“We need to know who’s behind him. Who could it be to make him act like that?”

“Yes? You’re prohibiting entry altogether? But…”

Melodine seemed more surprised and awkwardly smiled compared to Ron. It was an expression that questioned how someone could handle such a situation.

“This is the Star Palace given to me by the Emperor. Can’t I decide who can enter?”

“But you’re an imperial knight!”

“Yes, an imperial knight.”

“Even so, an imperial knight should be able to enter here and there in the imperial palace…”

“Being an imperial knight doesn’t mean you can enter everywhere.”

If it was talked about to this extent, Melodine, instead of Ron, tried to cheerfully engage with Ron, who remained silent.

“But still…”

“Even if you’re the Emperor?”

“Yes?”

“I’m saying if Ron were the Emperor.”

“That’s not the case, but…”

I turned and made eye contact with Melodine.

“If that’s not the case, Melodine, be reasonable. If you don’t want both you and Ron to be prohibited from entering the Star Palace in good terms, that is.”

It didn’t seem too bad of an idea. If that happened, the person who sent both of them here might be quite impatient, I thought.

“H-Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Yes. Now that I think about it, it seems like a good idea. Melodine, lately, when talking to Melodine, I can’t tell who the superior is.”

Only then did she shut her mouth, replacing Ron, who remained silent, and played with her lips instead.

“Still…”

“Even if you’re an imperial knight?”

“Yes.”

“Since when did I tell you to rebut everything I say?”

Ha. As I spent more time with the Emperor, I seemed to be getting more and more like that. It felt like the tone I was born with, left out when I was born.

But saying it like this seemed comfortable.

“If I had said this before, I might have been eaten alive by Melodine.”

I stared at Melodine with piercing eyes.

Only then did she bow her head, as if she thought whatever she said wouldn’t get through.

“I’m sorry.”

“I really hope you’re sorry.”

After that, we moved again. Ron, who still watched our reactions, followed behind me silently.

In the meantime, Ken, who was waiting outside the Star Palace, approached us quickly and hurriedly stopped. He seemed quite pleased to know that Ron was there.

“Ken, come here. We’re going to the main palace, so guard us.”

“Oh.”

He looked at me with an expression of why he was talking to him even though Ron was there.

“There’s no one else to guard besides Ken.”

“Yes? But Ron…”

Unlike Melodine, Ken tried to say something but closed his mouth. He closed his mouth as if he wasn’t going to ask, not as if he had to ask.

Eventually, with an awkward atmosphere, we arrived at the main palace.

After arriving at the main palace, I realized that Ron was still following behind me.

“Why is the imperial knight Ron still following?”

“Well, in case there’s any danger…”
“Dangerous or not, it doesn’t seem to be your concern. Now that I have nothing to do with you, you keep following me, making me feel like I’m being watched. So, could you just pass by?”

“Mama…”

“I’ve tried to find you several times to talk with Ron. However, you didn’t respond to my calls, and now you said you’re leaving on your own. Should I restrain you in this situation?”

Seemingly having tenacity only in times like these, he hesitated.

“Since your mouth hurts, will you leave now?”

Only then did Ron look at Ken resentfully. It was awkward to wonder why he was glaring at Ken over there, but it seemed that there was nowhere else for him to express his anger but at Ken.

Ken, who had followed us without knowing anything, stared blankly at his younger brother with a bewildered expression.

‘A cornered mouse bites the cat. The more cornered he is, the more he will reveal his true colors. Today, Ron will think that Ken has taken away his position again, so he will certainly not stay quiet.’

I should find out who is watching me through Ron and Melodine at this point.

‘I need to figure out who my enemies are and who I need to be careful of.’

I have to stay here until Shasha grows up a bit. I must clearly understand who my enemies and allies are. How many people are watching me?

‘Because of Ron, it feels like everyone is watching me.’

Doubts kept increasing. Although it was clear that Melodine and Ron were too clumsy, others might not know.

“What did my brother do wrong?”

Ken finally opened his mouth in the meantime. As he rarely asked first, he seemed quite uneasy.

“No.”

“Is that so…”

“It’s wrong that he didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Yes…?”

Ken looked at me with a puzzled expression.

I smiled at Melodine, who was rolling her eyes in various directions beside him.

“It’s exactly as I said. If you’re curious, why don’t you ask Ron directly?”

“I understand. I apologize for asking such a thing.”

“No.”

If you want to know, you should ask Ron directly, considering that Ron might also be affected.

If they were close siblings, I wouldn’t say anything in the middle…

‘It’s like a one-sided love, so pitiful.’