"You should get out of here."

  My father said to the servant standing far away.

  "Yes, yes……"

  I don’t know if this place was quite uncomfortable.

  The servant quickly left the room without looking back.

  When the door was closed, my father’s fierce eyes turned back to Perez.

  Then Perez’s shoulder was seen wince slightly.

  My father is just a father, but it’s the first time I’ve seen Perez like this.

  "See you after a long time, Lord Lombardy."

  Perez greeted my father first.

  "Yes, indeed."

  But my father didn’t smile.

  Always, there was a friendly smile that my father showed everyone as a habit.

  "It’s been a long time since I saw you, and Your Highness the Second Prince, has become my daughter’s fiance."

  "It’s……"

  Perez’s face became more perplexed.

  Perez, who stood upright and was very nervous, answered seriously.

  "There are circumstances involved in that. It’s hard to explain everything……"

  "A contractual engagement."

  My father said, cut off Perez’s words.

  "I’ve heard from Tia."

  Then I got a familiar and friendly smile on my father’s face looking toward me.

  "Our Tia, who grew up well since childhood, and hasn’t been spoiled, made such a decision. I was wondering what the reason was."

  However, my father’s eyes looking back at Perez turned cold.

  "But tell me, the Second Prince."

  My father’s low voice made a long speech.

  "It’s just a contractual engagement, but Your Highness the Second Prince……"

  My father looked at Perez one by one with a sharp gaze somewhere.

  It was an eye filled with something indescribable distrust. (Oh Dad please)

  But in front of such a father, Perez couldn’t even speak a word properly.

  Sigh.

  After a small sigh, I finally stepped up.

  "Dad."

  "Yes, Tia."

  My father replied with a smile, unlike when he was staring at Perez.

  "Me and Perez, it’s a contractual engagement. So there’s nothing to worry about."

  "Worried. Dad doesn’t worry. Our Tia is know how to do it all well."

  My father’s hand stroked my head.

  So I thought it was over.

  Then my father glared at Perez halfway again.

  "But when I saw the Second Prince, I couldn’t help but think again about the engagement of my golden daughter. Without a word, letters, and the whole Empire."

  Perez couldn’t answer my father’s words, which were largely aimed at provoking guilt.

  He didn’t look very good as if he had been beaten hard in the stomach by someone.

  My father approached Perez, who was standing still because he became silent.

  Then he put his hand on his shoulder and asked.

  "So, this early morning, what did the Second Prince say was in my daughter’s room?"

  "……I was asking Lady Lombardy if she could give me a room to stay in Lombardy’s mansion for a few days."

  "Ah."

  My father, who was still listening to Perez, smiled slowly only then.

  "I’ll help you with that."

  "You don’t have to do that yourself……"

  "No. Come with me now. The butler will also be up by now."

  Eventually, Perez had no choice but to walk as my father led him.

  Perez, who once looked back at me with a lingering face, slowly began to move toward the door.

  His shoulders were drooping, showing signs of unwillingness to go.

  But my father was adamant.

  My father, who pushed Perez out of the door, came back smiling and told me.

  "Breakfast with what Dad has prepared, Tia. We’ll see you again at lunch."

  The door closed with a click, and I realized I was left alone.

  "Perez, is he okay?"

  My father looked angry for some reason.

  But then the smell of hot pancakes came up between the slanted open food covers.

  My stomach is growling.

  "Well, he’ll take care of it."

  Don’t tell me someone like Perez would be bullied by someone like my father.

  Grandfather is the only person in this mansion who can really pick on Perez.

  Dad’s gonna drink like that for a while.

  I thought so lightly and lifted the fork.

  Never dreamed that Perez would have been taken to the main building of the mansion and had a very uncomfortable breakfast with my grandfather and father.

  * * *

  A time full of afternoon sunshine.

  Empress Rabini held tea time after a long time.

  Since the failure to pass the law of succession to the first son, it was an Empress who lived a quiet life for a while, so all of the entourages of Rabini filled their seats.

  Among them, the Lord of Sussew was the main character.

  Considering his appearance and past experience as a knight commander.

  He seemed to have no connection with tea time, but the scene of him sitting right next to the Empress and lifting the teacup matched with his delicate white porcelain.

  In front of countless guests, the Empress showed off her friendship by having a friendly conversation with Chanton Sussew.

  "In the meantime, I was not feeling well, so I was very proud of the Lord. I hope you don’t feel too bad."

  "You don’t have to worry about that, Empress."

  Empress Rabini’s smile deepened in response to the polite response of Lord of Sussew.

  "I love the sunshine. Shall we walk for a while?"

  The Empress suddenly suggested.

  "……Sure."

  After a brief silence, Lord of Sussew nodded.

  The eyes of the people who attended the tea time caught the eyes of the two who got up together.

  "Let’s take the sponsor for a short walk."

  "Here we go."

  As a former knight, Lord Sussew began to escorting the Empress with polite manners.

  Curious eyes followed, but the Empress smiled more secretly as if she was enjoying it and left the refreshment table.

  Before long, the two people were walking leisurely in their leisurely patronage.

  The Empress, who confirmed that there was no one around, opened her mouth.

  "There was a good harvest this year."

  Still, her beautiful eyes stayed somewhere far away as if enjoying a walk.

  "Many of the Empire’s people rely on Western grain crops."

  Empress Rabini said in a soft line with red lips.

  "I’m very grateful."

  It wasn’t an empty word.

  The mortality rate of the common people in Angenas had fallen sharply thanks to the cheap supply of the Sussew grain crop.

  Originally, because of the soil that was not suitable for farming, Angenas had more famine than flat crops.

  Since Angenas had to lose a large amount of money for the aid, even in nominal terms, Sussew’s cheap grain was like a lifesaver for the present Angenas.

  Especially when the Capital of Angenas has dried up like a drought land like these days.

  "I have high expectations for the Lord of the West."

  "……I’ll try harder to live up to that expectation, Empress."

  "Yes, but……"

  The Empress, who suddenly stopped walking, blurted her speech.

  "I have a problem these days, I’m sorry to go."

  At first glance, it was a very difficult expression.

  However, Chanton Sussew could feel that the Empress’s blue eyes were closely watching his reaction.

  "What concerns do you have?"

  "It’s no different……"

  The Empress replied, looking straight at Chanton.

  "In the meantime, the size of the land that Angenas secured as collateral by borrowing money from the Sussew family has become quite large."

  It was a matter of course.

  For less than a long time, the Angenas borrowed astronomical sums from Sussew.

  In short, Angenas tried to make up for the excessive Western development project and the failure of the law of succession of the first son with the money of Sussew.

  As a result, more than half of the Angenas’s estates were secured in debt.

  In other words, more than half of Angenas came under the hands of Sussew.

  "Yes, Empress."

  However, Lord of Sussew nodded silently with a face that did not show his true feelings.

  "But that’s why I’m suddenly worried. That’s not going to happen, but what if Sussew is really greedy about our Angenas estate?"1

  The smiling Empress’s eyes were sharp.

  "Of course, I believe in the word of the Lord of Sussew. It’s the words of the Lord, saying, ’I am not interested in the land of Angenas, which is dried up.’"

  Lord of Sussew kept his mouth shut instead of answering.

  The Empress, who was staring at such a response, continued.

  "For the alliance of Angenas and Sussew that will continue. And furthermore, in order for me to be able to trust the Sussew family more, I believe that we need to strengthen our faith and trust in each other."1

  Faith and trust.

  Chanton Sussew’s eyes, which were indifferent to the words, became fierce, but it happened in a moment.

  The Empress did not notice that.

  "Of course, it’s not that I don’t believe in the Lord of Sussew."+

  But the Empress’s blue eyes were saying the exact opposite.

  Something led the Empress to doubt Sussew.

  Whether it comes simply from the realization that ’l looked back and saw that too much land was taken as collateral for Sussew’."

  Or she didn’t know if there was anything more than that.

  "What can I do?"

  Chanton Sussew asked in a low voice. (That Empress is so…… Just die please)