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~Chapter 35~
Apologize Instead
“Oh my, you called me ‘Empress’… It’s an honor.”
Chloe answered coolly, “It might have been a rushed marriage, but since you are His Majesty’s first wife, I can’t just call you a concubine.”
Even though Chloe’s words reminded Regina that she was basically a concubine with no proper wedding, Regina smiled back.
“Oh, I’m really glad. I thought the head attendant here was so rude because Her Majesty the Grand Empress didn’t recognize me as part of the imperial family.”
“Oh, I’m really glad. I thought the head attendant here was so rude because Her Majesty the Grand Empress didn’t recognize me as part of the imperial family.”
She was telling Chloe to manage her people properly and not to let them mistreat family members.
Chloe couldn’t smile anymore. She hadn’t heard anything about the head attendant causing trouble, so she turned her cold gaze to the attendant. He flinched and his shoulders trembled. Seeing this, Chloe realized something really had happened and sighed lightly.
“If my palace’s head attendant made you uncomfortable, I apologize instead.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that.”
Regina waved her hands, saying she couldn’t possibly accept an apology from the Grand Empress.
But that wasn’t all.
“Even though the people you sent to the Empress’s palace embezzled money and brought in things that weren’t fit for the royal family, it was just the servants’ fault.”
Chloe bit her lip, thinking, “Can’t you even manage your own people?”
If only there were only people from the Grand Empress’s palace here, she could keep things quiet, but Regina had brought a lot of her own attendants.
Since Regina had brought not just maids but also many servants, Chloe’s intentions were clear. Chloe finally decided to take a step back.
“…I’ll personally buy and send the furniture you need for the Empress’s palace.”
“Oh my, thank you. You really don’t have to… Even though the things were so low-quality that even commoners wouldn’t use them, I was willing to put up with it to save the palace budget.”
“Even though the things were so low-quality that even commoners wouldn’t use them, I was willing to put up with it to save the palace budget.”
“No, I will send them myself.”
“If you insist, I’ll accept. Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.”
And just like that, Chloe and Regina’s first nerve battle was over.
Regina, who had won with confidence, sat in the seat the attendant showed her and endured the hot sunlight.
‘Hmm. It’s a bit hot.’
Compared to Frederick’s Empire, Permang was a cooler place. The monster region she recently stayed in didn’t get much sun either. Regina, who had lived in dark places, was weak to heat. The hot sun on her skin bothered her.
“Tea is ready.”
Right then, tea and snacks were served. Regina lowered her hand under the table and made a hand sign.
A gentle wind blew and scattered Regina’s hair. As the cool wind surrounded her, Regina felt much more comfortable.
“This tea tastes best when brewed hot.”
It seemed like they purposely prepared boiling water for the tea. But because a cool breeze was always by her side, Regina didn’t care.
Chloe, not knowing Regina was using magic, narrowed her eyes as she watched Regina acting calm.
She seemed to be wondering if Regina was really not hot, or just pretending.
‘So funny.’
Still, it was cute in Regina’s opinion. By her standards, this kind of bullying was nothing, so she started to relax.
How much time had passed?
As Chloe sipped her tea, she grew angrier watching Regina stay so calm.
They were both sitting in the hot weather, but Regina, who was in the sun without even a shade, looked so comfortable that Chloe couldn’t even suggest ending the meeting first.
Regina glanced at her sideways.
‘At this point, anyone else would suggest we go inside…’
When Regina saw sweat gathering on Chloe’s forehead, she picked up her teacup. Even though it was steaming hot, she drank it gladly.
The breeze around her was growing cooler, so the warm tea actually felt good.
“What will you do about the maids and servants in the Empress’s palace?”
“His Majesty the Emperor said he would send good people.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes, thinking, “That’s none of your business.”
“The maids behind you from the Emperor’s palace don’t seem very skilled, either.”
Was she trying to pick a fight with the maids since she couldn’t win against Regina? Regina smiled a little.
‘So that’s how you want to play?’
She didn’t think Chloe would give up easily, but even involving the maids now?
The maids were already suffering, standing under the burning sun. If they were a little closer, Regina would have used her magic to help them too, but…
She couldn’t use any more magic because she didn’t know what might happen next.
“Hey, you there.”
Chloe pointed at a maid with her fan. A small maid with brown hair stepped forward carefully.
“Did you call me, Your Majesty the Grand Empress?”
“My teacup is empty. Pour me some tea.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Among the maids, only a few were allowed to pour tea for royalty. You had to know the etiquette and have skillful hands to do it right.
Pouring hot tea from a boiling teapot with a gentle sound was not easy.
Regina glanced at the approaching maid. She was the one who fixed Regina’s hair earlier.
‘Was her name Lizen?’
She barely had any expression, but that made her stand out even more to Regina.
Lizen lifted the teapot. Sunlight made her hand glow as she poured tea with perfect manners.
‘She’s impressive.’
Regina thought she was just good at fixing hair, but she was skilled enough to be a high-level maid.
Just as Lizen finished pouring tea into Chloe’s cup and turned to leave—
Thud!
Her foot tripped on something. She barely managed to save the teapot, but some tea splashed onto the table.
“How could a palace maid make such a mistake? Kneel, now!”
Chloe immediately yelled at her.
Holding the teapot, Lizen knelt beside Chloe.
“I committed a grave sin, Your Majesty the Grand Empress.”
There were only a few drops of water on the table, but the problem was that the tea was hot.
“How dare you pour hot water on me!”
“I didn’t mean to. I just tripped…”
“Silence.”
Actually, it wasn’t a mistake—someone tripped her on purpose. Even Chloe and the other maids saw it, but pretended not to notice.
Regina frowned a little.
“My maid must have been nervous in front of Your Majesty the Grand Empress. She’s still very young…”
“How rude, Empress!”
But Chloe wouldn’t stop now that she had found a weakness. Her face cold, she raised her voice.
“It’s unfit for a royal to keep such unworthy people by her side. I am trying to protect the dignity of the royal family in place of an inexperienced Empress. How dare you talk back!”
When Regina said nothing more, Chloe spoke coldly.
“Bring the whip.”
Regina’s blue eyes grew wide.
She expected they would just dock her maid’s pay or take away her position, but a whipping?
That kind of punishment was rare in the palace. You only got it if you hurt a royal family member’s body or did something truly unforgivable.
“That’s too much, Your Majesty the Grand Empress.”
“Too much?”
Chloe cut Regina off without a care and motioned to a maid. When the maid returned, she was holding a whip.
Seeing the whip, Regina frowned, then forced her face to go back to normal. Chloe saw this small reaction and smiled with satisfaction as she gave the order.
“Give her ten lashes.”
As soon as Chloe finished speaking, a maid from the Grand Empress’s palace began to whip Lizen.
