I’m Just a Counselor – Chapter 66

Author: Dakku-san

A graceful lady of considerable age was revealed. Jeremiah opened his mouth in bewilderment.

“Empress…”

The… Empress? The emperor’s wife? The crown prince’s mother? The one Kianton had come all the way to Loasen to question the other day?

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

It’s not unreasonable for her escort to point their swords at me, as she is one of the three noblest people in the country.

But…

‘Why is the Empress here?’

I asked myself repeatedly, then realized this was not the time, and quickly moved away from her, standing at Jeremiah’s side and bowing stiffly.

“Greetings, the one and only Moon of the Empire. I’m Vanessa… Asell.”

“Asell? I thought Miss Vanessa didn’t have a last name?”

The Empress asked, puzzled by my greeting. I stared at her in bewilderment, realizing that she had learned my name earlier.

I thought it was because she was the crown prince’s mother and they looked alike, or was it?

‘You know that I don’t have a last name… and the Crown Prince didn’t tell you.’

Jeremiah gave me a look that asked if I knew the Empress.

Shaking my head at his stare, I finally asked her.

“I… I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but how do you know my name?”

“Of course, Miss Vanessa. Oh, is it because of the color of my hair now?”

Rummaging in her bosom, the Empress pulled out a fist-sized magic tool. It was the same dyeing tool that Jeremiah and Estella had used.

She manipulated it, and her blonde hair instantly turned brown.

“Does this remind you?”

My eyes widened as I suddenly recognized her.

Once upon a time, when I was in Hazel’s Secret Garden, a noblewoman had come to visit. Brown hair and blue eyes.

I hadn’t bothered to ask her who she was, as she seemed reluctant to identify herself, but I had no idea she was the Empress.

‘Kianton has come to the right place.’

It was a great show of misunderstanding on my part, not knowing the Empress’s face.

“Do you recognize it now, Miss Vanessa?”

“It’s… I think I know where I’ve seen you before.”

“Wait a minute.”

The lady then went on to tell me about her accident-prone son. I thought he was about seven years old.

‘Is he… the crown prince?’

There is no crown prince in the country, so that must be it.

The seven-year-old child in me grew up in an instant and turned into the face of the crown prince I had just seen.

Oh, my God.

‘…I’m going crazy.’

Psycho boss. A childish tsundere followed by a mess that even a seven-year-old would cry over… Are you sure this country is okay as it is?

I pursed my lips, trying to sort out my messed-up brain after realizing how many shocking truths the empress had told me.

Well, I guess I should start by telling Jeremiah how I know the Empress.

“So, Duke, when I was in Hazel… I saw Her Majesty the Empress.”

“When you were in Hazel?”

Jeremiah seemed to have guessed by that alone how I had come to meet the Empress.

His gaze shifted from me to the Empress, puzzled. Then he said,

“I heard the other day that you were in the north, and I was a little disappointed that you didn’t pay a visit to the duke’s castle.”

“Ho-ho, Duke, you’re joking. I can’t imagine the duke would be upset that I didn’t stop by.”

“I understand. Perhaps it was because of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Jeremiah, who replied with bony words to bony words, glanced at me.

“I didn’t realize you were acquainted with Miss Vanessa. She is now in my household. That’s why she came with me to the Islands.”

“Ah, I heard that the Snowflake Manor was lit up not long ago, and Miss Vanessa was there with you. But was Miss Vanessa a noblewoman?”

“That’s…”

Jeremiah glanced at me, as if he thought this was a difficult matter to answer instead. I opened my mouth to answer the Empress’s question.

“I used to be a noble, but my family went bankrupt, so… I don’t have a name on the noble rolls now, but I received an invitation to the New Year’s festival under the name “Vanessa Asell” and that’s how I greeted you.”

I thought about revealing that it was the crown prince who sent me the invitation but stopped myself. Well, I don’t think Jeremiah knows that yet.

The Empress frowned at my words for a moment, then nodded as if she understood. She asked, concern written all over her face.

“Is everything all right, Miss Vanessa?”

…The people here seem to think that if the aristocracy falls, it will be difficult to live.

No, more so because they’re imperial.

The Empress has seen me living quite well in the Secret Garden, and I’m sure I haven’t done anything to deserve it.

Still, I swallowed my laughter at her question, realizing that I shouldn’t be doing this to someone who was genuinely worried about me.

“Of course, I’m fine, and I have the help of the Oppenheims now.”

“I don’t think the duke is the kind of man to treat someone in need coldly, but…”

The Empress interrupted, glancing at Jeremiah.

“And… seems to think similarly of the Crown Prince.”

I wonder if he thinks I’m trying to bully him, does it look that way…? Is he really that unappreciative?

‘Maybe…’

I mulled it all over and covered the small chuckle that threatened to burst out with a quick cough.

After all, Jeremiah does seem a bit cold, and he’s had several fights with the crown prince.

Come to think of it, I doubted the Empress would look favorably on Jeremiah, who didn’t get along with her son.

“You needn’t worry about him, Your Majesty.”

“If that’s what you say, I’m at ease, ah, Miss Vanessa. It’s a pleasure to meet you, but won’t you join me for tea? I have something to say to Miss Vanessa.”

“What? Tea?”

Stumbling over the unfamiliar word, the Empress turned to her escort, who was at her side, speaking in rapid succession.

“Sir Jason, what is there left for me to do tomorrow?”

“You have one paperwork to sign off on before lunch, Your Majesty, and that should free up the afternoon.”

“Very well, then you can invite Miss Vanessa to join us.”

The Empress clapped her hands together and smiled gently.

“The carriage can be sent to the Snowflake Manor, right?”

“What? Is that…”

“No, we shouldn’t invite just Miss Vanessa. While we’re at it, shall we invite Princess Oppenheim to join us for tea, if you don’t mind? Then…”

“One moment, Your Majesty.”

Jeremiah interrupted, just before the decision was made.

The Empress raised her eyebrows slightly, as if she didn’t like him interrupting her story, but soon waited patiently for him to continue.

Jeremiah lightly grasped my arm and tugged.

“I believe I told you that Miss Vanessa is now a member of the Duchy of Oppenheim. Besides, Estella hasn’t quite adjusted to the system yet.”

“Hmph.”

“I appreciate the invitation, but I don’t think you should be making decisions so arbitrarily…”

“Miss Vanessa, are you sure you don’t want to have tea with me?”

Suddenly the ball was back in my court. I glanced back and forth between Jeremiah and the Empress, unsure of what to do. Something was going to change depending on my answer now.

Still, it’s best not to refuse the Empress’s invitation here, isn’t it?

Estella’s answer is something I’ll have to listen to again later… but for now, it’s not like I dislike the Empress much. I wonder what else she might have to tell me.

Having made my decision, I opened my mouth.

“No, Your Majesty, if you wish to call on me, I will be happy to oblige.”

Hearing my answer, the Empress smiled broadly and turned to Jeremiah.

“I doubt the duke will force you to stop the party if you don’t mind.”

Her voice was filled with a peculiar elegance and majesty that only the noblest woman in the land could possess.

Jeremiah slowly withdrew his hand from mine, as if he had no choice, and I wondered if I was mistaken in thinking that his hand was tinged with regret.

“Send a carriage to the manor at…”

Jeremiah replied reluctantly, and a look of satisfaction crossed the Empress’s face.

“I want you to keep it a secret that you met me here today, Duke.”

After a few more words, the Empress left the room with her escort.

Sitting back down on the bench, Jeremiah sighed and explained to me.

“Her Majesty has a rather eccentric side. On festive days like this, she sometimes slips out of the palace in disguise.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“…She does a lot of unexpected things, usually.”

Well, if the Empress wasn’t like that, she wouldn’t have come to a place like the counseling center so easily.

Come to think of it, I think she only had one escort behind her even then.

“I feel a little bad for Kianton.”

I’d unintentionally lied to him about never having met the Empress. I scratched my cheek lightly.