Yuan had nothing to worry about.

Due to the emperor’s sudden visit, imperial servants from the capital Cielo were coming down in droves to make preparations.

The space they were decorating was the east annex hall on the right side of the mansion, about two stories lower than the main building.

Yuan watched the people gathered in the hall from afar and instructed to clear the snow piled up in the garden.

Watching the servants glancing at the luxurious space and people, she thought she should ask Michelle to make pretty and warm uniforms for them.

Yuan suddenly looked up at the second floor where Clard’s bedroom was located.

It was daytime, so she couldn’t tell if the lights were on or off.

She felt frustrated that she couldn’t even comfort him since he told her not to presumptuously do so.

If she could at least show that she was watching over him like before, she could have pushed her way in asking if there was anything he needed her to do.

And in the meantime, the letters from Peliesse had increased.

Yuan, who had been checking the sentences full of threats and intimidation, now burned the letters in the fireplace without even opening them as soon as she received them.

How reassuring the tall iron fence and burly guards that had blocked her way when she first came to this mansion were now.

Yuan liked that there was someone to protect her even if her uncle came to her right away with Frederick at the forefront.

If things got desperate, she could always flee to Clard’s bedroom. They wouldn’t dare push their way into the ‘monster’ former crown prince’s bedroom.

But someone who even the reassuring iron fence, guards, and Clard couldn’t handle appeared before Yuan exactly two days later.

The morning after spending two nights with Clard, who had become much less talkative.

The uncle who abandoned Clard and the emperor of the Yufris Empire.

Igor Yufris crossed the iron fence of this black mansion, boasting his majestic presence.

Clard, who was always in his nightgown, got dressed up for the first time in 10 years, entrusting his body to the butler Gustav.

Yuan also hurriedly altered and wore the most colorful and luxuriously decorated dress left behind by one of Clard’s former wives.

Though it didn’t quite match her youthful face, Henna praised Yuan, saying she looked like a princess from some kingdom.

As soon as the dressed-up couple went out to the mansion’s entrance together, Emperor Igor Yufris appeared with an entourage of what looked to be at least 200 people.

Befitting his background as a military officer in his youth, the emperor arrived not in a carriage but riding a magnificent warhorse.

Yuan felt like she was facing a giant male lion alone in the jungle and shrank her shoulders a bit.

As she naturally moved closer to Clard’s side, the large-bodied emperor, dismounting and striding over, showed his slightly yellowed teeth in a smile.

“May endless glory be upon the great Yufris. We greet Your Imperial Majesty.”

As Yuan bowed her knee and head simultaneously as she had hurriedly learned from the butler, the emperor’s face was right up close to hers.

True to his reputation as quite a handsome man in his youth, the emperor had large, clear-cut features.

However, glimpses of terrible scars peeking through his unkempt golden beard made him appear very threatening to Yuan.

The emperor’s eyes were shining, but it was more like madness on the verge of boiling over than intelligence.

Between his thick-skinned face, bright blue eyes thoroughly examined Yuan before a thick hand was extended toward her.

Though she knew it was rude, Yuan looked to Clard first before the emperor.

Clard’s sunken eyes behind the mask covering half his face had been fixed straight ahead without moving at all.

Yuan placed her trembling hand on top of Emperor Igor’s.

Snatching up her absurdly small hand without hesitation, Igor removed the long white silk glove covering Yuan’s hand and lowered his lips.

Yuan, who had offered her hand while shrinking her shoulders, had to hold back a scream at the emperor’s next impulsive action.

Looking straight into Yuan’s wide-open eyes, Emperor Igor pretended to bite and tear at the back of her hand like a piece of roasted meat, then ostentatiously put her entire finger in his mouth, bit down, and smiled.

Yuan instinctively felt it.

Emperor Igor Yufris wasn’t just a tyrant.

He was a complete maniac!

While greeting in turn Marquis Lev whose face had turned ashen, Duke Kompani who was frowning with his thin but bushy eyebrows while keeping his mouth shut,

And First Prince Boloniko who was smiling brightly with crescent eyes, Yuan struggled to keep her trembling legs straight.

She had sent them ahead to the annex party hall under the pretext of adjusting her attire.

Barely propping up her body that was about to collapse against the corridor wall, Yuan stood blankly for a moment, still holding the gloves she couldn’t bring herself to put back on.

“Hey.”

Startled by the sudden voice, Yuan tensed up like a rabbit spotting a predator and turned around.

Clard was standing right next to her, though she didn’t know how long he had been there.

There was no emotion on Clard’s face, but strangely, tears felt like they would burst out upon facing him.

Her heart was still pounding, making it difficult to control her expression. Though she knew this wasn’t the place to show weakness, the words “I’m scared” were rattling around in her mouth, about to spill out at any moment.

“Don’t wander around alone anywhere without permission.”

Whether he knew how she felt or not.

Clard only said those words, even as Yuan looked up at him with brimming eyes.

It was a phrase she had heard to the point of tedium over the past 3 days.

With so many guests pouring in from the capital, where could she possibly go?

Clard’s gaze lingered very briefly on Yuan’s left hand, which she still hadn’t put the glove back on. But it was just for an instant.

She had hoped he might offer some words of comfort, but his clear purple eyes mercilessly turned straight toward the party hall.

Swallowing her shallow humiliation, Yuan finally managed to put on her gloves and followed Clard into the party hall.

There was a long rectangular table against a backdrop of a massive painting covering one entire wall.

It was a place solely for the emperor, First Prince Boloniko, and the former crown prince couple.

As if to prove that the wedding celebration wasn’t a complete lie, the people Emperor Igor brought seemed to be his closest confidants.

Whenever the emperor made even a single remark while drinking heavily, they would rush to chime in, leaving no room for awkwardness in the party hall.

Thanks to the emperor who willingly tore into the lavishly prepared food with his hands, the nobles also began eating comfortably without putting on airs.

Since most of Emperor Igor’s inner circle came from military backgrounds, they seemed more at ease with the informal party.

Yuan glanced at Clard sitting beside her, wondering what this discomfort she had been feeling was about.

Clard sat quietly without touching a single piece of food.

As if his usual lax posture had never existed, his back was straighter than anyone else seated here, and with his half-mask and formal attire, he looked even more princely than the short-haired Boloniko who was smiling ingratiatingly next to his father.

Yuan suddenly realized that he was of a status she wouldn’t have dared to look up at before, and tried to sit up straighter and look more dignified herself.

Then, thinking she should take a closer look at the guests as the host of this party, she looked around.

And ended up making direct eye contact with her cousin, Regina Peliesse, who was sitting at the far end with a sharp gaze.

As Boloniko had assured that she would soon meet Yuan.

The Peliesse Count family was invited to this party as the bride Yuan’s family.

Regina Peliesse was looking around the banquet hall, unable to contain her excitement.

She was filled with anticipation of meeting Drake Trelloni here.

How thrilling it was to learn that Drake, who had no idea that the former crown prince’s new bride, not properly known to the public, was actually the one he had originally proposed to, had been invited to this party!

Regina scrutinized the people sitting in a long row at the opposite table, with her parents’ voices expressing dissatisfaction at being seated farthest from the emperor as background noise.

Then she saw Yuan Peliesse sitting there with a very tense expression.

She was trying to look quite solemn, but a crow was still a crow.

A pitiful soul living in a completely burned-down castle with a monster husband who couldn’t show his face and wore a mask.

In contrast, Regina was ready to make her debut as the most splendid butterfly, spreading rumors of an affair with Drake Trelloni.

Regina approached where Yuan was sitting, bringing along Sophia Melrun, a fellow court noble who was quite devoted to her.

While Regina walked rhythmically, following the free atmosphere of the banquet hall, Sophia was busy hiding behind Regina as they got closer to the rumored monster former crown prince.

“Where did the ‘former’ crown prince go, leaving you all alone here?”

Though Clard was nearby, surrounded by the emperor’s confidants receiving ceremonial greetings.

Regina’s face overflowed with composure as she asked nonchalantly despite clearly seeing this.

It was a gesture on a completely different level from Yuan, who was sitting stiffly like a sack of borrowed barley.

“We greet Your Highness, the former crown princess.”

“Pfft.”

As Sophia, who had been reading the atmosphere, awkwardly paid her respects to Yuan, Regina covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed.

Sophia was startled and lightly tugged on Regina’s sleeve.

However, it was too weak a movement for Regina, who had approached with determination.

“Won’t you introduce us, Yuan? Although we probably won’t meet again, it’s good to know at least one face your age, right? This is Lady Sophia of the Melrun viscounty. She’s my friend who will be making her debut with me at the imperial palace this time. Say hello, Lady Sophia. This is Yuan Peliesse.”

Regina was excited at the thought of completely trampling Yuan in front of Sophia.

“She’s my ungrateful cousin who ran away from home to get married without a single word of contact. Oh, what my parents did for this pitiful cousin.”