Diego shrugged. His expression of genuine injustice was repulsive.
Leah bit her lip, suppressing the growing anger.
He was a shameless man who always intended to insult with every word he spoke.
“It seems you’ve forgotten, but I am betrothed to the First Prince.”
Leah glared at Diego with determined eyes.
“And the First Prince will soon ascend the throne.”
Mentioning Caius didn’t bring a pleasant feeling, but it was not the time to dwell on that.
It was the only way to get rid of Diego immediately.
“If you keep crossing the line, I will inform the First Prince. And he will never just stand by.”
It would be more effective if she conveyed her discomfort instead of restraining it when dealing with such a person.
The smile on Diego’s face vanished. The new expression on his face didn’t suit him at all.
“Cruel. If you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
His gesture of silently stroking his chin with long fingers resembled the Empress, and his grim features were no different.
The sight of it once again stirred Leah’s stomach.
“Yeah…You being my brother’s woman has always been the issue,” He muttered as he traced his finger from Leah’s chin to her forehead.
“If I found you instead of my brother, I might have been the one with you now.”
“…”
“Having something like this in front of me is frustrating, even though I have no appetite. It’s damn regrettable.”
His menacing gaze enveloped Leah, and in a split second, a mixture of impurity and fear rushed down her throat.
Leah instinctively clenched her fists.
While he had often taunted and tormented her before, it was the first time Diego revealed his emotions so blatantly.
Considering his behaviour, it was not surprising at all. What does being his brother’s betrothed mean to that madman?
However, Leah noticed that his scornful eyes were slightly different from usual.
Leah nervously shifted her feet. She abruptly stood up from her seat when he slyly grinned at her.
“Rest well, Your Highness. I shall take my leave now.”
She couldn’t stand being in the same space with that man any longer. The unrelenting gaze of the unpredictable man hastened Leah’s steps.
As she headed toward the door, a relaxed voice stopped her.
“Pretending not to hear is annoying, but well, I’ll see you off.”
“…”
“Goodbye, Princess. Until next time.”
Leah turned the doorknob without responding. Diego’s disoriented gaze stubbornly followed her departing figure.
* * *
In the Central Palace main hall, the second meeting was coming to an end.
As the scribe began to wrap up his notes, Lord Reuden brought up a new topic.
“I don’t doubt the qualifications of the First Prince, but isn’t it a bit too early for him to have the power to command the military?”
Lord Reuden was a prominent figure within the Empress’s faction. Formerly, he was the Empress’s brother-in-law, but currently, he assumed the role of an outsider, aligning himself with the Empress as her nephew.
“Your Highness, you led as a commander on the battlefield not too long ago. What is the rush now?” Viscount Brisha objected, sitting beside Caius. Lord Reuden cleared his throat and continued speaking.
“Though you may have war experience, there is a difference between wartime and peacetime military command. When it comes to handling the military, we should appoint a deputy first and then proceed with caution…”
Suddenly, a low laugh was heard. Lord Reuden stopped speaking and turned his gaze towards the source of the sound.
From where he sat, Caius looked at Lord Reuden with amusement.
“Why? Do you think I’m planning a rebellion or something?”
Along with his question that sounded like a joke, his cold, piercing gaze swept over Lord Reuden and his aides.
With slightly tensed shoulders, Lord Reuden explained with a faint smile.
“Your Highness, why would you say such a thing? I certainly do not have such intentions.”
“If that’s not your intention, are you saying you intend to ignore the already established law and do as you please?” Caius spoke politely, but his question had a sharp undertone.
According to the law, authority over the military and diplomatic power was a natural right of the Crown Prince. Trying to deny that authority implied a lack of recognition of Caius’s legitimacy.
“Your Highness, as you know, Lord Reuden has guarded the eastern borders for decades.”
Baron Haigarr, a member of the Empress’s faction, hesitated but then spoke up.
“For now, why not appoint Lord Reuden as a deputy and learn slowly? It doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”
Caius raised an eyebrow.
“Ah, I see.”
As if having an epiphany, Caius slowly nodded before he continued.
“But why didn’t Lord Reuden, who is said to have been guarding the eastern borders for decades, set foot on the battlefield for all those years?”
The fact that Lord Reuden had never led soldiers onto the battlefield was a subject of gossip among the nobles. It was not only Caius who found it absurd that someone who always left the dangerous battles to others and merely controlled the troops from a safe distance was now insisting on denying the Crown Prince of his military power.
Lord Reuden was secretly called ‘a general who only fought with words’ by some nobles.
“Well, Lord Reuden is older and more skilled in making strategies than participating in actual combat…”
Baron Haigarr stammered as he raised his voice. However, his stumbling words were not convincing.
“A deputy with no real battle experience. An old one as well…”
Caius tilted his head and murmured with a mocking tone. Baron Haigarr opened his mouth in realisation as Lord Reuden, seated beside him, glared at him subtly.
“What a splendid deputy Lord Reuden will make.”
His words contained an unmistakable tone of mockery. Lord Reuden clenched his wrinkled fists, struggling to find words.
Caius shifted his gaze from Lord Reuden to the other attendees.
The other factions, except for Lord Reuden’s, exchanged meaningful glances. Lord Reuden couldn’t hide his discomfort.
Caius waited patiently for a counter-argument to be presented.
Clearing his throat, Baron Haigarr spoke again.
“Your Highness, may I ask how you intend to maintain your engagement with Princess Ainel?”
This time, it was a completely different question.
As soon as the princess was mentioned, Caius’s expression subtly hardened.
His relaxed smile slowly disappeared as the face of the woman he had been trying to forget suddenly flashed through his mind. Observing his reaction, Baron Haigarr continued confidently.
“Although the conflict with Ainel has come to an end, the perception of them among the people of our empire is still unfavourable. If you were to get engaged to the princess, there would likely be strong opposition, regardless of social class,” Baron Haigarr said as if asking a question.
Caius stared at him, but in his mind, he recalled the last time he saw the woman.
It was a brief encounter and a leisurely walk by the lakeside. The conversations and the amethyst-coloured eyes that looked up at him a few times were all engraved in his memory.
As the woman, trying to hide her hurt expression, returned to the palace, Caius turned away without watching her leave. However, her figure remained vivid in his memory.
“That will not be favourable for your position,” Baron Haigarr’s voice echoed across the room. The setting sun could be seen through the large windows in the hall.
Caius remained silent, and when Baron Haigarr saw that, he continued.
“They are known to be a wretched and unworthy lineage. Our empire has experienced this for decades…”
“That’s enough.”
Caius interrupted calmly but firmly, staring directly at Baron Haigarr. All traces of mockery had vanished, leaving a chilling tone.
“It seems you must have forgotten that the person who approved of my engagement with Princess Ainel is the Emperor himself.”
Once again, mentioning the princess was the key.
Baron Haigarr was taken aback by Caius’s nonchalance.
“Of course, but in the end, Ainel…”
“I understand that you have many complaints about my engagement to Princess Ainel. I will soon create an opportunity for us to discuss them with the Emperor.”
Caius didn’t hold back in undermining the Emperor. Mockery returned to his lips at that moment.
“It’s difficult to just throw her out from that position, Baron. Otherwise, it might be seen as an attempt to insult the Emperor’s judgment.”
Baron Haigarr opened his mouth as if to rebuke Caius, but the unyielding stare from Caius, who was ten years younger, made him look away reluctantly.
While he had managed to ridicule the Emperor, Caius also understood this time that it wasn’t them trying to force the issue.
The perception of the Imperial figures regarding the Ainel Kingdom and the numerous oppositions that would arise if he were to marry the princess. All of these would serve as a pretext to be under attack.
In a word, the relationship with the princess was both a poison and a flaw for Caius. Of course, he had no intention of having this vulnerability exposed.
He thought they wouldn’t stop talking about the princess. Caius lowered his eyes with an indifferent expression at the seemingly endless meeting.
“So, is there anything else to nitpick?”
Baron Haigarr’s lips remained sealed. The only sounds heard around the table were from people clearing their throats.
“If there is nothing else, then let’s end this meeting,” Caius said with a cold and distant tone that made everyone present feel a sense of finality.
Diego shrugged. His expression of genuine injustice was repulsive.
Leah bit her lip, suppressing the growing anger.
He was a shameless man who always intended to insult with every word he spoke.
“It seems you’ve forgotten, but I am betrothed to the First Prince.”
Leah glared at Diego with determined eyes.
“And the First Prince will soon ascend the throne.”
Mentioning Caius didn’t bring a pleasant feeling, but it was not the time to dwell on that.
It was the only way to get rid of Diego immediately.
“If you keep crossing the line, I will inform the First Prince. And he will never just stand by.”
It would be more effective if she conveyed her discomfort instead of restraining it when dealing with such a person.
The smile on Diego’s face vanished. The new expression on his face didn’t suit him at all.
“Cruel. If you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
His gesture of silently stroking his chin with long fingers resembled the Empress, and his grim features were no different.
The sight of it once again stirred Leah’s stomach.
“Yeah…You being my brother’s woman has always been the issue,” He muttered as he traced his finger from Leah’s chin to her forehead.
“If I found you instead of my brother, I might have been the one with you now.”
“…”
“Having something like this in front of me is frustrating, even though I have no appetite. It’s damn regrettable.”
His menacing gaze enveloped Leah, and in a split second, a mixture of impurity and fear rushed down her throat.
Leah instinctively clenched her fists.
While he had often taunted and tormented her before, it was the first time Diego revealed his emotions so blatantly.
Considering his behaviour, it was not surprising at all. What does being his brother’s betrothed mean to that madman?
However, Leah noticed that his scornful eyes were slightly different from usual.
Leah nervously shifted her feet. She abruptly stood up from her seat when he slyly grinned at her.
“Rest well, Your Highness. I shall take my leave now.”
She couldn’t stand being in the same space with that man any longer. The unrelenting gaze of the unpredictable man hastened Leah’s steps.
As she headed toward the door, a relaxed voice stopped her.
“Pretending not to hear is annoying, but well, I’ll see you off.”
“…”
“Goodbye, Princess. Until next time.”
Leah turned the doorknob without responding. Diego’s disoriented gaze stubbornly followed her departing figure.
* * *
In the Central Palace main hall, the second meeting was coming to an end.
As the scribe began to wrap up his notes, Lord Reuden brought up a new topic.
“I don’t doubt the qualifications of the First Prince, but isn’t it a bit too early for him to have the power to command the military?”
Lord Reuden was a prominent figure within the Empress’s faction. Formerly, he was the Empress’s brother-in-law, but currently, he assumed the role of an outsider, aligning himself with the Empress as her nephew.
“Your Highness, you led as a commander on the battlefield not too long ago. What is the rush now?” Viscount Brisha objected, sitting beside Caius. Lord Reuden cleared his throat and continued speaking.
“Though you may have war experience, there is a difference between wartime and peacetime military command. When it comes to handling the military, we should appoint a deputy first and then proceed with caution…”
Suddenly, a low laugh was heard. Lord Reuden stopped speaking and turned his gaze towards the source of the sound.
From where he sat, Caius looked at Lord Reuden with amusement.
“Why? Do you think I’m planning a rebellion or something?”
Along with his question that sounded like a joke, his cold, piercing gaze swept over Lord Reuden and his aides.
With slightly tensed shoulders, Lord Reuden explained with a faint smile.
“Your Highness, why would you say such a thing? I certainly do not have such intentions.”
“If that’s not your intention, are you saying you intend to ignore the already established law and do as you please?” Caius spoke politely, but his question had a sharp undertone.
According to the law, authority over the military and diplomatic power was a natural right of the Crown Prince. Trying to deny that authority implied a lack of recognition of Caius’s legitimacy.
“Your Highness, as you know, Lord Reuden has guarded the eastern borders for decades.”
Baron Haigarr, a member of the Empress’s faction, hesitated but then spoke up.
“For now, why not appoint Lord Reuden as a deputy and learn slowly? It doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”
Caius raised an eyebrow.
“Ah, I see.”
As if having an epiphany, Caius slowly nodded before he continued.
“But why didn’t Lord Reuden, who is said to have been guarding the eastern borders for decades, set foot on the battlefield for all those years?”
The fact that Lord Reuden had never led soldiers onto the battlefield was a subject of gossip among the nobles. It was not only Caius who found it absurd that someone who always left the dangerous battles to others and merely controlled the troops from a safe distance was now insisting on denying the Crown Prince of his military power.
Lord Reuden was secretly called ‘a general who only fought with words’ by some nobles.
“Well, Lord Reuden is older and more skilled in making strategies than participating in actual combat…”
Baron Haigarr stammered as he raised his voice. However, his stumbling words were not convincing.
“A deputy with no real battle experience. An old one as well…”
Caius tilted his head and murmured with a mocking tone. Baron Haigarr opened his mouth in realisation as Lord Reuden, seated beside him, glared at him subtly.
“What a splendid deputy Lord Reuden will make.”
His words contained an unmistakable tone of mockery. Lord Reuden clenched his wrinkled fists, struggling to find words.
Caius shifted his gaze from Lord Reuden to the other attendees.
The other factions, except for Lord Reuden’s, exchanged meaningful glances. Lord Reuden couldn’t hide his discomfort.
Caius waited patiently for a counter-argument to be presented.
Clearing his throat, Baron Haigarr spoke again.
“Your Highness, may I ask how you intend to maintain your engagement with Princess Ainel?”
This time, it was a completely different question.
As soon as the princess was mentioned, Caius’s expression subtly hardened.
His relaxed smile slowly disappeared as the face of the woman he had been trying to forget suddenly flashed through his mind. Observing his reaction, Baron Haigarr continued confidently.
“Although the conflict with Ainel has come to an end, the perception of them among the people of our empire is still unfavourable. If you were to get engaged to the princess, there would likely be strong opposition, regardless of social class,” Baron Haigarr said as if asking a question.
Caius stared at him, but in his mind, he recalled the last time he saw the woman.
It was a brief encounter and a leisurely walk by the lakeside. The conversations and the amethyst-coloured eyes that looked up at him a few times were all engraved in his memory.
As the woman, trying to hide her hurt expression, returned to the palace, Caius turned away without watching her leave. However, her figure remained vivid in his memory.
“That will not be favourable for your position,” Baron Haigarr’s voice echoed across the room. The setting sun could be seen through the large windows in the hall.
Caius remained silent, and when Baron Haigarr saw that, he continued.
“They are known to be a wretched and unworthy lineage. Our empire has experienced this for decades…”
“That’s enough.”
Caius interrupted calmly but firmly, staring directly at Baron Haigarr. All traces of mockery had vanished, leaving a chilling tone.
“It seems you must have forgotten that the person who approved of my engagement with Princess Ainel is the Emperor himself.”
Once again, mentioning the princess was the key.
Baron Haigarr was taken aback by Caius’s nonchalance.
“Of course, but in the end, Ainel…”
“I understand that you have many complaints about my engagement to Princess Ainel. I will soon create an opportunity for us to discuss them with the Emperor.”
Caius didn’t hold back in undermining the Emperor. Mockery returned to his lips at that moment.
“It’s difficult to just throw her out from that position, Baron. Otherwise, it might be seen as an attempt to insult the Emperor’s judgment.”
Baron Haigarr opened his mouth as if to rebuke Caius, but the unyielding stare from Caius, who was ten years younger, made him look away reluctantly.
While he had managed to ridicule the Emperor, Caius also understood this time that it wasn’t them trying to force the issue.
The perception of the Imperial figures regarding the Ainel Kingdom and the numerous oppositions that would arise if he were to marry the princess. All of these would serve as a pretext to be under attack.
In a word, the relationship with the princess was both a poison and a flaw for Caius. Of course, he had no intention of having this vulnerability exposed.
He thought they wouldn’t stop talking about the princess. Caius lowered his eyes with an indifferent expression at the seemingly endless meeting.
“So, is there anything else to nitpick?”
Baron Haigarr’s lips remained sealed. The only sounds heard around the table were from people clearing their throats.
“If there is nothing else, then let’s end this meeting,” Caius said with a cold and distant tone that made everyone present feel a sense of finality.
