“Well, it’s a bit apprehensive to express it directly, but…”

Terminos extended his words.

“To tame a tiger, go to a hedgehog… something like that.”

“What?”

“I mean it’s not a negative meaning. It’s like saying that the fierce white tiger royal family would melt like ice cream in front of the hedgehog envoy, Queen.”

“That’s right. Among the girls, a book with the love story of you two has become popular.”

“What, what are you saying? How do you know?”

Clearly flustered, he hastily put down the teacup, almost spilling it. If the etiquette teacher finds out, there will be trouble.

What on earth is being talked about!

I felt like my face would burst with embarrassment. Angela, a bit embarrassed, clapped her hands.

“No, of course, most of it is made up and imaginary. The content is just sweet. Maybe it’s because you two look so good together.”

“It’s good that there are no bad stories, but… doesn’t that make you lose the dignity as a king too much?”

“Well, that could be true, but considering the original image of the Atigrado family, it’s not that bad.”

Terminos intervened in our conversation.

The original image of Atigrado?

Well, it was originally famous for being a tyrant and ruthless. Considering the hardships Idric went through persuading others until he became king, it might be better to feel relieved.

“But it still bothers me. We should be careful with our actions from now on.”

“Please don’t. Everyone is watching you two with joy.”

The two of them smiled happily.

The time spent talking with Terminos and Angela passed quickly. They said they would greet Idric, take a look around Atigrado, and then return to their territory.

“It would be nice if you could stay for just one day.”

“Yes, that’s right. There’s a lot of work to be done in the territory.”

“Your Majesty, it would be a great honor if you could attend the wedding.”

Angela held my hand tightly.

“Of course. You two are my dearest friends. We’ve shared life and death together, haven’t we? So, if you need anything, just tell me.”

“Your presence alone would make it a perfect wedding.”

“Congratulations once again.”

We exchanged hugs for the last time.

“Ha, it’s nice to meet friends after a long time. It feels like the stress from work is flying away. When did they say the wedding was? It’s perfect for the season.”

Thinking about attending their wedding and meeting everyone already excited me. But such a feeling didn’t last long.

Before the teacups in the reception room were put away, the court physician came. Although the regular check-up didn’t take long, it was enough to settle the excited mood.

Once the court physician left, the courtiers came to fetch me again.

Do I have to go back to the office again?

I sat for a moment, looking out the window.
“The weather is really nice… I wonder where Terminos and Angela are sightseeing. The market? Riverside? Anywhere would be fun… But I’m stuck in my room, working and working.”

Then suddenly, a sense of rebellion surged from within.

“Can’t I take a day off? It’s not even a full day. It’s just half a day.”

Muttering quietly, the courtier standing at a distance tilted his head as if to say it was nothing, and I smiled as if it were nothing.

Yeah, just taking half a day off.

I purposely coughed loudly. As I coughed, pretending my face was turning red, the courtier quickly approached and handed me a handkerchief. No, not this.

“I’ll bring some water.”

Sure, that.

“Yes, please do it quickly.”

The slower, the better.

As soon as the courtier closed the door and left, I got up.

The reception room was on the first floor. It’s possible to go out through the window.

Even though it may seem like that, hiding and escaping were my specialties during the war.

But before going out, I quickly scribbled a note on the memo paper on the table.

Yeah, yeah. I don’t want everyone to suffer while looking for me. At least leave a minimal note.

Is it enough if I write this much?

I quickly transformed into a hedgehog and enjoyed the thrill of escape after a long time.

“Queen? Your Majesty!”

“Cecilia, Your Majesty!”

When the distance had widened a bit, I heard voices eagerly searching for me from the building.

But I was already running, feeling the touch of the green grass under my four feet.

When was the last time I ran like this? Ugh, refreshing air!

However, whether my stamina was significantly depleted or not, my steps slowed after a short while. I stealthily walked, hiding in a corner. Then I heard the sound of a battle nearby.

“Heuh!”

“Haat!”

Was it the sound from the training ground?

Unable to resist my curiosity, I headed towards the direction of the sound.

Oh, the noble kids are receiving martial arts training.

Some were running around in the training ground, and the others were holding bows and arrows, hitting the target.

Is Rodrigo there by any chance? It seems like they are around the same age.

I easily found Rodrigo. His silver hair was shining, making it impossible to hide. What’s so fun? He laughed heartily, chattered eagerly, and even pulled the bowstring seriously.