Sudden Proposal
The sweet break time had ended, and the afternoon work began.
Although the official start time was 2 p.m., I arrived at the study ten minutes earlier than that.
Why?
Because Her Majesty the Empress enjoys starting work before noon.
By the way, she also keeps me on the no-early-leaving policy. Of course, only if all the paperwork gets finished within the designated work hours.
So if the work isn’t done by seven p.m.?
Then overtime is mandatory with no excuses!
Today’s workload isn’t piling up too much, I hope…
I offered up a silent prayer, then knocked on the study door.
Immediately after, Cecilia’s voice came from inside, telling me to enter at once.
I straightened my cravat one last time before stepping into the room.
Not only Cecilia, but Floa and Mullia had already taken their seats.
I felt a little awkward in moments like this.
Still, I had arrived ten minutes before noon, so if the higher-ranked people were already settled in, did that mean I looked out of place?
“……”
Luckily, no one here was pointing it out.
Floa greeted me with a polite bow, her lips curved in a gentle smile.
She was the only one in this place who treated me kindly. Well, it wasn’t romantic affection or anything, but still.
Cecilia simply watched my every move with an unreadable, blunt expression.
And finally Mullia,
“……”
She glanced at me for a moment, then when our eyes met, she quickly looked away.
Of course, that was only natural.
She had only been blackmailed by me for two hours, after all.
So I decided not to respond.
There was no reason for me to force my way in when the other party had already said no?
Eventually I reached my desk. A mountain of paperwork already sat on top.
By rough estimate, there were about 150 sheets.
It was almost certain I would leave early!
Because of that, my mouth curved upward, but I forced my expression calm.
“Have you all rested well today?”
Her voice was low, carrying authority, yet her tone itself was quite pleasant.
Perhaps because we were the same age.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Floa and Mullia answered first. Now it was my turn.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, I was able to rest sufficiently.”
“……”
Cecilia simply stared at me in silence. Her gaze seemed to say she didn’t understand the meaning.
Was I too much?
“……Let’s begin the work.”
The moment Cecilia gave the order, the maids shifted into work mode.
I picked up the documents too, but the strange look in her eyes earlier kept nagging at me.
Was my response too cheap?
Recently I had been making an effort to answer the Empress’s questions with all sincerity.
I had no intention of resigning within the year, of course. But to survive that year without suspicion, I needed to prove myself in every way I could.
That’s why I was trying so hard to win her over.
It was harder than I thought, though.
Doing something I hadn’t done before made my throat feel itchy.
But stopping halfway was also strange, so I had no choice but to get used to it.
I focused on the work, putting aside my worries.
While I sipped the tea the maid had prepared, occasional swallows helped me push through until the end of the workday.
“Everyone, has today’s work all been finished?”
At Cecilia’s voice, everyone stopped moving.
Floa at the adjacent desk had already wrapped up.
So had Mullia at the opposite seat.
And I had just finished the final document.
“We’re all done, Your Majesty.”
Floa’s voice was a little brighter than usual.
Perhaps because it was the first early leave in a long time.
Cecilia nodded, looking satisfied.
“Good work, everyone. You may go and rest now.”
Cecilia rose from her chair and left the study, the red dress fluttering behind her.
Mullia followed right behind.
I really should lie down and relax.
While resting, I could slowly think over the plans ahead.
I twisted my neck left and right to loosen it, then turned to leave the study.
“Luke.”
Floa suddenly called out to me.
“Yes. What is it, Miss Simonian?”
“Oh, come on. You can just call me Floa.”
Floa folded her eyebrows and laughed lightly, “Hehe.”
Her already cute face was even cuter with that smile, and the pink twin-tails made her look younger than her actual age. Well, we were actually the same age, but still.
Anyway, what did she want to talk about?
“Can we have a serious talk for a moment?”
Floa winked.
Um…
But my worries didn’t last long.
Among the people I worked with, Floa was the one I could talk to most comfortably.
And above all, when a cute girl asked, who would refuse?
“Sure!”
***
The place Floa led me to was a reception room on the first floor of the Imperial Palace.
“This room can only be used by Her Majesty, me, and Mullia.”
“Is it okay if I come in?”
“Hehe. Since I gave permission, it’s fine.”
Floa opened the door with a bright voice.
Inside, a very long sofa that looked like it could be used for napping and luxurious furniture greeted me.
Of course the Empress’s private quarters were different, but I didn’t feel the same spark I had felt when I first came to the palace. After more than a month here, I had already adapted.
We sat facing each other on the sofa.
“I heard from Mullia today. She said she told you not to get close to me?”
Oh… straight to the point, no small talk.
But that was better.
Usually nobles start with weather talk before the real topic.
“Was that Miss Fordward?”
“Yes. She directly asked me to say it.”
A strangely mischievous smile appeared on her face. Had I done something enormous that I couldn’t imagine?
But now wasn’t the time to feel curious about it.
“So is there any reason you’re telling me this?”
“Even though I look like this, I’m a worrywart. So if Mullia and you keep fighting, it bothers me.”
“Oh. You’ve been worrying about me so much.”
I awkwardly rubbed my neck out of embarrassment.
“That’s right. It bothers me a lot. Both of you.”
Floa raised her index finger, furrowing her brows.
Her expressions really changed with every second.
Very rarely seen on Mullia or Cecilia.
“So I’ve been thinking about it since I heard. How can I make the two of you get along?”
“Um. That’s how it is.”
“Oh my. You reacted as if it were someone else’s story?”
Well, honestly I hadn’t been paying much attention.
But I couldn’t say that directly to a Marchioness.
“I’ve been reflecting that maybe Miss Fordward doesn’t like me because I’m lacking. But to be properly recognized, I need to earn it by my own strength, right? Even if it takes time.”
That statement carried two meanings.
One was an appeal that, unlike appearances, I was putting in effort.
The other was a clear statement that I didn’t think ill of Mullia.
“That has a certain amount of logic.”
Floa nodded, as if she had been convinced.
“But it won’t be as easy as you think.”
Floa raised her index finger and let the corner of her mouth lift slightly. That subtle smile made her cute appearance instantly seductive.
“May I tell you a secret?”
“A secret?”
Instead of answering, she stood from the sofa and walked toward me.
Swish. Swish.
Each step made her dress hem flutter. Like a butterfly dancing on a spring breeze.
Eventually Floa sat on the seat right next to mine, leaving only a narrow gap almost touching!
“Miss Marchioness? Suddenly, what…?”
“Ah. Just in case.”
What on earth was that “just in case”?
I wanted to ask, but overwhelmed by her seductive aura, my lips wouldn’t move. Plus the faint scent drifting from her was tickling my nose.
“Right now, just the two of us, but someone could be listening, right?”
“Y-yes. I understand….”
“Hehe.”
Floa covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. In her emerald eyes was a light of affection for me.
Probably because I was panicking and panicking.
But I couldn’t help it.
Just a slight glance down… and a terrifying weapon that looked like a melon filled my vision!
Even if not as voluptuous as Emma’s…
“You’re not acting like yourself, Luke. This look is cute too.”
“Ah, haha….”
I awkwardly laughed, and only then did Floa finally speak her real purpose.
“Anyway, the secret I’m about to tell you isn’t really a secret. Just don’t tell Mullia, and that’s enough.”
At that point Floa put a little distance between us. I could finally relax.
For the first time since Emma… a woman suddenly entering so intimately.
I calmed my pounding heart and spoke.
“I won’t tell Miss Fordward anything, so please tell me.”
“Actually… that girl has a fear of men.”
“Fear of men?”
I didn’t remember seeing that setting in the original story.
But looking at Floa with a rarely serious expression, I thought it was possible.
Floa and Mullia had been friends with Cecilia for nearly ten years, so they probably knew each other’s secrets.
“Does that mean I can’t get close no matter how hard I try?”
Hmm. Then I should live as if Mullia doesn’t exist.
Just as I was about to sink into worry,
“Hehe.”
Floa laughed.
“Marchioness?”
“I was just joking. You believed me right away. Thank you, Luke.”
“Ah….”
I had no idea she would tease like this.
“Of course I believe someone who is close to Miss Fordward!”
Floa didn’t stop laughing, finding my loud protest amusing.
After a while she stopped laughing and said she would tell the real story.
“As you know, she’s timid. She’s also very cautious with strangers. So it takes a long time to get close to her.”
“That… is it a secret?”
“Yes!”
…I got hooked.
Realizing that, I laughed awkwardly.
“Still, I’m glad we’re talking like this. I’ve gotten to know a little more about who you are, Luke.”
Seeing her bright smile, my previously tense heart melted away like snow.
“I enjoyed talking to such a beautiful person too.”
“Oh my, you have excellent taste.”
It was a genuinely happy expression and voice.
But while we were just chatting, we never reached a conclusion on the important topic. Floa seemed to realize that too.
“Do you have any plans for next weekend?”
“No. I’ll probably just rest in my room.”
“Great! Then let’s hold a get-together with Mullia and me, and Her Majesty too. I’ll ask Her Majesty today. You don’t have to worry.”
It was a bit sudden, wasn’t it?
But Floa was my direct superior.
And it was also her own effort to bring Mullia and me closer.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Yes. I’ll keep the time free.”
Well, I would adjust that day casually.