# 10
If the Lilac Palace was the most beautiful annex, the main palace where the Emperor conducted official affairs stood as the most impressive structure in the imperial grounds, boasting grandeur with its height and size.
Unlike the other floors bustling with nobles coming and going for various official duties and petitions, the top floor of this main palace was a private space created solely for the imperial family.
Even Ash, who had visited the main palace several times with his father, was here for the first time.
Befitting its nickname “Wings Touching Heaven,” the Emperor sat on the most splendid golden seat in the center of a spacious hall where half the walls opened to an outdoor terrace.
Ash approached him, knelt on one knee, and paid his respects.
“I am honored to be in the presence of Your Majesty, the sovereign of the Esteria Empire. May Your Majesty’s prosperity upon this land…”
“Ah, enough. I hear such lengthy greetings several times a day, so let’s dispense with unnecessary formalities.”
An amused voice sounded from above. Ash offered a slight bow and rose. The Emperor was smiling with an exceptionally benevolent expression.
“You had quite an eventful wedding night.”
His face appeared casual and even somewhat languid, like any father in a common household. He gestured toward an empty seat while motioning to the attendants standing silently against the wall. Several attendants moved noiselessly to set up teacups at Ash’s table.
Before sitting, Ash quietly bowed to the Empress who sat beside the Emperor. Already feeling the heat, she had an attendant fanning her at her side.
Ash took his seat. The Emperor and Empress, the Crown Prince and his consort. The four people who could be called the very center of the current imperial palace were thus gathered.
The Empress, reclining against her chair’s backrest as if lying down, wore a cream-colored dress covered with golden embroidered flower patterns. Around her neck hung a pearl necklace of the same color as her dress, which, coincidentally, was identical in design to one Ash had once given to a former lover.
Because of this, his former lover, despite receiving such a precious gift, could not wear that necklace to official banquets, and ultimately Ash had to choose different jewels instead of pearls that suited her best for another gift.
In truth, such awkward coincidences had happened several times before. Whether his own taste was too conventional or the Empress’s taste was too youthful, even when he deliberately avoided trends and chose rare designs, their preferences frequently overlapped, much to his dismay.
Whenever such coincidences occurred between the women Ash met and the Empress, she would simply laugh it off while highly praising Ash’s taste.
With that same benevolent face from back then, she now gazed steadily at Ash’s lips. Her light brown eyes narrowed slightly.
“The Duke must be quite concerned.”
It was a remark repeated so often throughout the day from everyone he met that Ash had grown accustomed to their fixation on his mouth.
Whether this wound was the result of a fight or a trace of a passionate wedding night, either way it should have been something to be ashamed of. To have engaged in childish fistfights without considering the consequences… Even to himself, it was absurd.
“I apologize for causing concern. I plan to refrain from public appearances until the wound heals,” Ash said matter-of-factly.
“Ah, that’s not what I meant,” said the Empress, smiling as she set down her teacup.
“There was an uncomfortable disturbance at yesterday’s banquet. How disgracefully must your conduct have been for such an incident to occur right before an imperial wedding.”
“…”
“The Duke must truly have many worries. When he returns, his son will soon become the face of the North in the capital, and regardless of his qualifications as the Crown Prince’s consort, he should at least not tarnish the family’s honor.”
Ash quietly met the Empress’s gaze. Though her face wore a gentle smile, her narrowed eyes concealed a strange hostility directed at him.
It was a look he had never seen before the marriage.
“I apologize. Yesterday’s incident was certainly my oversight. However, it was merely a mishap caused by misunderstandings arising from the hastily arranged marriage, unrelated to my personal conduct.”
Ash replied calmly, not avoiding her eyes.
“My father also has no concerns about the matter, so please do not worry about it anymore.”
Manifesting as an omega only two weeks before an arranged marriage against his will—everything had proceeded at breakneck speed. Given these special circumstances, even his father had not reprimanded him for yesterday’s incident.
He couldn’t understand why the Empress would bring up the matter in this setting. What was the point of deliberately bringing it up to highlight mistakes, when it would only further emphasize the unfairness of this forced marriage?
Contrary to Ash’s inner thoughts, the Empress merely smiled coldly.
“How can you say that incident is completely unrelated to your conduct? Everyone among the capital’s nobility knows about Ash Rihart’s promiscuous private life. Have you not considered that your history with women could become a flaw in your role as the Crown Prince’s consort?”
“…”
Promiscuous, history with women. Ash laughed bitterly inside. Until now, such words had never been used to describe him in public.
It felt unjust that his romantic history, which had never been considered a flaw when he was merely the second son of a ducal family, suddenly acquired dishonorable labels and became a weakness now that he was the Crown Prince’s consort.
In truth, Ash hadn’t expected the Empress to show such overt hostility toward him. Back when he wasn’t even considered a candidate for Sion’s strategic marriage, he had never experienced such unpleasantness when encountering her.
On the contrary, whenever the Empress saw Ash, she would express considerable fondness, saying that if she had a daughter, she would have done whatever it took to make him her son-in-law.
It seems that while Ash as a son-in-law was desirable, Ash as the Crown Prince’s consort was a catastrophe to her.
“If Your Majesty’s standard for promiscuity is at that level, then there would be no one in this world who isn’t promiscuous.”
Just then, Sion’s low voice interjected.
Ash glanced at Sion, who unexpectedly came to his defense. Of course, it would be absurd for the Crown Prince to remain silent while his consort was being unilaterally pressured, but Ash hadn’t expected him to so openly confront the Empress on his behalf.
“Are you offended, Prince? But what else should I call promiscuity if not promiscuity?”
Despite her mocking words, the Empress looked at Sion with an affectionate smile, as though gazing at a beloved son she cherished deeply.
“Our Crown Prince is too generous for his own good. But please consider this mother’s concerns a little. After all, wouldn’t anyone be upset when such a flaw appeared at a wedding ceremony that should have been perfect in every way?”
“Ash is not as reckless as Your Majesty fears. Yesterday’s incident is already a thing of the past between Ash and me, so please don’t mention it anymore.”
For the first time, Ash observed their conversation from an insider’s perspective rather than as an outsider in a non-official setting.
The Empress’s extraordinary love for the Crown Prince had long been well-known to the public. The Crown Prince also respected the Empress, and they maintained an exceptionally harmonious mother-son relationship outwardly.
Considering the Crown Prince’s origin as an illegitimate child born to a mere attendant, this dynamic created a strange dissonance. Especially since the Empress wasn’t childless and had a legitimate son of Sion’s age.
If the Empress, who had borne a legitimate heir, didn’t hate this illegitimate child who occupied the position that rightfully should have belonged to her son, that would be the truly strange thing…
Yet the Empress had accomplished this strange feat. She had willingly adopted Sion as her son to ensure there would be no legal issues with his investiture as Crown Prince.
Even a street dog wouldn’t believe that such actions stemmed from genuine affection for Sion, but her conduct had certainly been appropriate.
The Empress and her legitimate son, the First Prince.
From the moment an illegitimate child was elevated to Crown Prince, these two should have been the most carefully watched threats, yet the Emperor, who had been resolute enough to personally purge those who might threaten the Crown Prince in the past, was strangely lenient only with these two.
“That’s enough, both of you. What kind of dispute is this on such a good day?”
The Emperor, who had been observing the exchange until now, lightly rebuked them. However, Ash thought that if he had intended to stop them, he should have done so much earlier. Displeasure was already evident on the Empress’s face.
“I speak out of concern, Your Majesty.”
The Empress, signaling her attendant to stop fanning, leaned slightly toward the Emperor.
“As you know, our Crown Prince has demonstrated impeccable character without a single unseemly rumor, setting an example for others. I worry that this delicate child might be hurt in the future because of the Crown Prince’s consort.”
“This person was my choice, Your Majesty,” Sion once again suppressed the Empress’s complaints.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
