IWAEBS - Chapter 8





“No, I just came to see if Your Majesty the Empress had a safe first night.”

Grand Duke Martins shrugged his shoulders and replied, 

“That’s all you wanted to know so you asked for an audience?"

“It’s fine. So far.”

“Rather, I get the impression that Your Majesty the Empress has something to ask me?”

Grand Duke Martins glanced at the audience room door, then leaned forward slightly and said, It was true. There was a question that had been on my mind all night.

“Are the Royal Knights still searching for Princess Resilia? How is it going?”

“What do you hope will happen...?”

Grand Duke Martins asked slyly, one corner of his mouth slightly raised. I swallowed hard at Grand Duke Martins’ unexpected question. I had casually asked about the Princess’s whereabouts, but Grand Duke Martins’ counter-question left me speechless. Of course, I should have said that I hoped to find the Princess quickly. Until yesterday, I had wanted to get out of my position as the acting Empress as soon as possible. Yes, that was how it was, but why now...

“It seems like Your Majesty the Empress has already taken a liking to the place?”

The incarnation inside me blushed as if it had been waiting for the joke that Grand Duke Martins made. I remained silent as if I was afraid that if I tried to say something in response, my face would blush even more.

“I will not tell Prince Tesla about this part.”

Grand Duke Martins spoke as if he was showing great generosity. He looked down at my two hands that I was still fiddling with and chuckled. I found that sight strangely annoying.

“After being surrounded by people from the Lapion royal family, I finally feel at ease now that I am left with only the people of the Kingdom of Shattonil.”

The Grand Duke was the first to change the subject.

“I am sorry to pour cold water on Your Highness’s comfort, but I am no longer a citizen of the Kingdom of Shattonil. I am now an imperial subject and Empress of the Lapion Empire.”

Even though I am the acting Empress who will have to step down soon. The muscles in Grand Duke Martins' face twitched subtly at my joking remark.

“Why didn’t I know before that Your Majesty the Empress was such a good speaker?”

“Because there was no chance to talk. On the way to the Lapion Empire, didn’t the Grand Duke try to communicate mostly with your eyes? Oh, it was that look just now, right?”

"That..."

Just before Grand Duke Martins could object to what I said, Sharon came back into the audience room. It was as if she had been listening to the conversation outside and had come in just in time to silence the Grand Duke. If Sharon had really come in at this moment for me, it was the perfect timing to elevate her from a page to my personal maid.

“It is said that His Majesty the Emperor asked the chief chamberlain what Your Majesty the Empress is doing now.”

Sharon spoke carefully as she placed milk teas in front of me and Grand Duke Martins.

"Yes?"

How unexpected... I never thought that Emperor Linel would be curious about my whereabouts.

“Yes! He also instructed us to prepare meals that Your Majesty the Empress likes.”

Did you order it after seeing the document containing information about me? 

Before the national wedding, a document was written containing information about my tastes, favorite foods, disliked foods, allergies, health, menstrual cycle, etc. Before the document was finally handed over to the Emperor's secretary, I personally checked it over to confirm. At the very last line of the document, I wrote in my mind, 'Actually, I am only a proxy Empress.'

“It seems that His Majesty is taking great care of Your Majesty!”

Sharon spoke with great joy on my behalf.

“She are so kind.”

I gave Sharon a short smile. I felt Grand Duke Martins's gaze on me. I took a sip of my milk tea, looked at the Grand Duke, and slowly opened my mouth.

“Your Highness, you didn’t even look at my face when I was the Count's daughter, but now that I’ve become the Empress, you look at my face in such great detail?”

Grand Duke Martins couldn't hide his momentary bewilderment and showed me his expression.

“I’m sorry. I was rude.”

He put down the teacup he was holding and apologized to me.

“No, when you talk, you should look at the other person’s face. That’s polite. Isn’t that right, Grand Duke Martins?”

There was a lot of bone in my words. During the few days I was coming to the Lapion Empire, when Grand Duke Martins had something to tell me, instead of making eye contact with me, he would look down at the floor and speak. I wasn’t particularly hurt, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being ignored. However, when I suddenly became the Empress, Grand Duke Martins’ gaze suddenly piercing my face felt somehow repulsive. Although I would soon return to being the daughter of a Count, I spoke without hesitation as befitting my position as the Empress. 

The perfect Empress performance. That was the mission given to me. 

Grand Duke Martins, who I thought would show a sour expression, burst into hearty laughter contrary to my expectations. When he smiled brightly, unlike when he kept his mouth shut, his sharp expression seemed surprisingly gentle. I wondered how much better it would have been if he had treated me with such a humane smile from the beginning, even though we were about the same age. It was a moment when I felt the terrifying power of power.

“As Your Majesty the Empress knows, our Grand Duke Rohan’s family has amassed wealth through trade with many countries. In the future, I will be responsible for that trade.”

What are you talking about out of the blue? You're not trying to get me to do some business, are you?

“I’m not buying it.”

"...Yes?"

“I’m joking. So?”

“Oh, yes. Seeing you today, I realized that I still have a long way to go before I can become the person who will carry on the family legacy.”

Grand Duke Martins lifted his teacup again and spoke with some seriousness, putting himself down.

“Why did you suddenly think like that?”

When I asked indifferently, he continued speaking as if he had been waiting.

“I just realized that I have a poor eye for people.”

“What does that mean?”

Are you saying that your evaluation of me is wrong? 

I couldn't understand what Grand Duke Martins was saying, but I didn't want to press him.

“No. Prince Tesla was worried about whether you could fulfill the role of Empress well, but I must tell him that there is no need for that.”

Yes, while you're at it, give the Prince some candy too. I listened to the Grand Duke's words quietly and then turned my head to Sharon.

“Sharon, how much time do we have until lunch?”

“There isn’t much time to tour the Empress’s Palace before lunch.”

Sharon glanced at Grand Duke Martins and said to me.

“Ah, I will now take my leave. Your Majesty the Empress, our conversation today was more enjoyable than I expected. I will visit you often in the future.”

Grand Duke Martins got up from the sofa and greeted me. I glared at the back of Grand Duke Martins's head as he walked toward the door of the audience room and asked,

“How long will Your Highness stay here in the Imperial Palace?”

“As long as Your Majesty the Empress is present, I will always... be by your side.”

Grand Duke Martins slowly turned to me while holding the doorknob and answered. When I nodded in response, he smiled and gave a light bow before leaving the audience room. 

Grand Duke Martins’ last smile felt very uncomfortable, like stepping on excrement. 

*** 

I toured the Empress’s Palace with Sharon before going to the main palace. The Empress’s Palace was much larger than I had thought. There wasn’t enough time to tour the Empress’s Palace before lunchtime. So today, I toured the main rooms in the Empress’ Palace that I would be using the most.

“It is time for you to go to the main palace, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Sharon, who had been giving a detailed explanation of the interior of the Empress's Palace, turned around as I reached the central staircase on the second floor, checked my pocket watch, and spoke.

“It’s already that time.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. The garden path leading to the Empress’s Palace and the Main Palace is especially beautiful, so your walk to the Main Palace will always be enjoyable.

“Really? I’m looking forward to it.”

'Aren't you looking forward to your first meal with the Emperor?'

The incarnation inside me suddenly asked me. I pretended not to hear the incarnation's question and walked towards the main palace with Sharon's guidance. In fact, I was a little nervous. 

***

“Your Majesty the Empress!”

The banquet hall door opened at the shout of the chief steward, Stian. As I entered, the first thing I saw was Emperor Linel sitting at the end of a long table. A different sense of intimidation weighed on my shoulders than when I saw him in the bedroom. No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t feel like the man I had shared a bed with yesterday. The Emperor’s cold gaze, his high nose, and his luscious lips opened for some reason as we got closer.

'It was warm, I didn't mean to do this, but without realizing it, wasn't I the first Empress? We're a married couple now.'

The words he had said last night, which had seeped into my skin, began to ring in my ears like a round song without any particular order. As I walked to where Emperor Linel was sitting, the sound of my heels filled the large and magnificent banquet hall. Thanks to this, there was no danger of him hearing the sound of my rapidly beating heart.

“Your Majesty the Emperor... I come to see you.”

As I greeted him, a group of sparkling women caught my eye on my right eye. I hadn’t noticed them while I was walking toward him. The women were standing in a line with their backs to the wall. I’ve already eaten lunch today. The moment I confirmed their identity, my appetite suddenly disappeared. Not just lunch, but even my appetite for dinner disappeared outside the banquet hall.

“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress!”

When their eyes met mine, the four women erased their smirking expressions and bowed to me.

“Here we go again, you see.”

It was the noble ladies who had invaded the Empress's bedroom without permission, claiming to be my dedicated maids since this morning. Not knowing how to take this situation, I tilted my head slightly and looked at Emperor Linel with eyes that demanded an explanation.

“Come and sit down.”

Emperor Linel gave an order instead of an explanation. He gestured to the seat diagonally next to me with his chin, his face eerily expressionless.

I sat down in my seat with a trembling feeling, guided by the servant. Just as I was about to ask the young ladies who were supposed to be my maids why they were here in a group, he spoke first.

“You toured the Empress’s Palace, right? What did you think? Did you like it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The palace was very splendid. With just a little more work, it will be even more magnificent.”

“Does that mean you like flashy things? To my ears, it sounds like it means something else?”

Emperor Linel, despite his indifferent tone, was quite quick-witted. I said it with a bit of sarcasm, but he understood it. He got it right. Things that are too flashy quickly become tiresome. Things that are too dazzling, whether they are people or objects, eventually turn heads.

“No. If I add affection to the Empress’s Palace, the atmosphere that is already splendid will change. For example, a warm atmosphere will be added...”

“Is that affection something only the Empress can give?”

“That’s possible. Would Your Majesty come to show affection sometimes?”

“...”

Ah, my mouth is flat. As I thoughtlessly responded to the Emperor’s words, my words felt like I was flirting. His straight eyebrows, which had never moved, rose and fell. Emperor Linel drank the wine that had just been filled in his glass in one gulp. Feeling embarrassed, I habitually raised my hand to the right side of my face where the burn scar was. Whenever something went wrong or I felt embarrassed, I would unconsciously touch my burn scar out of habit.

“Your Majesty, it seems you did not hear what I just said...”

I forced a smile and said this to lighten the awkward atmosphere.

“I go often.”

Emperor Linel put down his wine glass and replied. His deep, heavy voice echoed throughout the banquet hall as he said, “Come often.” Perhaps it was because of his deep, deep voice that his words sounded funny and sincere. Several of the young ladies who had been licking their lips to ridicule my remark a moment ago opened their mouths one by one at the Emperor’s answer.

“Empress, why are you looking like that? Was that just something you said?”

“Oh, no. I was just a little surprised that Your Majesty, who is so busy, would say something like that.”

I didn't want to show my embarrassment, so I took a sip of the wine glass in front of me. 

Ugh. I forgot that I couldn't drink and drank too much wine.

“No matter how busy I am, I still need to sleep. Just like last night.”

“K, keke, last night...?”

The wine that was going down my throat started to flow back up again at Emperor Linel's words.


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