After spending the night, he’s now avoiding her.

According to Mrs. Fisher’s knowledge, in this case, men are divided into two types.

Either a trash playboy who is satisfied after spending the night and gets sick of the woman, or someone who feels such strong love that he avoids her out of fear of falling helplessly.

‘His Majesty is the latter.’

If it were the former, he wouldn’t have put Mercedes in the Empress position despite the opposition, and would have made her a concubine instead.

And just seeing how jealous he got when watching the play together, the more he falls for her, who knows. There’s no way he would get tired of Mercedes and abandon her.

Of course, when watching the play, it seemed he himself wasn’t aware of it…

With a lot of experience, having witnessed many young students’ romances at the academy, and being very perceptive, Mrs. Fisher speculated that the Emperor was backing off because he was flustered by the rushing emotions.

Moreover, it’s the position of the Emperor.

Even if he showers the Empress with affection, he had to be careful not to become ‘helplessly fallen and unable to control his emotions’ as the Emperor.

Despite the recent title of ‘Emperor crazy about a woman’, the reason the imperial power is still strongly maintained is because Carlos is handling everything impeccably. It seemed he was still taking good care of his aides too.

But if he gets swept up in love…

‘Love makes people powerless and blind to everything around them. Like Her Majesty the Empress who can’t focus right now.’

It’ll be hard.

So he’ll probably keep his distance.

Mrs. Fisher was sure of it.

As an emperor, it was a good attitude to have.

‘But suppressed emotions are bound to explode eventually.’

Not only the melancholy settled on her student’s face but also the emotions the Emperor was forcibly suppressing.

If those emotions explode later, it could lead to big trouble instead.

What if the state affairs really come to a halt?

So Mrs. Fisher decided to give advice on the game of love, even though it didn’t suit her age.

“What does it mean to… push and pull?”

“Sometimes you coldly push the other person away to make them anxious.”

“I’m not sure how to do that.”

Mercedes cautiously asked back. Mrs. Fisher smiled warmly and said,

“Then do exactly what His Majesty the Emperor is doing.”

“Pardon?”

As soon as she heard those words, Skylar came to Mercedes’ mind.

After falling asleep last time, she hadn’t seen him, but this week, perhaps because of some intense work, the genius mage had followed the Emperor to the entrance of the banquet hall where dinner was served, had a heated discussion with him, greeted her, and disappeared.

Once he caught her eye, he kept bothering her mind.

“Um, Mrs. Fisher. Would it be a problem if I… invite a different noble for a conversation?”

In the end, Mercedes brought up his behavior that bothered her the most. It would have been something to be pointed at in shame.

At that question, Mrs. Fisher closed her mouth for a moment.

“Did Your Majesty converse with another young lady?”

But she eventually asked.

No matter how she thought about it, it was a bit strange. The Emperor doesn’t want to give power to any noble family. But he invited a young lady?

“…Ah, no. A close and intimate aide… I should say, there’s someone like that…”

The more Mercedes spoke, the smaller her voice became. Mrs. Fisher nodded, as expected.

It seemed like it might not be a big deal. It probably just caught Mercedes’ eye because her heart was complicated.

But the jealousy tactic was a classic and good method.

“Well, being alone is not allowed.”

“Ah, of course. That would make me uncomfortable too…”

Mrs. Fisher listened to her words and came up with a scheme.

“But while not being alone, we can seat a nice man next to you, Mercedes. How about hosting a reading club? A reading club is noble, so it’s okay to sit close to a man. Let’s have it in the garden that’s well visible from the Emperor’s office.”

The Emperor is quick-witted, so he’ll clearly see through this tactic, but so what.

What’s important is to convey Mercedes’ heart like this.

The key is to make the Emperor witness Mercedes with another man.

“You’ll help me that much?”

Mrs. Fisher nodded.

“Why…?”

“Because I’m happy to see youth blossoming.”

Mrs. Fisher smiled.

Love.

It may not be a panacea that cures everything.

But if this lovely student could become a little less desperate, see the world a little more broadly, and enjoy her beautiful youth, that would be nice.

Mrs. Fisher was an educator who couldn’t help but love people to the bone.

* * *

“How does first love feel, Your Majesty?”

“Skylar.”

“It’s so obvious to me that it’s fun, but what should I do, Your Majesty? So that’s what love is like. I learned a lot.”

“Nobody else knows about this except you, so wouldn’t it be better for you to shut up?”

Carlos roughly poured out words to Skylar, who was smiling. Skylar giggled and sprawled on the sofa again.

“Your Majesty. I’m just here to tease you, but you should be worried. If you act like this, everyone will gossip that Your Majesty’s affection for Her Majesty the Empress has disappeared. What are you going to do about Her Majesty’s position? You said you’re going to kill her soon, but you’re still not sure of her love.”

“…For now, I told Leopold to take care of the Empress. I’m complicated too.”

“Oh my. You think Leo will care? What did he say?”

“He said I should do it myself.”

“Haha! What a masterpiece.”

Skylar held his stomach and laughed. Then, when Carlos gave him a truly murderous look, he hurriedly turned his eyes to the documents.

“But I’m seriously worried. The aides are quiet now because Her Majesty the Empress is helping you and receiving affection. Let’s say you can roughly suppress the nobles, but what if the aides rise up?”

“I’ll handle it myself. Sigh. Skylar. You can go do your work in your lab. Why are you here provoking me?”

Finally annoyed by Skylar constantly talking to him, Carlos put down the documents he was holding.

“No. It’s just so fun since I’m the only one who knows. You’re keeping your distance after the first night. Everyone will think the affection has been withdrawn but− I know!”

“……”

“It’s already passionately obvious from Your Majesty’s eyes. It’s first love! What to do! I want to stay away. I shouldn’t love her. Because I have to kill her! Though, it’s a secret only I know, so of course others won’t−”

“Skylar. One more word and I’ll not only close your lab but also burn all your research materials to ashes.”

“Ahem, hmm. I apologize.”

For a while, Skylar, who was having fun teasing the Emperor, closed his mouth and flipped through the documents.

“But I must say.”

“What now, why.”

Carlos now really felt like kicking Skylar out and clenched his fist.

He was already having a hard time.

Ever since the first night, he had been touching the sheath every day, envisioning a future where he eliminates her. He was depressed. Sad. In pain. It was terrible.

But if he doesn’t kill her, he dies.

And he couldn’t get a definite answer.

So he had to keep luring her like before, hovering around her… but it was really difficult for now.

Let’s just steel our hearts a little. Thinking that, a week had passed without properly sleeping. At night, her soft skin− her beautiful honey-colored hair, her feverish eyes came to mind. It was the same in the morning and during the day.

He wanted to touch her and fill her eyes only with himself.

Damn possessiveness boiled up. That first night was really a huge mistake. Carlos cursed himself.

Missing her and going toward her room, making it so no one outside could see inside her room, blaming himself, needlessly jumping over the garden, faintly seeing her figure…

He felt like he was going crazy.

And now Skylar came to tease him on top of that.

I thought I didn’t know love, but seeing Your Majesty, I get it right away. Your Majesty’s eyes are so hot, I think I’ll get burned, he said.

In fact, Carlos knew that Skylar was doing this to deliberately alleviate his heavy heart.

Skylar would know best how hard it is for Carlos.

It’s okay. If I just keep some distance… and can face her.

Then I’ll confess my love first and get an answer.

Mercedes must have felt something that night too.

He didn’t have the leisure to properly observe her reaction after that, but still. That night was special. They clearly felt a connection.

He comforted himself, promising himself to endure just a little, a tiny bit more.

That’s when it happened.

“But. Your Majesty. What is Her Majesty the Empress doing over there?”

Skylar asked, pointing out the window.

Carlos deliberately placed his desk away from the window. Because his attention could be distracted if his eyes catch the outside scenery. It was to prevent that and focus on work.

So he couldn’t clearly see what was in the direction Skylar was looking.

With a sigh, he got up and approached that side. If it was a joke again, and Mercedes wasn’t outside the window, he was going to hit Skylar in the solar plexus.

“…What is she doing?”

But surprisingly, Mercedes was there.

The person he had been avoiding by skipping two dinners was sitting there. She looked very lovely in a bright yellow dress and a hat.

Moreover, these days, she only showed a smile as if Carlos had drawn it, keeping a distance, so he hadn’t seen her laughing brightly…

But now she was laughing very happily, making a giggling sound.

Bright summer. Those gathered under the awning were holding books. Three women. Four men… Mrs. Fisher was among them.

“Looks like some kind of reading club. Quite cultured. Oh− but that man sitting right next to Her Majesty the Empress is handsome. My type.”

Skylar chatted casually.

Right.

That’s the biggest problem.

Carlos’s gaze fell upon the very decent man sticking close to Mercedes, sharing his thoughts about the book.

The decent-looking actor Mercedes had liked before. The man gave a similar vibe to that person.