A week had passed since Roshan’s army returned home. The huge banquet hall in the Central Palace was opened after a long time for the belated victory celebration. Dazzling lights, mountains of food, numerous well-dressed people, sweet music…… The banquet seemed perfect on the surface. But looking deeper, there was something strange.

“His Majesty the Emperor has suddenly fallen ill, I hear.”

“Who would believe that? They say he was playing hide-and-seek with his concubines in the rear garden all night yesterday. More importantly, why isn’t His Highness attending?”

“No one knows the reason. Where on earth is the guest of honor and what is he doing?”

The two most important people were missing from today’s banquet. The emperor, who should have been the host, and Roshan, who should have received everyone’s applause. In the banquet without these two, people gathered in small groups and whispered.

“Still the same. Some break their bones rolling around, while those people just fill their bellies with alcohol and grease…… Tsk!”

“Frederick. That’s their fight. You said it yourself before. Rather than fighting with words there, you’d rather swing your sword one more time.”

“Hmph! I never said such a thing.”

The three knights who were Roshan’s close aides drank alcohol far away from such people. Occasionally, people approached them because of their position as Roshan’s confidants, their handsome appearances, or their family backgrounds. But most quickly retreated with awkward faces due to their standoffish attitude.

“Doesn’t James ever get tired? Running around here and there like that.”

Frederick, who had just coldly dismissed a noble lady with flushed cheeks who approached him, glared at James. Then Knox, who had been sipping the same glass of alcohol for an hour, opened his heavy mouth.

“Don’t look at him like that and be grateful. If James wasn’t moving around so busily, we would have had to do it.”

Frederick snorted at Knox’s words but didn’t argue back. It was true that the three of them enjoyed more leisure thanks to James.

James moved constantly for Roshan. After his half-brother’s ascension, Roshan had been able to maintain and grow his support base without any problems largely due to the politically savvy James.

‘Only His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Grand Duke are direct members of the imperial family. Therefore, until His Majesty has an heir, His Highness the Grand Duke should remain in the imperial palace as the crown prince in case of any unforeseen circumstances.’

He not only elevated Roshan to the position of crown prince using the excuse that the current emperor had no heir immediately after his ascension but also secured a justification for him to stay in the imperial palace. Of course, this was possible because the emperor’s power was much weaker than it is now, but it was clearly not an easy feat even considering that. Throughout the Empire’s long history, there had been only three crown princes, including Roshan.

‘That raccoon-like bastard. We should burn him out of his den.’

The emperor hated James intensely because of this. However, he couldn’t harm James because he was the one leading Roshan’s forces. He occasionally sent assassins, but James smilingly thwarted every assassination attempt.

“He smiles even in front of the southern viper. It gives me chills to see him like that.”

“Marquis Dantal is particularly important among the southern nobles. It’s natural for him to pay attention to him.”

Just as the three continued their conversation while watching James moving back and forth among the nobles, James suddenly changed direction and approached them.

“……Why is he coming here?”

Frederick, who didn’t get along well with James, frowned openly and waved his hand. Hayden pulled down Frederick’s hand and acknowledged James with a nod.

“Fortunately, you three are here.”

James, who barely acknowledged Hayden’s greeting, hardened his expression in front of the three, unlike how he had been smiling in front of the nobles in the hall. Knox quietly spoke while looking around, noticing James’s black eyes burning with anger.

“……If you have something to say, let’s go to the lounge. There are too many eyes here.”

* * *

“Does this situation make any sense to you?”

James burst out in anger as soon as he sat on the couch in the lounge. Hayden looked at James, whose hands were trembling with uncontrollable anger, and sighed softly while looking ahead.

In front of him sat Frederick with a defiant face and crossed legs, and Knox with closed eyes and a tight mouth. But both of them, like Hayden, maintained their silence.

When no one answered his question, James slammed the lounge table as if venting his anger. BANG. At that dull sound, Frederick, who had been giving him a sharp look, frowned deeply and muttered.

“Will you calm down?”

“Calm down…… Sir Frederick, do you understand this situation?”

Frederick, with his delicate appearance, was smaller in build compared to Hayden and Knox. But even so, he was no match for James. Though he should have been intimidated by the sharp aura of the knight who was larger than him, James’s eyes widened even more and shouted.

“It’s a busy time! Yet His Highness said ‘don’t bother me’ and where has he gone?”

Roshan’s close aides all believed it was logical for Roshan, the legitimate son of the previous emperor with many achievements, to ascend to the throne. Among them, James wanted Roshan to become emperor more than anyone else. That’s why this time too, he had made many plans alone in the imperial palace while waiting for Roshan to return with news of victory.

“To abandon everything because he took interest in a mere prisoner……”

But his lord, who had returned after half a year, showed an oddly intense interest in the princess of Sedas who was brought as a prisoner and didn’t even acknowledge other matters. James found this frustrating and unbearable.

“To guard a mere prisoner! And while using a false identity at that. Kian Modre? How long has he been dead! Has something happened to His Highness?”

Knox frowned at James’s disloyal words and was about to scold him. But before he could part his lips, Frederick, who had been waiting for this moment, stepped in and retorted to James’s words.

“Watch your words. And His Highness has never shown much interest in your plans before. So you should just proceed with your plans on your own.”

“……”

“Of course, without going against His Highness’s wishes.”

“Frederick. That’s enough. James, you too. Your voice is too loud. Everyone outside will hear.”

James’s eyes briefly flashed with sparks at Frederick’s irritating words. Seeing this, Hayden quickly stepped in to mediate, but James didn’t avoid the fight.

“Ha! Come to think of it, Sir Frederick, I hear you’re also assigned to guard that prisoner alongside His Highness?”

Frederick’s shoulders flinched for a moment. It was true. He too had been assigned to guard Yerena alongside his lord, who was disguised as ‘Kian’.

“So what? It’s His Highness’s order, am I supposed to disobey it?”

“Usually, you would have thrown a fit if you’re assigned to guard a mere prisoner…… That pretty wench must be some kind of enchantress. She’s even stolen the heart of Sir Frederick, who usually views women like stones.”

“You!”

Frederick jumped up from the couch and approached James. Hayden let out another deep sigh as Frederick roughly grabbed James by the collar.

“You and your mouth!”

“Ah…… Come to think of it, I heard that Sir Frederick was the first to speak to the princess all the way from the Sedas Kingdom to the Empire?”

Despite being grabbed by the collar, James didn’t stop sneering. Seeing Frederick raise his fist, Knox stepped in this time.

“Both of you, stop it. Frederick, let go of him.”

Despite Knox’s intervention, Frederick didn’t loosen his grip. Finally, Knox forcibly pulled his hand away. Then, while restraining the struggling Frederick, he left the lounge with a nod to Hayden.

“Let go! That bastard needs a punch!”

“……That temper of his never changes. Tsk!”

James straightened his clothes while watching the shouting Frederick until the end. Hayden looked at him brushing back his long hair with an irritated face and opened his mouth.

“James.”

“What is it? Are you going to lecture me too, Sir Hayden?”

“I fully understand how you feel. But we are His Highness’s subjects. And subjects should act as hands and feet, not try to become the head by climbing above their lord.”

Despite James’s defiant attitude, Hayden maintained his composure and advised him. However, James shook his head as if he didn’t want to hear any more and walked toward the entrance where Knox and Frederick had left.

“Sir Knox said something similar recently. But Sir Hayden, I think differently from the three of you who believe we must unconditionally follow His Highness’s orders.”

“……”

“If our lord chooses the wrong path, we should guide him to the right one. That’s what we should truly be doing.”

Hayden tried to grab James and advise him once more regarding his dangerous words, but just then, a trumpet sounded from outside. And then a servant loudly announced someone’s entrance.

“The moon of the great Empire. Her Majesty the Empress enters!”

Hearing the appearance of an important figure, James gave Hayden only a slight bow and left with quick steps. Left alone, Hayden pressed his brow firmly before slumping onto the couch and picking up the still-remaining glass of alcohol.

Perhaps the alcohol had already taken effect, as his mind became distant after just one sip. Hayden savored the bitter taste lingering on his tongue and looked at the moon outside.

In the dark night, the solitary white moon suddenly reminded him of someone. With a glass in hand, his lips tightened momentarily as he muttered his inner thoughts without realizing it.

“……It’s Frederick again this time.”

* * *