I managed to avoid friction with the dukes due to my choice last night, but I haven’t solved Rinel’s hurt feelings yet.

Maybe it will never be solved.

Even if I leave this place, I want to get along with him until then.

His face, wounded last night, was really awful.

“Sharon, what time would His Majesty be doing now?”

I asked weakly while receiving the threehour makeup at the dressing table.

“At this time, he’s probably having tea time in his office or his reception room.”

“Is that so…..”

“Empress, may I?”

Sharon, Solly, Teresa, the three servants exchanged glances, and then Sharon stepped forward and spoke carefully.

“Hmm? Do you have something to say?”

“Well… I know it’s overstepping, but according to a close servant working in the main palace, His Majesty is alone in his office now.”

“Is that so?”

“It seems there won’t be any visitors after lunch today. So, if you go to the main palace now…”

“Sharon.”

“I’m, I’m sorry, Your Majesty! I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous, making you uncomfortable…”

“Let’s go to the main palace right now!”

Just as Solly’s hair finishing was done, I stood up from the dressing table chair without hesitation.

I felt an instinctive need to see him right away.

“Yes? Oh, yes!”

Sharon’s face brightened up again.

“Let’s go!”

Solly quickly put down the comb she was holding on the dressing table and opened the bedroom door.

“Wait a minute, Your Majesty!”

This time, Teresa, who was in charge of makeup, stopped me from going out of the bedroom, applied pink lipstick that matches my eye color, and shouted ‘Let’s go now!’

I walked to the main palace at a somewhat brisk pace with the more excited servants.

From the moment we entered the main palace lobby, we slowed our pace to catch our breaths.

“Please inform him that the Empress has arrived.”

Upon arriving in front of the office, Sharon spoke to Raphael, the Emperor’s direct secretary, with a stern tone.

Raphael seemed very flustered at my appearance.

“Yo, Your Majesty! Uh, just a moment… Oh, I’m sorry! There’s currently someone in the office…”

“Oh, is he meeting with the dukes?”

It was possible that someone had requested an audience with Rinel before I came to the main palace.

“It’s not a duke… The First Concubine Catherine entered a little earlier.”

Raphael said, looking rather awkward and glancing at me.

Unlike the composed me, the three servants standing beside me simultaneously put their hands on their waists and glared at Raphael.

Innocent Raphael seemed rather oppressed by their intense gaze.

“What does Catherine, who I know went to her quarters last night, want in his office today?”

I started speaking calmly, but my voice gradually grew louder.

“In fact, last night, His Majesty…”

Just as Raphael was about to answer my question, the office door opened.

The servant who brought in the tea came out with an empty tray, and upon seeing me, was startled and greeted me with the office door still open.

“Oh my, Your Majesty!”

Because of that, I was able to see Rinel and Catherine sitting opposite each other, drinking tea, through the gap in the door.

This is troublesome. I was about to leave…

Rinel and I made eye contact.

Following his gaze, Catherine turned her head toward me.

Catherine, who had been smiling brightly, scrunched up her glamorous features when she saw me.

Sharon and Raphael seem to be tense about this situation, their swallowing sound seemed to reach my ears.

“What brings the Empress to the office at this time…?”

Rinel said, rising from the sofa.

“Come in.”

At first, he seemed surprised, but then he greeted me with an icier voice than usual.

“I thought you were alone.”

I said, peeking at Catherine as I walked into the office.

Catherine slowly rose to her feet, then stopped halfway in a perfunctory bow towards me.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

As always, Catherine did not bow to me today.

I needed to check whether she had iron rods in her neck.

I gave her a hypocritical smile and then turned my attention back to Rinel.

“Sit down.”

He offered me a seat.

Even though he showed respect for the Empress, he seemed deliberately avoiding my eyes.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I hesitated for a moment about which seat to take.

Whether to sit on the same sofa as Catherine, or to sit next to Rinel.

Deciding it would be better to face him directly rather than face Catherine, I sat down next to Catherine.

“Your Majesty the Empress, you seem to be in good health today?”

Did he know that Rinel was in the imperial palace last night and went back to his place, and was he making fun of me because of that?

Is that why he is mocking me now?

I shrugged and peeked at Catherine.

“Really? I had a good sleep last night.”

Though I looked as if I hadn’t slept a wink, I lied to Catherine and smiled brightly.

But now Rinel seemed upset.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at me.

Both of them, who had spent last night together, were very cautious when looking at me.

The person who spent the long night alone was actually me, why are they behaving like this?

“I’ve said enough to Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave now, Your Majesty, Empress.”

At Catherine’s more bitter tone, I momentarily clenched my fist, almost hitting her neck.

Looking at her now, Catherine’s eyes were as bloodshot as mine.

‘How little sleep must the Emperor have had last night for his eyes to be that red?’

My inner anger, which had been smoldering since dawn, mocked.

Catherine walked out of the office as gracefully as a bird.

Her back seemed to be full of thorns.

As soon as the thorn left, a sharper gaze was waiting for me.

“Empress, what happened?”

“Your Majesty, last night…”

“It wasn’t bad.”

“!”

Rinel spoke before my question was finished.

A response I didn’t want to hear or know.

“Weren’t you curious about that?”