Chapter 1

TRANSLATOR: HARRY POTTA

CHAPTER: 1

A lavishly prepared full-course meal, an elegant string quartet performed by professional musicians on one side, and a high-end restaurant empty except for the two of us.

It was truly a cliché blind date setting.

I looked at the man sitting across from me, smiling politely. He looked utterly ordinary and unremarkable.

Still, according to my mother, when marrying through a blind date, an ordinary man is best. How ridiculous—she married my father for love.

“Lady Waldenbiston, you said this is your first blind date, correct?”

“Yes.”

“In truth, it is my first as well.”

……

I gave a sociable smile and naturally averted my gaze from him.

This is painfully boring.

But it can’t be helped. I know. Aren’t blind dates usually like this?

This is a meeting between families; there is no room for pure personal curiosity to take root.

In the end, both he and I are here out of duty to our respective houses.

We both know better than anyone that we are not drawn to each other. What matters is what benefits the union of our families will bring.

“……So, if we are to marry, I believe we should first discuss the division of the assets and estates each of us will possess.”

As if he shares the same thoughts as I do, the man abruptly brings up property matters. Even so, I didn’t expect him to start talking about assets from our very first meeting. Ruthless.

“I……”

My lips felt parched. I might start coughing mid-sentence. I should have taken a sip of water……

The moment I opened my mouth to speak—

Suddenly, the restaurant doors burst open, and the bell attached to them rang loudly.

What?

Both the man across from me and I turned toward the door at the same time.

The door was open, but no one entered.

“Wh… what is that?”

“……I have no idea.”

At my question, the man answered, equally bewildered. It seemed neither of us knew who had entered.

But that made no sense. The space had been rented out for the entire day exclusively for us.

What kind of person would dare intrude so rudely upon a meeting between the Duke of Waldenbiston, who dominates the Zahard Empire, and the prestigious Marquess Shoden family?

Moreover, there should clearly be large-built attendants from our houses stationed outside the door……

Suddenly, a deep red carpet unfurled from the entrance all the way to the table where we were seated.

At the same time, knights stepped in, marching in perfect formation along the carpet. They wore red cloaks with golden epaulettes and distinctive dark frock coats.

With ceremonial swords in hand, they looked exactly like the imperial guard’s parade held on National Day.

Wait—the Imperial Guard?

Lost in thought, I suddenly jolted in shock.

If the Imperial Guard is here, that means he is here.

His Majesty the Emperor!

“Your Majesty?”

“Your Majesty?”

Just as my blind date echoed in confusion—

The knights lined up neatly on either side of the carpet and simultaneously stomped their left feet with a resounding thud.

As if that sound were a signal, someone slowly stepped through the doorway.

The first thing visible was the polished toe of black boots. And then—

Knees, fingertips, shoulders, the long dark coat draped over them, dazzling blond hair, and—

“Aira Waldenbiston.”

Calling my name, those deep violet eyes curved dangerously toward me.

My mouth fell open without my realizing it.

An incomprehensible scene was unfolding before my eyes.

Why… why is His Majesty entering from there?

“Is this a dream……?”

Yes, maybe it’s a dream. I’ve had dreams like this many times.

Because I, Aira Waldenbiston, truly, truly loved the current Emperor Rubellus. It was unrequited love. And not just ordinary unrequited love…… it was very deep.

From the moment I first saw him as Crown Prince at the Imperial Palace when I was four years old until I was sixteen, I chased after him relentlessly for twelve whole years.

It was the kind of unrequited love to which one devotes their entire life.

I liked him so much that I followed him persistently. Even when those around His Majesty openly glared at me or rebuked me, it didn’t matter.

If I didn’t see his face every single day, I felt like I would die. I followed him everywhere he went. On the very first page of my diary, I wrote that I would become the future Crown Princess and Empress, and I dreamed of him every day.

……But that was all three years ago.

With trembling eyes, I looked at the Emperor standing before me.

Without thinking, I pinched my cheek hard with my right hand. Makeup or not, it didn’t matter. I twisted it harshly—

“Ow!”

It hurt!

“It’s not a dream.”

Rubellus let out a low chuckle as he spoke to me. Then… this is really His Majesty?

I shot to my feet. But regardless of whether I stood up or not, the handsome man who is the Emperor of the Zahard Empire merely hummed softly as he alternated his gaze between me and my blind date.

His eyes carefully scanned the face of the man seated across from me.

“I hesitate to say this… but you are quite ordinary.”

“Y-Your Majesty?”

Seemingly grasping the situation, my blind date abruptly stood and attempted to kneel.

But Rubellus seized his shoulder with one hand and forced him back upright. I saw the man gasp in pain.

I had thought he merely placed a hand on his shoulder, but I was startled to see the veins bulging on the back of the Emperor’s hand.

“I’m better.”

Though he seemed to be gripping the man’s shoulder with terrifying strength, his voice was excessively calm. Not even his breathing wavered.

The man couldn’t even scream, only choking out strained sounds.

“Your Majesty!”

Though flustered myself, I stepped forward for the sake of my clearly suffering blind date. Our eyes met.

“Aira.”

The Emperor smiled once more.

At that moment, the man whose shoulder was being dislocated in real time disappeared entirely from my field of vision.

The mere fact that he was smiling so splendidly and calling my name like that felt unbearably unfamiliar.

As if unaware of my miserable state of mind, His Majesty’s smile deepened. His eyes curved beautifully, the corners of his lips lifting higher. His pale pink lips gleamed faintly, and his firm jaw clenched—clenched?

“What are you doing here, ‘my’ fiancée?”

The moment I heard that, I forgot how to breathe. His Majesty said “my” fiancée through gritted teeth.

No…… no matter how I think about it, this must be a dream.

All strength suddenly drained from my legs. My vision tilted abruptly toward the ceiling. Something white flickered before my eyes, and soon my consciousness faded.

What on earth went wrong?

But even as my awareness slipped away, I thought back to one month ago—the coronation.

If I trace it back, no matter how I think about it, the beginning of all this must have been that day one month ago.

The day of His Majesty’s enthronement.