I saw his navy blue eyes getting wet with tears. Although he was the man I trusted more than anybody else, I wanted his reassurances because he had a soft spot for one person, who was none other than his daughter, Aristia, that lovely woman with silver hair resembling his, and her golden eyes resembling her late mother’s.

For some reason that I didn’t know exactly, she was very reluctant to be Rube’s spouse. If she was concerned about the end of the Monique family because of her marriage to him, it could be arranged for her baby with silver hair to be adopted as the Monique family’s foster son to succeed the family.

Marquis Monique valued her so much as if she was his life. I could understand his feelings because she was the only child his wife, Jeremiah, left behind.

So, I was anxious all the time because I could not figure out how he would react if I forcibly had her marry my son. As his family was connected with the imperial palace through the oath of blood, he could never do anything disloyal to the imperial family. But it would be a big loss to the empire if I lost him.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will help him. ”

I felt relieved a bit when I saw him vowing with a heavy voice, for he kept his promise without any failure.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I felt I could leave now without any worry about my son and the empire. As someone with absolute loyalty to the imperial family, he would be a great help to Rublis who would find it very difficult to deal with big and small national affairs.

“Lady Monique, I’m so glad to see you here.”

I called her, who resembled her late mother who I loved. Except for the color of her hair, she exactly looked like her mother in terms of her golden eyes, smiling and slender figure.

Wallowing in nostalgia, I looked into her eyes, who was looking at me with tearful eyes. How deeply I was touched after discovering that I found her eyes resembled her mother when she, wrapped in a baby blanket, opened her eyes for the first time.

I could vividly remember her toddling toward me, reaching out her little hands. Thinking that if her late mother could have my baby, the baby would do the same to me, I doted on her with deep love that I should have expressed to Rublis. At least, I loved her that much until she received her middle name through God’s prophecy.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m really sorry …”

I was sorry for her, whose eyes were welled with tears. Although she told me she would be the successor of her family, she was too weak to compete and survive in the turbulent world of politics. She would need to deal with the difficult situation with whatever she learned until now, but she would certainly get hurt in the process.

She was accustomed to supporting behind the scenes rather than taking the initiative to do something. I could confirm it when she offered comfort instead of the specific measures when I mentioned the damages of drought. I thought that the role of the empress as Rube’s wife would be more suitable for her than the successor of her family.

“… I wish I could survive until I resolve this matter, but I’m afraid I can’t. I am so sorry.”

I felt heartbroken, seeing her shedding tears, after all.

She was trained as the best candidate for the empress because she was trained rigorously since she was young. She was so smart that she didn’t need any further training after she turned ten.

At first, I held her because all those years spent training her as the empress were too precious. I could not let go of her again because I was concerned about her right to succeed the throne, and lastly, I could not give her up because Rublise loved her so much. Nonetheless, I didn’t feel good because I didn’t offer her any promising future. I was happy and sorry when she whispered into my ears that she regarded me as someone like her father.

I was about to tell her that she could go, but I stopped because I was so heartbroken about her confession that she took me like her father despite my refusal to free her, and about my son who became lovesick because of her. If they could get married and be happy, I could not ask for more, but if they couldn’t, I wanted her to be Rublis’s friend, so she could comfort him when needed.

“Finally, let me give you a small gift for you. I hope it can help protect you.”

I said my last greetings to them who kept looking back at me.

‘Sorry to give you such a big burden, Marquis. In return for sending the woman I loved to you, I’ve taken you hostage for the imperial family all your life. But I didn’t keep either of you well. I’ve nothing to say to you, Marquis. It’s me who asked you to hand over your daughter to me when I didn’t do anything for you. Sorry, Lady Monique. Please forgive me for leaving words that might be another shackle on your life, while I can’t give you my last gift with pure intention.”

After I murmured to them, I told the Lord Chamberlain, “Next, let in Duke Jena and his successor only.”

“Pardon? But, that’s against imperial customs…”

“Are you going to disobey my last order?”

“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”

“Then, go and tell him. If he makes any fuss over this, tell him I won’t meet him.”

Barely breathing out, I uttered with difficulty. I felt the time allowed for my survival was gradually running out.

When the duke heard my message, he would resent me once again and Lady Jena would fume.

A woman with dark hair who suddenly appeared in the Imperial Palace one day. That woman, who the noble faction thought the world of and the temple supported as the child of God’s prophecy, was inferior to Lady Monique, but fully qualified to be the empress. There was no evidence that she was educated systematically, but it could be easily corrected with proper education. She was good in terms of boldness, social interaction skills, and ability to judge the situation.

However, Lady Jena should not be allowed to be Rublis’ wife under any circumstances. On the day when she revealed her plan for the first time at the big conference, I saw various turbulent emotions in her black eyes. There was deep hatred and obsession in her eyes looking at him.

I couldn’t figure out why she, who had never met him before, had such feelings, but she was too dangerous for him. I couldn’t even imagine what would happen to him if my son took her as his wife. I would not allow her to be his wife even if she was adopted as a pro-emperor member’s foster daughter. As she was adopted as Duke Jena’s daughter, the leader of the noble faction, I could not even think of her as his possible spouse.

Fortunately, Rube had a crush on Monique, not caring about Lady Jena. He didn’t succumb to her seduction despite her enormous efforts.

“I’m honored to see you, the Sun of the empire.”

“Duke Jena.”

“Please go ahead.’

“I’m always grateful to you.”

I breathed roughly as I was gasping for breath. When I saw his eyes full of greed, I felt bitter.

The Jena family was a prestigious family that produced the first empress. At that time, they obviously shared the same political vision with the first emperor. I didn’t know why they became estranged from the imperial family.

Although I exterminated the families of the Kaisil, Heidel, and Laurel, I could not get rid of all the other duke families so I made an exception to the Duke family. I saved the Duke Jena family, given that Monique’s mother was from that family. But the duke’s behavior these days was going too far. I felt bitter because I was afraid that my son might inevitably have blood on his hands.

“I hope you will think again about what is the best for the empire and the people. Otherwise, not only your family, the apple of your eye, but also your power would be at stake. Besides, the empire might go through another political turmoil. So, I hope you can change your course even now, Duke Jena. When I think of the Earl Lanier case, it seems too late for you, but you still have the chance to stop it.”