Chapter 1. The Beginning of Everything
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying.”
“…Ha.”
In the dark of night, under the moonlight, a man and woman stood facing each other. With their stunning looks and elegant attire, anyone witnessing the scene might have mistaken them for a perfectly matched couple.
But the woman standing before the man was thinking something entirely different.
All she wanted was to escape from this place—from this man—as quickly as possible.
A strange tension had silently built between them. Then, the man spoke again.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Who exactly are you?”
Even though he clearly knew who she was, he continued to ask such questions. The woman couldn’t understand why—and so, she couldn’t give any answer.
No—she wasn’t even in a state to speak. The tension gripping her entire body made it impossible, and her heart pounded out of control.
Trying to loosen her stiff body, she clenched and released her fists repeatedly and stared straight at the man before her.
‘So… nothing’s changed.’
The woman took a long look at him. He hadn’t changed much since the last time she’d seen him.
His icy blue eyes, as if they could pierce right through her soul, and his black hair, dark as the surrounding night sky…
Exactly the way he’d looked when she had once loved him.
If anything had changed, it was only her. Though she had already been smaller than him, her body was now even smaller—making the man appear even more intimidating. He looked like he could overpower her in an instant.
That’s why she couldn’t tell.
Was her heart racing because she was afraid he might discover her true identity—or because of the overwhelming presence of the man she once adored?
One thing was certain: the man before her likely had no idea what was going through her mind.
That realization sparked a strange kind of courage in her. With that confidence, she turned the question back on him.
“I’m not sure either. Who does Your Majesty believe I am? Am I the imperial princess of a foreign empire, sent here alone to fulfill the promises of our ancestors—or…”
Someone who once adored you?
To her, this entire situation felt utterly unreal. Because…
In front of you, I…
Please, don’t recognize me.
✦ ✦ ✦
Wearing the black uniform of the imperial knights, a sword strapped to her waist, and her brown hair neatly tied back, a woman strode briskly through the palace corridors. She finally stopped before a pair of large golden doors that exuded a powerful presence.
“Your Majesty, it’s El,” she said respectfully.
“Come in.”
Despite the late hour when most had already retired for the night, a voice answered without hesitation from inside.
El opened the doors and stepped in.
The room was spacious and meticulously clean, reflecting the personality of its owner. An entire wall was filled with bookshelves.
The lights were still on, suggesting someone had been working late. At the desk in the center of the room sat a man, his head down, focused on a stack of documents.
The man with black hair, who didn’t even glance at the newcomer, was the one seated at the desk—the ruler of the Lubane Empire, Terban Luan Lubane. His black hair, a symbol of the royal family, and his deep ocean-blue eyes were striking.
Still absorbed in his papers, Terban spoke without looking up.
“Did you find anything?”
“Yes. Just as we suspected, the count is behind it.”
“How anticlimactic. It’s exactly as we predicted.”
“He’s always slipped away before we could catch him. This time, we must be cautious until the very end.”
At her words, Terban suddenly chuckled. The laugh made El momentarily forget the severity of the situation, unable to take her eyes off his piercing blue gaze.
Terban, still not lifting his head, continued.
“This is just the chase before the kill. The prey runs, just as the hound wants, until it reaches a dead end… where it dies—by the hound’s own hand.”
“That may be, but we should still be careful. For someone to escape us this often, even when we move in secret, it’s likely we have a hidden leak somewhere.”
At her warning, Terban looked skeptical—as if it were absurd. After all, only one person knew about this operation.
Which is why Terban teasingly asked her, “You’re the only one who knows about this. Surely, you’re not the leak, El?”
“Of course not,” she replied seriously, just as he expected. He smiled knowingly—he’d trusted her all along. That he could even joke with her like this proved how much faith he had in her.
They had been together for a long time, after all.
“I’m being serious, Your Majesty.”
“I know. Enough about that. What’s the situation with the Jevenica Empire?”
Moving on to the next urgent matter, Terban asked without delay.
“I’ve heard the princess was born with a weak constitution. She’s currently unconscious and hasn’t woken up yet.”
Despite the grave situation, Terban unexpectedly smiled—as if it were an opportunity.
“Well, that works out…”
But he didn’t finish the thought. Because without warning, the door opened again, and someone entered.
Golden hair, vivid green eyes, porcelain skin, and crimson lips. A luxurious dress suited to nobility adorned her form.
She was so beautiful that anyone—man or woman—would be struck by her at first glance.
Terban looked up in surprise and asked, “Shenil? What are you doing here at this hour?”
His expression had completely changed. The warmth in his eyes clearly showed how special this woman was to him.
Her name was Shenil Reymil, the only daughter of the Duke of Reymil.
She had known Terban for a long time and was familiar enough to enter his office unannounced, even late at night.
Since El had entered the palace, she’d often seen the two of them together. And though no one said it aloud, it was widely known that Terban was especially soft when it came to Shenil.
Recently, after the death of her mother, the Duchess of Reymil, Shenil had been staying in the palace to recover—thanks to Terban’s consideration.
There were even rumors that Shenil would become the next Empress.
Without hesitation, Shenil walked past El and stood beside her.
“I went to your palace because I couldn’t sleep… but when I saw you were still working late, I came here instead.”
Despite Terban being the emperor, Shenil called him by name so casually. El, more than anyone, knew how impossible that was for someone like her.
Shenil’s gaze then shifted from Terban to El. Her eyes momentarily dimmed upon seeing them together—but no one noticed.
“Sir El, you were here too.”
“Lady Shenil. It’s an honor to see you.”
“Poor El, you must be overworked. Terban always makes you work so late—you never get any rest.”
“It’s nothing. As His Majesty’s knight, it’s my duty.”
Though she spoke the truth, El’s heart felt heavier than when Shenil had first entered.
That title—the emperor’s knight—defined the relationship between El and Terban more than anything else.
Emperor and knight. Ruler and subordinate.
Not a noble. No ties to the royal family.
El always believed just being by Terban’s side was already more than she deserved.
But the human heart isn’t always so rational.
“It’s late. Let’s go rest,” Shenil said gently.
Passing by El, she walked over to Terban, removed the pen from his hand, and took his hand in hers.
“Let’s go. Hmm?”
“…Alright. Let’s.”
Just like that, Terban gave in again—just as he always did when Shenil appeared.
El had seen it too many times to be surprised. There was only one person who could sway Terban this way—and that was Shenil.
Unable to keep watching, El echoed her words.
“Lady Shenil is right. You’ve been working nonstop for days. Please get some rest. The paperwork is nearly done.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Terban naturally offered his arm, and Shenil placed her hand on it. The two of them walked past El without another glance.
At that moment, El’s gaze lingered on Shenil’s hand, still resting on Terban’s arm.
And Shenil—she noticed that fleeting look instantly.
