“Because when I become free, I need to be able to protect myself.”

“Free?”
Kai never imagined that the word ‘freedom’ would bring such unpleasant feelings. Before he could even ask what it meant, Stella’s response followed.

“Yeah. I will leave this imperial palace someday.”

As she spoke of merely leaving the imperial palace, a firm smile, different from before, flickered across Stella’s face. Kai felt even more uncomfortable.

“Aren’t you leaving now?”

Unintentionally, Kai’s tone became blunt as he questioned. However, Stella responded with a distant gaze, as if looking at a faraway place.

“Do you know how many princesses are here? There are a hundred. Can you imagine? A hundred princesses living every day, waiting for the emperor’s choice somewhere in this imperial palace. Isn’t it terrible?”

“Terrible?”

Kai had never thought of it that way.

Of course, he didn’t need to consider it from the princesses’ perspective, but he had vaguely assumed that all princesses eagerly awaited the emperor’s choice due to the emperor’s arrogance.

Stella had thought of herself among them. Therefore, she had casually believed that anytime she revealed her identity and extended her hand, Stella would gladly take it, rejoicing.

However, in the stories Stella shared with a happy expression about the future, there was no sight of herself. Kai suddenly felt a profound sense of distance.
“Yeah, it’s terrible. All those princesses, over a hundred of them, living their lives just for one person.”

“Aren’t you a princess?”

“Me?”

As Stella answered, she turned her head towards him. The moment Kai met her gaze with those amber eyes, it felt like his heart sank.

“Yes. Don’t you want to become an empress, Princess?”

Even as he asked the question, Kai felt a weight on his chest, as if someone was pressing firmly on his back.

“Why bother.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want that kind of thing.”

“But being the empress of the Kredion Empire is a position anyone would covet, isn’t it? It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s a position every woman in the world would desire.”

Kai sincerely believed that, so Stella’s casual dismissal felt strange.

It was like seeing a baby insist that a circle was a triangle. However, with Stella’s following words, Kai couldn’t help but stay silent.

“I really need a family. Not the heavy relationships entwined with titles like empress or emperor, but people with whom I can warmly call their names, who will stand by me in any situation. I want to live happily, hand in hand with such people, forming a real family.”

Judging by her expression, it seemed like she wasn’t just saying it for the sake of it.

“Do you miss your family?”

“No.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Stella’s straightforward response widened Kai’s eyes. Stella seemed to have an expression as if she might leave abruptly.

Most princesses who came as boarders tended to express a desire to return home during the first few months, telling stories of pillow-wetting night after night.

However, this princess, who declared without hesitation that she didn’t miss her family, was a first.

Royce, sitting beside her, felt her gaze filled with puzzlement, but Stella didn’t turn to look.

At this moment, if she were to meet his eyes, it seemed like she might end up sharing even the stories she shouldn’t.

“Not all families miss each other.”

It was a true statement, but it still fell short of fully making Kai understand.

After Stella smiled at Kai and stood up, Royce, who was sitting next to her, felt a sense of disappointment. It was as if Stella were now urging him to leave, and Kai felt a fleeting sense of unease.

In the moment when he unexpectedly wished to stay a bit longer, Kai also stood up from his seat.

That’s when it happened.

Someone was approaching the two of them. The way they walked didn’t seem ordinary.

Kai instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, but as he did, he looked up and his eyes widened at the familiar sight.
The person walking into Verdura Castle with a wide smile was none other than Kai’s mentor, Duke Will. Will, upon discovering Kai with Stella, displayed a greatly surprised expression.

“How!”

“What brings you here!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Stella, and Kai, recognizing each other, asked in unison.

“Do you know each other?”

Kai, the first to regain his composure after Stella’s question, looked meaningfully at Will, who, seeing Princess Stella confidently disrespecting the emperor, raised his eyebrows in confusion.

However, following Kai’s theatrical deference, Will chuckled meaningfully and gazed at Kai.

“No, we don’t know each other.”