"……And that is the situation. Celestine, what do you wish to do?"
"…………"
Inside the grand estate of the Duke Crocus House.
In the wake of her father’s solemn declaration, Celestine softly closed her eyes and sank into thought.
"I see... An engagement between myself and Rest..."
The proposal her father had brought before her concerned a marriage with her classmate and friend, Rest Clover.
Rest had performed remarkably during the recent rebellion—to such an extent, in fact, that his new status as a Count and the land he had been granted were deemed insufficient rewards for his contributions.
The Royal Family, desperate to ensure Rest's continued loyalty, had devised a plan to bind him to the crown by engaging him to Celestine, a daughter who carried royal blood.
Until just recently, Celestine had been engaged to the Third Prince, Rodel Aiwood, due to a magic contract forged between the Queen Dowager and Celestine's own grandfather.
That engagement had been dissolved the moment Rodel was granted the poisoned cup for his treason... and now, just as the dust was settling, came this new arrangement.
"……I understand. I shall accept," Celestine replied, her decision made without much hesitation.
"Are you certain? The Royal Family did mention they would not force the issue."
"What a strange thing to say, Father. If that were truly the case, they should never have brought the proposal to us in the first place."
"That... well..."
"As a daughter of the Duke Crocus House, it is my duty to marry for the sake of the Kingdom and my family name. There was never an option to refuse from the start, was there?"
"……Forgive me."
Duke Crocus bowed his head at her words, which carried a heavy sense of resignation.
If she hadn't been born his daughter—if she hadn't been born a lady of a Duke House—perhaps Celestine could have led a much freer life.
Instead, she had been tethered to a worthless prince to clean up his messes, only to be shuffled into another political marriage the moment that burden was lifted. It made her look like nothing more than a convenient tool for the Royal Family.
"Why are you so pessimistic, Father? It isn't as if I’m destined for misery."
Celestine offered a small, wry smile.
She didn't view the proposal as negatively as the Duke did. In fact, her prospective fiancé, Rest Clover, was currently the most rising star in the entire Kingdom. She had heard rumors that countless noble ladies were already trying to find ways to become his wife or even a mistress.
If the Royal Family acted as the mediator for this engagement, Rest would find it nearly impossible to refuse.
(If anything, I am the fortunate one... There aren't exactly many eligible gentlemen of appropriate status left anyway.)
Most high-ranking men close to her age were already spoken for. The only real exception was the Second Prince, Andrew Aiwood, but Celestine was privy to a certain secret.
Andrew already had someone he loved, despite having no official fiancée. He was involved in a forbidden romance with someone the Royal Family would never acknowledge; he would have no desire for an engagement with her.
(Furthermore... if I were to marry His Highness Andrew, the power balance of this country would be thrown into chaos.)
A union between the daughter of the leading noble house and the Second Prince would inevitably threaten the position of the Crown Prince, Richard Aiwood.
With the political climate already fragile after the civil war, she could not allow anything to destabilize the status of the Crown Prince, who was already the confirmed heir to the throne.
"……Yes, this truly is the best choice for me. Becoming Rest’s wife."
"But... you likely cannot be the legal wife. You will be a concubine."
That was the true source of Duke Crocus’s pained expression. If Celestine married Rest, she would enter the household as a secondary wife.
After all, he was already engaged to the twin sisters of the Marquis Rosemary House.
While the Duke Crocus House technically held a higher rank than the Rosemarys, if Celestine were to force her way in and seize the position of legal wife, it would spark a bitter feud between the two families.
As the two most powerful pillars of the Royalist Faction, the Houses of Crocus and Rosemary could not afford to be at odds.
"I don't mind in the slightest. 'Legal wife' and 'concubine' are merely titles. Fortunately, there is more than enough territory for us to inherit," she said.
A common source of friction between primary and secondary wives was the question of inheritance for their children, but Rest possessed a vast amount of undeveloped land. There was plenty of territory to go around.
As long as one didn't obsess over the distinction between the main house and branch houses, there were no concerns for the future of her children.
(The Royal Family would likely worry if the Count Clover House consolidated too much power, anyway. Dividing the lands among his children would be better for everyone involved.)
"Besides, I am on good terms with both Viola and Primula. I’m certain we can get along quite well even after the marriage. So... please, Father, don't look so miserable."
"……I’m sorry."
Her father was being quite apologetic today. He looked pale, his face etched with guilt from start to finish.
Watching him, Celestine could only smile wryly at the unusual sight while she began to ponder how she would bring this proposal to Rest and the others.