Translator: Aura

/ Editor: Vy

Heinley’s question left my mind a complete mess.

When will I accept him as my beloved husband? He’s already lovely, no?

I don’t think that’s what he means.

Does he want me to give him love?

I am confused.

I thought about my relationship with Sovieshu, but I never had a conversation like this with him. Those experiences were completely useless.

While hesitating, Heinley sighed and muttered,

“Your eyes look like those of an astonished rabbit.”

“I…?”

“Answer me another time, Queen.”

***

Heinley left afterwards.

Standing by the window frame, I leaned against it. This made me feel much better.

I hadn’t realized it, but my face seemed to have heated up. When I put my palms on my cheeks, they were really warm.

Is it because Heinley… is younger than me? Or is it because he’s a playboy? He was saying those sweet things too casually.

I didn’t dislike him, but…

As I was thinking about that, there was a knock at the door.

I hurried to open the door to see if it was Heinley again, but the ones who came in were Rose and Countess Jubel.

Where had they gone? They had baskets full of fruit.

“What were you doing?”

“We went to an orchard that’s in the Royal Palace, Your Majesty.”

“I will peel them for you.”

As the two sat on the couch, peeling the fruits and serving snacks on a plate, I stared out the window again.

Eventually, it came to my mind what Heinley had said about the invitation to Sovieshu’s wedding.

Since I was going to the Eastern Empire, my ladies-in-waiting would accompany me, so of course I had to tell them.

“His Majesty the King was here until recently.”

“His Majesty?”

“I don’t think I saw him then…”

“He came through the window. He just wanted to tell me some news.”

Rose, who had finished peeling the fruits, put down the knife and looked at me. Countess Jubel put down the plate of snacks on the tea table and also waited for my words.

“Our wedding date has been set.”

Their faces lit up at my words.

“At last…!”

“Designer McLinnan will be busier, Your Majesty.”

However, their faces darkened as soon as I told them about Sovieshu’s wedding.

“And Heinley and I have been formally invited to the wedding of His Majesty the Emperor of the Eastern Empire.”

It seemed as if they had drunk a glass of salt water.

“I have decided to go.”

When they heard my answer to the invitation, their faces got even worse.

The two exchanged glances in silence.

The dissatisfaction showed in their expressions. But eventually they sighed and accepted it.

As I was about to talk more on the subject, there was another knock at the door.

Rose went to open the door, while I sat on the couch looking in that direction.

The visitor was a well-dressed man with a big gray beard.

Who was he?

As I looked at his totally unfamiliar face, he bowed toward me.

After I nodded, the man entered the room and introduced himself,

“I am the Head Butler of the Amares Family, Your Majesty.”

Amares Family?

That name sounded familiar?

Ah. I remember it.

It appeared a couple of times in the records I had been reading.

As far as I know, that family held the title of Marquis.

Why would that family send their Head Butler here?

When I looked at him puzzled, the butler said politely,

“Your Majesty, I have come on behalf of Miss Mullaney.”

Mullaney! He was one of Mullaney’s subordinates.

I wanted to meet with her with the intention of getting her on my side, as she had great influence in the high society of the Western Kingdom.

I nodded and he continued.

“Miss Mullaney is very honored that Your Majesty the Queen would like to meet with her. She will be delighted to visit you once you let her know the date and time.”

There was no need to set a distant date.

“Tell her to come visit me tomorrow at one o’clock in the afternoon.”

***

Mullaney arrived half an hour before the appointed time.

I had considered that possibility, so tea and snacks were already prepared.

“My name is Mullaney, Your Majesty the Queen.”

I watched Mullaney carefully as she greeted me politely.

She was a young lady with gray eyes, with a straight and firm posture. She had a dignified expression and her manner of speaking was graceful.

“I am honored that you wanted to meet with me, Your Majesty.”

“I have wanted to meet you ever since I heard about you.”

“I, too, have been looking forward to this moment ever since I heard that Your Majesty the Queen had arrived. I was wondering when you would call me.”

It wasn’t just her expression that gave off confidence, her bold and sincere words naturally made me smile.

Although her aura was different, it felt like I was looking at a young Nian.

Instead of beating around the bush, I asked her directly,

“I see. If you were waiting for me to call you, it’s because you want something from me, right?”

Miss Mullaney smiled slightly, and asked in return,

“Your Majesty called me to help you integrate into the high society of the Western Kingdom, right?”

She’s smart. That’s even better.

When I nodded pleasantly, she asked this time more carefully than before.

“What would I gain by helping Your Majesty the Queen?”

At her bold but clever question, Laura, standing by the door, raised her head menacingly.

From the look on her face she seemed to be thinking,

‘What is wrong with her!?’

Resisting the desire to laugh, I replied,

“What do you want in return?”

From her earlier question I could tell she was looking for something in particular, but Mullaney’s demand was completely unexpected,

“Please drive Christa out of the Royal Palace!”