I wasn’t even surprised—but Kibon? Why was he reacting like that?
Wait... don’t tell , he really does like .
I stared at Kibon in disbelief, but before I could say anything, Jaden slamd his hand on the table and snapped at him.
“Hey. Intern.”
“......”
“What? I’m talking to you. Are you not going to answer?”
“...Yes.”
“You. Get out. I’ve got a very important conversation to have with Namia now. And a lowly intern like you has no business being here. Feel insulted? Then grit your teeth and work your way up. Got it? I said, got it?”
“......”
“Answer.”
“...Yes.”
Kibon clenched his teeth so hard it was audible.
But he didn’t have a choice. It was the command of a prince.
Looking sour, Kibon stood and walked out of the Minister’s office.
Then, he stopped just outside the door. I watched his back and thought—
‘...He’s going to hear everything anyway.’
Honestly, the Minister’s office wasn’t soundproof.
But Jaden didn’t seem to realize that as he began in a serious tone.
“Anyway. This is about my brother.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
While Jaden cleared his throat, I glanced sideways at Kibon’s silhouette.
If he wasn’t fully alert—or if Jaden started saying sothing too sensitive—I was ready to cut in imdiately.
“Ahem, so...”
But Jaden kept hesitating, unable to bring himself to speak.
To ease the tension, I offered kindly,
“Would Your Highness like a cookie? It’s not much, but I’d like to offer you sothing.”
“I’m kind of picky about what I eat, but sure. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“Yes, of course.”
I pulled a cookie from my drawer—along with a small scroll.
It was a transport scroll. Short-range only, so usually useless... but for sothing like this, it was perfect.
When I activated [N O V E L I G H T] the scroll, the cookie floated up on a glowing strip of parchnt and gently landed in front of Jaden.
“Whoa!”
Jaden’s eyes went wide with wonder. I held back a smile.
‘What a rude little kid... but so cute!’
He hadn’t received proper love growing up and got stuck with Liden’s warped worldview—“normal people are inferior,” “idiots should be ignored”—but still, he was adorable.
‘Even in the original novel, he matures a lot over ti...’
Now that Liden’s gone and he’ll be getting real parental guidance, his behavior should improve.
I waited patiently while Jaden finished his cookie.
Brushing crumbs off his mouth, he coughed lightly.
“Ahem. So. Namia—you said everything Liden told was a lie.”
“Ah... well, except for the factual parts.”
“Liden said you were trash. That you were arrogant, vulgar, from a low-class family, and too stupid to know your place.”
I expected that, but hearing it from a child’s mouth left a weird taste.
Jaden continued calmly.
“But logically, if all of that was a lie, then you’re actually a pretty decent person.”
“Hmm... yes. I think I’m reasonably competent, co from a rough background, sure—but I know my role and perform it well.”
“Exactly. And now that I’ve t you in person... I can tell. You seem like a good person.”
That’s... a generous evaluation for giving him a cookie and putting on a scroll trick.
With an exaggeratedly arrogant pose, arms crossed and chin lifted, Jaden said,
“I’ll get straight to the point. What does my brother need to fix? What should he do?”
“...Excuse ?”
“Just humor this problematic child and give a hint.”
He chomped on another cookie and went on.
“My brother is a lonely person. You re humans may tremble in front of him, but he’s actually a good guy.”
“Ah...”
“The Empress and Emperor... they’re too dignified to ask you directly. But they both want you and the Crown Prince to work out. So I’ve decided, as the unruly child of the family who doesn’t care about appearances, to ask for them.”
My head was spinning.
I looked at his chubby cheeks and replied carefully,
“I’ve t His Highness the Crown Prince exactly three tis. Briefly, in an official setting, always with others present. It’s not about fixing anything—I just don’t really know him yet.”
Jaden swallowed his cookie and bead.
“So you don’t know each other well yet, but that doesn’t an there’s no potential. Got it. Then what kind of man would you want to marry?”
“Uh... hmm. Soone I feel comfortable around. Soone I don’t need to tense up in front of. Soone who’s always on my side...”
But trying to have an honest conversation with Jaden? That was asking too much.
“What? So you want a slave?”
“No, not a slave, just—”
“Slavery was abolished 392 years ago. You should give up on that ideal. Sure, there were a lot of garbage argunts for keeping it back then, but I think Oraton’s final words during the repeal had so real rit—”
And just like that, Jaden launched into a monologue about the history of slavery.
My eyes drifted to Kibon’s back. He was still standing there, not moving a muscle. Calm and steady, as always.
‘Hmm...’
If I said “Co in, Kibon” right now, I knew he’d walk in without a word.
For so reason, that brought a strange sense of calm.
‘God. I really do like being the one in control...’
The people around never did what I wanted.
Honestly, I wanted my mom to still be around. I didn’t care about academy prestige—I just wanted Dad to stay by my side.
Back then, I’d wished Victor hadn’t gone on that long mission during my rookie year. I’d hoped the Master of the Magic Tower would’ve stayed in the capital to support .
‘But they all left, for their own reasons.’
I didn’t even ask them to stay. I knew they wouldn’t listen, so I didn’t bother.
‘So... isn’t it okay if just one person in this whole world listens to what I say?’
I suddenly rembered what Kibon had said the day he beca my assistant.
[You only need to rember one thing when dealing with , Minister. If you give an order, I will obey it. Don’t waste ti second-guessing—just command .]
It wasn’t just an empty promise.
From that day on, Kibon had followed every single order without question.
So I’d gotten used to giving him commands without hesitation, without thinking twice.
‘If I asked him not to leave... I bet he’d just say “Understood.”’
With that blank, emotionless face of his.
anwhile, Jaden was still rambling about slavery.
I was half-tuned out, lost in thought, when—
“Jaaaaadeeeeen!”
The Scroll Departnt doors slamd open with a thunderous bang.
“Kyah!”
Anastasia shrieked—understandable, considering the door had been ripped off its hinges.
The Empress stepped through, sheepishly rubbing her ear.
“What the heck? Why’s this door so flimsy?”
She clicked her tongue and kicked aside the broken remnants with her foot. Anastasia was so stunned, she couldn’t even offer her coffee.
“M-Mother?!”
Jaden shot to his feet, completely startled mid-rant.
The Empress burst out laughing as she strolled toward the Minister’s office.
“Jaden! I heard you were here, so I ca! Wahahaha!”
Her face was radiant—she had clearly decided never again to hide her true self from her son.
I could just imagine the conversation they must’ve had:
[Jaden, the truth is... I’m uneducated and foolish, and I was scared you’d be ashad of ...]
[I see. But even so, I still want to receive your love. I promise I won’t be embarrassed by you—at least until puberty.]
[Bwahahaha! Good! Great! Let’s aim to survive until puberty together, dear son!]
A piece of the broken door was still dangling from the hem of her dress.
Laughing heartily, she shouted,
“We’re going to get outfits tailored for the Saint Cairo banquet, so—uh?”
Right in the middle of her booming announcent, the Empress suddenly stopped.
Her eyes had locked on Kibon, standing just outside the office.
He bowed slowly and respectfully.
“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”
Her gaze sharpened in an instant.
The change in her expression startled , and I rushed forward instinctively.
“Hey, you.”
The Empress rolled up her sleeves with a grin and declared to Kibon:
“Let’s fight. Right now.”
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