Roberto des Lonensia never could stick to one thing. He had never worked on or studied anything long enough to become accomplished.

Except for music.

Of all the things he learned at the Academy, music was the only subject he was ever interested in.

Every nobleman learned basic music and art as children. At the academy where all the highest-ranking noblemen’s sons attended, a famous musician was working as the music teacher.

When he was teaching Roberto, the teacher often exclaimed, “You are a genius.”

He taught Roberto with passion and Roberto, who showed no interest in any other subject, took music very seriously.

Roberto was especially talented at composing. When he released his music under the name of Jusepe, it immediately received a lot of attention. This was when he met Amarince, and they became lovers.

He was the happiest man then. However, his contentment was quickly ruined when his mother found out about his life as a composer.

Norma became angry that her son got involved in such a common work and made him give it up. Roberto became livid. He hated himself for loving such lowly work. He was angry at himself for being helpless against his mother.

He felt furious that he couldn’t live his own life the way he wanted.

It was during this time when Roberto became addicted to womanizing. He could forget about his unhappy life when he was with women. He was especially satisfied when he successfully ruined a noblewoman.

Perhaps he was just angry at the world and needed to hurt someone to make him feel better.

However, no matter how far he traveled from Cransia, he was still in his mother’s control. Whatever trouble he caused, Norma took care of it.

No woman he destroyed had a higher rank than his own mother. This was why Norma could always fix the situation.

One day, Roberto wondered. If he ruined a woman more powerful than his mother, what will happen?

Perhaps this was why he started this royal scandal. At the time, he secretly hoped it would fail. He wanted the situation to get so bad that his mother couldn’t do anything about it.

But… what ruined the plot was this nobody. A mere singer.

She said to him confidently, “I can’t betray my audience, but I will always look out for your music.”

She was laughing at him. She was living her own life in a way she wanted, and she was mocking him.

Then that black-haired woman…. She was also laughing at him as she stood next to the emperor.

Any wife of the emperor became a royal accessory. This was how it always worked. However, Empress Sa Bina was different. She was in the emperor’s embrace, but she wasn’t his possession.

Both Amarince and the empress angered him. Everything was their fault.

***

Amarince was afraid. The man’s hands were chocking her neck and pulling her hair.

‘I could really die here!’

She shouldn’t have opened the door at all. She only opened it slightly, thinking it would be safe. She was wrong.

Amarince closed her eyes regretfully.

“…”

However, nothing happened. She didn’t die.

When she opened her eyes, an unexpected scene greeted her. Roberto’s handsome face was turning ugly red.

“K… k…!”

A hand was squeezing Roberto’s neck. Another person was suffocating him from behind. Roberto’s hands quickly loosened, releasing Amarince.

The man behind Roberto threw him onto the ground like garbage. Roberto screamed in pain.

“Gyaa!”

The man was wearing a large hood as he murmured sarcastically.

“Even his scream is annoying.”

Amarince shuddered as she watched the scene.

“W, who…?”

The man in the hood grinned and waved at her to reassure her.

When he took off his hood, his golden hair was revealed. When Amarince met his sharp green eyes, she realized who it was.

A man no one could ever forget.

Amarince quickly kneeled in front of him.

“Y, your highness!”

Lucretius shushed her. “Shhh, keep quiet. I don’t want people to find out about me being here. No one knows about it.”

Amarince continued to kneel as she nodded.

Lucretius added, “This was why I got you the guards, but this idiot is a better swordsman than I expected. Of course, he can’t win against me.”

Lucretius kicked Roberto again. The thud of his feet reaching his body resonated all over the place.

He then said casually, “My empress’ favorite singer can’t die like this. Soon, the owner of the theater will be making a formal request for you. You will receive the title of being the very first royal singer. You better be alive to receive this honor.”

Lucretius was considering giving Amarince a low but still a noble rank. Not now, but perhaps in the future. Amarince looked up in awe.

“Y, your highness.”

“Don’t look so thankful. I am doing this for me. It will make my empress happy, and… Your singing is one of the few kinds of music I can bear to hear without falling asleep.”

“Your highness…”

Amarince was ecstatic. She mimicked the bow she saw other noblewomen do at the castle.

“T… thank you.”

Lucretius grinned and kicked Roberto again.

“Gyaa!”

The emperor continued, “So don’t worry about anything. Just close the door. I have a few things I need to discuss with this man.”

Amarince looked down at the man who was bleeding with his eyes swelling up.

This man threatened her, but Amarince still felt worried for him.

“Y, your highness. He is a composer working under the name of Jusepe and Christian.”

She didn’t care about the man Roberto des Lonensia, but she was concerned for the composer Jusepe and Christian. She wanted this talented composer to continue to make beautiful music.

Lucretius said disappointedly, “I know. Unfortunately, both are the empress’ favorite composers. I guess the amount of talent isn’t proportional to one’s personality.”

Amarince nodded wholeheartedly. She agreed with the emperor that Roberto was a bastard.

How dare he chock her neck!? She was a singer and her neck was her instrument!

Lucretius continued, “I won’t kill him. The empress won’t let me. I also won’t prevent him from composing, so don’t worry.”

Amarince looked visibly relieved. She bowed and locked the door quickly.

Later, Amarince would become the first opera singer to receive a damehood. She would become the royal singer. Until she retires, she would perform hundreds of legendary shows.

Amarince Toul.

She was a very smart and practical woman.