Chapter 60

Just as Malik Bran was still stunned, a clue from the Marquess’s words suddenly hit him.

“I heard you destroyed a building granted by the Imperial Family. Have you lost your mind?”

“…What?”

It was a clue—but something about it felt wrong.

With an aggrieved look, Malik Brann protested, “The only building I’ve touched recently was one from a house called Ortin or something. Didn’t you yourself tell us to show those Azure Knight bastards what happens when they oppose us? So I just…”

“And you thought it was a good idea to destroy a building granted by the Imperial Family?!”

The Marquess snapped, and Malik looked increasingly frustrated.

“But I didn’t destroy anything like that! I only brought down their main business building!”

“That is the building!”

“…What?”

It was only then that Malik Bran’s face turned pale as he finally grasped what had happened.

“N-no way. It looked like a normal commercial building—”

The Marquess cut him off.

“And I hear you even offered money as compensation? Are you insane?! Huh?!”

“U-uh…”

Something finally clicked in Malik Bran’s head.

“…So that’s why they requested those specific documents! Those sneaky bastards…!”

If only he’d realized what kind of family he was dealing with, he would’ve approached with more caution.

But he thought them unworthy of much attention. So how did it come to this—!

“This… This shouldn’t have happened! It should’ve ended as a minor dispute between two houses! Even Ortin didn’t seem to know who gave them that building!”

“That’s not the point! What matters is this: House Bran dared to offer money to make up for an Imperial gift. And that document made its way to the Emperor himself—who declared it an act of deception!”

At that, Malik Bran’s already pale face turned ghostly and began to tremble.

“B-but why would it escalate like that…?”

“Look at who you’re dealing with!”

The Marquess shouted, clearly exasperated.

At the same time, the name that came to both their minds was Rodella Syveric—now part of the Azure Knights and recently transferred into the Administration Bureau.

Malik Bran’s face turned visibly blue.

“The Duke knows House Bran screwed up, so you’d better watch yourself!”

With a snort, the Marquess turned and stormed off.

“W-wait…!”

Malik didn’t even have time to make excuses.

“This can’t be happening…!”

He clutched his head.

He knew exactly how much support the noble faction had poured into placing one of their own as Head of the Court Office—one of the most influential posts in the palace after the Administration Bureau.

He just had to sit in the chair, and it would’ve been his.

“Uaaagh!”

He wildly ruffled his hair in anguish.

To think the grand plan had unraveled from the very first step—and it was all his fault!

As Malik Bran screamed in frustration, the noble faction was also thrown into chaos in real time.

“Why the hell did it have to be Adrian?! That guy’s one of those stone-faced, neutral bastards who never listens to anyone!”

“What about the people in the Court Office? He’s the kind of guy who once filed a complaint against his own aide! He’s got no blood or tears!”

“Ughhh…!”

While chaos spread, another name was being mentioned even more than Adrian Lockmore, the new head.

“Rodella Syveric…!”

***

That name reached Cecilia Elvamont as well.

She heard the story while leaving her office at the Administration Bureau.

“They say Malik Bran didn’t get promoted to Head of the Court Office.”

“Apparently, he got hit with charges of deceiving the Imperial Family.”

“Rumor has it Rodella Syveric is the one who exposed him…”

Rodella, what are you getting yourself into this time?

It wasn’t new to hear people whispering about how scary she was or worrying they’d be next on her list—but the number of people actively hostile to Rodella was clearly growing.

So Cecilia sent her a letter, full of concern.

[You had a run-in with House Bran recently, didn’t you? Apparently, their eldest son was about to be named head of the Court Office, but now he’s practically reporting to prison because of charges of deceiving the Crown. There’s talk that you’re the one who made that happen.  

Whether it’s true or not, a lot of people are watching you right now…]

Rodella sent back a letter assuring her that it was true—but not to worry.

And she smiled.

“Everything went perfectly.”

“What did? Becoming a target?”

Aivert looked displeased, apparently having read the letter too.

But Rodella just shrugged.

“No matter what they say, I’ve always been a thorn in their side.”

She smiled brightly.

“I’m not planning to give up on becoming Chancellor, and I’m definitely not going to let them win. So I’ll fight.”

She clenched her fist with determination.

To never give up when there’s a goal.

To believe that even the biggest obstacles can be overcome if your destination is clear.

Aivert deeply respected that about her—but at the same time, he worried.

Because the way she charged through every thorn bush in her path, it often seemed like she didn’t stop to tend to her own wounds.

“They’re going to strike back,” he said.

It’s human nature to want to retaliate, especially after a blow like that.

Rodella nodded.

“Of course. If they’re going to hit the Azure Knights, their next move is probably…”

She raised a finger and twirled it.

“They’ll probably send inspectors into the Azure Knights.”

They’d wait until just enough time had passed for her side to forget about it, then strike.

Since the Administration Bureau is under their control now, they’d feel safe unleashing everything they had.

But you can’t shake dust off a floor that’s already clean.

“So we need to prepare for that first.”

At her words, Aivert gave a faint shake of his head.

“They might just go in swinging.”

He had seen firsthand just how far the other side was willing to go, back when Rodella was still in the Administration Bureau.

She’d somehow survived multiple suspicious incidents—mostly thanks to her quick thinking and Royden’s quiet support.

Otherwise, she might have been seriously injured by now.

He narrowed his eyes.

“That’s why I’m going to stay by your side.”

Rodella’s bright eyes turned to him.

Before he could react, she smiled.

“If you’re next to me, who would dare come at me?”

She held out her hand.

“This is the safest place in the world.”

***

The safest place in the world.

To believe that being beside him was the safest place.

That kind of unwavering trust—that she could leave her back to him in times of danger.

That she knew he would of course be at her side when things got bad.

Her belief in him, expressed so clearly, was like a kind of truth to Aivert.

He found himself speaking without realizing.

“You… bewitch people like breathing.”

“What?”  Rodella blinked in surprise.

In her eyes, two thoughts flickered at once.

Surely not—did I hear that right?

Normally, Aivert would’ve pulled back.

But he felt parched.

Like he was in the middle of a desert and her affection was the only drop of water that could moisten his tongue.

The sweetness of her love drove him mad.

Just a little more. Think of me just a little differently.

So he—

“I’m dying because of how beautiful you are.”

Instead of dodging as usual, he moved straight toward her.

“…!”

He drank in the sight of Rodella’s wide-eyed expression.

And leaned closer—

Smooch.

He kissed her on the forehead.

Sweetly, just as he had always wanted.

“…!?”

Rodella’s eyes widened.

“Whoa! Lucky guy!”

Some knights passing by made a fuss, but to Aivert, they might as well not have existed.

If this was all an act—

If this was just another performance—

Then why—

“…”

The blue eyes that met hers were calm.

As if… they were carrying something deeper than the gesture alone.

***

While House Bran awaited punishment for deceiving the Crown, the struggle between the Azure Knights and Red Knights had begun to erupt in every corner.

The underground fighting had intensified.

Among those most fiercely involved was the Diepelt family—home of Ryan, a candidate for Chancellor from the Red Knights.

He knew his path would only open if he could tear down Rodella Syveric.

“She’s not married. There’s got to be a reason, right?”

“Yeah, maybe she’s…”

With such whispers, the noble families tried every trick they could to tarnish Rodella’s name.

Not just Diepelt—they were too many to count.

But strangely, the rumors never seemed to spread beyond the people who started them.

No matter how much gossip was stirred up at social gatherings, the rumors never seemed to stick.

As if the rivers carrying those words were being blocked somewhere.

Ryan Diepelt, unaware that this was due to Royden’s quiet influence, could only fume.

“Are people just plugging their ears?! Hello?! Are you really thinking of making that kind of woman Chancellor?! Seriously?!”

Driven mad with frustration, he persisted in circulating the rumors—

Until, finally, there was a victim.

But it was someone no one—neither the Azure Knights nor the Red—could have imagined.

Thud.

“Oh heavens, Madam!”

“Please, someone call a doctor!”

At a central high society banquet where people had been quietly exchanging smiles and knives, the one who suddenly collapsed was—

Madam Royden herself.