“How can I call Her Majesty’s name?”
“But…”
When Lily refused, saying that others would serve Her Majesty wholeheartedly only when she set an example, the weak-minded empress could not recommend it further.
“In that case, I’ll treat you to a drink.”
The Empress ordered her lady-in-waiting to pour wine for the guest. It was the drink steeped with herbs, but Lilian pretended to drink it while the Empress drank.
“Today, I have an urgent request to ask of Your Majesty, so I’m here to meet you.”
“…ohh, is that so?”
Unexpectedly, disapproval appeared on the face of the empress, who had seemed ready to grant her anything.
“But Lily, you’re a much better person that I am… I’m not sure how I can help… I might just make a mistake…”
“If Her Majesty steps forward a little, it will be of great help to me.”
Despite Lily’s gentle persuasion, the empress hesitated. She seemed reluctant, not that she lacked courage.
At that time, Countess Seomina appropriately stepped in.
“Your Majesty the Empress, since Her Highness the Grand Duchess is someone who knows what’s right, she won’t ask for anything unreasonable.”
“Um…”
“Besides, didn’t you receive a favor from Her Highness the Grand Duchess?”
Countess Seomina was grateful to Lily for helping to gently resolve the case between Aratine and Rachel, avoiding the blame from the Emperor, the Elector of Castana, and the Empress.
Lilian smiled bitterly inside, thinking that she was much better than Aratine.
Thanks to Lily’s wisdom that day, Aratine was able to avoid embarrassment. No, it wasn’t to the extent of not being a disgrace.
The aristocrats were surprised at the empress’ behavior, which they described as elegant and refined, for not responding emotionally to the imperial decree.
Could it be that Her Majesty the Empress Aratine had something on her mind and was deliberately living in seclusion? Speculation like that spread out.
Didn’t Aratine, who was gloomy in the public’s opinion, really like being praised by Elector Castana for the first time in a long time? When Countess Seomina hinted at that, Aratine clearly began to hesitate.
“Her Highness will continue to be a good source of support for Her Majesty the Empress. I think it would be good for Her Majesty the Empress to show generosity as her superior.”
“T-that. Indeed. Since the Countess said so, let me make a special decision.”
Aratine finally nodded with difficulty.
“Besides, Lily, I like you. Let me tell you. I can’t listen to things that are too difficult…”
“I will never ask for anything unreasonable.”
After renewing her resolve, Lilian glanced at Countess Seomina. The countess withdrew while bowing her head.
“Your Majesty the Empress, can you have an audience with the Emperor at any time?”
Lily, who knew most of Aratine’s personality, set a trap wisely.
Not knowing that it was a trap, Aratine nodded.
“Of course. I’ve never visited before, but I’m the Empress.”
“I see.”
Aratine began to smile at Lily’s acknowledgement that Her Majesty was different.
“I am really worried. It’s because the relationship between His Highness the Grand Duke and His Majesty the Emperor is not good.”
In fact, it was difficult to find someone who had an amicable relationship with not only the emperor but also Damian.
“Even if I want to raise a request, it’s not easy to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”
Aratine felt proud at Lilian’s words.
Lilian is a wise woman. Even Empress Aratine admired the clothes and splendid jewelry she wore.
However, even that great person could not have an audience with the emperor at will, but Aratine could meet the emperor whenever she wanted.
Of course, it didn’t feel good to go see Claude first, but it didn’t hurt to think that it’d make her a greater person than Lilian.
“Could Her Majesty the Empress ask for an audience with His Majesty instead of me? If it’s known I made the request, I might offend His Majesty, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow Her Majesty’s name.”
Aratine, intoxicated by her sense of superiority from Lily’s words, nodded without thinking deeply. It’s also because her head was foggy from the alcohol she drank earlier.
“It’s not difficult if it’s for you, Lily, but what are you requesting it for?”
“My request is…”
Lilian lowered her voice and asked.
“You want to send Zagreb to the Grand Duchy?”
“Yes.”
Aratine, who grew up sheltered, did not know about the ancient weapons secretly owned by the imperial family. When the Empress asked what Zagreb was all about, Lilian replied that she wanted to see the imperial treasure. Only then did Aratine calmly nod her head.
‘I just want to look at the treasures belonging to the imperial family. It wasn’t really a big request.’
It occurred to her for a moment that if this was the case, she shouldn’t have expressed disapproval from the start. Feeling regretful, Aratine insisted more generously.
“I can’t refuse to accept such a cute request from the Grand Duchess. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
***
The conversation with Aratine ended earlier than the meeting, so Lilian had to wait for Damian.
“Wife!”
“You’re here, Your Highness. I was waiting.”
A face that shone beautifully like sunlight in a clear sky.
After scratching the stomachs of the electors and meeting the wife he loved the most in the world, Damian’s face was like a gorgeous peony flower that just bloomed.
“I’m glad wife waited for me…”
“If anyone saw you, they’ll think we met after three weeks, not three hours.”
Ivan warned him but it didn’t work at all.
“My heartless wife would have been fine but I missed you a lot.”
As much as he was hostile to everyone in the world, the man who was kind only to Lily was exceptionally upset.
It had spread enough throughout the Empire’s social circles anyway, so Lilian didn’t bother to stop it.
“Did you finish your work well?”
“Of course. Now, get into the carriage.”
Lilian climbed into the carriage more naturally than before with Damian’s help.
During the Grand Reconciliation, the electors hold a vote of no confidence at each meeting. (*a formal vote by which people indicate that they don’t support a leader)
The result of the vote this time was not officially reflected, but it’s enough to reveal the will of the electors.
“As usual, there’s one abstention, but this time there were two votes of confidence and four votes of no confidence.”
“Did one of the imperial faction change minds?”
“It’s more like anger rather than a complete change of intentions. It’s never a bad thing for us, though.”
Lilian nodded her head. Even if someone did it out of anger, it was directly revealed that the solidarity of the three people who supported the emperor was cracked. Perhaps starting today, everyone’s calculations would become complicated.
“Did I do well?”
“Yes, yes. Well done.”
Damian looked at Lilian with meaningful eyes.
Lilian smiled wryly at his moist purple eyes.
“Do you really want a reward like this?”
“That’s all I want. Of course, if wife doesn’t like it, there’s nothing special…”
Young Damian’s expressionless face appeared above Damian’s face, who was pretending to be sad.
‘I wonder what happened.’
She wondered what made him look like that.
The moment Lilian’s well-groomed eyebrows drew a slight bow, Damian noticed like a ghost.
‘Her heart weakened.’
Damian laughed inwardly. He didn’t know what the lure was, but it was an opportunity.
“Haah.”
Damian sighed and closed his eyes. Lily let out a sigh-like laugh and kissed him on the cheek.
***
While Damian, who didn’t miss an opportunity, purred like a happy kitten and received a lot of cuteness from Lilian.
Claude couldn’t be happy.
“They voted distrust?”
“Y-yes, Your Majesty, but this vote is not reflected in the results, and it’s not unanimous…”
Claude picked up the inkwell and suddenly threw it at the aide who was reporting.
Puk, the ink bottle hit him on the chest. The physical shock wasn’t great, but the psychological shock of being covered with black ink was great.
“Your Majesty!”
“Shut up, you incompetent bastard!”
It was unfair as an aide who had only reported and had no actual involvement in this result.
But Claude could hardly calm his anger.
“Four votes? Four?”
Will those wolves eventually betray him?
In the meantime, the anger that could not be resolved due to Rachel’s passive behavior exploded like an active volcano once again.
Claude stretched out his arm and swept it across the desk in his office.
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