“……If it's a meaningful gift, it'll be a little harder, but I think that's okay because His Majesty's gift is for your convenience. Because you won't be able to use all of the fabrics.”

“I see what you mean. I'm glad Mrs Enard said it. But I'm also concerned about how to dispose of the product. Could you please help me?”

The dice have been rolled! Amelie gambled with her final line. Will Mrs. Enard take or refuse the offer? And, as Milena suggested, will Mrs Enard accept this story to help create a slush fund?

'My stomach hurts.'

Amelia clenched her fist. Because she was nervous, it was difficult for her to remain still. But she waited for Mrs Enard's response patiently.

“I'm surprised you asked me to do something like that.”

Mrs. Enard did not respond right away. Milena, on the other hand, predicted her reaction.

Milena said that if Mrs Enard had correctly understood Amelie's intentions, she would have to reconsidered one more time.

“Because Mrs Enard knows everything about the Imperial court and appears to be competent. I can trust you.”

Amelie spoke calmly and clearly. Mrs Enard was with Amelie all over the place all the time, her nervous expression was obvious.

'If His Majesty's affection stays this high, a lot of good things will happen in the future. It's always nice to have a steady source of income.'

Mrs Enrad was too afraid of Serwin to respond quickly. If she dies, it makes no sense to have money and doing so much extra work. She needed enough money to be worth putting her life in danger.

Mrs Enard's brief agony came to an end when she tried to open her mouth. However, before she could, a knight dashed forward and shouted.

“His Majesty is on his way!”

Amelie quickly looked at the door, surprised. She couldn't believe he arrived at this time! Amelie reached for the walls to steady herself. She was so taken aback that her stomach ached once more.

“Don't make a scene.”

Serwin entered the garden as soon as the knight finished speaking.

“W-what are you doing at this hour, Your Majesty?”

“What's the matter with your face?”

Serwin took a step forward in front of Amelie. Amelie's exceptionally white face and her delicate hands on her face are visible to him.

“Is it painful? Does it hurt a lot?”

“What? Oh… It was a little painful.”

Amelie couldn't bring herself to look Serwin in the eyes. Amelie frowned as her eyes closed—as if she were sick. She wasn't lying because she was suffering from a severe stomachache and lacked the courage to face him.

“But you're drinking tea, right? What exactly were the maids doing? Didn't they realize their master was sick?”

Amelie quickly grabbed Serwin's sleeve as his voice became more fierce.

The garden was deafeningly quiet at the time. Everyone except Amelie was looking down and away. Amelie took Serwin's sleeve and lightly shook it. Serwin then looked down at Amelie with more concern in his eyes, looking at her and her hand.

“Shall I call a doctor?”

“No, I think it'll be better if I go to my room and rest.”

Neither doctors nor drugs help with stress. The best way to relax is to lie down in a comfortable place. Serwin wanted to call a doctor, but he respected Amelie's request.

The two went into the bedroom. Serwin and Amelie's servants followed them to the door but did not go inside. As a result, the two were left alone.

Amelie sat on the sofa, catching her breath and looking at Serwin's eyes.

'You didn't hear me talking to Mrs. Enard, did you?'

He didn't seem to have heard the conversation from his response in the garden.

'I was surprised. It's so hard to do things that you don't usually do.'

Amelie rubbed her stomach. It was hard enough to make a secret offer to Mrs Enard, but then Serwin also appeared. Fortunately, when she got out of the situation, her stomachache gradually decreased.

“Are you sure you don't need to call a doctor?”

Serwin looked down at Amelie, concerned. Her expression was a little shaky. However, it was only a stomachache… Even if it hurt, it wasn't enough for her to be too concerned.

“I just have a stomach ache from stress.”

“Stress?”

Serwin has a face he hadn't even considered it.

'What happened?'

It was just another normal day, that's what was reported. But he never found out any specifics. The servant who reported may have lied, or she may have been bullied in secret. In situations like this, only he could help her.

“Who has been causing you harm?”

Serwin's voice was hushed. Amelie flinched, he looked like a growling beast. Serwin noticed it and mistook it for her hiding something from him.

“Can you tell me who did it?”

Amelie frowned as well.

'What did I do to make you make a scary face and become angry?'

Serwin was the root of the problem. But he was completely unaware of this. Amelie c.o.c.ked her head at Serwin. Then she let her true feelings out.

“It's Your Majesty.”

“Me?”

Serwin made an expression that he didn't quite understand.

'He doesn't realize he's making a mistake. No at all'

Amelie let out a sigh. Having this conversation about boundaries with him seemed pointless. She doesn't have the ability to teach an adult, and she doesn't have the ability to say a few words to instill morality.

'Serwin is free to do whatever he wants, but I am not.'

Amelie ignored Serwin's response and instead used the power of transformation.

Bbong

The sounds and feeling of magical s.h.i.+fting blurred her senses. The transformation was successful, but not in the way she expected.

'Is it bigger than the previous transformation?'

Was she transformed into a peregrine falcon or something?

She felt better just thinking about it. Amelie examined her reflection in the gla.s.s table, expecting to see her deft avian self.

'……It's not a bird,'

The plan to transform and fly away failed miserably. She'd turned into a pink rabbit with drooping ears.

'Oh, no. What's the point of transforming into an animal that can't fly right now?'

It would have been nice if the same rabbit looked a little more deft, but her drooping ears made her look sullen. Amelie let out a sigh. A long breath escaped from the triangular mouth, tickling the front floof on her chest.

Serwin bent down one knee and looked Amelie in the eyes.

“Why did you change all of a sudden? Amelie, come back to being a human.”

Amelie snorted, “Hum!” Then she jumped and hid under the bed. It was dark and narrow under the bed, but it was cozy because she couldn't be reached by other people's eyes. Serwin followed her from behind and pushed his face under the bed.

“Amelie? That's not where you're supposed to be. Come on out.”

Amelie stated that she would not by stomping the ground with her feet. Because of the fluffy carpet, there was only a fuff, a poof, and a slight thud, but Serwin must have heard it.

He knelt beside the bed and reached for the narrow gap. Amelie crawled to the other side after clipping Serwin's hand with her hind leg.

'Did you just hit me right now?'

Serwin was taken aback and hardened. His hands tingle because her small hind feet were more powerful than they appeared. But it was her refusal to take his hand that was the most damaging. It was the first time she had refused Serwin's hand.

“I won't know if you don't tell me why.”

Serwin walked around the bed to the other side. He knelt on the carpet to see Amelie. People would be speechless in the face of this version of the emperor, but he couldn't care less.

“How about we talk face to face, hmm?”

He gently coaxed Amelie. Amelie, on the other hand, snorted and crawled to the other side. When she finally came out her fluffy silhouette was lovely to the point that Serwin's heart was burning from the warmth.

In fact, forcibly yanking Amelie out from under the bed was simple. He could have used his sword aura to grab her, or he could have blown up the bed. But Serwin wasn't willing to. She already said it was his fault. When he thought he could be hated more, he couldn't do anything.

Moreover, being rejected for the first time by Amelie, Serwin was very embarra.s.sed by how shocked he felt.

Serwin's only option now was to move to the other side of the bed and get closer to Amelia. Amelie, on the other hand, became stuck on the wall. Her flat refusal discouraged him, but he didn't give up and remained near the bed.

'Wow, your repentant form is great!'

Serwin's efforts were speculative, but Amelie didn't want to see his face.

'Consider what you've done wrong.'

She would not have done this if he had asked and explained to Amelia ahead of time.

Her stomachache gradually improved as she watched him fidget. Above all, the underside of this bed was cozier and more relaxed than she had antic.i.p.ated. When she was younger whenever she felt befuddled or uncomfortable she would hide under a closet or desk. Amelie blinked her eyes slowly.

Serwin only looked at the round back for a long time. He intended to wait until Amelie came out on her own.

But Serwin was a busy emperor and coming to see her for a while was a burden. The servants waiting outside the door stamped their feet and waited for Serwin, before announcing that they had no time in dying strained voices.

“I'll be back at night. Make sure to show your face then. Okay?”

Not getting even a stomp in return, Serwin sighed and lifted himself up. Amelie looked at Serwin's feet. His distant steps seemed unusually powerless.

It was Milena who left, took over the maid duty and entered the room. Conscious that Amelie was in her transformed state, only Milena, who knew she was her witch, was sent in.

“Miss Amelie.”

When she heard her voice, Amelie scuttled out from under the bed. Milena looked at Amelie and opened her eyes wide.

“Ah! Is that you, Miss Amelie? So cute!”

The small body was round like a ball of fluffy fur, and the protruding front feet were dainty enough to pour kisses. It was unbearably cute that she looked lethargic because of her drooping ears.

Milena clenched her fist and clucked. But she couldn't bring herself to touch her miss even as she looked at her pa.s.sionately. Amelie flared her V-shaped nose, awkwardly avoiding her gaze.

Knock knock.

Just in time, she heard a knock from outside the door.

“Miss Amelie, can I come in?”

It was Mrs. Enard. Milena and Amelie exchanged their eyes.

“Miss Amelie, let's get back to being human!”

Amelie nodded and returned to her human form with a light poof. Milena was very surprised to see the magic of transformation for the first time, but soon came to her senses and quickly arranged Amelie's clothes.