The desire to not want to get up collided with the desire to smell that delicious scent more.
I shook my head from side to side with my eyes closed, but eventually woke up to hear an awkward laugh nearby.
âHeinley?â
As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Heinley standing next to a food cart.
âWhatâs that?â
When I asked, while sitting on the bed, Heinley removed the silver lid on the trolley. There was an omelet and dark coffee.
âBreakfast.â
Thatâs not what I meant⌠How come the trolley is hereâŚ? Did he bring it when he got up?
Looking at him in surprise, Heinley took a piece of the omelet with his fork.
After I opened my mouth and ate it, he asked with a proud smile.
âHow does it taste?â
âDelicious, butâŚâ
âI am a good chef?â
âYouâre really good.â
âItâs my hobby.â
Many nobles didnât know how to cook, much less the imperial family. He was a really wonderful man. And such a man confessed that he loved me.
As she pondered, Heinley again poked at another piece of the omelet.
âIs there anything else youâd like to eat, My Queen?â
âAnd you will do it all for me?â
âOf course.â
Heinley continued to feed me excitedly, as I opened my mouth awkwardly.
After doing it several more times, I couldnât bear it and had to ask.
âHeinley?â
âYes, My Queen?â
Is⌠Is this a habit of your tribe?
â?â
âBirds usually feed each other. Were you fedâŚ?â
Heinley frowned as if he had never thought about what I said.
Then he stared at me for a moment and crossed his arms with a serious expression.
Did I make a mistake? Did he feel bad because I treated him like a bird?
Looking thoughtful, Heinley confessed after a moment.
âIâm not sure, My Queen. But now that you mention it, I think so too.â
âAlthough my father was very strict, curiously, he always made sure to feed me.â
â!â
âI was never very close to my brother, but strangely he also fed me.â
âAh.â
âCome to think of it, I have had this in mind from the moment I fell in love with My Queen, âI must be the one to feed her.ââ
So if we have a child, would Heinley feed it? That would be lovelyâŚ
At that moment, a strange idea arose in my mind.
âHeinley, there is something that makes me very curious, no, it is important.â
âYes, My Queen?â
âMaybe those of your tribeâŚâ
â?â
âAre they born as eggs?â
***
Sovieshu called Marquis Karl to give him secret instructions.
âRashtaâs slave trade certificate could be inside the imperial palace. Find it and bring it to me.â
Marquis Karl asked anxiously.
âIs that true, Your Majesty?â
âIâm not sure. Thatâs what Koshar told Rashta.â
It was possible that Koshar had intentionally lied because of his hatred of Rashta.
However, two facts were undoubtedly true. That Koshar had taken the bear corporationâs slave trade certificate, and that the certificate was currently missing.
âYou must search carefully, otherwise this could become known.â
Marquis Karl replied with a firm expression.
âYes, Your Majesty.â
If the slave trade certificate came out before Rashtaâs baby was born⌠No, it would be a big problem if it came out even after it was born.
He had to find it at all costs.
***
Meanwhile, Rashta was already looking for the certificate on her own.
Sovieshu had many close aides who acted for him with their mouths shut, but Rashta had none.
Duke Elgy was a friend, but not a subordinate.
So she had to find the certificate without anyoneâs help.
âGreetings to Your Majesty the Empress.â
âGood morning, Your Majesty.â
However, everyone recognized her as the Empress, so it was awkward to move around secretly.
Everywhere Rashta passed, people bowed their heads in greeting.
Unless Rashta greeted first, there would not be a long conversation, but her actions were limited because she was under the gaze of others.
âIt is over there? Or is it in that corner over there? I think thereâs a hole on that side tooâŚâ
Rashta stomped on the floor, unable to quietly bend down to look in any corner due to her status as Empress.
She thought it would be easy to be Empress. But in this case it was a nuisance.
âI need close aides or subordinates as soon as possible.â
As an empress, she was supposed to be able to handle people with her fingertips.
Rashta grumbled as she desperately searched around. However as she walked down the path that led to the main palace, she suddenly saw a magnificent carriage.
âWho could it be?â
She thought it was a carriage used by a distinguished guest heading for the southern palace, but the carriage turned off the path to the southern palace and headed straight for the main palace.
Rashta eyed the carriage suspiciously, as it was unusual for one to go that far.
Probably sensing her gaze, the coachman stopped the carriage.
Then, he got down from his seat and greeted Rashta.
âIt is an honor to see Your Majesty Rashta.â
Rashta nodded in greeting, then jerked her chin toward the carriage and asked.
âWho is in that carriage?â
But the coachmanâs reaction was strange.
He did not answer the question. He just looked around the place as if it was hard for him to answer.
âWho is there?â
When Rashta asked with a frown, the coachman stared at Rashta and said,
âItâs⌠Itâs Miss Evely.â
âMiss Evely?â
Rashta frowned. She had no idea who this Evely was.
After becoming Empress, Rashta discovered that there were just too many nobles in this world.
Nobility from the perspective of a slave, and nobility from the perspective of an empress, were completely different.
âHow could I know who she was just by the name âEvelyâ?â
âWho is Miss Evely?â
Rashta asked directly this time, but the coachman didnât answer, even more hesitant.
Rashta frowned again, and suddenly a very unpleasant fact came to mind.
The coachman had greeted her aloud saying, âYour Majesty Rashtaâ, so the person in the carriage must have heard. However, that person did not have the courtesy to come out to pay due respect to the Empress.
Rashta angrily ordered in the direction of the carriage.
âI donât know who you are, but you have no manners. Come out and pay your respects right now!â
Moments laterâŚ
The carriage door slammed open and yellow shoes appeared. From the carriage came a girl Rashta had never seen before.
A girl who looked the same age as Rivetti.
Rashta was startled when she was about to shout at the girl.
Although Rashta was sure she didnât know her, the girl was staring at her as if she were an enemy.
The cold stare made Rashta flinch. However, she soon became even angrier.
âIs she staring at me like this even though she knows Iâm the empress?â
It was truly disrespectful!
âWho do you think you are to look at Rashta like that?â
The coachman was embarrassed, so he hurriedly approached the girl named âEvelyâ and said,
âMiss Evely, this is Her Majesty the Empress. Hurry up and pay your respects.â
The coachman looked scared, but he was more scared of Rashta.
Finally, the girl reluctantly opened her mouth. However, the words that came out were neither greeting nor apology.
Neither Rashta nor the coachman expected it.
âYou are not the Empress I know.â
Her eyes were full of dissatisfaction, her voice muffled, and her words bold. Those three things stoked Rashtaâs anger.
Rashta could no longer contain her anger and stepped forward.
Just at that moment, Baron Lant, who came running from the main palace, said,
âYour Majesty, she is a guest of the Emperor!â