“Lady Melanie, how rude of me to be in front of Her Majesty the Empress!”
Lady Catherine was conscious of me and urged Lady Melanie on.
“Oh my, it’s not a secret, is it? Everyone who needs to know already knows, and Her Majesty the Empress will soon know anyway, so I’m just telling you in advance.”
Lady Melanie retorted to Lady Catherine with a fresh expression.
“This is the first time I’ve heard of it!”
At that moment, an oblivious Young Lady intervened with her eyes wide open.
“Me too! Is it true that Lady Catherine, His Majesty, and you have been engaged since childhood?”
Curiosity exploded here and there at the interesting story. Contrary to Lady Melanie’s words that it was a fact known to everyone who knew, it seemed that only a few people among the nobles knew the fact that the two were engaged. Lady Melanie reluctantly opened her mouth again at the urging of the other young ladies.
“Young Lady Catherine, how old were you when you were engaged to be married to His Majesty? I heard it from my father, but my memory is not so good, so I forgot.”
“It’s just the past. What good is talking about the past now?”
Lady Catherine glanced at me and answered Lady Melanie.
“Even if being engaged is a thing of the past, if your feelings are still ongoing, then it’s a different story. Right?”
Lady Melanie snorted and pointed out quite sharply.
“Oh my, my goodness! So, then Catherine could have originally ascended to the throne as Empress...! Oh, I’m sorry, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Lady Pecilini of Marquis of Astor, who was sitting next to Lady Melanie, belatedly covered her mouth and showed off her clumsy acting. I didn't react to Lady Pecilini's slip of the tongue and just took a sip of tea.
“The fact was so surprising that I blurted out nonsense. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Lady Pesilini bowed her head again to me with a nasty voice that did not want to forgive me at all. I waved to her that it was okay. I almost threw my middle finger out. Now, all eyes were focused on Lady Catherine, who had the highest chance of becoming the Empress of the Lapion Empire. Even though she knew that everyone was watching her, she deliberately pretended not to notice and chewed on a cookie. A small cookie that was just the size of a bird's nest...She only took a bite. Oh my!
Only after I left the Empress's Palace and entered the garden path leading to the main palace did my stiff body loosen up.
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Sharon came closer to me with a worried look on her face.
“I feel worse than I thought. I pretended like nothing happened, but did it work? Sharon, what did it look like to you?”
I asked Sharon, pounding my chest with my fist.
“Your Majesty the Empress is always so dignified. If only you hadn’t done this...”
Sharon said, unclenching my fists with both hands.
“It would be nice if I had some dignity.”
“Yes, if it were me, I would have been shaking so much that my face would have turned red and I would have left that place a long time ago.”
I know she was trying to comfort me, but Sharon's words made me feel a little better.
“I don’t think it’s time to go to His Majesty’s office yet, but let’s take a walk around the garden a bit more before we go.”
“Then what about lunch...”
“I have no idea. I’d like to have a light meal in the afternoon.”
“Yes, then I will take you to a path where you can take a quiet walk.”
"Yes."
With Sharon's guidance, I took a more secluded walk. I replaced lunch with breathing in the fresh air and the sweet scent of flowers. My depressed mood improved a lot. As I walked along the paths that branched off from the Empress's Palace to the main palace, it was soon time to go to his office.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I think it would be best for you to turn towards the main palace now.”
“Yeah, I should go. I should go and listen to the story.”
I was curious about his excuse.
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress.”
When I arrived at the office, Secretary Raphael greeted me. After greeting me, Raphael looked around, then came up to me and whispered.
“His Majesty has been waiting for a while.”
“I see? Thank you.”
When I gave Raphael a short smile, he nodded and opened the door to his office himself. Without even checking which direction Linel was facing, I slightly lifted my dress and greeted him.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
I raised my head again as the office door closed carefully. At that moment, my eyes met with Linel's, who was walking towards me. He was smiling.
“Zelda, people who share a bed aren’t supposed to be that polite. You don’t look close.”
He was a face that I was quite happy to see. I deliberately returned his affectionate gaze with a more indifferent expression. However, I forgot that if I stared at his handsome face for more than 10 seconds, my fighting power would be lost.
Lady Catherine was conscious of me and urged Lady Melanie on.
“Oh my, it’s not a secret, is it? Everyone who needs to know already knows, and Her Majesty the Empress will soon know anyway, so I’m just telling you in advance.”
Lady Melanie retorted to Lady Catherine with a fresh expression.
“This is the first time I’ve heard of it!”
At that moment, an oblivious Young Lady intervened with her eyes wide open.
“Me too! Is it true that Lady Catherine, His Majesty, and you have been engaged since childhood?”
Curiosity exploded here and there at the interesting story. Contrary to Lady Melanie’s words that it was a fact known to everyone who knew, it seemed that only a few people among the nobles knew the fact that the two were engaged. Lady Melanie reluctantly opened her mouth again at the urging of the other young ladies.
“Young Lady Catherine, how old were you when you were engaged to be married to His Majesty? I heard it from my father, but my memory is not so good, so I forgot.”
“It’s just the past. What good is talking about the past now?”
Lady Catherine glanced at me and answered Lady Melanie.
“Even if being engaged is a thing of the past, if your feelings are still ongoing, then it’s a different story. Right?”
Lady Melanie snorted and pointed out quite sharply.
“Oh my, my goodness! So, then Catherine could have originally ascended to the throne as Empress...! Oh, I’m sorry, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Lady Pecilini of Marquis of Astor, who was sitting next to Lady Melanie, belatedly covered her mouth and showed off her clumsy acting. I didn't react to Lady Pecilini's slip of the tongue and just took a sip of tea.
“The fact was so surprising that I blurted out nonsense. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Lady Pesilini bowed her head again to me with a nasty voice that did not want to forgive me at all. I waved to her that it was okay. I almost threw my middle finger out. Now, all eyes were focused on Lady Catherine, who had the highest chance of becoming the Empress of the Lapion Empire. Even though she knew that everyone was watching her, she deliberately pretended not to notice and chewed on a cookie. A small cookie that was just the size of a bird's nest...She only took a bite. Oh my!
Lady Catherine put the remaining cookie on her teacup holder with a full expression. Then she pretended that this chaotic atmosphere had nothing to do with her. What had she been thinking, having witnessed the wedding of the Emperor who had been her fiancé since childhood?
Now I understood why Lady Catherine's sharp eyes had been so cold the moment I entered the reception room. I will step down from my position as the acting Empress anyway, but if Lady Catherine becomes a concubine, what will happen to the fate of Princess Resilia, who will later become the remarried empress?
'Zelda, please be honest. There's something else you're more curious about.'
The incarnation within me asked, grumbling.
'I wonder if that damn handsome Emperor will continue to visit the Empress's palace? Even if his former fiancé becomes his concubine.'
Shut up. I shouted to the incarnation in my head. After the fact that Emperor Linel and Lady Catherine were engaged was revealed, the noble ladies began to comfort me, the empress. Their comfort continued tirelessly like a round song. In fact, I was confused whether it was a round song or a teasing song.
“Your Majesty the Empress. I know you are upset, but since that is His Majesty’s will, I have no choice but to follow it.”
“Yes, traditionally, the Lapion royal family originally had many concubines.”
“That’s right! His Majesty the Emperor is also the son of the third concubine.”
What? Linel is the concubine's child?
“Your Majesty the Empress, could it be that you were unaware of this fact?”
Lady Melanie, who saw my bewildered expression, asked me if I had held a state wedding without knowing anything about it.
'Zelda, please be honest. There's something else you're more curious about.'
The incarnation within me asked, grumbling.
'I wonder if that damn handsome Emperor will continue to visit the Empress's palace? Even if his former fiancé becomes his concubine.'
Shut up. I shouted to the incarnation in my head. After the fact that Emperor Linel and Lady Catherine were engaged was revealed, the noble ladies began to comfort me, the empress. Their comfort continued tirelessly like a round song. In fact, I was confused whether it was a round song or a teasing song.
“Your Majesty the Empress. I know you are upset, but since that is His Majesty’s will, I have no choice but to follow it.”
“Yes, traditionally, the Lapion royal family originally had many concubines.”
“That’s right! His Majesty the Emperor is also the son of the third concubine.”
What? Linel is the concubine's child?
“Your Majesty the Empress, could it be that you were unaware of this fact?”
Lady Melanie, who saw my bewildered expression, asked me if I had held a state wedding without knowing anything about it.
Yes, I didn't know. What can I do? Do you think that was the only thing I didn't know?
“How could Her Majesty not have known?”
But before I knew it, the lie came out in a noble voice.
“Is that true, Your Majesty the Empress?”
Lady Catherine asked with her golden eyes wide open.
"Of course."
I was lying, but Catherine was flustered.
“How could Her Majesty not have known?”
But before I knew it, the lie came out in a noble voice.
“Is that true, Your Majesty the Empress?”
Lady Catherine asked with her golden eyes wide open.
"Of course."
I was lying, but Catherine was flustered.
Ah, I’m tired. It took more physical strength than I thought to make eye contact with each of the noble ladies and smile at them. The only place I could hide my tired expression in this large reception room was when I brought my small teacup to my lips. I looked at the faces of the noble ladies one by one. All fifteen of them were pretty, but they were nothing compared to Princess Resilia. If Princess Resilia had been sitting in this Empress’s seat instead of me, the confident eyes of the ladies would have been overshadowed by the Princess’s beauty.
Tea time, which had no meaning or value to me, passed slowly along with the pretentious laughter of the ladies. When I glanced at Sharon, she approached me as if she had read my mood.
“Your Majesty the Empress, it is now time for you to go to your office.”
Sharon's words sounded like salvation.
“Oh really? It’s that time already.”
In fact, my meeting with Linel was after lunch. Sharon, who had been watching my mood, had brought forward the time to go to the main palace. I opened my mouth to the young ladies with a regretful expression.
“I guess we should end our tea time here today. Oh, and I don’t know which of the young ladies will become the concubine, but I hope you will do your best to serve His Majesty from now on.”
It must be the virtue of an Empress to pretend to be kind like this. If I were really Linel's wife, I would feel terrible. Even now, as the acting Empress, I feel this bad.
“Are you going to see His Majesty?”
Lady Catherine, who was eating six small cookies in one go, asked me, wiping her lips.
“It seems like you want to discuss the matter of taking a concubine.”
I stood up from the sofa and answered Lady Catherine's question calmly without showing any sign of being offended.
“Young ladies, you can stay here and chat a little longer. If I get up first, it would be easier for everyone to enjoy the conversation.”
As I stood up from the sofa, the ladies all followed me and stood up to greet me. I wanted to run to the reception room door, but I didn't rush and carried myself with dignity with every step.
“Your Majesty the Empress?”
Just as I was about to leave the reception room, a slow voice came through as if calling someone. The owner of the voice was Lady Catherine. I tried not to frown and turned around again.
“What's going on?”
The four young ladies stepped forward at the same time and bowed to me again.
“It’s us.”
"Yes?"
“We are the concubines who will serve His Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress.”
...What? The concubines had already been decided? It was absurd. Behind the absurdity, I felt insulted, but I suppressed my emotions and looked at their faces one by one. As expected, they were the concubine candidates I had been anticipating throughout tea time.
"Ha...!"
“Your Majesty the Empress, it is now time for you to go to your office.”
Sharon's words sounded like salvation.
“Oh really? It’s that time already.”
In fact, my meeting with Linel was after lunch. Sharon, who had been watching my mood, had brought forward the time to go to the main palace. I opened my mouth to the young ladies with a regretful expression.
“I guess we should end our tea time here today. Oh, and I don’t know which of the young ladies will become the concubine, but I hope you will do your best to serve His Majesty from now on.”
It must be the virtue of an Empress to pretend to be kind like this. If I were really Linel's wife, I would feel terrible. Even now, as the acting Empress, I feel this bad.
“Are you going to see His Majesty?”
Lady Catherine, who was eating six small cookies in one go, asked me, wiping her lips.
“It seems like you want to discuss the matter of taking a concubine.”
I stood up from the sofa and answered Lady Catherine's question calmly without showing any sign of being offended.
“Young ladies, you can stay here and chat a little longer. If I get up first, it would be easier for everyone to enjoy the conversation.”
As I stood up from the sofa, the ladies all followed me and stood up to greet me. I wanted to run to the reception room door, but I didn't rush and carried myself with dignity with every step.
“Your Majesty the Empress?”
Just as I was about to leave the reception room, a slow voice came through as if calling someone. The owner of the voice was Lady Catherine. I tried not to frown and turned around again.
“What's going on?”
The four young ladies stepped forward at the same time and bowed to me again.
“It’s us.”
"Yes?"
“We are the concubines who will serve His Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress.”
...What? The concubines had already been decided? It was absurd. Behind the absurdity, I felt insulted, but I suppressed my emotions and looked at their faces one by one. As expected, they were the concubine candidates I had been anticipating throughout tea time.
***
"Ha...!"
Only after I left the Empress's Palace and entered the garden path leading to the main palace did my stiff body loosen up.
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Sharon came closer to me with a worried look on her face.
“I feel worse than I thought. I pretended like nothing happened, but did it work? Sharon, what did it look like to you?”
I asked Sharon, pounding my chest with my fist.
“Your Majesty the Empress is always so dignified. If only you hadn’t done this...”
Sharon said, unclenching my fists with both hands.
“It would be nice if I had some dignity.”
“Yes, if it were me, I would have been shaking so much that my face would have turned red and I would have left that place a long time ago.”
I know she was trying to comfort me, but Sharon's words made me feel a little better.
“I don’t think it’s time to go to His Majesty’s office yet, but let’s take a walk around the garden a bit more before we go.”
“Then what about lunch...”
“I have no idea. I’d like to have a light meal in the afternoon.”
“Yes, then I will take you to a path where you can take a quiet walk.”
"Yes."
With Sharon's guidance, I took a more secluded walk. I replaced lunch with breathing in the fresh air and the sweet scent of flowers. My depressed mood improved a lot. As I walked along the paths that branched off from the Empress's Palace to the main palace, it was soon time to go to his office.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I think it would be best for you to turn towards the main palace now.”
“Yeah, I should go. I should go and listen to the story.”
I was curious about his excuse.
***
I am only a proxy Empress. I braced myself as I entered the main palace lobby. I thought about those words as I climbed the central staircase. The issue of concubines may be a bit premature, but in any case, there was no king in the Kingdom of Shattonil who did not have a concubine. I know very well that the Emperor's power does not come from one person. To have a stronger imperial power, the Emperor must maintain close relationships with the various powerful noble families. The easiest way to gain that power without using force was to take the young ladies of each family as concubines. The number of concubines taken in by prominent noble families also symbolized the power of the imperial power. However, the incarnation inside me seemed to think differently.
'But it seems like you're being too debaucherous to take in concubines so quickly!'
From the moment I met the ladies in the reception room, I was muttering and complaining.
'But it seems like you're being too debaucherous to take in concubines so quickly!'
From the moment I met the ladies in the reception room, I was muttering and complaining.
***
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress.”
When I arrived at the office, Secretary Raphael greeted me. After greeting me, Raphael looked around, then came up to me and whispered.
“His Majesty has been waiting for a while.”
“I see? Thank you.”
When I gave Raphael a short smile, he nodded and opened the door to his office himself. Without even checking which direction Linel was facing, I slightly lifted my dress and greeted him.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
I raised my head again as the office door closed carefully. At that moment, my eyes met with Linel's, who was walking towards me. He was smiling.
“Zelda, people who share a bed aren’t supposed to be that polite. You don’t look close.”
He was a face that I was quite happy to see. I deliberately returned his affectionate gaze with a more indifferent expression. However, I forgot that if I stared at his handsome face for more than 10 seconds, my fighting power would be lost.
Damn. It was so annoying that the expressionless face that I was trying to maintain kept fading away. I stared at him with sleepy eyes like someone reading a history book of a lost country. I guess I looked pretty indifferent, right?
“Beautiful. Zelda...”
However, Linel's reaction was completely different from what I expected. Those two short words from his mouth left a great impression on me. His sweet low voice, which seemed to melt people to death, was completely different from his body temperature which seemed to freeze people to death, and it was too harmful to my heart. However, I tried not to be swayed by his compliments.
“It feels new.”
For some reason, his smile grew deeper at my indifferent reaction. My stiff expression crumbled like a biscuit at his smile. He suddenly took a step back and looked at me with a look of admiration, asking.
“What’s special about today?”
Linel held out his hand to me. I was captivated by his perfect features and quickly placed my hand on his palm. With a refined and gentle step, he led me to the sofa.
“I happened to have some talented servants, so I got some help.”
“Great. I thought you were someone else.”
Is that what I look like today?
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that your previous appearance was bad.”
“...I had no such misunderstanding until Your Majesty said that just now?”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes, did you wake me up on purpose?”
“Hahaha, how could that be?”
Linel laughed louder than ever and denied what I said. But his head was nodding forward. Me too.
“Your Majesty, you look particularly happy today?”
'He has not just one but several concubines. Wouldn't it be bad if you were like him?'
The incarnation suddenly interrupted me again and provoked me. He took me to the sofa near the window and sat me down.
“Zelda, when we’re alone, we should call each other by our names, right?”
“Oh, that’s right. Linel.”
He sat down next to me with a satisfied expression as his name came out of my mouth.
“I feel good. Isn’t it nice to see my beautiful wife?”
He turned toward me, crossing his beautifully stretched long legs.
"Thank God."
I answered, looking straight ahead.
“I would have felt better if you had added that you were trying to look good for me.”
He said as he gently pulled up the hem of my dress.
“I wish Linel had told me in advance.”
Contrary to my intention of speaking with a smile, the corners of my mouth kept twisting as if I was sneer-ing. I tried to bring up the subject of the concubine calmly and coolly, but it seemed wrong from the start.
“What do you mean? Judging by your expression, it seems like I did something wrong?”
Linel asked with a nuance that he couldn't do that. He didn't need to give me a long explanation but got straight to the point.
“There is nothing wrong with taking a concubine.”
Just say this one thing and you'll know what I'm talking about.
"...What?"
Although he looked surprised, he didn't seem like he had heard something completely outrageous.
“Zelda, where did you hear that?”
Linel asked with a frown, while his hands continued to lift up the hem of my dress.
“Beautiful. Zelda...”
However, Linel's reaction was completely different from what I expected. Those two short words from his mouth left a great impression on me. His sweet low voice, which seemed to melt people to death, was completely different from his body temperature which seemed to freeze people to death, and it was too harmful to my heart. However, I tried not to be swayed by his compliments.
“It feels new.”
For some reason, his smile grew deeper at my indifferent reaction. My stiff expression crumbled like a biscuit at his smile. He suddenly took a step back and looked at me with a look of admiration, asking.
“What’s special about today?”
Linel held out his hand to me. I was captivated by his perfect features and quickly placed my hand on his palm. With a refined and gentle step, he led me to the sofa.
“I happened to have some talented servants, so I got some help.”
“Great. I thought you were someone else.”
Is that what I look like today?
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that your previous appearance was bad.”
“...I had no such misunderstanding until Your Majesty said that just now?”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes, did you wake me up on purpose?”
“Hahaha, how could that be?”
Linel laughed louder than ever and denied what I said. But his head was nodding forward. Me too.
“Your Majesty, you look particularly happy today?”
'He has not just one but several concubines. Wouldn't it be bad if you were like him?'
The incarnation suddenly interrupted me again and provoked me. He took me to the sofa near the window and sat me down.
“Zelda, when we’re alone, we should call each other by our names, right?”
“Oh, that’s right. Linel.”
He sat down next to me with a satisfied expression as his name came out of my mouth.
“I feel good. Isn’t it nice to see my beautiful wife?”
He turned toward me, crossing his beautifully stretched long legs.
"Thank God."
I answered, looking straight ahead.
“I would have felt better if you had added that you were trying to look good for me.”
He said as he gently pulled up the hem of my dress.
“I wish Linel had told me in advance.”
Contrary to my intention of speaking with a smile, the corners of my mouth kept twisting as if I was sneer-ing. I tried to bring up the subject of the concubine calmly and coolly, but it seemed wrong from the start.
“What do you mean? Judging by your expression, it seems like I did something wrong?”
Linel asked with a nuance that he couldn't do that. He didn't need to give me a long explanation but got straight to the point.
“There is nothing wrong with taking a concubine.”
Just say this one thing and you'll know what I'm talking about.
"...What?"
Although he looked surprised, he didn't seem like he had heard something completely outrageous.
“Zelda, where did you hear that?”
Linel asked with a frown, while his hands continued to lift up the hem of my dress.
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