“I think Lady Bonis will be coming with the wagon sent from the Kingdom of Shattonil.”
I was speechless for a while, staring intently at Grand Duke Martins's face. Is Bonis really coming here, to the Lapion Imperial Palace?! I was so embarrassed and happy that I forgot to breathe for a moment, and then I pulled myself together again.
“Your Highness, why are you telling me... that fact?”
“Didn’t you say before that that young lady was precious to Your Majesty the Empress?”
“Right. What I mean is, why are you helping me?”
“What are you talking about?”
Grand Duke Martins tilted his head and asked again, then continued speaking.
“I haven’t helped you with anything yet.”
“No, just telling me about Bonis was helpful enough.”
“I don’t know why Prince Tesla ordered you to bring that young lady. But I thought you should know, so I’m telling you. And about Young Lady Bonis...”
“Yes, I will keep what I know a secret.”
If I were to ask Prince Tesla first about Bonis's coming here, the Prince would suspect Grand Duke Martins of leaking the information, and that would put the Grand Duke in an awkward position.
“No, that’s not what I meant. The Prince will probably try to use Young Lady Bonis as a threat or a persuasion card. So, Your Majesty the Empress should try to avoid mentioning Young Lady as much as possible, and think of an alternative in advance and deal with it well.”
“Yes, then. Thank you.”
I expressed my sincere gratitude. Grand Duke Martins coughed awkwardly and then narrowed his eyes again.
“Oh, and I should prepare some magic potions before I go hunting.”
“Is it possible? Is it possible?”
When the topic of magic potions came up, my heart started to become anxious again.
“Didn’t you say you made a reservation at the clinic’s examination room at that time?”
“That’s true, but that wizard Big said that what I’m taking can’t be made quickly. That’s why I’m a little worried.”
“I will send someone, no, I will go and meet him myself.”
“Really... would you do that?”
I asked, half in doubt about the unexpected favor of Grand Duke Martins.
“Yes, so don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. Please move as quickly as possible.”
“I will do so.”
The face of the Grand Duke, who usually looked so mean, looked quite trustworthy today. It couldn't be otherwise. The only person I could discuss this with was Grand Duke Martins. It was also partly because he had told me about Bonis. Today, for the first time, it seemed like I was looking at Grand Duke Martin's face without frowning.
“But Your Highness, you have a wound that wasn’t there before?”
I pointed to the wound on his right cheek with my finger. It was a slight cut.
“Oh, this is some kind of evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“Proof that I am good at reading people. Proof that my choice was right.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“You don’t have to know. Now that I think about it, I also have a wound in a similar location as Your Majesty the Empress... We have something in common.”
Grand Duke Martins said, placing his hand on the wound on his right cheek.
“I can’t admit it.”
“Haha, why?”
When I became serious, the Grand Duke smiled briefly and asked.
“The Grand Duke's wounds will soon disappear, but the wounds on my face will remain as scars. I took a magic potion to make them disappear temporarily.”
I also touched the burn scar on my right cheek.
“Are you trying to match me with just that much damage?”
I was able to laugh in vain as Grand Duke Martins made a bitter expression on my behalf. I started walking through the greenhouse with the Grand Duke again. After a while, I lowered my voice and said.
“Yesterday, I happened to see a servant from the West Palace being murdered in the Empress’s Palace rear garden. I think it had something to do with Prince Tesla.”
Grand Duke Martins glanced at me as he walked forward, looking straight ahead. I told him everything that had happened the night before and that Prince Norton had also witnessed it.
“The place where Prince Norton saw the servant was the residence of Consort Pesilini. I think Prince Tesla’s puppet is Consort Pesilini. What do you think?”
Unlike me, who was speaking seriously, the Grand Duke seemed calm.
“Yes, that’s right. I was going to tell you about that today.”
Grand Duke Martins said calmly.
“Oh, you already figured it out? But Prince Norton... is he okay? Could you tell him about me meeting him last night...”
I also touched the burn scar on my right cheek.
“Are you trying to match me with just that much damage?”
I was able to laugh in vain as Grand Duke Martins made a bitter expression on my behalf. I started walking through the greenhouse with the Grand Duke again. After a while, I lowered my voice and said.
“Yesterday, I happened to see a servant from the West Palace being murdered in the Empress’s Palace rear garden. I think it had something to do with Prince Tesla.”
Grand Duke Martins glanced at me as he walked forward, looking straight ahead. I told him everything that had happened the night before and that Prince Norton had also witnessed it.
“The place where Prince Norton saw the servant was the residence of Consort Pesilini. I think Prince Tesla’s puppet is Consort Pesilini. What do you think?”
Unlike me, who was speaking seriously, the Grand Duke seemed calm.
“Yes, that’s right. I was going to tell you about that today.”
Grand Duke Martins said calmly.
“Oh, you already figured it out? But Prince Norton... is he okay? Could you tell him about me meeting him last night...”
“Yes, it will be fine. You don’t have to worry about that.”
The Grand Duke spoke reassuringly, as if he knew what I was worried about.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I already heard the story from Prince Norton last night.”
“Did the two of you... know each other?”
Come to think of it, when I first met Prince Norton at the training grounds, he also asked me about Grand Duke Martins.
“I am slowly getting to know him with interest. Although I am still not sure about Prince Norton’s feelings.”
"...Yes?"
“One thing is for sure, Prince Norton likes me more than Prince Tesla. So don’t worry. Oh, that sounds a bit strange...”
Grand Duke Martins continued speaking nonchalantly, then saw my curious gaze and smiled, quickly adding:
“Please don’t misunderstand.”
“Yes, anyway, I hope you two... have a good outcome. Whatever it may be.”
Come to think of it, when I first met Prince Norton at the training grounds, he also asked me about Grand Duke Martins.
“I am slowly getting to know him with interest. Although I am still not sure about Prince Norton’s feelings.”
"...Yes?"
“One thing is for sure, Prince Norton likes me more than Prince Tesla. So don’t worry. Oh, that sounds a bit strange...”
Grand Duke Martins continued speaking nonchalantly, then saw my curious gaze and smiled, quickly adding:
“Please don’t misunderstand.”
“Yes, anyway, I hope you two... have a good outcome. Whatever it may be.”
I clenched my fists and cheered.
***
After parting ways with Grand Duke Martins in the greenhouse, I returned to the Empress's Palace. After hearing news about Bonis from the Grand Duke and discussing purchasing magic potions, my anxiety eased a little. However, as long as the Shattonil royal siblings stayed here in the imperial palace, my nerves couldn't help but be on edge. When I arrived at the bedroom floor, I saw Sollie and Theresa loitering in the middle of the hallway. Sharon and I looked at each other at the same time. Sharon must have felt something strange because she called their names. Then, the two of them came running as if they had been waiting.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
Sharon looked at me and asked Sollie and Theresa.
“I... The Princess of Her Majesty the Empress’s home country has been in your bedroom since a while ago.”
“Princess Resilia?”
I found myself reacting nervously without realizing it.
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress...”
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
Sharon looked at me and asked Sollie and Theresa.
“I... The Princess of Her Majesty the Empress’s home country has been in your bedroom since a while ago.”
“Princess Resilia?”
I found myself reacting nervously without realizing it.
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress...”
“What were you doing? You should have taken her to the reception room. Why did you take her to the bedroom when Her Majesty the Empress wasn’t even there?”
Sharon scolded them both.
“I’m sorry. We told her the same thing...”
“She opened the bedroom door and came in without warning..."
As the two bowed their heads and spoke, Sharon's voice grew louder.
“No matter what, it’s like that!”
“Yes. Let me go in. Is she waiting in the bedroom right now?”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
I calmed down the excited Sharon and walked towards the bedroom door.
***
Today is a really rough day for me. I braced myself before entering the bedroom. It took a lot of patience to face Princess Resilia in such a shitty mood today. Prince Tesla and Princess Resilia were good at turning people upside down with a bright smile. The Prince would watch the situation and make the other person angry, but the Princess was the type to just pour oil on the fire. I took a deep breath and opened the bedroom door. Contrary to my expectations, the bedroom was quiet despite my presence. I should have heard Princess Resilia chattering loudly, but there was no response. Not only that, but she was nowhere to be seen. I slowly looked around and stopped in the middle of the bedroom.
"Ha."
Princess Resilia was asleep in my bed. It was really an unreasonable act. Even though I was the acting Empress, that was something only we knew, and how many eyes were watching the Empress’s palace? Do you not care about their gazes?
"Ha."
Princess Resilia was asleep in my bed. It was really an unreasonable act. Even though I was the acting Empress, that was something only we knew, and how many eyes were watching the Empress’s palace? Do you not care about their gazes?
Moreover, it was unusual for someone to come into the bedroom and wait while the Empress was away, but the Princess of the kingdom was napping on the bed of the Empress of the empire. Princess Resilia was sleeping exactly on the side where I was lying. I quietly looked down at the sleeping Princess’s face and imagined Linel lying next to her. Just thinking about him laughing, talking, and making love in this bed with another woman, and Princess Resilia at that, made my heart ache.
“Huh? When did you come?”
Princess Resilia woke up. She rubbed her eyes with both hands like a child, yawned, and sat up.
“They told you to wait in the living room.”
Anyway, the question of why she came was the same as asking.
“Why are you upset? Why did you barge into an uninhabited bedroom?”
If she had asked in a more angry voice, I would have been less angry, but the Princess's innocent tone made it seem like she was teasing me.
“It’s not like that. Many eyes are watching, so you have to be careful. Even if you are the Princess of the Empress country, wouldn’t the servants think it’s strange if they see you taking a nap in an unoccupied bedroom?”
“Um, sorry! Is it because I thought they would be my servants later anyway? I just felt a little close to them. And I fell asleep for a moment while lying down on the bed.”
“...”
Let's not talk. I just kept my mouth shut.
“His Majesty, on which side do you sleep? Do you have any sleeping habits?”
"...Yes?"
“Isn’t there something you should know in advance? Ah, the most important thing! Are you sure there’s no problem?”
“What's the problem?”
“In bed....”
Princess Resilia asked secretly with a serious expression on her face. I was so shocked that I stared at her face with my mouth open.
“Rumor has it that he has a problem with his functions and avoids women. How is it when you actually sleep together? Tell me. Hey, I understand.”
“What on earth do you understand?”
I frowned and burst out laughing.
“I understand that you want to sleep in the same bed as His Majesty as compensation for taking my place. I’m usually pretty cool.”
The Princess sat up completely in bed and stretched, saying:
"Ha."
I wanted to tell her that I was having hot nights every night, that he wouldn't let me sleep at all, and that I needed to take naps like him.
“But, are you using contraception properly?”
“!”
“Oh, right. They said you don’t have to worry about that part.”
When I opened my eyes wide and looked at Princess Resilia, she opened her mouth again with a look in her eyes that said she thought I didn't know.
“I didn’t know that there were birth control pills in magic potions.”
“...Is that what the Prince said?”
“Yeah. When you get the chance, be sure to thank my brother. He even takes great care of such small details. He's being so affectionate.”
“Affection...? Hahaha.”
It was the funniest thing I’ve heard lately. I couldn’t stop laughing. In fact, I brought birth control pills separately when I left the Shattonil royal family here. I had heard from Prince Tesla that Linel had a functional problem and didn’t get close to women, so I didn’t think I would need them. However, Bonis, just in case, had a maid she knew hurriedly get me some birth control pills and put them in my luggage. And on the day of my wedding, after I unexpectedly had sex with him, I’ve been taking the birth control pills Bonis gave me. As the acting Empress, if I got pregnant, things would have been complicated, so it was a natural choice for me. But Prince Tesla had already planned it out... Ha, should I thank him for his thorough preparation?
“If you look closely, it seems like my brother cares a lot for you. Sometimes even more than me, his real younger brother.”
“No way.”
I still can't stop laughing.
“Oh my, they say that people who only receive don’t know better, and that’s exactly right.”
Princess Resilia glared at me venomously.
“What did you say?”
“When I was young, he took care of you even more. To the point where I was jealous.”
When I was little, Prince Tesla would take me around the palace, but it wasn't enough to make her jealous. But for her, who always had to monopolize everyone's love and attention, did even that little favor bother her?
“Wow, but Zelda... the burn scar really did disappear like a charm.”
She looked closely at my face and admired it.
“But I miss the old you.”
The moment I heard those words, goosebumps appeared on both my arms. It felt like there was an eerie knife hidden in Princess Resilia's words.
“You really should be thankful to my brother. Look at this. He cleaned up everything I did so perfectly.”
She said, pointing to my burn scar with her finger.
“Do you remember that time? The day you got your face burned, we were playing hide-and-seek.”
Her tone was as if she had nothing to do with what had happened that day. I mustered up the last of my patience and warned her.
“Please... Please leave now for today.”
But Princess Resilia paid no attention and began to bring up the worst day of my life as if it were an insignificant memory.
“But actually, that day...”
Without even realizing that she was stirring up a hornet's nest.
“Huh? When did you come?”
Princess Resilia woke up. She rubbed her eyes with both hands like a child, yawned, and sat up.
“They told you to wait in the living room.”
Anyway, the question of why she came was the same as asking.
“Why are you upset? Why did you barge into an uninhabited bedroom?”
If she had asked in a more angry voice, I would have been less angry, but the Princess's innocent tone made it seem like she was teasing me.
“It’s not like that. Many eyes are watching, so you have to be careful. Even if you are the Princess of the Empress country, wouldn’t the servants think it’s strange if they see you taking a nap in an unoccupied bedroom?”
“Um, sorry! Is it because I thought they would be my servants later anyway? I just felt a little close to them. And I fell asleep for a moment while lying down on the bed.”
“...”
Let's not talk. I just kept my mouth shut.
“His Majesty, on which side do you sleep? Do you have any sleeping habits?”
"...Yes?"
“Isn’t there something you should know in advance? Ah, the most important thing! Are you sure there’s no problem?”
“What's the problem?”
“In bed....”
Princess Resilia asked secretly with a serious expression on her face. I was so shocked that I stared at her face with my mouth open.
“Rumor has it that he has a problem with his functions and avoids women. How is it when you actually sleep together? Tell me. Hey, I understand.”
“What on earth do you understand?”
I frowned and burst out laughing.
“I understand that you want to sleep in the same bed as His Majesty as compensation for taking my place. I’m usually pretty cool.”
The Princess sat up completely in bed and stretched, saying:
"Ha."
I wanted to tell her that I was having hot nights every night, that he wouldn't let me sleep at all, and that I needed to take naps like him.
“But, are you using contraception properly?”
“!”
“Oh, right. They said you don’t have to worry about that part.”
When I opened my eyes wide and looked at Princess Resilia, she opened her mouth again with a look in her eyes that said she thought I didn't know.
“I didn’t know that there were birth control pills in magic potions.”
“...Is that what the Prince said?”
“Yeah. When you get the chance, be sure to thank my brother. He even takes great care of such small details. He's being so affectionate.”
“Affection...? Hahaha.”
It was the funniest thing I’ve heard lately. I couldn’t stop laughing. In fact, I brought birth control pills separately when I left the Shattonil royal family here. I had heard from Prince Tesla that Linel had a functional problem and didn’t get close to women, so I didn’t think I would need them. However, Bonis, just in case, had a maid she knew hurriedly get me some birth control pills and put them in my luggage. And on the day of my wedding, after I unexpectedly had sex with him, I’ve been taking the birth control pills Bonis gave me. As the acting Empress, if I got pregnant, things would have been complicated, so it was a natural choice for me. But Prince Tesla had already planned it out... Ha, should I thank him for his thorough preparation?
“If you look closely, it seems like my brother cares a lot for you. Sometimes even more than me, his real younger brother.”
“No way.”
I still can't stop laughing.
“Oh my, they say that people who only receive don’t know better, and that’s exactly right.”
Princess Resilia glared at me venomously.
“What did you say?”
“When I was young, he took care of you even more. To the point where I was jealous.”
When I was little, Prince Tesla would take me around the palace, but it wasn't enough to make her jealous. But for her, who always had to monopolize everyone's love and attention, did even that little favor bother her?
“Wow, but Zelda... the burn scar really did disappear like a charm.”
She looked closely at my face and admired it.
“But I miss the old you.”
The moment I heard those words, goosebumps appeared on both my arms. It felt like there was an eerie knife hidden in Princess Resilia's words.
“You really should be thankful to my brother. Look at this. He cleaned up everything I did so perfectly.”
She said, pointing to my burn scar with her finger.
“Do you remember that time? The day you got your face burned, we were playing hide-and-seek.”
Her tone was as if she had nothing to do with what had happened that day. I mustered up the last of my patience and warned her.
“Please... Please leave now for today.”
But Princess Resilia paid no attention and began to bring up the worst day of my life as if it were an insignificant memory.
“But actually, that day...”
Without even realizing that she was stirring up a hornet's nest.
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