Imperial Palace 2nd Banquet Hall.

“I command a quest for you and your knights.”

The Emperor spoke, laying the blade of the sword on Count Korad’s head and both shoulders in turn on the altar.

Count Korad knelt in knightly fashion, took the sword from the Emperor’s hand with both hands, and bowed his head in response.

“I will surely bring back the imperial citizens, following Your Majesty’s command.”

The special mission (Extraordinary Quest) ceremony for Count Korad and his knights was held briefly in the palace banquet hall.

It was a quest to bring back imperial citizens who had been sold into slavery in five kingdoms with slave systems.

About five hundred commoners had been smuggled into foreign countries by nobles in collusion with human traffickers, and the Emperor had already sent envoys to request cooperation from the kings and queens of the five kingdoms.

Although the sentence was filled with dignified words like the Emperor’s, in a nutshell, it was a threat to change the king if they didn’t return the enslaved imperial citizens.

He also didn’t forget to include kind advice, close to an order, to pay for the free labor of imperial citizens so far, including interest.

“You’ll have to go through the trouble this time as well.”

“It’s only natural. I will bring everyone back to the empire without leaving a single person behind.”

“If they have formed families, make them free people as well, and if they want to come along, do so. I will allow them imperial citizenship papers.”

“I will do so, Your Majesty.”

As Count Korad bowed his head, his son Timothy and twenty knights standing behind him bowed their heads in turn.

Emperor Maxwell was an emperor who had brought the greatest period of prosperity to the empire that no one could dispute.

Count Korad thought this was just the beginning. The empire would become much stronger and greater under the rule of the young emperor.

However, the emperor, being so focused on the big picture, didn’t pay attention to the small details that made up the picture. He only turned his attention when the perfect big picture he envisioned was distorted by insignificant small dots.

The emperor only showed interest in nobles or commoners when they had value for the empire he was trying to build, otherwise he was indifferent.

It was like an architect building the most beautiful and sturdy house in the world, but not thinking about the people who would live in it.

Sadly, the beautiful yet cruel emperor lacked interest in others and the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure that humans possess.

Count Korad furrowed his brow for a moment, remembering the former Crown Prince Luca, who had a warm and kind nature and would have become emperor if he hadn’t been killed by a black panther.

If former Crown Prince Luca and former Crown Princess Devine had lived, Emperor Maxwell would have learned love and trust in humanity as well. But unfortunately, the emperor had to learn hatred and betrayal of humans first.

A corner of the count’s heart ached as he looked at the emperor, whose view of the world was so different from his son’s.

That’s why this quest was very unusual. The lower-class commoners sold into slavery were not beings necessary for the emperor.

It was natural to punish the elder nobles and confiscate their property. They had deceived the emperor and caused economic losses to the empire by not paying taxes.

But the emperor went a step further and ordered a special quest to find and bring back imperial citizens sold into slavery. Even at the cost of troublesome diplomatic disputes with other countries.

The emperor was not someone who would allocate his precious time to unnecessary lower-class commoners…

This decision, along with resolving the relocation of former territory people after demolishing slums, and nullifying employment contracts and debt responsibilities no different from serfdom contracts, was having a butterfly effect throughout the empire.

The commoners began to praise the virtuous emperor who cared for the weak in society.

Nobles who had accumulated wealth by committing all sorts of illegal acts while evading the eyes of the central administration, fearing they might be the emperor’s next target, closed their businesses and released their territory people from the trap of debt.

Of course, they even voluntarily paid taxes that hadn’t even been set yet.

The elder top nobles were suspicious of what strategy the emperor was using to play the role of a wise ruler this time, and were lowering their stance on their own, not resisting the emperor’s policies.

Regardless of the intention, Count Korad gave a faint smile at his unexpected change.

“When you return, I’ll hold a banquet to award Timothy a special imperial medal. There’s no more room for medals on your shoulders and chest, so it would be better to give it to Timothy, your heir.”

At the emperor’s words, Count Korad and Timothy exchanged surprised glances and then bowed their heads to express their gratitude.

“More than that, I have a favor to ask.”

Feeling Timothy’s desperate gaze, Count Korad opened his mouth.

“What is it?”

“I’m mentioning this because I think the person who saved my son’s life is someone you know, Your Majesty.”

At Count Korad’s answer, the emperor’s red eyes narrowed for a moment and he asked in a dry voice.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Lady Arabel de Saint-Cyr, who was with Your Majesty at the Topaz Jewelry Store last evening.”

Before Count Korad could answer the emperor’s question, Timothy hurriedly interjected.

“Lady Arabel de Saint-Cyr…”

As the emperor seemed lost in thought, stroking his chin with his long fingers, Timothy answered.

“I’ve been… looking for her for a long time… I’ve been yearning to contact her but had no way to… If you could let her know that I want to meet her, no, if you could give me her contact information, no. That wouldn’t be polite to her either… So…”

Not noticing the chilling red eyes looking down at him, Timothy’s face turned red as a radish as he began to ramble.

“If I give you my contact information, no, of course, Your Majesty already knows my contact information… Ha, ha, I’m my father’s son after all. So, if you could contact the lady… no, if you could arrange a meeting with her, no, that’s not right. Your Majesty is busy, so I can’t dare ask, but… still.”

To anyone watching, it looked like he was begging the woman’s brother to let him meet her.

Count Korad, who gently pressed down his son’s arm, calmly asked.

“I request that you arrange a meeting between my son and Lady Arabel.”

The warm atmosphere in the hall turned cold with the emperor’s silence. The two fathers and sons swallowed hard as the emperor’s aura standing before them suddenly turned sharp as a blade.

The emperor slightly raised his chiseled chin and opened his mouth, looking at Timothy with a cold gaze from under his lowered eyelids.

“There’s no problem with arranging a meeting, but I’ll have to find time as I need to be there too.”

“You too, Your Imperial Majesty?”

As Timothy asked with wide round eyes, the emperor furrowed his brow and answered.

“It’s better to prevent unnecessary rumors in advance. Rumors of the heir to Count Korad’s family harboring feelings for the emperor’s woman, such complicated romantic rumors.”

“What, what do you mean by that?”

As Count Korad and Timothy simultaneously raised their voices to ask, the emperor nonchalantly asked back.

“Shouldn’t there be no reason for you to meet separately with the eleventh empress candidate I personally brought to the imperial palace?”

A sharp light flashed threateningly in his red eyes, contrasting with his gentle tone, before quickly disappearing.

First day of the competition.

“Miss, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Contrary to her brave words, Vera’s hands trembled slightly as she smoothed out Arabel’s dress one more time, almost finished preparing for the competition venue.

“Of course, His Imperial Majesty is standing firmly behind you, miss.”

Rosa said as she handed Arabel long lavender gloves. However, everyone knew that His Imperial Majesty had declared he would not exert any influence during this competition.

“From what I see, there are no ladies better than you, miss.”

Dina said, her face flushing for no reason.

Of course, there were an armful of ladies who were just a tiny bit prettier, just a tiny bit taller, just a tiny bit better-figured, just a tiny bit from better families, and just a tiny bit more educated as ladies… Dina shook her head vigorously to stop the flow of thoughts.

“It’s fortunate that we can all go along and watch the first competition.”

“But with so many guests, if you make even a small mistake, you’ll be even more embarrassed, right?”

Vera and Rosa shot sharp glances at Dina for her tactless words. Dina hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands and glanced at Arabel.

“Dina’s right, you know.”

Arabel flared her nostrils and let out a shallow sigh.

Moreover, today’s competition was to be held in the newly expanded outdoor theater of the imperial palace. Arabel felt stifled with worry that her mistakes might bring ridicule to the emperor.

If they were to sing court songs or dance imperial dances on stage that the noble ladies had learned since childhood… Just imagining it made her dizzy.

These were things she had never learned before. The only dance she had ever done was when His Imperial Majesty taught her social dancing.

Her face cramped as she tried hard to smile.

“It’s time to go to the competition venue.”

As Milly stood at the door and spoke, four women with equally pale faces headed towards the door.

“Miss.”

Rosa softly called out to Arabel as she was leaving the annex, following Vera, Dina, and Milly.

When Arabel turned her head to look at Rosa, Rosa looked at her with eyes full of sincerity and spoke deliberately.

“To me, you’re already Her Majesty the Empress, no matter what anyone says. You’re a precious person I’ll serve with my life. I hope you realize how amazing you are, miss.”

Rosa’s words were full of sincerity. Arabel’s clear eyes crinkled into half-moons as she nodded vigorously.

Semi-circular outdoor stage theater on the 6th floor central rooftop of the imperial palace.

The invited candidates’ families, delegations, important nobles, and officials had already arrived and taken their seats in the semi-circular theater that could accommodate a thousand spectators.

When a third of the theater seats were filled, the imperial palace orchestra’s performance stopped and the surroundings grew quiet.

As the side door of the stage opened, eleven candidates appeared and took their seats in the front row of the audience. The maids attending them stood in a row along the wall, fully prepared to rush to their ladies whenever needed.

The judges, already seated two rows behind the candidates, maintained serious expressions without making eye contact with anyone. The ladies tried hard to maintain calm expressions while reviewing the competition questions they had anticipated all night.

The reason for calling them to the theater with the Imperial Palace’s First Orchestra prepared was clearly to have the ladies compete in their singing and dancing skills on stage. The singing and dancing of noble ladies was not simply about showing off their skills by singing court songs or dancing imperial dances.

The court songs and imperial dances chosen by the ladies not only demonstrated the quality of education they had received so far, but also proved the discernment and ability of the empress who would become the face of the empire’s art and culture.

Perhaps they would be asked to compose impromptu poems to the orchestra’s performance, or even create and perform dances to their composed songs.

The empress candidates sitting here were ladies who had received education optimized to become the highest woman in the empire and kingdom since birth.

They had practiced imperial songs and dances to the point of nausea. Even if they couldn’t understand, they had to memorize and repeat them in their heads.

Except for one candidate.

Ten empress candidates glanced sideways at the rustic face that seemed to have never been to a theater before, giving slight smiles. They were relieved that no matter how many mistakes they made on stage, they would be better than that girl.

The ladies were very regretful that the emperor was not in attendance. It was such a shame that he couldn’t witness with his own eyes how inferior the woman he favored was compared to the other candidates.

Arabel’s hands turned cold as she looked up at the large – no, she had never seen even a small one – stage she was seeing for the first time in her life. She felt too insignificant sitting alongside the ladies in the jade marble theater sprinkled with gold.

I don’t deserve this… I was too greedy. My feelings for His Majesty grew so large that they overflowed and I couldn’t hide them, pushing myself where I don’t belong.

I don’t mind being ignored and pointed at by others. I’m used to it. But if His Majesty is ridiculed because of me… My heart was already constricting with guilt.

Just then, the sound of brisk footsteps walking towards the center of the stage was heard. It was Baron Gabriel, the vice-chairman of the competition committee.

Everything about him popped, from his stylish mustache and curly hair that fell below his shoulders to his unique, colorful fashion that was ahead of its time.

The baron opened his mouth, looking at each of the ladies seated in front with his sharp purple eyes.

“I sincerely welcome the eleven candidates. Without further ado, I will announce the topic of the first test of the competition.”