Episode 81

Chapter 81 – Don’t You Think It’s Too Late?

“Tch. Wasn’t Her Majesty the Empress just amazing?”

In the Empress’s rear garden, Conrad and Felix were sitting side by side, eating lunch.

“Right in front of His Majesty’s Imperial Guard, huh?” Conrad recalled the situation from earlier and deliberately furrowed his brows with a sharp expression.

“‘I appreciate Your Majesty’s concern, but I already have sufficient guards. You may return now.’”

“…….”

“Wow. How could she say that at a time like that? Huh? Huh?!” Conrad nudged Felix in the side, jabbing him repeatedly. “You thought it was cool too, didn’t you? Right?”

Yes. It was cool. Felix agreed with him.

To be honest, at first, he had worried that Her Majesty might dismiss them. After all, they had once been the Emperor’s personal guard. No—maybe it was actually the perfect opportunity for the Empress to cement her position.

The Empress, beloved by the Emperor—what could be a sweeter image than that?

But the Empress had turned it down without hesitation. She said she didn’t need the Imperial Guard. That she already had enough people.

And when she said that, Her Majesty looked so dignified, so elegant, that it only deepened their respect for her. Not just as a superior to serve, but as someone they genuinely admired; they wanted to protect her not out of duty, but out of pure respect.

But right now, that wasn’t the most pressing issue—Felix’s side was still being jabbed mercilessly.

Felix furrowed his brow slightly. “I get it, I get it. Now can you stop stabbing me in the ribs and just talk?”

Conrad completely ignored the request.

“And this lunchbox, huh? Isn’t it just amazing? Honestly, I’m more motivated to work now than I ever was before.” Conrad lifted the lunchbox in his hand with a grin.

Ordinary knights usually ate their meals at designated mess halls, but thanks to the Empress’s generosity, Conrad and Felix didn’t have to walk all the way to the knights’ dining hall anymore.

“Right? Don’t you feel like, I dunno, Her Majesty’s warm touch is in this or something?”

“That wasn’t made by Her Majesty, though. It was the palace chefs—”

“Ah, come on! Why’re you getting caught up in the details? You just take what you’re given and say, ‘Thank you for the meal!’ That’s how it’s done!”

“Here, here. Eat up.”

Conrad took a chunk of meat and popped it straight into Felix’s mouth.

The special lunchbox was prepared under the Empress’s direct orders. The meat practically melted in his mouth, a testament to the palace chefs’ skill.

As Felix chewed and swallowed, he stared at Konrad for a moment before asking quietly, “So why did you volunteer to guard Her Majesty?”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You used to hate Her Majesty.”

“Hey! Don’t say such disrespectful things!” Conrad was scandalized.

But Felix calmly asked again, “Didn’t you?”

“W-Well… I mean, yeah… but that’s all in the past now.”

“What made you change your mind?”

“Eh, nothing that dramatic really.” Conrad shrugged and pulled out a strawberry cake—the dessert packed neatly by the chef.

“It’s because the Commander changed.”

“…….”

“You know it too, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“I mean, wow. I never thought I’d live to see the day the Commander would show up to a banquet of his own free will.”

Despite the joking tone, there was a sincerity in Conrad’s eyes.

“He just looked… good, you know?”

Yes. That’s what Conrad liked.

Unlike before, Leonard had become more expressive and open with people. And the one who had triggered that change—was Her Majesty the Empress.

But…

Lately, the Commander had started changing again. As if he were going back to the way he used to be—cold, sharp, like he might cut you with a single brush of his hand.

Not that Her Majesty seems to know.

Conrad took a big bite of cake as he mulled over the thought. It made sense. The Commander always acted normal around Her Majesty, like everything was fine.

But away from her—in the training grounds or his office—he was completely different.

In that chilled atmosphere, most knights were too afraid to even approach him.

“So?”

“Hm?”

“What does guarding Her Majesty have to do with the Commander?”

“Ah, you poor soul. You don’t understand the grand vision of your elder brother here.” Conrad clicked his tongue in mock pity.

Leonard had been absent from the palace more and more often lately. Conrad didn’t know the full story, but it was clear it had something to do with the Empress. And since Leonard had made it clear he didn’t want the knights involved, there wasn’t much more Conrad could do.

Still, he wanted to be of help, even in this small way—to the man he respected so deeply. And he wanted that version of Leonard to return as soon as possible.

“Ahh… if only the Commander understood my noble intentions.”

The next day.

I was on my way to attend the tea party.

“Sigh…”

Today, my steps felt especially heavy.

It wasn’t just because I didn’t want to go to the tea party.

‘A couples’ gathering, of all things…’

Yes. The real problem was that it happened to be a couples’ event.

In the past, Helena had tried to hold this particular gathering as rarely as possible. The reason was simple: her husband, the Emperor Jerome, never attended. She didn’t even have to see it to know how empty the seat beside her would look.

‘He always used the excuse of being busy with work, but really, he just didn’t want to come.’

So on days like this, Helena swallowed her tears.

‘Not that I’m particularly fond of this gathering either.’

Of course, it wasn’t that I was upset or hurt that Jerome wouldn’t be there. I was just tired of the pitying looks I always received.

“Oh my, Your Majesty the Empress. His Majesty won’t be attending again today?”

Just as I expected—it had begun.

“No, unfortunately, it seems His Majesty won’t be able to attend today. It appears something else came up.”

In truth, I hadn’t received any message at all. I simply made something up.

“Oh dear… Please don’t be too upset, Your Majesty.”

“Indeed. It’s not as if it’s the first time His Majesty has been swamped with state affairs.”

I simply responded with a smile.

No matter how many times I insisted I wasn’t sad, they never believed me, so I had developed my own method of coping.

After a round of greetings, the tea party officially began.

Despite being a couples’ gathering, there wasn’t anything particularly special about the conversation. Things like: My child just earned a scholarship at the academy, or My husband brought back a rare gift from his business trip.

It was your typical round of family bragging.

Oh. Wow. My goodness. Is that so?

I responded like a wind-up toy, dispensing canned reactions.

‘I just want to go back to my room already.’

I nibbled on a cookie from the table, half-lost in thought.

The silver lining was that I had nothing else scheduled afterward.

Which meant, once this was over, I could go back to my room and rest!

Yes. That thought alone made me feel so much lighter.

What to do when I get back… Maybe I’ll finally read that novel I’ve been putting off?

I was happily lost in such thoughts when—

“Oh my goodness!”

A sudden outcry snapped me out of my daydream.

I looked up—and when I saw the cause, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow slightly.

“Your Majesty?! I thought you wouldn’t be attending today?”

Jerome. He had come to the gathering.

And, as always, he looked annoyingly handsome.

He nodded lightly as he accepted the greetings from the nobles.

“The meeting ran late. It seems I’ve interrupted while everyone was enjoying themselves.”

“Oh, not at all, Your Majesty. We’re absolutely delighted you could join us.”

“I do hope we’ll get to see you more often like this, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, truly. The seat beside Her Majesty always looked so lonely without you.”

“And the Empress’s sorrowful expression… my heart broke for her.”

…Me?

Excuse me! I wasn’t the least bit sad!

What a wildly misleading thing to say!

To make matters worse, one of the noblewomen even gave me a subtle wink.

As if to say: ‘Didn’t I do well?’

You did not do well at all!

I argued back silently with my eyes.

While she and I were exchanging dagger-like glances, Jerome’s gaze fell on me.

“Indeed.”

What exactly do you mean, indeed…?

At that point, I really felt like crying.

But of course, clueless to my inner turmoil, Jerome leisurely took his seat.

Right next to me, no less.

‘Why did Jerome suddenly show up to the gathering?’

His unexpected appearance had thrown my mind into chaos.

At the very least, the Jerome I knew wasn’t the type to attend such events without a clear reason.

‘Maybe he has something important to say at this gathering…’

But if that were the case, he wasn’t saying anything.

He simply sipped his tea, occasionally responding to questions that came his way.

‘Then does he have business with me?’

I figured the quickest way to find out was just to ask him directly.

Fortunately, our seats were set apart from the others, and the other couples were too busy flaunting their affection to pay us any attention.

Now was the perfect opportunity.

I leaned in slightly and spoke just loud enough for him to hear.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Jerome raised one eyebrow.

“…How did you know?”

“You’ve never once shown up to one of these gatherings. Isn’t it obvious you’re here because you have something to say to me?”

He didn’t bother trying to deny it.

“You sent back the guard I assigned you the other day.”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

This time, he was the one asking the question.

“Because I already have a guard.”

“Changing guards isn’t unusual. It shouldn’t matter who’s assigned to you.”

“I suppose. But to be honest, I have no idea what Your Majesty’s intentions were in sending me a guard in the first place.”

I kept my tone steady and calm.

“And to assign someone from the imperial guard, no less. Why would you place people meant to protect you at my side?”

Jerome fell silent.

“Surely… you weren’t planning to keep me under surveillance, were you?”

“Of course not. I only made the decision out of concern for your safety. That’s all.”

“My safety…”

I set the teacup I had been holding gently on the table.

“There was a time, not too long ago, when I asked you for protection. Do you remember what you said then?”

He didn’t answer.

“You said, ‘The Imperial Palace is secure enough; your handmaidens are sufficient.’ That’s what you told me.”

“I did. But I’ve changed my mind.”

“Your Majesty.”

My voice was calm, but firm.

And I met his deep crimson eyes without wavering.

“Don’t you think… it’s a little too late to be changing your mind now?”