The Emperor’s audience chamber.

“Your Imperial Majesty. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

The Emperor, who had been drowsy, suddenly raised his head at the sound of a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. Turning his eyes, he saw Hertian walking in.

“Have you been well?”

His voice echoed through the spacious room. The Emperor, who had been smiling because he liked the sound of it, quickly erased his expression.

“Spare me the courtesies.”

And then, contrary to his true feelings, he greeted his son with a cold tone.

Hertian responded bluntly to the Emperor’s unchanged attitude.

“Then I’ll spare them.”

It was a reunion after two years. With the Emperor. And with the capital.

No matter how many times he visited, the Imperial Palace always felt unfamiliar. Feeling stifled, Hertian unbuttoned the top button of his collar as he approached the throne.

“Have you become even more arrogant after returning victorious from war?”

“I’ll stop now.”

“Yes, stop that arrogant attitude towards your father…”

“I meant I’ll stop wandering battlefields to avoid the in-laws.”

Hertian cut off the Emperor’s words and got straight to the point. Lengthy greetings didn’t suit his temperament.

“What?”

The Emperor straightened his posture at his son’s sudden rebellion.

“I’m tired of it. It’s horrifying that the place I fled to save my life is a battlefield where people are killed.”

It had been four years. While his friends were running around at the academy, he had inherited the position of Grand Duke and wandered battlefields. He thought he had gotten used to suppressing his desires and living that way. But he no longer wanted to live giving up everything.

Moreover, Anette wanted him. War in this situation? Even if the Empire were to fall, would he go?

“It’s still premature. Wait until your power base is established.”

But the Emperor wasn’t one to accept this easily. He didn’t want to lose his beloved son after losing his love. However, if the Emperor directly intervened to protect Hertian, that would raise its own rebellion. Knowing this well, the Emperor was still biding his time.

“I refuse.”

Hertian answered firmly.

“Are you saying you’ll defy my will?”

“You clearly promised before the war. You said you’d let me return to my territory after this war ended.”

“But it was you who ended the war earlier than the promised time.”

He had been told to drag it out for at least another year. But for Hertian, Anette’s letter was more important than that. With Anette potentially marrying another man, he couldn’t afford to idle away time on the battlefield. It was better to confront this now than to live that way.

“It’s incompetence to not end it when you can.”

“You dare defy the Emperor’s words?”

“No. I’m informing you. That I won’t go to war anymore just to preserve my life.”

Hertian left these words that were close to a declaration and turned away coldly.

He had expected the Emperor to be angry anyway.

Just as he was about to leave the audience chamber…

Hahaha.

The Emperor burst into loud laughter. Hertian stopped in his tracks.

“The time has finally come.”

His head turned irritably at the deep voice. The Emperor’s face was filled with a satisfaction he had never seen before. He seemed quite pleased with his son’s first act of defiance.

“You should have done this sooner. Now that you can even stand up to the Emperor, I suppose you can protect your life and your territory’s people.”

Hertian’s eyebrows twitched.

“…Have you been testing me all this time?”

For four years?

“Originally, the true king of the jungle, the lion, throws its cubs off a cliff. It’s not a test, but helping you grow on your own.”

“You’re the one playing with words, Your Majesty.”

“Think what you will.”

The Emperor was fine either way.

With such guts, he thought his son wouldn’t be fooled so easily out there.

“So what do you plan to do for a living when you return to your territory? You who have known nothing but war until now.”

Of course, this is just the beginning. Living in that cold and barren land will be even harder.

‘Do you have something else in mind to be so confident?’

The Emperor became a little curious.

But the words that came out of Hertian’s mouth defied all expectations.

“I’m going to get married.”

It was something he never expected to hear from Hertian’s mouth, not even from Serdis.

“You, you’re getting married?”

“Don’t think about interfering.”

This guy… he’s not joking, he’s serious.

He’s really thinking about marriage.

“Being under Calix has only made your head bigger… talking about marriage when you don’t even have a partner.”

The Emperor was still skeptical. Having seen his brother Calix die without even dating, let alone marrying, he thought his son was saying this out of fear of ending up the same way.

“I do. Someone to marry.”

“You do? You who’ve only been wandering battlefields? Did you fall for a princess from a neighboring country on the battlefield?”

“Even if I tell you, Your Majesty wouldn’t know.”

“This brat…!”

The Emperor slammed his hand on the armrest. Hertian ignored the Emperor’s reaction and moved towards the exit. But he stopped in his tracks at the noisy sound coming from outside the audience chamber.

“Entry is not allowed without permission!”

“Even if you’re a noble, you need to make an appointment in advance to see His Imperial Majesty…!”

Soon after, the door opened and a servant approached the Emperor, bowing repeatedly.

“What’s the matter?”

The servant gestured towards the outside and reported the situation.

“Well… Lady Leanberia suddenly wanted to see Your Imperial Majesty, causing a small commotion. As she came without an appointment, we’ll quickly persuade her to leave.”

Lady Leanberia.

Hertian’s head turned reflexively.

“Anette…?”

His eyes naturally sought her direction.

And the Emperor quickly noticed that a woman’s name came naturally from the mouth of his son who knew nothing but war. Even the wavering gaze as he looked outside. This was the first time he had seen such a reaction from his son.

‘Could it be he’s planning to marry that lady?’

A mischievous smile crept onto the Emperor’s lips.

This was the perfect card to tease his son who had just defied him.

“Let her in.”

The Emperor wasn’t one to miss this opportunity.

“Pardon?”

“Lady Leanberia. I said let her in.”

I left Serdis with Violet.

During my meeting with the Emperor, Serdis might come looking for me.

I needed someone to keep him in check. Violet gladly agreed to my request.

And I came to the Emperor’s audience chamber without notice, causing a commotion, and finally gained entry by the Emperor’s order. My father would be furious if he knew, but I too felt like I was on the edge of a cliff.

“I know it’s rude, but I had to see Your Imperial Majesty urgently.”

I bowed deeply at the foot of the tall throne.

“You said you were Lady Leanberia?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why did you cause such a commotion to see me when you could have requested a meeting through the Count?”

“Because I had to speak with you right now. Please spare me some time.”

The Emperor exhaled briefly before speaking.

“I’ll spare you some time. However, if I find what you say to be unreasonable, I’ll have you imprisoned in the underground dungeon.”

His voice was cold and dry, like an ice pick. But I replied without concern.

“If you judge my words to be nonsense, you may punish me. But please punish only me, as this reckless act was mine alone.”

And I boldly added.

“Also, if my words prove true, please grant me one wish in the future.”

This was my Plan B.

To foresee events that would happen in the original story and gain the Emperor’s protection.

It wasn’t safer than marriage. As I had experienced, the original story might not unfold as expected, and there was no reason for the Emperor to grant my wish. However, with the continuous failure of marriages, I became willing to try anything when I had nothing left to lose.

“Speak.”

The order was given.

I uttered the words I had prepared.

“There will be an assassination attempt by poisoning at the upcoming victory celebration.”

The reason I had to meet the Emperor today.

Because today was the day of the victory celebration. To request an audience with the Emperor, one usually needs to apply at least a week in advance, but I didn’t have that much time.

To achieve what I wanted as quickly as possible, I had to take risks.

A heavy silence fell. Soon, the Emperor’s stern and weighty voice broke the silence.

“How do you know this?”

“Since an accident in my childhood, I occasionally see things that haven’t happened in this world.”

This was the only way to convince him that I knew because of my book transmigration.

“Are you trying to pose as a prophet with such deceitful words?”

“I am not a prophet. I don’t see everything that happens, and I certainly don’t know who’s involved in this matter.”

I declined being treated as a prophet. It would obviously be troublesome.

The Emperor ignored my words without even snorting.

“That’s the most ridiculous story I’ve heard this year. I can’t ruin the victory celebration based on a claim you can’t prove.”

It was a natural reaction.

If someone had come to me out of the blue claiming to know future events, I would have treated them as insane too.

“I know the location of an object Your Imperial Majesty has been searching for.”

But I came prepared with a way to prove myself.

“…An object I’ve been searching for?”

“Dig at the end of the stone-paved path behind the Imperial Palace.”

“Lady. If this too turns out to be a prank, I will not stand idle.”

I smiled confidently.

“You’re welcome to check.”

The Emperor glared at me for a while before calling a servant and ordering him to dig. Not long after, the servant returned.

“Your Imperial Majesty.”

The Emperor, without even glancing at the servant, sneered.

“Well? Did you find some pebbles?”

“Well… It’s nothing particularly special, but we found an old hair ornament.”

“Bring it here.”

The servant unfolded the cloth he had wrapped around it. Inside was an orange-colored hair ornament. The Emperor’s eyes, which had been looking at the ornament indifferently, gradually widened.

“How… How did this end up there…”

It was an item he had personally given to the woman he loved when they secretly crossed the palace walls together. For the Emperor, who had been grieving after the woman’s death and the burning of all traces of her in the palace, it was a welcome and nostalgic object.

The Emperor, who had been sitting firmly, rose and carefully picked up the hair ornament. I bowed deeply without looking at the Emperor.

“I don’t know what this object is. I just caught a glimpse of Your Majesty crying while looking for this hair ornament in the future.”

And I waited quietly. Until the Emperor composed himself.

“I’ll believe your words. Now stand up and tell me.”

Finally, a trembling voice descended. I smiled inwardly in victory while hiding the dirt on my hands.

It was good that I had secretly dug it up beforehand, even though I knew about it from the original story, as the exact location was a bit fuzzy.

I didn’t expect it to be this effective.

“I’m grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

This was the real start of the negotiation.