“Those circumstances don’t exist, which is why we’re in this situation. Calm your excitement. You know how much time and money war costs. At a time when we need to stabilize the empire, His Majesty can’t leave his post.”

He’d been able to go to war before because he wasn’t officially king. At the time, though the previous king’s health was critical, he still held the throne, so internal matters weren’t neglected. 

However, the previous king passed away right after the war ended, seemingly having exhausted all his strength.

Now, even if they went to war, there was no one to guard the throne. He had no siblings, nor could he entrust it to just anyone. As the headache grew, the nobles fell silent in unison. Jade casually threw out his words.

“A letter came from the Ales Kingdom. They want to visit in person to conclude the treaty.”

“They’re really coming?”

While nobles muttered about them not knowing their place, Jade dropped a bombshell.

“I’m thinking of entrusting the banquet welcoming that envoy to her.”

The nobles’ heads turned toward Jade in unison.

“By ‘her,’ you mean…”

“Who else would I call ‘her’ besides Rosana?”

Suffocating silence descended. The nobles’ mouths fell open. Then one enraged noble struck the table and stood up.

“Your Majesty! What are you thinking, entrusting this to her?! She’s a woman who doesn’t know right from wrong!”

The speaker was Marquis Liberi. Jade realized where his hostility stemmed from.

“What? ‘That woman’? You’re the ones who can’t grasp the situation. How dare you insult the one who will become empress—do you have a death wish?”

Killing intent vibrated through the air. The marquis, receiving Jade’s full rebuke, trembled. However, he stubbornly continued.

“I don’t understand why Your Majesty suddenly defends Lady Arcadi! Lady Arcadi will never benefit the empire!”

Marquis Liberi recalled his daughter who had run out of the palace crying. If Veronica caught Jade’s eye, their family’s status would rise. That’s why he’d turned a blind eye to her maid application. 

But she was expelled? On Lady Arcadi’s orders, no less.

She must have received unjust treatment! He wanted to confront them immediately, but for some reason Veronica had stopped him. Saying she didn’t want to be more miserable. Marquis Liberi trembled his mustache and spoke.

Emboldened by his sharp momentum, other nobles began opening their mouths bit by bit.

“It’s a diplomatic event, so entrusting it to someone from Astrot is a bit…”

“Someone from Astrot? She will be my wife. She’s a person of Diovaha, someone you must serve!”

Jade spoke firmly. At that force, the murmuring nobles closed their mouths. Some had things to say but were silenced by Jade’s gaze. They just opened and closed their lips awkwardly.

As the nobles’ momentum diminished, Jade brought out the carrot. He spoke in a calm tone, seemingly having never raised his voice.

“I understand your concerns.”

The nobles stirred. Then Jade looked around and said:

“She’s not what you think. I guarantee it. When you meet her, you’ll see she’s different. That’s why I’m entrusting this to her.”

“Your Majesty, even so, the banquet welcoming the envoy is important. Do you believe the lady can accomplish it?”

Someone spoke in a voice full of worry. When one person voiced concern, everyone seemed to agree. They all nodded in unison. Jade clicked his tongue briefly.

‘Should I be grateful there’s no one causing a scene saying it can’t be done…’

“She will become empress. Hosting banquets is the empress’s duty. There will be many such occasions ahead—what do we do if she’s already scared? I guarantee it. She’ll do well.”

However, many still couldn’t accept Jade’s words.

“I don’t intend to force my opinion. However, Rosana welcoming the Ales envoy is a confirmed matter. Watch everything she does with your own eyes and engrave it in your ears. The meeting is over.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

The nobles tried to stop him, saying the discussion wasn’t finished, but Jade was unyielding. 

Either way, the decision-making power belonged to Emperor Jade. The nobles stamped their feet and groaned.

Eventually, the nobles left the meeting room following Jade. When Jade, who had been walking well, suddenly stopped and turned around, the nobles also stopped hesitantly.

“If I hear any insults toward her from now on…”

As he drew out his words ominously, the nobles gulped.

“You understand, don’t you?”

At Jade’s warning tone, the nobles tensed up.

However, still unable to shake their anxiety, they murmured in front of the meeting room. 

They spouted nonsense about not knowing what would become of the empire, not expecting His Majesty to be like this.

“Noisy bunch.”

They thought they were talking quietly, but it reached Jade’s ears clearly.

‘It’s something that has to be done anyway.’

Jade ignored them cleanly. If you don’t do something, don’t show it, nothing changes. He had to push through even by force. He believed that if she succeeded spectacularly, perceptions would definitely change.

Jade, who had been shaking his head, took a step. Duke Helpe approached Jade to understand his intentions, like other nobles lingering near the meeting room.

“Perfect timing. I was about to call for you anyway.”

Jade gestured with his chin to follow. Duke Helpe followed behind him without knowing why. The duke asked subtly while following.

“Your attitude has changed considerably.”

Jade glanced at him and stopped once they were far from the meeting room.

“That’s right.”

“I heard you’ve been showering her with gifts.”

“Baron, I presume.”

“Yes, he writes me letters to keep me from being lonely.”

Jade replied sourly. 

‘That guy, already tattling…’ 

Baron had a long-time fiancée, and her father was Duke Helpe. 

That’s why the duke could remain composed unlike others. Though puzzled, he didn’t ask or try to confirm Jade’s true intentions.

“Please understand the nobles’ reactions.”

“I know. But she’s different from what’s publicly known.”

Jade spoke seemingly bitterly. Duke Helpe, who had straightened his back, blinked once. Though he didn’t know what was different, he could immediately tell she held great significance for Jade.

He could understand harboring feelings. Human hearts don’t run smoothly like turning gears.

However, even Duke Helpe couldn’t hide his surprise upon hearing that the matter of the Ales Kingdom envoy was being entrusted to Rosana. It was an issue of great importance. He couldn’t help but wonder what qualities Rosana possessed to have earned such trust from him.

“But it was a risky move.”

“Needless worry. As a ducal lady, she’s hosted banquets many times.”

“She has?”

“Many times. No one knows, that’s all.”

Duke Helpe, who had been watching Jade intently, took a step closer. The atmosphere suddenly changed and became cautious. He whispered quietly in Jade’s ear.

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t let your guard down. You know, don’t you? The reason you tried to avoid marriage.”

“…”

“It mustn’t be discovered. If only you’d held the wedding with Lily earlier…”

“Enough of that talk. Lily and I are just childhood friends. Baron would be upset if he heard.”

“…I’m just saying, if that were all.”

Duke Helpe was someone who knew Jade’s secret. He was thinking about the aftermath if Rosana discovered the secret. Since Jade clearly seemed to have given his heart to Rosana, he worried.

Then he heard a deflating laugh through the teeth. Jade looked relieved, like someone who’d shed heavy clothes.

The reason he’d hesitated while avoiding marriage. It was because of Jade’s secret. Other nobles thought it was because Astrot’s schemes were suspicious, but actually it was because his secret mustn’t be discovered by another country.

That’s why the duke had strongly opposed accepting Rosana as a fiancée.

The imperial palace was vast, with separate palaces prepared, but he couldn’t guarantee the secret wouldn’t be discovered. That’s also why Rosana’s palace was located on the outskirts.

“I know. How could I forget?”

“…”

Duke Helpe looked at Jade with deeply sunken eyes. He was the one who knew Jade’s secret and brought him out of the tower. At the time, Duke Helpe thought supporting Jade was the worst move chosen because he was the royal family’s last descendant.

But he knew it was the right choice by watching his actions.

“It mustn’t be discovered. By anyone. Have you forgotten that tragedy? Even the knights who guarded your back recognized you as an enemy.”

“…”

“If the day comes when the Astrot Empire finds out… If it spreads as rumors among the people, the Diovaha Empire is finished.”

“I think so too.”

It was a worry seated deep in his heart.

“I apologize. I spoke unnecessarily out of my excessive concern.”

Duke Helpe bowed his head deeply. However, Jade chuckled.

“You don’t know everything. Baron didn’t mention that part, did he?”

At his words, Duke Helpe’s eyebrows shot up. His worry was natural. He’d thought so too. But things were gradually changing.

“Duke Helpe. My secret is too large and enormous to be hidden by covering it with a palm. It will be revealed someday.”

When that time comes, it’s the end. The future doesn’t change. They just don’t know when.

Rosana thought she was changing because of Jade, but she was clearly influencing him too. 

Watching Rosana gradually change from her cowering state, Jade found himself questioning himself more often.

‘Didn’t you have facts you wanted to turn away from?’

“Your Majesty, that’s…”

“It’s actually happened before.”

The current First Imperial Knights accepted Jade’s appearance, but not everyone did.

“Your Majesty… Still, there are people who understand you.”

They just become endlessly cautious because you won’t know unless you look inside. 

Jade laughed boldly. Duke Helpe, sensing something strange, narrowed his brow. It wasn’t the expression of Jade who thought endlessly negatively about his blood.

“Your thinking has changed…”

“She said so.”

Duke Helpe slowly met Jade’s gaze. Jade didn’t avoid Duke Helpe’s gaze. He spoke firmly.

“Rosana didn’t fear or despise me. She just saw me as one person, as I am. She even recognized me.”

A deep smile formed on Jade’s lips. A warm atmosphere lingered, seemingly recalling that time. Suddenly the duke remembered one sentence written in Baron’s letter.

‘His Majesty is fine now.’

He’d thought it was a sentence containing much meaning, but… to think it was in this direction. 

Duke Helpe looked at Jade with a slightly dazed expression. No matter how you looked at it, it was the face of someone completely smitten.

Curiosity arose. About the person called ‘Rosana,’ who made His Majesty make such an expression. Seemingly reading Duke Helpe’s thoughts, Jade said:

“Would you like to meet Rosana?”

“…”

“I respect the duke’s opinion. There should be someone to advise from the side, shouldn’t there?”

“Do you mean… to help with the banquet from the side?”

“I didn’t say that much.”

But that’s what it meant. He’d just said it in a roundabout way—the only thing Rosana needed advice on was the Ales Kingdom envoy banquet.

“Duke. Confirm with your own eyes, like when you met me.”

“…!”

Jade was discussing their first meeting. The duke, who had been silently gazing at Jade’s serious face, soon nodded.

“I’ll do that.”

“You won’t regret it.”

Just as he was about to take light steps, a noisy sound was heard from afar. Soon, along with quick footsteps, a familiar person appeared.

“Your Majesty, were you here?!”

“Malek? What’s wrong?”

“Lady Rosana has come to visit.”

“What?”

Jade attached himself to Malek’s side in one step. He had an intuition that Rosana would be at the center of the commotion heard from outside.