“Thank you, really thank you, Mama Roji!”

“It’s not because of you, Your Highness. I don’t know what’s going on, but the child is in danger, so that’s why…”

“I will never forget this favor.”

“Translate the ancient language books on the Southern Continent.”

Roji said in a broken tone.

“Yes?”

“Do it; there should be a way to come and go. Isn’t that right?”

After saying this bluntly, Roji added, looking at Rams.

“Of course, you must also explain this situation later.”

“Is that really enough for that?”

Prince Norton asked with a nonchalant tone.

“For other things… I’ll think about it later.”
“Yes, consider something other than interpreting ancient language. If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll do it.”

“Keep your promise. Otherwise, I’ll blow everything about the child! Whoosh, peekaboo?”

Quite the threat.

As Roji threatened Prince Norton, Rams whined, and she urged Rams with a series of “whoosh, peekaboo.”

The prince, deeply grateful for her dual attitude, watched her holding Rams for a while.

The next day.

She boarded a carriage heading to the Star Palace with Prince Calvin and his wife from the Parsa Empire on the Southern Continent, along with Lionel, to have tea time.

I actually had aversion towards Prince Calvin.

He sacrificed his own brother, the 1st prince, and welcomed his brother’s wife, Jesper, as his own wife, right?

I thought of him as a specimen showing how far a power-hungry person could go.

In general, it’s advisable to avoid people blind to power.

However, they were guests visiting the Laphion Empire, and I was the empress here, so I had an obligation to treat them as guests, putting aside personal feelings.

Inside the carriage heading to the Star Palace, Lionel brought up an interesting topic.

“Some say Prince Calvin killed the 1st prince not because he coveted the emperor’s seat but for another reason.”

“Not because he was crazy for power?”

I asked with a disdainful tone while looking out the carriage window.

“Yeah, it seems he was crazier for something other than power.”

“What was it?”

“His sister-in-law and now his wife, Jesper, the princess.”

“Seriously, did he do such a thing because of the princess?”

“He can keep her by his side only if the 1st prince is gone. Well, of course, he might have coveted the emperor’s seat too. After all, compared to the 1st prince, who was gentle in every aspect, Calvin is the rightful heir to the emperor.”

“Even so… falling in love with his sister-in-law and killing his brother for that.”

“Zelda, they didn’t fall in love.”

Lionel replied with a smirk.

“Really? Did Prince Calvin have a one-sided crush?”

“I don’t know. If you’re curious, you can ask him later.”

“I don’t want to risk my life with one question.”

I said, touching my neck with my hand.

“But, you know. Even if you don’t ask, you’ll feel it as they talk. Whether the two are in love or not.”

“Hmm… Well, anyway, Jesper, the prince’s wife, had feelings for him. Otherwise, would she have accepted her brother-in-law, who killed her husband, as her husband?”

As I spoke, I realized what a crazy story it was.

“Really? My thoughts are a bit different…”

Although Lionel’s tone was playful, his gaze somehow seemed serious.

“What do you mean? Do you think Jesper, the prince’s wife, had another lover?”

“Well, something like that.”

He smiled with an inexplicable meaning.
“What’s this, making me curious.”

As I extended my lips, he reached out, grabbed my ankle, and placed it on his thigh.

“I might not know much about Jesper, the prince’s wife’s secrets, but I know exactly about my wife’s secrets right now.”

Wondering what he was up to, he began massaging my leg with his large hands.

“Now… why are you doing this?”

“In case your legs hurt.”

“I’m just sitting quietly in the carriage.”

“Don’t nitpick. I just want to touch my wife’s legs a bit. Is that okay?”

He started rubbing my leg with his big hands.

“Then let me be rude on the other side.”

I willingly placed the other leg on his thigh.

“…This is the height of magnificence.”

While Lionel was grumbling that all the disgraceful moments in his imperial life were experienced due to me, he earnestly massaged my leg.

“Even if it’s magnificent, try to forgive me because my hands keep going.”

Ah, refreshing.

His massage skills were quite excellent.

However, the problem was that his touch was gradually moving up my legs.

Tea time took place at an outdoor table in the backyard of the Star Palace.

The unusually clear weather made my mood refreshingly pleasant.

And the meeting with Prince Calvin and his wife turned out to be less awkward than expected.

Especially, the way Prince Calvin cared for Jesper, his wife, was quite impressive.

How she felt, how much tea she was drinking, why she wasn’t touching the cake, and so on.

I thought he had no tears or blood in him, but in love, he showed traces of kindness. However, it didn’t justify what Prince Calvin had done.

My gaze was constantly directed towards Jesper, the prince’s wife.

She accepted Prince Calvin’s affection with kind words and expressions.

‘No matter how I look at it, it seems like the two love each other.’

That was my impression.

I occasionally glanced at Lionel, observing his expression.

His blue eyes, looking at the prince couple, had a mysterious light as if seeing something I couldn’t. Of course, maybe his gaze seemed more special because I loved his eyes so much.

“Ahaha.”

“Hoho.”

In the tea time of nobles and aristocrats, meaningless laughter often occupied half of the conversation.

Today was no exception.

Even the act of smiling seemed tiring by the time the servants brought the second round.

I looked down at the teacup and grinned.

It was vanilla coffee presented by Princess Lecelia of the Shartoneel Kingdom.

“Why don’t you try it? This is vanilla coffee I received as a gift from Princess Lecelia of the Shartoneel Kingdom.”

‘Why this coffee? Did Lionel find it delicious?’

But hearing his words, it didn’t seem to be about the taste.

“As you can see, it’s characterized by rich foam that doesn’t settle well. The taste, well, it’s not much different from other vanilla coffees.”
Prince Calvin and his wife took small sips of vanilla coffee as they listened to Lionel’s explanation.

“Haha, it’s a feast for the eyes too.”

Prince Calvin responded, looking at his wife with a lot of foam on his upper lip.

She smiled and wiped the vanilla foam off her lips, saying, “Really, Stian, did you convey the gift to Princess Lecelia earlier?”

Lionel asked the steward standing at a distance as he put down his coffee cup.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I conveyed it, saying it was a return for the vanilla coffee.”

“Well done.”

Nodding to Stian, he glanced at me.

“By the way, does the princess know that we’re here?”

I asked him in a low voice.

Lionel nodded briefly.

For some reason, it seemed like he intentionally leaked information to Princess Lecelia.

She wasn’t the type to stay quiet knowing that fact…

“It seems like it’s about time for her to appear.”

Muttering quietly for only me to hear, Lionel glanced subtly towards the back gate of the Star Palace.

A few minutes later, just as he guessed, Princess Lecelia appeared, walking gracefully while pretending to be surprised.

“Oh, what a coincidence? Your Majesty!”