“You don’t seem to be enjoying the banquet.”

I barely managed to suppress the trembling in my cheeks before slightly bending my knees in a curtsy. I should have been respectful and elegant, but I just did it halfheartedly.

Why should I care? Just looking at his face irritated me.

“It’s nothing.”

I tried to pass by the Emperor to leave, but he smoothly moved to block my path.

“Your face seems unfamiliar.”

“……”

“Yet strangely familiar.”

I stopped at the Emperor’s words.

I raised my head and looked directly into his eyes. His dark blue irises, emitting a mysterious light, stared at me intently as if searching for something.

“That’s impossible. This is my first time entering the imperial palace, Your Majesty.”

Facing him directly rather than avoiding him, the lies flowed smoothly.

Though his comment about my familiar face did make me pause.

Sorry, but I’m Leonora Chadmon.

From his expression, he seems attracted to me, but he needs to wake up from that dream.

“I see.”

Even after responding, the Emperor kept his gaze fixed on my face.

He wasn’t a person with expressive features. He always held his chin high and looked down at the world.

During times of celebration or mourning in the Empire, he maintained that same lofty, dry gaze.

‘He’s really so unlikable.’

Of course, I knew why he had become such a cold person.

Yes, he wouldn’t have had this impression as a child.

A tragic family history, power built on betrayal and blood—

Such reasons supposedly caused him to close his mouth and lose his smile.

‘I’ll do my best to support Your Majesty so you can find happiness.’

At first, I did pity Ainberg.

I wanted to be his strength, his joy—such a ridiculous resolution I once made.

Looking back now, what embarrassingly foolish thoughts.

No matter how hard I tried, he never changed.

Well, he never even gave me the time to try.

“But.”

“……”

“You said this is your first time in the imperial palace. How did you know about this place?”

I couldn’t answer that question immediately.

Oh, I know this place because I used to come here, Your Majesty! I couldn’t say that!

The truth was, I hadn’t consciously sought out this spot. My desire to escape, to relieve my suffocation, had unconsciously led me here.

But I couldn’t tell the Emperor that.

“I came out for some fresh air and got lost in the complex palace.”

He seemed willing to accept my clumsy excuse and nodded lightly. Then he muttered in a barely audible voice.

“I thought I ordered this area closed off.”

“……”

I shouldn’t have asked, but a terrible curiosity arose.

“May I ask why?”

The Emperor’s expression changed momentarily at my bold question. Then a chilling gaze followed, as if it would freeze everything around us.

“What is your name?”

But this voice—

If it feels like he already knows my name, is it my imagination?

It must be my imagination.

Leonora Chadmon spent her days bedridden and had never entered the imperial palace.

He probably saw my dress and assumed I was the daughter of some low-ranking official, hence that expression.

Taking pleasure in shattering his assumption, I answered quite cheerfully.

“Leonora Chadmon.”

“Chadmon.”

Yes, you bastard. I’m the youngest daughter of Duke Rivensio Chadmon, famous for being the wealthiest in Ostrin.

“I see. So you’re Leonora.”

He might have heard rumors about a sickly daughter, or perhaps heard she was very beautiful.

Either way, it didn’t matter.

“Then may I ask again? Why do you want to keep this place closed off?”

The Emperor’s eyebrow twitched oddly, which amused me, making me determined to hear his answer.

He looked beyond the balcony toward the garden and spoke.

“Because it’s too beautiful.”

The Emperor’s answer was utterly selfish.

I already disliked him, but this unexpected response made my brow furrow.

He really is someone who only thinks about himself.

“That’s a strange reason. Shouldn’t something beautiful be open for more people to see?”

The Emperor slowly turned his head.

His silver-like hair swayed gently with his movement.

“You seem somehow angry with me.”

The wind, which had momentarily stopped, began to blow again.

I hesitated, unable to find a response.

“I have no reason to be angry with Your Majesty.”

I countered as calmly as possible.

Hoping this uncomfortable moment would pass quickly.

“Is it because I’m not being honest?”

“What?”

Somehow, conversing with the Emperor felt like playing with an unpredictable rubber ball.

If I had been interested in him, this situation might have been enjoyable, but not for me now.

“I don’t understand your meaning, but I’ll return to the banquet hall now.”

Perhaps I was deliberately ignoring the melancholy I sensed in his dark blue eyes.

But the Emperor’s soft voice held my ankle in place.

“This is a place my beloved used to love.”

It must be because of the wind that just blew.

I thought I had misheard the Emperor’s words.

No, I wanted to believe that.

But when Ainberg’s long, elegant eyelashes briefly lowered and then rose again.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

…he muttered, turning his gaze away.

But he couldn’t be more confused than I was.

He definitely said “beloved.”

Could there have been another woman who loved this place besides me?

‘How repulsive to hear the word ‘beloved’ from those lips.’

The Emperor was famous for his affairs with women, yet oddly never took an imperial consort.

Not that I cared either way.

Perhaps he was the type who disliked being bound.

I was just a fragile woman sacrificed to that.

“I see. I didn’t know this place held meaning for Your Majesty.”

Is he trying to create a romantic image for himself?

How hypocritical and shameless.

Then, the Emperor spoke again.

“Though we can no longer be together.”

“……”

“Perhaps that’s why this place holds more meaning.”

How much must he have loved her to be like this?

What a romantic he’s become.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached from afar, and a face familiar to me appeared.

“Your Majesty.”

It was Oz, the aide. His face had turned pale, apparently shocked by the Emperor’s sudden disappearance.

He was about to say something when his eyes met mine.

“……!”

What’s with that reaction?

In that moment, Oz’s face looked as if he’d seen Satan himself.

Oz tried to speak, but the Emperor raised his hand lightly to stop him.

I didn’t care either way.

I was worried the conversation might drag on, so this was fortunate.

“I’ve been away too long. I’ll take my leave now.”

This time, he didn’t stop me.

Thanks to that, I could lightly pass by the Emperor and walk back into the wide, majestic corridor.

I tried to maintain an expressionless face, but it wasn’t easy.

“Whew.”

The sigh I barely managed to release was my only companion.

A very long, dark night lay ahead.