Thankfully, the intimidating atmosphere had eased considerably.

He looked down at me and chuckled.

The weight that had been pressing down on my whole body disappeared.

“You’re really calm.”

He spat out his teasing words and patted my head.

“Well, if you say you’re angry, I’ll apologize.”

“It’s not your fault, so don’t worry.”

“Then why are you angry?”

I asked cautiously, but Nathaniel did not open his mouth easily.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“What is it, what’s going on?”

“I said I’ll tell you later.”

Nathaniel got up from his seat as if to run away.

It was strange that he was avoiding me so abruptly. What on earth was going on?

Not telling me made me even more stubborn.

“Ugh, what are you doing……!”

I reached out and clung to his neck, which was turned away from me.

Seeing Nathaniel flustered, I couldn’t help but laugh.

He seemed to have fun being jostled around, and I somehow ended up teasing him.

“What is it? Why won’t you tell me?”

Hanging on his back and whining, Nathaniel let out a soft laugh.

The vibration coming through his back felt pleasant.

An unexpected warmth came from the palm patting the back of my hand.

And so, I thought the matter had been forgotten.

(This is a time marker.)

The one who satisfied my forgotten curiosity was an unexpected person.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Her Highness, and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived.”

At the servant’s words, I felt my brain pause for a moment.

Who’s come to visit?

“Tell them I have no business and to go back.”

Nathaniel quickly responded while I was stammering.

I turned to him and said,

“Wait a minute, we can’t leave Her Majesty the Empress outside!”

“She probably came to talk about something useless.”

Nathaniel growled, frowning.

I was a little scared by his threat but managed to avert my eyes.

Contrary to my expectation that he would stubbornly resist, he obediently backed down.

I checked my face and clothes in a mirror on one side.

Nathaniel, looking annoyed, moved to a sofa on the opposite side.

“Show them in.”

The door soon opened, and the Empress came in.

And there was one more woman following her.

‘Who is she?’

I thought she might be a newly arrived maid and said nothing.

I wondered if he had brought the daughter of some wealthy family.

“Welcome, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Unlike me, who stood up and greeted her properly, Nathaniel merely bowed his head slightly.

His face was filled with irritation.

“What brings you here?”

His tone was full of dissatisfaction.

I quickly glared at him, but it was no use.

Surprisingly, however, the Empress paid no attention to Nathaniel.

Sitting down, the Empress smiled and looked at me.

Somehow, I had an ominous feeling.

“Of course, I came to see how you two are getting along. Crown Princess, have you become accustomed to the palace now?”

“Thanks to Your Majesty, I am doing well.”

It was a routine response, but Nathaniel seemed unhappy with me.

His glaring made me flinch.
Certainly, here’s the translation:

“I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. Come to think of it, I feel like I haven’t paid enough attention to my only crown prince’s wife.”

With that, the Empress called the woman behind her.

The woman with brown hair and a pretty face looked somehow stiff, like someone who had committed a crime.

“She’s a child I’ve decided to sponsor. Diana, say hello.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Diana… Groban.”

I lost my words when I heard her name.

Is the Empress challenging me to a duel right now?

The Empress must know why I punished Anix Groban.

But to bring his sister and sponsor her.

Diana bowed her head, perhaps feeling our unkind gazes.

I felt like, what sin could she have committed?

That’s when Nathaniel, who had been silent, spoke up.

“You know that I have punished Earl Groban for his sins. Are you saying that you want to sponsor his daughter?”

“What sin has Orabiga committed that this child should be guilty of?”

The Empress had a very brazen face.

She was right. It just made me feel bad when she said it.

“So, Jaina, how about you take this child as a maid? Come to think of it, it’s the law for the Empress to give maids to the crown prince’s wife, and you haven’t received one yet.”

Ah, I don’t like that.

I hesitated for a moment before opening my mouth.

“You don’t think I’m going to accept that offer, do you?”

“I can’t understand why you won’t accept it. She’s just a girl unrelated to her father’s affairs.”

This was a matter of emotion.

I couldn’t list what would happen if I made Groban’s daughter a maid in front of her, so I just kept my mouth shut.

We’ll see about that later, you.

“You’re telling me to keep that wretchlike woman close to the one who just punished her?”

“What… what?”

Typical Nathaniel response.

“Just one question, Your Highness. Do you know why Earl Groban was punished?”

“That, that is….”

Nathaniel’s anger was scary even to me.

Sure enough, Diana looked like she would cry at any moment.

“Judging by your face, it seems you know. Your Majesty, I have one question. What do you think will happen if we take that woman as a maid?”

The Empress, who took Nathaniel’s anger headon, was startled and pushed herself back in her chair.

It was remarkable that someone so young could handle such a situation every time.

“Ah… they’ll think I’m magnanimous.”

“Magnanimous? They will surely think that you unjustly punished Earl Groban, and taking in his sister is to silence the house.”

I hadn’t thought that far, but Nathaniel’s words had merit.

“And they’ll question whether the victim really experienced what happened.”

His last words made me snap to attention.

Our choice could endanger Teresa.

I couldn’t help but care more for her than Diana, whom I had just met today.

I spoke sharply to the Empress, who was still arguing nonsensically with Nathaniel.

Because if I didn’t, she wouldn’t back down.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I don’t think we can bring Lady Groban to the palace.”

The beautiful face of the Empress crumpled at once.