The story of Grand Duke Martins repeatedly failing the knighthood exams was not heard from Prince Tesla, but from Canal Adalion, the swordsmanship master of the two men. Canal Adalion was one of the greatest sword masters in the history of the Kingdom of Shattonil and the commander of the knights of the kingdom. He was also my secret swordsmanship master. Since I recognized the incarnation within me, I began to practice swordsmanship in secret to relieve the boiling heat inside my body.
The noble ladies of the Kingdom of Shattonil learn basic swordsmanship from childhood. Most noble ladies learn swordsmanship halfheartedly, but the moment I held a sword in my hand, I felt a thrill all over my body. Master Canal had a long relationship with my family, the Counts of Trova, and had taught my stepbrother's swordsmanship. I would sneak around the Counts’ training room, secretly eavesdropping on Master Canal’s teachings and imitating them. Then, by chance, Master Canal saw me swinging my sword alone in the training room and accepted me as his disciple.
However, the fact that I was learning swordsmanship from him privately was kept a secret, as Master Canal suggested because he was conscious of my stepbrothers’ territoriality. Several years passed and when I turned 16... At that time, my side attack technique was not improving at all, so I often went into the forest connected to the Count’s house and practiced all night. That day too, when the sword did not move as I wanted, I collapsed on the floor and gave up in frustration. Master Canal, as usual, watched quietly from a corner and then approached me.
“Greed is poison, and equanimity is beneficial. You don’t have to rush too much.”
“Master, but the side attack moves are not increasing at all! How can I break even one of my opponent’s ribs like this?”
“Take it slow. If you don’t stop, you’ll soon get what you want.”
“Among the Master’s disciples, am I the least skilled?”
When I asked sullenly, Master Canal laughed heartily.
“Haha, what are you talking about? Lady Zelda is the best disciple along with Prince Tesla.”
“Really, really? Better than Lord Martins? I think he’s also good at swordsmanship.”
“Who is that? Lord Martins Lohain? Haa, don’t mention him.”
"Why?"
“In all my life, I’ve never seen someone so pure in swordsmanship...! Oh my, please pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”
“Greed is poison, and equanimity is beneficial. You don’t have to rush too much.”
“Master, but the side attack moves are not increasing at all! How can I break even one of my opponent’s ribs like this?”
“Take it slow. If you don’t stop, you’ll soon get what you want.”
“Among the Master’s disciples, am I the least skilled?”
When I asked sullenly, Master Canal laughed heartily.
“Haha, what are you talking about? Lady Zelda is the best disciple along with Prince Tesla.”
“Really, really? Better than Lord Martins? I think he’s also good at swordsmanship.”
“Who is that? Lord Martins Lohain? Haa, don’t mention him.”
"Why?"
“In all my life, I’ve never seen someone so pure in swordsmanship...! Oh my, please pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”
“Oh my, what did you just say? I didn’t hear anything.”
I answered with a witty lie. Then the Master sighed in relief and revealed the Grand Duke's secret to me.
“Among my disciples, he is the first in history to hold the scabbard upside down. This is truly a disgrace to my life as a sword master.”
“Is that neat?”
“Yes, he only knows how to use a fountain pen, but he's completely ignorant when it comes to swordsmanship! Anyway... Please forget about the story about the idiot swordsman you just heard.”
“I told you I didn’t hear anything?”
I smiled and picked up my sword again. It seemed as if I had received great comfort from Grand Duke Martins unexpectedly. After that, whenever I saw the Grand Duke, the words I had heard from Master Canal came to my ears like a round song, following the rhythm. Swordsmanship fool, swordsmanship fool...
“Excuse me, Your Majesty? Have you heard anything else about me from Prince Tesla?”
Grand Duke Martins asked me something secretly with a very uncomfortable expression. Hmm, I didn't want to reveal this secret... I'll have to let it out on the Grand Duke for being so mean to me today.
“I’ll think about it. I’ve heard so many things.”
“...You’ve heard a lot, right?”
Even if his jewel pouch was robbed, he wouldn't have looked that shocked, but the Grand Duke seemed more afraid of his personal information being robbed.
“Oh, by the way, why isn’t Your Highness married yet?”
As the topic of conversation changed, Grand Duke Martins' tense expression softened slightly.
“Well, I got married late because I was so immersed in my studies. But that doesn’t mean I’m a picky person.”
“Yes, it seems so. I wonder if the delay in marriage is a matter of the Grand Duke's taste.”
“Taste? Your Majesty the Empress, it seems as if you know my taste when you speak of it.”
Grand Duke Martins smiled with an interested look on his face, his hands clasped behind his back.
“I heard that three years ago, you had a very passionate love affair with the widow of the Duke of Elido.”
Stop. Grand Duke Martins stood still. I pretended not to notice the Grand Duke's bewilderment and continued talking.
“Oh, and the Grand Duke's first love was the wife of Count Rodello, right? You said she had been divorced three times?”
“...Did you hear that from Prince Tesla too?”
Grand Duke Martins' voice trembled slightly. Since he didn't deny it, it must be true.
“Yes, Prince Tesla is a much more diverse and accurate source of information than the royal newspapers.”
Grand Duke Martins' face turned red at my tone of voice, which seemed to be asking the obvious. In fact, I hadn't heard this story from Prince Tesla either.
'You all know that Grand Duke Martins Lohain's ideal type is a bit unusual, right?'
Earlier this year, I overheard the ladies gossiping in the lounge of the royal banquet hall. The Grand Duke Martins' ideal type was a poor woman who was alone, whether through separation or bereavement.
“Are you really like a woman with such unique tastes? Or was it just a coincidence every time?”
The Grand Duke flinched as if he had been caught secretly meeting a lady in the middle of the night. He felt a little relieved to see the usually arrogant man acting so helpless.
“Everyone... is a misunderstanding.”
“Oh my God, Prince Tesla, your information is all wrong?”
“Of course.”
The Grand Duke Martins' jaw muscles tightened. I nodded and pretended to believe the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke clenched his hands. He seemed to be thinking of Prince Tesla, who believed that he had revealed two of his secrets to me. What if he asked Prince Tesla himself later? Well, I wasn't too scared if my lies were discovered. After all, I was much better at fighting than the stupid Grand Duke. If you feel wronged, then come at me.
“Your Majesty, what I just said is also a secret. You know that, right?”
Grand Duke Martins glanced at the attendants following us and whispered to me with a pleading look in his eyes.
“Look at it.”
"...Yes?"
“I'm joking.”
“You’re really good at joking... It’s sad.”
“If it’s true, isn’t it even more cruel if you feel resentful?”
"...Ah."
“Even if it’s sad, it’s better if it’s a joke. Isn’t that right?”
“Well, that’s true, but... Ha!”
Grand Duke Martins trailed off and hit his forehead with his hand. I felt a cracking sound coming from his forehead, and I laughed. As we were talking about something trivial, we arrived in front of the Empress's Palace.
“Your Highness, please look around here in the Lapion Empire. Aren’t there any noble ladies who are alone here? Well then, please be careful on your way back.”
I turned around and greeted him cheerfully, leaving the soulless face of Grand Duke Martins behind.
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Grand Duke Martins called me and strode toward me.
“Thank you for the advice.”
“No problem.”
I responded with a dry tone.
“Come to think of it... It seems that my taste is just as Your Majesty the Empress said. Let’s look into it, and Your Majesty the Empress might be one of the candidates.”
Grand Duke Martins tilted his head slightly and said, What are you saying? This swordsman fool?
***
“There was never a moment when I felt at ease.”
I sat in the bathtub, closed my eyes, and thought back on the events of the day one by one. I was exhausted, perhaps because my emotions had been going up and down all day. My husband, who had only been married for a few days, had a new woman. And not just one, but four. But of course, he was not an ordinary husband, but the Emperor of a country. And I was only a temporary Empress. So I shouldn’t worry about it.
“Yeah, I know. But still...”
The fever is exploding.
“Hey? Here we go again.”
I opened my eyes, which had been closed, to the sound of bubbles bursting into the bathtub. The water, which had been very cold at first, had suddenly become so hot that it was steaming. The temperature of the water changed depending on my mood, and today it was almost like a hot spring. I poured the hot spring-like water into the floor of the bathtub several times with a large pearl oyster bucket. Then I scooped up cold water from the wooden bucket next to me and poured it into the bathtub to make it lukewarm again. At that moment, I heard a commotion outside the bathroom.
“Your Majesty! I will go in first and speak. Her Majesty the Empress has given orders not to let anyone in. So, we cannot enter during bath time either!”
“I’m not ‘nobody’, am I?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty! I have spoken out of turn...”
Linel's angry voice and Sharon's very frightened voice could be heard.
“If you step away from the bathroom door, you’ll know your subject again, so that’s enough. Step away.”
Chul-chul.
The bathroom door opened immediately with Linel’s words. Phew, it was a good thing I mixed the cold water in advance. I almost lied and said that the hot spring water in the bathroom had burst. I didn’t know what to do with his unexpected appearance, so I moved around in the bathtub, feeling confused. Meanwhile, I could hear his voice through the transparent curtain.
“What are you trying to be polite about in that situation? Just sit still.”
At Linel's words, I crouched down in the bathtub again. Only then did I realize that I was naked. The dizziness came belatedly. What was I going to do when I got up naked? No matter how polite I was in greeting him, my appearance was already rude!
“Are you taking a bubble bath?”
His voice was heard again through the curtain. His shadow stretched across the bathroom floor.
“Oh, no. There are no bubbles...”
I replied, looking down at the clear water in the bathtub.
“Then it would be impossible to have a conversation in that state.”
“...I guess.”
"For a moment."
“Yes? Your Majesty?!”
Linel suddenly opened the bedroom door connected to the bathroom and went in. I raised my voice and shouted urgently at him as he entered the bedroom.
“Hey... I was just about to finish taking a bath! So I should just get out of the bathtub!”
“Stay still!”
Linel also shouted at me in the same loud voice. After a while, his voice could be heard near the bathroom door.
“I’m going back in now, so you just stay still.”
"Yes?"
“Don’t worry about my eyes. Got it?”
"Yes..."
What on earth are you trying to do? I hugged my legs, which were bent at the knees, with my arms. Linel came closer, cutting through the misty vapor. He was dressed comfortably. His clenched fists slowly relaxed on the bathtub. And from his hands...
“Is this enough to make conversation a little easier?”
Red rose petals were fluttering. The rose petals fell like snow onto the bathtub water, obscuring my body's reflection in the water.
“Did I take too much?”
He shook his hands, lowered his gaze to the bathtub, and muttered with a look of regret in his eyes.
“If I had known I wouldn’t be able to see anything like this, I would have just picked a handful of flowers.”
“...”
For a man who had approved of taking in four concubines this afternoon, his eyes were too shy. At Linel's seductive smile like a rose, I began to turn red like a rose. Then, the lukewarm water suddenly bubbled and bubbles rose again. Linel glanced down at the bathtub, his eyes grew wider, and he asked me.
“What are you trying to be polite about in that situation? Just sit still.”
At Linel's words, I crouched down in the bathtub again. Only then did I realize that I was naked. The dizziness came belatedly. What was I going to do when I got up naked? No matter how polite I was in greeting him, my appearance was already rude!
“Are you taking a bubble bath?”
His voice was heard again through the curtain. His shadow stretched across the bathroom floor.
“Oh, no. There are no bubbles...”
I replied, looking down at the clear water in the bathtub.
“Then it would be impossible to have a conversation in that state.”
“...I guess.”
"For a moment."
“Yes? Your Majesty?!”
Linel suddenly opened the bedroom door connected to the bathroom and went in. I raised my voice and shouted urgently at him as he entered the bedroom.
“Hey... I was just about to finish taking a bath! So I should just get out of the bathtub!”
“Stay still!”
Linel also shouted at me in the same loud voice. After a while, his voice could be heard near the bathroom door.
“I’m going back in now, so you just stay still.”
"Yes?"
“Don’t worry about my eyes. Got it?”
"Yes..."
What on earth are you trying to do? I hugged my legs, which were bent at the knees, with my arms. Linel came closer, cutting through the misty vapor. He was dressed comfortably. His clenched fists slowly relaxed on the bathtub. And from his hands...
“Is this enough to make conversation a little easier?”
Red rose petals were fluttering. The rose petals fell like snow onto the bathtub water, obscuring my body's reflection in the water.
“Did I take too much?”
He shook his hands, lowered his gaze to the bathtub, and muttered with a look of regret in his eyes.
“If I had known I wouldn’t be able to see anything like this, I would have just picked a handful of flowers.”
“...”
For a man who had approved of taking in four concubines this afternoon, his eyes were too shy. At Linel's seductive smile like a rose, I began to turn red like a rose. Then, the lukewarm water suddenly bubbled and bubbles rose again. Linel glanced down at the bathtub, his eyes grew wider, and he asked me.
“Zelda, you’re not messing around in the bathtub, are you?”
“...I think it would be more rude to say that?”
I shouted at him with a flushed face. He threw his head back and laughed as if he had expected my reaction. His laughter echoed loudly in the bathroom. I glanced at the bathroom door. I wondered what kind of imagination the servants waiting outside might have as they heard the Emperor’s laughter leaking out from the bathroom.
“Your Majesty, could you please lower your laughter?”
“Why, do you care about the servants outside?”
“A little.”
“Really? Then give the order to stay far away.”
Linel turned toward the bathroom door.
“Yes, just a moment!”
I quickly called Linel over.
"What."
He looked back at me, his eyebrows raised high.
“If you give such an order, wouldn’t the misunderstanding just get worse?”
“Then what should I do?”
“Just laugh as much as you want.”
“Huh, an Empress who is aware of her servants’ feelings... How unusual.”
Linel came back to me, grinning.
“What brings you here tonight?”
“Am I the kind of person who needs a reason to come to the Empress’s residence?”
“That’s not true, but... If you had called me in advance, I would have quickly finished bathing and greeted you.”
“I guess so.”
Linel put his hand in the tub and stirred the water as he spoke.
“Huh? Oh.”
He took his hand out of the tub again, splashed water on my face, and grinned.
“So I just came.”
“...I think it would be more rude to say that?”
I shouted at him with a flushed face. He threw his head back and laughed as if he had expected my reaction. His laughter echoed loudly in the bathroom. I glanced at the bathroom door. I wondered what kind of imagination the servants waiting outside might have as they heard the Emperor’s laughter leaking out from the bathroom.
“Your Majesty, could you please lower your laughter?”
“Why, do you care about the servants outside?”
“A little.”
“Really? Then give the order to stay far away.”
Linel turned toward the bathroom door.
“Yes, just a moment!”
I quickly called Linel over.
"What."
He looked back at me, his eyebrows raised high.
“If you give such an order, wouldn’t the misunderstanding just get worse?”
“Then what should I do?”
“Just laugh as much as you want.”
“Huh, an Empress who is aware of her servants’ feelings... How unusual.”
Linel came back to me, grinning.
“What brings you here tonight?”
“Am I the kind of person who needs a reason to come to the Empress’s residence?”
“That’s not true, but... If you had called me in advance, I would have quickly finished bathing and greeted you.”
“I guess so.”
Linel put his hand in the tub and stirred the water as he spoke.
“Huh? Oh.”
He took his hand out of the tub again, splashed water on my face, and grinned.
“So I just came.”
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