“What are you thinking about?”
Although I had already prepared myself for this, my fingertips began to tremble at the thought that a situation might arise where I would have to leave Linel's side.
“Zelda, we can’t avoid this.”
"Then..."
“We have to fight. It would be easiest to just bury the fact that you are the acting Empress, but there is already someone who is using that fact to blackmail you.”
“Wouldn’t it be easy for Prince Tesla to reveal to the ministers of Lapion that he sent me as a proxy Empress? If that happens, Princess Resilia won’t be able to be put forward as the remarried Empress either.”
“Hmm... If the Prince fails to put his sister in the position of Empress, what do you think he will do with you then?”
“Well, maybe I should just...”
“He going to kill you.”
His hand lightly brushed my neck. For a moment, I felt a chill as I imagined Prince Tesla pointing a knife at my neck.
“First, you have to trust me.”
“I believe you.”
I answered without a second of hesitation.
“Do you have any plans in mind...?”
“First of all, there isn’t any.”
“!”
I was startled by his resolute and unplanned behavior.
I looked straight into the bewildered face of Prince Tesla and answered Linel.
“That, that might be a bit difficult. Bonis is currently resting due to a cold... I think it would be better if we sit together next time...”
“Raphael!”
Linel crushed Prince Tesla's lame excuses with one finger and called his secretary to the office door. The office door opened quickly and Raphael came in.
“Commander Macrom, is he outside? If he is, let him in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Within seconds of Raphael's departure, Commander Macrom appeared at the door of the office.
“Are you looking for me?”
Commander Macrom bowed and spoke in the exact direction where Linel was sitting. Those who did not know that Commander Macrom had lost his eyesight due to the curse of the Southern Continent wizard would not have noticed that he was blind because of his precise gaze.
“Go to the villa immediately and bring back Prince Tesla’s wife, Lady Bonis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Could you please tell me where Lady Bonis is staying?”
After Commander Macrom answered Linel, he looked in the direction of Prince Tesla and asked.
“Look, Bonis is currently, probably...”
As Prince Tesla continued to drag his words and stutter, Linel cut him off with an expression of frustration.
“She will be on the same floor as the royal guests of Shattonil. If you mention the Emperor’s orders, anyone will tell you where Lady Bonis is. Go out.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will be back promptly.”
“We’re going to have to move to the banquet hall soon, so you’d better hurry.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll bring Lady Bonis back before the meal is served!”
Captain Macrom clenched his fist with his right hand and left the office with a loud voice. Prince Tesla’s hand, which was holding the teacup, was shaking slightly.
Although I had already prepared myself for this, my fingertips began to tremble at the thought that a situation might arise where I would have to leave Linel's side.
“Zelda, we can’t avoid this.”
"Then..."
“We have to fight. It would be easiest to just bury the fact that you are the acting Empress, but there is already someone who is using that fact to blackmail you.”
“Wouldn’t it be easy for Prince Tesla to reveal to the ministers of Lapion that he sent me as a proxy Empress? If that happens, Princess Resilia won’t be able to be put forward as the remarried Empress either.”
“Hmm... If the Prince fails to put his sister in the position of Empress, what do you think he will do with you then?”
“Well, maybe I should just...”
“He going to kill you.”
His hand lightly brushed my neck. For a moment, I felt a chill as I imagined Prince Tesla pointing a knife at my neck.
“First, you have to trust me.”
“I believe you.”
I answered without a second of hesitation.
“Do you have any plans in mind...?”
“First of all, there isn’t any.”
“!”
I was startled by his resolute and unplanned behavior.
***
After talking in the break room, we went out of the office again. The eyes of the three people waiting in front of the table were all focused on him and me. Rosie's face was very dark as she looked at me as if she could see the tears on my face. I gave Rosie a small smile, but her worried eyes did not go away.
“I’m sorry to both of you, but I guess I’ll have to leave for today. I still have something to talk to you two about, so I’ll call you back later.”
Prince Norton and Rosie nodded at Linel's serious voice, unable to ask the reason. He added that they should take some time to think about each other. The two of them looked bewildered, and so did I. However, perhaps because of the somewhat subdued atmosphere in the office, both of them obediently agreed and stood up.
“I’m sorry to both of you, but I guess I’ll have to leave for today. I still have something to talk to you two about, so I’ll call you back later.”
Prince Norton and Rosie nodded at Linel's serious voice, unable to ask the reason. He added that they should take some time to think about each other. The two of them looked bewildered, and so did I. However, perhaps because of the somewhat subdued atmosphere in the office, both of them obediently agreed and stood up.
***
Prince Norton and Rosie left the office and walked quietly down the hallway.
“I think Her Majesty the Empress was crying. I hope everything is fine.”
Rosie lowered her voice, conscious of the attendants following her, and asked Prince Norton.
“It wasn’t like the two of them were arguing, so I don’t think anything will happen. She’ll be fine.”
Prince Norton spoke calmly, trying to reassure the worried Rosie, even though he was bothered by Prince Tesla's vulgar smile. He caught the expressions of the Empress and the Prince fluctuating at the same time when the name 'Bonis' was mentioned. Prince Tesla, in particular, seemed to have some kind of sway in the Empress.
“While I’m here at the palace, I plan to take a look around the library.”
As they reached the central staircase, Rosie stopped walking.
“That’s the library over there.”
She said, extending her finger towards the library.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Your Highness, wouldn’t you like to go with me?”
“...”
You asked me out on a date even though you just met His Majesty? What a bold woman. Prince Norton slowly shook his head and declined Rosie's offer.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness Rosie. I have work to do at the villa. Well, that’s all for now.”
“Yes, then I’ll take my leave.”
Cih, I was going to ask a few questions about the ancient language of the Southern Continent. Rosie felt slightly resentful at Prince Norton for flatly rejecting her offer and quickly turned around. Prince Norton watched Rosie’s brisk steps toward the library for a moment before hurriedly descending the central staircase. When he returned to the villa, he planned to meet Archduke Martins and ask him who Lady Bonis was.
“We’re going to go now. Hey, if the great wyvern says hello, at least wave. You little brat, Moiya~.”
Moiya waved at Joseph and waved her hand in greeting, but instead, he just swung his small fist here and there in front of Joseph's eyes, who was blinking.
“Meow? (Oh my, he keeps saying that. How can he wave his hand when he’s on the ice?)”
“Oh, right... That’s a good point. Cotton Ball.”
Moiya scratched Aoshi's chin and praised him, but then his expression suddenly hardened.
“Huh? It’s Rosie’s smell. Rosie must be coming towards the library! Why is she coming in here?”
Moiya turned her head towards the closed gray wall and spoke urgently to Aoshi.
“Meow? (I guess she came on a date with Prince Norton?)”
“A date? So His Majesty has decided to spare both of them?”
Moiya giggled as he recalled the atrocities he had committed against Prince Norton the night before when he had been transformed into Rosie. Then he scratched his chin and muttered seriously.
“Oh, is Rosie here to mate with Prince Norton?”
“Meow? (Why are you mating in the library?)”
“Ugh, the library is Rosie’s favorite place.”
“Meow! (You’re so smart!)”
Aoshi was shocked and amazed by Moiya's absurd reasoning.
“Let’s go watch the mating. But where did this damn mosquito go? Oh, it’s stuck over there.”
Moiya found a mosquito stuck to the gray wall that opened like a door and transformed back into the body of a mosquito. Joseph looked at the baby wyvern doppelganger in front of him with amazement.
“I’ll be back soon!”
Moiya greeted Joseph, and Aoshi jumped up the stairs in front of the gray wall. Then, the closed gray wall slid open to the side. As the gray wall was about to close, Joseph shouted inwardly.
'Huh? Wait a minute guys, look at this!'
Joseph opened his eyes wide and watched the ice crack right in front of his face. Right, where Moiya had been breathing fire. The ice on the outside didn’t move at all, but the inner ice closest to Joseph’s body was cracking. Little by little, the ice crumbs began to melt around Joseph’s mouth, like cookie crumbs.
'Thank you!'
Joseph said, looking at the already closed gray wall.
“I think Her Majesty the Empress was crying. I hope everything is fine.”
Rosie lowered her voice, conscious of the attendants following her, and asked Prince Norton.
“It wasn’t like the two of them were arguing, so I don’t think anything will happen. She’ll be fine.”
Prince Norton spoke calmly, trying to reassure the worried Rosie, even though he was bothered by Prince Tesla's vulgar smile. He caught the expressions of the Empress and the Prince fluctuating at the same time when the name 'Bonis' was mentioned. Prince Tesla, in particular, seemed to have some kind of sway in the Empress.
“While I’m here at the palace, I plan to take a look around the library.”
As they reached the central staircase, Rosie stopped walking.
“That’s the library over there.”
She said, extending her finger towards the library.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Your Highness, wouldn’t you like to go with me?”
“...”
You asked me out on a date even though you just met His Majesty? What a bold woman. Prince Norton slowly shook his head and declined Rosie's offer.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness Rosie. I have work to do at the villa. Well, that’s all for now.”
“Yes, then I’ll take my leave.”
Cih, I was going to ask a few questions about the ancient language of the Southern Continent. Rosie felt slightly resentful at Prince Norton for flatly rejecting her offer and quickly turned around. Prince Norton watched Rosie’s brisk steps toward the library for a moment before hurriedly descending the central staircase. When he returned to the villa, he planned to meet Archduke Martins and ask him who Lady Bonis was.
***
“We’re going to go now. Hey, if the great wyvern says hello, at least wave. You little brat, Moiya~.”
Moiya waved at Joseph and waved her hand in greeting, but instead, he just swung his small fist here and there in front of Joseph's eyes, who was blinking.
“Meow? (Oh my, he keeps saying that. How can he wave his hand when he’s on the ice?)”
“Oh, right... That’s a good point. Cotton Ball.”
Moiya scratched Aoshi's chin and praised him, but then his expression suddenly hardened.
“Huh? It’s Rosie’s smell. Rosie must be coming towards the library! Why is she coming in here?”
Moiya turned her head towards the closed gray wall and spoke urgently to Aoshi.
“Meow? (I guess she came on a date with Prince Norton?)”
“A date? So His Majesty has decided to spare both of them?”
Moiya giggled as he recalled the atrocities he had committed against Prince Norton the night before when he had been transformed into Rosie. Then he scratched his chin and muttered seriously.
“Oh, is Rosie here to mate with Prince Norton?”
“Meow? (Why are you mating in the library?)”
“Ugh, the library is Rosie’s favorite place.”
“Meow! (You’re so smart!)”
Aoshi was shocked and amazed by Moiya's absurd reasoning.
“Let’s go watch the mating. But where did this damn mosquito go? Oh, it’s stuck over there.”
Moiya found a mosquito stuck to the gray wall that opened like a door and transformed back into the body of a mosquito. Joseph looked at the baby wyvern doppelganger in front of him with amazement.
“I’ll be back soon!”
Moiya greeted Joseph, and Aoshi jumped up the stairs in front of the gray wall. Then, the closed gray wall slid open to the side. As the gray wall was about to close, Joseph shouted inwardly.
'Huh? Wait a minute guys, look at this!'
Joseph opened his eyes wide and watched the ice crack right in front of his face. Right, where Moiya had been breathing fire. The ice on the outside didn’t move at all, but the inner ice closest to Joseph’s body was cracking. Little by little, the ice crumbs began to melt around Joseph’s mouth, like cookie crumbs.
'Thank you!'
Joseph said, looking at the already closed gray wall.
***
The atmosphere in the office that Rosie and Prince Norton had left quickly became heavy.
“Prince, you’re a government official even though you’re not married yet. How unusual.”
Linel naturally returned to the conversation they had just started.
“Although I love Bonis, there were many problems with taking her as my Princess, so I had no choice but to do this.”
Prince Tesla flinched for a moment at his question but then went back to talking nonsense with his face covered in iron. But the Prince was also clearly anxious. He must be nervous. He must not know what Linel and I talked about in the break room, whether I confessed something to Linel, and if so, how much I would have said. I deliberately kept my expressionless face so as not to show my emotions. Prince Tesla glared at my face with his eyes wide open as if he was anxious to figure out my intentions.
“So, she’s not an official concubine... but you took her in as your government, is that right?”
Every time I had a conversation with Prince Tesla, I felt like my life was being shortened, but I forced my voice to ask. I never knew when curses would come out of my mouth.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Well, the government would be the most appropriate since it doesn’t need any special procedures like a concubine.”
Prince Tesla nodded his head with the corners of his mouth raised in an expression of patience at my blatant sarcastic tone. Normally, when taking a concubine, permission from the ministers and priests was required, but the government could simply decide with words. Furthermore, Prince Tesla was in a position to make such a decision at any time. So, he must have suddenly turned Bonis into his government to prevent her from becoming my maid.
“I think Lady Bonis is a suitable lady-in-waiting for the Empress.”
Linel tried to guess Prince Tesla's intentions.
“...However, Your Majesty, how many men would send their beloved government to be a maid in another country? Hahaha.”
Prince Tesla, who had been staring at me all along, moved his gaze to Linel and smiled, indicating his intention to reject. Look at that little brat's mouth. He must like a lovely government. He must be a lovely hostage!
“If there is?”
Linel asked the Prince with a serious expression.
"Yes...?"
Prince Tesla's eyes shook violently.
“If that’s the case, would you give your government to my wife?”
“!”
Linel spoke to Prince Tesla with a solemn expression. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were fierce. Judging from the fact that Prince Tesla's shoulders were raised, he seemed quite surprised. I, too, turned my body to the side to look at him, as I was surprised by his unexpected remark.
“Your Majesty, what do you mean...”
Prince Tesla couldn't hide his trembling expression.
“Before I tell you what I mean, let me first summon your government. I think the conversation will go much more smoothly if the parties involved are present.”
“Huh?!”
Prince Tesla's expression, with his mouth wide open, was like that of a man who felt a bug crawling down his throat.
“I think it would be nice to have lunch together and talk about it. What do you think, Empress?”
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
“Prince, you’re a government official even though you’re not married yet. How unusual.”
Linel naturally returned to the conversation they had just started.
“Although I love Bonis, there were many problems with taking her as my Princess, so I had no choice but to do this.”
Prince Tesla flinched for a moment at his question but then went back to talking nonsense with his face covered in iron. But the Prince was also clearly anxious. He must be nervous. He must not know what Linel and I talked about in the break room, whether I confessed something to Linel, and if so, how much I would have said. I deliberately kept my expressionless face so as not to show my emotions. Prince Tesla glared at my face with his eyes wide open as if he was anxious to figure out my intentions.
“So, she’s not an official concubine... but you took her in as your government, is that right?”
Every time I had a conversation with Prince Tesla, I felt like my life was being shortened, but I forced my voice to ask. I never knew when curses would come out of my mouth.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Well, the government would be the most appropriate since it doesn’t need any special procedures like a concubine.”
Prince Tesla nodded his head with the corners of his mouth raised in an expression of patience at my blatant sarcastic tone. Normally, when taking a concubine, permission from the ministers and priests was required, but the government could simply decide with words. Furthermore, Prince Tesla was in a position to make such a decision at any time. So, he must have suddenly turned Bonis into his government to prevent her from becoming my maid.
“I think Lady Bonis is a suitable lady-in-waiting for the Empress.”
Linel tried to guess Prince Tesla's intentions.
“...However, Your Majesty, how many men would send their beloved government to be a maid in another country? Hahaha.”
Prince Tesla, who had been staring at me all along, moved his gaze to Linel and smiled, indicating his intention to reject. Look at that little brat's mouth. He must like a lovely government. He must be a lovely hostage!
“If there is?”
Linel asked the Prince with a serious expression.
"Yes...?"
Prince Tesla's eyes shook violently.
“If that’s the case, would you give your government to my wife?”
“!”
Linel spoke to Prince Tesla with a solemn expression. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were fierce. Judging from the fact that Prince Tesla's shoulders were raised, he seemed quite surprised. I, too, turned my body to the side to look at him, as I was surprised by his unexpected remark.
“Your Majesty, what do you mean...”
Prince Tesla couldn't hide his trembling expression.
“Before I tell you what I mean, let me first summon your government. I think the conversation will go much more smoothly if the parties involved are present.”
“Huh?!”
Prince Tesla's expression, with his mouth wide open, was like that of a man who felt a bug crawling down his throat.
“I think it would be nice to have lunch together and talk about it. What do you think, Empress?”
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
I looked straight into the bewildered face of Prince Tesla and answered Linel.
“That, that might be a bit difficult. Bonis is currently resting due to a cold... I think it would be better if we sit together next time...”
“Raphael!”
Linel crushed Prince Tesla's lame excuses with one finger and called his secretary to the office door. The office door opened quickly and Raphael came in.
“Commander Macrom, is he outside? If he is, let him in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Within seconds of Raphael's departure, Commander Macrom appeared at the door of the office.
“Are you looking for me?”
Commander Macrom bowed and spoke in the exact direction where Linel was sitting. Those who did not know that Commander Macrom had lost his eyesight due to the curse of the Southern Continent wizard would not have noticed that he was blind because of his precise gaze.
“Go to the villa immediately and bring back Prince Tesla’s wife, Lady Bonis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Could you please tell me where Lady Bonis is staying?”
After Commander Macrom answered Linel, he looked in the direction of Prince Tesla and asked.
“Look, Bonis is currently, probably...”
As Prince Tesla continued to drag his words and stutter, Linel cut him off with an expression of frustration.
“She will be on the same floor as the royal guests of Shattonil. If you mention the Emperor’s orders, anyone will tell you where Lady Bonis is. Go out.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will be back promptly.”
“We’re going to have to move to the banquet hall soon, so you’d better hurry.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll bring Lady Bonis back before the meal is served!”
Captain Macrom clenched his fist with his right hand and left the office with a loud voice. Prince Tesla’s hand, which was holding the teacup, was shaking slightly.
***
Commander Macrom knew the location of the palace so well that he could ride a horse inside the palace even after losing his eyesight. He set off separately to have the carriage carrying Bonis follow him, and he rode a horse and quickly ran through the unobstructed fields, arriving at the villa. When the guards standing guard at the entrance to the villa recognized Commander Macrom and bowed, the captain nodded and responded to the guards.
Commander Macrom quickly went up to the fourth floor where the distinguished guests of the Shattonil Kingdom stayed. At the entrance to the fourth floor, he met Taran, the secretary of the Shattonil royal family, and told him the Emperor’s order to bring government Bonis. Taran reacted strangely to Prince Tesla’s word “government.” He left a message for Commander Macrom to wait in the hallway for a moment and quickly summoned Sir Ken, Prince Tesla's closest confidant, the knight guard.
Sir Ken was also very flustered when he heard this news. It was clear that something had gone wrong in the main palace. First, since it was the Emperor's order, he had no choice but to guide Commander Macrom to where Bonis was. Coincidentally, Bonis was not in her room. However, since he had posted a guard to prevent her from leaving the villa, it was easy to find her whereabouts. Sir Ken found out where Bonis was, but he was worried that it happened to be Princess Resilia's room.
“Commander Macrom, please follow me.”
"Yes."
Sir Ken felt uneasy as he walked down the hallway, guiding Commander Macrom to the room where Princess Resilia was staying. Since arriving at the Lapion Imperial Palace, Princess Resilia has been treating Young Lady Bonis worse than her own servant and has been taking out her anger on her several times a day.
'Please, Princess, you shouldn't be bothering Lady Bonis today.'
Sir Ken stopped at the door at the end of the hallway with a worried look on his face.
“Please wait here for a moment. I will go in first and deliver the news to the Princess and Lady Bonis.”
Sir Ken politely spoke to Commander Macrom and knocked on Princess Resilia's door. He must have heard the knock, but instead of the words to come in, Princess Resilia's curses leaked out. Sir Ken was taken aback and quickly opened the bedroom door.
“Why are you avoiding this so well today?”
Princess Resilia's nervous words accompanied her shoes flying towards the door.
“Huh!”
Princess Resilia's flying shoe hit Commander Macrom's face with a thud.
“Commander Macrom, please follow me.”
"Yes."
Sir Ken felt uneasy as he walked down the hallway, guiding Commander Macrom to the room where Princess Resilia was staying. Since arriving at the Lapion Imperial Palace, Princess Resilia has been treating Young Lady Bonis worse than her own servant and has been taking out her anger on her several times a day.
'Please, Princess, you shouldn't be bothering Lady Bonis today.'
Sir Ken stopped at the door at the end of the hallway with a worried look on his face.
“Please wait here for a moment. I will go in first and deliver the news to the Princess and Lady Bonis.”
Sir Ken politely spoke to Commander Macrom and knocked on Princess Resilia's door. He must have heard the knock, but instead of the words to come in, Princess Resilia's curses leaked out. Sir Ken was taken aback and quickly opened the bedroom door.
“Why are you avoiding this so well today?”
Princess Resilia's nervous words accompanied her shoes flying towards the door.
“Huh!”
Princess Resilia's flying shoe hit Commander Macrom's face with a thud.
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