The moment she heard someone from the imperial family had come, it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over her head. She couldn’t help but snap out of it.

She had been lost in a foolish daydream. Nothing had been resolved yet.

“…Put me down.”

“Amelia.”

Maybe she had been trying to escape the chaotic reality through Raphael.

“We need to hurry. I’ll walk.”

“It’ll be faster if I carry you.”

Even in this situation, what should she do with this man who only says the right things? Amelia eventually let out a deflated laugh and quickly hardened her expression. There was no time to waste like this. Just looking at Edward’s anxious face in front of her made it clear.

“Your Grace.”

Raphael, in a rather firm tone, had no choice but to release the hand holding her. Honestly, if he had insisted until the end, there would have been no way, but it was a relief.

“Well done. We can’t meet the delegation looking like this.”

“What do you mean by ‘looking like this’? Is there something I can’t do in my own castle?”

She should have noticed when he let her go so easily… Raphael wasn’t one to back down just like that.

“They barged in without permission, those bastards.”

Amelia quickly looked around. She was worried that the people from the imperial family might have heard. Fortunately, it seemed no one was around, so she was relieved.

“So why have they come?”

“Well…”

“If they came to do something ridiculous again, Edward, you should have driven them away.”

He was angry, after all. They had come directly from the imperial family. How could Edward drive away the imperial delegation with his own power? Amelia felt sorry for Edward at Raphael’s almost unreasonable assertion.

“I apologize. This time, it wasn’t sent by His Majesty…”

Not sent by the Emperor? She had assumed that the person from the imperial family was sent by the Emperor.

“The Empress sent them to Your Highness.”

Amelia’s body stiffened at the news that the Empress had sent someone to her, not to Raphael. The Empress sent someone to her? Why?

“I apologize. I was worried it might have a bad influence on Your Highness, so I couldn’t do anything.”

“So, they’re waiting for my wife now.”

“Yes.”

It was surprising that the Empress had sent someone to her, but Raphael’s attitude was also nerve-wracking. The strength in their clasped hands was evidence of that. He hadn’t let go of her hand since she asked him to put her down.

“Lead the way.”

“Yes, understood.”

Leonel was also stiff with worry, so she reassured him and sent him off first. Edward said there was no need to hurry, that there was time, but his expression didn’t match his words at all. Besides, they hadn’t come for Raphael, but for her. There was no telling what might happen if they delayed any longer.

“I can go alone.”

“It’s fine.”

Even though Edward had said they came for her, not him, Raphael didn’t let go of her hand.

“Your Grace? How long are you going to hold on to me…?”

At this rate, it seemed like he would hold her hand even in front of the delegation. Moreover, the looks they were getting were suspicious. Amelia turned her head away from the pleased smiles of Ann and Jane. She had accumulated another unnecessary misunderstanding.

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why…? We’re going to see the delegation now.”

She didn’t understand why he was acting like this when he knew everything. Raphael must enjoy seeing her in trouble.

“I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

“We can’t show them this kind of appearance.”

“This kind of appearance? Did we even kiss?”

At his words about kissing, Amelia’s steps halted. She recalled the kiss she had forgotten about. It was an incident that neither of them mentioned, so it was glossed over. They pretended not to know about the kiss as if they made a deal.

But now, Raphael was bringing it up.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t want to show it to other bastards.”

“W-what…?”

“You have no idea how erotically you pant every time we kiss, do you?”

Amelia’s face flushed with the heat that spread rapidly. Every time, she realized that this man didn’t care about others’ gazes at all. As a result, she was the one who suffered. She looked around to see if anyone was watching. Talking about such things while on the way to see the delegation.

“Stop… I don’t know, so please stop.”

“Really? If you don’t know, I can show you again.”

“Your Grace.”

If she showed any weakness here, there was no telling what Raphael might do. Amelia spoke as firmly as she could.

“There’s no need to do that because I have no intention of doing it.”

“……”

“I’m serious.”

As she walked warily, they soon arrived in front of the reception room. Even then, Raphael didn’t let go of her hand.

“Don’t worry. This way will be more helpful.”

Before she could stop him, Raphael opened the door and entered, pulling her along.

“Your Grace…!”

As soon as Raphael entered, the delegation members stood up and bowed their heads. They seemed to have no interest in her, who followed in afterward. Or rather, they didn’t have the leisure to look at her.

“A visit from the imperial family to Siegfried.”

“Well…”

“It must be something very important.”

The atmosphere changed the moment he stepped into the room. Raphael nonchalantly led her to a chair and sat her down. The problem was that he seated her on his lap again.

“Your Grace…?”

“It hurts to sit on a chair. We moved around so much earlier.”

He wasn’t wrong. She did feel a slight pain in her b*ttocks while walking. She must have bruised it from constantly falling on her butt. But Raphael’s comment had a completely different nuance. It sounded as if they had done something to make her hurt.

“What are you doing in front of the delegation…?”

Amelia whispered as quietly as possible to him. Was this man truly mad?

“As you can see, my wife is a bit unwell.”

“Oh… I-I’m fine.”

“Indeed…”

With just a few words, he created the situation he wanted. What could have been seen as rude behavior was now wrapped in the guise of deep love for his wife. If she said anything, she would become a narrow-minded person who couldn’t understand his concern for his ailing wife. Of course, no one could openly oppose Raphael.

“By the way, I haven’t heard the reason for your visit to Siegfried.”

The atmosphere had already completely shifted in Raphael’s favor. Maybe it had changed the moment he entered the room. Now she understood why he said it would be helpful if he came along. The delegation was clearly anxious, while Raphael leisurely held her and stroked her hair like a contented beast.

But everyone in the room knew that he could turn at any moment. Raphael Lloyd Siegfried was a man born to rule over others.

“We didn’t come to see Your Grace.”

“Then?”

They looked pale and trembling, as if they couldn’t breathe at his every word.

“We came to deliver a message to Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

Still, they continued speaking without stopping, showing some determination.

“Speak.”

“It’s… not for Your Grace, but for Her Highness the Grand Duchess…”

Did the Empress have something to tell her separately? She had no connection with the Empress. The only time they had exchanged greetings was at the founding festival. And that was very formal.

“Did the Empress specifically say I shouldn’t hear it?”

“Not exactly, but…”

“Or is there something my husband shouldn’t hear?”

At this rate, the delegation would be carried out from suffocation first. Even she, sitting on his thigh, could tell. This man was putting pressure on the delegation.

“Whatever you say to me will be shared with His Grace anyway.”

At her words, the delegation members looked relieved and pulled out an envelope from their pockets. The luxurious stationery bore the seal of the imperial family.

“This is…?”

“It’s an invitation to a tea party from Her Majesty the Empress for Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”

A tea party. Come to think of it, the Empress had asked her to attend. At that time, she had said she would attend but planned to quietly decline.

“Tell her I will send a reply soon.”

“Well… Her Majesty the Empress asked to be informed of your attendance when delivering the invitation.”

Perhaps the Empress, who had lost her son to the current Emperor, knew the most secrets about the imperial family.