Chapter 3 – The Imperial Bride
After stepping down from the carriage, I stood before the transfer gate and looked back at the knights who had escorted me.
Today, I wore a pale-colored dress and a veil over my head, not the knight’s uniform they were used to seeing me in, but not a single one of them seemed to care. It seemed they had more pressing things on their minds; every last one of them wore an expression showing they could not accept my marriage.
To these knights, I was a powerful ally and a commander to be obeyed, but at the same time, I was also a daughter they had looked after since childhood, someone they felt they must protect. That was why they were as outraged by my marriage as if it were happening to one of their own.
“This is just a ‘what if,’ Lady Katia, but if the Zaldein Empire ever makes you unhappy, we will never forgive them!”
“If that happens, send us a sign—any way you can! We’ll come rushing in like the wind and bring you back home, we swear it!”
A smile touched my lips as I looked at my knights, who were always so earnest, always so honest with their feelings.
Ah, I love them so dearly.
If simply by marrying into the Empire I could protect them all, it was a small price to pay. I was grateful that my own life held enough value to protect every one of them.
“Yes! If that time comes, we’ll show them the true power of the Knight Order of the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom!”
I declared this bravely, and we all laughed together. Then, with the knights seeing me off, I stepped through the transfer gate alone.
The Sapphraine Holy Kingdom is an island nation, so ships are the basic means of trade and travel, but royalty and high-ranking nobles use transfer gates for transportation. Using this gate allows for instantaneous travel to another location. This time, my destination was set for the border with the Zaldein Empire.
The moment I set foot on new ground, I was struck by a strange sensation. It was a mysterious feeling of profound relief, almost as if I had returned to my true home.
“Goodness, am I so nervous that I’ve become confused? To feel nostalgia when I’ve just left my home for an unknown land…”
Wondering what was happening, I brought a hand to my face, only to realize my cheeks were wet.
“Eh?”
It seemed I had been crying without even noticing. As I blinked, puzzled as to why I was crying, a beautiful voice, unlike any I had ever heard, rang out.
“To shed tears… Her Highness the Princess must be deeply moved to finally set foot in my empire.”
It was a captivating voice, one that sent a shiver down my spine and stirred my heart against my will. Startled, I looked up and saw a man with features more perfect than any I had ever seen, standing a short distance away and watching me.
Until now, the most handsome man I knew had been Hubert, but this was on an entirely different level. This man possessed a beauty so flawless, he seemed to exist purely to demonstrate the very definition of ‘perfect features.’ His glossy black hair, slightly long, framed his pale skin and accentuated his chiseled features. From beneath his dark hair, eyes of the same black peered out, glittering like black diamonds.
As I stared up in awe, shocked that such a beautiful person could exist, I noticed he was wearing the most opulent clothes imaginable. Furthermore, he radiated an overwhelming aura of command that dominated the entire area. I understood immediately who he was.
The Emperor of the Zaldein Empire.
Wondering why he was here, I looked around and realized I was in a public square. He was surrounded by numerous attendants and men who looked like knights, and surrounding them was a massive crowd of citizens. It seemed my destination after the gate had been changed from the imperial border I was told about to a public square within the empire itself.
I was bewildered as to what this meant, but the answer quickly came to mind. The Emperor had likely arranged this as an opportunity to introduce me to the citizens of the Empire.
Just as the people of Sapphraine found it hard to accept my marriage to the Zaldein Emperor, it must have been equally unacceptable for the Empire’s people to welcome a ‘frail’ member of the human race as their Empress. Therefore, by welcoming me himself, the Emperor was likely trying to force his people to acknowledge me. His message was, ‘This is someone the Emperor himself is greeting, so you must accept her as your Empress, even if she is human.’
I am the sister of the man who brought misfortune to the Emperor’s intended fiancée; I was sure he hated me. But was he truly trying to create an atmosphere where I would be accepted?
As I tilted my head, unable to comprehend the Emperor’s motives, the veil covering my head slipped and fell away. At the same time, the hair I had pinned up came undone, and my waist-length pink hair tumbled down, fanning out around me.
Oh, no! I thought, reaching for the veil, but I was so distracted by the people around me that my hand only grasped at empty air. Because in that instant, for some reason, the entire atmosphere of the square changed.
The Emperor, his aides, the knights, and the citizens; every single person froze as if struck by lightning, sucking in a collective breath. Confused, I looked around, only to find the citizens staring at me, wide-eyed, as if they were witnessing something unbelievable. The Emperor and his court, on the other hand, were glaring at me with pure hatred.
Everyone’s reactions were so unexpected, and so extreme, that I had absolutely no idea what was happening. But I couldn’t just stand there forever. I composed myself and put on the serene smile that is the basis of all diplomacy.
Since the Emperor had gone to the trouble of creating this opportunity to introduce me, I decided I should make the most of it. And the best thing I could do in this situation was to offer a friendly smile and show them that I was not, by any means, an enemy.
I straightened my posture and looked out over the crowd with a smile. In response, the people in the crowd turned bright red, looked flustered, and staggered backward.
I wondered why my smile alone was causing such agitation, but I kept my confusion hidden. With a graceful motion, I gathered the fabric of my dress and performed the most polite curtsy I could. I held the pose for three seconds, then rose, my face beaming with a full smile. Then, I spoke in perfect Zaldein.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty Emperor Eckardt, and all the people of the Zaldein Empire. I am Katia Sapphraine of the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom.”
I looked around, hoping this would convey at least some of my friendly intentions, but for some reason, every single citizen was staring at me, their faces bright crimson.
“Eh?”
This is not the reaction I was expecting at all.
I had assumed about thirty percent of the crowd would be hostile, and the other seventy percent indifferent, but every one of them looked… friendly. In fact, it seemed as if they were excited to see me.
That thought wasn’t far off, because the next moment, a tremendous cheer erupted. The citizens clapped their hands excitedly and began to make an incredible commotion.
“Waaaaah! Banzai! All hail our new Empress!!”
“Unbelievable! Our nation is welcoming the greatest consort in the world!!”
“I can’t believe it! This is the greatest day eveeer!!”
For some reason, the citizens, their cheeks flushed and their faces alight with joy, had begun to shout words of welcome at me.
I stared wide-eyed as every citizen of the Empire roared their welcome, shouting at the top of their lungs in excitement. I found it impossible to believe that a simple smile and greeting from me could soften the hearts of the Empire’s people, who supposedly held such aversion to the human race.
As I stood there bewildered by the “Empress! Empress!” chant starting up right in front of me, the Emperor approached and stopped before me.
Even from a short distance, I had been overwhelmed by his unconcealable aura and unparalleled beauty, but up close, the intensity was on another level entirely. His face was so perfect that he looked like a work of art; it seemed almost strange that he was alive and moving.
I stared, forgetting to blink, as those beautiful lips moved, spinning that spine-chilling, lovely voice.
“You are a bold one.”
“Pardon?”
Bold? The crowd is so loud, did I mishear him?
The gathered people were cheering as loudly as they could, and the area was in an uproar. I focused intently on the Emperor’s words, trying to hear him correctly.
“You’ve come all alone to a country with a different culture, language, and race. I expected you to be fraught with anxiety, perhaps even terrified. I never imagined your first move would be to charm the entire nation.”
The Emperor reached out, seized my hand, and squeezed it tightly, as if confirming something. The instant he did, the crowd blushed and cheered even louder, thinking a romance between the imperial couple was beginning right before their eyes. But the Emperor seemed to have no such intention. He spoke in a low, impressed tone.
“Not even the slightest tremble. You truly are a monster. It seems I am about to welcome one hell of a bride.”
The Emperor’s expression was different from the hateful one he’d worn moments ago; it was now calm. His tone was level, but it was hard to believe the violent emotions I had seen just seconds ago could vanish so completely.
Thinking this, I stared up at him, only to realize his eye color was different from when I first saw him.
“…Gold?”
Was it a trick of the light? The Emperor’s eyes, which had been black, now appeared to be golden.
The moment I whispered it aloud, the Emperor seemed to startle and covered his eyes with one hand. I don’t know how he did it, but when he next lowered his hand from his face, his eyes were black again.
As I stared in confusion, the Emperor took my hand and began to walk. Watching him, I felt a wave of relief. It seemed that, in public at least, he intended to treat me courteously. Immediately, his attendants—likely the eight dukes loyal to him, known as the ‘Eight Holy Ducal Houses’—fell in step right behind us, as if to protect him.
The Emperor helped me into an open-topped carriage and then sat down beside me. It may have looked as though the two of us were alone in the small space, but the dukes, now on horseback, had surrounded the carriage. We were far from being truly alone. My every move was undoubtedly being watched by the dukes, and I had heard that beastmen have excellent hearing, so they were surely listening to our conversation as well.
—In preparation for marrying into the Zaldein Empire, I had researched the Emperor as much as I possibly could. However, because my kingdom had very little interaction with the Empire to begin with, I wasn’t able to gather much information about him.
The main things I learned were that he had ascended to the throne of the number one beastmen nation on the Dodory continent at a young age, and that he was rumored to be both highly competent and utterly ruthless.
The Emperor seated next to me now wore a calm expression, but I could not forget the look of raw hatred I had seen in his eyes just moments before. His true nature was surely a harsh one. But he was a man who could conceal those emotions in order to make things proceed smoothly. He almost certainly had not forgiven my brother for what he did to his former marriage candidate, and he surely thought ill of me as well.
I’d heard that beastmen have incredibly strong family bonds and a custom of sharing all rewards and punishments among the entire clan. Therefore, the people of this country surely believed that I shared in my brother’s guilt. After all, I was sent here specifically as restitution for my brother’s transgression. At best, I was a hostage, yet the Emperor had shown me respect in front of his people. He likely did not wish for our two nations to fall into open conflict.
If that was the case, he probably intended to respect me in public while tormenting me slowly and deliberately in private. If nothing else, it was clear that the Emperor felt a violent anger toward me.
Ah, this is troubling. What exactly am I supposed to do to appease his anger? And how can I protect my homeland, the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom?
I was furious with the ministers of my country who had sent me here as a human sacrifice, fully knowing I would not be treated well, but the people I hold dear still live in that kingdom. No matter what, I could never abandon the people of my homeland. Therefore, I must work to ensure the Empire and my homeland do not go to war. And to do that, I need to build an amicable relationship with the Emperor.
Just as I was thinking that, the Emperor spoke.
“I have yet to introduce myself. I am the man who will be your husband, Eckardt Panther Zaldein.”
“I am Katia Sapphraine. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
I felt a rush of relief that he had at least given me his name.
Good, it seems he’s willing to engage in basic conversation.
I offered him a friendly smile and addressed Emperor Eckardt.
“In preparation for marrying Your Majesty, the great Emperor of Zaldein, I have studied your country. However, my knowledge is surely insufficient. If I make any errors, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me. Also, if you would be so kind, please call me Katia.”
The Emperor nodded, then tilted his head as if to ask a question.
“I, too, tried to learn about you beforehand, but there were several points that remained unclear.”
“Yes, please ask me anything.”
Mutual understanding is vital, I thought, nodding enthusiastically. I had been prepared for Emperor Eckardt to ignore me completely, so I was grateful he was showing any interest in me at all.
“I am told you held the highest post in the Knight Order of the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom. And that you are a mage with a moniker. Is this true?”
His question struck at the very core of who I was, and it caught me completely off guard. Then, I pondered what the ‘correct’ way to answer a beastman emperor would be.
In preparation for this marriage, I had read as many books as I could find on beastmen culture, customs, and their general temperament. Unfortunately, many of the books were ancient, so I couldn’t be sure the information was accurate. Therefore, I had to judge their nature based on what I saw and felt… but despite this being a nation of beastmen, not one person I saw in the square possessed any of their supposed traits.
There was no one with beast ears or a tail, as the old books described, and certainly no bipedal, beast-like figures. Did this mean that the information in those books—that ‘strength is the only thing beastmen believe in, and they cannot comprehend humility or modesty’—was outdated?
Concluding this, I fell back on what would be considered common sense in the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom, where I had lived my entire life. I put on a modest expression and answered with humility.
“It is true that I was given the position and title Your Majesty mentioned in the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom. However, both the rank of Commander General and the title of ‘Witch’ were given to me thanks to the support of those around me, and in consideration of my status as a princess.”
In reality, my appointment as Commander General was an acknowledgment of ten years of hard work within the Knight Order, and the trust and accomplishments I had built during that time. And the title ‘Witch of Ruin’ was something I acquired through blood-curdling effort after my magic abilities manifested at the age of six.
But there was no way I could just say, ‘That’s exactly right! I became Commander General because I was the strongest in the Knight Order! And I got that title because I’m the strongest mage in the country!!’
If I said that to someone I’d just met, assuming they had any common sense, they would undoubtedly scorn me as an arrogant braggart with an overinflated ego. So, I put on a ladylike expression and humbled myself as much as I possibly could. But… to state the conclusion first, my response was a complete mistake.
I shouldn’t have shown a shred of humility. I should have used my magic to blow off a piece of the carriage and threatened them, “This is my true power! If you don’t believe me, I’ll blow this entire square to kingdom come!”
Because that was the way of the beastmen.
But I had merely smiled demurely like a lady and offered a modest reply… and so the Emperor, and the dukes who were eavesdropping on our conversation, completely misunderstood.
The beastmen had no concept of humility. And because they had already been fed so many nasty rumors about me, they believed my words exactly as I had said them.
‘The princess is just as the rumors said. A spoiled royal with no real power to back her up.’
And as a result, every single duke in the Zaldein Empire came to look down on me.
After that, we traveled by carriage to the imperial palace, the Emperor’s residence.
The citizens gathered along the road remained in a welcoming mood, erupting into loud cheers every time I so much as smiled or waved. Watching this display, a doubt finally began to creep in. This is strange. No matter how you look at it, isn’t this… too much of a welcome?
In the first place, beastmen are a race that reveres strength, so they should look down on the physically weak human race. The very fact that I was marrying their Emperor should have been infuriating to them. So why were they cheering?
As I blinked in confusion, the Emperor answered my unspoken question.
“The citizens are excited by your appearance.”
“Excited by my appearance?”
I’ve always been told I resemble my mother, who was a great beauty, so I know I’m reasonably attractive. But this crowd’s fanaticism was hardly the reaction one gets for being ‘reasonably attractive.’
“Oh my! Could it be that my appearance is a perfect match for the Empire’s tastes? Am I considered an ‘unbelievable beauty’ in this country?!”
My face lit up at the thought, but the Emperor seemed to recoil slightly.
“…Are you being serious? Or is this some roundabout way of chiding me for not praising your appearance more? I would very much prefer it to be the latter.”
“Roundabout chiding?”
I tilted my head, having no idea what he meant, and the Emperor sighed.
“…So you were serious. Of course, the citizens aren’t excited about your face. They are excited about your pink hair.”
“My pink hair?”
When I repeated the words, the Emperor’s lips twisted. It was a look that said he believed I was asking about something I already knew perfectly well.
“To the people of this continent, your hair color is special. I hear you obtained the title ‘Witch of Ruin’ as a mage, but on the Dodory continent, we have our own legends concerning ‘Witches’.”
He then recited a single phrase.
“‘The Witch’—she of pink hair and red eyes—is of the ‘First Race,’ a being who bestows blessings upon all.”
“Ah…”
I reflexively raised my hands to touch my own long, waist-length pink hair.
—In this world, pink hair is incredibly rare. Even in my homeland, the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom, I was the only person who had it.
I see. So the people were excited because of my unusual hair color.
As I nodded in understanding, Emperor Eckardt twisted his lips into a cynical smile.
“The human race calls any woman who can use magic a ‘witch.’ On this continent, the term refers only to one with pink hair and red eyes. Everyone on the Dodory continent, regardless of nation or race, worships the Witch.”
A story very similar to what the Emperor was explaining had, in fact, been written in one of the books I’d read on the Empire’s history.
I see. The people welcomed me because my hair is the same color as the Witch they worship… But…
“I read in a book that the Witches… died out long ago.”
“That is correct. However, the Witches were a merciful race. Everyone believes that when we are in trouble, they will surely return and save us.”
Could a race that has already perished really return?
“Do you also believe the Witch will return one day, Your Majesty?”
I had only just met Emperor Eckardt, but he didn’t seem at all the type to believe in such fantasies. That’s why I asked, but my assumption was wrong. The Emperor nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I have sworn my heart to the Witch. If she commanded me to die, I would. If she were to appear, I would give her everything.”
He declared this unequivocally, then fixed me with a severe expression.
“The Zaldein Empire is a nation of beastmen. We are proud of our powerful bodies, and we would never alter them, as they are a precious gift from our ancestors. The citizens, therefore, assumed your pink hair was natural and enthusiastically welcomed you as someone connected to the Witch.”
From his tone, I realized he thought my pink hair was dyed. I hurried to correct him.
“My pink hair color is natural.”
“…I was told you had golden hair at birth.”
That was true. When I was born, I had blonde hair and blue eyes. But partway through my life, my hair color changed to pink.
“When I was six years old, my hair changed from blonde to pink.”
The Emperor’s lips twisted.
“Is there anyone else in your family line who has had pink hair?”
“…No, I am the only one.”
“And in your country?”
“…I am the only one.”
“I see.”
His reply wasn’t a clear “yes” or “no,” but I could tell he clearly believed my hair was dyed. As if to prove it, his face twisted in displeasure, and his voice took on a warning tone.
“We worship the Witch more than you can possibly imagine. She is a sacred being who must never be defiled. An imposter imitating her is nothing short of disgusting. You are never to mimic the Witch.”
It was an order: change my hair back from pink to its original color.
I felt the sharp tension coming from him and remembered the intense, hateful glare he’d given me from a distance—the one that looked like it could kill. That had been the exact moment my veil slipped off, revealing my pink hair.
The Emperor and his aides must have seen my pink hair, assumed I had dyed it to piggyback on the Witch’s popularity, and become enraged. It was clear now that the only topic that could make Emperor Eckardt lose his calm facade was that of the Witch.
I didn’t want to be misunderstood about something he clearly held so sacred, but I had no way to prove my hair color was natural right here and now. So, in an attempt to at least diffuse the prickly atmosphere, I decided to change the subject. Or rather, I seized this rare chance while we were (mostly) alone and bowed my head deeply.
“Your Majesty Eckardt, I know this may not be the proper time or place, but please allow me to apologize. I am truly, deeply sorry for the transgression my brother committed. I offer my most heartfelt condolences for Lady Efa Falke and for her child.”
“…Lift your head. The people will wonder what’s going on.”
An emotionless voice came from above me as I kept my head bowed. I startled and raised my head, remembering where I was. Right, I’m in an open-topped carriage, in the middle of a parade.
Perhaps because he was conscious of the citizens lining the road, Emperor Eckardt’s expression showed no anger, but deep within his eyes, an untamable, violent emotion was burning.
That was only to be expected. He had lost the woman who was meant to be his consort. He wasn’t about to forgive everything because of one cheap apology from me. On top of that, by apologizing during a parade, I had put him in a public position where he had little choice but to accept. He was probably furious, thinking I’d planned it that way.
Strangely, witnessing the intense hatred he held for me, I felt a spark of respect for him. As the leader of the beastmen, he was outraged that one of his own had been treated so unjustly. I found that admirable. And so, I followed that feeling and spoke the thought that was in my heart.
“As a member of the family of the one who transgressed, I will one day make this right. I swear it on my name as the ‘Witch of Ruin’.”
The Emperor had just warned me repeatedly not to mimic the Witch, so invoking her title now was probably a terrible move. But I couldn’t help it. I wanted to make that promise to him, under the power of the greatest title I possessed.
The Emperor, oblivious to my reasoning, simply closed his eyes, as if to physically restrain the anger inside him. Seeing him like that, I figured it was best not to press the issue any further and looked away. Then, I turned my gaze back to the streets and resumed waving to the people.
After the parade through the city, our carriage finally entered the grounds of the imperial palace.
By the time we finished waving to the crowds, Emperor Eckardt seemed to have regained his composure, his calm expression once again in place.
We passed through a towering main gate, and the moment we entered the palace grounds, I was struck by a strange sense of déjà vu.
It was my first time here, and yet… I felt as if I’d seen it all before.
“I know this place…”
I murmured the words without thinking, and then it hit me. This was the place I had seen in my dreams. Ever since I was a child, I had been having dreams of an unknown place. It was this garden.
As I stared wide-eyed in shock, the Emperor spoke in a sarcastic tone.
“I see. You truly are a schemer. You captivated the citizens with that pink hair and innocent smile, and now you’re trying to stage some ‘fated encounter’ for my benefit?”
Apparently, the Emperor thought I was making up a story just to get his attention. But it was only natural he’d think so.
It was my first time visiting this country, so there was no way I could have known what the palace looked like.
As the carriage moved forward, we passed a small, raised hill and a dense cluster of trees. I felt like I recognized all of them, but I tilted my head when we came upon a flowerbed planted with colorful blossoms.
“What is it?”
“I thought there was a pond here.”
When I answered honestly, the Emperor’s lips twisted.
“It seems the map you studied was an old one. There was a pond in this spot, but that was over a hundred years ago.”
“…Is that so.”
Apparently, the Emperor thought I had studied a map of the palace beforehand and was just acting like I knew the place. I couldn’t blame him for thinking that, but of course, I had done no such thing. I was simply baffled that I had been dreaming of this palace garden since I was a child—and not just the garden, but the garden as it was over a century ago.
Just as we entered the building, one of the Emperor’s attendants ran in, looking flustered.
“Y-Your Majesty, it’s an emergency!”
“What is it?”
The Emperor fixed him with a sharp gaze, and the attendant blurted out excitedly:
“Th-The Dream Peach Blossom, which hasn’t bloomed in two hundred years… it’s blooming in the palace garden!!”
Before the Emperor could reply, another attendant ran in from the opposite direction with a new report.
“Your Majesty, something incredible has happened! The Sacred Bird… the one that is said to only approach the Witch… it’s singing in the palace garden!!”
It was only then that the attendants seemed to notice my presence. Their eyes flew wide in shock.
“”P-Pink hair!! M-My… My Lady Witch!!””
Then, both their expressions seemed to melt into ones of pure adoration.
“Oh, oh, I see! The Dream Peach Blossom bloomed to welcome the Lady Witch!!”
“Yes, yes, of course the Sacred Bird would sing for joy!!”
Seeing his attendants’ complete change in attitude, the Emperor twisted his lips into a cynical smile.
“Even you two are fooled? Look closely. Her eyes are blue, not red.”
“Huh? Ah!… Ah! Y-you’re right!”
“B-But this magnificent pink hair… Surely she must be connected to the Witch?!”
“Your longing for the Witch is so strong that you’re determined to see a connection where there is none.”
The Emperor said this to his attendants, then folded his arms and looked down at me.
“You really are something else. The Dream Peach Blossom, said to be planted by the Witch herself, is blooming, and her familiar, the Sacred Bird, is singing? Are you just that lucky, to draw such coincidences to you? Or did you use that hair of yours to bewitch the very flowers and birds of my palace?”
I gave the openly suspicious Emperor a sweet smile.
“Who knows? I am to be your consort, after all. You’ll have me for a good long time, so please, take your entire life to figure it out.”
After that, I parted ways with the Emperor and was shown to my room. The moment I was alone, I collapsed face-first onto the bed.
“…Emperor Eckardt is a sharp one.”
I muttered under my breath.
I’d always prided myself on being a good judge of character, but the entire time I was with the Emperor, I had almost no idea what he was thinking.
“His type is the most troublesome. You never know what’s going on inside their head.”
I’ll have to be careful.
With that resolution, I pushed myself up and sat on the edge of the bed. And then, I said aloud to myself with sudden vigor:
“Still, the Emperor was shockingly beautiful! Why did no one tell me he was that handsome?!”
Of course, there was the fact that we had almost no relations with his country, so information didn’t travel well. But more likely, the fact that the Emperor was handsome was completely irrelevant to my country’s ministers, so they hadn’t bothered to find out.
I reached out, grabbed a nearby cushion, and hugged it tightly.
“A person’s attractiveness is a very important factor in understanding them! I mean, a man that handsome… he must have had countless lovers.”
It was a wild guess, but I had a feeling I was right.
“Which means, even if I show a little interest in him, he won’t take it seriously. A man that attractive must be used to women fawning over him all the time.”
Besides, he already hates me as the sister of the man who brought tragedy to his family, and he suspects me of trying to bewitch his people.
“Hubert taught me a harsh lesson about men, and I never intended to fall in love again. When you think about it that way, Emperor Eckardt is the perfect partner.”
I was on the verge of marrying Hubert, but he tossed me aside without a second thought and even offered me up to the Empire as a human sacrifice.
If the man I trusted most could do that, it was easy to guess what other men were capable of.
“A man as gorgeous as Emperor Eckardt will never be short of partners, so no matter what I do, there’s no chance of it developing into romance. He would never bother with someone he hates, like me.”
Still, a life of being constantly hated by my husband sounds exhausting.
Emperor Eckardt is furious because he thinks my hair is dyed, but it’s my natural color. If I can clear up that misunderstanding, maybe we can get along a little better?
After thinking for a moment, I came to a conclusion: no matter what, I just have to do the best I can.
I clenched both my fists in determination.
“Alright, let’s do this!”
My duty is to maintain friendly relations between the Sapphraine Holy Kingdom and the Zaldein Empire. To do that, it’s essential that the Emperor and I have a good relationship. So… from now on, I’ll just have to keep showing Emperor Eckardt how much I ‘like’ him.
I’ll stare at him adoringly and tell him “I love you” over and over.
When the people see me acting so affectionately, they’ll think the imperial couple of Zaldein gets along wonderfully. Meanwhile, the Emperor himself must be so used to advances that he won’t take my words seriously. And besides, it’s hard to truly hate someone who is constantly showing you affection. Maybe, eventually, we could even develop something like a friendship.
“Heh, this might just work!”
I grinned as I finalized my one-sided plan for the future. But… for some reason, the expression on Emperor Eckardt’s face when we parted ways flashed into my mind.
‘Who knows? I am to be your consort, after all. You’ll have me for a good long time, so please, take your entire life to figure it out.’
I remembered how he had looked when I said that—his eyes wide with surprise, his cheeks faintly red.
“…There’s no way a man that gorgeous was actually affected by a few words from someone like me.”
I’m being delusional, I thought, and laughed it off. But… for some reason, that night, just as I was drifting off to sleep, the image of the blushing Emperor surfaced in my mind one last time.
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