To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 66

“If it’s hard for you to tell Count Parden, I’ll speak to him myself. Of course, I’ll also find a good marriage match for his daughter. No need to look far. I heard Jared is interested in that young lady”

Ian, who had been frozen stiff, finally came to his senses when the Emperor mentioned both Aisha and Jared. Aisha with Prince Jared? Ian almost ground his teeth, forgetting he was in front of the Emperor.

‘There’s no way he’d suddenly ask me to take care of a bastard child for no reason.’

But his rising anger unexpectedly brought him clarity. Ian realized from the Emperor’s words mentioning Aisha’s marriage and Prince Jared together that the Emperor wasn’t acting out of pure goodwill.

‘With the old noble faction gaining strength little by little…’

Ever since Ian, head of the Marquis Lloyd family, firmly joined the old noble faction, several major noble families had abandoned neutrality and sided with them. As a result, it appeared the old noble faction was gradually gaining the upper hand in the Empire’s aristocratic society.

While things were still somewhat balanced, the old noble faction had deeper roots compared to the new nobles, making it likely they would prevail. But that wasn’t the outcome the Emperor wanted. He hoped for both factions to remain equally strong under the Imperial House.

‘A union between the daughter of the new nobles and a prince. Not a bad strategy for the royal family.’

This had happened before marrying a royal, other than the heir, into a weaker faction to strengthen it.

Even though Helen was an illegitimate child, if she married Ian, a leading figure in the old noble faction, the Emperor could influence that faction through her. He would be satisfying a shallow sense of sympathy for a bastard while using her politically. In that moment, the Emperor’s red hair seemed even more vivid.

“I think I’ve made my intentions clear. What do you say, Marquis? Do you need time to think?”

When Ian didn’t answer, the Emperor kindly offered him time. Ian nodded, pretending to agree and thinking he should leave to find a solution but he bit the inside of his cheek.

‘There’s no way I’ll break off my engagement with Aisha. In that case’

Despite having vowed to leave her once his revenge was complete, the idea of ending things with Aisha wasn’t even an option in Ian’s mind. He bowed his head, then stood and kneeled with one knee on the ground.

“Your Majesty, I will not break off my engagement with Aisha Parden. Therefore, I cannot marry Lady Helen.”

“Marquis.”

“Forgive my cowardice. As Your Majesty said, I fear the Empress and the Crown Prince’s resentment.”

When Ian mentioned the Empress and Crown Prince as part of his refusal, the Emperor’s smile vanished. He slid his chair back and leaned to the side.

“You fear the Empress and Crown Prince Then are you not afraid of my anger?”

“You must not be, if you speak like this! How dare you say such things before the Emperor? Not only do you reject my wish, you lie? Do you wish to lose your head right now, Marquis?!”

The Emperor yelled, not too loudly, but his authority made it crushing. Ian, overwhelmed by the Emperor’s fury, didn’t hesitate to bow deeply, abandoning his usual arrogance.

Staring at him with displeasure, the Emperor continued.

“Stop making excuses. Give me a real reason. Even if she’s a bastard, how dare you reject my daughter to my face?”

“Your Majesty, please forgive my petty lie.”

Realizing that mentioning the Empress and Crown Prince had only angered the Emperor more, Ian tried to apologize and give a proper answer but he had none. His engagement to Aisha was tangled in many things, from Sophia’s accident to his revenge.

Even Ian himself didn’t understand why he couldn’t let go of Aisha. That buried question, long ignored, suddenly rose up, and his eyes trembled.

‘Because I have to get my revenge completely. That must be why.’

Trying to calm his inner turmoil, Ian bit his lip and reminded himself where he was. After hesitating, he finally gave a weak excuse.

“I’ve known Aisha Parden for a long time. I can’t betray the trust between us.”

“That’s it?”

The Emperor, who had waited patiently for Ian’s answer, now looked dumbfounded. He gave a dry laugh and muttered loudly enough to be heard.

“I thought you might be in love, the way you boldly refused in front of me Tsk. How boring.”

“If it’s not love, then just follow my will.”

The Emperor, still unhappy with Ian’s resistance, tried one more time to push his intention.

‘I heard Helen is also interested in the Marquis If she marries a fine man like him, maybe I’ll feel less guilty.’

In truth, ever since Helen arrived in the Empire, the Emperor had felt a dull sense of guilt he had long buried. Though it only gave him a slight headache once or twice a week, it still bothered him.

So he had hoped to free himself by arranging a good marriage for his illegitimate daughter. But Ian, who was expected to follow orders, was now resisting. The thought that his headaches might continue annoyed the Emperor even more.

“You don’t love her, and the Pardens aren’t politically aligned with you. Any loyalty to her can be repaid in other ways.”

The Emperor spoke curtly, but Ian still didn’t bend.

“I cannot break the trust I’ve built. No matter the political situation or my own feelings, no matter how things change in the future, I will not break off the engagement.”

Seeing Ian firmly refuse to break the engagement, the Emperor went silent for a moment. Ian stood quietly beneath him, holding his breath.

“No matter how you feel, huh That’s a meaningful and rather pathetic excuse.”

With a long sigh, the Emperor finally spoke, as if something had clicked in his mind. He looked down at Ian with a disappointed expression.

“Raise your head.”

Ian lifted his head. What he met were the Emperor’s eyes staring at him as if he were the most foolish man alive.

“Marquis, do you even understand your own feelings?”

Ian didn’t quite grasp what the Emperor meant, but the words hit him like a slap to the back of the head. His eyes widened in shock, unable to respond.

The Emperor, seeing Ian stunned into silence, waved his hand dismissively and gestured for him to sit. Ian, still dazed, obeyed.

“Well fine. If you’re going to act like this in front of me, it means you won’t change your mind unless your head’s on the line. Your father was the same. So stubborn. I remember when he insisted on marrying your mother, even though everyone advised against it. She had no title, no inheritance, just an orphan. The family was in chaos. He could’ve married into a powerful house, but instead Tsk.”

The Emperor recalled the previous Marquis and his wife, his expression softening slightly. Ian, sensing the Emperor had backed down, let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“We’ll hold off on Helen for now. But you must help her become part of noble society. That’s an order.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You’re not even trying to hide your dislike. But it can’t be helped. Since you don’t want that position, I’ll need to find a replacement and that’ll take time.”

Noticing Ian relax slightly, the Emperor became petty, delaying the search for a replacement out of spite. It was childish, especially toward someone young enough to be his son. But so be it the Emperor had spoken. Ian silently bowed.

“I don’t want to see you. Leave. I won’t call for you for a while. Don’t attend any palace meetings unless I say otherwise. And walk to the front gate. That’s your punishment for today’s disrespect.”

The Emperor gave Ian two punishments. Walking to the palace gates was minor, but being banned from palace meetings was serious. Still, Ian didn’t show a hint of shame.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I shall take my leave.”

Ian stood, bowed formally, and backed away. His face looked dazed, and his stiff steps had no strength. As soon as Ian disappeared through the doors, the Emperor clicked his tongue and muttered,

“They say the Marquis despises the Parden girl, but isn’t it the opposite? Honestly How can I trust the rumors people gossip about?

From the audience chamber to the main gate, it was a long walk even for a tall man like Ian. The attendant who met him looked uneasy. But Ian didn’t care about the distance he walked slowly, lost in thought.

What echoed in his mind was the Emperor’s one sentence.

‘Marquis, do you even understand your own feelings?’

The voice grew louder in his head, and the dull pain at the back of his skull worsened. The palace staff, regardless of rank, were shocked to see Ian walking like a man possessed.

Still, Ian kept walking. Eventually, he reached the front gate. As he passed the fountain near the line of guards, he suddenly stopped.

‘No way.’

Drops from the fountain landed softly on his face.

‘Could it be?’

If he had kept walking, the water would’ve dried up quickly. But standing frozen like a statue, Ian stayed there until his soaked hair began to drip.

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