Chapter 17
The imperial banquet hall was full of noise and excitement.
The Emperor had invited every noble who still remained in the capital — every man and woman of title — to a grand dinner.
“Why do you think His Majesty called everyone together?”
“It’s the social season. Probably just a formal gathering to build goodwill. Maybe to look for a suitable family for the Crown Prince’s future marriage.”
“A marriage proposal, hmm… Well, His Highness is already thirteen. That makes sense.”
“Since Her Majesty the Empress passed away, perhaps His Majesty wishes to choose the Crown Princess himself.”
The nobles’ guesses were half right and half wrong.
Yes — the banquet was about a marriage proposal.
But the person at the center of it wasn’t the Crown Prince.
When the Emperor entered, all the nobles immediately rose and bowed deeply.
Tonight, unlike her casual meeting with Agnès, Emperor Kali was dressed in full imperial splendor — every inch of her gleamed with authority.
Her cold eyes swept slowly across the bowed heads.
“Raise your heads. It’s been too long since I’ve seen your faces.”
The nobles lifted their heads one by one. Kali’s gaze lingered briefly on one man.
That one… must be Count Overhan.
Rickman Overhan.
He was a handsome man — golden hair, calm blue eyes, and a dignified air.
His posture was perfect, his expression polite, his manners flawless.
A young count who had already inherited his title — by all accounts, one of the most desirable husbands in high society.
But Kali had always sensed something darker behind that polished surface — something rotten.
And her instincts had been correct.
Rickman had thrown out his wife, demanding a one-sided divorce because she “interfered too much” in their son’s education.
He had sent her back to her family’s estate without a second thought.
He wasn’t ignorant of what that meant for a divorced noblewoman.
No — he probably enjoyed it. The power, the cruelty, the way a single command could ruin someone’s life.
He didn’t want an equal. He wanted control.
So instead of marrying a woman from a powerful house, he’d chosen the daughter of a mere baron — someone easy to dominate.
Now Kali allowed herself a thin smile.
Because what she was about to announce would completely shatter his expectations.
When she took her seat at the head of the long banquet table, the others followed.
After letting the room settle, she smiled broadly.
“I’ve gathered you all tonight to share some happy news. I’ve been dying to tell someone — I can hardly contain my excitement.”
Happy news?
So it wasn’t something to be decided tonight — it was already decided?
Did that mean the Crown Princess had been chosen already? Which family had been blessed with such an honor?
The nobles buzzed silently with speculation.
Then Kali cheerfully crushed all their assumptions.
“My beloved younger brother, the Duke of Basteron, is engaged to be married.”
“The… the Duke of Basteron?”
Someone blurted out the question before they could stop themselves.
Kali’s sharp eyes darted toward the voice. The man immediately lowered his head in fear.
Then Kali’s expression softened into a warm, regal smile.
“Yes. My remarkable brother has finally found his match. I met her myself not long ago — a graceful, beautiful lady.”
The hall went silent, but in the nobles’ minds, chaos exploded.
Which fool sold his daughter to a monster?
For once, they all shared the same horrified thought — though none of them dared show it.
Instead, they put on bright, false smiles.
“Your Majesty, may we ask which fortunate lady it is?”
Kali’s lips curved upward.
“Lady Agnès Everchen, eldest daughter of Baron Everchen. A lady praised by everyone who’s met her — elegant, poised, and admirable. I just hope my brother won’t be outshone by her brilliance. Don’t you agree?”
The words hadn’t even finished leaving her mouth when the hall erupted into murmurs.
Whispers spread from one end of the table to the other like rippling water.
Lady Agnès Everchen? Wasn’t she the woman thrown out of the Overhan household?
They didn’t dare speak aloud, but everyone was whispering to someone beside them — and of course, the Emperor could hear it all.
Kali smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement.
“No one answers me? How bold of you.”
The chill in her tone was enough. Those seated closest to her immediately forced smiles and began nodding in agreement.
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. A truly wonderful lady. She and the Duke will make a fine pair.”
“Indeed! When she debuted in society, all the young lords were captivated by her grace.”
“Baron Everchen, congratulations! Such an honor for your family!”
In an instant, the atmosphere turned festive again — cheerful voices, forced laughter, clinking glasses.
But a few glances slid toward Rickman Overhan before quickly darting away.
Baron Everchen himself looked frozen — unsure whether to feel proud or humiliated.
He could only smile awkwardly and nod.
Rickman, however, stayed perfectly composed.
He raised his glass, made small talk with those beside him, and then — so quietly no one noticed — slipped out of the hall.
***
Compared to the noisy banquet, the corridor outside was deathly still.
A servant waiting in the shadows rushed toward him, nervous.
“My lord, why are you leaving already? Are you unwell—?”
Before he could finish, Rickman’s boot slammed into his stomach.
Thud!
The servant crumpled to the floor without a sound.
Rickman closed his eyes, took a slow breath, and rolled them as if exhausted.
When he opened them again, his face was calm — disturbingly calm.
“Tch.”
Clicking his tongue, he took off his coat and dropped it carelessly, as though the servant were standing upright to receive it.
The terrified man scrambled to his feet and caught it before it hit the floor.
Rickman didn’t look back.
He walked down the gilded corridor as if he owned it, surrounded by servants and maids who dared only to glance at him from the corners of their eyes.
Every step he took radiated arrogance — the kind that didn’t even recognize others as people.
When he reached his carriage, he climbed in and spoke curtly to his secretary.
“My wife is said to be marrying the Duke of Basteron. Look into it.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The secretary didn’t even blink at the word wife — though everyone knew she was long divorced.
Rickman leaned back in his seat, folding his arms tightly.
The menace rolling off him filled the space like smoke.
“How dare she,” he muttered, his face twisting with rage.
After a moment, he exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down.
He shouldn’t let gossip get under his skin.
Still, the voices of the banquet lingered in his mind, taunting him.
“Thrown out of Overhan, and now she’s marrying Basteron? Quite the opportunist.”
“So even that timid lady can turn ruthless when she’s humiliated, huh?”
Agnès.
There was no way she would do something like that.
No — this had to be her foolish parents’ doing, selling off their daughter again.
He had assumed she’d end up with some old widower, desperate for remarriage.
But the Duke of Basteron? Even he had to admit, that was unexpected.
Still, Rickman smirked bitterly.
The situation had become… complicated. But he didn’t feel threatened.
It only irritated him to think of others laying claim to what he still considered his.
Agnès will come to her senses soon enough, he thought.
He had intended to punish her a little more — just enough to make her regret defying him.
But now, it seemed time to end this game.
He couldn’t possibly allow another man to have her.
Yes, it would cost him something to bring her back — but that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that the beautiful Agnès should never be tainted by anyone else.
Leaning back, Rickman closed his eyes and recalled the last time he’d seen Noah.
The boy had always been timid, afraid of his father.
And yet, he had gathered the courage to approach Rickman — clutching a sheet of stiff paper.
“When is Mother coming home?”
Only Rickman could answer that question, so of course the boy had come to him.
Timid, yes — but not stupid.
Your mother has learned her lesson, he had told the boy. She’ll be back soon.
At those words, Noah’s face had lit up with hope.
Rickman remembered that moment vividly.
Children needed their mothers, after all.
And there was no one in the world who could care for Noah like Agnès could.
Yes — she was emotional, soft-hearted, too gentle at times. But that was only because she was a woman.
With proper guidance, she’d return to her senses and behave as she should.
So come back to me now, Agnès, he thought, his eyes still closed.
It’s time to come home.
