Chapter 6

“Everyone, raise your heads. Such excessive formalities are unnecessary.”

At the Emperor’s quiet voice, Harriet and everyone else lifted their heads as if entranced.

It was a gentle voice that seemed better suited to a scholar or a lecturer.

Yet somehow, it carried an undeniable dignity and authority, giving every word irresistible weight.

Although she had obeyed and raised her head, Harriet still could not see the Emperor’s face clearly, so she unconsciously looked a little higher.

A breathtakingly handsome face came into view.

Beneath slightly tousled silver hair, a pair of cold blue eyes—eyes that seemed utterly uninterested in everything in the world—were fixed on her.

His delicate features and refined lines were almost beautiful enough to shame the moon into hiding and make fish sink beneath the water in embarrassment.

Even Harriet, who had every reason to resent him, forgot her bad impression for a brief moment. Her heart skipped a beat.

He’s even better-looking than the illustration.

Only after several long seconds did she realize that she had been making direct eye contact with the Emperor.

Startled, Harriet quickly lowered her gaze.

Her heart ached—but for a completely different reason now.

That’s the Emperor! Get a grip!

The very man who had criticized her precious novel!

The same person who claimed reading her story had cured his insomnia!

The moment she remembered that, every bit of appreciation she had for his handsome face evaporated.

Harriet lowered her gaze to his chest.

Then the Emperor spoke from right in front of her.

“Which way is the bedchamber? I’d like to settle in first.”

Even though she knew he couldn’t possibly be speaking to her, Harriet felt as though the question had been directed at her.

“I shall guide Your Majesty.”

The head maid stepped forward.

As though he had been standing before her all along, the Emperor quietly followed behind the head maid and disappeared.

Many of the attendants, guards, and servants who had accompanied him followed after him as well.

Only after they had all vanished from sight did Harriet let out a sigh of relief.

Now all she had to do was return to her room.

She could finally get away from that insufferable Emperor.

If something happened in the palace, she would no doubt be summoned again, but at least she could enjoy a little distance from him for now.

Just as Harriet turned to leave, someone called out.

“You there. The brown-haired one.”

…Please don’t tell me he’s talking to me?

Harriet quickly thought about how many brown-haired people were still present.

There had been plenty of them in the palace.

But most had already dispersed to resume their duties the moment the Emperor left.

Unfortunately for her…

She was the only brown-haired person still standing there.

Why not go unpack instead of stopping me…?

Despite the exhaustion written across her face, Harriet once again forced a bright, flower-like smile onto her lips.

The tension that had been released after thinking everything was over made her legs feel ready to collapse, but she steadied herself and gracefully turned around.

The man before her wasn’t as strikingly handsome as the Emperor, but he was undeniably attractive.

His eyes slowly swept over her from head to toe.

“A maid?”

“I am Harriet Brown, the maid responsible for managing Cinnia Palace. If it would not be discourteous, may I ask your name and position? It is simply part of the proper procedure to assist our guests, so I hope you will forgive the question.”

“You’re awfully formal. I’m Baron Bellen.”

Though only a baron by title, the fact that he had accompanied the Emperor spoke volumes.

Besides, there was a vast difference between a baron of the Empire and one of the Kingdom.

Harriet maintained her pleasant smile.

“Thank you very much. May I ask why you called for me?”

“Do you know an author by the name of Elliot Dark?”

The smile on Harriet’s face shattered instantly.

*** * * **

Knock. Knock.

“Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Baron Bellen requests an audience.”

The Emperor, who had been quietly giving instructions to his attendant Elvin, turned his attention toward the door.

The head maid, who had awkwardly lingered in the room instead of leaving, also looked toward it.

She subtly turned her head away, as though afraid that staring too long at the door would remind them of her presence.

The Emperor remained silent, as if peering through the door itself.

His long, slender fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of the sofa.

“Your Majesty. Baron Bellen requests permission to enter.”

“Let him in.”

Only after a prolonged silence, and after Elvin spoke once more, did permission come.

Elvin opened the door.

As it swung open, the Emperor, Kallis, casually looked away.

It lasted only an instant, but his gaze brushed past the head maid before moving elsewhere.

A fresh-faced baron entered the room.

Just as he was about to perform a deep bow worthy of the ruler of the Empire, Emperor Kallis spoke first.

“So? Have you brought me anything interesting?”

His voice held not the slightest trace of curiosity.

If anything, it was filled with unmistakable boredom.

The baron scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Will Your Majesty not even allow me the time to pay my respects?”

“You’ll have a lifetime to bow. Missing it once or twice won’t bring the world to an end. Report.”

“In accordance with Your Majesty’s orders, I investigated the author Elliot Dark.”

“Did you find anything?”

For the first time, Kallis, who had been reclining deeply into the sofa, turned to face the baron.

His tone, however, remained emotionless.

His voice was gentle enough to sound as though he were reciting poetry, yet his completely flat intonation made it impossible to tell what he truly thought.

His expression revealed nothing either.

“If learning that he is a mystery even within the Kingdom counts as progress… then yes.”

Baron Bellen nodded as he recalled a maid named Harriet Brown.

Ironically enough, the brown-haired maid had the surname Brown.

The moment she heard the name Elliot Dark, every trace of color vanished from her face.

She politely but firmly insisted she knew nothing before fleeing as though escaping the scene.

The other maids reacted much the same way.

Moments earlier, they had seemed eager to answer any question.

But as soon as Elliot Dark’s name came up, they shook their heads vigorously, saying they wanted nothing to do with the author who had supposedly enraged the Emperor.

The only information he had managed to gather…

…was that no one seemed to know anything about the man.

“What remarkable progress.”

Kallis replied indifferently.

His tone was identical to before, making it impossible to tell whether he was being sarcastic or sincere.

Pretending to inspect the curtains while standing close to the window, the head maid’s eyes darted back and forth.

Her thoughts raced.

Searching for Elliot Dark…

So the rumors that His Majesty became furious after reading the novel were actually true?

Did he come all the way to the Kingdom intending to find the author and drag them back?

Should I report this to His Majesty the King?

The conversation came to a halt.

Kallis looked away as though he had already lost interest.

Baron Bellen cleared his throat a couple of times.

Only when the head maid noticed Elvin standing silently by the door did she understand the situation.

They had never forgotten she was there.

They had simply been waiting for her to leave.

Once the head maid quietly withdrew from the room, Baron Bellen resumed speaking.

“He has concealed his identity even more thoroughly than expected. Even the magazine currently serializing his novel receives manuscripts only through anonymous letters. Since they’re delivered to a mailbox rather than through the post office, tracing their origin is nearly impossible. He hasn’t even collected the royalty payments, which must be received by check…”

“The point.”

“We believe more time will be necessary to uncover his true identity.”

Considering he had investigated for only half a day, it was impressive progress.

The Emperor offered no praise.

Instead, he said something entirely different.

“That head maid certainly has expressive eyes.”

“…Pardon?”

“The way her eyes kept moving. Even with her head lowered, her eyes were so large it was obvious.”

She’s probably wondering whether she should report everything she just heard to the King.

He didn’t particularly mind.

If doing so helped locate Elliot Dark more quickly, all the better.

Kallis had already decided that a few sacrifices were acceptable—for Elliot Dark’s sake.

“Did she catch Your Majesty’s interest?”

“I merely stated what I observed.”

“If she has indeed caught Your Majesty’s eye…”

“At this rate, one sentence from me earns ten in reply.”

“Well, Your Majesty has long since reached marriageable age, yet there isn’t a single woman in the palace. Naturally, everyone is curious.”

At Elvin’s addition, a faint crease formed between Kallis’s brows.

“Look at that. Not one of you listens when I complain, yet you’re all as slippery as eels when it comes to making excuses.”

For the first time, clear irritation seeped into the Emperor’s otherwise emotionless voice.