As Edgar stated, he went to see the king. The king led Edgar back to the inner hall for further discussion.
The chairs have been rearranged. There was only a lounge sofa and a glass table in the middle at the time. Edgar was invited to sit down by the king.
They sat beside each other.
The king initiated the conversation while pouring himself tea.
"So, what do you think, Marquess? You've met every Princess. Have you decided which one is the best fit for you?"
Despite his request, the King's heart had already reached a conclusion. He assumed Edgar had chosen the third Princess, Yvette.
Edgar had no intention of delaying an answer because the King had asked directly.
"I've made a decision."
"Oh? So, which Princess is it?"
"Fifth princess," he says.
The tea choked the king. The man in his forties coughed for a long time. His butler frantically patted him on the back, hoping to relieve the king's cough.
The king asked again after the cough subsided. He was certain the previous one had misheard.
"Again, who do you wish to marry?"
"Fifth princess," he says. Edgar's response remained unchanged.
The king was taken aback. His logic suggests that Edgar may have mistaken Yvette for the fifth Princess.
"Is there a misunderstanding here, Marquess? Did you recognise the princess incorrectly?"
Edgar's head shook. "No, Your Majesty, if my memory serves me correctly. It was the the last Princess to enter the hall."
The king initially wanted to clarify things, but since Edgar confidently said the last Princess, it couldn't have been a mistake.
The king tried to bring it up again. "Are you certain, Marquess? The third princess is far more attractive and charming. Do you dislike her?"
The king was aware that his question was impolite, but he was completely clueless. The issue was that the Crown Prince's attitude toward Claudia was a little different. Even if the king wasn't very clear about it, the slightest possibility of interest would not be overlooked.
Edgar did not object to the king's question. He also reflected on himself. Basically, the others were much prettier than the girl, but his heart throbbed when he saw her, as if he wanted to tell him that he had to choose her.
Edgar responded after a brief thought.
"I'm still looking for the fifth Princess. Please, Your Majesty, allow me to marry her."
The king could see the sincerity in Edgar's eyes. He finally agreed, sighing.
The side door was ajar slightly. Yvette, who was trying to catch up with Edgar, came to a halt when she overheard the two talking. Yvette was initially excited, but when she heard Edgar insist on marrying the fifth Princess, her emotions became jumbled.
--
Cheryl went to Emily's shop very early the next morning. Emily's tea shop, like when she first arrived, was quiet today.
Cheryl walked in at the same time as the small bell above the door rang. Emily recognised Cheryl as the visitor and was greeted with a smile.
"Wow, my younger sister showed up as well. You promised to come here every day that day, but you didn't come yesterday. I assumed you didn't want to come here any longer."
Emily has already protested since she arrived. Cheryl couldn't help but crack an awkward grin.
Cheryl politely bowed, ignoring Emily's 'little sister' label.
"Emily, I apologise. Yesterday, I became suddenly preoccupied with something." Cheryl apologised heartfeltly. She was not only not busy, but she also slept all day yesterday.
Emily didn't mind, and the young lady invited Cheryl to sit. Meanwhile, she went behind the bar, made some tea, and ate a few slices of cake. She returned a short time later with a tray and placed it in front of Cheryl.
"Eat the cake, please. I made it with a new recipe here. Try it out." Emily stated. "Eat while you listen to my story. Today is a good day for gossip."
Cheryl's curiosity was piqued after seeing Emily's excitement. Women, in general, enjoy gossip. Cheryl is no different.
"What's the biggest news?"
Cheryl boldly took the teacup and drank a sip.
Emily flashed a wide smile, almost exposing all of her teeth. "The Marquess of Northland is rumoured to be marrying the fifth Princess!"
Cheryl poured tea into her mouth, soaking a section of the table. Fortunately, she quickly turned in the direction of the spray. It would hit the cake plate a little too late.
Emily smiled as she handed Cheryl a clean cloth.
"What is your reaction to this? It's excessive." Emily chastises.
Cheryl felt bad. She immediately wiped the table clean, as she always did.
"I apologise; I didn't mean to."
"Yes, it's fine." Emily gave a casual response. "How come you're surprised?"
Cheryl couldn't be surprised when it was her.
"Obviously. You see, the Marquess should be betrothed to the third princess rather than the fifth...you just mentioned the fifth Princess, which surprised me." Cheryl quickly concealed her anxiety.
Emily's face revealed another mysterious smile. "You are correct. I, too, was surprised at first and assumed the news was false. However, I believe this information is accurate and trustworthy."
Emily motioned for Cheryl to approach. The young lady spoke softly.
"Actually, Sir Alex, the King's personal butler, and I are good friends. Last night, I overheard him mention it."
Cheryl smirked.
"It's a secret between the two of us, okay?" Emily quickly added.
That is not the issue. The banquet had taken place the night before, and it was still very early in the morning. When did Emily and Sir Alex first meet?
Emily hadn't noticed Cheryl's probing stare earlier. She carried on gossiping.
"It's unclear whether the Marquess will marry the fifth or third Princess." But there has to be another source of drama. Specifically, the Marquess' mistress."
Cheryl's pupils dilated. If she wasn't careful, she'd choke. "The mistress of the Marquess?"
"That's correct. It's a well-kept secret among socialites, but the Marquess has a special lady who serves him when it comes to the Xander El Nix building."
"What is Xander El Nix?"
"This city's most well-known entertainment venue is known as a brothel. It is said that all of the women there are stunning. There is one woman who is solely responsible for serving the Marquess. Maybe if the building owner assigned that woman, no one would gossip. That woman, however, was appointed directly by the Marquess. Of course, it leads people to believe that something is going on between them."
"Oh,"
Cheryl pondered quietly. In his book, she does not include any details about Edgar Baldwin's personal life. She simply stated that Edgar was only interested in Yvette. In this world, however, Edgar has a mistress. So, is this world and plot work in different?
"Why doesn't the Marquess marry his lover if he has one?" Cheryl inquired, intrigued.
Emily looked at Cheryl as if she were a little girl. She exhaled a sigh.
"It's a little tricky. You are aware that the Marquess's position is respectable, whereas that woman is merely a consolation. If the Marquis marries her, the nobles will be outraged, and even the king may object. It's because there is an unwritten rule in our kingdom not to marry a prostitute."
Cheryl nodded, but her expression remained perplexed.
"Whatever the Marquess does later will undoubtedly be interesting. He will either leave the woman he loves to marry a princess, or he will stay in a relationship with her even if he marries someone else."
Cheryl was even more perplexed by the possibility of Edgar having an affair after his marriage to Yvette.
Cheryl had been depressed all day as a result of Emily's gossip. Her mind was preoccupied with weighing the options and determining which plot was correct.
In the novel's early plot, Edgar adores Yvette but is betrayed and falls into the King's trap. Then he exacted his revenge and turned evil, slaughtering the entire royal family. From there, you can see Edgar's disappointment at being rejected by Yvette. Maybe the impact wouldn't have been as strong if he didn't love her so much.
Edgar had his own warmer bed in this world back then. But it's still unclear whether he'll fall in love with Yvette like in the books. Maybe Edgar had a mistress from the start but fell in love with Yvette, and the plot continued as it did in the book.
So, both in the books and in this world, Edgar could have had an illicit lover before meeting Yvette. Cheryl was relieved when she reached this conclusion. It turns out that the plot does not deviate; rather, the details add up slightly.
-
While Cheryl is planning the plot, Yvette is convincing the King to swap the bride for Edgar Baldwin. Aside from her feelings for Edgar, she didn't want to be defeated by the fifth Princess, who appeared out of nowhere.
"It should have been me, royal father. Why was the Princess of Nowhere chosen over me?" Yvette said, squeaking her words over and over.
The king, who had been suffering from a mild headache since the morning, became even more ill when he heard Yvette's incessant voice.
"That is entirely up to the Marquess."
Yvette had overheard their conversation in the hall the night before. What she desired was to make the marriage partner hers.
"Then simply force him. If the Royal Father makes a decision, he will not dare to question it."
Yvette was referring to Edgar.
The king cast a glance at Yvette, who was wearing a sad expression.
"If it were that simple, I would have ended the marriage without telling him in the first place. But the truth is that he is not a simple man. And he controls nearly half of the military power."
The king's primary concern remained his power. Yvette bit her lower lip, irritated.
The King's heart softened as he saw his beloved daughter act as if she had been mistreated. He consoled Yvette by saying,
"I am unable to change the bride. But perhaps you can persuade Edgar Baldwin to reconsider."
Yvette's eyes immediately lit up. True, she still has options.
"Alright, thanks for the advice, Royal Father. Please, Yvette, take a step back."
Before leaving the room, Yvette bowed respectfully. When he turned around, she noticed that the decree had been issued and that the names of the spouses were clearly written. When she saw the edict, she had another thought.
Yvette secretly smiled as she exited King's study.
***