“Episode 31”
Sharon started by bringing me a car, and Sollye promised to give me a head massage, putting strength into her fingertips, while Theresa held my hand and began to express concern that my noble hands had been overworked in the greenhouse. So the three attendants stuck to me closely, chatting away, until subtly bringing up the topic of Rinel.
“Your Majesty, it seems you didn’t go to Catherine Mama’s palace last night!”
“How could I know that Your Majesty wouldn’t go?”
“Oh, so that’s why Catherine Mama was so upset and took it out on Rose Mama for no reason?”
They poured out all the things they had been saying from the greenhouse to the empress’s palace at once. I just shrugged at their excited curiosity. When my response didn’t seem satisfactory, they shifted the topic to discussing the moral education I showed Catherine.
“My heart feels completely transparent!”
“I don’t think I’ll have any health problems for the next 10 years.”
“Moments I want to preserve in pictures… heh.”
The three attendants took turns praising me as if I were a war hero. Oh, they’d probably worship me as a god if they saw me wielding a sword. They declared their lifelong loyalty to me as we returned from the greenhouse to the empress’s palace, and it continued for thirty minutes.
“But…”
“By the way…”
“Anyway…”
Sharon, Sollye, and Theresa’s topic shifted back to last night’s whereabouts of Emperor Your Majesty.
“Where on earth did Your Majesty go last night?”
Sharon asked, pondering.
“Yeah.”
My response was very short compared to their long curiosity. I glanced silently at the bed, which seemed even wider today, lost in thought for a moment, then gestured to Sharon.
“Sharon, I need to go to the main palace for a bit.”
“The main palace? Do you have some errands to run, Your Majesty? Or is there something, um, you need at the main palace?”
“Yeah.”
“Whatever it is, just say the word, and I’ll go get it right away!”
“He’s needed.”
“Yes, I’ll go get Your Majesty immediately!”
“Wait, Sharon. Come to think of it, I could have another attendant go instead.”
I smiled at Sharon, who was visibly annoyed, and suddenly realized she didn’t need to go to the main palace herself. But Sharon was already a few steps away from me, eager to rush to the main palace.
“No, I must go and inform the main palace of such an important announcement in person. I’ll go directly to Mr. Raphael and come back right away!”
“But there’s no need to rush there…”
Before Sharon could hear my entire sentence, she lifted her dress and sprinted out of the room at full speed. I chuckled at her departure and laughed with Sollye and Theresa who remained beside me.
—
“Why would Zelda…?”
Rinel began to experience emotional instability after Sharon, the empress’s attendant, had been away. He paced back and forth near the office window, restless and constantly walking back and forth without rest. It had already been several tens of minutes. He stood still with a bored expression facing Secretary Rafael, who was arranging documents on the desk with a weary look, bathed in the sunset pouring in through the window.
“Raphael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Raphael had been rolling his eyes along with the emperor’s movements for the past ten minutes and was now just turning his gaze back to the desk to organize the documents.
“Never mind, it’s nothing.”
Rinel, who seemed to want to say something, started pacing again. Raphael’s eyes followed Rinel’s once again, but this time, he spoke to the emperor first.
“Your Majesty? Forgive my impertinence, but you seem more anxious than when the war broke out in the valley of death.”
“That’s true.”
“Are you serious?”
“I wish I weren’t.”
Rinel paused again, raising his right hand and placing it over his left chest.
“Why is my heart beating so fast when there’s no one around, why, why do you think?”
“Well, perhaps it’s because of the anticipation of meeting her later.”
“Oh, you’re quite capable.”
Rinel exclaimed, pointing at Raphael with his finger, sending a look of admiration.
“Your Majesty, I have a question that I don’t quite understand. Why… are you feeling nervous?”
“What?”
“Isn’t it strange? It’s not like tonight is Your Majesty’s first night with the empress, so why are you more nervous than before the evening ceremony?”
Raphael clearly remembered. How unenthusiastic Emperor Rinel was just before the wedding ceremony. As time passed after the evening, he seemed to become increasingly strange. He laughed more often while doing official duties. Instead of laughing at the attendants, he had a completely different smile, which Raphael, as his closest confidant, could clearly recognize.
“You probably wouldn’t understand because you haven’t been married yet.”
Rinel retorted to Raphael with a wave of his hand.
“It may sound presumptuous, but I don’t think I can compare my dating experience to Your Majesty’s nearly married life, but…”
“Oh, right. Raphael, didn’t they call you the Emperor’s Open Wallet? I forgot.”
Rinel readily admitted Raphael’s claim.
“Your Majesty, I may have been an open wallet, but I’ve never walked around with my pants open!”
“That’s right. Good thinking. That would be a bit inappropriate.”
“…Anyway. I remember telling you before that although my romantic interests change frequently, when I meet someone, I focus on them.”
“It’s not about your dating style now. Try to diagnose why I’m like this.”
Rinel sat on the edge of the desk with one hand on his chest, speaking seriously to Raphael.
“What… do you mean by diagnosis? If your heart isn’t well, should I call a doctor?”
“Why would we need a doctor?”
“I suppose it’s better to bring Empress Your Majesty than a doctor.”
“You’re sharp.”
He was more satisfied with Raphael’s opinion than ever before, patting his shoulder with satisfaction.
“But… hearing that, my heart seems to beat even faster.”
Rinel muttered again, tapping his chest with his hand.
“Your Majesty, I apologize once again for making such a statement, but…”
“What’s so apologetic this time?”
“Is Empress Your Majesty’s announcement that she will come to Your Majesty’s main palace making you so nervous?”
“…Oh, stop it! Don’t be so direct about it.”
“Why? What’s the matter?”
“You can already imagine…”
Rinel’s cold face flushed.
“But you still don’t know, do you?”
As Raphael voiced an opposing opinion, Rinel’s brow furrowed.
“Don’t know what?”
“You might be coming to quietly investigate the issue of the concubines.”
“Oh, that issue. Is that it? Is that why you’re here?”
The corners of Emperor Rinel’s mouth, which had been smiling, drooped. Then, they soon lifted again.
“Nevertheless, my heart keeps pounding, so maybe I’m really not in my right mind?”
“Wow! As always, you make objective and wise judgments, Your Majesty. I deeply respect you. Well then, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
As Rinel, who had been gazing out of the window, stepped out of the office, he called Raphael, who was about to leave, back.
“Raphael.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“So, your words just now, were you agreeing that I’m not in my right mind?”
“…I love you, Your Majesty.”
Raphael blew a heart with his fingers to Rinel and quickly opened the office door and left.
—
Time was passing too quickly. Although I had already announced my intention to visit Rinel’s bedroom tonight, I was already worried before even going to the main palace. After Sharon returned from meeting Secretary Raphael at the main palace, she repeatedly imitated Rinel’s reactions like a parrot.
“I didn’t expect Your Majesty, who was in the office, to come out of the secretary’s office!”
As I said to Sharon, “It’s time to go to the main palace,” she started her performance again. It seemed like there was a playback button hidden somewhere inside Sharon.
“Chin up, solemnly like this, and then come out and ask, ‘What’s the matter?’ In fact, even though I intentionally spoke loudly in the gap of the office door about the empress’s testimony, I never thought you would come out!”
Sharon dramatically described the moment Rinel opened the office door. Surprisingly, even Sollye and Deresa listened with great interest every time.
“Your Majesty’s expression… really wasn’t bad, was it?”
I had already asked this question five times.
“Yes! Although you were surprised, you didn’t look upset at all. You even asked me directly with your eyes wide open?”
As Sharon imitated Rinel’s expression, her eyes widened even more.
“Oh, time flies! Your Majesty, it’s time for you to prepare.”
Sharon said assertively, crossing her arms. The three attendants began to actively use their skills.
“Your Majesty, I’ll scatter some Adeline petals in the bathtub! It has a softening effect on the hair too!”
Sollye, who used to work in the garden and now took care of my hair, rushed to the bathroom.
“I’ll prepare the perfume in advance! When Your Majesty touches our empress’s shoulders, your hands will slip all the way to your toes!”
Deresa, who was an artist and in charge of my makeup, also moved busily.
“I’ll choose the dress for Your Majesty to wear when you come out of the bath. And the robe for you to wear!”
Sharon also looked excited as she headed to my dressing room.
“Your Majesty… could I prepare a very, very simple dress for you to wear?”
Sharon clasped her hands together, waiting for my approval with a hopeful expression. After pausing for a moment, I spoke sternly to Sharon.
“Sharon, that’s disappointing. What on earth are you talking about?”
“Y-your Majesty…?”
I said to Sharon with a wink, trying to suppress my laughter.
“It’s me… Have I ever not worn what you suggested, as always? What are you asking? Ridiculous.”
As I winked, Sharon covered her mouth with both hands and laughed loudly, then ran straight to the dressing room.
