However, that wasn't what shocked him the most. The Queen of Lumina, known for her dignity… had just apologized to him?
"Could the rumors be true?" he thought. "The Queen who was once known for her stern and cold demeanor has now become gentler and more compassionate?"
His heart pounded heavily, still struggling to believe what had just happened.
"You don't have to go that far. I'm not on duty right now," Reina said anxiously, glancing around, worried that someone might see her. She didn't want to attract attention, especially after watching the theater performance. If people found out she was here, they would certainly act formal and excessive toward her, just like the worker in front of her. But right now, she just wanted to enjoy her time off without the burden of being a leader.
Meanwhile, a few people behind Reina were struggling to hold back their laughter. It seemed that the Queen's peaceful evening was about to end.
"So, stand properly." Reina continued, gently touching the worker's shoulder. But the worker still looked hesitant.
"But—." The worker was about to speak when a sudden voice interrupted him.
"What's going on here? What exactly happened? Why are these things scattered all over the place?"
A man approached them. He was the current owner of the theater, accompanied by his assistant who stood behind him. The man observed the situation with a serious expression before his gaze landed on his worker, who was still kneeling before a golden-haired woman.
"M-Mister," the worker stammered, turning with fear upon seeing his employer and his assistant standing before him, witnessing the mess that had occurred. It seemed he was in big trouble.
Meanwhile, Reina turned slowly, trying to see who had just arrived. The two men standing in front of her immediately looked shocked.
"Ah, Your Majesty! Forgive me, I didn't realize you were here," the theater owner hurriedly said, bowing respectfully, followed by his assistant.
"Enough, you don't need to do that." Reina said, trying to ease the situation.
The theater owner and his assistant exchanged glances before turning back to Reina. There was a hint of concern on the woman's face—something they rarely saw. Normally, Queen Reina always displayed firmness and seriousness in every situation.
The worker beside Reina finally stood up again, though still hesitantly. In a soft voice, he began to explain what had happened.
"I accidentally bumped into Her Majesty while carrying the props, sir. That's why I was apologizing to her," he explained with regret in his tone.
Reina immediately waved her hands left and right in turn. "No, no, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention while walking. So, please stop apologizing," she said gently.
"But still, I—" the worker insisted.
"Enough, let's not make this a bigger issue. Besides, no one was hurt, and Reina also admitted she wasn't careful while walking. You've already apologized," the head servant intervened, her voice calm yet firm.
The worker, the theater owner, and his assistant immediately turned and greeted the head servant respectfully. Behind her, Elexon, Yosan, and the rest of the royal family were also present. Reina's presence as the Queen overshadowed everything else.
"Aunt is right. Besides, we are not on duty. Try to relax a little." Beile chimed in with a light tone.
As the atmosphere settled, Nils suddenly interrupted. He stepped forward slightly, still carrying Lia, who was asleep in his arms.
"Are you the owner of this theater?" he asked calmly.
The theater owner nodded respectfully. "Yes, Mr. Nils. Is there something you'd like to address?"
Nils nodded slightly, then expressed a thought that had crossed his mind while watching the performance. "Could you start including age restrictions for the plays being performed? So that the audience, especially children, don't watch performances that are inappropriate for them."
The theater owner, his assistant, and the worker were all taken aback. "Oh no, did you all watch the play?" the owner asked, looking somewhat concerned.
Everyone nodded in unison. "Yes, we watched it earlier."
"Where did you watch it from? Why am I only now finding out that you attended? I didn't receive any information about your presence," the owner looked confused.
"From the audience seats." Nils answered succinctly.
The theater owner fell silent for a moment before glancing at his assistant with a slightly awkward expression. "There should have been a report about important guests like the royal family attending…."
His assistant immediately bowed deeply. "I sincerely apologize, sir. It seems there was a mistake in checking the guest list today."
Reina gave a small smile. "No need to dwell on it. We came here privately, not on an official visit. I didn't want to draw attention."
The theater owner sighed in relief. "Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty."
However, he then turned serious again and looked at Nils. "Regarding your suggestion, Mr. Nils, I will make sure that from now on, every performance will have appropriate age warnings. We don't want children watching plays that are not suitable for them."
Nils nodded in satisfaction. "Good, then."
As the tension eased, Lia stirred slightly in Nils' embrace and mumbled sleepily, "Uncle… are we home yet?"
Nils smiled, gently patting her small back. "Not yet, but soon."
Reina, watching the scene, smiled warmly before turning to the theater owner. "Then, we'll take our leave. Thank you for the enjoyable performance tonight."
The theater owner bowed respectfully. "Thank you for attending, Your Majesty. I hope we can present even better performances in the future."
Reina nodded, then walked away with the others, making their way out of the theater. Their footsteps echoed through the marble floor as they strode down the now-empty corridors.
As they neared the exit, Elexon walked beside Reina and whispered softly, "You seemed a bit anxious earlier. Were you afraid of being caught enjoying your leisure time?"
Reina glanced at him briefly, then sighed. "You know how they act when they see me. If possible, I just want to be treated like a normal person sometimes."
Elexon chuckled and ruffled Reina's hair. "Unfortunately, you are their Queen, Reina… It's impossible for them not to treat you with respect."
Reina gave a small smile, then gazed up at the starry night sky as they stepped outside the theater. The cold air greeted them, but the warmth of her family around her made her feel at ease.
"At least, tonight was still enjoyable," Reina murmured, savoring the peaceful night with her loved ones.
"You're right. So, enjoy this calm before you return to your duties as the ruler of the kingdom, my dear…" Elexon said, playfully messing up Reina's hair again.
"Uncle, what are you doing? My hair is a mess now! Stop that! I'm an adult, stop treating me like a child!" Reina protested, quickly fixing her disheveled hair.
Elexon just chuckled, unconcerned by her complaints.
Reina stopped struggling and glared at Elexon before speaking again. "And remember, I still haven't forgiven you—"
"You two, enough. Don't wake Lia up," the head servant interrupted in a low yet firm voice.
The atmosphere immediately turned silent. Reina let out a small sigh, slightly annoyed that she had almost let her emotions take over.
"Anyway, stop treating me like a child!" Reina huffed before walking faster, leaving the others behind.
The night breeze blew lightly. The workers had finished their tasks and began resting in their quarters.
Meanwhile, inside the palace, Reina carried a cup of water and handed it to Yosan, who lay weakly in bed.
She sighed. "I shouldn't have invited you to the theater if I had known it would end like this."
"It's not your fault, Your Majesty, so don't blame yourself. Besides, the pain only started returning just now," Yosan replied weakly.
"Don't lie to me. Now get up and take your medicine," Reina said firmly, shaking Yosan slightly.
Yosan sighed in defeat, then sat up to take his medicine while Reina watched closely, ensuring he actually drank it before letting him rest again.