The shield protecting the Emperor of Meikahel, the Imperial Guard.

They are selected through rigorous examinations in martial arts, magic, personality, and appearance.

Moreover, their leader, the Imperial Guard Captain, faces even stricter conditions.

Given the immense responsibility of protecting the Emperor from the closest proximity.

Among them, the current Imperial Guard Captain, Marco Peiriguris, stands out as an unparalleled figure.

“But why is he here now?”

I couldn’t help but question this situation.

If my memory serves me right, Marco doesn’t make a significant appearance until much later in the original story.

Unless he’s here shopping at the department store on the Emperor’s orders, there’s no reason for him to be here.

There’s only one conclusion.

“…Is the Emperor keeping an eye on me?”

There’s no other way to explain this situation.

Only the Emperor could have moved Marco.

In fact, there are many plausible reasons.

The power of the Ruelberta Family has already reached an undeniable level.

As a result, the authority of the Imperial Family is declining day by day.

The Emperor must be pondering how to weaken the Ruelberta Family’s influence.

Naturally, I expected some level of surveillance on me, the head of the Ruelberta Family.

But I never imagined the Imperial Family would intervene like this.

And with the Imperial Guard Captain, who never leaves the Emperor’s side, coming in person.

As a result, two people who shouldn’t have met have crossed paths.

They clashed.

*Thud!*

Marco’s mace made a dull sound as it shattered the ice.

Blanshe had already created distance.

She shouted in a voice filled with wrath.

“Why are you interfering with me!”

“It’s an order to protect Count Tristan.”

“Don’t make me laugh! I can’t hand over the Count. Not to the Emperor, not to anyone!”

“Let me hear your reason.”

At that moment, the magical energy swirling like snowflakes behind Blanshe suddenly stopped.

“Because I must kill the Count! That’s the one thing I can’t compromise on!”

“I can’t accept that reason. It goes against my orders.”

“If you can’t accept it, then I’ll have to kill you too.”

“Then I’ll have to eliminate you with full force, beast.”

“Just try it!”

The two leaped into action.

Blanshe’s form, which had been a mix of human and beast, transformed completely into a beast.

A noble tiger, a frost beast, roared with icy breath.

“Now you show your true colors, beast.”

Marco unleashed the magical energy flowing through his body without restraint.

His black mace instantly turned red.

The fiery magic of the Peiriguris Family.

Marco swung his heavy, flame-infused mace.

The two figures clashed in mid-air.

A fierce battle with no retreat unfolded.

I could foresee it.

That one of them would die by the end of this fight.

This battle wouldn’t stop until one of them fell.

Whether it’s Blanshe or Marco, losing either would be a waste of a named character.

For the future, I must prevent their deaths.

To face the players, I need to gather as much strength as possible.

‘I must save them…’

At that moment, the compressed magical energy from Blanshe’s icy breath exploded.

Her freezing magic met Marco’s fiery mace, resulting in a massive explosion.

*Boom!*

Both were thrown to the ground.

The impact left them struggling to get up.

As expected, Marco was the first to rise.

The Emperor’s Imperial Guard Captain was still a formidable opponent for the current Blanshe.

Staggering to his feet, Marco saw Blanshe unconscious on the ground.

The frost beast, the blue tiger, was still recovering from the damage, breathing heavily.

He muttered.

“…I was mistaken, beast.”

The outcome was decided.

But it wasn’t a complete victory.

*Crack.*

The tip of his beloved mace shattered.

The mace crumbled into pieces.

Marco looked at it in disbelief, then assessed Blanshe.

“You were strong. But… weaker than me.”

Marco gathered magical energy in his hand.

One of the seven noble families, the Peiriguris of Fire.

The power to burn everything was about to unleash its ominous light.

“That’s enough, Sir Marco.”

I swallowed the rising ‘wrath.’

Marco turned to look at me, as if asking what was going on.

Soon, a stiff voice came from his lips.

“The Count cannot give me orders.”

“Wasn’t your mission to secure my safety?”

“That’s correct. But…”

Marco looked down at the critically injured Blanshe.

“It’s better to eliminate any threats.”

“Do you think that beast is a threat to you?”

“…Provoking me won’t work, Count. Wait there until I finish, and then come with me willingly.”

“…Interesting.”

A laugh escaped me.

‘Pride’ stirred.

Suppressing the pain with my remaining ‘patience,’ controlling my emotions was difficult.

I looked at Marco with a mocking gaze.

“What if I refuse?”

“Are you defying the Emperor’s command? Then I’ll have to take you by force.”

*Thud.*

Marco nodded slightly.

Ice fragments fell from his head.

He declared to me.

“The Count is weak. So you can’t stop me.”

He wasn’t wrong.

The opponent was a man regarded as one of the greatest Imperial Guard Captains in history.

Even at my best, I couldn’t stop him.

I don’t have the strength yet.

I’m weak.

Powerless.

But even the weak have their own ways.

I took a deep breath.

“Count, stay there. I’ll secure your safety soon…”

“…There’s something I’ve always wondered.”

The ‘pride’ within me boiled.

I asked him with a sly, condescending look.

“Who gives you your orders?”

“…?!”

For the first time, his stoic face showed shock.

That question sent ripples through him.

“…How does the Count know that?”

“Did you think Tristan wouldn’t know such a thing?”

I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder.

And whispered in his ear.

“There’s no place in the Imperial Family where my influence doesn’t reach.”

“…!”

Marco’s expression didn’t change.

But my hand could feel it.

His shoulder trembling with anger.

I sneered at the sight.

“She must be waiting for you, lonely.”

“Count…”

“Ah, my mistake. Thinking about it, with two of them, she won’t be lonely.”

“…Are you threatening me now?”

Marco wore a terrifying expression.

Even the machine-like man was still human.

An unspoken warning that he wouldn’t stand by if his master was threatened.

His magical energy surged in response to his anger.

But I wasn’t afraid at all.

My ‘pride’ wouldn’t allow fear.

“Threaten? How could I threaten you? You’re the Imperial Guard Captain protecting the Emperor. I’m weaker than you. So…”

The corner of my mouth rose.

“I don’t discriminate in methods.”

“…”

The blazing magical energy vanished.

Though my tone wasn’t strong, I clearly saw it.

The faint fear on Marco’s face.

But it was only for a moment.

The steel-like Imperial Guard Captain replied in a calm tone.

“…I’ll withdraw.”

Marco’s top priority is the Emperor’s safety.

The moment he felt the Emperor’s life was threatened, he had lost.

He realized he had no choice but to retreat here.

He could gain nothing from this.

Just as Marco was about to leave.

“Wait.”

I called him back, even though he was leaving empty-handed.

“Is that all you have to say to me, Sir Marco?”

If I had looked in a mirror, I would have seen a very sly smile.

I was subtly asking him.

Who was in charge.

“…My apologies. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Marco stiffly bowed his head and walked away.

His usual emotionless demeanor only made it seem more frustrating.

No, it probably was frustrating.

…This is entirely due to Tristan’s dirty personality.