Chapter 99

“I know the reason why the Duchess made this request, Lady.”

“… I know as well.”

Petronilla sighed inwardly and asked the butler.

“No one will like me going in and out of here. So please do the best you can as the butler.”

“Don’t worry, Lady. I will make sure you won’t have any sort of hassle.”

“I believe you. Since you are a vassal from her Marquis family.”

Petronilla smiled a bit, and then closed the carriage window. As the carriage departed, Petronilla leaned back against the seat, and slowly closed her eyes.

“Lady, would you like to go to the Imperial Palace?”

Petronilla replied briefly to the driver’s question.

“No.”

She wanted to rest a little today. It had been strangely tiring these days, and since Rosemond was gone, there wouldn’t be too many situations where she was needed.

Petronilla decided to rest a bit. She spoke slowly.

“Let us go to the Marquis of Grochester.”

“Your Majesty, Lady Grochester said today that she is going home early today.”

“Really?”

Patrizia, who was taking a walk in the garden, muttered with a puzzled look.

“Strange. She used to stay in the Imperial Palace until the evening.”

“She said she was a little tired. Besides, there is no Rosemond today.”

“Yes. Nil must need a break too.”

Patrizia nodded her head with a voice of understanding. After a long time, she was taking a leisurely stroll around the garden with a relaxed heart. The fact that the absence of Rosemond within the palace made her so comfortable was slightly annoying, but it was unavoidable. She helped herself and plucked a small red flower that was in bloom.

“The Emperor must be bored today.”

“He probably does not have any time to do that. He is very busy these days.”

“He was always busy, but still looked for Rosemond.”

After Patrizia responded in a cynical manner, she continued her walk casually. After a few more minutes of doing so, Patrizia found him in her favorite part of the garden. Patrizia sighed and turned around. She had no luck.

“Oh my, is that not His Majesty?”

Rafaella asked this untactfully. Mirya panicked but soon responded nonchalantly.

“It seems so.”

“Hmm…”

Rafaella observed Lucio from a distance and muttered in a strange voice.

“It seems a little strange”

“What is?”

“His Majesty.”

Rafaella continued to speak to Mirya in a surprised voice.

“He does not look so good?”

“What do you mean?”

“His complexion. It seems not so good.”

Rafaella murmured while asking ‘Is it not?’ At those words, Patrizia also showed interest. She slightly glanced towards Lucio. He stood still and stared at the flowers that were in full bloom, but as Rafaella had said, his face was pale, like a man who looked sick. Patrizia was interested in him for a very short time but soon shook her head.

“Let us go now”

She was not the one that should be interested in anyways. Patrizia thought this way and turned her steps around calmly.

Patrizia fell asleep a little earlier than usual that night. Normally, it would have been some time later, as it was the time to work hard with the international event’s preparations, but it was due to the fact that there hadn’t been much progress. She closed her eyes in bed, thinking her body felt a bit heavy.

She was a person who usually did not have insomnia, but she had not been able to sleep steadily since she had become Regent. She found the cause was from excessive stress after she had entered the Imperial Palace. Moreover, since being the Regent, she was under more stress than when she was the Empress.

When Patrizia was barely about to fall asleep, she opened her sleepy eyes. Patrizia kicked the blanket off with a nervous look. When she got up and sat on the bed, Patrizia muttered with an unpleasant voice.

“This… what is this sound?”

Something kept stimulating her ears. If it was a good sound to hear, then it would have been fine, but it was very annoying. Patrizia couldn’t stand it anymore and called out to Mirya. Mirya heard her voice and quickly entered the room.

“Yes, Your Majesty. What is it?”

“Have you heard as well?”

“Yes? What do you mean…”

She made a look that showed she could not understand and cocked her head, and Patrizia spoke in a tired voice.

“This sound. Can you not hear it? Is it only in my ears?”

“I can’t hear anything in my ear, Your Majesty. Perhaps, did you hear wrong…?”

“No, Mirya. If so, then I would not have called for you in the middle of the night. Be quiet and listen.”

At Patrizia’s firm voice, Mirya closed her mouth and focused her attention on her ears. Oh, and then it seemed like she could hear something. But it was a really faint sound. She was impressed with Patrizia’s ability to hear, and Mirya spoke.

“I hear it, Your Majesty. But it’s really faint. Does it bother you?”

“I am sorry, Mirya. I am actually a bit sensitive, so I wake up easily even with these small sounds.”

“There is no need to be sorry. Your Majesty is struggling these days, and who couldn’t understand the situation? I’m going to find out what’s going on.”