Fortunately, it seems His Majesty the Emperor leans more toward anticipation than suspicion.
Isabel sighed once more in relief at this fact and began to walk.
Just thinking about what happened just a moment ago still makes her dizzy.
‘Could it be that Lord Kael was worried about this and therefore refused all honors so insistently?’
Being such an outstanding man, it’s entirely possible.
After all, anyone would be suspicious if someone stood out too much.
Realizing this early on, Kael showed extreme humility.
Still, complete trust hasn’t been fully established. There might be unexpected situations.
But the Crown Princess is by the Emperor’s side. Perhaps my sister can persuade him.
The Crown Princess also seemed to favor Kael quite a bit.
After all, it was my sister who entrusted him with the Eastern Front.
“Haaa…”
Which is precisely why I’m even more worried. He’s already accomplished great feats and received grand rewards.
From here on out, Kael will attract the attention of the top figures in the Empire’s political scene.
While this could work positively, it could also have negative effects.
“What’s wrong that you’re sighing so much?”
Turning her head, Isabel sees Gnaius staring at her as if he’s been there the whole time.
“If you were going to show up, you could’ve made some noise.”
“What are you talking about, Belle? I made noises ages ago. But since you didn’t react at all, I thought you were ignoring me. Your expression was so serious—I didn’t dare interrupt.”
Serious, huh? Yeah, I almost got serious there for a moment—and even now. Honestly, I don’t even know if everything turned out well or not.
“Are you done with your seclusion?”
“I originally planned to stay out of sight for another month. It’d make things a little easier for the pro-Empire faction later. But sister told me it was time to come out.”
“My sister?”
Seeming surprised, Isabel waits for the next part, prompting Gnaius to smile awkwardly.
“A few days ago, she visited my residence personally. She mentioned a very clever friend who had handled matters splendidly and that things were about to get busy for the pro-Empire faction, especially with the eastern kingdoms.”
“…I have a feeling who that clever friend is.”
At Isabel’s words, Gnaius grinned and said, “The one you’re thinking of is correct.”
After smiling, Gnaius glanced at his younger sister’s face with a tilted head.
“Now that I think about it, that serious expression earlier seems related to something involving that person.”
“Wha—?”
“Lord Kael Klauwitz. Did something happen with that gentleman?”
“What, what happened? No. Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”
“I already said it. Whenever we talk about Lord Kael, your expression changes. Oh, there it is again! You just twitched. Belle.”
As Gnaius’ smile widened, Isabel blurted out a denial without realizing it.
But once he catches his prey, an older brother won’t let go so easily.
“So, it seems you’ve grown rather close to Lord Kael?”
“Hmm. Even I admit he’s not your average young man. It’s no wonder Belle likes him.”
“So, when do you plan to meet again? Now that you have a valid reason, occasional meetings should be fine, right?”
No matter how many times Isabel denied it, Gnaius’ relentless barrage continued.
Finally, after Gnaius burst into laughter, saying “Ahahaha!”, the tirade ended.
“Let’s take a walk, Belle.”
“You’re just teasing me.”
Leaving the attendants and maids behind, the siblings strolled slowly through the rear garden.
There was none of the usual tsk-tsking or suspicious vibes. A scenario unimaginable in the past.
Especially after both had become the focal points of the anti-Empire and pro-Empire factions.
“Strange, isn’t it?”
“What’s that?”
“That we can just hang out like this without any issues.”
Isabel was also seemingly aware of this.
At her words, Gnaius nodded in agreement.
“True, our relationship grew distant because of factionalism. Without Lord Kael, we’d probably have grown even further apart.”
“Didn’t you say just a moment ago you weren’t going to tease me?”
“But I’m not teasing, Belle. This is the truth.”
“…”
“You can feel it too, can’t you? How Lord Kael’s influence has broadened our perspectives.”
She couldn’t deny it. She truly felt that way.
It was the first shock when she conversed with the Crown Princess.
And when she thought back to the events of the Eastern Front…well, there was only one word for it—awe-inspiring.
“So do I. After hearing what Lord Kael achieved, I realized my own limitations.”
“…What limitations?”
“All this time, I believed I could charm and soothe people merely with my words. Thinking force and bloodshed were unnecessary.”
“But that was wrong. Completely wrong,” Gnaius chuckled bitterly.
“It wasn’t about strength, bl**d, or even rhetoric or persuasion. It was about the situation, about the hearts of people. A situation where no matter what, victory was inevitable. Words so compelling that obedience was unavoidable. Lord Kael had already reached the point where he could masterfully handle these elements.”
“…I totally agree. That Eastern operation was truly a game-changer.”
Sharing the same thoughts and experiences brought their estranged relationship closer.
It was one of those moments where bl**d truly felt thicker than water.
“So, why that expression earlier?”
“…I just had an audience with His Majesty.”
“Then?”
“His Majesty asked me what he thought of Lord Kael.”
“And?”
Gnaius responded casually, causing Isabel’s expression to tighten.
Was he really unaware of the gravity of this situation? That was the bonus jab.
From Gnaius’ perspective, however, the question sounded different.
‘It sounded like His Majesty was asking if that guy had made an impression on Belle.’
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
His Majesty’s subsequent remarks and even the Crown Princess smiling—it all pointed to the first stage of matchmaking between the two.
“Then, are you not worried, since you said we benefited from Lord Kael too?”
“No…”
Why? Why did his little sister seem completely oblivious?
It’s true what they say—humans are quick to notice others’ affairs but slow to perceive their own.
Regardless, if it came to this, she should at least have some inkling, right?
“Belle, I think His Majesty was just testing the waters.”
“Testing the waters? His Majesty?”
“Think about it. As a reward for his military achievements, Lord Kael was granted the Neomes region. And they emphasized that it wasn’t hereditary from the start, which shows just how much trust the Emperor places in him.”
“But we’ve seen cases where they give extravagant rewards first to let their guard down before finding a fault to punish them later, haven’t we?”
It’s true, that’s happened. But that’s not the case here.
Is Neomes just any region? It has been under Imperial direct rule.
It wasn’t suddenly annexed—it’s a time-honored area nurtured directly by the imperial family since the Great Emperor’s era.
Even the region contains a city named personally by the Great Emperor himself, one bathed in glory.
It’s far too excessive to hand over the Imperial direct rule region merely as a front.
The Emperor is not foolish enough to reduce the authority and dignity of the Imperial Family himself.
“How could His Majesty use Imperial direct rule territory for such a ruse?”
“But still…”
“The Emperor truly approves of Lord Kael.”
“Then why did His Majesty ask such a surprising question?”
You know what, Belle? It’s something you shouldn’t fail to comprehend.
Even the fact that you tried to intercede shows that His Majesty isn’t completely uninterested.
Feeling exasperated, Gnaius tapped his chest lightly a few times.
“So, Belle. Are you worried about Lord Kael right now?”
“Well, we shared the battlefield, right? It’s only natural.”
“…Let’s stop this conversation.”
After all, they’re just siblings.
If she still doesn’t get it after the hints I’ve dropped, I give up.
You figure it out by yourself. I’ve done my part. It’s all on you now.
“Well, stop worrying about Lord Kael and focus on something else.”
“Something else?”
“Haven’t you heard? Envoys from Nobogorod will be arriving soon.”
“How come?”
“Well, you were busy with Kael recently, weren’t you?”
They were speculating about the reasons behind the Neomes reward.
After that, she received the royal command and had an audience with the Emperor.
“So, what do they want?”
“They’re supposedly here to congratulate us on our great victory in the eastern front.”
“Yeah, I know the official reason. So, what’s the hidden agenda?”
Isabel, being a princess, catches political undertones quickly.
However, when it comes to anything related to Kael, her cognitive abilities seem to take a hit.
“In my opinion, they’re trying to assess the internal situation of our Empire.”
The war between the Empire and the eastern kingdoms has ended.
Victor: The Empire. Loser: the Alliance. But the victory doesn’t mean there have been no consequences.
Apparently, Nobogorod is likely sending this envoy delegation to gauge the current mood within the Empire.
At Gnaius’ explanation, Isabel nodded in agreement.
“Belle.”
“Hmm?”
“How about you spend some time with Lord Kael?”
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
Of course His Majesty and my sister might subtly favor such an arrangement.
This he couldn’t say out loud, so quickly thought of another excuse.
“Do you remember the previous confrontation with Nobogorod?”
“Of course. I was there, too.”
“His Majesty is surely aware of what they’re after. But since they’re here under the pretext of being envoys, pressuring them directly isn’t an option. So, other methods are needed.”
“…You’re saying His Majesty might call on Lord Kael?”
“Exactly.”
So, if you hang around together for now, and when the royal command comes, you can bring him. Besides, haven’t you both worked closely together from Nobogorod to this eastern front battle?
Isabel mutters thoughtfully, ‘That’s true. Hmm. Are we comrades-in-arms, then?’
‘Comrades-in-arms my foot, Belle. Why has my normally perceptive little sister gone suddenly clueless?’
Though tempted to blurt it out, Gnaius worried it might create unnecessary resistance.
Embarrassment can cloud even the best of minds, and sometimes saying nothing is better than making a misstep.
So, for now, Gnaius decided to let things be… for now.
