Sophia regretted it the instant she agreed to Murphy's invitation.
With that invitation, he had already wrested the initiative from her.
But under the circumstances, it had indeed offered her a graceful way out, so smoothly presented that she had never realized it was a trap that would reverse their positions.
By the time she noticed, she was already strolling alongside him.
Accompanying someone to admire the scenery was how one treated honored guests and friends. Under those circumstances, she naturally could not continue demanding answers.
Sophia felt indignant, but going back on her word now would make her seem fickle and unreasonable. She could only fall back on royal etiquette and follow his lead with grace and dignity as they strolled.
Of course, a stroll involved more than walking. After exchanging a few remarks about the scenery, they began probing each other for information.
"I heard from them that you run a potions business?" Her Majesty asked.
"I have a few small shops. Nothing worth mentioning," Murphy said.
"But they said you sell potions to Muggles, and that is where all your wealth comes from," Sophia added.
"I'm certain those are merely rumors," Murphy said. "By the way, I heard you have Romanov Family blood?"
Sophia frowned. "If you mean that my maternal great-grandmother was a surviving member of the Romanov Family, then yes. Her name was Anastasia, Nicholas II's youngest daughter."
"A wizard responsible for protecting their family at the time helped her escape the massacre. She later married the crown prince of the Arkaim Magical Empire. Their son was my maternal grandfather."
"I have a question, Your Majesty," Murphy said. "Why did your grandfather choose your mother as his successor rather than your uncle? I hear that even in Arkaim, empresses are uncommon."
"My grandfather did not