The first to notice Carson was Casey. Everyone in the room bowed and paid tribute to him.
Today, he appeared again, his entire body armed with light. The light became even more splendid after becoming the Emperor. Now, his aura was not only felt by Ines.
While everyone held their breath, Carson simply looked at Ines with his handsome face wrinkled.
“Come here.”
He extended his hand without hiding his displeasure and called Ines. She let go of Christian’s hand and approached the Emperor.
As she approached, Carson extended his long arm and wrapped it around Ines’ waist, pulling her closer. At the same time, he whispered in her ear.
“You don’t have to hold another man’s hand on your way to me.”
Ines knew very well when Carson would act so recklessly. She glanced up and saw eyes that reminded her of the day of the Monstera Water Festival.
Instead of forcefully pushing away his hand, she brought her lips close to his ear.
Then she whispered slowly.
"I am always ready to join hands with the devil if necessary on my way to you."
At that, Carson finally burst out laughing.
"I don't think that's something that a devout believer, Lady Ines Swenden, should say."
"My God is causing me quite a bit of confusion right now."
He shrugged.
"If it's not urgent, may I see my guest off, Your Majesty?"
"Of course."
Carson extended his hand and guided her to the door. The others behind him also moved cautiously.
Ines guided Christian to the main gate of the imperial palace. It was to talk about the details that they couldn't share because of Carson's sudden appearance. Ines walked a little slower than usual, coordinating various matters.
According to him, this time of the year was the Academy's vacation period.
Christian had planned to go home and get married during this time, but since his proposal had been rejected, he joked that there was no particular reason to go to Landhill.
Although he must have been quite flustered upon meeting the Emperor, his response was very flexible and cheerful.
“Then you can concentrate on Lord Mondrae’s business for the time being.”
“Yes.”
He let out a small sigh, perhaps thinking that the story was all settled.
“His Majesty is as beautiful as I’ve heard.”
Ines nodded at Christian’s words.
“I understand why people are so afraid.”
“That... is it?”
Ines could not agree with that statement. The Carson she knew was always a kind and gentle person. Fortunately, Christian did not say anything more after that. He did not ask about Ines and the Emperor’s relationship, even though it was clear that it was not normal.
He suddenly stopped walking as he turned around to greet her at the main gate.
And he tilted his head. Ines, who followed him, doubted her own eyes for a moment. Her pupils dilated faintly at the astonishing sight before her eyes.
“What, what is this...?”
“This is the Senonia tree I’ve only heard about.”
Ines couldn’t answer Christian’s words. She started running toward the office without asking for his understanding.
No one blocked her path as she ran.
Just as Ines reached Carson’s office, she saw Noah coming out.
“Aide,”
She called loudly, but he just shrugged.
Then he pushed open the still-closed door and nodded as if to tell her to come inside. She hurried inside and gave a brief bow. She raised her head, but Carson was nowhere to be seen.
His office had a large window that let in plenty of sunlight right in front of the door. At midday like now, the beautiful sunlight contrasted sharply with the shadows.
“Are you looking for me?”
He was sitting at the desk to the right of the window. When their eyes met, Carson smiled.
“Did you see him off?”
As Ines took a step closer, he slowly walked toward the window where the sunlight was streaming in.
“Your Majesty.”
Ines called him urgently and approached him with quick steps.
“What’s going on in the garden right now?”
“Can’t you tell when you see it?”
“So what is that?”
“It’s a tree.”
Ines couldn’t help but ask again, feeling as if it were impossible.
“Are you saying that you just dug up the tree in the sacred forest?”
“As you can see.”
The sacred forest of Aone was a place that boasted the greatest beauty of the empire, a legend.
Because only a limited number of people could enter, it was a forest that retained its original beauty. And the tree that only grew in that forest, that very Senonia, was a sacred object that could not be taken out without permission.
“Are you serious? You didn’t bring that tree because I said that no tree would fall after ten strikes, did you?”
Carson tilted his head once to indicate that. A gust of wind blew through the open window, blowing his slightly grown hair.
“What’s wrong?”
“That’s just a proverb.”
He continued to turn away, then slowly turned to Ines.
“No.”
Today, he appeared again, his entire body armed with light. The light became even more splendid after becoming the Emperor. Now, his aura was not only felt by Ines.
While everyone held their breath, Carson simply looked at Ines with his handsome face wrinkled.
“Come here.”
He extended his hand without hiding his displeasure and called Ines. She let go of Christian’s hand and approached the Emperor.
As she approached, Carson extended his long arm and wrapped it around Ines’ waist, pulling her closer. At the same time, he whispered in her ear.
“You don’t have to hold another man’s hand on your way to me.”
Ines knew very well when Carson would act so recklessly. She glanced up and saw eyes that reminded her of the day of the Monstera Water Festival.
Instead of forcefully pushing away his hand, she brought her lips close to his ear.
Then she whispered slowly.
"I am always ready to join hands with the devil if necessary on my way to you."
At that, Carson finally burst out laughing.
"I don't think that's something that a devout believer, Lady Ines Swenden, should say."
"My God is causing me quite a bit of confusion right now."
He shrugged.
"If it's not urgent, may I see my guest off, Your Majesty?"
"Of course."
Carson extended his hand and guided her to the door. The others behind him also moved cautiously.
Ines guided Christian to the main gate of the imperial palace. It was to talk about the details that they couldn't share because of Carson's sudden appearance. Ines walked a little slower than usual, coordinating various matters.
According to him, this time of the year was the Academy's vacation period.
Christian had planned to go home and get married during this time, but since his proposal had been rejected, he joked that there was no particular reason to go to Landhill.
Although he must have been quite flustered upon meeting the Emperor, his response was very flexible and cheerful.
“Then you can concentrate on Lord Mondrae’s business for the time being.”
“Yes.”
He let out a small sigh, perhaps thinking that the story was all settled.
“His Majesty is as beautiful as I’ve heard.”
Ines nodded at Christian’s words.
“I understand why people are so afraid.”
“That... is it?”
Ines could not agree with that statement. The Carson she knew was always a kind and gentle person. Fortunately, Christian did not say anything more after that. He did not ask about Ines and the Emperor’s relationship, even though it was clear that it was not normal.
He suddenly stopped walking as he turned around to greet her at the main gate.
And he tilted his head. Ines, who followed him, doubted her own eyes for a moment. Her pupils dilated faintly at the astonishing sight before her eyes.
“What, what is this...?”
“This is the Senonia tree I’ve only heard about.”
Ines couldn’t answer Christian’s words. She started running toward the office without asking for his understanding.
No one blocked her path as she ran.
Just as Ines reached Carson’s office, she saw Noah coming out.
“Aide,”
She called loudly, but he just shrugged.
Then he pushed open the still-closed door and nodded as if to tell her to come inside. She hurried inside and gave a brief bow. She raised her head, but Carson was nowhere to be seen.
His office had a large window that let in plenty of sunlight right in front of the door. At midday like now, the beautiful sunlight contrasted sharply with the shadows.
“Are you looking for me?”
He was sitting at the desk to the right of the window. When their eyes met, Carson smiled.
“Did you see him off?”
As Ines took a step closer, he slowly walked toward the window where the sunlight was streaming in.
“Your Majesty.”
Ines called him urgently and approached him with quick steps.
“What’s going on in the garden right now?”
“Can’t you tell when you see it?”
“So what is that?”
“It’s a tree.”
Ines couldn’t help but ask again, feeling as if it were impossible.
“Are you saying that you just dug up the tree in the sacred forest?”
“As you can see.”
The sacred forest of Aone was a place that boasted the greatest beauty of the empire, a legend.
Because only a limited number of people could enter, it was a forest that retained its original beauty. And the tree that only grew in that forest, that very Senonia, was a sacred object that could not be taken out without permission.
“Are you serious? You didn’t bring that tree because I said that no tree would fall after ten strikes, did you?”
Carson tilted his head once to indicate that. A gust of wind blew through the open window, blowing his slightly grown hair.
“What’s wrong?”
“That’s just a proverb.”
He continued to turn away, then slowly turned to Ines.
“No.”
It was a shameless expression that made it hard to believe that it was the expression of a person who had uprooted a tree that had protected the sacred forest for over a thousand years.
That mean look made Ines lose her will to stop him. It was not easy to say what she hated so much.
“Come here, Ines.”
He called her as if nothing had happened. Ines also approached him as if she was drawn to a magnet.
As she approached, Carson stretched out his long arms and pulled her toward the window. The light that had been waiting for her shone straight down between them.
This kind of face-to-face contact, this kind of distance, was something that had always happened. But her eyes felt like all her skin was being crushed. Somehow, she felt that he was different than usual today.
When he turned his head and looked at the garden, her gaze followed his.
“Look carefully, there are not only pathetic trees in this world that fall so easily in just ten attempts.”
As Carson had said, the tree brought from the sacred forest of Aone was so big that it was embarrassing to call it a beautiful tree.
The color of the trunk was lighter than that of other trees. However, despite its soft appearance, this tree was as strong as iron. This was a fact that everyone in the empire knew.
“That’s already over.”
“Who said that? That conversation is over.”
“I made a slip of the tongue. So let’s stop now...”
“A slip of the tongue?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly was the slip of the tongue?”
“There is a tree in the world that will not fall even if you hit it ten times. You just ascended to the throne. And you uprooted a tree from the Aone Forest?”
Some might call it just a tree.
However, the feelings the people of the empire had for the Aone Forest were not simply nature itself. It was a perfect place that had never been invaded, a sacred and precious place that could not be arbitrarily damaged, a place that no human authority could dare to cross. In other words, some considered it a small Keynes within the Keynes Empire.
“Do you want to stop me?”
“Of course.”
“Then tell me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Who is that man?”
“Who...?”
“The man who hit you ten times.”
At that moment, Ines’s mouth closed and her pupils shook without mercy. Carson’s face crumpled at the sight, unable to hide his embarrassment.
That mean look made Ines lose her will to stop him. It was not easy to say what she hated so much.
“Come here, Ines.”
He called her as if nothing had happened. Ines also approached him as if she was drawn to a magnet.
As she approached, Carson stretched out his long arms and pulled her toward the window. The light that had been waiting for her shone straight down between them.
This kind of face-to-face contact, this kind of distance, was something that had always happened. But her eyes felt like all her skin was being crushed. Somehow, she felt that he was different than usual today.
When he turned his head and looked at the garden, her gaze followed his.
“Look carefully, there are not only pathetic trees in this world that fall so easily in just ten attempts.”
As Carson had said, the tree brought from the sacred forest of Aone was so big that it was embarrassing to call it a beautiful tree.
The color of the trunk was lighter than that of other trees. However, despite its soft appearance, this tree was as strong as iron. This was a fact that everyone in the empire knew.
“That’s already over.”
“Who said that? That conversation is over.”
“I made a slip of the tongue. So let’s stop now...”
“A slip of the tongue?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly was the slip of the tongue?”
“There is a tree in the world that will not fall even if you hit it ten times. You just ascended to the throne. And you uprooted a tree from the Aone Forest?”
Some might call it just a tree.
However, the feelings the people of the empire had for the Aone Forest were not simply nature itself. It was a perfect place that had never been invaded, a sacred and precious place that could not be arbitrarily damaged, a place that no human authority could dare to cross. In other words, some considered it a small Keynes within the Keynes Empire.
“Do you want to stop me?”
“Of course.”
“Then tell me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Who is that man?”
“Who...?”
“The man who hit you ten times.”
At that moment, Ines’s mouth closed and her pupils shook without mercy. Carson’s face crumpled at the sight, unable to hide his embarrassment.
“It wasn’t just a story.”
“Huh?”
“It wasn’t just... it wasn’t just a story.”
Ines’s lips went dry as she repeated the words as if talking to herself.
“Who on earth did you meet here? You must have only been in the palace for a short time.”
Just as he said, how much time did Ines have to meet someone here?
If he wanted to find out, revealing the existence of Marcus Knights would be easier than peeling an onion.
His voice was still gentle, but his eyes were fierce. Only then did Ines understand a little bit why people were afraid of him.
“I-I just made it up.”
“It’s too late.”
“Don’t you believe me?”
He took a step back and narrowed his eyes. Ines’ heart trembled at his eyes as if he was looking at her from a distance and seeing through everything.
“What are you doing?”
“Yes?”
“What on earth are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Are you protecting that man from me right now?”
“That’s not it.”
Ines shivered as she shouted her words.
“More and more.”
“You're just not telling me because I don’t need to know.”
“I just made it up.”
Ines, who couldn’t make up a lie, somehow felt like she was sinking deeper into the swamp the more she talked.
“If I need to know?”
“You don’t have to know.”
At that moment, Ines remembered Carson’s behavior after seeing Marcus at the Temple of Edmont.
Whenever Carson looked at her like that, Ines’ heart wouldn’t spare anything. So it wouldn’t be good for him to know that Marcus Knights was in the palace right now.
He wasn’t the kind of person who would harm Marcus, but she decided that it was right to hide it for now.
Ines hesitated for a moment, then took a big step forward as much as she had backed away, and put her arm around his waist. She felt Carson’s body stiffen at her sudden action.
“This is not what I want... No.”
His voice suddenly became a low scratch.
“Then what do you want?”
“The man’s name.”
Ines shook her head and dug into him a little more.
“It was a lie.”
“What?”
“You said my heart wavered. I never did that even once. After meeting Your Majesty.”
he groaned.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Trust me. Even if you don’t show me a tree that won’t fall after ten strikes, anything will happen as Your Majesty wishes.”
“As I wish?”
“Yes, so please send the tree back to the sacred forest as it was. All the people of the empire love Your Majesty, but you have not yet gained everyone’s trust.”
He shook his head and laughed as if Ines had said something funny. It was a smile that somehow made his heart heavy.
“Huh?”
“It wasn’t just... it wasn’t just a story.”
Ines’s lips went dry as she repeated the words as if talking to herself.
“Who on earth did you meet here? You must have only been in the palace for a short time.”
Just as he said, how much time did Ines have to meet someone here?
If he wanted to find out, revealing the existence of Marcus Knights would be easier than peeling an onion.
His voice was still gentle, but his eyes were fierce. Only then did Ines understand a little bit why people were afraid of him.
“I-I just made it up.”
“It’s too late.”
“Don’t you believe me?”
He took a step back and narrowed his eyes. Ines’ heart trembled at his eyes as if he was looking at her from a distance and seeing through everything.
“What are you doing?”
“Yes?”
“What on earth are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Are you protecting that man from me right now?”
“That’s not it.”
Ines shivered as she shouted her words.
“More and more.”
“You're just not telling me because I don’t need to know.”
“I just made it up.”
Ines, who couldn’t make up a lie, somehow felt like she was sinking deeper into the swamp the more she talked.
“If I need to know?”
“You don’t have to know.”
At that moment, Ines remembered Carson’s behavior after seeing Marcus at the Temple of Edmont.
Whenever Carson looked at her like that, Ines’ heart wouldn’t spare anything. So it wouldn’t be good for him to know that Marcus Knights was in the palace right now.
He wasn’t the kind of person who would harm Marcus, but she decided that it was right to hide it for now.
Ines hesitated for a moment, then took a big step forward as much as she had backed away, and put her arm around his waist. She felt Carson’s body stiffen at her sudden action.
“This is not what I want... No.”
His voice suddenly became a low scratch.
“Then what do you want?”
“The man’s name.”
Ines shook her head and dug into him a little more.
“It was a lie.”
“What?”
“You said my heart wavered. I never did that even once. After meeting Your Majesty.”
he groaned.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Trust me. Even if you don’t show me a tree that won’t fall after ten strikes, anything will happen as Your Majesty wishes.”
“As I wish?”
“Yes, so please send the tree back to the sacred forest as it was. All the people of the empire love Your Majesty, but you have not yet gained everyone’s trust.”
He shook his head and laughed as if Ines had said something funny. It was a smile that somehow made his heart heavy.
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