Her eyes, which had widened in surprise, quickly turned vicious. Then she glared at Belita’s lower abdomen as if to pierce it. What could she possibly see by looking like that? Under the fierce gaze full of suspicion, Belita placed her hand on her lower abdomen as if to protect the child.

“Hmm, don’t tell me the Grand Duchess secretly snuck into His Grace’s bedroom? His Grace certainly wouldn’t have visited your room first.”

Hearing the woman’s sneering words said with a snicker, it seemed she didn’t believe it. Despite Lovia’s rude remarks, speaking as if she knew him very well, Belita stared at her with an expressionless face.

Huff…. With a small sigh, Belita replied calmly and articulately.

“You speak as if you know my husband better than I do. There’s no reason for me to answer, but I don’t want any strange misunderstandings, so I’ll tell you. Rian and I share a bed. It’s embarrassing to talk about marital bedrooms, but Rian hates being apart even for a moment.”

“Ri…an?”

“Oh my, I made a mistake. He dislikes being called ‘His Grace,’ so I’ve gotten into the habit of calling him by name. Please be generous enough to pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Lovia’s expression twisted fiercely at the sight of Belita smiling shyly. The air inside the annex settled colder than the wind and rain blowing outside.

* * *

Arriving at the Imperial Palace early in the morning, Rian stared blankly at the large portrait hanging on the wall. Black hair and bright yellow eyes. If not for the lack of wrinkles on his forehead, the man in the portrait, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, still looked remarkably like himself—anyone would mistake it for a portrait of him.

The late Emperor—his troublesome father who had caused his mother so much grief with his extreme womanizing. Many women had likely died at his mother’s hands, knowingly or unknowingly, due to his father’s extreme philandering. Was that why she hated him so much? Because he was the son who looked exactly like the father she wanted to kill?

Turning his gaze, he saw a woman with a completely different impression from the mother he had seen in his childhood, smiling gently. The smile she had only shown to his brother, the current Emperor. Knowing what ugly face lay behind that false smile, Rian grinned at his mother’s portrait.

“Despite hating him so much, are you happy to be by Father’s side? You should have run away with that knight bastard. Then I might have understood you as a woman with pure love. Oh, did you think I didn’t know? Unfortunately, I saw everything—whose c*ck that noble body of yours was impaled on while you wailed. Thanks to that, the son you hated so much became a madman. Are you satisfied now?”

With his hands thrust into his pants pockets, his crooked stance looked thoroughly delinquent. It seemed he had thrown away all filial respect due when facing the late Emperor and Empress Dowager. There was nothing to resent or feel wronged about. He had neither received nor given anything. They were merely his biological parents, with no remaining emotions whatsoever.

“When did you arrive?”

Rian’s head turned slowly at the calm voice from a distance. Unlike himself, his brother who took after their mother completely, the Emperor, approached. But the face he hadn’t seen in a long time was filled with worry. The weak man who didn’t suit the position of Emperor. Was he happy now, having been forced onto the throne under their mother’s pressure?

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

“Hmph, just act as you always do. Just don’t suddenly change into a madman.”

“Well, if you wish.”

His head, which had been lowering halfway, quickly rose. The Emperor, who had properly experienced his younger brother’s rampage in childhood, shook his head and stood beside Rian. The brothers standing side by side looked at their parents, now only remaining in paintings, without emotion. Rian, who inherited his father’s black hair, and his brother, who inherited his mother’s silver hair. Except for their bright yellow eyes, the two didn’t look much alike for brothers.

“A dangerous one came today. My head already hurts enough—couldn’t you have come as the normal one?”

“We came together. So don’t worry too much. Of course, this bastard will keep quiet no matter what I do. Besides, this bastard hates seeing you. Seeing you reminds him of mother and makes his teeth chatter.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“What…? You!”

Rian smirked at his brother, who was speechless with surprise. He knew about the split personality, but this was the first time seeing his brother talking to himself, so of course he was surprised.

“That’s how it is.”

“……Ha!”

The Emperor’s face was filled with confusion and concern at Rian’s nonchalant shrug. The Emperor, who knew better than anyone why his brother had become like this and because of whom, still had a lump of guilt in his heart for not protecting his younger brother during those childhood years.

“You look sorry?”

“……”

“Then today’s conversation should be easier, huh?”

“Sigh…… Alright, I was curious anyway, what exactly happened?”

“Give me some money.”

“What?”

The Emperor let out a hollow laugh at Rian’s brazen action, extending his hand as if asking for something he had deposited. Demanding money without any explanation. Indeed, it was just like the madman.

“Rian.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t be like that, with Lovia and—”

“Lovia and what? Should I take her as a concubine like Father? Or should I become her concubine?”

As Rian’s expression immediately turned fierce, the Emperor sighed deeply and spoke calmly as if soothing him.

“Ha, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“Sigh…. Don’t think so emotionally, consider the future of the Grand Duchy first. Don’t you know who controls the Empire’s purse strings now?”

The already gaunt face of the Emperor grew even more hollow. He must be getting harassed by Lovia’s father because of what he had done. It would be very easy to occupy the top of the weak Emperor’s head.

“Then, you should do it.”

“What?”

“Make her your Empress. That would work, right? Then you could sweep in all that family’s wealth.”

Rian stepped closer to his brother, whose mouth was agape with shock, and chuckled softly as he whispered.

“That woman goes crazy for men’s c*cks, just like Mother. Try giving her a good f*ck. Then she might willingly offer up all that money. I’d be grateful if you shared some with me.”

“Rian!”

“……What? You hate it? If you hate it, why are you telling me to do it?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

The two pairs of yellow eyes clashed coldly in midair. This was why the Emperor didn’t want to meet Crazy Rian, and Grand Duke Rian didn’t want to meet the Emperor. The conclusion was that the Emperor had truly met his match today.

“Sigh…. Then why didn’t you marry a lady from another family instead? Why did you buy a woman you don’t even love and who’s of no use, creating this mess? If you had married a lady who could support you, both the Grand Duchy and you would have been better off!”

“……Watch your words. Whether I bought her with money, whether she’s useful or not, she’s the Grand Duchess now. My wife. And soon, she’ll be the mother of my child.”

“What…?”

How many surprises were there today? His head throbbed at his brother’s statements, dropping one bombshell after another.

“The Grand Duchess is pregnant?”

“Yes. So I have no intention of taking anyone as a concubine, nor can I become someone’s concubine. So brother, whether you take her as a concubine or become one yourself, that’s your business, but hand over what you have. The Grand Duchy’s people are your subjects too, aren’t they?”

“This is nothing short of highway robbery.”

“Then think of it as a gift for your future nephew or niece.”

“Ha!”

The Emperor laughed hollowly while pressing his forehead at Rian’s increasingly brazen words. Then he soon asked with a serious look. It was curiosity as a brother, not as an Emperor.

“Do you love the Grand Duchess?”

“……Hmm, love? What’s that? I don’t know since I’ve never received it.”

“……”

The Emperor’s mouth closed tightly at Rian’s blunt words.

“You must know since you’ve received it. Tell me then. Do you think I love my wife?”

“How is it?”

“What?”

“How do you feel when you see the Grand Duchess?”

“Sigh, feelings…… It’s fun, enjoyable. I get annoyed when I can’t see her? I feel comfortable sleeping with her, and I find it endearing when I see her eating well. Hmm, she’s cute sometimes, but lately she’s become too ill-mannered. Now this woman, — —— ———— ———……”

“……”

A bitter smile formed on the Emperor’s face as he stared blankly at Rian, who kept chattering away with a snicker. His words didn’t match his expression.

‘So it’s come to this after all.’

He could only offer a bitter smile, feeling sorry for his foolish brother who had fallen in love but didn’t even know it was love.

“Well? Does it seem like love?”

“……Grow more. When you grow a bit more, you’ll understand.”

“Hmph, what are you saying? Seems like you don’t know what love is either? Is the Empress not giving you love?”

“……”

“Anyway, I’ll be waiting, so send it quickly. Don’t make me come back. Next time, I might steal the throne.”

“Madman. At least appease the nobles again. I’ll send the urgent funds soon.”

“Do I have to appease those who dare look down on the imperial family? How long will you remain so incompetent?”

Rian’s eyebrows twitched at the sight of his brother’s slumped shoulders. He felt frustrated and annoyed. If only he had inherited their mother’s personality along with her face, he wouldn’t be so weak. Perhaps he would have become a tyrant instead.

Clicking his tongue at his frustrating brother, a surprising statement came from his mouth.

“Then…. do you want to be Emperor?”

“What?”

“Honestly, it’s too burdensome a position for me, as you well know,”

“Ha! You know very well why I was beaten like that, yet you dare say such things. And of all places, in front of Mother?”