My voice trembled as if I was surprised. I heard the knights, watching me duelling the man, running to me in a hurry. They pushed the man out and asked with a very worried look.

“My lady, are you okay?”

“Yes I’m okay.”

“Were you injured?”

“No, I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t hurt. ”

“Did you say you were surprised? Hey, what are you doing? Bring some cold water!”

Sir League shoute. The young knight, who duelled with me a moment ago, rushed to get water.

I smiled awkwardly. I was not as surprised as he thought. To tell the truth, I was more surprised right now than a moment ago because they asked me a barrage of questions.

“My lady, please drink some water.”

“Thank you, Sir Ecs.”

The young knight who came back in no time quickly offered a water bottle. I took a sip of water after receiving the cold bottle. I smiled naturally at their warmth when they looked at me with concern.

Sir League looked at me with a warm expression, “Lady, you are very pretty. Smile more often. You used to be cute in the past. Time flies so fast!”

“Thank you for saying that, Sir League.”

“You’re welcome. I mean it. I’m a bit worried about how your father is doing these days. If you get married…”

“What did you just say?”

While I was smiling awkwardly at his repeated praise, I heard a cold voice from behind. I grinned broadly, turning to the man who asked Sir League.

“Have you been doing well, Daddy?”

“Yes, Tia. Did you have a good day today? ”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“It looks like you practiced fencing after a long time.”

“Yes, I think I have to start over. You must be very tired. Come on in. ”

After saying goodbye to the knights who felt sorry I had to leave, I went to the mansion with my father. He didn’t have to go to the palace today, and he had just returned after welcoming back the crown prince who arrived in the capital.

Yes, today was the day he returned to the capital.

“You came back early today, Daddy?”

“Well, If I hadn’t met Arkint in the middle, I would have come much earlier. By the way, Tia? ”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Arkint asked me how much you have learned with respect to your new work. He asked if you could come to his office to take over his work. He said if you didn’t mind, you could come, starting the day after tomorrow. ”

Time really passed so fast. It looked like yesterday when I decided to join the 1st Knights Division as an aide to Duke Lars when spring came, but it was already almost one year since I made that decision. Today is the 3rd day of the last month of the year. Next month would bring in a new year.

“Sure, I will come to his office the day after tomorrow.”

“Good. By the way, the crown prince has sent you a message”

“…His Majesty? ”

“Well, like he said the other day, he wanted to see you at the crown prince’s palace in the afternoon the day after tomorrow.”

“Ah… ”

I recalled a colorful letter paper sprinkled with gold pearls on a blue background that I received from the crown prince the other day. I remembered its contents, too.

When I thought of facing him again, I felt gloomy suddenly. With a sigh, I nodded to my father, who looked at me nervously. As I can’t disobey the crown prince’s order, I had to go see him the day after tomorrow.

Two days later, I headed for the Imperial Palace after telling my father about my visit.

As my father and Duke Lars went to work every other day, they rarely met at the palace unless they made an appointment. That meant I had little chance of bumping into my father.

‘It looks like I have no occasion to meet my father during the day.’

I sighed, feeling regret about it. Although I couldn’t rely on his protection forever, I still felt a bit sad when I thought about it.

When I entered the crown prince’s palace, a servant who appeared to belong to the Central Palace came to me and asked, “Are you Lady Monique?”

“Yes. What is going on? ”

“His Majesty wants to see you.”

“Got it. Can you escort me to him?”

I called the chief attendant of the crown prince’s palace and told him that I would be late because I was on my way to see the emperor at his request. I walked after the chief attendant.

There was another man in the meeting room of the Central Palace. When I stepped in, the emperor, who was drinking tea with Duke Lars, turned to me. I leaned slowly towards the emperor, who smiled at me nicely.

“I, Aristia La Monique, am honored to see Your Majesty, the sun of the empire.”

“Come on in. In fact, I heard from Duke Lars that you would serve as his deputy as of today.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. In the end, did you decide to succeed the Monique family? ” The emperor asked bitterly.

He continued, “If you look at your father’s character, he will never remarry. In that respect, your succession is not that bad…”

“That’s right, Your Majesty,” Duke Lars seconded.

“Hey, Duke Lars, are you coveting her, too? Well, I hear your son has a close relationship with her. Did you say he stayed with her at the estate of the Monique family for half a year? ”

“Well, I understand you already approved it. To be honest with you, I’m interested in having her as my daughter-in-law, too, but I don’t think Duke Veria will sit on his hands.”

“That ‘s right. If I had not picked her as Rube’s fiancee, he would have declared that he would have her marry his son and stay with his daughter-in-law for the rest of his life. I could bet my whole fortune on it,” the emperor said with a hearty laugh. Duke Lars also laughed.

“By the way, why did you come here in ceremonial dress, not uniform? Didn’t you say you came here to take over his deputy’s work?”

“Well, as I was pressed for time, my uniform has not yet been made. And I came at the crown prince’s order…”

“Really? Did Rube call you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“When did he call you? I don’t think I’ve heard that. ”

The emperor asked curiously, looking at me.

“Well, some time ago when he was returning from an inspection journey, he sent me a letter asking to see me at his palace.”

“Oh, I see. Now, I understand what happened. ”

His face was full of a warm smile. I swallowed a sigh deep down. In fact, the emperor used to arrange meetings for me and the crown prince to meet on purpose. In that respect, I could understand why the emperor was so happy to hear that the crown prince took the initiative to meet me.

As expected, the emperor said with a very satisfied expression, “Then I should let you go now. I was going to ask you whether you would be willing to think twice about the deputy position, but as the two dukes were vehemently opposed to my idea, let me give up. You can leave now.”

“Thanks for your consideration, Your Majesty. Then, I will leave now.”

“I’ll let you go today, but if you ever change your mind, come visit me any time.”

“… ”

“You can leave now. Have a good time. ”

After saying goodbye to the emperor, I left the meeting room and headed for the crown prince’s palace. It seemed a bit far from the Central Palace, so I walked back and soon arrived at the entrance. A chief chamberlain who oversaw the palace affairs bowed to me politely. Maybe he was waiting for me.

“Welcome, Lady Monique. I will escort you.”

While walking down the hall, escorted by the chief chamberlain, I looked around the inside of the palace again. I’ve never been to this place before because he always avoided me as the crown prince. Even when I entered the palace as the queen after he became the emperor, I only visited the Central Palace only a few times.

But now, as someone who was back from the past, I was walking in the hallway of his palace at his order. If he had invited me in the past, I would have been very happy, but I didn’t feel happy at all now. I was just nervous why he went to the trouble of sending me a letter asking to see him.