Roelia was not the only one surprised by Carlisle’s shift to formal address. Kuz’s jaw dropped, and Maili quickly turned her head away. The knights bowed their heads or hurriedly busied themselves with something else. Watching them, Roelia thought to herself.

‘Because I signed the marriage contract.’

She figured this level of respect and affection was what she would need to perform from now on, and she smiled.

‘I can put on a smile whenever I need to.’

But contrary to what she thought, the smile came out stiff and awkward. Roelia spent her years studying statecraft and learning how to stand above others, and wearing a warm expression did not come naturally to her. She was never in a position where she needed to force a smile, so she simply did not smile easily.

Carlisle noticed the awkward smile and responded with an even brighter one of his own, extending his hand to her. One of the knights, seeing this for only the second time and still not used to it, drew a sharp breath. Roelia extended her hand with grace and placed it in his, and Carlisle’s lips parted.

“Shall we go.”

“Yes.”

The quiet compliance of her answer made the corner of Carlisle’s mouth twitch slightly, but the knights who turned their heads away did not catch it.

“When we enter the imperial palace, there will be a hunting competition underway.”

Carlisle leaned in close, whispering practically against her ear, and Roelia felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her fingertips tingled and her ears felt warm.

“It takes place in the mountains behind the palace, and on that day part of the palace is opened to the people of the empire.”

“So it is something like a festival?”

“Similar.”

Carlisle continued his explanation. The hunting competition of the Astrux Empire was originally a venue of opportunity open to commoners. Those who demonstrated outstanding skill in the competition were given the chance to work in the imperial palace.

Carlisle mentioned that he planned to slip Roelia in among those people and added:

“When the moment comes, save me from danger.”

Roelia tilted her head, and he clarified.

“With magic.”

“Does it have to be magic?”

“Because mages are exceedingly rare in this empire.”

It was the first she heard of it. She found herself idly wondering what level of ability it would take to save the Emperor of the Astrux Empire, known as a Sword Master. Then Roelia felt the cold energy flowing from where Carlisle’s hand touched hers, and it was shaking the seal she placed on her own magical energy. It was a faint movement, but if it continued, it would be dangerous.

‘I need to let go of his hand.’

Before Roelia’s worry could linger, Carlisle rubbed his thumb across her palm and then released her hand.

“We greet His Imperial Majesty.”

Once they disembarked, the knights who came to meet them paid their respects with a formal bow.

“Rise.”

Carlisle gave a light wave of his hand and the knights rose in perfect unison. The precision of their movement was enough to draw every eye around them.

This harbor was a place Carlisle purchased privately, unavailable to other ships. The harbor itself was built to the scale of the ships Carlisle used, and the entire surrounding village was made up of people who served the Emperor of the Astrux Empire.

“Dame Maili.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Take good care of Eli.”

“……I will keep that in mind.”

Though he entrusted her to Maili, Carlisle turned back to look at Roelia with an expression that said he was not entirely at ease. His composure was so perfect that even she could be taken in by it. His hand moved with fl*id grace toward her silver hair, which the sea breeze left in disarray.

Roelia’s eyes followed the movement of his hand as it smoothed her hair. In that moment, a face drawing close startled her so much she nearly stumbled back. She would certainly have stepped away if Carlisle’s hand did not catch her at the waist.

“Take care of yourself. Now that you have signed the contract, you are no longer yours alone.”

“……That sounds like you are saying I cannot afford to have something go wrong before the matter of the divine beast is resolved.”

“Exactly.”

Carlisle let out a quiet laugh, left a warm breath at her ear, and drew back. Roelia smiled gently and raised her voice on purpose.

“I am quite overwhelmed that Your Majesty worries for me so.”

“Because nothing must happen to you.”

It sounded like the exchange of devoted lovers, yet Roelia and Carlisle were each thinking something entirely different. Outwardly they staged a scene of two people deeply in love, reluctant to part, and the two of them set off toward the imperial palace with their respective parties.

* * *

“To think he was the Emperor of Astrux…….”

Cecil, seated in the carriage with Roelia, let out one sigh after another. Roelia pretended not to hear and looked away.

“Your Highness.”

Roelia’s eyes moved slowly. The weight in her gaze made Cecil flinch, and she voiced her worry.

“Are you truly going to enter the Astrux imperial palace like this?”

Silence settled over the carriage. Roelia said nothing for a long while, and Cecil bowed her head as well. She looked as though she regretted having spoken at all. Roelia let out a quiet breath and parted her red lips.

“It is a fair exchange, so there is no need to worry.”

“But for the heir of Wintergrass to become the Empress of Astrux.”

“If I give what I can give and gain the chance for revenge in return, there is nothing to lose.”

“But, Your Highness…….”

“Enough.”

Roelia waved her hand with finality, and Cecil’s lips moved but she could say no more. Roelia was already aware of what Cecil was worried about. If she became the Empress of the Astrux Empire, even with a legitimate claim to succession, there could be complications when the time came to seize the Wintergrass throne.

Some nobles would make noise about how she betrayed the Wintergrass Empire, and there would be those who accused her of selling her country.

‘Even so, it is a good opportunity.’

There were certainly spies in the Wintergrass Empire who were in contact with the Astrux Empire. She tried to catch the trail of those who moved in the shadows, but failed every time. There was no doubt that someone inside the Wintergrass Empire was sheltering them, someone she never managed to identify.

Looking back on it now, Silena and Russell were almost certainly involved in all of this.

‘The emperor will surely want to root out the Wintergrass spies as well.’

So she would bide her time and wait for that moment.

“We have arrived.”

The carriage stopped and Maili announced it. The train of thought was interrupted, but Roelia stepped out of the carriage with composure. From somewhere in the distance came the clamor of a crowd and the cries of animals.

“It seems the hunting competition has begun.”

“There are quite a lot of people.”

“It is one of the major events in Astrux. Commoners who show exceptional skill in hunting are sometimes taken on as soldiers of the imperial palace.”

“I see.”

It was a culture different from Wintergrass. Wintergrass preferred examinations over finding talent through a hunting competition, and an event like this would have seemed nothing but disorderly to them.

‘I am not particularly fond of hunting myself, either.’

“You may enter from this side.”

“With you?”

“I will follow while keeping out of sight.”

Roelia gauged the magical energy remaining in her. It was at least enough to deal with anyone who attacked her using magic. Feeling her power sloshing about at a modest level, she moved forward. Pushing through the undergrowth as she walked, the dress was a nuisance, but there was nothing to be done. She needed to be wearing this to make the story fit.

“Watch out!”

An arrow was flying toward Roelia from a distance.

Wind poured from Roelia’s hand as she formed the seal. The arrow, unable to withstand the force of it, was knocked sideways.

“Are you all right?”

The man who pulled his horse to a stop in front of her immediately leapt down from the saddle. Roelia was flustered by the man striding toward her. She needed to save Carlisle right away, and here she was letting someone else see her face.

“I am fine.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The man looked her over and stepped up to stand before her.

“My name is Percaine Valintar.”

“You may call me Eli.”

“Are you not a noble?”

Percaine, convinced by her bearing and manner of dress that she was a noble, asked with a puzzled look. But Roelia kept her words to herself.

“Get back!”

“It is dangerous, Your Majesty!”

A commotion broke out and someone’s horse came charging without restraint. The hoofbeats rang out roughly and foam dripped from the horse’s mouth. One look made it clear something was wrong, and Percaine reached for Roelia’s hand.

But the moment he saw the blue seal forming in her hand, he pulled his arm back.

Blue light burst and the horse’s body floated up into the air. Its legs flailed and thrashed through empty space but it could not move forward. Feeling her magical energy draining without pause, Roelia called out.

“Get off the horse!”

Carlisle leapt off, and Roelia formed another seal. Once the horse fell still, she lowered it from the air to the ground, then her strength gave out and she sank to the spot.

“Are you all right?”

“So you are the one who saved me.”

Percaine came forward to help Roelia up, but Carlisle was faster. She took his hand, and where they touched, a faint current of magical energy flowed through her and her body eased a little.

Roelia felt Carlisle’s grip on her shoulder tighten and carefully pulled herself upright. Carlisle steadied her weakened body and checked her condition.

“Are you all right?”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Roelia and Carlisle spoke at the same moment. The knights and soldiers who arrived late approached the sleeping horse.

“Are you unharmed, Your Majesty?”

Maili, who was concealed nearby, came forward and prostrated herself before Carlisle. He did not shift his gaze even at Maili’s question and kept his eyes on Roelia alone.

“Ahem! Are you all right, Your Majesty?”

Duke Valintar, who was looking for his grandson, witnessed the scene and approached. Noticing that Carlisle could not take his eyes off Roelia, Duke Valintar’s gaze also turned toward her.

Roelia feigned surprise and took a step back from Carlisle. Even as he opened and closed the hand that held her, Carlisle’s gaze did not move.