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Chapter 26
The Emperor surprisingly approved Yulikian’s request for a private audience without much fuss.
Of course, this was only after making him wait nearly two hours without even offering a cup of tea to wet his throat.
Even when Yulikian asked the attendants, they merely repeated like parrots, “His Majesty said he will summon you shortly.”
In the empty drawing room, Yulikian waited motionlessly in silence.
Just before the two-hour mark, a servant finally led him to the audience chamber.
He had imagined the audience chamber he once visited as a child with his father—but it was completely different now.
As if to flaunt its authority, the entire room glittered with gold and jewels.
A lavish carpet embroidered with the imperial map in golden thread stretched in a straight line from the entrance to the imperial throne.
The path to the Emperor was one where one stepped across the entire empire, then looked up to the one who ruled above all.
Atop a large chair on a set of eight steps—symbolizing the eight nations unified into the Empire of Londenes—sat the Emperor, looking down on Yulikian.
“It’s been a while, Yulikian.”
Laphadite Paragon Londenes.
A cruel man who had taken the throne by killing his older brother, the Crown Prince.
His deep and kind voice almost made one mistake it for affection.
“…Yes, Your Majesty. I, Yulikian, greet Your Majesty.”
“Don’t be so formal. Aren’t you my only nephew?”
Even with everything in his grasp, the Emperor seemed to exude an air of composure.
When Yulikian didn’t respond, the Emperor continued.
“Duke Yulikian Kuhn Londenes. Raise your head and show me your face.”
He spoke in a tone of exaggerated familiarity. Yulikian raised his head.
The Emperor’s features were so different, it was hard to believe they shared blood.
Black hair and deep blue—almost navy—eyes.
The only thing he shared with the previous Emperor was the graying strands of hair slowly spreading across his head.
Yulikian, who resembled the late Emperor more and more as he aged, was completely different.
“…You grow more and more like His Majesty the former Emperor.”
“I’m honored that Your Majesty thinks so.”
“But I’m his son, and yet people say the grandson resembles him more. They’ll laugh.”
Yulikian’s birth father—the former Emperor’s eldest son—had also resembled his father.
His hair leaned more toward gray, but his vivid blue eyes and strong frame were nearly identical to the former Emperor.
Just like Yulikian.
Laphadite alone had inherited none of those traits.
As if bitter, he said nothing more about appearances and simply moved his fingers rhythmically.
Yulikian knew full well that the Emperor had a complex about not resembling his father.
It wasn’t his fault he took after his black-haired mother.
Still, when Laphadite ascended the throne, some had dared to whisper that there was a secret behind his birth.
All of them were executed for insulting the Emperor.
And then Laphadite had his own mother killed.
Though it was after his coronation, the aging Empress Dowager was found hanged.
A feeble woman who could barely walk had supposedly tied a rope to a ceiling beam, fastened a tight knot, and strangled herself.
Everyone suspected murder—but could only suspect.
The throne Laphadite sat on was one built on blood.
Yulikian continued the conversation indifferently.
“I heard Your Majesty is holding a ball.”
“Yes, to celebrate Princess Mielle’s fourteenth birthday. As her cousin, you’ll be attending, of course?”
“Of course, Your Majesty. However…”
“However?”
Yulikian lifted his head proudly and looked the Emperor in the eye.
“I have someone I love. Therefore, regarding the lady Your Majesty sent to me…”
“I know.”
Laphadite cut him off in a warm tone.
“Of course I know who you love, Yulikian.”
He smiled sweetly and stared intently at Yulikian’s face.
Even though he was smiling, Yulikian could sense the malice beneath it.
“You love your late mother and father most, don’t you? Think of them.”
It could’ve been taken as concern, advising him to marry wisely in memory of his parents—but not to Yulikian.
It was nothing short of a threat: If you don’t want to die like your father, obey.
Yulikian didn’t avert his eyes from the Emperor as he spoke slowly.
“I love Madi. That will never change.”
“Everything changes. Unfortunately.”
“That is all I have to say.”
“How unfortunate. Yulikian, no matter how much you adore her, you can’t stake the duchy’s future on a stray dog.”
“I intend to live quietly and not tarnish Your Majesty’s name.”
“Quietly? Hahaha!”
Laphadite laughed heartily, slapping the armrest of his throne.
His navy-blue eyes gleamed.
“You bring home a wild dog and expect a quiet life? That’s funny.”
He must’ve already investigated Madi—the infamous fix-it-all woman who could do anything.
If she could do anything, then that meant she had brains and exceptional physical skills.
Yulikian had anticipated as much.
In moments like this, it was better to act like Madi.
Pretend not to understand, repeat the same nonsense, and drive people mad.
Recalling Madi’s annoying speech patterns, Yulikian began to perform.
“Whatever Your Majesty thinks, my feelings will not change. I love Madi.”
“You proposed to such a pathetic girl—do you not see how absurd that is?”
“Love does that to you. I fell for her without realizing. I truly treasure her as a person.”
“You must know what it means for a duke to marry a vagabond girl of unknown origin.”
“I love her not as a duke but as a man.”
“Your father—”
“If Father were alive, he would’ve supported his son’s love. Because I truly love Madi.”
“Your mother asked me, before she died, to take care of you—”
“I love Madi. I miss her even now. I don’t want to be apart from her for a moment.”
“Yulikian.”
“Please allow me to marry Madi. You are my uncle and the brilliant sun of this Empire.”
From that moment on, Yulikian bulldozed ahead.
“I want to become Madi’s family.”
“I love her so much.”
“I never knew love could be like this.”
“My entire worldview changed after meeting her. I want to be with her forever.”
“I want to have children who resemble her.”
“I want to grow old with her.”
“I love Madi.”
“I love Madi.”
“Enough!”
The Emperor finally scowled, unable to bear it.
“I’ll decide later whether you’re lying or not. Leave. I’m tired of listening.”
“Love is so difficult, Your Majesty.”
“I said leave.”
“This morning, I found it hard to wake up without Madi beside me. I want to wake up in the same bed.”
“Guards! Escort the Duke out!”
“I’m worried, leaving Madi alone in that big mansion. She’s a sensitive soul.”
“Then hurry home already.”
“Please, I beg you, allow my love with Madi—”
“I said that’s enough. Leave!”
The Emperor exited the chamber, unable to hide his irritation.
The knights and attendants who witnessed Yulikian’s insane love confession were dumbfounded.
Even if he hadn’t fooled the Emperor, rumors would undoubtedly spread.
“The Duke of Londenes has gone completely mad over some woman.”
Yulikian didn’t stop his rambling love talk even as he left the palace and boarded his carriage.
“I must hurry home. My little puppy must be waiting for me.”
“Driver, faster please. Madi gets lonely easily.”
“One day, I’ll bring her here. I wonder how amazed she’ll be seeing the palace.”
The attendants pursed their lips as they watched his carriage fade into the distance.
He didn’t seem like a lover, but a lunatic consumed by madness.
Only after being alone inside the carriage did Yulikian rub his flushed face.
“…What the hell was that?”
He never thought he’d end up using the ‘crazy act’ Madi had taught him—at least, not this soon.
Who knows how many times he confessed in that throne room without her even present?
Yulikian opened the carriage window to cool his burning face.
Meanwhile, after Yulikian left for the palace, Madi visited Head Butler Philip.
“Uncle, how’s your face?”
“Miss Madi, you’re here.”
“Eh? Why so formal all of a sudden? Just speak comfortably.”
But Philip only smiled and didn’t change his manner.
“What brings you here?”
Madi tilted her head, then let out a dry chuckle.
“I brought eggs. Two. One for you, one for me. That little lady’s hands were sharper than they looked.”
She rubbed an egg on the cheek where Sharlome had slapped her and held one out to Philip.
Philip politely accepted the egg with both hands.
Madi sat next to him.
The two of them rubbed their left cheeks with eggs while facing the open window.
“Uncle, did it hurt a lot?”
“I’m fine.”
“Maybe I should’ve slapped her three times instead.”
“…Wouldn’t that have killed her?”
“Come on. People don’t die from that.”
Philip recalled the young lady Bartoloz who fainted from a single slap.
He glanced at Madi’s hand—rough and covered in scars from a life of hard labor.
If that hand had struck three times, that chick-like young lady might really have died.
Regardless, Philip had decided to be on Madi’s side.
“How did you know I had a granddaughter that age?”
“Someone your age usually does. Wait—don’t tell me you’re not married yet? If so, I’m sorry!”
“Haha. I was married. My wife passed on before me, but all my children are grown and have families of their own.”
“That’s a relief.”
Philip found Madi’s cheerful nature endearing.
He found her brave act of slapping a noble to be charming.
“But Uncle, I’ve been wondering about something.”
“Yes, ask me anything.”
“Does the Duke… have someone else? A different woman, I mean. I want to be mentally prepared if I need to leave.”
Philip’s hand, which had been rubbing his cheek with the egg, stopped.
“Another woman?”
“…He never says it, but I feel like there’s someone else. I’ve been on the streets a while—I’ve got sharp instincts. Hehe. Still, I hope I can write to you now and then, Uncle. But only if it’s okay!”
Feeling pity for her trying to brace herself for heartbreak, Philip blurted out the truth.
“It’s not a woman…”
“Not a woman?”
“He has a hidden niece…”
“A niece?!”
Madi was so shocked she dropped her egg.
—On purpose.
