Chapter – 07
Rafine quietly looked at Bayern, then suddenly burst into laughter. Her expression clearly showed that she did not believe his words at all.
Every time Bayern told the truth, he ended up feeling awkward like this.
“You really are good at joking. If you’re the Emperor, then I must be the Empress.”
She slapped Bayern on the back and laughed loudly.
“……”
Bayern felt troubled, but he could not force someone to believe him.
To Rafine, he was still the same boy she had known long ago—the platinum-blond commoner who wore glasses and lived outside the imperial palace.
On the other hand, as the Emperor, Bayern had never appeared in public without a mask. He especially avoided large gatherings like banquets.
Since Rafine had never met the Emperor up close, it was difficult for her to imagine the Emperor in Bayern.
So her reaction was understandable.
She thought he was simply joking. The idea that he might actually be the Emperor never crossed her mind.
Bayern let out a faint sigh and spoke.
“You can’t take that back. If I’m the Emperor, then you’re the Empress. Especially when you’re already talking about breaking your engagement.”
Bayern suddenly spoke with a serious face. Rafine just laughed lightly.
“What are you doing, taking a joke so seriously…”
“I told you, Rafi. I have never lied to you.”
Rafine looked up at him. She realized that Bayern’s eyes were filled only with her.
She quickly turned her gaze away.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s strange.”
“……”
“So, how are you going to help me?”
Rafine changed the topic again.
Bayern answered seriously.
“You said you were attending Countess Rosen’s tea party next week, right?”
“Hmm?”
Rafine looked surprised that Bayern remembered something she had mentioned casually a long time ago.
“I’ll ask His Majesty to attend the party. And I’ll ask him to meet you.”
Rafine’s eyes widened.
“What? Is that even possible?”
She asked loudly, unable to believe it.
“Yes. Just trust me. If it doesn’t happen, you never have to see me again.”
When Bayern spoke confidently, Rafine burst out laughing again.
“Why would we stop seeing each other over something like that? I trust you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Seeing her laugh made Bayern feel like he could do anything.
“So you’re bringing His Majesty with you?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. But His Majesty will definitely come.”
“Really?”
Rafine still found it hard to believe him.
The Emperor hated crowded places. It was hard to imagine him attending a tea party.
Still, she did not want to ignore Bayern’s effort to comfort her, so she smiled and said she would look forward to it.
She only hoped that the Emperor would allow her to break her engagement.
Time passed quickly, and the day of the tea party arrived.
From early morning, Bayern felt happy just thinking about meeting Rafine.
Even the annoying meetings and seeing Cedric’s face felt bearable today.
Because of that, some nobles were lucky as well. Normally, if someone handled work badly or gave a wrong report, the Emperor would destroy them with harsh criticism. But today, he only gave sharp advice.
After meeting Rafine that day, Bayern told the chief attendant that he would attend the tea party next week.
The attendant looked at him with disbelief.
“Are you feeling unwell, Your Majesty…?”
“Your Majesty, it isn’t even a banquet. It’s a tea party. A place full of noble ladies and young noblewomen.”
“Hmm… it seems to be a small gathering. Your Majesty, do you really intend to go?”
For an entire week, the attendant followed Bayern around, repeatedly asking if he was serious.
In the end, Bayern lit a flame in his hand and said,
“Do you want to burn to death?”
Only then did the attendant finally shut his mouth.
Of course, Bayern hated banquets. He especially hated crowded places. Nothing disgusted him more than someone touching his body.
But since it was a place where he had promised to meet Rafine, even attending a tea party felt pleasant.
Since childhood, she had been the only person who made him feel comfortable.
Bayern planned to finish his work quickly and head to the place where he promised to meet her.
That was, unless Cedric made him angry.
“What did you say?”
Bayern asked coldly.
Cedric hesitated for a moment, then spoke calmly.
“I said that I will leave work early today because I am attending a tea party.”
Bayern was extremely puzzled.
Usually, the only reason a man attended a tea party was to escort a woman or if he received a special invitation.
The Countess was not particularly close to Cedric. That meant he was escorting someone.
But who?
Rafine was seriously thinking about breaking their engagement, so it couldn’t be her.
Could it be that he had already found another woman?
Thinking this, Bayern smiled slightly and asked.
“Really? Are you attending with your fiancée?”
If Cedric honestly spoke about breaking the engagement, Bayern was even willing to let him go peacefully.
After all, it would give him a chance.
But—
“Yes. My fiancée asked me to attend with her.”
Cedric answered without hesitation.
He probably believed the Emperor would never attend a place like a tea party.
“Hahaha!”
Bayern burst into loud laughter. He knew it was an obvious lie.
So this was how Cedric would act.
How dare he lie to him?
Bayern twisted his lips into a smile.
“Is that so? It seems the two of you are very close.”
“Yes. We will be married soon.”
Cedric answered without blinking.
“Good. I respect relationships between people who are about to marry.”
“I hope Your Majesty will bless our marriage.”
“Really? When you meet your fiancée today, give her my regards.”
“Do you know Rafine?”
Cedric raised his eyebrows in surprise. The Emperor usually had no interest in other people.
Bayern smiled faintly again.
“I know more things than you think, Cedric.”
“……”
Bayern successfully silenced him.
Smiling calmly, he ended the conversation.
“At today’s tea party, I hope the two of you become an example for others.”
“Yes… I understand.”
Feeling something strange in the Emperor’s attitude, Cedric slowly nodded.
“Then go.”
Bayern waved his hand dismissively.
Cedric immediately disappeared.
Watching him leave, Bayern smirked.
“Well then, I should go too.”
Rafine put more effort than usual into preparing herself, just in case the Emperor really came to the tea party.
In the past, whenever she attended banquets, she was always busy chasing after Cedric. She never cared about how others saw her.
Thinking about it now made her feel embarrassed.
Rafine slowly stood in front of the mirror and checked her appearance.
The Lobru family’s distinctive light pink hair was neatly braided and pinned up. Small flowers and lace decorated it.
Her face, usually hidden behind her long hair, was now fully visible and looked bright.
“Hmm.”
Usually she wore white or pale yellow dresses that did not stand out.
But this time, she deliberately chose a darker dress.
The deep blue dress made her white skin and bright hair stand out even more.
After dressing up carefully for the first time in a while, she looked quite beautiful.
“Good. Let’s go.”
Holding a decorative fan in one hand, she hurried out of the mansion.
The Marquis and Elizabeth had already left earlier for the tea party.
Because of her illness, Elizabeth usually stayed inside the house, but she loved the atmosphere of banquets and tea parties and often attended them.
The Marquis always supported her in every way.
He bought her the most expensive jewelry and dresses and personally escorted her each time.
Because of that, Elizabeth always became the center of attention at parties.
Meanwhile, Rafine was often pushed aside, ignored by everyone.
Even so, Rafine never cared much. She believed that social gatherings were simply for unmarried men and women to find partners.
At that time, as long as Cedric stayed by her side, nothing else mattered.
But now it was different.
Her goal was no longer to spend time with Cedric.
She wanted to meet the Emperor.
“If I meet His Majesty, I must ask for permission to break the engagement… and tell him about my special ability.”
With that determination, Rafine quickly got into the carriage heading toward Count Rosen’s mansion.
