Judith’s face, as she carefully parted her lips, seemed to have a completely different color than before.

So, for example…….

A very embarrassed face?

A worried face?

A fearful face?

Perhaps it was all of the above.

“Um, His Majesty the Emperor said he would like to have teatime with Lady Elaina.”

The Emperor who didn’t even show his shadow when entering the palace?

Elaina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Along with the message that he hopes you’ll understand he couldn’t properly welcome you due to his poor health.”

“…….”

“I think Prince Hister might also be attending…….”

When there was no response, Judith glanced at Elaina’s expression.

Well, it wasn’t that she didn’t understand. A wedding ceremony with none of the imperial family attending. A prince and princess entering the prince’s palace without being properly welcomed by anyone.

In this situation, the Emperor’s invitation to “have tea together” was clearly not meant in a good way.

Moreover, what kind of woman was Elaina Butler? The entire Aswald family, except for Elaina, had their status stripped and became commoners, and if that wasn’t enough, she herself had a disability. One that couldn’t even be properly hidden…….

Yes. She must be uncomfortable. Hearing such words suddenly, she must be scared too.

Just as Judith was thinking this.

“The Emperor sent this message after Sinclair went out, right?”

It was when Elaina, who had been silent for a moment, slowly began to part her lips.

“Probably right after that?”

“Ah…… Yes. That’s right. But how did you……?”

“I just thought it might be so.”

Elaina replied softly.

Though treated as a half-wit all her life, surprisingly, Elaina was not that lacking. So she had already quickly noticed what Judith was worried about. As soon as she heard the words about teatime.

The message being sent after Sinclair went out was probably because they knew that if he had been there, he would have cut it off at his level by whatever means necessary.

“Um…… I’m sorry to say this, but…… wouldn’t it be better to just rest comfortably in the prince’s palace today……?”

Judith cautiously broached the subject.

“Of course, I know you must be very uncomfortable since His Majesty personally suggested it. But…… um…… or we could tell the prince right away…….”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Pardon?”

“Instead, as you just said, could you send someone to tell Sinclair? That His Majesty the Emperor made this suggestion, and I accepted it.”

Judith’s face immediately turned pale, but Elaina’s expression was as calm as could be.

[So while I’m his wife, I want to do the things I should do. Of course, I may not be of much help, but.]

The words she had said to Sinclair then were all sincere. Elaina still wanted to be of help to him, to repay his kindness. Like Sinclair had done for her. Even if it was only half of half.

Moreover, whether she liked it or not, she had to live in the imperial palace for a year anyway.

In other words, it meant she couldn’t avoid meeting the Emperor indefinitely. She might be able to refuse today, but that would just be an excuse. Especially in the case of Hister, it was even more so.

‘Well, in that case…….’

There was no choice but to face it head-on.

“Judith, please prepare an outfit appropriate for the occasion. As carefully as possible.”

“Yes…… Yes! Of course! Leave it to me!”

Although she still couldn’t understand what Elaina was thinking, and was very worried, Judith decided to focus on what she needed to do now.

Immediately leaving the bedroom with quick steps, Judith sent someone to Sinclair who had gone out, and returned with Anna to start dressing up Elaina.

[This is the timeline separator]

The place where the Emperor summoned Elaina was a small reception room located on the outermost part of the imperial palace.

……There were several reception rooms in the imperial palace. Among them, the largest was where the most distinguished guests were received. For example, envoys from neighboring empires or royalty.

The next largest was where nobles of Eden Bell, temple priests, or high-ranking ministers in the palace, renowned scholars, or knights who had achieved great merits would step in.

And this small reception room that Elaina had now reached…….

‘It’s just as I thought.’

It was the most insignificant place used by low-ranking knights who hadn’t received proper titles and soldiers. Very occasionally, commoners and slaves who had to be met unavoidably.

‘It seems they intend to intimidate me from the start in this way…….’

If she had been a young lady from a noble family raised in luxury without any hardship, she would have been too flustered by such rude treatment, but Elaina felt no emotional turmoil at all.

She just thought.

That it was truly a petty act beyond compare.

And she also felt a little sorry for Sinclair, who must have silently endured such treatment alone.

“You can wait here, Lady Elaina.”

Anyway, Elaina followed the guidance of the waiting maid and sat at the table first.

Not long after, the maid brought teacups and a teapot for them to use, and Elaina once again realized the fact that ‘people can be so childish and vulgar in choosing such actions’.

The tea in the teapot was already lukewarm.

‘They intend to keep stalling like this and then appear as late as possible, exchange a few greetings, and then leave using the excuse that the tea has gone cold. Saying that they had made time to come, so let’s have another meeting next time.’

Of course, ridiculously, these childish antics would directly affect Sinclair and Elaina’s reputation within the imperial palace.

People would all be excited to gossip about how badly the prince and princess were treated.

Elaina was thinking this when.

“His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince are entering. Stand up and show your respect, Elaina Butler.”

Elaina obediently stood up without any reply, and soon greeted the Emperor and Hister who appeared, with proper etiquette.

“Elaina Butler greets His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The first impression of the Emperor was that he looked much more emaciated and aged than she had thought.

And Hister Butler…….

“It’s truly an honor to meet you like this, Lady Elaina.”

Without even using proper titles. Of course, it was intentional, but anyway, looking at his smirking appearance as he approached, it seemed obvious at a glance.

If Sinclair Butler was Eden Bell’s scoundrel, Hister Butler was gloominess itself.

……If you were to make the word gloominess into a person, wouldn’t it turn out like him?

“I would be most grateful if you would allow me to comfortably call you by your name, Lady Elaina. You may not remember, but I have heard about you a few times since childhood.”

Of course you would have. Half of all rumors floating around Eden Bell were about ‘the scoundrel Sinclair’, and the other half about ‘the half-wit cripple Elaina’.

If Hister had properly functioning ears, there’s no way he wouldn’t have heard stories about Elaina.

But to say it so blatantly. And in front of the Emperor, his rudeness was a bit astounding, but Elaina didn’t show it at all.

“It would be my honor if His Highness the Crown Prince addresses me comfortably.”

“That’s good then.”

“……Let’s sit down for now.”

The Emperor’s frail, cracking voice settled in the small reception room, and they slowly took their seats at the table.

And the Emperor, seated opposite Elaina, began to scrutinize her very blatantly.

“I heard your leg is lame, to what extent?”

“…….”

“I’d like to see it with my own eyes right now. That way I can know what kind of help I should give you, don’t you think?”

Elaina didn’t hesitate. She stood up from her chair slowly, without showing any sign of shame, and limped a short distance in front of the Emperor.

Then she turned to the Emperor and said.

“Walking is a bit difficult, but I’m not completely unable to walk.”

“Hmm…….”

The Emperor slightly frowned as if it was hideous, but Elaina didn’t mind.

“Additionally, Your Majesty doesn’t need to go out of your way to pay more attention to me. You’ve already given me all the help and consideration yesterday when I entered the prince’s palace.”

“……Help? Consideration?”

“You worried that I might be concerned about people’s gazes, so you withdrew everyone, didn’t you? If Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince had come out to welcome me, there would have been more eyes watching, so you purposely didn’t attend. I know all of that.”

“…….”

“Apart from my disability, I was very worried because there was an unfortunate incident related to my family just recently, but thanks to your kind welcome, even though I’m unworthy, I could dare to understand Your Majesty’s true intentions.”

“……My true intentions. What do you mean by that.”

“You meant that I don’t need to worry at all about what has happened so far and my disability from now on, isn’t that why you did so?”

Elaina asked with a smile as bright as the sun.

“I can only express my sincere gratitude for Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince’s deep help and warm consideration.”

The faces of the Emperor and Hister stiffened like people who had just swallowed back their own vomit.