Swoosh.

While Lakshan was thinking about what to do, a man with blonde hair walked in with the sound of the door opening. Lakshan bowed down to him, and the man said with a grumpy voice.

“I told you not to say hello to me like that.”

“Still, I can’t just wave my hand to greet the emperor.”

It was the emperor of the empire who came in. He sat down on the sofa and said to Lakshan.

“I was briefed by the captain. Thank you for helping me clear out the gambling. I think it’ll be easy now thanks to you.”

At those words, Lakshan kept his mouth shut. In fact, he was going to be quite grumpy when he met the emperor. But, when he saw the emperor smiling at him, he couldn’t find anything harsh to say.

Lakshan recalled the day he saved the emperor. It was the final showdown between the Imperial Army and the Suin people and they led each other with all their strength. At first, the Imperial Army seemed to be predominant, but the enemy managed to break through and isolate them.

“The emperor said they might die. It looks like they’re completely surrounded by the Suin people.”

Upon hearing that news, Lakshan and his colleagues jumped into the battlefield where the war was raging. Leaving behind the calls of his colleagues, Lakshan then headed deep into the battlefield. There, he rescued the emperor, who was about to die, against the chief of the Suin tribe.

When he was gasping for breath and unable to say anything, the emperor saw the bandage on his face loosen and opened his mouth.

“You must be Lakshan.”

Lakshan back then was dumbfounded by the welcoming voice, which seemed to greet someone who they’ve waited for a long time. It wasn’t until later that he found out, but after returning to the Imperial Palace, Eucresia told her son about the existence of his younger brother.

“I came back as soon as he was born, so I don’t know who he might’ve looked like. Still, when he was born, I think he resembled his father a lot.”

With that, Eucresia explained what Kharkan looked like.

‘Even so, it was amazing that he noticed it right away.’

While Lakshan was lost in thought, the emperor asked.

“What do you think? It reminds me of something you noticed right before. It’s amazing to think about it again. You noticed before you even saw the necklace.”

“Your Majesty.”

The emperor raised his eyebrows at what Lakshan addressed him by. However, Lakshan never intended to call him brother.

He remembered that very few people knew about his existence. The Chancellor, who he saw at the Count’s residence, was one of them. They all considered Lakshan unfavorable, and seem to think of him as a prospective traitor.

It was inevitable.

The younger brother who suddenly appeared before the emperor, who had no descendants yet, was like a seed of trouble.

Noticing that Lakshan wouldn’t budge, the emperor clicked his tongue once and continued.

“You also found me right in the midst of war, didn’t you?”

“…”

So he did.

It was a situation where blood was soaked everywhere and it was hard to figure out who was who. But Lakshan curiously had a hunch that he was his brother.

“There’s nothing to be surprised about. It’s one of the natural abilities of the Imperial family. Should I say you had a good feeling? Rather than that…”

The emperor had a serious look on his face.

“Your marriage issue.”

At the moment, Lakshan almost said ‘but I’m married?’. Fortunately, he was able to keep his mouth shut before those words popped out.

“Your Majesty, you won’t have to worry.”

“How can I not? You’re already twenty-six years old. You’re six years older than the average marriage age of the empire.”

Lakshan sighed at the emperor’s words.

‘Here we go again.’

If it were someone else, it would’ve already happened. But, Lakshan pretended to listen to the emperor. He knew the reason why it was being brought up repeatedly.

Even though he was a prince, he felt sorry for him, but at the same time, he also hated to let go of his younger brother who suddenly appeared.

When he saw the emperor who seemed to be happy even though he was nagging him, Lakshan lost his motivation to complain. So today, he was planning to pretend to listen properly.

He really meant to. But.

“…So I’m going to contact all the women on the list. You’ll meet all of them, so prepare yourself.”

“…!”

Lakshan felt suffocated from those words. He left the post early, using all sorts of excuses and he could clearly remember the stifling atmosphere.

‘You want me to do that again? And continue that? I won’t. I’ll never do it!’

The emperor was in a place where he would never back down until he got married. But he didn’t know how to stop the emperor.

Lakshan, who was agonizing, suddenly had an idea.

“I’ll set up a seat tomorrow, since you’ll be staying at the palace…”

“Brother.”

The emperor stopped talking at Lakshan’s word. Brother? Did Lakshan just call him brother?

Before he could move, Lakshan opened his mouth.

“I have something to tell you. Actually I’m…”

~*~

“I’m here too early.”

Elrose muttered on the bench while looking at the view of the government office.

Thanks to the hard work of the Chancellor and his staff throughout the weekend, the donation process has mostly been completed. Elrose didn’t have to do anymore things because she already signed everything she needed.

She thought she’d stay in the Count’s residence a little longer, but she somehow felt uncomfortable seeing the rooms with red lines telling her not to touch for confirmation.

The front of the mansion was crowded with people from the Basilin family who came after hearing the news belatedly. Everyone heard what Elrose had done and made a fuss, saying it was ridiculous. It was as if Elrose had taken what was theirs away.

She had to sneak out of the mansion to escape the weeping. The Chancellor had told her to tell him if she needed an escort, but she didn’t get the courage to say anything.

‘Because I can’t tell them I’m going to get a divorce. The marriage then might be considered invalid, and I’m sure they’ll try to do something.’

The reason why she didn’t come out with an escort…

‘I can’t trust them either.’

She felt a headache as soon as she thought about what happened to the countess.

In fact, in order to finish everything, it is better to maintain a marriage relationship until things get quiet. But, there’s no way Lakshan might like that.

‘He needs to hurry.’

Elrose looked at the clock tower.

There isn’t much time left before the appointment. While waiting for Lakshan, Elrose heard someone approaching from behind.

Was it Lakshan?

The moment Elrose looked back, she felt a sharp pain in her neck.

At first, she thought she was stung by a bee. However, she soon felt her vision turning white. Elrose didn’t know what was happening to her, and as soon as her sitting body staggered and fell, someone helped her.

“Thank…”

The moment she tried to say thank you, the person who helped her then spoke.

“Oh, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? It’s alright, just lean back.”

It was a friendly voice that spoke as if they knew each other well. Elrose felt her body harden.

‘Camila!’

Elrose turned her head with all the strength that was left. As expected, it was Camila who grabbed her arm, and she wasn’t the only one. There were men standing next to each other, as if surrounding them.

Many people were passing by because it was daytime and they were in front of the government office, but no one seemed to notice Elrose’s situation. Camila then grabbed Elrose by her arm and whispered.

“Well, you left the mansion. I have been looking at it for a long time. If I were in there, I would’ve killed you sooner.”

At those words, Elrose bit her lips.

‘As expected.’

Looking back, the servants, who had no choice but to leave for the arrangement of the mansion, quickly turned their gaze. It was embarrassing, and there was a mix of resentment for being kicked out so suddenly.

Elrose clearly felt a stronger animosity towards her from those eyes.

It was murderous.

That was why she couldn’t even drink a glass of water back in the estate. The meals were all swapped with the ones prepared by the imperial staff people. Now, she was not trusting all the people that the Chancellor had brought, but she was sure some of them had fallen for conciliation.

Camila’s face twisted curiously as Elrose looked. She raised her nails and twisted Elrose’s arm mercilessly.

“How dare you try to kill the man I sent for you?”

This morning, Camila met someone who came to see her at a hotel in a hurry.

It was a man sent from the monastery. He said that the person Camila sent was found trapped in the cabin where Elrose stayed. Fortunately, he didn’t lose his life, but he lost one leg and two fingers.

Camila had hurled everything that was in her hand while swearing. It wasn’t because she loved that man who she sent, but it was because Elrose’s face, who was smiling next to the Chancellor, came to mind.

‘I’m not going to let you go.’

She wanted her to crawl.