# Chapter 09
Chapter 09
The servant hesitated for a moment.
It was in accordance with the emperor's wishes that he delayed announcing Raphael's presence.
“What are you doing?
When Cayena stopped smiling and became cold, the servant had no choice but to go to the emperor's chambers.
It was better for him to inform the emperor of Raphael's request for an audience than to deal with confusion if he dared to ignore the princess.
Raphael watched this series of events with suspicion.
Although Cayena often acted to get his attention, this was the first time she actually helped him.
Was she doing this so she could bother him again?
But Cayena seemed to act cautiously after giving the order to the servant.
She seemed reluctant to even meet Raphael's eyes.
How strange.
He was usually able to read her clearly, but Raphael couldn't sense any intent behind her action.
It was as if his favor now had no ulterior motive.
“So, I'll leave it at that.
Cayena left the waiting room, taking her ladies-in-waiting with her.
It was clear to everyone in the room that Cayena was obviously keeping her distance from Raphael.
Raphael almost called Cayena.
He looked at her with a slight frown as she passed by, feeling awkward.
Then, one of the emperor's assistants called him.
“Lord Kedrey.
Only then did Raphael move away from the door through which Cayena had just left.
“His Majesty is resting now, so you will have to visit him again tomorrow,” said the attendant awkwardly.
Raphael's retainers, who were in the waiting room with him, were deeply angered.
“Are you telling the truth?
His Highness just left his room!
— They glared at the attendant and clenched their fists.
“Stop.
Raphael ordered them to stop their murderous aura.
“We are in front of His Majesty's room.
Don't raise your voice.
“… yes sir.
Wandering the battlefield meant being familiar with assassination.
The servants, who had just faced their potential deaths, sighed in relief.
They thought it was lucky that Raphael was a gentleman, but their thinking was a short-sighted delusion.
In truth, Raphael had nothing to lose from this scenario.
He had a significant amount of power and was not interested in competing for the throne.
“Emperor Esteban must know that I do not side with either faction.”
And the emperor couldn't be this stubborn forever.
Raphael was just being tolerant now as he didn't want to be bothered.
“Then I'll be back,” he said.
The attendant nodded, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
“Yes yes.
Please come back later.
Raphael left the waiting room and stopped halfway.
Cayena was waiting for him outside.
Oh, he knew… he wondered why she had backed away so smoothly before.
“As expected, the emperor did not meet with you.
Cayena's skin was still poor, having not fully recovered from the effects of the poison, but she was still in the hallway waiting for Raphael to leave.
What noble behavior that was.
In fact, the court ladies waiting for her seemed overwhelmed with shame.
Only one of her ladies-in-waiting, the one closest to her side, seemed unconcerned.
Raphael's gaze quickly glanced around before returning to Cayena.
But the expression in his eyes was strange, somehow.
“Since it ended like this, would you join me for a cup of tea?
Raphael normally would have refused his offer without a second thought.
He still would have, if it weren't for what she said next.
“I think I could help you with some of your problems.
“…I don't know what you mean by my problems.
Cayena's eyes widened.
“Same?
— she said.
Raphael's aides cleared their throats, enchanted as they were by his adorable appearance.
She continued:
“It is closely related to why you wanted an audience with His Majesty.
“Does she know why I want to see the emperor?”
Raphael wanted to meet with the emperor to request military dominance over the west in exchange for his contributions to the war two years ago.
It was an authority that could only be granted to a duke, but Raphael had his reasons for wanting it.
“She would have no idea that I was trying to avoid pressure from my family to get married.”
There was still nothan advertised, but the Duke and Duchess Kedrey were divorcing.
Raphael's mother, Noa Kedrey, was someone who was raised to be a wife, not as the successor to the ducal line.
There was no need, as she had two older brothers.
The previous Duke had never thought that his two sons would die in the war.
Therefore, he hurriedly welcomed Leo Francis as his son-in-law.
However, Leo Francis cheated on his wife even before Raphael came of age.
Since then, he was at odds with the proud Duchess Noa.
They were unable to separate because Raphael was too young to assume the dukedom, but now, they were quietly filing for divorce.
Raphael's mother did not want to give her husband any child support.
And, considering Leão Francisco's incompetence, it was possible that Raphael would be the duke's successor immediately.
However, Raphael first had to be unanimously recognized as the next head of the family by his family's vassals.
There was just one small problem.
Rumors about Rafael's sexual orientation, specifically about the possibility of heirs, circulated secretly among his vassals.
It was because he had never held a woman's hand in his 23 years of life.
The nobles who wanted to use him pushed the women into his room, but Raphael coldly rejected them.
This rumor reached Raphael's mother as well.
She pressured him to get married in order to dispel the scandalous and unfounded rumors surrounding her son.
Rafael did not want to get married, therefore, he wanted to ask the emperor to recognize his military conquest over western territory, an honor that would only be granted to a duke.
Raphael thought that with this authority the vassals would recognize him as the next head of the family.
How could Cayena help him with this?
But Raphael could feel a weight he had never seen before behind Cayena's blue eyes.
"… interesting."
He had a strong intuition that he should accept Cayena's invitation.
“Thank you for the invitation.
Raphael approached Cayena to join her, and Cayena placed her hand on his arm.
“I only have tea for the occasion.
I think it will suit your taste.
Cayena talked to him nonstop, without saying anything substantial.
On the surface, it seemed like Cayena had just made another attempt to interact with Raphael, like she always did.
But something was strange.
Cayena often spoke rudely in her speech.
She ignored common courtesy and talked about sensitive issues, bluntly asking about marriage, property issues, and so on.
But now, she was talking about the weather, the standards for tea leaves, and how to make delicious pies—although he had no idea where she learned the recipe.
“Is she trying to lighten the conversation?”
Looking at the relaxed expressions of his ladies-in-waiting, Raphael was convinced of this.
Cayena stopped in the garden on the way to her palace.
“The sun is nice today, so I'd like to drink tea in the garden,” she said.
“I will prepare it now, Your Highness.
Cayena dismissed all her ladies-in-waiting, except Vera.
“Now, I think we should finish discussing what I mentioned.
Raphael thought about what she had said before about her problems.
What kind of solution would the princess come up with?
Cayena opened her red lips.
“Since my lord is at that age, his family must be worried about his marriage, right?
Raphael began to think she would say something deluded again, like asking him to marry her.
It wasn't just that he was personally reluctant to marry her.
It was also because he didn't want the imperial family and the Kedrey Duchy to merge.
Both were already too powerful and it would be difficult to ensure that the interests and power of the two families remained separate.
“You already have a marriage partner, right?
“A marriage partner?
— Raphael was confused.
“Ah,” Cayena said, covering her lips.
“Do you still not know…?
“… what do you mean?
Cayena smiled brightly.
“Then I can tell you something useful about your spouse.
The Kedrey Duchy was the ruler of the western part of the Empire.
The militant family was the only one in the Eldaim Empire that had nearly enough power to rival the Hill family.
As such, the family's only son, Rafael, was like a highly coveted fruit.
Cayena smiled atRaphael, who seemed irritated by the concept of marriage.
She wasn't sure he knew his own worth.
“How typical of the male protagonist.
While reading the novel, Cayena learned why Raphael had never courted anyone before.
He simply didn't feel affection for anyone.
The words “attachment” and “affection” were just unpleasant annoyances to him.
People said that Raphael was well-mannered, but it was more due to a mental disorder than his personal disposition.
“A noble daughter who would be suitable as the mistress of the house…
Cayena's face turned thoughtful for a moment, as if she was trying to remember.
“There's Dolores Avon, for example.
In the novel, that young woman actually sent a portrait of herself to Raphael's house.
“She is very skilled at embroidery and playing the piano.
But she faints at the sight of blood, what will she do in the harsh western lands?
It's not like you can just leave your wife behind in the capital.
Plus, who knew what would happen if he married a complete stranger?
She switched to another candidate.
“Rita, of the Brukin family, may be a better fit in this case, as she has already been trained as a knight.
Unfortunately, she lacks knowledge and wisdom.
She is also quite violent.
Raphael quickly realized what the two women had in common.
“Both come from powerful families that have not yet chosen a side with a successor for the throne.
Cayena smiled and praised her intuition.
“As expected, Lord Kedrey is very intelligent.
“…
Cayena calmly looked at Raphael, who was older than her, as if he were her younger brother.
Everyone was speechless.
But this attitude suited Cayena, oddly enough.
“Besides, these are all women you could marry in two years.
Raphael focused on the “two years”.
“Cayena’s coming of age is coming soon, but is she recommending different candidates for marriage?”
Maybe that meant she didn't want to marry him anymore.
Raphael began to find this conversation quite interesting.