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nIt was getting colder everyday, and the leaves began to turn red. The sun shining in the training field was slowly setting. The gentle breeze blowing over me was quite cool.

n“Thank you.”

n“Nice job, Sir Dillon. Then see you tomorrow. ”

nI let down my sweaty hair while getting out of the training field. While I was walking, enjoying the cool breeze, someone who approached me quickly disturbed my hair. I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.

n“Don’t do it, Carsein.”

n“You’ll let it down to wash it anyway, right? Don’t be too mean!”

n“It’s wet with sweat, you know.”

n“Okay. You’re so edgy today,” said Carsein, who raised his hands over his head, showing surrender.

n“Is it tomorrow when the princesses are arriving? ”

n“Perhaps. Ah, Carsein. Go alone today. I have to stop by the palace to see the emperor as he wants to see me.”

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n“I see. I think he wants to see you because of that. Okay then. See you tomorrow. ”

nNodding lightly, he waved to me then disappeared. I looked at his back for a moment and returned to my office. While taking a shower, I was lost in thought.

n‘Time flies like an arrow!’

nTwo seasons have already passed since his birthday banquet. As soon as I went back home after the party that day, I told my father what happened. I heard lots of things from my father that I hadn’t known. My father told me that as soon as I was born, my life had been constantly threatened after I was designated as the crown prince’s fiancée. Because of this, the emperor made an exception to the imperial law that prohibited the stationing of troops in the capital, allowing the Duke Lars family and mine to maintain private knights in the capital. I was also told that after I got older, the situation got a little better, but when I returned from my father’s estate recently, there was another attempt on my life, so the emperor dispatched royal guards to me temporarily.

nThe emperor cracked down on the number of noble families to strengthen his power because the noble factions prevailed for about three generations before he assumed power. Nevertheless, there were so many rebellious families that he left some of them intact because he could not govern without their help. They were now called the noble faction. Even though the emperor knew their intentions, he couldn’t do anything about them for now. My father said that’s why the emperor could protect me only passively.

n“You’re done, Sir Monique,” said the maid, who checked my uniform.

nAfter thanking her, I headed for the Central Palace.

nSince they found it hard to find the right woman to replace me, the noble factions turned to a foreign country to search for a woman. It has been more than a year since the crown prince came of age, so they strongly raised the issue with the emperor two months ago by criticizing that it was ridiculous for the crown prince not to get married because he had a young fiancee.

nThey argued that since it was impossible to change the already determined fiancee, the crown prince should choose a woman to be his wife. They also argued that if it was difficult to choose the candidate among the noble daughters in the empire, the emperor should invite the princess of each country and select his wife, namely the next empress, during the upcoming festival to celebrate the national founding.

nAccording to imperial law, it was not possible for the crown prince to accept another woman without choosing his wife first. Therefore, the pro-emperor factions might have balked at the noble factions’ proposal, but the emperor who could have instigated them to fight the noble factions unexpectedly remained silent.

nIn addition, Duke Lars, Duke Verita, who were called the emperor’s close aides, and my father, the largest stakeholder in the empire, did not object.

nAccordingly, invitations were sent out to the princesses of neighboring countries quickly, and finally, those chosen as the candidates would arrive in the capital tomorrow on the occasion of the festival to celebrate the national founding one month later.

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

n“… It’s been a long time. Are you here to see the emperor?”

n“That’s right.”

n“Good. Then come on in. ”

nI noticed his voice was subdued, which was unusual, and his face was gloomy. Obviously, he felt under the weather. When I hesitated a bit, he turned and started walking toward the exit. Looking at him a bit, I entered the meeting room with a sigh.

nThe emperor, who I hadn’t seen in two months, was a bit tired. Is it because he was stressed out because the noble factions began to attack him more severely these days? It seemed that he had more gray hair than he had a few months ago. However, his discerning judgement as well as his overwhelming authority were as strong as before. He was truly the ruler of the empire.

n“Oh, how are you doing these days?”

n“I am doing well. All thanks to you, Your Majesty. How are you doing, Your Majesty?”

n“I’m doing fine. Hmm, let me get down to the point. You know that several foreign princesses are coming tomorrow. ”

n“Yes, Your Majesty.”

nWhen I nodded my head, he said with a bright smile, “You are very happy now, right?”

n“… Your Majesty.”

n“Well, if one of them is chosen, she will come here in the name of a concubine, but once she gets the title, she will try to aim at the queen’s status.”

n“…”

n“It has been almost six months since you joined the knights division. Now that everyone knows that you will succeed the Monique family, I think they are coming here, assuming that the crown prince is looking for his fiancee.”

nThat was true. The moment I entered the knights division, there were some who questioned what would happen to my engagement to the crown prince, and their suspicion began to grow rapidly because the two dukes and my father, regarded as the emperor’s closest aides, remained silent on the invitation of the foreign princesses. The noble women and young ladies were very curious about the possible breakup of my engagement, but nobody dared to ask me directly as I was very powerful in social circles.

n“By the way, do you think that can happen as you wish?”

n“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

n“I trust my son,” he said confidently.

n“Years ago I told you I raised my child wrong. I thought my son was really immature, but he has grown up. Given that he is behaving these days, I don’t think he can let go of a precious gem like you so easily.”

n“Your Majesty.”

n“If my son is foolish enough to lose you, I will not hold you anymore, but I trust my son’s discerning eye.”

nI was puzzled. Did he really trust him? Then, why is he always so strict with his son?

nSuddenly, his expression that I saw right before I came into this room occurred to me.

nCome to think of it, he was always in a bad mood before or after meeting his father.

nI understood him. It’s because his father didn’t always like him.

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n“Um. You seem to be curious. Is there anything you want to ask me? ”

n“Oh yes, Your Majesty. Well… ”

n“Please ask comfortably. You are fully qualified to ask.”

n“I am honored to ask, Your Majesty. So… if you trust him so much, why are you always strict on him?”

nBefore I heard him talking to me occasionally, I thought like others that he didn’t like his son because his son was lacking too much. As if he was surprised at my unexpected question, the emperor smiled bitterly and said, “Who else can be strict to him?”

n“… ”

n“He grew up without being loved by his mother. He felt better for some time thanks to your mother’s caring… your mother also quickly died.”

nHe mentioned my mother, but it was not time for me to ask about it. So I just listened silently.

n“Why don’t I want to give love to my son who doesn’t know what love is? If I had been a commoner, not a noble, I would have loved him a lot. As you know, Rube is not an ordinary child. He is supposed to rule the empire after me. I had to scold rather than soothe him when he played the baby and reprimand rather than forgive him when he did wrong. Even when I praised him, I had to scold him for fear he might be lazy.”

n“… Your Majesty.”

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