Chapter 97
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 97
* * *
"Please wait in this room for a moment, Enya."
Soho guided me to a room in the building where the Banquet Hall was located.
"His Majesty is currently in a meeting. He instructed us to make you comfortable in his stead."
"The Emperor seems to be extremely busy every day."
"Usually, he's so occupied he can barely sleep."
I wondered why that was, then realized the culprit was none other than myself. Had I burdened The Emperor with too much?
I was grateful that my father, the Prime Minister who could share this burden with him, existed.
"His Majesty works tirelessly day and night to achieve what you desire."
Getty, who had been quiet until then, interjected. I tilted my head in confusion.
"What I desire?"
Though we'd only met briefly, Getty seemed more nimble and perceptive than Soho.
Had he perhaps noticed that I was the one who slipped the letter into the Imperial Palace?
"His Majesty said that you wish to build a prosperous Empire."
"...Me?"
My eyes widened at this unexpected answer.
It was true, though. The Emperor's perception was accurate.
It differed slightly from a righteous wish that envisioned the future in the form of wanting to build a prosperous Empire, but it was indeed a means to avoid the original story.
But how did The Emperor know that?
'He must have sensed it when we spoke.'
During our few meetings, The Emperor and I had primarily discussed official matters. Perhaps that's why he formed a favorable impression, but...
'It feels like there's a certainty to it, which makes me a bit uneasy.'
I crossed my arms and pondered.
"However!"
Getty, who had been staring at me intently, quickly continued.
"His Majesty won't always be so busy. Once you marry, he will become the finest husband."
"Pardon?"
"In other words, you needn't worry about anything."
Getty grinned like a merchant saying, "We just got some wonderful items in the shop—why don't you take a look?"
"If you marry our Emperor, you won't regret it."
"Getty."
Soho sighed as if he couldn't stop him and tried to restrain him, but Getty's mouth wouldn't close.
Instead, he looked at Soho.
"You think the same way, don't you, Team Leader? You know better than anyone, don't you?"
I glanced at Soho.
His face was a perfect example of how emotions lay bare on the human countenance.
His pupils trembled.
"...Yes. The Emperor will accomplish everything you desire."
"He is the Empire's finest suitor."
"I believe he is The Continent's finest suitor."
The two Aides' eyes gleamed with desperate longing, polished like translucent glass marbles.
'They want to marry off The Emperor, it seems.'
I grasped their intention easily.
It was obvious why they would appeal to the virtue of an unmarried Emperor in a public betrothal—such a transparent strategy.
'Still, seeing them work toward his marriage even in his absence suggests they are decent superiors, at least.'
...Or perhaps the opposite—frightening?
The Emperor might not know it, but my thoughts aligned with the Aides'.
We all wished for The Emperor to marry soon.
"My lady, The Emperor has arrived."
I rose from my seat and turned toward the door. My lips parted slightly in surprise at the sight of him entering.
I had seen The Emperor in formal military dress before, but this was my first glimpse of him fully prepared and adorned for the banquet.
He embodied the legend of the Imperial Family—those who had founded their nation blessed by the divine.
His stature towered above the Aides beside him, his physique flawless and impeccable, his long legs seeming to pour forth every blessing one could possess in mortal form.
My dress was white, while his garments were black adorned with gold embroidery—a striking contrast.
Given the meticulousness and precision I had observed in his work, I doubted he had chosen that color carelessly.
The Emperor sketched detailed blueprints of the future even in the smallest details.
Perhaps his attire had been selected with consideration for the harmony people would witness when we met in the Imperial Palace Ballroom?
His mask was different today as well.
Unlike the thick, suffocating one from before, it was a light mask that covered only his eyes and nose.
"...?"
I squinted slightly upon seeing his face.
That jawline did not seem unfamiliar.
'Where have I seen it?'
The sharp jawline alone was enough to make one anticipate his appearance.
Of course, not that I was anticipating anything—it was simply the natural reaction.
But regardless of handsomeness, that jaw—I had definitely seen it before. Somewhere, truly....
'Ah. I really did see it.'
I had glimpsed it fleetingly when The Emperor's mask nearly slipped.
"Enya."
The Emperor approached and extended his hand to me.
His lips curved into a gentle arc as he smiled. He gazed at me quietly.
If the angle were right, I felt I might catch a glimpse of his irises today.
'Black?'
No, not black.
The mask obscured much, and I'd only caught fleeting glimpses—never enough to truly see his eyes.
But they would be blue, surely. Blonde hair and blue eyes—the very symbols of the Imperial Family.
When I first met Dale, that was the first thing I'd verified.
'...Dale.'
I conjured his image in my mind, then looked back at The Emperor.
'Dale?'
My eyes fluttered as his jawline seemed to overlap with another's for a moment.
"What's wrong with me?"
"Is something the matter?"
Rather than take his offered hand, I rubbed and blinked my eyes, trying to shake off the persistent sense of déjà vu.
"My apologies, Your Majesty. Something seems to have gotten into my eye...."
"Then, if I may."
The Emperor cradled my face gently in his hands. I looked up at him.
"...."
His palms were warm against my cheeks. The sudden contact made me forget to breathe.
"I don't see any dust. Does it still hurt?"
He turned to look behind him.
"Summon the imperial physician at once."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"No, no! I'm fine! Really! I think it's gone now!"
I stopped him, clutching at his sleeve.
"...!"
"It truly doesn't hurt anymore, so you needn't trouble yourself."
I tapped my head lightly. My mind had been so consumed with thoughts of Dale lately that I'd confused the two.
"Thank you for such a magnificent debut. Surely I'm the only debutante receiving such an honor?"
I offered him my hand. The Emperor took it slowly and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.
Just as I was beginning to think the greeting kiss lingered longer than proper, he spoke.
"This day shall be for Enya alone."
* * *
"Presenting the Duchess Adeline and His Majesty The Emperor!"
His declaration that this day would be mine alone carried the weight of absolute sincerity.
'Was the Imperial Palace Ballroom always this vast?'
I knew the Imperial Palace housed the Empire's finest of everything—its greatest talents, its richest history, its most magnificent facilities.
I had expected the weight of centuries to manifest in antiquated grandeur, but I was utterly mistaken.
Chandeliers of varying sizes adorned the ceiling, and countless hues of light—conjured by lavish quantities of mana stones—blended in soft luminescence, achieving the pinnacle of splendor.
This banquet hall, draped in navy curtains with a resplendent golden floor and adorned with elaborate patterns, possessed a beauty so transcendent that I felt certain no corner of the Continent could rival it.
The hall had been dark as the night sky itself, but as we—or rather, as I, walking beside The Emperor—stepped inside, it illuminated in sequence like the Milky Way sweeping across the heavens.
Only one person could orchestrate such an effect: Cassion, the Marquis and Master of the Magic Tower.
'Truly?'
Cassion, whose eyes met mine, winked with unmistakable confidence.
'It seems he really did.'
The glittering accessories adorning my form were remarkable enough, but the debutante venue prepared to receive him and me surpassed even that.
Through a dome of glass, the night sky was visible. ...Had that always been there?
It seemed newly constructed. But surely—surely it wasn't built for my sake.
'Ha... surely not... that's impossible.'
As we passed, all eyes followed in our wake. I glanced sideways at The Emperor.
He radiated majesty itself.
The moment we entered, a waltz began to play.
"Enya."
He took my hand and invited me to dance. But it had been ages since I last danced.
So long that I hadn't even taught Sophia the steps when instructing her in refinement.
I hesitated and spoke to him.
But the music swallowed my words, and The Emperor, apparently unable to hear me clearly, lowered his tall frame to meet my height.
I whispered in his ear.
"It's been so long since I danced that I may step on Your Majesty's feet."
"Are you saying you'll be the one treading upon me?"
"You'll have your hands full. I'll be relying on you quite heavily today. Will that be acceptable?"
As I released a soft sigh, he smiled.
"As much as you wish."
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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