Moiya and Moni, who had been following the celebratory delegation, transformed into wasps and small birds and flew straight to the Valley of Death as soon as the delegation safely boarded the ship at the dock.
“How have you all been? We missed you, didn’t we, Moiya~?”
Moiya and Moni confidently entered the cave entrance and called out.
Being of the same species, the wyverns were delighted to see the two young wyverns after so many days.
“Welcome, we’ve been waiting for you. How are our Master?”
The leader asked Zelda first.
“Yes, Master is probably at sea right now.”
“At sea... You mean? Is she coming to see us?”
The large one poked his head out of the cave, but the sea around them was calm.
“What a dream. She's on a ship to the Southern Continent, right, Moni~?”
“Oh dear, if I had known in advance, I would have brought you here,”
The big guy muttered as if disappointed.
“Oh? You dare to fly by the scruff of our master’s neck?”
Moiya snorted, dismissing it as nonsense.
“Master, the scruff of your neck will be the first thing this great wyvern will grab, right, Moiya~?”
“You’re still a kitten, aren’t you? You don’t have the strength to lift your master, do you?”
“How have you all been? We missed you, didn’t we, Moiya~?”
Moiya and Moni confidently entered the cave entrance and called out.
Being of the same species, the wyverns were delighted to see the two young wyverns after so many days.
“Welcome, we’ve been waiting for you. How are our Master?”
The leader asked Zelda first.
“Yes, Master is probably at sea right now.”
“At sea... You mean? Is she coming to see us?”
The large one poked his head out of the cave, but the sea around them was calm.
“What a dream. She's on a ship to the Southern Continent, right, Moni~?”
“Oh dear, if I had known in advance, I would have brought you here,”
The big guy muttered as if disappointed.
“Oh? You dare to fly by the scruff of our master’s neck?”
Moiya snorted, dismissing it as nonsense.
“Master, the scruff of your neck will be the first thing this great wyvern will grab, right, Moiya~?”
“You’re still a kitten, aren’t you? You don’t have the strength to lift your master, do you?”
The big guy said to Moiya with a wry smile.
He added that he might be able to lift the scruff of the kitten that came with us last time, but when would he ever grow up to serve his master? True to the big guy's words, Moiya and Moni had never lifted anyone or anything heavier than the small and light Aoshi or Rams.
“We can do it if we grow up quickly, right, Moni~?”
“I don’t want to grow up quickly...”
Moiya said with a serious face.
“Huh? Why?”
Moni asked.
“You won’t be cute anymore once you grow up, right, Moiya~?”
“That’s true, Moni~.”
Moni also caressed her small face with her hand and fell into thought.
“Still, you have to grow up quickly to protect your master.”
The leader said with a chuckle, and Moiya tilted his head.
“Isn’t our master already strong?”
“Oh, then Moiya. We just have to protect your master’s cub! We’ll be adults when that cub is born, right? Moni~?”
“Oh? Really? It’ll be fun to bring that cub here and play with it when it’s born!”
Moiya looked around at the wyverns and shrugged his shoulders.
“Do you really think they’ll like it...?”
The leader asked worriedly, listening to the two cubs’ conversation that sounded like insults.
Moiya and Moni nodded at the leader’s words and suddenly held each other’s hands and spun around excitedly.
“Ah, let’s take them to the bottom of the ocean and play with the whales and sharks!”
“Just thinking about it makes me excited! By the way, should we show you Galaco too?”
“Wow, Master’s cub will be so happy thanks to us, right, Moni~?”
Some of the adults who had been listening to the conversation between the two great, reckless wyverns secretly entered into a meeting, thinking that someone should tell their master about this.
“By the way, Master is near the Valley of Death. Shouldn’t we go and pay our respects?”
The big one suggested to the leader casually.
“Hmm, right. We can’t ignore her when she's close. We’re not some reckless young wyverns who don’t know manners.”
The leader’s gaze, as he was replying to the big one, briefly fell on Moiya and Moni.
“But I’m careful, because it might be burdensome for Master.”
The leader touched his chin, showing a cautious attitude.
“Then let’s go get you some fish!”
The big one glanced at Moiya this time and asked,
“That’s a wonderful idea. But...”
Moiya, clutching his hand behind his back, continued speaking in the polite tone of a great wyvern.
“Master said we shouldn’t be seen by other humans. That’s why Moni and I hide our cute faces during the day?”
Moiya’s words made the big guy ponder again.
After a moment, a bright idea struck him, and he offered another suggestion.
“Why don’t we go out for a bit at night? Then Master won’t get in trouble... After all, we’re all pitch black, so if we don’t make a sound, we can’t be seen.”
“Big guy, you’re smarter than you look, aren’t you?”
Moiya praised the big guy, patting his head, who was several times his size.
The wyverns, oblivious to the fact that their own eyes were a bright ruby red, collectively agreed with Dengchi’s idea, saying, “It’s the safest way while still being polite.”
“But what kind of fish will you give me?”
Moni asked, looking around at the wyverns. The names of various fish popped up here and there.
Moiya, as if it were all trivial, laughed proudly and exclaimed.
“Since we’re going to give it to her, let’s catch a shark! One so big that two people watching wouldn’t even notice if three died!”
“But what if it’s such a precious gift, my master doesn’t want to accept it?”
Moiya rolled his ruby eyes and answered after much thought.
“Just say I picked it up on the way, Moiya~?”
“...In the sea?”
After midnight, Roxana pulled the hood of her robe down low and headed to Yulina’s room.
Their rooms were on the same floor, close together.
Yulina’s room was the first room she came across just around the corner from Roxana’s.
Palto, Hetor’s henchman, stood guard in front of the door of Yulina’s room, where she was imprisoned.
A few hours ago, Catherine suddenly appeared on deck, pointing out that Yulina was the one who had drowned Pecilini. Roxana took action before Emperor Linel could appear. She quickly ordered the knights of the Empress's palace to escort Yulina to her quarters, confine her, and keep her under surveillance.
Palto, upon spotting Roxana, bowed silently.
"Has anyone come?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"No one? Not even His Majesty?"
"Yes,"
Palto replied curtly.
"If Pecilini's unborn child was his, he would have interrogated Yulina immediately. But since they are of different races, there's no rush."
Roxana's lips curled into a pout, thinking to herself.
Her prediction was correct.
Linel didn't come to question Yulina right away.
That was why Roxana had been able to visit Yulina's quarters so easily.
If she hadn't known that Pecilini's unborn child wasn't Emperor Linel's, she wouldn't have understood the situation now.
According to Nancy, Pecilini had told Emperor Linel that he wanted to raise her child in the Kingdom of Shattonil.
The moment Roxana heard that, she immediately knew what it meant.
At first, she suspected it was Grand Duke Martins's child.
He had jumped into the sea to save Pecilini during the rescue, which was enough to make her suspicious.
However, Grand Duke Martins had flatly told Emperor Linel, "The unborn child will not be treated like royalty," suggesting it wasn't the Grand Duke's child.
Then, it had to be Prince Tesla.
Roxana couldn't know the details of how Pecilini ended up with Prince Tesla's child, but it wasn't bad news.
"Tsk, if only I'd known in advance, there wouldn't have been this fuss. You sly woman."
Roxana clicked her tongue, imagining Pecilini's innocent face as she deceived her.
And at the same time, she laughed at Linel's needless generosity in accepting Pecilini's unborn child as the Prince of the Lapion Empire.
'He's so kind, despite his appearance.'
If it were her, she would have immediately exterminated Prince Tesla's bloodline and even killed Pecilini, leaving no lasting trouble.
In any case, the thought of all the headaches Pecilini's pregnancy had caused her felt utterly futile.
"Come in."
Palto looked around and then unlocked the door to Yulina's guest room, which he had locked from the outside.
Roxana entered the room with a much lighter heart.
Yulina was sitting on the bed, her legs hugged, her head bowed.
At the sound of the door opening, Yulina suddenly looked up.
"Your Majesty!"
"No one has come yet?"
"Yes... But won't I be questioned tomorrow at dawn?"
"Of course. But don't worry too much. I have good news,"
Roxana said with a blank look.
"That... is it?"
Yulina got down from the bed and anxiously clasped my hands, asking,
“The child in Pecilini’s womb wasn’t His Majesty's.”
Roxana replied, pretending to be affectionate and smoothing Yulina’s disheveled hair.
“...Really?! Then whose child is in her womb?”
“It’s Prince Tesla’s child from the Kingdom of the. Anyway, the important thing is that if you speak properly, your life will be safe.”
“But I've already fallen out of favor with His Majesty.”
Yulina didn’t raise her voice, but she didn’t hide the resentment in her eyes.
“That’s why you should have handled things properly. You fool,”
Roxana retorted coldly.
“I, I did as Your Majesty the Empress ordered! Who would have thought that Catherine would be on deck at that time... and that she would be in the storage room behind the platform?”
“...Catherine was in the storage room? Well, anyway. You were really unlucky,”
Roxana said lightly, shrugging.
However, if Catherine hadn’t caught me in the act, the whole truth would have sunk to the bottom of the sea along with Pesilini.
“When His Majesty interrogates you tomorrow, you can say it was a mistake. The night wind was so strong that you were swaying, and you accidentally grabbed Pesilini and did it. It would be even better if you shed some tears.”
“Will His Majesty... believe me?”
“What else can you do? If the concubine you pushed was Zelda, you would have died immediately. But she is a concubine who is pregnant with the seed of a Prince from another country.”
Roxana burst into laughter, but her eyes were cold.
“Besides, luckily, he’s the one who almost harmed Zelda, and since there’s no concrete evidence in this case, he won’t be given a severe punishment.”
“But Her Highness Pecilini might want me punished...”
“What power does she have?”
Roxana scoffed, cutting off Yulina’s worries.
“At best, they’ll probably cut your concubine maintenance allowance or order you to reflect on your actions. Since you’re on your way to the Pasha Empire as a congratulatory envoy, confinement will probably be all you get before you return home.”
Roxana placed a hand on Yulina’s shoulder, speaking comfortingly.
“Is that really all?”
“Anything greater than that... would be stripping you of your concubine status. His Majesty wouldn’t take your life.”
Yulina’s expression was blank as Roxana spoke so easily.
“!”
“Yulina, if by any chance some unspeakable act of pressure were to occur... then this will put you at ease.”
Roxana pulled a small bottle, no bigger than a pinky finger, from her robe pocket.
“W-what is this?”
“It’s for emergencies. It says that if you drink a small amount mixed with water or alcohol, you’ll feel better within a minute.”
He added that he might be able to lift the scruff of the kitten that came with us last time, but when would he ever grow up to serve his master? True to the big guy's words, Moiya and Moni had never lifted anyone or anything heavier than the small and light Aoshi or Rams.
“We can do it if we grow up quickly, right, Moni~?”
“I don’t want to grow up quickly...”
Moiya said with a serious face.
“Huh? Why?”
Moni asked.
“You won’t be cute anymore once you grow up, right, Moiya~?”
“That’s true, Moni~.”
Moni also caressed her small face with her hand and fell into thought.
“Still, you have to grow up quickly to protect your master.”
The leader said with a chuckle, and Moiya tilted his head.
“Isn’t our master already strong?”
“Oh, then Moiya. We just have to protect your master’s cub! We’ll be adults when that cub is born, right? Moni~?”
“Oh? Really? It’ll be fun to bring that cub here and play with it when it’s born!”
Moiya looked around at the wyverns and shrugged his shoulders.
“Do you really think they’ll like it...?”
The leader asked worriedly, listening to the two cubs’ conversation that sounded like insults.
Moiya and Moni nodded at the leader’s words and suddenly held each other’s hands and spun around excitedly.
“Ah, let’s take them to the bottom of the ocean and play with the whales and sharks!”
“Just thinking about it makes me excited! By the way, should we show you Galaco too?”
“Wow, Master’s cub will be so happy thanks to us, right, Moni~?”
Some of the adults who had been listening to the conversation between the two great, reckless wyverns secretly entered into a meeting, thinking that someone should tell their master about this.
“By the way, Master is near the Valley of Death. Shouldn’t we go and pay our respects?”
The big one suggested to the leader casually.
“Hmm, right. We can’t ignore her when she's close. We’re not some reckless young wyverns who don’t know manners.”
The leader’s gaze, as he was replying to the big one, briefly fell on Moiya and Moni.
“But I’m careful, because it might be burdensome for Master.”
The leader touched his chin, showing a cautious attitude.
“Then let’s go get you some fish!”
The big one glanced at Moiya this time and asked,
“That’s a wonderful idea. But...”
Moiya, clutching his hand behind his back, continued speaking in the polite tone of a great wyvern.
“Master said we shouldn’t be seen by other humans. That’s why Moni and I hide our cute faces during the day?”
Moiya’s words made the big guy ponder again.
After a moment, a bright idea struck him, and he offered another suggestion.
“Why don’t we go out for a bit at night? Then Master won’t get in trouble... After all, we’re all pitch black, so if we don’t make a sound, we can’t be seen.”
“Big guy, you’re smarter than you look, aren’t you?”
Moiya praised the big guy, patting his head, who was several times his size.
The wyverns, oblivious to the fact that their own eyes were a bright ruby red, collectively agreed with Dengchi’s idea, saying, “It’s the safest way while still being polite.”
“But what kind of fish will you give me?”
Moni asked, looking around at the wyverns. The names of various fish popped up here and there.
Moiya, as if it were all trivial, laughed proudly and exclaimed.
“Since we’re going to give it to her, let’s catch a shark! One so big that two people watching wouldn’t even notice if three died!”
“But what if it’s such a precious gift, my master doesn’t want to accept it?”
Moiya rolled his ruby eyes and answered after much thought.
“Just say I picked it up on the way, Moiya~?”
“...In the sea?”
***
After midnight, Roxana pulled the hood of her robe down low and headed to Yulina’s room.
Their rooms were on the same floor, close together.
Yulina’s room was the first room she came across just around the corner from Roxana’s.
Palto, Hetor’s henchman, stood guard in front of the door of Yulina’s room, where she was imprisoned.
A few hours ago, Catherine suddenly appeared on deck, pointing out that Yulina was the one who had drowned Pecilini. Roxana took action before Emperor Linel could appear. She quickly ordered the knights of the Empress's palace to escort Yulina to her quarters, confine her, and keep her under surveillance.
Palto, upon spotting Roxana, bowed silently.
"Has anyone come?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"No one? Not even His Majesty?"
"Yes,"
Palto replied curtly.
"If Pecilini's unborn child was his, he would have interrogated Yulina immediately. But since they are of different races, there's no rush."
Roxana's lips curled into a pout, thinking to herself.
Her prediction was correct.
Linel didn't come to question Yulina right away.
That was why Roxana had been able to visit Yulina's quarters so easily.
If she hadn't known that Pecilini's unborn child wasn't Emperor Linel's, she wouldn't have understood the situation now.
According to Nancy, Pecilini had told Emperor Linel that he wanted to raise her child in the Kingdom of Shattonil.
The moment Roxana heard that, she immediately knew what it meant.
At first, she suspected it was Grand Duke Martins's child.
He had jumped into the sea to save Pecilini during the rescue, which was enough to make her suspicious.
However, Grand Duke Martins had flatly told Emperor Linel, "The unborn child will not be treated like royalty," suggesting it wasn't the Grand Duke's child.
Then, it had to be Prince Tesla.
Roxana couldn't know the details of how Pecilini ended up with Prince Tesla's child, but it wasn't bad news.
"Tsk, if only I'd known in advance, there wouldn't have been this fuss. You sly woman."
Roxana clicked her tongue, imagining Pecilini's innocent face as she deceived her.
And at the same time, she laughed at Linel's needless generosity in accepting Pecilini's unborn child as the Prince of the Lapion Empire.
'He's so kind, despite his appearance.'
If it were her, she would have immediately exterminated Prince Tesla's bloodline and even killed Pecilini, leaving no lasting trouble.
In any case, the thought of all the headaches Pecilini's pregnancy had caused her felt utterly futile.
"Come in."
Palto looked around and then unlocked the door to Yulina's guest room, which he had locked from the outside.
Roxana entered the room with a much lighter heart.
Yulina was sitting on the bed, her legs hugged, her head bowed.
At the sound of the door opening, Yulina suddenly looked up.
"Your Majesty!"
"No one has come yet?"
"Yes... But won't I be questioned tomorrow at dawn?"
"Of course. But don't worry too much. I have good news,"
Roxana said with a blank look.
"That... is it?"
Yulina got down from the bed and anxiously clasped my hands, asking,
“The child in Pecilini’s womb wasn’t His Majesty's.”
Roxana replied, pretending to be affectionate and smoothing Yulina’s disheveled hair.
“...Really?! Then whose child is in her womb?”
“It’s Prince Tesla’s child from the Kingdom of the. Anyway, the important thing is that if you speak properly, your life will be safe.”
“But I've already fallen out of favor with His Majesty.”
Yulina didn’t raise her voice, but she didn’t hide the resentment in her eyes.
“That’s why you should have handled things properly. You fool,”
Roxana retorted coldly.
“I, I did as Your Majesty the Empress ordered! Who would have thought that Catherine would be on deck at that time... and that she would be in the storage room behind the platform?”
“...Catherine was in the storage room? Well, anyway. You were really unlucky,”
Roxana said lightly, shrugging.
However, if Catherine hadn’t caught me in the act, the whole truth would have sunk to the bottom of the sea along with Pesilini.
“When His Majesty interrogates you tomorrow, you can say it was a mistake. The night wind was so strong that you were swaying, and you accidentally grabbed Pesilini and did it. It would be even better if you shed some tears.”
“Will His Majesty... believe me?”
“What else can you do? If the concubine you pushed was Zelda, you would have died immediately. But she is a concubine who is pregnant with the seed of a Prince from another country.”
Roxana burst into laughter, but her eyes were cold.
“Besides, luckily, he’s the one who almost harmed Zelda, and since there’s no concrete evidence in this case, he won’t be given a severe punishment.”
“But Her Highness Pecilini might want me punished...”
“What power does she have?”
Roxana scoffed, cutting off Yulina’s worries.
“At best, they’ll probably cut your concubine maintenance allowance or order you to reflect on your actions. Since you’re on your way to the Pasha Empire as a congratulatory envoy, confinement will probably be all you get before you return home.”
Roxana placed a hand on Yulina’s shoulder, speaking comfortingly.
“Is that really all?”
“Anything greater than that... would be stripping you of your concubine status. His Majesty wouldn’t take your life.”
Yulina’s expression was blank as Roxana spoke so easily.
“!”
“Yulina, if by any chance some unspeakable act of pressure were to occur... then this will put you at ease.”
Roxana pulled a small bottle, no bigger than a pinky finger, from her robe pocket.
“W-what is this?”
“It’s for emergencies. It says that if you drink a small amount mixed with water or alcohol, you’ll feel better within a minute.”
“Are you telling me to, uh, drink poison?!”
“Don’t be surprised. It means to use it only if the situation is unfavorable.”
“Your Majesty! T-Tell His Majesty to stop it. I was just doing as I was told!”
“Shut up. If Nancy hadn’t overheard in the Magic Tower’s room that Pecilini’s unborn child wasn’t His Majesty’s, you would have already been dead by my hand. You should know its fate!”
“Your Majesty! How can you say something like that...!”
“Why, it’s like a threat?”
Roxana’s mouth curved into a question, but her eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Yulina was speechless at that chilling expression.
Roxana lifted her chin with her index finger and warned her calmly.
“A bitch who killed her father... Do you think she can’t kill a lowly concubine who never even caught the Emperor’s eye?”
“!”
Yulina gasped.
“If you want to live, you just have to act properly. The day you talk nonsense, not only you but your family will be destroyed, so behave yourself. Do you understand?”
“...Yes, yes! Your Majesty, the Empress!”
Yulina knelt and bowed her head.
“If you want to act tomorrow morning, you need to get plenty of rest. Make sure to store your emergency medicine deep inside so it won’t be needed.”
Roxana left the guest room with a cruel smile.
Yulina slowly raised her face at the sound of the door closing and turned her head towards the wardrobe.
“Now... you can come out.”
Yulina whispered, and the wardrobe door carefully opened.
“You must know exactly what kind of person you are to Roxana, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness... sob sob...”
Yulina’s tears fell to the floor.
The person who came out of the closet was Zelda.
“Don’t be surprised. It means to use it only if the situation is unfavorable.”
“Your Majesty! T-Tell His Majesty to stop it. I was just doing as I was told!”
“Shut up. If Nancy hadn’t overheard in the Magic Tower’s room that Pecilini’s unborn child wasn’t His Majesty’s, you would have already been dead by my hand. You should know its fate!”
“Your Majesty! How can you say something like that...!”
“Why, it’s like a threat?”
Roxana’s mouth curved into a question, but her eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Yulina was speechless at that chilling expression.
Roxana lifted her chin with her index finger and warned her calmly.
“A bitch who killed her father... Do you think she can’t kill a lowly concubine who never even caught the Emperor’s eye?”
“!”
Yulina gasped.
“If you want to live, you just have to act properly. The day you talk nonsense, not only you but your family will be destroyed, so behave yourself. Do you understand?”
“...Yes, yes! Your Majesty, the Empress!”
Yulina knelt and bowed her head.
“If you want to act tomorrow morning, you need to get plenty of rest. Make sure to store your emergency medicine deep inside so it won’t be needed.”
Roxana left the guest room with a cruel smile.
Yulina slowly raised her face at the sound of the door closing and turned her head towards the wardrobe.
“Now... you can come out.”
Yulina whispered, and the wardrobe door carefully opened.
“You must know exactly what kind of person you are to Roxana, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness... sob sob...”
Yulina’s tears fell to the floor.
The person who came out of the closet was Zelda.
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