~CHAPTER 12~
In the darkness, the Emperor’s shadowed face was expressionless, but Dianu could easily read the pain behind it.
When the Emperor took a step forward, the Princess stepped back.
Her defiant expression didn’t waver.
The Emperor stopped a few steps away from her.
“How have you been?”
“How do you think, Your Majesty?”
She called him *Your Majesty* instead of *Brother* until the end.
Not only Dianu noticed that distant title.
The Emperor’s lips twisted faintly.
“Lira.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Then what should I call you? Princess?”
Elpenlira’s expression contorted.
The Emperor sighed softly, his face weary.
“If you were just a princess, you would’ve married the man I chose for you.”
“Whatever you say, I won’t go to Arasas.”
“You could at least meet the Crown Prince, couldn’t you?”
Anger flickered across the Princess’s face.
Clenching both fists, she spoke firmly.
“Edric died because of Arasas’s plot, and now you want to hand me over too? Or can you cast aside human feelings in the name of national interest?”
Despite her harsh tone, the Emperor remained calm.
“I could stake my life on this—Labelan Arasas did not murder Edric.”
“If you believe that much, then Your Majesty should marry him!”
“If you keep speaking that way, I might have to.”
Dianu instinctively turned her head toward the Emperor.
His face was still like stone.
Even the Princess looked startled.
The Emperor continued in an even tone.
“If you won’t marry Labelan Arasas, then I might make his sister the Empress instead.”
“……”
“But between the Princess of Catalos marrying into Arasas and a woman of Arasas becoming Empress, which do you think is more dangerous? I trust I don’t need to explain.”
Even through her shock, Dianu’s mind was racing.
The Emperor was already under pressure from the anti-Arasas faction for seeking reconciliation.
While choosing the Princess’s spouse was entirely within his authority, the position of Empress was different.
The Empress was not just the Emperor’s consort—she ruled Catalos with him.
If an heir were born, that child would be half Arasasian.
With that bloodline, Arasas could claim influence over Catalos’s internal affairs.
The nobles would never tolerate the Emperor marrying an Arasasian princess.
Even those who favored peace might join the opposition.
The political backlash would be unlike anything seen before.
For the Crown Prince of Arasas to seek marriage with Elpenlira despite similar burdens meant that his decision also carried political sacrifice.
Dianu realized the bond between Rision Catalos and Labelan Arasas ran deeper than she’d thought.
If Dianu could make this calculation, surely the Princess could too.
Her face turned pale as paper.
The Emperor stepped closer to his sister.
“Lira. The fact that Labelan Arasas and I were born in the same era, and that we reached the throne without shedding blood—that’s nothing short of a miracle.”
“……”
“If peace between Catalos and Arasas isn’t achieved in our generation, who knows when the chance will come again? War would likely break out first. You saw what happened in the County of Baldin.”
The Princess clenched her teeth and turned away.
The Emperor watched her quietly.
“I know you resent me over Edric. And yes, I didn’t approve of your relationship with him. But I never wished for his death.”
“I don’t believe you.”
After a moment of silence, the Emperor nodded.
“Very well. I’ve lost. I won’t bring it up again.”
The Princess blinked in surprise.
“But this way of living must stop. I can’t protect your reputation forever.”
“That doesn’t matter anymore.”
The Emperor turned away with a faint, bitter smile.
The Princess couldn’t see it, but Dianu did—the corner of his lips trembled slightly.
He spoke to her, his voice calm again.
“It’s late. Let’s return.”
“Will you go ahead, Your Majesty? I’ll follow shortly.”
He glanced between his pale sister and Dianu, then nodded.
After his footsteps faded down the corridor, Dianu turned to the Princess.
She met the trembling eyes of Elpenlira and said quietly,
“Hurting yourself to wound the one you love is a foolish thing to do.”
Without waiting for a reply, Dianu turned and walked away.
She needed to return to the Emperor.
The last look on his face had been filled with loneliness and regret.
She didn’t want to leave him alone in that pain.
The Emperor caught her by the arm as she rushed out of the Hall of Knights.
His face was as calm as ever.
“It’s dangerous to run in the dark.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“Come. I’ll escort you to Oak Palace.”
Dianu didn’t refuse.
The Emperor called to the guards standing thirty paces away, their backs turned respectfully.
“The Princess is still inside. Escort her safely to Oak Palace.”
He nodded to their salute and began walking with Dianu.
The night was silent.
Even the insects seemed asleep.
For a long while, only their footsteps filled the air.
At last, Dianu gathered the courage to speak.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For failing to persuade the Princess.”
“Are you afraid I’ll punish you for it?”
Startled, Dianu looked up at his profile.
He met her gaze with a faint smile.
“I’m joking.”
“Ah… yes… a joke…”
“Not funny?”
She could only give an awkward smile.
She couldn’t very well tell him it had no humor at all.
They walked in silence until the Emperor suddenly stopped.
He looked down, concern flickering in his eyes at her bare arm.
“Are you cold?”
Only then did Dianu realize she was trembling.
She rubbed her arm awkwardly.
It hadn’t seemed cold enough to need a cloak.
But before she could answer, the Emperor was already taking off his own.
Dianu almost cried out.
“Your Majesty, please, I’m fine!”
“You’re not. You’re shivering.”
“It’s nothing, really!”
The Emperor draped the cloak over her shoulders.
The warmth and scent of him lingered on the fabric.
A strange chill ran up her arm.
She couldn’t bring herself to remove it.
She simply pulled the oversized cloak tighter around her chest.
“…Thank you.”
The Emperor gave only a faint smile.
The soft rustle of cloth followed them as they walked under the moonlight.
The palace was utterly still.
No one crossed their path.
For Dianu, that was a relief.
When they reached Oak Palace, the Emperor looked at her closely.
“I thought you’d insist on returning to Grand Duke Erbinjel’s estate right away, since you failed to persuade Lira.”
Dianu bit her lip.
“Would it be all right if I stayed a bit longer?”
“You wish to stay?”
“The Princess might change her mind. And besides…”
Her next words hesitated at her lips.
She wasn’t even sure if her feelings could take shape as words.
“…If I said I feel responsible for this, would that be presumptuous?”
The Emperor smiled gently.
“I’d be more surprised if you didn’t feel responsible.”
“Then… may I remain?”
“‘May’ isn’t quite the word. Lady Ortensa can’t leave the palace until this matter is fully resolved.”
Dianu accepted that easily.
She had already expected it.
She knew too much now.
The Emperor gazed up at Oak Palace, its windows glowing brightly against the night.
He looked almost relieved.
“Even so, I hope your time here is pleasant, Lady Ortensa.”
“…How could it not be? This is the Imperial Palace.”
“Is that all?”
Dianu blinked, looking up at him.
The Emperor, watching her quietly, reached out his hand.
His movement was slow, almost as if asking permission.
His hand brushed past her ear, gently catching the ribbon that hung with her hair.
It was a delicate touch, like stroking a small bird.
Then his hand fell away.
He bowed politely.
“Thank you for your efforts. Let’s meet again in the daylight.”
Dianu couldn’t lift her head until he left the courtyard.
Where his hand had brushed felt as if it were burning.
