It’s not surprising.
Such occurrences weren’t rare. From the moment I decided to return to the empire, these events were inevitable. Valery, the man who hates seeing me in trouble, might have already eliminated many from the front lines, but stopping everyone was impossible. Aside from a few blatantly seeking to strengthen their ties with our house, most were simply seeking a friendly connection, which didn’t cause much trouble. However…
How could he possess it?
The problem was that ring.
Marquis Schultz had strongly supported the previous emperor, and even now, the Schultz family maintained a normal relationship with the imperial family. They didn’t overstep their bounds or engage in excessive flattery. But that ring wasn’t just any ring of the Rivaho family; it was a symbol of the Bei led by Shubart Rivaho.
It was a blatant message, impossible to ignore. As if he knew well that I wouldn’t bring up the matter first to avoid being bothered.
But did Marquis Schultz ever work with Shubart Rivaho while he was alive?
I couldn’t recall any memory of such an alliance. I hadn’t heard of it either. Moreover, after Shubart Rivaho’s death, the funeral was conducted without any external involvement, solely for my sake. It was known outside that he was dealt with in prison, and the reason he was able to hold a separate funeral was because of me.
Thinking this, I recalled the ring Marquis Schultz had been wearing earlier. Real or not, it’s troublesome, but I should look into it.
Given his blatant display, Marquis Schultz must have prepared something, whatever he intended to do. A man who has managed to hold his ground for so long isn’t to be underestimated. As these thoughts crossed my mind, a familiar scent made me instinctively take a deep breath, sighing.
Before I could consciously turn around, feeling his presence, warmth enveloped me from behind. Even as my body reacted first, the proximity made me flinch.
“Valery.”
“What are you thinking about?”
I didn’t even know he was coming. With his lips at my nape and a soft chuckle, his arms tightened around my waist.
“Just…”
“It’s been a while since you’ve been in the bedroom at this hour.”
His lips kept brushing against my neck and shoulders, tickling me. I hesitated for a moment, then slightly loosened Valery’s grasp to turn fully towards him. Facing him, his lips touched my forehead, nose, lips, and cheeks in succession.
“I had some time today… Wait, stop!”
I held up my hand to block Valery’s lips from kissing me again. He quirked an eyebrow in dissatisfaction and gently bit my finger. My eyebrows raised in response.
“What did you do today?”
“Just the usual, except for briefly meeting Marquis Schultz?”
It concerned me, but without any news, there was no reason to hide it, so I opened up first. We made a similar resolution just a few days ago.
“Schultz?”
“I was resting in the indoor garden.”
Valery seemed to ponder for a moment, his gaze dropping before returning to me. “Did he bother you?”
“Well, not yet? We just exchanged greetings today.”
“Not yet?”
“Yes.”
“If he’s going to be troublesome, I’ll…”
Valery’s words trailed off as he looked down at me, prompting me to shake my head.
“No, really, nothing has happened yet.” I felt the need to explain, mentioning it seemed related to the current situation, which made Valery’s expression turn more serious.
“Hmm.”
“So, I want to watch for now. Coincidentally, I wanted to investigate, so I’d like to check it out myself. He must want something from me.”
Valery added, “You don’t have to deal with him.”
“A marquis is not worth worrying about. So, I’m going to pretend not to notice it for now. I’ll check if anyone else is involved.”
“Still…”
“You’re really overprotective.”
I shook my head again. Valery looked as if he’d eliminate Marquis Schultz on the spot despite knowing I’d been through more extreme situations.
I quickly kissed Valery, who was watching me worriedly. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you if I really need to. Okay?”
“…”
Convincing Valery was easy. Actually, rather than convincing, even if I said that, it would be of no use since he always has his people around me for my safety. It was just preventing him from acting hastily before I could investigate.
* * *
It was a few days later. I took the initiative to arrange a meeting with Marquis Schultz and was preparing to attend.
There was an outing due to a bazaar, a rather large event organized and operated by noble ladies, starting before the end of the social season. The event began under the direct involvement of the previous empress and had been running for over ten years.
Stepping out of the carriage and into the building where the bazaar was taking place, I spotted a familiar figure.
“Your Majesty?”
Pausing, Juri, who had ridden with me from the palace, stopped and asked.
“…Never mind. Let’s go in.”
Reynolz was supposedly too busy in the North to be here.
Did I see it wrong?
I glanced at Juri, who looked puzzled, shook my head slightly, and entered the building.
* * *
“How have you been?”
“…Ian, when did you arrive?”
I asked Ian, surprised to see him here rather than at the palace. It was astonishing to encounter him here, and even more so because he had been waiting for me. So, I hadn’t been mistaken earlier.
After finishing with the bazaar event and bidding farewell to the ladies, I could finally step outside. It had been well over two hours since I entered. As soon as I stepped out, the atmosphere changed, already hinting that Ian had something to discuss, having noticed the change in my escort’s demeanor earlier.
“Your Majesty, he said he has a message for you.”
“Okay.”
After granting permission and sending Juri away, I quietly boarded the carriage. The carriage departed as usual, and as it slowed down while leaving the bustling area, a figure stealthily boarded. I looked at Ian, who was asking after my well-being, his face appearing a bit rougher than usual.
“I arrived in the capital three days ago.”
“Three days? Then why show up now?”
He wasn’t someone who couldn’t come with no issues entering the palace.
“I had to verify something, which caused the delay. My apologies.”
His demeanor seemed stiffer than before, prompting me to sigh softly.
“It’s fine as long as you’ve been well.”
“It’s a relief to see you’re at ease, Your Majesty.”
At his words, I chuckled. “You said you had something to tell me.”
Ian, now akin to family, tried not to show any grievance. “Yes.”
At my question, Ian nodded and reported everything that had happened to him without omission.
“You were sought after?”
“Yes, someone new is establishing Bei.”
“Without mentioning who?”
I thought of Marquis Schultz, who was surely plotting something.
“Yes. So, to verify, I visited Iskar two days ago.”
Iskar? That was a name I hadn’t heard in a long time. When had I last inquired about their welfare? I heard that Shale’s influence expanded significantly after Bei’s fall almost two years ago.
“What did Shale say?”
