Translator: Aura / Editor: Maybe
I never imagined that I would one day stay in the Southern Palace reserved for distinguished guests!
Looking around the room prepared for the Queen of the Western Kingdom, I couldn’t help but laugh.
One doesn’t really know what the future holds. It was unimaginable a year ago, or even a few months ago.
Putting aside my restlessness, I first took off my gloves and also my suffocating outerwear.
Then I unpacked my luggage to change into something more comfortable and stylish. Finally, I called a maid to organize the rest of my luggage.
While I was sitting on the bed, Rose and Mastas arrived after they finished arranging their own things.
Laura and Countess Jubel were not present, because I ordered them to rest at their respective homes while we were in the capital.
“It feels strange that the four of us are not together,” Mastas grumbled as soon as she arrived as if she missed Laura, someone she got along well with.
Rose smiled grimly, she also seemed to have become very close to Countess Jubel, “That’s true.”
Spending every day together, it was inevitable that they would become close.
That’s probably why Christa’s ladies-in-waiting kept close around her.
However, the time we spent alone was short. Because all the nobles of the Eastern Empire who had been by my side as ladies-in-waiting came to visit soon after.
“Countess Eliza!”
Among them was Countess Eliza, who had been my head lady-in-waiting.
“Your Majesty the Empress!” Countess Eliza, who called me as she usually did, blinked in embarrassment as soon as she spoke. Then the other ladies-in-waiting burst out laughing and she smiled awkwardly.
After a while.
We brought two tables into the drawing-room, where we gathered for snacks and coffee.
It had been a long time since we’d seen each other, so we had a lot to talk about.
“I’m adapting well. Miss Rose and Miss Mastas here have been a great support to me, besides I’ve met my brother there again.”
“What about His Majesty Heinley? How is your relationship going?”
“…”
When I smiled awkwardly instead of answering, the faces of the ladies-in-waiting from the Eastern Empire turned fierce.
I shook my hands quickly, and Rose answered before I did.
“Although I don’t know how good their relationship is, when they’re together they seem… very happy.”
She blushed as she spoke.
She was probably thinking about the carriage incident.
The ladies-in-waiting smiled and tried to pry further.
“Why? What have you seen?”
“Does His Majesty Heinley treat our Navier very well?”
Rose smiled uncomfortably as if it was difficult for her to continue talking on the subject.
But there was no need for her to answer because Heinley himself came to my room.
“Greetings to Your Majesty The King of the Western Kingdom.”
The ladies-in-waiting greeted him in surprise, Heinley gave the characteristic mascot smile and waved his hand. Then he approached me and asked, “Aren’t you neglecting your husband too much? I stopped by because I was jealous, Queen.”
My former ladies-in-waiting were startled.
When I sent a withering stare towards Heinley to stop talking nonsense, he looked at me sadly, reached out his hand, and took mine.
“I miss you.”
He spoke like a huge puppy thirsting for love, and I heard the ladies-in-waiting gasp at the same time.
However, I frowned.
Regardless of how he behaved when it was just the two of us, he was still the king of a country. Shouldn’t he behave with more dignity in front of other people?
Pointing it out here would hurt his image, so in the end, I just smiled with a forced expression.
***
I spent the rest of the day quietly sharing with my ladies-in-waiting and the next day as well.
When I was the Empress I rarely spent a whole day relaxing because I always had work to do. Now that I was no longer the Empress, I could rest like this at the Eastern Empire Palace.
It was ironic, but I tried not to show it and just smiled.
Finally, the day before the wedding arrived.
Until yesterday, I had been enjoying the time with my former ladies-in-waiting. But today, my tongue suddenly became stiff and my restlessness intensified.
I paced back and forth in my room, then went for a walk.
Unexpectedly, Heinley was nearby, so we decided to take a walk together.
As we strolled in silence, we passed the place where I had walked with Heinley when I was still the Empress.
“Do you remember?” Heinley asked with a smile, thinking the same thing, “We were walking by here talking about Queen’s birthday.”
“I remember.”
“Queen tried to feed me insects.”
“!”
Oh, that’s right.
I didn’t know Heinley was Queen back then. I laughed thinking about that.
“Were you really that surprised?”
“Even now seeing insects scare me.”
“At the time, you said that Western birds ate cooked food, right?”
“…”
“You looked surprisingly terrified.”
Heinley smiled sheepishly. I was amused that Heinley, who was always so sure of himself, would show signs of weakness, so I teased him.
“Queen is not afraid of insects?”
“Not at all.”
At my brag, Heinley clapped his hands and exclaimed in admiration.
“That’s great!”
“Of course.”
“So if we have a date night and an insect shows up Queen can handle it.”
“?!”
“Except for the insects, I’ll handle everything.”
“That…”
When I looked at him, feeling slightly worried at the thought, Heinley was smiling strangely.
It was obvious he knew I was lying. Embarrassed, I smiled while biting my lips.
After we had been talking for a while, I felt a heavy gaze on me. As I was about to ask Heinley what he ate when he became a bird, I turned my head to where the gaze came from.
It was Sovieshu.
Seeing him made me remember the past once again.
Back then, I was walking next to Heinley while we were talking about Queen, and Sovieshu appeared just like he did now.
Will this part be the same as before too?
It was a bit ridiculous to think that, so I just greeted Sovieshu with a slight smile as he approached.
“It’s a pleasure to see Your Majesty the Emperor of the Eastern Empire.”
Sovieshu remained motionless with his lips firmly closed without responding to my greeting, looking between Heinley and me with an angry expression.
He then asked Heinley, “King Heinley, could you allow me to have a moment alone with Navier?”