*A big thank you to Angela again [3 of 4]* ☆⌒ヽ(*'､^*)chu

"Ha..."

Obviously, he didn't like her, but his shaking gaze came back to her mind.

Her heart felt complicated about his eyes that looked somewhat sad.

Ian's cold touch kept hovering in her thoughts. The places he touched on her face and lips still felt hot.

He said he liked her.

"What should I do now?"

She couldn't think of anything she could do.

"Ha..."

Rachel turned over in frustration, and grabbed her pillow tightly. Unfortunately, that didn't give her any answers.

A deep sigh came out of Rachel's mouth again as she realized that she'd stayed up all night again.

***

The morning sun came in through the window, and shone into the house.

Rachel stood at the front door to welcome Ian, who would arrive soon at his usual time.

"Ha..."

Rachel was much more irritable than usual. She kept her eyes on the wall clock, as if she was being pursued by something.

Had she anxiously glanced at the clocks 30 times?

Then Ian came through the front door.

"...."

"Your Majesty, are you going to the dining room?"

When his purple eyes met hers, Rachel quickly bowed her head. She also murmured a late greeting along with the servants of the mansion.

From above her bowed head, she heard Ian give a small chuckle.

Ian gestured for them not to proceed any further, and the employees excused themselves.

"Rachel, did you sleep well?"

"What?"

"You look tired."

Ian glanced at Rachel, and handed his jacket to the butler.

"Did you not sleep?"

Rachel turned away quickly as her gaze met with Ian's.

"Was it because I said I like you?"

"No, I'm not! I'm not tired."

Rachel replied, and waved her hand as if she was embarrassed.

"Really? Actually, I didn't get any sleep."

Ian slowly approached her.

"I've been thinking about many things."

Rachel blinked as if she was embarrassed that he was getting closer, and took a few steps back.

"Actually, I didn't mean to say that I like you."

He raised the corners of his mouth a little.

"But I've already said it. So, what can I do?"

"Your Majesty?"

"So I'm just going to stick it out. I'll do my best to not make you feel pressured."

Rachel turned her head as if she was burdened with the way he was looking down at her.

"Well, let's go sit."

Ian looked down at Rachel's red cheeks, and moved towards the dining room.

"Rachel."

Rachel was standing still and staring blankly at Ian. She turned around and hurried to follow Ian, who glanced at her.

It would be nice if it was just a useless worry, but Rachel couldn't erase the feeling that her future was going to be harder.

***

"His Majesty is said to visit a red-roofed mansion in the capital every day."

The Duke of Avery's Residence

Diana frowned at the report the knight delivered.

"The newly rebuilt mansion that collapsed?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Every day? What's wrong with His Majesty?"

"I'm not sure about that either."

Diana frowned at the knight's words.

"Ha, if you don't know that, then what did you go around looking for?"

Diana looked down at the knights as if he was pathetic. How much time had she given him?

"I'm sorry."

Of course she was being unfair to the knight. It wasn't easy for him to follow the emperor.

In fact, it was difficult to find out that the emperor was visiting the mansion every day.

However, the knight knew that this wouldn't be enough for Diana, and apologized to her.

"You're an idiot. How long have I been waiting for you? You have until tomorrow to find out more, even if it costs your life."

The knight bowed his head silently at Diana's unreasonable demand.

"More than that, the red roof..."

The red roofed mansion had definitely belonged to the Duke of Oates, but the emperor was visiting there every day. Did that mean the owner had changed after the mansion was rebuilt?

"Wasn't it originally owned by the Duke of Oates?"

"The mansion is still owned by the Duke of Oates."

Diana nodded her head at the knight's words.

"It's still owned by the duke? Then why is Ian there..."

Why was Ian at the Duke of Oates' residence? Why was Ian visiting there every day?

Was there the duke or another noble in the capital?

"Who's staying in the mansion?"

"I tried to find out, but I failed."

"Ha? You didn't even find that out? How useless. Then what the heck were you doing the whole time you were gone? That doesn't help at all."

Diana was feeling nervously tongue-tied by the shameless knight, who was standing in front of her without knowing the most important information.

"Tsk, it's fine, so just stop going out."

"I'm sorry."

The knight looked at Diana's scowling face, apologized again, and hurried out of the room.

Click

"Ugh, useless jerk."

After the knight was released, Diana was left alone as she stared at the door in disgust. Apparently he was too old to carry out his duties.

'After he's done with this, I'll grab his tail and drive him out.'

Diana came up with a punishment for the knight who'd failed her.

"I can't believe he couldn't find out one thing about why Ian was going to that mansion."

Diana clicked her tongue lightly.

"Because of that idiot, I'll have to step up in person."

Diana grumbled for a long time, and put on her outerwear. It was a little annoying, but if she was curious about something, then she should've gone and found out for herself.

It would've been faster to move directly than to trust and wait for that silly knight.

Diana pulled the rope vigorously, and soon a maid arrived.

"Did you call, My Lady?"

"Get the carriage ready. I have somewhere I want to go to right now."

"...A carriage?"

However, even with Diana's orders, the maidservant seemed to have something to say and squirmed in place.

"What are you doing? Did your ears fall off? Get the carriage ready."

"I'm sorry, but the Duke ordered that the young miss wasn't allowed to move at will."

"What?"

"He asked you not to visit the Imperial palace again. I'm sorry, but I don't think you can go visit the palace."

The maid said this and bowed her head deeply. The maidservant, who was trying her best not to go against Diana's mood, was very careful with her actions.

"Ha?"

However, Diana was clearly angry with the maidservant despite her efforts. She smiled proudly, and flipped her hair back.

It made her angry to think about Ian and Mr. Hammond, who had even alerted the Duke to her visits.

"Hey, when did I say I was going to the Imperial palace?"

"Then, where..."

"Why do I have to report to you for every little thing? If I tell you to get ready, you get the carriage ready!"

Diana picked up a teacup from the tea table, and acted as if she was planning to throw it at the maid right away.

"Ha! Get out of here right now."

Because of the warning from her father, Diana let out a deep sigh, held back her anger, and lowered her hand.

Bang!

The door closed, and Diana put the teacup down hard.

"How the heck were they trained?"

If it wasn't for her father's warning, she would've educated her personally.

"Keep in mind that you will no longer be able to stay in the capital if you visit His Majesty one more time and bother him again."

That was what Duke Avery said to Diana.

She couldn't believe that she might have to go down to Avery's territory. It was too cruel.

It was ridiculous that a flower of society like herself would have to stay in a rural territory without any parties.

"Father doesn't even know what he's doing, and he keeps doing stuff without properly thinking it through. He will regret acting so foolishly when I become empress."

Diana shook her head in frustration. What did he mean about not bothering the emperor without a thought towards helping her get the empress position?

Especially in the current situation, she had to become the empress even more. It was the only way to restore the Avery family's reputation.

"D*mn it."

Now, she had no choice but to follow her father's order. If she ignored his order for no reason, and angered her father, she'd be dragged back to the Avery territory.

"Yeah, as long as I don't visit the Imperial palace."

She couldn't believe that Ian would visit the Duke of Oates' residence every day when he wouldn't even see her on the pretext that he was busy.

She had a bad feeling for some reason.

She had to know why the busy Ian was going to the Duke of Oates' mansion.

***

"Lady Avery, I'm sorry but you can't enter this mansion. I don't mean any disrespect."

"Huh! I'm here to see the Duke of Oates!"

Despite Diana's stubbornness, the butler from the mansion with the red roof only shook his head firmly.

"The Duke of Oates is not here."

"Then who is in the mansion?"

"I can't tell you that."

It had already been a couple of minutes since the dispute had begun.

Diana had demanded to know who was in the house, and the butler was refusing to tell her.

"Ha?!"

Diana scoffed in anger. Her eyes looked absolutely poisonous as she swept her hair back.

"What great secret is it that you can't tell me?"

"Please stop, and go back."

"I'm Diana Avery. Who are you to leave me standing outside for so many minutes."

The butler once again bowed his head to the screaming Diana.

"I'm sorry, but I can't bring you into the mansion without prior permission."

"I feel so annoyed today."

Diana looked up and down at the butler while she lamented.

"I don't like anything from beginning to end."

Thud

The ranting Diana finally kicked the butler in the shin.

"Argh!"

When the butler groaned while grabbing his abused shin, Diana walked past the butler without any hesitation into the mansion.