9.

Victor carefully buttoned the gold buttons on Rockfort’s shirt. Marienne stood beside him, displaying several boxes containing cufflinks.

“The second box.”

“Yes.”

Rockfort’s gaze shifted to the row of cufflinks. Usually quick to decide, today he was unusually particular, starting from the shirt selection.

“Remove the first row.”

“Yes.”

“That one, that one, and…… that one too.”

His long fingers pointed at each decoration in the box. Then his finger hovered in the air above the box for a long time.

The reason he was being so picky today, when he usually left such trivial matters to Marienne or Victor, was painfully obvious.

“Is this better?”

After careful consideration, Rockfort pointed to the gold cufflinks that matched his shirt buttons.

“Yes, they suit you excellently.”

Of course, this box, like all the emperor’s possessions, was the finest in the Empire, so what truly mattered was only his mood.

“What color would you like for your uniform?”

“I’ll wear the jacket for dinner. Black.”

For Rockfort to make such a choice just for a dinner with Elia, when he usually insisted on his uniform for all but the most formal grand banquets.

The brief separation must have fanned the flames of his heart.

“How about decorating your br*ast pocket with a purple handkerchief? It was made from recently presented dye and silk.”

“Hmm…… that’s good.”

Purple was the noble color that only the Petrion imperial family could use, and it matched the color of his eyes—a color that truly existed for Rockfort.

“Is it almost time?”

This was the third time he had asked this question since beginning his preparations. Victor took out his watch, looked at it, and bowed his head to the impatient emperor.

“There are still about 2 hours left.”

“……Still? You said the same thing earlier.”

Rockfort frowned in displeasure, but even an emperor couldn’t control time.

“I humbly report that the current time is 4:10.”

Being unable to have something go his way was unfamiliar to him.

“Then, move the dinner forward by an hour.”

Indeed, this was typical Rockfort thinking. If he couldn’t rush time, he could rush people.

“Your Majesty, if we do that, the palace servants preparing the dinner……”

As Victor tried to formally object, Marienne gently pushed him aside and smiled while adjusting Rockfort’s attire.

“Your Majesty, wouldn’t the lady need time to prepare herself as well?”

Hmm, Rockfort made a curious sound as he raised an eyebrow.

“Since the lady hasn’t been well, this will be the first dinner you two share since she came to the palace…… She must be quite busy with preparations.”

“Is that so?”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. He didn’t particularly want to see Elia all dressed up, but the fact that she was preparing herself for him was quite satisfying.

“A lady’s preparation requires much more time and care.”

At Marienne’s skilled finishing touch, Rockfort nodded with apparent generosity.

“Then, I’ll keep the dinner time as scheduled.”

Rockfort reluctantly leaned back on the sofa and sat comfortably.

As emperor, he was always pressed for time, and his expression showed he didn’t know what to do with this suddenly empty time.

“Would you like me to present the documents summarizing the affairs that occurred while Your Majesty was away from the palace?”

Victor asked according to protocol, but Rockfort was indifferent.

“I received reports of anything I needed to know even on the battlefield, so not now.”

It was unlike him, but having just one day free from his duties as emperor, he didn’t want to spend it like usual.

“Then the imperial physician is waiting……”

“As you can see, I am in robust health.”

Indeed, anyone could see that Rockfort was in good health. He hadn’t sustained any significant injuries in the previous war. He would have been even less likely to get hurt in this campaign to eliminate the remaining rebels.

Once the dust was washed away, he returned to his image as the formidable emperor, and the only trace of war was his hands, roughened from holding the reins.

“Imperial physician.”

After taking a sip of tea, Rockfort briefly considered the term. There was plenty of time left anyway.

“Send him in, I have something to ask.”

“Yes.”

Having the imperial physician wait turned out to be the right decision. Victor and Marienne exchanged glances and withdrew from the emperor’s presence.

Soon after, Alec, the imperial physician, came and paid his respects to the emperor.

“I am honored to see Your Majesty the Emperor.”

Rockfort nodded and gestured with his hand. Alec understood his meaning and carefully raised his head.

“You must have heard, but I am as healthy as ever.”

“Yes, it is the glory of the Empire.”

Even in Alec’s eyes, Rockfort’s health was beyond question. In fact, he looked even more manly than before he left for the campaign.

“I entrusted the quarters where Elia and Leticia stay to you. Tell me anything, no matter how trivial, that you couldn’t write in your dispatches.”

“Yes, I am honored.”

Alec bowed his head deeply and chose his words. He had expected the emperor would naturally ask about this upon his return, so it wasn’t difficult.

“Lady Elia is recovering more excellently and strongly than I expected. In fact, there is hardly anything left to treat.”

Alec’s words were meaningful.

“I saw the lady walking earlier. She was…… stumbling a bit.”

“Her muscles have weakened considerably from the extended bed rest, but that too will be resolved with rehabilitation and time. However……”

Huh, Rockfort sighed and looked at the imperial physician. He seemed to know what was coming.

“Her ankle hasn’t fully recovered. Since small bones in her ankle were broken and then healed…… there’s nothing I can do with my medical skills. I am deeply sorry.”

It was exactly what he had expected, but thinking about how hard Elia must have fought for her rehabilitation made Rockfort’s heart heavier.

“Is there absolutely, absolutely no possibility?”

“……I am sorry.”

Rockfort nodded very slowly.

“Your Majesty, I humbly submit that it is a great miracle that the lady can stand and walk at all. If her thigh or shin had been twisted beyond repair…… she would never have been able to rise from her bed, and above all, the fact that she survived……”

“Enough.”

He didn’t want to hear about the terrible accident. In the past, he didn’t like it because it reminded him of disgusting matters related to Cecilia, but now it was simply because Elia’s pain troubled his heart.

“When the rehabilitation is complete, and the lady has accomplished everything she can…… what then?”

Alec carefully opened his mouth. As a renowned scholar and imperial physician, he had to be cautious with his words.

“If she relies on a cane and has the support of a lady-in-waiting, as she does now, she won’t have much difficulty going anywhere within the palace. Eventually, she may not even need support.”

At first, he had been grateful even for that. After the fall, he had seen Elia tied to her bed by her legs, which made him appreciate her current state even more.

But human hearts are never satisfied. Now that he had seen Elia standing and able to walk, albeit stumbling, he wanted more.

“Still, the impairment in her left ankle will be difficult to fix.”

“What about after more time passes? Then?”

Alec delivered his heavy words.

“There is a possibility she could walk without support or a cane…… but she won’t be able to walk straight as before.”

“That means……”

“She will limp on her left foot.”

Rockfort lowered his gaze. He had thought everything was fine, but hearing the imperial physician’s verdict again made him feel different.

“I understand.”

“I am sorry.”

Huh, Rockfort exhaled a short breath.

“The princess, Leticia?”

“She remains in the same condition as reported in the dispatches.”

“Is it too late for her to recover?”

Alec lowered his head again. The attempted poisoning of the princess by the Grand Duke’s mistress had happened too long ago, and her body had been severely damaged during pregnancy, leaving little that could be done now.

“It is heavenly fortune that she survived.”

Rockfort’s eyebrows furrowed unpleasantly at those words.

“Since when did a princess have to consider mere survival as heavenly fortune? Why must the lady who will become empress achieve something as basic as standing and walking with such difficulty……”

Last spring, the empress dowager he met in the Grand Duchy had said something similar. That the Grand Duke’s mistress, that wicked woman, was so careless and clumsy that Leticia had fortunately not died. That it was fortunate she hadn’t died.

“I have committed a mortal sin with my words. I am truly sorry.”

“Enough. I know it’s not your fault. Rather…… it’s fortunate that we have your renowned medical skills.”

Rockfort, who had been about to pour out heated words, forcibly suppressed his anger. Today was the day of his long-awaited return, and he had an appointment with Elia soon.

“I humbly report that Lady Elia knows the princess’s condition best.”

“……How? Didn’t you write in your dispatches that the princess wouldn’t meet anyone except Marienne and the imperial physician?”

“Yes. However, the lady heard all those stories and thought deeply about them. Every day, she checked on the princess’s well-being before anything else.”

Huh, Rockfort unconsciously let out a hollow laugh.

Alec stiffened his face, fearing he had misspoken, but the emperor silently waved his hand, indicating he should leave.

“I shall withdraw, Your Majesty.”

It was unexpected that Elia, who had difficulty taking care of herself, would look after the princess’s well-being.

They weren’t previously acquainted, and since Leticia wouldn’t meet with her, there should have been no connection between them.

“Where exactly…… does such strength come from?”

Delicate build, thin wrists that seemed to break if squeezed too hard, fair cheeks without a single blemish…… a woman as beautiful and delicate as a flower.

Elia kept surprising Rockfort with her unexpectedly strong demeanor.

“So she wasn’t lying this time either.”

He murmured in a low voice.

The only thing that had pleased his heart on the tedious battlefield was news of Elia. He had eagerly awaited her letters, which were always blunt sentences with nothing but brief greetings.