The knight commander furrowed his brow as if he couldn’t understand.

“What do you mean by clearing away, Your Majesty?”

“I’m talking about the scattered weapons and broken wooden pieces. Won’t someone get hurt if they accidentally touch them?”

“Ah? Yes…”

The knight commander replied reluctantly.

As Nikolai said, the training ground was full of dangerous objects.

They were all things the emperor had just broken or thrown away.

Unable to trust the order, Nikolai directly commanded the servants.

“Hurry up. You’re too slow.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“How shameful that the training ground is so messy.”

“You told us not to wander around because it would interfere with training…”

“Stop talking back and do it quickly.”

Nikolai urged them, clapping his hands.

The servants bowed deeply, unable to show their resentment.

“Where is the guest?”

“Waiting outside.”

“Tell them to come in. No, I’ll greet them myself.”

As if the guest might disappear in a moment, Nikolai approached the entrance of the training ground.

He found it amusing how he was hurrying like an excited boy.

He regretted not washing off his sweat or changing clothes, if he had known.

‘Why can’t I smell Elizabeth’s scent? Is it because of the sweat and iron smell?’

As his puzzlement turned to foreboding, he opened the door.

The one who had requested an audience appeared.

“What an honor to be so warmly welcomed, Your Majesty!”

Marquis Brenden chuckled, stroking his white beard.

Behind him were the heads of noble families that had produced four empresses.

Not only Duke Riemann, Marquis Paipe, and Count Blackfold, but also their children were lined up.

Not Elizabeth, but over a dozen uninvited guests.

Nikolai’s beautiful face crumpled horribly.

“…What brings you all here?”

“We were prepared to be chased out, Your Majesty. We are honored.”

“Why don’t you ask why we came without permission!”

Unrestrained killing intent burst out in all directions.

The nobles stepped back, intimidated by the pressure.

Not knowing the inside story, they couldn’t understand why the emperor who had granted an audience was angry.

“Are you here to protest en masse?”

“Ho ho. How dare we do such a thing?”

Despite the piercing tension and ferocious aura, the family heads burst into laughter.

They seemed unwilling to be intimidated by the young emperor’s spirit as heads of prestigious families.

Their sons bowed their heads and were busy watching for cues.

“Speak quickly. I was in the middle of training, don’t bother me.”

Contrary to the family heads’ intention to lighten the mood, Nikolai’s gaze grew increasingly fierce.

With a tense expression, Marquis Brenden opened his mouth.

“The reason we suddenly sought an audience is to offer sincere advice for the sake of our great empire and the imperial family.”

“Marquis Brenden. Cut the unnecessary talk and get to the point.”

“Ahem.”

“If your business is useless, get out right now.”

Nikolai waved his hand as if shooing away flies.

The nobles exchanged glances and bit their lips, their pride hurt.

They knew he was a monarch who didn’t care about his subjects’ feelings, but Nikolai had never been this sharp before.

‘Coming to the training ground instead of the audience hall. I can guess what they want to talk about.’

Marquis Brenden’s words didn’t deviate an inch from Nikolai’s prediction.

“All sorts of rumors about Your Majesty are spreading among the people.”

“For example?”

“It’s difficult to say, but there are rumors that a woman of low birth is throwing her weight around, backed by Your Majesty’s favor.”

“Oh, is that so?”

The nobles were rather perplexed when the emperor, who they thought would fly into a rage, responded calmly.

“Didn’t the sword instructor trusted by His Highness the Crown Prince get chased out overnight? Those who have devoted their loyalty to the imperial family are trembling in fear.”

“What kind of loyalty is that, to tremble over such a thing.”

“Shouldn’t there be proper procedures for everything?”

“You’re not saying the dismissed instructor was your son, are you?”

“Y-Your Majesty. Of course not.”

Marquis Brenden showed a servile smile.

The other family heads chimed in one by one.

“There are also baseless rumors that Your Majesty broke tradition to nurse that woman personally.”

“A commoner who might have caught the plague teaching His Highness the Crown Prince… It’s truly outrageous.”

“They say that woman is using her beauty to divide the palace people. Rumors are rampant that palace people are split into factions, those who side with that woman and those who are in their right minds.”

Only Duke Riemann stood a step back with a straight posture.

Nikolai, who had been listening to the nobles’ chatter, twisted the corners of his mouth.

“In short, you mean one lowly woman is causing chaos in the imperial family?”

The nobles gulped dry swallows, hit right on the mark.

But only for a moment. Emboldened by the emperor’s expressionless face, they began to slander Elizabeth.

“With all due respect, the empresses are also worried about Your Majesty and the imperial family.”

“Just the fact that an unmarried woman who hasn’t been formally crowned as empress roams the imperial palace is a great violation of propriety.”

“She’s originally known for her bad behavior. You must banish that woman immediately.”

Nikolai raised one hand.

It was a graceful gesture befitting an emperor.

His tone, however, was the opposite.

“Stop this bullshit.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“Do you know what you’re babbling about right now?”

“We only have the utmost loyalty…”

“Aren’t you cursing that an emperor bewitched by a woman is ruining the country?”

“That is absolutely not true!”

The nobles, except for Duke Riemann, turned pale.

But they couldn’t avoid Nikolai’s eyes, cold as frost.

“Are you saying the emperor’s words are absolutely untrue?”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“Are you not treating me like a tyrant?”

“I swear to heaven we never did such a thing!”

“If not that, then do you mean I’m not even qualified to be your master?”

“What are you saying? Only Your Majesty is our master and the sky of the empire!”

“If you are truly my loyal subjects, why are you monitoring and meddling in your master’s private life?”

Nikolai asked sternly.

They all trembled their lips but couldn’t answer.

“How dare you slaves discuss the emperor’s conduct… Shouldn’t you be punished with death?”

Nikolai tilted his head slightly and growled lowly.

Only when the blade was pointed at them did the nobles realize something had gone terribly wrong.

“If you were loyal subjects, you should try to understand your master’s deeper intentions, not crowd around barking like a pack of dogs.”

“That’s not what we meant…”

“To think you still have excuses left, your courage is truly admirable!”

With a sneer, Nikolai placed his sword on Marquis Brenden’s shoulder.

He even tapped the plump neck with the blade.

“You seem to have led this, so tell me.”

“I am the head of a family that received divine objects from the first emperor!”

“Be proud of it. That’s why your head is still attached until now.”

“Aaagh!”

Marquis Brenden screamed, forgetting his dignity.

Just then, a clear and resonant voice was heard from behind.

“Your Majesty. How can you play such pranks on your guests?”

Nikolai quickly raised his head.

Crimson hair fluttering in the breeze.

A dazzling beauty that would make anyone turn to look.

A woman who brought radiance just by being there was smiling brightly at him.

‘Did you invite me to see this? It’s my first time in the training ground, I was looking forward to it…’

Hiding her disappointment, she forced a smile.

She had heard every word she didn’t want to hear from beginning to end.

Nikolai had even pointed his sword at the head of a powerful noble family.

It was a scandal that gossipmongers would love to chew on.

The cunning Nikolai couldn’t have been unaware of that fact.

Knowing that, he had stepped forward to protect my honor.

‘I’ve been too busy putting out fires at my feet to pay attention. To think such rumors were spreading.’

Honestly, it was shocking.

I thought I had been acting wisely.

But to people, I was just the same villainess as the original Elizabeth.

Whatever good intentions I had, whatever results I achieved, it didn’t matter.

They didn’t even acknowledge the fact that I had protected Franz.

Those gripped by fear of losing their power were busy nitpicking at even the tiniest gaps to slander me.

Would this have happened if I were a young lady from a noble family?

I could somewhat understand why Elizabeth, who had everything, was obsessed with social climbing.

The imperial palace was like a city in itself.

In the vast palace, I only went between the Canary Room, the Crown Prince’s palace, and the library.

The servants at the Crown Prince’s palace were people I had newly hired.

I heard the palace people of the Canary Room had received special mental education from Nikolai.

The librarians and guards were indifferent to the sole visitor.

There was no one who looked down on me anywhere.

I had never been wronged because of my lowly status.

I thought I had been lucky, but that wasn’t it.

I had only seen the sides I wanted to see.

Under Nikolai’s perfect protection.

‘Nikolai is being condemned as more of a tyrant because of me. To think the situation has worsened to the point where nobles would invade the training ground…’

But who am I?

Aren’t I the femme fatale throwing her weight around backed by the emperor’s favor?

If they see me as a villainess, I might as well live up to those expectations.

“These people don’t understand Your Majesty’s sense of humor well. They might misunderstand, so why don’t you put away your sword?”

I fluttered my red lips.

Nikolai seemed relieved at my calm appearance.

He was also startled when pointed out that he was holding a sword.

Me, not intimidated at all in front of the emperor hurriedly sheathing his sword and the great nobles who commanded the empire.

This was also a situation the nobles from prestigious families would find distasteful.

“This is not a place for you to intervene.”

“Tsk tsk, for a foolish woman to carelessly intrude on a place discussing state affairs.”

“Remember that your actions further dishonor His Majesty.”

If they hadn’t been mindful of Nikolai, harsher words would have flown.

Even then, I would have smiled brightly.

“I gratefully accept your advice worth its weight in gold.”

“It’s somewhat fortunate that you understand.”

“I’d like to say a word as well.”

“?”

“You’re all exemplary loyal subjects, so you must know how precious His Majesty’s royal body is.”

The family heads frowned as if to say, why state the obvious?

Their sons openly snorted.

Only Duke Riemann listened seriously.

“The training ground is where His Majesty hones his royal body. Can it be called a loyal subject’s duty to come all the way here and disturb His Majesty’s mood?”

“Are you mocking us now?”

“Did you notice?”

“What?!”

“I’m just a young woman. Yes. Is getting rid of one lowly, ignorant woman such an important and urgent matter?”

“W-Why you…!”

“With the elders representing the noble council speaking in unison, it seems I’ve become quite an important person.”

“…”

“Since you’re treating me like a big shot, I think I’ll return the favor and treat you accordingly from now on.”

Although anger rose, my tone and demeanor remained polite and elegant.

I also clearly conveyed that I wouldn’t tolerate any more than this.

A quiet pride flickered in Nikolai’s eyes as he looked at me.

But when dogs gather in a pack, there’s always a foolish dog that doesn’t know when to back down.

“Where do you get off running your mouth? As if to prove you’re low-born, you can’t help but show your cheap side!”

Marquis Brenden glared with bulging eyes, his white beard trembling.

So you’re today’s ringleader.

You’ve stepped right into it.