The Empress and Sophia were embarrassed by Raphine's words, and then burst into laughter.

"I think my painting made a strong impression on Rafine."

"Your Majesty, what a wonderful painting. Raphine, when I get home, my mother will find a good teacher for me."

"But I want to learn from the court painter who taught her Majesty to paint!"

Raphine said so and stared at the Empress.

Both the mother and the empress looked very bewildered.

"Raphine...."

Despite Sophia's insistence, Raphine looked at the Empress with earnest eyes.

'You're smart! Don't miss the chance to spread the word about being close to the Duchess!'

When the huge gaze was shot, the Empress smiled and paused for a moment. And he said as if he remembered something.

"It's not bad. The painter had a very good personality. It will definitely help Raphine's education as well. At this point, how about having Raphine come with me whenever the court painter visits my palace?"

"But I dare not disturb His Majesty...."

"It's disturbing. By the way, I was also in a bad mood, but if Raphine came to visit me, then it would be good for me. Don't you even know.... How miserable my imperial life is."

"...."

At that, Sophia paused and pondered.

Raphine cheered inwardly. The empress appeals for recognition, but there is no way her mother will turn away.

My mom is adamant, but she has a warm heart more than anyone else.

But hesitating now is probably because we have to remain politically neutral.

'What is neutrality, unconditionally, the Crown Prince has to give up his stock!'

The second prince eats up the country, but Zerkan can become a normal emperor without those incidents.

Raphine shouted inwardly and shot her earnest eyes at her mother.

Sophia smiled and nodded her head as if she couldn't help it.

"Then, please stop worrying and ask Your Majesty."

"Thank you."

"Wow! Mom is the best!"

Raphine cried out and put her in her mother's arms.

Sophia gently hugged Raphine, and the Empress looked at the loving mother and daughter with envy for a moment.

* * *

After a while.

Through the window, the Empress watched the Duchess and Raphine as they climbed into the chariot.

A smile bloomed on her lips as she saw the friendly mother and daughter that made her feel better just by looking at them.

"Are the daughters really that friendly?"

At the empress's murmuring, Lady Helen, the handmaiden who was standing nearby, smiled.

"There are a lot of hats that are that friendly."

"... Yes, it will."

The empress's expression turned bitter. Mrs. Helen said sadly.

"It's presumptuous, but I don't think you need to be that far-fetched. To His Majesty the Empress and to His Majesty the Crown Prince. Are you still young?"

"... Yep, that's why it has to be even stronger. Zerkando, me too."

The Empress took a deep breath and turned her head away from the window.

At times like this, I wondered what it would have been like to be an ordinary lady, not the Empress.

'Then I would have been able to be a kind mother to Zerkan.'

There were times when I thought it was not too late, but the Empress pushed herself even more each time that happened.

To fight the snake-like empress and her family, both Zerkan and herself had to become stronger and more determined.

'We can't hold each other and cry. You must never become weak.'

It was then.

With a knocking sound, someone came to the Empress.

The Empress immediately gave the order to stop by.

"My Majesty, I have brought you a letter of congratulations and specialties from the Marquis of Lorelian."

"Yeah, you're welcome."

Unlike the Imperial Knights, a knight dressed in a slightly unusual color approached and offered a courtesy.

It was a knight from the empress's hometown estate.

The Empress took out the letter the knight had handed her and opened it.

Contrary to the reports of the knights, it was the Marquis, not the Empress's mother, Marquis Lorelian, who sent the letter.

The empress's hometown was the marquis of the frontier region, and the neighboring estate was that of the 'Marquis of Wales'.

'The situation seems more serious than I thought....'

The empress's expression darkened as she read the letter.

The Welsh marginal who sent the letter was also an acquaintance of the Empress as a child.

Seeing how severe the damage caused by the drought was, the Empress pondered as she tapped her nails on the desk.

The emperor also knew the severity of the drought and sent aid, but it seemed that the aid didn't arrive properly.

'The people who manage and run the budget are the people of the empress, so most of them must have been stolen from the middle.'

But right now, there was no evidence to accuse him. Moreover, even if he reported it, the emperor would not believe it.

'You would think I'm speculating.'

The Empress smiled bitterly.

Her hometown, the Marquis, was also not completely affected by the drought.

It was a better situation than the Welsh frontier's estate, but it wasn't good enough to help all of the nearby estates.

'Even if my father helped me, it wouldn't be of much help.'

The Empress decided to release her private property.

As long as the territory of the frontier belonged to the empire, she had no obligation to take responsibility.

In a war that might happen, if the frontier collapses, the capital will pass over in an instant.

Empress Agnes quickly responded to the letter and handed it over to the knight.

The reason I used the article from the saga of my own family instead of going through the Imperial Knight was because I did not want to proceed in a noisy manner.

And that choice sprouted the seeds of small strife.

* * *

"What? What rumors are circulating?"

The emperor frowned and asked.

Empress Rebecca looked into his eyes and whispered softly.

"Yes. I was so surprised to hear that.... But I never think so. Your Majesty the Empress dares to form a separate alliance with the frontier! Isn't that a betrayal of His Majesty?"

Even with that said, the Empress subtly gave strength to the words 'union' and 'betrayal'.

The king's lips twitched up.

"Hey, that's ridiculous."

Seeing the emperor's increasingly angry expression, the empress called for joy inside.

For a long time, Empress Rebecca had been spying on the knights of the Empress's family.

This was because the courtiers and knights belonging to the Empress Palace were so thorough that they could not be monitored.

So he spyed on the Empress's saga, and after a long wait, he finally caught one.

It was not the one who was loyal to the empress's father, but the vassal who was loyal to Rebecca who brought the news.

"Is the knight from the Empress's Palace heading to the realm of the Marquis, not the Marquis?"

"Yes, Empress."

As soon as he heard the news, the Empress said.

"For now, don't tell your father."

And secretly, he worked alone.

Rumors began to spread that the Empress had formed an alliance with the Marquis in advance for the Crown Prince.

It was not unreasonable in the circumstances.

'The frontier families form an alliance for the next Crown Prince.'

It was a story enough to stimulate the capital aristocrats.

As rumors spread, the capital's nobles speculated.

"Didn't your Majesty the Empress do such a choice to keep the Second Prince in check?"

"It's good enough."

"Hmm, it seems that the Second Prince has grown up to the extent that His Majesty the Empress makes such a choice."

"Then you don't really know what will happen now, do you?"

It was also an opportunity to firmly imprint the presence of the second prince among the nobles.

The empress smiled and tried to ease the emperor's mood.

"Your Majesty, don't worry too much. The Empress Dowager could have done such a thing...?"

"Hmm, okay. I'll go see you."

However, the emperor was firmly offended, so he left his seat and got up.

"Go carefully, Your Majesty."

The queen somehow didn't say a word to hold onto her.

Looking at the back of the departing emperor, he only smiled by raising the corners of his red lips.

'Now, you will go to the Empress and have a big fight.'

It didn't matter whether the emperor believed the rumor or not anyway.

Because the real purpose of Empress Rebecca was to make the two of them fight even a little more.

'The Emperor hates being deceived. When will the Empress know about it?'

Empress Rebecca let out a cunning laugh.

* * *

"Hey, you're very good at holding the brush."

The court painter looked at Rafine and praised it.

"Now, let's see the result...."

But when he saw the painting Raphine had finished, his mouth hardened.

"Hmm.... This isn't a bad start. You must have a talent."

Raphine looked down at the picture she had drawn with blurred eyes.

'... You're trying so hard to get compliments.'

No matter how much narcissism I gathered and wore pod lenses, I really couldn't draw.

Nevertheless, the court painter worked hard to praise the praise, and the Empress did the same.

"Raffine uses a lot of different colors."

At the empress's praise, the court painter, who had nothing to say, clapped his hand saying he was right.

"That's right, color! You use color very well. Hahaha."

Rafine smiled following the empress's friendly smile.

The Empress always wore colorful clothes and had a solemn expression, but she was a person who could not hide her tender heart.

It was then.

Cleverly, along with the sound, the servant's voice was heard.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, your Majesty has arrived."

The empress's forehead, which was interrupted by those words, wrinkled.

Raphine also swallowed her saliva in tension.

'Is this time for a couple fight...?'