Became the Son-in-Law of the Traitorous Family

7. Heir to the Empire – 01

As time passed, the day that Reiner wanted so much, but on the other hand, he had hoped would never come.

He had visited this place under the pretext of an envoy to celebrate the marriage of the Grand Duchess representing the empire, but the delegation arrived a month later than the promised date in name only.

The center of the Grand Duke’s residence, the Hall of Audience.

The long-awaited meeting was taking place at the very place where the Grand Duchess usually gathered her vassals, discussed and established her policies to lead her kingdom.

Of course, from the perspective of the Grand Duchess, she went beyond simply looking forward to meeting her, and was feeling the intent to kill the other person.

“Welcome to see Her Highness, Grand Duchess Karin von Charlotte of YoRHa, owner of the Grand Duchy of YoRHa and the second shining star in the Empire.”

Her man, covering his own face with her half-mask, bows her head at her grand duchess in her obeisance.

It was a perfect formality that was not enough to meet the grand duchess of a country, but at the same time, that was the end.

Her man wearing a half-mask of hers could only stare blankly at her grand duchess, as if he thought that he had taken all the examples he could express with just one nod of the head. But no further examples were presented.

Of course, the vassals standing around the Grand Duchess were furious at her excruciating arrogance and rudeness.

“You dare!”

“This is the palace of Her Highness, the Grand Duchess. Impolite!”

However, the Grand Duchess, who could be said to be the person in charge of her, did not seem to pay much attention to the rudeness of her man wearing a half-mask. She raised her own right hand to calm the vassals around her, then opened her mouth in a feminine tone not very different from her usual.

“Marquis Illivatus, long time no see.”

“I see, Your Highness, Grand Duchess. It seems that I am also facing Your Highness after a long time. So about… It seems like it’s been 5 years. I last saw you when Your Highness finished her succession ceremony. The last time I saw Your Highness, I still had a lot of girlish features.”

“Because five years is a long time. It wouldn’t be strange if a girl became an adult and married another man.”

There was no bitterness in the voice of the Grand Duchess as she addressed Marquis Illivatus. Like a machine-made tone, it had an extremely hard and inorganic character.

“By the way, Marquis, as you mentioned earlier, aren’t we seeing each other after a long time?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And since that day, five years ago, when we last saw her, she’s not very close to me, so I haven’t had any personal contact with her.”

“That is also true. Majesty.”

“By the way, I don’t think the attitude you took toward me just now is an example that a marquis should take toward a grand duke. I can’t help but doubt His Majesty’s motives for sending you here as an envoy because your back is so stiff.”

The corners of Marquis Illivatus’ lips slightly go up at the words of the Grand Duchess’ sarcasm. Seeing a man with a grotesque appearance whose face was covered with a half mask made such an expression, the people around him felt something creepy without even realizing it.

“That’s the theory, Your Highness. But at the same time, it seems that His Highness did not consider one thing.”

“… What do you mean?”

“I am not simply standing here as Marquis of Ilibatus. I am standing here on behalf of His Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire, who could not come here personally, and as a representative of the Empire itself.”

As he said that, the Marquis lightly struck the black sword he was wearing around his waist.

Sakyo Sword (朔燿劍) Carshudel.

It is one of the nine famous swords possessed by the empire, and at the same time, it is a national treasure of the empire that contains the power to cut through light itself, just like the nickname Sakyo.

According to rumors, it was said that it was one of the swords left behind by a swordsman who reached the absolute stage as a human 500 years ago.

But now, the history of that sword was not important. What was really important was the fact that the sword itself was a symbol of the imperial family’s ‘authority’ itself.

A national treasure symbolizing the authority of the emperor, the owner of the empire and the owner of the imperial family, is tied around the waist of the Marquis Illivatus, the representative of the delegation. What does this fact mean?

‘The Marquis of Illivatus standing here now means that he is a messenger representing the emperor himself who will be in the present system!’

In other words, the current Marquis of Illivatus did not simply come as a representative of the delegation, but was no different from an agent who came here on behalf of the emperor.

Even if it’s a grand duchess, if you treat him more rudely than necessary, it could be viewed as disrespect for the emperor.

But.

“… Cheeky, Marquis. The Sakyogeom is an object that symbolizes His Majesty’s authority. Someone like you would never have been bestowed with the power of His Majesty on his back, arrogantly.”

That was a general story, not a story that could be passed on to the great nobility beyond ordinary nobles such as the Grand Duchess.

Although the Grand Duchess belonged to the empire, she was definitely the owner of a country, and if you look at her rank in the empire, she was also the owner of a high status, holding the right to inherit the throne within ten fingers.

“Well, Your Highness is right. I am nothing more than an emissary acting on behalf of His Majesty and representing His Majesty, not His Majesty himself. So it would be disrespectful to believe in a sword like this and put pressure on someone born with noble blood like Your Highness.”

“… Of course, unless Your Highness is the blood and blood of a sinner who inherits their blood.”

In an instant, the Grand Duchess’s face turned hard, and Marquis Illivatus smirked and smiled at her reaction.

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“Ah, don’t be mistaken. In the Empire, guilt by association is not allowed by law, and I do not have the slightest thought that someone like me will hold You guilty. I only wanted to ask about Your Highness’ original sin.”

“… How dare you, with that filthy mouth… “

The Grand Duchess vigorously bit her lower lip and breathed life into her marquis.

However, the Marquis just shrugged her own shoulders with a relaxed expression, as if to show off that her grand duchess had no influence on her.

“Since we haven’t had such a close relationship with each other for such a long time, I think we should fulfill our role as His Majesty’s envoys at this point. First of all, on behalf of His Majesty, I will start by saying that I would like to congratulate Her Highness on her marriage.”

With those words, Marquis Illivatus made a court-style bow to the Grand Duchess in a rather exaggerated manner.

“Then, at this point, would you like me to introduce you to Your Highness’s one and only companion, who is said to be the luckiest man in the entire empire? In fact, I was also very curious. How on earth was he able to rise to the position of grand duke, beating all the outstanding prospective grooms?”

At the words of the Marquis, who is half sarcastic but half full of curiosity, a man standing to the right of the Grand Duchess strides towards the Marquis.

‘Oh. The author is that… ‘

When the Marquis of Ilibatus saw Reiner for the first time, the first thought that came to his mind was that the author was, as rumored, very handsome.

Even as Illivatus, who, as a nobleman of the empire, had the experience of facing all kinds of rare and beautiful things in the world… It could be said that it had been a long time since the owner of an ‘aristocratic’ appearance that boasted such neatness and sophistication.

But.

‘I expected it just in case, but it turned out to be just trash.’

He was a handsome man to the point of admiration, but at the same time, that’s all.

The amount of magical energy expressed from the whole body was very insignificant, and the training of the body was also poor, and even so, there was no sign of hiding any exceptional ability.

The packaging looks pretty good on the outside, but the contents are really incompetent garbage.

That was the final conclusion the Marquis of Illivatus made toward Reiner.

‘I tried to check it with my own two eyes just in case, but I guess it was just a mistake.’

At first, when she said that the Grand Duchess would marry a man she had never heard of, the first thing she thought was doubt.

Her marquise knew very well whose blood the Grand Duchess inherited and how much influence she had on their own line.

That’s why I couldn’t overlook it. Just because he was a man chosen by the Grand Duchess herself, it was worth going all the way to Grand Duchess Yoreha to check on him, despite her troubles.

And fortunately, the man was nothing more than a criminal who rolls around everywhere at best, or maybe even lesser trash. It was beyond comprehension why she chose such a man as her own companion.

Throbbing.

So there is nothing to worry about. Even if that man somehow reminded me of that damn b*tch, even if he felt the right side of his face throb because of it, it would all be just his illusion.

“… The Marquis of the Empire, Stein del Ilibatus, meets His Highness the Archduke. It’s an honor to meet you like this, Your Highness.”

The Marquis of Illivatus greeted Reiner first, holding back some uncomfortable feelings.

Although the scarecrow put up by the grand duchess and the face madam figured out the truth, externally, the position he holds is an envoy of the empire. She had to keep the courtesy she could keep unless she wanted to give the Grand Duchess an excuse to get caught diplomatically.

By the way…

“Hmm, you are the Marquis of Illivatus, famous for wearing that half mask. It’s great to see this celebrity.”

Cock Cock.

Reiner walked closer to the Marquis of Illivatus and poked the mask he was wearing with his finger.

“Anyway, this is a very strange mask, isn’t it? To think that the half-mask stuck to the face without clinging to the subject. I want to try it on too, but could you take off the mask, Marquis?”

At Reiner’s words, the complexion of the delegation standing behind Marquis Illivatus turned white.

The Marquis, if nothing else, hates anyone lightly commenting on his right face and mask. To the extent that an attendant had once cut off an attendant’s right hand just because he had accidentally touched the mask he had placed on the table.

“… What are you doing now, Your Highness? And why in the world do you treat me so badly… ?”

As expected, the Marquis glared at Reiner with a terrifying look he had never seen before.

In principle, Reiner is the husband of the Grand Duchess and at the same time has the status of the Grand Duke of the duchy, so he is above the Marquis of Illivatus.

But that’s only a nominal story. Reiner was a fallen aristocrat without a title not too long ago, but he was a worm who rose to the rank of grand duke, and the Marquis of Ilibatus was one of the nobles in charge of the current imperial family.

Grand Duchess. Originally, she was not on good terms with him and used her subordinates, but originally, he was a nobleman who could be said to be a real person in the imperial palace to the extent that even the emperor could not recklessly use his subordinates towards him. I mean.

On top of that, he tampered with his mask and even treated it as a toy. It was the first time that Illivatus had received such an insult since coming down to the underworld.

“Hmm? Why? That’s right, I’m a grand duke, and you’re just a lesser marquis, aren’t you?”

“… Yes?”

What the hell is this bastard talking to himself… ?

“Isn’t the position of a grand duke equal to that of a duke in principle, and the position of a marquis is lower than that of a duke? So that means you’re my underling, right? What is the problem with using short language to someone lower than me, so that it is so unusual?”

Saying that, Reiner placed his hand on Marquis Illivatus’ shoulder and began to talk to him in a friendly way, as if he were his friend.

“Are you sure you don’t like it? If listening to me in disrespectful language is twisted, then you should have been promoted to the position of duke even with all your hard work! Ha ha ha!”

“…..”

In an instant, everyone gathered here realized one fact.

I don’t know anything else, but the fact that the Archduke of YoRHa standing over there, named Reiner Kreuzse, is really a crazy idiot.