This Time, To The Believed Path
The Empress
“Then what if the Marquis and the Marchioness settle in the palace for a while?” the Emperor said with a radiant face.
Leana blinked her eyes a few times.
“What?”
He accidentally broke his heart.
Leana wishes she had just misheard but what is happening right now is reality.
He was not looking to settle down anywhere and immediately returned to Alphiella and prepared his plans.
But this offer was given directly by the Emperor. With a very good mood. Leana felt she could not resist.
“I want to talk about the future plan before making further decisions, so it would be better if you stay for a while.”
Leana closed her mouth tightly. He was unable to refuse the Emperor's offer.
Seeing his troubled wife, Forde finally opened his voice.
“Your Highness, thank you for your offer but we–”
“Your Majesty, how about the Marquis and the Marchioness settle in the Volfelance residence alone? We've been to my place a few times so it shouldn't make them awkward.”
Forde squinted his eyes at Eclipse who cut off his words. Leana also did the same as her husband for different reasons.
His pent-up desire to hit the long-buried Eclipse instantly rose from his grave.
Since his appearance, he questioned the role of Eclipse in this room which had not helped him at all and only watched them in silence.
Leana turned to Forde who was also looking at her. His eyes said as if he were allowed to refuse the emperor's offer but in reality he was too afraid to do so.
The emperor shook his hand.
“No need, Grand Duke. I'm sure my wife and daughter would love to meet the Marchioness. After all, right now both are important guests.”
Leana looked at the Emperor grimly. He could not refuse the Emperor's offer.
“Your Honor, I appreciate your offer but we can't settle.” Forde.
Leana was beaming as Forde stood in her place.
“Why? Grandall's residence is quite far from the palace. I will need the help of the Marchioness in order to meet the keeper of the magic labyrinth. In addition, the Five Pillars will also hold more frequent meetings on the same topic. Right, right?”
The Emperor looked at Forde and Eclipse alternately then grinned.
Leana began to feel that the emperor would not let them off so easily.
“In addition I will often call you two to come to the palace, so it would be best if you guys settle down until this affair is over. This is an important affair that will affect the world and you are very necessary in this.”
Leana sighed. If the Emperor had come this far, he would have no choice but to accept his offer.
He shook his head to Forde and replied with a nod. Forde tightened their hands.
“Alright, Your Majesty. I received your offer for a while.”
The emperor widened his smile. He seems very satisfied with his answer.
“Good. I will soon prepare your room. In the meantime please wait in the waiting room.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Then they ended the meeting and came out of the throne room. Eclipse walked up to Leana and Forde with a slightly grim smile.
“It's a shame that you refused my invitation, Miss Leana. I think you two will be more comfortable if you are in Volfelance.” said Eclipse.
Leana looked at Eclipse in annoyance.
”I honestly do not plan to settle in the palace and return to Alphiella, but I have a solution to that problem.”
“Ah..”
Understanding what Leana meant, Eclipse punt did not ask further.”
“If that is the case, it seems like you really don't need my help. Then I'll excuse you first. Mr. Forde, tomorrow the Five Pillars will gather to discuss the new schedule, so see you later.”
Eclipse waved to them and walked away.
Not long after the waiter came and led them to the waiting room.
The palace is very grand. They passed through a large and beautiful garden before finally arriving at the waiting room.
After the waiters prepared drinks and snacks for the two, the waiter who set them up came forward.
“Marquis, Marchioness, please enjoy your time. We will soon prepare your room. If there is something, the waiter will be outdoors.”
As Forde nodded, the servant left the two behind. The departure of the servant left a silence between the two.
Leana silently occasionally glanced towards Forde. Fretfully playing with each other.
"What's up, Leana?"
"Eh?! Uh... That's..."
Leana was shocked as Forde seriously looked at her.
"I'm sorry I made a decision..."
"No problem. From the beginning I told you all the decisions were with you. I'm just helping." said Forde. He sipped his tea quietly.
Leana smiled at her husband's answer and her anxiety disappeared.
"Thank you, Forde."
Leana felt that there were too many things for her to thank Forde to the point that she could not count them.
Returning to each other's composure, Leana thought about their current condition.
Sometimes he was grateful that he was currently living as a noble. Because if there is a plan to settle suddenly, he should not be confused about clothes and equipment.
The nobles usually have prepared the needs of their guests if needed and Leana is grateful for that.
At least for him at this moment, as long as there was Forde and also his earrings, there was nothing for him to worry about.
He had not even realized something so simple.
As Forde chuckled alone, Leana became astonished.
"What's up, Forde?"
"No, it's just..."
Leana was stunned as she stared directly at her jade eyes. He never once stopped to think that the eyes were like gemstones containing the ocean.
"I'm glad you look so serious looking at me."
Leana instantly flushed. He did not expect that he had been looking at Forde without stopping. He immediately closed his face.
"Marquis, Marchioness, your room is ready. Let's follow me-"
"Aah! The room is finished! Let's go!"
Leana immediately got up and went out of the room alone in a hurry.
Forde laughed again and walked after his wife.
***
Since opening up to Forde, he has always tried to think positively and not think excessively. But there are times when his excessive thinking becomes reality to vibrate the resolution.
Similarly, the current situation, where the Empress was sitting in front of her, sipped tea gracefully.
If asked why the empress was in front of him, honestly Leana also wanted to know why this could happen.
He thought the Emperor's words about the empress and the crown princess who would love to meet him were mere jokes but in fact it was the truth.
He never had a chance to meet the Empress in person in his first life. He saw his figure for a while when he came to the party held by the Emperor's family.
"Marchioness, do you feel uncomfortable?"
"T-No, Your Majesty the Empress. I'm fine."
"No need to be so nervous. I won't bite you. I just want to talk to you." said the Queen.
Leana kept her smile. He was a little awkward with the kindness of the Empress who was trying to break the atmosphere.
Leana and Forde returned to Grandall the night after their meeting with the Emperor and returned the next morning.
Forde who had to attend the Five Pillars meeting left during the day for Leana. While thinking of venturing into Alphiella, the Empress's lady-in-waiting came and brought her an invitation to tea that afternoon.
He was quite panicked by the invitation until finally he could not refuse and accept the invitation. Now he was drinking tea, talking to the Empress whom he had never met in person.
For the noblewomen of this empire, getting an invitation from the Empress was an honor to be proud of, but somehow Leana could not be pleased with it.
“Sorry Your Honor, I have not attended social events for a long time so I now do not know what to do.”
To show weakness is the act of a double-edged dagger. If you choose the wrong interlocutor, then the weakness can be used to bring it down but at the same time for some people it can be used to attract sympathy.
He never showed his weakness in his second life as Leana so that almost no one knows his shortcomings.
The empress smiled as well.
“Oh so apparently. No need to worry, we can talk about many things here.”
"Ah, yes..."
'No, what kind of talk would you like to discuss?!'
Leana is getting cold sweats and remembers the times Riana met her boss.
Just like this moment, he barely opened his mouth at all except answering a question.
"Marchioness, I invited you here because I want to better recognize you."
"Know me?"
"really. Your figure that has never appeared is enough to make me curious. Moreover I also heard that you are the contractor of the labyrinth guard."
'Did the Emperor tell the Empress about it?'
Leana did not hide the fact that she had made a contract with Telsia but she felt it was too early for outsiders to know.
"Sorry, is that supposed to be a secret?"
Leana flinched consciously and immediately denied it.
"No, Your Majesty! It's just that I think that it's too early to know, especially since it's related to the magic labyrinth."
'Does the Empress have an interest in magic mazes? Leana wondered.
"That's it, I understand. If possible, can you share a story about how you met the labyrinth guard?"
With the curious face of the Empress full of curiosity, Leana racked her brain. He tried to compile an artificial story to cover up the events that actually happened.
"Your Majesty, about that-"
"His Majesty the Empress. The princess and the crown prince have arrived."
Leana's words were cut off by the servant who had suddenly come relaying information to the Empress.
'Mr daughter and crown prince...?'
Leana turned to the Empress with a puzzled expression.
"Ah right too. Marchioness, I want you to meet Crown Prince Noel and princess Windelyn."
Still with a fuzzy feeling, Leana slightly widened her eyes. He looked at a girl and young man who were walking towards them with great dignity.
The faces of the two seemed to be a reflection of the Emperor and the Empress herself.
***
From a distance a female servant ran towards the garden. When she saw the figure of a beautiful woman with golden hair and a pink dress, she called out to her.
“Mr princess! The Empress calls you!”
“Mother Empress calls me?”
The girl who was looking at the flowers in the garden was the crown princess Windelyn Solfilyan. His expression brightened and he closed the umbrella he was carrying.
“Where is Mother Empress now?”
“Your Highness is having tea with Marchioness Grandall in glass garden.”
“Marchioness Grandall... Ah!”.
Windelyn recalled the story of one of her ladies-in-waiting, the only daughter of Baron Puosca, Elyn Puosca, who had feelings for the Marquis Grandall.
The mysterious and unapproachable figure of Marquis Grandall was secretly admired by the noble girls.
‘I did not come to the victory celebration party, so I was not aware of the fact that Marquis Grandall was married.’
He who at that time did not know that the Marquis was married had supported Elyn's feelings and prayed for her. Now he doesn't know what to do.
“Take me to the Queen's mother.”
“Good mistress, please follow me.”
The distance of the greenhouse from the park is not far so he should not worry.
In the middle of his journey, he met his older brother, crown prince Noel Solfilyan.
They met on two different paths until their eyes easily met.
"Sister!"
"Windely? Are you headed for the greenhouse?"
"Did mom call you too?"
Noel nodded and the two walked together towards the greenhouse.
"I heard that the Queen's mother was with an important guest who would settle in the palace" Noel said.
"All I hear is that the Queen Mother is with the Marchioness Grandall."
"Marchioness Grandall... He means Marquis Grandall of the Five Pillars? I didn't know that Marquis Grandall was married."
"I just found out, too. Not many people seem to know about their marriage. Brother didn't see her at the celebration?"
"I was present on the second day but did not see the Marquis being accompanied by anyone. I heard on the first day there was a blackout incident so the Marchioness could have gone back to her residence and not attended the party the next day."
"It could be..."
The figure of the Marchioness Gramdall they had never met. They wondered what the Maechioness was like.
When they reached the greenhouse and headed to the area made specifically to enjoy the scenery there, two figures were seen sitting while enjoying their tea.
The empress welcomed the two with a bright smile on her face.
“You have finally come, crown prince Noel, princess . I want you to meet Marchioness Leana Grandall. He is an important guest who will settle in the palace for a while."
Leana got up from her seat and bowed greeting the two.
“Good day, Your Highness prince Noel and His Highness princess Windelyn. I am Leana Gramdall. Nice to meet you."
“Ah!”
Both Windelyn and Noel were stunned.
The Marchioness figure they had never seen was so beautiful that they were at a loss for words.
Windelyn was not far from him but the Marchioness displayed an aura as graceful and powerful as their mother, the Empress. His purple eyes seemed to shine like jewels under the light that shone on him.
Windelyn noticed the earring that was on Leana's right ear. He saw it in a painting Elyn had shown him. He heard the earrings were heirlooms belonging to Grandall.
Seeing how the precious object was given to the Marchioness, it seemed that she could immediately find out that the Marquis loved his wife very much.
Windelyn decides to comfort Elyn when she learns of this fact.