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Cayena had never expected the emperor to give her that sort of authority. She immediately knelt on the floor.

“Please take back your words. How can I govern in Your Majesty’s stead when you are ruling the empire so well?”

That was what she had stated, but in her heart, she thought otherwise.

‘This is an opportunity.’

Cayena never thought the emperor would move like this. She had to seize this opportunity, but she couldn’t accept the power as if she had been waiting for it.

She lowered her head even further.

“I, who have only been thinking about marriage thus far, don’t deserve that right. This girl will be satisfied with just a dowry and a title.”

Then the chancellor, who had been dumbstruck, quickly leaped in to help.

“She’s right, Your Majesty. There has been no precedent for authority to be transferred to anyone other than a formal successor. Please, reconsider.”

Chancellor Debussy was one of Rezef’s official supporters. How flustered would he be because of this unexpected variable? The chancellor was a transparent man, and mockery nearly spilled out.

“Did I not say it was temporary?”

The strength behind the emperor’s voice was so powerful that it was hard to believe he had spat out blood a short moment ago. Even if its teeth fell out, a tiger remained a tiger.

Chancellor Debussy hurriedly opened his mouth, looking embarrassed.

“Of course Your Majesty said it was temporary, but…”

“The princess is my child. She is an imperial descendent with greater legitimacy than anyone else. Am I wrong?”

The chancellor’s face turned gray at Emperor Esteban’s words.

“If the precedent is a problem, the solution is simple. I will simply recognize the princess as the heir to the throne.” He asked the chancellor, who was trying to bend his will, “Is that what you want?”

“……”

The chancellor did not reply. The emperor looked at him like he was pathetic, then turned to Luden.

“From this moment, I appoint the princess as my proxy until my official successor is chosen.”

“We heed your word.”

Everyone bowed their heads. Cayena bit down a smile so that no one would see.

“I will fulfill Your Majesty’s expectations.”

***

On their way out the emperor’s chambers, Chancellor Debussy called to Cayena.

“Your Highness.”

Cayena looked back at him. The chancellor’s expression did not look well.

“I think you might be uncomfortable with a regent’s authority.”

Knight Commander Jed also stopped walking at those words.

Cayena answered, “Why would I be uncomfortable? His Majesty has honored my accomplishments and me by appointing me to this position.”

Chancellor Debussy narrowed his eyes and pretended to give her advice.

“But as Your Highness said, how can a young woman deal with the rough work of politics while His Majesty remains alive?” He added apologetically, “I am worried that there will be troubles for Your Highness.”

Cayena quietly stared at Chancellor Debussy, who plainly looked down on her while pretending to care.

It was funny. He was looking down on her, but he was also attempting to keep her in check.

“It seems like the chancellor wants me to be troubled.”

It was ridiculous to discuss troubles with the imperial princess who had nearly been abducted twice. The tide was completely on Cayena’s side. Even the temple was keeping an eye out for her, who kept getting involved in incidents.

If he made any mistake here, it would be over for him. The chancellor knew it too, and he denied it quickly with a stiff expression.

“You misunderstand me, Your Highness. How could I imply something like that?”

“Of course. You’re right. Since the chancellor has always managed the palace safely thus far, how could I suffer from any troubling incidents?”

She was saying that if a problem arose in the imperial palace, it would be the chancellor’s responsibility.

The chancellor had looked down on Cayena because she was young. But rather than being scared, Cayena subtly threatened him. He finally realized that the princess was a formidable foe. He couldn’t fight her head-on, so he changed his tune.

“I am deeply moved to see Your Highness who has grown up to be the representative of the empire.”

Cayena smiled a little and curtsied, holding the hem of her dress.

“Then, please continue to watch over me in the future.”

“……”

He couldn’t win no matter what he said. The chancellor shut his mouth.

“Pfft— Cough.”

Meanwhile, Commander Jed, who had been standing beside them, involuntarily burst into laughter and covered it up with a cough.

“Hmph…!”

Needless to say, the chancellor’s face turned red. Disregarding both noises, Cayena brightly told them,

“Today, please inform your respective departments about the news. We will shortly start working together in full.”

Commander Jed bowed his head, and the chancellor clenched his fists in rage.

Cayena walked out the door first. Outside, Raphael and Olivia were waiting for her.

The two were standing far apart from each other, and Cayena’s heart was weighed down.

She felt guilty, as if she had stolen Olivia’s lover.

‘I know that there isn’t any sort of relationship between them yet. I know that, but…’

It would have been nice if she hadn’t known that the two were originally together.

Cayena felt remorseful. Furthermore, she was someone who wouldn’t live for long.

Raphael noticed that Cayena was hesitant to approach him. Without revealing his emotions, he asked, “How is His Majesty?”

“Though he did spit out blood, he should be fine if he rests.”

Soon, the chancellor and the knight commander also came out. They were startled, not having expected Raphael.

“Ahem!”

The chancellor faked a cough and left, looking uncomfortable.

Cayena said to Raphael, “You should leave now. I’ll see you off.”

Raphael nodded and extended his hand. Cayena paused for a moment, then grabbed it. Raphael watched how her hand fit more naturally into his than it had before.

Right now, he was satisfied.

They slowly descended the spiral staircase. The two of them, wearing bright clothes in this gold-lit castle, looked like a scene from a ball.

Raphael noticed that Cayena’s hands had turned cold again.

“Your hands are cold.”

By comparison, Raphael’s hands were quite warm.

“You shouldn’t keep your hands cold, Your Highness.”

Saying that, Raphael boldly gripped Cayena’s hand. Cayena pondered over what to say.

“…Duke, you’re a kind person.”

“It’s nothing.”

Cayena was a little embarrassed. It wasn’t so unusual that others would notice, but their position was definitely intimate.

At that moment, Raphael spoke as if he knew what Cayena was thinking.

“Wouldn’t it be more notable if you suddenly kept your distance?”

Certainly, that was true. Until now, Cayena had acted like his lover, hanging off his arms as she wished.

“You should pretend that you’re being intimate with me to take advantage.”

There was no way Cayena wouldn’t know that. But it was important to note that Raphael was not someone who would act like this in the first place.

“I know that too, but I feel the duke has ulterior motives.”

Raphael smiled a little.

The two walked leisurely toward the castle entrance. The commotion that had been raging just a moment ago felt far away, like it had been a lie.

Cayena realized that she was being healed by these peaceful moments.

“The emperor appointed me as his temporary proxy for state affairs,” Cayena relayed.

Raphael expected the emperor to kept his promise. He wasn’t surprised that the emperor had followed his conditions.

“Congratulations.”

Cayena thought his reaction was strange.

‘This isn’t something to go over just with a “congratulations.” ‘

Even if it was Raphael, who didn’t show much emotion, it was odd that he did not react to the news that she had become the emperor’s proxy.

It was, in effect, the same as being appointed the heir. This event would greatly shake the tides of power.

‘What is it?’

Cayena intuited that she was missing something, but she didn’t reveal this thought to the person beside her.

“You’ll likely be busy again for a while,” Raphael said.

“Most likely.”

“Even though I’ll miss you, I will wait quietly.”

At his words, Cayena looked around at their surroundings. Her heart was pounding.

“You’re not being quiet right now.”

“I don’t know the standards for being quiet very well.”

Was he always this aggressive? Cayena’s head throbbed.

~~~