She decided to accept it. If loving another woman was Khalid’s happiness. Once she made up her mind, she felt much lighter. She even felt grateful to Khalid for sharing such a difficult story with her.

Perhaps he noticed her resolve. Khalid’s shoulders, which had seemed tense, relaxed loosely.

“Thank you for understanding. It couldn’t have been pleasant to hear.”

“If you were worried about hurting my feelings, please don’t be concerned. I’m fine.”

Isn’t that how all political marriages are anyway?

“Meeting her doesn’t mean we’re dating at all. It’s just occasional visits for companionship.”

But isn’t that how most couples start out? Just like Your Majesty and that woman.

“Although I’ve conveyed some uncomfortable news, I still cherish and respect you as my partner. Out of consideration for your reputation, I have no intention of making her known to others before the wedding.”

I appreciate the consideration, but please spare me the excuses. The more I hear, the more pathetic I feel. If you have time to waste like this, why don’t you go to her…

‘Stop it!’

Aristie inwardly shouted at her increasingly twisted inner thoughts.

Why are you doing this? You decided to accept it. Didn’t you feel relieved? It’s not like you loved him anyway.

‘Didn’t I… love him?’

A doubt suddenly crossed her mind.

I don’t know.

When we were young, we got along like friends or siblings, and as we grew up, we maintained boundaries and didn’t cross them carelessly. Far from love, there wasn’t even a sense that we were dating.

To her, Khalid was a man who’s both close and distant. A friend, a monarch of a country, and someone others had placed beside her.

How could I lean on him emotionally when such a person says he cherishes me? Isn’t he someone who would have cherished anyone the same way? As long as she was the woman chosen by the late Emperor!

“Then, with that understanding, let’s prepare for the imperial wedding.”

Khalid’s low, resonant voice woke Aristie from her thoughts. Aristie blinked to shake off her confused feelings.

“I’ll discuss it with Duke Yentrice, but regarding the wedding, I intend to prioritize your opinions. Do you have any thoughts? About the dress, the wedding date, or any events you’d like… anything.”

“I don’t have any yet. To be honest, I’m still in a daze.”

“I suppose you would be. Perhaps I asked too hastily.”

Khalid smiled slightly, as if acknowledging his own words.

“If you have any good ideas, feel free to tell me. Even if I’m busy, I’ll make sure to listen attentively, even if I have to send the head chamberlain.”

“I will do so.”

“The designer will have quite a task. To create a wedding dress that suits your beauty. I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll look on our wedding day.”

Khalid straightened his back and folded his arms. With the corners of his mouth turned up mischievously.

It was a very typical attitude for him, but somehow Aristie felt a sense of dissonance. How could he talk about their wedding so casually right after mentioning another woman?

Does he really believe my words that I’m fine? Or…

“Come to think of it, that tree.”

“Pardon?”

“The big tree you fell from like a baby bird.”

“Ah, yes…”

“We used to play around there often, but at some point, we stopped going. Is the tree still there?”

…So that’s how it is.

Aristie easily guessed Khalid’s true intentions. Knowing that she might not be okay, he was deliberately trying to change the subject.

‘If you were going to do this, you shouldn’t have confessed in the first place.’

Such a thought crossed her mind briefly, but Khalid wasn’t the type to keep things vague by nature. Especially not with her.

Eventually, rumors would spread that the Emperor had another woman. And because of that, Aristie would be hurt. Rather than letting that happen, he must have thought it better to reveal it himself first and comfort her.

Maybe that’s why he brought up the marriage talk… There’s no surer way to reassure his fiancée.

“The tree is still there, unchanged.”

Aristie answered briefly, not wanting to be exhausted by meaningless conversation. She felt that this wasn’t what Khalid truly wanted to talk about.

The woman who made him act like this. The thing that kept making her anxious.

“By the way, Your Majesty.”

Aristie impulsively called out to the Emperor.

As he turned his attention to her, she met his eyes directly and spoke.

“Forgive my impertinence, but I’ve become curious.”

“About what?”

“What kind of woman is she, the one Your Majesty is seeing?”

“What kind of… woman?”

Khalid looked at Aristie with a slightly surprised expression. He seemed not to have expected her, who was always passive, to ask so directly.

His gaze, which had been locked with hers, took on a troubled light and slid slightly to the side. But he couldn’t hold out for long.

“She’s a woman I met by chance. I encountered her when I went out to the streets, and even though we only exchanged a few words, I felt it was fate.”

The kind Emperor didn’t forget to compliment Aristie even in this situation.

“Of course, she’s not as beautiful as you. She’s not particularly elegant or overflowing with dignity either.”

“……”

“It’s just that we communicate well and our thoughts align surprisingly well, which felt amazing. She’s reasonably intelligent and, how should I put it… sometimes innocent like a child?”

Ah, I stand corrected. This isn’t a compliment. It’s just a simple comparison.

One that makes me realize how insignificant my own virtues are.

“The more we talked, the stranger I felt. How she seemed to see right through me with her words. That’s why I kept her as a companion. Although I struggled internally a lot during the process…”

Khalid trailed off, watching Aristie’s reaction. Having actually heard his answer, Aristie felt a little regretful.

At the same time, she was amazed. Could someone who matched him so well really exist in this world?

And he met this person? By chance on the street?

The Emperor of the great empire, who only occasionally sneaks out of the palace?

‘Something feels off…’

The feeling of surprise turned into suspicion as she thought more about it. She examined herself to see if it might be due to jealousy, but there was clearly something that didn’t add up.

Khalid, the person in question, wouldn’t know. This is probably a feeling that comes from being a third party, and from being a woman.

“It really sounds like a fateful encounter. How long have you known each other, if I may ask?”

Aristie played along, pretending not to know while probing Khalid.

Khalid answered without much thought.

“Well… I think it’s been about 3 months.”

‘Ha! 3 months?’

The duration of their acquaintance surprised Aristie as much as hearing that he was seeing a woman. She felt dizzy with dismay.

Just three months. Is he saying that a woman he’s known for such a short time matches him better than herself, who has known him for 18 years? What kind of woman could she be?

“…Your Majesty, if I may make a sudden request.”

Aristie, harboring some resolve, made a request to Khalid.

“What is it?”

Khalid’s eyes showed a hint of curiosity.

“While I congratulate you on finding a companion, I’m honestly worried about unfavorable rumors that would circulate about me during the preparation for the imperial wedding.”

“Ah… That could indeed happen. There are always those who spread malicious rumors.”

As Khalid nodded in understanding, Aristie seized the opportunity to press on.

“So, I was wondering if you could arrange an opportunity for me to meet this woman beforehand?”

“You mean Estelle?”

Estelle…

So that’s her name.

“Yes. I think if I meet her and establish a friendly relationship, it could significantly suppress such rumors. Would that be alright?”

Aristie waited for Khalid’s permission while mulling over the name Estelle. She felt oddly conflicted, thinking how pretty the name was.

She even began to wonder if she was wrongly suspecting an innocent woman.

‘Father would be furious if he knew.’

He certainly would be. He’d likely scold her harshly, saying things like how dare she interfere with His Majesty’s private life, or what would she do if she offended him.

Still, Aristie didn’t withdraw her words. It was because she wanted to meet the person directly to clear her doubts, but partly also because she wanted to protect Khalid.

If by any chance this woman had approached him with ill intentions, she couldn’t just stand by. Although she couldn’t be sure what she could do, or if Khalid would even believe her words.

“Meeting her…”

Khalid stroked his chin, seemingly in thought.

After a moment, he shrugged.

“Well, I suppose it’s fine. Alright. I’ll contact Estelle.”

It was a request from his fiancée who rarely asked for anything. As long as the content was reasonable, there was no reason to refuse.

“Thank you, Your Maj-“

“I might even bring her into the palace.”

“……!”

Aristie was suddenly startled and couldn’t finish her greeting. It was because she heard Khalid’s casual mutter.

Seeing her expression harden, Khalid hastily added.

“Don’t misunderstand. I just thought it might reduce gossip to bring her in officially rather than going out for secret meetings.”

“……”

“Besides, I don’t have any immediate plans to do so. I mean I’ll consider it after the imperial wedding when the imperial family is stable.”

“There’s no need to explain yourself to me.”

The response came back as if cutting him off.

It was Aristie’s voice.

“Your Majesty is the emperor of a nation. You are legally entitled to keep any woman you wish.”

Aristie forced her lips into a smile.

“So, do as you please.”

However, she couldn’t be sure if her face was smiling properly.

***