Page 430 of Remarried Empress

After Rose and Mastas told me about the trouble being caused by the servants of the Eastern Empire, I spent a long time pondering the matter. Once I had organized my thoughts, I went to my office and summoned McKenna.

When McKenna walked into the office, I asked him to sit down and waited until my assistant closed the door tightly before speaking.

“McKenna, there’s a task I need you to do.”

McKenna, who had walked in with a puzzled expression, mumbled in surprise.

“Your Majesty… how can Your Majesty do this to me?”

From his expression, he seemed to feel that I had betrayed him.

“No, it’s not ordinary work. It’s important work.”

I shook my head as I held back laughter due to his reaction, but McKenna only became more dejected.

“Emperor Heinley also says the tasks he entrusts to me are important.”

Heinley must put a lot of pressure on him. I felt bad because I also turned to McKenna, so I was quick to explain.

“I can talk to Heinley so he can find someone to help you lessen your workload. What do you think?”

McKenna sighed with resignation and finally spoke more seriously.

“What does Your Majesty need me for?”

Rather than answer right away, I sat down across from McKenna.

“The servants who came with Emperor Sovieshu. How many are there in total?”

“Hmm… I don’t remember the exact number. He brought about the same number that important royal families from neighboring countries bring on unofficial visits.”

“Does that number include knights?”

“No, it only takes into account the servants. It does not include trusted men like the knights and Marquis Karl.”

“I’ve heard that the servants have been causing trouble lately.”

McKenna’s expression turned uncomfortable in an instant, and he clasped his hands tightly together.

“It’s not serious enough to call it trouble.”

He didn’t look me in the eye.

“That would be an exaggeration on our part. It’s just that our Empires are not very friendly with one another, so there’s been some conflict.”

His reply was in the same vein as Rose’s, who didn’t want to insult the servants in front of me since I am from the Eastern Empire, after all. No matter how much they come to accept me, they will always be careful with their words about the Eastern Empire in my presence.

It was inevitable.

As I reflected, McKenna finally asked cautiously,

“Your Majesty, why do you ask?”

I didn’t answer with the same caution. Instead, I deliberately asked him in a casual manner.

“Have you checked if those servants are really servants?”

“What?”

It took McKenna a moment to understand what I meant and he responded with a frown,

“Of course. There were some well-muscled ones, but none that could pose a threat.”

He then asked as he looked me in the eye.

“Is Your Majesty concerned that there are knights disguised as servants?”

I shook my head.

“I’m concerned that there are mages in disguise.”

“What? Mages? Who would have such valuable people pose as servants…?”

McKenna paused. He seemed to have finally understood the difference: The Eastern Empire had an army of mages at its disposal, unlike the Western Empire, which had a common army.

“I understand, Your Majesty. But even if there are mages disguised as servants, there’s no way for us to find out. If they avoid using their magic, we cannot know their identity.”

“Really?”

Since they knew how to deplete mages of their mana, I assumed they would also know how to find out if someone was a mage.

McKenna asked another question,

“Are you suspicious because the servants keep causing trouble?”

“Yes. It’s true that the servants of the Eastern Empire are arrogant, but they are not foolish enough to cause fights several times a day.”

“…”

From his look, he seemed to want to refute it, but at the same time he seemed frustrated that he couldn’t say that the servants were indeed that foolish in front of me.

“I’m telling you the truth.”

When I asserted firmly, McKenna nodded meekly.

“Alright. If so, it’s not a matter I can solve on my own, so I’ll report it to His Majesty first. It’s not because I’m lazy. You know that, right?”

“Of course do.”

When I confirmed that I didn’t think he was lazy, McKenna smiled broadly.

It was a relief to tell him about my suspicions, but the matter still troubled me.

“Sovieshu may have come here in search of traces about the phenomenon of mana decline, so we must not let our guard down.”

We needed to be extremely careful to continue to hide the truth.

“!”

McKenna had become very stiff. I smiled at him and stood up.

Heinley had given up his war plans for me, so now I would help him hide what he had done.

Sovieshu said that he came to check that I was alright, since his last memory was from the day when several peaches fell on my head. But now I knew that it had been an excuse.

Didn’t he also say that he had come to apologize to me?

He’s a liar.

***

“Your Majesty. Your Majesty!”

McKenna called for Heinley as he searched for him, but since he couldn’t find him, he stopped and looked around.

‘How strange. I’m sure I heard he was around here somewhere.’

As he stood motionless, sand fell on his head.

McKenna looked up in surprise. Atop the wide pillar, which was adorned with glittering jewels, sat a large bird with golden feathers as shiny as the jewels. The bird held a branch in its beak.

Behind the bird, McKenna saw hints of a rudimentary kind of nest.

As soon as McKenna saw this, his eyebrows shot up.

“Your Majesty, no! We had agreed to make a silk nest based on the latest trends! Couldn’t Your Majesty stand the wait? Is that why you started to make one on your own?

The large bird, majestic and handsome, loudly chirped in protest.

— Gu. Gu. Gu. Gu. Gu. Gu.

It spat the branch to the side as if it were frustrating, and swooped down gracefully.

The bird turned into a human form when it touched the ground.

It was Heinley. As he fixed his messy hair, he explained,

“It’s better if my child has several homes.”

McKenna stomped his foot.

“I had it all planned out in my head. The baby’s only nest would be so pretty and luxurious!”

“Why are you making plans for my child?”

“You’re right… it’s not my child.”

“Do it anyway. If there are several nests, my child can play wherever it wants.”

“Come to think of it, we’ll soon have to start with the preparations for the baby’s room.”

“It will have to be discussed with My Queen first.”

“Alright. By the way, take the jewels out of the little bird’s nest, Your Majesty. It could cause harm to the baby.”

“No. The more jewels, the better.”

“That’s Your Majesty’s opinion…”

“I like gems, and My Queen likes gold and silver. Our child will be more comfortable while surrounded by all this splendor.”

McKenna thought it was absurd, but suddenly he noticed Heinley’s shiny hair.

‘Well, it makes sense…’

“Anyway, why are you here?”

“Get dressed first, it’s uncomfortable…”

McKenna looked around, found Heinley’s clothes in a pile in a corner and quickly handed them to him.

“Now, tell me why you’re here.”

“Your Majesty, does the Empress know what we did?”

“What?”

“Does she know about our involvement in the phenomenon of mana decline?”

Heinley, who was quietly fastening his cloak, suddenly turned serious.

“Yes.”

McKenna sighed heavily. Of course, it was not a surprise because the Empress herself had brought it up.

“What did My Queen tell you? Is she angry with me?”

“Oh no. It’s about something more important.”

“What could be more important than that?”

McKenna faithfully relayed the conversation he had with Navier. Of course, he didn’t mention that he grumbled the moment Navier said she had worked for him.

When McKenna finished, Heinley seemed surprised. However, his lips remained stiff.

“If it’s true, wouldn’t that be a serious problem! I pretended to be calm in front of the Empress, but my heart raced as soon as I heard those words. If our involvement in the phenomenon of mana decline is discovered, how the mages associated with the Eastern Empire might react…”

McKenna spoke with concern, but once he noticed Heinley’s sad expression, he called out to him in astonishment, “Your Majesty?”

Heinley seemed to realize his state only then. He smiled and nodded as if everything was fine.

“That’s right.”

McKenna was unable to speak further. Although Heinley did not say anything, he could guess how he felt.

For a moment, McKenna felt sorry for his cousin.

But as sad and painful as it was, it was a decision made by Heinley himself.

There was nothing he could do about this decision, which would stay with him for the rest of his life. Heinley would have to bear any regrets he might have on his own.

“What are you going to do?”

All McKenna could do was pretend he didn’t notice.

Heinley took some time to reflect before he spoke slowly.

“First…”