Richard Cobalt

As the heir, the duke’s only son, a young man with a promising future as a knight, came before the emperor for the first time in order to receive the title of the royal protector.

Noble blood, and renowned skill and character.

Among the senate in the interior and even the smaller rural aristocrats, there were none who could look down on him.

Thus, his official debut which occurred just as he had reached his twenties transfused new blood into a political sphere that was like stagnant water.

Acknowledgement for his distinguished services in stabilizing the border through exceptional diplomatic ability and a timely show of ****, he rose to the position of Knight Commander.

This was the first time since the country’s founding that a duke's son had seized the position of Knight Commander of the royal family, that which could be called the foundation of the royal family. The rising factions began to gather around him.

Thus, it came to be that there was no one left in the capital who did not know his name. As the key figure who, true to his name, would lead the country into the future, he received everyone’s envy. To the extent that the emperor himself was irked.

Since it was like this, there was no way the matchmakers would leave him, a rare bachelor for his age, alone.

Dozens of noble houses tried to push for marriage with a daughter of their house. And among those, one really seemed like they would accomplish their goal.

This was because he himself had fully recognized the necessity of stabilizing his position and cooperating between houses, given it was the valuable hand in marriage of a duke's son.

However, during the princess’s birthday celebration banquet, and grand return home from another campaign, he lost all of his projected future glory and power and everything else besides.

“Hmm……. A birthday present?”

Asking this, the princess soon pointed to where he was standing indifferently in the middle of the banquet crowd.

Everyone dissuaded him. They whispered that he had the authority to disobey.

But he showed no hesitation at the command to become the princess’s first concubine. He simply bowed his head squarely and deeply.

Everyone said he had gone crazy. The person who had been steadily treading the path that no one and everyone was envious of had, in a single morning, stuck his head in the mud.

At first, shocked by the ridiculousness of it all, the people decided to rectify the situation. But when he suddenly left the dukedom to a distant cousin on his mother’s side and stubbornly crawled into the palace, the people began to whisper one after another as if they had been waiting for this moment.

He wants the position of the emperor’s son-in-law. He’s secretly planning to use the princess. A prostitute who sold his body for power. The disgrace of the aristocracy.

The emperor ignored all of it. Inwardly, he might have thought it was all well and good. Knowing the emperor’s true feelings, the princess was able to have him without any problems.

But the empty spot he left behind was too big. The political sphere once again stagnated and the young factions were disbanded. The now empty position of Knight Commander was given to one of his favored subordinates.

Soon, no one cared about the concubine who had become the princess’s and was staying in the princess’s palace.

On the other hand, the emperor’s power became more entrenched. The princess was a woman who knew how to use artfully use the emperor. She had gotten her man, and so brought the emperor peace of mind, all while looking ahead to the time when she would be on the throne.

The people began to fear the princess more and more. Even when the princess wasn’t present, no one said bad about her.

But the people did not know. That, in the place closest to the princess, beyond the invisible shade, there was someone who genuinely cared for and advised her.

That there was someone who wasn’t afraid to try fixing the princess’s chaotic palace life, irregular meal schedule, and violent temper.

Before six months had passed, a war against the Borne Kingdom on the border was suddenly declared.

And the commander of the advance forces, Richard Cobalt.

He left on the long road with his troops, not a single magician in tow. The princess didn’t even watch his departure from far away. Even if they couldn’t see it, everyone knew what the princess was doing in the room shrouded by heavy curtains.

The people all predicted his ****. With the voices that had in the past predicted his promising future as a leader.

But as if to once again mock everyone’s belief, Richard returned. To the princess’s palace.