The gentle beam of the morning sun streamed through the open window, making the breakfast table shimmer with a luminous warmth. That warmth spread towards the father and daughter peacefully eating their meal.

  "By the way, the Ragar family's ennoblement is happening two weeks from now."

  Ingrid's lips arched up upon hearing her father's words.

  "You're the best papa!" Ingrid gave the grand duke a light peck on the cheek before happily resuming her meal.

  Grand Duke Rasmus' brow instantly rose. Since when did his meek little daughter become so cunning?

  The grand duke had some people investigate Ingrid's sudden interest towards a family they didn't even know until a few days ago, and he was naturally enraged by what he found. Those pesky nobles are rather bold for using his daughter in their dirty schemes.

  Elias, the voice of reason, dissuaded the Grand Duke from petty revenge, knowing Ingrid would be furious if he interfered with her plans. The young lady's outrageous request clearly indicated she had a scheme of her own.

  The thought of being hated was enough to overcome the Grand Duke's stubbornness. He did not need to command Eliad to expedite the ennoblement of the Ragar family either, as his ever-competent assistant already did.

  "The nobles are probably convulsing in anger right now," Ingrid remarked, grinning. From Eros' report, it was Elios, the duke's half-brother, who planned the entire scheme.

  Ingrid, however, doubted that Elios, a bastard son, scraping by to redeem a prostitute, was the mastermind. Upon further investigation, they found that a certain Marquess under the empress' faction was seen visiting Elios several weeks prior.

  Ingrid wasn't surprised the trail led to the Empress—she'd suspected as much, and the report confirmed it.

  The empress's father, the former Grand Duke of Hatton, is the most extreme blood purist in the entirety of the empire. And his children carried his obsession in their blood.

  That's how Ingrid knew Empress Verandi would never tolerate such preposterousness. Her smile grew wider. She could already imagine the empress's nose flaring in rage.

  Grand Duke Rasmus placed his utensils down, his gaze bearing an unspoken weight as he looked at Ingrid.

  "Sunshine, let's talk."

  Ingrid's eyes blinked with uncertainty, but the earnest expression on her father's face made her set down her utensils as well. Her back instinctively straightened as she waited for her father to speak.

  "These past few weeks, you seem unusually...happy. Although I'm not saying that's a bad thing! Happy is good! It's just, I can't help but worry."

  Ingrid lowered her gaze. The smile on her lips turned bitter.

  "Back then, I always felt like there was this monster lurking in the darkness waiting to attack me at my weakest. I was always on edge."

  Ingrid's finger moved as she spoke, drawing random shapes on the smooth surface of the table. Her gaze remained cast down as she continued...

  "I was in constant fear of this danger that I didn't know what or where it was coming from. But my gut kept telling me it's there and it's drawing closer and closer by the day."

  The grand duke's heart felt like it was being squeezed as he listened to his daughter. He kept things from Ingrid, believing that it was for the best. But it turns out, all he did was make her life miserable.

  "Ironically, knowing the source of that dread that has been tormenting me for years gave me relief," Ingrid chuckled. "Of course I'm not fine. I don't think I ever will be."

  Ingrid lifted her head and gave her father a smile warmer than the morning rays.

  "But at the very least I can now smile."

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  Her smile, however, only worsened the pain in Grand Duke Rasmus' heart. He felt useless and powerless. This was not the life he intended for his daughter to live. Ingrid's life was only meant to be filled with all things beautiful, just as she is.

  The storms were but his to carry.

  A series of unhurried knocks echoed in the silence, disturbing their conversation.

  "My lord, a messenger from the palace is here with an edict," Carlton informed the grand duke as soon as he entered.

  Grand Duke Rasmus' mood instantly soured. The edict came earlier than expected.

  Has the emperor already reached his limit, or is there something else?

  "Lead the way."

  ***

  "How regrettable that your coming-of-age had to be postponed, my lady," said Lily with a pout as she helped Ingrid wear her dress while Iris was assisting her on the side.

  Ingrid responded with a shrug. With everything that has happened as of late, her coming-of-age was the last of her concerns.

  Personally, Ingrid felt a coming-of-age ceremony was unnecessary. It was an event designed to officially introduce young nobles to others to either form future connections or market them for marriage—both of which are useless to Ingrid.

  Her father is one, if not the most, powerful man in the empire. If there is someone profiting from the event, it wouldn't be her. And marriage is the least of her worries given the number of marriage proposals she constantly gets. Not to forget, her marriage with the prince of Aradhya is set in stone.

  "Wait, will my lady be engaged without being properly introduced to the noble society?!" Lily exclaimed, exasperated.

  Ingrid smiled and patted Lily's hand, amused. "It's fine, Lily. I will still be celebrating my birthday with the most important people in my life nonetheless. Nothing can ever be better than that."

  Meanwhile, in the midst of an assembly, a man stood upright, his gaze steady and calm, betraying no hint of nervousness despite the gravity of the moment. Beside him, another man was kneeling with his head prostrated before the golden throne.

  "Your majesty, your servant has come to seek vindication for his tribe!" the man kneeling on the floor cried. "The grand duke of Lennox came to our lowly tribe seeking our elder Joan's aid. However, the grand duke has detained our elder for more than a month now and would not return her despite our endless plea! I humbly beg your imperial majesty to grant us justice!"

  A subtle contortion marred Emperor Cecil's usually stern and dignified expression as he listened to the druid tribe's delegate complain.

  "Perhaps you can shed some light on this matter." The emperor's deep and commanding voice thundered in the enclosed space.

  Emperor Cecil felt rather satisfied upon hearing his practiced voice, honed to mask his incompetence.

  "That old hag hurt my daughter. I am more than justified to kill her, much less imprison her," was the grand duke's casual response. He did not even bother to hide the elder's current situation. Every noble of the empire knew what it meant to be a prisoner in the grand duke's estate.

  "Grand duke, elder Joan is a respected member of the druid tribe. Treating her like a prisoner without proper trial is just..." The empress purposely trailed, her lips pursed as she lowered her gaze meekly, eliciting empathy.

  As anticipated, several disapproving gazes fell upon the grand duke.

  "Yes, yes!" Fueled by the sympathy he was getting, the druid tribe delegate became bolder as he spoke. "As a member of our tribe, it is only right for Elder Joan to be tried under our law. However, the grand duke has denied our request again and again. We believe that the grand duke is detaining our elder on unfair grounds! Please decide for us, your majesty!"

  Emperor Cecil sighed and said in hopes of concession, "How about this? The trial shall be done before the assembly. For the meantime, Elder Joan shall be entertained as a guest at the house of Lennox and be allowed to meet her kins."

  Emperor Cecil understood his brother's nature. To try and bend the Grand Duke's will was like trying to shatter granite with a hammer.

  If it were before, he would have used the opportunity to put more pressure on him. But with his niece completely well, it was best to tactfully retreat.

  However, the emperor's cowardice infuriated the empress. It was the best opportunity to turn the nobles against the grand duke, and he is ruining it!

  The druids, renowned healers, have performed countless services for the empire's nobility. A little incitement, and they could have easily swayed the entire nobility against the Grand Duke.

  Grand Duke Rasmus, on the other hand, looked at the emperor with ridicule. "The moment their dearest elder harmed my daughter, she lost the privilege to be tried under any law but mine. So let us not make this assembly unnecessarily long. I still have a grumpy assistant and a load of work waiting for me. If you truly wish to get that old hag, razing my territory will be your only option. Of course I won't stand by as you do."

  Grand Duke Rasmus turned his back and headed for the door without even as much as a slight bow towards the rulers sitting on the golden throne.

  "Grand duke! Have you no respect for your emperor!" Emperor Cecil bellowed. He may be an opportunistic bastard, but he still has a face to maintain as the emperor. Such disrespect was something he could not tolerate.

  Grand Duke Rasmus paused and tilted his head. "Cecil, I believe it is time we end this masquerade."

  "You..." The Emperor's eyes shook as he stared at his brother's tranquil ones. His knees buckled, and he slumped on his seat.

  No one dared stop the Grand Duke from leaving the throne room. It's not that they didn't want to, but because they didn't have the ability to. Any attempt to arrest him would only lead to fruitless death.

  The Grand Duke's words, though subtle, were a clear declaration—days of even greater unrest were about to descend upon their empire.

  "Is the matter settled, my lord?" Elias asked as soon as the grand duke came out of the door.

  "Hmm, make the necessary preparations."

  Elias' lips arched as he followed behind the grand duke.