Evenel had initially intended to brush off their words lightly. She had become quite accustomed to this sort of bickering, after all.

However, a comment from one of the nobles completely wiped that thought from her mind. At the same time, her red eyes emanated a blood-like chill.

“What did you just say?”

Regrettably, the three nobles were too busy speaking to notice the change in her demeanor.

“Don’t be so arrogant. We are not the Karies of old. Even without nobles, sacrificing just a few knights would…”

“Enough. I can’t listen any further.”

Evenel doubted her own ears. No, she wished she had misheard. How could they so casually speak of the deaths of knights protecting their homeland?

“What did you say?”

“How can you say something like that so casually? Those are knights protecting the Karies Empire where you nobles stand.”

She had spent considerable time with the knights while preparing for subjugation missions and during her trips to the Ferti territory. Whether she liked it or not, she had come to know how dedicated and desperate they were.

They didn’t deserve to be treated this way.

As Evenel stepped forward with a furious expression, they seemed to momentarily cower and step back. But whether it was their pride, they forced themselves to lift their heads.

“It’s as the noble said, they are knights protecting the empire. If they die because of monsters, isn’t it inevitable?”

“Inevitable, you say…”

She mockingly repeated their words and gave a wry laugh. She had hoped those words would never come out.

“That’s right. As the noble said, they are knights. But no one has the right to call their deaths trivial.”

Fighting against monsters, putting their lives on the line for this empire and its people—thinking that way was no different from trampling on the knights’ efforts and pride.

“While you three are comfortably eating, sleeping, and frolicking, the knights of the House of Ferti are guarding against the monster-infested forest even today. And His Majesty’s knights are training under this scorching sun to fight against unpredictable monsters.”

Evenel recognized their dedication and effort, separate from her relationship with the knights. It even served as an inspiration for her.

After the subjugation, there was even less to say. Just one trip was draining enough; they had faced those harrowing sights countless times, eliciting nothing but respect from her.

If they had only insulted her as being arrogant, she would have been less angry than she was now.
“Can a dead knight say such things, even if he was a member of your family?”

“Um….”

The three people seemed at a loss for words as Evenel pressed them so hard. They probably hadn’t expected her to counter them in this way.

“If you can’t say with confidence that it’s fine, then never bring up what you just said again.”

‘This isn’t it.’

This wasn’t what Calon had originally planned.

Stumbling upon Evenel, who had been the subject of recent rumors, was entirely coincidental. It was his first time seeing her in person, but because of the stories that had spread about her, he recognized her immediately.

So he had intended to utterly crush her this time around.

He couldn’t stand to see someone from Aodin acting so high and mighty.

‘Why do I have to listen to this woman?’

Calon found the current situation simply unjust. The words Evenel had spoken hadn’t even registered; all that filled his mind was anger.

“What’s all the commotion?”

At that moment, a new voice cut through the four of them. Evenel turned her head, and there stood a man.

The man, who looked like a noble, walked leisurely up to her.

Unlike Evenel, who didn’t know who he was, the three young nobles bowed their heads in haste.

“Duke Harlan.”

‘Duke Harlan?’

Judging by his title and the immediate display of courtesy, it was clear he was no ordinary person. His aura said as much.

Harlan cast a brief glance at Evenel before asking the young nobles.

“What’s going on here, raising your voices in the Imperial Palace?”

Calon’s face changed as if a savior had appeared, and he spoke in a voice that seemed aggrieved.

“We merely wanted to exchange greetings, but she suddenly started threatening us.”

“Threatening? What are you talking about?”

When they had been the ones to start the quarrel with their rudeness, but now acted as if they were victims, Evenel was nothing short of dumbfounded.

But before she could say more, Harlan beat her to it with a scolding tone.

“I heard you caused a disturbance in His Majesty’s palace because of a maidservant you brought last time. Have you forgotten that this is the Imperial Palace?”

“Why do you say such things without even listening to me?”

“I don’t have time to listen to Aodin’s nonsense.”

‘This person….’

When Harlan said he wasn’t as free as they were to listen to Aodin’s talk, Evenel was sure of it. Harlan had been watching the situation from the start.

He knew that Calon was lying, yet he took her side. In a way, it was to be expected.

After all, he had no reason to take her side