The Emperor threw a tantrum, refusing to let go of the Empress’s hand, and eventually fell asleep after taking a sedative.

No one dared to utter that the Emperor had gone mad. But everyone began to act implicitly on that premise.

“For now, we’ll return to the banquet hall. At least we should keep our places.”

Count Horhen actively agreed with Duke Ostein’s words.

“That’s right.”

“Will His Majesty the Emperor be able to attend the engagement ceremony tomorrow at this rate?”

“He must be present by any means necessary.”

“Prince Elkanan must not notice. The atmosphere has already become very awkward because of the Bayeta Naval Base.”

It’s one obstacle after another. Who knew getting the Crown Prince married would be this difficult.

If only the Crown Prince hadn’t caused trouble, it would have been fine, but on this joyous day, even diplomatic relations were strained, and there were quite a few foreign guests expressing their displeasure.

“I’m worried he might even declare war on the evil dragon at this rate.”

“We must prevent that. It absolutely must not happen.”

Duke Ostein shook his head firmly.

“We need to redirect His Majesty’s attention to the current issues as much as possible. The Empress is also a problem, but isn’t the situation too important right now?”

Count Horhen nodded gravely.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

When the Emperor faltered, those beneath him had to somehow clean up the mess.

“My daughter, the Grand Duke, and I will be smiling outside, so please take care of things inside.”

Duke Ostein hurriedly took his daughter and son-in-law back to the banquet hall. After confirming their departure, Count Horhen walked down the corridor and entered another room.

There sat Beatrice, her gloves removed, receiving treatment for her burns. Even while being treated, she had to tend to her magical tools.

“The magical tools are fine now. You did well.”

“How is His Majesty the Emperor?”

“He’s sleeping.”

Count Horhen, unable to reveal Beatrice, who the Emperor used as a sorceress, in front of the collateral imperial family members, had whisked her away to this room before Duke Ostein barged in.

“I heard him shouting earlier.”

“He kept getting angry, saying Her Majesty the Empress had disappeared. You know this is confidential, right?”

“Of course.”

Beatrice furrowed her brow. How many years had she been in and out of Soleil Palace, did he think she wouldn’t know something so obvious?

“His Majesty’s health is top secret, especially in a place with so many eyes and ears like this. We need to be more careful.”

“Don’t worry.”

The sharp voice was already openly showing signs of irritation. Whether it was a woman or a man the Emperor touched, they were all like this. Especially Beatrice Lavalle, who had the highest nose among them.

Of course, the person who was slowly catching up to her was none other than the Duchess of Schroze. But the Duchess of Schroze at least had a son who was the Crown Prince, and she even had a separate title.

In Count Horhen’s view, Beatrice seemed to be confident that she could bewitch the Emperor with her sorcery. She was the most dangerous yet actually the least substantial faction.

“You think I’d go around calling that madness?”

Beatrice grumbled, looking down at her burned hand. The imperial physician had treated it, but she wasn’t satisfied.

To think her hand, cared for with honey, rose water, and oils imported from the south, would be injured! It was this bad thanks to the power given by that guy from the merchant guild along with the magical tools, otherwise, her face might have been injured too! It was a very serious matter indeed!

‘If I’m this injured, he should do something for me!’

She had injured her hand, no less, so the Emperor should have prostrated himself in apology and paid off her debts at this point.

But the Emperor was just spouting nonsense. It was so unfair. So unfair, but the Emperor, who had used her thoroughly and just thrown some money at her, seemed to be going mad instead of giving proper compensation.

The magical tools had momentarily overloaded but regained stability, and the Empress was in her place.

Wasn’t it abnormal to think that the evil dragon Gusalante would use magic on the Empress in Kline in the first place? The Emperor had firmly believed in the covenant between the first Emperor and Gusalante, thinking it impossible until now!

“I’ll send you an extra fee separately.”

“Make it substantial. I’m too exhausted.”

Beatrice pressed her uninjured hand to her forehead. It was killing her, not having slept and then causing this commotion today.

“It would be good to go rest now.”

“Yes. I really need to rest.”

Nodding with a tired face, she silently rose and slipped out of the palace through the shadows.

Every time she entered and left Soleil Palace, she always thought that someday she would enter proudly in the sunlight, with a retinue of maids and knights behind her. She vowed and swore that it would happen.

Beatrice looked back at the tall roof and beautiful windows of Soleil Palace, which she had always gazed at with longing. Count Horhen must be watching her from somewhere.

“…It looks a little less pretty.”

Somehow, Soleil Palace didn’t look beautiful. Everything Beatrice wanted had to be perfect. If her interest waned even a little, her gaze would drift away, and she would search for something more perfect.

Just as the Emperor always looked for substitutes, she too had to find someone to replace the insane Emperor. She should hurry before the cards she held became completely useless.

Beatrice walked away, panting with bloodshot eyes.

Now it was a dangerous eve of the festival, with splendid dresses and fluttering fans, ties and formal wear dazzlingly displayed, and cocktails in beautiful glass goblets passing from hand to hand. It was also her solo stage.

*

The day had been long for everyone. The Crown Prince, one of the busiest people today, felt as if the Foreign Minister, who stuck close to him, was monitoring his every move.

He had to smile in front of his fiancée, but he wasn’t sure if the Kerujan princess with her slightly unfamiliar appearance was pretty or not.

Duke Ostein, who had been absent, had somehow approached and quietly assisted in the Crown Prince’s conversations. Duke Ostein was like a gentle tree.

His daughter, the Grand Duchess of Lucenford, was like the bride’s fluttering veil. In contrast, the Grand Duke of Lucenford was like a mountain made of steel and ice. Hard, cold, and tall. Absolutely insurmountable. At the same time, he didn’t match the Grand Duchess at all.

“Your Highness.”

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Everyone called out to him, and at the same time, they checked him, they measured him. There was nothing good about being the Crown Prince.

There was nothing that was automatically overlooked because he was the Crown Prince. He was sick of this moment, sitting on a prestigious seat, constantly treated like a child and only being evaluated.

“A moment.”

Finally, Gregory shook off even the Foreign Minister and came to the back to catch his breath.

Coming out to the dark back area where not a single light was on, away from the brightly lit banquet hall, he felt much more alive. He nodded vaguely to the attendant’s words that he should come out soon, and looked at the people through the gap in the door.

While the golden light that hurt the eyes poured down, there were very few, but some people existed who were not consumed by that light but rather used it as illumination to make themselves stand out.

Of course, Gregory didn’t belong to that category. In contrast, the Grand Duke of Lucenford, who had been so discriminated against and mistreated, still shone pitch black in this palace, as proud as ever.

‘Huh?’

Gregory opened his eyes wide. Surprisingly, even the Grand Duchess of Lucenford, who was as fragile as him and seemed to be overwhelmed by the Grand Duke and the light, shone white.

With her small frame, she was smiling slightly, leaning on her husband’s arm. The Grand Duke’s gaze was fixed on the Grand Duchess, never leaving her.

Was it not just a veil, but a veil embroidered with jewels? Gregory tilted his head, redefining his impression of Kaella, when he raised his head at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Seems you came to rest, Your Highness. I thought you had gone to Soleil Palace.”

It was Beatrice Lavalle. This woman was also one of those who shone on her own without being consumed by the light.

To Gregory, she seemed somewhat like his mother, but much smarter than his mother. One of her nicknames, Rose, suited her very well. While bowing her head to greet Gregory, she said something that couldn’t be overlooked.

“Soleil Palace?”

“Just now, Duke Ostein and Peon and the princess over there. I saw them near Soleil Palace. They left their seats, so I guess they went there. I thought Your Highness had gone with them, but of course, today’s main character can’t leave his seat.”

Beatrice smiled with her face covered in light and darkness pouring through the gap in the door.

“I was short-sighted.”

Gregory didn’t ask further. But he clearly took her words to heart.

Gregory was excluded from the newly changing Regency Council.

And only those rumored to be appointed to that Regency Council went to Soleil Palace. Even though the Emperor didn’t even participate in the eve of the festival. As the Crown Prince, he knew exactly what this meant.

By the way, he thought it was only the Grand Duke of Lucenford, but was the Grand Duchess of Lucenford included as well?

Gregory looked anew at Kaella and his fiancée visible in the distance, alternately.

The princess from Kerujan is a bit tough and burdensome. What kind of luck does the Grand Duke of Lucenford have to marry a woman who communicates well and sparkles?

They’re both illegitimate children, but he’s the Empress’s illegitimate child, and Gregory is not the Emperor’s illegitimate child. At this point, it felt a bit unfair.

“Now that I’ve had some drinks, I’m reminded of an interesting story.”

Beatrice, who had sat down on the floor with her knees folded, twirled her wine glass. Her gorgeous dress spread out, making her look even more beautiful. Even in this back area of the banquet hall, the atmosphere was amazing, clearly showing she was one of the top beauties.

Gregory wanted to marry a woman like that too. They say it’s a marriage between nobility and commoners if the Crown Prince marries a noble who isn’t royalty, but so what?

He’s also the Emperor’s illegitimate child. He wanted to marry a woman from the same country who he could communicate with, rather than a strange woman from a foreign country who he couldn’t even understand. Isn’t that better?

“Your Highness, do you know how to enjoy breaking people?”

The voice, that voice was so alluring that he couldn’t help but look back at Beatrice. Gregory unwittingly looked at Beatrice again. The leaked light illuminated her pink eyes. It was a color that seemed to dully cover red.

“Whether it’s a woman or a man, it’s simple. Just take away their lover.”

Come to think of it, Beatrice had quite a long-standing rumor with the Grand Duke of Lucenford. Gregory felt as if he had forgotten that fact for a long time. Maybe it was because the couple visible through that door gap looked too perfect.

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Beatrice tilted her head, nodding slightly. Her bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the Crown Prince. A creeping black energy moved towards the Crown Prince.

“…I see.”

The Crown Prince, who had been sparing even his answers, finally responded slowly. It was an unexpectedly interesting story.

“I should go back now. Then.”

Gregory walked back towards the bright light.

“Yes, Your Highness. It was an honor to meet you.”

Beatrice didn’t hold him back any longer and bowed her head.

*

Kaella seemed destined to guard the eve of the festival until late into the night.

Meeting people and conversing wasn’t this difficult before, but after her regression, she got tired faster and faster.

It wasn’t like that with every conversation, but sometimes before speaking, she worried if this person would laugh at her. She suspected if they were asking with bad intentions. She flinched alone at memories that surfaced even when she had forgotten them.

“Bi. You look tired, shall we rest for a moment?”

Was it noticeable? But she didn’t think she had flinched that much. Kaella looked up at her husband, who had somehow slipped into the conversation and was gently leading her away.

“I apologize. Our Bi has a weak constitution, so if she doesn’t rest whenever possible…”

Even with Peon only saying that much to the ladies and gentlemen who were talking with Kaella, everyone quickly nodded.

“Oh my, of course. We’ve been keeping Her Grace for too long. Please rest. Sit down and rest for a while.”

“Yes. The breeze blowing gently today is perfect for resting.”

“We’ll talk more later.”

When the Grand Duke, who rarely smiles, wraps his arm around the Grand Duchess and leads her away, people eagerly make way and step back. Kaella thought it was because of the aura Peon possessed.

He was a person difficult to refuse. His frighteningly handsome and neat face was always positioned much higher than people’s eye level, and with his low, powerful voice added, no one could treat him carelessly.

Knights admired him, and ladies found even his lowly birth as an illegitimate child attractive.

Did everyone see the softness or pain slightly visible between his cold gazes? Kaella saw it. That’s why she fell for him.

“Sit here.”

“Is this okay?”

Kaella was especially sensitive in the imperial palace. She knew well that she couldn’t escape the Emperor’s eyes spread everywhere.

“It’s fine.”

After seating Kaella in a corner room on the first floor where the door was wide open to the outside but she could never jump out, he first gave her water to drink.

“Drink slowly.”

A cool breeze blew gently. Instead of bright lights, only moonlight settled on the marble floor.

Kaella gulped down water while looking at the various foods placed on the round-edged table. Was this really okay? The rest seemed too elaborate.

They had colorfully prepared only the most delicious foods, selecting from the currently popular fruits and small desserts at the eve of the festival, as well as the finest banquet dishes she hadn’t been able to taste due to her absence.

Steam rose from the tender, perfectly cooked beef with gravy sauce, lamb cutlets, the well-boiled vegetables Peon always made sure to include, and onion soup filled with fresh salad and cheese.

This was clearly prepared on his special orders. Such attention would surely be reported to the Emperor later.

“Let’s eat a little. Are you hungry?”

The voice that always desperately ensured her meals was kind, but Kaella simultaneously recalled what state the Emperor had been in.

“…Does His Majesty the Emperor always become ‘like that’?”

“Yes, he becomes like that.”

The one who had shed his humanity answered in a very light voice. Kaella moved her lips slightly and pondered for a long while.

“Why, Kaella? What are you curious about?”

The man persistently observing his wife prayed that the question he desired would finally come out.