“Your Majesty, while you wait for Lady Bonis, I will bring you a dress to change into.”
Sharon said as she entered the bedroom.
“Yeah. Oh, and Sharon, just a glass of cold water.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
My mouth went dry at the thought of meeting Bonis soon. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at the tea stain on my dress. At first, I didn’t realize that he had spilled tea on my dress on purpose. He even used his hypothermia curse to cool the teacup with both hands so that I wouldn’t get burned by it.
“Could you please tell this to my sister in advance, no, to Her Majesty the Empress?”
“I don’t know if I can tell her right away, but I’ll give it a try.”
He did not ask Bonis any further questions about how she had become Prince Tesla's mistress. She seemed to know nothing about it either. It was up to His Majesty and the Empress to decide the whole story.
“Thank you! I really appreciate it...”
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
“It looks like we’ve arrived. Let’s get off.”
Commander Macrom got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to Bonis. Bonis suppressed her rising tension and got out of the carriage.
“Commander Macrom!”
At that moment, the chief chamberlain, Stian, came down the stairs of the main palace in a hurry from the entrance.
“What’s going on, Stian?”
Commander Macrom noticed the urgency in the chief's expression and asked. Stian raised his hooves and whispered Linel's order into Commander Macrom's ear. Commander Macrom nodded to Stian and lowered his voice to Bonis.
“My Lady, what you told me, you should tell Her Majesty the Empress directly.”
"Yes?"
“Go. I’m waiting.”
“I think it’s time to come...”
After changing into my dress, I paced around the bedroom, chewing my fingernails.
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
Sharon, who had gone to check on the situation after hearing a knock on the door, rushed into the bedroom and shouted.
“Commander Macrom is now coming up the stairs with Lady Bonis!”
“Really? Are you sure she's coming?”
I couldn't believe that Bonis was coming here, so I asked Sharon over and over again. Sharon answered back over and over again, rejoicing with me.
The nervous expression was evident.
Sharon said as she entered the bedroom.
“Yeah. Oh, and Sharon, just a glass of cold water.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
My mouth went dry at the thought of meeting Bonis soon. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at the tea stain on my dress. At first, I didn’t realize that he had spilled tea on my dress on purpose. He even used his hypothermia curse to cool the teacup with both hands so that I wouldn’t get burned by it.
My eyes turned red at Linel’s consideration. Suddenly, I felt grateful to Prince Tesla. I wanted to hold his hands and sincerely thank him for choosing me as the acting Empress and sending me to this man. However, my feelings of wanting to kill Prince Tesla because of Bonis were different.
***
Bonis looked at Commander Macrom, who was sitting across from her in the carriage as if observing him. She had learned from the room where Princess Resilia was staying that Commander Macrom was blind. However, even when walking down the hallway of the villa, coming down the stairs, or even when escorting her to the carriage, the commander’s steps and direction were not at all wrong. Commander Macrom, who felt Bonis' gaze, spoke first with a faint smile on his lips.
“I lost my eyesight due to a curse from a wizard. During the battle in Death Valley, the habitat of the wyverns.”
"Ah..."
Bonis sighed softly. Commander Macrom continued speaking in a feminine tone.
“Even though I lost my eyesight, my sense of direction and sense of people have become more sensitive, so I have not experienced much inconvenience in my daily life.”
“I’m so glad.”
“But it’s a shame that I can’t see the faces of new people I meet.”
Commander Macrom scratched his head and said. Bonis smiled slightly. At first glance, Commander Macrom’s expression seemed quite pure, unlike his honest appearance. She turned her head out the carriage window. The carriage was already approaching the main palace building. After a moment of silence, Commander Macrom spoke first.
“I see you are on close terms with Her Majesty the Empress.”
“We were like real sisters. I always followed her around.”
Commander Macrom nodded at Bonis' affectionate voice.
“I see. In the Lapion Imperial House, I always follow Her Majesty the Empress around.”
"Yes?"
“Until recently, I served His Majesty the Emperor, but now I am a knight serving His Majesty the Empress.”
“Oh, really?”
Bonis's expression became much more relaxed when she heard that Commander Macrom was Zelda's escort knight. Perhaps that was why she thought that she should tell Commander Macrom before arriving at the main palace that she was not Prince Tesla's mistress. She might not have the chance to meet Zelda alone. So she hoped that if she told Zelda's escort knight, he might be able to tell Zelda this fact in advance. She looked at the main palace building approaching and finally opened her mouth.
“I... Commander Macrom.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“I, I was just a bathing maid in the Shattonil royal family. So why is the Prince suddenly calling me...!”
Bonis hesitated as she poured out her story to Commander Macrom. It was because she thought that she might harm Zelda. After all, he was originally the Emperor's man, so he might not be completely on Zelda's side.
“He suddenly said government. Prince Tesla.”
But Commander Macrom spoke in a friendly voice, saying what Bonis was about to say. Bonis hesitated for a moment and then answered in a crawling voice.
"Yes..."
Prince Tesla said that all these troubles were because of Zelda.
'I trusted you and sent you to the Lapion Empire as a proxy Empress, but now you're trying to act like the real Empress without even knowing what you're doing?'
These were the words that Prince Tesla spat out nervously before striking Bonis’s little finger with his sword. Bonis was stunned when the sharp sword struck her little finger without even making a sound. When she regained consciousness, her left little finger was already gone. Prince Tesla placed Bonis’ little finger, which had a pink diamond ring, in a jewelry box made of cold and hot magic stones.
'Zelda gave you this ring as a gift before she left for Lapion, right? But now, this ring will be a warning to our Empress.'
With a mad expression, Prince Tesla closed the jewel box and said. Bonis looked at her little finger and knew how much Zelda would suffer. That’s why she was more worried about her than the sadness of losing her little finger. She was very afraid that Zelda would accept Prince Tesla’s unreasonable demands because of her, that she would be used and eventually become the deposed Empress. She wanted to tell her that she was really okay, but there was no way.
“I lost my eyesight due to a curse from a wizard. During the battle in Death Valley, the habitat of the wyverns.”
"Ah..."
Bonis sighed softly. Commander Macrom continued speaking in a feminine tone.
“Even though I lost my eyesight, my sense of direction and sense of people have become more sensitive, so I have not experienced much inconvenience in my daily life.”
“I’m so glad.”
“But it’s a shame that I can’t see the faces of new people I meet.”
Commander Macrom scratched his head and said. Bonis smiled slightly. At first glance, Commander Macrom’s expression seemed quite pure, unlike his honest appearance. She turned her head out the carriage window. The carriage was already approaching the main palace building. After a moment of silence, Commander Macrom spoke first.
“I see you are on close terms with Her Majesty the Empress.”
“We were like real sisters. I always followed her around.”
Commander Macrom nodded at Bonis' affectionate voice.
“I see. In the Lapion Imperial House, I always follow Her Majesty the Empress around.”
"Yes?"
“Until recently, I served His Majesty the Emperor, but now I am a knight serving His Majesty the Empress.”
“Oh, really?”
Bonis's expression became much more relaxed when she heard that Commander Macrom was Zelda's escort knight. Perhaps that was why she thought that she should tell Commander Macrom before arriving at the main palace that she was not Prince Tesla's mistress. She might not have the chance to meet Zelda alone. So she hoped that if she told Zelda's escort knight, he might be able to tell Zelda this fact in advance. She looked at the main palace building approaching and finally opened her mouth.
“I... Commander Macrom.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“I, I was just a bathing maid in the Shattonil royal family. So why is the Prince suddenly calling me...!”
Bonis hesitated as she poured out her story to Commander Macrom. It was because she thought that she might harm Zelda. After all, he was originally the Emperor's man, so he might not be completely on Zelda's side.
“He suddenly said government. Prince Tesla.”
But Commander Macrom spoke in a friendly voice, saying what Bonis was about to say. Bonis hesitated for a moment and then answered in a crawling voice.
"Yes..."
Prince Tesla said that all these troubles were because of Zelda.
'I trusted you and sent you to the Lapion Empire as a proxy Empress, but now you're trying to act like the real Empress without even knowing what you're doing?'
These were the words that Prince Tesla spat out nervously before striking Bonis’s little finger with his sword. Bonis was stunned when the sharp sword struck her little finger without even making a sound. When she regained consciousness, her left little finger was already gone. Prince Tesla placed Bonis’ little finger, which had a pink diamond ring, in a jewelry box made of cold and hot magic stones.
'Zelda gave you this ring as a gift before she left for Lapion, right? But now, this ring will be a warning to our Empress.'
With a mad expression, Prince Tesla closed the jewel box and said. Bonis looked at her little finger and knew how much Zelda would suffer. That’s why she was more worried about her than the sadness of losing her little finger. She was very afraid that Zelda would accept Prince Tesla’s unreasonable demands because of her, that she would be used and eventually become the deposed Empress. She wanted to tell her that she was really okay, but there was no way.
The reason she obediently followed Prince Tesla’s words to go to the Lapion Imperial Palace for the Continental Hunting Competition was because she wanted to meet Zelda. It wouldn’t be easy, but if she looked, she would find a way. Fortunately, her wish came true sooner than she thought. However, he never dreamed that he would disguise her as Prince Tesla’s mistress and meet Zelda.
“Could you please tell this to my sister in advance, no, to Her Majesty the Empress?”
“I don’t know if I can tell her right away, but I’ll give it a try.”
He did not ask Bonis any further questions about how she had become Prince Tesla's mistress. She seemed to know nothing about it either. It was up to His Majesty and the Empress to decide the whole story.
“Thank you! I really appreciate it...”
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
“It looks like we’ve arrived. Let’s get off.”
Commander Macrom got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to Bonis. Bonis suppressed her rising tension and got out of the carriage.
“Commander Macrom!”
At that moment, the chief chamberlain, Stian, came down the stairs of the main palace in a hurry from the entrance.
“What’s going on, Stian?”
Commander Macrom noticed the urgency in the chief's expression and asked. Stian raised his hooves and whispered Linel's order into Commander Macrom's ear. Commander Macrom nodded to Stian and lowered his voice to Bonis.
“My Lady, what you told me, you should tell Her Majesty the Empress directly.”
"Yes?"
“Go. I’m waiting.”
***
“I think it’s time to come...”
After changing into my dress, I paced around the bedroom, chewing my fingernails.
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
Sharon, who had gone to check on the situation after hearing a knock on the door, rushed into the bedroom and shouted.
“Commander Macrom is now coming up the stairs with Lady Bonis!”
“Really? Are you sure she's coming?”
I couldn't believe that Bonis was coming here, so I asked Sharon over and over again. Sharon answered back over and over again, rejoicing with me.
Knock knock.
I gasped and inhaled at the sound of a knock on the bedroom door.
“I guess she's arrived!”
Sharon ran to the bedroom door in one stride and quickly opened it. Then, Commander Macrom entered the bedroom first and reported.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I have brought Lady Bonis.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
My heartbeat echoed to the top of my head. I calmed down by lightly shaking off the sweaty hands I had been holding together with a trembling voice.
“As you may have heard, there is not much time. You will have a brief conversation, and then Her Majesty the Empress will first proceed to the banquet hall.”
“I know.”
“Then, you two, go ahead and talk. I’ll be waiting outside.”
As Commander Macrom bowed and left, Bonis cautiously stepped into the bedroom. After Sharon tactfully closed the door, Bonis and I were left alone in the bedroom.
“Bonis!”
“Sister! Oh, no, Your Majesty the Empress!”
We both checked each other's condition at the same time and hugged each other without saying who would go first.
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry...”
Sadly, those were the first words I said to Bonis when I met her after a long time.
“I missed you!”
Bonis's voice was free of the slightest hint of resentment. I looked at Bonis's left hand, which was wrapped in a bandage.
“Because of me, your little finger...!”
My voice was not coming out properly as if there was a stone stuck in my throat. Instead, Bonis patted my back as if to comfort me.
“I’m really okay. I’m just glad that my sister is okay. Oh my, I keep saying the word ‘sister’...”
“You can call me whenever you want when there are just the two of us.”
“I can’t do that anymore.”
Seeing Bonis' smiling face made me want to kill Prince Tesla even more.
“Don’t you resent me? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have to go through this...”
I took her left hand carefully and looked down at her left little finger, where that damned pink diamond ring had been, now covered in a white bandage. Seeing it with my own eyes made me even more angry.
“It’s almost healed. It doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”
“Even if the pain has subsided now, it would have still been hurting before. I won’t leave you alone, you piece of trash!”
“But, you already know this from Prince Tesla, right? Do you know why I suddenly became that piece of trash’s government?”
“Yeah... I said I wanted to bring you as my maid.”
“So, he said he would make me his government?”
“No, it’s not possible because it’s already the government.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Bonis bit her lower lip hard.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you the government of that piece of trash. Ever.”
“Do you have any plans...?”
“I guess she's arrived!”
Sharon ran to the bedroom door in one stride and quickly opened it. Then, Commander Macrom entered the bedroom first and reported.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I have brought Lady Bonis.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
My heartbeat echoed to the top of my head. I calmed down by lightly shaking off the sweaty hands I had been holding together with a trembling voice.
“As you may have heard, there is not much time. You will have a brief conversation, and then Her Majesty the Empress will first proceed to the banquet hall.”
“I know.”
“Then, you two, go ahead and talk. I’ll be waiting outside.”
As Commander Macrom bowed and left, Bonis cautiously stepped into the bedroom. After Sharon tactfully closed the door, Bonis and I were left alone in the bedroom.
“Bonis!”
“Sister! Oh, no, Your Majesty the Empress!”
We both checked each other's condition at the same time and hugged each other without saying who would go first.
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry...”
Sadly, those were the first words I said to Bonis when I met her after a long time.
“I missed you!”
Bonis's voice was free of the slightest hint of resentment. I looked at Bonis's left hand, which was wrapped in a bandage.
“Because of me, your little finger...!”
My voice was not coming out properly as if there was a stone stuck in my throat. Instead, Bonis patted my back as if to comfort me.
“I’m really okay. I’m just glad that my sister is okay. Oh my, I keep saying the word ‘sister’...”
“You can call me whenever you want when there are just the two of us.”
“I can’t do that anymore.”
Seeing Bonis' smiling face made me want to kill Prince Tesla even more.
“Don’t you resent me? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have to go through this...”
I took her left hand carefully and looked down at her left little finger, where that damned pink diamond ring had been, now covered in a white bandage. Seeing it with my own eyes made me even more angry.
“It’s almost healed. It doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”
“Even if the pain has subsided now, it would have still been hurting before. I won’t leave you alone, you piece of trash!”
“But, you already know this from Prince Tesla, right? Do you know why I suddenly became that piece of trash’s government?”
“Yeah... I said I wanted to bring you as my maid.”
“So, he said he would make me his government?”
“No, it’s not possible because it’s already the government.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Bonis bit her lower lip hard.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you the government of that piece of trash. Ever.”
“Do you have any plans...?”
“There is something more reliable than planning.”
“What is that? Are you trying to say something like courage, confidence, swordsmanship, or something like that...?”
Bonis jokingly listed my strengths.
“No.”
I shook my head and chuckled.
"Sure?"
“I have him.”
"Him?"
“Husband. Emperor Lapion is my man.”
Bonis smiled at my last words, but her eyes still looked anxious.
“What is that? Are you trying to say something like courage, confidence, swordsmanship, or something like that...?”
Bonis jokingly listed my strengths.
“No.”
I shook my head and chuckled.
"Sure?"
“I have him.”
"Him?"
“Husband. Emperor Lapion is my man.”
Bonis smiled at my last words, but her eyes still looked anxious.
***
Leaving the short conversation with Bonis in the bedroom behind, I went to the banquet hall first. As I entered the banquet hall, Linel, who was sitting at the head of the table, and Prince Tesla, who was sitting diagonally across from me, both looked at me.
“I think that dress looks better.”
Linel got up from his chair and guided me to the seat next to him.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Are your hands okay?”
“Yes, it subsided quickly thanks to the first aid.”
Prince Tesla looked at me with a disapproving look at the affectionate Linel.
“What were you talking about?”
I sat down and looked at the two people in turn and asked.
“It was a story that Your Majesty would not find amusing.”
Prince Tesla's tone contained a nuance of dismissal.
“What is that?”
Was it some serious political talk? Or some financial talk?
“How would the Prince know that? Whether the Empress would be interested or not.”
Linel took a sip of wine and spoke to Prince Tesla as if scolding him.
“What were you talking about?”
Instead of mixing in trash and words, I asked the fragrant man again.
“It was about a hunting competition.”
"Aha."
“I think that dress looks better.”
Linel got up from his chair and guided me to the seat next to him.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Are your hands okay?”
“Yes, it subsided quickly thanks to the first aid.”
Prince Tesla looked at me with a disapproving look at the affectionate Linel.
“What were you talking about?”
I sat down and looked at the two people in turn and asked.
“It was a story that Your Majesty would not find amusing.”
Prince Tesla's tone contained a nuance of dismissal.
“What is that?”
Was it some serious political talk? Or some financial talk?
“How would the Prince know that? Whether the Empress would be interested or not.”
Linel took a sip of wine and spoke to Prince Tesla as if scolding him.
“What were you talking about?”
Instead of mixing in trash and words, I asked the fragrant man again.
“It was about a hunting competition.”
"Aha."
“How to kill a wild boar in one fell swoop, is it easier to shoot a bird or a cheetah, stuff like that?”
As Linel finished speaking, Prince Tesla glared at me with a look that said, 'See, these are things you wouldn't be interested in?' I smiled faintly.
“You were having an interesting conversation.”
Prince Tesla had an expression on his face that suggested that I was deliberately trying to please the Emperor by saying things I didn't mean. It wasn't unreasonable for the Prince to think that way since he didn't know my swordsmanship skills.
“Now that we’ve brought it up, I’m already worried about Her Majesty the Empress. The nobles of the Southern Continent are women who know martial arts, so they have no worries even in the hunting grounds, but isn’t it different for Her Majesty the Empress?”
You worry about me. I might mistake you for a hyena and aim my bow at you. I was at a loss as to what kind of expression to make to Prince Tesla, who pretended to be worried about me. I was just going to give him a weak smile, but Linel said it as if he had been waiting for me.
“That’s why I added a new bodyguard to the Empress’s side throughout the hunting competition.”
“A new escort knight? Many knights participate in the hunting tournament, so is there a need for one?”
Prince Tesla tilted his head and replied. Then, Linel, who had been smiling, picked up a knife in front of him and made a stern face.
“Actually... a servant was murdered in the Empress’s palace garden a while ago.”
He said, pretending to stab something. Prince Tesla asked, moving his neck greatly.
“Did something like that... happen?”
As Linel finished speaking, Prince Tesla glared at me with a look that said, 'See, these are things you wouldn't be interested in?' I smiled faintly.
“You were having an interesting conversation.”
Prince Tesla had an expression on his face that suggested that I was deliberately trying to please the Emperor by saying things I didn't mean. It wasn't unreasonable for the Prince to think that way since he didn't know my swordsmanship skills.
“Now that we’ve brought it up, I’m already worried about Her Majesty the Empress. The nobles of the Southern Continent are women who know martial arts, so they have no worries even in the hunting grounds, but isn’t it different for Her Majesty the Empress?”
You worry about me. I might mistake you for a hyena and aim my bow at you. I was at a loss as to what kind of expression to make to Prince Tesla, who pretended to be worried about me. I was just going to give him a weak smile, but Linel said it as if he had been waiting for me.
“That’s why I added a new bodyguard to the Empress’s side throughout the hunting competition.”
“A new escort knight? Many knights participate in the hunting tournament, so is there a need for one?”
Prince Tesla tilted his head and replied. Then, Linel, who had been smiling, picked up a knife in front of him and made a stern face.
“Actually... a servant was murdered in the Empress’s palace garden a while ago.”
He said, pretending to stab something. Prince Tesla asked, moving his neck greatly.
“Did something like that... happen?”
The nervous expression was evident.
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