Dangerous Fiancee

Chapter 35

On May 5th, the emperor held the second cabinet meeting at Conrad Hall of the Lucio Imperial Palace. It was the second cabinet meeting, but it was the first time that all the cabinet members attended. In other words, the emperor could not govern properly for five months from the beginning of the year. Without the scandal involving his fiancee, the cabinet meeting would have been probably been postponed indefinitely.

Jed cursed them with four-letter words when he saw the letters of Duke Hubble and Ober who belatedly showed their intention to attend the cabinet meeting. Colin kept silent with a bitter look, and Kloud hardly commented. Everyone seemed to think they were mean.

But Eckart had been waiting for the opening of the full cabinet meeting more than anyone else.

"The emperor has arrived!"

The chief chamberlain announced the emperor's arrival loudly.

The cabinet members sitting on both sides of the long golden table stood up to express their due manners.

"May the endless glory of our god Airius be bestowed upon Your Excellency!"

Eckart walked slowly, not caring at all about their usual greetings. Soon, he sat on the uppermost chair. Right after he was seated, he started to examine the participants from the end of the table with his blue eyes. A total of ten officials were called to the meeting.

First, there were two secretaries from the archives office to record the meeting minutes. The top five cabinet members in charge of foreign affairs, home affairs, education affairs, finance, and law were seated closest to the emperor. Next to them was the chief of the Eluang Knights, the official imperial guard.

The other two were standing side by side on both sides of the throne. On the left was the palace secretary in charge of running the imperial palace while the chief secretary serving the emperor at hand was on the right.

"Sit down, everybody."

He ordered coldly. The cabinet members were seated, starting with those close to him.

"I haven't seen you around the palace for a while, and it's nice to see you all in one place."

His suggestive criticism subdued the atmosphere of the hall.

"I hear you have agreed to get married to the daughter of Duke Kling," Duke Hubble opened his mouth blatantly without batting an eye. He could change the topic to his liking all of a sudden without using any unnecessary introductions. His gray hair showed that he had been bossing around in the palace for a long time.

"I'm going to have the engagement ceremony sooner or later. As it's difficult for you to come to the capital every time, I think it won't be bad for you to stay here and attend the ceremony before going back," Eckart replied with ridicule.

"The emperor's marriage is a national event. How come you are going to decide it without discussing it with the cabinet members at all?"

This time, Ober stepped in.

Eckart's blue eyes looked down at him sitting next to Hubble. His ash-colored eyes were staring straight into the emperor's eyes.

"I think your words are very rude. Are you going to interfere with me selecting my wife?"

"The empress is your wife, but she is Aslan's First Lady, above all. I think it would be proper for you to get the counsel of the cabinet members."

"I made the decision because I thought deeply about your guys' advice. Wasn't it your advice that I should select my wife as soon as possible for the peace of the imperial family?"