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Chapter 39
You May Touch Me
It was a bright spring morning at Schendel Castle, and a buzz of excitement filled the air. The imperial court doctor was leaving the Empress’s room when he spotted the Emperor walking calmly down the hall. Unsure how to break the disappointing news, the doctor nervously bowed as the tall Emperor quickly approached.
“Roland, Your Majesty, I greet the Sun of the Empire.”
“I see you often lately. I heard the Empress might be pregnant—is it true?”
The doctor, remembering the Empress Dowager’s disappointed face from earlier, gripped his bag tightly and bowed even deeper.
“I’m sorry, but… I don’t believe it is a pregnancy, Your Majesty.”
“Ah… I see. That’s unfortunate.”
Luckily, the Emperor took the news better than the Dowager Empress had. He glanced at the closed door of the Empress’s chambers and raised an eyebrow.
“Is the Empress very sick?”
“No, she’s in good health.”
“Then there’s no need for me to go in, right?”
The doctor hesitated, not sure how to answer.
“The Dowager Empress is with her, but if Your Majesty would comfort the Empress, it would mean a lot to her.”
Before the doctor finished speaking, the Emperor was already shaking his head.
“If I open that door, the Empress might feel comforted, but I’ll have to listen to endless nagging. Hmm…”
He stared at the ornate cream-and-gold door, then smiled.
“Decision made. I’ll turn around and leave. If she’s not sick, she doesn’t need comforting.”
Without waiting for a reply, the Emperor turned and walked off. His servant suggested gently,
“Your Majesty, perhaps you should still go see the Empress?”
The Emperor waved his finger and shook his head.
“No, no. If I go in, will I even get to say a word to her? My mother will just nag me until my ears bleed. I’d rather take a walk in the garden than walk into certain doom. At least my ears will survive.”
He whistled as he walked out into the garden, enjoying the perfect blue sky.
He even smiled and greeted the old Count Ulrich Chamberlain, who he never liked.
“Good to see you here, Count.”
“Chamberlain, I greet the Sun of the Empire, His Majesty Volshtak II.”
“Are you here to see my mother?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I heard you were in the palace, so I was waiting and took a walk in the garden.”
“We missed each other, then. I’d advise you to just go home after your walk—my mother is in a bad mood today.”
Count Chamberlain frowned, clearly understanding.
“That’s unfortunate. My condolences, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Ha! There’s nothing you don’t know, Count.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. The Dowager Empress had high hopes these last few days…”
“Amazing. My own wife and I didn’t know what would happen today, but you knew days ago! If anyone calls you old, tell them I said you’re not.”
Laughing, the Emperor walked into the garden, where white and purple lisianthus flowers were blooming everywhere. He smiled sadly.
“Patricia would have loved this. It’s a shame.”
Count Chamberlain, noticing, spoke quietly.
“Do you still think of Baroness Patricia Butain? I heard you stopped visiting her lands…”
Just because his mother caused trouble, he kept some distance. Patricia was the most honest woman he’d ever met, and he had no intention of cutting her out completely.
“She was a good woman. If my mother hadn’t forced her away, I’d have kept her closer. Why did my mother have to be so harsh?”
“With respect, Your Majesty, the Baroness was banished for offending the imperial family, but you granted her vast lands anyway. Please, don’t blame your mother.”
“Come on, she only did what anyone would do. She had children with her late husband, but never got pregnant with me. Of course, she wondered if I was the problem…”
“Your Majesty!”
Count Chamberlain’s shout startled the nearby servants and knights. He moved close and whispered,
“Your Majesty, please, you must never say such things. You are the Emperor, not a commoner. It pains me to hear you doubt yourself.”
The Emperor smiled bitterly. Everyone knew he hadn’t produced an heir at age twenty-six. His wife, chosen by his mother from one of the Twelve Dukes, hadn’t had a child in seven years of marriage. Even with other women, he’d never gotten anyone pregnant.
He picked a white lisianthus and twirled it in his fingers.
“Since we’re talking about it, I should go find out for myself.”
“Find out what, Your Majesty?”
The Emperor stuck the flower in the Count’s coat and brushed his golden hair back.
“If there’s really a problem with me. If I meet Patricia and try my best, maybe I’ll know.”
When Frida woke up, her throat was completely blocked. Her arms and legs ached—she was coming down with a cold.
“Ha… Of course. I barely walked around, and now I’m sick.”
She pulled the damp towel from her forehead. Muriel must have checked on her during the night. Someone knocked.
“Yes. Come in.”
She thought it would be Muriel or maybe Anton, but it was her husband, Duke Richard, who entered.
“Why are you here so early?”
“The doctor is waiting outside. May I send him in?”
“…Yes.”
He sounded extra formal, but she didn’t have time to wonder why. After Anton finished his checkup and left, Daniel told her something shocking.
“T-today? Baron Boild and his wife are arriving today? And the Updike Marquis’s son too?”
What should she do? Scadi Hall wasn’t even finished being cleaned, and now Updike was coming too! Where would he sleep? There wasn’t even a bed for him.
“Oh no…”
Frida grabbed her head in panic.
“We have to prepare a welcome dinner! Adele is so nervous because she’s never cooked noble food before. She’s worried sick.”
No time to waste—first, get a room ready for the Marquis’s son. But there was no extra bed…
Frida tried to get up but felt dizzy and collapsed back onto the bed.
“Please calm down, my lady.”
Daniel’s calm attitude was especially irritating today.
“How can I be calm? There’s not even a bed for the Marquis’s son! We only bought two beds for the Baron and his wife!”
“I told Dominic to move one of the beds from another room in Scadi Hall. The Baron and his wife are said to get along well, so hopefully, they won’t mind sharing for now.”
“…You did well.”
Frida slumped back onto the bed, resting her shoulders on the headboard. Maybe it was just relief that he’d solved her biggest headache, but a silly question slipped out.
“Then… what else do I need to do?”
Daniel replied as calmly as ever.
“Nothing. You don’t need to come out and greet them in person. I’ll handle it. Just rest. The dinner will be simple, so just attend the meal.”
“But…”
“I do have one favor to ask, though.”
“What is it? Just tell me, I’ll help if I can.”
“Only you can do this.”
Only I can do it? Frida stared at him, puzzled.
Daniel was wearing a dark jacket with more ornate designs than usual, looking especially handsome this morning.
“As the Duchess Richard, greet them with confidence and elegance.”
That was no problem—she’d been trained by the strictest tutors of House Hakborn.
“As the lady of Munheim Castle, receive them with dignity. You outrank everyone arriving today.”
It sounded dramatic, but she could manage that too.
“Is that all?”
After an awkward pause, Daniel spoke quietly.
“If possible…”
She thought his voice trembled a little, but maybe it was just her imagination.
“Could you please treat me as kindly as possible?”
Wait, what?
“Especially in front of the Updike Marquis’s son—be bold, be… very affectionate.”
Bold? Affectionate? What was he talking about?
“You may touch me if you want.”
