“I think Princess Bonith might be coming along with the luggage carriage being sent from the Kingdom of Chatuoniel.”

For a while, I lost my words and just stared intently at Grand Duke Martins’ face.

Is Bonith really coming here, to the Rapion Imperial Palace?!

Feeling a mix of bewilderment and gladness, I momentarily forgot to breathe before regaining my composure.

“Grand Duke, why… are you telling me this?”

“Didn’t you say before that the princess was dear to Her Majesty the Empress?”

“That’s right. I mean, why are you helping me?”

“What do you mean?”

Grand Duke Martins tilted his head askew as he asked, then immediately continued speaking.

“I haven’t helped you with anything yet.”

“No, just telling me about Bonith is help enough.”

“I don’t know what Prince Tessler was thinking when he ordered that princess to be brought here. Still, I thought you should know. And about Princess Bonith…”

“Yes, I’ll keep what I know a secret.”

If I were to ask Prince Tessler about Bonith coming here first, the prince would suspect Grand Duke Martins for the leak of information, and that would put the Grand Duke in an awkward position.

“No, that’s not what I meant. The prince will likely try to use Princess Bonith as a card for blackmail or persuasion. So Her Majesty the Empress should avoid mentioning that princess as much as possible, and think of alternatives in advance to deal with it well. That’s what I meant.”

“I’ll do that. Thank you.”

I conveyed my sincere gratitude.

Grand Duke Martins cleared his throat awkwardly, then furrowed his brow again.

“Ah, and we should have the magic potion prepared before setting out on the hunt.”

“Will it be possible? It will be, right?”

As the topic of the magic potion came up, my heart grew anxious again.

“Didn’t you say you made a reservation at the clinic’s treatment room then?”

“I did, but that magician Big said what I take isn’t something that can be made quickly. So I’m a bit worried.”

“I’ll send someone… no, I’ll meet that person myself.”

“Really… you’ll do that for me?”

I asked, half in doubt at Grand Duke Martins’ unexpected kindness.

“Yes, so don’t worry too much. Your Majesty.”

“Thank you. Please move as quickly as possible.”

“I will do so.”

The Grand Duke’s face, which usually looked only hateful, seemed quite reliable today.

It couldn’t be helped. Right now, Grand Duke Martins was the only person I could discuss this matter with.

The fact that he tipped me off about Bonith also played a part.

It seemed like today was the first time I was looking at Grand Duke Martins’ face without furrowing my brow.

“By the way, Grand Duke, you’ve gotten a new wound?”

I pointed to the wound that had appeared on his right cheek.

It was a wound that looked like something had lightly grazed it.

“Ah, this is a kind of proof.”

“What kind of proof?”

“Proof that I’m very good at judging people. Proof that my choice was right.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You don’t need to understand. Come to think of it, I’ve gotten a wound in a similar position to Your Majesty… We’ve gained a commonality.”

Grand Duke Martins said as he placed his hand on the wound on his right cheek.

“I can’t acknowledge that.”

“Haha, why not?”

When I spoke seriously, the Grand Duke laughed briefly and asked.

“The Grand Duke’s wound will soon disappear, but the wound on my face has left a scar. Though right now, I’ve temporarily made it disappear by taking the magic potion.”

I also touched the area of the burn scar that had been on my right cheek.

“Are you trying to match me with just that level of wound?”

As Grand Duke Martins made a bitter expression on my behalf, I was able to laugh, albeit hollowly.

I started walking inside the greenhouse with the Grand Duke again. A moment later, I lowered my voice and said,

“Yesterday, I accidentally saw a servant from the West Palace being murdered in the Empress Palace’s rear garden. I think it’s related to Prince Tessler.”

Grand Duke Martins, who had been walking while looking straight ahead, glanced at my face.

I told him everything that had happened last night, including that Prince Norton had witnessed it too.

“The position where Prince Norton saw that servant was at Concubine Pecilini’s quarters. I think Concubine Pecilini is likely Prince Tessler’s puppet. What do you think?”

Unlike me, who was relaying the information seriously, the Grand Duke seemed calm.

“Yes, that’s right. I was about to tell you about it today, actually.”

Grand Duke Martins said calmly.

“Ah, you already found out? But Prince Norton… will he be alright? What if he tells the prince about meeting me last night…”

“Yes, he’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about that part.”

The Grand Duke spoke as if he knew what I was worried about, trying to reassure me.

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’ve already heard about last night from Prince Norton.”

“Are you two… acquainted?”

Come to think of it, when I first met Prince Norton at the training ground, he also asked me about Grand Duke Martins.

“We’re getting to know each other slowly with goodwill. Although I’m not sure about Prince Norton’s feelings yet.”

“…Pardon?”

“What’s certain is that Prince Norton likes me more than Prince Tessler. So don’t worry. Ah, did that sound a bit strange…”

Grand Duke Martins continued speaking nonchalantly, but seeing my curious gaze, he quickly added with a smirk,

“Don’t misunderstand in a strange way.”

“Yes, anyway… I hope you two have a good outcome. Whatever that may be.”

I showed my support by clenching both fists.

[This is the timeline separator]

After parting with Grand Duke Martins in the greenhouse, I returned to the Empress Palace.

Having heard about Bonith from the Grand Duke and discussed about purchasing the magic potion, my anxious heart was somewhat relieved.

But as long as the royal siblings from Chatuoniel stay in this palace, my nerves couldn’t help but be on edge.

As I arrived at the bedroom floor, I saw Sollie and Teresa lingering in the middle of the corridor.

Sharon and I looked at each other at the same time.

Sharon must have felt strange too, as she called out their names. The two then walked over, almost running, as if they had been waiting.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Sharon pressed them, looking at me cautiously.

“Well… the princess from Her Majesty the Empress’s home country has been in the bedroom since earlier.”

“Princess Resilia?”

I reacted nervously without realizing it.

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

“What have you been doing? You should have guided her to the reception room. Why did you let her into the bedroom when the Empress isn’t even here?”

Sharon scolded the two.

“We apologize. We did tell her that…”

“But she suddenly opened the bedroom door and went in…”

As the two bowed their heads deeply and spoke, Sharon’s voice grew louder.

“Even so, that’s too much!”

“That’s enough. I’ll go in and see. She’s waiting in the bedroom now, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I calmed down the excited Sharon and walked towards the bedroom door.

[This is the timeline separator]

Today is really a day of bad luck.

I armed my mind before entering the bedroom.

It took great patience to face Princess Resilia with such a shitty mood as today.

Prince Tessler and Princess Resilia were experts at turning people’s insides out with their smiling faces.

At least the prince would provoke anger depending on the situation, but the princess was just the type to pour oil on the fire indiscriminately.

I took a deep breath and opened the bedroom door.

Contrary to expectations, the bedroom was quiet despite my entrance.

Normally, Princess Resilia’s chattering voice should have been heard, but there was no response.

Moreover, I couldn’t see her figure.

I slowly looked around and stopped in the middle of the bedroom.

“Haa.”

Princess Resilia was asleep on my bed.

It was truly an action devoid of any concept.

Even though I’m just a proxy empress, that’s a fact only known among us, and even just in the Empress Palace, there are so many eyes watching – doesn’t she care about their gaze at all?

Moreover, entering the bedroom while the Empress is away and waiting is already an uncommon case, but for a kingdom’s princess to be taking a nap on the empire’s empress’s bed.

Princess Resilia was sleeping exactly on the side where I sleep.

I quietly looked down at the sleeping princess’s face and imagined Rinel lying next to her.

Just imagining him being with a woman other than me, and with Princess Resilia at that, on this bed where we laughed, chatted, and made love together, made my heart ache.

“Mmm? When did you come?”

Princess Resilia woke up from her sleep.

She rubbed her eyes with both hands like a child, yawned, and then sat up.

“Why didn’t you wait in the reception room?”

Anyway, asking her why she came was a pointless question.

“Why, are you upset? For entering the bedroom without the owner’s permission?”

If she had asked in a sharp voice, I would have been less angry, but the princess’s innocent tone seemed to be mocking me.

“It’s not that, but there are many eyes watching, so we should be careful. Even if you’re the princess from the Empress’s home country, if the servants see you entering the bedroom without the owner and taking a nap, won’t they think it’s strange?”

“Hmm, sorry! Maybe I thought they would be serving me later anyway? I felt strangely familiar. And I just meant to lie down on the bed for a moment, but I fell asleep.”

“…”

Let’s not speak.

I just kept my mouth shut.

“Which side does His Majesty sleep on? Does he have any sleeping habits?”

“…Pardon?”

“I need to know these things in advance. Oh, the most important thing! Is there really no problem?”

“What do you mean by problem?”

“In bed…”

Princess Resilia asked secretively with the most serious face in the world.

I was so dumbfounded that I stared at her face with my mouth open.

“Rumors say he avoids women because of functional problems. How is it actually sleeping with him? Tell me. Come on, I understand everything.”

“What exactly do you understand?”

I frowned and let out a dry laugh.

“I understand that you sleep in the same bed with His Majesty as compensation for taking my place. I’m cool about it, you know.”

The princess said as she got up completely from the bed and stretched.

“Haa.”

I wanted to tell her that we spend passionate nights every night, that he hardly lets me sleep, so I need to take naps like her.

“But, are you using proper contraception?”

“!”

“Oh right. I heard you don’t need to worry about that part.”

When I opened my eyes wide and looked at Princess Resilia, she spoke again with a look as if she thought I didn’t know.

“I heard the magic potion also contains contraceptives, didn’t you know?”

“…Did the prince say so?”

“Yes. Make sure to thank my elder brother when you get the chance. To think he cares about such detailed aspects. How considerate.”

“Considerate…? Hahaha.”

It was the funniest thing I had heard in recent days.

The sound of mockery wouldn’t stop coming from my mouth.

In fact, on the day I left the Chatuoniel royal palace for this place, I had brought contraceptives separately.

Having heard from Prince Tessler that Rinel had functional problems and didn’t approach women, I thought such medicine wouldn’t be necessary.

But Bonith said just in case and hurriedly obtained contraceptives through a maid she knew and put them in my luggage bag.

And after unexpectedly consummating with him on the wedding night, I had been taking the contraceptives that Bonith had put in all this time.

As a proxy empress, it was a natural choice from my position, as things would get complicated if I accidentally got pregnant.

But to think Prince Tessler had taken care of it in advance…

Ha, should I thank him for his thorough preparation?

“Come to think of it, it seems my elder brother cares for you a lot. Sometimes even more than me, his real sister.”

“That can’t be.”

I still couldn’t stop my mocking laughter.

“Oh my, they say people who only receive don’t realize it, and that saying fits perfectly!”

Princess Resilia glared at me viciously.

“What did you say?”

“He took especially good care of you when we were young. To the point where I was jealous.”

Although Prince Tessler did take me around various places in the palace when I was young, it wasn’t to the extent of causing jealousy.

But for her, who always had to monopolize everyone’s love and attention, was even that small gesture of goodwill an eyesore?

“Wow, but Zelda… your burn scar really has disappeared without a trace.”

She exclaimed as she looked closely at my face.

“But I miss the old you.”

The moment I heard those words, goosebumps rose on both my arms.

It felt like there was a chilling knife hidden in Princess Resilia’s words.

“You really should be grateful to my elder brother. Look, he’s fixed what I did so perfectly!”

She said, pointing at the area of my burn scar with her finger.

“Do you remember that time? The day you got the burn on your face, we were playing hide-and-seek.”

Her tone was as if she had nothing to do with what happened that day.

I scraped together my last bit of patience and warned,

“Please… just leave for today.”

But Princess Resilia, paying no heed, started bringing up the worst day of my life as if it were some trivial memory.

“But actually, that day…”

Unaware that she was now stirring up a hornet’s nest.