The day was bright and sunny. Under normal circumstances, the roads of the common district should have been bustling with people and carriages coming to and fro. However, today, only one enclosed carriage of pure white color with the symbol of a Dhalia flower drawn in gold on its door can be seen traveling down the street. A great number of guard knights atop their horses are surrounding it.

On each side of the streets, people are lining up—some bowing, while others are crying in joy while lifting their hands up the heavens. Visitors who knew nothing about the empire of Learia would probably think that the person inside the carriage is a powerful general or perhaps the emperor himself. But inside lies the envy of every woman and the dream of every man.

“The common people really love you, my lady,” Lily expressed in awe while peering through the small opening of the window.

But Ingrid heard none of what Lily said. She was simply sitting like a lifeless statue while staring at the empty space.

Lily looked at Ingrid worriedly. Her lady's decision to join the hunting festival today really took them by surprise.

After what happened a few years ago, Ingrid had sworn to never join the hunting festival again. She would even get upset at the mere mention of the hunting festival that the duke banned the mention of it within the Dahlia Palace. However, this morning, she suddenly announced she was going to the festival, startling everyone.

Ingrid was awakened from her stupor when the carriage stopped. Her heartbeat raced. They must’ve arrived. She balled her hands into fists to hide the slight tremor of her fingers.

“My lady?” Lily called outside of the opened carriage when Ingrid did not come out after a long time.

Ingrid took a series of deep breaths. Once calm, she began decending her carriage.

The hunting festival is a seven-day celebration that commemorates the beginning of the hunting season. The festival starts with the emperor hunting the first game. It is believed that the bigger the game the emperor hunts, the more bountiful the season will be. Afterwards, a hunting competition is held, attended by each representative of the noble families from all over the empire. The winner gets a reward chosen by the emperor.

Last year's prize was a vast land in the southern part of the empire, famous for its agricultural advantages. And two years ago, the emperor added a dance with her on the night of the huntsman’s ball as a bonus for whoever won.

Ingrid decided to head straight to where her father had set up camp. But before they could move, Duchess Camilla, the lady-in-waiting of the empress, alongside two maidservants appeared.

Ingrid was a bit stunned at how fast the news of her arrival had reached the empress' ears. However, she did not give it much thought. After all, it is the empress they are talking about.

“Duchess Camilla,” Ingrid greets perfunctorily.

Duchess Camilla bowed in response and said, “Lady Ingrid, my empress wishes to see you.”

Ingrid's lips formed a thin line. She knew this would happen. “What a coincidence! I was just about to go and greet her grace." Ingrid started moving but noticed that the duchess was still bowing in place. "Is there something wrong, Duchess?"

"It would be best if her lady wore her veil,” the duchess said, looking at Lily with a commanding gaze.

Lily looked at Ingrid, unsure of what she should do. Ingrid simply gave her a reassuring nod. The unwelcoming attitude of the duchess was understandable. After she rejected her son, the duchess never had anything good to say about her.

After wearing her veil, Duchess Camilla led them to the tent where the empress was staying.

“Your highness, Lady Ingrid, has arrived,” Duchess Camilla announced.

“Let her in,” commanded a soft and kind-sounding voice from within the tent.

Ingrid went inside and bowed before the empress. She was about to remove her veil, but the empress stopped her.

“Keep the veil. Your presence is annoying enough.” The voice of the empress was still soft and kind despite the blatant hostility in her words.

Ingrid couldn’t help a mocking smile from appearing on her lips. Luckily, she had her veil on.

“As you wish, your grace,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. The empress never tried to hide her disdain for Ingrid. So Ingrid had no reason to pretend to like her either.

Empress Verandi of the empire of Learia is often mistaken for a benevolent monarch, thanks to her naturally soft voice coupled with her angelic face. But if there is any way to describe the empress, goodness and kindheartedness wouldn't be part of the description.

Vanity and selfishness are the most suitable adjectives for her. Being bested is what she hated the most, especially when it comes to beauty. That is why she abhors Ingrid, whose beauty she can never surpass.

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“What did you come here for? Have you forgotten the chaos you caused two years ago?!”

Ingrid gritted her teeth as she denied her allegation, “I have never caused any sort of chaos whatsoever, your grace.'

The empress laughed mockingly. “You didn’t? Two years ago, in this very hunt, the son of Count Leo lost his life. Ten other noble children were severely injured. If not for the knights timely intervention, many more would have died in the chaos. Civil war could have broken out, and it would have been your fault!”

Ingrid bit the inner corner of her lips and swallowed back the anger rising up her throat. Empress Verandi acted as though she was expressing anger in place of those who were embroiled in the accident two years ago. But they both know she doesn't really care about Count Leo's son who died or the many young nobles that got injured. She just loves to bring up that incident to bring Ingrid down.

Unfortunately, she's succeeding.

“You should just stay in your tower and never come out! That way, you wouldn’t hurt anyone!” Empress Verandi's voice that remained soft as she yelled and the vicious cruelty that warped her angelic face were quite the incongruity. Most of the time, Empress Verandi likes to maintain a benevolent facade. But when in front of Ingrid, her face, which had won her many political allies, would never fail to become twisted.

Ingrid clenched her trembling fist. She expected this would happen even before she came. But knowing and experiencing the empress' spiteful tongue are two different things. And she thought she was already over what happened back then. But it seems that she will never rid herself of the guilt of what happened.

There was indeed some truthfulness in Empress Verandi's word. As a result of the incident, some noble families whose sons were involved in the deadly brawl did become enemies of each other. Meanwhile, other uninvolved parties began taking sides. Count Leo, who lost his son, went mad and commanded his entire household to slaughter every person related to the nobles who had hands on the death of his son and heir.

If it wasn’t for Grand Duke Rasmus' timely intervention, a civil war could have started, all thanks to her. That's why she swore to never step foot in this hunting ground ever again. Yet, here she is.

“Grand Duke Rasmus, you cannot go in there!” Yelled a distressed voice from outside, followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed.

An eerie silence broke out in the camp. Only the dancing of the tree leaves as the winds blow and the heavy footsteps of a person walking towards the tent could be heard.

Relief overwhelmed Ingrid the moment she saw the person entering the tent with a drawn sword on hand.

"Papa!" she exclaimed.

The grim and threatening expression on the grand duke's face instantly turned soft when he found his daughter.

Empress Verandi screamed angrily, “Grand Duke Rasmus, you dare march inside my tent without permission!?!”

“And you dare touch my daughter?!" Grand Rasmus, Duke Rasmus bellowed, causing the empress and the surrounding servants to flinch in fear.

“How impertinent! You must've forgotten your place, grand duke. I am your empress!" The empress shrieked. Her voice sounded like that of an old witch, as she lost her composure.

“It is you who has forgotten Verandi!” The grand duke looked at the empress as though she were a servant below his feet. “Do not test me, empress. The inner palace isn't short of women eager to sit on the golden throne.”

Ingrid smiled, pleased as she watched the color from the empress' face drain. Empress Verandi was unsure of the grand duke's capabilities, as he had always maintained a neutral stance in politics. But every time she was faced by the grand duke, her gut always screamed in warning.

Regrettably, Empress Verandi isn't that foolish. If she were, she would have long lost her crown with the amount of evil she did.

Empress Verandi smiled and said, reverting to her usual calm, “There must be a misunderstanding, grand duke. I was merely giving my dear niece a reminder. You know what happened two years ago. If Lady Ingrid suddenly barges on the hunt unannounced, who knows what kind of chaos will ensue?"

The grand duke scoffed as he placed his sword back in its scabbard. “What happened two years ago was never my daughter’s fault. She never incited them into fighting.”

The corner of the empress' lips twitched. “Indeed, well then, I hope my dear niece will enjoy the hunt.”

“I will, thank you, your grace,” Ingrid said and bowed. And having been emboldened by the presence of her father she added, "Oh, and your grace should probably tone down on the gold accessories as well."

The empress' eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Please, your grace, do not take offense. I'm simply worried it will blind the eyes of the participants, impeding them in their hunt. After all, the emperor is quite superstitious. Who knows what his majesty will do if today's hunt does not yield as much as expected?”

Empress Verandi's face turned a few shades ugly.

A famous merchant once said that gold makes any woman shine. Ever since then, the empress has never been seen without anything gold, be it accessories or clothes in her person. Fortunately, gold suited her complexion, or she would have been a laughingstock. However, no matter if she showers herself in gold dust, she still could not win against a young maiden who never failed to outshine her even when she wore the plainest of clothes.

“Let’s go,” the grand duke said, and he walked out of the tent without looking back.

Ingrid bowed towards the empress in a slow, mocking gesture before following behind her father, leaving the empress trembling with rage.

“Did the empress hurt you?” Ingrid flinched when she heard the coldness of her father’s voice. He’s definitely angry.

“No," she answered timidly.

“You did not mention to me that you were coming today.”

Ingrid bit her lower lips before answering, “You already left when I woke up.”

The grand duke paused as he looked at his daughter. "You could have sent a messenger," he pointed. "And take off your veil. I've told you countless times that you don't need to hide your face. Your beauty is not a sin. Those people and their disgusting minds are the sinful ones."

"Is my father no longer angry?” Ingrid teased.

"I was never angry. I was worried," The grand duke expressed. His mind went back to the report he received yesterday. The Grey Platoon recently caught a spy with an oak symbol on his back lurking at the empire's border.

That tattoo only means one thing: that man has started moving again.

There was actually one man who succeeded in abducting Ingrid. And Grand Duke Rasmus failed to rescue her from that man. Instead, that man returned Ingrid home voluntarily.

He didn't know why that bastard willingly gave him his daughter back until later, when he received an anonymous letter. The letter only contained two simple sentences. "I've bought you six years. Protect her with all your might."

Six years have almost passed. The time to test if the power he accumulated is enough to protect his child is drawing near.