Remarried Empress

“First I have to look for him. Once I have him with me, I’ll decide what to do. I could take him to Rimwell, but I’m afraid others will harass him while I’m not there due to his origins… I’ll have to think about it some more.”

Laura, who had lost heart at the sight of the unhappy Rivetti, asked.

“Are you going to the Eastern Empire regardless?”

“Yes…”

Rivetti answered quietly, clasped her hands together and looked at me.

“May I go, Your Majesty?”

“It’s your home, Rivetti.”

“Your Majesty…”

Her sad expression made it difficult to refuse her unspoken request.

“Unfortunately, the child cannot be raised in the palace. However, I can provide you with a home nearby.”

While Ahn was Rivetti’s nephew, he had no place in high society because he was not a noble. However, if I found a big mansion with a spacious yard, it would be enough for him to play.

Once he’s old enough to leave the mansion, perhaps Rivetti will take him to her estate.

“Thank you. I am deeply grateful to you, Your Majesty. Always. Your Majesty will always be my hero.”

Rivetti’s gratitude was sincere, but I had done nothing to deserve it. However, I didn’t deny her thanks. My actions weren’t sufficiently extraordinary to make me a hero, but right now Rivetti needed someone to rely on, and I had become a pillar for her. There was no reason to tell her that I was a rather flimsy pillar.

Ah, there was one more thing.

“Miss Rivetti.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I would like to ask for a favor.”

“Yes! You may ask me anything!”

“I know you’re not one to cause trouble, but please mind your behavior while you’re in the Eastern Empire?”

“Pardon?”

Rivetti’s eyes widened. She seemed to fear I didn’t trust her, but that was not the case.

“It is not because of my trust in you, but because the situation is complicated on many fronts. Transnational knights are out there, prowling.“

“I have nothing to do with those people…”

“I know. But just in case.”

It was unlikely that she would get in trouble with the Transnational Knights. Truthfully, it was the resentment Rivetti had developed toward Duke Elgy that worried me.

Rivetti’s relationship with Rashta had always been hostile, and that didn’t change even after Rashta died.

Now that Rashta was gone, Rivetti had branded Duke Elgy as her greatest enemy.

I didn’t want to see Rivetti, clouded by revenge, entangled with him. I didn’t want to see her suffer or get into dangerous situations.

Rivetti nodded and smiled broadly, oblivious to my thoughts.

“Of course! Don’t worry. I’ll come back safely with Ahn!”

***

His mind was so plagued with worries that the letters on the paper looked like twisted earthworms. Sovieshu stared blankly at the indecipherable words with an expressionless face.

Ever since the Day Sovieshu realized he needed a confidant, he felt surrounded by enemies.

He felt closely watched by those who followed the Night Sovieshu, in an attempt to extract information and pass it on to him. He was so worried he couldn’t relax for even a moment.

To top it off, the headaches were getting worse. The palace doctor warned him that taking too many painkillers was detrimental to his health, so he received treatment from a healing mage, but it didn’t improve his headaches.

‘Could it be that my headaches are caused by a mental problem?’

Even getting sleeping pills without alerting the Night Sovieshu and his supporters was no easy task.

In the midst of this, his only hope, Navier, lived in a distant country.

‘Navier won’t come personally to pick up this little boy named Ahn.’

No matter how optimistic he tried to be, Navier was unlikely to fetch the little boy herself.

As he absentmindedly rolled the pen in his hand, an unpleasant letter caught his eye. At first, the letters danced freely before his eyes, but after struggling to focus he made out its contents.

It was a request…

‘Do they really think I have to welcome the next empress soon for the sake of the country’s stability, and the prosperity of the Imperial Family? And if I don’t… I should bring Sheir to the imperial palace and educate him? How dare they.’

***

“This isn’t the bird I wanted.”

It was the day after Empress Navier sent a blue bird to Dolshi, with Grand Duke Kapmen as the messenger.

Dolshi rushed over to receive his gift, but he put the blue bird back in the cage and said firmly.

“I want the bird I saw.”

Grand Duke Kapmen walked helplessly amid the fallen leaves in the garden, weighed down by the traces of a love that had not yet been erased.

However, he became irritated as soon as Dolshi accosted him about the blue bird.

‘That’s what he gets for taking the potion after I warned him not to.’

“What do you want me to do?”

Although Grand Duke Kapmen was annoyed, Dolshi repeated his demand.

“I want that bird.”

Grand Duke Kapmen took out another vial of love potion from his pocket and held it out to Dolshi.

“Drink this first.”

Perplexed, Dolshi accepted the potion.

“Drink it while you look at it. Then you will get the bird you want.”

Dolshi’s expression crumpled.

Still, his eyes were fixed on the vial. He seemed tempted.

‘Stupid dragon.’

Grand Duke Kapmen had no desire to deal with Dolshi, so he quickly went on his way.

Dolshi alternately looked between the vial and the cage. When he noticed that Grand Duke Kapmen had walked away he hurried to follow.

“What the hell, are you avoiding me now? This is a serious matter!”

Grand Duke Kapmen covered his ears.

“Shut up!.”

‘Those two might be in love.’

He suddenly overheard a wild thought. Grand Duke Kapmen stopped in his tracks. Dolshi found it convenient and started nagging him again.

However, the inner thoughts from the unknown person were louder than Dolshi’s boisterous voice.

‘The blue bird… is an excuse. What that redhead likes is that handsome man.’

Grand Duke Kapmen reflexively pushed Dolshi away, causing him to fall. Then he began to search the surrounding area for the source of those thoughts.

‘My keen powers of observation are inescapable. The redhead is barely hiding his intentions; it’s obvious he’s trying to get his attention under the pretext of the blue bird. Huh. The handsome man doesn’t seem to notice. Attractive men are like that. They don’t realize how attractive they are and how they charm everyone around them without a thought.’