“You asked the monastery for help.”

It was a meeting set up to have dinner together.

A time when I returned to the room a little earlier than usual and sat face to face with Leoprick.

I was about to briefly mention my visit to the monastery, but somehow he spoke first.

I nodded lightly as I watched him carefully broach the subject.

“Yes. I thought the monks who have experience cultivating various lands would be better than local farmers who only know my land when it comes to farming methods. They would also be quicker in gathering information about each region.”

“Is it because of the situation in the North?”

“Yes. There’s no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again in the future.”

Ah. I should tell them to look into crops that can be grown in the eastern mountains as well.

I thought to myself while answering Leoprick.

That it would be good to entrust the eastern work together, so that the people of the east could live more abundantly, as it would take some time for the northern work to succeed.

The east was a place where it was difficult to grow crops due to poor water quality.

I thought it would be much better if there were crops that could grow robustly even in such water.

I should talk to Beren about this tomorrow as well.

“The North is not a region lacking in food. I understand this incident was simply due to the weather.”

“But the North is originally a region with large climate changes. There’s no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again.”

Moreover, in my memory, a similar incident occurred again a few years after this one was resolved.

I calmly answered while cutting celery and putting it in my mouth.

I didn’t particularly hide the fact that I had visited the monastery, but I didn’t expect him to ask about it so directly.

Is there something that bothers him?

I started to think of ways I could handle it if Leoprick were to oppose this matter.

I was planning to push through using his own words to me as a reason when starting the work, but…

Still, if he seriously opposes it, there’s nothing more troublesome than that.

It was while I was thinking about this and slowly cutting the mushrooms on my plate.

“You always move as if you know exactly what’s going to happen in the future.”

“…Pardon?”

At the sudden remark, I stopped all movement for a moment.

Moving as if I know in advance.

If I hadn’t regressed, I would have retorted that everything should be moved by predicting it anyway.

But stupidly, I hesitated for a moment.

Just as a guilty person cannot hide their crime.

At his words, I couldn’t help but think, “Could it be?”

No matter how questionable his behavior might be, even if he is a magic caster, he wouldn’t have the insight to recognize a regressor.

Blaming myself for hesitating briefly, I resumed the movement I had paused.

“Isn’t politics supposed to be about looking a few steps ahead? His Majesty does so as well.”

And I managed to reply nonchalantly.

As if it were nothing important.

And I continued the meal I had briefly paused.

Leoprick stared at me for a long time.

He looked as if he had something to say for a while, but eventually started moving his hand again.

…He definitely looks like he has something he wants to ask.

I never thought for a moment that he would notice my regression.

Even if Leoprick had returned to his past life, it would be the same.

Even if he had regressed, he wouldn’t be certain that someone around him had also regressed, right?

That’s why I’m agonizing over it every day.

Leoprick, or Lloyd, who used magic.

I don’t know what they’re thinking, but if the magic wasn’t perfect, errors like me could occur.

Maybe he’s also worrying like me?

About whether I, or someone else, remembers the events before the regression like him.

“I heard Lady Gilloyte is coming the day after tomorrow.”

“Ah, yes. I invited her. I wanted to have a conversation with her.”

“I see.”

Leoprick brought up a different topic this time.

On my way back from meeting Abbot Beren, I had Betty secretly send a message to the Gilloyte house.

Fearing that Lady Gilloyte might cause trouble again, I added a request to deliver it directly to her in secret.

I quietly sent the message to her, but I ordered the palace staff to prepare thoroughly to receive guests, and it seems that has already reached Leoprick’s ears.

I nodded nonchalantly.

“I’ve heard she’s an intelligent and clever lady. Lord Gilloyte is also a trustworthy person. I invited her to thank her for the help I received at Duchess Alois’s party the other day.”

“Then she’s someone I should be grateful to as well.”

Leoprick’s face softened considerably when I said I had received help.

He says she’s a grateful person just because I received help, without even knowing what happened?

I looked at him while inwardly stifling a laugh.

“Since I’m the one who owes her, don’t worry. I’ll entertain her appropriately and send her back.”

But whatever his intentions, this was my business.

I replied to him in a firm tone.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to change the subject.

“I know your abilities well, so I’m not worried. However, I would like to meet the lady as well. May I join you the day after tomorrow?”

He made an unexpected proposal.

“I have something to discuss with the lady alone, so I’m afraid I’ll have to decline that.”

I rejected him, with a speed and firmness that surprised even myself.

“Why did you do that, Your Highness?”

Betty followed behind me, asking in a voice full of doubt.

Right. Why did I do that?

I sighed briefly as I walked down the long corridor.

“It just came out in the moment.”

“Was there something that made you uncomfortable? His Majesty told me to carefully observe your mood…”

No, there’s no need to observe my mood to that extent.

I sighed again, recalling the earlier situation.

Leoprick had said he wanted to meet Lady Gilloyte together, and I had firmly rejected his proposal to a degree that felt cold.

Of course, the atmosphere of the meal, which had been proceeding smoothly, immediately became uncomfortable, and Leoprick also looked awkward and kept checking the situation for the rest of the meal.

When Leoprick started doing that, it was only natural that the surrounding palace staff also started to carefully observe the situation.

Ah, really, why did I do that?

In the end, unable to bear the situation any longer, I was the first to rise from my seat.

And leaving behind words that I had a lot of work left for today and that he should retire early, I fled the scene.

He seemed to say a few words to Betty, who was following behind me as I left first, but I pretended not to notice and came out first.

There was no need to react so sensitively to such trivial words.

I sighed again as I moved my steps.

“Did His Majesty say anything else?”

“No. He did apologize for bringing up an unnecessary topic, but he didn’t say anything else.”

Meeting Adela Gilloyte wasn’t really a big deal.

I was just planning to check if she also knew about the Empress’s enthronement, as my father had mentioned.

And to briefly discuss future plans.

I needed to confirm if she was someone who could replace me in the position of Empress after I achieved all my goals and stepped down from that position.

It was just to check her capabilities as a card I would use someday.

I bit my lip, recalling Leoprick who had suddenly become cautious.

However, I didn’t want to let Lady Gilloyte and Leoprick meet.

I could turn back now and go to him to apologize for my earlier attitude.

But I didn’t want to do as he wished even if I did that.

This too, I couldn’t explain why.

Just, somehow, the three of us meeting felt like a confrontation, and I was reluctant.

Was it because I couldn’t quite imagine Lady Gilloyte and Leoprick having a conversation together?

Or was it simply that it didn’t seem good for the two of them to meet before everything was settled?

“Are you perhaps jealous, Your Highness?”

And at Betty’s words that literally shattered such thoughts, I stopped in my tracks.

“…What did you say?”

Betty continued with a slightly mischievous face.

It was probably just intended to tease me, but the impact of those words was greater than expected.

“I asked if you’re jealous. Aren’t you planning to invite Lady Adela Gilloyte to the palace frequently in the future? But His Majesty is showing interest…”

“What nonsense are you talking about, Betty?”

The word ‘jealousy’ made my head feel cold.

It’s the most unsuitable word for the current situation and the relationship between Leoprick and me.

Thinking that my hesitation might have looked like that to others made the thoughts that had been troubling me until just now feel calmer.

Jealousy.

Isn’t it a ridiculous word that can’t be applied anywhere in this relationship?

I asked Betty with a much calmer face.

“Do you think His Majesty would think that way too?”

“Well… I’m not sure. He’s a cautious person, so I don’t think he would jump to conclusions or make assumptions…”

Sensing something in my remarkably changed tone, Betty rolled her eyes and looked around cautiously.

I feel a bit sorry for her, as it seems she’s been hit by unexpected lightning for trying to make a joke, but right now, it’s more important for me not to cause any ridiculous misunderstandings with him.

If Betty thought this way, there’s a possibility that someone else around him might think the same.

After thinking for a moment, I turned my steps.

“I should go to the bedroom. Is His Majesty there?”

“Oh, ah. Yes. Probably. The aide said he was going to leave work early today.”

Before others can make more unnecessary misunderstandings, I need to move first.

Changing my plan to look over various things in the office, I headed straight for the bedroom.

Hoping that Leoprick would be there.