Though I was the one who brought up marriage, I couldn’t help feeling flustered by his unexpectedly simple answer.

“If marriage is what you want.”

“……”

Levi tilted his head slightly and smiled lightly.

“Um, let me apologize just one more time.”

I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, knowing I might need to explain at length.

Hoping Levi wouldn’t be too angry by the end of my explanation.

“You may already know this, but Ostrin’s Empress… Her Majesty Sienna Majovien has been in a coma since collapsing a year ago.”

“Yes, I know. I heard she was a good person.”

Something fluttered in my chest at his words.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, though I never met her personally, I heard she was bright and kind. She wanted to use her abilities for the greater good, but there was conflict with the temple.”

Levi’s words brought to mind the sharp-featured high priest.

High Priest Romaeti Lambert was as arrogant as the Emperor.

Romaeti was known publicly as a gentle person who loved the common people, but he was more worldly than anyone.

He was eager to sell indulgences and obsessed with building his power through numerous imperial ceremonies and events.

I wanted to speak plainly, but instead:

“I see.”

I simply nodded.

“Such a good person meeting that fate is truly a tragedy for Ostrin.”

“……”

“When I see things like this, I think human affairs are too cruel. May God’s blessing be upon her soul.”

His words nearly brought me to tears.

No, I actually cried a little like a fool.

“Leonora?”

I should have waited a moment before speaking.

My face had become quite emotional.

“…It’s nothing.”

Fortunately, Levi wasn’t the insensitive type.

When he saw my flushed face and precarious expression—

Without a word, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it out.

“Thank you.”

“That’s much better than an apology.”

He smiled kindly. After that, a somewhat awkward silence fell between us.

“Were you perhaps well acquainted with Her Majesty the Empress?”

I didn’t know how to answer Levi’s question.

I neither knew her well nor didn’t know her at all.

Saying I didn’t know her at all seemed like a lie, so I decided to give a moderate answer.

“I didn’t know her well, but.”

“I see. You must feel bad.”

“Well. She once blessed one of my possessions.”

It felt very strange to talk about myself in the third person.

And having someone use honorifics toward me was enough to make my face burn.

“I see.”

“So I’ve always been grateful to the Empress and respect her greatly… But now, His Majesty has issued a decree to select a new Empress.”

Levi nodded slowly.

“The position has been virtually vacant for a year, so it’s about time he made a move.”

“My father is very capable, and all my brothers hold key positions. The Chadmon family is traditionally prestigious in Ostrin. So… everyone says I’ll become the Empress.”

I deliberately avoided mentioning my encounter with the Emperor at the banquet.

Though I skipped the middle part, Levi seemed to understand the situation intuitively.

“And His Majesty personally sent you a dress.”

“Yes, it wasn’t exactly a meaningless gift.”

“He’s fallen for you.”

“But I don’t like him.”

I made the most honest expression I could.

I scrunched up my face with all my might and made scissoring motions with my hands.

Levi burst into laughter.

“It’s true. You saw me upstairs. How much must I dislike him to have done that?”

Levi looked at me silently before asking slowly and subtly:

“That’s not a typical reaction. Becoming Empress would allow you to do many things. It would be very beneficial for your family too.”

I slowly shook my head at Levi’s words.

“No, I have no interest in power whatsoever. I just want to live quietly and ordinarily like now.”

“You’re not an ordinary lady. It’s already your fate that you cannot be.”

“That’s why I’m asking for your help.”

Sir Levi Merten.

You may not believe this, but I escaped my miserable fate through a near-death miracle.

If I have to go back to how things were, I’d rather die again.

I swallowed all the words I couldn’t possibly say to Levi.

“Isn’t Ostrin’s Emperor quite famous? For his melancholic gaze and charisma.”

Melancholic gaze and charisma?

Of course, to me it all seemed like pretentiousness.

He was famous as an Emperor who turned all surrounding kingdoms into Ostrin’s vassal states through war and wielded strong imperial power… Yes, he was famous.

“And he’s also very handsome.”

Well, that was an undeniable fact too.

“Then you could gain so much. Did the previous Empress have any children?”

“No.”

If she’d had children, it wouldn’t be so unfair!

Levi, not noticing my suddenly flushed face, continued speaking nobly:

“That means your child could become Emperor. Could there be anything better for the Chadmon family?”

Levi was assessing the situation quite seriously and coolly.

But ah, I don’t care about any of that—I just hate that man who only knows how to look down on people.

As I maintained my silence, Levi muttered almost to himself:

“I wonder if he has a consort or a mistress.”

“He doesn’t. There have been several rumors of affairs, but he never actually brought anyone into the palace.”

Levi’s expression subtly changed at my words.

“You know quite a lot.”

“…Well, you hear rumors even if you just sit still.”

“So your strategy is…”

Levi stroked his chin and continued:

“To avoid the Emperor’s attention with a false marriage promise.”

I nodded slowly while watching Levi’s reaction.

No one would be happy about being used like this.

I was prepared to find another way if he refused.

There are many ways to avoid the Emperor’s attention.

Like pretending to sneeze and spitting out tea as I did earlier, or letting out a huge burp!

And if that doesn’t work, I could do even worse things.

Ha, what exactly would I have to do?

Just then, Levi’s firmly closed lips slowly began to part.

“All right.”

“……”

“I’ll repay my debt for not making you that tiny piano. Let’s get married.”

“Um, Sir Merten.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not a real marriage, you understand? Once the Emperor loses interest—”

I watched Levi’s expression and carefully added:

“And please keep this a secret from our families.”

He seems close to my brother—surely he wouldn’t tell him?

“Of course. I’ll keep our fake engagement secret from everyone.”

I felt both happy and simultaneously apologetic and embarrassed that he so readily accepted my proposal.

But Levi didn’t seem particularly concerned.

“I’m sorry for asking such a favor.”

“Not at all, it sounds interesting.”

Whether because he didn’t want to burden me or because he genuinely found this pretense intriguing, Levi maintained a consistently cheerful expression.

“So my role is to remain until the Emperor’s interest disappears?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded lightly, Levi said:

“But rumors spread very quickly, and word of our engagement will spread throughout Ostrin.”

“……”

“And Duke Rivensio doesn’t seem likely to let this pass quietly. He’ll probably hold an enormous, lavish engagement ceremony.”

That was also true.

“If we break off the engagement after the Emperor’s interest fades or after he takes another Empress, it might create a blemish on your reputation.”

The word “blemish” made me swallow hard.

“Are you all right with that?”

Levi’s eyes looked directly into mine.

Though he wasn’t the Emperor, I felt somewhat intimidated.

But my resolve remained unchanged.

“Yes, I’d rather be a woman with a broken engagement than become Empress.”

By now, Levi must be curious.

He might suspect there’s another reason for my hatred of the Emperor.

But he was a gentleman.

He smiled kindly, with an expression that said he wouldn’t ask unless I brought it up first.

“Very well. We’ll do as you say.”

“Thank you. In return, I’ll do my best to ensure you’re not harmed when we break off the engagement. It would be good to create a reason in advance. Um… let’s say the breakup was entirely my fault.”

I poured out my thoughts apologetically, but Levi just smiled.

Then he spoke again in a gentle voice:

“Now, what we need to do is—”

Levi’s elegant hair fluttered in the wind.

The sight was quite beautiful, but—

Addressing me, who had become somewhat drained after saying so much at once, he said:

“Let’s go see His Majesty soon.”

“His Majesty?”

It was a moment when I blinked in confusion, not understanding what his words meant.

His deep, masculine voice floated kindly toward me:

“To receive approval for our marriage.”