The Hated Empress Tames the Tyrant

As usual, Arundel visited the library.

She had fallen asleep late, lost in various thoughts about Zion yesterday. As a result, when she opened his eyes in the morning, the sun was already high in the sky.

After a quick meal, Arundel hurried to the library.

She hadn’t promised to meet Bianca every day, but for some reason, she felt anxious, as if she would be waiting for her.

Sure enough, when she arrived at the library, the beauty with high, red hair was quietly enjoying her reading.

‘…No, it doesn’t seem like she’s enjoying it.’

Arundel corrected herself.

She was reading the book as if she was devouring it. But it didn’t seem to be going well. It was like a child who couldn’t even read was reading an ancient book.

Arundel approached Bianca, who was engrossed in her reading with a grim expression, stealthily.

‘What is she reading so diligently every day?’

She had been curious every time, but she hadn’t asked because Bianca didn’t seem to want to talk about it.

But now, she was starting to wonder why she visited here every day to read.

Arundel approached right next to Bianca, but she was so engrossed in her reading that she didn’t notice at all.

Arundel’s gaze turned to the page that Bianca was staring at as if she was absorbed in it.

“Understanding the Magic of Teleportation…?”

“Ah!”

At her voice, Bianca made a strange noise and jumped up.

With a flushed expression, she quickly hid the book behind her back.

“Your… Your Majesty, when did you arrive…?”

“Just now!”

Arundel responded calmly to Bianca’s trembling voice.

“Oh, did you see what I was reading…?”

“A magic book?”

Arundel answered in a nonchalant voice.

But Bianca, as if she was not okay, collapsed on the spot. She covered her face with her hand and barely opened her mouth.

“You’ve seen it after all…!”

“…Hmm?”

“A noble lady and magic…You can look at me strangely… I think it’s strange too.”

Arundel questioned Bianca’s attitude, which she couldn’t understand at all.

“Is that strange? You could be interested.”

“Even if it’s just words, thank you, Your Majesty. But a noble lady who wants to learn magic at an age full of vitality…People all look at it strangely…”

At Bianca’s weak voice, Arundel frowned.

There were many things about humans that she couldn’t understand.

Even in the heaven realm, there were so many unnecessary rules and orders that it was annoying, and in the human world, there seemed to be more fatigue due to strange customs.

Just like now.

If you want to learn magic, you learn it. Isn’t it stranger to look at a noble lady with a full of vitality who is interested in magic as a weirdo…?

Arundel thought so inwardly and shook her head.

“So, Miss Bianca, have you been coming to the library to read magic-related books?”

“Yes… I want to learn magic, but my father will never allow it… He wants me to get married quietly.”

Bianca spoke with a bitter expression. Arundel didn’t feel good seeing her like that.

“Can you learn magic from a book?”

“Well. I read a book every day with a regretful heart, but the first step is to know if I have a talent for magic.”

“How can you know if you have a talent?”

“You need an excellent magician. A magician who has reached a certain level can check the magic power a person has. But, such magicians are not common…”

At the difficult condition, Arundel sighed briefly.

If you visit the library every morning and read related books, it seemed that the passion for magic was great.

But Bianca herself didn’t even know if she had innate talent yet.

‘An excellent magician…’

Two people came to mind for a moment.

The first was Zion.

She remembered yesterday’s event. He just flicked his fingers a few times, and she couldn’t move a joint. As Mannheim had said in advance, he was the best magician in the empire.

But Arundel shook her head.

When Bianca stood in front of Zion, she looked like she couldn’t do anything with her face turning white like a blank sheet.

In such a relationship, even if she asked Zion, he wouldn’t listen.

She thought more about Zion, who threatened to keep distance from Bianca for no reason yesterday.

‘…That guy is also excellent in magic.’

The second person who came to mind…no, the demon Hills, who entered the body of Crown Prince Rick.

The original power of the demon was ‘magic power’, and the origin of magic was very similar.

Therefore, the main combat method of the demons was magic, and Hills, the highest-ranking demon, was no exception.

However, Arundel shook her head again.

Hills might listen if she asked him, but she absolutely did not want to ask a demon. She felt sorry for Bianca.

Arundel, trying hard to hide her apologetic feelings, offered words of comfort.

“If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll help.”

“…Thank you for saying that.”

Bianca looked genuinely touched.

Seeing her face, Arundel’s conscience pricked her. But she absolutely did not want to ask Hills.

If she carelessly asked that demon, she wouldn’t know what kind of price he would demand.

Arundel, who had mastered human etiquette to some extent, left the library earlier than Bianca.

Arundel, who had learned Bianca’s secret, felt heavy-hearted.

She was the second female person she had become close to in the body of Empress Irina.

If Belle felt like a younger sister, Bianca was like a kind and affectionate friend.

She found out that Bianca, who was like that, had a problem she couldn’t tell others, but there was nothing she could do.

Thinking so, Arundel’s mood sank.

Woof woof-!

At the sound of a dog barking somewhere, Arundel raised her head and looked around.

From afar, a large white fluff was running at a very fast speed. Arundel, who recognized the identity of the white fluff, called out with a happy expression.

“He… no, Wilson!”

Shee almost called him Hegi again, but quickly corrected herself.

Looking closely, Wilson was not alone. The dark brown leather strap that started from Wilson’s neck was held in the hand of a large man.

“Royden!”

Arundel called out happily to Royden, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

It seemed like Royden was taking Wilson for a walk. When Royden noticed Arundel, he came running with a bright smile.

“Hello, Your Majesty the Empress. This guy seems to have recognized you from afar.”

“Haha, hello Wilson!”

Arundel laughed and stroked Wilson’s head. Wilson was wagging his tail all over the place and running around, so it wasn’t easy to touch him.

But even the peaceful moment was brief, and Zion’s warning passed through Arundel’s mind.

‘Do you think you can be friends with Royden? That’s funny.’

Arundel stiffened for a moment. Then she turned her head left and right to check her surroundings.

There was no one in sight, but Zion must have attached someone to watch her.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known all her comings and goings.

She had thought about whether the surveillance was her maids, but she shook her head.

She went with the maids on official schedules, but she usually went alone on personal schedules because it was cumbersome and she didn’t like people recognizing her.

The maids were disgusted and clung to Arundel like that, but he was able to easily shake off the maids by slipping out of the queen’s palace like a ghost.

Then someone must have been following her.

Seeing Arundel looking around, Royden asked with a puzzled expression.

“Your Majesty, are you okay?”

Arundel stared at him for a moment, then grabbed Royden’s wrist. Royden looked at Arundel with a puzzled expression.

“…Your Majesty?”

In that state, Arundel just ran.

Fortunately, Royden followed without any resistance. The place they arrived at was a dark alley between buildings.

In the narrow alley, the two stood close together.

Because Royden was large, they had to stand side by side.

“…I think an explanation is needed.”

Royden spoke, covering his mouth with one hand and looking uncomfortable. He avoided Arundel’s gaze and looked elsewhere.

But first, she had to explain this situation rather than Royden’s strange attitude.

“…The truth is, His Majesty the Emperor told me not to meet with Royden.”

Arundel hesitated to speak, but Royden didn’t seem surprised or upset.

“I see.”

“So we have to talk secretly in a place like this. If I’m seen with Royden again, the narrow-minded…no… His Majesty might say something.”

Arundel was about to say something sarcastic about Zion, but quickly changed her words.

Royden in front of her was a close friend of Zion.

Although it didn’t seem like Royden would relay his words to Zion, it was better not to speak ill of him just in case.

“I’m sorry. I’m fine, so you don’t have to pretend to know. I don’t want to cause trouble for Her Majesty the Empress because of me.”

Royden spoke with a calm face.

Arundel looked at Royden with a pleased face. He was indeed a wonderful young man(?) she didn’t want to lose.

“No, don’t worry about me. I want to talk to Royden like this.”

Arundel spoke with a harmless smile. For some reason, Royden’s ears seemed a bit red.

‘Is it hot because it’s too close…?’

Arundel, considering Royden, stuck her body to the wall as much as possible. But Royden’s expression stiffened a bit.

“It’s too narrow and uncomfortable. Shall we go out now?”

At Royden’s words, Arundel quickly grabbed him.

“Wait, I have a question!”

“…What is it?”

“Do you know any outstanding magicians nearby?”

At Arundel’s unexpected question, Royden spoke in a puzzled voice.

“…A magician?”

“Yes, a very outstanding magician!”

“The only outstanding magician I know is His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…I see.”

Arundel had asked with a hopeful heart, but it was as expected.

“I’m sorry. It seems I couldn’t help.”

“No, is Royden also coming to the welcome party for the Crown Prince of the Shalbon Kingdom?”

Whether Zion was really determined to turn Hills around here and there, he did not appear today. But soon, there was a party to welcome the Crown Prince.

It was not easy to meet Royden usually, so it would be nice to see him at an official event like a party.

“Yes, I think I will attend.”

Whether he understood the intention of asking, Royden answered with a faint smile. Arundel smiled brightly.

“Then shall we go out now?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

In case someone was watching nearby, the two left with a time difference.

Arundel, who came out first, turned around and gave Royden a nod.

The unexpected meeting with Royden took a little time. Arundel hurried back to the Empress’s Palace.

If Zion was waiting for her to come first, she didn’t know what kind of scolding she would get.

When Arundel arrived at the Empress’s Palace, he grabbed Belle

“Has His Majesty the Emperor not come yet?”

“Yes. He said he was busy today and might not be able to have a meal together.”

Belle hesitated in front of Arundel after finishing her words. She seemed to have something to say.

“Why? Do you have something to say?”

“No… It seems like you’ve been close with Miss Bianca lately.”

“Bianca…? She seems kind and nice.”

At Arundel’s answer, Belle pondered deeply and then spoke with a smile.

“As expected…Your Majesty the Empress is a great person.”

“Huh…? Me?”

“Yes! Miss Bianca was originally the first candidate for the empress position.”

“…?!”

“Because she was the most likely candidate for the empress position… If it were me, I would have felt a little awkward to get along with her…! As expected, Your Majesty the Empress is cool and wonderful!”