“If we have to hold a banquet either way, I thought this would be the better approach. We hold a ball and collect donations at the same time.”

As it happened, Enoch had been planning to squeeze money from the nobles to supplement the budget. The fact that Alexa had arrived at the same idea independently filled him with a satisfaction unlike any other.

“I too was planning to wring money from the nobles to provide relief for the slums. That truly is an excellent method.”

“Yes. If we hold a charity ball, I think they will compete to donate larger amounts just to save face.”

Alexa occasionally thought in ways that were startlingly rational. Enoch had no way of knowing it was the sensibility of someone from the modern world, but it was undeniably a sound approach.

“You mean to hold a charity ball with the donation amounts made public?”

“Yes. That way it becomes a competition.”

Nobles were people who competed to outdo one another. If the donation amounts were made public, it was plain they would spend considerable sums out of pride alone.

“That really is a wonderful idea. I have a wise Empress.”

“It’s not that impressive.”

In her previous life, Alexa had known about charity galas in the Western world. That was what made this kind of flexible thinking possible for her.

“If you’ll permit it, I’d like to try organizing it myself. Of course, I’ll need the help of several people.”

“Do as you wish in all things.”

Enoch answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“In truth, I too have been wrestling with how to eliminate the slums in the capital. Clearing them out immediately is easy enough, but if we do that, the people will simply form new slums somewhere else and go on living there.”

“That would be the case.”

“So I want to demolish the slums and build multi-unit housing in their place, giving those people somewhere to live. That way the slums would truly be gone.”

Enoch was a wise emperor.

He was perceptive too, in that he understood well what consequences his decisions would bring.

“Then it would be wonderful to put the money raised at the charity ball toward that.”

“Yes. I was already worried about the budget falling short, and yet coming to the Empress gives me answers on its own.”

Enoch smiled with quiet satisfaction.

Alexa was more than simply beautiful and refined. She was a partner who could offer opinions on equal footing with him. Having such an Empress was nothing short of a blessing for an emperor.

“I’m glad to have you.”

Alexa felt the same.

At first she had feared Enoch’s hatred, but none of that had come to pass. Instead, the two of them had broken the original story’s design and were building something like love. These were feelings she had never experienced in her previous life either.

“For now I’ll need to borrow Duchess Taira’s help since I can’t manage it alone, but I hope to work toward being able to do things on my own someday.”

Enoch found that spirit of hers endearing. She was making the effort knowing full well that he kept the Taira ducal house in check.

“Mrow.”

Just then, Luna appeared from somewhere. She rubbed her head against the leg of the chair Enoch was sitting in. It seemed she had caught the scent of food.

“Is that the same cat from before?”

“Yes, she’s grown quite a bit, hasn’t she?”

“She really has.”

Enoch cut the steak into small pieces and held them out to Luna. Luna ate the steak with eager, smacking sounds, then rubbed her head against Enoch’s hand.

“She takes to people well.”

“Perhaps because the young maids raised her from when she was a kitten. She’s taken quite a liking to me now too.”

“The Empress has a gentle nature, so it’s only natural that animals would be drawn to her.”

“I wouldn’t say that…”

In her previous life, Alexa had been a thoroughly ordinary person. That was why she still was not used to being praised for everything here.

“You have a tendency to be overly modest.”

Enoch said, looking at Alexa.

“That may be one of the Empress’s virtues. But as Alexa rather than the Empress, I would like you to simply be pleased.”

“Yes…”

Enoch covered the back of Alexa’s hand with his across the table. His hand was always full of warmth, as it ever was.

Alexa found herself thinking, quite suddenly, that she was glad to have become his wife. It was something she could not have imagined at the start.

“I just want to go on living like this.”

Alexa spoke with her own quiet wish in the words. Enoch nodded, his gaze turning serious.

“It will be so. My feelings will not change.”

“Mine won’t either.”

Enoch’s grip on Alexa’s hand tightened. He had once thought only of his dislike for a daughter of Taira, yet he had never imagined a day like this would come.

“Someday there will be a child between us too.”

Alexa’s cheeks flushed slightly.

But if they continued on like this as newlyweds, a child would come naturally.

“I would like that too.”

The only thing Enoch and the Taira ducal house had in common was the wish for Alexa to bear a child. Their intentions, of course, were plainly different.

“That day will come soon.”

He said it with certainty.

Alexa simply nodded.

“On that note, shall we have dessert in the bedchamber tonight as well?”

There was a particular nuance in his words. Alexa tried her best to pretend she had not caught it, but her cheeks colored slightly.

Being with Enoch was sweet, but also overwhelming. Even so, she could not turn away from his passion.

It was a happy dilemma that could only belong to newlyweds.

* * *

The night before, Enoch had held Alexa three times. Thanks to that, Alexa was utterly spent and woke again in the late morning.

“Your Imperial Majesty, have you risen?”

“Yes.”

This kind of daily life was slowly beginning to feel familiar.

Alexa ate the breakfast brought to her in bed and restored her strength. After that, a refreshing peppermint tea was brought up.

“Please ask whether it would be all right for me to go to the Empress Dowager’s palace this afternoon to pay my respects.”

“You wish to call on Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager?”

“Yes.”

Holding a charity ball would first require the Empress Dowager’s approval. Camilla would likely have no particular interest in such matters, but it was important for Alexa to give the impression of being deferential toward her.

“I want to get her clear approval for holding the charity ball.”

“It’s a good cause, so she will surely agree without hesitation.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

And so Alexa began her new day, a little later than usual.

Alexa led her procession to the Empress Dowager’s palace.

“I greet Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”

Head maid Stella offered her bow.

“You were announced in advance, so you may go in.”

“Thank you.”

Alexa replied and made her way to the audience chamber inside the Empress Dowager’s palace. The moment she stepped inside, an overwhelmingly thick fragrance hit her and made her uncomfortable, but she could not let it show.

“I greet Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

Alexa offered her bow with grace.

Camilla sat on her throne and looked down at her.

“Stella, bring the Empress a chair.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A moment later, Alexa sat in the chair Stella brought out. An air of elegance came from her naturally.

“What brings you to me?”

Camilla asked, running her fingers over her long, red-lacquered nails.

“As I mentioned at the tea party, I would like to hold a charity ball at the imperial palace.”

“Would an ordinary ball not suffice?”

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has been greatly troubled by the slums in the capital. If a substantial sum can be raised at the charity ball, it will ease his worry.”

Camilla’s expression shifted to one of surprise at Alexa’s words. She had not realized the two of them were that close. She had known they were a fond couple, but she had not known they discussed matters of state together.

“The Emperor told you that?”

“Yes.”

“The two of you seem very close indeed.”

Alexa’s cheeks turned red.

Camilla would surely know everything: that the Emperor had been coming to the Empress’s chambers every time of late, and that Alexa had fallen asleep at the Emperor’s residence not long ago. Thinking of it that way, she felt a belated wave of embarrassment.

“It is truly a fine thing that you and the Emperor are so close.”

Camilla said with a satisfied smile.

“Do as you wish with the ball.”

“I am most grateful. As I am still not capable enough on my own, I intend to seek Duchess Taira’s help.”

“A wise decision.”

Alexa of late was very much to Camilla’s liking. Not merely obedient, she was holding the Emperor’s heart and lending strength to the Taira family’s standing.

“If the Emperor wants funds for charity, holding an auction at the ball would also be a good idea.”

“An auction?”

“Yes. Everyone brings out a piece from their collection and it goes to auction. The nobles will put up more money out of pride alone.”

That was an approach she had not thought of.

Camilla was clearly well-versed in the workings of the imperial palace. She simply lacked the will to act at present, but she understood how the world moved.

“I will hold an auction alongside the ball.”

“Good.”

Camilla reached for her long pipe.

“More than that, have you fully recovered?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been seen by the imperial physician recently?”

“Yes. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was concerned, so… I was told I recovered well with no lasting effects.”

“That is a relief.”

The Empress was a body that needed to produce an heir. There could be no irregularity with that body, however slight.