“Bravo! Bravo!”
When the song reached its climax and ended, Empress Catherine stood up and elegantly cheered with applause.
Karl also stood up, following his mother, Catherine.
“It was truly a magnificent welcoming ceremony.”
“I’m glad you liked it, Karl.”
Catherine looked at Karl with a bright smile, her soft gaze overflowing with love for her son.
“It seems like you’ve grown even more since the last time I saw you.”
Karl responded silently to his mother’s words, raising the corners of his mouth. His naturally slightly upturned lips and full lips matched his mother’s smile perfectly.
The elderly emperor, Alexander, sitting next to her, spoke expressionlessly.
“Now that we’ve met the conditions you set, you must also keep your promise.”
Looking at his son with a detached gaze, he spoke without any emotion. Despite the passage of time, his eyes still gleamed coldly.
In the emperor’s eyes, Karl was not just a son anymore. He was the crown prince of the Diarc Empire, the future leader of the nation.
“We can’t leave the position of crown princess vacant forever.”
According to the empire’s laws, the emperor of the Diarc Empire must be engaged or married.
“Finish the preparations within this year.”
Though his tone was gentle, it was unmistakably a command.
“I will decide on the matter of engagement and marriage myself.”
Karl maintained a relaxed smile as he looked at both the emperor and empress, his bright blue eyes even more vivid than the emperor’s.
“I will keep my promise, so please keep yours as well, Your Majesty.”
The warm atmosphere in the music room changed. The joyous mood that had welcomed the crown prince, who had returned after four years, quickly turned cold.
“You’re not just planning to pass the time, are you?”
“You will understand once you watch. You’ll see what decision led me to return home.”
Those present in the music room held their breath, uneasy at the tension between the emperor and the crown prince. Even Ivan kept his mouth shut, nervously glancing between the two.
“Listening to such a fine song has left me parched. Your Majesty, shall we move and have some tea?”
Empress Catherine, trying to change the mood, suggested, and the chief chamberlain, Coxon, immediately added that tea had already been prepared in the drawing room.
“Karl, will you join us?”
At the empress’s question, Ivan paused, sensing it might not be wise to follow. He wasn’t the only one who thought so, as Crown Prince Karl chuckled softly as well.
“I’ll return to rest. The journey back was long, and I’m a bit tired.”
After bidding farewell to the emperor and empress, Karl turned away without hesitation.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Grace lifted her head from the book she was engrossed in. Just yesterday, there had been many people moving between Trion Palace and the royal library, but by noon, there wasn’t even a shadow of them.
Even Ivan had taken a personal day off, leaving the library in total silence. An unexplainable tension lingered in the air outside.
Had the crown prince’s return been canceled?
Even Grace, who usually paid little attention to worldly affairs, could sense that something was off. The western wing of Trion Palace, which had been bustling for days in preparation for the crown prince’s return, was unusually quiet, making the situation all the more suspicious.
Normally, she would have enjoyed the tranquility, reading a book, but today she couldn’t focus. While organizing the ledgers, Grace occasionally cast glances toward the door that led to Trion Palace.
Just as her curiosity was about to peak, someone finally entered through the door leading to Trion Palace.
“Hello, librarian.”
As soon as she saw the face of the person greeting her, Grace recognized who it was.
“You work in the west wing, right? Your name is…”
“You remember me! I’m Casey.”
Smiling brightly, Casey looked around the library.
“It’s so quiet here, probably because of the crown prince’s return.”
“The crown prince?”
Grace doubted her ears at the unfamiliar word.
“You didn’t know? The crown prince returned today. He’s currently in an audience at the palace.”
“Is that so?”
That explained why the surroundings were so quiet. The situation made sense now, but it still felt strangely odd.
“You thought it was strange too, didn’t you? So did I.”
Casey chattered on without being asked.
“Usually, when foreign envoys or important people come to the palace, it’s always bustling. They hold a welcoming ceremony and all.”
“A welcoming ceremony?”
“Yeah! When Her Highness the princess returned from her diplomatic mission abroad after a month, they threw a massive ball. But this time, there wasn’t even a small tea party.”
Casey sighed, disappointed.
“I was really looking forward to seeing all the pretty dresses, grand nobles, and delicious food.”
But not this time. Why?
It was a natural question to ask.
“Why aren’t they doing anything this time?”
“I’m not sure. I heard from other maids that it’s because of the crown prince.”
Grace didn’t quite understand the answer.
Because of the crown prince?
Was the crown prince someone who didn’t like gatherings and noise?
Grace thought about it for a moment, but Casey’s response was unexpected.
“They say the emperor and the crown prince don’t get along. Some say the emperor hates the crown prince and sent him abroad under the pretext of studying. But it’s just a rumor, of course.”
“A rumor?”
When Grace asked again, Casey’s eyes sparkled.
“Are you interested in rumors, librarian? There’s also talk that the crown prince keeps women at a distance.”
“…I see.”
Grace replied a bit awkwardly, finding it hard to readily believe Casey’s words.
The emperor hating his own son?
No matter what, the crown prince was still the emperor’s son and the heir to the empire.
Would the emperor really send the crown prince away just out of dislike?
Karl, the crown prince, was recognized as the future of the empire, even by the strict and reserved Viscount Ivan Aster.
It seemed unthinkable that the emperor would act so recklessly.
But then again, how much must he have disliked him…?
Despite the crown prince’s reputation outside the palace, it seemed the situation within the royal family was more complicated.
Casey sighed deeply.
“I’ve been living comfortably up until now, but now that the crown prince has returned, my easy life is over.”
Casey hung her head for a moment, then suddenly brightened as she noticed the book in her arms.
“Oh, right! I almost forgot. I came to return this!”
“Give it to me, I’ll handle it for you.”
“Here you go. I’ll take care of it.”
Grace took the book Casey handed her and opened the front cover. Her eyes stopped at the log where the borrowing and return dates were recorded. The last borrowing date was four years ago… Grace looked back at the cover and checked the title.
“The Monarch and the Citizen.”
It was a banned book, one that the Emperor had ordered to be burned two years ago for containing seeds of rebellion. Grace, feeling uneasy, composed herself and asked calmly, “Who borrowed this?”
“It must be His Highness, the Crown Prince. It was found while sorting through his belongings. He asked for all the old borrowed books to be returned.”
“His Highness, the Crown Prince…”
Grace couldn’t finish her sentence and closed her mouth. The fact that a banned book, outlawed by the Emperor himself, had been in the Royal Library—and that the Crown Prince had been reading it—unsettled her. Perhaps the Crown Prince didn’t return home just because he missed it…
“Is something wrong, librarian?” Casey asked, concerned, sensing there might be an issue. Grace quickly shook her head and handed her the return slip.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Sitting upright on the sofa, Karl stared at the portrait hanging in the reception room of the West Wing. His expressionless face seemed focused on the painting, but his mind was elsewhere. He was mentally listing and prioritizing the many duties awaiting him from today onward: royal events to attend, social gatherings to make appearances at.
The social events could be handled by sending flowers or gifts, but the royal-sponsored functions took priority. However, rushing would only draw unwanted attention and suspicion. His sudden decision to return had already garnered much interest and scrutiny from many people, both within the royal palace and throughout the empire.
Naturally, there were factions within the empire who viewed the Crown Prince as a threat. Karl knew exactly who these people were, their aims, and their intentions. In battle, there’s no better strategy than knowing who your enemies are, and that knowledge allowed Karl to smile calmly, savoring the moment.
Knock knock.
The sound of a knock broke the silence, and a man dressed in a crisp black uniform entered.
“Your Highness, the Chamberlain is here.”
“Coxon, what is it?” Karl did not move from his seat. Coxon, sensing Karl’s unspoken command to speak briefly and leave, handed over a small slip of paper.
“Her Majesty the Empress has prepared a list of noble young ladies from distinguished families.”
Karl looked up at Coxon.
“I only wrote down the families and their names, as it seemed it might be useful,” Coxon explained. Karl gave a brief nod, not particularly interested. He didn’t care which noble daughters were on the list, nor did he feel inclined to check. However, knowing the Empress’s disposition, it was certain that these were important families he couldn’t avoid greeting at least once.
“Sir Jack, take it,” Karl said.
As Jack Moore, the black-uniformed man next to Coxon, stepped forward, Coxon hesitated for a moment before handing him the list. Jack introduced himself in a curt voice, “Jack Moore of the Coldblack Guard.”
With his sun-darkened skin and solid build, Jack exuded the strength of a seasoned knight. Coxon tilted his head slightly in confusion. It wasn’t because he didn’t recognize the elite guard who protected the Crown Prince, but because it was unusual for a bodyguard to be in the room itself.
Karl noticed Coxon’s confusion. “Sir Jack is not only a knight but also my aide. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“No, Your Highness. Her Majesty will likely host a tea party in a few days. I know you’re busy, but you must attend.”
“I will attend when the time comes.”
“Understood. Please rest well, Your Highness.”
After Coxon left, Jack Moore immediately bowed his head.
“I will begin investigating the families and young ladies on the list as quickly as possible.”
“Finish before the tea party is scheduled.”
“Understood.”
With Jack’s firm response, Karl nodded and rose from his seat.
“I think I’ll go for a short walk.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
“No need. You stay here. Someone might come to bother me.”
“But…”
Jack hesitated, gripping his sword tightly with concern in his eyes. Karl smiled lightly, amused by his worry.
“There haven’t been any suspicious movements yet. Don’t worry too much. It won’t be like four years ago.”
Reluctantly, Jack nodded and stepped back.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The thought that the Crown Prince might be an outcast kept lingering in Grace’s mind long after Casey left. The Royal Library, directly under the Crown Prince’s jurisdiction, had been a dream workplace for her. With its vast collection of books from across the empire and abroad, Grace had hoped to stay here as a librarian for a long time.
But if the Crown Prince, who could be considered her superior’s superior, had fallen out of favor with the Emperor, wouldn’t that mean her future could also be at risk?
Grace nervously drummed her fingers on her desk. It would be odd to eliminate such a historic institution as the Royal Library, but nobles were capricious by nature. And when it came to the palace and the royal family, those tendencies could be even worse. As long as the Crown Prince didn’t cause any major problems, perhaps everything would be fine…
“Then my life should be problem-free too.”
Just then, she heard footsteps.
“Who is it?”
A shadow slowly appeared between the bookshelves. The man dressed in an ornate uniform was unfamiliar. His neat black hair contrasted sharply with his overly white outfit. His blue eyes were unwavering, and his lips firmly shut. His appearance was so harmonious that he seemed almost perfect.
“Who are you?” Grace asked again.
The man did not respond. She’d never seen him before, but it was nearly time for her to leave…
“This is the Royal Library. You can’t enter without identification.”
Grace spoke formally and approached him.
“And it’s almost time for me to leave. If you wish to borrow a book, please come back tomorrow.”
She straightened her posture and chose her words car
efully, trying to maintain a professional tone. She figured that treating him with professional courtesy would be the safest approach.
However, that judgment turned out to be wrong.
