Chapter 13
Ever since Kali had become Emperor, there was one topic no one dared to speak of.
The Empire had been built on the swords of knights — and that meant the Emperor was expected to be an exceptional swordsman.
The fact that Prince Dylan possessed incredible swordsmanship naturally made him someone with the qualifications to rule.
Kali had expected Agnès to stammer or panic in her presence.
But instead, Agnès smiled perfectly — soft, graceful — and only lowered her head shyly.
“It’s an honor that the one who supports Your Majesty so greatly will be my husband.”
With that single line, Agnès made it sound as if Kali herself had praised her brother as a wonderful husband-to-be.
Clever woman.
She was kind, proper, obedient — yet Kali could tell that wasn’t all there was to her.
The Emperor laughed heartily, eyes sparkling with amusement.
Waiting for Dylan’s reaction when he found out would certainly not be boring.
* * *
A black horse galloped up to the Basteron townhouse.
It was a magnificent steed — large, muscular, and gleaming as if its coat had been polished with sunlight.
Dylan pulled hard on the reins, bringing the horse to a sudden stop before leaping down in one smooth motion.
Normally composed and dignified, he moved with unusual urgency now, startling the servants who hurried to greet him.
“Where is Her Majesty?”
“Her Majesty is in the drawing room with Lady Everchen…”
“I’m late.”
A flicker of frustration crossed Dylan’s face.
He had never intended to let the two women meet alone.
Kali might be his sister — a beloved and respected ruler — but that didn’t mean he approved of everything she did.
Most of all, the Emperor was not someone a sheltered woman like Agnès could easily handle.
If Kali discovered that he and Agnès were bound only by contract, she might very well decide to cancel the engagement herself.
Kali was always like that — unpredictable and mischievous.
And Dylan didn’t want Agnès to be hurt by one of his sister’s whims.
Even if this marriage wasn’t real, she had still shown him nothing but kindness.
“My lord, you’ve arrived.”
From the inner hall came Gaveline, bowing respectfully.
As Dylan nodded for him to follow, the butler began to explain the situation.
“Her Majesty arrived in plain dress, without prior notice. The head maid only knew an important guest was coming, not who it was.”
“And Lady Everchen?”
“Thankfully, she recognized Her Majesty’s identity right away. Though… Her Majesty seemed to be teasing her a bit.”
“Teasing…”
Dylan’s steps quickened, but Gaveline cautiously added,
“You may not need to rush, my lord.”
“What do you mean? I know you don’t exactly favor Lady Everchen, but I trust you’re not letting personal feelings color your words.”
At that, Gaveline flushed red with embarrassment.
It was improper for a servant to express opinions about his master’s chosen partner — even if that partner wasn’t yet the real duchess.
Still, Dylan’s sharp words showed he already knew what his butler thought.
Mortified, Gaveline bowed deeper and spoke quickly.
“I didn’t mean it that way, my lord. I only said that Lady Everchen didn’t seem easily swayed by Her Majesty’s words.”
“Not swayed?”
This time, Dylan was genuinely surprised.
He knew Agnès was strong-willed in her own quiet way — but the person she was facing was Kali.
Cold, unpredictable, and ruthlessly sharp — the sort of ruler no one could truly read.
He had assumed Agnès would be flustered and frightened by now.
“Yes, my lord. Her Majesty appeared quite amused during their talk. At first, she was… well, playful as always. But by the time I left, they were chatting about ordinary things — like when you first met, and whether you were looking forward to marriage.”
Dylan froze.
The urgency that had driven him here began to fade, replaced by relief — and a touch of confusion.
Why had he come running like this?
When he’d first heard that Kali had visited the townhouse, his spine had gone cold with shock.
He couldn’t stop remembering that night —
The delicate body trembling in his arms,
The faint sound of her gasp as his fangs pierced her skin,
The golden eyes filled with fear…
And the gentle hand that reached out afterward, despite it all.
He had felt both comforted and strangely unsettled by her presence.
Was it just because I owe her a debt?
That seemed like a reasonable excuse.
But he didn’t dwell on it. He moved forward again — there was no time to waste standing around.
As he neared the drawing room, he heard Kali’s laughter ring out.
He signaled to the servants to stay quiet and listened.
“He’s my brother, but honestly, he’s disgustingly perfect. I can see why you’d say that, Lady Everchen. But tell me—are you really fine with it?”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“I’m talking about my brother’s… diet.”
A chilling silence spread from the drawing room out into the hallway.
Dylan’s mouth twitched, his jaw tightening.
Not everyone knew his secret — but the rumors were everywhere.
And now my own sister is helping spread them.
He clenched the door handle, ready to interrupt — but then he heard Agnès’s gentle laugh.
The soft sound floated through the corridor like a warm breeze, melting the tension in an instant.
“I was quite surprised too, Your Majesty. He’s very picky. Doesn’t seem to like vegetables at all.”
“Oh my.”
Kali looked taken aback — then burst into laughter.
“Ha! That’s true! He was like that even as a child. Pretended otherwise at official dinners, but I see his tastes haven’t changed.”
The icy tension vanished.
What had been a dangerous question turned into a harmless joke between a teasing sister and her brother’s fiancée.
Dylan finally exhaled and knocked on the door.
A clear, crisp sound echoed through the hall.
“Who is it?”
“Dylan.”
“Ah, Your Grace! Please, come in.”
When he entered, Agnès stood up in surprise, while Kali greeted him with a knowing smirk.
Dylan bowed respectfully before his sister, though his tone was sharp.
“Your Majesty. It’s been so long since we last met.”
Considering he had seen her just yesterday at the palace, his meaning was obvious:
I told you not to come here.
Kali caught it instantly and shot back with playful sarcasm.
“My, my. My dear brother must love his sister very much — to miss her after just one day.”
Agnès looked between them and hid a laugh behind her hand.
“You two must be very close.”
That made Kali laugh again, delighted.
The only one not smiling was Dylan, who sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead in frustration.
Finally, he shot her a glare.
“Your Majesty, please stop teasing my fiancée.”
“Me? Tease her? Lady Everchen, do you agree with that accusation?”
Agnès smiled sweetly.
“Not at all, Your Majesty. I wasn’t troubled in the slightest. In fact, I quite enjoyed your company — though I suppose that’s not a very convincing answer in this situation.”
Kali burst into laughter, wiping tears from her eyes.
“Well, I certainly had fun! And she’s right — your fiancée is far more amusing than I expected. So unlike the rumors!”
“Ha…”
Dylan sighed, half-exasperated, then extended his hand toward Agnès.
She blinked in mild confusion but obediently placed her hand atop his.
He guided her gently to the sofa, helping her sit down like a true gentleman.
Then, in a quieter tone, he asked,
“After last night… are you feeling all right?”
And with that simple question, the air shifted — warmth, concern, and something unspoken passing between them.
