Bonis told the Emperor exactly what Princess Resilia had said to Zelda when she came to the main palace bedroom. He couldn't just ignore it. Zelda seemed much calmer than she had thought, but it was clear that she was burning inside.
After Princess Resilia left the bedroom, Zelda said she would go to Rosie's quarters to talk. However, Bonis chose to tell Linel about this rather than venting her anger there. So she lied about having a stomachache, waited until Zelda and Sharon went down to the first-floor lobby, and then headed straight to the Emperor's office.
His Majesty should know. How evil the Shattonil siblings are. That's the only way to protect Her Majesty the Empress.
In fact, Bonis hesitated a lot. She was worried that Emperor Linel's heart would turn away from Zelda if this became known. If the Emperor found out that Zelda was unable to conceive, would he kick her out of her position as Empress? Or would it be an opportunity for him to turn his attention to his concubines? Bonis shook his head.
'I don't think that will happen.'
Even though it was only for a short time, the Emperor whom Bonis had been watching over truly cherished Zelda. Of course, if Zelda couldn't get pregnant... There was a high chance that he would eventually have a Prince among her concubines, but she couldn't just let this go. Besides, this fact was bound to become known anyway.
“Her Majesty. What is Her Majesty doing now?”
Linel asked Zelda in a flat voice about her condition. Was she crying? Was she afraid of how to tell him about this? Everything was worrying.
“She looked so calm, perhaps because she was so shocked. But I am more worried about her appearance, Your Majesty.”
Bonis answered with a worried voice.
“Hmm, the Empress is headed to Rosie’s quarters?”
Linel closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked Bonis again.
“Yes, she went with Sharon.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
He opened his eyes, which had been closed, and gave Bonis some words of advice with a very careful expression.
“I think it would be best not to tell the Empress that you informed me of this fact... Even if you do tell her, I think it would be better if you did it yourself later.”
“Yes... I will do so, Your Majesty.”
'I don't think that will happen.'
Even though it was only for a short time, the Emperor whom Bonis had been watching over truly cherished Zelda. Of course, if Zelda couldn't get pregnant... There was a high chance that he would eventually have a Prince among her concubines, but she couldn't just let this go. Besides, this fact was bound to become known anyway.
“Her Majesty. What is Her Majesty doing now?”
Linel asked Zelda in a flat voice about her condition. Was she crying? Was she afraid of how to tell him about this? Everything was worrying.
“She looked so calm, perhaps because she was so shocked. But I am more worried about her appearance, Your Majesty.”
Bonis answered with a worried voice.
“Hmm, the Empress is headed to Rosie’s quarters?”
Linel closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked Bonis again.
“Yes, she went with Sharon.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
He opened his eyes, which had been closed, and gave Bonis some words of advice with a very careful expression.
“I think it would be best not to tell the Empress that you informed me of this fact... Even if you do tell her, I think it would be better if you did it yourself later.”
“Yes... I will do so, Your Majesty.”
***
I walked down the central staircase with Sharon, across the lobby, and out to the main entrance of the palace.
“Sharon, let’s go to the blacksmith shop.”
“Huh? Isn’t this Her Highness Rosie’s place?”
“I want to see the finished sword more than Moiya.”
“Then shall I call a carriage?”
“No, the weather is nice, let’s go for a walk. Phew, the sunlight isn’t too strong and there’s just the right amount of wind. It’s the perfect weather for swordsmanship.”
I said, looking up at the sky.
“Your Majesty, the Empress... I know it may be presumptuous of me to ask this, but...”
Sharon looked around, looking at me with concern, then spoke.
“Shouldn’t you tell His Majesty? Since His Majesty also knows about the magic potion, I will tell you about it...”
“Sharon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re saying it’s okay? You absolutely can’t just let this go! They’ve already done something unforgivable to Her Majesty the Empress...!”
“I didn’t drink the last potion.”
I interrupted Sharon and whispered quietly.
“Yes?! Really?”
Sharon raised her voice, then quickly shut her mouth.
“Yes. I think the Prince thought I drank the last of the magic potion and told the Princess so.”
I said, touching the right side of my face with my hand.
“I drank one of the four bottles, but two of them ended up in Prince Tesla’s hands, and the only one left is still there.”
“Sharon, let’s go to the blacksmith shop.”
“Huh? Isn’t this Her Highness Rosie’s place?”
“I want to see the finished sword more than Moiya.”
“Then shall I call a carriage?”
“No, the weather is nice, let’s go for a walk. Phew, the sunlight isn’t too strong and there’s just the right amount of wind. It’s the perfect weather for swordsmanship.”
I said, looking up at the sky.
“Your Majesty, the Empress... I know it may be presumptuous of me to ask this, but...”
Sharon looked around, looking at me with concern, then spoke.
“Shouldn’t you tell His Majesty? Since His Majesty also knows about the magic potion, I will tell you about it...”
“Sharon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re saying it’s okay? You absolutely can’t just let this go! They’ve already done something unforgivable to Her Majesty the Empress...!”
“I didn’t drink the last potion.”
I interrupted Sharon and whispered quietly.
“Yes?! Really?”
Sharon raised her voice, then quickly shut her mouth.
“Yes. I think the Prince thought I drank the last of the magic potion and told the Princess so.”
I said, touching the right side of my face with my hand.
“I drank one of the four bottles, but two of them ended up in Prince Tesla’s hands, and the only one left is still there.”
“Haa, that’s really fortunate! I didn’t even know that, and when I heard Princess Resilia’s words outside the door, my heart sank... sob sob.”
Sharon burst into tears. She had been holding back tears for a while, and she cried like a baby, sighing repeatedly in relief. I wiped Sharon's tears and patted her back to comfort her.
“Stop crying. If someone sees you, they’ll think I’m bullying you.”
As I spoke with a chuckle, Sharon quickly nodded, wiping away her tears.
“But... how come the burn scars aren’t showing yet? You said a few days ago that it was time to take a magic potion.”
Sharon asked again, her expression turning worried.
“I drank it last night. His Majesty brought me a new magic potion.”
Sharon just blinked, her mouth wide open in disbelief. I told her that it was Linel who had taken Wizard Big away. And that he had made a new magic potion out of the extra 'Yakante' herbs that Wizard Big had.
“But the ‘Yakante’ herb that the wizard Big had in the first place was not enough, so the newly made magic potion will also be consumed a few days before the hunting competition ends.”
“Oh my goodness, so that’s why His Majesty changed the destination of the hunting competition to the nearby Tebello Empire!”
“Yes, that’s right. If I had enough new magic potions, I would have finished the hunting competition at the Pasha Empire as planned, and stopped by the Tebello Empire on my way up to the Northern Continent to get the herbs.”
“It is truly wonderful, Your Majesty, the Empress. How could His Majesty have thought of such a thing!”
Sharon, who had stopped crying, burst into tears again. It seemed as if she was watching me cry yesterday when I received a new magic potion from Linel. In fact, I was also quite surprised by Princess Resilia’s words earlier. If Linel hadn’t given me a new magic potion yesterday, I would have ended up drinking the last remaining magic potion without knowing it. And today, just like Princess Resilia said, I would have become a body that would never be able to have children. Just thinking about it made me angry.
“Thank you for your concern, Sharon. Actually, I was going to go to Rosie’s place to talk to her. I’ll have to go talk to Bonis when I get back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I am so, so glad! I thought Your Majesty the Empress was so shocked that you were indifferent, so I felt even more sorry.”
"I see."
I smiled bitterly. I didn’t tell Linel that the magic potion I had been taking contained birth control pills. Maybe the wizard Big had told him, but I didn’t want him to know that the magic potion contained birth control pills. Since the magic potions I would be taking in the future wouldn’t contain birth control pills anyway, there wouldn’t be any problems with pregnancy. Besides, since I had just talked to him about the child, it was even more awkward to bring up the fact that the birth control pills in the magic potion were actually drugs that would prevent pregnancy.
Sharon burst into tears. She had been holding back tears for a while, and she cried like a baby, sighing repeatedly in relief. I wiped Sharon's tears and patted her back to comfort her.
“Stop crying. If someone sees you, they’ll think I’m bullying you.”
As I spoke with a chuckle, Sharon quickly nodded, wiping away her tears.
“But... how come the burn scars aren’t showing yet? You said a few days ago that it was time to take a magic potion.”
Sharon asked again, her expression turning worried.
“I drank it last night. His Majesty brought me a new magic potion.”
Sharon just blinked, her mouth wide open in disbelief. I told her that it was Linel who had taken Wizard Big away. And that he had made a new magic potion out of the extra 'Yakante' herbs that Wizard Big had.
“But the ‘Yakante’ herb that the wizard Big had in the first place was not enough, so the newly made magic potion will also be consumed a few days before the hunting competition ends.”
“Oh my goodness, so that’s why His Majesty changed the destination of the hunting competition to the nearby Tebello Empire!”
“Yes, that’s right. If I had enough new magic potions, I would have finished the hunting competition at the Pasha Empire as planned, and stopped by the Tebello Empire on my way up to the Northern Continent to get the herbs.”
“It is truly wonderful, Your Majesty, the Empress. How could His Majesty have thought of such a thing!”
Sharon, who had stopped crying, burst into tears again. It seemed as if she was watching me cry yesterday when I received a new magic potion from Linel. In fact, I was also quite surprised by Princess Resilia’s words earlier. If Linel hadn’t given me a new magic potion yesterday, I would have ended up drinking the last remaining magic potion without knowing it. And today, just like Princess Resilia said, I would have become a body that would never be able to have children. Just thinking about it made me angry.
“Thank you for your concern, Sharon. Actually, I was going to go to Rosie’s place to talk to her. I’ll have to go talk to Bonis when I get back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I am so, so glad! I thought Your Majesty the Empress was so shocked that you were indifferent, so I felt even more sorry.”
"I see."
I smiled bitterly. I didn’t tell Linel that the magic potion I had been taking contained birth control pills. Maybe the wizard Big had told him, but I didn’t want him to know that the magic potion contained birth control pills. Since the magic potions I would be taking in the future wouldn’t contain birth control pills anyway, there wouldn’t be any problems with pregnancy. Besides, since I had just talked to him about the child, it was even more awkward to bring up the fact that the birth control pills in the magic potion were actually drugs that would prevent pregnancy.
***
As soon as Bonis left the office, Linel jumped up from his chair. He quickly walked to the lounge door inside the office.
“Your Majesty, are you going to Wizard Big?”
Raphael followed him into the break room. Linel picked up his sword, hanging on one wall of the break room.
'I wonder what will happen.'
Raphael felt uneasy as he watched his back as he pulled his sword out of its scabbard. Linel pushed aside one side of the bookshelf in the lounge, holding the sword. Behind the bookshelf hung a long tapestry depicting the Northern Mountains. He put his hand behind the tapestry and turned something, causing the wall to rotate halfway, revealing a staircase leading to the underground space of the main palace.
“Your Majesty, are you going to Wizard Big?”
Raphael followed him into the break room. Linel picked up his sword, hanging on one wall of the break room.
'I wonder what will happen.'
Raphael felt uneasy as he watched his back as he pulled his sword out of its scabbard. Linel pushed aside one side of the bookshelf in the lounge, holding the sword. Behind the bookshelf hung a long tapestry depicting the Northern Mountains. He put his hand behind the tapestry and turned something, causing the wall to rotate halfway, revealing a staircase leading to the underground space of the main palace.
The underground space of the main palace was originally a secret space created by the previous Emperors to enjoy their private lives. Linel had brought the wizard Big there a while ago. There was no better place to hide away from others. He descended the stairs to the underground space fearfully. The underground space of the main palace had a circular hall in the center, and the walls surrounding the hall had several rooms built to ensure the previous Emperors’ escapes and private lives. Linel had allowed the wizard Big to live here, providing him with everything he needed for his life. He had also provided him with a workshop where he could make magic potions, providing him with convenience.
“Your Majesty, I think it would be better for you to calm down a bit and then come back!”
Raphael followed him and tried to stop him, but it was no use. When they went down to the basement of the main palace, torches were lined up on the walls of the corridor leading to the central hall, so it wasn’t dark even in the basement. As they walked down the corridor, the loud laughter of the wizard Big rang out from the central hall.
“Hahaha! As expected, the royal food is full of delicacies.”
Wizard Big sat at the dining table in the central hall, enjoying dozens of dessert dishes and soaking up the bliss.
'What on earth is he eating at a time like this?'
Raphael frowned and glared at the wizard Big.
“Oh my, Your Majesty!”
The moment Wizard Big was scooping up some pudding, he saw Linel walking towards him from the entrance to the passage and hurriedly put down his spoon.
“Why are you here all of a sudden at this hour... Ugh!”
Linel jumped up onto the table and kicked Wizard Big’s costume with all his might. Wizard Big’s heavy body, who was about to get up from his chair, fell backwards along with the chair. Linel let out a loud thud, louder than the sound of it hitting the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me! Why!”
He grabbed the wizard Big by the collar and pulled him up, then slammed him to the ground again.
“Wh, wh, what are you talking about...?”
“The birth control pill, you said you put in the magic potion!”
Linel took a deep breath after saying this. The wizard Big seemed to know why he was exuding such murderous energy just from those words.
“Is it true that the drug you put in the magic potion... isn’t a contraceptive, but a drug that prevents Zelda from getting pregnant?”
He asked, pressing down on Wizard Big's lower lip with the blade. Wizard Big's face had already turned ashen. The Emperor seemed ready to kill him at any moment.
“Speak before I shove this sword down your throat.”
There was no mercy in Linel's low voice. With his eyes, he was already killing the wizard Big, and killing him again.
“Oh, how did you do that!”
The wizard's Big looked up at Linel with his mouth wide open, then rolled his eyes at Raphael standing next to him. His expression was one of asking for help.
“Tell His Majesty without a single lie. Hurry!”
Raphael kicked the side of the wizard Big, who was lying on the floor after being beaten by Linel, and shouted.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty! I have committed a mortal sin! What I am saying is... Enough.”
The wizard Big quickly fell forward and rubbed his trembling hands. Linel grabbed his hair and pulled him back. He put the tip of his sword into the wizard's mouth, which was wide open in fear.
“It would be better to not have a tongue that cannot convey what needs to be said.”
“Ugh! Forgive me, Your Majesty! I will tell you everything!”
“Didn’t I tell you to tell everything from the beginning!”
Linel grabbed the wizard Big by the collar and lifted him up again.
Wizard Big's limbs waved in the air like a scarecrow.
“I, I also told Prince Tesla about the danger! But the Prince said that half of the potion was for intimidation and that he wouldn’t make Her Majesty take the whole thing, so I really thought that was true! I just followed Prince Tesla’s orders... Ugh!”
His hand, which had been grabbing the wizard Big's collar, now gripped the wizard's chin tightly.
“Prince Tesla will take care of it separately.”
Linel continued with a sharp rebuke.
“Even if everything was the Prince’s order, when I brought you here, I clearly told you to tell everything without leaving anything out. You dare to deceive me and now ask for forgiveness?”
Wizard Big screamed in pain as Linel applied enough pressure to break his jawline.
“Ugh!”
“The Empress took it! She didn’t know anything!”
“Lord, I have truly sinned and deserve to die!”
The wizard Big felt as if he was going to pee at any moment under the Emperor's cold gaze that seemed to freeze him. Cold sweat was already running down his back instead of peeing.
“Your Majesty... please, forgive me, I was too scared to tell you that. It would be even more difficult to tell you now that Her Majesty the Empress has probably consumed all the magic potions... ugh!”
Linel grabbed the pudding that Wizard Big was eating with his hand and stuffed it into the wizard's mouth as he begged for forgiveness.
“Can you imagine what the Empress heard while you were eating that pudding that looked like your belly fat?”
“Ugh, ugh!”
Wizard Big looked up at him with a terrified expression, unable to swallow or spit out the pudding that was being poured into his mouth indiscriminately.
“Listen carefully. There is only one reason I am keeping you alive.”
“Yes, yes!”
“It’s because of the Empress. If you hadn’t been able to obtain the herbs for the magic potion the Empress uses, you would have already been killed by me.”
“!”
“Before you could even say sorry, before you could even say please kill me! Your head would have been stuck in that corner!”
Linel threw the wizard Big into the corner he had just pointed to.
“Huhu, huhu.”
The wizard Big slammed into the wall and started hiccuping. The Emperor's gaze was creepy and eerie. He looked like someone who had already killed him. He was a great man who would have cut off his own head. He wasn't just saying that to scare you.
“Your Majesty, please calm down now.”
Raphael took Linel's arm, still holding the sword tightly, and dragged Wizard Big by the back of his neck, and sat him back down on the chair. Linel tried to calm his excitement by catching his breath and throwing the sword he was holding onto the table. Only then did Wizard Big stop hiccuping as if relieved.
'He won't kill me.'
The wizard Big, who felt relieved inside, finally cleared his mind of the extreme fear. But at that moment. Thud, thud, thud! Linel's indiscriminate fists flew in.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!”
The pain was so intense that he would rather faint than be thankful. The wizard Big was beaten to death by Linel without even being able to scream because of the pain. Raphael, who had been watching him, grabbed his two arms from behind and spoke quietly.
“Your Majesty, stop now. He has lost his mind.”
“Your Majesty, I think it would be better for you to calm down a bit and then come back!”
Raphael followed him and tried to stop him, but it was no use. When they went down to the basement of the main palace, torches were lined up on the walls of the corridor leading to the central hall, so it wasn’t dark even in the basement. As they walked down the corridor, the loud laughter of the wizard Big rang out from the central hall.
“Hahaha! As expected, the royal food is full of delicacies.”
Wizard Big sat at the dining table in the central hall, enjoying dozens of dessert dishes and soaking up the bliss.
'What on earth is he eating at a time like this?'
Raphael frowned and glared at the wizard Big.
“Oh my, Your Majesty!”
The moment Wizard Big was scooping up some pudding, he saw Linel walking towards him from the entrance to the passage and hurriedly put down his spoon.
“Why are you here all of a sudden at this hour... Ugh!”
Linel jumped up onto the table and kicked Wizard Big’s costume with all his might. Wizard Big’s heavy body, who was about to get up from his chair, fell backwards along with the chair. Linel let out a loud thud, louder than the sound of it hitting the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me! Why!”
He grabbed the wizard Big by the collar and pulled him up, then slammed him to the ground again.
“Wh, wh, what are you talking about...?”
“The birth control pill, you said you put in the magic potion!”
Linel took a deep breath after saying this. The wizard Big seemed to know why he was exuding such murderous energy just from those words.
“Is it true that the drug you put in the magic potion... isn’t a contraceptive, but a drug that prevents Zelda from getting pregnant?”
He asked, pressing down on Wizard Big's lower lip with the blade. Wizard Big's face had already turned ashen. The Emperor seemed ready to kill him at any moment.
“Speak before I shove this sword down your throat.”
There was no mercy in Linel's low voice. With his eyes, he was already killing the wizard Big, and killing him again.
“Oh, how did you do that!”
The wizard's Big looked up at Linel with his mouth wide open, then rolled his eyes at Raphael standing next to him. His expression was one of asking for help.
“Tell His Majesty without a single lie. Hurry!”
Raphael kicked the side of the wizard Big, who was lying on the floor after being beaten by Linel, and shouted.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty! I have committed a mortal sin! What I am saying is... Enough.”
The wizard Big quickly fell forward and rubbed his trembling hands. Linel grabbed his hair and pulled him back. He put the tip of his sword into the wizard's mouth, which was wide open in fear.
“It would be better to not have a tongue that cannot convey what needs to be said.”
“Ugh! Forgive me, Your Majesty! I will tell you everything!”
“Didn’t I tell you to tell everything from the beginning!”
Linel grabbed the wizard Big by the collar and lifted him up again.
Wizard Big's limbs waved in the air like a scarecrow.
“I, I also told Prince Tesla about the danger! But the Prince said that half of the potion was for intimidation and that he wouldn’t make Her Majesty take the whole thing, so I really thought that was true! I just followed Prince Tesla’s orders... Ugh!”
His hand, which had been grabbing the wizard Big's collar, now gripped the wizard's chin tightly.
“Prince Tesla will take care of it separately.”
Linel continued with a sharp rebuke.
“Even if everything was the Prince’s order, when I brought you here, I clearly told you to tell everything without leaving anything out. You dare to deceive me and now ask for forgiveness?”
Wizard Big screamed in pain as Linel applied enough pressure to break his jawline.
“Ugh!”
“The Empress took it! She didn’t know anything!”
“Lord, I have truly sinned and deserve to die!”
The wizard Big felt as if he was going to pee at any moment under the Emperor's cold gaze that seemed to freeze him. Cold sweat was already running down his back instead of peeing.
“Your Majesty... please, forgive me, I was too scared to tell you that. It would be even more difficult to tell you now that Her Majesty the Empress has probably consumed all the magic potions... ugh!”
Linel grabbed the pudding that Wizard Big was eating with his hand and stuffed it into the wizard's mouth as he begged for forgiveness.
“Can you imagine what the Empress heard while you were eating that pudding that looked like your belly fat?”
“Ugh, ugh!”
Wizard Big looked up at him with a terrified expression, unable to swallow or spit out the pudding that was being poured into his mouth indiscriminately.
“Listen carefully. There is only one reason I am keeping you alive.”
“Yes, yes!”
“It’s because of the Empress. If you hadn’t been able to obtain the herbs for the magic potion the Empress uses, you would have already been killed by me.”
“!”
“Before you could even say sorry, before you could even say please kill me! Your head would have been stuck in that corner!”
Linel threw the wizard Big into the corner he had just pointed to.
“Huhu, huhu.”
The wizard Big slammed into the wall and started hiccuping. The Emperor's gaze was creepy and eerie. He looked like someone who had already killed him. He was a great man who would have cut off his own head. He wasn't just saying that to scare you.
“Your Majesty, please calm down now.”
Raphael took Linel's arm, still holding the sword tightly, and dragged Wizard Big by the back of his neck, and sat him back down on the chair. Linel tried to calm his excitement by catching his breath and throwing the sword he was holding onto the table. Only then did Wizard Big stop hiccuping as if relieved.
'He won't kill me.'
The wizard Big, who felt relieved inside, finally cleared his mind of the extreme fear. But at that moment. Thud, thud, thud! Linel's indiscriminate fists flew in.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!”
The pain was so intense that he would rather faint than be thankful. The wizard Big was beaten to death by Linel without even being able to scream because of the pain. Raphael, who had been watching him, grabbed his two arms from behind and spoke quietly.
“Your Majesty, stop now. He has lost his mind.”
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