The Emperor’s black eyes widened with surprise.

For a moment, he simply stared at Ariel, as though he had never heard such words before. Then, a bitter smile tugged at his lips.

“I never once dared to believe that you would forgive me, my Marquise.”

The fact that the Emperor was addressing a mere noble in such a manner caused even the calm expressions of the servants standing behind him to falter.

Ariel was no exception.

But the Emperor spoke from the heart.

Although he had elevated Marquise Blante to become the most powerful man in the Pentium Empire, he had always considered it merely a way to repay his debt to the Blante family rather than to Ariel herself.

As for Ariel, he thought it impossible to ever repay what he owed her.

After all, what he had taken from her was something only a god could give back: her father.

Her father, lost to death.

The precious time she had been forced to sacrifice.

The love she had been denied.

How could any of that be given back?

Ariel lowered her gaze slightly, meeting the Emperor’s dark eyes steadily.

“Your Majesty has already done everything in your power to correct your past mistakes. I’ve seen it more closely than anyone. So please, you don’t have to carry that guilt any longer.”

Without raising her eyes, Ariel gently lifted the teacup in front of her.

The faintly bitter aroma of strong herbal tea from an oriental land drifted past her nose.

It wasn’t a tea she particularly enjoyed.

It had been her father’s favourite, and over time she had found herself drinking it as well.

Just as she had naturally lived her life for her family and followed in her father’s footsteps, she came to accept this way of life without giving it much thought.

After taking a sip, she set her cup down and the Emperor let out a faint, strange sigh.

“That tea… it was your father’s favourite. I tried it once, but it was so bitter that I couldn’t bring myself to drink it again.”

“The more you drink it, the better it is for your health.”

“You even say the same things as your father. It’s as if anyone listening would instantly recognise you as your fataher’s daughter.”

“Because it’s true.”

The Emperor, who had chuckled in exasperation, suddenly changed his tone and asked,

“But isn’t it true that you didn’t actually enjoy drinking such bitter tea to begin with?”

“Yes?”

“The nobles at the Ministry of the Interior say that Marquise Blante’s manner of speech and conduct are exactly like Marquis Achille’s. Sometimes, it feels as though Marquis Achille himself is standing beside you.”

“Of course it would seem that way.”

After inheriting the title, Ariel had tried her best to think like her father and make decisions as he would have done.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Is that really a compliment? Are you truly happy to hear that you’re becoming just like your father?”

Ariel hesitated.

Sensing her hesitation, the Emperor closed the distance between them and pressed further.

“I ask because you’ve forgiven me, Ariel. Are you happy now? Tell me — how are you? Are you happy?”

Ariel’s green eyes trembled faintly.

“The Marquis has flourished so greatly. It’s all thanks to you, my lord.”

“Well done, well done, Ariel. If my brother could see how much the Marquis has grown… how proud he would be.”

“You are becoming more and more like the Marquis.”

As the Marquis’s reputation grew, so did the happiness of his aunt, his brother, and his servants.

They were always smiling.

But what about her?

They must have exchanged many happy smiles.

She smiled, too. She smiled along with them.

Strangely, though, Ariel didn’t say anything.

It should have come naturally, but she didn’t feel happy.

Why?

She had given everything — more than anyone else. Hadn’t she built the Marquisate into such a powerful force that nobody dared to challenge it?

Wasn’t it all down to her?

She knew she had done well. She was still doing well.

So why didn’t she feel happy?

The hollow emptiness that had occasionally crept into her heart before was rising again.

The more the Marquisate prospered and everything became stable, the more that emptiness seemed to grow.

It was a kind of emptiness that felt almost like longing.

No.

Ariel forcibly suppressed the tremor of her emotions.

Then, with an indifferent expression, she replied to the Emperor.

“I am doing well. With Marquis Blante’s name more renowned than ever, how could I not be happy?”

The Emperor looked at Ariel strangely, then spoke slowly.

“As long as the Marquisate is at peace, you are happy too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, that is correct.”

The Emperor let out a soft sigh and continued.

“In that case, I will not oppose your marriage proposal this time.”

“Yes?”

Ariel’s expression darkened once more.

However, the Emperor spoke as if he hadn’t noticed her reaction.

“Why are you so surprised? Rumours have already spread throughout the capital that marriage proposals arrive at the Marquise’s residence at least once a month.”

Ariel gave an awkward smile — the rumours were not exaggerated.

Even after her recent broken engagement, she remained the most sought-after single woman in the entire Pentium Empire.

With her wealth and noble lineage, the broken engagement had long since faded into irrelevance.

Moreover, her beauty deepened with each passing day, like a rose blooming at its peak.

There was even a saying circulating in high society:

If all the men longing for the Marquise of Blante’s hand stood in line, the queue would stretch from the Imperial Palace to the gates of the capital.

This illustrates just how much of a hot topic Ariel’s marriage had become in social circles.

Of course, Ariel had assumed that the Emperor was already aware of all this. Yet he had never mentioned it until now.

Why mention it all of a sudden?

As Ariel struggled to hide her confusion, the Emperor continued speaking.

“But you’ve always turned down every marriage proposal you’ve received. Most of those men weren’t particularly impressive, so I agreed with your decision. But this time, the man who proposed is the second son of the Duke of Lienol, isn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“He’s five years younger than you, but aside from that, he has no particular shortcomings. The Duke of Lienol controls the largest iron ore reserves in the empire, which would be a huge asset to the Marquise of Blante’s shipping business.”

Ariel remained silent.

“Besides, since the Duke’s eldest son is set to inherit the family title, the second son would be free to marry into the Marquisate. He is also quite impressive for his age, both in terms of his personality and his abilities. It seems his feelings for you are also quite strong.”

The Emperor softened his tone as he lifted his teacup, giving Ariel a moment to think.

But Ariel already knew these things:

The second son of the Duke of Lienol — Howard Lienol.

Although he was rather self-centred and keenly aware of his family’s influence, Ariel had to admit that he would make a good husband.

In fact, if she were being honest, he was practically perfect.

And yet, precisely because he was so perfect, Ariel found herself drawing a clearer line with him than with anyone else.

However, the fact that the Emperor had brought him up personally made her feel uncomfortable and anxious.

The Emperor would not have mentioned him out of idle curiosity.

Placing his teacup down, the Emperor finally spoke again.

“You and Howard Lienol would be an excellent match. If you marry him, the Blante family will only grow stronger. I trust you won’t refuse this time.”

“Your Majesty, I—”

Ariel tried to speak, but the Emperor interrupted her calmly.

“Didn’t you say that the Marquisate’s prosperity brings you happiness? The larger and stronger a noble family becomes, the more stability it offers the Empire. With a secure heir, no one would dare threaten the Marquisate. You understand that, don’t you?”

The Emperor’s tone was gentle yet firm.

“Neither you nor I are immortal, Ariel. You must find the man best suited to stand beside the Marquisate and marry him. If your happiness truly lies in the Marquisate’s prosperity, then this is the natural course.”

His words were perfectly reasonable. And yet, Ariel could not bring herself to say that she would comply. She could have agreed right then and there.

For the first time in six years, the question of her own happiness — something she had long ignored — came to the fore and refused to be ignored.

“Are you truly satisfied with the Marquisate’s prosperity? Is that really what makes you happy?’

The questions swirling in her mind only made things more complicated.

Ariel tried to steady herself.

“I didn’t realise that my marriage would become a greater concern than Your Majesty’s abdication. From the outside, it certainly doesn’t seem that way.”

It was a small outburst, a minor form of rebellion. But the Emperor remained calm, patiently chipping away at the wall she had built around herself.

“You can handle the public’s perception, but for me, your marriage is far more important than the throne. If possible, I wish to see you settled before I step down.”

“It’s already quite stable.”

“Not as the Marquise. As Ariel.”

Once again, he pushed. If this continued, she would be swept along by the Emperor’s will without even realising it.

She needed time — time to gather her thoughts and think clearly. Just as she was about to excuse herself, the Emperor stood up first.

“I’m tired. I’ve been working since morning—I should rest now. Do you have anything else you wish to say to me?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Then, Marquise, you may return for today.”