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Chapter 111

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“Her Majesty the Empress enters!”

At the booming voice of the attendant, the doors to the banquet hall swung open.

Click, clack.

The Empress slowly stepped into the hall. Her hair was elegantly pinned up, and she was adorned in the most resplendent dress and jewelry. She accepted the gazes fixed upon her as her natural due, a faint smile playing at her lips.

As the nobles offered their respects to the Empress, Emilia quietly took in the sight of her for the first time.

She resembles the Prince.

Though her smile was gentle, it sent an uncanny chill through those who beheld it.

The Empress made her way to the main seat, swept her gaze across the assembly, and paused at one spot.

Where Emilia stood.

The Empress curved her lips upward, like a hunter who had spotted its prey.

Emilia's brow furrowed unbidden at that moment—

But the Empress quickly averted her gaze and addressed the crowd.

“I thank you all for gracing this ball commemorating the Empire’s sacred day. May tonight bring you nothing but joy. Now, let us all enjoy the festivities to our hearts’ content.”

Her brief address ended, and the ballroom, which had fallen momentarily still, burst back to life with energy.

Emilia, accompanied by Kaiden, followed the attendant’s guidance and stood before the Empress. As this was the Founding Day ball, it was customary for the high-ranking nobles to pay their respects in order of precedence.

Recalling the etiquette she had learned from the Countess, Emilia bowed gracefully.

“Emilia Balen. I am honored to meet Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Yes.”

At the Empress’s word, Emilia raised her head.

The Empress wore a benevolent expression—gone was the sharp glint that had been in her eyes when their gazes met moments ago.

“Duchess. At last we meet.”

The Empress greeted Emilia in a warm tone.

“The Duke had kept you so tightly hidden that I thought I might never see your face in my lifetime.”

Then, in an instant, the Empress’s eyes shifted meaningfully.

“That said, I hear that our Duchess has a rather… unusual background.”

At those words, Emilia’s fingertips tensed.

She had half-feared that the Empress might bring up her past right here in public.

Of course, I’ve prepared for that as well.

“Oh my, there’s no need to be so tense.”

But contrary to Emilia’s expectations, the Empress only offered a subtle smile.

“It was a marriage born of my nephew’s love—what does one’s origin truly matter?”

Yet Emilia could not take those words at face value. After all, this was the same Empress who had tracked down even Sedrik to dig into her past.

Still, Emilia obediently bowed her head.

“I am grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness.”

“Yes. However—”

The Empress nodded with a gentle expression, then drew out her words.

“There is one small favor I would like to ask of you, Duchess.”

At that, Kaiden interjected in a low voice.

“Your Majesty.”

“Oh my, Duke.”

The Empress put on an exaggeratedly surprised look.

“Do not be so wary. It is but a trivial request, born of my affection for my nephew.”

Kaiden’s gaze cooled sharply. In response, the Empress deliberately glanced around—as if to remind him of the surrounding nobles’ attention.

Then, with a hint of feigned hurt, she continued.

“Surely you don’t think I would cause trouble for the Duchess? I merely wished to ask her to always cherish and love you, Duke.”

“….”

The Empress looked at Emilia and spoke with a concerned air.

“These days, I hear many young nobles use freedom as an excuse for indulgence—but you know that our Duke Valen is not that sort of man, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know that well.”

“Good. So I hope you, too, will treat him accordingly.”

What on earth is she plotting?

Emilia could not decipher the Empress’s intent at all. Yet it was not as if she could refuse such an ordinary request.

So Emilia slowly opened her mouth to answer.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At her reply, the Empress’s smile deepened. Then she raised her voice slightly and asked:

“Can you promise me that, on your honor?”

Again, it was a question that left her no choice but to say yes.

“…Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Hearing such conviction from the Duchess puts my mind greatly at ease.”

The Empress smiled with satisfaction.

“It seems I have kept you too long with my unnecessary worries. Now, go and enjoy tonight’s ball.”

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Watching the other nobles step forward to greet the Empress, Emilia murmured quietly.

“Just now… what was that all about?”

She could not grasp why the Empress had gone out of her way, before all those people, to extract a promise that she would cherish Kaiden.

After all, from the Empress’s standpoint, it would be far more advantageous if they divorced.

Surely she hasn’t decided to just leave Ivan alone.

Perhaps she judged that it served her interests better for Emilia—a commoner by birth—to remain in the position of Duchess. That way, at least Kaiden could not strengthen his power by marrying into another influential house.

“…..”

Kaiden, too, was frowning at the Empress’s baffling actions. He could not understand why she would do something that seemed to benefit him.

Just then—

A commotion arose near the entrance of the ballroom.

“Aren’t those the clergy from the Holy Kingdom of Hifree?”

“I heard even the Cardinal himself has come for this year’s Founding Day.”

Emilia’s gaze immediately turned toward the entrance.

Unlike the Empire’s nobles in their splendid tailcoats, the newly arrived group wore pure white clerical robes.

They were the delegation from the Holy Kingdom of Hifree, visiting to celebrate the Empire’s 500th founding anniversary.

Emilia looked at the man standing at the forefront and asked.

“Is that him?”

With silver hair and clear silver-gray eyes, the man was a strikingly handsome youth.

“Yes, that’s him.”

Kaiden nodded.

Cardinal Dominik of the Holy Kingdom of Hifree.

And before long, the one who would secretly take Ivan to the Holy Kingdom.

“Let’s go.”

Kaiden, who had promised to introduce him, led Emilia forward.

As the two approached, Dominik—who had been surrounded by people—turned his head. A gentle smile spread across his face.

“Your Grace the Duke. It has been a long time.”

Kaiden returned the greeting with proper courtesy.

“I heard you were elevated to Cardinal. Congratulations.”

Dominik laughed modestly and scratched his cheek.

“Thank you. Being congratulated by Your Grace makes me a little shy—it brings back rather old memories.”

“Is that so.”

Kaiden let out a soft chuckle.

“Will you be returning to the Holy Kingdom right after the Founding Day festivities?”

“No.”

Dominik shook his head.

“Since I’m back in the Empire after so long, I plan to stay a while and take things at a leisurely pace.”

To all outward appearances, the two seemed like old friends reuniting after years apart. But Emilia knew that they had been in contact multiple times behind the scenes.

She listened to their exchange and quietly studied Dominik.

With his naturally warm smile and gentle demeanor, he seemed, at a glance, like a remarkably kind-hearted person.

Yet Emilia kept her eyes sharp as she scrutinized him relentlessly.

She could not let her guard down simply because he looked kind.

Just then—

Dominik’s gaze naturally drifted toward Emilia.

“…!”

For an instant, his eyes met hers—and they trembled faintly.

Why…?

Something about his startled reaction made Emilia blink in confusion.

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