YMA – 174

Sleep well and eat well… … . When she got bored playing, she got up every once in a while and took a walk in the garden. So Suyeon’s day was not much different from before.

‘It’s only a matter of time before I become fat if I’m not careful.’

At least Medea seemed to have a constitution where she never gained weight no matter how much she ate. Thanks to that, the ladies-in-waiting were very worried that she was not gaining weight.

“You have to be careful in the early stages of pregnancy… … . Dangerous things keep happening.”

“I’m fine, I always sleep well.”

Because the best swordsman on the continent was guarding her, she could sleep well at night… … well, she could. After doing this and that several times.

Maybe it was because she didn’t move much these days, so she treated Lyle’s annoying behavior as exercise.

“I’m glad it’s been easy.”

Having heard through her married seniors how difficult and painful it is to become pregnant, Suyeon smiled heartily as she stroked her stomach.

There was hardly anything difficult in this romance novel world. She fell asleep all the time, and her feet were a bit swollen, but… … she didn’t even have to work. Her feet and legs were in good shape because the ladies-in-waiting massaged them well.

“His Majesty seems to be busy again these days.”

The maids nodded at Becca’s words.

Since she knew very well about Lyle’s single-mindedness, she didn’t dare to look too much into it or intervene, but since he was such an outstanding person, it seemed fun just to watch him from the sidelines.

Lyle, who had stopped by the empress’ palace three or four times almost every day, barely returned to the empress’ palace until late in the evenings lately. Thanks to that, Suyeon was having a relatively relaxed and leisurely time.

Initially, she wasn’t very active, so staying in the spacious imperial palace wasn’t particularly frustrating. She told them what she wanted to eat, what she wanted to wear, and what she wanted to read, and her maids obeyed all her orders.

“It seems that the group of people collaborating with Archduke Rowendal were discovered during the hunt… … .”

The maids listened to Suyeon’s answer and nodded.

The administration and the Imperial Knights, under Lyle, rarely talked about it, so they focused on the empress’s words. But, since Lyle didn’t tell her to keep it secret, Suyeon was frank about it.

“I see. These days, the magicians of the Mage Tower often stop by the imperial palace… … .”

“Really?”

Suyeon responded casually and moved her fork over the cake.

Recently, the royal chef’s new desserts were getting popular.

Lyle was a person who did not care much about taste, and Medea in the past, had an aversion to eating, so the kitchen’s environment was devoid of enthusiasm.

Suyeon now loved to eat and was eating diligently for the baby in her stomach, so the royal chef was excited to cook.

“This is delicious. Try one each.”

Suyeon was not a person who was picky about dessert. As if having a tea party, the ladies-in-waiting took each cake plate and tasted the imperial chef’s new cake.

“Your Majesty— Empress… … . It is so, so delicious that I feel like crying!”

At Becca’s thrilled words, Suyeon smiled happily and said,

“Haha… … . I’m glad.”

“Your Majesty, it’s embarrassing when you look after maids like us, it’s not useful to be too close to us lower ones.”

Suyeon grinned at Trish’s hesitant advice.

“Sometimes it’s okay. What’s the point of all this power if you can’t share some delicious dessert with people you cherish?”

“Empress… … .”

“Your Majesty, Empress… … .”

The ladies-in-waiting, who have girlish sensibilities, looked moved and stared at Suyeon

Privately, she could have invited other ladies or noblewomen to become friends, but these were the people she saw every day anyway. So even though she didn’t have to get very close, she didn’t want to treat them carelessly.

“… … Of course, I am included among those precious people, right?”

“Your Majesty!”

The surprised maids hurriedly scattered left and right and lowered their heads with a bow.

As Lyle approached with his mouth open, the hem of his cloak fluttered. Suyeon scooped out a piece of cake and put it in his mouth. With the harmony of soft sheets of pastry and sweet and refreshing cream, even Lyle, who was not fond of sweets, could enjoy it.

“Not bad. Is it because the empress gave it to me?”

Saying that he raised Suyeon’s left hand, which was not holding a fork, and kissed the back of it. She smiled, put her fork down, and stood up from her seat. He hugged her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Did you come back early today?”

“What had been bothering me all along paid off. Thanks to my talented subordinates, I have time to spend with the empress.”

The maids quickly exited the drawing room.

There was no ignorant lady-in-waiting who put the plate in her hand down on the tray containing the empress’ snacks. Instead, everyone left the parlor holding forks and plates of cake.

For some reason, thinking that it was funny, Suyeon giggled.

“Why?”

“It’s like people walking out of a wedding reception after eating cake. The way each of them walks out with a piece of cake.”

“Hmm… … . is that so?”

Lyle took her hand and sat down on the sofa.

Lyle was a little disappointed that Suyeon’s stomach was still flat. He hoped their child would grow up soon so he could feel the baby’s movements.