The Reason for Marriage

The dishevelled blonde hair was strangely more pleasing to the eye than his almost unrealistically perfect figure. The eyes that were out of focus, his gestures that seemed to flinch strangely; both of them caught her eye and held it.

Daniel’s eyes slowly came to focus as he was reading the report Iveca gave him. The fact that there were Republicans behind the rebels in the Empire was also serious to Iveca.

She stood still and waited for his approval.

“Eve.”

He called her name for the first time.

“Republicans deny hereditary succession.”

“There are many characteristics, but denying hereditary succession seems to be the most attractive factor for the rebels in the Empire. Because the Emperor of the Empire is so tyrannical.”

She answered in a sharp voice, and Daniel thought for a moment before asking.

“What do you think?”

Iveca was astonished because it was the first time Daniel spoke informally to her, no, to someone. There wasn’t even a friendly smile he always wore all the time.

“Last time, you made a long-winded argument about hereditary succession and the weight that comes with it. Tell me.”

“It’s not a long-winded argument, I am just telling the truth.” Iveca was a little embarrassed but replied professionally. If the King asked for her idea, she had to answer. “I don’t think of denying heredity as the only advantage.”

“Why?”

“For example, if a leader is completely out of the weight of the nation like a term ‘it was mine and should be passed on–he may still reside there for the duration of his term. Oh, sorry. I used vulgar words.”

“Speak comfortably. It’s a royal order.”

If one didn’t obey the royal order, he had to stand trial. The weight was too heavy for her joke that Iveca flinched inside. It was natural for the King to speak informally to his subordinates, but she was under a strange pressure because of a unique aspect of the conversation. Still, Iveca replied in a calm voice, trying not to be intimidated.

“If the state was not mine, wouldn’t I be irresponsible? I think the Republican blind spot is that we have to rely on pure convictions for the public good of the individual.”

“Hmm.”

“But the law is above the leader, so the leader cannot make a big mistake. I found it inhumane and unfair to put inanimate objects on top of all humans.”

“Putting inanimate objects on top of all human beings…. That’s one way to phrase it.”

Silence passed. Daniel just glanced into the report and did not approve it, so she had to keep waiting. Indeed, the King’s thoughts on the republican ideas were likely to be complex. Even she, who lived as Eve Jean, has been flabbergasted by the claim of the abolition of the status system, and what kind of emotion would the King have towards the Republican idea that wanted to bring him down?

“All right.”

He clenched his jaw and grinned. The blue eyes that looked straight at her shined almost supernaturally.

“If you want to take Kayden Ruth’s position, you must have the courage to speak about the merits of Republicanism in front of the King.”

“…Pardon?”

In a conversation that followed so naturally, Iveca had to doubt at first whether what she had heard was right. But after slowly recounting his words, Iveca felt her heart drop. Soon, her legs were shaking.

He spoke in a languid, sweet voice, but a scornful smirk hung over his face. His face was even pretentious, as it showed that the friendly smile that he had given usually was also artificial.

“I speak informally to Kayden. So if you want that position, listen to me too.”

“Yo, Yo, Your Highness…”

Everyone jokingly said that the Bureau of Investigation staff knew all the conversations in the Amethan Kingdom, but they were the Bureau of Investigation staff. It was a bar in front of the university, and there were no investigation officers around. Iveca had a brain freeze over what had happened.

She wasn’t embarrassed by anything as she went through all the ugly gossip in the Bureau of Investigation, but this time she was blind. What the hell did I say at the drinking party… Even if she was immediately executed for contempt of the royal family, she had nothing to say.

“I apologize. If there is any disciplinary action, I will humbly accept it.”

“Why are you taking disciplinary action? Behind the scenes, they also speak ill of the emperor.”

The rigid Iveca’s voice was followed by a soft-spoken one, yet a frown was displayed.

“But if I put you on the Queen’s seat, it would be a greater punishment than disciplinary punishment. I won’t even give it to you.”

He looked so pretty that he poured out sarcastic words as if they were funny, which made her feel a little bit strange. She did not know what Daniel was thinking about, but she did not expect him to spit out such a bad, sarcastic tone.

Still, Iveca bowed her head in silence as an employee of an affiliated organization who had to devote her allegiance to him.

“Be gentle and tell some funny stories beside me. You said you are good at it.”