IMTIE 16

~Chapter 16~

Grey gathered his thoughts and looked down at the small woman in front of him.

How did she have the courage to cover the mouth of a swordmaster? They didn’t even know each other’s names—it must have been their first meeting.

Just then, Dahlia thought of an excuse and spoke.

“I felt sorry for covering his mouth, so I allowed him to use my name as an apology.”

“You skipped the part about why you covered his mouth.”

“That’s personal.”

She used privacy as a reason, so he couldn’t ask further.

“You’re good at getting out of trouble.”

The pink-haired young lady smiled again.

“Was that man your typ—”

Grey almost asked, “Was that man your type?” but surprised himself and quickly covered his mouth. Why did I almost say that?

“Yes?”

The pink-haired young lady tilted her head and asked.

“Your Majesty, if you leave so suddenly— Oh? Young Lady?”

It was the emperor’s secretary, Oreon.

“You two are together again?”

Oreon smiled brightly as he spoke kindly.

“Let’s go.”

Grey, relieved he could leave, quickly turned away.

“You could spare at least five more minutes, you know.”

But Grey replied firmly to Oreon.

“No.”

“Goodbye, Your Majesty!”

She called out cheerfully from behind, but he hurried his steps, pretending not to hear.

The Emperor’s Office.

Oreon watched Grey’s mood carefully as he handed over a report.

The emperor rarely had a good mood, but since yesterday, he seemed even more serious.

With no way to know the reason, Oreon just tried to stay out of trouble.

“You haven’t found out anything yet. Is this supposed to be a report?”

Grey’s icy voice made Oreon shrink back from the desk. Scary.

“If you look below, there’s a note about how the main and side branches get along well, and strangely, the main branch seems to take special care of Lady Herdan, who is from the side branch.”

“Is that something special?”

Grey’s voice was cold as he set the report on the desk.

“Usually, the side branch tries to get on the good side of the main branch. Also, I heard there’s a knight named Cole who is guarding the young ladies very strictly.”

“A knight?”

Grey’s displeased gaze turned back to the report.

“Yes. He’s supposed to be part of the delegation as a guard. Ever since Dek went in as a maid, he’s been standing right outside the young ladies’ room, so it’s hard to get any information.”

“A knight guards the door closely?”

Grey’s voice rumbled as if coming from a cave.

“Did it say ‘closely’?”

Oreon glanced at his own report. Did it?

“A knight, huh…”

Why? Did the knight do something wrong?

Oreon sneaked a look at Captain Ethan, the model knight, standing behind Grey.

Ethan, as usual, stood straight-faced behind the emperor.

“Tsk. A knight.”

At Grey’s uncomfortable tone, Ethan’s shoulder twitched slightly.

For some reason, the knight must be at fault. It’s always the knight’s fault.

Oreon nodded to himself, then remembered the last part of the report.

“And there’s also something about Lady from the side branch often looking at letters.”

“Letters?”

“Yes. She keeps them close to her chest, as if they’re love letters, so no one can take them.”

“Love letters?”

Grey’s voice became even lower.

“Ethan.”

Ethan quickly stepped in front of Grey.

“Call the young lady to the Emperor’s garden.”

“Yes.”

While Ethan left the office, Oreon stared wide-eyed at Grey.

He’d seen the emperor talk to the young lady, but inviting her to the emperor’s garden?

Are things between them more serious than I thought?

“You’re inviting her to the emperor’s garden?”

“I’m not inviting her. She’ll come on her own.”

“What?”

What does that mean? No one is allowed into the emperor’s garden without his permission.

Even Oreon himself had never been inside.

He was curious, but Grey put down his hourglass with a loud clack, showing he didn’t want to talk anymore.

Oreon stayed quiet and left the office.

After getting the message from Ethan, Heart headed to the young ladies’ room.

Even she had never been inside the emperor’s garden. But Lady Ria was called there?

She had just come back from a trip and was enjoying her break, but suddenly got assigned as a maid again.

She thought it would be easy—just take care of the two young ladies from the small kingdom. But they stuck together and acted secretive.

Even trying to listen in was hard because a knight named Cole always stood guard outside the door.

If only she could get some real information, this annoying maid job could finally end.

As Heart made eye contact with Cole, who was guarding the door, she smiled sweetly, knocked, and went inside.

“Lady Ria.”

Dahlia, who was playing chess with Annie, looked up.

“What is it?”

“They want you in the garden.”

Dahlia tilted her head, and Heart whispered in her ear so only she could hear.

“It’s His Majesty the Emperor’s garden.”

At that moment, Dahlia’s face lit up as if sunlight was shining only on her. Heart suddenly understood why His Majesty took interest in her.

I thought he hated women, but maybe he just likes pretty women?

“Who called for Ria?”

Annie, who had been watching quietly, looked at Heart.

Despite her real thoughts, Heart acted like an overly excited maid.

“Oh! Well, the captain of the guards called for her. But Lady Ria, how do you know the captain?”

“The imperial guard captain?”

Annie looked at Dahlia with a surprised face.

Her orange eyes seemed to ask, ‘What did you do this time?’

Before Annie could scold her, Dahlia quickly stood up.

“I just happened to meet him. I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Annie stood up to follow.

“I’ll come too,” said Cole, who was standing at the open door.

Heart watched them carefully. The two of them always tried hard to protect this lady.

“Should I go too?”

Heart raised her hand a little to join.

“No. It’s okay, everyone. I can go by myself.”

Dahlia stopped them all. She didn’t know how they would react if they found out she was going to meet the emperor.

“No way…”

Annie looked suspiciously, but Dahlia gave a confident smile.

She saw Lemon, chirping and laughing in front of her eyes.

“I have Lemon with me.”

“Oh, right.”

Annie was the only one who understood and gave up first.

Only Cole and Heart looked puzzled.

“Then, I’ll be back!”

Following Lemon, Dahlia arrived at the emperor’s garden and looked around.

In the middle of the garden was an outdoor table set with dessert.

The emperor wasn’t there yet.

Dahlia set down her notebook and quill on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

She picked a grape from a fruit basket and rolled it in her mouth. Her eyes slowly closed.