"I offer my sincerest congratulations, Your Highness," Theodore Everhart said, his voice laced with calculated precision. "The emperor spared no expense for his beloved son and sole heir's coronation." His words dripped with subtle insolence, a trademark of the Everhart Duchy, notorious for their stone-cold hearts.
I narrowed my eyes, wary of the young duke's intentions. "Thank you, Theodore Everhart." His audacity was legendary; he was the only one who dared defy the imperial family, ignoring summons and declining invitations to royal banquets. His constant excuses of "expeditions" had driven me mad in my past life.
Now, as we stood face-to-face, I felt my irritation resurface. My father, the emperor, intervened, saying, "My son needs friends his age, and who better than the young heir of Everhart Duchy?" I stifled a groan, resenting the forced acquaintance.
