I opened my eyes wide and looked at Her Majesty, awaiting her response.
“……I see.”
It took some time, the Empress dowager had paused for a moment before answering in a pensive voice.
Tears could be seen forming in the corner of her wrinkled eyes.
What I said probably meant so much more to her than I could have ever known.
But right then.
“Y-Your Majesty, Empress dowager!”
The voice that rang out conveyed a sense of urgency.
It was the handmaiden from before.
What’s going on with her?
My eyes widened at how hard she was puffing.
The Empress dowager, on the other hand, frowned at her conduct and gave her a disapproving but concerned stare.
“Handmaiden, this isn’t like you. What’s this fuss about?”
“Well, I….”
Regaining her breath, she spoke with an anxious voice.
“I’ve received a message from the imperial palace.”
“…….The imperial palace?”
Her Majesty and I were standing there, side by side, astonished from what we just heard.
Why the imperial palace all of a sudden?
“After the usual state council meeting ends, it’s said His Majesty will be on his way to pay a visit to the Empress dowager’s palace.”
“This is so sudden. Not even a notice beforehand…you are sure of this?”
“Yes. He said that not only would he come with the Empress but also invite all the distinguished officials of the empire and will address your Majesty personally.”
As those words left the handmaid’s mouth, the Empress dowager stood there frozen.
Her Majesty, who had been conflicted and controlling her emotions from the start, uttered a single line.
“…..That’s just like him.”
Leaving only those words, the Empress dowager kept her mouth shut.
The handmaiden and I remained silent as we now stood side by side.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t guess what the emperor was thinking of or the reason behind the way he’s acting.
‘Perhaps…he’s thinking of getting even with her Majesty.’
Her Majesty had recently broken the rules laid out by the Emperor by empowering Margrave Ante’s without his consent.
The result was this.
Knowing the fact that the Empress dowager’s palace is chronically short of supplies, he chose now to visit and bring with him imperial dignitaries.
So as to trample the Empress dowager’s self-esteem.
He’s so confident of this, he gave prior notice stating that as soon as the meeting of state affairs concludes, he would depart.
‘Grr, the nerve of his Majesty.’
He’s practically gloating and parading his malice in rejecting what the dinner with Margarve Antes accomplished. Granted, it did make him look bad…
Unfortunately, the Empress dowager has to be one to suffer.
And the thing is… …
‘I’m responsible for it, too.’
Feeling guilty, my shoulders dropped slightly without me realizing it.
I’m the one at fault for telling Damian’s plan to the Empress and involving the Empress dowager to resolve Margrave Antes’s dilemma.
Although there was nothing I could do about it, it was true that the appearance of Her Majesty, the Empress dowager at the dinner only served to add fuel to the hatred the Emperor had for her.