Chapter 125

Aivert was someone who detested paperwork. His motto was that he would rather swing a sword a thousand times than read ten pages of documents. On the other hand, Rodella was someone who would rather read ten pages than swing a sword a thousand times. If there was a moment when the two extremes would flip, it would be now.

“This one doesn’t seem to match your vibe. I’ve picked out about four options. If you don’t like them, I can show you others? I have a second round ready.”

‘A second round? Just how many dress designs has he picked out?’ A tailor’s shop would never show off-the-rack clothes to a family like the Roydens. That meant he had reviewed new designs and carefully selected at least ten options. And that didn’t even include the shoes and accessories.

“No, a second round is fine. I absolutely decline.” Rodella’s expression suggested she would rather swing a sword a thousand times than look at all of that. She shook her head wearily and picked a noticeable blue dress with shimmering silver accents.

“I’ll go with this one.”

“I thought so.”

As if he had been waiting for her answer, Aivert pulled out another sheet of paper. This time, it was a sketch of men’s clothing. It was a suit that was clearly a match for her dress.

“I prepared this one.”

“You knew I would pick this one?” Rodella looked at him in surprise.

Aivert put the paper away, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I was about 95% sure.”

“You know my taste better than I do.” Rodella felt as if she had already completed a major task for the banquet. And all the credit went to Aivert.

“Thank you—”

“I was about to fall for you.”

The words she had blurted out at the last banquet came back to her. ‘Oh my god, what did I say?’ Rodella felt like covering her face.

Just then, Aivert asked, “So, are you about to fall for me again?”

“Huh?” Rodella’s mind went completely blank.

His face was teasing. It was a face she hadn’t seen often before things got awkward between them. She was happy to see it, and yet, she wasn’t. Because a natural reply wouldn’t come out of her suddenly blocked mouth.

“What do you think?” Aivert leaned his face closer. His blue eyes, now close to hers, held a faint hint of a smile.

‘How do I answer? How can I answer so I can seem like my usual self?’

Hoping that her fleeting thoughts didn’t show on her face, she tried to act nonchalant and said, “…I think I’m still about to.”

‘This is how I’m supposed to answer, right?’

“…”

“…”

An awkward silence fell.

‘Was that not right? But it’s what I would have said in the past.’ The problem was that she wasn’t her usual self. What she had said was a bigger deal than what she had been thinking before.

—Thump. Thump.

After saying it, her heart began to beat even more wildly. As she lowered her gaze and avoided looking at Aivert, she felt both excited and afraid.

‘What do you think?’

“I don’t think anyone else in the empire can pull that off.”

He was cleaning up the papers with a nonchalant expression, just like he always did. Her elated mood felt like a cloud she was on had suddenly dissipated. Her heart felt as if it was being squeezed.

‘You’re always the same… I don’t know, and I’m anxious. I wish you saw me differently than before.’

She genuinely didn’t know what to think of the man who tried to distance himself, only to suddenly come closer.

‘I don’t know you.’

Rodella let out a breath.

***

“So His Majesty is really safe?”

“Why else would he be hosting this banquet?”

“But then that news… “

“That was a rumor spread by that wicked Benerix, wasn’t it?”

On the day of the Imperial Ball, most of the noble faction, of course, were not in attendance. And even those who had been on friendly terms with them or had openly shown their closeness didn’t dare show their faces, even if they had no charges against them.

“It was just a business relationship, though?”

Of course, there were some nobles who claimed this and attended. This was possible because Duke Benerix had kept his plans a secret to prevent them from being ruined, so some people were truly unaware of the plot. But even they came in with a brazen look on their faces, only to be met with the wary gazes of the pro-emperor faction and forced to take a seat in a corner of the hall.

This was the fate of those who had quietly served someone other than the emperor for their own gain. They would have to show a sincerity far greater and deeper than what they had shown the noble faction to be reintegrated into central noble society.

“It’s true that it’s been difficult to participate in the central social circles lately, right?”

On the other hand, for the centrist and pro-emperor nobles, there had never been a more comfortable banquet.

“The bullying was just too much. I was told I had to bring a diamond necklace to even get my foot in the door of the social circle!”

“Huh, they were that open about it?”

And so, the seedy underbelly of the noble faction’s social circle was revealed.

“There are other places that make such demands, too…”

“Oh dear, I thought it was a custom, but it started with the noble faction? We must get rid of it.”

The rotten parts of the empire were falling off on their own. The atmosphere reached its peak as the main figures who had stopped this rebellion and protected the emperor entered the banquet hall.

“Announcing Duke Aivert Royden and Countess Rodella Syveric!”

“Oh…!”

Everyone’s gaze quickly turned to the entrance of the banquet hall.

—Click.

Below the hem of a blue dress, a pair of silver shoes briefly sparkled. The slender arms revealed beneath her ebony hair, which cascaded down to her waist, looked delicate due to the man’s physique standing next to her, even though she was clearly much stronger than an average office worker.

The man, Aivert, narrowed his eyes, as if the attention made him uncomfortable. Despite this, he perfectly matched Rodella’s pace, which was faster than a normal person’s.

“They’re here.”

People marveled. The two of them, who were surely tired from the busy aftermath of the rebellion, were radiating light. But what drove away their fatigue must have been the way they looked at each other. The gazes that looked at the crowd with a tired or even cold expression were filled with a sweet smile when they turned to look at each other.

“…?”

The strange thing was that when they looked at each other, they seemed surprisingly awkward.

Before anyone could properly question this, “Announcing Chancellor Ameris!”

Chancellor Ameris, who rarely attended banquets, made an appearance. Dressed in a simple pantsuit and her trademark glasses, she looked as if she were at work. But those who knew Ameris well were surprised.

“I’ve never seen her wear such extravagant earrings. And, whose ring is that?”

Rodella also took notice of the ring on her index finger.

‘Did she have a ring like that? It’s not the Chancellor’s style.’

And then, “His Majesty arrives!”

The atmosphere reached its peak as the emperor, accompanied by the Azure Knight Commander Latine, entered the hall. The emperor, with a gentle smile, made eye contact with each of the nobles, as if to firmly imprint in their minds that he was safe.

“Your Majesty!”

Among the prostrated nobles, many were genuinely relieved. They couldn’t whisper in front of the emperor, but they all thought the same thing: it was a relief that Duke Benerix hadn’t seized power and that the emperor was safe.

“The empire has been in a chaotic state lately. I’m sure there were many who were struggling because of the tense atmosphere,” the emperor said, standing on the podium. “Many were injured, and the empire became turbulent as those who called themselves the noble faction were arrested. But!”

He met the nobles’ gazes with a serious and clear expression. “I believe this is a process of cutting away the rotten parts of the empire. As long as I am safe and my loyal subjects are safe, how could the empire fall?”

Rodella blinked at his powerful voice. ‘Was he always so charismatic?’ Of course, she had learned on the day of the rebellion that the emperor was very different from what was publicly known. If he had been the same as his rumored personality, he might have been too afraid of Duke Benerix to do anything in the North Tower. But the emperor, even while confined, had kept track of the situation outside.

‘Perhaps he’s more decisive than the rumors spread by the noble faction…’

“The Chancellor must have written the script for him.”

“Hey.” Rodella poked Aivert in the side.

Meanwhile, the emperor’s dignified speech was coming to an end.

“…And so, I want to host this banquet for everyone. For a new empire!”

“For the empire!”

Everyone raised their glasses, and the banquet began. And not long after, Rodella…

“?”

…received a mysterious note.