Chapter 97

I might be the only person ever to have sold merchant group goods right in the middle of a royal palace. Although I had visited the Crown Prince before to introduce our products, selling items and taking orders like a literal marketplace had drained all my energy.

 

“Whew…”

 

Once the young ladies and Scarlet departed, I sat on a garden bench and looked up at the sky to catch my breath. Before I knew it, the sunset was blooming, and crimson clouds floated gently across the sky. While I felt relieved to have sold the goods, a heavy weight pressed on my heart, wondering if I could have overcome the obstacles without Scarlet’s help.

 

‘I should lend a hand with the dressmaking.’

 

She said she helped without expecting anything in return, but I wanted to give back as much as I had received. Just as I was about to return to Cyad and Jonas, I spotted a man with pale red hair strolling through the garden. He looked familiar.

 

I furrowed my brow, trying to jog my memory, and then let out a small gasp.

 

“Oh…?”

 

It was the man who had picked up our merchant group’s flyer when it fell through the hole in my pocket. Why was he here? Looking closer, I noticed a black uniform.

 

‘He must be a knight.’

 

I had seen countless knights while passing through the hallways with Scarlet or visiting the training grounds. They all wore the same black uniforms. I threw my arm up and waved vigorously, calling out to him.

 

“Sir Knight!”

 

Startled by the sudden call, the red-haired knight looked around. I hopped up and down, calling him once more.

 

“Red-haired knight! Over here!”

 

As he approached with wide, blinking eyes, I greeted him with a bright smile.

 

“I didn’t expect to run into you in a place like this!”

 

He knit his brows slightly, trying to place me. “Have we… met before, My Lady?”

 

“You helped me the other day!”

 

“I apologize. I’m not very good with faces… May I ask which house you are from…?”

 

Seeing his flustered expression and realizing he was grossly overestimating my status, I quickly corrected him.

 

“You picked up my flyer in the plaza! Do you remember?”

 

“A flyer…?”

 

“Back then, I told you I wanted to repay you with a discount. I never imagined I’d see you here at the palace!”

 

He blinked his narrow eyes and finally nodded. “I remember now. You’re the one who dropped your things in the plaza.”

 

“Yes! That’s right. I didn’t know you were a knight, but what a coincidence.”

 

“Then you must be the Vice-Head Leader of the Baimery Merchant Group I’ve heard rumors about.”

 

“You know who I am?”

 

“Of course. I’ve heard much about you from my sister.”

 

‘His sister? Who is he talking about? Was she one of the ladies I met today?’

 

He smiled softly and continued.

 

“It seems my sister cares for the Baimery Vice-Head Leader quite a lot.”

 

“It’s only because she took a liking to my goods. I’m the one who received so much help.”

 

“I think she has a good reason for liking you.”

 

Since the conversation felt subtly misaligned, I was incredibly curious about who this “sister” was.

 

“Commander!”

 

From afar, a man in the same uniform shouted toward us, and I hurriedly looked back at the red-haired man.

 

‘Commander…?’

 

“I am being called, so I must take my leave.”

 

This man. He wasn’t just a regular knight; he was the Knight Commander.

 

“I will visit the merchant group to purchase something next time.”

 

With a gentle smile, he walked away. I stood there with my mouth agape, staring blankly at his retreating back.

 

“The Knight Commander is… supposed to be the Prince…”

 

The “sister” he mentioned wasn’t some noble lady; it was Scarlet, the Princess of this kingdom. That meant he was the only Prince of the nation, Siphiel Ligliano.

 

‘They say ignorance makes you brave.’

 

I was the audacious human who had offered a discount to the Prince.

 

 

***

 

 

“My goodness. To have Marquis Ricardo himself grace our Oneren Kingdom with a visit is truly an honor.”

 

Just one day after telling Ricardo to follow official procedures, the tides had turned. The diplomatic official glanced at the figures before him while scanning the documents on the table.

 

“Diplomat Croce. Why was I not informed of the Imperial Delegation’s visit?”

 

“Well, you see…”

 

“Perhaps Diplomat Croce wanted to deliver it as a surprise,” interjected a voice.

 

Under the cold, piercing gaze of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Croce lowered his eyes pitifully.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“That is correct…!”

 

“Then see to it that you assist the Imperial Delegation. They must be exhausted after such a long journey.”

 

As his superior left, Croce turned to Ricardo with a face full of indignation.

 

“How is this possible!”

 

He had told Ricardo to follow procedure, but he never expected him to actually show up as an official envoy. Official visits usually required contact weeks or months in advance.

 

“How, in just one day…?”

 

Ricardo frowned as if offended by the diplomat’s words, and Croce flinched upon seeing the grim-looking companions sitting behind him. The diplomat’s eyes trembled violently, losing focus. Suddenly, the door opened, and someone echoed the diplomat’s words.

 

“You should start treating us as the official Imperial Delegation now.”

 

“Who are you…!”

 

Croce’s face hardened at the appearance of the stranger.

 

“I greet Your Highness.”

 

If he was addressed as “Your Highness,” he was someone who could be called a Prince other than the Crown Prince. It was Freyer Lundberg, the Second Prince of the Empire and the current acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

Croce’s eyes grew as wide as saucers, and his hands began to shake.

 

Thump— Thump—

 

The sound of boots drew closer, and Croce’s heart rate accelerated. Ricardo stood up to yield his seat to Freyer, who sat down and addressed the diplomat with a broad smile.

 

“Since you asked for an official meeting, I thought you were disregarding the authority of Marquis Ricardo, to whom I delegated all power. So, I decided to visit in person.”

 

“……The, the Empire is truly—!”

 

“I’d like to hear what comes after that ‘truly.’”

 

Croce wanted to scream that this was an insolent and overstepping visit, just like the previous delegation, but he didn’t know the circumstances of how they had managed to come officially. Freyer tilted an eyebrow.

 

“Surely you aren’t saying an official diplomatic visit is a mistake?”

 

Since his boss had already accepted it and warned him to treat the guests with utmost care, the diplomat couldn’t say a word and kept his mouth shut.

 

“I will guide you to your quarters….”

 

He left with a dejected face. Ricardo, calming his racing heart, looked at Freyer.

 

“How did this happen, Your Highness?”

 

“I’ll explain in due time.”

 

Freyer followed the diplomat with a faint smile, and Ricardo and the others followed suit.

 

 

***

 

 

“The audience with His Majesty is tomorrow….”

 

Once the diplomat left, Freyer surveyed the room. It was filled with ornaments, but they did little to fill the void in his heart.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Sensing everyone’s eyes on him, Freyer turned.

 

“You all look curious.”

 

“Did you contact the Minister of Foreign Affairs?”

 

“It was all thanks to Silvertone.”

 

Silvertone. They were supporters like themselves who helped Prince Freyer. However, direct contact was rare, usually only through the Guild Master, Bilion. What had they done?

 

“It seems no one here knows of my existence.”

 

With a playful voice, a man with amber hair appeared from beside Freyer, where it had seemed no one was standing.

 

“We’ve met once before, haven’t we?”

 

“You are…”

 

“Jaybil. The Silvertone operations captain.”

 

With a hearty laugh, Jaybil stretched and said, “Phew. The security here is so tight, it was quite exhausting.”

 

“Good work.”

 

“You have no idea how upset I was that you left me behind in the capital, Your Highness,” Jaybil added nonchalantly.

 

As Jaybil spoke, Ricardo and the others watched with lingering curiosity.

 

“The mission I received yesterday was to place a document stamped with the Imperial Emperor’s seal on the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ desk.”

 

“A document…?”

 

“It contained an apology for the past delegation’s transgressions, an admission of the Empire’s past wartime wrongs, and a promise to return the national treasures taken from the Oneren Kingdom to their rightful place.”

 

“We followed official procedures with the Emperor’s seal,” Freyer added.

 

It was all because of the request for friendly relations, stamped with the Emperor’s seal, which had been placed directly on the head of Foreign Affairs’ table rather than going through a low-level diplomat.

 

“……!!”

 

Everyone stared at Freyer with wide eyes as he leaned against the window, looking out.

 

As a Prince of the Empire, they knew that admitting the Empire’s faults was a historic event. It was a completely different approach from the Empire’s usual stance. Deciding to humble the Empire was not an easy choice.

 

“Admitting mistakes and correcting what is wrong is the priority of diplomacy,” Freyer said in a toneless voice, as if it were nothing. “Imperialist ideology is inappropriate when dealing with an aggrieved diplomatic partner.”

 

“As expected… Your Highness has truly grown into a magnificent man….”

 

Freyer’s demeanor moved the hearts of Ricardo and his men. Freyer, somewhat flustered by their reaction, composed his expression.

 

“Everyone, good work. It must have been difficult staying in such a poor environment, so go and wash away your fatigue.”

 

“We shall see you tomorrow, Your Highness…!”

 

Ricardo and the others bowed and left the room.

 

“Jaybil. You worked hard as well.”

 

“I’ll be heading off to rest too! I’m exhausted.”

 

Left alone, Freyer closed his eyes, picturing Lilithia, whom he had been with just days ago.

 

The image of her fast asleep was still vivid in his mind. He could almost see her with her lemon-blonde hair spread across the bed in the early dawn, but now, there was only darkness beside him.

 

“Lilithia.”

 

On a night without her, he feared the cruel nightmares.