Chapter 594: 594: Political Intrigue
"I will take that as praise."
The maids nearby covered their mouths while smiling quietly, and even Elena’s expression became slightly brighter.
The atmosphere felt unexpectedly relaxed.
After some casual conversation, Elena finally leaned slightly forward while speaking more seriously.
"So," she said gently.
"What kind of dress do you think would suit me?"
Ethan paused briefly and carefully observed her appearance.
Her posture.
Her temperament.
Her facial features.
Elena noticed his serious expression and blinked slightly before sitting straighter instinctively.
Ethan thought quietly for several moments before speaking.
"Your Highness has a very gentle aura," he said calmly.
"So heavy or overly luxurious styles would not suit you properly."
Elena listened quietly.
Ethan continued.
"You need something elegant but soft."
"Something graceful without appearing overly oppressive."
His eyes moved briefly toward the silver lotus lake nearby.
"...White and pale gold would suit you best," he added thoughtfully.
Elena’s eyes lit up slightly.
"That already sounds beautiful," she admitted softly.
Ethan slowly reached toward the papers prepared nearby and began sketching rough outlines calmly.
As he worked, Elena quietly watched him curiously.
"You really seem experienced with this," she said.
Ethan smiled faintly while continuing to draw.
"I have many daughters and wives," he replied calmly.
"If I lacked this much sense by now, I would probably have died already."
Elena suddenly burst into soft laughter after hearing that.
Even several maids nearby failed to hold back their smiles.
"You are much more interesting than the rumors say," Elena said while shaking her head lightly.
Ethan calmly continued sketching while replying.
"Most rumors about me are probably troublesome ones."
Elena tilted her head slightly.
"Not all of them," she replied softly.
Her tone carried faint meaning behind it, but she did not continue further.
Instead, she quietly watched Ethan work while the peaceful atmosphere of the garden continued surrounding them.
For the first time since arriving at the Imperial Capital, Ethan finally felt like he was attending a normal meeting instead of walking through hidden dangers every second.
The dinner atmosphere had been surprisingly pleasant until now, and soft music quietly echoed across the royal garden pavilion while servants calmly moved around placing expensive dishes and wine upon the table.
Warm lights illuminated the surroundings gently, and the cool night breeze carried the faint fragrance of flowers blooming nearby.
For a moment, Ethan had almost relaxed completely.
The food was excellent.
The wine was smooth.
And Elena’s calm and graceful personality made conversations feel natural rather than suffocating like most noble gatherings.
After taking another light sip of wine, Elena slowly placed her cup down and smiled gently toward Ethan.
"Sir Ethan," she spoke softly.
"What about the offer my husband suggested?"
The moment those words entered Ethan’s ears, the relaxed atmosphere inside his mind instantly disappeared.
His body stiffened slightly.
The hand holding the wine cup paused midway, and his expression almost twitched before he quickly controlled it.
Inside, however his scalp was already tingling.
’These damned royals...’
’As expected, nothing good comes from associating with them.’
Ethan inwardly cursed while forcing himself to remain calm outwardly.
He lightly coughed once before answering carefully.
"Of course, I am contemplating things," he replied calmly.
"It’s just that I am waiting for the necessary flow of the battle."
Elena quietly looked at him for a few seconds before suddenly laughing softly.
Her laughter sounded gentle and elegant, but for some reason, it only made Ethan feel more uneasy.
"Sir Ethan," she said while smiling lightly.
"You might not know this, but the Emperor has already sent troops behind the back to negotiate."
Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly the moment he heard that.
For a brief second, he fell silent while processing her words.
Then he slowly looked toward Elena.
"And what exactly does behind the back mean, My Lady?" he asked carefully.
Elena calmly picked up her wine glass again before answering.
"It means exactly as it sounds," she replied softly.
"The other Empires are still somewhat hesitant."
Her blue eyes calmly met Ethan’s gaze.
"And why wouldn’t they be?" she continued.
"After all, it is Arcadia that has suffered the most, not them."
She gently swirled the wine inside the glass before continuing.
"So naturally, many of them still want to continue the war a bit longer."
Her expression remained gentle, but Ethan could already feel pressure building beneath those soft words.
"But Arcadia..." Elena paused briefly.
"...is no longer in a position to comfortably continue this forever."
The atmosphere slowly turned heavier.
Even the servants nearby quietly lowered their heads further while pretending not to hear anything.
Elena then smiled beautifully toward Ethan again.
"So I hope you understand what I am saying, right?" she asked softly.
That beautiful smile only made Ethan feel even more creeped out inside.
’Damned...’
’Damned...’
’This is a warning, right?’
Ethan immediately understood the hidden meaning behind her words.
If Arcadia forcefully pushed for peace talks while Ethan remained outside the Crown Prince’s circle, then all the attention surrounding the potion and negotiations could easily be pushed onto him.
And once that happened—
The blame.
The pressure.
The infamy.
Everything could be redirected toward him.
After all, he was the one who brought the cure.
If peace succeeded, many would praise the Empire.
But if negotiations failed or caused problems...
Then Ethan could easily become the convenient scapegoat standing in the middle.
Ethan quietly swallowed his saliva while his throat suddenly felt dry.
He slowly looked toward Elena again, and then his eyes moved toward the luxurious food laid across the table before him.
Suddenly even the expensive meal no longer felt appetizing.
Inside his mind, he could only sigh bitterly.
’I knew it...’
’Dealing with royals is truly a troublesome matter.’
Still, Ethan forced a faint smile onto his face while lifting his wine cup again.
"I understand Your Highness’ concerns," he said carefully.
"And I will seriously consider His Highness’ proposal."
Elena’s smile became slightly warmer after hearing that.
"That is good," she replied softly.
Then as if the heavy discussion from moments ago had never happened, she lightly changed the topic again and started speaking about dresses and fashion once more.
But Ethan could no longer properly relax for the rest of the dinner.
