nobles, Baron Artini was just an ordinary local lord.

Seeing his discomfort, I couldn’t keep him any longer. I made an excuse, saying we’d greet each other again when His Majesty arrived before parting ways. The baron nodded quickly, eager to escape. The Iron-blooded Duke and I had recently spent time together in Wulken, so there wasn’t any need for a lengthy conversation.

Besides, it’s not like this is the only time we’ll see each other.

The New Year’s Ball didn’t just last a day or two. It would be strange to send all the titled nobles back home immediately after they had gathered from all across the empire.

There would be plenty of time to exchange greetings. After the Emperor’s New Year’s speech, the rest of the schedule was essentially just made up of banquets, banquets, and more banquets.

“You could’ve gone with them, you know.”

The minister casually commented as I watched the odd pair of duke and baron walk away.

“No, thank you. How much more attention do you want the baron to draw with a duke and me beside him?”

I shook my head quickly. Sending me into that situation was no different from throwing a subordinate into a war zone. Besides, joining them now would just interrupt their family time.

Maybe Marghetta wouldn’t mind, but Louise was meeting her family after a long time. She deserved some peaceful moments with them. It wasn’t like this was the only chance I had to see them.

“True. The baron might just collapse if he feels more eyes on them.”

I couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

I only knew Baron Artini from when Louise was still a child in the original story, so I didn’t know what he was like now. But back then, he was a simple, easygoing man—a kind father and lord, like something out of a picture book.

He wasn’t particularly competent, but he wasn’t greedy either. If he still had that nature, then this situation would be unbearable for him.

It was bad enough that he had the Prosecutors’ Office’s Executive Manager as his only son-in-law, but now, that son-in-law was also connected to a ducal family as well? He was just a man with no ambitions and just wanted a peaceful life, but now he was unwillingly tangled up in power struggles.

I knew that pain and sorrow all too well. I was living it in real-time, after all.

…I wonder if he’ll even want to speak with me later.

At this rate, I have a feeling the baron might just go out of his way to avoid me after the New Year’s speech.

***Nobles who had been scattered around the open areas of the Imperial Palace were now gathering in one place as the Emperor’s New Year’s speech was about to begin.

The exalted Emperor himself would be giving his greetings to the lower ranks, so they naturally had to gather before him; no one would dare make the Emperor wait or wander around looking for them.

“It’s more extravagant than last year.”

“Last year was just more modest. This is how it’s usually done.”

The open areas were wider than last year, the decorations were more elaborate, and the number of knights had increased since last time.

I asked the minister about it after noticing the extra effort put into this year’s event, only for him to say that this wasn’t extra effort but that it was about returning to normalcy.

“It’s to show off that the empire has shaken off the scars of war and strife.”

His added words made me briefly think of Dorgon, who was making waves up in the North, but I quickly pushed the thought aside.

Whatever that bastard was up to, it was true that the empire was regaining its pre-war strength. In fact, this grand display was likely to keep the nobles from worrying about Dorgon’s presence. It was so that they’d be confident the empire could easily defeat him even if he reappeared.

It is what it is.

Every extravagant display had its reasons. If authority and dignity could be bought with money, then it was a worthwhile investment…

As I absentmindedly watched the stage where the Emperor would soon appear, the doors opened, and the Minister of the Imperial Household stepped out first. It was about to begin.

“Nobles who follow the mandate of heaven, kneel!”

The Minister of the Imperial Household, who had appeared before the Emperor, pulled out a scroll from his robes and shouted in a voice that was surprisingly powerful for an old man.

At his command, all the nobles immediately knelt and bowed their heads. In this situation, anyone who didn’t kneel would be nothing short of a traitor.

“Descendant of the great Amanca the First, who established the divine mandate under the protection of Enen! Ruler of Livnoman and the rightful and sole Emperor of Kefellofen! King of Tiraf, Groten, Latia, Prunian, and Galan! Duke of Itiruna, Hanten, Naigal, Raum, and Renea! Marquess of Krota, Pellen, Risiuta, Furu, Urehen, Nichenova, Noman, Palenban, and Neusten! Count of Nasa, Retaron, Siran, Granoe, Winius, Doba, Kandalren, Fedun, Viridia, Kamora, Trpol, Ber, Izuna, and Noden! Lord of countless other territories, Patron of the Imperial Academy, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army, Ally of the Allied Races—”

The Minister of the Imperial Household quickly recited the Emperor’s titles as soon as he confirmed that the nobles had knelt. I wondered if just calling him the Emperor of the Empire wouldn’t suffice, but all those titles and positions served as a way to showcase his overwhelming superiority over the other nobles.

And, of course, this tradition had been in place since the time of Amanca the First, so it couldn’t be easily changed. Plus, it wasn’t like this tradition was particularly burdensome enough to warrant changing it…

…Did it shorten?

However, something seemed off. The minister’s speech felt shorter compared to last year.

What was going on? I hadn’t heard anything about his titles being consolidated, and it was unlikely they’d suddenly start omitting some of them now.

Ah.

Then, it dawned on me. If the Emperor’s titles had decreased, then there could only be one reason.

He passed them on.

He had handed some of them over to the Crown Prince.

A wave of relief washed over me as soon as I realized that. Just imagining that bastard having more responsibilities made me feel so much better.

Well, good for him, I guess. His coffers would never run dry with all those titles and lands.

As for me, I’d be lucky if I inherited even a single imperial title and a few baronies.

Ah! I’m so jealous!