Now, Lenisha was arousing Casius with shocking words.

And Casius was acting like prey puffing up to scare off a predator.

In this incredible situation, the best sight was Casius himself.

Casius, showing his raw emotions, had something about him that just made you feel good.

Lenisha let out a sighlike smile.

Lexus’s way was messy to the end.

A regret that was not left at all vanished once again.

The deformed public court was finally coming to an end.

And the relationship between the two people would be redefined.

Lenisha would draw the sharpest sword and aim it at Lexus.

But now, she had to pay attention to Casius in front of her.

To the young man who seemed to not understand the situation at all, so pure and upright.

Lenisha glanced at the tea that had gone cold on the table.

Even then, in the greenhouse, Casius did not touch the teacup.

“Do you like tea?”

Lenisha asked softly, excluding her authoritative attitude.

Casius looked at what was on the table at Lenisha’s gesture.

Tea? The only tea Casius had ever drunk was…

A poison that Tesha mimicked.

“Try it once. This tea has a particularly good aroma. Lexus had some conscience. He put out the most expensive one from the Emperor’s palace.”

Casius swallowed.

He didn’t want to ruin Lenisha’s moment now.

Even if it wasn’t Casius, Lenisha’s now would be a mess.

Casius took the teacup with an awkward gesture.

He would drink it even if it was poison, since Lenisha had offered it.

Casius put his lips to the teacup. He closed his eyes tightly and poured it into his mouth.

Wow.

Casius was surprised at the fragrance spreading softly and smoothly.

“…I think it was different.”

“Hm?”

“I thought tea was something you couldn’t drink.”

Casius said seriously.

“I don’t have proper servants at my mansion now. So a child who does errands often makes tea… it didn’t taste like this.”

“A child who does errands?”

“Yes. There’s a boy with nightshadelike hair named Tesha.”

Lenisha blinked her eyes.

Come to think of it… now she was alone with Casius.

Should she ask about Isabella?

No, no. Even now, one might not know where hidden ears are listening.

It was a time to be careful with every word.

Lenisha suddenly quenched her thirst with tea and spoke.

“The name is lovely. It’s a girl’s name.”

“In fact, Tesha was a child I met on the battlefield, and she was poisoned at the time. She was also severely injured. The doctor barely saved her, but she lost her memory.”

“Oh my.”

“The doctor who saved Tesha named her. He said it was his deceased granddaughter’s name. I couldn’t leave her there, so I brought her with me. If we find Tesha’s family or if Tesha wants to do something, I plan to let her go.”

Casius filled the silence by telling the story about Tesha.

Fortunately, Lenisha seemed to like the topic and was listening intently.

Casius found another topic to discuss.

“But I really can’t brew tea.”

“…I had a niece who couldn’t brew tea either. She also begged to be taught how to do it herself, and then she’d make indescribable things.”

Lenisha curled her lips slightly.

“I miss her.”

At that moment, the eyes of Casius and Lenisha met.

Casius swallowed.

Why did the gift that Casius sent to Lenisha come to mind at that moment?

Tesha had been the only one acting suspiciously at the mansion.

But since that day, Casius had not been able to ask Tesha anything.

The child had cried so hard that she was almost breathless; it had been difficult to ask her anything carelessly.

If the child had a reason to approach Lenisha…

If the child was connected to Isabella.

Or if the child was Isabella herself.

A loud noise echoed in Casius’s head as he came to that conclusion.

“…I want to hear more about your niece. What was she like?”

“She had the same platinum hair as me. It was as if she wasn’t my brother’s child but mine, she looked just like me.”

Lenisha’s eyes narrowed as she spoke.

Casius did not show any emotion.

“Except that her eyes were a more lovely shade of pink.”

Pink. Tesha’s eyes were a pale gray.

Casius blinked.

Facing Lenisha’s expectant eyes, Casius collected himself.

He didn’t want to disappoint Lenisha with rash words.

She looked like a sweet pastry dusted with sugar.

He didn’t want to see Lenisha cry.

He was afraid Lenisha might burst into tears. Casius changed the subject.

“…What happens if we spend the night here?”

Casius’s question was not out of genuine curiosity.

Lenisha responded with a faint smile.

“They will probably send us to the territory assigned to the Prince. I’m like a sucked candy, useless.”

“What is that?”

Casius’s face twisted.

His wheatcolored face was stained with anger and shame.

Lenisha confirmed it and smiled faintly.

Even a knight of slave origin like Casius knows the shame that even this Empire’s emperor doesn’t.

Casius spat out in quick succession.

“Even a bastard like me knows how precious my wife is.”

He doesn’t like how Lenisha describes herself.

No, what he dislikes even more is that Lexus might really see Lenisha that way.

Lenisha burst into a clear laugh.

“What can I do if the emperor is worse than a dog. Make him understand.”

Lenisha spoke so calmly that it frustrated Casius.

Was it a very fitting topic to divert Lenisha’s attention?

“…Are all the noble people like this?”

At his sharp words, Lenisha asked,

“Are you saying I’m the same person as the emperor?”

Casius bit his lip hard.

It seems to have turned out that way.

“No, but… if this happens, will Your Majesty the Empress become my, my wife?”

Wife.

I had never thought I would hear such affectionate words.

“It’s your choice. But haven’t you already promised?”

Empress Lenisha said, looking at War hero Casius.

“You said you would take me anywhere.”