The grand hall of the imperial palace was filled with the murmurs of ministers and officials, their voices blending into a steady hum as they discussed the affairs of the empire.
Seated at the head of the room was the Emperor, his expression composed but his grey eyes filled with a quiet sharpness.
Beside him sat the beloved Queen Liliana, dressed in soft pastels, her delicate features arranged in a sweet, concerned expression.
And across from them—
Diana Hinsdale, the Empress of the Empire, sat languidly in her seat, completely indifferent to the proceedings.
Unlike her usual self, she wore a military-styled uniform with intricate golden embroidery, her long hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her sharp, refined features remained unreadable as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs elegantly.
She barely looked up from the leather-bound notebook she was writing in.
A stark contrast to the affectionate glances the Emperor and Queen exchanged.
The ministers whispered among themselves.
"The Empress is acting strange."
"She's ignoring His Majesty… playing hard to get?"
"Or perhaps… she's finally gone mad?"
None of it mattered to Diana.
She simply continued to jot things down in her book, her expression calm, distant.
The discussion moved as usual—
Taxes were being raised in the central region to compensate for losses in the south due to flooding.
The construction of new roads between trade cities was delayed due to embezzlement issues.
The treasury, as expected, was still being drained by certain nobles who thought themselves untouchable.
Diana listened, but she did not react.
Then—
"The matter of the Northern Plains," the Minister of War finally said, his voice grim. "The barbarians have been growing restless again."
The room fell silent for a moment.
It was a difficult topic.
Everyone in the empire knew that handling the borders was not an easy task.
And, unconsciously, many of them turned their eyes to the Empress.
Diana did not even lift her head.
Normally, when military issues arose, Diana would offer the assistance of her family—the Hinsdale Family, one of the empire's greatest military houses.
Her older brother, the current Grand Duke Hinsdale, held immense power over the western regions.
But this time…
Diana remained silent.
The ministers hesitated.
One of them, an older noble who had long served the court, leaned in slightly and whispered,
"If only Grand Duke Hinsdale could oversee the northern defense…"
The Emperor's gaze flickered.
He turned his eyes toward Diana.
And still—
She did not respond.
The silence stretched until the Emperor finally spoke.
"Diana," he called, his voice as natural as always. "Would it not be best to send the Hinsdale forces to secure the northern borders?"
At that—
Diana finally looked up.
Her golden eyes were cold and unreadable as she met the Emperor's gaze.
Then, with a calm, almost bored voice, she said,
"Inefficient."
The room tensed.
The Emperor frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
Diana shut her book with a soft thud, setting it aside as she leaned forward slightly, resting an arm on the table.
"Hinsdale governs the west," she said simply. "The northern plains are too far for proper mobilization. It would be foolish to stretch our forces thin when we already have another noble house stationed much closer."
The ministers exchanged glances.
The Emperor's brows furrowed. "Then who would you suggest?"
Diana's lips curled slightly, her tone almost mocking as she said,
"Isn't the Marquis of Evermont's territory located in the northwestern region? It would be far more efficient for them to handle the issue."
The room went dead silent.
Because everyone knew—
The Marquis of Evermont was none other than the adoptive father of Queen Liliana.
The Queen, who had remained quiet up until now, suddenly gasped, her delicate hands flying to her chest.
"But—But my father's forces are already preoccupied with defending against bandits!" Liliana stammered, her voice trembling. "If he were to send soldiers to the north, then… then his lands would be vulnerable!"
She turned to the Emperor with wide, teary eyes.
"My love, I— I am afraid…!"
The Emperor's gaze softened immediately.
"Liliana…"
He reached out, taking her hand in his, his voice gentle.
Diana watched the display with the same mild disinterest one might have when observing an amateur stage play.
Then, slowly, she leaned back in her chair and let out a quiet hum.
"I understand," she said, her tone carefully measured. "Of course, you must be worried about your father."
Liliana sniffled, nodding rapidly.
Diana tilted her head slightly.
"I, too, worry about my family," she said smoothly. "But as nobles of this empire, we must put the empire's needs first, mustn't we?"
The meaning behind her words was clear.
You're not the only one with family. But we serve the empire, not just our own interests.
The ministers stiffened.
Some nodded in agreement.
And then—
The neutral faction ministers, those whom Diana had been secretly paying with her personal funds to ensure loyalty, spoke up.
"Her Majesty is correct," one of them said firmly.
"The Marquis of Evermont is far better suited to handling the northern plains," another agreed.
"If we continue relying solely on the Hinsdale family, we risk imbalancing military power," added a third.
The pressure in the room shifted.
The Emperor's lips pressed into a thin line.
He looked between the ministers, between Liliana's trembling form and Diana's indifferent expression.
He was cornered.
And he knew it.
The decision had already been made.
Finally, after a long silence, the Emperor let out a slow breath.
"…Very well," he said, his tone laced with reluctance. "The Marquis of Evermont will oversee the northern defense."
Liliana's lips parted, her face turning pale.
Diana simply smiled, her expression polite but utterly detached.
And with that—
The court session moved on.
Diana returned to her book.
Liliana sat stiffly beside the Emperor, clearly shaken.
The ministers whispered among themselves. The meeting finally ended.
The ministers filed out of the grand hall one by one, murmuring among themselves about the decisions made. The heavy atmosphere that had settled during the discussion about the northern borders lingered even after most of the officials had left.
The Emperor remained seated at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.
Beside him, Queen Liliana dabbed at her eyes with a delicate handkerchief, her shoulders trembling as she sniffled softly.
"Your Majesty," she whispered, voice laced with fragile sorrow. "Did I… do something wrong? Did I upset the court?"
The Emperor's grey eyes softened as he turned to her, his golden cloak shifting slightly with his movement.
"Of course not, Liliana," he murmured, reaching out to take her hand. "You are simply too kind. The court does not understand your heart."
Liliana bit her lip, lowering her eyes. "I only wished to protect my family…"
Her soft, pitiful appearance made even the nearby servants sigh.
The perfect, gentle queen. The devoted wife.
Diana, who had been quietly organizing her notes, let out a small hum of amusement.
Liliana was good at playing the role of a delicate, helpless woman.
But Diana wasn't fooled.
She leaned back in her chair, her golden eyes cool and calculating as she observed the scene before her.
For a brief moment, Liliana's gaze flickered toward her, as if checking for a reaction.
Diana simply smiled.
A slow, mocking curve of her lips.
Liliana's fingers clenched around her handkerchief, but she quickly turned her eyes back to the Emperor.
"My love," she murmured, tightening her grip on his hand. "You must be exhausted. Shall we take a walk in the garden to clear your mind?"
Before the Emperor could respond, Diana stood.
"Liliana," she said smoothly.
Liliana flinched slightly, as if caught off guard.
Diana tilted her head. "The house you came from—your adoptive family—has already done well for themselves." Her voice was light, but the sharpness in her words was undeniable. "Just because you were once a commoner, does that mean you have no responsibility to this empire?"
Liliana's lips parted slightly in surprise.
Diana let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head.
"Don't be stupid."
The Emperor frowned. "Diana, that's enough."
Diana ignored him.
She had wasted enough time here.
Without another word, she turned on her heel and began walking toward the exit.
The Emperor sighed, rubbing his temple before standing as well.
"Diana," he called after her.
She paused but didn't turn around.
The Emperor hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Shall we go out together?" His tone was almost casual. "We haven't spent time together in a while."
Diana slowly turned her head, raising an eyebrow.
The Emperor met her gaze, his expression unreadable.
"A date?" Diana asked, amusement flickering in her eyes.
He nodded slightly. "If that's what you want to call it."
Diana let out a short laugh.
"I'd rather play with my son," she said without hesitation.
The Emperor's expression stiffened slightly.
She didn't even give him a second glance as she continued walking toward the door.
But as she reached it—
She noticed something.
A small figure peeking out from behind the doorway, his little hands gripping the edge of the frame.
Lucien.
Her son.
His grey eyes, identical to the Emperor's, were filled with hesitation, a hint of guilt lingering in their depths.
He had been listening.
Watching.
And he looked a little… afraid.
Of the Emperor.
Diana's expression softened.
Lucien was still so small, still so fragile.
His black hair, slightly tousled, framed his chubby cheeks—cheeks that were undoubtedly inherited from her.
He was, in many ways, a carbon copy of his father.
But when she looked at him, she didn't see the Emperor.
She saw her son.
Her precious child.
She stepped forward, crouching down slightly so that she was at his eye level.
"Lucien," she called softly.
The boy hesitated for a moment before stepping out from behind the door.
He didn't say anything.
Instead, he simply reached forward and hesitantly grabbed the sleeve of her uniform.
Diana smiled gently.
She reached out, brushing his hair back before resting a hand on his cheek.
"Did you wait for me?" she asked.
Lucien gave a small nod.
She let out a quiet chuckle before straightening up, lifting him into her arms with ease.
He stiffened slightly, still not used to the sudden displays of affection, but he didn't resist.
Behind them, the Emperor watched the scene unfold in silence.
For some reason, an uncomfortable feeling settled in his chest.
He had never seen Diana like this before.
Calm. Detached.
And yet… so effortlessly affectionate toward Lucien.
She didn't even spare him another glance as she carried their son away, her steps steady, unwavering.
The Emperor let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable.
Beside him, Liliana clung to his arm.
"My love," she murmured, her voice hesitant. "Are you alright?"
He didn't answer.
Because, for the first time in years, he wasn't sure what he was feeling.