Chapter 257: Side Story 3

Peace. 

It was a good word. It may even be the word that all mankind loves. But peace isn’t something that can be obtained without a price. Sometimes, blood needs to be shed in order to achieve peace, and steady efforts are needed to keep that peace so the blood shed wouldn’t be in vain.

After the end of the 3rd Ideological Conflict, the Lester Empire’s greatest task was to maintain that peace and Empress Leila and Grand Duke Milton Forrest did their best. However, the two of them couldn’t rule a country forever. The next generation would have to continue their greatest accomplishment, and preparations to help the next generation were already in progress.

“Please, Your Imperial Highness, these as well.”

“Ah, just leave that there.”

She was about 20 years old with shining blonde hair and white jade like skin. Perfect features and blue eyes that sparkled like jewels; she was a beautiful woman who was always on the list when talking about the most beautiful woman on the continent. She was the second most valuable and noble woman on the continent and one day, would become the most noble woman.

She was Elizabeth von Lester.

She was just about to turn 20 and would soon be holding a coming-of-age ceremony, but she was already so deeply involved in discussing the state affairs of the Lester Empire that she couldn’t be left out. Although she must have been under immense psychological pressure from the preparation process of soon having to rule just a large Empire, she didn’t show it

She had already shown interest in state affairs since her early teenage years and had been involved in it with her parents’ permission. Everyday, she gave it her all to do her best in becoming the next Empress of the Empire. She was already handling half of the Lester Empire’s state of affairs.

“Hm… The growth of the surplus balance of the marine trade decreased. Should I browbeat Robin some more?”

As she looked at her documents, she said something that someone out on the ocean would tremble if he heard it; she was already a great monarch who could say such frightening lines. 

“Your Highness, your meal is prepared.”

A maid approached her as she spoke, but Elizabeth didn’t look away from her documents as she responded.

“Bring me a sandwich, one without the ham. And bring me a strong cup of coffee.”

Most of the time, she ate a sandwich at her office because she couldn’t bear to waste time eating a proper meal.

Most of the people in the world most likely wondered how luxurious and splendid an Imperial princess would live, but in reality, rather than glamor, her life was filled with busy schedules and a tremendous amount of work. And if you added in her earnest personality, there was no such thing as a breaktime.

Perhaps it was out of consideration for her, but the people around her tried to get her to rest even just a little bit. For example…

“Big sister, I’ve brought you a meal.”

That’s exactly what a little girl was doing right now, carrying a tray that was bigger than her entire body.

“Huh? Oh, Sabria!”

Before, Elizabeth hadn’t taken her eyes off her documents, but now, she greeted the young girl with a big smile.

The young girl had black hair, brown eyes, plump cheeks, and adorably small limbs. She was Sabria Forrest and was the youngest daughter born between Milton Forrest and Grand Duchess Violet. She was now five years old and was loved not only by her parents, but by her older siblings.

“I made sandwiches for you, big sister. Let’s eat it together.

“Really? You did? How are you so sweet and nice?”

Elizabeth lifted up her youngest sister and rubbed their cheeks together as she poured out her love for her sister. 

“Sister, that tickles…”

“I love you sooo much, Sabria. What should I do about it? Hm?”

“Hahahahaha….”

Considering they were members of a royal family, they were extremely close to each other.

“Well, then, I guess I’ll take a break?”

Elizabeth surrendered to her youngest sister’s cuteness and sat at the tea table as she ate the sandwich and drank the coffee her sister had brought.

“Is it good, big sister?”

“Yes, it’s very very delicious.”

“How delicious?”

“It’s the best in the entire world. I’m so happy that my adorable and pretty Sabria made me a sandwich.”

“Heeheehee…”

When her pretty older sister patted her hair, the young Princess Sabria smiled as if she had everything she wanted in the world. She felt like she was being soaked in pure happiness.

At that moment, Elizabeth’s office door opened and a woman entered without permission. She spoke calmly to Imperial Princess Elizabeth.

“So you’re eating in your office again.”

Elizabeth placed her sister to the side, stood up, and bowed politely.

“I greet the Empress.”

“First Mother!”

Her blood daughter greeted her politely and her stepdaughter smiled artlessly at her. As you probably realized, the woman who entered the office was someone who had turned the Lester Kingdom into an Empire. She was Empress Leila von Lester. 

As the year went by, she was already in her 40s but her beauty remained the same. Who would think that she would be a mother if she stood next to Elizabeth? At best, they’d think that Leila was an older sister with a bit of an age difference.

While she remained just as beautiful, the atmosphere around her had changed a lot. When she had ascended the throne, the Lester Kingdom had been going through turbulent times and she had cloaked herself with a sharp and cold atmosphere. But now, there was no sharpness to her, instead there was only benevolence and warmth.

She reached out and held Sabria in her arms. Leila spoke as she gently stroked her.

“Are you listening to your mothers?”

“Yes!”’

“And you’re eating all your vegetables?”

“Mm…”

Sabria looked away when Leila started talking about vegetables. Leila smiled when she saw that.

“But if you don’t eat your vegetables, you won’t be as pretty as your sister and mothers?”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Eee…. But I don’t want to…”

The six year old girl began to seriously agonize over her future beauty and her current tastebuds as she mentally weighed them on a scale

Stroke the little girl’s head, Leila turned towards Elizabeth.

“I’m guessing you know why I’m here today, Elizabeth?”

“…Unfortunately, I do.”

With a troubled expression, Elizabeth tried to avoid Leila’s eyes.

“You still don’t want to?”

“It’s a bit… I don’t have to think about it yet, do I?”

“No. If I’m being honest with you, you can’t put it off any longer.”

“Mm…”

Elizabeth looked exactly like her younger sister as she looked troubled and fell into deep thought. Although the weight of the worries were different, it seemed like they were equally worried.

There was one thing that was causing this competent Imperial princess, who did everything easily, to worry. That thing was…

“In order to succeed the Empire, you must have a suitable partner. That is the most important thing.”

The issue of marriage.

“Whooo… Can’t I be single?”

Elizabeth let out a sigh. 

Elizabeth had been born into a royal family, and now she was a part of the Imperial family, but she had never been negligent about her duties in preparing to become the next monarch to rule the Empire. But there was just one thing she didn’t want to do – marriage. 

Truthfully, she was behind. Usually, it was common for nobility and royalty to get engaged in their teens and get married around the age of 18. But the Imperial princess was about to celebrate her 20th birthday without a fiance. She was really late.

Thanks to that, the person who was most troubled was Empress Leila. If Elizabeth didn’t marry before she succeeded the throne, then things would get troublesome.

The reason for that was simple. Elizabeth was a woman. To marry her was to become the husband of the Empress of the Empire. This was a very ambiguous position.

Fundamentally, the people viewed patriarchy strongly, so when they married, women became submissive to the men. In other words, Elizabeth’s marriage could lead to the creation of a strong political rival. It could even lead to the division of the state.

That’s how it looked on the surface even for Leila and Milton, although in actuality, it was quite different for them. From the beginning, Milton and Leila had a close relationship and even if they held equal authority, their realms of authority were completely divided. The Grand Duke of Forrest was in charge of the military while the Lester family was in charge of the internal affairs of the Empire. Neither encroached on the other’s territory. But more than anything else, they had been focused on the common goal of protecting and developing the country from external invasions during the turbulent times that there had been little room for division and dissent.

However, they couldn’t expect the same thing from Elizabeth’s husband. Now, the Lester Empire’s military power was under the jurisdiction of Grand Duke Forrest. No matter who Elizabeth’s husband was, it was impossible to split and share national sovereignty as it was done with Milton.

So, if possible, they needed to decide on a husband before Elizabeth became an empress and very clearly draw the lines as to what the husband’s position was, what his scope of authority was, and what his responsibilities were. That was why they needed to hurry the wedding, no, the engagement as soon as possible…

‘But she has no interest in men…’

Empress Leila let out a sigh. 

Requests for her hand in marriage were pouring in not only from within the Lester Empire, but from all over the continent. However, Elizabeth rejected all of them. Appearance, bloodlines, ability, etc. men who weren’t lacking in anything were staring at her longingly, begging to love her, but Elizabeth was indifferent.

It was inevitable that Empress Leila was worried. She had even consulted her husband Milton, but…

[Doesn’t a daughter live with her father for the rest of her life?]

Her only husband was no help in this matter.

Leila von Lester was the Empress of the great Empire, but even if it was her, her children’s problem couldn’t be dealt with in a way she wanted.

That was why she decided to take special measures.

“Elizabeth von Lester.”

“Don’t do that, Mother…”

When Leila said her full name with a solemn expression, Elizabeth’s face crumpled. Usually, when her mother said her name like that, she was forcing her to do something she didn’t like.

“We’re going to hold a big New Year’s banquet this year. We will invite not only the country’s nobles and the members of the Northern parliament, but also all the royal families from the other countries.”

“So?”

“I want you to find a husband from amongst them.”

“Impossible.”

“This is a command.”

“Isn’t this tyranny?!”

“So what?”

“……”

Even if they were mother and daughter, Elizabeth had nothing more to say when Leila was like a thug. No matter how old she got, her mother wasn’t someone she could ever win again.

“You’re too much.”

Elizabeth tried to argue against her, but Leila responded without batting an eye.

“I had no choice. I didn’t want to do it like this either.”

“……”

“Well then, now that I’ve told you…”

Leila leisurely left her seat.

Elizabeth dropped her head onto the tea table with a deep sigh. 

“Ah… I’m dying.”

“Cheer up, sister.”

Although she didn’t fully understand what was going on, young Sabria patted her sister on the head and comforted her.

***New Year’s banquet.

As promised, Empress Leila sent out invitations to the entire continent. Of course invitations went out to the nobles within the Empire, but they also went out to the royalty in other countries, particularly the young men. Outwardly, it was a New Year’s banquet, but in actuality it was a social gathering to pick a husband for Elizabeth.

‘If she can’t pick one here, then I’m just going to pick one at random.’

Empress Leila appeared in the banquet hall with this thought. 

“Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Long live Your Imperial Majesty.”

She gave a bright smile in response to the greetings. She looked around, then spoke with a slight frown.

“Is the Imperial Princess still not here?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. Her Imperial Highness isn’t here yet.”

“She just doesn’t give up. Then immediately…”

Just as Leila was about to order someone to immediately fetch Elizabeth, a maid approached her.

“Your… Your Imperial Majesty, there’s a problem.”

“What problem?”

“Her Imperial Highness, Princess Elizabeth is…”

“Bess? What’s going on with her?”

As if she didn’t dare answer, the maid handed Leila a letter in response to Leila’s question. 

When Empress Leila read the letter…

It’s sunny today and the country under Mother’s rule is peaceful and vibrant…

(omitted)

When I thought about it, I realized that there was no command or provision saying that I must attend the New Year’s banquet. 

So I’m heading out on a tour to find out the public’s sentiment in the northern part of the country on behalf of Mother Empress. Once I’m done in the North, I think I’ll travel around the entire Empire, so it may take about a year or two.

Please don’t worry about me.

Love,

Elizabeth von Lester.

PS. If I find someone I like, I’ll bring him home as my husband. Don’t be too mad. 

Crumple…

Queen Leila’s expression and the letter crumpled at the same time.

“That girl…”

In the end, vulgar words came pouring out of the mouth of the Empress of the Great Empire.

No matter how old they were, children always worried their parents.