Although it was a small-town inn, the top floor had a large one-story room.
The door opened to reveal a spacious entrance hall, with mosaic paintings on the front wall.
There were doors on both sides, and it appeared that one could enter the rooms in the back through either of the open doors.
There were also several doors at both ends of the entrance, indicating that it is quite spacious.
In the back room were a luxurious reception room and a mahogany table in the center with chairs upholstered in green cloth.
A large window in the front seemed to overlook the city, and the red roof could be seen below.
When Mariabelle and James took their seats, a black-haired knight sat down in front of them.
"Welcome, my friend, from so far away."
A low, deep voice echoed in their ears.
A voice that seemed to dominate the room with just that alone made Mariabelle stiffen, thinking that surely this knight was not your average knight.
"You don't have to be vigilant... I will introduce myself first. My name is Renato Galetti."
Hearing the name of the young man who gracefully crossed his legs, Mariabelle involuntarily held her breath.
Renato Galetti.
Isn't that the name of the crown prince of Galleria?
The reason she didn't recognize him immediately was probably that the face she pictured in her head was from many years ago.
It was the first time they had met in person, but she had heard of him as a young but shrewd crown prince.
It was a good thing that the Gallerian Empire was a friendly nation, but if he had been the successor of a hostile nation, she would have been extremely wary of him.
No, even if it was a friendly country, he was the crown prince. She can't help but be wary.
Mariabelle casually looked at her father, who was sitting next to her.
The reason he looked so nervous was probably that her father also didn't know that he was the crown prince.
Knowing this, Mariabelle felt a little relieved.
Perhaps it had been decided that they would meet someone from the imperial court at this place, but the fact that it was not just 'someone from the imperial court,' but 'the crown prince of the empire,' meant something completely different.
If his political enemies were to find out that he was talking to them face-to-face right here and now, that alone would bring down the Marquisate of Berkeley.
No matter how much her father denied it, they would think that James had some kind of rebellious intent against the kingdom.
We must not let our guard down.
Mariabelle gracefully rose from her chair, knelt, folded her hands in front of her chest, and bowed her head.
This was the formal Imperial bow to the prince of the empire
Next to her, James was on one knee, bowing deeply.
"It's a great honor for me to meet for the first time the fierce lion of the empire. I am James Berkeley. This is my daughter, Mariabelle."
Contrary to Renato, who seemed to be relaxed, the expressions on the faces of Mariabelle and her father were firm.
"Good, make yourself comfortable. This is an informal gathering."
James and Mariabelle bowed deeply once again at Renato's words and sat down on the chairs again with their eyes lowered.
When Mariabelle slowly looked up, her eyes met Renato's, who was staring at her, but she quickly averted her gaze.
"Now, I am aware that Marquis Berkeley has approached our country to ask for permission to distribute Berkeley's wheat..." Renato stopped talking and turned his deep blue eyes back to Mariabelle.
Mariabelle felt uncomfortable with the gaze that seems to be making a judgment.
Then, as if to oppose that gaze, Mariabelle straightened her posture so that there was not even a single flaw.
"You want to introduce your daughter to a suitable person here, right?"
Surprised by Renato's words, Mariabelle involuntarily turned her head to James, who was sitting beside her.
I know that my father was concerned about my future.
Certainly, Mariabelle, whose engagement was broken off by Edward, wouldn't be able to hope for a good match in the kingdom.
The number of nobles decreased due to the plague ten years ago, and the balance of power within the kingdom changed considerably.
The epidemic that originated from the western powers swept the world, but what saved the world was the medicine developed by the western powers.
Duke Danzel, who dealt with it, quickly gained control of the court.
And the house that opposed the Duchy of Danzel was the Marquisate of Berkeley, which was growing in power.
If the Duke of Danzel had a daughter old enough to be Edward's fiancée, the decision would probably have been made without question.
Unfortunately, no daughter in the duchy could match Edward's age.
Furthermore, Edward himself took a liking to Mariabelle at a tea party, which encouraged Marquis Berkeley to decide on her as his fiancée.
However, this was overturned when Edward broke off the engagement.
Perhaps Mariabelle cannot hope for a good match under such current circumstances.
And marriage with Simon Lent, who might have a backstory, was out of the question.
With this in mind, he probably thought that Mariabelle's partner should be an imperial nobleman, but he must not have thought that the crown prince of the Galleria Empire would personally arrange a marriage match for her.
"Actually, I need a man who is not too old, of good behavior, and who would take Mariabelle as his wife and cherish her dearly," James said.
Mariabelle was inwardly surprised when she heard the terms her father had set forth.
Since Edward had declared that he has found his true love, Mariabelle wanted to find a partner to love.
However, she was the daughter of a nobleman.
She knew very well that such selfishness would never work.
She knew this, but she wanted to indulge herself in a fleeting dream.
A political marriage was for the benefit of both families.
Therefore, she was willing to accept the marriage to the person whom her father recommended.
However, from the conditions her father had set, it would bring no benefit to the Berkeley family.
It was as if he was looking for a marriage partner only for the sake of Mariabelle's happiness.