#70
“Your Highness. This is a place provided for the Ruben ambassadors. Moreover, it’s a conference room where we’re discussing state affairs. How dare you barge in without prior notice!”
One of the ambassadors protested in a harsh voice.
“Indeed. Even though this is Shamier’s palace, this behavior is unacceptable. Please restrain yourself, Your Highness!”
The ambassadors protested with stern faces. Their eyes were filled with negative emotions towards Enrique. This seemed to be about more than just Enrique’s sudden appearance. In any case, Enrique had no intention of listening to their grumbling for long.
Enrique strode towards the conference table. He slammed his fist on the large round table.
Bang-!
While it wasn’t enough impact to break or shake the table, it was sufficient noise to make the grumbling ambassadors close their mouths in surprise or confusion. Enrique slowly opened his mouth, carefully scanning the now-quiet ambassadors.
“It seems you have many complaints about me, but let’s hear those later… I too have a major complaint against you and the Ruben Empire, which is why I’ve personally come here.”
At Enrique’s words, Anture’s face twisted in dismay. He seemed to have guessed what Enrique was about to say next.
Anture walked around the round table towards Enrique. Enrique extended his hand to stop Anture and continued speaking.
“Your prince is not fulfilling his duties as a husband at all. According to our agreement, we are supposed to have two children during our four years of marriage. According to my plan, I should already be pregnant with our first child by now. But your prince is ignoring his duty and adamantly refusing to plant his seed in me, so what are you going to do about this?”
“Enrique!”
Anture, who had approached, grabbed Enrique’s wrist. Enrique roughly shook off his hand.
“If you have no intention of having a child with me, then this marriage itself is meaningless. Either you persuade the prince, or take responsibility for breaking the agreement and stamp the divorce papers. Choose one of the two. Right now!”
At Enrique’s statement, the ambassadors looked at each other with dumbfounded expressions.
Anture grabbed Enrique’s wrist and started dragging him out of the conference room. Even as he was being pulled out by tremendous strength, Enrique drove his point home once more to the ambassadors.
“It’s either pregnancy or divorce, so either persuade him or bring the divorce papers!”
With those final words, Enrique was lifted and carried out of the conference room in Anture’s arms.
“Good heavens, Enrique. You really…”
Anture muttered as he walked briskly out of the annex while carrying Enrique. His voice was exasperated. Dangling in Anture’s arms, Enrique wore a satisfied smile.
Anture, who had left the annex as if flying, entered the garden. Enrique gestured for Pol and the knights, who were following with worried expressions, to stop. Having easily shaken them off, Enrique wrapped his arms around Anture’s neck and rested his head on his firm chest.
“Is this really the time to be hugging like we’re on good terms?”
Anture said in a bewildered voice.
“Are you objecting to me hugging my husband’s neck? If you don’t like it, then divorce me.”
Enrique retorted calmly.
“Huh-.”
Anture let out a hollow laugh. Regardless, Enrique snuggled into Anture’s arms with a satisfied face.
The place they entered was the small glass greenhouse where Enrique had been with Anture before. Anture put Enrique down on a chair inside the greenhouse. Instead of forcibly clinging to avoid separation, Enrique obediently sat on the chair.
Crossing his legs and interlocking his hands on his knee, Enrique raised his chin towards Anture. And he smiled a victor’s smile. Having made such a declaration in front of the ambassadors, they would surely push Anture into the bedroom on their own.
Anture put one hand on his waist and rubbed his forehead with the other, letting out a heavy sigh. A deep troubled look appeared on his face.
After taking a deep breath as if to calm himself, Anture saw Enrique’s triumphant expression and frowned.
“Do you even know what you’ve just done, smiling like that?”
“I’ve done what it takes to drag you onto my bed. And judging by the ambassadors’ dumbfounded faces, the result will probably be successful.”
Enrique said calmly, wiggling his toes.
“Good heavens, Enrique.”
Anture rubbed his face repeatedly with a frustrated expression. It was clear he was desperately trying to control his anger.
“Do you have any idea how much effort I’ve put into persuading them all this time? Just when I could finally see the end, you’ve gone and ruined it all.”
Anture said with a gloomy face. It was the first time seeing such an expression on Anture. A feeling of guilt rose in Enrique’s chest, but separately from that, he still felt no regret.
Well, having landed a solid blow, it was now time for a conciliatory approach.
Enrique stood up from the chair and approached Anture. He wrapped his arms around Anture’s neck and pressed his body close.
“Don’t be angry, Anture. I admit my actions were excessive. But you were desperately avoiding me, so I had no choice but to think of a way. I was as desperate as you were.”
“…”
Anture didn’t respond. He didn’t embrace Enrique back either. He just let out a heavy sigh and looked down at the floor. Looking into his black eyes, Enrique could see a gloomy gaze.
“Anture…”
Enrique grabbed Anture’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet. In those black eyes, he could read a faint resentment. Only now did Enrique feel a slight surge of regret. And on the other hand, he also felt angry.
‘If only you had done as I asked, this wouldn’t have happened.’
Those words were about to burst out of his mouth. But he knew he shouldn’t say that now.
“You resent me.”
Enrique muttered with a dejected face. He had expected Anture’s reaction to be bad. He just thought he would be angry, not that he would resent him.
“Just…”
Anture opened his tightly closed mouth. And he grabbed Enrique’s shoulders, forcibly removing him from his embrace.
“Just, I don’t want to see your face right now. Let’s talk again later.”
Anture announced in a low voice and turned around. Enrique hurriedly grabbed his wrist, but Anture coldly shook off his hand and disappeared outside the greenhouse.
“You went too far this time.”
Kisha said in a low voice. Her face showed sympathy for Anture. And Julian, seeming to share Kisha’s opinion, nodded while sipping his wine. Enrique just sighed and busied himself with gulping down wine.
“Enrique, instead of doing this, why don’t you try negotiating with the Ruben Empire again? Ask them to compensate you with something equivalent to the gifts promised by Monta and Baron in exchange for making the prince your only husband. And ask them to handle Monta and Baron’s protests too. Ruben might agree to do that.”
Kisha, whose emotions had become richer after having a child, spoke with a regretful face.
“…It’s not that I haven’t thought about that.”
Enrique said quietly.
“Really? You’ve thought that far? You, Enrique?”
Kisha asked with a surprised face. Enrique glared at her once and then sighed. Then he spoke.
“It might be possible. If negotiated well, I could gain enormous benefits at once just from this marriage. But Kisha, he’s the prince of Ruben. According to the agreement, we’re to spend four years of marriage here in Shamier, but what if the marriage lasts longer? He’s a man who needs to succeed to the throne as Ruben’s heir. So eventually, I would have to follow him to Ruben.”
“Ah, that’s…”
Kisha trailed off ambiguously.
“It’s an unacceptable situation for Enrique, who is to inherit Shamier’s throne.”
Julian spoke on Enrique’s behalf.
Silence fell in the reception room. Enrique, Julian, and Kisha all knew. Enrique had loved Shamier since childhood and had grown up thoroughly educated in his responsibilities and duties as royalty. Above all, Enrique’s heart was filled with ambition. The ambition to proudly leave his and Shamier’s name in history books. For Enrique, who harbored such ambition, having to give up his life as a king to live as the emperor’s consort was a terrible prospect.
“That’s… true. Our Shamier needs Enrique. I’ve never imagined a future for Shamier where Enrique doesn’t succeed to the throne.”
Kisha said with a gloomy face. After silently wearing a troubled expression for a moment, Kisha looked up at Enrique’s face and carefully asked.
“Apart from all that, Enrique. Do you… love him?”
