Chapter 61

Chapter 61

“The Duke is, of course, a good man. I believe he is outstanding both as a superior and as a person. And as for his work… he is always mindful of using his time well.”

I picked the right words inside my head and let them out in the most courteous tone I could manage.

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing difficult for you? No discomfort? In truth, isn’t the Duke a rather exacting man? Doesn’t he act finicky even when working?”

“No, Your Majesty. Neither my life at the Duke’s manor nor my work there has ever been difficult or uncomfortable.”

“Hmph. Nothing but good news—boring.”

The Emperor folded his arms and shook his head as he spoke.

Huh? Wait—was I *supposed* to say something bad about the Duke…?

But the Duke was standing right in front of me. Badmouthing him while he was *right there* seemed like sheer lunacy. And besides, I had no intention whatsoever of doing anything that would earn his displeasure.

“Oh, what fun could this girl possibly offer, Your Majesty? Even if you pry, there’s nothing much to spill.”

The young marquis cut in with a laugh in his voice. I glanced at him sidelong. A deliberate smile was fixed on his face—the kind that cranked sociability up to full throttle.

‘Wait—was the Emperor joking just now?’

I made a snap decision and hurriedly lifted the corners of my lips. And that meant: *Hahaha. Your Majesty, how amusing.* If you asked why I had to do it—well, that’s just how hard social life is.

“Haha. That’s true.”

The Emperor laughed heartily.

“Well, leaving that aside… hmm. Miss Secretary?”

And then he turned straight to me again.

“Laura Highen, Your Majesty.”

“Right. Miss Highen. Are you enjoying the banquet?”

“More than I could wish.”

“Good to hear. Actually, I wanted to keep it small this year, but my son threw a fit insisting we go big. Thanks to him, it ended up grander than I planned.”

“…It seems His Highness the Crown Prince wished for a birthday he would remember.”

“No. I want to be remembered by my new girlfriend. Honestly, this is why raising sons is thankless no matter how hard you try.”

“…….”

Then the Emperor, with an utterly casual air, began dishing out his son’s private life. I had no idea whether I should play along with his words or defend His Highness the Crown Prince. So all I could do was sit there with an awkward smile.

“What kind of work do you do at the ducal house?”

Thankfully, he shifted the topic elsewhere soon enough. Good. This subject was far better. If he’d kept going on about the Crown Prince, I would’ve been the only one caught in an awkward spot.

“Just organizing documents for His Excellency. My abilities are limited, so I can’t handle anything too significant.”

“What are you saying? Organizing is an immensely important task! Raw materials are made useful only through organization.”

“……I’d never thought of it that way. Thank you, Your Majesty, for saying so.”

“But are you not too busy? The Duke handles a mountain of work, so even just sorting it must be a colossal amount.”

Yet the barrage of one-sided questions continued. I found myself recalling what the young marquis had said earlier—that once His Imperial Majesty caught you, he’d drag things out. And now, it seemed I was the one caught.

“Your Majesty, forgive me, but I shall take my leave. I wish to see Prince Jeyshion.”

Just then, the young marquis interjected abruptly. The Emperor’s gaze shifted to him.

“By all means. That child has been eager to see you as well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. And…”

He trailed off, glancing between me and the Duke. He seemed to ponder something for a moment, then, after a brief silence, spoke again.

“……I’ll take this friend along too. It’s been a while since Illiaje has seen Prince Jeyshion, so it would be good for us to go together.”

Ahhh! I wasn’t chosen!

I felt cold sweat prickling on my skin instantly. Good heavens. I was about to be left alone in this awkward situation with the Emperor.

A flicker of resentment toward him began to creep in. But I couldn’t say it was entirely unreasonable. The young marquis couldn’t go alone to the portrait room with the second prince’s help—they needed someone to verify whether Shion was truly among the preselected imperial princesses by matching faces. Someone had to accompany him.

But I happened to be stuck in conversation with the Emperor, unable to leave. So he’d apparently decided to take the Duke instead of me.

“Very well, then. I suppose I’ll enjoy a chat with Miss Hien.”

The Emperor laughed cheerfully and gestured for them to go, waving a hand. At that, the Duke glanced sidelong at me—like he wanted to ask if I’d be all right on my own.

Truth be told, I wasn’t. Even a short conversation with the Emperor was bound to be deeply uncomfortable.

Still, I gave a small nod, signaling him to go. In my heart, I wanted to keep the Duke right here, but learning Shion’s identity was too important to put off.

Besides, talking with the Emperor might be tough, but it wasn’t impossible, was it?

“…I’ll return shortly, Your Majesty.”

Having confirmed my reaction, the Duke spoke slowly. Then they slipped away from their spot, melting into the bustling crowd.

“Now that I think of it, you’re the one who went to Krentis with the Duke, aren’t you?”

And just like that, I was trapped again in the Emperor’s prison of questions. He seemed to be someone who genuinely enjoyed chatting about this and that. In any case, I answered him punctiliously, with utmost courtesy.

“Yes, that’s correct, Your Majesty.”

“Is that so? I’d noticed the Duke seemed to change around that time—perhaps it’s your influence. Ah, I mean that in a good way.”

At those words, my face flushed faintly. The idea that I’d influenced the Duke stirred something oddly ticklish in me. But I bit my lip, acting as if nothing was wrong. I didn’t want to react embarrassedly to every guess he might be making.

“Haha. I enjoy this kind of talk, you see.”

The Emperor laughed again, pleasantly. I had the sinking feeling he might have caught on. That made me even more embarrassed. I let out a small sigh, struggling to cool the heat rising to my scalp.

“Miss Highen. We meet again.”

Right then. Sir Dylan suddenly appeared between us. He flashed a gentle smile at me, then turned his gaze to the Emperor.

“You’re with an impressive companion.”

“So I am. And who might you be?”

The Emperor tilted his head in reply. His voice carried a note of mild displeasure—he didn’t seem keen on this uninvited guest.

“I’m an envoy from Krentis.”

But Sir Dylan paid no mind. He just went ahead and introduced himself. I discreetly gestured at him, trying to signal him to stop, daring not to provoke the Emperor. Maybe he couldn’t see me through my mask, but the man before us was the Emperor of this nation—someone you did not cross lightly.

“Luision seems like a land rich in culture. So much to see—it’s a feast for the eyes.”

Sir Dylan ignored my reaction entirely and pressed on with his speech. The Emperor, his face hidden behind a mask, merely watched him in silence. Unable to read his expression, I dared not guess at his mood.

“Especially inside the Imperial Palace—the garden overflowing with roses is breathtakingly beautiful. Your landscaping skill is truly remarkable. It almost makes me covetous enough to want it transplanted to my own manor.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. I would like to meet the garden designer sometime.”

“……I designed the garden myself. It was a gift for the Empress.”

The Emperor spoke as he removed his mask.

“Her Majesty the Empress must have felt Your Majesty’s profound love.”

Sir Dylan dipped his head at once, observing propriety. He didn’t seem surprised in the slightest, as if he’d already known the man before him was the Emperor.

“You must have something to say to me. Let’s go somewhere quieter than this. Follow me.”

The Emperor gave him a lopsided smile, one corner of his mouth curling up. Then he turned on his heel and looked at me.

“I’m sorry, Miss Highen. We’ll have to talk another time. Tell the Duke and the young Marquis that I stepped out on business.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And so the Emperor vanished from the banquet hall with Sir Dylan in tow. I was left standing alone, finally letting out the tension I’d been holding. The space before me now seemed to ripple with the absence where the Emperor and Sir Dylan had just passed.

‘In a way, Sir Dylan is truly remarkable.’

He’d boldly worn a conspicuous mask, approached the Emperor who claimed to be hiding his identity, and managed to secure a conversation. I didn’t know what he wanted to discuss, but he was a man of clear purpose.

‘Still, at least this got me out of talking His Majesty’s ear off.’

Counting my blessings, I looked around to find the Duke and the young Marquis. But they had already disappeared without a trace. Resigned, I decided to finish the strawberry tart I’d left half-eaten and moved to another spot.

I scooped a slice onto my plate and found a bench tucked into a corner of the banquet hall. Stretching my legs and leaning back, the main hall came into view. Gaudy music filled the air, and I could see a blond boy dancing with a pretty girl.

The other dancers kept their distance, as if deliberately giving the pair room. It made it easy to recognize: that blond boy was the Crown Prince, the birthday boy, and the girl was his sweetheart.