Evelyn accepted the Empress Dowager in moderation, not too much.

Monica instantly sauntered into the chair provided for her with a slight smile. She didn’t appear uncomfortable, since she was once the owner of the Empress Palace before Evelyn.

“I came without telling you first.”

“That’s all right.”

After Monica heard Evelyn’s reply, she nodded and took a sip of tea, “I had talked with the Duke Metis.”

Monica opened the dialogue with sensitive words first.

“Stella will marry Duke Perth, and that’s the end of this conflict.”

“…Thank you.” Evelyn hesitated for a moment, so she only said the most common response appeared on her mind. Then Monica immediately shook her hand.

“I didn’t do it for you.”

“Still…… that’s what I wanted.”

” Hmm….” Monica spewed a strange voice as she didn’t know Evelyn was such a straightforward person.

“No one can stop His Majesty stubbornness. Besides, you’ve already brought his successor. So, the result wouldn’t have changed anyway.”

“But thanks to you, no one was hurt.”

Monica slightly frowned on one of her eyebrows at Evelyn’s thoughtful words, “I don’t understand. You and the Prince will never get hurt.”

“Yes, I guess so. But still, I don’t want anything unfortunate to happen because of the Prince.”

That was Evelyn’s pure conscience as a mother since the reason for the controversy over the Empress’s throne was because she hid Adrian’s presence.

That’s why she didn’t want any blood to be spilt because of her young child.

“To be sure, you’ve changed a lot,” Monica muttered to herself, looking at Evelyn’s blue eyes.

“You’ve changed, too, Your Highness.”

Looking to the past, there shouldn’t have been any contact between Monica and Evelyn.

They were meant to live as strangers without impacting each other’s lives, as in their previous life. But the prediction was wrong, and Monica ended up helping Evelyn.

“….. Since I’m an elder in this Imperial Palace, so I’ll take that as a compliment.”

It felt a little weird seeing the Empress Dowager, who used to say so nonchalantly, now looked a little ashamed. In hindsight, the way she avoided Evelyn’s gaze slightly similar to Fabian.

“I came here without a notice because I have a favour to ask you.” But Monica quickly turned the topic.

“Tell me,” Evelyn replied calmly.

“Duke Metis is my brother. So I know his personality. Right now, I somehow could persuade him, but he must have been dissatisfied and Stella’s lazy attitude won’t improve overnight.” Monica sighed and continued, “But as time goes by, he will realize that this is the best way for the good of everyone.”

Evelyn seemed to know what Monica wanted to say.

“Sudden things take enough time.” A soft smile blossomed around Evelyn’s mouth.

Monica starred at Evelyn eagerly as she couldn’t read her daughter-in-law’s mind.

“As empress, I will bless Lady Metis’ marriage. Even though she may still have many shortcomings due to her young age, but because she’s a smart lady, she can certainly live well as Duchess of Perth.”

“It’s true that both my brother and his daughter are too arrogant with the Imperial family. I can’t help but admit it.” Monica acknowledged it with an honest.

“But when this is over, I will go back to the Southern Palace and I don’t want to get involved in the Imperial affairs or society.”

At this point, what Monica wanted was very clear. So Evelyn nodded slightly and accepted her request.

“The greatest virtue of the Empress is compassion. I couldn’t, but I think you can.”

Although Monica, the Empress Dowager, already asked Duke Metis and Stella for their understanding. But they still seemed to have a hard time accepting it. But Evelyn understood that people couldn’t change overnight.

“I’ll try. Most importantly, as Your Highness said, things will get better with time.”

If Duke Metis and Stella gave up on the Empress throne and were satisfied with their current positions, they wouldn’t need to clash with Evelyn. So Monica asked Evelyn to be generous with them until then.

“You’re good at words. Unlike my son, he wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Evelyn chuckled at Monica remarks unknowingly. But then, as their eyes met, she looked a bit awkward.

“Oh, I didn’t laugh at the thought……”

“It’s fine, as his mother, I know His Majesty is like a wooden stone.”

Monica openly criticized this continent’s Emperor. There was no mistaking it, she was indeed Fabian’s mother.

“He’s been like that since he started learning to walk. Well, you must know it very well because now you’re raising the Prince. “

“I’m surprised but… … The Prince is a hyperactive child, and the maids and servants are having a hard time to take care of him.” Evelyn said with her gentle smile.

Monica’s face had an unbelievable expression, but her curiosity seemed to make a move. “You said, you’d show me the Prince next time, right?”

“Oh, that’s….”

Monica just said pleasantries. Because she thought, she only allowed seeing her grandson at official events, when he was accompanied by Fabian.

Meanwhile, her relationship with Fabian wasn’t close, so he couldn’t ask to meet or ask about her grandson.

“I’m a little embarrassed because he’s still clumsy and not good at everything. But lately, the Prince is learning to give an example. “

“I see…”

Monica generally appeared calm and unconcerned, but now she had a little trouble keeping up with their conversation.

“If Your Highness is willing to be generous and excuse that child’s shortcomings and inadequacies …May the Prince come and greet you?”

“Yes, of course.”

Surprisingly, Monica responded happily and bit her long pipe as usual.

Evelyn smiled at her, then she rang the silver bell on the table to call Nora, “Nora, please bring Adrian. He should say hello to Empress Mother …..and please tell Sir Hans as well.”

“Yes.”

Monica had a subtle smile on her face after Nora had politely stepped back.

“Soon, the Prince will come here. He had been practising about give an example before.”

“…Now?”

Monica already knew that the Prince would have to show an example in public later. However, Monica startled because Evelyn was much bolder than she thought, by sending her son to give an example directly in front of her.

“So, the Prince… He’s coming here now? He wants to greet me?”

“Yes, he’s not good enough, but he’s been studying well lately.”

Evelyn replied calmly. Instead, it was Monica who felt a little embarrassed, whereas Evelyn had no malice.

Monica couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a creature called a child up close.

In the first place, she didn’t intend to see her grandson today, and Monica didn’t think she had anything to do with him.

Only at this moment, her long pipe in her hand didn’t move for a while.

“He will come here soon.”

Sometimes a pure kindness was a terrifying thing.

” Right now…I can see him…..”

“As the Prince learns to give examples these days, he is very excited and happy because he feels a sense of accomplishment.”

Monica said nothing more and turned off the cigarette flame in a panic. She also gave an eye signal to the woman next to her to open the windows for air circulation.

She recalled a long time ago when Fabian, who was only about five or six years old, coughed as he inhaled her cigarette smoke.

“Oh wait, when I think about it, I don’t think he needs to meet me right now. The next time His Majesty is here…….”

But even before Monica finished her sentence, the knock rang from outside, and the door opened.

A small child was looking at them, yonder with his eyes gleamed brightly.

Monica forgot what to say for a moment because the black-haired child looked like Fabian in his childhood.

“Adrian, this is Her Highness, the Empress-mother, your grandmother. Do you understand what I mean?”

Adrian looked so nervous, so Evelyn spoke to him in a gentle voice.

After that, Adrian lifted his bright eyes and looked at Monica with his curious look. He must be timid seeing his chubby hands wriggled a bit.

“Um… Her High-ness! Em-press Mo-ther! …and Adrian’s grandmother…Is it …?”

Monica was unknowingly surprised when Adrian greeted her with a loud voice. He didn’t look like an Imperial child at all. She was a little amazed because she saw such a child in this palace for the first time.

“Please forgive him. As I said, he’s still clumsy and lacking.”

Evelyn calmly asked for her understanding. Then Adrian approached them a few steps and looked at his grandmother with reluctance.

“Adrian……is wrong ?”

Adrian rolled his round eyes. Monica’s heart was pounding as she looked at her grandson before her eyes. She felt something odd, and she didn’t know what to say.

“Oh…… I was wrong. Uhm!”

Adrian quickly wrapped his mouth with his hand as if he were blaming himself. Then, he tilted his eyebrows and turned his attention to Monica.

“You can do it slowly again.” Monica unknowingly talked to him. The words came out freely from her mouth out of control, making her felt very weird.

But she didn’t hate the smile that bloomed on the child’s face. And Adrian soon gained his confidence, as he knew that his grandmother favoured him.

“Adrian’s Grand Mo-ther! Her High-ness! Em-press Mo-ther!…..! How are you! Good to see you!”

Evelyn sighed inside, seeing Adrian welcomed her with more enthusiastic greeting than usual. At the same time, Monica struggled to swallow up her laughter that was about to burst.

But Adrian didn’t notice it, and he opened his mouth with more courage. It was considered as a great opportunity to show off his new greetings taught by Sir Hans.

“I’m good!”

Barely did Monica hold back her second laugh.

At the same time, Evelyn felt a little bit bitter. As well as Sir Hans, who listened secretly outside the door, also was frustrated. But Adrian, the main character in that place, looked very confident and proud to tell that he was good.

“Hmm…okay.”

Adrian’s cheeks flushed red when Monica answered his greeting. He looked delighted because Adrian felt that he was doing well with what he had learned.

“I’m good! And I did well!”

For a moment, a look of confusion came to cross Monica’s mind. It was a rare sight for her. As an Empress, she witnessed this for the first time in her life.

Moreover, he never raised her own child, Fabian, like this.

Again, Evelyn asked for Monica’s understanding with her glance. But Adrian still looked at his grandmother with his anticipated eyes.

“…Thank you.” Monica still looked puzzled, didn’t know how to give a proper response at him.

“Hem! Don’t mention it!*.”

(T/N > Adrian can’t say ‘Your Welcome’ )

Oh gosh, Evelyn’s face turned hazy this time. All his etiquette were completely different from what Sir Hans had taught him. Now she began to wonder where Adrian learned such words from.

Was it too early to show Adrian to the Empress?

Evelyn saw the stern look on Monica’s face, and she glared at Nora who stood behind her to take Adrian out of the room.

“Well, Adrian, now let’s……”

Parenting, however, was also a tough thing.

“Yes, Now! Adrian will introduce Ugly! Oh, grandmother wait a second!

Evelyn was keenly aware that Adrian was simply had an unpredictable and uncontrollable behaviour.

“Don’t go. Stay here. I’ll bring Ugly! Okay!?”

Evelyn immediately got up from her seat and tried to ask Monica to be patient at her son’s attitude. However, Monica answered faster than her.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

The way he spoke was as graceful and calm as ever. Adrian took Nora’s hand and immediately left the room merrily.

Evelyn’s cold sweat was already flowing profusely when she saw the look on the Empress Dowager face.

Her calm-expressionless face as if nothing had happened, resembled Fabian a lot.