They entered the emperor's office a moment later.

Seemingly, Theodore's advisor had been working on some documents. He lifted his head to greet the emperor. “Were you with her again? I told-” Lord Astame froze as he spotted Seraphina. He didn't let out another word and merely stood up to leave the room. After entering the small side room, he shut the door to give the couple some privacy.

Even he seemed to know what this was about.

Theodore slowly walked over to his desk, but he didn't sit down. Instead, he stared out of the window for a short moment. When he turned back to face Seraphina, he had restored his usual facade that showed him as the strong emperor and not the giggling vulnerable man he seemed to be with his lover. “I apologize for the fact that you had to find out like this.” He wasn't apologizing for his relationship. It was just about not telling his fiancée.

Seraphina felt like she should stop deluding herself at this point. She could imagine what this meant. Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself to speak up. “I presume this will be something we need to concern ourselves with for a long time if you are so serious.”

Theodore only hesitated for a single second. “Yes. This will last for a long time. I love Blanche.” He said that part with far too much confidence. He was certain that he adored this woman. That alone was troublesome, but he just made it worse. “She loves me as well. Dearly.” He averted his eyes. “I...just wished to tell you that so that you won't believe that this is merely some way for me to spend time leisurely. I am serious about this relationship.” That at least explained why he acted like this. It still wasn't good for the ruler of a nation to be so caught up in his feelings.

Seraphina allowed herself to take a few steps toward the emperor while speaking as calmly as she could. “Then I shall accept that as a fact. I am not in a position to scold you or demand anything from you. But allow me to speak as someone wishing for your safety.” She didn't receive more than a small nod, which Theodore connected with a look right into her eyes that basically seemed to say that she should watch her words. Seraphina still spoke honestly. “With all due respect, Your Majesty. You have only known this woman for a month. You can spend time with her, but please be on guard. You must know that your position attracts many people who may have less innocent goals.”

Meaning that the emperor shouldn't just claim to be in love within a month and that he couldn't trust that lover of his when she might just wish for power. Theodore understood it as that too. He refused to accept that though. “I understand your concern, but that is not the case with Blanche.” How foolish. He didn't even know that woman.

It was Seraphina's duty as the future empress to remind him. “Your Majesty, are you certain that the women that approach you might not wish to influence this nation's politics? Or that they might not merely be fond of your wealth and position? After a few years, you can certainly start to trust people. But with a woman who arrived not so long ago and immediately fell for you, I would recommend being careful. It would be hard to see through actors should they have been specialized to approach their targets. If I may be honest, Miss Blanche seems like she might be quite devoted to the act. The first thing she did upon-”

“Lady Duremont.” Theodore's voice wasn't loud, but he certainly gave Seraphina a small warning with his tone. Even then, he tried to stay polite, but she saw that cold gaze in his eyes. “Do you not believe that I can decide whom to trust myself?” He didn't want this discussion.

Seraphina found that foolish, but she had no choice but to accept it. She might address this in the future once more though. “No, Your Majesty. Naturally, I trust you. It is just that I cannot keep myself from worrying about you as your fiancée. May I ask how that woman arrived here? Was she brought by a family member of one of your allies? Is she related to one of the noble families that could trouble you?”

Theodore once again didn't reply with more than he needed to give. He only let out a small comment, nothing more. “No.” Miss Blanche was a commoner then, as expected.

That made this matter even more complicated. But Seraphina would find a way to take care of this either way. “That still does not mean that she might not have other motives. Would you at least be willing to give me her last name? Then I could confirm whether-”

This time, Theodore's tone had turned a bit more hostile again. “That is not needed. We already checked her background. There is nothing suspicious here.” He said that with as much determination as he needed to show that this wasn't anything he wanted Seraphina to think about. He put up boundaries again. Was there a reason for him to hide his lover's identity that much?

Seraphina found that quite unpleasant. But of course, she didn't dare say it out loud. She instead chose to change the topic for now. As she lifted her hand to her head to massage her temples, she thought about it once again. This would bring many challenges. Theodore not only had a mistress. She was also a commoner, who didn't seem to have a grasp on noble conventions. If that woman already provoked Seraphina, a duke's daughter, it seemed like she would be unable to interact with any influential person. This was dangerous. After all, her behavior would reflect on Theodore's reputation. This was the emperor's fault, and yet, it was his fiancée's task to help him.

Seraphina took a deep breath before speaking again. “I see. Then we should focus on the future. You must have thought about your options already. If we consider what will happen from now on, we need to keep everything in mind. You intend to allow Miss Blanche to stay with you, correct? Will you move her into one of the mansions within the royal estate?” That would be the best option. He could keep that woman close without letting too many guests see her.

This wasn't something Theodore needed to think about though. He immediately rejected that. “No. I already let Blanche move into one of the guest rooms. She will stay there.” He paused for a short moment before adding the rest. “Originally, she was only supposed to reside there for a short time, but I believe it might be fine to let her keep those chambers.”

It should relieve Seraphina that Blanche wouldn't live in one of the rooms meant for the members of the royal family, but in the end, this didn't make it much better. Rumors had said that Blanche had received the guest room in the east corner of the third floor, the most beautiful one in the entire palace. Usually, only special visitors from another nation would be brought there, and now that woman was permitted to live in that very room.

And according to the rumors, Theodore visited every day to have every single meal with that woman. He knew well what it meant for a man to be in a woman's bedroom when no one watched the couple.

Seraphina forced herself to breathe in deeply again. She had to stay calm. “I understand. This means that Miss Blanche will interact with many nobles though. Since you intend to grant her the title of a baroness, she will require etiquette training. You said that you would ensure that she receives this training, but I wish to remind you. Many guests visit the royal palace, and no problems can appear because of Lady Blanche. You must ensure that she acts thoughtfully and does not offend anyone.” Like she had offended Seraphina. “You witnessed that previous interaction, Your Majesty. As you can see, Miss Blanche is quite vocal about her opinions. That is not helpful within noble society. It would be best to encourage her to be a bit quieter and more reserved. From what I witnessed, she also does not seem to respect your authority, which is a grand issue as well. If you ask her to listen, it is expected that she does just that and will not-”

Nothing wrong had been said, but right as Seraphina came to the important part, Theodore's face scrunched up for a moment. He tried to hide it after, but her words had certainly upset him. He interrupted her right there. “Blanche is my lover. Not a pet or one of my many subjects. I will not order her around.”

Seraphina had known that it would be troublesome, but she hadn't expected him to be so foolish. She almost let out a sigh as she forced herself to reply. “I did not mean to state that she would be your servant. However, you must understand that you are still the ruler of this nation. As the emperor, you will always have more authority than your partner, no matter who they might be.” Even if it was the daughter of the most influential duke of Artias.

Theodore was usually quite focused on making his authority known too. He was a powerful emperor who barely let anyone talk back. And yet, his reply said the opposite. “I am aware. But I will not use this against my lover. It is my goal to have a healthy relationship with her, not to rule over her and control her life.” He had never had such reservations when it came to speaking to the Duremont family. He had never kept himself from ordering around Seraphina. In fact, he had done it even today.

He wasn't finished with that either.

Just before she could speak up, Theodore already added something else. “I want Blanche to live here freely without feeling like she was forced into this position. She became my lover of her own volition, and I do not intend to use my rank against her.” He met Seraphina's gaze for a moment. She wasn't sure what he might read in her expression, but Theodore's tone became a tiny bit colder after. “As I said, I do not wish for you to give her orders either. You will also not speak about her rank or say that she doesn't deserve to appear at my side. Whom I accompany is my own choice. Remember that.” He had been offended by those words after all.

Was he that sensitive because Seraphina had criticized him or because it was about that woman? Couldn't he stand it when she was criticized?

That only angered Seraphina more. She forced herself to remain calm though. “If you wish for that, I shall remember your words, Your Majesty. Though, I must remind you that my complaints were never meant as insults but as genuine reminders. After all, you are as aware of your difference in rank as I am. Do you intend to bring her into noble society? I presume so since you will give her a title.” She still hoped that he wouldn't though. Knowing that her fiancé had a lover was troublesome enough. She didn't also want him to escort that woman during balls.

Though, Theodore affirmed her concern. “Yes. Rumors are circulating already. I thought it would be better to at least reveal it myself before other people do it for me. It will still take a while since Blanche has to attend etiquette lessons first, but at some point, I would like to present her to the public.” He looked at his fiancée like he just waited for her to be upset. He knew exactly why she hated this and still decided to pull through with this. How selfish he was.

Seraphina once again found herself getting more than angry at this man. She wanted to say something that would keep him from treating her opinion as useless. Something that would remind him not to pressure her even more when she was already accepting so much disrespect from him. She forced herself to keep an emotionless expression while she spoke. “If that is your final decision, I will respect it. However, I must warn you. Are you aware that your lover will be torn apart by harsh words as soon as you introduce her to the public? They will find every flaw of her and spread as many rumors as usual.”

Theodore should be well aware. After all, his nursemaid, the woman who had been the former emperor's concubine, had been treated with quite a bit of scorn by the previous empress' allies as well. Judging by his expression, he remembered that too. Still, he didn't budge. “I...do know how harsh the nobles can be. However, they are already speaking about Blanche. I believe it would be best to show her freely. If I keep her hidden any longer, people will speculate more, and the rumors will grow worse.” That was another issue.

But Seraphina actually had something else that bothered her too. If Theodore publicly announced that woman as his mistress, Blanche would gain influence no matter her rank. In the future, she might even be seen as a rival for the actual empress. If Seraphina could make any decision here, she wouldn't let that woman receive the official title. “I agree, Your Majesty. But I am not certain whether announcing her as your lover is a good idea. After all, that will only make people wonder whether the relationship between you and my father is strained now. It will also lead to people accusing Miss Blanche of breaking apart an engagement that has lasted for years. You must be aware that our nobles can be rather impolite once they hear such talk.”

It was a bit frustrating that the first argument barely seemed to create a reaction. Theodore only hesitated when he heard how his lover might be troubled by this. Even so, he wasn't fully convinced. He only spoke up when Seraphina opened her mouth again. “I will say that she is a guest in the palace. I presume that most people will understand what that means, but as long as I claim that she is a close friend of mine, it is not a public announcement of her as my lover.” It was still an indirect one. But before Seraphina could talk back, Theodore already met her gaze. “You know that this is the most I can do. No matter what I say, the people will know that Blanche and I are a couple. I will try not to make it too obvious during public events, but I fear that no one in the capital is unknowing at this point.” That was true. This was only another reason for him not to introduce Blanche to the nobles. Should he do that, the first discussions about the power balance within the royal palace would develop after all.

It was the first time that Seraphina thought about that, and as soon as she did that, she froze. She hadn't even considered the most troublesome thing that might still occur. Being accepted as the emperor's mistress was one thing, but what if Theodore wanted to give Miss Blanche even more than a verbal title?

Seraphina's hands trembled a bit. “Then at least allow me to ask one question.” She desperately hoped for one response, but she was aware that the other one might come still. She asked despite that. “Do you intend to marry this woman or to have her children enter the royal family?”

Theodore didn't show her the reaction she had hoped for. He neither laughed at how ridiculous that was nor did he calmly shake his head. Instead, he stared right at her as if he wished to read her mind. “I want to ask you in return. Will you break off the engagement should I do that?”

What answer did he want to hear? A part of her almost felt like he wanted her to affirm this.

Seraphina felt her stomach churn, but she didn't dare show it. Her fiancé truly acted like he would be happy if she just ended her engagement to him. She had been by his side for over a decade, not as lovers or friends but as partners. Now he suddenly considered ending that for a woman he had met a month ago? If Seraphina followed her own personal feelings, she would break off the engagement here and now to leave the foolish emperor to his own decisions.

But she had been raised to be empress. And Seraphina wouldn't let all of those years of education go to waste.

Seraphina allowed herself to meet the emperor's gaze directly while she gave her calm response, which gave off a bit more feigned indifference than she actually felt. “Do not misunderstand, Your Majesty. I am not someone who would let jealousy or personal feelings arise when our connection is purely political. I will become the empress as I was taught everything I need to know to hold this position. I never expected your affections nor did I plan on returning those.”

She had wanted him to be a bit upset about this, had hoped that he would at least claim that they were acquaintances that got along very well, that he didn't want to lose her as his future empress.

But Theodore merely nodded. It stung that he seemed to accept that with indifference. He simply didn't seem to view their relationship as anything else but a political union. “That is good. Then I believe we should still be able to work together.”

For a moment, Seraphina was stunned because of those words. She caught herself a second later though. This might be for the better. As long as she had no personal attachment to the emperor, her judgment would be clearer. She had become his fiancée to become empress anyway, not to allow herself to be upset by a mistress that held no political power. Seraphina merely had to defend her position. She focused on that too. “I agree. I responded to what you wished to hear. Please reply to my question now.”

Did he intend to marry that woman or have her children become members of the royal family? That was what Seraphina needed to know.

The question should have been answered easily. If Theodore had wished to deny it, he would probably have done it directly. But he didn't. Instead, he hesitated and didn't meet Seraphina's gaze. He took far too long. That was already a response in itself, one the future empress didn't want to hear. But Theodore probably wouldn't change his mind.

Seraphina felt herself beginning to frown even as she tried to hide it. “Your Majesty.”

That was what finally made Theodore speak quietly. “I...can't marry Blanche.” So, he wanted to? The problem didn't seem to be his lack of desire but rather his circumstances. And the fact that he looked so upset about that just made it clearer. “She is a commoner with no noble roots. I could have someone adopt her, but that would be quite obvious too. I also understand why you and your family would have an issue with that.” Theodore's expression shifted a bit while he seemed to gain more certainty. He lifted his head to look at Seraphina. “But at the same time, I love her. I will not...” He hesitated and averted his eyes, seemingly not because he regretted it but because he felt unwell telling Seraphina this directly. “I will not be with another woman while I am with her. That means that...having children with anyone but her...is impossible.” He wanted that woman's children to become members of the royal family after all. There wouldn't be heirs any other way, and he certainly would not give the throne to his younger brother.

Seraphina had just effectively been stripped of her future rank as the dowager empress. Even if Theodore wouldn't marry that other woman, he would certainly put his lover at his side as soon as he had heirs. It was an indirect challenge to Seraphina's power anyway. She didn't like that at all. But could she change anything about this?

No. Against the emperor, she was powerless.

Seraphina could only hide her disdain for that for so long though. She had to hold back already and decided that it would be best to take a break before she got too upset. “I will have to accept that then. Is there anything else you wish to inform me of?”

Theodore seemed like he slouched his shoulders in relief when she didn't argue about their heirs. He just replied quickly. “No. At the moment, there is nothing specific you need to know. Rumors are spreading no matter what we do, but I take that the situation will remain the same for a while now. Meaning that I don't necessarily expect you to be met with anything too surprising in the near future.” This wasn't her place to meddle in. She shouldn't ask more questions. That was what he seemed to tell her.

Seraphina didn't have the desire to fight anymore. “As long as you inform me of any future changes in this regard early, I am fine without sharing any more as well. Please do write a letter should you remember that there is something else I need to know after all. I am your fiancée despite all of this, so I would like to hear those things first before people ask me about this during tea parties.”

That comment made Theodore look a bit uncomfortable. “I am aware. I would once again like to apologize for not informing you before. But that will not happen again. Right now, I expect few drastic changes, so you can rest assured.” After what he had done today already, that wasn't convincing.

Seraphina wasn't willing to let him keep her in the dark like this again, but she knew that she couldn't control the emperor's decisions either way. So, she just accepted her loss and decided to step away to calm down before she spoke about this again. “That would be pleasant, Your Majesty. But I believe that there is nothing more we have to discuss today, correct?”

Her request was recognized immediately. Theodore didn't even try to stop her. She even felt like he was happy to send her away. “Yes. You may leave should you wish for it. I hope that your travel home will pass without any issues. We will see each other again for the next ball.” He didn't invite her to have some tea either. Normally, he would at least show his fiancée that much courtesy. He probably had other things to do right now.

Seraphina forced herself to calm down instead of getting more upset and quickly decided that she really did need to retreat for the day. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I wish you a nice afternoon too. I will excuse myself now.” She had previously forgotten to greet the emperor properly due to her shock, but now she had no excuse anymore. She curtsied to him before preparing to leave.

Theodore at least had the politeness to bring her to the door. As he stepped onto the corridor with her, she quickly decided that it would have been better for him to stay away though.

As usual, guards waited by the office. But among them, another person stood today.

It was that Blanche. She stood out among all the servants with her gorgeous and extravagant gown, which had probably cost a fortune. She didn't even try to blend into the background either. As soon as she made eye contact with the emperor, she hurried over and rushed past Seraphina. She immediately hugged her lover.

And Theodore? He allowed it. No, he even hugged her back in a hurry as if he had missed her after five minutes already.

It was a sight that should have been pitiful. But knowing the circumstances only reminded Seraphina of how shameless that woman seemed to be. Blanche clearly hadn't understood that she had been the one to trouble an already existing engagement. As she lifted her head slightly, she glared at Seraphina like she was the woman showing up to steal her fiancé when it was the other way around. But it seemed like Blanche didn't even see the other woman as enough of a threat to begin a fight. Instead, she focused on Theodore and acted like no one aside from them existed. The emperor should know that they were being watched by so many people, and yet, he didn't stop.

That was another punch to Seraphina's ego. She was the third wheel in this scenario. She might be the fiancée, but that didn't mean a thing when those two already acted like they only cared for one another.

To the both of them, Seraphina was the problem.

That realization made her feel more than empty as she prepared to leave. Seraphina didn't glance at them again as she walked down the hallway and tried to ignore the stares of the servants, which were full of pity for the powerless future empress who was already being pushed away before even entering the palace.

Seraphina tried to calm herself. After all, she would still become empress. That was what she had been educated for during her whole life. She wouldn't lose this position since Theodore needed her political power and intelligence to lead the nation. She hadn't expected to be more than his partner anyway.

But a part of her had to admit that she was disappointed.

Her father and mother had met each other as children and had fallen in love quickly. Even now, years after that, they were still a devoted couple that offered a beautiful display of romance to anyone around them. Her sister had met a count during a tea party, and both couldn't keep their hands off each other either. They would marry soon and never wished to be apart. Her brother had coincidentally been engaged to a young lady he seemed to be quite fond of too. Even when he didn't know how to show it to Brianna, he adored her with all of his heart and would probably become a loving husband.

Every member of Seraphina's family had somehow been lucky when it came to love. Maybe it was foolish, but a part of her had hoped that she would receive the same fortune. That she would coincidentally wed a man that would fall for her later. It seemed like it would be different for her though.

But it was fine. After all, she would become the most powerful woman in this nation. After all she had done to be empress, she deserved this and wouldn't give up on this either. Nothing else mattered.