In the splendid reception room, a tea time for the imperial family was taking place. Except for the Emperor lying in bed, the Empress, three consorts, and Prince Leharht were present.

As Leharht, seeming to enjoy the subtle tea aroma, closed his eyes contentedly, the Empress couldn’t help but shake her head as if he couldn’t be stopped.

“Why are you sitting here without being summoned?”

“It’s boring to drink tea alone.”

“Then why don’t you call the attendants who usually accompany you?”

Though she spoke in a soft tone, it was essentially asking why he was squeezing into the mothers’ tea time when his friends were probably playing.

“I want to, but it seems like everyone is busy.”

“Still, if you look around, you should be able to call one or two. What about your frequent companions, Prince Fernando or Lady Etienne?”

The Empress, who gave birth to Leharht, knew her son’s thoughts very well. It was whether he came because he had no one to play with or if he came because he had something to say.

“Etienne is busy.”

“She turned eighteen this year, right? In that case, it’s a busy time for her.”

Even though the birth month might be different, when one turns eighteen, the debutante ball announces adulthood.

The Empress understood having gone through the same period, but it didn’t mean she intended to keep Leharht in this position.

“Anyway, it’s nice to see the Crown Prince after a long time, but we can’t detain someone in charge of state affairs on behalf of Your Majesty for too long.”
The Empress gave Leharht a look, as if to say that if he had something to say, he should say it quickly and leave. Without saying anything else, Leharht immediately got to the point.

“It’s about the incident at the fountain.”

Originally, he thought it was something Rudvi had done, but now the incident had become unclear, and the culprit was unknown.

“The item that caused the incident is said to have come from Viscount Pigman, so I’m going to take a look at his collection.”

“The Viscount must be concerned. But would he agree to that? It’s his private property, after all.”

“He didn’t directly cause the incident, but since it’s related, he’ll probably willingly show his collection. I want to personally go and check so that the situation doesn’t escalate.”

“If it’s just that, it should be fine.”

The Empress also considered that Viscount Pigman was someone who supported Leharht, so she believed the matter wouldn’t escalate.

“However, since Viscount Pigman may not be pleased, how about presenting a suitable item from the palace to him in the report?”

That was Leharht’s purpose for attending the tea time.

As he was acting on behalf of the current Emperor, presenting an item from the report wouldn’t be a big problem, but deliberately seeking approval from the ladies where they were present was Leharht’s way of seeking their opinions and showing that he cared about them.

Leharht looked at the three consorts.

“Is that okay?”

“You’re capable enough to handle it on your own.”
“I trust the Crown Prince.”

The two individuals expressed their approval for Leharht’s intentions, but the last person did not open their mouth easily. It was Lena, the Crown Princess, and Rudvi’s birth mother.

As she seemed to contemplate deeply, she nodded heavily, and Leharht brightened up with a big smile.

“Well then, I’ll excuse myself here. Please feel free to continue your conversation.”

When Leharht, feeling pleased with what he had achieved, was about to stand up, an announcement came.

“His Highness Prince Rudvi requests an audience.”

Upon hearing these words, Leharht hesitated in getting up.

“It seems like the princes have a lot to say today. Please let him in.”

When the Empress allowed, expressing her concerns in a roundabout way, the door opened, and Rudvi appeared. Stepping forward, he made a respectful bow in front of everyone.

“It’s even more delightful to see you after a long time.”

In response to Rudvi’s relaxed greeting, the Empress, who had issued an order to dispose of him, replied.

“It seems like you’ve grown even more than two years ago.”

“Is that so? I’ve been well during my absence.”

Rudvi lightly examined his own body and said so. As he showed a fresh response without returning the hostility he received or making any remarks, the Empress sent an intriguing gaze.

Even Lena, the Crown Princess, whose expression had been darkened for a while due to Rudvi’s disposal, brightened up.

“In the future, please assist our Crown Prince a lot.”
When the Empress made a comment as if everything was going well, Rudvi smiled brightly. The imperial throne conveyed a warning not to even dream and to assist the Crown Prince.

“Come and have a seat.”

Rudvi readily accepted the Empress’s suggestion and sat next to Lena, the Crown Princess. Due to this, he naturally made eye contact with Leharht, who was facing him. Rudvi exchanged a nod with him.

“How have you been?”

When Leharht asked about his well-being while sipping tea, Rudvi hesitated for a moment as if contemplating and then acknowledged.