Catherine's bewildered expression faded for a moment, and she approached with a firm gait.
"What are you two doing at the training ground...?"
"What are you two doing at the training ground...?"
I asked, glancing back and forth between her and Count Ethan, who was slowly walking out from behind Catherine.
"I came here to borrow a usable sword..."
Catherine slightly avoided my gaze and answered.
"You came to the training ground to borrow a sword?"
Since they were both hesitant to answer, I changed the question.
"Why a sword all of a sudden?"
Actually, if she really needed a sword, she could have had her own knight escort her.
"I also want to go to the Pasha Empire as part of a congratulatory delegation."
"Ah? So Catherine, you're learning swordsmanship to build up your stamina, like Melanie?"
I glanced at Melanie and said to Catherine.
"What are you training, Melanie?"
Catherine's eyes widened, and she turned to Melanie.
“I thought Your Highness Catherine wouldn’t be there? We’ve got more competition.”
Melanie muttered warily.
"Catherine came to borrow a sword, and what’s going on with Count Ethan?”
I spoke to Count Ethan, who was standing awkwardly behind Catherine.
“Oh, yes... I came to display the new swords I made at the blacksmith shop. I met Her Highness Catherine by chance.”
“In the warehouse?”
“Oh, I ran into the warehouse because there weren’t any decent swords!”
Catherine raised her voice and fumed.
“All the decent swords are over there, in the display case. Isn’t the warehouse mainly where the blades are stored, or where the ones with defects are stored?”
Catherine and Count Ethan’s faces simultaneously turned red at my words. I stared at their expressions, and then suddenly remembered the kiss I had shared with Linel in the warehouse a while ago. Oh, come to think of it, Catherine and Count Ethan came into the warehouse that day, so Linel and I hid. We rolled over on the floor in a hurry, and unintentionally, our bodies ended up covering each other, and later, our lips. I was about to blush, so I quickly changed the subject.
“But since you came out empty-handed, I guess there weren’t any swords you liked in the warehouse?”
I glanced down at Catherine’s hand and asked.
“Huh? Oh, yes. I think I’ll learn archery. Come to think of it, I don’t think swordsmanship suits me.”
Without even trying?
“I see. Oh, but there are bows on display in the warehouse?”
“I-Is that so? But how do you know so much, Your Highness Zelda?”
Catherine flinched, narrowed her eyes, and looked at me strangely.
...Really? Did I visit the warehouse often when I was the acting empress?
I’ll ask Linel later tonight.
***
“It hasn’t even been three hours since you came back from the training ground. What brings you here again?”
Hetor was chatting with his aide, Palto, in the dormitory when Melanie called out for him, forcing him to visit her bedroom.
“You called again, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. Welcome.”
Whether Hetor’s expression turned sour or not, Melanie greeted him warmly, waving her hand as if it was the first time she’d seen him.
“Come and sit down. Huh? What’s that?”
Hetor held a wooden sword in his hand. After returning from the training ground, he had sent his aide, Palto, to procure a wooden sword. Lighter and safer than a heavy sword, the wooden sword suited Melanie’s skill perfectly.
“Practice with this.”
If you really want to learn swordsmanship, that is. Hetor handed her the wooden sword.
“Are you giving it to me? This is the first time I’ve ever received a gift from a man...”
Her eyes were filled with emotion, as if she had received a jewel. Hetor furrowed his brows in bewilderment.
“It’s not a gift, it’s a practice sword.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m not stupid.”
Really?
“I might as well wear it here.”
Melanie smiled, closing her eyes as she placed the wooden sword against her side.
I feel like an idiot. Hetor bit his tongue and maintained a grim expression to keep from laughing at her absurd remark.
“Your Highness, I didn’t give it to you to use as a decoration for your dress.”
“I’m just joking. I’ll really learn hard.”
Melanie gripped the wooden sword’s handle with both hands, her expression fierce before smiling again and looking at Hetor.
“Can I tell you what I want now?”
“Go ahead.”
“Sit down for now.”
“I’ll just stand and listen.”
“Then I’ll stand.”
Melanie rose from her chair, picked up a fork from the fruit plate on the table, and brought it to Hetor’s lips.
“Eat.”
“What is it?”
“Pomegranates. My family sent some today.”
“Ha, is this why you called?”
“Yes. They taste good. They’re better than the pomegranate I gave you last time... no, the one I threw away. It’s sweeter. Ah~.”
Melanie stubbornly thrust the pomegranate seeds onto her fork, forcing Hetor’s lips open.
“Sweet as hell.”
Hetor let out a small laugh after tasting the pomegranate.
No one on Tanya Island would dare serve him a pomegranate this sweet.
“Delicious, huh?”
Melanie waited for Hetor’s reaction.
“Delicious as hell.”
Hetor put his hand into his uniform pocket.
Should he take it out or not? Should he not take it out?
The moment of hesitation grew longer.
Just then, pomegranates sent from Tanya Island arrived at his quarters.
They were specially selected, first-grade pomegranates that he had recently ordered his adjutant, Palto, to bring.
“Why did you bring these, huh...?”
Hetor unconsciously slipped a pomegranate into his pocket before entering Melanie’s bedroom.
“What are you thinking? Are you surprised by how delicious they are?”
Melanie’s face flushed with impatience as Hetor’s expression became too serious just from a slice of pomegranate.
Slurp!
Hetor drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist.
“Huh! What’s wrong? Is it worse than last time? Are you angry?”
Melanie gasped, staring at the sharp blade Hetor had drawn.
“Throw all those pomegranates away,”
Hetor said coldly.
A frightened Melanie timidly retorted,
“But they’re incredibly precious.”
“Never mind. Take this.”
Hetor finally took the pomegranates out of his uniform pocket.
“Where did you get that pomegranate...?”
Melanie asked curiously, but Hetor didn’t answer.
Hetor took a pomegranate out of his pocket, cut it into pieces with his sword, and put one piece directly into Melanie’s mouth.
“Shut up, eat this.”
“?”
Melanie’s eyes widened.
She was surprised by Hetor’s informal speech, and then surprised twice by the sweet and sour pomegranate seeds bursting in her mouth.
“Are you talking to me right now?”
“Why did you tell me to drop the formalities when we're alone? Now you're being formal again?”
“Why did you bring these, huh...?”
Hetor unconsciously slipped a pomegranate into his pocket before entering Melanie’s bedroom.
“What are you thinking? Are you surprised by how delicious they are?”
Melanie’s face flushed with impatience as Hetor’s expression became too serious just from a slice of pomegranate.
Slurp!
Hetor drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist.
“Huh! What’s wrong? Is it worse than last time? Are you angry?”
Melanie gasped, staring at the sharp blade Hetor had drawn.
“Throw all those pomegranates away,”
Hetor said coldly.
A frightened Melanie timidly retorted,
“But they’re incredibly precious.”
“Never mind. Take this.”
Hetor finally took the pomegranates out of his uniform pocket.
“Where did you get that pomegranate...?”
Melanie asked curiously, but Hetor didn’t answer.
Hetor took a pomegranate out of his pocket, cut it into pieces with his sword, and put one piece directly into Melanie’s mouth.
“Shut up, eat this.”
“?”
Melanie’s eyes widened.
She was surprised by Hetor’s informal speech, and then surprised twice by the sweet and sour pomegranate seeds bursting in her mouth.
“Are you talking to me right now?”
“Why did you tell me to drop the formalities when we're alone? Now you're being formal again?”
“...No, absolutely not. Just eat it!”
The pomegranate Hetor had given her was so sweet that her answer was a beat late.
“You know, Hetor. Can you say my name?”
Melanie asked, swallowing the remaining pomegranate.
Hetor slowly opened his mouth, his expression complicated.
“How does the pomegranate taste, Melanie...”
“Good. And you too!”
Melanie’s answer was crisp and immediate.
***
After returning to the training ground and taking a bath, it was already dark outside when I came out.
Linel brought word that we wouldn't be able to have dinner tonight.
It seemed the meeting with the ministers would be delayed due to the issue of organizing a celebratory delegation to the Pasha Empire.
Since Moiya and Moni hadn't yet returned to Rosie's quarters, we decided to eat dinner in the bedroom.
I arranged seats for Moiya and Moni at the table.
Unlike Moiya, who immediately put the sausage in her mouth when Sharon brought it to her, Moni looked at me intently and then said to Sharon,
"Sharon, I want to eat like my Master."
Perhaps she liked the way I used a knife and fork, and she seemed to want to follow suit.
When Sharon brought her a knife and fork, Moni used them to cut the sausage into small pieces.
"Moni, you should pick it up with your fork and then slice it with your knife. You're doing it the other way around."
When I pointed this out, Moni's eyes widened with a look of profound insight.
"Huh? Is that so?"
Moni was eating a sausage, stabbing it with a knife and cutting it with the side of her fork.
Meanwhile, Moiya, who had been diligently eating her sausage, suddenly found herself staring intently at Sharon, who was knitting on the sofa.
“Who are you giving that to?”
“It’s for our soon-to-be-born baby. Isn’t it pretty?”
Sharon smiled, holding up a small hat with a dainty tassel and choosing sky blue yarn because she wasn’t sure if it was for a Prince or a Princess.
“Sharon, do you have any for me?”
Moiya asked with an expectant look, apparently liking the hat Sharon was knitting.
“Why would a wyvern need a hat? You don’t even have hair.”
“I want to wear it more because I don’t have any. And don’t you sometimes get horns on my head, Moiya~?”
Moiya stroked his bald head and puffed out his cheeks.
“You’re lying.”
Moni sneered at Moiya as she cut a sausage with a rather elegant motion.
“Yes, Moiya, I’ll make you one before winter.”
Sharon said kindly, and Moiya excitedly picked up the new sausage and shook it.
“Really? Then put a sausage on my hat too!”
“Wow, it would be cool if you made a sausage shape in the middle of the hat.”
I smiled as I stroked the horn on Moiya’s head, then turned my gaze back to Sharon, who was busy knitting a hat.
“Sharon, what were you talking about with the servants earlier?”
I had just returned from the training hall to my quarters. Sharon and several servants were gathered together, seriously conversing about something.
Curious about what they were talking about, I was waiting for a chance to ask.
The conversation was even more curious because everyone was whispering with their mouths covered, words like "killer" and "son of a bitch."
When Sharon brought her a knife and fork, Moni used them to cut the sausage into small pieces.
"Moni, you should pick it up with your fork and then slice it with your knife. You're doing it the other way around."
When I pointed this out, Moni's eyes widened with a look of profound insight.
"Huh? Is that so?"
Moni was eating a sausage, stabbing it with a knife and cutting it with the side of her fork.
Meanwhile, Moiya, who had been diligently eating her sausage, suddenly found herself staring intently at Sharon, who was knitting on the sofa.
“Who are you giving that to?”
“It’s for our soon-to-be-born baby. Isn’t it pretty?”
Sharon smiled, holding up a small hat with a dainty tassel and choosing sky blue yarn because she wasn’t sure if it was for a Prince or a Princess.
“Sharon, do you have any for me?”
Moiya asked with an expectant look, apparently liking the hat Sharon was knitting.
“Why would a wyvern need a hat? You don’t even have hair.”
“I want to wear it more because I don’t have any. And don’t you sometimes get horns on my head, Moiya~?”
Moiya stroked his bald head and puffed out his cheeks.
“You’re lying.”
Moni sneered at Moiya as she cut a sausage with a rather elegant motion.
“Yes, Moiya, I’ll make you one before winter.”
Sharon said kindly, and Moiya excitedly picked up the new sausage and shook it.
“Really? Then put a sausage on my hat too!”
“Wow, it would be cool if you made a sausage shape in the middle of the hat.”
I smiled as I stroked the horn on Moiya’s head, then turned my gaze back to Sharon, who was busy knitting a hat.
“Sharon, what were you talking about with the servants earlier?”
I had just returned from the training hall to my quarters. Sharon and several servants were gathered together, seriously conversing about something.
Curious about what they were talking about, I was waiting for a chance to ask.
The conversation was even more curious because everyone was whispering with their mouths covered, words like "killer" and "son of a bitch."
"Oh. It was about Sollie's cousin."
"Why Sollie's cousin?"
"She's currently pregnant, and I heard her husband cheated on her, you know?"
"Really?"
"Yes, he was so kind to her in the early stages of pregnancy, but as her belly grew, things started to change."
"Why Sollie's cousin?"
"She's currently pregnant, and I heard her husband cheated on her, you know?"
"Really?"
"Yes, he was so kind to her in the early stages of pregnancy, but as her belly grew, things started to change."
"Oh, no."
"He started coming home later and later, and then there were more days when he didn't come at all. And then he started flirting with another woman, and it just so happened he was having an affair with Sollie's cousin's best friend?"
What would have happened if I hadn't asked?
Sharon continued recounting the story she had shared with the servants earlier, without stopping.
"He used to wash her hair, give her baths, and be incredibly affectionate. But as she grew, he started to look at other women."
Hmm? Come to think of it, these are all things Linel had done for me.
'Wait, what if Linel changes her mind later?'
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.
It was clearly a fleeting thought, but strangely, it wouldn't leave my mind, and useless worries kept lingering. They say that when you're pregnant, hormones can cause strange thoughts and absurd suspicions several times a day... Am I like that? I'm quite flustered, having a worry I normally don't have pop up.
"Huh? Do male humans' eyes roll back when their bellies grow during pregnancy?"
Moiya asked Sharon, her expression filled with curiosity.
"Yeah. That happens quite a bit."
"Then His Majesty could do that too, since he's a male, right?"
Moni said sullenly, her eyes filled with concern.
"That's not true! His Majesty loves our Empress very much,"
Sharon replied firmly.
My expression must have soured as well, as Moni patted the back of my hand and spoke reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Master. If His Majesty sets his eyes on another woman, I’ll tear it all out!”
“!”
...Didn’t you like His Majesty a lot?
"He started coming home later and later, and then there were more days when he didn't come at all. And then he started flirting with another woman, and it just so happened he was having an affair with Sollie's cousin's best friend?"
What would have happened if I hadn't asked?
Sharon continued recounting the story she had shared with the servants earlier, without stopping.
"He used to wash her hair, give her baths, and be incredibly affectionate. But as she grew, he started to look at other women."
Hmm? Come to think of it, these are all things Linel had done for me.
'Wait, what if Linel changes her mind later?'
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.
It was clearly a fleeting thought, but strangely, it wouldn't leave my mind, and useless worries kept lingering. They say that when you're pregnant, hormones can cause strange thoughts and absurd suspicions several times a day... Am I like that? I'm quite flustered, having a worry I normally don't have pop up.
"Huh? Do male humans' eyes roll back when their bellies grow during pregnancy?"
Moiya asked Sharon, her expression filled with curiosity.
"Yeah. That happens quite a bit."
"Then His Majesty could do that too, since he's a male, right?"
Moni said sullenly, her eyes filled with concern.
"That's not true! His Majesty loves our Empress very much,"
Sharon replied firmly.
My expression must have soured as well, as Moni patted the back of my hand and spoke reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Master. If His Majesty sets his eyes on another woman, I’ll tear it all out!”
“!”
...Didn’t you like His Majesty a lot?
“Then I’ll tear out the other part, Moiya~?”
The fork that was in my hand was now in Moiya’s hand.
“What did you tear off?”
At that moment, I heard Linel’s voice.
When did he come in?
I was startled and turned my head towards the bedroom door.
He was leaning against the bedroom door with his arms crossed.
Moiya suddenly shouted at him.
“Hey, you cold body! When our master gets a big belly, will you set your eyes on another female?”
The fork Moiya was holding was pointed at his center.
“...What?”
“Oh? Too late to answer? Master, I’ll start attacking!”
“!”
Without giving him a chance to stop him, Moiya charged at him with a fork in hand.
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