Chapter 37

Rezion’s brow furrowed.

“Her?”

“That woman you instated in Oakhall Palace. My so-called ‘governess’.”

There were several issues with that statement. Rezion chose to address the most important one first.

“That’s no way to refer to a lady, Lira. It’s incredibly disrespectful.”

Elphenlira didn’t bother to hide her disdain. Rezion tried not to lose his temper.

“And why would I be dancing with Miss Ortenza at the Founding Day banquet?”

Elphenlira’s reply was blunt and merciless.

“Because you like her, don’t you?”

Rezion was momentarily speechless. Countess Ornin’s eyebrows shot so high they might’ve left her face.

The headache was now joined by dizziness. Rezion shook his head in disbelief.

“What utter nonsense is that?”

“Why deny it? It’s not a crime to like someone. She’s fairly pretty, after all.”

“I’ll say this again. Your tone is inappropriate.”

Elphenlira scoffed. “If you didn’t like her, would you be reacting this strongly?”

Rezion realized at last that Elphenlira was provoking him. He gave up on trying to argue with her and simply shut his mouth.

But Elphenlira had no intention of dropping the subject. Her green eyes, so much like his, glinted sharply as she added, her voice dripping with spite,

“Of course, Your Majesty is a rational man. You’d never be swayed by something as trivial as fondness or affection, would you?”

“…”

“An emperor and a governess? The difference in status is far too great, isn’t it? You’re the one who said a princess and a knight were absurd in the first place.”

Having said everything she meant to, Elphenlira closed her mouth again and stared into nothing. Rezion watched her in weary silence.

He hadn’t expected them to return to the way things were before. Not so quickly, nor so easily. He knew he should be content simply seeing her stop wandering the palace and finally appear at crucial imperial events. But seeing her treat him with this kind of cold hostility still hurt every time.

He suppressed his irritation and his sadness and sank deeper against the backrest of his seat.

‘I have absolutely zero intentions of starting anything with Miss Ortenza.’

As Elphenlira said, it would be absurd.

Only one thing bothered him. At some point during the siblings’ sharp exchange, Countess Ornin had begun watching him quietly. Studying him. Before he could ask her why, she lowered her gaze with perfect poise, as if nothing had happened.

Unsettled, Rezion closed his eyes.

* * *

“His Imperial Majesty Rezion Catalos e Catalos, Emperor and Sun of the Great Catalos Empire, and Her Imperial Highness Princess Elphenlira Catalos e Catalos!”

With the herald’s thunderous announcement, the doors to the grand hall of Spruce Palace swung open. Rezion offered Elphenlira his arm, and she took it, practically flinging her own into his. Even through his gloves, Rezion could feel how cold her hand was.

Every noble filling the hall was already on their knees. A solemn silence filled the vast space.

Elphenlira gathered her skirts with her free hand and began walking. Her steps were pointedly fast—too fast for proper decorum—but Rezion quietly matched her pace, saying nothing.

No one lifted their heads until Rezion and Elphenlira had taken their seats of honor prepared in the grand ballroom.

Only when Elphenlira was seated safely in her chair did Rezion speak.

“You may rise.”

At the emperor’s command, a brief commotion swept through the room. The noblewomen, burdened by their cumbersome gowns, took time to get to their feet, aided by their partners.

In the midst of this, Rezion spotted Dianne Ortenza with little effort.

She was wearing the gown Adelasia had chosen, and the first thing Rezion noticed was how uncomfortable she looked in it.

Part of it was the dress itself. Like the other ladies, Dianne wrestled with her voluminous skirts as she tried to rise. Unable to stand by and watch her struggle, Marek took her arm and helped her to her feet.

Adelasia had selected the most extravagant design among those sketched by Elphenlira’s court seamstress. Rezion had taken note of a simpler dress. one that would have allowed more movement, but when he’d been told it wasn’t in fashion, he hadn’t pressed the issue.

At least the jewelry had passed Adelasia’s merciless judgment. Rezion had chosen each piece himself, intending them for Dianne.

‘…The gown I picked would have been better’, he thought.

But the problem wasn’t just the gown. Her movements were stiff, her expression locked in tight restraint. She didn’t look anything like the lively, unguarded young woman he had always seen.

Dressed and adorned from head to toe, Dianne was beautiful, no doubt. And yet, Rezion found himself thinking that the simply dressed woman who had flitted through the gardens of the Ervinzel residence had been far more breathtaking than the noblewoman before him.

‘And what is she doing clinging to him like that?’

Rezion’s gaze narrowed. He had chosen Marek Reussen as her escort without a second thought, when Ellaris mentioned she needed a respectable young man by her side. But now, seeing Dianne clutching Marek’s arm like it was a lifeline, something in his chest shifted. It was subtle, but unpleasant.

‘Isn’t that a little too close? They’re both unmarried.’

This was the same Dianne who had been reluctant even to take a night walk under the stars with him. And yet here she was, in full view of the court, standing so close to another man. Did she not realize how easily rumors could start?

He was still deciding how, if, to pull the two aside for a quiet warning when a scoff came from beside him.

“Can’t take your eyes off her, can you?”

Elphenlira’s voice was low, dry. Rezion didn’t bother responding. Whatever she thought the reason was, the truth was undeniable. He had been watching Dianne for quite some time.

Reading the room, the orchestra struck up a waltz. Guests began to step back, clearing the center of the room. Rezion extended his hand toward Elphenlira.

“I’m counting on you, Lira.”

But even as he descended the dais with her hand in his, his eyes kept drifting toward that distant flash of blue silk. He couldn’t help it.