Chapter 2
It would not be easy to find a person—but neither did she think it impossible.
This was the Imperial Palace.
And yet, was it even reasonable to claim that someone who had spent the night with the Emperor could not be found?
It hadn’t even happened a year ago—it was barely a month ago!
“Why can’t he be found? What’s the reason?”
At Elisa’s question, her expression twisted in disbelief, Sir Sheraz let out a low sigh.
Then he asked back, as if she truly did not understand.
“I heard that on that night, when Your Majesty entered your bedchamber, you dismissed the knights. Is that correct?”
“…Ah.”
Elisa flinched slightly at his words.
‘That’s right… I did…’
If she was going to bring an unrelated man into her bedchamber, what good would it do to have many eyes watching?
Of course she had dismissed them.
“But still…”
“Yes, of course, there were guards posted in the corridor away from the door and in front of the castle gates…”
Sir Sheraz, who served as both escort and secretary to the Emperor, sighed again.
“However, as they were originally stationed to guard the outer walls, it seems they only paid attention to those entering. They did not closely observe those leaving from within.”
“…You’re saying guards meant for the outer walls were guarding the interior?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Even among guards, those assigned inside the palace and those stationed outside differed greatly—from their origins to their ranks.
The closer one was to the Emperor, the tighter the security became.
As if understanding what Elisa was about to say, Sir Sheraz nodded.
“You are aware there was a banquet that day.”
“Ah, right. That’s why I was drunk. And?”
“The fact that there was a banquet means nobles were entering the palace. And when nobles enter, each of them is assigned security.”
“….”
“With the influenza spreading within the palace, manpower was short. It seems they pulled personnel from various places. Of course, they ensured that Your Majesty’s safety was not compromised, but…”
“…Which means everything else was.”
She had already been informed that the recent influenza outbreak had caused a shortage of personnel.
Combined with the banquet, it meant they had even pulled in guards who were supposed to be stationed outside on the walls.
Still…
‘To think the defenses had such a hole in them.’
“…Who was in charge?”
“Sir Dorix, who was responsible for assigning the guards, is currently bedridden with influenza.”
So the situation was already a mess, and with the person in charge absent, it had become an even greater disaster.
Elisa sighed, a headache forming.
Watching her silently, Sir Sheraz asked,
“Shall we hold the person in charge accountable?”
Elisa waved her hand dismissively.
“Forget it. What responsibility can you assign to someone who’s sick in bed? You said there were no issues with security itself. Then the root cause was me dismissing the knights.”
Rather than encouraging those already struggling due to lack of manpower, she could not burden them further for something personal.
Unlike other rulers, Elisa was not that kind of person.
“….”
Sir Sheraz did not refute her.
He did not say it outright, but it meant he agreed.
“Ahem.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Elisa cleared her throat.
It felt as though she had just dug her own grave.
“Anyway, the conclusion is that it’s difficult to find the man from that night, right?”
“Unless we make a public announcement, it will be difficult.”
No matter how urgent it was, the Emperor could not publicly announce that she was searching for a one-night partner.
It wasn’t just a matter of dignity—there would be countless people trying to take advantage of the situation.
If it were only about losing face, she wouldn’t have worried this much.
“Ugh…”
Faced with an unexpected obstacle, the situation had become extremely troublesome.
Letting out a deep sigh, Elisa rested her chin on her hand and stared into space.
“If it is that important, why not search for him yourself?”
“Search? Me?”
“You are the only one who knows the man, are you not?”
“…That’s true, but…”
Even so, for the Emperor herself to go looking for someone!
No matter how she thought about it…
“…Could I take leave?”
Sir Sheraz tapped his own head with a finger and nodded.
“You already have. Not leave—medical leave.”
The bandages wrapped around Elisa’s forehead came into view.
‘Come to think of it, I collapsed after getting hit by a wooden sword, didn’t I?’
No wonder her head had been hurting.
That night, Elisa had been drunk.
She had downed an entire bottle of strong liquor she didn’t usually drink, leaving her mind far from clear.
The fragments of memory that surfaced were scattered and incomplete.
For instance—the stifling heat that filled the room, and the sticky humidity clinging to her skin, which had been slightly unpleasant.
The lukewarm breeze drifting in through the window, and the rhythmic chirping of insects that had irritated her.
Everything had been hazy, as though she were submerged underwater, looking up at the surface.
Even the face of the man—his hands roaming over her body, his breath catching with each brush of friction—was blurred.
But…
‘…Elisa.’
She remembered clearly the voice that had softly called her name.
And in that dark room, those eyes—revealed through strands of dark hair under the moonlight—shining with an intensity beyond description.
“Your Majesty.”
“….”
“Your Majesty?”
Lost in thought, Elisa raised her head at Sir Sheraz’s voice.
With an expressionless face, he asked,
“Has something come to mind?”
“…No, not particularly.”
Glancing over the documents he handed her, Elisa let out a deep sigh.
‘If only I could remember something…’
“I can’t tell at all just by looking at this.”
On the papers were portraits and personal details of those who had attended the banquet that day.
Among them, seven had dark hair.
Considering the room had been dimly lit only by moonlight, the number of possible candidates exceeded ten.
“Among them, five have unclear movements after the banquet.”
From the pool of more than ten, Sir Sheraz selected five portraits.
“Ah, exclude these two.”
After staring at them for a moment, Elisa pushed two portraits aside.
Seeing her eliminate them without hesitation, Sir Sheraz asked curiously,
“Why exclude those two?”
“Hmm? Well…”
Elisa pointed at the two portraits she had tossed aside, as if it were obvious.
“They’re too ugly.”
“…Pardon?”
“No matter how drunk I was, there’s no way I would sleep with someone that unattractive.”
Even if alcohol could cloud her senses, it wouldn’t blind her eyes.
At Elisa’s firm conviction, Sir Sheraz’s expression twisted with disdain.
Why, what?
Faced with her shameless confidence, he let out a deep sigh.
“Then three candidates remain.”
Three.
Neither few nor many, the number made Elisa narrow her eyes.
“The problem is… how to meet them.”
Given her position as Emperor, she could not go to meet them personally.
If the Emperor moved just to see a man, the entire empire’s attention would focus on it.
And not just one—three?
Unless she wanted to be remembered as an Emperor obsessed with men, it was out of the question.
‘And I can’t summon them to the palace either…’
Unless it was for an official event like a banquet, calling them privately carried just as much risk.
“Should I hold another banquet?”
That would take far too long.
Even a simple tea gathering hosted by the palace required scheduling a month in advance.
A full banquet would take even longer.
“Ha… isn’t there somewhere the three of them might all gather?”
“There is.”
“There is—…what? There is?”
“Yes.”
Startled, Elisa straightened up from where she had been leaning.
Sir Sheraz looked at her quietly, then turned around.
“There happens to be an event that all three will attend.”
Walking slowly, he stopped at a table where Elisa’s personal mail had been placed.
“And, of course, Your Majesty has also been invited.”
“…Me too?”
He should have said that sooner!
As she glared at him, he merely shrugged.
“Will you attend?”
“Is that even a question? Of course I will!”
Elisa nodded vigorously, but Sir Sheraz’s reaction was oddly subtle.
“What? What is it?”
Feeling uneasy, she asked cautiously.
“…This.”
“Th-this is…”
Elisa’s hands trembled slightly as she examined the letter he handed her.
An elegant, luxurious invitation—white paper dusted with the soft shimmer of pearl powder, embossed with gold.
The lily-of-the-valley engraved upon it signified only one thing.
“H-Hadeliden?”
“That is correct.”
[Hadeliden Rieatry Kashvalt]
“It is an invitation to a hunting tournament hosted by His Majesty the Imperial Consort, your husband.”
