When I arrived at the Empress's Palace and entered the bedroom, I felt tired. They say that emotional exhaustion is more difficult than physical exhaustion, and that was exactly right. I thought it would be less tiring to train in swordsmanship all day long at the martial arts training ground.
“Your Majesty, this Asaka tea is good for calming the mind and body and relieving fatigue.”
Sharon began to bring me tea, Sollie put strength into her fingertips as she offered to give me a head massage, and Teresa grabbed my hand and began to knead it, saying that these noble hands had been working too hard in the greenhouse. The three servants were all huddled together and chatting, and then they slyly brought up the subject of Linel.
“It seems His Majesty did not go to Catherine’s palace last night!”
“I told you, Your Majesty, I knew he wouldn’t go.”
“Oh my God, so that’s why Madame Catherine was so upset and took it out on Fourth Madame Rosie?”
They poured out all the things they had been saying all the way from the greenhouse to the Empress's Palace. I just shrugged my shoulders at their excitement. When my response was not satisfactory, I changed the subject and started talking about the true education I had given Catherine.
“I feel like my insides are completely empty!”
“I don’t think I’ll have anything to do for the next 10 years.”
“There are so many moments I want to capture in pictures... Heehee.”
The three servants took turns praising me as if I were a war hero. Boy, when they see me swinging my sword, they will worship me as a God. They raised their voices as they left the greenhouse, saying that they had sworn to be loyal to me for life. They did this for 30 minutes.
"However..."
“By the way...”
“Anyway...”
Sharon, Sollie, and Teresa's conversation returned to the subject of His Majesty the Emperor's whereabouts last night.
“Where on earth did His Majesty go last night?”
Sharon asked thoughtfully.
"I know."
Compared to their long curiosity, my answer was very short. I stared blankly at the bed, which seemed wider today and thought for a moment before gesturing to Sharon.
“Sharon, I need to go to the main palace.”
“Are you at the main palace? Do you have an errand for me? Or is there something you need at the main palace...?”
"Yes."
“Just say anything and I’ll go and get it right away!”
“I need him.”
“Yes, I will bring His Majesty right away... Yes?!”
Sharon's mouth opened in surprise.
“Leave His Majesty where he is and go and meet with his secretary, Raphael.”
“Secretary?”
“Yeah, I’m going to the main palace later.”
“That, that word!”
“Yes, tell His Majesty that I will go to His Majesty’s bedroom tonight.”
“Kyaak!”
At my words, the three servants started beating each other up, then suddenly started dancing without saying a word, and their feet started to stomp, and it was a total mess.
“Yes! I will go to the main palace right now and meet with Raphael.”
“Oh, Sharon. Come to think of it, I guess I could have another servant.”
I was laughing at Sharon, who was so excited when I suddenly realized that she didn't have to go all the way to the main palace herself. But Sharon was already a few steps away from me as if she was going to run to the main palace at any moment.
“No! I have to go and deliver such an important message myself. I will personally deliver it to Raphael and come back!”
“But there’s no need to run so quickly...”
Before Sharon could even finish listening to me, she lifted up the hem of her dress and ran out of the bedroom at full speed. I stared at Sharon’s back and burst into laughter with Sollie and Teresa who were left beside me.
“Zelda... why is that?”
Linel began to experience emotional instability after the Empress's attendant, Sharon, visited. He paced back and forth around the office window without stopping. He had been pacing around for dozens of minutes. He stopped dead in his tracks, facing his secretary Raphael, who was standing in front of his desk with a bored expression, his back turned to the sunset shining through the window.
“Raphael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Raphael had been following the Emperor's movements for ten minutes, but he was tired and was just about to turn his gaze to the desk to organize his papers.
“No, nothing.”
Linel, who was about to say something, began to wander again. Raphael's eyes followed Linel again, and this time he spoke to the Emperor first.
“Your Majesty? I am sorry to inform you, but you seem more anxious than when the war broke out in the Valley of Death.”
“That is indeed true.”
“Are you serious?”
“I wish I was lying too.”
Linel stopped walking again and placed his right hand on his left chest.
“Why is my heart beating so fast even though there’s no one involved? Why do you think that’s the case?”
“Yes? Why are you doing that?”
“I can already imagine it...”
Linel's cold face turned pale.
“No, what on earth are you imagining that makes your face turn as red as those of the Southern Continent barbarians...?”
“I guess you’re imagining things like a savage, and it shows on your face.”
Linel bashfully stroked his flushed face with his hand.
“Well, has no woman ever visited Your Majesty’s bedroom before?”
“Yes, there wasn’t. Except for Mom and Nanny. And I was young, so I don’t remember them clearly.”
“Besides, no more women were visiting at night.”
Linel reacted violently to Raphael's words.
I continued, holding back a laugh at Sharon's startled expression.
“I... Sharon, I’ve always trusted your taste and worn what you recommended, haven’t I? Why are you asking? This is a bit new.”
As I whispered and winked, Sharon covered her mouth with both hands, laughed out loud, and ran straight to the costume room.
“Your Majesty, this Asaka tea is good for calming the mind and body and relieving fatigue.”
Sharon began to bring me tea, Sollie put strength into her fingertips as she offered to give me a head massage, and Teresa grabbed my hand and began to knead it, saying that these noble hands had been working too hard in the greenhouse. The three servants were all huddled together and chatting, and then they slyly brought up the subject of Linel.
“It seems His Majesty did not go to Catherine’s palace last night!”
“I told you, Your Majesty, I knew he wouldn’t go.”
“Oh my God, so that’s why Madame Catherine was so upset and took it out on Fourth Madame Rosie?”
They poured out all the things they had been saying all the way from the greenhouse to the Empress's Palace. I just shrugged my shoulders at their excitement. When my response was not satisfactory, I changed the subject and started talking about the true education I had given Catherine.
“I feel like my insides are completely empty!”
“I don’t think I’ll have anything to do for the next 10 years.”
“There are so many moments I want to capture in pictures... Heehee.”
The three servants took turns praising me as if I were a war hero. Boy, when they see me swinging my sword, they will worship me as a God. They raised their voices as they left the greenhouse, saying that they had sworn to be loyal to me for life. They did this for 30 minutes.
"However..."
“By the way...”
“Anyway...”
Sharon, Sollie, and Teresa's conversation returned to the subject of His Majesty the Emperor's whereabouts last night.
“Where on earth did His Majesty go last night?”
Sharon asked thoughtfully.
"I know."
Compared to their long curiosity, my answer was very short. I stared blankly at the bed, which seemed wider today and thought for a moment before gesturing to Sharon.
“Sharon, I need to go to the main palace.”
“Are you at the main palace? Do you have an errand for me? Or is there something you need at the main palace...?”
"Yes."
“Just say anything and I’ll go and get it right away!”
“I need him.”
“Yes, I will bring His Majesty right away... Yes?!”
Sharon's mouth opened in surprise.
“Leave His Majesty where he is and go and meet with his secretary, Raphael.”
“Secretary?”
“Yeah, I’m going to the main palace later.”
“That, that word!”
“Yes, tell His Majesty that I will go to His Majesty’s bedroom tonight.”
“Kyaak!”
At my words, the three servants started beating each other up, then suddenly started dancing without saying a word, and their feet started to stomp, and it was a total mess.
“Yes! I will go to the main palace right now and meet with Raphael.”
“Oh, Sharon. Come to think of it, I guess I could have another servant.”
I was laughing at Sharon, who was so excited when I suddenly realized that she didn't have to go all the way to the main palace herself. But Sharon was already a few steps away from me as if she was going to run to the main palace at any moment.
“No! I have to go and deliver such an important message myself. I will personally deliver it to Raphael and come back!”
“But there’s no need to run so quickly...”
Before Sharon could even finish listening to me, she lifted up the hem of her dress and ran out of the bedroom at full speed. I stared at Sharon’s back and burst into laughter with Sollie and Teresa who were left beside me.
***
“Zelda... why is that?”
Linel began to experience emotional instability after the Empress's attendant, Sharon, visited. He paced back and forth around the office window without stopping. He had been pacing around for dozens of minutes. He stopped dead in his tracks, facing his secretary Raphael, who was standing in front of his desk with a bored expression, his back turned to the sunset shining through the window.
“Raphael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Raphael had been following the Emperor's movements for ten minutes, but he was tired and was just about to turn his gaze to the desk to organize his papers.
“No, nothing.”
Linel, who was about to say something, began to wander again. Raphael's eyes followed Linel again, and this time he spoke to the Emperor first.
“Your Majesty? I am sorry to inform you, but you seem more anxious than when the war broke out in the Valley of Death.”
“That is indeed true.”
“Are you serious?”
“I wish I was lying too.”
Linel stopped walking again and placed his right hand on his left chest.
“Why is my heart beating so fast even though there’s no one involved? Why do you think that’s the case?”
“Well, I guess it’s because of the anticipation of meeting Her Majesty later.”
“Oh, you’re really capable.”
Linel pointed at Raphael with his finger and gave him a look of admiration.
“Your Majesty, there is something I do not understand, so I would like to ask you. Why on earth... are you excited?”
"What?"
“No, isn’t it strange? Tonight isn’t even your first night with Her Majesty the Empress, so I don’t understand why you’re more nervous than before your first night together.”
Raphael clearly remembered how unimpressed Emperor Linel had been before the state wedding. As time passed after the first night, he had become increasingly strange. First of all, he had become more and more sly and sly while watching state affairs. While holding meetings with the ministers about difficult issues, he would sometimes be alone with a peaceful expression and lose himself in thought. Raphael, his closest confidant, could clearly see that it was a completely different smile from the usual mocking laughter he used to make at the ministers.
“You wouldn’t understand since you’ve never been married before.”
Linel waved one hand and answered Raphael.
“I may be presumptuous, but I am not married yet, and I believe that my romantic history cannot be compared to Your Majesty’s short married life...”
“Oh, right. Raphael, your nickname is the Open Trousers of the Imperial Palace, right? I forgot.”
Linel readily accepted Raphael's claim.
“Your Majesty, I have been the open purse of the Imperial Palace, but I have never walked around with my trousers open!”
“Yeah. I thought about it. That’s a bit ugly.”
“...Anyway, I clearly told you before that I’m the type who changes my romantic interest frequently, but once I meet one person, I focus on them.”
“It’s not your dating style that’s important right now. Diagnose why I’m like this.”
Linel sat at his desk with one hand on his chest and spoke seriously to Raphael.
“What... are you talking about as a diagnosis? If you have a heart problem, should I call a doctor?”
“Why, doctor.”
“Oh, I think it would be better to bring Her Majesty the Empress rather than a doctor.”
“You are the one in charge.”
“Your Majesty has given me the most compliments so far. This is all thanks to Her Majesty the Empress! Should I go and fetch her right now without waiting until night?”
“As expected, you’re capable.”
He seemed more pleased with Raphael's opinion than ever and patted him on the shoulder.
“But... When I hear that, my heart feels like it’s beating faster.”
Linel muttered again, tapping his chest with his hand.
“Your Majesty, I am embarrassed to ask you this, but...”
“What are you so embarrassed about this time?”
“Are you so nervous about Her Majesty the Empress’s request to come to Your Majesty’s palace bedroom?”
“..Ah, stop! Don’t say it so directly.”
“Oh, you’re really capable.”
Linel pointed at Raphael with his finger and gave him a look of admiration.
“Your Majesty, there is something I do not understand, so I would like to ask you. Why on earth... are you excited?”
"What?"
“No, isn’t it strange? Tonight isn’t even your first night with Her Majesty the Empress, so I don’t understand why you’re more nervous than before your first night together.”
Raphael clearly remembered how unimpressed Emperor Linel had been before the state wedding. As time passed after the first night, he had become increasingly strange. First of all, he had become more and more sly and sly while watching state affairs. While holding meetings with the ministers about difficult issues, he would sometimes be alone with a peaceful expression and lose himself in thought. Raphael, his closest confidant, could clearly see that it was a completely different smile from the usual mocking laughter he used to make at the ministers.
“You wouldn’t understand since you’ve never been married before.”
Linel waved one hand and answered Raphael.
“I may be presumptuous, but I am not married yet, and I believe that my romantic history cannot be compared to Your Majesty’s short married life...”
“Oh, right. Raphael, your nickname is the Open Trousers of the Imperial Palace, right? I forgot.”
Linel readily accepted Raphael's claim.
“Your Majesty, I have been the open purse of the Imperial Palace, but I have never walked around with my trousers open!”
“Yeah. I thought about it. That’s a bit ugly.”
“...Anyway, I clearly told you before that I’m the type who changes my romantic interest frequently, but once I meet one person, I focus on them.”
“It’s not your dating style that’s important right now. Diagnose why I’m like this.”
Linel sat at his desk with one hand on his chest and spoke seriously to Raphael.
“What... are you talking about as a diagnosis? If you have a heart problem, should I call a doctor?”
“Why, doctor.”
“Oh, I think it would be better to bring Her Majesty the Empress rather than a doctor.”
“You are the one in charge.”
“Your Majesty has given me the most compliments so far. This is all thanks to Her Majesty the Empress! Should I go and fetch her right now without waiting until night?”
“As expected, you’re capable.”
He seemed more pleased with Raphael's opinion than ever and patted him on the shoulder.
“But... When I hear that, my heart feels like it’s beating faster.”
Linel muttered again, tapping his chest with his hand.
“Your Majesty, I am embarrassed to ask you this, but...”
“What are you so embarrassed about this time?”
“Are you so nervous about Her Majesty the Empress’s request to come to Your Majesty’s palace bedroom?”
“..Ah, stop! Don’t say it so directly.”
“Yes? Why are you doing that?”
“I can already imagine it...”
Linel's cold face turned pale.
“No, what on earth are you imagining that makes your face turn as red as those of the Southern Continent barbarians...?”
“I guess you’re imagining things like a savage, and it shows on your face.”
Linel bashfully stroked his flushed face with his hand.
“Well, has no woman ever visited Your Majesty’s bedroom before?”
“Yes, there wasn’t. Except for Mom and Nanny. And I was young, so I don’t remember them clearly.”
“Besides, no more women were visiting at night.”
Linel reacted violently to Raphael's words.
“That’s it!”
The reason his heartbeats.
“Yes, today will be a historic day.”
Linel nodded with a solemn expression as Raphael spoke, holding back a laugh.
“But why did the Empress suddenly come to my bedroom...? Is there something urgent she has to tell me?”
“If she had something to say, she wouldn’t have bothered to come all the way to the palace so late at night, and to His Majesty’s bedroom, would she?”
Linel's eyes sparkled again at Raphael's opinion.
“I guess so?”
“But you don’t know?”
Linel's brow furrowed as Raphael expressed his dissent as if turning over his palm.
“I don’t know anything.”
“Is she coming to quietly discuss the matter of having concubines?”
“Oh, that’s the problem. Is that it? Is that why she's coming?”
The corners of Emperor Linel's lips, which had been smiling, lowered. Then, soon the corners of his lips rose again.
“But my heart is still beating. I guess I’m really not in my right mind right now?”
“...Wow! I respect you so much for always making such objective and wise decisions. Your Majesty, I will be leaving now.”
“Yes, go out.”
Linel, who had been staring out the window, called out to Raphael again as he was leaving the office.
The reason his heartbeats.
“Yes, today will be a historic day.”
Linel nodded with a solemn expression as Raphael spoke, holding back a laugh.
“But why did the Empress suddenly come to my bedroom...? Is there something urgent she has to tell me?”
“If she had something to say, she wouldn’t have bothered to come all the way to the palace so late at night, and to His Majesty’s bedroom, would she?”
Linel's eyes sparkled again at Raphael's opinion.
“I guess so?”
“But you don’t know?”
Linel's brow furrowed as Raphael expressed his dissent as if turning over his palm.
“I don’t know anything.”
“Is she coming to quietly discuss the matter of having concubines?”
“Oh, that’s the problem. Is that it? Is that why she's coming?”
The corners of Emperor Linel's lips, which had been smiling, lowered. Then, soon the corners of his lips rose again.
“But my heart is still beating. I guess I’m really not in my right mind right now?”
“...Wow! I respect you so much for always making such objective and wise decisions. Your Majesty, I will be leaving now.”
“Yes, go out.”
Linel, who had been staring out the window, called out to Raphael again as he was leaving the office.
“Raphael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“So what you just said is that you agree that I am not in my right mind right now?”
“...I love you, Your Majesty.”
Raphael gave Linel a finger heart, quickly opened the office door, and left.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“So what you just said is that you agree that I am not in my right mind right now?”
“...I love you, Your Majesty.”
Raphael gave Linel a finger heart, quickly opened the office door, and left.
***
Time was passing too quickly. I had told Linel that I would visit his bedroom tonight, but I was already worried even before I got to the main palace. Sharon, who had returned from meeting Secretary Raphael at the main palace, repeated the same story over and over again like a parrot, imitating Linel’s reactions.
“I never dreamed that His Majesty, who was in his office, would come out of the secretary’s office.”
When I said to Sharon, “Is it time to go to the main palace now?” she started reenacting again. It seemed like there was a replay button hidden somewhere inside Sharon’s body.
“He raises his chin so solemnly and then comes out and says, ‘What’s going on?’ Actually, I did intentionally deliver Your Majesty the Empress’s message through the crack of the office door with a loud voice, but I never thought His Majesty would come out and see me in person!”
Sharon described the moment when Linel opened the door to the office as the most dramatic. Surprisingly, Sollie and Teresa also listened to this part with the greatest interest every time.
“He didn’t look that upset... He really didn’t?”
This is already the fifth time I've asked this question.
“Yes! Even though he was surprised, he didn’t look bad at all. He opened his eyes wide and asked me directly.”
Sharon's eyes also grew wide as she mimicked Linel's expression.
“Oh my, it’s time already! Your Majesty the Empress, it’s time to get ready.”
Sharon said combatively, waving her arms. The three attendants began to actively step forward, making use of their specialties.
“Your Majesty, I should sprinkle some fragrant adenium petals in the bathtub! They also have a hair-stimulating effect.”
Sollie, a former gardener who was trying to style my hair, ran to the bathroom.
“I will also prepare the perfume in advance! As soon as His Majesty touches Your Majesty the Empress’s shoulder, it will be so soft that his hand will slide all the way to your toes in one go!”
Teresa, a former painter who does my makeup, was also busy.
“I will choose a dress for Your Majesty the Empress to wear while you resume your bath. And a robe to wear!”
Sharon also headed towards my private dressing room with an excited face, but stopped and looked back at me.
“Um... Your Majesty the Empress, may I prepare a very, very simple dress that is easy to put on and take off?”
Sharon waited for my order with her hands clasped together, her expression full of anticipation. After a moment of silence, I spoke solemnly to Sharon in a firm voice.
“Sharon, I’m so disappointed. What on earth are you talking about!”
“Huh, Your Majesty the Empress...?”
“I never dreamed that His Majesty, who was in his office, would come out of the secretary’s office.”
When I said to Sharon, “Is it time to go to the main palace now?” she started reenacting again. It seemed like there was a replay button hidden somewhere inside Sharon’s body.
“He raises his chin so solemnly and then comes out and says, ‘What’s going on?’ Actually, I did intentionally deliver Your Majesty the Empress’s message through the crack of the office door with a loud voice, but I never thought His Majesty would come out and see me in person!”
Sharon described the moment when Linel opened the door to the office as the most dramatic. Surprisingly, Sollie and Teresa also listened to this part with the greatest interest every time.
“He didn’t look that upset... He really didn’t?”
This is already the fifth time I've asked this question.
“Yes! Even though he was surprised, he didn’t look bad at all. He opened his eyes wide and asked me directly.”
Sharon's eyes also grew wide as she mimicked Linel's expression.
“Oh my, it’s time already! Your Majesty the Empress, it’s time to get ready.”
Sharon said combatively, waving her arms. The three attendants began to actively step forward, making use of their specialties.
“Your Majesty, I should sprinkle some fragrant adenium petals in the bathtub! They also have a hair-stimulating effect.”
Sollie, a former gardener who was trying to style my hair, ran to the bathroom.
“I will also prepare the perfume in advance! As soon as His Majesty touches Your Majesty the Empress’s shoulder, it will be so soft that his hand will slide all the way to your toes in one go!”
Teresa, a former painter who does my makeup, was also busy.
“I will choose a dress for Your Majesty the Empress to wear while you resume your bath. And a robe to wear!”
Sharon also headed towards my private dressing room with an excited face, but stopped and looked back at me.
“Um... Your Majesty the Empress, may I prepare a very, very simple dress that is easy to put on and take off?”
Sharon waited for my order with her hands clasped together, her expression full of anticipation. After a moment of silence, I spoke solemnly to Sharon in a firm voice.
“Sharon, I’m so disappointed. What on earth are you talking about!”
“Huh, Your Majesty the Empress...?”
I continued, holding back a laugh at Sharon's startled expression.
“I... Sharon, I’ve always trusted your taste and worn what you recommended, haven’t I? Why are you asking? This is a bit new.”
As I whispered and winked, Sharon covered her mouth with both hands, laughed out loud, and ran straight to the costume room.
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