Chapter 36

*step**step*

Footsteps rang in the quiet hallway. Ains walked quickly towards his bedroom, barely accepting the greetings of the servants.

The box he’s carrying created a pleasant weight in his hand. In fact, it was a bit lighter compared to its volume, but what was important was the fact that it was a [birthday gift].

He doesn’t know how long has it been. He can’t believe he’s feeling this excited again.

“Welcome back, Your Highness.”

Since today is supposed to be a day dedicated to him, Ains was wearing formal attire full of colorful decorations.

The lady in waiting, who knew that he hated that kind of cumbersome thing, came straight up to him, but Ains raised his hand to stop her. There’s something more important that he needs to do than to change his clothes.

There was an unexpected impatience in his hands as he takes off the packaging. Expectations rose further, and Ains opened the lid of the box without hesitation.

“…….”

Something red caught his eye. The lady in waiting, who was waiting for one step behind, asked cautiously.

“Is something wrong, Your Highness?”

“……nothing.”

He said it’s nothing, but there was no way he would say that if he could see his face in a mirror.

Ains slowly took the red thing out of the box. It was smooth red silk.

*tak*

Then something fell to the ground. It was a sealed white letter envelope. Ains straightened out the letter and read it.

[Dear Crown Prince. 

Congratulations on your birthday. It’s thanks to Your Highness, that I am having a good time with Glick. ]

A smile blossomed in Ains’ mouth.

He remembered when he told her that the meaning of asking for land meant that she wanted to become a concubine. She begged him to take it back because it was never her intention.

‘I didn’t know we’d get this close then.’

[Thank you for giving me lots of things. I hope I can be of any help to His Highness.

The present I’m giving you is a pair of pajama pants I made by myself.]

His gaze shifted in one place. He looked at the red silk hanging on his left arm.

“……”

‘Pajamas? These are pajamas?’

He slowly unfolded the piece of cloth. The pants seemed to fit because it had two long legs and a long strap around the waist.

Ains turned to the letter again.

[It may look strange, but it’ll make you feel comfortable. I hope that you liked my gift. Happy birthday again.]

The back of the letter paper was thick. The handwriting is not pretty but even if it’s just empty words, Ains can’t help but smile when he thought of Maria’s appearance as she wrote each letter while struggling.

‘It’s pajamas….’

Ains turned his head and said to the lady in waiting.

“Prepare the bath.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Don’t touch this.”

The gift and the letter were put back on the table. He’s still suspicious, but he thought it would be nice to try it on since it’s a gift.

I slept soundly and woke up late today.

I always need to wake up early to feed Glick, but thanks to Linda’s advice, I didn’t have to go today.

“Haaaaam…. “

I stretched and stepped out of bed. I approached the window and drew the curtains. The weather is so sunny today.

Shall I eat first?

The moment I turned around thinking so, I heard an urgent knock outside the door.

“Miss Maria, are you up?”

“Yeah. “

As soon as she answered, the door opened and Linda came in.

When I saw Linda up close, her face was strangely flushed. It seemed that she ran in a hurry because she’s also out of breath.

I soon heard something suspicious in my ears.

“I just got a message from the Empress’ Palace.”

What?

“……the Empress’ Place?”

Unconsciously, I asked again. Linda nodded and added as if to tell me that I had not heard it wrong.

“Yes. Her Majesty wants to see Miss Maria.”

To be honest, I already predicted this situation. What happened yesterday may have caught the queen’s ear since Roselia is said to be very close with the empress.

Thanks to that, I could accept it more calmly than I thought, but that didn’t mean it was okay.

The empress was an unknown figure to me. While hurriedly dressing up, I asked the maids what the Empress was like.

“Kkuk. “

I saw Linda elbowed Chloe on the side. In the end, Chloe was the one who took the lead, answered hesitatingly.

“The Empress is… a very elegant person and full of spirit.”

As soon as I heard it, I understood it.

In other words, it means she’s a person who’s far from normal. That’s obvious, she wouldn’t become the empress if she wasn’t.

After they finished adding accessories on me and riding the carriage, the unusually colorful palace caught my eye. As expected, the carriage stopped in front of it.

The splendor was not limited to its outward appearances. In a space that looks like a medieval drawing-room, I could see two women sitting.

Both splendid silver hairs stood out. One is Roselia, and the other is…

I greeted her with courtesy as soon as I walked near her.

“Greetings to her Majesty, the Empress.”

“Raise your head. “

“Yes, Your Majesty. “

I straightened my posture as I was told. I dropped me slightly. It would be rude anywhere to look straight in the eyes of someone higher than me.

“I hope I did not surprise you by calling you here all of a sudden.”

“No, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to meet you.”

I could feel a sharp needle-like glare somewhere. Of course, it was Roselia.

Although she is still a gorgeous beauty even during the day, her vile energy is still very vivid.

I pretended not to know anything and handed out what I had brought from the palace to the empress.

“Thank you for calling. It’s just a little something, but please accept it.”

Marilyn, who appeared immediately while I was dressing up, took care of it. When asked what it was, she said it was a set of ornaments made of red garnet.

“Put it up there.”

“Yes, your majesty. “

I took a step closer to put it on the table as I was told.

At that moment, I saw Roselia standing up. Then suddenly, her hand went up and flew towards me.

*slap*

“……..!”

My face burned as my head turned away because of the impact. The next thing I heard was an angry voice.

“How dare you insult me in front of people?”

*squeeze*

While I was riding in the carriage, I thought, ‘I’m going to get humiliated aren’t I?’ But I really didn’t expect to get slapped.

I’ll want to pay you back in the same way, but it wasn’t a good situation at the moment. Unexpectedly, the empress stepped in as she endured it with the power of reason.

“Mind your manners, Roselia.”

“Your Majesty…! “

“Sit down. It’s disappointing that you made this mistake to a guest I invited.”

She said that in a quiet tone of voice, but it rings with an unusual aura.

Perhaps I was not the only one who felt it, since Roselia sat down while quivering.

But her eyes remained glaring at me as if she was going to kill me. I’m going to get a hole on my face.

I understood why Ains didn’t like her when I first saw her. I like this pretty sister’s appearance, but she had a terrible temper.

The empress soon looked at me with regret.

“Maybe it’s because Roselia couldn’t control her momentary feelings. I apologize instead.”

“You don’t have to, Your Majesty.”

I said whatever came to my mind, but fortunately, it was a very good answer. The empress smiled and suggested that I sit down.

“You have such a sweetheart. Don’t do that. Sit down.”

Of course. I didn’t mean to let it go. just like that.

I almost let out a sigh, but I remained calm on the surface. I sat on a chair and skillfully managed my facial expressions like a veteran actor.

The woman next to me sipped on her tea and soon, a full-fledged trap was laid.

“It turns out you’re a distant relative of the Marquis of Dmitri.”

“Yes, your majesty. “

“I wonder which family you are born to.”

“I’m from Baron Lewellin’s House.”

I replied. As if predicting this situation, Ains gave me some knowledge about the family tree.

I sighed deeply so many times as I read and tried to realize the dizzying number of names. With my brain in full operation, I ended up putting all names into my head’s whole department. It was because my survival instinct to live tearfully was invoked.

Is it thanks to the good start? I answered the following questions calmly without embarrassment.

As such, Roselia’s expression grew more and more hardened, but she did not raise her hand like before, perhaps because the empress was present.

“But.”

*clack*

The Empress Clopedia looked at me, putting down the cup that she had tilted gracefully.

“I heard some interesting stories. I heard that you are living in the Imperial Palace right now. Was that true?”

Her lips were drawn into arcs, but her eyes were not.

With a sharp gaze that could pierce me in any minute, I swallowed my saliva and answered.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

*clack*

I saw Roselia grasping the hem of her dress. I heard that most of the aristocrats are supposed to be elegant on the outside no matter what they are like inside, but Roselia seems to be an exemption in this.

‘She’s very emotional, too.’

I thought inwardly and added words belatedly. It was an absolute refusal to be misunderstood.

“Actually, I often took care of sick animals back at home so after I came here and heard the news that His Highness, the Crown Prince’s leopard was sick, I offered to help. I was the one who cured him.”

Then Roselia snorted.

“Hah! Healing a leopard? Are you talking about that now?”

Believe it or not, what can I do? It’s true.

Whether my calm answer touched her temper, Roselia spoke and complained to the empress with a full of resentment.

“Did you hear that? Do you think that makes sense now?”

“Fix yourself, Roselia.”

However, once again, the Empress only showed a very calm attitude.

After that, she turned to me with a gaze filled with interest.

“I heard that you’re first dance partner of the Crown Prince yesterday.”

I was just wondering when is she gonna ask that. It was fortunate that I also tried to simulate this in my head in advance.

“Do you know what that means and accept it?”

In a word, it’s like, “How dare you hold that hand?!”

“Of course I know. But I swear to God, I didn’t think he’d ask me to dance.”

“Lies, Your Majesty!”

Roselia shouted as if she was accused.