~Chapter 48~
I briefly bowed to His Majesty the Emperor and then sat across from Vesus. The plush sofa embraced me comfortably. Even this felt unsettling.
The Emperor was smiling, but he looked tired—worn out, like me returning home after a long day of part-time work in the past. He pressed his temples with his fingers. Without any preamble, the Emperor went straight to the point.
“Étienne, have you reconsidered?”
“The answer remains the same.”
Étienne replied swiftly, as if prepared. The Emperor let out a sigh. I watched the exchange carefully.
Why am I even called to a meeting like this?
“Tsk, possessing talent and yet refusing to make use of it. In my day, we devoted our lives to the country without being told. Kids these days just won’t put in the effort.”
Ah, the classic “back in my day” speech.
The Emperor muttered for a long while, but Étienne remained unmoved, as solid as a stone.
“Very well. Then Vesus will go and take a look.”
“Yes. I will observe the situation and report back.”
Unexpectedly, the Emperor relented easily. Vesus also responded naturally, as if he had anticipated it. Only then did Étienne lift his teacup to his lips.
“Have Dalia accompany him as well.”
Étienne, drinking tea, made a strange ‘kik’ sound. The thin tea trickled down his chin. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and let out a loud cough.
I wasn’t the only one surprised.
“Me…?”
I asked, forgetting etiquette, speaking in my usual tone.
You want me to go where exactly?
Oh no! Just by looking at it, I can tell it’s going to be grueling! Six days by carriage there and back! On top of that, a plague is spreading! And my father dislikes me!
I absolutely did not want to go. But how could I possibly refuse the Emperor’s command?
My only wish is to live somewhere warm all year and eat steak to my heart’s content. And now you’re asking me to go?
I turned my gaze to Vesus. He showed no sign of surprise. His fingers twisted idly on his knee, moving slightly.
“What do you mean by that?”
After tidying up the spilled tea, Étienne asked again, his voice stiff.
“Dalia, isn’t this the land where you grew up? You’ll be of help if you go. I hear you’ve known Vesus for a long time too.”
The Emperor answered me. It made no sense.
What does my childhood home have to do with a plague? Back then, all we did was throw stones and play hopscotch.
While I was struggling to find the right words, Étienne suddenly stood up.
“Absolutely not.”
I looked up at him in surprise.
Can he actually refuse the Emperor’s order? Is this the boldness of the favored youngest son?
The Emperor shot Étienne a cold glance.
Not exactly cold—more like… sulking?
“Why do you say no when this order wasn’t given to you? I asked Dalia.”
“No. I won’t let her go. It’s a place with an unknown disease. I won’t send her. I cannot let her go there alone.”
Étienne repeated the same words multiple times. The Emperor tapped the arm of his chair impatiently.
“Alone? Vesus will go with her. Unlike others, our Crown Prince listens to my orders very well. The Royal Knights will accompany her as well. Are you disregarding the strength of our empire?”
Étienne’s clenched fists trembled. Sparks seemed to fly between the two.
At any other time, I might have watched comfortably, but of all times, it had to be over me? Ah, the pressure.
I shifted my gaze between the Emperor and Étienne. Neither showed signs of backing down.
I looked to Vesus. Behind his rounded eyes, there was amusement. He was enjoying this situation.
Of course—it was Vesus’s doing. He probably wanted to separate Étienne and me.
He must have suggested it, and the Emperor would see no harm. And if Étienne insisted on accompanying me, all the better for him.
I looked back at Étienne. He remained firm.
That expression again.
The one that looked as if he cared for me, as if he was jealous of Vesus, giving me false hope. My chest ached.
〈Am I a thing? Am I your possession?〉
〈Yes. Isn’t that obvious?〉
I could still hear his voice clearly. At the same time, I recalled the kiss from earlier.
He only wanted to prevent losing his “possession.”
I jumped to my feet. Vesus watched me with sparkling eyes.
I might regret this later.
“I’ll go.”
Étienne turned his head to look at me. His blue eyes trembled slightly.
I ignored him. I refused to see the gaze of that bad husband.
“I don’t know if I’ll be of any help, but if it’s the Emperor’s command, I must go.”
The Emperor smiled brightly.
“Good. Then leave immediately tomorrow.”
Outside Étienne’s room, Simon stood waiting. He had been waiting for Étienne, who had been summoned by the Emperor. A faint smile appeared on Simon’s face as he recalled the events from earlier.
Servants and royal guards had been tasked with watching the hosts throughout the banquet, in case of emergencies.
In other words, he had seen everything that happened at the banquet.
Every moment amazed Simon. Despite serving Étienne all his life, he had never seen him dance. Attendance at banquets was rare for him anyway.
And then… a kiss.
At that moment, Simon nearly had to shove his fist into his mouth to prevent screaming.
Especially the look Étienne gave Dalia—it was something else entirely.
“Unbelievable. He’s capable of that kind of look.”
Despite the words, a corner of his mouth twitched upward.
Simon had always felt pity for Étienne. People would have been surprised if they knew he pitied someone who beat him daily, but Simon had never forgotten the first day he saw Étienne.
Inside the still-bloody palace, the Étienne he had heard was five or six years younger turned out to be much smaller and frailer. He just stared into space, neither crying nor angry.
A child born unwillingly as a prince, losing everyone around him in the fight for the throne, left the world too early.
Simon thought Étienne’s eyes were like a frozen glacier.
“Glacier, my foot. Now I see he’s like a warm, bubbling hot spring. Hah, maybe I should plan a… joint celebration when we return to the estate. Both are so good-looking, the children will be adorable too. Young Master or Young Lady, it doesn’t matter. Come on, piggyback ride!”
Simon smiled wryly, stretching out his hands as if carrying a baby.
At that moment, Étienne appeared from the hallway.
Simon wanted to greet him with a smile but quickly shut his mouth. The aura radiating from him was formidable.
Simon instinctively knew: one wrong move and his head would be off.
It had been a flowery scene moments ago… why does he look like he could kill someone now?
Simon bowed his head. Best to stay safe when you know nothing. His experience had taught him this.
Étienne didn’t even glance at him as he strode into the room.
He slammed the door behind him.
Alone in the room, Étienne ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. His neatly styled hair became disheveled as his restrained anger escaped in strange noises.
He walked around the room, roughly removing his clothes. Buttons refused to cooperate.
Frustrated, he tore the clothes off, buttons flying. He ground his teeth as he looked at the discarded garments.
The earlier scene lingered in his mind.
〈I don’t know if I’ll be of any help, but if it’s the Emperor’s command, I must go.〉
That lively voice.
〈Dalia.〉
〈Why? I want to go, Étienne.〉
The shameless face.
〈Ahahaha, good. Then Vesus and Dalia should go. If you don’t want Dalia to go alone, Étienne, you can accompany her. That settles it—no more discussion.〉
The Emperor left, as if waiting for the moment. Étienne realized that the Emperor’s intent was to involve him as well.
〈Étienne, don’t worry. I’ll be there. Nothing dangerous will happen to Dalia. She’ll do so well that you won’t even feel my absence.〉
Vesus placed his hand on Étienne’s shoulder and smiled.
Étienne stared at Dalia without replying. Dalia said nothing—no backtracking, no excuses.
‘I chose to follow Vesus, not him.’
That alone pierced Étienne’s chest.
He stormed out. He felt that if he stayed, he might do anything to drag Dalia out, lock her in the room, and prevent her from seeing or going anywhere.
Étienne collapsed onto the bed.
“Wicked woman.”
As always, he shouldn’t have trusted her. He murmured, running his thumb across his lips.
Ironically, the sensation made his heart race. Her slightly flushed face, spinning in his arms, appeared before him like a painting.
Étienne squeezed his eyes shut.
“Don’t be so pretty.”
He flopped onto the bed. As anger ebbed away like a receding tide, another emotion surged.
“Simon.”
“Do you have orders?”
Not long after calling Simon’s name, he peeked his large head in.
Étienne glared at him. Sweat dripped from Simon’s crown.
“Dalia.”
“Yes.”
“Go see what she’s doing.”
