“I don’t understand because I don’t feel at all that His Majesty is a cold person? Rather, His Majesty... Aah.”
As soon as I took a step in front of the bed, I grabbed my lower abdomen with both hands, swayed my body, and sat back down on the bed.
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
“Why are you doing that?”
“Are you okay?”
Everyone flinched in surprise as they tried to come closer to me. I quickly raised a hand and told them to stop. At my command, they all stopped coming and stood still in their place.
“Where... are you feeling unwell?”
Only Lady Melanie disobeyed my orders and stepped forward alone, asking.
“Haa, my body... seems to have had a hard time handling Your Majesty’s passion all night long. I’m fine now, so don’t worry about it.”
“...Yes? Is, is that true?”
Lady Melanie raised her voice with a look in her eyes that said it couldn't be true. The other young ladies were also surprised.
“Ah, what should I say? I feel frustrated because I can’t explain this feeling.”
The girls' eyes widened and they looked me up and down.
“When everyone has a chance to see me later, then they will be able to understand my current situation.”
I smiled overly shyly, lifting the strap of my slip dress that had fallen over one shoulder.
“Can you all just leave now? I want to get ready with my servants this morning.”
“But now we have become Your Majesty the Empress’s dedicated maids...”
“This is a matter I have not yet approved. I think I need to discuss it with His Majesty.”
Whether I will take you as my maids or not.
“So now in the bedroom...”
I trailed off and pointed to the bedroom door with an elegant gesture.
Get out! I swallowed what I really wanted to say and purified my last words.
“Please get out.”
Lady Melanie stood still as if she was nailed to my words. The rest of the ladies looked back and forth between me and Lady Melanie, fidgeting. They seemed to be wondering whose words they should follow. I slightly frowned and nodded toward the bedroom door again. Only then did the ladies simultaneously lift the hems of their dresses, bow, and leave. Lady Melanie followed them with an uneasy expression.
“Please get out.”
Lady Melanie stood still as if she was nailed to my words. The rest of the ladies looked back and forth between me and Lady Melanie, fidgeting. They seemed to be wondering whose words they should follow. I slightly frowned and nodded toward the bedroom door again. Only then did the ladies simultaneously lift the hems of their dresses, bow, and leave. Lady Melanie followed them with an uneasy expression.
As soon as all the ladies left, I could hear their voices muttering outside the bedroom. They probably thought that I, an Empress from a vassal state, would be timid and intimidated in front of them.
“Why me?”
In the past, I had turned my head away from people because I didn’t want to show the burn scars on my face, but I had never bowed my head to anyone without a reason. The bewildered expressions of the young ladies who had misjudged me remained in my mind for a long time. I put on my gown and opened the terrace door wide. The well-landscaped and splendid garden of the Empress’s Palace came into view.
Knock knock.
A servant came in with a knock. It was one of the maids who had helped prepare for the wedding yesterday.
“Greetings. My name is Sharon and I will be serving Your Majesty the Empress from now on.”
Sharon greeted me politely and told me why she had come into the bedroom.
“I’m sorry, but I saw you ladies coming out while I was waiting outside.”
“I told everyone to go out.”
“Your Majesty the Empress, may I ask why?”
“I don’t need them.”
“Yes? Oh, yes...”
“Are the young ladies each returning to their mansions now?”
“Oh, no. Originally, the first day as a maid of honor to Her Majesty the Empress was to be spent at the Empress’s palace.”
“I see... Oh, I was really nervous and unfamiliar with the wedding preparations yesterday, so this helped.”
“Your Majesty the Empress, I was only doing what was necessary.”
Sharon's face brightened as I spoke affectionately and expressed my gratitude.
“Sharon, I have a question.”
“Please speak.”
“Do you know by any chance who chose the maids?”
“I don’t know the exact procedure, but I believe that a list of young ladies recommended by the ministers was submitted to His Majesty.”
“So you’re saying they’re maids appointed by imperial decree?”
“I know that.”
In the Kingdom of Shattonil, it is usually entirely up to the Empress to select the maids to assist her, unless there is a special recommendation. But is it different for the Lapion Imperial Family? In any case, it was said that His Majesty's permission is required to select new maids.
“I... When Your Majesty the Empress rises, His Majesty has asked me to convey a message.”
As I was looking around the Empress's Palace garden again, I turned my head at Sharon's words.
“What are you talking about?”
“He asked me to convey that it would be nice to have lunch together at the palace today.”
Sharon spoke with a bright smile. Suddenly, I remembered Emperor Linel's gaze and heavy breathing as he looked down at me last night, and I took a deep breath.
“Then, since I have some time before lunch, I think it would be good to take a look around the Empress’s Palace. I’d like to take a bath first.”
“Yes, I will tell them to get ready right away. What should I do about the dress and accessories you will wear today?”
I asked because I had sent all the girls away and there was no one to help me choose a dress.
“Sharon, would you like to pick out something that would suit me?”
I said with a smile. Sharon, greatly embarrassed, licked her lips.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“It is traditional for the noble ladies, who are usually maids of honor, to choose the dress, but I wonder if it is right for me to choose a dress for Your Majesty the Empress...”
I looked Sharon up and down at her neat attire as she spoke.
“I’ll trust Sharon’s eye. Please.”
They say that a few warm words from a superior can sometimes warm the hearts of servants and ignite their loyalty. And if they feel sincerity, the effect is doubled.
“Is that true, Your Majesty the Empress?”
Sharon's voice rang out cheerfully.
“Yeah, I feel like you might know a dress that would suit me.”
Sharon nodded vigorously at my trusting gaze.
“I will do my best to choose the most beautiful dress!”
“No. Not the most beautiful dress, but the dress that suits me best. That’s fine with me.”
I calmly explained to Sharon, who was slightly excited and had a smiling face.
“And tell the bath attendants that there is no need to heat the water.”
“Huh? But, even though it’s summer, if you soak yourself in cold water, you’ll catch a cold!”
Sharon said in surprise.
“It’s okay. I’ve had the habit of bathing in cold water since I was little, so it doesn’t matter. In fact, I don’t feel refreshed when I wash with warm water.”
Sharon didn’t lose her worried expression at my gentle but firm tone, but she couldn’t say anything else. When I soaked in cold water, the water gradually rose in temperature. And it stayed warm until I finished bathing. On the contrary, if I used warm water from the beginning, the water would gradually get hotter and eventually my skin would turn red. The water temperature would gradually rise and eventually steam would rise like hot spring water. That’s why I had to drain the bathtub water and mix it with cold water every now and then while bathing.
“Greetings. My name is Sharon and I will be serving Your Majesty the Empress from now on.”
Sharon greeted me politely and told me why she had come into the bedroom.
“I’m sorry, but I saw you ladies coming out while I was waiting outside.”
“I told everyone to go out.”
“Your Majesty the Empress, may I ask why?”
“I don’t need them.”
“Yes? Oh, yes...”
“Are the young ladies each returning to their mansions now?”
“Oh, no. Originally, the first day as a maid of honor to Her Majesty the Empress was to be spent at the Empress’s palace.”
“I see... Oh, I was really nervous and unfamiliar with the wedding preparations yesterday, so this helped.”
“Your Majesty the Empress, I was only doing what was necessary.”
Sharon's face brightened as I spoke affectionately and expressed my gratitude.
“Sharon, I have a question.”
“Please speak.”
“Do you know by any chance who chose the maids?”
“I don’t know the exact procedure, but I believe that a list of young ladies recommended by the ministers was submitted to His Majesty.”
“So you’re saying they’re maids appointed by imperial decree?”
“I know that.”
In the Kingdom of Shattonil, it is usually entirely up to the Empress to select the maids to assist her, unless there is a special recommendation. But is it different for the Lapion Imperial Family? In any case, it was said that His Majesty's permission is required to select new maids.
“I... When Your Majesty the Empress rises, His Majesty has asked me to convey a message.”
As I was looking around the Empress's Palace garden again, I turned my head at Sharon's words.
“What are you talking about?”
“He asked me to convey that it would be nice to have lunch together at the palace today.”
Sharon spoke with a bright smile. Suddenly, I remembered Emperor Linel's gaze and heavy breathing as he looked down at me last night, and I took a deep breath.
“Then, since I have some time before lunch, I think it would be good to take a look around the Empress’s Palace. I’d like to take a bath first.”
“Yes, I will tell them to get ready right away. What should I do about the dress and accessories you will wear today?”
I asked because I had sent all the girls away and there was no one to help me choose a dress.
“Sharon, would you like to pick out something that would suit me?”
I said with a smile. Sharon, greatly embarrassed, licked her lips.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“It is traditional for the noble ladies, who are usually maids of honor, to choose the dress, but I wonder if it is right for me to choose a dress for Your Majesty the Empress...”
I looked Sharon up and down at her neat attire as she spoke.
“I’ll trust Sharon’s eye. Please.”
They say that a few warm words from a superior can sometimes warm the hearts of servants and ignite their loyalty. And if they feel sincerity, the effect is doubled.
“Is that true, Your Majesty the Empress?”
Sharon's voice rang out cheerfully.
“Yeah, I feel like you might know a dress that would suit me.”
Sharon nodded vigorously at my trusting gaze.
“I will do my best to choose the most beautiful dress!”
“No. Not the most beautiful dress, but the dress that suits me best. That’s fine with me.”
I calmly explained to Sharon, who was slightly excited and had a smiling face.
“And tell the bath attendants that there is no need to heat the water.”
“Huh? But, even though it’s summer, if you soak yourself in cold water, you’ll catch a cold!”
Sharon said in surprise.
“It’s okay. I’ve had the habit of bathing in cold water since I was little, so it doesn’t matter. In fact, I don’t feel refreshed when I wash with warm water.”
Sharon didn’t lose her worried expression at my gentle but firm tone, but she couldn’t say anything else. When I soaked in cold water, the water gradually rose in temperature. And it stayed warm until I finished bathing. On the contrary, if I used warm water from the beginning, the water would gradually get hotter and eventually my skin would turn red. The water temperature would gradually rise and eventually steam would rise like hot spring water. That’s why I had to drain the bathtub water and mix it with cold water every now and then while bathing.
This phenomenon started after I got a burn on my right face. I wondered why this was happening, but I kept it a secret because I thought I shouldn’t tell anyone else. Not only my family, who didn’t care about me in the first place but even Bonis, my only friend and fellow bathmaid when I lived in the palace, didn’t know this. When my body feels hot, other people don’t notice it when they touch my skin, so I don’t know why I would react that way when I touch water.
“Oh, and I’m done with bathing. Tell them to wait outside when I’m done and I’ll call them.”
“... Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
After Sharon left, I headed straight to the bathroom attached to the bedroom.
“Oh, and I’m done with bathing. Tell them to wait outside when I’m done and I’ll call them.”
“... Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
After Sharon left, I headed straight to the bathroom attached to the bedroom.
***
The water temperature in the Lapion Empire was much colder than in the Kingdom of Shattonil where I lived. I felt refreshed as I soaked in the bathtub filled with cold water by the servants. As expected, the water gradually warmed up as time passed. As I caressed my entire body with both hands, memories of last night rose like steam.
My first night with Emperor Linel. His expression when I saw that unfamiliar feeling spread through me. His low voice whispered between slightly trembling lips. The feeling of his solid muscles touching me. Those incomprehensible gazes look down at me. When I remembered his rough breathing with difficulty, a shiver ran through my body. My heart pounded. After a while, bubbles began to rise in the bathtub. I quickly got up from the bathtub because I thought my skin would get cooked if I sat down any longer. I stood naked in front of the full-length mirror to cool down for a moment.
“Can I have a meal face-to-face with him?”
I already felt uneasy at the thought of facing Emperor Linel. I wiped the mirror that had become foggy with steam with my palm and looked at my reddened face. I touched the spot where the burn scar on my right side had disappeared after drinking the magic potion. I still couldn't believe that the burn scar had disappeared. It was the summer when I was seven that I first felt the pain as if the hot midsummer sun was beating down on my right face. I never told anyone what happened that day. It was because of Prince Tesla's earnest request. That incident became a secret known only to me, Prince Tesla, Princess Resilia, and Logan, the palace wizard.
'Zelda, listen carefully. You must endure the pain that feels like you're going to burst. If you can't overcome it, you'll die. But if you can overcome it, you might one day own this entire continent! You must never, ever tell anyone this. Do you understand?'
The night I got burned, the wizard Logan sneaked in through my window and repeatedly asked me. At the time, I was suffering from a high fever, but I remember Logan's words clearly. Logan left me with something incomprehensible and disappeared the next day. He even abandoned his only daughter, Bonis, whom he loved dearly. Anyway, I overcame the pain that felt like I was going to burst. And in the end, I survived. In addition, the burn scars that had been featureless at first began to show some kind of mark-like shape as time passed. People whispered that I was cursed when they saw the shape of my burn scars.
“It’s not a curse.”
“Can I have a meal face-to-face with him?”
I already felt uneasy at the thought of facing Emperor Linel. I wiped the mirror that had become foggy with steam with my palm and looked at my reddened face. I touched the spot where the burn scar on my right side had disappeared after drinking the magic potion. I still couldn't believe that the burn scar had disappeared. It was the summer when I was seven that I first felt the pain as if the hot midsummer sun was beating down on my right face. I never told anyone what happened that day. It was because of Prince Tesla's earnest request. That incident became a secret known only to me, Prince Tesla, Princess Resilia, and Logan, the palace wizard.
'Zelda, listen carefully. You must endure the pain that feels like you're going to burst. If you can't overcome it, you'll die. But if you can overcome it, you might one day own this entire continent! You must never, ever tell anyone this. Do you understand?'
The night I got burned, the wizard Logan sneaked in through my window and repeatedly asked me. At the time, I was suffering from a high fever, but I remember Logan's words clearly. Logan left me with something incomprehensible and disappeared the next day. He even abandoned his only daughter, Bonis, whom he loved dearly. Anyway, I overcame the pain that felt like I was going to burst. And in the end, I survived. In addition, the burn scars that had been featureless at first began to show some kind of mark-like shape as time passed. People whispered that I was cursed when they saw the shape of my burn scars.
“It’s not a curse.”
Every time I looked in the mirror, I muttered. But those were not my words. They were the words whispered by another being inside me, the incarnation. Every time I felt the pain of burning my body, the incarnation told me. I had to control the fire myself. It was a problem that I couldn’t help myself with. From the day I realized that existence, which I couldn’t figure out why it had come into being, my life was a series of unexpected events. When I turned 17, I was able to stay in the royal palace and work as a bathing maid thanks to Prince Tesla’s recommendation. After I escaped the oppressed Count Trova, I found mental stability and peace. It was all thanks to Prince Tesla. He must have been kind to me because of what his sister, Princess Resilia, had done that day. However. Judging from the fact that he sent me as the acting Empress of the Lapion Empire, it seems that Prince Tesla needed my sacrifice again.
“I’ll hold on. I won’t get caught. And I’ll get the cure that’ll completely erase my burn scars.”
I looked in the mirror and made a resolution once more.
***
When I came out of the bathroom after taking a bath, servants were waiting to help me dress up. I first changed into the dress Sharon had chosen. To my surprise, Sharon’s taste was much better than I had expected. After I finished dressing up and left the bedroom, the guards guarding the front of the residence greeted me politely. When I was halfway down the long hallway, a servant came quickly toward me from the opposite hallway.
“Your Majesty the Empress! A visitor has arrived an hour ago requesting to see Your Majesty the Empress. He is currently waiting in the audience room.”
“Who is it?”
That's what he said, but in reality, I thought I knew who had requested an audience. There could only be one person who would come to see me in the unfamiliar Lapion Imperial Palace.
“What’s your name?”
I pretended not to know anything and asked the attendant again.
“This is Your Majesty the Empress’s home country, Grand Duke Martins Lohane of the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
“Then, I guess we should meet up.”
“Your Majesty the Empress! A visitor has arrived an hour ago requesting to see Your Majesty the Empress. He is currently waiting in the audience room.”
“Who is it?”
That's what he said, but in reality, I thought I knew who had requested an audience. There could only be one person who would come to see me in the unfamiliar Lapion Imperial Palace.
“What’s your name?”
I pretended not to know anything and asked the attendant again.
“This is Your Majesty the Empress’s home country, Grand Duke Martins Lohane of the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
“Then, I guess we should meet up.”
Grand Duke Martins was the person that Prince Tesla gave me when I left for the Lapion Empire. Prince Tesla said that Grand Duke Martins would stay with me in the Lapion Imperial Palace as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and act as my guardian, but I didn’t believe him.
Protection, what the heck. Grand Duke Martins was obviously just a watcher who followed me to see if I was doing my job as the acting Empress well, to make sure I wasn’t doing anything stupid, and to report my every move to Prince Tesla. The Grand Duke and I were in a position where we had to faithfully fulfill our roles and faithfully watch each other’s moods.
We weren’t necessarily enemies, but we weren’t on my side either, so our relationship was ambiguous and full of holes in trust.
***
Guided by Sharon, I entered the audience room located one floor below the bedroom floor. Grand Duke Martins was standing by the arched window with his hands behind his back and looked back at me as I entered. I consciously straightened my back and approached the Grand Duke. He knelt down on one knee and kissed the back of my hand.
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress of the Lapion Empire.”
“Today marks the beginning of a new destiny for the Kingdom of Shattonil and for me.”
I looked down at Grand Duke Martins and spoke calmly. The Grand Duke smiled faintly at my words, then straightened up and looked at my face again. I felt as if his sharp features were piercing through me.
“Please also include my fate as an assistant to Your Majesty the Empress.”
It's funny.
“I am burdened by the many destinies I have to take responsibility for. I believe that Your Highness will figure things out on his own.”
"...Yes."
“Please sit down.”
I tried to pretend not to notice the embarrassed Grand Duke Martins. I sat down on the sofa where only the Empress was allowed to sit and offered the Grand Duke the seat across from me. I was a little surprised at how natural it was for me to act as if I had been the master of this Empress's palace all along.
“Your Majesty the Empress, since this is an appetizer, shall we offer some milk tea?”
I nodded at Sharon's suggestion.
“Yeah. That would be good, right?”
“I will tell them to prepare it right away.”
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress of the Lapion Empire.”
“Today marks the beginning of a new destiny for the Kingdom of Shattonil and for me.”
I looked down at Grand Duke Martins and spoke calmly. The Grand Duke smiled faintly at my words, then straightened up and looked at my face again. I felt as if his sharp features were piercing through me.
“Please also include my fate as an assistant to Your Majesty the Empress.”
It's funny.
“I am burdened by the many destinies I have to take responsibility for. I believe that Your Highness will figure things out on his own.”
"...Yes."
“Please sit down.”
I tried to pretend not to notice the embarrassed Grand Duke Martins. I sat down on the sofa where only the Empress was allowed to sit and offered the Grand Duke the seat across from me. I was a little surprised at how natural it was for me to act as if I had been the master of this Empress's palace all along.
“Your Majesty the Empress, since this is an appetizer, shall we offer some milk tea?”
I nodded at Sharon's suggestion.
“Yeah. That would be good, right?”
“I will tell them to prepare it right away.”
Sharon consciously left the audience room and I immediately asked Grand Duke Martins.
“Do you have anything specific to say to me?”
There must be a reason why you came to see me. For example, it could be about the whereabouts of Princess Resilia...
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