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“The former emperor, how is he doing these days?”  

At my question, Kirke tilted his head slightly, as if puzzled.

“I didn’t expect you to be curious about the former emperor’s well-being.”

“No… I wasn’t asking out of concern for his well-being.”

As I pondered where to start the conversation, stroking my chin, Kirke spoke up first.

“He withdrew to a rural monastery, saying he didn’t want to interfere with his son’s reign. It seems he’s gained quite a good reputation for living a quiet and frugal life.”

“Huh?”

He didn’t want to interfere with his son’s reign? Living a quiet and frugal life in a rural monastery?  

This was far from the image I had of the former emperor. Seeing the disbelief on my furrowed brow, Kirke calmly smiled.

“But, several times a day, messenger pigeons fly to that monastery. Where those swift birds’ wings are headed is… quite obvious.”

“He’s still in contact with the emperor’s faction nobles in the capital, isn’t he?”

The leader of those imperial faction nobles was none other than the Duke of Kreutz. The Kreutz family had always stood by the emperor, serving as the steadfast sword of the empire. The fact that they were supporting the former emperor instead of Kirke posed a significant threat to imperial authority.

“You have to admire the former emperor’s tenacity. It’s been well over ten years, and he still can’t let go of the throne?”

I shook my head in amazement, and Kirke chuckled softly.

“Once someone tastes power, they can’t easily give it up. Especially the position of an emperor, the supreme power over all. Losing that in an instant…”

“Is power really that sweet?”

I asked, my eyes sparkling.

“And what about you, Kirke? Now that you’re an emperor, do you truly become intoxicated by the taste of immense power?”

Kirke blinked for a moment, perhaps caught off guard by my unexpected question, then let out a small laugh. It was a reaction as if he found it truly fascinating.

“You really are something else. You’re the first person to ask me that.”

“Unbelievable. I can’t believe no one else is curious about that.”

“Most people are more interested in what they can gain by staying close to me rather than my thoughts on the taste of power.”

From the way Kirke lamented, I could sense a weary heart.

‘Is this a time for comfort?’  

But since I wasn’t particularly skilled at comforting others, I decided to just speak my honest feelings.

“I’m not interested in that.”

When I spoke firmly, Kirke stared at me intently.

“I’m really not.”

It was just a simple statement, yet a faint smile appeared on Kirke’s face.

“I like you because you’re like this.”

“I take pride in that.”

As I unabashedly enjoyed the compliment, the smile on Kirke’s lips deepened.

“Let’s continue to meet in the palace from time to time. These moments with friends are among the few breaks I get.”

“Sure. I also enjoy talking with you, Kirke… but make sure to clear up any misunderstandings…”

I shuddered as I recalled the look the Empress’s maid had given me.  

“They say the Empress had a hard time conceiving. Since it’s her first child, you must take extra care to avoid any strange misunderstandings.”

Considering that Kirke and the Empress had been married for quite some time, her first pregnancy was rather late. Because of this, the Empress had long been suspected of being infertile. There were even whispers that perhaps the Emperor was the cause. Naturally, this led to murmurs that for the stability of the imperial family, the former emperor should return, or that one of the Emperor’s brothers should be declared the heir. In the end, all those who claimed to worry about the future of the imperial family were merely looking out for their own interests. However, those rumors were quickly silenced thanks to the Empress’s pregnancy. Now, ensuring the safe birth of the child was of the utmost importance.

“Tragic events brought about by the intense power struggles and romantic intrigues within the palace! It’s a common theme in the popular novels that Servian loves to read.”

“Popular novels, you say…”  

“Have you never read one?”

“Never. Perhaps I should start reading them and see what they’re all about.”  

Kirke nodded earnestly. I could easily picture him, back in his daily life, with his desk piled high with popular novels, diligently reading through them.

‘He’s a diligent person.’  

He’s someone who always keeps his word, which is why, despite his power, he can be trusted.  

‘Though, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to suggest the Emperor read popular novels.’

As I imagined how Kirke might react after reading those novels, I suddenly remembered the real question I had yet to resolve and returned to the main topic.

“By the way, where is the monastery where the former emperor is staying?”

“It’s a very small monastery affiliated with the Regenetacia Order, under the Central Church. It’s not too far from the capital. Aside from exchanging letters with the outside, he’s not very active.”

Of course, that “exchanging letters with the outside” is a significant issue in itself. Why do the old emperor’s faction, led by Kreutz, still follow the former emperor? Initially, it could have been due to the confusion caused by the sudden abdication of the former emperor. However, even now, more than ten years into Kirke’s stable reign, they still haven’t freed themselves from his grasp…

‘Could it be that Kirke can’t offer something that the former emperor can?’  

If so, then what could that be?

* * *

My meeting with Kirke finally ended in the late afternoon as the sun was setting. We only briefly touched on the former emperor and political matters; after that, we simply exchanged trivial stories. Political discussions could be had with others, after all. Axel and Servian were his reliable political partners. Compared to those two, I knew I was lacking in knowledge of the noble society and political insight. So, I left the political talk to those who were good at it and enjoyed our light-hearted conversation.

Perhaps Kirke had summoned me because he needed someone like that—a person to have these kinds of conversations with.  

‘Maybe, even in my past life, he needed someone to talk to like this.’  

Thinking of Kirke’s tired face, I felt a pang of guilt for having stubbornly refused his invitations to the palace in my previous life.  

‘But that’s all in the past now.’  

Regrets from the past can be made up for in the present.

“Miss!”  

As soon as I returned to the Elpinard estate, Lily greeted me with a bright smile.

“The Duke has finally returned. After hearing about what happened while he was away, he didn’t even get angry at Lady Veronica. He just told her to leave the estate.”

Anyone who has ever been scolded for doing something wrong knows this: when someone doesn’t get angry, it’s far scarier than when they do.

‘Not getting angry means it’s not even worth the effort.’  

In other words, it implies they have no expectations of you, and it’s a clear signal that there won’t be any chances to make amends.

“Then where will Veronica go?”

“She’ll probably return to the Zaren territory where she originally resided.”

“The Zaren territory…”

The familiar name made me trail off, and Rose eagerly provided the answer.

“That’s where Lord Gallio lives! The eldest son and his wife have been separated for a long time, but thanks to the Duke’s orders, they’re being reunited.”

Daisy scoffed and added, “Hmph. They say they were living apart because their personalities didn’t match, but honestly, the two of them are practically identical. Sometimes, when someone’s too much like you, it makes you dislike them.”

Normally, this would be the point where Lily, ever proper, would scold Rose and Daisy for their impudent remarks. But this time, she just watched them chatter, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.  

Puzzled, I looked at Lily, and she, a bit embarrassed, leaned in to whisper to me.

“They were people who tried to harm you, after all. Even I… can’t help but think they got what they deserved.”

Got what they deserved!  

It was hard to believe such words had come from the usually elegant Lily. My eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly cleared her throat, gently pushing me toward the Duke’s office.

“But first, you should go greet the Duke. He’s been away for a while, and I’m sure he’s eager to see you.”

“Do you really think so…?”  

I asked cautiously, unsure, but Lily nodded confidently, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Of course. As someone who has worked in the Duke’s household for a long time, I can guarantee it.”

“Really?”

“And besides, you have something to tell him, don’t you? You need to thank him for the personal funds he gave you.”

With Lily working hard to create excuses for me, I reluctantly made my way toward the Duke’s study.

‘What kind of greeting should I give my father after returning home after so long?’  

My mind, well-versed in social etiquette, began to work overtime.