Chapter: 879

Astelle turned her gaze to the window. It was almost midnight.

“I’ve been holding you up late every day without any shame. Go back and rest first today.”

Astelle reassured Gretel that she was fine and let her go. She went out to the back door of the Empress Palace to see her off.

The knight guarding the door was polite with slightly surprised eyes. Astelle ordered him, “Bring me a carriage.”

The carriage arrived shortly after.

Gretel poked her head out of the carriage window and waved her hand.

“Go straight to bed after this. I will be back tomorrow.”

“Yes, I’ll wait.”

Astelle returned to her study after seeing Gretel off.

The light from the candles and the fire from the fireplace lit up the dark room.

Theor is asleep and Kaizen said he would sleep in his palace tonight. She thought Hannah would be tired too, so she sent her to go to bed early today.

Astelle is the only one left in the study.

‘I’m going to sleep after looking for some information about medicinal herbs.’

There are still many books to look at.

Astelle stood in front of the desk, slowly flipping through the papers with pictures of medicinal herbs.

At that time, something touched her hand that was flipping through the dry sheet of paper. Astelle turned around, startled.

Kaizen was smiling at her.

“Your Majesty?”

“Oh, no. I think I startled you.”

He took a step back and grabbed Astelle’s wrist.

Astelle was startled and calmed her pounding chest.

“When did you come?”

“I just came in.”

He must have been in the study while she was going out to see Gretel off. He seems to have been hiding for a while to tease her on purpose.

“What kind of joke are you doing… … .”