I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 190

Bartheus had briefly stepped away, using the excuse of not feeling well, and now he found himself alone with Albrecht.

His previously pale face, almost as if it were a lie, now glowed with vitality.

Guilt prickled at his heart, but Albrecht, unaware of this turmoil, only gazed at him with an indifferent expression.

“…That was a close call. Marquis.”

Even in front of the Emperor, Albrecht maintained a stiff posture, locking eyes with Bartheus. With a blend of regret and relief, Bartheus spoke to him.

At this, Albrecht’s previously emotionless eyebrows twitched slightly.

Bartheus knew very well that Albrecht harbored hostility towards him, especially compared to the relatively mild demeanor of previous Emperors.

That was precisely why he watched Albrecht carefully, trying to keep as few people around as possible.

However, hearing such words from Bartheus felt nothing short of an outright provocation.

Considering his personality, it was clear that Albrecht would relish even the slightest mishap he faced.

It sounded almost as if he were saying, “It would have been a fun show, and I’m sorry I missed it.”

“Are you speaking from your perspective, or from the Emperor’s perspective?”

“Hmmm, weren’t you and I on the same ship? It’s odd to think different perspectives exist.”

“……”

Albrecht considered triggering the curse he had just planted on Bartheus, but he managed to suppress his anger and pulled back his hand.

The only reason he could bind this man was not due to pain.

It was simply because he held something valuable to him.

Exemplifying his power by inflicting punishment might only make Bartheus smirk at him through the pain.

“By the way, that was quite a decent response. I pondered offering my help, but perhaps it wasn’t necessary after all.”

“Well, in the end, you did help in a way, so it’s all right. Not that I had any value in seeking your help to begin with, of course.”

His strange manner of speaking carried both politeness and rudeness.

Bartheus raised one corner of his mouth, smiling for the first time with genuine amusement.

Though he outwardly portrayed himself as emotionless and detached, he knew better than anyone what his true nature was.

Yet, seeing this man act polite and gentlemanly in front of others was pitiful, and today, he seemed particularly heated.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be revealing his emotions so blatantly.

“Your tone has become quite rough. Well, that mask has been quite old, hasn’t it?”

“…If that’s your plan, I have my own ideas as well.”

“Oh dear, have I gone too far? I shall restrain myself.”

Bartheus tried to feign nonchalance while his heart sank inside.

After all, in their relationship, the sword’s handle was firmly in Albrecht’s grasp.

And not just any sword that could easily sever Bartheus’s neck, but one that could perfectly carve out even his heart.

“What do you intend to do?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You seem remarkably perceptive. Would it be alright to leave it as is?”

“Are you referring to the Grand Duke?”

Albrecht’s calm, yet heavy gaze focused on Bartheus, jolting him with a sudden realization.

‘He knew.’

He had indeed met the man who was the Grand Duke’s lover before he arrived, and had talked separately.

Moreover, he was aware that this man was anything but ordinary.

“I had a pretty good hunch. I suspect that most of the ideas the Grand Duke presented today were essentially his work.”

“Do you hold him in such high regard?”

Bartheus’s eyes widened in surprise; he hadn’t considered that far before.

That meant, in essence, that he was the brain behind the Robeheim Family.

However, Bartheus didn’t see him as particularly sharp, just somewhat perceptive.

“High regard… it’s not an inaccurate expression. To me, it would be more accurate to say he’s bothersome.”

“Well, that sentiment can be understood. A bothersome enemy is usually a competent one, is it not?”

“I won’t deny that.”

As Albrecht appeared to acknowledge someone for the first time, Bartheus’s mouth dropped slightly in shock.

At this point, it seemed more accurate to say that something had happened to gauge his capabilities rather than relying on intuition.

“So, you must have a reason for being wary of that man.”

“I do not owe you an explanation for that.”

Albrecht seemed secretive, yet he was quite chatty.

To be precise, he tended to share most things freely with those he considered to be at a disadvantage.

It was a display of confidence that conveyed, ‘Even if you know this, you cannot harm me.’

Yet, for him to distinctly convey that he did not want to discuss it further suggested that the upcoming topic might reveal his weaknesses or vulnerabilities.

Realizing this, a faint smile appeared on Bartheus’s lips.

“I see. But just that statement confirms there’s something there.”

“……”

At that moment, Albrecht got up abruptly, as if he couldn’t bear to linger any longer, and left the room.

He simply had no time to dally with this empty Emperor.

He needed to get rid of the nuisance as soon as tonight.

To do that, some groundwork was necessary first.

“Hey, come here.”

“Yes, Your Excellency….”

Albrecht subtly summoned a maid wandering in the hallway to change locations.

If he had no useful cards to play, he’d simply create some.

As long as he could eliminate that man, he didn’t care what would happen afterward.

Moreover, he had ways to hide the evidence and create chaos.

‘They say they’re staying here for a day.’

He recalled the vague hint Aida had dropped earlier and couldn’t help but smile wickedly.

It seemed Lady Victory was smiling favorably upon him.

—

Edgar glanced down at Ariel, blushing sweetly, and chuckled bitterly.

He never expected to be asked for something even in broad daylight in the Imperial Palace, but that encounter was thwarted midway by an interruption.

Thanks to that, the mood shattered, and the two decided to stroll through the garden instead.

Ariel proclaimed that she wouldn’t back down easily even at night, but to Edgar, it merely sounded like adorable stubbornness.

That made sense; despite Ariel’s many bold claims, she had never managed to endure anything truly challenging.

“What? Why do you keep looking?”

As Edgar looked at her with the gaze one might give a cute creature, Ariel shivered lightly and reacted as if her feet were cold.

Normally, he would tease her a bit more, but today he had opted for a peaceful day.

He felt it would be much more enjoyable to leisurely soak up the sun and spend relaxed time with Ariel.

“Just. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the palace, so I’m looking forward to it. Don’t you feel that way?”

“Not really… It’s not that different from Robeheim Castle.”

“That’s true.”

Of course, even though Robeheim Castle belonged to a noble family, it couldn’t compete with the grandeur of the Imperial Palace.

However, Edgar didn’t think the palace’s majesty fell short either.

If Robeheim Castle held a sense of restrained beauty and strength, the Imperial Palace had a flair for lavishness.

Indeed, it was awe-inspiring on first sight, but after a few visits, there was also a sense of weariness.

But that was Edgar’s personal opinion.

“And besides……”

“Hmm?”

As Ariel, cheeks still rosy, seemed about to add something, Edgar turned his head back towards her.

He wondered if she was about to express some discontent with the palace, but the words she offered were unexpectedly sweet.

“Ah, as long as I’m with you, anywhere is great. Even if it were a crumbling shack.”

“…Pfft.”

Unable to hold back his smile at her cute declaration of affection, he gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Her face turned bright red, not solely due to the sunlight but also from what she had said, making her endearing in that moment.

Above all, even though what she said was quite cheesy, it was heart-warming to see her trying hard to make her lover happy.

“I couldn’t take such a precious person to a place like that.”

“That’s just talk! You fool.”

“I know. I’ve said it before.”

As Edgar pinched her cheek playfully, they stepped outside, the splendid garden immediately catching their eyes.

This place wasn’t an open area like others; it was reserved for distinguished guests invited to the annex or members of the palace.

Thus, it was even grander than the garden they had seen upon entering the palace.

Particularly, the flowers arranged in colors and the tall statues in the center added to its splendor.

On one hand, he could almost picture the efforts of the gardeners and landscapers who must have toiled to create such landscaping.

Believing the best way to appreciate their hard work was to walk through the garden personally, Edgar moved forward with Ariel.

At that moment, the scenery shifted once again.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It’s decent. By the way, I think someone’s over there.”

“I felt a presence too. Is it a gardener?”

Considering that gardeners usually only worked when there were no visitors around, that prospect was low.

Moreover, this was the imperial garden, so the gardeners weren’t likely ignorant of such basic etiquette.

If that were the case, perhaps there was another visitor? The two of them strode forward, stepping up cautiously as they sought their source.

As they did, someone hidden behind the statue came into view…

“Empress… Your Majesty?”

Though her face appeared much paler than when they had last seen her, the faint memory of her features stirred in Ariel’s mind, and she cautiously spoke her identity.

In that moment, Empress Beatria Helbenior turned around, and all three pairs of eyes met.

“So, we have another visitor. Is this our first meeting since you ascended to the Grand Duke’s position?”

Despite the sudden encounter, Beatria approached them without a hint of embarrassment, offering a soft smile.

And just like that, their long-awaited reunion had transpired after five long years.