“Impressive? Is magic your recent interest, Empress?”

Charte’s words stung, but she pretended to be nonchalant.

“What? Yes. I’ve become quite interested. I was just wondering what kind of magic would be the most impressive if mages competed. Not necessarily combat ability, but I thought about holding an event where the winner is chosen based on unique magic that no one else can perform. Wouldn’t that attract more talented mages to the empire from across the continent?”

“A magic competition?”

Seeing that he seemed intrigued, her heart began to race.

“The first place winner would receive tremendous wealth and honor.”

“Do you think that’s possible? As if those proud mages would participate. It might cause a controversy about magical dignity. No, we’d be lucky if they don’t destroy the competition with magic.”

A sigh escaped her without her realizing.

She had hoped to create an easy path using power to quickly return to her original world, but this wasn’t the way.

She felt like saying, “It’s not even a green belt, why can’t you build a road!” but based on his words, mages didn’t seem to be easy to deal with.

So she decided to put magic aside for now and focus on telling the magical love story quickly.

“Um, Your Majesty……”

He interrupted her by putting down his fork with a clatter.

“Aren’t we in the middle of a meal?”

“What?”

“When exactly do you plan to eat?”

“Ah….. I’m sorry. I was too noisy. I just……”

He stared at me with cold eyes.

“I was going to talk about the first meeting of the Strange Garden protagonists. I won’t. I’m sorry for disturbing Your Majesty’s meal.”

His hand, about to pick up the fork again, hesitated for a moment.

“If you want to talk that badly, I suppose it can’t be helped. Since no one else is here anyway, go ahead and continue.”

“What?”

At that moment, the door opened, and ladies-in-waiting entered with the next course.

After they placed the fresh salad sprinkled with sesame seeds and left, he picked up his fork and said quietly.

“Continue with what you were about to say.”

“No. I was being thoughtless. As empress, I should set a good example.”

“It’s fine. Pleasant conversation can actually make the dining atmosphere more comfortable.”

He said this while eating the salad with a composed face.

For some reason, his kind words felt like pressure, so I cautiously began to speak.

“About the protagonists’ beginning, their first meeting, I’ll tell you—eek!”

I let out a sharp scream.

He had suddenly grabbed his throat and collapsed from his chair.

“Your… Your Majesty……”

Trembling, I approached him as he lay unconscious.

I don’t know what came over me.

It was probably instinct.

I checked his condition as I had learned in my original world and began CPR.

I compressed his chest with all my strength and gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Realizing no one was around, I continued chest compressions while coming to my senses and began to shout.

“Peggy! Dalton! Catano! Help!”

Then, unexpectedly, Commander Rad rushed in, opening the door urgently.

“What happened……”

Commander Rad was surprised but quickly reinforced the guards and ordered someone to call a doctor.

Just as I was giving him another breath with a face mixed with worry and fear, Charte regained consciousness.

After confirming that he was coughing, I slumped down.

I felt so drained that it was hard to control my body.

The imperial guards moved Charte to my room, and I barely managed to follow with the support of the ladies-in-waiting.

Viscount Catano approached me as I stared blankly at him in a dazed state.

“Your Majesty the Empress, what exactly happened?”

“I don’t know. We were having a meal when His Majesty the Emperor suddenly collapsed.”

The royal physician, having finished his examination, approached and reported.

“It’s an allergic reaction.”

“Allergic reaction?”

Looking at my bewildered face, Viscount Catano said.

“His Majesty has allergies.”

“What kind of allergies?”

“Peanuts.”

“Peanuts? That can’t be. There were definitely no peanuts.”

“If it weren’t for Your Majesty the Empress’s emergency treatment, it could have been a disaster.”

After finishing his words, the royal physician looked at me and carefully asked.

“Um, Your Majesty the Empress, what method did you use? There wasn’t even any……”

“Huh? I just performed CPR……”

At that moment, Commander Rad entered and urgently reported, interrupting our conversation.

The royal physician looked very curious but seemed to be holding back.

“We’ve secured the food you ate directly, and we’ve restricted access to the kitchen and strengthened security. We’ve detained the head chef and all related personnel.”

“Were there really peanuts in it? I clearly couldn’t detect either the smell or taste. Is there no other possibility?”

“They were in the salad dressing. The investigation is ongoing, but it seems you couldn’t notice because there were too many sesame seeds and strongly flavored leafy vegetables.”

Now that I think about it, today’s salad was covered with sesame seeds like snow.

The food was different from usual, but I was so focused on trying to survive that I didn’t notice anything strange.

He clearly hadn’t noticed either, concentrating on my endless chatter.

Thinking that he could have died because of me, I felt sorry and guilty.

And strangely, I felt sad and empty.

That’s when he woke up. I rushed to his side in one bound.

Seeing him open his eyes, tears flowed from relief.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”

He looked at me.

“Empress?”

Everyone in the room—Viscount Catano, Commander Rad, and the royal physician—seemed relieved.

As he regained consciousness, the first thing he did was receive a report on the incident, and he emanated a chilling coldness.

“This is clearly too planned. How dare they play with my life. Rad, conduct torture immediately to reveal who’s behind this.”

He got up despite those around him urging him to rest more.

As he was about to leave, he stopped at the door and said something.

“I didn’t know meeting would be this difficult. Even the first meeting is arduous.”

“Pardon? Your Majesty?”

Without answering my question as I couldn’t hear what he said, he left.

And a few days later, the situation took an unexpected turn.

A bloodbath swept through the Empress’s Palace.

Not only did Peggy and Dalton suffer hardships, but I was even suspected of being behind the plot.

All ladies-in-waiting and servants were dragged away for questioning, and the Empress’s Palace instantly transformed into a bleak ruin.

As time passed, I lost my hands and feet figuratively, becoming increasingly isolated.

* * *

“Father.”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

The first person to visit me after the incident was Nathan Whyman.

He looked noticeably gaunt and tired, as if he had been through a lot.

“I’m late.”

I shook my head.

When Prime Minister Whyman, Leila’s father, held my hand tightly, tears of relief flowed, and my voice trembled without me realizing it.

“Dad.”

“Yes. Leila. You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

“I’m fine. I’m innocent. But why am I being suspected when I saved His Majesty?”

“It’s just because it happened in the Empress’s Palace, giving them an excuse. I’ll resolve this, so don’t worry about anything. How dare they think of touching you.”

His face was not the kind fatherly one I was used to seeing, but filled with the cold anger of a duke’s head and Prime Minister.

It felt strange, as if I were looking at a different person.

But thinking that this person showing such intensely cold anger for my sake was on my side made me feel secure, like I had gained a shield.

I had felt lonely after the incident, unable to rely on anyone.

Why on earth did things turn out this way?

That curiosity was soon resolved.

According to information provided by Ivester, the noble faction supporting Yasrin had taken issue with me.

They hadn’t dared to act before, but now that the emperor had stopped his mad rampage and I was still alive, they seemed to covet the empress position again.

They blamed me entirely for the emperor’s collapse.

Because of this, I had been confined to the Empress’s Palace since the incident.

Both my father and Ivester were actively working on my behalf.

I couldn’t just sit idly by when my life was at stake.

After surviving this far! I didn’t want to die for false accusations that weren’t my fault.

Currently imprisoned in a prison that wasn’t officially a prison, there wasn’t much I could do, so I headed to the kitchen to find something I could do.

I thought there might still be evidence left in the kitchen.

I went to the kitchen to examine the scene, but it was already under strict guard by imperial guards.

“I’d like to take a look for a moment.”

“Your Majesty the Empress, you cannot do this. We have orders not to let anyone in. This is a crime scene, and the investigation is not yet complete.”

“That’s why I’m here while the investigation isn’t finished. To prove my innocence.”

I spoke as majestically as possible and pressured the imperial guard knight with my gaze.

“Are you certain that I’m the culprit?”

“No, no, absolutely not.”

“Then prove that you believe me. Otherwise, when my innocence is revealed, you’ll be the first to face consequences.”

The imperial guard knight contemplated my firm stance.

“If you’re so suspicious, why don’t you accompany me!”

With the knight, I looked around various parts of the kitchen and began examining underneath by lying on the floor.

“Your Majesty the Empress, let me look. Please get up.”

“I’m fine. How can I not do this when my life is at stake? Huh? What’s that?”

I saw something clumped together under the cooking counter.

Needing something like a long skewer, I borrowed the knight’s knife and pulled it out—it was a glove.

It was an item that had been newly ordered when the head chef was recently replaced.

I took out a handkerchief and examined the glove. It had powder on it.

And faintly, the scent of peanuts still remained.

Judging by its condition, it hadn’t been there long and seemed to have been hastily pushed under.

The culprit had clearly worn these gloves while crushing peanuts.

But why was the glove here?

If they had taken it away, there would have been no evidence left.

While I was deep in thought, a troubled voice was heard.

“Your Majesty the Empress, it’s almost time for the shift change.”

“I understand. Keep today’s events confidential.”

“Yes.”

I carefully wrapped the glove in the handkerchief and returned to my room.