[56]
“The most suspicious one is Labella.”
Several central nobles and actual administrative aides were summoned for a meeting early in the morning.
The agenda was the peculiarities of the monsters that Empress Astria had personally witnessed during the recent subjugation.
Astria suspected human involvement, and the central nobles pointed to Labella as the culprit.
“Still haven’t managed to subjugate them?”
“…They’re incredibly well-hidden, and even if we find them, it’s difficult to eradicate them.”
Astria muttered softly.
“They live quietly, preserving their long lives, if only temporarily.”
“Shall we take this opportunity to subjugate them?”
Labella was a troublesome hornet’s nest. It was better not to touch it, but if losses were acceptable, it was not impossible to subjugate.
“Is it possible? I feel like I’ve given that order five times already.”
“…I apologize, but if we send a large force this time, it is doable. Leave it to me! I’ll root out Labella!”
Marquis Asperger of the imperial faction said. He was an excellent knight, except for the fact that his brains were worse than a passing pebble.
Astria had long thought that whatever Marquis Asperger suggested should be done the opposite way.
She spoke with narrowed eyes.
“No, leave it.”
“It’s just a group led by Isabella. If she intended to rebel, she’d have come forward herself.”
As things seemed to get complicated, Count Blackqueens wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Astria ordered the search for the cause of the monsters’ group behavior in the mountains.
It was an imperial command. Even if there was no substance, a plausible figure had to be put on the execution stage.
“But if it’s not Labella, who else would do such a thing…”
Astria cut off the count’s words.
“What about the possibility of black magic involvement?”
The nobles froze for a moment.
Black magic. A presence that instilled great fear beyond the empire to the entire continent.
It was the first thing that came to mind when controlling monsters, but there was a reason they didn’t mention it.
“Black magic has been extinct for over 300 years, Your Majesty.”
“We can’t be sure. Even the Empress you thought dead is walking around.”
Astria looked at someone with a bored face.
The Duke sitting next to her.
“Isn’t that right, Duke?”
Granz nodded silently.
‘If anyone is plotting, it must be Granz. I need to be careful.’
Astria stood up from her seat.
“This concludes the meeting. Inform all nobles of this and investigate the surrounding territories thoroughly.”
**
Clip-clop.
Astria walked confidently inside the imperial palace.
A large crowd followed her: maids, knights, aides, and so on.
She was the empress of the empire. This scene was not awkward.
However, as she reached the garden in front of her palace, Astria glanced back and spoke.
“Return to your positions.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The crowd, familiar with this routine, bowed once and withdrew.
When only Betty and Astria were left, Astria resumed her walk with a nonchalant face.
She minimized the entry of people into her palace. Even as the Empress, she did not frequently interact with many people, thanks to this practice.
“Betty.”
Astria felt at ease as she entered her palace.
She withdrew the magic she had been exuding to maintain her dignity. Betty, looking slightly more comfortable, bowed her head.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What is love?”
‘I don’t think that’s something to ask with such a blank face.’
Betty closed her eyes briefly to calm her mind. She almost laughed at the empress’s question.
“Love is when just looking at someone makes your heart race, and the world seems beautiful as if enchanted by magic.”
“A type of hallucination magic? Then love is impossible for me. I can counter all magic.”
“….”
Betty closed her eyes tightly again.
After calming down, she spoke again.
“It’s not a type of hallucination magic, but a psychological state that anyone can feel. You too, Your Majesty, can love.”
“Is that so?”
Astria stroked her chin with a serious face.
Betty cleared her throat and subtly helped.
“Don’t you feel such emotions towards Sena?”
“Towards Sena?”
“Just looking at him makes your heart race.”
“I often find myself in that state. Sometimes, it feels like my heart is malfunctioning.”
Betty’s face turned bright red.
Even without realizing it, to say something so embarrassing without batting an eye…
But this was enough.
“That is love.”
“But Betty, that’s incorrect.”
“Why do you say that…?”
“Because the world doesn’t look beautiful to me.”
Astria furrowed her brows.
“Earlier, all I could see was how filthy everything was. I restrained myself from burning it all to ashes. Outside my garden, everything is just trash.”
‘So that’s why she was in a bad mood.’
Recently, Astria had been quite mild-mannered, contrary to her reputation as a tyrant. But that was only because nothing within the palace was bothering her.
“Your Majesty.”
“What?”
“Why do you ask such a question?”
‘I am so curious. I’m dying to know.’
On the outside, Betty maintained the demeanor of a stoic maid, but internally, she was in turmoil.
Although Betty wasn’t one to indulge in gossip, she couldn’t help but be curious about this.
“Sena said that if we’re not in love, we shouldn’t perform the act of making a child.”
“Is that so.”
‘Sena is adorable, too.’
Love? In this world, such a thing was unheard of.
The opportunity to have a child with the Empress. Love wasn’t important. Just that one thing could bring immense wealth and power.
Especially considering Astria’s personality, she wouldn’t look at anyone else. Perhaps, among all the emperors, the person sitting next to her would never shine as brightly as now.
To reject such an enormous opportunity because of “not being in love”—perhaps it was such determination that made Sena worthy of being Astria’s choice.
In any case, it was cute how Astria stopped because of that remark, and how firm Sena was in that belief.
“Frankly, I’d like to go back and take him right now.”
“That’s the usual Your Majesty.”
Astria poured cold water on Betty’s racing heart. As expected.
“…But then he’d cry. I don’t want to see tears falling from Sena’s eyes.”
Yet with that one statement, Betty’s romantic feelings were reignited.
‘How should I help her?’
In love, the feelings of the other person are crucial.
In this case, it was slightly different. It was more important for Astria herself to be convinced, “This is love.”
After some thought, Betty made the best decision she could.
“I will summon the most renowned young ladies of the capital and select recommended books for you, Your Majesty.”
Astria looked at Betty as if she were absurd, but Betty had no intention of retracting her words.
‘Your Majesty, I will let every young lady in the empire know and support you. Trust this Cupid Betty.’
Thus began the Operation Love of the Century.
**
As she told Astria, Betty invited the most prominent young ladies of the capital to a tea party.
Being the sole dedicated maid of the Empress, very few declined Betty’s invitation.
Called on the same day, except for those with prior engagements, all the wealthy young ladies with free time gathered.
Initially, they were surprised to see Betty in her maid uniform, but soon they listened to her story.
It was a story they all loved—romance!
Up to that point, everything was fine. But when they found out who the object of affection was, the lady of the Percy family widened her eyes in shock, and she exclaimed,
“Sena?!”
It was a natural reaction.
“That will be difficult.”
“Sena was every young lady’s first love at the Academy. This will be difficult.”
Sena possessed all the qualities young ladies admired.
Always smiling, with a bright personality. Kind-hearted and considerate.
Moreover, he was unexpectedly strong, and as the son of the future pope, he had a strong background. He had also done many favors for several major nobles, giving him many connections.
Even without considering all that, Sena’s appearance alone is so cute that it makes you want to support him even if you were a household head.
“Well… it’s Sena of all people. For a beginner in love, he’s a bit of a difficult first target. Where do we even start giving advice? None of us have succeeded either.”
“True, if you’re a young lady in the capital, you’ve probably tried to approach Sena at least once.”
“Ugh, that impenetrable barrier. The first time I got hurt by a smiling face was with him.”
“…Is Sena really that hard to approach?”
Betty recalled her usual thoughts of Sena.
Rolling around on the bed, picking up anything that falls on the floor.
In the office, chewing on a baguette all day and lounging around when bored.
His hair fell out so easily that his presence was evident wherever he went.
From a maid’s perspective, Sena seemed like a completely idle person. So Betty hadn’t taken much notice, but the young ladies’ reactions were surprising.
“Everyone aimed for him but failed. He’s subtly elusive. He charms many but acts as if he doesn’t know.”
“Oh, it makes me mad just thinking about that time again.”
“Honestly, if you want to win Sena’s heart, wouldn’t it be better to just force yourself on him and have his child?”
“…….”
At the words of the daughter of Count Spencer, the smallest, most elegant, and most timid among them, everyone fell silent.
“Did I hear that right? Did a count’s daughter just say ‘r*pe’? Someone wash my ears.”
“But… it’s oddly realistic. Sena is so kind that he’d probably propose if that happened.”
“…”
The young ladies couldn’t deny it.
“Maybe that really is the best way…?”
“Come to think of it, it’s pretty straightforward… Honestly, there are quite a few who got married after forcing the issue.”
As they were intrigued by this unexpectedly plausible strategy, Chloe stood up abruptly.
“That won’t do.”
She seemed almost desperate.
“Do you know Sena’s personality?”
“Even if he doesn’t mind anything else, he won’t forgive that.”
Lady Cavendish, who didn’t get along well with her, spoke mockingly.
“I don’t know if an evil woman should be saying that.”
Recently, the hierarchy among the young ladies in the capital had changed dramatically.
Due to the recent rebellion, the noble faction, including the Cavendish family, had fallen.
Chloe’s family, the Ashmonts, had risen rapidly. Therefore, Chloe had taken over the position previously held by Amelia Cavendish as the leader of the young ladies.
There was quite a bit of tension between them.
As the atmosphere froze instantly, Betty intervened.
“Sorry, but I’d like everyone to think seriously.”
A white sheet of paper was placed on the table.
“Please write down three books where one can study love, along with your advice. If it proves to be effective, Her Majesty promises substantial benefits to that family.”
Of course, no such promise had been made, but Betty spoke boldly.
It wasn’t entirely untrue.
Though Astria rarely listened to others, she granted considerable authority to her close aides.
As Astria’s exclusive maid, Betty had more power than one might think. The benefits she could bestow on a family were significant.
Hearing this, the young ladies’ attitudes changed.
They began writing down their expertise and recommended books. They genuinely wanted to support Astria not just as an empress but as a fellow woman.
Except for one.
Only one person had different thoughts.
‘…Sena. I can’t give up on you yet.’
Chloe Ashmont. Her pen moved with a slightly different intent.
