Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Chapter 17\n\nThe way she subtly crossed boundaries, encroaching upon his private space before he could even register it, was nothing short of an art. While he might bear some blame for not setting clear lines with Evening, how could he have anticipated this woman smiling so beguilingly at him? If Evening had been as he’d heard, a woman who despised him and constantly snapped at him, things would have been far simpler. But that wasn’t the case. Just as he had lied to Evening, declaring his ‘love,’ Evening, with a face that made it impossible to discern truth from falsehood, swore her loyalty.\n\n”A lackey, then.”\nHaving lived his life surrounded only by refined language, Erich had never before encountered the word ‘lackey.’ Yet, the moment he heard it, he understood. The word resonated with profound loyalty and a tender echo.\n\n”If it’s an act, it’s brilliant. If it’s sincere, it’s utterly trivial.”\nHer gaze held such profound sincerity that it managed, if only for a moment, to stir him, a man who inherently doubted the loyalty of nobles. Her willingness to kneel before someone weaker than herself, someone he had long disdained, was truly commendable. Had he not yet realized the magic of immortality, he might have kept her by his side, despite his suspicions. Such was the captivating nature of her loyalty. If she could feign such devotion and affection, she possessed the talent to become a master spy; if her submission was genuine, then she was insignificant.\n\nErich was keenly aware that he was a man to be feared by anyone. His magic of immortality was an anomalous force. The mere fact that he could revive unharmed, even after his breath ceased and his body was consumed by flames, was chilling enough. Yet, this power belonged to the nation’s foremost authority. He was the Emperor of the Sun, immune to assassination, and fearless in the face of death. Any wise person would understand the futility and immense difficulty of opposing him. Already, five ancient and distinguished noble families had met their demise attempting to challenge Erich. The ‘undying’ Erich had, quite literally, sacrificed his own life to perish alongside his adversaries, only to be resurrected alone. While a single instance might be dismissed as an accident, its repetition five times made it unmistakably clear that it was a deliberate act. Pure loyalty was inherently a rare commodity; most obedience stemmed from fear. But if she had genuinely bowed her head merely to curry favor with him, what a trivial human she would be.\n\n”You shouldn’t be so trivial, Eve.”\nA person lacking the spirit to fight back held no interest for him. He had held expectations for her, a woman possessing magic capable of killing him instantly and backed by the might of the South. He had anticipated her proving herself more formidable than the five houses that had collapsed so meaninglessly. He had yearned for the moment when their malice would drive them to confront him, only for her to tuck her tail and flee. It would be a profound disappointment if the Margrave Flam’s daughter proved to be such a trivial woman.\n\nErich caressed Evening’s neck, where she lay sleeping as comfortably as if in her own home. He then formed his hand into a blade, making a feigned gesture of striking her neck. He looked forward to the day he would sever this neck. The day he would systematically bring to their knees the proud nobles who believed magic was everything. But that time was not yet.\n\n”…What a waste. Let’s see what you can do.”\nThe day this delicate neck would be separated from her body was still distant. Until then, she would remain his fiancée. If she proved cunning or servile, she might even surpass the previous two contenders and become empress. He was, admittedly, curious to see what kind of person she would become. He lowered his hand and pressed a kiss to Evening’s forehead.\n\n****\n\n[The Role of the Empress]\nThe early morning sun warmly caressed his face.\n\n”Hmm, did you sleep well?”\nEvening, having risen a step before Erich, offered him a morning greeting. Erich lay on the bed, deep in a death-like slumber. His closed eyes formed faint wrinkles between his brows.\n\nWhile it had been difficult to accommodate those who slept early and rose at dawn in the Margrave Flam’s mansion, the situation was different in the imperial palace. Though they were family and could forgo formalities, Erich was, fundamentally, her superior. It was unacceptable for a subordinate to wake later than their superior. To maintain a good relationship with one’s boss, a cheerful demeanor was essential, and it was always best to arrive at work twenty minutes before official hours, ensuring all preparations were complete ten minutes prior. One might call it outdated, but ultimately, what those in power favored were willing servants and diligent workers.\n\nAs she finished washing her face and grooming herself, a knock sounded at the door.\n”It’s mealtime. Lord Erich, has he—”\nA guard, whose manner of speaking was as rough as his appearance, poked his head into the room. He seemed more like a mercenary than a member of the Imperial Guard, who supposedly valued lineage over skill, and even that was a generous assessment. The guards who had escorted Erich all the way to the Margrave Flam’s domain collectively resembled a gang of ruffians. This particular man, named ‘Adler,’ looked like a hunter who would chop wood and roast whole animals over a bonfire, and his conversational skills were abysmal. His speech was inherently coarse, and his manner of speaking was clumsy. He was the kind of person who would shorten “Has Lord Erich risen?” to a mere “Lord Erich.”.\n\n”He hasn’t woken yet, but I’ll rouse him. Do we need to leave immediately?”\n”Just come as usual.”\nMoreover, he possessed a somewhat lacking quality, telling Evening, who was new to the imperial palace, to “come as usual” without any further explanation. Despite this being a breach of both court etiquette and general manners, Erich never corrected Adler’s behavior. On the contrary, he protected him and reprimanded anyone who dared to point out his conduct, causing the noble-born palace officials to grow utterly fed up with both Adler and the Emperor.\n\nEvening, however, was not bothered by such minor etiquette. Compared to subway passengers, rude convenience store clerks, or intractable petitioners, Adler possessed a gentle disposition. His lack of social grace was something she could generously overlook. Evening left Adler outside the door and proceeded to wake Erich.\n\n”Lord Erich, it’s mealtime! Please wake up, Lord Erich!”\nAs she vigorously shook his body, Erich groaned, his face contorted in a frown.\n\n”What is it…?”\n”Good morning. Did you sleep well?”\nHearing her cheerful morning greeting, he merely scowled and rolled over.\n\n”Be quiet. What do you want?”\n”I apologize. Did I wake you too early? It’s time for breakfast.”\n”Forget it.”\n\nDuring their time together, Evening had learned that he suffered from severe low blood pressure, making him particularly sluggish in the mornings. He generally preferred not to rise before eight o’clock, and a lack of sleep would invariably lead to him frowning and grumbling. The sight of him pulling the covers closer struck her as rather endearing. Evening took hold of his arm and whispered.\n\n”Didn’t you say you summoned the high officials this morning?”\n”…Mm.”\n”Would you like a glass of water? Since you’ve also called your family members, wouldn’t it be better to go? If you’re feeling unwell, I could simply say you’re sick and go alone. I’d be perfectly fine with that.”\nEvening extended a glass filled halfway with water. Erich, who had been squeezing his eyes shut to avoid the harsh sunlight, slowly and reluctantly sat up, his expression one of clear displeasure.\n\n”Who said I was sick?”\nWith an annoyed expression, Erich snatched the glass of water from her hand.\n\n”It’s tiring to travel a long distance, isn’t it? If you went all the way to Promena and back, it’s natural to be exhausted. Everyone would understand if you overslept due to fatigue.”\nShe had thought her words considerate of his situation, but after gulping down the water, Erich glared intensely at Evening.\n\n”You’re determined to make me out to be a lazy man.”\nShe hadn’t intended that at all, and she couldn’t fathom what had displeased him. Nevertheless, Erich rose from the bed and began to prepare to leave. When he rang a bell, a line of attendants entered the room, carrying clothing and washing water. Evening, who had advised him to rest if he was tired, was left feeling like a fool. Was he, then, a diligent tyrant rather than a negligent one who abandoned state affairs? She had thought it yesterday, but he was truly a difficult man. Evening took three steps back and waited patiently for him.\n\n****\n\nThe dining hall of the imperial palace resembled a hotel breakfast buffet that had been entirely reserved. In the vast hall, three enormous tables, each seemingly capable of seating twenty, were arranged. The central table was circular, while the ones flanking it were long and rectangular. Perhaps due to the smaller number of attendees, only the circular table was laden with food and cutlery.\n\nBreakfast was served as a single spread rather than a multi-course meal. A light soup brimming with vegetables, soft-looking bread, a refreshing cold chicken salad with onions and bell peppers, and butter-roasted fish enticed Evening. Scattered across the table, like side dishes, were cold, sugar-glazed cherry tomatoes and various accompanying vegetables.\n\n”You have arrived.”\nThose already seated rose in unison to greet Erich.\n\n”Good morning to you all. I appreciate your efforts in gathering so early.”\nErich sauntered in, yawning as if still half-asleep.\n\n”We did not expect you to hold a meeting the very morning after your return from your journey. Is it not rather early?”\n”You’ve traveled a great distance; you should have rested. You ought to properly consider your fiancée, who has endured hardships in an unfamiliar place.”\nThe high officials, whom Evening had seen yesterday, voiced their complaints, invoking her name. It was evident at a glance that Erich and the officials were not on good terms. While Evening thought that eight o’clock wasn’t particularly early for a meeting, she decided to let it pass. In an era without subways or taxis, arriving at the imperial palace by eight o’clock would indeed have been arduous.\n\n”Eve is the Margrave’s daughter, isn’t she? She’s surely strong.”\nErich dismissed their complaints with an air of annoyance and took his seat. He lifted the soup bowl directly to his lips and drank from it. The high officials, witnessing Erich’s disregard for dining etiquette, frowned. Evening quickly offered her greetings, drawing their attention.\n\n”Hello everyone. I am Evening, soon to be Lord Erich’s prospective wife.”\nHaving said it, the phrase sounded rather like a candidate’s introduction. Those seated around the table also wore puzzled expressions. But the words were already spoken. Evening, considering that an empress was, in fact, a public official, took her seat beside Erich.\n\nAlthough the round table was designed to avoid hierarchy among attendees, a special chair was placed at Erich’s spot. Next to him was Evening’s seat, and directly across sat the Empress Dowager.\n\nIn this world, it seemed white hair was not a recessive gene, for the Empress Dowager’s elegantly coiffed hair was chestnut brown. Her hair, secured with ornaments, gleamed with a healthy luster. Unlike farmers whose faces were etched with wrinkles from prolonged sun exposure, her skin was remarkably well-preserved. However, her face was not particularly youthful for her age. She bore a distinctly older appearance compared to Evening’s birth mother, the Margravine Flam.\n\nEvening bowed deeply to her.\n”Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time.”\n”You must be the young lady from the Margrave Flam’s household. It’s a pleasure. You’ve had a difficult journey to get here.”\nTo Evening’s surprise, the Empress Dowager used honorifics. She had learned that not everyone would speak formally to the Emperor’s fiancée. Yet, the Empress Dowager was doing so. Evening raised an eyebrow, sensing an ominous sign.