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Chapter : 07 What Do You Think I Am?
Why on earth did this man come looking for me?
Everything felt confusing.
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
He entered the room and greeted me politely.
His black hair, slightly long, falling past his shoulders.
A strikingly handsome face that immediately caught the eye.
The black uniform that fit him perfectly suited him well.
His flawless appearance drew admiration from the maids around him.
Then Mari, who had brought the tea, glanced at me.
Curiosity shone in her eyes.
And it wasn’t just Mari.
I could sense multiple gazes lurking behind Leonard’s broad shoulders, all waiting for an opportunity.
Yes, I know exactly what you’re wondering.
You’re curious why a man like him—a unicorn of this imperial palace—came to see me, right?
Unfortunately, I don’t know either.
“Well then, we shall take our leave.”
At that moment, Countess Chloe announced that she would excuse herself.
I quickly looked at the maids.
No! Don’t leave!
It was late, and Leonard made me uncomfortable.
More than that, I’m actually quite shy in person.
So please, don’t go! Please!
I sent a desperate look to the maids, filled with the intense desire not to be left alone with him.
The maids were, as expected, competent.
Quick-witted, they all nodded in unison.
Yes! I trusted you!
I looked at them, eyes shining with joy.
“We’ve been so oblivious to your needs for so long. If you need anything, call us anytime.”
“!”
It seemed they had misinterpreted my gaze.
Before leaving, one even gave me a thumbs-up signal.
No… what does that gesture mean…?
Click. The door closed.
…Jesus.
And just like that, I was left alone with him.
“Did I perhaps cause offense?”
Leonard spoke first.
He seemed to have noticed the displeasure on my face.
“No. I was just a little surprised by your visit.”
I shook my head.
“Please, sit down.”
I gestured to the seat across from me, and Leonard sat.
“What brings you here? Is it about yesterday?”
I asked directly.
Yesterday had been the first time I met Leonard.
Judging by the maids’ reactions, even Helena before possession had probably never met him.
“Yes. It’s because of that incident.”
As I suspected, he had come to see me about what happened yesterday.
“I wanted to apologize to Your Majesty first.”
“…Pardon?”
Apologize?
“During the process of subduing the intruder yesterday, I displayed a less-than-pleasant side in front of Your Majesty.”
“Ah.”
He had brutally destroyed the fountain while handling the intruder.
The sight, drenched in blood, had indeed been shocking.
“It couldn’t be helped. It’s fine.”
I accepted his apology without hesitation.
I was a little surprised, but it wasn’t something that would give me nightmares.
Come to think of it, since being possessed by Helena, I might have become a little bolder.
Thanks to Leonard’s appearance, my tension eased, and I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
I had worried it might be something serious.
Like perhaps the intruder was connected to me, and he came to interrogate me.
Then he spoke again.
“Your Majesty.”
Leonard, who had been quietly observing me, opened his mouth once more.
“If it’s not too forward of me to ask… is there a particular reason why you’re not accompanied by your bodyguards?”
“My bodyguards?”
His question caught me completely off guard.
“Yes. When I saw you yesterday, I noticed no knights at your side. I wondered if there was a specific reason for not having guards assigned.”
“Hmm… I suppose I should ask the maids about that.”
I called Countess Chloe and inquired about the guards.
“Your Majesty the Empress has no bodyguards,” Countess Chloe answered.
“Is there a special reason?”
Chloe nodded at Leonard’s question.
“Your Majesty once requested guards from His Majesty the Emperor several times. The Emperor replied that ‘The imperial palace is safe; attendants are sufficient.’”
So Jerome had said that?
No wonder there weren’t even ordinary soldiers in the Empress’ palace.
Now I realized it wasn’t allowed by Jerome.
“That is quite unusual.”
Leonard frowned.
“Accidents can happen anywhere. Even Her Majesty the Empress has six bodyguards. Yet the Empress’ palace has none…”
“There are still soldiers guarding the entrance to the Empress’ palace.”
“….”
Chloe’s response made Leonard fall into thought for a moment.
His contemplation seemed unusually long.
“Sir Leonard?”
“…Ah.”
He let out a short sigh, realizing I had called him.
“My apologies for coming at such a late hour. I will also look into the security of the Empress’ palace again.”
Rising, he bowed respectfully.
“Then… I shall see you again.”
“See me again?”
I asked in surprise.
“…Did I say something wrong?”
“Oh! No. It’s just… you’re busy, and if it’s something like that, you could send a subordinate instead.”
“…Yes. I shall do so.”
Was it my imagination, or did his expression seem strange?
But he left without saying anything further.
After he left, the maids who had been waiting outside poured into the room.
“Oh my! Sir Leonard came to visit. What a remarkable event, Your Majesty.”
“What did he come for?”
Their curious eyes and questions poured in relentlessly.
I thought the maids were supposed to be terrified of the wicked Helena…
But judging by their behavior now, perhaps not so much.
“He asked about the security of the Empress’ palace.”
“Was that all? Nothing else?”
“Yes. That was all.”
The maids looked disappointed at such an insignificant matter.
“You expected there to be something else to see?”
“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”
Their expressions betrayed clear confusion.
I laughed inwardly.
Well, with his handsome appearance, impressive background, and exceptional skills, it’s no wonder they were curious.
But I hoped they wouldn’t take too much interest in him.
Because…
‘He is an extremely dangerous man.’
Even today, his sudden visit startled me.
Of course, the maids didn’t know what kind of man he really was.
Anyway, I was relieved that nothing problematic happened.
Now, I needed to focus on my own tasks.
I still had to meet Helena’s accomplices, which I hadn’t finished last time.
“By the way, who am I supposed to meet today?”
“Commander!”
When Leonard returned to the knights, a young voice called out.
It was Conrad.
“What happened?”
Conrad asked teasingly.
Leonard answered indifferently.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, I’ve already heard, Commander. You met with the Empress, right?”
“Yes.”
“Did everything go smoothly?”
“Smoothly?”
“Your Majesty the Empress is notoriously difficult-tempered. They say if something displeases her, she’ll throw whatever’s at hand…”
“Difficult-tempered…”
Leonard thought of Helena.
Her eyes were a little sharp, but she didn’t seem fierce.
Rather, she seemed timid, like a large-eyed herbivore.
“…I see.”
Leonard’s eyes narrowed slightly.
A strange sense of discord he felt while meeting the Empress.
She had clearly been wary of him.
Not merely disliking him, but afraid.
‘Why is that?’
As the Commander of the palace knights, Leonard was known for being overly polite, almost rigidly so.
At least on the surface.
But the Empress was different.
She clearly wanted to avoid him.
Or maybe she tried not to show it, but her eyes betrayed her.
‘It probably isn’t just about her past support…’
He remembered her surprised, wide eyes when he mentioned he would return.
‘This will require investigation.’
A faint smile unconsciously formed on his lips.
The maids immediately dispersed to call Helena’s accomplices.
I wondered when they would arrive.
Knock, knock.
Just as I thought about it, someone knocked.
Talk about speaking of the tiger and it appearing.
“Come in.”
At my permission, the door opened.
“…!”
I widened my eyes in surprise.
It wasn’t one of Helena’s accomplices.
‘What? Why are you here?’
The moonlight from the window shone on him.
Under the soft moonlight, his golden hair gleamed elegantly.
“Your Majesty.”
The person who entered was none other than Jerome.
Today seemed full of unexpected visitors.
“I came to ask something…”
He trailed off, glancing at something.
I followed his gaze.
He was looking at the teacups I hadn’t cleared away.
“…Seems like you had a guest.”
Seeing the two cups, Jerome said.
“Yes, well… what brings you here?”
“….”
He didn’t answer.
“Your Majesty?”
“Meeting alone at this hour, without maids, is that what happened?”
Still staring at the teacups, he asked.
I tilted my head.
“Is that important?”
No answer again.
Why does he suddenly ignore me after showing up unannounced?
I asked once more.
“What brings you here?”
“For the Queen’s dress.”
I flinched.
I instinctively shrugged my shoulders.
Could it be he came to scold me for tearing the Queen’s dress?
Yes. That’s possible.
His love for Fay was persistent.
He might have come to lecture someone who troubled his lover.
It’s okay. I was prepared for this.
I answered calmly.
“Yes. I tore it.”
“Why?”
“Out of jealousy for the Queen’s dress.”
“No.”
Jerome cut me off sharply.
“That’s not the trivial reason I’m asking about.”
He turned his head, his crimson eyes fixed on me.
Jerome asked coldly,
“Why did you claim to have done something you did not?”
“…Pardon?”
I was startled by the unexpected question.
‘He knew I hadn’t done it?’
Strange.
The incident should have already been settled as if I had done it.
Even he had told Fay that I tore it.
I decided to feign ignorance.
“I do not understand Your Majesty’s words. I tore the Queen’s dress.”
“Do not lie.”
He narrowed his brow slightly.
For some reason, he was certain I hadn’t done it.
It seemed impossible to deny it further.
“Fine. I didn’t do it, but I wanted to. Is that not allowed?”
“Defending your maid… that’s unlike you.”
“Protecting my maid is my choice.”
“Why? Did you think I would expel your maid?”
“Isn’t that the case?”
At my blunt answer, Jerome’s eyes flickered slightly.
Had I been too firm?
But I thought it was natural.
Based on the original story, Jerome wouldn’t have left a maid who harmed Fay alone.
“You wouldn’t ignore someone who tormented the Queen.”
In the original story, he had been ruthless toward those who troubled Fay.
That’s why I had lied about doing it.
I couldn’t harshly punish a young maid.
Helena had already committed countless misdeeds; one more wouldn’t matter.
Being the Empress had shielded me so far.
Later, when she goes too far, I too might face his judgment.
Of course, I wouldn’t let the future play out that way.
I thought I had given a sufficient answer by now.
But apparently, it wasn’t satisfactory.
For some reason, Jerome’s brow was furrowed more than before.
“You…”
He asked in a somewhat restrained voice.
“What… do you think I am?”
