“He tends to prioritize his kingdom and little sister, doesn’t he?” Jill remarked. “So, I was a bit surprised that he killed the previous emperor. He must’ve known that it was a foolish move for Kratos. Yet, he chose to save you, Princess Natalie.”
Natalie slowly blinked as though she had realized something.
“If you truly are interested, please tell me,” Jill continued. “I’ll help you out, and I’m sure Lutiya and Princess Frida feel the same. I’m certain His Majesty does too, and probably Prince Vissel as well. Everyone just wants you to get better. Oh, I can’t speak for Prince Minerd, though—he might find fault with any man who approaches you, Your Highness.”
What Natalie needed for now was some time to organize her feelings. Jill didn’t wait for a reply and stepped away from her bed.
“I’ll come again,” Jill finally said. “If you’d like to practice dancing, I’ll be sure to tell Miss Sphere about it. She’s also finally willing to answer Prince Risteard’s proposal, so I’m sure she has a lot on her mind. Just talking with her will make you feel better, I’m sure.”
“You’ve become awfully skilled at being considerate,” Natalie replied. “Is this thanks to Lady Cassandra, perhaps?”
“Ah, can you tell?”
Jill stuck out her tongue playfully and Natalie giggled. The Dragon Consort gave a small wave and left the room; Hadis was waiting for her in the hallway.
“Did Natalie accept them?” he asked anxiously.
“Yes, of course,” Jill replied. “I think you can visit her room too, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm… I’ll wait until she feels better. I wouldn’t want her to apologize to me like that again…”
As Jill thought back to a desperate Natalie, practically begging for forgiveness as she apologized over and over again, she couldn’t press the issue. Natalie had her pride as the younger sister of the emperor—she could act normally in front of Jill, but perhaps she held her reservations in front of Hadis and Vissel.
“Are you all right, Your Majesty?” Jill asked. “Are you down or tired?”
“I’m fine,” Hadis replied.
Her eyes suddenly glimmered—she’d just learned about this. “Lady Cassandra taught me that guys sometimes act tough even when they’re feeling down, so I should be careful! You can’t fool me!”
“The Empress’s Palace fills your mind with unnecessary ideas…”
“Come on! You can act spoiled toward me! I know how to deal with you!”
“Never! I refuse! You’re planning on reporting back about my reactions, aren’t you?!”
“Oh?!” Jill gasped in surprise. “How’d you know? You’re amazing!”
“That doesn’t sound like praise at all! Weren’t you taught to feign innocence during times like that?!”
“Aw, crap, you’re right!”
“Don’t give me that! Good grief… I’m fine. Come on, we should head out, or we’ll be late. Let’s go.”
Hadis extended his arm toward her. Jill stared at it for a while before she grabbed his sleeve, causing him to look at her quizzically. Uh… Where do I go from here again? Right, downcast eyes and a soft voice where he can only barely hear me.
“I-It’s embarrassing…in front of others, so why don’t we do it where people aren’t watching?” Jill said, growing embarrassed as her cheeks turned warm. She whispered the last bit and sheepishly looked up.
All of her attempts thus far had ended in failure; she was determined to succeed at least once. Hadis widened his eyes in astonishment. Just as Jill had thought that this attempt was also unsuccessful, his face turned red as he clutched his heart and staggered.
“Wh-Where did you learn that?!” he gasped. “I’ll crush the Empress’s Palace!”
Jill beamed, knowing that her mannerisms had worked on him.
“Did your heart skip a beat?!” she asked Hadis, throwing her arms around his waist. “Tell me, Your Majesty!”
“No! It hasn’t! I said no! There’s no way it has!” the emperor cried.
“You’re lying! I’m sure your heart’s beating loudly! And your face is so red—”
“Brides who love to play pranks on me like that get punished!” He scooped her up and placed her on his shoulders.
“Huh?!”
Jill was unable to see his face. She pouted grumpily, but quickly smiled when she saw Hadis staggering more than usual. He was clearly flustered.
“What?” Hadis asked.
“I just think that you’re so cute,” Jill replied. “Oh, this has got nothing to do with the Empress’s Palace. Lady Cassandra warned me to think of it, but never to vocalize it.”
“I don’t need that kind of information.”
“Don’t be mad. I’m learning so much, so of course I want to test it out on you. Or do you want me to test it on a different man?”
Hadis sighed as he adjusted his hold on Jill and stopped. They’d arrived at their destination—a room where they’d have a meal with the Three Dukes. His beautiful face glared at Jill.
“Of course not,” he said firmly.
“Exactly!” Jill replied.
“Don’t look so triumphant! Ugh, I can’t let my guard down now… Fine. Just do it to me, all right? It’s a promise.”
“I promise! Leave it to me!”
“I don’t think I trust those words these days…”
As Hadis frowned, their arrival was announced. Hadis once again adjusted Jill in his arms.
“Aren’t you going to tell me to let you down?” he asked.
“It’s proof that you’re head over heels for me! And I was told that you were safest while holding me, so I should let you do as you like.”
Hadis smiled. “Huh, I guess the Empress’s Palace has its uses.”
The door in front of them opened, and the Three Dukes stood up to lower their heads. As Jill stared at her husband’s profile, his visage transforming into an emperor, she took a deep bath. She was placed onto a seat, and she sat as tall as she could, politely waiting. Vissel was no longer here—he claimed that they should be able to handle themselves.
The meal, which consisted of simply eating snacks and dishes that each region was proud of, proceeded smoothly. It was as though Gerald’s disappearance and the creepy, vanishing dragon were trivial matters.
“Dragon Consort, how do they taste?” a duke asked.
“They’re all very delicious!” Jill replied.
“Then which one shall we bring as a souvenir for our meeting with Kratos?”
This was a roundabout method of asking for her opinion, but Jill smiled and pointed at the snack that she thought was best.
This was where the next battlefield would be—the location where Kratos would be called out.
They had to decide on how to deal with Crown Prince Gerald, who was suspected of murdering previous emperor Meruonis and fleeing, after all.