“No, Your Majesty would never kill me. I misspoke.”

“Evelyn…”

When Hector reached out to touch Evelyn’s face, she stepped back first. He gritted his teeth, looking at his hand suspended in mid-air.

“…I’ll attend the party, so please calm your anger.”

“Very well.”

Evelyn had inherited the previous emperor’s exact appearance, but Hector had not. There were many rumors about Hector because he resembled neither the previous emperor nor his birth mother. 

Hector’s mother had black hair and golden eyes, while Hector possessed golden hair and green eyes.

Nevertheless, Hector, like any royal, was strikingly handsome, and the purple suit suited him perfectly. He extended his hand to Evelyn, who gently took it. Hector fidgeted with her hand while staring at her intently with his deep green eyes.

Even someone unaware of their relationship could read the desire in his gaze.

Evelyn avoided his eyes, looking instead at the closed door. She wasn’t oblivious to Hector’s feelings, but she supported him as emperor. Therefore, avoiding dangerous emotions was the right choice.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Evelyn made a resolution. She would never call him “Hector” in his presence. To protect him, she would always address him as “Your Majesty.” Hector would never know that he was among Evelyn’s treasured people.

* * *

When the Emperor and Princess Evelyn appeared, all the nobles applauded. They were speechless at the sight of the handsome Hector and the silver-haired Evelyn, who rarely adorned herself but was stunningly beautiful when she did. The party had already begun, and the nobles were slightly tipsy.

Despite Hector’s notorious interest in women, he had yet to take an empress, which was why many noble ladies attended this gathering. However, after sitting down with Evelyn, Hector didn’t budge. An attendant, unable to bear the situation, spoke to Hector.

“…There are quite a few ladies waiting for a dance invitation, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Is that so?”

“And Princess Evelyn has also received several dance requests…”

Hector abruptly stood up, scanning the crowd with terrifying eyes. Several people flinched when they met the Emperor’s gaze.

“Ha, who dares to ask my sister for a dance when she’s about to be married off? With what intentions?”

One reason Evelyn had remained unmarried was because of Hector. There had been many marriage proposals early on, but Hector had investigated the suitors’ pasts and objected to them all.

Some had gotten into trouble while drunk in their youth, frequented brothels, or enjoyed gambling. One noble had lived so exemplarily that he avoided all three vices, but Hector objected on the grounds that he was boring because he only studied. Additionally, rumors that Hector was keeping Evelyn in check discouraged many from trying.

At that moment, Duke Perry approached Hector and bowed.

“…Your Imperial Majesty. I have admired Princess Evelyn for a long time. Before she departs for a distant country, I requested a dance with her. I have no ulterior motives.”

“No ulterior motives?”

Hector looked the middle-aged duke up and down sarcastically. Duke Perry was a supporter of the previous emperor and a key figure in the opposition against Hector. Both Hector and Evelyn were well aware that he was a ringleader.

Despite his middle age, Duke Perry’s demeanor was disciplined and elegant. Having earned the deep trust of the previous emperor, he commanded a considerable following among the nobles, making him impossible for Hector to ignore.

“Please grant me permission to have one last dance with Princess Evelyn, Your Imperial Majesty.”

It would have been stranger to refuse.

“…Very well.”

Hector clenched his fist. Evelyn, exceptionally beautiful in her adornments today, took Duke Perry’s hand and headed to the center of the hall.

Hector bit his lip, then turned sharply and left the ballroom. The nobles, who had been holding their breath fearing trouble, collectively exhaled when the Emperor departed.

A noblewoman whispered to her husband beside her.

“The Emperor must feel relieved that Princess Evelyn is going to Peshar.”

“Of course. But the bigger issue is an heir. If there were an heir, Duke Perry would no longer dare defy the Emperor.”

“Oh my. But for someone who loves women so much, why doesn’t he take an empress? Even today, there are so many beautiful young ladies…”

“…Perhaps he plans to take one after sending Princess Evelyn away.”

“What? What does that have to do with anything?”

“You needn’t know.”

Marquis Smith was troubled by the Emperor’s increasingly obvious behavior. As one of those who had supported Hector’s ascension to the throne from the beginning, he had repeatedly advised the Emperor to kill Princess Evelyn. But the Emperor wouldn’t listen.

Without Princess Evelyn, no one would threaten his position, and Duke Perry’s futile ambitions would be crushed. However, the Emperor…

Marquis Smith watched the dancing couple. Duke Perry and Princess Evelyn. Today, Evelyn looked especially beautiful and radiant. Her appearance was provocative enough to make any man want to conquer her. Yet her actual personality was quite indifferent.

‘Such feelings could arise.’

Just then, a familiar voice reached Marquis Smith.

“Would you like to dance, Mother? Father doesn’t seem interested, so dance with me.”

“Oh my, Andrew!”

Andrew bowed respectfully to his stoic father. Marquis Smith stopped his train of thought and glared at Andrew. The scent of alcohol and women’s perfume wafted strongly from Andrew’s body.

“…You’re late.”

“Haha. Well, that’s just like me.”

Andrew headed to the hall with his mother. Watching his smiling wife and Andrew, Marquis Smith recalled a scene from the past.

[Why can’t Evelyn and I marry? Huh? Father.]

His son, the Emperor’s close friend who should prioritize the Emperor above all, was making a very dangerous statement. Had he been drunk, the Marquis would have dismissed it as nonsense, but Andrew was perfectly sober.

[…Are you in your right mind?]

Marquis Smith wondered if his son had gone mad. What would become of his position, advising the Emperor daily to kill Evelyn?

Those currently seeking to marry Evelyn all harbored ambitions. They aimed to secure Evelyn, who clearly resembled the previous emperor and was confirmed as his child, and then eye the Emperor’s throne.

[Do you perhaps want to become Emperor?]

[…What are you saying? Not at all.]

[Then why are you so desperate to marry the Princess! Do you not understand what marrying the Princess means? You’ll immediately be under the Emperor’s scrutiny—do you want to ruin our family!]

[…I admire her.]

[What?]

[Evelyn…. I like her.]

At that time, Marquis Smith had beaten his son nearly to death, telling him to come to his senses. The Marquis’s wife had intervened and ended it, but even now, she didn’t know why her son had been beaten.

It was absurd that this same Andrew had supposedly begged the Emperor to let him guard Evelyn.

Why should his son undertake such a dangerous mission?

Marquis Smith set down his wine with a bitter expression. Whether or not Emperor Hector truly carried the previous emperor’s bloodline, he had done well to kill his brothers. They would have threatened his position as they grew older. But leaving the Princess alive was problematic.

‘However…’

The sole remaining princess would soon disappear from here anyway. Then the factional issues would naturally resolve themselves, and Marquis Smith planned to stand by the Emperor and enjoy whatever benefits trickled down to him.