Chapter 26

As Jeremy hurried back to his desk, Sabrina stood up as well. Although she had already heard from Jeremy, she wanted to see for herself.  

“Your Majesty, may I come in for a moment?”  

Knocking lightly, Sabrina entered the office. As soon as she did, Chase’s gaze locked onto her.  

“Sabrina.”  

“You’re working, I see.”  

“Yes. What’s the matter? Is there something else you need me to review?”  

Even as he asked the question, Chase didn’t put down his pen. His demeanor was entirely professional.  

‘Wow…’  

Sabrina was inwardly impressed as she approached him.  

“No, I just wanted to see if you needed anything.”  

At her words, Chase shook his head.  

“I think I’m fine for now.”  

With a faint smile, Chase gestured toward the pile of documents next to him.  

“I’ve reviewed and approved everything up to here. You can take these out.”  

“Wow, all of this?”  

Sabrina was genuinely amazed. By her estimation, it was slightly more than half of the total workload.  

“I’m honestly shocked. I don’t think I’d even have enough time to skim through all of this… As expected, Your Majesty, you truly are remarkable.”  

Flipping through the papers, Sabrina clicked her tongue in admiration.  

“You’re incredible.”  

As she gave him a thumbs-up, Chase rubbed his cheek awkwardly.  

“Incredible, huh…”  

“You didn’t overdo it, did you? Make sure to take breaks. I’m worried you might exhaust yourself.”  

At her concerned words, Chase immediately shook his head and answered firmly,  

“Not at all. I paced myself. You don’t need to worry.”  

As if to prove his point, he began reading the next document right in front of her.  

‘What’s going on? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?’  

As Sabrina carefully gathered the approved documents, she couldn’t help but wonder. She had known Chase for quite some time, but she had never seen him this enthusiastic about work.  

Why?  

Why indeed.  

As she pondered, a single hypothesis crossed her mind.

‘Could it be… because of the compliment I gave earlier?’  

No way. Could it really be such a simple reason?  

“That’s impossible.”  

Sabrina left the room, shaking her head with a smile. The idea that Chase, the Emperor of an entire Empire, was suddenly consumed with work as if he’d received divine inspiration, all because of a compliment—how absurd.  

But no matter how much she thought about it, that was the only thing that stood out. She couldn’t think of any other reason.  

‘…Could he really be the type who’s weak to compliments?’  

Sabrina stared intently at the door to Chase’s office, tilting her head.  

It wasn’t certain, but if that were indeed the case…  

‘Then my path forward is clear.’  

* * *  

“Wow, you’ve already finished everything?”  

“Yes.”  

“I’ve always thought this, but Your Majesty, your focus is truly incredible.”  

“…Is that so?”  

“It’s not just that you’re fast; you don’t make any mistakes either. That’s not something just anyone can do.”  

That day, Sabrina devised a new strategy.  

Operation: Pamper Him.  

Every time Chase worked, she would shower him with endless compliments.  

Even for the smallest, most insignificant tasks, even for details so tiny they were barely noticeable, Sabrina would magnify them and heap praise upon him.  

“How is it that you even write so beautifully, Your Majesty? Your handwriting is always so neat and clean, it’s easy to read without any confusion.”  

“Really? I’ve been told that from time to time.”  

“They say handwriting is like a second face. Your Majesty, you have perfected both!”  

“Haha.”  

Sometimes, as she spoke, Sabrina herself wasn’t sure if what she was doing was complimenting, flattering, or downright coddling. She even felt a bit guilty, thinking she was treating Chase like a child.  

‘But what can I do when it works so well…!’  

Ever since Sabrina began showering Chase with compliments, he had transformed into a true workaholic.  

For one, his frequent half-day absences had significantly decreased. The habit of postponing today’s tasks to tomorrow had disappeared entirely. In fact, he was now so proactive that he even handled non-urgent matters ahead of schedule.  

‘At this point, he could go on a date if he wanted. Forget a date—he could take a day or two off entirely.’  

When the Emperor Chase worked as diligently as an ant, his subordinates couldn’t afford to slack off either.  

As Chase set an example, the atmosphere in the aides’ office naturally followed suit. Sabrina didn’t even need to push them; everyone fell into line on their own.  

‘It’s truly inspiring…!’  

These days, Sabrina found herself looking forward to work every day. With no stressors weighing her down, it was only natural.  

Her loyalty and affection toward Chase soared to new heights. She felt as though she could carry him on her back if he asked her to.  

The memories of the weeks she had spent working overtime while Chase was engrossed in his romance with Elena now felt like a distant past life.  

‘He was always capable.’  

It was just a fleeting distraction, nothing more.  

Having let go of even the slight resentment she’d felt, Sabrina put even more care into assisting Chase.  

“Your Majesty, please try this. They say it’s baked with figs, which you like.”  

“It smells wonderful.”  

“Have it with some tea. You’ve seemed a bit tired lately, so I prepared a tea that’s good for recovery.”  

Chase stared quietly at the teacup Sabrina handed him before speaking.  

“I’m touched.”  

Meeting her gaze, Chase continued,  

“I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who knows me as well as you do.”  

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”  

“I mean it. But compared to that, I feel like I don’t know much about you. Lately, I’ve been thinking that a lot.”  

Sabrina was slightly puzzled.  

‘But I think you already know plenty about me…?’  

After nearly five years of working together, their teamwork had become flawless.  

Others often described them as being able to communicate with just a glance.  

Perfectly in sync.  

Even without verbal explanations, they easily understood each other’s intentions. Their opinions almost always aligned, and their relationship was consistently harmonious.  

Sabrina didn’t believe that this harmony was solely due to her efforts. While it was true that she knew Chase inside and out, Chase also knew her very well.  

He was not only quick to pick up on her moods and emotions but also adept at handling tensions among colleagues or conflicts with her family before they escalated.  

He knew where she lived, her likes and dislikes, and the nuances of her work.  

‘In a professional relationship, it’s rare to know more than this.’  

Sabrina tilted her head slightly in thought but quickly shrugged it off.  

After all, she didn’t confine Chase to the rigid category of “superior.” To her, he was a benefactor, a reliable protector, and sometimes even a friend.  

‘This must mean Chase thinks of me the same way.’  

Sabrina smiled warmly and replied,  

“You seem to have a lot of questions about me.”  

“Yes, quite a lot.”  

“What are you curious about?”  

At Sabrina’s question, Chase hesitated briefly.  

“Not now.”  

Not now?  

“How about tomorrow at this time? We could have some tea together. I’ll prepare your favorite cake as well.”  

“Oh, sure. Shall we talk in the office?”  

“Well, rather than that…”  

Chase lightly tapped his desk with his fingertips.  

“The weather’s been nice lately. Wouldn’t it be lovely to enjoy it outdoors?”  

Chase’s bright golden eyes sparkled with anticipation. His slightly drooping gaze gave him the air of a playful boy.  

‘An outdoor tea time, just the two of us? Wouldn’t that look strange to others?’  

Sabrina instinctively felt a pang of concern.  

By now, everyone in the Imperial Palace knew that Sabrina was Chase’s right-hand woman. However, that didn’t mean all prejudices and jealousy toward her had disappeared.  

“Our eldest son narrowly missed passing the final interview, but honestly, I think it’s for the best. How could our precious boy work under someone like her? Nothing could be more infuriating.”  

“They say the Viscount of Wintlet has been through a lot, and you can’t help but feel sorry for him. She’s only chasing her own ambitions, neglecting her duties as a child—how could anyone look kindly on that?”  

“She’s clever, I’ll give her that. Isn’t it obvious what her intentions are? She’s probably trying to cozy up to His Majesty to secure a position for herself. Without this opportunity, would a lady from such a minor family ever dream of standing by His Majesty’s side? Sure, she’s pretty, but there are far more beautiful women out there.”  

Comments like these reached Sabrina’s ears almost daily.  

Did they bother her?  

Not at all.  

During the first year or two, she had occasionally cried into her pillow or tried to cool her anger with cold water.  

But when you hear something too often, you become desensitized.  

Now, even if someone said such things directly to her face, she wouldn’t bat an eye. And there weren’t many who dared to criticize her openly, given her near-unrivaled influence in the Imperial Palace.  

What Sabrina cared about was Chase. He was already dating Elena, and she didn’t want him to become the subject of gossip again because of her.  

‘It’s not like His Majesty can help being so noticeable.’  

At that moment, Chase, sensing Sabrina’s hesitation, asked cautiously,  

“Is it a bad idea?”  

His large, round eyes studied her intently, his brows drooping slightly in a way that made him look like a dejected puppy.  

‘Ugh. Those puppy eyes… How could I possibly say no?’  

Chase’s expression erased all doubt from Sabrina’s mind.  

Well, what was wrong with two colleagues having tea and chatting? If the Emperor wanted to enjoy the sunshine in the garden, who could argue with that? As long as we were both honest, there’s nothing to hide.  

Resolving herself, Sabrina shook her head.  

“No, not at all. I’d be delighted and honored.”  

Chase’s face lit up instantly. Sabrina straightened her posture and added,  

“You’ve been working so hard lately, it must be tiring. Taking a short break like that sounds like a great idea. I’ll make sure everything is well-prepared so you can relax.”  

“Good.”  

Chase’s lips curved into a bright smile.  

“I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.”