Page 460 of Remarried Empress

Shortly after McKenna entered the office, Heinley noticed that he was unfocused. It seemed to him that McKenna was depressed.

“Why do you look so pathetic? Did you find out you’re about to die?”

McKenna sighed and let his shoulders droop.

“I wondered if it would be better if I was slightly less handsome. In my bird form, I mean.”

“What? Have you lost your mind?”

“It’s inevitable that you feel jealous. A greater being than yourself has already acknowledged that I’m a lovely bird.”

Heinley stared at McKenna, who continued to mumble about his splendid blue feathers, which attracted so much unwanted attention. While McKenna remained absorbed in such reflections, Heinley shook his head as if McKenna had truly gone mad.

After a while, McKenna’s ramblings ended, and he saw that Heinley was bent over his desk as he diligently wrote something down. If it were related to work, he would have sat at his desk properly.

“What are you doing, Your Majesty?”

Heinley, who had been nibbling on the tip of the feather, removed the quill from his mouth and smiled proudly.

“Writing a love letter.”

“Ugh! Could you write it somewhere far from my eyes?”

“If you don’t want to see, close your eyes.”

Heinley spoke bluntly and continued writing with an expression of delight.

McKenna shuddered, but continued to ask questions, unable to suppress his curiosity.

“It’s for Her Majesty, right? Why write a letter, when you could tell her?”

“I have to leave on another mission, so I came up with the idea to hide a letter that will bring back old memories. My Queen will be surprised to find my love letter.”

It was actually an exaggeration to call it a letter. It was more like a small, short note.

‘It has nothing to do with the letter Emperor Sovieshu sent her.’

Heinley convinced himself, finished the letter, then folded it four times and gently kissed it. He pocketed the letter and went to find Navier.

When he found her, they embraced, and he slipped the letter into the pocket of her coat.

***

“What’s with this sudden embrace?”

Heinley told me sweetly that he missed me, then kissed my cheek and my lips several times. Then he left.

Is it because he has to go off to retrieve another mana stone?

The area where Heinley kissed me felt warm.

I ran my fingers over my cheeks and my lips, but suddenly I stopped, worried that the baby in my belly had seen the scene.

“Baby, close your eyes when mom and dad kiss.”

By the time I finished work for the day, it was about five o’clock in the afternoon. I went back to my room to change into comfortable clothes.

I had arranged a farewell dinner for my father, since he was scheduled to return to the Eastern Empire tomorrow. He had been away from the Troby Estate for a long time. Since he wanted to come back before my baby was born, he had to go home now.

Just as I put my coat back on, Mastas came up to me with a flushed face.

“Your Majesty, I… I have a favor to ask of you.”

She hesitated for a moment, so I wondered what it was about. Then she handed me a small note.

“What is it?”

When I took it in bewilderment, Mastas turned tomato red up to her ears.

“Can you give this to Lord Koshar for me, please?”

My brother?

Laura shrieked, covered her face with one hand, and slapped Mastas’ back with the other.

“A confession?! Is that a confession?!”

“No, no!”

Mastas was quick to deny it, then turned to me.

“Will it be all right…?”

“Of course.”

I was curious about the contents of the note, but rather than ask about it, I agreed to do the favor and put it in my pocket.

However, my curiosity was unbearable on my way to dinner.

What did the note say?

Sometimes, I suspected that Mastas liked my brother. Does she really like him?

Mastas was a strong, good young lady and, indeed, a knight. It seemed like a good match.

However… Princess Charlotte officially proposed to my brother, and he is seriously considering it.

If Mastas was in love with my brother…

Lost in my thoughts, I quickly reached the dining hall. My brother was alone by the door.

“Why are you standing out here?”

“I was waiting for you.”

My brother answered with a smile and held out his arm to escort me. Before accepting his arm, it occurred to me that I should give him the letter. It might look strange if I gave it to him in front of my father and mother.

“Wait a minute.”

I took the note out of my pocket and handed it to him.

“Miss Mastas asked me to give you this.”

“Isn’t she your lady-in-waiting?”

I nodded and went into the dining hall by myself. My brother would want to read the letter right away.

***

Koshar stared at the note written on pink paper and smiled with embarrassment.

‘Mastas is the cute lady-in-waiting who treats me as if I were very frail. She walks around carrying a spear while wearing a lovely dress. What did she write? Could it be about the drink she mentioned last time?’

Koshar unfolded the note.

— Do you remember the first time you patted my rear? I have been in love with you since then.

“!”

Koshar dropped the note in shock.

***

“Father, I enjoyed the time we have shared here. It’s a shame you have to leave.”

“I have been away for a long time. The locals might be grumbling about my absence by now.”

“It’s more likely they are worried, for you are a good lord, father.”

During dinner, my father talked about his estate. My father loved Troby Estate as much as he loved Koshar and I. He worried endlessly whenever he was away. Knowing how he felt, I did not express my regrets anymore. I was deeply grateful that my parents spent so much time with me in the Western Empire.

“Mother, will you stay?”

“I have some business to take care of, so I’ll be leaving as well, Navier.”

“Ah…. I see. Well, then, so be it.”

My mother looked at my belly and smiled warmly. I was showing quite a bit by now.

“It is better that we leave now so that we can return before our grandchild is born.”

“That’s true.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

My mother gently placed her hand on my belly.

“I think your tummy is larger than mine was at this stage of pregnancy…”

“My hands and feet have been numb lately…”

When he wasn’t off on a mission, Heinley massaged my hands, feet and legs, but I still felt uncomfortable often. Concerned, my mother shared some advice. While we talked, I heard my father ask my brother.

“Are you sick?”

My mother and I turned to my brother. Indeed, he seemed pale.

“No.”

My brother denied it, but his expression made it clear that it was a lie.

However, I suspected that my brother’s appearance was due to the note. He was fine when we met before I entered the dining hall.

My suspicions grew after dinner.

“Do you have an answer for Miss Mastas?”

My brother became serious, as if I had made an improper remark. His reply was firm.

“No.”

What did the note say?

However, my brother came to my drawing room soon after I arrived, and gave me a neatly folded letter.

“Please give this to Miss Mastas.”

My suspicion was confirmed.

“You said you wouldn’t reply.”

“I have considered it and decided it is better to clarify things. There seems to have been a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”

“I can’t tell you. It might be impolite to Miss Mastas.”

What did she write? Was it something inappropriate? I was more curious than ever about the contents of the letter, but still handed it to Mastas directly. She accepted the letter with trembling hands.

This time, I also restrained my curiosity. If Mastas wanted me to know, she would have told me.

I shouldn’t even be thinking about the messages exchanged between Mastas and my brother! I should be thinking about how to retrieve the mana stones without the 4th Division of the Transnational Knights getting suspicious.

But before I could forget about the letters, I noticed that Mastas’ expression became gloomy.

“Miss Mastas?”

What’s going on? I approached her with concern, but Mastas mumbled that she was fine and hurried out the door.

Laura, who happened to enter at that moment, widened her eyes.

“What’s the matter with Mastas, Your Majesty?”

“I don’t know.”