Chapter 8

Emperor Rezion of Catalos was widely praised as a wise and virtuous sovereign, yet few knew the details of his appearance. Unlike other monarchs, he hadn’t commissioned countless portraits to be distributed, nor was his face engraved on the empire’s coinage. Only the imperial crest adorned the currency. It was hardly surprising that someone like Dianne, who sat at the very edge of the noble ranks, hadn’t recognized him at first.

Especially not when he was dressed like a knight or civil officer on holiday, with no attendants in sight.

The real problem was that none of that brought Dianne the slightest comfort now.

“Miss Dianne Ortenza? You are in the presence of His Majesty, the Emperor.”

“Please don’t kneel. The bookshelves are narrow.”

Dianne, halfway to her knees, straightened back to her full height.

The emperor spoke in the same calm tone he had used all along.

“Raise your head, as well. I prefer to speak to someone while looking them in the eye.”

With her lips pressed tightly together, Dianne slowly lifted her gaze.

The ruler of an empire that spanned over half the continent stood there, watching her quietly. Almost as if observing her wide, stunned eyes and trembling lips was the most natural thing in the world.

Dianne was at a loss. She had the absurd urge to say something, anything, to fill the silence. But etiquette forbade her from speaking unless spoken to.

Then, the emperor said gently,

“I seem to have startled you. I apologize. I didn’t intend to deceive you.”

And then he bowed his head. Lightly, respectfully.

Dianne’s eyes darted to Sir Reussen, searching for clarity. He only shrugged, looking perfectly unfazed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for the Emperor to apologize to a governess.

Dianne squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to speak.

“Your Majesty, please, I beg you… don’t speak to me so formally.”

The way he continued to treat her as a lady, even after revealing who he was—the way he bowed to her—it was too much. She couldn’t process it.

The emperor’s brows drew slightly together.

“Are you not a lady, Miss Ortenza?”

“I– well, of course, I am, but…”

Dianne’s thoughts spiraled as she recalled every word she had uttered when she believed he was a librarian.

‘The fact that I have nothing to do. Just eating three meals a day and sitting around wasting space. It’s maddening.’

‘At this rate, if my employer— no, if His Majesty himself decided to punish me, I wouldn’t have any excuse. He’d be right to.’

‘You must have met His Majesty before, haven’t you? Would you say he’s the kind of man who’s forgiving of incompetent servants?’

Dianne hadn’t said anything that would get her dragged away for insulting the imperial family, but they were hardly the words of a graceful, refined lady.

As her face grew hot with shame, the Emperor continued casually,

“And am I not a gentleman?”

“Of course. You are the very model of a gentleman, Your Majesty…”

“A gentleman should, by all rights, speak respectfully to a lady.”

It was the first line in every etiquette book sold within the Catalos Empire: ‘Regardless of rank or class, a gentleman always uses formal address when speaking to a lady.’

In theory, even an Emperor should show deference to a woman of even the humblest noble rank. If no footman was around, he was to open the door and help Dianne down from the carriage himself. Or so the books claimed.

The highest-ranking man who had ever spoken to Dianne with formality was the Count of Ervinzel, Grand Duchess Ellaris’s husband. Not the Emperor. That was entirely different.

Now the Emperor looked… bored.

“Perhaps I should continue pretending to be the librarian when I’m around you.”

Dianne felt her cheeks burn, but she didn’t apologize. She had shown the Emperor all the proper courtesies since learning who he was. If anything, her only real mistake had been mistaking him for someone else in the first place. So why did his words feel like a gentle reprimand?

Sir Reussen, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, carefully,

“Your Majesty, there were no guards outside. Did you come here alone?”

“How many steps is it from my wing to here?”

“The captain of the Imperial Guard and the chief steward must both be tearing their hair out by now.”

“Even you, Reussen? Spare me. I’ve confirmed that Lira isn’t here, so I’ll be going.”

He turned once more to Dianne, who was still frozen in a painfully proper posture.

“<Princess Oliana and Sir Giles> is my sister’s all-time favorite book.”

Only then did Dianne realize, a bit sheepishly, that she was still holding the book.

She could have simply bowed in silence. That would have been proper. Safe. But suddenly, a strange impulse stirred in her. She lifted her chin, looked directly into the Emperor’s forest-green eyes, and asked,

“Do you like it, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor smiled faintly.

“I don’t.”

“…May I ask why?”

“It’s a story about a princess and her bodyguard running away together for love.”

His tone remained as calm and gentle as before, but Dianne didn’t miss the subtle edge behind the words.

He declined Sir Reussen’s offer to escort him back to his imperial quarters and left the library alone.

It felt like a storm had passed through. Dianne’s knees almost gave out as the tension drained from her body. Sir Reussen was quick to step in and steady her.

She hadn’t meant to sound desperate, but the words slipped out in a pleading tone.

“Sir Reussen. Am I going to be dismissed? I haven’t even met the Princess yet.”

“Of course not. His Majesty is a kind man.”

“Kind… you said?”

The word got stuck in her throat. She didn’t even realize how close she was to tears. Sir Reussen looked a little uncomfortable.

“He can be… particular, yes. But I think he’s taken quite a liking to you.”

“He likes me?”

“Yes. He looked more cheerful than he has in quite some time.”

Dianne gave him a doubtful glance. Sir Reussen gave a wry smile but didn’t take back his words.

She rubbed her clammy hands against her skirt, wiping off the nervous sweat. No way she was going to smudge the cover of a book the princess treasured.

“I’ll go to the hunting grounds tomorrow.”

“That’s one of the outermost areas of the palace grounds. It’ll be a long journey.”

“Well, at least the weather’s nice. We might as well just call it a picnic. I’ll ask the kitchen to prepare a lunch basket.”

Now that she’d unintentionally made herself known to the Emperor, Dianne knew she had to find the princess. Otherwise, she’d find out the hard way whether His Majesty really was “forgiving of incompetent servants.”