“That’s not… what I was going to ask about… but I’m glad.”

Without realizing it, I picked up the teacup Catherine had been drinking from, then startled and put it back down.

“What was your original business then?”

Rinel asked, setting down his teacup on the saucer with a clink.

“I was worried all night after you left like that.”

“I’ll make sure to behave better from now on so the Empress won’t worry.”

Though his tone wasn’t angry, it definitely felt like he was drawing a line more than before.

“It seems I’ve come and disturbed you when you’re busy.”

“…”

“Now that I’ve confirmed Your Majesty is feeling better, I’ll take my leave.”

Though my words suggested I would get up right away, I continued sitting on the sofa staring at him.

I was mimicking exactly what he had done when he once came to my bedroom.

I should get up, but my bottom felt stuck to the sofa and wouldn’t move.

“I thought you were leaving.”

Rinel said in a puzzled tone, glancing at me after turning his head towards the window when I made no move.

“I’ll go. May I get up now?”

I asked as if I needed Rinel’s permission to stand up.

“Well, when are you going to get up then?”

He continued coldly.

“If someone heard, they’d think the Empress moves according to my words?”

He was mocking me, alluding to last night’s events.

I humbly accepted his incredulous expression and stood up from the sofa.

“Tonight… where are you planning to sleep?”

Ah, I wanted to sew my mouth shut as soon as I asked this question.

“I plan to rest wherever I want. The Empress doesn’t need to concern herself.”

Rinel replied curtly as he walked to the window.

Strangely, I didn’t feel hurt at all by his cold attitude.

Rather, my heart felt heavier and more apologetic.

“Then I’ll really be going now.”

I greeted Rinel’s back and turned around.

As I was leaving the office, I looked back once more at him standing by the window.

But at the same time, he was also looking back at me.

Just as he was about to move towards me, the office door closed.

Without realizing it, I reached out towards the office doorknob.

But then.

“I see the Empress here. I am Duke Eth Calios.”

An elderly voice sounded behind me.

Duke Calios?

He was the father of Catherine, the First Concubine.

“Nice to meet you, Duke Calios. Catherine was just in the office earlier, I’m not sure if you met her.”

“Yes, I saw her in front of the main palace. She is still an inadequate daughter. Please look kindly upon her in the future, Your Majesty.”

“Rather than me looking kindly on her, His Majesty should do so. Well then, shall we go in?”

I was uncomfortable with the very encounter with Duke Calios. So I tried to quickly end the conversation and turn away, but the Duke seemed to still have something to say to me.

“Though I call her inadequate, seeing tears in my child’s eyes weighs heavily on my heart. I suppose I’m just an unavoidable father.”

It was a strangely unpleasant voice.

It seemed to be saying that I was the cause of his daughter’s tears.

A warning to be careful.

Last night I had sent Rinel back so he could go to Catherine’s palace, but Catherine cried? Why?

“I can feel your love for Catherine. Well then, please speak with His Majesty, Duke Calios.”

I turned away, forcing a calm smile.

I left the main palace with an even heavier heart than when I had arrived earlier.

[This is the timeline separator]

In truth, I was more concerned about Rinel’s expression that seemed to have something to say just before the office door closed, than the hostility Duke Calios had shown me.

I couldn’t say anything to him after all.

That last night wasn’t my true feelings.

That I wanted to spend the night with him too.

I wanted to tell him that…

But I had to swallow my words at his statement that last night wasn’t bad.

I chewed on my lower lip, trying to control my emotions.

Just a few steps after leaving the main palace, I looked up at the floor where his office was.

Sharon lowered and raised her head several times, watching me carefully, before finally asking cautiously when our eyes met.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“No, not at all.”

I honestly expressed my feelings.

Gratefully, Sharon and the other two ladies-in-waiting tried to understand my mood.

“There’s a greenhouse in the palace. How about visiting there briefly for a change of mood?”

At her suggestion, Sollie and Teresa quickly chimed in.

“That’s a great idea!”

“I heard there are many plants there that clear your head!”

“There’s such a place?”

When I showed interest, Teresa stepped forward this time.

“Yes, I heard His Majesty also visits the greenhouse occasionally when he gets headaches!”

“Teresa, shh.”

“Always so tactless.”

Sharon and Sollie poked Teresa’s back, scolding her in ventriloquism.

They seemed to be reproaching Teresa for mentioning him to me when I was in a bad mood after just meeting Rinel.

“Alright, shall we go take a look?”

I smiled at Teresa as I spoke.

I happen to have a headache too, will it really help?

“Really? It’s not far from the main palace!”

“Yes, it would be good to take a brief look around. Let’s go.”

They couldn’t hide their excitement, saying they had never been inside the greenhouse either.

I pretended to talk with them while glancing at the 9 o’clock and 4 o’clock directions from the corner of my eye.

Someone had been following me since I left the main palace.

But the strange thing was, there wasn’t just one person tailing me.

For now, I didn’t show any reaction and moved towards where the greenhouse was.

[This is the timeline separator]

Passing the main palace, we entered the path to the rear garden.

Unlike the splendid main palace garden, a modest and peaceful place unfolded.

After admiring the maze-like landscaped garden, I turned my gaze to the distant fields.

According to Sharon, Rinel occasionally enjoys light rides on horseback in those fields.

“Your Majesty, it’s here.”

While taking in the surrounding scenery, we had already arrived at the greenhouse the ladies-in-waiting had mentioned.

The greenhouse was neither too large nor too small.

As we entered the greenhouse, air much cleaner than outside filled deep into my lungs.

Small canaries flew peacefully inside the greenhouse.

“The plants growing here are sensitive, so they wilt quickly if the temperature inside the greenhouse isn’t optimal.”

Sharon said, taking deep breaths repeatedly.

“So they’re picky plants, like nobles.”

At my words, they couldn’t laugh openly, but each covered their mouth with their hands and giggled.

“It’s surprising how much fresher the air is than outside.”

I lifted my head towards the ceiling of the greenhouse.

“This is my first time here too, it’s really amazing!”

Sharon exclaimed in admiration.

“Now that I think about it, Sharon, you wanted to come here so you suggested I visit, right?”

I narrowed my eyes on purpose as I questioned her, and Sharon jumped up, waving both hands.

Finding her reaction cute, I let out a small laugh.

I sensed someone behind me.

It seemed to be the person who had been tailing me since I left the main palace.

I waited for them to come closer.

If they posed a threat, I needed to protect the ladies-in-waiting beside me.

So I looked around, scanning for anything that could be used as a weapon.

There wouldn’t be anything usable as a weapon in a greenhouse.

Still, there were branches as thick as forearms here and there, so I’d have to use those if necessary.

‘They’re almost here.’

The spirit within me signaled.

I could feel that the person tailing me was now close by.

The three ladies-in-waiting didn’t seem to realize there was a stranger following us.

As we walked through the greenhouse, we reached a point where we had to turn right.

I deliberately lagged behind, pretending to smell the flowers, and once I confirmed there was some distance between me and the three ladies-in-waiting, I quickly turned around.

“Oh! Your Majesty!”

“…Who are you?”

Surprisingly, the person who had followed me to the greenhouse was one of Rinel’s concubines.

Moreover, she was one of the four young ladies who had come to my bedroom the day after the first night, offering to be my maid.

If my memory serves me right, she was the one who had been most polite and courteous among them.

“Lady Rosie Adelrid? Ah, not a lady anymore, but a concubine now…”

In the Raphion Empire, not only the Emperor but also the Empress could speak down to the concubines.

As I called Rosie’s name, showing recognition, she bowed deeply.

“Second Concubine Rosie Adelrid greets Your Majesty the Empress!”

There was no need to bow so deeply.

It was a gesture that contrasted starkly with Catherine, the First Concubine, whom I had met in the office earlier.

“Did you come to look around the greenhouse?”

I deliberately didn’t ask about her tailing me.

“Ah, yes! Although I’ve frequented the palace since childhood, I’ve never been inside the greenhouse, so I came out to see it.”

I nodded gently with a warm expression, pretending to believe Rosie’s lie.

“I see. Does Rosie feel like her head is clearer after coming here too? I think it’s having some effect on me.”

I started walking slowly through the greenhouse with her.

Although they were both Rinel’s concubines, my feelings towards Rosie were quite different from when I faced Catherine.

There was no unpleasant feeling at all, it just felt like being with a cute younger sister.

Moreover, Rosie didn’t have a hostile attitude towards me like Catherine did.

“Yes, I really feel like my mind is clearing. Um… Your Majesty. There’s something I’d like to apologize for first.”

Rosie’s expression, which had been smiling brightly in response to my question, suddenly darkened.

“Apologize? For what?”

“The other day… for entering Your Majesty’s bedroom without permission…”

“Ah, that time.”

“I, I thought it was already permitted! Even at the banquet!”

“I see.”

“Yes, the other ladies said that Your Majesty had ordered that it was okay to do so, so I believed it and went…”

“It’s alright. It’s already in the past. Besides, since you didn’t know, Rosie, there’s nothing for me to scold you about.”

I laughed it off lightly.

Rosie then looked at me with eyes full of emotion.

The light freckles spread across the bridge of her nose looked even cuter.

“Thank you! And actually… becoming a concubine wasn’t my intention either. I just wanted to sit in the library and read books all my life…”

This time, Rosie spoke in a truly tearful voice.

She lamented becoming a concubine as if she had been unjustly imprisoned.

“You must really love books. What kind of books do you usually read?”

When I brought up the topic of books, Rosie’s green eyes, which had been teary, sparkled with life.

“I read all kinds without discrimination! But the books I read the most and love are…”

Rosie, who had been speaking excitedly, hesitated when she was about to mention her favorite type of book.

“What kind of book do you read the most? Perhaps romance novels?”

“Ah, no!”

Rosie stammered, her face reddening with embarrassment.

“Why? I find them entertaining.”

When I opened up first, she finally smiled sheepishly and confessed that she does make sure to read popular romance novels.

But that’s not the type of book she reads the most, she said.

“Then what could it be? What genre does Rosie like the most? Feel free to tell me.”

I smiled, gently gripping Rosie’s arm.

After a moment’s hesitation, Rosie carefully opened her mouth.

“Since I was young, I’ve been studying healing magic on my own by reading magic books.”

“What? Healing magic?”

“Ah, well, it’s not really studying… just out of interest!”

Rosie answered, fidgeting with her hands shyly.

“That’s an impressive hobby, Rosie.”

I expressed sincere admiration.

It’s uncommon for a noble family’s daughter to study healing magic.

Among types of magic, healing magic was usually learned by doctors from lower noble families or intelligent commoners trying to earn money.

“I should ask Rosie if I’m not feeling well later.”

“How could I dare to be of help to Your Majesty the Empress?”

She refused while still smiling with her eyes, seeming pleased inside.

“Somehow I feel like I’ll be receiving a lot of help from you?”

“Thank you so much for saying that!”

Rosie’s gaze seemed to linger on the burn scar on the right side of my face.

“Ah, and actually, before the royal wedding, I—”

“We meet again here, Your Majesty the Empress?”

A sharp voice from somewhere drowned out Rosie’s words.

I frowned and turned my head towards the source of the voice.

It was Catherine.

So was Catherine the other person who had been following me earlier, besides Rosie?

“Well, Rosie. You’re already flattering the Empress excessively? Flattery should be done in moderation to be loved by those above you.”

Catherine approached closely and spoke, glaring at Rosie in front of me.

“Ca-Catherine, it’s not flattery, I was just…”

Rosie tried to refute Catherine’s accusation, but she was already intimidated by Catherine’s overbearing attitude.

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“…Huh?”

When Catherine asked in a very displeased tone, Rosie looked at her with a tense expression.

“Catherine? Did you just say Catherine?”

“Ah! So-sorry. I’m not used to it yet, so I made a mistake…”

I also belatedly realized why Catherine was being sharp with her from Rosie’s words.

I decided to observe their conversation a bit more.

“I think it would be better if we talk later… since Her Majesty the Empress is here now…”

Flustered, Rosie forgot to use honorifics with Catherine again.

“Right. Let’s talk later.”

Catherine nodded, agreeing to Rosie’s suggestion.

“But first, this.”

Slap—!

Catherine’s hand swiftly struck Rosie’s cheek.

A harsh sound echoed through the peaceful greenhouse.

Rosie’s neck whipped to the side.

I looked at Rosie and then shifted my gaze to Catherine.

…Oh my, look at this?