How To End This Marriage-Chapter 54: Palace Intrigue

In the grand audience hall of the palace, a tense and charged atmosphere hung heavy as ministers and higher authorities voiced their grievances and concerns about the Duchess’s behavior.

"Your Majesty! How could you ignore all the disrespect that the Duchess has shown to you?! She clearly displayed no respect, even though it was the first meeting when people usually try to present their best selves to you and get closer to you," one of the ministers spoke, his voice laced with frustration.

The room buzzed with whispered agreements, and the emperor, seated on his imposing throne, listened intently, his expression unreadable.

"Yes, Your Majesty! The Duke, who is your nephew, has always shown you respect. But this time, he didn’t even speak in your favor and clearly disrespected you in front of everyone. How could you consider that woman suitable for the role of Duchess when she doesn’t even care about the significance of being a Holy Knight?" another minister chimed in, echoing the sentiments of many in the room.

The tension continued to escalate as the ministers voiced their concerns, and the emperor remained silent, his gaze focused on the intricately designed patterns of the hall’s marble floor.

"Yes, Your Majesty, please do something. I know you are the most devoted to the Supreme God, and the Duchess is not showing any respect to the divine. It goes against our culture. How can a person be the Duchess when she clearly lacks the characteristics of a good Duchess? Please, do something! Make her return to the temple. I am certain that if the Supreme God has chosen her, then she surely belongs to the temple, not the dukedom," the High Priest implored, his words drawing the attention of everyone present.

"High Priest!" Finally, the emperor broke his silence, his deep voice reverberating through the hall.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the High Priest responded, his voice respectful and attentive.

"Do you think that the Duchess possesses some kind of power?" the emperor inquired, causing surprise to ripple through the assembly.

"Power? I don’t quite understand what you’re getting at, Your Majesty," the priest replied, his expression perplexed.

"High Priest, as you are aware, the Supreme God never selects an ordinary human to serve Him. So, I wonder if the Duchess possesses some unique ability that would be of value to the temple," the emperor clarified, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"I am not certain, Your Majesty. However, I have heard that Marquis Kael has had the Duchess undergo knight training, considering her as one of the potential heirs. This is unusual in our empire, where women typically have little importance in matters of war or utility," the priest explained, subtly emphasizing their culture’s view of superiority.

"Hmm, I see. No need to dwell on it further. I will discuss this matter with Alexavier. I am confident he will not defy my wishes," the emperor replied calmly, though an air of uncertainty lingered.

"But, Your Majesty, what if the Duke is supporting the Duchess in her disrespectful behavior? You are aware of the incident from years ago involving the previous Duke and Duchess, yet there has been no news about it, even after your intervention. What if the Duke has been concealing the truth about that incident and is now involved in treason against you?" one of the ministers ventured, causing a hushed tension to settle over the audience hall.

"What are you implying?" the Emperor’s voice grew increasingly hostile, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Your Majesty, what if the Duke is attempting to seize the throne in alliance with the Duchess? We know that the previous Duchess was one of the candidates for the throne," the minister continued, prompting the Emperor to erupt in anger, his face contorted in rage.

"How dare you utter such words in front of the Emperor!" he thundered, rising from his throne and shouting at the minister, who recoiled under the intensity of the Emperor’s wrath.

"I beg your forgiveness, Your Lordship. I was only considering the possibilities of what might have transpired," the minister replied, visibly trembling under the Emperor’s fierce glare.

"Your Majesty, please, let us remain calm. This is merely a conjecture. We all know that the only heir to the throne now is the Crown Prince, and the Duke could never entertain treason against the royal family," the High Priest interjected, attempting to diffuse the escalating tension.

"Yes," the Emperor responded, though his agreement was delivered with slow deliberation, and an atmosphere of unease lingered in the room, casting shadows over the future of the Duchess and her role in the kingdom’s affairs. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The grandeur of the palace extended beyond the audience hall, stretching into the opulent hallways adorned with intricate tapestries and polished marble floors. As the Emperor made his way toward his private chambers, his steps carried the weight of the complex matters discussed in the hall.

But he halted abruptly in the dimly lit hallway, where a figure awaited him. The Crown Prince, with his regal bearing and youthful charm, bowed respectfully as a sign of respect.

"Greetings to the emperor!" the Crown Prince’s voice was laced with the deference due to his father and ruler.

"You may rise, my child," the emperor replied, his stern countenance softening into a faint smile. He appreciated his son’s diligence in attending his classes on governance and leadership.

"What are you up to, Crown Prince? Have you been attending the successor classes?" the emperor inquired, showing genuine interest in his son’s progress.

"Yes, Father. I have been diligently attending all my scheduled classes," the Crown Prince replied with a hint of pride. "However, I was on my way to the hall to meet the Duke. I heard he was coming to have an audience with his newly married Duchess," he continued, gracefully bringing up the topic of the Duchess, which the Emperor had momentarily forgotten.

"It’s of no consequence. They have already departed," the emperor replied, his tone subdued, reflecting the unease that had settled within him.

"Alex has left?" the Crown Prince inquired, seeking confirmation.

"Yes, I have no idea what transpired, but the Duchess abruptly left the audience hall without showing the least respect to me, the Emperor," the emperor lamented, his brows furrowing as he recalled the unexpected turn of events. "I don’t know what I’m going to do, but this behavior could become quite troublesome if it continues."

"Father, I don’t believe that is the case," the Crown Prince offered reassurance, his voice calm and soothing. "It’s more likely that something serious has occurred to prompt their sudden departure. You know Alex well; he wouldn’t allow such behavior without a valid reason."

The emperor considered his son’s words, finding solace in the Crown Prince’s wisdom. With a resigned nod, he continued on his way to his chambers, leaving the Crown Prince deep in thought in the ornate hallway, where shadows danced along the walls, mirroring the complexities of the palace’s intrigue.