Page 459 of Remarried Empress

Since I kept no secrets from Heinley, I told him everything the priestess said once he returned two days later.

“She said to make sure we raise our children to be close? Maybe she couldn’t come up with a better blessing and said the first thing that came to mind.”

He frowned as he considered the priestess’s prophecy about our children. While it may not have meant anything in particular, he also thought it was strange.

And when I told him that the priestess clicked her tongue at McKenna twice, Heinley let out a chuckle.

However, Heinley became serious when I reached the part about Viscount Langdel.

“You know, I saw more knights from the 4th Division on my latest trip.”

“Do you think they’ve discovered something?”

“No. It seemed the same scenario as last time. Surely they heard about someone who lost their mana in that area, so they are prowling for evidence.”

“Did you have to face them?”

Heinley told me last time that he had no choice but to “take care of” some Knights of the 4th Division he encountered. Otherwise, he would have left with the uncertainty of how much the knights already knew.

I became concerned since he had come across more Knights from the 4th Division. The 4th Commander would become suspicious if his Knights frequently disappeared during their investigations. He would naturally conclude that someone was trying to eliminate evidence.

“I diverted their attention by causing a commotion nearby. But I also can’t resort to that every time.”

***

There are three methods to recover the mana stones without being discovered: Eliminate anyone who might witness the mana stone retrieval; Wait until the Knights are distracted; Create a distraction.

So far, Heinley eliminated the witnesses and created a distraction. While these methods are efficient, it would arouse suspicion if used repeatedly.

The other option depended on how well-trained the knights of the 4th Division are. Competent knights do not let their guard down frequently.

So a new method was necessary.

‘Come to think of it, couldn’t Marquis Ketron use illusionary magic?’

It would be convenient to enlist the help of Marquis Ketron… but Marquis Ketron didn’t seem to know of Heinley’s involvement in the mana decline. Moreover, even though he was now on our side, Heinley still didn’t trust him completely.

Could Marquis Ketron be tricked into helping Heinley without giving him any context?

That might work once or twice, but not much else…

Still, I think it would be fine.

Unless there were dozens of mana stones scattered around, no, even if there were hundreds of mana stones, we would take any help we could get.

Well, at least I’ll keep this option in mind. In truth… I preferred to ask Dolshi for help, only I had doubts about what he might want in return. He had requested so many jewels for teaching me to master my magic. What would he want in return for retrieving the mana stones?

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. However, how would Dolshi react to the Western Empire’s involvement…

As I stirred the warm water in the large basin with my hands, deep in thought, I heard Dolshi’s voice.

“Funny-named lady, don’t tell me that’s what you call training?”

When I looked up in surprise, Dolshi came directly toward me. Grand Duke Kapmen walked beside him with a worried expression.

As I stared at Dolshi with my hands in the warm water, he cleared his throat and avoided my gaze. I guess he remembered that he suddenly ran off after a blue bird while teaching me magic.

“It’s a good way to train.”

In a matter of three seconds, Dolshi changed his mind. He smiled brazenly and waved his hand for me to continue.

Since I had only been playing with the water, I took my hands out and dried them with the towel on my lap.

Dolshi looked around and indicated with his eyes that he wanted space. I asked my ladies-in-waiting and Viscount Langdel to give us privacy, and they moved away at once, but kept me in sight.

Dolshi seemed satisfied and asked,

“Funny-named lady. Is the blue bird I saw a sort of bird that is bred here?”

“…”

I kept my mouth shut. I couldn’t think of what to answer.

Dolshi tilted his head and murmured.

“I’m pretty sure it was a blue bird. It looked so cute I followed it, but I couldn’t find it. When I came to my senses, there was no bird.”

Rather than a bird, he would have seen a man with blue hair…

“Kapmen, could it be that your wonderful potion also causes hallucinations?”

When Grand Duke Kapmen quickly shook his head, Dolshi insisted,

“Funny-named lady. Do you raise birds in the palace? Blue birds?”

I wasn’t able to say no. If Dolshi spots McKenna flying around in his bird form, he might think I’ve lied to him and become ferocious.

“We breed those kinds of birds, but… why do you ask?”

“What do you mean why? Because I saw a cute one.”

“Don’t you think that was a side effect of the potion? Now that the effects have worn off, do you really need the bird?”

I couldn’t understand how the potion caused Dolshi to see McKenna, who was in his human form at the time, as a bird, but anyway…

Dolshi tilted his head at my words and smiled carelessly, agreeing with me.

But…

“Still, it made me feel good. Come to think of it, I think I’d like to raise a bird.”

Just then, I heard a familiar voice.

“Your Majesty!”

It was McKenna!

McKenna rushed over to me clutching an envelope, but as soon as he saw Dolshi, he stopped dead in his tracks.

He couldn’t even open his mouth as his eyes darted everywhere, as if he was terrified now that he knew Dolshi was truly a dragon.

However, Dolshi paid no attention to McKenna. Under the influence of the potion, he had called him singing, ‘blue bird, blue bird’. But now, he was indifferent, just like he acted on the day when Grand Duke Kapmen introduced him to me.

I looked at McKenna for a moment, then promised Dolshi.

“I’ll present you with one of the blue birds bred in the palace. ”

“Oh! Will you?”

Dolshi smiled broadly. Then he turned to leave with Grand Duke Kapmen, and said,

“I look forward to it.”

I looked back at McKenna. McKenna’s shoulders finally relaxed a little. An idea suddenly occurred to me.

Maybe this would work…

“Your Majesty, why do you look at me like that?”

“What do you mean?”

McKenna, turned into a blue bird, could ask Dolshi…

“You looked at me with very calculating eyes.”

“Not at all, McKenna.”

***

Duke Elgy continued the story until his mother fell asleep. He remained by her side and only rose from the chair five hours later. He rearranged the rumpled sheets, gently kissed her forehead, and left the cottage.

He walked back through the narrow path cluttered with pesky branches, and returned to the main building. But as soon as he opened the door to his bedroom, he sighed with annoyance when he saw his father waiting for him, stiff as a stone doll.

“What are you doing in my room without my permission?”

“Don’t forget this room is part of my mansion.”

Duke Elgy frowned. He wasn’t staying here for lack of money, which his father knew perfectly well.

Duke Elgy absolutely loathed his father, so he ignored his presence and began to empty the contents of his briefcase on the bed.

“What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? Every time I hear about you, I feel so ashamed it’s unbearable. You probably have no idea…”

“Of course I know.”

“What are you saying? That you do such things on purpose?”

“Is it worse if I shame you inadvertently or if I do it on purpose? Father, did you think it was the former? Or is it what you wanted to believe?”

“!”

Duke Elgy spoke bluntly, unbuttoned his waistcoat, and laid it on the bed.

“His Majesty has summoned you.”

Duke Elgy abruptly stopped unbuttoning his shirt and lowered his hands.

“The Emperor of the Eastern Empire has sent an envoy. His Majesty is furious. This time you’ve crossed a line. The Imperial Family of the Eastern Empire is on a different level than the other families you’ve tricked before.”

Duke Elgy headed to the door without answering. If his father wouldn’t leave the room, then Elgy had no choice but to leave himself.

Just before the door closed, Grand Duke Claudia asked coldly, but with a hint of helplessness.

“When will you forgive Alaysia? You know she risked her life to save you. How can you repay her like this?”

The door slamming was the only response.