The Empress' Scandalous Paramour - Chapter 26

Chapter 3. A partner I’ll love less than myself

I was sick for a full week from that day.

Because of that, I couldn’t attend the remaining banquets, but from what I was told, the same was true for Helene.

The temple side came to the Lily Palace, and it seemed they suggested it would be better to leave the imperial city for a while. Judging by how she hastily packed her belongings and left the imperial city afterward.

‘Well, to recover her damaged image, she’d have no choice but to increase her activities as a saint.’

What I was curious about was whether Helene would go to Ansel or not.

‘Duke Ahilo did a good job.’

I smiled slightly as I burned the letter that had come to me.

It was a letter from the Ahilo family, stating that there had indeed been tremendous rainfall in Ansel.

Fortunately, thanks to the relief supplies prepared in the Empress’s name and the support of shelters in nearby areas, there were no casualties.

While nothing could be done about houses being washed away and belongings being damaged, livestock, seeds, and food stored in village warehouses were all moved in advance, so Ansel’s damage would be quickly restored once the water recedes.

‘This much has been done, now I should start tidying up the issues within my palace.’

It feels like I’ve overcome a big mountain.

After calling a maid to take a bath and change into a new dress, I decided to have lunch with Mereum.

I had heard that while I was sick, Mereum had stood outside my door all day, every day without fail.

‘Just because I saved him once, was he worried about my life?’

The dining location was an indoor garden where sunlight poured in through large glass windows.

I, who had arrived first, smiled and greeted Mereum as he entered.

“Mereum, welcome.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m perfectly fine. Were you worried?”

As I gestured with a soft smile, Mereum hesitated for a moment before hastily walking to the chair and plopping down.

Boys his age make big and rough movements because they’re embarrassed. What do they call that again?

Puberty?

I rested my chin on my hand, staring at Mereum and curving my eyes.

“You were worried, weren’t you?”

“…I wasn’t.”

“You were. Thank you.”

“I said I wasn’t. Just…”

It was a meaningless banter, but it was enjoyable.

Mereum’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but then he closed them.

He seemed quite shy.

“Nothing unusual happened during the week?”

“Nothing.”

“Are people treating you well?”

“More or less. I even got new clothes tailored.”

“I can see that. Maybe it’s because you’re handsome, but Nix-style clothes suit you well.”

Soon after, the food was served.

For me, who had been sick for a long time, it was mainly clam soup with almost no chunks, gently cooked vegetables, and finely ground meat patties. Seeing this, I spoke softly.

“Bring a steak. Mereum is at the age where he needs to grow. He shouldn’t eat things like this.”

“I don’t really mind. As long as I can swallow it, it’s fine.”

That one sentence revealed how Mereum had been living in the desert until now.

Which is why I couldn’t just feed him this.

“Aren’t you at an age where you’re hungry again as soon as you turn around? You need to eat meat to feel full.”

“Treating me like a child.”

“In my eyes, no one is not a child.”

With an age difference of over a thousand years, of course.

Thinking indifferently, I lazily stirred the soup bowl with my spoon. My mouth felt rough and nothing would go down. I wasn’t even very hungry.

“Have you looked around the Empress’s Palace?”

“They offered to show me around, but I declined.”

I understand. He must have felt awkward.

Stopping the spoon abruptly, I spoke in a bright voice.

“Then you can look around with me.”

“Are you trying to collapse again?”

I thought it was a good idea, but Mereum immediately made a face of disgust.

“That was because fatigue had built up. Come to think of it, I need to start physical training again. I’ll take you to the training grounds too. It must be stuffy staying only in the palace.”

“You’re going to the training grounds? You?”

“Yes. Believe it or not, I’m training with the knights.”

I said it quite proudly, but it seemed to sound completely different to Mereum.

He didn’t even try to hide his look of shock as he looked me up and down.

“I’m curious if you perhaps want to die early.”

“Oh my, this boy. I’m training to become healthier. You don’t know how much it’s helped.”

Sizzle.

At that moment, a sizzling steak on a stone plate was brought out. The sirloin steak, seasoned with the finest butter and salt, was slightly larger than two of my palms combined. It was also incredibly thick.

Mereum cut it into large pieces and ate it well, and watching him made me feel a bit of an appetite too.

“If you finish that, do you want to eat cake too?”

“Are you trying to fatten me up?”

“Hmm, I do like doing that. But more than that, seeing you eat makes me want to take a spoonful or two more myself.”

When I said that, Mereum’s shoulders flinched and he started eating more vigorously.

I was worried he might get indigestion, but well, they say at that age you can chew through iron.

After watching Mereum a bit more, I picked up my spoon and scooped some soup. Not really tasting anything, I was just sipping a few mouthfuls when I felt a gaze.

Mereum, who had already finished more than half of his steak, had put down his knife and was looking at me with a serious expression.

“Do you always eat like a bird?”

“Like a bird? I eat more than that.”

“That’s why you keep collapsing.”

Mereum, who was scolding me, seemed hesitant about something.

Then, as if he had made up his mind about something, he picked up a fluffy salt bread and cut it into truly bird-sized pieces before bringing it to my mouth.

“Say ah.”

“Huh…?”

“I’m going to feed you. Otherwise, it seems like you won’t even touch the bread.”

His ears were red again, perhaps from embarrassment at his action.

It was so cute that I couldn’t help but smile again.

‘Ah, I laugh often when I’m with this child.’

I quietly opened my mouth and the bread entered. I chewed and swallowed thoroughly so that my weakened stomach could accept it, and then orange juice was placed in front of me.

“Drink.”

“You’re not going to feed me this?”

“How am I supposed to feed you juice… Hah, never mind.”

I had only asked jokingly, but Mereum frowned and then picked up a new, unused spoon and scooped up some juice.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I had never imagined drinking juice in this way.

“Open. Your mouth.”

Mereum tilted the spoon. Even so, he was skilled enough not to spill a single drop of juice.

I soon opened my mouth, and the tangy orange juice filled my mouth.

“You eat well.”

“Originally, I was the one trying to fatten you up.”

“Say that after you can eat steak.”

After that, Mereum barely touched his own food and kept trying to feed me various things.

He had to wait a long time for me to swallow each bite, but he waited without getting irritated even once, and kept feeding me.

From this behavior, I could feel how patient Mereum was.

“I’m full now.”

“With just one piece of bread…?”

“It’s a lot, more than usual.”

When I said that, Mereum sighed and picked up a napkin.

“Come here.”

“I can do that myself.”

“Are you trying to collapse again?”

“No, I can at least… Mmph!”

My goodness.

This is a bit different from what I had in mind.

I thought I would be the one raising Mereum.

But lo and behold.

Mereum glared at me whenever I tried to do anything. Was seeing me faint and unable to get up that shocking?

‘Derek is always in awe when he does anything for me, but Mereum isn’t like that. Maybe that’s why it feels a bit more comfortable.’

With a full stomach, I immediately felt drowsy.

The sunlight was especially warm today, which added to the feeling.

‘Has spring already come…?’

As I counted the dates, I realized that in just two weeks, it would be early spring.

‘It’s the perfect season to clear out the old and bring in the new.’

I need to replace the maids of the Empress’s Palace to welcome spring.

“You there, call Lady Bertholdt.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shortly after the brief instruction, Lady Bertholdt appeared.

“Susan. What has become of what I instructed earlier?”

“I’ve compiled the list. There are 67 people who have even slightly suspicious aspects.”

“It’s well-timed with spring approaching. Inform the palace administration to proceed with reassigning all those on that list.”

“I will do so.”

Lady Bertholdt answered politely while glancing at Mereum.

It meant she wasn’t sure if it was okay to have this conversation in front of him.

To this, I deliberately stroked Mereum’s hair and spoke gently.

Mereum frowned again but didn’t push my hand away. He just clenched his fist tightly on his thigh.

‘He’s so well-behaved.’

He overlaps with the image of a predator whose fangs haven’t fully grown yet.

Perhaps it’s a personality that hides its claws even more because it knows it’s strong.

He’s really kind and righteous.

That’s why I found myself looking at him once more. It felt like if I took my eyes off him, he might get taken advantage of somewhere.

“It’s alright. Mereum can be trusted.”

“…I will comply.”

“Trust can’t be built immediately with a stranger, but try to make an effort to trust each other. If you two, who will be closest to me in my palace, don’t get along, it will be difficult for me. This is a request.”

I should call Lady Bertholdt separately later to have a talk.

If I explain how irritated Enrique would be just by Mereum being in the Empress’s Palace, her attitude might become a bit more amenable.

“Then, Your Majesty. What shall we do about the vacant positions?”

“The ones we’re dismissing now are not the personnel brought in by the Ahilo family, but the new hires for palace management, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“We do need to bring in new people again, but… I’m thinking of changing the method a bit.”

After pondering for a while, I decided to push forward with the image of me that would have been established through this recent banquet.

“Susan, your workload will increase a bit, but can you help?”

“Of course. Just tell me what to do.”

“Then let’s do this. Issue a nationwide announcement. Say that the Empress’s Palace is recruiting maids, and that we will select regardless of age or place of origin.”