“What is this?”

Harchen, whose complexion had turned ashen as if iron filings had been sprinkled on it, entered the garden.

Harchen Eint Carl Berk. Born grasping gold from birth. The unextinguished blazing golden sun of the empire. In his 27 years of life, whether from the sky or the sea, he took what he wanted.

When he donned the emperor’s crown, all the people of the Karsik Empire rejoiced. They knelt and bowed before the strong and perfectly beautiful young emperor.

Women burned incense toward the sun. Barefoot children plucked wildflowers and placed them at the palace walls.

In his eyes, a fire blazed fiercely.

On a summer evening, a sunset spread across the blue sky. Golden and scarlet hues intertwined between scattered clouds.

The waist of Patricia’s lemon-colored muslin dress was tied with a ribbon, but the loose ends left the dress skirt untidy.

With the shoulders slipping down, the already deep neckline revealed snow-white skin as if eyes had been planted there. Beads of sweat formed on the pale flesh where even veins were visible.

Her hair, braided in several strands and adorned with gilded marigolds, was disheveled, with golden strands and white petals clinging messily to her sweaty nape. Her cheeks, swollen with joy, were tinged peach-colored.

The large peony that had been on her neck lay on the dirt ground, and a thin lace hung from the princess’s neck, failing to conceal the red marks.

Harchen gritted his teeth and glanced at the disheveled appearance of his woman.

Swish, he turned his head and scrutinized Eden, who was wearing the uniform of a Tane Royal Guard knight, with sharp eyes. For a fleeting moment, he imagined rushing at him fiercely and swinging his sword to sever the man’s neck.

To barely suppress the roaring beast within, he gnashed his teeth and clenched his fist until his veins popped.

“What… are you doing now, Princess?”

Harchen quickly unbuttoned his white uniform jacket as he went to Patricia’s side. He took off the jacket, draped it over her shoulders, and closed the front.

“Your Majesty, what brings you here? Why the jacket…?”

“Put it on. That bastard is watching.”

“Please… watch your language. And mind your manners. Sir Patterson. Greet His Majesty.”

Hah. This princess seems unaware of her appearance. Is it only in my eyes that she looks so alluring?

Patricia turned to Eden with an awkward smile. Harchen, thinking she was giving him a pretty eye-smile, felt another surge of jealousy flare up.

“The unextinguished empire…”

“Enough. State your name and house.”

“Eden Patterson. I am Prince Patrick’s sword.”

Eden grasped the sword in its scabbard, knelt on his left knee, straightened his back, and bowed his head in a proper posture. He was a sturdy man with broad shoulders and toned muscles like most knights.

The combination of platinum blonde hair and red eyes was not common in Tane, let alone Karsik. To Harchen’s eyes, the platinum blonde hair that scattered light even in a gentle breeze looked stylish, which irritated him.

The elegant and neat demeanor, like that of an aquatic plant, was also displeasing.

The harmoniously handsome face was also disagreeable, and the roughly heaving chest visible through the unbuttoned shirt was particularly bothersome.

The red eyes clearly seemed to harbor passion for his woman, Patricia.

“Why is Patrick’s knight swinging a sword at my princess?”

Those bastard’s eyes are disgustingly insolent.

“Were you the vice commander in this recent war?”

“Yes, I was.”

So he helped the princess escape from Pana Castle and they went to the Tane capital alone together.

Imagining how they might have spent several days and nights together, the veins under Harchen’s sharp jawline bulged.

He must die.

“If you want to live, give it your all.”

“…Pardon?”

He spoke in a low voice as if he had swallowed a piece of metal.

“Calip.”

Calip, who had been standing nervously behind the emperor, stepped forward and placed his bent elbow on his forehead.

“Bring me my sword.”

“…Your Majesty!”

Patricia, realizing the meaning of those words, approached Harchen. Holding the front of the white uniform jacket with both hands to keep it from slipping off her shoulders.

“Your Majesty. Sir Patterson was having a sword practice match at my request. If anyone gets hurt before the royal wedding, it will remain a scar for me.”

Harchen looked down at Patricia, who had come right in front of him and tilted her head up to look at him.

“Ha!”

Crazy fool, even at a time like this.

Seeing her pleading expression and bright blue eyes brimming with moisture, enveloped in his uniform jacket, the anger and heat that had risen to the top of his head instantly cooled.

Instead, his chest ached and stung as if salt had been sprinkled on boiling oil.

He was especially weak when the princess’s blue eyes were filled with tears.

“Let’s listen to the princess’s words.”

“Have you arrived, Your Majesty?”

Patrick said, looking at the statue placed at the entrance of the Nost Palace garden.

Patrick had watched this awkward situation from the terrace before coming out to the garden.

Even from a distance, Harchen’s appearance, blinded by jealousy, was unfamiliar but quite interesting.

Throughout their time at Tane Academy, he had never paid attention to the countless young ladies, including Lady Leak, who would bring an umbrella when it rained, a parasol when the sun blazed, and a water bottle when he might be thirsty.

When Harchen instructed Calip to bring his sword, Patrick thought it was time to step in and calm things down, so he descended into the garden as the evening glow began to fade.

‘Ah. This is worth watching. Hehehe.’

Harchen’s expression as he looked at Patricia, who was saying something earnestly with her hands clasped, was so dumbfounded that Patrick wanted to preserve it and tease him about it for the rest of his life.

Patrick suppressed his laughter and calmly touched the statue in the garden.

“It’s a statue of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom.”

The armored woman holds a spear in one hand and an owl, the symbol of wisdom, sits on the other.

“You look well.”

“The air in Karsik is refreshing, so I slept dreamlessly.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Since you seem to have greeted Eden, shall we go in for dinner?”

Patrick turned to look at Patricia, who was clutching the front of the emperor’s oversized jacket.

“Risha. You look just like a baby. So cute.”

“Patrick, the air is nice, isn’t it? Did you nap well?”

“Very much so.”

“Well then, shall we see how much your skills have improved by picking up a sword?”

“Risha, are you suggesting a sword duel with me right now?”

“Yes, I told you to practice diligently for physical training, didn’t I? Come on.”

“I’ll pass. For your sake.”

“What do you mean for my sake? Patrick, you haven’t been practicing properly, have you?”

“It is for your sake. Do you want to show Harchen the sight of you wildly swinging a sword to defeat me?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Well, you know, usually you look like a beautiful woman who’s fallen from heaven.”

“That’s right.”

Ha! Look at them being so childish together. Harchen was dumbfounded.

It seemed cute, especially Patricia’s side.

“Hehe, but when you grasp and swing a sword, you’re like an angry lioness with a golden mane.”

“You’ve gotten much better, Patrick. Come here and let me hit you a bit.”

As Patrick ran away, Patricia quickly caught up and grabbed his neck, pulling him down. The emperor’s white jacket slipped off her shoulders as she ran with all her might.

The disheveled dress was fully revealed.

The shoulder part had slipped down, exposing smooth white shoulders. The slick round shoulders and arms fluttered like freshly caught fish.

Gritting his teeth, Harchen turned to look at Eden following behind. He just smiled, watching them with a calm expression.

This guy doesn’t change even seeing that sight. Not even jealous. … Is he broken?

Up ahead, Patricia, in her lemon-colored dress, was fluttering like a butterfly, playing around with Patrick when she suddenly sat down, folding her knees. She buried her face in both palms.

“…?”

Why. Harchen stopped walking and watched her delicate shoulders trembling.

“Patricia, what’s wrong?”

Patrick sat down in front of her.

“Patrick. I’m so happy… I’m so happy that you’re here safely before my eyes.”

“Then why are you crying? Let me see your face, Risha.”

“No. It must be a mess.”

Patrick hugged her shoulders as she covered her face.

“It must have been hard, Risha.”

Harchen realized that under the darkening sky, there was no room for jealousy between the two of them embracing tightly. They were two flawlessly beautiful people.

*

After the meal, a servant brought a dessert tray. Patricia chose chocolate cake and strawberry pudding. Harchen poured Panian into a pewter cup and gave it to Patrick.

“Does the princess want to drink too?”

“Yes, please.”

Harchen nodded and poured about half a cup, placing it in front of her seated to his right. He felt uneasy every time Patricia lifted the pewter cup to drink.

The large peony that had been on her neck was gone, and red marks were visible beneath the lace. Knowing that his lips were the cause of the wound made his hands tingle.

“Indeed, Karsik’s Panian is a bit stronger. Tane’s Astrazan is a fruit wine with a sweet scent. This green Panian has a fresh and strong aftertaste.”

“It’s mint. They say they add mint leaf extract.”

“What is Notos Palace used for? I saw there’s a circular library. If I’m to stay for an extended period, I’m thinking of looking into a castle on the outskirts of the capital.”

“It used to be where the Academy made presentations and held debates. Now they’ve moved to a large auditorium built at the Imperial Academy. Stay here comfortably. Ah, the youngest, Alesia, will often come to the library.”

“Then, I’ll be in your care.”

“Extended period? Patrick, how long are you planning for this extended period?”

“Hmm, until my body recovers, as long as possible if I can.”

Patricia was happy about the fact that she would be staying in the same palace as Patrick for a long time. She was also moved by the thought that by then, he would have recovered and be healthy.

She was about to thank the emperor for making all this possible, but stopped herself.

“Princess. I’ll escort you back to White Palace.”

“Your Majesty, if you’re busy, you can go ahead. I’d like to stay a bit longer…”

“According to the schedule given by the head maid, the princess should be getting a massage at this time.”

Harchen grabbed Patricia’s arm and lifted her up. He fixed and closed the uniform jacket that was slipping off her narrow shoulders. He nodded to Patrick, who was getting up from his chair.

I’ll come back.

Harchen walked out into the corridor with long strides, leaving Patricia who seemed reluctant to say goodbye to Patrick. He instructed Calip, who was on standby, to call Lean and Bern to Notos Palace. Calip left first.

Harchen took Patricia’s hand, who couldn’t turn away out of lingering regret, and left the palace. They passed through the moonlit courtyard.

“Princess. Let’s make a promise.”

“Yes? What… promise?”

“From now on, you’ll only have sword duels with me.”

“…”

“Promise!”

“But Your Majesty is always busy, can’t I do it with Sir Bern too?”

Harchen was worried that Bern might not be able to control his strength and hurt Patricia. However, the disheveled appearance from her duel with that platinum-haired knight just now made his head spin.

“No. Absolutely forbidden with any other man. Only with me.”

“Then, Your Majesty, please make a promise to me too.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t take her as your empress, rather divorce me and remarry.”

“Her… who?”

“Lady Leak.”