Rashta repeatedly squeezed the armrests of the chair.
Her eyes were on the beautiful tapestry on the opposite wall, but her mind wasn't really focused on the tapestry.
She was remembering Joanson's warning.
Rashta eventually got up from the chair. The more she thought about it, the more severe the headache became, so she was going to lie down on the bed to take a nap. What better place to forget and escape from reality than a sweet dream?
"Your Majesty. The Emperor is here."
But now it seemed that she wouldn't even be able to escape. Hearing that Sovieshu had come, Rashta muttered in fear and helplessness.
"Let him in…"
In the past, his very presence made her feel good. How did it turn into such an unpleasant relationship in less than a year?
Rashta looked sadly at the man who entered. Unlike the haggard Rashta, Sovieshu still exuded dignity and charm.
But he had a very cold expression, which made Rashta even more frightened. He had read the article!
"Is that true?"
Sovieshu got to the point. He asked immediately as soon as he closed the door. As Rashta feared, he seemed to have read the article in today's paper.
"I asked if that is true, Rashta. Is it true what is claimed in the article?"
Rashta responded weakly.
"Did you come here in search of an answer or do you already have one?"
Her wretched voice and pale expression could elicit pity, but Sovieshu's gaze remained indifferent.
'Where did the man who sang lullabies to my belly a few months ago go? The current Sovieshu even took my daughter from me.'
"Will you believe Rashta's answer?"
"What if I don't believe you?"
"…"
"Be honest. You need to tell me now so I can help sort it out."
Rashta bit her lip.
Looking at the newspaper spread out on the coffee table, Sovieshu continued,
"Whether that person is your real father or not, it's not your fault that he showed up so unexpectedly. I don't intend to blame you for this. So be honest with me. Let's make this easy."
"If Rashta lies…. Will Your Majesty also abandon Rashta?"
"Don't waste my time."
"What do you mean, let's make this easy?"
"Rashta."
She felt really suffocated by Sovieshu's voice.
Rashta hesitated and answered,
"He's not my real father."
Rashta lowered her eyes to avoid Sovieshu's gaze.
Seeing Rashta stay like that for a while, Sovieshu calmly said, "It's okay." Then, he turned around and walked out. He did not ask again if it was true.
'Did he realize I lied?' Fearing that he might return at any moment, Rashta froze in terror, swallowing hard.
However, Sovieshu did not return and she belatedly regretted it.
She didn't want to be a nuisance to Sovieshu, so she said that man was not her real father. Even if Sovieshu sorted it out, she didn't want him to think in the process, 'She's an incompetent and stressful woman.'
Sovieshu already knew about Rashta's lies. As soon as he entered the office, he mentioned this to Marquis Karl,
"In the end she lied."
"Again?"
"Yes. Again."
Marquis Karl sighed,
"… But this time I feel a little sorry for her. It must have been because of that man that Rashta became a slave. And now he has reappeared."
Sovieshu nodded. That was why he had intended to help her if she answered honestly, it was an opportunity he had given her.
"What are you going to do, Your Majesty?"
"If I leave him alone, he will harm my daughter. Such a person has no scruples and there is no way he will change in the future. He must be dealt with discreetly before it's too late."
"Shall we do it now?"
"There are a lot of attentive people right now. It will be better to deal with him once people's attention shifts to another matter… or after I leave the capital."
"Well, it's better to do that as soon as possible. Later on the pregnancy will be very advanced…"
Heinley, who had been quietly caressing my belly, finally decided how to handle the matter of going to Wirwol.
He seemed to think it would be better to go now rather than some other time in the future.
"But the palace doctor indicated to me that the first few months require the most care."
The cushion on my back had shifted, so I reached back to adjust it.
After I leaned back on the cushion, Heinley put his hand on my belly again and responded,
"That also worries me a lot, My Queen. But later on it can't be hidden that you're pregnant."
"That's true."
When my belly grows, everyone will know that I'm pregnant. The news will reach other countries as well.
Heinley sighed.
"Aren't the neighboring countries on alert since we proclaimed ourselves an empire? If word gets out that you're pregnant, your life could be in danger down the road."
"You are right."
"I prepared a large, comfortable carriage. Think of it like a few vacation days."
"Yes."
I answered, and put my hand over Heinley's hand on my belly. Heinley turned his hand to intertwined his fingers with mine and whispered,
"My Queen. If we go to Wirwol, we'll pass that way too."
"Where we dined together."
"Yes. That place."
Our minds were connected, Heinley kissed my hand and smiled broadly. I leaned over to kiss Heinley's forehead. Although you never knew when ice was going to come out of my hand, he didn't seem the least bit afraid.
We also wanted to go out together after such a long time, so we would take advantage of the trip to Wirwol.
That's where I asked him to marry me…
As soon as we decided, we started to prepare for the trip.
As it was not an official visit, but a short visit, the preparations took less time.
Mainly the essentials were prepared, and the carriage was decorated like an ordinary noble carriage.
Heinley occasionally mentioned the names of the delicious restaurants in Wirwol, saying with great enthusiasm that we would go one by one.
But two days before we left. An urgent message came from Whitemond. The King of Whitemond would come in person to meet with Heinley. He wanted to discuss the port issue personally, not through a delegation.
Given the time the message arrived, the king must have already left his country.
Whitemond was not a distant country. If the king left immediately after sending the message, he would arrive here by the time Heinley and I had departed, unless some special circumstance arose.
I held his cheeks with both hands and comforted Heinley who was in pain.
"Stay. I can go alone."
I felt sorry for Heinley, who was excited about the trip together, but it couldn't be put off.
"No, My Queen. It's dangerous."
"Viscount Langdel said he would escort me with the Supranational Knights. What could be dangerous?"
"But…"
"Heinley. The king of another country is going to visit us in person. We can't both be absent at the same time. Especially you."
Heinley nodded reluctantly after I spoke firmly. Although he seemed to act emotionally at times, Heinley actually had no problem separating public matters from personal ones.
"I'll be back as soon as I learn about mana."
Once I promised, Heinley again nodded dejectedly.
317Silence reigned in the rattling carriage.
Although I still had no appetite, I didn't feel dizzy from the motion of the carriage and the wind was fresh. With this clear sky, the weather was perfect for a trip.
'I really wanted us to come together.'
As I leaned against the carriage window watching the green landscape transform into magnificent buildings, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. The image of Heinley chattering beside me kept coming into my mind.
'Since when did he invade my mind so naturally?'
"Looks like we're almost there, Your Majesty."
I was deep in thought when I heard Countess Jubel's animated voice. At that moment, I remembered what had happened before I left and laughed.
The fact that I could become a mage was also a secret, but I would only keep it as a trump card.
I didn't need to hide it from everyone like I did with my pregnancy, so I told my ladies-in-waiting about the purpose of this trip.
My ladies-in-waiting were so excited that they all wanted to accompany me.
Seeing Rose and Laura complain together, Countess Jubel couldn't help but laugh.
"You seem to be cheerful, Your Majesty."
"Well, I was thinking that next time I should come with Miss Rose and Miss Laura…"
Just as Mastas was about to speak, the carriage stopped and Viscount Langdel opened the door.
"We have arrived, Your Majesty."
Viscount Langdel extended his hand to me and I stepped down from the carriage.
"Thank you."
By the way… was he all right? He had a somber expression in the sunlight.
Could it be because he was far away from Duchess Tuania?
"I'm sorry you had to escort me on this long trip."
I apologized, thinking it might be my fault, but Viscount Langdel immediately responded.
"What? No, no. You are my savior, my mistress if only temporary."
Although he denied it, he did not have a good face….
As I pondered whether it would be impolite to ask, Viscount Langdel murmured as he extended his hand to Countess Jubel to step down from the carriage as well.
"Actually it's because of Nian."
Countess Jubel asked hurriedly before stepping down from the carriage.
"What happened to Nian?"
In the Eastern Empire, Nian was the focus of high society gossip.
Since I had arrived here, rumors about me had not stopped circulating, so she had remained a bit behind the scenes. The Countess seemed curious because she hadn't heard anything about Nian in a long time.
Viscount Langdel responded sullenly.
"It's all because of Marquis Liberty."
Why him? Marquis Liberty was the eldest son of Duke Liberty. He did not officially hold the title of marquis, everyone called him marquis because he was the successor. He was also the older brother of William, Mullaney's adoptive brother.
After Countess Jubel stepped down from the carriage, Mastas refused Viscount Langdel's hand and asked,
"You mean the shy lizard?"
"Yes, that lizard."
'Why a lizard?'
Countess Jubel's eyes sparkled as if she heard a man had stepped between Viscount Langdel and Nian, so she asked,
Viscount Langdel answered grimly,
"I think he fell in love with Nian. He shows up at any party Nian hosts or attends, no matter how small or large."
Countess Jubel let out a laugh and shook her hands as if he had made a fuss over nothing.
"I thought it was serious. He's not the first man or the second behind her, why do you care so much?"
"He has a higher status, more stable… and has a gentle appearance."
Mastas quickly stepped in and comforted Viscount Langdel,
"The Viscount also has a gentle appearance."
"Is that a compliment?!"
"Of course! The Viscount is also a great lizard."
"Is that really a compliment?"
At times like this, Viscount Langdel did not look like a fearsome commander of the transnational knights. Seeing Viscount Langdel nod at Mastas' apparent compliment, I bit my lips to contain my laughter.
But Viscount Langdel, who was walking leisurely, suddenly stopped and his expression became rigid. His innocent face disappeared, and the fierce expression of the knight commander instantly emerged.
What's the matter?
I turned my head in the direction he was looking.
The reason was easy to understand.
Sovieshu…
There was Sovieshu.
He too had a stiff expression, as if he didn't expect to see me here. The knights behind Sovieshu looked uncomfortable. The bright atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.
We looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, then carefully approached each other as if someone had pushed us.
We both occupied too high a position to pretend that we had not seen each other. As emperor and empress of powerful countries, we had to show mutual respect.
Besides, this was a straight road. If I wanted to avoid him, I would have to pass through the bushes on either side. It would look like I was running away.
About three paces away, we stopped again. I greeted him politely with the smile of an empress.
"I heard about the baby's birth. Congratulations."
"… Thank you."
Sovieshu answered awkwardly.
I lifted the corners of my lips and nodded without saying a word. Then I added,
"Did you give the baby the gift from me, or did you throw it away?"
When Rashta became pregnant, I chose a sword as a gift for her child. A splendid and beautiful, but decorative piece. A sword that meant living without working, or living effortlessly.
Sovieshu's expression froze quickly.
"Well. That gift you gave to Rashta, so I don't know where it is."
"I understand."
I nodded and looked in the direction I was supposed to go. That was the direction from which Sovieshu appeared.
I was undecided. Could I say goodbye and be on my way? Could I tell him to let me pass, that I had business to attend to?
"Stand back."
I guess not.
Sovieshu ordered his knights to stand back. Then, I directed a look that expressed the same to the knights behind me.
Viscount Langdel frowned, but said nothing. Although Wirwol functioned as an autonomous region, it was still territory of the Eastern Empire, so Sovieshu could ask, 'What is an exiled person doing here?' For some reason though, he seemed to be trying to avoid him.
Lastly, I also asked Countess Jubel and Mastas to stand back.
I could not ignore his request lightly, he was still the Emperor of the Eastern Empire.
As soon as everyone walked away, Sovieshu asked,
"I thought you would live well. Why have you lost so much weight?"
Surprisingly, he sounded quite upset.
It was true that I had lost weight, I hadn't eaten much lately.
But I couldn't say that I had lost my appetite because I was pregnant. While I remained silent trying to find an answer, Sovieshu asked again.
"Is it because of your husband?"
318"No."
I spoke as firmly as possible.
"In that case, Navier—"
"I said no."
"You can come back whenever you want."
But Sovieshu went on to say what he wanted.
"Listen to me. I said no. I said no."
Although I spoke a little annoyed, Sovieshu stuck to the same line.
"Don't be proud."
"Sovieshu."
Why was he acting this way? Even though at my wedding he had confessed to me that he loved me… I thought he had accepted that I be happy next to Heinley.
Those last words stuck like a lump in my throat. It was suffocating and tingling, so I licked my lips several times.
"I'll go now." But in the end I swallowed it all, took a step back, and said goodbye, "It seems there's nothing more to say."
However, Sovieshu was not finished yet,
"I heard it."
Now what?
"What are you talking about?"
"Your husband has made you suffer."
"Who told you that?"
"A lot of people."
"I don't know who told you, but you should fire him. He either handles very bad information or has poor judgment."
"Navier. Put aside your pride."
Ahh… my goodness! Sovieshu.
As I repressed the urge to pull his hair out with my bare hands, I said, drawing another line,
"Your Majesty Sovieshu. Now I am happier than ever. I don't know what you heard, but it's none of Your Majesty's business. You are my ex-husband. From the moment we divorced, what happens in my life is not your concern."
"Are you happier than ever? Happier than when we had a good relationship?"
Sovieshu's tone and mine naturally changed between friends who grew up together, spouses who divorced, and rulers of powerful countries.
I looked at him in silence.
Was I happier in my childhood? Of course, the happiest times were in my childhood, before I was hurt. I never went through anything bad. Hope for the future shone brightly. I was only surrounded by people who loved me. A time when there was no political struggles, when I did not suffer a single betrayal, when my brother lived with my parents, Sovieshu's parents adored me, Rashta did not exist, and Sovieshu was my best friend.
My parents were healthier and younger. When I came home after a hard day of class, I would hold on to my parents as tight as I could to forget the tiredness.
Yes. It was a very happy time. But wasn't it the man in front of me who took it upon himself to destroy those days?
"My childhood was also happy."
Sovieshu's expression brightened clearly,
"But I was only happy because of my childhood, not because Your Majesty was by my side. Do you understand? If I could cut with a pair of scissors the moments when I stood next to Your Majesty in those days, I would have cut them all out long ago."
However, his expression darkened again as soon as he heard these words.
I looked at him coldly as if to say, 'It's enough? Can I go now?'
"I found out about what happened between Emperor Heinley and the former Queen Christa."
Hearing what he had just said, I was finally able to understand why Sovieshu was so insistent today that I come back.
Sovieshu feared Heinley would abandon me as he had done.
"It's just a rumor."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Even if it were true, it's none of Your Majesty's business."
I didn't want to exchange any more words with Sovieshu, it was mentally exhausting. I turned around, shaking my head with a truly disgusted expression.
"I'll go on my way."
"I'll accompany you."
"There's no need."
"Empress."
I don't know what words would come out of my mouth if he kept insisting. I put politeness aside for a moment and went on in silence.
"By the way, Empress."
However, Sovieshu called me back and approached me from behind.
Why didn't he try to talk like that before the divorce? I wanted to smack him upside the head.
"What brings you here?"
"Your Majesty need not know."
"If an ordinary person had come, you would be right. But being the Empress of the Western Empire who came, I should know."
Finally, I had to stop again. As I turned around with a frown, he was standing with such an unusual expression that he didn't look like someone who was cleverly taking advantage of his position.
Although I frowned, he was right. Wirwol was said to function as an autonomous region, but the emperor kept his eyes closed so that the mages could operate freely. Wirwol was definitely territory of the Eastern Empire.
"I came to see the dean."
Reluctantly, I told him the reason for my visit without going into detail. I didn't care that he knew this.
"Why the dean?"
"Do I have to tell you that too?"
"Is it a secret?"
"Yes."
This time, Sovieshu's expression turned really dark. It was such a sudden change of expression that I feared I had misspoken.
What's wrong with him? As I looked at him in surprise, he asked carefully.
"Are you also involved in this matter?"
"What matter?"
I don't know what he was talking about, but from his very serious expression it seemed like a delicate matter.
"The phenomenon of mage decline."
"What do you mean?"
If it was 'increase' instead of 'decline', it might have something to do with me. Evidently, he wasn't asking that.
"You don't know?" Sovieshu muttered under his breath. Then he added without even waiting for an answer,
"If you really don't know, I advise you to watch out for Emperor Heinley."
Finally, I was able to turn away from Sovieshu to go to the dean's office, but he left my mind confused.
His words still haunted me.
Why did he first ask me if I had any connection to the phenomenon of mage decline and then tell me to watch out for Heinley?
My uneasiness worsened when I met with the dean.
The dean, whom I hadn't seen for some time, had a worse expression than usual. His cheerful image had disappeared, and three deep wrinkle lines formed on his forehead.
Now, Sovieshu's strange words came to mind, and I felt worried.
Still, pretending not to notice, I greeted the dean in a friendly manner,
"Sorry for the sudden visit."
"It's okay…"
The dean bowed slightly uncomfortably. It was evident that he did not care to watch his expression.
I was sure that the dean's expression was not bad simply because he was in a bad mood. He seemed to be upset with me.
But I pretended not to notice again, gave him a present, and brought up the reason for my visit.
"Dean. I actually came to ask for your help."
"Help?"
"It has to do with mana…"
At that moment, before I could even finish my words, the dean interrupted me and said flatly,
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I can't help you right now."
As I imagined, he was displeased with me. That made me a little sad. We weren't close enough to spend time together, but I thought we had a relationship of mutual respect. The dean's cold attitude disappointed me.
I didn't want to show weakness, so I asked casually.
"Is it because I went to the Western Empire?"
There was no other reason for the dean to have a cold attitude toward me.
However, the dean denied it.
"Not at all, Your Majesty. Please don't misunderstand me. I welcomed Your Majesty's second marriage with open arms."
Then?
"Why all of a sudden…?"
"I am a mage and a citizen of the Eastern Empire."
What did he mean by that? He didn't like that I became a mage because it would contribute to the power of the Western Empire? But he had already helped Heinley a little, right? Besides, the dean didn't even know that I could become a mage.
"Until the current suspicions are proven false, I have no choice but to stay away from the Western Empire."
"Suspicions?"
"… forgive me."
I understood less and less what was going on.
"It's not related to Your Majesty. Although it might, I don't think the Empress is that kind of person."
The dean added as he looked at me with mixed feelings.
"… I hope not."
319In the end I came alone to the restaurant Heinley and I had planned to come together. I sat at the same table as before, ordered the same dishes from the menu and, as I waited for the food to arrive, pondered Sovieshu's and the dean's words.
Sovieshu's expression turned dark when he mentioned the phenomenon of mage decline. The dean emphasized that he was a mage and a citizen of the Eastern Empire, furthermore he spoke of 'suspicions'.
What 'suspicions' exactly? Do they both think that the Western Empire caused the phenomenon of mage decline?
Perhaps that is the case.
Otherwise, the dean's cold attitude and Sovieshu's sudden seriousness, who had been begging me to come back, made no sense.
However, the suspicions were truly absurd. How could the Western Empire do such a thing? What kind of person would Heinley be?
… What kind of person.
I suddenly remembered that I, who didn't have a bit of mana, was becoming a mage. I also remembered the side effects of the mana bed that Heinley told me about.
I felt an inexplicable tightness in my chest. I forced myself to drink some cold water to dispel the doubts.
Although Heinley was quite cunning, he couldn't be that cruel.
How could he be stealing the mages' mana? The image of Evely suffering was so vivid in my mind that I couldn't believe that Heinley was the cause of it. It was nonsense.
Fortunately, the waiter brought the food I had ordered before I gave it any more thought.
But by then I had lost all appetite. The appetite that I hadn't had for a while. Even though my stomach growled with hunger, I frowned at the mere act of putting food in my mouth.
While I was trying to eat against my will, an employee brought me today's newspaper.
"Umm… Lady. Here you go."
Sitting alone with a frown didn't seem appropriate.
"Thank you."
I said with a forced smile and opened the newspaper with one hand. My mind was confused, so I wanted to think about something else.
As soon as I opened the newspaper, my attention immediately focused on Rashta's name which was in an article.
What is this?
I left the spoon to hold the newspaper properly.
Had a man appeared who claimed to be Rashta's real father?
This was news that had not yet reached the Western Empire.
I had told Countess Jubel that I had something to think about, so she sat at a separate table behind me. Just now, she leaned back to see if I had also received a newspaper from the employee and whispered,
"Your Majesty, did you see this in the newspaper?"
"I just saw it."
"Oh my. What's this all about? I'll keep the newspaper. Is there anything more delicious?"
I read the newspaper carefully. The man who claimed to be Rashta's real father had appeared a few days ago. Of course, Rashta denied it.
I could imagine it. After she made up noble parents to dispel rumors that she had been a slave, she would never accept a common man as her real father. Even if he really was.
However, she seemed to have changed her mind in the end. She said that the man who claimed to be her real father had raised her as a child for a time, even though he was not actually her father.
The man also suddenly changed his stance after Rashta made such a statement, he agreed with her words.
The journalist named Joanson, who wrote the article, questioned this between the lines, 'how could a person change his side of the story so drastically?', and subtly raised suspicions that the man had been threatened or received money.
"It's amazing, it's amazing. Your Majesty. Did you read this part?"
I nodded as I continued reading the article. Countess Jubel called me noisily again.
"That woman must have made this journalist angry. He's raising suspicions from several angles."
"Yes."
The journalist apparently targeted the real father in the article. Is he a swindler?
But the fact that he dared to raise the issue of money and threats indicated that it was actually an article he had written to hurt Rashta.
In any case, it seemed that Rashta declared that she would support both the newly appeared man and her real noble parents.
But this journalist attacked Rashta in the last part of the article while pretending to be worried about her.
[The Empress really has a good heart. It is very kind of her to want to support both, but an empress must also have determination. Ordinary people often fall victim to scammers for being too kind, if the Empress acts the same way it could harm the whole country. Wouldn't it be better for Her Majesty to take a test at the temple to find out who her real parents are, and thus support only them?]
"Good heavens! How can it taste so good?!"
I could hear Countess Jubel's cheerful voice behind me. I drank water and folded the newspaper.
Earlier, I was so focused on what happened with Sovieshu and the dean that I didn't notice the whispers about Rashta. Everyone in the restaurant was talking about her.
From, "There is also the case of the promissory notes, Empress Rashta is a liar," To, "This journalist always speaks badly of Empress Rashta. His words are not to be trusted."
'Wouldn't she be happy next to Sovieshu and her daughter? What happened, Rashta?'
A few days later I was back in the Western Empire.
Upon arrival I had to calm Heinley, who came up to me like an anxious puppy. Then I told him what happened with Sovieshu and the dean.
"I know you would never do that. There seems to be a misunderstanding."
"So you didn't get any help with the mana?"
"No. In fact, I wanted to visit the dean again, but… I didn't because he was upset."
I gripped Heinley's hand tightly, kissed the back of it, and said,
"You wouldn't hurt other people with such lovely hands."
"!"
"Heinley. I don't think you would make other people suffer like Evely suffered."
"My Queen…"
"I'll ask Grand Duke Kapmen about the mana. The Grand Duke took classes at the academy from start to finish, so he could help me."
I didn't bother to talk about Rashta. There was no need to.
Heinley hugged me tightly without a word.
That night, lying on Heinley's chest with my eyes closed, all the worries of my trip to Wirwol melted away.
Before I knew it, he had become a special person to me. This prince from a neighboring country, who was both like a huge puppy and a cunning eagle, was now my husband. Just being by his side made me feel comforted.
Immersed in the fragrance of his body, the weariness of the past few days washed over me and I fell asleep as I caressed Heinley's muscles.
When I opened my eyes again, I was puzzled that Heinley was not next to me.
I thought maybe he had something to do, so I was going back to sleep. However, I suddenly felt very hungry. I wanted to eat the bread that Heinley used to make.
I hadn't eaten well in days, so I got up and went out to look for Heinley.
He's not in his room…
So I went to his office. The office door was closed.
At that moment I unconsciously touched the doorknob, thinking about returning to the bedroom. A thin layer of ice came out of my hand, the knob froze, and after a slight click, the door opened almost noiselessly.
Heavens! Tomorrow I should meet with Kapmen!
As I stared perplexed at my hand, I heard a soft voice through the slightly open door.
"Send the crow to check on the situation. If he thinks that we'll be discovered because of that necklace, he must do whatever it takes to get it back."
320Heinley called McKenna into his office in the middle of the night. As soon as he entered, Heinley told him,
"I think we have a problem."
McKenna asked bitterly.
"A problem at this time of night?"
"It's related to the phenomenon of mage decline."
McKenna cocked his head.
"How can there be a problem?"
The logic for stealing mana from a mage was simple. However, it was not easy for all the conditions to be met, so people did not realize that simple logic. It was only because of a terrible accident in his childhood that Heinley even became aware of these conditions.
"It's because of the mana necklace."
"Ah."
McKenna let out a slight sigh.
"It's still not certain that the necklace is a real problem."
"I understand."
McKenna nodded and asked,
"So, should I go there to check out the situation?"
He wanted to go check on the situation so he could take a break. Work has been hard lately. McKenna volunteered again, happy about the excellent idea he had come up with.
"There's no one better than me to do this. I'll go check to see if the necklace poses a real problem, Your Majesty."
"You have work to do, McKenna."
"…"
"Just kidding. You'll draw too much attention. You've already been hit by an arrow."
Heinley's expression changed between concern and seriousness, then he thought for a moment before he continued.
"I would like to send someone who is inconspicuous and cautious."
"What do you think of the crow? He's small and fast."
"All right, send the crow to check on the situation. If he thinks that we'll be discovered because of that necklace, he must do whatever it takes to get it back."
"I get it."
"If he can't bring it back, then he must destroy it."
"So it will be."
Once Heinley was done with the matter, he patted McKenna on the shoulders and headed for the door to leave.
At the same time, McKenna sighed inside himself.
He was done with today's work. He would now return to his room to get some rest and try to resolve some issues with Heinley in his dreams.
However, Heinley remained standing in front of the door instead of opening it. Although he only had to turn the doorknob, he stared at it with his hands down.
As McKenna approached he asked,
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
It was then that Heinley let out an, "Ahh". There was no other response.
As soon as McKenna looked at the doorknob Heinley was staring at, he immediately shouted, "Huh?!"
The doorknob was white.
"What happened?"
The doorknob had turned so white that even the naked eye could tell it was frozen, and the ice on top of it seemed to rise 0.7 cm. Someone had just frozen the doorknob.
McKenna was quick to murmur in surprise,
"Ice Mage…!"
Only a mage would be able to do this, but as far as McKenna knew, there were no ice mages currently in the imperial palace. In fact, there were very few mages in the Western Empire.
"Your Majesty, it seems that someone was spying on us! Is it the Eastern Empire? Has the Eastern Empire infiltrated a spy into the imperial palace?
McKenna asked in panic. However, Heinley's expression was calm. Heinley put a hand on the doorknob without a word. When his hand touched it, the ice came off the frozen doorknob easily.
Crow. Necklace. Discovered.
Are these three the key words…?
Instead of running away when the conversation abruptly ended, I should have walked in and asked directly, 'What are you talking about?'
After I wandered around for a while, I went back to bed and lay on my side.
But Heinley's words kept coming into my head. Was he really involved in the phenomenon of mage decline? What connection could there be between a crow and a necklace? What if Heinley had to do with such a phenomenon… What should I do?
I remembered how Evely had sobbed at having lost her mana.
At that moment, I heard the sound of the door being opened. The sound ran through every inch of my body. I hastily closed my eyes and wrapped up in the sheets. As soft footsteps approached, my heartbeat quickened.
Then I felt the presence of a person close to my face.
"Are you asleep?"
The voice that whispered in my ear was low and affectionate. It was clearly from my Heinley.
"Sweet dreams."
His voice was warmer than the sheets. After he kissed me on the cheek with his full lips, he carefully lay down on the bed and pulled me into his arms.
I could feel Heinley's muscular chest touch my back and his breath on the back of my neck.
Hugging me, Heinley fell asleep.
My heartbeat gradually calmed down. I removed my hand from the sheets and placed it on his arm that was wrapped around me.
Even if Heinley was stealing the mages' mana, I couldn't blame him. He seemed to have a competitive spirit against the Eastern Empire. In fact, it was a rival country.
Heinley was the Emperor of the Western Empire, so it was only natural that he would want his country to be at the top.
The students of the Magical Academy came from all over the world, but the proportion from the Eastern Empire was the highest. In fact, most of the academy's graduates were absorbed by the Eastern Empire…
I came from the Eastern Empire. My parents, my brother, my family, my ancestors and my friends were all there.
I loved my country as much as Heinley loved his. I would love the Western Empire as much as I loved Heinley, I would love the people of the Western Empire as much as I loved the people of the Eastern Empire, and if both empires were fighting for the same interest, I was determined to give my all for the Western Empire.
However, I couldn't trample on the Eastern Empire to love the Western Empire.
Heinley should know how I would feel if he was involved in the phenomenon of mage decline.
Although rationally I could understand, emotionally I couldn't help but resent him.
So… I hope not.