Why on earth did he come?
I blankly stared at Linel as he walked into the banquet hall.
His handsome face, even when frowning, held a gentle smile.
I examined the expressions of the concubines.
As expected, they were all entranced by his radiant figure.
He approached me, his gaze fixed on me.
However, depending on the observer, one might assume he was looking at Roxana behind me.
"Oh my, His Majesty can't take his eyes off Her Majesty the Empress."
As expected, when Yulina flattered Roxana, the twins whispered among themselves.
"That's right, your gaze is exactly like Her Majesty the Empress."
"Look at His Majesty's eyes. Honestly, I envy Her Majesty the Empress."
I snorted at the conversation between the three concubines from Aklatto.
I was certain.
His blue eyes were only focused on me.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor!”
All the concubines, including me, bowed politely to him.
“It seems the Empress has put a lot of thought into preparing a banquet for the concubines.”
He glanced at the sumptuous dishes that filled the table, then looked at Roxana.
“Aren’t you all ladies who serve Your Majesty? It is the Empress’s virtue to serve good food.”
Roxana replied in a gentle voice.
He asked Roxana.
She didn’t open her arms, but she wholeheartedly welcomed his invitation.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. Hmm, I will sit next to the Empress.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Stiane personally brought a chair from the banquet hall.
It was placed on the same table of honor as Roxana, but it was closer to me, diagonally across from her, than to Roxana, who was seated next to him.
“Everyone, please take your seats.”
He pulled up a chair and spoke to his concubines.
“Actually, I’ve already had dinner at the main palace, but I haven’t had dessert yet.”
“I’ve prepared a lot of delicious desserts,”
Roxana said, pointing to the desserts with a pleased expression.
The concubines from the Principality of Aklatto then joined in, flirting with him one by one.
“Your Majesty, please try the food. The Empress has put a lot of thought into it.”
“It’s an honor to be able to dine with you.”
“Your Majesty, your presence has suddenly whetted my appetite.”
Linel merely responded to their fuss with a brief smile.
Rosie, Melanie, Catherine, and Pecilini—the existing concubines—kept glancing at me.
Their eyes seemed to ask if he had come because of me.
I pretended not to notice their gazes.
“Let’s finish eating.”
Linel picked up his knife and fork, and the other concubines resumed their meal.
Fortunately, he didn't pay any special attention to me, seemingly conscious of Roxana or the other concubines, but his hand was groping mine under the table.
"If you'd given me a word, I would have prepared a seat for you in advance."
Roxana said softly, pouring wine into his glass.
"I thought you'd be more welcome this way."
He glanced at the concubines seated on either side of the table, and smiles broke out on their faces. Perhaps because they'd only seen his cold demeanor, they looked somewhat shocked by his friendly tone.
"I wonder if my sudden visit made you uncomfortable."
Why not?
I nodded unconsciously.
A good thing is a good thing, but an inconvenience is a thing, right?
Ah, but it seemed I was the only one uncomfortable.
The other concubines' eyes, except mine, were filled with hearts.
The faces of the concubines from the Principality of Aklatto were especially lively.
Whenever he smiled slightly and lifted the corners of his mouth, they all smiled bashfully, as if hypnotized.
The concubines' attention was clearly focused on him.
"Seeing all this delicious food makes me hungry again,"
Linel said, and Roxana began to personally move various dishes toward him.
He pretended to push aside the plates placed in front of him and secretly pushed them all towards me.
Thanks to this, I was able to eat the food I had been craving for but had been unable to because it was too far away or placed in front of Roxana.
“Your Majesty, have you come again to enjoy a special dessert only available in the Empress’s Palace?”
Melanie suddenly asked him.
What was she talking about?
But the existing concubines began to giggle at Melanie’s words.
They all seemed to know why Melanie had asked that.
Perhaps there was a story behind it?
Perhaps it was something related to Linel, something that had faded from my memory.
“What do you mean, Melanie?”
Roxana asked curiously.
“Ah, it was a thing of the past, Your Majesty. Please forgive me for bringing it up thoughtlessly.”
Melanie remained silent, her curiosity lingering. Roxana frowned before asking again kindly.
“Go ahead. Judging by His Majesty’s smile, it must be a fond memory, and I would like to share it with you.”
A look of embarrassment crossed the existing concubines’ faces at Roxana’s words.
Why are they all like that?
“I’m sorry to say this... but when the former Empress Zelda first dined here with the concubines, His Majesty was here too.”
I wanted to shut Melanie’s mouth, pretending to be defeated and speaking.
Whatever the memory, I had a feeling it would only make things more awkward for me.
“Your Majesty said you came to try a delicious dessert that was only available in the Empress’s Palace, right? Hahaha.”
“A dessert only available in the Empress’s Palace? Is there such a thing?”
Roxana glanced at me.
Really? I’m curious.
I couldn’t answer.
It seemed like even that dessert had faded from my memory, and no matter how hard I searched, nothing particularly came to mind.
I quickly looked around the table.
If the Empress’s dessert chef hadn’t changed in the meantime, they would have served it today, right?
But there were as many desserts as there were dishes, so unless Linel pointed it out, there was no way to figure out what it was.
“If I had known what it was, I would have prepared it in advance.”
Roxana spoke in a gentle voice, completely different from when she addressed the concubines.
“Your Majesty, I hate to say this, but... the preparations are already in place.”
Rosie spoke cautiously to Roxana, then met my eyes.
“That’s right, but this is a dessert only Your Majesty can eat.”
Melanie also covered her mouth and pretended to whisper, deliberately raising her voice.
Catherine nudged Melanie’s arm and said, as if trying to persuade her.
“Melanie, don’t make things awkward and be careful...”
“No, just tell me.”
Roxana asked again, patiently.
“Yes, Your Majesty is curious, so as a subordinate, I have no choice but to tell you.”
Melanie smiled brightly and looked at Roxana before speaking.
“The dessert His Majesty came to eat is...”
Melanie, who had been roving her eyes, stopped looking at my face.
Then everyone’s eyes turned to me.
Wait, could this be the special dessert Linel had come to eat at the Empress’s palace?!
“Zelda, ma’am.”
“...What?”
“...What?!”
Roxana and I both sounded startled, simultaneously echoing throughout the banquet hall.
What was he talking about?
I slowly turned my head to him.
He chuckled at Melanie’s words, then rubbed his beautiful eyebrows with his index finger, his expression perplexed.
“Oh, so that’s what happened.”
“You really don’t remember?”
I asked him with ventriloquism.
You didn’t come here on purpose, did you?
“I don’t remember, but I guess so.”
He replied in his usual tone, not bothering to lower his voice.
My face burned so brightly that I thought it would turn to ash.
“Your Majesty... You don’t remember Zelda, and yet you say you did?”
Roxana’s voice was gentle, but her eyes were blazing with anger.
“If Melanie says so, then it must be true. She’s such a pure woman, she can’t lie.”
Linel answered Roxana, tapping the side of his head with his index finger.
Melanie was delighted by his words.
Didn't you get what I meant by "pure intellect"?
"That's right! My thoughts are so pure that I'm really bad at deceiving others."
Melanie, surprisingly, took his words with genuine, positive intentions.
"But you're good at turning people upside down."
I could hear Melanie's small "I agree" at Rosie's joke.
I bit back my lip to stifle laughter.
"You remember back then, Your Majesty, you tasted Your Highness Zelda's lips sweeter than cake? You all remember, right?"
Melanie asked, looking around at thr concubines.
Rosie and Pecilini nodded absentmindedly, and Catherine warned Melanie to be more mindful. Roxana dabbed her mouth with a napkin, her face drained of appetite.
I blankly stared at Linel as he walked into the banquet hall.
His handsome face, even when frowning, held a gentle smile.
I examined the expressions of the concubines.
As expected, they were all entranced by his radiant figure.
He approached me, his gaze fixed on me.
However, depending on the observer, one might assume he was looking at Roxana behind me.
"Oh my, His Majesty can't take his eyes off Her Majesty the Empress."
As expected, when Yulina flattered Roxana, the twins whispered among themselves.
"That's right, your gaze is exactly like Her Majesty the Empress."
"Look at His Majesty's eyes. Honestly, I envy Her Majesty the Empress."
I snorted at the conversation between the three concubines from Aklatto.
I was certain.
His blue eyes were only focused on me.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor!”
All the concubines, including me, bowed politely to him.
“It seems the Empress has put a lot of thought into preparing a banquet for the concubines.”
He glanced at the sumptuous dishes that filled the table, then looked at Roxana.
“Aren’t you all ladies who serve Your Majesty? It is the Empress’s virtue to serve good food.”
Roxana replied in a gentle voice.
“I like virtue, don’t be so venomous in your eyes.”
“May I join you for dinner?”
He asked Roxana.
She didn’t open her arms, but she wholeheartedly welcomed his invitation.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. Hmm, I will sit next to the Empress.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Stiane personally brought a chair from the banquet hall.
It was placed on the same table of honor as Roxana, but it was closer to me, diagonally across from her, than to Roxana, who was seated next to him.
“Everyone, please take your seats.”
He pulled up a chair and spoke to his concubines.
“Actually, I’ve already had dinner at the main palace, but I haven’t had dessert yet.”
“I’ve prepared a lot of delicious desserts,”
Roxana said, pointing to the desserts with a pleased expression.
The concubines from the Principality of Aklatto then joined in, flirting with him one by one.
“Your Majesty, please try the food. The Empress has put a lot of thought into it.”
“It’s an honor to be able to dine with you.”
“Your Majesty, your presence has suddenly whetted my appetite.”
Linel merely responded to their fuss with a brief smile.
Rosie, Melanie, Catherine, and Pecilini—the existing concubines—kept glancing at me.
Their eyes seemed to ask if he had come because of me.
I pretended not to notice their gazes.
“Let’s finish eating.”
Linel picked up his knife and fork, and the other concubines resumed their meal.
Fortunately, he didn't pay any special attention to me, seemingly conscious of Roxana or the other concubines, but his hand was groping mine under the table.
"If you'd given me a word, I would have prepared a seat for you in advance."
Roxana said softly, pouring wine into his glass.
"I thought you'd be more welcome this way."
He glanced at the concubines seated on either side of the table, and smiles broke out on their faces. Perhaps because they'd only seen his cold demeanor, they looked somewhat shocked by his friendly tone.
"I wonder if my sudden visit made you uncomfortable."
Why not?
I nodded unconsciously.
A good thing is a good thing, but an inconvenience is a thing, right?
Ah, but it seemed I was the only one uncomfortable.
The other concubines' eyes, except mine, were filled with hearts.
The faces of the concubines from the Principality of Aklatto were especially lively.
Whenever he smiled slightly and lifted the corners of his mouth, they all smiled bashfully, as if hypnotized.
The concubines' attention was clearly focused on him.
"Seeing all this delicious food makes me hungry again,"
Linel said, and Roxana began to personally move various dishes toward him.
He pretended to push aside the plates placed in front of him and secretly pushed them all towards me.
Thanks to this, I was able to eat the food I had been craving for but had been unable to because it was too far away or placed in front of Roxana.
“Your Majesty, have you come again to enjoy a special dessert only available in the Empress’s Palace?”
Melanie suddenly asked him.
What was she talking about?
But the existing concubines began to giggle at Melanie’s words.
They all seemed to know why Melanie had asked that.
Perhaps there was a story behind it?
Perhaps it was something related to Linel, something that had faded from my memory.
“What do you mean, Melanie?”
Roxana asked curiously.
“Ah, it was a thing of the past, Your Majesty. Please forgive me for bringing it up thoughtlessly.”
Melanie remained silent, her curiosity lingering. Roxana frowned before asking again kindly.
“Go ahead. Judging by His Majesty’s smile, it must be a fond memory, and I would like to share it with you.”
A look of embarrassment crossed the existing concubines’ faces at Roxana’s words.
Why are they all like that?
“I’m sorry to say this... but when the former Empress Zelda first dined here with the concubines, His Majesty was here too.”
I wanted to shut Melanie’s mouth, pretending to be defeated and speaking.
Whatever the memory, I had a feeling it would only make things more awkward for me.
“Your Majesty said you came to try a delicious dessert that was only available in the Empress’s Palace, right? Hahaha.”
“A dessert only available in the Empress’s Palace? Is there such a thing?”
Roxana glanced at me.
Really? I’m curious.
I couldn’t answer.
It seemed like even that dessert had faded from my memory, and no matter how hard I searched, nothing particularly came to mind.
I quickly looked around the table.
If the Empress’s dessert chef hadn’t changed in the meantime, they would have served it today, right?
But there were as many desserts as there were dishes, so unless Linel pointed it out, there was no way to figure out what it was.
“If I had known what it was, I would have prepared it in advance.”
Roxana spoke in a gentle voice, completely different from when she addressed the concubines.
“Your Majesty, I hate to say this, but... the preparations are already in place.”
Rosie spoke cautiously to Roxana, then met my eyes.
“That’s right, but this is a dessert only Your Majesty can eat.”
Melanie also covered her mouth and pretended to whisper, deliberately raising her voice.
Catherine nudged Melanie’s arm and said, as if trying to persuade her.
“Melanie, don’t make things awkward and be careful...”
“No, just tell me.”
Roxana asked again, patiently.
“Yes, Your Majesty is curious, so as a subordinate, I have no choice but to tell you.”
Melanie smiled brightly and looked at Roxana before speaking.
“The dessert His Majesty came to eat is...”
Melanie, who had been roving her eyes, stopped looking at my face.
Then everyone’s eyes turned to me.
Wait, could this be the special dessert Linel had come to eat at the Empress’s palace?!
“Zelda, ma’am.”
“...What?”
“...What?!”
Roxana and I both sounded startled, simultaneously echoing throughout the banquet hall.
What was he talking about?
I slowly turned my head to him.
He chuckled at Melanie’s words, then rubbed his beautiful eyebrows with his index finger, his expression perplexed.
“Oh, so that’s what happened.”
“You really don’t remember?”
I asked him with ventriloquism.
You didn’t come here on purpose, did you?
“I don’t remember, but I guess so.”
He replied in his usual tone, not bothering to lower his voice.
My face burned so brightly that I thought it would turn to ash.
“Your Majesty... You don’t remember Zelda, and yet you say you did?”
Roxana’s voice was gentle, but her eyes were blazing with anger.
“If Melanie says so, then it must be true. She’s such a pure woman, she can’t lie.”
Linel answered Roxana, tapping the side of his head with his index finger.
Melanie was delighted by his words.
Didn't you get what I meant by "pure intellect"?
"That's right! My thoughts are so pure that I'm really bad at deceiving others."
Melanie, surprisingly, took his words with genuine, positive intentions.
"But you're good at turning people upside down."
I could hear Melanie's small "I agree" at Rosie's joke.
I bit back my lip to stifle laughter.
"You remember back then, Your Majesty, you tasted Your Highness Zelda's lips sweeter than cake? You all remember, right?"
Melanie asked, looking around at thr concubines.
Rosie and Pecilini nodded absentmindedly, and Catherine warned Melanie to be more mindful. Roxana dabbed her mouth with a napkin, her face drained of appetite.
"Oh, I think I brought up the wrong topic. I'm sorry."
Melanie apologized to Linel, and he raised his hand, his expression indicating that it was okay.
"What are you talking about? I'm grateful that you reminded me of a memory I'd forgotten. I should probably give him a reward. Is there anything you'd like?"
"Really, Your Majesty?"
"Yes. I'll think about it and have my secretary tell you later."
"Thank you! I'll think it over carefully and get back to you!"
Melanie spoke in a voice brimming with excitement, her shoulders, which had been hunched under Roxana's venomous gaze moments before, straightening with pride.
"That was something that would greatly help my memory. By the way, Zelda..."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Something felt off.
Something felt like something was about to happen.
"I need your cooperation to help me recall my memories."
Surely...
Oh, no, right?
You wouldn't be saying you'd eat my lips like cake in front of all the concubines, their eyes wide open.
Of course not.
Even if the concubines were like that, how could you kiss me, the venomous snake that didn't spit venom, right here?
That would be tantamount to insulting the Empress in front of all the concubines.
"It seems to help my memory of me, the Emperor of this country, so I hope you'll all be understanding. You may close your eyes for a moment."
He spoke, insisting on emphasizing his status as "Emperor."
“I think you should do anything that will help Your Majesty’s memory!”
Rosie said, clenching her hands.
“Of course. No one can object.”
Melanie looked around at the concubines and agreed.
Even with my thick-skinned nature, this felt a bit off, so I quietly spoke.
“Your Majesty, but here... hm?!”
He finally kissed me.
I stared at him, eyes wide.
He closed his eyes, tracing his lips over mine as if searching for a memory.
After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, tilted his head, and said,
“I can barely remember... so...”
Really?
I questioned with wide eyes and a look of concern in my eyes.
He muttered with a cautious expression,
“We have no choice but to try again.”
“Your Majesty...”
He pushed his way into my lips, which had parted in surprise.
This time, the kiss was very explicit and deep.
I was taken aback, but I had no power to resist his cool, gentle touch.
A tingling sensation ran down my spine, making me want to lie down somewhere.
I held onto his arm tightly, trying to maintain my composure.
His strange breathing, audible only to me, made my shoulders rise involuntarily.
A moment later, Linel's lips slowly parted.
He wiped my lips with his hand and whispered in a desperately affectionate voice,
"Now I remember, my favorite dessert..."
He lied shamelessly, his face already remembering the moment from the beginning.
Melanie apologized to Linel, and he raised his hand, his expression indicating that it was okay.
"What are you talking about? I'm grateful that you reminded me of a memory I'd forgotten. I should probably give him a reward. Is there anything you'd like?"
"Really, Your Majesty?"
"Yes. I'll think about it and have my secretary tell you later."
"Thank you! I'll think it over carefully and get back to you!"
Melanie spoke in a voice brimming with excitement, her shoulders, which had been hunched under Roxana's venomous gaze moments before, straightening with pride.
"That was something that would greatly help my memory. By the way, Zelda..."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Something felt off.
Something felt like something was about to happen.
"I need your cooperation to help me recall my memories."
Surely...
Oh, no, right?
You wouldn't be saying you'd eat my lips like cake in front of all the concubines, their eyes wide open.
Of course not.
Even if the concubines were like that, how could you kiss me, the venomous snake that didn't spit venom, right here?
That would be tantamount to insulting the Empress in front of all the concubines.
"It seems to help my memory of me, the Emperor of this country, so I hope you'll all be understanding. You may close your eyes for a moment."
He spoke, insisting on emphasizing his status as "Emperor."
“I think you should do anything that will help Your Majesty’s memory!”
Rosie said, clenching her hands.
“Of course. No one can object.”
Melanie looked around at the concubines and agreed.
Even with my thick-skinned nature, this felt a bit off, so I quietly spoke.
“Your Majesty, but here... hm?!”
He finally kissed me.
I stared at him, eyes wide.
He closed his eyes, tracing his lips over mine as if searching for a memory.
After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, tilted his head, and said,
“I can barely remember... so...”
Really?
I questioned with wide eyes and a look of concern in my eyes.
He muttered with a cautious expression,
“We have no choice but to try again.”
“Your Majesty...”
He pushed his way into my lips, which had parted in surprise.
This time, the kiss was very explicit and deep.
I was taken aback, but I had no power to resist his cool, gentle touch.
A tingling sensation ran down my spine, making me want to lie down somewhere.
I held onto his arm tightly, trying to maintain my composure.
His strange breathing, audible only to me, made my shoulders rise involuntarily.
A moment later, Linel's lips slowly parted.
He wiped my lips with his hand and whispered in a desperately affectionate voice,
"Now I remember, my favorite dessert..."
He lied shamelessly, his face already remembering the moment from the beginning.
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