I stood up from my seat and looked at my older brothers.

“What’s the matter?”

Joshua said in a low voice.

“Salvatore has been appointed Prince Regent.”

Damn it.

The Imperial Palace.

I entered the Great Audience Hall, filled with court officials.

Occupying the throne on the dais was Prince Salvatore.

“Your Highness Prince Salvatore.”

The Empress, seated just below and to the right of the throne, frowned.

“Lady Astra, have you no sense of etiquette? The Prince Regent summoned you to court immediately—why are you so late...?”

This was the “proper courtesy” the Empress demanded:

[Infinite glory to the Imperial House. I pay homage to the Regent.]

She was displeased that I had addressed Salvatore simply as “Prince” instead of “Prince Regent.”

‘How transparent.’

She expected that even I, hailed by the entire nation as a saint, would call him “Prince Regent.”

And word would spread like this:

“She praised Prince Salvatore as Prince Regent!”

“What? So the gods have chosen Prince Salvatore himself!”

‘Cunning, as always.’

The Empress was exultant.

The fact that a regent had been appointed meant that a majority of the Central Tower—the highest decision-making body of nobles—supported Salvatore. If the Emperor were to die as he was, the Regent Salvatore would succeed to the throne. Thus, she was already behaving as if she were the Empress Dowager, occupying the seat just below the dais and to the right.

‘Where is the Empress Dowager...?’

The Empress Dowager wasn’t beside the Empress, but seated behind her closest attendants, her face set in a grim expression.

‘No matter how much she’s stripped the Empress of her powers... this seating arrangement is practically banishment to the back room.’

The Empress said, “Teach her the proper courtesies for the Prince Regent.”

I laughed inwardly.

‘Like I’m going to do as she wishes.’

I merely raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “My apologies. I have not yet learned the formal etiquette for the Prince Regent. If Your Majesty would instruct me, I will learn wholeheartedly.”

“...!”

“...!!”

The Empress and the nobles stiffened.

‘Thanks to subtlety, that’s why.’

The Empress could never explicitly tell me, “Treat my son as you would the Emperor!” If by chance the Emperor awoke and heard such a thing, what would he think? My words would be taken as, ‘He’s not dead yet, is he?’

A snort escaped the Empress Dowager’s lips, and the Empress’s face flushed.

She glared fiercely at me and clenched her teeth.

I stared back at Salvatore with a brazen expression.

“I apologize. I did not expect the imperial summons at all, so it took time to prepare.”

Translated, this meant, ‘You’ve been appointed Regent and yet you act however you like—do you have no regard for procedure?’

Just as the Empress was about to retort, Prince Salvatore broke into a gentle smile.

“My apologies. Matters of state demand haste, and I failed to show proper consideration.”

I narrowed my brows.

‘What is this?’

The nobles of the Salvatore faction looked pleased by their merciful regent’s demeanor.

He turned his gaze toward me.

“The Emperor collapsed during one of the Silent Phases when he communicates with the gods, and pernicious rumors are running rampant inside and outside the realm.”

I knew.

The rumor was that the Emperor had been forsaken by the gods. There might even be those who would use it as a pretext to raise arms in the name of ‘liberating the people from a god-forsaken Emperor.’ Foreign powers could seize the chance to invade.

As I listened silently, Salvatore spoke again.

“Therefore, the Regency shall welcome Erilot Astra—the saint chosen by the gods—into the imperial family to quell these rumors.”

“What...!”

“Your Highness...!”

The Salvatore faction’s nobles snickered, while the opposing nobles gasped. Even my grandfather and father, present in the hall, hardened their expressions.

And then...

‘Alexis.’

I hurriedly looked toward him.

Alexis, standing beside the Empress Dowager, had balled his hands into fists.

I gritted my teeth.

By marrying me, he could secure not only my capabilities but also bring the Astras under his sway. It was the perfect means to keep Alexis in check.

‘Use me to rein him in? That despicable man...!’

Moreover, invoking the pretext of stabilizing the realm left me no room to refuse.

The opposing nobles, it seemed, thought the same—their expressions darkened. My grandfather’s and father’s gazes turned sharp. Devon the Uncle and Leo Taloff, my father’s classmates at the Academy, hurried to restrain them.

Appointing a Regent in the Emperor’s stead was tantamount to treason.

Prince Salvatore said, “Given the urgency, we shall record your name in the Imperial Register of the Royal House and substitute a baptism by the High Priestess for the marriage ceremony.”

“...”

“We will hold the formal ceremony in grandeur once the realm has been stabilized.”

“Bu—”

I was about to speak.

“How dare you decide something as momentous as marriage without asking the other party’s consent?”

A voice cut in.

All eyes turned to the man among the courtiers.

Vincent Edrope.

Eldest scion of the Edrope Marquisate, youngest Imperial Scriptor at twenty-one, appointed as a court official. The same Vincent I had loved in my first life—the one who pined for Dahlia.

“Edrope Gu-min-jeong—the Overseer of the Office of Personnel—hold your tongue!”

“Is the Regent’s marriage an ordinary matter? Every decision has its purpose!”

“How dare you...!”

As the Salvatore nobles raised their voices, Vincent Edrope stepped forward.

“Even during the dark reign of the Oyster Tyrant Emperor there were such precedents.”

“That wretch...!”

“The tyrant Emperor, coveting the power of the Biferi Dukes, forced a marriage with Lady Biferi!”

“You compare the Prince Regent to a tyrant—!”

“During the reign of Chendreon II, under the Yureodna Emperor, and even in the Regency of Duke Pelloston, similar measures were taken!”

“Silence!”

“How dare you mock the /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Prince Regent—bring him forth!”

“After vanquishing Duke Pelloston’s tyranny and ascending the throne, Emperor Hugo the Great enacted laws to protect young nobles from becoming victims of tyranny!”

‘Impressive.’

Even amid this uproar, the Salvatore nobles refused to yield. Such unwavering spirits...

At that moment, Salvatore slammed his hand on the throne’s armrest.

“What exactly is Emperor Hugo’s decree?”

He asked, and Vincent replied.

“Emperor Hugo....”

In summary:

[During the reign of Emperor Chendreon II:

Empress Elizabeth was forced into marriage by the oppressive Emperor Chendreon. The Empress’s beloved, Prince Gonalong, pined away and died of lovesickness. Grieving her unrealized love in life, the Empress took her own life.]

Moved by this tragedy, Emperor Hugo proclaimed:

[If a marriage decree is issued by the throne, but the parties marry within four days, the decree shall be considered null.]

Prince Salvatore smiled and looked at me.

“This is not a decree of marriage. Am I not correct, Lady Astra?”

“...”

“The Prince Regent seeks your voluntary determination, Lady Astra, for the realm’s stability.”

All eyes turned to me.

Just then, a low laugh escaped from Duke Jermo.

He said, “The Prince Regent speaks dangerously.”

“What do you mean?”

“When Lady Astra voluntarily refuses, the realm will plunge into even greater chaos.”

He arched an eyebrow and continued, “Another pernicious rumor will spread that ‘the gods have even forsaken the Regent.’”

‘Why is he siding with me?’

Though always smiling benignly to others, he was a viper at heart.

‘Well, it’s worked out for me....’

Salvatore’s expression finally stiffened.

‘Now he has no choice but to issue a marriage decree.’

I grinned.

What will you do now, Salvatore?

The nobles streamed out of the Audience Hall. The Salvatore faction departed for a council with him; the opposition followed the Empress Dowager.

‘They’ll try to rally behind the Empress Dowager and make Alexis Regent again.’

My father said to me, “Old man—no, Father and I need to speak with the Empress Dowager. Return to the estate at once.”

“Yes.”

“I will issue an emergency decree; guard yourself.”

I nodded.

“Be careful, Father?”

“Yes.”

Once my grandfather and father had gone, I walked toward the place where the carriage awaited. As I strolled down the empty corridor, I thought:

“Why was Salvatore chosen as Prince Regent? Our faction isn’t that weak. Alexis seemed stronger. Why...?”

“It’s Grimie.”

A familiar voice came from behind. I jumped and turned.

“Duke Jermo?”

“He roasted the pro-Emperor faction in Grimie Jurisdiction.”

“...”

“I don’t know how he did it. We simply provided the venue for talks with the pro-Emperor faction.”

“We? ...Please, speak plainly.”

“How could I lower my tone?”

The Duke’s face was drawn and worn.

I approached him with concern. “You look ill. You seem so exhausted... is something the matter?”

“Because I committed an unforgivable sin.”

“Why did you report to me...?”

The Duke took my hand. “It’s Shimrah.”

“...Pardon?”

“Your guardian, who should protect you, has committed an unpardonable sin. ...My Messiah.”

“...!”

My expression hardened in an instant, and I slapped his hand away.

“You’re one of the Thirteen Guardians of the Chronos Council?”

“Yes, Messiah.”

I glanced around, startled.

“Shut your mouth—what if someone overhears?”

“Do not worry.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Barrier of the Ninth Guardian is in effect. No one outside this circle can see or hear us.”

A few other Guardians approached Duke Jermo—faces I recognized from those who came to the estate yesterday.

“I am Guardian Nine. Within my barrier, all are subject to my influence.”

“You set up a barrier even in the palace? Impressive. So Duke Jermo aided you?”

“...”

“I see why your information was so prompt. You’d laid a barrier in the palace; why not elsewhere?”

“...”

“Did you also put one around Astra Manor?”

He had no answer.

I laughed bitterly. “So you could plot my assassination.”

“Messiah...!”

A desperate voice reached me. I ignored it and turned away.

Guardian Nine dashed to block my path.

“Won’t you step aside?”

“Please, hear us out....”

He has Dahlia’s taste—silver hair with blue sheen, sky-blue eyes as clear as glass, white skin. Nearly 190 centimeters tall, but slim, not bulky.

‘If you judged by looks alone, you’d think these Guardians were the knights Yeseuen dreamed of as a child.’

A pointless thought now.

I looked down at Guardian Nine.

“I said I have nothing to hear.”

“Hate us if you must. Loathe us. Just let us help with this matter.”

“Help with what? Assassinate Salvatore?”

His gaze sharpened. “If you wish.”

“You’re truly mad.”

I slipped past him and strode away. Duke Jermo and Guardian Nine couldn’t follow; they bowed their heads and groaned in pain.

When I returned to the carriage, there was a bouquet of flowers.

“What’s this?”

Betty, guarding the carriage, exclaimed.

“Two incredibly handsome silver-haired twins left it!”

Mashitabbaroguman.

“They were really handsome. So tall....”

The bouquet was made of wildflowers.

I spun and threw it at Betty. “I don’t need it—take it.”

“Really? Wow, thank you!”

“And please deliver my message to—... Huh? Wait.”

If Duke Jermo was a Guardian, could there be others among those I know?