Chapter 319: Three is the Line



It was supposed to be a bright and uneventful day for the Emperor.

His future son-in-law had returned safely, and with him, the curse that had been steadily gnawing away at his life had miraculously disappeared.

It was an affliction he had resigned himself to enduring, a slow but inevitable decay that not even the most skilled court magi could fully halt.

Yet, the moment Riley stepped foot back into the empire, that burden had vanished as if it had never existed in the first place.

A miracle.

Or perhaps… something far more deliberate.

Riley had done the impossible-passing the revered trial of the last relic of the Goddess.

It was a feat that no mortal should have been able to accomplish, and though countless questions swirled in the Emperor’s mind about how and why Riley had managed to achieve such a thing, he chose not to dwell on them.

If it was for the sake of the empire…

No, if it was for the sake of the future-

Then he would not question the mysteries that lay beyond mortal comprehension.

After all, the fact that Riley had emerged victorious from the Goddess’s trial was vouch enough.

It was a divine affirmation, an unshakable proof that Riley was someone he could completely trust.

And yet –

His day had been utterly, irreversibly ruined.

What should have been a peaceful, well-earned respite had turned into an absolute disaster, riddled with complications-ones that he was in no way prepared to deal with.

Even though the incident with Rose and Riley had already passed, its lingering effects still clung to him like a suffocating weight.

“You’re growing old…”

The Emperor looked at his right the one and only grand duke of the empire and his best friend Luther Heavens looked at him with a sense of sarcastic pity…

Although Luther knew that being around Riley meant experiencing a never-ending series of unnatural surprises, he never expected it to reach a point where it would directly affect the Emperor himself-let alone his friend.

After all, the thought of Riley ever being remotely associated with Emperor Leopold had never once crossed his mind since meeting the boy.

Leopold had always been a man of near-mythical presence, his youthful appearance defying his true age.

Many whispered about the divine blessings that coursed through his bloodline, keeping him untouched by time.

Some even speculated about ancient, hidden magic sustaining his vigor.

Yet, to think that one incident-just one-was enough to strip away that immortal air he carried…

Luther couldn’t help but find it funny.

“…I came here a bit late, but didn’t the situation already get resolved? So why are you still acting all stressed? What exactly happened, anyway?”

His tone was light, teasing, but his gaze was sharp as he observed the Emperor’s unusual silence.

Leopold sat at his desk, still somewhat brooding, his fingers idly tapping against the thick stacks of paperwork in front of him.

Luther could’ve ignored it-he should’ve ignored it, considering the sheer workload they had both been buried under.

They had spent hours sorting through the mess left behind from the incident earlier, coordinating reports, and ensuring that the empire’s affairs remained stable despite the unexpected chaos.

The sheer amount of administrative work had been suffocating, consuming nearly the entire

day.

And now, it was well past midnight.

Pondering the Duke’s question, the Emperor’s thoughts inadvertently drifted back to the incident from this morning.

It had been a day filled with confusion, surprise, and far too many unexpected developments.

And yet, amidst all of that-among the chaos, the unresolved questions, and the sheer absurdity of watching Rose and Riley brazenly kiss in front of him-that was not what had left him shaken.

No, it was something far worse.

Right after their kiss, something shifted.

The very air in the room had changed.

An invisible weight pressed down upon his body-a suffocating force that made the concept of mana and divinity feel meaningless.

It was as if every fiber of his being, every ounce of power he had accumulated over a lifetime, was being forcibly subdued by a presence far beyond his comprehension.

And it all stemmed from one person.

Riley.

The moment their eyes met, the Emperor-Leopold, ruler of an empire, a man who had never

once lowered his head to anyone-instinctively bowed.

Even now, the mere memory of it sent a shiver down his spine.

‘What… was that?’

At the time, he had barely been able to process it. He had been too focused on the sudden shift

in the room.

Riley caught Rose, her body limp in his arms, still reeling from whatever had just transpired.

But then, as if nothing had happened—as if he hadn’t just sent a surge of oppressive force crashing through the room-Riley simply looked at him and spoke.

“Please forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty… but it seems Rose is tired. May you grant me permission to put her to rest?”

“”

Leopold had stared at him, speechless.

He should have been angry.

He should have demanded an explanation.

How dare Riley stand before him, having just kissed another woman in his presence-when he

was officially in a relationship with his daughter?!

How dare he show such blatant disregard for propriety, for respect, for-

…And yet.

Under that gaze, his fury felt meaningless.

His lips parted, but no words came out. His hands clenched into fists, but he couldn’t bring

himself to act.

Riley’s voice was calm as he turned away.

“I’ll answer all your questions at a later time, Your Majesty.”

His tone was composed, unwavering-almost detached.

“I intend to take responsibility, so you don’t have to worry….”

There was no hesitation in his words, no sign of doubt.

“Snow… Liyana… Rose… Seo… Alice-“

He listed their names with quiet conviction, as if reciting a vow.

“I’ll make sure their smiles won’t fade.”

And then he left.

Just like that.

Leaving the Emperor standing there, powerless to do anything but watch him go.

Leopold remained silent for a long moment, his mind replaying Riley’s words over and over

again.

Eventually, he exhaled, breaking the silence.

“Luther…”

The Duke, still sorting through the mountain of documents, barely looked up. “Hm?”

Leopold leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced as he stared at the now-closed doors.

“Our son-in-law may be a bit more special than we previously thought…”

“???”

Luther paused, glancing at him with a raised brow. It wasn’t unusual for the Emperor to

dodge questions, but this time, there was a different weight behind his words.

Even so, Luther didn’t dwell on it.

If the conversation revolved around Riley, then what else was there to discuss?

A small smirk played on his lips as he leaned back in his own chair.

“You’re right.”

‘Though I doubt, Riley’s surprises will end soon….’

For a brief moment, the air between them was calm.

A quiet understanding passed between two men who had been involved in something, far too

much to handle in a single day.

But then-

“But… do tell me,” the Emperor suddenly said, his voice carrying a trace of exasperation.

“How many more girls is he associated with?”

Luther blinked.

“…What?”

Leopold sighed, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the realization had only just settled

in.

“My daughter, your daughter… and now even that Brilliance girl…” he muttered, shaking his

head. “Our daughters should have been more than enough-sacred flowers for him to cherish,

to be fully satisfied with… and yet-“

His eyes narrowed slightly, recalling Riley’s words.

“Yet his mouth casually dropped random names of people he seriously intends to give

happiness.”

‘Other names of people?’

There were many implications of what the emperor could’ve meant but under this scenario, it

could only mean one thing right?

Especially if it was something that Riley was involved in…..

‘Don’t tell me…’

Snow was one thing.

She was the Emperor’s daughter, after all-his cherished, beloved child.

Riley’s connection with her had been set in stone the moment he returned alive from the trial

of the last relic.

That much was inevitable.

And Rose… well, although her involvement with Riley had taken an unexpectedly early turn,

the Duke had somewhat anticipated that, too considering he was already aware of Rose’s

interest in Riley back then, her actions proving everything as it is.

Given enough time, her path was bound to intertwine with Riley’s.

But other women?

The Duke frowned.

Was Riley truly not satisfied yet?

Had he not already captured more than his fair share of sacred flowers?

Was there yet another woman no-perhaps several more-who had also fallen under his

spell?

A heavy silence filled the room.

Luther’s crimson eyes gleamed darkly as the realization settled in.

He had expected complications, of course-being involved with Riley always came with its

fair share of surprises.

But this… this was something he hadn’t accounted for.

“Do tell me all the details, Leo…”

His voice was light, almost amused, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it.

The Emperor glanced at his old friend, reading the subtle shift in his expression-the way his

smile remained, yet his face held no trace of emotion.

Once again…. Marrying Snow… that was one thing.

Liyana’s position being challenged?

That could still be considered.

And Rose’s involvement in Riley’s life?

Up for debate.

But three.

Three was the hidden wall.

The barrier.

The line.

The limit Luther was willing to tolerate when it came to his ever-popular son-in-law.

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