After Simon escorted Belinda back to her room, just before closing the door, Belinda looked at him in surprise.
“Simon, how could the Empress suddenly appear here?”
Usually, when Alexia left the palace, she was always surrounded by attendants, a crowd following her.
How could she possibly arrive at Simon’s manor so quietly?
“I don’t know.”
Simon answered honestly.
“Her Majesty the Empress’s movements have always been unpredictable. Even if I can guess most of her thoughts, I can never predict what she’ll actually do.”
He bent down and gently kissed her forehead, pushing her further into the room.
“Just rest well for today. Whatever it is, let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
“Mm, okay.”
Belinda responded.
Simon then closed the door.
When he walked to the living room and saw Alexia sitting at the table, his head throbbed for no reason.
It wasn’t that he disliked her.
It was just that meals with her were too particular, too troublesome.
Even if Alexia said to eat simply, could he really make it simple?
But as soon as he approached, Alexia spoke up.
“Little Fish Soup, is that possible?”
Simon nodded.
“Of course. As long as you want it, Alexia, I can make it for you.”
While Simon was busy in the kitchen, Alexia, perhaps feeling bored, followed the scent to the kitchen door.
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and looked at Simon inside.
“Tell me, Simon, who did you learn your cooking skills from?”
Simon paused at the question.
He continued with his work as he replied.
“Alexia, if I tell the truth, promise you won’t hit me.”
Alexia smiled slightly.
“Why would I hit you?”
Simon sighed helplessly.
“Because it was all forced out by you. Back then, I was only good enough to boil noodles or cook a barely edible porridge.”
“The Little Fish Soup you want now—before, I wouldn’t have dared to even dream of it.”
It couldn’t be said he never did any chores, but he was close.
Back then, for him, as long as his basic physical needs were met, it was enough.
Alexia laughed at that.
“So, you should thank me. At least I awakened your potential. Otherwise, you might never have known you could make such delicious things in your whole life.”
“Yeah, right. Thank you so much.”
He muttered inwardly: Ah, yes, yes, you’re the Empress, so of course whatever you say is right.
But Alexia heard the perfunctory praise.
“Insincere~ But I don’t dislike it.”
After that sentence, Alexia fell silent for a long time.
She just leaned there, quietly watching Simon.
Until the pot of bubbling Little Fish Soup finally appeared on the dining table, Alexia lowered her head and inhaled its fresh aroma.
She felt the warmth wash away much of her exhaustion.
“It still smells as good as ever. Men like you, who can cook, are rare these days.”
Alexia teased Simon, who sat across from her.
“Simon, don’t you think you really look like a virtuous husband busy for his wife?”
Simon wanted to say that the words sounded inappropriate, but looking at Alexia’s relaxed demeanor, he just went along with it.
“Then by your logic, Alexia, you worked outside all day but didn’t bring home a single coin. Does that still make you a good wife?”
Alexia had come straight here today, clearly for a break, so naturally, he wanted her to be in a good mood.
Alexia laughed a few times.
“Fine… fine, I am a bit unqualified. Then what about Belinda? Is she the daughter-card lightbulb that interrupted our world of two?”
As she spoke, something suddenly came to mind.
“Speaking of Belinda… are you really trying to tame her?”
The way Belinda looked today wasn’t good.
At this rate, the effect Alexia wanted couldn’t be achieved.
“Didn’t you say, Alexia, that I could use any means necessary? This is the simplest way—to make Belinda able to kill Pandas without hesitation.”
Simon replied.
Although he hadn’t actually treated Belinda that way, in front of Alexia, the lie had to continue.
At the very least, he couldn’t let Alexia interfere in Belinda’s upbringing.
Otherwise, he truly feared Alexia would mold Belinda into someone like herself.
What the Empire needed in the future was certainly not another tyrant who did as they pleased.
“Making her forget her surname is one thing, but turning her into a dog was never part of it.”
Alexia emphasized once more.
“I still need her in the future.”
“……You never told me that.”
Simon acted completely clueless.
Alexia sighed softly.
“True, I never explained in detail why I want Belinda to survive.”
She finished the bowl of Little Fish Soup before her and raised her head, looking a bit resentful.
“But Simon, can’t you sense my intentions at all?”
“? “
Simon protested.
“Alexia, I’m not a worm in your stomach. How could I possibly know what you’re thinking?”
Alexia was surprised by his words.
“Usually, you and I share an unspoken understanding. Why is it only when it comes to Belinda that it fails?”
Many times, even things she never expected herself, that was precisely why she valued Simon.
With him by her side, she could save much effort and focus more on governing the entire Empire.
“I can usually guess your intentions in daily matters, but with things like this, you have to at least give me a heads-up! All I knew was that you planned to use Belinda against Pandas, and that’s it.”
As Simon finished speaking, he glanced at Alexia to see her reaction—only to find she was already leaning back in her chair, eyes closed.
Though she seemed like she wanted to continue the conversation, Simon could tell from her slow, steady breathing that she was truly asleep.
Simon looked back and forth between Alexia on the chair and the steaming pot of Little Fish Soup on the table.
He couldn’t help but raise a hand to his forehead, helpless.
Just one bowl and she was full enough to fall asleep?
The rest was too much.
Well, now he could have another meal—almost the whole pot.
But before enjoying the leftover Little Fish Soup, he had to send Alexia back to her bedroom.
Judging by her condition, Simon thought she needed at least a full day of sleep.
This alone showed just how much the previous battle with the Witch in the imperial city had drained her.
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