🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 11
“Your Majesty. The Grand Duke of Dayban is requesting an audience.”
“At this hour? Send him away—”
Emperor Lloyd stopped mid-sentence.
He had just finished the day’s work and was about to leave his office when the announcement came. The name made him pause.
“Wait, who did you say?”
“The Grand Duke. He seems to have just arrived in the capital.”
“…Let him in. Not here—let’s meet in the drawing room.”
Lloyd had explicitly sent word there was no need to rush, that the victory report could wait. Yet, his ever-principled friend had apparently come straight to the capital without even taking time to rest. That urgency was unlike most nobles, who would have waited until early the next day out of courtesy.
But this—this was so very Ian.
“I offer my greetings to Your Majesty.”
Sure enough, the moment Ian entered the drawing room, he knelt on one knee like a knight receiving investiture.
Lloyd sighed lightly, a hint of fondness in it.
Placing a hand on Ian’s shoulder, he personally helped him up.
“I told you to come to the drawing room, not the office, so you wouldn’t have to go through all this formality.”
“I cannot neglect my duty as your subject.”
“If even half the nobles in the capital thought like you, I could die without regrets.”
The emperor, usually stoic, finally cracked a laugh and gestured toward the sofa by the tea table.
“Enough. Come sit, Ian.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve already received your report. What I really want is to catch up with my old friend. Or is that not why you came?”
“…Lloyd.”
Ian reluctantly dropped the honorific, and Lloyd smiled in satisfaction.
“Right. And the injury—are you truly healed? I was worried. Well, Janine was more worried than I was.”
Janine, Lloyd’s wife and Empress, had been his beloved long before he ascended the throne. The two were famously inseparable.
If Ian had protected Lloyd with his sword, Janine had used her noble lineage as the daughter of Marquis Prowell to secure crucial political support.
“I hope the Grand Duke can find someone to trust and lean on like we have,” Janine had once said.
It was through Marquis Prowell that Ian had gained footing in the capital. With that connection, it was only natural that the empress would take interest in Ian’s marriage prospects as well.
“Don’t worry. The injury was nothing.”
But Ian’s expression—calm as it was—held a subtle discomfort.
Lloyd’s instincts, honed from navigating political intrigue, kicked in. Something felt off. Ian had arrived too soon—even skipping a proper visit to his estate. He was still wearing a simple black cloak bearing the Dayban crest, instead of the resplendent one Lloyd had gifted him.
“Ian. You’re hiding something.”
Tap, tap. Lloyd drummed his fingers on the armrest.
“I’m not.”
“Really? Then I’ll just ask Sir Cain myself…”
Most people thought Ian to be emotionally unreadable. But not Lloyd. To him, Ian’s face was as easy to read as a book.
As Lloyd made to rise, Ian quickly stopped him—grabbing even the emperor’s arm.
“I came to see Lady Charte.”
“Charte? Really? You’re interested in her? Janine will be thrilled! But wait—when did this happen? You’ve only spoken to each other once.”
Lloyd’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he pressed for more.
Ian, as if retreating behind a shield, replied in a stiff tone.
“We’ve exchanged letters.”
“Letters? Ah—letters! That’s very romantic. Janine and I wrote to each other quite a bit too, you know.”
Lloyd’s smitten smile was almost absurd for an emperor. If he weren’t the sovereign, Ian might have called it obnoxious.
Prompted by Lloyd’s eager expression, Ian continued reluctantly.
“You brought up my injury… Lady Charte seemed concerned. I thought it best to meet her in person and reassure her.”
Only after seeing Lloyd’s amused grin did Ian realize how much he had rambled. Uncharacteristically so.
“And? What are you planning to do—don’t stop there.”
“I was going to visit the duchy directly.”
“Right. And then? Confess that you’ve fallen for her and propose marriage immediately?”
“No. Besides, it’s your wish—as emperor—that I marry Lady Charte.”
At that, Lloyd’s playful expression faded. His face turned cold and serious.
Now that Ian had brought it up, they had to speak plainly.
“I do wish it. For your sake, and for the stability of my reign.”
“You know I’ve always…”
“…Loyalty above all else. I know. That’s why I made the selfish decision. Even though the odds of happiness in a marriage with the notoriously difficult Lady Charte seemed low.”
To be fair, Janine had disagreed with the match.
Usually as rational as her husband, she’d made an exception this time—because she saw Ian as family.
But Ian had insisted, emphasizing loyalty and duty, never once faltering.
“Lloyd, you’re not selfish. You’re doing what’s right as a ruler. Whoever it is, if you believe it’s the best course, I’ll respect her as my wife.”
“…Still, I hope you won’t be unhappy. I know it’s selfish, but I can’t help it.”
Lloyd sighed, then smiled again.
“But if my selfishness hasn’t blinded me completely, I think you have started to feel something for the Lady.”
Rather than explain that she was kinder and gentler than the rumors said, Ian simply replied,
“She seems like a good person.”
“Even through letters?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you think so, then the rumors must be wrong.”
Lloyd was, truthfully, relieved.
He had long carried a burden of guilt over using his closest friend as a political pawn. But seeing Ian visibly flustered over Lady Charte—even subtly—offered a shred of comfort.
“Then I wish you luck. I assume you haven’t prepared a gift, have you? I’ll give you one to take. You can’t show up empty-handed.”
If he had learned anything from his relationship with Janine, it was this—when it came to love, gifts never hurt.
And more importantly, it was harder to turn away someone holding a present.
“…Thank you.”
“Oh, and Janine will probably want to meet Lady Charte herself. Ask her to visit the palace when she has time.”
“I will.”
Janine, ever gracious and just, wouldn’t judge by hearsay. She’d want to see the Lady with her own eyes.
And surely, she would come to like her.
A faint smile touched Ian’s lips.
Lloyd noticed the rare look and shook his head, signaling the attendant.
There was no point continuing. Half of Ian’s mind was already elsewhere.
“Lady Charte…”
Despite Ian’s claim that the rumors were false, Lloyd couldn’t forget how haughty and aloof she had seemed at the last banquet.
It was a faint but persistent unease.
Still, that wasn’t enough reason to cancel the engagement.
All he could do now was hope she truly was the good person Ian believed her to be—for his friend’s sake.
