Chapter 23 - CHAPTER 21. DO YOU LOVE HIS MAJESTY?

Patrizia made a sudden expression of being lost for the moment, then soon recalled something and said ‘aha.’ It seemed that she was referring to how he had stayed over for last night because of the rain.

But how had it reached Rosemond’s ears so early? Patrizia replied calmly while thinking that there might be a spy in the Imperial Palace.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I was alone with the Majesty, and we were both hit with the rain.”

It must have sounded like romantic words, but it was not a very sweet situation for the person who had to go through it. Of course for listeners, especially for Rosemond, it was enough for her to become infuriated. She was shaking as she asked Patrizia another question, holding the hem of her dress with a clenched fist.

“On that night… You say you were with His Majesty?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“Huh?”

Patrizia thought that if she had to pick one of the most absurd moments of her life, she would probably pick this moment. That was not just any kind of tough skin. How did the mistress dare to make a deal about the rightful wife being with her husband?

But unfortunately, Rosemond seemed to be unaware of this error. To think that this was an ability then, of course, it was an ability that annoyed other people. Patrizia spoke.

“It is not unusual for the real Empress to be with the Emperor. It is more unusual for the Emperor to have a mistress, and the Empress should be the one to ask about.”

“…”

“So, why are you asking me about why I spent the night with His Majesty?”

“…Your Majesty!”

“Do not yell. You said so yesterday, but you are truly not a very polite person. Now Baron Darrow’s personality is questionable. How did he educate his daughter…?”

“Those words have gone too far.”

“Don’t you think that your words have gone even farther?”

At last, Patrizia, who had endured with her patience as much as she could, became angry with her. She had said that she would not do anything, but if a person was pushed to this extent, even Patrizia with her kind heart would not be able to stand it and not do anything. How could one not respond when she was being stabbed with a fiery skewer like this?

“How dare you question how the Empress spent time with her husband like this? Rosemond, you must have been hit with some rain yesterday. If that isn’t the case, how is it possible to get as crazy as this? Maybe I should call some maids for you.”

“I am not crazy, Your Majesty is the one that is crazy. You had definitely made a promise with His Majesty on the night to make an heir. You will not hope for His Majesty’s love, nor will you mess with me. Are you thinking about breaking that promise?”

“That was a promise that was held under the premise that you would not mess with me. Are you saying that if you keep picking on me and conspiring schemes, I should just be stupid and do nothing? Or, were you just wanting a dumb and lame Empress?”

“Do you perhaps love His Majesty?”

“Look here, Lady Phelps.”

Patrizia, couldn’t stand it any longer and yelled out. Both of them had noticeable declines in their language cognition today. This must have been due to the rain. Otherwise, the two people who were fine before could not be ruined like this.

Rosemond was obviously a villain, but she wasn’t a dumb villain, so at least words went through, but even words didn’t go through today. And Patrizia did not realize that this was due to the fact that she had spent the night in the same palace as Lucio.

“I thought Lady Phelps still had some communication skills, but this is serious. Did your head become weird because of the rain? Whether I love His Majesty or not, am I obliged to answer you? What if I do love him, what would you do, and if I do not love him, what would you do? I cannot understand why I am standing here, having to hear this from you in my own palace. Should I really send a servant to you?”

“…”

Rosemond still showed her anger with a fevered face, and Patrizia sincerely passed judgment that Rosemond seemed to have a mental illness.

She decided to close the conversation as soon as possible, thinking that there wouldn’t be any more significance in it.

“There is absolutely no reason to explain to you, about whether I rolled in the bed with His Majesty yesterday, or just slept. If you’re that curious about it, go and directly ask the Emperor that you love so much.”

After Patrizia said that, she soon asked her in a mockery.

“Oh, perhaps, are you afraid? Are you afraid that you’re going to lose that sloppy favor to me?”

With those words, Rosemond’s eyes became vicious. Oh my, how scary. At this rate, the real one would have to be careful around the sidepiece. Patrizia spoke without being affected in any way.

“Today, this was very rude. I had definitely warned you yesterday, but it seems not to be working. Will I have to hit that cheek once again to make sure the warning works?”

“…”

Rosemond glared at Patrizia with a scary glance, and then quickly turned and left the room without a greeting. SLAM! The sound of the door being closed violently rang like it was going to tear Patrizia’s eardrum, and when she was left alone, Patrizia sighed. Anyway, she was a woman who made her tired in any situation. Then Rafaella approached and asked her with a shocked expression as if she was going to argue.

“Your Majesty, is Your Majesty, the one who is crazy? Why are you just returning the stone that willfully rolled over to your feet? You should have at least smashed up one more cheek!”

“It was enough smashing yesterday, Sir Ella. Yesterday, His Majesty said nothing about what had happened that day, but if I were to again slap her cheeks today, it might lead to gossip. Then I might be branded as a jealous Empress.”

She for sure did not want that rumor. For there to be such a ridiculous rumor. It wasn’t anything else, but jealousy, that was really ridiculous. Maybe if it was a murder impulse perhaps.

Patrizia stood up slowly after checking the condition of her hair, which was a little tangled up.

“When do the envoys’ wives leave, Mirya?”

“I think it will be enough time if you left now. Would you like to go?”

“Yes.”

Patrizia replied insignificantly, then slowly teased the blue high heels. Yesterday, it was an intense red dress like a flame, and today she wore an aqua dress that was reminiscent of water.

Patrizia walked slowly to the location where her greeting spot was decided and discovered Lucio in his uniform standing 100 meters in front of the Hanlon Palace. It wasn’t she who had caused trouble yesterday, but she was strangely troubled to see him. She looked as collected as possible, then approached him and greeted him with manners.

“I see the Sun of the Great Empire. Glory to the Father.”

“Empress is here.”

“As the Empress, I need to finish up my job well. If you do not want that, I will go back.”

“… Just stay.”

“Yes.”

Patrizia replied briefly and then pulled out the handkerchief. It was the white handkerchief she had borrowed yesterday. If she could, she didn’t want to give it back by pretending she didn’t know, but he had said it was precious, so she would have felt bad.

She intentionally took out the handkerchief in front of the gathering of all the high-ranking nobles. She thought she had to do it like this so she could help herself a little more. As expected, she felt the nobles standing in the back looking towards her direction.

“Thank you, for yesterday.”

“I was more sorry about yesterday.”

He made a small cough as if he was remembering yesterday’s events. The nobles seemed to be in a frenzy to find out about the hidden information between the implied words, and Patrizia noticed this and laughed quietly. She was glad for some reason.

And one more thing, that made her even happier.

“I was worried because I seemed to have taken over the bed. Is your body feeling okay?”

“I am a little tired, but I am fine. Is Your Majesty doing well?”

Because of the presence of a woman who was hiding behind a tree right now and watching them.

‘Rosemond.’

“I also seem to be okay.”

“That is fortunate.”

Her face, smiling brightly while saying that, wasn’t for the Emperor. It was aimed at Rosemond, who was glaring at her from the back of a tree and grinding her teeth.

She wanted to let her know that favor was like a reed, it could be shaken at any time, and broken at any time.

“Thanks to both of your Majesty’s from the Marvinus Empire, we were comfortable.”

At that time, a remarkable smile appeared on Patrizia’s mouth. She replied to the envoy’s words in the fluent Christa language.

“I just wished you were comfortable. I’m afraid the preparations were insufficient and ended up bothering you.”

“Bother, Your Majesty. It’s not like that. You can speak our language this fluently, so I and everyone in the group felt comfortable.”

The Duchess of Verica, who said that, turned her head to Lucio and gave praise.

“You are a pair that really goes well together, Your Majesty. It is the glory for the Imperial Family and the Empire that you have obtained this wise and beautiful Empress.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

On the surface, it was a really friendly atmosphere, but only one person, Rosemond who was behind the tree, was grinding her teeth giving off cold air. The moment she saw the scene, she intuitively realized that something was wrong.

No, not yet. At least, the day when Lucio removed favor from her had to be after she had given birth to a prince that was to be the Crowned Prince. Before that, no matter what happened, his favor had to stay with her.

After chewing her nails due to anxiety, she murmured something quietly and turned around. Rosemond’s eyes were truly wild and horrifying.

That afternoon, Patrizia was contacted by Petronilla from the Marquis of Grochester. It was about whether she could visit the next day. Naturally, Patrizia agreed, and she didn’t make it obvious about her sister’s long-awaited visit, but she still seemed quite excited throughout the day.

It was finally the next day, and Patrizia had stayed up all night to finish what had to be done by the following afternoon to keep the time with Petronilla undisturbed. After she became the Empress, she was a sister who was even forgoing a visit to avoid becoming a nuisance to her. Patrizia awaited Petronilla with a slightly excited expression, as she had instructed a bunch of her favorite strawberry-flavored macarons to be baked in advance.

As if not to disappoint her expectations, Petronilla arrived at the Empress Palace earlier than Patrizia expected. Patrizia welcomed her with her arms wide open.

“Nilla!”

At the time of the meeting with the wives of the envoys, it was Patrizia who was very sorry for not seeing Petronilla after seeing only the Marquess of Grochester. Petronilla greeted her with a loud voice, holding her twin sister tightly as if she were a child.

“Lizzy! How are you?”

Even after saying this, Petronilla asked with a little uneasy expression, “Ah… Should I say Your Majesty?”

“Nilla, you know I don’t like that very much. No one is here, with only the two of us in the Empress Palace, so what formality? Stop it.”

“Then I’m letting it go. Could you give me a cup of tea? I came in a hurry and so I’m thirsty.”

Patrizia replied to Petronilla’s request, showing her teeth with a wide-open smile.

“Of course. I also prepared a lot of Nil’s favorite strawberry-flavored macarons. We can try it together.”

Soon after, what Patrizia had ordered, a plate full of strawberry-flavored macarons and two glasses of milk tea was dropped off on the table. Patrizia kept smiling for a long time at the feeling of being able to spend time with her sister. For a long time, the couple talked about this and that, useless stories until at one point, they entered a subtle subject.