🔊 TTS Settings
~Chapter 24~
So, She Wants to Spend the Night Together
Regina knew better than anyone how rich the Fredericks Empire was.
When facing an enemy, the first thing to do was learn about their resources, so the mage corps always paid attention to the empire’s wealth and power.
She had learned that to keep up such a powerful army—enough for the empire to be called “the empire of knights” since its founding—they needed an enormous budget.
But now, with people who didn’t even fight with swords in power, it seemed like Fredericks was rotting from the inside.
‘There’s no way all that money just disappeared. It must be embezzlement.’
What they really meant was, “There’s money, but none for you.”
Regina recognized the dirty trick and thought she should discuss her solution with Conrad.
“I understand. You can go now,” Regina said gently.
Viola left with a smug look, not seeing Regina’s cold face.
“Your Majesty the Empress,” the palace maids called Regina nervously after Viola left.
“Does His Majesty the Emperor know about this?”
“The chief attendant has gone to tell him.”
“It’s not even something urgent. The chief attendant was too quick,” Regina said with a scoff as she looked around the bedroom. No matter how much she looked, there was nothing she liked about it.
Even the mage corps barracks back in Permang were better than this.
“What a dump…” she muttered under her breath.
The palace maids didn’t step into the room, so they didn’t hear her.
Regina forced herself to calm down and hide her true feelings.
‘How did I handle people who tried this kind of trick back in Permang?’
She hadn’t faced something like this for years, except with her half-brother Heraeis, so her memory was fuzzy.
Just as she was deep in thought, Regina sensed Conrad approaching and lifted her head.
“Lena.”
Regina smiled gently at Conrad’s call. Seeing the sadness on her face, Conrad opened his arms wide, as if telling her to come closer.
Regina swallowed hard at his gesture.
“Conrad.”
They had agreed to act like lovers when others were watching. Regina quietly went to him and hugged him.
Conrad’s arms tightened around her. Regina leaned into his embrace and whispered,
“Does the Grand Empress not like me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“If not, she wouldn’t give me a bedroom like this.”
“There must have been a mistake.”
“Right? The highest elder in the palace, who was always so kind to someone like me with such a low status, would never play such a cheap trick.”
Regina raised her voice on purpose.
The Grand Empress’s maids listening outside started to panic. Because of what they had done, Chloe now looked like a petty person.
If Chloe, who cared so much about her reputation, found out, the maids could be punished.
The emperor’s palace maids were also listening carefully. Conrad had left the door open, giving silent permission for the situation to be shared.
“Maybe she trusts your abilities.”
“My abilities?”
“Just like she trusted me, she probably believes you can manage your own servants well.”
“Ah, I see,” Regina said, her eyes shining as if she’d realized something. She smiled brightly and finished, making Conrad burst into laughter.
“So, the Grand Empress made my palace like this to test me and slowly hand over power to me!”
“Yes, that’s it.”
Conrad lightly kissed Regina’s lips at her playful answer, and she flinched.
When the emperor kissed the empress, the maids quietly closed the door.
Now that they were completely alone, Regina tried to move out of Conrad’s arms. But he didn’t let go so easily.
Conrad grinned playfully.
“Are you stopping the act now just because there’s no audience?”
“I need to talk, so let go…”
Inside, Regina wanted to shout, “Why are you clinging to me when no one is watching?”
After struggling a few times, she finally got out of his embrace. Since she could never win against a knight’s strength, it was really only because Conrad let her go.
Taking a deep breath, Regina fixed her expression and said,
“Before I start acting as empress, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Conrad also sat up straight, seeing her serious look.
They sat face-to-face at a small table and talked quietly.
“Can I use magic to fix up the empress’s palace?”
Conrad’s blue eyes turned to Regina. Feeling his gaze, Regina swallowed and spoke again.
“I want to get rid of the Grand Empress’s people from the palace, but I don’t have a way to protect myself. It feels like I’m missing a hand. And honestly, there are many other things I could do with magic, too.”
Conrad’s eyebrow rose.
Regina’s question was basically asking for his cooperation.
When she used magic, it used up her power. To recharge her magic, she needed Conrad.
“So, you’re asking to spend the night together?”
“Y-you know, even just simple contact is enough,” Regina said quickly.
“Well, maybe.”
But Conrad had no intention of ending things with just “simple contact.”
“Using magic to fix things isn’t a bad idea, but you need to know something.”
“What’s that?”
“The Grand Empress sent her people into your palace without your permission. That crossed the line.”
“Ah.”
“I already know that. In the Permang Empire, the royal family’s power struggles were just as common.”
Conrad nodded at her words.
“Good. So what will you do now?”
“Since she used my authority to do as she pleased, I should take something even bigger from her.”
“Something bigger?”
“I’m thinking of taking away her control of the palace’s money.”
This meant taking away the right to control the palace’s budget and staff.
It was the same money flow that had always lined the Grand Empress’s pockets.
Regina was saying she’d cut it off.
Conrad smiled, clearly satisfied.
“Good idea. I’m sure you can do it.”
“First, I’ll check Fredericks law to see how it’s done.”
As the current empress, there was no way she’d be refused that power. Smirking, Regina leaned closer to Conrad.
“So, help me.”
Conrad didn’t avoid her as her face came near.
Instead, he slid his tongue into her parted lips, exploring her mouth.
He pulled Regina onto his lap, and when she wrapped her arms around his neck, his own desire grew hot.
Maybe it was for magic, or maybe for something else—he wasn’t sure.
After they exchanged magic for a while, they left the empress’s bedroom, unable to hide their flushed lips.
Chloe’s Side
“She just accepted it like nothing?”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Grand Empress.”
“No way.”
Chloe shook her head. Things shouldn’t have gone this smoothly. Regina wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.
Chloe had prepared for a strong pushback, but there had been none.
“Maybe she can’t tell the difference because she’s from such a humble family?”
“Could she really have no taste at all?”
They had filled the palace with items even commoners would use—so poor that it hurt the empress’s dignity. They thought Regina would run to them, asking for more money or better things.
