Casius still did not return after disappearing with Tikan.

The warmth of his fingertips that had touched me just a moment ago seemed like a lie.

As I was staring at my palm with a blank gaze, I heard a voice calling from behind.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Turning my head at the familiar voice, Prince Dilan was there.

His subtle tone seemed to imply that he had something to say.

After scanning the surroundings once, filled with excitement from the alcohol and music, I turned my gaze towards him.

The prince, who had approached me with big strides and lightly greeted me while holding a glass, bowed his head.

His rather friendly demeanor was apt to be mistaken by anyone as a reunion of close friends.

It doesn’t seem to be simply because of his hearty personality… Does the empire have something it wants?

Come to think of it, it was strange for him to visit directly from the distant Kingdom of Berhen.

The royals of Berhen usually sent letters in lieu of greetings.

‘The Kingdom of Berhen is currently in its final struggle for the right of succession, was it?’

The king is said to be on the verge of death any day now.

It was not difficult to guess that the battle for succession would be fierce.

The fact that he moved at this critical time must be for something that will help with the right of succession.

The prince, who had been continuing the casual conversation, soon broached the main topic.

“I heard that among the empire’s trading rights, matters concerning medicinal herbs are under the jurisdiction of Your Majesty the Empress.”

As the prince said, the empire has had the empress oversee some of the trade issues since the previous generation.

I had a rough idea of what he was getting at.

The prince, who raised his gaze to gauge my reaction, continued.

“There are various medicinal herbs in our Berhen.”

“Are you saying you want to make a deal?”

“If I may humbly request, yes, that is correct.”

My mind was racing.

Most of the medicinal herbs from Berhen were ones that the empire did not have, and there was a wide variety of them.

Although my knowledge of medicine is shallow, the research I had done long ago while preparing for trade was useful.

If the distribution of medicinal herbs becomes convenient, it may become possible to treat many diseases that could not be cured in the empire.

That could save countless imperial citizens.

And among those imperial citizens… was Marianne’s younger brother.

The illness caused by the magic beast that Marianne’s younger brother was suffering from, which I learned about not long ago, could only be cured with medicinal herbs that existed solely in Berhen.

The calculation was quickly made.

If we have that medicine, Marianne will become my most loyal subordinate by my side.

There are two types of people in the world.

Those who know gratitude and the ruffians who repay gratitude with enmity.

As a result of observing her for a long time because I do not easily trust people, Marianne clearly seemed to be the former.

Her loyalty would probably be directed towards the owner of this body, Vivian, not me.

Anyway, now that heart will also become mine.

Moreover, serving the imperial citizens will definitely raise the status of Casius, who has not been the new emperor for long. As the empress, I will also be able to solidify my foundation.

The moment the calculation was made, someone’s sharp gaze pulled me in.

‘Evelina?’

Although she was mixed among the young ladies, her gaze was clearly directed here.

Somehow, an unpleasant feeling clung to me, and as I turned my gaze, Prince Dilan showed me a smile.

‘It would be best not to show emotions in front of foreign guests.’

Responding to him with a formal smile, I poured champagne and said,

“This is a serious conversation that doesn’t suit the party hall.”

“Serious conversations are meant to be had in a light atmosphere to go well.”

Prince Dilan’s words were quite glib.

But in reality, urgency was evident in the prince’s eyes.

As he must have come to achieve a fairly plausible feat ahead of the battle for the right of succession, this diplomatic issue will have a big impact on his right of succession.

It was a matter that would thoroughly benefit the empire and me, but in a word, there was no need to be hasty.

“Let’s move somewhere else for a moment.”

My job was to gain the greatest advantage for the empire in everything.

*

My strides were moving fast.

On the way to a quiet terrace.

I felt a sharp gaze from far away.

It’s ridiculous to say that a gaze can captivate a person, but the gaze felt so real that I had no choice but to raise my head.

Spotting the person who was there, I stopped in surprise.

‘Casius?’

He was standing diagonally and, as I sensed, was looking at me.

There was a light in his distinctive blue eyes that I had never seen before.

Along with his tightly closed lips, his gaze felt as if he was glaring at me.

Of course, those eyes had never been kind since I became Vivian. It would be strange if honey dripped from his gaze.

But his current appearance somehow felt more subtle than the past days.

It was neither the winter frost sharpened by anger, nor the chilly autumn.

It was an indescribable appearance as if standing in some month of the 13th season.

I may be overthinking a very subtle change, but his change truly felt that way.

The problem was that it was difficult to predict that the wave formed by the crystallization of that change would be positive.

The tightly closed mouth and the gaze that seemed to be glaring were creating a cold atmosphere.

As I passed by him, I spoke firmly with my eyes.

Someday, you will acknowledge me too.

Someday.

I hope that change comes before the new spring arrives.

With that wish, I quickened my pace.

*

The moment he saw Vivian’s chattering and laughing figure, Casius strangely felt his insides being scratched.

It became even more so after the rumor about the magic beast in Winterdell was reported to him.

Now that he finally knew Vivian’s words were true, why was his stomach twisting even more?

It was only after a long time that Casius found the reason.

No, to be precise, it would be more correct to say that he found a nonexistent reason.

The woman was smiling brightly, unlike her usual self.

An absurd desire to cut off the woman’s laughter swirled inside Casius.

In fact, rather than being absurd, it was an extension of a natural psychology.

From the beginning, he was the one who always and more than anyone else yearned for Vivian’s unhappiness.

So it was just unpleasant. His inner scratchiness was just because of that.

That’s how Casius sorted out his uncomfortable insides.

The scratchy feeling soon added a sneer to his face.

*

When the music changed, Casius began the ritual of emptying the congratulatory drinks.

In the empire’s coronation ceremony, there was a ritual of emptying the glasses offered by the nobles one by one.

However, there was no need to drink everything. It was just a superstition that those chosen by the emperor would be blessed.

As Casius put down all the glasses next to him, glasses piled up on the table.

Ignoring his own glass and placing Viscount Bashvir’s expectant glass on the table, the expression of Duke Diarob was pleasantly distorted.

Ignoring that, Casius indifferently accepted the glass of Count Siron.

As Count Siron filled the glass, Casius smiled as brightly as a fresh green leaf.

A great silence hung in the space.

It was because Casius’s expression was so different from before.

Since losing Rachel, he had never shown a smile, making people even suspect he was a plaster statue.

His face, full of smiles in contrast to before, made him look like a completely different person from a moment ago.

In that state, Casius brought the glass to his mouth without hesitation.

Towards him, Siron quietly advised.

“You don’t have to overdo it when you’re not feeling well.”

“Overdo what?”

Finishing his words, Casius emptied the glass at once and ostentatiously raised the glass high.

The nobles all distorted their faces, looking displeased.

All except one person.

It was Duke Diarob.

The duke’s face scattered hazily, but a pervasive smile entered Casius’s sight.

For a moment, his chest burned as if it was being scorched.

*

The conversation with the prince was more fruitful than expected.

There are still many things to think about, but judging from the prince’s actions, there was a high possibility of easily obtaining what we wanted.

When I returned to the party hall, Casius had already left his seat.

Seeing people exchanging words about him selecting and emptying my father’s glass, it seemed the toast ritual was over.

As I watched the coronation ceremony nearing its end, I saw Diarob grinning.

The moment his gaze was about to reach me, I turned my head.

‘What the hell is he planning again?’

Recalling that whenever that bastard smiled, something bad always happened, my good mood also sank low.

To avoid Diarob’s gaze, I hurriedly left the banquet hall.

The attendants followed behind me.

Around the time I passed the imperial garden, the sound of nobles chattering near the carriage waiting area reached my ears.

“Did you hear about that?”

“About what?”

“A magic beast appeared in Winterdell.”

“Oh my, what should we do? I bought a lot of land thinking it would be selected as an autonomous region, damn it.”

My steps came to an abrupt halt.

‘Finally… the rumor has spread.’

Was Diarob grinning because of the Winterdell rumor too?

Relief blanketed the anxiety.

Recalling the past days when nothing worked out, my heart fluttered as if drunk.

Due to my relaxed mind, it was only after hearing that I should head to the Empress Palace that I changed directions.

The residence moved under Marianne’s lead was much more luxurious and magnificent than before.

While the Crown Princess Palace had a clean and refreshing feel with a white background, the Empress Palace had a dignified feel with red tapestries and canopies, and a chestnut-colored bed.

The pair of silver candlesticks brightly illuminating both sides of the bed clearly showed how much care Marianne had put in.

Perhaps because of that, Marianne seemed to have a lot she wanted to say when she saw me alone.

‘She probably wants to say that she resents Casius.’

Because it was unthinkable for the emperor and empress to use separate bedrooms on the day of the coronation.

However, Marianne only moistened the corners of her eyes and left the room without saying much.

In the space left alone, the subtly burning scent tickled my nose and muddled my thoughts.

‘Still, I had some expectations since it’s the day the rumor about the magic beast appearing in Winterdell spread…’

Even if I didn’t expect a tender romance, I thought I would at least hear a word of thanks.

‘Could it be that Casius hasn’t received the report?’

No. That can’t be.

Because thanks to Diarob’s scheme, the party hall of the coronation was soon filled with talk about the magic beast that appeared in Winterdell.

Nevertheless, he did not come here.

Moreover, Casius’s eyes when we last met as he was leaving the banquet hall were still vivid.

Was it contempt that was held in those blue eyes after all?

His image overlapped like an afterimage.

Casius’s back as he turned away as if ignoring me.

The face that distorted whenever he saw me.

The bloodshot gaze with bulging blood vessels in anger…

The end invariably reached one thought.

‘Can I save you like this?’

Indeed, it’s Casius who did absurd things even during the entrance because he didn’t want to touch me.

What more can I expect?

But… if he’s like this even on the day of the coronation, is it possible to open Casius’s heart?

A feeling of suffocation chained me like shackles.

As I forcibly turned my gaze, a sparkling mana stone caught my eye, emitting light.

‘Rather than sitting here like this, it would be better to train.’

Picking up the stone and putting it in my bosom with resignation, I pushed open the door.

But.

A tall man with broad shoulders and a sturdy physique was standing in front of the door as if he had been waiting.

It was Casius. Unbelievably.