That gaze... is burdensome.

Even at the moment I washed my face and was bewildered at the thought that I had nothing to wear here.

Even while wearing the tunic that Raniero had chosen, which keeps falling even when I wrap it around my waistband.

...And, even when I went to the dining room of the Main Palace in such a dress and had breakfast.

His eyes were glued on me.

Nonetheless, I managed my morning schedule while glancing away from him ambiguously. Of course, there was nothing special about the schedule as it was only eating and washing up.

My whole body was in aching pain, so I just wanted to go home and rest. I wanted to wear my own clothes instead of this one, not this one... Most of all, I lacked sleep although I could not openly yawn in front of His Majesty the Emperor, so I just chewed the inside of my lips and held it in.

Seriously, I must have had a hard day yesterday. I could not believe that I slept even with Raniero Actilus in front of me...

After I finished eating, I drank water and glanced at Raniero.

...I could not do this anymore. I am going to get an upset stomach if I continue like this...

Eventually, I made a decision abruptly. Mustering up my courage, I decided to tell Raniero my feelings.

"Your Majesty."

"Yes."

"I want to go home."

I shut my eyes tightly.

It was not until I spat those words out that I came to my senses. Not a house, but the Empress' Palace — the Empress' Palace...!

Before I could correct anything, Raniero spoke first.

"This is your house?"

There was a lot of teasing in the words he said.

I covered my blushing face with both hands before replying, "I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty... I meant the Empress' Palace. I didn't have enough sleep so I'm talking nonsense..."

"You slept like that..."

It was true that Raniero sleeps less. However, I... I did too much yesterday!

Of course, I did not intend to bring up such a story. It was because I thought it was impossible for him to understand 'the tired sense of an ordinary human being.' If I tried to express it like that, I would not be able to regain my principal*.

[ T/N: It's an idiom which means, 'For one's effort to cause a negative and reverse effect. ]

I peered into his face through the gap between my fingers. He was cutting a thick steak that looked like it was dripping with blood.

...He was surely eating a big meal in the morning.

Even though he was only eating, there was a faint smile on his bewitching lips. It seemed like my mistake was funny to him. Nevertheless, at the point of that 'slight smile,' there was a part that caught my eye.

There was a wound on his lips.

...How was it there?

I quickly searched through my memory. No matter how bad my memory is, I am not a goldfish to the point where I would forget important things, such as whether or not there was a wound on the mad, villainous Emperor.

But, no matter how much I thought back, yesterday in the bathroom... Until then... There didn't seem to be any injuries.

'Maybe, I...did it?'

Was I that crazy...?

'No, I would not have done it.'

Aside from when I saw it, if I did it, there would be no way I would not be having breakfast facing the Emperor like this now, right...? Instead, I would have been drinking rotten water in the dungeon!

I focused on the food as much as possible and tried not to make eye contact with Raniero.

After dinner, I tried to make up for the absurd mistake I had made earlier. It means that I made a request to go home with dignity and a mature manner.

"I'm grateful for the kindness Your Majesty has bestowed upon me like this, I'd like to ask for your grace again..."

"What kind of grace?"

Raniero chuckled.

Glancing at me, his eyes narrowed and he added, "Well, go ahead."

I had already prepared the perfect reason for returning home. Today is the day Sylvia enters the Empress Palace. Since a new maid is coming, of course, the Empress should take the lead!

"As a new maid enters the Empress's Palace today, I've to hurry back and see her with my position as the owner..."

"Oh. So, it's not that you want to go home?"

'If you know, send me home... Now, I will not even get angry that you are cutting me off from time to time...'

I gazed at Raniero with earnest eyes. However, the wounds on the lips kept coming into my eyes, so my earnest gaze eventually turned to his pretty lips.

Really, how did that happen...?

It could be said that I was stuck on something strange, though I could not help but become bothered by this. I know Raniero well. I thought I was staring at him as unobtrusively as possible, although apparently, I was not.

Raniero licked his lips.

Seeing that, I beat him to an apology before he could say anything, "I, I'm sorry if the gaze was rude. It's just that I'm concerned about the damage on the Emperor's body..."

Huu.

After escaping safely in winter, I should publish a book like 「 The Art of Flattery. 」 As I was thinking in vain, Raniero muttered softly from the top of my head.

"It concerns you... It concerns you?"

It was not a very good sign that he repeated the same thing and ended with a question mark. My body stiffened a bit. Unsurprisingly, Raniero grabbed my neck and pulled me closer. I took a breath and was pulled towards him. The eyes that I tried not to meet were staring straight at me.

At that, I reflexively lowered my eyes though he brought his face closer to me.