Episode 13| The Emperors Fury
The imperial palace was in an uproar.
Servants whispered behind closed doors, ministers exchanged uneasy glances, and the atmosphere within the grand halls had grown tense.
All because of a single piece of news.
The Crown Prince had kissed a man.
More specifically—
A newly promoted, dangerously handsome priest named Ryan.
And the moment that information reached the Emperor…
His fury was immediate.
---
“WHAT NONSENSE IS THIS?!”
The Emperor’s voice thundered through the throne room, echoing against the towering pillars.
Courtiers stood in silence, heads lowered as his rage filled the chamber.
“My son—the heir to this empire—kissing a priest in the middle of a holy ceremony?!”
His hand slammed against the armrest of his throne.
“Have the standards of this kingdom fallen so low?!”
A trembling official stepped forward.
“Y-Your Majesty, it may have been… a misunderstanding—”
“Misunderstanding?” the Emperor snapped. “The entire temple witnessed it!”
Silence fell again.
The Emperor exhaled sharply, his expression darkening.
There was only one conclusion he was willing to accept.
“If this continues…” he muttered, “there will be no heir.”
That alone was unacceptable.
The empire could not afford uncertainty in succession.
His eyes narrowed.
“Summon Lady Seraphina Valmont.”
---
Not long after, Seraphina stood within the grand throne room.
Elegant as ever, she maintained her composure despite the heavy pressure of the Emperor’s gaze.
“You summoned me, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor studied her carefully.
Daughter of Marquess Valmont.
Beautiful.
Noble.
Influential.
And most importantly—
A suitable candidate.
“I will speak plainly,” the Emperor said.
Seraphina listened attentively.
“I intend to issue a royal decree.”
A pause.
“You will marry the Crown Prince.”
The room fell silent.
Seraphina blinked.
Once.
Then—
“…No.”
The single word slipped out before she could stop it.
The Emperor’s expression darkened slightly.
“…Explain.”
Seraphina straightened.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty… I cannot accept such a decree.”
Before the tension could escalate further—
The doors of the throne room swung open.
“Perfect timing.”
Crown Prince Raymond Lucille walked in casually, as if he had been invited to a social gathering rather than summoned into a tense royal discussion.
“Father, I assume this is about the rumors?”
The Emperor glared at him.
“You will marry Lady Seraphina.”
Raymond didn’t even hesitate.
“No.”
The refusal was immediate.
Both Seraphina and Raymond spoke in unison.
“I refuse.”
They turned—
And locked eyes.
For a brief moment, silence stretched between them.
Then—
Mutual disgust.
Seraphina frowned slightly.
Raymond raised an eyebrow.
The Emperor’s patience snapped.
“You dare defy a royal decree?!”
Raymond sighed.
“With all due respect, Father, forcing marriages rarely ends well.”
Seraphina nodded slightly in agreement.
“I share that sentiment, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor clenched his jaw.
“…This is not a suggestion.”
Raymond’s expression sharpened slightly, though the playful edge in his eyes remained.
“Then you may need to reconsider.”
The tension in the room grew heavy.
Finally, the Emperor waved his hand dismissively.
“Leave.”
Both of them bowed and exited the throne room.
---
The moment they stepped into the palace corridor, Seraphina turned toward Raymond sharply.
“You.”
Raymond glanced at her lazily.
“Yes?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What you did at the temple—”
“Ah,” he interrupted, smiling slightly. “You mean the kiss?”
Her expression hardened.
“You kissed him without his consent.”
Raymond tilted his head.
“And?”
Seraphina took a step closer.
“That was improper. Disrespectful.”
Her voice carried an edge of something deeper.
“…And unnecessary.”
Raymond watched her carefully.
Then a slow, knowing smirk appeared on his lips.
“…I see.”
Seraphina frowned.
“What?”
He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping just enough to be provocative.
“You must not wish for things you can’t have.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“…Excuse me?”
Raymond chuckled.
“You’re upset because I kissed him first.”
Seraphina’s face flushed faintly.
“That is not—!”
But her words faltered.
Because she couldn’t fully deny it.
Raymond straightened, clearly amused.
“Relax, Lady Valmont.”
He began walking past her.
“It was just a kiss.”
He paused briefly beside her.
“…For now.”
Then he continued down the corridor, leaving Seraphina standing there.
Her heart was beating faster than she liked.
Annoyance.
Embarrassment.
And something else she didn’t want to name.
“…Unbelievable.”
Yet despite her frustration—
One thought lingered in her mind.
Ryan.
And for the first time—
Seraphina realized she might not be the only one interested in the handsome priest who had suddenly turned the entire empire upside down.
Duke Edward White did not believe in coincidences.
Not in politics.
Not in power.
And certainly not in miracles.
Yet ever since the priest named Ryan had appeared within the temple… miracles had become far too frequent to ignore.
The sudden recovery of his younger sister.
The quiet rumors of impossible healings.
The subtle shift within the temple itself.
Edward had been watching.
Observing.
Waiting.
And now—
He decided to act.
---
Riley—no, Ryan—had just finished her duties for the day when a presence approached her.
Heavy.
Commanding.
The kind of presence that made even high-ranking priests straighten instinctively.
She turned—
And met the piercing gaze of Duke Edward White.
For a brief moment, her heart skipped.
…Third male lead.
Of course.
Of course her life couldn’t stay simple.
“Priest Ryan,” the Duke spoke, his deep voice calm yet authoritative.
Riley immediately bowed slightly.
“Your Grace.”
Edward studied her closely.
That face.
That light.
That unsettling, quiet purity.
It was exactly as he remembered.
“I would like to speak with you,” he said.
Not a request.
An order.
Riley smiled politely, slipping seamlessly into her role.
“Of course, Your Grace.”
---
The White Dukedom was as grand as expected.
Elegant.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Riley walked beside the Duke, fully aware that refusing his invitation had never been an option.
Once they entered, Edward wasted no time.
He gestured—
And a servant brought forward a chest.
The moment it opened—
Gold.
A full chest of it.
Riley’s eyes nearly sparkled—
—but she suppressed it instantly, lowering her gaze with practiced humility.
“Your Grace… this is—”
“My thanks,” Edward interrupted.
“For saving my sister.”
His tone was firm.
Unquestionable.
Riley placed a hand over her chest, shaking her head slightly.
“I only did what any priest should do.”
A lie.
A beautiful, well-crafted lie.
Edward watched her carefully.
“No,” he said. “You did far more than that.”
A pause.
“Take it.”
Riley hesitated—
Just enough to make it believable.
“…Then I will accept, Your Grace.”
Jackpot.
---
After some time, Riley took her leave.
Surprisingly—
The Duke chose to walk her out himself.
The estate gates opened before them, revealing the bustling streets beyond.
As they walked, neither spoke at first.
Until—
A small cough broke the silence.
A child.
Thin.
Pale.
Clearly ill.
Without hesitation, Riley stopped.
Edward’s gaze sharpened slightly as he watched her.
Ryan crouched in front of the child.
“Hey,” she said gently.
No hesitation.
No disgust.
No calculation.
Just kindness.
A soft glow of holy light flickered at her fingertips—subtle enough not to draw attention.
The child’s breathing steadied almost instantly.
Relief filled their small face.
“Th-Thank you…”
Riley smiled.
“Take care of yourself, alright?”
She stood—
And only then did she remember the Duke was watching.
“…My apologies, Your Grace.”
Edward said nothing at first.
He was staring.
Not at her face—
But at her actions.
“…You didn’t hesitate,” he finally said.
Riley shrugged lightly.
“They needed help.”
Simple.
Too simple.
Edward’s gaze darkened slightly.
“…You are not like the others in the temple.”
Riley let out a soft breath.
For a moment—
She dropped the act.
Just a little.
“…That’s because I’m not.”
Edward’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Riley hesitated.
Then spoke.
“…I was born a commoner.”
That alone was not shocking.
But what came next—
“…My mother died because of the temple.”
Edward froze.
Riley’s voice remained calm.
Too calm.
“The High Priest could have healed her,” she continued. “But… she was just a commoner.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
Bitter.
“They refused.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
“I couldn’t do anything,” she added quietly. “So now… I want to climb higher.”
Her green eyes—clear and unwavering—met his.
“So that one day… no one will be turned away because of their status.”
It was the truth.
And yet—
Not the whole truth.
Edward felt something in his chest tighten.
This man—
No.
This person—
Was different.
Too different.
“…I see.”
His voice was quieter now.
Riley looked away, returning to her usual gentle expression.
“My apologies, Your Grace. I spoke out of turn.”
“…No.”
Edward shook his head slightly.
“You spoke honestly.”
And that—
Was rare.
Dangerously rare.
They continued walking.
But something had changed.
Edward found himself watching Ryan more closely.
The way he moved.
The way he spoke.
The way he cared.
And before he realized it—
He had reached out.
His hand brushed lightly against Ryan’s wrist.
Warm.
Real.
Riley paused slightly, surprised.
Edward’s breath hitched—just for a second.
Then—
He pulled his hand back immediately.
“…My apologies.”
His expression hardened slightly, as if correcting himself.
That had been… improper.
Unnecessary.
And yet—
His heart had reacted before his mind could intervene.
What is this…?
Edward frowned slightly.
He had spent his entire life surrounded by women of status and beauty.
Never—
Not once—
Had he felt like this.
Yet this man—
This priest—
Was disrupting something within him.
Riley, unaware of the storm she had just caused, simply smiled gently.
“It’s alright, Your Grace.”
That smile—
Soft.
Pure.
Dangerous.
Edward looked away.
“…If there is anything you need,” he said after a moment, his voice firm once more, “you will come to me.”
Riley blinked slightly.
“…Your Grace?”
“I will support you.”
His gaze returned to hers.
Steady.
Resolved.
“In reaching your goal.”
Riley’s lips curved slightly.
“…Thank you, Your Grace.”
Inside—
She was already calculating.
Another powerful ally secured.
But for Edward—
This was no calculation.
As Ryan walked away, golden hair catching the light—
Edward remained still.
Watching.
And for the first time in his life—
His heart did not feel entirely under his control.
“…Troublesome.”
Yet he did not look away.
Not even once.