Hasdeya raised his head and moved his fingers while gathering both hands.

“…Yes, Your Majesty the Empress?”

Tuck, clunk!

Ivett dropped the lid of the tea cup she had just brought.

“Oh, my goodness. Such a mistake…! I apologize, Your Majesty the Empress! I apologize!”

Though she spoke fervently, Ivett seemed obviously disoriented.

Actually, Rasiliah was the same.
“Take it slow. It’s not urgent.”

“Yes, yes. Empress, it’s not urgent… No, no. Is it really not urgent?”

After several failed attempts, Ivett successfully lifted the lid of the teacup, but her face showed signs of distress.

“You said it’s tonight. So, it seems urgent…”

“The night is still far off.”

Rasiliah calmly took a sip of tea, her face appearing composed.

However, it was only an appearance. The tea that had been prepared before Lescall arrived not only had gone cold but had lost its aroma, resembling plain, stale water. Nevertheless, Rasiliah swallowed the tea without realizing its taste.

“Aren’t you cold, Your Majesty the Empress?”

Ivett, who belatedly noticed that there was no steam rising from the teacup, asked cautiously.

Rasiliah, who had been blowing on the cold tea as if it were warm, looked a bit embarrassed.

…Clunk.

Setting the teacup down, Rasiliah theatrically fanned her face with her hand.

“That’s right. It’s completely cold.”

“Yes… Right. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“That’s true.”

“…”

“…”

Ivett, who had been absentmindedly playing with the fringes without considering preparing a new cup of tea, suddenly raised her head as if she had made up her mind.

“Understood, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Rasiliah, who was in a similar posture to Ivett, blushed slightly in confusion.

“That… It didn’t necessarily mean you had to follow. If it’s uncomfortable for the lady…”

“No, Your Majesty the Empress. Upon reflection, it is my duty.”

Ivett bit her lip fiercely.

“So, Your Majesty the Empress, you don’t know anything about the etiquette related to sharing a bed. That’s right. Yes, I think so too.”

Having set a date in haste, they realized they didn’t know much about it.

Although they had circumvented it by saying they didn’t know the etiquette, the truth was that they didn’t even properly understand what sharing a bed entailed.

It became apparent here that the Prophet of Delarta and the Duchess of the Empire had led very different lives.

“Usually, such things are… um… learned before marriage. People of lower status may learn from their mothers or relatives, but nobles sometimes hire female tutors. For the sole purpose of learning… such etiquette.”

“That makes sense.”

“If Her Majesty the Empress missed the opportunity for such education… Then wouldn’t the maids know?”

“Is that so?”

Ivett nodded her head.

“Right now, I am the head maid of the Empress’s palace. It is my duty to handle this matter properly.”

With both fists clenched tightly between the fringes, Ivett spoke resolutely.

“Please give me a moment, Your Majesty the Empress. I will find out by any means necessary. I will scour the imperial etiquette books. There must be a section on sharing a bed.”

Rasiliah let out a small cough.

“If that’s the case, just bring the etiquette book to me…”

“I heard it’s not just about etiquette. There are many things not mentioned in books, and they can also vary. I will consult knowledgeable court ladies. I will gather as detailed and honest information as possible!”
Ivett abruptly stood up and gave an unusually polite farewell. One could sense tension coursing through her entire body.

“Then, I will be off, Your Majesty the Empress!”

With brisk steps, Ivett confidently left.

Rasiliah absentmindedly toyed with the now cold teacup.

“It’s oddly complicated.”

“Pipi.”

From somewhere, Pipi appeared. Stepping on the star decorations of the sugar bowl, Pipi had been advised not to if it was difficult.

“Well… It’s not such a simple matter.”

“Pipi?”

“Also, it’s strange. Why are you stopping me? It’s a necessary matter in the end. That’s why I was born as a pair from the beginning.”

“Pipi. Pipi. Pipi Pipi.”

It was a long explanation. In short, it meant that after becoming dependent on blood, no one knew how much more Lescall would embarrass himself.

Rasiliah lightly tapped the tip of Pipi’s beak.

“That’s too much. And well, it doesn’t seem like things will change much now.”

“Pipi!”

Shouting that it was an unknown matter, Pipi flew around the room.

Seeing that, it seemed Pipi had grown quite a bit. When it was first born, it couldn’t fly and had to be moved by hand.

‘It seems that if Pipi has grown this much, the relationship between that person and me has changed accordingly.’

So, tonight was a natural occurrence.

There was no way to stop growth. Pipi would continue to grow day by day until reaching adulthood, and the fate of the companion would be the same.

“Pipi.”

“Pipi?”

When Rasiliah called, Pipi flew back again. When Rasiliah extended her palm, Pipi perched on it calmly.

“I now know what kind of existence you are to me.”

“Pipi.”

Rasiliah, who was born from the heart, also understood why Pipi had become a phoenix.

Eternally, to protect the companion. It must have awakened in the form of an eternal flame.

“Now it’s your turn to know what kind of existence I am to you.”

“Pipi…”

Pipi widened its eyes and puffed up its chest feathers. Although Lescall and Pipi didn’t look alike at all, there were times when they seemed very similar, and now was one of those times.

Smiling, Rasiliah whispered softly to Pipi.

“So, tonight, don’t interfere.” The night was still distant.