The Emperor, walking out of the palace, was reassured that he was a head taller than the guards escorting him.

They wouldn’t be able to see his twitching lips, which kept trying to break into a smile despite his efforts, so there was no need to worry about maintaining imperial dignity.

How adorable… The Emperor’s heart fluttered as he couldn’t get the image of Arabel out of his head, her round nostrils flaring as she finished her explanation.

Arabel clenching her tiny trembling fists and giving Lilibet a big telling-off was so cute and pretty that he almost rushed to pick her up and dash back to the imperial palace.

‘Since when did I care about others’ opinions and worry about procedural fairness? I’ll take her away from this filthy garbage.’

The Emperor had been about to reach out his hand to Arabel as she faced humiliation being accused by the pond. He’d thought he’d bring her back and ruthlessly crush anyone in the imperial household who objected.

But she had not only cleared her own and her maid’s names herself, but also provided a solution to the counterfeit gem fraud that was giving the empire headaches.

As she said she was more comfortable in the mountains than at home, Arabel possessed unrivaled knowledge about nature and living things.

The one regrettable thing… The Emperor briefly furrowed his brow and let out a small sigh.

He had kept signaling with his eyes for her to receive a public apology from Lilibet, but Arabel hadn’t understood at all.

Others would have tried to repay the humiliation and disgrace they suffered in kind, but she just seemed overjoyed that her maid was freed.

Oh well. You can’t expect everything at once.

Heading to the Third Office to meet with the diplomatic delegation, the Emperor instructed his secretary:

“Tell the soldiers who took Lilibet’s maid to the interrogation room not to eat separately, but to have lunch in the imperial army dining hall. And have the imperial maids who were at the palace annex stop by the palace maid’s quarters for lunch before returning to the annex.”

After thinking for a moment, he added one more instruction:

“And order the head maid to send them to the storage warehouse to receive today’s essentials directly from the staff there.”

The Emperor’s secretary looked at him with a puzzled expression, having never received such instructions before.

Unlike the secretary, Kyle the assistant, who immediately understood the Emperor’s intentions, thought with a quiet smile:

Though they say you need to keep your mouth shut to survive in the imperial household, there’s no place where rumors spread faster than here. Rumors that start in the palace spread throughout the capital and all corners of the empire in less than half a day.

His Majesty the Emperor is trying to let everyone know about today’s events in the fastest way possible. He’s arranging for the sentries and imperial maids who witnessed the commotion to spread the word.

The sentries having lunch in the army dining hall will tell the soldiers stationed throughout the palace, the maids eating lunch in the main building’s maid dining hall will tell maids from other departments, and those going to the storage warehouse will tell the managers dealing with merchants coming in from various regions, informing not just the nobility but also the common people of Lady Arabel’s achievements.

Kyle the assistant, known as the empire’s top strategist, inwardly marveled at the Emperor’s extraordinary mind.

In the corridor leading to the Third Office inside the palace, the Emperor ordered Jacob, the commander waiting there:

“Immediately divide the 5th Special Investigation Guard into three teams to investigate the jewelers in the capital markets and their associated black market dealers. The preparation material is water from the pond inside the palace.”

Preparation material is water from the palace pond…? As Commander Jacob stood with his mouth agape at the incomprehensible words left by the Emperor as he entered the office, Kyle the assistant put a hand on his shoulder and said:

“Lady Arabel taught us how to identify the fake Red Chaos gems that have been rampant lately.”

“Lady Arabel…? You mean that Lady Arabel who came to the palace with us?”

As Commander Jacob’s mouth fell open even wider in disbelief, Kyle the assistant nodded and entered the office.

“Aaargh!”

Lilibet, who had returned to the annex, screamed as she threw things around her bedroom.

“Ouch…!”

Her maid, unable to dodge the flying vase in time, groaned as she clutched her bleeding cheek.

“Does it hurt? What right do you have to be in pain? I suffered this humiliation because you idiots were so stupid, and you dare say it hurts?”

The princess stomped her feet in rage as she hurled glass ornaments to the floor.

Her elegant blonde updo became a tangled mess falling past her shoulders as she tore at it with both hands. Gone was her angelic beauty, replaced by a face filled with evil and venom, twisted beyond recognition.

It was the first time in her life she had felt such shame. The world had always been generous and indulgent to the beautiful princess, with those around her carefully watching her moods and wagging their tails to curry favor.

But to be bested by an utterly worthless girl who couldn’t even compare to her…!

“Aaargh!”

Princess Lilibet screamed, clutching her head in disbelief at what had just happened. All while cursing that it was all because of her maids.

Even her aunt, Empress Dowager Natalie, seemed embarrassed and returned straight to her quarters in the main palace without stopping by the annex.

Leaving with the barbed words: “You’ll have to lay low for a while. No, don’t try to do anything. Not until I tell you to.”

“Pri-Princess…”

Another maid from downstairs entered the bedroom, her face pale.

“What is it?”

“From the Imperial Competition Committee…”

“What about the Competition Committee? Speak up. I said speak!”

“A messenger came. I think you need to go downstairs.”

“Out of my way, useless thing!”

Lilibet shoved the maid’s shoulder by the door aside as she went downstairs to the reception room.

The Competition Committee official waiting in the reception room was shocked to see Princess Lilibet appear with disheveled hair, smeared makeup, and in a slovenly state.

“What brings you here?”

Lilibet asked in a carefully controlled voice, donning the mask of a cultured princess. The official, deliberately avoiding her face, answered:

“I’ve come to deliver the Competition Committee’s decision. Due to today’s incident at the palace annex, Princess Lilibet of Sevils has been deducted 25 points, and…”

As the Emperor said, she had lost 25 points before the competition had even properly begun. As she stood there, clenching her fists that trembled with anger, the official continued:

“As framing an innocent competitor for theft is a serious matter, in addition to the point deduction, it has been decided that you must make a public apology directly to Lady Arabel.”

For a moment, Princess Lilibet’s expression turned vicious, as if she might lunge forward and tear out his hair. The official flinched and quickly moved past the princess towards the door, adding:

“The public apology will take place the morning after tomorrow.”

As the official hurriedly left the annex, he clicked his tongue, thinking, “Was the princess always so vulgar?” as he returned to the palace.

In fact, the public apology had not been included in the committee’s decision. Not until Kyle the assistant poked his head into the committee room to convey the Emperor’s opinion on the matter.

Kyle had repeatedly emphasized that ‘His Majesty is absolutely not forcing this,’ but conveyed the Emperor’s opinion that ‘a public apology is necessary’ to instill a sense of caution in all the ladies.

The Emperor’s words were not wrong. Despite the committee’s warnings, such incidents occurred frequently in every empress selection competition. Something stronger than just point deductions was needed as punishment.

Now, watching Princess Lilibet smashing things in the reception room, her two maids’ lips twitched.

In the past, they would have perfectly tidied up the princess’s disheveled appearance before she went down to meet the committee official… but they had let the agitated princess go down as she was.

It was a small act of revenge against the princess who hurled abuse at them without a thought for their sacrifice on her behalf.

The foolish princess had no idea that cracks of distrust and discontent had begun to form between her and the maids who had served her since childhood.

Piazza (Square) in the capital of the Helterd Empire.

“If you stay so stiff, you’ll be found out quickly. You could put the guards’ safety at risk because of you.”

The Emperor spoke to Arabel walking beside him in a seemingly serious tone.

Arabel’s eyes widened as she looked up at the Emperor, hearing that the guards doing undercover investigation in the square market could be in danger because of her.

“To naturally look like a couple, it would be better if you came closer to my side. Walking so coldly apart like this, we’re likely to arouse suspicion.”

The Emperor spoke in a dry voice as if giving instructions for the undercover investigation, then lowered his gaze to his side. Arabel, who had been keeping her distance from the Emperor, carefully moved closer to walk by his side.

As the distance closed to where their arms almost touched, the Emperor spoke again.

“Unfortunately, no one here seems to see us as a couple right now. Usually, couples…”

The Emperor bent his right arm and held it against his body as he spoke.

“The woman holds the man’s arm and walks being escorted.”

Ahem, clearing his throat, the Emperor slightly raised his bent arm. Arabel reached out and placed her hand on the Emperor’s arm.

The corners of the Emperor’s mouth turned up as he looked down at her cheeks, which had turned as red as ripe apples. His cool red eyes, usually unmoved by anything, rippled with what seemed like genuine pleasure as they took in her round crown.

Late in the afternoon, the Emperor had set out for the capital square, taking Arabel with him, saying her abilities were needed for this incognito outing.

Contrary to Arabel’s expectation that she would help the Emperor and guards identify counterfeit gems, the Emperor had nonchalantly said after dismissing the guards and leaving them alone:

‘We will pose as a couple and enter the jewelry store for undercover investigation. If we barge in with soldiers, the real big fish will catch wind and flee.’

Understanding the Emperor’s words, Arabel had nodded and begun walking with him through the busy streets of the square.

As she placed her hand on the Emperor’s firm arm, Arabel felt reassured on one hand, but on the other, her heart began to pound uncontrollably, causing her to keep stumbling…

Each time she stumbled, the Emperor would wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her into his embrace protectively, speaking to her in a playful voice:

“Those two feet that ran so well on steep mountain paths seem to have lost their strength on flat ground.”

Somehow lacking the courage to look up at the Emperor, Arabel kept her gaze on the ground as she walked.

Suddenly, the Emperor’s lips came close enough to almost touch Arabel’s earlobe as he whispered seductively before pulling away:

“If you want me to carry you, I could do that too. Just say the word.”

Startled, Arabel turned her head to the side, and the Emperor’s handsome face filled her vision, causing her to inhale sharply.

His long fingers gently traced over her soft lips, saying,

“You need to exhale.”

The Emperor’s face, which had been smiling down at her eye level with his waist and head deeply bent, moved away upwards again.

The heat left on her lips seemed to burst into flower petals, tickling the inside of her throat.

The Emperor and Arabel, walking through the square in ordinary noble’s outing clothes, looked every bit the young couple. Undisguisable excitement permeated their gait, and a warm air enveloped them.

It was a first for Arabel, but also for Emperor Maxwell. He had never even imagined walking arm in arm with someone on the street.

No, he had thought dating between men and women was a useless waste of time. After all, his marriage would be arranged by contract between empires and kingdoms, families and families.

The Emperor unconsciously inhaled Arabel’s sweet and clear scent as he felt her body heat through his arm.

He didn’t understand why his heart felt so full just walking like this without saying anything… but he knew it was no longer a waste of time.

“That place looks good. Let’s stop there first.”

At the Emperor’s words, Arabel also opened her eyes wide as if waking from a dream and turned her head to look at the store the Emperor was pointing to.

An ornate two-story jewelry store that particularly stood out on the busy commercial street.

“As this is an undercover investigation, I hope you’ll give your all to acting the part of a couple, Lady Arabel. It’s for the peace of the empire.”

As the Emperor asked in a solemn voice, Arabel’s kind brown eyes sparkled with determination. She nodded vigorously, clenching both fists tightly.