Chapter 1

[Empire Year 328, One Day]

“I’m quitting.”

“From what?”

“From loving you.”

In the Crown Prince’s study, a heavy silence settled between the two.

“Say something, at least.”

His sexy lips remained tightly sealed. Despite Vivian’s urging, he just stared at her, unmoving, without even blinking.

“Never mind. I’ve learned over the years that it’s futile to expect anything from you, but I always seem to forget.”

Vivian sighed softly and placed the pocket watch she had received from him, now so familiar to her that it felt like her own, on the table. The clatter of the watch against the table was unusually loud. Vivian tore her gaze away from the watch and slowly rose to her feet.

“Are you saying you don’t want to get married?”

As Vivian stood up, she was inwardly surprised by Louis’s low voice, but she didn’t show it and just looked at him.

“Of course, I’ll get married, Louis, I told you once, there’s not much I want in life……. I had hoped for a loving, caring partner but it seems difficult, so I must give up on that.”

Vivian locked eyes with his golden gaze.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find a perfect princess, a perfect empress for you.”

With those words, Vivian turned to leave. It was a short distance from the sofa to the door, but it felt incredibly long to her.

Just as she grasped the doorknob and opened the door slightly, it slammed shut again with a loud ‘bang’. Startled, Vivian turned around. And at that moment, Vivian forgot how to breathe, something she had known how to do since birth.

“I… I did not give you permission.”

“What…”

“I didn’t give you permission to say you stop loving me.”

Louis’s face was too close. Vivian’s eyes fluttered wildly as he looked at her, as if he could consume her at any moment.

“Whether I love you or not does not require your permission.”

“No. I didn’t give you permission, Viv. You will continue to love me.”

“Never… Never will that happen.”

He tugged up one corner of his mouth. Gently taking Vivian’s chin in his hand, Louis said.

“Take it back, Viv.”

The hand that held Vivian’s chin slowly slid down her neck and shoulder, then took her hand. He placed the watch she had left behind into her hand.

“Don’t give up. Your determination not to love me, Viv, I do not expect it.”

As Louis’s thumb trailed sticky against Vivian’s palm, he was momentarily like a demon. The temptation of the devil was sweet, dizzying, and dangerous.

With all her strength, Vivian pushed him away. Once there was space between them, Vivian quickly opened the study door and hurriedly left. Vivian ran to where her carriage was waiting.

This…this wasn’t supposed to happen…

Vivian’s footsteps gradually slowed down. And before she knew it, she stopped dead in her tracks, grasped her head, and sank to the ground.

“Louis shouldn’t have reacted that way…”

In the quiet corridors of the prince’s palace, only the sound of Vivian clutching her hair could be heard echoing.

***

[Empire Year 319, Autumn]

“I don’t want to!”

The firm voice of the young boy echoed in the Imperial Palace, the highest place where the elites of the Tapellon Empire resided. It echoed through the Empress’s palace, home to the highest woman in the Imperial City.

“Crown Prince.”

There was both warmth and cold in the Empress’s voice as she chastised the Crown Prince.

“I’m only 12 years old. An engagement?”

“The current Emperor was also engaged to me at the age of 12.”

Crown Prince Louis clenched his fists at the Empress’s words. Louis, who had been looking at his mother, Empress Annette, for a moment, pursed his lips.

“I hear it’s …….”

Louis, who usually was very outspoken, hesitated.

“What did you say?”

Empress Annette, unable to hear clearly, asked again, causing Louis’s ears to turn red.

“I heard them say… Lady Dinever is not a very good-looking woman.”

“Louis!”

Surprised by Louis’s words, the Empress called out her son.

“Rumors have spread widely throughout the capital. That I’m engaged to an unattractive lady.”

Empress Annette, who never imagined such words would come out of Louis’s mouth, looked at her son, speechless. Seeing the Empress uncharacteristically silent, Louis continued.

“The Duke and Duchess, renowned for their good looks, are said to be nothing like the plain-looking Lady Dinever. I don’t want to be engaged to such an unattractive woman. I dislike the idea of getting engaged now, but to think I have to spend my life with an ugly woman… How can I spend my life with such a person?”

Still clenching his fist, Louis glanced at the Empress.

“Mother. I… I don’t want to get married at all.”

When was the last time I heard the word ‘Mother’ from the Crown Prince’s mouth?

Even in the midst of her disbelief, she thought to herself.

After her son’s declaration that he didn’t want marriage at all, Annette felt her heart constrict.

“Crown Prince. Have you ever met Lady Dinever?”

After a long silence, Empress Annette, who had been quietly watching her son, finally spoke.

“No…”

“Then how can you think that way?”

“Because everyone…….”

“Who is this ‘everyone’? Who told the Crown Prince such things? This Empress shall have to look into these foolish people.”

Empress Annette silently stared at her son, who slightly opened his mouth and looked up at her.

Born as the only imperial prince of the Tapellon Empire, the heir to the throne, her son had been raised with nothing but the best.

He had always been the child who received only the best of the empire. And such a child, commendably, showed more remarkable qualities than other children of his age.

Such a son was the only consolation in a loveless marriage for Annette.

Having been taught by the empire’s top scholar, Louis absorbed knowledge like a sponge soaking up water. His mentor praised him incessantly until his mouth was dry.

Even the usually taciturn Emperor would laugh loudly in front of the ministers at the praise of the Crown Prince’s tutor.

Louis was the kind of child who would rather be praised than scolded.

Even at just 12 years old, Louis was praised as a worthy successor to the most perfect emperor the Tapellon Empire had ever seen.

However, even Louis had his flaws – an inability to tolerate imperfections and a lack of consideration for others. These were small, sharp flaws he had inherited from the current Emperor.

Every time she saw such a child, a deeply engraved wound seemed to surface unnoticed. And now, it has exploded.

“Is a person’s appearance everything when judging them? Does the Crown Prince think so? And Louis, as the only prince of this Empire, I can’t believe the man who will lead this country in the future won’t marry.”

The Empress’ voice was quiet and firm, yet somehow sad, causing Louis to flinch.

“I…seem to have momentarily lost my reason. I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Louis clenched his fist tightly. Seeing her son’s trembling hands, the sadness in Empress Annette’s eyes deepened. To hide it from her son, Annette turned her head and spoke in a deliberately harsher tone.

“It is not right to judge people that way, Louis.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I have a headache. That will be all for today.”

As a mother, Annette wanted to embrace her son.

She wanted to hold him in her arms, stroke his head, and ask why he didn’t want to get married. She wanted to listen to her son.

But the Empress Annette issued a dismissal order.

Returning to the Crown Prince’s palace under his mother’s dismissal order, Louis’ steps were heavy.

****

“Louis, I heard you were getting engaged.”

Preparing for sword practice and loosening his body, Arnold, the heir to the Viscount Vines, who was studying together with him and was his friend, approached with a bright smile.

Watching Louis, who swung his sword without a word, Arnold chuckled and picked up the remaining wooden sword.

“There’s a rumor spreading throughout the capital. Vivian Dinever. Lady Dinever?”

The wooden sword, which was making a swishing sound as it swirled, stopped moving.

“They say she’s ugly, unlike the Duke and Duchess.”

Louis also knew the rumors about Vivian Dinever. Unlike the Ducal couple, she was ugly and unrefined. There was even a ridiculous rumor that the Duke of Dinever had a mistress.

Recalling Arnold’s unpleasant laughter, Louis furrowed his handsome forehead.

Most of the people spreading rumors had never actually seen Vivian Dinever. People spoke of the ugly Lady Vivian as if she were the only flaw of the empire’s sole Duchess.

“It’s not funny.”

That was all young Louis thought upon hearing those rumors. Until he heard the news of his engagement.

“I don’t want a marriage like that.”

Louis had known since a young age how much a loveless marriage could hurt each other.

The image of his mother’s tears at just 7 years old was still vivid.

But to have such a funny rumor attached to him seemed to drag him down with it and make him a laughing stock.

After tossing and turning in bed all night worrying about it, he went to find his mother, the Empress, as soon as the sun rose. But Louis couldn’t refute Empress Annette’s words.

***

“Today we will train in swordsmanship.”

Glancing at Louis who returned after meeting the Empress, he said to Alan who followed. Alan quickly bowed and disappeared to the end of the corridor to organize Louis’s schedule.

As soon as he returned to the prince’s palace, Louis changed into comfortable clothes and headed to the training grounds.

He wanted to push aside the troublesome issue for now and just move his body. He didn’t want to think of the name “Vivian Dinever” anymore.

***

Bright sunlight streamed in through the unusually large, sparkling windows. In the Dinever Ducal residence in the capital, in the Duchess’ room where the sunlight was the brightest, Vivienne gazed up at the high sky and then hurried to her mother.

“Mother, is it true that the Empress has invited us?”

It was not a long way from the ducal residence to the imperial palace. The day after their arrival in the capital, Duchess Daisy and her daughter Vivian, who had been invited by the Empress, rushed to get ready for the palace.

Looking at her mother, who was still busy with preparations while Vivian, who had finished dressing earlier than Daisy, bounced around, she asked eagerly.

“Yes, that’s right.”

It was the 16th confirmation Vivian had heard from Daisy Dinever.

Vivian had never left her mansion in the Duchy since she was born, and when her father, Terron Dinever, had told her a few days ago that she was going to the capital, she had jumped for joy.

“Are you that excited to visit the Imperial Palace?”

Not knowing Daisy’s inner thoughts, Vivian vigorously nodded her head.

“I read it in a book. ‘The Dovelia Palace was built by three generations of Aaron Emperors, and it marks the beginning and end of the Ternua style.’ Isn’t that right, Mother?”

She was quite knowledgeable.

Having only seen the palace, Dovelia, in books, the thought that she could actually see it with her own eyes made her full of energy since the morning. Seeing such a child, Daisy couldn’t bear to show her worries on her face and smiled gently.