As Cassius was held by the Emperor’s knights, Lexis slowly turned his head. Lexis and Cassius’s eyes met.

Cassius wanted to kill that guy. If he were released right now, he wouldn’t hesitate to break that guy’s fragile body on the spot! To make sure he never tormented Renisha again!

“Your Majesty.”

Renisha called Lexis with an icy voice.

“Please don’t forget what kind of place this is and what status I have attended. The continent is watching. Are you going to reveal the conflict with Hilo Shine here? Are you going to start a civil war?”

She spoke calmly, but Renisha was anxious. If she made a mistake, she might even kill Cassius.

“Cassius is a hero of the people. The entire empire is watching. Cassius led a victory that was considered impossible on the Chorpa Plain and saved the empire.”

“So, does that mean he’s above me?”

“It’s not in that sense.”

Renisha pushed away Lexis’s hand. Her jaw was tense. This crazy guy. If Cassius hadn’t stood up, what would Lexis have done in front of everyone in this place?

“What I’m talking about is Your Majesty’s honor. It’s about how they see Your Majesty. No matter how much Hientree is the Great Empire, we can’t ignore their opinions.”

Lexis smiled slowly.

“Are they above the Emperor?”

Every word he said was mocking, and it was disgusting. It was very condemnable to mix words with such a guy in the current situation. Renisha chuckled.

“Then do as you wish. Strike Cassius’s neck in front of them, and ruin me. They will be delighted. Since civil war has erupted in the delicious Hientree, everyone will be eager to explore the borders of dogs and cattle. Think about it the other way around. If you finish it here and now, they will turn all their arrows at Canary.”

Renisha’s pink eyes were tinged with a cold frost.

Lexis’s gaze scanned Renisha’s face. Renisha hadn’t changed. She was still noble.

As if standing somewhere unreachable to Lexis. Everyone felt equal in front of Renisha. Including Lexis himself!

Even Lexis felt like kneeling in front of her, licking her feet. It always stimulated Lexis’s inferiority and jealousy.

Even though she had been driven out in such a miserable way, why was Renisha still the same?

“It’s because she’s naturally different.”

Lexis lifted his head.

“My daughter is not different from you. You and my daughter are not different from birth. You are the emperor I created. But my daughter was noble from birth. No one ever doubted that Renisha was a precious lady. Is that the same as that?”

The ghost circled around Lexis and Renisha.
‘You constantly had to prove your worth. But my daughter? Merely being present is enough for her to be acknowledged. That’s the difference, you foolish bastard!’

Lexis sighed deeply.

It felt like becoming a powerless mouse. What was even more infuriating was that Renisha’s words were not wrong. Renisha was undoubtedly the one who brought Gael to this place. However, without evidence, Lexis couldn’t interrogate Renisha.

Moreover, Lexis was subtly aware that Renisha had caused such a commotion.

‘There is evidence.’

Lexis stared at Renisha’s beautiful face as if enchanted. In the end, Lexis was just a ghost moving according to Renisha’s will.

“…Right. You were never wrong.”

Lexis raised his hand.

“Untie him.”

His low voice, as if forgetting everything that just happened, was calm. Cassius’s rough breathing echoed in the hall.

Lexis mechanically turned his body.

It felt like his head was buzzing. The empty space where Canary was echoed in Lexis’s mind.

“…It seems a bit unreasonable to start dinner here. Jisong-jang, is there a suitable hall available?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Jisong-jang nodded respectfully.

“I will move the seats. Please welcome the guests courteously.”

“Yes!”

The first act had ended.

Renisha, hiding behind Lexis, pursed her lips with a smile.

Well, how ironic.

Hasn’t everything changed completely from before? Renisha always had to endure. Because she had parents fighting on the battlefield. But now, it had completely reversed.

“Pfft.”

Renisha let out a small laugh. Lexis’s fist clenched, but he didn’t turn around.

“What makes you so happy?”

Cassius asked with a face full of displeasure.

“It seems Cassius is not at all pleased.”

Renisha chuckled.

Everyone moved alone, and only Renisha and Cassius remained. Cassius climbed onto the platform in one breath and grabbed Renisha’s hand.

“It felt like I was being thrown in front of a crocodile. What if Lexis had even touched you? What if it didn’t matter at all?”

Renisha widened her eyes. Lexis’s anger still burned within Cassius.

Cassius had a shameful expression.

“I imagined every possible scenario in that moment. I’ve killed the emperor many times. But in reality, I couldn’t do anything and just watched you… over and over again. Is this happening again? Before, and now! Where is Luna?”

“Hush.”

Renisha grabbed Cassius’s hand in the opposite direction. The hand that had been tightly clenched slowly relaxed. Cassius took a deep breath.