If My Lady Wishes It
Before Shiren had even managed to steady himself from the blow to his nerves, he found himself face-to-face with Limutan.
“His Majesty has summoned you. Follow me.”
Still unable to bring the light back into his eyes, Shiren trailed after Limutan, only to clench his fists.
It was only after pain flared in the precious hand he was supposed to use for forming a magic circle that his senses finally came fully back to him.
Why is Her Highness with the Fredericks Emperor?
It was impossible.
After the Magic Barrier had been erected, the Fredericks Empire and the Ferman Empire had become places no one could cross.
Shiren had never intended to leave in the first place, so he had no regrets—but the other mages were not so fortunate.
Even after repeated research in hopes of finding some way to pass over the barrier, they had made no headway at all.
We’d nearly given up. If Her Highness is here now...
Then something terrible must have happened in Ferman.
As Shiren pieced together what might have happened to Regina, he sharpened his guard toward the Emperor of Fredericks who had summoned him.
He doesn’t know anything, does he?
If it became known that the Madarin Barony was a spy network for the Ferman Empire, the only thing left would be death.
Of course, Her Highness would surely have covered her tracks properly, but... Shiren forced himself to calm down.
“Your Majesty. Shiren, vassal of the Madarin Barony, has arrived.”
“Enter.”
The moment the door to the reception room opened and Shiren stepped inside, a cool breeze slipped through the open window, scattering red hair across Regina’s shoulders.
She looked exactly as she had in the Ferman Empire, wearing the same gentle smile as always.
For an instant, her expression was so familiar and comforting that Shiren nearly forgot this was Fredericks.
“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”
Putting aside his surprise, Shiren bowed to Conrad.
“Do you know why I called you separately?”
“...I do not, Your Majesty.”
Truly, Shiren knew nothing at all. He only hoped this moment would pass quickly so he could speak with Regina alone.
He was curious—and worried—about what had happened to his lady to bring about a situation like this.
She’s already suffered enough as it is...
Shiren knew all too well what the Ferman imperial family had done to Regina, and could only feel concern for her.
“The lady of the Madarin Barony has taken a seat by my side.”
“Ah, then... wait, what?”
He had heard something similar in the audience chamber, but honestly, Shiren had dismissed it at the time.
He had been too startled to see Regina in such an unexpected place, and the Emperor’s conversation with the Grand Empress had not registered at all.
So he answered the questions faithfully, but inside, he had only been waiting for a chance to speak with Regina alone.
But then—
She’s going to become the Empress of Fredericks?
Her Highness, Regina Ferman?
Did the people of Fredericks not know? That the person who had conceived the magic barrier was Her Highness?
A thousand thoughts swirled through his head.
And so Shiren missed Conrad’s next words entirely.
“...that is what I intend to do.”
“...”
“Hey.”
“Y-yes! Y-you called, Your Majesty?”
“You said you wanted the Madarin Barony’s manor rebuilt in the capital.”
“Th-the barony still needs to oversee the distribution network for its merchant house, so... it would be difficult to move the entire base into the capital.”
“You mean that failing merchant house?”
“...Yes, Your Majesty.”
Conrad seemed to have already taken the measure of the Madarin Barony, and Shiren squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again.
He had no idea what he was supposed to do. If they were tied down in the capital like this, they would never escape Fredericks’ surveillance.
At this rate, won’t we be exposed?
Just as Shiren was avoiding a direct answer, uncertain whether to go forward or back, Regina stepped in.
“Rather than moving the entire barony here, it would be better if only a few of the retainers came up to the capital.”
“Pardon?”
Shiren reflexively asked Regina to repeat herself, but the instant he saw her expression, he straightened at once.
Regina was always gentle, but when she gave orders as the commander of the magic division, she changed completely.
The moment Shiren saw the cold glint in her eyes, a cold sweat broke out down his back.
“A-ah, understood, my lady.”
“It will be enough if Shiren, Martain, and Theodore come.”
Regina needed those three above all the others. Especially Martain.
Without the vice-commander of the magic division, it would be difficult to resolve the mana seal.
“I’ll inform the territory at once.”
“Good.”
Regina smiled in satisfaction and turned to Conrad.
“That will suffice, then, Your Majesty?”
“If my lady wishes it, then so it shall be.”
The way Conrad addressed Regina made Shiren’s shoulders jerk.
He tried to remain composed, but he couldn’t hide the way his gaze wavered. Fortunately, Conrad soon dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
Once Shiren had left the study, Conrad sent his aide Limutan out as well.
“Shiren, Martain, Theodore.”
Hearing the names Conrad murmured, Regina swallowed dryly.
She had mentioned the key spies without concealment, deliberately making clear that she had nothing to hide from Conrad.
“Those are names I already know. Are there no others?”
Just as I thought.
It was exactly as expected.
She had assumed he’d already identified the Ferman spies, so she had been honest and named them outright.
It seemed that had been the right decision.
His expression has softened.
Conrad, who had been showing a faint edge of sharpness, had somehow gathered it back in and was now smiling languidly.
Regina let out something close to a sigh. “And here I thought you were asking even though you already knew.”
She chided him for it, asking why he would do something like that.
“It’s better to confirm things twice or three times.”
Conrad’s eyes curved gently. But there was no laughter in those blue depths.
The moment Regina’s own smile faded and silence settled between them, he wet his lips and said,
“Rather than being caught off guard from behind.”
Pretending to be unconcerned, Regina looked at the soft bend of Conrad’s eyes. A gentle breeze seemed to move through the tension hanging between them.
Regina lifted a brow at his smile, then met his gaze and drew a faint smile of her own.
“Trying to strike from behind would be unthinkable, wouldn’t it?”
She spoke lightly, even smiling, but her voice came out a little strained. Conrad’s cool eyes brushed over her, yet Regina did not let her smile falter.
“Trust in one another should come first, but if Your Majesty keeps acting like this, won’t it be difficult to plan any great undertaking?”
Just then, the bright light beyond the window spilled inward and touched Regina’s toes.
Starting from her fingertips, the sunlight slowly gilded her entire body. Conrad narrowed his eyes at the breathtaking sweep of gold washing over her and whispered in a low voice,
“Trust isn’t something for us to discuss just yet.”
“Then?”
“Only after you’ve become my Empress, perhaps.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Regina nodded. She had no choice but to agree for now, since Conrad’s cooperation was needed at the moment.
Then, remembering what Chloe had said earlier, Regina’s face darkened.
It seems she means to ruin my reputation somehow so I can’t become Empress...
She might have to prepare for every possible outcome.
Just as Regina’s worries were beginning to deepen—
“Well, there’s no need to worry too much about it.”
Conrad tugged on the bell cord.
“Did Your Majesty call for me?”
“Bring what was prepared earlier.”
Limutan, who had gone outside, returned with a small tray and a single sheet of paper. The moment Regina saw it, her eyes widened.
It was a marriage oath.
“Th-this is...!”
“We’re taking this straight to the temple.”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
What reason was there to wait?
His answer came with a hint of laughter, and Conrad took Regina’s hand as if he already knew what Chloe had been plotting.
“If you’re going to be my Empress, then we need a wedding.”
“But a state marriage...”
Normally, an emperor’s marriage required anywhere from six months to a year of preparation, and the ceremony itself lasted the entire day. Fredericks would be no different.
For Conrad to skip the entire process, take only a consecration at the temple, and sign the oath immediately was truly outrageous.
An emperor marrying in such haste—wouldn’t he look completely mad with love?
Even Regina, who had spent years crossing battlefields and surviving one hardship after another, was stunned by the speed of it all.
“Strip away all the pointless pomp. It doesn’t suit us anyway.”
Until the monster waves were dealt with, Conrad would have to keep moving along the frontier. A splendid wedding was a luxury he could not afford.
In the end, it was only a marriage for appearances.
They would be better off spending the money on food for the knights and soldiers—or on armor to protect them.