The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 17

From the moment they entered the audience chamber, Emperor Lydian kept speaking to them.

There weren’t many people around, yet the Emperor’s rapid and endless questions made it feel like multiple people were talking at once. Sasha was starting to panic, unsure how to answer them all.

“Please stop for a moment. If you keep overwhelming her with questions, it will become too much.”

Kyler gently guided her to sit beside him in a chair placed just below the platform where the throne stood. Looking at Lydian’s excited expression as he chatted away, Kyler let out a long sigh.

“It’s not like I’m asking for her opinion on global politics,” Lydian said with puffed cheeks, almost pouting at Kyler’s scolding. Watching that lighthearted scene helped Sasha relax a little. Still, she couldn’t shake the absurd thought that maybe he could suddenly snap and turn into some terrifying monster.

Lost in thoughts, Sasha quietly observed the room around her. The audience chamber was absolutely stunning. White and gold decorated the space in a refined and majestic way.

The murals painted with rich pigments were all incredibly beautiful, even to her untrained eye.

This grandeur was likely meant to showcase the power of the Derma Empire. The audience chamber was where both locals and foreign visitors first met the Emperor. It was the perfect place to make a strong impression and display the dignity of the empire.

“Even if you were standing beside a river, you wouldn’t hover over your child this much. Still, it’s clear you care deeply for your wife. It’s a lovely sight.”

Lydian turned his cheerful smile toward Sasha. But she was too distracted, lost in admiration of the chamber around her, barely registering his words.

The Emperor’s throne was raised slightly above the floor. Looking up at him from below, she thought that position suited him surprisingly well.

She kept trying to follow the conversation between Kyler and Lydian. From everything she heard, it was clear that the two men were very close.

Kyler was usually so cold and composed that he felt almost frozen, while the Emperor was full of smiles and nonstop chatter. The two of them didn’t seem like they would get along, yet it was obvious that Kyler had no interest in offending the Emperor.

As the tension in her shoulders began to ease, Sasha looked back and forth between the two men.

“I am Lydian, Emperor of the Derma Empire. It is a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Sasha of House Ignote.”

“I… It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Lydian. First, she had become a duchess the moment she arrived in this world. Now she was meeting the Emperor himself without any effort. At this point, it felt like she had somehow risen very far, very fast.

“Thank you for coming. What do you think of this place? I personally oversaw the creation of those murals.”

“Oh. Yes. It’s an incredibly grand and beautiful place.”

Sasha kept her responses simple. After all, she wasn’t the one with business at the palace today. She was simply accompanying Kyler.

Noticing her eyes lingering on the murals, Lydian seemed more interested in speaking to her than continuing his conversation with Kyler.

“That piece over there came from the Kingdom of Tan. If you like it, you may take it. Consider it a gift.”

“What? Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly accept. A gift like that is too much.”

If it had come from another kingdom, it had probably been sent as a diplomatic offering. She couldn’t just accept it casually. What if it sparked a political issue with the Kingdom of Tan? She quickly waved her hands in refusal.

Earlier, she had been nervous about nobles recognizing her. But right now, the Emperor himself was far more intimidating.

Perhaps the Empire often received luxurious items from other nations, and Lydian had grown tired of managing them all.

“That is a truly beautiful gem,” she said, trying to move on with a polite comment. She added a few admiring remarks to steer the conversation elsewhere, hoping he wasn’t seriously offering it to her.

“Your Majesty,” she said, summoning the courage to lift her head. She doubted that Kyler brought her to the palace just so the Emperor could chat with her idly.

“I came today because the Duke said he had business here. Was there something important you needed to discuss with him?”

She wondered if she was being too blunt. Perhaps she was being overly cautious. When she blinked and looked at him, Lydian smiled slyly.

“You seem like a clever young lady. I quite like that.”

The word “young lady” felt a little ambiguous, but Sasha only lowered her head slightly and replied modestly, “You are too kind, Your Majesty.”

“Now then, shall we get to the real discussion, Kyler?”

With a grin that hinted at mischief, Lydian signaled that it was time to get serious.

The more Sasha observed him, the more fascinating he seemed. He appeared cheerful on the surface, but his gaze was sharp. He looked like someone who would generously give away anything, yet the chamber was filled with small, carefully arranged items. These were probably diplomatic gifts that he had chosen to keep and organize himself.

And that sharp gaze was definitely aimed at her. From head to toe, his eyes scanned her carefully. When their eyes met, she felt an undeniable intensity.

It wasn’t just friendliness. There was something beneath that pleasant smile, something sharp and calculating. It felt like if even one thing went wrong, that edge would come out in full force.

“This time, I traveled to the southern region. It was originally scheduled to take a month, but I completed it in two weeks.”

“How were you able to finish it so quickly?”

When the Emperor asked that question, his tone was serious and professional. But even in that moment, Sasha had a strange feeling. As if what really mattered wasn’t the report itself, but how Kyler would present it in front of her.

“I suppose I asked something unnecessary. If I had such a beautiful wife waiting for me at home, I would want to finish my work quickly too. Don’t you think so?”

“Fortunately, that was not the reason. You can rest easy.”

Kyler answered calmly, without being shaken by the Emperor’s teasing. He already expected where this conversation was heading. Then he continued his report.

“They were a group made up of those who had fled from the west. They had already lost and had spent all their strength just escaping. At that point, time no longer had any meaning for them.”

As Kyler briefly explained the situation, the Emperor nodded from time to time. Whenever his eyes met Sasha’s, he gave her a small smile.

He was different from Kyler, but just as handsome. Sasha found herself slightly surprised. Are all nobles this beautiful and well-groomed? She shook off the thought and focused again on Kyler’s words.

“The western rebellion has now been fully suppressed. Even if they want to rise again, it will be impossible for a while.”

“Very good. What would we have done without you, Kyler? Just imagining it is dreadful.”

The Emperor spoke with a wide smile and a voice that sounded like he was performing on stage. For some reason, Sasha felt a chill run down her spine.

If Kyler was like a leading actor who moved confidently across the stage, then Lydian was like the director behind the scenes. Or perhaps more accurately, like a puppeteer, carefully pulling the strings of the people around him.

That smile just now made her feel it even more clearly.

Now she understood how a man like this could hold power even over someone like Kyler. A true ruler cannot be kind all the time. If they are too soft, their people will never follow the right path. Maybe this man was exactly what a ruler should be.

“You are especially dramatic today. Is it because Sasha is here?”

Kyler finally spoke up again, but the Emperor was already distracted by another thought.

“Sasha. You call her by name. That makes sense, of course. You are married. Still, I find it interesting. I always call the Empress by her title. I rarely use her name. It feels very affectionate.”

Every time Kyler said her name, Sasha felt a small tremble in her chest. His voice usually sounded cold and distant, but when he called her name, there was something gentle and warm in it. It made her feel like she might melt.

“Your Majesty.”

There it was again. That voice. So cold and sharp, it made her shiver. And yet, the Emperor showed no fear or hesitation at all. That only made him seem more powerful.

“The Duchess must be lucky. The most capable man in the empire is this devoted to her.”

“He is not the most capable man in the empire.”

The way Kyler clicked his tongue quietly was unexpected. He looked like someone who would always be loyal to the Emperor without question, but now he was speaking his thoughts clearly. He still followed proper manners, but it felt more like a friendship than a strict relationship between ruler and subject.

“I may not know every man in the empire, but I think he really is the best one.”

Sasha’s words made the Emperor’s eyes sparkle with interest.

“Exactly. His rank is high, his swordsmanship is unmatched, and he is not just strong. He is sharp and strategic, knows how to lead, and to top it off, he is incredibly handsome. He is the dream of every noble lady in the empire.”

The Emperor’s voice was full of playful praise. Then he leaned in slightly toward Sasha, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.

“Take what he says lightly. His Majesty just enjoys talking.”

The description was so accurate that Sasha let out a quiet laugh.

“Wow. And now you are showing affection right in front of the Emperor.”

“This is not affection.”

She answered too quickly and instantly regretted it when she saw the Emperor smiling again.

In front of him, trying to defend yourself seemed pointless. Only someone like Kyler could keep up and not get pulled into his pace.

“So far, there have been no more disturbances. I believe the remaining rebels have been dealt with properly.”

Even in the middle of playful talk, Kyler kept his focus. He waited for the right moment and brought up the important matter calmly. That seemed to be the most effective way to speak with the Emperor.

“That is exactly the kind of answer I wanted. Well done, Kyler. I will prepare a reward. Make sure your knights are also properly compensated. That way, when the next problem arises, they will fight even harder.”

“They will be pleased to hear that.”

Sasha found herself growing more curious about this strange and fascinating relationship between the two men.

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