“Well, it’s not something I prepared...”
The Grand Duke shrugged and replied. He glanced briefly at the jewel box he was holding, then back at the faces of the two concubines. Rosie and Pesilini were staring down at the jewel box he was holding with curious eyes.
“If it wasn’t a gift prepared by the Grand Duke, then who sent it?”
“This is from the Royal Court of Shattonil. Prince Tesla.”
Even as he spoke to me, Grand Duke Martins kept glancing at them. I frowned at the sight of him showing interest in the concubines of the Lapion Empire.
“Rosie and Pecilini, let’s go back now. I need to talk to the Grand Duke.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Then we will take our leave now.”
Rosie and Pesilini greeted me and walked out the main gate of the Empress's Palace together. I opened my mouth as I climbed the central staircase with Grand Duke Martins.
“Your Highness, aren’t you being too blatant in your interest in other countries’ concubines?”
“Did I look at you that blatantly?”
Grand Duke Martin asked cheekily.
“Well, it’s okay to look at the back of someone’s head, but be careful when looking from the front. There are a lot of eyes watching.”
“Thank you for the advice, Your Majesty the Empress.”
The Grand Duke Martins answered with a smirk. I was bothered by the look on his face that seemed to be mocking my words, but I didn’t show it.
***
I dismissed all the servants as I entered the drawing room with the Grand Duke Martins. After a while, Sharon brought mint tea into the drawing room. The Grand Duke took a cup and inhaled the mint scent. The jewel box was placed next to his tea stand. He didn’t hand it over to me right away. What kind of expensive gift was it? There was no lock on the jewel box. I thought the Grand Duke must have opened it before handing it over to me. So it must be one of two things. Either it was a very precious item and he didn’t want to give it to me right away, or it was so trivial that he didn’t feel the need to hand it over right away.
“I heard that you went directly to His Majesty the Emperor’s bedroom last night.”
Grand Duke Martins took a sip of tea and asked.
“Because I have to be faithful to my role as Empress.”
There really wasn't any excuse to make.
“You volunteered to go without His Majesty calling you? Aren’t you being too absorbed in your role?”
"Grand Duke."
I called him as I placed the teacup in my palm down on the tea stand.
"Yes."
“How does the Grand Duke know whether His Majesty called me or whether I just went there to find him?”
“Then... did you receive a summons from His Majesty?”
“If His Majesty had not called, wouldn’t I have been kicked out of the main palace bedroom?”
I cleverly answered Grand Duke Martins' question. It was a lie, but somehow I felt no guilt at all.
“Yeah, that’s true.”
He was at a loss for words and was silent for a moment before asking the question again.
“I have a question. Why do you think His Majesty does not visit the residences of the concubines?”
“Why don’t you ask His Majesty yourself instead of me?”
“I think His Majesty is a bit uncomfortable with me.”
Grand Duke Martins laughed heartily.
“What should I say, rather than feeling uncomfortable with the Grand Duke...”
“Rather than?”
Grand Duke Martins took a sip of tea and asked.
“Because I have to be faithful to my role as Empress.”
There really wasn't any excuse to make.
“You volunteered to go without His Majesty calling you? Aren’t you being too absorbed in your role?”
"Grand Duke."
I called him as I placed the teacup in my palm down on the tea stand.
"Yes."
“How does the Grand Duke know whether His Majesty called me or whether I just went there to find him?”
“Then... did you receive a summons from His Majesty?”
“If His Majesty had not called, wouldn’t I have been kicked out of the main palace bedroom?”
I cleverly answered Grand Duke Martins' question. It was a lie, but somehow I felt no guilt at all.
“Yeah, that’s true.”
He was at a loss for words and was silent for a moment before asking the question again.
“I have a question. Why do you think His Majesty does not visit the residences of the concubines?”
“Why don’t you ask His Majesty yourself instead of me?”
“I think His Majesty is a bit uncomfortable with me.”
Grand Duke Martins laughed heartily.
“What should I say, rather than feeling uncomfortable with the Grand Duke...”
“Rather than?”
“It seems like he just openly hates you.”
“Oh, no.”
Grand Duke Martins looked unnecessarily hurt.
“Your Majesty the Empress is very perceptive. I thought I was the only one who felt that way.”
“I’ve been trained to be mindful of what other people think since I was little. It’s my specialty.”
Grand Duke Martins burst into laughter at my sad story. But the laughter was short-lived.
“Then, Your Majesty the Empress, who is quick-witted, will you try to guess?”
“What do you mean?”
“Whether what’s inside here is a gift or not.”
The Grand Duke pushed the jewel box he had brought in front of me. I picked up the jewel box that Prince Tesla had sent. What on earth was inside it that made the Grand Duke look at me with such a meaningful gaze?
“Is there a bomb in here?”
I asked, shaking the jewel box slightly. Then, Grand Duke Martins' expression twisted strangely.
“I think it would be better to take a look first and then talk.”
“Yeah.”
I took my eyes off the frozen face of Grand Duke Martins and opened the jewel box.
“Huh? It’s a box made of cold and hot magic?”
As I opened the jewel box, the smoky cold air trapped inside spread into the air.
“I think it’s a ring?”
At first glance, a sparkling jewel was visible through the cold air. The Kingdom of Shattonil possesses the largest diamond mines in the Northern Continent. It was said that 40% of the kingdom's national treasury comes from diamond exports.
“It’s like a pink diamond...?”
Among them, pink diamonds are rare and have limited reserves, so they are traded at quite a high price even in the Kingdom of Shattonil. The pink diamond sparkling in the jewelry box was not very expensive but was a simple-designed ring. A pink diamond of that size would be something that any wealthy noblelady would have. It was common for less wealthy ladies to receive gifts like me. For a moment, I thought the design looked familiar...
It looked similar to the ring I had received as a gift from Prince Tesla. And that ring was the ring I had given to Bonis, a bathhouse maid from a barony who was my closest friend before I left the kingdom.
“That’s right. It’s that ring, but why is it here...?”
I checked the pink diamond through the scattered cold air and looked up again at Grand Duke Martins. The Grand Duke pointed to the jewel box with his finger as if telling me to look more closely. I lowered my gaze into the jewel box again. As the hazy cold air almost disappeared, I could see the inside of the jewel box in detail.
"... OMG!"
As soon as I checked the contents of the jewelry box, I threw the box down on the table.
“Your Majesty, would you like to know what’s inside... who it belongs to? Oh!”
Before the Grand Duke could even finish his question, I quickly picked up the poker next to the fireplace and aimed it at his neck. I wanted to pierce the Grand Duke's neck with it right away.
“Explain!!”
I grabbed hold of the piece of my fading sanity and shouted at him. Even if I had to kill him, it wouldn't be too late to kill him after hearing an explanation of what the hell was going on.
“Tell me why Bonis’ little finger is in here!”
“Your Majesty the Empress, please calm down!”
Grand Duke Martins glanced down at the poker that was about to crush his throat and spoke nervously.
“Answer my questions first! Otherwise, I will use this to crush the Grand Duke's beating heart and calm him down!”
I shouted as I roughly pressed the poker I had aimed at the Grand Duke's neck against his heart.
“Ugh! Your Majesty the Empress, even if you kill me now, you won’t be able to find out the whereabouts of the owner of that finger.”
Grand Duke Martins rubbed his palm near his heart and quickly added.
“That’s right. It’s that ring, but why is it here...?”
I checked the pink diamond through the scattered cold air and looked up again at Grand Duke Martins. The Grand Duke pointed to the jewel box with his finger as if telling me to look more closely. I lowered my gaze into the jewel box again. As the hazy cold air almost disappeared, I could see the inside of the jewel box in detail.
"... OMG!"
As soon as I checked the contents of the jewelry box, I threw the box down on the table.
“Your Majesty, would you like to know what’s inside... who it belongs to? Oh!”
Before the Grand Duke could even finish his question, I quickly picked up the poker next to the fireplace and aimed it at his neck. I wanted to pierce the Grand Duke's neck with it right away.
“Explain!!”
I grabbed hold of the piece of my fading sanity and shouted at him. Even if I had to kill him, it wouldn't be too late to kill him after hearing an explanation of what the hell was going on.
“Tell me why Bonis’ little finger is in here!”
“Your Majesty the Empress, please calm down!”
Grand Duke Martins glanced down at the poker that was about to crush his throat and spoke nervously.
“Answer my questions first! Otherwise, I will use this to crush the Grand Duke's beating heart and calm him down!”
I shouted as I roughly pressed the poker I had aimed at the Grand Duke's neck against his heart.
“Ugh! Your Majesty the Empress, even if you kill me now, you won’t be able to find out the whereabouts of the owner of that finger.”
Grand Duke Martins rubbed his palm near his heart and quickly added.
“I don’t know anything. I just received a box of jewels.”
“You really got it from Prince Tesla? Why, he sent me Bonis’s little finger? Why!”
“It’s like a warning of sorts.”
“How does the Prince know whether I deserve a warning or not?!”
“I think the Prince is starting to feel uneasy.”
The strength in my hands went out at Grand Duke Martin's words.
“What is he worried about?”
I asked, striking the end of the poker that was pressing his heart against the floor.
“You really got it from Prince Tesla? Why, he sent me Bonis’s little finger? Why!”
“It’s like a warning of sorts.”
“How does the Prince know whether I deserve a warning or not?!”
“I think the Prince is starting to feel uneasy.”
The strength in my hands went out at Grand Duke Martin's words.
“What is he worried about?”
I asked, striking the end of the poker that was pressing his heart against the floor.
“I suppose the Prince is feeling uneasy that His Majesty is beginning to treat Your Majesty the Empress with special regard.”
“The Grand Duke must have reported that! And the Prince must have relayed this to me?”
I thought that the culprit of this was Grand Duke Martins. If it weren't for him, Bonis' little finger wouldn't have been cut off. If he hadn't told Prince Tesla that strange thing if it had been...!
I put the poker to the Grand Duke's throat again.
“Your Highness, it’s your fault!”
“Your Majesty, please listen to what I have to say.”
He held up both his hands and spoke to me as if to soothe me.
“I also received reports from my subordinates that the two of you spent the night together, but it was before I received this jewel box.”
“What does that mean...?”
“Yes, there must have been someone who brought the news before me. Prince Tesla’s eyes and ears are here in the Lapion Imperial Palace, other than me.”
“Who the hell would do something like that?”
My heart raced at Grand Duke Martin's unexpected words.
“I don’t know yet. Your Majesty, please sit down for now.”
I felt all my energy drain for a moment and flopped down on the sofa. After catching my breath for a moment and calming down a little, I opened my mouth again.
“There is a spy here that the Grand Duke doesn’t know about? But why did Prince Tesla plant someone else here besides the Grand Duke?”
To me, Prince Tesla was no longer someone I could address as ‘nim’.
“I also find that strange. I don’t know if Prince Tesla didn’t trust me from the beginning and planted a spy there, or if he’s a new spy he brought in this time.”
“Hasn’t anyone guessed?”
“Yes, not yet.”
Grand Duke Martins also said as if he was frustrated. I squinted my eyes and stared at the jewelry box again. The cold inside the box had already left. Bonis' little finger, wearing a pink diamond ring, was clearly visible. I clenched my molars and closed the box lid.
“Your Highness, it’s your fault!”
“Your Majesty, please listen to what I have to say.”
He held up both his hands and spoke to me as if to soothe me.
“I also received reports from my subordinates that the two of you spent the night together, but it was before I received this jewel box.”
“What does that mean...?”
“Yes, there must have been someone who brought the news before me. Prince Tesla’s eyes and ears are here in the Lapion Imperial Palace, other than me.”
“Who the hell would do something like that?”
My heart raced at Grand Duke Martin's unexpected words.
“I don’t know yet. Your Majesty, please sit down for now.”
I felt all my energy drain for a moment and flopped down on the sofa. After catching my breath for a moment and calming down a little, I opened my mouth again.
“There is a spy here that the Grand Duke doesn’t know about? But why did Prince Tesla plant someone else here besides the Grand Duke?”
To me, Prince Tesla was no longer someone I could address as ‘nim’.
“I also find that strange. I don’t know if Prince Tesla didn’t trust me from the beginning and planted a spy there, or if he’s a new spy he brought in this time.”
“Hasn’t anyone guessed?”
“Yes, not yet.”
Grand Duke Martins also said as if he was frustrated. I squinted my eyes and stared at the jewelry box again. The cold inside the box had already left. Bonis' little finger, wearing a pink diamond ring, was clearly visible. I clenched my molars and closed the box lid.
“I have no idea. But one thing, I think it must be someone close to Your Majesty the Empress.”
The Grand Duke looked down at my hand closed the box lid and said:
“Someone close to me...?”
Well, no one really came to mind. Who on earth could possibly be close to me and have any kind of connection to the Kingdom of Shattonil?
“If there is someone who can know about Your Majesty the Empress’s visit to the main palace last night and you going to the concubine’s quarters with His Majesty, then he must be nearby.”
Grand Duke Martins seemed to have already thought a lot about this matter.
“Are you saying that you are one of the concubines?”
“It could be one of the servants serving the concubine. I’m not sure, but I think it’s likely.”
“Hmm, by the way... Bonis. So the Grand Duke doesn’t know what happened to Bonis after that happened?”
I gestured to the jewelry box and asked.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I had my subordinate look into it, so please wait a moment.”
I looked into Grand Duke Martin's eyes for a moment. They were not lying eyes.
“Is it really Prince Tesla’s doing?”
“Isn’t the Prince currently in charge of all royal affairs on behalf of His Majesty the King, who is sick in bed? No one would send such a thing without his order.”
“Why on earth would he do something like that? Why would he do this to me!”
I grabbed the hem of my dress tightly.
“It must be a threat.”
Grand Duke Martins said as if it was obvious. It was because of me. It was because of me that Bonis went through this. A feeling of guilt surged through me along with anger.
“I guess you feel threatened.”
“Me?”
“No, Prince Tesla.”
“Isn’t that all thanks to the Grand Duke's diligent reporting over the years?”
Grand Duke Martins looked resentful at my sarcastic tone.
“I think it was my failure to report properly that caused him to become angry and come back like this.”
He said, nodding sullenly toward the jewelry box.
“Did you say, Young Lady Bonis? It seems like she is very close to Your Majesty the Empress.”
The way he asked that question made it seem like he really didn't know anything about this matter.
“She is the daughter of Baroness Epin, who was a bathing maid in the royal household...”
I covered my face with both hands and bent down, burying my face in my thighs.
“By any chance... Logan Epin, the court wizard who was Bonis Young lady's father?”
“That’s right. The missing Logan is her father.”
The Grand Duke looked down at my hand closed the box lid and said:
“Someone close to me...?”
Well, no one really came to mind. Who on earth could possibly be close to me and have any kind of connection to the Kingdom of Shattonil?
“If there is someone who can know about Your Majesty the Empress’s visit to the main palace last night and you going to the concubine’s quarters with His Majesty, then he must be nearby.”
Grand Duke Martins seemed to have already thought a lot about this matter.
“Are you saying that you are one of the concubines?”
“It could be one of the servants serving the concubine. I’m not sure, but I think it’s likely.”
“Hmm, by the way... Bonis. So the Grand Duke doesn’t know what happened to Bonis after that happened?”
I gestured to the jewelry box and asked.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I had my subordinate look into it, so please wait a moment.”
I looked into Grand Duke Martin's eyes for a moment. They were not lying eyes.
“Is it really Prince Tesla’s doing?”
“Isn’t the Prince currently in charge of all royal affairs on behalf of His Majesty the King, who is sick in bed? No one would send such a thing without his order.”
“Why on earth would he do something like that? Why would he do this to me!”
I grabbed the hem of my dress tightly.
“It must be a threat.”
Grand Duke Martins said as if it was obvious. It was because of me. It was because of me that Bonis went through this. A feeling of guilt surged through me along with anger.
“I guess you feel threatened.”
“Me?”
“No, Prince Tesla.”
“Isn’t that all thanks to the Grand Duke's diligent reporting over the years?”
Grand Duke Martins looked resentful at my sarcastic tone.
“I think it was my failure to report properly that caused him to become angry and come back like this.”
He said, nodding sullenly toward the jewelry box.
“Did you say, Young Lady Bonis? It seems like she is very close to Your Majesty the Empress.”
The way he asked that question made it seem like he really didn't know anything about this matter.
“She is the daughter of Baroness Epin, who was a bathing maid in the royal household...”
I covered my face with both hands and bent down, burying my face in my thighs.
“By any chance... Logan Epin, the court wizard who was Bonis Young lady's father?”
“That’s right. The missing Logan is her father.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Grand Duke Martins looked thoughtful.
“Why are you like that?”
“Oh, no. Nothing...”
He shrugged and continued.
“By the way, was it because of the pink diamond ring that you immediately knew that the little finger belonged to Bonis Young lady?”
“That’s right. I gave it to Bonis the day I left here. And the pink diamond ring was given to me by Prince Tesla as a birthday present the year before last.”
“Aha, so that’s why the Prince sent Lady Bonis’s little finger with the ring on it. So that Your Majesty the Empress can recognize it right away.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded as if the mystery had finally been solved, then leaned forward toward me with a face that seemed ready to say something.
“Prince Tesla told me to convey the message, ‘Let us keep the line between each other.’”
“Line? Since I crossed the line first, does that mean you crossed the line too? That’s why you cut off Bonis’s little finger?”
Prince Tesla will never let me go!
“That must be what you mean. And if Your Majesty the Empress continues to cross the line, then perhaps something else from Young Lady Bonis...”
“Stop! I don’t want to hear it.”
I lowered my head and covered my ears with both hands.
“Your Majesty, at times like these, you must calm your mind.”
Grand Duke Martins lowered his voice and spoke seriously.
“Prince Tesla will be visiting the Lapion Imperial Palace soon.”
“What did you say?”
I suddenly raised my head, which had been bowed.
Grand Duke Martins looked thoughtful.
“Why are you like that?”
“Oh, no. Nothing...”
He shrugged and continued.
“By the way, was it because of the pink diamond ring that you immediately knew that the little finger belonged to Bonis Young lady?”
“That’s right. I gave it to Bonis the day I left here. And the pink diamond ring was given to me by Prince Tesla as a birthday present the year before last.”
“Aha, so that’s why the Prince sent Lady Bonis’s little finger with the ring on it. So that Your Majesty the Empress can recognize it right away.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded as if the mystery had finally been solved, then leaned forward toward me with a face that seemed ready to say something.
“Prince Tesla told me to convey the message, ‘Let us keep the line between each other.’”
“Line? Since I crossed the line first, does that mean you crossed the line too? That’s why you cut off Bonis’s little finger?”
Prince Tesla will never let me go!
“That must be what you mean. And if Your Majesty the Empress continues to cross the line, then perhaps something else from Young Lady Bonis...”
“Stop! I don’t want to hear it.”
I lowered my head and covered my ears with both hands.
“Your Majesty, at times like these, you must calm your mind.”
Grand Duke Martins lowered his voice and spoke seriously.
“Prince Tesla will be visiting the Lapion Imperial Palace soon.”
“What did you say?”
I suddenly raised my head, which had been bowed.
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