Most regular merchants had likely been forced to swallow their grievances, unable to fight back against the guild master’s influence.
But me? Whether it was power or wealth, I was on an entirely different level from some mere merchant guild master!
Besides, high-ranking nobles tended to look down on the business of trade. Even when they owned merchant guilds, they left the operations to their subordinates—because the last thing they wanted was any messy trouble.
‘They think even the slightest scandal is a disgrace to their reputation!’
Especially when they were at fault, they never got directly involved in public disputes. If I presented witnesses and made an official complaint, they’d stay far away from the mess.
Which meant the real owner of the guild—some noble—was not going to step in to defend Pangston.
‘Not that I have to worry about that, since I’ve been hiding my identity anyway.’
So, Pangston was definitely going to end up rotting in a cell.
I had no intention of letting him off easy.
This was why it was great to be rich and powerful. It had been a while since I got to flex my Empress status, and it felt so satisfying.
If you’re jealous, go become an Empress yourself!
One of the knights took Mary and Jamie to safety, and with a refreshed smile, I turned back toward the fireworks display with Kaibel.
“They’re orphans, aren’t they? You must have felt sorry for them,” he mused.
“Well, of course. And I doubt Pangston is the only person like that.”
“Are you taking them to the capital?”
Kaibel sounded curious.
He still didn’t know I was the one behind Applelum tea. So from his perspective, it probably just looked like I was offering charity out of kindness.
“No. There are plenty of other kids there too—I can’t take just the two of them. But I can at least give them jobs so they don’t have to go through anything worse.”
To be precise, I planned to hire them to work in the tea fields.
Sales had been steadily increasing, and I had been thinking about setting up a dedicated tea plantation outside the capital. The timing couldn’t have been better.
In my old world, they might still be too young to work, but here, kids that age had to work just to survive.
‘At least in the plantation, they won’t have to deal with Pangston’s guild, and with proper security, they’ll be safe.’
Of course, I didn’t tell Kaibel the details. Instead, I vaguely mentioned that the imperial family ran some charitable organizations.
Since he was a foreigner, he wouldn’t know the specifics, and sure enough, he simply nodded in understanding and admiration.
“You truly care for your people. You’re a remarkable Empress. I should learn from you.”
“It’s really not that big of a deal.”
I chuckled, rubbing my cheek.
It was true. I wasn’t some saint or angel—I just couldn’t stand watching kids suffer right in front of me.
‘Especially since I know what it’s like to be hurt just for being an orphan.’
Before I became Leah, in my past life… The words “You don’t even have parents” had haunted me endlessly.
But now? I didn’t have to put up with any of it anymore. And it felt amazing.
I smiled in relief and looked around.
The sky had grown noticeably darker.
“Oh! The fireworks are about to start! Let’s hurry!”
As I impatiently bounced on my heels, Kaibel started walking toward the open-air café from earlier.
I quickly grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait, not there.”
“Hm?”
“I found a better spot.”
I pointed toward an empty hill behind the commoners’ food stalls—completely deserted now that everyone had left to watch the fireworks.
“Sounds good. I’ll go grab some drinks first.”
Kaibel flashed a bright smile and told me to go ahead.
“Right now? Do you have to?”
“I don’t think I can put it off any longer. I’ve been very self-conscious about it, you know.”
…What?
I tilted my head at his odd comment—then remembered.
‘Oh, right. He’s always been kind of eccentric.’
Well, at least he wasn’t shouting this time.
Satisfied, I gave him a nod and hurried up the hill before anyone else could claim the perfect viewing spot.
****
“You can come out now.”
Kaibel grinned as he spoke toward the empty clearing.
There wasn’t a soul in sight. To anyone watching, it would have seemed like he was completely out of his mind.
But just a few seconds later, there was a faint rustling behind the large tree.
“Go on your way.”
“How could I possibly ignore you when I know you’ve been following me all this time?”
“Who says I was following you?”
A deep voice rumbled from the shadows.
A figure stepped forward from the darkness beneath the tree—a solid silhouette with broad, imposing shoulders, built like a warrior straight from the battlefield.
Kaibel held back a smirk as he met the piercing golden gaze fixed on him.
“I see. So, you were just conducting an inspection outside the capital? My mistake. I must have misinterpreted things, given how conveniently our paths kept overlapping.”
The emphasis on “our” made his cousin’s eyes darken further.
But despite that, he didn’t offer a single rebuttal—meaning he still hadn’t realized it himself.
‘Like hell you weren’t bothered about the Empress going out alone with me.’
He had heard my not-so-subtle announcement back at the Empress’s Palace and immediately started tailing us.
When I had wanted to share some street food with the Empress, he had mysteriously bought out every stall.
When things had escalated with Pangston at the café, he had hovered so close, it was like he was about to storm in at any moment.
I had to load the Empress up with an entire entourage of knights just to keep him from interfering.
And yet, even now, he was still trying to deny it.
‘Let’s see how long you can keep that up.’
“Well then, continue on your way. I, for one, need to go buy some beer.”
With a polite bow, Kaibel turned and strolled toward the food stalls.
Unlike earlier, when the stands had been completely empty, the vendors were now fully restocked, and the area was bustling again.
Yet somehow, despite leaving in the opposite direction just moments ago, Xian had managed to arrive first—watching him with sharp, scrutinizing eyes.
Kaibel ignored him and casually grabbed two beers before heading back up the hill.
All around, couples were drinking together as they waited for the fireworks.
‘…’
Xian coldly scanned the scene.
If they wanted to watch the fireworks, they could just watch them.
Why did they all need to pair up and drink together?
It was completely incomprehensible.
But the most confusing thing of all…
‘This is a routine inspection.’
…was that he was currently following Kaibel and Leah.
Xian tried to justify it in his head. Whenever he conducted inspections outside the capital, he always investigated anything that caught his attention.
‘It’s bothersome.’
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
Leah enjoyed making friends. Unlike him, who was reserved and distant, she was naturally sociable.
She frequently spent time with other noblewomen. She was already close with the Duchess of Shire, so it wasn’t strange that she would also get along with her brother, Kaibel.
‘Then it wouldn’t matter if I got close to the Empress as well, would it?’
This was all his fault—for making that stupid remark.
Why should he care if she became closer to another man?
Did Kaibel think he was some childish Emperor who would interfere with the Empress’s private social life just because the other person was a man?
Hidden in the shadows, Xian glared at the red-haired nuisance ahead of him.
For some reason, he really, really wanted to punch that relaxed, smug expression off his face.
Desperately ignoring his growing agitation, Xian finally reached the top of the hill.
“You’re just in time! The fireworks will—oh, you got beer?”
“Yes. Fortunately, they were selling drinks after all.”
“Great! I was getting thirsty. Thanks, Kaibel.”
Xian’s brow furrowed.
She was already calling him by name that comfortably?
Kaibel handed Leah one of the drinks.
Xian’s eyes narrowed further.
It was that same heart-shaped wooden cup from earlier—the one from the fruit juice stand he had intentionally bought out.
His grip tightened into a fist.
So they weren’t selling juice in those cups anymore—but now they were selling beer in them instead?!
“Oh! This is the one from earlier, right? What was it again…? Something about couples drinking from it and falling in love?”
“Was it?”
Kaibel replied smoothly, throwing a knowing glance over his shoulder.
Xian, who had his arms crossed, was now glaring at a nearby tree with great intensity.
Why was it so thick and so full of leaves? It was too healthy. A few pests would do it some good.
“I wonder if that rumor is true. Want to test it?”
“It’s just a marketing gimmick. Now hurry up and sit down.”
Leah laughed, accepting the cup with a lighthearted giggle. She gestured casually to the empty spot beside her.
Kaibel, not needing any further encouragement, promptly sat down beside her, raising his cup.
“Cheers.”
Xian ground his teeth.
It’s fine.
It’s just beer.
Back in the capital, he rarely drank it, but on the battlefield, it was no different from water.
Drinking beer together didn’t mean anything.
Besides, Leah had an insanely high alcohol tolerance.
She had once downed five bottles of wine by herself, so beer wouldn’t even—
‘Wait.’
‘This means you’ll let me win one round, right?’
A memory flashed in his mind—Leah’s innocent, half-dazed smile as she had said that during their drinking contest.
Back when she had begged him to host a ball…
A sudden chill ran down Xian’s spine.
Leah had a drunken habit.
A very dangerous one—she kissed people on the lips.
‘Did she ever break that habit?’
Alcohol habits weren’t something that just disappeared.
Xian whipped his head around.
Leah was lifting the heart-shaped wooden cup.
Kaibel, resting his chin on his hand, was watching her with an amused smile.
His throat went dry.
His stomach twisted.
“…!”
Just as Leah’s pink lips touched the rim of the cup—Xian launched himself forward.
Smack!
“Eek! Oh—Xian?”
Leah yelped as her cup was snatched from her hands.
She looked up at him in shock, a single drop of beer glistening on her pale chin.
“How did you get here? And why did you—?”
Xian’s gaze fixated on that single drop, clinging precariously to her skin.
It was like a trap—something impossible to escape from.
His mouth went completely dry.
Instinctively, he yanked his eyes away and, without thinking, hurled the beer cup away.
“You. You’re weak. You shouldn’t be drinking.”
“Pfft. Oh, fine, fine! I won’t drink, happy?”
Leah pouted but quickly relented, sensing his unusually intense mood.
Behind her, Kaibel had collapsed onto the grass, clutching his stomach with laughter while shredding handfuls of grass.
Xian knew the bastard was mocking him.
He would deal with that later.
“I was conducting an inspection.”
“Oh, you must have run into Kaibel down below, then.”
She smiled so brightly that, for a moment, his rigid expression almost softened.
But then—
She said his name again.
So casually.
Xian’s jaw clenched.
He hated hearing another man’s name come out of her mouth.
Just as his irritation reached its peak—
Boom!
A firework exploded in the sky.
“Wow!”
The dark sky lit up in dazzling colors.
Leah gasped in awe and tugged on his hand.
“Look, Xian! It’s beautiful! Sit down and watch with me!”
Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand—her soft fingers tightening around his as she pulled him beside her.
Xian didn’t even think.
As if caught in a spell, he let himself be pulled down beside her.
