Translator: Kimmy

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Eva had seen something similar to that before actually.

Beasts trained in circuses were like that.

Back when she took any job available, she once worked as a circus staff who was in charge of feeding an old tiger.

It was raised in captivity so it didn’t even think of escaping when it got older even when it wasn’t in a leash or chains. She was terribly afraid of the tiger but she always felt sorry for it.

She was fired in just a few days so she didn’t know what happened to the tiger from then.

“I’m glad it was released. It must have not even thought about leaving the place. The outside world is beautiful, you see. I hope it’s doing well.”

Karlos stood still.

Eva and Diego noticed he was no longer beside them and turned back.

The big knight was looking at Eva emotionlessly.

Eh, is this dangerous?

When Diego reached for the paper-knife on his back pocket, Karlos’s face changed subtly.

“Woa.”

Eva gasped softly.

Karlos was incredibly handsome with his eyes slightly folded and his lips making a smooth curve.

What a blessing to my eyes!

The tall knight’s cold, stiff face was softened into a soft smile.

Eva thought to herself that he may be the most handsome knight she’d ever seen.

“I never thought of it that way.”

His low voice flowed to her along with the breeze.

Eva’s ear started itching so she rubbed her ears.

Am I blushing right now?

This is why handsome men were bad for the heart.

Just when she thought she was used to handsome people thanks to Brigitta, Karlos’s rare soft smile destroyed all the resistance she built.

“I guess you could be right.”

Karlos spoke and started walking ahead of them again.

His mood looked a little lighter than before.

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

“You just have to head straight from here, Eva. It should be their training time right now.”

“Woa, thank you so much Karl! I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t meet you.”

Eva smiled brightly and thanked him then her eyes lit up and spoke.

“Oh right, Karl, are you busy the day after the Harvest Festival?”

“Whaaaat…?”

Karlos was keeping a close eye on Diego to keep him from running away again so when he heard Eva’s question, he was unguarded.

The day after the Harvest Festival?

He was busy. Actually, he was always busy.

“Brigitta and I are going to the night market that day, so I wondered if you would like to come with us… It’s alright if you are busy! Also, I would be done with the manuscript for the next chapter so I want you to read it–”

“Of course. I’m not busy. Thank you for inviting me.”

His words came out before it was processed.

If the Chancellor heard this, he would scold him for ditching work on one of the busiest days but Karlos decided to deal with him later and sparkled his eyes.

Oh yes, I get to read the next chapter before anyone else! Ah, should I bring one of her novels for her signature?”

The Emperor went through the lists of her works preciously stored in his private library.

“Yay! I’ll see you then. I’ll tell you the time and place through Brigitta.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

“Ah, and uhh, D, Didieyr, uh… goodbye.”

“Goodbye, my angel! I’ll wait for the next time I’ll get to see you.”

Diego placed one hand on his chest and greeted her with the most perfect manners.

Eva avoided Diego’s eyes and looked over to Karlos and bowed and walked towards the Training Courts.

Whew, finally.

Diego got ready to run immediately.

“Didieyr. The monster I just told you about.”

Just as he was stretching his ankles, the knight named Karl called him.

Diego flinched.

His voice changed from when he was talking to the angel.

Oh no, it wasn’t a mistake. The intimidating aura was getting thicker and thicker.

He was being coy to the angel! This beast was being coy!

Diego stepped away.

“It is 192 centimeters tall, has black hair, and has purple eyes. And it’s currently the Emperor.”

Diego didn’t understand what he meant for a second then his mouth started dropping.

A scream was about to escape from him but Karlos quickly covered his mouth.

Karlos smirked, looking at Diego’s trembling eyes.

“You and I need to talk.”

Diego then screamed through Karlos’s hands.

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

Eva saw Brigitta training in the 2nd Training Courts and waved her hands.

Brigitta found her too and smiled radiantly.

The young ladies watching from the Rose Garden swooned over her smile.

There were almost too many tables and chairs around the courts to the point it was odd.

Some even had luxurious awnings, like it was announcing ‘this is the place to watch the knights train!’ so Eva was a little shocked.

She sat on the furthest table and brought out her pen and notebook.

She was planning to organize the plot line until Brigitta was done with work.

But,

“Sandwiches! Cucumber Sandwiches!”

“Cold coffee here!”

“Only 2 coppers for today’s newspaper!”

The booming of the area and the market-like resemblance kept distracting her.

The real palace was so different from the palace she imagined in her novels.

She thought the nobles would be roaming graciously and that people would be using elegant language here!

“You prick, what do you want from me again, huh!”

“What did you say, you old muscleman! You wanna go for it?! You wanna?”

Fight! Fight!

“I bet 20 silvers on the Public Order Minister!”

“Then I bet 30 silvers on the Finance Minister!”

“Thank you for the bets, today’s betting money will be this!”

Elegant, my dreams. It was chaotic.

The two elderly noblemen over there seemed to quarrel a lot, as the betting money was quite high.

But no one is stopping them! My gosh!

Eva fixed her glasses.

“isn’t that illegal gambling…?”

“I, it’s not. The money is used as a donation for the place with a lot of kids.”

“Oh, Bri!”

Brigitta placed two cups of coffee on the table.

She pulled a chair and sat beside Eva. Her crossed muscular legs were as handsome as a painting.

Eva was marveled.

How is her movement always so handsome?

“Uh, what was it, the place with only children. Not the church but the other place. Anyway if one of them wins the money will be donated in the winner’s name.”

“Oh, you mean an orphanage?”

“Ah, yes right. The orphanage.”

Brigitta sipped the coffee.

Ha, refreshing.

It really was a palace afterall, selling coffee with ice.

TL/N: Iced beverages were a rare luxury in the time setting of this novel.

She pushed the other coffee to Eva and tilted her head.

Oh myyyy.

The ladies in the Rose Garden were fanning themselves and sighing at Brigitta’s every move.

Brigitta smiled at them–one of the ladies placed her hand on her forehead and collapsed–and turned to ask Eva.

She wasn’t the type of person to voluntarily come to a crowded place.

“Anything wrong, Eva?”

“Hmm, well.”

Eva pulled out a rumpled newspaper from her bag.

The first page carried the article about murderer TT.

Serial Murderer TT: New evidence shows that TT murders with hostile motive.

It even had the portraits of the people living next door.

Eva looked at Brigitta with concern and sighed.

“Things are going to get a little tiring.”

*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*

Even though Diego was incredibly rude, Karlos did not want to tussle with a young man 10 years younger than him.

The Emperor did not agree with the Chancellor’s violent view of teaching a lesson.

He believed patience and love was more effective.

The Emperor studied Diego who kept looking away.

“I understood your story very well.”

Karlos found out that a healthy tanned skin could also go pale.

He felt a little pitiful knowing it was because of him but Karlos was an Emperor whether he liked it or not, he had the responsibility to punish whoever messes up with Lesa.

Karlos spoke in a heavy voice on purpose.

“Yes, I understood it ve–ry well. I understand why you decided to send that letter unofficially. You were probably worried it wouldn’t even get passed through the gate. Did Cartul only have one swordmaster? Yes, I understand that his importance to Cartul is immeasurable but why are you, not Queen Sabina herself, filing a complaint? If it was this serious, you should have told your superior about it.”

Karlos was wearing comfortable clothes but even in his simple attire, he had the majesticness of an Emperor.

The Emperor had something different from a nobles’ elegance.

Diego was already aware of this.

His mother, Lioness Queen Sabina, also had something similar to that.

It was the aura of a ruler that surrounded the Emperor.

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