Chapter 40

Evan seemed to swallow the excuse easily and shifted to another topic.

 

“Why is Lep from some mere count’s family?”

 

“I am from a count’s family.”

 

“No, you’re not. You’re my future wife. You can be called someone from a duke’s house instead. This is making me anxious.”

 

“Why anxious?”

 

“Everyone keeps eyeing you.”

 

…Who?

 

I looked around.

 

Evan said that, but no one was looking at me—they were looking at him. Quite a few nobles hesitated, clearly debating whether to approach him.

 

I waved my hands and told him they were looking at him, not me, but he didn’t believe it. He brooded seriously for a moment, then his eyes crinkled mischievously.

 

“We got engaged when we were children, and I wasn’t in good health for a long time. Maybe that’s why there are so many people trying to go after you. When we graduate from the Academy, let’s hold a grand vow ceremony.”

 

“A… vow ceremony…?”

 

“You said you wanted to marry late.”

 

“W-well, yes.”

 

“Our entire engagement was just a single sheet of paper.”

 

Some nobles held parties simply to announce an engagement. And once they came of age, they often held a vow ceremony before the wedding.

 

I was a bit taken aback.

 

Wait—wouldn’t that officially brand me as the future duchess?

 

“The thought of the vow ceremony makes my heart race. Anyway, what was Bastien trying to say to you?”

 

Before I could confess anything, perhaps because we’d danced too intensely, blood suddenly streamed from the corner of Evan’s mouth.

 

“Evan?!”

 

The ballroom, already noisy, exploded into chaos.

 

 

***

 

 

“Lep, I’m really fine. Let’s go back.”

 

“No!! What if you strain yourself and cough up blood again?! Do you know how scared I was?!”

 

I refused firmly. I’d been terrified when he vomited blood in the ballroom.

 

“My dear, hurry and take Evan back to the estate.”

 

At the duchess’s voice from behind, I nodded immediately and hurried Evan back home.

 

I stayed up all night caring for him, and I wanted to stay with him for several more days, but the next morning I had to go to the Imperial Palace to discuss things with Bastien. And of course, Evan insisted on coming with me.

 

“We don’t know what might happen at the palace. Did you forget you just coughed up blood?”

 

“I’m fine. I’m completely better.”

 

I stared at him with narrowed eyes. He looked healthier today, but after yesterday, I couldn’t approve easily.

 

“I’m only going to talk about official matters.”

 

“Then I should go too. I’m worried…”

 

His deflated expression made me sit carefully on the edge of the bed. He rarely pushed this hard. Probably because he’d seen me with Bastien. And more importantly…

 

I glared at Evan’s desk. Those blasted reporters who never help anyone.

 

‘After everything that happened at the imperial ball, did they really feel the need to publish my incident?’

 

The reporters who’d covered the ball had written in excessive detail about the situation between me and Bastien—interviews with nobles included.

 

They even printed a huge photograph of Bastien and me holding hands tenderly.

 

Thanks to the angle, it didn’t show how much cold sweat I’d been breaking into at the time.

 

The sensational headline was bad enough; worse was that the next page included Evan’s late entrance, painting it all as a love triangle.

 

“Evan, why are you acting like this? Are you… anxious?”

 

Evan glanced up at me from under his lashes, then nodded.

 

“Why?”

 

“Bastien is interested in you.”

 

Evan said it seriously. I couldn’t help but laugh. The crown prince Bastien, interested in me? There was no reason for that.

 

“Lep, you don’t get it. Bastien doesn’t reject people who approach him, but he never approaches anyone first.”

 

Evan would know—he was Bastien’s classmate. But to me, it was absurd.

 

His jealousy was obvious. His pouty sulking was… honestly adorable.

 

‘If only he showed even half of this jealousy toward Elena…’

 

But because I’m infinitely weak to my favorite—

 

“Fine. We’ll go together.”

 

Evan immediately beamed. Well, as long as Evan was happy. And honestly, I was a bit uneasy going alone anyway. He also knew Bastien well.

 

Bang—

 

“Are you in here?”

 

The door burst open. Duke Weiss strode in.

 

“My lord?”

 

“So you were here.”

 

“Me?”

 

“There’s a place I need you to come with me. Do you have time?”

 

Why would the duke be looking for me? The only recent matter was merchant-guild business…

 

‘Is it about the Zeiran Empire? But that’s something he could just ask Eldan…’

 

I stood to follow him, but Evan tugged my hand. I stumbled backward and landed on the soft bed.

 

“Father, Lep is talking with me. Please wait your turn. And Lep and I are going to the palace together.”

 

The words were polite, but the tone was not.

 

Still, the duke only chuckled.

 

“Then you can come too.”

 

Evan and I exchanged confused looks. Eventually, we boarded the carriage with the duke.

 

“My stomach feels awful…”

 

“Huh? Are you okay?”

 

I checked Evan’s complexion repeatedly. He said the carriage’s motion made him nauseous and leaned his head on my shoulder.

 

“Tell me if you’re in pain. Don’t keep it to yourself like last time.”

 

“Okay. I’ll tell you if it hurts.”

 

I stroked Evan’s hair gently, only to feel a sharp gaze. The duke was staring at us with a look that screamed ‘pathetic’.

 

“My lord, where exactly are we going?”

 

“His Majesty wants to see you.”

 

Silence fell.

 

“…Me?”

 

The emperor? Why suddenly?

 

I did have business at the palace, but not with him.

 

I pointed at myself. The duke nodded. Evan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them slightly.

 

“Why does His Majesty want to see Lep?”

 

Evan asked seriously, and the duke answered: “Her Majesty the Empress told him. She said she entrusted the pirate suppression mission to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

 

‘No way…?’

 

I fell deep into thought.

 

In the original story, the emperor had virtually no presence. His only function was to mistreat Bastien and highlight his negligence as a father.

 

But there was the second prince, Fedeshar.

 

If Bastien successfully led the pirate subjugation, it would give him enormous merit. And people wanting Fedeshar on the throne wouldn’t like that one bit.

 

The duke sighed heavily.

 

“Yes. I thought His Highness was the most suitable for the mission…”

 

“And your judgment was correct. His Highness will handle the pirates well. But it seems His Majesty finds it bothersome. He’s nervous the voices supporting the crown prince will grow louder. He is… displeased.”

 

He meant Bastien. And the Empress.

 

Even if the emperor owed his position to the Empress, he was still the emperor. Nobles who disliked the Empress’s overreach supported him in opposition.

 

The two factions maintained a fragile balance. Any shift in influence made both sides sensitive.

 

“It would be wise to prepare an excuse. His Majesty isn’t one to pull tricks, but when his pride is hurt, he does petty things. The man is small-minded.”

 

“Can’t Father stop him?”

 

“No need to worry too much. He’s still the emperor—he won’t cling to fabricating something out of thin air. He doesn’t have the guts. But if he finds something real to latch onto…”

 

“And he’s curious about the fact that you helped Fedeshar.”

 

“Oh…”

 

I let out a small sigh.

 

After saving Fedeshar, the emperor had summoned me once before, but I avoided it using my studies as an excuse. It was… burdensome.

 

‘Why do I keep ending up in front of troublesome people…’

 

It felt like my future path was slowly turning to mud.

 

“Be careful of the Empress too. You didn’t forget what I said last time?”

 

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Evan squeezed my hand anxiously. I forced a smile.

 

“There must be a commotion at the estate too. Gossipers love running their mouths.”

 

‘The estate?’

 

I had questions, but we arrived at the palace before I could ask.

 

More importantly—I needed to figure out how to get out of this smoothly. Information about the emperor was scarce, so I was nervous. Meanwhile, the duke and Evan looked perfectly relaxed.

 

Well, of course they were. Unlike my family, the Weiss dukedom had no reason to fear the emperor. Their power was enormous, they weren’t subordinate to the imperial family, and rumors said they held all the information networks of the palace. They truly were the last people you’d want as enemies.

 

But they weren’t the emperor’s faction either. The Weiss family served the empire, not the ruler. They loved this land and protected its balance.

 

When we reached the audience chamber, the large doors slid open.

 

“We greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

Following the duke’s lead, Evan and I bowed. The emperor rested one arm arrogantly on his chair’s armrest and accepted our greeting.

 

“The Weiss young lord is here as well?”

 

“Forgive me for not presenting myself sooner.”

 

“No matter. You have been unwell—what could you do? I heard of your achievement at the graduation ceremony.”

 

‘Huh?’

 

I blinked. Achievement? What achievement?

 

From what I’d heard, the swordsmanship department basically had a survival evaluation in a monster-filled forest…

 

“Recover quickly and work for the empire.”

 

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

 

He said “for the empire”, but it sounded like “for me“. Evan simply smiled in return.

 

Then the emperor’s gaze slid to me, sharp and probing.