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Chapter: 08
One knight covered his mouth while repeatedly smacking the shoulder of the knight beside him, making a huge fuss.
There were people here? This many…?
I had been so focused on chasing the man in front of me that I hadn’t had the chance to look around. Only then did I turn my head and take in my surroundings.
Dozens of knights gathered in the training grounds, servants passing nearby, and even the butler who had chased after me were all staring in our direction with the exact same expression.
The situation was eerily similar to what had happened at the banquet, and I cautiously glanced at the man standing before me.
Oh no… He looks angry.
The duke’s face was so red it looked as if it might burst into flames. His lips were pressed into a tight line so firmly that the tendons in his jaw stood out.
His expression was terrifying, as though he was suppressing his anger with all his might.
“Lady Feldrorang.”
At last, the duke called my name in a low voice.
“Y-Yes…”
His voice sounded even lower than before, making me answer with a tense expression.
“This isn’t the place to discuss this. Please follow me.”
I quickly followed him as he walked out of the training grounds.
After walking for quite some time, we stopped in front of the main gate of the ducal estate.
“I don’t know what kind of prank you’re trying to play, but please stop here.”
“This isn’t a prank, it’s—”
I was about to protest, but the bitter expression that flashed across his face stopped my words before I could finish them.
“Then please take care on your way home.”
Bang.
Before I knew it, I had practically been shown out through the front gate.
All I could do was stand there with a blank expression, watching the duke’s back disappear into the distance.
After that day, I visited the ducal estate several more times, but every visit ended the same way. I was served enough tea to fill my stomach, yet never once managed to see the duke before being sent home.
A few days later.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, I’ve brought your mail.”
“Thanks.”
Getting up from my seat, I casually looked through the invitations Mei had left on the table.
“What a harvest of invitations.”
I had received more invitations over the past few days than I had during the last several years combined.
At this rate, I’d have enough paper to use as firewood all winter.
It had been one week since Delos’s birthday banquet.
During that time, the social circle had become overwhelmingly interested in me.
Naturally, the Duke of Ballestein was at the center of those rumors as well.
“…Sigh.”
As the duke’s face suddenly came to mind again, I let out a faint sigh.
The reason was that Caesar had told me things about the duke that I hadn’t known before.
“Apparently, the noble ladies have been making bets over who could seduce the duke first.”
“A bet?”
“I think it started with Count Brienne’s daughter. She must have really hated the idea of getting married. Well, for the other young ladies, the conditions weren’t bad, so they joined in. Honestly, the duke is handsome, and more importantly, he holds one of the highest titles.”
Only then did I finally understand what the duke had meant the other day when he mentioned a “prank.”
Countless noble ladies he had never even met had been constantly throwing themselves at him.
And then I had gone and done the same thing.
“…I really can’t blame him for misunderstanding.”
Remembering how I’d practically been kicked out of the ducal estate a few days ago, another sigh escaped my lips.
To make matters worse, after seeing me like that, Father and Caesar kept asking for days whether I’d fallen in love with the duke at first sight.
It had been mentally exhausting.
“I wish I could just meet him and explain everything.”
But remembering how the duke had never once shown himself no matter how many times I visited, I let out another deep sigh.
He had undoubtedly labeled me as some strange woman.
Just as I was wondering how I could possibly fix the mess I’d made—
Knock, knock.
“Miss!”
Mei hurried into my room and held out an invitation.
“An invitation from the Imperial Palace!”
“What? From the Imperial Palace?”
Startled by the unexpected news, I widened my eyes and carefully examined the invitation.
Then I found the emblem engraved on it—
A pair of twin eagles and a single sword.
“This is…”
The sender was none other than the Emperor himself.
The next day.
Inside the carriage heading toward the Imperial Palace, I couldn’t hide my complicated feelings.
Because I knew that six months from now, the Emperor would fall victim to an unknown illness, gradually waste away, and eventually die a year later.
Back then, every physician in the empire had done everything they could to save him.
In the end, they all failed.
“…This feels strange.”
Knowing that the person I was about to meet was destined to die within a year left me with an indescribable feeling.
“More importantly… why did he summon me personally?”
I murmured as I recalled the Emperor’s face from my memories.
After I married Delos, the Emperor had shown little interest in either of us.
Even after our marriage, Delos caused trouble almost every single day.
Whenever the entire family gathered for meals, the only thing I clearly remembered was the Emperor looking at both Delos and me with disappointment.
While I was lost in thought, the carriage had already passed through the palace gates.
“Miss, we’ve arrived!”
The coachman’s voice came from outside.
As I stepped out of the carriage, the Central Palace, where the Emperor resided, stood directly before me.
“Greetings, Lady Feldrorang.”
A palace attendant waiting at the entrance noticed me and bowed.
“This way, please.”
Following the attendant, I arrived at an enormous greenhouse garden.
Walking farther inside, I came upon a space with a white wooden table.
Seated there was a middle-aged man with brilliant golden hair.
“Oh, you’ve arrived.”
I quickly bowed respectfully.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”
“Good. Come, sit.”
The Emperor waved his hand, indicating that formal greetings were unnecessary.
As I walked closer, I noticed someone else sitting nearby, hidden behind a large leafy plant.
“Haha, what are you doing? Sit down already. Are you two feeling awkward because I’m here? There’s no need for that—I already heard the news.”
I stared in surprise at the duke sitting across from me.
Judging by the look on his face, he hadn’t known I would be coming either.
I never imagined we’d meet again like this.
As I found myself staring at him, the duke quietly avoided my gaze.
Remembering all the times I’d gone to see him only to be rejected with one excuse after another, my lips instinctively puffed out in a pout.
After I sat down, the Emperor, who had been watching me with obvious curiosity the whole time, finally spoke.
“So then, Lady Feldrorang.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Slowly stroking his chin, the Emperor continued.
“I thought you would end up marrying Delos.”
After finishing his sentence, he tilted his head slightly toward me, silently waiting for my answer.
I clasped my hands tightly beneath the table and replied as calmly as I could.
“The Second Prince and I mutually agreed to end our relationship a long time ago.”
Not knowing what the Emperor intended by bringing up Delos, my expression naturally stiffened.
No matter how disappointing he may be, Delos is still the Emperor’s son…
What if he ordered me—or at least strongly suggested—that I reconcile with him?
The very thought was horrifying.
“Hmm. I see. Relationships between men and women truly are impossible to predict. I didn’t summon you here today to say anything unpleasant, so there’s no need to be so tense.”
I had been frantically thinking about how to answer if he asked why we’d broken up, but unexpectedly, the Emperor seemed to have very little interest in that subject.
Leaning back comfortably in his chair again, he turned toward the duke this time.
“More importantly… I heard something rather interesting happened at the Second Prince’s birthday banquet.”
A gentle smile rested on his face, making him appear kind and benevolent.
But the man sitting there was still the Emperor of this empire.
Which meant one thing—
Never take appearances at face value.
