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Edwin, initially surprised, nodded in agreement with my words.
"Well, you are of marriageable age, Raviel. Alright, leave it to me. I'll take care of it."
Indeed, twenty-four was about time for marriage. I had been putting it off, using the excuse that I was too occupied with running House Sutton. But to be honest, I wasn't all that interested in getting married either.
My feelings hadn't changed, but now wasn't the time to be picky. First, I should find someone to become the prince consort, and then gradually seek out three concubines…
No, wait a minute. Didn't he just say he'd take care of it?
I lifted my head to see Edwin, his face alight with enthusiasm, deep in thought.
Suppressing my unease, I asked cautiously, "Eddy? What do you mean you'll take care of it?"
"I’ll go find a suitable man for you, Raviel! Anyone who wants to be your partner must be at least the strongest in the continent. Great, I’ll start making a list and personally check their abilities."
"What?"
"There's a famous knight in the Solteira Empire. I should meet him first."
"Are you kidding, Eddy? Why would you go all the way to Solteira to find my husband? I'm in a hurry here."
"Oh, you don't want a foreigner, Raviel?"
"I mean, as long as they are capable, nationality doesn’t matter. But I don’t need the strongest man on the continent!"
"Then I should look within the Seven Hills Empire. Hmm. There aren’t many candidates that come to mind..."
"Listen to me, you blockhead!"
I threw another grape at Edwin, who was busy spouting nonsense. The Empire's greatest swordsman, Edwin, caught the grape with his mouth, using his exceptional reflexes.
I hushed him with grapes again and promptly retorted before he could spew more nonsense, "Listen, Eddy. I need someone who understands and follows instructions well, works hard, healthy, and loyal. Got it?"
"Oh sure, anyone eligible to be your partner should at least satisfy those things."
Edwin nodded solemnly and then stood up.
"I’ll prepare everything for your marriage, Raviel, so don’t worry."
"No, Eddy. I’m already concerned. I’ll just handle it myself."
"You said you’re busy. Don’t worry, I’ve got this."
Waving his hand lightly, Edwin left the office.
I should’ve immediately ordered someone to tie him up to the bed and keep him from causing trouble, but I missed the chance as Kaleb, who was going to be appointed as the new head secretary tomorrow, came in with a pile of documents. I got buried in paperwork again and forgot about it.
The next day, an announcement for a prince consort selection tournament was posted all over the Seven Hills Empire.
I yelled at the butler, now the Lord Chamberlain of the imperial palace, to bring Edwin back immediately. But I only received the message that Edwin had left the palace early in the morning to meet potential husbands for me. And he didn’t return for over a week.
The Empire buzzed with the selection tournament, and I, with a boiling head, once again drowned in paperwork.
Just when I was starting to think that anyone who could read and write in the imperial language would do, regardless of being the strongest or whatever, Edwin returned. And the registration for the tournament participants began.
***
Kaleb placed a document in front of me. I was frowning at the tax-related papers, so when I looked up at him, his soft brown eyes, like a deer's, flinched and looked away.
"Kaleb, I told you not to be so scared like that."
"My… My apologies, Your Majesty."
"No need to apologize. Is this it?"
"Yes, this is the list of participants for the prince consort selection tournament."
"Why are there so many?"
"There are a total of one hundred seventy-eight."
I was still questioning the situation, but the fact that having one hundred seventy-eight candidates for laborers was good news. At least a few among them would be useful.
I began to read the list with enthusiasm.
"Seems like all the notable families have sent names. What's this? Count Zipantra has put his name in? Doesn’t he have a wife?"
"He recently became a widower."
"But still, a man in his forties eyeing my side?"
"He's not in his forties. He's fifty-two."
"What the heck?"
I looked at Kaleb in disbelief, and he trembled as if he had done something wrong.
The newly promoted head secretary was good at his job but terribly timid.
'I won’t eat you up. Why tremble every time our eyes meet?'
As I lowered my gaze again, Kaleb started explaining, “The nobles probably think not participating in the selection tournament would be seen as a lack of loyalty to you, Your Majesty.”
“A fifty-two-year-old Count wanting to be my husband? Shouldn’t that be more suspect for loyalty?”
“It seems he didn’t have an unmarried son.”
Well, if he didn’t have one, he didn’t need to force it...
‘Anyway, Edwin, you little rascal. Always making a big deal out of nothing.’
I clicked my tongue in annoyance and skimmed through the list, then an unexpected name caught my eye.
“Dulchen Pargos? Someone from Pargos in the east is participating too?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The second son of Duke Pargos has applied.”
“Saying my ascension without the consent of the four dukes is invalid, and now this? Sneaky, isn’t it?”
“Participants from all the other ducal families have applied too.”
“Really?”
I flipped through the documents, scanning the names. Kaleb was right. From Pargos in the east to Delmoi in the south, Skaiar in the west, and Dehart in the north––all the four ducal houses were listed.
Things were getting interesting. If the four Dukes united their forces, it would be a highly unfavorable situation for me, still not firmly established as the empress.
Edwin would lead the imperial army against them, but whether we won or lost, it would be a grueling fight. And I didn’t want my brother to be involved in such dangerous affairs.
I tried to keep these four families in check and negotiate, but this selection tournament seemed like an opportunity to use.
As expected, they were all as cunning as foxes. They didn't want to recognize me as the empress but also rejected the idea of having a prince consort from another family.
“Kaleb, tell me about the participants from the four ducal families.”
“Dulchen Pargos, known as the strongest swordsman of the east. Twenty-three years old and the second son but trusted by the Duke, known for his leadership abilities. He’s said to be somewhat impulsive.”
“Next.”
“Jepeto Delmoi, twenty-six, and a hidden talent from the Imperial Academy known for his exceptional swordsmanship. There are rumors he possesses aura, but it’s unconfirmed.”
“No, not that. Does anyone have experience in estate management or excel in economics or politics? Anyone with useful skills?”
Aura was useless; it couldn’t even help peel fruit. I needed a reliable husband to take on my workload.
Kaleb’s eyes darted around in thought, then he dropped his head and answered, “Considering they have to face Lord Edwin, the applicants are mostly skilled swordsmen.”
“What do you mean? Why would they face Eddy?”
“Didn’t you know, Your Majesty? The winner of the tournament must then defeat Lord Edwin in a duel to be finally selected.”
“What? How are they supposed to beat Eddy? He’s the best swordsman in the empire, you know?”
“That’s why everyone considers participation as an achievement in itself…”
‘Edwin, you little punk! I’ve told you I’m in a hurry, ugh.’
I should break his legs and tie them to a chair so he couldn’t cause any more trouble. Determined, I irritably set the documents down.
‘I don’t need a swordsman. I need someone with brains.’
I sighed deeply and stared at Kaleb, then slightly put pressure on the quite appealing head secretary.
“Kaleb, how about you become the prince consort?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why not join the selection tournament? You said you can handle a sword.”
“I… I prefer to live, Your Majesty. Even if by some miracle I make it to the final, there's no way I can face Lord Edwin.”
“Don’t worry about him. I’ll tie him up so he can’t do anything silly,” I replied, smiling encouragingly at Kaleb.
He rolled his nervous brown eyes and responded in a shaky voice, “Still, I wouldn’t be eligible, Your Majesty.”
“Why? You’re good at your job.”
“Duke Dehart is participating. Everyone expects him to reach the final.”
“Why him?”
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, haven’t you heard of ‘the Monster of the North?’”
“That’s just an exaggeration.”
“Still, it’s too much for me. I prefer to serve as the head secretary, your loyal servant, Your Majesty.”
“... Are you sure? If you run away, I’ll come after you.”
“I won’t run away.”
After making Kaleb write a pledge, I thought about Haven Dehart. I had seen him once in my past life. Far from a monster, he was a decently handsome man.
The Deharts were known for never leaving the north, so why would the Duke want to be a prince consort?
Well, maybe it was just for show, or perhaps there was no young man in House Dehart to send, like the shameless Count who put his own name up because he had no son.
Duke Dehart wouldn’t be a bad choice. He might have been managing a duchy and have solid fundamentals therefore, and marrying the Duke might deter the other three ducal families from acting rashly.
It was a good plan––choose one from the four ducal families as a prince consort to prevent a civil war and select the smartest ones as concubine separately. Kaleb, busy writing the pledge, was my first choice.
Feeling better, I stood up.
Kaleb looked up and asked, “Your Majesty, where are you going?”
“To break Eddy’s legs.”
“Huh?”
“Just finish writing your pledge. Don’t forget to sign with your thumbprint after your signature.”
Leaving Kaleb nodding in a daze, I left the main palace to find Eddy.