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Carrion's Humiliation The First Order of Knights' procession sped towards the capital. Iana looked around, her face darkening. The situation in the north was more serious than she had thought. Arika Vine grew rampant everywhere, and monsters appeared frequently. Swoosh- Bang! Bang! They drove on, eliminating the Arika Vine they saw along the way. Late in the afternoon, the First Order of Knights arrived at the outer castle of Count Thames' territory. Charles had sent a messenger in advance, requesting to be guided to the encampment instead of the Count's castle. Count Thames' territory was also at war, so resources were bound to be scarce. Boo-oo-oong. The horn sounded, and the castle gate opened. The First Order of Knights entered the outer castle in a long line. As they entered the gate, Count Thames, who had been waiting, rushed over with a welcoming expression. "Your Highness, Grand Duke Ervin, have you arrived?" Count Thames, wearing a straw hat, had bits of grass all over his clothes. Three or four mages in gray robes followed behind him. They must have been hastily pulled away from removing Arika Vine. Charles dismounted and greeted him. "It's been a while, Count Thames. How is the situation here?" "Don't even mention it! The vine that looks like a snake has grown and attacked people, causing quite a stir. So, we are currently burning the vine." "Arika Vine revives when burned with fire. You must eliminate it with magical power." "With magical power?" "The Archmage from our territory will teach you the magic to remove Arika Vine." As Charles introduced Iana, she stepped forward and bowed briefly. "So, that's the Archmage? I thought she was Your Highness' lover…!" Count Thames, realizing his mistake, quickly covered his mouth with his hand. Charles chuckled at the sight. "She is both an Archmage and my lover." "I will teach you purification magic from now on." Iana toured the territory with the Count's mages, teaching them purification magic. In the end, the First Order of Knights, who helped remove the Arika Vine, stayed at the Count's castle instead of the encampment, due to Count Thames' insistence. The butler guided Iana and Charles to their quarters. Afterward, maids peeked at the two of them as they carried their luggage. They walked down the corridor on the second floor and stopped in front of a familiar door. It was the guest room where Charles had stayed when Iana came to Count Thames' territory shortly after her divorce. "This is where you two will be staying." The butler spoke as if it were natural for the two of them to stay together. "Two?" Iana was flustered and blurted out the word without realizing it. "Yes?" The butler blinked, his face confused. Iana realized what was happening from the butler's reaction. Count Thames must have been considerate, hearing the word 'lover'. 'It's understandable to misunderstand. Back then, I shared a room with Your Highness because my magical power manifested.' Charles, realizing the situation, chuckled. "We'll take care of unpacking." "Then, please unpack and come downstairs when you're ready. We'll prepare dinner." The butler and maids put down their luggage in the room, greeted them, and left the room. Iana stared at the closed door and said with a serious expression. "Should I tell them now?" Charles, taking off the quiver he had around his body, asked. "Tell them what?" "That Your Highness only took care of me back then because my magical power manifested." "Do you think they'll believe you if you say that?" "They won't." "Then don't waste your energy and sit down." After speaking, Charles leaned back deeply on the sofa. Iana approached with an awkward expression and sat next to him. Charles stroked Iana's hair and said softly. "I meant for you to sit across from me." "…!" As Iana was about to get up, embarrassed, her hair, tied together, got tangled in his hand. "Ah!" "Oh dear, your hair is tangled like Arika Vine. Let me tie it up for you." "I, I can do it." She waved her hand, but Charles gently combed her hair with his long fingers and said. "Iana, thank you. For coming with me." His calm words echoed heavily in Iana's ears. The road to the Imperial Palace seemed heavy to him. Iana turned around and said firmly. "Don't worry about anything. I'm behind Your Highness." "…." Charles was speechless for a moment, as if touched. Then, he slowly lowered his face from behind. At his sudden action, Iana tensed up, her eyes filled with anticipation. At a distance where their cheeks were about to touch, Charles whispered lowly. "Look ahead. Your hair will get crooked." "…Yes." Iana pouted and looked ahead. Charles laughed loudly for a while at the sight. As if he had never had a heavy heart from the beginning. ✦ ✦ ✦ It had been a week since Carrion left the Ducal Palace. Suddenly, a horde of monsters attacked near the outer castle of the capital, delaying his journey. His carriage entered the capital along with the Royal Guard messengers and the Imperial Army. The scenery inside the capital, where monsters had appeared, was quite different from before he left. Rubena Square, which was always crowded with people, was guarded by armed soldiers, and acrid smoke from burning Arika Vine rose everywhere. Carrion looked out the carriage window and recalled what the Royal Guard messenger had said to him in Ervin. "Lady Riel has become His Majesty the Emperor's mistress." Bang! Carrion, unable to contain his anger, punched the carriage. "Daring to do this while I'm away…" Iana's words flashed through his mind. "Riel thinks of you as a stepping stone, Carrion. A stepping stone to meet a man of high status." 'As Iana said, she used me as a stepping stone to approach Franz and then win the Emperor's heart.' Carrion could not contain the rising anger. He didn't actually have any lingering feelings for Riel. But he was resentful that he had been used by a mere maid and lost so much of what he had. Riel had become the excuse for his divorce from Iana, and as a result, his reputation in aristocratic society had declined. 'For the Emperor to steal someone else's mistress!' Carrion was angry at the Emperor's behavior, but also worried on the other hand. Since the Emperor had stolen his mistress, it was clear that the Emperor would distance himself from him because of people's attention. At that moment, the situations where he had slapped Riel's cheek flashed through his mind. Carrion felt a chill down his spine. 'Could it be that Riel is trying to take revenge on me?' He couldn't know how Riel, who had won the Emperor's favor, would change. ✦ ✦ ✦ After about an hour, Carrion's carriage arrived at the Imperial Palace. The Emperor met with the Royal Guard messenger first, then summoned Carrion to his office. Carrion, as usual, was guided to the office by the secretary. However, the entrance to the Imperial Palace was noisy. The Empress, trying to enter the Imperial Palace, was arguing with the Royal Guard knights who were blocking her. "Move aside! Didn't I say I have something to tell His Majesty directly?" The Empress shouted, but the Royal Guard knights did not budge. "I'm sorry. You can only enter with His Majesty the Emperor's permission." The secretary cleared his throat as if to show the Empress, and the Royal Guard knights stepped aside. "Count, please follow me." Carrion left the Empress with a hardened expression behind him and entered the Imperial Palace. 'Has the Empress been completely cast aside because of Riel?' As he was lost in thought, walking down the hallway in front of the office. Once again, a moan was heard from beyond the Emperor's office. But the woman's voice was familiar. No, he could definitely recognize it. 'Riel is in there.' Carrion's eyes turned sharp. Shh! The guard knight standing in front of the door gestured for him to be quiet again. Carrion clenched his fists in resentment and trembled. The louder the moans, the greater his humiliation. 'His Majesty must be doing this on purpose. To show me.' Although not an official mistress, Riel was clearly his mistress. But Carrion was humiliated by the situation where he had his mistress stolen and couldn't say a word. The humiliating time lasted quite a while before it ended. After a while, the secretary opened the door with an indifferent face and said. "Please enter, Count." Creak-. The door slowly opened wide, and Carrion entered the office. "…!" The first thing he saw was Riel. While another secretary was tidying up the Emperor's clothes, Riel stood demurely next to him, wearing a white, neat dress. Then the Emperor roughly pulled Riel's hand and placed her in front of Carrion. "You're not strangers, so you should greet each other." "…." Carrion and Riel's eyes met. The Emperor leaned against the desk and watched the two of them intently. To be exact, he seemed to be watching Carrion's humiliating appearance. Carrion's clenched hands trembled. Riel added fuel to his anger. "It's been a while, Master." She greeted him politely. Like a maid who had never been anything to him.
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