Yesterday evening. As I opened the carriage window, the evening air, which was beginning to get dark, brushed my face. I had been riding the carriage for several days and nights from the Kingdom of Shattonil to the Empire of Lapion. Outside the window, the granary stretched out endlessly. This must be proof that I was now approaching the imperial palace of the Empire of Lapion.
Emperor Linel Guardian Edpa. What kind of man is he? Is he as handsome as Prince Tesla of the Kingdom of Shattonil where I lived? What if I get caught?
I really hope he’s not quick-witted. While I was lost in these thoughts, the sharp spires of the Lapion Imperial Palace towering in the distance came into view. If they found out that I was the acting Empress, they’d probably be on top of that spire...
“My neck might get caught.”
I swallowed, covering my neck with both hands. I held my hands together and prayed devoutly, cursing Prince Tesla, then closed the carriage window again. I took out one of the luggage bags that I had carefully packed while being pressed for time on the day I left for the Lapion Empire from under the carriage seat. I took a mirror out of the luggage bag, looked at my face, and touched the burn scar on my right side.
“Are you saying there is a magic potion that can make this disappear?”
According to Grand Duke Martins, who came to escort me, we would stay at a hotel in the castle for one night and enter the palace early the next day. Before going to the hotel tonight, we decided to first visit the clinic run by the magician that Prince Tesla mentioned. My excitement from anticipation was not easily appeased. After about an hour, the carriage stopped. There was a knock on the door and Grand Duke Martins' voice was heard.
“We have arrived. Please get off.”
I got out of the carriage wearing a hat with a veil that reached down to the tip of my nose. And as soon as I got out of the carriage, I was embarrassed. I didn’t expect the clinic to be in a fancy building, but I didn’t think it would be in such a dark alley. The name of the clinic sign was also quite strange.
[Confident Night]. In addition, the sign had a picture of a man standing with his legs spread and his hands on his hips, in a literal, confident posture.
“...Is this the right place?”
I looked at the sharp, inhuman face of Grand Duke Martins and pointed to the clinic sign with my finger.
“Yes, this is what Prince Tesla was talking about.”
"Is it so?"
My feet didn't move right away. As I hesitated in front of the clinic door, Grand Duke Martins added.
“The wizard Vik is known among the nobles of the Lapion Empire as an expert in stamina treatment.”
“Stamina?”
Oh, so the clinic's name is 'Confident Night'? I looked up at the sign again.
“On the surface, that’s how it is, but only a few people know his true abilities. For example, creating a magic potion that can remove Lady Zelda’s burn scars.”
“Then, the nobles who usually come here are those who have problems with their stamina?”
“Probably so. But not everyone buys aphrodisiacs because they have functional problems. I’ve heard that people of all ages and genders who have low stamina buy them.”
“But don’t most people come at night because they are not confident?”
“Well, I guess that’s probably the case. Unless it’s a special case like Zelda.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded as if he agreed with what I said, then took a small pouch out of his bosom and handed it to me.
“What is it?”
“If you go in and show this, Vik will know how to give you the potion.”
I took the pouch and checked its contents.
"All right."
Inside the small pouch was a pink diamond, which was considered precious even in the Kingdom of Shattonil, the largest producer of diamonds.
“Your Highness, aren’t you going in with me?”
“Yes, I will wait here.”
Grand Duke Martins replied with a tired look on his face.
“How about we come in together and buy some stimulants?”
“...No. I have no problem!”
Grand Duke Martins was getting angry for no reason. Didn’t you say earlier that Vik's aphrodisiacs aren’t just for people with functional problems?
“...Is this the right place?”
I looked at the sharp, inhuman face of Grand Duke Martins and pointed to the clinic sign with my finger.
“Yes, this is what Prince Tesla was talking about.”
"Is it so?"
My feet didn't move right away. As I hesitated in front of the clinic door, Grand Duke Martins added.
“The wizard Vik is known among the nobles of the Lapion Empire as an expert in stamina treatment.”
“Stamina?”
Oh, so the clinic's name is 'Confident Night'? I looked up at the sign again.
“On the surface, that’s how it is, but only a few people know his true abilities. For example, creating a magic potion that can remove Lady Zelda’s burn scars.”
“Then, the nobles who usually come here are those who have problems with their stamina?”
“Probably so. But not everyone buys aphrodisiacs because they have functional problems. I’ve heard that people of all ages and genders who have low stamina buy them.”
“But don’t most people come at night because they are not confident?”
“Well, I guess that’s probably the case. Unless it’s a special case like Zelda.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded as if he agreed with what I said, then took a small pouch out of his bosom and handed it to me.
“What is it?”
“If you go in and show this, Vik will know how to give you the potion.”
I took the pouch and checked its contents.
"All right."
Inside the small pouch was a pink diamond, which was considered precious even in the Kingdom of Shattonil, the largest producer of diamonds.
“Your Highness, aren’t you going in with me?”
“Yes, I will wait here.”
Grand Duke Martins replied with a tired look on his face.
“How about we come in together and buy some stimulants?”
“...No. I have no problem!”
Grand Duke Martins was getting angry for no reason. Didn’t you say earlier that Vik's aphrodisiacs aren’t just for people with functional problems?
I left Grand Duke Martins behind and opened the clinic door with a trembling heart. The inside of the clinic was dark and secretive, like a salon frequented by noblemen. Was it intentionally darkened to protect the privacy of the customers who came to buy aphrodisiacs?
“I guess there are no guests? Oh, what a surprise.”
In one corner of the waiting room, a man wearing a black robe and a hood pulled down over his head sat like a ghost.
“How did you come here?”
“I guess there are no guests? Oh, what a surprise.”
In one corner of the waiting room, a man wearing a black robe and a hood pulled down over his head sat like a ghost.
“How did you come here?”
Then a woman who looked like Wizard Vik's assistant approached me and asked.
“I came like this.”
I quickly opened the pocket I was holding and showed the pink diamond.
“Oh, follow me.”
As if he had heard it before, the assistant guided me straight to the examination room.
***
As soon as I entered the examination room and sat down on the chair, the Wizard Vik as if he had been waiting, immediately handed me a magic potion.
“You drink first.”
I drank it all in one gulp. I could feel the potion going down my throat. A few seconds later, something unbelievable happened.
“It’s gone... gone? Seriously, is it really gone? Master! I’m not the only one who can’t see the burn scar that was there just now, right? Yes? Right?”
My burn scars disappeared in an incredibly short time. Was it that simple? But during those long years, I... was overwhelmed. I kept looking into the mirror, overwhelmed by my restored face. Then, Wizard Vik spoke coldly.
“As you know, this is only a temporary phenomenon.”
“I heard.”
“First of all, we have prepared a month’s supply according to the order you placed. If you wait outside, an assistant will bring it to you.”
Prince Tesla, you little punk. Only a month?
“One month’s supply? I’d like to buy more.”
“That’s difficult because it’s not something that can be made right away. This order was also made with a lot of effort.”
“Then I’ll go and reserve the dose for a month later!”
“Uh... I’ll take your reservation for now. If you don’t have anything else to say, would you mind waiting outside?”
Wizard Vik scribbled something on the chart with a somewhat displeased expression.
“Excuse me, besides a potion that temporarily makes the scar disappear, do they also make a cure here that can completely cure it? I heard there is such a cure.”
“Well, that’s beyond my ability.”
“I see... I understand.”
The cure for burn scars that Prince Tesla had mentioned didn't seem to be something I could ask him to do. I left the examination room with a heavy heart and sat on the sofa in the waiting room. Wait, I feel a little empty.
“You drink first.”
I drank it all in one gulp. I could feel the potion going down my throat. A few seconds later, something unbelievable happened.
“It’s gone... gone? Seriously, is it really gone? Master! I’m not the only one who can’t see the burn scar that was there just now, right? Yes? Right?”
My burn scars disappeared in an incredibly short time. Was it that simple? But during those long years, I... was overwhelmed. I kept looking into the mirror, overwhelmed by my restored face. Then, Wizard Vik spoke coldly.
“As you know, this is only a temporary phenomenon.”
“I heard.”
“First of all, we have prepared a month’s supply according to the order you placed. If you wait outside, an assistant will bring it to you.”
Prince Tesla, you little punk. Only a month?
“One month’s supply? I’d like to buy more.”
“That’s difficult because it’s not something that can be made right away. This order was also made with a lot of effort.”
“Then I’ll go and reserve the dose for a month later!”
“Uh... I’ll take your reservation for now. If you don’t have anything else to say, would you mind waiting outside?”
Wizard Vik scribbled something on the chart with a somewhat displeased expression.
“Excuse me, besides a potion that temporarily makes the scar disappear, do they also make a cure here that can completely cure it? I heard there is such a cure.”
“Well, that’s beyond my ability.”
“I see... I understand.”
The cure for burn scars that Prince Tesla had mentioned didn't seem to be something I could ask him to do. I left the examination room with a heavy heart and sat on the sofa in the waiting room. Wait, I feel a little empty.
“Oh, I forgot.”
I took off the veiled hat I had just brought out of the examination room and put it back on. The burn scars were gone, but I still wanted to expose my face as I was going to marry the Emperor of this country. Especially in a place like the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
I took off the veiled hat I had just brought out of the examination room and put it back on. The burn scars were gone, but I still wanted to expose my face as I was going to marry the Emperor of this country. Especially in a place like the 'Dignified Night' clinic.
While waiting for the magic potion I was going to take, I noticed the Lapion Empire newspaper on the table. I reached out and picked up the newspaper to relieve my boredom and read it absentmindedly.
“All the women of the empire are curious about His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type for his upcoming wedding. What kind of woman is His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type? Will the Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil who is about to hold a wedding, truly meet His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type?”
It's so childish. If I had a quill pen right now, I would have written my own answer under this article. There's a 100% chance that I, who will marry the Emperor, will not be his ideal type!
“All the women of the empire are curious about His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type for his upcoming wedding. What kind of woman is His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type? Will the Empress from the Kingdom of Shattonil who is about to hold a wedding, truly meet His Majesty the Emperor’s ideal type?”
It's so childish. If I had a quill pen right now, I would have written my own answer under this article. There's a 100% chance that I, who will marry the Emperor, will not be his ideal type!
I continued reading the newspaper article.
“According to his close secretary, the style of women that Emperor Linel likes is...”
I was reading the front page article in the newspaper, then I chuckled and turned the page.
“What, why isn’t there a next chapter? Oh, it’s torn?”
I threw the newspaper on the table.
“Eh.”
I felt slightly annoyed when the flow of the article I was reading was interrupted. It wasn't because I was curious about the Emperor's ideal type.
“As for the level of the reporter. Why are you curious about the Emperor’s ideal type? There must have been a lot of articles like that already. Instead, why don’t you write about the Empress’s ideal type? That would be fresher.”
“I guess you already know the Emperor’s ideal type?”
A mocking voice came from somewhere. There was no one in front of me, so where was the sound coming from?
“Ouch, that’s a surprise!”
I rolled my eyes to the right and saw a black object in a diagonal corner. Looking closely, it was the man in the black robe I had seen when I first entered the clinic. He hasn't left yet? Are you waiting for something like me?
“Usually, men’s ideal type is obvious. Pretty, with a good body, and kind. Would it be different for His Majesty the Emperor? But why do you suddenly speak informally to people you don’t know?”
“Because I don’t know the person.”
“!”
How great of a nobleman must he be to suddenly speak informally to me?
“Isn’t it too obvious what the Emperor’s ideal type is? The Emperor isn’t an ordinary man, after all.”
The man continued to speak informally and confidently.
“You speak as if you know a great deal about His Majesty the Emperor?”
“I’m a bit close to you. But... Did you just speak informally to me?”
The man looked around in disbelief.
“I guess so? I don’t know you either. I thought it was polite to speak informally to strangers in the Imperial City, so I followed suit. Why?”
“Aha, you’re not from here? Well, this clinic is famous for its aphrodisiacs in other areas, too.”
“I didn’t come here to buy an aphrodisiac.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“Why should I tell you that?”
I nervously countered the man's words. Since ancient times, rude people have to be spoken to with a loud voice.
“I see. It seems like you’re sitting in the corner of the waiting room with your robe hood pulled down over your head like a criminal because you’re not confident at night.”
“...That’s funny.”
“Hey, you look like someone who came to buy an aphrodisiac. What’s wrong?”
“...That’s nonsense.”
The man replied with a repeated snort.
“Doesn’t it sound more reasonable to say something like that than to lie and say that you’re close to His Majesty the Emperor?”
“..
“According to his close secretary, the style of women that Emperor Linel likes is...”
I was reading the front page article in the newspaper, then I chuckled and turned the page.
“What, why isn’t there a next chapter? Oh, it’s torn?”
I threw the newspaper on the table.
“Eh.”
I felt slightly annoyed when the flow of the article I was reading was interrupted. It wasn't because I was curious about the Emperor's ideal type.
“As for the level of the reporter. Why are you curious about the Emperor’s ideal type? There must have been a lot of articles like that already. Instead, why don’t you write about the Empress’s ideal type? That would be fresher.”
“I guess you already know the Emperor’s ideal type?”
A mocking voice came from somewhere. There was no one in front of me, so where was the sound coming from?
“Ouch, that’s a surprise!”
I rolled my eyes to the right and saw a black object in a diagonal corner. Looking closely, it was the man in the black robe I had seen when I first entered the clinic. He hasn't left yet? Are you waiting for something like me?
“Usually, men’s ideal type is obvious. Pretty, with a good body, and kind. Would it be different for His Majesty the Emperor? But why do you suddenly speak informally to people you don’t know?”
“Because I don’t know the person.”
“!”
How great of a nobleman must he be to suddenly speak informally to me?
“Isn’t it too obvious what the Emperor’s ideal type is? The Emperor isn’t an ordinary man, after all.”
The man continued to speak informally and confidently.
“You speak as if you know a great deal about His Majesty the Emperor?”
“I’m a bit close to you. But... Did you just speak informally to me?”
The man looked around in disbelief.
“I guess so? I don’t know you either. I thought it was polite to speak informally to strangers in the Imperial City, so I followed suit. Why?”
“Aha, you’re not from here? Well, this clinic is famous for its aphrodisiacs in other areas, too.”
“I didn’t come here to buy an aphrodisiac.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“Why should I tell you that?”
I nervously countered the man's words. Since ancient times, rude people have to be spoken to with a loud voice.
“I see. It seems like you’re sitting in the corner of the waiting room with your robe hood pulled down over your head like a criminal because you’re not confident at night.”
“...That’s funny.”
“Hey, you look like someone who came to buy an aphrodisiac. What’s wrong?”
“...That’s nonsense.”
The man replied with a repeated snort.
“Doesn’t it sound more reasonable to say something like that than to lie and say that you’re close to His Majesty the Emperor?”
“..
We’re actually close.”
The man's voice sounded like a growl.
“Oh, really? Are you close? Then what is the Emperor’s ideal type?”
“That’s not it.”
“..."
Suddenly, I was hit with a bone. Wow, I'm about to marry the Emperor of this country, I can't even say that!
The man's voice sounded like a growl.
“Oh, really? Are you close? Then what is the Emperor’s ideal type?”
“That’s not it.”
“..."
Suddenly, I was hit with a bone. Wow, I'm about to marry the Emperor of this country, I can't even say that!
I got angry for a moment and jumped up from the sofa. How great of a guy is he that he can't even speak informally in the beginning, and he's not even a brat? Take off that guy's hood, okay?
“This is the treatment you reserved.”
Then Vik's assistant brought me a bag made of carpet.
"Thank you."
Okay, let's just get out of here. Let's not talk to that lowly guy who speaks informally to me when we first meet. But I still felt bad about just leaving, so I glared at the man and muttered quietly as I walked toward the clinic door.
“The Emperor should be different from such a rude man. Otherwise, it would only be pitiful for the Empress who came from far away. I really hate rudeness...”
“This is the treatment you reserved.”
Then Vik's assistant brought me a bag made of carpet.
"Thank you."
Okay, let's just get out of here. Let's not talk to that lowly guy who speaks informally to me when we first meet. But I still felt bad about just leaving, so I glared at the man and muttered quietly as I walked toward the clinic door.
“The Emperor should be different from such a rude man. Otherwise, it would only be pitiful for the Empress who came from far away. I really hate rudeness...”
“Ha, you speak as if you are very close to the Empress. Do you really know the Empress’s ideal type?”
The man who finally heard my monologue asked sarcastically.
“I know. I know best.”
“What is it?”
“That’s not you.”
“!”
“Absolutely not.”
I repeated what the man had said earlier and drove the wedge in. I felt so refreshed. As I opened the clinic door, I caught a glimpse of the man taking off his robe. I slightly bent back to check his face.
Huh, what did I just see!
There was a face I could never have imagined under the hood. I was so surprised that I hurriedly closed the clinic door and ran out. Although that man... was rude by speaking informally to me from the moment we first met, he was one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen in my life.
My goodness, my ideal type was right in front of me and I didn’t know about it!
***
“Do you remember now?”
Emperor Linel crossed his arms and asked interrogatively.
“Yes... I made a big mistake by not recognizing you yesterday...”
'The Emperor spoke informally to me first, so I did the same.'
I was waiting for those words to come out, but I couldn't bring myself to say them.
“Even if I’m not the Empress’s ideal type, let me ask again. Wasn’t today your first night?”
I quickly shook my head from side to side.
“No! Your Majesty is exactly my ideal type, and this is my first time with Your Majesty...”
I threw the words out there and deliberately made my face red. I could have easily controlled this level of blushing. I don’t know if this can be called an ability, but it’s one of the symptoms that occurred after I got a burn on my right face. Emperor Linel’s expression brightened a little.
I was waiting for those words to come out, but I couldn't bring myself to say them.
“Even if I’m not the Empress’s ideal type, let me ask again. Wasn’t today your first night?”
I quickly shook my head from side to side.
“No! Your Majesty is exactly my ideal type, and this is my first time with Your Majesty...”
I threw the words out there and deliberately made my face red. I could have easily controlled this level of blushing. I don’t know if this can be called an ability, but it’s one of the symptoms that occurred after I got a burn on my right face. Emperor Linel’s expression brightened a little.
“But you know, I’ve heard before that in the Empress’s country, people are free to have relationships once they turn 20, which is when they become adults. Is that true?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We have had some truly splendid encounters. Ah, my life has been quite miserable. Ahaha.”
I replied with a laugh. In fact, even after the debutante, I was out of the interest of the spirits because of my burn scars. The one who was talking was laughing like this, but the Emperor's expression was getting worse. He occasionally twitched and made a face, but he showed no sign of smiling.
“Hmm, I guess I should call that a blessing...”
His hand went to the right side of my face. He probably wouldn't even notice the burn scar, but I instinctively avoided his hand. What I had just done was clearly presumptuous, but he didn't say anything. There was silence for a moment. I blurted out the words that came to mind, hoping to change this uncomfortable atmosphere.
“I heard that there is a Grand Duke who is much younger than Your Majesty.”
Looking at the way Emperor Linel's complexion darkened rapidly, it didn't seem like a good choice.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I talked to that guy.”
“Where far away is His Highness?”
I don't remember seeing anyone who was presumed to be the Grand Duke at the wedding either.
“Stay in the cold. He probably won’t see the Empress. It’ll be nice to not have to meet your troublesome younger brother-in-law.”
He was smiling, but his eyes looked sad.
“It's close, but just out of my reach, and I can't get to it because it freezes even more when I approach...”
I asked him with surprised eyes.
“Joseph was cursed like me. I can use magic, so the curse waves sent by the wizard didn’t completely drain my body heat, but Joseph was different.”
So the Grand Duke wanted to ask what happened in the end, but he couldn't ask carelessly. As I was just watching, he added something unbelievable.
“Joseph is now trapped in the ice.”
Oh my God.
“Are you by any chance in the palace?”
When I asked him carefully, he lay back down on the bed without saying anything positive or negative.
“Just lie down. The Empress will have a lot to do starting tomorrow.”
It meant not to ask any more questions.
“Yes, Your Majesty....”
Well, what good would it do for me to know the details? I’ll just stay in the Empress’s seat for a while and then go. I thought that way, but when I saw his sad face, a corner of my heart felt uneasy.
“And yesterday. I went to the clinic.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I went to buy a magic potion to raise my body temperature. Since the existence of the hypothermia curse is known only to those close to me, I had no choice but to cover myself with my robe like a criminal, as the Empress said.”
As I was about to lie down, he chuckled and said:
“And yesterday. I went to the clinic.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I went to buy a magic potion to raise my body temperature. Since the existence of the hypothermia curse is known only to those close to me, I had no choice but to cover myself with my robe like a criminal, as the Empress said.”
As I was about to lie down, he chuckled and said:
“It’s a blessing in disguise.”
I glanced down secretly and replied.
“The Empress already knows.”
“What?”
“The fact that there is absolutely no problem where you just looked.”
“!”
“It’s not that bad, is it?”
I glanced down secretly and replied.
“The Empress already knows.”
“What?”
“The fact that there is absolutely no problem where you just looked.”
“!”
“It’s not that bad, is it?”
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