My Wife the Empress is Becoming Frightening

43. Five minutes before the opening

Episode 43

O’Brien, the second largest city in the empire after the capital city where the emperor resides.

Daisy O’Brien, the current owner of the county house that ruled the place, was now admiring Duke Jericho’s skill with a rare genuineness.

“I’m embarrassed, but I can’t help but ask again. Are you serious about what the duke just said?”

“Of course. As you have heard, I am now proposing the betrothal of my daughter to your son, Lawrence O’Brien.”

Duke Jericho had no children other than a young daughter. Of course, even if they didn’t have a son, if it was Duke Jericho, they would pass on the ducal throne to the right person, so it was nothing for them to worry about.

‘But to give my one and only daughter to my son… .’

I don’t know what the Duke thinks of his daughter and I don’t care. In the first place, the presence or absence of affection was not important.

The important thing was the fact that they used the only best means of political struggle against themselves.

Daisy O’Brien glanced away to observe the faces of the so-called local lords who had come with her.

They knew all too well what the high-spirited aristocrats of the system thought of them, so until they were invited by the duke and came to the mansion, they were only amused.

‘So did I. As always, I thought I’d make a campaign out of nothingness bragging rights.’

Not only local aristocrats, but also all of the systemic aristocrats gathered here. At least, the Duke of Jericho had never been openly boastful in the past, but the nobles of other islands were different.

Always thinking that the system is the best, they looked down on other regions for no good reason. It’s really disgusting.

‘To think that the head of the nobility of such a system would first bow his head and ask for reconciliation.’

If he had told his self yesterday, he would have snorted.

“Thank you for the suggestion, but would it be all right if I ask the reason?”

In response to Countess O’Brien’s question, recalling her late husband’s teaching that one must be more careful in business where there is nothing to lose, Duke Jericho smiled slightly and said,

“Because I have no doubts that the next Count O’Brien’s excellent future will make my one and only precious daughter happy… … I know you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. So let me be honest.”

He looked around at all the nobles gathered in his mansion and opened his mouth.

“Currently, the Empire is facing an unprecedented crisis. A gigantic enemy outside is slowly revealing itself. That’s why we have to work together to survive, and for that, I’m reaching out to the local lords who have been hostile even though they are the same nobles.”

The nobles all held their breath at the straightforward declaration that could not be interpreted in any other way. At this point even Daisy O’Brien had to concede.

It means that the duke sincerely wants to reconcile with the local nobles. Even if there were ulterior motives behind it, I had to accept this moment as the truth on the surface.

‘Even I think the duke is really sincere. The shock the other lords will receive is indescribable.’

Of course, the unprecedented marriage was also a major factor, but above all, the fact that a great threat was coming to the empire that the duke had to step up like that was raising the sense of crisis at once.

But the Duke’s story wasn’t over yet.

“For the same reason, what I want to ask you today is not just a wedding. Countess O’Brien has one more request.”

“… … What is it?”

Instead of answering Countess O’Brien, who wondered what else was going on and asked back, Duke Jericho gestured somewhere and called someone over.

After a while, a beautiful young woman in a neat and modest dress appeared and stepped forward.

“nice to see you. “It’s called Haria.”

The unheard of name and the eye-catching beauty of both men and women created a buzz among the nobles.

When even rumors began to come out that she was the duke’s hidden daughter, he introduced Haria.

“On the surface, a good friend of my wife and daughter and a guest of the ducal family, her real identity is The Hound. One of Her Majesty’s direct escorts, and at the same time, Isaac’s favorite subordinate.”

Hound and Isaac. The appearance of these two words once again created an atmosphere of astonishment among the nobles, who thought there was nothing more to be surprised about.

The local nobles also knew that because they had ears, the hounds were no longer the dirty dogs they used to be, but they had become hunting dogs in the true sense of the word to protect the empress.

And that it was Isaac Mayer, husband of a prince and empress from an unheard of country kingdom, who brought the Hound anew.

Although there were many unbelievable rumors about him single-handedly destroying Abrarum or stopping the assassination of the empress, so he was dubious about it.

“I know what you guys are thinking. I did too. But all the rumors about Isaac are true. I bet my family name and guarantee it. He is truly a strong man with heroic strength and the only one who can save an empire in crisis.”

Just now, Duke Jericho wasn’t just acknowledging Isaac’s strength. It was as if the nobles had officially declared that they would lend their strength to him at a gathering.

Even with the name of the duke’s family.

As unimaginable things appeared in front of their eyes one after another, the nobles doubted whether they were dreaming.

“In addition, I am aware of the anxiety that local lords have. don’t let me say it because He said he would never forsake you.”

“How can you believe that?”

When everyone was overwhelmed by the words of Duke Jericho, the only one who asked back was, of course, Countess O’Brien.

“Words can do anything. I will never betray you, I will definitely repay your loyalty… … Believing those words, we had to endure a long period of suffering using hope without a promise as a walking stick.”

Daisy O’Brien’s words contained her real feelings for the first time.

The name of the emotion is anger.

Recalling her beloved husband, who had died from overwork after enduring the excessive exploitation of the previous emperor, Countess O’Brien glared at the Duke of Jericho with bitter eyes.

Duke Jericho replied as if he had expected her reaction.

“Your anger and concern are understandable. That’s why Haria and the countess need cooperation.”

“What are you saying… ?”

A thought passed through her mind.

‘no way?’

“As I said, Haria is Isaac-sama’s favorite subordinate. I want the countess to adopt her as her adopted daughter and then take her as Sir Isaac’s concubine.”

The O’Brien family, the head of the local nobility. The idea was to give the name of the family and send it as a concubine to Isaac, the emperor’s husband and the strongest hero of the empire, to establish a link between the imperial government and the local nobility.

It didn’t matter that Haria wasn’t from the O’Briens. From the moment you officially assume the name of a nobleman, you are treated as a member of that family, whether you like it or not.

‘Originally, only the emperor has the authority to appoint nobles, but with this method, we can make that Haria woman a member of our family without the emperor’s permission.’

Beyond becoming a symbol of not being betrayed if done well, there was even the possibility of creating a bridge to connect to a hero-level strongman named Isaac.

“Ah, but you better not think about using Haria. She is cooperating with us for her own ends, and above all, Isaac will never do anything to embarrass you, so you better not incur unnecessary anger.”

It was sincere advice, not as a duke, but as a human Fabian Jericho.

In any case, it was a business that the O’Briens could not afford to lose no matter how hard they tried.

If Haria caused a problem, then it was enough to treat her as an outsider even if it was a little forced, and even if the nobles of the system, including the Duke of Haryana, changed their minds later, it did not hurt them.

“… great. I will accept all of your suggestions.”

On this day, for the first time since the founding of the empire, the imperial aristocracy and the local nobility joined hands for reconciliation.

—

Empress Marianne King Blatta involuntarily blinked.

It was just a moment ago that he had declared an institutional meeting while hiding his anxiety with the mask of charisma.

However, as soon as the meeting started, the two people who needed to be persuaded most carefully in this meeting raised their hands at the same time and asked for the right to speak.

Raising their hands were Countess Daisy O’Brien, head of the local nobility, and Sir Simon Bernstein of the East, one of the Margraves of Defense.

Marianne first allowed Sir Bernstein to speak, but was taken aback by what followed. Marianne, barely conscious, asked him back.

“Sir Bernstein. What did you just say?”

“As a token of our loyalty, we have requested that you accept Selemin as Isaac’s second wife.”

Hearing it again, I couldn’t figure out what he was talking about. It was Marianne’s idea that local nobles and margraves who had lost faith in the Empire needed new tokens of loyalty.

‘But why does Selemin’s name appear there?!’

Confused, Marianne looked at her sister who was attending a meeting with the president of the Sorcery Society.

‘ah.’

I was able to realize it only after seeing Selemin’s face smiling at me. It was only her own foolish misunderstanding to think that they had returned to being close sisters.

‘That damn b*tch is going to bite the back of my head…’ !’

I was seized with the urge to pull out my sword and cut it right away, but I had to hold it in for now. First of all, I had to figure out how Selemine roasted and boiled the Marquis.

Unfortunately, however, today was an unlucky day for Marianne.

“Please wait a moment. Isaac’s second wife will be my adopted daughter Haria, not Selemin.”

Again, Marianne blinked. Like before, it was because I was embarrassed by the incomprehensible reality before anger.

It was unknown when Haria became Countess O’Brien’s adopted daughter, but the conclusion was one.

‘These b*tches take turns!’

The drafting meeting was in trouble from the start.

Marianne is angry and conflicted about whether to just throw it all over.

Countess O’Brien protested with her eyes in bewilderment as to why you said that in the first place.

Those of you who suddenly stare at each other with eyes asking what are you talking about?

The triumphant Haria and the confident Selemin.

Fabian Jericho, sensing that he had been f*cked, bowed his head.

Chancellors, marshals, ministers and government officials, as well as other nobles, confused as to what the hell was going on.

The Magic Society gave up on thinking.

To all of them, Isaac, who attended the meeting as the consort of the empress and sat in the seat right next to the emperor, looking at the conference hall with bewildered eyes, opened his mouth.

“What are you guys doing now?”