As I wrestled with my internal agony, Emperor Henry spoke again.
"Your mindset is just like hers."
'Who?' I thought in my head. Oh, did he mean the late Empress?
"I heard that the late Empress is also a frugal woman," I said in an attempt to be conversational.
I glanced at Emperor Henry, and saw that he was looking at me strangely. He changed the subject, while I remained inwardly flustered.
"You must know the Crown Prince well."
The change in topic was almost too quick for me to keep up.
"I'm just an acquaintance, Your Majesty," I said just in case of a misunderstanding.
So this is how I came to face Emperor Henry XIV: I happened to encounter him on the way to Thurman Palace. I didn't know if it was because I was the first person he saw or some other reason, but he called me up. No one in the Yonas Empire could reject the Emperor when summoned.
When I came up to him, he asked me who I was, and I answered that I was Maristella of the Bellafleur family. When he asked me why I was in the palace, I answered, "I came to meet Xavier." Immediately afterwards, he invited me to have a cup of tea with him at the Central Palace.
I politely refused at first. I was supposed to be on my way to see Xavier. However, Emperor Henry told me not to worry, and said he would inform Thurman Palace that I would be a little late. I couldn't refuse Emperor Henry again, and I was forced to nod. Xavier was certainly powerful, but his father far eclipsed him. I didn't want to be imprisoned for blasphemy.
"I don't know if the Crown Prince has heard that I'm here yet," I said tentatively.
Emperor Henry said nothing for a moment, then gave an "Ah" in reply. "He likely went out. Don't worry too much."
"Of course, Your Majesty. Perhaps I'm too worried from my position as a subordinate…"
"You are very caring."
"Thank you." Despite the compliment, I felt awkward. This was like meeting a friend's dad, which was always scary.
I lifted the teacup in front of me with slightly trembling fingers. It was a little too hot, so I blew on it gently and waited a few moments before taking it to my lips.
"So why are you going to meet the Crown Prince?" Emperor Henry asked.
"Oh, actually…I was going to visit Thurman Palace to give him something."
"What is it?"
"I've been making fruit cheong lately, and I've been meaning to give it to His Highness."
"Fruit cheong?" the Emperor replied, turning the unfamiliar word over in his lips. "How unusual."
"It's not really a drink in Yonas," I said in agreement.
"But you wanted to make something like that."
"Yes,Your Majesty. I plan to open a store soon."
"How unusual," he said again.
I remained mute. What else could I say in this type of situation? How do I not lose my dignity as a noblewoman? I didn't think making fruit cheong was strange, but the Emperor sitting opposite of me seemed to think so.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I've been wanting to try something…unusual," I said carefully.
"An esteemed lady as yourself starting a business. That's quite brave."
"It's so small that I can hardly call it a business. I'm not that good at scaling it up."
"Well. A beginning is a good start," he said, warming the atmosphere with further praise. "There's a large gap between just thinking of something and putting it into practice."
I ducked my head. "That's too much, Your Majesty. I just started it for fun."
"No matter what your initial motivation is, a person who acts is a courageous one. You are being too modest."
"Thank you."
This…this was good, right? However, my anxiety wouldn't leave the back of my head during this conversation, and it turned out my instincts were right.
"But what's your relationship with the Crown Prince?"
"…What?" That seemed to be the same question I heard earlier, so I remained calm and gave the same answer. "We're just good acquaintances, Your Majesty."
"An acquaintance," Emperor Henry repeated.
I shifted uncomfortably. What the hell. Why was he asking this?
"That's an ambiguous answer," he said.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," I replied. "I'm sorry that I gave you the same answer as before."
Before it was an indirect question, but now?
Emperor Henry stared at me, and I quickly picked up a meringue from a plate and put it in my mouth.
The frown deepened on the Emperor's face. "I don't like this type of dessert," he said.
"…"
"It's too sweet."
I began to feel uneasy. That man who had invited me for tea all the way to the Central Palace suddenly seemed angry. Whatever reason it was, it was not a good thing.
I smiled back awkwardly. "So you don't like sweet food?"
"What about you?"
"I like it," I said in a polite tone. "But people of my age are like that. I think my tastes will change when I get older like you, too, Your Majesty."
"Not at all," Emperor Henry said with a shake of his head. "Aging does not necessarily change your tastes."
"You talk like a person who has experienced it."
"Because someone I know has." With that said, he smiled again. A strange smile. One that was hard to read. It felt like he was somehow looking straight through me.
"Maybe. I like sweet things now," I said.
"Hmm." Emperor Henry tapped his chin. "So do you really have no personal relationship between the Crown Prince?"
"If there was an ulterior motive, it would hardly be called a friendship."
"I'm not talking about friendship," Emperor Henry said, shaking his head as he corrected me. "I am talking about a relationship between men and women."
As soon as I heard that, I blushed in sheer embarrassment. Emperor Henry chuckled mischievously as if he misunderstood my reaction.
"Your reaction says yes."
"No, Your Majesty. I just have a habit of blushing when I'm surprised," I said calmly in an attempt to correct his misunderstanding. "I'm sorry, but our relationship is not what you think it is."
"No?"
"Not at all."
"Do you mean you do not like the Crown Prince?" Emperor Henry said, somehow seeming upset again.
"No, Your Majesty. That's not what I meant," I said quickly.
"Then?" he said inquiringly. "I've always thought the Crown Prince would make a good groom. Don't you think so?"
"You're mistaken, Your Majesty. Of course I've always thought that."
"But?"
"But…I've never thought of the Crown Prince that way."
"You're an unusual woman." Emperor Henry gave me a critical stare. "Usually anyone would get the chance to become close to the Crown Prince in order to become his wife."
"Then that's not pure friendship."
"Then don't you think the age of marriage is too young for one to be able to judge the purity of a relationship?"
I shook my head. "That's a separate matter. I never thought about getting involved with His Highness in that way. More importantly…my friend likes him. For my friend's sake, I will bear it."
"That's a tragic friendship," he said in a voice that was either full of irony or sincerity.
While talking, I remembered something else.
'His Highness said it was an Imperial command.'
Xavier said he met Odeletta against his will by way of Imperial command. That meant the man in front of me right now was the source of the problem.
'But I can't really say that.'
I could swear at him if he were not around, but right now I was face-to-face with him. I wasn't that base, nor was I that courageous. Compared to the real world, I was facing a man who had more absolute power than a president. What could I say in this nerve-wracking situation?
'But this is a good chance to ask…'
Technically speaking, this was an opportunity. So I had to choose—courage, or safety. Of course, that just may be my own man-made delusion. In any case, a choice had to be made.
"Your Majesty." When I spoke the Emperor's title. He looked at me. His face resembled Xavier's quite a lot. "Can I ask why you're asking me about that?"
"What do you mean?"
"My relationship with the Crown Prince is nothing more than a friendship. But your words sound like you want the two of us to have more than that."