“…So you found out in the end.”

After Count Filippa left, we went to find Arianna.

According to the Count’s words, it was clear that Arianna knew something.

And as expected, she didn’t deny it and nodded her head obediently.

“Yes. The Viscount’s ultimate plan was treason. Of course, he lacked the capital and manpower to do so…”

“And this support project was meant to be the cornerstone for that.”

“Yes, Your Highness. That was the plan. The proposal itself was written similarly in the hopes that you would be curious enough to select it.”

I never thought it would be used in reverse…

Arianna muttered with a wry smile.

It seemed like she never thought His Majesty would set up a plan to catch the plagiarism.

While Lloyd is also at fault for not worrying and just thinking about receiving money without knowing it would be revealed, it’s also Arianna’s fault for not predicting what would come next despite being smart enough to plagiarize the project proposal and predict the results.

Of course, it’s good for us, but it’s evidence that Arianna’s abilities as a staff officer aren’t that outstanding.

Seeing her like that, I asked her one question.

“Then do you still agree with the Viscount’s opinion now?”

At my words, Arianna looked at me with an expression asking what I meant.

Don’t tell me there are quite a few who still agree with the Viscount.

When I raised my eyebrows as if asking if she really didn’t know, she finally seemed to understand and waved her hand.

“Of course, I don’t have the same thoughts as the Viscount now. Your Highness showed me that I can achieve what I want even if it’s not necessarily that way.”

“I showed you?”

I made a puzzled expression at her answer, but unlike me, Leoprick nodded his head with a look of really good understanding.

“Amelia has a way of making the impossible possible.”

“Your Majesty knows it too.”

“Of course. Aren’t I the person closest to her?”

“I’m envious. I also wanted to stand by such a person’s side…”

“It’s not too late even now, Lady.”

And so they go back and forth with each other.

I wondered what they were doing in front of someone, and it was also ridiculous to see them consoling and being consoled with a deliberately serious face.

I looked at the two of them for a while and burst into a small laugh.

“What are you two doing?”

But even at my words, the two didn’t break the serious atmosphere at all and shrugged their shoulders.

“What are we doing? We’re praising your accomplishments and merits.”

“We’re in the middle of talking about how great of a person Your Highness is.”

“No, I mean, why are you doing that here now…”

Seeing the two looking at me as if asking what’s wrong, I couldn’t stop the empty laughter, the small laughter, the absurd laughter.

I kept sighing, “Heh, ha, ha,” looking at the seemingly endless meaningless conversation, and waved my hand to stop the two.

“Let’s stop there. There’s still an important conversation left, right?”

“An important conversation…”

“I’m talking about the conversation regarding the lady’s punishment.”

When I brought up the topic that I shouldn’t forget, the atmosphere changed again.

If it was simply serious until now, it had now become a heavy air, not just serious.

Seeing the two’s atmosphere that changed as if flipping the palm of a hand, laughter just came out now.

Really, it makes me think about what would have happened if I had joined hands with Lloyd and those two had joined hands.

Both in my previous life and now, I forgot for a moment what I was going to talk about, enjoying the pleasure of imagining something that didn’t happen.

“You look happy, Amelia.”

“Yes, I was enjoying watching you two.”

Leoprick spoke softly, perhaps thinking that I wasn’t grasping the situation well.

But this was half his fault too.

I coughed casually and looked at Arianna.

“First of all, there won’t be no punishment at all.”

It’s nothing else, but treason.

Even if we put aside all the other crimes like document forgery or ghostwriting before that, treason is a crime that absolutely cannot be overlooked.

Even if she takes the lead in reporting those who conspired treason and provides clues one by one, the punishment is a felony that absolutely cannot be avoided.

When I looked at Leoprick as if asking for agreement, he also nodded.

“Punishment will be handed down in some form, but considering that she turned herself in, her life can be spared.”

The only thing that can be guaranteed is her life.

Anything else she wants to be guaranteed additionally will probably vary depending on His Majesty’s generosity.

After all, felonies like treason are supposed to be tried directly by the Emperor.

Even if we can suggest sparing her life, everything else, what she gains and loses, is entirely the Emperor’s choice.

But just in case, I thought I should at least ask what she wants in case His Majesty asks for our opinion.

“By any chance, if your life is spared, is there anything you want to do?”

It was pure curiosity.

It could also be sympathy for her.

Just as it was a good thing that I didn’t choose Lloyd in this life, she would have been harmed by my choice.

I felt a little sorry thinking that it could be a butterfly effect that occurred because I didn’t choose him.

And Arianna smiled brightly at me like that.

“I want to see the world, Your Highness. Because by then, I will truly be able to become free.”

But contrary to my worries and concerns, she smiled brightly as if wishing for it.

“Will it really be okay like this?”

It’s going smoothly. Everything is going too smoothly.

If it continues like this, Lloyd will probably collapse soon.

But being too smooth should be much more vigilant than being too difficult.

On the way back from meeting Arianna, I suddenly felt uneasy about the thought that came to my mind.

Is it really okay like this, will Lloyd really collapse like this?

Is it really right that everything in this life is going more easily than I thought?

Unlike when things flowed differently from the past at first, when I pondered why they would flow differently from my previous life, I was now anxious that everything was going more smoothly than in my previous life.

Why is that? Is it because the end is approaching?

No, in the first place, will the end in this life be the same as the end I’m thinking of?

As I was pondering for a moment, Leoprick gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

When I raised my head at that gesture, I saw a kind face looking at me with warm comfort filling his eyes.

Meeting that gaze, I felt an inexplicable relief that everything would be alright for a moment.

Why is that? I couldn’t explain this either, but…

As I was silently looking at him, a question suddenly popped into my head.

It’s a question that really doesn’t fit this atmosphere and seems like it shouldn’t be asked, but…

“By the way, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Amelia.”

“By any chance, yesterday, did we…”

Sleep together?

The rest of the words were so small that they were almost inaudible.

It was because I knew that it was a really sudden question that didn’t fit the place and atmosphere and was ambiguous to ask.

But really, this question suddenly filled my head.

I spit out the words and looked at him with a slightly tense expression.

I didn’t know how he would react or how this question would be received.

And he, after looking at me blinking his surprised eyes for a while…

“Pfft, Ahahaha!”

He burst into laughter, literally.

Even though we deliberately came at a time when there are few people, surprised-looking court ladies were sporadically seen in the corridor, coming from who knows where.

No, was my question so absurd that it was laughable to that extent?

Feeling embarrassed and awkward by that reaction, I looked around and started walking first, covering my face with my hand.

“Ah, haha. Ah, Amelia. Are you going first?”

Let’s go together, ahaha.

Even as he quickly followed behind me, his laughter didn’t stop.

As if he had never heard such an amusing story in his life, his laughter that almost sounded like crying persistently followed behind.

I tried to quickly get away from him, but I couldn’t get far from him because I was trying to maintain dignity in front of the court ladies filling the surroundings.

“Amelia, hahaha. Are you really going alone?”

Even in the midst of that, Leoprick kept laughing and following me.

His laughter had died down a bit compared to the beginning, but still, I couldn’t look at his face because of that lingering laughter.

Should I say that I became a little annoyed at his appearance?

I hurriedly entered my room and locked the door.

“Amelia. Amelia?”

I heard Leoprick, who quickly followed, knocking on the door, but I didn’t open it.

Why would I open it and listen to what else he has to say?

I stood like that for a while, leaning against the door.

He knocked a few more times, but I stood there without answering.

Then, as if he gave up, it soon became quiet.

As it became still like that, suddenly, a sense of unfairness at being teased rushed in.

No, was my question that strange?

Was it that strange to ask what happened when I fainted in the middle?

I can ask that too. I don’t remember!

As I was fuming alone like that…

“Are you angry, Amelia?”

The door connecting my room and his room opened, and he came in.

He must have hurriedly tried to come in, because even the sound of opening the door was urgent.

That voice, a little flustered but still with a hint of laughter, somehow made me feel even more irritated.

I turned away from him approaching me and walked into the room.

“Are you angry? Hmm? Amelia. Are you not going to look at me?”

And he also followed behind me, calling out to me in a teasing voice.

Amelia, Amelia. I’m sorry, it’s my fault.

The soft voice, as if whispering and soothing, seemed to make the anger that I thought was rising until now die down.

I, who had been avoiding even giving him a single glance, slightly turned my gaze to him who kept acting coy next to me.

He was acting so subtly that it seemed like I could see an illusion of a non-existent tail wagging.

“Are you looking at me now? Hmm?”

And the moment I met that gaze, I felt all thoughts in my head evaporate.