The emperor struggled for words. It was true that he had exploited the political situation to force this marriage upon his son. Yet he was convinced that it was for the best — for the stability of Laxion and, above all, for the future of the man sitting before him.

Driven by this conviction, he had urged Cedric to accept the union despite his protests, leaving him with no other option.

“Cedric…”

“Your Majesty.”

The emperor once again attempted to appeal to Cedric, explaining the reasoning behind his decision, albeit belatedly.

But Cedric refused to listen.

Sunlight now filled the chamber, casting a red glow across his face.

“You’ve already had your way with me. I only agreed to this marriage because you insisted, so don’t expect anything more from me. As for how I treat the Princess of Callithea, don’t interfere. She is in my palace now. I will handle her as I see fit.”

“No more strife! Do not call blood upon Laxion. This is for your own good. For you, and for—”

At the words “for your sake,” Cedric’s eyes flashed. He abandoned the formal title he had always used for the emperor and called him by a name he had long avoided.

“Father.”

“……”

“It’s because of thoughts like that which caused things to turn out the way they did.”

“……”

“You were too lenient. That is why they took Mother from you. Whether that loss ever meant anything to you, I still don’t know.”

Upon hearing his son’s words, Charles froze. His tongue felt heavy and useless, as though it were made of stone. He could not utter a sound.

Cedric rose from his seat, his voice cold and sharp.

“I’m not generous enough to simply stand by and watch, like you did. I can’t, and I won’t.’ The people you speak of — the so-called pillars of peace — are not what they seem. They are corrupt and unworthy; they defy the throne and spread disorder throughout the realm. They are not peace, Father. They are a plague.”

“……”

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave.”

The emperor no longer had the strength to stop him. He could only bow his head as his son walked away.

When the sound of the door closing echoed through the chamber, the chief attendant, who had been waiting anxiously nearby, stepped forward.

Charles let out a long, heavy sigh and briefly turned his gaze towards the fully risen sun.

“Before the council meeting begins, I will see the Crown Princess of Callithea. Bring her to me discreetly. Keep her away from prying eyes.”

··· ✦ ···

Early in the morning, the central palace, home to the emperor, was shrouded in silence.

Cedric walked through the corridor, ignoring the bows of the attendants as they passed him, until he spotted a woman approaching from the other end. His expression hardened at once.

“Crown Prince.”

The woman called out to him as he tried to walk past her without acknowledging her.

Even from a distance, she was hard to miss; her golden hair gleamed in the light, and her blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his own. Despite her ornate attire, she carried herself with unyielding poise; her beauty had lost none of its dignity to time. The jewels adorning her hair and gown seemed to shimmer just for her, as though the light itself bowed in reverence.

Yet no brilliance could wholly conceal the faint lines etched upon her face by the years.

“I may not have given birth to you, but I am still your mother, a woman of higher social standing. It is only right that you show me respect and greet me first.”

She spoke without turning fully toward him, forcing Cedric to retrace his steps until he stood before her.

“Your Majesty, the Empress.”

He bent one knee before the empress, his stepmother, and offered the customary gesture of respect. Although his posture was perfect, his lack of sincerity and reverence gave the impression of mockery rather than formality.

“Then, if Your Majesty will excuse me, I shall take my leave.”

He had no intention of staying any longer in her presence. However, the Empress acknowledged his bow with the slightest nod and showed no sign of releasing him.

“Your cheek is red. It seems His Majesty gave you quite the telling-off. Though, considering what you did, it’s no surprise.”

“……”

“The bride from the Goddess’s land.”

She added this, lifting her chin slightly as she looked him over.

When he mentioned the princess he had abandoned on their wedding night, Cedric’s gaze, which had been wandering deliberately, returned to meet his stepmother’s.

“If you didn’t want her, you should have given her to your younger brother.”

The Princess of Callithea was the noble and radiant daughter of the land of the Goddess. She embodied all the qualities the Empress had once hoped to find in a wife for her son. But now that the crown prince had claimed her and become a thorn in her side, how could she not resent it?

Cedric recalled how she had schemed to prevent his marriage and smiled faintly; his words were laced with quiet derision.

“Would you like me to hand her over now?”

“Of course.”

The Empress replied without hesitation. Her answer was so unexpected that Cedric’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“I heard that the Crown Prince behaved shamefully last night, stumbling around drunk. Whether or not the wine was truly to blame, the fact remains that their wedding night was not consummated. King Lian VIII once married his late brother’s widow after his brother died before they had spent their first night together. There is precedent, you see. Such a rare treasure deserves to belong to someone who can truly value it.”

Word of his abandonment of the princess seemed to have spread through the palace before dawn. This was her final act of desperation, using old precedent to justify taking Anita as her own son.

“Well, I’ve always wondered if my ancestor’s ‘accident’ was truly an accident.”

But she didn’t catch the nuance.

Studying her face, Cedric spoke again, voice polite but laced with poison.

“The roses in the crown prince’s greenhouse are in full bloom this season. I’ll have a few sent to my beloved younger brother, consider it a gift.”

“If it’s roses, there are far more in my own palace. A handful of flowers means nothing. Mere trash.”

Cedric’s smile deepened, bright and graceful, as if her hostility amused him rather than wounded.

“Precisely so, Your Majesty.”

“……”

“How vast and magnificent the palace you reside in must be, Your Majesty the Empress. My own residence could never compare.”

“……”

“And yet, even after gaining something so splendid, Your Majesty still seems to cast your gaze toward my palace. I find it rather… curious.”

“……”

“At this rate, my palace might wear away completely under Your Majesty’s constant attention.”

The Empress raised her hand high, her eyes flashing with repressed anger. Just as she was about to strike, however, she saw the red mark on Cedric’s cheek, which was a clear sign of the Emperor’s touch. Her expression changed and a faint, taunting smile replaced the anger on her lips as she lowered her hand.

“Seeing you looking so pitiful reminds me of when you were younger. I can’t bring myself to scold you any more. From then until now, it seems that nobody has ever taught the Crown Prince any manners. Well, it can’t be helped. It isn’t your fault that you grew up without a mother’s guidance.”

“……”

“I’m on my way to pay respects to His Majesty. I shall take it upon myself to ask that he forgive your insolence for today, at least. Now, go and reflect on your behavior.”

Her words wounded his pride, but Cedric endured them; he was used to it. Of course, he had no intention of enduring them forever.

He nodded slightly in acknowledgement, then brushed past her.

The empress remained where she was, unmoving, until Cedric reached the end of the corridor and stepped onto the stairs. Only then did she begin to walk again.

She beckoned to one of her ladies-in-waiting — one of the few she always kept close — and whispered something in her ear.

“Go to Gerard. Remind him that what I ordered must be done.”

··· ✦ ···

The Palace of Glory, the official residence of the emperor, was located at the heart of the imperial complex and was commonly known as the Central Palace.

The Palace of Light, where Anita now stayed, was originally an annexe of the Central Palace during the twelfth emperor’s reign.

Over time, it was expanded to become an independent palace complete with gardens and adjoining pavilions. However, it remained close to the heart of the complex.

In fact, it was easier to reach the Central Palace from the Palace of Light than from the empress’s grand residence, the Palace of Radiance, by taking a shortcut through the connecting gardens.

For this reason, the Empress had long desired the Palace of Light for her son, Prince Gérard. However, as it had always been reserved for the crown prince, there was little justification for granting it to a younger prince.

Moreover, whispers still surrounded Gerard’s lineage. Without Cedric’s existence, it might have been possible, but as things stood, there were too many obstacles in her way.

“Since the paths are still unfamiliar to Your Highness, allow me to guide you back to your chambers, just as before.”

When they reached the narrow path connecting the Central Palace and the Crown Prince’s Palace, the attendant walking ahead of them bowed deeply.

Anita, who was unfamiliar with the layout of Laxion’s imperial grounds and was accompanied only by a maid from Callithea at the emperor’s request, nodded gently in acknowledgement.

“I feel as though I’ve troubled you again.”

“Please, Your Highness, don’t speak so humbly. This way, if you will….”

Despite his young age, he was trusted to serve near the emperor. He was quick-witted and carried out his duties precisely. He walked a respectful distance ahead of the emperor, close enough to remain within his sight, yet far enough away to give him privacy.

This enabled Anita to converse comfortably with her long-standing maid and confidante, Renee, who walked quietly beside her.

“Your Highness the princess… no, the crown princess. What did His Majesty say to you?”

“He apologized on Cedric’s behalf and asked that yesterday’s events remain unspoken….”

That morning, Emperor Charles had secretly summoned her. In a manner wholly unbecoming of his station, he repeatedly apologized for what had happened. Despite the guilt evident on his face, however, he told her that the crown prince’s actions must remain a secret.

He asked her to keep it secret, but she knew it was not a request she could refuse.

“He… asked me.”

“What? But that’s—!”

Renee, who had been the first to see her mistress weeping alone in the bridal chamber, could not control her emotions. She had trembled with fury throughout the night, unable to do anything but watch.

As her voice rose, Anita quickly took her hand.

“Shh! He apologized more times than I could bear. Calm down, Renee. There are eyes everywhere.”

“Your Highness, it is not the emperor who should be kneeling in apology. It is the crown prince himself. And even then, I could not forgive him.”

At the reminder that they were still within the walls of Laxion’s palace, Renee lowered her voice, but the anger in her eyes remained. Her voice shook with conviction as she spoke.

“Renee.”

“……”

“We knew, didn’t we? We prepared ourselves for this. You knew what Cedric’s stance was before we came here. This marriage benefits Callithea far more than Laxion.”

“……”

“I cannot say or do anything that might bring harm to Callithea.”

Swallowing the ache rising in her chest, Anita gently squeezed her maid’s hand.

Once, the prospect of marrying Cedric had been a secret dream of hers. But it was a luxury she could no longer afford.

The alliance between Laxion and Callithea was of greater importance than her own happiness.

As a princess of Callithea, she could not falter. The fate of her weary homeland now rested on her shoulders.