“I’ll agree too.”

Hessen and Custus readily supported Clementina. But Lillian couldn’t. Lillian’s strong legs began trembling.

She hadn’t known Clementina would be this stubborn. She’d thought if she persuaded her since her health was poor, she’d go to the Emperor’s side. She’d arbitrarily judged that recovering in the capital with excellent doctors would be far better than studying herbs in this shabby teahouse.

She hadn’t meant to betray her. She’d just thought it was a better choice for her.

Lillian’s mind filled with thoughts of Dion and Berche waiting for Clementina at Issiliad summer palace.

If someone’s betrayal was making Clementina sick, it couldn’t be Lillian herself. If more people betrayed her, that slender body might break at any moment.

Lillian squeezed her eyes shut. She had to confess to Clementina before it was too late. Though her worried heart might sound like a sudden declaration of war, it had to be done.

“His Majesty the Emperor is here!”

Dion returned to Issiliad summer palace for the first time in a year. He found it rather strange that he’d thought lightly of this place until now. Come to think of it, he suspected Lillian had deliberately excluded it.

They’d definitely investigated Derin too, but Lillian had volunteered to go instead of Dion. She hadn’t even mentioned the western Welia region.

He’d been shocked to hear she’d been staying at the teahouse for a year, since he’d only met the owner once.

Had Clementina trusted the teahouse owner more than him?

All kinds of thoughts crossed Dion’s mind. His heart grew complicated with the tension of being able to see her soon.

‘She’ll be so surprised when she sees me, right?’

Right after arriving at Issiliad summer palace, Dion washed thoroughly from head to toe. Then he filled the bathtub with water and put in pouches containing tangerine and nutmeg, and flower pouches containing lily, violet, and lavender.

Then he stayed in the bathtub for hours, continuously pouring in warm water without coming out.

A barber neatly trimmed Dion’s brown-gold hair and shaved his messy beard.

Dion paid particular attention to his nails. They had to be cut short and smooth. He firmly instructed they be filed well so Clementina’s body wouldn’t get scratched.

Dion hummed while soaking in the bathtub. His heart pounded at the thought of meeting Clementina.

“Ah, and we found Jerbek Sichenti’s whereabouts. He was carried out in a food delivery cart as Your Majesty intended. He’s currently staying at a dye house in Langberry.”

Langberry was a region in the east of Derin in the Empire’s south.

Since Dion wouldn’t come out of the bathtub, his closest aide Berche Ritzberry had no choice but to report from beside the bathtub.

But still no answer came from Dion. Berche turned his head toward the bathtub, grimaced, then turned his gaze back toward the door.

‘How can I turn her heart around? Lillian said it’s absolutely impossible, but no. She definitely loves me. I’m Dion. I’m the Emperor. What else is there?’

Dion stopped humming and slapped his bulging chest muscles while furrowing his brow. Berche was dumbfounded because he could clearly see what Dion was thinking.

“It’s been about a week since Jerbek went to the dye house. A new woman came to the dye house yesterday. She introduced herself as someone who dyes cloth from Jihelona Kingdom. She seems to have taken the bait—what should we do?”

‘No, tricks won’t work. I have to be honest, honest.’

“Your Majesty, I know you’re thinking about other things right now, but you still need to work. If you don’t want to be rejected by the Duchess.”

“Do you really think I’ll be rejected?”

“Don’t you know what the Duchess’s actions until now mean?”

“Clementina hasn’t done anything.”

“No response is also a response. There’s a reason she hasn’t done anything. Isn’t there?”

“Berche, instead of constantly beating me with words, how about making your content as polite as your tone?”

“Because you won’t understand otherwise.”

“You’ve changed a lot.”

Berche’s attitude had changed greatly since Dion ascended to the Emperor’s throne. Berche, always optimistic and polite, kept becoming a different person.

“If you want to see my old self, send me back to Drasia. I’d be happy just staying at Aeskis Castle and fulfilling my knight’s duties.”

“I want to go there. Clementina liked Aeskis Castle too.”

Dion recalled that the year he spent with Clementina there was the happiest time of his life. Meeting Leon and being together had been enjoyable too, but one corner of his heart had still felt empty.

That empty space had finally been filled when he met Clementina. But he couldn’t understand what he’d done wrong to lose something so precious.

“I like it too. Lillian keeps trying to stay there too.”

“Lillian has to manage the order.”

“I’m the commander. So I should be there. The only reason I’m in the capital is because of Your Majesty, isn’t it?”

“Berche, I want to send you too, but.”

“Then send me. You don’t listen to me anyway, do you?”

“Don’t keep killing the mood on such a good day. When I meet Clementina and everything returns to normal, I’ll do that. I promise.”

“I want to say hold yourself responsible for those words, but somehow I feel it will never come true.”

“Don’t say such ominous things.”

Dion rose from the bathtub. His wet n*ked body glistened. Berche picked up a robe hanging nearby and placed it on his shoulders.

“Someone who’s been avoiding you until now won’t meet you this easily.”

“Don’t you trust Lillian?”

“I trust Lillian more than myself. That’s why I’m saying this. Didn’t Lillian say it wouldn’t work?”

“No, it will. Definitely.”

Dion swept back his neat brown-gold hair. His thick eyebrows, smooth nose bridge, and reddish lips shone more than usual today. Dion had never intently admired or taken pride in his appearance until now.

But today was different. He wanted to look his best, to be more captivating than anyone.

Clementina had never complimented his appearance, but since other women liked it, wouldn’t she find it somewhat acceptable? If he could catch her eye even briefly this way, it would be fortunate.

“When will Lillian come?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then I’ll have to stay handsome until she comes. Berche, do I look okay today?”

Berche carefully examined Dion’s appearance from head to toe. Then he tilted his head with a serious expression.

“You’re not going to stay in a robe, are you? The Duchess might be startled and run away.”

The front of the robe Dion wore gaped open from his massive chest muscles. Dion solemnly tapped his chest. The effort of only exercising and building muscle while Clementina was gone had paid off.

“Should I take off my clothes?”

“Mm…… How about a tight shirt instead? Since Your Majesty always wears loose shirts for easy movement, wearing a tight shirt that shows off your muscles would be good.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“It definitely works on Lillian. Don’t women like that sort of thing?”

“Good, then let’s do that.”

This was the first time Dion had changed clothes so many times. He changed tirelessly. He also carefully checked the gift he’d prepared for Clementina.

Dion was filled with dreams. Since he was meeting her after several months, he wanted to look more handsome.

Knock, knock, knock.

Berche approached the door and opened it. A servant had been waiting at the door.

“A guest has arrived, Sir Berche Ritzberry.”

“Did they come on a dragon?”

“Yes.”

“Huh? Wait, wait! Tell them I’ll be right there!”

Dion shouted from afar. Crash, bang—sounds uncharacteristic of him were also heard. Berche blinked and spoke to the servant with a flat expression.

“Tell them he’ll be down shortly.”

Despite the loud noises, Dion appeared quite neat. His hair was swept back and fixed, and he hadn’t forgotten the tight-fitting shirt. He’d put on a doublet over it, but he was ready to take it off at any moment if necessary.

But all these concerns were meaningless.

Lillian stood alone in the drawing room.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t bring her.”

Lillian stood with a troubled face. She looked ready to cry at any moment.

“Couldn’t you even bring it up?”

“There’s something you need to know first. The Duchess seems to have contracted a fatal illness.”

“Then you should have brought her all the more. If she’s sick. Shouldn’t she see a physician immediately?”

When Dion got angry, his voice became calmer and colder. He rarely got excited.

Lillian recounted to Dion the story about Bisha and dragon Rakane she’d heard from Clementina.

“For some reason, the Duchess considers herself the same as a dragon. So she thinks she’s dying. She believes she got sick from betraying herself. So she’s given up, thinking she’ll die the same whether she goes to Your Majesty’s side or not.”

After listening to Lillian’s story in silence for a while, Dion stood up. She’d expected him to be serious, but his expression was rather refreshed.

“Good, then I’ll go. As expected, waiting doesn’t suit my temperament.”

“But she said she can’t see Your Majesty.”

“It doesn’t matter. Lead the way, Dame Lillian Hunts. That’s an order.”

It was a solemn command from Emperor Dion Aeskis of the Ronakia Empire.

“Must you really do this?”

“Is there another way?”

At Dion’s question, Lillian pressed her lips shut. Rather, Berche giggled from the side.

“It really doesn’t suit you. Maybe if it were before your body got this big, but now it’s really strange.”

“Why? I thought it suited me well.”

Dion slightly pushed aside the silk veil draped over his head. Blue eyes showed through the yellow veil. At the end of the yellow veil hung diamonds that looked expensive at a glance.

Lillian didn’t like even that appearance. Dion had said he absolutely wouldn’t reveal himself to Clementina, but his current outfit was the complete opposite of that intention.

“Anyone can see this is clothing that says ‘please recognize me.’ Look at this diamond. Your Majesty’s disguise actually stands out.”

“Really? Then should I take this off?”

“Then your face will show. If you’re truly worried about the Duchess and just want to check on her, you should move more discreetly. Coming like this when she said she doesn’t want to meet is already wrong. It’s the typical vicious method people mad with love use.”