“What?”

A moment later, Reytan opened his eyes and stared at his hands in disbelief. Painful memories from the past swept through his chest in an instant, and a wave of sadness crashed over him. 

Then tears flowed. It felt like his past self, who couldn’t cry, had emerged to weep.

After shedding a few tears, he looked at Luden.

“Why do I feel so sad?”

“That’s how it works.”

“Wow, the rumors were true.”

Reytan said that and wiped away his tears with both hands. When he heard the rumors, he was skeptical, but Annelia’s tea was real.

“It’s very useful tea.”

Luden smiled as he looked at the tea Annelia sent. People thought she missed a chance to make lots of money when she firmly refused to sell it even if people offered her money.

“But Annelia is clever.”

Reytan said that and shook his head. She created something of irreplaceable value and monopolized it. That’s why its value increased even more.

“My heart feels lighter.”

Reytan looked at the tea with wonder. He took another sip, but didn’t cry buckets like before. However, many people came to mind and tears flowed again.

“I was wondering who to share this with.”

“That would be—!”

At Reytan’s words, Luden smiled gently. Many people were curious about the special tea at the consultation office. But since they couldn’t obtain it, everyone only heard about it through rumors.

Now an opportunity arose to confirm it. Since Reytan wasn’t someone who blabbed about everything, Luden closed the box lid without discussing keeping it secret.

‘Who should I drink this tea with next?’

For now, there was a capable commander recently appointed. He planned to serve this tea to him, who was also his superior.

* * *

Rasael was a typical knight with blue eyes and brown hair. He was a man of few words who didn’t get swept up in emotions and just pressed on doing what needed to be done. 

After being a knight for a long time and experiencing many things, he worked dealing with nobles at the knight training center, then was assigned here as commander when war broke out.

He too had heard there was mysterious tea at the consultation office. But he thought it had nothing to do with him.

While handling work as usual, Luden suddenly opened the barracks door and entered.

“What brings you here?”

Marquis Charlot had talent for strategy. Though his swordsmanship was also excellent, he was a useful talent on the battlefield. That’s why Rasael cherished Marquis Charlot quite a bit.

“I brought tea. Would you like to try some?”

“Tea? Could it be that rumored one?”

At Rasael’s words, Luden nodded.

“If you’d like to drink it, I’ll give you the tea leaves.”

Curiosity appeared in Rasael’s eyes. He wondered whether he, who rarely cried while being a knight, would actually shed tears after drinking this tea, so he asked Luden to portion out some tea leaves for him.

After Luden portioned out tea leaves into a small box and left, Rasael stared at the tea leaves for a moment. His throat was dry anyway. Today he drank the tea Luden brought.

The tea was subtle. Nothing particularly special. But after drinking a little, sad memories from the past surfaced.

And he realized that along with the flowing tears, pent-up emotions were being released.

The tea he just drank had found emotions that were clumped together, pressed deep in his heart, things he thought he’d forgotten long ago, and made him cry. When he faced the past, emotions surged up again and he choked up.

After wiping away a few tears, he looked at the tea.

It was truly fascinating.

He stared quietly at the tea, then hid the remaining tea leaves in a very deep place. Though no one would rummage through the commander’s office, he wanted to store this tea well and drink it with his wife when he returned home later. 

It was precious tea that money couldn’t buy. Such things should be shared with his wife.

* * *

I opened the letter Luden sent. The letter said he distributed tea leaves to his superiors. It said his superiors were very pleased when he gave them something precious, and included words of gratitude.

‘As expected.’

Life becomes easier when you make a good impression on your superiors. Since Luden was also on the battlefield, he needed to impress his superiors even more. I was glad the tea I sent thinking it might be useful to him actually was.

I smiled happily, rubbing the letter against my cheek. For a moment, I felt like Luden’s scent lingered on the letter.

“But…”

I read the text at the bottom of the letter.

“If His Majesty commands something other than consultation, I hope you’ll refuse?”

Why would he say this? Shouldn’t he ask me to obey the emperor’s commands well?

“I’ll be jealous if you get too close to him.”

Ah, the content Luden wrote at the end caught my eye. Though there wouldn’t be any reason for the emperor and me to get too close, Luden wrote this just in case.

“He’s so jealous.”

His jealousy made me feel good. My heart felt secure, like I’d confirmed his affection. After wondering how to reply, I decided to respond to Luden that such a thing would absolutely never happen.

The day after sending that reply to Luden was the day I had a consultation with the emperor.

“What?”

I was very flustered.

Something similar to what Luden worried about had happened.

* * *

Kajian planned to go see for himself since he only received reports about the war situation on paper. 

He planned to leave work to the prime minister, who had trustworthy abilities, while he was away, and personally go to the battlefield to observe the situation. After deciding that, he waited for Annelia to come for consultation.

Today Annelia came wearing beige clothes. Since it suited her very well, Kajian made a pleased expression. He thought it would be nice to give her a necklace with yellow gems as a gift, but held back for now. Annelia would dislike it.

“What happened today, Your Majesty?”

At Annelia’s words, Kajian nodded.

“There’s always work.”

“Your Majesty’s position always seems like that. But what’s today’s consultation about?”

Annelia asked with a gentle smile. Without prying into what was happening, Annelia went straight to the point—she had strong professional ethics. She was different from people who tried to gain something by learning the emperor’s inner thoughts.

That’s why her existence was special.

“Since war broke out, it keeps weighing on my mind that many people are dying.”

“It must be difficult. Since war involves countless lives coming and going, your heart must be even heavier.”

“It won’t last long.”

At Kajian’s words, Annelia was pleased. She probably liked it thinking Luden would return quickly.

But the proposal that followed was unexpected.

“I’m leaving for the battlefield starting next week. Will you come with me?”

Annelia misses Luden. Then she’d say she’d leave for the battlefield. Kajian guessed that and brought it up. Then Annelia’s eyes widened.

“Go to the battlefield together with Your Majesty?”

“Then you could meet Marquis Charlot, couldn’t you?”

Then Annelia frowned.

“I don’t think I can follow you.”

At Annelia’s refusal, Kajian was very flustered. He thought he absolutely wouldn’t be refused.

It seemed things in the world didn’t go according to his wishes.

* * *

I looked at Kajian. What he proposed stirred my heart, but I recalled what Luden asked of me.

“Why won’t you go?”

Kajian asked with a displeased voice.

“I have to run the consultation office.”

The real reason was I didn’t want to do something Luden disliked. But since I couldn’t say that outright, I used the consultation office as an excuse. Kajian was silent for a moment.

“True, you do have strong professional ethics.”

Fortunately, he seemed to believe and accept it. I felt relieved inside and smiled gently at him.

“I think this will help if you take it to the battlefield.”

Though I brought a little tea each time I came to the imperial palace for consultation, this time I brought a bit more. Even when I brought more, I didn’t think it would be helpful though.

“Tea.”

Kajian immediately realized what I would give. I handed him a large box containing tea leaves. Kajian looked at the gift, then stared at me intently.

“It’s the type of tea Your Majesty usually drinks.”

“It seems to work regardless of tea type.”

At his words, I flinched. When I use my power to cast magic, anything responds.

“How is this possible?”

He looked at me with curious eyes.

“When I investigated, they said you were cursed by a dragon long ago.”

Kajian was curious about the source of the mysterious tea. But I didn’t really say anything.

“You won’t find out even if you investigate.”

I answered firmly.

“Have a safe trip.”

Kajian grumbled reluctantly, then told me to follow anytime if I changed my mind.

Afterward, I heard the emperor left for the battlefield to encourage the knights and soldiers. But I didn’t follow the emperor to the battlefield—I stayed in the capital, running the consultation office and looking after the household. 

The consultation office was always fully booked, but today one customer canceled their reservation due to urgent business, so I hung a sign saying it was okay to come in.

Would a customer actually come in?

While thinking this, the door clicked open and a customer entered.

“Welcome!”

I looked at the customer who opened the door and entered, and my eyes widened.

“Slots rarely open up, so it was difficult. I had my subordinates constantly watch for an opportunity.”

Wait, he had people waiting and observing?

“What business brings the Prime Minister all the way here…”

Prime Minister Jerakun sat in a chair and said quietly.

“After drinking the tea His Majesty gave me, the past surfaced and tears came. It was something I couldn’t forget for a long time, but after crying, the attachment seemed to loosen and that past slowly faded. I think I understand why His Majesty can’t give up the tea Lady Annelia provides.”

“Did you come to drink tea?”

Jerakun nodded.

“I think no one lives without having something pent up inside. I hope this tea releases some of that knot.”

I said that and took out tea that makes you shed tears and poured it for him. Before drinking the tea, he savored the aroma, then took a sip.

“It’s so sweet.”

And he shed tears.

What memories was he recalling while shedding those tears? I didn’t forcibly pry if he didn’t speak.

Jerakun drank a cup of tea silently and left.

Consultation doesn’t necessarily require words—just emptying emotions and leaving is also meaningful time for people.

Lorina linked arms with the man beside her. He was a very handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was a noble youth Lorina met recently when she went to a tavern. When Lorina asked him to become her lover, he readily agreed.

Lorina came to see a play with him. Everyone whispered while looking at the man next to Lorina.

Since she frequently changed lovers, everyone wondered how long this man would last and were busy placing bets.

Lorina walked around unconcerned with people’s gazes.

As people predicted they’d break up soon, a month later she appeared in high society with a new lover.

Perhaps because this continued, the fact that Lorina frequently changed lovers became common knowledge. Thanks to that, people were forgetting that Lorina followed Luden around a few years ago.