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Chapter : 27
Vivian’s shoulders slumped, her voice drained of energy. Chloe, ignoring her, entered the audience chamber alone.
As soon as she stepped inside, the maids and knights present stepped outside, and Chloe stood face-to-face with the emperor.
“Your Majesty.”
“What brings you here at this hour? Shouldn’t you be enjoying the party?”
The emperor looked at Chloe with evident reluctance.
Before him stood the empress, adorned with all the grandeur one could possess. Though he had brought her here out of love, for some reason, she no longer appeared beautiful. Even as she maintained her usual serene and radiant smile.
“I heard the young duke had arrived. Was the matter handled properly?”
“Chloe.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please speak.”
“From now on, I hope you handle matters of this scale yourself.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
For a moment, silence fell, and Chloe’s voice stiffened. The emperor, showing annoyance, rose from his seat.
“I mean that the empress should manage even the palace’s wine.”
“….”
At the emperor’s cold remark, the smile on Chloe’s lips vanished, leaving only a meaningless, faint grin. The emperor adjusted the buttons on his wrist and continued speaking.
“It’s been over half a year since you assumed the position of empress. In a few months, it will be a full year. Aren’t you tired of these parties yet?”
“Your Majesty, didn’t you promise to provide everything? You swore you would. Have you already forgotten?”
“That again. If you bring up promises, I have no desire to continue this conversation.”
“Your Majesty…”
Chloe looked at the emperor with a pitiful expression. Yet his gaze did not meet hers.
“The wine matter has been clearly instructed to the young duke, so it should be resolved soon.”
“Make sure of that. Will it really be resolved in a day or two? A few days ago, some noblewomen asked me about it, and do you know how awkward that made me?”
“That’s why you called the young duke. The rest is up to him.”
“Your Majesty, you don’t know. The young duke deliberately stopped supplying the palace’s wine.”
“…”
The emperor furrowed his brow deeply and let out a heavy, unhidden sigh.
“Why?”
“Accidents don’t just happen at the perfect timing. It must be because of Freesia…!”
“So, I asked why.”
“…I guess she doesn’t get along well with the young duke. Maybe he made some mistake. It’s entirely possible.”
As Chloe spoke hastily, the emperor turned his head toward her. With a cold, chilling gaze, he stepped closer.
“Even if Freesia made a small mistake, the Switzerad family isn’t foolish enough to jeopardize their relations with the imperial house over something like this.”
“B-but…!”
“However, if, by any chance…”
“….”
“If you did something, and it caused the problem, make sure I never find out. If you disrupt the palace’s order, not even that promise will forgive you.”
With an expression of boredom, the emperor lightly brushed Chloe’s face and swiftly turned his back. Though the gesture was light, the firmness at the tips of his fingers left a red mark on Chloe’s chin.
Chloe’s delicate face twisted, but she soon regained a gentle expression and patted the emperor’s shoulder.
“What could I possibly have done, Your Majesty? I’m only asking to help you. Even if she makes a mistake, I’ll protect her. She’s your daughter and still a lovely princess. So about the wine…”
“Didn’t I tell you to stop? If you can’t even handle something this small, then stay quiet. If it were Rotherin…!”
At the unconsciously spoken name, the emperor paused, and Chloe’s hand stroking his shoulder froze.
“Your Majesty…”
“Enough noise.”
Under the emperor’s deep, cold voice, Chloe shut her mouth. After removing Vivian’s hand, he exited the audience chamber and saw Vivian standing in the hallway but pretended not to notice. Vivian, who had been smiling brightly at the emperor, withdrew her smile as he swiftly passed by.
“Father…”
The quiet, barely audible whisper lingered near Vivian. Then—clang!—a sharp sound rang out, and the maids who had followed the emperor to the door rushed back into the audience chamber.
Chloe had thrown a large glass ornament.
Startled, Vivian flinched and turned to look inside. The floor was a mess—glass shards of all sizes scattered everywhere, and Chloe’s figure was trembling with barely contained fury. The beautiful face of Chloe vanished in an instant.
Though shocked, the maids, seemingly accustomed, began cleaning the glass pieces, and Vivian watched her with tired eyes.
Hatz thought: There’s nothing about this I like at all.
The ride home from the palace coincided with twilight. The dark forest seemed even darker as they crossed the wooded mountains. The newly risen full moon barely lit the path.
As they descended into the eastern city, the dark path gradually brightened. When the bridge over the river, where Freesia had walked with him, came into view, Hatz signaled the coachman to stop.
A candy vendor, unusually staying open into the evening, was selling lollipops.
“How much?”
“Y-Your Grace?”
The vendor jumped in surprise at Hatz’s sudden appearance.
“You know me.”
“I’ve seen you from afar.”
“Then we can talk quickly. I’ll buy all of these. How much?”
“All of them?! But if you take all of them…”
“Candy keeps for a long time, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, but… just…”
The vendor hesitated, surprised by this unexpected reaction. Then, several children dashed forward.
“Sir! Purple candy, please!”
“I want yellow!”
“Uh, I… I’ll take pink!”
They appeared around nine or ten years old, holding a couple of long sticks each, shouting for candy.
Hatz looked at them with a flat expression and spoke in a low, cold voice.
“You can’t buy candy.”
“Whaaat??? Why???”
“I just bought them all. They’re all mine.”
“…!”
He had meant it as a tease, but the children’s mouths dropped open, and they exclaimed in unison:
“Rich! He’s rich!”
“Lucky! I’m jealous!”
“Sir, how rich do you have to be to buy this much candy?”
“I want to be rich too!”
Expecting them to cry, Hatz instead chuckled at their wide-eyed admiration.
“Fine. Since I’m rich, I’ll give candy to you all.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
“Thank you, sir!”
Taking candy from the vendor, Hatz quietly handed some to the children.
“I’m not ‘sir.’ Be polite and call me Your Grace.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“Stylish Your Grace!”
Seeing the innocent children laugh loudly, Hatz felt his hardened heart soften.
The children ran off with their candy, and one waved to him.
“We’re having fireworks under the bridge! Come, Your Grace!”
Saying this, the child disappeared from view.
“…Fireworks?”
“Thanks for the offer, Your Grace. I was worried about how the children would get candy if you bought all of it.”
“That’s fine. But fireworks at this hour?”
“Yes. When the full moon rises, on good days, children gather under the bridge to play.”
Hatz quietly looked up at the sky. The early evening full moon glowed above the just-fading sunset.
Fireworks under a full moon… How romantic for children. Freesia would love this.
“What time does it end?”
“Pardon?”
“The fireworks. Until what time?”
“Oh, usually until nine, I believe…”
A faint smile lifted Hatz’s lips as he headed swiftly back to the mansion with the purchased candy.
Ron sent a letter to the duke immediately. When he went to report, Freesia was nowhere to be found. Normally, she would be strolling in the garden or lounging comfortably on her bed.
After searching for a while, he was told by Kane that she had gone to the library. Ascending to the fourth floor, Ron found Freesia looking unusually serious.
The small library, located across from Hatz’s study, held over ten thousand books.
“Wow, unbelievable.”
“You picking a fight, huh?”
“Have you given up living comfortably now?”
“Not at all.”
“A princess studying…”
Seeing Freesia holding a large book, Ron furrowed his brows in disbelief.
“Are you really planning to start a business?”
“I am. I plan to make a lot of money.”
“…Then why a history book? Didn’t you learn this as a child?”
“….”
Freesia flinched slightly while holding a large book titled History of the Empire.
Because, unlike ordinary princesses, she hadn’t learned it before. Rolling her eyes and frowning slightly, she approached Ron.
“Ron, look at this.”
“What is it?”
“The Switzerad family was originally supposed to receive the grand duke position from the previous emperor.”
“That makes sense. They’re an old family with enough wealth and power to support the empire.”
“But it was canceled. Do you know why? The ministers opposed it.”
“That’s understandable. Giving such a wealthy family a grand duke title could create problems if relations turn sour. And jealousy from other nobles would be fierce.”
“Still, people’s hearts are mean. The former family head declined, saying it wasn’t necessary, but I don’t like it.”
Seeing Freesia glare at the book so seriously, Ron laughed.
“You could be empress right now.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“The princess should just give them the grand duke title.”
Freesia looked mischievous, slammed the book shut, held it under her arm, and struck an elegant pose.
“Maybe I will. If I become empress, I’ll give the duke the grand duke title.”
“The Switzerad grand dukes… impressive. They’ll like it.”
“And…”
“…?”
“What do you want to be?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Tell me, Ron.”
Bathed in moonlight from the window, Freesia stood proudly like a sparkling jewel.
“I don’t need a title. I’m satisfied just being beside you, Your Grace.”
Ron’s faint smile prompted Freesia to clutch her book tightly, as if determined.
“Marquis! Yes, you’ll be a marquis. Ron David, Marquis, I like it. And I’ll give you the empire’s top commander position. You have talent as a warrior.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Seeing her serious expression, Ron nodded lightly.
“Enough jokes. To report properly, I sent the letter to the Duke.”
“Good. But Ron, can you find the books on diplomacy? There are so many books, I can’t find them myself.”
Freesia set aside the history book and began searching. Ron joined her, browsing the shelves.
“Oh, and I also sent a handkerchief to Lady Cecilia.”
“You delivered it yourself?”
“Yes. She was thrilled.”
“Of course. It was a handmade custom handkerchief. Next tea party, I’ll prepare something even more expensive and exquisite.”
“Are you planning to spend your entire fortune on goods?”
“Of course not. I said I’ll earn the money through business.”
Freesia tiptoed to reach a book on a high shelf. Ron, tall as he was, took it down and handed it to her.
“I get your intention, but isn’t it risky? You’ve only ever spent money before.”
“That’s why I have Duke’s help, as a business partner.”
“Why do you need to make so much money? If it’s revenge, there are other ways.”
“To gain Father’s attention. He only likes those he needs. And I need to arrange an engagement too.”
“….”
Freesia quickly scanned the book, handed it to Ron, who returned it to its place, and picked up another.
“Princess, about the engagement… why so…”
Before Ron finished, the library door burst open.
