Yet he seemed quite concerned about his image, deliberately spreading rumors. The proof was how minstrels all praised him as an emperor who brought peace.

It was laughable. To be grateful to the very person who had caused the war before that peace.

While the Admiral’s temperament made his indignation understandable, what could he do when he had no choice but to follow along since they couldn’t change the Emperor?

The Admiral clicked his tongue with a face full of things he wanted to say, but spoke no further. The conference room was already before them.

“Well, anyway, I heard the Duke has been handling that wild horse well.”

“…I merely offered my opinion.”

Claude had clashed with Marquis Sternbrow several times in the state council. He would pick up unclear rumors from somewhere and spout nonsensical opinions with illogical reasoning.

While all who heard were simply dumbfounded, not many nobles could go against the Marquis who was the Emperor’s closest aide. Claude, who had initially ignored him out of contempt, increasingly cast opposing votes for this reason.

As for the type of person who acted without knowing their place, the Marquis was just the same.

“Keep working hard for the greater cause.”

Instead of answering, Claude showed an ambiguous smile. In reality, none of these so-called greater causes were normal.

Just as the Viscount was about to enter the conference room, he suddenly turned his head. After a moment’s consideration, he spoke to Claude like an afterthought.

“I hear rumors that you can’t sleep.”

“Admiral, you must be getting old to listen to such baseless rumors.”

“Be careful. If it’s reached my ears, it means it’s already spread everywhere. I say this because of my connection with your father.”

Claude’s expression turned quite grim at the mention of the late Duke. As the Heinst family was also a renowned martial house in the empire, Claude’s father and the Admiral had been close friends.

While the late Duke may have been a loyal subject to the country, he was not at all a welcome name to Claude.

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

He answered briefly again. He was too tired to want to deal with it any further.

As the head servant bowed respectfully and opened the door, the dragging contents of the meeting reached Claude’s ears.

“With Your Majesty being so adamant, frankly speaking, we are quite perplexed.”

“So why should I take a princess from Verseum as Empress?”

A voice mixed with genuine irritation was heard immediately in response to someone’s words.

Even in this meeting with the envoys, the Emperor was pouring out his words proudly without showing any courtesy.

“How many times do I have to say I have no thoughts of marriage yet? Why should I take your princess whom I’ve never even seen as Empress!”

As the Emperor’s tone grew increasingly curt, the faces of the imperial nobles gradually turned uncomfortable.

The reason the meeting was dragging on was because of a proposal made by one of the envoys who had come to offer congratulations.

Among the delegations that had come from various countries to congratulate the Emperor’s birthday, Verseum Kingdom, which had been the main force of the Allied Nations, had proposed marriage to the Emperor.

While they outwardly framed it as maintaining peace after the war’s end, their true political aim was to secure the next imperial throne by placing a legitimate heir through their princess.

The Senate and nobles who saw through this intention showed reluctance. However, they couldn’t readily voice their opinions as hasty rejection in this place would only create an awkward atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the Emperor alone remained stubborn.

“Isn’t Your Majesty already past the marriageable age? Speaking of our princess, she is an outstanding person lacking nothing in both talent and beauty. We even feel that you are dismissing us who have brought King Berus’s royal message.”

At those words, the ministers’ faces now turned completely dark.

In fact, as Verseum was nominally the victorious kingdom in the war, Lezentra, having lost, could not treat their envoys so poorly.

But the simple Emperor acted arrogantly as if he had completely forgotten about the war from a year ago.

“Haven’t I said this many times? Let’s talk again after your country’s civil war is settled.”

Unable to come up with an appropriate excuse, the Emperor tried to dodge.

He had no intention of being dragged around by the Allied Nations because of a war that was already over. If worse came to worst, he could just start another war.

Simply because he didn’t want to take a complete stranger from another country as his wife, he kept sending glances to Marquis Bishrom to handle it.

But even Bishrom was in a difficult position to say anything. It would look strange to refuse the Emperor’s will, but accepting it would mean his plans would be disrupted.

That’s when Claude, who had just entered, opened his mouth.

“This is not a matter to be discussed here today. As we need time to consider on our side as well, since today is His Majesty’s celebration, let’s enjoy the banquet first.”

At his heavily dropping baritone voice, the envoys raised their heads but quickly turned their gazes away upon seeing him.

There was no one in that place who didn’t know Duke Heinst. Above all, for them who had repeatedly suffered major defeats on the southern front, he was undoubtedly someone who’s difficult to face.

“T-Then we will await the results.”

At Claude’s appearance, the Verseum envoys cleared their throats and bowed to the Emperor as if to clear the air.

Seeing this, the Emperor’s expression, which had been irritated at not getting his way, quickly turned triumphant.

“Well… Let’s go to my banquet now. I ordered it to be prepared grandly, so everyone can enjoy yourselves comfortably.”

The Emperor spoke tactlessly, his mood much improved. His attitude showed complete disregard for the awkward meeting atmosphere.

As he strode out of the conference room with apparent relief, the Emperor said to Claude with an expression he couldn’t hide.

“Flora has arrived already, hasn’t she?”

The Emperor, who had already forgotten about the envoys and meeting, muttered like an expectant boy.

Claude, looking like he wanted to say something, reluctantly nodded his head.

* * *

Flora couldn’t enter the waiting room she was guided to by the servant. The door was locked.

With no way to find the servant who had already disappeared, she decided to wait. Flora stood quietly by the door.

At that moment, a group of noble ladies waving fans adorned with peacock feathers glanced at her standing in the middle of the corridor.

Thinking her voluminous dress might be blocking the way, Flora turned a corner looking for a less crowded corridor. Then she found the most secluded spot to wait.

How long had it been?

As even the occasional passing servants became scarce and surroundings grew quiet, someone appeared from the opposite direction.

A clean-looking man who was clearly noble approached, making direct eye contact with her.

She was about to lose interest, thinking he would just pass by, but there was something unnatural about his behavior. The way he had his right hand inside his coat was particularly strange.

At that moment, Flora recalled the Duke’s words from before.

‘If a suspicious person approaches, subdue them immediately without waiting for my orders.’

Flora faced the man walking toward her.

Even upon careful observation, the position of his hand, seemingly about to pull something out from inside his clothes, was highly suspicious. Moreover, as he got closer, his face broke into an unpleasant smile.

Finally, the suspicious man completely stopped in front of her and greeted her cheerfully.

“Good evening, my lady.”

At the same moment, just as the man was about to pull his hand out from his clothes, Flora immediately kicked his shin, forcing him to his knees.

* * *

At the same time.

Heriot, who had arrived late at the Duke’s waiting room after hearing the situation from a knight claiming to be under the Duke’s orders, tilted his head.

Despite knocking several times, there was no response from inside.

“Where on earth did she go?”

He lingered around the waiting room entrance for quite a while but strangely couldn’t find Flora anywhere.

“This doesn’t seem right…”

Thinking of the woman with her rogue-like temperament, anxiety started creeping in.

He forced a smile while suppressing his unease. Surely she couldn’t have caused trouble in such a short time.

Finally, he set out to look for Flora, looking around. However, as the main banquet was about to begin, the search was slowed by the nobles who had flocked in droves for this first banquet in years.

Just as he was about to head to the back, thinking this wouldn’t do–

There was some commotion on the opposite side. Heriot rushed through the murmuring crowd and gaped at the scene before his eyes.

“Ugh… Aagh!”

The man who had suddenly been struck cried out in agony as his knees hit the white marble floor.

Regardless, Flora hiked up her skirt to her thighs.

Though the man’s eyes widened at seeing a woman’s bare skin even while writhing in pain, he froze when a cold blade was immediately pressed against his neck.

“What… what is this?”

“Take it out now.”

Flora asked while pressing the blade closer to the man’s neck. It was a dagger she had hidden in a holster under her skirt when the maids weren’t looking, just in case.

The man, startled by the sudden blade at his throat, shouted with spittle flying.

“My lady, why are you suddenly…! I just…”

“Why did you approach me? Show me what’s in your clothes right now.”