Of course, Medea wasn’t even aware of Lyle’s concerns.

‘You’re an Emperor with all the power and wealth in the world, and you can’t even let me go on a trip to nurse my health?!’

After bathing, while receiving a massage, Medea continued to worry. She didn’t know that her injury and accident was kept a secret so that she couldn’t use a recovery retreat as an excuse.

‘I still have enough time. According to the novel, Ian is still safe—for now. Before that incident occurs, I have to somehow make contact with them… …’

The plan to use the recuperation retreat outing as a pretence to visit Seira’s castle and then naturally become friends was finished. She needed to come up with a new plan.

It was challenging to make direct contact because she was in the Empress’s body.

‘I need an intermediary — a person who can act like my limb.’

Since Medea only came up in the novel through Lyle’s and her brother, Luke’s memories, the description of someone the Empress could trust to act on her behalf was omitted.

Additionally, the novel began shortly after the Empress’s death and the funeral.

‘Luke…. Can I borrow Luke’s power?’

Luke Francis Caird, aka Caird’s heir and Small Duke, was the only person who missed the deceased Empress, Medea.

In fact, even though they were raised separately and had few if any memories together, he still cherished her. He had no memories of her, and she had little to do with Luke because she had to go through the rigorous lessons of the Duchess since childhood.

After entering the imperial palace, her father, the Duke, refused to meet her, which made Luke misunderstand that Emperor Lyle was using Medea as a hostage to seize power.

He also believed that the Emperor spread rumors about Medea—a trick to undermine the Empress’s authority.

It was no wonder he hated Lyle.

And frankly, it was true that Lyle used Medea as a hostage against Duke Caird.

This happened when he was just crowned, and Lyle’s was in danger. But now that the regime is stable, it is only a seemingly conflicting political, mental battle.

In this way, Duke Caird and Lyle were looking in the same direction.

Unlike Duke Caird, Luke would probably be happy to assist his sister and would run to the Imperial Palace.

But what would he say? ‘Want to be Seira’s supporter? Asking to raise Seira as a knight? Hmm…….’

Everyone would be perplexed and wonder why the Empress suddenly thought about it……

The troubled Medea remembered that there was one thing that could be used; in the latter part of the work, a mine emerged from the mountain range of the estate where Seira lived.

It was a vast mine that hosted quail-sized Velbright grade mana stones, of which it could fetch the same price as a handful of diamonds in her old world.

Swamps and mountains surrounded the estate where Seira lived; additionally, it was surrounded by fog that made it doubly challenging to farm, but mana stones often appeared.

That’s why her uncle wanted to kill them and take possession of the territory—a fact in which his nieces and nephews were clueless about.

Medea felt accomplished and a little bit of pride that she was able to remember this fact through a briefly mentioned conversation of three or four lines revealing that Seira was able to develop the mine with Emperor Lyle’s investment. And……

‘I’ll be rich! Isn’t that right!’

“Um, your Majesty—Empress?”

Medea suddenly leaped up on her massage bed, startling the maid who was massaging Medea.

Medea apologized for surprising her and came down from bed, her eyes shining triumphantly.

‘I’ll send Luke to invest in the mine in Seira’s territory. Ha ha ha ha ha! Although Lyle benefits in novels! Here I will benefit! The heroine and me and win-win! Hahaha!’

Of course, I laughed inside.

***

Medea prepared a letterhead but found out she couldn’t call Luke right away.

Medea needed to know if she had enough money to invest, and a number of preparations, such as bringing in someone who knows well about the province where Seira lived.

After being eaten by Lyle last night, this morning, and this afternoon, Medea was suffering and needed sleep.

“… … What is this?”

“It’s your pajamas, your Majesty.”

“I know it’s pajamas! But why are they all vaguely see-through and shiny!”

She was trying to change her clothes to go to bed, but the maids were recommending only negligees that are all pretty and sparkling.

It was very soft to the touch, but the intention was suspicious, Medea rejected.

“His Majesty might come.”

Medea clenched her teeth. “He will not come! If he has a conscience, he won’t come. My body is already in this state, can’t you see this?” asked Medea incredulously, pulling the neck of the dress she was wearing.

All over were flushed traces left by Lyle, who had not cooled down even after the love affair, biting, sucking, and licking Medea’s whole body.

‘You are not a beast… … . Why are you leaving so many kiss marks?’

The maid’s cheeks were dyed red and gave soft exclamations, “Oh!”

But Medea felt no sympathy from the startled audience; instead, it seemed to her that it was evidence or medals of favor from the Emperor.….

“[Sigh]..”

A maid tried to convince Medea again, who had her shoulders drooping.

“Now, his Majesty will come in every night. You have to get used to pajamas like this!”

“I don’t like it. It’s too transparent.”

‘Do you want to see me wearing this kind of thing? It seems like it will embarrass each other.”

Medea’s maid-in-waiting clung to her, pleading, “It’s my lifelong wish,” persuading her to compromise. Well, this was her wish.

“Fine, but instead of wearing it alone, I’ll wear a gown over it. Tomorrow morning, I’ll change my clothes right away, so I’ll bring the right clothes.”

“I hear and obey, your Majesty, Empress.”

The maid’s reply satisfied her even though Medea clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth and looked at the maids with a disapproving gaze for good measure.

***