HTRE 07

Chapter 07

“Please come outside. It’s about to begin.”

It was, as expected, the fireworks that dispersed the crowd that had gathered around them.

The attention focused on the prince and Eroica temporarily faded, and everyone headed toward the balcony to watch the fireworks.

Amid the commotion, Ethan led Eroica to a secluded corner.

“Eroica, are you all right? It looked like you two were talking about something.”

Only after leaning lightly against the wall did Eroica finally relax.

“I think I need to make my move first. Before the prince realizes anything.”

Ethan took off his outer coat and draped it over Eroica’s shoulders.

He told himself that the slight trembling of her delicate shoulders was merely his imagination.

“Don’t be too hasty. There has to be a way somehow.”

Boom!

The moment he finished speaking, a tremendous sound rang out.

It was the signal announcing the beginning of the fireworks.

As Eroica nodded, fireworks were reflected in her eyes.

Ethan turned his head and looked up at the sky.

“They said Franz’s fireworks were on a scale beyond imagination. I guess they weren’t exaggerating.”

Brilliantly colored sparks blossomed and faded repeatedly across the sky.

The fireworks exploded with refreshing, thunderous booms, and Eroica’s face was brightly illuminated by the shimmering lights.

So this must be what the fireworks I watched from beyond the estate as a child looked like.

She could not tear her eyes away from the dazzling spectacle.

Large, magnificent bursts of light flickered before her eyes.

“Eroica, make a wish.”

“What?”

Eroica, who had been staring blankly at the fireworks, lifted her head at Ethan’s words.

“They say that if you make a wish on the seventh firework, it will come true.”

It was when the fifth firework exploded.

Eroica casually turned her head, only to meet Kyleve’s gaze from afar.

Ever since they had stepped onto the balcony, his eyes had remained fixed on her.

Eroica covered her eyes with Ethan’s collar.

Only after Kyleve disappeared from her field of vision did she finally close her eyes.

And then she began to make a wish.

Not to the white light that had granted her first wish, but to someone else.

No one would ever know what she had wished for.

When morning came, the impatient Bosarva invited Eroica to lunch.

Eroica attended the Emperor’s luncheon together with Ethan.

While the royal families of various nations were staying in Franz, Eroica was the first guest to be invited.

It was also a sign of just how much she had piqued Bosarva’s curiosity.

And that curiosity was entirely because of her beautiful appearance.

“I wonder if you remember the food in Franz. Eroica, I heard you left the Empire when you were very young.”

As light conversation continued, Bosarva began asking more direct questions about Eroica.

Kyleve happened to be present as well, so the Emperor’s questions were perfectly timed.

Eroica had to deceive Kyleve, who knew the truth about everything.

Before he approached her first, just as he had the night before.

“Actually, I don’t remember anything. There was a small accident in Palestian. I have absolutely no memories from my childhood, Your Majesty. My memories begin in Palestian.”

Kyleve stopped the knife he had been using to cut his meat.

There was no way for him to know whether those words were a lie or not.

But only now did he finally understand her behavior from the previous night.

Why she had treated him as though she had never met him before.

“Oh dear. Then you must have lost all your memories of your father as well. So what made you decide to return to Franz?”

“Although I was curious because this is the land of my homeland, more than anything, I wanted to restore my family.”

Eroica continued with the story she had prepared without the slightest hesitation.

“I learned about my late father when I was older. I was told that our family disappeared because of his mistakes. I want to correct my father’s mistakes. Your Majesty, I would like to ask you to grant me the Duchy of Claudis.”

Eroica’s first goal was to reclaim the name of her lost family.

Bosarva fell into deep thought.

When Eroica had first appeared before him, she had presented the Black Ivory Moon right before his eyes to prove her identity.

However, he could not simply hand over a duchy based on her identity alone.

“Hmm… But Claudis originally meant those who protect the Empire. Looking at you, it seems you would have difficulty protecting even yourself, let alone the Empire…”

Bosarva leered at her as his eyes traveled over her body.

It was true that her excessive beauty was somewhat irritating to him.

Why is it that every beautiful creature shines on its own without putting in any effort?

“If you prove yourself somehow, I might consider it…”

Although he was clearly looking down on Eroica because she was a woman, there was some justification behind his words.

The head of the Claudis family had traditionally been someone who possessed a special power or exceptional swordsmanship.

They could not simply appoint Eroica, who had yet to prove herself in any way, as the head of the family.

The name Claudis was not something that could be obtained so easily.

“If you are curious about my abilities, then ask me to do anything you wish. If necessary, I will prove myself.”

Eroica did not retreat in the slightest despite the Emperor’s obvious provocation.

Whatever it was, she was prepared to demonstrate what she could do.

“What can you do? Cook? Or perhaps you would like to show us your embroidery?”

Bosarva’s rude laughter knew no bounds.

But it was not enough to disturb Eroica’s composure.

“Would swordsmanship suffice?”

Nothing had been revealed about her special power, but when it came to swordsmanship, she was confident.

At Eroica’s bold voice, completely free of hesitation, Kyleve wondered if he had heard correctly.

She was talking about swordsmanship with such a delicate body that looked as though the largest blade she had ever held was a kitchen knife.

It sounded absurd.

Yet it piqued Bosarva’s interest.

The absence of Claudis, who had once protected the Empire, had certainly threatened the Empire.

But in another sense, it had also strengthened the authority of the Emperor.

Halshthar had been able to monopolize the power that had once been shared with Claudis.

Bosarva’s special power was formidable, but it was not enough to protect the Empire.

As a result, factions questioning his qualifications as Emperor continued to grow.

For someone like Bosarva, the emergence of a new Claudis was hardly pleasant.

Still, even if Eroica’s words were nothing more than empty boasting, it seemed wise to verify them.

To determine whether she could be kept at his side.

If her existence seemed likely to threaten his position, he would have to take action quickly.

At the same time, he was annoyed by the audacity of a woman who had suddenly appeared and demanded a duchy.

“Swordsmanship, you say…”

Bosarva smiled.

“Yes. That should do. If you cross swords with one of Franz’s knights and defeat him, I will acknowledge your qualifications.”

The Emperor’s proposal was rather extraordinary.

For Eroica, however, it was an opportunity she could not have welcomed more.

As Ethan’s knight, Eroica was accustomed to crossing swords with grown men on a daily basis.

She was confident that she could easily defeat most knights.

But the Emperor was not about to make things easy for her.

“Franz’s greatest swordsman, Kyleve, would make a suitable opponent.”

The person Bosarva pointed toward was none other than his own younger brother, Kyleve.

Kyleve, who had been listening quietly, frowned.

He had given up on his meal long ago, but he had continued listening because he wanted to know what they were discussing.

That woman who claimed to have lost her memories was making an absurd gamble over the title of Duke.

Could she really have lost all her memories? Has it driven her insane?

“Kyleve, what do you think?”

“Declined.”

The moment Bosarva asked the question, Kyleve firmly refused.

“It would be a disgrace to the Imperial Family.”

He said it bluntly.

Kyleve was a genius swordsman.

It was said that once someone stood before him, he could read every possible sword path, making everyone reluctant to cross blades with him.

On top of that, his overwhelming strength was one of Kyleve’s greatest weapons.

Even Franz’s elite knights avoided fighting him.

For someone like that to wield a sword against a woman was, in his eyes, humiliating.

“Your Highness, do you consider it a disgrace to cross swords with a descendant of Claudis, the family entrusted with protecting the Empire?”

Eroica’s brazen provocation, despite knowing this fact perfectly well, was directed straight at Kyleve.

“Everyone here will undoubtedly judge me as nothing more than a woman. But I intend to accept His Majesty’s proposal in the name of Claudis. Please do not put your personal feelings first. Think of the honor of the Empire and its subjects.”

Whether her words moved Kyleve’s heart or not, they certainly strengthened Bosarva’s resolve.

Her unwavering eyes pierced straight through Kyleve.

“Yes. She is right.”

Bosarva continued.

“To ignore the sword of someone who wishes to prove themselves—isn’t that irresponsible for a knight? Accept her challenge, little brother.”

Bosarva’s mocking sneer seemed almost palpable.

He appeared more pleased than ever to have the opportunity to ridicule his younger brother after such a long time.

However, refusing any further would mean, just as she had said, sacrificing his honor.

He had no grounds to argue against her.

Therefore, he had no choice but to accept.

When Eroica saw Kyleve reluctantly nod his head, her heart began to pound.