Levan paused as he entered the room and then let out a long whistle.

"Wow, this is something."

Levan circled around the large man dressed in a tailcoat. Martin, with a sullen expression, glared at the snickering Levan. Two maids were tending to Martin, making the final adjustments.

"Don’t do that!"

Martin instinctively raised his hand to his neck but quickly lowered it.

"If you keep pulling on it, the button will pop off again!"

The maid's voice was sharp. She had already sewn the button back on twice after it had popped off. Martin sheepishly smacked his lips. The feeling of the tight collar was irritating, and he couldn’t help but keep touching it.

The maid shot him a warning look as she left.

"They say clothes make the man. You've completely transformed, Sir Kali."

"It's too tight. It feels like the clothes are squeezing my entire body. Ah, it's really awful."

Martin let out a deep sigh.

"It was a custom order, but it's too small?"

"I started a new diet from the beginning of the year. Changed my training regimen, too."

"So, you’ve gotten even bigger? Jeez, what's the point of building up so much muscle?"

"I didn't build more; I just went back to my original size. Since coming to the capital, I hadn't been training properly, so I had to stop being lazy."

"Ha, don’t make me laugh. You're just sulking because you lost to Uss."

"..."

The day Martin returned home as "Sir Kali," he was challenged by an enraged Russ. And Martin lost.

While Martin had been living comfortably in the capital, Russ had been roughing it in the desert. A difference had emerged in the skills of the two brothers, who had previously been evenly matched. The difference was exactly in how fiercely each of them pursued their goals.

"When Russ comes back, he’s going to hassle you every day. Are you prepared for that?"

Russ had boarded the ship with Kuhn to see off the envoys. He would return with Kuhn when he came back.

"Why is he being so mean? He said he wouldn’t do it."

Martin complained.

On the day they were to showcase the armor of the desert warriors before the Emperor, the original plan was for both brothers to participate. One would wear the armor, and the other wouldn’t, and they were to stage a duel as a performance.

But Russ objected. He didn’t want to play the role of a clown, he said.

Kuhn had asked whether the two brothers wanted to participate, not ordered them. If both had refused, a different desert warrior would have taken their place.

Martin was the only one who agreed to do it, and so, in the end, it created quite a spectacle—a one-on-ten fight.

Russ wasn’t jealous of the honor Martin received as the "Knight of the Golden Button." What irritated him was people calling Martin "Kali."

"And you beat me, wasn’t that enough?"

"That's the problem. Because you lost."

"What?"

"Russ would hate it whether he won or lost. He wants to be your eternal rival, someone he can never truly beat. Isn’t that how you feel, too?"

Martin started to grab his head with both hands but stopped. If he messed up his hairstyle, he would have to endure the tedious process again, along with a lot of nagging. So he ended up grabbing at the air with both hands, shouting, "Ahhhh!"

"Did you eat something bad?"

Walter clicked his tongue as he came in. He adjusted his monocle with one hand—a habit that had become second nature.

"Here are the invitations for today. Don’t forget to take them when you leave. And this is for you."

Walter placed a bundle of envelopes on the table.

"For Martin? What are they?"

"What else? Invitations to various gatherings. And some love letters."

"Love letters?!"

Levan shouted. Walter shrugged and scoffed.

"Didn’t you know? The mail Martin receives is impressive. Even a few matchmakers have visited."

Levan burst into laughter.

"How enviable, Sir Kali, Knight of the Golden Button."

Levan clapped his hands while looking at Martin.

"If you're so envious, why don't you go to the party in my place today?"

Martin gritted his teeth and retorted.

"No thanks. Besides, your role today is important."

Today, Count Rouk, the son of Duke Rouk, was hosting a party at his residence. Not only was the host a prominent figure, but the party was also highly anticipated as it would be the first official appearance of the Knight of the Golden Button.

And at that party, Joseph Rouk’s illegitimate child would be revealed. The maid who had given birth to Joseph’s son would appear with the child and expose the truth herself.

The groundwork had already been laid. Among those quick to pick up rumors, people were already whispering about it. It was far more likely that people would believe the truth when hints circulated subtly, rather than when an unprecedented scandal suddenly broke out.

Martin was positioned as a witness whom Duke Rouk’s family could never bribe, and in case of emergency, he would play the role of a righteous knight protecting the mother and child.

"Make sure you perform well."

"I could just mimic Russ."

Levan chuckled, saying, "That's perfect."

Walter’s eyes narrowed as he watched the two of them banter.

"Levan. You know, don’t you?"

"Know what?"

"That Kuhn is currently courting someone."

Levan avoided his gaze.

"Who said that?"

"Everyone knows. It's all over the place."

Levan swallowed a sigh. The culprit was obvious.

"That blabbermouth. Never fails to disappoint."

"I don’t know anything."

"How could you not? Russ said he heard it from you."

"Ah, I don't know anything. Ask Kuhn when he comes back. I don’t know, really."

Walter chased after Levan, shouting.

"Are you really not going to tell me? Levan! Even if no one else knows, I need to know!"

Martin managed his expression as he looked at the invitations.

'I mustn’t pretend to know anything.'

Walter was very persistent. If he got caught in his web, he wouldn’t be able to escape.


 ***


The party hosted by Count Rouk was a perfect stage. A meticulous script had been prepared. All that was left was for the actors to give their best performances.

The rumors about Joseph's illegitimate child had already reached the Rouk family. At first, they thought it was just gossip spread by those envious of the ducal house.

Since Joseph vehemently denied it, they believed him and handled the situation complacently. But when the rumors didn’t die down, Duke Rouk summoned his grandson for questioning. Joseph confessed his inappropriate relationships with the maids to his grandfather.

That day, the employees of the ducal house heard the Duke’s furious outburst for the first time in a long while.

The Duke lamented his grandson’s foolishness. The issue wasn’t the fooling around with the maids. The problem was that he hadn’t cleaned up properly and had tried to cover it up with lies, missing the chance to manage the situation early on.

The Duke’s family began a thorough investigation into the source of the rumors. They pressured some of the talkative ones into silence. They even prohibited Joseph from attending the party for fear he might say something careless.

But who could have predicted that the subject of the rumors would brazenly appear at the ducal residence of all places?

The woman, holding the hand of a young boy, cried for help before she could be dragged away.

"Please help me, Sir Knight. I will surely be executed as a criminal. I don’t mind dying, but please save my son."

"I don’t have the power to grant a pardon. If you’ve committed a crime, you must be punished according to Imperial law. But what crime could an innocent child have committed?"

"Sir Knight, my son is the very proof of the crime. This child is the grandson of Count Rouk and the son of Joseph."

"The birth of a life should indeed be celebrated, not condemned as a crime."

By the time Count Rouk, who had briefly left the room, hurried back, the existence of the child had already been revealed to everyone. The news spread like wildfire, traveling swiftly from mouth to mouth.

Sienna heard about the incident the following afternoon. Beth, who had thoroughly gathered information from multiple sources, reported the details of what had occurred in the Rouk family’s banquet hall.

"So, Count Rouk demanded the mother and child's custody, but Sir Kali refused."

"The Count just backed down?"

"The Count tried several times to persuade him, saying it needed verification, but Sir Kali did not comply. Then the Count supposedly told him not to interfere, as it was a family matter."

"Not to interfere because it's a family matter?"

Sienna let out a small chuckle. That statement alone was as good as admitting to the illegitimate child. The Count must have been so desperate that he didn’t even realize what he was saying.

"Sir Kali declared that he would protect the mother and child until their safety was assured. When he attempted to leave with them, the Count had his employees try to block him."

"The Count overstepped. Sir Kali is skilled enough to take on ten knights, isn't he?"

"Indeed. The employees who confronted Sir Kali were scattered like leaves blown by the wind."

Sienna laughed at the thought. She regretted not being able to witness it herself.

"So Sir Kali still has the mother and child with him?"

"Yes. Sir Klli calmly walked out of the ducal residence with the mother and child. No one could stop him."

A maid quietly entered the room. Sienna addressed her as she stood by the door.

"What is it?"

"Lord Rouk has come to see you, Your Majesty."

Since the New Year’s Eve banquet, Joseph had visited the Silver King’s Palace several times. Each time, he had persistently asked her to accompany him to the ducal territory. Even after being refused repeatedly, he remained very insistent. Patricia had subtly supported Joseph, saying, "A winter trip sounds wonderful."

Joseph had come by just three days ago.

Sienna’s expression turned cold.

"I will not see him."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The maid bowed and left. A moment later, there was a loud noise from outside.

"Your Majesty! Let me clear up this misunderstanding! Your Majesty! Just a moment, please! It’s a setup!"

Joseph shouted desperately, his voice rough and cracked, reflecting his urgency.

"Countess, instruct the guards to throw that rude man out immediately. Make sure he never sets foot in my palace again."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After Beth left, the shouting gradually faded and then disappeared.

"What a pathetic creature."

Sienna clicked her tongue and muttered coldly. When Beth returned, she asked cautiously.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?"

"If I weren't. Did you think I’d be shocked by that man's shameless actions?"

Disappointment is born of expectation. Sienna already knew from her dreams, so she was only curious about when it would happen.

"It’s sooner than I expected."

According to the dreams, during the engagement period, Kuhn would become Fatima’s lover, and the annulment of the engagement and Fatima’s death would occur almost simultaneously.

But currently, Fatima was doing very well in the Empire. Clearly, the timeline had diverged somewhere.

Sienna didn’t think much of it.

"The future of the annulment matches, so it doesn’t matter."

"I thought Your Majesty would be greatly displeased."

"Of course, I am displeased."

She answered indifferently but then felt something was amiss.

"What reaction did you expect from me?"

"Your Majesty has never been insulted like this before."

"That’s true..."

When she first learned of the future annulment through her dreams, Sienna had trembled with shame. Had she become okay with it over time, or was it because she knew the future and felt more at ease?

But hearing Beth’s words, she thought it might not be good to appear too composed.

'Those around me might misunderstand my reaction.'

It was a situation where the shame of an illegitimate child by her fiancé was revealed to everyone. A stain had appeared on her otherwise perfect life. Sienna pondered for a moment before standing up.

"I must go to the Red King’s Palace."

 

 ***


The Duke of Rimone was at the Red King’s Palace.

“We meet often, Duke Rimone.”

A few days ago, they had run into each other on his way out of the Red King’s Palace.

“Yes, Your Highness. I don’t come to the Red King’s Palace every day, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“Who would criticize the deep bond between siblings? It would be more unnatural to force yourselves apart because of what others think.”

“I wish everyone thought like Your Highness. Please, Your Highness, treat me as you used to and call me uncle.”

“Courtesy should be maintained most with those close to you. Also, personal relationships should never override official ones, just as I am the Silver King before I am the Duke Rimone’s niece.”

“I cannot compete with Your Highness.”

Doug chuckled, wondering if there was a hidden barb in the princess’s words.

“The Silver King is too obsessed with formalities. She lacks flexibility.”

Patricia grumbled.

“Mother, the law begins with proper etiquette.”

As he listened to the conversation between mother and daughter, Doug’s rigid expression softened. Although the princess’s inflexible nature was sometimes frustrating, it had more advantages. The best part was her predictability.

“I can guess what you were discussing. I came to see Mother for the same reason.”

Patricia and Doug's expressions subtly hardened.

“There is a rumor that Lord Rouk has a child.”

“Silver King, that is not yet certain.”

“Is it a false rumor?”

“Well…”

“Would Mother vouch for Lord Rouk’s innocence?”

“….”

The facts that had already come to light were undeniable. Moreover, the Duke of Rouk’s family had not even secured the child.

“Mother, I did not agree to this engagement because I trusted the Duke of Rouk’s family. I trusted you, who chose him.”

“…I understand.”

“I am truly disappointed. A child? An illegitimate child of my fiancé? And at a banquet attended by all the nobles? What a disgrace!”

Sienna was breathing heavily as if she were barely suppressing her anger.

“Your Highness, it was a mistake by Lord Rouk…”

“A mistake?!”

Sienna raised her voice sharply. Doug flinched as he tried to subtly take Joseph’s side. He grew tense, looking into her bright golden eyes.

“From the moment it was revealed to the world, it was no longer a mistake. Duke Rimone, can you resolve this situation? Can you make Lord Rouk’s illegitimate child disappear without a trace, as Sir Kali took him away?”

Doug couldn’t answer. To subdue Martin Kali, they might have to send an entire order of knights. Moreover, Sir Kali was currently aligned with the rising Marquis of Raad. If they misstepped now, dealing with the aftermath would be difficult.

“Mother, I will not let this insult slide. I will demand a formal apology from the Duke of Rouk.”

“Silver King, please calm down.”

Sienna abruptly stood up.

“I will leave it to you to handle this matter, Mother. You must not take my honor lightly.”

“Of course not, dear.”

“I’ll be going now.”

As soon as Sienna left, Patricia's smile crumbled. She grimaced and rubbed her temples. Her head ached from lack of sleep.

“To think the princess would react so fiercely…”

Doug mumbled awkwardly.

“You didn’t expect this? Even I can’t handle the princess’s pride, Brother.”

“Maintaining the engagement… is probably impossible, isn’t it?”

“An engagement? The princess said she would demand an apology from the Duke of Rouk. We should at least persuade her to settle for that.”

“That’s right.”

If they annulled the engagement, the elderly Duke of Rouk bowing his head and apologizing to the princess would be a tremendous humiliation for his family. It would also cause a significant rift between the Duke of Rouk’s family and the Duke of Rimon’s family.

“It was my mistake. I should have chosen a shrewder man.”

She had picked someone she thought was simple, but he was so simple-minded that he was foolish.

“Brother, you should meet with the Duke of Rouk and talk it through. Ensure the annulment process proceeds without any noise.”

“We should wait a little longer and see if the princess calms down…”

“Do I not know my own daughter? The princess isn’t upset because of her fiancé’s infidelity. She’s angry because her dignity has been tarnished. Resolving this matter quickly is the only way to soothe the princess right now.”

“I understand.”

“And there was something else that was troubling, but this might actually work out well.”

“Something troubling?”

“The rumor that Lord Rouk is close with the Marquis of Raad. Lord Rouk denied it before me, but there was something suspicious about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“There were conflicting accounts that reached my ears, different from what Lord Rouk said. But it doesn’t matter now. We need to arrange a new engagement soon to cover this up. If a new engagement is announced, the gossipers will think twice before speaking.”

Doug gave a half-hearted reply to his sister’s implied question about whether Levi Morton would be the right choice. He let out a sigh.

Just the night before, when the Duke of Rouk had visited, he had rebuked him for not keeping his grandson in check, confidently telling him to leave it to him. If the engagement were annulled, it was clear that relations with the Duke of Rouk’s family would become strained. The breakdown of the secret alliance between the two families would be a significant loss.


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