“It’s delicious, as expected.”
“!”
I unconsciously glanced at the concubines’ expressions. They were surprised by Linel’s surprise kiss and then surprised again by what he whispered to me after the kiss. Even as I looked at him, I could hear the concubines’ jealous breathing in my ear.
“Why don’t we finish lunch a little early?”
Linel glanced at the concubines and said.
“The Empress looks very tired.”
“Your Majesty, I am fine.”
I rose from my chair to see him off again.
“Sit down. I’m not okay.”
“Ugh.”
He kissed my shoulder and gently pressed it with his hand. My shoulder, where his lips had touched, flinched greatly and my legs gave out. Because of that, I had no choice but to sit back down on the chair as he said.
“I guess you’re feeling down because I tormented you so much last night.”
The faces of the concubines collectively turned red at Linel's words. We should send him away quickly.
“Your Majesty... Please look at Stian’s expression.”
I quickly looked at the attendant behind him, who was making an anxious expression, and said.
"Why."
He turned to the attendant at my words.
“Your Majesty, if you don’t want to run like you did before, you should hurry your steps now!”
The attendant stretched out both hands towards the outside of the restaurant and pleaded.
“Go ahead, Your Majesty.”
I also grabbed his arm and pushed him away gently. Then he immediately put his hand on mine, which was holding his arm, and replied like this.
“I can just run when I go.”
“..It must be hard.”
“..It must be hard.”
“You don’t have to worry about it, Empress. These days, my heart beats at the same speed whether I walk or run.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s better if you don’t know. It’ll be annoying if you know.”
“Your Majesty, if you are not feeling well, you should seek medical attention!”
“That’s why I came.”
"Yes...?"
Cup.
“This is healing for me.”
He kissed my cheek and spoke in a serious voice.
“The pitfall is that if you receive treatment, the symptoms will get worse.”
A red rose bloomed on my cheek where his lips had touched. I didn't want to show my flushed face in front of the concubines, but it was an unavoidable situation.
“The Empress just had dessert, so you don’t need it, right?”
He picked up one of the croissants that was placed in front of me.
“If you run, your stomach will burst quickly, so let me take this.”
Linel winked, licking his lips lightly.
“Huh? Oh, yes...”
I was lost in his slightly parted lips, then quickly answered.
“I don’t have time, so I can’t kiss anymore. For now, I’ll just eat this and hold on.”
He bit off a croissant and put it in my mouth, whispering in my ear. When I glanced at Linel’s playfulness, he smirked and looked back at the attendant.
“Stian, you’d better start running now. I’ll catch up anyway.”
At his words, the chief of the household came out, hurriedly greeted the concubines, and ran out of the restaurant.
“I’m probably going to be a crazy day today.”
He said, carrying his luggage on his back.
“I heard.”
“So you might need a midnight snack.”
He leaned forward again and whispered in my ear.
“Not this kind of thing.”
I stared blankly at his face, wondering what he meant. He shook the croissant he was holding in his hand and gave me a look that said, “You know what I mean, right?” When I shook my head from side to side with a look that said, “You don’t know?”, he pointed to my lips with his finger.
“This is what I mean.”
“...Really?”
“Yes. So let’s finish lunch now and get some rest.”
“Is this an order?”
“It is the Emperor’s request.”
Linel answered seriously and turned around. The concubines greeted him again, but he only waved his hand vaguely this time and quickly left the restaurant. Linel disappeared, leaving me with only words he could not share with the concubines. They seemed very curious about what he whispered to me. I had no intention of showing off. However, it was true that my shoulders straightened involuntarily when I saw the concubines’ longing eyes toward him.
“...Really?”
“Yes. So let’s finish lunch now and get some rest.”
“Is this an order?”
“It is the Emperor’s request.”
Linel answered seriously and turned around. The concubines greeted him again, but he only waved his hand vaguely this time and quickly left the restaurant. Linel disappeared, leaving me with only words he could not share with the concubines. They seemed very curious about what he whispered to me. I had no intention of showing off. However, it was true that my shoulders straightened involuntarily when I saw the concubines’ longing eyes toward him.
After Linel’s surprise visit, the concubines’ expressions went back and forth between complicated and confused. The already awkward situation with the concubines became even more awkward after Linel’s appearance. At this point, I needed to break this delicate atmosphere and change the subject.
While I was thinking about how to continue the conversation that had been cut off because of Linel, my eyes met with Rosie, who was sitting next to Melanie.
“Rosie looks a little tired today?”
As it happened, dark circles had formed under Rosie's eyes, shaped like the tip of a fountain pen.
“Oh, I slept late last night... so I look terrible, don’t I?”
Rosie smiled bashfully and rubbed the area under her eyes with her hand as if to erase the dark circles under her eyes.
“Oh my god. What are you doing?”
Melanie said, slapping Rosie's hand away.
“I’m getting wrinkles! You already have fine lines under your eyes.”
Melanie asked Rosie, repeatedly tapping the back of her hand, exclaiming, "That can't be happening!"
“But His Majesty probably didn’t even go to Rosie’s residence, so why did you sleep so late?”
“Ah, that’s...”
Rosie scratched the back of her neck and laughed again. Then Catherine, who had been quietly sipping her juice, raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth.
“Yesterday... I guess His Majesty didn’t come to Melanie’s quarters either?”
“What do you mean...? His Majesty came to my residence yesterday.”
Melanie lifted her chin and answered Catherine.
"Lie."
Catherine said with a small sneer. Her eyes seemed certain that the Emperor, who had not even visited her quarters, would not have gone to the quarters of his second concubine, Melanie.
“T-That’s a lie... What? The witness is here!”
Melanie folded her arms in front of me and retorted Catherine's dismissive tone.
“Witness? Your servants?”
Catherine's laughter went up a notch.
“My servants are witnesses, but more than that!”
Melanie kept glancing at me as she raised her voice.
“Here, if Her Majesty the Empress is my witness... here!”
At Melanie's confident shout, Catherine opened her eyes wide and rolled her eyes towards me.
“Is that true...? Your Majesty the Empress?”
“Rosie looks a little tired today?”
As it happened, dark circles had formed under Rosie's eyes, shaped like the tip of a fountain pen.
“Oh, I slept late last night... so I look terrible, don’t I?”
Rosie smiled bashfully and rubbed the area under her eyes with her hand as if to erase the dark circles under her eyes.
“Oh my god. What are you doing?”
Melanie said, slapping Rosie's hand away.
“I’m getting wrinkles! You already have fine lines under your eyes.”
Melanie asked Rosie, repeatedly tapping the back of her hand, exclaiming, "That can't be happening!"
“But His Majesty probably didn’t even go to Rosie’s residence, so why did you sleep so late?”
“Ah, that’s...”
Rosie scratched the back of her neck and laughed again. Then Catherine, who had been quietly sipping her juice, raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth.
“Yesterday... I guess His Majesty didn’t come to Melanie’s quarters either?”
“What do you mean...? His Majesty came to my residence yesterday.”
Melanie lifted her chin and answered Catherine.
"Lie."
Catherine said with a small sneer. Her eyes seemed certain that the Emperor, who had not even visited her quarters, would not have gone to the quarters of his second concubine, Melanie.
“T-That’s a lie... What? The witness is here!”
Melanie folded her arms in front of me and retorted Catherine's dismissive tone.
“Witness? Your servants?”
Catherine's laughter went up a notch.
“My servants are witnesses, but more than that!”
Melanie kept glancing at me as she raised her voice.
“Here, if Her Majesty the Empress is my witness... here!”
At Melanie's confident shout, Catherine opened her eyes wide and rolled her eyes towards me.
“Is that true...? Your Majesty the Empress?”
The moment I slowly pulled away, Melanie quickly intervened.
“His Majesty really came... What? Well, Your Majesty the Empress came with him.”
“Together?”
Catherine's expression grew more confused. I took a sip of my tea and spoke calmly.
“Yesterday, Melanie was sick, so I went to visit her with His Majesty.”
“Are you sick? You don’t look sick at all. Melanie looks much better than Rosie, who’s sitting next to her.”
Catherine looked back and forth between Melanie and Rosie with an uneasy look. Rosie continued to rub her dark circles with her hand as if she had no interest in the conversation.
“It’s true!”
Melanie looked at me again, speaking with confidence, and I couldn't help but nod at Catherine.
“So... you two came to Melanie’s place together and then left together?”
Catherine didn't wonder at all why Melanie was sick. She was only interested in whether Linel had stayed in her bedroom or returned with me.
“Yesterday, His Majesty...”
As I was about to tell the truth, Melanie suddenly blurted out again.
“I! I told you two to go back together... I was afraid that Her Majesty the Empress might be scared because it was night. I told His Majesty to go with her...”
It wasn't entirely wrong, but Melanie's words were laced with a beautiful lie. Indeed, he and I went back together, but it wasn't like you were worried about my nighttime journey and let him go as if you were giving him leave, right?
“Is what Melanie said true?”
Catherine looked at Melanie and asked me.
“Yes, that’s right. I begged His Majesty to do so.”
When I joined in Melanie’s lie, she looked grateful. But Catherine’s eyes were filled with suspicion. It was a very reasonable look that Melanie would not have been so considerate. The fun of deceiving and fooling each other was coming to an end at lunch. However, there was one person who was absent from the conversation until the meal was over. It was m Pesilini of the Astor family. She listened carefully to my conversation with the concubines, but she did not talk about herself. She seemed to be watching the situation intently, like an audience member at an opera. As if she had memorized all the conversation and had something to report to someone. Of course, I was mistaken.
“Is Pecilini originally a quiet person?”
I spoke to her for the first time.
“Yes, yes? Oh, I actually like listening.”
Even though I didn't raise my voice, Pecilini was startled more than necessary and shrugged her shoulders.
“Is that so? Pesilini seems to have good observation skills.”
“Me, me?”
When she heard my compliment, she dropped the fork she was holding on the floor. Feeling strange, I looked closely at Pecilini’s face from then on. When I thought about it, she had been intentionally avoiding my gaze since a while ago.
“Is Pecilini feeling uncomfortable in this position?”
“Oh, no, Your Majesty. I’m just very shy...”
Pecilini answered, bowing her head.
“Hey, no way.”
Then, Rosie, who was sitting in front of Pecilini, laughed and said teasingly.
“Your Majesty the Empress, the Her Highness Pesilini Mama family is the largest merchant family in the Lapion Empire.”
"Yes?"
“Yes, so Her Highness Pecilini has traveled a lot since she was little. But she’s very shy?”
At Rosie's words, I looked at Pecilini again.
“I have a lot of experience visiting many countries and cities with my father. But I am still nervous because I am in front of Your Majesty the Empress.”
Pecilini said, bashfully. You've been to many countries?
“Have you ever visited my home country, the Kingdom of Shattonil?”
“Ah, that Kingdom of Shattonil...”
My question isn't that difficult, so why are you so flustered? Pecilini pursed her lips as if she was nervous, then continued speaking.
“I stayed there for a short while.”
“Really? To the royal family?”
I smiled happily and asked back.
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, I don’t remember much because I was young. All I remember is that it was a beautiful kingdom.”
“Oh, I see.”
It was difficult to continue the conversation after she answered that she had no particular memories of the Kingdom of Shattonil. At that time, Pecilini's hand, which was holding the teacup, was shaking slightly. I chatted with the concubines a little more and then went out to the lobby of the Empress's Palace to see them off after finishing the luncheon.
***
Catherine was the first to greet me without even making eye contact, and Melanie also hurriedly disappeared, saying that a dress designer was coming to her palace. She wasn't going to cut off one sleeve of all the dresses, was she?
Pecilini stood around me, seemingly absent. When I said that it was okay to go back, she linked Rosie's arm and said that her palace and Rosie's palace were close, so she was going to go with her. Rosie looked at her with a puzzled expression as if she was suddenly pretending to be friendly, as she held onto her arm. Furthermore, Rosie seemed to have something else to say to me. I spoke to her first.
“Oh, by the way, Rosie. What interesting book did you read last night that kept you up all night?”
“There’s a book on a topic that I’ve recently started reading with great interest, and I’m so excited by the vast amount of information that I just...”
Rosie replied with sparkling eyes.
“I wonder. What book is Rosie reading with such interest that you forget to sleep?”
At my words, she opened her mouth as if she had something to say, then glanced at Pecilini, who was standing right next to her.
“Ah, that’s...”
It was clear that she was hesitant to speak because she was conscious of Pesilini.
“Rosie, would you please come to the Empress’s Palace sometime and bring the books you are reading?”
The books that Rosie was interested in didn't seem to be simple novels. And she said she studied healing magic, right? I guessed that it might be something related to that field.
“If you invite me, I would like to come tomorrow, Your Majesty the Empress!”
“Yes, I’ll call you right away.”
"Thank you."
“Oh, no. You said there were a lot of books, right? There’s no need to bring all those heavy books all the way here. I think it would be better if I went to your place.”
“Your Majesty the Empress is coming to my residence in person?!”
Rosie placed one hand on her chest and startled me.
“Oh my! Your Highness Pecilini, let go of this for a moment.”
She was so excited by the thought of my coming to her residence that she shook off Pecilini's hand that was holding her arm.
“Yesterday, on the way to Melanie’s place, I saw a garden nearby that was beautifully landscaped and nice for a walk. I’m thinking of stopping by sometime soon to take a walk. What do you think?”
“I am so honored!”
“Yes, I’ll send you a separate message before I go.”
As they approached the main gate of the Empress's Palace, Grand Duke Martins entered the entrance.
“Oh, by the way, Rosie. What interesting book did you read last night that kept you up all night?”
“There’s a book on a topic that I’ve recently started reading with great interest, and I’m so excited by the vast amount of information that I just...”
Rosie replied with sparkling eyes.
“I wonder. What book is Rosie reading with such interest that you forget to sleep?”
At my words, she opened her mouth as if she had something to say, then glanced at Pecilini, who was standing right next to her.
“Ah, that’s...”
It was clear that she was hesitant to speak because she was conscious of Pesilini.
“Rosie, would you please come to the Empress’s Palace sometime and bring the books you are reading?”
The books that Rosie was interested in didn't seem to be simple novels. And she said she studied healing magic, right? I guessed that it might be something related to that field.
“If you invite me, I would like to come tomorrow, Your Majesty the Empress!”
“Yes, I’ll call you right away.”
"Thank you."
“Oh, no. You said there were a lot of books, right? There’s no need to bring all those heavy books all the way here. I think it would be better if I went to your place.”
“Your Majesty the Empress is coming to my residence in person?!”
Rosie placed one hand on her chest and startled me.
“Oh my! Your Highness Pecilini, let go of this for a moment.”
She was so excited by the thought of my coming to her residence that she shook off Pecilini's hand that was holding her arm.
“Yesterday, on the way to Melanie’s place, I saw a garden nearby that was beautifully landscaped and nice for a walk. I’m thinking of stopping by sometime soon to take a walk. What do you think?”
“I am so honored!”
“Yes, I’ll send you a separate message before I go.”
As they approached the main gate of the Empress's Palace, Grand Duke Martins entered the entrance.
Why have you come here today to complicate my mind?
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress!”
Grand Duke Martins was more formal than usual in his gestures toward me. Perhaps he was being more formal in front of the concubines.
“The concubines were also present.”
Grand Duke Martins bowed politely to Rosie and Pesilini, but his gaze lingered on their faces for a long time, perhaps a little too long.
“What is it, Your Highness?”
I asked with a forced smile. I didn’t like his appearance, but I couldn’t show myself criticizing someone from the same kingdom in front of the concubines.
“I have brought a gift for Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Is it a gift?”
Grand Duke Martins held a small jewel box in his hand.
“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress!”
Grand Duke Martins was more formal than usual in his gestures toward me. Perhaps he was being more formal in front of the concubines.
“The concubines were also present.”
Grand Duke Martins bowed politely to Rosie and Pesilini, but his gaze lingered on their faces for a long time, perhaps a little too long.
“What is it, Your Highness?”
I asked with a forced smile. I didn’t like his appearance, but I couldn’t show myself criticizing someone from the same kingdom in front of the concubines.
“I have brought a gift for Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Is it a gift?”
Grand Duke Martins held a small jewel box in his hand.
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