NOVPUBThe Emperor returned to the guest seats after giving the opening ceremony speech. After glancing around once, he asked the Empress,
“Where is Kiaros?”
“I don’t know, but I think it’s best not to go looking for him.”
The Empress replied with a sparkle in her eyes.
“Namia’s not here either.”
Then she chuckled—“Kkeuhaha!”—shoulders bouncing.
“Come now, Jaden! I’m starving to death! I was so tense about the event, I could barely eat lunch... Let’s go grab something to eat!”
She headed toward the table with finger foods, pulling Jaden along. The Emperor smiled fondly as he watched them walk off.
Next to him, the Finance Minister let out a pointed cough.
Even his adopted son, Victor, was nowhere to be seen.
“His Highness the Crown Prince... seems he still hasn’t given up on the Minister of the Scroll Department.”
Throughout the banquet, people were watching Kiaros and Namia with looks that said, “Of course. We figured.”
There had been rumors that Kiaros was rejected by Namia—but honestly, behind the scenes, everyone had been whispering, “Namia? Really?”
[If it were me, I’d have accepted the proposal the moment His Highness confessed.]
[Do you think she regrets it now? One proper conversation and she’d probably fall for him.]
And today, Kiaros was unmistakably dressed to impress—he looked stunning.
Though, even while holed up away from public eyes, he looked unusually pale, as if he were overworked...
“Well.”
The Emperor shrugged with a subtle expression.
“He was rejected once, but the reason wasn’t incompatibility. She just said it was too sudden and they weren’t close enough. So if he approaches carefully, there’s still a chance. Honestly, is there any man in this Empire better than Kiaros?”
The Finance Minister chuckled softly and took a sip of his drink.
The Emperor instantly recognized that “heh-heh” meant “I won’t contradict you because you’re the Emperor, but I don’t agree.”
“What? You think differently?”
“Heh-heh-heh.”
“Come on, speak frankly. I won’t be offended.”
“Well, it’s not much...”
The Finance Minister gave a wry smile.
“I know the Scroll Minister type well. I’ve spoken with her a few times, and I could tell immediately. In a way... she’s quite similar to me.”
“Hmm? I don’t know... You’ve always given off a gruff impression. Maybe try looking in a mirror...”
“I meant her inner self. Miss Namia is, fundamentally, a textbook civil servant. She likes power and results, but she wants recognition based on competence, not flattery.”
The Emperor couldn’t help but nod.
Namia was power-hungry but soft-spoken. She didn’t go out of her way to hide her skills, but she also wasn’t exactly agreeable or sweet-talking.
“If she can’t shine on her own, she’d feel powerless. And I think she knows that quite well.”
“Huh...”
“So she wouldn’t instinctively see His Highness as a man. She’d know he’d overshadow her completely. Someone like her would more likely be drawn to a capable subordinate instead.”
The Emperor waved a hand dismissively, amused.
“Come on, she likes power—what kind of person rejects the chance to marry into it?”
To that, the Finance Minister simply shrugged and replied,
“Didn’t Lord Tower’s daughter, Aran, do just that?”
The moment the name Aran was mentioned—the very embodiment of ambition—the Emperor’s face stiffened.
Very few people knew that Aran had no real talent for magic and was deeply insecure about it.
The Tower Lord had tried to marry her off to another high-ranking figure within the Tower, but Aran had insisted it was meaningless if she couldn’t display magical talent herself within the Tower.
In the end, she ran away. She’s still missing to this day, driving her father mad with worry. The Emperor had no idea what had happened since.
“...Why is your analysis so unnecessarily on point? Even your examples are crystal clear. Are you secretly stalking Miss Namia or something?”
Just then, Victor, who had stepped away earlier, returned.
As usual, his face wore a pleasant smile, but he was limping.
“Victor? Did you hurt your foot?”
“I got distracted for a second and twisted it. But I thought I’d check in so Father wouldn’t worry. I’ll stop by the infirmary for a bit—it’s not serious.”
The Finance Minister nodded without concern. He had started thinking about Namia because of Victor.
It was about three years ago, right after Victor became his adopted son and was dispatched abroad.
[Everything’s fine except... I do like someone. That’s the only regret.]
[Someone? A girl? From which house? If it bothers you that much, you should’ve gotten engaged before leaving...]
[She’s just a junior from the same department. And now’s not the right time anyway.]
Victor had grinned sheepishly as he trailed off.
[She’s not desperate for me yet. Even if things are rough, she finally got into the department she wanted...]
[Huh?]
[I think she’ll only lean on me if things get worse. Unless she really falls into hell... that girl probably won’t...]
Back then, the Finance Minister had felt a strange sense of dissonance from Victor’s usually gentle face.
[She’d absolutely hate being in anyone’s shadow. But I can’t exactly stop shining myself, can I?]
At the time, he brushed it off as modern kids having weird ideas about dating.
But after encountering Namia a few times, he immediately realized “that junior” Victor mentioned was her.
[If you marry Victor, I’d support it.]
He’d once said this to Namia out of the blue—for that very reason.
[I was planning to bring you into the Finance Ministry anyway, but maybe it's better for you to tough it out here first.]
And today, seeing Victor’s anxious gaze toward Namia, he became certain.
“In any case, Your Majesty. To speak plainly...”
After Victor left, the Finance Minister chuckled.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is too perfect—he’s the most radiant man in the Empire. That’s exactly why he wouldn’t appeal to [N O V E L I G H T] Miss Namia. But our Victor? He’s different. He’s her capable subordinate now.”
“How amusing, Marquis. Are you trying to challenge me to a daughter-in-law duel?”
“In a battle of sons, I’d lose without question. But a battle for a daughter-in-law? That’s one worth wagering on.”
Even with the Dragonblood Emperor teasing him, the Finance Minister remained unfazed. Ironically, it was this composure that earned the Emperor’s trust.
“Well, if my son loses his mind and refuses to humble himself—still obsessed with the past and his pride—it’ll be hard to win.”
“Hmph. By your logic, wouldn’t she be more likely to fall for someone lower in the department, not the team leader son of a marquis?”
The Emperor laughed in a teasing tone. But inwardly, he was flustered.
“This is an emergency. A real emergency. What the hell do I do about this?”
***
After Victor left just like Kiaros told him to, only the two of us were left on the balcony. I glanced over at Kiaros and awkwardly spoke up.
“So, uh... I just came out here to get some fresh air. I didn’t expect Your Highness to arrive so soon... That letter from the Tower Lord wasn’t anything serious after all, was it?”
“It was.”
Kiaros stepped up beside me slowly.
“It was serious. It was about the Reformist Faction.”
“Hmm? The Reformists, out of nowhere?”
“She finally confessed. Said she’s been investigating them all this time.”
Wait, are you telling me the reason the Tower Lord’s been neglecting the Scroll Department is because of some noble mission like that?
My eyes widened in disbelief as I asked,
“Why only now? Why tell us that beautiful, self-sacrificing story now?”
“It’s not that noble. Turns out... her daughter’s one of the ringleaders of the Reformists. She wants to smuggle her out before the Imperial family finds out.”
Now that was a shock. I clucked my tongue in disbelief.
“Good grief... The Tower Princess, who has everything, joins the Reformists... why?”
“Oh, there was something she lacked.”
Kiaros answered calmly.
“She couldn’t use magic at all.”
“...What?”
Something didn’t add up.
Dad told me the Tower Lord’s daughter was supposed to be an incredible mage who’d inherit the Tower.
