71.

To be honest, the last part was done in a fit of anger.

I felt relieved when I lashed out, but as soon as I left the audience chamber, regret hit me. It was foolish to show such defiance to the Emperor.

‘But then again, that pesky Emperor started it first!’

As I vacillated between regret and justification, the carriage arrived at the McFoy residence in the capital.

“Aisa McFoy.”

As I disembarked from the carriage, now quite accustomed to Norma’s escort, Milan, who had arrived ahead of me, called out.

“I entrust my son to you.”

It was the second time he bowed deeply to me. Not wanting to be rude, I returned the bow.

“As soon as I return to my estate, I will send a marriage proposal to the McFoys.”

I was taken aback, as I had planned to send the proposal slowly, thinking it would be more appropriate for me to propose since Norma was joining the McFoy family.

“…Are you sure it’s okay to entrust your precious son to me so easily?”

“I did not give him away easily. It’s just―.”

Milan Diazi hesitated, remembering the rare sight of the McFoy head intimidating the Emperor with such insolent words.

He was burdened with guilt for not being a proper parent, having been consumed by his own grief. Especially since Norma, his eldest son whom he had reunited with after so many years, was both precious and a source of concern.

He wanted his son, who had returned alive, to reclaim the lost time. Above all, he wished for Norma to be happy.

So when he heard the news that Norma had not only attended a vulgar party but also remained at the McFoy residence without returning, he felt as if the ground had fallen out from under him. Milan, suspecting that Norma had once again been ensnared in some plot, hurriedly turned his horse around.

On his frantic journey to the McFoy residence in the capital, the story of the century’s romance between the two had already spread beyond the capital’s borders and reached Milan’s ears. He realized this was no ordinary matter.

As he urgently knocked on the door of the McFoy residence, bowing to Aisa McFoy for the trouble his son had caused, he recited the Empire’s ancient moral codes in an effort to calm himself. However, when he finally faced his son, he was struck by a thunderbolt.

“You kissed her? Could it be that the McFoy head stole a kiss from you?”

“No, Father.”

To Milan’s relief, his son denied it with a cheerful voice.

“Then, was it you who laid hands on her?”

In that case, exiling his shameless son to the harsh winter mountains would still not be enough. The Diazi family’s rules were quite extreme.

“I asked for her permission, and she accepted.”

His son blushed deeply as he spoke, as if recalling something, and nervously touched his lips. Milan staggered, feeling dizzy.

“But it’s true that I broke the family rules and stepped into a disreputable place, so I will accept any punishment.”

“What on earth are you doing…?”

“And since a Diazi can only kiss their betrothed, if she chooses me, I’ll have to marry her according to the family rules.”

Norma smiled with satisfaction. At that full smile, Milan was reminded of the peculiar, blind love that seemed to be engraved in the Diazi bloodline, and he fell silent.

He understood that feeling all too well. He, too, had lost everything after losing his love. Given his experience, it was clear that Norma was beyond persuasion.

‘If he were in a state to be persuaded, he wouldn’t have kissed her in the first place. Gwyneth, what are we going to do with our son…’

Milan sighed deeply. His eldest son, who had never strayed from the Diazi teachings, had suddenly engaged in such reckless behavior. To use the family rules to lock in a potential partner and then just wait for her to accept his feelings—Milan could only feel frustrated as a father.

“What will you do if Aisa McFoy ultimately decides not to marry you? Are you planning to live alone for the rest of your life?”

“She is kind and soft-hearted. I don’t think she’ll be able to just leave me alone. I believe that’s why she allowed me into her home in the first place. That’s why I’m being cunning, Father.”

Kind and soft-hearted?

The Aisa McFoy that Milan knew was a cold and ruthless person. A woman who moved solely for the benefit of her family—would she really take pity on Norma and accept him?

“If it’s not her, I have no intention of marrying anyone else, so I do not regret the kiss.”

Hearing his son speak with such naïve determination about wanting to stay by the McFoy head’s side, Milan couldn’t help but sigh. He hadn’t felt this anxious in years, especially seeing how unenthusiastic Aisa McFoy appeared about the marriage.

However, all his anxieties vanished the moment Aisa McFoy boldly declared before the Emperor that Norma was hers.

‘It’s her.’

A light tremor started from his fingertips, and his heart raced like it hadn’t in a long time.

‘Why didn’t I think of Aisa McFoy sooner?’

Milan had a vague understanding that Norma sometimes saw things in the air or heard voices that others couldn’t. Although Norma had never spoken about it, Milan, who watched his son closely with anxious eyes, easily noticed.

He looked fragile. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he had simply drifted off into sleep again. It was as if he had one foot in this world and the other somewhere else, as if he might float away at any moment like a ghost.

Milan couldn’t lose his son a second time.

‘As long as he’s beside Aisa McFoy, Norma won’t die.’

In retrospect, whenever Norma looked at Aisa McFoy, he was fully present in this world.

Aisa McFoy was strong and cared deeply for her own, so she would be able to support Norma, who had been wounded in heart and soul.

At the same time, Milan felt sorry for placing such a heavy burden on her. But his child was his priority.

“Thank you for saying that to His Majesty on behalf of this old man.”

Milan had also been furious at the Emperor’s contemptuous gaze towards Norma.

“Once again, I entrust my inadequate son to you.”

With those words, Milan Diazi smiled. I was so caught off guard by that smile that I forgot to respond. It was the first time I had seen Milan smile. Though it was just a brief smile, its impact was immense.

The beauty of the Diazi brothers came from their late mother, the former lady of the Diazi house.

But what kind of family is the Diazi family? They are the most stunningly unique beings in the world. Milan Diazi was a perfect example of that.

‘They really do look alike.’

His smile was so much like Norma Diazi’s that, despite my training in proper etiquette, I couldn’t take my eyes off his face. Everyone around, including myself, couldn’t believe this brief smile belonged to a man of his age.

Because of that, I missed the chance to suggest that we proceed with the marriage proposal and ceremony more carefully and at a more leisurely pace.

“If you plan to prepare for the wedding along with the festival, you’ll be very busy starting now.”

Milan quickly returned to his expressionless state. He seemed determined to see the wedding take place during the festival.

“Also, since Norma will need time to adjust to the West, it would be best for him to head to the McFoy estate with you immediately.”

With that, Milan pushed Norma towards me. Caught off guard, I reached out and took Norma’s hand as he stumbled forward. It was merely a gesture of noble etiquette, but it left me with a strange feeling.

‘Has the Diazi family lost their minds?’

I had thought they would view me with contempt for suddenly taking away their precious eldest son, but instead, they were pushing for the marriage more aggressively than anyone else, which made me uneasy.

Erika quietly approached and whispered in my ear, asking if I had taken something else from him in that short time besides his lips. But even if we’re being technical, I didn’t really “take” his lips either.

Before leaving the McFoy estate, father and son stood silently, staring at each other for a long time. The sight of two beautiful men facing each other against the backdrop of the setting sun was like something out of a myth, but it was undeniably odd.

‘What a strange pair.’

As I watched, I seriously wondered if the Diazi family could read each other’s minds, given their peculiar way of communicating.

Milan, who had been staring at his son with a blank expression, finally placed a hand on Norma’s shoulder and simply said, “Well done,” before leaving the McFoy estate. I had no idea what on earth he was praising him for.

Not long after, the Morfolk family rejected the challenge sent by Norma Diazi.

People who had been eagerly anticipating the “duel to the death,” which had been touted as the event of the century, turned on the Morfolks with more fury than ever. Phillip Morfolk, having suffered the greatest humiliation of the century, would not be able to set foot in the capital until three generations had passed.

In the meantime, the seemingly endless long winter was drawing to a close.

Aside from the matter of the broken vow, Phillip Morfolk had spread scandalous and false rumors about his fiancée and the revelation of his mistress’s existence became a public scandal, leading to the natural dissolution of my engagement with him.

That day, the lone head of the McFoy family quietly departed for her estate. Strictly speaking, she wasn’t entirely alone—her new prospective husband was by her side.

The annulment notice from the Grand Temple was tossed out of the carriage window. The crumpled paper fluttered in the air for a while before finally falling to the ground.

* * *

The Empress’s Palace, made entirely of smooth white marble and gold that was smoother than egg whites, was itself a treasure of the empire, the most beautiful palace in the Imperial grounds.

The mistress of the Empress’s Palace was Adrienne. Formerly the lady of the great southern noble family Morgoth, she became Empress after the death of the first Empress.

Choosing a young lady from a powerful southern noble family as Empress had been a thoroughly political decision, but the Emperor soon came to cherish her for her youth, beauty, and charm.

Adrienne sipped her tea gracefully, gazing fondly at her son, Billinent, who sat across from her. With her striking emerald eyes and luxuriant platinum hair, she appeared so young that it was hard to guess her age.

Adrienne cherished her morning tea times in the Empress’s Palace salon with her son more than any other part of her day. Billinent, meanwhile, couldn’t take his eyes off the treasured sword sent by the prestigious Xavier family from the North.

“It seems to please you, Crown Prince.”

“I thought the Xaviers were nothing but a bunch of brutes who only knew how to wield swords, but it seems they have some taste.”

“The Xavier family lacks nothing—lineage, wealth, military power. They’ll undoubtedly be a great asset.”

Of course, Adrienne thought, the Nortons are better than the Xaviers, but she spoke in a gentle voice.

Lately, she had more to ponder than ever before. This summer, the Crown Prince would finally come of age.

No matter what anyone said, the richest family in the North was the Nortons. Half a century had passed since the long war ended, and now decent lineage and vast wealth were more important than a reputation for martial prowess.

But the Nortons had no daughters. Stifling her greed, Adrienne chose the eldest daughter of the Xavier family as Billinent’s match.

‘The Nortons control the gateway to the Eastern Continent. If I can bring them to my side, I might be able to tame that wild McFoy. How should I win them over…?’

Though Adrienne wore the world’s brightest and purest smile, she was anything but innocent. She was far from a benevolent person. She was quick-witted, calculating, and shrewd. Above all, she had a natural talent for adapting her behavior depending on who she was dealing with.

In front of the Emperor, she was one person.

In front of her late father, the former head of the Morgoth family, she was another.

In front of her greedy older brother, the current head of the Morgoth family, she was yet another.

In front of her favored maid, she was different again.

And in front of the person she loved most in the world, her son Billinent, she was someone else entirely.

The Emperor believed Adrienne to be a naive, delicate, and worldly-unwise noblewoman. Thus, it never crossed his mind that there might be several spies planted right by his side by the Empress herself.