Chapter 105
‘Wh-What?!’
Lycian dodged the incoming fist as naturally as breathing. I was the only one left reeling in shock. The two of them continued exchanging blows as if this were some annual ceremony they performed every year.
‘They’re both insanely fast…!’
Their movements were too quick for my eyes to follow.
If Lycian used his power over time, he’d probably have the upper hand—but right now… it seemed like he was deliberately holding back.
‘Do people in the Empire start with a spar as a form of greeting…?’
That ridiculous thought had barely crossed my mind when the palace attendants came pouring out into the garden, drawn by the clash unfolding at its center.
“Look! His Highness the Second Prince is fighting Duke Luminous!”
“I haven’t seen this in ages!”
“Who do you think will win?”
“A hundred rubels on Duke Luminous.”
“What? Then I’ll put one-fifty on His Highness the Second Prince!”
“Wait, are we betting? I’m in!”
“Me too! Me too!”
They’d even started a gambling pool.
‘What is this, a boxing match…?’
In any case, the spar ended sooner than I expected.
“My goodness, Your Highness. You’ve grown much stronger.”
Lycian’s victory.
“Seven thousand three hundred fifteen matches. One thousand three hundred eighty-nine wins. Five thousand nine hundred twenty-six losses. I still have a long way to go before I surpass you, Master.”
“At this rate, you’ll catch up to me in no time. Love must have made you stronger, hmm? Hahaha!”
“…….”
At that, Lycian—so unlike himself—actually flushed faintly.
And then—
“Gasp…”
“No way.”
“Wow.”
Breathless sounds and exclamations burst from every direction.
The next moment, as if by prior agreement, all eyes turned in unison.
Toward me.
Under the sudden weight of countless gazes, my body stiffened on instinct.
Still, I didn’t shrink back.
There wasn’t a trace of hostility in them.
“Could it be…?”
“That emerald-silver hair.”
“And green eyes.”
“It’s her. It’s the one from the rumors!”
The attendants’ eyes sparkled as they looked at me.
Like fans seeing their idol from the front row.
There was even a flicker of madness in the way they scrutinized every inch of me.
“His Highness the Second Prince finally has a partner!”
“What a relief.”
“A real, honest-to-goodness relief.”
Some even clutched their chests, visibly emotional.
In that moment, I truly grasped what it meant for a descendant of dragons to find a partner.
“Well then, Your Highness? Won’t you introduce me to your partner? I assume it’s this young lady here—am I correct?”
At that, Duke Luminous turned to me with a curious smile.
Lycian, who had been standing some distance away during the spar, crossed the space in an instant and answered.
“That’s right. She’s my partner.”
Brushing back his disheveled hair with one hand, he came to stand close at my side.
It seemed like the right moment to introduce myself. I bowed politely.
“Hello, I’m Muriel. I don’t belong to any noble house, so please just call me Muriel.”
“Lady Muriel, it’s an honor to meet you. My name is Llewyn Luminous. I am His Highness the Second Prince’s—and Dante’s—teacher.”
At that new piece of information, my eyes widened.
Not just Lycian’s teacher, but Dante’s too?
‘If they studied under the same master… then Lycian and Dante are much closer than I thought, aren’t they?’
I stared at Lycian in open curiosity, but he simply looked away, pretending not to notice.
Watching us stand side by side, Duke Luminous smiled fondly—like an uncle at his nephew’s wedding.
“The phrase ‘a picture-perfect couple’ must exist for moments like this. I can’t wait to see the children you two will have! Hahaha!”
‘C-Children?!’
This man was moving way too fast!
My face burned as I clutched at Lycian’s sleeve.
He glanced down at me—then casually slipped an arm around my shoulders.
Tilting his head, he leaned close to whisper in my ear.
“With expectations like that, we’d better work hard and make a baby soon, shouldn’t we?”
“…!!”
I stared at him, mouth falling open.
‘Y-You insane fox!’
My body trembled, unable to even muster a proper comeback.
By the time we reached the Imperial Palace, I was completely drained, my mind still spinning from Lycian’s shameless remark.
Meanwhile, he kept sneaking glances at me, a quiet laugh spilling from his lips.
Damn it. I’m definitely getting revenge for this….
“This way is the audience chamber.”
Led by a palace attendant in a crisp formal uniform, we entered.
A magnificent ceiling fresco. Gold ornamentation. Marble pillars carved with intricate detail.
At the end of a long crimson carpet stood two figures who seemed to radiate light from head to toe.
The Emperor and Empress.
‘W-Wow….’
I’d always thought Lycian was absurdly good-looking—but his parents were on another level.
A man and woman who looked as though they were wrapped in starlight smiled gently at me.
“Welcome, Lycian. And Muriel.”
Unlike the Empress, who greeted us with warmth, the Emperor shot Lycian a sideways glare and shook his head.
“You’ve done whatever you pleased your entire life, and now you finally bring home a partner.”
He sounded like a father who had suffered greatly raising a particularly troublesome child.
“Muriel? Come closer. I’ve been quite curious about you.”
“…!”
At the Empress’s gracious summons, I stepped forward hesitantly.
As the distance closed, her features came into sharper focus.
The radiance emanating from her face was almost blinding…!
‘What do I do. She’s so beautiful.’
My weakness for pretty faces began to stir.
The Emperor, like Lycian, was a striking man with golden hair and golden eyes—but the Empress was on a different plane entirely.
Silver hair like threads drawn from moonlight. Deep blue eyes like polished lapis lazuli.
A beauty beyond the limits of language.
‘The final, perfected form of all the world’s beauties….’
No wonder Lycian had inherited such bewitching looks from a mother like this. It made perfect sense.
Once I stood before them, I bowed deeply.
“It is the highest honor to be granted an audience with His Majesty, the august Emperor of the great Grastea Empire, and Her Majesty the Empress. My name is Muriel.”
“Oh my.”
At my stiff, formal greeting, the Empress’s eyes widened in mild surprise.
Her hand reached out slowly and came to rest on my shoulder.
I flinched ever so slightly, then lifted my head.
She was smiling at me—so gently.
“Unlike my unruly second son, you’re very polite. There’s no need to be so formal with us, dear. We’re family now. Make yourself comfortable.”
“…!”
All the tension and worry I’d braced myself with dissolved in an instant. The Empress was incredibly kind.
And it didn’t feel like empty courtesy—it felt sincere.
Overwhelmed, I clasped my hands tightly and answered in a trembling voice.
“I-It’s an honor—no, thank you…! As Lycian’s partner, I’ll do my very best from now on!”
What is this, a job interview?
Even I found myself ridiculous, my face heating in embarrassment—when suddenly, two arms wrapped around me.
“…!”
The Empress had pulled me into a tight embrace.
“How adorable~”
Excuse me?
Caught off guard, I froze like a fossil trapped in ice.
“How can you be this cute? My youngest daughter’s been going through a rebellious phase lately—she only snaps at me. It feels like I’ve gained another daughter~ We’ll see each other often from now on, won’t we?”
“Y-Yes? Yes, Your Majesty… th-thank you….”
As I stammered in flustered confusion, Lycian’s dissatisfied voice cut in.
“Mother, don’t touch her so much. She’ll wear out.”
“No. I’ve always wanted a cute daughter-in-law.”
“She’s my wife before she’s your daughter-in-law.”
What kind of conversation is this?
We’re not even married yet.
At that moment, Lycian strode forward and deftly plucked me out of the Empress’s arms.
But she still held tightly to my hand, refusing to let go.
“What are you doing, Mother? Let go.”
“I have a lot to talk about with Muriel. You let go.”
They continued bickering with me stuck in the middle, completely dazed.
Thankfully, the Emperor stepped in to restore order.
“Your Majesty, it’s nearly six. Let’s head to dinner. We can continue the conversation there.”
“Oh my, is it that late already? Even after living two hundred years, time still flies~”
‘T-Two hundred….’
It was impossible to reconcile the fact that this youthful-looking imperial couple was over two hundred years old.
In any case, Lycian and I followed behind Their Majesties and arrived at the banquet hall.
There were several banquet halls in the Imperial Palace; this one was used for dinners among members of the imperial family.
It was smaller than the grand public halls—less imposing, more intimate.
Three others were already seated at the table.
The moment they saw the Emperor and Empress, all three rose and bowed respectfully.
“You’ve arrived.”
The owner of that cool voice was the youngest princess, Cerulia Grastea.
Nineteen years old, she had silver hair like the Empress and the imperial family’s symbolic golden eyes—a strikingly beautiful girl.
Cerulia flicked a glance over Lycian and me, then let out a small huff and turned her head away.
‘Looks like she and Lycian don’t get along.’
Did I just get lumped into her bad graces too…?
“Father, Mother. I trust you have been in good health today.”
The impeccably polite young man was the Crown Prince, Gladiolus Alpen Grastea.
‘Ohhh….’
A slightly more mature version of Lycian.
Unlike Lycian—the parental headache—he seemed the model student.
‘So this is what being Crown Prince looks like.’
Thank goodness Lycian isn’t the heir to the throne!
“…Father, Mother. Thank you for inviting us to tonight’s dinner.”
And the faint voice, like drifting mist, belonged to—
‘Ah, so this is….’
The Crown Princess, Delphinia Alpen Grastea.
Like a single forget-me-not heavy with rain, she stood beside the Crown Prince with a face so sorrowful it seemed the world might end at any moment.