Remaried Empress

As soon as Viscount Roteschu visited the next day, Rashta hounded him about the ring.

"What did you do with the ring Rashta gave you?"

Viscount Roteschu was assaulted with a barrage of questions before he could even seat himself.

"What did you do with the ring?"

"I sold it."

"You sold it?!"

"Why not? It doesn't involve you anymore."

Rashta had been willing to trade for it if he still had it, and she let out a frustrated "Hu!"

"I sold it for more money than I expected. I thought you gave a cheap ring on purpose, but you have done well for me."

Rashta's blood pressure rose even more at Viscount Roteschu's vile smile. However, the ring was out of her hands now. Sovieshu had to obtain a new one.

Rashta mentally counted backwards from ten, then pointed her finger at a chair across the table.

"Sit down."

"No more of your impudence."

Rashta was uncharacteristically angry about the ring, but he wasn't intimidated.

"If you are on the same side as you say, you will no longer be in the lead. Don't be so rude to Rashta."

Viscount Roteschu shot her an irritated look, but as Rashta took out her fan and began to cool herself, his anger subsided as he saw the jewels flashing on the fan. It wouldn't be long before he acquired those as well.

Smiling in anticipation, Viscount Roteschu took his place with a screech of his chair.

"Yes, you're right. We're like colleagues now."

Rashta stared at him with a contemptuous look, but he continued.

"Have you made up your mind? My patience is running out."

"You have to convince me first."

"With what?"

"You said you would help Rashta. Whether you're truly helping or not, show your ability."

"Ability?"

Rashta snapped the fan into her palm.

"You said you would reveal my baby if I didn't cooperate. But if you ruin our arrangement even when we're on the same side, it would still be a loss for you. So you have to at least show me your ability."

"Hmm...So what kind of skills do you want to see?"

"Find out a weakness of Duchess Tuania's. Something that could start a bad rumor."

*

*

*

I had dinner twice a week with Sovieshu, and that was today. I recalled our unpleasant conversation yesterday, but I couldn't avoid him. I changed from my diplomatic clothing into a comfortable light blue dress and headed towards the eastern palace. To avoid any awkward conversations, I carefully ran over the words I wanted to say.

As I walked down the hall towards the room where I would have my meal, I ran into Rashta. The aftermath of the villa was still unchanged, and Rashta bowed carefully and stepped aside.

"I'm glad you aren't pretending to be friendly and calling me 'sister' anymore."

This distance was acceptable to me. I took a few steps past her when she spoke.

"Excuse me...Your Majesty."

Rashta quietly called to me from behind. I stopped and turned around, but she hesitated.

"What is it?"

It was as if Rashta's words were caught in her throat. What was she trying to say? With a frown, she slowly began to speak.

"Your Majesty has Prince Heinley. A close friend."

Why was she talking about Prince Heinley all of a sudden? She once claimed that she was his letter acquaintance. Was she trying to pull something again?

However, what Rashta said next took me by surprise.

"So please don't touch Duke Elgy."

"What?"

Why would I bother with him?

'She thinks I would touch Duke Elgy?'

An exhale escaped from my mouth.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"When I was in trouble, he was the only one on my side who listened to me and trusted me."

"So?"

"Please...don't be offended. Your Majesty, you have so many friends, so please don't take my only one..."

"I won't. "

I didn't know why she misunderstood me, but the idea was completely ridiculous and I immediately cut it down.

"I don't know why this concerns you, but do not worry. Duke Elgy is not my friend."

Rashta smiled in visible relief.

"As it's said."

"What?"

"You've coveted what was mine, but I haven't coveted what was yours. I'm not so deprived that I have to take from someone else."

"!"

A look of distress flashed on Rashta's face, but I ignored it. I brushed past her with a look as cold as Sovieshu's.

*

*

*

When I entered Sovieshu's room, his secretary, Count Pirnu, was already inside. I was unsure if they were deep in a long conversation, but Sovieshu was sitting in front of the table while Count Pirnu was standing beside him. I saw quietly opposite of Sovieshu, thinking that the count would leave soon given that he already had his hat in hand. Sovieshu wouldn't have allowed him to come here in the first place if he didn't mind being overheard.

"A ring with healing magic, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are necklaces, bracelets, and swords acceptable?"

"No. It should be a ring. No, no. A bracelet is fine, too."

"Very well. They're extremely rare, and the search will be very wide."

"Find one anyway, and as soon as you do, buy it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Count Pirnu gave a low bow to Sovieshu and I, then left the room with the close of the door. Sovieshu smiled in my direction and rang a bell to summon the servants. They had been waiting beforehand, and immediately brought in a lavish dinner of grilled goose skewers, stew, and bread with cheese. After the servants left, I directed the conversation to the scene from earlier.

"Don't you already have a ring with a healing spell, Your Majesty?"

"Oh...yes. But I don't have it now."

"I see."

He didn't seem to want to tell me why it was gone. Instead of questioning him further, I ate a spoonful of stew. I thought I was relieved to find a topic of conversation, but now I was at a complete blank. The room lie in complete silence, as we had been taught at an early age to not make loud sounds with our untensils against the dishes.

Only after emptying his bowl of stew did Sovieshu speak.

"Empress, if you don't mind, can you lend me the Desert Flower until I find a new ring?"

The "Desert Flower" was my ring, obtained from a trader who returned from Rwibt. It had been handed down through the generations by the desert tribe's greatest warriors, and also contained a powerful healing spell. I didn't use it much, so I didn't mind lending it to him...

However, my gaze unknowingly turned to Sovieshu's smooth hands. It had neither a scratch nor scar.

"Do you truly need it?"

Sovieshu answered bluntly.

"I just want to lend it to someone who has injured hands."

"Who is it?"

"Let me borrow the ring, and I promise to return it."

"Rashta's hands must be rough."

Sovieshu's eyes widened. I set my fork down, then wiped my mouth with a napkin and smiled at him.

"You don't need to use it on yourself. You can't lend it to other nobles out of the blue, and you can't sell anything you borrow. You're certain that you can get it back. Surely the person you want to give it to must be Rashta."

Sovieshu stared at me in silence, then sheepishly placed his forehead in his hand. He gave a long sigh.

"Won't you lend it to me?"

"I will."

"Really?"

"However, there is a condition."

"A condition..."

"Please lend me one of your magical items as collateral."

Sovieshu gave a shocked laugh.

"Do you think I will not return it?"

"No. But I may have a person I want to lend it to."

"To lend it to...Who?"

"Did you not tell me yesterday? You didn't want me to associate with foreigners, so I will look at our young countrymen instead."

Sovieshu's face stiffened.

"So, you will lend the Emperor's items to a young countryman?"

I nodded my head and coolly took a sip of my water. It was a lie, but if he was going to take my ring, I needed security. Sovieshu threw me a dirty look and stood up.

"If you don't want to lend it to me, just say no. I'll pretend this didn't happen."

*

*

*

I couldn't finish my bowl of stew after that, but I was still hungry.

'I'll have to ask Countess Eliza for some ice cream.'

I would feel a little better after I ate. Perhaps it was satisfaction from Sovieshu's twisted expression, but my stomach felt less upset than when he accused me of spreading rumors about Rashta being a runaway slave or when he thought I brought Viscount Roteschu.

I was walking through the Western Palace when I spotted a couple of figures.

"Prince Heinley? Queen?"

Prince Heinley was standing and holding Queen. My heart lifted as I approached them, but I discovered that I was mistaken.

"That is not Queen, is it?"

The bird was a little smaller than Queen, and his feathers were blue instead of gold. Its face was completely different as well.

"This is Queen's underling."

"Underling? Not his friend?"

"He is his friend, but officially he's an underling."

Prince Heinley smiled as he patted the bird's heard. The bird made a disgruntled expression, and I chuckled.

"Prince Heinley's birds are all very expressive."

"Is that so?"

"Queen has a surprised face, a sad face, and a shy face."

I reached out and touched the bird's head. He, too, was very gentle in nature and remained still, even though he was being touched by a stranger.

"He has a grumpy face."

"He always looks like this. He always has a face like, 'I don't want to do that.'"

At the end of Prince Heinley's words the bird turned even sulkier, but the bird was so cute that I kept stroking him.

"Can I hold him?"

I assumed I could, but Prince Heinley answered with surprising firmness.

"That's not possible."

"I can't hold him?"

"Yes."

He didn't seem willing to explain further, and I nodded.

'I would also like to raise a bird of my own...'

The bird looked so pitiful that I touched its neck, and Prince Heinley suddenly stepped back. When I looked up, he smiled softly.

"I think the bird is anxious to go back to the room."

"...He looks calm."

"His heart is beating louder. He's actually a shy and cowardly creature, unlike the brave Queen."

I didn't know if the blue bird was a coward, but he was certainly glowering at Prince Heinley. Instead of deigning the prince with his displeasure, however, the bird stood up and wearily flew away.

"I've never seen such a spiritless bird."

"He's always like that."

"Is he sick?"

"He's fine. He's just complaining."

"Complaining? What for?"

"Hm, indeed. Am I in trouble because I stopped the Empress from giving him a hug?"

I didn't know if he was talking to himself or asking me. Prince Heinley had an unusual look on his face as he stared at the bird's back with his arms folded. Then, as if he felt my gaze on him, he turned and smiled at me.

"I'll have to ask him later why he's angry."

"Can you talk to birds?"

"Yes. He's probably angry because I stopped the Empress from hugging him, and he's going to hit me ten times on the rear."

I burst out laughing.

"What is it?"

"Oh, I was reminded of Queen."

"What?"

"I sometimes pat Queen on the rear."

"!"

"He has a cute behind."

"Oh...thank you."

"What?"

Why was Prince Heinley so red? I looked at him quizzically, but his eyes refused to meet mine.

Ah. Was it because I was so plainly talking about rears? With a face that red, he really wasn't a playboy as the rumors suggested.

'He is surprisingly pure.'

I thought he would laugh, but I didn't continue because he was so embarrassed. I quickly changed the subject.

"I remembered I wanted to ask you something, Prince Heinley."

Prince Heinley looked at me with one hand covering his flamed cheek.

"Yes. Ask me, Queen."

"I met Duke Elgy yesterday..."

"Ah. I see."

He frowned as if he disapproved of the encounter.

"Did he disrespect you?"

"Not at all."

"That is a blessing."

"Instead he said something strange..."

"What do you mean?"

Prince Heinley's expression was tense.

'I'm not sure I can tell him the bad names, can I? Duke Elgy said he was a frivolous man.'

While Duke Elgy and Prince Heinley were best friends in name, I doubted that relationship right now. Instead, I asked about something else.

"He said it was you who called him here."

"...Yes."

"He also said you've been setting up something for years."

"!"