Chapter 22: Until Winning Her Majesty the Empress’ Heart
[To Her Majesty the Empress.
Lately, I can hardly focus on my training.
When I cannot see you, each day feels as long as a year.
Your Majesty.
I miss you, and I miss you again.
Please grant me just one day of your time.]
It was a love letter.
Goodness. A love letter so unbearably cheesy!
As I casually read the letter delivered by a maid, I almost screamed in embarrassment.
Startled, I glanced at the sender’s name…
“……!”
It was Leonard.
The villain of this novel and the dangerous man who had suddenly proposed becoming my “lover.”
The letter’s contents, in summary, were a request for a date.
‘Oh. Of course, I’m going to reject this.’
I fully intended to decline without a second thought.
A date with the villain who would lead the Empire to ruin?
No matter how charming he might be, I had to reject him.
At least, I thought so until I read the final sentence of the letter.
[PS: I trust you haven’t forgotten that you owe me a favor?]
…Oh, no.
That favor referred to the incident with the Imperial Consort’s ring.
That day, I had no choice but to accept Leonard’s help to clear my name.
In exchange for procuring a rare ring, I had agreed to grant him a small favor.
And the favor written in this unbearably cheesy letter was not, strictly speaking, unreasonable.
After deliberating for a moment, I reluctantly decided to grant his request.
“Well, fine. He’s only asking for one day of my time.”
It’s not like he’s asking to spend the night with me.
It should be fine.
***
Two days later.
A carriage arrived in front of the Empress’ Palace.
It was an elegant black carriage pulled by four jet-black horses.
A spotless black carriage pulled by flawless black horses.
Even the coachman wore a black hat and black clothing.
Clearly, someone had a fondness for the color black.
However, the scene didn’t feel ominous like a carriage driven by a reaper.
Instead, it exuded a mysterious and luxurious air, as if starlight had been embroidered onto black velvet.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty the Empress. My name is Alfredo.”
“Nice to meet you, Alfredo. Where is Sir Leonard?”
“Regrettably, the young master had urgent business and could not come in person. He is surely waiting for you at the destination with great anticipation.”
I felt a slight pang of disappointment at the news that Leonard wouldn’t be coming.
Wait, get a grip.
Disappointed?
I mustn’t forget that I should avoid getting involved with him.
“If he’s busy, it can’t be helped.”
I nodded and boarded the carriage.
Countess Chloe and Marie tried to board with me, but Alfredo stopped them.
“I apologize, but today’s invitation is for Her Majesty alone. I would be grateful if you could wait here.”
“We are Her Majesty’s personal maids. If she goes, we must go with her.”
“I’m sorry. It is a special request from the young master.”
“No matter what your master says, you cannot stop us.”
Countess Chloe and Marie stood firm.
Alfredo looked troubled.
Watching their exchange, I intervened.
“It’s fine. I have an important promise with him today. Please wait here. Nothing will happen.”
“But, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry.”
I barely managed to reassure the anxious Countess Chloe and Marie.
Alfredo, now looking relieved, quickly climbed into the carriage and urged the coachman.
“Let us depart immediately.”
And so, the black carriage carrying me left the Empress’ Palace.
***
Clatter, clatter.
The carriage moved peacefully through the streets beyond the Imperial Palace.
I gazed curiously at the scenery passing by the window.
This was my first time leaving the palace.
Antique buildings.
The unexpectedly grand and ornate structures caught my eye.
In particular, the bustling marketplace full of people was enough to amaze me.
“You seem intrigued.”
“Yes. It’s much livelier than I expected.”
“This is the heart of the Empire. The most crowded and prosperous place on the continent.”
“I see. To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be this impressive.”
At my remark, Alfredo smiled with pride.
“About half the shops here belong to the Hilbert Marquessate.”
“What?”
The Hilbert Marquessate was Leonard’s family.
But half of this bustling district belonged to them?
I had heard they were famous for their wealth from jewelry and trade, but I didn’t realize their financial power was this immense.
“It’s no surprise you’re astonished. Just a few years ago, the family only owned about five buildings here.”
Alfredo added with a gentle smile.
“The person who built this wealth is none other than the young master.”
“Sir Leonard…?”
“Yes. Although he currently serves as the Knight Commander of the Imperial Guard for unavoidable reasons, the young master possesses extraordinary talent as a merchant. In just five years of leading the family’s trade guild, he made the Hilbert Marquessate one of the wealthiest families in the Empire.”
Alfredo continued to recount stories about Leonard.
How he memorized complex books in a single day.
How he solved a difficult problem set by a famous mathematician within moments, leaving everyone astounded.
How he started trading in a small market stall and, within a year, owned three buildings.
“For someone so versatile, how did he end up as the Knight Commander?”
“That is… a story I cannot share.”
Alfredo sighed deeply, as if frustrated.
I was curious about the story, but I couldn’t get an answer from him.
By then, the carriage had come to a halt.
“It seems my role ends here, Your Majesty. It was an honor to escort you.”
“I enjoyed it as well. I hope we can meet again.”
Alfredo opened the door and stepped out.
Soon after, a tall man entered the carriage.
It was Leonard.
Normally, he wore stiff armor or uniforms, but today, he was dressed in an elegant tailcoat.
Just by wearing something different, he seemed to radiate an entirely new charm.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I apologize for not escorting you personally.”
“It’s fine. Alfredo kept me entertained with many interesting stories.”
“Interesting stories?”
“He was full of praise for you. It seems you have quite the capable man by your side.”
“He praised me?”
Leonard tilted his head and asked.
“Yes. Quite extensively.”
“He’s usually a reserved man… I suppose he truly enjoyed being in Your Majesty’s company.”
“You’re quite skilled at giving compliments yourself.”
“Believe it or not, I’m often told I’m stingy with compliments.”
The carriage, which had been stationary, began to move again.
“Now that I think about it, this carriage is incredibly comfortable. The seats are cozy, and there’s almost no shaking. It feels even better than the royal carriages.”
“You have quite the discerning eye. This is due to a special device installed between the carriage and its wheels.”
“That’s impressive. I think such a device would be a great addition to my carriage as well.”
“If Your Majesty desires, I can lend you this carriage. However…”
At that moment, Leonard suddenly leaned toward me.
He whispered softly into my ear.
“It must remain a secret from His Majesty the Emperor.”
“…Why?”
Why must it be kept a secret from the Emperor?
“This technology is my exclusive property. I’m not ready to reveal it to the world yet.”
“Then why tell me…?”
At my question, he replied with a sly smile.
“Because you’re special, Your Majesty.”
Ah.
I burst out laughing.
“You are truly mischievous.”
As I laughed, he followed suit, a smile lingering on his lips as he spoke.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect you to truly accept my invitation.”
“Of course I had to. A promise must be kept.”
“Did I manage to be of help to you, Your Majesty?”
“Of course. Without your help during the incident with the ring, it would have been difficult to resolve. Thank you.”
“I’m glad to have been of service.”
Leonard’s lips curved into a smooth arc.
“By the way, did you inform His Majesty the Emperor about your outing today?”
“No?”
Why would I?
I tilted my head in confusion.
“There’s no need to report every little thing to him.”
After all, he doesn’t care about me.
He wouldn’t be curious about where I go or what I do.
At my answer, Leonard’s smile grew mysterious.
“By now, His Majesty the Emperor must be quite surprised.”
***
“His Majesty the Emperor is here?”
Countess Chloe, the Empress’ personal maid, asked in surprise.
“Yes. He’s looking for Her Majesty,” Marie said, clenching her fists as she added.
“It seems Her Majesty’s plan has worked.”
“Plan?”
“The plan to make His Majesty jealous!”
“Ah!”
At Marie’s words, the maids collectively let out gasps of realization.
Indeed, as soon as Her Majesty left, His Majesty had appeared.
“This is no time to sit around.”
“What should we do?”
“We must further provoke His Majesty’s jealousy.”
“How do we do that?”
“Come closer, I’ll tell you…”
Marie whispered something into Countess Chloe’s ear.
“What do you think?”
“I like it. It’s quite an intriguing plan.”
“Will you help?”
“Of course. Let’s give it a try.”
Countess Chloe rolled up her sleeves with enthusiasm.
Behind her, the maids sent her encouraging glances.
_
“The Empress is not here?”
Jerome frowned deeply.
“My apologies, Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Empress has stepped out for personal reasons.”
“Personal reasons?”
“Well… Her Majesty said it was a secret, so I cannot disclose it…”
Countess Chloe exaggerated her expression of discomfort.
At that moment, the voices of Marie and the other maids, who were conveniently “passing by,” reached their ears.
“Really? Sir Leonard invited Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Yes, he sent her a heartfelt, lengthy love letter begging her to spare him just one day.”
“A love letter? What did it say?”
For a supposedly whispered conversation, their voices were absurdly loud.
“I happened to catch a glimpse of it… Oh my, the sincerity and passion in those words… Oh my.”
“What kind of content could make you react like that?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Come on, tell us.”
“Not here, too many ears. Let’s talk over there.”
Marie and the maids disappeared from sight.
Jerome, who had “accidentally” overheard their conversation, stiffened as he turned to Countess Chloe.
“Where exactly has the Empress gone?”
***
The scenery outside the carriage window changed several times.
From the bustling city to a quiet suburb.
We crossed well-paved roads, arched bridges, and eventually passed along bumpy paths.
Where exactly are we going?
“Are you bored?” Leonard asked at just the right moment.
“I just realized I forgot to ask where we’re headed.”
“I plan to keep going until I win Your Majesty’s heart.”
“For some reason, I feel like jumping out of the carriage.”
“My apologies, but please endure it a little longer. We’ll arrive soon.”
The carriage, which had been leisurely moving along the river, eventually reached a lake.
“Oh.”
I unconsciously let out a small gasp as I turned my gaze outside.
The scenery of the lake was breathtakingly beautiful.
A rugged-looking mountain.
A stream flowing down from one corner of the mountain, forming a small waterfall.
And below it, the expansive lake.
The mirror-like surface of the lake, with no ripples, blended perfectly with the surrounding landscape.
“What is this place called?”
“The locals call it the ‘Garden of Clouds.’”
The Garden of Clouds.
“What a fitting name.”
The sky was reflected perfectly on the lake.
The blue water mirrored the sky and clouds as if they had been painted directly onto it.
It was truly an extraordinary view.
“Do you like it?”
At Leonard’s question, I nodded.
“So this is what you wanted to show me.”
Well, it was a bit far, but for a view like this, the long journey made sense.
That’s what I thought.
“Unfortunately, no.”
It seemed this wasn’t the destination he wanted to show me.
I turned my head to look at Leonard.
In the dim shadow of the carriage, his blue eyes gleamed mysteriously.
“Just a little further.”
Leonard spoke softly, asking me to wait.
“Or perhaps you could take a short nap?”
Well, I was feeling drowsy anyway.
Maybe it was because the sunlight was so warm?
I told him I thought that was a good idea and closed my eyes.
Would I even be able to sleep in this situation?
Contrary to my worries, I quickly fell asleep.
How long had I been asleep?
When I woke up, I immediately sensed that something was off.
‘What am I leaning against?’
It wasn’t the wall of the carriage—there was a curve.
Where in the carriage was there such a curved surface?
Where could I be leaning?
I thought hard but couldn’t come up with an answer.
Suddenly, only one possibility came to mind.
‘Could it be…?’
It was the only plausible explanation.
But no, it couldn’t be. Not there.
Yet my hopes were shattered by the voice that fell softly above my head.
“Your Majesty the Empress. We’ve arrived.”
“……!”
The place I had been leaning on was none other than Leonard’s shoulder.
He had been sitting across from me, yet somehow moved to my side.
How had he gotten there?
In any case, that wasn’t the issue right now.
What should I do? Should I open my eyes now?
Even if I did, what was I supposed to say next? My mind went blank.
Before I could answer, Leonard’s shoulder shook slightly.
What? Was he laughing?
As I wondered why he might be laughing, his languid voice echoed near my ear.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I know you’re awake.”
—
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