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"His Majesty the Emperor appointed you as his escort mage?"
At Iana's words, Riel's face hardened.
She couldn't predict what Iana might do if she stayed close to His Majesty the Emperor.
She might slander her, or she might disrupt her schemes.
Above all, she wondered why His Majesty the Emperor had suddenly made such a choice.
"There are many archmages in the capital, so why did he appoint you as his escort mage?"
Iana approached, wearing a meaningful smile.
"Why else? He must believe my magical power is stronger than the archmages in the capital."
"You?"
Riel looked at Iana with suspicion.
"So, be careful. Because from now on, I don't know what I might do to you."
"Iana, do you think I'll just stand by?"
"I'll be watching you closely by His Majesty the Emperor's side. To see what tricks you're up to."
"......"
"Then, I'll see you again. Lady Riel."
Iana bowed slightly and walked toward the backyard.
Riel watched Iana's retreating figure, thinking.
'This is a disaster. This will make the Council of nine archmages oppose His Majesty the Emperor's choice.'
There are moments when overlooking something trivial leads to great misfortune.
She instinctively felt that perhaps this was one of those moments.
Appointing Iana as the escort mage was His Majesty the Emperor's choice.
If the Council of nine archmages attacked, claiming the purification magic was fake, it would highlight not only Iana's fault but also His Majesty the Emperor's fault for not properly verifying it before appointing her as the escort mage.
The problem was His Majesty the Emperor's temperament.
His Majesty the Emperor was extremely sensitive to criticism.
If His Majesty the Emperor perceived that the Council of nine archmages was criticizing him, there was no telling how he might react.
Riel immediately headed toward the greenhouse.
She happened to encounter an elderly secretary coming out of the greenhouse.
"Have you arrived? Lady Riel."
"I heard His Majesty the Emperor is here. I was returning from an outing and wanted to greet him."
"I'm afraid that will be difficult at the moment. He is inside playing chess with Your Highness, Grand Duke Ervin."
"Playing chess with Grand Duke Ervin?"
Riel asked with a doubtful voice.
"Grand Duke Ervin often plays chess when he comes to the Imperial Palace."
The secretary replied as if it were nothing significant.
Riel subtly questioned the secretary to understand the situation.
"I heard on my way here that Iana Archmage has become His Majesty the Emperor's escort mage."
At that moment, the secretary opened his mouth in an extremely low voice.
"Lady Riel."
"......"
Riel stared at the secretary without a word.
The secretary approached Riel closely and warned in a chilling voice.
"Don't concern yourself with unnecessary matters, and focus only on bringing joy to His Majesty the Emperor."
"......"
"That is the virtue of a mistress living in the Imperial Palace."
The secretary's gaze, filled with disregard and contempt, pierced Riel.
She stepped close to the secretary, almost touching him.
"A secretary is not a position for thinking."
"......"
"So, from now on, do as you are told. Unless you want to be caught up in unnecessary political strife......"
After speaking, Riel turned and walked away, feeling the secretary's sharp gaze on her back.
'Let's inform Duke Havel of this situation now. Through the healer.'
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, Carrion was waiting for Duke Havel at a townhouse in the capital.
A few days ago, Duke Havel had sent word through someone that he wanted to meet in the capital.
'Why does Duke Havel suddenly want to meet?'
Carrion paced back and forth in front of the building entrance with an anxious look.
It was an open secret.
Rumors were rife in society that Riel becoming His Majesty the Emperor's mistress was due to Duke Havel's power.
Now that Riel had gained His Majesty the Emperor's favor, there was no telling what she might do to him through Duke Havel.
Clatter-.
A splendid carriage, escorted, drove up in front of the gate and stopped in front of the building entrance.
A butler ran to open the carriage door, and Duke Havel stepped out of the carriage.
Carrion approached and greeted him politely.
"Your Grace, Duke Havel, it's been a while."
After speaking, Carrion quickly scanned Duke Havel's expression.
"It has been a while, Carrion."
Contrary to expectations, Duke Havel greeted him kindly, like the father of a close friend.
"This way, please."
Carrion led Duke Havel to the drawing-room, thinking.
Of course, he had been friends with Franz, but hadn't he gotten into a fistfight with Franz, who was of higher status than him, over Riel's issue?
Yet, he suddenly appeared and treated him kindly, making him feel uneasy.
Creak-.
The butler opened the drawing-room door, and Carrion and Duke Havel stepped inside.
The two sat facing each other at a table prepared with refreshments.
Duke Havel smiled slightly and began to speak.
"Why, are you nervous? Because I suddenly came to see you?"
"To be honest, yes. Actually, there was a bad incident with Lord Franz, and also the Riel issue......"
Carrion trailed off, watching Duke Havel's reaction.
Tap, tap.
Duke Havel tapped the table with his finger without a word.
Silence filled the drawing-room.
Just as Carrion was staring at Duke Havel with a nervous look, Duke Havel said casually.
"I would like you, as a policy advisor, to propose a good system to His Majesty the Emperor."
"......What kind of good system are you referring to?"
"A promotion system for mage families. A kind of merit system that promotes the descendants of mage families who have sacrificed for the empire to archmages."
Carrion thought for a moment, then asked with a doubtful look.
"Creating rules for mages as a system in the Imperial Family could provoke a backlash from the mages."
"That's why we're using a merit system that only His Majesty the Emperor can grant. It's wartime now, after all."
"......"
Carrion hesitated.
"Carrion, there are plenty of policy advisors around me, and if I've decided to create a system, then all the preparations must be complete."
"......Then why did you come to me?"
Duke Havel brought his face closer and said in a low voice.
"It's a kind of compensation. Compensation for restoring the relationship with His Majesty the Emperor that has been strained because of Riel."
"......"
"Well, think about it carefully."
After speaking, Duke Havel rose from his seat and walked leisurely out of the drawing-room.
✦ ✦ ✦
Darkness had already fallen on the Imperial Palace.
Iana, having returned to her quarters, went to bed early, citing fatigue.
She tossed and turned on the bed.
"I am asking what you feel when you see the sword pointed at the neck of your lord and lover."
The image of His Majesty the Emperor pointing a sword at Charles' neck kept replaying in her mind.
Especially Charles' eyes at that moment flickered before her.
His gray eyes, resigned and indifferent.
It was something they had planned, but his eyes looked like those of someone accustomed to misfortune.
"Ha......"
Iana sat up in bed and let out a long sigh.
She had to ask Charles if the neck His Majesty the Emperor had threatened was okay, and if anything else had happened afterward.
But she went all the way to his quarters and then turned back.
Somehow, she felt that Charles wouldn't want it, and he hadn't come to find her either.
'Was he resigned because he was used to the situation of His Majesty the Emperor pointing a sword at him? Or was he indifferent because he had given up on everything?'
"I think I'll have to stop my brother's tyranny by any means necessary now."
Recalling his words, a sudden ominous thought flashed through her mind.
The words "by any means necessary."
Looking back, those words sounded like a resolution to face death.
Iana changed into a simple casual dress, held a candle in one hand, and headed to Charles' room.
Knock knock.
Iana knocked on his door and said softly.
"Your Highness, are you asleep?"
No sound could be heard from beyond the door.
"Is he asleep?"
Iana muttered softly and looked out the window in the hallway.
It was a deep night with a bright moon.
It seemed that Charles had already gone to bed, so Iana had to go back.
But she had a strange feeling that someone was grabbing the back of her neck.
Something she would never normally do.
Creak-.
Iana mustered the courage to open Charles' door.
The candle she was holding dimly illuminated the dark room.
It was then.
Her eyes met Charles, who was standing by the window with a wine glass in his hand.
His startled eyes glistened with moisture.
Charles turned his gaze to the window and said firmly.
"It's late. Go back up and get some sleep."
Iana didn't obey his words and came inside, closing the door. Then, she said in a desperate voice.
"I want to be here. By Your Highness' side......"
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