As I arrived at the Empress’s palace and entered the bedroom, fatigue washed over me.

They say emotional exhaustion is more draining than physical exertion, and that was exactly right.

I felt it would be less tiring to train swordsmanship all day in the training grounds.

“Your Majesty, here is some Asaka tea, good for calming the mind and relieving fatigue.”

As Sharon brought me tea to start, Solié applied pressure to her fingertips, saying she would give me a head massage, and Theresa took my hand and began kneading it, saying these noble hands had overexerted themselves in the greenhouse.

As the three ladies-in-waiting clustered around me chattering, they casually brought up Rinel.

“It seems His Majesty really didn’t go to Lady Catherine’s palace last night!”

“I knew His Majesty wouldn’t go!”

“My goodness, is that why Lady Catherine was so upset and took it out on Lady Rosie?”

They poured out all at once the words they had been saying on the way back from the greenhouse to the Empress’s palace.

I merely shrugged towards them as they showed great interest.

When my reaction was unsatisfactory, they changed the topic and started talking about the lesson I had given Catherine.

“It was so satisfying!”

“I don’t think I’ll feel stuffy for the next 10 years.”

“There were so many moments I wanted to capture in a painting… Heehee.”

The three ladies-in-waiting took turns praising me as if I were a war hero.

Oh my, if they saw me wielding a sword, they’d probably worship me as a god.

They raised their voices, saying they had sworn lifelong loyalty to me as they left the greenhouse.

This went on for 30 minutes.

“But…”

“By the way…”

“Anyway…”

Sharon, Solié, and Theresa’s topic returned to His Majesty’s whereabouts last night.

“Where on earth did His Majesty go last night?”

Sharon asked pensively.

“Indeed.”

My answer was very brief compared to their long curiosity.

I stared blankly at the bed that looked even wider today, lost in thought for a moment, then gestured to Sharon.

“Sharon, I need to go to the main palace.”

“The main palace? Do you have an errand to run? Or is there something you need from there…?”

“Yes.”

“Just say the word, I’ll go right away and bring it!”

“I need him.”

“Yes, I’ll bring His Majesty right awa… Pardon?”

Sharon’s jaw dropped in shock.

“Leave His Majesty be, just go and meet with his secretary, Raphael.”

“The secretary?”

“Yes, I’ll be going to the main palace later.”

“Th-that means!”

“Yes, tell him I’ll be going to His Majesty’s bedroom tonight.”

“Kyaaak!”

At my words, the three ladies-in-waiting started hitting each other frantically, then suddenly broke into a silent dance, even stomping their feet in a frenzy.

“Yes! I’ll go to the main palace right away and meet with Lord Raphael.”

“Ah, Sharon. On second thought, another lady-in-waiting could do it.”

I laughed watching Sharon who was so excited, then suddenly realized there was no need for her to go all the way to the main palace herself.

But Sharon had already moved several steps away from me, looking ready to dash to the main palace right away.

“No! Such an important message must be delivered by me personally. I’ll go tell Lord Raphael directly, word for word!”

“There’s no need to rush like that though…”

Before I could finish speaking, Sharon lifted her dress skirts and ran out of the bedroom at full speed.

I stared blankly at Sharon’s retreating figure, then burst into laughter along with Solié and Theresa who remained by my side.

“Why is… Zelda doing this?”

Rinel began experiencing emotional instability after the Empress’s lady-in-waiting Sharon had visited.

He paced restlessly near the window of his office without stopping.

After pacing for several dozen minutes already.

He stopped abruptly in front of Secretary Raphael, who was standing with a bored expression in front of the desk, his back to the sunset streaming through the window.

“Raphael.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Raphael had been rolling his eyes following the Emperor’s movements for 10 minutes and was just about to turn his gaze to the desk to organize some documents, exhausted.

“No, nothing.”

Rinel, who was about to say something, started pacing again.

Raphael’s eyes began following Rinel again, but this time he spoke to the Emperor first.

“Your Majesty? If I may be so bold to say…”

“What is it that’s so bold this time?”

“You look more anxious than when war broke out in the Valley of Death.”

“That’s actually true.”

“Are you serious?”

“I wish it were a lie.”

Rinel stopped walking again and raised his right hand to his left chest.

“Why is my heart pounding like this when she’s not even here? Why, why do you think that is?”

“Well, I suppose it’s due to the anticipation of meeting her later.”

“Oh, as expected, you’re capable.”

Rinel pointed at Raphael with his finger, giving him a look of admiration.

“Your Majesty, there’s something I don’t quite understand and would like to ask. Why… are you so excited?”

“What?”

“I mean, isn’t it strange? This isn’t your first night with the Empress, so why are you more nervous than before your wedding night? I simply can’t understand.”

Raphael clearly remembered.

How unimpressed Emperor Rinel had been right up until the royal wedding ceremony.

Yet since the wedding night, he had been getting stranger as time passed.

First, he started smiling to himself more often while handling state affairs.

Instead, he would be lost in his own thoughts with a peaceful expression during difficult meetings with ministers.

As his closest aide, Raphael could clearly tell it was a completely different smile from his usual sneering at the ministers.

“You wouldn’t understand since you’re not married yet.”

Rinel waved his hand dismissively at Raphael.

“Forgive my impudence, but while I may not be married, when it comes to dating experience, it’s not comparable to Your Majesty’s brief married life…”

“Ah, right. Wasn’t your nickname ‘The Open Pants of the Imperial City’? I forgot.”

Rinel readily acknowledged Raphael’s claim.

“Your Majesty, I may have been ‘The Open Wallet of the Imperial City’ at one point, but I’ve never gone around with open pants!”

“Right. Well thought. That would be rather unsightly.”

“…Anyway. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that while I may change partners frequently, I focus on one person when I’m dating them?”

“Your dating style isn’t important right now. Give me a diagnosis of why I’m like this.”

Rinel sat on the edge of the desk with one hand on his chest and spoke seriously to Raphael.

“What… diagnosis are you talking about? Should I call a doctor if your heart isn’t well?”

“Why a doctor.”

“Ah, I suppose bringing the Empress would be better than a doctor.”

“You’re a great physician.”

“That’s the highest praise you’ve given me so far. It’s all thanks to the Empress! Should I go bring her right now instead of waiting until night?”

“As expected, you’re capable.”

He patted Raphael’s shoulder, more satisfied with his opinion than ever before.

“But… hearing that makes my heart beat even faster.”

Rinel muttered, tapping his chest again with his hand.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for speaking out of turn again, but…”

“What’s so out of turn this time?”

“Are you really that nervous about the Empress coming to your bedroom in the main palace?”

“…Ah, stop! Don’t say it so directly.”

“Pardon? Why are you like this?”

“I’m already imagining it…”

Rinel’s cold face turned red.

“No, what on earth are you imagining that’s making your face turn as red as those barbarians from the southern continent…?”

“I suppose my barbaric imagination is showing on my face.”

Rinel stroked his flushed face shyly.

“Well, no woman has ever visited Your Majesty’s bedroom before, right?”

“Right, never. Except for my mother and wet nurse. And that was when I was young, so the memories are hazy.”

“And certainly no woman has visited at night.”

Rinel reacted intensely to Raphael’s words.

“That’s exactly it!”

The reason his heart was pounding.

“Yes, today will be a historic day.”

Rinel nodded solemnly at Raphael’s words, which he was trying to say without laughing.

“But why is the Empress suddenly… coming to my bedroom? Does she have something urgent to say?”

“If she had something to say, she wouldn’t have said she’d come to the main palace, to Your Majesty’s bedroom, late at night.”

Rinel’s eyes sparkled again at Raphael’s opinion.

“Right?”

“But who knows?”

Rinel’s brows furrowed as Raphael flipped his palm and gave the opposite opinion.

“What don’t we know.”

“She might be coming to quietly confront you about bringing in concubines.”

“Ah, right, that issue. Is that it? Is that why she’s coming?”

The corners of Emperor Rinel’s smiling mouth drooped.

Then soon the corners of his mouth crept up again.

“But the fact that my heart keeps pounding, does it mean I’m really not in my right mind right now?”

“…Wow! You always make such objective and wise judgments, I admire you greatly. Your Majesty, then I’ll take my leave now.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Rinel, who had been staring out the window, called out to Raphael as he was leaving the office.

“Raphael.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“So what you just said, you agree that I’m not in my right mind right now?”

“…I love you, Your Majesty.”

Raphael blew a finger heart to Rinel and quickly opened the office door and left.

Time was passing too quickly.

Although I had sent word that I would visit Rinel’s bedroom tonight, I was already worried before even going to the main palace.

Sharon, who had returned from meeting Secretary Raphael at the main palace, repeated the same story over and over like a parrot, imitating Rinel’s reaction each time.

“I never dreamed His Majesty would come out of the office into the secretariat!”

When I said to Sharon, ‘It’s almost time to go to the main palace, isn’t it?’, she started reenacting again.

It seemed like there was a replay button hidden somewhere inside Sharon.

“He raised his chin solemnly like this and said, ‘What’s the matter?’ as he came out! Actually, I deliberately spoke loudly against the office door crack to deliver Your Majesty’s message, but I didn’t expect him to come out in person!”

Sharon described the moment Rinel opened the office door most dramatically.

Surprisingly, Solié and Theresa were also listening to this part with the most interest every time.

“He really didn’t look upset…?”

I was also asking this for the fifth time already.

“Of course not! He was surprised, but he didn’t look upset at all. He opened his eyes wide like this and asked me directly!”

Sharon’s eyes also widened again as she imitated Rinel’s expression.

“Oh my, it’s already time! Your Majesty, it’s time to get ready now.”

Sharon said combatively, rolling up her sleeves.

The three ladies-in-waiting began to actively use their specialties.

“Your Majesty, I must sprinkle some fragrant Adeline petals in the bathtub! It also has the effect of improving your hair!”

Solié, the former gardener in charge of hairstyling, ran to the bathroom.

“I’ll prepare the perfumed oil in advance! His Majesty’s hand will slide all the way to your toes as soon as he touches your shoulder, it’s so soft!”

Theresa, the former painter in charge of my makeup, also moved busily.

“I’ll pick out the dress you’ll wear while you take your bath, Your Majesty. And the robe you’ll wear over it!”

Sharon also headed towards my private dressing room with an excited face, then paused in her steps and turned back to me.

“Um… Your Majesty, is it alright if I prepare a very, very simple dress that’s easy to put on and take off?”

Sharon waited for my command with an expectant expression, clasping her hands together.

After a brief pause, I spoke solemnly to Sharon in a firm voice.

“Sharon, I’m disappointed. What on earth are you saying!”

“Y-Your Majesty…?”

Holding back my laughter at Sharon’s startled expression, I continued.

“Haven’t I… always trusted your judgment and worn what you recommend? Why are you asking? It’s unlike you.”

As I winked and whispered, Sharon covered her mouth with both hands and giggled, then ran straight to the dressing room.