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“Your Majesty! Are you really going to leave Count Ruelberta like this?”

The news of Count Ruelberta’s surprise visit had the ministers who remained in the palace rushing to the audience hall. Most of them, being loyal to the Imperial Family, harbored hostility toward the Ruelberta Family.

“He not only visited the Imperial Palace with armed soldiers but also attacked the castle! If this isn’t rebellion, what is?”

“Exactly! If we charge him with rebellion, we’ll have the justification we need!”

“We must seize this opportunity to eliminate Count Ruelberta!”

“Gentlemen, are you seriously suggesting that right now?”

Odell was the one who snapped at the ministers’ words.

“The Count is attending the Imperial Palace by the Emperor’s command. If we try to eliminate him now, the authority of the Imperial Family will plummet to a point where it can never be recovered.”

“Sir Odell, we understand what you’re saying, but bringing soldiers along clearly shows his intentions.”

“While bringing soldiers was unexpected, I heard he only entered the palace with two bodyguards. Besides, only the castle gate was slightly damaged, and no one was hurt. That alone suggests the Count has no intention of attacking. He didn’t come here to pick a fight.”

Odell was meticulously refuting the ministers’ objections, doing his best to persuade them.

The fact that a hero had appeared was still a top-secret matter known only to the Emperor and the members of the Seven Stars. Convincing the ministers, who were unaware of this, to cooperate with the Ruelberta Family was no easy task.

“Moreover, do you think the Count would sit still if we falsely accused him? If something were to happen to him, who knows what the Ruelberta Family might do. Can you all handle the Ruelberta Family if that happens?”

“Ahem…”

The ministers, aware of the Ruelberta Family’s power, could only cough awkwardly and avert their eyes. However, some still held onto their animosity toward Ruelberta, and now that animosity was directed at Odell, the Chancellor.

“Sir Odell, are you defending the Count now that he’s also a member of the Seven Stars?”

“Don’t divert the topic. As the Chancellor of this nation, I’m speaking realistically. If the Count intends to talk, we should hear him out.”

“Talk? If it were possible to talk with Count Ruelberta, we would’ve done it long ago! And if this isn’t a realistic discussion, what is? Someone who threatens the Imperial Family’s authority has boldly appeared in the Imperial Palace. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

The minister arguing with Odell shouted toward the screen.

“Your Majesty! We must arrest Count Ruelberta immediately on charges of treason! With Sir Marco, the Imperial Guard Captain, here, it won’t be difficult! And if we contact Sir Leon to have the Imperial Army defend the capital and crush the Count’s private soldiers—”

“Pathetic fools.”

“Huh?”

The Emperor, who had been silently listening to the ministers’ conversation, finally spoke.

“Stop making a fuss. It’s just one subject visiting. And a man who has never shown his face to the Imperial Family before, at that—arrogant and insolent.”

Behind the screen, the Emperor’s silhouette remained motionless, but her voice was thick with anger.

“Rebellion, you say? That’s irrelevant. If it’s truly a rebellion, we’ll just suppress it. The rebellion of a mere noble is nothing to fear.”

“B-but, Your Majesty…”

“Silence. Anyone who objects from now on will lose their head.”

“……”

Despite being the youngest in the room, Lucy Meikhael was known as the most ruthless Emperor in history. Knowing this, the ministers had no choice but to keep their mouths shut. No one wanted to lose their head.

“Whatever it is, we’ll see his shameless face first and then decide. Keep your eyes wide open and watch closely.”

Lucy Meikhael’s silhouette slowly crossed her legs. A seductive yet dangerously unpredictable Emperor. She spoke again.

“Let’s see who holds the upper hand.”

*Knock knock.*

The sound of knocking was followed by the voice of the Imperial Guard Captain, Marco.

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought Count Ruelberta.”

“Let him in.”

The doors to the audience hall opened.

The first to appear was the Imperial Guard Captain in red armor. Behind him was a young nobleman with black hair.

“Is that… Count Ruelberta?”

The ministers held their breath at the sight of Tristan. The infamous Count Ruelberta was a young man who had just reached adulthood. His flowing hair, long eyelashes, and handsome features made some momentarily mistake him for a woman.

Moreover, the two bodyguard knights following him were anything but ordinary. A woman in a military coat exuded a quiet, beautiful aura, her torn stockings adding a provocative touch. Beside her, a masked woman also commanded attention, making one believe that beneath the mask lay an equally stunning face.

But they weren’t just beautiful bodyguards. Some seasoned ministers and Imperial Guard knights could immediately sense—or rather, couldn’t help but notice—the overwhelming martial aura emanating from the two. Their gazes were entirely focused on Count Ruelberta, as were everyone else’s in the audience hall.

From the moment Tristan entered, the atmosphere in the audience hall seemed to be swallowed by his presence. His beauty was so striking that even expressing hostility toward him was forgotten.

Some ministers were puzzled. This was not the appearance of the so-called “Mad Pig Count.”

“Still, hasn’t he changed too much…?”

“Didn’t you see the recent newspaper? He’s lost weight.”

“I only heard about it. This is my first time seeing him in person… So this is what he’s like.”

The ministers whispered among themselves in barely audible voices.

Tristan, the most arrogant man in the Empire, known for not even fearing the Emperor, was indeed a man who captivated everyone’s attention with his looks.

“So you are Count Ruelberta… Tristan.”

The Emperor was the first to break the silence.

“That’s correct.”

“It’s been so long I can’t even remember the last time I saw you. You’ve been ignoring my telegrams, haven’t you? Why haven’t you responded all this time?”

“Because it was a waste of time.”

The ministers’ eyes widened in shock at Tristan’s words. Even the Emperor seemed momentarily taken aback, taking a moment to respond.

“…Oh? A waste of time? Responding to my letters?”

“Yes. I don’t like pointless tasks.”

Tristan spoke calmly, with an air of arrogance.

“Of course, I also don’t have the hobby of writing insincere letters with insincere content.”

“I see… Indeed.”

But this was not the attitude a mere subject should take toward the Emperor of a nation.

“By the way… why haven’t you shown me any respect since you arrived?”

“Do you expect me to bow to you?”

“No. It doesn’t matter. It’s laughable for me to expect respect from a man like you.”

The Emperor was at a loss for words in the face of Tristan’s unyielding demeanor. His attitude clearly placed the Emperor beneath him. With a sigh-like mutter, the Emperor spoke.

“Then I have no choice.”

Her silhouette raised a hand from behind the screen.

“It seems I’ll have to cut off your head here.”

*Swish!*

As soon as her words ended, the Imperial Guard knights in the audience hall drew their swords in unison.

“Ahhh?!”

“Eek?!”

The ministers panicked and retreated behind the knights. But Tristan’s bodyguards didn’t remain idle either.

*Crackle!*

The woman in the military coat’s eyes flashed. A deep magical power surged within her heterochromatic eyes.

“From now on, anyone who takes even a single step toward the Count will be turned to dust.”

Crackling lightning from her fingertips threatened the Imperial Guard knights.

“Can I leave the rear to you, Blanshe?”

“…She says she doesn’t know who that woman is, but you can trust her with your back.”

“Hehe… Tell her thank you.”

“…She says, ‘Don’t mention it.'”

At that moment, a chilling cold swept around the other woman. The sharp cold made the knights hesitate to approach.

Even in this tense situation, Tristan himself appeared remarkably calm. No, he looked more annoyed and tired than anything.

“I clearly said I didn’t want to waste time…”

The most arrogant man in the Empire made a request to the highest woman in the Empire.

“I didn’t come all this way to have my time wasted by such trivial matters. Let’s get to the point.”

“The point?”

“I request a private audience.”

“…?!”

One of the privileges reserved for the Seven Stars. The heads of the families belonging to the Seven Stars have the right to a private audience with the Emperor. Tristan, who had just joined the Seven Stars, was requesting a private audience with the Emperor—right in the middle of a situation where they seemed ready to kill each other.

Behind the screen, the Emperor spoke in a tone that was both incredulous and firm.

“A private audience is out of the question. I have yet to recognize you as a member of the Seven Stars.”

But Tristan, with an arrogant voice, asked the Emperor:

“Are you afraid of me?”

 

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