Of course, last night was enjoyable in its own way, but there was a downside that they couldn’t simultaneously share the thrill of sensation.

“Your Majesty, you’ve waited a long time, haven’t you?”

Seyra entered with a basin of water. Placing the basin in front of Liz and drying a towel, she approached to apply it to the calf.

“…!”

Liz suddenly flinched, surprising Seyra, who asked hesitantly.

“Is… Is the water too cold?”

“No. It’s just that…”

Liz pointed to one side of her lower abdomen and said, “It suddenly stung here.”

“Ah… that.”

Seyra smiled as if it were nothing special.

“It seems to be menstrual cramps. Don’t worry too much; I get them every month too.”

‘Marriage changes one’s constitution, doesn’t it?’

Liz chuckled, tilting her head.
Though the menstrual cycle was irregular, there had never been any pain. It was a strange occurrence.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The faces of the officials announcing the emperor’s schedule were soaked in resignation. This was because they had to report the current state of military supplies, the shortest distance to the forward base, the situation at the border, and the number of captured avian specimens for swift communication. It was already the fifth report.

There was no hint of anticipation on their faces as they presented the report to the emperor.

Rather, they wished to be quickly dismissed and light up a cigarette on their way back to prepare the sixth report.

However…

“Good job.”

“…?”

The faces of the three, who were bowing, lifted simultaneously.

“Wha… What is Your Majesty saying…?”

“I said, ‘Good job.’ You can leave now.”

Suddenly, everything became blurry. What was streaming down her cheeks was surely… No, it couldn’t be.

Tears at this level for someone who was supposed to be a man.

“Do you not want to leave work?”

The tears were wiped away.

“No, Your Majesty! Thank you!”

The three, expecting a change of the emperor’s mind, exited the office in confusion.

“It would have been better if you had done it like this from the beginning. Anyway.”

Hershis let out a chuckle and put down the report.

Then, turning to the last remaining person beside her, she also instructed.

“You can leave now.”

But instead of disappearing like an arrow, he stared at the lord’s face for a moment.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Ishtar?”

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Really?”

A subtle smile appeared on Hershis’s lips. It was a seductive smile that could captivate anyone, regardless of gender. However, for some reason, Ishtar felt only discomfort. The unusually strong scent of roses today was particularly irritating.

“Get married, too. Whether it turns out good or bad, your emotions will inevitably show on your face.”

“…”

Leaning comfortably against the backrest with her hands supporting the back of her head, it felt like an arrogant advice given by an adult to a child. It seemed like there would be no pleasant words if she continued to listen.

“Elkmine Kingdom has requested military cooperation.”

“Oh?”

Hershis released her interlocked hands and made a fist in front of her chest.

“Strange. Even though they claimed not to need anyone’s help and were proud of their dignity, why are they suddenly changing their stance? They must be cornered. Terrandis Kingdom above is growing powerful enough to pressurize them, and below, the Lhord Island is waiting for an opportunity to plunder. Rather than surrendering to them, they probably think it’s better to join hands with the Empire.”

“That makes sense.”

“What should we do?”

After a moment of thought, Hershis spoke.

“Instead of accepting the request, ask them to send a messenger to negotiate with us.”

“…Excuse me?”
Ishar’s expression was one of surprise.

The words from the Elkmine Kingdom symbolized a pride not shared with any other country.

To request cooperation and demand such a reward… At best, they expected requests for silk or saffron.

“Well, when requesting cooperation, you should be willing to pay that much, right? We don’t need anything else, but that’s the minimum.”

In fact, Hershis was right.

An empire with vast territory like Luzencia needed tireless horses, but the breeds they had were only large in size and strong in physique.

“Understood. I will convey that.”

“Oh, Ishar.”

As Ishar was about to step back, Hershis called out.

There was a soft smile on her lips, as if there was something to request.

“It seems the empress hasn’t had much of an appetite lately.”

‘I wonder what she’s trying to say.’

“It’s not that she doesn’t want to eat, but it seems there’s no one to make it for her.”

“And?”

Ishar narrowed his eyes.

“So, make something for her. You can make anything, can’t you?”

That statement was true.

There was no dish he couldn’t recreate after tasting it once. Sometimes, he could accurately reproduce the taste and appearance just by hearing about it.

However, he didn’t like using his ability like this. Being forced in such a manner…

“First, talk to the main royal chef. If he says it’s impossible…”

Ishar raised his monocle as he continued.

“I’ll take care of it.”

He was curious about what kind of food even the imperial chef couldn’t make.

That’s all there was to it.