I gently shook Fazel’s body, which was nodding off. He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and looked at me with clear eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing him show me his sleeping face and feeling how much his guard had lowered, I smiled contentedly.

“We’ve arrived at the mansion.”

“Ah.”

Father and I didn’t come to the capital often. Because of that, we mostly stayed in our territory.

“The mansion in the capital isn’t as fancy compared to other noble houses.”

Fazel looked at me with skeptical eyes.

“I’ve said this before, but your standards for fancy are unusual.”

“You’re a Count now too. Of course they should be different.”

he blanked out for a moment. Then, after pondering, he nodded, seemingly understanding what I meant.

“I suppose so. After all, my situation has changed.”

“Exactly.”

I smiled with satisfaction, pleased with Fazel’s attitude. He turned his head to look at the mansion. After gazing at it through the window, he looked back at me.

“Are you sure it’s really not fancy?”

“Compared to the average ducal or marquis house?”

“Compared to a count’s house.”

“Then it’s fancy.”

But we’re a special count family.

Fazel stared at me intently.

“This is fancy.”

Why does the conversation keep going this way? I tilted my head, unable to understand Fazel’s behavior.

“Anyway, I’ll accept it that way.”

No, I’m telling you the standards have changed.

“My daughter’s standards are high.”

Father didn’t help me.

“I see.”

Fazel, don’t say things like that! 

I looked at both men, feeling somehow wronged. Then Father stroked my hair.

“Didn’t you refuse when I suggested we change to a fancier mansion?”

“It’s a waste of finances.”

I cut him off decisively. Father wanted to move to a fancier mansion, but since we didn’t stay in the capital often, wasting money on such things seemed wasteful to me. Buying a fancy mansion wouldn’t be too late even after I grew up a bit more and officially held my debutante.

* * *

After getting out of the carriage, Fazel looked at the mansion first. The building made of white marble was beautiful. Looking at the mansion that gave off a distinctly fancy feeling, he glanced at Louelle.

‘Her standards for fancy are different from mine.’

Fazel only thought that to himself. If he said it out loud, Louelle would deny it. However, Louelle’s words weren’t wrong either. Since his position had changed, his perspective on these things should change as well.

He opened the front door and went inside to see marble flooring. The maids and servants bowed their heads and greeted Louelle, Esran, and Fazel.

This isn’t familiar either.

The very act of someone bowing their head to him felt awkward. Thinking about it, he had always been the one bowing his head, not the one receiving greetings. 

It had been nearly a month since he became Louelle’s fiancé, but there were still times when he couldn’t quite believe his position.

“I’ll show you to your room, Fazel.”

Louelle smiled and took Fazel’s hand, heading somewhere. Fazel found himself being led by Louelle to a room on the first floor. The door bore the crest of the Asnel Count family.

“What kind of room is this to have the crest on it?”

“It’s specifically the room used by the Count heir’s betrothed. It’s been empty until now, so I had it cleaned this time.”

Louelle opened the door as she said this. They went inside together, and he looked around before opening his mouth.

“Good heavens.”

The wall decorations were intricate and beautiful. There were also high-quality furniture, portraits, and even a desk that matched his height. There was a sofa and a spacious bathroom too. After looking around, Fazel asked Louelle.

“Is it really okay for me to use this room?”

“Of course.”

‘I’m only a fiancé in name.’

‘Someday, when our contract ends, we’ll become nothing to each other. I’m not sure if I’m qualified to use this room. Seemingly reading Fazel’s thoughts, Louelle stroked his head.’

“We’re engaged for now, so we should keep up appearances.”

She was saying he was fully qualified to use this room. Something hot bubbled up in Fazel’s heart. He found himself looking back at the past when he had only suspected Louelle of having bad intentions. He should have listened when his mother gave him that advice.

“Thank you.”

Fazel was truly grateful to Louelle.

“Ah. Because of this room? Over something like this.”

It’s not just that, though.

For now, it seemed better to say yes.

Fazel nodded and smiled genuinely at Louelle. Then Louelle’s face flushed red and she turned her head away.

“I’m going to my room!”

He thought she would show him her room, but Louelle left first. Fazel tilted his head, unable to understand Louelle’s sudden behavior. He still sometimes didn’t understand Louelle.

Well, what does it matter?

In the past, this kind of thing might have made him anxious. But because it was Louelle, he wasn’t anxious at all.

* * *

I returned to my room and shook my head vigorously.

“Miss, is something wrong?”

“Fazel smiled so beautifully. I thought my heart would burst.”

Marlene’s eyes widened.

“Did Fazel really smile like that?”

“Really!”

“As expected, Fazel has fallen for you too, Miss.”

Marlene spoke matter-of-factly.

“Not yet.”

I shook my head. He needed to develop feelings of excitement when looking at me—romantic feelings, not just friendship. Fazel, the mastermind, didn’t fall easily. 

Even in the original story, there were many events before he came to love the female protagonist. I turned my head to Marlene.

“I need to go see His Majesty the Emperor tomorrow. Are the clothes ready?”

“They said they arrived yesterday. I was just about to go check on them.”

At Marlene’s words, my eyes sparkled. I had seen my godfathers since childhood, but this would be my first time meeting His Majesty the Emperor. 

Father had met him occasionally, but my position was ambiguous, so I had never met him. Perhaps it was natural since I hadn’t officially debuted in society yet.

It was natural to be concerned about such a first meeting. I had contacted a well-known shop in the capital and pre-ordered clothes for Fazel and me. 

Since they were custom-tailored suits, Fazel needed to come and try them on. I had to go back to his room, but my heart suddenly fluttered.

“Let’s wait a bit and go together.”

I still needed time before I could see him. This is why it’s troublesome to fall first. I smiled inwardly and pressed down on my chest before going to see Fazel with Father. I thought having Father there would help ease my tension a bit.

“We need to look at clothes?”

Fazel reacted like he was hearing this for the first time.

“We can’t wear everyday clothes when going to see His Majesty the Emperor.”

Fazel nodded too. Convinced, he went with me to look at the clothes. Arriving at the dressing room, I waited for Fazel to change and come out. When he finally emerged, his face flushed with awkwardness.

“Does it suit me?”

His silver hair hung down neatly. His golden eyes looked ready to shine at any moment, and the gold ceremonial attire that suited him sparkled in the sunlight.

“It suits you well.”

I snapped back to my senses after spacing out for a moment. I had seen many handsome men until now, but this was the first time I was captivated enough to lose myself. Well, Fazel was my type in both personality and appearance, so that might have added to it.

“Fazel, you look really cool.”

Father nodded too.

“You look quite like a young nobleman.”

A faint smile appeared on Fazel’s face.

“Thank you.”

Ah, really, that smile is cheating. I pressed my palms against my flushed cheeks and waited for them to cool down.

* * *

The next day arrived. I wore a pink dress while Fazel dressed in gold ceremonial attire as we headed to the imperial palace where the Emperor resided. Inside the carriage, Fazel sat with a tense, stiff expression.

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

Fazel turned his head and sighed.

“Aren’t you nervous, Louelle?”

“I am nervous.”

But not as nervous as when I look at Fazel.

After thinking that to myself, I quickly extended my hand to him. I gently took his hand and whispered to him.

“Nothing bad will happen. As long as we’re not greedy, His Majesty won’t say anything particular.”

“Right?”

Fazel had the same thought as me. Then Father nodded from the side.

“That’s probably the case.”

However, Father seemed slightly nervous too. Even when Mother passed away and we held the funeral, the Emperor didn’t come and sent the chamberlain instead. 

Because Mother had become someone with no connection to the imperial family, it was simply a matter of mourning a countess’s death. 

What had the Emperor, who was the Crown Prince at the time, thought about the previous Emperor’s forceful actions? And what feelings led him to make me a member of the imperial family?

The carriage passed through the palace gates. Before long, the carriage stopped. Since it was a carriage sent directly by the imperial family, even Father didn’t know the destination. Father got out of the carriage and looked at the palace, startled.

“It’s the Empress’s palace.”

“If it’s where Her Majesty the Empress resides!”

Then that was also where the recently born heir was. Wait a moment. I had thought I would see the heir, but I assumed they would bring them after the audience. 

To think we would go straight to the Empress’s palace like this. A person walked toward me, bewildered. The clicking sound of shoes seemed to symbolize her.

“Count Asnel, Lady Louelle, Lord Fazel. It’s been a while.”

Saila had come out to greet us.

“His Majesty is with Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince. It is an imperial command for you to go there.”

Wow, this quickly.

I clicked my tongue at the Emperor’s attitude, not giving us time to relax our nerves. Let’s just go. We followed Saila into the Empress’s palace.

* * *

Kaisiel Ruran Karna.

It would be absurd to say the empire’s citizens didn’t know what he looked like, the Emperor of the Karna Empire. Since portraits appeared in the newspapers every time, I thought people knew what he looked like. 

However, the moment I opened the door to the reception room in the Empress’s palace and saw him sitting on the sofa waiting for us, I abandoned that thought. 

The paintings had never expressed the charisma he possessed. He was just standing there, yet he gave off an overwhelming feeling. It was truly an aura that could only be exuded by one who ruled over all.

“You’ve come.”

The Emperor looked at us and smiled brightly.

“Oh, that girl over there is my older sister’s daughter. So my niece has finally come.”

I felt a sense of danger from him greeting us with a smile. I quickly composed my expression and greeted His Majesty according to etiquette. Father greeted him familiarly, and Fazel also bowed his head nervously.