Adam's face hardened at Killian's sharp refusal. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "All right, I'm not going to argue about your maid any more. But don't cover up the maid or show partiality to her in front of others. And when you meet Lady Anais, I hope you show the utmost care and affection for her for the time being."

"Why should I do that? To keep Francis in check? You know better than anyone that I don't have to."

"Marquis Anais has not yet expressed his support for Prince Francis. Even a ten-year-old slum boy knows that even though d.u.c.h.ess Anais and the mother of Prince Francis are sisters, they don't get along very well. Furthermore, there is a rumor that the Marquis abhors the family of Duke Dudley, the d.u.c.h.ess's parents."

Adam glanced at Killian, who seemed to be lost in thought, and then continued to speak his opinions.

"It's not exactly clear, but I heard that because of the lover of the Marquis and her illegitimate child, he had a falling-out with the family of the Duke in the past. He doesn't show anything on the surface, but this story came out of a close aide to the Duke, so it's not a groundless story. Although he is strictly neutral, if his daughter marries Prince Francis, he will have no choice but to support that side. So before Prince Francis makes a move, you must interrupt them. At the present, Prince Francis and Lady Haint are not in a good relations.h.i.+p. If Your Highness and Lady Anais get closer, it will be very helpful for the n.o.bles on the neutral line to decide where to go."

"I haven't decided to become the Emperor yet. If I make up my mind, I'll become Emperor without having to organize such a political thing."

"Yes. If you make a decision, His Majesty will give you the Crown Prince's seat immediately. However, Prince Francis and Duke Dudley should not be ignored. Furthermore, Duke Miguel stood on the side of Prince Francis. In addition, don't forget that d.u.c.h.ess Miguel is the Princess of the Vicern Empire. Because of Duke Miguel, they have formed a force that cannot be overlooked. It's hard to see what kind of negotiations have been made between Duke Miguel, who has a son who is second in line to the Vicern throne, and Duke Dudley, who has a grandson who is the first in the rank of succession to the throne in Austern. Do not reduce your alertness to the collusion between the two Duke's Families."

Killian frowned upon hearing of Duke Dudley and Duke Miguel. Perhaps they were the ones who were the most disturbing to his solid road ahead.

Adam watched Killian, and continued only then, "It's a good thing that Your Highness will have a heart, but if you don't want to be an Emperor, things will get even more complicated. Who can be the adversary to Prince Francis, except for Your Highness? I understand that you agreed that Prince Francis should not be the Emperor. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, it is. He won't let me be when he becomes Emperor, so I'll have to stop him from being Emperor."

Adam nodded at Killian's acceptance. "Thank you for your understanding. So I trust you will treat Lady Anais with kindness that will never be found again in her life, in order to subdue Prince Francis' ambition."

"I'll try."

"Tries alone are not enough. Promise me you'll do your best."

Killian's expression was distorted, but Adam remained unconcerned, since he was nagging under the pretext of loyalty.

----------------------------

4. Calen Castle

Three days later, Julietta and the Prince's party arrived in Ricaren, the capital of the Princ.i.p.ality. It was not comparable to the splendor of Austern, but it was a very beautiful city, with colorful buildings, the clothes of the rich, and well-built roads, which were unique to the Princ.i.p.ality of Bertino.

Their carriage entered the entrance of Calen Castle as Julietta, fascinated by the strangely peaceful and relaxed urban atmosphere in the midst of the hustle and bustle, stretched out her neck and looked outside. The pre-received knights and guards lined up and waited reverently for their master to arrive.

Unlike the burdensomely large and resplendent Imperial Castle of Austern, the Castle of Calen, which glowed calmly in a subtle purple, was a small-scale King's Castle composed of a towering main keep, one internal one, and three exterior ones.

Arriving at the main castle, the carriage door opened, and she could see the subjects, servants, and maids lined up waiting for their master. Not surprisingly, they all bowed their heads in unison.

"Welcome back to Calen Castle, Your Highness. You're looking even better since I last saw you."