Knowing that there was no way he disliked it, Lu, with a teasing glint in her green eyes, looked at him. Hayden absentmindedly pulled her hand, still holding her.

“Later, Lu.”

“Huh?”

“Later. No, a little later.”

“Later, when?”
She leaned over his body, asking in a rhythmic manner. Lu, placed upon the warm body temperature, was embraced completely by the solid arms stained with the heat.

“When you go crazy like me, then.”

She didn’t want to go crazy alone. Even now, she felt like she might lose her mind, but she wanted to distort Lu’s expression, who only laughed and made her laugh. She hoped she would cry again. Or maybe cling to him again.

“Together.”

Lu’s expression charmingly crumbled. She clung to him so easily.

“We’re doing it together, right?”

He returned the gesture with all his heart and even more.

“I love you, Lu.”

He barely confessed this warm feeling to her cloudy green eyes.

The arms clinging to him pulled him more firmly. Without any response, Hayden laughed.

Late at night, the head of Cabinet Noir, the Emperor’s special secret organization, Lady Gordiou, waited quietly in the Aeserlotte Palace for the Emperor to arrive.

Her master was a very busy person, and today was an especially busy day, so meeting him was not easy. However, it was around the time his visit to the eastern territory was almost over. The servants and maids who were already in Aeserlotte Palace had started packing a long time ago.

The Emperor had to listen to an overall report on how the eastern region he had visited had changed by now.

“I greet the sun of the Empire.”

“Ah.”

Dressed moderately, with just the top omitted and the bottom loosely tied, the Emperor walked in, nodding slowly.

His appearance was extremely lax to the point that it would be embarrassing for someone to see. His neatly tied black hair from the naval event was completely disheveled, and red marks were faintly visible on the chest muscles seen between the gown.

“Wear something warmer. You’ll catch a cold.”

Lady Gordiou, a superb empress and queen of the house, politely scolded the young Emperor.

“I have to go again anyway.”

Hayden sat on the sofa and gestured to the door that he had entered.

“Don’t forget to return to Chaldea tomorrow.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“For Your Majesty, perhaps. But not for others.”

So, it was a reminder to the young lady who fell asleep pitifully inside the bedroom beyond that door.

“How about the East?”

“Always my backyard.”

Lady Gordiou spoke with great confidence. She was empty-handed. She left no evidence to prove her report. All the reports were in her head.

“Since today’s incident, or rather, since the assassination attempt in Moiquepel, the situation has changed a bit. I told you about it beforehand.”

Hayden nodded.

“Your Majesty, nobles always want compromises. They join hands with those high up and pull them down by saying, ‘You are also the same as us.'”

“Not a compromise, but a water ghost.”

“Yes, that’s right. In that sense, there are now those who want to become ‘the same existence’ as Your Majesty.”
Facing and repelling directly is difficult, so the Emperor also had to become a part of the social circle led by the eastern nobility. It would be an honor. Everyone would rightly elevate the Emperor. However, the leadership and mainstream are always in the hands of the eastern nobility, not the Emperor. The Emperor couldn’t wield it.

“Soon, the issue of the Empress will be mentioned at the formal meeting. Since it’s the only position, many households are already aiming for it. There are nearly twenty young ladies in the eastern territory who are of marriageable age.”

“My wife is not a matter I can decide, so what can she say to me…”

“Then who decides?”

Lady Gordiou, recalling Dragonlordna Matobju, questioned, and when Hayden pointed to the door he had entered, she made a face as if she had asked for no reason.

“Have you proposed?”

Hayden smiled slyly. Lady Gordiou looked at Hayden with the eyes of someone seeing the worst scoundrel in an instant.

“Don’t advertise your close relationship with Yeong-ae so openly. Especially after today’s event, people are teasing you about Yeong-ae accompanying you with Dragonlord.”

“If I tear that mouth apart, will the Empress’s story also come in?”

“It’s inefficient.”

Some deaths are simply forgotten, not properly revealed why they died, hidden, and left as disgrace.

Even the death of a powerful person like the eldest son of Duke Alanka was like that. Even that death was decided and handled as efficiently as possible, judging under the consideration of minimal damage and sacrifice. No one would ever find out the truth.

Lady Gordiou, whenever that death was mentioned, thought of the slums of Shalea, the harsh North, and the desolate West. She recalled the poverty and misery that the eastern nobility had “hidden away” because they “didn’t want to see.”

“Publicize that you are a Southern Philosopher. After all, during the assassination attempt, didn’t Yeong-ae not stop Your Majesty in front of the Empress? Due to that incident, the attention towards Yeong-ae has increased. People think that Your Majesty cherishes Yeong-ae because of that incident.”

“I’m the one receiving the cherishing anyway.”

Lady Gordiou sometimes felt the urge to submit her resignation.

“In any case, please consider Yeong-ae’s reputation. It is urgent to publicize her as the Southern Philosopher.”

If not, Countess Plache might suddenly grab the necks of the Court and Lady Gordiou one day, threatening with a smile, asking why they didn’t properly establish her daughter’s reputation. Or the Countess might act first.

“It needs to be clarified.”

Hayden muttered reluctantly.

“What is the problem?”

“An overly strong sense of responsibility.”

“Since Your Majesty isn’t like that, it must be about Yeong-ae.”

“The nagging is increasing.”

He laughed as if he had always been carrying a heavy burden.
At the front of the barrier, Rustica Gennus, a boy soldier who didn’t need much attention, willingly took responsibility. Due to this, he started seriously thinking about crossing the barrier. Rustica Gennus, who held back the strong desire to see his parents even though he missed them so much, was truly just. “I’m always worried that I might suffocate under the burden. That’s why I keep delaying it.” A bit more, a bit more freedom, he just wanted to enjoy being the Earl’s daughter. “Yeong-ae’s fate has already been decided.” Even though he knew, he was blocking it, saying he would protect it. “Okay. Prepare a place. Is there anything else?” “Not yet.” “Good job. See you next time.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” Hayden turned his head and looked towards the door. Houses aiming for the position of the Empress. The Emperor, who had no interest in such desires, entered and exited through the same door.

Inside, there was the only rest and sweet dreams.