The next day, I headed to the classroom to catch up on my missed lessons.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

I couldn’t use the same excuse multiple times, and if a doctor was called to do a thorough examination, my feigned illness would be exposed. So I forced myself to show up.

‘A day is still too short. I should have asked Hecate to postpone it for about a week.’

Many regrets were flooding in, but avoiding it too much would look like running away, which hurt my pride. So I decided to act as nonchalant as possible.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, this weak body tires easily.”

Lilith would surely know the reason why yesterday’s lesson was canceled. I thought she might tease me someday about being sick. Since her origin was the snake itself, her gestures, words, and expressions all seemed cunning.

“Is there anything you’d like to ask before we start the lesson?”

Lilith added that I looked like I had something on my mind, and even chuckled.

“First, hand over the military strategy book. You have no reason to keep it anymore.”

Just take that and…!

As a 3-year-old body, unable to do this or that, I suppressed my irritation inside.

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”

“Very well.”

There was no problem up to the point of getting the book back.

“Now it’s time to satisfy Your Imperial Highness’s curiosity.”

“Wait a moment. Let me think about what to ask.”

Why keep asking questions instead of just starting the lesson? I grumbled inwardly as I racked my brain. Honestly, while the current situation was annoying, it was a way to spend the lesson time leisurely if done well, so I needed to come up with some complex and difficult questions.

‘Yes, after years of secret investigation, we finally… got a lead.’

Soon, the memory of overhearing Marchioness Fleur’s words while hiding behind the bushes yesterday came vividly to mind.

‘As expected, it was one of those who resented the Bergamot family, Your Majesty.’

‘I intend to keep all the evidence I’ve carefully gathered.’

‘It will be helpful when Carlyle comes of age and claims Bergamot’s rights.’

Since we both know each other’s true identities, there’s no need to deliberately lower the intellectual level of the topics with the snake, I mean Lilith.

“Hmm…”

So I thought about asking again about the power struggles that arose after my death as an emperor in my previous life, and started talking about the tea time with the Fleur family.

“Yesterday, I accidentally overheard a conversation during tea time with the Fleur family.”

I looked at Lilith, who was listening intently with her arms crossed.

“They said the mastermind behind the poisoning incident was the work of those who resented Bergamot.”

Although at first I chose this difficult topic to avoid being ignored and to waste lesson time, as I spoke, I became slightly serious.

“I judged that statement to be credible.”

No matter how I looked at it, there were strange aspects and circumstantial evidence, and even if conclusive proof couldn’t be found due to evidence destruction, it was my ‘intuition’ from living hundreds of years.

“Moreover, I thought those who despised the Bergamot family were followers of Vladimir.”

From here on it was speculation and hypothesis, but I was confident that if there was something to exercise my brain like this, Lilith would also spend an easy hour or two organizing and explaining her personal views.

“Of course, I also considered the opposite case.”

As I couldn’t just throw out one idea, I quickly added another opinion.

“I wondered if Vladimir had taken action to maintain his massive power and support as the only ducal family.”

Although improvised acting wasn’t my specialty, it flowed surprisingly smoothly without any hitches.

In between, I also talked about why Sasha was attached as a friend, and how strange it was to politically bind children together just because the family with suspicions of being a suspect was close to the imperial family.

As a result, a new suspicion suddenly bloomed.

Although they’re all young children now and might get along well somehow, I began to doubt whether it would be possible to maintain purely friendly relationships after they grow up.

“You can think quite complexly.”

Meanwhile, Lilith waited until I stopped talking without interrupting in the middle, then opened her mouth.

“Just because I look 3 years old doesn’t mean my brain is 3 years old too, you know?”

My temper flared up as she said such things while knowing that although I’m small and weak now, I’ve been through thick and thin.

“Oh my, how scary~”

Lilith chuckled, covering her mouth with one hand, then apologized half-heartedly when I frowned.

“So what you want to ask is, is there a possibility that Vladimir was involved in the poisoning incident?”

“That’s right.”

Although I had babbled on without much order since it was a topic I had squeezed out on the spur of the moment, Lilith somehow managed to find the core of it.

“I can’t say it’s not possible. He’s certainly on the list of suspects, but…”

As I agreed, Lilith nodded and became quite serious, resting her chin on her hand. Her gaze seemed to wander somewhere, as if recalling the time of the poisoning incident.

“There was no conclusive evidence, and even the imperial family couldn’t carelessly touch a ducal family.”

I suppose that’s how it would be. I sighed and nodded up and down.

After all, even though imperial authority is powerful, you can’t recklessly mess with a ducal family that has thick support. That’s why they had to be wary of each other.

“I guess the investigation at the time fizzled out as expected.”

“You see it accurately.”

I leaned back in my chair with a sullen face.

“But don’t worry, Your Highness.”

“About what?”

Goodness! I flinched in surprise as Lilith suddenly came close.

“At least His Majesty the Emperor won’t hastily arrange an engagement with Young Lord Sasha for the sake of the imperial family.”

What nonsense is that? I was so dumbfounded by the outrageous statement that I was momentarily struck dumb.

“You certainly know how to say horrible things.”

I think I’ve gotten the most headaches because of you in my hundreds of years of life. I stared at Lilith with a disgusted expression. I felt like I might suddenly develop baldness.

“Oh come on, it’s just a hypothetical~ Even if the other side requested it first, you’d refuse if you didn’t want to, right?”

It’s easy to think that way. Things change when it gets politically complicated enough to be deeply related to the empire’s interests. Still, it was fortunate, if you could call it that, that at least I wouldn’t be at a disadvantage since the empire’s status was so enormous.

“Let’s stop talking about this.”

Even so, just the mention of marriage or engagement made me sick to my stomach, as the memory of being pressured by ministers to produce an heir during my time as the previous emperor was imprinted like a trauma.

‘Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.’

I said, stroking my shoulders with both hands.

“Hasn’t the idle chat gone on too long? Let’s start the lesson.”

“Alright then.”

Meanwhile, Poppy had gone to dreamland and was sleeping while drooling.

“Then please look at the picture on page 20 of the textbook. First, to the north of the empire…”

As Lilith headed towards the blackboard, I opened the textbook according to her words, muttering to myself as if brainwashing that I must absolutely not fall asleep.

‘So boring… End quickly, please.’

Still, since it was all content I already knew, the probability of finding it interesting was as slim as a spring suddenly gushing forth from dry land. I endured the time of perseverance, half-listening and half-not.

And after about 30-40 minutes, the long-awaited moment came.

“Well, that’s all for today’s lesson.”

As Lilith kept asking questions and we bickered back and forth while answering, the lesson ended sooner than expected.

‘Why did it end so early for once?’

I wondered if it was because of yesterday’s incident.

“My, why aren’t you saying anything~”

That’s obviously because I don’t need to learn content that doesn’t even inspire academic enthusiasm. I quickly closed the textbook and looked at Lilith with an incredulous face.

It was because I could clearly see the intention behind her asking so innocently, pretending not to know anything with that prim face, as she was quite perceptive.

“Do you know why today’s lesson ended early, Your Highness?”

“I don’t know.”

Although I had an ominous feeling that she might be trying to pick a fight, I decided to respond casually, raising one eyebrow and shrugging my shoulders.

“Well, you see…”

Lilith’s attempt to create suspense by trailing off her words seemed ominous.

“It’s because Your Highness is small and precious.”

Following that, her words as she winked one eye made me deflate.

“Besides, if you were to collapse while listening to my lesson, I wouldn’t be able to face Her Majesty the Empress.”

A snort escaped me at her words about preemptively blocking anything that might make her feel sorry.

“I suppose so.”

I understood that the calculation didn’t come from a desire to take care of my weakened self.

“What do you mean ‘I suppose so’~ You didn’t want to study for long anyway~”

You know well. Although I was hit right on target, outwardly I waved my hand dismissively like someone who was fed up, making an ‘ugh’ sound.

“Then I’ll see you off, looking forward to next time.”

Soon after, as I showed no particular reaction, Lilith seemed to lose interest and volunteered to escort me.

“Be careful coming down, Your Highness.”

“Are you making fun of me for being a 3-year-old with short legs?”

“Of course not.”

Knock, knock—

Just as we were bickering and reached the classroom door.

“Lord Lilith, we’ve come to escort you by order of Her Majesty the Empress.”

“I’ll be leaving the room with the Imperial Princess right away, please wait a moment.”

Two maids who appeared just in time announced that Hecate was looking for Lilith.

“Imperial Princess, we’ll escort you to the playroom.”

“Alright.”

As our destinations were different, Lilith and I naturally parted ways.

‘I hope nothing’s wrong?’

I glanced back at Lilith after walking for a while.

‘Well, she’ll handle it well, I’m sure.’

Isn’t it Hecate and Jeff, along with their loyal followers, who are leading the present? Of course I’m concerned, but getting too deeply involved isn’t befitting of someone who has entrusted their back to the next generation, so I soon cut off my interest and moved on to the next location.

* * *

“Did Her Majesty the Empress say anything else?”

“No. She only said to bring Lord Lilith to the office.”

Once we were at some distance from the Imperial Princess, I asked the escorting maid in a low voice.

“I see. I understand.”

I nodded at the maid’s answer and thought.

If Her Majesty the Empress suddenly called for me, the weight of the matter would not be light, and perhaps an informant had sent intelligence.

‘It’s not long since the three-year subjugation ended, a time when people should be watching their step and being cautious.’

Having shown what happens to those who rebel against the empire, there should be no one who dares to rise up, so it won’t be news of another war breaking out.

‘But we can’t let our guard down, intoxicated by victory.’

I judged that it was excellent to have dispatched informants, as the other side has only temporarily bowed their heads, and the situation could turn around at any time.

This was because I believed that we needed to monitor the other party like prey in the palm of our hand to prevent them from doing anything rash.

“Your Majesty the Empress, I heard you called for me.”

Soon after arriving at Her Majesty the Empress’s office, I entered the room and greeted her politely without delay.

“One second of waiting for Lord Lilith felt like half a day.”

Then, the Grand General, Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire, who had been busy examining documents at her desk, welcomed me as she rose from her chair.

“As you may have guessed, we recently received some intelligence.”

Soon after, we moved to the sofa and exchanged words face to face.

“A surveillance agent infiltrated in the Kingdom of Fauren has detected suspicious movements. That’s the content.”

Her Majesty the Empress finished speaking in a heavy tone, then handed over a letter.

“How foolish. They beg for their lives waving white flags in front, but behind our backs they do this…”

The Kingdom of Fauren was not the main culprit in the last subjugation, but they supported those who agreed to rebel against the empire and went to war. When the Goddess of Victory took the empire’s side, they were the first to declare surrender.

“If possible, we should prevent this from growing into another spark of war beforehand.”

Although we had peace negotiations on humanitarian grounds, to learn that they were secretly making subversive plans and preparing to stab us in the back – I couldn’t help but feel angry, my usual smile disappearing as rage boiled up.

“I don’t want to be apart from Darjeeling again either… That’s why I want to entrust this matter to Lord Lilith.”

Her Majesty the Empress, given the top-secret nature of the matter, ordered me, who sincerely follows her, to gently deal with the Kingdom of Fauren regarding the intelligence issue and collect information.

“Please entrust it to me, Your Majesty the Empress. I will repay your trust with success.”

And I gladly accepted the order. I wanted to teach a lesson to those who repaid the mercy bestowed upon them in such a manner.

“I will give a taste of bitterness to those who try to destroy the peace we have barely regained.”

That’s not to say I’m going to trample and scold them recklessly. Since there are many ways to put pressure and make them give up without using force, I burned with enthusiasm thinking about how to trap the spies.

“It’s fortunate to have someone like Lord Lilith whom I can trust and rely on. You may go now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Honestly, she hadn’t called me for a chat, and the business was over, so I bowed and left Her Majesty the Empress’s office.

* * *

I quickly sent Lilith back and sat down at my desk.

“Hah…”

But perhaps due to the uneasiness that kept making my heart flutter slightly, my concentration became blurry and I made no progress with my work. I let out a deep sigh and slumped my body.

“You’re still as vigorous as ever in the painting.”

After a while, as I was blankly staring at the ceiling, I slowly turned my head and my eyes fell on the portrait of His Majesty the Previous Emperor in his prime, hanging on one side of the office wall.

“Sometimes when I’m troubled, my suppressed longing runs wild. If you were alive, I would have sought your advice, asking for your keen insight.”

I was overwhelmed by the sad emotions that came like waves, recalling old times.

“Suddenly, I’m reminded of the day you took me in.”

Soon, fragments of the past clearly unfolded, going back over ten years.

“Hey, I just saw everything.”

“She was taking something shiny out of her pocket and fiddling with it~”

At that time, I was a scruffy blonde girl wandering the streets.

Coincidentally, on that day, the purpose of the unruly boys who blocked my path was the object hidden in my pants pocket. It seemed they wanted to exchange it for a small piece of bread and then sell it to a junk shop to get some money.

“Aren’t you hungry? Don’t you want to trade it for some food?”

However, this object was the only keepsake from my parents that I, an orphan, possessed. I couldn’t agree to the boy’s negotiation.

“No.”

“What! I was trying to persuade you nicely because you look pitiful in those beggar’s clothes…”

My firm refusal seemed unexpected, and one of the boys immediately got angry.

“Hand it over while I’m still asking nicely… Ow!”

Thwack—

At that moment, a small stone flew from somewhere and struck one of the boys on the head.

“Ouch! Who did that!”

The boy let out an involuntary cry of pain, enough to bring tears to his eyes.

“You’re annoying. Get lost.”

And immediately after, a cold voice targeted the two boys.

“Hey, who do you think you are?”

“Idiot, look at his clothes! It’ll be troublesome if we get involved, let’s just go!”

Surprisingly, the owner of the cold voice was a sophisticated child with light pink-tinged silver hair, like a young noble. It was Jeff, who is now His Majesty the Emperor whom I respect endlessly and my life companion.

“…How pathetic.”

How prickly young Jeff was in his childhood.

After sending the unruly boys away, he immediately approached me and abruptly held out one of the meat skewers he was holding.

“That looks delicious…”

For some reason, instead of thanking him for saving me, I stared at the meat skewer and drooled. Jeff indifferently told me to eat it.

“No thanks. I’m not a beggar.”

It was truly a first encounter bound by coincidence and a meat skewer.