“I was thoroughly bewitched.”

Though it was an undignified gesture for an emperor, Malek, overwhelmed by his presence, couldn’t say anything. Jade, thinking he had fallen for Rosana’s act with just that smile and gesture, clenched his fist.

‘I was an idiot for thinking she was cute.’

At Jade’s agitated voice, Jane cautiously spoke up. Jane was currently standing before him to speak about Rosana under Jade’s orders. 

She concisely conveyed the stories she had heard from the maids combined with what she had heard from Celine. Jade had plenty of reason to be angry.

However, her intuition from serving people for so long warned her that something was strange. 

When Jane briefly visited to check on Rosana’s well-being, all she did was quietly look out the window from her room or ask a maid to bring her books and read them.

She had never personally stepped forward to do anything. Only that bothered her a bit.

“Your Majesty, it might not be true.”

“Don’t you see the budget reports? The amounts stamped in the name of Empress. The marriage documents haven’t even been stamped yet. If she’s already like this, how much will she run wild once she gets the title of Empress… Just thinking about it is horrifying.”

Jade tapped the papers with a voice forcibly suppressing his anger. Written there were amounts from sweeping up various dresses and accessories. It was an amount that even nobles living luxurious lives would have difficulty spending easily.

Jade had generously allocated a budget from the start. No matter how much he disliked her, she was his person.

There was the misunderstanding about the dagger, and thinking he had misjudged her, his heart had softened. He had been generous and allocated more than the originally set amount. 

But seeing the tremendous spending history, like she was mocking him not to take her lightly, he briefly recalled Rosana’s sneering face.

Moreover, she had only selected expensive things. She looked like someone who had pondered how to spend money well and abundantly.

She bought new curtains and carpets, saying the palace felt empty. Then she poured money into the garden. 

The list was endless—how much did she need to decorate her room and the palace interior lavishly to be satisfied? He wondered if there was even space to put everything in the palace.

Jade ground his teeth hard. The grinding sound echoed through the office. He couldn’t understand Jane, who was objecting. Jade spoke with a crooked smile.

“Even with all this, you’re saying it’s not her doing?”

“…”

“Your Majesty, please calm down.”

Even Malek stopped him at the excessive heat. The temperature in the room shot up from his irritation and anger. His chest swelled threateningly, then subsided calmly. 

Jade, roughly running his hand through his hair, leaned back deeply in his chair. The chair, unable to bear his weight, made a chilling creaking sound.

Jade raised his eyes, telling her to go ahead and speak. Jane calmly spoke only the truth.

“To be precise, it’s not Lady Rosana’s instructions. It was instructed by someone named Emma, who claims to be her personal maid. Nothing was an order that came directly from Lady Rosana’s mouth.”

“…What? It wasn’t an order she gave?”

His eyebrows rose crookedly at an angle. Jane nodded seriously. Then she continued matter-of-factly.

“However, conversely, she didn’t refuse anything either.”

“You’re saying it could mean agreement or disagreement.”

“Yes.”

Jane spoke plainly. Jade rubbed his throbbing brow.

“Still, it’s the same as wasting the budget.”

“…”

“I can’t ignore it. There’s so much work. I already have a headache from wedding preparations.”

It would be troublesome if news spread to the nobles that Rosana had arrived at the imperial palace and was lavishly spending the budget. 

Still, she was someone who would become Empress, and if there was already bad talk among nobles or citizens, it would be a headache. But she was openly causing trouble…

It was only a matter of time before rumors spread. 

No, her standing within the imperial palace was already at its worst. When it was first decided she would come, the nobles had caused an uproar, saying that woman couldn’t possibly fulfill the role of Empress and they’d rather go to war.

“There was such chaos at the noble council. Everyone has too much energy.”

“They have so much energy it’s a problem…”

Most were nobles who had distinguished themselves in war, so there were plenty with belligerent personalities. To begin with, Diovahans were inherently belligerent by nature.

“Is there nothing to do but fight?”

“That’s not something Your Majesty should say.”

Malek smiled at Jade. A hint of murderous intent flickered in his smile. Jade had just come from having a bout with the knights, saying his body felt stiff from looking at documents even now. 

But Jade responded nonchalantly.

“I need to move my body. What will we do later when the Monsters attack?”

At Jade’s appearance speaking seriously with his chin propped on his hand, Malek let out an empty laugh. Jade waved his hand dismissively, saying to let that pass anyway.

“Hmm…”

Jade, who had been letting out a low groan, stood up abruptly. He felt like he needed to go say something to feel better. He couldn’t just let her continue running wild like this. He didn’t want the imperial palace filled with controversy. Jade, smiling bitterly, said.

“Let’s go meet my future wife.”

“I’ll guide you.”

Jade’s face hardened, determined not to let it slide easily this time.

* * *

Rosana was reading a book in her room. It was a book she had received after asking Celine. 

You could glimpse an empire’s culture by looking at the contents of books. She was trying in her own way to become Diovaha’s Empress.

That was books. A place where she didn’t need to communicate with people and could swim in her own world alone. In Rosana’s thinking, it was the only thing not swayed by people’s words.

After reading through the book, there were considerable differences between Astrot and Diovaha’s cultures. 

What Astrot wanted from women was chastity and supporting their husbands. However, in Diovaha, if women had ability and power, they could lead families.

‘So that’s why she said that.’

Rosana remembered what the designer had said to Emma, who said the dresses were poor. 

That Diovahan women don’t wear dresses much, and though some do wear them, most high-ranking people prefer pants.

Her words that had seemed strange made sense after reading the book. They preferred pants that were easy to move in. They were treated equally with men. So if they had ability, they could occupy the position of family head.

Naturally, they preferred pants that were easy to move in rather than cumbersome dresses, and designers aiming for profit produced more pants than dresses, which had a smaller consumer base. 

Since only the size differed from men’s clothing while the basic design was similar, work efficiency was better too.

“Where did their pride as women go…”

Naturally, it was a culture Emma couldn’t understand.

‘Leading a family actually seems impressive though.’

It was a wish she had once dreamed of herself.

‘Though it was thwarted by her words…’

In Diovaha, women’s duties were different from the duties she knew. So conversely, she thought it was impressive. They personally went to war.

“Miss. Why are you trying to learn Diovahan culture?”

Emma was looking at Rosana reading with displeasure. For a gaze toward one’s master, it was insolent. Emma clicked her tongue in disapproval. 

Then Emma, smiling brightly, clapped her hands and said, “Miss. Shall we go look at dresses?”

“No thanks. I’m reading.”

Rosana calmly turned a page. But Emma didn’t back down easily.

“I found a dress in your taste for you, Miss. It’s a red dress with rose embroidery that you’ll love. The fabric came from Astrot, so it’s luxurious. Hurry and try it on. Throw off that gloomy dress.”

“…”

“We should style your hair with accessories too, right? I’ll bring them quickly.”

Emma left with cheerful steps. The sound of the door closing with a thud was heard. Strength entered the hand holding the paper to turn the page, and the paper crumpled.

‘I’m tired…’

The headache and fatigue stabbing at her head showed no signs of disappearing. She smoothed out the crumpled paper with her hand. Like the crumpled paper, her expression also distorted.

“Truly nothing has changed.”

Emma had done many things. Like a fish in water, she caused trouble here and there.

One day, Rosana was confronted with numerous items.

“Miss? How is it? When I step up, this much is easy, right?”

“What is… all this!!”

Celine, who came out late, and the maids following behind were watching with shocked expressions. She spoke in a voice seemingly suppressing anger.

“The head maid didn’t allow this! Even when buying things, you must move according to the set budget! Such excessive items are extravagance!”

Emma shrugged and said nonchalantly.

“Extravagance? Isn’t it basic? I just fulfilled what Miss wanted?”

Rosana, who had been blankly watching the two bicker, frowned.

“Agreeing to everything isn’t the only role of a personal maid. To guide you on the right path…!”

“Who’s giving orders to whom?”

“This isn’t an order!”

Celine pressed her forehead, saying words wouldn’t get through anymore, and her lips trembled. Celine glanced at Rosana, then couldn’t bring herself to open her mouth and let out a long sigh. 

The merchants were restless, worried they might lose the money source they had finally caught.

“She said she was going out briefly… but you went and ordered directly. I’ll report this to the head maid.”

Celine spoke through gritted teeth. It was a tone where her resentful feelings were fully felt. The other maids also followed Celine out in a line. Once Celine left, it was Emma’s world.

Rosana was also dumbfounded. She had told Emma to do as she pleased, but this was the imperial palace, not the ducal family. Naturally, she thought Emma would act while maintaining appropriate limits.

‘I shouldn’t have expected even such basic conduct.’

Rosana put full strength into her hands. She had no intention of silently watching the place that had been comfortable for once change to become like ‘that place.’ Rosana took a step forward.

“…Emma. Remove that curtain right now.”

“Ah, please hang that there. The curtains were too plain anyway, so they were an eyesore.”

However, Emma ignored Rosana’s words and urged the people. The curtains Emma ordered were curtains with lavish rose patterns drawn on them. She was proud.

“You’re disappointed you can’t see the roses you love, right, Miss? So I specially ordered these curtains. I wanted to decorate the garden with roses, but unfortunately the climate doesn’t match.”

At Emma’s attitude of pushing the detestable roses again, Rosana exploded.

“Who said I wanted such curtains? And what is this situation anyway? Without a word to me, doing whatever you want…!”

“Don’t you like it?”

Emma nodded meekly, then picked up the new curtains that had been set aside while the servants removed the existing curtains. 

Emma, holding the curtains, put strength into them and tore them. The curtains were fluttering lace fabric and tore easily. With a ripping sound, Rosana’s expression became blank.

“…”

The merchant who had brought the curtains also gaped.

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

“Miss says she doesn’t like them.”

“I came because you said you were from the imperial palace…!”

The merchant had brought the items trusting only Emma’s words that she was an imperial maid. 

Trading with the imperial palace was good experience for them too. It meant the items they handled had caught the imperial palace’s eye. 

So they had rushed over. Without knowing that maid was the maid of Rosana Arcadi, who had much talk and trouble.

It ultimately became a mess. Jane appeared, and Celine told everything Emma had done, while Emma shrilly insisted Rosana had ordered it. 

In the commotion no different from a marketplace, it was natural that Rosana shouted for them to stop.