Chapter 18
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
Havel met the Emperor’s gaze with an unperturbed expression. The Emperor looked at Havel and let out a scoff, as if dumbfounded.
“Havel, everyone says they can’t see through you, but I’m an exception. I’ve watched you since you were crawling on the floor. Do you think I wouldn’t know you? I’d bet this entire empire that you’re not the type to drag a lady into your private space just because you’re interested in spirits. If you’re trying to deceive me, cut it out and be honest. What’s your relationship with Lady Ventus?”
“…”
“If you refuse to answer, I’ll have no choice but to question Lady Ventus directly.”
At the Emperor’s final words about involving Serira, Havel’s composure vanished instantly.
For over 20 years, Havel had never once acted in a way that could be called defiance towards his older brother.
It was partly because the Emperor had always been considerate of him, but also because even though Havel felt no emotion towards others, he recognized the Emperor as his only family.
However, even if he was family, touching Serira, the only person who held meaning in his life, was unacceptable.
Havel’s gaze turned sharp as he stared directly at the emperor.
The Emperor couldn’t hide his bewilderment as he saw Havel, who seemed ready to attack him at any moment with his sharp demeanor.
Havel’s intensity had changed so dramatically that the Emperor’s knights, who were standing behind him, instinctively reached for their sword hilts. Havel’s attendants also stiffened their faces and didn’t even dare to breathe.
In the rigid atmosphere of the living room, Havel briefly closed and opened his eyes, being the first to soften his aura.
“Your Majesty, do not touch Serira.”
“Ha! Are you saying… No, more than that, are you truly that serious about her, to act like this towards me?”
The Emperor’s eyes widened. At first, he was bewildered, then he felt a sense of betrayal and hurt that Havel was acting this way because of a woman, but now, only surprise remained.
Of course, when he saw Havel and Lady Ventus standing together earlier, he didn’t show it, but he had been surprised.
It was the first time in the Emperor’s life that Havel, who didn’t even allow his own nephews to visit, had brought a non-blood relative, especially a woman, to this place.
The rumor that Havel had no interest in women was not just a rumor. It was the truth.
No, in fact, Havel had little interest in people in general.
That’s why his deceased parents had always worried about the unemotional Havel. The image of his mother, the former empress, passing away while still worrying about Havel, was still vivid in his memory.
Looking at Havel, who saw the world in monochrome, as if he questioned if he even had the will to live, the Emperor had never felt at ease for a single day.
He worried whether Havel even knew what happiness was, but more than that, he felt a greater anxiety that Havel might suddenly disappear somewhere if he continued to live like this.
And yet now, he was showing such strong emotions?
Naturally, the Emperor’s surprise was greater than his feelings of betrayal and hurt.
“Huh? Come on, tell me.”
At this moment, he tossed aside his dignity and returned to being Havel’s older brother, not the Emperor. He leaned towards Havel, staring intently at him with an expression that urged him to speak.
Havel stared intently into eyes the same color as his own, then let out a short breath.
“Yes. I am serious. So, please. Your Majesty, please do not touch Serira.”
Serious, he said? No, did Havel just ask him for a favor? A favor? A favor!
Seeing Havel even bowing his head, the Emperor’s mouth hung open in shock.
“I’m not so old that I’m hearing things, am I? Right? Cass, you heard it too, didn’t you?”
Cass, the Emperor’s attendant, bowed his head to the Emperor.
“I also heard it clearly, Your Majesty.”
This is reality. Well, I guess a day like this would come before I die. The Emperor muttered blankly, then suddenly seemed to remember something and stood up abruptly with a startled expression.
The Emperor paced back and forth across the living room with a serious expression, unsettling Havel.
“What’s wrong?”
As Havel’s voice reached the Emperor’s back, the Emperor turned to Havel with a troubled expression.
“Well, it’s just… I didn’t know you had feelings for Lady Ventus. If you had just given me a heads-up beforehand, I wouldn’t have said those things to Queen Blyos. I can’t say this isn’t your fault.”
“What did you say?”
A bad feeling swept over Havel. Seeing Havel’s aura sharpen again, the Emperor scratched his cheek awkwardly and moved his lips.
“I suggested pursuing a marriage between you and Princess Daisy.”
“Brother!”
Havel’s thunderous shout echoed through the quiet villa was a natural reaction.
* * *
Three carriages were traveling along a bumpy mountain road. Knights on horseback rode in front and behind the carriages, escorting the occupants within.
Inside the most luxurious of the three carriages, the middle one, a man and a woman were leisurely reading books, seemingly oblivious to the outside situation.
Of the two people reading, the first to look up was the woman with reddish-brown hair. Her name was Daisy Blyos. She was the princess of the Blyos Kingdom and the representative of this diplomatic mission.
Daisy tucked a strand of hair that had fallen onto her cheek behind her ear and gazed at the man absorbed in his book. Her green eyes, like fresh foliage, sparkled brightly.
He was so engrossed in the book that only the top of his black hair was visible to Daisy.
“Arnold, is that book really that interesting?”
“Yes. It’s fascinating.”
The man called Arnold answered Daisy’s question without taking his eyes off the book. Daisy looked at the title of the book he was holding.
<How the Continent Was Divided: An Exploration of the Primordial Era>
Just looking at it, she could tell how boring it would be. Truly, it was a book befitting his nickname, ‘The Sage.’
Daisy pushed the imperial history book she hadn’t even read half of aside and stretched her legs out to the front seat. Only then did Arnold, who had finally looked up from his book, slightly furrowed his brows and made a displeased face.
“Princess, that’s not proper.”
“What’s the big deal? Who’s here besides you and me? My legs hurt. I’ve been in the same position for hours. Arnold, if your legs hurt too, stretch them out here.”
“I’m fine.”
Arnold had also maintained a proper posture for hours, but given his personality, acting like Daisy was absolutely impossible.
Arnold sighed as he watched Daisy stretch and then yawn widely.
“Your Highness, please be careful with your conduct once we arrive in the Empire. You are Her Majesty the Queen’s representative, after all.”
“Don’t worry about that, Duke Crowde. I’m not a child who lacks common sense. Do you really think I’d act like this in the Empire?”
Daisy said, shaking her index finger from side to side. Arnold lowered his gaze back to his book, and Daisy pulled back the curtain covering the window and muttered.
“Think we’ll get there by tomorrow?”
“Since we’ve crossed the last gate, we should arrive in about a day.”
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s my first time since I came once when I was little.”
“It’s my first time entirely. I’m more nervous than excited.”
Arnold closed his book and looked out the window with a troubled expression. His hand was caressing the firmly closed wooden box placed beside him. Daisy’s gaze briefly touched the box and then moved away.
“Hmm… The Empire’s spirit user is a high-level fire spirit user, right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“I hope things go well. It will go well, Arnold.”
Arnold stroked the top surface of the box with an affectionate expression, as if to say it had to.
“I hope it goes well for Your Highness too.”
“Yes, I hope so too. No, first, I hope that person remembers me.”
It would be embarrassing if she was the only one who hadn’t forgotten. Daisy said this, but couldn’t hide her joyful expression.
How many years had it been? Her heart pounded at the thought that her wish to meet him again was about to come true.
Grand Duke Havel Precia, I’ll be able to meet you soon.
Daisy’s eyes, looking out the window, sparkled with anticipation, not for the rapidly passing scenery, but for one particular person.
* * *
Time flies by in the blink of an eye, and a whole week had already passed since I was invited to Havel’s villa.
Currently, the Imperial Palace was in a frenzy, preparing to receive the Blyos delegation. Especially Havel, who was in charge of the overall preparations for this delegation, seemed to have been so busy that it was difficult to even see his face for the entire week.
It wasn’t that I was disappointed or anything. It was just… I was simply a little unaccustomed to not seeing someone I’d seen almost every day for a whole week.
Unlike the busy situation in the palace, I was now leisurely drinking tea with Sir Chent in the quiet Spirit User’s office, gazing at the distant mountains.
“It’s strange. When the imperial festival is on, we’ve never been this free.”
“I know. It feels weird to rest. Well, it’s not like we have anything else to do, so we’re just doing this.”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling strangely uncomfortable about resting, even though it wasn’t against the rules. Sir Chent, sitting across from me, also had a rather unsettling expression.
Thanks to Havel, the spirit users, who had taken a step back from welcoming the delegation, had become the least busy people in the bustling palace.
Whenever there was an imperial festival, the spirit users also had events they had to prepare with their spirits, but this time, Havel had volunteered to do it, leaving the spirit users with nothing to do.
It’s not like we can create fireworks with gunpowder like mages, so it’s natural that we have nothing to do… but it just feels a bit strange.
Unlike Sir Chent and me, who felt uncomfortable just sitting around even when told to rest, seeing Sir Tern’s completely empty desk made me think that perhaps it’s true that only those who are used to playing know how to play.
“When is Sir Tern coming back?”
“Huh? Oh, he said he wasn’t coming back because he had nothing to do. He said he’d see us at the delegation party.”
“Wow, that’s the way life is supposed to be. Why do we still come in every day?”
“I know, it’s because we’re too timid, I guess. Sir Tern is a young master of a marquess family with enough land to live comfortably even without being a spirit user. Unlike us.”
Ah, that’s right. Feeling a touch of bitterness at the reality Sir Chent reminded me of, I filled my mouth with sweet tea.
Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
