“Isn’t it…?”

He shrugged once, then without much suspicion, took a sip from the tea I had warmed with my hands.

“Still, something feels off.”

Having taken his mouth off the teacup, he looked into it intently and said again.
At that moment, the door to the reception room opened.

“He’s here, the man without masculinity.”

Lionel, glancing at Prince Norton walking in, suddenly whispered in my ear.

Splutter!

Startled, I sprayed the black tea I had in my mouth like a fountain the moment our eyes met.

Surprisingly, both men’s hands appeared in front of me simultaneously.

Prince Norton took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me, while Lionel…

“Don’t worry. Luckily, the dress seems almost untouched.”

He held his large hand in front of my mouth.

Oh my! What a disgrace in front of a prince from another country. I am the Empress of the Raphion Empire, and I’m showing such a shameful appearance.

No, that’s one thing, but spitting tea in front of the Emperor’s hands—what on earth!

However, Lionel voluntarily put his hand over my mouth like a mask, so I guess it won’t be a problem later?

“You can wipe it with this.”
Prince Norton politely handed me his handkerchief once again.

“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”

As I raised my hand to receive Prince Norton’s handkerchief, Lionel swiftly snatched it away.

Lionel looked at me and Prince Norton with a bewildered expression.

“I blocked the tea coming out of the Empress’s mouth with my hand, so wouldn’t the handkerchief be more needed by me? Why, am I wrong?”

“…Well, there’s no way that would happen. Your Majesty, please use it freely. Hahaha!”

Prince Norton, with an embarrassed expression, laughed and spoke.

“Thank you. I’ll cherish this dearly.”

“Yes?”

“Oh, I misspoke. I have to wash it and return it.”

With a shy girl’s demeanor, he shook the handkerchief, and laughter erupted.

I, still wanting to wipe away the tea on my lips and cover my laughter, almost snatched the handkerchief from Lionel’s hand, saying, “Let me borrow it too. The tea is still flowing.”
I unfolded Prince Norton’s handkerchief and lightly tapped around my mouth.

“Empress, the tea might be on your throat too….”

Prince Norton, sitting in front of me, pointed to his right throat with his finger and cautiously said to me.

Come to think of it, I did feel a trickle of tea running down my collarbone as if it were flowing down my throat.

“Oh, thank you.”

I picked up Prince Norton’s handkerchief placed on my knee once again.

However, there was no need to use the handkerchief.

Lionel swiftly wiped away the tea flowing down my throat with the cuff of his own clothes.

I made eye contact with Prince Norton, who was sitting directly in front of me.

Prince Norton looked at Lionel’s actions with a puzzled expression, then carefully spoke.

“Since you’ll wash the handkerchief anyway, why use it? Why bother using the Empress’s sleeve instead?”

“No matter what, there’s always a part you can use a handkerchief for.”

Lionel solemnly stated, reciting it like a law.

“What do you mean by that…?”
Prince Norton asked in bewilderment, his eyes wide open.

“What are you talking about? It’s a reasonable suggestion.”

“Yes?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll wash my clothes anyway. Is that an answer?”

“Oh, yes… Your Majesty.”

Lionel, casually and naturally, redirected the conversation while looking at Prince Norton, who seemed taken aback.

“Wouldn’t the prince naturally participate in the hunt?”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you usually enjoy hunting?”

“I only hunt prey that needs to be caught.”

There was something substantial in Prince Norton’s words, as if there was a bone in it.

“Seems like you’re the type to designate a target and hunt.”

“That’s right.”

“Does that mean you’re skilled enough?”

Lionel asked, scrutinizing him up and down.

“You’re exaggerating.”

Knock, knock [dash].

The conversation was interrupted again by the sound of knocking, and this time it was a herald.

“Stian, what’s going on?”

“Your Majesty, the carriage from the Kingdom of Shatoynil has just entered the palace grounds.”

Where… the Kingdom of Shatoynil?

Prince Tesla has come?!
“Oh, right, I forgot to mention it to the Empress. Prince Tesla mentioned that he would briefly visit before the hunting competition.”

Lionel said to me with a gentle smile.

“I see…”

I couldn’t tell what expression I was making right now.

Although I had heard in advance from Duke Martens that Prince Tesla would visit the Laphion Empire during the hunting competition, I had no idea it would be today.

Despite appearing mild on the surface, my eyes were instinctively searching for something that could become a weapon.

Upon seeing Prince Tesla, I immediately wanted to point a knife at his vile throat.

Even if I had only a fountain pen in my hand, I was confident that I could cut off Tesla Prince’s breath in an instant.

There were questions I wanted to ask the prince.

Why did he do that to Bonus?

Where is she now?

“Stian, pay special attention since Prince Tesla is a guest from Shatoynil Kingdom, the Empress’s home country.”
“Is there a problem, Your Majesty? According to the report posted at the gate, besides Prince Tesla, one more person accompanied him.”

“Oh? Who is that?”

“It’s Princess Lyselia.”

!”

The princess came too?!

“Prince Tesla’s younger sister?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Oh, what a surprise!”

Due to my sudden rise, Stian, who was startled because of me, took a step back.

Well… it was because of me and Prince Norton.

I stood up abruptly due to the surprising news about Princess Lyselia accompanying us. But why did the prince stand up with such an excited expression? I was the one surprised by the news, not him.

“It seems the Empress is very pleased that guests have arrived from their homeland.”

Lionel also stood up from his chair and said.

Fortunately, he seemed not to notice my bewildered expression.

“But, Prince, why does your complexion look like that? Your face looks astonished?”

He narrowed his eyes and asked Norton.

I was also curious about the reason.
“I, I… Let’s stop talking about Princess Lyselia from the Shatoyanil Kingdom coming along. I heard rumors about her being an extraordinary beauty…”

As Prince Norton stumbled through his response, Lionel burst into laughter.

“Oh, you really have an honest side to you. Hahaha.”

“That’s right. If you’re a man, it’s only natural… isn’t it?”

Seeing Prince Norton, who had seemed relaxed all along, stutter in his speech made something click in my mind.

During his time as a mercenary knight in the Shatoyanil royal court, he must have fallen for Princess Lyselia the moment he laid eyes on her.

Well, men.

Suddenly, an uneasy feeling washed over me.

What if Lionel… falls for Princess Lyselia too?

The image of the princess’s beautiful face vividly appeared in my mind.

Sigh, it was amusing to worry about such obvious things.

There couldn’t be a man who wouldn’t fall for Princess Lyselia if he saw her.

Thud, thud, thud [dash].
My heart couldn’t overcome the anxiety and began to beat intensely.

Lionel spoke to me and Prince Norton,

“Shall we all go out to meet the guest?”

Then, he reached out his hand to me.

With him, I had to go and welcome Princess Lyselia.