Endymion nodded as if to ask what the problem was. Then, perhaps understanding that his business was over, he told her to rest as much as she wanted.
Of course, he added in a lowered voice.
"It would be better if you could return to the Duke's residence quickly."
Huh. Iris looked at Endymion in disbelief. In front of Julia, he pretended to be generous and gave permission, but behind her back, he pushed her to hurry up and go.
'The outside and Inside are so different!'
Iris was jealous of Endymion. He was so annoying, yet he always got most of Julia's attention.
But it was obvious that Julia liked Endymion, so she couldn't gossip about him.
"Honey Marine Cream is for kids. It's so sweet that it gives you a headache, and the honey and cream make your hands and face a total mess."
So Iris scolded him for nothing. But the reason was valid.
Bluebell's signature menu, Whipped Cream Honey Marine, is a dessert filled with honey and whipped cream.
It was very sweet and soft, but just as Iris said, every time you ate it, your hands got sticky, and cream and powdered sugar got all over it. Just like a child who had just come back from a honey pot or a snow field.
So the nobles usually enjoyed it when they were young, and did not eat it much when they became adults.
"Such a childish and unbecoming dessert. I think a decent tea leaf would be a much better gift."
Iris pointed out that this was the moment. She told him to go up, meaning that he had no sense.
"Wouldn't it be awkward for Julia to receive that?"
"I understand that you don't want to eat anything. Yes, that's all."
But Endymion pretended not to hear and left. There was no smile on his face, but his voice was polite.
Because of this, the maids who had been fooled for a moment followed him with their eyes as if they were longing for him.
'What? You're not even pretending to hear me.'
Iris, who had finally failed to appease Endymion, grumbled and turned away.
"Whoa, sis!"
"Julia! I missed you!"
After that, a touching reunion took place in the reception room of the Queen's palace. Iris was so happy and laughing that she completely forgot about the small incident from earlier.
***
"Then I will prepare the documents so that you can see them right after you get back."
Endymion nodded, putting on the coat that Duke Hyde had politely offered him. Then the Duke, watching him closely, began to cry.
"Uhm, Your Majesty? I heard that my lady is in the palace. While Your Majesty is away, may I also take a short break?"
"As you wish."
Endymion agreed, hoping to score a few more points with Julia. Duke Hyde didn't know this and thought that Endymion had become much more generous as an adult.
"Hahaha, thank you! As expected, Your Majesty understands! As expected, a man should do things that his wife likes to be loved."
In fact, it seemed like following his wife around was his own free will.
The Duke of Hyde, a famous man of few words, was organizing his papers while humming a tune. Seeing him like that, the Duchess naturally came to mind.
'There's no way I'd hate it.'
What Iris had been saying in the hallway earlier, without knowing anything. Endymion laughed silently.
It was obvious. He knew Julia's tastes from start to finish, so there was no way he could buy her a dessert she wouldn't like.
"So you're going to Bluebell? What are you going to buy?"
The Duke spoke, nodding. Endymion looked back with an indifferent expression.
"Oh, but I heard that Redburn macarons are more popular than Bluebell macarons these days."
"I'm going to buy some Honey Marine whipped cream."
"Yes?"
The Duke asked back as if he was surprised.
He didn't know why he was so surprised all of a sudden. He had been by his side for many years and had seen Endymion go to Bluebell many times in person.
"What is the reaction?"
"Ah, haha. That's because it's unexpected."
Duke Hyde spoke with a smile that seemed to be directed at his younger brother. That is, with the expression that Endymion hated the most.
"Isn't that the dessert that Her Majesty liked when she was young? I remember seeing her eating it a lot when she was young, but I didn't know she still liked it now."
"Her Majesty doesn't like desserts very much, does she? Are you going to buy some for the Queen?"
Although he wasn't particularly perceptive, Duke Hyde hit the nail on the head, as if the years of being together had not changed anything.
Endymion nodded with a slight frown. Duke Hyde chuckled with a satisfied face.
"As expected, Your Majesty must know the truth. But now that Her Majesty is an adult, wouldn't she like the whipped cream honey marine?"
Who would say they weren't a couple? Endymion thought it wasn't worth listening to since he said the same thing as Iris.
"Your Majesty, you must now show yourself as a mature person. You cannot show yourself as a child forever, can you?"
But he paused at the next words.
Normally, if he believed something was right, he wouldn't even blink an eye no matter what he heard. However, Endymion's attention was unknowingly drawn to the word 'child'.
'...'
Endymion's expressionless face froze.
Come to think of it, the Duke of Hyde was a famous big shot in the capital. He would buy gifts for the Duchess from jewelers and dress shops every other day.
Besides, he was a man who had succeeded in marrying a cold Princess not long after they had first dated her. Although he was reluctant, his opinion seemed somewhat credible when it came to winning over a woman's heart.
"You are both adults, so it's time to choose something more refined. How about some high-quality tea leaves? Her Majesty usually prefers elegant things, so I'm sure she'll like it!"
The advantage and disadvantage of a couple who have been together since childhood, adolescence, and puberty is that they know each other too well. In other words...
'Too unfamiliar.'
Julia is now quite used to being in a relationship, but she still finds traces of her childhood friend in him. It's okay to be comfortable, but it shouldn't be the way she 'liked' him when she was younger.
Then.
'Should I change it?'
Something unfamiliar. Something that doesn't bring back memories of their childhood.
Whipped Cream Honey Marine. A dessert filled with memories of the two of them, a secret shared only by the two of them. But if that makes her see him as he was when he was younger, it's time to end it.
Endymion was troubled as he listened to the Duke's passionate speech.
Julia loved the honey-marine whipped cream until last year. She ate it secretly sometimes, though, because it would be bad for her image if rumors spread that the Queen still enjoyed it.
But she hasn't had it this year. Coincidentally, it was right after she became an adult. So, does that mean she really hates whipped cream honey marine because she thinks it's childish?
'Maybe so.'
Julia was originally gentle and indifferent, but she was more delicate and demanding than she appeared. Her tastes may have changed without him even realizing it.
'...'
Julia was clearly the only one who made him anxious. With a small gesture, a single reaction, his world was shaken up, confused, and anxious.
'I can't feel at ease.'
Finally, Endymion rose from his seat.
***
"Are you going to a social gathering?"
Iris asked, playing with her silver-colored hair. Julia, who was sitting in front of the dressing table and accepting Iris' touch like a doll, nodded.
"I received a necklace from His Majesty as a gift for my coming of age. Well, I have nowhere to go."
Julia made an excuse, looking embarrassed.
In fact, it was not a gift, but one of Semele's treasures that had been taken from the King's private treasury without anyone knowing.
Even those in the direct royal family were unaware of its existence, and it was a valuable item that only the King sitting on the throne could see.
She heard that in ancient times, because wars between continents were so frequent, it was used as money to escape in times of emergency, In common parlance, it could be called slush funds.
That was passed down until now and became the so-called secret property of the King. Of course, Endymion handed the key over to Julia without even blinking.
"How much does Julia have to like It to be so proud of it? I've never seen you like that before."
Iris, who had tied a ribbon around her hair that was gathered to one side, shook her hands with satisfaction and said, "I'm going to go with you." Julia smiled brightly and played with the end of the ribbon.
"I'll leave it to the craftsman for now. Once it's finished, I'll show it to my sister first."
"Great."
Actually, he is not a craftsman but a magician.
Right now, the treasured necklace was undergoing delicate magical processing, making it the perfect bait to fool the black wolves.
However, the post-processing to erase the traces of magic power so as not to arouse their suspicion was quite difficult. It was important to carefully set the trap, so the plan was to begin in earnest after the necklace was completed.
Thanks to that, Julia was given a few unexpected days of free time.
"I wonder. I hope the construction workers finish their work quickly."
"Oh, I'll ask them to finish it as quickly as possible."
Julia frowned as she thought of Boris sweating profusely.
So the two women chatted enthusiastically, reminiscing about their long-awaited meeting.
"Oh. Is Ed with my mother?"
"Yes. He starts acting up as soon as he enters the palace. Also, I've been sleeping a lot lately, so I haven't been able to play with him much, so he starts begging me to play with him whenever he sees someone else."
Iris sighed as if she had a headache. Julia almost exclaimed, imagining Edgar whining cutely, but quickly swallowed it down.
"Ahaha. He's still young. Then.. should I take care of him while you're at the Princess's palace? Get some rest, sister."
"No, there's no need to do that. He's the heir to the Duke's family, but he's acting too childishly, so I was thinking that it was time to start fixing him. Julia's busy too, so I don't want to get in the way."
"Oh, I see. But he's still young..."
"What? Now that he's going to be an older brother, he should get started. By the way, I don't know why Lionel isn't coming. He called earlier and said he'd be coming for a bit..."
Iris was curious as she sipped her tea. Judging from the way she glanced at the door, it seemed like she had been secretly waiting anxiously.
Julia smiled brightly at the affection clearly depicted on her cold face.
The two are so beautiful to see. If Duke Hyde knew that she was missing him, he would come running to Irie with wings.
"Don't joke around."
Iris quickly straightened up, but her embarrassment was obvious. That was when Julia giggled.
Knock knock.
"Your Majesty, this is Duke Hyde."
The maid's voice was heard. Julia, with amazing timing, greeted him and told him to come in quickly.
Bang.
"It's perfect!"
"Oh."
Edgar, with his hair disheveled, ran up to her like a puppy and hugged her. Julia was surprised by the warmth that quickly filled her arms but then hugged him back.
"Hello, Ed? How have you been?"
"Yeah! I felt sorry for seeing you, Your Majesty!"
"Oh my god. Really? Thank you so much, Ed. I almost cried because I missed you so much."
As Julia whispered sweetly to him, Edgar laughed and hugged her, not knowing how to let go.
Julia turned her head with a smile, giving and receiving as if it were a reunion of separated families.
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