# Chapter 20 – Imperial Palace #
[Imperial Capital]
The vacation was over.
Which meant everything had returned to normal.
Father and Brother Eith went straight back to work at the imperial palace the very next day without a hint of exhaustion, and Brother Eddie, as always, was busy with heir lessons and managing the merchant group. Honestly, they were all amazing.
So what had I been doing?
Well, I studied with the magic book my uncle gave me, took etiquette classes with Lloyd and my etiquette tutor, and overall lived a pretty leisurely life.
Today, I was sitting in my room, deep in thought.
A fresh breeze flowed in through the window. I loved the clothes I was wearing today, and the head chef’s breakfast had been, as always, absolutely superb. At this point, the Duchy of Rosha Hill had completely become my beloved home.
But—there was one lingering anxiety I couldn’t shake from my mind.
“I invite you to the imperial palace.”
Sigh…
Unable to bear the unease any longer, I let out a heavy sigh. Then, I sprang up and picked up the letter from my vanity.
It had been waiting for me when I returned home—an invitation from the First Prince.
He had written to say he wished to continue the conversation we had left unfinished at the banquet, and cordially invited me to the imperial palace. The invitation date? Today. He must have known that during the mourning period, our family always visited my maternal grandparents, and scheduled accordingly.
I had stared at the invitation for a long time, but there was no clever way out of it.
The best I could do was prepare myself by finding the letters he had supposedly exchanged with “me.”
I had hidden those letters so well that even after I returned, it took me forever to dig them out. Turns out I had stashed them behind the vanity drawer. Thorough, wasn’t I?
The letters were worn and tattered from being read so often. I sat down and read them again.
The prince’s penmanship was neat, but the contents were hardly revealing. If they had been love letters, at least I could have sighed and gone, “Ah, so this is a scandal.” But no, nothing of the sort.
They were just typical exchanges of pleasantries, like the kind nobles sent one another out of formality.
The First Prince had inquired after my health, told stories about the social scene and his hunting trips. I even scrutinized them for secret codes or hidden meanings, but nothing stood out.
Eventually, I gave up and looked up from the letter with a sigh.
Above me on the ceiling, the Rosha Hill’s golden bird emblem gleamed—just like always.
It seemed to be whispering:
“Don’t forget.”
Five years from now, a rebellion would break out. And the main instigators would be none other than House Rosha Hill.
I had to predict the future.
“….”
I gripped the letter tightly. My father’s and brothers’ faces came to mind.
Anything would do. Even the tiniest clue.
Steeling myself, I stared at the letter again and again.
When the promised time arrived, I headed for the imperial palace.
The weather was cool and clear, and the streets buzzed with excitement for the upcoming harvest festival.
Beyond the plaza, deep in the heart of the capital, lay the imperial palace. Past the towering gates, there stood the mage tower, knights’ training grounds, dormitories, main palace, secondary palaces, concubines’ quarters, library, various facilities, guest pavilions, banquet halls, gardens… And at the very center of it all, the grandest of them all—the Imperial Palace itself.
To reach it, you had to get off your carriage at the central courtyard and climb several hundred neatly arranged steps. Thanks to my daily running routine, I managed not to look too winded when I arrived, but it was still exhausting.
The palace was predominantly decorated in red. A dignified, beautiful color. Portraits and medals adorned the walls, and the ivory sculptures and polished marble floors gleamed. I walked calmly, observing the portraits with interest.
Each one of them was a past emperor, empress, prince, or princess. I had no personal ties to them, but it wouldn’t hurt to remember their faces. Just as I was studying the current Emperor’s portrait—
The head attendant approached and bowed deeply.
I was led to the receiving room attached to the First Prince’s quarters.
It was massive, spacious enough to run around in. The red theme continued, but the walls were accented with an ivory and black argyle pattern—very chic. A gold-framed portrait of the First Prince hung in the center of the wall. Though the fireplace wasn’t in use yet, being autumn, it was clean and well-maintained, and small framed portraits and golden trinkets sat atop the mantle.
Still, no matter how grand this room was, mine wasn’t any less. I wasn’t particularly impressed.
It was oddly satisfying to confirm Rosha Hill’s strength here in the imperial palace. So far, the only difference seemed to be size—the wealth inside wasn’t that different.
Long live my house.
Prince Alteo stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing outside. The head maid announced me with a clear voice.
“The Young Lady of House Rosha Hill has arrived. His Highness Prince Alteo.”
“Ah, you’re here.”
He finally noticed me and offered me a seat.
The wooden chair had red velvet cushions on the seat and backrest. I sat down carefully. The butler brought over a tray and poured me a cup of what appeared to be herbal tea. A light green liquid filled the cup.
Alteo remained standing for a few minutes longer before finally joining me at the table. Silence fell.
Why did he call me here?
I quickly scanned him with sharp eyes.
“How have you been?”
But outwardly, I maintained the quiet, demure expression of Rosha Hill’s youngest daughter.
“Well, thank you. And how have you been, Your Highness?”
“I’ve been well too. I was a little worried—was the sudden invitation unpleasant for you?”
“Not at all. I was thrilled to receive your letter. I read it over and over again in excitement.”
A total lie. Okay, half a lie—I did reread it several times. Out of suspicion.
I lied without batting an eye, and Alteo smiled faintly, as if he believed me.
“I heard you visited your maternal relatives—the Count of Forte, was it?”
“Yes, I’m honored you remembered.”
“How was it?”
“Much the same as always. We honored my mother’s memorial and visited the elders.”
I sipped my tea.
Not my taste. Though it was green, I much preferred green tea over herbal infusions. And if it had been sweetened black tea—chocolate or caramel flavored—even better.
Still, I knew voicing such thoughts would be rude, so I swallowed them along with the lemon madeleine on the side.
Mmm.
The madeleine was a miss, too. Our head chef at home made much better ones. Besides, I didn’t really like madeleines to begin with. Didn’t the prince’s intel network know I disliked herbal tea and madeleines? Disappointing.
After a moment of silence, the prince set down his teacup and finally spoke.
“There’s something I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a state secret. For now, I hope you’ll keep it to yourself. I’d prefer you didn’t even tell your family.”
“A state secret…”
I lifted my gaze. His golden eyes, like a burning sun, met mine directly. I worked through my thoughts quickly.
It’s not good to get close to him.
I had no desire to share tea or whisper secrets with him. Definitely no desire to grow close to him like the former Laila had.
But—if it’s a secret, then it might be worth it.
The more state secrets I know, the better I can predict the future. It wouldn’t hurt to be informed.
Gulp. I swallowed nervously.
He spoke firmly, almost like a proclamation.
“Two months from now, my mother—Lady Cardia Ulysses, the First Consort—will officially become the Empress of this empire.”
I blinked.
The Empress of the Empire.
“…!!!”
Cardia Ulysses. I had never once met her. There was barely any mention of her in the original novel, so I knew almost nothing about her. All I remembered was a few lines describing her as someone who cherished her son dearly.
“She’ll become the Empress…?”
I tried to stay composed, but my teacup clinked faintly as I set it down. I couldn’t help it. That’s how shocked—and afraid—I was.
“Knowing the future isn’t always a blessing.”
If I hadn’t known it, I wouldn’t be this terrified. For the first time, I felt fear because of my knowledge of the future.
What will change when she becomes Empress? What events will unfold? Could her coronation be the trigger that sparks the rebellion? A swirl of thoughts spun wildly in my mind.
“I see.”
But I managed to open my mouth and say the right thing.
“Congratulations. This will be a blessing to the nation.”
“Thank you. I’m truly happy—not just personally, but because the empire will finally have a true Empress, a motherly figure it’s long lacked.”
His words were smooth and eloquent. I feigned calmness, sipping my tea.
A secret was a secret. I did appreciate him telling me this in advance.
“Thank you for sharing such precious news with me.”
I looked him straight in the eyes and spoke sincerely. He returned the gaze just as intensely.
“I simply wanted to share joyous news with an old friend. But that’s not the only reason I called you here. I only found out about the coronation today myself.”
So there was more. I tensed instinctively. If this wasn’t what he really wanted to talk about, then what was?
He looked at me with gentle, deep eyes.
“You, Laila Rosha Hill.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Setting his cup down, he spoke in his usual firm, straightforward manner.
“Would you consider officially dating me?”
I heard the loud thud of my heart dropping.
