Werner wasn’t the only one summoned by the Emperor.

Gustav also received a messenger and hurried to enter the palace. Having not slept properly in recent days, his face was heavily shadowed. Being in a position with many vulnerabilities, he now sighed at the mere mention of a palace summons.

Wondering what issue awaited him today, he entered the audience chamber and found someone already there.

‘Lady Margrit? Why is she here?’

After a moment’s hesitation, he greeted the Emperor and Margo in turn, then took his seat.

The Emperor engaged in casual conversation with Margo while paying no particular attention to Gustav. With no opportunity to interject, he had to sit quietly. Only then did he realize he was receiving a rather petty punishment.

After an almost suffocating period of time, Werner entered. He too appeared tense, trying to gauge the Emperor’s intentions, but paused when he saw Margo.

‘Why?’

He shared Gustav’s thoughts. He tried to determine what connection existed between Gustav, Margo, and himself, but couldn’t find an answer.

The Emperor greeted Werner with perfect composure.

“Having my loyal subjects gathered in one place makes me feel incredibly secure. Thanks to you all, the Empire will continue to prosper. Don’t you think so, Duke Mücke?”

“Your words are most wise, Your Majesty.”

Gustav immediately agreed with the Emperor’s question.

“But I don’t think that’s the case.”

The Emperor’s shocking statement sent a chill down everyone’s spine. Gustav unconsciously swallowed. Werner did the same. Only Margo appeared relaxed.

The Emperor glanced at the chief chamberlain standing beside her and continued.

“I’ve gathered you all today to inform you of an important decision. As everyone knows, there was a very disgraceful incident recently.”

Gustav felt that the inevitable had arrived. The Emperor looked at him with eyes full of anger.

“Something unbelievable happened at the Founding Day ball. Chief Chamberlain?”

When she called the chief chamberlain standing beside her, he bowed his head slightly.

“In the 123 Founding Day celebrations held thus far, has any noble ever appeared alongside a mistress?”

“It happened thirteen times throughout the 123 Founding Day celebrations, all by past emperors, never by nobility.”

The Emperor clicked her tongue briefly.

“Even our ancestors were quite incorrigible. Either blinded by love or power. But the young duke of Mücke committed a rudeness that no noble has ever attempted. That’s not all.”

She smoothed the fabric of her dress, then shook it out as if disgusted.

“I too suffered a most unpleasant insult. Chief Chamberlain, where is that woman from?”

“The Kingdom of Lucia, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, yes, Lucia! So small I barely knew it existed. Yet she wore a dress more splendid than the Sun of the Empire. I discovered it was a gift from the young duke. I had no idea House Mücke’s wealth extended that far.”

Hearing the Emperor’s words, Gustav turned red from forehead to neck.

“If I found it this offensive, imagine how Lady Daphne, who was engaged to him, must have felt.”

This time Werner made a pained sound.

“And I hear that even before the ball, the young duke had been begging Lady Daphne to accept his lover as his official wife? Unlike some people, the clear-headed young lady suggested breaking off the engagement. I concur with this decision. Therefore, as the only one who can revoke the order given by my father…”

Though it was unpleasant to call him father…

The Emperor muttered quietly, then took a deep breath and commanded.

“As the only one who can revoke the order given by the late Emperor, I hereby permit the dissolution of the engagement between Leonhardt Mücke and Daphne Armin.”

Gustav rose slowly from his seat, as if he had been expecting this. He approached the Emperor, knelt on one knee, and made the gesture of accepting her command.

Werner exhaled a small sigh of relief and knelt beside Gustav. He could now grant his daughter’s first earnest request. Recalling what Leonhardt had done, he wanted to rush over, break his back, and withdraw the engagement immediately, but it had been difficult due to the late Emperor’s decree.

That’s why he had been meticulously preparing for a lawsuit, but thanks to the Emperor, the matter was easily resolved.

However, his relief was short-lived as confusion took its place.

‘Why is Lady Margo here?’

As if responding to his curiosity, the Emperor spoke again.

“And one more thing.”

Her voice was even louder than when she had ordered the dissolution of the engagement.

“The person most hurt by this incident must be Lady Daphne. Therefore, in my benevolence, I wish to console her…”

Werner suddenly raised his bowed head and followed the Emperor’s gaze. At the end of it stood Margo.

‘Oh, no!’

Before he could involuntarily speak out, the Emperor’s command came faster.

“As the Sun of the Empire, I order Lady Daphne Armin to marry Grand Duke Kartun Schwiers.”

Margo knelt on one knee and said.

“Your loyal subject, Margrit Schwiers, will obey Your Majesty’s command.”

Gustav and Werner stood frozen like pillars of ice, not moving a muscle.

The Emperor added.

“Ah, Marquis Werner?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

When he answered half a beat late, the Emperor nodded as if she understood completely.

“I fully understand your shock. So how must Daphne feel?”

Everyone could tell this was merely a courtesy remark.

However, Werner spoke up, clutching at straws.

“I am at a loss for words at Your Majesty’s care for my daughter. However, may I first offer my humble opinion?”

The Emperor looked at Margo with an expression that said ‘see?’ before gesturing to Werner.

“I worry whether Daphne can handle marrying to His Highness the Grand Duke.”

Margo then spoke up.

“What do you mean by that, Marquis?”

Her voice was heavy yet sharp as steel.

It reminded one of her swordsmanship, which had earned her the reputation as the Empire’s finest blade in days past.

“Lady Margrit, I mean exactly what I said. My daughter is very tender-hearted and lacking in many ways. Therefore, if she were to marry immediately after breaking off her engagement…”

“Marquis?”

The Emperor interrupted him and delivered a sharp rebuke to Werner, whose expression was perhaps the most foolish she had ever seen.

“As I’ve always felt, you know far too little about Daphne. You know what kind of person Lady Margo is. Do you think a battle-hardened warrior who can cut monsters with a single stroke would take just anyone as a daughter-in-law, even at my command?”

Only then did the anger on Margo’s face somewhat subside.

“Marquis Werner, having fought countless battles at sea, you should know better. I heard that Lady Margo was your true mentor, was she not?”

This was a marriage accepted by Margo, who had guided the once-inexperienced Werner on the battlefield and saved his life multiple times.

The message was clear: shut up and accept it.

Werner felt as though the Emperor had grown tremendously over the past few months. She had been a childish figure he worried about having to support indefinitely…

But while he was away at sea, she had matured enough to put him in his place. Kartun and Margo were clearly behind this transformation.

When Werner closed his mouth, the Emperor continued.

“Where was I? Ah! If Lady Daphne were as fragile as you think, Marquis, I would naturally need to be considerate.”

But I assure you, I know her better than her inattentive father…

As the Emperor muttered again, Margo cleared her throat.

“Your Majesty, forgive my presumption, but don’t you have more to say?”

Hearing that there was more to come after such shocking news, Gustav and Werner’s faces darkened. Seeing their expressions, the Emperor curled her lips to suppress a laugh.

Then she answered Margo very slowly.

“I want to savor this moment a little longer. Don’t rush me so much.”

The Emperor turned her head in the opposite direction, ignoring Margo with her narrowed eyes. Then she commanded Werner, whose face had darkened even more.

“First, proceed with the engagement, and I will allow Lady Daphne to remain in the capital until she wishes otherwise. The wedding shall also take place when she desires.”

Werner, still on his knee, bowed his upper body even deeper.

“Your Majesty, I have one request.”

“By all means.”

The Emperor, in an excellent mood, responded generously.

“Rather than feeling grateful, Daphne will inevitably be shocked by this command. I ask that you delay the official announcement by two days so that she may accept it well.”

“The same would apply to the young duke, wouldn’t it?”

The Emperor asked Gustav.

Unlike with Daphne, she referred to Leonhardt by his title, clearly drawing a line and showing that her anger toward him had not subsided.

In other words, she made it clear that she wasn’t asking for the Duke’s agreement out of concern for Leonhardt.

Still, a delayed announcement was welcome news. When Gustav readily agreed, the Emperor granted permission.