Translator: Aura / Editor: Maybe
‘Is he bipolar?’
Heinley, who had been depressed all morning, spent the entire afternoon smiling.
McKenna looked at him suspiciously.
Not only was he smiling, but he was also giggling as he touched his forehead.
On the way to the conference room, he stared at a pillar that reflected his face in it and he said, “I’m cute.”
McKenna looked anxiously at Heinley.
Better to daydream than to be depressed.
Heinley had always maintained an attitude of absolute self-confidence, so it worried him that his emotions were now so unstable.
At that moment.
Heinley, who was walking excitedly, stopped abruptly and covered his mouth with one hand. Then he looked at nothing with serious, deep eyes, frowning.
He seemed surprised to have realized something belatedly.
“Your Majesty? What is it?”
McKenna asked quizzically, Heinley looked around and finally whispered, “If I marry soon…”
But, Heinley was unable to say it, so he closed his mouth.
“Your Majesty?”
What if he marries soon?
McKenna was curious about the rest, and asked, “What were you going to say?”
But Heinley remained silent, not answering.
McKenna asked repeatedly, “Your Majesty? Your Majesty?”
Only then did Heinley speak with concern, “McKenna. How is my image?”
“Your Majesty’s? Your Majesty, you may not look it, but you are smart, dignified, and romantic…”
“Not the image you see. My external image.”
“Well then, you’re not smart, you’re not dignified, nor are you romantic.”
Heinley sighed, shook his head, started walking again.
That wasn’t the answer he wanted.
Actually, what he wanted to ask was about the first night after the wedding ceremony.
After that night, the next meetings would take place considering each other’s wishes, but the wedding night would take place regardless of that.
He didn’t say anything, but just thinking about that day made his heart beat faster and faster.
It felt so good to touch the person you love. How would it feel when I actually held her in my arms?
He couldn’t even imagine.
But suddenly a thought came to his mind.
He… He had no experience in ‘that’.
The problem was his playboy image.
Although Navier didn’t seem to think he was as promiscuous as the others, she believed to some extent that Heinley was a playboy.
Navier wouldn’t think I was good at all ‘that’ if I was a playboy?
Of course, he was sure to do well once he learned and became familiar.
But if he couldn’t get it right on the wedding night, would there even be a second night?
Heinley wanted to be the perfect man for Navier.
“Your Majesty?”
McKenna called him with a firm expression; he was genuinely concerned.
Heinley waved his hand to indicate he was fine, then changed the subject.
“When will everyone arrive from the Knights’ Expedition?”
‘I don’t think he was thinking about that,’ McKenna thought and answered calmly, “It’s a long road, but they will arrive today.”
“Then the welcoming ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow.”
“That’s right. Ah! I must tell the Queen to prepare a handkerchief.”
***
“A handkerchief?”
McKenna came to visit me and told me that I should prepare a handkerchief.
“Yes, all the knights who participated in the ‘Knights’ Expedition’ will be arriving today.”
“There will be an event.”
“That’s right. To be precise, today they will gather at the outskirts of the capital, and tomorrow they will depart from there to the Royal Palace in the corresponding ceremonial costume. Many people usually come to see them.”
“Ah.”
“Once the parade is over, each lady places a handkerchief in her knight’s pocket. I think it would be best if Your Majesty the Queen would join us at that time.”
Thinking about the silence I received from the people in the Eastern Empire, I was a little worried.
“You don’t need to worry too much, Your Majesty.”
As if he knew what I was thinking, McKenna smiled gently and reassured me, “Sir Koshar is one of the most popular knights on this expedition.”
***
The next morning.
I wore a formal dress and pulled my hair up in an elegant bun without leaving a single hair loose.
It was not a party, but today I would meet the knights who participated in the expedition as well as the young ladies and noblewomen related to them.
We wouldn’t dine together, but we would at least greet each other while waiting for the knights.
I was not yet entrenched in high society, so I definitely should not take the occasion lightly.
After checking myself in the mirror several times to make sure I looked good, I got into the carriage and exited the palace gates at the scheduled time.
Heinley left before me, so only Rose, Mastas, and the Supranational Knights followed me.
As I stepped out of the carriage, the noblewomen who had arrived first greeted me courteously.
“It is an honor to see Your Majesty the Queen.”
“Greetings to Your Majesty the Queen.”
Since we did not have a close relationship, they could not start a conversation first, so they just looked at me silently after greeting.
When people who are not close are in the same place, the person with the highest status is supposed to initiate the conversation.
But instead of talking to them, I asked Rose, “When will it start?”
“It’s about to start, Your Majesty.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of a battle horn was heard in the distance. However, since the gates of the capital could not be seen from here, once the sound faded, all was quiet again.
There was an awkward silence for a moment. But not long after, loud cheers began to be heard in the distance.
The knights seemed to be coming this way. I could feel the cheering getting closer and closer.
I could hear names occasionally, but the voices were so mixed up because of the loud cheering that it was hard to make out what was said.
Gradually they grew stronger, like the waves of the sea.
Finally, the knights could be seen from here. They came on horseback in rows of three.
People cheered for them and sprinkled flower petals from their baskets on them.
Surprisingly, my brother was one of the three in the front row.
And, contrary to my worries, no one ignored him.
I could also hear some people shouting, “Koshar.”
As I watched in amazement, Mastas said to me from the side, “The three most popular knights are in the front row, Your Majesty. Behind, the next three. After there, it is only in order of arrival.”
My brother smiled and waved to those present as if he felt awkward.
Before the sight, I swelled with pride. I was both proud and moved.
Eventually, the knights disciplinedly stopped as they approached us, and at McKenna’s signal, dismounted their horses.
Among those knights was my brother.
My brother took a few steps forward and smiled as he looked at me silently.
I thought we would go together to lay out the handkerchiefs, or in line. However, as my brother continued to move forward, no one else moved.
‘Do I have to be the first to place it?’
Looking at Heinley, he winked at me and nodded. So, I pulled out my handkerchief and walked over to my brother.
Suddenly I noticed that in the second row was Sir April, Mastas’ brother.
After nodding slightly towards him in greeting, I placed the handkerchief in the breast pocket of my brother’s ceremonial suit as if it were an accessory.
***
The time I had to see my brother for the first time in a while was short. After returning from the expedition, the knights who participated were to report the details in the conference room.
I was relieved to see him awkward and embarrassed but adjusting well.
I wish my brother could gradually get rid of the bad reputation he had in the Eastern Empire…
That night, I visited the temple and prayed briefly.
But the next day, I was surprised to learn that my brother’s image was much better than I thought.
“What is this?”
Around noon, Rose had brought a stack of letters. These letters came from senders from different families.
Opening one to read, the contents were simple but friendly.
The same was true for the other letters.
Why did they suddenly send these letters?
When I looked at Rose puzzled, she said as she looked at Mastas, “The young ladies at yesterday’s welcoming ceremony must have fallen in love with Sir Koshar.”
With my brother?
“Really?”
I asked her to tell me more about it, Rose said, looking again at Mastas, “Sir Koshar is as beautiful as a painting. He’s given a great performance this time, so I’m sure in the eyes of the young ladies he’s wonderful.”
Mastas added excitedly, not realizing that Rose was looking at her.
“Besides, he’s the successor of an influential family in the Eastern Empire and the Queen’s only sibling.”
“Yes…”
When I nodded awkwardly, they both looked at me strangely.
“Isn’t that always the case?”
“Sir Koshar must be popular in the Eastern Empire too, no?”
Not at all.
My brother had a bad reputation. Since the age of seven, my brother’s popularity had plummeted.
However, it was impossible for them and the young ladies not to know about my brother’s rumors.
Since rumors about my brother did not originate in the Western Kingdom, were they considered exaggerated here?
Perhaps.
And the next day.
I received more letters than yesterday, which confirmed my suspicions.
People in the Western Kingdom thought his bad reputation was exaggerated.
At first, I found this situation awkward.
But on second thought, it seemed like a pretty good thing.
Maybe Nian and my brother would be able to make a place for me in high society without Mullaney’s help?
Joining forces with Mullaney would be an easy way to fit into the Western Kingdom’s high society. However, if I took this path I would lose the other half that supported Christa, which was not good in the long run.
Not everyone had to like me, but there was also no need to turn half of high society into enemies at the same time.
Although I had to be careful in selecting my close aides, I wouldn’t mind getting a little close to Christa if it was a moderate friendship.
For now, I’ll go see Christa again.
Is there even the slightest chance that we will get close? Having made up my mind, I changed my clothes and left the detached palace.
As I walked down the corridor, I saw foreign carriages and people going to the main palace.
The patterns of the carriages looked familiar.
Do they look like Rwibt carriages?
As soon as I thought about it, I saw Grand Duke Kapmen.
He accepted the invitation.
Grand Duke Kapmen, who was walking calmly with a grave expression, turned his head this way.
Did he feel my gaze on him?
