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“Like someone who has yielded to His Majesty?”
Iana looked at Charles with a worried expression.
Charles embraced her tightly.
“Perhaps, until now, I haven’t been protecting my brother, but my beliefs.”
“⋯⋯.”
“The belief that I will not yield to what I deem wrong.”
“⋯⋯.”
Iana looked up at Charles in silence. Charles gazed intently at her and asked, “Why?”
“Your Highness hasn’t been protecting your beliefs, but simply couldn’t let go of your expectations for His Majesty.”
“Is that so?”
Charles smiled sadly.
“So don’t speak as if Your Highness has done something wrong. Because it’s not true.”
She spoke firmly to Charles, who was blaming himself instead of resenting the Emperor once again.
Charles playfully pinched Iana’s white cheek.
“Iana, when did you become so firm? It feels like just yesterday you were terrified of rabbit droppings.”
Iana reached out and caressed his lips before covering his mouth.
“But I still can’t stand the smell of alcohol.”
At Iana’s disgusted expression, Charles laughed loudly as if amused.
Iana, still in his arms, spoke in a serious tone.
“Enduring the gazes of people who have changed will be harder than you think.”
Charles had become known as the Mad Grand Duke for standing against the Emperor.
Within that was the meaning of a righteous Grand Duke standing against the Emperor’s tyranny.
But if Charles acted as if he were yielding to the Emperor, the respect directed towards him would surely turn to contempt.
Charles asked with a concerned expression.
“Did you experience that?”
Iana remembered it clearly.
She couldn’t forget the moment when the gazes of people who had been friendly turned sharp because of the rumors Riel had spread in her past life.
“⋯⋯Yes.”
She nodded slightly.
Charles looked at Iana for a long time. A warm gaze conveying comfort settled in her eyes.
He said in a calm voice.
“But you alone will believe in me⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
“That’s enough for me to endure.”
✦ ✦ ✦
At that moment, Duke Havel remained in the banquet hall with the Emperor.
The Emperor seemed quite drunk, shaking his head repeatedly to clear his mind.
Duke Havel stared blankly at the Emperor.
A Monarch with weak abilities but a strong desire for power.
The Emperor was a man with a small capacity and who became emotional at crucial moments.
He had liked that deficiency and made him Emperor, but he had quite a cunning side.
'I must prevent the Emperor from getting closer to Grand Duke Ervin.'
Just as Duke Havel was thinking that, the Emperor asked, staring with bloodshot eyes.
“Duke Havel, do you think Charles has truly yielded to me?”
Duke Havel downed his glass and opened his mouth with a determined expression.
“Do you remember what I told you just before Your Majesty ascended the throne?”
“Do not trust anyone. Not even you, Duke Havel⋯⋯.”
The Emperor’s eyes flickered slightly.
Duke Havel did not miss that moment.
“You have given too much power to Grand Duke Ervin now.”
“⋯⋯.”
The Emperor did not react.
Duke Havel continued without paying attention.
“Of course, The Nine were at fault this time. But since we cannot turn them into enemies, shouldn’t we appease them now?”
“How?”
“Allow the system of passing down the Archmage position to the descendants of mage families who have made great contributions.”
“A system of passing down the Archmage?”
“It is what the 9th Circle Archmages desire, and it will be an opportunity for Your Majesty to deeply intervene in the world of mages through imperial law.”
Duke Havel carefully observed the Emperor’s expression after finishing his words.
In order to keep Grand Duke Ervin in check, he had to make the Archmages completely his own.
A moment of silence passed. Soon, a smile spread across the Emperor’s lips.
“Good idea. Mages also need the Empire’s control now.”
“Then I will send someone to formally propose this policy.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Three days later, Iana, wearing a red cloak, headed to the Imperial Palace.
When she arrived in front of it, she saw a familiar man.
It was Carrion, who had come to have an audience with the Emperor.
Iana frowned without realizing it.
“Iana.”
Carrion approached and called her.
“⋯⋯.”
Iana stared straight at him without answering.
Carrion slowly scanned her up and down and said, “So it’s true that you’ve become His Majesty’s escort mage.”
“Count Dietrian.”
Iana called in a cold voice.
“What? Count Dietrian?”
“Is there a problem with me, the Archmage of the Imperial Palace, speaking informally to a policy secretary?”
Carrion was about to get angry but chuckled and swept back his hair.
“Iana Archmage, you seem to think you have gained an advantage over the 9th Circle Archmage by proving purification magic.”
“⋯⋯.”
“You would be mistaken if you think so.”
“I know, so stop being pretentious and leave.”
Iana turned her head as if she was annoyed to deal with him.
At that moment, Carrion came close to Iana.
“What are you doing?”
Just as Iana was about to push Carrion away, Carrion whispered in her ear.
“Now the Empire’s Archmages will be determined not by magical power, but by their family background.”
Iana’s eyes went to the document envelope Carrion was holding.
“So?”
“Think about why I am suddenly proposing such a policy⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Iana Ruise Archmage, who is from the Ervin territory. Don’t be pretentious.”
The moment Carrion raised his upper body, which had been lowered while sneering.
Iana grabbed his collar tightly.
“What, what are you doing?”
Carrion asked with a frightened expression, knowing that Iana could use magic.
Even so, he kept looking around, embarrassed that a woman had grabbed his collar.
Iana whispered mockingly in his ear.
“Who’s from Ervin?”
“What?”
“Iana Rechelles, I am from the Rechelles family, which has a military alliance with the Dietrian County.”
“What are you talking about? You were expelled from the family⋯⋯.”
Carrion’s eyes shook as he finally grasped the situation.
“Keep your mouth shut if you don’t want to break the military alliance with the Rechelles family.”
Iana and Carrion glared at each other with their faces close.
It was then.
“Is there still lingering affection? Even though you’re divorced.”
When they looked towards the voice, the Emperor and Charles, who had finished preparing for the hunt, were walking out of the Imperial Palace entrance.
Charles looked at the two with a stiff expression.
Iana lowered her hand that was grabbing Carrion’s collar and looked at Charles.
“Charles, what do you think? Does it look like there is still lingering affection between the two?”
“⋯⋯.”
Charles was silent. He simply looked at the two with a face that did not reveal his emotions.
The Emperor watched the three of them alternately with a smiling face, as if he found the situation amusing.
“I was about to postpone Count Dietrian’s audience and go hunting.”
“Is that so? Your Majesty.”
Carrion answered politely.
“It seems you are not awkward with your ex-wife, would you like to go hunting with us?”
“⋯⋯!”
The people around them had surprised expressions at the sudden situation.
“Why, are you not pleased?”
When the Emperor asked, Carrion bowed.
“No, I will follow Your Majesty’s command.”
“Charles, what about you?”
The Emperor turned his gaze to Charles and asked. At the same time, he carefully observed his expression.
Iana watched the situation unfold and thought.
'His Majesty the Emperor is deliberately provoking Your Highness.'
To confirm whether he has truly yielded.
“I will also follow Your Majesty’s command.”
Charles also bowed his head briefly and answered.
“Prepare for Count Dietrian to hunt.”
The Emperor gave the order and started walking again.
Iana, Charles, and Carrion followed behind him.
How many steps had they taken?
“Wait.”
The Emperor stopped in his place as if he had remembered something.
“What do you need?”
When the secretary behind him asked, the Emperor slowly turned around and said.
“Since we all know each other⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
“What if we bring Riel along too?”
“⋯⋯!”
No one readily answered.
“Charles, is it not possible?”
Charles answered firmly.
“Where is it not possible? For what Your Majesty desires.”
A cruel smile spread across the Emperor’s lips.
“Bring Riel here right now.”
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