The very next day. The imperial chief pharmacist and physician stood before Caenian. Juice made from the finest bellflower root and ginger was in a golden cup.

“Your Majesty, we have prepared the juice as ordered.”

“…Ugh.”

“…Blech.”

The smell emanating from that one cup was tremendous. Everyone covered their noses. Looking closely, the physician and pharmacist had stuffed their nostrils with cotton.

“Give it to Betty.”

This atmosphere was like administering poison. Everyone looked at Bestia with solemn faces.

“…She won’t die, right?”

“Eek!”

“Your Majesty, if you would withdraw your order even now…!”

At the emperor’s words as he rested his chin on his hand, those around him stirred. Duke’s eyes grew round, and Potters quickly stepped forward. His trembling pupils were uncharacteristic of him.

“Your Majesty, let me drink it instead, as I am in good health!”

“I’m joking. Joking.”

“I’m serious. Rather than the delicate Miss Betty, I, a man…!”

“Sir Potters, you are my knight guard. Step back.”

Caenian glanced at Potters with such words. The rebuke of when he had started caring for Bestia was included.

“Ah. Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness.”

With a reddened face, Potters retreated far back. Bestia, who had observed all this, smiled brightly.

“It’s fine. Actually, I’ve eaten ginger before when I was young.”

“What?”

“Hohoh?”

“I thought it was a potato. Hehe.”

She had done it out of a desire to eat something when her family was poor.

“My goodness. Was this after you fell from the plum tree and hit your head?”

“…Pardon?”

“Never mind. Then I’ll trust you.”

The emperor wore a sympathetic expression but seemed to have different thoughts.

“Well then……”

Gulp gulp.

Bestia emptied the golden cup of juice to the last drop.

Clack. The empty cup was placed on the tray.

“The taste isn’t bad? It’s hard to know the effectiveness immediately, but I don’t think drinking it would be harmful.”

Bestia shared her impression. However, everyone stepped back from the strange aroma wafting from her mouth.

* * *

“Your Majesty, today too, approximately 198,400 bottles of ginger juice have been sent across the country.”

“I understand. Chancellor, please take special care that our imperial citizens don’t get sick from drinking it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Bestia drank ginger juice every day for a week. Though her breath smelled a bit, her complexion noticeably improved. Convinced by this, Caenian ordered the establishment of juice factories.

Prevention comes before treatment for all illnesses.

“Where is Betty?”

“After supervising the factory process, she went to the library.”

“The library?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. She said children find it difficult to drink ginger juice, so she’s researching new methods of consumption……”

“She’s quite the pharmacist now. Even though the effectiveness hasn’t been proven yet.”

Caenian was being petty. Honestly, his pride as emperor was a bit hurt.

The trade problem that arose because of him was solved in an unexpected way.

“Oh yes. The cancellation of trade for 45 items with the Kingdom of Runda has been completed, Your Majesty.”

“How did they react?”

“They seem very bewildered. It appears they didn’t expect us to cut off everything.”

That’s understandable. He hadn’t expected it either. Just as he was considering whether to appease Princess Harael, the issue resolved itself.

“If seasonal colds disappear from the Empire, three of those items will never be traded again.”

“Yes, yes. All thanks to Betty who willingly participated in the biological experiment.”

Like Duke said, it was thanks to that woman. Though skeptical at first, there had been no reports of illness from drinking the juice yet.

“I should reward her.”

“Oh? Then the record archive that Betty desperately wishes for—”

Bang!

“Your Majesty! Forgive my intrusion… I apologize.”

Just then, sure enough, Duke’s words were cut off as a servant rushed in.

“How insolent.”

“A letter has arrived from the Kingdom of Runda.”

The servant held out the letter with trembling hands. It was a red envelope. There were four colors of envelopes: white symbolized friendship, yellow regret, red warning. And black meant a declaration of war.

“Why does that small kingdom seem to have its liver outside its belly these days?”

After reading the roughly scrawled sentences, Caenian narrowed his eyes.

“What does it say?”

“It cites international trade treaties and demands compensation of 300 billion gold for our unilateral cancellation of trade.”

“What? They’re not considering how they unilaterally reduced trade volume first?”

“They claim they didn’t cancel it outright, so they have justification. It says if we don’t want to pay 300 billion gold, we should treat them with utmost hospitality.”

“Treat whom…?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

A few days later, the princess of the Kingdom of Runda was invited.

“The scale of hospitality is quite satisfactory, Your Majesty.”

Rika Harael couldn’t stop talking the entire journey in the carriage Caenian had sent. She repeated the same thing several times to her accompanying maid. That she would soon become empress.

“I’m delighted you feel that way, Princess Harael.”

“It’s an honor to be invited alone, and you even sent such a large delegation to escort me.”

Treat with utmost hospitality, you say?

“It’s only the treatment you deserve.”

Caenian, who took Rika’s hand as she stepped out of the carriage, answered formally. His mouth smiled, but his eyes were fierce.

Now that you’ve gotten out, will you let go?

The atmosphere was tense with fake goodwill mixed with hostility.

“I want even more unique treatment, but I’m happy to enjoy it gradually too.”

“I hope you obtain all the joy you can experience in Delta.”

“……”

“Servant.”

Though she couldn’t have missed that atmosphere, Rika was shameless. She showed her bewitching red eyes and played with Caenian’s fingertips. Finally unable to bear it, Caenian withdrew his hand and glanced at the servant.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will guide you to the luncheon venue.”

“My goodness. Is this Your Majesty’s private place?”

The luncheon exclusively for Rika proceeded in a warm atmosphere. The meal progressed without mentioning any sensitive topics like ducks or trade. And now they had come to the Ruby Hall for tea time.

“It could be seen that way.”

“What an honor. Am I the first woman to set foot here?”

“……”

Caenian couldn’t answer Rika’s question. Why? Because as soon as the question fell, someone appeared in his mind.

‘Quack!’ The sound was a duck’s, but the appearance was human—Betty.

Even though that woman had never entered here, what kind of memory error was this?

“Your Majesty……?”

“…That’s right. You are the first woman to enter.”

Caenian answered with a faint smile on his lips. He found himself amusing for scolding himself. Lately, he thought of that woman with everything. Especially after seeing her with that black-haired man.

“Oh my. This black tea. It tastes so good.”

She drank that tea with that man every day.

Crunch.

“It goes well with cookies. I want to taste this every day, Your Majesty.”

The way they shared cookies, breaking them in half every time was just……

“… Acting like an idiot.”

“Y-Your Majesty?! Did you just call me an i-idiot?”

The sentiment he couldn’t control burst out. Rika’s hand holding the cookie trembled. She looked like a volcano about to erupt.

“I meant I worry you might faint over more valuable things if you’re so delighted by mere cookies.”

“Oh my. If I were to faint, you would naturally catch me, wouldn’t you?”

Caenian quickly and plausibly unraveled the words to match her expectation. Seeing her face brighten immediately at his words, he seemed to have smoothed it over. But there was another step remaining. Something was written on Rika’s face as she asked with sparkling eyes.

The answer is predetermined, and you just need to respond.

But I don’t want to give that answer……

“I hope such a thing doesn’t happen… but if you really want it……”

“If I want it……?”

Standing at the crossroads of public and private, Caenian briefly closed his mouth. He wanted to just blurt out what he really wanted to say. But who was he? Could he rule the Empire with such personal emotions?

“Sir Potters, please also look after Princess Harael’s safety.”

“Yes! Your Majesty. I will completely attend to both your well-beings.”

“……”

So with a whatever attitude, he mixed public and private. He pretended not to notice Rika’s momentarily crumpled expression.

Pleasing her is so difficult.

The black tea he sipped while turning his gaze away was terribly bitter. He felt it would taste the same even if he put a sweet piece of sugar in his mouth while drinking.

“The taste is quite poor today.”

Caenian put down his cup, unable to drink more.

After tea time, the schedule was a walk. Rika kept smiling at the date that continued without rest.

“Tell me if you’re tired. I’ve prepared a separate palace for you.”

“Oh my. Is it close to Your Majesty’s palace? I’d like to visit you often at night during my four-day stay here.”

Unlike her, Caenian was already exhausted. He suggested parting ways under the pretext of rest, but it didn’t work at all. Rika even went so far as to boldly reveal her naughty intentions.

“I don’t like meeting people at night.”

“Then even if you call for me in the early morning—”

“That won’t happen.”

“Why not, Your Majesty?”

Caenian cut off her words after exhaling a long breath. Then he raised his chin with a noble expression. Rika met his gaze with a pounding heart.

Could he possibly be saying he won’t send me away at all? That we’ll stay together until tomorrow morning so there’s no need?

“I am handsome.”