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Chapter 01
A well-set dinner, an elegant string quartet played by professional musicians on one side, and a fancy restaurant that was empty except for the two of us.
It really was the typical setup for a formal matchmaking meeting.
I looked at the man sitting in front of me, forcing a polite smile. He looked very ordinary.
Still, my mom always said a plain man is perfect for a matchmaking marriage. Funny, considering she married my father for love.
“Lady Wildenbiston, this is your first matchmaking meeting, right?”
“Yes.”
“Actually, it’s my first time too.”
“……”
I forced a social smile and naturally looked away from him.
So boring.
But I couldn’t help it. I knew this was how matchmaking usually was.
It’s a meeting between families, so there’s no room for genuine curiosity about the individual.
Anyway, both he and I were here out of duty to our families, weren’t we?
We both knew we weren’t attracted to each other. The important thing was what benefits the union of our families could bring.
“…So, if we were to marry, I think we should first discuss how the property and estates would be divided.”
The man, seemingly of the same mind, immediately started talking about property. I didn’t expect someone to bring up wealth on the very first meeting—it was ruthless.
“I…”
My lips were so dry I thought I might choke mid-sentence. I should have had a sip of water…
The moment I opened my mouth, the restaurant door suddenly swung wide open, and the bell attached to it rang loudly.
What…? Both my eyes and the man’s instinctively turned toward the door.
The door was open, but no one was there.
“Wh… who is it?”
“……I wonder?”
The man answered, confused. Someone had entered without either of us noticing.
But that couldn’t be. This place had been reserved for us all day.
What kind of person would have the audacity to barge into a meeting between the Wildenbiston Dukes, who ruled the Zahard Empire, and the prestigious Shoden Marquises?
And outside the door, there should have been the tall servants brought by the families…
Suddenly, a deep red carpet rolled out from the door all the way to our table.
At the same time, knights stepped onto the carpet in perfect formation, walking in line. Red banners, golden shoulder tassels, and their signature dark coats.
With ceremonial swords in hand, they looked exactly like the emperor’s royal knights parading on a national holiday.
Wait—the emperor’s royal knights?
I froze in shock for a moment.
If the emperor’s royal knights were here, that meant… he was here.
His Majesty the Emperor!
“Your… Majesty?”
“The Emperor?”
The man asked in confusion.
The knights flanked the carpet on both sides and stomped their left feet in unison.
As if on signal, someone slowly stepped inside the door.
First came the polished tip of black boots, then knees, hands, shoulders, the long dark coat collar draped over them, and shining golden hair…
“And… Aira Wildenbiston.”
He called my name, his deep purple eyes sweeping over me in a dizzying arc.
I couldn’t help but drop my jaw.
An unbelievable scene unfolded before my eyes.
The Emperor… why… why is he here?
“Is this… a dream?”
Maybe it was a dream. I had had dreams like this before.
I, Aira Wildenbiston, had really, really liked the current Emperor Rubellus. A crush. Of course, it was a very, very deep crush.
From the age of four, when he was the crown prince, I had been smitten. For twelve years, until I was sixteen, I had stubbornly chased after him.
It was truly a life devoted to a crush.
I liked him so much that no matter how much the people around him gave me dirty looks or scolded me, it didn’t matter.
I felt like I would die if I didn’t see him every day. I followed him wherever he went. In the front page of my diary, I wrote that I would be the future crown princess and empress, dreaming of him every single day.
…But that was three years ago.
I looked at the Emperor standing in front of me, my eyes trembling.
Without thinking, I pinched my cheek hard with my right hand. Makeup or not, it didn’t matter. I twisted it sharply…
“Ouch!”
“Not a dream,” Rubellus said quietly with a smile. Wait—that means it really is him?
I jumped to my feet. But whether I did or not, the handsome Emperor of the Zahard Empire just looked at me and the matchmaking man alternately, humming softly.
His gaze carefully scanned the face of the man sitting across from me.
“Not to sound rude… but you’re quite ordinary.”
“Y-Your Majesty?”
The man, finally realizing the situation, jumped up and tried to kneel.
But Rubellus grabbed his shoulder with one hand and lifted him back up. The man gasped audibly.
I thought it was just a gentle touch, but then I noticed the veins standing out on the Emperor’s hand.
“I’ve got this.”
He sounded calm, but the way he gripped the man’s shoulder looked terrifying.
The man couldn’t even scream, just whimpered.
“Your Majesty!”
Even in my panic, I stepped forward to check on the man in pain. That’s when the Emperor’s eyes met mine.
“Aira.”
He smiled at me again.
In that moment, the man whose shoulder was practically being dislocated vanished from my sight.
It made sense—this smile was one I had never seen before. Well, he had smiled at others, but never at me.
The last time we met, at the grand forest during the coronation…
“Aira.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
I snapped to attention, my posture sharp and disciplined.
It was natural—the situation was too strange, him calling my name with such a dazzling smile.
Whether he knew how devastated I felt or not, the Emperor smiled even more deeply, his eyebrows curved, lips pink and shining, jaw tight… jaw tight?
“What is my fiancée doing here?”
I forgot how to breathe the moment he said “my fiancée” through gritted teeth.
No… no matter how I think about it, this has to be a dream.
Suddenly, my legs went weak. My vision shot up toward the ceiling. White things passed by, and my consciousness started to fade…
