Chapter 16
Setrin still couldn’t hide her displeasure, but under the Empress’s watchful eye she bowed her head deeply and replied in a meek, almost crawling voice.
“I thought… you were worried that I might be in danger.”
“No.”
At the unexpected answer, Setrin finally lifted her head. The Empress’s face was still cold and composed, yet the corner of her lips curved upward in a subtle way.
“Think carefully. As you traveled to those places, what kind of people did you win favor with, and grow close to?”
“Huh? Well, of course the citizens of the Empire, and… ah!”
As if she had realized something, Setrin stopped mid-sentence. The Empress’s lips curled up just a little more. Setrin widened her eyes and asked,
“Don’t tell me… Mother, did you intend for me to build connections with the nobles of the capital?”
“Of course. Rather than insignificant relief work in the remote regions, wouldn’t places closer to the capital make it easier to grow close to influential core nobles?”
Knock, knock—
At that moment, maids entered and served tea. The Empress gazed at the steaming teacup and waited leisurely.
But Setrin, clearly bursting with questions, fidgeted with restless eyes.
Once the maids tactfully withdrew, Setrin asked in a much quieter voice than before,
“But Mother. Sester isn’t just any remote region.”
“That is precisely why Raphaella was sent there.”
With a serene smile, the Empress began to speak cruel words.
“An important region, yet far from the capital. A harsh place where it wouldn’t be strange if someone died at any moment. What better opportunity could there be?”
“What do you mean by that…?”
The Empress lifted the steaming teacup and savored its aroma. Enjoying the warm, high-quality fragrance, she took a pleasant sip.
Setrin, biting her nails, watched quietly and waited.
When the Empress finally set the cup down and spoke, the once gentle smile had turned into a cold, venomous gaze.
“In such an important region, if the relief effort goes wrong, whose fault would it be? And even if, by some stroke of luck, the relief succeeds, it’s a dangerous area—so if an unfortunate accident were to occur on the way back, it would simply be an unavoidable outcome.”
“Ah!”
“Setrin. All you need to do is steadily build your position exactly as this mother tells you. Then the next emperor will certainly be you.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
Setrin hid her finely trembling fingers within the folds of her dress. The Empress, meanwhile, continued to sip her tea calmly and leisurely.
Three days later.
The relief expedition bound for the southern region of Sester had completed its preparations.
Normally, such preparations would take at least fifteen days, but by the Empress’s special order, they departed in just three. As a result, the members of the expedition gathered in the central palace square looked grim from the very start.
In contrast, there was someone practically flying with excitement.
“Whew! Finally escaping that shabby room that I couldn’t tell was a stable or a prison!”
Wearing a simply designed sky-blue dress, Raphaella bustled around energetically with her round, lively body.
“Oh! This is a carriage type I haven’t seen before. Did a new model come out already? The wheels are unusual.”
With sparkling eyes, she peeked at carriages loaded with supplies and examined the expedition members.
Trailing anxiously behind her was a young maid—one of the maids who had helped put jewelry on her before the family banquet.
“Y-Your Highness! If you keep running around like that, your dress will wrinkle!”
“If it wrinkles, you can just smooth it out again. Aren’t clothes meant to be like that? Oh? What’s that over there?”
“Ah—p-please wait a moment!”
Leaving the young maid who had been fixing her dress behind, Raphaella dashed toward the knights this time. The maid sighed but hurried after her nonetheless.
William watched this scene with a hand pressed to his forehead.
Seeing Raphaella bouncing around like a child on a picnic, William had a bad feeling that the upcoming journey would not be easy. Her innocent excitement was both a little cute—and quite worrying.
After all, their destination this time was no ordinary relief area.
“Hm. I wonder what Her Majesty the Empress is thinking.”
“Maybe she’s just giving her a chance to grow up,” Mark replied casually from beside him.
Dark circles still hung beneath Mark’s eyes.
William let out a small sigh.
“Did it really have to be this time? The south isn’t easy to deal with.”
“True. It’s one of the most dangerous regions in the Empire.”
“Seems like she intends to firmly teach the immature princess a lesson this time. They say even lions push their cubs off cliffs.”
“Then why are you taking me along instead of your newly hired secretary, Duke? Is it to let a rookie experience the pain—ah, no, I mean the fulfillment—of relief work?”
Avoiding Mark’s gaze, William answered a beat late.
“…I’m shy.”
“Ha.”
This time, Mark smacked his own forehead. A deep sigh escaped him at his utterly incomprehensible superior.
Just then, the Emperor appeared atop the platform in the central palace square. Behind him stood the lavishly adorned Empress and Crown Princess Setrin.
Pwooo—!
At the trumpet blast announcing the Emperor’s appearance, the expedition members all bowed toward the platform in unison.
“You have all worked hard. Once again, for the prestige of our Henten Empire—”
As the Emperor began his predictable speech, the expedition members and knights stood perfectly straight, maintaining sharp posture.
The only exceptions were Raphaella and the young maid chasing after her. The maid constantly glanced around, trying desperately to stop Raphaella.
“Your Highness, please, could you stay still? His Majesty the Emperor is giving a speech right now…”
“What’s the point of listening to that boring talk? It’s obviously nothing but empty words.”
“Even so, you must observe proper etiquette—”
“Geez. Annie, why are you so naggy? If anyone saw you, they’d think you were eighty, not eighteen.”
“Your Highness…!”
“Tsk.”
When Annie grabbed her arm in distress, Raphaella clicked her tongue softly and slipped into her carriage as if it couldn’t be helped.
Annie sighed in relief and stood guard in front of the carriage door, determined not to let Raphaella come out again.
Inside the carriage, Raphaella shook out her hair. As she did, Perry—who had been dozing—rolled off and tumbled onto her sky-blue dress. His blue wings drooped limply; judging by that, he was deep in dreamland again.
“Why does he sleep so much? Is it because he’s still young?”
Raphaella lightly poked Perry’s cheek with her finger, but he didn’t stir, only breathing softly in his sleep.
“He’s cute, so I’ll let it slide.”
She gently picked up the sleeping Perry and placed him on a cushion inside the carriage, then covered him with a handkerchief she took from her pocket—one Annie had forced her to carry, insisting it was proper for a lady.
Leaning back against the seat, Raphaella sank into thought. Soon, her eyes sharpened.
“Six of them, for now.”
Over the past few days, she had sensed suspicious presences lingering around her. Even on the day she went to see the Empress, those presences had stealthily followed her.
They hadn’t taken any direct action, so she’d ignored them—but like flies buzzing nearby, they had gradually become annoying. Now, she had finally confirmed that six people with suspicious auras had infiltrated the expedition.
“Which rat let them loose? Probably the Empress’s side, I suppose.”
Raphaella crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and smiled playfully. The smile looked less playful and more wicked.
“I wonder how entertaining they’ll be.”
A moment later, noises stirred outside the carriage, and someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock—
“Your Highness, Duke Klimt is here.”
“Oh.”
At Raphaella’s reply, Annie opened the carriage door.
William stood there in a crisp navy uniform, its sharp lines perfectly pressed. With his black hair slicked back without a single strand out of place, he gleamed even more under the brilliant morning sunlight.
That face really is outstanding. Too bad his personality is stiff as a board.
Without realizing it, Raphaella couldn’t take her eyes off him.
It was the kind of gaze one gives to a masterfully sculpted work of art, staring blankly in admiration.
As if used to such looks, William spoke of his business without fuss.
“Your Highness. All preparations are complete. Please give the order to depart.”
“Alright. Let’s depart.”
“Yes. Then we will depart.”
William bowed properly and reached to close the carriage door.
Thud—!
Raphaella stretched out her hand and stopped the door. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she asked the duke,
“Why are you closing the door?”
“Ah… is there something you require, Your Highness?”
“You’re getting in too.”
“…Pardon?”
