“Hugrey, I’m sorry. I haven’t seen His Majesty in a long time and there’s something I must discuss with him.”

In contrast to the Duke’s completely distorted face, Calcus had a smile on his face as he extended an arm to Chloe. It seemed he wanted her to link arms with him.

“It will only take a moment, Your Majesty.”

Chloe spoke, ignoring Calcus’ arm.

“Then, shall we go to the balcony for a bit?”

Calcus lowered his extended arm naturally and turned his body towards the balcony. Chloe could feel the Duke’s piercing gaze on the back of her head, but she didn’t look back at him and began following Calcus straight away.

“Chloe!”

As soon as they entered the balcony, Calcus called out to Chloe and took a step closer. Chloe stepped back as much as he had stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, please don’t come too close. It’s uncomfortable.”

Even though it was a balcony, it didn’t mean the Duke couldn’t see them. She wanted to finish the conversation with Calcus alone, but she didn’t want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings with the Duke.

“It’s just the two of us, so just call me Calcus. When you call me ‘Your Majesty’ too, it feels like we’ve become too distant.”

“…Yes.”

“I’d like it if you spoke casually like before.”

“…Okay.”

It was very awkward for Chloe to show respect to him, who had suddenly appeared as the Emperor.

“Why did you ask to speak with me separately?”

His expectant expression was burdensome.

“I told you before, I wrote it in the letter too. I love the Duke. I want to marry him. Mother hasn’t given permission yet, but as soon as she does, we’ll have the wedding ceremony right away. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hold onto any lingering feelings for me anymore. I don’t like it when the man I love becomes displeased because of you, and I don’t like having to think about you either.”

Chloe poured out everything she wanted to say in one breath. Rather than giving Calcus false hope, it seemed better to tell him outright. Especially when he was acting this way despite her making it clear enough in the letter.

“Chloe.”

“I’m grateful to you, and I’m sorry. But being thankful and sorry is completely different from being able to love someone. I’d like it if we could still be good friends like before. If you say we can’t even be friends, then we can’t be friends anymore.”

“…I know.”

Chloe was surprised by Calcus’ calm words that sounded almost resigned. If he knew, then why did he act that way earlier?

“Chloe, as you know, the lion shapeshifters tend to take multiple wives.”

Chloe frowned at his following words, unable to understand his intention. Why was he telling her about taking multiple wives?

“That’s how low the expectations are for the Emperor’s women among the lion shapeshifters. They’re just thought of as one of many women. They don’t know which woman’s child will become the next Emperor either. Like me, who suddenly became the Emperor.”

Chloe still couldn’t figure out what he was trying to say.

“But it’s different for the wolf shapeshifters, right? They have high expectations for the Alpha’s mate. I know the Alpha’s mate is a position that receives everyone’s attention. All the wolf shapeshifters will be watching you. So it won’t be easy to endure that position. But they will protect you just as much. I want you to officially receive their protection. Hiding like this with the ambiguous status of being the Duke’s woman is dangerous. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“The Duke proposed to me. He was just worried about me being exposed to the world…”

“Yes, in a way, that’s true too. Hiding you forever if possible. But as long as you’re the woman of the wolf shapeshifter leader, you won’t be able to hide forever. Then it’s better to quickly become the official wife and be protected. I heard the Tigrium King is extremely cruel and persistent. I heard it directly from your mother.”

“…”

Chloe finally understood why Calcus was doing this.

Mother entrusted me to Calcus.

“I’m not ignoring your feelings and demanding that you come to me of my own accord. I’m just warning you that if the Duke can’t protect you, I’ll take you with me. If the wolf shapeshifters can’t protect you, I’ll protect you. Understand?”

“Calcus.”

Chloe was confused about how to respond. She had thought Calcus was being unreasonable and provoking the Duke, but that wasn’t it. But it wasn’t something she could thank him for either. Calcus had no obligation to protect her.

“I still love you, Chloe. Wherever your heart has gone, my heart is my own. So if I want to protect you, I will.”

“Don’t do that, there’s no need, Calcus.”

“It’s my feelings, so don’t you tell me what to do either.”

Calcus spoke with a slightly crooked expression. Chloe couldn’t say anything more.

“The Duke will have understood my warning. I’ll be watching over you and the Duke, and if I judge that the Duke can’t properly protect you, I’ll use the power I’ve gained to protect you. You’re the only one I want to use my power for.”

“Why are you doing this for me? When I love another man?”

Chloe was really curious. Why does he love her so unconditionally like this?

“Chloe.”

“Yeah?”

“The Duke imprinted on you, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Calcus smiled brightly. But that smile looked extremely lonely.

“I imprinted on you too.”

“…What?”

Chloe asked back with a frown. For a moment, the ridiculous thought of ‘Is Calcus a wolf shapeshifter?’ crossed her mind. Imprinting was a trait unique to wolf shapeshifters.

He became the Emperor because he’s a lion shapeshifter, so what does he mean by imprinting?

“When you, who were weaker than me, rushed at those idiots for my sake, when I was despised as a mutant, I think that’s when I gave you my heart. That was imprinting for me. Imprinting isn’t only what the wolf shapeshifters do. Wanting to protect someone until you die, having those feelings is also imprinting. That’s my imprinting.”

“…”

What could she say to him when he says things like this?

The old image of Calcus, who seemed to have a cold heart despite his beautiful face, came to mind. The moment when that beautiful but cold young Calcus gave her a warm and bright smile and opened his heart to her flashed by like a flashback.

“From that day on, you were the one person I wanted to protect. The only one. Because you protected the mutant lion cub.”

“Calcus…”

“So marry the Duke. Become the official Duchess. And be protected by Duke Ulpaz and the entire wolf shapeshifter tribe. I’ll be ready to take you away at any time if they can’t fulfill their role.”

“No…”

You shouldn’t, what can I say, why are you doing this, don’t do it, Calcus.

But those many words were trapped in her heart and couldn’t come out. She realized it was no use saying it like that, and she couldn’t force her feelings on Calcus any longer.

“I told you not to tell me what to do with my feelings, Chloe Liden!”

Calcus, who spoke in a strict tone, smiled slightly. That smile looked so painful that it seemed like tears would fall.

I’m sorry. For not being able to love you.

“Go. He’s about to turn into a wolf here.”

At Calcus’ words, Chloe momentarily turned her head towards the banquet hall in confusion. The tears that had been welling up suddenly disappeared. Even from this far away, the Duke was glaring this way with a terrifying gaze that could be felt.

Calcus, who already knew about the Duke’s hearing, had brought Chloe to the furthest balcony from the Duke so he wouldn’t hear the conversation.

“I’ll go, Calcus.”

“Yeah, go.”

“Congratulations on becoming the Emperor.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like I wanted to become one anyway.”

Finally, Chloe was able to give him a smile.

“Hurry and go, Chloe. Before I grab you.”

Calcus raised both hands and made a claw shape as he spoke. It was like a lion trying to pounce with its two front paws.

“Hahaha!”

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Imitating a lion at a time like this. She could feel Calcus’ intention to lighten her mood. For a moment, it felt like she had returned to the time when she and Calcus were friends.

“I’ll go.”

However, she soon composed herself and ran out of the balcony. Now it was time to leave her friend in her memories and return to the man she loved. In fact, she thought the Duke might have heard her laughter from earlier because she had laughed too loudly. He would be on high alert by now.

She could feel Calcus watching her run away from behind. He said he would protect her, but somehow it felt like they had finally properly sorted things out between them.

Thinking about herself when she had tried to leave the Duke before, she felt like she could understand how Calcus felt. It might take more time for Calcus to let go of his feelings for her. She could only hope that Calcus would be able to pass that time quickly.

The music changed and people began to gather in lines one by one and started dancing.

However, the Duke and Chloe, who were silently watching the people gathering in the center of the hall to dance, were both staring straight ahead without saying a word.

If he at least asked what she had talked about with Calcus, she would have said not to worry because it was sorted out well. But he didn’t ask anything, so it was even harder for her to bring it up first. She already knew from a few experiences that he extremely disliked hearing another man’s name from her mouth.

Ah, this is awkward.

“Um…”

“Chloe.”

She had mustered up the courage to speak, but the Duke happened to speak at the same time.