I answered as if he were asking the most obvious question in the world.
“This concerns the royal family, does it not?”
“Hm?”
“I judged it was a matter requiring confidentiality, so I handled the rest myself.”
“When?”
“After I sent my secretary off, I stayed and worked overti.”
Of course, I finished it alone after sending Kibon away.
I did consider Kibon soone I could trust—but I had no intention of sharing anything that directly involved the royal family.
“Above all else, the safety of the royal family was my top priority.”
When I said that, the Empress burst out laughing.
“Magnificent! Namia Roafi, your loyalty is truly magnificent!”
“You flatter . I only followed protocol, Your Majesty.”
“Wahahahaha! So, what’s this thod of yours? It’s not in the report, so I suppose I’ll have to hear it directly!”
“Well...”
I smiled carefully and opened my mouth to explain.
***
The next morning.
“Hah.”
Ridon and the Education Minister scoffed as they read a docunt delivered early in the morning.
“Looks like the Scroll Departnt Minister’s finally gone mad.”
The notice Namia had circulated across departnts was as follows:
She intended to use special-effect scrolls at the upcoming St. Kairo Banquet.
That in itself wasn’t the problem.
The issue was what ca next:
St. Kairo is the saint who blesses the bond between parent and child. As such, we are planning a ceremonial scroll event involving His Highness the Prince and Her Majesty the Empress. A separate training session for scroll usage will be conducted by the Scroll Departnt tomorrow.
Naturally, since the banquet was fast approaching, the scheduled training was set for the next day.
“Or maybe her brain’s just full of flowers.”
But since it was officially a Scroll Departnt initiative, there was no real way to block it.
The Education Minister let out a dry laugh and muttered,
“Who does she think she is, getting all flashy at her first banquet?”
The Scroll Managent Departnt had never drawn this much attention before.
“Actually, it works in our favor,” Ridon said with a grin.
“It’s their first big event. If we sabotage it properly, they’ll lose all confidence. Works out perfectly.”
“Hm.”
“I was planning to crush them anyway. Might as well start by shattering their pride.”
Ridon picked up a few books and stood.
He gave a brief nod to the Education Minister.
“I’ll be going now.”
He was more self-assured than ever.
The Education Minister leaned back in his chair and gave a noncommittal nod.
“Go ahead.”
Just like always.
The Education Minister was a cautious man.
He never said anything that might co back to bite him later. Never gave direct orders.
Ridon simply “acted on his own,” and the Education Minister simply “rewarded performance accordingly.”
‘No matter what happens, I won’t get caught up in it. I just think Ridon’s doing a good job, so I’m giving him good evaluations.’
The Education Minister sincerely believed that commoners had no place in high positions.
He had noticed Ridon’s thods, but never comnted.
In fact, he rather liked how Ridon had worked to estrange the Prince from the Empress.
‘Prince Jaden must grow up as a true Dragonblood. With such a lowborn mother, there’ll always be wicked influences crawling in.’
There was a reason he judged people by bloodline and upbringing.
The Empress’s crude speech and behavior only dragged down the dignity of the imperial family.
Sa went for the Scroll Departnt.
There was no way a girl raised in a vulgar baron household like Namia’s could accomplish anything properly.
‘That’s why this is all for the good of the Empire.’
Everyone had their place.
Those who overstepped their station only caused disorder.
‘This whole country’s a ss. Too many people who don’t know their place.’
Believing this wholeheartedly, the Education Minister pressed his lips into a thin smile.
And that mindset, of course, subtly influenced his entire departnt.
“Those Scroll Departnt nobodies are walking around all proud just because they got a bit of funding. Can you believe it?”
“They’ve got less than ten people in the whole departnt... doesn’t that just an they’ve got no work?”
“And they still kept their office space? What a waste. Useless trash.”
The sa Education Ministry officials who once mocked Anastasia now cackled to themselves again.
The Education Minister didn’t correct them. He just turned his gaze to the next stack of docunts.
***
“Ridon?”
Jaden quickly stood up when Ridon appeared in the Separate Palace, interrupting his reading.
“What’s going on? We don’t have lessons today.”
His voice held a note of surprise—and a touch of happiness.
Of course it did. Jaden was deeply attached to Ridon.
Ridon had been responsible for his education from a young age.
And he was knowledgeable enough to keep up with the genius prince who could grasp ten things after learning just one.
“A supplentary lesson, Your Highness.”
Ridon adjusted his monocle with a gentle smile.
“I was planning to schedule one for tomorrow, but then I saw a notice—there’s a Scroll Departnt event coming up.”
“Oh, right. I heard about that too.”
Jaden nodded. Then, with a faint scoff, muttered:
“Hah... Does the Scroll Minister have no sense? Making us do sothing like that.”
Even as he tried to sound cynical, he couldn’t et Ridon’s eyes.
He was trying to appear indifferent—but so emotion still leaked ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ through.
Ridon noticed the flicker of expectation on the boy’s face instantly.
With his hands behind his back, he spoke calmly.
“You know who the Scroll Departnt Minister is, don’t you?”
“Uh... Namia Roafi?”
Jaden blinked as he answered.
“I don’t know much about her. I heard she rejected my brother. Does she already have soone?”
“Doesn’t seem that way... but one thing is clear.”
Ridon patted Jaden’s head as he said it.
“She dared to reject the Crown Prince. Arrogant, shaless, completely unaware of her place. She’s dragged the dignity of Dragonbloods through the mud.”
“...Ah, but...”
“But?” Ridon echoed, sighing.
“Please listen carefully to what I’m about to say, Your Highness.”
He went to a drawer in the palace and took out a soundproofing scroll, activating it.
Ridon using those scrolls was a common occurrence. Jaden didn’t question it.
Once the scrolls were active, Ridon returned and continued.
“Dragonbloods are the most sacred beings in the world. To reject one is unthinkable. Rember this: ordinary people must obey Dragonbloods.”
“W-well, that might be true, but...”
“That’s why,” Ridon added, gently stroking Jaden’s head, “Your mother couldn’t refuse a Dragonblood’s command and was forced into the position of Empress. Forced to bear you, Your Highness.”
“...”
“And because of your existence, even though she’s lost all favor, she’s still trapped in this prison of a palace. Pitiful, isn’t she?”
Jaden’s face hardened in an instant.
“But that’s how humans are ant to be.”
Ridon began pulling books from the shelf as he continued.
“They must obey the Dragonbloods. No matter how miserable their lives beco. Even if the child they bore becos so wretched it hurts just to look at them.”
Jaden lowered his gaze slowly. He was a bright boy—but still only eight years old.
His relationship with the Emperor wasn’t bad.
“Jaden? My adorable son. You’ve grown so much again—how wonderful.”
But the Emperor hadn’t co to the palace much in recent years.
His relationship with Kiaros was also good. But...
“I enjoyed this book as a child too. Especially Volu 3—I read it several tis... Oh, is it that late already? I’ll visit again soon.”
He was always too busy. Even during their ti together, aides would co rushing in with urgent paperwork.
Naturally, Jaden sought comfort from the Empress—Fron.
But over ti, their relationship grew distant.
‘She used to love so much when I was little...’
When had it started? Five? Maybe six?
At so point, Fron had beco visibly uncomfortable during conversations with him.
“Mother, I read Understanding Eastern Empire History today. I found the etymology of the word Otrakitus fascinating. What are your thoughts on that anecd—”
“O-oh? I see. Mhm. Well then, I’ll be off.”
Sensing her discomfort, Jaden had gone to Ridon with his concerns.
That was when Ridon told him what no one else would.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll tell you the truth.”
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