I also knew well that things don’t always go how you want them to.

No, there’s no way I couldn’t know. In the first place, being reincarnated into this novel wasn’t even the slightest bit my intention.

But to think that,

“You may raise your head.”

It deviated to this extent.

The situation goes back just a few minutes.

“…Then I should start getting ready.”

“Where are you going?”

“Did you already forget?”

As I looked at Ashillya, who had stood up from her seat with that gaze, she smiled as if enjoying herself and stretched out her long, white fingers towards me, answering,

“Don’t you also need to prepare? The atmosphere is slowly ripening.”

“… Ah.”

I let out a distant exclamation at her words as I realized the time had come. Ashillya burst into laughter and moved her steps while waving her hand slightly.

She seemed to be going to change clothes for the dance time. After all, the clothes she wore now were beautiful but unsuitable for movement.

“See you in a bit.”

Watching Ashillya’s back as she left with those words, I turned my gaze back to the banquet hall and let out a long breath.

Dancing at a banquet in my fate, is that even a plausible story?

As I grabbed my head and reviewed the dances left in Felix’s memories in my mind, I soon raised my head at the presence I felt from behind.

“Are you Felix von Astria?”

“…Yes, I am, but.”

The man standing behind me appeared to be a knight wearing splendid golden armor who didn’t seem ordinary at first glance.

High-level.

His well-poised attitude and lofty air of never lowering himself informed his aura, which subtly flowed from his body, that he was considerably skilled.

As I calmly observed his appearance, I couldn’t help but slightly furrow my brows and bite my lower lip at the pattern engraved on the knight’s chest.

A golden lion inside a shield. And two swords crossing in an X behind that shield. It was because I instantly realized what that pattern signified.

“Someone is looking for you. Please make some time.”

He wasn’t asking.

He was commanding me to follow him.

It would be an attitude that any noble would find unpleasant. Still, as one, I could instantly tell which organization he belonged to.

“The Imperial Knights…”

The knights directly under the Imperial Family, or more precisely, the Emperor.

A member of that knight order was taking me away. At the same time, I could think of two possibilities.

The Second Prince or the Emperor.

No, there was only one possibility.

There was no way the Second Prince, who didn’t even attend the banquet, let alone ascend to the position of Crown Prince, could use the Imperial Knights as his subordinates.

In other words, the person using the Imperial Knights to search for me was clear.

When I reached that simple conclusion, my head started to feel dizzy.

It wasn’t the aftereffects of the wine coming up late, I was simply dizzy from the thought of meeting someone I never expected.

At the same time, I also realized that I couldn’t refuse it.

“…I will obey the order.”

Since I couldn’t keep the Imperial Knight waiting for long, I stood up and answered with proper etiquette.

“Follow me.”

The Imperial Knight nodded while looking at me and took the lead in moving his steps.

There were roughly thirty minutes left until Ashillya returned, so I might have to hurry.

He came to find me when Ashillya was going to change clothes, which meant he wanted to keep the meeting hidden from her.

Following behind the Imperial Knight, he guided me to a place about two floors higher than where Ashillya had been.

I, who had been praying that my conclusion was wrong, felt my expectations shatter and steeled my heart internally.

Why would the Emperor want to meet me?

The Emperor’s personality or description was not mentioned in the original novel, so I followed behind the knight with a slightly tense feeling.

Even if I tried to gauge his intentions, there was no basis for speculation, so it was frustrating.

In front of the room higher than Ashillya’s, two knights wearing the same armor as the Imperial Knight I had been following guarded the door.

The knight who guided me seemed to have a higher rank than them. He lightly greeted them and approached the door, carefully knocking on it.

Knock, knock.

“…Your Majesty, I have brought the person you mentioned.”

In front of the Emperor, no one could assert their own name. At the same time, it would be ridiculous for anyone to push their power.

“He says to enter.”

A low and quiet voice answered the knight’s words. That voice probably didn’t belong to the Emperor.

However, the Imperial Knight who brought me silently nodded his head and stepped aside from the front of the door. At the same time, the two Imperial Knights guarding the door quietly opened it in a secretive manner.

Surprisingly, the quite large door opened silently without a sound.

“Please enter.”

“…I understand.”

Answering the Imperial Knight’s words, I swallowed my dry saliva and quietly moved my steps.
In my mind, I searched through Felix’s memories, recalling the etiquette I should show to the Emperor.

Perhaps because the door opened too quietly, I could only move my steps quietly, feeling intimidated. As I entered the door, I felt like a transparent barrier was cast behind me.

Magic.

Instinctively realizing that magic blocked sound and appearance, I tried not to be conscious of it and moved further into the room.

Inside the room, I saw the back of a person sitting on a lavish chair overlooking the banquet hall and an elderly figure standing next to him, looking at me.

Sensing that the person sitting on the chair was the Emperor, I knelt on one knee a few steps away from him and bowed my head.

Absolutely, I must not be the first to speak.

That was the imperial law.

As I knelt and prostrated myself, the person next to the Emperor looked at me, then turned his gaze and spoke to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, Felix von Astria has arrived.”

“…I am aware of that.”

As the Emperor’s deep and heavy voice resounded in the room, I bowed my head even deeper and spoke.

“The supreme and solemn Sun of the Empire. The great one who has blessed the Empire’s brilliant and glorious future, it is my family’s honor to meet you. The second son of the von Astria Earl family, Felix, has come here upon Your Majesty’s order.”

A quiet silence flowed in the room after a long greeting per imperial etiquette.

I wondered if I had done something wrong. Still, according to my memory, this etiquette was correct, so I could only silently feel the cold sweat running down my back.

I heard the sound of something brushing. Belatedly realizing that it was the sound of the chair rotating, I bowed my head as if burying it in the ground, and the Emperor’s voice followed.

“You may raise your head.”

Even at the Emperor’s command, I didn’t raise my head.

“It is an immeasurable honor, Your Majesty.”

Because it was etiquette to refuse once.

I had a headache wondering what kind of etiquette was so complicated.

Still, my body was surprisingly familiar with it and displaying the etiquette.

Sighing inwardly with relief at that fact, the Emperor’s voice was heard again.

“I allow it. Raise your head.”

“Your grace is immeasurable.”

Expressing gratitude even at the simple command to raise my head, I raised my head and could meet the blue eyes looking at me.

Even though his hair had surely turned completely white from the ravages of time, it shone dazzlingly white like Ashillya’s, and his blue eyes still proclaimed his vigor.

Wrinkles gradually formed on his skin, but the beauty flowing from his face revealed where Ashillya’s looks came from.

A handsome middle-aged man who must have captivated the hearts of countless young ladies in his youth was looking down at me with a solemn posture.

“Greetings, Felix von Astria.”

“…”

I remain silent.

“Do you know why I have sought you out?”

“I apologize, but I have no idea.”

As if to show that he didn’t obtain the position of the Empire’s Emperor through a game of tag, I felt an unknown intangible aura from him with every word and action. I bowed my head and answered.

The Emperor nodded as if it were natural and continued his words.

“I do not like beating around the bush. So, I will ask bluntly.”

“…”

The Emperor of the Empire does not seek permission from anyone. Knowing that fact, I don’t answer the Emperor’s words and deeply bow my head as if to say I will heed his words.

“You, Felix von Astria,”

“…”

“What is your relationship with Princess Ashillya?”

“…”

I almost reflexively asked, “What?” Clenching my teeth to swallow the escaping reaction, I raised my head, and the unchangingly upright blue eyes stared down at me.

“No, to our Crown Princess Ashillya.”

“…”

“With what intention did you approach her?”

I couldn’t help but swallow my dry saliva when I heard those words.

If I answer wrong, I’m dead.