“Hah, a mere count’s daughter from some petty kingdom—”
“Goodness, Annie. It seems this empire lacks the basic courtesy of returning a greeting.”
Dalia cut in, her tone brimming with feigned astonishment, causing Miss Sorina to tighten her grip on her fan.
“I am Corinne, of Baron Sorina’s house.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sorina. Since we were nearby, your conversation naturally reached our ears. I’ve never in my life seen someone with such a remarkable sense of smell. I was merely talking to myself, though it seems my voice carried a bit too far.”
Dalia smiled innocently, prompting Miss Sorina to glare at her sharply.
“And does one usually talk to oneself loudly enough for everyone to hear?”
“Your voice was so loud, I simply thought I had the right to raise mine as well.”
Dalia replied with artful innocence, sending a flush of burning red across Miss Sorina’s face.
“I cannot bear to remain in the same space with ignorant, tasteless people from such a backwater kingdom.”
“Quite right.”
The other noblewomen chimed in agreement, gathering their things to leave while casting biting glares at the two.
Before departing, Miss Sorina strode forward until she stood right before Dalia, extending her hand as though offering a handshake.
“I shall remember this face well.”
“Thank you for keeping me in mind.”
Dalia smiled sweetly and took her hand.
“It seems this is your first visit here. One must always tread carefully in unfamiliar places, Miss.”
The glint in Miss Sorina’s eyes darkened for a fraction of a second.
“What?”
With sudden violence, she shoved Dalia’s hand away.
Losing her balance at the edge of the terrace, Dalia tipped over toward the training grounds below.
“Dalia—!”
Annie screamed in horror and lunged forward, but it was already too late.
The expanse of blue sky filled Dalia’s vision.
In that split second, a single thought flashed through her mind: this wasn’t a fall she could break with a defensive roll.
She squeezed her eyes shut and braced her body.
“…Huh?”
When no impact came, she cautiously opened her eyes.
She found herself looking straight into the Emperor’s pitch-black gaze, staring up at him in utter bewilderment.
“Are you not going to step down?”
She was nestled securely in the Emperor’s arms.
At the rumble of his deep voice, Dalia snapped back to her senses and shifted slightly.
“I’ll step down.”
The Emperor set her lightly on the ground, then turned his gaze up toward the terrace.
Miss Sorina had gone paper-white, bowing hastily.
“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”
“Ethan.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Why was that terrace built?”
“For the families who rarely have the chance to see the knights.”
“Are all of those people their families?”
The Emperor cast a chilly glance over the noblewomen.
“I shall conduct an inquiry at once.”
When the Emperor turned his frosty gaze away, the ladies hastily curtsied and scrambled to flee the grounds.
“Lia!”
Meanwhile, Annie and Miss Ander rushed down the terrace stairs.
“Lia, are you all right? I lost my grip on you… I should have jumped down with you…”
“I’m fine, don’t worry. And please, don’t say such things. It would break my heart if you got hurt.”
“Let me see.”
As Annie fretted over her—
“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”
Miss Ander bowed low, and Annie followed suit with a belated greeting.
“I am terribly sorry, Miss. You were put in such danger all because you tried to help me.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
The Emperor shifted his gaze toward Ethan.
“Ethan.”
“I will have the terrace removed entirely.”
Miss Ander offered another bow.
“I shall take my leave, then.”
“Excuse me, Miss.”
“Yes?”
“Weren’t you planning on giving that handkerchief to the Commander?”
“No!”
“But I can see the initials.”
Her cheeks flamed red as she tried to tuck the handkerchief out of sight.
“Is that for me, Miss Ander?”
“I… Do you know who I am?”
“Of course.”
Moved, she held out the handkerchief.
“It isn’t anything grand… but I likely won’t be able to come here ever again…”
“Thank you.”
Ethan accepted the handkerchief, prompting Miss Ander to bow once more with a deeply flushed face.
“Thank you for accepting it. I’ll be going now.”
Then, she leaned close to whisper to Dalia,
“Thank you so much, Miss.”
Dalia offered a warm, crinkling smile.
Once she departed, the ring of the knights’ drills resumed in the background.
Dalia watched the Emperor for a moment, then stepped toward Ethan.
“Commander Ethan.”
“Yes?”
“If you have some free time, would you care to have some tea with me?”
The instant the question left her mouth, a chilling silence settled over the training grounds as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over the field.
Dalia glanced around, puzzled by the bizarre atmosphere.
Even the knights who had been clashing swords moments earlier froze in place like statues.
‘Why? What happened?’
Dalia turned to Annie with wavering eyes.
No matter how terrible she might be at reading the room, the meaning of this absolute silence was unmistakable.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
Annie let out a heavy sigh.
Ethan, completely unbothered by the reactions around him, opened his mouth to reply.
“As for time—”
“He won’t have any.”
The Emperor cut Ethan off, his expression stone-cold.
Only then, catching the Emperor’s icy glare, did the knights hastily swing their swords again and resume sparring.
Dalia and Annie exchanged glances, carrying on a swift silent conversation.
‘Should we have spoken to him when the Emperor wasn’t around?’
‘Seems like it.’
‘Wait for another chance?’
‘Yes.’
Just as they concluded their unspoken exchange and prepared to step back, the Emperor took a step toward them.
“Miss Herdlan.”
“Yes?”
Annie answered, but the Emperor’s eyes were fixed squarely on Dalia.
“Ah, not you. This one.”
Dalia looked up at the Emperor.
“Me?”
“Yes. Why did you come here?”
“T-To watch.”
“Watch what?”
“The cold-water dousing?”
Horrified by the words tumbling out of her own mouth, Dalia hurriedly pressed her fan over her lips.
The scene of them washing had been stuck so vividly in her mind that the words had simply slipped out without thinking.
She certainly couldn’t tell the truth—that she had come to meet the Emperor’s closest confidant.
Even so… was she not a princess?
What kind of preposterous excuse was that?
Dalia hid her entire face behind her fan, furiously scolding herself in silence.
“Miss, did you just say cold-water dousing?”
“No, I did not.”
“And yet I heard it quite clearly. Or are my ears playing tricks on me, Ethan?”
“I heard it as well, Sire.”
“I didn’t hear a thing.”
Annie asserted with a deadpan expression, defending Dalia without a moment’s hesitation.
