Chapter 113

“Think about it. From the very beginning, His Majesty showed favoritism toward Sabrina Wintlet. She was always by his side, even in meetings with the late Emperor. Surely you haven’t forgotten that?”

“How could I forget?”

Henry chuckled heartily and patted Joel on the arm.

“But let’s be honest here, Joel. That wasn’t because of favoritism.”

“…What?”

“Come on, we’re all friends here. Let’s be real. Following His Majesty around everywhere was exhausting, so we just dumped the job on her, didn’t we?”

Joel stammered, unable to respond, as Henry continued speaking.

“And wasn’t it natural for her to be favored? After all, she scored first in the entrance exam, excelled at every task she took on…”

“Well, that’s…”

“Her work ethic was flawless too. She arrived earlier than anyone else, stayed later, and took on all the unpleasant tasks. Watching her sometimes, it was almost awe-inspiring.”

Henry’s lips curled into a faint smile. Joel’s eyebrows twitched in irritation.

‘What is wrong with this guy? He used to doze off all the time and throw out nonsensical suggestions like going out for drinks. I heard he was transferred to a less prominent position—so why is he now siding with her?’

What Joel didn’t understand was this: Henry, who might have seemed incompetent, had earned Chase’s favor precisely because of his skilled rhetoric and political acumen. When Henry decided to steer the conversation in a certain direction, resisting him was no easy feat.

Joel, flustered, waved his hands as he tried to defend himself.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I was just questioning how Sabrina was selected in the first place…”

“If you’re implying there was some irregularity in the aide selection process, shouldn’t you formally bring it up with His Majesty instead of gossiping here? Isn’t that the proper course of action?”

Henry’s words made the nobles around them nod in agreement. They began murmuring quietly among themselves.

“Well, he’s got a point. Claiming there were issues with the aide selection process is essentially challenging His Majesty, isn’t it?”

“Shh, lower your voice. What if this backfires on us?”

Hearing the whispers around him, Henry laughed inwardly. He locked eyes with Joel and thought to himself:

‘What a fool. How did someone so oblivious to social cues even become an Imperial Aide in the first place?’

What did it mean that the Emperor and Sabrina were now lovers? It meant that Sabrina Wintlet—or rather, Sabrina Salem—would soon have her surname changed once again.

Of course, love between young men and women wasn’t something guaranteed to last. Love could be as fleeting as a spring breeze, as evidenced by the Emperor’s past affair with the Duchess of Evenheim, which had fizzled out over time.

But the relationship between the Emperor and Sabrina was different.

Before they became lovers, they had already formed a solid partnership. They had faced countless crises together, building a bond akin to camaraderie forged in the heat of battle.

‘Those two are bound to marry.’

At a time when a monumental change that would shake the Empire was on the horizon, what was the wisest course of action?

‘Aligning oneself with the right side, of course.’

Henry cleared his throat. He spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“Well, I suppose you wouldn’t dare face His Majesty yourself. Even I, with my thick skin, would hesitate to do so after such an incident. Don’t you think?”

“Henry, that’s not—”

“Now that I think about it, I’m curious. Did you ever apologize to Sabrina? You completely plagiarized the speech she worked so hard on, even staying late into the night to write it…”

Henry’s words caused a stir among the crowd. A long-forgotten rumor began to resurface, gaining traction once again.

Henry, noticing the unexpected shift in atmosphere, patted Joel’s frozen shoulder amicably. Laughing heartily, he said:

“Let’s leave boring old stories in the past. Anyone can make a mistake once. What matters is apologizing sincerely and not repeating the same error.”

Henry smiled broadly as he glanced at the people gathered around.

“Sabrina is a generous and kind person. I’m sure she’s already forgotten about it and forgiven you.”

***

“Time really flies. So, this finalizes the list of candidates for the final interview, right?”

Sabrina, seated next to Chase, tapped the thick stack of papers in her hands as she spoke. Darkness had already fallen outside the office window.

“This year’s gender ratio is nearly even. It’s refreshing to see.”

Chase responded with a lighthearted tone, his voice tinged with amusement.

“That’s entirely thanks to your efforts. You should feel proud.”

“True.”

Sabrina smiled warmly as she looked at the stack of applications in her hand.

“I never realized how fulfilling it could be to become someone’s dream.”

She placed the neatly organized documents on the desk and said:

“Still, it’s hard to believe it’s already time for new recruits again. It feels like just yesterday I was interviewing Elena.”

“Indeed.”

Chase slid the documents Sabrina had set down toward himself. As he searched his inner pocket for a pen, he continued speaking.

“To me, it still feels like yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

“The day I first met you at the interview.”

A soft smile appeared on Chase’s lips as he recalled the young and fresh-faced Sabrina from that time. He turned his head to meet her gaze and rested his chin on his hand, studying her face intently.

“Do you think you’ve changed much since then?”

The once hastily tied-up hair had transformed into an elegant updo. The dresses that had seemed chosen solely for practicality were now made of much finer materials. Her once chubby, squirrel-like cheeks had slimmed down slightly, and the tension that had kept her shoulders rigid had eased considerably.

Sabrina met Chase’s gaze with a familiar smile.

“Answer me. Have I stayed the same, or have I changed a lot?”

“Well…”

Chase tilted his head slightly and replied.

“You’re still as sharp, capable, and refreshing as ever. Just as dazzlingly beautiful as you were back then, in my eyes.”

“So, in your eyes, Your Majesty, I’m the same as I was back then?”

Sabrina’s words made Chase chuckle softly as he responded:

“But you’ve also changed a lot. Both you and I are quite different from who we were back then.”

Chase extended his hand toward Sabrina. She firmly clasped it, answering him:

“We’ve changed a lot. I never imagined I’d grow so accustomed to holding your hand, Your Majesty.”

“It’s a good change.”

“It is a good change.”

The two of them smiled at each other. Chase spoke.

“Seeing you as you are now, and watching you grow and change over time—both are so wonderful that I can’t choose which I like more.”

Though Chase’s voice was calm, every word he spoke was filled with unembellished sincerity. Sabrina silently gazed at his face.

Looking down at their clasped hands, Chase continued speaking in a composed tone.

“We’ll keep changing as time goes on, Sabrina.”

“……”  

“I’m not afraid of that. Nor am I worried.”  

Chase’s gaze slowly shifted from their tightly clasped hands to Sabrina’s blue eyes. His golden eyes shone brilliantly, like the midday sun.  

“Because you’re the one who always leads me toward something better.”  

“……”  

“You are my best friend, my mentor, my supporter, and…”  

Looking directly into Sabrina’s eyes, Chase continued,  

“…the person I love most in this world.”  

“Your Majesty.”  

“And now, I want to desire even more.”  

Sabrina’s grip on Chase’s hand tightened slightly. A strange sense of anticipation caused her heart to beat faster and faster.  

“I want to be your home and your family.”  

“……!”  

“To walk side by side, holding your hand like this.”  

Chase gently brushed his thumb over the fourth finger of Sabrina’s hand as he spoke.  

“And to grow old together with you for the rest of our lives.”  

It was then.  

Something glimmered brightly in Sabrina’s lowered line of sight.  

“Sabrina, will you marry me?”  

Sabrina stared blankly at the diamond ring held in Chase’s hand. The jewel sparkled radiantly in the light, so breathtakingly beautiful it felt almost unreal.  

After a moment, her gaze shifted back to the man holding the ring.  

Chase’s golden eyes flickered, as if they were candles wavering in the wind. Sabrina silently looked into his eyes without answering.  

“……”  

As the silence stretched, Chase’s Adam’s apple moved up and down noticeably. A faint, uneven breath escaped through his slightly parted lips.  

Watching the nervous Chase, Sabrina suddenly let out a small laugh.  

‘Even though you already know what my answer will be.’  

Chase’s eyes widened slightly at Sabrina’s unexpected laughter.  

‘Well, I suppose I’m the same.’  

Sabrina’s thoughts drifted back to a conversation she had a few days ago.