“Well, as the 54th head of the Monique family in the future, I, Aristia Pioneer la Monique…”

“Are you really…”

“I would like to fulfill my long-standing covenant with the imperial family.”

“… Don’t do that. I won’t listen. ”

I saw his face harden, his navy blue eyes tremble and his hands holding the ceremonial sword turning white. His voice, which was always calm, was trembling.

I knelt slowly, turning away from him who called me in a hurry. Lifting the hem of his blue cloak and kissing it lightly, I moved my frozen tongue and finished the oath of blood, a firm covenant between the imperial family and the Monique family for generations.

“The blood flowing in my body…”

“You…”

When I uttered the first word of the covenant, I heard people groaning here and there.

I hid my expression by bowing deeply to him. I suddenly recalled his face that I looked up at for the last time before my return. I remembered how sad I felt at his cold eyes. I also remembered my final desperate vow that I would never love him if I was born again.

“With my heart beating in my body…”

“… Stop it. I won’t listen. ”

I also recalled my firm determination after my return.

I found the solution after a few days of agonizing about the middle name that I received through God’s prophecy. It was the oath of blood of the Monique family.

Instead of making a wish for the breakup of my engagement with him, I promised to devote my whole life. I thought that the succession of the throne would not be a problem because I would not be able to reject my bondage with the royal family in that case.

So, I practiced fencing very hard, gnashing my teeth to be qualified to swear. And now I finally earned the qualifications that I wanted so much.

“Swearing on my life and heart…”

“Aristia.”

I couldn’t condemn him, who knew nothing. I just thought of avoiding him because I couldn’t risk the lives of those precious to me.

However, he was knocking on the door of my heart that had been closed to him a long time ago. But the latch that I thought I’d never open was getting loose at some point.

“I give you my whole life…”

“Stop it, please!”

Suddenly, my frozen heart was melting little by little. His lonely figure that I saw occasionally, his navy blue eyes that longed for me desperately, the opening of his closed mindedness little by little and his repeated reaching out as well as his kind considerations began to sway my mind.

Suddenly I often found myself assuming my future with him unconsciously, then stopped thinking, stunned.

“Please grant my wish.”

“Oh my…”

I didn’t want to know how he felt. I never wanted to know how much discomfort I felt when I saw him with Jiun, and why my heart was beating hard when I rode the horse with him after receiving the Orgel. For I could not love him, and I vowed that I would not love anybody else.

“My lord…”

“… ”

Now I had to pull myself together again. Haven’t I got what I have been looking for for six long years? So, for him and for me, this was the best way. Now there was no reason for me to play into the hands of the noble faction or agonize while imagining my dark future.

I didn’t have to feel offended for the emotional rewards that I wouldn’t get back, or feel pressured by both factions.

I slowly raised my head and looked at him.

While dissuading me from making the oath of blood, forgetting about the gaze of the stunned people around him, he looked down at me with a cold look. I could see a burning anger in his cold eyes.

“… So, what is your wish? ”

After keeping silent for a while, he finally spat it out. His voice was not as cold as usual, and it didn’t sink as low as when he felt out of sort.

With his arms folded as if he wanted to hear me, he pressed, looking down at me with chilly eyes.

“Tell me what your cherished wish is.”

“My wish…”

“… ”

“My wish is to be recorded as a woman who lived and died as the fifty-fourth head of the Monique family in history.

“Oh my…”

As if he was dumbfounded, he sighed deeply, shaking his head roughly.

When he appeared confused and irrational, people around him whispered more and more.

Obviously, they were surprised by his unusual reaction, who was always calm in official events. I felt he seemed already agitated when I began the oath of blood.

“That’s a simple and plain wish.”

“… ”

“All I can do is to reassure you that you won’t be entangled with me, right? Wow, what a lucrative business it is that I can win the absolute loyalty of the Monique family during your generation! Besides, the issue of succession to the throne will be solved clearly. Any wise emperor would accept this oath. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes… Your Majesty. ”

His weary voice, which sounded more boring because of his loose attitude, was sinking low.

He coldly declared when I barely answered, “I won’t accept your oath.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Although there is not a single precedent in which the imperial family has never accepted it, the oath of blood requires mutual agreement. So, I will not accept your oath. ”

At that moment, I could not believe my ears.

What did he just say?

Since the Monique royal family pledged under the power of magic to the first emperor to preserve the royal family and the country, no emperor has ever refused the pledge of the Monique family in the imperial history of nearly a thousand years, for they could gain our family’s absolute loyalty when they fulfilled just one wish of our family.

But he recklessly threw away the oath through which he could have total control of our family.

“The oath of blood? What a joke! I won’t accept that kind oath. I will never agree to it. I will reject it under my name. ”

“Your Majesty…”

Then he turned quickly and walked out of the place with big strides. The royal knights, who were nervously looking at him, hurriedly followed him. As he was so upset, nobody dared to come out and stop him.

In a mysterious silence beyond expression, I stared blankly at him disappearing. My head was messed up because of his unexpected actions.

What should I do now? I was preoccupied with that thought.

The winter hasn’t come yet, but I felt as if my hands got frozen in the bitter breeze.

“… Ah.”

“… ”

“Tia.”

“…Daddy.”

How much time passed? I came to my senses when somebody shook my shoulder violently.

As I slowly blinked, I saw a silver-haired knight dressed in a dark blue uniform. Although he pretended to look casual, there were complex feelings such as embarrassment, anxiety, and relief in his dark blue eyes.

Only then could I notice what’s going on around me. They gathered in small groups of two and three, watching us carefully while whispering among themselves.

Conscious of them, my father whispered, “I need to cope with the situation here. So, go to the captain’s office first. I need to talk to you.”

“… ”

“Why won’t you answer?”

“…Yes, Daddy.”

“Hmm. Let me give you a precaution. Don’t ever think of seeing the emperor again. I’ll talk to you a little later. ”

After getting my reassurances, he headed to the place where the captains of the knights divisions gathered. Shortly afterwards, there was an order for everybody to go back to their assigned knights.

When I thought the ceremony was ruined because of me, I felt so sorry. So I hurried out of the training place where the ceremony was held.

While walking toward the building of the 2nd Knights Division in confusion, I suddenly stopped.

Am I going back to square one if I can’t solve the problem?

After hesitating for a moment, I turned back to the Central Palace. Although my father strongly told me not to see him, it would be more difficult if I didn’t persuade the emperor.

As soon as I entered the Central Palace, I asked the passing servant about the emperor’s whereabouts, but he said he didn’t know. I felt strange, but I headed for his office.

I saw the chamberlain, who served him since he was the crown prince, standing in front of the luxurious door.

“It ‘s been a long time. Is His Majesty in?”

“It’s been a while, Lady Monique. His Excellency didn’t come back after he went to the knights inauguration ceremony…”

“Oh, I see. Thanks.” I sighed. Where did he go if he didn’t come here?