The Emperor, with a satisfied look on his face, ordered the general to bring the prisoners over.
“Yeah. Are you preparing well for the fall social scene?”
“Yes, that is enough, Your Majesty.”
Surely you're not asking me to help prepare for another palace ball or anything like that?
The Emperor had not been particularly interested in anything other than marriage, divorce, inheritance, and court-related matters. Suspicion suddenly arose at the sudden introduction.
The Emperor took a slow sip of tea and paused uncharacteristically.
“I heard that the Mainukor Empire will be sending an envoy soon.”
Agatha instinctively realized that the person who had lunch with the Emperor today was an envoy from the Mainukor Empire.
“Is Second Prince Fernand Mainumconti on the list of delegates?”
There was no answer.
“I see.”
Agatha expected this, but as expected, it was a personal decision she didn't like.
She could feel Enoch's gaze from the side.
When Agatha's expression became unpleasant, the Emperor opened his mouth to comfort her.
“But you still haven’t forgotten that you decided to attend the welcome ball, right?”
Instead of accepting the delegation, she promised to attend the ball.
Agatha reluctantly nodded at the promise that was vivid in her memory.
“Yes, with my husband.”
The Emperor nodded as he added the clue that had been added.
“That’s fine.”
It seems that one of the purposes of this meeting was to confirm that promise.
Enoch, who had a rough idea of the situation, drank his tea without saying a word. A cold silence was falling in the pavilion that had been warm just a moment ago.
The Emperor coughed loudly and softly and continued speaking in a quiet voice.
“The second Prince won’t be able to act like before because he has luggage.”
“Of course, it should be so. If he dares to do something like that in front of Your Majesty, will Your Majesty leave him alone?”
“That’s right. That’s right. So, in the meantime, just focus on strengthening their friendship with Marquis Aratus. As promised, I’ll give the Marquis strength and let him go home early. Okay?”
She felt Enoch's gaze on her again. It was a gaze that was more intense than before.
Agatha nodded seriously without ever looking aside.
“I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
“Yeah, yeah. I am looking forward to it.”
The Emperor's tea time was short, so the table was quickly filled. Agatha, who was leaving the Emperor's palace with Enoch, eventually spoke first, unable to resist the persistent gaze.
“If you have anything to say, feel free to say it.”
“What was the last thing you talked about with Your Majesty?”
Enoch opened his mouth in a rush.
“It was a promise I made after our last meeting. Instead of receiving the delegation, he asked me to attend the welcoming ball.”
“Other than that.”
He tried to evade, but it didn't work. As a man of noble birth, he already noticed the calculations and deals behind it.
“I think it connects to what you said this morning.”
"I guess His Majesty has called you often."
'Sometimes? I was able to get out of it thanks to His Majesty's thoughts from His Highness the Crown Prince. Well, His Majesty may try to expedite your retirement for the time being."
"...I can’t even imagine the conversation that took place there."
"It's okay if you don't know. And, by the way."
Agatha had changed the subject by saying that. However, the conversation that morning had just been connected to the conversation with the Emperor.
“...”
Agatha, who had been silent, lowered her gaze. Before she knew it, her ears had turned red as she had retreated to the hallway wall.
“Is this really something I don’t need to know?”
The low voice of the man who was blocking her view and pressing against her tickled her ears. Her lips, exposed under his thick gaze, moved slightly.
“...I heard from His Majesty that the reason His Majesty wants me to get involved in the affairs of the imperial family is because he now wants stability. That’s why I told him that there would be no more such things. If you were in the capital, there would have been a successor long ago.”
“...”
“Actually, that’s not wrong, is it? Now that you’re back, it wouldn’t be strange if it happened at any time...”
Agatha turned her head to the side as her cheeks burned. The man’s long hair, slowly lowering, tickled the back of her neck.
“Can I interpret what you just said as I wish?”
“...I think last night was enough to step down like a gentleman.”
For a moment, hot breath settled on the nape of her neck. Agatha's body flinched and trembled.
“I never thought I would hear news like this.”
There was a faint excitement and laughter in his soft voice.
“I would like to go back to the mansion right away, is that okay?”
The man kissed the back of her hand deeply and his eyes lit up. His dark, grayish eyes were shining brightly.
Agatha, who almost nodded as if possessed, barely managed to regain her senses.
“...We decided to go to the costume shop, right?”
“Then let’s finish that and return to the mansion.”
The man who had kissed her on the cheek took a step back. At the same time, the tension that had been building up seemed to relax all at once.
The man's hand was intertwined under Agatha's palm as she let out a short breath.
“Shall we go?”
Agatha left the Emperor's palace, escorted by Enoch.
In the carriage to the costume shop, he smiled blandly, unlike before, and asked if she wanted to have more clothes tailored on the way.
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
“While you’re at it, it would be a good idea to get some more accessories.”
Arriving at the dressing room, where she was warmly welcomed by Madame Charlotte as usual, Agatha secretly chose a wine decorated with golden topaz from Enoch.
The blue thread attached to the bottom of the sword hilt seemed to match the color of his and her hair.
Before the sunset, Agatha returned to the mansion and offered him the topaz wine she had chosen earlier as he stood in front of the inner room.
“This is a thank you for the earrings.”
The moment when she tilted her head slightly and smiled so that her earrings could be seen clearly.
The man, with his lips still overlapping, entered the room carrying Agatha.
The next day was a day for the hard-working knights.
“Second Vice-Captain, Hubert Karwen, forward.”
Enoch praised the knights who had fought on the battlefield by calling their names from the training grounds of the capital Aratus Mansion.
They were given enormous rewards, new swords, armor, horses, medals, and even vacations to take turns enjoying.
The morale of the knights, who had received their lord's recognition and appropriate rewards, was sky-high.
“Everyone, a moment of silence.”
The last was a memorial service for the dead knights and soldiers.
The awards and memorial ceremonies will be held simultaneously in the Aratus Estate and the Nobilis Estate.
Now that the housework was taken care of, all that was left was to enjoy the fall social scene.
The fall social scene has begun.
Even before the Imperial Ball, gatherings to enjoy the autumn atmosphere were held, and in the cool evenings, there was an opportunity to show off new autumn dresses.
The event that Agatha attended today was also one such event, a wine tasting held outdoors late in the evening.
All the ladies who attended wore elegant dresses with sleeves that reached down to the back of their hands, thin cloaks, and held wine glasses in their hands.
Their cheeks flushed as they drank wine in the cool air.
“Oh, did you hear that?”
“What’s going on?”
“They say a delegation has arrived from Mainukor. I heard the Prime Minister has gone to the border to welcome them.”
“I heard that news too.”
Along with the faint smell of alcohol, the story of the Mainukor delegation that would accompany the autumn social circle also spread.
Isabelle, who was holding a glass of wine next to Agatha, heard those words and whispered.
“Is it something to do with the negotiations on Pahlavi Island?”
"That's right."
It wasn't a secret, so Isabelle would have known.
And if Isabelle, who hadn't even made her debut yet, knew something, then it meant that everyone here knew it.
Baroness Mident, who had already had seven glasses of wine, approached Agatha with an eighth glass.
“The Marchioness of Aratus.”
Her flushed face seemed to indicate that she was quite drunk.
“Please tell me what happened on Pahlavi Island. Are you already familiar with the delegation coming this time?”
However, with her sparkling eyes and clear pronunciation, it seemed as if she was in good condition.
“I heard that the first autumn ball also serves as a welcoming ball for the delegation. I’d like to know who will be attending.”
Agatha smiled slightly after hearing Baroness Mident's question.
It was obvious that she was being tricked, but she was also wondering what to do.
Mrs. Mident was twitching her hands slightly in nervousness.
Agatha, who noticed that the people around her were pretending to enjoy the wine and secretly listening, shook her glass and opened her mouth.
“Well, I don’t know if the delegation coming this time is the same delegation that came to Pahlavi Island.”
“Oh, of course, of course. Of course.”
Madame Mident, who had regained her senses, quickly chimed in. Agatha looked around as if responding to the attention of the ladies.
“As you all know, this time I am not in charge of the delegation.”
“Hahaha. Right.”
“I don’t think I can take care of everything, like the composition of the delegation.”
The last place Agatha's gaze settled was on Baroness Mident.
“Isn’t that so, Baroness Mident?”
“Yes, that is. Marchioness Aratus.”
Both the hostile factions and the neutral factions avoided openly confronting Agatha.
Very rarely, some cannot suppress themselves and end up having an accident at least once.
Like this.
“Yeah. Are you preparing well for the fall social scene?”
“Yes, that is enough, Your Majesty.”
Surely you're not asking me to help prepare for another palace ball or anything like that?
The Emperor had not been particularly interested in anything other than marriage, divorce, inheritance, and court-related matters. Suspicion suddenly arose at the sudden introduction.
The Emperor took a slow sip of tea and paused uncharacteristically.
“I heard that the Mainukor Empire will be sending an envoy soon.”
Agatha instinctively realized that the person who had lunch with the Emperor today was an envoy from the Mainukor Empire.
“Is Second Prince Fernand Mainumconti on the list of delegates?”
There was no answer.
“I see.”
Agatha expected this, but as expected, it was a personal decision she didn't like.
She could feel Enoch's gaze from the side.
When Agatha's expression became unpleasant, the Emperor opened his mouth to comfort her.
“But you still haven’t forgotten that you decided to attend the welcome ball, right?”
Instead of accepting the delegation, she promised to attend the ball.
Agatha reluctantly nodded at the promise that was vivid in her memory.
“Yes, with my husband.”
The Emperor nodded as he added the clue that had been added.
“That’s fine.”
It seems that one of the purposes of this meeting was to confirm that promise.
Enoch, who had a rough idea of the situation, drank his tea without saying a word. A cold silence was falling in the pavilion that had been warm just a moment ago.
The Emperor coughed loudly and softly and continued speaking in a quiet voice.
“The second Prince won’t be able to act like before because he has luggage.”
“Of course, it should be so. If he dares to do something like that in front of Your Majesty, will Your Majesty leave him alone?”
“That’s right. That’s right. So, in the meantime, just focus on strengthening their friendship with Marquis Aratus. As promised, I’ll give the Marquis strength and let him go home early. Okay?”
She felt Enoch's gaze on her again. It was a gaze that was more intense than before.
Agatha nodded seriously without ever looking aside.
“I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
“Yeah, yeah. I am looking forward to it.”
The Emperor's tea time was short, so the table was quickly filled. Agatha, who was leaving the Emperor's palace with Enoch, eventually spoke first, unable to resist the persistent gaze.
“If you have anything to say, feel free to say it.”
“What was the last thing you talked about with Your Majesty?”
Enoch opened his mouth in a rush.
“It was a promise I made after our last meeting. Instead of receiving the delegation, he asked me to attend the welcoming ball.”
“Other than that.”
He tried to evade, but it didn't work. As a man of noble birth, he already noticed the calculations and deals behind it.
“I think it connects to what you said this morning.”
"I guess His Majesty has called you often."
'Sometimes? I was able to get out of it thanks to His Majesty's thoughts from His Highness the Crown Prince. Well, His Majesty may try to expedite your retirement for the time being."
"...I can’t even imagine the conversation that took place there."
"It's okay if you don't know. And, by the way."
Agatha had changed the subject by saying that. However, the conversation that morning had just been connected to the conversation with the Emperor.
“...”
Agatha, who had been silent, lowered her gaze. Before she knew it, her ears had turned red as she had retreated to the hallway wall.
“Is this really something I don’t need to know?”
The low voice of the man who was blocking her view and pressing against her tickled her ears. Her lips, exposed under his thick gaze, moved slightly.
“...I heard from His Majesty that the reason His Majesty wants me to get involved in the affairs of the imperial family is because he now wants stability. That’s why I told him that there would be no more such things. If you were in the capital, there would have been a successor long ago.”
“...”
“Actually, that’s not wrong, is it? Now that you’re back, it wouldn’t be strange if it happened at any time...”
Agatha turned her head to the side as her cheeks burned. The man’s long hair, slowly lowering, tickled the back of her neck.
“Can I interpret what you just said as I wish?”
“...I think last night was enough to step down like a gentleman.”
For a moment, hot breath settled on the nape of her neck. Agatha's body flinched and trembled.
“I never thought I would hear news like this.”
There was a faint excitement and laughter in his soft voice.
“I would like to go back to the mansion right away, is that okay?”
The man kissed the back of her hand deeply and his eyes lit up. His dark, grayish eyes were shining brightly.
Agatha, who almost nodded as if possessed, barely managed to regain her senses.
“...We decided to go to the costume shop, right?”
“Then let’s finish that and return to the mansion.”
The man who had kissed her on the cheek took a step back. At the same time, the tension that had been building up seemed to relax all at once.
The man's hand was intertwined under Agatha's palm as she let out a short breath.
“Shall we go?”
Agatha left the Emperor's palace, escorted by Enoch.
In the carriage to the costume shop, he smiled blandly, unlike before, and asked if she wanted to have more clothes tailored on the way.
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
“While you’re at it, it would be a good idea to get some more accessories.”
Arriving at the dressing room, where she was warmly welcomed by Madame Charlotte as usual, Agatha secretly chose a wine decorated with golden topaz from Enoch.
The blue thread attached to the bottom of the sword hilt seemed to match the color of his and her hair.
Before the sunset, Agatha returned to the mansion and offered him the topaz wine she had chosen earlier as he stood in front of the inner room.
“This is a thank you for the earrings.”
The moment when she tilted her head slightly and smiled so that her earrings could be seen clearly.
The man, with his lips still overlapping, entered the room carrying Agatha.
The next day was a day for the hard-working knights.
“Second Vice-Captain, Hubert Karwen, forward.”
Enoch praised the knights who had fought on the battlefield by calling their names from the training grounds of the capital Aratus Mansion.
They were given enormous rewards, new swords, armor, horses, medals, and even vacations to take turns enjoying.
The morale of the knights, who had received their lord's recognition and appropriate rewards, was sky-high.
“Everyone, a moment of silence.”
The last was a memorial service for the dead knights and soldiers.
The awards and memorial ceremonies will be held simultaneously in the Aratus Estate and the Nobilis Estate.
Now that the housework was taken care of, all that was left was to enjoy the fall social scene.
The fall social scene has begun.
Even before the Imperial Ball, gatherings to enjoy the autumn atmosphere were held, and in the cool evenings, there was an opportunity to show off new autumn dresses.
The event that Agatha attended today was also one such event, a wine tasting held outdoors late in the evening.
All the ladies who attended wore elegant dresses with sleeves that reached down to the back of their hands, thin cloaks, and held wine glasses in their hands.
Their cheeks flushed as they drank wine in the cool air.
“Oh, did you hear that?”
“What’s going on?”
“They say a delegation has arrived from Mainukor. I heard the Prime Minister has gone to the border to welcome them.”
“I heard that news too.”
Along with the faint smell of alcohol, the story of the Mainukor delegation that would accompany the autumn social circle also spread.
Isabelle, who was holding a glass of wine next to Agatha, heard those words and whispered.
“Is it something to do with the negotiations on Pahlavi Island?”
"That's right."
It wasn't a secret, so Isabelle would have known.
And if Isabelle, who hadn't even made her debut yet, knew something, then it meant that everyone here knew it.
Baroness Mident, who had already had seven glasses of wine, approached Agatha with an eighth glass.
“The Marchioness of Aratus.”
Her flushed face seemed to indicate that she was quite drunk.
“Please tell me what happened on Pahlavi Island. Are you already familiar with the delegation coming this time?”
However, with her sparkling eyes and clear pronunciation, it seemed as if she was in good condition.
“I heard that the first autumn ball also serves as a welcoming ball for the delegation. I’d like to know who will be attending.”
Agatha smiled slightly after hearing Baroness Mident's question.
It was obvious that she was being tricked, but she was also wondering what to do.
Mrs. Mident was twitching her hands slightly in nervousness.
Agatha, who noticed that the people around her were pretending to enjoy the wine and secretly listening, shook her glass and opened her mouth.
“Well, I don’t know if the delegation coming this time is the same delegation that came to Pahlavi Island.”
“Oh, of course, of course. Of course.”
Madame Mident, who had regained her senses, quickly chimed in. Agatha looked around as if responding to the attention of the ladies.
“As you all know, this time I am not in charge of the delegation.”
“Hahaha. Right.”
“I don’t think I can take care of everything, like the composition of the delegation.”
The last place Agatha's gaze settled was on Baroness Mident.
“Isn’t that so, Baroness Mident?”
“Yes, that is. Marchioness Aratus.”
Both the hostile factions and the neutral factions avoided openly confronting Agatha.
Very rarely, some cannot suppress themselves and end up having an accident at least once.
Like this.
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