After the Norca incident, Leopold returned to the palace and began preparing for the wedding ceremony.

Due to Ariel’s suggestion to get married within a month, the wedding was imminent.

He personally oversaw the preparation of the wedding ring and gifts by a skilled craftsman, using jewels handed down through generations in the Atlan Empire.

After inspecting the designs of the dress and shoes, he selected several designs that he thought would best suit Ariel, and ordered them to be made using the finest silk and lace crafted by artisans.

The choice of flowers for the venue and discussions on how to structure it was also his concern.

Even the guest list and the material of the invitation cards were directly supervised by Leopold.

After his return, he was truly busy without a moment to spare.

‘Ariel may think of this as a contractual marriage, but I consider this marriage my first and last, so… I can’t help but pour in this level of sincerity.’

To outsiders, it would seem like an emperor welcoming his empress.

Leopold sat at his desk in the study, pressing his tired eyes. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the chair.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, the face of someone came to mind, disturbing Leopold, who then opened his eyes abruptly.

Noah Diaz.

After the incident in Norca, news of Noah’s return from the Northern White spread throughout the capital.

The task Leopold had entrusted him with was to guard the borders, with the most important task being to eliminate the emerging monsters.

Given that Kolnman’s monster hunters were hiding their traces, the damage caused by monsters was severe. Why had he returned to the capital, disregarding all that?

Could it mean that there was a significant change in his circumstances to set aside all of that?

Knock, knock.

“Your Majesty.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and it was Richard who entered. He had been sent to White by Leopold a few days ago. He hurried to report the news brought by the messenger.

“I’ve looked into what you mentioned. It seems no one knows why he has returned. However, one thing that could be known is that the borders of White are under his vassals’ control, and we’ve received reports that the number of monster entities is increasing daily, so we don’t know when the border area might collapse.”

“Is that so?”

“So far, it hasn’t crossed into the Atlan Empire.”

“Huh!”

Leopold was exhilarated. To return to the capital in such a situation and risk was unacceptable. If he had no specific reason, he must be called to account for it.

“Summon him to the palace tomorrow.”

Leopold’s gaze turned fierce.

“And bring Ariel. Immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After bowing respectfully, Richard left the room.

Leopold pounded his desk with his fist. The loud sound echoed in the air.

He had intended to wait until she came to the palace herself, but he felt that having her in front of him would dispel this groundless anxiety.

The look in Noah’s eyes as he held Ariel came to mind.

‘He looked displeased when I appeared.’

As if the lovely and beautiful woman had always belonged to him, Noah’s embrace of her seemed natural.

In Noah’s eyes, as he looked at Leopold, there was a mix of hurt, jealousy, and all sorts of primal emotions.

‘Because you dared to look at me with those eyes, I can’t just let you be, Noah Diaz.’

Leopold clenched his teeth tightly. His sharp, red eyes sharply pierced the air.

My first love, the woman who allowed me to experience my first, and the person I will spend my last moments with, Ariel.

The blurry look in Noah’s eyes as he gazed at her made Leopold feel like he wanted to gouge out his eyeballs.

The more he thought about it, the more it felt like Leopold’s chest was being cut with a knife, and it hurt.

Just imagining that Noah could lay a hand on her body in a place where he couldn’t see, made Leopold boil with anger.

‘Hurry and come to me, Ariel.’

Perhaps when he faces her, all this anxiety will disappear as if washed away.

Leopold buried his face in his arms on the desk as if he was crumbling.

***

After finishing her training, Ariel weakly entered the indoors.

Her face was flushed from exerting herself after a long time.

She thought she should finish packing and take some rest.

But May suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Where did you go, miss?”

“What’s wrong, May?”

From May’s expression, it seemed like something had happened.

Ariel also widened her eyes and looked at her in surprise.

“His Majesty has ordered you to be brought to him. Right away.”

“What?”

May grabbed Ariel’s shoulders from behind and then pushed her body outside the building.

“I’m covered in sweat and I haven’t finished packing.”

Feeling the warmth of her fingertips, May let out a small sigh. It was out of concern that she might catch a cold while moving around sweating.

But she had no choice but to comply with the Emperor’s order to enter the palace right away.

May covered her mistress’s body with the shawl she had been holding.

“I’ve picked out the things you need.”

Ariel expressed her dissatisfaction about wanting to wash and change while being pushed forward.

But as Ariel disappeared without a word, it had already been nearly an hour since Chamberlain Richard, who had been waiting to escort her into the palace immediately, had arrived.

“The sword Mr. Hyle gave you, I packed it in the instrument box just in case.”

May whispered close to Ariel’s ear as she leaned in.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Trembling, Ariel stepped out of the mansion and onto the carriage.

As May tried to get into the carriage behind her, Chamberlain Richard closed the carriage door.

Ariel and May both looked at Richard with astonished eyes, not understanding the situation.

Then Richard spoke,  feeling awkward.

“His Majesty didn’t mention bringing a maid with you. It would be better to ask for permission before she enters, Lady Ariel.”

Ariel furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes. This entire situation was extremely embarrassing for her.

“Father, Mother? Do they know about this?”

Ariel asked May, who was standing outside the carriage window.

“They both left early this morning. I will inform them when they return.”

“Okay, please do.”

May smiled to dispel any worries and nodded. Ariel, who had been very tense, felt her shoulders relax.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

As Richard took his seat next to the coachman, the carriage soon departed.

Ariel gestured to May to quickly go inside.

As May disappeared from view, she leaned back in her seat.

Her tightly bound hair hit the wall, disturbing Ariel’s nerves.

“Phew.”

She finally untied her hair. The bright light blonde covered her delicate shoulders.

Ariel’s eyes were fixed on the carriage ceiling.

‘Why did Leopold suddenly do this.’

She had said she would come on her own, so there must be a reason for him to summon her like this.

But she couldn’t help but feel unsettled about hurrying to leave without even saying goodbye to her parents.

‘They must be worried. I hope May explains everything well. But it’s cold.’

The sweat cooled in the cold winter air.

Ariel wrapped her shawl around herself, determined not to let the warmth escape any further.

***

Before long, the carriage arrived at the palace.

When the carriage stopped, Ariel quickly and roughly tied up her hair.

Richard took Ariel’s hand to escort her. He was surprised when he held her cold, icy hand.

Looking at Ariel’s complexion, he noticed that her lips were very pale and her face was ashen. Her hand holding the shawl trembled.

“Please follow me.”

Richard hurriedly walked ahead.

Ariel weakly followed behind him.

Her eyelashes drooped, casting dark shadows under her eyes.

Cold, hungry, and weak. In such extreme circumstances, she always longed for mana.

If she had circulated mana quickly within her body, any problem caused by the cold would have been avoided.

After walking for a while inside the palace, a large golden door appeared.

Richard stood in front of it.

“His Majesty is waiting for you.”

He opened the golden door.

Ariel cautiously stepped into the room.

She saw Leopold sitting on the sofa.

But soon, his eyes widened, he stood up and was suddenly in front of her.

Surprised, she gripped her shawl tightly in her hand.

‘He must have teleported using mana. I can’t believe he’s freaking out over a few steps.’

Ariel muttered to herself, avoiding his gaze.

Leopold quickly assessed her condition as he approached her.

An old shawl covering a thin hunting outfit. Trembling hands from the cold. Blue-tinged lips. A pallid face.

The relief and joy of finally meeting her were short-lived. A tsunami of emotions swirled in his red eyes.

‘…Could it be that because of my order to bring her immediately, she came all this way in this cold and in this state?’

His heart was constricted with surprise, regret, guilt, and pain.