Chapter 11

‘What is this…?’  

Never in her life had Sabrina sat at a table this large.  

The table was so massive that a few people could have danced on it, and it was laden with an uncountable number of dishes.  

“I hope there’s something here to your taste.”  

“O-Of course. I’m not picky and eat well.”  

“That’s good to hear.”  

And never had she experienced such an uncomfortable meal.  

Sabrina awkwardly smiled, glancing at the Emperor seated across from her and Chase seated beside her.  

Since earlier, Chase had been sneaking guilty glances at her, looking like a puppy that had been scolded.  

‘I’m sorry.’  

Sabrina couldn’t help but resent Chase for putting her in such an overwhelming situation.  

But when she saw his drooping eyebrows and forlorn expression, her heart softened again. That mischievous face…  

“Well then, please enjoy your meal.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty!”  

“The meat is especially good today. Give it a try.”  

The only person who seemed comfortable at this table was the Emperor.  

It was Sabrina’s first time seeing the Emperor up close.  

Though he wasn’t particularly large in stature, he exuded an overwhelming presence. It seemed to come from the bold energy radiating from him.  

With his graying ash-colored hair and golden eyes, he resembled a tiger.  

‘Does he… look like Chase?’  

To distract herself, Sabrina tried to find similarities between the Emperor and Chase.  

The black hair and golden eyes were undoubtedly inherited from the Emperor. Upon closer inspection, their lips seemed somewhat similar too.  

As father and son, they naturally shared some features. However, Chase’s strikingly handsome appearance seemed to have been passed down from his mother.  

‘The Empress must have been incredibly beautiful.’  

Lost in such irreverent thoughts, Sabrina stuffed a piece of steak into her mouth.  

Under normal circumstances, she would have savored the juices bursting from the well-cooked meat, but now, she couldn’t taste anything.  

It felt like chewing on soft rubber.  

At that moment, the Emperor, after taking a sip of wine, spoke.  

“So, how is it working in the Imperial Palace?”  

“…!”  

Sabrina quickly swallowed the meat she had been chewing like a pill and answered,  

“Thanks to your consideration, Your Majesty, I’m enjoying my work.”  

“And Chase?”  

The Emperor’s eyes gleamed.  

As if he had been waiting for this, he began bombarding Sabrina with questions about Chase.  

Is he doing his job well? What time does he usually return and go to bed? Does he eat his meals on time? Has he been unwell lately?  

Some questions were difficult to answer, but most were trivial, like a parent asking, “Is my child doing well at school?”  

While Sabrina sat upright, giving appropriate answers, Chase crossed his arms and watched the two.  

But when the Emperor asked, 

“Does he have any young ladies he’s been meeting lately?” 

Chase couldn’t hold back and spoke up.  

“Father, why don’t you ask me such trivial questions directly? Stop bothering my aide.”  

The Emperor snorted and shook his head.  

“Well, if only you answered properly before. And who am I bothering, exactly?”  

“Making someone uncomfortable is bothering them.”  

“And what about you, who fabricated an illness for a perfectly healthy person? Do you have a reason I shouldn’t meet Sabrina?”  

“Do you have a reason to take such an interest in her?”  

The tension in the air suddenly thickened, and Sabrina’s pupils began to shake as if an earthquake had struck.  

‘Why is the atmosphere like this all of a sudden…?’  

Though no one raised their voice, the atmosphere was precarious, as if a small spark could ignite a large fire.  

Should I intervene? Or would it be better to stay silent?  

Caught in the middle and fidgeting nervously, Sabrina cautiously spoke up.  

“Well, I…”  

Her voice cracked at the end.  

Both men’s gazes, which had been directed at each other, turned sharply toward Sabrina.  

Clearing her throat, Sabrina continued in a bright voice.  

“I truly don’t mind. I consider it an honor to be invited to dine with you, Your Majesty.”  

The Emperor, looking triumphant, said,  

“See? She doesn’t mind.”  

“This isn’t exactly a comfortable setting. How could she not be nervous when meeting you, Your Majesty?”  

This time, it was Chase’s turn to look smug.  

‘Neither of them is being honest.’  

From Sabrina’s perspective, the relationship between the Emperor and Chase was quite peculiar.  

The Emperor seemed eager to grow closer to his son but didn’t know how. It was clear he was trying to bridge the gap, but…  

As anyone could see, it wasn’t working.  

Chase, on the other hand, was unusually cold toward the Emperor.  

For someone who was so amiable with everyone else, it was strange to see him act so aloof in front of his father.  

‘Even though he doesn’t hate him.’  

Family relationships were truly complicated. Watching the two fumble through their interactions, Sabrina thought so.  

The best course of action for her now seemed to be staying silent and not drawing attention to herself. That way, she wouldn’t have to worry about getting caught in the crossfire.  

But…  

‘When the Emperor passes away, how will Chase remember this moment?’  

The Emperor didn’t have much time left. Although neither the Emperor nor Chase knew this, Sabrina did.  

The opportunity for them to reconcile was running out.  

‘Alright. I should at least try.’  

After carefully gauging the situation, Sabrina spoke up.  

“The reason I said I truly don’t mind is because I understand why you called me here, Your Majesty.”  

The Emperor’s eyes sparkled.  

“Oh?”  

“I understand why you call His Highness so often and why you ask such seemingly trivial questions.”  

“…”  

“It’s affection. A deep care and concern. A desire to see him even one more time, to know even a little more.”  

When Sabrina finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the three of them.  

The Emperor, who had been staring at her, let out a faint smirk.  

“It seems you understand immediately, yet this boy remains clueless.”  

At that moment, Chase’s tightly shut lips parted slightly.  

“I’m not clueless.”  

Chase’s gaze lingered on Sabrina’s face for a moment.  

“Of course, it’s partly because someone kept pestering me about it…”  

“…”  

“But I’ve been showing up because I understand. Even if it means hearing the same things for hours.”  

The Emperor, who had been quietly observing Chase, finally spoke.  

“Then why didn’t you say so? You could’ve told me you were tired of it and wanted to talk about something else. If you had said anything, I would’ve gladly listened.”  

“…”  

“I don’t want to lecture you all the time either. But you’re the one who will inherit my crown. When that time comes, you’ll have many questions. But I won’t be there to answer them.”  

Chase’s expression grew complicated at the Emperor’s words.  

“I can’t stay by your side forever. Do you think I’ll live forever?”  

“Father, please don’t say such things…”  

“You’ve always been an exceptionally kind child, Chase.”  

The Emperor chuckled softly before continuing.  

“You’ve listened to the same story dozens of times and drank countless cups of tea you didn’t even like, just to avoid upsetting me.”  

“…”  

“However, avoiding conflict is not always the answer, Chase. The seat you must take is one where you will constantly have to fight. You must fight for what you desire, for the people you need to protect, and for something better.”  

Chase’s eyes wavered slightly as he looked at his father seated across from him. He bit his lip lightly, as if lost in thought, then released it.  

Seeing his son like this, the Emperor’s smile deepened. Speaking in a rather cheerful tone, he said,  

“That’s why today was quite enjoyable.”  

Chase asked, puzzled,  

“What do you mean?”  

“You didn’t hesitate to confront me. You bristled with thorns, unlike your usual self.”  

Chase furrowed his brows.  

“…Your tastes are truly peculiar.”  

“You’re one to talk.”  

Though their voices carried a hint of grumpiness, the tension at the table had softened. In fact, the atmosphere had become much more relaxed.  

Watching the Emperor and Chase, Sabrina’s lips curved into a faint smile.  

‘This… is working!’  

The wall between the two had disappeared.  

Although they hadn’t suddenly embraced and shared their feelings, this was already significant progress. With the barrier gone, their relationship would surely improve little by little.  

Sabrina, who had been smiling brightly, met Chase’s gaze. When she nodded subtly, as if to say she had done well, the corners of Chase’s lips lifted slightly.  

“…In any case, please refrain from taking further interest in my aide. While you accuse me of being overly considerate of others, Father, you, on the other hand, are far too indifferent.”  

At Chase’s words, the Emperor snorted lightly and responded,  

“Such fuss over nothing. The Lady of Wintlet isn’t some fragile sugar doll that will crumble at a touch… isn’t that right?”  

Suddenly addressed, Sabrina let out an awkward laugh.  

“Haha…”  

Clicking his tongue, the Emperor cast an unimposing glare at Chase.  

“If I call her twice, it’ll cause quite the uproar.”  

Chase nodded shamelessly.  

“Yes, it would.”  

“Hmph.”  

The Emperor’s gaze shifted back to Sabrina.  

“It seems this boy truly cherishes you. I’ve never seen him act this way before.”  

“Haha.”  

The Emperor quietly studied Sabrina’s face as she chuckled softly.  

At first glance, her features seemed faint and unassuming, but upon closer inspection, she was a rare beauty. Her eyes were clear, her nose was sharp…  

His gaze slid slightly to the side.  

As always, his son’s polished, gleaming eyes had been fixed on one spot the entire time.  

Left, right, left, right.  

The Emperor’s golden eyes narrowed slightly as he alternated his gaze between the young man and woman seated across from him.  

‘Could it be…?’  

The Emperor’s lips curled into a subtle smile.