Chapter 1.2

“You’ve worked hard, Earl Bates.”

The man who had been showing courtesy to the Emperor slowly rose.

His robust physique and upright posture were not hidden even by the solid armor. His sharp jawline and eyes stood out against his slightly tanned skin.

Despite the rough aura unique to a man who had been through the battlefield, his jet-black eyes and hair were neat and noble.

“I merely did what I had to.”

His tone was firm yet solid. Everything was as it was, but at the same time, everything was more mature, making Violet’s heart flutter.

However, she was the only one feeling this way; she wasn’t the one drawing Dein’s gaze or conversing with him.

“No, Sir, you’ve achieved more than what was required; it’s right for the Imperial family to fully commend such merit.”

“Though I appreciate the excessive praise, I never desired more than achieving the ideal.”

“You’re always humble, Sir. Your heart for the empire is well received by the Imperial family.”

“……”

Beside the Emperor, her sister Olivia, who captured Dein’s gaze, smiled brightly.

She was undoubtedly a graceful and splendid woman. Cheerful yet proactive. She retained the nobility and elegance of the imperial family but was not arrogant.

To Violet, Olivia was always an object of admiration and a proud sister.

But at times like this, when Olivia gently smiled and their deep eyes met, her heart inevitably ached.

As a mere fiancée, she wondered if his gaze had ever truly lingered on her during their obligatory time together.

However, as Violet swallowed her regret, she felt as if her breath was taken away. The man who had been looking at someone else suddenly turned his head.

“……!”

“…….”

She hadn’t expected to meet his gaze today. Instead of the side profile she had been stealing glances at, his full face was now captured in her eyes.

Violet froze as if she were a fool. Without the flexibility befitting a princess, she stood there dumbly, but the man didn’t change his expression.

Dein’s gaze lingered on her for quite a while. Perhaps because Violet couldn’t open her mouth, a strange silence briefly passed between them.

That short yet long moment made the gaze feel quite blatant and persistent.

Violet noticed her heart pounding. Amidst the sound that seemed ready to leap from her chest to above her throat, she saw his firmly closed lips slowly begin to move.

“It’s been a while, Princess Violet.”

Dein’s low, slightly husky voice slowly reached her.

She couldn’t respond properly as she swallowed hard. As she barely moved her head in reaction, he tried to speak again.

“I hope you’ve been well—”

“Now that I think about it, everyone must be tired from the long journey, and I’ve kept you too long. It would be best to give you time to rest, Your Majesty.”

However, the low tone no longer directed at her. Olivia’s gentle voice quickly drew Dein’s attention away.

Satisfied with his eldest daughter’s considerate words, the aging Emperor nodded with a pleased smile.

“Indeed, Olivia. You’re right. Rest well, and let’s meet again at the evening banquet. You may withdraw now, Sir Dein.”

“……Thank you for your consideration.”

There was nothing more to say to the soft dismissal. Dein, who had maintained a brief silence, nodded expressionlessly and knelt again before the Emperor.

After expressing reverence with a short kiss on the Emperor’s wide robe, he gave a slight nod to Olivia and Violet.

“I’ll see you at the banquet.”

Dein casually addressed Violet once more. Although it was a formal greeting not expecting a reply, he turned away immediately.

With a mix of regret and joy, Violet couldn’t take her eyes off his receding figure until he disappeared.

In truth, it was a familiar situation. Violet had no memories of deep conversations or intimacy with Dein.

Even after the engagement, their meetings were merely obligatory, filled with formal conversations, and he soon left for the battlefield.

Before the engagement, even those meetings were enough to build affection and draw her in, but afterward, they became moments that made her feel his indifferent emotions more clearly.

A mere fiancée arranged by the Emperor. Nothing more, nothing less, but he was just doing his utmost with politeness and integrity.

Violet’s unrequited love rejoiced in this realization, yet now she knew well.

The man who had become more noble and radiant was no longer someone she should desire.

“Vivi.”

As her thoughts reached the conclusion of her recent pervasive gloom, Olivia called her.

Immediately after Dein disappeared, her kind sister, as always, looked at her with concern and affection.

“Are you alright? You haven’t seemed well lately.”

“Not at all. There’s only joyful news for the empire, so why would I be?”

“If that’s the case, I’m relieved. But you’re not feeling unwell, are you? I have something I want to talk to you about; is that okay?”

“What’s it about?”

Violet intentionally smiled brightly, just like the smile Olivia usually adored. Olivia stared at her sister for a moment, then glanced at the Emperor and slowly began to speak.

“……It’s time to discuss marriage, isn’t it?”

Her heart sank. It was the topic she had been expecting, but when it finally came to reality, her heart tightened involuntarily. 

In fact, until then, she had thought of mustering a little courage. It was a selfish and childish thought, but she wondered if Olivia and her father, who cherished her, might have no choice but to consider it if she insisted that she liked Dein. 

So, after learning of the army’s return, she had sought Olivia several times, hoping to have a conversation. But there was simply no time. Olivia was busy preparing for the hastily shortened return ceremony and banquet of the army.

And seeing that obvious busyness, she lost the will to ask any further. It wasn’t just the words of those around her. Watching her sister’s vitality shine while preparing for Dein’s return, she realized that she was the only one who couldn’t accept this obvious matter as obvious.

Even now, the expressions of the Emperor and Olivia, who were observing her with unknown expressions, were too clear.

“It was a temporary and superficial engagement for the Empire, but I’m worried that unnecessary rumors might have bothered our cute Vivi.”

“To be precise, it was merely a safety measure of an engagement.”

As expected. Both the Emperor and Olivia seemed to be expecting a certain answer from her. Violet calmed her mind, lightly clenched her fist, and then relaxed it. Thanks to having anticipated this, a smile of the usual good-natured youngest daughter appeared on her lips.

“I know very well. I wasn’t bothered at all.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Just…… I think it’s a matter of following His Majesty’s decision.”

“Does that mean you want to follow…… no, follow His Majesty’s decision regarding this engagement?”

Olivia’s eyes sparkled. At the expectant gaze carefully observing her, Violet swallowed her bitterness and nodded again.

The cautious expressions of the Emperor and Olivia brightened considerably. Their faces looked relieved as if a worry they had was gone.

“Then that’s settled. His Majesty’s decisions are always for us, aren’t they?”

Not this time. Swallowing the words she couldn’t say, Violet could only smile.

* * *

After fulfilling her basic duties as a Princess, Violet had slightly withdrawn from the center of the commotion. She tried not to attach much significance to it as usual, but today the sounds she heard were particularly exhausting.

‘I’m planning to go boating on the western lake next time, would you like to join us, Princess?’

In the midst of the ongoing conversation, a neat and tidy man’s invitation carried a subtle interest.

The surrounding fuss that followed proved Violet’s prediction wasn’t wrong.

‘The Marquis of Lavierre’s son has been wanting to invite you since last time. He’s the most polite person in the social circle, so he’ll surely offer you a delightful time, Princess.’

If it had ended there, she could have just lightly laughed it off. But the mention of Dein and Olivia, tying them together in the conversation that followed, dampened Violet’s mood, which she had been barely holding up.

‘It would be picturesque with the young Earl and the Princess Olivia together. Just like those two.’

‘How eager must he have been to announce this honor that he returned home half the time early? It’s so romantic.’

They were already tying Dein and Olivia together as if it were a known fact, and subtly linking Violet, who was still the fiancée, with another man.

There were many careless words. Most were young ladies and gentlemen lacking political skills, but it was a result of their urgency to somehow cope with the rapidly changing power situation.

Though she understood why, she couldn’t help but feel tired of the situation being driven more blatantly by others.

‘Gladly. I’ll look forward to it.’

Feigning ignorance of the added remarks, Violet responded to the invitation from the young master of Lavierre. Rather than hearing more about Olivia and Dein, it was better to engage with troublesome attention and change the subject. Since it wasn’t a concrete promise anyway, she could just make an excuse and refuse when the time came.

For a brief moment, the topic turned to boating as she wanted, but it was indeed brief. The conversation soon returned to the admiration for Dein and Olivia, which she didn’t want to hear.