“The fact that I happened to drop by is actually a lie.”

There was none of the usual heavy oppression in Farnese’s words.

If it wasn’t just stopping by while passing, did it mean he had crossed that vast forest during the busy afternoon hours solely to see her face?

“I feel that for His Majesty the Emperor, you are, how shall I say, a special and unique existence.”

Well, special or not, it was a political marriage from the beginning.

Farnese said he wanted a capable empress, and judging that she was suitable as a candidate, he proposed without even a single sweet confession.

While doing so, he hinted at the intention of coexisting well by exchanging things that would be beneficial to each other.

There was nothing special or unique about that.

But why does her heart swell so much with every single word he says?

As if unconsciously hoping for something more than simple loyalty and affection…

“By the way, the Empress’s Palace was farther than I thought.”

As if not particularly expecting an answer, Farnese muttered casually while sitting on the sofa.

Somehow, a faint look of dissatisfaction and concern seemed to appear on his face.

‘Right. Since we’ve decided to become husband and wife, this must be his own effort to try to get along amicably.’

Just because it’s a political marriage doesn’t mean we have to be awkwardly distant like strangers.

It would be fine to make time for meals occasionally, and it wouldn’t be bad to take walks and converse on weekends.

Thinking that way, she realized that his characteristic indifferent consideration or the occasional warm gaze might not actually have much meaning.

Katharine asked Rogia to bring some tea, and sat down across from him.

“People say it’s to respect the private lives of the Emperor and Empress.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Unexpectedly, he frowned, showing his incomprehension.

She thought he would prefer thoroughly separate, independent spaces.

Given his preference for the Empress to actively participate in state affairs, he might be displeased because it was cumbersome to exchange opinions with the Empress.

“Ex-excuse me.”

Rogia, who had just returned, placed black tea and coffee on the table with an obviously nervous expression.

The sunlight pouring in brightly through the narrow window illuminated the edges of the gold-rimmed teacups.

Sitting across from her, Farnese drank the bitter-looking coffee as if it were sugar water.

“You seem to prefer coffee over black tea.”

“Coffee only during daylight. At night, I drink herbal tea.”

“Do you dislike sweet things?”

“I don’t like them, but I don’t dislike them either.”

Katharine’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Strangely enough, learning things she didn’t know about him was quite interesting.

“Do you have any favorite foods?”

“You have a lot of questions today.”

He said, pouring warm milk exactly twice around Katharine’s teacup.

Katharine was slightly surprised, then looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“Your Majesty has perfectly grasped even my black tea preferences, yet I know nothing about you.”

“What’s the hurry?”

Farnese continued with his characteristic crooked smile that strangely tickled one’s heart.

“We’ll get to know each other for a lifetime anyway.”

“That’s… true, but…”

Katharine mumbled in response, continuously sipping her milk tea without even knowing its taste.

She had the silly thought that it was fortunate the misty steam rising from the teacup covered her face.

Staring at her intently, Farnese rested his chin on his hand and said,

“I often eat white fish like sea bass.”

“Pardon?”

“I like pumpkin and truffle terrine, salad with seafood on the side, and I rarely eat dessert, but if I had to choose, marmalade tea suits my taste.”

It was fascinating.

She thought it interesting that someone who looked like he couldn’t find any satisfaction or happiness in food actually enjoyed fine cuisine.

When Katharine waited with round eyes as if asking him to say more, Farnese let out a chuckle between his teeth.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No, it’s just…”

Cute, it seems.

Katharine tilted her head, not hearing Farnese’s low mutter.

“Just?”

“It’s nothing.”

“How dull. So? What’s your daily routine like?”

Farnese looked like he wanted to ask if she was really curious about such trivial things.

To that, Katharine wanted to nod willingly, feeling the need to know a bit more about him.

Isn’t it said that the relationship between the Emperor and Empress has a great influence on state affairs?

“I usually fall asleep around 1 AM and wake up at 5, then do sword training at the North Gate training ground until dawn. I receive reports from each region, and after about three to four hours of meetings, it’s already evening. I don’t live a particularly special life just because I’m the Emperor.”

“Do you lead such an exemplary life every day?”

“I don’t think it’s particularly exemplary, but I do it every day.”

Katharine let out a small exclamation of admiration.

Once her curiosity started to snowball, the things she wanted to ask him grew like tendrils.

Was his characteristically impassive and dry personality inherited from his father?

If so, wouldn’t there be some aspects resembling the Empress Dowager somewhere?

As her thoughts progressed that far, Katharine recalled what the Duchess of Rude had casually mentioned before.

“The only people who know what exactly happened inside that palace that day are the current Emperor, Duke Ludwig, and the Empress Dowager, who is currently recuperating in isolation at a separate palace.”

She said the Empress Dowager wasn’t just recuperating, but was isolated.

Why was that?

Farnese also seemed to have no intention whatsoever of taking her to introduce her to the Empress Dowager.

As if he wished she would turn off her nerves from the very fact of the Empress Dowager’s existence.

“I heard the Empress Dowager resides in a nearby separate palace. Would it be alright if I don’t go to pay my respects?”

Not liking to beat around the bush, Katharine asked directly.

At that moment, Farnese’s hand bringing the coffee cup to his mouth stopped abruptly in midair, then slowly lowered.

The coffee cup, its contents unchanged, landed on the saucer with a clinking sound.

His usual impassive gaze touched her, but Katharine realized his lips had no intention of telling the truth.

“Regrettably, Mother’s illness has deepened to the point where she is not in a state to converse with anyone.”

“Oh my. You must feel very troubled.”

He did not respond further.

Although she had no intention of digging deeper into his wounds, she couldn’t help but feel unresolved questions.

“Don’t trust His Majesty too much.”

She should have never listened to her words then, as a hint of regret, like the bitter aroma in the black tea, slid down her throat.

After finishing their tea, the two walked along the promenade inside the Empress’s Palace.

As they walked side by side under the shade of trees with dark green leaves swaying, he said,

“The noble ministers submitted an opinion suggesting we plan the engagement ceremony for the end of early spring. I’m thinking of following your thoughts on this.”

“That’s not bad. The timing is appropriate too.”

“Charlen Riche might accept the invitation as a state guest. Would that be alright?”

“I’d rather he come here and watch us, Your Majesty and me.”

Katharine looked up at him and said,

“I want him to see with his own eyes the sight of us two walking side by side towards a new tomorrow, receiving everyone’s blessings.”

“…”

“After the wedding, I will formally become this country’s Empress and welcome him with a smile. As if there’s no lingering attachment or conflict whatsoever. I intend to remind him that there’s nothing left between us now.”

He nodded slightly with a barely visible smile.

“It seems I worried for nothing.”

“And don’t Your Majesty and I have one most important challenge remaining?”

Katharine said, looking somewhere beyond the promenade.

Farnese turned his head following Katharine’s gaze, with a small question on his face.

“Daddy!”

“Oh, my daughter!”

A small girl was running excitedly across the grass with her short legs, then snuggling into the arms of a court official.

They seemed to be family members who briefly visited the palace to greet their father returning from work.

That perfect scene, without any imbalance, was nothing short of an unknown that Katharine could never grasp in her lifetime.

“Your Majesty. I accepted your proposal and came here, but I still can’t understand your true intentions.”

Katharine said, lightly placing her cold hand on her abdomen.

“As you know, I’m someone with almost no possibility of bearing children. The doctor diagnosed me as such long ago. Although alchemists have recently been developing treatment drugs, it’s probably hopeless.”

“So?”

“So, you say?”

“I didn’t want a child, I wanted you. Because I wanted you, I proposed, and we’re here together. So what’s the problem?”

His beautiful eyes, barely visible between his evenly spread eyelashes, were shining more solemnly than ever.

“But Your Majesty. Succession is of utmost importance to the imperial family. Producing an heir is the primary duty that an Empress must fulfill, don’t you think so too?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Pardon?”

“The Empress is simply a monarch of a country equal to the Emperor, nothing more, nothing less. The Empress can host imperial council meetings, and I, as Emperor, can manage the country’s internal affairs. Outdated obligations like producing an heir are merely obstacles blocking your abilities and potential.”

Katharine was so dumbfounded by words she had never heard before that she couldn’t give any response.

He continued speaking.

“Even if we don’t have children, I have siblings and nephews who can inherit the right to succeed the throne after me. In the distant future, we can let the next generation naturally take the lead.”

“But…”

Katharine hesitated for a moment, then finally managed to spit out the one thing that had been stuck in her throat for a while.

“Don’t you want to see a child from me, Your Majesty?”

To that question, he gave an answer without the slightest hesitation.

“That’s right. Even if you could have had children, I wouldn’t have wanted them.”