The Imperial Palace Grand Banquet Hall, Golden Hall.

“Presenting His Highness Grand Duke Frost Ielheim and Her Highness Grand Duchess!”

The gazes of the nobles who had entered early to exchange greetings before the formal ball began turned uniformly towards the entrance.

It was only natural for the attention to be focused on Frost Ielheim, the owner of unrivaled military power and wealth among the sixteen grand noble families representing the empire’s nobility, and the second in line for the imperial succession.

It was a major event for the Grand Duke, who rarely visited the capital, to bring his bride along.

Today’s imperial ball was the Grand Duchess’s debut stage, and it was also an occasion to formally introduce the lady of the North.

However, there was another reason why people were staring at the Grand Duke and Duchess with piercing or passionate eyes today.

“Is it true? Did the Grand Duke smash His Majesty the Emperor’s head…!”

“It must be a false rumor. If it were true, his head would have been cut off. How could he attend the ball so confidently?”

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s true. My younger brother is an imperial knight, and his colleague came back with his back covered in blood and said that. He carried the Emperor, whose head was cracked, to the Imperial Palace. And the culprit… was none other than Grand Duke Ielheim.”

“Oh my goodness. What was the reason?”

“There was massive damage during the recent Northern Conquest. The Grand Duke himself was afflicted by a cursed sword and there are rumors that his days are numbered.”

“I heard a different story. His Majesty made advances on Her Highness the Grand Duchess, so His Highness the Grand Duke, in a fit of rage, kicked…”

“Made advances…?”

Although Chief Steward Dario thoroughly controlled the flow of information, rumors have a way of piercing even iron walls.

The pitiful situation of His Majesty the Emperor, whose head was brutally cracked, became the topic of utmost interest among the nobles filling the imperial ballroom, spreading from mouth to mouth.

Pro-emperor nobles spat while arguing heatedly that if the rumors were true, the Grand Duke should be beheaded immediately to restore the authority of the imperial family.

The southern nobles who were favorable to the North and some nobles who had always harbored resentment towards the Emperor felt a decade’s worth of indigestion being relieved.

“Presenting His Grace Duke Melito Greco and Her Grace Duchess, and Lady Belisa Greco.”

“Presenting His Grace Duke Gause Yovel and Her Grace Duchess, and Lord Davio Yovel.”

“Presenting His Grace Duke Piguera and Her Grace Duchess.”

Although other grand noble families’ lords, ladies, young ladies, and young lords entered one after another following the Grand Duke and Duchess, the nobles’ eyes refused to leave the Grand Ducal couple.

Whether the gazes of the nobles were piercing or passionate, His Highness the Grand Duke, who was tall and handsome, seemed to have no interest in anyone except Her Highness the Grand Duchess, who was more beautiful than a flower fairy.

As they descended the entrance stairs, he kept a sweet smile on the corners of his lips, unable to take his eyes off his wife.

When Her Highness looked up and admired the splendid golden-decorated walls and ceiling, he marveled that the golden light reflected in her ruby-like eyes was even more mystical.

Just by looking into Her Highness’s eyes, he could tell if she needed a refreshing fruit juice because her throat was dry or a finger-sized pastry to quench her mouth’s curiosity, and immediately had them presented to her.

The Grand Duke’s small movements and words spread like ripples in concentric circles to the end of the Golden Hall through the mouths of the nobles hovering around.

“It seems the rumor was just a false rumor after all. If it were true, would the Grand Duke be so leisurely tending to the Grand Duchess’s snacks?”

“It’s a sight to behold. Honey is dripping from the eyes of the Ice Grand Duke of the world.”

“The bastard child who used to dance at the potion shop has made it big.”

“…Shh! It’s the Grand Duke who smashed the Emperor’s head because of the Grand Duchess.”

“I’m telling you it’s a false rumor.”

“If it’s a false rumor, why hasn’t His Majesty shown himself yet?”

Above the scattered conversations, the lively music of the imperial orchestra announcing the Emperor’s entrance resounded loudly.

The front entrance of the Golden Hall opened, and the Emperor entered, holding the Empress Dowager’s hand.

Quizzical glances were exchanged among the nobles who bowed deeply to the Emperor.

‘He looks fine, doesn’t he?’

‘So it was a false rumor after all?’

Under the radiant golden hair neatly swept back, not a single small wound could be seen on the Emperor’s straight forehead.

It was difficult to find any trace of a ridiculous man who got his head cracked while making advances on someone else’s wife in his imposing figure dressed in a perfectly fitted white uniform.

“It’s so nice to directly see the faces I have long waited for.”

A picturesque smile appeared on the beautiful face of the Emperor, who is praised as the empire’s greatest beauty.

His blue eyes, shimmering even more mystically in the light of the jeweled chandelier, did not wander and stopped at Yuriella Ielheim, the Grand Duchess.

The Duchess of Greco, who was standing close to the Grand Duchess, saw sparks fly from Her Highness’s ruby-like eyes.

The Duke of Yovel, who was standing next to the Grand Duke, was startled to hear a curse quietly bursting from the Grand Duke’s lips and unknowingly grabbed the Grand Duke’s arm, worried that he might summon the holy sword El and strike the Emperor’s neck.

‘So the rumors were true after all?’

‘How could the Emperor’s eyes looking at the Grand Duchess be so sorrowful.’

‘There are words that he fell in love with her at first sight when he went to attend the Grand Duke’s wedding.’

‘Oh dear. So that’s why he was sulking for a long time and didn’t come from the North?’

Although he couldn’t have been unaware of the scattered glances exchanged between people, the Emperor just stared blankly at the Grand Duchess.

The Grand Duke completely hid the Grand Duchess with his large body and glared at the Emperor.

Two pairs of blue eyes clashed fiercely in the air. They had faces that seemed to have thrown away any concern for the surrounding gazes.

Duchess Yovel gave a desperate glance to the Grand Duchess, as if to say, ‘Please calm down the Grand Duke.’

But the Grand Duchess didn’t seem to have any intention of calming him down. Rather, she stepped out from her husband’s shadow and stood beside him with a determined expression like a guard knight. She seemed ready to wield the silk fan she was holding if the Grand Duke drew his sword.

Unable to stand it any longer, the Empress Dowager grabbed the Emperor’s arm and scolded him in a whisper.

“Why don’t you just spread rumors all over the neighborhood.”

“Can I really do that? I really want to, though.”

“Your Majesty…! Why are you really acting like this?”

Why, you ask? Isn’t it obvious that I’m giving off the impression of a ridiculous fellow who can’t take his eyes off another man’s wife in order to cover up a secret that Mother must never find out about?

Justin was convinced at the war memorial. Yuriella, who was greatly shaken in front of the painting of his past life, is definitely Solas.

Mother, who is desperate to find Solas’s soul even at the cost of putting herself in a coma, must not find out about that fact. He can’t lose her twice.

“Mother. Will you honor me with the first dance?”

Justin held out his hand with the pretty smile that the Empress Dowager liked.

The Empress Dowager, who smiled back and slowly began to dance, scrutinized her son.

‘What is it? What on earth is it?’

Her son, who took after her, enjoyed hiding his sinister intentions by revealing a lesser weakness to deceive the other person.

‘What are you trying to hide behind by openly showing that you’re admitting to the scandal of making advances on the Grand Duchess? What am I missing?’

When the Empress Dowager received the news that her son had come back carried by a knight with blood pouring from his head, she canceled the tea party in the glass conservatory and rushed to the Imperial Palace.

Thanks to the skill of the Imperial Palace’s exclusive healing mage, the wound healed immediately, but seeing her son baring his teeth only at the fact that the Grand Duchess was taken away from him even with blood smeared on his face, the Empress Dowager almost slapped the Emperor.

‘What’s so special about that girl Yuriella?’

The Empress Dowager’s gaze turned to Yuriella as she danced with the Emperor, but Frost turned his body with a fierce face, blocking her line of sight.

When the Empress Dowager shifted her gaze to the side, the Duke of Yovel, the lord of the South, was looking at the Emperor with a pathetic expression.

The gaze of Duke Greco, the father of the lord of the Magic Tower and the master of the West, was equally unfriendly.

Duke Orabi Piguera, the leader of the pro-emperor faction, frowned deeply and threw a fierce look at the Empress Dowager, as if his nephew’s scandal was humiliating.

The Empress Dowager bit her lip.

‘Yuriella Ielheim. Neither you nor your husband will be able to return to the North alive.’

After the Emperor and Empress Dowager finished their first dance and returned to their seats, the formal ball began.

Frost held out his hand to Yuriella with a bright smile on his face, as if he had never frowned.

“I guess the reason I was born in this world was to have the first dance with you today.”

Entrusting her body to the soft waltz melody, Yuriella whispered in Frost’s ear.

“Weren’t you born to make my small liver drop? I was really surprised. You could have been arrested for treason on the spot.”

Frost smiled brightly and lightly pulled her waist.

“I am a smart man acknowledged by you. Would I have cracked the Emperor’s head without a plan?”

“How did you silence their mouths?”

“It’s my birthday present.”

“Birthday present?”

“When I was born, the previous Emperor asked my mother what gift she wanted. At that time, my mother said she didn’t need anything else and requested a one-time special immunity for her son.”

No matter what crime he committed, even if it amounted to the grave crime of treason, the previous Emperor should forgive and bury it. It was the Empress Dowager’s earnest request.

The previous Grand Duchess Adelia trusted and loved the previous Emperor, with whom she had an exceptionally deep bond.

However, having been born and raised in the imperial family, she knew. The imperial blood she passed on to her son would one day become a weapon threatening her son’s life.

“So don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

“Wait, you’re saying you used that one-time special immunity for me?”

Yuriella’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“What wouldn’t I do for you?”

Frost gently caressed his wife’s furrowed brows and smiled.

Honestly, even if he hadn’t used the immunity, the Emperor wouldn’t have been able to touch him. If he arrested him for treason, his closest family member, his wife, would also receive the same punishment.

However, Frost did not mention the Emperor. At this moment, he wanted his wife to focus solely on him.

“Please be careful. The other party is the master of the empire, and the capital is the center of the Emperor’s power.”

“Don’t worry about that either. I am a man who doesn’t know the meaning of carelessness. That’s the reason I’ve survived so far. Ah, there was one time. When I was struck by Solas’s cursed sword.”

“……”

Yuriella’s body trembled for a moment, her words stuck in her throat.

“She was weaker than me.”

Yuriella’s eyebrow twitched. Weak? She wasn’t weak, though?

The guilt that had stiffened her body retreated a little.

“Solas wasn’t called the continent’s number one swordsman for nothing.”

It’s not in her nature to boast about herself. But wrong is wrong. Even if it’s the Grand Duke!

“It’s also strange that the owner of the holy sword Flama is weaker than the owner of the holy sword El.”

Frost’s thumb gently rubbed Yuriella’s round forehead, which was furrowed with wrinkles.

“I wasn’t talking about his martial prowess. I’m talking about his state of mind at that moment on that day.”

Yuriella’s red eyes sharpened.

“Are you arbitrarily making things up just because Solas is dead and gone?”

It was already upsetting enough that she could no longer compete with the man in front of her in martial arts. Hearing that her past self’s mental strength was also pathetic made her chest ache. It was even more hurtful that the person saying it was the Grand Duke.

But grumbling is a petty and childish response. It’s even rude to the Grand Duke.

Yuriella bit her lip, feeling regret washing over her.

“I apologi-”

“On that day, Solas was weak. Because she didn’t want to kill me.”

Yuriella looked up at Frost with surprised eyes. Did he know?

“It wasn’t just at the end that she withdrew her sword. Even before that, there were several opportunities to pierce my vital points. But she avoided them all. Others may not have noticed, but even if she herself didn’t know, I could tell.”

“…Just like how Your Highness did?”

This time, it was Frost who looked at Yuriella with surprised eyes.

“I’m not a man whose intentions are so easily seen through. You’re speaking as if you saw me at that time, Duchess.”

“……”

Because she did see.

His sword tip that deflected attacks several times even when there were opportunities to pierce vital points.

Because of that soft response, he ended up suffering from a terribly melting wound and life-threatening seizures…

“I just had a feeling that’s how it would be.”

As the corners of Yuriella’s eyes drooped dejectedly, Frost hugged Yuriella tightly, pulling her waist close.

“If it upset you, I’m sorry. What I wanted to say is… I will never let my guard down. I absolutely cannot get hurt or die.”

“Of course! So many lives are resting on Frost’s shoulders.”

“No.”

Frost shook his head.

“If I get hurt, you will worry. If I die, the flies coveting you will shamelessly swarm around you. That’s why I absolutely cannot get hurt or die.”

Yuriella’s two feet, which had been gracefully gliding across the Golden Hall, came to an abrupt halt.

Frost looked down at his wife with a puzzled face.

“Yuriella…?”

Transparent tears welled up in Yuriella’s eyes, and the Grand Duke’s heart sank.

It seemed the shock was great for his wife due to that damned Emperor harassing her at the war memorial earlier. It wasn’t that impressive, though.

Dark murderous intent flashed in the winter sea-colored eyes. Yuriella’s slender hands rested on Frost’s cheeks as he tried to head towards the high table where the Emperor was seated.

“…!”

Standing on tiptoe, his wife’s red lips sought Frost’s lips. The sweet taste of the grape wine his wife had drunk was in her warm breath.

“Ooh…!”

Exclamations of admiration rang out in concentric circles around the newlywed couple who were engrossed in each other, filling the hall.

Yuriella raised her head, panting heavily.

Eyes holding blue flames poured into her field of vision.

‘I protected the Grand Duke.’

It wasn’t that the reins of the small beast inside her had been loosened.

Thinking that she had only tightly pulled the reins to prevent the Grand Duke, who had misunderstood her tears, from using violence against the Emperor, Yuriella tried hard to erase the deep blush on her cheeks.

However, the predator, who had been pretending to be leisurely all along, never missed the perfect opportunity that had come as a gift.

With an awkward smile, Frost unhesitatingly pulled Yuriella, who was about to take dance steps again, and deeply mixed their breaths.

Once again, ripples of admiration spread throughout the vast Golden Hall.

On the golden chair on the platform, the Emperor’s two hands gripped the armrests as if they would break.