“These earrings are made of pink diamonds.”
Prince Tesla pushed the jewel box he had placed on the table toward me.
“Meow. (You must be mistaken.)”
“This great wyvern makes no mistakes! Only stupid cats make mistakes.”
Moiya shouted in anger.
“Meow? Kyaak! (Who are you calling stupid? Oh, if only I had wings!)”
Aoshi, who was furious, repeatedly swung her front paws at Moiya. Moiya was startled and flew up onto the bookshelf, and Aoshi jumped up in response.
“What are you doing jumping when you don’t even have wings?”
“Kyaak!”
As Moiya continued to tease her, Aoshi yelped and jumped onto the mid-height shelf where Moiya was sitting, then jumped up onto it in one breath. As he did so, the alignment of the books lined up in a row was ruined.
“Oh my, because of you, the book is all messed up! Anyway, how careless. Oww?!”
The moment Moiya finished speaking, the bookshelf was pushed to the side along with the wall with a thud.
“Me, Meow? (Is this hell?)”
Aoshi quickly got down from the bookshelf and opened his pink mouth wide as he looked at the suddenly appeared dark space. In that dark space, a cold wind like midwinter blew outside the library.
“Oh, am I right? I said there was a cold place!”
Moiya shouted as he felt a cold air rushing over him.
“Meow. (Let’s go. I’m scared.)”
Aoshi took a step back with a frightened expression.
“I guess I should go in, Moiya~.”
Unlike the nervous Aoshi, the excited Moiya flew into the dark space.
“Meow! (Ugh, let’s go together!)”
Aoshi had no choice but to follow Moiya and step out towards that place.
Prince Tesla pushed the jewel box he had placed on the table toward me.
“I had it specially crafted by the most famous jeweler in the kingdom as a gift to Her Majesty the Empress.”
“A pink diamond... It will match the Empress’s eyes well. Why don’t you open it?”
Linel wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gestured to the jewelry box with his chin. His hand didn't move. I just stared at the jewelry box as if it were poisonous.
“Please open it, Your Majesty the Empress. It is a specialty product representing our country, so I would like Your Majesty the Empress to wear it herself.”
Prince Tesla said in a whining tone. The Prince already saw through what I was afraid of. Could it be, just like what the Prince said at the banquet hall yesterday, that Bonis’s ears would...?
“A pink diamond... It will match the Empress’s eyes well. Why don’t you open it?”
Linel wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gestured to the jewelry box with his chin. His hand didn't move. I just stared at the jewelry box as if it were poisonous.
“Please open it, Your Majesty the Empress. It is a specialty product representing our country, so I would like Your Majesty the Empress to wear it herself.”
Prince Tesla said in a whining tone. The Prince already saw through what I was afraid of. Could it be, just like what the Prince said at the banquet hall yesterday, that Bonis’s ears would...?
No. I shut my eyes tightly and opened them again. I wanted to erase all the bad thoughts that had just occurred to me from my head. Even though I knew that Prince Tesla would never have brought something strange inside a jewel box in front of other people, I couldn’t bring myself to do so. However, since I had no reason to avoid it, I had no choice but to use the jewel box.
Haa... Fortunately, there were only pink diamond earrings inside. The jewel box also looked exactly the same as the one made of cold and hot magic stones.
“It's so beautiful, Your Majesty the Empress!”
Rosie tilted her head back and looked at the pink diamond earrings, her eyes sparkling.
"I know..."
I checked the earrings with an indifferent gaze and immediately closed the box lid.
“Try it on now. It will suit the Empress well.”
Linel opened the jewelry box again, picked up an earring, and held it close to my ear as she spoke. I had no choice but to take off the earring I was wearing and put on the pink diamond earring.
“Wow, you really suit each other!”
Rosie clasped her hands together in admiration.
"Thank you."
I gave her a brief smile and then looked at Prince Tesla.
“Your Highness, I will gratefully accept your gift.”
“Never mind. Next time, I’ll prepare a pink diamond necklace.”
What? A necklace? I sensed a warning in Prince Tesla's words. That crazy bastard couldn't possibly have taken Bonis's neck... The mere thought made me vomit.
“I will only accept your heart.”
My voice came out colder than I expected as I refused. I felt Linel, sitting next to me, glancing at me.
“Let’s get back to what we were talking about.”
Linel changed the subject. I continued to stare at Prince Tesla. I thought that I couldn’t keep being dragged around like this. The Prince would keep threatening me while keeping Bonis as a hostage. The threat was obvious. I would walk into the trap he had set and be kicked out of the Empress’s position. I didn’t want to give up on Linel and Bonis. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. I wouldn’t.
“It's so beautiful, Your Majesty the Empress!”
Rosie tilted her head back and looked at the pink diamond earrings, her eyes sparkling.
"I know..."
I checked the earrings with an indifferent gaze and immediately closed the box lid.
“Try it on now. It will suit the Empress well.”
Linel opened the jewelry box again, picked up an earring, and held it close to my ear as she spoke. I had no choice but to take off the earring I was wearing and put on the pink diamond earring.
“Wow, you really suit each other!”
Rosie clasped her hands together in admiration.
"Thank you."
I gave her a brief smile and then looked at Prince Tesla.
“Your Highness, I will gratefully accept your gift.”
“Never mind. Next time, I’ll prepare a pink diamond necklace.”
What? A necklace? I sensed a warning in Prince Tesla's words. That crazy bastard couldn't possibly have taken Bonis's neck... The mere thought made me vomit.
“I will only accept your heart.”
My voice came out colder than I expected as I refused. I felt Linel, sitting next to me, glancing at me.
“Let’s get back to what we were talking about.”
Linel changed the subject. I continued to stare at Prince Tesla. I thought that I couldn’t keep being dragged around like this. The Prince would keep threatening me while keeping Bonis as a hostage. The threat was obvious. I would walk into the trap he had set and be kicked out of the Empress’s position. I didn’t want to give up on Linel and Bonis. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. I wouldn’t.
I steeled my resolve once more, looking at Prince Tesla’s vulgar smile. If there was a way to resolve it quietly, I would, but no matter how much I thought about it, this was the only way to deal with the cunning Prince Tesla.
“Just a moment, Your Majesty. Before that, I have something to ask the Prince.”
I blurted out before the topic turned to the problem of Rosie and Prince Norton.
“Please speak at your convenience, Empress.”
Linel gave me a generous look. I smiled at him slightly and turned my gaze to Prince Tesla. A head-on attack. I spoke openly in front of Linel.
“Where is Bonis now? Oh, she’s probably staying at the villa.”
First, I had to confirm whether Bonis was really here. Prince Tesla opened his eyes wide and pressed his lips together and then apart several times as if he had never expected me to mention Bonis in this way.
“Your Majesty, let’s discuss that separately...”
Prince Tesla tried to change the subject, keeping an eye on Linel.
“Who is Bonis?”
But Linel looked back and forth between me and Prince Tesla with curiosity.
“This is a Young Lady, who was my close friend as a bathing maid in the royal palace. We are like real sisters. Yesterday, at the banquet hall, while talking about Bonis with the Prince, the conversation was interrupted...”
I answered him with a deliberately gloomy expression.
“Why, is something wrong with that young lady?”
After observing my complexion for a moment, he asked Prince Tesla a question.
“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”
Prince Tesla answered him with a troubled expression. I grabbed his arm gently and frowned.
“I thought Bonis would come to see me as soon as she got here, but I haven’t heard from her. I’d like to see her right away.”
“I would like to meet Young Lady, who was like a real sister to the Empress. Oh, then how about having dinner together tonight?”
Prince Tesla's face turned ashen at his suggestion.
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
Yes. Maybe it would be easier than I thought to get Bonis out of Prince Tesla. I wanted to run to the villa and meet Bonis right away, but I tried to keep my cool. I looked straight at Prince Tesla and spoke to Linel in a polite tone.
“Your Majesty, if Your Majesty permits, I would like to have Bonis as my maid and live with me in the imperial palace.”
“It won’t be a problem. If the Empress is okay with it, I’ll be happy to do it.”
He nodded and readily agreed. Only then did my breathing, which had been as narrow as a needle's eye, feel like it was opening up. I released my clenched fists and wiped my sweaty palms on the hem of my dress skirt. But at that moment, Prince Tesla snickered and disgustingly shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty the Empress, but I don’t think I can do that.”
What? There was no reason to oppose it. And even if I were to do so, why would a Prince of the Shattonil Kingdom oppose something that the Emperor of the Lapion Empire had permitted?
“Just a moment, Your Majesty. Before that, I have something to ask the Prince.”
I blurted out before the topic turned to the problem of Rosie and Prince Norton.
“Please speak at your convenience, Empress.”
Linel gave me a generous look. I smiled at him slightly and turned my gaze to Prince Tesla. A head-on attack. I spoke openly in front of Linel.
“Where is Bonis now? Oh, she’s probably staying at the villa.”
First, I had to confirm whether Bonis was really here. Prince Tesla opened his eyes wide and pressed his lips together and then apart several times as if he had never expected me to mention Bonis in this way.
“Your Majesty, let’s discuss that separately...”
Prince Tesla tried to change the subject, keeping an eye on Linel.
“Who is Bonis?”
But Linel looked back and forth between me and Prince Tesla with curiosity.
“This is a Young Lady, who was my close friend as a bathing maid in the royal palace. We are like real sisters. Yesterday, at the banquet hall, while talking about Bonis with the Prince, the conversation was interrupted...”
I answered him with a deliberately gloomy expression.
“Why, is something wrong with that young lady?”
After observing my complexion for a moment, he asked Prince Tesla a question.
“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”
Prince Tesla answered him with a troubled expression. I grabbed his arm gently and frowned.
“I thought Bonis would come to see me as soon as she got here, but I haven’t heard from her. I’d like to see her right away.”
“I would like to meet Young Lady, who was like a real sister to the Empress. Oh, then how about having dinner together tonight?”
Prince Tesla's face turned ashen at his suggestion.
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
Yes. Maybe it would be easier than I thought to get Bonis out of Prince Tesla. I wanted to run to the villa and meet Bonis right away, but I tried to keep my cool. I looked straight at Prince Tesla and spoke to Linel in a polite tone.
“Your Majesty, if Your Majesty permits, I would like to have Bonis as my maid and live with me in the imperial palace.”
“It won’t be a problem. If the Empress is okay with it, I’ll be happy to do it.”
He nodded and readily agreed. Only then did my breathing, which had been as narrow as a needle's eye, feel like it was opening up. I released my clenched fists and wiped my sweaty palms on the hem of my dress skirt. But at that moment, Prince Tesla snickered and disgustingly shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty the Empress, but I don’t think I can do that.”
What? There was no reason to oppose it. And even if I were to do so, why would a Prince of the Shattonil Kingdom oppose something that the Emperor of the Lapion Empire had permitted?
Something felt strange. Not only Linel but also Rosie and Prince Norton, who were sitting with him, looked at Prince Tesla with strange eyes.
“No? Prince, what do you mean?”
I finally raised my voice, revealing the anger I had been holding in. I became even angrier at the sight of Prince Tesla’s face, who was deliberately smiling faintly.
“Tell me why.”
At Linel's command, Prince Tesla opened his mouth slowly, pretending to be serious.
“Because Lady Bonis is now... my government.”
“What, what did you say?!”
What the hell is this! Whose mistress is Bonis? Without realizing it, I lifted the teacup in front of me with one hand, holding it tightly. Prince Tesla looked down at my hand holding the teacup, flinched for a moment, and continued speaking in his characteristically sly voice.
“So... unfortunately, I cannot send Bonis as a maid to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Prince Tesla's eyebrows drooped and he looked apologetic, but his eyes were already filled with triumph. Looking at that mean sight, I felt like I was chewing a handful of sand in my mouth. There's no way Bonis would do that. That's ridiculous, that's a lie! I screamed inwardly.
“From Bonis’s perspective, wouldn’t it be a much happier life for a woman to be loved by me rather than to serve Her Majesty the Empress?”
Prince Tesla put one hand on his heart and spoke to Bonis as if he were very affectionate. I couldn't control my anger and jumped up from my chair.
“I have to see Bonis right now!”
I barely managed to hold back the curses that were about to spill out of my mouth, but I couldn't stop the voice that was filled with evil. Everyone except Prince Tesla looked up at me with surprised eyes. The most surprised of them all was Linel.
"Empress."
I regained my senses at the sound of Linel's heavy voice and released my clenched fist. I released my fist, but I did not release the strength in my hand. It was a strength that could only be released if some part of Prince Tesla's body was destroyed.
“Your Majesty the Empress, are you... alright?”
Rosie asked with a worried expression. Prince Norton, sitting next to her, also darkened his expression at the ominous atmosphere. I couldn’t say that it was okay. Instead, I slowly exhaled hot breaths and tried to calm down the anger that was spreading toward Prince Tesla. Just as I was about to sit down on the chair again, Linel got up.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He got up from his chair and apologized to the three of them. Linel turned my shoulder and led me to the lounge inside the office.
I finally raised my voice, revealing the anger I had been holding in. I became even angrier at the sight of Prince Tesla’s face, who was deliberately smiling faintly.
“Tell me why.”
At Linel's command, Prince Tesla opened his mouth slowly, pretending to be serious.
“Because Lady Bonis is now... my government.”
“What, what did you say?!”
What the hell is this! Whose mistress is Bonis? Without realizing it, I lifted the teacup in front of me with one hand, holding it tightly. Prince Tesla looked down at my hand holding the teacup, flinched for a moment, and continued speaking in his characteristically sly voice.
“So... unfortunately, I cannot send Bonis as a maid to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Prince Tesla's eyebrows drooped and he looked apologetic, but his eyes were already filled with triumph. Looking at that mean sight, I felt like I was chewing a handful of sand in my mouth. There's no way Bonis would do that. That's ridiculous, that's a lie! I screamed inwardly.
“From Bonis’s perspective, wouldn’t it be a much happier life for a woman to be loved by me rather than to serve Her Majesty the Empress?”
Prince Tesla put one hand on his heart and spoke to Bonis as if he were very affectionate. I couldn't control my anger and jumped up from my chair.
“I have to see Bonis right now!”
I barely managed to hold back the curses that were about to spill out of my mouth, but I couldn't stop the voice that was filled with evil. Everyone except Prince Tesla looked up at me with surprised eyes. The most surprised of them all was Linel.
"Empress."
I regained my senses at the sound of Linel's heavy voice and released my clenched fist. I released my fist, but I did not release the strength in my hand. It was a strength that could only be released if some part of Prince Tesla's body was destroyed.
“Your Majesty the Empress, are you... alright?”
Rosie asked with a worried expression. Prince Norton, sitting next to her, also darkened his expression at the ominous atmosphere. I couldn’t say that it was okay. Instead, I slowly exhaled hot breaths and tried to calm down the anger that was spreading toward Prince Tesla. Just as I was about to sit down on the chair again, Linel got up.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He got up from his chair and apologized to the three of them. Linel turned my shoulder and led me to the lounge inside the office.
***
A white kitten running through the Lapion Imperial Garden and a baby wyvern that turned into a mosquito and clung to the cat's fur. Aoshi cleverly chose to only walk among the grass and wildflowers, so he arrived safely in front of the main palace building without being noticed by the court ladies.
“Meow? (What do I do now? How do I know which floor the office is on?)”
“It’s the second floor. I can hear our master’s voice.”
Weeeeeing-.
“Meow? (What do I do now? How do I know which floor the office is on?)”
“It’s the second floor. I can hear our master’s voice.”
Weeeeeing-.
Moiya, who had turned into a mosquito, flapped her wings in joy.
“Can you come up here, cat?”
“Meow meow...? (I’ve never been to a high place since I was born...?)”
“Even if you fall while climbing, just try. If you fall, I’ll save you, so don’t be too scared!”
First, Moiya flew to the second floor and looked down at Aoshi from the long arched window, encouraging him. Aoshi struggled and jumped between the pieces embedded here and there in the main building, climbing up with great effort.
“Can you come up here, cat?”
“Meow meow...? (I’ve never been to a high place since I was born...?)”
“Even if you fall while climbing, just try. If you fall, I’ll save you, so don’t be too scared!”
First, Moiya flew to the second floor and looked down at Aoshi from the long arched window, encouraging him. Aoshi struggled and jumped between the pieces embedded here and there in the main building, climbing up with great effort.
“Oh my, cats are more tenacious than I thought.”
“Hehe, meow! (Out of breath, I did it!)”
“You survived this time too. Let’s go. The office is over there. Hey? The humans are coming. Hide behind the statue!”
Moiya and Aoshi were heading towards the office located in the middle of the second-floor hallway, but they quickly hid behind a statue when they heard the servants coming down the stairs.
“Let’s leave those two books at the library. Just take the rest of the books to the secretary.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The two servants opened the library door in front of the statue and went inside while conversing.
“Oh, sir, let’s go in there too.”
Moiya flapped his wings toward the library door.
“Meow? (Why?)”
“I feel like there’s something strange inside there.”
In response to Aoshi's question of how he knew that,
“I can feel it in my body. Huh? The door is closing. Sir, now is the time, run!”
As Moiya entered the library first, Aoshi also flexibly squeezed through the gap in the slowly closing library door. After the servants put the books back in the library and went out again, Moiya, who had been hiding in a corner, flew off somewhere and asked Aoshi.
“Can’t you feel it?”
“Meow? (What?)”
“There’s something incredibly cold.”
Moiya continued to fly towards the cold air as he looked around the library.
“Are you sure this is around here?”
“Meow? (There are only books here, and it’s cold?)”
Aoshi ran to the bookshelf where Moiya was buzzing, looked around, and asked.
“There’s definitely a cold air gathering around here? It’s strange...”
“Hehe, meow! (Out of breath, I did it!)”
“You survived this time too. Let’s go. The office is over there. Hey? The humans are coming. Hide behind the statue!”
Moiya and Aoshi were heading towards the office located in the middle of the second-floor hallway, but they quickly hid behind a statue when they heard the servants coming down the stairs.
“Let’s leave those two books at the library. Just take the rest of the books to the secretary.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The two servants opened the library door in front of the statue and went inside while conversing.
“Oh, sir, let’s go in there too.”
Moiya flapped his wings toward the library door.
“Meow? (Why?)”
“I feel like there’s something strange inside there.”
In response to Aoshi's question of how he knew that,
“I can feel it in my body. Huh? The door is closing. Sir, now is the time, run!”
As Moiya entered the library first, Aoshi also flexibly squeezed through the gap in the slowly closing library door. After the servants put the books back in the library and went out again, Moiya, who had been hiding in a corner, flew off somewhere and asked Aoshi.
“Can’t you feel it?”
“Meow? (What?)”
“There’s something incredibly cold.”
Moiya continued to fly towards the cold air as he looked around the library.
“Are you sure this is around here?”
“Meow? (There are only books here, and it’s cold?)”
Aoshi ran to the bookshelf where Moiya was buzzing, looked around, and asked.
“There’s definitely a cold air gathering around here? It’s strange...”
“Meow. (You must be mistaken.)”
“This great wyvern makes no mistakes! Only stupid cats make mistakes.”
Moiya shouted in anger.
“Meow? Kyaak! (Who are you calling stupid? Oh, if only I had wings!)”
Aoshi, who was furious, repeatedly swung her front paws at Moiya. Moiya was startled and flew up onto the bookshelf, and Aoshi jumped up in response.
“What are you doing jumping when you don’t even have wings?”
“Kyaak!”
As Moiya continued to tease her, Aoshi yelped and jumped onto the mid-height shelf where Moiya was sitting, then jumped up onto it in one breath. As he did so, the alignment of the books lined up in a row was ruined.
“Oh my, because of you, the book is all messed up! Anyway, how careless. Oww?!”
The moment Moiya finished speaking, the bookshelf was pushed to the side along with the wall with a thud.
“Me, Meow? (Is this hell?)”
Aoshi quickly got down from the bookshelf and opened his pink mouth wide as he looked at the suddenly appeared dark space. In that dark space, a cold wind like midwinter blew outside the library.
“Oh, am I right? I said there was a cold place!”
Moiya shouted as he felt a cold air rushing over him.
“Meow. (Let’s go. I’m scared.)”
Aoshi took a step back with a frightened expression.
“I guess I should go in, Moiya~.”
Unlike the nervous Aoshi, the excited Moiya flew into the dark space.
“Meow! (Ugh, let’s go together!)”
Aoshi had no choice but to follow Moiya and step out towards that place.
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