episode_0102

Unlike the brilliantly lit lower levels of the imperial palace, where the banquet was taking place, the upper levels of the imperial palace were dark and沉寂, save for a handful of magical lamps.

It was late, so it was right for it to be dark and deserted, but today, unable to bear the loneliness, I cautiously slipped out of bed and strolled down the hallway with only one escort knight.

With the faint sound of music echoing from downstairs as my companion, I slowly took a step forward, and a room that shone brightly, the only one in the dark imperial palace, caught my eye.

That must be the office of the Prince Consort.

“…!”

Approaching the Prince Consort’s escort knight, who was guarding the door with a discontented expression, the knight stood up straight and silently saluted.

“Um, is the Prince Consort still working?”

“Yes, that’s right, he asked not to be disturbed until midnight.”

“He’s leaving me alone to work? How impertinent…”

There shouldn’t be any work that absolutely needs to be done overnight…

And yet, he chooses work over the Emperor?

Resentment and betrayal swirl within me.

“Is it okay to go in?”

“Oh, right on time, it’s midnight, you may enter.”

As I glared at the door with malice and politely asked the knight, the knight glanced at his watch, stepped aside, and placed his hand on the doorknob.

His loyalty and flexibility bring a smile to my face.

I should prioritize that knight when a suitable position opens up later.

“Knight, what is your name?”

“I am Mason Scarlett, a mid-level knight.”

“Mason… Mason…”

Mason, a knight on the border between youth and middle age, with brown hair, a tall stature, and a scar near his left eye.

“Good, I will make sure to remember you.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

As I lightly patted Mason’s shoulder, Mason smiled, slightly bowed his head, and opened the tightly closed door.

As the heavy door slowly cracked open, the Prince Consort, looking at papers and moving his pen in the middle of the brightly lit office, came into view.

“Haa…”

Slightly loosened collar and an expression that has become serious due to immersion.

To show me such debauchery and obscenity in the late night, the impertinence is about to cross the line.

“… Sir Mason.”

After the door opened and a little time passed, the Prince Consort, without taking his eyes off the paper, frowned and called the name of the knight who was guarding the door.

“I clearly told you not to let anyone in.”

And he muttered in a voice filled with anger, scolding the knight who had failed to complete his mission due to unavoidable circumstances.

Normally, it would be the knight’s fault, but this time, unfortunately, the knight had an invincible shield.

“Surely, that ‘anyone’ doesn’t include me, does it?”

“… Your Majesty?”

As my voice echoed in the office, the Prince Consort, startled at last, took his eyes off the paper and turned his gaze to me, who was standing at the door with a smile.

“You disloyal Prince Consort, you’re only looking at me now.”

Staring at the dumbfounded Prince Consort, I took a step into the office.

As I fully entered the office, Mason, a quick-witted knight, quickly closed the door to prevent the conversation between me and the Prince Consort from leaking outside.

“So, what is my loyal Prince Consort doing so late at night?”

“That’s what I want to say, Your Majesty, what are you doing up so late without sleeping?”

“As the weather gets colder, my side of the bed is cold, and I can’t fall asleep because my side is so empty, I can’t just stand by and watch as the Emperor’s Prince Consort neglects the most important duty he must perform, can I?”

“Your Majesty, are you lonely?”

Irritation rises.

Knowing it, yet asking on purpose, this devilish Prince Consort…!

“… Yes, Nelson, I’m so lonely I could die, so please finish your work quickly, your beautiful wife is waiting.”

But since it is I who is in need, I lowered my pride a little and asked the Prince Consort as ‘Frederica’, not as the Emperor.

“Oh… then I’m sorry, but please wait just 10 more minutes, Freddy.”

But the answer that came back was not what I wanted.

“Eek…! How dare you insult me?!”

So ashamed that I was being played by the Prince Consort, I stomped my feet and shouted lightly, and the Prince Consort chuckled, shifted his gaze to the paper, and drew lines on it.

“I told you that the world isn’t so easy, didn’t I? That no one gives you what you want for free.”

“Ha! So that’s how it’s going to be, is it?”

The peaceful negotiation broke down.

The irreverent and bad Prince Consort who doesn’t respect the Emperor will need severe punishment.

Glaring at the Prince Consort with a sharp gaze, I stomped my foot hard and approached the Prince Consort.

And after roughly pushing away the Prince Consort’s arm on the desk, I pushed my butt and straddled the Prince Consort’s lap.

“I will seize it according to your teachings.”

“…. I didn’t expect this.”

The Prince Consort, with a flustered look, widened his eyes and stared at me for a moment.

And after rolling his eyes, he wore an expression of understanding and hugged me in his arms and began to read the paper.

“…. I didn’t expect this.”

If I go this far, shouldn’t he concede and return to the bedchamber?

As I glared at the Prince Consort with resentment, the Prince Consort patted my head and said nonchalantly.

“If you can’t give up either work or the Emperor, wouldn’t it be right to seize both?”

“What a greedy person…”

What kind of work is it that that piece of paper has the same value as me…

Feeling resentment towards the Prince Consort, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and turned my body to shift my gaze to the paper.

“… My speech? Isn’t this the speech I’m going to give at tomorrow’s event?”

“That’s right.”

“You’ve already finished the revisions, why bother touching it?”

“It’s the day Liza officially becomes a princess, so we have to be careful until the end.”

“… That’s true.”

As Elizabeth’s name flowed from the Prince Consort’s mouth, a bitter smile appeared on my face without me realizing it.

As something I had tried not to think about came to mind, my mood became even gloomier.

“Nelson.”

“……”

I leaned the back of my head against Nelson’s chest and called Nelson in a gloomy voice.

As soon as he heard my voice, Nelson, who flinched his hand, glanced down at me and carefully put down the paper, lightly hugging my waist.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just… sorry.”

“……”

As the Emperor, I don’t regret any of the choices I’ve made so far.

Because they were actions that had to be taken for the sake of the Empire.

However, even after becoming the Emperor, I couldn’t stop the feeling of guilt from rising at the moment I became ‘Frederica’.

To Elizabeth, to Alexandrine, and to Nelson.

It’s because I’m an inadequate person that I’m causing trouble…

“Kyaak!”

Just as my thoughts were about to continue to spiral, my vision flashed with a heavy pain in my forehead.

As I grabbed my forehead with trembling hands and looked ahead, Nelson’s hand was flickering in front of my eyes.

“Freddy, if you’re going to have useless thoughts, go back and sleep.”

“Useless thoughts…?”

I felt a surge of anger and resentment at Nelson’s nonchalant remark, even after hitting me.

“You are now…”

“You are the Emperor before you are a parent.”

Nelson, who coldly cut off my words, directed a gaze at me that could be felt as merciless.

At Nelson from ‘those days’, whom I felt after a long time, my shoulders shrunk without me realizing it.

“Don’t leave behind regrets, lingering feelings, or guilt for the actions you took for the sake of the Empire, because that’s what the Emperor is there for.”

“But…”

“But what, that doesn’t change the decisions you made over a decade ago.”

“Ugh…”

My chest throbbed at Nelson’s words of rebuke.

“So act coldly until the end, and don’t hesitate because of guilt and end things half-heartedly.”

“Okay…”

He was right.

It’s also funny to feel guilty belatedly after repeatedly making ruthless choices due to political judgments.

If I really cared about my children, the first thing to do was to finish things perfectly.

“Hoo…”

I gently closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed my complicated mind.

And as I slowly lifted my eyelids, I sent a soft smile to the Prince Consort and opened my mouth.

“I showed you an unsightly sight.”

“It’s okay, isn’t it the role of the Prince Consort and the Emperor’s partner to support Your Majesty at such times?”

As I returned from the weak ‘Frederica’ to the Emperor, Nelson also returned to the Prince Consort and smiled.

“I think I’m really lucky to have you, I would have collapsed many times if you weren’t here.”

“I have to take responsibility to the end since I made you bear a heavy burden because of me.”

“That’s…”

I was about to say no, but when I recalled how I came to be on the throne, I realized that there was nothing wrong with his words.

“You’re right, I’ll pay you back for the rest of my life.”

“Yes.”

I chuckled and released the Prince Consort’s arm that was wrapped around my waist.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you, I was only causing trouble when you were working for my child.”

“It’s okay, I wanted to take a break anyway.”

I slightly glared at the Prince Consort, who was saying things he didn’t mean.

“Enough with those obvious lies, you didn’t take your eyes off the paper even while I was on your lap…”

“But didn’t I hug you warmly?”

“What?”

Hug me warmly?

That shameless thing!

How dare he distort the fact that I, with my eyes wide open, watched!

“I don’t need such mechanical love that doesn’t have any emotion in it, in fact, I was only scolded in your arms.”

“But you regained your energy, so isn’t that enough?”

“Hmph.”

Still shameless to the end…

I felt like I would only get more angry if I said any more, so I turned my gaze away from the Prince Consort, walked towards the door, and shouted.

“I will remember this, and know that I will definitely get the price for this back someday.”

“Oh dear…”

Leaving behind the Prince Consort’s lament filled with embarrassment, I left the office as it was.

The lonely and heavy heart felt a little lighter, so my steps returning to the bedchamber were relatively light.