“Whoa.”

Rinel grabbed the wrists of Melanie, who was approaching him with her arms flailing, with one hand, and turned his head towards the secretary.

“Raphael, is it prescribed by law? That the emperor must spend the first night with the concubine.”

“There’s no such law. Only the first night with the empress is regulated by law.”

Raphael responded to him, stealing a glance at Melanie who was whining.

“So the law says.”

Rinel spoke to her soothingly.

“Calm down and go back to bed and rest.”

Rinel calmed her down again.

“But… since you came here…”

When Melanie kept on pleading, he turned his head back towards Raphael.

At this, Raphael began to recite content recorded about the emperor’s first night with the concubines, as if he had been waiting.

“It is embarrassing to report… records remain that there were altogether two thousand of those whom the previous emperors took into their concubines and never met even once.”

I wondered why Raphael memorized such useless knowledge, and it seemed he did it to use in cases like this.

“Melanie, congratulations.”

Rinel spoke, patting her shoulder.

“Congratulations? Your Majesty, are you planning to stay at my place tonight? Oh, how wonderful!”

Melanie bounced joyfully on the spot.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

He mimicked Melanie’s coquettish tone and promptly dashed her hopes.

“Excuse me? Does that mean… you didn’t mean it?”

“It meant congratulations on meeting me today. The number of concubines that the previous emperors never met is two thousand, right? You should be congratulated because at least you’re not part of that.”

“Eee.”

“You seem like you’d be good at running. Considering how you keep crying like a horse.”

“Your Majesty!”

Melanie called to him with a voice mixed with despair.

“From now on, don’t roll down the stairs, run in the field beyond the garden.”

“Whew.”

She pouted at Rinel’s cold expression and shook her head mercilessly.

By now, I seriously doubted whether Melanie wasn’t a horse in her past life.

I wanted to tell Sharon to bring some carrots and give them to Melanie.

“Empress, we should go.”

Rinel sighed and tenderly turned my back.

“But, but! You visited Catherine Mama’s place yesterday, didn’t you?”

As I was about to turn around with him, Melanie cried out desperately.

“Who said that? I went to her place.”

Rinel asked, turning to look at her.

“Excuse me? Then neither Catherine nor Catherine Mama yesterday…”

“Yes, she probably slept alone. She didn’t roll down the stairs like someone.”

Rinel added to her, to just go to bed and lie down.

“So when will you come to my place?”

Upon hearing Melanie’s earnest voice from behind, he replied without hesitation.

“When I hear the news that you didn’t roll down the stairs and jumped up them in one go, then I will visit again.”

It meant he wouldn’t come.

As I was led by his hand to leave, I took a quick look back at Melanie.

She was making a dejected face with her hand in the air, repeating ‘ah, ah…’ with a look of regret.

It was a moment when one more concubine who considered me an enemy, following Catherine, increased.

“You could have spoken a little warmer.”

As soon as we left Melanie’s place with him, I told him.

“I did my best. Don’t scold me.”

Rinel looked up at the full moon and replied.

“How could I dare to scold you.”

“Zelda, haven’t you already committed too many ‘dare’ things to me? Even in the main bedroom.”

He grabbed his chin and opened and closed his mouth wide, glancing down at my feet.

“My mouth still hurts.”

“……Should I roll somewhere like Melanie?”

“Yes.”

He seemed to have been waiting for my joking remark.

“The place where the empress rolls, I’ll decide.”

“……”

A cold man indeed.

“Please, somewhere not too harmful.”

“You won’t get hurt. I won’t leave you to roll alone either.”

He quickened his step, wrapping my shoulder.

“Let’s go, to roll.”

“Where is that?”

“Do you need to know right now?”

“I have to prepare myself. Is it a place you can’t tell me now?”

“There’s no place I can’t.”

Rinel readily replied and then looked back.

Then, suddenly, he gave an order to the attendants following us.

“Everyone, turn around, raise your heads, and take a moment to admire that full moon!”

What in the world was that about?

Caught off guard by the emperor’s abrupt command, the servants, just like me, were all whispering among themselves.

“I know you all have many duties that require you to bow your heads throughout the day. This is a moment for you to raise your heads and appreciate that beautiful full moon.”

At Rinel’s words, the servants sent him looks of admiration.

“Everyone, raise your heads. Look at the full moon and purify your hearts!”

“Your Highness, we are deeply moved by your profound wisdom.”

“We are taken aback by Your Majesty’s thoughtfulness.”

“What a beautiful night, Your Majesty!”

Not just Rinel’s servants, but my servants joined in praising him as well.

“Alright, everyone turn your backs. Don’t lower your heads or turn around until I give the command. Do you understand?”