Chapter 12

Rathil laughed coldly, glared at the air, then shook his head and straightened his back. This isn't the time. Anger can wait. First, let's finish the work. However, as he picked up another document he had pushed aside, a secretary cautiously opened the door and came in. Rathil raised his head and looked at the approaching secretary. The Emperor has two offices: the official public office and the private office. The place where Rathil was now was the public office. In the public office, the Emperor's secretaries and attendants could freely come and go for matters related to work. Of course, even if they were 'free' to do so, everyone felt burdened, so they wouldn't come in unless it was necessary.

"What is it?"

In response to Rathil's question, the secretary quickly approached and reported.

"The envoy to Carisen has arrived. Duke Breta is waiting in the waiting room. Should I let him in?"

'Finally!'

"Let him in."

Rathil suppressed his excitement and pretended to be calm, leaning back in his chair. A mix of satisfaction and strange tension rose within him. However, what Duke Breta brought was not Hyacinth's angry approval but a firm rejection.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor of Carisen refused to send a concubine and sent the envoy back without letting them stay even a day."

With a report full of tattling, Rathil raised one eyebrow.

"What?"

Not sending a concubine? Moreover, sending the envoy back without letting them stay even a day? As Rathil's expression darkened, Duke Breta quickly took out the reply letter written by Emperor Hyacinth on the spot and presented it. Rathil, with a stern face, roughly tore the seal and took out the paper. - How can you make such a demand, Rathil? The letter did not contain as much malice as Rathil had sent, but it was filled with a sense of injustice. Rathil laughed bitterly. What the hell is this guy saying? It's true that he demanded a concubine out of a desire for revenge, but it was not an unreasonable demand. In fact, even if Rathil and Hyacinth had not been past lovers, considering various circumstances, it was highly likely that he would have made the same demand to Carisen. If Lea, the Crown Prince, or Tla, the Prince, had ascended the throne, it was highly likely that they would have welcomed a concubine from Carisen for the sake of the country. So, what kind of difficult demand did he make to reject this? Especially since he himself had received a concubine from the Tarium Empire two years ago?

"Damn brat."

This is clearly an act of ignoring and deceiving Tarium.

"Marquis Sablé!"

As Rathil gritted his teeth, Marquis Sablé quickly brought a clean sheet of paper. Rathil pulled out a pen like a sword and gripped it. * * *

[If you reject the envoy I send again, I will consider it as ignoring the Tarium Empire and respond with an 'average' response. Don't act as if there's still something left between us after not sending a single letter for three years.]

"……"

Hyacinth looked down at the letter sent by Rathil and sighed, then looked to the side. On the table was the reply he had written to Rathil. [I wrote letters and sent gifts every week, so what are you talking about?] He put down the pen and leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck and closing his eyes. A faint image of Rathil smiling appeared. Not a mocking smile, but a genuine smile of joy. A person who shone even among wildflowers. A person as fresh as sunlight settling on wildflowers. It was hard to believe that such a clear person would send such a mocking letter. Hyacinth shook his head. The past is being overly romanticized. Rathil was a rough type even in the past. The sunlight was intense. It was cute that he struggled to hide his rough nature from me. Hyacinth pressed his temples and frowned. The fact that he consistently sent letters and gifts is not an excuse but the truth. However, even if Rathil was angry, he was not the type to lie about such a matter.

'But why are you complaining about not receiving a single letter? Did someone intercept my letters and gifts?'

Hyacinth frowned. There was no guarantee that Rathil's mood would improve even if he received the letters and gifts, given his heartbreak over Hyacinth's marriage. In fact, it was highly likely that his apologies would have been a hollow echo for years. It wouldn't be strange if he had thrown the letters and gifts into the trash without even opening them. However, the fact that someone had tampered with the items sent to the Crown Princess by the Emperor was a serious matter, whether it happened in the Tarium Empire or in Carisen. Hyacinth looked down at the letter, put it in the envelope, and sealed it with a red stamp. Without going into details, this should be enough for Rathil to realize the problem. Hyacinth fiddled with the envelope and put it down.

'This issue needs to be investigated by both sides. As for the concubine issue... what to do now.'

Rathil's 'average response' meant severing diplomatic relations. Personally, it would be absurd to talk about severing relations over just one concubine, but in terms of the country, the Emperor's demand had been ignored. Wars often start from small sparks between countries, and there are many historical examples of such wars. Given this situation, it was difficult for Hyacinth to reject Tarium's demand in a country-to-country matter. Difficult, but...

Hyacinth covered his head with both hands. Rathil left without accepting the five-year promise but had always tried to keep it alone. He wanted to quickly resolve the situation and ask Rathil for another chance. But how? How could he send another man as a concubine to the woman he loved? And it was his own brother? * * *

"Klein. I will send you, but remember, this is only temporary."

In the end, after several days of discussion with the prime minister, Hyacinth decided to send Klein first. Instead of a formal concubine, he would go as a temporary concubine, and a formal document was included to make this point clear. A temporary concubine, unlike a formal one, could not have a child recognized as royal, and the person was treated as a quasi-royal, but they could request a divorce at any time. Originally, this system was introduced from Huayue, where concubines had different ranks, but it had now become a system often used by foreign royal concubines. It was especially used when a concubine had to go to an enemy country out of necessity.

"I know, right? How many times do you have to repeat the same thing?"

"I'll ask for you to be sent back at an appropriate time..."

"Ah, I know, brother."

Hyacinth sighed, looking at Klein, who was calm and composed, not knowing the gravity of the situation.

"Try to control your temper while you're there."

"Why are you worried about me?"

"......Don't get angry even if Emperor Latrasil says anything."

"Are you really worried about me?"

"Complex."

"You do worry about me, then. Who else are you worried about?"

"Not in the sense of being complex, but half worried and half not worried."

Klein frowned and looked at him, but Hyacinth did not explain further. No matter what, he couldn't honestly tell his brother, 'I'm jealous of you,' in this situation.

"Klein. Just in case."

But looking at Klein, who was glancing at him, Hyacinth couldn't help but whisper in his ear.

"You're going temporarily, so don't touch Emperor Latrasil."

Klein's lips curled up. What the hell, this Emperor brother?

"What if Emperor Latrasil comes to me?"

"That won't happen."

"Who knows."

Klein laughed confidently. Emperor Latrasil will probably try to kiss me as soon as I arrive, right? But he didn't share this confident thought with his brother. After all, his brother didn't seem to like sending his brother as a concubine to a foreign emperor.

"I'll go."

Klein, laughing lightly, climbed onto the elaborately decorated carriage. Normally, the envoy would leave a week to ten days after the concubine envoy, but Klein found it troublesome, so he decided to go with the envoy. More accurately, he was anxious after hearing from Duke Breta, the envoy leader, that 'there are a bunch of men who want to enter the Emperor's harem.' Of course, Emperor Latrasil already loved him, but what if some fox-like guys tried to seduce him in the meantime? He needed to quickly get to Emperor Latrasil's side and firmly establish a boundary to keep the others away. After a brief farewell, Klein sat in the carriage, feeling restless. But he opened the window and stuck his head out again.

"Ah, by the way, brother."

Hyacinth, standing with his arms crossed and a complicated expression, turned his head.

"Why?"

Klein looked around and leaned closer, whispering in Hyacinth's ear.

"Are you really going to divorce your wife?"

Hyacinth's expression hardened. Klein awkwardly scratched his forehead.

"You and your wife... aren't getting along, but she doesn't seem strange. Why not just live together?"

Hyacinth had been gradually preparing for a divorce for nearly a year since the royal power stabilized. Klein was asking about this. Why did he have to prepare so much for a divorce when his wife hadn't done anything wrong? Even though Hyacinth had now solidified his power enough not to be swayed by the Duke of Daga, it was still better to have the Duke of Daga on his side, as Klein saw it. However, Hyacinth firmly dismissed Klein's concern.

"You know we married for this purpose from the beginning, right?"

"That's true, but..."

"Aine was originally Haeum's fiancée, and they got along well. We married out of mutual need. She loves Haeum, and I killed Haeum. I don't want to keep someone who might stab me in the back. We don't show our backs to each other even now."

"If you divorce your wife. What next? Do you have another woman in mind?"

Hyacinth looked at Klein with a troubled gaze. Despite his foul temper and frequent trouble, Klein was the only brother who seemed somewhat like a brother. This made him even more conflicted. Concern and jealousy were equally tormenting him.

"Brother?"

"Klein. I'll say it again..."

"?"

"Remember, this is only temporary. After six months, I'll find an excuse to send you back immediately."

"I'll memorize it from hearing it so many times."

"Remember. Absolutely don't get attached to her, and don't try to establish yourself there. Got it? You're not going as her man. You're going temporarily for a state transaction."

* * *

"You seem nervous."

Rathil, standing by the castle's railing, anxiously looked down and then turned his head. A few knights were looking at him.

"A bit."

Rathil answered honestly.

"Yeah, I guess."

Hyacinth ultimately decided to send a concubine. Not only that, but the concubine Hyacinth sent would join the envoy and come directly to Tarium. The news of this was delivered just yesterday, leaving no time to prepare. The news was relayed by one of the envoy members who had left the procession to inform Rathil, fearing he might be surprised. The envoy was expected to arrive within an hour.

"Hmm."

Rathil repeatedly clasped and unclasped his hands.

"It's nothing. I just feel a bit uneasy."

"She's just one of the concubines. Try to relax."

"That's true, but... since she's coming from Carisen."

Rathil looked around and added quietly, so only the few knights could hear.

"You know, the relationship between me and that person."

Of course, the concubine coming this time would not be Hyacinth, and they would likely have no connection. Perhaps, in the future, she would become one of many concubines and not even be noticed. But not right now. She would be Rathil's 'first' concubine, a product of Hyacinth's pride, and a symbol of revenge for Rathil. He couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Oh. There."

"They're here."

Finally, the procession with the envoy's flag approached the castle walls. Rathil took a deep breath and went down from the railing. He quickly descended the spiral staircase to the large facade in the center of the castle, tidied his clothes, and put on a dignified expression.

"If you keep that expression, it will be hard to maintain it later."

The few knights teased him, but he had no time to banter. He didn't even notice that the few knights' expressions were worse than usual