"...... Meeting Luke has nothing to do with behaving like a proper Empress. Why don't you let me meet him?"

"You haven't recovered from your memory loss yet because of your last injury. The Empress's memory loss shouldn't leak outside."

'I didn't think of that.'

If that was the reason, Lyle was likely to stop Medea from meeting anyone else for a while.

'I don't have the time...'

"Why do you want to meet the Little Duke? Is it because you're curious about your former self?"

asked Lyle, studying Medea's face in thought.

Medea raised her head. She had to do something because she was running out of time.

"I wanted to try my hand at investing."

"What?"

Lyle expected Medea to make excuses, but this was completely unexpected.

Lyle looked at Medea in disbelief.

"Investing? Are you saying you want to invest in the Little Duke?"

"No, that's not it ....... I don't know much about that, so I thought I could invest through Luke....... I wanted to have something like a mine, but I was looking for a place that hasn't been developed yet. I thought it would be appropriate if it was in the Solare region, so I inquired of the local maid from there....... Upon hearing the story of a poor lord who is being persecuted by his uncle, I decided I wanted to invest there......"

Medea wondered if Lyle would buy the strange story that would lead to the bizarre investment that would lead to strengthening the area.

"So because you feel sorry for the lord of an estate, you are going to build a mine in his mountainous territory?"

"It's clear that his father was murdered, but there is no evidence....... They say the family is still under threat. The young lord was said to be previously healthy, now has a mysterious 'disease,' and he has a younger sister and a younger brother. I think I can invest and help in that way......"

It was a completely absurd explanation. It was true she wanted to make money in case of divorce, but the reason Medea wanted to invest was so embarrassing that she was speechless.

"... If you want a mine, I can buy one for you."

"I want to invest in that estate."

She might as well have said to Lyle that she wanted to burn the money.

It was a more intriguing reason than Lyle could have imagined, but he couldn't have anticipated Medea sprouting such nonsense.

"Are you serious about this? You can't blindly drill a hole in any mountain and make a mine."

"Of course, I'll have to send someone to investigate the mountain. In the meantime, if I express interest in the estate, it will prevent the uncle from threatening the three siblings."

This means I couldn't fulfill my intention to invest quietly, but Ian's neck was more important now.

Medea was on edge.

Lyle grinned, seeing Medea's steadfast will.

He wondered what he was worried about and chuckled.

"Do you really want to invest there?"

"Yes."

Lyle swallowed a laugh when he nodded and promised,

"If that is the case... ... I'll attach someone to you without having to bring in the Small Duke."

'Eh...'

"No, how could I bother your Majesty? I can just ask Luke..."

"The Small Duke would still have to send someone out anyway. There's no way someone who can be an heir of the Duchy would go down there directly."

'I-is that so?'

It made sense when she heard it. It was Medea's personal request, so he wouldn't be able to handle it poorly, but it's a small work for a ducal family, and he wouldn't go to the place that takes 12 days to reach.

'Still, I thought Luke would definitely have a crush on Seira and protect her.'

It would have been good if they got close. Medea became anxious when he said he was sending someone other than Luke.

"Will you protect them?"

"You seem pretty confident that the lord there is in danger."

"That's the situation. It's suspicious."

"You can be suspicious in private, but you shouldn't say that in public. You are the Empress, so you must be wary of being swept away by stories and rumors. Because the words of the Imperial rulers must retain the public's confidence."

"I'm trapped here anyway, so I can't meet anyone."

Medea pouted, and Lyle reached out and touched her lips that made a cute expression.

Medea was about to shake his hand off but held back.

If he was offended, she would be in trouble if things went wrong. Ian's life depended on it.

"Yes. I locked the Empress here. My canary......"

Smiling, Lyle looked at Medea with a strange look.

Medea looked at him as if she were asking him, 'Why are you doing that?' She stared at him, and as if remembering something, she suddenly blurted out,

"Right! Promise me—even if it's just a vein, it's my investment."

"Yeah, yeah."

"You can't take back your promise later."

"Yeah. I know."

With a self-satisfied smile, Medea eyed Lyle's words. Smirking, she thought, 'Don't change your words when you hear about the manastones later!'