The Evil Empress Adores Me-Chapter 17

To catch a tiger, you must enter its den.

Therefore, if I want to deal with the Crown Prince, I have to go to him.

But...

I observed carefully.

Now that I think about it, why has no one mentioned the Crown Prince?

'Even if he’s confined, he’s still the Crown Prince, yet I’ve hardly heard anyone talk about him.'

The Crown Prince seemed like a ghost.

People who are mindful of the Emperor avoid him altogether, and even if they don’t, his “uncontrollable power” is still intimidating.

Moreover, the Empress, if you really think about it, is the Emperor’s wife, who betrayed the Crown Prince.

She might not be too fond of him.

I decided then.

‘First, gather information on the Crown Prince.’

That way, I’ll have a chance to subtly gauge how the Empress feels about him.

I don’t even know exactly where the Crown Prince is confined.

I approached the head maid.

"Excuse me, head maid."

"What's wrong, Charles?"

The head maid turned to look at me with a gentle expression.

I tilted my head, trying to look as harmless as possible.

"I heard that the Crown Prince is staying in a palace near the Empress's residence... is that true?"

"Shh! Where did you hear that?"

The head maid looked startled.

Wait, really?

I widened my eyes in surprise.

I was just throwing out a random guess!

Seeing her reaction, it’s clear that, at this point, the Crown Prince isn't treated very well at the palace.

Hmm... He’s only eight years old, but it’s kind of pitiful?

"I heard it in the training hall before."

"Goodness, how are the trainee maids being managed..."

The head maid shook her head in disbelief and approached me.

I put on an innocent expression and asked.

"I haven’t seen him around here... so where is that palace located?"

"Well, it’s not here, it’s near the Empress’s private palace..."

The head maid casually spoke, but then suddenly realized and looked at me with a wary expression.

I narrowed my eyes.

"...Is it that gloomy palace, the one that looks like it’s haunted?"

I remembered it too.

When I first snuck into the Empress’s private palace, I passed by that palace.

Unlike the sunlit private palace, that one always seemed shaded and damp, giving off a creepy feeling.

‘I purposely went to the private palace garden back then...’

This world really does allow child abuse so casually.

I furrowed my brow without realizing it but quickly managed to compose myself.

To avoid suspicion, I needed to keep a face that said, ‘I don’t know anything.’

"Anyway, Charles, don’t even think about going near there."

"Why?"

"Because the Crown Prince is second only to His and Her Majesties in nobility, and if you commit an offense, it’ll be a big deal, right?"

...Huh?

The unexpected answer made me look up at the head maid.

I had vaguely assumed that the Empress’s maids would dislike the Crown Prince, but hearing her say ‘second only to His and Her Majesties’ was...

The head maid, Hayden, at least maintained the minimum respect when dealing with the Crown Prince.

"Besides... it’s dangerous."

After hesitating for a moment, the head maid added something else.

Dangerous?

I looked at her confused.

"The Crown Prince has awakened the power of the divine beast."

"Um..."

"The power of the divine beast is so strong that the young Prince still has difficulty controlling it."

The head maid sighed.

But well, in the original story, the Crown Prince doesn’t start rampaging with that power for a while.

I shrugged.

Fifteen years old.

That’s when the Crown Prince fully opens up his divine beast power.

It wasn’t his choice—he was pushed into it when assassins sent by the Emperor attacked him.

Afterward, he uses that power to escape the palace...

"Anyway, you absolutely must not approach that palace. Understood?"

At the head maid’s strong warning, I smiled brightly and nodded.

What’s the big deal? As long as I don’t get caught, right?

"Ah, head maid."

At that moment, Senior Maid Weber strode over to us with a grim expression on her face.

"The Empress is buried under paperwork again."

What’s this about?

Weber’s worried expression turned toward the head maid.

"It’s great that she’s so motivated, but what if she ends up harming her health?"

...Ah, this feels like it’s my fault.

I flinched.

Ever since making up with the Empress, she’d been completely energized.

But that motivation was so overwhelming that she kept burying herself under piles of paperwork...

‘She keeps saying, ‘I need to finish this quickly so I can play with Charles!’’

I thought of the Empress’s bright smile, and suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Oh wow. My conscience is really getting to me!

"She’s still not planning on resting today?"

"She said, ‘I’m fine,’ and keeps smiling through it all!"

Weber mimicked the Empress’s tone, grumbling.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

I quickly spoke up.

"Well, um..."

The head maid and Senior Maid Weber both turned their gaze to me.

I gave a shy smile and continued.

"Should I go and suggest that she take a break for a little while?"

"Yes, that’s a good idea. The Empress is soft with Charles."

"Good thinking. Our Charles is smart!"

The two maids praised me in unison.

Wow, it’s just a small thing, but being called smart feels embarrassing.

But it wasn’t unpleasant.

I blushed slightly and nodded.

‘Now that it’s like this, I should ask the Empress what she thinks of the Crown Prince.’

I decided as I looked at the two maids, who were bustling around preparing snacks for the Empress.

A little later.

I was pushing the tea trolley, laden with a teapot, teacups, and a plate of cookies.

Since I’m too small to carry the tray on my own, the maids kindly helped me...

The problem is that with my small height, even holding onto the trolley handle is difficult.

Ugh, I wish I’d grow taller soon.

After struggling a little, I finally arrived in front of the Empress’s office and knocked.

Knock knock.

"Who is it?"

"It’s Charles."

As soon as I answered, there was a loud crash from inside the office.

What... what’s going on? Why is there such a noise?

It sounded like the Empress had dropped everything and was rushing out...

I blinked in confusion.

Click.

The door opened, and the Empress peeked her head out, smiling brightly.

"Y-your Majesty?"

I was shocked.

Wait, the Empress is opening the door for me, a maid?

"Charles! What brings you here?"

"The other maids are worried about Your Majesty."

When I said that, the Empress’s expression became a bit more subdued.

Where did that bright smile go?

"What? Did the head maid send you? You didn’t come because you missed me, did you?"

"Well, that’s... not exactly..."

"Still, I can’t rest yet, there are still documents I need to look over."

The Empress answered playfully.

Sigh.

I sighed deeply.

I didn’t really want to use my secret weapon yet.

"Rose Unni."

The Empress stiffened her shoulders.

I put on my cutest expression and looked up at her.

"Charles would really like to have some cake."

"..."

"Could we, maybe, have tea together...?"

And at that moment, the Empress pulled me into a tight embrace.

With a voice that almost sounded like she was dying, the Empress shouted.

"Ugh, Charles!"

"Y-your Majesty, I can’t breathe!"

"Charles, are you trying to suffocate me with cuteness?"

While saying that, the Empress kept patting my head.

Ah, my hair is getting all messy!

"Since my Charles wants ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) tea, we should have it!"

...Well, it seems like the Empress’s rest plan was a success.

I thought to myself as I felt a bit worn out.

The Empress pushed the trolley into the office herself.

Well, I’m a maid, so I guess I should have been the one to push the trolley?

I tried to grab it, but the Empress waved her hand and gestured to the couch.

"It’s fine. You sit over there, Charles."

"Yes, yes."

I awkwardly sat down on the couch.

The Empress gracefully placed the teacups and teapot on the table.

Wow, the Empress’s every movement is so elegant.

After pouring me some tea, the Empress sat across from me.

Then, she slid a bowl of sugar cubes and milk toward me.

The way she did it was as smooth as flowing water.

"You like tea with sugar and milk, right?"

"...You remember I like sweet milk tea?"

"Of course. How could I forget about my cute Charles?"

Her answer made my heart swell.

The Empress smiled brightly.

"Drink up."

"But, Your Majesty, you should drink first..."

"Well, I want to see you drink first."

The Empress’s smile deepened.

I first poured the milk into the tea and dropped six sugar cubes into the cup.

Taking a sip of the sweet milk tea, a rush of happiness surged through me from head to toe.