“Can you do that?”“…”“Empress? Why won’t you talk to me?”I was going to apologize, but quickly shoved it down because I didn’t think it was something I should apologize for.“No, Your Majesty.”Sovieshu’s brow furrowed at my flat refusal.“One seat is fine. There is surely one or two people the Empress can ask.”“It’s possible to ask for consent if they agree. But if Secretary Bimeli or the Chief Magician Calenzano came, they would be offended by the sudden cancellation of the invitation…for your concubine.”Sovieshu’s expression turned even colder.“I understand the connotation of your words, Empress.”“The answer would have been the same if it had been my lover, or even if it had been another concubine that was not Rashta.”“Then why don’t we exclude people such as Duchess Tuania?”“I don’t want to hurt the people I cherish, Your Majesty.”“!”“Can you do that?”“…”“Empress? Why won’t you talk to me?”I was going to apologize, but quickly shoved it down because I didn’t think it was something I should apologize for.“No, Your Majesty.”Sovieshu’s brow furrowed at my flat refusal.“One seat is fine. There is surely one or two people the Empress can ask.”“It’s possible to ask for consent if they agree. But if Secretary Bimeli or the Chief Magician Calenzano came, they would be offended by the sudden cancellation of the invitation…for your concubine.”Sovieshu’s expression turned even colder.“I understand the connotation of your words, Empress.”“The answer would have been the same if it had been my lover, or even if it had been another concubine that was not Rashta.”“Then why don’t we exclude people such as Duchess Tuania?”“I don’t want to hurt the people I cherish, Your Majesty.”“!”