Chapter 46. Why Is Everyone So Firm?
From the next day, one more person joined the horseback riding practice.
The new addition was none other than Cedric.
Leonard watched Cedric’s arrival with a disapproving look and immediately called another knight.
The reason was clear.
“It would be difficult to serve Her Majesty the Empress while teaching someone else.”
That’s why the knight Leonard called was Conrad.
He seemed to admire Leonard greatly and displayed the very image of a textbook knight.
“Straighten your back. Eyes forward, a little farther. Stay focused. Are you pretending to be in pain just because you fell off the horse? Eyes! Can’t you keep your focus?”
Endless nagging and scolding. Constant corrections.
It was like a new recruit being drilled in boot camp, and I could hardly keep my mouth shut.
“My goodness, isn’t that a bit too strict?”
To my question, Leonard shook his head slightly.
“I haven’t paid attention for a while, and it seems Conrad has gone soft. Teaching with such care and caution.”
“…!”
That’s considered gentle and kind?
His expression is so blank it’s like not a single drop of blood would come out even if you pricked him with a needle.
And what about the nonstop verbal jabs?
“Stop pretending to be hurt. Are you holding the reins properly? You must treat the horse like a lover. Do you handle your lover so roughly, Sir Cedric? Straighten your back. Eyes forward! You won’t die even if you’re kicked by the horse’s hind legs.”
“……”
Cedric, tormented by Conrad, looked truly pitiful.
Falling off the horse yet unable to say he was in pain, undergoing relentless high-intensity training without a single break.
This was something he was doing because I asked him to. I felt sorry.
Unable to keep watching, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Sir Leonard, instead of this, couldn’t you just do it yourself?”
“Me… you mean?”
“Like how you helped me—riding behind and guiding directly?”
“…!”
Leonard’s expression stiffened.
Why is that?
And it wasn’t just Leonard’s expression that changed.
Even Cedric, who had just fallen off the horse for the thirty-sixth time, wore a strange look on his face.
Cedric asked me,
“Your Majesty the Empress, what exactly do you mean by riding behind and assisting?”
“It’s the method Sir Leonard used when he taught me horseback riding. We both rode the saddle together so he could guide me closely.”
“So, Your Majesty is saying that Sir Leonard and I should ride the same horse…”
“Yes. That way, you’ll learn much faster.”
“…!”
“…!”
At my words, Leonard and Cedric locked eyes.
What kind of silent conversation passed between them in that brief moment?
“Sir Cedric doesn’t require that kind of close-contact instruction.”
“That’s right. I can do just fine on my own, Your Majesty.”
Both Leonard and Cedric shook their heads at the same time.
“But…”
It was actually really helpful.
Of course, I was too embarrassed at first to even focus, but…
In the end, it helped a lot.
Since they’re both men, wouldn’t it be even less awkward?
They wouldn’t feel embarrassed.
I thought it was a pretty decent idea, but apparently the two of them felt otherwise.
They rejected it as if it were unthinkable.
“Sir Cedric does not need close-contact instruction like Her Majesty. Absolutely not!”
“I truly can manage alone. Please believe me, Your Majesty.”
I nodded with a reluctant expression.
“Ah, alright. Fine then.”
Seriously. It was just a suggestion.
…Why is everyone being so firm?
It’s the first time I’ve seen these two get along so well about something.
In the end, Cedric continued with Conrad’s harsh training.
Exactly three days later, Cedric declared his surrender, and the perilous horseback riding lessons came to an end.
***
After the many ups and downs of the horseback riding practice,
the preparations for addressing the drought issue were nearly complete.
‘Now, just the most important part remains.’
Having changed from my riding outfit into a light dress, I headed to Jerome’s office.
To receive permission to leave the palace from Jerome.
To resolve the drought issue, I needed to leave the Imperial Palace, but as the Empress, I couldn’t just leave at will.
Of course, I had left before.
‘But this time, it’s a much longer journey than before.’
So this time, I needed Jerome’s permission.
When I arrived at Jerome’s office, the knight guarding the door announced my arrival.
“Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”
“Come in.”
A short permission was given, and the knight opened the door.
As I entered the room, an atmosphere quite different from my own office surrounded me.
Overall, it felt clean and orderly.
The wallpaper blended red and gold in harmony.
Antique furniture was arranged tastefully, without excess.
Everything felt meticulously calculated… in a way, it resembled Jerome.
Jerome set down the documents he was reading and asked,
“What’s going on?”
“I think I’ll be away for a few days.”
I got straight to the point.
Jerome raised one eyebrow and asked,
“Away? You mean leaving the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes. I plan to visit the Schwaben Duchy for a bit.”
“For what reason?”
“A lot has happened recently. I thought I’d take a short rest.”
“If you just want to rest, why not go to the secondary palace? Besides, in the Duchy…”
Jerome, as if about to say something, stopped mid-sentence.
Hmm? Feeling something was off, I tilted my head.
“What about the Duchy?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Jerome shook his head.
“Still, isn’t it unnecessary to go all the way to the Duchy when you have the secondary palace?”
“Because I want to rest there. And I also have an important matter to discuss with my father.”
“……”
After a brief pause, Jerome suddenly made a strange suggestion.
“Then I’ll assign escort knights.”
“No. That won’t be necessary. I’d like to make this trip quietly.”
“The Empress plans to travel far without an escort?”
He spoke in a cold voice.
“Do you really think I’ll allow such a ridiculous request?”
I had already expected he wouldn’t agree easily.
So I pulled out the card I had prepared in advance.
“You remember the Imperial Consort’s ring incident from last time, right? Didn’t you say you would grant my request back then?”
“…I did.”
Jerome replied affirmatively, a beat late.
‘Back then, I even used the ring incident as an excuse to ask for a divorce.’
Not that Jerome paid any attention.
“Then please grant this request. I just want to make a quick trip this time.”
Instead of replying, he furrowed his brow deeper.
His gaze suggested he had much more to say.
But I didn’t want to drag this out any longer.
Before he could say anything else, I cut him off.
“Then I’ll take that as your permission. I’ll take my leave now.”
Turning quickly, I headed toward the door.
As it opened, I came face-to-face with an unexpected figure.
“…I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”
It was the Imperial Consort, Fay.
Was she unable to enter because of me?
I recall her barging in even during meals in the past.
It was strange.
Well, I had no desire to understand her behavioral patterns.
There was no need for lengthy greetings here.
I gave a simple nod and accepted her greeting, then continued walking.
***
Before I knew it, the day of departure for resolving the drought issue had arrived.
I was heading toward the main gate of the Imperial Palace with Cedric.
More precisely, I was riding in a carriage driven by Cedric.
Though he struggled so much with horseback riding, he was surprisingly steady at handling the carriage.
We chatted about various things.
Did we pack everything? What should we do first upon arrival?
We conducted a final check.
In the midst of that, Cedric looked at my left ring finger and asked,
“That ring looks unfamiliar. Is that right?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“I see. But may I ask why you’re wearing it today? It seems a bit too ornate for a long journey…”
“Indeed.”
I glanced down at the ring as I replied.
A flashy ring.
One that looked expensive at first glance.
At the center of the delicately crafted platinum band shone a deep bluish gem.
“Wouldn’t it be better to take it off? Since it’s a long journey, wearing it might be uncomfortable.”
“I would like to, but I have a reason I must wear it.”
“A reason?”
“Yes. Because…”
Just as I was about to explain the reason to him—
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Did he realize we were talking about him?
Right then, the very person who gifted me the ring appeared.
—
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