However, the words from the Duke’s mouth were a completely different story from the Emperor’s expectation.

“I heard that a knight from the Nordian Kingdom has returned with Her Highness the Princess.”

“Huh?”

Since it was an unexpected topic, the Emperor did not hide his bewilderment, but the Duke continued to speak without hesitation.

“No matter how it’s Her Highness the Princess, you cannot keep a knight from another country this long without consent.”

His dry voice was scrupulously adhering to principles.

“Even without that, they wanted the return of the knight from the Nordian Kingdom….”

The blue pupils of the Emperor who was listening to the Duke’s story sank.

What happened in the Nordian Kingdom is no secret.

Since they are things that anyone can hear and see, it wouldn’t be strange for the Duke in front of him to know that the Princess has flatly refused the request of the Nordian Crown Prince.

Besides, what she claims is something anyone would nod to.

Send the knight of another country back to his country.

“……so didn’t all the other knights go back. No matter how much the prestige of the Nordian knight shown in the martial arts tournament is, he is after all from another country….”

But there was an uneasy feeling.

Although he could not explain in words, a certain uneasy feeling that definitely stimulated his nerves.

The reigning Emperor at the very top of the Bolshevik Empire was neither a warlord nor a tyrant.

Just struggling with fatigue every day to fulfill the given duty, so that this massive empire can function properly, only supporting it.

However, he is an Emperor.

And he was also Olivia’s father.

Although it was an uneasy feeling without any basis, he couldn’t just pass by when it was related to his daughter.

“Stop.”

The Emperor, who raised one hand to stop the Duke’s mouth, deeply leaned against the chair. He just looked at the Duke for a while.

But the Duke, whose eyes did not break, was standing as firmly as before.

“Huh. I understand the Duke’s words very well.”

“Your Majesty, then promptly….”

“One.”

The corner of the Emperor’s mouth went up.

“I can’t send the princess’s guest without the princess’s permission, can I? I don’t want to be hated by my only daughter.”

Although the Emperor spoke very lightly while wrinkling the corners of his eyes, the Duke’s jaw tightened.

After all, the Emperor did not hold the Duke’s hand.

“Your Majesty. This precedent is not very good. And we have a very long cooperative relationship with the Nordian Kingdom. Even when we are internally anxious, the empire cannot support….”

“Aaah, don’t rush like that.”

Although he did not see it directly, he received all the reports on the martial arts tournament.

Even the knights of the Empire were all tonguetied.

The fact that such a skilled knight was rotting away without a name in the Nordian kingdom.

Although she is my daughter, she has excellent eyes for people.

Moreover, the reason he told the Duke was sincere.

He had no desire to be hated by his daughter, who had grown up unknowingly and held a blue flame in her blue pupils.

The Emperor picked up the pen again and continued to speak.

“First of all, it seems that the princess has no intention of letting the guest go as it is, but if the Duke says this much, do this.”

Between the lips of the Emperor, Duke Hainder, Bonita bowed deeply to the story flowing out.

Several hours later, the princess’s palace.

“To the endless glory of the empire……”

“Let’s skip the grand greeting.”

Bonita, who was bowing her head toward the princess waving her hand just like the Emperor, lowered her head.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

Olivia also lightly nodded her head toward her.

“Duke Hainder.”

“Thank you for giving me your precious time.”

“Don’t worry about it. His Majesty also gave me a heads up.”

Olivia unconsciously pressed her throbbing temple and looked at Bonita in front of her.

Duke Hainder, huh….

She honestly didn’t want to deal with this woman.

A noble who quietly bowed her head without confronting the royal family despite having the largest power in the empire.

A female warrior who raised the Hainder Ducal family to this extent and led it to its heyday alone.

That is an undeniable fact. But.

In her past four lives, without fail, this woman had disappeared from the empire on the eve of war.

“What? What do you mean the Duchess Hainder disappeared!”

“I’m sorry to report, she left without revealing her destination yesterday, and she has not returned since….”

In her first life, a frantic search was launched for her when she disappeared from the emperor’s side.

If the Duchess Hainder were to defect to the enemy, it would be a great loss to the empire.

Well, in the end, she remained missing until the imperial palace collapsed and Cryer attacked.

It was the same in her second, third, and fourth lives.

If the Duchess Hainder had shown prominence in military power or strategy, which is essential for war, Olivia would have done whatever it took to find her.

But since the Duchess Hainder excelled in politics and diplomacy, there was no need to desperately search for her unless she became a prisoner of war when the war broke out.

Though she did not appear as an ally of the enemy after disappearing, it was uncomfortable that she disappeared just before the war and never showed up again.

After spending enough time to drink a cup of tea, Olivia opened her mouth.

“I have something to say about my knight.”

Clatter.

The next moment, the teacup in Bonita’s hand shuddered greatly.

Her bleak face didn’t change much, but it was evident that she put strength in her hand that was holding the teacup until the back of her hand turned pale.

Bonita, staring at a place other than Olivia, asked.

“Your Majesty, did you just say ‘my’ knight?”