The Privy Council was corrupt.
Oscar Tibon quickened his pace, clinging to that single truth.
His body was drained of energy as he walked through the alleys of the capital.
“Then what should be done about those poor souls?”
The petitions he had pored over all night under dim candlelight swirled in his mind.
Once again, his face was clouded in deep sorrow.
The Privy Council was originally established as the Emperor’s advisory body, gathering those who were renowned throughout the Empire for their academic knowledge and wisdom.
But now, it had become nothing more than a puppet organization, having all submitted to the corrupt chairman, Nicola Zelbero.
“In my heart, I’d like to report this directly to the Ministry of the Interior…”
He rubbed his wrinkled forehead and let out a long sigh, shaking his head.
“I’m worried about Jane.”
Jane was the only blood relative left behind by his deceased son and daughter-in-law. But the little girl had suffered from a chronic illness since birth.
Even when he received his proper salary, it had been hard to afford her medicine. Ever since he fell out of favor with the chairman, however, his pay had been subtly cut under various pretexts, and it was getting harder and harder to care for her.
“If something goes wrong and I completely lose my position…”
Poor Jane would surely die before he could even try to save her.
Fury welled up in him, and Oscar unknowingly stared at the ground with resentful eyes.
It was then.
“Oops!”
He had collided with someone and fell backward.
He hurried to his feet and quickly looked in front of him.
“Oh, my! I’m so sorry. Are you all—?”
A young girl had also fallen in front of him.
Oscar paused when he saw her bright blond hair and rosy cheeks.
She looked only a few years older than Jane.
“If Jane weren’t sick, she might look this lively too…” The thought passed through his mind.
But he quickly came to his senses and extended his hand.
“My apologies. Are you hurt?”
The girl smiled as if to say she was fine, took his hand, and stood up. Then she gave a sheepish laugh.
“Oh, I’m okay. What about you, sir…?”
Oscar smiled gently, reminded of his granddaughter, and nodded.
“I’m fine as well.”
The girl smiled brightly again. Just as she was about to say something—
“Lady Selenea!”
A young knight ran toward them from behind.
Oscar instinctively muttered as he recognized the familiar crest on the knight’s uniform.
“The Tigris family…?”
The girl turned to him and blinked in surprise.
Oscar quickly came to his senses and bowed to her.
“My apologies for not recognizing you sooner, Lady Tigris. I am Oscar Tibon of the Privy Council.”
But something was odd.
The girl’s eyes were growing wider and wider as she looked at him.
Oscar tilted his head, puzzled.
Then the girl asked with a trembling voice:
“Oscar Tibon…?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s me, but…”
“No way. Really?!”
Oscar, startled, nodded slowly.
Oscar Tibon.
I stared wide-eyed at the elderly man before me, stunned.
“This man is Oscar Tibon?!”
The strong-looking old man in front of me was someone I knew very well.
He was one of Estelline’s main allies in the original novel—and one of my absolute favorite characters.
“I remember wishing we had someone like him in South Korea!”
“Lady, are you alright?”
Cassian asked beside me, but I waved my hand blankly, still in shock. I quickly turned back to Oscar.
“I—I’m Selenea of the Tigris family, Sir Oscar.”
Oscar laughed awkwardly and replied with a puzzled expression.
“Yes, I am aware…”
I cleared my throat and quickly added:
“S-Sorry. I just… I’ve wanted to meet you so badly, and now that I have, I can hardly believe it!”
Oscar pointed at himself with a wrinkled finger.
“…Me? Why…?”
Flustered, I stammered on.
“Well, um… I was really impressed by the book you wrote. What was it called again…?”
“Are you perhaps referring to The Empire and Its People?”
His eyes sparkled. I nodded quickly.
“Yes! That’s the one!”
I had a vague memory from the novel that he was the author of some famous book and had taken a guess—correctly, it turned out.
In the original novel, when a drought struck the Empire, he was the one who gave vital help to Estelline.
A true expert in welfare and relief work!
His contributions in the story were extraordinary.
He was like a guiding star who helped Estelline gain the overwhelming support of the people.
And an incredibly precise and efficient guide at that!
“If you have time, would you be willing to join me for a cup of tea nearby? I’d love to discuss your book with you.”
Eager to form a connection with him somehow, the words tumbled out of my mouth.
But a troubled look appeared on his face.
“Oh, it would be a great honor, but…”
I tilted my head as I noticed his hesitation.
“I have somewhere I urgently need to be right now.”
Hearing that, I nodded quickly.
“I see. I was being too forward.”
Oscar smiled kindly and waved his hand.
“Not at all. If you send me an invitation later, I’ll make time to visit. Then, if you’ll excuse me…”
He bowed and walked past me. As I watched him go, I muttered:
“It must be because of Jane.”
In the novel, alongside Estelline in her relief work, there had always been another girl with Oscar Tibon.
Jane Tibon.
She was Oscar’s granddaughter—a blind girl.
She lost her sight due to illness, if I recall correctly.
So Oscar Tibon was likely hurrying home to care for her.
“Do you know him?”
Cassian asked beside me. Just as I was about to nod and answer—
“Lady Selenea!”
Someone called out to me from across the garden.
It was Estelline and Rosetin.
“Sorry, I got caught by the other ladies…”
Estelline apologized.
Rosetin stood beside her, cheeks slightly flushed and looking pleased.
“Can you believe it? They were all asking me how I developed my abilities. So annoying.”
I looked at Rosetin, whose lips twitched with pride, and smiled.
“So? Did you explain?”
Rosetin nodded, a little embarrassed.
“I did. What else could I do—they were so curious.”
“Well done.”
As we giggled together, a carriage bearing the crest of the Laurent family pulled up in front of us.
The coachman dismounted and guided us inside.
Cassian, watching from nearby, spoke.
“I’ll follow behind on horseback.”
I nodded—but then paused.
Come to think of it, Rubel wasn’t here.
“Wait, where’s Tatio?”
“Huh? He was just here a moment ago.”
Cassian tilted his head. I glanced around, then stepped into the carriage and said:
“Cassian, make sure you bring Tatio with you when you come to the Laurent estate.”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he nodded.
I turned to look at Estelline, who had taken the seat beside me.
“I really want to introduce them to each other already.”
In the original story, Estelline and Rubel hadn’t met until after they were both over twenty.
But I planned to have them meet as soon as possible.
Because…
“They’re perfect for each other.”
Sunshine-like Estelline and quiet, endlessly kind Rubel.
There was a reason they were the main characters of the novel.
I smiled, picturing them together.
I already knew how grateful they’d be to me in the future.
As the coachman cracked his whip, the carriage began to move powerfully forward.
No sooner had I stepped out of the carriage than I stopped in my tracks at the sight of two familiar faces in front of the Laurent estate gates.
“They beat us here?”
Cassian said proudly, nodding beside me.
Next to him stood Rubel, his eyes blackened with Ansen’s drug.
“Where were you?”
“I had something to buy.”
I nodded vaguely, then turned to the carriage and the girl stepping out.
I gently pulled her toward me by the hand.
Estelline’s eyes widened slightly.
“Estelline, this is Tatio—my new bodyguard and a distant relative.”
I nudged her subtly in Rubel’s direction. Estelline tilted her head and looked back at me.
Finally, her gaze turned slowly to Rubel.
Rubel also looked at her, expressionless.
Their eyes met in the air.
“…Oh.”
I watched them with fascination and took a step back.
Estelline’s light brown eyes shimmered like honey under the setting sun.
Rubel’s profile as he gazed at her was, needless to say, stunning.
As I’d expected, seeing them side by side was like witnessing a painting.
They practically glowed.
I sparkled with excitement, imagining sparks flying between them. Then Estelline spoke first.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Tatio.”
Her voice was warm and gentle.
Without realizing, I tightly grabbed Rosetin’s arm and stared at the two.
After a moment of silence, Rubel bowed toward Estelline.
“It’s an honor to meet you… Lady Estelline.”
His low, velvety voice brushed against my ears. I clenched my fists.
*“Damn, their visuals are insane
