The smile vanished from the First Consort’s face in an instant.
“Does Lady Eliant know what she’s saying?” Her voice dripped with anger, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. The issue of the First Prince’s lineage was a sore spot for her, akin to touching a dragon’s reverse scale.
I had mentioned it before, and back then, she scrambled to silence me. Now, however, she reacted with unusual sensitivity. This wasn’t a private spat among gossiping women but a formal meeting, where every word was recorded for posterity. Raising the First Prince’s lineage here risked reigniting its controversy.
“You dare!” The First Consort, her composure shattered, cast off her mask of civility.
“Your Majesty, this girl insults the imperial family! Will you let this stand?”
“Insult the imperial family? That’s unjust,” I countered.
“You speak so boldly, daring to mention that forbidden matter and expecting to walk away unscathed.”
“It’s not officially forbidden, is it, Your Majesty?”
It was only tacitly taboo, enforced by the emperor’s silent consent and the First Consort’s influence. The emperor regarded me with an enigmatic expression—part displeasure, part amusement.
“Lady Eliant is correct. It’s not officially forbidden,” he said.
“Your Majesty!” the First Consort cried, her voice sharp, but his gaze remained on me.
“However, it’s a matter the imperial family avoids. You understand the weight of your words, don’t you?”
I approached Father, who still held the sword, and placed my hand on his. The sword clattered to the floor, and he gripped my hand tightly, his warmth enveloping mine. I met the emperor’s eyes directly.
“My lineage has been questioned. Shouldn’t I use every means to uncover the truth?”
A faint smirk tugged at the emperor’s lips. “Continue.”
“Your Majesty!” The First Consort’s face flushed with agitation as she glared at both of us.
“This meeting was convened to question Lady Eliant’s lineage, was it not? House Eliant deserves a chance to respond,” the emperor said.
“There’s no way to prove it,” she declared sharply.
The emperor chuckled. “We’ll see after hearing Lady Eliant out.”
Dismissing her, he turned back to me. Convinced I couldn’t prove my lineage, the First Consort’s glare softened as she regained her composure.
“I’m curious what sophistry you’ll spin,” she said.
I felt Father’s grip tighten. Despite knowing my plan, he seemed uneasy. I smiled up at him reassuringly.
Father was the strongest person I knew, yet here he was, shaken for my sake. The man renowned for his cold rationality had drawn a sword in the emperor’s presence out of anger for me. It wasn’t wise, but the warmth in my heart wasn’t unpleasant.
“Am I your daughter?” I asked him.
I had no doubt, yet I needed his confirmation. He looked down at me.
“No matter what anyone says, you are my daughter,” he said, his voice resolute, like an immutable law.
I turned to the room, a satisfied smile on my lips. “Thirty-five years ago, there was controversy over the First Prince’s lineage.”
All eyes were on me. Some nobles ground their teeth, but I ignored them. With the emperor’s approval, no one could stop me.
“I’ve heard that controversy was settled due to the Black Priests’ acknowledgment. I seek their recognition as well.”
Murmurs rippled through the room.
The First Prince had secured his place as the emperor’s heir not just because he resembled him but because of the Black Priests’ tacit approval.
The Black Priests were guardians of the imperial bloodline.
Their identities and numbers were known only to the emperor,
but one thing was certain: they possessed a means to verify imperial lineage.
Rarely seen, they emerged only when the bloodline was in question, resolving disputes decisively.
“Hah, the Black Priests’ acknowledgment?” a noble scoffed.
“With His Majesty’s indulgence, her arrogance knows no bounds,” another muttered.
“Preposterous!”
One noble laughed derisively, another pitied my folly, clicking his tongue.
“Do you know who the Black Priests are?” an elderly noble from the crown prince’s faction asked, his face sympathetic, as if I clung to false hope.
“They guard the imperial bloodline, not the imperial family.
You’re neither royalty nor of the imperial line.”
He was right—the Black Priests protected the blood of House Friston, not the imperial institution.
Only those of Friston blood could earn their validation.
“Thank you, but I’m aware,” I replied, smiling kindly at his genuine concern.
“My great-grandmother was of the imperial family. Friston blood flows in my veins.”
My father’s grandmother, a princess from a concubine, was undeniably of Friston lineage.
Her blood, passed through Father, reached me.
Though diluted over generations, the Black Priests, sensitive to imperial blood, would not miss it. They had once identified a Friston descendant among commoners when the imperial line nearly ended—an testament to their precision.
“Naive, Lady Eliant,” the First Consort sneered.
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“The Black Priests don’t even obey His Majesty. Do you think they’d verify a mere marquis’s daughter?”
She was correct—they followed their own code, guarding only the Friston bloodline. When the First Prince’s lineage was questioned, they didn’t actively confirm it but merely allowed his authority as the emperor’s heir, quelling the controversy.
House Eliant had other instances of imperial marriages, which the First Consort knew. Her confidence stemmed from the Black Priests’ indifference to non-royal claims. But that confidence would soon crumble.
“Do you still need more time?” My calm voice echoed through the hall.
Bang.
“No need. Making a lady wait isn’t knightly—especially if she’s my fiancée,” a cheerful voice answered, out of place in the tense room.
“Crown Prince!” The nobles leapt to their feet as a silver-haired man strode through the open doors.
His golden eyes scanned the room slowly. Some faces lit up with relief, others crumpled in dismay at his unexpected arrival, and a few avoided his gaze, as if caught in wrongdoing.
“I’m not too late, am I?” Sys asked.
“Any later, and Marquis Eliant would’ve turned this place upside down,” the emperor replied.
Father’s impassive face twitched slightly at the remark.
“Then I’d better soothe the marquis first, but alas, my eyes see only my beautiful fiancée,” Sys said, approaching me and lifting my hand.
“You’ve done well. Leave the rest to me, my Bee,” he said, slipping between Father and me.
When I gave him a displeased look, he smiled charmingly, kissing my hand.
“Give me a chance to protect you too,” he whispered, his golden eyes flicking toward Evan, still kneeling.
His affectionate expression belied the jealousy in his gaze.
Though he knew Evan was my knight, Sys disliked his proximity.
Despite Evan’s duties as the Pison Guild’s public face limiting his time with me, Sys never hid his irritation when Evan’s name arose.
He’d even opposed this plan, angered by Evan’s crucial role, though he couldn’t sway me. His jealousy was blatant now.
I sighed, relenting to let him take the lead.
To topple a royal like the First Consort, another royal like Sys was better suited.
Pleased at my retreat, he smiled again, his upgraded charm almost excessive.
Suppressing another sigh, I felt his lips brush my forehead like a feather, a bold display of affection. Some nobles, who’d hoped to place their daughters beside Sys, grimaced.
Sys’s sharp eyes scanned them, as if memorizing their faces.
Those meeting his gaze turned away.
His gaze settled on one spot, his face blooming with a radiant smile despite his icy eyes.
“So many busy people gathered here—something big must’ve happened while I was away.”
Anyone with a shred of sense would realize his supposed coma was a ruse.
The First Consort’s mind was likely racing, but she remained composed, save for a slight stiffness.
“We were worried about your condition. It’s a relief to see you well, Crown Prince,” she said.
“Thank you, Your Highness. It seems my recovery owes much to your concern,” Sys replied, his smile soft but his eyes predatory.
“You’ve been quite busy yourself, haven’t you?”
“No matter how busy I was, could it compare to you?” she countered.
Invisible sparks flew between them, the tension filling the room.
“Of course, I’ve been busy too—dealing with someone who covets what isn’t theirs,” Sys said, his smile deepening, his eyes glinting with menace.
“Come in,” he called.
The doors opened again, and three figures in deep black robes entered the hall.
