The Unexpected Invitation from the Emperor.

The envoy began to speak in detail to Estelle.

“There will be a grand banquet soon in Sofia, the former capital of the Dragona Empire. It is related to the wedding of His Majesty’s grandson, Duke Kattan. If you have time, His Majesty would like to meet you there, as part of the ongoing exchanges from the past.”

“His… Majesty wants to meet me?”

Estelle felt astonished at the thought of Emperor Rozebeta wanting to meet her directly.

Of course, despite forming a cooperation with the Dragona Empire, walking into the heart of a region they effectively governed carried various risks.

There was even a possibility of being ambushed and captured.

However, Estelle found a reason to worry a bit less about this possibility.

‘Of course, it’s not entirely impossible, but it really doesn’t seem worth the risk…’

Although there hadn’t been any formal alliance yet, the exchanges between the Dragona Empire and the Rhapsody Region had been somewhat publicly known since ancient times.

As long as the relationship wasn’t hostile like in wartime, trade had generally flowed smoothly, and the Rhapsody Region had occasionally sent congratulatory envoys to the Dragona Empire during their auspicious events.

In other words, aside from the clandestine cooperation established now, receiving an invitation from the Emperor to visit Sofia didn’t hold any significant special meaning, even though some people might feel a sense of wariness.

Continuing what had been done in the past could, in some aspects, feel even more awkward than staying quiet.

And in this situation, if the Dragona Empire did conspire to actually harm her, it would inevitably backfire on the Empire itself.

Even in a time of chaos, loyalty remained a crucial measure in evaluating a nation.

No matter how powerful a country might be, maintaining basic etiquette and principles in foreign relations was the norm.

Though the earlier kidnapping plot involving the Queen was quite reckless, it had been a more covert operation, allowing for some possibility of success.

However, if Estelle accepted this invitation and went, it would be following proper official procedures as a guest.

It was the host’s duty to ensure the safety of their guests, and failing to do so would result in a significant loss of trust for the nation.

So, Estelle understood that she didn’t really need to worry about her safety regarding this matter.

Additionally, even without such guarantees, Estelle knew that accepting this invitation would be far more advantageous than declining it.

‘Setting everything else aside, this is an invitation request from Emperor Rozebeta! Even if there’s something more to this than I think, I should go and see.’

She couldn’t be completely sure why the Emperor wanted to meet her.

However, based on the situation, she speculated that there might be a discussion on detailed matters regarding this cooperation.

Of course, what lay within would only be known once she opened the box, so to speak.

Right after making this decision, Estelle smiled formally at the envoy and said, “If there’s such an important event in the Dragona Empire, then it’s only proper I attend as I have in the past. I understand. I will accept His Majesty’s invitation.”

“Thank you for accepting the invitation. I’ll inform you of the exact time and place later.”

As soon as the business was concluded, the envoy left the room, and watching them leave, Estelle began to feel a mix of concern and a bit of excitement.

‘Emperor Rozebeta… What kind of person is the one ruling over the Great Dragona Empire?’

Although she was an emperor of a foreign land, Estelle secretly admired the woman who built a great empire in her female form.

While there might be some differences, Estelle herself governed a region, making Emperor Rozebeta something of a role model for her.

The opportunity to meet such a person was bound to hold significant meaning for her.

*

“Are you really leaving? Since you’re already here, wouldn’t it be better to stay a bit longer…”

“No, it’s all right. I appreciate your sentiment, but there’s still the matter concerning the Queen, and many other tasks in Bohemia that I need to attend to.”

Right after the envoy from the Dragona Empire had left, I said my farewell to Estelle after finishing my business here.

While the situation related to the Queen remained a labyrinth, it was imperative to promptly deal with the equally crucial cooperation with the Dragona Empire.

Moreover, I had no time to linger here, especially to prepare for the significant events that were inevitably approaching.

As I got on the carriage, I noticed Estelle’s expression filled with disappointment.

Seeing her like this made me realize again that she held some affection for me.

‘I can’t really provide an answer right now, but I guess it’s something to remember. I can’t keep ignoring someone else’s feelings after all…’

Deciding to keep my thoughts about Estelle at this level for now, I boarded the carriage and left the Rhapsody Region.

‘In the end, instead of solving the issue with the Queen, I’ve only burdened myself with more tasks related to the Dragona Empire and Estelle… It feels like the more I go, the more work just keeps piling up.’

It was like coming to a party but ending up with two extra burdens.

Of course, while these matters were positive compared to the situation concerning the Queen, the fact remained that my troubles had multiplied.

Feeling my head throb again over this matter, I decided to leave the details for my future self to handle once I reached Bohemia and chose to close my eyes for a moment to rest.

‘Now that I think about it, it seems like Polena has really said less since coming to the Rhapsody Region… Is something going on?’

Considering her usually talkative personality, it was indeed strange.

However, aside from this awkwardness, I didn’t want to add to my worries, so I decided to skip any further detailed thoughts.

My mind was already overwhelmed with various issues…

*

“Did you fail…?”

“Yes, I truly apologize, Lady Kattlena.”

Blood spoke in a trembling voice while kneeling before Kattlena.

Seeing her in such a state, Kattlena felt deeply conflicted and raised her doubts.

“How could that be? Of all people, Blood, and Soul, you both failed? Is Count Turun’s power really that strong?”

Count Turun, regarded as the greatest mage in Bohemia, was the only one who could stand a chance against Blood.

Yet, Kattlena still couldn’t comprehend the current situation.

Count Turun was at most a 7th-grade high mage.

Two witches, each possessing the strength of a 10th-grade high mage, shouldn’t have been able to lose to him, making their failure incomprehensible by common sense.

And…

Noticing the puzzlement on Kattlena’s face, Blood spoke to her master with a voice thick with tension.

The reason for their failure this time… was due to the overwhelming combat power of that “Santana” they had encountered.