‘Let’s go a different way.’
With determination, Evanessa quickly turned around. A tremulous candle-like voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Wait, are you Saintess Evanessa…?”
Equipped with an etiquette cheat key, her body turned automatically and prepared to give a greeting suitable for the royal family.
“Greetings to the Young Moon of the Empire chosen by Lunium.”
Evanessa hated having to say this strange greeting and had hoped to avoid it somehow.
Evanessa stifled a sigh and looked up. The girl in front of her was one of Midnight’s heroines, Princess Mikaela Lunium Grancia.
The princess, who reminded Evanessa of a small, gentle rabbit, laughed while covering her face with the book. Her violet eyes sparkled with liveliness. This unexpected meeting seemed like it would be pleasant.
“You don’t have to be so polite, Saintess.”
“If I don’t show the Royal Family such courtesy, I will lose my head, Princess.”
Mikaela’s face became dazed for a moment. The corners of Evanessa’s mouth pulled up and she laughed.
“Just kidding.”
“… It sounded real. That aside, it was a pity that you left early yesterday. I heard you weren’t feeling well. Are you okay now?”, asked Mikaela, concerned.
Upon returning to her room last night, Evanessa asked a passing maid to deliver a message, “Tell the Emperor that I shall take my leave first as I’m not feeling well.”
Fortunately, it seems the message was delivered.
“Yes. As you can see, I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
Mikaela sighed in relief. Among the female protagonists of Midnight, she was the purest and gentle.
She had the second highest play rate amongst users, behind Beatrice.
“Are there any books that you are looking for?”, asked Mikaela as if she were a librarian.
‘Come to think of it, she is a bibliophile.’
It occurred to Evanessa that she could get a book recommendation from Mikaela without having to go searching through the shelves.
Just as Evanessa was about to open her mouth, Mikaela’s face, which was half-covered by a book, turned red in a flash.
[Princess Mikaela feels a strong embarrassment at the current situation.]
She heard yet another system message. It seemed to be configured so that status messages of not only the male leads but also the heroines, were delivered as well.
“So you were in a place like this. Saintess Evanessa.”
‘That diction, it can’t be…’
Evanessa turned around with her face void of any emotion. The person that she had decided to avoid only a day ago, was standing right there.
“Your Archdukeship.”
“I’ve been looking for you for a while.”
“Why me…?”
The red lips under his sleek nose rose slightly, causing dimples to appear.
“His Majesty, not I, is the one looking for you.”
***
The place the Prime Minister took Evanessa to was a dome-shaped, glass-roofed greenhouse, located behind the palace. Evanessa had heard that this place was a gift given by the Emperor himself to the Empress, whose hobby was taking care of plants.
The room was filled with rare plants and flowers. Every time she inhaled, the fresh fragrance of plants would sweep through her lungs.
“You don’t have to be so vigilant.”
Evanessa, who was following about three steps behind the Prime Minister, flinched.
“I haven’t been?”
“Is that so?”
“…You don’t believe me?”
“If that’s what you say.”
The Prime Minister, who had been walking, stopped abruptly. The Emperor, his wife, and Lady Beatrice were sitting around a circular table in the middle of the greenhouse having a friendly tea party.
Only
Beatrice, while conversing, felt a presence and turned her head. Right then, the prime minister announced the arrival of Evanessa.
“Your Majesty. I have brought Saintess Evanessa Halyn.”
“Oh. Come and sit down.”
Once more, the prime minister was acting as a guide. He whispered to Evanessa as she passed.
“It’s a pity that the medicine I prepared wasn’t delivered properly.”
‘Medicine? What medicine?’
However, Evanessa had no time to ask questions as she had to show proper respect to the Emperor and his wife.
Evanessa headed to the table under the guidance of an attendant. Her seat was next to the young lady. Another attendant was waiting while holding a teapot; they hurried to pull out the chair. Evanessa greeted the imperial couple and sat down.