The problem was Crown Prince Cedric's inferiority complex toward the Grand Duke, who had excelled in every field since birth.
It was the result of the Emperor's blatant favoritism, as he not only valued Kallian more than Cedric, but also treated his own son as though he were defective.
If their hair and eye colors had been the same, anyone would have believed the Grand Duke was the Emperor's true son.
Grinding her teeth, the Empress struck the table bell. The head maid waiting outside entered, placed a sheet of paper on the table, and quietly left.
Raising one eyebrow, Kallian cast an indifferent glance at the paper.
"What is this?"
On the white sheet was a letter stating that his marriage would not be approved.
The Empress, who declared that she would send it to the North and oppose the marriage by any means possible, slammed the table with an angry expression.
"I made a promise to my elder brother. I swore that I would marry you to the daughter of a powerful family who could make up for your 'defect.'"
Claudia was not only the Empress but also a direct descendant of Orpheus.
Having inherited the family's signature black hair, she referred to the cruel curse placed upon the Guardian as a "defect."
Kallian let out a mocking laugh and leisurely crossed his long legs, as if inviting her to continue.
"Does any family within the Empire surpass the name of Orpheus?"
"That's why I personally selected princesses from foreign kingdoms and introduced them to you. You're the one who rejected them all."
"Not a single one caught my eye."
Keeping his gaze fixed on the Empress, Kallian picked up the teapot and poured tea into the empty cup before her.
The tea filled the cup without ceremony.
Receiving it, the Empress frowned.
"You should know well that the barbarians across the sea are constantly watching Cardian. And you also know there is no better bridge between the two continents than you."
"How strange."
His relaxed golden eyes suddenly sharpened like a bird of prey locking onto its target.
"To hear such a proposal from the person who knows better than anyone that I cannot serve as such a bridge."
A union between continents carried a far deeper meaning than the political marriages of nobles.
A husband and wife joined through marriage.
Their precious children.
The close bond created between two continents through blood.
There was no way the Empress had failed to consider the consequences if things did not go as planned.
As though he understood the thoughts drying her throat, Kallian slowly pushed the teacup toward her.
"Or are you hoping that every accusation will fall on me once it is revealed that I concealed my inability to produce an heir with my wife?"
At his repeated urging, the joints of the Empress's fingers gripping the teacup turned white.
"So the one you chose to hide your defect is nothing more than an illegitimate girl of unknown birth? Does lusting after insolent women run in your family?"
The crude insult stirred something hot deep inside him.
Without hiding his displeasure, Kallian asked,
"Do not disgrace my family."
"You are the one who disgraced it! A perfectly healthy man who never even had a simple love affair ended up carrying rumors that he preferred men. And now this."
"..."
"Besides, the Countess has become so obsessed with wicked sorcery that she has even lost the ability to speak. Do you really think the elders will accept the daughter of such a family?"
After listening quietly, Kallian let out a disbelieving laugh.
"As expected, nothing escapes Your Majesty's insight."
The Countess was currently imprisoned in the underground dungeon beneath the temple.
Only three people could meet her there: the High Priest, the Emperor, and Kallian.
"Setting aside my fiancée's background, I never expected Your Majesty to know that the Countess had lost her tongue."
If the Empress had requested permission to meet the prisoner, it would have been granted without hesitation.
But there was no reason for her to concern herself with the affairs of a mere count's family.
"Then the answer must be one of three things. Either you have a personal relationship with the Countess, or Count Lawrence asked for your help."
His bright golden eyes calmly examined her before narrowing ever so slightly.
"Or perhaps... both."
At the obvious sarcasm, the Empress's face stiffened.
"How dare you say such blasphemous things!"
Finally losing her composure, she threw the teacup she was holding.
Crash!
The gold-rimmed teacup struck the wall behind Kallian and shattered into pieces.
A sharp shard grazed his cheek.
The heavy scent of musk spread with the spilled tea.
For the briefest moment, a fragment of memory flashed through Kallian's mind.
"Judging by the respect the Countess showed her, she must have been someone of very high status."
This musk...
It was the same scent he had smelled in the underground prison beneath the eastern tower of the Count's estate.
The very fragrance that had clung to Evelyn's body when he first rescued her.
Which meant...
It was impossible to rule out the possibility that the person who had discussed the Grudge Stone with the Countess was the Empress herself.
"Please deliver this message to whoever is behind it."
Kallian rose from his seat.
"Anyone who seeks to throw the continent into chaos, regardless of status, deserves to have all four limbs severed and buried at the four corners of the world."
After giving the quiet warning, he left the office.
Soon, the door closed behind him.
Then a quiet laugh of unknown meaning echoed through the room.
After returning to the mansion, Kallian headed to his office.
Benjamin followed him inside, noticed his foul mood, and silently began brewing tea.
When they had entered the mansion, Kallian had actually been in a fairly good mood.
The one thing that ruined it despite the Empress's provocation was the butler's report that Evelyn, who had gone out, had not yet returned.
The setting sun cast a deep crimson glow over the cool office.
As the fragrance of tea filled the room, Kallian sat before his desk and opened one of the thick piles of documents stacked there.
It was a report from Johansen in the North.
While pouring the tea into a cup, Benjamin summarized its contents.
"Most of them are requests for support from territories that suffered monster attacks. Sir Victor has already dispatched the knights to deal with the situation, so there is no need to worry. And..."
Benjamin hesitated before continuing.
"Miss Evelyn is on her way back."
Kallian had been about to ask why Benjamin was reporting something he had not ordered.
But he stopped.
Benjamin was someone who served as his very hands and feet.
If even he was saying something like that, it meant Kallian's thoughts were obvious.
To lose my guard in the Imperial Capital, where enemies surround me...
Displeased with himself, Kallian picked up the cigar case from the table and changed the subject.
"Tomorrow will mark exactly two months since I left my territory."
As Kallian tapped the cigar case against his other hand, Benjamin brought over the cigar cutter and a small lamp.
"I only hope another Gate does not open before we return to the North."
"What an awful thing to say."
Johansen.
A harsh land where blizzards raged throughout every season.
Thousands of years ago, after the Empire conquered the neighboring countries along the border, it became a homeland for displaced immigrants.
It had grown together with their hardships until becoming what it was today.
Having witnessed Johansen's entire rise and decline, it was only natural that Kallian cherished his territory more deeply than anyone else.
The thought that danger could reach the North had once never crossed his mind.
Instead, the faces of greedy nobles filled his thoughts.
Many of the by-products obtained from monsters and the rewards earned from conquering dungeons were incredibly rare and valuable.
Those spoils rightfully belonged to the knight order in exchange for protecting the Empire.
Yet some lords coveted even those rewards.
They feared monsters.
But they hated suffering losses.
The knights solved every troublesome problem for them.
Yet they were still viewed with fear and suspicion.
Of course, the opinions of such insignificant people meant nothing to him.
They only disgusted him.
How much longer must this continue?
"What should we do about the Richev Village matter?"
At Benjamin's question, Kallian came back to his senses and took out a cigar.
"What is there to do? It is their home. Leave it to them. We've already delayed long enough."
Earlier, after purifying the Bellatra Dungeon and just before reaching the Wall of Darkness, a Gate had appeared in the Kairos Desert.
Normally, they would have returned directly to the North from the desert.
However, Kallian's sudden rampage once again forced the Blackwood Knights to return to the capital.
Although they could have traveled through a warp gate, transporting the spoils of war and supplies for the North made that impossible.
The knights had already reached their limit.
"There is no reason for us to remain tied to the capital any longer. As soon as everything is settled, we leave for the North."
Four days later, the prison carriage carrying the Countess would depart from the temple for a monastery in the eastern region.
Even considering the seriousness of her crimes, the schedule was unusually swift.
Interrogating the prisoner before the Emperor and the High Priest and concluding the case would be Kallian's final duty before leaving the capital.
Just then, he sensed a familiar presence approaching from afar.
By the time the familiar scent reached the door, he heard a quiet breath.
The tension in his body instantly melted away.
Taking a slow breath, he spoke in a low voice.
"Come in."
As soon as Evelyn returned to the mansion, she headed straight to Kallian's office.
Inside, the room carried the scent of unlit cedarwood cigars mixed with his familiar fragrance.
After exchanging a greeting with Benjamin as he left, Evelyn walked to the large desk.
"You're late. It seems you've started enjoying your outings."
The moment she looked up in surprise at his reproachful tone, their eyes met.
Kallian was loosening the tightly fastened buttons of his military uniform while watching her.
Just how many buttons is he going to undo...?
Forcing herself not to lower her gaze any further, Evelyn met his eyes and unconsciously smiled.
"Yes. There was someone I absolutely had to meet today."
"Someone you had to meet?"
After silently studying her face, he slowly tilted his head.
His unusual expression made Evelyn's brows twitch without her realizing it.
His unusual expression made Evelyn's brows twitch without her realizing it.
