The scene changed after that. Luke Velius was riding his horse along a rough path, entering the palace.

Dressed neatly in formal attire, he entered the reception room with calm steps. A woman in a purple dress rose from her seat to greet him. She was a striking beauty with dark blue hair and green eyes.

She took a moment to look Luke Velius over from head to toe, then smiled with satisfaction and extended her hand toward him. Luke hesitated upon seeing her hand wrapped in purple gloves matching her dress, then soon bowed his head and gave her hand a brief kiss.

“It is my pleasure to meet you, Princess Asilia Lua Prendie.”

His low voice flowed quietly through the reception room. She responded with elegant grace.

“Pleased to meet you, Grand Duke Luke Velius.”

After finishing their greetings, the two sat facing each other with a marble table between them. No conversation passed between them until a maid entered and set teacups before them.

Luke Velius was a warrior. Before the western continent’s unification, he had been nothing more than a swordsman without noble status. For someone like him to execute perfect etiquette was nearly impossible, and above all, he wasn’t particularly skilled in noble speech patterns.

Wondering how to begin, he parted his lips.

“I have heard from His Imperial Majesty about the agreement.”

Luke’s red eyes focused entirely on Princess Asilia. Opening with pleasantries and decorating his words didn’t suit his temperament. Therefore, he chose to confront the matter directly rather than speak in circles.

He worried about how the princess might react if she took offense, but fortunately, she showed no such signs and smiled with drooping eyes.

“Yes.”

“I understand that Your Highness has expressed a desire to marry me.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I will speak frankly in this setting. It would be difficult to accept that proposal.”

He had been consumed with worry for days. This was the conclusion Luke Velius had reached.

Marriage to a woman other than Elisa – he couldn’t even consider it. The princess tilted her head slightly, seeming surprised.

She parted her lips softly.

“Do you perhaps have a lover?”

Luke’s shoulders flinched at her direct question, and he pressed his lips tightly together.

“Hmm.”

The princess, who had been watching his reaction with interest, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Your Grace really can’t hide your expressions.”

“How cute.”

Her casual utterance of what could be considered rude words revealed a glimpse of arrogance that had likely never been checked by anyone. Luke didn’t feel inclined to point this out.

For a brief moment, he even considered making their relationship antagonistic so she would lose interest in marrying him.

‘But that would threaten the nation too.’

Luke Velius loved the Aker Empire as much as the Emperor – perhaps even more. It had been Luke Velius who first suggested to Emperor Harn that they unify the eastern continent and establish an empire.

That’s why Harn had insisted after unification that Luke should become emperor, but Luke had steadfastly supported him as emperor instead. The reason was simple.

He loved the country, and loved it so much that he feared it might crumble in his hands. He was thoroughly a warrior, ignorant about politics and diplomacy, while Harn couldn’t handle a sword as well as Luke but had exceptional mental acuity.

He had never once regretted passing the throne to Harn. Not even at this very moment.

His only concern was whether his actions in this meeting might harm the Aker Empire in any way. The princess smiled faintly, seeming to read his thoughts.

Awakening from his reverie, Luke spoke his thoughts honestly.

“I don’t understand why Your Highness chose me, but this empire has many men finer than myself…”

It had been puzzling from the start. Emperor Harn was also unmarried.

So why was she doing this to him, someone without succession rights?

“I don’t want anyone else. It won’t do.”

“…”

“Only Grand Duke Luke Velius will do.”

By then, Luke couldn’t help but feel frustrated. He asked with a face that showed he found it utterly incomprehensible.

“Why me, of all people?”

A princess of the western continent empire could easily aim for empress. So why was she doing this to him, someone without succession rights?

Then the princess’s expression, which had been relaxed throughout, changed slightly. She answered with a somewhat darkened face.

“Because you’re not in the line of succession.”

“What does that have to do with…”

“I’ll be honest with you. I have no intention whatsoever of claiming the throne. But my brothers don’t trust my thoughts at all.”

“…”

“Do you know this? If you reject my proposal like this, I’ll be sold off to this empire’s emperor. My father and brothers will make it happen somehow. And then I’ll… be murdered.”

What kind of talk was this? Luke openly frowned.

“Who would dare threaten Your Highness’s life?”

At his serious tone, the princess burst into low laughter. She wiped the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“As expected… you’re pure. Just as Your Grace said. Who would ‘dare’ try to assassinate me?”

“…”

“That’s right. People who don’t fall under that ‘dare.’ Only my father and brothers, I suppose?”

“…!!”

Luke’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected answer.

“Such a thing…”

“That’s what a princess is. A tool used politically.”

Luke’s eyes shook. She tapped the table with her finger while subtly observing Luke’s reaction.

“As you know, Father is very, extremely displeased that the eastern continent unified. But he’s a coward who can’t even wage full-scale war because he fears the military might that unified the continent. Well, this is…”

Her green eyes captured Luke Velius’s bewildered face. A deep smile curved around her lips.

“It’s the same thing – he fears you, who single-handedly pierced ten enemy commanders’ throats in one stroke. Isn’t that right, War Ghost Luke Velius?”

“…”

“So from Father’s perspective, he needed motivation to break this place – the Aker Empire’s prestige – and grasp its weakness.”

“That motivation is Your Highness?”

“A beloved daughter sent off in marriage, unjustly murdered while caught up in that country’s politics. Quite a plausible justification, don’t you think?”

“…”

“Father will somehow, by any means necessary, make this royal marriage with the Aker Empire happen. The marriage alliance itself would be a welcome proposal from the Aker Empire’s perspective too.”

“His Imperial Majesty said it wouldn’t work…”

“I’m really sick of power struggles and such. And rather than an empress being murdered, a grand duchess being murdered would have less impact. Most importantly, I think you could protect me.”

“…”

Heavy silence settled between the two. During that brief silence, their mutual understanding became complexly intertwined.

Now that he knew the western empire’s purpose, Luke Velius couldn’t just sit idle. Since she was in a position where she absolutely had to marry, it seemed much safer to bind her to him rather than the emperor.

Though the interests aligned that way…

“I won’t interfere with Grand Duke Velius’s private life. Having a mistress is fine too. I only want one thing – the position of your legitimate wife.”

“Please give me time to think.”

“One week. I can’t manage longer than that either. I’d like you to decide within the week I’m staying in the empire.”

“I understand.”

“Then I’ll take my leave first. It was pleasant meeting you today, Grand Duke Luke Velius.”

Luke rose to see the departing princess off. Returning to the sofa, Luke collapsed onto it like something heavy was crushing him.

His head throbbed, so he pressed both eyes with one arm.

“Hah…”

Now two choices lay before him. The empire or his lover.

Since he couldn’t abandon either, his heart felt crushed. And Lesia, who knew his choice, was also swept up in his wretched emotions.

* * *

Luke spent agonizing time after that. Even his lover Elisa noticed it.

Since Luke tried not to show it, Elisa couldn’t rashly ask about it. On the seventh day after meeting the princess, Elisa finally couldn’t bear it anymore and headed to Luke’s room to directly ask what was troubling him so much.

Just as she was about to knock on the door, she discovered it was slightly ajar. The sound of conversation leaked through the gap.

‘Who’s here?’

Who could have come at such an early hour? Some intuition washed over her.

The intuition that beyond this door lay the identity of what had been tormenting him. Elisa lowered her hand that had been about to knock and pressed her ear to the gap in the door.