I Am Currently The Object Of The Emperor's Fervent Admiration - Chapter 21

“Y-yeah. But we don’t know if it’s true. They all fainted, they say. When they came to, both the duck and the man were gone. Now give us the silver coins.”

The day after the two silver coin commotion. From early morning, the argument continued.

“Shushu. Will this be okay?”

“It’s fine, Crusoe. Just trust me!”

“But is it really okay to go to the imperial palace like this without any preparation?”

They were inside the carriage heading to the imperial palace.

“This is the only way! My father just says to trust the patrol.”

“Can’t we just trust them?”

“What? How can you say that? My dad hates beastmen!”

“You’re believing what those kids said?”

Crusoe was restless. Meeting the emperor… he never thought of it. It was all Shushu’s idea.

A friend who went missing on the day of the New Year’s Parade. A mysterious woman who suddenly turned into a duck. And Bestia was still missing. Shushu was convinced that her friend was a duck beastman. And she believed that someone who hates beastmen had kidnapped her.

“Yes! Surely the emperor who created the beastman-friendly policy will be interested in this matter!”

Phew. Crusoe, who had given up on persuading Shushu, sighed. It was because of those words that he had obediently followed her all the way to the imperial palace.

“Crusoe. Even if we’re denied entry to the palace, there’s a way.”

“What way?”

Crusoe opened his mouth, watching carefully. He was attracted to Shushu’s bold charm, but sometimes he was scared. Whether he could handle such an impulsive woman.

“Hah! This! I brought this!”

“A letter? When did you write that? It’s so thick. How many pages is it?”

“About ten pages? As I wrote about how I met Bestia, how kind and smart she is, and how she’s a capable talent that would be helpful to the empire, it got a bit thick.”

Her heart for her friend was great. Her clear purple eyes sparkled, and her face was full of pride as she waved the pink envelope.

“Oh… I see……”

Crusoe was dejected. He wanted a letter that Shushu had written pressing down each letter firmly. Yes. To Crusoe, who was secretly in love with Shushu, it looked like a love letter.

I heard the emperor is very handsome. What if Shushu falls for him?

Crusoe’s worries deepened, but the situation changed when they arrived at the imperial palace.

“No entry without a prior appointment! Go back!”

Crisis struck before they could even enter. It was because a guard with a sharp spear blocked the way.

“What? But I’m still a young lady of a count’s family……”

“How ridiculous. This is the imperial palace. His Majesty’s authority takes precedence over anyone else!”

As the guard snorted at Shushu’s words, the two could only stare at the distant imperial palace. The imperial palace that could only be reached after passing through five iron gates and a long garden. The emperor was there.

“We’re not here to play! There’s been a disappearance in the village!”

Unable to do this or that, Shushu, who had been pouting, finally burst out in indignation. Crusoe nodded vigorously beside her. It was at that moment,

“You two. Would you like to tell me more about that disappearance?”

A heavy voice came from behind. It was Potters.

* * *

Two days after Shushu’s failed audience, in the emperor’s audience chamber.

“Your Majesty, my errand girl is here to formally greet you.”

“It is an honor to meet you again, Your Majesty. My name is Betty. Please forgive my previous rudeness.”

Murmur, murmur.

The audience chamber was in an uproar at Bestia’s greeting.

“What? B-Betty?”

Caenian raised his voice with wide eyes. He also clenched his fist on the armrest.

Eek! Am I going to prison for this?

Bestia swallowed hard as she glanced sideways at the emperor.

“Betty.”

Duke whispered from the side, as if telling her to get a grip.

Nod.

Bestia tightened her grip on her skirt. She tried not to make it look like a fist.

“That’s right, Your Majesty. By a very strange coincidence, I have the same name as Your Majesty’s duck.”

“I’d like to know which family’s young lady you are. Why is your name Betty, of all things?”

Caenian acted as if he wanted to find and question the parents who gave her the name Betty.

What should I do? I’ll just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, two court ladies glanced at Caenian. They were in charge of imperial etiquette. Normally, Bestia should have taken an etiquette test as soon as she entered. That’s why the two court ladies in charge of imperial etiquette were here.

“My family has completely fallen into ruin, leaving only my name. If it weren’t for Chancellor Schubien… sob…!”

Bestia acted dramatically, trying to squeeze out non-existent tears to gain some sympathy.

“So, please do not ask about my sad and miserable family history, Your Majesty…!”

But of course, there were no tears. Feeling like only saliva would come out, she quickly bowed her head. Trying to act crying from the start… It seems she was overconfident.

“It seems you’ve fallen quite far.”

“Sob… The debts are enormous……”

“Enough. I had already felt that your attire and behavior were unusual.”

Bestia, who had been acting without tears, slightly raised her head. The word ‘madwoman’ came to mind again.

Your Majesty, you don’t like me, do you?

Bestia narrowed her eyes at Caenian’s indifferent attitude. He who used to smile even when she just breathed as a duck, wasn’t smiling now. She felt a bit spiteful for no reason.

Should I surprise him?

Hey, Mr. Emperor.

Actually, I’m that duck you cherish… mmph…

Of course, it was a crazy thought. Bestia bit her lip hard. She didn’t want to really become a crazy woman. Whether pretending to be a duck or being discovered as a duck beastman. She didn’t want to end up on the executioner’s block, that’s what it meant.

“I didn’t know the Chancellor would bring just anyone into the imperial palace.”

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“Thanks to that, I had to double the guards, which made the corridors very crowded.”

“I… I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Caenian reprimanded Duke in various ways. The conversation that started with a name expanded to security and social issues. The atmosphere was solemn.

“Don’t forget whose residence this palace is, all of you here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“We will keep it in mind, Your Majesty.”

The man who had been obsessed with a single duck was nowhere to be seen. Only a man with the emperor’s authority on both shoulders existed!

What’s this? How does the atmosphere change so quickly? Is the emperor actually a beastman?

Like a chameleon or something…

Bestia glanced at Caenian. He was tapping his slightly furrowed forehead. The moderate curves on his handsome face were attractive. So were the thick eyelashes resting on his black eyes. And the red hair that matched his splendid attire…

“Who dares to stare at my face?”

“Eek!”

How long had she been holding her head up stiffly?

Her eyes met Caenian’s. There was a knife in those obsidian eyes she had thought were pretty. Bestia hurriedly bowed her head.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Hah… You’re making it impossible for me to view you favorably.”

The situation had taken a turn for the worse. Duke clicked his tongue softly while looking at Bestia. All his efforts to turn the atmosphere around had been in vain.

“Enough. Thanks to you, I remembered something I had forgotten. Begin.”

“Huh? Begin what……”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will proceed.”

Caenian, with a strange smile on his lips, flicked his finger. Then, the two court ladies who had been waiting stepped forward.

“Miss Betty. I am Lily, the one in charge of imperial etiquette.”

“And I’m Lara. We will now test your etiquette, Miss Betty.”

And so, the test began.

“Miss Betty. At which point should you hold your dress hem? Let’s see?”

“Miss Betty. Look here. Among these forks, which one should you use first?”

Lily and Lara took turns asking questions. The questions were sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, making it all very confusing. Bestia frantically followed their instructions.

“Hmm, it’s not bad so far.”

Caenian watched the scene closely. It was a nerve-wracking sight.

“Now, Miss Betty. His Majesty is in front of you. When should you greet him?”

“Miss Betty. When and how should you use a fan, and at what speed should you wave it?”

Lily and Lara didn’t stop talking. Duke swallowed dryly next to Potters. He looked worried about whether she would answer correctly what he had hastily taught her.

Potters couldn’t take his eyes off Bestia, who was flustered with a flushed face. Every time her golden hair swayed, his eyes trembled slightly.

“Miss Betty. This is the last question. What’s the first thing you should do when someone asks you to dance at a banquet?”

“Ah.”

Lily asked the final question. It was after passing all twenty tests that had quickly gone by. Bestia had a blank expression.

Oh no. How unfortunate…!

Duke frowned. He had taught Bestia etiquette in his spare time over the past two days. But there was something he had missed, which was etiquette related to banquets. He had forgotten this part while focusing on teaching things that wouldn’t displease the emperor.

What should I do?