"Is that so? So you slept at her majesty's place last night, huh……?"

Nier had her arms folded as she looked at me with extreme displeasure. It looks like she's very angry about me staying at her majesty's place last night. To be honest, I didn't actually sleep so well with mom. Mom was in a really good mood yesterday. She drank and spoke about her experience with managing the empire and finally got drunk. That's no big deal. If you're drunk, so be it. But her behaviour turned for the worst when she got drunk. She kept feeling me up with her hands, and she kept throwing herself at me, causing me to wake up in the middle of the night several times winded.

"Uhm… come on, Nier, you don't need to be angry……"

I smiled helplessly and tried to smooth it over with Nier. She's my bodyguard and yet she dares to give me looks of anger…… But I'm glad to see Nier show so many expressions now.

Nier gave me an annoyed "hmph" and then stretched her hand out to complain: "Dear, did you not know how worried I was last night? I'm fine with you staying at her majesty's place, but you need to send someone back to notify me. I stood at the door holding a light waiting for you until dawn but you didn't come back……"

Nier wore an expression like she was a wronged cat. I felt bad so I reached my hand out to pull her into my embrace. She followed along and hugged me back…… Hugging Nier was completely different to hugging Luna which felt like a lovely and pliant little bird in my arms. Nier is about as tall as I am…… I stroked Nier's back and softly said: "Sorry. Sorry for making you worry, Nier. I will definitely notify you if I'm not coming back next time."

"I hope that there will never be a time where you can't come back……" Nier gently bit my ear and whispered vaguely in my ear, "Now… now… dear… dear… let's find somewhere… let's find somewhere… I can't hold it any longer… in your arms… I can't hold it any longer……"

Nier quivered gently in my arms like her legs under her dress almost couldn't hold her up. I tightly hugged and shook Nier who was on the verge of crumbling. Nier's breathing became erratic. Her hands swam all over my body. She panted by my ear causing me to feel uncomfortably ticklish.

"Nier… hold it in for a while… hold it in for a while… it's daytime right now! It's daytime! We still have work to attend to! We still need to head out!

No! No! If we do it once right now, my entire night's rest will go to waste. I need to head out during the day too. I need to head out to do something very important so I can't waste time here!"

"Go a bit later… go a bit later… dear… I can't hold it anymore… your scent… you scent… my legs shake as soon as I smell your scent… my dress… my dress is going to get wet… dear… dear… if… if we can't, let's just do it here then……"

It really looked like Nier couldn't resist it anymore. She started to have hot flushes on her face and her eyes started to look hazy. She even started linking my neck with her tongue. What the devil happened last night? Doesn't Nier know how to get off on her own when I'm not around?!

"We can't do it here! This is the inner court's corridor!! What are we going to do if her majesty catches us?! This is her majesty's resting place!!!"

We'd be executed, wouldn't we?! Doing this sort of stuff in the inner court must be a death sentence!

"Hurry… hurry and find a place then… hurry……"

Alice followed behind the empress. The empress's complexion looked a bit better than it was yesterday. It looks like her well-being improves significantly if she can sleep holding her son. Though Alice hates the prince, she didn't mind him visiting a few more times if it meant it could keep her majesty healthy.

It looked like the empress was very happy. She hummed the song they hummed back then in the army. From behind, Alice asked: "Your majesty, what plans do we have for today?"

The empress licked her lips and replied with antic.i.p.ation: "Hmm… nothing. I want to go horse-riding. Bring a couple of horses to the riding-course. Gosh, spring hasn't arrived yet, but I really want to go hunting now."

Hunting was the empress's favourite activity in spring. With no war to wage right now, that was the only time she could ride around on her horse boldly without any concerns. And the n.o.bles in their hunting gear riding behind her with the flags let the empress feel the comforting feeling of being on the battlefield again.

"As you command."

Alice nodded and then the two of them made a turn which is when they saw the two of them come out from the room. The empress was startled to see them, but then she smiled and said: "Ah, Nier, son."

"Ah, your majesty……"

Nier smiled as she made a small bow. She put her handkerchief she was wiping her mouth with back into her pocket. I smiled helplessly, made a small bow and greeted mom: "Good morning, mom."

The empress sniffed the air as if she could smell a strange smell. She looked at Nier and then looked at her rosy lips with suspicion. She noticed there were some traces of liquid on the corner of her lips… Nier gently licked her lips, then smiled and asked: "Do you have orders, your majesty?"

"Ah… no……"

The empress sighed to herself. She then revealed a helpless expression and said: "I'm looking forward to it. I wonder what your child with my son will be like. I really want to see my grandchild now. I really regret not being able to raise my son. I want to try experiencing what it's like being busy for a child as a mother."

"Your majesty, you need not worry. I will try harder."

Nier made a deep bow and then looked at me with a weird smile that sent chills up my spine. My forehead was going numb. I had so many things I want to say in my mind. Try hard at what? Try hard at b.l.o.o.d.y what, woman?! Please! Don't try harder at this sort of stuff! You're already trying very hard! You're already trying super hard! For real, you've completed the first prerequisite for getting pregnant. If you continue like this, I'm afraid Lucia will be infertile!!

Elves place heavy importance on the next generation! If Lucia can't become a mother because of you, Nier, you're going to die! You really will have to square off against a vengeful Lucia who won't stop until she's dead!

"That's very good to hear. My son's safety is in your hands from now on. I hope that you won't let your skills rust after you become the princess."

Nier earnestly replied: "Please do not worry, I will not."

"Good. I want to see you fight next time, Nier. Bring my son along with you. Watching your swordplay is a form of enjoyment. Son, make it tonight. Yeah, make it tonight. Call men over to spar with Nier. Nier, how many can you beat right now?"

Nier smirked and then confidently stated: "That will depend on when his majesty wants me to stop then. Otherwise, it would be pointless to bring even more people."

The empress paused for a moment and then laughed out loud and said: "Good, good, good. Very good. Nier, I like your pride and confidence now. That's how my princess should be. Only like this can you educate my grandchild so that he becomes an excellent man no less than my son. Uhm, make it tonight then. Remember to come along son." The empress laughed as she left. It looks like she's really happy.

"Nier, will you be okay?"

I looked at Nier slightly concerned.

Nier smirked and then next to my ear said: "Your majesty… let's do it as many times as the number of people I take out… what do you think?"

"…… Kill me! Just kill me now!!"

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