The carriage soon slowed to a halt, the clacking of the horse’s hooves against cobblestones replaced by a sudden, heavy silence that felt peculiar to the Imperial grounds.

Through the window, the marble walls of the Palace rose like a shimmering mountain of ivory and gold, so bright it made Julian’s eyes ache.

It was unnecessarily luxurious.

"We have arrived." The knights announced and then opened the door of the carriage from the outside.

Duke Alaric stepped out first, his presence immediately commanding the space. Even the Imperial guards seemed to stiffen, their breaths catching at the sight of the ’War God of the North.’ Then, Julian stepped down, holding Lucius’s small, trembling hand.

> [NOTIFICATION: Location Detected — The Imperial Palace]

> Current Status: Under Observation (12+ hidden observers detected).

> Active Buffs: ’Calm mind’, ’Imperial Favor’ Rank 1 & ’Veil of the Commoner’.

Whether it was a good thing to leave the veil of the Commoner on when meeting the Emperor or not, Julian did not know.

But he was going to trust his guts and leave the veil on.

As they walked through the towering arched hallways, Julian held on to Lucius’s hand, and walking in front of them was the Duke, with his mantle flowing powerfully.

At times like this, when he was actually ’dressed,’ he seemed too powerful... Too unapproachable. And Julian found himself asking what this powerful man could be hiding that he decided to play hide and seek with him.

It was childish, honestly.

The Emperor’s aide met them halfway, and as soon as he saw the Duke, he bowed his head, immediately introducing himself.

"Your Grace, I am Rowan Ashivel, the Emperor’s Aide." He said, and finally raised his head.

He had brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and his skin seemed flawlessly honeyed, too. He had a beauty that a man shouldn’t possess. It was dangerous.

He was young, the Emperor’s aide, and probably already set for life. He was the envy of most youths, aristocrats, nobles, and commoners.

But there was no hiding the dark eye bags under his eyes. This aide must be terribly overworked.

"The Emperor told me about your visit. I shall escort you now." He said, and Duke Alaric nodded. He honestly couldn’t be bothered who led him there.

He already knew the way, but it seems the Emperor still wanted to do things by the book.

And this made Julian wonder... What was the Emperor like?

Of course, he was an Emperor, probably calculative, manipulative, trying to smile at all times despite not having good intentions. What else? He can also get rid of anyone he sees as an eyesore.

Definitely the kind of character Julian should stay away from, but here he was.

He sighed, pitying his own fate.

Why was it so hard to get away from the damned plot?

They were led to a grand waiting room adjacent to the main hall. The walls were lined with rare tapestries, and at the far end, a massive glass door led out to a balcony overlooking the legendary Forbidden Palace Garden.

Julian’s heart skipped a beat, and one would think it was due to the sheer beauty of this place, but it was something else. From this distance, he could see a shimmering patch of blue-silver flora.

The Moon-Fern. It was right there, glowing softly even in the daylight.

He recognized it from the system’s drawing. That thing... It was one of the ingredients to ensure him a good night’s sleep.

How he wished he could just go there and pluck it, but there were too many eyes. Knights in shimmering gold armour were lined along the pillars, holding spears, as if they also held the foundation of the building.

If he moved even the least bit suspiciously, they would take him into questioning, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Wait here," the Duke commanded, his voice tight. He finally turned to look at Julian, his eyes darting to Julian’s lips for a split second before snapping back to his forehead. "The Emperor will see me first. Then he will call for the boy. Stay with him."

"Your Grace," Julian started. He didn’t feel safe being left alone there, so he wanted to ask for some sort of reassurance, but the Duke was already turning away, his mantle billowing behind him.

Julian watched and nearly cursed under his breath.

He hated trouble, and he hated the ones who found him for no apparent reason.

Being within the walls of the Imperial Palace was already a recipe for disaster.

He sat on a velvet divan, Lucius pressing close to his side. The boy was nervous, his small fingers twisting the fabric of Julian’s coat.

"It’s alright, Lucius," Julian whispered, though he felt like he was lying to himself. "I’m right here."

Would it really be alright?

Suddenly, a man walked into the antechamber from a side door. He wasn’t the Emperor, but he wore the robes of a High Scholar. He was older, with a thin beard and eyes that seemed to peel back Julian’s skin.

"So," the man said, his voice like dry parchment. "This is the tutor who tamed the Grand Duke of the North. I expected someone... more imposing. Not the rejected son of the Astrea house."

Julian froze. His ’Veil’ was supposed to make him a commoner, a shadow. But the veil did not completely erase him.

Anyone who searched for him would find him.

Anyone... Looking for trouble, that is. Because why else would they come looking for him?

"I am merely a tutor, Sir," Julian said, standing up and shielding Lucius behind him.

"A tutor with a very interesting scent," the Scholar mused, stepping closer. "You smell of a commoner. I didn’t think you had been reduced to dirt after being kicked out of your family."

Julian did not say a word. He wanted to say he walked out with his own two feet, but he would only be amusing this old scholar, prompting him to talk more.

It was better to let the old man say his piece and leave.