“What in the world…”

I frowned even more at Rigan’s unexpected words. Sever Kelliard was someone who rarely responded even to my summons.

And now he suddenly requests an audience?

But before I could finish speaking, hurried footsteps approached, and suddenly a tall, slender figure appeared.

I reflexively looked up. And at that moment, I was completely shocked by what entered my view.

“Lord Delmen, what’s going on? I said I wanted to see Her Majesty.”

“Your Grace the Duke, how—!”

“Where is Her Majesty?”

Rigan wasn’t wrong—the person who appeared was indeed Sever Kelliard.

With a face so cold you’d think not a drop of blood would come out if pricked with a needle, mesmerizing golden eyes that seemed to draw in anyone who looked at them, coldly drawn sharp eyes and tightly closed lips, a sharp jawline. Everything about him was Sever Kelliard.

But I couldn’t help doubting my eyes.

Because his face showed an expression I could never have imagined seeing on him.

His usually perfectly groomed hair was completely disheveled and even had beads of sweat on it.

Where his tight cravat should have been, his exposed Adam’s apple was visibly moving, and below that, his partially buttoned shirt collar was slightly open, occasionally revealing his toned body.

Considering he normally wore his coat with every single button fastened, I couldn’t help but be puzzled.

‘Even he can look like this sometimes?’

I muttered inwardly at this unexpected appearance of someone whose thoughts were usually impossible to read.

Just then, his searching gaze landed on me.

And simultaneously, those eyes that had only ever shown contempt and disdain began to fill with shock.

More precisely, something like despair, or deep anger.

Directed at whom, I couldn’t even tell.

* * *

To explain what kind of person Sever Kelliard is, I should start with his family background.

The Sword—a founding noble family with power rivaling the imperial family in this Arsis Empire.

From the Kelliard Duchy, which had the absolute honor of producing the Imperial Knight Commander for generations, Sever was praised and revered as the most talented head of the family in history.

Living up to everyone’s expectations, he achieved the feat of winning three consecutive matches against the previous Knight Commander at the age of thirteen, and at eighteen when he became an adult, he personally beheaded a dragon and earned the title of Dragon Slayer.

At that time, all I could do was tremble behind my sisters—I had lived a life that was unimaginable compared to his.

With the Kelliard family’s distinctive deep black hair and captivating golden eyes like the sun, elegant eyebrows and deep eyes that looked drawn with a brush.

A face so elaborate it seemed like a sculpture brought to human form, drawing attention, and a superior physique that stood out wherever he went.

It wasn’t strange that someone like him would receive attention from the imperial family.

After receiving the title of Dragon Slayer at eighteen, he naturally became the youngest Knight Commander, then inherited the Duke’s position. He was my father’s proud subject, the object of my brothers’ jealousy, and my sisters’ admiration.

Of course, Sever didn’t particularly care about people’s attention.

People gossiped about which future emperor the next Duke Kelliard would support, but Sever simply focused nobly on his duties as a knight and as the Duke of Kelliard.

And ironically, his pride as a knight and dignity as a noble made him despise me—who had slain my siblings—more than anyone else.

I still can’t forget the expression on his face the day I turned the imperial palace into a sea of blood.

His perfectly composed face, seemingly incapable of showing any emotion, completely distorted that day.

“Did Your Highness do this?”

“Yes, I killed them. All the corpses, bloodstains, and traces of blood here—I did it all.”

“…”

“Are you angry? That everyone you pledged loyalty to is dead?”

Sever remained silent at my question.

His gaze moved from the blood-soaked floor to my brother, and finally to me.

After some time, cracks appeared in his composed face, and he growled each word:

“You… are not my emperor.”

Thinking about it, his reaction made sense.

Whoever he had wanted to support as emperor had died by my hand, the imperial princess he had once been rumored to be engaged to was dead, and the imperial family he was supposed to protect was shattered by me—naturally his pride as both a duke and a knight was wounded.

All of this done by someone who had once been nothing more than a foolish girl who smiled sheepishly at his charitable kindness—how devastating it must have been.

Anyway, after that, Sever relinquished his Knight Commander duties and returned to his territory, only showing his cold face occasionally when I summoned him.

Of course, I didn’t accept his resignation, but I didn’t insist on his presence at the palace.

I needed the name of the Kelliard Duchy, after all.

But now.

‘To come looking like that.’

I hid my surprise as much as possible and stared at Sever with innocent eyes.

Startled by Sever’s sudden appearance, Rigan said with a confused face:

“Your Grace, following me silently without announcing your presence is disrespectful to Her Majesty.”

But Sever didn’t react to Rigan’s words, keeping his gaze fixed on me.

‘A man who isn’t ignorant of etiquette—why is he acting like this?’

I deliberately took a small step back and hid behind Lerrhagen’s leg.

Sever reacted to my every movement, his gaze seemingly nailed to me.

After some time, I blinked and pretended like I was seeing him for the first time: “Who are you?”

For a moment, Sever’s face cracked slightly.

The corner of his eye twitched as he stared at me with what looked like despair. Then he slightly raised his gaze and slowly shifted it to Lerrhagen.

In that moment, fierce anger seemed to ripple in his eyes.

His voice was steady as though he were suppressing his anger, resonating through the garden.

“Please excuse my rudeness. I am Sever Kelliard.”

For someone who knows it’s rude.

Finding this whole situation suspicious, I deliberately kept my mouth shut.

I had no desire to address Sever and draw his attention.

Besides, Sever was a man with extraordinary intuition, as excellent as his swordsmanship. It would be disastrous if he caught any weakness from me.

The fact that he came looking for me like this meant he was the one in need, not me.

What business could he possibly have… As I tried to draw out his reaction with deliberate silence, Lerrhagen suddenly spoke.

“It’s been a while, blood of Kelliard.”

His cold voice carried such pressure that even I flinched.

But more than that, I was surprised by the fact that the two seemed to know each other.

Could there be a grudge between them because Sever had beheaded a dragon?

While Lerrhagen didn’t seem like the type to hold a grudge against humans for killing his kind, you never know.

Despite his personality, he might have special affection for his own kind.

Unconsciously gripping Lerrhagen’s trouser leg tightly, I looked back and forth between the two, then turned my attention back to Sever to observe his expression.

Tightly closed lips, coldly frozen eyes, his Adam’s apple twitching with barely contained anger.

I felt strange seeing him so agitated—this man who had always acted haughtily with a calm, arrogant demeanor, looking down on me whether I was a princess or after I ascended as emperor.

After some time, Sever spoke.

“I heard the news. That there is a child between you… and Her Majesty.”

“Yes.”

Unlike Sever’s tone, Lerrhagen’s response was utterly bland.

But even at that simple answer, Sever’s face contorted. Looking at Lerrhagen’s cold gaze, he said coolly:

“Is this punishment for my provocation of you ten years ago? Is that why you had a child with Her Majesty?”

“Your logic is strange. ‘That’s why’?”

“I—”

Sever seemed at a loss for words at Lerrhagen’s response and clamped his mouth shut. His gaze briefly touched on me. Then he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

I raised an eyebrow at his behavior. I couldn’t understand what he was talking about.

Fine, the two knew each other—let’s say it was because Sever killed a dragon ten years ago. But what did my having a child have to do with that, as Lerrhagen pointed out?

However, Sever provided no answer to my question.

Instead, he raised a hand to rub his face and muttered quietly:

“When I heard the news, I thought it couldn’t be true.”

What news?

The only “news” would be that “Emperor Estria” had a child.

But was that news enough reason for this man to come here acting so deranged?

Sever spent some time collecting his emotions, lost in thought.

After a while, seemingly calmer, he spoke:

“I wish to have an audience with Her Majesty. Where is she?”

Lerrhagen didn’t answer his question. Of course not. That “Her Majesty” was currently standing behind him, clutching his trouser leg.

Instead, I, who had been assessing the situation, spoke in a slightly crisp voice:

“Mother is in her chambers. But no audiences. She’s very tired from bringing me from the lair.”

Sever flinched again at my answer.

He turned to Lerrhagen with a turbulent gaze.

“Why did Her Majesty have to exert herself to bring the princess? What were you doing?”