Emperor Sovieshu, Marquis Karl, and Viscountess Verdi returned to the imperial palace first. Everyone who saw their faces knew the answer before the test result became known.
People gathered in groups to try to guess what was to come.
"Will Empress Rashta be deposed?"
"It's fine if she is deposed. She should also be severely punished."
"I am more interested in what His Majesty will do with the Princess."
"Yes. His Majesty loved the princess so much that he always had her by his side."
"What princess? She's a bastard."
As people gossiped, Sovieshu headed for his room, but on the way there he changed his mind and went to his office. Then, he frantically set to work.
Sovieshu read, approved, corrected, wrote and chose which reports to return without even changing his posture. It could be expected, but in this situation it was clearly not normal.
Marquis Karl worried about the future as he watched Sovieshu.
Sovieshu had left Empress Navier, who had been by his side since childhood, for this daughter, who turned out not to be his. At this moment, he must be speechless.
Sovieshu didn't want to throw out the baby he loved so much in an instant, so he was in a difficult position.
People would think Sovieshu was a fool if he kept another man's daughter, but if he threw out the fake princess, he would be considered cruel and heartless.
It was ironic. There was a time when Navier thought that if she exerted her power on Rashta, she would be considered a villain, but if she stood idly by she would be treated like a fool.
The difference was that Rashta would soon be deposed. Her daughter with another man, conceived in her days as a concubine, would no longer be treated as a princess. Even if Sovieshu wanted Glorym to live as a princess, she could not stay in the imperial palace.
However, Sovieshu did not say a word about what he would do with the princess.
Two hours later, when Baron Lant came to report that Ahn was also the child of Rashta and Alan, Sovieshu finally put down his pen and closed his eyes.
A heavy tension invaded the office.
After a while, Sovieshu opened his mouth with a gloomy expression.
***
News from the Eastern Empire had not yet reached the Western Empire.
Heinley repeatedly knocked over the ink bottle with his elbow or the back of his hand. He seemed to be in a daze due to Navier's confession. Her confession was brief, but it was enough to make his heart race.
Navier's 'I love you' still tickled his ear.
But McKenna was not amused by Heinley's clumsy behavior. He eventually lost patience.
"Your Majesty. Unless you are doing this on purpose to annoy me, please pay attention to your surroundings."
"I'm a loved man, McKenna."
"What?"
"I'm loved."
"What are you talking about?"
Heinley smiled proudly as he stretched his shoulders.
McKenna frowned because he didn't know what happened to Heinley to make him behave like that. He couldn't even guess, so he was uncomfortable that Heinley was so happy.
