Chapter 7
The place where the Emperor led Dianu was the private drawing room of the Imperial Palace.
As they walked down the endless corridors of the palace, Dianu felt a little uneasy.
The drawing room, apart from the Emperor’s bedroom, was the most private space.
It was not a place one could enter unless they were family or a very close friend of the Emperor.
Sensing her hesitation, the Emperor spoke as if to reassure her.
“There are no ears listening here. Grand Duchess Ellaris of Erbinjel and Countess Ornin often come and go from this place, so you need not worry.”
What troubled Dianu most was that the Emperor placed her, a lady-in-waiting to the Grand Duchess and the Princess’s head attendant, on the same level as his aunt and sister.
But regardless of the reason, there was no way she could refuse the Emperor’s invitation.
The drawing room served its purpose well.
Compared to the grand scale of the Imperial Palace, it was relatively small and cozy.
Even so, every chair and vase looked like a piece of art.
The tea was served directly by the Emperor’s chief attendant.
Dianu was glad at least there was someone else to pull out her chair for her.
If that overzealous man had insisted on serving her himself, she might have fainted right there.
She gave a polite nod to the attendant, whose hands moved gracefully as he filled her teacup.
“Thank you.”
“My lady need not thank me.”
The attendant bowed deeply to the Emperor before stepping back toward the door.
He was close enough that he couldn’t help but hear their voices, which made it clear the Emperor trusted him deeply.
For a while, only the sound of a spoon stirring and tea being sipped filled the room.
The Emperor was the first to speak.
“Does the aroma suit your taste?”
“Yes. It’s unfamiliar but quite wonderful.”
“It was sent by the Crown Prince of Arasas. Tea with such a unique fragrance grows on the southernmost island of Arasas.”
Dianu was surprised.
She knew Catalos was secretly working toward peace with Arasas, but she hadn’t known the Emperor and the Crown Prince exchanged personal gifts.
And to think it was something edible or drinkable.
To consume a gift sent by the Crown Prince of a nation that often clashed with them over border disputes was an act of deep trust.
The Emperor noticed her expression and gave a faint smile.
“The tea was fully tested, so you can drink without worry.”
“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Even after I said it was fine, my attendants had twelve people taste it first before letting me drink. But I understand. No one in this country trusts Labelan Arasas as much as I do.”
Labelan Arasas was the Crown Prince of the Arasas Empire, the eldest son of the aging Emperor.
He was also Princess Elpenlira Catalos’s future husband and the brother-in-law to Rision Catalos.
…If only I could live up to His Majesty’s expectations.
When she remembered the Princess’s face full of rage, her heart grew heavy.
“I didn’t know Your Majesty had a personal friendship with the Crown Prince of Arasas.”
The Emperor’s green eyes rested quietly on her.
Meeting his gaze, Dianu suddenly thought she should have spent more time on her hair that morning.
If only she hadn’t refused Cora’s offer to style it in the latest fashion, maybe she would’ve felt more confident in front of the Emperor—and the noble ladies of the Rose Garden.
What a ridiculous thought.
A governess’s duty was to remain modest and unnoticed.
What brought Dianu back from her wandering thoughts was an unexpected question.
“Have you read ‘Princess Oliana and Sir Giles’?”
“Yes. It was quite an ordinary novel.”
The night she met the Emperor in the library, Dianu had stayed up reading the book.
It told the story of the beautiful Princess Oliana and the brave knight Sir Giles, who overcame all hardships and finally eloped for love.
To Dianu, it had been a typical romance story.
But the Emperor had said he disliked it—because it was about a princess and a knight running away together.
Princess… knight… elopement?
The realization struck her like a blow to the head.
The Emperor nodded as if telling her to say what she was thinking.
“Your Majesty, don’t tell me…”
“Your thoughts are correct.”
“If I’m imagining something improper, please reprimand me.”
“It seems Lady Ortensa is quite afraid of being scolded by me, even from the library incident.”
He said it as though amused, but Dianu couldn’t bring herself to smile back.
Soon, the Emperor leaned back in his chair as if the weight of the topic had deflated him.
His fingers pressed firmly against his temple.
“You’re right. Just as Princess Oliana had Sir Giles, Elpenlira also had a lover. He, too, was a knight.”
That alone was shocking enough, but the Emperor didn’t stop there.
“The knight who was Elpenlira’s lover, Edric Loisen, died last year.”
Dianu set down her teacup before she dropped it.
She didn’t even know how to respond to such a shocking combination of words.
Fortunately, the Emperor explained, as if anticipating her confusion.
“He was the younger brother of Sir Marek Loisen, who currently serves as your escort.”
“…”
“Do you remember the large conflict that occurred on the western border last year? Soldiers from the Arasas Border Guard committed murder in the County of Baldin.”
Of course, Dianu remembered the Baldin County Incident.
The dispute had sparked a skirmish between the Arasas border forces and the Count’s private troops, resulting in many casualties.
It was the first time since the peace treaty that public sentiment toward Arasas had turned cold.
The Emperor turned his gaze toward the window.
The last light of the day streamed in, casting a shadow across his face.
“To prevent other lords from joining the fight and escalating the conflict, I sent a mediator.”
“Then, that was…”
“Yes. It was Edric Loisen. But before he reached the County of Baldin, he and his men were ambushed and killed.”
The Princess’s desperate plea—asking to be killed rather than sent to Arasas—flashed in Dianu’s mind.
She had never thought it was mere defiance of a spoiled noblewoman.
She had guessed there was a deeper reason, which was why she’d sought the Emperor herself.
But she had never imagined it would be something like this.
The Emperor’s heavy gaze met hers.
“Elpenlira believes the Arasas side was responsible for Edric Loisen’s death.”
“Then… does that mean Your Majesty thinks otherwise?”
“Of course. I know exactly who the real culprit is.”
His eyes darkened as he said it.
Dianu felt a flicker of pity for the unknown criminal.
Whoever they were, they would not die a peaceful death.
The Emperor’s eyes burned briefly with deep anger and vengeance.
“Lira believes I stood by and let Edric Loisen die. That’s why she refuses to listen to me.”
The Emperor lowered his long lashes.
“Well, Lady Ortensa, does that answer what you’ve been curious about?”
From that conversation, Dianu learned two things.
First, the Princess would never marry the Crown Prince of Arasas.
And second, now that Dianu Ortensa knew everything, she could never return to her old life until this was resolved.
Good heavens. I’ve stepped in far too deep.
A governess’s duty was to stay modest and unnoticed.
And she had thought she’d been living that way.
How did it end up like this?
But now that she knew everything, there was no turning back.
* * *
“His Majesty has known Labelan Arasas since his days as a prince. They studied under the same old high priest.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Few do. Relations with Arasas are politically sensitive, after all.”
Countess Ornin set down her teacup.
Her eyes, resting on Dianu, held quiet concern.
“His Majesty is strict with the strong and kind to the weak. It’s a rare quality in a ruler of such stature.”
“Yes…”
“Still, a ruler is a ruler. When making important decisions, he cannot afford to distinguish subordinates on a personal level. There are more vassals than grains of sand by the sea.”
“Yes…”
“For such a man to keep Lady Ortensa by his side, there must be a reason.”
Though her tone was gentle as always, Dianu felt as though she were being scolded by a teacher.
She fiddled with her teacup and spoke hesitantly.
“It’s true that I felt… something like sympathy for Her Highness. But the bigger problem is, I don’t have the ability to persuade her.”
“You’ve only met her once, haven’t you?”
“Yes, but during that one meeting, Her Highness jumped over me on horseback.”
Dianu winced at the memory of that nerve-wracking moment, but Countess Ornin only smiled faintly.
“Lady Ortensa, His Majesty has many enemies.”
“Pardon?”
“The faction opposing peace with Arasas is powerful. After the Baldin County Incident, they’ve grown even bolder. The Princess’s public refusal to marry brings His Majesty great political burden.”
“Ah, could it be…”
Dianu recalled the duke she had seen arguing with the Emperor in the Rose Garden.
‘Rumor has it the Princess has secluded herself. It’s only a matter of time before her intentions reach the Arasas ambassador.’
Even to the untrained eye, it had been clear he was using the Princess to pressure the Emperor.
“Is that duke part of the opposition? He looked to be in his fifties, well-built…”
Countess Ornin’s brow furrowed slightly.
It was the first time Dianu had ever seen her look openly displeased.
“You must mean Duke Roderick of Velua.”
“Yes, I saw him trying to interfere with His Majesty about the Princess’s situation. His Majesty was clearly irritated.”
“That would be Duke Velua. He’s the leader of the anti-Arasas faction.”
Dianu knew of Duke Velua, though she hadn’t heard of his political stance before.
He was a collateral royal and one of the most powerful nobles in Catalos.
The Velua Duchy in the south was also the wealthiest territory in the empire.
Countess Ornin’s calm voice carried a trace of scorn.
“Duke Velua is ambitious. He desires neither strengthened imperial power through peace with Arasas nor lasting peace itself, nor the trade that would flourish through the western border.”
“…”
“You understand, don’t you? This matter goes beyond the Princess’s grief. That’s why His Majesty cannot give up.”
Countess Ornin continued.
“His Majesty places great expectations on you, Lady Ortensa. Even if he asked you to dig a well with your bare hands, your duty as his subject is to dig until your hands give out.”
Dianu could only nod in the end.
Her heart felt unbearably heavy.
