Estelle steadied herself by recalling her past victories.

‘You’ll end up the same way, Aristie. No matter how grand you act, the result will be the same. Just wait and see how much I can torment you!’

* * *

Slap!

A sharp sound echoed through the imperial palace corridor.

It was the sound of Duke Yentrice mercilessly slapping his son’s cheek after dragging him to a deserted corner.

“What was that! That ill-mannered show earlier! Did you and Aristie plan this together!”

The duke, not satisfied with hitting him, poured out his anger in a furious voice. Aiden didn’t answer.

Conspired with Aristie? No, his sister hadn’t told him anything. He was actually hurt by that.

If she had asked him for anything, he would have done it even at the risk of death.

“Why on earth did you pull such a stunt! It’s fortunate His Majesty consented to the marriage; otherwise, Aristie’s life could have been ruined!”

The duke pressed Aiden, growling like a beast.

“What? Different s*xual preference? Hah, I’m flabbergasted! Let’s say for argument’s sake that His Majesty enjoys homosexuality! Let’s say he has a fake romance! Is that such a critical issue that it needed to be exposed in front of everyone? Risking everything?”

“……”

“And what about you! Far from stopping your sister, you said you’d pass on your heir qualification—is that even a reasonable thing to say!”

“……”

“I only asked one thing of you. Just keep your mouth shut in public until today! But you couldn’t hold back for one day and caused trouble? Unless you’re determined to ruin our family, how could you do such a thing……!”

“What is a… family?”

Aiden caught his father’s wrist as it flew toward him again and asked.

The duke’s eyes widened in shock.

“People must exist… for a family to exist. What good is a fa…mily when people aren’t ha…ppy.”

“Aiden, you……!”

The duke’s voice trembled slightly as he called his son’s name. For the first time standing up to his father, Aiden’s speech was somewhat awkward but his stutter had disappeared.

“Is Father the only mem…ber of the family? Are children merely tools for the fa…mily? If so, I don’t need it any…more, this dukedom.”

Aiden slowly spat out the words with an angry face. The anger he displayed was completely different from his father’s.

Unlike the duke’s flushed complexion, his face was cold and rigid.

“Look at your speech! Has your stutter improved? Or is it improving?”

But the duke failed to notice his son’s emotions. Aiden’s anger deepened and intensified at his father’s expectant question.

“Is that important right now? Did you even lis…ten to what I said?”

“Of course I heard! Your speech has improved, hasn’t it!”

“Listen to the content. Try to under…stand. Just once, consider the reason why I want to give up the dukedom, why Aristie had to st…ep forward like that……”

“The royal marriage is complete, so all is well! Whatever the case, she achieved her long-cherished wish, and your stutter is clearly improving, so from now on……”

“You, until the end!”

Aiden’s anger finally exploded. He roughly flung away his father’s wrist that he had been holding.

He didn’t just release the wrist. He also let go of the affection for his father that he had been precariously clinging to.

“Let’s both stop this meaningless conversation.”

Aiden muttered with a disgusted expression.

“I think I’ve atoned enough. Mother wouldn’t want her son to be broken any further. Don’t interfere with me anymore. I’ll disappear from your sight, this son who ruined the family.”

Aiden conveyed his intention in clear speech.

That was the last thing he would ever say to his father.

“Aiden!”

Leaving his father’s cry behind, Aiden left the corridor and headed outside. He planned to return home early since going to the reception would only cause trouble for his sister.

That’s when someone called him and approached with quick steps.

A brown-haired woman dressed in a calm ivory dress. It was Princess Systea.

“Princess……”

“I finally found you. Not planning to attend the reception?”

“No.”

Aiden replied briefly and slightly turned his head away. But he couldn’t escape Systea’s sharp perception.

“Oh my, you’ve been through something, haven’t you?”

Systea said in a sympathetic voice, having noticed his swollen cheek. She told Aiden to wait a moment and went to a nearby fountain to wet her handkerchief.

When the handkerchief wrapped around his cheek, the cool sensation against his skin calmed Aiden’s mood.

……I see. The wound was more in my heart than on my cheek……

“Are you feeling better?”

To Systea’s concerned question, Aiden answered in his usual manner of speaking.

“Much be, better.”

“I think I know who did this.”

“……”

“Don’t be discouraged. I think you did well.”

“Is… that so.”

“Of course! You were incredibly confident and impressive. I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t stepped forward!”

Aiden’s lips curved slightly. He found it amazing that Systea could make him smile even in this situation.

Seeing Aiden smile, Systea brightened and broached a subject.

“So, what do you think? Is it time to reconsider my offer?”

“Offer…? What……”

“The long-term retreat I mentioned before. To my country, the Kingdom of Shatra.”

“Ah……”

A complicated light crossed Aiden’s face. However, his expression wasn’t negative.

His beloved younger sister had finally married, and he had declared to his father that he would disappear from his sight.

If he were to leave, now would be the perfect time.

“I need… time.”

“Time to think?”

“No. Time to or…ganize the matters I’m re…sponsible for.”

The meaning was clear. A bright smile appeared on Systea’s face.

“I’ll prepare for departure. So we can leave anytime.”

* * *

The reception held after the wedding was a splendid but treacherous ice field. The guests who filled the hall watched the Emperor and Empress’s every move with curious eyes.

Zephyros, like Aristie, found himself in an extremely awkward position. The reason was obviously being designated as His Majesty the Emperor’s lover.

‘Lover, how absurd! I should at least have received one affectionate glance before being misunderstood!’

Though indignant, he couldn’t deny it due to various circumstances.

Zephyros had no choice but to explain the situation to Rhion and use him as a shield to enter the reception. The Emperor’s guard receiving protection from the Kirvatan Knight Order Commander created a strange sight.

Watching Zephyros, who looked ready to bolt from the reception hall at any moment, Aristie lowered her eyelids in guilt. Surprisingly, Khalid, the most maligned party, appeared completely unbothered.

“Seeing him so calm, it seems the Empress’s revelation must be true?”

“My goodness, I’m still in shock.”

“What does it matter? His Majesty is a wise ruler. Whatever his preferences, as long as he continues to govern the Empire well, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. Even if he enjoys homosexuality, he can still have heirs, can’t he? That’s all that matters.”

“Still, I can’t help but imagine unsavory things……”

Countless opinions about the Emperor’s preferences circulated among the nobles.

Not just about the Emperor. Some were indignant about the Empress’s behavior, while others sympathized with her, forming different factions and focusing on their own interests.

‘I wish I could faint and wake up tomorrow……’

Navigating through these crowds, Aristie harbored a futile hope. She couldn’t avoid greeting the guests as it was her duty as the bride.

People smiled and offered congratulations, but as soon as she turned her back, they didn’t hesitate to whisper. With so many doing this, it was impossible to ignore.

‘They could at least lower their voices. I can hear everything……’

Aristie’s already tired complexion grew increasingly pale. Just then, a boisterous voice called out to her like salvation.

It was Grand Duke Torjan, who had cherished her like a daughter since she was young.

“Your Majesty the Empress! Congratulations on your marriage.”

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, please lower your formality. I’m much more comfortable with how you treated me before.”

“I will do so in private. But this is an official occasion, isn’t it? You’ve become the mother of the nation, so you should get used to such things.”

Aristie’s eyes curved slightly at the Grand Duke’s advice, delivered with a hearty laugh. She smiled and said, “I can’t argue with that,” then expressed her sincere gratitude.

“Thank you for helping me earlier.”

“I didn’t do much. Just added a few words.”

“It meant a lot to me.”

“I’m glad then. From now on, you’ll have many more people who will support you, not just me.”

Grand Duke Torjan offered robust encouragement along with a benevolent smile. As he turned to leave after greeting her, he leaned in slightly and added some advice.

“Trust Khalid. That boy has always had only you.”

“……!”

Aristie’s lips stiffened slightly.

“Whatever happened, it’s all a groundless misunderstanding. Even at this moment, that child is thinking only of you.”

“No, His Majesty……”

“I guarantee it. Try to believe once. If you chose marriage, shouldn’t you have trust in each other?”

“……”

Aristie couldn’t readily speak.

Khalid had not trusted her, and because of that, she too had abandoned her faith in him.

Distrust that destroyed the trust built over 18 years in an instant. A ruined wedding. Could a relationship so twisted that the pieces no longer fit ever be restored……?

“I’ll… try.”

Aristie answered with difficulty. That was the best she could do for now.

Grand Duke Torjan’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at her.

“You’ll realize it soon. How desperately that boy loves you.”