“A passing traveler... phew.”
Melanie chuckled, mulling over my words.
As the laughter of the concubines continued to leak out from here and there, Roxana’s eyes began to tense up.
Then, they all pursed their lips and lowered their gazes slightly.
“The West Palace is already full, so you had no choice but to settle on another place. It might be a little noisy, but I think you’ll like it.”
Roxana said to me, her cheeks twitching.
“I won’t be a traveler anymore. Thank you for your consideration.”
So, where will I be staying?
I stared at her and nodded.
“As soon as the concubine ceremony is over, my knight will personally escort you there.”
Roxana said with a sinister smile and began lunch.
Where on earth did I settle my quarters for such a satisfied expression?
“Oh, by the way, the prospective concubines here already have their wedding dresses made, but will you be able to get ready in time?”
Roxana asked, sounding quite worried.
“When is the concubine ceremony?”
Melanie suddenly interrupted.
“In three days.”
What?!
“We’re running out of time to get Her Highness Zelda’s wedding dress made!”
Rosie startled and cautiously protested to Roxana.
“If you don’t have time, you should at least wear a ready-made wedding dress. It’s a shame to postpone the ceremony because of one person, isn’t it?”
Roxana shrugged and asked me.
“Of course, I don’t mind. After all, the face is what completes the dress.”
At my words, Roxana and the three prospective concubines’ expressions squished like trampled potatoes.
“Oh? Miss Wrinkled isn’t here?”
Moiya, transformed into an eagle instead of a dove today, circled the terrace of the Empress’s bedroom.
The pink cushion where Nana always lay was empty.
“Where did she go? Is she in her room?”
Moiya peeked into the bedroom through the window.
Only after confirming that no one was inside did he open the terrace door with hia eagle paw and enter the bedroom.
“Miss, this is our master’s room... The room smells really bad, doesn’t it, Moiya~?”
Moiya circled the bedroom, sniffing.
But Nana was nowhere to be seen.
“Is she in the bathroom?”
The female bulldog was known to relieve herself anywhere, but she might have developed a habit of defecating in the meantime.
As he turned toward the bathroom and flew, he heard a suspicious sound from somewhere.
Moiya landed on the floor and listened intently.
There was a rattling sound from the bottom drawer of the dresser.
“Miss Wrinkled, are you in there?”
Moiya opened the drawer with his eagle beak.
Deep inside, he saw a silk pouch.
“Is this Moiya~?”
A round egg rolled out from inside the silk pouch.
“Oww?! Why does that shameless redhead, who’s been sitting here, have a wyvern egg?”
Moiya tapped the wyvern egg with his eagle talon.
“Seeing one of my kind here! Huh? And it’s about my age, too!”
Moiya examined the wyvern egg and realized it was born 300 years ago, around the same time as him.
“You’re so pitiful. If you stay stuck in this drawer, you won’t be able to come out even if you spend another 300 years.”
The wyvern egg, understanding Moiya’s words, banged around inside the drawer excitedly.
“Do you want to come play with me? I bet the owner of this room wouldn’t notice you if you were gone, seeing as she’s stuck you in a corner.”
This time, the wyvern egg bounced happily.
Moiya put the wyvern egg back into the silk pouch and flew up, clutching the top of the pouch with his eagle talon.
“If you fall, that’s your fate.”
Moiya's words sent shivers down its entire silk pouch.
After lunch, where I couldn't tell if the food was going into my mouth or my nose, I returned to the main palace.
The concubine ceremony was still three days away.
I had never expected Roxana to hold the ceremony so quickly, as soon as she became Empress.
Could it be that she was kicking me out of the main palace? Because becoming a concubine meant I couldn't stay there anymore?
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no other reason.
"I wonder where they've decided on my residence..."
Judging by Roxana's flustered expression, she'd clearly found a place that perfectly suited her fancy.
I couldn't quite place it, but one thing was certain: it would be the furthest place from the main palace where Linel was...
Even so, it would likely be within the palace walls.
As soon as I returned to the main palace, I broke the news to Sharon.
"This is truly outrageous. How can you get a wedding dress made in three days?"
"I'll just have to wear a ready-made wedding dress."
"No! That's for commoners, and the design is too simple."
Sharon's face twisted into a sullen, distraught expression.
But for now, there was no other option.
"It can't be helped. If the wedding ceremony gets postponed because of me, they'll find fault with it again."
And honestly, the wedding dress I wore at the concubine's ceremony didn't really matter to me.
As long as I had a suitable dress, even if it was ready-made, that was enough.
"Look into a shop frequented by commoners. It doesn't have to be flashy; just a cream-colored wedding dress will do."
Only the Empress could wear a pure white wedding dress.
Concubines were only permitted to wear cream or slightly gray wedding dresses.
“Yes, I’ll search all the shops in the capital.”
“We don’t have time, so hurry.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Sharon, I shouldn’t be called Empress anymore. Many ears are listening.”
“...Yes, I’ll be careful around other people. I’ll be back.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Not long after Sharon left the room, a timid knock was heard outside the door.
Knock, knock.
Was it Linel?
Instead of inviting me in, I opened the door myself.
“Hello...”
“Oh, my!”
Linel’s younger brother, Grand Duke Joseph, stood outside the door with a shy expression.
At first, I didn’t recognize him.
Joseph was clearly trapped in the cursed ice. What had happened?
“Grand Duke Joseph... is that right?”
I bent down and met Joseph’s eyes.
He nodded, his blue eyes sparkling as he asked,
“Ma'am, if you don’t mind, may I come in for a moment?”
“Of course, please come in.”
I quickly stepped aside to the side of the door.
“Thank you.”
Joseph bowed and entered the room.
As he was about to close the door, a large hand suddenly squeezed through the crack.
“Wait, can I bring my luggage in too?”
It was Linel.
“Isn’t Your Majesty quite busy right now?”
I asked, consciously glancing around the hallway.
Melanie chuckled, mulling over my words.
As the laughter of the concubines continued to leak out from here and there, Roxana’s eyes began to tense up.
Then, they all pursed their lips and lowered their gazes slightly.
“The West Palace is already full, so you had no choice but to settle on another place. It might be a little noisy, but I think you’ll like it.”
Roxana said to me, her cheeks twitching.
“I won’t be a traveler anymore. Thank you for your consideration.”
So, where will I be staying?
I stared at her and nodded.
“As soon as the concubine ceremony is over, my knight will personally escort you there.”
Roxana said with a sinister smile and began lunch.
Where on earth did I settle my quarters for such a satisfied expression?
“Oh, by the way, the prospective concubines here already have their wedding dresses made, but will you be able to get ready in time?”
Roxana asked, sounding quite worried.
“When is the concubine ceremony?”
Melanie suddenly interrupted.
“In three days.”
What?!
“We’re running out of time to get Her Highness Zelda’s wedding dress made!”
Rosie startled and cautiously protested to Roxana.
“If you don’t have time, you should at least wear a ready-made wedding dress. It’s a shame to postpone the ceremony because of one person, isn’t it?”
Roxana shrugged and asked me.
“Of course, I don’t mind. After all, the face is what completes the dress.”
At my words, Roxana and the three prospective concubines’ expressions squished like trampled potatoes.
***
“Oh? Miss Wrinkled isn’t here?”
Moiya, transformed into an eagle instead of a dove today, circled the terrace of the Empress’s bedroom.
The pink cushion where Nana always lay was empty.
“Where did she go? Is she in her room?”
Moiya peeked into the bedroom through the window.
Only after confirming that no one was inside did he open the terrace door with hia eagle paw and enter the bedroom.
“Miss, this is our master’s room... The room smells really bad, doesn’t it, Moiya~?”
Moiya circled the bedroom, sniffing.
But Nana was nowhere to be seen.
“Is she in the bathroom?”
The female bulldog was known to relieve herself anywhere, but she might have developed a habit of defecating in the meantime.
As he turned toward the bathroom and flew, he heard a suspicious sound from somewhere.
Moiya landed on the floor and listened intently.
There was a rattling sound from the bottom drawer of the dresser.
“Miss Wrinkled, are you in there?”
Moiya opened the drawer with his eagle beak.
Deep inside, he saw a silk pouch.
“Is this Moiya~?”
A round egg rolled out from inside the silk pouch.
“Oww?! Why does that shameless redhead, who’s been sitting here, have a wyvern egg?”
Moiya tapped the wyvern egg with his eagle talon.
“Seeing one of my kind here! Huh? And it’s about my age, too!”
Moiya examined the wyvern egg and realized it was born 300 years ago, around the same time as him.
“You’re so pitiful. If you stay stuck in this drawer, you won’t be able to come out even if you spend another 300 years.”
The wyvern egg, understanding Moiya’s words, banged around inside the drawer excitedly.
“Do you want to come play with me? I bet the owner of this room wouldn’t notice you if you were gone, seeing as she’s stuck you in a corner.”
This time, the wyvern egg bounced happily.
Moiya put the wyvern egg back into the silk pouch and flew up, clutching the top of the pouch with his eagle talon.
“If you fall, that’s your fate.”
Moiya's words sent shivers down its entire silk pouch.
***
After lunch, where I couldn't tell if the food was going into my mouth or my nose, I returned to the main palace.
The concubine ceremony was still three days away.
I had never expected Roxana to hold the ceremony so quickly, as soon as she became Empress.
Could it be that she was kicking me out of the main palace? Because becoming a concubine meant I couldn't stay there anymore?
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no other reason.
"I wonder where they've decided on my residence..."
Judging by Roxana's flustered expression, she'd clearly found a place that perfectly suited her fancy.
I couldn't quite place it, but one thing was certain: it would be the furthest place from the main palace where Linel was...
Even so, it would likely be within the palace walls.
As soon as I returned to the main palace, I broke the news to Sharon.
"This is truly outrageous. How can you get a wedding dress made in three days?"
"I'll just have to wear a ready-made wedding dress."
"No! That's for commoners, and the design is too simple."
Sharon's face twisted into a sullen, distraught expression.
But for now, there was no other option.
"It can't be helped. If the wedding ceremony gets postponed because of me, they'll find fault with it again."
And honestly, the wedding dress I wore at the concubine's ceremony didn't really matter to me.
As long as I had a suitable dress, even if it was ready-made, that was enough.
"Look into a shop frequented by commoners. It doesn't have to be flashy; just a cream-colored wedding dress will do."
Only the Empress could wear a pure white wedding dress.
Concubines were only permitted to wear cream or slightly gray wedding dresses.
“Yes, I’ll search all the shops in the capital.”
“We don’t have time, so hurry.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Sharon, I shouldn’t be called Empress anymore. Many ears are listening.”
“...Yes, I’ll be careful around other people. I’ll be back.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Not long after Sharon left the room, a timid knock was heard outside the door.
Knock, knock.
Was it Linel?
Instead of inviting me in, I opened the door myself.
“Hello...”
“Oh, my!”
Linel’s younger brother, Grand Duke Joseph, stood outside the door with a shy expression.
At first, I didn’t recognize him.
Joseph was clearly trapped in the cursed ice. What had happened?
“Grand Duke Joseph... is that right?”
I bent down and met Joseph’s eyes.
He nodded, his blue eyes sparkling as he asked,
“Ma'am, if you don’t mind, may I come in for a moment?”
“Of course, please come in.”
I quickly stepped aside to the side of the door.
“Thank you.”
Joseph bowed and entered the room.
As he was about to close the door, a large hand suddenly squeezed through the crack.
“Wait, can I bring my luggage in too?”
It was Linel.
“Isn’t Your Majesty quite busy right now?”
I asked, consciously glancing around the hallway.
“Joseph was so insistent on seeing you that I had no choice but to drag him here.”
“Your Majesty, I only found out today that Your Majesty the Empress had returned... Ugh!”
Linel covered Joseph’s mouth and ruffled his neatly combed hair.
“Hahaha, Joseph. We can’t stay here for long, so only say what’s absolutely necessary. Understood?”
Only when Joseph nodded did he lower his hand that was covering his brother’s mouth.
“Your Majesty, I really wanted to see you.”
A rather polite tone flowed from his small mouth.
“Me too. But I’m no longer the Empress. I’m going to be the second concubine.”
And I might even have a concubine ceremony without a wedding dress.
“I heard from Raphael and Stiane. Maybe Her Majesty the Empress was expelled to save me... Ugh!”
“?”
Linel silenced Joseph again.
“Haha, Joseph is still not well, so I understand that he often says strange things.”
“Oh, yes... Anyway, I’m so glad you’re out of the cursed ice.”
“Is this all thanks to Your Majesty the Empress?”
Joseph suddenly cried out, desperately pulling his hand down.
“Thanks to me?”
I asked with a laugh.
“Because the cursed ice started to break after Your Majesty the Empress visited!”
“Really?!”
“Yes! Um... But, could you hug me just once?”
Joseph said shyly, blinking his long eyelashes.
I looked at Joseph's pale face and held his hand before hugging him.
Even though he'd emerged from the cursed ice, his hands were so cold that I suspected he was suffering from hypothermia, just like Linel.
I held him with both arms outstretched and hugged him with all my might.
"I'm so glad you're safe, Grand Duke."
Joseph nodded vigorously in my arms, then looked up at me in surprise.
“Wow... I feel like I’m melting, it’s warm!”
“Huh, I have another competitor.”
Linel stood leaning against the wall and slowly walked towards us.
“Joseph, you should go back to your room now.”
“Ugh, can’t I stay a little longer?”
“No,”
he said flatly.
“Why?”
Joseph asked him defiantly and hugged me.
“It’s my turn now,”
Linel replied, hugging me in return.
Moiya returned to Rosie’s quarters and threw the silk cloth he had brought from the Empress’s Palace onto the bed before returning to his previous appearance.
“Miss Jjugle, you were here?!”
Nana, whom Moiya had been searching for so long, was in Rosie’s bedroom.
“These things are really...!”
Nana was lying down next to Aoshi, who was lying face down on the floor, rolling his heavy body around.
“How did you get in here?”
“Wolwol! (Don’t pay attention!)”
Nana glared at the grumbling Moiya.
“Meow? (Moiya, where did you steal this from?)”
Meanwhile, Aoshi jumped up on the bed and tapped the wyvern egg Moiya brought with his front paw, asking,
“It’s our kind. It was just stuck in the master’s room.”
“Me, meow! (Gasp, what if you get caught!)”
“It won’t get caught unless Miss Wrinkled tells her.”
“Wolwol? (My master really cherishes that thing?)”
“Huh, so what?”
Moiya snorted as he twirled the wyvern egg on his finger.
“Whoa- Wolwol! (Whoa- be careful not to break it!)”
“The great wyvern egg rarely breaks. Want to see?”
“Meow. (Ouch, I don’t want to see it.)”
As soon as Moiya tossed the wyvern egg into the air, Aoshi closed his eyes and lay flat on his stomach.
Nana quickly used her front paws to lower her wrinkled skin under her eyes.
Thud-!
“Your Majesty, I only found out today that Your Majesty the Empress had returned... Ugh!”
Linel covered Joseph’s mouth and ruffled his neatly combed hair.
“Hahaha, Joseph. We can’t stay here for long, so only say what’s absolutely necessary. Understood?”
Only when Joseph nodded did he lower his hand that was covering his brother’s mouth.
“Your Majesty, I really wanted to see you.”
A rather polite tone flowed from his small mouth.
“Me too. But I’m no longer the Empress. I’m going to be the second concubine.”
And I might even have a concubine ceremony without a wedding dress.
“I heard from Raphael and Stiane. Maybe Her Majesty the Empress was expelled to save me... Ugh!”
“?”
Linel silenced Joseph again.
“Haha, Joseph is still not well, so I understand that he often says strange things.”
“Oh, yes... Anyway, I’m so glad you’re out of the cursed ice.”
“Is this all thanks to Your Majesty the Empress?”
Joseph suddenly cried out, desperately pulling his hand down.
“Thanks to me?”
I asked with a laugh.
“Because the cursed ice started to break after Your Majesty the Empress visited!”
“Really?!”
“Yes! Um... But, could you hug me just once?”
Joseph said shyly, blinking his long eyelashes.
I looked at Joseph's pale face and held his hand before hugging him.
Even though he'd emerged from the cursed ice, his hands were so cold that I suspected he was suffering from hypothermia, just like Linel.
I held him with both arms outstretched and hugged him with all my might.
"I'm so glad you're safe, Grand Duke."
Joseph nodded vigorously in my arms, then looked up at me in surprise.
“Wow... I feel like I’m melting, it’s warm!”
“Huh, I have another competitor.”
Linel stood leaning against the wall and slowly walked towards us.
“Joseph, you should go back to your room now.”
“Ugh, can’t I stay a little longer?”
“No,”
he said flatly.
“Why?”
Joseph asked him defiantly and hugged me.
“It’s my turn now,”
Linel replied, hugging me in return.
***
Moiya returned to Rosie’s quarters and threw the silk cloth he had brought from the Empress’s Palace onto the bed before returning to his previous appearance.
“Miss Jjugle, you were here?!”
Nana, whom Moiya had been searching for so long, was in Rosie’s bedroom.
“These things are really...!”
Nana was lying down next to Aoshi, who was lying face down on the floor, rolling his heavy body around.
“How did you get in here?”
“Wolwol! (Don’t pay attention!)”
Nana glared at the grumbling Moiya.
“Meow? (Moiya, where did you steal this from?)”
Meanwhile, Aoshi jumped up on the bed and tapped the wyvern egg Moiya brought with his front paw, asking,
“It’s our kind. It was just stuck in the master’s room.”
“Me, meow! (Gasp, what if you get caught!)”
“It won’t get caught unless Miss Wrinkled tells her.”
“Wolwol? (My master really cherishes that thing?)”
“Huh, so what?”
Moiya snorted as he twirled the wyvern egg on his finger.
“Whoa- Wolwol! (Whoa- be careful not to break it!)”
“The great wyvern egg rarely breaks. Want to see?”
“Meow. (Ouch, I don’t want to see it.)”
As soon as Moiya tossed the wyvern egg into the air, Aoshi closed his eyes and lay flat on his stomach.
Nana quickly used her front paws to lower her wrinkled skin under her eyes.
Thud-!
With a sound, the wyvern egg fell to the marble floor.
Aoshi and Nana, who had been covering their eyes, slowly opened their eyes and looked at the wyvern egg on the marble floor.
“Meow? (Really? Are you okay?)”
“That’s right. Come on, kids, let’s play ball with this!”
Moiya kicked the wyvern egg with his foot and sent it to Aoshi.
Then Aoshi absentmindedly passed the wyvern egg straight to Nana.
Nana fidgeted and whined, then passed the wyvern egg that rolled in front of her back to Moiya.
And that’s how a natural love triangle was formed.
So, with the wyvern in the lead, the dog and cat began playing ball with a 300-year-old wyvern egg that hadn't yet awakened. At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Rosie came in.
"W-what the heck!"
Aoshi and Nana, who had been covering their eyes, slowly opened their eyes and looked at the wyvern egg on the marble floor.
“Meow? (Really? Are you okay?)”
“That’s right. Come on, kids, let’s play ball with this!”
Moiya kicked the wyvern egg with his foot and sent it to Aoshi.
Then Aoshi absentmindedly passed the wyvern egg straight to Nana.
Nana fidgeted and whined, then passed the wyvern egg that rolled in front of her back to Moiya.
And that’s how a natural love triangle was formed.
So, with the wyvern in the lead, the dog and cat began playing ball with a 300-year-old wyvern egg that hadn't yet awakened. At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Rosie came in.
"W-what the heck!"
Rosie frowned at the sight of the bulldog Nana. Moiya quickly rolled the wyvern egg under the bed the moment the bedroom door opened. Rosie's gaze was fixed on Nana, so the wyvern egg he had secretly taken from the Empress's Palace went undetected.
"Why is that little dog here?"
Rosie glared at Nana and snorted hot breath.
"I'm scared that someone will see! Hey, what are you, what are you doing coming into my quarters? Look how shameless you are, just like your master! You even look exactly like her!"
Moiya and Aoshi ignored Rosie's continued insults, but Nana was shocked.
"Moiya, you brought him in, right?"
Rosie continued to glare at Nana and asked Moiya,
“No! I just came in too. She was rolling around on the floor with Aoshi. I was really surprised, Moiya~?”
Moiya carried his hands behind his back and pushed Aoshi’s butt in front of Rosie with his foot.
“Meow! (I don’t know, Nana came here on her own!)”
“Wol, wol. (Your master... is so, uh, scary.)”
Nana suddenly hid behind Moiya. Although her body wasn’t big enough to hide, Rosie was so scared that she felt like she was going to wet her pants.
“Moiya, it was you! Do you have a plan or not?”
Rosie was sure that Moiya had brought Roxana’s dog.
“It’s unfair. It really wasn’t me!”
“If it weren’t for you, how did that stupid-looking bulldog get in here by herself?”
“Ouch? I really just came in!”
Rosie snorted at Moiya’s words.
“Do you want to hang out with that little dog raised by the man who brought down Her Majesty the Empress?”
Nana turned away sadly at Rosie’s rebuke.
Nana raised both feet and scratched at the bedroom door, indicating that she was going to leave.
“Rosie, this is really too much. Animals are not at fault...”
“Shut up! Grow up. Don’t just call Her Majesty Master, Master.”
Rosie said angrily and flung open the bedroom door.
“Whether it’s Nana or you, return to the Empress’s palace immediately. And from now on, don’t come near the West Palace. Misha, Misha!”
Rosie called out to her servant and left with Nana, closing the door behind her.
“Meow, meow. (Don’t be so upset. It’s because you cause so much trouble that Rosie doesn’t believe you.)”
Aoshi carefully tried to comfort Moiya, but Moiya exploded in anger.
“I can’t live with that loser anymore! I can’t live!”
“Meow? (If you don’t live?)”
“I’m going out of here.”
Moiya went under the bed and came out with a wyvern egg.
“You come with me.”
At Moiya’s words, the wyvern egg rolled into the silk pouch on its own.
“Meow? (Where are you going? With that stolen wyvern egg!)”
“Hmph, now I have to live with my Master, Moiya~!”
“Do you want to hang out with that little dog raised by the man who brought down Her Majesty the Empress?”
Nana turned away sadly at Rosie’s rebuke.
Nana raised both feet and scratched at the bedroom door, indicating that she was going to leave.
“Rosie, this is really too much. Animals are not at fault...”
“Shut up! Grow up. Don’t just call Her Majesty Master, Master.”
Rosie said angrily and flung open the bedroom door.
“Whether it’s Nana or you, return to the Empress’s palace immediately. And from now on, don’t come near the West Palace. Misha, Misha!”
Rosie called out to her servant and left with Nana, closing the door behind her.
“Meow, meow. (Don’t be so upset. It’s because you cause so much trouble that Rosie doesn’t believe you.)”
Aoshi carefully tried to comfort Moiya, but Moiya exploded in anger.
“I can’t live with that loser anymore! I can’t live!”
“Meow? (If you don’t live?)”
“I’m going out of here.”
Moiya went under the bed and came out with a wyvern egg.
“You come with me.”
At Moiya’s words, the wyvern egg rolled into the silk pouch on its own.
“Meow? (Where are you going? With that stolen wyvern egg!)”
“Hmph, now I have to live with my Master, Moiya~!”
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