Adrian lightly greeted them and soon raised his head to look around at the Emperor and Empress.

The Emperor, who led the great empire of Harkin, looked down at his son with satisfaction and welcomed him.

“Well, it seems fortunate that you have returned without any particular injuries this time as well.”

The Empress beside him merely smiled in agreement. However, when Adrian smiled back at her as if asking if she had anything to say, she reluctantly spoke.

“Welcome back, Crown Prince.”

After receiving the brief greeting, Adrian rose to his feet. Then, he mentioned to the Emperor the unpleasant events that had transpired in his absence.

“While I was away for a while, the First Princess of Fitzroy caused an incident. I heard that Wessex was incorporated into Fitzroy’s territory.”

The Emperor then frowned as if displeased and retorted.

“The Margrave of Fitzroy has been granted that place as a new fief. They declared that the royal family of Wessex would all be made into slaves and sent them as gifts to our country. Even the children they give birth to in the future will become slaves. How barbaric their behavior is.”

In most countries on the continent of Dambernant, slavery was approved. Thus, in the past, when wars were frequent, securing slaves was one of the excuses for the outbreak of wars.

Of course, slaves existed in Harkin as well. It was because they had brought back prisoners of war and enslaved them during the fierce wars against Fitzroy in the past. Also, those who committed great crimes were demoted to slaves.

Most of them worked in the Empire’s labor camps with shackles on their hands and feet. They did dangerous tasks that ordinary people could not do. Tasks that carried the risk of addiction or were too likely to result in death.

If not, they died while feeling pain that made them think it would be better to die in the internment camps.

The difference from other countries was that Harkin did not impose the yoke of slavery on their descendants.

Although it was the same slave system, Adrian thought there was no need to distinguish between more barbaric or less barbaric based on that, but he listened silently.

Then, realizing that the Emperor was waiting for his story, he slowly opened his mouth.

“As Your Majesty already knows, I also received the news and seized a ship that was about to depart from Otilia to Fitzroy. And…”

Adrian paused for a moment, disliking the words that would come next. However, not thinking of any other appropriate expressions, perhaps because his mind had become dull, he eventually continued.

Restraining his emotions so that no one would notice his hesitation.

“In the process, I brought back one of the royal family of Wessex who had become a slave.”

The Empress’s eyes were already fixed on Layla, who was kneeling and bowing her head among the luggage Adrian had brought.

As she became the topic of conversation, Layla shrank her body even more. However, due to Adrian’s remarks, more gazes turned towards her.

Shabby clothes and disheveled hair. In addition to becoming haggard while being chased by Isabella, there was no trace of a princess left in her, who had not been able to wash or eat well during the voyage.

The Empress clicked her tongue softly while looking at Layla with a look of disgust, and the Emperor also kept his mouth firmly shut.

The Emperor had seen Layla in the past. Not only had he seen her, but he could not forget her, as she was the child with whom a marriage proposal had been exchanged with Adrian.

For a moment, a heavy silence fell upon the audience chamber.

The first to break it by speaking was Adrian.

“I would like to receive Your Majesty’s permission to keep her in the Imperial Palace.”

Although he omitted the subject, Layla, the Emperor, who fully understood the content, suddenly retorted.

“What…?”

When he sent a stern gaze as if telling him to state the reason, Adrian calmly replied with his hands behind his back.

“Sending her to the labor camps as she is now won’t be of much help.”

That was true. With a small physique and having lived as a princess, she would have never experienced hardship. There were also slaves who died after being whipped for not being able to work in the labor camps, so perhaps she would join their ranks.

However, Adrian’s words broke Harkin’s long-standing rules.

“Even so, there has never been a slave who has entered and lived within the Imperial Palace.”

“The fact that there is no precedent does not become a reason why it should not be done.”

“Adrian.”

At the Emperor’s admonishing call, Adrian turned to look at Layla. He felt uneasy seeing Layla trembling.

Layla would find it equally humiliating whether she was sent to the labor camps or became a slave under his command in the Crown Prince’s Palace. She might even think the labor camps were better.

However, the one who could not let go was Adrian.

He felt that he would be at ease only if he kept her by his side.

Adrian faced the Emperor again and expressed his opinion.

“…Isabella Fitzroy is targeting her. Wouldn’t it be troublesome if she was taken away after going to the labor camps?”

“Then send her to Cliffhill.”

“…”

Cliffhill was a notorious prison within the Harkin Empire. It was a place with cramped rooms like chicken coops, where people had to live a terrible life, unable to sit or lie down.

There was no way he would send Layla to that place, which was worse than the labor camps.

Feeling that irrelevant remarks would continue, Adrian spoke directly.

“I will personally manage her, so please grant permission, Your Majesty.”

“You’re not saying you’ll use her as a concubine, are you?”

“Whichever way I use her, that’s up to my discretion.”

The Emperor glared at Adrian with a displeased look.

Well, he already knew Adrian’s heart too well. He was a son who had already passed the marriageable age but refused both engagement and marriage with the sole reason of being cautious.

The Emperor, who knew Adrian best in the world, could not be unaware that it was all because of Layla. It was something he should not be unaware of.

However, he was also perplexed as he had not expected Adrian to protect her even after Layla’s situation had become like this.

But Adrian’s next remark was even more shocking.

“Your Majesty also acknowledges the value of these Tuner families, don’t you?”

“…So?”

“You have not already forgotten that Wessex was originally a ducal family serving the Harkin Imperial Family.”

The Emperor silently gazed at Adrian, as if telling him to continue talking. Finally, the conclusion flowed from the Crown Prince’s mouth.

“I will rescue all the princesses and princes detained in foreign countries and restore the family.”

“What did you say?”

“However, under a different name than Wessex.”

“Crown Prince!”

Along with the Emperor’s thunderous voice, the audience chamber became chaotic.

Wessex was a family of traitors to Harkin. Moreover, the person who suffered the most damage in the process of the kingdom’s division was none other than the Crown Prince himself, Adrian Raines.

Lilburn, who had already sensed that Adrian had a hidden agenda in the carriage, thought he knew this would happen and made an expression of already having a headache, but Adrian finished the end of his remarks.

“Therefore, I request that you first allow that person over there to escape the status of a slave, Your Imperial Majesty.”

And he received the expected rejection.

“I absolutely cannot permit it.”

In response to the Emperor’s refusal, Adrian calmly retorted.

〈I will take it as impossible for now.〉

For now.

It was like a forewarning that someday in the future, he would be permitted.

Adrian, who had turned the Imperial Palace upside down with a remark no one had anticipated, came out as he was and returned to the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Layla, who had heard everything that transpired in the audience chamber inside the Imperial Palace, felt confusion as she was dragged along to the Crown Prince’s Palace. Then, she was thrown into a small room in the corner without a word.

Standing blankly in front of the slammed door, Layla tried to sort out in her mind what had happened.

‘Family restoration.’

Since those words came from none other than Adrian’s mouth, they could never be a light, empty promise. Layla ruminated on his words and belatedly realized that something big had happened.

And soon, she thought of a question.

‘Why is Adrian doing this?’

Even if he really brought her siblings out of foreign countries, there was no reason for him to go so far as to restore the family. If he only needed the Tuning ability, that is.

Moreover, due to her father’s betrayal, not only the Emperor of Harkin but also Adrian must have become wary of the dangers that could arise if the power of the Tuner families grew.

So it was truly absurd.

Layla had no idea at all how things were unfolding.