“Thank you so much for welcoming us despite experiencing such a sad event.”

The Keruchan delegation led by Prince Elkanan had arrived. They expressed sufficient sorrow over Empress Crania’s sudden coma and began their schedule.

The banquet table, harmonizing Keruchan and Cranian cuisines, was splendid and bountiful. It was no exaggeration to say that Prince Elkanan was grateful for the warm reception. Tomorrow, there would also be a banquet prepared by Caela.

Peon watched Caela greeting and chatting with Prince Elkanan. They looked good together.

The leisure he couldn’t give her, the commonality of being born and raised in a warm maritime climate, and similar cultural backgrounds and conversation topics. They matched well.

Marrying a prince and becoming a princess consort would be more substantial than being the grand duchess of an empire with just a fancy name.

‘I did something stupid.’

Peon simply defined what he had done. He was nothing short of a fool.

Before his regression, he had actually been indifferent whenever Beatrice, whom he had desperately protected, talked with other men.

Even under the taboo, he didn’t feel jealous or concerned. He felt nothing, just thinking they must have something to discuss and moving on.

But now, just seeing Caela smiling face to face with the handsome prince made his stomach churn, and he couldn’t see anything else. He couldn’t focus on the meeting or anything else.

If he had struggled to catch himself constantly trying to follow her even in the freezing cold Lucenford, wasn’t this too shameless and brazen?

At times like this, Peon involuntarily recalled the words the emperor repeatedly told him, as if reminding him not to forget:

You were born with the blood of a thick-skinned thief. You must dilute that blood with lifelong effort.

It wasn’t something to say to a child, but it was ultimately true. He was foolish and lacking, and moreover, thick-skinned.

He turned his head. He had been avoiding looking at Caela throughout his time in Lucenford, so he could avoid looking at her this time too. He could do it even if he wasn’t under the taboo.

It was time for Hyperion Sibrand Pera to be completely excluded from the list of potential grooms for Caela de Chasser, the Ostein princess blessed by the former emperor.

Prince Elkanan, with his olive skin nicely tanned, matched Caela better than him, pale and white from his northern origins.

“Actually, I was very pleased to hear that the princess was preparing a banquet for us. That is truly my honor.”

With his cheerful personality and good way with words, he had already made Caela laugh, so wasn’t that enough? Better than a husband who only demanded duty and in return gave only death and humiliation.

Peon felt his heart being stabbed repeatedly, but he endured it quietly without minding. He knew well that it was too late, and therefore a detestable pain. It was a shameful thing that needed to be hidden over and over again.

“It seems the prince prefers the princess taking care of things rather than the empress.”

“It’s better for those of the same age to spend time together, Your Majesty.”

The emperor laughed lightly at Adeo’s words. In the past, he would have laughed loudly, but now he seemed drained of energy, like someone who had lost the joy of life.

“Indeed. It’s good for young people to get close to each other.”

The Cranian social circles, which attach meaning to every word of the emperor, will now start speculating about the possibility of marriage between Princess Ostein and Prince Elkanan.

Prince Elkanan wasn’t a bad match. As royalty, there would be no loss of status, and the Keruchan royal family was wealthy, though not as much as Crania.

Moreover, as Prince Elkanan wasn’t in the direct line of succession to the throne, Caela could live comfortably without obligations.

Peon was thinking harder than anyone about the benefits and prosperous life Caela would gain by marrying the prince. It was a life he could never give her, had never given her. Above all, she would be safe.

“Although it’s a regrettable situation with the empress bedridden, I’m greatly relieved that the grown grand duke and princess are playing such big roles. Adeo has raised his daughter well.”

At those words, the three people in charge of this entire event bowed their heads in unison towards the emperor. May the emperor of the Great Cranian Empire live long and spread his great achievements throughout the continent.

Only the unjust evidence of the empress abandoned in the north was gazing at the shadow cast under the emperor’s glory, more dazzling than the sun and more brilliant than gold.

The emperor slowly clenched his fist as if to hide his slightly trembling hand. He was afraid of something.

*

“Peon, Peon!”

The one whose name was called reluctantly turned around as he was walking away with long strides.

He didn’t want to stop, but the footsteps running behind him would eventually catch up to him. Beatrice Lavalle, her silver hair braided up to fully display her charm, was chasing after him.

Every time she ran urgently, lifting the hem of her splendid dress, the string of pearl necklaces she wore jangled. Peon wasn’t irritated by that sight, but disgusted with himself for not realizing the situation even after seeing it.

Where else could you find such a splendid hostage? In the past, he thought even that splendor was something Beatrice had desperately put on to survive in high society and from the emperor. Or the taboo made him think so.

Damn it. Even though he was in a pressured situation, squeezed between the emperor, the evil dragon, and immigrant tribes that invaded at every opportunity, he shouldn’t have thought so comfortably. He should have doubted everything. He should have doubted the taboo.

“Peon!”

After stopping, she looked up at him reproachfully and called his name once more, almost shouting. Behind Beatrice, far away, Caela stood quietly watching them.

“Why did you run here? You’ll have to go back anyway.”

He answered gruffly, catching himself trying to look towards Caela.

“Are you angry with me? Why are you like this to me these days? That Caela is the same. Should I ask her where you are?”

So Caela told her. Peon lowered his head.

Beatrice mainly touched on the close memories and emotional aspects built up in her relationship with Peon.

That was likely to be the spell that triggered the taboo. Although Peon was not one to be swayed by shallow emotions, it was possible because he was so soft when it came to the empress and Beatrice.

“Angry? I’m not angry with you.”

He said calmly with a normal face. In fact, he wasn’t angry with Beatrice.

What he was angry at was himself, Beatrice didn’t even have the qualification for his anger. She didn’t deserve it. Only endless contempt and indifference remained. It felt exactly like looking at a noisy insect.

“But why, why are you like this?”

Beatrice stammered, rather flustered by his overly calm words.

“How can you do this to me? I came looking for you because I was glad to see you and worried about you. You only come to the capital once or twice a year. We rarely get to meet, so how could you, in front of everyone…”

The stream of complaints ultimately meant not that she was worried about Peon, but that he had humiliated her in front of Caela.

Though they had played together since childhood, Beatrice didn’t like Caela at all. Caela had much better clothes, shoes, and toys than her, and above all, she had a father who loved her too much.

No matter how much she tried to use kind Caela to get many things, or to suppress her with age, Beatrice ultimately had to bow her head in front of status, so there was no way she could look kindly on Caela.

Peon never existed in Beatrice’s feelings. Only herself. In that sense, she and he were quite well-matched. Both selfish, knowing only themselves and sacrificing others.

“Beatrice. You should be more careful because everyone is watching.”

He very calmly and quietly admonished Beatrice.

“What good would it do for you to be caught?”

“Even so, how can you be so cold? Do you know how embarrassed I was? You shouldn’t do this to me.”

You shouldn’t do this to me.

The tiresome words he had heard so often began. Black poison fell from the red tongue towards his ears.

“You know, Peon. At this age, I’m not married yet, only looking at you. Everyone in Crain knows. I’m your woman.”

In the past, he thought those words were sincere. Because he rarely stayed in the capital city of Crain. Peon stared at Beatrice for a moment and then suddenly asked bluntly.

“Then do you want to come to Lucenford?”

“…Huh?”

Beatrice, who had been trying to reinforce the taboo as usual by putting all kinds of pressure on Peon, asking if he knew what kind of humiliation she was suffering in Crain, was taken aback for the first time.

“You’re right. I’ve neglected you for too long. Let’s go to Lucenford. It’s about time.”

It would be better to send that innocent Caela across the sea like this, and for the foolish him and Beatrice to struggle together in hell, entangled with each other.

She should die with him even if she dies. This time, Peon was determined to bear his sin himself.

“I’m sorry it’s too late, Beatrice.”

The face of the great grand duke apologizing was full of cold chill.

“I’ll speak to His Majesty the Emperor right away. I’ve been too indifferent.”

“No, Peon, wait a moment!”

What is he saying? Going to that terribly cold Lucenford where snow falls? Beatrice honestly didn’t want to become the grand duchess of such a place. Even if the Duchess of Monde welcomed her, that’s not possible.

“What are you saying all of a sudden? I, I have to stay in Crain! His Majesty will stop you. You know that too.”

Crain. She would stay in the most splendid city at the forefront of fashion, where the wealth and glory she aimed for were concentrated.

Beatrice was looking not at Peon, but at the emperor, the apex of power that moved him. Peon too was just a tool to reach the emperor. But that tool smiled gloomily.

“We should at least make a request, Beatrice. I’m sorry. I’m busy. See you later.”

The broad shoulders draped in a pitch-black cloak turned abruptly and moved away before she could grab him. The taboo must have suppressed Peon so much that it made her too obsessed with him. This is bad. Beatrice was pale with shock.

*

Big events are always the most fun when preparing, and less fun when they actually start.

It was the same for Caela. The diplomatic welcome event that she was organizing herself after a long time was most enjoyable during preparation, but from the start, it was just tiring.

She smiled formally while occasionally glancing around for glimpses of tempting silver hair or jet-black hair standing tall.

Beatrice came to Caela, unable to hide her annoyed gaze, and asked where ‘on earth’ Peon was.

As a co-host of the event, Caela inevitably knew where Peon was, and Beatrice couldn’t dare ask the Duke of Ostein about Peon’s whereabouts.

‘I was always the easy target.’

Peon and Beatrice were already close because of their age difference with Caela. The empress brought the daughter of a debt-ridden friend to play with the lonely Peon.

Around the time Caela was born, the emperor had given up on having an heir with the empress and started having illegitimate children, but Caela didn’t follow those children, only Peon. Peon must have found the princess, who was neither his cousin nor anything else, quite annoying as she followed him around.

I shouldn’t have done that. The memories of following her brother around because she liked him as a child became embarrassing and regrettable memories that she didn’t even want to recall after coming to Lucenford.

What could Peon, who must have grown up only being cautious as the empress’s illegitimate child, do about the daughter of the Duke of Ostein, who was recognized by the former emperor, unlike himself? In front of the harsh winter, the princess’s childish crush was just a nuisance.

At the same time, Beatrice, who was of the same age as Peon and knew this, looked down on Caela very much.

It was simple. Caela was weak to Peon, and Peon was weak to Beatrice.

Moreover, the princess with the noblest status was the youngest, and above all, kind. Naturally, the hierarchy was settled that way. No matter how hard Caela tried, she couldn’t overcome the bond already formed between Beatrice and Peon.

‘No, since the feelings are so tender, they should definitely be together this time.’

That wasn’t a prayer for Peon’s happiness, but a curse from the Grand Duchess of Lucenford who was exhausted and worn out from too much suffering.

You should experience it once too, she thought maliciously. Since you made such a fuss, you should go through it once too. Her heart pricked with unnecessary guilt for being brazen despite what she had done.

Did they meet? What would they talk about if they met? It would surely be a conversation full of some special bond between just the two of them that Caela could never understand.

In the four years of living as Peon’s wife, Caela never had such a bond. Even when she was confined as a suspected spy by the conspirator who killed her father, she couldn’t even resent properly.

How stupid, right?

“Your Highness.”

“Prince.”

Caela turned to Prince Elkanan, hiding her intense self-loathing behind a smiling face. The prince, who carefully used Cranian honorifics, was known to be an exceptional diplomat, so she had to deal with him even more flawlessly.

“Is there anything you need?”

“You’ve taken care of us so abundantly that we lack nothing. I hope you haven’t overexerted yourself because of us, Your Highness?”

The conversation that started like that smoothly moved on to the well-being of both royal families and the imperial family, the weather in both countries these days, and boating.

Caela was clearly playing the role of the hostess who organized this event properly for all to see. She had no difficulty dealing with royalty of noble birth and diplomats with wisdom and learning.

Peon, who had returned after shaking off Beatrice, watched Caela from afar. She was smiling, when he couldn’t remember when she had last smiled as her smiles gradually disappeared in Lucenford. She was smiling weakly with a face that had gained weight nicely.

Peon, who had been watching quietly, furrowed his brow. Weakly?

“…Caela.”

As he inevitably approached Caela, Prince Elkanan cheerfully welcomed him.

“Ah, Your Grace. Welcome. We were just discussing maritime music used for boating with Her Highness the Princess. What kind of composer is to Your Grace’s taste?”

“The only maritime music I’ve heard recently is the boat songs the Vinland people sing when they invade, so it’s difficult for me to answer.”

The Grand Duke of Lucenford, where boating itself was a luxury, answered gruffly. He was already focusing his gaze only on Caela, not Prince Elkanan.

“Ah, you mean the northerners who frequently plunder by boat. I’ve heard the damage is severe.”

“Yes.”

By deliberately giving a perfunctory answer, the conversation becomes awkward for a moment and breaks off, and there are other old diplomats who use that gap to whisk Prince Elkanan away.

After quickly passing Prince Elkanan off like that, Peon lowered his voice and spoke to Caela.

“You’re not well.”