Translator: Nox

Chapter 39

“Whew….”

At that moment, Brian Raven was walking down the palace corridor, letting out a deep sigh.

Brian was also suffering from a headache due to the rumors centered around Ian.

‘What on earth does His Highness intend to do?’

When he first heard about the incident in the Audience Chamber, he had nearly knocked over the inkwell beside him.

Aside from the bleak reality of Ian being at odds with the Emperor, it was a problem in itself.

Because it had once again confirmed where Ian’s heart lay.

Brian headed toward the exit with a heavy heart.

“You’ve worked hard, Duke Raven.”

A guard managing the entry log for the Crown Prince’s Palace greeted him, acknowledging his presence.

Following the events in the Audience Chamber, and by the Emperor’s decree, everyone moving between Ian and the Crown Prince’s Palace had to operate under strict surveillance.

As Brian nodded at the guard’s greeting, the man pulled out a parchment and a quill as if he were used to it.

“The time is currently 5:34 PM. Are you on your way home? What business did you attend to today?”

“I consulted with His Highness regarding the matter of the poisonous herbs.”

“Could you, ah, explain in a bit more detail? I have to submit a report to His Majesty.”

Brian’s expression soured slightly at the guard’s request.

However, he couldn’t take it out on the man.

The guard was only guilty of doing his job by imperial order.

Ultimately, Brian gave the briefest possible summary of the investigation into the poisonous herb case he had been conducting with Ian recently.

Only after about fifteen minutes had passed was Brian finally able to step outside the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“What is the point of all this?”

Brian shook his head, lamenting quietly.

In the first place, Ian didn’t allow many people into the Crown Prince’s Palace.

As a result, the noble entry log was filled with nothing but the names of Brian and Paula.

Brian pressed his fingers to his temples as he cut across the imperial gardens.

‘I’m the only one suffering, along with Baroness Crawford.’

Even so, he couldn’t just up and quit as an aide.

The investigation into the poisonous herbs had barely even begun, and more importantly, wasn’t Lobelin involved in this matter?

‘…I wonder what Bell is doing right now.’

Because he had been breathlessly busy with the string of recent events, he hadn’t even had the chance to see Lobelin.

No, in truth, Brian had been intentionally avoiding her.

He was afraid that Lobelin’s heart might be the same as Ian’s.

‘Bell, how do you really feel?’

The desire to confirm Lobelin’s feelings once and for all and the urge to avoid them constantly clashed within him.

Still sighing amidst his confused thoughts, Brian stopped in his tracks as if possessed.

“…Bell?”

The woman who had been unsettling his heart until now was standing right before his eyes.

At that time, Lobelin was passing through the imperial gardens.

On both sides of the path she walked, rows of beautiful red roses—the pride of Heriot—were in full bloom.

However, even the roses said to be the most beautiful in the Empire could not capture Lobelin’s gaze.

Lobelin’s mind was currently filled with the conversation she’d had with the Empress just moments ago.

‘To think the Empress called me for such a reason.’

She’d told her to meet Ian to her heart’s content, saying she would help.

The reaction was so completely unexpected that Lobelin let out a hollow laugh of absurdity.

What was it she had said when Lobelin insisted until the end that she and Ian weren’t like that?

‘If you aren’t, then make it so starting now.’

‘What are you hesitating for? It wouldn’t be a loss for a young lady to be connected to the Imperial Family, would it?’

‘I shall look forward to you making a wise choice.’

At the end, the Empress had spoken almost as if giving a command.

All while wiping away the smile she had used to hide her true intentions.

‘To say I’m welcomed specifically because my status is low. That’s too much.’

She felt it would have been better to have had coffee dumped over her head.

Carola’s words and actions, which made her feel her lowly position so acutely, left Lobelin with a profound sense of skepticism.

“….”

And Ian Heriet.

Thinking of Ian, the person at the center of all this, somehow made Lobelin’s heart even more restless.

She felt a certain emotion blooming in a corner of her chest, slowly spreading.

But Lobelin couldn’t tell if this was fear or something else entirely.

“Bell!”

As she walked with a complicated heart, she heard someone calling her from behind.

When she turned her head, her old friend Brian was standing there.

“Oh, Bri. It’s been a long time.”

“Bell! What brings you to the Imperial Palace?”

Brian strode toward Lobelin.

As he drew near, he scanned every inch of Lobelin’s face with a worried expression.

Lobelin could understand the meaning behind that look.

‘Ah, Bri must have seen that article too.’

Since even the Empress had realized that the article was referring to her, it was only natural that Brian would know as well.

Feeling strangely awkward, Lobelin slightly avoided his gaze.

“Uh, it’s nothing much….”

‘How am I supposed to tell you that I was summoned by my boss’s mother because of a scandal with said boss?’

But Brian still looked worried.

“Bell, your expression looks terrible.”

Even though Lobelin wasn’t saying anything, Brian could easily guess what might have happened.

What other reason would she have to come to the Imperial Palace in a situation like this?

Brian sighed and reflexively reached his hand toward Lobelin’s face.

“Ah….”

However, he soon realized what he was doing and lowered his hand.

In his heart, he wanted to pull Lobelin into his arms and comfort her right this second.

But his feelings for her, which he had secretly nurtured all this time, had grown too large for him to perform such an action without ulterior motives.

Brian eventually lowered his hand awkwardly and asked.

“Bell, I’ll be honest. I saw that article too. It’s also true that your name is being mentioned within the palace.”

Brian spoke after a moment of hesitation.

‘I knew it. Bri knew as well.’

Lobelin let out a sigh.

Discussing rumors about herself in front of a friend required a different kind of courage than facing the Empress.

After a moment of thought, Lobelin spoke with difficulty.

“Bri, since you already know, I don’t need to explain further. Her Majesty the Empress called for me and asked about that matter.”

“What?”

For a moment, Brian couldn’t control his emotions and shouted loudly before catching himself.

To think the Empress, who was always looking for Ian’s weaknesses, had called Lobelin.

“Bell, are you all right? She didn’t do anything to you, did she?”

“No, nothing much happened. She just asked what kind of relationship I have with His Highness.”

Lobelin shrugged, answering as if it were nothing.

She had no intention of detailing exactly what was said in the Empress’s Palace.

‘The conversation we had today must remain a secret between the two of us.’

Carola had requested it, but more than that…

‘I don’t want Ian to know about this.’

Lobelin’s own will was stronger.

She didn’t want to inform Ian of her position, which had become infinitely pathetic, nor did she know how he would react.

‘It would be problematic if Ian rebelled against the Empress’s words.’

But if he accepted the current situation and decided to distance himself from Lobelin…

That would be hard to bear in its own way.

In the end, even if it was cowardly, she had no choice but to avoid this moment.

“Bell, the Empress getting involved in this is never a good sign.”

Meanwhile, Brian clenched his fists.

First it was Cornelia, and now it was Lobelin.

He resented the Empress for trying to torment not only her stepson but even his innocent friends for the sake of her own desires.

Taking a moment to catch his breath and suppress his emotions, Brian spoke.

“Bell, this can’t just be ignored. I’ll tell His Highness right away and find a solution—”

“No, no, Bri!”

Lobelin hurriedly blocked Brian, who looked ready to charge back to the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“It ended with Her Majesty without much being said. I told her I have no relationship with His Highness!”

“…What?”

“Well, I-I mean, it’s actually true.”

Brian faltered at Lobelin’s words.

“Is that true? That you have no relationship with His Highness?”

As soon as he asked the question, Brian regretted his words.

He felt a sense of self-loathing for wanting to confirm Lobelin’s feelings even in a situation like this.

“Ah, I, I mean. Since we need to come up with a plan for this matter….”

Seeing Brian make excuses, Lobelin let out a sigh.

She felt too uncomfortable to speak on this subject any longer.

“Anyway, promise me you won’t tell His Highness that you saw me here today.”

“But—”

“If it’s necessary, I’ll tell him myself. Let me do that.”

Lobelin spoke with a determined expression.

When she first left the Empress’s Palace, she had also thought about informing Ian immediately and discussing it.

But the closer she got to him, the more difficult things would become for Ian.

‘This is for the best.’

Lobelin looked at Brian, repeating the thought to herself as if to burn it into her mind.

Staring into her emerald-green eyes, Brian let out a sigh.