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* * *

“The Empress has collapsed?”

Kirke, who had been reviewing documents, put down her pen in surprise at the cautious news delivered by the attendant.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The attendant bowed his head deeply, his face filled with worry.

“They’ve urgently summoned the palace physician. With the due date so close, it’s concerning…”

Before the attendant could finish speaking, Kirke abruptly stood up and started walking. Though she didn’t say where she was headed, her destination was obvious.

The Empress’s quarters.

Without a word, the attendant quickly followed behind Kirke. As soon as Kirke stepped into the Empress’s quarters, she could feel the chaotic atmosphere. It was only natural that the maids were in a panic, given that the Empress had collapsed at such a critical time.

Growing increasingly anxious, Kirke commanded the maid standing guard at the Empress’s door.

“Open the door.”

At her short and firm order, the maid hurriedly fumbled to open the door. Kirke quickly entered and glanced around.

Unlike the turmoil outside, the Empress’s chamber was heavy with silence. Kirke saw the Empress lying in bed, receiving an examination from the palace physician, and swiftly approached.

The Empress’s complexion was extremely pale, indicating that she had yet to regain consciousness. Worried that something serious might have happened, Kirke quickly asked the physician.

“What is her condition?”

However, the one who answered was not the physician.

“At a time when she needs to rest her body and mind, she has suffered a great shock, so it’s no wonder she has collapsed.”

Kirke turned her head towards the slightly resentful voice of a woman. There stood the chief maid, who always attended to the Empress from the closest position.

“A great shock?”

“There are those who are disrupting the party to wish for the safe birth of the baby. How could she not be shocked?”

“A party?”

“Yes. The Empress had chosen an auspicious day and sent out invitations to everyone, but suddenly, the Elpinard Duchy decided to hold a party on the same day…”

“Ah.”

Kirke let out a short exclamation as she realized what the chief maid was referring to—the party hosted by the Elpinard Duchy. Kirke had already received an invitation from the Duke of Elpinard and was aware of the date.

“But I had no idea it was on the same day as the Empress’s party.”

In social circles, the imperial family’s parties usually took precedence. Once the imperial family set a date, other noble families would leave that day, and even several days before and after, free of any events, as a way of showing respect to the imperial family.

However, the Duke of Elpinard had boldly chosen to send out party invitations for the same day as the Empress’s important event to wish for a safe birth. 

The chief maid, thinking that the Emperor had finally grasped the situation, started to lament, almost on the verge of tears.

“The ladies of the noble families associated with the Elpinard Duchy have all said they will attend that party. Your Majesty, you must intervene to stop this…”

“No.”

Kirke raised a hand, cutting off the chief maid’s words firmly. The chief maid widened her eyes in surprise at the unexpected reaction, and Kirke let out a deep sigh.

“If it has come to this, the Empress will have to change the date of her party.”

“W-What?”

The chief maid jumped up as if the suggestion was utterly absurd. 

“But the invitations have already been sent out! If we change the date now, it will be seen as yielding to the Elpinard Duchy. The Empress’s dignity and authority will be utterly diminished!”

“Blame it on the Empress’s health. That should provide a sufficient excuse.”

“It might be a sufficient excuse, but everyone will see it for what it is—a mere pretext.”

If the Elpinard Duke’s invitations hadn’t already been distributed, changing the date could have been done more easily. However, under the current circumstances, no matter the reason given, people would inevitably think, “The Empress has bowed to the Elpinard Duchy.”

“The one who should change the date is not Her Majesty the Empress, but the Duke of Elpinard!”

“The Elpinard party cannot be postponed. It is a significant event that must take place on that day.”

“But wishing for the safe birth of the Empress’s child is also an important—”

“Enough.”

Kirke furrowed her brow and stared at the chief maid.

“If her dignity and authority can be shattered by something as trivial as changing a date, then can you really call that true dignity and authority?”

“Th-that’s…”

“And besides, this is a conversation that should be had with the Empress herself once she awakens, not with the chief maid.”

At Kirke’s sharp gaze, the chief maid fell silent, her shoulders shrinking. The Emperor, always kind to everyone in the palace, including the Empress, was now speaking so sternly that it made her freeze.

“It seems you were also the one who troubled the Empress by bringing up rumors about illegitimate children. I overlooked it because the Empress cherished you, but stepping out of line like this is problematic.”

“I-I only did it out of concern for Her Majesty the Empress…”

“This situation as well. If you were truly worried about the Empress’s condition, you should have come to me when you first learned of the overlapping dates. Rather than disturbing the mind of someone who is about to give birth.”

Had the maid done so, Kirke could have quietly managed the situation.

“And I never gave you permission to speak in the first place.”

For a palace maid to speak without the Emperor’s permission was a basic mistake no proper maid should make. No matter how much the chief maid came from a noble family, her rank was still below that of the Emperor. The Emperor had always been so gentle that the chief maid had momentarily overstepped her bounds.

Realizing that the Emperor would not overlook her mistake, the chief maid trembled and deeply bowed her head.

“M-my apologies.”

“I didn’t give you permission to say that either.”

Keeping his eyes fixed on the bowed head of the chief maid, Kirke addressed the palace physician.

“Palace physician, how is the Empress’s condition?”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. Her strength is considerably weakened, but this is common for pregnant women. As long as she rests and relaxes, there should be no issues. The child in her womb is also healthy.”

The palace physician, who had been rolling his eyes nervously in the cold atmosphere, quickly reported the Empress’s condition.

“Recommend some nourishing foods to the kitchen that will help preserve her strength. Given her pregnancy, medication should be avoided.”

“I will do so, Your Majesty.”

With a wave of Kirke’s hand signaling that he could leave, the palace physician quickly exited the uncomfortable scene. Kirke then gave an order to the chief maid as well.

“You are to be confined to your quarters for a month. Out of consideration for the Empress’s dignity, I will not dock your pay.”

“N-no, that can’t be!”

The chief maid raised her head in protest, but upon seeing Kirke’s cold gaze, she flinched and recoiled.

“Are you refusing to obey the Emperor’s command?”

“I-I am the Empress’s maid. I must stay by her side until the child is born.”

Kirke let out a small chuckle at the sight of the trembling chief maid, who nonetheless managed to finish speaking.

“At least your loyalty to the Empress seems genuine. Make sure to express that loyalty in the right way,” Kirke said, her tone still firm.

“I… I will keep that in mind,” the chief maid replied, bowing deeply as she stole a quick glance at the Empress, whose eyes remained tightly shut. Though Kirke, with her back turned, didn’t see it, the Empress’s eyelids twitched slightly.

The chief maid allowed herself a brief, secret smile before quickly composing her expression. It had been her idea to suggest the Empress pretend to collapse and create a scene. If the Emperor had been startled into protecting the Empress’s party, the Empress would have grown to trust the chief maid deeply for advising such a plan.

Even if the Emperor didn’t side with the Empress, as was happening now, it didn’t matter. 

‘She’ll likely think I’m the only one she can truly rely on now, making it easier for me to win her over.’

This would also make it far simpler to achieve their true goals.

‘This was a strategy that couldn’t fail from the start.’

Lost in her confidence, the chief maid failed to notice that Kirke was observing her closely, even as she kept her head bowed.

* * *

“Wait, there’s going to be a party that day? Here?” I asked in surprise, looking at Axel, who simply shrugged.

“Yes. That’s how it turned out, so make the necessary preparations.”

“But… that’s the day the Empress invited me to her party.”

“That will be postponed.”

“Really? Is it common to change the date after sending out invitations?”

“Almost never.”

“Then why this time…?”

As I tilted my head in confusion, I suddenly remembered Noah mentioning that the Duke was gathering his retainers to make a move. My mouth fell open in realization.

“Could it be that the Duke orchestrated all of this?”

“Who else?”

“But… I’ve just never been invited to a party before. Isn’t this like declaring war on the imperial family?”

Axel narrowed his eyes and lightly tapped my forehead with his finger.

“It’s not a trivial matter that you haven’t been invited to a party until now. Are they daring to disrespect Elpinard?”

“But the opponent is the Empress, not just some ordinary noble. It’s not like she can be easily dismissed.”

“Never. Such a thing must never happen,” Axel replied firmly, causing me to blink slowly. 

It was hard to grasp the concept of noble honor.

“And besides, there’s no way our Duke would have undermined the Empress in a way that could openly conflict with the imperial family.”

Axel waved his hand dismissively, as if to reassure me.

“Even Kirke will be attending our party.”

“What? Is that really okay?”

‘Kirke must have lost his mind…’

Why would he attend this party instead of staying with his wife, who’s about to have a child? While Kirke might have some reckless tendencies, he wouldn’t make such a decision without a good reason.

Now, my curiosity was truly piqued.

“What on earth did the Duke do?”