Chapter 17

“L-Lady Christine?”

Her reaction upon seeing Sophia was more shocking than expected. She acted as if she had encountered someone she absolutely should not meet. Before Diana could even greet her, the young lady frantically shook her head and stepped back.

“No! No!”

“…….”

“I swear to the heavens, I have never once thought about becoming Empress! Really!”

The woman, who insisted on her innocence to the end, continued to back away and then ran off. Diana’s jaw dropped at the absurd situation.

…What was that, just now?

The terrified voice of the young lady, as if she had met a murderer, still rang vividly in Diana’s ears. Stunned by the ridiculous scene, Diana focused on the word “Empress.”

Come to think of it, I had sent the Empress selection letter to that young lady too. So, could it be, could it really be…

Sophia also realized the reason for the young lady’s strange reaction.

“No matter how you look at it, she’s running away because of me, isn’t she?”

“…It seems so.”

At last, they understood why the rejection letters had arrived so quickly. With rumors spreading that Sophia would be the next Empress, no one wanted to be at odds with the Christine family. In fact, everyone seemed extremely afraid of Sophia.

“It’s probably because of those rumors about you and His Majesty. But seriously, what did you do to the young ladies for them to run away like they’ve seen a ghost?”

“Well, I didn’t really do anything.”

“Really?”

“I just said, ‘If I ever meet a man I like, I’ll do whatever it takes to win him.’”

“That’s obviously the cause!”

No wonder she was so frightened. The situation was likely the same for every family Diana had sent letters to. Now it made sense why there seemed to be so few nobles in the Imperial Palace—they must be avoiding the Christine family. Diana pressed her aching forehead.

“…Anyway, the rumors seem to be having a strong effect. Let’s stay calm, okay? If you stir things up in the Imperial Palace now, it’ll only make the rumors worse.”

“Yeah. You’re right.”

Sophia, persuaded by Diana, appeared somewhat calmer.

“Let’s try to settle things down and think about how to fix this mess.”

“Yeah, okay. Whatever works, just go home and take a deep breath, alright? I’ll come by after work. Should I bring something tasty? You like the cake at the café in the plaza, don’t you? I’ll buy some before I come over.”

Having succeeded in calming Sophia, Diana led her away, glancing toward the palace where Evan was staying. She had managed to soothe one; now there was another left.

*   *   *

“…….”

Normally, Diana would have gone in to report to Evan as usual, but today, her feet wouldn’t move from the doorway. After hesitating for a long while, she finally knocked.

“Your Majesty, I’m coming in.”

She had to face it eventually. With all sorts of plans in her mind for how to calm Evan after Sophia, Diana put on her brightest smile and entered.

“It’s a lovely day, Your Majesty. The weather is so clear, and sunlight is streaming into the office…”

Forcing a smile, Diana quickly scanned the office as she walked in. Thankfully, it wasn’t a mess. Soon, her gaze landed on Evan, who was seated at his desk.

Evan looked no different than usual. But Diana couldn’t let down her guard. Just like Sophia, she had no idea what terrifying thoughts might be hidden behind that calm face. As she brought over the documents, Diana was conscious of Evan’s every move.

“These are the documents that need your review. None are urgent, so you can take your time.”

“Alright. Good work.”

“Yes. And…”

Even after handing over the documents, Diana hesitated before continuing.

“Um, you’ve heard, haven’t you? The rumor spreading in the Imperial Palace.”

She figured he already knew, so Diana decided to bring it up herself.

“The one about you and Sophia being… well, lovers.”

“Yes. I’m aware.”

“……?”

That’s it?

She’d braced herself for a second Prince’s Rebellion, but Evan seemed completely unfazed. That only made Diana more anxious.

“You do understand, right? I tried to be subtle, but the rumor is that you and Sophia are lovers! People are even talking about her being the next Empress.”

“It’s only natural. I did a lot at the Marquis’s mansion.”

He even agreed so easily. Diana seriously wondered if there was something strange in Evan’s food today. Or maybe people get eerily calm when they’re extremely angry? Otherwise, this reaction made no sense.

“Um, Your Majesty. You do remember who Sophia is, right?”

“Of course, if you mean the young lady who’s a monster in human form.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I thought maybe you’d forgotten her completely from shock.”

At least Evan’s usual impression of Sophia hadn’t changed, which was reassuring.

“So, are you alright with this? With all these rumors going around?”

“There’s nothing I can do. If I stir things up, the rumors will only get worse. There were so many people who saw me at the Marquis’s mansion, it’s impossible to find the real culprit.”

Even though everything he said made sense, Diana still felt uneasy. She was glad things hadn’t reached the worst-case scenario she’d imagined, but she couldn’t relax. This meant the Empress selection would have to be postponed until the rumors died down.

“Um, Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“…Since things are like this, have you considered marrying Sophia for the Empire’s sake, even just once?”

“Sure. Might as well wish for the Empire’s downfall. That’d be better.”

“…Understood. Then I’ll put the Empress selection on hold for now.”

She’d wondered, but of course. Just when she thought she could finally choose an Empress, this huge obstacle appeared. And with Sophia at the center of it, Diana could only laugh helplessly.

“You sent out the selection letters?”

“Yes. You entrusted it all to me, so I sent letters to each family. The results are obvious in this situation. Every single one was a refusal.”

Now there was nothing to do but wait and try again later. While Diana was thinking this, Evan asked,

“Are the rumors spreading a lot in the Imperial Palace?”

“Don’t even get me started. It’s not just the palace, it’s all over high society. Even the servants know, so if things get worse, the rumors could spread beyond the social circles… Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”

If the rumors spread beyond the nobles to the commoners, it would be uncontrollable. After all, choosing the Empire’s Empress was everyone’s concern. For now, she could only hope it wouldn’t go that far.

“So things must be really noisy right now.”

“Definitely. There’s probably no noble gathering where this isn’t being discussed. It’s chaotic in every sense.”

Even as the Emperor’s aide, she’d likely get questions about it. Diana resolved to keep Neil’s mouth tightly shut for a while. Meanwhile, Evan murmured,

“I suppose. Noisy in every sense.”

Evan’s face was hidden behind the documents he held. But through the fluttering papers in the breeze, Diana caught a glimpse of his raised lips.

*   *   *

Curiosity, excitement, anxiety, anger, and more. The rumors sweeping through high society were enough to stir all sorts of emotions. And the place reacting most intensely was the Daian Dukedom.

“Duke! Have you heard the rumor?”

Just then, a man rushed into Arthur’s office, his face pale.