"Yes, Your Majesty."
Still, it was an order. The knight immediately straightened his posture.
Blue eyes narrowed at her informal dressing gown.
What Julia was wearing today was one of the 'dangerous' outfits that Endymion was so sensitive about.
"...Continue."
"Yes. Next is..."
Julia smiled brightly, pretending not to know anything.
Endymion, who had finally failed to send her back, motioned for her to stay still. Julia nodded and moved her lips.
Mion.
Julia spoke silently and unfolded the paper.
- Are you busy now?
Endymion blinked silently. His blue eyes glanced at the knight, then back at her.
It seemed as if he didn't understand why she wasn't asking him directly when she was right in front of him, but instead showed him what she had written on a piece of paper. Julia smiled and turned the paper over to the back.
Srak.
- I came here to buy you some time.
Srak
- Because I miss you.
"... So, in order to move troops quickly..."
"Bring it to my office."
Endymion cut him off mercilessly. Finally, the knight saluted without even knowing what was going on.
"Ah. Yes, Your Majesty."
Julia held back her laughter as she hugged the paper back to her chest. Endymion, who had been watching this, suddenly stopped the knight who was about to leave.
"Come to think of it."
"Yes, please give your order!"
"You were in charge of guarding the Queen outside the castle last time. When you brought the captured woman with you."
"Yes!"
The knight shouted loudly.
The lord's cold eyes scanned him from head to toe. The knight swallowed hard and began to feel nervous about what kind of question would be asked.
"They say the Queen was wearing new clothes then."
"... Yes?"
"A light gray dress with white lace."
The knight was so embarrassed that he couldn't answer. Endymion stared at him lazily, crossing his long legs.
"I'm surprised you saw something I hadn't seen before."
"Your Majesty. That is..."
Julia, who had been watching, narrowed her eyes.
It seemed that Endymion was trying to harass his unworthy subject out of jealousy. The moment she shook her head and was about to step forward.
"That's disappointing. I was looking forward to wearing it on our next picnic."
Wait a minute. Isn't that what you're telling me to hear?
Julia bit her lip, the corners of her mouth going up, to keep herself from making a sound.
"I'm sorry! I'll make sure not to be so rude again next time!"
"I'll forgive you just this once. Go."
The knight who apologized without knowing anything walked away. Later, Julia saw the knight's back tilting his head as if he were wondering about something. In the end, Julia burst into laughter.
"Did you come dressed specially to comfort me?"
Endymion walked over to her with a stomping motion and gently hugged her. Julia laughed out loud as she rested her forehead on Endymion's chest.
"Squirrel, a gray dress... I guess that knight just now thought you were weird?"
"He must think I'm a smart master who even memorizes the contents of his wife's closet."
Endymion shamelessly took the blow. Julia shook her head as if she had finally lost.
"Mion, are you busy? Can you have dinner with me now?"
"It is an honor. The busy Queen even invited me to dinner."
Hmm, now he's complaining openly.
Julia tossed her hair back with a smile on her face. Endymion asked with the corners of his lips raised.
"You went out with the wizards. Aren't you going to the lab?"
"Tomorrow. Because I want to be with you now."
As Julia spoke, leaning back against the tree trunk, Endymion made a face like a full wolf. Julia laughed and dropped the paper she was holding.
"That's good. You seem busy these days, so I was worried that we might miss each other."
Julia called her maid and told her to prepare a leisurely meal. Then, to commemorate their first meeting in a long time before the sun set, they chatted in the garden.
"What were you talking about?"
"Tax reform, drought relief measures, and the Cheryl negotiations with Ametrine that we'll be meeting soon."
"Ah. Isn't it a hassle? You're already busy, and Ametrine..."
"Not at all. It was something I was supposed to do."
Julia glanced at him. Endymion was playing with Julia's hair with his usual expression. Julia made up her mind and spoke naturally.
"Oh, by the way. I heard something a little while ago, that there are people embezzling drought relief funds?"
"Yes."
"Then, do you have any plans to increase the drought relief fund? There's been a surplus of the royal palace budget for several years. I think it would be good to include that in the drought relief fund."
Julia suggested that since they had some money left over, they could use it to help more people in need.
"How about increasing the amount significantly, even if only temporarily? If you arrest the lords who embezzled the money and support them at the same time, they'll be much more impressed."
"Hmm. I don't think the rumor will disappear that easily."
"No, the fraud is also promoted..."
Julia stopped talking abruptly. Wait, a rumor?
"What are you talking about?"
"This drought is a punishment for an unworthy King."
Julia opened her mouth slightly without realizing it. She tried to pretend not to know, but she couldn't do that because he knew everything.
"Oh, you knew that?"
Then, unexpectedly, she would have known that she was the beneficiary of this rumor.
When Julia didn't know what to do, Endymion chuckled.
"Why are you flustered?"
"Mion, everyone is seriously misunderstanding something. Don't worry about it."
Julia quickly pulled herself together and tried to console him. But Endymion just blinked with a dazed expression.
"Me, with something like this?"
There was no reaction. Julia was relieved, but also quite embarrassed.
That's understandable, because all of a sudden, her reputation was skyrocketing while Endymion was plummeting.
"Mion, let's find the ringleader right away. How dare he spread impure rumors during a disaster? We can't let that go."
Julia looked up at Endymion resolutely. But unexpectedly, he shook his head.
"We plan to increase the subsidy, as they said. However, we have no intention of punishing the person who started the rumor right now."
"What? Why?!"
Julia raised her voice.
The rumor was already powerful. It had started in the provinces and now spread to the capital's markets, despite its lack of evidence. It was still quiet, but if someone had second thoughts, it could turn into a sword.
"Because your position will be solidified. It's a good opportunity to silence the conservatives who occasionally talk nonsense about Ametrine."
"That's ridiculous! Your authority is being undermined, and you're going to leave it alone because of me?"
Julia questioned, her eyes wide. But Endymion seemed only interested in stroking her jawline with his fingertips.
Julia quickly reached out and grabbed his cheeks, holding them in place.
"No, go to the office immediately and give orders. Search for the person who started the rumor!"
"I must use this opportunity to impress upon everyone once more how great a being the Queen who is loved by God is."
But Endymion continued to talk nonsense calmly. Julia, who was so angry that she couldn't believe it, pushed him away.
"If you don't do it, I will. Right now, to Duke Hyde..!"
"Cheryl has something to do with the drought."
Endymion lightly grabbed her shoulder. Julia's eyes widened as she tried to escape but leaned back against the tree again.
"What?"
"All areas with severe droughts are growing Cheryl. Most of them are poor areas. In some cases, the lord intentionally concealed it, and in other cases, the locals grew it without the lord's knowledge."
Endymion's voice continued calmly.
The paths they took to obtain Cheryl are all different, but we assume they are all connected, and we plan to uncover and capture them one by one...
"This is information I found out while interrogating Marquis Flora. It seems that Cheryl cultivation requires a lot of water. There is a possibility that someone caused the drought by cultivating Cheryl in the first place.$
"Wait a minute. What if the person who started the rumor is also from the same force?"
The rumors were denouncing the King and praising the Queen, but the essence was drought. Endymion nodded at Julia's question.
"As of now, it seems pretty likely."
"This is crazy. Who the hell could possibly have Cheryl, drought, and rumors all at once...!"
Julia was astonished at the exquisite connection. Then her eyes met the calm eyes. It was a look in his eyes that seemed to already know the answer.
Julia furrowed her brows.
"...Black wolves?"
"Probably. It would take magical powers to cause a nationwide drought. Cheryl alone wouldn't be able to do it."
"Ha."
Julia put her hand to her forehead. What exactly do you want that makes you trample on Semele like this?
"They're shady people, so they've completely erased all traces. I plan to expand the investigation and set a trap. In the meantime, let's just enjoy the rumors."
It was fortunate that the dangerous rumors were not left unchecked. Still, Julia pouted, feeling nervous and worried.
"I have nothing to lose, but what about your image?"
"Hmm. A man who marries well and benefits from his wife?"
Julia tried to scold him for playing around, but when Endymion rubbed their foreheads together, she couldn't help but laugh.
"I told you that you secretly don't think about yourself."
"Just thinking about you makes me busy enough."
Endymion replied pitifully.
Julia smiled faintly and blinked her long eyelashes.
"But think about it a little more. Right now, Pal is asleep. This is the first time the black wolves have attacked you head-on like this, and if we delay, it could be dangerous."
"Yes. I won't take too long."
The answer came right away, but she couldn't tell what he was actually thinking. But since he was already moving behind the scenes, there must be more plans in store.
'I believe it, but...'
Julia hugged Endymion's waist as if he were a pet cat. Before she knew it, her back, which had been pushed back, was touching the sturdy tree trunk. A large hand came in gently to act as a cushion.
"Still, I hate hearing you gossip."
Julia muttered softly. Endymion kissed the tip of her chin as if it had not caused any harm.
Even though it was unfairly talked about by people, it felt like it was someone else's problem.
"Well, it's not the first time."
When he first ascended to the throne, he was criticized for his matrilineal bloodline. It was the conservatives' attempt to discourage the young King who was not very docile. Of course, everyone knelt before the throne in less than a month.
"I hate that even more. How petty you are to tarnish the authority."
Julia was becoming more and more upset.
What is the wrath of God? It was said to be aimed at harm, but it was a bad rumor that made her feel worse than that.
'What exactly makes you unqualified? Your bloodline is legitimate, and you rule well.'
Julia wanted Endymion to be a noble King who no one could touch. Just as she would always be respected, even though she was a Queen from a weak country, thanks to the honor of being the favored son of the gods.
So Julia was always acknowledged, except for the occasional remark from the conservatives who were vying for power. Of course. Endymion hated even that.
The love of the gods was an honor that even the most lofty temples could not match. Perhaps that was why the rumors spread so quickly. It was proof that Queen Semele was still favored by the gods.
'I wish Mion had a strong shield like that.'
"Are the magic attribute experiments going well? I hope they're finished quickly."
Endymion asked, tucking his silver-colored hair behind his ear. They were both busy, but he was always waiting for Julia, who was practically living in the laboratory these days.
"If you do this a little more, I think the two wizards will get jealous..."
"Kid."
"You said no?"
Endymion chuckled as if he had expected her to do this, and trapped her between his arms. At that moment, Julia wrapped her arms around Endymion's neck.
"No. I need to have the baby as soon as possible."
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