Half of the nobles in the council room stood up and complain about my beliefs.
"Silence!"
The empress shouted.
With that one word, the nobles who stood up sat down once more and obediently shut their mouth. Everyone sat down except for the duchess.
"Continue"
"...Then, baroness, you say that you do not love his highness, correct? And that is also the reason why you don't want to marry him"
"Indeed. If I love him, I would have accepted his proposal"
"Just to clarify something, may I ask, are there anyone else other than his highness, the first prince who have propose to you"
"Yes"
"May I know what you said to them and to his highness?"
"Of course, duchess. I told them that if their feelings for me remain the same after four years, then I would give them the privilege of courting me"
"Privilege, you say"
"Yes"
The nobles then laugh at my words.
To them, they saw it as me being high and mighty just because I earn the empress' attention at the moment and find my words funny.
However, there were nobles who did not laugh.
"I see no reason to that"
Said by marquis Miller.
"May I know why the marquis think so?"
"First, there are no merit in having the two to marry each other. Especially if nothing is tying the two. Second, marrying them off to each other with a one-sided-relationship is bound to get destroyed sooner or later"
How sly of him.
So he is saying that they won't be able to marry me off to the prince if there is no leash on my neck, huh.
As of now, they are currently under the impression that the nobles in Loate would definitely sell me to the empire to avoid a national-scale loss. But there are things that not even they are aware of.
"I think that is not a good idea"
"May you tell us why, count Rolfe"
"That is simple, because from what I know, baroness Emond already have a son"
Hearing the count's words, the nobles whispered extremely rude remarks about me.
-Should I kill them?
'No. Please hold back Phoenix'
-Can I kill them?
'No. You also can't kill them, Almas'
Almas who was hiding in my dress came out and climb on top of my head.
Seeing a rat on top of my head, the nobles exclaimed that I should get rid of Almas.
"No"
"What do you mean 'no'? Animals are not allowed in the council room!"
"Really? Fine. Phoenix, go"
'Phoenix, carry Almas and go out'
-Understood master.
Almas hop on Phoenix's back and flew away.
"Ah!"
"Why did you also sent out the guardian of Vanifi away?!"
"You said no animals, right? If I remember correctly Phoenix is a bird, therefore I have to get rid of him as well"
Infuriated, the count smash his fist on the table and glared at me.
"Is something wrong, count?"
"...!"
"Your majesty!"
A noble stood up and called for the empress.
"As you can see, the baroness doesn't even show respect to us. Not only that, she also has a child!"
"Marquis, are you yelling at me now? Me, the empress of the empire?"
"N-no... that was not my intention, your majesty"
Silence fell in the room as no one know what to say.
"Baroness Emond"
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Please tell us about your situation"
"It would be my honor"
I stood up and explain to them as to why I adopted Ivan and what was the situation before I did it. I even narrated how I met him and that it was impossible for me to conceive a child when I was nine.
"Then, why were you disrespecting my subjects. In front of me no less"
"Because they are not worthy of my respect. To accuse someone without any evidence is an idiotic thing to do. Especially for nobles who leads others"
"If that is the case, I take it that you respect me"
"Yes, as you are worthy of it"
"Based on your words, I don't think that you see yourself under me"
"That is because I don't. I see myself on equal standing with you, your majesty"
Swoosh.
Sir Aiden and John's sword were right beside my neck before I even saw them move.
What terrifying skills.
"What makes you think that you are on equal standing as me?"
With a smile, I replied to the empress "Because I do not submit to anyone. Be it you or God, no one can make me kneel"
"Hahaha!"
The empress laugh and raised her hand.
Sir Aiden and John then withdrew their blades and back away.
"Your majesty, she-"
"It doesn't matter. After all, baroness Emond have the knowledge and skills that surpasses mine if reviewed over all"
Almost everyone in the council hall could not believe her majesty's words. They could not accept that the empress, who is known as one of the best rulers in the history of the empire, would view someone like me to stand at the same level as her.
"Now that this thing has been settled. Duchess Theano, please continue"
"Yes, your majesty"
The duchess stood up once again and look at me.
"Now that the issue earlier has been resolved, let us continue the meeting"
"...."
"Baroness Emond"
"Yes, duchess?"
"What do you plan in the future? Knowing that her majesty has acknowledge your abilities to be on par with hers, surely you have something in mind, right?"
If she wasn't Sir Aiden's mother, I would have slapped her already.
"Of course I do. But I cannot tell you what it is. What I can tell you is that it is big. Something grand"
"That is too vague, baroness"
"The fact that I even gave an answer should be more than satisfactory, duchess"
The two of us stared at each other for quite some time. Only to be interrupted by baron Olbrecht.
"Something grand, you say"
I look away from the duchess and turn towards the baron.
"Yes, it is"
"Then I assume it is something that will affect the economy?"
"Indeed"
So far, so good. Everything is going as Andrin planned.