Even though my burn scar on the right side of my face wouldn’t be visible to him, my shoulders hunched up tightly.

When I glanced at him, he lowered his hand that had been caressing my cheek.

Princess Resilia’s deliberate compliment about my facial skin continued.

“I’m most envious of Her Majesty the Empress’s flawless, fair face, you know?”

She said to him while stroking her own right cheek.

At Princess Resilia’s words, Prince Tessler quietly called out to her as if cautioning, ‘Resil,’ while glancing at me.

The princess pretended not to hear her elder brother and continued chattering to Rinel.

“Look, Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Empress’s skin shines and gleams more than pearls!”

“Fair skin… certainly enhances the Empress’s beauty.”

He nodded, agreeing with her words.

I looked at his smiling face and thought.

If he saw my face with the burn scar, what expression would Rinel make?

Would he smile gently like now?

“The princess seems to be right. I too fell for the Empress’s fair face.”

Ah…

He responded to Princess Resilia without taking his eyes off my face.

At his words, it felt like my heart sank.

Yes, if he had seen my burn scar, he wouldn’t have loved me.

Because all the nobles had done so, because even my family had turned away from me.

In a way, it was too natural.

With only one vial of magic potion left now, hearing such words made my anxiety grow and torment me more.

“Oh my, Your Majesty felt that way too? Your Majesty the Empress. You must keep maintaining that fair skin. Ohoho!”

Princess Resilia laughed coyly as she busily cut her steak and kept putting it in her mouth.

It seemed her appetite suddenly improved after exchanging words with Rinel about my weakness.

‘I need to go to the clinic as soon as possible to get new magic potions.’

That thought was all that filled my mind.

“News has spread that Prince Norton of the Partsha Empire is staying here, so other countries are arriving earlier than scheduled. Some have already departed. The prince would have heard that news today too?”

Rinel asked Prince Tessler directly while pouring him a glass of wine.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I received a report through Grand Duke Martins this morning.”

“What does the Shattonil royal family plan to do? It seems to have become a bit troublesome.”

As he said, Prince Tessler and Princess Resilia had planned to return to the Shattonil Kingdom tomorrow or the day after, then visit again next week when the Continental Hunting Competition is held.

“Since there’s been a change in the schedule, I think it would be better for us to continue staying at the annex and be together with the other countries’ dignitaries from the beginning.”

“That would be better. Going back and forth again would be quite troublesome too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“If you need anything, just tell the servants at the annex anytime.”

“Thank you, but I’ve already sent someone to the kingdom before coming to the Empress’s Palace. The necessary things will arrive in a few days.”

“With hunting competition supplies and things needed for living all prepared, you could have just used Raphion Imperial things?”

“I appreciate your words, but I had to send someone anyway since I left important things for the Shattonil royal family behind.”

Prince Tessler responded to Rinel and glanced at my face.

It was clearly a meaningful look, but I didn’t want to try to understand the prince’s intentions.

“Well, if that’s the case.”

He replied to Prince Tessler’s words and took my hand under the table.

“Empress, do you not have an appetite today? Are you not feeling well?”

“No, Your Majesty. I’m eating.”

I answered, stopping my nibbling with the fork.

“You should eat better than before. Since the dignitaries are arriving earlier than expected, the Empress will be busy too. If you don’t have an appetite, at least eat some fruit.”

Rinel said, pushing the fruit plates towards me.

Princess Resilia, who had been eating fruit, suddenly looked very displeased, as if she had eaten a bitter persimmon.

[This is the timeline separator]

After finishing lunch, Prince Tessler and Princess Resilia got in their carriage first and headed to the annex.

Princess Resilia had spoken as if she would tour the Empress’s Palace right after the meal, but she seemed to have lost interest already and boarded the carriage with the prince.

“We have time for a cup of tea.”

After seeing off the two siblings, Rinel suggested teatime to me.

But Raphael, the secretary standing behind him, showed reluctance and said,

“Your Majesty, if you have teatime now, you’ll have to run to the main palace again today.”

“Is that so?”

I looked up at him with a smirk.

“What’s the big deal about running? It’s good exercise.”

As he shrugged and spoke, Raphael’s face became deadpan.

“Instead of tea, I’ll walk with Your Majesty to the main palace, taking a stroll as well.”

I grabbed his arm as he was entering the Empress’s Palace lobby and turned him back towards the entrance.

Raphael then sent me an infinitely grateful look.

“I’m grateful if the Empress does that for me.”

We thus entered the garden path leading to the main palace, holding hands.

“When we arrive at the main palace, I’ll have a cup of coffee before leaving.”

“No. After safely escorting Your Majesty to the main palace, I plan to go to the greenhouse.”

Maybe because I had to deal with Prince Tessler and Princess Resilia at once, my head was throbbing.

I also needed time to organize my thoughts while walking through the fresh-air greenhouse.

“Alright then. Have you been to the greenhouse before?”

“Yes, my ladies-in-waiting told me before that there’s a place where your head clears. It was really refreshing.”

“Right? I also sometimes walk slowly around the greenhouse when I have headaches. Let’s go together sometime when you have time.”

“I’d like that.”

Red roses were in full bloom on both sides of the garden path we were walking along with Rinel.

Seeing the roses, I frowned as I recalled the scene from this morning in the bedroom when Prince Tessler poured the magic potion into the flower vase.

As a gentle breeze blew, the scent of roses became even stronger.

“Hey, how far are you going to escort me?”

He asked, firmly tucking our clasped hands against his side.

[This is the timeline separator]

On the garden path, he had said to escort him to the grand conference hall inside the main palace, but when we actually reached the main palace entrance, he bid farewell.

“I’ll let you go here.”

Rinel said as he released my hand, as if he had made a decision after much deliberation.

“I’ll leave when you let me go.”

“Why? We agreed I’d escort you to the conference hall.”

“If I go that far with you, I feel like I’ll want to take you inside the hall too.”

“…Ah.”

“Why, do you have any thoughts? You can sit next to me if you want.”

He asked, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“You want me to sit like a doll next to Your Majesty and bear the piercing gazes of the ministers?”

“Should I tell them all to bow their heads? Or make everyone turn and sit facing the other way?”

“Your Majesty, please pay attention to the secretary’s expression when you speak.”

I gestured towards Raphael’s face, who was wiping away cold sweat every time he made an outlandish remark, as I spoke to him.

“It’s his job to look troubled when I spout nonsense, so what?”

Rinel replied nonchalantly.

“I’m honored that you acknowledge it, Your Majesty…”

Raphael chimed in timidly with a sullen expression from behind him.

When he turned around, Raphael’s scrunched face smoothed out at an amazing speed. It was an incredibly quick change of expression.

“Have a good rest of your day. We’ll meet again soon.”

Rinel bid farewell as if he was embarking on a long journey.

That was fine until then, but seeing him pinch and hold onto the hem of my dress made it hard to leave.

“Please go in now.”

“Shall we not be so clingy?”

Ah, my heart aches because this man looks too lovable.

“Ugh, it’s the mood. I’ll escort you to the central staircase.”

I took his hand again and entered the main palace lobby.

“How nice for you…”

As Raphael offered ambiguous congratulations to the grinning Rinel, unsure if it was sincere or mocking,

“Yes, it’s worth clinging on.”

He replied in a very satisfied voice.

In the end, I walked with him to the front of the central staircase.

“This is as far as I go. Now please really go up.”

“Zelda, thank you for escorting me.”

Even common words sound refreshingly novel when spoken through the mouth of His Majesty the Emperor of Raphion.

Looking at his expression made me feel as if I had done something amazing.

“I humbly report that it seems Her Majesty the Empress must turn away first for Your Majesty to ascend the stairs.”

Raphael, after watching us stand motionless for a minute just swinging our joined hands, spoke to me with a face full of patience.

“No, I should go up first.”

Rinel said firmly as he let go of my hand.

“Really?”

“Really?”

Raphael and I asked simultaneously.

“Yes. You know, I once overheard some young ladies talking at a party? Apparently my back view is quite handsome.”

“…Pardon?”

I tilted my head, wondering what he was talking about.

“There’s a rumor that several chins have dropped from seeing my back view, so the Empress is lucky. You can look as much as you want.”

“It’s an honor.”

I curtsied slightly, holding back laughter.

Rinel, as if he still had something to say, beckoned me closer with one foot on the stairs.

When I took a step closer, he whispered in my ear.

“They say my butt in particular is to die for. Judge for yourself and report back tonight.”

“…I shall obey the command.”

He patted my shoulder and went up the stairs with Raphael.

To faithfully carry out the order, I kept my eyes fixed on his back view, beginning to judge the veracity of what the young ladies had allegedly whispered at the party.

The back of his head, creating anticipation of when he might turn around.

The harmony of his broad shoulders and wide back, the straight waistline, and the firm hip line rising below.

Everyone has an accurate eye…

The young ladies’ opinion was clearly fact.

I closed my jaw that had unknowingly dropped open and left the main palace.

[This is the timeline separator]

Amazingly, within just a few minutes of stepping into the greenhouse, my heavy head felt much lighter.

But the weight of anxiety caused by having only one magic potion left was not alleviated.

I took deep breaths in and out repeatedly while slowly walking through the greenhouse interior.

I need to visit the ‘Proud Night’ clinic as soon as possible…

Since the dignitaries were said to be arriving earlier than planned, I had to hurry.

Moreover, after the schedule in Raphion Empire, the starting point of this competition, ends, the hunting journey heading to Partsha Empire in the Southern Continent, the destination, will begin.

So I need to secure at least the minimum amount to consume during the period of the Continental Hunting Competition.

I can’t send servants to purchase magic potions, so I have to go myself or…

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

A familiar voice suddenly called out.

That voice belonged to the person I had just thought of, so I was even more startled.

“Grand Duke, how did you…”

“I recently remembered hearing from Raphion ministers about a nice greenhouse in the imperial palace, so I came on a whim.”

Grand Duke Martins said as he walked steadily towards me.

“Ah, I see.”

I nodded, thinking to myself that this was perfect timing.

“I actually had something I wanted to consult with you about, Grand Duke.”

“My, it seems the Empress and I are on the same wavelength.”

“What do you mean?”

“I also had something to tell Your Majesty the Empress, so actually…”

The Grand Duke leaned slightly towards me and whispered.

“I was tailing you.”

“Me?”

When I asked with wide eyes,

“Yes. So please send away those around us for a moment.”

Grand Duke Martins said, glancing at the servants nearby.

I ordered all the servants, including Sharon, to wait in front of the greenhouse entrance.

After the servants withdrew, I began slowly walking through the greenhouse with Grand Duke Martins.

I spoke of my business first.

“Prince Tessler secretly entered my bedroom this morning.”

“…Really?!”

Judging by his surprised expression, it seemed Prince Tessler hadn’t said anything to the Grand Duke.

“I know you met with the prince this morning to deliver news that the Southern Continent countries are moving up their schedules, Grand Duke.”

“Yes, I met him to report on that matter.”

“Didn’t the prince say anything about me?”

“Not at all. Did something… happen?”

Grand Duke Martins asked, examining my complexion.

“I only have one magic potion left now.”

I said straightforwardly.

“Could it be… the prince took a potion vial? Haah.”

He shook his head as if he understood without needing to hear more.

“He asked me to show him trust. I was angry at the vile threat, but I had no choice but to let it go. Of all times, His Majesty happened to visit the Empress’s Palace then…”

The scene of Prince Tessler taking the magic potion vial from my hand with a feeble smile flashed through my mind, making the back of my neck stiffen.

“Right. It’s prone to misunderstanding to encounter each other in the bedroom, not the reception room or audience chamber. Unless Your Majesty the Empress and the prince are close siblings.”

“Yes, the situation was even worse since I was only wearing a bathrobe.”

“Oh my.”

Grand Duke Martins narrowed his eyes and quietly clicked his tongue.

“In the moment, with an attitude of ‘let whatever happens happen’ out of anger, I tried to endure, but then the prince brought up Bonis and threatened me.”

I said, clenching my fists.

“Um… Your Majesty the Empress.”

Grand Duke Martins interrupted me and stopped walking.

He had an expression as if he had something to say to me.

“On the list Prince Tessler sent to the Shattonil Kingdom today, detailing necessary items for the hunting competition period… that young lady’s name was included.”

“…W-what did you say?”