《Baby Princess Through the Status Window》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 How did this happen? ¡°You devil!¡± ¡°Go ahead and die! You evil wench!¡± The outraged crowd doubled down on Siervian as if they were pummeling her whole body mercilessly. It was already difficult to continue trudging forward with these magic restraints on her body, but it was the harsh criticism all around her that made her stumble. ¡°Throw some trash over!¡± ¡°Yeah! Throw it!¡± Something was flung straight at me, hitting the back of my head with a thud. The guards tried to stop it, but it was already too late. The guards barely made a move to do so, anyway. The rancid stench of food waste wove into her hair. ¡°Rotten food just for you, you damn wench!¡± ¡°There are children starving!¡± Tying to pay them no mind, Siervian continued her march silently. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to luxury!¡± The mob grew angrier when Siervian did not respond, but unbeknownst to them, her lips curled up at the mention of ¡®luxury¡¯. I tried my best, but it was still just ¡®luxury¡¯. It¡¯s unfair. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say she goes on violent rampages? The people at the palace couldn¡¯t even describe how harsh it was for them.¡± ¡°How is it possible that this kind of princess came from the saint-like Emperor . . . ¡± Those in the crowd who had nothing in their hands to throw instead whispered amongst themselves in a purposely loud voice for her to hear. With the exception of one person, the entire capital was thrown into a celebratory mood as if there was a festival. News of the wicked woman¡¯s execution fuelled the curious madness permeating the air, finally facing persecution for her luxury and indulgence. ¡®It¡¯s really unfair.¡¯ Their brimming emotions were slowing her pace. She wanted to lift her head proudly and declare that she never did any such thing. ¡°And she also mastered black magic? I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s gone crazy.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve to be a princess.¡± She wanted to raise her head, but at these condemning words, she cowered once more. That it was unjust, that it wasn¡¯t the case¡ªeven if she said so, nothing would change. No one would believe her. It had been like this for a long time. ¡®As those people said, I really don¡¯t deserve the position.¡¯ She was rigorously educated to become a rightful princess. She never rebelled. She didn¡¯t even remember her own childhood because she had to commit herself fully. She did all that, yet this was the result. ¡°Ooohh . . . !¡± ¡°That person? She¡¯s the evil witch?¡± It grew harder for her to raise her head when innocent children¡¯s voices joined in the jeering. She continued trudging forward. As she had been imprisoned for a prolonged period, her feet quickly grew cold. Though the temperature around the Empire¡¯s capital was being controlled by magic, it was still torturous to walk barefoot outside. Blood gradually began to trickle from the cuts on her feet. ¡°Climb.¡± But no one cared, so no one gave her any shoes. The many guards around her even resorted to mocking her, saying that it was a small price for all the evil deeds she had done. Like this guard ushering her to the gallows. ¡®This is the end, isn¡¯t it.¡¯ Siervian slowly climbed the stairs. As she ascended one step at a time, her body grew heavier. She was about to face her family. Today, of all days, was a day before Siervian¡¯s coming-of-age. She would have become an adult after her birthday tomorrow. ¡°Here, here! The sinner, Siervian, shall be judged under the strict laws of the Erveldotte Empire!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but grin as her name was called by the executioner. It was very like her cold-hearted father to order the removal of the Erveldotte title from his daughter¡¯s name just as he handed down her sentence. And even with the death sentence of his own child, he let the executioner handle it. ¡°For all the evil deeds you have done, for going as far as touching black magic . . .¡± Even mentioning black magic was ridiculous. Siervian didn¡¯t even know what it was, let alone having mastered it. Nevertheless, she was known as a witch who dealt with black magic. If she really had that power, then the first thing she would have done was run away. ¡°Ugh . . .¡± Her arms were tied firmly behind her back. She wouldn¡¯t be able to move anyway because of the magic binding her body. In all of the Empire¡¯s 500-year history, Siervian was the first princess to be executed. And she¡¯s probably the first to be framed like this as well. ¡°. . . . . . Princess . . .¡± The faint call of the Empress drifted in the air. At the sound of her trembling voice, Siervian realized she was the only family who cared for her. The Empress was different from the father and brother who gave only cold gazes to the princess they deemed useless and unworthy. They uttered no words. ¡°Ugh.¡± With all her remaining strength, Siervian twisted her body because she wanted to look up. Her father and brother must be next to the Empress. However, after the Empress¡¯s faint call, no other sound could be heard from them. Especially her father. She wanted to ask how it was possible for him to say nothing when his own child was about to die. ¡°For the crime of plundering the national treasury for luxury and pleasure, for failing to protect your dignity as an Imperial Princess . . .¡± In the end, Siervian couldn¡¯t raise her head. The binding spell that had been cast on her was meant to restrict a sinner¡¯s movements in case they try to escape, but apart from this purpose, the spell also intended to force the sinner to kneel down in repentance. Which was why she had been unable to lift her gaze all this time. ¡®How could you . . .¡¯ She desperately tried to force her gaze upward, but he was too high up. She could barely see her aloof father¡¯s chin. The distance between a sinner and an Emperor¡¯s throne was far too great . . . ¡°. . . For the crime of besmirching the Imperial Family¡¯s eminence through black magic . . .¡± The executioner continued going down the list of Siervian¡¯s sins. They were all unwarranted, all ridiculous. Especially about besmirching the Imperial Family. It never happened. ¡°For the felony of planning a coup against the Crown Prince . . .¡± She never wanted the Emperor¡¯s throne. She never even wanted to be Crown Princess. There was only one thing that Siervian wanted. ¡ªIt was just a little bit of their love. As the executioner continued his oration, Karmen, the Magic Tower¡¯s liege, stepped forward. That cold gaze, which expressed a deep-seated hatred clearly, met Siervian¡¯s eyes directly. The small object in Karmen¡¯s hand was probably the detonator that would be used to kill Siervian. ¡°Execute the death penalty.¡± At the low voice¡¯s prompting, the small object began to shine. In it¡¯s reflective glow, Siervian realized that it was a silver pendant with a diamond-shaped red jewel. In an instant, her eyes rolled up and turned white. ¡®It¡¯s too bright to call this death.¡¯ It was a beautiful, magical brilliance that instantly killed a person. But she was a princess. Karmen was meant to use a water spell that led to one¡¯s death without any pain. Siervian was told that this was the case. ¡®Lies . . .¡± It felt like her heart felt like it was about to explode. Everything was a lie. It wasn¡¯t long before life slowly drained from her body. Her head, which had previously been rigid, now lolled down freely. ¡°. . . Siervian.¡± Only then did the Emperor call her name quietly. But the hushed voice could not be heard by his daughter, whose consciousness was slipping away. With her eyelids becoming heavier, Siervian thought, ¡®Father . . . I wonder how you . . .¡¯ However, her eyes closed soon before she took her last breath. Siervian would never know what kind of expression his father had as he called her name for the last time. * * * ¡°Princess, please wake up. Your Highness!¡± There was a loud voice. Siervian, who had been thinking blankly, opened her eyes all of a sudden. However, there was a disconnect in her actions. How was it possible for her to open her eyes? ¡°Oh dear. Princess, why is it hard to wake you up, especially today?¡± The first thing that entered her vision was the radiant sunlight. ¡®Why is there sunlight . . .¡¯ Having been locked up in a dungeon for a long period of time, it¡¯s been a long time since she felt the chilly sunlight of the North. In a daze, Siervian sat up. Although she had only a little strength in her body, the pain from her long life in prison had noticeably disappeared. ¡®My body isn¡¯t in pain! I don¡¯t feel cold!¡¯ She looked around absently and realized that she was in a familiar room. It was a room at the Princess¡¯s Palace, the place she resided in until she was imprisoned. The cumbersome, dark-colored furniture that the Empress specifically selected. A bed that had a design that was too heavy for her when she was younger. ¡®Has this room . . . always been this big?¡¯ Something was off. At first, it seemed like an elaborate dream, as if it were a hallucination that anyone on the verge of death would see. ¡°You have to get up and have your breakfast, Your Highness.¡± It was a familiar voice. Siervian, who had been absent-minded, abruptly focused her gaze. Indeed, the person in front of Siervian was Sarah, albeit with a younger appearance. ¡°Princess?¡± There was something strange about her eye level, but Siervian brushed this off. She was only glad to see the other person. Of course she felt this way. After all, Sarah, the head maid, was the only one in this cold palace who smiled at her. ¡°Sarah!¡± Without giving it any more thought, Siervian reached out with her arms wide open. It was a somewhat awkward greeting for an adult to express her delight, but she did so unconsciously. [ Sarah ] Occupation: Head Maid (Lv.14) At that exact moment, something floating by her periphery caught her eye. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was a translucent light blue rectangle, sort of like a small window that moved along with her gaze. [ Sarah ] Occupation: Head Maid (Lv.14) Favorability: 400 Mood: Annoyed ¡® . . . What?¡¯ Framing the window was a colorful embroidered pattern, and inside were words that showed Sarah¡¯s name, favorability, and mood. ¡°Princess? It¡¯s time for you to wake up.¡± ¡°Uh . . .¡± Disoriented, Siervian simply gaped. She fully thought this was just a dream, but Sarah continued to peer down at her. Right then, the contents of the translucent window changed. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: Why aren¡¯t you rising from bed properly today? I really hate kids that need so much work. So annoying. Siervian, who read the text in a hurry without realizing, was speechless. She was so stunned that her heart skipped a beat. No matter how many times she read the words, the window that continued to follow her vision stayed there. ¡°Now, now, our well-mannered Princess must rise early.¡± She shook her head back and forth, but the bizarre text did not disappear. Sarah pulled Siervian¡¯s little body up. Wait . . . small body? Only then did she realize the source of the disconnect that she felt since earlier. Her body, wasn¡¯t it too small? ¡°Princess, do you not hear my voice?¡± Siervian, who came to her senses through the older woman¡¯s rough touch, finally managed to answer. ¡°Yes.¡± [ Sarah ] Thoughts: I really have to hold myself back from swearing. Could it be that . . . the window revealed what people truly felt? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Apparently, she became young again. After mulling it over again and again for the past few days, Siervian finally admitted it. ¡°The dispway cabinet is still fwine . . .¡± Seeing as the blue jeweled cabinet was still intact, it¡¯s clear that this was a period before she turned eight years old. It was her favorite cabinet, but one day she came back to her room and found it broken. From that day on, there was a rumor that the Imperial Princess went on violent rampages. ¡°My hand . . . why dwon¡¯t I have any stwength . . .¡± Sensitive to the changes around her, Siervian stared at the cabinet and gripped her spoon once more. The daze continued in the next couple of days. At first, she thought it was a dream, but then later realized that it was all too realistic. She wouldn¡¯t be able to remember her childhood with this much detail. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: What¡¯s wrong with this kid these days. How annoying. Sarah was smiling sweetly, but beside her were those words on the window. Over the past few days, Siervian confirmed that Sarah¡¯s thoughts on the window changed according to her actions. If the sentences shown in that window really showed Sarah¡¯s thoughts, then the smiles that Siervian used to find solace in were all fake. ¡°Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere, Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okaaay.¡± Siervian¡¯s pronunciation was off because she still couldn¡¯t adapt to her young voice. The same was true for the little hand that gripped her spoon. This was definitely the Princess¡¯s Palace where she grew up, but now everything was too big and too high up. ¡°Go ahead and eat now.¡± If she acted like she did as before, she would have thought the soup was meant to be eaten before it was cooled down, even if she couldn¡¯t taste anything. Sarah was still smiling. But the translucent window in front of her was saying something else. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: How many times should I repeat myself. Ugh. The font on the window changed from time to time as it portrayed the true feelings of the window¡¯s owner. Siervian decided to call it a ¡®status window¡¯. ¡®I¡¯m really surprised I can see their thoughts like this . . . even though the content is shocking.¡¯ Today, the soup was sour and tasteless. It didn¡¯t have any solid ingredients, and there was too much of the pepper she hated. ¡°If you continue being picky, His Majesty will get mad.¡± As Siervian lowered her hand, the Emperor rose to the forefront of her mind. Every time she thought of him, Siervian¡¯s expression would harden as she was reminded of the bright light that the death penalty tool emitted. She wouldn¡¯t be able to forget it. ¡°Oouuooh.¡± Aside from the status window, Siervian had another dilemma. ¡°Pepper, bad!¡± ¡°Princess!¡± Even though it was a lousy meal, a princess must still always embody elegance. That¡¯s how it was. She knew this. But her body was rejecting it. ¡°This isn¡¯t soup!¡± Helpless, Siervian watched her hands push away the soup bowl. There was a reason why she couldn¡¯t control her own body like this. In the mirror, she could see a status window floating beside her. [ Siervian Erveldotte (5 y.o.) ] Body and soul synchronization ¡¤ ¡¤ ¡¤ 1% Current actions are in line with the body. :?: The appearance of Sarah¡¯s status window was similar, but the words on this one were different. There was also an unknown diamond function here. What stood out the most was the mention of ¡°current actions are in line with the body.¡± It was a grim sign that she would continue acting like a five-year-old regardless of her mental age. This was why the words that came out of her lips were different from what she was thinking. She couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue at this. Meanwhile, Sarah rose from her seat, looking as if she couldn¡¯t hold back the irritation she felt anymore. ¡°Then, do as you please.¡± [ Sarah ] Thoughts: Whatever. I have to go and report this. Report? Siervian, who reflexively flinched after seeing Sarah¡¯s stern face, couldn¡¯t hide her look of curiosity when she read the status window. She couldn¡¯t hide her expressions, just like a child. ¡°Ellie, look after the Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sarah left the room without saying goodbye or asking for permission to be dismissed. It seemed to be because she was undermining Siervian. It was very rude to act this way in front of a princess, but Siervian just lowered her gaze. ¡®I don¡¯t know about anything else, but I do know that I shouldn¡¯t complain about the food. Especially me.¡¯ Desperate, Siervian picked up the rough bread next to the soup. Made from low quality grains, the bread was too big for her small hands so she couldn¡¯t hold it properly. With tasteless soup and bread like this, it made her wonder. It was strange that a growing child had a diet this messy. ¡®Ah, I get it. I¡¯ve been hated ever since then.¡¯ Siervian ate very little back then and left a lot of food on her plate, so she didn¡¯t know she was being served horrible meals like this. Throughout these gloomy thoughts, she silently chewed on the crumbly bread. She let it be and just listened to what her young body wanted to do. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yesh?¡± Ellie, who had been standing in the corner, approached Siervian. It was memorable how strict Ellie was with her, so she immediately felt nervous on reflex. Ellie didn¡¯t notice Siervian¡¯s reaction. As she was approaching, for some reason she went to the door and looked out briefly, then hurried back. Then, she took out a small piece of white bread from her sleeve and carefully held it out to Siervian. ¡°Please take this, Princess.¡± ¡°This?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her behavior was a little weird, but Siervian said nothing. Because she saw the floating window beside Ellie. [ Ellie ] Occupation: Maid (Lv.60) Favorability: 9,867 Mood: Sorrowful Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe they served this kind of food to such a cute and lovely person. My poor little princess. Ellie had a lower position than Sarah, but she had a much higher level than her. And her thoughts . . . were a little strange. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Please dig in. Go ahead, please eat! Good for your body and tastes amazing¡ªsoft white bread! The maid¡¯s facial expression didn¡¯t change at all, but according to the status window, she seemed to be enthusiastic about Siervian eating. She unconsciously took a bite. ¡°. . . !¡± It tasted a lot different from what she was used to. ¡®It¡¯s softer, sweeter, tastier bread!¡¯ Ellie looked at Siervian¡¯s surprised expression with indifference. She didn¡¯t know that Siervian was looking closely at the floating window. [ Ellie ] Favorability: 9,867 Her favorability points were also much higher than Sarah. Why was it like this? * * * ¡°Now then, let¡¯s use this ribbon for your hair today, Princess.¡± ¡°Not that . . .¡± ¡°Princess, I¡¯m sure that the Emperor will get angry if you complain like this.¡± ¡°Okaaay.¡± The thick sea-colored ribbon in Sarah¡¯s hand didn¡¯t suit Siervian¡¯s black hair. All of the clothes in her closet were mismatched and the colors were all wrong. The materials used for them were all high quality, so it was questionable how this all came to be. ¡®I don¡¯t care if the clothes don¡¯t suit me, but why is everything so luxurious?¡¯ Sarah¡¯s attitude was also strange. She definitely had an amiable expression on, but the words on her status window were too harsh. She never listened to what Siervian had to say, but she would always retort that Siervian complained for no reason whenever she opened her mouth. And she would always mention that His Majesty would surely get mad at her. ¡®Would father really be angry?¡¯ Siervian winced involuntarily. She was frightened just by the thought of her father. Just as her body moved by itself to push away the pepper soup, she was having an out-of-body experience again. ¡®It¡¯s scary.¡¯ While Siervian was shaking in fright, Ellie stood in front of her with an expressionless face. Then, the status window popped up. [ Ellie ] Mood: Frustrated Thoughts: Look at that hair, so soft and glossy . . . Just letting it hang naturally already makes her look like a painting. I can style it better . . . Sarah doesn¡¯t know how to use her hands. Thanks to the status window, Siervian managed to snap out of her fear. But then she looked at the status window strangely. It was an eerie but extremely useful advantage to have the ability to know what the other person was thinking. ¡°Please raise your head,¡± murmured Sarah. Because she could see what¡¯s inside, she knew what¡¯s really going on. Sarah, even as she was talking in a sweet voice, was being awfully rude right now. ¡°Princess, you have to keep your back straight,¡± Ellie said. On the other hand, even if Ellie¡¯s voice was a little harsh, she couldn¡¯t help but express her innermost feelings by expressing her concern like this. . . . If this status window could be utilized well, couldn¡¯t she prevent her enemies from hating her? Maybe this time she could avoid an execution in the future. ¡®Perhaps also my father?¡¯ Maybe her father was the same as them, that he also felt different from what he outwardly expressed? Siervian had this brief thought, but she soon shook her head. To straighten her posture, Sarah moved her head and quickly berated Siervian¡ªall while pretending to be sweet. Siervian¡¯s scalp was throbbing because Sarah kept pulling on her hair on purpose. ¡®In the first place, what reason would there be for the Emperor to be conscious of his actions.¡¯ Siervian¡¯s father, the stern ruler of the Empire, would not behave differently like other people. The fleeting thought quickly disappeared from her mind, and what¡¯s left for her to worry about was her small, undeveloped body that refused to move at her will. ¡®But why am I getting dressed up today?¡¯ Well, she didn¡¯t look good at all, regardless. The noble air of the Imperial Family should still be reflected outwardly, so it was important for her to look dignified as a princess. Sarah gave Siervian a bath, but neither dried her hair nor brought her new clothes. Meals were given only once a day, and it was always pepper-laden soup with hard bread. All the small chores, like drying Siervian¡¯s hair and dressing her in her mismatched clothes, were Ellie¡¯s responsibility. Ellie didn¡¯t talk to Siervian while doing so, but the status window in front of her would keep showing that she was feeling sorry for her. ¡®I want to go outside.¡¯ She already went back to the past, but it felt like she was imprisoned once more. Her young body especially felt uncomfortable in the palace. ¡°I¡¯m going outswide today?¡± Having been dressed up for the first time in a long while, Siervian¡¯s expectations were raised. She thought she might be going out for a stroll. ¡°His Majesty will be visiting today. Did you forget, Your Highness?¡± [ Sarah ] Thoughts: What an idiot. I can¡¯t even remember how many times I told you already. Contrary to Siervian¡¯s previous impression of her, Sarah¡¯s thoughts were like a thunderbolt flashing throughout a downcast sky. Exasperated, she continued combing Siervian¡¯s hair roughly. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.¡± As soon as Siervian got ready, she heard the Emperor¡¯s footsteps outside the door. ¡®I-I¡¯m scared . . . !¡¯ The young Siervian¡¯s body quivered tremendously. ¡®I¡¯m not prepared to face him yet!¡¯ Apart from her body, the soul of the adult Siervian was also tense. Ultimately, she had died after having been abandoned by her father. At that moment, the door burst open. Sarah and Ellie bowed deeply and quickly stepped back. Like a snowstorm, a tall man with wavy, silver hair came into the room. He had on a look of indifference. It was the same cold expression that she remembered, but he now looked younger. ¡°Siervian.¡± She needed to convey her greetings. He might kill her again otherwise. But the unexpected sight before her kept her nailed to her seat. There was a status window floating near the Emperor¡¯s chest. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Occupation: Emperor (Lv.99) Favorability: 90,980,984 Mood: ? My Daughter ? I ¨C Miss ¨C You Thoughts: It¡¯s such a cold day, but it¡¯s a lovely day anyway because I finally get to see my precious darling Siervian. My arrival was delayed by one minute because that bloody duke held me up. Does his greed know no bounds? I¡¯ll have to order a tax investigation on that duke to dig up dirt on him. It at least won¡¯t be a decapitation, so I¡¯m being merciful enough. . . . Father? What the hell is this?! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°What are you looking so intently at?¡± The emperor asked Siervian, who was staring blankly at her father¡¯s status window. His blue eyes, as cold as the wind of the north, pierced directly through hers. It was the cold, heartless gaze she remembered. ¡°You¡¯re not running away from me today.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: She¡¯s looking at me longer this time. Maybe she grew up a little. I should have come earlier. I¡¯ll leave you alone this time, you damn Duke. The Emperor walked closer to where Siervian was sitting and looked down at his daughter. A heavy silence descended upon the air around them. She could remember what happened until this point. But . . . [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Everytime I see her, she gets lovelier and lovelier. I can¡¯t believe how prettily she sparkles. Is the God of Mana playing tricks on me? As expected, I should celebrate this auspicious day. The festival should be named ¡®Mana God¡¯s Trick Anniversary¡¯. The silence stretched further. On the other hand, the status window was being too noisy. She didn¡¯t know which was more shocking, this or¡ªno, no. This was infinitely more shocking. ¡®My father? To me? Really? But why . . . ?¡¯ Siervian¡¯s clothes today were luxurious, but they didn¡¯t look good on her at all. Well, it¡¯s not to the point that anyone should be raving about it. . . . She was terrified of him just a while ago, but seeing his thoughts like this made her fear go away. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it . . . If this is how Father thinks, then . . .¡¯ A strange feeling enveloped Siervian. Was her father like this the entire time in her previous life? No. He wouldn¡¯t have let her die if that was the case. ¡°I need to go now.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Is this the limit? But we¡¯ve been together for one whole minute today. I should order a memorial tree to be planted in my palace¡¯s garden to commemorate this day. Dreadfully confused, Siervian reflexively clenched the skirt of her dress. As soon as the Emperor saw her small, tiny hands turning white, he thought that he should go and come back next time. Feeling his gaze on her, Siervian soon figured out the situation. ¡®Come to think of it, you said I wasn¡¯t running away today.¡¯ If she remembered right, was it at this time of the year that she was hiding from her father? Still, her body wouldn¡¯t move at all. It was exactly the behavior of a little girl who was scared. ¡°I¡¯ll be back next week.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± It was then that Sarah¡¯s strange status window appeared. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: Haaa, this week, too. Do you have to come here every time? Not much happens anyway. Siervian¡¯s father seemed to visit every week to check up on her. It must be that those dresses in her closet were meant to clothe her in some semblance of reasonable fashion. ¡°It¡¯s a relief, Your Majesty. The Princess didn¡¯t run away today.¡± Chancellor Hex, who came here with the Emperor, suddenly talked to him in hushed excitement. ¡°Hmm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 The emperor wanted Siervian to see him off, but he turned away without saying anything. Up until that moment, the floating status window that showed his innermost feelings was still there. Wait, if you go like this, then . . . ! ¡°Hm?¡± Gasp. Siervian could hear everyone around her stifle their astonishment. Her small, dainty hand entered their sight, holding the Emperor¡¯s collar with all her might. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sievian took a small breath. She couldn¡¯t believe what she¡¯d just done, grabbing the Emperor¡¯s collar without permission. She didn¡¯t know why he wouldn¡¯t just push her away if he didn¡¯t like it. However, she managed to pluck up the courage to do so after looking at the status window. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Mood: ? My Daughter ? I¡¯m ¨C so ¨C touched! Thoughts: You know how to grab collars with your small hands! Now that I can see them closer, I can see that your hands look like mine. Siervian¡¯s hands are sooo cute that I didn¡¯t notice. Maybe this status window was just a fever dream. But if it was real, then . . . ¡®If it is, then I want to confirm. Why was it like that in the past?¡¯ She needed to talk to him very clearly and very coherently from now on. ¡®Maybe the future can be changed.¡¯ Give her a minute. She needed to speak like a well-educated princess. Formal. Calm. But then, something unexpected came out of her lips. ¡°Bre-bread!¡± That¡¯s not it! What bread! She was overcome by embarrassment. What she was trying to say was: ¡®Your Majesty, please allow me a moment of your time. I want to have tea with you.¡¯ No matter how unsynchronized her body was with her mind, where on earth did bread come from?! At that moment, the Emperor¡¯s eyes became harsh at her sudden exclamation. The status window didn¡¯t show up this time, so Siervian let go of his collar at once, doubting herself. She needs to shut herself up . . . she just made her father mad. ¡°Are the Princess¡¯s meals insufficient?¡± But contrary to Siervian¡¯s concern, the Emperor¡¯s heated gaze settled on Sarah instead. It was Sarah who was practically starving her. The lady-in-waiting¡¯s plump body trembled and her status window kept flickering, revealing her unease. ¡°T-that is not the case, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then why is Siervian looking for bread at this hour?¡± The Emperor¡¯s wrath was solely directed at Sarah. Bewildered, Siervian clasped her hands together and clenched tight. ¡®You¡¯re not mad at me?¡¯ Just then, in her periphery, a status window popped up in front of Hex, who was standing next to the Emperor. [ Hex ] Occupation: Chancellor (Lv.89) Favorability: +10 Siervian looked up in a daze, but Hex was looking elsewhere. Then, his status window changed. [ Hex ] Thoughts: Phew, I almost got caught staring at the Princess. I shouldn¡¯t surprise her because she¡¯s so wary around people. By the way, her hands are really cute. Siervian could only gape wildly. What¡¯s wrong with everyone? ¡°Princess, do you want to have dinner with H-His Majesty?¡± Sarah stuttered nervously. Siervian felt her body flinch at the mention of ¡®dinner¡¯. She remembered that she really hated dinner when she was young. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: Shit, you¡¯re killing me here. But we¡¯ll see. You¡¯re scared of dinnertime, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re in big trouble now. Even Sarah seemed to know this well. Thanks to this, Siervian confirmed it again. The status window really was telling the truth. ¡°. . . Is that so. It¡¯ll be difficult.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 For someone who said he¡¯d be inconvenienced, his status window sure expressed otherwise. ¡°I¡¯ll check my schedule, then I¡¯ll let you know.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Siervian watched her father leave her palace with a baffled expression on her face. * * * ¡°At the command of His Highness Emperor Alderuan Erveldotte, the glorious sun of the Empire, the presence of Her Highness Princess Siervian Erveldotte, the little moon of the Empire, is requested at the dining hall.¡± Was it because they¡¯re suddenly preparing dinner in the afternoon? Due to the abrupt presence of the Emperor¡¯s messenger, the Princess¡¯s Palace was thrown into a state of panic. ¡°What the hell did you just do!¡± ¡°Owie . . . It hurts . . .¡± Sarah combed Siervian with an enraged fervor. Because of her rough manhandling, Siervian¡¯s neck was bent back, and it hurt so much that she started crying. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I handled it well. Do you know how much I hate it when you don¡¯t behave yourself?¡± [ Sarah ] Favorability: 350 Sarah¡¯s favorability went down by 50 from 400 to 350. Siervian began to wonder what would happen if that number dropped to 0. Finally, the torturous combing ended. The jittery Sarah left Siervian to Ellie and scuttled away. [ Sarah ] Thoughts: Something big just happened. Something really big. I really won¡¯t be able to survive this time. Was it such a huge deal for Siervian to have dinner with her father? ¡®And where exactly do you go every time you disappear?¡¯ There were times when Sarah would rush off somewhere. She did this even though she really should focus on her work as the head maid in the Imperial Princess¡¯s Palace. ¡°Let¡¯s be on our way, Princess.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Replying without any enthusiasm, Siervian trudged forward. The unnecessarily luxurious, high-quality dress made it difficult for her to walk. Surely, she looked like an ugly ball from afar. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Our Princess, you really look like a lovely lily of the valley . . . Siervian apparently didn¡¯t look ugly in Ellie¡¯s eyes . . . but she still couldn¡¯t get used to the intensity of the maid¡¯s thoughts. Anyway, she continued on her way because an order was an order. ¡®This small body is already exhausted.¡¯ ¡°Princess, shall I call a carriage for you?¡± Siervian shook her head right away. The Emperor¡¯s Palace was right around the corner. If she rode a carriage just to cross such a short distance, then she¡¯d definitely be talked about as a Princess who treated her subordinates harshly. That had been her reality. Moving cautiously, Siervian pondered about the dinner with her father. As she walked along the road leading to the Emperor¡¯s Palace, she finally remembered. ¡®Around this time . . . I think I often had dinner with my father.¡¯ Of course, she had never invited her father first because of his frighteningly frosty eyes. Then, at some point, he had stopped eating with her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you had dinner together, Your Highness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wight.¡± ¡°How fortunate, Your Highness. His Majesty is going to have dinner again with you.¡± Thanks to Ellie¡¯s words, Siervian confirmed that at this point in time, they had already stopped having dinner regularly. The dinners with the Emperor, which were halted so suddenly, began again when Siervian was around twelve years old. At that time, she was already surrounded by many bad rumors. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Really. It¡¯s such a relief. For the first time since Siervian started seeing the status window, Ellie¡¯s thoughts were uncharacteristically gentle. It seemed like she was genuinely relieved. Siervian decided not to think about it deeply. But then again, she remembered something. ¡®Doesn¡¯t Ellie have a sibling who¡¯s sick?¡¯ When Siervian found out about it before, Ellie¡¯s sibling had already passed away. It lingered on her mind for a long time because Ellie, who had always been strict with Siervian, laughed bitterly when she talked about her deceased younger sibling. ¡°Where is Eri¡¯s fwamily?¡± After asking casually like that, Siervian immediately regretted it. She wanted to ask more carefully, but children couldn¡¯t keep their curiosity to themselves. ¡°I have one younger sibling . . .¡± Ellie, who hesitated with great difficulty, continued talking. ¡°. . . who¡¯s a bit sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sowwy . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Princess.¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +20 Mood: Pained It¡¯s a good thing that Siervian apologized right away. Seeing the maid¡¯s rise in favorability, it seemed like Ellie really was fine. However, Siervian still felt sorry for bringing it up. Ellie spoke up as if to change the subject. ¡°By the way, His Highness the Crown Prince shall be joining you today.¡± Recalling the memory of her indifferent older brother, Siervian clenched her fists secretly. Siervian and the Crown Prince had different mothers. Because she was a concubine¡¯s child and because there were so many bad rumors about her, she couldn¡¯t do anything about her brother¡¯s disapproval. ¡°The Empwess, too?¡± Nonetheless, she still looked for the Empress. She wasn¡¯t her real mother, but she had always been kind and warm. ¡°. . . Her Majesty the Empress said she won¡¯t attend dinner tonight.¡± If the Empress was there, then the atmosphere at the table would have been a little softer. Hiding her dejection, Siervian only nodded. ¡°Your Majesty. Her Highness Princess Siervian has arrived. ¡°Come in.¡± Upon her arrival at the Emperor¡¯s Palace, the chief attendant announced her presence. For some reason, Siervian was led to a place that wasn¡¯t small in the slightest. It was the ¡®Room of Mana¡¯ where state guests were usually received. Siervian was very nervous. She knew that she might not leave today¡¯s dinner unscathed. ¡°Sit down.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 In the middle of the big room was a colorful table. Siervian greeted her father in a notably formal manner to make up for her bread mistake earlier. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°. . .¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I¡¯m disappointed. So disappointed . . . Here she was with her foot aching while she curtseyed, but Siervian couldn¡¯t believe he got upset. Still, Siervian thought, it was better now that she could see her father¡¯s thoughts. In this life, she wouldn¡¯t make any more mistakes. She wouldn¡¯t let herself get executed again. ¡®It¡¯s too quiet.¡¯ A terrible silence plunged down at the dining hall as Siervian approached. ¡°. . .¡± It was stifling. Siervian took a furtive glance to the side where she could feel a burning gaze. She wouldn¡¯t be received well anyway, seeing as her brother was the one avoiding her gaze. But then . . . [ Damian Erveldotte ] Occupation: Crown Prince (Lv.80) Favorability: 90,000,087 Mood: Excited to see ? my sister ? Thoughts: I wanna talk to you TT^TT Her brother¡¯s status wasn¡¯t normal either . . . ? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Siervian, whose attention was now on her brother¡¯s status window, struggled to climb up a chair with her small body, then sat down. ¡°. . .¡± Not long after, they started eating. It was all too unfortunate for Siervian. Her small hands couldn¡¯t grasp the large, heavy silverware, so the heavy silence was interrupted by her utensils clanking on the plate loudly. The thing was, she could just eat less if she wanted to avoid making any noises, but even that wasn¡¯t easy. Because it all looked so delicious. After she started seeing the status window, she wanted to change the future. She still had some doubts whether her father¡¯s stats really were his true feelings for her, but . . . Before anything else, she was distracted by all the food before her. On the table were dishes that couldn¡¯t even be compared to the food at the Princess¡¯s Palace, what with the pitiful bread and watery pepper soup. Here, there were toasted cheese biscuits with coarse salt and honey-pickled fruits as appetizers. As soon as she took a careful bite, a refreshingly delicious taste exploded in her mouth. Nyam, nyam. Right after taking one bite, the main dish was soon brought out. The entr¨¦e was a huge steak, still steaming on its plate as if to announce that it just got off the grill. Other types of meat and vegetables were also available around it. Siervian took a whiff of the sweet sauce. Thanks to the gravy and the chandelier¡¯s lighting, the steak gave off a warm glow. Her mouth started watering. ¡®I can¡¯t. Today . . . I already ate too much.¡¯ With trembling fingers on her knife and fork, Siervian picked up a piece of meat from the serving plate to her own. There was a bigger piece next to it, but she decided to restrain herself and get the smaller one. After hesitating for a bit, she eventually brought a small slice to her mouth. ¡®Delicious!¡¯ The more she chewed, the more the steak on her plate got smaller. The sauce was as sweet as the scent that filled the air. When she finally finished her meal, she descended from cloud nine and suddenly came back to her senses. She stared at her empty plate and bowed her head in repentance. Not only did she make too much noise with her clumsy hands, but she also ate too much food without maintaining dignity. What should she do? This was why dinner was always suffocating. ¡°Is the food not to your taste?¡± Reflexively flinching from her father¡¯s low voice, Siervian raised her gaze once more. She forgot to look at the status window because she was so distracted by the tender meat in front of her. When looking at the status window, she needed to look at the other person¡¯s face . . . ! But the Emperor turned away, saying nothing. In an instant, Siervian¡¯s hands turned into ice. She shouldn¡¯t complain about the food. Especially her. ¡®Rotten food just for you, you damn wench!¡¯ ¡®The children are starving!¡¯ At that moment, she could hear several shouting voices in that dinner hall. It was loud enough to completely erase the silence. But then, a status window popped up. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Mood: Getting ¨C worried ¨C about ? My Daughter ? Thoughts: I¡¯m concerned. Her complexion isn¡¯t good. Is she sick somewhere? ¡®Does my father care about me? Really . . . ?¡¯ Strangely, it felt like something got lodged in her throat. Maybe she needed to drink a lot of water. After seeing the unexpected text on the status window, Siervian blurted out something equally unpredictable. ¡°Y-yummy.¡± Then what¡¯s more surprising was the response. ¡°Eat more.¡± ¡°More?¡± The Empress always told Siervian to watch her weight, sharply like a knife. And because a useless Princess like her didn¡¯t know how to use magic, she was told that she should take good care of her appearance. That¡¯s the only way she could become useful. That¡¯s why she was supposed to eat only a little at a time, no matter what the food. ¡°That¡¯s right. Eat a lot.¡± After getting permission, Siervian stared at the bewitching steak on the table. But she really should maintain her dignity as a member of the Imperial Family. At that moment, the meat that Siervian was eyeing abruptly disappeared. ¡°My meat!¡± She shouted without realizing what she just did. Surprised by her own voice, she covered her lips with her small hands. But before she knew it, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince were staring at her. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Feeling their gazes on her, Siervian wanted to disappear right this instant, even if she didn¡¯t know how to do that. Even so, the only one who could use magic in front of the Emperor was the Emperor himself, so she couldn¡¯t believe she was being such an idiot. [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Cute . . . ! So cute!! But out of the blue, a strange status window popped up in front of her brother, who used to look at her like she was dirt on the ground just because she couldn¡¯t use magic. ¡°I¡¯ll give you more.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: ¡®My meat,¡¯ she says . . . My Siervian is so cute that her cuteness level simply couldn¡¯t be measured. Far from berating her for her lack of manners, her father personally gave her another piece of steak. It was the biggest chunk on the serving plate that she gave up earlier, and the juices that it had on the outside looked the absolute best. ¡°Meat . . .¡± The steak on her plate was being cut into smaller pieces¡ªby the finest mage of the Empire. Was she really allowed to eat it? ¡®Maybe this is a test.¡¯ The Empress occasionally ordered the maids to test Siervian. It¡¯s because the Imperial Family should always be on their toes. Which was why she should decline gracefully and politely right now. Nyam. [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Her cheeks are so chubby. Cuuute. Despite her thoughts, Siervian¡¯s young body remained faithful to its instincts. Nyam, nyam. Nyam, nyam, nyam. The more meat she ate, the more relaxed she became. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: I should praise the chef. It¡¯s been a while since mana came into this palace. ¡®Is it fine? Is it really fine?¡¯ The two went back to their own meals again. The silence that wasn¡¯t appropriate for a family dinner came back again, but it¡¯s just that . . . ¡®For some reason, I¡¯m not scared.¡¯ But at that moment, the Crown Prince suddenly reached out toward Siervian. ¡°. . . !¡± Siervian cowered immediately despite the steak she was still chewing in her mouth. ¡°Ah.¡± The Crown Prince got surprised, too, but he retracted his arm right away. What was it? [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: The pepper . . . No, never mind. I¡¯ll just eat without it. Siervian must¡¯ve been surprised. Ah, was he reaching for the pepper shaker? Shifting her line of sight, she found the pepper shaker near her, as if saying that she should be having a lot of it. She was now eating as much delicious food as she could, but she remembered the taste of Sarah¡¯s soup loaded with pepper. ¡®I really don¡¯t like pepper!¡¯ Siervian, who was agonizing over the spice for a second, pushed the pepper shaker away. Being a picky eater was unbecoming for an Imperial Princess. But if somebody else took away what she didn¡¯t like, then there¡¯s nothing she could do about that. She felt proud for making a plausible excuse for herself. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°. . . You¡¯re giving it to me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± [ Damian Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: She talked to me first. And she¡¯s so considerate! I¡¯ll make sure to make a record of what happened today on a magic tome! No, wait. He shouldn¡¯t do that. After a few days of observation, it seemed like favorability could only be raised to a maximum of 100 at a time. Because no one else raised their favorability to a hundred other than her father, it had only been a theory. ¡°Eat a lot, Siervian.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± [ Damian Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Her brother liked pepper a lot, it seemed. Okay, then. Please eat a lot of pepper. * * * ¡®I¡¯m so full.¡¯ It had been a long time since she had a real, proper meal. Sarah¡¯s watery pepper soup was never enough to fill her stomach. As she was being dressed for bed, Siervian could withstand Sarah¡¯s rough touch as she pulled the nightgown down, but then came a menacing voice. ¡°Did you go and eat two pieces of steak, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yesh.¡± ¡°. . . Haa. Haven¡¯t I told you before, my Princess. You should eat less starting at a young age so that you don¡¯t have to suffer later.¡± Sarah sighed deeply and left a bruise on Siervian. But Siervian made sure that she was allowed to eat it. Her father and brother¡¯s favorability kept rising whenever she took a bite. ¡°His Majesty is very angry with you. Why did you lose control and eat too much?¡± ¡°. . . !¡± Was it a test after all? ¡°You¡¯ll have to skip tomorrow¡¯s meal. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Okay . . .¡± Siervian felt suffocated. She shouldn¡¯t have eaten it. The status window might be saying the truth, but she really shouldn¡¯t have eaten two entire pieces of steak. ¡®Moreover, the status window isn¡¯t perfect.¡¯ All it showed were a person¡¯s name, occupation, level, favorability, mood, and their fragmented thoughts. There were still a lot of things she couldn¡¯t see. Dispirited now, Siervian could only nod obediently. Then, she said one thing on purpose. ¡°But I feel swick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick?¡± [ Sarah ] Favorability: -50 Thoughts: Sick children are a pain. It¡¯s so annoying when they whine. As expected, Sarah¡¯s status window popped up. Back then, there was a time when Siervian had a very high fever, so she asked Sarah to stay with her. ¡®She always smiled before, but when I was sick, she just frowned and never brought it up again.¡¯ Whenever Siervian was sick, she was always left alone in her room. Sarah said it was for her own good so she could rest well, so this time, she¡¯s sure that she¡¯d be left alone again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be outside. If you¡¯re in a lot of pain and you can¡¯t stand it anymore, then call me. Understand? Isn¡¯t it more convenient if you rest alone?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Just as she predicted, Sarah carelessly left her alone to sleep and quickly left the room. Thanks to this, the nagging that would have continued for a long time was cut short. ¡®But I also don¡¯t want to be alone.¡¯ There was a lot of bizarre-looking furniture in the Princess¡¯s Palace. They were all scary to look at in the dark. After coming back from dinner, Ellie had to leave right away without any break and go to another palace. Sarah assigned her more work because she was mad that Ellie didn¡¯t control Siervian¡¯s meal. ¡®Why did I return to the past?¡¯ This was her second life now. And this time, she had the huge advantage of knowing people¡¯s inner thoughts due to the status window. She thought she could change the future if she carefully observed the status window. This time, she hoped that she could become a child who wasn¡¯t hated. She now had this ability, but it seemed like nothing changed at all. ¡®It feels like my heart is breaking into pieces.¡¯ Saying that she was sick was only an excuse so that she could be alone, but now she really felt ill. Her body felt sore and she was covered with cold sweat. She groaned, but she didn¡¯t call Sarah outside, convincing herself that she could still endure this much pain. ¡®But my heart really, really hurts. Should I call Sarah?¡¯ As if to answer Siervian¡¯s plight, she heard a commotion outside her door. ¡°Y-your Majesty . . . !¡± It was Sarah¡¯s startled voice that called out to the Emperor. ¡®Father¡¯s here?¡¯ Siervian quickly pretended to sleep. He might have come here to scold her for what happened at dinner. So if she pretended to sleep, at least her scolding would be moved to tomorrow. ¡°. . .¡± After a while, the door opened soundlessly. Siervian continued pretending to be asleep. She couldn¡¯t see the status window when her eyes were closed. However, she could clearly feel the large hand that came down gently onto her forehead. ¡°. . . She has a fever.¡± It was still a cold voice. But contrary to Siervian¡¯s expectations, her father¡¯s hand was exceedingly warm. Forgetting that she only meant to pretend, Siervian soon fell asleep for real. All without knowing about what was to come the very next day. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 Siervian, whose attention was now on her brother¡¯s status window, struggled to climb up a chair with her small body, then sat down. ¡°. . .¡± Not long after, they started eating. It was all too unfortunate for Siervian. Her small hands couldn¡¯t grasp the large, heavy silverware, so the heavy silence was interrupted by her utensils clanking on the plate loudly. The thing was, she could just eat less if she wanted to avoid making any noises, but even that wasn¡¯t easy. Because it all looked so delicious. After she started seeing the status window, she wanted to change the future. She still had some doubts whether her father¡¯s stats really were his true feelings for her, but . . . Before anything else, she was distracted by all the food before her. On the table were dishes that couldn¡¯t even be compared to the food at the Princess¡¯s Palace, what with the pitiful bread and watery pepper soup. Here, there were toasted cheese biscuits with coarse salt and honey-pickled fruits as appetizers. As soon as she took a careful bite, a refreshingly delicious taste exploded in her mouth. Nyam, nyam. Right after taking one bite, the main dish was soon brought out. The entr¨¦e was a huge steak, still steaming on its plate as if to announce that it just got off the grill. Other types of meat and vegetables were also available around it. Siervian took a whiff of the sweet sauce. Thanks to the gravy and the chandelier¡¯s lighting, the steak gave off a warm glow. Her mouth started watering. ¡®I can¡¯t. Today . . . I already ate too much.¡¯ With trembling fingers on her knife and fork, Siervian picked up a piece of meat from the serving plate to her own. There was a bigger piece next to it, but she decided to restrain herself and get the smaller one. After hesitating for a bit, she eventually brought a small slice to her mouth. ¡®Delicious!¡¯ The more she chewed, the more the steak on her plate got smaller. The sauce was as sweet as the scent that filled the air. When she finally finished her meal, she descended from cloud nine and suddenly came back to her senses. She stared at her empty plate and bowed her head in repentance. Not only did she make too much noise with her clumsy hands, but she also ate too much food without maintaining dignity. What should she do? This was why dinner was always suffocating. ¡°Is the food not to your taste?¡± Reflexively flinching from her father¡¯s low voice, Siervian raised her gaze once more. She forgot to look at the status window because she was so distracted by the tender meat in front of her. When looking at the status window, she needed to look at the other person¡¯s face . . . ! But the Emperor turned away, saying nothing. In an instant, Siervian¡¯s hands turned into ice. She shouldn¡¯t complain about the food. Especially her. ¡®Rotten food just for you, you damn wench!¡¯ ¡®The children are starving!¡¯ At that moment, she could hear several shouting voices in that dinner hall. It was loud enough to completely erase the silence. But then, a status window popped up. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Mood: Getting ¨C worried ¨C about ? My Daughter ? Thoughts: I¡¯m concerned. Her complexion isn¡¯t good. Is she sick somewhere? ¡®Does my father care about me? Really . . . ?¡¯ Strangely, it felt like something got lodged in her throat. Maybe she needed to drink a lot of water. After seeing the unexpected text on the status window, Siervian blurted out something equally unpredictable. ¡°Y-yummy.¡± Then what¡¯s more surprising was the response. ¡°Eat more.¡± ¡°More?¡± The Empress always told Siervian to watch her weight, sharply like a knife. And because a useless Princess like her didn¡¯t know how to use magic, she was told that she should take good care of her appearance. That¡¯s the only way she could become useful. That¡¯s why she was supposed to eat only a little at a time, no matter what the food. ¡°That¡¯s right. Eat a lot.¡± After getting permission, Siervian stared at the bewitching steak on the table. But she really should maintain her dignity as a member of the Imperial Family. At that moment, the meat that Siervian was eyeing abruptly disappeared. ¡°My meat!¡± She shouted without realizing what she just did. Surprised by her own voice, she covered her lips with her small hands. But before she knew it, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince were staring at her. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Feeling their gazes on her, Siervian wanted to disappear right this instant, even if she didn¡¯t know how to do that. Even so, the only one who could use magic in front of the Emperor was the Emperor himself, so she couldn¡¯t believe she was being such an idiot. [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Cute . . . ! So cute!! But out of the blue, a strange status window popped up in front of her brother, who used to look at her like she was dirt on the ground just because she couldn¡¯t use magic. ¡°I¡¯ll give you more.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: ¡®My meat,¡¯ she says . . . My Siervian is so cute that her cuteness level simply couldn¡¯t be measured. Far from berating her for her lack of manners, her father personally gave her another piece of steak. It was the biggest chunk on the serving plate that she gave up earlier, and the juices that it had on the outside looked the absolute best. ¡°Meat . . .¡± The steak on her plate was being cut into smaller pieces¡ªby the finest mage of the Empire. Was she really allowed to eat it? ¡®Maybe this is a test.¡¯ The Empress occasionally ordered the maids to test Siervian. It¡¯s because the Imperial Family should always be on their toes. Which was why she should decline gracefully and politely right now. Nyam. [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Her cheeks are so chubby. Cuuute. Despite her thoughts, Siervian¡¯s young body remained faithful to its instincts. Nyam, nyam. Nyam, nyam, nyam. The more meat she ate, the more relaxed she became. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: I should praise the chef. It¡¯s been a while since mana came into this palace. ¡®Is it fine? Is it really fine?¡¯ The two went back to their own meals again. The silence that wasn¡¯t appropriate for a family dinner came back again, but it¡¯s just that . . . ¡®For some reason, I¡¯m not scared.¡¯ But at that moment, the Crown Prince suddenly reached out toward Siervian. ¡°. . . !¡± Siervian cowered immediately despite the steak she was still chewing in her mouth. ¡°Ah.¡± The Crown Prince got surprised, too, but he retracted his arm right away. What was it? [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: The pepper . . . No, never mind. I¡¯ll just eat without it. Siervian must¡¯ve been surprised. Ah, was he reaching for the pepper shaker? Shifting her line of sight, she found the pepper shaker near her, as if saying that she should be having a lot of it. She was now eating as much delicious food as she could, but she remembered the taste of Sarah¡¯s soup loaded with pepper. ¡®I really don¡¯t like pepper!¡¯ Siervian, who was agonizing over the spice for a second, pushed the pepper shaker away. Being a picky eater was unbecoming for an Imperial Princess. But if somebody else took away what she didn¡¯t like, then there¡¯s nothing she could do about that. She felt proud for making a plausible excuse for herself. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°. . . You¡¯re giving it to me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± [ Damian Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: She talked to me first. And she¡¯s so considerate! I¡¯ll make sure to make a record of what happened today on a magic tome! No, wait. He shouldn¡¯t do that. After a few days of observation, it seemed like favorability could only be raised to a maximum of 100 at a time. Because no one else raised their favorability to a hundred other than her father, it had only been a theory. ¡°Eat a lot, Siervian.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± [ Damian Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Her brother liked pepper a lot, it seemed. Okay, then. Please eat a lot of pepper. * * * ¡®I¡¯m so full.¡¯ It had been a long time since she had a real, proper meal. Sarah¡¯s watery pepper soup was never enough to fill her stomach. As she was being dressed for bed, Siervian could withstand Sarah¡¯s rough touch as she pulled the nightgown down, but then came a menacing voice. ¡°Did you go and eat two pieces of steak, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yesh.¡± ¡°. . . Haa. Haven¡¯t I told you before, my Princess. You should eat less starting at a young age so that you don¡¯t have to suffer later.¡± Sarah sighed deeply and left a bruise on Siervian. But Siervian made sure that she was allowed to eat it. Her father and brother¡¯s favorability kept rising whenever she took a bite. ¡°His Majesty is very angry with you. Why did you lose control and eat too much?¡± ¡°. . . !¡± Was it a test after all? ¡°You¡¯ll have to skip tomorrow¡¯s meal. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Okay . . .¡± Siervian felt suffocated. She shouldn¡¯t have eaten it. The status window might be saying the truth, but she really shouldn¡¯t have eaten two entire pieces of steak. ¡®Moreover, the status window isn¡¯t perfect.¡¯ All it showed were a person¡¯s name, occupation, level, favorability, mood, and their fragmented thoughts. There were still a lot of things she couldn¡¯t see. Dispirited now, Siervian could only nod obediently. Then, she said one thing on purpose. ¡°But I feel swick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick?¡± [ Sarah ] Favorability: -50 Thoughts: Sick children are a pain. It¡¯s so annoying when they whine. As expected, Sarah¡¯s status window popped up. Back then, there was a time when Siervian had a very high fever, so she asked Sarah to stay with her. ¡®She always smiled before, but when I was sick, she just frowned and never brought it up again.¡¯ Whenever Siervian was sick, she was always left alone in her room. Sarah said it was for her own good so she could rest well, so this time, she¡¯s sure that she¡¯d be left alone again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be outside. If you¡¯re in a lot of pain and you can¡¯t stand it anymore, then call me. Understand? Isn¡¯t it more convenient if you rest alone?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Just as she predicted, Sarah carelessly left her alone to sleep and quickly left the room. Thanks to this, the nagging that would have continued for a long time was cut short. ¡®But I also don¡¯t want to be alone.¡¯ There was a lot of bizarre-looking furniture in the Princess¡¯s Palace. They were all scary to look at in the dark. After coming back from dinner, Ellie had to leave right away without any break and go to another palace. Sarah assigned her more work because she was mad that Ellie didn¡¯t control Siervian¡¯s meal. ¡®Why did I return to the past?¡¯ This was her second life now. And this time, she had the huge advantage of knowing people¡¯s inner thoughts due to the status window. She thought she could change the future if she carefully observed the status window. This time, she hoped that she could become a child who wasn¡¯t hated. She now had this ability, but it seemed like nothing changed at all. ¡®It feels like my heart is breaking into pieces.¡¯ Saying that she was sick was only an excuse so that she could be alone, but now she really felt ill. Her body felt sore and she was covered with cold sweat. She groaned, but she didn¡¯t call Sarah outside, convincing herself that she could still endure this much pain. ¡®But my heart really, really hurts. Should I call Sarah?¡¯ As if to answer Siervian¡¯s plight, she heard a commotion outside her door. ¡°Y-your Majesty . . . !¡± It was Sarah¡¯s startled voice that called out to the Emperor. ¡®Father¡¯s here?¡¯ Siervian quickly pretended to sleep. He might have come here to scold her for what happened at dinner. So if she pretended to sleep, at least her scolding would be moved to tomorrow. ¡°. . .¡± After a while, the door opened soundlessly. Siervian continued pretending to be asleep. She couldn¡¯t see the status window when her eyes were closed. However, she could clearly feel the large hand that came down gently onto her forehead. ¡°. . . She has a fever.¡± It was still a cold voice. But contrary to Siervian¡¯s expectations, her father¡¯s hand was exceedingly warm. Forgetting that she only meant to pretend, Siervian soon fell asleep for real. All without knowing about what was to come the very next day. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Siervian knew something was wrong the moment she opened her eyes. It was because nobody woke her up. Sarah always woke her up at dawn, saying that she needed to learn Imperial etiquette. ¡®Where¡¯s everyone?¡¯ Her body felt so heavy. It seemed like her excuse about being sick came true. Still, Siervian rose from her bed, quelling the desire to go back to sleep. She was nervous because it was too quiet outside. ¡®Huh? My clothes?¡¯ Her nightgown had been changed while she was asleep into a thinner, more comfortable nightgown. She couldn¡¯t believe that she slept through all that, even with someone changing her clothes. As soon as she realized this, Siervian¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be good if I keep getting sick.¡¯ Siervian struggled to get on her feet, groaning as she reached out to pull the bedside rope. The five-year-old Siervian didn¡¯t have an official schedule yet, but she shouldn¡¯t be too lax. She didn¡¯t want to be called a lazy and incompetent princess. After a while, Ellie carefully opened the door. ¡°You¡¯re awake now, Princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fwine. Where¡¯s Sarah?¡± ¡°. . . His Majesty will be here shortly to say something.¡± At the mention of her father coming here again, Siervian felt her heart pounding out of her ribcage. Should she not have pretended to sleep last night? But something strange happened again. A flock of maids with the same uniform as Ellie came one after another into her room, and some of their faces were familiar. They were court ladies in the Princess¡¯s Palace. ¡°Princess, I have committed a terrible sin!¡± ¡°Please forgive us, Your Highness!¡± All the maids around Siervian shouted and bowed their heads in unison. Everyone had remorseful expressions. Faced with an unprecedented situation, Siervian was somehow embarrassed. She held onto her blanket tightly. What¡¯s going on here? ¡°Please speak well of us to His Majesty.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t do it on purpose. It was all because of Sarah . . .¡± It was the first time in her life that the maids had spoken to Siervian in such a gentle tone. This was also the first time she came to know that there were this many maids in the palace. Siervian kept quiet until now because she didn¡¯t know what to say to them. It wasn¡¯t long until her body began to tremble, perhaps because of the dissonance between her body and soul. The many adults that towered over her was too overbearing for a five-year-old child. ¡®I can¡¯t breathe.¡¯ What was scarier were their innermost thoughts. [ Adele ] Favorability: -100 Thoughts: This is so damn annoying. Is it my fault that she¡¯s sick? [ Jessie ] Favorability: -100 Thoughts: Why am I needlessly involved in this. Siervian was afraid that these people, who never once gave her a smile, were suddenly acting like they cared for her. But what was worse was their inconsistent hearts. The floating windows surrounded Siervian. These words pierced her exactly the same way as the words that condemned her in her previous life. It was like an unavoidable fate. ¡®I tried not to be hated, but why all of a sudden . . . !¡¯ She wanted to hide beneath her blanket, but she resisted the urge to do so. She realized that such behavior would only grant them even more of a chance to attack her. That¡¯s what she thought, but her body wouldn¡¯t listen. Her young body was absolutely terrified. She didn¡¯t want to look weak, but she kept crying. Then, Ellie approached her bed and broke the maids¡¯ formation. ¡°The Princess needs to take her medicine now. Please step aside.¡± [ Ellie ] Mood: Sorrowful Thoughts: Her fever needs to go down quickly. Just what are you all doing to the sick Princess, really! Ellie was the only one who brought medicine to alleviate Siervian¡¯s fever. And she was the only one who truly cared about her. ¡°. . . Ah.¡± Only then did those maids snap back to attention. As if they just remembered that the princess was sick. Siervian should feel more at ease now because they finally backed off, but somehow, she wanted to cry even more. She bit her lips tightly. She tried to control herself, but it really wasn¡¯t easy. The synchronization still wasn¡¯t good. By the time her tears fell, several heavy footsteps could be heard from outside the door. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is entering.¡± The disoriented maids backed away to the walls and bowed their heads. Ellie, who was in the middle of feeding strawberry-flavored medicine to Siervian, stepped away as well, her lips in a tight line as if she were expecting the worse. She didn¡¯t forget to give the rest of the medicine to Siervian. ¡®Just what the hell is going on?¡¯ At that moment, the door burst open. Siervian¡¯s father walked into the room and towards the bed without any hesitation in his gait, then looked directly at her. From then on, silent steps continued to pour in after the door had been opened roughly. The guards who followed her father quieted their steps awkwardly and came in slowly. ¡°I put you under probation, but what exactly are you doing?¡± At the mention of ¡®probation¡¯, Siervian eyes glistened with tears. Something definitely happened while she was sleeping. She really did something wrong, then. ¡°How dare you make a fuss when my daughter¡¯s sick?¡± Huh? Siervian, who was clasping her blanket with her tiny fists, barely raised her head. Her father¡¯s status window soon entered her vision. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Mood: Enraged Thoughts: That child is in so much pain that she started crying. Those snowy cheeks are filled with tears. How sad it must¡¯ve been for her to have suffered all alone. I¡¯m so angry that everything¡¯s tainted red. ¡°Capture all of them now!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± His cold voice brought more tears to her eyes. She flinched reflexively, on the verge of hiding under her blanket. Then, her father¡¯s thoughts suddenly appeared. [Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: You all weren¡¯t even thinking about taking this child¡¯s pain away, and now you surround her like vultures just to escape punishment. Disgraceful things. I¡¯ll make everyone here pay for their crimes. By the way, Siervian¡¯s pallor isn¡¯t looking good. Should I change the Imperial doctor? Should I scour the entire Empire to bring every medicinal herb so that her suffering will end? There should also be a thorough research on her illness so that generations to come may study it. The status window expressing his concerns was too long to read. ¡°P-please spare us, Your Majesty!¡± Dazed, Siervian blinked, and the tears that were at the corners of her eyes dropped down. With this child¡¯s body, it was hard for her to control it even if she did her best. Siervian quickly wiped away her tears, but the Emperor¡¯s expression twisted even further. And once again, the status window popped up, telling her how furious he was. ¡°Hiccup!¡± Even while knowing that her father¡¯s wrath wasn¡¯t directed at her, her young body still felt afraid. The Emperor, realizing that he surprised his daughter, hastily added. ¡°I¡¯ll replace all your maids.¡± Right then, her eyes zeroed in on Ellie, who was also being taken away by a knight. ¡®You can¡¯t!¡¯ She quickly jumped up and rolled down her bed. She didn¡¯t care about replacing all the maids, but Ellie shouldn¡¯t leave. Today, when everyone came here to plead for their own lives, Ellie was the only good person who brought her medicine. ¡°Siervian?¡± ¡°N-no, you can¡¯t . . .¡± Ellie shouldn¡¯t be treated the same way as the others. Siervian hurried over to Ellie, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and clung on as if her life depended on it. The knight who was dragging the maid away got startled and ended up relinquishing his hold. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get Eri!¡± She quickly wracked her head. Siervian didn¡¯t know why this was happening. Her father never replaced all her maids in her previous life. And of course, he was never meant to visit last night. ¡®I need to organize my thoughts.¡¯ Everything happened so fast that she desperately squeezed out anything at all to defend Ellie. That¡¯s definitely what she needed to do. ¡°Siervian.¡± ¡°But I dwon¡¯t want Eri to go . . .¡± ¡°All the maids need to undergo an investigation.¡± Her father¡¯s tone was stern, as if he wouldn¡¯t heed her request. She could feel the dread pouring down on her. It was like she was back in that cold prison cell. Nobody listened no matter how many times she told them she never did anything like black magic. No one believed her. ¡°Y-you cwan¡¯t, huu . . . uwaaaah¡ª¡± Obviously, she had formed proper sentences in her head to defend Ellie. ¡®Ellie has always been nice to me.¡¯ ¡®Unlike the other maids, Ellie brought me medicine because I¡¯m sick.¡¯ However, she couldn¡¯t use these words properly because her body still hadn¡¯t synchronized with her mind. Even if she managed to pluck the courage to speak up, nothing was ever expressed properly to her father. Everything was swept away by her tears. ¡®I¡¯ll be hated for this, too. No adult likes crying children.¡¯ Did she ruin everything again? She couldn¡¯t believe she just spoke against her father¡¯s orders. ¡°Siervian.¡± The Emperor felt his mouth go dry when Siervian suddenly started wailing. If her tears would keep flowing, then he¡¯d definitely want to destroy this whole palace. When Siervian heard her name being called, she raised her head. ¡°Is it Ellie?¡± ¡°Hiccup!¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Even her crying face is lovely. I¡¯ll have to find out later if it¡¯s possible that the Mana¡¯s Spirit could be born as a human. Anyway, there must be a reason why Siervian is holding on to a maid named Ellie. Siervian nervously saw Ellie¡¯s name in the Emperor¡¯s thoughts. Her eyes were full of tears, so she couldn¡¯t read the status window properly. The Emperor spoke briefly to the trembling Ellie and pointed a finger. ¡°You. You¡¯re the new head maid.¡± ¡°W-what? But, Your Majesty, I¡¯m hardly qualified . . .¡± ¡°Hiccup!¡± She could feel Ellie¡¯s surprise. Siervian didn¡¯t expect this either. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°. . . Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor had no intention of rescinding his order. That¡¯s because Siervian continued to cry while siding with that maid. In the end, Ellie had no choice but to hug and pat the little princess who was still clinging onto her. [ Ellie ] Occupation: Head maid (new!) Thoughts: I have to take good care of the Princess! And just like that, Ellie became the head maid of the Imperial Princess¡¯s Palace. * * * A few days later, Siervian was sitting at a table in the middle of a lush green expanse. She was at the Emperor¡¯s private garden, which was completely managed by magic. ¡°. . .¡± ¡°. . .¡± On the other side of the table was the owner of the garden, whose gaze was trained intently on her. The Erveldotte Empire was located at the northernmost part of the continent. During the First Continental War, the First Emperor Erveldotte, who had an excellent control over magic, tanked through the defenses of other countries. Originally, the northernmost part of the continent was barren and frigid, but this changed when the First Emperor had cast a powerful spell to control the climate. ¡®The First Emperor was a great mage.¡¯ In her previous life, Siervian fervently studied history. The First Emperor¡¯s achievements were countless, but his finest accomplishment was the climate control barrier that covered the entire Empire. If she looked far away, snow-covered mountains could still be seen. However, flowers bloomed and butterflies flew around her in this garden, even though that mountain wasn¡¯t that far from the Imperial Palace. It was amazing how the temperature was being controlled in such a wide area. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Her father, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. His eyes were like two lakes on the highest mountain of the cold north. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: You¡¯re looking especially pretty today. The garden pales in comparison. The gardener should feel ashamed. As always, his thoughts were the opposite of his chilly exterior. Today, Siervian was wearing a frilly, pastel pink dress. It was nice and light, and it went well with her dark-colored hair. The first thing Ellie did as the new head maid was to change all the contents of the palace¡¯s gloomy closet. ¡®But why did you call me all of a sudden?¡¯ Siervian still felt very nervous in front of her father. Even so, she was in a good mood today. It had been a long time since she wore pretty clothes, and she finally got a chance to see the Emperor¡¯s beautiful private garden. She didn¡¯t know when else she¡¯d be able to come here. ¡°Yes, Your Hwighness.¡± So, with a relaxed mind, she answered politely. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Mood: ? My daughter ? I¡¯m ¨C so ¨C disappointed But then he suddenly said he was upset. The peaceful tea time had been going well until now, but the tension was once again renewed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Ellie told me that the Emperor would never call Siervian unless it was for dinner. So today¡¯s meeting must have some purpose. ¡®But why is he upset?¡¯ Siervian carefully read her father¡¯s mood. Thanks to the status window, she could make up for her mistakes. ¡®I have to do well.¡¯ It was surprising that her father showed some concern when she got sick, but she didn¡¯t know when he would turn away from her again. What happened in her previous life had yet to happen. If she continued to act like a good daughter, then maybe her fate could be changed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± At her father¡¯s prompting, Siervian looked at the snacks on the table. It all looked so delicious. She could tell even as she hadn¡¯t taken a bite yet. She knew they¡¯d instantly melt in her mouth. There were several types of chocolate madeleines and cookies, and there was a snow-like cream atop several cakes. The honeyed macarons glistened, tempting her effectively. ¡®Should I eat just one?¡¯ She stared longingly at the delicious desserts, but then a status window suddenly popped up in her periphery. It was the Emperor¡¯s thoughts once again, still suspiciously soft and warm. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Aren¡¯t you a little too thin? Or is it because you¡¯re so cute that it makes my dear Siervian smaller in my eyes? The small child in question read her father¡¯s thoughts, bewildered. Ellie said the same thing about her this morning, that she was too skinny. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s the clothes I¡¯m wearing.¡¯ Before, she would always be wrapped up in weird clothes that were more like layered fabric masquerading as a dress, as if to make her look bigger. Today, she wore a light dress with simple frills, so it was no wonder that she looked smaller than before. ¡®But I¡¯m not allowed to eat snacks.¡¯ The desserts all looked so delicious. It wasn¡¯t easy to resist her young instinct¡¯s urge to gobble them all up. Sarah never allowed Siervian to eat snacks in her previous life. The first time she ever ate anything sweet was at her pre-debutante celebration at the age of fourteen, and she still hadn¡¯t forgotten the taste. ¡®After that, a rumor arose that I couldn¡¯t eat sweets at all.¡¯ To be more precise, there were just too many eyes watching her at the banquet hall that it made her feel uncomfortable. If she acted out of line just once, even a little bit, the news would immediately reach the Empress, and she¡¯d definitely become the center of attention, in a bad way. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll have something else brought out.¡± ¡°Ummm.¡± ¡°. . .¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Mood: Surprised by ? my daughter¡¯s ? new look Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe you even answer so cutely. As expected of my daughter. What was that just now? As Siervian shifted her gaze towards the snacks, she thought about the past. She couldn¡¯t understand why her father¡¯s thoughts were like this. The Emperor reached out to change the plate of desserts in front of Siervian. Misunderstanding that he was about to take it from her, she shouted. ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Are you going to twell Sarah?¡± ¡°Hm? What? About what you¡¯re eating?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 While his daughter was nervously keeping her head down, one corner of the Emperor¡¯s lips raised up ever so slightly. It was because it was so cute how his daughter was being too shy to eat in front of others. It was only after he composed his features again that he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell her, so just eat.¡± She was already given permission, but she still hesitated. Ellie told her that it was a lie that the Emperor tested her last time. But because of the education and conditioning she received that was so deeply ingrained in her, she couldn¡¯t help but still be conscious about the intent behind her father¡¯s words. ¡®Just one. No, maybe two.¡¯ Siervian glanced sideways at the plate of colorful macarons, pretending that she wasn¡¯t too interested, yet couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it. When the Emperor noticed this, he pushed the plate closer to her. Then, her little hand moved by itself and picked one up. The yellow macaron, which she thought would be hard, melted in her mouth as soon as she took a bite. ¡®It¡¯s sweet . . .¡¯ It was sweet enough that the tip of her tongue almost couldn¡¯t take it. After taking one bite, she sneaked a look towards her father. Crunch. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 This made her wonder if she was still allowed to eat more, so she carefully took another bite. Crunch, crunch. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Read his status window, take a bite of macarons, then repeat again and again. As she ate like that, before she knew it, she had already finished four macarons. ¡®No way.¡¯ Eyes almost overflowing with tears, she turned to her father reflexively to see his reaction. She didn¡¯t mean to eat this much. Meanwhile, the Emperor, who was mesmerized by the way Siervian¡¯s cheeks moved as she chewed, pushed forward what he¡¯d been preparing for a while. It was the cake that Siervian was staring at earlier, the snow-covered one. ¡°Hum, hum.* Eat with this.¡± { tl/n: he¡¯s coughing. } Holding something like a short iron baton in one hand, the Emperor flicked it in the direction of the small plate. ¡°Huh?¡± Not knowing what it was for, water that sparkled with sugar rose up in the air, glowing as it did. Little by little, the sugar water froze and soon clung to the iron bar, taking the shape of the upper part of a fork. ¡°I heard you have to eat this cake while it¡¯s cold.¡± His voice was still strict as usual, and normally Siervian would have flinched at his harsh tone, but this time it was different. ¡°Uwah . . .¡± She covered her gaping mouth in amazement, not conscious of her actions. The cake was a type of dessert that she¡¯d only heard about before. She never saw it, let alone eat it with such a fork, because magic was needed to make it. ¡®Pretty.¡¯ As if possessed, she snatched from her father¡¯s hand the fork that sparkled and glittered like snow. She never imagined her father would make this for her. ¡°Hum, hum. Eat before it melts.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Hex was right that this is going to make her happy. It¡¯s been a long time since he did something useful, so I¡¯ll give him a reward. Siervian was still wary of the status window, but she didn¡¯t have time to care. She couldn¡¯t afford to let the fork in her hand melt, so she immediately jabbed it into the cake and took a bite. Nyam, nyam. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 The cake was very cold, exactly like the snow that it looked like. However, when the fork, which was also sweetened by sugar, entered through her lips, the snowy cream quickly melted in her mouth. The cream lingered on her tongue and left a different kind of sweetness than what she tasted on the frozen fork. As if she couldn¡¯t win against the whims of the little hand that held the fork, it kept going back and forth from the cake to her mouth without stopping. When she came to her senses, she already ate the entire cake. ¡°Is your stomach big enough to hold that much?¡± The former Siervian would have bowed her head immediately after hearing such a thing. Especially after eating so much like crazy. She would think that he was mocking her. [ Alderuan Erveldotte ] Thoughts: The way you eat is pretty, too. I¡¯m convinced now. The Mana¡¯s spirit really has become a human being. Isn¡¯t her charm far more powerful than any spell I know? Instead of lowering her head, Siervian looked straight at her father. Unlike the cold cake she just ate, the words on the status window were incredibly warm. ¡°I guess the cake suits your tastes.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± The Emperor, as usual, had his arms crossed imposingly as he looked down on her, but now it seemed as if his eyes weren¡¯t as cold. So I carefully spoke my mind. ¡°I wanna eat it everyday.¡± * * * ¡°Which ribbon shall we wear today, Princess?¡± ¡°Eri should pick one!¡± ¡°Fufu, should I do that?¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +10 Ellie laughed a lot nowadays. And unlike Sarah, she always asked Siervian¡¯s opinion first. Thanks to this, her life at the Princess¡¯ Palace was getting better little by little. She didn¡¯t feel so suffocated anymore. ¡°Then, let¡¯s tie your hair with this blue ribbon today.¡± ¡°I like it!¡± ¡°It will match Your Highness¡¯ eyes.¡± After Ellie said that, Siervian looked at her reflection on the window. In her previous life, she couldn¡¯t even look at her own eyes. Because they reminded her too much of other people. ¡®Blue eyes.¡¯ She gazed upon her own eyes for the first time in a long while. Her blue eyes were exactly like her brother¡¯s and father¡¯s eyes. [ Siervian Erveldotte (5 y.o.) ] Body and soul synchronization ¡¤ ¡¤ ¡¤ 3% Current actions are in line with the body. :?: As she looked straight into the mirror, she could see the status window nearby. Then, Siervian sighed heavily. ¡°Oh, is there something you don¡¯t like, Princess?¡± ¡°No . . .¡± It did change from one percent to three percent, but it was still just a measly three percent. The improvement was too slow. When would her actions ever follow the will of her soul? Once again, she sighed as she looked at the status window, but the pattern under the sentence caught her eye. ¡®I think I¡¯ve seen that somewhere.¡¯ At the bottom of the status window, a complex pattern was embedded like jewels. She could feel a faint sense of familiarity with it as she stared at it longer, but she just couldn¡¯t put a finger on it. ¡®Hmm, maybe not? I must be imagining it.¡¯ Outwardly, it looked like both Ellie and Siervian were looking at Siervian¡¯s reflection in the mirror in amazement. ¡°Now then. I think my job here is done.¡± ¡°Thank yew.¡± ¡°How is it that the way our Princess speaks is also so lovely.¡± As Siervian jumped off her chair, Ellie smiled gently as she helped her down. Siervian was happy to see Ellie smile, but she still wasn¡¯t used to it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Princess?¡± Even until her eyes, Ellie was smiling brightly. A few days after Ellie was promoted to the position of head maid, she began to express herself more honestly. Siervian didn¡¯t know why. But to Ellie, who continued to smile brightly, Siervian also spoke her mind more often. ¡°Eri also has a lov-u-ly smile.¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes widened. But soon, there was a tinge of sadness in her gaze. [ Ellie ] Mood: Sad Thinking: Poor little girl. You must have been so scared all this time. Ellie leaned down to be on the same eye level as Siervian. Her friendly brown eyes glistened with tears. ¡°You must have been very afraid of me, Your Highness. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fwine.¡± In her previous life, Siervian also misunderstood Ellie. She didn¡¯t realize how sweet Ellie really was deep down. So she was really fine. Now, she knew who it was that really smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to be by your side all this time.¡± Feeling sorry for the child who immediately attached herself to the first person who showed her kindness, Ellie quietly adjusted Siervian¡¯s dress as her status window popped up. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I want to protect the princess. Wasn¡¯t it enough that Ellie was honest with Siervian, and that she continued to stay beside her? Why did Ellie also want to protect her? ¡°Princess, remember what I told you? Everything Sarah said was a lie.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ellie didn¡¯t explain what she meant by wanting to protect Siervian and said something else. Siervian couldn¡¯t even ask because she couldn¡¯t reveal the status window. ¡°Now, shall we be off?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I hope everything will be fine. This time, Siervian only nodded. Putting it aside for later, Siervian made a mental note to ask Ellie about what she saw in her status window next time. Today was the first time in a long while that Siervian was called to the Empress¡¯ Palace. * * * Walking along the long corridor of the Empress¡¯ Palace, Siervian couldn¡¯t hide her anticipation. Although she wasn¡¯t her biological mother, she was excited to meet the Empress again. Whenever something happened, Siervian would go straight to the Empress to tell her everything. The Empress always welcomed her and listened to her kindly, believing all her words unlike the other people in the palace. The Empress was the only member of the Imperial Family who cared about Siervian until the bitter end. Truthfully, Siervian was still scared because she ate too much yesterday. But her father consoled her and told her that he¡¯d keep it a secret. ¡°Her Highness Princess Siervian has come to visit Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Unable to hide her excitement, Siervian almost skipped into the room. But as she faced the Empress, who now looked younger than she remembered, an unexpected status window popped up. [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Occupation: Empress (Lv.50) Favorability: -8,870 Emotion: Absolutely furious Thoughts: What an eyesore. It¡¯s that annoying face again. . . . Huh? Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Come in now, Princess.¡± The Empress smiled at Siervian, even as the child stumbled to a halt at the door. It was the benevolent grace that Siervian knew well. ¡°I gweet Your Majesty the Empwess.¡± It took a while before Siervian regained her senses, so she hurriedly greeted her stepmother. Still, it wasn¡¯t a pretty sight because she stumbled when she entered. ¡°It would be prudent to accelerate your etiquette lessons, Princess.¡± ¡°I apwologize . . .¡± The Empress sipped her tea elegantly, displaying textbook posture and manners. Siervian¡¯s apologies flowed out of her lips automatically, just as before, and her five-year-old body followed suit naturally. ¡°Even so, you have nothing to worry about, Princess. I¡¯ll take care of everything so that you won¡¯t have to make any more blunders again.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± ¡°Come closer, over here.¡± The Empress, who always said that Siervian had nothing to fret, remained the same. Always trust her, she¡¯d say, and everything would be fine. But the persistent status window left Siervian confused. ¡®Negative favorability?¡¯ As she approached where the Empress sat, the number didn¡¯t change no matter how long Siervian stared at it. ¡°. . . You¡¯re very pretty today, too, Princess.¡± [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Thoughts: What an unpleasant resemblance. F*cking wench. As Siervian walked closer, the Empress would croon softly to the princess as she scrutinized her from head to toe. Siervian was nervous because she kept thinking about all the macarons she ate yesterday. Then, the Empress¡¯ gaze stopped on the blue ribbon. [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Ha. Blue? Was there something wrong with the ribbon? ¡°Come and sit here.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majwesty.¡± Siervian had to answer well no matter what. She was absolutely tense with nervousness. She didn¡¯t know what would happen because it¡¯s the first time she saw negative favorability. She was definitely excited when she was on her way here, but now that she had arrived . . . ¡°I heard that something unfortunate happened at the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°Yes . . .¡± Siervian felt sad every time she remembered what happened with Sarah that day. The Empress seemed to think that Siervian¡¯s reaction was within her expectations, so she didn¡¯t question this. Whenever Siervian came to this palace after something bad happened, the Empress would always ask Siervian. What made you so sad? What has made our Princess so heartbroken? ¡®How come it¡¯s like this . . .¡¯ Siervian looked at the Empress¡¯ status window. [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Thoughts: Such an eyesore. Annoying wench. Even though she couldn¡¯t control her expressions, it was a relief for Siervian that what she was feeling matched what she should be showing. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Empwess.¡± Even at the child¡¯s hasty apology, the Empress¡¯ expression stayed benevolent. It was uncanny. ¡°Sarah was a maid I trusted . . . Don¡¯t tell me. Has she been lazy?¡± ¡°. . .¡± As far as Siervian could remember, the Princess¡¯ Palace was entirely under the Empress¡¯ jurisdiction. But when she was young, Siervian didn¡¯t know this. ¡°But I am to blame for failing to notice it all. Will you forgive me?¡± [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Thoughts: I thought Sarah would be enough for such a stupid girl, so I just let her be. Sarah, that fool. This is why vagrants will always be vagrants . . . Before that imbecile opens her mouth, I¡¯ll need to deal with her swiftly. As Siervian continued reading the status window, she felt her throat tighten up at the blatant difference between the Empress¡¯ caring tone and her inner thoughts. ¡°Yees . . .¡± On the way here, at the back of her mind, she thought that there might be a chance that the Empress and Sarah were the same case, that they only appeared benign. She struggled to push her doubts away. Among everyone she knew, the Empress was someone she could wholeheartedly trust. But now, Siervian didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°How kind of you, Princess.¡± The Empress raised her hand to pat the Princess¡¯ head. As she did, one of her rings got caught in the ribbon. She pulled her hand away gently, but in the process, the ribbon that Ellie carefully chose was left crushed and dishevelled. ¡°By the way, Princess. Did you visit His Majesty yesterday, too? Where did you go?¡± Siervian always looked forward to the Empress¡¯ caring touch, but why was it that her hand felt cold today? ¡°To His Majwesty¡¯s garden.¡± ¡°. . . His Majesty¡¯s private garden.¡± [ Cybelle Erveldotte ] Favorability: -100 Thoughts: How dare you go to that place?! ¡°Yees.¡± The Empress¡¯ expression briefly stiffened at the mention of the private garden. The favorability, which was already negative, became even lower. It was something that happened in a quarter of a second, and Siervian only saw this because she¡¯d been looking at the status window. ¡°It must have been very scary.¡± Schooling her features back to her usual benevolence, the Empress took Siervian¡¯s hand. She consoled the child, thinking that she was still afraid of her father. ¡°Yees.¡± The truth was that Siervian made a lot of good memories yesterday. Her father gave her a sugar fork that he personally crafted with magic. But when she felt the big rings on the Empress¡¯ hand scratching her little hand, she forced herself to lie. Somehow, she felt that she needed to lie. ¡°You can always be candid with me, Princess. You know that, right?¡± Sure enough, the Empress was wearing a pleased smile. Siervian used to take comfort in hearing her say this . . . but she wasn¡¯t sure anymore. ¡°Thank you vewy much.¡± ¡°His Majesty must have been undoubtedly scary for you, Princess. He is the pillar of the Empire, always straight-laced and strict. It¡¯s natural that you¡¯re frightened.¡± It was subtle, how the Empress teetered between praising and antagonizing the Emperor. Siervian could only nod, wanting to remove her hand from the Empress¡¯ grasp. Fortunately, the Empress soon let go of her and lifted the teacup from the table. ¡°You¡¯re so kind-hearted, Princess.¡± She always did her best so she could be praised like this, to be called a good child. Now, she wondered why it didn¡¯t feel right when she heard this. ¡®I want to leave.¡¯ There weren¡¯t any refreshments on the Empress¡¯ tea table. Just bitter black tea for a child, the same as what the Empress was having. She could only stare at the black tea¡¯s smooth surface, its color close to an abyss. ¡°In a few months, the Princess may also drink Harmin tea.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Every child in the Empire was required to drink Harmin tea. This was to prevent mana from pervading the body because the entire Empire was surrounded by a mana circle. Harmin tea meant that she was about to have her sixth birthday. She couldn¡¯t remember any happy memories about any of her birthdays, nor about the tea. ¡®Especially my sixth birthday . . .¡¯ Siervian stayed quiet as she remembered the past. Fortunately, the prolonged silence was naturally smoothed over because the chief attendant made a reluctant announcement. ¡°Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, come in, come in.¡± Damian, the Crown Prince, suddenly appeared. The Empress rose from her seat in delight and elegantly rushed to welcome him. Siervian didn¡¯t find the occurence strange because she¡¯d seen this countless times. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°For our Crown Prince to come here without any notice, is something the matter?¡± Remembering how her brother acted towards her during dinner that time, Siervian also got up from her seat. Was she allowed to greet him, too? ¡°I only wanted to see you, Mother . . . I didn¡¯t know someone was here.¡± But even before making eye contact, the Crown Prince¡¯s cold, harsh tone was already barbed at her. It was the austere way of speaking he reserved only for her that she knew well, as if she were some stranger to him, not a family member. Naturally, Siervian¡¯s shoulders slumped as she lowered her head. ¡°The Princess rose to greet you enthusiastically.¡± Siervian followed the Empress¡¯ example, posing to curtsy as quickly as she could because she didn¡¯t want to be hated. The favorability points on the status windows were already telling her if she was hated or not, but old habits die hard, so she did her best to appease the people around her. ¡°We meet again, Princess.¡± Unlike her older brother, she was very clumsy with her greeting. The Crown Prince and the Imperial Princess were only three years apart, so they were constantly being compared, from their magical powers and down to the smallest of details like with etiquette. The Crown Prince was a genius of the century. He¡¯d already gone through his awakening at the age of six. Because he persisted and awakened as a mage so young, he was already being trained to manage state affairs one step at a time at such an early age. He was an excellent member of the Imperial Family, and it was almost laughable to compare him with Siervian, who couldn¡¯t even speak clearly. What she saw last time must have been a mistake. She felt a bit hopeful after having dinner with her father and brother last time, but now that she was faced with reality once more, Siervian realized that she was just deluding herself. ¡®I have to leave right away.¡¯ With her eyes downcast, she passed by the Crown Prince to exit the room. As expected, he didn¡¯t even look at her. But there was something that caught her eye. [ Damian Erveldotte ] Thoughts: I came here as fast as I could, but is Siervian alright? Furtively glancing at the status window, Siervian thought again that it was all too strange. Why did he need to rush to the Empress¡¯ Palace? * * * ¡°Princess, are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± To be honest, she wasn¡¯t, but she answered the worried Ellie with a white lie. Any member of the Imperial Family could always speak their mind and say that they weren¡¯t fine when they weren¡¯t, but she wanted to look strong. ¡°Do you not like the doll, Your Highness?¡± ¡°I like it!¡± The sight of Siervian hugging the doll tightly sent an arrow straight to Ellie¡¯s heart. [ Ellie ] Favorability: +30 Siervian¡¯s eyes widened in delight when she saw the sudden rise in favorability. [ Ellie ] Mood: Holding back from breaking the wall due to overwhelming cuteness Thoughts: Our princess who¡¯s more adorable than a doll . . . ! I¡¯ll make a collection commemorating our cute princess¡¯s daily life . . . ! ¡ï It was a doll that Ellie made for Siervian. The white bunny¡¯s long ears gently brushed against Siervian¡¯s small palm, and she was amazed because it was something she never ever had in her previous life. ¡®Hugging a doll strangely relaxes me.¡¯ Originally, it was Sarah who remained as the head maid until Siervian was fifteen years old. She never gave her a doll. That¡¯s why Siervian was so happy to receive one from Ellie. It was enough for her to forget about the Empress¡¯ negative favorability for a moment. ¡°Hmm. Our Princess isn¡¯t as lively as usual. Are you hungry, Your Highness?¡± ¡°If I eat too much, I¡¯ll be pwunished.¡± She already ate a lot when she was with her father yesterday, so she habitually thought that she had to hold back. ¡°There you go again, Princess. I¡¯ve already told you that children have to eat well.¡± ¡°But . . .¡± Siervian tried to disagree with Ellie, but she stopped herself. It was the Empress who always told her to watch her figure. ¡°Your Highness has to forget everything that Sarah said, okay?¡± It was true that Sarah was a head maid who acted under the orders of the Empress, however, it turned out that Sarah had been acting like that on purpose all on her own. The Empress had asked for forgiveness from Siervian though, even if it wasn¡¯t her fault. The Siervian from her previous life would have been swept to tears by this, moved by the Empress¡¯ sincerity. She¡¯d think that the Empress truly cared for her. ¡®But that¡¯s not the case.¡¯ After seeing the Empress¡¯ status window, Siervian realized that not everything the Empress said was the truth. In her previous life and in this life, this was what shocked Siervian the most. ¡°Hmm, well. How should I cheer up our Princess?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Our cute hydrangea-like Princess doesn¡¯t look so good. I wonder if she¡¯s sick. I¡¯m worried. With her darkening expression, Ellie showed more signs of her worry for Siervian, but because Siervian didn¡¯t want her to worry too much, she forced herself to straighten her back and puff out her chest. ¡°I should have found something better for Your Highness, but I have something special just for you.¡± ¡°Something spwecial?¡± ¡°Nutritious meals are very important, and I know that Your Highness is doing your best to control yourself. But here, just for today.¡± Then, Ellie brought out a tray. It was a small cake. As soon as she saw it, Siervian turned pale because of what Ellie said just now. ¡®I¡¯ll be hated.¡¯ Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°E, Eri¡­¡± ¡°W-What is it, Princess?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I knew it. Is the cake too ugly?! At the status window that popped up, Siervian saw that the cake Ellie brought her out of the blue. It was smaller and had simpler decorations than the cake she ate yesterday. But still, the thick chocolate cream on top of it looked delicious. ¡®All the food Ellie brings me these days are delicious.¡¯ Siervian could feel Ellie¡¯s sincerity every time she took a bite. Her meals were now nutritious enough to help her young body to grow well. Thanks to that, she couldn¡¯t eat much because she was worrying about her weight. She felt sorry for not being able to eat much. But she couldn¡¯t believe it was happening again. ¡°I-I¡¯m sowwy!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t cry. What¡¯s wrong, Princess?¡± Tears welled up in Siervian¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t see Ellie¡¯s beautiful face through her tears, and her shoulders kept shaking because of her sobs. At this sight, Ellie quickly ran to the princess¡¯ side and hugged her. It was a pity that she was too small to even fill the maid¡¯s arms. ¡®It¡¯s awkward¡­¡¯ In Ellie¡¯s warm embrace, Siervian felt confused. Because whenever she cried, everyone would only look down at her with cold eyes. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Surprised of herself because she started crying, Siervian confessed about what happened the day before. ¡°I ate too many snacks yestewday.¡± ¡°Yesterday? Oh, did you eat a lot when you were with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± As she hiccupped, Siervian nodded. She didn¡¯t need to talk formally* because she was a princess, but it just kept coming out. She was afraid that she¡¯d lose this warmth forever. ¡°I made a mwistake¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +30 Her tears were still flowing profusely, but she could see the bright status window. The favorability rose up just like that. Siervian looked at Ellie with wonder in her eyes. Even with the slightest movement of her gaze, her eyes were heavy with tears. But Ellie still had a smile on even though Siervian confessed. ¡°Princess. You weren¡¯t wrong.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: My poor princess¡­ Because of those words, Siervian was filled with a little courage. She raised her face and asked. ¡°But, y-you said it¡¯s spwecial¡­¡± Ellie¡¯s warm hand touched Siervian¡¯s cheek, and her sorrow melted away little by little. ¡°Because it¡¯s a snack. Our Princess didn¡¯t eat much today, so I was worried.¡± ¡°Becawse I didn¡¯t eat well?¡± Ellie was telling her again to eat more. She said it every mealtime, but Siervian couldn¡¯t understand. Until just recently, she had been told that princesses should eat less and always watch their weight. However, after seeing the Empress¡¯ status window, seeds of doubt had been sown. It was Sarah and the Empress who told Siervian to eat less. Why did they do that? ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯m sorry the food isn¡¯t good enough¡­ If it was delicious, you would have eaten more¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: The finances of the Princess¡¯ Palace are still¡­ ¡°No! It¡¯s yummy!¡± Even as she wondered if Ellie would notice that she could read her thoughts, Siervian quickly resolved the misunderstanding. Sarah¡¯s pepper soup couldn¡¯t even compare to the meals Ellie gave her. ¡®And really different.¡¯ The meals were always warm, even though she couldn¡¯t eat much. And most of all, Ellie had been catering to her taste. She always took great care to note Siervian¡¯s likes and dislikes. ¡°That¡¯s why you can also eat a lot of what His Majesty gives you.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You should eat better. ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, Princess.¡± Ellie¡¯s strong support left Siervian lost in thought. [ Ellie ] Favorability: 9,987 She thought about the Empress¡¯ negative favorability points and Ellie¡¯s rising points, showing who it was that truly cared for Siervian. ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Really? Oh my, that¡¯s very good, our dear Princess¡­!¡± The words burst out of Ellie¡¯s lips. These words denied all of the habits Siervian had in her previous life, but strangely, she answered easily. ¡°Fwom now on, I¡¯ll eat bweakfast and lunch well.¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +40 Ellie smiled widely as she looked at the princess, nodding enthusiastically. She hugged Siervian tighter because she was so lovely, then patted the child¡¯s black hair. ¡®I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡¯ In the Princess¡¯ Palace, it was often suffocating even if she didn¡¯t do anything. But now, she couldn¡¯t breathe because Ellie was hugging her tightly. She wanted to break free, but she held it in. Because being in someone¡¯s embrace felt better than she thought. ¡°Now, shall we eat the cake?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ellie quickly brought the tray to Siervian. The delicious smell of chocolate that had been passing by the tip of Siervian¡¯s nose since earlier was finally coming closer to her. It really looked delicious. It was brought here just at the right time too because she was starting to get hungry. She couldn¡¯t eat anything when she was at the Empress¡¯ Palace. ¡°It won¡¯t taste as good as the snacks you had yesterday. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No way.¡± As Ellie said, there weren¡¯t any magical forks or snowy cakes here. But the chocolate cake was very delicious. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: How pretty you are to look at when you eat well. Nyam. Nyam, nyam. The small cake was gone in an instant. Still, Siervian pretended that she wasn¡¯t disappointed when she was finished eating and set the fork down. She decided to eat well from now on, so maybe she could eat cake again. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I guess you want to eat more. How did she know? Didn¡¯t she hide it? In the next few days, Siervian ate and slept well at the Princess¡¯ Palace. She still hesitated to the point of getting full, but that hesitation was gone the moment Ellie smiled at her and told her how prettily she ate. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ One thing kept bothering her while she spent her days like this. Why did ¡®that¡¯ incident happen? ¡°Eri, Eri!¡± ¡°Yes, Princess, would you like another snack?¡± ¡°No!¡± And in the past few days, Ellie had been trying to feed Siervian something every time they made eye contact. It was getting a bit too much, so Siervian thought she should avoid Ellie¡¯s gaze a little bit. No matter how important it was to eat well, a Princess¡¯ dignity is¡­ ¡°Your Highness really doesn¡¯t want to eat?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Today, I brought macarons that are just as cute as our Princess. Should I give them to you later? ¡°Okay, I wanna eat.¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped if it was macarons. Since that was the case, she quickly changed her mind. ¡°Here¡­ I got this from a friend who works at the Emperor¡¯s Palace. I¡¯m sorry I can give Your Highness only a little¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You like it so much, but I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you a lot. I¡¯d like to give you a heaping tray one day. ¡°Yummy!¡± Ellie shyly gave Siervian two more macarons, and Siervian carefully took both and savored one of them. After a brief thought, Siervian gave the remaining macaron to Ellie. ¡°Eri, eat!¡± ¡°Oh my, Princess. I¡¯m quite alright.¡± ¡°Noo, pwease eat!¡± Siervian grabbed Ellie¡¯s hand and put the macaron on her palm. Ellie hesitated, but accepted it in the end when she saw the small hands holding hers. ¡°How come our Princess is so kind-hearted¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +30 The sight of Ellie¡¯s delighted face made Siervian¡¯s heart prickle a little. Actually, today¡¯s purpose was to increase Ellie¡¯s favorability even just a smidge. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very sweet.¡± ¡°Yummy, right?¡± ¡°Yes, very much. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Seeing Ellie happy made Siervian think that she should give her more next time. Even though she was receiving the macarons from Ellie¡­ Still. ¡°I¡¯m fwull.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, Princess.¡± ¡°Can I go outside today?¡± ¡°Outside?¡± Ellie didn¡¯t expect it, so her eyes were wide. Siervian was afraid she¡¯d say no, so she hurriedly spoke again. She had to go out today. ¡°I¡¯ll be good¡­ But if Eri is too busy¡­ maybe next twime¡­¡± As Siervian finished speaking sullenly, Ellie¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ellie had a stiff expression on as she called Siervian, who knew that it¡¯s easy to be hated no matter what she did, so she should be more careful. ¡°Of course Your Highness can go out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But then Ellie said something unexpected. Ellie knelt in front of Siervian and made eye contact with Siervian, whose head was down. ¡°Princess, this is your palace. Your Highness may do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Even going outside?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Siervian looked into Ellie¡¯s eyes to see if she was telling the truth. ¡°Goodness¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I should have told you earlier¡­ It¡¯s my mistake. Ellie looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Although it was frustrating to stay inside the palace, Siervian was happy whenever she was with Ellie, who she was looking at with wonder. ¡°Goodness¡­ I should have paid more attention. I apologize.¡± ¡°No, Eri¡¯s beside me so I¡¯m happy alweady.¡± ¡°¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I¡¯m really glad to hear that¡­ Ellie embraced Siervian with tears in her eyes. Siervian meant what she said. These days, Siervian was neither hungry nor terrified by Sarah¡¯s shouting voice. Before, it was Sarah who decided whether she could go out or not, so it was never easy to ask for permission. ¡®And it¡¯s only if someone calls me.¡¯ Unfortunately, Sarah never let Siervian out of her room on her own. That¡¯s why she thought she needed to ask for permission from Ellie first, but now she realized that she didn¡¯t have to do that. ¡°Then, shall we get ready to go outside?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +20 At Siervian¡¯s excited answer, Ellie moved quickly. ¡°Hmm¡­ Your Highness hasn¡¯t gone out that often lately, but why don¡¯t you have much clothes¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: When is the budget for Princess¡¯ Palace coming in? There¡¯s still a lot I have to change¡­ Ellie was troubled when she looked at the closet. One side was full of gloomy clothes. Ellie wanted to dispose of them right away, but she kept them there just in case. And the other side had bright clothes that Ellie bought as soon as she became head maid. At one glance, it was clear that there were only a few bright clothes. ¡®I wonder why there isn¡¯t a budget in the Princess¡¯ Palace?¡¯ Siervian, who was standing beside Ellie, thought about it as she looked at the closet. Then, she pointed to one dress. It was a pink frill dress that she wore when she went to see her father last time. ¡°Is this alright? Your Highness already wore this recently.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fwine.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if she wore the same clothes twice. Aristocrats didn¡¯t like to do this, but she didn¡¯t want to think the same way. If she changed her clothes a lot, then she¡¯d be criticized as a princess who wasted the people¡¯s money. It would be easier to hear if she was called fussy instead. ¡®But that¡¯s not the point here.¡¯ Rather, the matter of the palace¡¯s budget was constantly raising questions. She was even more curious about it as she thought of ¡®that¡¯ incident over the past few days. ¡°Where will Your Highness go today?¡± ¡°Jwust somewhere.¡± The first thing that made everyone in the Imperial Palace think of Siervian with a bad impression was the so-called [Princess¡¯ Palace Food Waste] case. ¡ª¡ª tl/n: * The way Siervian said ¡®yes¡¯ in Korean is considered to be more formal. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 After going out of the Princess¡¯ Palace with Ellie, Siervian walked forward as she recalled the food waste incident. In her past life, a luxurious carriage passed through the slums threw out some things. It was obviously garbage, but the kids in the slums were attracted by the smell. And when they saw what was inside, it was all gourmet food that was barely touched. ¡¯I¡¯ve never seen such a healthy meal¡­! At first, the children who found out about this considered themselves lucky if they came across the carriage. It was like some fortune was being bestowed upon them by the nobles. But soon, things took a turn. ¡¯This is all from the palace?¡¯ ¡®Not even just once or twice!¡¯ ¡®I saw everything! I¡¯m sure they threw away all this food last time, too!¡¯ People had spread rumors that the carriage came from the Princess¡¯ Palace. All kinds of malicious rumors swarmed throughout the slums. It was quick for the starving underprivileged to get angry. ¡¯I¡¯m sure she¡¯s been doing this many times, wasting food everyday.¡¯ Rumors then spread throughout the capital, to the point that even the nobles had it on their lips. The Emperor was a man that the entire continent was afraid of, yet he had no weaknesses in state affairs. Public sentiment was also an important part of state affairs, so it was natural that he came to her to check if these allegations were true. ¡¯Siervian.¡¯ Siervian didn¡¯t remember much about this time in the past. She had been too young, but¡­ she could clearly remember her father¡¯s cold gaze as he looked down at her. Her father asked her something, and even as she was terribly intimidated, she replied ¡¯The snacks¡­ aren¡¯t¡­ yummy¡­¡¯ Siervian remembered for sure that this was what she said. After hearing her answer, her father turned around wordlessly. She still couldn¡¯t forget the look he gave her¡ªone that was full of disappointment. ¡®But now I think I know why I said that.¡¯ She had already been eating the food that Sarah was giving to her. Even when she was younger, she had been forced to eat hard bread and pepper soup every day. Of course she had no other choice but to answer like that. ¡°I only wealized now what happened.¡± The food waste incident had a very bad effect on Siervian¡¯s image. She now had to be careful about everything so that she wouldn¡¯t be seen as extravagant. In the first place, she couldn¡¯t even imagine eating something and complaining about the food. ¡°Princess? Did you say something?¡± Ellie approached her because she saw that Siervian¡¯s little cheeks had moved slightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°Do your legs hurt?¡± ¡°Nooo.¡± Siervian had been wondering for a long time about the rumors that followed her back in the past. However, there was no doubt that she answered in that way. ¡®It¡¯s my fault, so I have to take responsibility¡ªthat¡¯s what I thought back then.¡¯ But now, she could see it from a different angle. Even before the food waste incident, she¡¯d been eating small portions of meals that didn¡¯t even taste good, so how could she have possibly wasted anything? And the Princess¡¯ Palace was having budget problems right now. It was strange in many ways. ¡°Tell me anytime if you¡¯re having a hard time, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The wind, which was warmed up by mana, fluttered around her cheeks. Feeling the pleasant wind across her face, Siervian nodded with the gracefulness of a princess. When Ellie saw the child very awkwardly attempting to move elegantly, she gasped and stopped breathing. [ Ellie ] Favorability: +10 Thoughts: H-How cute¡­! When Siervian saw the status window, she was proud of herself, thinking that her behavior seemed very dignified. ¡®But how did they know that it came from the Princess¡¯ Palace?¡¯ It was the biggest question she had regarding the incident. How did the people of the slums come to the conclusion that the food waste came from the Princess¡¯ Palace? It¡¯s not like the carriage driver would have kindly told everyone where he came from. ¡°Oh my, we¡¯ve already come to the other side of the garden, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Ohhh, I wanna go to the kitchen!¡± After they went on a tour of the garden, they had already crossed over to the other side. Siervian was happy to be outside, but the garden of the Princess¡¯ Palace actually wasn¡¯t very beautiful. It looked like no one was maintaining it, and everywhere, there were weeds growing. Things were fine around the small area where she could take a walk though. ¡°Is Your Highness hungry? I¡¯ll get you some snacks immediately.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± She was momentarily tempted by the mention of snacks, but as she almost nodded, she denied it solemnly. There was something more urgent now. If her father had come here to check the rumor back then, then there definitely would have been solid evidence against her. In the Imperial family, when you throw away trash, there would be a certificate saying which palace it came from. ¡°¡­The kitchen wouldn¡¯t look good right now, Your Highness. Would that be alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fwine.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You¡¯ll definitely be upset when you see it. Siervian wondered why Ellie thought this way. What¡¯s wrong with the kitchen? Come to think of it, she had seen only a few other maids besides Ellie over the past few days. ¡°There are other people?¡± ¡°The other maids have finished their work this morning. Please don¡¯t worry too much.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: What should I do so that the Princess can live in a better environment? Whether her father knew about the new maids or not, people came in and out of the palace frequently in the morning as Ellie said. But they were very quiet and they focused on their work, so Siervian didn¡¯t even know their names yet. She also couldn¡¯t see their status windows because they wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with her. Ellie might have encountered some problems when she became the new head maid. Maybe it was the budget issue. Siervian decided to wait more patiently, as she was a generous boss. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°When we arrive, would you like some snacks?¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +10 Siervian rushed Ellie because she wanted to know more about the food waste incident right away, but Ellie thought differently. Siervian pretended she didn¡¯t hear and just went on her way. As Ellie mentioned, the kitchen of the Princess¡¯ Palace wasn¡¯t in a good state. Even though everything was neatly arranged, the amount of food stored in the pantry was very small. Usually, there were dedicated chefs in the kitchen, however, this kitchen was entirely empty. Did the staff leave after doing work in the morning just like the other maids? But it wasn¡¯t even dinner time yet. At the thought of it, Siervian suddenly felt hungry. When Siervian looked inside the kitchen, Ellie entered with a slight smile. ¡­Did she hear Siervian¡¯s stomach growl a little bit just now? ¡°Stay here for a while, Your Highness. Kitchen tools are very dangerous, so you can¡¯t touch any of them. Do you understand?¡± She knew that much already, so Siervian answered confidently. ¡°Okay!¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +10 Thoughts: Ohh¡­ Strangely, her thoughts really didn¡¯t reflect in her eyes. ¡®There really is nothing in the kitchen.¡¯ With Ellie¡¯s back turned, Siervian quickly returned to her original purpose in visiting the kitchen. She looked around her surroundings sharply. The cupboards, which should be full of plates and bowls, were practically empty. There were also several shelves lining the walls, but they¡¯re all similarly almost empty. ¡®I don¡¯t see anything that could be food waste.¡¯ Ellie skillfully picked up a basket and pulled out some bread inside. Then, she took out a bottle of milk from the storage which was being kept cold by magic. ¡°Princess, would you like to sit here?¡± Ellie lifted the child and let her sit on the big island table in the middle of the kitchen. There weren¡¯t any chairs, perhaps because this wasn¡¯t a place for eating. ¡°Would you like to eat at Your Highness¡¯ room instead? But since you wanted to see the kitchen, I thought you¡¯d like to eat here.¡± ¡°Uh-huh! I like it here!¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +10 Thoughts: ¡®Uh-huh¡¯? ¡®Uh-huh¡¯¡­! It would have been absurd for a princess to eat here, but Siervian nodded anyway because she wanted to inspect the kitchen a little bit more. Besides, she couldn¡¯t ignore Ellie¡¯s sincerity. And she wouldn¡¯t change her mind since she could smell the nice scent of bread and milk. ¡°Eat a little of this for now, Your Highness, then you can eat dinner in a little while.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s yummy!¡± The soft bread was very sweet with the sugar sprinkled over it. And it was even better when she drank the cold milk. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare some chicken soup for Your Highness¡¯ dinner. Fortunately, I got some ingredients today.¡± Ellie brushed away the breadcrumbs on Siervian¡¯s cheeks as she said this. Originally, she should have been scolded for eating messily, so this was a bit strange for Siervian. ¡°I pwomise I won¡¯t make a mess.¡± ¡°Fufu, our Princess is still young, so it¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± Siervian took another sip of the milk and glanced at Ellie. To be exact, it was to check if Ellie was telling the truth. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I wish I had been more kind to you before. It wouldn¡¯t have been so hard for you. Siervian was troubled because Ellie seemed to have misunderstood something. She loved Ellie. What could be a good way to say this? [ Ellie ] Thoughts: No. If I had shown more kindness, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay beside the Princess¡­ People were being fired for showing any affection towards Her Highness. Siervian found the unexpected truth in Ellie¡¯s status window. Sarah had kicked out any of the maids who were nice to her. Ellie knew that, which was why she was strict with her on purpose. Siervian¡¯s heart was fluttering. The Ellie in her previous life stayed beside Siervian for quite a long time. ¡°Please chew slowly. Do you like milk? Would you like more sugar?¡± Siervian was feeling melancholic as she thought that she should have known about Ellie before, but she quickly let go of these thoughts as she tasted the sweetness of sugar. ¡°Yes pwease.¡± She slowly drank her milk and looked around the kitchen, but she really couldn¡¯t find any luxurious food that could end up being the food waste thrown in the slums. ¡®Well it¡¯s not in the kitchen right now, so where did it really come from?¡¯ As she savored the taste of bread, she thought that she should look elsewhere tomorrow. At the same time, Ellie¡¯s thoughts popped up again as she swept the crumbs off Siervian¡¯s cheeks. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I wish my sibling* would get better soon too. I don¡¯t know why the fever isn¡¯t going away. ¡®There¡¯s also Ellie¡¯s sibling being sick.¡¯ Feeling the warmth from the fireplace, Siervian was momentarily lost in thought. Ellie¡¯s sick sibling. The food waste incident. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to change it in this life. I¡¯ll make it happen for sure.¡¯ After eating her afternoon snack, Siervian felt sleepy so her steps were staggering. Ellie gently picked up Siervian and carried her to her room. She woke up when it was already dinner time. ¡®Where should I look again tomorrow?¡¯ At least she knew now that the food waste definitely didn¡¯t come from the Princess¡¯ Palace. If it was only a misunderstanding from the beginning, then she wanted to do her best to prevent it from happening this time. ¡®It happened two months before my birthday.¡¯ It was the same period of time right now in her second life. As Siervian realized this, there was a sudden sense of urgency swirling within her. The rumors about the food waste from the Princess¡¯ Palace said that the carriage was found several times, so maybe it was already happening right now. ¡°Eri!¡± She was in a hurry because she thought that the rumor might spread again soon. Just because she wasn¡¯t at fault didn¡¯t mean that people would know the truth. Siervian knew this more than anyone. ¡°Eri?¡± And there was one more reason why she needed to hurry. It was because of the fever that Ellie¡¯s sibling was suffering from. From the thoughts she read earlier, it seemed like it¡¯s been a while since the younger sibling had been having the fever. Then that meant there was little time left. There should be a cure for it nearby. ¡®I need to solve Ellie¡¯s problem first.¡¯ She was afraid to give false hope to Ellie by saying that she could find a remedy. So, as she looked out the window where the sky had turned dark, Siervian decided. She would have to look for it by herself. ¡ª¡ª tl/n: * the word Ellie used here was gender neutral, so it¡¯s still not clear whether it¡¯s a younger sister or a younger brother. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 She wouldn¡¯t be in danger because she was inside the palace anyway. Ellie also told her that she could do whatever she wanted. It was unrefined logic that only a child would believe, but Siervian didn¡¯t realize this and quickly left her bed. ¡®I¡¯ll go to the back garden.¡¯ As she walked out of the room carefully, the other parts of the palace were silent, like there really was no other person there. No matter how little the work should be, shouldn¡¯t there be someone who¡¯s staying here? It was strange. Was Ellie in charge of all the work in the afternoon? It looked as though she was used to kitchen work, but Siervian didn¡¯t know if Ellie had prepared dinner herself. Suddenly, it occurred to her that there was too much work for just one maid to do. Didn¡¯t her father say that he¡¯d send in more maids soon? But¡­ Let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s in front for now. Perhaps it¡¯s because she became younger, but she was now afraid of the dark. Siervian walked out quickly and came out to the bright moonlight¡¯s illumination, and the garden looked shabbier at night. She hurried and went to the back garden where she could see a little bit of light. Apart from the kitchen, it was a good path towards another palace. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here¡­¡± She was scared, so she talked to herself, but Siervian stayed vigilant. She thought there might be something hidden in the garden, but it was a thought in vain. It was vacant apart from the weeds that sprouted from the ground. ¡®When Sarah disappeared, did the future change?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, then she was glad. She still didn¡¯t understand why the high-quality food was purposely thrown out. ¡®What do I do now?¡¯ As she considered her thoughts, Siervian passed through the small wooden door out the back garden. She didn¡¯t know the path exactly, but she somewhat knew which direction to go. Since she came out like this, she was motivated to find medicine for Ellie¡¯s sibling. ¡®I wish I had some Cassia.¡¯ Cassia flowers bloomed in places where mana was overflowing, so they were rarely found in the wild. Inside the palace, however, there was a patch that held more than wild grass. There were also many Cassia flowers in the garden of the Magic Tower. They used the flowers for their own purposes, so they let them bloom there. ¡®I think it¡¯s this way.¡¯ With the baseless confidence unique to a stray child, Siervian marched forward. Her legs were suddenly energized as she thought that she could do something to help Ellie. When she went over one door like that, it suddenly felt like her surroundings became bright. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Around her were lilac flowers that bloomed like stars. The small purple flowers fluttered and shook, the heavily adorned branches bowing down due to the weight of its blossoms. The moon was bright today, giving the illusion that the flowers were glowing softly. It was amazing. It was like she was in a different world. Behind the desolate vacant lot of the Princess¡¯ Palace, there was a huge garden filled with lilacs. It really looked like another world even though she crossed just one door. As she admired the flowers in full bloom, Siervian quickly felt better and forgot her fear. ¡°Pwetty.¡± She liked flowers very much. It was a shame that she couldn¡¯t reveal this in her previous life. She had a bad memory with flowers, so from then on, she kept her admiration for flowers to herself. ¡®I didn¡¯t know lilacs were this pretty.¡¯ But now that she saw them, Siervian could focus on only the beauty of the flowers. ¡°What the. You.¡± Until someone called out to her. Siervian was instantly startled, and she backed away. The reason she didn¡¯t run away was because the voice that called out to her was also young. Why was there a child wandering around the palace? ¡°Who are you¡­¡± She hesitated before asking back, her voice filled with fear that she had forgotten for a moment when she was looking at the lilacs. Then, she could hear a rustling sound from beyond the lilac branches. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ The child¡¯s curiosity was aroused. She carefully approached the lilac branch, which cascaded down like a curtain, even though she wanted to turn back and run to a safe place. When she gently pushed the branches away, the fragrance of the blossoms brushed by her. And here, she saw a familiar face. ¡®Why is he here?¡¯ No, it was a face that was younger than the face she knew. ¡®Lord of the Magic Tower, Karmen.¡¯ The bright moonlight¡¯s rays touched his platinum hair, and his silver eyes that were looking straight at Siervian startled her. She clearly remembered his cold gaze. ¡¯¡­Please move away.¡¯ Karmen was a child from the slums who became an apprentice at the Magic Tower because of his strong resonance with mana. Perhaps it was because of his background that he couldn¡¯t see through the false accusations towards Siervian with the food waste case. ¡¯Execute the death penalty.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long before his silver eyes and her eyes met, and she flinched away. The last thing he said in her previous life came to mind. ¡°I asked who you are, you.¡± The brusque voice came out once again. Siervian was terribly frightened once more, so she tried to turn around and run away. It was a quick flash of blind fear that urged her to escape. However, a brilliant status window suddenly emerged near Karmen, which drew Siervian¡¯s attention. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Occupation: Magic Tower Apprentice (Lv.80) Favorability: 80,984 Mood: Excited Thoughts: What? An angel? How cute! I¡¯ve never seen anyone like her. Am I dreaming? What¡¯s wrong with Karmen¡¯s window? ¡°This is my hideout. Tell me who you are.¡± Still, his tone was very blunt, and his eyes were glaring at Siervian. However, even in the dark, it could be seen that his face was slightly red. ¡®Excited? Not angry?¡¯ He did a double take reflexively, wondering that perhaps she saw it wrong. There were only them both here, and there was still a curtain of lilacs between them. But, people don¡¯t usually say flowers were angels¡­ right? ¡°What, can¡¯t you talk?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: I don¡¯t know what to do. No, maybe that old man is teasing me with illusory magic? Then¡­ It was undeniable that Karmen¡¯s gaze was on her this whole time. Under these unexpected circumstances, Siervian stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m Seruvian.¡± ¡°Seruvian?¡± ¡°Umm, no, Seruvian, Siieruvian.¡± ¡°¡­Siervian?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Karmen repeated her name several times as if to memorize it by heart. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Ah¡­ Even the way you talk is so pretty. Who the hell are you? Are you a mage like me? There were so many things that Siervian still couldn¡¯t process that she was frozen in place. Then, as Karmen was still staring at her, he suddenly took off the robe he was wearing then threw it to the ground. ¡°Sit down.¡± At the rough action, Siervian was frozen stiff again like a little deer, flinching slightly. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Damn¡­ were you surprised? Why are you so jumpy? Karmen, who was used to being pushed around by other children, raised a hand to push back his hair as though he was annoyed. Then, he stepped back and spat out again. ¡°Sit down.¡± Karmen pointed to the robe he just threw insincerely. ¡°Here?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yeah.¡± The robe that mages wore were something they were very proud of. ¡°¡­Really?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yes!!¡± When he was asked the same thing twice, Karmen answered a little louder, but Siervian didn¡¯t flinch anymore because the favorability rose every time she spoke. [ Favorability: +100 ] Now, even when her lips were closed, it still rose. Siervian struggled, looking down at the robe that had patterns of the tower clearly engraved. She was bewildered. He threw it haphazardly, but the robe was spread out on the ground wide enough for someone to sit on it. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Ah, why aren¡¯t you sitting down? You¡¯d look so pretty. Should I go get a soft cushion or something? Maybe I should go somewhere and bring it back here. Karmen began to think these things out of the blue when Siervian was just staring at the robe on the ground. After much consideration, Siervian moved cautiously towards the Robe. Then, after she settled down, she realized that Karmen would know where the Magic Tower¡¯s garden was. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re allowed in my hideout now.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] As she looked around, still admiring the view, she went inside the ¡®hideout¡¯. ¡®Beautiful.¡¯ Sitting here, she could see that the lilac trees were gathered in a circle, their flower curtains so thick that wouldn¡¯t see outside. Bright moonlight poured in through the gaps in the blossoms, and the scent of the lilacs was carried through the air. It was like a secret place that the lilacs were hiding from view. ¡®It¡¯s so pretty. Why didn¡¯t I know there¡¯s a place like this until now?¡¯ Siervian thought this place had the most beautiful scenery she had ever seen. She wanted to thank Karmen for giving up his seat, still in awe of the view. However, as soon as she met his gaze, a blunt remark came up. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Mood: Very, very excited Thoughts: So pretty¡­ How can you be so cute? I hope you keep looking around. Once again, Siervian was speechless at the disconnect between Carmen¡¯s thoughts and words. ¡°Do you, well, are you learning magic? Are you a noble?¡± She never learned any magic. Siervian was also an Imperial family member rather than an aristocrat, so she answered lightly. ¡°Nope.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re not a mage.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Karmen understood at once that she wasn¡¯t a mage apprentice, but he assumed she was a noble because the clothes she was wearing were finely made. ¡°¡­¡± Karmen, who had platinum hair that was brighter than snow, was famous, and he was known to have a cold, reserved personality. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking my name? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s your na-me?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Call me Karmen.¡± He definitely should have been that way. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Ah, right. The old man said that people would like me because of where I¡¯m from. Damn it¡­ Like the old man told me, I shouldn¡¯t have talked too much. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Siervian didn¡¯t know who the ¡®old man¡¯ Karmen kept mentioning in his thoughts. However, after having a glimpse into his thoughts, she wondered why he had become so taciturn later when he¡¯d later be an adult. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alone this late. You don¡¯t know just how scary the palace guards are.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°But you¡¯re also alone.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°I-I¡¯m fine though? I¡¯m taller than you!¡± Was he someone else? He was so different from the cold Karmen that she knew, so she had reasonable grounds to doubt him. Come to think of it, the status window next to him was also quite strange. Karmen ¡®Kasselov¡¯? Karmen, the Magic Tower¡¯s Lord, was from the slums and had no last name. She never heard of him having one. It was also mentioned as such when he was formally appointed by the Emperor as the youngest master of the tower in history. ¡±Even my father refused to give me a last name. He said that I was not fit for it.¡± What was Karmen doing here so late at night? And he was close to the Princess¡¯ Palace. She was on her way to investigate the food waste incident, but this encounter made her nervous. He was one of the people who despised Siervian for the incident. ¡°What¡¯re you doin¡¯ here?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­I was taking a break from my Master¡¯s* lessons.¡± { tl/n: not like an ¡®owner¡¯, but he refers to him like this, just like how martial artists call their teachers ¡®master¡¯. } [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: That tower lord old man. I ran out to avoid his scolding, but he¡¯ll be furious once I go back. I don¡¯t wanna go. Siervian took a peek at his status window, startled to find out who the old man he was talking about was. She was curious why he was so scared to go back just to be scolded. In her memories, he was the fearsome Karmen whose magic talent could rival even the Emperor¡¯s abilities. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why¡­¡± As he mentioned his master, Karmen kicked the ground in front of him. His full lashes, which glimmered subtly, matched this secret lilac garden very well. ¡®Handsome.¡¯ This time, Siervian was amazed by Karmen¡¯s face instead of the flowers. He had a reticent expression on his face, but his handsome looks didn¡¯t go away. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: I wanna go home. But I have to work hard so they can eat¡­ Annoying. Those fellows are doing well. He looked livelier now instead of being aloof, and the thoughts he had made Siervian see him in a new light, too. She knew that he didn¡¯t have a family, but he must have been continuing to work hard with his magic training because of the kids he considered younger siblings. ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] When she came to her senses, Siervian realized that she was patting his head unintentionally. Karmen, embarrassed, revealed his emotions slightly. It was an angry expression. [ Favorability: +100 ] However, his body was frozen and he didn¡¯t back away from her hand. He even bowed his head so that the short Siervian could pat him better. ¡°Stay stwong.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Seeing that, she wanted to cheer him up again. The mage¡¯s robe that he laid down on the ground was obviously too big for a child. He was the same age as the Crown Prince, three years older than Siervian. However, right now, he was only an eight-year-old child. ¡®I guess it¡¯s really hard to learn magic.¡¯ In her previous life, she had no talent in magic, so she wasn¡¯t given any magic lessons. She didn¡¯t know how difficult they were. But it must have been so hard that he had to find a hiding place like this while he thought of his younger siblings. ¡°Must¡¯ve been hard¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] So Siervian patted his head for a long time. It was a little awkward to pat someone¡¯s head who was much taller than her. [ Favorability: +100 ] It wasn¡¯t long until Karmen stepped back, then spoke aggressively. ¡°Stop it now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] But when he moved away, she saw how his ears were extremely red. And it was like he was hesitating to move away from her. While thinking his hair was as soft as it looked, Siervian still somehow felt sorry for him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Damn¡­ I want you to pat me more, but my pride is hurt. Rubbing his ears roughly, Karmen went far away from her. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] She replied, not being hurt by what he said. Her body was a child¡¯s, but her mind was an adult¡¯s, so she could comfort him this much. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Your hands are so so so cute, too. How can you be so small? Although she didn¡¯t know why Karmen¡¯s thoughts were more mature than how he spoke rudely. ¡°But you. What are you doing here?¡± Karmen looked down as he asked. After getting up to pat his head earlier, she sat back down again. Maybe because she was a little tired, but she felt like she needed to use this opportunity well. ¡°I¡¯m looking for somethwing.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Tell me what it is. It¡¯s annoying, but I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Then I¡¯ll have to come with you to find it. It¡¯s dark and dangerous at night, so I can¡¯t let you go alone. Unlike his words, Siervian looked at his inner thoughts that seemed to be cooperative, then chose her words well. It would look suspicious to others if she said she wanted to go to the tower¡¯s garden, so she should just say she¡¯s looking for flowers. ¡°It¡¯s a pwetty flower like this.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] A detailed description was difficult to enunciate, so Siervian took a small stone from the grown and did her best to draw the Cassia flower on the ground. ¡°Do you know?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Karmen was being very cooperative, and he focused intently on the drawing that Siervian¡¯s dainty hands drew. She thought he¡¯d definitely recognize it, but the status window betrayed her expectations. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: What is that¡­ A worm? I thought you¡¯re looking for a flower. ¡°¡­¡± Siervian looked at Karmen with complex emotions. She thought he was a blunt person so he¡¯d just blurt out thoughts like this, but it was surprising that he was being considerate. When their eyes met, the status window changed again. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: It really looks like a worm, but it¡¯s cute. How can your cute fingers do that? Even though inside, he was full of rude thoughts. ¡°Like this¡­ small and yellow.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cassia!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] She stammered for a long time trying to describe the flower¡¯s appearance, but she eventually said the name. Karmen tilted his head to the side as if he was lost in thought. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Is it the flower in the old man¡¯s garden? ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Her eyes glistened and she jumped up. Karmen¡¯s expression twisted as he looked at her, who had her hands clasped together. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I must be crazy. You¡¯re so cute. I¡¯ll have to pick all the flowers in that old man¡¯s garden. I¡¯ll get you a whole cart of it. No, wait, she didn¡¯t need that much. ¡°Um¡­ only thiiis much.¡± If Karmen went to pillage the garden, he¡¯d be in big trouble. So Siervian opened her open palm up to him and said that, meaning that she only needed about five. [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] Then suddenly, the status window flashed so much that she got dizzy. Karmen flinched back as she reached out her hand. His heart was beating dangerously. ¡°S-Stay away from me.¡± ¡°Okayyy, I got it.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Since Karmen knew where the flowers were, Siervian decided to listen to him. But when she stepped back a bit, Karmen¡¯s face looked like it was twisted in pain. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Ahh, you¡¯re so far away now. Crazy. Why did I say that? Idiot! His inner thoughts were full of bitter self-criticism. That¡¯s why Siervian, who was still being cautious, took one step closer to Karmen. [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Ahem. Um. It¡¯s dark out, so stay really close to me.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] It occurred to her that it was a bit difficult to match his mood swings. ¡°There¡¯s about five over there.¡± ¡°Really?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yeah. Come with me.¡± Karmen scurried out through a gap between the branches of the lilac tree without waiting for her answer. The rows of lilac trees were shining softly under the moonlight. ¡°Here. Is it this one?¡± As Karmen said, there was a patch of Cassia flowers under a large tree nearby. ¡°Ah!¡± Siervian rushed on her tiny legs toward that spot. She was wobbling as she ran, so Karmen followed closeby, pretending not to be worried. Siervian slowed down and found the Cassia flowers, then immediately sat on the ground to dig out some flowers. ¡°Geez.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] But it was hard for her to dig up the soil with her small hands. In the first place, she was an Imperial Princess, so she had never done this before. ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna take it like that? Stand up.¡± Watching her from behind, Karmen said this as if he was frustrated, then crouched to the ground and dug out the flowers for her. Although his tone was blunt, Siervian knew he was working hard for her, so she thanked him. ¡°Thank yew.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] Karmen turned around, then suddenly spoke. ¡°¡­I¡¯m just trying to do this quickly because I don¡¯t have time. Understand?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: How could I make your small hands do this. Let me do it. ¡°I¡¯m really lazy. This is a one time thing.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Siervian was really thankful. But she still thought he was a difficult person to deal with. Was Karmen like this in her previous life? ¡°But why do you need the roots? Are you going to plant it somewhere else?¡± ¡°Nope! To eat!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­For food?¡± Diligently digging the soil on Siervian¡¯s behalf, Karmen¡¯s face crumpled. She realized that she didn¡¯t explain well, that¡¯s why she got to see this expression. ¡°This one¡­ for ouchies.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] However, despite her clearer explanation, Karmen¡¯s suspicions were still not cleared. ¡°You¡¯ll use this flower for medicine? Are you hurt?¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Karmen¡¯s expression grew stiff at the mention of ¡®medicine¡¯, however, Sievian thought that he might just be assuming that she would use the wrong medicine. ¡®You¡¯re a good guy, Karmen.¡¯ Siervian understood his concern. The Cassia flower¡¯s true effects would only be revealed a few years from now. ¡°It¡¯s used as a fever reducer, but¡­¡± ¡°Right!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Just as he said, the flower was used often as a remedy for fevers, but it wasn¡¯t widely used for this reason because its effects were minimal. There were other herbs that worked better for fevers than the Cassia flower, especially since Cassia needed to be raised with mana. ¡®That¡¯s how it was, at least.¡¯ A few years later, the real effects of the flower would be revealed. It was only a fever reducer for adults, but for children, the effects were more beneficial. In particular, it was effective for a fever of unknown causes, which was known as ¡®childhood fever¡¯. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not toxic, I guess. Here you go.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± She quickly took the five uprooted Cassia flowers in her arms. Ellie would be disappointed that her clothes got dirty, but Siervian didn¡¯t mind that for now. She just hoped that this would be enough to help her younger sibling. ¡®¡­I think Ellie¡¯s sibling has that fever.¡¯ Siervian clearly remembered Ellie talking to another maid on the day that the flower¡¯s effects were revealed. It was a fever that would either be just like a cold for children, but it was deadly to others. That¡¯s why it took a while for this disease to be recognized. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Crap, your clothes got dirty. I should¡¯ve wrapped the flowers with the robe first. But the Karmen who was worrying about her clothes was in an even worse state since he was the one who dug out the roots. Reading his thoughts, Siervian broke out in cold sweat. It would have been worse than sitting on his robe. A mage¡¯s robe was really precious. It crossed her mind that Karmen, during this time in his childhood, must have been a really good-natured kid. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you taking magic lessons? Your mana¡¯s fragrance is this strong. It¡¯s such a waste.¡± As Karmen said this, Siervian just stared blankly at him, then asked. ¡°Huh? Fragwance?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yeah, the scent¡¯s really strong, and it seems like you have a high affinity for it. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± She had been distracted by Karmen¡¯s thick eyelashes at this moment, but she couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment when he said this. Even though she was an Imperial family member, Siervian didn¡¯t have any magical abilities. If she didn¡¯t have the same eye color as the Emperor, people might have misunderstood her as not being his child. ¡°But that can¡¯t be twue¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] If she had excellent abilities, she wouldn¡¯t have been so neglected. At the very least, she could have been useful and got rid of the snow monsters that kept threatening the Empire¡¯s mana circle. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: If Siervian learns magic, maybe I can see her again? Even as Siervian could see his thoughts and his favorability rising, she still couldn¡¯t believe any of it, thinking what he just said was a lie. ¡°What? It¡¯s true. Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: It¡¯s even more fragrant than that old man¡¯s.. Maybe you can be that old man¡¯s student, too? But after seeing his thoughts again, she got flustered when she realized that Karmen was being serious. ¡°Really? Really weally?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yup. Really, really.¡± Apart from becoming the youngest lord of the tower, Karmen was known for many other abilities. One of them was that he had an excellent sense of smell when it came to mana. The more mana a person had, the stronger their scent was. ¡®But that can¡¯t be true.¡¯ All her life, she thought that she had no affinity for magic. But out of the blue, someone was telling her that the scent of her mana was stronger than the current lord of the tower. ¡°You¡¯re done getting what you need, right? It¡¯s time for the guards to do their rounds here.¡± Karmen looked around as he said this, and Siervian reflexively looked around as well as she held the flowers in her arms. The only thing left for tonight was the food waste incident. Could Karmen keep a secret? ¡°If¡­ If maybe¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­If what?¡± Karmen knew more about the palace grounds than she did¡­ But she was afraid that she might be misunderstood again because of the food waste in this life as well. Even as she was afraid, Siervian managed to ask him. ¡°I wanna know where the twash of the Pwincess¡¯ Palace goes. Where is it?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Trash?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] At the unexpected question, Karmen raised an eyebrow. ¡°They probably gather it somewhere before sending it out. Maybe at the south gate that¡¯s closest to the slums.¡± ¡°Closest?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°Yeah¡­ When I lived there, I saw that things always got sent out in batches.¡± Karmen¡¯s expression became dark when he mentioned his origins. Worried about the sudden change in atmosphere, Siervian hurriedly read his thoughts. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: You won¡¯t like where I came from¡­ But there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Siervian¡¯s eyes grew wide, not expecting what she read at all. Because even in her previous life, she always thought that Karmen was amazing. Thinking that they wouldn¡¯t meet again any time soon, Siervian suddenly burst out with the first thing she thought of. ¡°Karmen is amazing!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯m a little great, aren¡¯t I.¡± He shrugged and turned away, avoiding Siervian¡¯s gaze. Thinking that she had said what she needed to say, Siervian smiled faintly. Then, she suddenly reached out her hand with a pinky up. ¡°All the things we did twogether, it¡¯s a secwet, okay?¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Karmen was lost in thought as he stared at the little pinky outstretched in front of him. Many nobles didn¡¯t even want to touch him when his origins had been revealed, but it was amazing that this little kid was still being friendly to him. It was making him feel greedy for more. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Then promise me you¡¯ll learn magic in the future.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Then we can meet again. Surprised, Siervian was at a loss for words. She also wanted to learn magic, but knowing from the past that she didn¡¯t have any capabilities for it, it might be difficult to keep this promise with him. But Karmen seemed to believe that she really did have strong mana. ¡°What¡­ what if I make mwistakes?¡± Her expression became frightened, but Karmen quickly reassured her. He just wanted to see her again. ¡°You¡¯ll do well. I know it. Then promise me you¡¯ll at least try to learn magic. You can do that, right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Siervian thought that she could try, so she nodded vigorously. It hadn¡¯t yet been revealed in this life that she didn¡¯t have any affinity for magic, so she could probably have lessons this time. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Pwomise!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] The two made a sincere promise with each other, intertwining their pinky fingers. At that moment, Siervian saw his status window from her periphery again and thought that the surname ¡®Kasselov¡¯ kind of sounded familiar. Where did she hear it? ¡°¡­cess!¡± Someone could be heard shouting in the distance. She couldn¡¯t hear what was said, but she recognized the voice immediately. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Eri.¡± Ellie, who stepped out for a while because of something she had to do, found that Siervian was missing once she returned to the princess¡¯ room. Only then did Siervian realize that she had been away for a while now. The moon was already high up in the sky before she knew it. ¡°I gotta go now¡­¡± There was an awkward silence between them because she didn¡¯t know how to say bye before going back. Then Karmen, who was also hesitating, said suddenly with a rough voice. ¡°You can come to my hideout again. I¡¯ll give you special permission.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Can I see you again? I really want to. In fact, Siervian thought that they wouldn¡¯t meet again because Karmen would become a really great person in the future. She was sure that he¡¯d forget her in no time. But Karmen¡¯s thoughts in his status window proved to be strange, even now. Thanks to that, she said yes as she was in a daze. ¡°Um, okayy, I¡¯ll do that.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] They might meet again since this was still inside the Princess¡¯ Palace. However, after that Siervian couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Karmen for a while. He usually had a grumpy expression on his face all the time, but right now, he was smiling so brightly. More brightly than the moon above their heads. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Eri!¡± Siervian went back the same path and saw Ellie running towards her at the palace¡¯s garden. The maid shouted in joy and hurried toward her. ¡°Your Highness, where have you been!¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Siervian tried to hold out the Cassia flowers in her arms, Ellie just stared in shock. As she lifted her arms, it became more apparent just how much mud there was on the princess. ¡°Goodness¡­! What happened, is Your Highness hurt? Did you fall?¡± Ellie frantically inspected all over Siervian¡¯s body, thinking that she had tripped somewhere. Realizing how much worry she must have caused, Siervian¡¯s complexion turned pale as well. She should have let Ellie know before she went out. The more she thought about it, the more it became clear to her that what she did was wrong. Ellie¡¯s rigid expression was scaring her. And now, she was conscious of the fact that her clothes were very dirty. She shouldn¡¯t be a fussy child. She didn¡¯t want to be hated again. ¡°Please let me know if Your Highness wants to go out! Especially on such a dark night like this!¡± ¡°E, Eri¡­ sowwy¡­ hiic¡­¡± Ellie¡¯s stern voice was terrifying. It was obvious that she was really angry. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 [ Ellie ] Thoughts: It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have left the Princess alone, but this is a matter of safety. I have to scold her strictly even if she starts to hate me. ¡°It¡¯s fine for Your Highness to go out anytime you would like, but please promise to tell me first in the future. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Ellie didn¡¯t hate Siervian. Rather, she was very worried. In an instant, Siervian calmed down a little. It was becoming a habit of hers to relax after reading the words on the status window. ¡°Okay, hicc, I pwomise, hiiicc.¡± She made two promises today. She¡¯d never been close enough to anyone else before to make such promises with them. Siervian gradually calmed down and wasn¡¯t sobbing as hard anymore. ¡°These flowers¡­ Did Your Highness go out because you wanted to see some flowers?¡± It wasn¡¯t until Siervian made a promise with Ellie that the maid turned to what Siervian had offered earlier. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: If the palace was staffed properly, the Princess wouldn¡¯t have been left alone. What should I do from now on? Plucking her courage, Siervian reached up to offer the Cassia flowers again. The status window caught her eye, but Siervian was in a hurry. She couldn¡¯t wait to give this medicine. Because even the roots were pulled, the remaining soil fell from her arms and to the floor. ¡°Eri, hiic, this, this!¡± ¡°Did Your Highness rush here just to give this to me?¡± Ellie¡¯s worries abated the moment she saw that the Princess was safe. Now relaxed, Ellie carefully accepted the flower from Siervian¡¯s small hands. ¡°This is medicine!¡± But Ellie soon grew curious because of what the princess said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ medicine?¡± ¡°Eri said your sibwing is swick!¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Only then did Ellie remember that she mentioned her younger sibling in passing¡­ Was that why the princess rushed outside in the middle of the night? ¡°Princess¡­¡± Suddenly, Ellie burst into tears. She felt so sorry that a good child like Siervian suffered for such a long time. Unknowingly, Ellie embraced Siervian dearly, in the same way that Siervian hugged the flowers that she gave. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: A flower as pretty as the Princess¡­ I¡¯ll put these in a vase. But as Siervian saw these thoughts, she was frantic again. Of course, there¡¯s no way anyone would believe a child who brought flowers and called them medicine for their younger sibling. It was too unbelievable from the start. Perhaps it¡¯s because of her lopsided body and mind synchronization, but it seemed like Siervian was making so many mistakes like this frequently. ¡°I heard it when I visited His Majwesty.¡± So she decided to tell a white lie. She was afraid that she¡¯d get in trouble again if Ellie heard that she met Karmen, so she used her father as a crutch instead. ¡°It¡¯s a weally good medicine for fever. You have to use it, okay?¡± ¡°His Majesty said so?¡± Cassia was known as a fever reducer anyway. Even if Ellie showed it to a doctor, she¡¯d still be able to feed it to her sibling without any problems. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Is it a real medicinal flower? Then maybe my sibling¡­ ¡°Yup! Eri, too, make a pwomise!¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes wavered when Siervian mentioned her father. The child gingerly held up her little finger and entangled it with the maid¡¯s. Ellie¡¯s heart became strangely warm. ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± After a while, Ellie noticeably became a more cheerful person. Just in case, Ellie had sent the flowers that Siervian gave her to her family¡¯s house. The doctor, who received the Cassia flower, didn¡¯t expect much results. He also said that although it has some fever reducing properties, it might be of little use. ¡±Princess, my sibling¡ªmy sibling¡­ His fever went away¡­¡± However, her younger sibling surprisingly improved after only three days of ingesting tea made from Cassia flowers. ¡±Thank you¡­ Thank you so, so much, Princess¡­¡± Ellie had been left all alone with her younger sibling after their parents passed away too early. While working at the palace, their neighbors volunteered to take care of him. But then a year ago, her sibling fell ill with a fever and couldn¡¯t even stand up. Now, her worries were all gone. ¡°Eri, you have to go see your sibwing¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Your Highness. They¡¯re not sick anymore.¡± Siervian thought that Ellie would file for a vacation leave right away to go home, but strangely, she didn¡¯t leave the palace. ¡®Is there still a staff shortage?¡¯ She was bothered by the staffing problem that she found out through Ellie¡¯s status window that night. The Princess¡¯ Palace was still very quiet at night. Ellie couldn¡¯t take care of everything like this, so Siervian started to worry. ¡°Are you alright, Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fwine.¡± Beyond Siervian, who was shaking her head, Ellie looked over to the fierce snowstorm outside the barrier made of mana. The temperature in the north was cold all year round, and blizzards like these were also frequent. Nevertheless, it was warm inside the mana circle that acted as a barrier. The weather inside was thriving, enough that bees would come out. Thanks to this, sometimes a curious sight would unfold. The snow covered the sky and rendered it while, as though it was a canopy over a bed. ¡°Please let me know if Your Highness is having a hard time.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You haven¡¯t been eating well lately either¡­ Siervian truly had been eating more these days, but Ellie continued to worry over her more after the Cassia flowers had been given. Siervian tilted her head to the side, but then started to walk forward again. The place she was about to visit today was close to the southern gate of the palace. ¡®Is there a clue here?¡¯ There were four gates in the palace, and the north gate would only be opened when knights were dispatched for monster subjugations at Mt. Sol. The south gate, on the other hand, would lead directly to the Imperial capital. Just as Karmen said, a carriage must pass through this gate first before getting to the slums. ¡®What excuse can I make so I can go there?¡¯ The south gate was also the one used the most often, that¡¯s why Siervian, in her previous life, rarely went there, too. The troubled Siervian headed towards a small garden near the south gate with Ellie. ¡®There¡¯s so many people.¡¯ Near the south gate was a building where bureaucrats worked, so there were also many people visiting this small garden. Feeling nervous, Siervian suddenly hid behind a big tree. ¡®I really didn¡¯t want to come this way.¡¯ It might perhaps be a useless worry since her life had changed a lot compared to her previous life. But still, it could be more dangerous for her since she¡¯s actively trying to investigate the situation. Even so, she didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood again. What should she do? ¡°You¡¯re having a hard time, aren¡¯t you, Your Highness? Would you like me to carry you?¡± ¡°Noo, it¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s jwust that¡­ there¡¯s so many people¡­¡± Hesitantly glancing around the garden, Siervian continued feeling anxious as Ellie watched her from the side. Then, they heard some commotion going on over there. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°I greet Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Greetings for the Emperor could be heard from far away. Was her father here? But his office was at the Central Palace, and that was far from this place. Siervian could feel a hint of curiosity. ¡®Did he go outside?¡¯ His silvery hair could be seen from a distance. Siervian, who was behind a big tree, momentarily folded into herself more. ¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯m hiding.¡¯ There were a lot more people now, so her nerve-wracked body moved on its own. After slipping completely behind the tree, she sat down on the grass. It¡¯s fine. Her father might be going away soon. ¡°Siervian.¡± But then she heard the Emperor¡¯s voice right above her head. ¡°Your Majwesty.¡± Surprised, she pulled herself back up. When she greeted her father, a status window suddenly popped up. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,986,984 Thoughts: I wonder until when will you call me that. Siervian wasn¡¯t sure what that meant. Was it because she didn¡¯t call him ¡®Father¡¯? ¡°What a coincidence. I was also out for a walk.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± But she couldn¡¯t figure it out because the status window flashed once more. Instead, something entirely different from what he said emerged. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Just as reported. I¡¯m glad I came out to see you. Her father came to see her? He wasn¡¯t just on his way out for something else? Hex, the Chancellor who was always by the Emperor¡¯s side, spoke. ¡°Truly, what a co-in-cidence! His Majesty is so busy with state affairs, and he just happened to come for a walk here.¡± ¡°Yes. A coincidence.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: That¡¯s what you wore last time as well. It looks good on you, of course. Well, that dress makes my Siervian look more like a fairy. After reading his thoughts, Siervian grabbed the skirt of her dress. Even as Ellie sighed every time she looked at the closet, Siervian deliberately wore her clothes more than once. ¡®Of all days, I met my father wearing this again.¡¯ Among her clothes, her pink dress was her favorite. She liked simple dresses because she could walk outside for a long time. It was even nice to know that he thought she looked good in it, so she was a bit encouraged. ¡°Do your legs hurt, that¡¯s why you were on the ground?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Why didn¡¯t you ride a carriage? This is too far from your palace¡ªjust what are your maids doing? It¡¯s natural that a small child like you would get tired. Those impertinent servants. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She couldn¡¯t get the courage to ride a carriage yet. Besides, if she rode a carriage, her movements would be too obvious. ¡°Then why were you on the ground?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Were you hiding from me¡­? He might have seen the exact moment she hid behind the tree. Because of this, she felt like she was being interrogated by her father. Anxious, Siervin wrung her fingers together. She should have made herself more convincing when she said she¡¯s okay¡­ But then Ellie, who was standing next to her, suddenly knelt down in front of the Emperor. ¡°Her Highness seems to be feeling shy because there are a lot of people, Your Majesty¡­¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: His Majesty shouldn¡¯t misunderstand again that the Princess is hiding from him. Like Siervian, Ellie¡¯s hand was shaking as she clutched the skirt of her dress. Seeing this, Siervian suddenly felt more brave. ¡°Umm.¡± At the sound of her shy voice, the Emperor turned away from her at once. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You¡¯re still so cute when you¡¯re shy. It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s a shame, but I guess I¡¯ll need to leave, too. It was impossible not to notice the status window as he turned away. ¡®Because I¡¯ve seen his back so many times in my previous life.¡¯ Before her father turned back completely, Siervian reached out. It¡¯s going to be okay. It was okay last time, too. ¡°Siervian?¡± As he was held back by a small hand clutching his clothes, the Emperor looked back at his beautiful daughter with wonder in his eyes. Looking into his blue eyes, Siervian felt even more brave. Just like Ellie earlier. ¡°Twogether.¡± ¡°¡­Together?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go twogether.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 Chapter 14 She had only plucked her courage one time, but why did it have to come to this? ¡°Yes, I guess it will work if you¡¯re around someone you know.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: My lovely Siervian has to say yes. It was a good idea. She didn¡¯t know why he needed to hear her answer, but with an apprehensive expression, Siervian responded. ¡°Okaay¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 The Emperor walked forward without saying anything. If not for the status window, she would have thought her father didn¡¯t hear her. ¡®How can he hide his emotions so well?¡¯ If she looked very closely, she could see that the corners of her father¡¯s lips were slightly turned up. Feeling strange, she continued to observe her father¡¯s face impulsively. ¡°Then It can¡¯t be helped. Since you look a bit downcast, I¡¯ll have to stay with you, Siervian.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Hmm. My daughter, you didn¡¯t run away as soon as you saw me. However, the very faint smile on the Emperor¡¯s lips soon disappeared, and he returned to his usual taciturn expression. Siervian, who usually escaped at just the sight of him, turned away as if she didn¡¯t see this. ¡®Let¡¯s not hide next time.¡¯ But when she didn¡¯t answer, the Emperor, who had walked ahead, suddenly stopped. Hex and Ellie stopped walking as well, then stared at Siervian. Looking up at the adults, she also found her father¡¯s eyes that were full of anticipation. ¡°Umm¡­ You¡¯re right¡­¡± ¡°As expected, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing so well, Princess!¡± Three status windows were popping up and being noisy at the same time. But the status window that was the largest and brightest was the Emperor¡¯s. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: It¡¯ll be a good idea to walk together regularly. Maybe you¡¯ll like me more that way. It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll need to make more time for Siervian¡­ She once again vowed firmly not to hide from her father next time. ¡°But why did you come for a walk all the way here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m jwust curious.¡± She couldn¡¯t talk about knowing the future or seeing status windows because she¡¯d definitely get locked up in a magic rehabilitation center. ¡°Is it your first time here?¡± ¡°Yees, it¡¯s the first twime.¡± Just answer well today. Siervian surmised that this was what her father wanted. Siervian dutifully followed her father with her hands clasped together as she just answered him politely when needed. ¡°Come to think of it, you haven¡¯t been out of the Imperial Palace yet.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majwesty.¡± In her past life, she was forced out of the palace. She didn¡¯t want to be executed again, like she was in her previous life. She wanted to be happy. But no matter how well she wanted things to work out, she might need to leave the palace when the time came. ¡®Just in case, should I prepare myself to leave?¡¯ With these thoughts swirling in her mind as she walked, her forehead hit something soft. It¡¯s because the Emperor who was leading her suddenly stopped walking. The Emperor helped her stand upright again, then continued to walk forward. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Because her head was lowered, she didn¡¯t see her father¡¯s status window properly. She wanted to see his thoughts. ¡®I guess he stopped because I¡¯m too slow¡­¡¯ She moved her legs faster. She¡¯d been struggling since earlier because she wanted to catch up with her father, but she kept going. And so, their silent walk continued. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: The Princess must be having such a hard time¡­ While Ellie stared anxiously at her, Siervian was looking around the garden. It was a small garden in the first place, so their walk was quick. This was a good thing for Siervian because her short legs struggled a lot. ¡®My legs hurt¡­¡¯ It was hard to keep up with her father¡¯s long strides. Secretly behind her father, Siervian tapped her knees. ¡°First¡ª¡± The Emperor suddenly spoke. Surprised, Siervian straightened up and answered at once. ¡°Yees.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a break here.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Your feet must hurt. I should have walked slower. I made a mistake. But he didn¡¯t even look at her. How did he know? Siervian had an inquisitive look on her face, but the Emperor looked to the other side and spoke with an authoritative tone. ¡°Bring it here.¡± Right away, people carrying big baskets appeared as though they¡¯d been hiding all this time. They were all servants of the palace. ¡®Since when have they been here?¡¯ At the Emperor¡¯s command, they moved in unison. A picnic spot was instantly created in the small garden. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Were you surprised? Siervian could feel his gaze from above, so she looked up and immediately saw the status window there, saying that they¡¯d been hiding all this time because she was shy in front of people. And it must have been her father who gave that order. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± Her legs were aching now. Siervian cautiously went onto the picnic mat and sat in one corner. There were so many baskets in front of her. Then, the servants left in a blink of an eye after setting up the picnic mat. The same was true for the other people who had been taking a stroll at the small garden earlier. Perhaps they all left because they were afraid of her father. She was reminded of the startled voices earlier when the Emperor suddenly appeared. Anyway, this was fortunate for her. She could look around without drawing other people¡¯s attention. There¡¯s somewhere else she needed to go. What¡¯s a good excuse? ¡°Eat up.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It was prepared in a hurry. I know it¡¯s not enough. After looking sideways at the status window, she turned to the baskets in front of her. The scent of mustard prickled at the tip of her nose, and sure enough, there were various sandwiches inside when she opened one of the baskets. ¡®Looks delicious.¡¯ Due to walking around for a long time, she now felt hungry. Ellie said she could eat everything her father gave her, but was it really okay? ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Thank yew for the food¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 After seeing her father¡¯s favorability rise, she felt brave enough to reach for one sandwich. It was a chicken sandwich that had been a great temptation for her since earlier, but now it was in her hands. It was actually too big even when she was holding it with both of her hands. ¡®How do I eat it?¡¯ Then, someone took the sandwich from her. ¡°My¡­!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not taking it away.¡± Siervian, who was about to shout, ¡®My sandwich!¡¯ promptly closed her mouth. She was still so embarrassed about what happened with the meat last time. She¡¯s glad she didn¡¯t make the same mistake a second time. The sandwich was soon sliced to fit Siervian¡¯s small hands. She picked up one of the pieces and took a big bite. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Goodness, our Princess. Please don¡¯t eat too much. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already been cut so small, but you still can¡¯t chew it easily. [ Hex ] Favorability: +10 Thoughts: His Majesty always brags about the Princess. As expected, you¡¯re very cute. After taking a bite, she looked around and lowered her hand. Tasting the moist chicken and the mustard that wasn¡¯t spicy at all, she suddenly felt sad. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± And when Siervian stopped eating, the Emperor immediately asked her. ¡°Uuuumph¡­¡± She wanted to say that there¡¯s nothing wrong, but a strange sound came out of her lips because her mouth was full of food. She shouldn¡¯t have been so rude¡­ [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: So cute that I can¡¯t breathe¡­ [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Ahh how cute¡­ Our Princess¡¯ cheeks are stuffed¡­! [ Hex ] Thoughts: Just how cute are you! ¡®¡­I guess not?¡¯ Unable to resist the temptation of the perfectly good sandwich in her hands, she took another big bite. She kept her head down because the status windows were being so noisy. ¡°You¡¯ve been going out more often lately.¡± While she was absorbed with eating the sandwich, the Emperor¡¯s words fell like a bomb over her head. ¡®What should I answer?¡¯ Maybe it was because she walked around without getting permission first. Even though Ellie said it was alright, maybe her father thought differently. Maybe his purpose in seeking her out today was because he found out that she went out without permission. ¡®I did something wrong again.¡¯ Today was exhausting enough, but keeping her thoughts to herself was even harder than she realized. She couldn¡¯t control her emotions well. ¡°I made a mwistake¡­¡± She put down the sandwich she was holding and clasped her hands together cautiously, hoping that she looked courteous enough. ¡°¡­Mm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: No, why¡ªall of a sudden¡­ Did that mean she wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong this whole time? Siervian couldn¡¯t see the next words on the status window because tears kept flooding her eyes. She continued to beg for forgiveness. ¡°I-I¡¯m sowwy¡­¡± Hex, who had been standing politely at one side, suddenly rushed forward. ¡°Your Highness! His Majesty doesn¡¯t blame you for going out! His Majesty is actually very happy that Your Highness seems to be more active these days!¡± ¡­Really? Can Siervian trust him? [ Hex ] Favorability: +20 Thoughts: Oh, our lovely Princess. It¡¯ll be a huge problem if you cry. Wanting to see if Hex¡¯s words were true, she looked over to her father, but her tears fell down her cheeks every time she blinked. Why was she crying so much? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ Did I say something wrong¡­? Never having been so flustered in his life, the Emperor had an agitated expression on his face as he covered his mouth. Then, he gestured to the servant behind him. ¡°Bring that here.¡± And what he ordered to be brought were macarons. A plate of various macarons stacked up like a mountain was placed before Siervian. ¡°Eat up.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯m not blaming you at all, why did you think that way? But I know it¡¯s my fault that you had a misunderstanding. Siervian didn¡¯t do anything wrong. So it was a misunderstanding. She just got scared right away and immediately thought of the worst again. ¡°Go ahead now.¡± ¡°Okaay¡­ hiic.¡± Feeling a bit better, Siervian picked up one macaron. The small bite-sized macaron had a subtle lemon scent to it. She liked the sweet taste that fluttered in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you something more delicious next time.¡± ¡°Hiic, hicc¡­¡± She only nodded because she was still sobbing. Ellie, who was watching from a short distance, came closer and brought Siervian a cup of milk. The warm milk went well with the chocolate macaron she ate just now. ¡°¡­You can finish eating your sandwich, too.¡± She nodded, whimpered, and sniffled all in that order. She picked up the sandwich that she had set down earlier. It was still delicious even as her tears continued to drip down her face. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°You can go wherever in the palace you want, Siervian. You won¡¯t be in danger.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± The bite-sized sandwich quickly disappeared, but before that, she was already full because of the macarons she ate and the milk she drank. ¡°Are you finished eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full¡­¡± ¡°Even if you ate just that much.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 The Emperor spoke as though he was interrogating Siervian, but she nodded bravely anyway. Perhaps his intention was only to ask. Then, he slowly stood up from the picnic mat. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you around.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯ll make you feel better. Her father¡¯s consideration was quite unbelievable to see. Anyway, this was a good thing. She happened to have something to do nearby. ¡®It¡¯s better this way, too, rather than going alone.¡¯ In fact, this was something that she never thought was possible. She just thought that her father had come here to catch her doing something wrong. However, thanks to him showing her around, her work today would be easy. It would have looked strange if a princess went near the gate alone, but no one would think something was amiss if she went with the Emperor. ¡®I heard it¡¯s definitely at the carriage port.¡¯ The reason she reluctantly went to the south gate today was because of something accidentally she heard regarding the carriage port. She heard some servants say that there were things being sent out through the port today. ¡®And the carriage port is near the south gate.¡¯ This was also something that matched with what Karmen said. Fortunately, she knew the area around the south gate. There was only one place where a space large enough could have that many carriages. It was right behind the Lower Administration Building. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I greet Your Imperial Majesty.¡± As they walked further from the garden and closer to the building, the lower officials who encountered them hurriedly bowed their heads. Siervian similarly lowered her head and pretended not to see the lower officials. She was burdened by the thought that she was inconveniencing them for no reason. ¡®What if another strange rumor goes around?¡¯ But she was comforted by the fact that nothing had happened yet. And if she did well, she might be able to prevent the first incident that permanently marked her as a wicked woman in her past life. She needed to cheer up. ¡°Do your legs hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t huwt.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Siervian shook her head when she said it didn¡¯t hurt. Whenever she answered well, her father¡¯s favorability also increased. But this time, the Emperor started speaking more. ¡°This is the Lower Administration Building. It¡¯s where low-ranking officials in their respective departments work.¡± ¡°I undewstand.¡± Maybe he¡¯s trying to say that this wasn¡¯t a place where she should have come. As her guard was raised a little, she clasped both her hands politely. [ Hex ] Favorability: +10 As expected, a polite answer did wonders. ¡°There are a total of twelve departments in the Empire. Among them, the most crowded place is the Magic Circle Administration. The Magic Circle¡­¡± The Emperor went on to explain for a long time. There were some parts that Siervian knew, and some parts that she didn¡¯t know as well. One thing for certain was that his explanation was very detailed and organized. It wasn¡¯t something that you¡¯d say to a five-year-old child. [ Hex ] Thoughts: How could you say such boring things to our young Princess¡­! As expected, it wasn¡¯t only her who felt this way. However, no one could dare tell the Emperor anything as he enthusiastically explained more. ¡°¡­Therefore, at the time the continent entered an era of peace, it became necessary to balance diplomatic relations as well. Got it, Siervian?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Actually, she couldn¡¯t completely understand what he was saying. This was because during her education that started when she was eight years old, she wasn¡¯t given complete Imperial lessons. At present, the Erveldote Empire ruled over several kingdoms, thus diplomacy was also included in the Imperial education. ¡°Mm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 [ Hex ] Thoughts: Our Princess hasn¡¯t even started formal education yet, Your Majesty! Even so, her father¡¯s response was good because Siervian answered well. Hex was still astonished by the way the Emperor just dived into his long-winded explanation. Siervian suddenly looked behind her because she was curious about Ellie, who had been following them calmly nearby. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I wonder if there were any leftover macarons. The Princess likes them very much. If I can keep some in storage, Her Highness will be able to eat more. Ellie, who looked calm, was worrying about Siervian¡¯s meals. Should she ask for the leftovers? ¡®Oh?¡¯ Then suddenly, something caught Siervian¡¯s eye. They had already passed through the Lower Administration Building and walked closer to the south gate. They were now near the gate that would lead to the Imperial Capital. She had never come near this place before in her previous life. Neiiigh. And the horses were gathered here. ¡®It¡¯s here!¡¯ If horses gathered here, then the carriage port must be near. Siervian lifted one hand to point towards the way she wanted to go. ¡°Horsie!¡± ¡°Yes, those are horses.¡± At her words, the Emperor nodded stoically. But then he started heading towards the opposite direction. ¡°I wanna go there!¡± Hex, who had already been following the Emperor, quickly intervened. ¡°Your Majesty, the horses seemed to have fascinated Her Highness! Let¡¯s take a look over there.¡± ¡°The horses?¡± It was clear through the Emperor¡¯s tone that he couldn¡¯t understand. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It would be too dangerous if she went closer to the horses, so it should be next time¡­ What¡¯s dangerous about getting close to a horse? Perhaps he was thinking that Siervian would be surprised by their loud neighing. In a hurry, she grabbed her father¡¯s sleeve again. Then, she looked up with an earnest gaze. ¡°I wanna see.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 The Emperor was silent for a moment. Then, he quickly turned towards the stables and walked casually. ¡°Alright. You¡¯re still young, so you must be curious about the horses.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: As expected, my daughter is so smart. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve recognized the strategic value of horses. No? It¡¯s not like that? ¡°Look, Siervian. Our Empire¡¯s horses are widely known to be of a good breed. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Nooo.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the snow monsters. The breed we have here has improved over the decades to the point that they could move swiftly over snow and run through blizzards without falling ill.¡± ¡°I undewstand.¡± And starting from there, the Emperor went on a full-scale explanation of the strategic value of the Empire¡¯s horses. It had already been twenty years since the last war on the continent. Nevertheless, Siervian had to listen to how important horses were during a war. She listened for¡­ a long time¡­ [ Hex ] Thoughts: Your Majesty just needs to show the Princess the horses she¡¯s fascinated with¡­ Siervian agreed with his words. But she had to wonder¡ªwhy must the Chancellor be by her father¡¯s side at all times? Anyway, she still appreciated her father¡¯s explanation because it was interesting. The horse breed exclusive to the Empire had a rich mane and were wide-hooved. In Siervian¡¯s previous life, she was amazed at how different horses from the southern region were, that¡¯s why she was interested in her father¡¯s explanation. ¡°Amazing!¡± Unknowingly, she nodded enthusiastically as she listened to her father. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: That¡¯s my daughter. After that, they could finally tour the stable. Hex mentioned getting closer to the horses, but the Emperor didn¡¯t allow it. For some reason, it felt strange for Siervian to see her father being so worried all the time. ¡®I thought there would be something where the carriages were.¡¯ Next to the stable was the carriage port. There were various types of carriages ranging from those that had the emblem of the Imperial family to small carts. ¡®It really shouldn¡¯t happen in this life.¡¯ At this moment, Siervian felt a bit relieved, so she was quite relaxed. She noticed a black envelope hidden near a particularly shabby cart, cleverly camouflaged in a place where adults wouldn¡¯t be able to see unless they crouched down at about the same height as a child like her. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She felt strange. She didn¡¯t know what that envelope was, but she really wanted to see what was inside. ¡°Let¡¯s leave now.¡± ¡°Over theeere.¡± Her heart started pounding in urgency. She tried to point towards the envelopes as calmly as possible while adding a reasonable explanation. ¡°Smelly!¡± However, what popped out of her lips was a word that matched her body and not her mentality. ¡°Get rid of it right away.¡± Then the Emperor pointed towards the direction of the envelope that she found. The servants in charge of the stable were thrown into chaos at the Emperor¡¯s strict order. One of them was so terrified that he was shaking while his head was down. ¡°How strange. That shouldn¡¯t be something that would exude a stench,¡± the Emperor murmured. After hearing this, Hex suddenly stepped forward, having an expression that was the most serious she had ever seen on him. He approached the servant who tried to hide the envelope. ¡°You there. Open it.¡± ¡°I-It is s-something that is not w-worthy of esteemed p-personages as y-yourselves s-should see¡­¡± [ Ahim ] Occupation: Stableman Mood: Terrified Thoughts: I¡¯m in trouble. Huge trouble! If I get caught, I¡¯ll die! I¡¯m going to die! The servant who was asked to step forward was also the one who had been nervous since earlier. Siervian, who unconsciously read his status window, was shocked by his thoughts. Why was he so afraid to the point that he feared for his life? ¡°Open it immediately.¡± With a skeptical look, Hex immediately sensed that something was suspicious. The Emperor silently gestured towards the people behind him. Then, the knights approached from where they were hiding. ¡®So there were escort knights around us.¡¯ This was natural, but Siervian never thought about it. After all, there were practically no maids at the Princess¡¯ Palace, let alone knights. Rather, seeing swords and large armors suddenly scared her. It might be because she only had bad memories with knights. ¡®What do I do, I¡¯m suddenly scared¡­¡¯ Her body started trembling as soon as she heard the metallic sound of armor clacking together. She was just like the shaking servant in front of Hex. Then, the Emperor who was close to Siervian gently called out to her. ¡°Come here.¡± Siervian hid behind her father, her face touching the hem of his clothes. ¡°You¡¯re shy. Look here instead.¡± It wasn¡¯t even a hug, but instead an awkward stance. The Emperor didn¡¯t seem to know how to hold his child. It was all so sudden, but surprisingly, Siervian managed to calm down. ¡°No, this is¡­?¡± Hex, who finally opened an envelope, was startled. The contents were so unexpected. The Emperor calmly observed the scene while he was with Siervian, and started reading the contents of the envelope. ¡°Food waste.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡®Found it.¡¯ After seeing the contents of the envelope, Siervian peeked up from the Emperor¡¯s arms, forgetting that she was shivering just now. She looked like a baby bird taking a peek out of her nest for the first time. Everyone looked at her secretly, paying close attention to her cuteness. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I¡¯m worried about bringing you outside because you¡¯re so cute even though you¡¯re so scared. I¡¯m proud that you¡¯re not being shy to me. And with the envelope, a sack that came with it was wide open now, its contents thrown to the ground. In front of the Emperor, Ahim, who was quivering terribly, was on the floor, prostrating. ¡°Wait¡­ This doesn¡¯t look like food waste.¡± The Emperor spoke indifferently, and it was true¡ªeven from a distance, the food looked quite normal. It would be strange for anyone to collect all of these in a sack like its garbage. ¡°And this is not the place for food waste to be dealt with,¡± Hex added. ¡°There¡¯s a separate area for that.¡± Siervian wasn¡¯t aware of this fact. She thought that this was just a place where things that were to be sent out were gathered. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s stealing food.¡± The Emperor¡¯s gaze was trained on the stableman bowing down with a blue face. [ Ahim ] Mood: Extremely terrified Thoughts: I¡¯m dead now! Just as Hex speculated, the man might have been stealing food. The Princess¡¯ Palace food waste incident might have been a conspiracy that started out with different intentions. However, Siervian couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Ahim¡¯s thoughts on the status window. Stealing food was a crime, but it wasn¡¯t an offense grave enough that he would be executed. ¡®I can¡¯t put my finger on it.¡¯ She looked anxiously at the stableman¡¯s thoughts. However, perhaps because he was greatly frightened, the status window didn¡¯t change. He just kept thinking that he feared for his life. Siervian thought that this wasn¡¯t just simple food theft. ¡°Let¡¯s find out more about it. This is too suspicious.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Fortunately, the Emperor noticed that something was amiss, so he ordered an investigation. ¡°Go back for today.¡± He spoke to her in a cold tone again, to the point that the previous Siervian would have thought that she was being kicked out because she¡¯s useless in this situation. However, because she could see her father¡¯s thoughts, she knew that he was just worried about her, even before they entered the stable. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You must be surprised to see the knights. I need to let you rest. So Siervian nodded carefully and let go of her father¡¯s thoughts, knowing that she shouldn¡¯t disturb him. Was her father always worried about her like this? ¡ªThe next afternoon. ¡°Here, Your Majesty.¡± At the Emperor¡¯s Palace, Emperor Alderuan sat lost in thought. He looked at Hex indifferently as he approached the Emperor with a dark expression, handing him a piece of cloth. ¡°How did you get your hands on this?¡± It was a carriage flag embroidered with the unique insignia of the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡°Tell me. Why have you brought a flag with the Imperial Princess¡¯ insignia?¡± ¡°While interrogating the stableman yesterday, this was found.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Alderuan rose from his throne. The case was regarded as a simple theft. If the Princess hadn¡¯t been interested in that place, he wouldn¡¯t have ordered the investigation. ¡°It was found hidden in that man¡¯s residence. I believe it¡¯s connected to a matter within the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± His child clung onto the hem of his clothes the moment she saw the knights. This was a trivial situation, so he didn¡¯t want her to be swept up in it. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± For a while, Hex could feel sweat trickling down as he saw Alderuan¡¯s temper rising little by little. Alderuan, who was the subject of the continent¡¯s terror at only the age of 15 twenty years ago, would be a very difficult man to deal with when he¡¯s both determined and livid. However, Hex needed to say the right thing to the Emperor. ¡°Strange circumstances have been detected in the food budget at the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± As he listened to Hex, Alderuan¡¯s brows crumpled. The Erveldote family held the most power and wealth in the continent. The Chancellor wouldn¡¯t have said that lightly just because the Princess¡¯ Palace had thrown away some food. It must mean that the scale was enormous. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where¡­¡± Alderuan moved without any delay. ¡°To the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± Following him reflexively, Hex could only gulp. ¡°Princess, look at this! There¡¯s so many macarons!¡± ¡°Uwah!¡± There were a lot of leftovers from yesterday¡¯s picnic. Ellie, who had been agonizing about the princess¡¯ food, finally succeeded with getting these macarons. This was because she wanted to feed the princess well, when usually she would only eat small portions. ¡°Yummy!¡± Last night, she mentioned that she could only eat one chocolate macaron yesterday, so Ellie kept thinking about this while she slept. She didn¡¯t know that Ellie would bring these macarons soon. At the unexpected situation, Siervian was in a good mood. ¡°Eri, come! Come here, eat!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Princess.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: It¡¯s a relief that there¡¯s a lot of snacks this time that the Princess likes. Siervian was in an even better mood because she prevented the food waste incident yesterday. No matter how much she thought about it, it¡¯s clear that the stableman wasn¡¯t just stealing food. Her father himself ordered an investigation, so if it really was a misunderstanding, it would be resolved soon. ¡°You look so happy today, Princess. Do you like macarons that much?¡± ¡°No! I like Eri a loooot more!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: +50 The macaron was slightly soggy compared to yesterday, but it was still very delicious. Of course, there were certainly still questions to be resolved. Why was the Princess¡¯ Palace pulled into it? The sacks of food waste were found under carriages that were commonly used, and not exclusively from the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡®And apart from that, how did the rumor spread so quickly?¡¯ Siervian, who had been mulling over it for a while, soon gave up. In the end, everything she could remember was just from what she heard from other people in the past. Then, she heard a commotion going on outside.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ellie rose from her seat with a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯ll be back after checking what¡¯s going on, Princess.¡± However before she could even take a step, the Emperor suddenly entered the room. ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­!¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Why has His Majesty suddenly¡­! With a stiff expression on his face, the Emperor¡¯s gaze searched for Siervian first. Then, he saw the macarons she was eating. ¡°Y-Your Majwesty.¡± ¡°Siervian.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Did the food waste really come from the Princess¡¯ Palace? Siervian, who was hurriedly jumping out of her seat, froze where she was. Why was there a misunderstanding again? ¡°I have a question, Siervian.¡± This was a familiar scene. She looked up at her father who didn¡¯t even say hello. She wouldn¡¯t give the same answer that she gave in her past life, but she was still so scared. She was afraid that the same thing would happen again this time. ¡°Be honest.¡± Her hands were trembling, and it felt like her tongue was leaden. Siervian bowed her head again. She couldn¡¯t read her father¡¯s thoughts. Because if he was thinking about cruel thoughts, she didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Siervian, have you thrown away any food?¡± ¡°Hiic¡­¡± She tried not to cry, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Her heart kept pounding so heavily that it was suffocating. ¡®No, no, it¡¯s not my fault¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­But what are you eating right now? That¡¯s definitely¡­¡± At that time, the Emperor looked closely at the snacks. Siervian was terrified. It was also not right to have taken the food that the Emperor¡¯s servants brought yesterday at the picnic. When the Emperor showed interest in the macarons, Ellie, who was next to Siervian, immediately knelt down. ¡°Your Majesty, I have made a grave sin worthy of death.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I have to protect the Princess. As she read Ellie¡¯s thoughts, Siervian burst into tears even louder. ¡°I-I took, hiiic, I took some snacks, hiic hiic, from yestewday, hiiic¡­¡± ¡°¡­Are those the ones you ate yesterday?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sowwy¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t see her father¡¯s thoughts well because her tears made her vision blurry. All she could see was the slightly awkward expression on his face. ¡®I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to be misunderstood again like in the past.¡¯ She wanted to change it. She tried so hard, but in the end, she only disappointed her father again. With Ellie face down on the ground as she knelt, she breathed heavily, as if determined to do something. ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive me, but there is hardly any budget coming into the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°Nonsense. I did not command for this to happen.¡± ¡°I am the only maid in charge of the palace, sire.¡± The Emperor frowned at what she said. Afraid that Ellie might be punished, Siervian barely raised her head. At that time, a servant from the Emperor¡¯s Palace rushed to the Emperor¡¯s side. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Did you check?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡± Glancing awkwardly at the princess and the maid at her side, the attendant opened his mouth to speak. ¡°There was strangely no food in the kitchen¡­ And for some reason, there are no maids¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying? Does that mean all the food had already been thrown away?¡± At the Emperor¡¯s tenacious interrogation, the attendant cowered and bowed forward, as though what he was about to say was a sin in itself. ¡°It¡¯s not that. There are not even enough ingredients for today¡¯s meals.¡± ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± At this, Ellie herself spoke so that she could steer the conversation. ¡°Ever since I became head maid, the Princess¡¯ Palace has not received any proper support or budget. That¡¯s why the food waste that was found in those sacks couldn¡¯t have possibly come from here, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I also brought leftovers from yesterday because I wanted to give the Princess some proper food. The maids of Your Majesty¡¯s Palace pitied me and gave them to me because they thought that I, and not Her Highness, would be eating it. Please have mercy¡­¡± Ellie poured out everything she wanted to say, to the point that it was strange how she¡¯d been able to endure not saying it all until now. With every word she uttered, Siervian was overcome with the urge to hug the maid. ¡®I hate this.¡¯ Siervian no longer wanted to keep trembling in fear. ¡°Nooo¡­¡± ¡°¡­Siervian.¡± ¡°I, I didn¡¯t thwow anything¡­¡± ¡®I¡¯m not a bad child.¡¯ ¡®So please, believe me.¡¯ She looked up at her father earnestly, just as she did countless times in her previous life. ¡°I believe you.¡± Blue eyes, just like Siervian¡¯s, met with hers as he said that he believed her. For the first time. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll believe you no matter what, Siervian. And when she caught a glimpse of his heart, she felt a wave of relief. However, after the Emperor calmly believed her words, he suddenly asked again with a stiff voice. ¡°Then, what have you been eating so far?¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Why was he asking this? At the Emperor¡¯s inquiry, Ellie replied awkwardly. Sometimes, she brought leftovers, but that was good enough for Siervian. That¡¯s why she was confused about why she was shrinking in front of the Emperor. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°I tried to make it work with the remaining budget, but it wasn¡¯t easy¡­¡± ¡°So then?¡± ¡°¡­If my salary couldn¡¯t cover it, I often¡­ get leftovers from another palace¡­¡± Siervian was surprised¡ªEllie was suffering more than she expected, and it was all for her. Was that why Ellie disappeared once every evening? As he heard the maid¡¯s words, the Emperor said nothing for a moment. However, Siervian could read what was going on inside his mind. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: God of Mana. What¡¯s the meaning of this? Just what have I¡­! The Grand Chamberlain, who was beside the Emperor, was also taken aback. In fact, because he saw the desolate kitchen himself, he reacted more strongly. It was unbelievable that this was an Imperial Princess¡¯ Palace. [ Paolo Velteman ] Occupation: Grand Chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace Favorability: 8,543 Mood: Shocked Thoughts: Oh my goodness, our poor Princess. This is ridiculous! Siervian couldn¡¯t understand their reactions. She was much happier now than when she was still eating Sarah¡¯s pepper soup. ¡­Or was it bad that she was eating another palace¡¯s food? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier. Why!¡± the chamberlain exclaimed. ¡°I apologize tremendously.¡± Despite Ellie¡¯s trembling body and relenting words, her voice was very determined. Then, she glanced up at the Emperor for a very short time, but bowed her head down immediately. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Because I don¡¯t know who to trust. I can¡¯t even see His Majesty in person. Siervian really couldn¡¯t understand. The financial problem of the Princess¡¯ Palace also seemed to be someone¡¯s doing. Could it be the person who Siervian was thinking? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Perhaps this maid is wary of the Empress. Whenever Siervian thought about her previous life, this was something she couldn¡¯t wrap her mind around. The Emperor was in charge of the external affairs of the state, while the Empress was in charge of the internal affairs of the Imperial Palace. However, if a concubine would give birth to the Emperor¡¯s child, while the child was young, the concubine would be able to exercise authority. ¡®But in my case, since I don¡¯t have a mother, I¡¯m under the authority of the Empress.¡¯ It was customary for the Emperor to respect the Empress¡¯ authority as much as possible. This was also delineated in the Empire¡¯s supreme law, which was called Pledge of the Emperor. ¡®That¡¯s why it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡¯ It was natural that the Emperor would leave the Empress¡¯ duties in her hands. Even if something went wrong in the process, it wasn¡¯t Siervian¡¯s father¡¯s fault. It was enough for Siervian to know that he believed her. She comforted herself like this first without knowing why. Then, she watched as her father went down on one knee to be on her eye level. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± But the moment she heard his apology, she realized it. Perhaps she wanted to hear this from her father. ¡°This father is sorry, Siervian.¡± Surprisingly, his status window did not appear. It was strange to be able to see her father so closely for the first time. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be sure to take care of everything. And I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± As Siervian stared at him blankly, the Emperor¡¯s regretful gaze looked back at her. ¡°Do you think this makes sense, Empress!¡± After the Emperor visited the Imperial Palace yesterday to see the truth for himself, a blizzard swept through the Imperial Palace. In the Emperor¡¯s frosty anger, the ministers had to keep their heads down. Numerous people came and went into the Princess¡¯ Palace. And countless people were arrested. Surprisingly enough, Siervian managed to sleep throughout the night while all this happened. ¡°Your Majesty, I have told no lies. If I had sinned, then it is only for trusting the people under my command!¡± But because Siervian was sensitive to her surroundings, she caught on. If someone was hovering near her room, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know. But when she asked Ellie how it was possible that she could sleep soundly, the maid told her an unexpected fact. ¡¯His Majesty visited one more time while Your Highness was asleep. But when he saw that you were sleeping, he cast a silencing spell around you.¡¯ It felt strange to hear that her father went so far as to use magic to block the noise. It was really unexpected. And what was even more unexpected was that, today, Siervian suddenly sat face-to-face with the Empress at the Emperor¡¯s Palace. ¡°Princess. Please say something.¡± With tears in her eyes, the Empress implored Siervian. In fact, if not for the Empress¡¯ favorability still being abysmally low, Siervian wouldn¡¯t have doubted her at all. Even if the state of the Princess¡¯ Palace became that way, Siervian would have thought that the Empress wouldn¡¯t do that on purpose. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -8,990 Thoughts: How did you know that the food waste was there you little brat. It was a good plan, but it failed. ¡­Until she saw the status window. ¡°Siervy. Did this mother* truly seem like a mean person who¡¯ll torture the Princess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± First of all, she had never heard the nickname ¡®Siervy¡¯ in her entire life¡ªto the point that she was even confused if the Empress was really talking to her or not. And apart from that, Siervian relied a lot on the Empress before in her previous life, and when she asked if she could call the Empress ¡®Mother¡¯¡­ ¡®I saw the Empress become expressionless for the first time that day.¡¯ After that, Siervian never asked again. And the Empress continued to give her smiles after that. But here, Siervian couldn¡¯t believe how easy it was to get. Then again, she was heartbroken that it was nothing more than a ruse. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,989,984 Thoughts: Why¡­ I¡¯m disappointed. Siervian didn¡¯t dwell on these feelings for a long time. She didn¡¯t need to anymore, especially now that she knew the innermost thoughts of the Empress. Rather, she cared more about the other person more. Siervian was wondering why the Emperor was talking about that again. She didn¡¯t even hide this time when she saw her father, so why? ¡°Siervy?¡± [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Thoughts: Seriously, isn¡¯t this brat just so presumptuous? Why aren¡¯t you answering?! The Empress called Siervian once more as though urging for an answer. It was a very friendly and soft voice, as if she was a benevolent mother who embraces her stepchildren with all her heart. However, when Siervian saw the status window, she felt chills run down her back. She was trembling. ¡®I don¡¯t want to answer.¡¯ And a child¡¯s body was honest in expressing. When she came to her senses, she was half-hanging onto her father¡¯s arm. As if she wanted to hide. ¡°¡­Princess?¡± the Empress asked. ¡°Siervian is very shy,¡± the Emperor replied. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 The Emperor continued to speak with an expressionless face, as though nothing was going on. However, he casually shifted his arm that his daughter was holding. Thanks to this, Siervian¡¯s small body was able to hide halfway behind her father¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t make it difficult for her. She¡¯s shy except towards me.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 ¡°Is¡­ that so¡­¡± What he said was far from the truth, but Siervian remained silent. Anyway, her father was the person she felt closest to in this room. ¡®And there¡¯s only three of us here.¡¯ The Empress, who was trying to persuade the Princess, soon turned her attention to the Emperor again. The rings on the Empress¡¯ fingers looked so sharp today. Siervian was relieved that the Empress had retracted her outstretched hand. ¡°As of today, I will remove your authority over the financial management of the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­! You can¡¯t do this!¡± The Empress jumped up from her seat and protested against his declaration. Siervian didn¡¯t expect that he was going to do this, so she was also surprised as she stared at her father. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s stated in ¡®The Emperor¡¯s Pledge¡¯ that it is my authority to manage the Imperial Palace¡¯s internal affairs. How could you¡­!¡± ¡°How dare you go against me while citing the ¡¯Emperor¡¯s Pledge.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The Emperor¡¯s gentleness as he lent his arm to his daughter was now nowhere to be found. The scowl he had now wasn¡¯t even directed at her, but Siervian flinched reflexively. ¡°The transgressions that happened in the Princess¡¯ Palace had already been uncovered. If the authority to punish stays with you even when it is you who is at fault, are you saying that your authority is higher than the Emperor¡¯s?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not that¡­¡± The Empress, who had stood up from her seat, sat down carefully again and spat out an excuse. The ¡®Emperor¡¯s Pledge¡¯ had been written by the First Emperor and was treated as the highest law of the Empire. Apart from that, however, challenging the Emperor¡¯s authority was a serious crime. And Siervian was executed for a crime that she never committed in her previous life. ¡°If you know, then calmly give up your authority.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± At the stern command, the Empress eventually shrank down. This appearance of the Empress, who always admonished Siervian pridefully, was unfamiliar to her. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The words were a suggestion, but his tone said otherwise. So, the Empress immediately got up and curtsied to the Emperor. But at that moment, something very strange popped up in the Empress¡¯ status window. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Thoughts: I knew it. This brat resembles her mother, how unpleasant. Mother? But the Empress¡¯ thoughts disappeared as suddenly as they appeared. She had already left the room with her face becoming expressionless. ¡®Just what did I do?¡¯ It was unfair. Someone was angry at her again. It was an emotion that Siervian couldn¡¯t escape in her previous life. And she continuously thought that it was all her fault. Why did the Empress hate her to the extent that she would create the food waste incident? ¡®It¡¯s frustrating.¡¯ And she felt upset because she couldn¡¯t say what she knew. What would happen to Siervian if the Empress¡¯ sins would be buried like this? She clutched her father¡¯s sleeve even tighter, which she was still holding worriedly. However, her father was contemplating, watching as the Empress left. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: The Empress is suspicious¡­ I need to investigate more. Seeing this, the tension Siervian felt disappeared a little. Because now her father also thought something was wrong. She didn¡¯t need to step up. She could trust him for now. So she let go of his sleeve and carefully got off the armchair. She wanted to leave without disturbing her father. ¡°Where are you going now?¡± However, as soon as the Princess stepped on the floor, Alderuan¡¯s gaze headed towards her. Naturally, she recalled the look he gave the Empress while he was pressuring her. But she managed to control her body from flinching unconsciously. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Pwincess¡¯ Palace.¡± Maybe he wasn¡¯t pleased that she didn¡¯t ask for permission first. As she was about to ask for it now¡­ What came out of her father¡¯s lips was that nickname. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡­Did she hear it wrong? ¡ª¡ª t/n: *When the Empress called herself ¡®mother¡¯, the term used wasn¡¯t the usual one, rather, the term was more of a title (??). But when Siervian asked if she could call the empress ¡®mother¡¯ in her previous life¡ªthe term used here is the usual word (???) used between a mother and child (albeit a little more formal) Chapter 18 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 18 ¡°Siervy.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Why aren¡¯t you answering? Maybe you don¡¯t want me calling you that way? No, our pretty Siervian won¡¯t think like that. I knew it, if it¡¯s a different nickname¡­ Ah, Siervian¡¯s ears didn¡¯t deceive her. Her father really called her with that nickname. It sounded awkward on his tongue and it didn¡¯t seem like an affectionate nickname at all. Still, it was leagues different from how the Empress said it pretentiously earlier. Siervian wondered why. ¡°Yees.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 In any case, the Emperor called her, so she answered calmly as she clutched the skirt of her dress awkwardly. Come to think of it, Siervian remembered that Ellie was going to fix her wardrobe today. ¡°Chamberlain. Bring in what was prepared.¡± Siervian was just standing there, not knowing what to do, but as she heard her father¡¯s sudden command, her eyes widened. The chamberlain appeared as though he had been waiting all this time and placed many snacks at the table in front of where they were sitting. ¡°Eat first before you go.¡± As her father gestured towards the chair, Siervian returned to her seat as if she¡¯d been possessed. It was still a big, very high chair for her. Whimpering as she reached up, she suddenly found herself lifted into the air. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­It looked like you were struggling. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 When she was carried to the chair right then, she could finally see the table. The snacks looked different from what she saw in the Emperor¡¯s private garden last time. ¡®Is that a pie?¡¯ The savory but not too overwhelming scent flowed into her nose. The yellow pumpkin pie was shiny because of the caramelized sugar on top. And there was a glass of milk next to it that was a little darker than usual. Was it soy milk? She expected that she¡¯d eat macarons again today, so when she saw the table, she was gobsmacked. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I told them to prioritize nutrition because you¡¯re still a child. You don¡¯t like it? ¡°I guess you don¡¯t like any of these.¡± Siervian realized that her father¡¯s inner thoughts were similar to Ellie¡¯s. That must be why the snacks, which were once full of sugar, had changed. The Emperor observed Siervian¡¯s small face as she gaped at the table, then he frowned. ¡°Uh-uh. I don¡¯t diswike anything.¡± It¡¯s not that she hated anything, just that she had never tried it before. She picked up a fork that was a little too heavy for her small hand. ¡°Then, which one is your favorite out of all of these?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t twied them yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Siervian¡¯s hands wriggled a bit as she looked back at him with a questioning gaze. She actually didn¡¯t know the names of the other food except for the pie. Perhaps they were different kinds of bread, so should she just eat them? But which one should she choose? All of them were in such big portions that she didn¡¯t think she could eat more than one. ¡°Which one do you want to eat? I¡¯ll cut it up into small pieces for you.¡± ¡°Umm, there¡¯s too many.¡± What she meant was that there was too much in front of her. However, the Emperor interpreted this differently and immediately conjured his mana. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Soon after, each snack had been cut up into pieces and one of each was placed in front of her. They were exactly the size a child could bite. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll make sure you can eat whatever you want.¡± This was so good to hear. Would Ellie also be able to eat as much as she wanted without worrying about it? ¡°Even macawons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While she was sleeping, she dreamed about the macarons that she couldn¡¯t eat back then. Her favorite was the chocolate-flavored one that was slightly bitter on the outside, so she¡¯ll be sure to ask if she can eat it later. ¡°Siervy.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯s all my fault. Siervian had been thinking hard about what to eat first, then she looked up. An unfamiliar sadness from the status window was the first thing she saw. Her father called her by the nickname again, and she purposely looked into his eyes as she answered. ¡°Yees.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 With a deep gaze, Alderuan looked back at his daughter, then he raised his hand carefully. His big hand caressed her hair very lightly, then let go again. ¡°Eat a lot.¡± It was very warm. After sending Siervian back to the Princess¡¯ Palace, Alderuan called Hex to his office. He wanted to hear about the investigation that he directly ordered to be conducted. ¡®It wasn¡¯t just a feeling that she¡¯s too thin.¡¯ Alderuan felt a rage of anger¡ªtowards no one but himself. How could he have been so foolish as to not notice any of this happening? He couldn¡¯t say anything to excuse his actions. Siervian was still afraid of him whenever he tried to speak to her. ¡®Even after all of this, she isn¡¯t crying. It¡¯s harder to see her like that.¡¯ Back then, he wanted to see for himself if she was doing well, so he would visit her more than once a week. Sometimes, he had called her over for dinner as an excuse, but she often ran away after just seeing the food at the table. This was all the doing of the previous maid who was raising Siervian. ¡®Not only was Siervian scolded for eating a lot, but she was also brainwashed to be afraid of me.¡¯ Ellie, the new head maid in charge of Siervian, was only a temporary measure, but it seemed that Siervian was quite attached to her. Alderuan thought that she was definitely an accomplice, so he was going to get rid of her as well. However, the maid surprisingly showed how sincerely she cared for the Princess. ¡®She recognized who it is that treats her sincerely. Siervian is very smart because she resembles me.¡¯ Siervian had eventually reached out to him first. However, when she said to keep the food she ate a secret, he had only thought of this as cute. ¡®I should have looked into it back then. It was strange that she had to say that.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even guess just how long Siervian had suffered. He made a vow that he would take better care of her from now on. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Did you find out?¡± It was ominous how flags with the insignia of the Princess¡¯ Palace had popped up in the middle of this incident. It was still not clear what the hell was being planned with the food waste. However, in any situation, it was suspicious to see the Princess¡¯ flag in a place like that. Just what kind of dirty scheme was being plotted against Siervian? ¡°The flag we found was a genuine flag from the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°There was an accomplice then.¡± ¡°It appears to have been done by the previous head maid.¡± But there was no way to confirm this decisively. Sarah, the previous head maid, was imprisoned in the dungeon for neglecting her duties even while the Princess was sick. Then not long after, she was found dead. At first glance, it looked like she took her own life. ¡°It¡¯s suspicious. The servant named Ahim, who was found with the flag, also committed suicide.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the easiest way to get rid of evidence?¡± The person scheming against Siervian was clever. And they were doing it right under his nose. ¡°The problem is that the obvious suspect has no clear motive,¡± Alderuan added. The first person he thought of was the Empress, Cybelle Erveldote, a descendant of the only Dukedom of the Empire. After the long war, they had a political marriage for the sake of stabilizing the country. This marriage was a series of transactions, to the extent that the Crown Prince was conceived through a magical pregnancy and not a natural pregnancy. ¡°¡­Do you suspect that person?¡± And Alderuan recalled Siervian¡¯s mother, his only love. Unlike the Crown Prince, Siervian was conceived lovingly between the couple. He never thought that the Empress would cherish Siervian as her own biological daughter because she was birthed by a royal concubine, but Alderuan thought that the Empress was at least doing the best that she could do. ¡°But why would Her Majesty¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± And that was the problem. To anyone who could see, the Empress clearly had no reason to provoke the Emperor by neglecting the Princess so openly. The Crown Prince, who was the Empress¡¯ offspring, had already been established as the successor to the throne. Although he was conceived through magic, Alderuan loved Damian as much as he loved Siervian¡ªequally and without discrimination. He held no reservations because they were both his children. ¡°What shall we do, sire?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue the investigation for now. Look into the books closely, especially the flow of money.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°And increase the escort knights of the Princess. Make sure that she can walk around freely in the Imperial Palace.¡± As Alderuan gave these orders, the image of his daughter turning blue when she saw those knights suddenly flashed into his mind. ¡°¡­But tell the guards to remain out of her sight.¡± ¡°So that the Princess won¡¯t see them?¡± ¡°Yes. Siervian is shy to anyone but me, so tell them to be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Well, in Hex¡¯s eyes though, it seemed like the Princess relied more on the head maid. But Hex was a wise Chancellor, so he didn¡¯t say this aloud. Having been by the Emperor¡¯s side for a long time, he knew that the Emperor talked freely whenever he thought of the Princess. ¡®Come to think of it, the Princess isn¡¯t shy in front of me, too, right?¡¯ The covert meeting between the Emperor and the Chancellor of the country ended while they had different thoughts. ¡°How about this, Princess?¡± ¡°Ooohh, so pwetty.¡± Siervian was thinking that Ellie might be hiding some kind of magical abilities. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to turn that wardrobe upside down. Ellie scoured the closet vigorously, determined to wash away the stigma that Siervian would have to wear the same clothes several times. ¡°Our Princess is so pretty so you¡¯ll look good in everything, but you look so much better in bright clothes.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± Siervian nodded as well because she didn¡¯t think this was wrong. At this moment, Siervian was eating biscuits that quickly filled her tummy. They weren¡¯t sweet, but they were savory and strangely addictive. ¡®A healthy snack, but really delicious¡­!¡¯ Ellie said that this biscuit was made from grains that were grown through water containing mana. It was a very precious snack, so she was burdened by it at first. But after seeing all the cupboards lined up with lots of food, she ate with a light heart. ¡°Do you want more milk, Your Highness?¡± ¡°No thwanks. I have to make woom for dinner.¡± ¡°Our Princess has such a good memory. Oh, our pretty Princess.¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: 10,010 The other day, the chamberlain of the Princess¡¯ Palace had been punished. It was the job of the chamberlain to handle the budget of the Princess¡¯ Palace that was allocated by the Empress. However, he said that Sarah had tricked him. ¡®It¡¯s a clumsy cover-up, but there¡¯s no way to refute it.¡¯ The Emperor was clearly suspicious of the Empress. Still, no decisive evidence could be found. Siervian herself wouldn¡¯t have suspected the Empress if not for the status window letting her know her inner thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that this is all I could do for you, Princess.¡± Siervian didn¡¯t know what Ellie was thinking, but they made eye contact as she said this. Perhaps the maid thought that Siervian didn¡¯t know what was happening around her. ¡°Nuh-uh. Evewything is nice because Eri¡¯s here.¡± [ Ellie ] Favorability: + 50 Siervian answered with a big smile on her lips. Many things would be different from her previous life from now on. When her father said that he¡¯d take care of her¡ªof everything¡ªhimself, Siervian just accepted it in stride and thought that he¡¯d oversee everything from a good distance. She didn¡¯t think that it meant he¡¯d eat every meal with her now. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Siervian, who barely arrived at the Emperor¡¯s Palace just in time for breakfast with her father, looked around blankly. She couldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯re expecting a child to eat breakfast so early in the morning like this. She woke up not long before this. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I gweet Your Majwesty.¡± She bowed her head and curtsied. As she looked down, she felt that she could just sleep right then. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Struggling to open her eyes, she looked up at her father. She was so drowsy that she couldn¡¯t read the words on the status window properly. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°¡­Yeess.¡± It was only then that she found it strange that her father had been calling her with that nickname again and again. When their eyes met, the Emperor walked towards her from the table without saying anything. It was only natural that Siervian began to question his actions. What¡¯s wrong now? ¡°I¡¯ll carry you there, Siervy.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Even before she could take a step forward, she felt her body floating up. It was amazing because it felt like she was flying in the air before she was sat on the chair gently. ¡°Eat up, Siervy.¡± Since it was early, the relatively simple table setting caught her eye. Nevertheless, the appetizing scent lingered at the tip of her nose. She was definitely still sleepy, but she became energized just a little bit. ¡®Huh? It¡¯s a little lighter?¡¯ When she grabbed the spoon, she felt the difference in weight. The tableware at the Emperor¡¯s Palace was always big and heavy, so they were usually difficult for her to use. ¡°Siervy, the silverware you¡¯re using has been made exclusively for you. More sets were also sent to your palace.¡± As soon as she looked at her plate, the Emperor said this casually. The silverware had small, shining blue gems. He noticed that the fork she used yesterday was heavy. ¡°Thank yew.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 This kind of attention was something she had never even dreamed of in her previous life. Perhaps because her hands felt lighter, she was more invigorated. ¡®These fit perfectly in my hands. And they¡¯re pretty!¡¯ The meal went off without a hitch after that. They were served simple dishes that weren¡¯t difficult to digest. When she was full, she felt sleepy again. She didn¡¯t know why she was so lethargic today. ¡°Your Highness, here is your dessert.¡± ¡°Yess.¡± [ Paolo Velteman ] Occupation: Grand Chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace Favorability: +20 So when the chamberlain served desserts, Siervian was already dozing off. The desserts served were simple pastries and chocolate milk. ¡°This milk is especially nutritious. I hope it suits your tastes, Your Highness.¡± [ Paolo Velteman ] Thoughts: I put my heart and soul into these refreshments, so I hope you eat them well, our poor Princess. When he saw the kitchen of the Princess¡¯ Palace himself, it seemed like the chamberlain started paying more attention. She was so sleepy that she wanted to skip drinking the milk, but she held onto her consciousness firmly. And when she took a sip, it was really¡­ Really incredible! ¡°So yummy!¡± It was sweet and soft and without the usual bad stench of milk that she had before. However, after she drank all of the milk, her limit finally came. ¡®If I doze off here¡­ No, I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ She had put down the glass earlier and she had her utensils in hand now, but her head was nodding off already. She tried to look at her father with her eyes open, but her body wouldn¡¯t listen. It was more so because the milk she drank just now was warm. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yeaah.¡± Oh, there¡¯s a status window. But she was so sleepy¡­ ¡°Goodness.¡± Her father¡¯s voice sounded close, but soon, a warm feeling encased her. It felt like she was still sitting on the chair, but in her hazy view, she saw her father¡¯s chin closeby. ¡®It¡¯s warm.¡¯ It¡¯s ridiculous how she disregarded her table manners. How could she doze off in the middle of eating? However, Siervian quickly succumbed to sleep in those warm arms. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°Princess, are you awake?¡± ¡°Eri.¡± Before she knew it, she was already back in the Princess¡¯ Palace, on her bed. Siervian tried to scan her memories, but she was surprised that it really seemed like she fell asleep. No matter how young she was now, how could she do that? ¡°Eri, is His Majwesty¡­¡± ¡°Yes. His Majesty took the Princess here himself.¡± She was about to ask if he looked angry, but she stopped herself mid-sentence. It was a habitual question, but strangely, she thought that her father wouldn¡¯t have been angry about it. It was amazing that her father wasn¡¯t as scary as he used to be. ¡°Your Highness must have been really sleepy. You slept for a long time.¡± ¡°I should have woke up fwaster¡­¡± ¡°You need to sleep well to be healthy. It¡¯s alright, Princess.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± She was worried because she might look lazy to other people these days, but Ellie was stubborn about this. A child as young as she was didn¡¯t have much work to do. She didn¡¯t think about it like that in her previous life. ¡°By the way, we¡¯ll be changing the furniture and the rest of the interior today. Fortunately, the palace¡¯s budget has been allocated properly now.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I can do everything for you from now on, what a relief, huhu. I¡¯ll fill this palace with things that will suit our Princess! The budget that Ellie had been worried about must have been solved already. Siervian asked what was the most urgent thing that Ellie didn¡¯t seem to be worrying about. ¡°Eri, you have to get your salawy.¡± ¡°Oh my, you know about that? Our Princess, you¡¯re so smart.¡± Siervian was worried that Ellie would forget to take care of herself. [ Ellie ] Favorability: +40 Thoughts: Towards this kind child, how could that Sarah¡ª Huu, she¡¯s really bad. Ah, I shouldn¡¯t curse, but I¡¯m still angry. ¡°His Majesty has already solved all of the issues with my salary. I received a lot of bonuses this time, too!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± The two were excited about this and talked about different things. Among the topics they talked about, the furniture that would be brought in came up. ¡°So I¡¯m thinking of decorating the room according to Your Highness¡¯ taste. What do you think?¡± ¡°Umm, it¡¯s all big and scawy, so smaller things are nicer.¡± ¡°Goodness me. Then it must have been scary at night?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± The protruding and large, heavy furniture was strange to have in a child¡¯s bedroom. Apart from that, the furniture wasn¡¯t easy on the eyes either because they didn¡¯t come in a set. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Seriously. I can¡¯t believe the room is filled with furniture like this. What a terrible thing to do. Siervian thought that Ellie really understands her well. She would be less scared at night when she¡¯s about to sleep now. She¡¯s excited about the change. ¡°I¡¯ll get some catalogues soon. They¡¯re small books, but it¡¯s easy to choose from there because there are illustrations.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Siervian had only ever looked at a catalogue to pick her dress back then. Other than that, she usually wore what the Empress had chosen for her, so she never had a chance to see one personally. Even if she wasn¡¯t picking clothes, it seemed like this would be fun. Right then, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Oh my, I think the new ladies-in-waiting are here to greet Your Highness. Should I tell them to come in?¡± She recalled the maids who surrounded her bed when she was sick. And when the knights entered right after. However, Siervian soon straightened her posture and nodded. ¡®It¡¯s going to be different from before.¡¯ When she nodded, Ellie went to the door and opened it. [ Jane Millas ] Occupation: Lady-in-waiting (Lv.80) Favorability: 3,055 Thoughts: Oh my goodness, the Princess is so cute. About five ladies-in-waiting came in. And Jane, who was standing in front, had smiling eyes. ¡°I greet Your Imperial Highness the Princess.¡± They were all generally favorable of Siervian. Standing next to her, Ellie calmly introduced them and explained that the five most senior ladies-in-waiting came as representatives first. The rest were scheduled to greet the princess gradually. ¡°Umm, nwice to meet yew.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± [ Jane Millas ] Favorability: +20 While Siervian wrung her fingers together and said this, everyone¡¯s apprehension seemed to have disappeared. Compared to the rumors, she was a prettier and younger princess from what they heard. ¡®That¡¯s a relief. I think I left a good first impression.¡¯ The ladies-in-waiting quickly left to attend to their duties to be done, but when Ellie was left with Siervian alone in the room, she was deeply troubled. ¡°Princess, what do you think of the lady-in-waiting named Jane just now?¡± She remembered Jane¡¯s sad tone. And her favorability seemed a little higher compared to other people. ¡°She seems kwind.¡± When Siervian answered honestly, Ellie nodded. Then, with a determined expression, she spoke to the princess. ¡°Princess. Jane is the most experienced and the best among all of us¡­ Maybe it would be better to have Jane take up the position of chief lady-in-waiting.¡± [ Ellie ] Occupation: Chief Lady-in-waiting (Lv.50) Thoughts: Jane would do a better job than me with this position. However, Siervian shook her head immediately. Certainly, as she looked at Ellie¡¯s status window, her level fell slightly after getting the new position of ¡®chief lady-in-waiting¡¯. She was at level 60 when she was an ordinary lady-in-waiting, but even that was lower than Jane¡¯s. ¡°Dun wanna. I like Eri.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Princess.¡± Still, considering that Sarah, the previous chief lady-in-waiting, was only level 14, Ellie was leaps and bounds better. So Siervian believed that she would improve gradually. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Instead of answering, Siervian hugged Ellie instead, swelling with feelings of gratitude. Since then, the Princess¡¯ Palace has changed rapidly. The biggest change could also be noticed as the garden was remodeled. ¡®It¡¯s clean now!¡¯ And naturally, there were more employees working here. Siervian walked pleasantly along the small promenade in the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡®I hope they can plant flowers, too.¡¯ It would be nice if there were many flowers nearby. The flowers would remind her of the lilacs she saw not too long ago, and the handsome Karmen beneath the lilac tree. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s learning magic well.¡¯ Siervian quickly cleared her mind of him because there wouldn¡¯t be any more meetings between them in the future anyway. Instead, she recalled something else. She decided to go to another garden somewhere else. ¡°Oh my, will Your Highness be going out?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Jane, who had a stack of bedcovers in her arms, noticed Siervian. She was one of the people who didn¡¯t act differently from her thoughts, like Ellie, and the more Siervian met her, the better she thought the older woman¡¯s personality was. ¡°Please have a safe trip.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The motivated Siervian headed out of the Princess Palace for the first time in a long while. Ellie followed right beside her. There was nothing better than a walk so that she could organize her thoughts. ¡®From now on, what should I do?¡¯ The food waste incident was resolved, but there was no guarantee that it would be alright now. She knew well enough how people were easily swayed by rumors. ¡®Hmm. As expected, I¡¯ll have to make better use of the status window so that I won¡¯t be hated.¡¯ Being a princess was a precarious position to have. If she had excellent magic skills, she could go anywhere and act as the Emperor¡¯s reliable hands and feet. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t an option for her. ¡®Oh, he said I smelled like mana.¡¯ Suddenly, she remembered what Karmen said. But she soon shook her head. She was afraid to set expectations, only to be returned with disappointment later. ¡°Princess.¡± At that time, Ellie stopped and called out to Siervian with a small voice. As Siervian lifted her head, she made eye contact with the Crown Prince who was walking nearby. ¡®I should¡¯ve taken a different path.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª t/n: I previously translated Ellie¡¯s position as head maid, but this was wrong. She¡¯s actually the chief lady-in-waiting, and will be addressed as such from here on out. Sorry for the confusion. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The Crown Prince resembled the Emperor very much. When she faced that gaze, Siervian regretted it without realizing it. He was on his way back from swordsmanship training, and sweat had formed on his forehead. She remembered his cold treatment when they were in front of the Empress last time. If she had seen him first, then she would have avoided him at once. ¡°Hello¡­¡± But there was no choice but to greet him because their eyes met. She intended to excuse herself right away if her greeting wasn¡¯t returned. But an answer suddenly came back. ¡°Thanks.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s reply was so out of place. [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Mood: Very excited The only thing she mentioned was a greeting, but his answer was strange. Flustered, she forgot how discouraged she was just now and asked him. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­I was mean to you back then, so I thought you won¡¯t say hello.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As expected, what she thought at first was right. He knew that he was mean to her¡­! ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fwine¡­¡± Did something bad happen to him that day? In fact, she wasn¡¯t fine with it, but she answered politely. She could just avoid him in the future. They didn¡¯t have to meet each other anyway. ¡°Can I meet you later?¡± As Siervian was about to leave, the Crown Prince urgently asked. Come to think of it, on the day they ran into each other at the Empress¡¯ Palace, there was something strange about his status window. It was almost like he came to the Empress¡¯ Palace in a hurry just to find her on purpose. ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ She felt uncomfortable. Siervian nodded as a way to avoid him for now. In her previous life, the Crown Prince never visited her for any personal business. ¡°Thank you, Siervian.¡± However, as she nodded appropriately, he smiled brightly at her. [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: My kind younger sister. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the status window. He thought of her as a younger sister. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re about to go this way, right?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 When she replied politely, the Crown Prince smiled again. It shocked her because he could only imagine him having the same stoic expression as their father. ¡°See you later.¡± Her older brother, who was suddenly acting strangely, was so unrecognizable. So Siervian nodded quickly and hurried away. However, she overlooked the fact that it would take a while for her to pass by her brother because her legs were so short. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Now that authority over the budget has been shifted, everything should be fine. Thanks to that, she was able to see another strange status window. Did something happen between her brother and the Empress? As she took a quiet stroll at a deserted place, the shock seemed to disappear a little. And it unexpectedly helped her organize her thoughts for what¡¯s to come in the future. ¡®I want to prevent what¡¯s going to happen, so I have to become independent once I become an adult.¡¯ Her brother was made for his position as Crown Prince. He had excellent magic abilities and he was very intelligent¡ªtruly suited for the Imperial Family. In addition, according to the ¡®Emperor¡¯s Pledge¡¯, he was the first in the line of succession. In many ways, the throne was never hers. Siervian knew this more than probably everyone else. ¡®But it doesn¡¯t make sense that I was accused of treason.¡¯ Anyway, that was what happened. Just because a small incident was prevented didn¡¯t mean that even the ¡®treason¡¯ would disappear. Moreover, she didn¡¯t even know how she was framed as a traitor. That¡¯s why she was going to lay low to change this fate. She wouldn¡¯t forget her place, even when she was being shown a little bit of favor now. ¡®I know. I should hide that I¡¯m a princess and get a job, right?¡¯ At the sudden thought, Siervian thought of different places with a new perspective. The Imperial Palace was not a place where just anyone could enter. But on the other hand, it was also a place where all supplies and talents gathered. She should look around here and think carefully about what she¡¯ll do in the future. ¡®I¡¯ll save as much money as I can.¡¯ And just like that, she forgot that she was supposed to meet the Crown Prince. Until he visited the Princess¡¯ Palace the very next day. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince has come to visit. Now, Princess, three cheers!¡± ¡°Three cheers.¡± Siervian lifted both of her arms just as Jane asked. Jane was changing her clothes on behalf of Ellie, who went to the Emperor¡¯s Palace for a while to meet the grand chamberlain. Surprised to hear who the visitor was, Siervian was tempted to ask the same question again. [ Jane Millas ] Favorability: 8,900 Thoughts: You still have to eat a lot more, our Princess. It¡¯s only been a few days since Jane met Siervian, but her favorability had increased tremendously. In fact, Siervian couldn¡¯t say anything to her at first, but when she saw that Jane liked her, she realized that Jane seemed to be an affectionate person. It¡¯s probably because the Princess¡¯ Palace compensated its employees handsomely. But seriously, was he really here? ¡°Umm.¡± ¡°What is it, Princess?¡± ¡°Nothwing.¡± She knew that they had agreed to meet yesterday, but she didn¡¯t know that he meant that he would come the next day. They never even met like this in her previous life. After getting ready, she went down to the drawing room and saw that Damian was really there. ¡°Ah, Siervian. Sorry. I know I should have sent word in advance¡­¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: You¡¯re really really cute today, too. When Siervian had entered the room, the Crown Prince, who had been sitting with a straight posture, rose to his feet. She was holding the lady-in-waiting¡¯s hand tightly, looking closely because she saw the word ¡®cute¡¯. ¡®It¡¯s the same gaze that always looked at me. Extremely cold.¡¯ Even in her previous life, her older brother would always stare at Siervian like this. But when she saw his thoughts, she could easily misunderstand him. Was he like this as well back then? ¡®But why did you come here?¡¯ In any case, because she was flustered, her body became frightened. In the first place, she had never been able to use the drawing room in her palace before. Because the space itself was unfamiliar, Siervian quietly hid behind Jane¡¯s skirt. ¡°¡­What I brought might melt.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯ll be great if you like it. Hex said you¡¯d like it. The Crown Prince was also taken aback when he saw that Siervian looked at him with a wary expression. The more he looked at her with a different expression, Siervian seemed to be more flustered. ¡°It¡¯s a present.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: What should I do. I guess you¡¯re scared of me. However, when Siervian saw what was in Damian¡¯s hand, her grip on Jane¡¯s clothes loosened. ¡°I asked them to make it especially delicious. ¡­I heard that you like this.¡± What he had was a slice of cake. It was also the same cake that had a snow-like cream on top. Her father had made an ice sugar fork for her then, and she remembered how delicious it was. Recently, Ellie and the Emperor hadn¡¯t been giving her snacks that were too sweet. They both thought that they should prioritize nutrition first. She was okay with it, too, because she noticed that it wasn¡¯t as difficult to walk further anymore. ¡°Cake¡­¡± The food they gave her was still so scrumptious, so it didn¡¯t matter to her. That was, until she was faced with this cake. ¡®I guess I¡¯m still craving for something sweet.¡¯ Carefully stepping out from behind Jane¡¯s skirt, she was still keeping her guard up from afar. However, the single step she took alone brightened up the Crown Prince¡¯s face. He placed the cake he had gently on the table in front of an empty armchair. Then, he went to the other seat cautiously and sat down, as though not to startle Siervian. ¡°Here.¡± As a dignified Imperial Princess, Siervian couldn¡¯t possibly run towards a cake just now. So she asked her brother with the most haughty tone as she could muster. ¡°Will you also gwive me a fwork?¡± ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll make one.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯m glad I learned magic for this. ¡®No, you shouldn¡¯t feel rewarded for learning magic because of this. You¡¯re the Crown Prince.¡¯ With these thoughts in mind, Siervian carefully walked towards the cake. The closer she got, the more she could see the top of the cold snow-like cake. She also remembered how the sweet cream melted into her mouth. ¡®Huh? When did I sit down?¡¯ When she came back to her senses, she was already sitting in front of him. A very faint laugh could be heard from a short distance. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: How cute. I should tell Ellie to give you more sweets. She felt a bit indignant because of the small chuckle, but as she saw Jane¡¯s thoughts, she stayed still because she agreed with her. ¡°¡­I¡¯m different from Father, so it¡¯ll take a while.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll work harder so that I can make your fork faster.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± It¡¯s strange to see that the Crown Prince was motivated to learn magic more adeptly for this reason, but Siervian nodded enthusiastically anyway. The Prince, who smiled brightly, began to concentrate. ¡®Whoa¡­¡¯ Unlike the Emperor, Damian conjured a group of bright lights that hovered around the sugar water subtly and for a longer time. As she felt a cold sensation over her skin gradually, the sugar water rose into the air. Even though his speed was slower, the Crown Prince didn¡¯t seem to be struggling with the spell. ¡®It¡¯s pretty.¡¯ The sugar water gradually stuck to the thin metal bar to form a fork. She thought it was done now, but suddenly, the lights hovered over the cake. ¡°Wooow¡­!¡± The sugar water floated over the cake and was formed into shapes this time. There was a cute little house, a white bunny, and a few other animal sculptures over the snowy field. They took longer to form than the fork, but Siervian couldn¡¯t take her eyes off for even a moment. ¡°So pwetty!¡± ¡°Phew¡­ You can eat the small sculptures, too. But they¡¯ll be a little colder.¡± ¡°No way!¡± It would be ridiculous to put the cute little bunny in her mouth. When she shook her head in objection, the Crown Prince looked troubled. ¡°Ah, then it might be hard for you to eat the cake¡­¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: How can you be so cute? She had been wondering why her brother was acting so oddly, but then something was more urgent to her now. She couldn¡¯t imagine eating the bunny, but now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to eat the cake either. When she immediately became tearful, the Crown Prince was greatly flustered. ¡°S-Sorry. The cake, no, the bunny¡­¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Oh no, oh no. What do I do. Please don¡¯t cry. At that time, Jane, who had been standing at the side quietly, approached the two children. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Jane leaned down and placed a small plate in front of the two in a very polite manner. ¡°Ah! I¡¯ll move the bunny here,¡± the Crown Prince said. ¡°Okay!¡± He hurriedly conjured his mana again and moved the shapes from the cake and onto the plate. Then, the snow-like cream on the cake was ruined a little because of this. ¡°I ruined the cake, Siervian. What should we do?¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯m doomed. You¡¯ll hate me. It was amazing that her brother, who always seemed indifferent to the world, had thoughts like this. However, Siervian was a person who understood his fear more than anyone else. So she spoke in a bright voice so that he wouldn¡¯t worry anymore. ¡°The bunny can hop over thwere!¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: How can you be so generous¡­ my dear sister. ¡°¡­Sure.¡± And with her answer, the Crown Prince had a small smile on his lips. When he was expressionless, Siervian could only see his resemblance with their father¡¯s cold exterior. But now that she looked at him, she thought that he was much softer. ¡°Eat it all before it melts.¡± She took the fork that he made, but as Siervian reached the cake, she urgently asked. ¡°What about Bwother?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She said this naturally, but right after, she was surprised by herself. It was something she never called him before. The last time she met him in her previous life, it was so awkward that she could only address him as ¡®Your Highness the Crown Prince¡¯. So he might hate her for overstepping her boundaries¡­ [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: You called me ¡®Brother¡¯ 8?8 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 But unlike his stoically averted gaze, there was a huge storm of favorability rising inside him. ¡­Then, was it okay? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t like cake.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The Crown Prince stuttered and said this urgently. He didn¡¯t even make eye contact with Siervian, so she was a little anxious as she looked at him with the fork in her mouth. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯ll continue to give you all the cakes that are given to me.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: You called me Brother. You¡¯re sooo cute 8?8 Siervian only called him that once, but a variety of thoughts passed through his mind. And as she tasted the sweetness of the fork, she was shocked. He was going to give her all the cakes? She never thought that her brother was such a nice person. ¡°Will you reeaally?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll give you all of them.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll have to bring you cakes everyday. Cake¡­ every single day¡­! As she was living in a child¡¯s boy, she was keenly aware of how tempting sweets were. Nevertheless, it was still surprising that he would do that. But she felt sorry that she was constantly on the receiving end. So Siervian, who struggled with this, decided to give him something he liked, too. ¡°Me, too, I¡¯ll gwive Bwother all the pepper.¡± She remembered how much she liked it when she handed over the pepper shaker to him last time. She didn¡¯t need it for herself, so she could just give all the pepper to him. ¡°H-Huh¡­? Pepper?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: She called me Brother again! Okay, I¡¯ll take whatever you give me gratefully. When Siervian nodded proudly, the Crown Prince also nodded along with her. She still thought that his thoughts were odd, but she decided to pretend that she didn¡¯t see it. Now, she couldn¡¯t keep her cake waiting any longer. Nyam, nyam. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± As the sweet taste spread in her mouth, she suddenly felt more energetic. She realized that she felt a little tired because he came early in the morning, but apart from that, she was also more apprehensive earlier. Nyam, nyam, nyam. As she enjoyed eating the cake, the Crown Prince looked at Siervian with an expression that was filled with delight. ¡®I knew it, you wanted to have some, too.¡¯ Siervian¡¯s misunderstanding grew more. ¡°You know.¡± Right then, he opened his lips to speak. Siervian nervously waited for him to say something more, but¡­ Yep. Since her brother brought this cake, she should share half of it with him. Half¡­ about half of it¡­ ¡°Will you¡­ Will you understand if I act weird sometimes?¡± But then the words that followed weren¡¯t what she expected. She really couldn¡¯t understand her brother, either his thoughts or words. ¡°Weird?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sometimes, Siervian will be scared of me and maybe you¡¯ll hate me¡­ Like last time when we met at the Empress¡¯ Palace.¡± The cold expression as he looked at her suddenly popped into her mind. It was very easy to recall that expression of the Crown Prince. It was the same expression that she faced all the time whenever he looked at her in her previous life. When Siervian suddenly fell silent and stopped eating the cake, the Crown Prince looked sad as well. ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ I mean¡­ If that happens, please let me come and beg for forgiveness later.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why people were living such complicated lives. They just lived while naturally hiding what they truly felt. Somehow, she became incensed as this thought came into her mind. With a child¡¯s temperament, she just wanted to yell and say what was on her mind. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Until I gain more strength, that¡¯s the only time I¡¯ll be able to protect you more¡­ However, as she read his status window, she closed her lips. There must be something she still didn¡¯t know. And it was probably related to the Empress. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Maybe her brother already knew the real innermost thoughts of the Empress, the ones that Siervian only noticed after reading about them in her status window. ¡°Siervian¡­ Thank you.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll get stronger quickly so that I can protect my younger sister. She decided to be more wary of the Empress. Siervian, who had been quiet for a while, munched on some cake again. The sweetness seemed to comfort her mind. At that time from the corner of her periphery, she saw that the bunny had melted a little. ¡°No¡­! Bunny!¡± ¡°Ah. Let me freeze it again.¡± Without any signs of difficulty, the Crown Prince conjured his mana again. At that time, there was something gray near the bunny. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ The bunny¡¯s ears, which had melted a little, gradually took shape again. Perhaps it was only a trick of the light when the cold air passed by. In any case, the ice sculptures would melt again in no time. So, on impulse, she asked her brother. ¡°Pwease stop it fwom melting.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you want me to cast a conservation spell?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± If he could conserve it with magic, it cheered her up because she recalled that her room would be redecorated. She could keep the animal sculptures there. [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 With a red face, the Crown Prince began to cast the spell. She found out that when he had learned it, he asked what he¡¯d use it for and thought it was something trivial, but now, he was relieved that he learned how to cast a conservation spell in advance. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: How can you both be so cute? And on the other side of the room, Jane kept thinking this. She decided to keep it a secret from her brother that the lady-in-waiting was thinking this about them both. ¡ªA few days later. ¡°Mmmm¡­ Sleepy¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, our Princess is sleepy. Hm¡­ Shall we take a short nap?¡± ¡°Noo¡­ I¡¯ll be late¡­¡± These days, it became a daily occurrence to go to the Emperor¡¯s Palace early in the morning to eat breakfast, then return to her palace being carried by someone as she dozed off. She was nervous the first and second time it happened, but as her father continued to carry her without saying anything, her tension quickly eased. Still, Siervian couldn¡¯t be late when she needed to be at the Emperor¡¯s Palace, so she pushed back her drowsiness and opened her eyes wide. [ Ellie ] Favorability: +50 ¡°We can spare a little more time today. You¡¯ll be having breakfast here at your palace, Princess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Of course, since she fell asleep every time, they must have thought it would be more convenient to just let her have breakfast alone. She fell back to sleep thinking that this was a relief. But it was already late in the morning when she woke up again after sleeping for quite a while. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She thought she would go back to eating breakfast in her bedroom again like before, but Ellie led Siervian somewhere else. They went to the dining hall of the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ The empty hall suddenly turned into a neat and cozy dining hall. And as soon as she got there, the door opened once more. The Emperor and the Crown Prince entered. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,990,984 Thoughts: Your sleepy face as you just woke up is so cute that the mana¡¯s spirit could be hit twice on both its cheeks, but it would still smile at you. That¡¯s how cute you are. [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,009,687 Thoughts: Even your drowsy face is so cute. Not being fully awake, she stared blankly at the two people who came to the Princess¡¯ Palace to eat breakfast. They sat in their respective seats not minding her gaze on them. No way¡­ Was it going to be like this from now on¡­? ¡°But Crown Prince, I didn¡¯t call you here.¡± At that time, the Emperor looked towards the Crown Prince with a slightly sour expression. That was the only time she came to know that her brother came here uninvited. ¡°It¡¯s also been a long time since we had breakfast together, and I wanted to eat with you, Father.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± With the same expressionless face, Damian answered politely. Unlike the dining hall of the Emperor¡¯s Palace, the dining hall here was smaller. The three were sitting at a round table, so it seemed like they were sitting beside her. ¡®The more I look at them, the more they look alike.¡¯ Although he was conceived through a magical pregnancy, the son exceedingly resembled the father. In the meantime, the ladies-in-waiting began to carry in their meal. When the silverware was set perfectly, the Emperor suddenly called Siervian¡¯s attention. ¡°Siervy, do you like the silverware I got you?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± ¡°Siervy, what about the design? If you don¡¯t like it, I can change it again. It was made in a hurry just for breakfast.¡± ¡°Noo, I like it.¡± The silverware embedded with blue jewels fit her hands perfectly, so she continued to use it. And the dining hall, which was perfectly decorated with cute designs everywhere, surprisingly suited Siervian¡¯s taste. In particular, the chair she was sitting on was exclusively made for her, so it was easy for her to climb and sit on it. ¡°Siervy, go ahead and eat.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± As the conversation continued, Siervian felt that it was odd. Why was her father calling her by that nickname so often these days¡­? ¡°Your Majesty calls her by a nickname?¡± The Crown Prince, who had been listening quietly all this time, immediately asked. He was expressionless once more, and it was almost like the brother who appeared in front of her, making an ice bunny for her, seemed to be an illusion. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I wanna call you like that too, nickname! ?^? But as she saw his thoughts, Siervian was shocked. ¡°Yesterday, you brought some cake that the chef made, right?¡± Meanwhile, on her other side, the Emperor glanced down at the Crown Prince and asked him coldly. With the tone he had, it was almost like he was accusing his son of feeding his younger sister poison. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I was going to have some of the cake made again, but I can¡¯t believe you did it first. Their thoughts were so different from their words. Siervian¡¯s eyes were wide open in confusion. Just what were they doing? Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The atmosphere became strange. The two continued their conversation without paying attention to the meal in front of them. ¡°Yes. I also made an animal sculpture to Siervian as a gift and she loved it very much.¡± ¡°Sculpture?¡± ¡°When a fork is made exclusively for the snow cake, it¡¯s no fun for her because the fork will be gone after the cake is eaten.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of that. How could I make such a mistake. In fact, Siervian knew that the fork was just for eating that cake, and that it was a luxury to be able to eat the cake with a fork made with magic. But she didn¡¯t have much experience with eating desserts, so he might be right. ¡°She cherishes it so much that she asked me to put a conservation spell on it. And they said that she¡¯s decorated her room with it.¡± ¡°Ha. It¡¯s not time for you to learn conservation magic yet. It¡¯s going to melt soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be alright because I studied it in advance.¡± Siervian grew nervous because the topic suddenly went to the Crown Prince¡¯s magic skills. An Imperial Family member¡¯s magical ability was the same thing as their pride. ¡°Is that true, Siervy?¡± Suddenly, their eyes were on her at once. Siervian, who was holding back as she looked at the steaming soup, gulped dryly. ¡°Yees. It¡¯s pweety.¡± The animal sculptures were neatly placed on the vanity table in her room. Everyday when Ellie combed her hair, she would look at them. Of course, they didn¡¯t melt or break. When the Crown Prince would grow older, he would even be a match for the Emperor, who was the strongest mage in the Empire. If Karmen, the next lord of the magic tower, was also considered, there would be three archmages in the Northern Empire alone. ¡°Did you bring them to your room, Siervian?¡± As he heard this compliment, the Crown Prince¡¯s lips were curled up in a smile that almost dripped honey. On the contrary, the Emperor¡¯s expression became darker as he looked at his son in disapproval. ¡°Yees. I like the bunny and the horsey a lot.¡± Siervian felt much better as she recalled the cute ice sculptures that she saw everyday when her hair was being combed. It was very cute to see the bunny being right next to the horse. ¡°Hm.¡± And when he heard her honest remarks, this was all that the Emperor said. Then, their silent meal began. All three people around the table weren¡¯t talkative in the first place while eating, so Siervian soon picked up her spoon, forgetting the strange atmosphere from earlier. ¡®I¡¯m hungry already, so it¡¯s a relief.¡¯ In the meantime, the soup wasn¡¯t as hot as it was earlier, so she ate a lot today. However, the status windows of the two people at her sides sometimes made her wary. They were very odd. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: You¡¯ll just have breakfast without me. I need to find a way to come here every day. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Animal sculptures¡­ Hmm, animals¡­ Why were they both being like this? Even as she contemplated deeply, she really couldn¡¯t understand them. So, she just focused on eating. Two days later in the afternoon, Siervian went on a stroll, her mind complicated. After she reached adulthood, it would be best if she could live even with a small livelihood. Maybe she could live well while caring for flowers all her life. Of course, she would still try to change many things before that, but it was still a problem she had to think about. ¡®What if I get framed again?¡¯ The day that Siervian was framed for treason was a common day. After it was pointed out that she seemed to have gained a little weight the other day, Siervian abstained from black tea that day. Sarah, who had been working as her chief lady-in-waiting until Siervian was fifteen years old, disappeared one day without a word. It was only after her replacement arrived¡ªsent by the Empress¡ªthat Siervian realized that Sarah had quit. ¡®Was it a cover-up?¡¯ Around evening time, knights rushed to her bedroom. The captain of the knights calmly showed her the Emperor¡¯s decree and apologized for the rudeness. However, inside the Princess¡¯ Palace, several black magic tools were found. And there was an altar that looked like a sacrifice table. ¡®They were things that I had never seen before.¡¯ She didn¡¯t even know what those things were for. In that ridiculous situation, Siervian was dragged away helplessly. In the Empire where pure magic was the standard, using black magic was considered a felony. The new chief lady-in-waiting of the Princess¡¯ Palace was also surprised as she saw them. ¡®Was she acting?¡¯ As long as the Empress¡¯ favorability stayed low, Siervian had no other choice but to be suspicious of her. It was probably a lie that the Empress claimed Siervian¡¯s innocence while tears streamed down her face. But could she do that just because Siervian bothered her? ¡®I have no idea.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know anything about it. It was too difficult to understand other people. It¡¯s a relief that she could find some small happiness as she waited for mealtime these days. But otherwise, she wished even more that she could get out of here as soon as possible. ¡®Where should I look next just to be safe?¡¯ She suddenly thought that she was too na?ve. All she learned in her past life was etiquette and some history. Siervian, who learned nothing about magic or Imperial history, only knew how to drink tea and to act elegantly. ¡®What do people usually do?¡¯ There was so much she had to do to prepare for the future. She also wanted to find any clues pointing to the reason why she had to be executed. But she wouldn¡¯t be able to learn anything if she continued like this either. Everyone said she didn¡¯t need anything else. Siervian Erveldote was an incompetent princess anyway. ¡®¡­But was I incompetent because I really was incompetent, or because I couldn¡¯t learn anything?¡¯ As she left the Princess¡¯ Palace, she heard the Emperor¡¯s voice in front of her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Siervian looked up in surprise at her father. And when he saw how surprised his daughter was, the Emperor glared at Hex, who was behind him. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: My daughter was startled because of this guy. Actually, she was startled because of her father, but she decided not to show this. Her gaze met her father¡¯s as he looked down, waiting for her answer. But she wasn¡¯t going to say that she was out to find something she could do. ¡°Jwust to play outside.¡± Or would it be better if she could ask her father? Considering her father, perhaps it would be better for her to disappear. Especially since she knew in advance that she was an Imperial Family member who couldn¡¯t live up to his legacy of magical ability. And as she thought this, her heart stung a little. ¡°Did you promise to meet someone?¡± ¡°No.¡± As she shook her head gently, she put aside these thoughts. Even if it¡¯s only a little, she wanted to experience the warmth she was receiving now. ¡®Official education starts at the age of eight.¡¯ By then, her father would know anyway. Rather, if she just stayed humble as she looked at his status window, she hoped she could continue reading his kind thoughts. ¡°Hm. Then follow me.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You can look forward to it. When she was asked out of the blue, Siervian forgot what she was worried about and wondered about what she read. Look forward to it? Macarons? ¡°Yees.¡± Looking down at his daughter, Alderuan took the lead and walked forward. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Siervian quickly ran to her father¡¯s side. Thinking of the sweet dessert, her body couldn¡¯t hide her anticipation. ¡®I guess my stamina improved a lot.¡¯ As soon as she followed him, she felt more comfortable now as she followed her father¡¯s stride. They arrived at the Emperor¡¯s private garden. And as soon as they entered, Siervian was surprised. ¡°What do you think?¡± In the middle of the garden was a beautiful fountain with a sculpture of the Mana Fairy in the middle. And nearby, there were more sculptures the size of a house. And they were all made of ice. Their coldness reached her skin. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: My gift to you. [ Hex ] Thoughts: Goodness, Your Imperial Majesty. The Emperor¡¯s expression, as he looked at Siervian, was filled with indescribable anticipation. ¡°A big horsey¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t believe he gave me a present. It was unimaginable to her in her previous life. Nevertheless, Siervian nodded stiffly. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I tried my best to make animal sculptures because you like them¡­ Should I have made a rabbit? Her father even made this huge horse sculpture himself. So it became even more difficult for her. What should she do? ¡°Uh-uh. I like the horsey. So pwetty. But¡­ Siervian cwan¡¯t do magic¡­¡± She didn¡¯t want to see his disappointed face so she quickly made an excuse. She couldn¡¯t bear to keep this to herself because of her conscience. ¡°Hm? Of course. Aren¡¯t you still young?¡± Naturally, the Emperor understood Siervian words and that she was still young so she couldn¡¯t wield magic yet. Since she¡¯s part of the Imperial Family, her magical abilities would naturally come later. After noticing this, Siervian tried hard to hide her bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s too big so I cwan¡¯t take it with me¡­¡± The horse was silver, and it glimmered subtly, perhaps because it was made of ice. She liked it because it was a big sculpture that was very similar to the real thing. And it was like Peros, the famous steed of the First Emperor. If she wouldn¡¯t receive a gift given to her, the giver would misunderstand that she didn¡¯t like it. Indeed, the Emperor¡¯s expression was very stiff right now. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Since the age of five, the Crown Prince had already been receiving early education because of his astounding talent in magic. He was one of the most exceptional in the Imperial bloodline. For him, it was simple to make things float. Siervian, who raised her bowed head once more, was surprised at what she saw. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: You¡¯re trying to solve everything yourself. I knew you¡¯d be a great example as a member of the Imperial Family in the future. As expected of my daughter. ¡°You can just come here to see it.¡± At the unexpected words, Siervian asked blankly. ¡°Huh? Here?¡± Not just anyone can enter the Emperor¡¯s private garden though¡­? ¡°Yes. You can come and see it anytime.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her heart fluttered after getting his permission. She realized that it was okay. [ Hex ] Favorability: +50 Thoughts: You like this¡­? Well, our Princess has a broad heart. The Emperor¡¯s private garden was famous for its beautiful blossoms. She couldn¡¯t believe that she was allowed to keep coming here. It was like a dream. ¡°Hmm. Come this way.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You seem to like it. I knew it, I was right. While Siervian was quietly delighted, the Emperor pointed to the other side of the garden. It was a table next to the horse sculpture. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 Chapter 23 There were a lot of different macarons that she hadn¡¯t seen yet before. ¡°Macawon!¡± As she approached the table quickly, waddling over there excitedly, she saw a chocolate macaron that she¡¯s been craving since last time. Siervian, who was so happy at this moment, took one in her hand and smiled. A real macaron¡­! ¡°So macarons are better than cakes.¡± Alderuan said this as he watched the princess, speaking in a somewhat certain tone. But that wasn¡¯t right. As she was purely delighted, Siervian looked up carefully at her father. Even if he was her father, she still had to muster a lot of courage just to look at him. ¡°Both are yummy.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll prepare both for you next time.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: ¡­Both are yummy. The Emperor paused for a while, then he eventually nodded. If his daughter says so, then that¡¯s that. ¡°Yeah!¡± Really, it was such a happy moment that she couldn¡¯t even dare dream about. Until she came here, she was worried that he¡¯d be disappointed in her. But today, she learned that sometimes, far from what she was expecting, things would be much more fun. The next day, as soon as Siervian finished eating lunch, she went to the Emperor¡¯s private garden because she wanted to run around there while the sun was still high up. Of course, her father wasn¡¯t in the garden because he was busy. Thanks to this, she was able to fully enjoy the quiet scenery. ¡®I don¡¯t know until when I¡¯ll be allowed here, so I¡¯ll come here a lot until then.¡¯ And after spending a leisurely time there, she went back to the Princess¡¯ Palace, only to find an unexpected guest. The Crown Prince was sitting at the drawing room as calmly as he did the last time. ¡°I brought some chocolate mousse cake today.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t lose. What did he mean by he ¡®can¡¯t lose¡¯? Did he have a fight with someone today? In the middle of a strange situation once more, even before she had time to get confused, the Crown Prince held out what he had in his hand. It was a small cake. ¡°Choco?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a cake that had an unusual appearance. The cake looked like a normal saucer, and there wasn¡¯t any visible chocolate outside the pastry. While carefully approaching him after hearing the word ¡®chocolate¡¯, Siervian had no choice but to look at him dubiously. ¡°I¡¯ll show you something amazing.¡± ¡°Amashing things are nwice.¡± Last time, she got some animal sculptures. She couldn¡¯t hide her anticipation and sat next to her brother with sparkling eyes. She was going to sit across from him, but this side was closer to the cake. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But when she sat down, she got too close. She carefully gauged her brother¡¯s demeanor if ever he hated being this close to her. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Why so cute?? However, my brother was busy looking at the cake. Even if she looked at it again, the cake really looked ordinary. It wasn¡¯t cute at all. ¡­Her brother surprisingly has very simple tastes. ¡°Look over here. Can you see what¡¯s in the middle?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The cake, which looked like a normal saucer from the distance, seemed to have an opening in the middle. Was there something inside? At that time, a blurry light shimmered through where Siervian looked. She¡¯s seen that light before. Magic! ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Soon, chocolate sprang out in the middle of the cake like a fountain, so much that she had to wonder where all this chocolate was coming from. ¡°Choco!¡± Decadent chocolate soared high, and as if to support this, a group of bright lights hovered around the fountain. It left the saucer-like cake empty, then it soon flowed down to the cake. The ordinary pastry was covered with chocolate in an instant. ¡°Amashing!¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Siervian was so astounded. She didn¡¯t know who it was who had the idea to make a cake like this, but it was a really good idea. When she was captivated by the sight, she forgot to act gracefully and dignified, but her brother didn¡¯t look down on her or berate her. Rather, he smiled broadly with his eyes curved up into crescent moons. Whenever she saw her brother like this and realized how handsome he was, she thought that he really looked like their father. ¡°Come on, you can try it. This one¡¯s delicious, too.¡± The chocolate that had been poured over quickly hardened into a layer because of the magic over it a while ago. Perhaps because the chocolate had soared through the air earlier, but there was a sweet scent that lingered on the tip of her nose for a long time. When the fork was held to her mouth, Siervian felt that it was a waste to eat it up like this right away, and when the prince saw her reaction, he burst into a smile again. ¡°Noo, it¡¯ll be a waste¡­¡± By the way, when did she grab the fork? Why was it in her hand? ¡°I¡¯ll bring some more to you next time.¡± ¡°Next time? Weally? When?¡± She asked with her eyes wide open. When her gaze met with her brothers¡¯ as he looked at her affectionately, she thought, when did he start looking at her with such a soft expression? ¡°Mm. After you sleep three nights.¡± ¡°Thwee nights.¡± That¡¯s a long time. Three nights. But Siervian nodded with determination. If it was for a chocolate fountain cake, there¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t do. ¡°So go ahead and eat a lot, okay?¡± ¡°Thwank you for the food!¡± To express her gratitude, she folded her hands over her tummy and bowed to him. There¡¯s no harm in behaving politely. [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 As expected, there really was nothing bad about behaving well. Before the chocolate would harden further, she scooped up a slice of cake and tried it. Topped with the chocolate, the moist cake was incredible. Damian stared at his younger sister happily as she ate the cake, then he asked casually. ¡°Siervian, can I have breakfast with you tomorrow?¡± The question sounded light as if there would be nothing wrong with refusing him. Thanks to this, Siervian didn¡¯t think much before answering. Now that she thought about it, he came to breakfast last time and said that he was there because he wanted to have breakfast with their father. ¡®Oh, but why are you asking me?¡¯ That train of thought was dissolved anyway as she looked around the drawing room. He must be asking if he could have breakfast at the Princess¡¯ Palace from now on, or something like that. So this was probably only for courtesy. ¡°Okay!¡± Savoring the sweet cake that melted so exquisitely in her mouth, she nodded vigorously. He must be doing well in his etiquette lessons to be so courteous like this. After seeing that the Crown Prince had joined them for breakfast once more, the Emperor said nothing. As expected, the prince seemed to have only asked for her opinion after already getting permission in advance. It went smoothly for days. ¡®Will I get in trouble if I come here too much?¡¯ Siervian had been going in and out of her father¡¯s private garden a lot, too. She might feel some regret in the future once she¡¯s not allowed to come here anymore, so she felt like she should go look at the pretty flowers in advance. But was it too much to come here everyday? ¡°¡­¡­¡± She was sitting at a corner of a flowerbed and basked in the scent of the flowers. When the bright sunlight touched the foliage, everything around her looked like heaven. Then, she felt an insistent gaze on her, so she carefully looked behind her. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Do you like flowers? And she saw the Emperor sitting faraway at a table. As she was observing the flowers, he was observing his daughter. She sat with the skirt of her dress splayed around her in such a cute way that resembled a flower. ¡®I guess it¡¯s still okay.¡¯ She intended to disappear as soon as she saw a sign that he was starting to get annoyed with her, so Siervian would look back at her father from time to time just to check. ¡®When will the hydrangeas bloom?¡¯ In this garden, there were many of the hydrangeas that she liked on one side. After discovering this flower bed, she liked this place even more. ¡®I hope I can continue coming here until they bloom.¡¯ While Siervian admired the flower bed, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps over the grass. The grand chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace politely asked the Emperor of an urgent request for his audience. ¡°Come in.¡± After permission was granted, it was Chancellor Hex who rushed in. ¡°Your Majesty, I have something urgent to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hex had already opened his lips and was about to speak, but he belatedly discovered the princess sitting nearby. He looked over to the Emperor again as if asking if it was still alright to say it. Noticing this, Siervian rose from her seat with the intention to leave immediately. She couldn¡¯t hinder the Emperor. ¡°Just say it.¡± However, the Emperor casually waved his hand and ordered Hex to speak anyway. Did this mean that she could stay? This would be important business since the chancellor came in a hurry. ¡°The Kingdom of Garambell is urgently asking for help.¡± ¡°Garambell? Explain in detail.¡± Originally, there were four empires on the continent, but as time went on, only the Erveldote Empire continued as the others collapsed. Each of the other three empires were divided into small kingdoms. Among them, Navafal, which succeeded the southern empire, was the most powerful of the kingdoms. ¡®My father has the ability to unify all those kingdoms under the empire though.¡¯ During the last continental war two decades ago, her father¡ªwho was still Crown Prince at the time¡ªchose to rule over the continent with moderate governance rather than making them all kneel down by force. This was because his predecessor, the previous Emperor, suddenly died and the war would bring him far away. ¡®I was told that my grandfather was already very old.¡¯ In order to inherit the throne, her father had to return to the north. Since then, he¡¯s been stabilizing the empire through trade and diplomacy rather than war. The kingdoms, who could still feel the ravages of the terrible war, followed under the new Emperor, who was a strong mage. It was better to do this rather than to push through with fighting and end up with a fallen kingdom. ¡°There has been a setback in securing Pharim medicinal herbs that were supposed to be sent to Garambell.¡± ¡°Pharim? Isn¡¯t that Marquis Farim¡¯s responsibility?¡± ¡°The merchant guild was attacked. Most of the bandits had been caught, but they set fire to all the herbs and burned it all down.¡± The Garambell Kingdom was on the west coast and was not a place with many herbs. The kingdom¡¯s commerce revolves around tourism and their seafood since they were surrounded by the wide ocean, but there were endemic diseases on the west coast that were fatal to humans. Garambell¡¯s endemic disease took away human vitality. It was a very frightening disease in which the patient¡¯s body would gradually lose energy, starting with the loss of ability to breathe. ¡®Pharim herbs are used for Garambell¡¯s endemic disease.¡¯ It was also a necessary medicine for nobles who wish to travel to the west. The endemic disease was a problem because it had a high mortality rate, yet the mana treatment for it wasn¡¯t that effective. However, as long as there were Pharim herbs on hand, it could be cured. The reason why Siervian, who hadn¡¯t even learned about the Garambell Kingdom, knew all this was because it stuck to her. ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll learn in history class¡­ that the Garambell Kingdom was destroyed.¡¯ Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The fall of the Garambell Kingdom had a unique aspect to it. It was the first case of a kingdom falling into ruin due to a disaster. Because the kingdom collapsed due to an endemic disease instead of war, people at that time studied it a lot. In order not to repeat the same mistake. Siervian learned about the dark side of history outside the palace in class. ¡®Garambell¡¯s collapse is, by far, the most important event to be recorded in history books.¡¯ Count Bianche, her history teacher, repeatedly told her about it as if emphasizing it further. ¡®Then it¡¯s happening right now.¡¯ But why was a Marquis of the empire in charge of the supply of Pharim herbs? It was strange. Even though the empire dominated over the kingdoms of the continent, there was no reason for it to manage the flow of herbs of other countries. ¡°And the storage conditions of Pharim?¡± ¡°First of all, we have plenty of spare herbs. However, only this quarter¡¯s supplies had been lost.¡± It wasn¡¯t even a request that came in an emergency from the kingdom. Rather, it seemed like the empire was supplying them with the herbs regularly. Was it a trade of sorts? Siervian¡¯s questions were soon resolved. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Because Garambell mountains have a special fertilizer for Harmin tea, it¡¯s important for the cultivation of the tea leaves. There may be problems with the supply and demand of Harmin tea next year. [ Hex ] Thoughts: How big of a difference do Garambell¡¯s mountains have on the production of the special fertilizers? The Emperor was lost in thought, while Chancellor Hex stood next to him and thought of one thing after another as he chose his words carefully. Siervian decided to take a close look at them, and soon, she found out many things. It wasn¡¯t just a simple trade. ¡®It¡¯s related to Harmin tea.¡¯ In the empire, the Garambell Kingdom was helping to secure Pharim herbs stably. It was a medicinal herb used for the endemic disease of the west coast, but it was an herb that was more prevalently produced in eastern forests. It wasn¡¯t easy for a small kingdom like Garambell to receive Pharim stably. ¡®Hmm¡­ I got it. So instead of directly getting Pharim, is Garambell producing fertilizers to grow Harmin tea in exchange?¡¯ Fertilizer for cultivating Harmin was the price that the empire had in exchange for Pharim. While the two men were agonizing over their thoughts, Siervian also recalled the things she knew in the past. What she heard from her history teacher surfaced in her mind. ¡¯If it¡¯s Harmin tea, of course it¡¯s important to our empire. So what should we do?¡¯ Although it wasn¡¯t a good memory for her, Harmin tea was one of the most important items in the empire. People who lived in the north were sensitive to mana because they all lived surrounded by huge mana circles. If their mana isn¡¯t enough, they would suffer from an illness. And the way to prevent this is through Harmin tea, which all people of the empire drank steadily from the age of six. ¡®How strange. It¡¯s difficult.¡¯ But after reading the complicated thoughts of the adults for a while, her head also started hurting, and her body was trying to pull her away against her adult will. Ah, don¡¯t mind this complicated problem. Just run and go see your favorite flowers. ¡®But I want to find out a bit more.¡¯ Just barely controlling the distracting urges of her young body, Siervian fumbled with her fingers. Maybe it¡¯d be better if she went closer and sat down¡­ ¡°Siervy.¡± At that time, the Emperor, who had seemed to be lost in thought, suddenly called out to her. Siervian hesitated to raise her gaze as she wondered if she had stared too blatantly at them after reading their status windows. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, come closer and listen.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You must be interested in hearing about another kingdom. Who do you take after that you look so cute. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t going to be scolded. She thought this was a good thing, so she carefully approached the table where her father sat. A small flower that¡¯s blooming in the middle of the lawn caught her eye. It seemed to be a wildflower that wasn¡¯t meant to grow there. ¡®Careful, careful.¡¯ Afraid of stepping over the flower, she tiptoed over towards the table. After that, her father ordered the gardener to move the flower somewhere else and plant it again. She didn¡¯t know that he liked flowers, too. Maybe tomorrow, she could run freely. [ Hex ] Favorability: +20 Hex smiled even in this serious situation because her gentle steps were so adorable. The princess was dressed in bright clothes, matching the bright garden. She truly looked like a fairy. ¡®Snacks!¡¯ As she got closer, the sweet smell of snacks instead of flowers tempted her this time. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: If the endemic disease spreads significantly, problems may arise in the surrounding kingdoms in the west coast. Snacks were always on the table, but she rarely ever saw her father eat. More than that, it was strange to see that there were always many kinds of snacks. Thanks to this, she could eat as much as she wanted. While he was in deep thought, the Emperor unconsciously placed the abundant macaron plate towards the princess. ¡®Father¡¯s judgement is right!¡¯ Siervian was inwardly very surprised. In fact, according to the history books, the endemic disease swept over not only the Garambell Kingdom, but also much of the west coast during this period. The kingdoms didn¡¯t fall to ruin like Garambell, but many people there suffered. ¡°Many people frequent Garambell whenever they visit the west coast.¡± As the Emperor thought of the entire continent, he was concerned about the possible outcome of this. ¡°If the endemic disease spreads there, it could spread throughout the entire west coast¡­¡± Looking at Hex¡¯s busy thoughts, Siervian picked up a macaron. He was thinking about how the most favorable environment for the special fertilizer was on the coast where wind blew well. Therefore, it was clear that if it was like her previous life, there might have also been a setback back then in the production of Harmin tea. ¡°Your Majesty, the storm season is also coming, so what should we do¡­¡± ¡°Mm. It would be more efficient to aim for the next cultivation period rather than to forcefully send supplies right away.¡± In her previous life, even though there were medicinal herbs ready in the empire, the outcome was no different and the west coast became devastated. This was because of the storm season. The empire was located in the cold northern region of the continent, and they were caught up in extreme blizzards every year. Fortunately, because the towns were being protected by magic circles. ¡°How much is the expected cost inflation?¡± ¡°The cost is expected to increase by more than three times. This is because we have to increase the number of people to be dispatched because the timing is a bit delicate.¡± It was a very bad time to move perishable items such as medicinal herbs in large quantities because the magic circles would be working harder at this time. ¡°Your Majesty, may I share my opinion on the matter?¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°In the last decade or so, the rise of endemic diseases has been gradually decreasing in Garambell.¡± As the Chancellor, he spoke very carefully. ¡°And even though the Garambell Kingdom has requested it, they must have stockpiled some supplies for themselves.¡± It was a very plausible opinion that the chancellor said, and it was to the benefit of the empire. ¡°Yes. No matter how much fertilizer for Harmin they can trade, procuring the herbs for them now would only benefit them and not the empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, sire. It¡¯s rude to send a request directly to Your Majesty and not the Marquis first. I can¡¯t believe they skipped over the person directly in charge.¡± And this was the political situation underneath it that wasn¡¯t included in the history books. ¡°Apart from that, I can¡¯t let them undermine me and act as if they have control over the herbs.¡± The Emperor said this haughtily as he frowned, as if he found the entire situation unpleasant. Standing next to him, Hex read the Emperor¡¯s mood and gulped dryly at the tension in the air. ¡°Tell Garambell that the storm season is approaching, and we shall extend our aid after it has passed. And tell them that instead, we¡¯ll consider sending more herbs than usual for the next envoy.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Actually, the Emperor¡¯s judgement was not wrong. As Hex mentioned, the number of afflicted people who have died from the disease had decreased over the years in Garambell. The numbers were enough to show that the herbs sent from the last envoy would be sufficient until the next one. ¡®Until this year.¡¯ Siervian recalled the fact that the endemic disease, which had been well managed, suddenly broke out in droves this year. Many scholars tried to study the cause, but the exact facts had yet to be uncovered. ¡®Strangely, all the members of the Royal Family died, but did they ever give out medicine to the people?¡¯ Afraid of the highly contagious endemic disease, people were reluctant to go to the west coast for a while. When the disease subsided a little and the empire dispatched people to find out the cause, it was already too late. ¡®Maybe now is the last chance to help.¡¯ Scholars said that if it wasn¡¯t for the storm season, the empire would have been able to prevent the collapse of the kingdom. If a decision couldn¡¯t be done here to send aid because of the storm season, the empire could have sent additional support right away. So many people died in just a few weeks. ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat more?¡± When his daughter was deep in thought while taking a bite of a macaron, the Emperor wondered. ¡°Your Majwesty.¡± And then the child opened her lips to speak while still munching on a macaron. He wondered again. Was it not to her taste? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking into his warm eyes, Siervian pondered once again. Because she wanted to come to the garden as much as possible while she still could, she always stayed here as though she didn¡¯t exist. But this time, she couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡®People will¡­¡¯ It was only her who knew that so many people in Garambell would die in the coming year. Not only that, but even people in the entire west coast would also be affected. She thought about the countless lives that were placed on her father, the Emperor¡¯s shoulders. And now, those lives were also on her shoulders. ¡°P-Pwease help them.¡± Like a hushed sigh, the weak plea slipped out of her lips. She wanted to cry because of the dire situation, but she held it in. ¡°Hm? Do you mean Garambell?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± But her voice was trembling already. This wasn¡¯t just some measly task¡ªwhat she¡¯s doing now was to reverse the Emperor¡¯s decision. ¡®If we think of the cultivation of Harmin tea, this is also beneficial to the empire.¡¯ And more than that, since she knew that many people would die, she couldn¡¯t just stay still. Siervian was so nervous that she couldn¡¯t even let go of the macaron she was holding. She felt the soft macaron crumble at her fingertips. ¡°P-Princess.¡± [ Hex ] Thoughts: I know you didn¡¯t mean to! But what if His Majesty gets angry! Standing next to her, Hex¡¯s eyes grew as big as saucers. He also knew the severity of trying to reverse the Emperor¡¯s decision. Because of his reaction, Siervian grew even more scared. She thought she did something preposterous. Suddenly, she recalled the day she was accused of treason. ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯ Countless thoughts swirled in her head. Meanwhile, what resonated throughout the garden were the harsh words of the Emperor. ¡°Siervian. Do you know how much financial damage that decision would bring to the em Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Her young body, which had been struggling to sit still for a while now, lost its grip on rational judgment the moment she heard her father¡¯s words. She wanted to live a life where she wouldn¡¯t be misunderstood, but she was afraid that the Emperor would reprimand her ferociously that she¡¯d be left in tears. She was scared that she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear that awkward nickname anymore. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I didn¡¯t know that you were such a smart child that you¡¯d understand. But before she cried, she managed to read the status window. Still, her rationality wouldn¡¯t return to her body. Even so, after reading this, she had one thought. That her father¡¯s decisions had the people¡¯s best interests in mind all this time. ¡°I d-dun want people to get hurt. You have to p-pwomise.¡± She wanted him to know that she wasn¡¯t blaming him, but asking out of curiosity. Maybe that¡¯s why the things she was thinking about in her head went straight out of her lips before she could cover her mouth. ¡®I can¡¯t do this!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something she personally thought. It was proper etiquette. Moreover, it¡¯s not like the Emperor needed to promise something like that. But because of her body¡¯s age, she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Her mind had turned blank and she couldn¡¯t come up with the right words. ¡®What do I do¡­¡¯ Eventually, her unwanted tears were about to burst the dam. ¡°Alright.¡± Her father answered casually, as though it was nothing. ¡°I made a mwista¡­ Huh?¡± She was about to ask for forgiveness reflexively, but she widened her eyes and looked up. The Emperor who was leaning back on his chair still looked indifferent. As if what his daughter had asked for was to have a different flavored macaron instead of something like that. ¡°Good faith is more important than anything else. The Princess knows this well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°So go and deliver the order of the Princess immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Just now, the order that the Emperor had given under his authority was quickly nullified. Cowering in this sudden situation, Siervian looked at the chancellor¡¯s status window this time. She was sure that he wouldn¡¯t like her because he didn¡¯t approve of the idea earlier. Apart from that, she had opposed the Emperor¡¯s will and the order had become ¡®The Princess¡¯ order.¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t want this!¡¯ Her mind was in disarray. She knew that this matter wasn¡¯t something that a child should be involved in. That¡¯s why she was scared to see his thoughts. [ Hex ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s already so virtuous. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight earlier. However, when she looked at his status window, Siervian could only widen her eyes in surprise. What¡¯s going on? ¡°Your hands got dirty. You can eat a new one here.¡± A group of faint while lights flocked over to the hands that were holding the crumbled macaron. Just now, she forgot that she was scared, and she looked at her hands, captivated. A refreshing small stream of water wrapped around her small hands, then soon disappeared. There was no trace of the crumbled macaron. ¡°Hurry up and eat now.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± Immersed in her own thoughts, she blindly picked up another macaron in front of her. The Emperor looked calm as though he had never issued his own order a while ago. She was even about to cry already, but this was too different from what she expected. ¡®Why didn¡¯t he get angry?¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s authority was absolute, and Alderuan was considered to be the most powerful monarch in the empire ever since the first emperor. But he changed his mind¡­ just because his daughter said something? ¡°If you don¡¯t like macarons, this time, you can try this one.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Chancellor, return to issue the order now. And make a follow-up report.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Siervian stared blankly at Hex as he turned around. But shouldn¡¯t he oppose the inclusion of the Princess¡¯ name on it even now? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You must have been frightened at the mention of an epidemic. But I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t cry. She felt awkward, thinking that her father wasn¡¯t taking this situation seriously. Even so, she was happy that her father understood her rambling words even though she was scared. ¡®It feels weird.¡¯ Earlier, her father was definitely determined not to send any aid to Garambell. And in the history she knew, that¡¯s why the kingdom fell to ruin, even if that wasn¡¯t the intention of the empire. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You¡¯re so kind that you¡¯re worried about people you don¡¯t even know. That¡¯s my daughter. And it was even more strange that her words had this much effect on her father. Her heart wasn¡¯t at ease. She kept feeling awkward and uncomfortable. To the point where she couldn¡¯t even taste the sweetness of the macaron anymore. Her body was relaxed though. She wasn¡¯t against the Emperor thinking this way. Right now, she was just a scared child. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Pwetty flowers! I¡¯ll go look at them!¡± But as soon as she relaxed and let go of her anxiety, she soon lost control over her body. In this serious situation, Siervian began to skip away cheerfully with a macaron still in one hand. She went straight to where she sat earlier and watched the flowers. ¡®No!¡¯ She needed to stay by her father¡¯s side and be vigilant! She needed to observe him to see If he was offended! Resenting her body for moving regardless of her will, she could only sigh inwardly. ¡®This is something big.¡¯ The Princess, who was only five years old, caused a great stir. It wasn¡¯t like the Emperor to have allowed this. Of course, the ministers were thrown into a state of chaos because they had to know what His Majesty was trying to do. ¡®It¡¯s not good to stand out.¡¯ Hex seemed to have heard about those who were eagerly looking into why her name abruptly came up. When the Princess changed the Emperor¡¯s mind, there were a lot of terrifying rumors brought up. ¡°Won¡¯t Your Highness go out today either?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Is Your Highness feeling weak again today? This is bad. It was impossible to forget this fact. Ever since that day, every time she went out, the eyes looking at her had become strange. ¡°I dun wanna go out¡­¡± If it was only that, she could just pretend not to mind them. But then, Siervian could also read their thoughts one after another. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You don¡¯t have a fever¡­ Maybe it¡¯s a stomachache. Siervian even refused to eat the snacks that Ellie had prepared, so she was very worried. ¡®It¡¯s not strange that Ellie¡¯s worried like this.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t smile this time. There were so many concerns that were bothering her. ¡®What if history wouldn¡¯t go the way they should?¡¯ It was certainly good that many people in Garambell wouldn¡¯t be in danger anymore. However, if history would change because the epidemic didn¡¯t break out, it would be a very dangerous situation for Siervian. It would look like the empire had suffered huge losses because the princess had begged to save Garambell. ¡®But I couldn¡¯t just stay still.¡¯ No matter how much she thought about it, she still concluded that it was right to help out Garambell at this time. Her eyes quickly brimmed with tears. The Imperial family was in that position. In an instant, a trivial act turned into a huge decision that would cause many rumors. ¡®What if there¡¯s a rumor again that I was a terrible princess?¡¯ And she was very frightened that there would be a horrifying rumor about her changing the Emperor¡¯s decision. She only wanted to live unnoticed, and as soon as she became an adult, she was going to leave right away. Because of these worries, Siervian held onto the doll that she had been hugging for the past few days. ¡°Umm. Perhaps there is something that Your Highness wants to eat?¡± ¡°No¡­ Nothwing¡­¡± Strangely, she didn¡¯t even have an appetite. Coincidentally, breakfasts with her father and brother stopped a few days ago. There was only a message that they were busy dealing with the preparations for the storm season, and the problem of urgently dispatching medicinal herbs to Garambell. ¡®It¡¯ll be very difficult to go out when the storm season is close.¡¯ She had never seen it, but she heard that even monsters would come out when the weather would grow turbulent. Her brother was busy as well because she heard he was assisting the Emperor. ¡®I don¡¯t have any motivation.¡¯ Thankfully, the Emperor¡¯s Palace and the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace had sent messengers in advance to inform the Princess of the news. However, after she started eating breakfast alone again, she strangely had no appetite. It hadn¡¯t been long since they started eating together, but it now felt empty eating alone. ¡®I have to get it together.¡¯ Touching the doll again, Siervian tried to control her state of mind. She didn¡¯t know when they would come again. Since the breakfasts they had together started so abruptly, it was entirely possible for it to end just as suddenly. So she shouldn¡¯t be sad even if it was natural for no one to come anymore. ¡°Princess, I¡¯ll bring you some warm milk.¡± ¡°Okayy¡­¡± When she didn¡¯t even eat snacks, Ellie went out. But Siervian saw how Ellie was having scary thoughts as she left the room. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll have to ask His Majesty. Startled, Siervian got up in a hurry and grabbed Ellie. If she would send such a useless report to the busy Emperor, it would only be a disaster. ¡°Eri!¡± ¡°Do you want anything other than milk, Princess?¡± ¡°Nooo, don¡¯t go.¡± Because she was flustered, she couldn¡¯t explain why she wanted Ellie to stay. It¡¯s not like she could say that she read Ellie¡¯s thoughts. When Siervian clung to the maid¡¯s clothes and recklessly begged her not to go, Ellie had a puzzled expression on her face. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Your Highness doesn¡¯t want to be alone. Okay, I¡¯ll be here for you. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Ellie, who was comforting the princess, prepared to go out immediately. Siervian was feeling anxious, and she hurried to the drawing room, frustrated that her small body wouldn¡¯t move as fast as her heart beats. ¡°I greet Your Imperial Highness, the Princess.¡± Originally, it would be rude to ask an audience with a princess in such a hurry. But seeing Hex¡¯s urgent expression, she couldn¡¯t find the leisure for propriety. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ It had already been two weeks since Siervian asked her father to help Garambell at his private garden. Now, the storm season was just right around the corner. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m here because I have something urgent to inform you. Please forgive me for being rude.¡± Siervian nodded gracefully, expressing that it was alright. And she tried to relax. If there really was something wrong, the knights would come, not the chancellor. Didn¡¯t she already experience that? ¡®Let¡¯s calm down now.¡¯ Hex felt the urge to clutch his heart as he saw Siervian¡¯s clumsy attempt at an elegant nod, but he soon came to his senses. [ Hex ] Thoughts: Oh my. The princess doesn¡¯t seem to be feeling well. Reading the status window, Siervian felt more relaxed thanks to this. It seemed like he was worried about her. ¡°Princess, please listen, but don¡¯t be too surprised.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± If you tell someone not to be surprised, would that be all the more reason to be surprised after anticipating it? The fingers that she fumbled together fidgeted. As the owner of this palace, she wanted to show a more dignified impression of a princess, but it wasn¡¯t easy. [ Hex ] Favorability: +50 ¡°It is said that there are now many cases of the epidemic in Garambell. The rapid spread of the illness is causing extreme damage to the kingdom.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± What she had been worrying about eventually happened. Forgetting that she was concerned about the bad rumors that might spread about her, Siervian hurriedly implored the chancellor, her eyes wide. This was a big problem. A lot of people were going to die. ¡°What¡¯ll happwen, the people¡­¡± [ Hex ] Favorability: +30 She couldn¡¯t stop worrying, and it eventually spilled through her lips. She was surprised, too. Even she didn¡¯t know that she was able to worry about others like this. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Princess.¡± ¡°Weally?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to the Emperor¡¯s wisdom, the Empire sent Pharim herbs in advance.¡± Hex said that they hurriedly sent supplies with the intention of sending them before the storm season came. It¡¯s true that this inflated the cost more, but the Empire actively sent this support. The supplies had arrived just in time while the epidemic was in full swing in Garambell. ¡°Your Highness¡¯ decision saved the west coast.¡± Hex said that they were able to help in time because of her urgency. Of all things, the epidemic had spread outside Garambell, since it was a key transportation hub in the western region. The medicinal herbs arrived at the right moment, so the impact was much greater. ¡°Me¡­?¡± Siervian widened her eyes, thinking that it was fortunate that nothing bad happened since she remembered the event vaguely. Hex¡¯s words permeated straight into her heart like a small budding seed. ¡®I saved people.¡¯ Of course, she knew that what she did was just ask for a small request. But as she knew the future, she clearly knew what would have happened without her little action. ¡®It feels strange¡­!¡¯ It made her think that she did something worthwhile for the first time in her life. Her heart was full. It was so strange. This feeling made her heart swell so much, but it was a little scary. For a moment, Siervian basked in this strange excitement. ¡°His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has arrived.¡± At that time, the maid outside the drawing room announced an unexpected visit. She was about to thank Hex for the good news, but she quickly looked towards the door. [ Hex ] Thoughts: Your Majesty told me to hurry up and tell the princess, but why did you end up coming in person anyway? Siervain was surprised by the sudden visit, but she was even more curious after reading Hex¡¯s thoughts. The chancellor came to tell this news because it was an order from her father. ¡°Siervy.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,995,984 Today, her father¡¯s favorability stood out. ¡°Your Majwesty! Aaack!¡± She got up quickly to greet him, but her feet got twisted a little. Even before she could even politely curtsy, her father had already approached her. At the sight of his urgent steps, Siervian began to worry if something happened in Garambell. ¡°I heard that you haven¡¯t been eating well, Siervy.¡± The Emperor, who lifted up her small staggering body, placed his daughter on a chair. He was in the middle of a meeting when he heard this shocking news, and it felt like all his mana had been sucked out of him. That¡¯s why, as he was on one knee, the expression he had on his face as he looked at his daughter was serious. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I came as soon as I heard. Is it serious? You don¡¯t look so good. Siervian couldn¡¯t hide her puzzled expression. What did he just say? She wondered if he really came running after hearing the news that she hadn¡¯t been eating a lot. Did he really? ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor for you.¡± The Emperor turned around, and he was about to give an order right away. But Siervian reflexively reached out to his sleeve and clutched it tight with both hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not twue. I¡¯m not swick.¡± She really wasn¡¯t, so even if he called a doctor, it would be for nothing. She didn¡¯t want such a situation. ¡°If you¡¯re not sick, why aren¡¯t you eating well?¡± The Emperor, this clumsy father, was speaking in a tone that was more apt for an interrogation. Hex, who was standing next to him, began to feel restless. He was afraid that the princess wouldn¡¯t know, that¡¯s why he was worrying. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Mm. Were you concerned about Garambell¡¯s situation? Hex, that scoundrel¡­ he must have said something wrong. Without knowing Hex¡¯s loyalty, the Emperor frowned and glared at the chancellor next to him. There was no way for him to know his thoughts, so Hex could only step back, startled. Siervian, who was reading it all, pulled her father¡¯s sleeve. She intended to catch his attention so that he wouldn¡¯t hound the chancellor. ¡°Jwust¡­ I don¡¯t have an appwetite¡­¡± There were days like that. Looking back, there were days when she was extremely hungry after just drinking black tea all day. But sometimes, there were also days when she could manage with just a cup. Siervian thought that this was normal because of her memories of those days. She was sorry to have worried everyone. ¡°Right, your appetite¡­ could disappear, too, right.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: No way. My daughter isn¡¯t like that. Even if you have a stomachache, you still eat at least soup well. Darn. ¡®Father. Have I only been showing you how well I eat?¡¯ It seemed difficult to refute her father¡¯s strong belief that she could never have a day when she had no appetite. It was something that made her reflect on her past actions, whether she had been too greedy. ¡®There¡¯s no time for this.¡¯ Shaking her head, Siervian pushed away those scattered thoughts. This was a busy time where there must be preparations to do for the storm season. She had yet to learn anything about state affairs, but she could at least remember that everyone was busy during this time. That¡¯s why she shouldn¡¯t be holding back her father for such a trivial problem like the matter of her food. ¡°Serbian is okay. Your Majwesty is busy so I dwon¡¯t want to annoy you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She also wanted to say that in the future, she was going to tell the maids not to send bothersome reports anymore. However, it was still difficult for her to speak coherently. She tried to say something similar to it, but as expected, the word choices were still off. Seeing her father¡¯s expression hardening was so scary. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°My goodness, Princess¡­¡± For some reason, there was a chorus of sighs around her. Siervian¡¯s heart dropped again. She couldn¡¯t believe she made a mistake here again. She urgently looked around, trying to see their status windows. That¡¯s how she could prepare herself. Yet somehow, the windows that were usually so bright, interfering with her vision from time to time, were quiet. It was frightening. ¡®What do I do¡­?¡¯ She let go of the hands that reflexively held onto her father. Then, she hugged the doll that she had been carrying all the time. Now, her heart felt at peace. ¡°Siervian.¡± ¡°Yees¡­¡± She still felt heavy, but she answered calmly. She¡¯s glad that she didn¡¯t cry. That would only have troubled her father more, which would contradict what she just said. ¡°You don¡¯t annoy me. I don¡¯t find you troublesome at all. Why on earth are you saying that?¡± At that time, her father¡¯s firm tone reached Siervian. ¡°Sebi¡¯s¡­ not¡­ annoying¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Never. That¡¯s why you can tell me. Why aren¡¯t you eating well?¡± Everyone around them nodded desperately in line with the Emperor¡¯s pleading. As if they all really wanted to know the reason. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Only then did the realization hit Siervian. The fact that she wasn¡¯t eating well was very important to her father and to others. Dazed by the situation, she tried to understand. Other people can also think that she was important. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Maybe the ladies in waiting are playing tricks on you again. I need to look into it. However, while Siervian was agonizing over this, the Emperor¡¯s dangerous thought flashed before her. At this rate, Ellie and the others were going to be in danger. Unlike before, they were all good people who took care of her properly. She couldn¡¯t let her father misunderstand. ¡°T-To be hwonest¡­¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± Her heart was thumping. Her father really didn¡¯t find her annoying. And today, Hex said that she saved a lot of people. These two things filled her mind for a while, comforting her. ¡®A little, just a little.¡¯ She hugged her doll and clutched her father¡¯s sleeve¡ªvery tightly with both hands. Since she saved so many people, can¡¯t she be a little spoiled today? ¡°Sebi¡­ doesn¡¯t wanna eat alone¡­¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat alone?¡± ¡°Yees. I wanna eat twogether.¡± Siervian nodded shyly. Fortunately, her father didn¡¯t shake off her hold on his sleeve. Next to her, Ellie was wiping her eyes for some reason. Looking carefully at the other people¡¯s faces, she wanted to say more so that it wouldn¡¯t be considered to be a big deal. ¡°E-Even if it¡¯s nwot evewyday, it¡¯s okay.¡± She wanted to rationalize it more. She was so quiet in her previous life. Maybe that¡¯s why she was having a hard time expressing her thoughts now. It felt like there was a gag over her mouth so that she couldn¡¯t say the things she wanted to say properly. Maybe this was also a problem that¡¯s caused by the synchronization issue that the status window told her about. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Perhaps it was hard to understand her because her father didn¡¯t say anything back. Losing confidence now, she bowed her head little by little. She had been too greedy. ¡°T-Then swometimes only, not many times, only swometimes¡­¡± Normally, she would have already asked for forgiveness at this point. But why did she feel so sad today? There were lingering feelings, so she made excuses now, asking for not much time. ¡®I saved a lot of people today, and I got complimented¡­¡¯ She had bowed her head so low that she couldn¡¯t see her father¡¯s status window when her father answered. ¡°There is a misunderstanding.¡± At the displeased tone, Siervian looked up in surprise. Frowning, the Emperor looked at his daughter closely. There seemed to have been a misunderstanding. ¡°Didn¡¯t the chamberlain tell you properly?¡± Siervian, who thought that the grand chamberlain had come again to emphasize that there would no longer be breakfasts together with her father, felt as though her blood had turned cold. And meanwhile, the Emperor didn¡¯t know that her daughter was stiff and unable to say anything, so he turned to the chief lady-in-waiting of the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡°Answer. Why does the Princess think that she won¡¯t be having breakfast with me anymore in the future?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I was planning to come back again after my schedule¡¯s cleared. Huh? Raising her head, Siervian looked at Ellie. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to come anymore? ¡°I humbly implore Your Majesty, but the grand chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace only briefly informed us that Your Majesty could not attend breakfast.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°¡­It seems that Her Highness had interpreted this as Your Majesty not coming anymore, instead of only for a while¡­¡± As Ellie was talking, there was a visible enlightenment dawning upon her features. ¡®Come to think of it, that¡¯s around the time the Princess strangely looked despondent!¡¯ Naturally, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn towards the princess who was sitting shyly. ¡°Is that true?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Hm. I can¡¯t believe it blindly. I also wonder if the ladies-in-waiting interfered in the middle. It was a situation that was easily misunderstood. Flustered by her father¡¯s thoughts, Siervian nodded urgently. It¡¯s not their fault. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Siervy. I was going to come back here as soon as my schedule allowed it.¡± ¡°Weally¡­¡± Her father¡¯s tone, which seemed to be softer, tickled her ears. She misunderstood. ¡°Yes. If this father is busy in the future again, I might not be able to eat with you.¡± ¡°Mm, okaay¡­¡± ¡°But after my work is done and I¡¯m not busy anymore, we can eat together again. So from now on, don¡¯t skip your meals even if you¡¯re eating alone.¡± She liked how her father almost said that having meals with her was a fixed schedule for him. It was the same as making her hope for it. She was about to smile a little. But on the other hand, she also wanted to cry for some reason. With these vague feelings, Siervian tried to peek into her father¡¯s thoughts as she asked. ¡°Big Bwother, too?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I wanted to get rid of that punk, but I can¡¯t help it if Siervy wants him there. And Siervian was surprised to see that her father was planning to exclude her brother. But last time, her brother said that he wanted to eat with their father as well, so she should turn a blind eye to this. Her hand, which was holding his sleeve, wiggled a little. It felt like there was something tickling her heart because of this light sensation. Unable to control her emotions, she held onto that feeling again and asked. ¡°Evewyday?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 At the cute whine, the Emperor hurriedly covered his mouth. He was worried that his daughter, who was seriously asking him, might see his wide smile and misunderstand again. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± And she did, but she thought she was in trouble because of this. Even so, Siervian regained her courage after seeing his favorability in the window. She wouldn¡¯t misunderstand whatever her father would tell her. Soon, her father lowered his hand again and calmly made eye contact with her. ¡°Let¡¯s make it right. I¡¯ll just get rid of everyone who dares interfere with our breakfast. At his remark, Siervian was startled. She was satisfied with just having meals together with him normally. ¡®And more than that, the ones keeping Father busy are the ministers of this empire! You can¡¯t get rid of them!¡¯ She shook her head side to side. ¡°Nooo, you cwan¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, I¡¯ll try to manage my time every day and have meals together with you if possible, Siervy.¡± There might be a foolish expression on her face right now, so as she bowed her head shyly, Siervian nodded slightly. She didn¡¯t have any appetite before, but she was feeling famished now. The next day¡ª ¡°Ohh. It¡¯s her.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard the rumor.¡± This garden was usually quiet because not many people visited it. Most people were reluctant to come here because the Emperor¡¯s Palace was close. But now, a group of people was snooping from far away and looking curiously, trying to peek. And the target of their gazes was Siervian. ¡®It¡¯s uncomfortable!¡¯ Everyone seemed to think that she wouldn¡¯t mind their gazes because she was still young. However, if the same people pretended to pass by regularly, she was bound to notice. She felt burdened by them as they continued to stop by without greeting her, only continuing to observe her. ¡®Now that you¡¯ve seen me, quickly leave, please.¡¯ Just before the storm season, there¡¯s a particular flower that blooms in a short span of time. It¡¯s called Fipic, and it¡¯s usually difficult to find it in gardens, but she accidentally found one in her father¡¯s garden today. She thought she saw it wrong, but when she took a closer look, she was actually right. ¡®Since there¡¯s a blue pattern in the middle, it¡¯s in full bloom!¡¯ After much consideration, Siervian sat down next to the white flower that only bloomed once during this time. The attention on her was burdensome, but the Fipic flower, which bloomed and wilted quickly, could only be seen now. It was originally a flower that could only be seen in between stones at Mt. Sol. It also bloomed during the coldest time of the year. ¡®I might never see this again in the future. I can¡¯t go out during the storm season.¡¯ The nickname of the Fipic flower was ¡®winter¡¯s greeting¡¯, meaning that a fierce snowstorm would come soon. She wasn¡¯t sure how its flower seed had come into this place. ¡°What are you doing, Princess?¡± ¡°Nwothing much.¡± When the princess sat down on the ground, the people watching whispered curiously amongst themselves. Ellie, who was next to the princess, widened her eyes at their impertinent behavior. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: What rude people. I¡¯ll remember your faces. Siervian started eating well again after her father visited yesterday. And now, she went out for the first time in a while as if she was compensating for not being able to go around all that time. ¡®Actually, I don¡¯t want to go outside yet.¡¯ She wanted to lay low until the rumors subsided. She felt so burdened by the status windows of the people around her that were passing by as she walked. But when she was just staying in her palace, everyone was starting to get worried, so she tried her best. ¡®They¡¯re different people compared to before.¡¯ As she glanced sideways, the status windows of the people in the distance suddenly popped near her. Recently it occurred to her that the same people were hovering around her. So she found a feature where she could look closer at the status windows of people at a distance. ¡®Hmm¡­ But I don¡¯t know if this is good or bad.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know yet what benefit she could get from seeing the windows of those far away. In any case, she could find out what people were thinking about her regarding the rumor, so she was using this feature as much as she could. Even if she wouldn¡¯t be able to solve it, she couldn¡¯t help but be bothered by it. ¡®I don¡¯t want to have bad rumors anymore.¡¯ Like a habit now, she skimmed through people¡¯s thoughts. She was curious whether the rumors had changed strangely. However, something else that was odd could be seen from their thoughts. [ Cain ] Occupation: Junior Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Lv.30) Thoughts: This is the Princess who saved the west coast! She even shed tears while saying she felt sorry for those suffering from the epidemic. She truly is and even looks like an angel. ¡­She was just afraid of her father. She held back her tears as much as she could, but this was an unfair rumor. It wasn¡¯t a bad rumor, but she still felt conflicted. She looked at the person next to that one because she was anxious, but there might be another rumor that would make her eyes wide again. [ James ] Occupation: Junior Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Lv.35) Thoughts: This is the Princess who made the terrifying Emperor reverse his order, and she even scolded the Chancellor very hard about the cost. How very virtuous at such a young age. ¡®When did I do that!¡¯ [ Abel ] Occupation: Junior Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Finance (Lv.42) Thoughts: The Princess persuaded His Majesty and said, ¡®How could you weigh the life of a person with money?¡¯ If the medicinal herbs hadn¡¯t been sent on time, it would have been a huge tragedy. I¡¯ve learned the importance of loyalty now. ¡®But when did I ever do any of that!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment and she kept looking sideways to see them. As they turned their gazes, they each coughed over nothing and pretended that they hadn¡¯t been staring all this time. ¡®What now.¡¯ Obviously, these weren¡¯t bad rumors. However, she never blamed the chancellor. It wouldn¡¯t be good to paint the Emperor¡¯s trusted vassal as someone who could be controlled by a young princess. In the first place, her father only looked at her side for a moment. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to persuade him with logical words. ¡°Princess, what¡¯s wrong? Are you frightened because there are people here that you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Mmh, no.¡± She wanted to catch them right then and explain that she never did such significant things. However, this was only an impossible wish. In the end, there were many things she couldn¡¯t do, so she shook her head. The only thing that comforted Siervian was the blooming white Fipic flower. ¡®Huh? What¡¯s that?¡¯ Suddenly, there was a group of weak wisps of light near the Fipic flower. But when she blinked, they were already gone. ¡®I must have seen it wrong.¡¯ And from then on, Siervian just enjoyed looking at the flower for a while. ¡°You found something suspicious going on in Garambell?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. According to the Captain of the Imperial Knights who was dispatched at the time, someone seemed to have spread the epidemic artificially.¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 As the Emperor listened to the report, he frowned. The endemic disease in the west coast had always been a long standing headache. Until it was discovered that the Pharim herb could be a solution to it, the western region was only a vast land that was nearly neglected. ¡°How did he arrive at the conclusion that it¡¯s artificial?¡± There was no one else in this continent who knew just how important it was to manage the endemic disease. Nevertheless, it shouldn¡¯t be possible in any sensible way for it to be spread artificially. ¡°When the Captain arrived, the first thing he did was to obtain a map indicating where the epidemic was more intensive so that he may lead the transport of herbs more efficiently.¡± ¡°Map?¡± ¡°Yes, sire. Here.¡± Then, the chancellor handed the map to him. It would have been better if the captain was here to report directly, but he was quarantining himself for the time being since he had been in a dangerous area. ¡°It¡¯s definitely suspicious.¡± On the map, the area where the epidemic had spread prominently was separated at extremely uniform intervals. As if someone had spread the illness evenly. Looking at the suspicious marks on the map, the chancellor inwardly sweated. Something huge was going on. ¡°Did the King of Garambell say anything else?¡± ¡°Most of the royal family members had suffered from the disease. As you can see, the royal palace was also an area where the disease had spread intensively.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As the Emperor tapped on the throne at a regular tempo, the sound rang out through the throne room for a while. Hex could only think that it was a sound that made people feel nervous even though they had no sin. ¡°It almost seems coincidental.¡± Emperor Alderuan recalled how the medicinal herbs that were headed to Garambell back then had been lost once. And it was even at the opportune time just before the storm season began. ¡°Come to think of it, the Pharim herbs that were destroyed by the bandits had left later than usual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. Due to the circumstances of Marquis Parma while he was in charge of transporting the Pharim¡­¡± The chancellor trailed off. There were too many coincidences surrounding the herbs. When coincidences like these overlapped, it seemed inevitable. ¡°Even if something seems strange, this is a time when we can¡¯t move.¡± The officers in charge of the transport who raised such suspicions hurriedly left Garambell anyway because they had to return before the storm season began. Even if they tried to investigate and delve into the matter deeper, it would be difficult to move within the empire for the next month. And there would be ample enough time to destroy evidence. ¡°Look into Marquis Parma first.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Keep silent for now in case there are spies.¡± There might be someone inside the palace who had colluded with this conspiracy. He went through the names of some households in his mind, but it wasn¡¯t easy to come up with suspects who had any motive to drive a distant kingdom close to ruin. At that time, Chancellor Hex cautiously spoke to the Emperor who was irked, lost in thought. ¡°But the damage will not be as significant due to the timely arrival of the Pharim herbs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this all thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s insight for heeding Her Highness¡¯ request?¡± At Hex¡¯s comment, Emperor Alderuan¡¯s lips, which had been distorted in displeasure since earlier, had instantly loosened. Whatever they were planning, they failed this time. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my daughter.¡± And after hearing something like that, Hex could feel himself sweating. He was also aware of the rumors circulating in the palace. The princess¡¯ small action was being blown up in proportion little by little. Even if this was something related to the Imperial Family, the rate of how the rumors were spreading was a little excessive. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even started her formal education yet, but I can¡¯t believe she knows the importance of promises well. I¡¯m so proud of her.¡± Some rumors were crossing the line, saying that the Emperor himself was being swayed by the princess. The Emperor didn¡¯t care about it at all, even though he knew it. Rather, they were busy praising the princess. There were some things that Hex had a hard time agreeing with. ¡°As expected, my daughter has a good heart because she resembles this father. She bravely offered to save a kingdom that she didn¡¯t even know the position of in the map.¡± By staying silent, Hex wisely dealt with this absurd situation. The rumors were mostly true about the Emperor. Anyway, he already knew that the Emperor liked the princess, but Hex still couldn¡¯t believe how much his frosty personality would soften at the mere mention of her. Hex was very good at keeping his shock hidden from his expression. Meanwhile, he interpreted the situation in his own way. Since the princess was so very cute, it couldn¡¯t be helped. The storm season had begun. It was constantly cold in the northern region, but for the next month, it would be wracked with storms and blizzards. The bitter weather would last for just a month, and after the season, it would still be cold but at least it would be bearable. No one knew why the storms were concentrated only during this season. ¡®Right, it¡¯s almost my birthday.¡¯ Siervian¡¯s birthday happened to be in the middle of the storm season, when the weather was the coldest and the most severe. And in her previous life, her sixth birthday passed quietly without even a celebration. ¡®I wasn¡¯t in a situation to have a party back then.¡¯ Public opinion of her wasn¡¯t good at that time because the food waste incident had broken out. In addition, the news that Garambell was on the verge of destruction swept through the empire only after the storm season had begun. It was through magic communication that the Imperial Palace heard the news. So the Empress came forward and suggested that they should let this time pass quietly. ¡®Mm, I don¡¯t remember much.¡± The Empress said that they could quietly celebrate Siervian¡¯s birthday later, pretending that it was for her sake. She said that it was to manage the princess¡¯ reputation to protect her, and the Empress declared this as though she was showing off. Siervian could still remember one thing clearly. On her birthday, she sat in a cold, dark room and only looked out the window to watch the blizzard. ¡®This time, will it be a little different?¡¯ Many things had changed since then. Garambell didn¡¯t fall to ruin and she wasn¡¯t caught up in unsavory rumors. So maybe there would be a banquet for her birthday. It was a custom, after all. But she shouldn¡¯t expect too much. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll be able to eat with Father or Brother.¡¯ It would be scary if she¡¯s too greedy. Now, the fact that there would be someone with her was enough to warm her heart. Unlike the stormy scenery outside. ¡°Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has come to see you.¡± At that time while she was lost in thought staring out the window, Jane carefully approached her to let her know. Ellie, who was next to Siervian, widened her eyes. ¡°Shall I invite His Highness to your room, Princess?¡± It was sudden, but the ladies-in-waiting calmly welcomed the crown prince. They had adapted recently because he¡¯d been coming by more often. Both the crown prince and the princess were still young, so there were no problems with etiquette about entering each other¡¯s rooms. Siervian, who had become dejected as she watched the storm outside, nodded slightly because she was too listless to go outside. ¡°Siervian.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: 90,014,687 It was slightly lower than her father¡¯s, but her brother¡¯s favorability caught her eye. She was thinking about her lonesome past, so it was comforting. But anyway, what¡¯s going on? ¡°Bwother.¡± Unlike the Emperor, Damien had yet to return to the usual breakfasts. The Emperor told Siervian that he was very busy finishing work outside. Siervian didn¡¯t ask in detail because she didn¡¯t want to bother him. She just thought that he was amazing to do all that even though he was still young. ¡°¡­Siervian.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± But today, he came in a hurry, and it seemed like he was hesitating to speak. Even today, his expression was stiff. She was wondering what had happened, so she looked at him. But then something random came out of his lips. ¡°I heard you cried.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t cwy¡­¡± Well she did, but she didn¡¯t. Her brother must have heard the strange rumors. She didn¡¯t want him to misunderstand, so she thought she should explain, but then something white popped out in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s a present.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was snow that was shaped like a real rabbit. But it was a bit odd. One ear was somewhat crushed, and the rabbit¡¯s two buck teeth were uneven. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make it better next time.¡± He made it himself. Siervian accepted what he gave her. It was amazing that she couldn¡¯t even feel how cold it was. Perhaps it was because of its preservation magic. But why was he giving her a gift all of a sudden?¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I heard that Siervian was worried, that¡¯s why I helped out with work. I didn¡¯t know you were feeling lonely. I should have just come to eat. It was only after seeing his thoughts that Siervian understood his random gift. This was like an apology to her. Gently touching the rabbit¡¯s crushed ear with a small hand, she knew that it wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was a gift that was clearly something that was made with a lot of effort. Her gray heart strangely turned white just like the rabbit. ¡°Thank yew.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Siervian managed to express her gratitude, and his favorability rose. She didn¡¯t forget to say that she¡¯ll decorate her room with the rabbit. The crown prince nodded silently as he heard this. ¡°Okay. See you tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okayy!¡± As though he was done with his task here, the crown prince turned around without any regrets and left the room. But as he did, he could feel the tips of his ears heating up. Seeing Siervian hug the rabbit that was the same size as her face was just¡­ so fatally cute. Siervian smiled secretly at the adorable rabbit that was in her hands. The rabbit that the crown prince had given her yesterday was on the window frame. It caught her eye every time she looked out the window. ¡®I wish I could continue living like this.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t expecting much. How great would it be to have a life where she could feel even a little bit of warmth? ¡®How much can I change?¡¯ Before she was framed for a crime she didn¡¯t do in her previous life, there were some talks about her political engagement with a kingdom in the south. The Empress was the one strongly supporting this union. She still didn¡¯t know why it happened to be the southern kingdom. In any case, a political marriage was still inevitable as long as she was a princess. ¡®But I don¡¯t want to go that far away.¡¯ When she found out that there were marriage talks with her and a faraway kingdom, Siervian had visited her father of her own volition for the first time in her life. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Of course, she mustered up the courage to the Empress and said she didn¡¯t want this engagement. It was an act of rebellion that she had never done before. However, the Empress showed her a cold reaction. It was the first time she had done so towards Siervian. All of a sudden, she was going to be sent to a faraway, unfamiliar land. It was enough to make her visit her father first. ¡®What is the reason?¡¯ When she said that she didn¡¯t want this political marriage, the Emperor asked back sternly. At that time, her relationship with her father was at its worst. Because she was the black sheep of the family, and everyone was pointing their fingers at her. As soon as she heard this question, Siervian couldn¡¯t say any excuses. She realized that no matter what she said, she would only appear to be a spoiled, immature, incompetent princess. ¡¯I apologize.¡¯ She bowed deeply in front of her father. After that, she was caught up in the conspiracy of treason and suffered for a long time. However, as she looked back, it seemed that talks of her political marriage had also died down at that time. There was no way for her to know now, but what choice did her father make then? ¡°Hm, hm, hmm¡­¡± [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: This color will suit our Princess, right? Ellie, the chief lady-in-waiting, was often away to oversee the Princess¡¯ Palace. In those times, Jane filled the vacant spot. She was as caring to the princess as Ellie, and these days, she¡¯s been sewing more. It¡¯s a present for the princess on her birthday. ¡°Princess? Should I open the window if you¡¯re feeling stuffy?¡± ¡°Noo. I¡¯m fwine.¡± ¡°Alright. If Your Highness needs anything, please let me know.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± When she looked over at Jane for a second, she realized that she reacted too quickly. Jane was always paying close attention to Siervian, who couldn¡¯t speak well when there was something she did need. Siervian loved the unconscious humming that Jane sang whenever she was concentrating. ¡®I have to pretend that I don¡¯t know.¡¯ She tried very hard to pretend that Jane¡¯s hand didn¡¯t measure her doll just then. Knowing about a surprise gift in advance had both its advantages and disadvantages. She couldn¡¯t be shocked by it anymore, but she could happily anticipate it and wait for it. ¡®Right. Everything¡¯s just perfect now.¡¯ Reflecting on her wish for everything to stay the same, she was lost in thought as she watched Jane prepare a ribbon for her favorite doll. ¡®Will the future flow in the same direction as it is?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know if there would still be marriage talks with her and the kingdom in the southern region. However, it was true that there weren¡¯t many places to choose who she could be politically engaged to since she was an Imperial Princess. The one who was of a similar age to Siervian was a prince in the south. ¡®If possible, I wish it¡¯s close to this place.¡¯ The best way to be able to stay here is to find a use for herself. But she was sad because she didn¡¯t know how to do anything. There was a small hope in her that the scent of mana that Karmen sensed with her was real. Why couldn¡¯t she do anything? ¡®No. There¡¯s one thing.¡¯ Habitually putting herself down, she finally raised her head. She remembered Hex¡¯s voice as he said that she saved the west coast. ¡®I was forced to learn against my will¡­ but I did study history hard.¡¯ If this continued and she could have a good influence on the future just as she did with the west, even a mana-less princess might be able to do something. Maybe her father would look at her in a good way. Even if she couldn¡¯t take an active role, she wouldn¡¯t give up. There must be something else she could do besides entering a political marriage. ¡®Oh, I¡¯ll have to find out what the previous princesses did.¡¯ The history of the Imperial Family! If she looked at the books containing the biographies of her predecessors, the princesses would definitely come up. ¡°The Impewial Libwawy!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± She would have to go to the Imperial Palace¡¯s Library. She might find her hope there. It might take her some time, but once she had set a goal, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it until she took action. Having lost her patience like a real child, she jumped up from her seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Ah, Princess, are you going out?¡± Despite the sudden words, Jane did not panic and simply set down the things that were in her hands. This was because the princess was being very active outside recently. ¡®Come to think of it, I still haven¡¯t learned to write.¡¯ It might be questionable how she knew the existence of the Imperial Palace. Even if she thought about it carefully, she couldn¡¯t think of a reason how she¡¯d know about it at the age of five, so she hesitated. ¡®What excuse can I make?¡¯ She could say that she wanted to look around the library because she saw it while passing by. But she might get in trouble if she was caught reading. ¡°I-I¡¯m going awone!¡± ¡°Pardon? Your Highness is going alone?¡± [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: What¡¯s going on? That can¡¯t happen. It¡¯s too dangerous. The sudden excuse wasn¡¯t good enough, even Siervian thought so. There¡¯s no way that a child, let alone a princess, could go around alone. And what about the promise she made with Ellie after meeting Karmen? She regretted moving too hastily. She should have tried to find a way to get there more naturally. Seeing the princess hesitate, Jane was worried if there was something she wanted to say but couldn¡¯t. So she asked, ¡°Princess, do you not want to go with me? Would you like me to call another lady-in-waiting?¡± But when Siervian heard this, she quickly went and hugged Jane. If Jane had a misunderstanding, she would be sad. Siervian knew more than anyone else. ¡°No! I like Jane!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sowwy. I like Jane!¡± Watching the princess¡¯ cute honesty, Jane hugged Siervian back very tightly. ¡°I like the Princess, too.¡± As a result, it became even more difficult to make it possible for her to go out alone. Instead of insisting on it, Siervian worried over it. ¡°Our Princess, why do you want to go alone?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Jwust because¡­¡± Fortunately, Jane interpreted this as a child¡¯s whim. So Siervian tried something else. Wouldn¡¯t it be alright to insist once more like a real child¡¯s impulse? ¡°Theeen I¡¯ll go to inside the libwawy alone.¡± ¡°Your Highness wants to go inside the library alone?¡± ¡°Yeah. Jane, make a pwomise!¡± Jane readily intertwined her pinky with Siervian¡¯s. ¡°Yes, Princess. Instead, please go with me on the way to the library.¡± This was good. She was sure that there would be more than enough room where she could hide and read books. After reading books at the library like that, she should just say that she looked around. ¡°Jane, huwwy, huwwy!¡± [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: You must be in a good mood, our Princess. As Siervian saw her thoughts, she felt great after a long time. Her heart was fluttering in excitement and her steps were very light. It was enough excitement that made her move her legs hastily, but it was still difficult for her to run. ¡°Yes, Princess. Please walk carefully. If you fall, it would be a big trouble.¡± As they got closer and closer to the library, she realized that this really was hope. Hope that there might be something she could do. A glimmering hope that she may be able to stay close to her family. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: But how does Your Highness know the way to the library? Maybe you¡¯ve been here with Ellie. After seeing Jane¡¯s thoughts in her periphery, Siervian decided not to mind it. She was in such a hurry. In the distance, she could already see the white exterior walls of the Imperial Palace¡¯s Library. She was out of breath, but she rushed to the library with a pounding heart. ¡®First, I need to go in alone and pretend to look at some magical books, then I¡¯ll go further inside.¡¯ In fact, there was no guarantee that there would be an answer for her in her predecessors¡¯ biographies. Still, she thought that she could find a clue while reading about the lives of the other Imperial Princesses. She also vowed to herself in advance that she wouldn¡¯t get frustrated if all that she could find would be magic-related things. ¡®The books listed in the register inside aren¡¯t being read that much, so there shouldn¡¯t be many people inside.¡¯ With a well thought out tactic, Siervian entered the Imperial Library. Jane saw her off, saying that she would wait for the princess out front just like she promised. ¡°It¡¯s only for a little while, Your Highness. I¡¯ll fetch you soon.¡± Jane knew that there would always be an escort knight near Siervian. So she thought it would be nice to let the princess be since she was excited to explore alone for just a short time. ¡®Oh no, then I should move quickly.¡¯ Not knowing Jane¡¯s thoughts, Siervian walked bravely. The stairs at the entrance of the library were a little too steep for her. Then, at that moment. She ran into a familiar face. ¡°Oh my, Your Highness. It is nice to meet you for the first time.¡± Just then, the person exiting the library brightened the moment he saw the princess. As if he had thought of a great idea. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As soon as she heard his voice, Siervian¡¯s entire body froze up and it felt as though her heart had sunken to the ground. [ Antonio Ciphernom ] Occupation: Mage (Lv.25) Favorability: 500 Thoughts: Why is the ever-elusive princess here? Anyway, this is a good opportunity. If I can get along with her, I can gain His Majesty¡¯s favor¡­! When Siervian raised her head, even though he was a little younger than she remembered, she saw the person and the name that she wouldn¡¯t be able to forget. She recalled the memory of that day in an instant. ¡¯This is definitely a trace of black magic. And it¡¯s very malicious.¡¯ He was the first mage who accused Siervian of using black magic. ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡± Her small body trembled as she faltered back. ¡°I greet Your Highness the Imperial Princess. I am Antonio, a mage. I¡¯ve heard very distinct acclamations of how Your Highness had saved Garambell.¡± [ Antonio ] Thoughts: She¡¯s still a little kid, so she should be easy to butter up. Her light steps up the stairs suddenly felt so heavy. The sky swirled suddenly and she became breathless. ¡°Hiccup!¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± Seeing his face as he looked down curiously, Siervian could only feel scared. She was going to get imprisoned again. This time, too. She was going to be falsely accused once again. ¡°Princess!¡± Strangely, she couldn¡¯t control her fear. Her hiccups became louder and she still couldn¡¯t breathe. When the princess suddenly behaved strangely, Jane came running to her side right away. As soon as the warm arms wrapped around her as though she was being protected, Siervian instantly felt relieved. ¡°My goodness, Princess!¡± And darkness surrounded her. As though it was just to rest. She had a very sad dream. ¡¯With all due respect, the Princess is an Imperial Family member who cannot wield magic. This is why she got her hands on something as dangerous as this.¡¯ These words were enough. This was enough of a reason to rationalize why the princess, and not anyone else, had touched black magic. No one believed that she had never done so. ¡®On my honor, I guarantee it.¡¯ And it was because Antonio, a high-ranking mage at that time, had confirmed the supposed sins of Siervian. The memories that made her so sorrowful faded out in a daze. Then, she noticed that there was someone next to her. ¡°Have you woken up now, Siervy?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 And that someone was none other than the Emperor. Only then did Siervian realize who it was that was sitting by her bed. ¡°Siervy?¡± As soon as she heard her father¡¯s voice, she cowered. Fear rose up because the dream still lingered in her mind. When she tried to sit up reflexively, there was a gentle touch on her shoulder. ¡°Lay down.¡± In a situation that was hard to believe, she lost strength in her body. Ah, she came back to the past. Then, it was something that hadn¡¯t happened yet. ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ Even though she had realized where she was now, the coldness of the dungeon still made her tremble. She tightly clenched the blanket tucked around her. As she curled into herself, this was the best position so that she could warm herself up. But suddenly, there were wisps of light coming from the side. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It must be cold. The air suddenly became warm, as if it was never cold. Her father was using magic. Surprised, she straightened up and lay down on her back. Then, the Emperor arranged her blanket. A warm touch briefly hovered over her forehead, then it disappeared. ¡®Why is Father here?¡¯ It was a belated question. Siervian felt uncomfortable that she was just lying down without greeting the Emperor first, so she looked around. ¡°Siervy. What happened?¡± After hearing this question, she remembered that she had met the mage Antonio and fainted. Did he come here after hearing the news that she had collapsed? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: No matter how much the palace doctor examined, he said there was no abnormality in your body. While she was unconscious, the palace doctor seemed to have dropped by for a visit. She recalled how, in her previous life, she would always wake up alone even when she was sick. That time was still so vivid to her. Perhaps it was because she saw a familiar face while she was off guard. ¡°Are you sick? Tell me, Siervy.¡± Maybe that¡¯s the reason, but the moment she heard her father say that nickname, tears formed in her eyes. However, her rational mind desperately tried to control her body. Don¡¯t be a bothersome child. You might lose this warmth. ¡°Sebi is fwine.¡± ¡°¡­Please just tell me. What happened?¡± Antonio¡¯s face came to mind again. He was a shameless stranger who visited the dungeon where she was detained. Several times. ¡¯Hmm. You poor thing, Princess. No, you¡¯re not even a princess anymore. Why did you do such a terrible thing, huh?¡¯ He knew it best in the world that she did no such thing. She still couldn¡¯t understand why he did that, why Antonio had to come by several times just to mock her. He was a mage who she never had contact with before. ¡°Siervy, tell me now.¡± Her father¡¯s stern tone seemed to be enough to press her and confess everything right away. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I feel like I¡¯m going crazy. I¡¯ll have to call the doctor again. Is it magic? It couldn¡¯t be that the culprit is a mage who could surpass me. But her father¡¯s inner thoughts continued to fluctuate with concern for her. Rather than the cozy blanket around her, it was this fact that comforted her. So the emotions that kept bothering her came out. These were words that she couldn¡¯t stop from uttering. ¡°Mmh, I-I¡¯m scawed.¡± She was scared that she would be abandoned someday. And she was scared that she would be framed for something she never did. But all of that didn¡¯t happen yet. To confess something like this, she¡¯d have to explain her secret. So she could only say this much now. ¡°You¡¯re scared?¡± The Emperor¡¯s face hardened as he heard the miserable voice of his daughter. Her small body was trying to hold back her tears, and it couldn¡¯t be any sadder than this. He carefully touched her forehead that was damp with sweat. ¡°Siervy.¡± Siervian wanted to keep his hand over her for as long as possible, even if one day this would not happen again. This warm hand. ¡°Just rest for now.¡± The Emperor tried to get up and leave the room. She forced herself to pretend to be okay. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: How dare. However, an unusual status window came up heavily. Without having time to wonder about her father¡¯s thoughts as he left the room, Siervian fell asleep again. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t confessed?¡± There was a man tied up and bound in a dark underground cell. With mana restraints around the bastard, the wriggling, plump body was on his knees. And there was a small child in front of him. Still, the mage continued to shake his head. ¡°Yes, Father. He¡¯s a persistent bastard.¡± On behalf of the Emperor, who had left for a while, the Crown Prince was investigating this man. The childlike appearance that he usually showed in front of Siervian had all but disappeared. ¡°T-T-This is unfair, Your Majesty.¡± Antonio quickly groveled to the Emperor and complained. The Emperor looked down at the man¡¯s desperate expression, his eyes cold. He couldn¡¯t control the anger that had risen earlier. ¡°What have you done to my daughter.¡± At the sound of the Emperor¡¯s chilling tone, Antonio fell into contemplation. Listening silently on the side, the Crown Prince asked the same question. He couldn¡¯t hold it in because he was worried about his younger sister. ¡°Just tell us what you did to Siervian.¡± When he had heard the news earlier, he was shocked. After hearing that Siervian collapsed in front of this pig-like mage, he instantly grew furious. According to the maid who was with Siervian, she fainted shortly after encountering the mage. It couldn¡¯t have been a mere coincidence. ¡°Father.¡± This was an urgent situation, so Damian even called his father differently, in a way that he only did while he was younger.1 When called by the Crown Prince, the Emperor tilted his head to the side. As if to look for Antonio¡¯s sin on his face. Then, he spoke again with a heavy voice. ¡°Siervy said she was scared.¡± ¡°This bastard¡­!¡± It was a strange answer that didn¡¯t make much sense, but nevertheless, the prince was furious. How dare he frighten Siervian?! As Antonio listened to their exchange, he felt that it was so unjust that he jumped. ¡®Why should I be¡­!¡¯ It was true that he had the intention to use the princess since he was a very ambitious person. Originally, he wouldn¡¯t even have thought to approach the princess. ¡®Sh*t.¡¯ Rumor had it that rather than her biological child, the Empress cared for the Imperial Princess, but Antonio noticed that there was something amiss. If she truly cared so much, why was it that she never asked anything for the child from the magic tower? Unlike when the Crown Prince was born, the Empress never requested any artifacts to enhance the Princess¡¯ mana affinity. It was an open secret that some mages in the tower provide such items to aristocrats while pocketing the payment given to them. ¡®She¡¯s not even her biological child.¡¯ So Antonio didn¡¯t care about the princess either, but then he heard another strange rumor. It was rumored that the Emperor favored the Imperial Princess. It was prohibited to wield magic in front of the Imperial Family. With the young princess being strangely discriminated against, he made a quick calculation and thought that the princess might have never experienced any fancy magic. ¡®I was just going to build a connection to use later.¡¯ He also intended to secretly show her some eye-catching spells so that he could get closer to her, and with a secret to tie them together, she¡¯d surely be won over. Children easily opened their hearts to Antonio, and they were easy to use. But who knew that the princess would collapse right then? ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Even the Emperor misunderstood that she had collapsed because of magic. Though he hadn¡¯t attacked her, Antonio had thought of using magic in front of her, so it wasn¡¯t a contrived accusation. ¡®Sh*t, that useless concubine¡¯s daughter.¡¯ Antonio poured out his resentment inwardly. No one would know anyway, so he was going to curse her out until the end. ¡°I, I just, I just greeted Her Highness, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Why did you greet my daughter?¡± However, at the Emperor¡¯s response, Antonio made an expression full of disbelief. No, but, wasn¡¯t it natural to greet the Imperial Family¡­? ¡°You¡¯re someone irrelevant.¡± He was even stigmatized just for greeting. In the face of a man of insurmountable power, Antonio could say nothing in return. Seeing this bastard¡¯s reaction, the Emperor scowled. It was a simple matter of taking care of Antonio right away, but he might harm Siervian again while avoiding people¡¯s eyes. And this was what the Emperor wanted to prevent. ¡°I-It is unfair, sire.¡± Alderuan, the strongest mage in the whole empire, found no signs of magic, and the palace doctor also said that there were no problems with his daughter¡¯s health. But he saw how Siervian looked so anxious. ¡°Did the doctor say that it¡¯s just a mental shock, Father?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± But Siervian looked so weak and vulnerable at that moment to say it was merely mental shock. In retrospect, there had never been a time when she didn¡¯t look so vulnerable, but the Emperor brushed this thought away. After dealing with this matter, he vowed to get rid of that quack palace doctor. At that time, the Crown Prince looked down at Antonio with a cold gaze, then he spoke in a low voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t his face the problem?¡± ¡°His face?¡± After looking at him again, he did look very much like a pig. Suddenly displeased, the Emperor raised one eyebrow. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Siervian seem to care about aesthetics? It¡¯s obvious because she likes the animal sculptures I made for her.¡± ¡°Siervy takes after me, so she must have a high aesthetic standard. Of course.¡± Their strange conversation continued. The mage who felt that this was all too unfair stared at them, trying to understand just what the hell these two powerful individuals were talking about. ¡°It¡¯s clear that it¡¯s this bastard¡¯s face that shocked Siervian.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Her maid said that she was so excited to go to the library, but then it turned out this way when she ran into this bastard like that.¡± ¡°It makes sense.¡± No, it didn¡¯t make sense at all. However, the Emperor had the power to get rid of people like Antonio just because he didn¡¯t like them. ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant. How dare you show your face to my daughter?¡± Knowing that the Emperor could get rid of him easily, Antonio bowed his head while sweating profusely. He was blinded by ambition. He regretted trying to act chummy in front of the princess. How dare he try to use the princess to fill his greed. ¡°First, let¡¯s go and check on Siervy again.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± The Emperor turned around unhesitatingly and the Crown Prince followed him. As the prince said, it was clear that Siervian, who was as gentle as snow, had been traumatized by that bastard¡¯s toad-like face. She was a child who always seemed startled when seeing his own face, and he was her father. He thought that this was plausible enough. ¡®But is that really it?¡¯ On the other hand, there was still a lingering suspicion. Recently, Siervian has become such a good child. There might be more to it than simply being scared by ¡®a face¡¯. ¡°Investigate that bastard. Even his work outside the palace.¡± At the order of the cold Emperor, the Crown Prince nodded wordlessly. ¡ª¡ª t/n: 1 When Damian mentioned that ¡®Father¡¯ was a title that he never called Alderuan anymore, this is different from the previous instances when he also called him ¡®Father¡¯, and that¡¯s because he usually calls Alderuan in the honorific form now (????) and this is kind of like ¡®Your Majesty Father¡¯ in line with ¡®Your Majesty the Emperor¡¯. At this moment, he called Alderuan the normal way (???). There¡¯s no English equivalent, so I left both as ¡®Father¡¯ and instead explained it here in a footnote. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 Emperor Alderuan asked that the mage be investigated because of only one thing. He saw that his daughter was a bit more sensitive around the man than she was with others. However, after the investigation, a surprising thing was revealed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, Father¡­ I went and confirmed it myself.¡± The mage Antonio was an atrocious man who far exceeded his expectations. It¡¯s been a while since that bastard returned to the magic tower, and this meant that his mana affinity since childhood was somehow excellent. But after this, he had no other noticeable traits. ¡°Apart from this, I saw that he was related to many cases of corruption related to finances.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Upon receiving the documents presented by the Crown Prince, Emperor Alderuan smiled in vain. The documents revealed everything he had done under the guise of it being official business from the tower. Even the most malicious sins. ¡°How could he do that to children?¡± As a child from the slums, becoming a mage was a once in a lifetime opportunity. This bastard was swindling these kids by saying they had mana affinity. He gained the trust of those children first, lured them someplace else, then sold them as slaves. ¡°What about the children he captured?¡± ¡°I believe I¡¯ll be able to uncover more once the storm season has passed, but¡­ it would seem like most of them have already been sold to other kingdoms. Slavery wasn¡¯t legal in the Empire, and this was because of the First Emperor¡¯s decree, everyone was equal under the laws of mana. There was still a distinction in status between the Imperial Family, the nobility and the commoners, but though they are commoners, they were still people who shouldn¡¯t be harmed carelessly. Even so, slavery was rampant in other parts of the continent, and it got worse the closer you were to the south. ¡°Chase after their trails and save them. Everyone is precious in this Empire.¡± In particular, the treatment of slaves was terrible in the southern kingdom. It was difficult even for the prince to imagine what kind of pain the sold children were suffering under now. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do so without fail.¡± That bastard¡¯s fraudulent actions were clever. First of all, he never kidnapped many children at once. And apart from that, he made people around him say that the children were leaving on their own volition, that¡¯s why it was never noticed that they had gone missing. If it weren¡¯t for this, he would have been caught a long time ago. ¡°What kind of excuse did the magic tower give?¡± The Empire¡¯s magic tower¡¯s position was on a precarious balance between two sides. On one hand, it was the eternal ally of the Imperial family, but on the other, it also played a role in keeping the Imperial Family in check. This was supposedly to assure that support for their research would be given, and to prevent that power would not be gathered in only one place. ¡°They said that they don¡¯t know about the matter and feigned innocence.¡± Therefore, the relationship between the magic tower and the Imperial family differed from generation to generation depending on their relationship with the ruling Emperor. The group that highly kept Emperor Alderuan in check was the magic tower¡¯s elder council. That¡¯s because he was the strongest mage in the entire Empire along with being the Emperor. The Emperor would have tried to improve his relationship with the magic tower if his own magical abilities were lacking, but he did not have to do that. ¡°A mage under their command did this. It¡¯s impossible for them not to know.¡± Alderuan narrowed his eyes. With his elbow propped on the armrest of his throne, he looked bored as he rested his chin on the back of his hand. However, his gaze was ferocious, as though he was staring at the magic tower in the distance. Chancellor Hex, who was next to the Emperor while listening to the prince speak, stepped forward. ¡°As a result of the investigation, I knew that Antonio was making money from the nobles, but it was beyond my expectation to hear that he¡¯s involved with human trafficking.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°This time, we had gotten the cooperation of someone proficient to open the offender¡¯s laboratory. However, he seemed to have been very concerned about his involvement.¡± It was worded as ¡®concern¡¯, but in fact, the mage who assisted Hex in opening the laboratory had actually been terribly anxious. A laboratory was as precious as a mage¡¯s own life, so it was easy to guess what the mage had been thinking before they even opened it. If the allegations were proven true, it would be a felony that could not be easily overlooked. From the standpoint of the tower, which was always at odds with the Emperor, this was the same as a crisis that must absolutely be swept away at once. ¡°Make sure you take care of him so he won¡¯t stand out.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°All of those in the tower who are involved in this will not be forgiven.¡± Hex bowed deeply at the Emperor¡¯s frosty command. He tried to ignore the cold sweat flowing down his back. It would seem that this incident would greatly affect the power dynamics between the magic tower and the Imperial Family. ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯m worried that Siervy is too weak.¡± The Emperor continued casually as he frowned. Just now, he had been speaking about a huge purge that could be recorded in history. Next to the Emperor, the Crown Prince also shook his head. Both of them looked indifferent to the orders they had just issued. ¡°Call the doctor.¡± Hex, who was in a daze just now, followed the Emperor¡¯s command and signaled to an attendant outside. The Emperor¡¯s temperament usually didn¡¯t allow him to show or speak of his worries. ¡®But His Majesty seems to be very concerned about this incident.¡¯ Thinking this, Hex had no choice but to have a very troubled expression. This was because he had a hunch that the Imperial Palace and all the people who served in it would soon be turned upside down. ¡°You called, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°How is Siervy?¡± As soon as he came in, the doctor bowed down so low that his forehead was practically touching the ground, and he told the Emperor in detail about Siervian¡¯s condition. The Emperor, tapping on the throne as he listened, dismissed his explanation with just a short summary. ¡°So she still hasn¡¯t recovered her strength.¡± ¡°I-I apologize deeply, Your Majesty.¡± She had been losing weight rapidly, and at this, the Imperial Palace¡¯s doctor just lowered his head even more. Siervian couldn¡¯t get up from bed. It wasn¡¯t a matter of magic and it didn¡¯t seem like she had any problems with her constitution, so he was about to go crazy just thinking what it¡¯s supposed to be. ¡°Siervy is just lying down without any energy, but you say there¡¯s no problem¡­¡± The intermittent tapping on the throne was like a countdown to the remaining lifespan that the doctor had. ¡°I despise having useless people in my court.¡± Soon after hearing the Emperor¡¯s words, the palace doctor gulped down dryly. It would be fortunate if he¡¯d only be kicked out of the palace. But in this kind of horrifying atmosphere, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d even be able to get out of here on his own two feet. ¡°I shall p-prescribe some medicine for the Princess¡¯ body to recover.¡± There was no problem with his examination. However, it was clear that the princess was still lacking strength. As the doctor concluded earlier, it could only be presumed that the trauma she received was severe. But it could also be attributed to how malnourished she was not too long ago. ¡°You don¡¯t even know the cause, but you say you¡¯ll feed her something bitter and terrible?¡± ¡°I-It is to improve the Princess¡¯ condition, sire¡­¡± For now, the best he could do was to make a prescription to boost the health of the Princess. However, for some reason, the Emperor¡¯s temper was just getting more intense. Was it because he¡¯s worried about what kind of medicinal herbs would be in the medicine? ¡°Do you even know what kind of taste our Siervy enjoys eating?!¡± However, what he had exclaimed was very unexpected. Whenever he made medicine, he never considered the ¡®taste¡¯, and so this made the palace doctor shout desperately. ¡°I shall¡ªI shall make it delicious, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Princess, please drink this.¡± A small bowl of medicine was placed carefully in front of Siervian. The medicine bowl itself was finely wrapped with a luxurious blue cloth, but the medicine was black inside. Blue was the color of the Imperial family, but this was so strange because she had never been treated so preciously whenever she had to drink medicine. ¡®No, but¡­ Why does it look so grand?¡¯ While taking a small sniff of the medicine before her, she lifted her head and looked around. To be exact, she looked at the people surrounding her bed. ¡°Now, Siervian, you have to drink this. So that you can regain your strength.¡± ¡°Go ahead and drink, Siervy.¡± Her father and brother were paying close attention to her, their expressions serious. Behind them, Ellie was holding another bowl with a solemn face. However, the palace doctor¡¯s expression was the grimmest of them all. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Occupation: Imperial doctor (Lv.96) Thoughts: Princess, please, please get well soon¡­! His desperate thoughts were vividly shown. Thanks to this, much to their surprise, they saw Siervian pick up the medicine in front of her. It was a light bowl that was easy to lift, even with small hands. ¡®But I don¡¯t like medicine¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t like it because of its strange taste, but she hated it even more because she had bad memories about it. Because of something related to Harmin tea in her previous life, she had to take medicine regularly. ¡°I especially told the doctor to make sure it tastes good. Don¡¯t worry about it and drink up now.¡± Was it too obvious from her expression that she didn¡¯t want to drink bitter medicine? Her father suddenly said something strange. Why did he order the doctor to make medicine delicious? ¡°T-That¡¯s right, Princess. Please don¡¯t worry and drink up.¡± [ Hanta Mandersang ] Thoughts: Please¡ªI hope you drink well¡­! [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You have to drink it well, Princess. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I hope you¡¯ll get healthier now, Siervian. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll have to find a way to revitalize you myself with magic. The people around her said nothing and stayed silent, but their status windows were loud. Unable to overcome this unspoken pressure, Siervian made up her mind and lifted the medicine bowl. As expected, the medicine wasn¡¯t delicious. ¡°¡­So it¡¯s not delicious.¡± The Emperor said this as he watched his daughter¡¯s expression stiffen. ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Siervian had only reflexively reacted honestly, but she saw how the palace doctor immediately deflated. Even his enthusiastic thoughts had changed. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Thoughts: If I had added more flavors, the medicine won¡¯t be effective anymore. I can¡¯t do such a thing to sacrifice the Princess¡¯ health. Even if I get kicked out. So Siervian closed her lips that were slightly open. Her father seemed to have placed a lot of pressure on the doctor to make the medicine ¡®delicious¡¯. However, the doctor was truly concerned for her health and seemed to be resolute about helping her recover. ¡°Siervy? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Siervian, are you okay?¡± ¡°Princess!¡± Those who were watching her desperately looked at her as though she had swallowed poison. After seeing the doctor¡¯s disposition, Siervian had steeled her resolve. She could just ignore the bitter taste of the medicine that lingered on her tongue. ¡°Wo¡­w. It¡¯s de¡­wicious.¡± However, contrary to her intention, a very awkward voice came out. She¡¯s in trouble now. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ¡®It¡¯s so obvious that I¡¯m acting!¡¯ Even Siervian could feel the irony in this situation. Her heart dropped. Maybe it was because the tongue of this young body was sensitive, but the bitter taste seemed to be even more pronounced. How could she ignore that and lie? She was having a hard time. ¡®It¡¯s so hard to say the opposite of what my body¡¯s feeling.¡¯ She sounded so awkward, but it was something she had no control over. But she was feeling bad for the doctor because he was taking care of his patient with all his heart. It would be a shame for him to get kicked out just for this. ¡°Is that true, Siervy?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± To cover up the awkward acting, Siervian nodded deliberately as she replied. More than that, she knew that this doctor was famous for having great skills in her previous life, and he was a straight-laced individual who wasn¡¯t easily swayed by power and ambition. Though she never had the chance to meet him often because she had a separate palace doctor assigned to her by the Empress. ¡°Oh my! I guess Your Highness is already feeling energized.¡± Ellie welcomed just this small movement of Siervian because she had gotten so depressed from the day Siervian fainted. ¡°Then that¡¯s good. ¡­I was suspicious of your skills.¡± Siervian¡¯s older brother, who was next to her, looked suspiciously towards the doctor as he said this. Truthfully, this wasn¡¯t a situation to make a fuss about. Siervian was just lying down here without any energy because she kept thinking about the past. She was worried that the doctor, who was proud of his skills, might have been troubled. He must be thinking that this was happening because of him. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Favorability: +50 Thoughts: How can Your Highness be so thoughtful¡­! I knew it, all the rumors were true! However, a huge misunderstanding could be seen as she habitually checked the status window. ¡®Why are you thinking like that again¡­?¡¯ The palace doctor, who was sitting closest to her, inevitably noticed that she didn¡¯t like the medicine. But he thought that she drank it for him. Of course, he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, but why did he immediately think that all the rumors were true?! ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yees¡­?¡± Still, Siervian thought that her father would have noticed her blatant acting. Hearing this blunt answer, Siervian¡¯s thoughts swirled. But in the end, she didn¡¯t want the palace doctor to be kicked out. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯m so proud that my young daughter is taking her medicine well. Isn¡¯t she the shining example that must be followed by all the children in the Empire? However, the misunderstandings sprouted not in just one person. Was there really no one who noticed her ridiculous acting? ¡°Oh my, our Princess, you¡¯re so good at drinking your medicine¡­!¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Even if she likes the taste, she must hate drinking medicine¡­ Siervian is really amazing. And there was one more. ¡°Continue like this from now on. I¡¯ll be watching.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The doctor stepped away from the princess¡¯ side with a look of gratitude. He was being so thankful that it could be seen in both his body language and his status window. ¡°Here, Your Majesty.¡± When the doctor stepped back, Ellie approached. And she carefully held out what she¡¯d been holding all this time. ¡°Mm. Go ahead and give it to Siervy.¡± Was there more medicine that she needed to take? Siervian timidly looked at what¡¯s in Ellie¡¯s hand. And what Ellie gave her resolutely was a bowl of soft chocolates. ¡°¡­Choco?¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead and eat this, Siervian. No matter how delicious it is, medicine is still medicine, so I asked them to prepare it.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± After bitter medicine, there followed a good reward. She carefully scooped up with a spoon a chocolate piece that was as small as a fingernail. Still with a bitter aftertaste, the sweetness of the chocolate immediately surfaced. ¡°I was the one who had it prepared.¡± At that time, her brother patted her head and repeated the same words. Ah, did he think that she didn¡¯t hear him before? Siervian, who was instantly taken by the sudden sweetness, didn¡¯t think much about the prince¡¯s words. ¡°Okaay, thank yew.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ From now on, I¡¯ll show you only good things.¡± Chocolate was something good to look forward to. Since good was good, Siervian just nodded. The chocolates were very sweet. After the bustling preparation of the medicine¡ª Lying alone in the dark bedroom, Siervian stared blankly at the bed¡¯s canopy. Ellie stayed by her side for a long time, but Siervian was now alone. She was still very worried about the little princess who only said repeatedly that she was fine. ¡®What will happen to me in the future?¡¯ The people who warmly embraced her definitely had high favorability points. At first, she focused only on the numbers because there was one fact that Siervian was desperately trying to turn a blind eye to. The people in her previous life. They must have felt like this, too. ¡®Even so, I think I need to prepare for it.¡¯ At that time, her father must have had a great deal of affection for her during this time. However, it was clear that by the time of her execution, his affection towards her had lessened until it disappeared. The situation could change any time. Siervian realized this painfully. ¡®I wish it would always be like this, but life won¡¯t go my way.¡¯ In the end, nothing was absolute. Antonio¡¯s face, the mage who once hovered around her, suddenly came to mind. So there must be more people who antagonized her in her previous life. ¡®It would have been better if I knew all the details of what happened.¡¯ If that was the case, then she could more comfortably make a plan for her to stay here. She didn¡¯t know what kind of changes would happen in the future that might ruin this track. So she belatedly thought that she should prepare for it. She¡¯ll do her best. But if something would go wrong, she¡¯d be ready to leave and go somewhere far away. ¡°Hiic.¡± A little bit of sadness rose within her. It was good that it wasn¡¯t enough to make her cry. Even though she was preparing like this, she didn¡¯t want to leave¡ªto the extent that, if her father would allow it, she wanted to stay near the Imperial Palace if he were to kick her out. She wasn¡¯t interested in marriage either. She just wanted to stay here. ¡®I can¡¯t cry too loudly.¡¯ Ellie was standing right outside the room, and she would stop doing what she was supposed to be doing because she¡¯d be worried if she saw Siervian like this. For a few days, everyone hadn¡¯t been able to work properly because of her. ¡®Money is important. I at least know this.¡¯ If she was going to live outside the palace, money was important. The budget in the Princess¡¯ Palace was properly being given again, but that was money that she wouldn¡¯t be able to touch. And noticeable jewelry would only be inconvenient to use. ¡®And if things from the palace will be found outside, I might be put under investigation.¡¯ All Siervian was thinking about now was escaping. Therefore, it was good to have things that were as common as possible and could be exchanged for money as soon as she could. The problem here though¡­ She didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of value were placed on jewels. ¡®Since this is small, maybe it¡¯s okay?¡¯ Not too long ago, she picked up a small gem from another room in the Princess¡¯ Palace. She had been hiding it under her pillow all this time. Maybe it fell off from where it was attached when the servants were busy moving furniture. ¡°Here¡­ hiic, like this¡­¡± She fumbled with her doll¡¯s belly, wiggling her small fingers that didn¡¯t listen to her properly. There was a small gap there. ¡°Ah.¡± Wait no, she has to be quiet. She barely found the gap where her small finger went. Then, she quickly put the gem into the doll. ¡®I carry this around every day, so they won¡¯t be suspicious.¡¯ These days, she¡¯d been taking the doll with her even during meals. This was because whenever she hugged it, she immediately felt calmer. Therefore, it was the perfect hiding place for her possible escape funds. ¡°Hiic¡­¡± For quite a while, Siervian hid away small items little by little in the doll¡¯s tummy. Hoping that she wouldn¡¯t need to use them. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame. It would have been better if it ended before the storm season.¡± Two days later, Ellie expressed her disappointment. ¡°Noo, it¡¯s okayy.¡± It was busy around the Princess¡¯ Palace because the interior was being redesigned. All the old, mismatched pieces of furniture were changed and refurbished. And the garden was finally looking green. ¡°If there was more time, it would have been even prettier, Princess.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± However, it was taking longer for the redesigning of her bedroom. This was what Ellie¡¯s been worried about because it¡¯s the room that Siervian used the most. Her concerns continued until today. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I hope that it can be redesigned soon so the Princess can always feel comfortable. The storm season had come, so the priority for manpower went elsewhere. Some materials were also brought from outside the empire, so redesigning the bedroom was delayed for now. ¡°Princess, please look here. Ta-da!¡± Instead, Ellie brought out a furniture catalogue. While waiting for the storm season to pass, Ellie discussed with the princess and collected these ideas. ¡°Wah!¡± In comparison, Siervian only looked at a clothes catalogue once in her previous life. Even then, she couldn¡¯t touch it and just peeked behind the Empress¡¯ shoulder. ¡®This seems more interesting than that.¡¯ First, this catalogue had rough sketches of the furniture. If she chose what she liked, the maid waiting outside would bring in a small model figure of the furniture. ¡®It¡¯s like playing with a dollhouse.¡¯ Ellie noticed that the princess couldn¡¯t easily choose one, so she had several models brought in first. Though they were small, the cute furniture model figures soon went into Siervian¡¯s hands and increased in number. ¡°We decided to have a cabinet with engraved blue gems, so why don¡¯t we match the other furniture to that, Princess?¡± ¡°Blue!¡± Siervian had been looking at a small drawer just then, but she responded to Ellie. There was a fine blue velvet inlay in the small drawer, which could barely be pulled out with someone¡¯s fingers. ¡°Yes, Princess. I think Your Highness¡¯ pretty eyes match this color, so it would be nice.¡± Was the color of her eyes really pretty? Nodding carefully, Siervian puffed out her cheeks in embarrassment. She thought that she would definitely smile if she didn¡¯t do this. Of course, Ellie caught the big smile that couldn¡¯t be hidden on that cute face. ¡®Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t see any blue decorations in my previous life.¡¯ The blue jewelry cabinet was the only one she had, but there was a misunderstanding that the princess broke it when she was eight years old. At that time, Siervian thought that it was Sarah who was leading them to think this, but it was probably the Empress¡¯ influence. ¡®Oh? She hated my ribbon because it was blue last time, too.¡¯ She remembered the first time she went to see the Empress after returning back in time. Eventually, the Empress had crumpled the ribbon that Ellie tied for Siervian beautifully. Blue was the color of the Imperial Family. Therefore, the Empress was also someone who could use the color blue. But why did it seem like she hated it? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ¡°Do you like it, Princess?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ellie asked this when Siervian fiddled with the small drawer model for a long time. She also didn¡¯t forget to write down the number of the model that the princess was looking at with shining eyes. In the memo, there were also a few lines of Ellie¡¯s own thoughts, such as how lovely the princess was today. This small hobby of hers started not too long ago. ¡®Maybe she doesn¡¯t like seeing me use the color of the Imperial family.¡¯ Perhaps it wasn¡¯t that the Empress didn¡¯t like blue, but rather that she didn¡¯t like Siervian using the color. And considering her favorability, it¡¯s a possibility. But for now, Siervian brushed the thought aside. In the future, she would try to avoid the Empress as much as she could. ¡°Princess, how about this chair?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: This looks alright, but it should have more gems to embellish it. It¡¯ll be placed in our pretty Princess¡¯ bedroom after all, so only furniture that matches with her loveliness should be ordered. Looking at the chair model that Ellie showed her, Siervian suddenly came back to the present. This chair was obviously a luxurious piece of furniture that had soft cushions, and just by looking at it, it was clear that the height was specifically crafted for children. Wouldn¡¯t something like this cost a lot of money? ¡®Luxury is not allowed.¡¯ As she held the chair model in her hands, she felt blood escaping from her fingertips. Under no circumstances could the luxury of an Imperial family member be seen in a good light. Even if she got off scot-free from interfering with the Garambell incident, Siervian couldn¡¯t expect the same luck happening twice. ¡°Noo, I dwon¡¯t need it.¡± But then suddenly, the doors opened and a different maid stepped in to bring another furniture model. And inside the drawing room outside of her bedroom were countless other furniture models spread out in the middle. ¡®That much!¡¯ And come to think of it, Ellie also brought in several more catalogues. Siervian thought that she would be wasting too much money redecorating her room. ¡°I dwon¡¯t need many fuwniture. Jwust a little is okay.¡± How much of the budget would be spent on this? Actually, it was difficult for Siervian to guess the exact amount. Of course, in her previous life, she also never had the chance to learn how money worked. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Hmm, isn¡¯t there anything that Your Highness likes? It would be great if you speak your mind more¡­ Ellie didn¡¯t understand what Siervian meant. In the first place, these were things that the princess would have liked so far. ¡®If I could understand better, I could have told Ellie more clearly.¡¯ Tightly hugging the doll with her secret stash, Siervian felt troubled. This just made her want even more to understand the world around her. ¡°Oh my, Your Highness. This isn¡¯t a lot.¡± When she told Ellie that she wanted only a few pieces of furniture, Ellie just said that this wasn¡¯t a lot. And it didn¡¯t seem to be a lie based on the status window. But what¡¯s important here was that Siervian would maintain her frugal attitude. Trying to make her uncooperative tongue say the things she wanted to say, Siervian managed to bring up words that were similar to her thoughts. ¡°I cwan¡¯t. I¡¯ll waste too mwuch money.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Your Highness is still misunderstanding what happened last time. How can I explain it¡­ Princess, we have a lot of money! Rather, it was a misunderstanding that Ellie thought up on her own. It¡¯s not that Siervian was thinking that there was no budget in the Princess¡¯ Palace like before, but that she didn¡¯t want to use it up for nothing. ¡®I want to speak more clearly. This is so frustrating!¡¯ At that time, as if cutting off her train of thought, a maid from outside announced someone¡¯s arrival. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.¡± The Emperor, who had little free time in his busy schedule, came to the Princess¡¯ Palace. ¡°Siervy.¡± Unexpectedly, her father would visit her many times. As expected, she was still feeling shy because her body was following the mentality of a child. ¡°You didn¡¯t come to my garden today either.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± As if she was being interrogated, the Emperor narrowed his eyes as he looked down at his daughter. Since she was used to his gaze by now, Siervian didn¡¯t flinch away, only fiddling with her fingers a little. ¡°Are you still scared? That man will never appear in front of you again.¡± The palace doctor advised that it was better to take a walk little by little and not to stay in bed too long. However, Siervian didn¡¯t want to go out yet, so she just stayed at the palace. Because of this, the Emperor seemed to have misunderstood. ¡°Yees.¡± Even so, she just nodded to show that she understood what he said. Of course, it was also true that she was relieved that Antonio would never appear before her again. She really didn¡¯t expect that he was doing such horrendous things. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear any rumors about it before.¡¯ No one said it outright in front of Siervian, but because she could read the status windows of the people passing by, she found out about Antonio¡¯s deeds. ¡®Then in the previous life, how many children had to be sacrificed?¡¯ It was a relief that it was discovered quickly this time. She had been so scared just meeting him once, but she was glad to have run into him if this was the result. Thanks to this, more people were given help. ¡°Are you looking at catalogues?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Siervian was immersed in her thoughts, but she raised her eyes this time as what she¡¯d been looking at was raised in the air. Her father must have seen the furniture models in the other room on her way here. What if he thought that the princess was being extravagant? ¡°Your expression doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± He took one furniture model and touched a hard gem that passed by his fingertip. With that touch, Siervian tried to think of what to say to regain her sense of stability. What excuse should she say so that she wouldn¡¯t be misunderstood? ¡°¡­¡­¡± She stayed quiet for a while after that, and the Emperor glanced towards the chief lady-in-waiting next to the princess. ¡°I apologize deeply, but it seems that the Princess is worried about the budget.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ellie, no! At this rate, it would seem like she was asking for more money. Siervian hurriedly grabbed her father¡¯s sleeve, who was still standing there. Since she was sitting on her bed, her hand reached out easily. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll sit down.¡± And her father naturally beckoned someone from the side. A maid brought a chair that was far away from the bed. ¡®But I didn¡¯t ask you to sit beside me!¡¯ ¡°Why is Siervy worried about the budget?¡± Her father sat down beside her in earnest, then he turned his gaze towards Ellie to press her. With a nervous heart, Siervian clutched her father¡¯s sleeve more tightly so that his gaze would stay on her. But the Emperor just glanced at her for a moment and patted her head once. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: My daughter must be whining a little. How cute. That¡¯s not it! There was no time to feel the warmth that touched her head. Siervian looked nervously at Ellie, but Ellie opened her lips with a grim look. ¡°Well¡­ I believe that Her Highness is misunderstanding because of what happened before.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. Feeling that the atmosphere took a downward turn, Siervian clenched her doll with her other hand. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Right. Because it¡¯s a memory that couldn¡¯t be easily forgotten. No, it¡¯s because this foolish father allowed it. Ah, what to do? ¡°That¡¯s a useless concern.¡± He had been lost in thought for a moment, but he soon spoke firmly. However, unlike the cold voice, he took his daughter¡¯s small hand and held it gently. ¡°If it¡¯s difficult to choose which furniture models she wants, just decorate her room differently once a day and let her spend the day like that. She¡¯s still young, but she has good judgement.¡± Is¡­ Is that okay? ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Ellie replied instead. Fumbling with her hand, Siervian was surprised by her father¡¯s words. It was such a waste! ¡°After this, don¡¯t think about how much money it costs. Just redesign her chambers however she likes.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Ellie accepted the Emperor¡¯s order with a determined face. Watching their exchange, Siervian couldn¡¯t help but shout loudly. ¡°You cwan¡¯t!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Siervy?¡± She was grateful that her father wasn¡¯t thinking that she was being wasteful and was just taking care of her like this. But what she was frightened of was the gazes of other people. She didn¡¯t want to be branded as a princess of unnecessary opulence again. ¡°I-It¡¯s a waste. You cwan¡¯t waste things.¡± She desperately tried to convey her thoughts. ¡®Listen to me, my young body!¡¯ ¡°Do you mean that it¡¯s a waste for things to be used once only to be thrown away?¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Great! Siervian thought that her father finally understood what she was trying to say, so her expression got brighter. However, as soon as she read her father¡¯s thoughts, she became anxious again. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Mood: ? My daughter ? I¡¯m ¨C so ¨C touched Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so thoughtful. Huh? She was just scared of the rumors¡­ ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡°Then it won¡¯t be a waste.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The budget she received was already more than enough. When she heard Ellie talking to Jane, Siervian heard that the funds for redesigning the palace was quite considerable. But why was he giving her more again? ¡°I¡¯ll place the order, so take care of it.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Ellie replied. No, this is still a waste! But at this, Ellie seemed to look more motivated. Thanks to this, Siervian had to think hard about which models she really wanted because Ellie might just redecorate one day after another, just as her father said. Siervian was troubled with decorating the palace for a few days after that, but she was also preoccupied with other things. ¡°Princess, please look this way for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh my! This color looks so good on you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Right? I knew it, this fabric would go well with accessories like this around it¡­¡± ¡°Yes, and at the back of the dress¡­¡± Ellie and Jane were very excited as they talked to the princess while draping various fabrics over her body. She was so cute that everything went well with her, and their status windows kept popping up now and again as though it was a big deal. ¡®It feels weird.¡¯ They¡¯re preparing for Siervian¡¯s upcoming birthday celebration. She had never spent her birthday with such a commotion surrounding it. Especially on her sixth birthday. In her previous life, it passed by without even a small dinner. ¡°How about this, Princess?¡± ¡°Mmh, it¡¯s nwice.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be heavy though?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± When it came to birthdays, there were many things that came to her mind. No place for her in the large hall, large presents. A stifling meal. People whispering around her. Their piercing gazes. ¡®But it might be a little different this time.¡¯ For now, neither the food waste incident happened, and the fall of Garambell disappeared. That¡¯s why the birthday of the princess would be held customarily. Just this much was a huge change. ¡°I heard that this celebration is going to be very magnificent.¡± ¡°Oh my. Isn¡¯t this great news, Princess?¡± There must already be rumors that the birthday banquet would be grand. However, Siervian didn¡¯t think about it much. She can¡¯t just believe all rumors. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t raise my expectations just to be disappointed later.¡¯ Right now, Siervian was satisfied just with the fact that she wouldn¡¯t spend her birthday alone. Alderuan sat on his throne with a condescending expression on his face. His apathetic gaze rested on the servants bowing their heads in front of him as they waited for their orders. They were all very nervous as the Emperor continued to contemplate. Obviously, a very important command was about to be issued. ¡°Make it so that the Princess¡¯ birthday party this year shall be the most magnificent one compared to any other.¡± Accompanied with a tenacious will, a resolute command was issued. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­!¡± The vassals could not hide how taken aback they were at the command that was too different from what they expected. However, when the emperor¡¯s cold eyes passed over them, everyone bowed their heads as if they never tried to speak up. At that time, one of the vassals who politely avoided the emperor¡¯s gaze raised his head. ¡°Your Majesty, may I dare speak up?¡± ¡°Speak then.¡± It was Duke Pacour who calmly opened his lips. The Duchy of Pacour was a household that contributed to the founding of the Northern Empire. Hannibel Pacour took over the Duchy around the time of Siervian¡¯s birth, and he was known to be an ambitious man. He was also Empress Cybelle¡¯s older brother. ¡°I apologize for the impertinence, but I¡¯m afraid that the timing is not good, sire.¡± At the brave words that he spouted, the center of the throne room had become so quiet that their ears rang. ¡°Timing? You say that timing something to be considered more important than my daughter¡¯s birthday¡­¡± Tapping on the armrest of his huge throne, Alderuan spoke in a low tone. It was a quiet voice, but it was nothing less than striking as lightning. Alderuan Erveldote. The Emperor of Iron and Blood, who led the Third Continental War to victory, was famous in more ways than one. ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty.¡± The reputation built on blood was usually something that would strike fear. However, Alderuan dispelled such fears a few years after he ascended to the throne as emperor. Because of his outstanding sense of diplomacy, his powerful command over magic, and the many practical policies he had passed, he gained the support of the empire¡¯s people. Therefore, Emperor Alderuan was revered as a wise emperor by his subjects. ¡°Do explain, Duke.¡± Even so, the side of him that was a war hero never left him. If the empire¡¯s people praised His Majesty¡¯s mercy, then the duke and the other vassals feared the emperor. This was because the emperor was merciful to the people, yet relentless towards aristocrats. ¡°It is due to the situation in Garambell, sire. While one side of the continent is suffering, our Empire should hold back and¡ª¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that Garambell is in danger, therefore my daughter¡¯s birthday shouldn¡¯t be celebrated.¡± The emperor cut off the duke¡¯s words ferociously, but the duke just bowed his head calmly. Seeing him confront the emperor in this way, the elderly vassals just gulped dryly. They could sense what lay beneath the duke¡¯s words. ¡°Firstly, there¡¯s one thing wrong with what you said, Duke.¡± ¡°Please enlighten me.¡± ¡°Garambell is no longer in danger. The news arrived here at the palace today that cases of the epidemic had declined sharply.¡± Because it was information that he had yet to get his hands on, the duke inwardly cursed. ¡°In particular, the elderly King of Garambell had also recovered. Do you think that the Empire should still lay low?¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to get in touch with people during the storm season because communication spells became several times harder than usual. The mages surmise that it¡¯s because of the strong weather that mana becomes unstable. During this period, the imperial palace uses artifacts that amplify communication spells several times. ¡°And who do you think saved Garambell?!¡± When the emperor hit the armrest, there was a fluctuation of mana at the same time. The vassals quickly bowed their heads as they directly felt through their bodies the emperor¡¯s anger. The pure and dense mana also made the duke become aware of the cold sweat running down his back. ¡°However, Your Majesty. Foolish rumors are spreading in the Imperial Palace. It is said that Your Majesty¡¯s resolute decision was swayed by the young Princess.¡± The vassals also inwardly agreed with this statement. To them, the young princess¡¯ reputation was too inflated as it had spread too quickly. Only the chancellor, the emperor¡¯s close aide, knew that the strict emperor always cared about his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right Your Majesty ¡­¡± ¡°No. What I mean is that it¡¯s true that Siervian changed my decision.¡± The vassals couldn¡¯t hide their surprise. And right then, some of them were reminded that the name of the princess, who had no presence, was Siervian. Crown Prince Damian¡¯s position was very solid, so the princess was relatively unnoticed. No matter how young she still was, she surprisingly had no outside activities. ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± The duke, who didn¡¯t even know that the emperor would admit that he shared his authority, shouted indignantly. Weren¡¯t things going too differently than he expected? ¡°Garambell was on the verge of ruin. Because I had decided not to extend help.¡± Upon hearing the kingdom¡¯s supposed fate, the vassals unconsciously questioned this in their minds. According to a report by the commander of the imperial order who had personally gone to Garambell, the situation would have gotten out of control by now had the empire not sent support. ¡°It was Princess Siervian who changed the kingdom¡¯s fate. Even though she¡¯s still young, she said that upholding good faith is important.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The rumors that had gotten out of hand were, in fact, true. When the emperor declared it himself, the vassals were turning their heads and thinking fast. They were gauging the existence of the princess, who was mentioned during a meeting on political affairs, for the first time. ¡°So the Princess who saved Garambell deserves great praise. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, as you command, Your Majesty.¡± In the end, the duke had no choice but to step down, grinding his teeth. ¡°Will it be alright, Your Majesty?¡± Following close behind the emperor¡¯s footsteps, Hex asked. The rumor that had been spreading recently became an excuse. He was worried, but Hex was so delighted to see Duke Pacour backing down with a distorted expression as though he was chewing on poo. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the rumors will ignite even more, sire.¡± Despite Hex¡¯s concerns, Alderuan was relaxed. He didn¡¯t make it up anyway, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to say it. Especially in a situation where it was clear that the duke was making up nonsense. ¡°There¡¯s no reason that it won¡¯t be fine.¡± Something about today¡¯s war of words in the throne room struck him as strange. It was odd for Duke Pacour, the head of the aristocratic faction, to say that it was natural to hold back on showing the imperial family¡¯s luxury. As he recalled the duke¡¯s attitude, Alderuan¡¯s eyes were filled with a bleak energy. ¡°It¡¯s grating on me. Isn¡¯t it suspicious that he¡¯s blocked all of Siervy¡¯s birthday banquets?¡± Hex was still worrying about the princess¡¯ reputation being raised too much, but at this, he had to shut up. Until the age of four, the princess¡¯ birthday celebrations couldn¡¯t be held because of good reasons. However, Hex also couldn¡¯t help but doubt the significance of this year¡¯s incident as well. ¡°What are Marquis Parma¡¯s movements these days?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the usual. I have an insider with him.¡± Meaning that there wasn¡¯t anything particularly noticeable happening yet. ¡°Hm.¡± This time, the Marquis, who lost the Pharim medicinal herbs, was also a representative of the aristocratic faction and was close to the duke. However, the connection between the two had yet to be revealed. ¡°Keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± There were things that had to be set aside for now. So Alderuan decided to think about a more urgent concern right now. His birthday present for Siervian. ¡°It¡¯s a huge concern.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, sire?¡± ¡°What will Siervy like? Hmm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the sudden subject change, Hex was silent for a moment. Of course, he soon took it in stride. It was the first time since the princess was born that she and the emperor were as close as they were now. And this alone was an achievement. ¡°Can¡¯t you ask her yourself?¡± ¡°So the Chancellor doesn¡¯t know the charm of a surprise gift.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hex was just trying to give him some advice, but he eventually just decided to keep his mouth shut. As he walked to the Emperor¡¯s Palace, Alderuan slowly agonized about this. The more he thought about his gift, the more he recalled the birthday banquet and the more he couldn¡¯t stand the duke. ¡°Send an order of financial audit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.¡± ¡°¡­Suddenly?¡± The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was Duke Pacour. Hex felt sorry for the Ministry, which would be disrupted by another audit so soon after the last time. He didn¡¯t pity the duke, but the officials working under him. ¡°I can¡¯t brush it aside. How dare he try and stop Siervy¡¯s birthday party again?¡± Now that he thought about it, the duke was in the aristocratic faction, but when it was the crown prince¡¯s birthday, he only perfunctorily opposed it. Of course, the crown prince¡¯s maternal home behaved differently when keeping Siervian in check. ¡°You may leave now.¡± As they arrived at the emperor¡¯s office, Hex immediately bowed at once and left at Alderuan¡¯s command. Instead of sitting at his desk, the emperor silently looked out the window. Because Siervian¡¯s birthday was nearing, he especially longed for his beloved. ¡°Aviche¡­ May you rest well in the God of Mana¡¯s embrace.¡± He knew well that he had a brusque personality. Even though he cared a lot inside, it was hard for him to express it. That¡¯s why Siervian, who was raised by the empress ever since she was born, found it difficult to be with her father. It¡¯s so hard to face each other just because she was so intimidated by his approach. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that Siervian resembles you.¡± But recently, Siervian approached him first, so he couldn¡¯t be happier. It seemed like she had gotten less afraid of him. Shouldn¡¯t she have a huge birthday party? ¡°¡­I wish you¡¯d stop calling me ¡®Your Majesty¡¯.¡± Though he spoke with a disappointed tone, there was a light smile on Alderuan¡¯s lips. It seemed like his mother was against his younger sister. The brilliant crown prince noticed this fact from a very young age. The more he showed interest in his younger sister, the worse his mother felt. So he made a mask that resembled his father. Nevertheless, it was a big problem because his younger sister was just so cute. ¡°What should I give to Siervian?¡± Usually, the empress would have overthought about other things, but since she was someone who liked to save face and show off, she wouldn¡¯t stop him from giving a formal gift. But this time, he wanted to give Siervian something that she liked. ¡°Jurisdiction over the budget had been transferred to Father anyway¡­¡± It was known that magic was an analytical study. The crown prince, who excelled in magic, was still young, but he was able to put two and two together regarding the flow of funds in the Princess¡¯ Palace. Of course, if he had known that Siervian was suffering so much, he would have visited his mother right away no matter how much she opposed it. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t very close to his younger sister yet, so he had to mull over the present he¡¯ll give her for a long time. As much as the wind had changed in the imperial palace around the time of her birthday, Siervian remained clueless about this. ¡°Ta-da! Look at this, Princess.¡± ¡°Amashing!¡± The life of a princess, as she had yet to start formal education, was very monotonous. She just ate and played every day. ¡°If you twist it like this, it becomes a star!¡± ¡°Uwaah! Jane is a mage!¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Since it was her birthday soon, she wondered if she could eat cake. That¡¯s how relaxed she was. What Siervian wished for was simple anyway. ¡°You¡¯re bored without Ellie, right?¡± ¡°Nooope! I like Jane too!¡± ¡°Aww, how lovely is our Princess!¡± [ Jane Millas ] Favorability: +50 Ellie finally got a vacation break and went home. The storm season had also begun, so Siervian almost practically forced Ellie to go see her younger sibling. Like a habit, she looked out the window to watch the snowstorm. She kept thinking that her birthday was approaching. ¡®But didn¡¯t something happen around this time?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember what it was. While she was looking out her window alone during her birthday, she had a vague thought that something must have happened in the palace¡­ ¡°Would you like some snacks now?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± But in front of almighty chocolate, the thought soon scattered like snow. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 That day came just as the storm season was in full swing. On Siervian¡¯s birthday, the most intense and severe blizzard arrived. [ Siervian Erveldote (6 y.o.) ] Body and soul synchronization ¡¤ ¡¤ ¡¤ 8% Current actions are in line with the body. :?: When she looked into a mirror this morning, she saw a small change in her status window. Siervian didn¡¯t know that it would change right away on the day of her birth itself, so she looked at the window with wonder. But she soon saw the synchronization percentage and just sighed. The number went up very minimally. At this rate, it looked like she wouldn¡¯t be in sync with this body until she was very, very old. ¡°Princess, shall we go?¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± She was all dressed up, and so Ellie asked kindly. Until then, Siervian couldn¡¯t imagine what her birthday party would look like. ¡®How did this happen!¡¯ As they approached the most luxurious place in the Imperial Palace, the White Hall, Siervian trembled with anxiety. She was worried that they might have taken the wrong turn, but Ellie just smiled knowingly. ¡°The Princess¡¯ birthday celebration will be held for three days.¡± ¡°Thwee¡­ days?¡± With relentlessly shaking eyes, Siervian asked in disbelief. Originally, it was customary for any member of the imperial family to celebrate their birthday for over three days. However, Siervian was unfamiliar with what¡¯s happening now because she had rarely ever done any such custom. As the carriage arrived, she saw that many people had already gathered. ¡°Siervian.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: It¡¯s the day that such a pretty child came to this world. We should celebrate this day splendidly. Of course. In particular, the star of the party would be the last to arrive at the imperial family member¡¯s banquet. Thanks to this, the emperor, the crown prince and the empress were already gathered at the banquet hall. And filling the hall were high-ranking nobles. ¡®Ahh, what do I do.¡¯ Many nobles were gathered with the intention to meet the figure amidst all the raging rumors, the imperial princess. Actually, this party was a big opportunity for them because not everyone could meet the young princess. ¡®Why is it large scale. I shouldn¡¯t be extravagant.¡¯ At one glance, it¡¯s clear that the banquet hall was magnificent and opulently decorated. As soon as she arrived, Siervian froze at once when she saw the flashy place. The sight made her remember all the criticism she heard in the past. She couldn¡¯t get used to the way people looked at her. ¡°Your Majwesty.¡± Like a broken magic golem, her joints creaked as she curtsied. And when her leg slipped, she became even more teary. She was going to be criticized for not having studied etiquette properly. ¡°Hiccup!¡± At that moment, a translucent sphere appeared in front of her. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Your Majwesty¡­¡± ¡°Now, if it¡¯s like this, the others won¡¯t see you, right?¡± Her father had hidden her with magic. When she looked up at him with a puzzled face, she saw a somewhat awkward expression. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Goodness, you¡¯re really shy. You¡¯re a smart child, so there must be a reason why you¡¯re feeling very shy. It¡¯s because not everyone¡¯s allowed to see this cute side of yours. When her surroundings had been blocked, her mind surprisingly became calm. The emperor continued to use his magic to move her and lifted her carefully. ¡°I think this is a great start to the party. Siervian will first spend time in the garden.¡± That didn¡¯t sound like a great start at all, but his words were comforting. Unknowingly, Siervian nuzzled deeper in her father¡¯s arms and swallowed the tears that threatened to come out. The White Hall¡¯s garden was, just like the emperor¡¯s private garden, another renowned place in the palace. It had a fountain with a permanent spell, making it possible for water to move brilliantly and freely in the air. There were also fairy sculptures nearby, and as their wings fluttered, they looked almost alive. ¡°Uwah¡­¡± Obviously entranced, Siervian was mesmerized by the dream-like scenery. In her previous life, she came here mostly during the night. It was her first time coming to the garden with the sun out like this. ¡°Mm.¡± The emperor casually pushed a bowl of macarons in front of Siervian. But because she was watching the fountain¡¯s water soar to the sky and fall like lightning, she didn¡¯t see this. ¡°Pwetty¡­¡± The water in the fountain had split into such narrow streams that it couldn¡¯t be seen as it touched the ground. The droplets scattered on the flower petals there. The fountain show changed again so that the water wouldn¡¯t drop to the same location. With her hands clasped together, Siervian looked very happy while looking around the garden. The emperor watched her like this for a while, then gestured to a servant who was standing near the entrance of the garden. ¡°People will start coming in. Don¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Siervian recalled her ugly past again. She became nervous as she tried to sit upright. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Your Majwesty the Empwess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty today, too.¡± The empress approached her first and, hearing her words, Siervian felt anxious. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -9,050 The empress¡¯ favorability fell even more, even as she praised Siervian kindly just now. ¡°Thank you.¡± Siervian managed to curtsy politely and the empress then went to her place next to the emperor and sat down. A group of people slowly entered the garden this time, but at this, Siervian blinked. There were so many more people earlier, but it¡¯s strange. ¡°Are you still scared, Siervy?¡± ¡°Noo, I¡¯m fwine.¡± To make up for the mistake, Siervian said this bravely. Truthfully, the atmosphere had become more comfortable. This was because she was meeting only a few people and she was distracted by the garden. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Hm. You¡¯re brave in any situation. That¡¯s my daughter. I¡¯m so proud of you. If it was up to the emperor, he would have wanted to hold an even bigger and more splendid banquet for his daughter. However, he was also just more concerned for the child who was so easily scared that even the knights still frightened her. ¡°Everyone will greet you gradually. Eat some snacks.¡± ¡°Okaay!¡± The nobles in the hall a while ago were sifted through before they were invited in here. They were now waiting for their turn at the banquet hall because the emperor had limited the number of people who could enter this garden. They eagerly waited for their turn because they were curious about the princess who was like a fairy as she disappeared after each greeting. ¡°He¡¯s the lord of the magic tower,¡± Alderuan said to Siervian. Since the princess was still young, it was possible for greetings to be like this. Naturally, this birthday focused on preparing the best gift for Siervian on the last day of the party. ¡°I greet the two suns of the Empire.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Welcome, Magic Tower Lord.¡± He was an old gentleman who had gray hair and he was dressed neatly in his mage¡¯s robe. Siervian¡¯s curious gaze also turned to him. [ Turana Ellison ] Occupation: Lord of the Magic Tower (Lv.95) Favorability: 20,500 Mood: Exceedingly surprised Thoughts: Hoo, Karmen was right. The wrinkled eyes of the lord of the magic tower held astonishment. It¡¯s been a while since Siervian saw Karmen, so looked around furtively if he was there, but he didn¡¯t come with the lord. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hello¡­¡± When Siervian greeted him cautiously, the lord of the magic tower laughed loudly. [ Turana Ellison ] Favorability: +80 It was strange that his favorability rose at a higher rate than most people. As she wondered if Karmen had put out a good word for her, she fidgeted with her hands. ¡°Happy birthday. I¡¯m still lacking, but I am the Lord of the Magic Tower, Your Highness.¡± In any case, Siervian thanked him gracefully because there¡¯s nothing good about looking bad towards a person who already favored her. [ Favorability: +20 ] [ Favorability: +30 ] [ Favorability: +20 ] [ Favorability: +50 ] [ Favorability: +20 ] Then suddenly, a barrage of windows appeared nearby. The owner of those windows thought that the child was so cute as she was dressed like a fairy but imitated an adult gracefully. Not knowing this, Siervian blinked without understanding. ¡°Just as I heard, Your Highness is so very cute!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Hoho. That must have been thanks.1¡± Her father was acting as he usually did. However, Siervian was a little scared of the empress next to him. She was smiling kindly as if she was the one who had been praised. ¡°¡­¡­¡± [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Thoughts: Why does the tower lord already know the princess¡­ Especially since Siervian could see the turmoil in her thoughts. Chills ran up her spine for no reason, and so Siervian grabbed her father¡¯s collar with one hand. ¡°She¡¯s a little shy. Don¡¯t take it personally.¡± ¡°I believe so. At the banquet hall, the nobles are so curious that they¡¯re going crazy, hohoho.¡± The lord of the magic tower was someone who laughed a lot. [ Turana Ellison ] Thoughts: I should hurry and go brag about how cute the Princess is. Those aristocrats¡¯ facial expressions will be worth seeing. Siervian quickly felt more comfortable with the tower lord because his thoughts weren¡¯t very different from his actions. Though she was curious about why Karmen referred to him as ¡®old man¡¯. ¡°Your Majesty, did you know?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That the Princess has a strong scent of mana.¡± ¡°Scent of mana?¡± Ah, that¡¯s why as soon as the tower lord came, he thought, ¡®Karmen was right¡¯. Siervian¡¯s eyes widened, and at this, the corners of the tower lord¡¯s lips tugged up to a warm smile. This was because he thought that Siervian, just like his granddaughter, looked so lovely. ¡®What Karmen said¡­ It was true?¡¯ Her heart suddenly started beating loudly. Did she really have talent in magic? Suddenly, she thought that her father might know this fact because he was also an excellent mage. But next to her, her father looked at her in a hurry while a status window popped up. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Of course, my Siervian resembles me and has a strong mana scent. She¡¯ll be an amazing mage in the future. After reading this, Siervian looked at her father¡¯s expressionless face. Her eyes were shaking. Her father already knew. But why didn¡¯t he make her study magic early in her previous life? ¡ª¡ª 1 over here, the emperor only said ¡®Mm.¡¯ but the lord of the magic tower just interpreted that as ¡®thanks¡¯ xD ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve sensed such a strong mana scent. As Your Majesty knows¡­¡± ¡°Be careful with your words, Tower Lord,¡± the emperor said. It was around the age of twelve that Siervian first met the tower lord in her previous life. Originally, he wasn¡¯t one to attend such banquets. At that time, she only greeted him because he was there to see her older brother. And he only passed by, as though he didn¡¯t even hear her. ¡°Is the scent of the Princess¡¯ mana that outstanding?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. That is¡­¡± It seemed that the emperor was uncomfortable, and because he blocked the tower lord¡¯s words, the tower lord started to feel wary. Listening to the conversation that passed over her head, Siervian also had a serious expression. There¡¯s something weird here. Obviously, she started studying magic when she was eight years old according to what was customary. However, it was found that she had no talent in it, so she had to refocus on other areas of study that the empress had recommended. ¡®I wonder what happened. If I really have that strong of a mana scent right now, then back then, how¡­¡¯ While contemplating amidst her confusion, the emperor¡¯s ferocious voice boomed through the garden again. ¡°One¡¯s mana scent can change as much as it could when growing up.¡± ¡°That is¡ª however¡­¡± The tower lord agreed, but had a slight look of frustration. ¡°I¡¯m worried that Siervian will act rashly.¡± But after the emperor¡¯s harsh tone, it was the empress who spoke this time as she bowed her head. Grasping the atmosphere, Siervian also nodded. It was also uncomfortable that the empress was smiling at Siervian as if she was behaving well. ¡®Oh¡­ It could have changed.¡¯ Siervian didn¡¯t know that one¡¯s mana scent could change since she didn¡¯t get further with her magic studies before. ¡®Maybe that was the case for me, too. It was there when I was young, but it will disappear soon.¡¯ Eventually, the hope she held ended in vain. Nevertheless, she was still uncomfortable about something. Unconsciously and with a gloomy heart, she looked over to her father, who still had a firm expression on his face. She did it unknowingly, but she looked at his status window to confirm that he wasn¡¯t angry. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: There¡¯s no reason to put unnecessary pressure on Siervy. And there¡¯s also Aviche¡¯s will, so should Siervy play to her heart¡¯s content while she¡¯s a child? Seeing her mother¡¯s name in his status window, her mouth gaped open slightly without realizing it. Her mother left behind a will like that. She was afraid that Siervian would have too much of a hard time studying while she was a child. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be a waste, sire?¡± ¡°Siervy¡¯s education will be enough once she¡¯s eight.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡± Siervian desperately tried not to shed the tears that had risen. She was happy that she heard about her mother. She didn¡¯t want to cry about it. And she now saw that her father didn¡¯t neglect her even though he knew. He just wanted to give her a peaceful childhood. ¡®You don¡¯t know that my mana scent will disappear soon, so there¡¯s nothing that could be done about it.¡¯ It would be useless to learn magic at an early age if the blessing of mana within her would disappear anyway. Her resolution, which had been briefly wavered, soon became stronger. But then¡ªa strange status window appeared near the empress. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Mood: Exceedingly shocked Thoughts: The princess¡¯ abilities are that good? How can this happen¡­ While her expression was calm as she even had a kind smile on, the empress¡¯ thoughts did not match. Siervian couldn¡¯t believe that the empress could manage her facial expressions so calmly even though her thoughts were so different. Siervian was also nervous at the empress¡¯ sudden vigilance. Was she thinking like that because she thought that Siervian would threaten the crown prince¡¯s position? ¡°Anyway, there are more things to celebrate, Princess.¡± [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -100 Holding her father¡¯s collar even more tightly, Siervian managed to bow to express her gratitude. ¡®I¡¯m scared!¡¯ Fortunately, what ensued after this was an ordinary tea party. The crown prince, who came a little late, gave a serious and formal greeting to Siervian. ¡°Happy birthday, Siervian.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t even adore my younger sister even though she¡¯s my younger sister. You¡¯re so pretty right now, I want to sit close to you ?^? And at this, Siervian unconsciously nodded in agreement because his eyes that were constantly going back to look at her looked like he really felt it was unfair. Perhaps understanding her nod, The crown prince¡¯s face brightened up. ¡°Now, let the nobles come in.¡± When the emperor¡¯s order was heard, the knight guards who were keeping watch over the garden stepped back. And the nobles entered in twos or threes gradually as if they were coming in order. Siervian was at a loss because they were being so cautious. ¡°Happy birthday, Princess.¡± ¡°Happy birthday.¡± There were many familiar faces. Some of them carried bad memories, but today, their status windows were generally favorable. It was at this moment that she realized how powerful it was to change rumors. ¡°Try this.¡± And here, the emperor diligently brought snacks for her from far away through magic. Thanks to this, it looked like snacks were flying from a tea table in the distance. ¡°Yummy!¡± ¡°Cute¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, how wonderful.¡± ¡°Hm, hm. Wonderful, indeed¡­¡± Suddenly, murmurs rang inside the garden. [Favorability: +50] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +30] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +50] [Favorability: +20] Siervian felt a little self-conscious at first, but when she noticed that the general mood surrounding her was favorable, she calmed down. In many ways, the status windows helped her enjoy this moment calmly. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Everyone¡¯s eyes seem to be working. Every time they were in cabinet meetings, I doubted whether their heads were screwed on straight. Perhaps the only thing working in their heads is their sense for appreciating beauty. Reading her father¡¯s very harsh assessment of the nobles, Siervian carefully held her fork again. She had already finished her small cake that was especially made for children, but she kind of wanted more. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m afraid that our shy Princess will have an upset stomach. Let¡¯s stop giving her food.¡± However, Siervian froze up after hearing the empress¡¯ voice. ¡°Hm?¡± Her heart pounded. The words that the empress said to her over all those years paralyzed her. Siervian thought she was doing better while she wasn¡¯t under the empress¡¯ gaze, but now that she was facing her, she was feeling afraid. Eventually, Siervian put down the fork she was holding. It was a quick, reflexive action. ¡®I can¡¯t breathe.¡¯ As expected, it¡¯s because she was eating so well lately. Did she look strange because she was growing plumper? The moment Siervian gulped unknowingly, the emperor¡¯s indifferent voice flowed out as if breaking the cold ice in the air. ¡°What are you talking about, Empress.¡± ¡°¡­Your Majesty, I¡¯m only worried for the Princess.¡± The empress suddenly had the benevolent face of a mother as she said this. It really made her look as if she was truly concerned for Siervian. In fact, the nobles also praised the empress, thinking that she seemed to care for the princess quite a bit when they weren¡¯t even biologically related. Looking clearly at their innermost thoughts, Siervian clenched her fists sadly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t seem to know how well Siervy eats.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really looking over her with interest, then you would know how well she eats the palace chef¡¯s food without complaining at all. It¡¯s a shame.¡± However, the atmosphere was quickly reversed the moment her father said this. [ Thoughts: Goodness, I thought that Her Majesty Empress was taking good care of the Princess? ] [ Thoughts: Indeed, Her Highness only had one small cake. Is Her Majesty criticizing the Princess? ] [ Thoughts: The Princess doesn¡¯t complain about food at such a young age? The children of our family should look up to Her Highness. ] The thoughts of the nobles quickly passed by. Until all of Siervian¡¯s depressive thoughts went away. ¡°Come, bring what¡¯s been prepared. The Princess seems thirsty.¡± The emperor issued a new order while Siervian was still frozen with her fork in one hand. He seemed to have thought that she was thirsty. Soon, what the attendant brought was a glass of fruit juice that fit the garden¡¯s refreshing atmosphere. ¡°Go ahead. You can still eat a lot more, right, Siervy?¡± ¡°Yees!¡± With those supportive words, Siervian took the glass of juice with both hands, excited. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was only the empress who did not appreciate how adorably Siervian picked up the glass with her cute hands. ¡®It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s okay now.¡¯ Her father was looking after her like this and everything was fine. As the emperor continued to give out orders for a while, the quiet tea party became livelier again. In the first place, parties like these were more of a place for socializing for nobles. Even more so when the main character of the day, the princess, was still so young. So Siervian was able to look around the garden leisurely thanks to the slightly distanced interest in her. ¡®The spell on the fountain is amazing. Is it a kind of forgotten magic?¡¯ Although magic was extremely advanced in the continent, sometimes there was also forgotten magic. They were either too difficult or too dangerous. For various reasons, those forgotten spells weren¡¯t widely used nowadays. In particular, there were many magical mysteries in the imperial palace. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I could come here during the day. Since I only used to come here at night, I couldn¡¯t even see this pretty scene!¡¯ Not knowing when she could visit this place again, Siervian eagerly watched the fountain and the nearby flower fields. ¡®Huh? What¡¯s that?¡¯ At that time, something suspicious came into her peripherals. The attendant who brought Siervian¡¯s drink earlier moved and a new person came in as if filling in his spot. Though he was dressed for the part, the new person¡¯s status window was weird. [ Kashim ] Occupation: Thief (Lv.85) Mood: Nervous Thoughts: Heck, why aren¡¯t the aristocrats not gathering in one place? ¡­What? Thief?! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 The celebration¡¯s first day had ended. This was because the young princess didn¡¯t seem able to focus on the festivities yet. Much too many things happened in a party where a child was the main character. ¡°Did you have fun today, Princess?¡± ¡°Yeaahh¡­¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t truly because of Siervian¡¯s inability to focus. She was just busy looking at this place and that place because she lost track of the thief for just a moment. ¡°Now then, please say ¡®hooray!¡¯ for me and raise your arms.¡± ¡°Hooray¡­¡± The party ended while she was reading the status windows of everyone who passed by her. The emperor was closely watching how she was acting, and because of this, he sent her back early in case she was feeling sick. ¡°Now, hold your nose please.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± Of course, it was also true that she was tired from walking around in this body she couldn¡¯t quite control yet. Even after Ellie gave her a bath, dressed her and tucked her into bed, Siervian couldn¡¯t fall asleep just yet. ¡®Why is there a thief in the imperial palace?¡¯ Inside the dark bedroom, Siervian was still puzzled. It was a huge matter that a thief had entered the imperial palace. If someone had an unclear background, they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the palace so easily. It was so strange because Siervian couldn¡¯t remember anything about this even though it¡¯s a big deal. ¡®I¡¯m sure nothing like this happened.¡¯ She had never heard of a time when the imperial palace had been infiltrated by a thief. Even if it wasn¡¯t announced to the public, rumors would at least come and go within the palace. ¡®Maybe¡­ I¡¯ll remember¡­¡¯ Anyway, her fatigue was catching up to her. As she drifted off to sleep, she tried to think about the good things that happened today which she would treasure. But then, it was at that moment that she recalled a memory, as though lightning had struck her. ¡®Treasure¡­ Treasure?!¡¯ Her drowsiness suddenly vanished and Siervian sat up in a hurry. Both of her hands were clenched into fists over her blanket. ¡®The burglary of the imperial palace¡¯s treasure room, was it around this time?¡¯ The treasure room was where all the rarest riches of the imperial family were stored, and it was located deep within the place. Not only were there strict guards, but even magical defenses. Even so, when Siervian was young, this imperial treasure room had been raided. ¡®What was stolen again?¡¯ Siervian surprisingly recalled the event right away, but she couldn¡¯t remember what the stolen item was. Either she didn¡¯t hear what it was, or the stolen item wasn¡¯t of that much importance. Anyway, Siervian still thought that this case should be prevented. ¡®Father will be attacked by the aristocrats with this later!¡¯ When she was about fourteen years old, there was an incident that caused the imperial palace¡¯s defenses to be raised. However, the aristocrats hated it whenever the emperor¡¯s authority was strengthened, so they nitpicked and attacked him ferociously. To be exact, the aristocrats tried to fill in positions with the people they recommended, who were not under the direct command of the emperor. ¡®I don¡¯t know much, but I heard that he needed to work really hard..¡¯ It was a great jab at the emperor that he couldn¡¯t even prevent the robbery of the palace¡¯s most guarded area. This incident became a political leverage that was bound to be used as ammunition. ¡®I¡¯ll prevent it this time.¡¯ Balling her small hands into fists, Siervian made this vow. All while hoping that her father won¡¯t need to suffer later. On the second day of festivities, the age group of the guests was lower than the previous day. The offspring of each noble family crossed the threshold of the imperial palace. They were attending an imperial family member¡¯s birthday party now, but later in the future, they would be the ones leading the empire. ¡°Siervian is the main character of the party, so come sit here.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Birthday parties originally had the objective of naturally building friendships. So, neither the emperor nor the empress had attended the event today. The crown prince, of course, was now with the highest authority. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: There¡¯s no one close to Siervian¡¯s age here, and only those allied with the Duchy attended. Mother, again¡­ Siervian wasn¡¯t thinking deeply, but the moment she read his thoughts, only then did she realize that the composition of the young ladies and young lords who had come was strange. She thought that it was only natural to be unfamiliar because she couldn¡¯t get close to people of her own age before. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯s Siervian¡¯s party, but this is too much. I have to protect her. Siervian wasn¡¯t bullied as much as she thought she¡¯d be. Because her older brother stuck close to her from start to finish and took very good care of her. ¡®Brother has been this smart since he was young.¡¯ Siervian was inwardly an adult, but the more she saw her older brother, the more she was surprised at how smart he really was. She admired him for a while, but Siervian¡¯s expression soon crumpled as she was reminded of the trouble ahead. She was certainly grateful for the crown prince¡¯s consideration¡ªbut right now, there was a thief for her to catch. ¡®I didn¡¯t even know you existed yesterday!¡¯ Glancing sideways, Damian thought that Siervian was bored judging by her expression. So, he quickly gestured to the servant next to him. The attendant hastily moved to find someone. It was not long after that Karmen, who ran from the other side of the room, stepped forward. ¡°¡­I greet¡­ the Imperial Princess.¡± Siervian¡¯s eyes widened as she saw Karmen. Anyone could tell that he was forced to come to this party. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: 90,436 Thoughts: You¡¯re really¡­ the Princess. I can¡¯t act like I know you. Karmen¡¯s favorability had risen that much in the meantime, but his thoughts were full of dismay. Of course, Siervian also didn¡¯t think that they¡¯d meet again, but strangely, she couldn¡¯t compel herself to pretend she didn¡¯t know him. ¡°Siervian, this is my fellow apprentice who¡¯s under the tutelage of the Tower Lord, and his name is¡ª¡± ¡°Karmen!¡± ¡°Huh? Siervian, you know Karmen?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Siervian nodded enthusiastically. Karmen averted his eyes, but his favorability was steadily rising, betraying his honest feelings. ¡°Last twime, Sebian got lost and Karmen helped.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± As if withholding the rest as their secret, Siervian deliberately winked at Karmen. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Crazy. You became even cuter since the last time we met? I really, really didn¡¯t want to come to the party because this punk Damian¡­ Well, I guess it¡¯s a good thing that I came in the end. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Unexpectedly, Karmen seemed to have a deeper friendship with the crown prince. Although he spoke with the proper honorifics, his uniquely grumbling tone remained the same. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: This is good. There¡¯s no one else who can help Siervian at this party anyway. Karmen is a good guy, so he¡¯ll be of great help to Siervian in the future. It was only a party for young kids, but the crown prince seemed to have many thoughts. Siervian could understand where he¡¯s coming from, since she herself had lived as an imperial family member. She just felt sorry for her older brother because he was struggling even in this kind of event. ¡°You both be good friends.¡± ¡°Sure, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Okay!¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 And the same was true of Karmen, who kept being conscious about his supposedly unbefitting status in this position. Agonizing over this, Siervian picked up a couple of macarons in front of her and handed one each to the two of them. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Siervian gave up her macarons¡­! I knew it, I¡¯ll need to write about today in my magic tome to commemorate this day! No, uh, you don¡¯t need to go that far though. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Urk, what is this? It¡¯s so sweet. Do all nobles live on sweets like this? Unfortunately, however, Karmen wasn¡¯t thrilled about the macaron. Feeling sad for him, Siervian especially gave him one more macaron. ¡°Th¡­ ank you.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Siervian saw his favorability rising, so it was clear that he still liked it even though his thoughts didn¡¯t point that way. Siervian nodded proudly. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, congratulations on this day.¡± At that time, a greasy looking young man approached them. ¡°¡­The person you should congratulate is someone else, Young Count.¡± The crown prince retorted quickly at the misguided greeting. He was a count¡¯s son, his household being a distant relative of the duchy. ¡°To the Princess, huh. She¡¯s still young, so even if I give her my greetings¡­¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: This son of a¡­ Wanna die? As Karmen stood next to the other kid, his eyebrow quickly twitched. Seeing Karmen¡¯s brutal thoughts, it was to the point that Siervian pulled on his sleeve unknowingly. Perhaps it caught the young lord¡¯s eye, but his pointed gaze turned towards Siervian¡¯s hand, and then to her face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that even a lowborn is attending a party like this, so for His Majesty to value the Princess to this ex¡ª¡± ¡°Young Lord Garske.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± He was talking nonstop as much as he could, until the crown prince¡¯s razor-sharp tone cut him off. Startled by the crown prince¡¯s reaction, the young lord quickly bowed his head. Still, only towards the crown prince. ¡°How dare you be insolent right in front of a member of the Imperial Family, yet try to be forgiven.¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness¡­¡± His father, the count, had also mentioned this and that, so the young lord naturally heard rumors of the imperial princess. Even if the empress acted like she cared about the princess, the real story was different. So naturally, he thought the crown prince was only putting up pretenses, pretending to care for the princess even though he actually thought she was annoying. ¡°Additionally, you insulted my friend.¡± As Damian said this, a strong flow of mana engulfed the young lord. It was how imperial family members who had strong magic power pressured people. Although he was still young, the crown prince¡¯s superiority resembled the emperor¡¯s. ¡°What are you waiting for? Guards!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Take him away at once. I shall confront the Count about this great insult soon.¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness, it was a mistake! Your Highness!¡± Even until the end, that bastard didn¡¯t apologize to either the princess or to Karmen. Outraged by this fact, the crown prince¡¯s sharp gaze looked around the garden. It would be troublesome if his mother would hear about this, but he was confident enough about covering this up as much as he could. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Siervian.¡± ¡°No! He¡¯s the bad guy!¡± In fact, Siervian was entirely fine. She was already used to people looking down on her. However, she didn¡¯t like it when Karmen was insulted. So, as she huffed and puffed, she honestly said her thoughts. ¡°Karmen talks weird but Karmen¡¯s good! Sebi is angry!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Karmen has a bad personality, but he¡¯s a good guy. I¡¯ll scold that jerk a lot.¡± ¡°¡­What are you two talking about.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 Karmen also didn¡¯t like hearing these insults. Still, he didn¡¯t care since they were only flapping their mouths anyway. But of course, he couldn¡¯t not be angry when Siervian was insulted earlier. ¡°I think I have to go for now.¡± ¡°Karmen¡­¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: How dirty and cheap. I need to hurry and be the next lord of the magic tower. If I can get stronger, I can beat them all up. I¡¯m totally going to beat the crap out of them. Siervian, who unfortunately saw these thoughts, soon tilted her head to the side in confusion. He was set to become the best mage, but he seemed to prefer his fists to magic spells. The crown prince also sighed, then he sent off Karmen. He thought that it would be better to let these two get acquainted at a more peaceful place. ¡°See you in class.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After the count¡¯s son was dragged out, the commotion seemed to sort itself out. But the nobles there, who were much older than Siervian, seem to be half-hearted. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The crown prince, not being able to stick next to Siervian all the time, also called them out and moderately dealt with them. It was at that time, when Siervian was freed from constant watching, that she looked around. ¡®Found you! The thief!¡¯ As she read the status windows of the people passing through around her, she was barely able to spot the thief. The thief was cleverly hiding amongst the servants. ¡®No, but how?!¡¯ Surprisingly, however, the thief had a different face today, but the name was definitely the same as yesterday in the status window. ¡°Eri!¡± ¡°Yes, Princess. Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°There, there!¡± The thief was calmly refilling the food, then disappeared to one side. Siervian was convinced that there would certainly be trouble if she missed the thief again this time. He changed his face anyway, but the status window was showing something highly unusual. [ Kashim ] Occupation: Thief (Lv.85) Thoughts: Now. Fortunately, Ellie thought that Siervian was tired, so she carried her right away. ¡°Over there, I wanna go.¡± ¡°Yes, shall we take a break inside?¡± The commotion a while ago was something that the ladies-in-waiting of the Princess¡¯ Palace had seen. Thanks to this, the women around Siervian, including the one carrying her, walked briskly. ¡®Where did he go?¡¯ Ellie tried to bring her to the resting lounge inside. However, Siervian pretended to whine as she shook her head and hugged Ellie. That¡¯s why Ellie had to wander around the palace with the princess in her arms. ¡®Ellie, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be helped. She wouldn¡¯t be able to chase after someone quickly with her small body. Siervian didn¡¯t plan to chase after the thief so recklessly like this, but his status window made her hurry. It seemed like he was determined to do something at this moment. ¡®Ah, I won¡¯t be able to find him at this rate!¡¯ If the thief¡¯s goal was the same as it was in the previous life, then he would have gone to the imperial treasure room anyway. Showing only signs of frustration, Siervian eagerly led Ellie towards one side. As if she already reached the destination after all that whining. ¡®I know where the destination is, so I can just wait there in advance.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know why the thief said, ¡®Now¡¯. But still, Siervian strangely had a strong, bad feeling. She had a hunch that she needed to block him now. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Following Siervian¡¯s directions until now, Ellie didn¡¯t know that they were headed towards the treasure room, and so she made a small yelp. A guard was approaching them to ask what their business was. However, as she went with Ellie and looked ahead, Siervian soon had her eyes wide open. ¡°I greet Your Imperial Highness the Princess. Have you lost your way?¡± [ Kashim ] Occupation: Thief (Lv.85) Thoughts: No, but why is the princess here? Sh*t, I guess I should make a retreat first. With the appearance of a guard, the thief spoke politely. Siervian was shocked. This face was different from when he was a servant a while ago. ¡°No, Her Highness just wanted to¡­¡± Ellie raised Siervian in her arms and explained the situation. As he listened to the explanation with his head down, the thief secretly looked around with a glint in his eyes. [ Kashim ] Thoughts: No, no. Once I go in, I can escape through the secret passage. So if I take the princess hostage¡­ At the mention of ¡®retreat¡¯, Siervian was surprised about how he was trying to get out of this situation. Without Ellie noticing, the thief sneaked one hand to his waist. And what appeared at his side was a weapon. ¡°That man, he¡¯s weird!¡± Urgently pointing a hand at the thief, Siervian shouted a warning. At the sudden remark, Ellie stepped back. At that moment, the thief¡¯s face under the guard¡¯s mask changed abruptly. ¡°Tch!¡± From the thief¡¯s point of view, this felt like a deliberate trap. As always, his disguise was perfect. There should have been no reason for the princess to suddenly shout that way. [ Kashim ] Thoughts: Calm down. First, slash the maid, then take the princess. It won¡¯t be difficult to escape from the treasure room if I just pull that one candelabra. ¡­I keep the princess until the right moment. When a sword was pulled out by the guard, the ladies-in-waiting behind Ellie screamed. In the meantime, Ellie turned back and shielded Siervian with her body. Jane also quickly stepped forward to try and protect the two. ¡°Hand over the Princess!¡± ¡°Run away!¡± The sword swung down in slow motion. She didn¡¯t know this would happen. Siervian desperately tried to get out of Ellie¡¯s arms. It would be better if she became a hostage so that the choices they could make would be more. She never wanted anyone to be sacrificed under the blade of a sword. ¡®No!¡¯ But just before a sea of red would taint her eyes, a black shadow jumped ferociously from one side. ¡°Keugh, what¡ª!¡± ¡°Get back!¡± A knight shouted fiercely towards Jane and Ellie. Seeing the palace guard, both ladies-in-waiting nodded urgently. They realized that it was the escort knight who followed Siervian. While she was still in Ellie¡¯s arms, Siervian could see the two men fighting as she and Ellie were moving backward. Shiiing! Shiiiing! Their swords flashed back and forth to the point that they were invisible. Even in the whirlwind of actions, Siervian sharpened her mind. She wanted to get a glimpse of the thief¡¯s thoughts so that she could get some information. [ Kashim ] Thoughts: This palace guard scoundrel, if I can memorize this scoundrel, too¡­! At that moment, the thief on the defensive had a strange line of thought. She didn¡¯t know what he was suddenly thinking about the palace guard, but it was certain that he¡¯s talking about the one on their side. So, Siervian shouted reflexively. ¡°Caweful!¡± And just then, the thief spewed something out of his mouth. The escort knight, who grew vigilant because of Siervian¡¯s warning, managed to avoid this. ¡°Siervian!¡± Then, there was a thunderous sound from afar. An enormous number of lights hit the thief¡¯s body. As his magic arrived earlier than he did, the crown prince urgently rushed to Siervian¡¯s side. Fortunately, his younger sister was safe. ¡°How dare you¡­¡± The crown prince stared at the thief with such wrath that it was hard to believe it was the anger of an eight-year-old. Seeing the numerous guards and nobles that followed behind him, Sievian gulped dryly. It¡¯s gotten out of hand. ¡°Siervy!¡± Upon hearing the news, the emperor hurried to them. The nobles in the palace, whose children had come for the party, also hastily followed the emperor. Surrounded by guards with the crown prince, Siervian inwardly sweated again. ¡°Your Majwesty¡­¡± She made an effort to control her actions. She curtsied towards him more politely and more properly on purpose. However, when the emperor approached her, the wind rushed in as he urgently hugged her. ¡°Are you alright? Just what has happened here!¡± The emperor immediately rebuked a nearby guard, then he turned to the crown prince this time. After confirming that both his children were unharmed, it was only then that his vicious anger erupted. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± In an instant, the spacious garden where the party was taking place became sorted out. As the nobles were sent out, it wasn¡¯t until then that the emperor raised his chin. ¡®Huh? That person.¡¯ Siervian watched as the person who protected her and the ladies-in-waiting earlier stepped forward. ¡°Explain what happened.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡± [ Adante Roid ] Occupation: The Princess¡¯ Escort Knight (Lv.87) He was a very talented knight who would become the Captain of the Imperial Guard in the future. Seeing what was written in his occupation, Siervian was surprised as she realized that such an outstanding knight was her guard. ¡°While I was escorting Her Highness, we reached the treasure room. There was a palace guard whose face I hadn¡¯t seen before, so I sent a signal to have the situation checked carefully, sire.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°But even faster than I could, Her Highness noticed that something was strange. The man tried to attack, so I started defending at that point.¡± In the following explanation, Siervian could feel tears pooling at her eyes again. She was scared that, when it was mentioned that she noticed something strange, maybe she would be misunderstood. Indeed, as the emperor heard those words, the emperor asked her with wonder. ¡°Siervy, how did you know it was strange?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she could see people¡¯s innermost thoughts because of the status window. Eventually, Siervian decided to be honest, and right after, her small body followed. ¡°Jwust, bad! Like this! Face!¡± ¡°His face?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s weird¡­¡± Ah, she¡¯s in trouble. This ridiculous excuse seemed to throw her under more suspicion. What if she¡¯d end up being dragged away to the magical treatment center? ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Surprisingly, however, everyone nearby started nodding in agreement. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± When she blinked her wide eyes, the emperor carefully stroked her head. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­Yees.¡± It¡¯s good that he believed her, but it felt a little burdensome. He tried to control himself only in front of his daughter, but there was no need for that now. Sitting on his throne with a severe look, Alderuan asked the men who were bowing their heads below. ¡°Has he confessed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that¡ªit turns out that he was aiming for the Imperial Palace¡¯s treasure.¡± Alderuan clenched his hands into fists, and a wave of brutal mana that could be found in battlefields broke out. ¡°¡­As expected, he was aiming to kidnap the Princess.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s aiming for the greatest treasure of the Imperial Palace¡¯s treasure, then isn¡¯t it that he planned to kidnap Siervian?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 The interrogator, who came here to report about the questioning that had been conducted on the thief, could not hide his bewilderment. ¡°T-That¡¯s not it, sire. I believe his purpose was the treasure room.¡± However, soon after the interrogator said this, Emperor Alderuan¡¯s expression hardened as he stared down at the other man. The interrogator was already under so much pressure, and now his mouth was dry. ¡°So, you dare say that my daughter is not a treasure?¡± ¡°D-Did I make a slip of the tongue? Please forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± At that moment, not only the emperor but also the crown prince, who was standing nearby, widened their eyes fiercely. Thanks to this, the interrogator trembled even more as he lowered his body to the floor. ¡°O-Of course, Her Highness the Princess is the greatest treasure of this empire, however, the thief¡¯s objective seems to be the other treasures inside the treasure room.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Only then did the emperor draw back the pressure he was exuding. He nodded. Reading the atmosphere, the interrogator quickly looked back at the attendant who was behind him. ¡°What is that,¡± the emperor asked. ¡°These are the criminal¡¯s possessions, sire. As you can see, he intended to infiltrate a certain place.¡± What the interrogator showed was a bead containing the spell to release a magic trap, as well as a variety of tools to force a lock open. ¡°Father. I don¡¯t think his goal was to take Siervian.¡± As Damian was standing next to his father here to solve the case, he spoke up. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± ¡°Yes. First of all, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to know that Siervian would come to that particular place. It¡¯s not easy to expect the birthday party¡¯s main character to go someplace so out of the way.¡± Damian had a misunderstanding about Siervian going to that place. He thought that she must have gone so far out to that place because she wanted to avoid the count¡¯s son. It was an open secret that the emperor, who Damian shared this misunderstanding with, was planning to condemn the count. ¡°Even when I heard from the ladies-in-waiting, it seemed that it was an unplanned trip for the Princess to go there.¡± Hex also added this. He was the one who took the testimonies of the ladies-in-waiting. ¡°Those words make sense. It¡¯s another one that¡¯s caught.¡± According to the escort knight who was assigned to Siervian, she had evidently pointed exactly towards the thief when she said he was ¡®weird¡¯. As if she could clearly see the man¡¯s innermost thoughts. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Damian asked. ¡°The same happened with the mage scoundrel last time. There are so many ruffians hovering around Siervian.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Siervian has good senses?¡± Then, as the father and son duo were about to go into their fervent discussion, Siervian¡¯s escort knight spoke up. ¡°Your Majesty. There¡¯s one more thing I must report.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°This could be something I¡¯m wrong about, however it seems as though Her Highness started warning me about the intruder ¡®memorizing¡¯¡­¡± The captain of the imperial guard, who was next to the escort knight, looked towards the younger man with a surprised expression. This was because it¡¯s unclear how a six-year-old child could possibly read the next move of a thief. However, escort knight Adante believed in the princess¡¯ instinct. Obviously, at that time, it looked exactly as though the princess was warning him like she had read the thief¡¯s mind beforehand. ¡°Y-Your Majesty. Sir Roid¡¯s concern for Her Highness is great because he couldn¡¯t properly protect her, which is why¡­¡± The captain of the imperial guard was worried that an outstanding knight such as Adante would be reprimanded for saying such nonsense. At that time, Adante certainly did his job right. However, the position of an escort knight was a precarious one no matter what kind of circumstance would pass. ¡°Please forgive him.¡± Without noticing that the knight captain was sweating bullets while making excuses for him, Adante only looked straight into the emperor¡¯s eyes with conviction. ¡°Mm.¡± However, rather than rebuking the knight, the emperor was lost in deep thought. This was Siervian they were talking about, and she didn¡¯t usually whine all that much. It was also strange that she asked her lady-in-waiting to carry her to such a distant place at that exact moment. Of course, it¡¯s still possible that the count¡¯s son could be the main cause for this. ¡°Father, as expected of Siervian¡­¡± Siervian believed that the excuse of a ¡®weird face¡¯ was crude, but the emperor had different thoughts. In the end, a mage was someone who would deal with mana. And mana was a power that was like the law surrounding the world. ¡°Right. It¡¯s possibly because of her natural abilities.¡± Those who were talented enough to be filled with the ¡®scent¡¯ of mana could excel in that kind of intuition. In particular, someone like that would become sensitive to any crisis. Therefore, it was entirely plausible for Siervian to have pointed out suspicious individuals. ¡°As expected, my sister is cute and has excellent skills.¡± ¡°Mm. It¡¯s because of her overflowing loveliness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, it couldn¡¯t be brushed aside that these might be the words of a father and brother who were fools for Siervian. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± At that time, a guard rushed from afar. ¡°I-I express my most humble apologies, however, the prisoner has been found dead.¡± ¡°What? How on earth do you manage that prison!¡± The interrogator, who had still been lying on his stomach at that point, immediately stood up and ran to the dungeon. After a while, he found the cause and he had to return to report his findings. ¡°So it¡¯s poison¡­ Father, it seems to have been a different perpetrator.¡± Obviously, the prisoner was trapped and couldn¡¯t move. But suddenly, his whole body was found twisted as he was dead. Through the use of mana, the corpse was examined. And there, poison was detected. ¡°That¡¯s a high possibility.¡± The coroner had diagnosed that when the prisoner had been caught, he already had the poison in his system. He could have taken the antidote, but there was a time limit. This was a method frequently used by aristocrats when commissioning covert operations in order to prevent information from leaking out. ¡°There must have been someone who brought him into the palace. Find those traces.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± As he was giving his orders, Alderuan frowned. It¡¯s known that his purpose was to pilfer the imperial treasure room. However, it now became impossible to know just what exactly it was that he came here to steal. On the last day of the birthday celebration, the number of attendees decreased significantly. This wasn¡¯t because of yesterday¡¯s incident. The final party was originally planned to be a small gathering where only the imperial family would attend. The number of people attending was the least over the past few days, but the event itself at this moment was decorated the most splendidly compared to the other days. ¡°Uwah¡­¡± Arriving at the small party hall, Siervian¡¯s mouth gaped open as she gasped in admiration. Because, right next to the colorful chocolate fountain, there was a cute house made of macarons. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yesh!¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: This best gift is my idea. Thrilled, Siervian ran forward excitedly, forgetting that the empress was in the same room. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: ¡­Father monopolized all the chefs in the palace. I made an oversight. I should¡¯ve recruited them in advance. Next to the emperor, the crown prince¡¯s disappointed status window popped up, but Siervian was entirely beside herself in excitement that she didn¡¯t notice. She entered the house, carefully stepping at the parts that were meant to be stepped on. The doorknob got caught in her hand, so she naturally put it into her mouth. ¡°Here. A gift.¡± Carrying a large box, the crown prince approached her with a determined look. Siervian was happy to receive his gift, but she was feeling a little impatient because the cookie house was right there. ¡°Big teddy!¡± Fortunately, Siervian wasn¡¯t so distracted by the sweets anymore. Her attention quickly shifted to the teddy bear. The crown prince threw a gloating look towards his father, but he soon turned back to Siervian and explained to her the stuffed toy¡¯s features. ¡°If you sleep together with this teddy bear, your bed will be warmer.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Being the smart older brother that he was, this was a really good gift idea. All of Siervian¡¯s furniture in her room had been changed to suit her, but the bed still felt so big. It was because Siervian was too small in the first place. ¡°Sebi likes teddy!¡± However, if there was a teddy bear as big as her right next to her in her bed, then she would surely be able to sleep pleasantly. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Gracious. The other presents need to be brought out! It can¡¯t end like this. The empress also approached and presented a gift to Siervian, but it was a tea set. Siervian recalled the bitter black tea that the empress made her drink in her previous life, but she managed to thank the empress. Happily receiving her gifts, the emperor said one more thing to her. ¡°You also bravely caught the thief yesterday, so I¡¯ll grant you one more wish.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± At the sudden remark, the empress¡¯ expression hardened and she began to protest. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­I am worried that the Princess will not uphold her duty as a member of the Imperial Family because she is still too young. In addition, I think it would be right to praise the Crown Prince instead because of the active role that he played yesterday.¡± The room¡¯s atmosphere suddenly became serious, and Siervian looked around her. The empress¡¯ status window was filled with all kinds of negative thoughts that Siervian didn¡¯t need to focus on them to know what she¡¯s thinking. ¡°As you¡¯ve said about the duty of the Imperial Family, Empress, isn¡¯t it only natural for the Crown Prince to protect his sister and the palace?¡± ¡°T-That¡­¡± ¡°What I want to praise here is the courage that Siervian has displayed when she hasn¡¯t even learned magic. Isn¡¯t the Crown Prince already capable of handling a situation like this?¡± In fact, it was both the escort knight and the crown prince who caught the thief. That¡¯s why Siervian also thought that this wish as a gift was excessive. However, at the emperor¡¯s firm words, the empress bowed her head carefully. In the end, he had firmly acknowledged the crown prince¡¯s abilities, so she couldn¡¯t say anything to refute his words. Feeling how the empress had backed down, the crown prince quickly stepped forward. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s words are correct. I did only what needed to be done. Siervian was the one who bravely warned everyone, that¡¯s why it was possible to prevent the incident.¡± ¡°Since the Crown Prince has spoken so, I shall follow Your Majesty¡¯s will,¡± the empress relented. In a blink of an eye, several political battles had passed. Siervian didn¡¯t even think of getting a wish like this, and it was so out of the blue. She could only hug the teddy bear and look around. ¡°Now, the Empress has said so. Tell me your wish, Siervy.¡± At this time, the emperor thought that Siervian would wish to have another cake or have a tour around the garden. However, Siervian thought about it for a long time. And when she answered eventually, it was something that was completely unexpected. ¡°Sebi wants to see the tweasure room of the pawace.¡± As the empress¡¯ eyes grew ferocious once more, Siervian hugged the teddy bear tighter and pretended she didn¡¯t notice. She didn¡¯t mean for this to happen, but she couldn¡¯t just let go of a good opportunity. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 The request was unexpected for Emperor Alderuan, but it wasn¡¯t so strange that she asked for it. This was because, just in case she had gotten too scared from what happened yesterday, it was explained to her that the purpose of the criminal wasn¡¯t to kidnap her, but to steal something in the treasure room. That¡¯s why it was natural that the child would become interested in the treasure room. ¡°Here it is, Siervy.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± As they went further inside compared to yesterday when the thief was caught, Siervian saw the magnificent dome-like structure. There was a white corridor in front that was connected to this place. Pillars engraved with colorful engravings lined up at the sides, and between the pillars, the unusually bright sunlight seeped through. At one glance, this place seemed to be just a small and simple prayer room. ¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve come this close to the treasure room.¡¯ Walking down the hallway next to her father, Siervian couldn¡¯t hide her curiosity. This was because, unexpectedly, the treasure room wasn¡¯t all that big. Especially because she was still just the size of a child now, and she still thought the room wasn¡¯t that big. ¡°You must be thinking that the treasure room is smaller than you thought.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Siervian looked up as she heard her father speak. His voice sounded amazing with the acoustics in this place. ¡°You¡¯ll be more surprised when you go in.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I hope Siervy can remember this until long into the future. There was an unusual sense of excitement in his words. Thanks to this, Siervian couldn¡¯t control her pounding heart. They soon approached a small white door. It looked like only one person could go through it. There was a pattern of two blue wolves facing each on the door, and this was the symbol of the imperial family. ¡°Blue wolfy¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the symbol of our imperial family.¡± With her father¡¯s statement full of pride, Siervian carefully examined the symbol. As she looked at it for a long time, the wolves suddenly seemed to move as though they were alive. ¡°Uwah¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Did it startle you? The wolf engravings seem to have amazed you. She thought it had something to do with magic, but her father¡¯s reaction was a bit strange. Before she could express her doubt, the emperor reached out to the door. This treasure room responds to the mana that¡¯s unique to the imperial family. Once you learn how to wield magic later, you can come here alone, Siervy.¡± ¡°Yees¡­¡± It¡¯s sad, but that won¡¯t be happening in the future. That¡¯s why Siervian was more excited about exploring the treasure room now. This might be the last time she¡¯s allowed here. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go in now.¡± A group of bright lights leaked out of Alderuan¡¯s fingertips. When he infused the door with his pure mana, the wolf engravings glowed. As though it hadn¡¯t been tightly closed just now, the entrance swung wide open. ¡°Wah¡­¡± As soon as the door opened, Siervian doubted her own eyes. Obviously, the dome looked so small from the outside and she knew that she could have explored the entire place with just a few steps. However, the interior that she could see through the open door was so outstandingly vast. ¡°You can¡¯t leave my side today because it¡¯s dangerous, Siervy. Even though it doesn¡¯t look like that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a magic spell in place. If an unauthorized person comes in, they¡¯ll get lost. Once you¡¯re a little older, you can use your own mana to get out of the spell, but it¡¯s better to be careful for now.¡± She already expected that there would be a security spell in place, but she suddenly got scared. Even so, she had no plans of leaving her father¡¯s side anyway, so she was more determined. Siervian made an effort to straighten her posture, then she nodded. ¡°Sebi is gonna be caweful.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] At that moment, so many status windows suddenly popped up in front of her eyes. When she looked around in amazement, her little hand unconsciously tightened over her father¡¯s. ¡°Hm. You look scared. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± What a weird reaction. She definitely showed her determination! However as Siervian¡¯s hand was in his already anyway, she decided to let it slide. It made her feel relieved just holding his hand. This was all because her young body was moving on its own, really. ¡°There¡¯s a space expansion spell inside the treasure room. However, that type of spell is now considered a forgotten magic.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± With her eyes sparkling, Siervian entered. The treasure room, where all kinds of rare items were neatly displayed, was beyond her imagination. Most of the information about the treasure room was kept hidden and thoroughly veiled, so this was all a brand new adventure for her. ¡°Over here are some of the first emperor¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Uwah!¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I have a hunch that this must be what the thief was aiming for. The first emperor¡¯s personal items would be treated as extremely rare treasures wherever you go. Siervian was also aware that the captured thief had died, so it was impossible to know what exactly it was that he tried to steal. Just as she expected, she confirmed through looking at a lot of people¡¯s status windows that the treasure room really was the thief¡¯s agenda. She looked around to see the treasures, and when she turned back and saw the emperor¡¯s new speculative thoughts, her curiosity was revived once more. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I wonder what it is. Maybe it¡¯s the most expensive mana stone of ice. As Siervian read his thoughts, she inwardly shook her head. Then, she looked at one particular corner on the side. ¡®It¡¯s that one.¡¯ The first emperor¡¯s staff. That was what the thief was aiming for. Just before he passed out due to the crown prince¡¯s magic attack, Siervian managed to get a glimpse of the thief¡¯s real purpose. ¡°What¡¯s thaaat?¡± As though something caught her eye for no reason, Siervian casually asked. Then, she raised the hand that wasn¡¯t being held by her father, then pointed her small finger. ¡°Hm? That¡¯s the staff that the first emperor used. It holds a great meaning, but its magical value is not that great. I believe he only used it while he was an apprentice?¡± ¡°Oohh¡­¡± The more she listened to his explanation, the more suspicious she became of it. No matter how valuable the first emperor¡¯s personal effects were, why would a thief break into the imperial treasure room and get that of all things? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Come to think of it, it¡¯s also questionable how that criminal planned to enter this place. Maybe he doesn¡¯t know that only the imperial family can enter this room without any problems. Since the thief had been caught before he could do something, her father seemed to think that it was a simple incident. However, because she knew about which object was about to be stolen and due to her memories of the previous life, Siervian¡¯s questions only piled up even more. ¡®How did the thief in my previous life get out of this place when he was supposed to have gotten lost?¡¯ Alderuan took another step forward and casually explained to Siervian more about the first emperor¡¯s items. The small warmth that he could feel in his palm couldn¡¯t be any more precious. Seeing his daughter look all over the place with such sparkling eyes, Alderuan felt prouder. ¡°We¡¯ve collected many ordinary gems here as well. For example, there are some of the imperial family¡¯s personal belongings.¡± They were only walking forward, but the hallway seemed to continue endlessly. If this was a normal space, they would have been near the southern entrance by now. And if her father hadn¡¯t explained at first, she would have thought that she was wandering through hallucinatory magic. ¡®The candelabra¡­! That¡¯s the secret passage!¡¯ At some point, decorative candelabras that didn¡¯t provide any illumination appeared. Instead, the places where fire should have been lit glowed with subtle magical spheres of light. Then, at the end of the hall was a candelabra right in the middle of the wall. ¡®I think it¡¯s this one.¡¯ The candelabra didn¡¯t look all too different from the others. However, because of the bright illumination around them, Siervian could see a distinct engraving underneath it. ¡®There¡¯s a pattern¡­ Sephinel?¡¯ The flower¡¯s purple petals made it apparent that it was the sephinel flower, and there was a legend that it¡¯s the flower where the Mana Fairy lives. Siervian could only see it now because of how small she was. ¡°Now, this is the end of the treasure room. Do you want to explore more?¡± ¡°Nooo¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] She got exhausted quickly because she had listened to his various explanations all throughout the tour of the room. Unconsciously letting out a whining sound, Siervian tugged on her father¡¯s hand, which she was still holding all this time. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back and rest now.¡± Thinking that she was adorable, Alderuan carefully carried Siervian. The way she was blinking slowly expressed how tired she was. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the way out. Just as her father reassured, the exit was shown in an instant. With her in his arms, he turned around the way they came¡ªand right there, the door they had gone through in the beginning suddenly appeared. ¡°Ah!¡± It was the same door with the blue wolf engravings. All it took was one step, and they were able to leave the treasure room right away. They walked around for such a long time before, but this was really amazing. ¡°You can sleep if you want to, Siervy.¡± ¡°Mmmhh.¡± She was already in her father¡¯s embrace, but she should make him carry her more. So, she tried to stay awake somehow, but instead, she just buried her face on her father¡¯s shoulder comfortably. As she slowly slipped into slumber, Siervian thought about her questions one by one. What was at the end of the secret passage? Why did the thief have to steal that one in particular? And the person who hired him to do it¡­ Who was it? After the birthday party, her peaceful daily life returned. Siervian never felt happier. This was because she was proud of the fact that her knowledge of the future helped her family. ¡®I want to continue helping.¡¯ She had yet to reveal that she knew what the thief originally came to steal or the secret passage he had planned to use for his escape. But, Siervian decided to take it slow. At this rate, maybe her end wouldn¡¯t be through the same death penalty. If she can continue doing well, she might be able to stay with her family and be happy! ¡®I need to stay strong.¡¯ Clenching her hands secretly, Siervian made a silent vow. She didn¡¯t even know that Jane was trying to stop herself from chuckling because she saw the princess¡¯ cute expression. ¡°Now then, Princess. Here is the updated property list of the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± ¡°Mmmh, Sebi doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± While reacting like a child would, she secretly read the property list. And, soon after she scanned through the items written there, her eyes became as wide as saucers. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 Even at one slight glance, what¡¯s written was very clear¡ªand it was a ridiculous amount of gold. ¡®Why is there this much?¡¯ Ellie calmly placed the list in front of Siervian and continued to explain. The emperor was the one taking charge of her right now, but as an imperial princess, she must know how to manage this herself in the future. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Princess. You can read all the letters slowly once you¡¯re learned them.¡± Siervian continued to read the list as though she¡¯d become possessed, and then she blinked in surprise. She forgot that she hadn¡¯t officially learned to read just yet. First of all, she calmed down her pounding heart and quickly gulped. ¡°I brought it for Your Highness to see how it is today.¡± Fortunately, Ellie seemed to think that it was only curiosity compelling Siervian¡¯s gaze to linger on those letters and numbers for a long time. Soon after she skimmed the property list, the ladies-in-waiting led Siervian to a different place inside the Princess¡¯ Palace. In her previous life, the palace was blanketed with dust and had always been empty, but now it was decorated generously and had soft carpets on the ground. ¡°Look, Princess. You¡¯ve received so many presents!¡± The room was entirely full of gifts, both big and small. Looking at the piles of gifts that were taller than herself, Siervian looked around with confusion. ¡°All pwesents are for Sebi¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Of course, since they were in her palace, they must be gifts for her. But it still didn¡¯t feel real. In her previous life, no one would convey such devotion towards a disgraceful and temperamental imperial princess. ¡°Would you like to open them one by one?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: They¡¯ve been filtered already, but I¡¯ll have to be by Your Highness¡¯ side just in case. Our precious Princess can¡¯t get hurt. Reading the status windows of the ladies-in-waiting next to her, Siervian found out that these gifts had already gone through a magic scan before. It was amazing because it all seemed to be things that were natural for a princess to have. Like it was natural that she was being cherished like this. ¡°Right, Your Highness. Just as you mentioned, the macarons had been given to the people of the slums.¡± Jane said this while she was handing over a gift to Siervian. ¡°Mmh. Thank yew.¡± [ Jane ] Favorability: +50 ¡°Our Princess, goodness. You have a beautiful heart.¡± The macaron house that she received from her father was really touching, but there was one unfortunate fact. That the macarons could only be eaten after a certain time had passed. ¡®No more wasting food!¡¯ Of course, Siervian learned about this in her previous life. Nevertheless, as she was surrounded by love all around her now, she still carried that lesson with her. The reason why they were all so angry about food being thrown away at that time. ¡®It¡¯s an important issue for the commoners. So as a princess, I shouldn¡¯t be a wasteful person.¡¯ So as she was enlightened, she used the pain she experienced in her previous life and turned it into something new. She wanted to be an even more honorable imperial princess that her family could be proud of. ¡°Eri, your sibwing? Did you give some macawon? Jane also? Did you give to your family?¡± That¡¯s why she asked her father about it, for the food to be shared with the children of the slums instead of being thrown away. She had already asked him for a different wish then, but her father was rather willing to grant her another one. ¡°Of course, Princess. Thanks to Your Highness, my sibling ate something very tasty. Thank you.¡± ¡°My family as well. Thank you, Princess.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± At the tender words of the ladies-in-waiting, Siervian bowed her head out of shyness. Even though she habitually hugged her doll tightly, strangely, a smile was on her lips. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Princess!¡± [ Favorability: +50 ] [ Favorability: +50 ] [ Favorability: +50 ] [ Favorability: +50 ] Whenever she thought of the slums, she was reminded of Karmen. She sent him more macarons in particular, so he must have shared them with the kids he considered to be younger siblings. Though his way of speaking was blunt, Karmen himself must have eaten many macarons! ¡°After this, would you like to have some refreshments?¡± ¡°Yees!¡± Recently, Siervian had discovered how tasty fruit juice was. It was great now that they could eat fruits from the south because the storm season had ended. And once the storm season was over, it meant that the social season would soon be in full swing. ¡®I don¡¯t have any good memories of high society, but still.¡¯ She was very happy that she could enjoy these various fruits, which couldn¡¯t come into the empire before. ¡®But you know, I kinda have a lot of money.¡¯ Her heart sped up when she thought about the grand total that she saw at the bottom of the property list. However, on one hand, she still wanted to learn more. She wanted to know how large exactly that total was, and she wanted to know what she had to do to stay with her family. ¡®I need someone to guide me.¡¯ That¡¯s why Siervian desperately felt the need to have a teacher. Not just in history class, but a teacher who would tell Siervian the true reality of the world. ¡®And I need someone to move for me.¡¯ This time, the innocent ladies-in-waiting almost got hurt trying to catch the thief. Siervian herself also might have gotten put into danger if her father hadn¡¯t given her an escort knight in advance. ¡®I don¡¯t want anyone to be in danger.¡¯ As she let go of the gift in her small hands, she was deeply lost in thought. Who should she look for? Peep. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Snoop, peep. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Over the past few days, Siervian had been eagerly going in and out of the lower administration office. And the young man who caught her eyes was from the Ministry of Finance. ¡®What about that person?¡¯ She had many conditions for the teacher she was looking for considering that they would be teaching her about life. First of all, it should be someone who wouldn¡¯t hold back telling her the truth, even with her status as a princess. And while they shouldn¡¯t be a bad person, they should also have adequate enough favorability points for Siervian. ¡®And it has to be someone who can be my hands and feet.¡¯ Although she didn¡¯t know how to deal with other people, she knew that a one-sided relationship wouldn¡¯t last long. In her previous life, there was also someone else who approached her despite being known as a wicked princess. But soon, that person got disappointed in her when it was found out that Siervian couldn¡¯t give anything back. That much necessity was important to humans. Unlike when she was known as a wicked princess, it would be better if she could have a give-and-take relationship with her new teacher. ¡®As expected, it has to be him.¡¯ In that sense, one such appropriate person caught her eyes. [ Marco William ] Occupation: Junior Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Finance (Lv.56) Favorability: 5,030 Mood: Contemplative Thoughts: I knew it, I¡¯ll have to leave this month¡¯s payroll to Gabriel¡¯s firm. 13% of the annual interest might disappear in the future. Ah, I want to earn a lot of money. I want to be like those nouveau riche. I wish I could pick up one huge chunk of gold on the side of the road or something. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to find someone from the Ministry of Finance when it came to asking about money? With such a simple idea in mind, Siervian found a tremendous talent in this place. The princess had been snooping behind him for several days. ¡°¡­¡­¡± With the back of his head feeling hot because of her persistent gaze, Marco awkwardly organized the documents in front of him. The princess had been coming to the lower administrative office everyday lately, and to everyone else, she was like a celebrity. Though of course, everyone pretended not to see her. This was because of the emperor¡¯s strict order to allow the princess to move freely because she was very shy. The emperor said this command in such a graceful manner, but it wasn¡¯t really clear what he meant. Maybe just cover their eyes well so that the princess wouldn¡¯t be flustered? ¡°Hm, hmmm.¡± Unexpectedly, the princess only continued to look around the office without bothering any of them. She seemed just like a curious child who was exploring this place and that. Thanks to this, those who were afraid of being caught went about their ways stiffly at first, but at some point, most people got used to the cute princess who was waddling around the office. All except for Marco. ¡®But why¡ªwhy does it feel like you¡¯re observing me though?!¡¯ The first time he found the princess hiding behind a wall and peeping with her head out, Marco smiled inwardly and tried to hide it. If he would get caught, they¡¯d say he was being disrespectful, but he did also think of his youngest sibling at home. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll spend a little time in that corner in the garden.¡¯ But strangely, he felt that the princess¡¯ gaze seemed to be directed only at him. He had nothing to be guilty about, but any interest from the imperial family was burdensome. He could feel the cold sweat trickling down, but Marco tried to naturally, casually, run away to the corner of the garden. ¡°Phew¡­¡± But the moment he tried to catch his breath, ¡°Hi!¡± ¡°Hiiiek!¡± The princess popped out of a bush and greeted him. Marco was just trying to avoid her, but now he freaked out without showing any dignity. ¡°I greet Your Highness, the Imperial Princess. I am Marco William, a junior administrative officer at the Minister of Finance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But he managed to pull himself together and politely greeted her according to the proper etiquette. Even so, the lively little princess looked up at her with the unique blue eyes of the imperial family. ¡°I-Is there something the matter, Princess?¡± No matter how much he wracked his head, he couldn¡¯t think of anything he did wrong. While he was working at the Ministry of Finance, he worked while thinking of the Mana God! There was nothing for him to be ashamed of! ¡°You know.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Princess.¡± Siervian, who had just been observing him until now, finally broached the subject. She also got a little taken aback when he suddenly ran away from her. ¡°Sebiii, you know, Sebi wants to learn something.¡± ¡°From me, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Hearing the sudden words, Marco was entirely flustered. In an imperial palace full of renowned scholars, why on earth would she choose him? ¡°With all due respect, Your Highness. My views are limited as I am only a junior administrative officer. It is concerning that I might only hinder the Princess.¡± ¡°Hnnn¡­¡± Marco began explaining to Siervian very gracefully and politely, also not forgetting to describe slowly how incompetent he was in consideration to her, who was still a child. However, Siervian clearly knew that he had a higher level than other junior officials. And, his inner thoughts. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: No, no. It won¡¯t be profitable. I¡¯ll get cursed at if I¡¯m a good teacher, and I¡¯ll get cursed at if I¡¯m bad. More than anything, the money! It won¡¯t work! I can afford getting cursed at a little, but no, no. I can¡¯t do this. Startled by how frankly he thought of his priorities, Siervian urgently shouted. ¡°Sebi will give you money!¡± No matter how much she thought about it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find another person as serious about money matters more than him. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 At Siervian¡¯s urgent outburst, Marco stopped in his tracks. Going down on one knee politely, he looked at the princess and asked in reflex. ¡°Your Highness. Do you mean, something like money¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. Money!¡± Marco had asked reflexively due to habit, but in fact, he wasn¡¯t expecting much. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: You¡¯re still young, so you probably don¡¯t even understand the concept of money¡­ This was true, and at this, Siervian grimaced. But to other people, she looked like she was cutely sulking. ¡°Ahem, um. I implore you, Your Highness, but there must be a better teacher out there for the Princess.¡± [ Marco William ] Favorability: +30 Thoughts: If it¡¯s 5 million, then I might give some time to think about it, but¡­ Eyy, no way. Let¡¯s not bring it up. Fortunately for Siervian, a hint came up in his status window. There it was. She could raise the right number for Marco! ¡°No! Sebi can really give money!¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Seeing Marco¡¯s face crumpled again, Siervian grew impatient. She quickly brought up her cute fingers and spread them wide. It would be better if she gave him double, right? ¡°Thwis¡­ Thwis much.¡± Marco¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Siervian, who was holding up all ten of her fingers. Watching his reaction, she shouted firmly. ¡°Ten miwwion!¡± Marco stayed silent for a moment, even at Siervian¡¯s desperate cry. This made her hesitate for a moment, wondering if it was enough. Then. [ Marco William ] Favorability: 10,500 (new!) The status window shone brilliantly. Siervian tilted her head to the side because this was something she had never seen before. His favorability had just been 5,030 before, meaning it was only a marginal favorability for her, but then it nearly doubled in that one instant. ¡°I dedicate my true loyalty to you, Your Highness.¡± At that moment, accompanied by a shimmering light around him, Marco knelt down more politely than he did before. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Though she was a child, Siervian was part of the imperial family, so it was natural for her to be at the top of this hierarchical society. Even so, Marco thought time and time again. The best liege was a liege who would take care of him with a lot of money. ¡°Then, what is Your Highness¡¯ first command?¡± Marco, who was previously determined to run away earlier, was now showing great enthusiasm. That¡¯s why Siervian could only nod back with a puzzled face. In any case, much easier than she thought it would be, she found someone who¡¯d teach her about money. The social season was now in full swing. Siervian hated this season of the year, but there was still one thing she was looking forward to. The spring picnic. ¡°What do you have in mind, Princess?¡± Jane asked her, as she carefully combed the child¡¯s black hair. ¡°Nothing much.¡± With the princess being deep in thought like this, her cheeks looked oh so puffier than before. When Jane first entered the Princess¡¯ Palace, the first thing she wanted to do was to feed the princess ten meals a day. ¡°What would you like to do today?¡± ¡°Umm.¡± Perhaps she had an exciting plan in mind, but Siervian mumbled as she mulled over it. As more people actively communicated with her, Siervian became more talkative. Her pronunciation had also become clearer as the words she used to express her intentions also became more detailed. ¡®I want to go to the spring picnic.¡¯ And as she planned things with a much clearer thought process than Jane would realize, Siervian was lost in thought. The millenary garden, which was surrounded by a magic circle, had always been the number one place that everyone would like to go to in the empire during spring. And spring picnics were customarily held there. ¡®I want to see the sephinel flower¡­¡¯ The sephinel flower was a legendary flower that blooms only once every millennium, but it was easy to find it at the millenary garden. It was one of the achievements of the first emperor that the sephinel flower¡¯s existence would become natural. Since time was stopped inside the millenary garden for the flowers, any blossom that should have withered in a week¡¯s time could bloom forever in there. Since then, the garden with the sephinel flowers began to be called the ¡®millenary garden¡¯. ¡®I want to observe one closely.¡¯ A sephinel flower looks like a long, purple lily, and it boasts of a mysterious appearance. Besides that, the reason why the first emperor had stopped time inside the garden was one of the common themes of the empire¡¯s poems and ballads. It¡¯s said that the millenary garden was the first emperor¡¯s gift to his empress, who loved the sephinel flowers the most. ¡®What an amazing magic spell.¡¯ The garden had a legend for lovers, but it¡¯s also very famous amongst mages because of the temporal stasis spell. It¡¯s also amazing that it¡¯s a place where spring could be experienced, since in the first place, it had been impossible for spring to come to the north. ¡®Sephinel was originally just a legendary flower, but it became a symbol for romance because of that story¡­¡¯ Of course, the story wasn¡¯t very important to Siervian because she just likes the sephinel flower by itself. ¡®Will it be open this year?¡¯ The millenary garden was under the imperial family¡¯s ownership, and it was open to the public only during the social season. The garden was also an effective way to show off the dignity of the imperial family while using it as a venue for high society¡¯s gatherings. However, in her previous life, Siervian had never ¡®officially¡¯ been to the millenary garden. ¡®Now that I think about it, I think Father stopped allowing the nobles to come when I was about twelve years old.¡¯ Recalling this strange fact, Siervian¡¯s expression darkened. Siervian had not asked for much in her previous life, but the one thing she had insisted on many times was to see the millenary garden. Of course, the emperor never allowed it. ¡®Won¡¯t it be a little different this time?¡¯ Unlike when she had been twelve years old before, the garden was not yet closed for some mysterious reason. Besides, hadn¡¯t Siervian solved the bad things she had encountered until now? So, maybe she could at least try to ask her father this time. ¡®Ah, but, I shouldn¡¯t have come here as soon as I thought to do it.¡¯ Whenever Siervian would let her guard down for even just a moment, her child-like instincts would burst out. She had become much more comfortable with talking and moving compared to before, but this impulsiveness would still pop out from time to time. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Princess?¡± ¡°Nnh, I¡¯m scared, His Majwesty will be angry.¡± ¡°Oh my, what made you think that would happen?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Goodness, our Princess. His Majesty would never be angry with you. As soon as Siervian finished dressing up, she came to the Emperor¡¯s Palace. It was completely out of her control. It was impolite of her to come see her father without any notice. She should have sent a letter in advance and asked for permission to visit first. ¡°Your Highness!¡± It¡¯s been a long time since they met, but the grand chamberlain cheerfully rushed to her side the moment he saw her. So Siervian couldn¡¯t even go back after she regained her senses and had to look back at him slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll inform His Majesty right away. Chief lady-in-waiting, will you please guide Her Highness inside?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Siervian was thinking about how to get out of this, but surprisingly, the grand chamberlain responded enthusiastically as though he¡¯d been waiting for this chance. It was a little unexpected, but Siervian just nodded when he offered to ask for permission on his own. After this, Ellie brought Siervian to a splendid drawing room of the Emperor¡¯s Palace. ¡®Is this really okay?¡¯ Though after Siervian read what Ellie had thought in her status window, she decided to believe her. If it would be difficult for her father to meet her now, he¡¯d at least tell her to come back later. ¡°Your Highness. I have received His Majesty¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± A bit of time passed before the grand chamberlain had returned. Seeing the sweat forming on his forehead, Siervian wondered if he had come from a far place. ¡°Please come this way.¡± The grand chamberlain walked forward to guide her along the way. The young Siervian had never been around this part of the palace before. But the adult Siervian knew exactly where this path was leading to. ¡®Huh¡­? This way?¡¯ Even though she was perplexed, she knew this path well enough. ¡°Your Majesty, Her Highness the Imperial Princess has arrived.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Siervian was led right to the door of the emperor¡¯s throne room, where her father was in the middle of leading a meeting with the officials as this morning¡¯s agenda. No, but why did you bring me here? ¡°Now then. We¡¯re here, Your Highness.¡± ¡®It can¡¯t be!¡¯ However, unlike Siervian, the grand chamberlain had no talent in reading her mind, and so he opened the door to the throne room widely. The grand chamberlain gently pushed Siervian¡¯s back, and this made her step forward unwillingly. As soon as she entered, the many eyes of the nobles became focused on her. ¡®I¡¯m in big trouble.¡¯ No matter how na?ve she was, she knew better than to disturb the emperor while he was working. ¡°Come closer, Siervy.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± Forcefully disturbing her father, Siervian waddled forward with tears forming at her eyes. It was too late to turn around, so there was no other choice but to obey the orders given to her here. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Sebi is¡­¡± In the end, her head started spinning at the sound of her father¡¯s voice as he asked her to speak at once. She couldn¡¯t possibly say she wants to go on a picnic when there were so many officials here who were in the middle of work. More than that, the nobles working under the emperor¡¯s command were the ones who hated her in her previous life. ¡°Siervy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± She wanted to escape, but she couldn¡¯t run out when she was in her father¡¯s presence. That would just be terribly rude of her even more. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You were looking for me in such a hurry. Did something happen? If anyone had troubled my Siervian, I won¡¯t let them go. As she was silent for a long time, the emperor¡¯s expression hardened because of his concern. Gradually, as Siervian was quiet all that time, she managed to figure out what to do. However, her panicked mind couldn¡¯t actually make a rational decision. ¡°Se-Sebi will¡­¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead and speak.¡± The emperor¡¯s tone was blunt as usual, but Siervian already knew how warm he really was. Her father¡¯s large hand, which would hold her so tightly so that she wouldn¡¯t fall, came into sight. So, she reflexively sought out his embrace. ¡°Hm?¡± As Alderuan also reflexively carried his child because she was reaching up to him, he became greatly flustered. Now with Siervian carefully positioned on his lap, she nuzzled into his embrace. As she hid into the emperor¡¯s chest, Siervian spoke up somewhat bravely, as though it was her intention all along. ¡°Sebi, Sebi can wait here patientwy!¡± In a way, this was perfect so that she wouldn¡¯t disturb the meeting, and at the same time, she wouldn¡¯t be disobeying her father¡¯s orders. But as she had already acted like a child without realizing it, it wasn¡¯t until she was already sitting on her father¡¯s lap that she regained her senses and came to a realization. ¡®Argh, what have I done!¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 Siervian just wanted to let him know that she didn¡¯t mean to interrupt the meeting. But then, this intention went in a completely different direction. ¡°Sebi is¡­¡± As her father was holding her, he was strangely silent. Scared, Siervian grabbed her father¡¯s sleeve and gave it a small tug. It was at that moment. [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] Huh? [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Mood: So. Very. Touched. because of the actions of ?my daughter? Thoughts: Could there be any other child out there who¡¯s as admirable and praiseworthy? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re being patient enough that you don¡¯t want to interrupt the meeting. Indeed, it is the virtue of a member of the imperial family. But unlike the very loud status window, her father¡¯s expression did not budge at all. The serious glance he gave towards the rest of the people in the throne room could even be called arrogant. While he still had Siervian on his lap. ¡®No, I have to say I¡¯ll go out now. I¡¯m sure the ministers will have a lot to say!¡¯ Siervian, alone in her urgency, peeped out of her father¡¯s embrace and looked at the faces of the nobles. Focusing on the people who hated her. [ Thoughts: So adorable! ] [ Thoughts: His Majesty has been bragging about how cute Her Highness is, but it¡¯s all valid after all. ] [ Thoughts: Mm-hmm, that¡¯s definitely His Majesty¡¯s daughter. Fufu. ] What¡¯s wrong with them all? Surprisingly, the general atmosphere was friendly. Anxious all this while, Siervian chose to keep quiet for now. It seemed impossible for her to stand out even more than this. ¡°Minister of Finance, continue.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The import of grain from the Southern Kingdom has consumed ten percent of the budget more than usual, and¡­¡± Fortunately, with just a few short words from her father, the throne room returned to a serious atmosphere. The nobles concentrated again in an instant, as if Siervian had indeed become invisible. She was also curious about how this huge empire was being run. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ In particular, she was afraid that her father would insist on asking why she was here, but he was quiet anyway. Still, just in case, Siervian peeked at everyone¡¯s status window from time to time. In the eyes of the adults, it seemed like she was only looking around because she was amazed by the throne room she had come into for the first time. ¡®The Minister of Finance is having a hard time.¡¯ Unexpectedly, it¡¯s a good thing that she could join this meeting, too. She could see just how different the recorded facts she knew from her previous life compared to how reality really was. Until now, there seemed to be no noticeable changes. However, as she listened to them speak more, Siervian¡¯s face also became serious. ¡®The grain crisis¡­ Is it going to be next year?¡¯ The Minister of Finance reported that this year¡¯s budget increase was unusual, but Siervian knew the truth of it. She knew that the grain prices in the Southern Kingdom would continue to increase. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: This is going to be a long meeting. Then, an unexpected status window appeared. ¡®As expected, you¡¯re worried about the budget, too, right?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know why, but her father continued to decide on the things he needed to tackle. Indeed, the meeting lasted very, very long. Until even Siervian, who was secretly listening intently to what they¡¯re saying, became tired. She started nodding off. ¡°Also, I heard that your son has started taking social dance classes recently, Baron Cambi.¡± She was about to doze off, but she woke up again at the random topic that her father brought up. ¡°I-I am doubtful that my son who lacks conviction is working hard, sire.¡± As he answered, the Baron bowed his head and averted his gaze. Why did something like a nobleman¡¯s son¡¯s social dancing classes come out of the emperor¡¯s lips? Or was it a roundabout warning that the family was under surveillance, and that they should watch themselves? ¡®Is this something that¡¯s also brought up in a council meeting?¡¯ Blinking her eyes, Siervian peeped out again in curiosity. Somehow, the minister¡¯s face had a darker complexion compared to how he was a while ago. And there was a great deal of weariness on his demeanor. ¡®Has a lot of time passed?¡¯ Once again, after the emperor¡¯s seemingly random words, another unexpected topic was brought up. The meeting, which should have ended a long time ago, had already gone one for several hours longer than how it should have just been. ¡°Her Highness the Princess is very cute.¡± Then, the duke interrupted briefly, and silence ensued because of his words. After he spoke, Siervian looked at him reflexively. And, she was shocked. [ Hannibel Pacour ] Occupation: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Favorability: 0 Mood: Bored Thoughts: It¡¯d be great if this meeting¡¯s done and over with. In a daze, she looked at his status window. And what stood out here was his favorability, which was exactly zero. Perhaps feeling her gaze, the duke turned his green eyes and looked at her squarely. Those green eyes looked exactly like the empress¡¯ eyes that Siervian felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®It¡¯s scary.¡¯ Siervian pulled her father¡¯s sleeve unconsciously. And the emperor¡¯s gentle arms covered her face. It was funny that this just made the duke¡¯s face covered a little, but she was strangely relieved. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that you startled the Princess. Avert your gaze.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± As soon as the emperor met the duke¡¯s gaze, like a specter, he noticed that his daughter was frightened by the man. And the duke could only gracefully do as he¡¯s told when asked to lower his eyes. Finding fault in the duke, the surrounding nobles¡¯ eyes on him were not as gentle. The princess obviously flinched in front of him. So, they just looked at him. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is adjourned.¡± In any case, thanks to him, the emperor ended the meeting. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As if she¡¯d become a statue, Siervian was stiff and motionless. Nevertheless, she was able to go towards the Emperor¡¯s Palace. Because the emperor was carrying her in his arms. ¡®Awkward!¡¯ After they had visited the treasure room before, she fell asleep on the way back so there was no time for her to feel awkward. But since she slept a lot before this, her eyes were wide open. She thought her father would just lift her off his lap and start walking side by side, so she was very confused by this. ¡°Are you still scared, Siervy?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She was still waiting for the right moment to ask him to set her down on the floor, but at the sudden question, Siervian was startled like a baby rabbit. ¡®I feel a bit awkward. Did I get caught?¡¯ However, the emperor only misunderstood Siervian¡¯s stiffness as something else. ¡°You were scared when you saw the Duke earlier.¡± Only then did Siervian recall the duke¡¯s green eyes again, and at this, she ducked down. Then, with a hesitant touch, the emperor patted her on the back. ¡®Did you just pat me?¡¯ She was just about to say that it wasn¡¯t like that. But then the status window of the emperor, who seemed to be gritting his teeth, suddenly changed. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because my daughter is feeling uncomfortable with me. That¡¯s impossible. That duke, how could he? He frightened my child like this. I won¡¯t let him go. ¡°¡­Yees. That¡¯s right.¡± So, Siervian just made a firm commitment to herself, saying that she¡¯s ¡®afraid of the duke¡¯. ¡°Now. Can you sit here alone for a little while?¡± Siervian was someone who could sit well alone any day, so it was a question that she didn¡¯t expect. She couldn¡¯t just bother her father for no reason, so she answered more vigorously than she had intended. ¡°Yeees!¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Mood: Disappointed That wasn¡¯t the right answer? She was confused by her father¡¯s strangely subdued expression. Even so, what he asked her to do wasn¡¯t difficult, but maybe he thought it was. ¡°Alright. Eat some of these.¡± Upon hearing that she was visiting, the grand chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace quickly set up a tea table and served many snacks. Being someone who didn¡¯t like sweets, the emperor didn¡¯t even look at such refreshments. It was purely for Siervian¡¯s sake that the chef of the Emperor¡¯s Palace had become so enthusiastic about snacks. ¡°What¡¯s going on then? You came all the way here to my palace.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Mood: Excited, very much By the tone of his voice, it sounded like he was scolding her for coming to visit without a notice. Briefly recalling her previous life, Siervian carefully studied her father¡¯s face. ¡®No, he¡¯s not scolding me.¡¯ Of course, the status window also gave her a hint of the truth, that¡¯s why she could also be sure. However, for some reason unlike before, it seemed like she could read a bit of her father¡¯s emotions on his expressionless face. ¡°Eat slowly and speak later.¡± As she chewed on her snacks a little, Siervian carefully chose her words. She wondered if it would be strange for her to know the exact name of the millenary garden. So, she decided to go about it indirectly. It happened to be spring, and all. ¡°There¡¯s something Sebi wanna do.¡± ¡°What is it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Sebi wants to go on a spring picnic.¡± The sudden remark made the father glance down on his daughter. Before this, Siervian had already prepared herself for disappointment in case he¡¯d say no. ¡®Was I a bit too vague?¡¯ Still though, if someone were to mention ¡®spring picnic¡¯ around this time, you¡¯d immediately think of the millenary garden. She hesitated for a moment. Of course, Siervian was going to pretend not to know exactly what it was. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yees¡­¡± Her father had been silent for a while now, but he suddenly gave a snappy answer. It was unclear whether he wanted her to go back already after saying her piece, or if this ¡®I see¡¯ meant that he¡¯d allow her to go on a picnic. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Besides that, she wanted to see her father¡¯s thoughts, but only words about his rising favorability could be seen. Because of this, it became even harder for her to understand him. Dazedly, Siervian decided to just do what she could. Munch, munch. Eating cookies as best as she can was all she could do right now. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s have a spring picnic.¡± While his favorability points quietly continued to rise, her father finally gave his permission. With a cookie between her lips, the excited Siervian raised her head. But the emperor did not end there. Out of nowhere, he dropped a bomb. ¡°In return, Siervy, you have to do a favor for me.¡± At this, the cookie in Siervian¡¯s lips fell to the ground as her mouth gaped open. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 ¡®He¡¯s really a strange person.¡¯ Now that she was on her way back to the Princess¡¯ Palace with Ellie, Siervian remembered something earlier. The more she thought about it, the more curious she was about Duke Pacour¡¯s status window. ¡®How is that possible?¡¯ Because she had gone to many various places so far, Siervian had been able to properly gauge the favorability points of many people. Anyone who was seeing her for the first time had about a thousand points. It was actually strange for anyone to hate someone they¡¯re meeting for the first time if they¡¯ve never heard about you beforehand. ¡®Though 50 million is much too high.¡¯ Of course, there were cases like Karmen where his favorability shot up as soon as he saw her. In some other cases, the favorability would shoot up in sudden bursts, like Marco. ¡®So the duchy was the empress¡¯ household before she got married.¡¯ The surprisingly similar hue of those green eyes showed that the two were related by blood. Perhaps that was the reason for the duke¡¯s strange favorability, since he was someone close to the empress, who hated the princess. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s heard bad things about me before meeting me.¡¯ Nevertheless, strangely enough, she couldn¡¯t get rid of this uneasy feeling. If it was a negative number like with the empress¡¯ favorability points, then Siervian might have understood the duke better. But it was zero¡ªnothing more, nothing less. ¡®That means he¡¯s always ready to hate me, isn¡¯t it.¡¯ A peculiar chill went down her spine, making her shudder. Not noticing the child¡¯s plight, Ellie spoke with a clear voice. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s very fortunate that you¡¯ll be going on a spring picnic, right?¡± ¡°Yeeah.¡± Hearing Ellie¡¯s voice, which was like the spring breeze, Siervian felt warm again, as if she had never felt cold before. Thanks to this, she was able to set aside the duke from her thoughts. However, this time, there was another concern dawning upon her. ¡®The condition that my father asked, what on earth is it going to be?¡¯ Today, Siervian was meeting Marco in the garden near the south gate. With him, Marco brought several materials. ¡°Now then, here is some cloth that normal people use.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± As though he was a wandering merchant, Marco brought out one thing after another, then held out to her a small folded fabric. It was very interesting that this fabric, which was at the stage right before it would become clothes, was dried finely. ¡°It¡¯s soft?¡± ¡°Yes, because the people who make clothes out of this fabric belong to the wealthier side.¡± ¡°Okaay, I see.¡± Naturally, this came to Siervian as a bit of a shock since she thought that everyone got their clothes made from a tailor. ¡°This is a ready-made dress. The fabric is a little more rough, and the color is not even.¡± ¡°Ready-made?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s made in advance, and it will be up to the wearer to shorten it or alter it to fit their size.¡± Again, Siervian nodded carefully as she concentrated on Marco¡¯s words. Seeing how she nodded her little head, Marco scratched his cheek, looking a little troubled. The imperial princess requested him to be her teacher, but it¡¯s odd how she¡¯s asking only these strange questions. ¡°But why are you curious about this, Princess?¡± Since they¡¯ve met several times now, Marco treated Siervian more comfortably. Of course, he did not forget to uphold proper etiquette, but it was thanks to this that a sudden motivation sprang up in him. He wanted to do better for these classes. And he was curious as to why she seemed enthusiastic about learning how commoners lived. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Holding the rough clothes in one small hand, Siervian frowned with a puzzled expression. Marco bowed his head quickly as he saw her lips pouting like that. ¡°I apologize, I shouldn¡¯t have questioned Your Highness¡­¡± She shook her head lightly. She was just wondering how she should answer him. ¡°Just¡­ Sebi doesn¡¯t understand a lot of things.¡± She said this because she literally did not learn many things in her previous life, but Marco took it differently. It became a refreshing fact that the imperial princess, who was born with such a high, enviable status, was interested in the lives of those in the lowest social class. [ Marco William ] Favorability: +50 Thoughts: Even from such a young age, Your Highness has the qualities of a saint! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Because of those thoughts that Marco was thinking, Siervian clutched the clothes in her hands in great haste. What did he mean, ¡®saint¡¯? Although she was part of the imperial family, such a word was only suitable for the successor. Looking around for no reason, Siervian hurriedly changed her words. ¡°Marco is from a viscount family, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I am the youngest son of Viscount William.¡± In the lower administrative office, there were far more commoners than nobles. This was because competent commoners were much more eager to learn while aspiring to become imperial officials. So, although he was an aristocrat of a lower standing, it was quite unusual that Marco was a junior administrative officer. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Of course, offspring who had no right of inheritance to their family¡¯s peerage also had to find their own way to live. They either married politically, or made new contributions in order to attain their own title. This was usually done under the protection of their household, so Marco was very much an unusual case. ¡°In a viscount family, is it very tough?¡± Siervian asked Marco, looking at him nervously. He was certainly a man of noble descent, but he clearly knew more about the lives of the commoners than she expected. Given that he¡¯d been in the lower administrative office from a young age, maybe it became difficult for him to gain the protection of his family. ¡°Pardon? No, um, if I dare say, my family is wealthy, but¡­¡± But countering Siervian¡¯s thoughts, Marco widened his eyes and denied her suspicions. ¡°Really? But why is Marco working so hard like this?¡± Even if it was the lower bureau, the Ministry of Finance was the department notorious for having the most overtime work. It was the place that most noble children would avoid if they just wanted to coast through. ¡°Haha, well, not really. It¡¯s only because I strive to serve the empire with the best that I could, Your Highness.¡± [ Marco William ] Thoughts: I shouldn¡¯t say that I enjoy seeing how money flows, that¡¯s why I¡¯m working in the Ministry of Finance. Despite his thoughts, Marco only smiled and spoke politely like a well-educated young nobleman. But in his heart, his full sincerity was towards money. ¡°Okaay.¡± So Siervian pretended she didn¡¯t know and just stared at him. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t like saying so myself, but the William Viscounty has been engaging in a lot of commerce.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± Feeling a bit wary about Siervian¡¯s sudden interest in his family, Marco continued speaking. ¡°Ahem, um. Well, rather than engaging in noble-like pursuits, my family involves itself more in business and commerce, so¡­¡± [ Marco William ] Thoughts: I¡¯m proud of my father¡¯s achievements, but we¡¯re still considered crude amongst the other aristocrats¡­ I must tell Her Highness about this fact, too. As calmly as possible, Marco then continued to explain that his family¡¯s business did not fit the grace and dignity of the aristocrats. However, as Siervian could see his innermost thoughts, she was upset for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The William Viscounty, you¡¯re doing the very important things for many people, that¡¯s what Sebi thinks.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for saying that, Your Highness.¡± [ Marco William ] Favorability: +50 Hearing her thoughtful consideration, Marco expressed his deep appreciation. It seemed that his father¡¯s contributions to the welfare of their territory¡¯s citizens was at least recognized. ¡°Recently, the Viscounty has been paying attention to most daily necessities. The commoners¡­¡± As he was overwhelmed with emotions, Marco talked about this and that without even realizing it. Then, suddenly realizing that he was talking in too much of a hurry, he looked again at the face of the princess. It was honestly difficult to believe that she was this young, given how the princess was such a calm and attentive person. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: Haha, what am I thinking, really. The princess is definitely still a child, but she really does sometimes think maturely. Siervian was only listening to his family¡¯s latest products with interest, but she suddenly looked down to the floor as she was surprised by his thoughts. ¡°In any case, when it comes to real money making, it¡¯s nothing compared to how nobles handle money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because nobles spend so much!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Princess. You¡¯re a very bright child.¡± At Marco¡¯s compliment, Siervian shyly clutched the doll she had in her arms. She had just touched the fabric that commoners wore as clothes, and as she held the clothes of the doll that Ellie made, she could clearly see the huge difference between this and that. ¡®This one¡¯s for nobles¡­¡¯ When Marco said, ¡®The more money, the better,¡¯ Siervian agreed. ¡°You know, Sebi has a good idea.¡± ¡°What is it, Your Highness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret, but¡­¡± As though she wanted him to come closer, she cupped her hands to her lips cutely. Without hesitation, Marco leaned down and came closer, and soon the hushed whisper flowed out. ¡°Is that true, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°No, but, will it really sell well?¡± At her bold reply, Marco couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. It¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t understand his reaction, but Siervian soon presented something else to him. ¡°Here.¡± Marco gasped. ¡°Are all these gold coins?!¡± It was Marco¡¯s favorite. Money. ¡°You got it right? Sebi trusts Marco.¡± ¡°You can leave it all to me, Your Highness.¡± [ Marco William ] Favorability: +50 There was nothing wrong with having money. So, Siervian gave Marco some money so that she could invest in her own property, and some extra for him to be taken away. ¡®I just hope it will turn out the same as it did in my previous life.¡¯ On her way back to the Princess¡¯ Palace, after leaving such a large sum for her investment, Siervian glanced towards one wall. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then she went back to walking at the same pace. When she came out and brought with her a large sum of money, the handmaidens did not say much. Perhaps her father had given instructions beforehand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Troubled by this, Siervian walked forward again, and this time glanced towards the grass. For a moment, she was thinking about what to do, but then she found something right there. In the grass, a status window popped up. [ Adante Roid ] Occupation: The Princess¡¯ Escort Knight (Lv.87) Favorability: 7,565 Mood: Secretly flustered Thoughts: You found me?! Well, if she wanted to, she could summon the status window of a person from far away closer to her so she could read it. And Siervian only recently noticed that she could also find anyone who was hiding in an instant. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 ¡®I should go say hi.¡¯ Siervian strode towards the place where the status window was. Surprised, Ellie followed behind the child when she saw her suddenly walking over towards the grass. ¡°Princess?¡± The status window continued to express its owner¡¯s predicament. The one she¡¯s been looking at all this time through the grass was Adante¡¯s status window. She didn¡¯t know that it was him before, however, she was now aware that her escort knight was following her. So, she easily found him. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°¡­It is an honor to greet you, Your Highness the Imperial Princess.¡± He immediately bent on one knee and bowed down to her to show his courtesy. Siervian saw his status window often, but it was still amazing to see him like this because it¡¯s the first time she found him like this. Maybe she could even notice a potential intruder in advance later on? [ Adante Roid ] Thoughts: What great perception the Princess has. Erm, His Majesty will definitely scold me once I report that I¡¯ve been caught. Siervian didn¡¯t mean to get him in trouble though. This was a big deal. So, she quickly looked around, then she took out a caramel candy out of her pocket. As she went out and explored more and more, she fell into the habit of carrying one or two sweet snacks with her. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°¡­Is Your Highness giving this to me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± What she was doing now was nothing short of pretending to be close to the escort knight who was following her around. Since her father would be monitoring, she at least wanted this to be recognized. She knew well enough how difficult it would be to evade her father¡¯s eyes anyway. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not like I mean to do anything bad.¡¯ So it was better to soothe his worries by doing this. She didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood, so she did something more straightforward. And there was one other thing she had to do. ¡°Thank you for saving Sebi last time.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hearing this, Adante reached out carefully and accepted the caramel candy. When the little princess¡¯ small hand hovered over the knight¡¯s huge hand which was used to holding a sword, her hand looked even tinier. ¡®I think you like sweet things.¡¯ That¡¯s why she chose to give him a caramel candy as a gift. After reading his status window a few times, she recalled how he sometimes thought that Siervian¡¯s snacks looked divine. [ Adante Roid ] Favorability: +50 Thoughts: It¡¯s a gift from Her Highness, so I shall eat this to my heart¡¯s content. If those other punks try to tease me, this is what I¡¯ll firmly say. After seeing Adante¡¯s thoughts, Siervian realized that she was right on the mark. But also thanks to this, Siervian couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. It seemed like he was being teased a lot about liking sweets. ¡®You like it, so you can just eat as much as you want¡­!¡¯ So, she rummaged in her pocket again. It was the other caramel candy she saved for later, but she figured she could give him one more. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Are you giving me one more, Princess?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°¡­Thank you very much.¡± [ Favorability: +50 ] Siervian nodded cheerfully as she watched him hold the caramel preciously. She was so overwhelmed with joy because of this. It was just like the day when she taught Karmen the greatness of macarons. ¡°Then it¡¯s a secret that Sebi found you, shhh¡­ Okay?¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Momentarily distracted by the candies in his hands, Adante quickly returned to his aloof expression. It seemed like everything that was bothering him also disappeared from his thoughts, so that¡¯s a good thing. Looking at him nodding his head calmly, Siervian made a mental note that she should give him more snacks in the future. The day of the long-awaited spring picnic had come. ¡°As expected, bright clothes to match spring would be nice, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. How about a bonnet like this since the sun might be too strong?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll look great on Her Highness.¡± The ladies-in-waiting had just turned Siervian¡¯s closet upside down and busily went around to dress her up. Soon enough, she looked as though she¡¯d been transformed into a spring fairy who would flutter about in a meadow in no time. ¡®I don¡¯t have to dress up like this though.¡¯ Even when she had a thought like this, she just decided to keep her mouth shut. Because she could see Ellie and Jane¡¯s pleasantly excited thoughts. Anyway, Siervian could see why her father was more willing to agree to the picnic today, compared to what she expected before. ¡°Now then, shall we go? His Majesty¡¯s carriage has come to fetch you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± It¡¯s because she was going to the spring picnic with her father himself. It was unbelievable enough that he allowed her to go on a picnic, but he was even going with her too. What¡¯s more surprising was that only Siervian was the one who was wondering why her father had decided to do so. The ladies-in-waiting all took it in stride as if it was something he¡¯d naturally do, and this made Siervian even more flustered. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m still young, that¡¯s why?¡¯ With great excitement, but with a bit of melancholy, Siervian arrived at the millenary garden. ¡°Wooow¡­!¡± She suddenly recalled the memories of her previous life a little. This was because, from a distance away, she clearly saw the sephinel flowers that were in full bloom. Their purple petals fluttered like waves in the spring breeze, and the white leaves gave off the impression that they were blooming amidst a bed of snow. ¡°It was prepared well. You¡¯ve done a good job, Grand Chamberlain.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind praise, Your Majesty.¡± The small hill with a panoramic view of the sephinel flower garden was perfectly prepared for a picnic of the imperial family. Sitting there carefully, Siervian looked around at the other people who she would be sitting with. ¡®Older Brother is here¡­ but I didn¡¯t know that the Empress would also come.¡¯ She definitely came here alone with her father, but when they arrived, she met the empress. With a carefully crafted outer mask, the empress smiled. Just as she avoided looking at the duke not too long ago, Siervian averted her gaze from her. ¡°Here. These were part of the special arrangements I ordered them to do.¡± Then, the emperor offered her a small basket. ¡°Snacks!¡± Refreshments were not normally allowed during the spring picnic. This was because they had to keep the magically pristine millenary garden as beautiful as possible. ¡°Can Sebi eat this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Alderuan faced some opposition from the ministers when he ordered this, but he remained steadfast. In the first place, the millenary garden belonged to the imperial family. Instead, he told them to prepare only the kind of snacks that wouldn¡¯t leave any crumbs. Of course, it was for his daughter who loved snacks very much. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I also wanted to give some snacks to Siervian though! Next to the emperor, the crown prince was as expressionless as ever. It was impossible to read whatever he was thinking on that face. It seemed to be just like the mask that the empress next to him was wearing. However, his face wasn¡¯t as scary as the empress¡¯. ¡®I don¡¯t know why yet, but my brother said that he¡¯s doing that to protect me¡­¡¯ Siervian gave a very subtle wink so that only her older brother would see, and then she held out both hands in excitement. However, her father suddenly took back the box and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to do what you promised, Siervy.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯s a cheap move on my part, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Siervian didn¡¯t think that it¡¯s a cheap move, but it¡¯s true that he was being unfair. Because his father¡¯s request wasn¡¯t something so easy to do as she thought. ¡®You asked me to call you Father!¡¯ Her father gave her this one condition, but it was surprisingly quite difficult to do. In her previous life, she often called him ¡®Father¡¯ when she was young, but she couldn¡¯t remember that time clearly. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°What kind of promise, Father?¡± Damian asked. Her brother was also calling him naturally, too. When she heard this, Siervian clasped her hands together. This was so she could muster her courage. ¡°Fa¡­¡± ¡°Fa?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Mood: Excited Her father, who looked exactly like the deadpan crown prince, was apparently very excited. At that moment, Siervian tried to call him ¡®Father¡¯ just like how her older brother did it. But then because she was pushing herself too hard, she slipped up with her pronunciation. ¡°P¡­ Papa!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Wait, that¡¯s not it. She was going to correct herself and try to say it properly, but then a ton of status windows suddenly flooded her vision. [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I didn¡¯t expect you to call me Papa at all! What a delightful occasion! I should pronounce this day to be a national holiday! The ¡®I Was Called Papa¡¯ holiday! ¡°Fa¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you can call me Papa, Siervy.¡± ¡°Fa, Fa¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Now then, eat these.¡± She was trying to pronounce it properly this time, but her father wouldn¡¯t listen. Feeling a little embarrassed because of this, Siervian took the macaron from him without realizing it and then covered her face. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Papa?! That¡¯s unfair! [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -100 At that moment, she looked sideways to glance at her older brother¡¯s status window because she was feeling nervous. Because in front of her brother¡¯s status window, the only thing she could see was the negative of it¡ªthat the empress¡¯ favorability points had gone down. Even so, when she finally saw it, the contents of her brother¡¯s status window was completely unexpected. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: I wish you¡¯d call me Brother, too! ??? Right now, her older brother was just expressionless as he stared at the macaron in front of him in silence. It¡¯s only natural that she wouldn¡¯t know what he was thinking in her previous life when he usually looked like that despite his thoughts. Nyam, nyam. Whenever there¡¯s trouble, the best comfort food was sweet desserts. Siervian carefully took a macaron and chomped down. She sometimes felt the empress¡¯ gaze, but every time that happened, she moved her little butt closer to her father¡¯s side. She gradually felt a lot better because of that. ¡°It would have been better if we brought more.¡± But it¡¯s not good to eat a lot in this place. Thanks to this, Siervian¡¯s share of the macarons quickly ran out. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Now! The crown prince, who had been waiting for this very chance, spoke up at that moment. ¡°You can have mine.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that. You must enjoy your share, too, Crown Prince.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t give his share of macarons to his younger sister because the emperor shrewdly intercepted. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Not a chance. I¡¯m the only one who can give Siervy macarons here at the millenary garden. ¡°¡­Yes, Father.¡± Curiously watching the war of nerves between the father and son duo, Siervian looked away for a moment and then saw the empress right then. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª [ t/n: the version of ¡®Father¡¯ that Siervy was asked to use at first (???/Aboji) is formal, but it¡¯s different from the even more formal version that Damian uses (????/Abamama) since it¡¯s what royal children use to refer to their father who¡¯s a monarch. Meanwhile, when Damian said that he wishes that Siervy would call him ¡®Brother¡¯, he meant that he wants her to call him informally (??/Oppa) rather than formally (????/Oraboni). ] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 46 As she turned to the side, Siervian saw a strange status window. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Mood: Nervous Thoughts: What are you planning to do that there¡¯s suddenly a spring picnic¡­ In this tranquil atmosphere, the empress was feeling tense all by herself. The spring picnic was Siervian¡¯s request, so this was strange. What¡¯s going on with the empress? ¡°Mm, hm, mm.¡± Humming the tune of a song that Jane frequently sang to her, Siervian closely looked at the sephinel flowers to her heart¡¯s content. The lush garden was filled with the scent of the refreshing sephinel flowers. Just the scent alone would make anyone smile. Whenever the wind blew, she affectionately watched the white leaves flutter in the breeze. ¡®I knew it, it¡¯s really familiar, and it¡¯s so nice.¡¯ She really did like sephinel flowers. This was because, in her previous life, she saw a fairy inside the bud of a sephinel flower. There¡¯s a legend saying that the Mana Fairy lived inside a sephinel flower. Maybe she actually saw a fairy there, maybe not. ¡®I¡¯ve come back to the past though, so maybe there¡¯s a fairy here, too!¡¯ She didn¡¯t completely dismiss this all as a dream. There was a time when she told herself that she had only deluded herself into thinking that she saw a fairy because she was desperate to be comforted, that¡¯s why she had such a fanciful imagination. However, after she had returned to the past, she could now be more certain. ¡®Can¡¯t we meet each other again?¡¯ She felt faintly nostalgic from the memory, and she felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It was a fairy that she had been able to meet only once. ¡°Do you like the flowers that much?¡± her father asked. ¡°Yees!¡± As Siervian was preoccupied with looking at the flowers, she left the macarons alone for a long time, and the emperor carefully approached her. Here he was, just wanting to spend some time with his children, yet there the empress was, hellbent on finding out her husband¡¯s ¡®plans¡¯. It was a political marriage, but meeting people from her ducal family a lot lately was tiring. ¡°Hmm. Isn¡¯t this similar to the flowers in the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± Siervian sulked for a moment with her cheeks all puffed up as she turned around. The emperor thought he didn¡¯t say anything wrong though, but he looked at the sephinel flowers again. Still, he just saw the same thing. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Mmh. It¡¯s a purple flower. The ones that Siervy always looked at for a long time in the palace garden were also purple flowers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her father nodded, but she could clearly see what he was thinking. What she was looking at in the palace garden were hydrangeas though. How could he say that they were the same! Despite that, Siervian continued her sephinel sightseeing. No touching with the hands, just look with the eyes. ¡®Even though there¡¯s some bad memories, the flowers are still pretty.¡¯ In her previous life, the crown prince had given a sephinel flower to a noble lady. That noble lady in question was none other than Siervian¡¯s enemy in high society. Back then, it¡¯s been a few years since the millenary garden had not been open to the public, so the appearance of that sephinel flower inevitably became a hot topic. ¡®I was a bit jealous before.¡¯ The crown prince giving the sephinel flower to a different young lady instead of his younger sister had been talked about for a long time. And it was even more talked about because, of all people, the crown prince had given the flower to the noble lady who was always compared to Siervian in every way possible. To the point that more rumors were incited that she was a villainess who was inevitably shunned even by her own blood relatives. ¡°I¡¯ll plant some in the palace.¡± The unexpected remark shocked Siervian completely. She looked up at her father. It was a very serious decision, just as she could see from his status window. She didn¡¯t know what kind of flower it was, just that she liked it. Her father proposed this just for that reason alone. ¡°Nooo. That¡¯s not allowed.¡± ¡°Then just take one.¡± Her father¡¯s simple suggestion once again brought up those memories to the surface. Her jealousy for that rival for receiving a sephinel flower¡ªand the transgression that she shouldn¡¯t have done. She had secretly tried to sneak into the millenary garden in her first life. ¡°But I can¡¯t.¡± Though she snuck into the millenary garden at night back then, it had been no less beautiful. And that¡¯s when Siervian met the Mana Fairy. ¡¯Just one flower. Can I take just one?¡¯ With a nervous heart, Siervian pleaded. She thought that it would comfort her so much to have even just one flower by her side. The fairy let out a peal of laughter and gave her permission. She couldn¡¯t understand the fairy¡¯s language, but it was clearly permission. So, she brought the sephinel flower back to the imperial palace with such excitement¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that to happen.¡¯ The very next day, the imperial family was turned upside down. The sephinel flower bed, the very pride of the millenary garden, had been completely ruined. ¡¯Here is the recording of the last person who went in, Your Majesty!¡¯ There were many magic circles for security measures installed at important spots around the palace. They were magic circles that recorded the likeness of people who came and went through those places. And, of course, there was a recording of Siervian going into the garden alone at night. ¡¯Who else could it be but that villainess!¡¯ ¡®She must have gotten jealous of Lady Yphta!¡¯ She had taken only one flower from the garden, but before she knew it, Siervian had become a villainess who ruined the entire flower bed just because she had gotten jealous of her rival. It was certainly true that she went there alone in the middle of the night without asking for permission. That¡¯s why, despite the many accusations and criticisms, she remained silent. Amongst them, what hurt her and made her sad the most was her father¡¯s ferocious anger. ¡®I must stop it this time.¡¯ She clearly remembered the date it happened, too. So, this time, she would stop whatever caused this beautiful sephinel flower bed from being ruined. ¡°Why can¡¯t you? You¡¯re evidently fond of this flower.¡± Though her father continuously suggested for her to take one, she turned him down each time. She kept her thoughts to herself. Contrary to her previous life, when she had gone through so much to get even one sephinel flower, it was so easy to have one now. It¡¯s a pity that she couldn¡¯t meet the fairy again. Right then, Siervian impulsively spoke her mind. ¡°I wish the flowers can stay alive. They¡¯re so pwetty.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Such a lovely heart. She¡¯s truly an exemplary member of the Imperial Family. She only said what she had in her mind, but her father seemed to have taken it another way. It¡¯s actually quite a relief. Even if she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop what she knew would happen in the future, he would still trust her as much as he did now. She would believe that she wasn¡¯t the one who trampled all over the sephinel that she loved very much. ¡°You¡¯re right, Siervy. So, this Father will give you a present.¡± ¡°Present for Sebi?¡± ¡°Yes. These sephinel flowers will stay here forever, so the flowers will continue to live.¡± Although it was a valuable flower garden, the imperial family often presented the sephinel flower to others as a gift of honor. Thanks to the romantic symbolism of the flower, it was also used to express the start of a royal courtship. But then her father stopped it all with what he said just now. ¡°Woooow!¡± Siervian reflexively reacted very happily as she heard that the flowers would be preserved from now on, but then she stopped in her place. Wasn¡¯t her brother supposed to give one to Lady Yphta? Then this shouldn¡¯t be the case, right? However, when a big hand patted her head, she soon calmed down. ¡®Right. I should just prepare a different present for her.¡¯ On the way back, everyone including the empress rode the emperor¡¯s carriage. Because the emperor did not say anything to her as she naturally intervened, Siervian had to go together with them. ¡®I should¡¯ve asked Brother to ride with me in the carriage.¡¯ But then if she was seen to have a close relationship with the crown prince, then the empress would not like it. Even in the midst of nervousness, she was able to sleep comfortably. This was because she ran around the garden all day long. As the carriage shook moderately, it felt like she was listening to a lullaby. ¡°Uuung.¡± ¡°You must be feeling sleepy.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± As the small head kept bobbing forward, the emperor was conflicted for a moment. Then, he carefully picked up his daughter. The small body was cradled in his arms. ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± ¡°Yees. A lot of fun.¡± It felt like her father¡¯s chest was shaking slightly. She raised her head to see, but his face was as aloof as usual. ¡°Right. The security around the area was a bit of a mess, but it¡¯s not a bad place.¡± He¡¯d be the only emperor in the empire who¡¯d say that the millenary garden was merely ¡®not bad¡¯. Thinking about silly things, Siervian turned her head to the side. As she was in her father¡¯s arms, she felt so cozy that she forgot for a moment, but right then, she saw the empress who was sitting over there. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Mood: Extremely nervous Thoughts: Did he notice the secret passage? ¡­No, he shouldn¡¯t have. That can¡¯t be possible. Because she was so sleepy, she didn¡¯t think much about those words. However. ¡®Secret passage?¡¯ She inadvertently looked directly at the empress¡¯ face. Perhaps it¡¯s because of this that the emperor also glanced at her as well, and in return, the empress showed a benevolent smile. It¡¯s as if she was adoring the cute whining of her daughter. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -50 Thoughts: It¡¯s frustrating that I can¡¯t go to the treasure room by myself. Siervian felt goosebumps running up at her spine. As the empress contemplated alone, Siervian realized one thing. ¡®The secret passage at the treasure room is directly connected to the millenary garden!¡¯ She recalled that the candelabra that opened the secret passageway over there was also engraved with a sephinel flower. Hiding how flustered she was about this revelation, she once again buried her face in her father¡¯s chest. ¡®So who sent the thief? Was it the Empress? Or the Duke?¡¯ Her head started hurting. Her young body was pulling her into slumber already, so it was even more difficult to hold onto her rational thoughts. ¡®But why on earth?¡¯ The reason was an important aspect to this situation and yet it was still missing. However, one thing was certain. That, judging by the empress¡¯ status window, they were somehow involved. ¡°Sebi, picnic, wanna go more.¡± [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -50 ¡°Mm. It¡¯s not a bad idea to increase security in that place.¡± This was all she could do right now. Fortunately, her father promised at once that he would strengthen the security measures in the millenary garden. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -100 Thoughts: This little wench just can¡¯t shut up, can she. It then became clear that Siervian¡¯s earlier suspicions were right because of this status window. ¡°But you have to go there with this father of yours every time. Got it?¡± Though he had the same expression on his face, her father¡¯s tone was heavy. Really, what was going on in that garden? ¡ª¡ª t/n: hello, yonnee here~ i¡¯ve unfortunately decided to drop this novel. thank you all so much for supporting my translations thus far, it¡¯s truly been a great experience ???? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 [ Aderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Anyway, the security in the garden is a mess, so I¡¯ll have to increase the security measures. Even the magic circle was scattered halfway through. I¡¯ll have to hold the supervisor accountable for this. As if to answer Siervian¡¯s question, her father recalled a series of suspicious thoughts. Reading complex sentences in rapid succession made Siervian lose control over her body¡¯s initiative. ¡°Hmm?¡± So she noticed only a few seconds later that her body was holding out a pinky on its own toward her father. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Promise!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± [ Aderuan Ervedote ] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: How cute she is. Maybe my Siervy is fond of sephinels because she¡¯s a Mana Fairy. Carefully eyeing the little finger, the emperor nodded. He thought that today should be designated as a national holiday. Fortunately, (?) Siervian had not read this part of her father¡¯s thoughts as she was trying to synchronize with her body again. ¡®Even in my previous life too?¡¯ Siervian remembered a lot from her previous life to this day. She wondered why her father never allowed her to go to the millenary garden. In her previous life, Siervian had not experienced a situation like this to go to a picnic with her father. So, now she knew what it meant for her to go alone. ¡®The millenary garden is dangerous, I wonder if that¡¯s the reason he was so angry when I went alone at night.¡¯ Siervian raised her pinky finger carefully to the Emperor¡¯s and shook it, then right after they made the pinky promise, she saw the Empress¡¯ eyes sharpen for a moment. Only Siervian, who watched the Empress, saw that grim moment. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ She closed her eyes as if she had no energy. Until the very last moment that her eyes were open, the Empress¡¯ status window showed only subtracted favorability points until she closed her eyelids. It would be nice if everyone lived a good life without having to hide their true emotions. It was very sad. The summer season had arrived. It¡¯s actually always winter in the north. The Empire continued to have a spring-like climate under the protection of the magic circle. So, people separated the seasons on purpose to spend the year in a variety of ways. There were also changes in the temperature of the magic circle according to the season. ¡°Me?¡± That summer came with an unexpected visitor to the imperial palace. ¡°Yes, Princess, I think you should prepare right away.¡± ¡°Okaay.¡± Siervian had heard that Garambell¡¯s delegation was coming. The Imperial Palace was bustling for several days after receiving this news. She recalled the time when she saw the thoughts of a lot of officials regarding the delegation wherever she went. ¡®But why me all of a sudden.¡¯ Although what happened was luck, she was just glad that a lot of people survived. Siervian thought it had nothing to do with her, but suddenly she received a message from the Emperor¡¯s palace. ¡°Umm, but the way His Majesty framed this command is a little bit vague, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It seems so. Perhaps this means that she needs to dress up nicely.¡± However, as Siervian dressed up, the ladies-in-waitings¡¯ concerns deepened. This was because the Emperor issued his command in the letter in such a strange way. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid Your Majesty, like this, well, this order¡­ Well.¡± [Ellie] Thoughts: Even so, doesn¡¯t this make His Majesty seem like a ¡®fool for his daughter¡¯? Well, the Emperor seems to know our Princess¡¯s cuteness the best, so wouldn¡¯t it be appropriate to say that he¡¯s a fool for his daughter? Ellie awkwardly smiled as she remembered the weird thought. ¡°Right, well. As long as Her Highness is pretty, then there¡¯s nothing to worry about, right? [Jane Millas] Thoughts: As expected. He¡¯s a fool for his daughter. Jane also thought the same thing. At this point, Siervian had to ask. ¡°What did Papa say?¡± She asked, saying a familiar name on her lips. She was worried about being involved with Garambell. ¡°¡®Well, anyway, it couldn¡¯t be helped, but doll up Siervy and bring her here,¡¯ is what His Majesty said.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± In the past, I would have bowed my head to the reply. She would have thought that he was scolding her and telling her to put more effort into it, maybe even blaming her for being less than excellent. However, it was strange that she could sympathize with the ladies¡¯ words now. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Though she had yet to let go of her nervousness, Siervian decided to head to the Emperor¡¯s Palace. ¡°The Little Moon of the Empire, Her Imperial Princess Siervian is entering.¡± The very polite and unfamiliar greeting made Siervian freeze up. When she arrived at the Emperor¡¯s Palace, the Emperor was sitting on his solemn throne. And below the throne was Garambell¡¯s delegation, and they had brought with them many rare goods. ¡®Come to think of it, how am I supposed to react to this?¡¯ The Emperor and the Empress were called the sun and moon of the Empire. The Crown Prince or Princess who has what it takes to be the next successor to the throne is called the little sun. Other royal families also called their princesses little moon, but it was a formal greeting that was rarely used. Of course, Siervian in her previous life knew the proper answer because she only learned proper etiquette in her childhood. However, this was her second life and she was still only a six-year-old child who hadn¡¯t started her classes yet. ¡°Siervy, come here. We hope the delegation understands¡ªshe hasn¡¯t started her etiquette classes yet.¡± ¡°Pa¡ªFather.¡± Siervian was relieved by the words, so she quickly ran to her father¡¯s open arms. She was about to call him ¡®Papa¡¯, but after looking at the delegation she changed the name. It would be a problem if she were to act informally. ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re already copying your brother. It¡¯s all right, you can call me the way you want, Siervy.¡± ¡°¡­Okaay, Papa.¡± However, those efforts easily failed. ¡°Forgive me for coming to see you now, as you may have heard about what happened during the disaster.¡± Siervian was holding onto the Emperor¡¯s leg as he was sitting still, then she looked around the palace. It seemed like the delegation¡¯s bows were all directed to her. ¡°Answer them, Siervy.¡± ¡°Me¡­?¡± But why? ¡°I am pleased to hear from Your Majesty¡¯s words that it was by the grace of Her Highness the Princess that Garambell was saved.¡± ¡°Uuuum¡­¡± She quickly ran her eyes over everyone in the Emperor¡¯s throne room. She wanted to know what was going on. [Paolo Velteman] Occupation: Grand Chamberlain of the Emperor¡¯s Palace (Lv.89) Thoughts: Goodness, Your Majesty. You didn¡¯t have to mention Her Highness, but you did just to show off. Hohoho. Siervian saw a hint in the status window of the grand chamberlain beside her. It¡¯s clear that Garambell¡¯s delegation sent an envoy in a hurry to thank the Emperor for his kindness. However, the Emperor seemed to have said again that it was the Princess¡¯s grace. ¡°Siervy is a little shy. Well, if it¡¯s hard to say, that¡¯s okay.¡± The delegation wanted to hear something from the Princess, but the Emperor spoke in her stead as if protecting her. Thanks to that, she mustered a little courage, and in fact, she asked carefully what she had been concerned about the whole time. ¡°The people, are they okay now?¡± ¡°Ah! Such moving words from the Princess.¡± ¡°Your Highness is a blessing of the Empire! How can one be so virtuous!¡± She had asked in a small voice, but the delegation answered almost as if they were crying. Some of the delegations standing behind were even tearful. ¡­Yes, It must have been hard for them. It was such a big event that their kingdom was nearly destroyed. [Alderuan Erveldote] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Hmm. The people in the delegation seem to have good eyes. By the way, Siervy is pretty even without having dressed up for a long time. There are no flaws in her actions and in her heart, mm-hmm. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ It seemed that the ladies-in-waitings¡¯ interpretation of the Emperor¡¯s strange command was correct. Siervian smoothed the hem of her modest dress, which she wore for fear of being branded as a luxury princess by other countries. [Thoughts: Keugh. Those bastards from the other kingdoms, I won¡¯t forget this humiliation.] [Thoughts: Only this Empire helped take care of the difficulty of Garambell. It would have only been because of the Imperial Highness!] But the status windows of the delegation were quite strange. They seemed to have no problem with the Empire or the others because most of them were favorable and there were many praising her father from time to time. But what did the other kingdoms do to Garambell? ¡°Oh, God of Mana.¡± ¡°May God¡¯s blessings be with you now and in the future of Your Majesty the Princess.¡± It¡¯s said that in the distant past, there were shrines and religions dedicated to the God of Mana. However, with the extreme development of magic and mana, most people on the continent no longer sought God. This was because human achievements had become greater and greater. Although some people felt the grace of God, it was extremely rare. Still, it must have been hard to cry out for God. ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough for the delegation. I¡¯m afraid my little Princess has become tired.¡± ¡°Yes, the Sun of the Empire.¡± It was a long time before my father spoke formally. Only after Hex, who was standing next to him, coughed like crazy. [Hex] Thoughts: Well, this is unusual.. Siervian decided that Hex, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while, had ridiculous thoughts. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°This is absolutely true, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor had given his daughter a special snack from Garambell and then secretly met with the envoy. He did think that they had brought with them too many goods, but he didn¡¯t think that such a secret would come with them. ¡°So, is the plague really fabricated?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Emperor Alderuan stroked his chin and recalled a map from his memory. It was brought by his Captain of the Imperial Guard that had been dispatched to Garambell in a hurry. The same map where the outbreak site was marked uniformly, it was as if the endemic disease had spread artificially. The suspicions seemed to have been the truth. ¡°Did your King say that he could guess the culprit?¡± ¡°First of all, the Mosae Kingdom is under suspicion.¡± The Mosae Kingdom was close to the Garambell Kingdom, also in terms of blood relations. So when they were guessing at culprits, they could rule them out. ¡°Other than that, you don¡¯t have a lot of leads, do you?¡± ¡°As you know, their hands reached inside the palace¡­¡± The face of the delegate hardened because of the disgraceful matter of him conveying where the security of their kingdom¡¯s royal palace was breached. Emperor Alderuan squinted at the delegate¡¯s vague words. Seeing how much he hesitated, the Emperor felt he had more to say. ¡°And, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°¡­I believe that even some people within the Empire have been involved in this.¡± ¡°How dare you say this!¡± Hex, who was a close aide to the Emperor, immediately protested. The face of Alderuan as he heard the Envoy stiffened even more. Depending on the point of view, it could be thought that they were now putting the blame on the Empire. ¡°Garambell will have to take responsibility for what you just said.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 48 As the Emperor¡¯s words fell, the delegation gasped as one. Although the Empire¡¯s dominance had often been forgotten, the Emperor before them was a war hero who stained the continent with blood. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to undermine the great Emperor who saved Garambell.¡± It lingered in the delegate¡¯s head again when the Emperor¡¯s aura of mana pressured him. ¡°What then?¡± The delegate risked his life to say those words, so they must have come with some evidence. ¡°We understand that Farim¡¯s medicine, which was originally intended to trade, was lost on the way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Originally, after deciding to take the lead in providing Farim¡¯s medicinal herbs, the Marquis¡¯ carriage had been burned. It was the work of a swarm of bandits who showed up as soon as they left the Empire. ¡°Those who burned the medicine and those who got caught inside Garambell appeared to belong to the same group.¡± In the meantime, the delegation presented mercenary bands that were on those bandits¡¯ arms. Hex approached and quickly checked it then wrinkled his face in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s from the Oak Mercenary Corps.¡± The Oak Mercenary Corps was a notorious group that traveled around the continent and took on all kinds of dirty work for money. This was something the Emperor was familiar with, because during the Continental War, this huge mercenary army had been crushed many times by his hands. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯re from just one mercenary corps?¡± Most of the bandits who burned the Marquis¡¯ carriage had been captured except for a few of the high-ranking ones. No one had a mercenary band, and it was a difficult to get anything out of them as they did not open their mouths even after a long interrogation ¡°First of all, they were discovered disguised throughout our kingdom¡¯s villages distributing endemic crops.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s help, we got a clue from the Captain of the Imperial Guard to trace their path.¡± ¡°You mean the map.¡± The delegate continued to speak in a dignified manner now. ¡°We didn¡¯t chase them, but we went ahead and ambushed them. So we managed to capture a few people who couldn¡¯t hide their mercenary bands.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be the ones who would open their mouths easily.¡± The Emperor expressed his wonder at the hellish moments during which he dealt with this group. The delegate nodded firmly as if to say yes and continued. ¡°Fortunately, the interrogation went smoothly, because their losses were high near the Empire.¡± They had to urgently immobilize the new mercenaries in a hurry to maneuver in Garambell. Many of the newly captured entrants had already confessed their plans because they did not know it was such a huge matter. ¡°They said they came to Garambell right after burning Farim¡¯s medicinal herbs in the north.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°They also confessed that the client was a Northern aristocrat.¡± After speaking, the delegate presented a magic crystal ball. There was a magical video presentation of the mercenaries¡¯ confession. Such methods were used in the process of confession. Garambell simply did not have the leisure for mercy as the kingdom was at stake. ¡°Did the exact client confess?¡± The Emperor asked if there was any manipulation in the video presented in the magic crystal ball. Even if the video was real, there was also a way to manipulate the criminal into stating a desired fact. ¡°I am sorry Emperor, but the sinner did not know the exact client.¡± The high ranking mercenaries had already ended their own lives in such ways. Only those who didn¡¯t have a lot of information in their minds were left. Under current continental law, it was possible to determine the trust of a confession by magic. However, it¡¯s also a crime to cast a mental manipulation spell. ¡°Did you bring a sinner?¡± Of course these laws were enacted because there must be corrupt people savagely manipulating others somewhere. However, an outstanding mage like Alderuan could read the traces of manipulation immediately even if the person¡¯s conversion just started. To this, the delegation responded with a worried look. ¡°The criminals were soon poisoned in prison. It is believed to be the kind of poison that requires regular consumption of antidotes.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°That is, we brought the corpses of some sinners so that Your Majesty could see the traces of the mind with your mental examination.¡± Alderuan then nodded at the suggestion of the delegation. Mental manipulation magic was one of the strongest to find traces. Thanks to this, the body alone was enough to determine whether or not the mind was manipulated. ¡°I¡¯ll call Magic Tower Lord, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was a tense moment, so Hex hurriedly gestured toward the Grand Chamberlain. Alderuan was lost in thought because this was becoming more and more of a big deal. It was also known that Garambell¡¯s criminals were poisoned similarly to the thief who broke into the treasury. ¡°How did it come to this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry Emperor.¡± Something that could shake the continent was about to begin. Because of this, Alderuan was even more lost in thought. Which horrible kingdom aimed at Garambell, and who is the noble traitor from the Empire? ¡®I doubt it.¡¯ But then he remembered one more thing. During the Continental War, the Southern Kingdom had used the Oak Mercenary Corps the most. ¡°The Third Prince of Garambell has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± A few days after the delegation arrived, outside guests visited the Princess¡¯s Palace for the first time. Until then, only Siervian¡¯s family had visited the palace. The outside guests visiting the Princess¡¯s Palace had a prince that was about the same age as Siervian, and thanks to this, the ladies-in-waiting looked even more excited. ¡°Your Highness, Imperial Princess.¡± ¡°Your Hwighness, Prince.¡± Originally, it was customary for the person with the highest status to be the head of the delegation, but this time, it was an exception. Perhaps Siervian¡¯s age was young and rumored to be their benefactor, so they sent a prince that was Siervian¡¯s age. Above all, the main reason was that all the royals with higher ranks were soon out of the endemic disease. ¡°Th-, Once again, thank you. Princess.¡± [Abrel Garambell] Occupation: Prince (Lv:46) Favorability: 8,600 Mood: Excited Thoughts: This is the¡­! The young prince, with a somewhat flushed face, entered the palace drawing room. Appearing about the same age as the crown prince, he thanked Siervian very politely. ¡°Yees.¡± The Emperor had given her the excuse that she didn¡¯t know etiquette yet, so Siervian just nodded and greeted like a child. At the actions of the little prince and princess, the maids served refreshments with warm smiles. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Your Highness¡¯ merciful decision. Wow, like an Empire that has a reputation on the continent¡­¡± The prince was sitting across from Siervian and forgot what he had memorized for the etiquette. Compared to the crown prince Damien of a similar age, it was definitely a reaction that was very like her own age. ¡®Cute.¡¯ Though seemingly young, Siervian was pleased. In her previous life, all of Garambell¡¯s royals died from the epidemic. But this time, the youngest prince was able to accompany the delegation without getting sick at all. ¡®You¡¯re doing great!¡¯ The way he worked hard was very cute and made her happy that she wasn¡¯t the only one struggling, so she nodded her head and responded to the greeting. ¡°I heard you like this!¡± The prince thought that he had ended the greeting he memorized well, so he suddenly showed her what he had been holding preciously. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s permission has been granted! And that, uh, the magic scan has been completed.¡± The present had a refreshing scent that made Siervian¡¯s mouth water. Somewhat familiar with it, Siervian nodded to get the present. At that time, a lady-in-waiting outside the hall shouted again. ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince has entered the Palace.¡± ¡°Ah? Okaay!¡± At the sudden visit of her brother, Siervian tilted her head to signal the permission. Out of curiosity, she looked to the drawing room with her hands held out for the gift. As soon as the crown prince entered the Princess¡¯s palace, he encountered the blushing prince of Garambell giving a gift to his young sister. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°¡­Siervian. I came in a hurry because I was afraid you¡¯d be shy.¡± ¡°Yees!¡± With a melting, caring smile, the crown prince sat down next to Siervian. ¡°Y-Your Highness, the Small Sun of the Empire!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Prince Abrel.¡± [Damien Erveldote] Thoughts: How dare this guy play tricks on Siervian. The crown prince greeted gracefully with a face dripping with coldness that resembled his father. After seeing Siervian¡¯s brother, the prince presented the gift again, but this time it was more awkward. ¡°Wah¡­!¡± What was in the little basket was dried fruit from the west coast. It was the same snack that her father had given to Garambell¡¯s delegation not long ago. Siervian smiled broadly as she remembered eating the hard fruit because she liked the sour taste. ¡°Thank you!¡± [Abrel Garambell] Favorability: +50 ¡°When I return to the kingdom, I promise to send more!¡± It was clear that the young prince was a nice person to Siervian, because he was going to send more of the fruits. She nodded in delight as she responded. ¡°Hmm.¡± Siervian¡¯s older brother, who was still by her side, looked like he didn¡¯t like something. ¡®It¡¯s because I¡¯m the only one getting snacks!¡± Siervian later decided to cutely share her snacks with her brother. ¡°And if you don¡¯t mind, you can come to Garambell.¡± ¡°Prince, that means¡­¡± [Damien Erveldote] Thoughts: How dare you tell Siervian to come over now! ¡°Sebi wanna go!¡± She shouted in excitement after being asked to come over. In her previous life, she died before seeing the sea because she only lived on the north part of the continent. She had only seen a magical video of the sea in a magic crystal ball in history class, but after that, she was curious about the actual scenery. ¡°¡­ We will discuss it gradually.¡± [Damien Erveldote] Thoughts: I can¡¯t help it if Siervian likes it. The crown prince was provoked but later changed his attitude and quickly amended his words. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49 His response seemed effortless, but Siervian wondered why the thoughts she could clearly see were different from what he said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Her brother was glaring at Garambell¡¯s Prince, but quickly smiled gently at Siervian when she looked at him. ¡°I will make sure to visit Garambell together.¡± ¡°Wahh, yes, yaay! Your Hwighness the Crown Pwince!¡± After celebrating, she focused and shook her head again. It was clear that her brother also wanted to see the sea. ¡°Princess! It¡¯s a great success, a great success!¡± A few days after Prince Abrel came to the palace¡ª at this time, Marco came to visit Siervian and was celebrating loudly. ¡°Huh? Great success?¡± Marco just went to the Princess¡¯s Palace and made a fuss. While bowing his head, Marco held out a book to Siervian, who was eating cookies. ¡®Wha¡ª!¡¯ ¡°Look at this, Princess, I invested in the feather decorations as you said, and orders have exploded this month.¡± ¡°Mmh, Sebi can¡¯t read yet¡­¡± ¡°Oh, is that so Your Highness? Then I¡¯ll leave it to the head maid.¡± She nodded shyly, but Siervian had already roughly looked at the numbers. She had a hard time suppressing the beating of her heart. ¡®The timing of the investment seems to be just right.¡¯ Even considering that, it was a huge amount of money. Thanks to Marco teaching her about the market price of commoners in detail, she finally acquired a sense of the value of money. ¡°Princess, how did you know that the feather decorations would be popular?¡± This was the investment stock Siervian had secretly informed Marco of not too long ago. Recalling the reason why it was a trend in her past life, Siervian struggled to hide her adult-like bitter smile. ¡®¡­I had a hard time because of that.¡¯ The Vuingpi was a colorful feathered bird that only inhabited the Northern Empire. The bird was characterized by unusually abundant feathers that could adapt to cold weather. In her previous life, the feathers of the bird were a decorative material that made a trend into the continents. This was because the other Kingdoms had always envied the culture of the Empire. ¡®It was back then before I made my debut, when I was only 14-years old.¡¯ In the Imperial Society, what nobles used as a headdress quickly spread to various decorations such as fans and corsages. On her first social appearance, Siervian went out with that headdress. ¡¯Oh my, when is that a trend again?¡¯ ¡®Right, yes. Goodness, Her Highness the Princess was quite the sight, ahem, ahem.¡¯ The problem was that the trend in the continent was not popular anymore. She ate the food and wore every dress the Empress ordered because Siervian was under her care at the time. Back then, Siervian only hated the people who swore at her, but now she could clearly see that it was the work of the Empress. ¡°That¡¯s a secret with Sebi, got it?¡± Ironically, when Siervian wore the feathered headdress, the trend returned. So right now, this will be the first trend in her second life. ¡°¡­Yes, well. Alright.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°However, Princess, there¡¯s a rumor that has spread because I made a good investment after visiting Your Highness¡¯s Palace. Is that alright?¡± When Siervian met Marco, the ladies-in-waiting kept their eyes on him. That said, Siervian looked around to see if there were people nearby and said to Marco. ¡°It¡¯s all wight, Marco does everything for Sebi anyway.¡± It was actually unintentional, but it was good. After the Garambell¡¯s delegates had a personal meeting with the Princess, the palace had accidentally drawn people¡¯s attention. Siervian was wary of the situation, knowing that excessive attention might lead to twists and turns. However, it was difficult to find out that they picked investment stocks. [ Marco William ] Emotion: Uncomfortable Thoughts: Hmm, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good thing that I¡¯m highly regarded because of my abilities, but it¡¯s not fair to take the Princess¡¯s credit. I¡¯ll have many things to do better for the Princess. Furthermore, Marco¡¯s honest confession this conversation gave her confidence. Marco scratched his cheek for a moment and continued the conversation as if he had remembered something. ¡°By the way, Princess, I don¡¯t think I can come to see you for a while.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, when the Garambell¡¯s delegates returned. I heard that there¡¯s a trade that requires a number of people from the Ministry of Finance.¡± Trading had always been the main business of the Empire, but the items that go with the delegates are special. Expensive items that are difficult to deliver will most likely be traded. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: Darn, this is the right time for business to spread like mana. They would¡¯ve just sent someone else, but because I¡¯m a noble I need to go. The money¡¯s not even worth it. It seemed that a noble like Marco would be suitable for the job because the trade will be held in another kingdom. Marco was particularly disappointed to go while he was saving money. ¡°Got it, take care of Parim.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your concern. They¡¯ve just gotten out of the woods with the endemic disease, so they¡¯ll be taking back plenty.¡± Marco answered with a puckered face, as if he was regretful about being in the trade. It was a weird face that Marco had made, so Siervian covered her mouth to laugh secretly. ¡®Hmm, the trade with Garambell. This has never happened in my previous life, will this affect me?¡¯ Until now, it had been a future that did not deviate much from the previous life. Siervian seemed to be in a lot of trouble because she could not predict the ripple effect of the incident. Her goal was to create a future that was as beneficial to herself and her family as possible. ¡°Come here, Sebi wants to say something.¡± ¡°What? Okay, okay.¡± After thinking about it, Siervian carefully beckoned Marco again. Marco quickly changed his expression and hurriedly lent his ear, perhaps due to the previous experience. ¡°Please go see if you can buy some grain.¡± ¡°Buy some grain?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± ¡°Ah, Yes.¡± She was worried about the price of grain when she heard about it at the meeting in the Emperor¡¯s Palace. Siervian had a glimpse of an idea of what she will do in the southern kingdom in the future. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: Hmm. Right now the grain prices have gone up by ten percent. Depending on the situation, there may be another rise. The Mosae Kingdom, the successor to the Western Empire, was famous for its granaries. It was a powerhouse that was blessed with the grace of plains, located between Garambell and a high mountain. Originally, the west coast would have suffered for years from the aftermath of an endemic disease, but this time things would be different. ¡®After all, it¡¯s the money I earned, so if there¡¯s any food left, I¡¯ll be able to even help the slums.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like a bad choice in many ways. ¡°I will look into it, Princess.¡± Marco nodded calmly, even with a puzzled face. In any case, they could reach Garambell only after passing the Mosae Kingdom. Not realizing that Siervian had even thought of that, Marco nodded his head for a moment. ¡°And, Sebi has a favor to ask.¡± ¡°What is it, Princess?¡± Siervian had been silently twiddling her fingers and then whispered in Marco¡¯s ear in a much quieter voice after he replied. Whisper, whisper. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: A s-slush fund? The Princess could get caught up in big trouble later on. What should I do? How can she think like this at such a young age? Is it because she¡¯s from the Imperial Palace? Contrary to what he said earlier, Marco couldn¡¯t make a sound and just opened his eyes wide. With shaky eyelids, Marco quickly looked around the drawing room. Siervian had used a voice so small that if there were maids beside her they still couldn¡¯t hear, but she was afraid there might. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do anything bad, I promise, here.¡± ¡°¡­You promise?¡± Though unsure, Marco also hung his pinky, it was an unconscious act. Looking at his still lingering doubts, Siervian threw bait that he could accept at once. Fluttering, raising the two little fingers. ¡°And from those things, this¡­ Marco can take this much.¡± Her father will know everything about her investment anyway. But Siervian had always felt that she needed a little bit of her own secret money. Of course, it wasn¡¯t for bad use. It was the money she needed to escape and live a new life if the future could not be changed. ¡°Huh.¡± When Siervian whispered more and told Marco about the portion he would receive, Marco¡¯s eyes shook even more. ¡°I-I will always be loyal to you, Your Highness.¡± [ Marco Willliam ] Favorability: +50 Siervian scratched her cheek as she watched Marco, who eventually gave in to money. Worrying Marco like this, she promised to let him have a good life. Autumn had almost arrived. The autumn season of a six-year-old has a special event for the people of the Northern Empire. It is the age at which one starts drinking Harmin tea. ¡®Time had already passed like this.¡¯ Every Imperial citizen drinks Harmin tea every month from the autumn season of the age of six to adulthood. It was because the Northern Empire controlled a wide range of temperature with magic, there was a concern that the mana concentration that should be in the air sometimes became thin. ¡®Now that this barren place has been enriched, there must be side effects.¡¯ Mana is the source of magic, but it is also an essential element of the human body. Exposure to places with insufficient mana concentration for a long time causes a disease called ¡®mana sparsity¡¯. Harmin is the leaf that prevents sparsity. The solution that the first emperor had in mind was to have the Empire drink tea from the Harmin leaf. ¡®Um, what should I do?¡¯ So far, Siervian had been relaxing, and the leisurely days seem to continue. The trade group that went to Garambell had not yet returned, so Siervian still had no idea if the future would be different from her previous life. The Emperor¡¯s stubborn intention was to spend her childhood leisurely, so the daily routine of Siervian was the same. ¡®Come to think of it, why is the Magic Tower Lord¡¯s favorability so high?¡¯ She¡¯d only met the Tower Lord a handful of times, and he looked at Siervian with pity. Unlike Magic Tower¡¯s elder council, the Tower Lord as an individual maintained a friendly relationship with the Imperial family. ¡®Even if I look many times, the favorability points are still high?¡¯ Perhaps the scent of mana had an effect on it. So Siervian thought comfortably, thinking that his interest in her would soon fade. ¡°From the Harmin Garden, I got a call to take the Princess right now.¡± ¡°No, why suddenly? Ettiqu¡­¡± But then her peaceful everyday routine was suddenly involved with an urgent task. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50 ¡°I know that.¡± Ellie sighed with a brooding expression. With that expression, Siervian felt nervous about this urgent matter. But soon after, she comforted the ladies-in-waiting. ¡°It¡¯s okay, everyone. Let¡¯s goo!¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± [ Jane Millas ] Favorability: +20 Thoughts: You must be excited since it¡¯s your first time hearing about it. As the Imperial daughter moved enthusiastically, the maids stopped frowning and prepared to go out in a hurry. The time for Siervian to drink the Harmin tea was inevitably getting closer. But the fact that the time came rather suddenly made her want to just get it over with. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t do this. I need to contact His Majesty¡­ As Ellie left the palace worried, she secretly gave an order to the other maid beside her. Siervian, on the other hand, was worried about Adante, who left for a while. What made Ellie worry so much was the suddenness of the call because it was against proper etiquette. So Siervian wondered if her father would do something on the day she would drink the Harmin tea. ¡®But I heard that my father is especially busy these days.¡¯ Siervian then realized that she was thinking like Ellie without noticing it. She cutely shook her head quickly. As she kept looking at people¡¯s thoughts, she fell into bad habits thinking sometimes like the people she was looking into, which was a big problem for her. ¡®I don¡¯t think this is the time to drink Harmin tea.¡¯ Harmin¡¯s garden was a ceremonial space for young Imperial families to drink Harmin tea. Although it is an Imperial garden, only a small building structure was built there. If one does not drink Harmin tea periodically, especially at an early age, they will die before entering adulthood. But there was another problem for Siervian. ¡®I¡¯m certain the allergies are still the same.¡¯ Around the same period in her previous life, after drinking Harmin tea, Siervian completely collapsed and actually almost passed on due to shortness of breath. It was also the day they found out that she was allergic to Harmin tea leaves. ¡®If we go on like this again, I might¡­!¡¯ Naturally, Siervian thought of various countermeasures, but an allergy like hers will only be revealed after drinking the tea. In the end, only her anxiety deepened as she went without any excuses to cancel the ceremony. ¡®I really don¡¯t want this.¡¯ After the day she managed to overcome the allergy, the Empress was very concerned about Siervian and even gave her a doctor from her own family. Because management of cultivating the Harmin tea leaves was the role of the Empress. Among the four meritorious families that established the Empire with the first Emperor, he was the only remaining duke. ¡¯Umm, if it turns out you¡¯re allergic again, I¡¯ll have to seek help from them. But the transportation could be the only problem.¡¯ They had devoted generations to this, regarding it as a ¡®sacred duty¡¯. A specialist in Harmin tea leaves, the Empress¡¯s doctor made Siervian a special pill; this was before she was imprisoned. They made it for Siervian; it had similar effects to the Harmin grass. It was said that the medicine was handed down in the family and was very expensive because of the precious medicinal substance. If Siervian were a commoner, she would¡¯ve died of the sparsity brought on by the allergy. ¡®I believe that medicine was made just for me.¡¯ The Empress even took special care of her swallowing the pill, because Siervian was worried about the medicine for a while. ¡®Was she really worried about me though?¡¯ She would have thought it was a fake medicine if it were something else. However, Siervian was a little unsure of the Empress. No matter how much she hated Siervian, it was hard to regard the act of defending her sacred duty as a lie. ¡®But the thing is, caring for the Harmin tea leaves is the core of the Empress¡¯s power. Using it because you hate someone is a bit¡­¡¯ It was a unique authority that couldn¡¯t violate the Imperial family. It was said that it was the first Emperor¡¯s consideration to also share it with the public, to the extent that it remains in the records of the Imperial family. ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange that only the Empress¡¯s family manages something so important.¡¯ Looking at the issue from a new perspective raised questions. However, it is a matter of the lives of the Imperial people, so the Emperor also must have been taking care of it. ¡®Perhaps my father has a record of it, so maybe he knows why?¡¯ While deep in thought, Siervian didn¡¯t realize that she had already arrived at the Harmin Garden. And there was already some trouble in front of the garden. ¡°Wait, if you handle such a procedure that has not yet been cleared!¡± ¡°Oho, you are interfering with a sacred duty!¡± A familiar voice reached Siervian; it was the voice of Ellie, who was confronting someone. ¡°But, there are laws and etiquette¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a commoner, what manners are you talking about!?¡± After hearing those words, Siervian inadvertently made a face. Unlike Jane, Ellie was a commoner. However, she was in charge as the chief lady-in-waiting at the Princess¡¯ Palace, but originally it wasn¡¯t supposed to be her. In anger, Siervian squirmed toward the two and as she stepped forward she saw the familiar doctor who was yelling at Ellie. ¡®That is the doctor who gave me the special pills, right?¡¯ He only took a peek at the Imperial Princess and packed his bag needed for their ceremonial visit, and that¡¯s when Jane shouted sternly. ¡°This is absurd! Be respectful to the Princess!¡± He then bowed his head formally, right after he busily issued an order for something to the people in the garden. The expressions of the ladies-in-waiting became bitter when the people in the garden completely ignored the Imperial Princess. ¡®But why am I the only one here?¡¯ When Siervian previously first drank Harmin tea, she had all her Imperial family gathered in the garden. Since it is a matter related to the body of the Imperial Family, the presence of the family members is a must. ¡°Handmaidens of the Princess¡¯s Palace, please step aside.¡± Then a middle-aged woman appeared from behind the doctor menacingly, and the tone of her voice made Siervian freeze in place. There was the chief lady-in-waiting of the Empress¡¯ Palace. In the Emperor¡¯s Palace and in the Empress¡¯s Palace there must be one chief lady-in-waiting and one grand chamberlain. But this time, the Emperor¡¯s palace didn¡¯t have a chief lady-in-waiting. ¡°This is nonsense! What about the proper etiquette of the Imperial Palace?!¡± Blocking the front of the princess, Jane shouted at the Empress¡¯s people. But another familiar voice came to Siervian¡¯s mind, she felt as if her nightmare came back. Unfortunately, she was the one that receives the Empress¡¯s rebukes every time something happens. [ Annabelle Aium ] Occupation: The Empress¡¯s Chief Lady-in-waiting Favorability: -2680 Thoughts: This one¡¯s annoying. You¡¯re merely a child of a lowly concubine. I¡¯ll make you realize your place today. At Annabelle¡¯s gesture, her people flocked towards the princess and her maids. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°The Empress had just lost sight of the Princess for a little while, and yet now the parts of the Palace have become very vulgar.¡± Looks of disgust fell on her. Siervian couldn¡¯t stop getting goosebumps from what was happening. Siervian didn¡¯t expect that she would have these kinds of thoughts. In the garden right now, Annabelle had the highest position in terms of the hierarchy of nobility. Thanks to that, she also has the role of disciplining Siervian on behalf of the Empress. ¡®Oh no, what do I do?¡¯ She was also a maid that the Empress brought from her family¡¯s household, and also the Crown Prince¡¯s nanny. Siervian had no choice but to keep an eye on Annabelle¡¯s thoughts because she was the Empress¡¯s closest aide, no matter what happened. ¡°Doctor, prepare the tea.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± After pulling Siervian out of her detained maids, they entered the garden. Something had changed. In her previous life, she did not come to this garden at this time of the month. If her family came to this ceremony, she would¡¯ve definitely been given first aid, but no one came. ¡®The future is changing.¡¯ While being dragged, Siervian became terrified of what she was seeing. [ Tivree ] Occupation: Harmin Specialist (Lv.89) Thoughts: Haa, I¡¯m shaking. Putting it even just a little made me anxious. But since Her Majesty said she¡¯d look after her¡­ ¡®What? What did you put in!?¡¯ The round-eyed Siervian urgently looked around the place. In that short amount of time of being dragged, all the maids of the Princess¡¯s Palace were helplessly overpowered and detained outside the garden. The only ones here in the garden were people of the Empress and Siervian. ¡°Princess! Let go of her!¡± They were all obviously dressed up as servants, but the difference in the number of people seemed to be a lot more powerful on Annabelle¡¯s side. It seemed to be fortunate for them that all of this happened after Siervian¡¯s escort was away for a while. ¡®But when will the escort return?¡± Even in her previous life, Annabelle occasionally visited the Princess¡¯s Palace and ordered all the handmaidens there. At that time, Sarah handed over the reins as chief lady-in-waiting as if it was natural. It¡¯s like trying to pressure the young Siervian. ¡°Come on, Princess. This is Harmin tea, this one¡¯s important for the body.¡± In the middle of the garden, there was a lavish ceremonial table. The doctor who stood there poured the Harmin undiluted solution into the lukewarm water. Looking at the teacup, Siervian felt pure fear after a very long time. ¡°D-Don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°Oho. It¡¯s not bad, it¡¯s medicine. You will need to drink this every month from now on.¡± ¡°No! Sebi doesn¡¯t want to drink tea!¡± There was even something added to the tea she was allergic to. She had a gut feeling of not ever drinking that tea, so she struggled getting out of Annabelle¡¯s hands. Then Annabelle¡¯s hand tightened to the hand Siervian was trying to let go of. ¡°Look at this. Her Majesty the Empress has barely educated her like an Imperial child. People will soon know that you are lacking.¡± ¡°Let go¡­Sebi¡­Sebi¡­¡± The expressionless Annabelle pressed Siervian¡¯s shoulder harder and took the teacup. ¡°Drink. Hurry.¡± ¡°Sebi doesn¡¯t¡­¡± As tears welled up in this sad situation, Siervian futilely begged and begged. No matter how busy he was, she wanted him to come. Just then, Siervian heard the familiar low voice as if her wish came true. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty.¡± Her hand clasped off quickly With Annabelle, who bowed her head gracefully, and behind her, Siervian turned her head to look at her father. The Emperor looked around with his blue eyes and found a cute tearful face. At that moment, a huge force of mana swept through the garden. ¡°Uurk.¡± ¡°Huk¡ª¡± ¡°AAACK!¡± As the strong mana shot out at such a fast speed from him without one gesture to summon it, Annabelle was caught with the attack first and was flung into the bushes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Unlike a well-mannered person, Annabelle let out a distorted shriek. ¡°Imperial Guards, subdue them.¡± This time, the people screeching were Annabelle¡¯s people, who had been restraining the Princess¡¯ ladies-in-waiting outside the garden. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor cleared the situation in an instant, then he looked at the arrested people grimly. ¡°Take away all those insolent people.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty the Emperor! You have misunderstood! Your Majesty!¡± Annabelle shouted desperately once she was caught by the imperial guards. The Emperor whipped his hand out as a sign to stop the foul words from coming out. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Put them all in a dungeon. Do not let anyone other than the guards meet them!¡± ¡°Hicc!¡± Only then did Siervian quickly step down from her seat and run in a hurry without realizing it. She was scared and kept crying all this time. Her young body was impatient to go to someone who would protect her. ¡°Papa!¡± Everyone was overwhelmed by the turbulent fluctuation of mana in the air, but Siervian¡¯s father had made it so that she was the only one unaffected. ¡°Siervy. You must be surprised.¡± Siervian had yet to learn how to deal with mana, so of course she had no idea about the fluctuation of mana around them. Even though this situation was very strange, the current Siervian did not notice. All she could do was cling to her father¡¯s leg. ¡°Princess!¡± The now released ladies-in-waiting ran into the garden. Ellie came running to Siervian with tears welling up in her eyes. Then, she fell to her knees. The Emperor looked all around the scene and finally reached the specialist. ¡°Explain, Harmin specialist. What did you just do?¡± From the moment the Emperor appeared, the specialist had barely moved as if he was caught in a binding spell and knelt down. With his head bowed down, he fiercely prepared an excuse. [ Tivree ] Thoughts: If I get caught, I¡¯ll definitely lose my head! Grasping the hem of her father¡¯s robe, Siervian understood the specialist¡¯s innermost thoughts. She still shivered at the fact that he tried to make her drink something weird. ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s because the Princess complained that she didn¡¯t want to attend such an important ceremony.¡± It felt as if she was possessed by the Spirit of Mana. Siervian carefully counted the dates until the morning, but she still couldn¡¯t believe what had happened. After all of that, she heard the sound of rough footsteps in the garden. ¡°Stop!¡± The one who appeared and shouted urgently was the Imperial Court Doctor. Once he arrived, the court doctor took a deep breath, probably because he had been rushed to the garden. After gazing at the messed up interior of the Harmin garden, Siervian then looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The Emperor glanced at the court doctor then turned his cold gaze again to the one lying face down. This was because he didn¡¯t believe the answer that the specialist had just given. ¡°So, it¡¯s the Princess¡¯s fault?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, it is as I explained a while ago.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± When asked again, the specialist pursed his lips as if he thought his excuses would work. At that moment, a huge force pressed down on his head. ¡°You speak so rudely even in front of me. How could I have been more arrogant in front of the young Princess like this?¡± ¡°Ugh, keugh, p-please, have mercy.¡± It wasn¡¯t until his face was forced into the grass that he came to his senses. The specialist was used to a situation in which everyone around him despised the existence of the Princess herself, so it remained a habit before he knew it One can only realize mistakes when on the verge of death. And, contrary to the words of the Empress, he also learned that the Princess was very favored by the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s something suspicious going on. He rushed the schedule about the Imperial ceremony without contacting me.¡± ¡°Is that the reason you came here running?¡± Conscious of the unexpected situation, the court doctor quickly replied. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It¡¯s clearly a different date from the one I mentioned before, but the Princess was already brought here. I should have looked a little more closely, I apologize immensely.¡± ¡°Court doctor, don¡¯t say such nonsense.¡± The words were merciful, but Alderuan¡¯s expression grew more and more grim. As he swung his hand, the specialist, who was being crushed by the grass, gasped again. He was under the spell of being trapped all over. ¡°How dare you try to assassinate a member of the Imperial family.¡± ¡°Aaugh! Haak!¡± The trapped specialist wriggled with his eyes wide open. This was simply because the weight of the sin was different to disrespecting the young Princess and killing an Imperial member. ¡°Take him away. I will interrogate him myself.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± As the situation cleared, the court doctor quickly knelt on one knee and examined Siervian¡¯s condition. ¡°Your Highness, are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The nearly white beard of the court doctor shook as if it was trembling. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Thoughts: No, why on earth was I not even contacted. As His Majesty said, this young Princess¡­! He still did not fully comprehend the situation, so he looked at the Emperor. ¡°What brings you here, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°My daughter is drinking Harmin tea for the first time, so of course I should come.¡± Saying it as if it was natural, he stroked Servian¡¯s head as she still held onto the hem of his robe. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Thoughts: I remember that you didn¡¯t come to Crown Prince¡¯s¡­ Therefore, the court doctor¡¯s eyes shook with confusion. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± At that time, Chancellor Hex belatedly entered the garden, but it was for the Emperor. ¡°What is it, Chancellor?¡± Hex stomped his feet at the Emperor¡¯s casual reaction. [ Hex ] Thoughts: There¡¯s so much work to catch up on! On the way to the garden, Hex wisely refrained from speaking to the guards he encountered as they appeared to be ferociously arresting some people. ¡°I came here to pick you up¡­ Didn¡¯t the Princess come to drink Harmin tea?¡± Hex¡¯s eyes then automatically turned to the Harmin tea left on the table. Siervian desperately uttered as she heard Hex¡¯s words. ¡°Se-Sebi doesn¡¯t want to drink tea.¡± How could she explain her allergies? Of course, she was also afraid she might faint again because of the tea, but it was also not good to reject the importance of the Harmin tea. Her father¡¯s eyes seemed to be fierce toward her. But contrary to those eyes, he said. ¡°Chancellor, confer with the Lord of the Magic Tower and the court doctor to find a way to replace Harmin tea.¡± ¡°Yes, what? Your Majesty! That¡¯s¡­!¡± The eyes of the court doctor opened wide due to the unexpected heavy duty he was just assigned. The astonishment in his eyes soon became very serious again with the next words. ¡°And that tea, analyze its ingredients.¡± At the end of the Emperor¡¯s gaze, there was still a teacup lying on the garden table. After much consideration, the hard-faced court doctor carefully responded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Researching Harmin tea is¡­¡± ¡°Court doctor.¡± ¡°¡­I shall heed Your Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± [ Hanta Mandersang ] Mood: Concerned Thoughts: What a stir this will bring¡­ Hmm¡­ As if to restrict the court doctor¡¯s words, the Emperor firmly interrupted. But Siervian had no choice but to doubt since she already saw his thoughts. ¡®Is there something wrong? Harmin tea research?¡¯ * * * The Emperor brought the Princess back to the Palace safely and returned to his office at the urging of Hex. Hex seriously considered, then cautiously gave advice to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, please take your orders back. Even if you ignore the Duchy¡¯s opposition right now, Her Highness should also drink some Harmin tea for the sake of her health.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What if one of them shows up?¡± ¡°I will figure it out first.¡± In the end, the order was not withdrawn. Like the court doctor, the Chancellor was alarmed by the repercussions of the decision. The duchy¡¯s authority over Harmin tea was greater than one could imagine. It was forbidden to analyze or study the tea leaves that were consumed by the people of the Empire. This was because of the risk of the leaves being abused or misused. ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t want to drink the tea. We only have a few months left for her, so we must find a way for her not to get sick without Harmin tea.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our research first. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll persuade them again.¡± Such eyes of the furious Emperor were not seen. He thought of those who oppress the Princess and how they should pay the price. ¡°We¡¯ve been contacted about the imprisonment of the ladies-in-waiting of the Empress¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°Ignore it.¡± No matter how much the Emperor thought about it, with the financial status of the Imperial Palace, the Empress had no will to properly care for Siervian. The ladies-in-waiting who were captured were well aware of the kind of person the Emperor was. The Emperor then wanted to discover for himself the clues in the unexpected situation in the garden. ¡°Your Majesty, I have heard the news about the escort of the Princess.¡± After a long time had passed, the knight designated as the escort of the Princess was called and ran to the Emperor¡¯s Palace. He immediately prostrated in front of the Emperor after entering with permission. ¡°I will accept my punishment.¡± He was the Captain of the Imperial Guard, and the Emperor favored him since he had considerable skill. That¡¯s why he was purposely attached to the escort of the Princess. However, it was doubtful that he would be away from the Princess¡¯s Palace when such an incident had happened. ¡°You seem to know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± He was the epitome of an honest knight who would make no excuse for any of his mistakes. Watching the face of Roid, the Captain of the Imperial Guard, the Emperor allowed only one excuse. ¡°Explain why you were away from the Princess.¡± ¡°I was called by the Empress.¡± At that reply, the Emperor furrowed his eyebrows and just stared at the knight. Would it be believable that he was called by the Empress at a time like this? ¡°I received an urgent call saying that it was for the safety of the Princess.¡± ¡°Then?¡± To call it an excuse would have been too crude. ¡°But, for some reason, we didn¡¯t get to see each other until the afternoon.¡± Despite the relaxed appearance of the Emperor, the knight was still bowing his head and continued his words firmly. ¡°Your Majesty, even though it is against my convictions to make such excuses, I have come here in a rush to tell you something.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems that Her Majesty the Empress is now on her way to the Princess¡¯ Palace.¡± Hearing those words, the Emperor immediately rose from his seat. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡°Do you mean to say that I should believe that you were summoned by the Empress?¡± ¡°While I was waiting for all the time, it was His Highness the Crown Prince who allowed me finally to leave the Empress¡¯s Palace.¡± Having heard the unexpected statement, Alderuan¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°If what you said is a lie, I¡¯ll have your throat cut.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty¡­ It would be better if Your Majesty should hurry.¡± The knight did not say much, but he just looked at the Emperor with faithful eyes. Looking at those eyes, which contained a strange feeling, the Emperor suddenly felt a terrible foreboding. Unconsciously, he looked toward the Princess¡¯ Palace where Siervian was. * * * The Empress¡¯s visit was sudden. ¡°Princess. Aren¡¯t you going to tell me what happened?¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t get rid of her nervousness as she watched the Empress approach her bedroom. She just barely escaped the Harmin garden, now she had to deal with the sudden visit of the Empress. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Favorability: -100 Mood: Enraged Thoughts: Why on earth was Annabelle dragged away? His Majesty has no answer, but he¡¯s not the kind of person who would interfere in others¡¯ businesses. I¡¯m sure this wench got another¡­! As if Annabelle¡¯s persecution was nothing, the image of the Empress seemed to be stuck. In her previous life, the Empress had never visited the Princess¡¯s Palace. ¡®Come to think of it, She¡¯s never been here to see how I¡¯m living. How come I didn¡¯t notice this earlier?¡¯ She realized it too late after such a rush. ¡°Princess.¡± The Empress had been acting as if persuading Siervian for a reasonable amount of time and soon hardened her face. Even though the Empress always acted as though she was kind, Siervian¡¯s young body readily flinched. As the voice lowered, Siervian¡¯s sadness and desperation from her past flowed out without realizing it. ¡°A-Annabelle forced me to drink.¡± As soon as this answer came out, the Empress raised her eyes fiercely for a moment, but quickly corrected her expression. ¡°¡­So, you couldn¡¯t drink Harmin tea today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± [Cybelle Erveldote ] Thoughts: How, how come you didn¡¯t drink it?! Her words were soft, but her innermost thoughts were the opposite. Was it because the specialist was someone from the duchy and he did it for their sake? ¡°Princess, it¡¯s because I¡¯m worried. Come on, answer me.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± For some time, the maids of the Princess¡¯s Palace stomped their feet in regret. They could¡¯ve rebelled against the chief lady-in-waiting, but that was impossible to do in front of the Empress. Ellie managed to pluck up some courage and took a step forward. ¡°Your Majesty, a while ago, the Chief lady-in-waiting Annabelle was about to¡­¡± But just before the end of the sentence, the Empress¡¯s cold voice cut through. ¡°How dare you open your mouth when I have not allowed you to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But, Your Majesty, the Princess, please¡­¡± As the maid replied, the Empress slammed the table facing Siervian. ¡°Take that arrogant mouth of yours and get out immediately. Grand Chamberlain!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The newly appointed Grand Chamberlain of the Empress¡¯ Palace, who looked more like a mercenary than an attendant, frowned beside the Empress. ¡°I will punish this arrogant girl myself.¡± ¡°Y-You cwan¡¯t, Your Majwesty¡± As soon as Ellie got caught by the rough hand, Siervian sprang to her feet. Everyone in the Palace was quiet, but the Empress was merciless toward her subordinates. ¡°Princess. Didn¡¯t I always tell you to behave like a member of the Imperial family? ¡°B-but.¡± There was a particular rumor that the maids were sometimes whipped in the basement of the Empress¡¯s Palace. But it was Siervian who got blamed for all that. ¡®No, Ellie is going to be hurt.¡¯ Siervian had no choice but to hold back her tears and beg the Empress. She didn¡¯t know what the Empress desired, but she wanted to protect her people. ¡°I-I¡¯m sowwy, I made a mwistake.¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majwesty.¡± As she begged for forgiveness as obediently as she had been in the past, the Empress¡¯s emotions seemed to ease slightly. Still standing after all the commotion, the Empress squinted her eyes and looked at Siervian, who had her head bowed down and her hands folded. ¡°For the time being, please sit down and we will bring it.¡± Ellie was overpowered and held by the Empress¡¯s Grand Chamberlain in the corner of the bedroom. Siervian¡¯s mind was busy the entire time as Ellie was taken hostage. To protect her people, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to get out of this situation with your head bowed down for a moment. ¡°Here, I have prepared this especially for you.¡± But as soon as they put it in front of her, Siervian¡¯s head went blank. ¡®Harmin tea? Why¡­!¡¯ Regardless of what Siervian had avoided the most, the Empress brought out Harmin tea again as if she had received it from the duchy. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you didn¡¯t drink the tea, even when you brought His Majesty to the garden.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her heart thumped as the white steam rose from the very hot tea. Even harder now that her mind was playing tricks on her, making her think that the steam was making her skin itch. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Thoughts: Apparently Annabelle was trying to make her drink tea, but this girl was making a fuss about it. Bothersome wench. ¡®You must¡¯ve made a fuss again Princess, she said, but did I get it wrong?¡¯ Much different from the truth, Siervian nodded quietly. She didn¡¯t ask for the truth now because she already knew the truth. ¡°You must not think that even though His Majesty the Emperor may be gentle on the outside, Princess, because he is not so kind on the inside.¡± Knowing her father¡¯s warm heart, Siervian unconsciously looked at the Empress in astonishment. But what¡¯s really weird were the Empress¡¯s thoughts. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Mood: Nervous Thoughts:This Harmin tea must be drunk. At all costs. Despite this suffocating situation, Siervian managed to come up with a question. It¡¯s not anger, it¡¯s nervousness. But rather, shouldn¡¯t Siervian, suffocated by her allergies, be nervous? ¡®Why do I have to drink this urgently?¡¯ It¡¯s not like she will die of mana scarcity just because she didn¡¯t drink Harmin tea right now. Only this morning, Siervian had been certain that the Empress, who was a member of the Duchy, was fully committed to her sacred duty, but that idea was shattered here. Because she knew there was something in the tea the duchy¡¯s specialist had brewed. [ Cybelle Ervelote ] Thoughts: I should have gotten the drug from the doctor. So, first, I¡¯ll have her drink this today, and next time I¡¯ll¡­ Fortunately, this time, the unidentified drug did not seem to have been added. She couldn¡¯t understand why the Empress was nervous when she did not add the drug on purpose. But of course, the biggest problem right now was that Harmin tea itself was like a poison to Siervian. ¡°What are you doing, Princess?¡± ¡°La¡­ter¡­¡± Siervian struggled to speak and to somehow escape from this complex situation. Then the Empress¡¯s gaze turned to Ellie, who was often detained. ¡°The reason why the Princess can¡¯t tell the difference between heaven and earth is because her subordinates can¡¯t take care of her.¡± ¡°No, but¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I told His Majesty that you should not have an insignificant woman as a Chief lady-in-waiting.¡± The Empress held Siervian by the shoulder, and it felt similar to how Annabelle grabbed her earlier. ¡°I will have her replaced and give you a proper lady-in-waiting soon, everything would be alright if you trust me, Princess.¡± ¡°Tea, no, I cwan¡¯t¡­!¡± In the end, Siervian burst into tears half-crying, and the Empress was unable to control her expression. [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Mood: Extremely jittery Thoughts: You can¡¯t just keep rejecting tea like this. I must have you drink this today. At that instant, the Empress grabbed Siervian¡¯s cheek. It was slightly scratched because of the Empress¡¯s large ring. ¡°Why are you so disobedient? This is all for your sake, Princess!¡± The Empress forced Siervian to let the Harmin tea flow onto her mouth, and after having almost no time to react, the tea flowed down little by little. ¡°Ugh!¡± The hot liquid ran down her throat causing tears to drop. ¡°What on earth are you doing!¡± The loud noise shook the whole bedroom. Startled, the Empress dropped the teacup she forced on Siervian to drink, and thanks to this, Siervian did not swallow all the tea. The teacup eventually fell to the carpet, rolled and reached the feet of the enraged Emperor. ¡°Empress! I am asking you what this is about!¡± The Emperor quickly strode forward and took Siervian away from the Empress and shouted. She had never seen her father so angry. Perhaps dumbfounded, the Empress first stepped away from the Princess. ¡°¡­Your Majesty is here.¡± ¡°How could you do this¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just proper discipline, Your Majesty.¡± However, the Empress was very quick to smooth her features. Even with a benevolent smile, she whispered to the Emperor thinking she had done nothing wrong in this situation. ¡°Discipline? Now, did you just say that this is discipline?¡± ¡°Your Majesty knows best how important it is to drink Harmin tea. I was just a little impatient seeing the Princess missed her opportunity and may suffer in the future.¡± The smooth flow of words were like the whispers of a snake. But upon hearing those words, the Emperor shouted unaware in his anger. ¡°Don¡¯t spout such nonsense! You were abusing her just now. True discipline takes place first with being honest with the child and persistently asking for her understanding. What you just did was forcefully grab her and make her drink that tea!¡± ¡°But the Princess was so fussy¡­¡± Siervian thought that this was probably the only way to avoid the situation, but the Empress was stubborn. ¡°Uuurk!¡± However, Siervian, who was sitting in a chair, felt her vision darken. In her previous life, she definitely felt the same symptoms after drinking that cup of tea. ¡®Did my allergies get worse?¡¯ Her sight swirled as she immediately felt the swing of vertigo. Her body was sitting on the chair, but she soon collapsed. She fell to the ground. ¡°Siervy?¡± And as she forced her head up, she saw the face of the frozen Empress. Even as her consciousness crumbled, Siervian tried to read her status window. Would she be upset or angry again? [ Cybelle Erveldote ] Emotions: Surprised Thoughts: ¡­An allergic response? She¡¯s allergic to it? How could this happen? No, NO! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Despite all expectations, the Empress was showing a very strange reaction. ¡®What is with her reaction?¡¯ But the thought did not last long. Siervian unconsciously held her neck in her hands, as if she was running out of breath. But soon, her hands dropped loosely, and she collapsed into her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Siervy! Contact the court doctor right now! Now!¡± She then lost consciousness while the Emperor embraced her. * * * ¡°Allergies?¡± The Emperor asked in a deep, subdued voice. The court doctor, who was in front of him, was flustered. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Although there are some people who have allergic reactions to Harmin. It¡¯s very rare, but of all people¡­the Princess has it.¡± The Emperor was very restless in the Imperial Palace and sank into his chair in despair. AD He thought for a moment that the Empress had poisoned the Princess. ¡°Why on earth the duchy didn¡¯t do such a fundamental task before drinking the tea!¡± It was an important ceremony of a lifetime. If there is such a life threatening event, shouldn¡¯t they look into it? When his daughter suddenly collapsed, Alderuan had felt his heart drop as well. ¡°Although the task was meaningless at the time, it was a very rare case of an allergy.¡± ¡°¡­Is it that rare?¡± ¡°Yes. Regarding the Harmin tea, it¡¯s probably not enough to make an accurate diagnosis, but it¡¯s true that it was an allergic reaction.¡± It was so rare that even the Emperor himself was unaware of the allergy, or that Siervian was born with it. The Emperor then touched his face in stress and nervousness. ¡°¡­No wonder, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t like tea, Sire.¡± ¡°From Siervian¡¯s allergic reaction, perhaps she also might have been repulsed by the scent, and, too, must have felt itchy due to the allergies.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± AD Everyone thought it was just a child¡¯s whining. He thought he was once a healthy kid, but to make such a mistake. But there was also the Empress¡¯ unusual behavior. ¡°Court doctor, did you analyze what was entrusted to you earlier?¡± The Empress was now confined at the Empress¡¯ Palace due to her actions toward Siervian. It was true that they cried out to the end that it was a misunderstanding. It wasn¡¯t an attempt to poison, it was just an allergy. In particular, when Siervian collapsed, the Empress seemed to be genuinely surprised. ¡°¡­I have something to report about that.¡± Seeing the stiff expression of the court doctor, Alderuan shook his hands as it was. Then the maids and servants in the Imperial Palace who were working together left the room in haste. ¡°You must have found something.¡± The actions of the duchy¡¯s Harmin specialist and the chief lady-in-waiting of the Empress were suspicious, and it was the same with the Empress. AD What was found in the Harmin tea handed to Siervian in the garden? ¡°Strange ingredients were found in the tea we brought earlier.¡± ¡°Is there poison in it?¡± ¡°It¡­ was close to poison, but not exactly. Rather, it had the nature of disrupting the mana of the human body.¡± The Emperor¡¯s face crumbled at those unexpected words. If it was not poisonous, it could still cause serious problems if it would disrupt the mana of the body. Especially for a child like Siervian. ¡°What about the second tea?¡± ¡°The second tea was imbued so it could not be tested accurately.¡± He even tried to squeeze the tea left in the carpet to test it, but it was already too late. Throughout all of his report, the court doctor looked nervous. ¡°If you look at the state Siervian is in right now, do you think the second tea could contain some drug?¡± AD ¡°Until that point, I do not know, sire¡± As the one who made a name for himself as the first court doctor, the feeling of being in the middle of a political strike seemed to be harder. The court doctor bowed his head as he reported the last one. ¡°In the future, Her Highness must stay away from dangerous drugs like this and Harmin tea as well.¡± ¡°If the drugs were mixed, would there be any side effects?¡± ¡°The Princess will be fine because of her quick response and because she drank only a small amount of the tea.¡± The Emperor listed many noble households in his mind, but this soon gradually faded away. He gathered his thoughts, but he then asked the court doctor again. ¡°What could have happened to Siervy if she had drunk the tea all the way?¡± Whether it¡¯s the duchy¡¯s crime or the Empress¡¯ order, it was suspicious that the drug had to be mixed with the Harmin tea. It could be that the Harmin tea is an easy weapon for them to use. Because of the regulation of the consumption of Harmin tea. ¡°At a young age, the Princess, if she would have drunk a lot more than she had¡­ With the drugs inside that could disrupt the mana for a long time¡­ The Princess would¡¯ve lost the ability to wield magic.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After replying, the court doctor tried to suppress his shaking eyelids. These plots had happened several times in the era when mages were in power. So, the results of drugs that had this effect like the one used on Siervian could lead to some of the small records. ¡°Let this fact remain unknown for the time being.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor focused on his thoughts as he watched the court doctor bow his head and draw away. The actions of the Empress and the duchy seemed far too overboard. ¡°Bring in the Princess¡¯ escort knight.¡± It was the escort knight of the Princess, but somehow the Captain of the Imperial Guard came along. ¡°Your Majesty, I dare ask your permission to speak.¡± AD ¡°What is it, Captain?¡± The Captain of the guard quickly bowed down to the floor and closed his eyes tightly in gloom. When he heard that there was a sudden disturbance, he hurriedly visited Sir Roid and listened to the situation after the disaster. After that, he had to rebuke the knight, who knew nothing but honesty. ¡°Please forgive Sir Roid. He is a knight armed with honesty and loyalty. But it is a definite sin that he failed to protect Her Highness the Princess¡­¡± The Captain¡¯s speech was long, but he summed it up clearly one by one. He was called by the Empress and had no clue about what would happen, so he couldn¡¯t save her! In the eyes of the Captain of the Guard, who was well versed in the life of the Imperial members, the incident was a conflict between the Imperial family. To be victimized by something like that, it would be a waste of Sir Roid¡¯s skills. ¡°What do you wish to say, Captain?¡± ¡°Please, he is a knight who has a bright future¡­ Please, Your Majesty.¡± Contrary to the Captain¡¯s worries on what would happen to Sir Roid, the Emperor just looked at him with an eyebrow raised. AD ¡°Sir Roid.¡± ¡°I have your orders, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor was only suspicious for the first time that the escort knight was a worker for the Empress¡¯ Palace. But Roid¡¯s innocence became clear when he stated that the Empress was headed for the Princess¡¯s Palace. ¡°I will grant you immunity.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Sir Roid actually heard the order, but he made a blunt expression only because the Captain of the guard surprised him by being on his side. ¡°Even if I contact you, I give you the authority to stay on your knightly duty as the Princess¡¯s escort.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was simply an extraordinary power, because it meant to prioritize his duty over the Emperor¡¯s orders. But it seemed that the only thing that surprised him was the Captain of the Guard, who couldn¡¯t make a sound and just opened his eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯ll take your name.¡± Helped by the Captain of the Guard, Roid calmly made a humble reply with firm determination. As if doing his knightly duty was as natural as he breathed. * * * Siervian¡¯s recovery took days. This was because her fever was quite high and it didn¡¯t drop readily. As she went in and out of consciousness, the person next to Siervian kept changing. It was her Father, then it was Ellie, and her brother. But when she opened her eyes, there was someone always there for her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As she woke up in the dark night, she did not find it strange that Ellie was dozing next to her. ¡®It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡¯ Obviously, her previous days were really painful. She had had less tea when compared to her previous life, so why did her symptoms seem to have gotten worse? Maybe because she was so young she couldn¡¯t remember it clearly, but this time she had to experience it vividly. ¡®I want to take a bath.¡¯ Ellie and Jane took turns taking good care of Siervian, but she was clearly uncomfortable now when thinking of taking a bath. But Siervian decided not to wait. She tried to get up without waking Ellie, who was dozing off on her side while holding her hand tightly. ¡®I don¡¯t feel so good.¡¯ Somehow, she was strangely gloomy following her sickness. It was because she tried to avoid the situation, but ended up drinking the Harmin tea. In particular, whenever she thought that it was too early for the Empress to come, she got terrified. ¡®Is it impossible to change the big events in my life?¡¯ Siervian then closed her eyes tightly and quickly wanted to bathe and relieve the gloom and sadness. Now, whenever she was sick, there were people who wouldn¡¯t leave her side even for a moment. It was only natural for Siervian to wake up after being sick for a long time. She had already changed in a lot of ways. ¡®The Empress is a really, really terrible person.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what to do in this situation other than just dislike her. The power of the duchy originally derives from its integrity and good faith. Would they just abuse the Harmin tea like this? Naturally, she remembered the emotions of the Empress right before she lost consciousness. ¡®It¡¯s such a surprise that I¡¯m allergic to it, but really, why am I even allergic to it?¡¯ In her previous life, the Empress had found a way to prevent the allergies. She was even surprised they found a secret method for removing it. She couldn¡¯t remember the Empress¡¯ reaction in her previous life, because she was only six years old at the time. ¡®I would¡¯ve died without that secret knowledge.¡¯ Although she was executed the day before she became an adult, at least it wasn¡¯t mana sparsity that killed her. Even in her poor condition in the underground prison, She couldn¡¯t drink Harmin tea, but there were no symptoms of mana sparsity. Because the medicine she took steadily as a child maintained its effectiveness. ¡®How did they know of the secret passage? Was the thief also sent by the duchy? Was that it?¡¯ There were only a couple of questions, but she couldn¡¯t even share the questions with anyone, she just groaned inwardly. The four meritorious families who founded the Empire helped the first Emperor build the Imperial Palace. So was it a secret passage that even the Imperial family didn¡¯t know? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¡°How frustrating.¡± There was only so much she could do alone. Even if she knew something, it would become complicated if she could do something in her current position. And of course, all this stress would naturally turn into resentment. ¡°Why on earth is everyone here living so dishonestly?¡± And in particular, she was resentful of the very wicked Empress. Being tired of people¡¯s scattered emotions, she carefully made a resolution for herself. ¡®I must live in honesty.¡¯ It was also for the sake of her family. Since she sees all their emotions and thoughts, it would be fair if she could be honest with her feelings at least. ¡°Princess?¡± She was tossing and turning as she slept, but because of that, Ellie woke up as well. Naturally, she got up to soothe Siervian. She hurriedly touched Siervian¡¯s head as she smiled brightly with her gaze only on her. With a little bit of a caring face, Siervian¡¯s eyes were almost about to go all teary. ¡°Thank you Ellie.¡± She was already being honest with her feelings. * * * ¡°The Empress will be held accountable for her sins.¡± The atmosphere of the Imperial Palace, which had always teemed with activity, was chaotic this day. A duke protested the Emperor¡¯s sudden words. ¡°Your Majesty! What are you talking about so suddenly!¡± And of course, the other nobles did not just sit still. There were a number of nobles in the Palace, but it would be unprecedented to purge the Empress without clear evidence. ¡°Take a look at this. The ingredients of the Princess¡¯ harmin tea were modified.¡± Emperor Alderuan hurriedly threw a crystal in the middle of the table surrounded by the nobles. ¡°The Chief lady-in-waiting of the Empress¡¯ Palace and the harmin specialist of the duchy brought the Princess¡¯ harmin tea, and afterward ingredients of mana disruption were found in the tea.¡± After slowly flying in the groove of the table¡¯s center, light issued from the crystal. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What is this nonsense? Is this true? Duke!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The light soon became letters that flew before the nobles. It was a specific method of the empire of making documents by the crystal light if there was data needed to be seen together at a meeting. ¡°In spite of all that, the harmin tea¡­?¡± ¡°How, how could this happen?¡± The nobles soon became uneasy and recalled the unpleasant incident that occurred a while ago. Because presented before them was clear evidence. ¡°Your Majesty! There must be a mistake, someone might be plotting against us!¡± At that moment, the duke, who was astonished by the people, was still in denial. Alderuan looked at him with cold eyes and made a serious declaration. ¡°Yes. I believe that this is a conspiracy planned by the Duchy.¡± As he spoke, Alderuan felt a strange sense of incongruity in the Duke¡¯s attitude. The nobles were enveloped in silence one by one. The Duke planned the sabotaging of the Princess¡¯ tea, and the Imperial family invaded the Duke¡¯s power. ¡°The study of harmin tea is prohibited. But what can I do?!¡± Naturally, the Duke cried out again fiercely. He had suffered from headaches ever since receiving the Empress¡¯ secret summons, but he did not expect that the Emperor would charge something like this. ¡°Um, but the Duke¡¯s authority is a sacred right guaranteed by the first Emperor¡­¡± Those who were in the harmin garden were arrested on the spot and banned from ever visiting again. Moreover, even the Empress who was confined in her palace did not know that the first tea was left. ¡°If you had at least told me beforehand, we could¡¯ve discussed¡­¡± The nobles gave their opinions, but ultimately were only left with their expressions, which had become progressively more austere. Even nobles belonging to the Imperial sect could not speak in the current atmosphere. And that new atmosphere was harshly criticized by Emperor Alderuan. ¡°That sacred authority of yours only applied up until now, when the harmin tea was used to assassinate member of the Imperial family.¡± ¡°Assassinate. You mean to say¡­!¡± The Duke¡¯s reaction was obscured by other voices. They were obviously too preoccupied with the importance of harmin tea. In the first place, it was the right choice to be wary of the tea for it could be a weapon to be abused and attempt to assassinate an Imperial, which just happened. ¡°However, to say that the Princess would be assassinated with that level of drug is too¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going too far! And having to make up with such thoughtless excuses all the time¡­!¡± ¡°Destroying the mana in a body is no different from murder! You¡¯re saying it¡¯s not poison but it would kill them in the future!¡± In the end, the Duke took his breath over a glass of warm water. Then suddenly, one of the nobles took a swipe at the Duke. ¡°I heard that the chief maid from the duchy grabbed the Princess¡¯ face against her will to force the tea in her mouth, but the Duke¡¯s indulgence was not too much! ¡°It¡¯s¡­!¡± As if all of the nobles were gossiping about the Duke; but while they were at it, the lieutenant confirmed that the rumors were real. After hearing the lieutenant¡¯s confirmation, the atmosphere quickly became bitter. It was no different to describe the person who had already become the Empress¡¯ maid as ¡°from a Duke.¡± An attack on the duchy was the same as an indirect attack on the Empress. ¡°If rumor has it¡­¡± ¡°Huh, if it¡¯s really true, then the Empress was¡­¡± The Duke burst in anger as he saw the nobles whispering noisily as if they intentionally wanted him to listen. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, it¡¯s quite surprising that there was something more in the tea in the first place.¡± ¡°Do you dare claim that I fabricated the evidence?¡± ¡°I do not dare, Your Majesty, it¡¯s just that the study of harmin tea has only been done by the Duchy. The question arises whether non-professionals can properly analyze the tea.¡± They could not make a big mistake with evidence like this of course. He rolled his head as he absorbed the insults toward the Empress, who did her work prematurely. Just then, something strange made the anxious eyes of the Duke change. ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress was just genuinely concerned and made a horrible mistake.¡± ¡°It does not seem like a mistake from the ingredients found in the tea.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t the ingredients of the tea only examined by your specialist?¡± With those words, the lieutenant carefully stated the accident in detail again. Indeed, it was only in the first harmin tea that the drugs were found. ¡°You¡¯re playing with words.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The loyal specialist must have made a mistake.¡± The Emperor¡¯s face was angered by the same excuse, and yet the Duke still desperately clung to that fact. ¡°Give me a chance to change your mind!¡± ¡°You are forbidden, the one who dared to hurt a child, the Empress, is from the duchy, so I do not trust any of you¡± The fact that the Empress laid a finger on the Princess was openly declared as it was. The ministers¡¯ eyes glazed over as they realized the conclusive facts and calculated the gains. The Emperor suddenly realized the Duke¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°With my own hands, I will reveal every detail of the specialist¡¯s evil deeds.¡± ¡°I forbid that idea, and further, only under the presence of the Captain of the Guard will the Duke be able to move.¡± The Duke¡¯s attitude in the matter had been bothering Emperor Alderuan for some time. This was because he had a sense that the Duke¡¯s objection was strangely not to protect the Empress. ¡°¡­I see. The Duke¡¯s intentions seemed honorable, so I will accept them.¡± It was a remark that was thrown to stab the Empress¡¯ wickedness. Nevertheless, doesn¡¯t the duke act as if his innocence is more important than the rumors of the Empress? ¡°The Captain of the Guards has entered.¡± Is it useless to use power in front of a family¡¯s own flesh and blood? Of course, there were some things that were inexplicable regarding the event. And Alderuan decided not to ignore his strange hunch. * * * As Siervian regained her strength, the palace once again regained its colors. Now, she will be able to go for a walk again in the front yard of the Princess¡¯ Palace as she was recovered enough. But Ellie was not entirely relieved by that fact. ¡°Hmm, I think the Princess is strangely despondent.¡± While Siervian was out for a while, Ellie cleaned the Princess¡¯ room. Now that she was the chief lady-in-waiting, she had authority over the other maids, but was greedy to take care of the place where the Princess sleeps. At the moment, at the edge of Ellie¡¯s gaze, a doll captured her eye, the doll that Siervian cherished. ¡°I should bring this to her.¡± The Princess would often run around the garden, forgetting her doll. However, after going out for a while, she would come back to get the doll. So Ellie thought it would be the same situation this time. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± However, something strange touched Ellie¡¯s fingertips as she picked up the doll. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± * * * Siervian had been leisurely looking around the garden, specifically the flowers, for a long time now, and suddenly looked at the people gathered at the palace. ¡°Siervian, how are you?¡± ¡°Sebi is okaayy.¡± The Crown Prince carefully stroked Siervian¡¯s head with a somewhat tense expression. And the Emperor next to him just looked down at Siervian with a serious expression on his face. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡¯ Ellie had been working hard to express her feelings about what to do. Somewhat, she felt tension crawling up her back. That¡¯s when her father asked in a very dark voice. ¡°Siervy, something strange was found in your doll.¡± Her heart dropped, pounding. Siervian unconsciously recalled her past life when the Captain of the Guard came in. The same day she found the strange black magic that she didn¡¯t even know of inside the palace. ¡®It¡¯s not.¡¯ She was sure the doll head was properly attached to the body and wouldn¡¯t break off. It opened when she was sick? Or when she forgot for a moment while going to the garden? Whatever it was, she needed to answer, but still, her tongue was stiff. ¡°What?¡± As if announcing her death sentence, her father finally held out his palm. It was hard to look up, so she reflexively closed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to reproach you, Siervy, but why was this hiding in your doll?¡± The voice heard was very low. But, what¡¯s next was more of a concern than that. Eventually, she opened her eyes slowly, and there was the object she had forgotten held in the palm of her father¡¯s hand. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 55 Chapter 55 However, the embarrassment did not subside, and Siervian couldn¡¯t think of an excuse for the doll. ¡®Isn¡¯t that where I put the little jewels before?¡¯ Siervian put the jewels in the doll thinking of it as escape money if she couldn¡¯t change her future. At that time, she was gathering as much as possible, and she thought she could take it rather than leaving something valuable. ¡®Ugh, I accidentally put it on the broken button.¡¯ But having Marco teach her the value of money, the jewel was even crude. It was safe for the serious-faced family of hers to ask why on earth it was there. ¡°Siervian, we don¡¯t mean to blame you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Even after being told not to be scared, she shrank for no reason. After getting sick, she developed a habit of moving as if she were a baby again. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s?¡± [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: What¡¯s going on? Why would there be something ridiculous inside that doll? Someone might have put it in there knowing it¡¯s Seirvian¡¯s. After glimpsing the thought, she became more nervous. Looking at her expression, the Emperor and the Crown Prince made doubts a certainty. Something had happened to Siervian. ¡®Noo, I don¡¯t want misunderstandings to happen like this.¡¯ Getting more nervous, she even thought that having to change big events in the future would be impossible. That¡¯s why she hurriedly spit out the truth, which she planned on doing anyway. ¡°Sebi needs it to go out. That¡¯s why I collected it.¡± ¡°Hmm? Where are you going?¡± She was saddened by her brother¡¯s question. ¡°Hicc, I need to leave the palash now, so I saved some money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± In an instant, the space where they were became cold. ¡®Ahh, Maybe because I touched something that was the Palace¡¯s¡­?¡¯ She glanced at the floor as the silence continued, but made an excuse. ¡°I-iI just piwcked up something on the ground, and¡­¡± Black magic or not, it wasn¡¯t even the reason, she just only wanted to gather as much for her escape money. Siervian wished to not be misunderstood more. ¡°This is my fault.¡± ¡°Siervian! Why would you say that¡­!¡± ¡°Princess! Is that the reason why you haven¡¯t been so energetic¡­¡± Words spouted were not much different from yelling at the moment. But the feeling of worry in their words made Siervian look up. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: How could the Empress be so vicious! Siervy must think that she will be banished from the Imperial Palace. She did not really think she would be kicked out immediately because of the Empress, but there was a misunderstanding. [ Damian Erveldote ] Thoughts: Mother, Siervian, how could this nice and pretty child¡­! The thoughts of her big brother seemed to be very complicated. However, Siervian could see all of their worries and emotions, so she tried to understand their meaning. ¡°Siervy, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°You will never leave the Imperial Palace. Do you understand?¡± Despite her father¡¯s affirmation, Siervian only blinked. There was only so much she could say because of her immature body and synchronization. After all, the Imperial Family who are not the heirs can leave the Palace at any time. ¡°Yes, Siervian. This is your home, All right?¡± ¡°Uung.¡± Even her brother came forward to comfort and talk to her. It wouldn¡¯t fully heal her, but in her honesty, it didn¡¯t feel bad. She was feeling depressed for the past few days. ¡®I wish I could live close later.¡¯ Siervian then nodded slightly but with a little bit of excitement. The feeling of her hair moving gently felt nice. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Siervy.¡± ¡°Yees.¡± She nodded gently again at the touch of her father¡¯s palm patting her head. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll definitely make it inaccessible for you . I can¡¯t believe you scared her like that¡­! The thought in it was a little strange, though. * * * The investigation of the Duke¡¯s allegations took some time. ¡°Your Majesty, we found evidence in the specialist¡¯s room in the Duke¡¯s Palace.¡± What was found was a drug similar to the one put in Siervian¡¯s harmin tea. ¡°Based on what was found, it appeared that the specialist put a large amount of the drug in the Her Highness the Princess¡¯s harmin tea.¡± And unexpectedly, it was the Duke who reported it himself. ¡°It turned out to be the sole work of the specialist, who envied the potential of Her Majesty the Princess.¡± ¡°So, he did it alone?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. This was the first thing the Captain of the Guard confirmed. It was believed that this tragedy was caused by the excessive loyalty of the specialist.¡± The Duke, who even denied that something was mixed in the tea, completely changed his expression. At that unexpected attitude, Alderuan tried to grasp the Duke¡¯s intention with his eyebrow raised. ¡°And, I deeply regret having the Princess experience our specialist¡¯s horrible intentions, I will accept any punishment you will give.¡± The officials nodded casually at the Duke¡¯s words but at the same time, looked confused. He was busy driving the allegations earlier, but since the situation became clearer, and so was the Duke. And apparently, there was clear evidence, as the officials speculated. ¡°Captain of the Guard, come in.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Are you confident that it was the work of the specialist?¡± ¡°It was the result based on what we found.¡± Although the Captain sometimes showed a sloppy appearance, he was always very straightforward. And as he made such an assertion, there was no evidence of the Duke having a part in the incident. ¡°I respect the Duke for taking responsibility like that.¡± The nobles finally saw the Duke¡¯s side. ¡°The Princess was almost drugged! The Duke should take all the responsibility!¡± Of course, the Imperial nobles very much opposed the Duke. And naturally, the officials¡¯ gaze would turn to the Emperor. ¡°From now on, I will remove every authority of the Empress for raising the Princess.¡± The officials could not hide their somewhat odd faces at Alderuan¡¯s strict decree. It was also to pressure the Duke, who was the head of the Duchy family, because it would be naturally hard to limit the Empress¡¯s authority. ¡°¡­ Your Majesty, the Empress really cares about the Princess¡­¡± ¡°Leaving a scar on her face to drink hot tea because she cared for her? I disagree.¡± After hearing the Empress¡¯s incident again, the officials¡¯ expressions darkened. The ripple effect was stronger because she was an Empress who was a benevolent mother or pretended to be one. ¡°¡­ If that is Your Majesty¡¯s will, then I will obey it,¡± The Duke seemed flustered for a moment, but as soon as the Emperor¡¯s orders were voiced he immediately bowed and showed obedience. Alderuan looked at the scene doubtfully and then threw another bomb. ¡°And the Captain of the Guard will be the one giving orders.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°The Marquis of Parma will be confined, so keep all the Marquis family in their home immediately.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Until just now, they were discussing the reduction of the Empress¡¯s authority, but the Emperor gave a very random order. It was a bolt from the blue for the Marquis of Parma, the subject of the order. ¡°Y-Your Majesty? How come. L-Let this go! Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Do you dare hope that you will survive this plotting against the empire?¡± Light then burst out from the gem the Emperor threw. It was a document that uncovered the corruption of the Marquis, who was in charge of transporting Pharim medicines. ¡°Th-this is¡­!¡± And first of all, the external cause was that the Marquis Parma deliberately damaged the Pharim medicines bound for Garambell. Moreover, there was testimony that the hired mercenaries were the ones who artificially spread endemic diseases throughout Garambell. ¡°No, Marquis, what on earth!¡± The nobles, who slowly looked into the case, seemed so astonished they couldn¡¯t even hide it. It was a bit harsh, but as an Imperial nobleman, there was no reason to not keep a small tourist spot on the west coast of the country in check. ¡°Oh, there must be a misunderstanding! Your Majesty! I only did it alone¡­!¡± ¡°Shut that sinner¡¯s mouth!¡± As the Marquis tried to spit out his protests, the Duke stepped up first to strike him. At that sight, the two nobles busily exchanged glances. ¡°Your Majesty, please, keugh! Kaagh!¡± The officials could see why the Emperor could barely punish the Empress properly even with the upper hand. After all, today was to put pressure on the Duke as much as possible. The marquis had always been the Duke¡¯s hands and feet, to the point where he was called the Duke¡¯s dog. ¡°Drag him away.¡± Observing this clearly, Alderuan accepted it. However, he threw a warning at the Duke with a cold stare. ¡°Is there anyone to defend the Marquis?¡± In addition to the Pharim medicines, the Emperor had more evidence. An example was the poison that killed the thief who broke into the treasure trove was recently purchased from a Marquis. However, this evidence alone could not pressure the Duke. ¡°Do as Your Majesty wishes.¡± The officials bowed their heads quickly in case they were thought to be involved. Even the Duke, who was closest to the Marquis. At first, the warning was to save himself, but Alderuan¡¯ s attitude might get the best of him. ¡°Let¡¯s end it here.¡± Suddenly, the officials attending the meeting realized that it was very coincidental that the Emperor had cleared up the Marquis situation. As if the matter was strangely connected with the removal of the Empress from Her Highness the Princess. * * * ¡°Captain, was there anything suspicious that you didn¡¯t report?¡± After locking up the Marquis, the Captain of the Guard met the Emperor alone for a report. When asked, he referred to it as his doubts and the search for evidence against the Duke. ¡°We have already done our best for the search, but there was no evidence concerning the Duke.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 56 Chapter 56 He was this sort of man. It meant that there was a suspicion that the evidence might have been fabricated, but no physical evidence was found. ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor was displeased and fell into his thoughts as he rested his chin on one hand. He was convinced that the Duke¡¯s target was someone else. Until now, Alderuan thought that his goal was to protect the Empress and use her background while the Crown Prince was still young. ¡°Well done, dismissed.¡± And even though Alderuan tried to ruin the Empress¡¯s reputation before, the Duke simply bowed his head. But even if he insisted until the end that he did not plan to use such drugs in the Princess¡¯s harmin tea, it would not be enough. ¡°Then should we proceed to the interrogation, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Proceed.¡± In addition to the situation in the meeting, it was as if Alderuan was openly talking about the talents of Siervian in front of the nobles and officials. Because there was a chance that the nobles who supported the Crown Prince might check on the Princess in the future. Of course, Alderuan the Emperor couldn¡¯t just sit still. The Emperor was concerned about Siervian, and ended up in a rough mood. * * * ¡°Siervy, here¡¯s a gift.¡± Days passed after the secret hoard inside the doll was found. Today, her father came out of nowhere and popped something out. No matter how much she thought about it, she had never done anything to deserve a gift, so Siervian spoke carefully. ¡°But it¡¯s not Sebi¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not your birthday, I can still give you a present. Come on, open it.¡± It was a small box the size of her palm. Wrapped in a blue quality wrapping paper with a silver ribbon. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: How, every time I look, it¡¯s like Siervy is getting cuter¡­ Is there a Mana Spirit in my eyes? Siervian tried to ask what the gift was, but stopped as soon as she saw the Emperor¡¯s thoughts. And with a cute puzzled expression, she carefully untied the ribbon. Inside was a necklace with a small jewel. ¡°A necklace?¡± ¡°Yes it is, didn¡¯t I promise? I¡¯ll find a way to replace that tea.¡± Although it was obviously a small jewel the size of her thumb, she sensed the necklace as if it was pulsing. Curious, she kept looking at it as her father carefully lifted the necklace. ¡°I¡¯ll hang it for you, it would be hard for you to do it alone.¡± He explained that the blue jewel was called a sapphire. Siervian loved the color so much she ran around the garden in circles. ¡°So Pwetty¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a magic barrier engraved inside that collects mana.¡± ¡°Wahh!¡± She couldn¡¯t believe he carved a magic barrier in such a small jewel. It must be something one could never do with ordinary skills. ¡°Don¡¯t take it off your body even for a moment, so you won¡¯t have to drink tea.¡± ¡°Yess!¡± It was a necklace with almost no weight, but she felt strangely reassured. Excited, Siervian subconsciously stretched out her arms wide and jumped toward her father. ¡°Hmm? Is the gift that good?¡± The Emperor lifted her up with a straight face and asked casually. [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] She quickly became dizzy with the windows filling her entire point of view. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a place to go for a moment.¡± The Emperor hurried from the Princess¡¯ Palace as if he had an emergency. With Siervian in his arms, that is. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, never mind Siervy. About the containers that came in first, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor diligently wandered past the Princess¡¯ Palace and near the low-ranking bureaucracy, which was always crowded with people. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Let us do our jobs nicely. Don¡¯t mind the Princess. About the containers that came in first, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did the fact that the place he had to go for a moment was the whole Palace? It wasn¡¯t hard for Siervian to just be in her father¡¯s arms, so she just remained still. From time to time, Siervian nodded to the person looking at her as she had maintained her etiquette properly. But it¡¯s a bit annoying for her when there are more than ten people. ¡®You wanted to show me to everyone.¡± Siervian understood her father little by little. ¡°Let¡¯s have you rest at the palace.¡± ¡°Yees!¡± When she returned after the Emperor showed Siervian to the people, she enthusiastically agreed. The father calmly took Siervian to the bedroom then quickly fell on one knee to set his eye level to hers. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s live together in the Imperial Palace. Alright?¡± At the unexpected request, she opened her eyes wide. It was also touching because of the fact that she was trying to get out of the palace. ¡®I should be worried since I will be going out there.¡¯ And so, Siervian nodded mildly. It¡¯s a small greed but she still held out her pinky shyly. ¡°Yes. Promise!¡± ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± ¡°With a faint smile, her father hooked his finger with hers. * * * ¡°You¡¯re back, Your Majesty! I heard you went around the Palace with the Princess, is that true?¡± ¡°Well, Siervy was the first to cling with her arms and not fall off, so I had no choice but to bring her.¡± ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Hex tilted his head and fell into doubt. Because he didn¡¯t think the shy Princess would ever do that. ¡°Oh, did you give it?¡± ¡°Yes, it worked as it should.¡± The necklace was a product of repeated research by gathering the talents of the Lord of the Magic Tower, the Chancellor, the Court Doctor, and the Emperor. ¡°It¡¯s a pity we can¡¯t produce more.¡± It was also a job to find such pure jewelry, but it was also a problem that the mana needed to create the necklace was so great. ¡°Yes, I guess it¡¯s hard.¡± Fortunately, the biggest goal of saving Siervy in the future was achieved. But Alderuan did not like the image of the Empire relying so much on harmin tea, so he could not hide his regret. ¡°The lord of the magic tower is still exhausted from creating the necklace.¡± Looking at the Pharim chaos in Garambell, the idea became more solid. But he didn¡¯t like the fact that it was the Duke who held the core of the alternative. ¡°Hmm, send him some medicine for the body.¡± So they hoped for a new alternative, because it couldn¡¯t be distributed to the entire Empire like this. ¡°The court doctor, who is supposed to be the one to give the medicine, is also exhausted from overwork.¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s find a suitable reward for each of them.¡± When the order was given, Hex, whose eyes darkened, looked at Alderuan eagerly. He felt bad for those disgusting eyes, but of course, he did not forget to appreciate the hard work of the Chancellor, who struggled to find needed documents. ¡°And consider a reward for yourself, Chancellor.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Shaking his hands as a sign to leave, the Chancellor staggered out like a man with endemic diseases. Alderuan once again worried about the harmin grass as he was left all alone in his office. ¡®Why did the first Emperor even tolerate such a deformed constitution.¡¯ There was also information on the harmin grass which had been handed down to the Imperial family for generations. However, the seeds of harmin grass, which were needed for new research, wouldn¡¯t just simply flow from the Duke¡¯s palace. Having already wondered about this strange rule since he was a Crown Prince, he constantly tried to change it. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Continental War.¡± But coincidentally, during that time, the Southern Kingdom started a war. Going to the battlefield on behalf of the old former Emperor, the young Alderuan had to wander around the continent for quite a long time. But when he returned, the reform soon faded away due to a Duke and an Empress¡¯ political marriage. ¡®Even I thought it was the best time, but I was not fond of it.¡¯ Of course, he obtained the seeds of the harmin grass in the political marriage. However, it was not enough to be used in an experiment, and it was stored in a treasure trove with powerful preservation magic applied in case. ¡°How frustrating.¡± Alderuan spouted as he raised his head harshly. A servant waiting by his side like an assistant carefully put a cup of tea down in front of him. Looking at the teacup reminded him of Siervian again. ¡°I should have raised Siervy on my own from the start.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not too late, Your Majesty.¡± The Princess had enough wealth. The investment was successful as it has already made contact with the author. And also those little things she gathered in the doll. In those crude gems, Alderuan felt even more tense to see how emotionally driven Siervian was. ¡°It¡¯s not too late.¡± The Emperor gritted his teeth with his eyes shining faintly. There was no certainty about what the Duke was aiming for. However, if there is any sign of the Princess or the Crown Prince being victimized, the Emperor will surely not let it go. * * * ¡°What did they say?¡± At that time, in the Empress¡¯ palace. Although the Empress was in custody, the Duke visited to secretly talk to her. ¡°They have told me to wait.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this! And I can¡¯t even barely say anything!¡± ¡°Calm down, Your Majesty.¡± But the Empress could not overcome her anger, so she threw the tea cup in front of her. And since the maids were sent out, there was no one to clean up the tea cup shards. Even more furious at that fact, the Empress looked at her brother angrily. ¡°Why did you ask me to bring it?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean, Your Majesty.¡± The Empress had unconsciously asked about the treasure and was startled and suddenly got quiet. There was a superstition that said that people should bite themselves in order to wake themselves up and to remove their ignorance. And realizing her mistake, the Empress bit her well-manicured nails. ¡°It would be better to be self-conscious for the time being.¡± ¡°¡­ Annoying girl. You¡¯ve been dragging me into this palace and your mess for six months! And Your Majesty is so mean!¡± The Duke unknowingly made an expression by squinting his eyes, looking at the Empress. Of course, he knew that the work relating to the Princess would be annoying for him. However, there was a bigger goal, but the Empress was blaming the past and doing useless things. ¡°So why did you do such a rash thing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the first place, no one would know that the Emperor would immediately check the tea ingredients, ignoring the sacred duty. The big mistake forced the Empress to gulp and accept the Duke¡¯s scolding. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that our secrets must come first, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The Duke hid his identity and quickly left the Empress¡¯ palace. Looking nervously at the pieces of teacup still remaining on the floor, the Empress gnashed her teeth. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The second stormy season was already approaching. ¡®It¡¯s already the last night of my birthday party; time flies really quickly.¡¯ The seven-year-old¡¯s birthday party also passed quickly. That¡¯s because Siervian wanted it to be short and simple. Therefore, the process of inviting other young lords and young ladies would be stopped. Even the Empress did not show her face and the days passed peacefully. But, just because it was a small party didn¡¯t mean it was boring. Rather, the time spent with her family was warm. ¡®I¡¯m so excited, what should I do?¡¯ The party was all over, but Siervian returned to the Palace in excitement. This was because her father said he would grant her this year¡¯s wish. But it seemed that the birthday party that went by so quickly was on her mind. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s time to sleep.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She whispered in her father¡¯s ear the wish she desired. Fortunately, her father replied without much consideration. So thanks to that, Siervian couldn¡¯t sleep so easily. ¡°Sebi is fine now. Ellie should go and take a rest.¡± However, she tried to speak honorably and haughtily because she wanted Ellie to take a break. Now that she is seven years old, she was able to show a slightly more noble side. ¡°I shall, Princess.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: She is so cute. Since yesterday you¡¯ve been trying to sound like an adult, but I just want to rub those cute red cheeks. But even with this perfect consideration, Ellie was expressing discourtesy. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, please call me? Is that all right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ellie.¡± Siervian nodded proudly as she held the Crown Prince¡¯s gift from last year, the teddy bear. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Huheu, how can you hold the doll in such a cute way while speaking in a haughty way? Our Princess sure has a lot of talent. Recently, Siervian had been very independent, so Ellie helped her with the blanket again and left the room. ¡®I want to go there soon. When will father grant my wish?¡¯ It took some time before she could try to fall asleep after containing her excitement. But suddenly, a white butterfly appeared outside and tapped on her window. ¡°¡­!¡± Siervian quickly covered her mouth and jumped from her bed and looked at the door to check if someone might come. After clearing things up, she then carefully opened the window slightly. ¡®It¡¯s Karmen!¡¯ The butterfly flew into her room and quickly fluttered over Siervian¡¯s head as if it were welcome there. But, before her eyes, it broke into a powder that shone brightly. And it clumped together and soon formed into letters. ¡´Tomorrow, number 1, that place¡µ The code message soon disappeared without a trace. Siervian, who had already seen it, smiled bashfully. She felt like she was in a dream that night. * * * The next morning arrived. As soon as the promised time came, Siervian diligently went outside. Siervian and Karmen hadn¡¯t seen each other since the Crown Prince introduced them, but they did play together occasionally. ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ After Karmen learned magic messaging, they created their own codes. Karmen thought that Siervian didn¡¯t know many words so used a few words in the letter. Since he had yet to send a long message, it was set this way. ¡°Oh my, Princess.¡± ¡°I greet your Highness the Imperial Princess.¡± ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± As she went to the back of the Palace kitchen, the busy maids smiled as soon as they saw her. And there was no sign of surprise at the sudden appearance of the Princess. ¡°Shh, meeting Sebi here is a secret!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [favorability +20] [favorability +20] [favorability +20] [favorability +20] The giggling women then pretended to not know Siervian. The secret place with Karmen is always ¡®that place,¡¯ it was their hideout. And ¡®number 1¡¯ meant this time in the morning. ¡°Karmen!¡± She first needed to go through the side door in order to get to the hideout under the wisteria flowers. The maids already knew that Siervian would often go there. Fortunately, the maids did not follow the sound of the secret, so there will be escorts in the distance. ¡°You came?¡± Karmen belatedly learned that she was a Princess, so he tried to use honorifics at first, but Siervian refused. Because he was her first precious friend. ¡°Yes!¡± Karmen¡¯s face slightly hardened as Siervian appeared under the gently lifted wisteria. But he treated Siervian with friendliness. ¡°¡­Hmph. Why are you all dressed up today? It¡¯s going to get dirt on it.¡± The way he grumbled was still the same. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Why are you getting prettier every time I see you? What are you eating at the Palace? Is there a drug that makes someone so pretty? But the old man said there is no such thing. Siervian covered her mouth with both hands as she saw his thoughts. She couldn¡¯t stand it without smiling. But all of a sudden she burst out laughing and Karmen just wondered what happened. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: How can you giggle in a way so lovely? No, this is a hallucination spell. Then, when their eyes met, Karmen turned his head and leaned against a wisteria on a wall from a distance away. Siervian naturally went to the spot Karmen had left and sat down. At some point, this hideout¡¯s spot had been covered with a soft cushion. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me why I called you?¡± ¡°You called me to play!¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m too old to play with you?¡± Karmen was now 10 years old and growing taller day by day. And to say he¡¯s too old to play with, Karmen had sent messages very often. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Karmen took something from his robe and held it out. She thought that they would play again today, but surprisingly, something else was going to happen. ¡°Ah, wah. is it¡­ ¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Man, I had to pack it up. Damn it, I wrapped it like a hundred times, but it still came out looking like that. The ring was usually difficult to wrap unless it was put in a ring box. Repeating it a hundred times. Siervian was surprised by Karmen¡¯s perseverance, and happily accepted the ring. ¡°A gift!.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± As he said that, Karmen dug into the ground with his toe. It was just a habit of him being shy. But after being flustered for a decent amount of time, he created a hole next to the tree he was leaning against to the extent that the roots could be seen. ¡°Thank you!¡± The ring Siervian felt had a soft weight. It also had a strange vibration, just like the necklace her father gave her. Siervian was puzzled by the ring and quickly put it on. The ring was a little big, but it shrank as soon as her index finger entered it. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s dangerous to put it on so carelessly especially if it¡¯s a stranger who gave it to you.¡± ¡°But, Karmen is not a stranger¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Karmen turned his head away again. The bright sunlight through the wisteria flowers caught on the ears that were turned to red. ¡°¡­ But, you really can¡¯t wear what anyone else gives you. We don¡¯t know what kind of magic it might contain.¡± ¡°Okaay! Did Karmen make this?¡± She thought that it was just an ordinary ring, but it seemed that there was mana in it. Siervian recently got interested in magic, so she quickly approached and asked Karmen. ¡°No, don¡¯t come near me, stay away.¡± ¡°All right!¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Oh, another stupid thing to say. I don¡¯t want you to go away. Ahem Karmen cleared his throat, touched the back of his head, and softly said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just learned it in class and made it, but you can keep it.¡± ¡°Wuah!¡± Siervian looked at her new item admiringly. The ring had a simple shape and a single pattern and looked just like a thin silver band. Karmen was a little worried but still carefully continued. ¡°I made it to increase poison resistance. But, don¡¯t be afraid. That was just the topic of the class.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe such a thing happened. The Imperial family is really dangerous¡­ I can¡¯t. I need to protect you. Karmen must have heard rumors that she had been seriously ill after taking in poison from the harmin tea. After a little hesitation, Siervian spoke, but had trouble doing it. And because Karmen was reliable. ¡°Will this pwevent tea allergies?¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re allergic to harmin tea?¡± ¡°Yeah, Sebi has it.¡± With the unexpected reply, Karmen was lost in thought. Then he pressed her with a look of a startled face. ¡°You can¡¯t just say that you have such an allergy.¡± As a smart tower lord candidate, Karmen grasped the situation at once. It was rumored that the Princess got sick after taking in the poison in the tea. But some herbs can fatally damage a person. ¡°Ah, okey.¡± At Karmen¡¯s warning, Siervian quickly nodded. Then she approached closer, lifting her heel. And as Siervian¡¯s hands touched Karmen¡¯s ears, she whispered carefully. ¡°Sebi is weally allergic.¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± He suddenly stiffened as Siervian was drawing closer in fear of accidentally hurting her. It wasn¡¯t until she fell again, and Karmen hurriedly stepped back. The wood she felt on her back was rough. ¡°Ahem, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Karmen rubbed his ears violently and soon fell into trouble like a wizard ¡°And that, I guess I¡¯ll have to do some research. I¡¯m not sure if the ring could stop it, so you should still be careful. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Siervian nodded vigorously. If Karmen, the person who will be the Lord of the magic tower in the future, recognized it, it would be very reliable. Even though there was that necklace from her father, the tea itself could kill her, so it would be better to be careful. ¡°Oh right, I heard that the Princess is very talented.¡± Karmen often heard rumors about the Palace like he just said. It was a precious time for Siervian, who was sensitive to rumors around her, like mana of drought. ¡°Hmm, What should Sebi do?¡± But this time, some rumors weren¡¯t very good, so Siervian might be getting into trouble. Then Karmen looked confused. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it a good thing? I told you that the scent of your mana is excellent. You could learn magic well next year.¡± Siervian knew that the medicine in the tea was the kind that disrupts mana. Still, she wouldn¡¯t expect much from it. ¡°Does Sebi still haf the mana¡¯s scent?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°Yes, very.¡± Next year, she can really learn magic. Will the scent of mana remain until then, unlike in her previous life? But Siervian was already possessed of the sense of falling into disappointment already, which made her nervous. ¡°Make sure you learn magic next year. All right?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Since you¡¯re a Princess, she can learn magic from the old man, right? Yeah, that¡¯s good for you. And I¡¯ll ask to let me study with you. However, it was difficult to say Siervian¡¯s prediction would come true when she saw Karmen was looking forward to it. So she just nodded for now. Maybe they could take a few classes together. ¡°As for the grass, I¡¯ll look more into it.¡± Siervian had thought about it many times. It¡¯s amazing that Karmen has always been nice to her, and she was grateful to see his thoughts were good, too. Siervian had recently begun to express her emotions honestly and subconsciously smiled shyly. ¡°Thank you, Karmen.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, it¡¯s, it¡¯s nothing, Ahem.¡± [favorability +100] [favorability +100] [favorability +100] [favorability +100] [favorability +100] As if Siervian¡¯s eyes were shining brightly through the status window, but Karmen¡¯s eyes shone indescribably. * * * ¡°I¡¯m almost done.¡± ¡°Wah, Woow¡­!¡± Siervian could not hide her admiration when she saw her father change his appearance instantly. The Emperor, dressed in clothes that would be worn by a wealthy commoner, cast a transformation spell on himself with a few gestures. The gorgeous silver hair quickly turned to black like Siervian¡¯s. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Emperor looked at himself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. Today was finally the day to grant the wish that Siervian had secretly whispered to her father on her birthday. The wish was to go visit the city. ¡°What about Sebi?¡± ¡°No one in the city knows Siervy yet, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: It¡¯s a sin to magically cover up such a cute figure. But, I¡¯d rather blind those looking at Siervy. While looking at her scary-thinking father, Siervian tried to hide her disturbed face. Anyway, Siervian thought that it¡¯d be better for her to disguise herself even a little, rather than magically blinding passersby. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t cast a spell on you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If you come to the garden later, I¡¯ll put wings on you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Siervian nodded her head fiercely, thinking it was the right choice to look disappointed. Because it must be amazing to have wings on your back! Then Hex, who was preparing for their undercover, suddenly showed surprise. ¡°No, this is really¡­ You look exactly like her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s like me, so she¡¯s pretty, cute, and has a fairy-like side.¡± [ Hex ] Thoughts: Did I just say they look exactly the same¡­? Hex was unable to speak to the Emperor and just simply nodded. It was the same for Siervian, who was next to him and sympathized with the thoughts. Siervian then somehow felt strange because her father had the same hair color as hers. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nwothing.¡± ¡°Are you excited to see the outside?¡± The impression that they were like a normal family was a little strange. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yees!¡± In her previous life, she had never dreamed of holding her father¡¯s hand, let alone looking around the city. Siervian felt a new mood, like she was about to fly away. ¡°What is this pwace?¡± However, when they left the Imperial palace, her father did not go to the south gate. Rather, they went deeper into a small building behind the Imperial Palace. You first have to go through the south gate to go out to the city. ¡°In the Imperial Palace, there are magic circles all over the place that go to the city like this.¡± ¡°I seee.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret, so you shouldn¡¯t say something about it carelessly. It¡¯s made for emergency use only.¡± ¡°Yees!¡± Siervian was excited because she felt like she was going on a real secret expedition. It felt like the day she entered the treasure trove. ¡°You must be surprised since it¡¯s your first time here, come here.¡± Now very used to it, Siervian stretched out her arms toward her father. Likewise, the Emperor held her deftly and entered the gate patrolled by guards. Geometric patterns were drawn on the floor of the empty room. ¡°It¡¯s a magic circle that allows you to move far away.¡± Siervian knew what it was, but she nodded as if she hadn¡¯t seen it before. As she climbed up to the hexes above the magic circle, the Emperor stretched out a hand. Mana then poured from his palm toward the floor. Seeing her father¡¯s hand, Siervian had a strange illusion that it was shining. ¡°ah¡­!¡± And at that moment, the scene in front of her changed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dizzy?¡± ¡°Yess.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I feel a little dizzy.¡± Hex made a groan behind the Princess. There were many people who got motion sickness from that. But among them, Hex seemed to have a severe reaction. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Hmm, Looks like nothing¡¯s going on.¡± Alderuan calmly looked at Sievian¡¯s complexion and then walked forward. In the end, Hex, who had his back bent, struggled to follow him. ¡°Hex, are you okay?¡± ¡°Princess! Your Highness is the only one who cares for me.¡± [ Hex ] Favorability: +50 Unlike her father, Siervian asked carefully because she was worried. ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡± As if he was annoyed, Alderuan waved his hand out. Again, a faint light appeared, and Hex¡¯s waist straightened around the same moment. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After leaving the dark city of the secret place, there was an alley leading to the market. It was surprising that there was a place where she could come so quickly from the Imperial Palace. ¡°You have to hold our hands tight. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yess!¡± Her body unconsciously tried to run forward because of the excitement. In the meantime, she inadvertently faced toward the middle of the alleyway, looking at fascinating objects. However, Siervian firmly suppressed her body¡¯s impulse. ¡®Listen carefully, or I¡¯ll take you out again.¡¯ But it was very difficult to keep the commitment she made. ¡°Ooh, Wow¡­¡± Siervian has never seen so many people walking together in a single area in her life. Of course, many people came to the aristocratic ball, but it was not so exciting. ¡°Let¡¯s see, today is the day of ¡®Day of the Living.¡¯¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Here in the commoners¡¯ quarters, there are different themes each day, five days of the week.¡± As a commoner, Hex was well versed in the commoners¡¯ quarters in the city. While learning history, he learned about the functions of the aristocratic district, but this was the first time he exhibited vivid knowledge. To that, Siervian looked at Hex in amazement. ¡°The ¡®Day of the Living¡¯ mainly deals with livestock and ornamental plants, that is to say, truly living things.¡± ¡°Wah¡­¡± ¡°Of course, just because it¡¯s this day doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t sell any other stuff. We just need to be a little more professional.¡± Nodding enthusiastically, they arrived in the middle of the market. Indeed, as Hex said, there were many animals being sold. On one side, there was a row of trees as if the entire forest had been moved. ¡°For another day? ¡°Well, food ingredients, valuables, animals and plants, entertainment, trading. You can think of it as being divided into five branches.¡± She wondered why they were nicknamed. But soon, Siervian¡¯s head naturally turned around. It¡¯s because something interesting came in at the edge of her gaze. ¡°A bird!¡± ¡°Vuingpi.¡± Vuingpis boasted a dazzling appearance to the point where colorful feathers stood out from afar. Even an average adult male played a role. The merchant in front of them was raising his voice and proceeding with the auction of the Vuingpi. ¡°We have 3 million! Anyone else? We¡¯ve got 3.5 million!¡± Marco had told her the Vuingpi feathers were popular, but hearing the amount they traded was staggering. It made the unit even more extraordinary because it¡¯s a luxury item of nobility. ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°Uh-uh. Noo.¡± It was fascinating, but in her honesty, Siervian was a little scared when asked if she wanted it. As soon as she made eye contact with the Vuingpi in the distance, Siervian unwittingly clung to her father¡¯s arm. ¡°You must be shy with birds, too.¡± Seeing the Princess, Hex felt something strange. It was none other than the young lady in front of him who had secured the most funds with the fashion of that vuingpi feather. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± Little did he know that it was all Siervian¡¯s idea, and Hex was well aware of the abilities of Viscount William¡¯s youngest son. ¡°What about there?¡± ¡°Oh, Hmm¡­ it¡¯s a harmin teahouse.¡± She saw a place where a lot of people were in line and some were leaving. Siervian read the sign, but she pretended not to know. Hex explained the place with a little awkwardness, because he was worried that the Princess, who had experienced unpleasantness with the tea, would be afraid. ¡°Are you all right, Siervy?¡± ¡°Yess.¡± Siervian answered back with strong vigor and determination. But Siervian was held in her father¡¯s arms, and he was almost hugging her. She then fixed her position to settle into her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go for another exciting event.¡± ¡°Why are people standing in line?¡± She was scared, but she wanted to ask, so Siervian deliberately changed the subject. The Emperor thought she was curious about that and briefly explained the reason. ¡°You already know that everyone in the Empire must drink harmin tea, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°All the people of the Empire come here to drink tea in order just like that once a month, so that everyone, even the people who lack money, can drink harmin tea.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She could see people sitting and drinking harmin tea inside. It also seemed to be thoroughly managed so that there were no people leaking the tea. Siervian, who had been watching the scene, now voiced her real doubt. ¡°What about people who get sick like Sebi after dwinking tea?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 59 Chapter 59 As Karmen said, harmin tea allergies were obviously very rare. However, in such a large empire, it was clear that some were born with it. So Siervian worried about the people with similar illnesses who couldn¡¯t use expensive alternatives. ¡°Well, they¡¯re being treated exclusively by the Duchy.¡± [ Hex ] Thoughts: He had put a lot of pressure on the Duke to deal with allergies not long ago, and you must have figured it out. Seeing Hex nodding silently next to her, even her father still seemed to be unfamiliar with this allergy. ¡°I see.¡± But after hearing the answer, something remained unclear. Only in her second life the Duke¡¯s specialist was taken to prison, but it must not have been in her previous life. He brought her the allergies in a tea as if taking care of another person. ¡®Did he just listen to orders, the doctor?¡¯ The situation had changed and so had the Empress¡¯ orders, but the feeling of discomfort remained. ¡°Anyway, it is also the duty of the people of the empire to come here for a cup of harmin tea. It is also written in ¡®the Emperor¡¯s sacred duty¡¯ by the first Emperor.¡± ¡°Yess.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry about anyone else getting hurt by allergies.¡± How did her father know that she was worried about them? At any rate, she was relieved that the empire seemed to be making great efforts so that there would be no people left out. ¡°Please, for pity¡¯s sake! Please!¡± Then one of the people who had entered the teahouse was roughly pushed out. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± The woman, who had fallen on the floor, jumped to her feet again. She approached the person who pushed her out of the teahouse and grabbed the leg. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. Please, my daughter needs to drink harmin tea!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t! I am the one who can only give harmin tea!¡± When the commotion broke out, the eyes of people focused on the teahouse. For the people of the empire, they seemed to be wondering about breaking the rules, the rules which were as easy as common sense for them. ¡°It¡¯s because my daughter is sick. She has an extreme fever where she can¡¯t even move properly!¡± ¡°Then it will get better and you won¡¯t have to come back! Don¡¯t you know that the date can be changed if there is a viable reason?¡± ¡°I know, I know! I¡¯m a doctor, but I¡¯m in a hurry because my daughter¡¯s mana illness seems to be very rare. I beg you!¡± Only then did people send a sympathetic look at the woman. Some even recognized the face of the doctor who took good care of people in a commoner¡¯s area. ¡®Is it that person, by any chance?¡¯ But Siervian looked at her with her eyes widely opened for other reasons. [ Madeline ] Occupation: Doctor (Lv. 89) Emotions: Desperation No matter how many times she looked at it, the name in the status window seemed familiar. Above that, she was a high-level doctor. ¡®No way, was she the doctor who discovered the use of Cassia?¡¯ The same flower that was used to save Ellie¡¯s younger sibling. It was not until more than a decade later that cassia flower was found out to be a special medicine for child fever. It was the work of an outstanding doctor with a lifelong research because of her child suffering from a rare fever. ¡°Please, I beg you.¡± The manager of the teahouse, who had pushed her away recklessly, was also in trouble. But when the fear of losing the job kicked in, the manager shook his head with a darkened face. ¡°The circumstances aren¡¯t like that, I must follow the rules. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°But my¡­!¡± At that moment, Siervian unknowingly grabbed her father¡¯s hand, waving it. The Emperor¡¯s eyes had been careful because there were too many people, but it reached the doctor again. ¡°You must be concerned about them.¡± With desperation similar to that of Madeline, Seirvian nodded. If what she said were true, then there must be a way to save her daughter. ¡°Your Majesty, there are too many people. For now, we should quietly avoid this place.¡± Hex approached carefully and whispered. If it was known that the Emperor goes around the market like this, there will be many difficulties. Not to mention having a Princess to protect. ¡°What would you say, Siervy?¡± [ Hex ] Thoughts: You should be careful there might be someone who is after you. The atmosphere hasn¡¯t been so good lately. Siervian was stubborn at the moment but lowered her greed when she saw the thoughts of Hex. She didn¡¯t know exactly what was going on, but she knew that the nobles led by the Duke always kept her father in check. ¡°¡­Okayy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eventually, the three quietly escaped from the front of the harmin teahouse. * * * ¡°You must have been concerned about the doctor earlier.¡± ¡°Yees¡­¡± They arrived at the secret place before the market so they could hurry back to the imperial palace. It was sad for Siervian to turn a blind eye to an endangered life that could be saved. But if she complained here, her father would be in big trouble. ¡°Chancellor.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor watched the cute gloomy figure closely and called Hex in front of the magic circle. ¡°Go and call the Court Doctor.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­ Will it be alright?¡± With a light chin, the Emperor sent Hex to the palace. During his return, the Emperor sat down in a crude chair in front of the magic circle and spoke sternly. ¡°The Imperial family is said to have as many obligations as the power they enjoy, but they cannot solve everything for the Imperial people.¡± ¡°Yees¡­¡± But Siervian didn¡¯t think that the Emperor should take charge of solving everyone¡¯s grievances. No one can make everyone satisfied in the first place. ¡°But in the rare opportunity where I happen to encounter people¡¯s misfortunes, I can look into it.¡± ¡°Ish it¡­¡± The following words filled Siervian with hope. Alderuan kindly stroked Siervian¡¯s head with his hand and continued as if everything happening were natural. ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered a guard to look into the doctor¡¯s house. Let¡¯s go together when the Court Doctor arrives.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Siervian didn¡¯t know, but there were many escorts that followed them, because it was the Emperor¡¯s trip. The Emperor had already sent a message spell to one of the guards so they could find the doctor¡¯s house. ¡°Instead, we have to finish your city tour with this, is that okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all wight!¡± Of course it was all right, that¡¯s why Siervian nodded quickly. A cute lovely frame came to sight, so Siervian¡¯s father patted her head for a long amount of time. * * * ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°How are you?¡± When the Imperial Court Doctor suddenly appeared in front of her home, Madeline was stunned. The Imperial Court Doctor was known for his excellent medicines, and often went outside the palace for lectures. To this, most doctors were familiar with the face of the Imperial Court Doctor. ¡°Did you say you were already using the artemzo?¡± However, Madeline almost fainted when the Imperial court doctor introduced the people behind him as the Emperor and the Imperial Princess. If Madeline¡¯s daughter was still lying down struggling to survive, death could have been the case. ¡°Yes. I am using a little bit of eurum in artemzo.¡± ¡°Oh, eurum? It¡¯s a rare combination, and you did the best option.¡± Madeline smiled slightly at the praise given by the respected Imperial Court Doctor. But the light smile darkened quickly as she was still worried about her daughter who couldn¡¯t get her head together for several days. It was the same with Siervian¡¯s face as she listened to the two of them from the back. [ Hanta Mandersang ] Thoughts: You¡¯re already using the right medicine. The usage and the capacity are accurate. A great doctor, and the fact that you used the right medicine. ¡­But the child¡¯s illness is very strong. Madeline¡¯s expression gradually became gloomy as she carefully waited for the Court Doctor¡¯s words. ¡°Is it mana sparsity, by any chance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little different from mana sparsity¡­ She must have had a terrible fever.¡± In the end, it was like saying that there was nothing the great doctor could do. Frustration settled in Madeline as she realized this. ¡°I¡¯ll come and watch her every evening. Don¡¯t give up, Massena.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ kugh-keugh, so much.¡± ¡°I give you my deepest gratitude, Your Majesty. I was just called to come outside.¡± They first had explained to the Court Doctor about what happened at the teahouse before suddenly visiting Madeline. Madeline¡¯s teary eyes soon became a color that of red-like blood, and she turned to the Emperor and bowed deeply. ¡°Pardon my rudeness, and thank you for your kindness.¡± ¡°Give thanks to the Princess rather than me. And I have come to know the real emotion of the parent of the child, so there is nothing to worry about.¡± While having this conversation, the Emperor could not hide his rude thoughts. He also had heard the rumor that she was a commoner doctor in front of the teahouse. So, he thought that there would be a better way for the Court Doctor, but he also thought that it was a case of a deep illness. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Uung¡­¡± [ Madeline ] Favorability: 15,000 Emotions: great sorrow Thoughts: You¡¯re about the same age as my child; You already know how to take care of the Imperial people. Even if there was no special way of dealing with it, I am still very grateful. ¡­ Oh, God of mana. I believe something will happen. Madeline was deeply impressed by the appearance of people running to report to only one disturbance. But just for a moment when Siervian looked into her innermost emotions, Siervian somehow felt like crying as the minute the great sorrowness overwhelmed. ¡°You must have been through a lot, so we will be on our way now.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you very much.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I will take care of the child a little longer before I leave.¡± The Emperor, who apparently had arranged all of this, nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the guards for the Court Doctor.¡± * * * Siervian¡¯s expression was not so good after looking at a child her age in a bad condition. The Emperor and Siervian were silent all the way back to the palace after passing the secret place. It was not until she reached the palace that the Emperor finally found a platitude to soothe Siervian. ¡°Everything will be fine, Siervy. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­okayy.¡± But what her father said was not true. As a result, Siervian had to think deeply while Ellie, who came to meet her, helped her get ready for bed. ¡°Princess, hmm, you¡¯re silent today. Were you tired out?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Not weally.¡± In the end, Siervian jumped up at the thought that she could not stay like this. She hadn¡¯t done her best yet. For fear that her secret would be revealed, she left the life of a person that could be saved as it is. ¡®I can¡¯t do this.¡¯ She looked at Ellie, who could help her, with a cute but determined expression. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°Ellie, Sebi needs your help.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Oh, what¡¯s the matter? And you should stop talking so maturely. With a quick nod, Siervian ran from the bedroom. Bewildered, Ellie followed her without second thoughts. This was because of Siervian, who was afraid Madeline¡¯s daughter¡¯s sickness might get worse. ¡®I can¡¯t afford to go there alone and be helpless. We will do the best we can.¡¯ Ellie began to doubt as the Princess ran toward the restaurant. ¡®I wonder if you got hungry from the long outing today.¡¯ But contrary to Ellie¡¯s expectations, the Princess crouched down hastily in the grass near the restaurant. ¡®Good thing I planted it close.¡¯ Whenever Siervian went to meet Karmen, she was able to find Cassia flowers again. With that, she carefully harvested the flowers and planted them in the back of the restaurant. A flower like Cassia can produce large amounts, and it had formed a small colony. ¡®I put it nearby just in case I get sick, it¡¯s such a relief.¡¯ As the Princess suddenly dug up the Cassia flowers, Ellie wondered what the little girl was doing but eagerly helped. She knew that the little flower was the herb that saved her sibling. ¡°We, we need thish!¡± Today she was accompanied by the Emperor, so not all the ladies-in-waiting of the Imperial Palace followed. Therefore, no one in the palace would know what they were doing, hence, Siervian made a request carefully. ¡°Yes, Princess, but my sibling is no longer sick.¡± ¡°Sebi knows! But anothwer child is sick.¡± ¡°Aah, I see.¡± After hearing Siervian, Ellie dug even harder, remembering her younger sibling suffering from from headaches and extreme fevers. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°May I ask who¡¯s sick?¡± In the Palace, only the Crown Prince and Karmen were Siervian¡¯s close peers. After Ellie asked the question, Siervian looked at her with a great determined look. ¡°Sebi has a reqwuest for Ellie.¡± ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡± ¡°Bwing this to the doctor in the city, her dwaughter is very sick.¡± The sudden request made Ellie wonder again. But the worried Siervian explained the whole story, what she saw in the city today. ¡°Yes, Should I go and come back right away?¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Unexpectedly, Ellie quickly accepted her request. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: You must have thought of this herb when seeing someone having a fever. It may be useless if the Imperial court doctor didn¡¯t find this first¡­ But if you feel comfortable with this, you can use this as many times as you want. The thoughts moved Siervian. There was nothing wrong with not trusting in Ellie¡¯s decision, but rather, it would have been more strange if you fully believed a child¡¯s words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be right back, milady.¡± Jane, who heard the situation, rushed to them, supposed to fill Ellie¡¯s seat Seeing off Ellie, who was dressed to go out, Siervian hoped it would not be too late. ¡°Please be careful.¡± Several days later Siervian heard the child¡¯s fever she was worried about had gone down. * * * After the stormy season, the empire once again gained its sunny days. But the Empire was somehow isolated from the continent during the stormy season. As a result, the spring season was much more lively. ¡°Did you say that the grain prices have risen by 30 percent?¡± However, the first news heard on the new season was not very good. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The details will be explained by Duke Pacour of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.¡± Marquis Nabije, the head of the Ministry of Finance, finished the report with a rather stiff face. This was all because of the trade routes, they were reopened but the first news that came in was very negative. ¡°We have urgently looked into it, reports said there was a problem with the trade route.¡± Following the Marquis, Duke Pacour rose from his seat and threw a small conference marble in the middle, having a serious face. During the stormy season, roads were practically blocked, but the empire was not completely cut off from the others either. All empire allies were given magic communication zones that had been amplified several times with communication magic. It was an important tool for urgent situations. ¡°Did this matter start by the time the grains arrived?¡± The serious news was that the trade route to the north had been blocked. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry Your Majesty, but there was no magic communication received.¡± It only appeared that this situation was made by a clever trick using the season of the storm. Anger flared up, but for now, Alderuan only got his fist shaking, as they needed more attention to this matter to figure it out. ¡°As you know, all grains from the southern empire of Navapal to the northern empires go through the Tungka empire.¡± The Navapal empire was the successor of the old southern empire. It was the first place where the continental war, fought by Emperor Alderuan, had started. And it was also the loser in the southern part of the continent. ¡°Is there a problem with the Tungka empire?¡± ¡°It was said that the empire of Tungka had suddenly charged tons of carriages.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also the way to turn to the east.¡± ¡°The grains would be spoiled if they went to the dense forest of the east.¡± Not all empires had as many wizards as this empire. Therefore, it was pretty common for things to suddenly go wrong when one side of the trade route was blocked like in this situation. ¡°Duke, you need more information about the situation of the Tungka empire.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks With this sudden incident, Alderuan¡¯s worries continued. * * * A few days later, unlike the serious people in the meeting, Siervian couldn¡¯t calm down as she was really excited. For her father was about to give her wings. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yess!¡± This is what they promised after her father didn¡¯t allow to put transformation magic on his daughter when going into the city. ¡°Now then, brace yourself.¡± The brilliant wizard did not only give her decorative wings. Siervian¡¯s body rose up at the same time glitter-like snow sparkled up her eyes. ¡°Ooh, Ahh¡­!¡± A huge group of lights wrapped around Siervian, enough to temporarily cover her eyes. Just like a typhoon swirling around the little girl. After that, suddenly there were butterfly-like wings on her back. ¡°Wah¡­!¡± Siervian slowly floated in the air. She was a little scared of the land receding away, but then she felt something cozy was hugging behind her, so Siervian kept her eyes away from the ground. She felt an illusion like she was approaching a snow mountain. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I expected it, but it¡¯s more fairy-like than I had imagined. Hmm, Should I look into whether some mana fairies secretly left Siervian behind? No, she¡¯s the daughter of me and Aviche, but she indeed looks like a fairy. ¡®My father is too.¡¯ It was quite funny to think that Siervian thought she wouldn¡¯t look too good. This was because she was worried she would struggle flying and make herself look weird. ¡°Now I¡¯ll move it.¡± ¡°Yes, eh! Ahh¡­!¡± It was a good thing that her father only floated her outside the garden so that Siervian was out of sight. Little by little, she hovered around the fountain as if she were flying like a real bird. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ will you come back afterward?¡± Hex approached as Siervian was flying around excitedly. The emperor most likely called him in advance. ¡°No, Siervian, let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Perhaps he was busy, that¡¯s why the Emperor called the Chancellor. She knew she couldn¡¯t be too spoiled, but the feeling of her feet touching the ground saddened her. ¡°Huu.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 [ Hex ] Favorability: +50 Luckily, at Siervian¡¯s little whining, her father promised a next time. ¡°Let¡¯s play again soon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She decided to be satisfied with this much today. She doesn¡¯t know if floating magic was difficult, but having such a fun experience made her want to learn it. ¡°Is there any more news on the rising cost of grain, Chancellor?¡± ¡°In many ways, it seems that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was right.¡± Now, Hex used to discuss important issues in front of the Princess very comfortably. Because the Emperor always liked the Princess beside him, telling the Chancellor not to worry about it. That¡¯s how Siervian knew the important recent news. ¡°Hmm, the Emperor of Tungka suddenly¡­ if he didn¡¯t want it, why did he cause friction?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the Emperor of Tungka and¡­ Mmm, I couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was going on so suddenly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising that this happened after the war, but it¡¯s not a coincidence.¡± At the mention of the Tungka empire, Siervian, who was reaching out for the macarons, suddenly raised her head. ¡°You can eat it.¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± She didn¡¯t raise her head to ask for permission, but she replied subconsciously. As she put the macarons to her mouth, Siervian felt trouble was coming. ¡®It has begun. The bad deeds of Navapal, the southern empire.¡¯ She then stared at the macaron, feeling guilty about eating such luxurious snacks. After a few years, the empire will starve people because of food shortage. It was also the reason why the food waste incident at the Princess¡¯s palace had bothered her. ¡°What is the relationship between the Tungka and the Navapal empire?¡± ¡°They use each other¡¯s roads as trade routes, but they are not very friendly with each other, which explains that this situation was unexpected.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± While contemplating the problem at hand, Alderuan caught something strange at the edge of his gaze. Although she was sitting on the ground, Siervian still had magic wings on her back. But suddenly, he saw the wings flapping slightly. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Have I mistaken? As Siervian saw her father¡¯s thoughts, a quick question was also heard. ¡°By the way, Siervy. On your finger, is that a ring?¡± Alderuan¡¯s eyes were focused on the wings, but quickly switched to the small band on her finger. Seeing it from his point of view, it was slightly shiny. ¡°Yes!¡± The curious Siervian finally understood her father¡¯s thoughts. It was quite hard to see the thin ring. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only So she held out her hand brightly in front of her father¡¯s eyes and shouted. ¡°Karmen gwave it to me!¡± At that moment, her father¡¯s status window changed rapidly. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Emotions: Extreme anger Ah, it seemed that the father was very angry about this grain incident again. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Siervian was returning to the palace, fiddling with the ring. But the solidity of the ring reminded her of the Emperor¡¯s thoughts again. ¡®You can trust Karmen, but you don¡¯t know him yet.¡¯ Even while extremely angry about the grain incident, her father unexpectedly took a great interest in her ring for some unknown reason. After an inspection that took seemingly forever, magic was put into it. Perhaps he was worried. ¡®The grain incident will only get worse in the future, what should I do?¡¯ And with those uneasy thoughts, Siervian was unable to return to the Imperial Palace. ¡°Are you going to take a walk, Princess?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Siervian then bravely set off on a path she did not usually take. So she roamed around the Imperial Palace carefully. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: This is your first time in the garden of the Lord of the magic tower. Huhuhu, I love how every time the Princess walks there¡¯s a ppo dyap, ppo dyap sound. It doesn¡¯t sound like that! Siervian took her eyes off Ellie¡¯s status window and was lost in deep thought. During this period, the Navapal empire¡¯s excuses for raising grain prices varied. Difficult to sell to other countries because the level of crops was not enough even in a prosperous year, difficult to get in the trade routes due to the disturbance of the Tungka empire, et cetera. ¡®But it was all a lie.¡¯ Surprisingly, the empire of Tungka was actually in collusion with the Navapal empire. Before the trade route arrangement, the two empires were not on good terms so it started a small war. But it was revealed years later that the local war was all made up. ¡®Now it¡¯s the raising of grain prices¡­¡¯ The Navapal empire will gradually demand higher prices in exchange for grain. The process of it was not known, but the empire was shaken a lot by that trick. ¡®Come to think of it, why didn¡¯t the empire import grain from elsewhere?¡¯ The Navapal empire was not only the empire that has wide plains on the continent, but it indeed was strange. At any rate, when she was twelve years old, it became difficult for the people in the slums to get food. Of course, the nobles did not starve. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the Princess, no?¡± The Lord of the magic tower suddenly appeared. As Ellie had thought, Siervian was getting close to the wizard¡¯s garden. ¡°Gweetings.¡± In respect of the brilliant lord, Siervian greeted politely. With a bright smile on his face, the Lord of the magic tower stopped on his way and approached Siervian. ¡°Are you here to see this old man? To learn some magic?¡± The Lord¡¯s eyes shone like a curious child¡¯s as he bent one knee to match his eye level to Siervian¡¯s. [ Turana Ellison ] Favorability: 25,060 They had only met a few times, but the Lord boasted high empathy. And it was surprising that he not only showed a lot of affinities every time they met but also secretly urged Siervian to learn magic quickly. ¡°Ungh. Sebi can¡¯t.¡± At that minute, as soon as she saw the Lord, great explosive thoughts came into his status window. ¡°Then why are you walking so excitedly here in the garden, Princess?¡± The expression in the Lord¡¯s thoughts revealed the feeling of dying to the cuteness of Siervian. One time he met Siervian, and as he avoided her father¡¯s eyes, he eggs her to learn magic early. Saying it would be fun. [ Turana Ellison ] Thoughts: You look so worried at such a young age, how cute. Why aren¡¯t you interested in learning magic? That¡¯s strange. Siervian knew it wouldn¡¯t work out anyway, so she rejected the offer immediately, but it strangely seemed to stimulate the wizard¡¯s curiosity more. ¡°Well, Sebi heawd something sad earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, who made the Princess sad? This old man will scold them all.¡± Siervian took a glance at the Lord of the magic tower, and carefully chose to go on with the conversation. Using words that the Lord can interpret freely, and words that wouldn¡¯t make him suspicious of her father. ¡°That¡¯s because people keep saying that food is getting expwensive.¡± ¡°Hmm? Rice¡­ I¡­heard there was news like that. Did you hear it while passing by?¡± Seeing it from another perspective, it was not something a child should be aware of, so there was an odd little expression from the Lord. But Siervian let out a sigh and held one of her cheeks to let him know that she was really upset about it. This was the imitation of when Jane was deeply concerned about something. ¡°I heard the empiwes didn¡¯t get along well because of the delivewy. That¡¯s why rice is expensive.¡± ¡°Ho ho, I see.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s twue or not.¡± And to show that she was genuine about it, Siervian posed thoughtfully by changing hands. [ Turana Ellison ] Thoughts: Ho ho. How can someone be so concerned and cute? His Majesty gave birth to a beautiful daughter. Watching the smooth rise of the favorability, Siervian swallowed. ¡°You¡¯ll learn it little by little, Your Highness, and making up the story of the empires is not easy.¡± ¡°But why is the gwain still coming when they awen¡¯t getting along?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, hmm¡­¡± In fact, the Navapal empire was using that trade route to improve its relations with the Tungka empire. And it was also true that the route was the fastest way to this empire. The Lord of the magic tower hesitated because the Princess might be too young for complex reasons. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Our people need to eat. Sebi thinks it¡¯s good to fix the pwoblem.¡± However, with those wise words, the Lord couldn¡¯t help but nod. Because the most important issue in the barren North was indeed food supply. [ Turana Ellison ] Thoughts: Hmm, you should get in touch with¡­ Siervian cheered inwardly as the wizard¡¯s thoughts seemed to have tilted. But, instead of putting a hand to her cheek, both hands went to each. ¡°The south is at the end of the continent. So it¡¯s really really far away! That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to investigate.¡± [ Turana Ellison ] Favorability: +50 Now, she didn¡¯t talk about magic communication. ¡°Ho ho. If that¡¯s the case, I can solve it.¡± ¡°Weally?¡± Fortunately, the Lord of the magic tower seemed to have had the same idea. ¡®Now!¡¯ Unable to miss this opportunity, Siervian quickly reached out. She had to use the very powerful trick that kept words once uttered. ¡°Promise Sebi!¡± ¡°Ho, ho ho, ho ho ho.¡± Looking at the tiny little finger sticking out in front of him, the Lord burst into laughter. He held out a finger, barely holding back a laugh. And it was Siervian who twisted her pinky tightly and even shook it up and down vigorously. As if acting on his promise is a must. [ Turana Ellison ] Thoughts: I¡¯ll have to work hard to find out. Karmen, with the way things are going, that punk will have a taste for teaching. Looking at his thoughts, Siervian could see that their promise would be kept. The next time she meets Karmen again, she promised to let him know that the Lord of the magic tower likes to make pinky promises. ¡®Will this work?¡¯ Siervian was then very tired on her way back to the Princess¡¯ Palace after her small talk with the Lord. It seemed the continuous sudden troubles tired her out. Even in her previous life, it was the Lord of the magic tower, who, though late, found out that the small war between the Tungka empire and the Navapal empire was fake. If he could pull it up a little bit, a lot would be different. ¡®I hope it goes well.¡¯ * * * ¡°You have worked hard on this one.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do, Father.¡± The Crown Prince was very busy looking for the children kidnapped on the continent. To save the children who were enticed and sold by the wizard Antonio. The Crown Prince had found some of them this time and visited the Emperor for his report. ¡°You infiltrated the place under the disguise of a kid being sold.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t very difficult.¡± He was a Prince who possessed excellent magic skills at such a young age. Karmen, who possesses the terrible talent, is chasing after him, although he had already been excellent enough to protect his own body. ¡°Taking care of the Imperial people in the position of the Crown Prince is honorable.¡± That was what he said, but Alderuan¡¯s tone was very strict. ¡°But as a father, this was unacceptable. You did something dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­ I apologize for having you concerned. I was in a hurry to track the children. Because I trusted the skills of the escort knights, I took bold actions.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come back safely, so that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m sure you have learned something this time.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince bowing his head and stretched out his hand. And he patted his son¡¯s head as if he were patting Siervian¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡± Although he was silent as he was not used to it, the Crown Prince quickly blushed to his ears. ¡°Your Majesty, the Lord of the magic tower has entered the palace.¡± Even though the Lord knew that the Emperor was talking to the Crown Prince alone, he seemed to have applied for an audience. Alderuan, who was curious about the fact, brought in the Lord. But at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but get angry. ¡°What did you want to report, Lord of the magic tower?¡± Next to him, the Prince also seriously frowned and listened to his teacher. ¡°There was something odd about the small war that happened a few years ago in the Tungka empire.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that exactly, about the war being odd?¡± When he entered the palace in a hurry, the Lord carefully drank the tea served by the Chamberlain. With a puzzled frown, he repeated the news that was just said. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Navapal empire end up fighting a small war with the Tungka empire over foreign affairs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Lord of the magic tower did not originally resort to communication magic in anticipation of this kind of news. ¡°I contacted the stepping stones to ask about the trade route.¡± There was a magic tower in the Northern Empire. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The tallest mountain-like tower in the north was like the cradle of brilliant wizards. ¡°Did you find a problem?¡± However, not all the wizards on the continent could study in the tower. This was because, since ancient times, the tower had been somewhat exclusive to those small numbers of elite wizards. So what was created was a mana¡¯s stepping stone located in the center of the continent. ¡°Yes, I have gotten the clue needed for the trade route problem.¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Continental wizards gathered primarily on this mana line stepping stone. The ones who boasted the best skills will gain a foothold in the wizard tower of the Northern Empire. It¡¯s a kind of test or challenge for the wizards who wish to climb the tower. ¡°That time, did you contact the stepping stone that there was a small local war?¡± The wizards benefited the world. Ironically, the ones essential to wars were also the wizards. ¡°Yes, I did. If there was a local war, I would definitely contact a place close to the Tungka empire.¡± The contents of the contract in which the wizards were dispatched to the war were not something that could be easily discovered. The information was only obtained because the current Lord of the magic tower was from this ¡®mana¡¯s stepping stone.¡¯ ¡°At that time, we confirmed that wizards were mobilized for the local war.¡± Contrary to the initial purpose of its establishment, the relationship between the tower and the stepping stone was not very good. Because the magic tower was more open to wizards from pure empires. The current Lord of the magic tower was almost the only person to be recognized in both places. ¡°Was that information false?¡± Looking at the Crown Prince, one of his best disciples, The Lord smiled faintly. ¡°The wizards were dispatched at the time, but strangely, no one was involved in the actual battle.¡± ¡°Recruiting wizards, but not putting them into the war zone?¡± It was nonsense. Knowing that, Alderuan could not hide his ferocious expression. The Lord continued, adding that there were talents from the stepping stone who could challenge the ¡®test¡¯ of the magic tower in a few years. After the slim chance of finding a contract, detailed circumstances of the situation were discovered. The challenger who wanted to come to the magic tower was nothing short of a bribe handed to the Lord to show his friendliness. ¡°By the way, teacher. How did you suddenly find out about the small war between the Tungka and the Navapal empire?¡± The silent Crown Prince questioned. ¡°Oh, yesterday the Princess was very worried.¡± Damien opened his eyes wide at the sudden mention of his younger sister. ¡°Yes?¡± The Lord of the magic tower smiled warmly as he recalled the cute figure imitating an adult. It was a big deal because the scent of mana was strong but it would feel more and more familiar to the Lord. ¡°You must have been with Your Majesty when I heard about this.¡± ¡°Is t¡­that so?¡± ¡°You have not yet known the details, but one thing is certain; this is an important matter for the people of the empire. But there¡¯s nothing wrong with checking the details twice, or maybe three times.¡± In the following explanations, the Crown Prince nodded his head without realizing it. Siervian is cute, kind and all but she couldn¡¯t have said it like that logically. Alderuan, who had a rough mood, also nodded his head. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s what the good-hearted Siervy would say.¡± ¡°It is so, Your Majesty. She is a bright girl.¡± Observing their reaction, the Crown Prince had a self-reflection. ¡°Indeed, if it¡¯s Siervian¡­¡± The three, who were thinking of the cute Siervian for a moment, suddenly recovered their usual serious faces. It was ridiculous to recruit a wizard the same weight as gold at the most and not use them in battle. The entire existence of the local war was becoming suspicious. ¡°Was the relationship between the Tungka and the Navapal empire not as bad as it might seem?¡± ¡°Well, the politics are not my field.¡± The Lord wisely shifted the judgment to the Emperor. Alderuan had been organizing his thoughts and put his arm on the side with a heavy remark. ¡°If the fact that the local war was a fabrication itself, it would be a masterpiece of work to deceive the empire.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s face darkened; although he was young, he had a hard time studying as he was the successor. He could read the political numbers involved in this situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a good feeling coming from the Princess? If she could just hurry up and learn magic¡­¡± ¡°Siervy was really cute that day.¡± ¡°She is cute, but that¡¯s not what I am talking about¡­¡± However, the Lord of the magic tower had to hear about the cuteness of magic-winged Siervian for a long time. The mission to suggest teaching magic failed. ¡°¡­The Ministry of Foreign Affairs still does not know this fact.¡± With a rather dark look, the Prince spoke first. Seeing his cherished son, Alderuan felt that it was the time to enlighten him. ¡°The Crown Prince should keep in mind that he will have to choose one side in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For the stable cultivation of harmin tea, Duke had been the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for generations. This was because it was decided that it would be better to be on the front line for the supply and demand of fertilizers. ¡°Even if it is heartless, that is the weight of blood flowing to the Imperial Family.¡± Alderuan worried that the Crown Prince might become depressed after hearing this. Even if he doesn¡¯t side with the Duke, it will not be easy to turn your back on your birth mother, the Empress. Surprisingly, the Crown Prince spoke with a slightly brighter face. ¡°Everything is alright. I¡¯m going to be on Siervian¡¯s side anyway.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± It was like standing on a very ambiguous rope while choosing which side. In this moment, the Emperor felt that his son was wiser than he thought. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Actually, my mother also has avoided saying important things to me for a while now, since the harmin tea incident.¡± It was Crown Prince Damien who took out Siervian¡¯s escort, which was held at the Empress¡¯s Palace. The Empress, who later found out about it, did not get angry with the Crown Prince. That was just the start of her wariness of her son. ¡°Ho ho, Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness.¡± ¡°No, teacher. My father the king is correct. I also want Siervian to have a more relaxed childhood.¡± ¡°Heugh.¡± At the words of his beloved disciple, the Lord shook his head as if he had enough of their love for the cute Siervian. At that time, there was a fact that suddenly crossed Alderuan¡¯s mind. Though it was probably not as important as the last topic. ¡°Come to think of it, Lord of the magic tower, a disciple of yours gave Siervy a present.¡± ¡°Ah, you mean that poison-resistant ring? No matter how excited she was, it was easy to teach.¡± The Crown Prince, who was talking to his teacher calmly, suddenly had a harsh but still face. ¡°A ring?¡± ¡°Yes, the magic of engraving spells on metal that I taught you a while ago.¡± ¡°Karmen, the ring? To Siervian?¡± The Crown Prince repeated the same thing despite the explanation. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Emperor expressed his displeasure with his crooked eyebrows. ¡°¡­¡± Thanks to this scary behavior, the Lord, who was looking around the palace for no reason, realized, to be careful and watch out for jewelry like rings next time. He can¡¯t lose his bratty disciple like this. * * * Shortly after talking with the Lord of the magic tower, doctor Madeline visited the Imperial Palace. It was thanks to the hard-working Ellie, who was communicating with her instead of Siervian. [ Madeline ] Occupation: Doctor (Lv. 89) Favorability: 15,000 Thoughts: I-I-I-I-I finally came to the Palace. My hands are shaking. What should I do? After entering the palace, Madeline and Siervian shook hands. Siervian offered a warm tea, so there was even more to spill; but she couldn¡¯t stand the furious shaking of hands. ¡°Settwle down¡­¡± ¡°I-I-I am very sorry, Hwa, Your Majesty, no, Your Highness.¡± Madeline got up in a hurry and tried to knead her head on the floor now. This forced Siervian to shake hands with Madeline¡¯s violent nervousness again. ¡°Let¡¯s twake a sit! a sit!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± It was so sudden about that time when the Court Doctor came to Madeline¡¯s house. At first, she was able to act absolutely in front of the Emperor because her focus was entirely on her daughter. However, after coming to the Imperial Palace, everything changed. ¡°Is Anna okay now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you even remember her name¡­!¡± Madeline had calmed for a while, but began to sob again, shaking her shoulders. Siervian, greatly embarrassed, looked at Ellie desperately wanting help. ¡°Now, now, Madeline. Princess looked very surprised. Please speak calmly.¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Our Princess looks so pretty that it made someone cry now. Looking at her thoughts, which looked seemingly unhelpful and vague, Siervian frowned with a perplexed expression at once. She hadn¡¯t even heard the reason why Madeline visited yet! ¡°Oh, Princes-, Princess, how kind of you¡­ Hoohuuhou¨C¡± ¡°Uung, Sebi didn¡¯t do anythwing.¡± Eventually, Ellie approached Madeline and patted her on the back. Watching the scene, Siervian was relieved. Seeing what was called grace, Anna seemed to be fine. ¡°Anna is now, sniff-, healthy.¡± Fortunately, Madeline quickly came to her senses. Subconsciously looking at the luxurious teacup, she forgot her manners in the Imperial Palace. ¡°That¡¯s a welief. Thwank you for coming to tell me.¡± It was only after hearing her own words that Siervian thought that Madeline had come all the way here to tell her this. Madeline took a deep breath and raised her head, then something unsettling again occurred. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I shall offer my life to you!¡± [ Madeline ] Thoughts: As for the one who saved my daughter, I need to pay with my life! No, she doesn¡¯t have to do that. Slightly alarmed, Siervian looked at Ellie again. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Ellie was alerted by the signal and tapped Madeline on the shoulder again. ¡°Coming from the Princess, firstly, just be happy that Anna is safe, all right?¡± ¡°Yes, dwon¡¯t mind about it.¡± ¡°How gracious of you! Hoohu¨C.¡± Once Madeline showed signs of sobbing again, Siervian sprang to her feet. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 As she walked toward her, Madeline started to lie face down on the floor again. The commoner Ellie was familiar with the Imperial Palace, but for commoners like Madeline, who had never visited before, the Imperial family was nothing short of an untouchable existence. ¡°Lend Sebi your ears for a second.¡± ¡°Yes, okay! My ears, right now!!¡± ¡°Oh, no. Just need to whisper¡­¡± ¡°Madeline, calm down.¡± Madeline was a little too much, though. It was almost an exaggeration of an appreciation for her daughter. Maybe this was her real personality. ¡°Sebi has a favow to ask of you.¡± [ Madeline ] Thoughts: Give this life! ¡°Please tell me!¡± Scared of Madeline, who just kept giving her life, Siervian quickly revealed her thoughts for her. Why give your life when your daughter just got well. ¡°Cassia flowers.¡± As Ellie gave space, Siervian whispered in her ear. Madeline ultimately focused on Siervian¡¯s words as soon as she heard the special herbs that made the rare sickness of her daughter stop. ¡®Originally discovering it was Madeline¡¯s achievement.¡¯ To save Anna right away, cassia was the only solution in Siervian¡¯s mind. In Siervian¡¯s previous life, the cassia flowers will eventually save many of the continent¡¯s children in the future. However, the feeling of guilt stuck to Siervian, as she reflected she had taken Madeline¡¯s prestigious achievement. ¡°Are there any problems with cassia flowers, Your Highness?¡± Madeline suddenly had a face burning with passion like a curious doctor and asked. Noting the passion, Siervian took a risk and continued her statement. Siervian hadn¡¯t seen Madeline for a very long time before just then, so she couldn¡¯t fully believe it. ¡°Suppose Madeline fwound the effects.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secwet that Sebi gave cassia flowers!¡± Madeline rolled her eyes at the sudden remark. She arrived with the intention of selling her house as a payment for the medicine, but she just heard the opposite. Unable to contain the strangeness of this situation, Madeline eventually asked. ¡°Why is that¡­?¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t bring herself to lie in this situation. ¡°Sebi has a situation wight now. But from now on, Madeline will do more reseawch on cassia, so many kids will be saved.¡± Carefully speaking, Madeline remained silent after. But soon her eyes began to shake wildly. [ Madeline ] Thoughts: Huh, is this the secret of an Imperial I heard of?! It was not the case but in Madeline¡¯s head, conspiracy theories from history books began to unfold. She finally closed her shaky eyes and looked at Siervian. ¡°If it¡¯s difficuwt, you don¡¯t have to fowce yourself.¡± Madeline then smiled. ¡°No, Princess, I¡¯ll do as you say, leave it to me.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best to study the cassia flowers. So many kids would be saved.¡± As a smart doctor, Madeline must have learned that the cassia flowers have medicinal effects. If she starts researching, she would be able to use cassia flowers much more compellingly. Satisfied, Siervian laughed while covering her mouth, while Madeline spoke loyalty again. ¡°Then I will keep this secret even if I die!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t do that¡­¡± In the end, Siervian had to tell Madeline several times about her always giving her life. ¡°Yes! Your Highness!¡± [ Madeline ] Emotions: A Sense of Loyalty Thoughts: You must be embarrassed about this, but I will still give my life¡­! ¡°¡­¡± Of course, it didn¡¯t do much good. * * * A nice warm day. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has entered.¡± ¡°Hmm? Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute, teacher.¡± Karmen instantly smiled and said that as he was being summoned by the Lord of the magic tower. But the Lord held his hand and smacked his head as if he should stay. ¡°Lord of the magic tower, I¡¯m sorry this is so sudden.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. I will leave the room now.¡± Karmen now knew how to greet like a noble and gave the Emperor an example. Emperor Alderuan stared at Karmen then spat out his business. ¡°No, I¡¯m here to talk to the disciple of the Lord of the magic tower.¡± ¡°¡­ My poor student, this little jerk, must have made some kind of mistake.¡± Although it was said that the old buzzer was as nice as a priest, he cherished Karmen very much. Karmen might not agree on this one. Faced with this sudden visit on a busy day just to see a student, he became nervous. ¡°It¡¯s a mistake¡­¡± ¡°He may not understand what he did, I¡¯ll take responsibility, Your Majesty.¡± Karmen was relatively close to the Imperial Palace, so there were many opportunities for him to meet the Emperor. And he never had a particularly casual conversation with the Emperor, because Karmen¡¯s peers in the future were close to the Crown Prince. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks After looking at Karmen for some time, the Emperor mentioned something very random. ¡°You gave the ring to Siervy.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not good enough, but I¡¯ve tried my best.¡± While the Lord lamented to himself, the shivering Karmen swiftly nodded to answer the Emperor¡¯s question. Although Siervian said the ring was given to her as if she picked it up on the street enthusiastically, that ring first had gone through procedures. It had been confirmed that it did not cause any harm through the Lord¡¯s mana scanning spell. ¡°Siervy will leave my arms one day and will meet a reliable companion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to catch the Emperor¡¯s intentions at all, the two of them remained silent. It was just so natural to hear it, but being able to say it in such a nervous environment was the same. Even when declaring the continental war, the Lord of the magic tower was not as serious in this situation. ¡°However, I! I can¡¯t let my daughter go to a weak wizard.¡± Said the strongest ¡®wizard¡¯ on the continent. And with that declaration, the Emperor suddenly disappeared. ¡°¡­?¡± Leaving Karmen to wonder. * * * ¡°So His Majesty came to see you suddenly, do you have any idea why?¡± The old man only made a confused expression the entire time and did nothing to help Karmen. Karmen eventually felt something uncomfortable in the back of his head and found Prince Damien at the same time. As they had rough magic training since they were little kids, the two used to be friends in private. ¡°Heumm, my father.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ is something wrong?¡± Instead of acting like his usual smart-guy attitude, he gave Karmen a cold stare. Karmen suddenly had a chill crawling onto his nape, remembering the Emperor earlier. ¡°Karmen.¡± ¡°¡­ What is it.¡± Sitting in the drawing room, the Crown Prince slightly bowed his head and menacingly called him. Looking at the ten-year-old Damien who had a somewhat familiar aura to his father, Karmen couldn¡¯t just take a break from anxieties now. I feel like I¡¯ve seen this before¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t let my sister go to a weak wizard.¡± Said the wizard who will be the second strongest ¡®wizard¡¯ on the continent, excluding Karmen. Afraid someone or maybe his father might show up, the Crown prince disappeared, leaving a serious face. ¡°¡­Princess.¡± Once again left alone, Karmen crumpled his brow. * * * Today, a special message came from the Imperial Palace, to come to visit the Imperial garden. But in fact, Siervian was already dressed up since she had nothing to do all day. Just like last time, she arrived at the garden like she was running in anticipation she would get the wings. ¡°Siervy, it¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°Wah¡­!¡± What was waiting there was an unexpected gift from her father. Siervian exclaimed, looking at the tiny flower ring that fit right on her finger. ¡°Is it to your liking?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The excited Siervian then moved her hand widely, seeing how it would look. It looked like a small flower, but it was made using aggregated magic engineering. Permanently preserving life, it was a ring that required tremendous jobs for it. ¡°Hmm.¡± With his slightly dead eyes, the Emperor nodded silently. It was a difficult achievement that needed days of work, but the purpose of it seemed to have found meaning only after seeing that Siervian liked it. ¡°It¡¯s a ring with poison immunity.¡± ¡°Wah¡­!¡± Being so excited again, Siervian repeatedly clasped her hands The touch of it was like a living flower and strong enough not to be crushed. But most importantly, there¡¯s toxic immunization there! ¡°Amazing!¡± She had never seen anything like it, including in her previous life. She knew he was the best wizard out there, but this creation made him far better than she imagined. ¡°Huem, it contains poison ¡®immunity¡¯. What do you say, Siervy?¡± Like a broken mana recording marble, her father repeated the same thing. Siervian made a big nod to express she understood that well. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] Looking at his smiling child, Alderuan patted her head for now. Though he was a persistent and thorough person, he did not forget his first goal. ¡°That¡¯s poison resistance, and this is the poison immunity. Do you understand the difference, Siervy? Alderuan explained, poking the ring on Siervian¡¯s other finger. And of course, she knew the difference since she had an adult mind. ¡°Yes!¡± How dare you give a ¡®ring¡¯ to my daughter who won¡¯t hurt even if she ran out of mana. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only As he recalled the vile disciple of the Lord, Alderuan was as mean as he could be. The reason the ring was made as a flower was so that Siervian could focus on it more ¡°¡­Ahem- Ahem-, Can¡¯t you take one off?¡± Siervian looked up at her father after saying something so cautiously. However, Siervian¡¯s reply left him speechless. Chapter 64 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 64 ¡°Sebi now has two rings, so I am twice as swafe!¡± The little girl brightly shouted. As if the sun were gushing around the little girl¡¯s face. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± But magic doesn¡¯t work that way. Those two rings will not conflict as it does not become twice as effective. What can he say, if his daughter liked the other ring, too? ¡°Then, Siervy will wear both.¡± Siervian only saw her father¡¯s thoughts after making her statement. ¡®Ah, magic does not work like that?¡¯ The air then felt a little awkward, but it didn¡¯t matter. She was still a child who had not learned magic yet, so he¡¯ll understand. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Hmm, isn¡¯t the law of mana wrong if it does not double its effectiveness as she wears it? If Siervy says so, it must be wrong. The moment she watched her father flow beyond understanding into the realm of speculation, she inadvertently smiled. ¡°Papa!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] The rings on both hands couldn¡¯t be more reassuring. Unlike in her previous life, people cared for her so much. Siervian expressed her overwhelming emotions honestly. ¡°I love Papa.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] That day, Siervian played in the garden wearing her magic wings until she was exhausted. And decorations imitating the flower ring of the Princess soon became a fashion trend in society. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a knight.¡± Said the rising star who will be the youngest Lord of the magic tower. ¡°Huh?¡± Siervian was surprised by Karmen¡¯s sudden announcement. She was surprised when she was summoned for a sudden official audience at the Princess Palace, but such a sudden ambition came in. How did Karmen, who will be a great wizard in the future, find a different route? ¡®Where did it go wrong?¡¯ It didn¡¯t, Karmen is a kid who just wants to accomplish lots of things. However, Siervian thought she was the reason for Karmen¡¯s change in plans. With this in mind, she must change Karmen¡¯s mind again! ¡°Why, whyy? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­ I want to be strong.¡± You will be dominant in magic, seriously. Unable to say that, Siervian just gulped. How can she convince him? ¡°Why all of a suddwen? Did someone bully you? Sebi will scold them aaall.¡± Maybe some nobles tormented him. With impatience, her feelings grew with anger. How much did they torment this great wizard! ¡°Do you think I¡¯m being bullied?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Damn it, I have to be strong, but Siervian is just so cute! What does that have to do with it? Siervian unknowingly tilted her head but continued to persuade Karmen again. ¡°Then why so suddwen?¡± ¡°¡­ I want to surpass someone, then do other things I need to do.¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: I have to be strong, to protect Siervian. I need strength to fulfill it. Karmen¡¯s status window changed so quickly that it could hardly be read. Siervian awkwardly stopped looking at his head and casually added. ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m sorry to hear, that¡¯s too bad. Magwic is very cool.¡± ¡°¡­ Magic is cool?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability: +100 All the wizards she knew were wonderful people. Her father, brother, and Karmen. ¡°Cheer up. Don¡¯t overdo it during the knwight class.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Karmen stiffened and didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. He suddenly appeared to be determined in something as soon as he received respect from Siervian. And the fact that if Karmen did things differently in the 2nd life, he would still easily become a great wizard. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to be a wizard?¡± ¡°Huh? Just now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do both.¡± Karmen¡¯s face was somehow red. To the point that it couldn¡¯t be determined whether he was angry or not. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Magic is very cool, wizards are very cool, wizards are ve¡­! ¡°Are you okay?¡± Karmen¡¯s mind seemed so busy that he didn¡¯t realize Siervian was speaking. Abruptly, with a puzzled face, Karmen looked at her fingers as it suddenly made him determined. Looking toward the flower ring, he could feel the immense mana in it. ¡°I¡¯m going to be an excellent wizard.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes¡­¡± Like a child, her hopes for the future changed several times a day. Siervian nodded again without much thought. Karmen will indeed, be an excellent wizard. ¡°Your Highness the Princess, the Crown Prince is entering.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Her brother opened the door more vigorously than usual and entered the drawing room of the Princess Palace. He smiled at Siervian at once, then glared at Karmen. Seeing them, Siervian misunderstood that they were supposed to meet here. ¡°Karmen.¡± ¡°Damien.¡± Everyone spoke comfortably since there were three people in the area. ¡°Siervian, this wizard is for all I know weak and he will¡­¡± [ Damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: Well, never become one! ¡°Ahem- ahem- Siervian said wizards are very cool.¡± Before he finished his sentence, Karmen hastily cut him off. ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s so cool!¡± This was true for Siervian, so she nodded again and affirmed her friend¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, after all, I am a wizard.¡± Her brother, who had said something negative about the wizard, this time, out of the blue, slandered other professions. [ Damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: Siervian said it¡¯s cool, I¡¯m glad I learned magic¡­! [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Wizards are cool! Wizards! I will gladly take this blessing of mana. I will not waste my life. Servian didn¡¯t understand these two weird thoughts. But one fact was clear anyway. ¡®Should I have the motivation to learn magic from that!?¡¯ Shortly after the war of nerves between the two mysterious men swept through the palace, Siervian faced a very serious challenge. ¡°Hu, Ah! You can do it!¡± ¡°Yes, Princess! You can do it!¡± ¡°Of course! My Princess can do it.¡± ¡°Certainly, for sure.¡± The ladies surrounded the small Siervy as if they were a wall that spoke only encouragement. It was the day to challenge and try again at the library, where she passed out last time. ¡°Sebi, will be wight back!¡± Of course, when she said she wanted to go to the library again, everyone naturally got worried. But later, Ellie helped prepare to go to the library. It was lucky that Ellie understood that she wanted to go to the library alone, she seemed convinced to not get in the way of the adventurous spirit of the cute child. But needless to say, she had her escort nearby. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be waiting here, Princess.¡± And above all, there was no actual problem with the Imperial library. It was more that Siervian¡¯s mind was filled with bad memories because of only one trashy wizard. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: After this brave trip, you will forget the memories of seeing such an ugly person. Bad memories of the Princess, fly away! Be gone! Behind Ellie¡¯s window, Siervian stepped boldly. With their hands together behind their backs, the maids watched the Princess waddle away. ¡®It¡¯s okay. Antonio¡¯s gone! He¡¯s in jail!¡¯ She then tried to recall all the nightmares of the past she encountered here. As she smoothed the rings on her hands, Siervian fearlessly entered the library. ¡®No¡­ people?¡¯ Strangely, there was no one here. It was peculiar to see such a quiet domain since many people were so eager to study here. ¡®Is there a conference somewhere else?¡¯ Since there was not much time, Siervian decided to stick to today¡¯s purpose. ¡°Wahh, it¡¯s a paintwing!¡± Originally, the library was always hushed, but seeing as there were no people, Siervian just acted as she normally would. This was because she was conscious of the escort, who would follow her while hiding. ¡®Pretending not to read letters as much as possible¡­¡¯ When she headed toward the corridor where the portraits of the Imperial predecessors were hung, the smell of old books drew her attention. ¡®If I look at the list of historical Imperial families¡­¡¯ Although it was a library, the Imperial list was one of the least sought-after. Smelling something rather old, Siervian quickly opened one of them. ¡°It¡¯s a thicc book.¡± She got embarrassed right after she tried to talk to herself. Sure enough, when she looked to the side while turning her head slightly, the escort¡¯s status window popped up beyond the bookcase. [ Adante Roid ] Thoughts: The Princess looks happy. ¡°Hmm, Ahem- ahem-¡­¡± The book itself was magnificent, so while pretending to look around it, Siervian flipped the book over to inspect more of it. It was a quick turn-over to find those who were not the successors among the Imperial family, but seeing it with a stranger¡¯s eyes, it would just look like a child playing with the book. ¡®Oh? Charity foundation?¡¯ This wouldn¡¯t be a big achievement but an expected word caught her eye. ¡®This is it¡­!¡¯ As if it was offering a new way for Siervian. It was a record that one of the sons of the six Emperors ran a charity foundation in the city of the empire. They took the lead in helping the poor and supporting them in times of war. ¡®It¡¯s a foundation I¡¯ve never heard of, I guess it didn¡¯t last long.¡¯ It is the perfect job for Siervian, who wanted to stay near the Palace and aid her family. In addition to the plan, her knowledge of the future would make money much easier to acquire. ¡°Who¡¯s there? There was an order in the library not to let anyone in.¡± Then she heard a muffled voice from one side. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65 Surprised, Siervian quickly turned her head toward the voice. Then someone stood up from a sofa on the side. ¡°Who are you?¡± Surprised, too, by the child¡¯s voice, but her identity was guessed soon from a quick look. The thought of being in trouble came to mind first. ¡°¡­ I am a librarian cleaning here.¡± Didn¡¯t this librarian just get up? As Siervian had crawled onto the desk to see the thick imperial list, she could see the lying down. And with the child¡¯s bright distinctiveness, she relentlessly pointed out the fact. ¡°No, you were sleeping.¡± ¡°Hmm-hmm-, no, I am not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, Sebi saw you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty of dust on that couch. Oh noo, more dust in here again.¡± Dubious, Siervian then stared with her eyes squinted. But suddenly she looked at the bookcase nearby instead. She could see that the escort, who had been quite far away, was now hiding in a nearby bookshelf. [ Adante Roid ] Thoughts: There were movements just as I thought, but it¡¯s just the sleeping person. It was now very clear that the librarian was sleeping. Because that¡¯s what Sir Roid, a brilliant knight, also thought! Looking at the distrusting little Siervian, the librarian rolled their eyes and carelessly gave a belated courtesy. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you here, Your Majesty the Princess.¡± ¡°Ouh¡­¡± Siervian slowly observed the librarian. ¡®Y¡­You¡¯re not dangerous, are you?¡¯ Rather than saying the librarian had no manners, the person seemed to be just a little sloppy. And the clothes the librarian was wearing were obviously the attire of a wizard associating with the librarians. However, the shaggy beard and hair gave an untidy look. [ Tanka Mallo ] Occupation: Wizard (Lv. 80) Favorability: 6,898 Emotions: Not Actively Wanting To Do Anything Thoughts: The Princess must have restricted the people to come here. Hmm, I should¡¯ve slept in a secluded place earlier. He was a strangely diligent slob. Siervian slowly looked at his status window and was astonished. That the level of his class, a wizard, was very high. ¡®It¡¯s similar to Karmen¡¯s or brother¡¯s, right?¡¯ Those two young people will mature gradually, so their level will certainly be higher than this. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that Tanka¡¯s level was never low. What¡¯s more surprising is that the name of the wizard with such an excellent level was unfamiliar. [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: I¡¯m on duty at the library today. Ahh, I want to lie down. I want to lie down and just do some studies. He glanced at Siervian and shifted his kneeling stance to the other knee. The wizard seemed to be very weak and already wanted to just lie down. ¡®Rather, do you want to sleep?¡¯ A little puzzled, Siervian calmly came down from the desk for now. Even with his body lowered, the wizard Tanka was somehow stumbling. It looked so unsettling that she forgot to beckon him to stop with the polite courtesy. ¡°Why were you sleeping hwere?¡± ¡°Hmm- hmm-, Princess, I was certainly cleaning.¡± ¡°There¡¯s dwust hewe.¡± ¡°¡­ I will be cleaning it in a minute.¡± Did he study all night long? While Siervian was thinking, the wizard began to clean, so he could prove to her his claim. [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: I slept well yesterday, but I want to take a nap more. Siervian only faced him for a few minutes, but she could already see that this wizard was super consistent. Other than shamelessly insisting that he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°¡­ Is there anything you need? Your Highness.¡± ¡°Uung.¡± Sitting on the sofa where he had been lying, Siervian watched him clean while hugging her knee. But, this wizard Tanka was only pretending to clean. Suddenly moved his hands quickly. [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: W¡­Why aren¡¯t you leaving? I want to lie down. Perhaps the reason why his name was unfamiliar even in Siervian¡¯s previous life was that he only wanted to lie down. ¡°Are you swick?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m healthy, Your Highness. I dislike having sicknesses.¡± A body would be difficult to move if a person is sick. Then he would hate it since even lying down requires a little movement. Then Tanka, who unknowingly answered her beliefs, glanced at the Princess again. Even though she was a child, his face showed a somewhat complicated expression. ¡°Uh¡­ I see.¡± Somehow, the appearance of a person cleaning while limping was also very anxious. That high class level would be such a waste since he could barely take even a step off. But it¡¯s not because his body was weak. ¡°You have to work hard.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ring a bell, Your Highness. There appears to be some misunderstanding.¡± Siervian just told him to work hard, but it¡¯s like he got stabbed a lot. Nevertheless, Siervian clenched her fist, put it against her waist and said. ¡°We have to stwudy hawd and work hawd. That way, people can live happily. Sebi thinks so.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right ¡­¡± This fact was a problem for the powerful wizard, who looked like it punched him in the stomach. Is this what it means to hit someone with the truth? At the same time, Tanka thought he had been caught sleeping too much. ¡°That¡¯s why you should not sleep in a pwace like this. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± [ Tanka Mallo ] Emotions: Sullen In the end, Tanka answered lightly as he bowed his head down. Seeing the gloomy appearance of a person who wasn¡¯t allowed to lie down, Siervian almost apologized. She had done nothing wrong, so she just swallowed that apology. ¡°Sebi¡¯s leaving now! See you agwain!¡± She would be leaving today, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She suddenly had a feeling, a sense of duty, that she should take care of the talented wizard, who was lying down too much. ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Unaware of Siervian¡¯s plan, Tanka saw her off with the most energetic voice he had ever spoken. As she walked out of the Imperial corridor and into the library, he began to use his magic and clean. With the energy warmth reaching her back, Siervian casually looked back. ¡®Huh? Why is it shining?¡¯ On the side where the wizard reached out his hand, a warm light glistened. Siervian looked at it with her head tilted and soon headed out of the library. ¡®I told you not to fool around, so you must have tried to make it obvious you were working!¡¯ As expected from a high-leveled wizard! And so, Siervian made a commitment to visit the wizard named Tanka from time to time. Without noticing that even the magic that Tanka had been working on now was first used to clean the place where he lays down. When she returned after conquering the library, the Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace was waiting for her. As she followed him, it turned out that her father was also waiting in the garden. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Hmm, Chamberlain, give gold to the person who made this cake.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Recently, the position of a chef in charge of the dessert at the Palace was very intense. Originally, it was a job that didn¡¯t seem to exist, but after the Princess came in, it became a very important position. ¡°Well, is everything all right, Siervy?¡± Her father could not hide his bitter expression as Siervian ate the new cake. ¡°Yes.¡± What happened today? She then quickly retraced the memory of a previous life. However, no matter how much she thought about it, nothing special came to mind this time. ¡°Hmm, something you¡¯re fond of. You wanted to report to this father, something very important.¡± ¡°Eum¡­¡± The example was very trivial, but strangely enough, her father emphasized that it was important. As a result, Siervian took her eyes off the cake and looked at him. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Sebi really said such a word! I¡¯d like to hear it in person. What does he want to hear? Taking another bite of the cake, Siervian was now concerned. She looked back at the past few days whether she had made a mistake or not. ¡°Chamberlain, bring another cake.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. May we add some juice too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± She was so focused in the depths of her thoughts that the cake quickly ran out. Waiting for the Chamberlain, Siervian sat still on her stool, waving her feet. Her short legs, still small, played around in the air. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Hmm, perhaps you¡¯re shy. My calculations are correct. A hint was found in the status window. With her eyes shining, Siervian waited carefully for the window to continue. The sound of the fountain splashing onto the lawn was now familiar. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Magic is cool = Wizards are cool = The strongest wizard is me = So Siervy¡¯s papa is the coolest. Hmm, is there a mistake in this perfect formula? ¡°¡­¡± The disrespectful Siervian couldn¡¯t resist the grim expression she saw earlier. An excellent wizard is also an excellent mathematician. This was because it is necessary to estimate the exact amount and time of mana operations. Her father, a brilliant wizard, made a unique formula that was full of errors. ¡°¡­ It is not that of a big deal. Eat more.¡± Her father looked disappointed, even if it wasn¡¯t displayed separately in the status window. Karmen¡¯s and her brother¡¯s words must have reached the Emperor¡¯s ears saying that magic was cool. ¡°Siervy?¡± She could not stop laughing, though it was kind of awkward to burst into laughter like that. But besides, she was grateful to her father for bringing her to the garden with new cakes. ¡°I like Papa. He is cool.¡± ¡°¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] Since to this day, there had been a rumor that the Princess flew like a fairy in the garden of the Imperial Palace every day. Summer came before they knew it. And after a full year, the envoy that followed Garambel returned to the north. ¡°As a representative of the envoy, I am honored to give you good news!¡± The faces of the visitors were very bright, because of this unexpected good news. Among them was Marco, who had been asked by the Princess. ¡°No, did the Mosae Kingdom really accept such an agreement?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 66 The officials of the empire were surprised after examining the contents of the agreement. Thanks to this, the shoulders of officials of the delegations rose up. ¡°What an agreement! The Mosae Kingdom has not rejected any major trades in the past!¡± The commotion brought by the delegates was a deal with the Mosae Kingdom, which was famous for its western granaries. It was also very timely as the grain price from the Navapal Kingdom had just risen. ¡°Ho, I thought that the delegate¡¯s return would take a long time, this is all from the wisdom of Your Majesty.¡± Originally, it wasn¡¯t a journey that would take a year. Without borrowing magic power, it was possible to go all the way back to the west in about half a year. As a result the officials, who occasionally received news from the delegates through magic communication, nodded at the Emperor¡¯s wisdom. ¡°When traveling to Garambell, going through the Mosae Kingdom would be the best choice.¡± Garambell and the Mosae Kingdom were separated by a mountain range, but by the virtue of the good relations of both Kingdoms, going through the Mosae Kingdom would be easy. ¡°Your Majesty, please inform us of the detailed results.¡± The officials raised their voices again as they calculated the ripple effects of this situation. Following Alderuan¡¯s gesture, the leader of the delegation stepped forward. ¡°Please take a look at the details in the presentation marble.¡± They proudly accepted the officials¡¯ curiosity and activated the light of the marble. In the north, food supply has always been the most important issue. Thus mana circles that controlled the temperature as the basic natural environment were needed. ¡°First of all, Garambell has begun to improve relations with the west.¡± There were two large plains on the continent, one of them was on the Navapal Kingdom, and the other was located in the Mosae Kingdom. But Mosae, unusually, was against sending grain beyond the western region. ¡°For the Western influence, the Mosae Kingdom was lukewarm in dealing with our empire, but this time it was different. Garambell and the Mosae Kingdom were on good terms for no other reason. The King of Mosae Kingdom¡¯s favorite princess married in Garambell and became a Queen. ¡°In fact, the initial goal was to develop an import market, but¡­¡± Though the remedies of the endemic situation in the Garambell Kingdom took place, the delegates were welcomed despite their difficult mission. It was none other than the Queen of Garambell Kingdom who was in the most critical condition before the arrival of Pharim medicinal herbs from the Empire. ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve come to the conclusion of a fast grain agreement that will feed about 30 percent of our people.¡± Of course, neither the Emperor nor the delegation expected things to go smoothly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been easy, but why did it go so well?¡± They knew the relationship between the Mosae and the Garambell Kingdom, but the officials still wondered. At that time, the head of the delegates pushed Marco to the front. As he stepped forward, Marquis Nabije of the Ministry of Finance, who was sitting in the conference room, smiled delightly. ¡°Here comes the young official, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Report the management¡¯s credit.¡± With a stern expression as he looked closely at Marco, the Emperor gave his order. Marco rolled his eyes around in tension and tried to report as much as he could. ¡°In fact, before I joined the delegation, I was gathering data with the grain trade in mind, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It was due to the Princess¡¯ request. Originally, we did not expect such a large-scale agreement, and it was merely intended to import a small amount of grain.¡± The officials¡¯ expressions turned strange at the mention of the Princess. Only Alderuan, who already knew that Marco was familiar to the Imperial Princess, was shocked. ¡°The Princess, why so suddenly¡­?¡± ¡°Well, the Princess said she wanted to share it with the slums just in case.¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± Instead, they each exclaimed, because the young princess was still very considerate. ¡°At the last meeting, the young Princess must have been worried when she heard that the price of grain was rising.¡± Marquis Nabije also smiled and then praised the Princess. The commotion that occurred during an important report is likely to be noisy, but for some reason the Emperor was ignoring the crowd silently. Therefore, only Marco, who was rolling his eyes, had to look at him. Can I continue my report? ¡°Continue reporting the management.¡± Fortunately, the Emperor generously gave his permission. Marco couldn¡¯t shake the fact that the time it took to grant his permission was strangely long. As if the Emperor was savoring the praise of the Imperial Princess. ¡°Yes, first of all, if you look at the status of luxury goods trades in the west region¡­¡± Anyhow, Marco reported in detail the market analysis he had prepared. In particular, a detailed analysis of items that can be given to the western region and the grain was also presented. ¡°Your Majesty, there was also the full cooperation of Garambell in this negotiation. In particular, the third Prince of Garambell who accompanied the delegation took an active role.¡± After the report, the head of the delegates did not leave out Garambell¡¯s role. As much as he loved his daughter, the King of Mosae devoted all his heart to his grandson, the Prince of Garambell. Through this, the Prince of Garambell was able to talk to the King of Mosae. And in the Mosae Kingdom, one can see the importance of the role the Imperial Princess played in resolving the endemic incident. ¡°What a delight, the delegation was as smooth as the flow of mana.¡± As if pharim herbs were given in a timely manner, the Empire¡¯s greatest headache was resolved. The official¡¯s faces were bound to be full of ease. But suddenly, the head of the delegate burst into rage. ¡°I do not think it went smoothly. Your Majesty, I hereby report the atrocities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.¡± All eyes then were on the Duke at the sudden remark. The stiffened Duke Pacour looked at the delegates fiercely. ¡°While negotiations were going smoothly, an official removed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened.¡± In the first place, it was not supposed to take up to a year, but this was the reason it was delayed. The Mosae Kingdom even questioned how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was interfering. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Duke?¡± ¡°How did that happen?¡± Immediately the Imperial officials also attacked the Duke. Needless to say, the Duke had to say something from a diplomatic perspective. ¡°However, is it not in its own favor that Navapal of the South has exported a significant amount of grain during that time? Had the West been trading from the start, the Empire would not have had to depend so much on the Southern Plains.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And the Navapal did not raise the price without any reason, and if the only reason for it was losing trust that would be diplomatically discourteous. The dispatched officials were only talking about the most obvious thing!¡± The Duke¡¯s defense made sense in its own way. One after another, the aristocracy came forward and agreed with his opinion. ¡°Well said, Duke. You¡¯re right.¡± For an unknown reason, Emperor Alderuan also supported the Duke¡¯s opinion. But when even the Duke looked at the Emperor in wonder, Alderuan¡¯s face hardened terribly. There was a twist in the Duke¡¯s rebuke that fell soon after. ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± Then, the Emperor threw another marble on the table. The marble flew smoothly, ignoring the laws of physics, and naturally pushed away the data that had occupied the previous position. ¡°Navapal cited the problem of trade routes as the main cause for the increased grain price. But that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°T-This is¡­¡± As the evidence emerged that the Tungka Kingdom had manipulated the local war, the ministers were flabbergasted. Questions rose about the discord with the Kingdom of Tungka, which had been the basis of Navapal¡¯s claim. Above all, the movement to deceive the Empire with grain was not a simple task. ¡°The motive of Navapal to manipulate their relations to another Kingdom for so many years was not yet known with certainty.¡± The evidence bought by the Lord of the magic tower was turned into a presentation made by the Emperor. Thanks to this, the officials¡¯ expressions showed anxiety. They recalled the past when they started the Continental War. ¡°But whatever it is, the empire will not just sit idly by.¡± The Emperor¡¯s stern gaze turned around the officials and rested on the Duke. The officials were also silent about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for not grasping this important matter. ¡°Listen to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cut down the share of southern grain purchases in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Also listen to Marquis Ritaje, who is in charge of supplying the pharim medicinal herbs. The west has emerged as an important area, so we need to manage it thoroughly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Duke could not say anything when faced with the Emperor¡¯s orders. The officials also obeyed the orders, recalling the wisdom of the Emperor and the virtues of the Princess. * * * ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Duke Pacour sped away at a fast pace and gnashed his teeth. How could you find out so quickly that the local war was rigged?! Strangely, things have been going wrong. Even though we paid attention to security without leaking any water, as soon as we look away for a second something happens. And at the center was the Princess. ¡®There must be a reason why the Empress is so wary of Her Highness.¡¯ The Duke¡¯s thoughts of the Princess gradually began fading away, for the present. * * * As soon as the nerve wracking report was over, Marco hurriedly visited Siervian. ¡°¡­ That really wasn¡¯t an order from His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not.¡± Siervian answered lightly while eating the Garambell fruit cookies that Marco had brought. Marco¡¯s face grew pale as he heard this. ¡°I-I, I certainly thought it was His Majesty¡¯s order¡­ That¡¯s why we¡¯re negotiating so hard!¡± When the young lady suddenly told him to buy some grain, he just had to wonder. He thought it was not something to worry about even if the grain price rose a little. ¡°I see.¡± However, news had arrived while he was in the midst of going to Garambell to carry out his mission. The price of grain has skyrocketed again. So Marco had his mind mixed up. Ah, this was actually His Majesty¡¯s command! Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Marco mistakenly thought the Emperor was behind him and flew all over the place. ¡°I¡¯m gwad things went well!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Initially, the head of the delegation was supposed to negotiate an informal treaty for the grain. However, they got confused when Marco said he was ordered by the ¡®Princess¡¯, so they took an active role. His Majesty must have planned this! ¡°Hoo, if things go wrong¡­Cough-¡± The delegation then believed it was the Emperor¡¯s orders and prepared for a large-scale contract. The grain contract should have been a lot smaller, it¡¯s like the God of mana was really helping in this situation. Marco suspected at that time that there was already a secret agreement between the Emperor and the King of Mosae. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: As I report from the meeting, the Emperor didn¡¯t seem to have an idea you were here! Siervian already heard everything from the meeting so it was easy to figure out how things went. ¡°Ahem-, Anyway, I am sorry for what I did, Princess.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Yes, I dared to assume that the will of the Princess was His Majesty¡¯s, so I was not able to bring the grain the Princess first requested.¡± Meanwhile, Marco was concerned that he didn¡¯t complete his task perfectly. Looking at his expression, Siervian shook her head in disagreement. ¡°It¡¯s all right! You did a better job.¡± The grain Siervian initially requested was supposed to supply the slums anyway. If this had gone through the original history, from the past life, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to get food from people there. For such a simple solution, this had worked out very well. ¡°I¡¯m glad Garambell is safe.¡± History had really changed a lot. If Garambell had gone down the way it had before, this wouldn¡¯t even be a dream. ¡°That¡¯s right, it could have been a big deal, why on earth did they do that?¡± Marco responded to Siervian¡¯s self-talk. The comment was a little strange, so Siervian asked as her head was tilted. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marco first looked around the room then lowered his voice. Siervian held her breath at the same time and listened. ¡°Um, I heard this during my long stay in the Garambell and Mosae Kingdom.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Unnerved by his own statement, Marco gulped at once. ¡°Well, they said that the Garambell epidemic was intentional.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Siervian was not aware of that information. Surprised, she opened her eyes wide, and Marco quickly finished speaking, perhaps he was worried for her. ¡°It is more like a conspiracy theory, don¡¯t be so surprised, Princess.¡± [ Marco William ] Thoughts: It¡¯s just a theory, but the Mosae Kingdom was almost certain. They don¡¯t know who the culprit is, but they said it was artificially spread. Siervian looked into his inner thoughts only to find herself nervous. The cause of the Garambell incident will certainly be the same as in the previous life. If so, what was written as an ¡®unknown cause¡¯ in the previous life was actually someone¡¯s conspiracy. What on earth were they trying to accomplish doing that to so many people? An entire country. ¡®Was it for the grain?¡¯ From one point of view, the grain agreement did not appear to be a coincidence. If there was a reason for Garambell to collapse, the byproduct would be the grain incident. ¡®Garambell and Mosae Kingdom could easily betray each other because of their relationship. But it would be hard to aim for the Mosae Kingdom itself.¡¯ As much as the legacy of the empire in the western continent was inherited, the Mosae Kingdom was not an easy opponent. Furthermore, the King of Garambell was famous for being a lovely husband. If a Queen dies, of an illness for example, manipulating people¡¯s minds about the two kingdoms and the two kingdoms themselves could be done. ¡®In my previous life, relations with the Western Kingdom just kept getting worse.¡¯ There was even a minor border conflict problem that included the Empire. She had never thought that the relationship between the two Kingdoms would be an issue, but after thinking about it, the situation right now seemed to be not irrelevant to them. From the Mosae Kingdom¡¯s perspective, the empire, the one that didn¡¯t send pharim medicines on time in the previous life, would be considered as the most suspicious or resentful. ¡®No wonder Navapal¡¯s grain tyranny was getting worse at that time.¡¯ It must be because the empire did not have a good relationship with the Mosae Kingdom, thus solving it in her new life would be the biggest breakthrough. But Siervian¡¯s expression became darker and darker. Naturally, she would suspect the loser of the South, the Navapal Kingdom. ¡°Okayy.¡± ¡°P-Princess? Are you okay? I shouldn¡¯t have said that, here I brought more snacks from Garambell! You said you liked it!¡± Siervian suppressed her unnecessary worries and hugged the snack Marco gave her. Because she trusted her father. Her father already knew that Navapal was plotting around the trade route, and it was all well predicted. ¡°I think Papa is weally gweat.¡± ¡°His Majesty? Of course, as good as a saint.¡± Siervian pondered over and over as she ate the sour dried fruit. She continued to help her father. * * * Peek- peep- For the past few days, the wizard Tanka had been stalked. In this unfair and unreasonable event, he had no choice but to shrug it off. Because the one stalking was none other than the main character, the Imperial Princess! [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: I am just like a sacrificial goat for the powerful! This is the life of a sad, sad low-ranking aristocrat! Siervian had been concerned for days after Marco arrived and thus was first to visit Tanka. ¡°¡­¡± Although she arrived in high spirits, looking at the status window made her quickly sad. If anyone could see his status window, some might actually think he was being abused by Siervian. In reality, she was just sitting around while he worked in the library. ¡®I can¡¯t let myself be so soft-hearted. I have to do this.¡¯ [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: Sob- sob-, even the Lord of the magic tower disregards my words. I went there to get nothing but research assignments. It¡¯s unfair, I¡¯ll say it again, this is unfair. He must have told the Lord that Siervian was following him. Of course, she wasn¡¯t following Tanka, or interfering in his private time; after all, she was only sneaking around during his official business hours. ¡°Mallo the wizard, don¡¯t wie down, you have to work. It¡¯s work twime now.¡± ¡°Ughh, that¡¯s too much. You can call me Tanka, Princess.¡± ¡°Uung¡­¡± Lying face down on his desk, Tanka mumbled as if he was trying to disagree. And then the unexpected permission to call him by his name was like escaping the topic. This was the reason she could not give up on this wizard. After following and encouraging him to work, only his favorability continued to rise. ¡®Is he having fun, by any chance¡­?¡¯ It was a truly incomprehensible way of thinking, but it worked in its own way. Tanka would have been busy rushing work after lying down for too long, but he actually finished quickly, and he even started his own personal research! [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: Aagh, I don¡¯t want to¡­Eh, who put the formula together like this? It looks so disorganized and complicated. Now I have to fix it. As expected from a high level, Tanka¡¯s quill pen moved without letting it fall. ¡­As long as he can hold the quill pen. ¡°Tanka, sit up and stwudy.¡± ¡°Ughh, but, I have to lie down.¡± ¡°¡­ here, have some sweets.¡± ¡°Eh, thank you.¡± Tanka¡¯s face was half on the desk as he chewed the macarons, but he suddenly looked like he was alive. He looked very tired still, yet his face seemed a little lively. ¡®I need to bring snacks like these more often.¡¯ She had a lot of work to do to help her father. One of them was to also help many great wizards rise in the empire. Siervian¡¯s eyes glistened as she looked at Tanka¡¯s level. * * * As late summer approached, the atmosphere of the city became lively. The anticipation of the upcoming festival was surreal, and it began with the arrival of autumn. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then, an untimely shadow fell on the Imperial Palace. ¡°My name is Lara.¡± Looking at the well-dressed girl her age, anxiety swallowed her. ¡®The Princess made me do this!¡¯ As if her heart beat expanded throughout her body. The memories of being betrayed by someone so trusting. ¡°¡­ Hi.¡± Long time no see. Siervian was sick on the inside, she couldn¡¯t even say a proper greeting. Lara was the start of the game in her previous life. ¡°The Princess is so pretty!¡± ¡°For starters, please be polite in your speech.¡± ¡°Oh, Lara is very sorry, Lara is too greedy for wanting to be close to the Princess¡­¡± With a lovely face, Lara lowered her head slightly. The faces of the ladies-in-waiting were relaxed by the child¡¯s honesty and innocence. The same was true of Jane, who just gave strict principles. ¡°¡­¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t smile like the reactions around her. The memories of Siervian being slandered by someone she considered as a sister were back. ¡¯I just wanted to be nice to Your Highness, I want you to have such a nice beating, huhu.¡¯ She had been thinking about it for years. Why did Lara do that? They were very close to each other, so why was that? The answers were right before her eyes. [ Lara ] Occupation: Empress¡¯s Spy (Lv. 49) Favorability: -560 Emotions: Nervousness Thoughts: Sh*t. Why is she glaring? I suppose I have to work harder. This was the second time a person had a negative level of favorability. Siervian wasn¡¯t even supposed to meet Lara yet in this timeline. ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to like Lara.¡± Nervous, Siervian said nothing, and Lara wept with a ready-to-cry face. The Ladies-in-waiting panicked like kids and started to soothe Lara. ¡°Ooh, there¡¯s no way. It¡¯s because the Princess is a little shy.¡± ¡°Really? So Lara is not disliked? Is that right, Princess?¡± In an instant, all eyes went to Siervian. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°That¡¯s right. Yes.¡± Siervian played it innocently as she shyly hugged the doll, pretending, like the person in front of her. Knowing nothing about Sievian¡¯s past/life, the ladies-in-waiting just looked at the cute view. In this current situation, Lara had no reason to be suspected. ¡®I¡¯m certain she was sent here by Count Mirccino.¡¯ Count Mirccino was a representative of the Emperor¡¯s faction. In the previous life, that count was transferred to the aristocratic faction for the reason of Siervian. It was none other than the playmate incident. ¡®I never did it!¡¯ The problem right now is that Lara did not appear in her life until her eighth year. Being from the Emperor¡¯s faction, Count Mirccino adopted a smart and clever child. ¡®I¡¯ve already had in mind that Lara is adopted, but why isn¡¯t her last name attached in the status window?¡¯ For generations, it¡¯s quite common for young Imperialists to start their playmate session like this. It was to give lower aristocrats a chance to be given good care by the Imperial family. So starting from the age of eight, Siervian was friends with Lara for two years. ¡®We shared a lot of time together.¡¯ Like the Empress, she was the one to rely on. Even though she often said little, heartbreaking words. ¡®That¡¯s why the Princess keeps getting hated.¡¯ Still, Siervian kept close to her, as they were precious peers of the Imperial family. But in the middle of her tenth year, Lara put the blame on Siervian for abusing her, showing whip scars on her back. It all of a sudden happened one day. ¡°You don¡¯t have any hostility towards Lara?¡± ¡°Mhm, Sebi doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°The Princess is already comfortable with me. How fairy-like must our Princess be.¡± Even now, Lara¡¯s words still had a strange feeling. Using vulgar words such as ¡®hostility¡¯. It was suffocating for Siervian to even think that she still needed to leave the Palace knowing that there would be a spy lying around. ¡®Is the count already one of them? Or is it a ploy of the aristocrats to conciliate the Count?¡¯ It was not yet known for certain, but the power of the Emperor¡¯s faction was severely damaged by that incident. And every work comes with a prize; The brutal nature of the Princess, who just turned ten years old at the time, was widely rumored in the social community. With the food waste incident to top things up, her reputation plummeted. ¡®It was even the time when the public sentiment was atrocious about the grain price fluctuations, so perhaps I was criticized more severely because of it.¡¯ Anyhow, Lara came to the Imperial Palace a year earlier than expected. ¡®Why did it change again?¡¯ It was really a lot that had changed compared to then. The biggest thing is that the Empress¡¯s influence on the Princess¡¯s Palace has significantly reduced. Did the Empress get impatient and sent this clever spy? ¡°I hope we get along well, Princess.¡± Lara smiled brightly, looking like a fairy like the one in front of her. The beautiful hair that flows like the sea, and that seeming innocence could make anyone smile. [ Lara ] Thoughts: You look annoyed, little brat, drink some cold harmin tea. ¡°Yes, Sebi hopes we get along well, too.¡± Said menacingly by Siervian as she remembered the dark age of the past. The ladies-in-waiting of the Imperial Palace pondered as the animosity reached them. * * * ¡°Let¡¯s read a book together!¡± ¡°Okayy.¡± When it comes to their playmate session, they first study the status of the Imperial family to some extent. Princess, whose education has not yet begun, it was not a good choice in many ways to ask the Princess to read a book. It can be seen as an act of ignoring the other person¡¯s standard. [ Lara ] Thoughts: Are you going to get angry with this? We¡¯re still both children who don¡¯t know much about etiquette. Should I cut it a little loose for you to get mad? Of course, it was okay if the Princess asked her to read the book. Siervian then promised to herself not to do anything reprehensible while looking at Lara¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Since the Princess doesn¡¯t even understand these letters yet, I will read them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The expectations of her strange ways of speaking humility towards Siervian were awfully fulfilled Lara is only one year older than Siervian, a normal child could have gone all mad at once. It also happened that the ladies-in-waiting were away. ¡°Now, let¡¯s sit here.¡± Over the past few days, Lara has been patiently waiting and waiting. For the maids to trust her alone with Siervian. ¡°Oh, are you reading a book?¡± But of course, the maids wouldn¡¯t fully leave her alone. For a very brief time, such as going to the next room, Lara used this opportunity effectively. ¡°Yes, the Princess asked me to read it.¡± Even before Siervian, Lara told a brazen lie. Her innermost thoughts were evident in the status window. If Siervian denies it, she wouldn¡¯t cry but will only step back, and pretend to be a sad, dispirited child. ¡°¡­¡± It was simple yet a fine plan, Siervian was unable to say anything this time. If such a thing was repeated several times, the maids would find it strange. Perhaps they could find Siervian a stubborn child. ¡°The Princess? I see.¡± [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: That¡¯s quite a surprise, the Princess rarely asks me to read. Perhaps she likes Lara? Because Siervian actually didn¡¯t have to ask her to read as she could read herself. The ladies, who have no way of knowing it, tilted their heads while they happily watched the two little girls sit together. ¡®How infuriating.¡¯ She wanted to act more rapidly and get Lara out of the Imperial Palace immediately. However, the mists of the dark memories surround Siervian once again. Lara¡¯s strange attitude, which differs from the previous life, stopped Siervian from saying strong words. ¡°Once upon a time, there was a beautiful empire.¡± In the past, she was just being so thoughtful to Siervian. She didn¡¯t make such a difference between her maids. But there¡¯s Sarah, another member of the Empress, so there was no need to address that. ¡°There lived a very wicked lady.¡± Jane started knitting from a distance, it was to also give their time alone. In a small voice that only Siervian could hear, Lara began to read the book softly. ¡°The Princess was such a bad person that everyone in the Empire hated her.¡± Siervian felt deceived once more as she looked at the fairy tale book Lara was reading. ¡®It¡¯s completely different!¡¯ Lara didn¡¯t think Siervian could read the letters, so she continued and began to make outrageous noises. The content gradually went too far off. ¡°People called her names. ¡®I just wanted her to die like every witch.¡¯¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: Start crying now, dumb girl. It has been like this for the past few days, Siervian never did what she wanted. It appears on the outside that Lara has a very gentle personality, but the frequency of swearing inside her innermost thoughts has increased. This very disturbing window of letters does not have the character of that smiling face, she was somehow similar to that of the Empress. ¡°The day she was executed, people threw stones at her. There were others throwing garbage.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Even though she should not be swayed, Siervian could not hide her surprised face even for a moment. It may not have been something that Lara knew, but that quote was something straight out of her death day in the previous life. [ Lara ] Thoughts: That¡¯s right, just a little more. Holding the doll in her hands, Siervian kept her mouth shut. She will not cry or do anything Lara had in mind. Opposing Lara¡¯s words, the book she was reading was a fairytale that also has information about a good Imperial family. ¡®If I cry or get angry while listening to something like this, I¡¯ll definitely look weird.¡¯ Lara stopped the moment Siervian didn¡¯t look strangely enough for the maids to show. Her stare was momentarily bitter, it had gone by so quickly as if she hadn¡¯t seen the frightening look. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: Come to think of it, She picked up a book that my good Princess would like. I suppose the playmate must be well educated. From a distance, she could see Jane, who had lowered her vigilance, was humming and thinking. She was filled with sadness, but she did not cry until the end. ¡®I won¡¯t be beaten again.¡¯ There was a lot more Siervian could do this time. * * * ¡°I am very glad to see you, Your Majesty, the sun of the Empire.¡± A few days later, at breakfast time. With a very elegant gesture, Lara greeted the Emperor. Lara, who was only one year older, was comparable to Siervian in many ways. Although this was not just Siervian¡¯s claim. [ Lara ] Thoughts: I should win the favor of the Emperor. We are equally cute, however, if one can show a lot more politeness, they would definitely pay more attention to this side. No matter what kind of equations were given, Lara was always good at calculating things like that. ¡°Hmm, Count Mirccino has transferred you here.¡± ¡°Yes, father always taught Lara to admire Your Majesty. So Lara has been wanting to meet Your Majesty!¡± Lara then clasped her hands tightly, and shouted shyly, turning ever so slightly. She looked more childlike and innocent compared to her polite appearance earlier. ¡°The Count has always been the sword of the Imperial family.¡± ¡°Lara is delighted.¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: Trusting and not knowing what the Count was planning. Siervian was appalled by this inwardly. She sometimes wondered if the Count knew Lara was a spy of the Empress, but it turned out to be like this. ¡®Count Mirccine was obviously a long-established person from the faction of the Emperor, but by accident!¡¯ If he was criticized for losing a large branch of the Imperial faction because of her, he had no choice but to be familiar with this structure. Particularly the time Count Mirccino turned his family to the aristocracy faction. ¡®I have to tell this to my father, how should I do it?¡¯ She looked hopeless, so the Emperor asked to fill his curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Siervy? Are you sick?¡± ¡°Uh-uh.¡± It hurt her that she couldn¡¯t express it. But then, Lara intervened at the blunt voice of the Emperor. ¡°It seems that the Princess doesn¡¯t like Lara¡¯s presence at breakfast with His Majesty.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s etiquette to greet first. I¡¯m sorry¡­but it¡¯s Lara¡¯s fault. Please don¡¯t blame Siervian, Your Majesty.¡± The mood became strange in an instant. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Siervian bawled her eyes out like a crybaby; Doesn¡¯t it seem like she¡¯s a stubborn child now? She should have denied it, but her mouth was somehow shut. What would happen if her father became cold like he used to? [ Lara ] Thoughts: This is the chance for the Princess to be disliked by the Emperor. Had this event occurred in society, her father would easily find the bones in Lara¡¯s words. However, there were only cute children in front of him, people in the same situation tend to think this was all child honesty. Siervian knew this well, so she was just lost in words and looked at her father. ¡°Lara Mirccino.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Looking down at the young Lara, the Emperor said in his usual serious voice. ¡°My Siervy is not a narrow-minded person, so don¡¯t let any strange misunderstandings come up in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes, Your Majesty. Lara made a mistake.¡± Surprised, Lara bowed her head multiple times in the most elegant manner. Alderuan, who looked down at the Playmate with the usual cold eyes, nodded slightly. ¡°You may go now.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± There were many possibilities as to why the Playmate was called in during breakfast. One of which was to actually let her join the breakfast. It was to also show the value of the relationship with the Count. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Damien is absent today, therefore he can¡¯t take any of my time with Siervy. ¡°¡­¡± There was only one thing Lara failed to notice. She only focused on her lies, but it was none other than the Emperor who got annoyed by her long disturbance. [ Lara ] Emotions: Nervousness Thoughts: I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll try to strategize another plan. Lara disappeared out of the breakfast room, packing new uneasy thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast, Siervy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Siervian was overwhelmed at her father¡¯s trust in her. Strong emotions are left, Siervian was unconsciously chewing her lips. After her father secured their little squabble. Like it was nothing. ¡°If you are not fond of the Playmate, we can send her back. Some people don¡¯t fit in once in a while.¡± The way he says it like he was okay with Siervian disliking Lara. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: I could always develop the relationship with the Count and have the convenience. But what comes first is Siervy¡¯s burdens. Political things are indeed getting very complicated. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± For that reason, Siervian shook her head. She couldn¡¯t make the same mistake as in the past. Especially now that Count Mirccino has learned that he plans to damage the Emperor¡¯s faction using his special role. ¡°Sebi is all right.¡± And so she plans to make it the other way around this time. * * * ¡°Come on, Princess.¡± ¡°Yess.¡± Siervian took an unwilling step forward at Lara¡¯s hustle. Ignoring the words of the Emperor this morning, Lara showed a more intimate behavior to Siervian. Earlier, the two eventually egged her to go play in the garden in the afternoon. ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°Then you two have a pleasant journey.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Struggling to answer Ellie so brightly, Siervian followed Lara. In a miserable state. ¡®I need to figure out what¡¯s her next move, and the plan of the Count.¡¯ [ Lara ] Thoughts: Just a little more now. I think it¡¯s fine if I get hurt here. She still has the mind of a baby, I suppose it just needs to be just a small scratch. Hmm. She was no different from Siervian this time, as of now, the two have no idea what to do. Lara¡¯s plans have some assumptions. But now Siervian has also taken countermeasures. ¡°Now, let¡¯s play hide and seek here.¡± ¡°Hide and seek?¡± ¡°Yes, you will be the seeker, and I will hideee.¡± Lara stopped smiling as soon as the eyes around her vanished, then vigorously turned for a last look at Siervian. ¡°Shall I count the numbers?¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: I better hurry up now, if this goes perfectly, the story will be the Princess who pushed¡­ An obvious trick indeed. Siervian was faster, after experiencing countless similar techniques. ¡°Then cover your eyes now and count, you must never move by then!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As if she was almost threatening. Not listening to any of her words, Siervian paid attention to something else. Lara has moved in a direction without much doubt since Siervian has been compliant for the past few days. ¡®Is she gone?¡¯ Siervian removed her eyes and hands away from the tree to go peek. She carried out the plan after clearing things up. ¡®Should I go now?¡¯ Siervian, who was chewing her lips in concern again, decided to finally move. ¡®Where?¡¯ Siervian swiftly looked around, seeking someone else. [ Adante Roid ] Thoughts: ¡­Is the Princess looking right at me? Of course, her usual escort knight was always there. Siervian unwittingly walked towards the status window, but instantaneously stopped herself. She would appear suspicious if she found him multiple times. ¡®I can¡¯t afford to look suspicious this much.¡¯ The little girl hesitated, and eagerly looked around the environment. She naturally cried as she was in a hurry. ¡°Sir Roid, Are you here?¡± In the end, she points him out and the escort knight quickly ascends. ¡°Your Highness, are you all right?¡± ¡°Found you!¡± Holding her doll, Siervian ran towards Sir Roid. The knelt-down escort met the Imperial Princess with a slightly surprised face. [ Adante Roid ] Thoughts: Was there a threat that I did not notice? But Siervian quickly resolved this one. ¡°Sebi is scared of going alone.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± It was sacred that Roid understood super fast. Right now, Isn¡¯t it a little strange for the Playmate to leave the Princess alone? What Lara failed to notice again was that there was a knight in shining armor who would protect her. ¡°Thank you for always being on Sebi¡¯s side.¡± [ Favorability: +50 ] If it wasn¡¯t for him, Siervian could¡¯ve been misunderstood again. She let out a sigh of relief before thanking him. * * * ¡°Oh! Lara, What happened?¡± ¡°We need a doctor right now. What is going on?¡± That afternoon, Seeing Lara covered in dirt, the Princess¡¯s Palace was in complete chaos. Lara apparently had a bloody wound on her knee. A great deal of concern was on the ladies¡¯ faces. ¡°What about the Princess? No, what is this!¡± Lara came back alone, that fact worried the Palace even more. Lara wrapped around her knee after collapsing, this look appears to be painful. Then she said something out of the blue. ¡°¡­ Perhaps you were mistaken. No need to worry about a low life like Lara.¡± The maids of the Imperial family were quick like the prestigious servants they are. After coming back with such unexpected news, of course, they would be agitated. More even on Lara¡¯s strange reference. The great shock was contained in their eyes. ¡°What? No. it¡¯s not¡­¡± It would be completely unbelievable. The Princess they know is the last person to do that! That angelic face that Lara has shown so far made the ladies wonder. ¡°Princess!¡± Holding the escort¡¯s hand tightly, the Princess appeared. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± She knew full well what would happen, but appeared the opposite. Lara avoided Siervian¡¯s gaze. As if she was petrified. ¡°La- Lara is okay.¡± Seeing that dazed look made the ladies exchange eyes. [ Ellie ] Thoughts: There must have been some misunderstanding. Maybe there is a big mistake. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: My Princess couldn¡¯t have done that¡­ The ones who aren¡¯t close to Siervian couldn¡¯t control their emotions. Meanwhile, close aides such as Ellie and Jane firmly trusted her. ¡°I was escorting the Princess.¡± ¡°Pardon? Did you know everything that happened? Sir Roid.¡± Sir Roid opened his mouth slowly, The ladies looked at his lips with shaky eyes. ¡°Nothing serious happened. But the two did play a game of hide and seek, the playmate is the hider and went off.¡± The escort, who always had a calm face, didn¡¯t care even though all eyes were on him. A fine knight doing his sacred duty, the ladies then exchanged gazes again as if they were communicating. ¡°After that, the Princess looked for me first as she was afraid of being alone.¡± ¡°What? Then¡­¡± ¡°The Playmate hasn¡¯t been found, for that reason, I first came back here with the Princess and would return to find the Playmate, hm? Then she was here all along but heavily injured?¡± The Ladies once again exchanged eyes and they began to have more comfortable faces. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: Of course, of course. The Princess wouldn¡¯t do that. No, wait, then why did Lara say that¡­? [ Ellie ] Thoughts: Our Princess was afraid?! Thank goodness Sir Roid was near her! Eyes suddenly went to Lara at the same time. Lara, whose face turned red, like the one on her knee, lowered her head for now. If she showed that embarrassed face, it might be over. She rolled her eyes under all of them. [ Lara ] Thoughts: Damn it all. The escort was following you all this time? I didn¡¯t hear that from the count, damn it. Sir Roid was one step ahead, looking at Lara¡¯s condition with his lazy-like eyes. Something strange bothered him, but he can¡¯t be so sure. ¡°You must have understood the escort just now, what happened?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± ¡°Lara? How did this happen?¡± Couldn¡¯t think of an excuse and her voice was trembling, she burst into tears just like Siervian earlier. This quick action surprised Siervian that she can¡¯t even control her expression. But Siervian gave off a frightening face, looking at both expressions, Ellie hugged Siervian thinking she was disturbed by Lara¡¯s face. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ¡°Huwaa, mistake¡­¡± ¡°Lara, please calm down, we¡¯re not scolding you.¡± ¡°W-We were playing hide-and-seek huhu-, and someone hurt me and left, an adult in a hurry.¡± Lara successfully made an excuse on the spot. She wanted to express herself, but after seeing someone carrying a block of papers in a hurry, Siervian just set it aside. While she was in the grass, the adult accidentally bumped into and hurriedly left. ¡°S-So I was shaken-up and came alone, hicc-.¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: Phew-, good thing I didn¡¯t say the Princess did it. Anyway it was plausible for a very quick excuse. And it was something an embarrassed wounded child would do. ¡°I-I should have come back with the Princess, I am very sorry.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Sir Roid nodded normally again, it all seemed just like a normal accident. [ Lara ] Thoughts: Damn it, damn it, damn it! Thanks to Sir Lloyd¡¯s proper testimony, all of the main questions of the ladies¡¯ were cleared. Siervian sighed in relief as she looked around her. Watching Lara still playing a character, Siervian made up her mind. A few more, a little bit more. * * * Few days have passed by since Lara¡¯s little accident; Lara has been keeping a low profile while observing the situation. Damien visited the Princess¡¯s after a long time. ¡°The daughter of Count Mirccino, please join us.¡± [ Damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: This is Siervian¡¯s friend, I need to be nice then. Peers of our age in the Imperial Palace are precious. She understood her brother¡¯s good intentions, but she was sad. Lara has been intervening in this place to the extent that it was almost impossible to get informed that the Crown Prince arrived. ¡°Oh, really? Lara is really happy!¡± [ Ellie ] Thoughts: His Highness the Crown Prince must be curious, I suppose I need to inform him later. Lara was usually well-behaved, the maids turned a blind eye to her rudeness for now. Moreover, the Crown Prince also ignored it, it must be because he just came back, not knowing everything. ¡°Oh, but¡­if the Princess doesn¡¯t like it, Lara will leave immediately. Lara is sorry for coming in without notice.¡± ¡°Haha, Siervian is not like that, do not worry, Lady Mirccino.¡± As expected, the peculiar words of Lara. The Crown Prince, who met her for the first time, continued without much thought, but the maids tilted their heads all at once. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: I certainly thought for sure the two of you were doing well, maybe I¡¯m wrong? Siervian clenched her little fist. The Prince deliberately pushed the cookies, bought by his own, in front of Lara. ¡°Let us now eat together!¡± Of course, Siervian was constantly hesitant at first, no matter how hard she tried, she was afraid that it would happen again. But she was soon able to come to her senses, all because of the good people around her showing strong belief and trust. ¡®I have changed it before, and I will do it again.¡¯ Just like the terrible food waste incident was erased from history, and so will this one. She could transfer Lara out right now, but information is needed to know what Count Mirccino was up to. Even though Siervian¡¯s favorite cake was on the table, Lara lowered her gaze sadly. ¡°Thank you very much, Lara has never eaten such good food.¡± The adults couldn¡¯t hide their pity for a moment. Lara repeatedly told her sad story of the Count adopting her, who had lived in difficulty while staying here. And the situation was clearly compared with that of a very wealthy Imperial lady. [ Lara ] Thoughts: The Crown Prince is close to a commoner wizard, right? I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not as good as them. The terrible contents of the status window made Siervian gnash her teeth. She keeps commenting on Karmen and her elder brother like this in her mind. But it applied to her since everyone doesn¡¯t know if the Prince is a good person regardless of his status. ¡®We even ate cake together yesterday too!¡¯ Above all, her remark sounded like the Palace wasn¡¯t treating her well. [ Jane Millas ] Thoughts: Hmm, that kid is a little bit¡­ Jane suddenly narrowed her eyes as if she was suspicious this time. She was accustomed to this situation, being from a noble family. Siervian then suppressed her resentment for that reason. It¡¯s good for Lara in both ways to look perfect in front of the Crown Prince, however, she may have been overdoing it. ¡®What? Did the Count order her to do this?¡¯ At the end of such an awkward meal, the Crown Prince rose from his seat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t stay here any longer, Siervian.¡± ¡°Yes, brother must be busy, it¡¯s all right.¡± With a warm smile, Damien patted his little sister carefully on the head. That¡¯s when a strange status window came into sight. [ Lara ] Emotions: Nervousness Thoughts: Who the hell? I was forced to intervene so I couldn¡¯t receive it quickly. Then who am I supposed to follow? At the same moment, Siervian followed Lara¡¯s gaze. A line of servants from the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace was seen. ¡®What were you supposed to get?¡¯ Looking at Siervian glancing at the same thing, Lara quickly recovered her expression. ¡°Lara wants to see Your Highness the Crown Prince again in the future¡­but it won¡¯t be possible, will it?¡± ¡°Haha, there will be another opportunity next time with Siervian.¡± Damien turned around gently and spoke in a courteous way. Lara¡¯s behavior, which made him uncomfortable, caught his attention since the start of the meal. He held back since Lara was Siervian¡¯s playmate. ¡°I¡¯ll be back again, Siervian.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She tried to answer cheerfully, but her eyes slightly shook in anxiety. Because Lara was up to something again. * * * ¡®I will have to wait and see.¡¯ Wearing a cheerful look with her nervousness trying to shake her, she did her best to play with the doll. Lara then acted casually as soon as the Crown Prince went out along with his attendants. ¡¯Oh, Lara forgot something, have to deliver it to the Crown Prince! This is an order from the Cooouunt!¡¯ With a small package, Lara ran for the Crown Prince. Attendants would stop her if something appeared to be a problem, but the maids nodded to give permission. The reason was the name of the Count was given, there was no particular reason to stop it at that time. ¡®That¡¯s weird, you said you had something to receive, you must have gotten it beforehand.¡¯ Looking at the calm snow mountain outside the window, Siervian made her next plan. Lara reappeared still thinking about what the object was. ¡°Princess! Lara¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing Lara along with her cheerfulness again made her flustered. [ Lara ] Thoughts: Did no one see it? Now, if I use the thing properly I will be able to¡­ Contrary to what she thought, Lara¡¯s thoughts did not provide any clear answer. ¡®You¡¯ve already hid it!¡¯ She continues staring at Lara¡¯s face to find the right hint. Nervousness finally got to her, not expecting things would escalate so quickly. ¡®The situation is not good in many ways.¡¯ Knowing the thing was a problem itself, and she couldn¡¯t even ask the maids to check strange items in the palace. Things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this in the first place. ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I suppose you don¡¯t want to talk to Lara¡­Shall I leave for today?¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t go!¡± Lara¡¯s eyes grew as she was caught off guard by Siervian. But she smiled more brightly and then nodded. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s play together!¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: As I predicted, you¡¯re now relying on me because of how many times we played. Now, if you let me just go to that place¡­ ¡®What Place!¡¯ With the indescribable stress, Siervian was forced to seize Lara But, there was no great income until Lara returned to the Count¡¯s residence that day. * * * Autumn is the harvesting season for harmin. The harmin was usually harvested at this time and is well dried; It is stored for the people of the Empire throughout the following year. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t get it.¡± The plan Karmen thought of was to gather some harmin for research. However, the teacher, who seemed to have regretted things unlike the Emperor, could not obtain as much harmin like tea leaves. ¡°I see¡­¡± She didn¡¯t think it would be easy, but the law and the people managing the harmin grass seemed heavily strict. As the darkness eats up Siervian, Karmen begins to kick the ground again. Now she¡¯s worried about the wisteria roots being in the wrong place. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Aa, old man. You said you¡¯d be able to do it for your disciple! I should set his garden on fire, it doesn¡¯t have any harmin grass. No, don¡¯t do it! ¡°Teacher even strangely said he had never studied harmin grass.¡± Siervian beckoned Karmen cautiously fearing that the wisteria they used for their hideout would be damaged. Also partially worried about the precious garden of the Lord. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Sit here!¡± ¡°Hey, do you think I¡¯m the kind of guy who goes because you want me to?¡± Yes, he is that kind of person. Saying that, Karmen calmly sat next to Siervian. He didn¡¯t seem to be conscious of what he looked like. ¡®Cute.¡¯ Without knowing what the much smaller Princess was thinking, Karmen burst into anger. She shouted to do research, but it was over without even a glimpse of the grass. ¡°Is it the Duke? It can only be managed there. No matter how much I did, it was weird that I didn¡¯t give a single waiver even though I was researching at the tower. ¡°You studied?¡± ¡°Yeah! Shouldn¡¯t we do more studies about such an important grass?¡± Siervian nodded at the wise words. But Karmen coughed again like he was regretting the reasonable words he just spit out. ¡°Oh, well¡­my teacher said I shouldn¡¯t, in fear I¡¯ll find weak points after researching. That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It turned out that he was right, too. Harmin was a grass that the entire Empire needed to consume immediately. But, after finding out in a research that such a medicine could sicken others, it could be exploited. ¡°Argh.¡± Nothing went in her way these days, Siervian sighed without realizing it. Suddenly, Karmen¡¯s body next to her trembled. Chapter 71 ¡°¡­ No need to worry, I could sneak the one given to me so we could finally study it.¡± The way he spoke was so eloquent Siervian believed she could receive all the secrets of the harmin grass by the next day. But Karmen¡¯s inner thoughts were shaking. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Ah, you must be disappointed, probably? What if you don¡¯t want to see me again? Oh, should I ask Damien too? She didn¡¯t pay attention to his thoughts as she was surprised by something else. In a quick movement, she grabbed Karmen¡¯s hand. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! That¡¯s bad!¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­¡± [ Favorability: +100 ] That plan was indeed absurd, and Karmen is still young so drinking harmin tea regularly is a must. The thought of him using his tea for research concerned Siervian. ¡°What if Karmen gets ill later on? That¡¯s why drinking harmin is a must! Don¡¯t do that, all right?¡± ¡°Yes, okay.¡± [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] Karmen gave a nod very calmly, but for some reason, his innermost thoughts were calm as well. As the situation began to cool down, Siervian sighed. She didn¡¯t want to say it out loud, it was as if her thoughts were suddenly connected to her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s find another plan, so in the meantime we would still be playing games together.¡± When she let go of his hand, Karmen rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. It was not long after his ears turned red. ¡°And even if we can¡¯t find one, Sebi will continue to play games with Karmen.¡± [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] ¡°Ahem- hmm, all right, but why are you whispering like that?¡± Resisting the ticklish feeling from his ear, Karmen tried to change the topic. ¡°Princess!¡± Just then, there was a distant sound searching for the Princess. ¡°Your maids must have come here to look for you.¡± ¡°Noo¡­¡± Recognizing the voice from afar, Siervian replied with a dark face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Karmen asked the gloomy cute girl, but only to find her sighing again. * * * ¡°Princess! Found you.¡± The two exited from their hideout for now. The reason was that Karmen didn¡¯t want people to know their secret place. Leaving the garden, they headed towards the Princess¡¯s Palace, but soon got caught by Lara in the way. ¡°Oh, who is this? My name is Lara.¡± Lara greeted Karmen with a lovely smile on her face. At first glance, Lara looked like she¡¯s shy about meeting a new person. [ Lara ] Thoughts: Is he the student of the Lord of the magic tower? Revealing myself as a similar commoner should be a key for him favoring me in the future. Siervian felt uneasy before she even knew it. Anyways, not greeting the Princess¡¯s friend out in the public would be strange, for the both of them. It was when Siervian raised her hand to introduce Lara, though feeling a bit reluctant to do so. ¡°Aah, ho, I¡¯m very sorry, Princess.¡± Lara suddenly wrapped her hands around her head and apologized to Siervian. The Princess¡¯s eyes widened at this bizarre action. She only reached out her hand to introduce her playmate, but Lara acted like she was about to get hit by the Princess! Another bizarre act! ¡®How unfair!¡¯ She has now been stuck in a crack. There would be only one goal of Lara why she was doing this in front of Karmen. ¡°Oh, why now¡­Lara made a mistake, Princess.¡± No words came out of Siervian¡¯s mouth as she was surprised by this professional work of Lara. Siervian prepared herself in situations like this, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to limit herself if Lara chooses to do this every time. She hugged her doll like it was her defense mechanism, then a rough noise was heard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her heart sank with a thud. Siervian quickly looked at Karmen, wondering if it came from him. But Karmen¡¯s eyes are only crooked towards Lara. ¡°Yes, yes? Lara is just, habitually¡­¡± ¡°Habits can only happen when some other obvious circumstances occur. Then, what are you doing?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: What kind of trick is this? And what is this mud thing? It¡¯s next to Siervian. A strange feeling of injustice entered in Karmen¡¯s tone. Perhaps the same was true for Lara, who was flustered and even stepped back. ¡°Lara¡­ made a mistake. ¡° Lara had her hands around her mouth, trembling. She looked so pitiful that even Siervian, who knows her innermost thoughts, had a sympathetic look. Karmen, however, simply did not care and just ignored it. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Sebi¡¯s playm¡­¡± ¡°Lara is the Princess¡¯s playmate!¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Okay, so? Karmen¡¯s innermost thoughts, at the moment, are exactly like his personality. Thanks to this rather unpleasant thought, Siervian had a hard time holding back her laughter in this serious matter. ¡°Anything else?¡± Karmen spat out like he was an Imperial aristocrat; this apparent disregard made Lara furious. ¡°Lara is the daughter of Count Mirccino!¡± In the end, Karmen raised his eyebrows and continued his remarks. ¡°So what? So what if you¡¯re the playmate? Stop talking to me!¡± ¡°La-Lara isn¡¯t like any¡­¡± [ Lara ] Thoughts: Ha, I was originally going to say that I too am a commoner! What is all this about? In fact, Karmen was right to be rude in terms of etiquette. However, it seemed that Lara looked really hateful because of what happened earlier. ¡°Did you come out here to meet this kid?¡± [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: I feel uncanny about this kid. Siervian¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t so good after being called. Is she being bullied secretly? That¡¯s probably the case. Siervian only came out of the hideout because she didn¡¯t want Lara to know about it. But there was no earlier agreement to meet with Lara at this time of the day. Lara must have been chasing Siervian in order to plot something again. ¡°Lara is the Princess¡¯s closest playmate! I can see her anytime!¡± Karmen turned his back, trying to leave, but that¡¯s when Lara shouted. Karmen, who made an impression at once, pointed at Lara mercilessly. It was a different level of bitterness than of Jane, the most strict among the maids. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. The Princess has much higher authority, how can you decide that?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Is there some rule that the two of the playmates should always be together?¡± Lara has been persistently chasing after the little Princess, Siervian was only avoiding her on days like this. Finally, she was pushed aback by Karmen¡¯s words. [ Lara ] Favorability: -50 Thoughts: Need to get her there as soon as possible. But what is this? Why are you interrupting? The moment Lara was unable to say anything, Karmen shrugged it all off. He whispered in the Princess¡¯s ear, only she could hear. ¡°Run.¡± The tone was so mischievous that Siervian burst into laughter without realizing it. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Favorability + 100 Karmen carefully grabbed her by the arm. Then he began to run forward. [ Karmen Kasselov ] Thoughts: Hhmm, can you still stay with Siervian as her playmate? If I tell that old man I¡¯m going to quit being his student, would something go wrong? No, it¡¯s probably only something a noble can do. Karmen¡¯s anguish came into Siervian¡¯s eyes as the two were running. Siervian, who was reading his thoughts with a weird expression, closed her mouth and only held back her laughter. For the sake of the Lord of the magic tower¡¯s health, Siervian decided to keep it a secret that Lara was a commoner. * * * ¡°Are you talking about the welfare foundation?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The day was sunny like the eyes of the pure Imperial Princess. Marco, who entered the Palace at the invitation of the Imperial Princess for the first time in forever, had a curious face. Because a charity foundation was such an unexpected proposal. ¡°Princess, this must be your own proposal, am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes, it is Sebi¡¯s idea.¡± Marco checked if the Emperor was still involved. In front of him was Siervian with an aura of strong ambition. ¡°Sebi will make people happy.¡± ¡°That is very wise of you to say¡­¡± Marco showed reluctance in a blink of an eye. But Siervian¡¯s face showed strong determination, and he is the only one she could talk to about this. ¡°I beg your pardon, Princess. But the welfare foundation eats a lot of funds.¡± ¡°Sebi has a lot, how much is it!?¡± Siervian knew that much, so she shouted proudly. Nevertheless, Marco couldn¡¯t undo his perplexity. ¡°Do you have this much?¡± He then whispered what was the amount needed. Thanks to him she can finally see what amount is needed¡­ But Siervian¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Hhmm, first of all, if we have the right amount, we could keep the foundation stable.¡± ¡°That is so much, so much¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Princess. It¡¯s not just about helping people right away.¡± The moment Siervian heard the explanation, she clearly understood. Siervian especially wanted to help children. Children who have nowhere to go, no one to rely on, just like her in her previous life. It will certainly be a long journey until the children are all grown up and be able to stand on their own. ¡°Yes, yes, I understand.¡± The money she had was never low, nor realistically enough to keep a foundation standing. It has only been a few years since the finances of the Princess¡¯s Palace were stabilized. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put it up the top first?¡± ¡°Top?¡± At that moment, Marco thought hard to come up with an alternative on the spot. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going to set up a top first, then secure the funding, and have the foundation that¡¯s linked.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The explanation made her very excited at first. But it only made Siervian in deep contemplation. Suddenly, she finally brought up the question she wanted to ask. ¡°Why are we hiding here to talk?¡± Chapter 72 Cowering in the grass in the corner of the garden, Marco was crumpling his body in half. Siervian was also uncomfortable hiding in her flimsy dress. This place was not suitable for secret conversations whatsoever. ¡°I want to keep this one a secret.¡± But Marco¡¯s face looked like he was tired of secrets. ¡°If the Princess Your Highness is going to be taken away for being involved in the establishment of the foundation¡­¡± ¡°It is not like that.¡± Siervian cleared up a little misunderstanding with a quick comfort. The reason was simple as to why she led Marco to hide in the bushes: It was to escape from Lara, who had been more sticky since meeting Karmen. ¡°Yes, well. I did not really dare to doubt the Princess.¡± [ Marco William ] Emotions: Relieved Thoughts: Phhheww, I was surprised to find out that I was involved in something again, perhaps being in Garambell for too long made me nervous. Seeing Marco¡¯s thoughts worrying about a lot of things, Siervian tried to smile kindly. ¡°It¡¯s all right, to doubt.¡± ¡°I did not really¡­¡± ¡°All right, all right.¡± Marco rolled his eyes toward the little girl. Even if she is a young Princess, it would still be hard to have empty words for her. She¡¯s from the great Imperial family, so Marco would still be troubled either way. ¡°Anyway, if you were to have a well-established top, it would be good to run a welfare foundation for a long time.¡± Siervian seemed to think this was a good idea, too. She was currently realizing the important use of money. Though there is only one thing to worry about. ¡°But, Sebi does not know how to do anything¡­¡± It will not be easy to build the top. Marco shook his head in complete disagreement. ¡°I think the opposite, Princess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t the position of the Princess Your Highness supposed to see the luxurious trends of the aristocrats?¡± Clenching her fists, Siervian remembered the feathers of the Vuingpi. As of this moment, it was a good thing Siervian invested in that item, earning her money now. ¡°The Princess Your Highness was the one who started the trend, right? Oh, that¡¯s right, that ring flower of yours also started a trend.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fiddling with the ring, she remembered it wasn¡¯t so popular in her previous life. It seemed to have gained popularity since it was a gift from the Emperor. ¡°At least, it won¡¯t cost much if dealing with aristocrats. But, if there is some kind of problem, I am afraid that the dignity of the Princess Your Highness might be affected.¡± [ Marco William ] Thoughts: Well, I thought it was a nice on-the-spot plan, but if the young Princess is to organize the top, there is a high probability that some nobles might say something. Despite his worries, Siervian shook her head. She was worried she couldn¡¯t do a perfect job, but she wouldn¡¯t really care about attention. When she was at her worst, all the glares of the world were on her, and she endured all of it. ¡°It¡¯s okay, in the end, they will soon know about Sebi¡¯s goal.¡± ¡°Yes, I am very glad to hear that.¡± After all, there were more advantages to having a top. It was possible to create a base in the city, so if the imperial palace was endangered, it could be a safe spot. It could be a help for her father too. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then Marco made a sound of pain in front of the contemplating Princess. Since it was very hard to curl up from a collapsed position. ¡°Right, this. Sorry to call you here at a random time.¡± She quickly held out what was in her pocket. Marco, the one who successfully signed Garambell¡¯s contract, was in the spotlight. No matter what secret it is, it bothered her to treat him like this, this talented person. ¡°This is¡­!¡± Marco¡¯s eyes grew bigger as he looked at the bounty on her small pocket. Then this time, other concerns surround Siervian; She¡¯s an Imperial, but doing this as an act of apology is a bit¡­ [ Marco William ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: Never in my life have I ever seen such a touching apology¡­! The Princess is still young, so she needs to learn how to apologize properly in the future. ¡°¡­¡± Luckily, he accepted the apology. Siervian smiled awkwardly as she watched Marco, who was more shocked than she thought. ¡°Thank you, Milady. Please call me anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Marco smiled brightly while his posture was uncomfortable. Seeing Siervian nodding her head, he continued his plan seriously again. ¡°But if you have to keep it a secret like this, the top construction may be difficult.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that.¡± Many worries passed through Siervian¡¯s thoughts, but she still nodded with a firm look. There¡¯s not much time left. It was time to stop Lara¡¯s devious schemes. * * * ¡°Princess, where are you going?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go play in the garden!¡± ¡°Lara doesn¡¯t like the sun because it¡¯s so hot today. Should we play in the Palace?¡± Trying to hide her impatience, Lara asked while behind the Imperial Princess. As she said, today was an exceptionally warm day with the sunlight passing through the magic dome. However, the Princess disagreed for some reason and acted stubbornly. ¡°Sebi will play in the garden today!¡± ¡°Eeh..¡± It was a pattern that had been going on for several days already. The wind was blowing really hard, the Princess got anxious she might not go outside the palace just yet. Sometimes she stayed all day in the Emperor¡¯s garden so that Lara couldn¡¯t follow. ¡®Damn it, it can¡¯t be like this. The Count is making a fuss about why we¡¯re not moving as fast as possible. What should I do about that?¡¯ At that moment, Lara got so irritated that she almost cussed at the Princess. But instantly smiled at the Maid who was giving the Princess a small umbrella. ¡°Miss Lara, are you going with the Princess?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. The Princess says she wants to go alone but is it okay?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lara uttered things Siervian had never heard before, but she didn¡¯t respond. It was clear that Lara was overwhelmed. And yet, she stubbornly asked the Princess to go play inside the palace. ¡®What an annoying Princess.¡¯ It was easy to put on a smiling face, she deliberately looked at the Chief Maid with a warmer smile. But Chief Maid Ellie seemed troubled for a long time. ¡°Hmm, will you two be okay?¡± The escort will follow anyway, but the maids were concerned. Even so, Lara had been patient and obedient. As an expert in deceiving, she planned this quite nicely. ¡°We will be fine.¡± ¡°Hmmm, please play without getting hurt this time, both of you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Imperial Princess who was by her side somehow willingly said she would. Lara wondered, but she couldn¡¯t express her doubts right there. Since she had just lied with the price of going together with the Princess. ¡°Okay then, go ahead.¡± ¡°Yes, Lara is going to have a lot of fun with the Princess.¡± Lara smiled brightly, but she couldn¡¯t get rid of some of her strange nervousness. Lara bothered Siervian as much as she was offended throughout the outing together, but Siervian did not care whatsoever, which made Lara even more upset. * * * ¡®Damn it, damn it, damn it!¡¯ After going out, she caught up with the Princess but failed to persuade her in the end. Lara recalled the secluded room where the ¡®thing¡¯ she received from the Empress was hidden. Lara soon bit her thumbnail in nervousness. She found that habit after being despised by the Count from time to time for the reason of not being an aristocrat. ¡®Was the room too secluded? Since it¡¯s from Princess Your Highness¡¯s Palace it would be easy to put the blame on you. But why do you want me to take you around there, damn it.¡¯ Lara didn¡¯t even know the exact name of the room because she wasn¡¯t familiar with the whole palace yet. She just vaguely thinks of it as ¡®the room¡¯. As soon as she received it from the attendant, there was no one around, so she quickly hid it. ¡®What do I do, at this rate I won¡¯t be able to stay by the Count¡¯s side.¡¯ She was chosen as an adoptee on the condition of being what she is. She was the prettiest and most vicious in the orphanage. Doing a bad job, and she¡¯s back at that terrible place again. ¡®How long is the escort going to be here?¡¯ Unable to overcome her nervousness, she eventually hid in the corner of the Princess¡¯s Palace, pretending to have gone back to the Count¡¯s residence. The Princess went to another garden to play around a bit more, so even the escort would not have found her. ¡®I need to get the thing back, and next time I¡¯ll be putting it in the Princess¡¯s room.¡¯ She was now stumped. The young girl couldn¡¯t even guess what on earth that ¡®thing¡¯ was. Even if it was something that could harm the Princess, Lara couldn¡¯t care less about it. ¡®It¡¯s just a matter of being lucky enough to be born as a Princess, to act shamelessly.¡¯ Finally, on a dark night, Lara, who had run out of patience, crawled out of hiding. Lara was already inside the Princess¡¯s Palace, she could easily get to the room where she hid the ¡®thing¡¯. ¡®On a night like this, will there be no one?¡¯ She picked up the thing and this time, she moved to the Princess¡¯s room in secret. She went through the hallways easily, and strangely, there were no people there. The strangeness sent shivers down her spine, making her aim for a moderately close room. ¡®I can¡¯t go to the Princess¡¯s room right away.¡¯ It was worthwhile to learn about the palace she could go in and out of, also hating it. Without a single maid she encountered, Lara was able to reach a room near Siervian¡¯s. ¡°Now is the time.¡± She had just roughly shoved the thing under a bed in the nearby room, but Lara became desperate. This was because not much time left until the Count sends another secret carriage again. It was time to open the door to go out into the hallway. ¡°Who are you, brat?¡± ¡°Gasp-!¡± Even in the dark hallway, the light reflected by the sword was visible. Lara laid down on her knees without realizing it. ¡°I-I¡¯m Lara, the Pri-Princess¡¯s Playmate!¡± Chapter 73 As the sword glistened in front of her eyes, she didn¡¯t think at first if she should hide her identity. ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± Hearing the stern voice of the guard, she finally got a hold of herself. She rapidly changed her expression. ¡°T-That is, The Princess Your Highness! The Princess ordered me to!¡± Lara instinctively took the Princess card. She has to take the Princess as a reason to pull through in this situation. ¡°Is that your answer, Lady Mirccino?¡± However, even though she used the name of the Princess, the face of the guard only became stiffer. The clanking sound of the armor went throughout the hallways of the Princess Palace. It came to Lara that something was strange, she then frantically looked around for the Princess. ¡°Ye-Yes, the Princess- wait, the Princess ordered me to be here!¡± None of the familiar faces of the Palace were seen. There were only guards who were holding her up, they seemed to be waiting only for her. ¡°Drag her and go.¡± Lara shed tears as she was being pulled away. Things went badly wrong for Lara, she couldn¡¯t understand how this happened. * * * ¡°Princess, I think it¡¯s for the best if we should go out for a while.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Even in her bedroom, the commotion could be heard. Lara¡¯s loud voice has led some of the ladies to figure out the situation. Ellie returned with a fearful look after learning the incident, Siervian wasn¡¯t agitated by it. ¡®Lara finally¡­ made a mistake.¡¯ She already knew Lara would pull another string after parting earlier in the palace. As violent as what could¡¯ve happened during their play in the garden earlier, Siervian had to avoid it. At the end of the day, she couldn¡¯t figure what or where the thing was, Lara was thinking of it as ¡®the room¡¯. ¡®I can¡¯t lose now.¡¯ She wanted to transfer Lara out somehow smoothly. After waiting for a few days, Lara finally crossed the line. ¡®How can you hate someone you don¡¯t even know?¡¯ Lara couldn¡¯t care less for the maidens and the others in the palace let alone the Princess. She also didn¡¯t have anything for Lara any more. ¡®I just have to defend.¡¯ At the most, She has eyes that can distinguish good people, but she can¡¯t be any more risky than this. So as the night approached, Siervian had the maidens into her bedroom. She pretended to be scared of the night so they could stay by her side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Princess, we¡¯re by your side, all right?¡± ¡°All right, thank you Ellie.¡± Holding Ellie¡¯s hand tightly, they left the Princess Palace. No matter how clever she is, Lara is only a child. It would be easy to counter someone thinking of sneaking inside the palace. ¡®The Count wouldn¡¯t know this.¡¯¡¯ There was another reason why Siervian let Lara get her own way today; it was because of Adante, the escort who stood by her and noticed Lara¡¯s strange behavior. ¡®I did not expect my father would take action this fast.¡¯ Anyhow, thanks to him, things would work out easily. ¡­Probably. ¡°What about Count Mirccino?¡± ¡°We raided the Count¡¯s residence, but the sinner had already fled and we are now trying to pursue him. I apologize, Your Majesty.¡± Upon receiving the Emperor¡¯s call, she entered the Imperial Palace. Siervian saw her father with a hard face, along with the nervous face of the Captain of the Guard, who was reporting. Siervian, who was naturally intimidated by this atmosphere, approached her father carefully. ¡°You must be very surprised about this, Siervy.¡± ¡°Yes, about Lara?¡± Perhaps he was trying to ease her. In their brief talk, the maids gave a quick explanation of the incident. As expected, Lara has been caught moving the ¡®thing¡¯ to another place. Without knowing that the escort was watching her, doubting her. ¡°What object has the playmate been caught with?¡± The Emperor asked the Captain in concern of Siervian. But the Captain was worried the little girl might be terrified of this, even so, the Emperor thinks It was better to clarify the found item. ¡°¡­Are you saying that it was an order of the Imperial Princess?¡± The words made Siervian shrink instantly. She looked like a child, although she is one. Still, she struggled to persuade herself. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I prepared one more thing.¡± Patting the little head of Siervian, Emperor Alderuan slowly explained the situation. ¡°Lara, your first playmate, seems to have received a strange request.¡± ¡°A strange request?¡± Recognizing that the playmate¡¯s behavior was a little strange, Sir Roid immediately reported it to the Emperor earlier. It was not yet clear whether the count had used Lara as a secondary card. ¡°Yes, did Lara do anything unpleasantly in the past few days?¡± However, what they overlooked is that the Emperor is extremely wary of items from unknown sources entering the palace. This has been the case ever since the flag of the Princess Palace was leaked continously during the food waste incident. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: How dare you try to use Siervian again, I won¡¯t forgive this. She didn¡¯t know how things were going, but She knew her father believed in her. ¡°Your Majesty, may I daresay a word?¡± ¡°What is it that you have to say?¡± She fell on her knees as she was solemn in Siervian¡¯s side. Seeing her loyalty to Siervian, the Emperor accepted it. ¡°Please take a look at this.¡± Ellie took something out of her arms: it was the magic bead that shoots out detailed captured images. ¡°What is this one?¡± ¡°Karmen gave this to Siervian.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyebrows suddenly become crooked remembering the disciple of the Lord of the magic tower. Both had been vigilant since the ring incident. The severe aura of the environment grew even more. What is the recording for? ¨DWhy don¡¯t you listen to me when I say I have a place to go with? Why?! What came out of the magic presentation was the voice of a young girl. ¡°I found this while organizing the Princess¡¯s belongings earlier.¡± ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°This is the playmate that was taken away earlier, Your Majesty.¡± Standing next to the Princess, the Escort commented to the Emperor¡¯s question. The lights showed a child smiling in an innocent smooth manner, but the words that came out of her mouth were very rough. ¨DYou can¡¯t do anything yourself. Do you think there would be someone who would come for you? Roid wouldn¡¯t hear this sound as he was escorting the Princess from afar. However, Siervian was thinking how her playmate¡¯s behavior was somehow awkward, but she was just using such vulgar words. ¡°How dare¡­¡± The Emperor slammed his table in full rage, but realizing it caused Siervian to startle he quickly grabbed her. Siervian calmly buries her face into her father¡¯s arms. ¡°I am not mad at you at all. Alright, Siervy?¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°How could you bear her? You should have told this father right away.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: All of this is my fault, all my fault. What kind of politics did he teach the playmate? Ellie and the others were restless at the reproachful tone of the Emperor. Because they thought the Princess would burst into tears at any moment. But the Princess nodded determinedly. ¡°Sebi¡¯s fine, please don¡¯t worry.¡± At that Princess¡¯s single phrase, Ellie could barely control her emotions. It was only a few years ago that Sarah had been neglecting Siervian. She thought she had improved a little since then, but she knew that she was still hurting inside. To the point where she can¡¯t properly defend herself to someone undermining her. ¡°I am a little late, Your Majesty.¡± After breaking through the sullen atmosphere, the Lord of the magic tower appeared. The Emperor, who was holding the little Princess, comforting her, managed to turn his head. Since there was still more work left, he had to focus. ¡°What does it look like to the Lord of the magic tower?¡± Everyone already knows that the Emperor was an outstanding wizard, needless to say he knew what the ¡®thing¡¯ was with a single look. But, since this incident concerns the Princess, this ¡®thing¡¯ will be confirmed by others as well. ¡°Inspect the object, if you please.¡± Looking at the serious atmosphere, the Lord lifted the cloth covering the object. Underneath the cloth was a bottle of some unknown blood, and a bizarre decoration made from animal skins; He unknowingly made a shocking face looking at it. ¡°It¡¯s a bunch of stuff from the dead.¡± The Lord made a little shiver from his whole body causing his beard to freeze in a certain position. While being called in the night, the Lord got a brief explanation of what had happened. They have understood some of the intention of why they put this in the Princess Palace. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡± He was about to shout due to his built-up anger, but instead, he paused. He then raised his hands and slowly covered Siervian¡¯s ears, giving an order in a very low voice. ¡°Capture Count Mirccino, this is a sin against the imperial family, bring him to me by any means.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± But Siervian could see all of the Emperor¡¯s words from his thoughts, and those letters reassured her. What on earth was Count Mirccino plotting? But of course, they could use the proof they found against him. ¡®I¡¯m glad things went well this time.¡¯ This all made Siervian very sleepy now. The exhausted Siervian fell asleep surrounded by restless people. It was a very long night indeed. * * * Lara¡¯s action spread like wildfire in the Imperial Palace. ¡°Since when has Count Mirccino been in contact with you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it seems to be that way since the Count¡­¡­¡± The Imperial faction and the aristocratic faction were opposed to each other, but this time that wasn¡¯t the case. The nobles¡¯ favor varies depending on their own reason. Nevertheless, a very important factor in this situation was in the Imperial faction, Count Mirccino. ¡°Could you tell us the reason?¡± Chapter 74 Hex shook his head at the Emperor¡¯s question. ¡°Even the aristocrats who lived close by didn¡¯t notice anything.¡± And of course, aristocrats were not the ones who could easily change their sides. However, once someone withdraws their support, it would be acceptable and polite if they would announce it with at least some time left. Since it was an era of peace where wars ended, conflicts like this were usually handled in a gentle manner. ¡°That information is already strange, let¡¯s dig a little deeper.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. After all, what Count Mirccino has done is outraging the nobles who followed him.¡± Count Mirccino considered himself as the leader of the people in the Imperial faction, for that reason, there were many lower nobles who gathered around him. His initial plan was not yet known, but if he had departed from the faction normally, the Imperial faction itself would suffer a huge blow already. The Emperor narrowed his eyes from this puzzling circumstance. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was one more strange thing. ¡°Siervy, what¡¯s that matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Siervian has been by his side since yesterday. Hex had already told her to excuse them for a moment for their talk, but both of them seemed to be particularly stubborn today. Alderuan let it slide since the cute little Princess was especially close to him today. ¡°You must be afraid that the playmate might bother you again.¡± Siervian flinched at the plausible guess, seeing this, the Emperor held his hand against her little head. But Siervian was thinking about the other one. ¡®I¡¯ll be relieved if I saw it with my own eyes. This status window isn¡¯t always practical.¡¯ She learned a lot by experiencing Lara¡¯s thoughts. A person¡¯s thoughts could only be recalled as much as that person knew, hence the unsatisfactory status window. If Lara could have thought of the exact location of the room, Siervian would have set up a more diverse strategy. ¡°¡­Uumg, Sebi¡¯s scared.¡± And of course, it wasn¡¯t Lara that was scary. She was just worried about what happened to Count Mirccino. Like in her previous life, he was afraid that he would lead all other nobles that he transferred to the aristocrat faction. ¡°It¡¯s a little bit subtle, rather, it¡¯s well-timed.¡± ¡°Well-timed?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Did you not wish to entrust the development of the newly discovered mine at the east gate to Count Mirccino?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Developing mines hidden in snow mountains was one of the important industries of the northern empire. That decision had actually been made in her previous life. No one thought Count Mirccino would betray his Majesty the Emperor. ¡°It was entrusted to the most loyal person¡­but I am rather fortunate to have known all of this in advance.¡± Even from the aristocratic faction, important tasks such as mine development aren¡¯t to be neglected. Because it would also be beneficial to the aristocracy. It was an important position where the Emperor¡¯s authority could become stronger depending on how his closest ally managed their position, however¡­ ¡°It would be difficult to reclaim power if he transferred to the aristocrat faction after taking such a heavy responsibility.¡± The aristocrats in charge of my development would definitely increase their wealth. A situation where a good source of funds could be handed over to the aristocrat faction. ¡°¡­¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: He even used Siervy as an excuse. He must be trying to get the legitimacy of going to the aristocracy. If that were the case, a large amount from the imperial faction would also depart. Her father did not reply to Hex¡¯s words. In spite of that, Siervian unconsciously nodded after reading the situation accurately. ¡°But I can¡¯t just say that I am fortunate as my Siervy was harmed in the process.¡± The Emperor looked down with a small movement and spoke in a slow, cold voice. ¡°¡­ Thoroughly punish his authority.¡± It was Hex who was worried now, quickly lowering his head. But he didn¡¯t forget to bow his head to the Princess. Pretending not to know again, Siervian simply poured her face onto her father¡¯s arm. ¡®I¡¯m very glad this was handled quickly.¡¯ Siervian also learned for the first time that the Count had obtained the authority to develop the mine this time. She only thought that he had left the Imperial faction from her previous life. ¡®He is still a failure either way!¡¯ At that time the Count failed to develop the mine entrusted by the Emperor. To summarize, a whole valuable mine turned into a monster den by some stimulating hordes of monsters from the north. His performance was very bad considering that he went to the aristocracy under the pretext of having a child that was the Princess¡¯s playmate. ¡®Was that part of his plan too?¡¯ It was doubtful that his purpose was to harm the empire at all, it was more accurate of him using funds for the aristocratic faction. Even more so, considering that he left a child at the palace like this. ¡®The Kuchard ore, I suppose I¡¯ll have to look for it later.¡¯ A random thing from Siervian¡¯s memory suddenly came to mind. It was about the precious kuchard ore that could increase the conductivity of Mana, the more damage to the monster, the better performance. ¡°I will do so.¡± Seeing the determination of the Emperor, Siervian felt secured. * * * A few days later, Siervian headed to the green hall. It is the smallest of the three party halls in the palace, but today is going to be something special. ¡°Siervian, what a surprise to see you here.¡± As soon as she arrived, Damien ran over towards her in excitement. This odd behavior of the Prince has made the crowd stir up. Siervian smiled awkwardly upon hearing her brother¡¯s greeting. ¡°Brother, hello.¡± ¡°Do you want a snack?¡± Does her brother think she¡¯s a snack seeker or some sort? ¡°Yes!¡± He saw right through it. As expected from the smart Prince. Damien busily led Siervian to the corner of the party hall. Eyes were once again focused on the Princess who walked holding her brother¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.¡± For a moment, Siervian looked back for a quick gaze. She then wondered if her brother greeted someone other than her. However, there was no one close around, and she realized that she was the ¡®busy¡¯ person her brother was talking about. ¡°Noo, Sebi isn¡¯t busy.¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± ¡°No it¡¯s true.¡± [ Damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: Our Siervy is even modest. Siervian became bashful because of this and quickly picked up a chocolate. ¡°It¡¯ll start soon.¡± ¡°Humg.¡± Their plan for today was a banquet. A celebration of the returned children who were kidnapped and sold by the wizard Antonio. The Crown Prince made a great contribution in the process, so the Emperor decided to commemorate it extensively. ¡®Did everyone come back?¡¯ Glancing at the status window of the nobles passing by, they seemed to have various intentions. Highlighting the merits of the Crown Prince, while also informing the general public of the Emperor¡¯s mercy, and many more. And the most important thing was that the children would also be participating in the banquet. [ Damien Erveldote ] Emotions: Nervousness Thoughts: I hope the kids should find a good sponsor today. She fully realized what her brother¡¯s intention was right then. Although it said he was nervous, the Prince who was dealing with the nobles appears to be not disturbed even in the slightest. Seeing that he was already showing such a credible appearance, Siervian felt proud of herself for some reason. ¡°The sun of the empire, His Majesty has entered.¡± It was a banquet attended by commoners, but only the Emperor of the highest class appeared. The Empress reportedly declared that she would not come first, knowing she would not let Siervian meet her. ¡°Everyone has worked hard to resolve the kidnapping.¡± The nobles bowed to the wise words of the Emperor, showing their backs one by one. Siervian, who made eye contact with the Duke in that course of action, struggled to hide her surprised expression. [ Hannibel Pacour ] Favorability: -3,500 His favorability was zero, but had become negative in a period of time. Perhaps he grew his hatred due to the Empress¡¯s works. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ It was inevitable that this could happen with the people related to the Empress anyway. Siervian clasped her hands tightly and cleared up her mind. ¡®Especially because of the Crown Prince¡¯s actions, many children were able to return safely. Kudos to the Crown Prince who practiced his heart for the people of the empire.¡¯ ¡°Cheers for the Crown Prince.¡± Following the Emperor, nobles raised their glass and admired Damien¡¯s courage. The young Princess clapped her hands together looking at the prestigious appearance of her brother. ¡®My brother is really amazing!¡¯ Unlike Siervian, he did not know the power of the status window or the future, but he was still doing a great job. ¡°Children, go on.¡± Right after honoring the Crown Prince, the Emperor summoned the children themselves. The kidnapped children came up to the Emperor with frightened faces. Siervian got nervous as this was also a new experience for her, although she was only spectating. ¡®The future sure is changing a lot.¡¯ Most of the children had an empty occupation on their status window, they made Lara look like a rare case. But a lot of them are frozen with their status windows shaking. ¡®Why are they showing the kids?¡¯ This must be her brother¡¯s strange way for the children to find a sponsor. But the empire indeed did everything they could to save those children. The curious Princess wandered around and peeked at the thoughts of the adults. ¡®There¡¯s Hex, too. I should go.¡¯ The banquet just started and the atmosphere became free. It was Siervian who finally found his familiar Chancellor, quickly running towards him. ¡°Hex!¡± ¡°Oh, the Princess is here, too. Do you want a snack?¡± These people strangely want to feed Siervian, is it because of the mood today? ¡°Uh-uh, Sebi already had one.¡± She shook her head as the chocolate she ate was being digested. ¡°I see!¡± ¡°Are the kids all right?¡± On the front platform, children were seen answering adults who spoke. Everyone was so frozen earlier that she felt sorry. Siervian looked like she was worried about nothing, but Hex gave an awkward smile. ¡°Yes, the kids, they will be fine now. They were rescued safely!¡± But the innermost thoughts were a little different. Chapter 75 [ Hex ] Thoughts: It concerns me that they were kidnapped from the slums, I hope their parents did not tell them. This surprised Siervian. In an instant, a strange pain pierced her heart. She instantly empathized with the abandoned children, recalling her past. ¡®I am fine now, but those kids have nowhere to go.¡¯ She stopped her fearful attitude and looked forward. Glancing at the children carefully, and as she expected, everyone still seemed to be frozen. Then she saw a peculiar status window out of the blue. [ Angel ] Occupation: Favorability: 1,000 ¡®Angel? From the magic arithmetic¡­ that Angel?¡¯ She rubbed her eyes, but it was still the same status window. She thought it was just someone else with the same name, but the red hair stood out. ¡®The famous Angel in my previous life also had red hair¡­¡¯ To put it simply, magic arithmetic is the study of how to draw magic circles. Magic isn¡¯t the only thing a person needs. In addition, it is necessary to learn various methods of formulas together to use stronger magic. It was magic arithmetic that organizes theories and pursues an efficient method. ¡®But Angel is only famous in the Southern Continent.¡¯ Thinking about it over and over, she quickly pulled the hem of Hex¡¯s uniform. ¡°Hex, Hex.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness? Are you tired?¡± ¡°Uh-uh. Where did they find the children?¡± Hex, who was looking at the Children with pity, got curious about Siervian¡¯s words but answered them mildly. ¡°It was said that all the children who arrived here were rescued from the southern part of the continent.¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± The Southern Continent still maintained slavery, so it was natural to search there first for the children. Angel had been a slave for a long time, and someone who recognized Angel¡¯s talent restored their identity. ¡®I suppose that¡¯s really Angel.¡¯ It seemed to be the same person in many ways, although a lot younger. ¡®Let¡¯s get closer.¡¯ Her heart beat wildly. Angel¡¯s ¡®12th Magic circle¡¯, which was later organized, reduced mana consumption and it was called an innovation. It was the time when Siervian was imprisoned, so she never saw the end of it. ¡®You¡¯re such a highly important person, I am certain you must be thinking a lot about something lately.¡¯ The sight of talent suddenly gave her energy. It felt like making Tanka eat macaroons enough to make him enthusiastically do magic research. As soon as she got closer, Siervian could not hide her odd expression. [ Angel ] Emotions: Terrified Thoughts: Haa, I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t know what this is. This is scary. What if I stutter, do the guards come in? And the party hall collapses and so the whole empire? ¡°¡­¡± A voice stutter couldn¡¯t possibly do that much damage. At that moment, I misunderstood whether Angel was plotting something else. After a little while, one of the nobles talked to Angel. However, Angel was very nervous and eventually got stiff. The noble soon lost interest and approached another child. [ Angel ] Thoughts: Huck-,huck-. I almost bit my tongue because I was nervous. No, I think I bit it. Oh my. What if I bleed to death? I survived that mess, but I die like this¡­! Both of them couldn¡¯t control their faces this time. ¡®¡­You¡¯re so worrywart, Angel.¡¯ Siervian thought of herself as a very concerned person, but she was nothing compared to that. After that, Angel was frozen in place like a statue. Due to her timid personality, the number of nobles who showed interest in her decreased. Siervian became restless for no reason and looked around the place. ¡®Huh?¡¯ She then saw a boy among the children who had an occupation. Moreover, the occupation was extraordinary. [ Zecko ] Occupation: Navapal¡¯s spy ¡®What? A spy?¡¯ It must be the tea that the Navapal Kingdom was concerned about. However, there was no spy among the children rescued from the South! Siervian rushed to the boy who appeared at first glance. She crumpled her face with an odd expression again. [ Zecko ] Emotions: Emptiness Thoughts: I will destroy the empire that abandoned me. Hahaha. D.E.S.T.R.O.Y. She had a similar expression to when he saw Angel who was very worried earlier. If to say that this empire had abandoned him, she was in the position of preventing that. If he misunderstood that Antonio the wizard is a member of the palace, he could do that. ¡®Where did he go?¡¯ Siervian sure is being bothered by spies these days. But Zecko was just leaning around the corner in the shade. Rather than hiding, his purpose seemed to be standing behind the shade. [ Zecko ] Thoughts: Haha, I don¡¯t even know the mission I¡¯ve been given, and everyone¡¯s smiling. And I don¡¯t like the light, aahh. In her field of view, nobles and servants looked at Zecko in a strange way. Siervian, one of them, quickly hid at the other table before making eye contact. There was another weird thing about the boy. ¡®That level¡­how could it be so low?¡¯ [ Zecko ] Occupation: Navapal¡¯s spy (Lv. 5) A spy level of 5. Sarah, the former chief maid, was unable to work like that, she was level 14 at the time. Siervian hadn¡¯t seen anything lower than that level. ¡®With that level, he must be bad at being a spy!¡¯ Since then, Zecko has been looking for shadows, trying to lean against the wall beautifully. Since it was such a weird behavior, nobles talking to him gradually became lower. ¡®Don¡¯t you need to be friendly with them since you¡¯re a spy¡­?¡¯ Siervian became more worried without realizing it. Her head pounded at the thought of two weird people, one being an outstanding talent in the future and the other is a spy from Navapal named Zecko. She was worried generally about how this changed history would play out in the future. ¡®Firstly, I need to inform them that there is a spy, but how?¡¯ Siervian stopped wandering around the party and fell into thought. But fortunately, Siervian¡¯s behavior wouldn¡¯t be noticed since the hall was full of children. At the end of the banquet hosted by the Crown Prince, Siervian realized that the atmosphere was very strange. ¡®Aren¡¯t the nobility, more welcomed than I think?¡¯ She didn¡¯t mean that they did not like the kids back. They understood the Crown Prince¡¯s intention, but they are reluctant to sponsor or adopt the children themselves. Some nobles did not understand the Prince who held a banquet for the children of commoners. ¡®Many people are thinking they have shown their sincerity just by participating here.¡¯ It is a matter of responsibility for a child¡¯s future, so she understood what it would take. She didn¡¯t want to understand the commoner¡¯s thoughts. But she memorized the faces and names of the nobles who cursed the Crown Prince. ¡°Are you all right, brother?¡± ¡°Yes, Siervian. I¡¯m all right¡­I am just worried about the children.¡± Until the end of the party, there were no significant achievements of it. Most of the nobles tried to speak gently in front of the Crown Prince, but it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. It became tough. [ Damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: What should I do? All those kids She didn¡¯t want to find all the children¡¯s houses right away as it could cause some problems. Still, Siervian became sad seeing her brother¡¯s mind hoping for them a better future. ¡®Is there anything I can do?¡¯ This question was also on the children¡¯s heads while they continued to answer questions even in the state of being frozen scared. Looking at this atmosphere, their faces darkened. [ Angel ] Thoughts: I knew this would happen. They can¡¯t take someone like me. Seeing both the outside and the inside of the people, Siervian simply wanted to cry. Some of the children blamed their parents for not showing up at all. When she asked Hex again, he said that there were many cases where the children¡¯s parents didn¡¯t show up, even if they were not sold out. ¡®They are the children who grew up in the slums. After all, I¡¯d rather hope that the Imperial Palace would solve this problem.¡¯ It was until now that Siervian¡¯s mind became complicated. [ Zecko ] Thoughts: ¡­My parents said they could come, but they didn¡¯t after all. What should I expect? Such an empire must be destroyed. Zecko was also one of the children waiting for their parents. As she found out she was a spy, she suddenly became wary. But Zecko was such a strange child indeed. This case seemed a little different from Lara¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up the party for today. I would like to thank the nobles for attending.¡± As the Emperor officially closed off the banquet, the nobles headed out of the palace with faces of ease. It was great that the children were rescued, but this was another problem for them. There were even some worried about what would happen if the Emperor left the child to them by force. ¡®Brother must be really upset.¡¯ The Crown Prince came forward and took care of the children as if he had grown attached to them. The children were now temporarily gathered in a small palace. He was troubled since he couldn¡¯t let them stay there for so long. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ Siervian felt particularly responsible. Angel was a talented person who would have made great achievements in the future, but that is if Angel was left alone, and the latter choice wouldn¡¯t be known until the future. But she couldn¡¯t just leave them alone, there are no places left in the empire. ¡®There¡¯s got to be something I can do!¡¯ Seeing the children with a dark look, Siervian made a promise. Chapter 76 A few days later, Siervian prepared and headed to the Emperor¡¯s palace. In her hand was a magic bead containing the presentation of her plan she had done with Marco. It was the result of many discussions at the Princess¡¯s palace for the past few days. ¡®Will they listen to it?¡¯ The picture of the children appeared before her eyes, she couldn¡¯t stand it. Siervian knew better than anyone else the pain of being abandoned. Even at this moment, a time when she was receiving lots of love. ¡®It¡¯s my responsibility.¡¯ As someone who holds special knowledge and power, Siervian thought she should be held accountable. For starters, she needs her father¡¯s approval for something that will help. When the time Marco happened to stop by at the Princess¡¯s palace, he listened to her concerns and gave another plausible opinion. ¡®Requesting like this makes me feel like another person¡­¡¯ He asked the Princess to prepare some data presentation rather than to make a random request. Marco was already motivated to set up a top and a welfare foundation. ¡°Your Highness the Princess is here, I greet thee. Shall I inform His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The little kid came in with the magic bead in hand making the Chief Servant of the Imperial palace in wonder. But once inside, those news will be delivered. The Emperor had been receiving reports from Hex for a long time, but the young Lady of the Imperial palace was ordered to call in at any time. ¡°Siervy, come in.¡± ¡°Papa!¡± ¡°But wait for a short while, continue the report.¡± Perhaps he was used to this, Hex briefly greeted the Imperial Princess and continued his report. ¡°So, the work concerning Count Mirccino was completed. The reason seemed to be due to the dissatisfaction with the Imperial family, unlike the previous generations.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Hex seemed to be explaining about Count Mirccino sending Lara to the palace. Siervian carefully rolled her eyes, pretending not to be interested. [ Hex ] Thoughts: But Count Mirccino resisted, risking his life like that. There must be something more, but it was leery. Once reading Hex¡¯s thoughts came to her shock. ¡®The Count is dead!¡¯ Maybe there was too much needed to be revealed in his interrogation. The relations with the Empress, or the nobles surrounding them are trying to move onto the aristocratic faction. ¡°I see. Chancellor, dismissed.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After Hex left, the Emperor naturally placed Siervian at the table full of refreshments. The Chief Servant also brought a number of sweets and placed them in front of her, as if it was all natural reflexes. There was a time when Siervian was so full coming into the Emperor¡¯s palace, but nevertheless, whenever she comes, there¡¯s always refreshments and snacks. ¡°Yes, what is it, Siervy?¡± ¡°Sebi has a favor to ask of papa!¡± ¡°A favor?¡± Siervian rarely asked for anything, except for the Emperor¡¯s floating magic. For that reason, the Emperor looked at his daughter with great curiosity. ¡°I will set up a welfare foundation!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± What came out wasn¡¯t so childish. For his father, who was pondering about it, Siervian held out the magic bead. Alderuan lifted the cute bead placed in her small hand into the air with a single gesture. ¡°Ho, it¡¯s really a welfare foundation.¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s real!¡± Siervian¡¯s eyes sparkled more than the bead, and the Emperor swallowed the troubles inwardly. The children¡¯s banquet hosted by the Crown Prince not long ago seemed to be on his mind. The average nice guy wouldn¡¯t compare to Siervian¡¯s heart, but doing something like this is simply difficult. ¡°Siervy, listen well. We are all worried about the children, but establishing a foundation is not an easy task.¡± The Emperor hid his nervousness a little, fearing that his daughter might shed tears upon hearing this. Then Siervian shouted bravely. ¡°Sebi knows!¡± Unable to resist her overwhelming enthusiasm, the Emperor read what¡¯s inside the magic bead. His curiosity was also the reason why he lit up the bead. But to his surprise¡­ [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Huh? The data presented is better than I thought. I see¡­I heard Viscount William¡¯s young Lord has been visiting the Princess palace these days, perhaps they got help. Siervian let out a sigh of relief seeing her father reading it. It was a good thing they prepared data. ¡°The funds are borrowed from the Imperial palace, and in the future, the foundation will be maintained from the profits of the top.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you think it would be maintained? You are only seven years old after all, Siervy.¡± Alderuan looked at Siervian with his dark, cold eyes. She covered herself up, thinking it would be suspicious for a child like her to run a foundation. ¡°Marco will be helping.¡± ¡°You mean the Viscount William¡¯s young Lord? He looks like his father, and seems to have a talent in business.¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: No matter how intelligent Siervy is, this plan is so detailed to be made a cute child. The Viscount¡¯s young Lord must be the one who completed this strategy. Was he an ambitious man? I¡¯ll have to keep a close eye to see if he¡¯s just using Siervy. Now he fully understands that his seven-year-old daughter wants to establish the foundation. In fact, the majority of the ideas were from Siervian¡¯s, but she decided to ignore it. However, she thought it would be best for Marco¡¯s health if she would do things without any misunderstandings from now on. ¡®Marco, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Alderuan continued to review the presentation and came to the list of items needed for the top. The Emperor already knew that the Vuingpi trend was started by the both of them. ¡°Konoa flower herbs?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± An unfamiliar thing caught his eye. But Siervian got excited and began to explain. ¡°It¡¯s a flower that looks like this! It smells good! Sebi loves it!¡± Konoa was a flower that grew naturally in the northern forests. It was a strange flower; after being dried and burned, it increases the concentration of mana around it. ¡°The flowers have such big petals like this, and it¡¯s purple!¡± Siervian raised her voice even more as her father concentrated on what it was. She didn¡¯t realize she was stamping in excitement. She drew an illustration of it on the napkin with sugar water. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Erm, an earthworm? No, my daughter can¡¯t be this bad at drawing. That should be a flower that resembles an earthworm. It¡¯s no worm! Her portrait didn¡¯t help one bit. She couldn¡¯t figure out why her drawing kept looking like worms. Siervian, who quickly covered it up, ended the explanation. ¡°And if you dry the flower and burn it, you will get mana!¡± ¡°Ah, you mean mana flowers.¡± The Emperor always notices the people of the empire sometimes refer to the flowers used as herbs. After finding mana in burned flowers, lots of research was done as a substitute for harmin tea. However, the amount of mana that came out was too small to be efficient. ¡°Are you using the nature of the flower?¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s not the only use of it. It smells good, so we could sell it to the west as fragrant candles. Even in her previous life, konoa fragrant candles have been a huge trend. After speaking of this idea, it was Marco¡¯s suggestion to export it. ¡°Marco said it would sell well! And Sebi can make it smell better!¡± For some time, Siervian used to pick the fallen petals since it would be a waste. After mixing dried flowers here and there, she thought of konoa scented herbs and came up with a good combination. ¡°Is that so? As expected of the Princess.¡± She completely forgot about the worm-like drawing just a while ago as the Emperor praised her. Now she couldn¡¯t shake off the thought that she was some genius. ¡°Hehe.¡± Siervian laughing shyly at the compliment, passionately explained again how good the scent of konoa was. In her previous life, in the older part of her life, the konoa petals were used in various fields. Although mana was insignificant, it was still used because it stimulates the sense of privilege of the nobility. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Hm. Come to think of it, there are quite a few nobles who light scented candles in their children¡¯s room, even though they know it¡¯s no use. Just to increase mana exposure a bit. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Konoa scented candles sell at a great rate, people will actually feel the mana surrounding even a little. Later in her previous life, it was not enough to get it from the forest, so growing it in the farms would be necessary. It was only exported out of the empire once it became popular. This time, Siervian will be going a step ahead and sell it to the west. ¡°Well, the west has been susceptible to the empire¡¯s trends for generations.¡± That said, Siervian¡¯s idea would sell handsomely mixed in with medicinal herbs. The reason as to why is because it would be a comfort to those who suffered from endemic diseases. As Marco heard about it, he gave Siervian a good idea. ¡°I understand. It was good to see what you had prepared.¡± Siervian suddenly shifted her face as her father put down the magic bead. She carefully examined the Emperor¡¯s thoughts. [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: Does Siervy behave like this all the time? She opened her eyes wide when she saw that thought passed. Has Siervian done something wrong? ¡°Siervy, this father has something to ask.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re behaving like this?¡± Siervian¡¯s eyes shook violently at that question. ¡°Like this¡­?¡± Has Siervian been too harsh on her father? Is something on the data wrong? All sorts crossed her mind. But the Emperor added, looking deep into her eyes. ¡°It appears you¡¯re using all of your allowance.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± In establishing the foundation, she must receive great help from her father. And for the time being, she will use that allowance money to maintain it. Chapter 77 All of the money was from her father, she had nothing to do but had her head down while nodding. ¡®I suppose I am relying too much on my father.¡¯ Originally, according to their plan, they would collect funds little by little at the time of the operation of the top. But as time goes on, those missing children will still remain, doing tasks against their will. Then a low soft voice poured down her head, removing her worries. ¡°Siervy, don¡¯t you run out of money spending it for yourself?¡± ¡°For Sebi¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I know for certain that you have a big heart, and you must be feeling lots of sympathy for the children.¡± Siervian nodded at that fact. And a warm, large hand patted her head carefully. ¡°We are born as imperialists, and it¡¯s natural that we love the people of the empire, but aren¡¯t you still young, Siervy?¡± [ Alderuan Erveldote ] Thoughts: You are quite the spoiled child. I¡¯m just afraid you might push yourself too hard at this age. Just like Damien. ¡°¡­¡± Her heart, which was pounding with anxiety, finally calmed down. But this time, it felt like it was touched. Siervian quickly lost her words and looked at the blue eyes of the Emperor. His eyes were full of worries. ¡°Sebi is alright.¡± ¡°You are saying it¡¯s all fine again.¡± She shook her head at her father¡¯s rebuke of concern. Though it was truly alright. Unlike before, she wasn¡¯t hungry at times, and she has all the clothes in the world that fit her. And someone by her side when she was sick. ¡°But what is the reason you¡¯re saying everything is alright while sometimes it¡¯s not?¡± Siervian clenched her fist, she couldn¡¯t give up now while her father¡¯s at this attitude. Then her reason. ¡°Sebi is alright. Sinc-Since¡­! Sebi has this Papa!¡± [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] [ Favorability +100 ] She still has nightmares sometimes. A nightmare where she was in a dark, cold dungeon. Too dark to even think of happy moments that she wished would happen. And she walks through the terrible voices of accusations and abandonment, and finally, to the death row. ¡°Sebi is fine because of Papa. Papa always gives Sebi delicious foods every day, and loves Sebi!¡± And when she woke up, she was relieved. The warm affection surrounding her was real. Thanks to some miraculous miracle that brought her back in time. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± He patted her head once again. This forced Siervian to make a promise. Not to repeat the same things as in the past, and the usual, to thwart the plans of those who often try to undermine her father. To fulfill constant happiness. ¡°Yes, Siervy. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± This time, her father gave her a pat on the back, as if her sincerity had been finally conveyed. ¡°I¡¯ll set up a foundation.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± The long-awaited permission has been granted. Siervian jumped unknowingly onto her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Yes, but I have to leave it to the treasury and work on a few more things.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°And you, Siervy. You will lead the foundation in the future, so study hard.¡± ¡°Sebi will!¡± Though she wasn¡¯t sure about the studying part. But still, it was her who learned how important it is to always do the best. ¡°So, today, on the way here I saw a flower bed, and there..¡­¡± Siervian chatted for a long time before returning to the Princess Palace, she was excited naturally. The Emperor did not dismiss such a daughter until the meeting time was imminent. If it wasn¡¯t for Hex coming back, they would have still been chatting. ¡°Your Majesty seems to be a little sullen today.¡± ¡°Does it look like that?¡± ¡°It was all but a guess.¡± On the way to the Emperor¡¯s palace for a meeting. The chancellor followed the Emperor, trying to catch what was on his mind. Alderuan did not deny or affirm the words of the long-serving chief. It was just a mumble with a lonesome tone. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my daughter¡¯s already a big person, though small.¡± Siervian was, of course, at a young age, objectively speaking. However, Damien of that age was also realizing his position and tried to learn. ¡°Without a doubt, the Princess sure has a big heart.¡± ¡°Best wishes for the Princess.¡± Alderuan smiled brightly Recalling his little daughter drawing flowers that resemble earthworms. ¡°By the way, do you think the flower, mana flower, looks strange?¡± ¡°Mana flower? Ah, you mean the konoa flower?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hex answered with his head tilted. ¡°Konoa flowers are known for their beautiful large petals, it was even said it still looks pretty even when it is dried.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alderuan didn¡¯t hear such a thing about that flower. * * * ¡°Hurry, hurry!¡± A few weeks later, the welfare foundation, promised by the Emperor, began to be established. For that reason, the Princess Palace became the liveliest. And there were a few things that needed to be dealt with in the process of establishing the foundation. ¡°Princess, are these the special scented candles you mentioned back then? Can we make this in quantities?¡± ¡°Yes! Mixed flowers can grow easily, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Marco nodded to her explanation. Siervian moved her hands, working smoothly like a dancing flower. This boosted her motivation since it was her idea and could really sell tons. ¡°Princess, why am I here¡­?¡± On the side, there was Tanka, who was forced to come. The same could be applied to Marco, so their eyes were on the Princess. Siervian shouts proudly at the two who do not understand the obvious fact. ¡°Tanka is a really great wizard!¡± ¡°I am¡­?¡± ¡°This person¡­?¡± The two seemed surprised about it, especially Tanka, the person himself. Siervian carefully put down the petals so they wouldn¡¯t crumble, and put her hands on her waist like the most vigorous Princess she is. ¡°Tanka needs to be more confident!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And Marco shouldn¡¯t judge people by their appearances!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Though it was true that Tanka checked all the marks of a lazy person. Even so, Marco quickly apologized. Tanka quickly relaxed himself and sat down, looking like he was bowing down. ¡°First of all, it was really thoughtful of the Princess to appreciate my skills. I send Your Highness my warmest thanks, but¡­?¡± Furthermore, the questions remained unanswered/avoided. It was hard to find a job to secretly enjoy as a good librarian, but to find himself being called out of the blue to the Princess Palace is just too much of a surprise for him. In addition, why on earth was he called for the creation of a welfare foundation? ¡°There will be a lot of work ahead, and Tanka has joined us for the research of magic modification.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The welfare foundation was progressing with the goal of raising children. Siervian believes that Angel among the children also has nowhere to go. Then she had an idea that Tanka could greatly influence Angel with magic. ¡®Tanka is very good at adapting to situations since he is too lazy to use mana, And the new magic circle Angel will build is simplification and reduction of mana consumption.¡¯ She was already informed by Marco on what necessary parts the wizard needs. The profession itself was already useful to whatever job, needless to say, there were endless things a wizard could do. So when the Emperor said he would send her a wizard, Siervian actively recommended Tanka for the foundation. ¡°You mean, I, I¡­!¡± [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: I have to work a lot¡­! No! Tanka¡¯s face quickly turned pale. As Tanka sank like a dead person hearing his new job, Marco still looked disbelieving at him. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: The Princess may be thinking about everything, but¡­ can someone join like this and collapse at the sound of their job? Looking at their innermost thoughts, Siervian did not worry much. Marco has a good eye, he will probably recognize Tanka¡¯s skills soon. Siervian knows this the best because she knows that the level part of the status window has never lied. ¡°Princess! Please, I need to sign the resignation!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Tanka cried desperately to quickly escape this situation. ¡°Cough- Cough-! I am too weak for this kind of work. I beg Your Highness, please dismiss me!¡± ¡°No! Then Sebi will give Tanka medicines good for the body!¡± Siervian gave the perfect counter attack for Tanka. ¡°M-My skills are never good. This kind of labor for me is too much. Please, Your Highness, Your Grace, let me resign!¡± ¡°Liar! The Lord of the magic tower praised Tanka for being an impressive wizard!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true!¡± Or course, the Lord was worried about this disciple who was very lazy and wouldn¡¯t listen. So Siervian asked to take Tanka and would take care of his laziness. [ Tanka Mallo ] Thoughts: This couldn¡¯t be! This is an abuse of power! This can¡¯t be happening! My daily naps¡­! Tanka became frustrated as he lay on the cold floor. But Siervian smiles and pat the great wizard on the back. While cheering the sad sack, she picked a choco from her pocket and put it in Tanka¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡± Staring at this scary image, Marco felt a cold chill up his spine. He was also restless for days because he kept getting in the business zone with the Princess. ¡°Oh, Have Marco looked into Sebi¡¯s request?¡± CH 78 ¡°Ah, yes. Princess.¡± The great wizard, Tanka, cries as he eats the chocolate pathetically. Looking at it, Marco once again was lost in thought, but soon regained his senses to take out the documents the Princess ordered. ¡°I have it here, shall I read it for you?¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you.¡± Marco rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, noticing that the little girl does not ever forget to give thanks every time; and so, he opened the documents. ¡°Just as Your Highness ordered, I secretly looked into the people who have harmin allergies.¡± Siervian this time wanted to find out who are the people who have similar allergies. The foundation was being established, the only thing she needed to do is think about the objectives. One of them was to help those people suffering from it. ¡°Yes, yes. Continue.¡± Siervian replied to Marco, pretending she couldn¡¯t read words yet. Marco cleared his throat with a small cough and started to report. He hasn¡¯t even realized yet that he was working like a henchman of the Princess but it¡¯s certainly a higher level of a job compared to some nobles. ¡°For the past 50 years, there have been quite a few people who had similar allergies.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Siervian knew it was a really rare phenomenon, so knowing there are even a few people with the same allergy is a new feeling. ¡°Firstly, with my family¡¯s help, we could only identify 5 people with it.¡± Viscount Willaim, Marco¡¯s father, runs an upper division and he, of course, has information. This was a great find since the only details given were the harmin allergy. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Tanka, who had been lying on the floor, finally stood up to look at the documents Marco was holding. Despite the hassle, the wizard¡¯s curiosity seemed to pile up. Marco appeared to be uncomfortable but the Princess just watched them. ¡°You investigated the people having the harmin allergies?¡± However, once Tanka pretended to know about the allergies, Siervian was startled. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: I thought he was a slacker, but the Princess sure was stunned by his knowledge. No, this is the first time in his life hearing the harmin allergies. But the truth is he didn¡¯t want to do labor, so he joined the conversation. ¡°You know this, Tanka?¡± ¡°Yes, it sometimes appears in old books in the library. Hm, come to think of it, it isn¡¯t mentioned in the latest books from the herbal section.¡± It didn¡¯t appear that he slept at all. But Siervian somehow admired this. She took out another chocolate and handed it to Tanka. Although he looked puzzled, he took the chocolate and packed it. It was like some reward from the owner to the pet. ¡°This is, hmm? The list here is strange.¡± As Marco stumbled his words, Tanka took a peek at the reaction of the Princess. Likewise, Marco opened his mouth, feeling uncomforting to finish his sentence. ¡°However, Princess. It turns out that all the people we found have passed away.¡± ¡°Wha-? All from allergies?¡± Not everyone will be receiving mana the way Siervian has. She has a mana-accumulating pendant her father made and it is not something that can be made day by day. Marco then shook his head at her question. ¡°No, the cause of all deaths are accidents. Accidents that have nothing to do with mana sparsity or allergies.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She covered her mouth with those words as it gave her a subtle feeling. She was touching dried petals a while ago, but the fragrant smell from her hands did not suit the situation. ¡°Though everyone received treatment from it?¡± As her father said, the Duke took charge of treating people with the allergy. Marco replied with a dark look on his face. ¡°It was investigated that they had been treated by the Duke until their accidental deaths.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± At the impression of the Duke, Tanka suddenly took a step back. Like he has never seen such a document of some sort. But Siervian was disinterested about it, all she noticed was Marco¡¯s hesitance. Marco was contemplating whether he should announce all of it to the Princess; but in the end¡­ ¡°One of them went missing after going to the Duke for treatment. After that, the accident took place, it seemed that all of it was fabricated.¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Even Marco¡¯s father was very concerned about the result of this investigation. It appeared that this was some kind of conspiracy surrounding the Duke and the harmin tea. But as for the Princess, this has different meanings. And for Viscount William, it was quite a risk to take for this investigation while not being a part of both the aristocratic faction or the imperial faction. [ Marco William ] Thoughts: I suppose I did a good job convincing my father. Even us and the Viscount will not be able to be in neutrality forever. The Viscount bended over to the strong insistence of the youngest son, who has been making a series of contributions lately. He decided to abandon his uncertain attitude and actively join the imperial faction. ¡®Marco must be very worried.¡¯ But he did not reveal yet his true intentions to the Princess. Like the most humble person. Siervian didn¡¯t expect this much from him, so she felt sorry for him to go this far. ¡°Thank you, Marco.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Princess.¡± He smiled at the stern expression of the little girl. Looking at this risk-taker¡¯s figure, she made a vow again. ¡®I have to protect everyone.¡¯ Concerning the harmin tea, she always had some problem with it. However, to find out more about this situation, her ability is not enough for now. Even in Viscount William¡¯s power, having a considerable amount of information, has only found a clue. ¡®I need to find more specialists.¡¯ It was only Siervian who learned a lot from this. And once she knows she lacks the ability, she can find someone who is better and leave them the job. ¡®But this time, I can¡¯t ask more of my father.¡¯ She took a lot of her father¡¯s time for this welfare foundation. Hence, no more asking father. ¡®Though there is only one more way.¡¯ Then the face of the determined little Princess became full serious mode. * * * Shortly after, Siervian, still determined, contacted his brother. ¡°To the city with me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Damien was always busy, but as soon as he got called by the Princess, he went to his sister¡¯s Palace. Hearing the unexpected event, he immediately opened his eyes wide. ¡°Why the city all of a sudden? Did you want to take a tour?¡± Damien smiled and asked Siervian a barrage of questions to fulfill his curiosity. ¡®How should I explain it to him? I don¡¯t want to lieee.¡¯ After much consideration, Siervian spoke seriously. With her face full of shadows, full on serious mode. ¡°Please trust Sebi on this one. Sebi has something to do.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± [ Damien Erveldote ] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: What should I do? Serious Siervian is also a cute one huh? For Siervian, this was a serious and heavy atmosphere, but her brother saw it in colors. To let him know that she was in a very serious state, Siervian put down the doll she was holding, and held her hands together. [damien Erveldote ] Thoughts: The rare serious Siervian, it¡¯s so cute¡­! I¡¯m very glad I finished work early. It didn¡¯t do much good. ¡°Okay, shall we go out and come back right away? Orrr, we sneak out at night?¡± ¡°No, Let¡¯s go now!¡± She didn¡¯t want to go out at night, it¡¯s dangerous. She¡¯s from the world-famous imperial family leading a righteous life of course she wouldn¡¯t go at night! ¡°¡­Okayy.¡± He seemed to be expecting a great adventure of some sort; so he nodded lightly. After so little disguise, the two were able to go out to the city. ¡®I knew it, you have been out in the city secretly a lot!¡¯ She trusted him since her brother had done much more activities outside, but it appeared he had been doing this much more than expected. ¡°Now, you¡¯d better not take off this hat if you can. Siervian is too cute, people might crowd us, got it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He prepared all of this without hesitation, nonstop. A luxurious but inconspicuous cloak and a magic ring that changes the color of the eyes and hair. And it would be suspicious if short children like them aren¡¯t going to school, so they bought an escort with them. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Damien is quite a bit of a city-goer. He was only close to Karmen, who was also familiar with the city roads, and they sometimes walked around without an escort. To counter the Emperor¡¯s traveling magic circle, they went out of the palace in a unique wagon. ¡°Where shall we go? You have been to the city with your father the Emperor, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes! I have.¡± Damien asked for the destination, passing through the south gate to the capital. Siervian had her head agonized recollecting the words. At this time, the person she is looking for is definitely¡­ ¡°Go to the aristocratic business district with Sebi.¡± ¡°Business district?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Usually it was common for the Imperial family to go to the common people¡¯s area if they secretly went to the city. She was curious about the lives of the commoners, and there are so many people from the district who will recognize their faces. Knowing that, Damien followed Siervian¡¯s words to order the escort. ¡®I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll think it¡¯s weird.¡¯ The place Siervian was trying to visit was none other than an information guild. The problem is that it would seem very unnatural for Siervian, who has lived in the Princess Palace all her life, to know the existence of an information guild. ¡°Is there anything you want to buy in the district?¡± Siervian shook his head at the speculation of her smart big brother. ¡°In truth, I am looking for an information guild named justice.¡± ¡°¡­information guild?¡± CH 79 There had been a series of surprises today. Damian looked at his little sister seriously. She was obviously still a small and delicate child, but lately, she seemed to be more mature. ¡®As expected, it must be strange. But it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ It was no different for Siervian to find an information guild forcefully. This was because she was worried about people with Harmin allergies dying one after another. ¡®I¡¯m sure there must be something.¡¯ It might be just information that was accidentally revealed, as there were only five out of several cases. Even after trying to think like that, a strange anxiety lingered. They must look into this matter. ¡°Yeah. A person named Delphi Borgir is the guild leader.¡± Especially when Siervian was said to be allergic, the empress¡¯ reaction was excessively surprising. She still couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on yet. However, if this allergy was the key component of the Duke¡¯s conspiracy, she needed to work quickly to respond. ¡°¡­.¡± Damian stared intently at his little sister and forgot to answer. It seemed surprising that his little sister, who was still young, knew the name of the information guild leader. Therefore, Siervian was very nervous and waited for her brother to talk. ¡°Siervian, if it¡¯s not just a simple outing, I think you should explain the situation a little more.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is it dangerous? Then you can¡¯t just take two escorts with you. It would be different if I¡¯m alone, but I can¡¯t put you in danger.¡± Siervian nodded as if she understood her brother¡¯s concern. So she quickly replied, ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous.¡± The Justice Information Guild she knew had a special history. Justice Guild was uniquely famous for the guild leader¡¯s fair personality. ¡°There¡¯s something Siervy needs to find out.¡± At this point, the guild was not very popular, but soon it will become a top information guild thanks to its perfect work. In the previous life, it had served as a savior for those who suffered injustice. ¡°How did you know about this information guild?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll tell you that later.¡± Siervian gave up slightly even as she spoke. Her brother seemed to turn the carriage to the Imperial Palace and said it was impossible at any moment. ¡®It would have been hard to believe.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t have rushed to see her brother. Her young body continued to act on impulse even though she was already seven years old. Siervian lowered her head and wiggled her fingers. ¡°Siervian.¡± Damian knelt on one knee and looked into Siervian¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry, Brother.¡± When she apologized half crying, Damian quickly took his sister¡¯s hand. Siervian¡¯s small hands were cold from nervousness. So Damian soon decided. ¡°Will you explain later?¡± Two identical blue eyes met. Siervian bit her lip when she felt his trust. [Damian Erveldotte] Emotions: Faithful Thoughts: Siervian is doing this for a reason. I have to trust my little sister as a brother. Her gloomy feeling soon dissipated, and she began to shine brightly. Siervian unknowingly gave strength to their clasped hands. ¡°I know you have a problem. I¡¯ll also believe it when you say it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± The Imperial family was forced to mature more quickly than their age would indicate, as circumstances around them constantly made it so. Having experienced the situation firsthand, Damian guessed where Siervian got the information. It may have been from the aristocrats who went in and out. ¡°But don¡¯t forget that Father and I are always on your side, Siervian.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [Damian Erveldotte] Thoughts: I have to check if the aristocrats are using young Siervian. Rather than hastily telling her not to trust anyone, her brother chose to trust Siervian in this way. Siervian discovered how much anxiety he had inside and nodded her head. ¡®Sometimes I think it was really fortunate that I went back and got close to my brother.¡¯ ¡°Then, shall we go back to the information guild today? The Justice Guild is a bit far from the aristocratic commercial district, so it will take some time.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [Damian Erveldotte] Thoughts: Anyway, I¡¯m glad someone didn¡¯t tell her a dangerous place. Justice Guild¡¯s leader has a reputation for having a good personality. Siervian was genuinely surprised while reading his thoughts. It was still a few years before the Justice Guild would gain a great reputation. It would be just a small guild now, but it was surprising that her brother already knew the place¡¯s location and information. ¡°Oh, I want to ask you a favor instead.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Siervian shouted while clenching her fists firmly. She would do everything she could for him because her brother trusted her. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± [Damian Erveldotte] Emotions: Embarrassed How difficult a request that her brother could not say for a long time? Siervian grew nervous at the same time and waited for his words. ¡°Can I also call you by your nickname?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But what followed was really unexpected. ¡°I-I also want to call you by your nickname!¡± Siervian opened her mouth when she saw her brother act his age for the first time. It¡¯s nothing compared to what he has done for her! ¡°You can!¡± ¡°R-really?¡± [Damian Erveldotte] Favorability: +100 Maybe he pretended to have conditions in case she felt burdened. For a moment, her brother smiled very brightly. [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] While popping up colorful status windows. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] ¡°Siervy!¡± ¡°Yes yes!¡± [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] Siervian felt awkward because her brother loved it so much. She would have asked him to call her by a nickname if she had known. ¡°You know, Siervy. Let¡¯s go out to eat your favorite dessert next time.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°By the way, Siervy. Are you still wearing the ring Carmen gave you? I heard Father gave you an immunity ring.¡± ¡°Yes! Because it¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°I see¡­ but, Siervy¡­.¡± After that, her brother excitedly called her nickname. As if pitying himself that he hadn¡¯t been able to call her that until now. At first, Siervian was carried along with the excitement, but she was also slightly tired of the persistent nickname and favorable conditions. ¡°Cough cough. Your Highnesses, we have arrived.¡± The carriage had been running without rest for a long time and finally stopped. The escort carefully knocked at the carriage door and informed them that they had arrived at their destination. He called to them in a whisper in order not to reveal their identities. ¡®Fortunately, I have come this far without any problems.¡¯ As Siervian expected, her brother seemed to know the exact location of the Justice Guild. The experience of leaving the city with her father last time was all Siervian had, so she was a little nervous. Siervian also felt like she was taking the most risk in her previous life and so far. ¡°Siervy, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes! Siervy is fine.¡± Unconsciously, she grabbed her brother¡¯s hand as he sat next to her and spoke bravely. Siervian had already come all the way to the information guild, and she was afraid her brother would ask her to return if he noticed that she was scared. [Damian Erveldotte] Thought: How cute¡­! My little sister is a mana fairy¡­! Fortunately, he didn¡¯t ask to leave. The two escorts brought by her brother looked around skillfully and led them as if they were accustomed to this. Worried about the empress¡¯ spy, Siervian also examined their status windows. ¡®You have a strong affinity for me. I can trust you, right?¡¯ When she got out of the carriage, she saw a particularly old building in the aristocratic business district. As if this was the best office for a small guild. ¡°Siervy, you¡¯d better go in and reveal who we are.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± It was only after hearing it that Siervian realized she had really come here without any measures. She just came with a belief about the guild leader¡¯s fair personality. Siervian felt a little relieved as she could see the other person¡¯s inner feelings through the status window. ¡°Justice Guild is small, but they aren¡¯t lacking in skills. They might track where our wagon came from. It¡¯s safer to reveal our identity.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Even more so because she didn¡¯t mean to do anything illegal. Her brother also had a deep belief that Siervian didn¡¯t come here for a bad purpose. ¡®All right, let¡¯s try it first.¡¯ They climbed the old wooden stairs with their escorts in front and behind them. No guard was standing at the building that looked very sloppy for an information guild. This was because the Justice Guild had taken the route of a ¡®clean information guild¡¯ from the beginning. ¡®Thanks to that, it took a long time to settle at first.¡¯ In particular, the Justice Guild leader was famous for being picky about work. So, in the beginning, people didn¡¯t see them in the aristocratic business area. When aristocrats sought information guilds, they usually wanted someone to handle dirty work. ¡°¡­.¡± Even though Siervian was the one who came up with this idea, her face gradually changed. No matter how clean the information guilds were, this building was too sloppy. At the guild¡¯s entrance, there was even a crude sign that said welcome. ¡®¡­ Will it be okay?¡¯ CH 80 It was very different from the information guild in the novels Siervian sometimes read for fun. A secret and insidious atmosphere was nowhere to be found even after she rubbed her eyes. ¡°Wait a minute, Siervian.¡± Nevertheless, her brother stopped her for a moment and moved his mana. He checked whether there were any dangers inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± They moved again after he completed his check. The wooden door burst open as the escort knocked politely. ¡°Welcome to the Justice Guild!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A very enthusiastic greeting poured out. ¡°Thank you for visiting our guild! Justice does everything except the impossible! We look forward to your request!¡± An ear-piercing voice greeted them. The bulky man greeted them with a bowing posture that didn¡¯t match his figure. Therefore, the escort who was in front couldn¡¯t hide his displeasure. This guild was peculiar to the escort who often did this kind of work. ¡®No, who is that person?¡¯ [Delphi Borgir] Occupation: Guild Master (Lv. 89) Emotions: Anxious The person who made a lot of fuss was surprisingly the guild leader himself. It was as if the guild was small enough to exude from all over his body. Siervian had lost her trust in this ridiculous situation and looked at him without a hitch. Then, she was so nervous that her back was cold. [Delphi Borgir] Thoughts: But, what¡¯s the matter with the crown prince and the princess all of a sudden? ¡®He knows who we are!¡¯ He didn¡¯t just simply guess they were from the palace. Surprisingly, he knew precisely she had come with the Crown Prince. Thanks to this, Siervian, who was initially disappointed with the information guild¡¯s abilities, regained her trust. ¡®As expected, I should trust the work here.¡¯ Then someone walked out fiercely. The escort was wary of the sudden movement and took the sword from his waist. However, that person struck the guild leader on the back fiercely. ¡°I told you not to treat guests so frivolously!¡± ¡°Ah, it hurts!¡± ¡°Are you going to act like this without thinking to make it worse?¡± The guild leader had a bear-like appearance with a beard. On the contrary, a small woman struck his back without hesitation. But the guild leader twisted his whole body and went inside the office as if he were dying of pain. [Damian Erveldotte] Thoughts: ¡­ Is it a deception? Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s a trap. Conversely, her brother began to doubt their sloppy appearance. [Maison] Emotions: Miserable Occupation: Guild Vice-Master (Lv. 95) Thought: We¡¯re about to be kicked out of this building. If he refuses the quest again this time, I¡¯ll just destroy his back. Siervian was relieved to see the person who hit the guild leader¡¯s back. Maison, her name was as famous as the guild leader¡¯s. She was known to be very capable of collecting information as the vice leader of the Justice Guild. ¡°¡­ I¡¯d like to make a request.¡± Her brother revealed his business reluctantly after he found nothing strange with them no matter how much he checked with mana. The guild leader, who was about to make a fuss again, glanced at Maison and guided them to the other side. The guild office was tiny. Even so, it gave off a warm atmosphere as if it had been managed well. An artifact with a mana force field was also placed on the table to prevent sound from leaking. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your request.¡± The guild leader responded in a friendly manner. He didn¡¯t find it strange to see the people who came sitting down together. [Delphi Borgir] Thoughts: It¡¯s a bad sign that the Imperial family hides their identity. If they don¡¯t reveal their identity until the end, I might have to listen properly and send them back. If Maison had known, she would have hit his back again. With her brother¡¯s urging, Siervian pulled out one of her rings after much consideration. ¡°I¡¯m Siervian.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see Her Highness the Princess.¡± Siervian acted courteously for now although there was no need to reveal herself. If things go her way, she may have to see this information guild often in the future. She wanted to build trust for that purpose. [Maison] Thoughts: You don¡¯t even have to reveal yourself. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because you¡¯re still young or if it means respect for us¡­. As if Siervian were the subject, the Crown Prince remained still. Tension filled the office thanks to the imperial family¡¯s appearance. ¡°May I ask why you came to our guild?¡± ¡°I want you to investigate this.¡± Siervian held out some documents. Those were the things Marco researched and brought to her. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± The guild leader hesitated because the hand holding the document was smaller than he anticipated, but he soon sifted through the contents. His face gradually became serious the more he read the contents. [Delphi Borgir] Thoughts: Harmin tea, allergies, and accidental deaths¡­. It must be something related to Duke Pacour. It¡¯s dangerous. He immediately understood what Siervian wanted to know. Then soon there was confusion in his mind. It was because of the Crown Prince by her side. ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re investigating people allergic to the Harmin grass?¡± After contemplating for a while, he purposely asked as if he were reciting the document¡¯s content. As if to make the Crown Prince next to her hear it. Siervian didn¡¯t panic but rather said: ¡°I want to help people with allergies¡­ before they have had an accident.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Although she was only a child, the guild leader met Siervian¡¯s eyes for the first time with a serious face. He could have been arrested for blasphemy against the imperial family, but he did so without realizing it. That was how sincere Siervian¡¯s words were. [Damian Erveldotte] Thought: So, Siervy came here for this. The Crown Prince appeared to be without trouble on the surface. But bitter thoughts lingered inside him. ¡®It must be hard for Brother.¡¯ Siervian felt sorry for bringing her brother here. She would probably come here with him even if she had to return several times. Although she couldn¡¯t go with him, she would have at least informed him that she was looking into this, ¡®Because we¡¯re family.¡¯ Siervian didn¡¯t want to hide the fact she was looking for information that could harm him. And if the Duke is doing something wrong, she wanted her brother to get out of it. ¡®I have a lot of concerns. My brother would be the same.¡¯ Just as she and her brother are families, her brother and the empress are also families. The relationship between them could already be seen as a conflict. It was pitiful ¡°I see.¡± The guild leader, who had been looking at the documents for a long time, handed them over to Maison beside him. [Delphi Borgir] Thoughts: It¡¯s definitely dangerous. If what I¡¯m thinking is correct, the duke is hiding something important. Maison read the documents briefly and returned them to Siervian. It was as if she had already memorized it. ¡°¡­.¡± Siervian nervously examined the guild leader¡¯s inner thoughts. The Justice Guild could be in danger, and so was Siervian. She believed in the guild leader¡¯s integrity which was known in the previous life, but this fact could lead to the Duke. [Delphi Borgir] Thoughts: But it¡¯s for the people. Fortunately, the guild leader¡¯s thoughts flowed as she wished. ¡°I will accept your request.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The guild vice leader next to him seemed a little worried about whether he was serious. However, she didn¡¯t hit his back at the decisive moment and respected the guild leader¡¯s judgment. She could see that they trusted each other. ¡°It¡¯s going to take some time. Would that be all right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will receive the commission payment after completing the work.¡± The guild leader said with a professional tone. [Maison] Thoughts: No, you should get paid in advance. How dare this guild leader? ¡­ Did they really trust each other? Siervian was in agony when she discovered Maison¡¯s status window. The guild leader¡¯s back is in danger if it goes like this. ¡°No, I¡¯ll leave this much for now.¡± Fortunately, Maison was busy calculating the money so that she could refer to it. Siervian took out about half of it in moderation and quickly put it in the guild leader¡¯s hand. [Maison] Favorability: +50 The guild leader felt a piercing gaze on his back when he was going to refuse and took the money bag. Siervian was glad she saved his back. ¡®We¡¯ll have to wait for now.¡¯ Perhaps because she left her money bag behind, Maison saw them off in a friendly manner this time. After leaving the shabby building, she returned to the palace as promised. ¡®You seem to have many concerns, Brother.¡¯ Her brother looked gloomy in the carriage to the Imperial Palace. It was natural for him to have such complicated thoughts. Investigating the Duke¡¯s corruption is no different from digging into his mother¡¯s corruption for the Crown Prince. ¡®As expected, perhaps she should have asked her father even if it was a bit unreasonable.¡¯ The Crown Prince maintained a neutral position even in the previous life. Despite the Duke¡¯s full support, he advocated neutrality in his way. That was why she thought it was right to tell him about this matter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother.¡± Siervian blamed herself and eventually apologized. Damian was in agony while looking out the window, and then he looked back at Siervian with surprised eyes. CH 81 ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I think I have troubled Brother.¡± Both hands on top of her skirt wiggled. Her hands felt empty because she couldn¡¯t bring a doll outside. Siervian thought she should have told him in advance when she wanted to go out in the city, and she would take it even if her brother got angry. ¡°Siervy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you should apologize for.¡± But her brother spoke in a caring voice. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. If there is no problem, the duke will be cleared of the charges even if we investigate.¡± However, her brother couldn¡¯t hide his bitter expression. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: I hope so, but I don¡¯t know. There are so many things I don¡¯t even know about Harmin. She didn¡¯t think the empress would have kept the Duke¡¯s secret from him because she cherished the Crown Prince. However, she could uncover an unexpected fact in Damian¡¯s thoughts. Recently, her brother hadn¡¯t been as close to the Duke as he used to be. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: As I told father, I¡¯m on Siervian¡¯s side. This also means that Siervy trusts me. ¡®It¡¯s because of me!¡¯ The cause for the Crown Prince distancing himself from the Duke was none other than Siervian herself. Unbeknownst to her, the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Duke was distant, unlike in her previous life. She was taken aback when she understood the unexpected situation. ¡°So I¡¯m fine, Siervy.¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: I¡¯m the Crown Prince of this empire. So the duke should be punished accordingly if he is guilty of any crime. The duke had been the head of the aristocracy for many years. Although the situation had become more subtle as an unusual marriage to the Imperial family had been made this time. ¡®Come to think of it, the duke had avoided marriage to the Imperial family.¡¯ Seeing her brother¡¯s serious face, Siervian hesitated and clutched her hands which had only been hovering around the skirt. It was different from her simple wish to live near the Imperial Palace in the future. She thought her brother would have a lot of trouble in his position as the Crown Prince. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you!¡± She cried out because her heart suddenly swelled up. She was grateful for her brother who believed in her as a family even in such a chaotic situation. ¡°Haha. My sister is so reliable.¡± [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] Her older brother smiled broadly after he had been gloomy the whole time. Siervian nodded firmly in a situation where flowers seemed to have bloomed in the carriage. Her young body shouted impulsively, but the pledge to protect him was not a lie. Siervian was determined to do her best with her special ability. * * * At the beginning of winter, with the storm season just around the corner, the Welfare Foundation was successfully established. It was said countless ministers shouted against the idea of entrusting the foundation to a seven-year-old princess. ¡®As expected, I must be careful in everything I do.¡¯ Siervian learned anew that there might be such opposition when she just wanted to do something good. The foundation was established safely because she had built her image well, unlike in her previous life. ¡°¡­ The welfare foundation¡¯s name is unique, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That was how Siervian and Marco attended the foundation¡¯s founding banquet. The two of them couldn¡¯t conceal their reluctant expressions as they saw the foundation¡¯s name which was decided with difficulty until the very end. ¡°Your Highness?¡± They were there in advance to inspect the party hall before the banquet began. Luxurious silk fabric was hanging from the ceiling to the floor in the party hall. The foundation¡¯s name was delicately embroidered on silk with a magically shining thread. Ultimately, the foundation¡¯s name was decided to be the Mana Fairy Welfare Foundation. ¡°Siervy didn¡¯t create it.¡± Siervian hastily denied the foundation¡¯s name creation without realizing it. The servants were seen sweating inside and repeating the welfare foundation¡¯s name. ¡°What? Then who made such¡­.¡± [Marco William] Thoughts: A childish name¡­¡­. ¡°Siervy¡¯s dad named it.¡± ¡°¡­. I thought it was such a wonderful and elegant name, as expected it was His Majesty who made it!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That¡¯s right. A luxurious insignia embroidered with the foundation¡¯s name was also a gift from the emperor. According to Hex¡¯s graceful explanation, it was a precious name that contained the Emperor¡¯s affection for the Princess. [Hex] Thoughts: No wonder there was more opposition to that name than to leaving the foundation to the princess. And yet you¡¯re being stubborn, whoo¡­. (TN: The Korean uses an exclamation uttered to express disappointment but I couldn¡¯t find an exact translation for that.) Contrary to his words, this was what he felt inside. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s like a dream. I didn¡¯t expect it to work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Ministry of Finance¡¯s head had decided to manage the foundation for the time being on behalf of the young princess. It was natural for Marco to be chosen as the right person for the job as he was cherished by the Minister of Finance, Marquis Navier. Thanks to this, the ministers seemed to understand that the welfare establishment was the emperor¡¯s will. Marquis of Navier was famous for his loyalty to the emperor. ¡®He must be thinking the emperor is using a detour to help children.¡¯ It was also a way for the Imperial Palace to look after children. However, in that case, it could be seen as a problem because the Imperial Palace seemed to discriminate against other citizens. Many causes of poverty in the slums had not yet been resolved besides children. ¡°Oh, the children are coming.¡± Although it was their second banquet, the children timidly appeared in the party hall. She asked the children directly while establishing this welfare foundation. Will they remain in the palace only until the storm season passes or will they start a new life under the newly established foundation? ¡°Most children said they would come to the foundation, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°But, as you said, I¡¯ll ask the remaining children after the storm season is over.¡± ¡°Yeah! Thanks.¡± The children who remain in the Imperial Palace must have various circumstances. Either they intend to find their lost family in person or haven¡¯t given up on securing aristocrats as patrons yet. In particular, the brilliant children preferred to have aristocrats as sponsors. [Angel] Thoughts: C-c-can I live well even if I go to the foundation? What if I go and am forced to work? Huh, will I have to catch monsters? How can I beat a monster?! Angel said she would safely entrust herself to the foundation, and Siervian had been paying attention to her. Siervian was going to recommend Angel to study magic tricks with Tanka, but she was also worried. [Zecko] Thoughts: Haha. The banquet hall¡¯s air. Hmm, this exhilarating smell of betrayal and opportunity. Oh, it¡¯s chocolate. ¡°¡­.¡± And surprisingly, Navapal¡¯s spy, Zecko, also expressed his intention to come to the foundation. Siervian was confused because she thought he would naturally remain in the palace. ¡®If you want to be a spy, shouldn¡¯t you stay in the palace a little longer?¡¯ Entering the palace might be the most challenging part of espionage. He did it naturally, but it was strange to come out again. ¡®It also would be a way to naturally enter the Imperial Palace in the future with the support of an aristocrat connected to Navapal. There would be no other approach than that.¡¯ Some children were belatedly sponsored by the aristocracy. The aristocrats who judged the elements of the children saved directly by the Crown Prince were useful in the future. The Crown Prince had strictly advised the children not to be exploited. ¡°Y-y-your Highness. H-how dare I come to a place like this?¡± A trembling voice sounded behind me. It was doctor Madeline. Ellie was now quite close to her and patted Madeline on the back. Apparently, Ellie¡¯s brother and Madeline¡¯s daughter are getting along. ¡°Hello!¡± The welfare foundation had decided to establish itself in the commoner district. Siervian recommended Madeline as a doctor to reside there. Fortunately, the foundation¡¯s salary was not bad, so Madeline accepted it. [Madeline] Thoughts: This is where I¡¯m going to work and dedicate my life, the Mana Fairy Welfare Foundation¡­! She still had an excessive sense of debt to Siervian. ¡°Shall we go, princess?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Siervian could not hide her excitement while looking at the party hall, where preparations were almost completed. The welfare foundations and the building were also set up in the city. She was ready to take a step into the world in earnest. Thanks to this, Siervian was looking forward to next year. * * * The storm season had returned. The empire once again went into a crouch, with a storm sweeping around it like a lock. On the night before the princess¡¯s birthday which the emperor most anticipated throughout the entire year, unexpected news arrived. ¡°¡­ What is this?¡± Alderuan¡¯s eyebrows soared into the sky as if he had heard something very unexpected, He was holding a small red mana bead. ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty, but that is believed to be the first Emperor¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± And this mana bead was possessed by a thief who dared to rob the Imperial Palace¡¯s treasure. ¡°Is that for sure?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I have checked it many times.¡± After a long research period, the lord of the Magic Tower eventually could not doubt this fact and bowed his head. He was also bewildered to see the first emperor¡¯s blood appearing out of nowhere. ¡°Well¡­¡± Alderuan could not sit back and watch. The fact that the thief had the ¡°blood¡± of the first emperor meant that he knew the internal situation very well. The fact that it was lost had never leaked except for the Imperial Family¡¯s bloodline, so what happened? ¡°The Lord of the Magic Tower should keep this information for the time being.¡± A cool hunch swept over the Emperor like a storm. CH 82 The Adventure of an Eight-Year-Old ¡®My heart is pounding.¡¯ [Siervian Elverdotte (8 y.o.)] Body and soul synchronization¡­ 24% Current actions are in line with the body. :?: As I looked in the mirror on the morning of my eighth birthday, I saw a slight change in my stats. Other than my age, the percentage inside my stats had also changed. ¡®Finally¡­!¡¯ Only now could the eight-year-old Siervian enjoy watching the mana storm. At the age of eight, all members of the royal family were required to begin their formal education. The synchronization between her body and soul had also increased. Seemed like she could act a little more maturely this time. ¡®I¡¯m not confident, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡¯ Because her life would be easier once she took history and etiquette lessons. Also, she probably won¡¯t attend magic lessons. She wouldn¡¯t have the talent in this life as well. Come to think of it, she hadn¡¯t seen the Tower Lord recently. In the meantime, her mana scent seemed to have disappeared. ¡®Even so, that¡¯s fine. I just have to do what I can do.¡¯ She wanted to learn economics now that she had the Welfare Foundation. ¡°Gwood luck!¡± (TL/N: The KR is ??, ??, which is used to motivate someone.) [Ellie] Thoughts: What¡¯s wrong with the Princess? Ahh¡­ she must be happy because it¡¯s her birthday. Siervian had accidentally shouted then covered her cheeks awkwardly after seeing Ellie¡¯s thoughts. *** ¡°Grant me custody of the Princess, Your Majesty.¡± One day after the Princess¡¯ birthday party, Empress Cybelle sought the Emperor. It had been a long time since she stared into her husband¡¯s eyes. The Empress¡¯ Palace prestige lay in ruins, but her wounded pride remained still. ¡°Why do you ask that so suddenly, Empress?¡± They were drinking tea together after a long time. Alderuan¡¯s eyebrow twitched at the unexpected request. He was taken aback by her response; he expected her to be upset that she had missed the Princess¡¯ birthday party again. ¡°As you know, the royal family¡¯s first lesson has a very symbolic meaning.¡± ¡°And your point is?¡± ¡°If you simply leave it to the teachers, I¡¯m afraid that raising the Princess won¡¯t be considered important.¡± The Empress smiled wisely as she replied. If they were paying attention, it was as if she said Siervian¡¯s education was poorly managed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fret over such matters.¡± The Emperor smiled and brushed off her concern with a single sentence. Since the Harmin tea incident, she had not recovered the Emperor¡¯s trust. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if you realized. But it sounds like you don¡¯t consider the Princess¡¯ education important, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± Upon hearing her, the Emperor immediately straightened his leaning posture. The difference in their values was the reason why Siervian could not be left to the Empress. ¡°Because I will teach Siervy directly.¡± The Empress had smiled kindly and stopped once she heard his declaration. ¡°That, you mean, no way¡­¡± The Empress couldn¡¯t even keep her voice from shaking. ¡°Yes, Siervy will be given the heir¡¯s education.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± That was what the Emperor meant by teaching her directly. The heir¡¯s education was given specially for those who would ascend the throne. They were taught directly by the Emperor himself from generation to generation. ¡°No way! Your Majesty, how could you say that when there¡¯s already a Crown Prince!¡± The Empress no longer tried to conceal her expression. She had just tried to extend her influence to the Imperial Palace, but suddenly, she heard his announcement. Looking at the Empress, the Emperor replied calmly, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting, Empress. Not everyone will sit on the throne just because they were educated as the heir.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m afraid the nobles will be shaken.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s position will always be his. Who would dare to oppose the Emperor?¡± She couldn¡¯t refute his point. Defying him wasn¡¯t an option. However, Empress Cybelle couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety and bit her lower lip. ¡®As expected, I should have kept the girl away from the Emperor.¡¯ *** ¡°Your Highness, shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Tower Lord had been facing her for a long time and finally spoke to her. She answered bravely, but in fact, Siervian didn¡¯t have much expectation for today. ¡®It will be the same as my previous life anyway.¡¯ Before starting formal education at the age of eight, the royal family¡¯s magical abilities were evaluated. Because of that, she met with the Tower Lord today. ¡®My father didn¡¯t come?¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s presence was not essential for the assessment. However, Siervian tilted her head unconsciously because her father visited her so frequently. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t be this childish!¡¯ After that, she quickly calmed down. Her father was very busy, so she shouldn¡¯t expect him to appear for such a small event. Besides, wasn¡¯t she a member of the royal family who would start formal education soon? She had to show her determination. ¡°This place has always been magnificent. Princess, it¡¯s your first time visiting the Hall of Glory, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Actually, she had been here in her previous life, but she couldn¡¯t answer it right away. She felt a little guilty lying to him. ¡®Come to think of it, the favorability of the Tower Lord is still high.¡¯ His favorability has been strangely high since the first time they met. She thought it was probably the influence of her mana scent, but now that her mana scent was gone, his favorability was still high. So it was pretty awkward. ¡®I¡¯ve always been nice to him, I guess he truly likes me.¡¯ Siervian politely gathered her hands and followed the Tower Lord in his fluttering robe. The first emperor¡¯s memorial hall, the Hall of Glory, was a magnificent blue building. The ceiling was in a circular shape so they could look at the sky. Also, as if the heavens recognized his deeds, the brightest sunlight always came through the hall¡¯s ceiling. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t be too nervous, Princess.¡± The closer she got, the more obviously her nervousness showed. However, when she recalled the disappointment in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t help but lower her head. ¡®¡¯The Tower Lord will be disappointed, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ In the middle of the Hall of Glory, there was a magic orb floating in the air. It was the legacy of the first emperor, the Orb of Judgment. It was many times larger than the magic orbs usually used for meetings; it looked like a giant pearl. ¡®Oh no, I¡¯m nervous!¡¯ The aristocrats sometimes called this magic orb a crystal ball that would live on forever. Because it was always floating in the air. Unlike other places, the orbs here floated on their own even though there was no magic circle supplying mana. ¡°Haha. You must be amazed by this orb.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the forgotten spells. Perhaps there is a hidden magic circle around us that supplies mana for the floating spell, but¡­¡± The Tower Lord continued to explain kindly as he stroked his beard. ¡°But I¡¯ve searched over and over again, and still can¡¯t find where it is.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°This great hall cannot be investigated, so it will probably continue to be a mystery. Haha.¡± [Turana Ellison] Thought: Actually, I¡¯d like to investigate it, but the Emperor refused to give me permission many times. I wish I could find out before I retire. ¡®How many times have you asked Father?¡¯ Despite speaking as if he had given up, the Tower Lord was still burning with enthusiasm. A wizard¡¯s curiosity is naturally vigorous after all. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Haha. You don¡¯t need to worry about the Orb of Judgment. Especially you, Princess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The Tower Lord commented mysteriously and stepped back a little. Thanks to this, Siervian, who walked toward the orb, missed the timing to ask what he meant. ¡®The same thing will happen again anyway.¡¯ As she headed to the designated place in front of the Orb of Judgment, the orb that was floating high shook. Then slowly, the orb descended to her eye level, as if it respected her. Gulp. Siervian slowly stretched her hands forward nervously. The Orb of Judgment had two jobs. The first was to prove that the individual was part of the royal family. If they¡¯re not from the royal family, the orb won¡¯t react this way. ¡°Well, you can put your hands on the orb now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The second job was measuring the amount of mana the individual possessed. Depending on the amount, the orb will emit different colors. After seeing the colors, it¡¯s possible for them to take magic lessons. Siervian reached out with her eyes closed after swallowing hard. In her previous life, Siervian¡¯s orb was a murky black. The orb usually showed one of the rainbow colors. So the unprecedented black color caused a turmoil within the tower for a while. ¡®Everyone will be disappointed again.¡¯ Soon after, the meaning of the black color would be revealed. Black color meant the person had really low mana inside their body. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡± Her hands felt warm when she touched the orb. Scared of the result, Siervian kept her eyes closed the whole time. However, soon after, a brilliant light came out of the orb. She felt it through her closed eyelids. ¡°Ohh¡­¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ She opened her eyes in amazement, and she could see the glittering white orb. The enormous warmth felt in her palm shot through her body. The light shone so strongly that the Tower Lord¡¯s robe fluttered. ¡°As expected of the Princess,¡± said the Tower Lord next to her in a pleased tone. Siervian looked at the glittering orb with still bewildered eyes. In her previous life, there was definitely only a murky black color in the orb. ¡®How could it be?¡¯ CH 83 It was unbelievable no matter how many times she looked at it. The white light inside the orb remained, even though she thought it would soon become black. ¡°You can take your hands off now.¡± The Tower Lord had left her for a long time and finally told her. At that, she slowly let go, and the light from the orb faded as well. Then, the orb returned to its original position floating upward again. ¡®It lit up. Besides, it was a white light¡­ it doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡¯ The only time the Orb of Judgment, which normally emitted rainbow colors to distinguish mana levels, gave off a bright white color. When a person possessing the qualities of a great mage touched the orb, it emitted that kind of light. Her father and older brother were also the same. Karmen wasn¡¯t from the royal family, but the orb also emitted the same white light for him. ¡®But me? Really?¡¯ It reminded her of Karmen, who told her that her mana scent was strong, and of the Tower Lord, who kept urging her to learn magic early. Even if it was true, she thought it was something that would disappear later on, but what just happened? ¡°You must be surprised by how strong the light was.¡± ¡°I, it¡¯s white.¡± When she replied in a daze, the Tower Lord burst into laughter But it seemed true, since he didn¡¯t correct her. The confused Siervian looked up at the orb again in a daze. In her previous life, although she was from a royal family, she had never possessed a mage¡¯s quality. That fact had made her very sad. ¡°It¡¯s a very bright light. His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s orb was just like that.¡± ¡°My brother, too¡­¡± Even after being compared to her brother, she was a bit afraid even though the situation was different from back then. In her previous life, around the time she was executed, all sorts of rumors had circulated. One of them was about the color of Siervian¡¯s orb. ¡®She must be a black mage! It¡¯s a sign from the Orb of Judgment!¡¯ She didn¡¯t even know what black magic was. Even so, she was afraid that the Orb of Judgment was right. ¡°Tower Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°My father said that my mana scent disappeared.¡± Siervian, still awed, asked the Tower Lord next to her. She needed someone to tell her what was going on. When the Tower Lord heard her question, he burst into laughter for some reason. ¡°Haha! Yes, I¡¯m sure His Majesty said so. Oh my, you must¡¯ve thought the orb would turn black.¡± Suddenly, she remembered something. And she felt as if she was struck by lightning. Something really different from her previous life was the situation in her palace, and further, she didn¡¯t drink the Duke¡¯s special tea replacement for Harmin tea. ¡®Originally, I touched the orb after drinking the tea for more than a year.¡¯ Moreover, as she learned already in this life, the tea affected her mana. ¡®How could the duke ¡­ the empress do that to me¡­!¡¯ Unlike in this life, Siervian used to completely rely on the Empress. The amount of time she saw her father¡¯s face could be counted using the fingers on one hand. With Siervian in her grasp, wouldn¡¯t she also have made the same choice in this life? Remembering how easy it had been to control and manipulate her, the Empress must be having a comfortable life. ¡®I¡¯m angry.¡¯ It had been a long time since she was truly angry. Unlike now when she had the mind of an adult, she was only six years old at that time. What on earth were they thinking, feeding poison to an innocent child? ¡®It was strange, now I think about it again.¡¯ Although she had had no talent in magic, her father in her previous life continuously tried to teach her magic. The Empress couldn¡¯t stand it and secretly advised Siervian to not learn magic. ¡®My mana scent suddenly disappeared; I thought that was strange.¡¯ But that was all there was to doubt. The black orb was strange, but her father wouldn¡¯t think of digging into it because of his relationship with Siervian. ¡®H¨C , how could it be like this!¡¯ No wonder the Tower Lord kept urging her even though she was clueless. It must be because he was surprised to see with his own eyes a child with this much mana. ¡°Well, shall we get going? His Majesty is waiting.¡± ¡°Dad¡­?¡± Hearing him mention her waiting father, she came out of her stupor. However, the Tower Lord turned around without explaining anything. Siervian immediately followed the Tower Lord. ¡®Huh, what is that?¡¯ When she turned to look at the Orb of Judgment for one last time, her eyes saw something strange. ¡®Just now¡­ did the Orb just wave at me?¡¯ Nonsense. Nevertheless, Siervian felt the orb had waved at her as if it would see her again soon. ¡®No way.¡¯ Perhaps it was an after effect of seeing the bright light. Siervian thought so and quickly followed the Tower Lord, who was already a few steps away. She didn¡¯t realize that an after effect couldn¡¯t explain her feelings at that time. *** ¡®I truly, truly have magic talent.¡¯ She slowly came to the realization as she followed the Tower Lord back to the Imperial Palace. She hoped she could learn magic in this life. ¡°Haha, are you that excited? I wish you would learn magic earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± She agreed with the Tower Lord. If she had known she had the talent, she would¡¯ve started her training earlier. ¡®I¡¯m so happy and excited!¡¯ Above all, she was full of energy. ¡®I can make my father proud, too!¡¯ Unlike in her previous life, she might be a useful princess this time. She can learn magic. ¡°You¡¯re here, Siervy.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She was so excited that she ran and hugged her father. Her father reacted as usual, lifting her up skillfully. [Alderan Elverdotte] Mood: ?Worrying about my daughter.? Thoughts: I¡¯m worried that my daughter is getting prettier as time goes by. It¡¯s clear that my Siervy will be a mana fairy once she grows up. Wait no, no. Then wouldn¡¯t she fly away with her wings later on? I¡¯m in trouble! He was still a father who poured his affection in his heart. Siervian, recalling the Mana Fairy Welfare Foundation, smiled vaguely. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Seeing that, the Emperor probably misunderstood something and looked at the Tower Lord behind her. [Alderan Elverdotte] Thoughts: Hm, maybe the results weren¡¯t good. I waited patiently here because I was afraid of burdening her. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t come.¡¯ He was afraid that she would feel burdened if the result wasn¡¯t good. She was strangely moved by her father¡¯s consideration, which was greater than she thought. ¡°Siervy, umm, it¡¯s fine. No matter what the result was, it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± When she began to cry, her panicked father comforted her. Strangely, she couldn¡¯t stop crying even as she nodded. She had been very sad in her previous life because she couldn¡¯t make her father proud. ¡°Hoho, Your Majesty, there seems to be a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Hmm? Explain.¡± ¡°Her Highness¡¯ orb was very bright and white.¡± The Tower Lord carefully explained how strong the mana waves were from the Orb of Judgment. ¡°I¡¯m honored to serve both of you who have the qualities of a great mage.¡± It wasn¡¯t until the Emperor heard the story did he nod. As she cried, she was strangely nervous about her father¡¯s thoughts. Defying her expectations, however, her father¡¯s thoughts caused Siervian¡¯s eyes to widen. [Alderan Elverdotte] Thoughts: Was she surprised by the Orb of Judgment? The result was good, anyway. I was worried that she would be discouraged because of her brother¡¯s talent. ¡°Sniffle.¡± ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t cry.¡± While thinking, her father caressed her face. His large, rough hands rubbed around her eyes. [Alderan Elverdotte] Thoughts: How can I say that the result didn¡¯t matter at all? Even if the orb didn¡¯t shine, Siervy is still Siervy. Hmm, it¡¯s hard to say that. ¡®Ah.¡¯ She had thought she could make her father proud because she had the talent. She needed the talent to be a useful princess. But she had been wrong all along. CH 84 ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter at all. My father will always love me regardless.¡¯ She felt like her head was instantly cleared like the bright orb earlier. With that realization, her sobbing gradually calmed. ¡°¡­Okay, eat this instead.¡± Eventually, the Emperor, who couldn¡¯t convey his true feelings aloud, put a cake in front of her. ¡°Yes. Sniffle.¡± Siervian thought she was fortunate to be able to get a glimpse of her father¡¯s thoughts at times like this. ¡°Drink this as well.¡± When she nodded and calmed down, her father diligently placed the desserts in front of her; he even used magic. It was clear that the tea party had been planned in advance. This party was to commemorate her going to the Hall of Glory and touching the Orb. ¡°Tower Lord, let¡¯s discuss this together.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Because the Emperor said so, the Tower Lord could finally sit down albeit awkwardly. In the meantime, Siervian sipped the cold juice and vigorously rubbed her eyes. ¡®In my previous life, did my father act this way?¡¯ At least when she was a child, before she was dubbed the villainess and her father hadn¡¯t yet turned his back on her, was he this way? ¡®I feel sad.¡¯ Her resentment toward the Empress deepened. It was just a feeling, but it was probably the Empress¡¯ plots that caused the entire Empire to hate her. ¡°Of course, it would be better to learn magic with His Highness the Crown Prince and Karmen.¡± ¡°¡­Your apprentice?¡± The Emperor raised an eyebrow at his suggestion. [Turana Ellison] Thought: Eek! I shouldn¡¯t mention Karmen made a fuss about wanting to study with Her Highness the Princess. Quickly noticing the Emperor¡¯s resistance, the Tower Lord avoided eye contact. ¡°Umm.¡± Karmen also had expected Siervian to learn magic earlier. Thinking of his cute appearance, Siervian quickly grabbed her father¡¯s sleeve and shook it. ¡°I want to study with Brother and Karmen!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The Emperor was about to say no and instead shut his mouth. He kept looking at his ring on his daughter¡¯s small hand and kept his objection to himself. ¡°Hmm, as for magic lessons, I will plan it and tell you separately. How would you like to study other things?¡± He asked about it because he was the Tower Lord. Then her father, who had been silent for a long time, declared, ¡°Siervy, we¡¯ll study together for your imperial education.¡± Siervian was the one most surprised by his announcement. ¡°Study together¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know what that means?¡± Siervian was surprised, but she nodded after much consideration. Her eyes shook. In her previous life, there had been no option for her to get educated by the Emperor. ¡®What should I do? I don¡¯t want to fight with my brother.¡¯ Her father looked at her as if he was willing to explain to her. Thanks to that, Siervian, who had hesitated, expressed her opinion. ¡°That, that is something a Prince like Brother should study, not Siervy.¡± ¡°Hoho! You¡¯re so clever.¡± The Tower Lord laughed at her reply that seemed to indicate she understood the meaning of her father¡¯s words. While he burst into laughter in this serious situation, Siervian searched her father¡¯s face with anxiety. ¡°You¡¯re worried for nothing, Siervy.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± Fortunately, her father didn¡¯t look particularly upset. However, there were still many things that worried her. Right now, she was worried whether the aristocrats would protest, and above all, how her brother would respond. As an adult, she thought it was a sensitive issue. ¡°But what if Brother hates Siervy?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Hmm, did you even think about that?¡± Siervian looked at the Tower Lord, who kept bursting into laughter at her serious worries. Her father also stroked her hair as if her worries were ridiculous. ¡°There¡¯s no way Damian would think that way. When I explained to him first, he said he liked the idea and would like to take the classes together with you.¡± Siervian¡¯s face brightened. As he had said, she would be able to join her brother¡¯s class. ¡°And the next Emperor would be Damian anyway. By any chance, did you want to be an Emperor?¡± Siervian shook her head at the terrifying question. She shook so vigorously that the hair Ellie styled prettily came loose and messy. ¡°Is¡­ is that so.¡± [Alderuan Elverdotte] Mood: ?A little bit dissatisfied with my daughter.? Thoughts: Don¡¯t children usually think their father¡¯s job is cool? I didn¡¯t think she would hate it this much. There was a slight misunderstanding, but Siervian didn¡¯t bother to correct him. Because she was more afraid to be misunderstood that she wanted the throne. ¡®Never!¡¯ Alderuan looked at his daughter with a slightly dissatisfied expression and continued to explain again. This was also a justification he would use for the aristocrats if they disagreed. ¡°The heir¡¯s education is not necessarily only for the heirs.¡± ¡°Do other people need it, too?¡± ¡°Yes, if they are part of the royal family, they should learn it at least once. The lesson explains how to love their citizens.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Siervian realized she never had thought about it that way. However, the Emperor, who didn¡¯t think she would understand this deeply, simply stroked her head as if she was cute. The child¡¯s small head fit into his palm. ¡°Siervy, aren¡¯t you interested in this kind of thing? It would also help you manage the Welfare Foundation well.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± [Alderuan Elverdotte] Thought: If Damian becomes the Emperor, she could help him manage the capital city. But that time is still too far away, I shouldn¡¯t burden her. Contrary to her Father¡¯s concern, his thoughts ignited Siervy¡¯s determination. ¡°Sebi will do my best!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She could help her brother instead of simply lounging around in the palace! It wasn¡¯t a future she didn¡¯t want! ¡°Sebi can do it!¡± With her two fists clenched, Siervian made her declaration. The Tower Lord next to her laughed again as if she had done a good job and praised her. ¡°You¡¯re passionate. It¡¯ll be easy for me to teach you. This old man seems to have the great fortune of having good disciples in my later years.¡± ¡°Hmm. You should refrain from flattering too much.¡± Her father warned him in a stern voice. He even expressed his concern, saying the Princess could become spoiled. [Alderuan Elverdotte] Thoughts: Come to think of it, the Tower Lord must¡¯ve had a hard time since he was busy. Should I reward him? However inside, he was thinking of the opposite thing. Siervian laughed without realizing it. The Tower Lord must naturally accompany the royal family to see their mana level. This was because there was a risk of them manipulating their result. Nevertheless, it was funny for her father to think that the Tower Lord had a hard time accompanying her. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about your studies. I have a gift for you.¡± When the conversation was nearly over, her father gestured to an attendant. The attendant approached proudly and placed a small plate in front of Siervian. ¡°Your Highness, congratulations. This is something the Emperor¡¯s palace put their hearts and souls into.¡± It was none other than a cake that the imperial palace poured their energy into. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The cake had an unusual shape. It was separated in the middle, and there were glittery things that looked like jewels inside the cake. ¡°Are they real jewels?¡± When the startled Siervian asked, her father smiled slightly. His smile disappeared quickly, but Siervian saw it. It was as if he wanted her to react this way. ¡°They¡¯re made of hard sugar.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°You can eat it.¡± After that, the attendant who had been standing nearby and saw the Princess¡¯ reaction, added, ¡°His Majesty made it for you himself, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Dad?!¡± ¡°Hm, it¡¯s not a big deal. So don¡¯t panic.¡± He said so quietly but there was something strange in his tone. [Alderuan Elverdotte] Mood: ?Looking forward to my daughter¡¯s reaction.? After seeing that, she expressed her feelings honestly. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re the best!¡± [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] [Favorability: +100] Then she quickly picked up a fork and tasted the jewel cake. She expected the jewels to be hard, but the bite immediately melted in her mouth. ¡®Wow, this is real magic.¡¯ Her mouth felt warm as if those jewels were mana. When she tasted the cake, she suddenly remembered something. ¡®I regressed three years ago.¡¯ She remembered when the court ladies of her palace were called in and fired. At that time, it felt scary and unfamiliar for her to sit in front of her father. But now, she was disappointed that she couldn¡¯t see him everyday. When she remembered the change, it made today especially meaningful. ¡®I can learn magic now, too.¡¯ Her heart beat fast when she realized the new possibility. ¡°Eat slowly, and let¡¯s go back.¡± After that, Siervian stayed in the Imperial Palace for a long time. Sometimes, when the Tower Lord asked her a question, she answered honestly and talked about what she would like to learn in the future. After a long time, Siervian left the Imperial Palace because she was sleepy. She was so tired today. After sending the Princess away, the Tower Lord secretly spoke with the Emperor again. CH 85 ¡°It seemed Your Majesty was worried.¡± ¡°Hmm? Really?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about her mana scent disappearing? You must have worried about that.¡± The Emperor was worried his expectations would burden his daughter. Hearing that, Alderuan relaxed his expression as the Tower Lord continued, ¡°However, her mana wave was magnificent.¡± He trembled in excitement as he remembered just how magnificent her mana waves were. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Pure mana waves like that would excite every mage. The Tower Lord was also excited because he felt the same as when he first accepted the Crown Prince as a disciple. But after bringing it up, he tried to moderate himself. Because it seemed like the Emperor would scold him again for saying unnecessary things. ¡°Hm.¡± For some reason, however, the Emperor did not speak. Even the way he deeply reclined to the chair strangely seemed as if it was okay for him to talk more. The Tower Lord caught up quickly because of his wit and opened his mouth again with a sly smile. ¡°You must see how similar her result was to the Crown Prince and Archmage¡¯s.¡± Perhaps because the Emperor couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer, he replied, ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it natural since she¡¯s my daughter?¡± As expected, he was proud of her. The Tower Lord continued to talk while laughing on the inside. He talked at length about what kind of light the Orb of Judgment emitted, how the mana wave shook his robe, and so on. ¡®Um? It¡¯s time for him to tell me to leave¡­¡¯ Today, however, the Emperor didn¡¯t dismiss him. He seemed disinterested, but when the Tower Lord stopped talking, he stared at him. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ he wants to brag more.¡¯ After that, the Tower Lord had to talk with excitement for a long time. He finally received permission to leave after he explained the day¡¯s events in great detail. *** Today was the long awaited magic class. ¡®I¡¯m nervous and excited, what should I do?¡¯ The night before, Siervian hardly slept. Ellie was also excited and checked on her constantly. ¡®I can learn magic. I have the ability to learn magic¡­!¡¯ When Siervian thought of how she could be better than in her previous life, her heart fluttered. She was born into an imperial family full of mages in the Elverdotte Empire, which was also known as the magic empire. No one would know how painful it was to be Siervian except for herself. ¡°Hurry, hurry, Ellie!¡± ¡°Princess, it¡¯s still not the time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go!¡± Ellie and Jane tried to dissuade her because they were worried about her running around wildly. However, there was nothing that could stop a child that had been excited since the night before. The people who passed them hurriedly greeted the excited Princess and made way for her. ¡°She must be excited because it¡¯s her first magic class.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Siervian nodded to the whispers as they were right. Leaving behind the laughing maids, she headed to the magic tower. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going inside the tower!¡¯ This was another reason why Siervian was excited. She could finally go into the magic tower where her first class takes place. In an area near the north gate, a small forest suddenly appeared even though they were still inside the palace¡¯s grounds. In the middle of the forest stood a seemingly small stone tower. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Tower Guard in charge of guarding the tower greeted the Princess politely. Seeing the person she saw in her previous life again was quite an interesting experience. ¡®It¡¯s gonna be okay this time, the color of the Orb was also different.¡¯ Back then, she couldn¡¯t go past this point. This was because no matter how hard she tried, she did not meet the qualifications to enter the tower. There was only one qualification to enter the tower: mana susceptibility. ¡°Once you enter this magic circle, it will determine your mana susceptibility.¡± Siervian nodded her head and headed in the direction the Tower Guard pointed. Most people could not enter the tower because they weren¡¯t susceptible to mana. ¡°Please be careful, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even so, the maids saw off the Princess without any worry. Other than that, the magic tower was a place full of forgotten magic. ¡°It will shine as you teleport, so don¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Before, no matter how long she waited in the magic circle, it didn¡¯t shine. It was as if she wasn¡¯t allowed to go inside. That was why she could only take magic class outside the tower. She used to believe she could get in if she had mana. ¡®I thought it was my fault.¡¯ Back then, the tower wouldn¡¯t let her in. She had to imagine the inside of the tower from the description the Tower Lord gave her. ¡°Is that forgotten magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say. It¡¯s my first time here, too.¡± The maids behind her chattered as they saw her off. The magic circle itself was made for the purpose of teleporting. However, many mages were still studying how it could determine susceptibility and teleport them. ¡°The magic circle will teleport you soon. Then, I wish you safe travels.¡± As Siervian stood there, a subtle light began to glow around her feet. The Tower Guard bowed politely to see her off. ¡®At that time, I was surprised because there was no response no matter how long I waited.¡¯ Soon, the white light covered her until she couldn¡¯t see anything. After that, she heard a distant voice. ¡®Is it Ellie or Jane¡¯s voice?¡¯ When she opened her eyes again, she saw an open space in front of her. ¡°W¨C wow¡­!¡± Forgetting about her dignity, Siervian admired the view before her. A space beyond her imagination was in front of her eyes. From the outside, the tower seemed like an old tower with only a few rooms inside. ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± But when she arrived, she saw a vast forest. ¡°Hoho, Your Highness, you¡¯ve come early.¡± Perhaps the Tower Lord was contacted by the Tower Guard, so he stepped from a huge tree at the side. The tree looked very mysterious. It was obviously a living tree, but there was a space for people to enter as if it had grown into a house by itself. That type of tree was scattered throughout the forest. Among them, the tree the Tower Lord came from was more majestic. ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°Hoho!¡± The excited Siervian exclaimed as she ran to him quickly. [Turana Ellison] Affection: +10 When he heard her call him teacher, he immediately laughed. Since Siervian knew she could learn magic, she always acted in a lovely way. ¡°This must be your first time in the tower.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She was so excited that she was breathless. The Tower Lord grinned as if he knew the feeling well. ¡°As a reward for coming early, I¡¯ll give you a tour.¡± In response to the unexpected favor, Siervian looked at the Tower Lord with her eyes shining. ¡°Do you know why this place is called the magic tower, Princess?¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± For ten minutes, Siervian was rapt and didn¡¯t hide her expression. From the outside, this place looked like a tower. But when she came in, this place was more like a dense forest. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She didn¡¯t know the answer to the first question, so she was a bit disappointed. However, the Tower Lord explained slowly as if he didn¡¯t intend to test her. ¡°The extending of a space is a forgotten magic. That¡¯s why it seems small when you look from the outside, but it was extended inside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As if asking her to follow, he beckoned and took the lead. She entered one of the trees, and she could see the mage¡¯s room, which was wider than she anticipated from the outside. She felt strangely dizzy with the change of space. ¡°Haha, you¡¯ll get used to it soon. One thing you should know is that you can never judge a space from its appearance.¡± Siervian nodded, and she slowly adapted to the space. The inside of the tree looked like a smaller tower, because the space was divided into floors so that one mage could use multiple spaces. As she headed to the highest floor, she saw a forest in front of her. ¡°Look over there.¡± ¡°Oh¡­! Ellie! Jane!¡± They were certainly the maids and escort who saw her off outside. Siervian waved and shouted at the maids who were having a conversation in front of the tower. ¡°Hoho. They can¡¯t hear you, Princess. We¡¯re in a different dimension now.¡± ¡°Dimension?¡± Her eyes opened wide as she tried to grasp the difficult concept. When she urgently looked over there again, she saw the palace at a distance this time. ¡°You see the Imperial Palace and the north gate over there right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The gate, which would only open when they were tasked to subjugate the snowy mountain¡¯s monster, was majestic. ¡°As you can see, we entered the tower through a magic circle. However, we can look outside.¡± The space was separated from the outside, yet it overlapped. ¡°The reason why this tower is placed near the north gate is to prevent the intrusion of monsters. We can oversee the north gate easily like this.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Because it is a space where different spaces are layered on top of each other, mages have called this place the magic tower for generations.¡± It was a detail that wasn¡¯t explained in history class. When Siervian obtained new knowledge, she excitedly tried to memorize the new facts. The Tower Lord smiled warmly after seeing her enthusiastic response and gestured to her to go downstairs again. CH 86 ¡°Of course, it was also because it looked like a tower from the outside, so people started calling it that.¡± ¡°I see¡­!¡± Siervian quickly followed him, ready to grab the hem of Tower Lord¡¯s robe if needed. Then, he brought up another topic. ¡°Isn¡¯t this tree fascinating?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As she exclaimed, the Tower Lord caressed the walls inside the tree with his wrinkled hands. Siervian looked around and carefully copied him. ¡°Haha, do you feel anything?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The tree was fascinating, but she didn¡¯t understand what the Tower Lord implied. So Siervian decided to answer frankly. ¡°This tree was a gift from the elves.¡± ¡°Elves¡­!¡± Siervian had only heard and seen elves in history books, so her eyes opened wide. ¡°The first emperor established this empire with the aid of the elves. You¡¯ll learn more about this in history class soon.¡± She already knew the story, so she merely nodded. The first emperor had a close friend who was none other than the leader of the elves. In this time, elves were deemed a fictional race because no one had actually seen them. ¡°The elves would talk to the tree, and the trees would create a space like this.¡± Even things that seemed vague would remain as evidence in history. Siervian heard him and caressed the tree once again. ¡®Huh? It¡¯s warmer than before!¡¯ ¡°Mages who officially enter this tower will receive a branch from the tree at the top of the magic tower.¡± However, her thought was quickly forgotten due to the Tower Lord¡¯s words. ¡°If you plant the branch in the forest, while also thinking about the kind of space you want, a special room tailored for you will be created.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°It is amazing. It¡¯s a pity that it can only be used inside this tower.¡± Siervian had already imagined planting a treehouse in her palace¡¯s garden without realizing it and now raised her head. Turned out it was something that could only be used inside the tower. ¡°Also, there is a legend about a road that leads to the elves¡¯ village inside this tower.¡± The Tower Lord whispered to her like a grandfather telling his granddaughter all sorts of things. She believed him and looked straight at the forest. Before she knew it, they left the Tower Lord¡¯s tree and walked side by side. ¡°They are real?¡± ¡°Well, it was said that elves live longer than humans. It¡¯s likely that the elf who knew the emperor is still alive.¡± The empire was founded more than 500 years ago. Hearing that, Siervian¡¯s mouth opened in surprise. ¡°Oh, my disciples are here.¡± ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°Siervian! ¡­I mean, Your Highness.¡± She heard the Crown Prince greet the Tower Lord politely as Karmen clumsily tried to pretend not to know Siervian. ¡°Hoho! You came later than the princess for her first class. You should¡¯ve set an example.¡± ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± ¡°But as long as we¡¯re not late to our class¡­ nevermind, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Karmen was about to complain and instead quickly looked at Siervian and lowered his head. The Tower Lord noticed his actions. [Turana Ellison] Thoughts: Oho, look at that. Is he acting coy in front of the princess? It¡¯s going to be comfortable teaching him in the future. ¡°Hello!¡± Siervian smiled broadly as she read the Tower Lord¡¯s thoughts. The Crown Prince approached her and patted her head as a greeting. ¡°You came early, Siervy. Good girl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then Karmen, standing next to Damian, stared at the back of Damian¡¯s head. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Wait, did Damian use her nickname? Then I¡­! ¡®Karmen, you can call me that, too.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be fine if more people called her by her nickname? Siervian thought they were acting strange. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Tower Lord led his disciples to another nearby tree. Unlike the other mage¡¯s tree, it seemed wider inside. ¡°In the future, you will be taking classes here. This space is called Spirit Tree.¡± Siervian was confused about why it was called Spirit Tree, so she tilted her head. ¡°Why is it called Spirit Tree?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± When she asked the Tower Lord, his grey eyebrows furrowed slightly. That name had been handed down from generation to generation, so he always called it by that name without thinking. ¡°Hmm, right. I think it¡¯s probably named after the mana¡¯s spirit. It¡¯s been called that for generations. Hoho!¡± ¡°I see.¡± There was a legend about mana¡¯s spirit living in sevinel flowers. So there were many items that used spirits and fairies as a name. The word fairy was often used to refer to these spirits in a more ¡®loving¡¯ way. [Turana Ellison] Thoughts: Spirit Tree suddenly sounded strange to me. It¡¯s because His Majesty suddenly created weird names like Mana Fairy Welfare Foundation. Siervian read the Tower Lord¡¯s criticism and averted her eyes awkwardly. ¡®Dad, sorry!¡¯ She also thought that name was quite embarrassing. ¡°Siervian¡­ Princess. Sit here¡­ please!¡± Karmen went ahead first and casually pulled out a chair and called her. Inside the Spirit Tree, she could see strangely-shaped chairs. The Tower Lord noticed Karmens awkward politeness and frowned. ¡°No, Siervian will sit here, right?¡± Just before the Tower Lord said anything, the Crown Prince stepped forward. Then, he kindly pulled out a chair far away from where Karmen was and looked back at Siervian. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Sit here.¡± ¡°P-please sit here.¡± The two of them said the same thing at the same time. Then they glared at each other. She couldn¡¯t understand them and tilted her head again. ¡®Was the seating in this class fixed once seated?¡¯ As they stared at each other in bewilderment, the two of them put down their chairs in front of her as if they were competing. Siervian thought she should calm them down for now, so she quickly ran to one side and picked up another chair. ¡°Siervy wants to sit here!¡± She placed her chair in the middle of the two, where the Tower Lord¡¯s words could be heard the most, and shouted. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but more importantly, she wanted to seriously learn. ¡°Okay, Siervy.¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start the class.¡± The Tower Lord looked at his cute disciples and coughed into his sleeve. ¡°First, Your Highness has to learn how to feel the mana.¡± ¡°Feel it?¡± ¡°Yes. Observe the two people next to you who will use magic. Then you¡¯ll notice the flow of mana at some point.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Perhaps because it was the first day, she followed his instruction seriously. Siervian didn¡¯t realize she was nervous when she put her hands together. Then, she looked at the two with sparkling eyes. ¡°What are you looking at with such excitement? It¡¯s nothing much.¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Oh, this is more nerve-wracking than I thought. But I¡¯m glad we took the class together. ¡°Let her do whatever she wants. You don¡¯t have to look at that idiot, Siervy. I¡¯ll show you over and over again slowly.¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: It¡¯s worth practicing magic for today! ¡°Okay, stop chatting. Now I¡¯ll explain the principles of floating magic¡­¡± [Turana Ellison] Thoughts: Huh, what¡¯s up with the Crown Prince? I thought it would be easy to teach them together, but it seems that¡¯s not the case. ¡°¡­¡­¡± There were so many thoughts to see that she felt dizzy. Siervian thought for the first time that she wanted to turn off the status window for a while. However, she quickly focused on one thing. She was distracted by the two people who made the chairs fly in front of them. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°You can take your time and concentrate. Look at the flow of mana in the air.¡± At the Tower Lord¡¯s words, she fixed her eyes on the floating chair as if she was possessed. At some point, she could see an odd group of lights when the mages were using magic. ¡®I thought Tanka was showing off when he used light magic as he cleaned the library.¡¯ However, even right here, she could see something pearl-colored subtly hovering around the chair. ¡®Is that the flow of mana?¡¯ Siervian shook her head quickly. According to the Tower Lord¡¯s speech, it was very difficult to see the flow of mana at first. So it didn¡¯t make sense if she was able to see the flow of mana from a long time before. ¡®Let¡¯s focus. Focus!¡¯ Siervian fixed her eyes on the chair for a long time. The two people beside her worked hard using spells that they wouldn¡¯t use normally because it was difficult. Siervian was unaware of the difficulty while observing the chair for a long time. ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯ It was the first day, it was natural that she couldn¡¯t see the flow of mana. However, she felt that the light that was hovering around the chair slowly became a little darker. *** ¡°I¡¯ve come to pick you up, Princess.¡± ¡°Marco! Long time no see!¡± Siervian greeted Marco brightly. Marco greeted the princess politely and reached out to the carriage door that was in front of the Imperial Palace. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Your escorts will be following right behind us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Siervian took his hand and climbed into the carriage with dainty steps. Before she knew it, she had grown a little taller. That was why she could climb the carriage herself without being carried by Ellie. ¡°The children seem to be adapting well in their own way. Let¡¯s take a look at the buildings together.¡± CH 87 Marco¡¯s complexion was pale as he spoke, it seemed like he was suffering from heavy work. Feeling sorry for him, Siervian replied with a brighter smile, ¡°Yes!¡± It took longer than she expected to reach the Welfare Foundation located in the commoner district. She was so immersed in studying and devoting herself to learning magic for the first time. So she had forgotten about the Welfare Foundation. Today, Marco told her he had something to discuss, so her schedule was adjusted quickly. ¡®I¡¯ve been too careless recently, I should pay attention to them as well.¡¯ This day, she was visiting them officially as the Princess, so a carriage bearing the sign of the Princess¡¯ Palace passed through the commoner district proudly. Unlike her last visit, a lot of attention was focused on the carriage. It felt strange for her to go out confidently like this. ¡°Look at that building, Princess.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± While enjoying the commoner district, she could see a brown building in the distance. It was a relatively large building in a row of small buildings. ¡°That building is a headache for the owner so we acquired it easily.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That place used to be a pretty big mercenary guild. After they moved on, no one needed a place that big. You know those big mercenary guilds prefer the aristocrat district.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Actually, Siervian hadn¡¯t known that, so she merely nodded. Then suddenly she remembered something and tilted her head. ¡°Other than that, is there a big building that hasn¡¯t been sold for a long time?¡± ¡°In the commoner district? I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡®By any chance, was this the building that was supposed to be purchased by the Justice Guild?¡¯ Siervian¡¯s eyes opened wide in response to the unexpected thoughts. The Justice Guild would move to the commoner district and buy a large building that had been left unattended. The public mocked the guild leader¡¯s decision, but soon they changed their collective mind when the Justice Guild prospered. The guild leader must have deliberately bought this large and abandoned building in anticipation for the future. ¡°Hmm, if it was a building this size, there might be one near the aristocrat district.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be left unattended for a long time because a lot of people would want it. Are you searching for something?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Siervian shook her head as she felt cold sweat running down her back. ¡®I guess this is really the building.¡¯ It seemed that she unintentionally took away the Justice Guild¡¯s building. ¡®I have to give them a heads up later.¡¯ This building wasn¡¯t necessarily important, but she decided to keep it in mind just in case. ¡°This three-story building will be used as the mercenary guild¡¯s office. We also decorated the large room on the back as a space for the children to live in.¡± When they arrived, Marco introduced her here and there with a smile. He looked exceptionally happy, so when she read his thoughts, she discovered that he was happy to do the mercenary guild¡¯s task because it was his dream since childhood. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ Come to think of it, she had been too careless when she first looked for him. Nonetheless it was great that her plan succeeded. ¡°Your Highness!¡± She was curious about where the children lived, so she came in person. She headed toward the Welfare Foundation¡¯s building before the mercenary guild. Then Madeleine came out from one side with a bright smile. She seemed different for some reason. It was awkward to see her approaching her so happily. Was it because they weren¡¯t in the Palace? ¡°I found a clue!¡± ¡°Huh? A clue?¡± Madeleine held something out with a very excited face. Her hands were covered with dirt and grass, but she didn¡¯t mind. Rather, Siervian smiled brightly while taking the item from Madeleine¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s Cassia!¡± It was the flower that saved Madeleine¡¯s daughter and Ellie¡¯s younger sibling¡¯s life. Worried about the Welfare Foundation with so many children, Siervian told Marco about the Cassia that grew in the Princess¡¯ Palace. She told him to bring the roots to this building. Since mana was needed to grow the Cassia, sometimes Tanka would stop by to supply mana. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m grateful to receive your blessings!¡± ¡°Ah, a few days ago, the children caught a fever.¡± ¡°What?¡± Marco¡¯s additional explanation surprised Siervian. She wondered why Madeleine was so excited and thought that must be it. ¡°The persistent fevers were familiar, so I tried using Cassia immediately. Then the fever went down!¡± ¡°What a relief!¡± She thought it was good that she prepared in advance. It was also because she was worried about the contagious fever the children had. ¡°In the process, I was able to reach new findings in my research. It was all thanks to you!¡± She suddenly realized Madeleine¡¯s hand was shaking. She probably remembered the time when her daughter almost died from fever and was nervous unconsciously. Siervian clenched the thing Madeleine gave her even more tightly in her fist. She felt strangely warm hearing her. ¡°No, it¡¯s you! You¡¯re a great doctor!¡± ¡°P, princess!¡± [Madeleine] Affection: +50 Thoughts: As expected, I should work hard and die here! Thank you for trusting me, Princess. I¡¯ll pay you back someday! Madeleine had been talking to her without hesitating and was about to return to her gloomy self, so Siervian quickly turned away. Now that she talked about Cassia, she remembered something else that would also help her. ¡°Where are the Cassias?¡± ¡°Come this way. The children are taking good care of it.¡± On the way to the children¡¯s room, they stopped by a small garden. At first glance, she could see yellow flowers dominating the garden in the middle. ¡°I¡¯ll put mana on it!¡± ¡°Oh, come to think of it. You started studying magic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although compared to a skilled mage like Tanka, she was still nothing. Siervian had only noticed the mana flow just a few days earlier. ¡°It¡¯s gonna take a while. Are you alright with it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Since Marco nodded, Siervian began to concentrate. [Marco William] Thought: That Tanka guy is capable, but he¡¯s not reliable. I¡¯ll have to see for myself if the flowers died or not. Well yes, Tanka was quite lazy. ¡®Let¡¯s concentrate on this warm feeling. I¡¯m a beginner so I wonder what the result would be if I concentrated for a while.¡¯ The mana flow which swept around and resembled the wind, slowly grew cold. ¡®I don¡¯t know when the children will get sick again. So I must raise this Cassia well. Please help me.¡¯ Siervian asked for a favor to the air without realizing it due to her nervousness. At that moment, just as she seemed to have caught it, she clearly felt the mana flow in her fingertips. ¡®It¡¯s time.¡¯ Catching the mana flow, Siervian concentrated again. As if weaving a thread, the mana moved to the Cassia flower. The cluster of lights slowly landed on the petals and became dew. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Marco had been silent for a long time then asked her. He seemed subtly to be asking for confirmation. But shouldn¡¯t he see the shining light? ¡®Oh, could it only be seen by the mages?¡¯ Siervian quickly accepted the explanation and urged Marco to hurry up and show her the other parts of the building. She felt sorry for taking too much of his time. Then, Madeleine carefully dug up some Cassia and ran to her lab. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to hire more people if the mercenary guild receives more requests. When that time comes, I¡¯m going to use this first floor as a waiting room.¡± ¡°Requests?¡± ¡°Yes, as the mercenary guild grows larger, sometimes we will be commissioned.¡± They could buy what the client wanted instead and could deliver the packages. Such individual requests would bring in a lot of money because they would be dealing with nobles. [Marco William] Thought: Well, this is a commoner district, so I don¡¯t know how many commissions there will be. But it can¡¯t be helped as the environment is better here for children to grow up. I¡¯ll have to think about this later. Marco feared that if he spoke aloud, his comments would fall into the children¡¯s ears. He acted thoughtfully. Thanks to that, Siervian also began to worry. She wanted to be helpful for the mercenary guild. ¡°In addition, our mercenary guild is similar to a place operated by the Imperial Palace, so it¡¯s better to think about it more.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Okay, this is the office for the mercenary guild¡¯s leader. It is now used by Count Navid temporarily.¡± An elegant office was located on the top floor of the mercenary guild¡¯s building. It was decorated as if it was created for Siervian when she became an adult. ¡®Here¡­!¡¯ Although she had to find a home, the foundation for the mercenary guild was built well by her brother and father. Siervian had nearly achieved her dream of independence and sat down in a seat with a happy face. Marco naturally gave her a seat and brought up another topic. ¡°I asked you to meet me today because of our mercenary guild¡¯s short term funding plan.¡± ¡°Short term funding plan? Siervy knows that! It¡¯s the movement of money for a short time!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re smart! That¡¯s correct.¡± Marco told her that the sales and export of the Conoa-scented candles would take more time. That was why she needed items that could generate income for them more quickly. ¡°So, do you have any good ideas?¡± Siervian predicted that Vuingpi feathers would become popular, so he was probably asking if there was anything else she noticed in the Imperial Palace. Organizing her thoughts, Siervian began to tell him about what she had been thinking while heading to the Foundation. CH 88 ¡°Let¡¯s buy a lot of capsaicin grass this time!¡± ¡°Capsaicin¡­?¡± Marco knew that capsaicin was a type of spice. It was not something that many people preferred, so why did she suddenly ask him to buy it? ¡°Yes! I think people will eat a lot of it soon!¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Usually, Marco wouldn¡¯t invest with this sort of vague information. But his previous experience with Vuingpi feathers and Conoa-scented candles caused him to hesitate. Even the sample of Conoa¡¯s scent sent to the West had received a favorable response. ¡°Can I ask you what the reason is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Siervian hesitated. She had no choice but to say that. It was hard to say aloud since she had gained the information from her future. [Marco William] Thoughts: Come to think of it, strong spices like capsaicin come from the Eastern jungle. Did she hear anything about an expedition? Fortunately, Marco was smart. He made up a reason on his own. It was even more surprising that his guess was close to correct. The reason the price of capsaicin will suddenly rise was because an expedition will be sent to seek an endemic disease cure in the Eastern jungle. ¡®Originally, the expedition¡¯s main goal was to find Farim.¡¯ The empire sent men into the Eastern jungle for Farim, a medicinal herb for Western endemic diseases. Therefore, since they already were there, they decided to bring more items back. ¡®Originally, it was hard to visit the West.¡¯ When Garambel was destroyed and the entire West became inaccessible, Farim medicinal herbs naturally became a surplus within the empire. They couldn¡¯t deliver the herbs to the West just because they wanted to. In this situation, there was no need to send people into the rough Eastern jungle, and the mass import of capsaicin also stopped. ¡®Even when Farim was imported no longer, capsaicin became very popular. Due to demand, the price had no choice but to rise.¡¯ Siervian memorized these things in history class. ¡°The nobles would like capsaicin a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± This shortage would be an advantage later on. The nobles usually obsessed over precious and unusual things. ¡°Let¡¯s buy the stock first!¡± ¡°¡­will prices go up that much in a short period of time?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± Siervian knew there was not much time left. If it was a long-term plan, they should plan the entire import process, but it was only for immediate gain, so this would be okay. ¡°Okay. If you have anything else in mind, please feel free to tell me through Tanka.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± They often argued, but it seemed like Tanka and Marco had a relationship close enough to call each other by their first name. ¡°This is a report I prepared because you said you want to learn letters slowly.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you!¡± ¡°First of all, Vuingpi Feather sales are falling little by little. It seems that it¡¯s time for the trend to pass.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Siervian knew that it was time for the trend to disappear. It wouldn¡¯t be long before people got sick of Vuingpi as an unusual item. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we should stop every Vuingpi business, what do you think?¡± It was important to cut every tie when it was clear something would not be profitable, but Siervian didn¡¯t think the same. ¡°Well, let¡¯s keep it a little longer. Fashion won¡¯t instantly end.¡± ¡°Ah, alright.¡± If they wait for a few years, the trend will come back again. ¡°The Conoa candles sent to the West in advance received great response. In particular, people who suffer from endemic diseases are scrambling to inquire about it.¡± ¡°What a relief.¡± She was pleased that her idea was well received. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a good mercenary group to head into the forest.¡± It took quite a while to collect a large amount of Conoa from the Northern forest. This was because most forests in the North were full of monsters. Therefore, they needed a good and reliable mercenary group. ¡°It would be nice to ask the Justice Guild.¡± ¡°Oh, do you know them?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With a nod, Marco wrote down the name on one side. It was near the end of the important conversation. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Madeleine knocked on the door outside the room. ¡°Yes! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, the children wanted to say hello. Did I disturb you¡­¡± The children poked their heads from behind Madeleine. Madeleine¡¯s face hardened as if she thought it was a little rash for her to knock recklessly on the door. However, Siervian quickly got out of her chair while hesitating to approach them. ¡°Teacher, tell the children to come in.¡± Marco stepped forward and brought them inside. The children who saw Siervian tried to greet her nervously. Marco seemed to have taught them just in case. ¡°Hello.¡± However, not wanting to pressure the children, Siervian quickly greeted them. [Marco William] Thoughts: At times like this, she doesn¡¯t seem like a child. ¡°I, I wanted to say hello. Thank you for bringing us here, P, Princess¡­¡± Angel stepped forward as the representative and bowed. Siervian heard that she was the oldest so she came forward. [Angel] Thought: I, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m talking to the Princess! I should¡¯ve said something more but I¡¯m scared! It was a shame that she was very timid. Siervian felt bad to see Angel trembling. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t this the first time she talked to someone her own age aside from Karmen? ¡®I¡¯m nervous as well!¡¯ With a shaky voice, Siervian was about to say something to the children. Marco realized it and called them to introduce themselves one by one instead. ¡°¡­I¡¯m Zecko.¡± Just then, Siervian realized one thing she had forgotten. She had completely forgotten about the spy among the children she saved. [Zecko] Occupation: Navafal¡¯s Spy (Lv.4) Thoughts: Ugh, I wondered why they called me today. So it was only for this. ¡®Wait, didn¡¯t his level go down?¡¯ It was surprising that his already low level had fallen even more than hers, even though she had completely forgotten his existence. Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t be this carefree, she didn¡¯t feel nervous about him. However, as if to scold her, she saw his thoughts. [Zecko] Thought: It¡¯s about time they contact me. They¡¯re late. ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯ Siervian finally came to her senses as the children finished greeting her. Sooner or later, it seemed that this issue should be firmly concluded. *** After the visit to the Welfare Foundation, Siervian became more and more obsessed with studying magic. This was because she wanted to take care of the Cassias often. A day after that, Siervian asked Karmen to help her because she was stuck on a certain problem. Fortunately, Karmen gladly accepted her request. ¡°Siervy, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Huh? Brother?¡± On the day of the appointment, her brother unexpectedly showed up instead. She thought he arrived with Karmen, so she looked behind him, but there was no one. When Siervian seemed to be looking for Karmen, Damian smiled kindly and said, ¡°Karmen had an emergency, so I came instead. By any chance, do you not want me?¡± ¡°No, I like Brother too!¡± It was a little surprising, but of course she welcomed him. Siervian got up quickly and ran to him and grabbed his arms. Then, she brought him to the picnic mat, which was spread out in the corner of the Princess Palace¡¯s garden. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Damian smiled brightly and followed her quietly and sat there. The outdoors was better to feel the mana, so Siervian prepared a special place in the garden today. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Karmen?¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s in a hurry to take part in an inspection of the East Gate mine.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Siervian didn¡¯t notice anything strange and nodded. Then Damian¡¯s expression darkened a little. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: I was going to go, so I had a hard time recommending Karmen on purpose. I feel bad to lie to Siervy but, um, I can¡¯t leave them alone. Siervian covered her mouth and smiled at her brother¡¯s thoughts. Damian was very enthusiastic to help Siervian study magic, perhaps because he felt bad about lying to her. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s why Karmen sent me that message earlier.¡¯ Just before Damian arrived, Karmen suddenly sent a white butterfly to her. It was a symbol of the magic messages they exchanged. There was a very confusing word written there. [Damian is a liar.] The length of his messages increased as he knew that Siervian was learning the letters little by little. Perhaps because he tried to write it as briefly as possible, it became like that. She kept laughing at the thought of Karmen sending such a message with a dissatisfied expression. ¡°Princess, Princess¡­!¡± ¡°Ellie? Are you okay?¡± Then Ellie suddenly ran toward her and urgently called. ¡°That, that¡­¡± When Ellie was asked to explain, she looked at Damian as if she was asking for help. But before Ellie could continue, a harsh voice interrupted her. ¡°How dare you block me!¡± It was the Empress whom she hadn¡¯t met in a long time. CH 89 ¡°Mother¡­!¡± Damian was the first to react. He got up in a hurry and looked at his mother stiffly. The empress ignored him and looked at Siervian sternly. ¡°Did you forget to greet me? Seems like His Majesty gave you a bad habit instead.¡± Siervian had hardened after hearing the harsh voice and quickly rose from her seat. She immediately greeted her politely. Unlike before, she did not stumble thanks to the increasing synchronization between her body and mind. ¡°The one who needs to learn manners is this chief lady-in-waiting. That¡¯s why the discipline in the Princess¡¯ palace is so haphazard.¡± ¡­But it seemed the empress still wasn¡¯t happy. Ellie bowed deeply in an attempt to please the empress, while Siervian was angry because Ellie was scolded. Damian stepped forward as if he knew what Siervian was thinking and said, ¡°¡­Mother. I¡¯m afraid His Majesty¡¯s strict orders will make you angry.¡± Even though she was the empress, Ellie, who had blocked her, did not do anything wrong. This was because the emperor¡¯s order to prevent the empress from approaching Siervian was still valid. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. I came to visit the Crown Prince. Wouldn¡¯t it be fine to have your mother next to you?¡± The empress spoke to the Crown Prince while smiling softly. When Siervian heard that, she felt that the Empress was being too much. This was the Princess Palace, so it was a sloppy excuse. She came to see her. She wanted to keep an eye on her brother¡¯s movements, so she arrived on purpose. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Why would she force herself in like this¡­? Her prediction seemed correct. This was because her brother also had similar thoughts. Well, the empress enjoyed her suffering. Her favorability always dropped even more every time she passed by Siervian¡¯s garden and when she saw her munching away on sandwiches. She would also show her hate if Siervian wore new and beautiful clothes, as if Siervian shouldn¡¯t enjoy any of it. Why did she hate her so much? Siervian had only realized just how abnormal the situation she was in was. She couldn¡¯t understand the motive behind her attempts to abuse a child who was only eight years old. ¡°Well, now that we¡¯ve encountered each other, I¡¯ll have to teach the Princess after a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer me? Maybe because you have a lowly mother, you don¡¯t know manners at all.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± The empress now seemed to have stopped all pretense at being a wise mother. She didn¡¯t know anything else, but she couldn¡¯t understand why she even revealed her true feelings in front of Damian. [Cybelle Elverdotte] Thoughts: That black hair. What an eyesore. She doesn¡¯t even know her place¡­! If she didn¡¯t look at the status window, she would never have been able to tell her real thoughts. Siervian became depressed as she remembered how she was in her past life. ¡°I will accept your teaching¡­¡± She was afraid that her loved ones would be hurt again. So, while lowering her head, Siervian replied. She could see her maids shaking with anger while grabbing their skirts. She just needed to be patient. Once she bent down, the empress spoke in a nicer tone. But she never expressed her true thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re being provided the heir¡¯s education aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Siervian was nervous when she suddenly brought up that topic. Her older brother standing next to her also responded that he didn¡¯t understand why she was suddenly saying that. ¡°Say that you want to stop the lessons to His Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Hearing the order, Siervian unconsciously raised her head. Her brother¡¯s expression also changed as if he finally understood what was going on. Regardless of the children¡¯s reactions, the empress spoke again nonchalantly. ¡°His Majesty has been merciful for a while, but you have to know how to decline things that are not within your means.¡± ¡°Mother, this is something that my father had-!¡± ¡°Crown Prince, stop. Princess, do you understand? Go there and tell him you¡¯ll stop.¡± Siervian had also worried when she heard that she would be educated that way for the first time. But of course, she didn¡¯t expect the empress to act like this. Was she in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t even conceal her enmity in front of Damian? ¡®Quit the magic lessons, tell him yourself.¡¯ Suddenly, she remembered the empress who ¡®advised¡¯ her to stop magic lessons in her previous life. She didn¡¯t know the empress had influenced her enough for her to lose her reasoning. She thought it was the right thing to do. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You dare to oppose me?¡± The empress approached her as if she was going to grab her shoulder like last time. In the first place, Siervian had not said she wanted to learn it, but her father had ordered it. She was also worried about this. Nevertheless, the empress thought it was all Siervian¡¯s fault. She closed her eyes in reflex at the empress¡¯ action. Just in case she planned to hit her. ¡°Mother!¡± But Damian protected Siervian firmly. ¡°Crown Prince! Who are you protecting now? Do you think this is a light issue?!¡± The empress was prevented from coming closer and raised her voice for the first time toward the prince. However, Damian was even more surprised when he witnessed his mother persecute Siervian for the first time. ¡°If Siervian is more capable to be the emperor, then she should do that!¡± ¡°How could you say that¡­!¡± ¡°Do you think that I don¡¯t have the quality of an emperor?¡± The empress raised her eyebrows at her son¡¯s logical rebuttal. Of course, if only the quality was considered, Siervian could not be compared to Damian. It was just a senseless worry. ¡°You just need to approach His Majesty and say-¡± ¡°Stop! What are the guards doing? Take my mother back to the palace right away!¡± However, she was escorted away without being able to speak. The empress felt deeply betrayed by her son who even mobilized the guards to banish her. ¡®That was close.¡¯ Siervian could see what her brother had in mind, that was why he forced his mother to stop talking. [Cybell Elverdotte] Thought: How could he love her so much that he was willing to give up the throne and not to me, his mother! This was a worry that should never be expressed out loud. She not only doubted the emperor¡¯s judgment but also opposed his order. Shaking as she stood, the empress turned around even before the guards approached her. She did not forget to say something malicious until the end, ¡°I¡¯m not going to give up.¡± [Cybelle Elverdotte] Thoughts: That girl must have bewitched my son again. It can¡¯t be like this! Watching her disappear, Siervian remained silent. When she noticed her brother standing next to her with a gloomy face, she couldn¡¯t even comfort him. ¡®If the empress calmed down a little, she would know how grave her words were.¡¯ This time, only cold silence lingered in the noisy Princess¡¯ Palace. Damian sorted out his complicated thoughts after a long time, smiled and spoke to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Siervy. You just can learn everything you want.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Brother.¡± ¡°Yes. You say it¡¯s hard to move mana in a certain direction?¡± As if to change the subject, he brought back the topic they were discussing before the empress showed up. Realizing it, Siervian answered brightly. ¡°Yes!¡± She could obviously do it in the Welfare Foundation while directing the mana to Cassia flower. However, when she returned, she couldn¡¯t repeat the action. Due to her serious expression, Damian also became serious and worried about her. ¡°Then shall we try this?¡± For a long time, the two focused on the flow of mana, closing their eyes, meditating or moving the mana in person. However, in one side of her mind, she remained anxious. *** Just a few days later the empress¡¯ warning was given to the palace again. ¡°My name is Della Dixie, and I¡¯m in charge of the etiquette class.¡± At the social season, Countess Dixie, who was famous in high society, appeared at the Imperial Palace. ¡°¡­¡­Welcome, ma¡¯am.¡± Siervien greeted Countess Dixie as she slowly circled the room. Looking at the scene, Siervian inwardly tried to fake a smile. Even in her previous life, Countess Dixie had been her etiquette teacher. The countess taught her a lot of things before. ¡®She¡¯s trying to do that again to a child?¡¯ Siervian in the past had a very different personality from now. She was a little timid and worried, so she had a lot of difficulty mingling into the social world from her debut. The Countess advised her at that time; that way, the young children will listen to her, she said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Simply, she told her to hold herself back and drag the time so that she could observe the others and find a topic. Siervian followed that advice and noticed something strange after a while. It was only after some time she realized that the nobles thought of her as conceited. ¡®When I got older, she quit being a teacher as if she was running away.¡¯ It was clear why she would do such a thing to the Princess again. [Della Dixie] Thoughts: Hmm, considering what she said to her, she has a good posture. What she was doing now was rude. Siervian realized that the empress had begun to put spies on her. However, there was one thing the Countess Dixie and the Empress did not know. As Siervian had been through this in her previous life, she had learned manners impeccably. And now that her synchronization rate was increasing, if she concentrated, she could naturally do the things she was taught in a short time CH 90 ¡®I¡¯m not going to be tricked this time.¡¯ Apparently, Countess Dixie had given her maliciously distorted information about etiquette. She didn¡¯t lie, but she let the young Siervian misunderstand and misbehave. Well, at least she was taught basic manners harshly. That way, she wouldn¡¯t be able to flourish in high society. ¡®¡­¡­It was really hard.¡¯ Putting an effort to maintain a great posture everytime and everywhere was not easy. She had endured all that with her malnourished body. Hence, Siervian did not want to forgive Countess Dixie. [Della Dixie] Job: ¨C Thoughts: I need to lower her determination. Her Majesty says she is a weak girl. There was one big flaw in her status window that gave Siervian concrete proof that she was being deceived by the empress. Nothing about her job was specified. Unlike the imperial family, ordinary nobles did not have a specified job. Instead, jobs used to emerge only after they were employed at the Imperial Palace. And being the etiquette teacher of the Princess was a job at the Imperial Palace with a salary. ¡®She didn¡¯t take her role as a teacher seriously in the first place.¡¯ Unlike the empress, her favorability was not negative. However, as long as the intention was impure, Siervian decided not to let her go. [Della Dixie] Thoughts: Something¡¯s not right. She didn¡¯t get scared even though I circled around the room arrogantly on purpose. Countess Dixie slapped the fan she was holding into her palm so that it made a sound. She would have been nervous if it was her previous life since she was just a child. Nevertheless, Siervian smiled brightly rather than cringing and said, ¡°You can sit over there, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for your kindness.¡± Countess Dixie¡¯s eyebrows pulled together for a moment. Her attitude just now ruined the efforts of the Countess who had tried to set the mood. It was also as if Siervian said, ¡®I¡¯m not interested in what you are doing, so sit down.¡¯ [Della Dixie] Thoughts: There¡¯s no way a girl who hasn¡¯t even made her debutante would understand that. Of course, Siervian did it for that exact reason. In addition, it had the effect of making the Countess admit with her own mouth that she could only sit with the permission of the imperial family. Countess Dixie shook the hand holding the fan, as if she was angry. Thanks to that, the Vuingpi feathers, which decorated the fan splendidly, fluttered. ¡®So she was my mercenary guild¡¯s customer.¡¯ The Countess must have had no idea that it was the Princess in front of her who made a lot of money by creating those Vuingpi feather items. Most nobles were indifferent to such matters. They simply bought it to keep up with the trends. ¡°First of all, let¡¯s correct your sitting posture.¡± The Countess had been silent for a while and finally suggested to her lightly. Siervian listened to her and held back her laughter while nodding her head as if she knew nothing. ¡®Sitting from the beginning? She¡¯s really determined.¡¯ At first glance, practicing sitting seems to be easy, but from Siervian¡¯s experience, it was several times more difficult than standing or walking. That was especially the case for young children, because it was harder at their age to control their body. ¡°May I touch your body a little to guide you?¡± The Countess glanced sideways at the maids while saying this. Because of that, Siervian recovered a bad memory, making her face harden. The Countess used to pinch her under the guise of teaching her. And on her first day learning etiquette, her forearm was scratched. ¡®This time, she also won¡¯t control herself.¡¯ But Siervian, and the situation, was different this time. Ellie silently glared at the Countess in the corner and stepped out. ¡°You can¡¯t touch the princess¡¯ body.¡± Ellie had been glaring at the Countess ever since she circled the room arrogantly and made her announcements. Meanwhile Jane, who understood the social etiquette of nobles, also glared at her. ¡®Ellie, you¡¯re doing great!¡¯ Ellie warned her again when the Countess reacted negatively. ¡°It was His Majesty¡¯s order, so please be careful with your words and actions, Countess.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t mean to do that. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± When she heard about the Emperor, the Countess quickly lowered her head. She didn¡¯t dare defy an order head on. [Della Dixie] Thoughts: Oh my God, I have to educate her in a different way. However, her atmosphere is very different from what Her Majesty said¡­ It was still ridiculous that she was thinking of educating her in any way. On top of that, when memories of her previous life came to mind, Siervian had a hard time suppressing a bitter smile that was not suitable for her age. Sarah, who was originally in Ellie¡¯s place, not only immediately agreed with the Countess, she even let the Countess hit her because they were on the same side. ¡°Hmm. Then, shall we start correcting your posture? It may take some time, but it can¡¯t be helped because of His Majesty¡¯s order.¡± Siervian came to her senses when she saw the Countess step back and heard that the etiquette class would be prolonged. Contrary to what she said, the class shouldn¡¯t be longer. ¡°Well, first of all, you should never let your stomach relax when you sit down. Straighten your spine¡­¡± The Countess showed her a perfect sitting posture, as if she naturally sat like that. It was also as if she showed her that there was a reason why the high society was filled with respectable people, even though they were able to do bad things in cooperation with the empress. While pretending to listen, Siervian examined her body. Specifically, the number that was shown on her status window. [Body and soul synchronization¡­ 25%] The percentage had grown significantly compared to when she first regressed. It was much easier to move her body, and with a little concentration, it was possible to move like when she was an adult. Even if it was only for a short time. And it was very useful in etiquette class. ¡°Now, try it yourself. You can do it, right?¡± There were various ways to demonstrate without touching the body. It was also possible to guide posture without having to pinch her. However, the Countess acted as if she needed to imitate her perfectly right away after demonstrating her posture a few times. If she were a child who knew nothing, she would have been in a very embarrassing situation. ¡®But I can do it.¡¯ Siervian confidently focused. Even though she was dubbed as the villainess in her previous life, she was well versed in etiquette. Soon, she sat perfectly with her back straight, just like when she was praised. ¡°¡­You¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± The Countess tried to find any fault within Siervian and finally gave her a good response. Siervian thanked her with an elegant nod. [Della Dixie] Thoughts: She obviously said she had only started learning now, let alone taking etiquette classes. What¡¯s going on? After that, the Countess continued to try in vain for a long time. On the other hand, the maids standing around looked proud until the end of class. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s tiring.¡¯ The Countess had left so Siervian relaxed her posture. Jane came toward her with a slight smile when she saw her. ¡°You must¡¯ve had a hard time!¡± Siervian quickly corrected her posture again and spoke gracefully in a playful way, ¡°No, Siervy is fine.¡± ¡°Oh my, what perfect posture!¡± [Jane Millas] Favorability: +50 [Ellie] Favorability: +50 The maids laughed in appreciation of her imitation of the Countess. In a more comfortable atmosphere, Siervian waited for her next class while sipping the juice in front of her. ¡®It¡¯s time for history class.¡¯ She will attend two classes today, etiquette and history. In her previous life, she took more than five classes a day, but this time it changed. Apparently, Siervian¡¯s father saw her schedule and reduced her lessons a lot. ¡®Father is the best!¡¯ Only magic class was fun. For other classes, it was a bit of a waste of time because she had already learned those things once. It was a relief that she could practice magic more in her spare time. ¡°This time, you¡¯ll learn history, Princess.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It was a class where she had to read books, so a small desk was placed in front of her to match her small body. This table was specially made for today. Seeing that thoughtful consideration, a bitter smile appeared on her face while she reviewed the memories of her past life. ¡®The desk Sarah gave me was so big and rough that my legs couldn¡¯t reach the ground when I sat down.¡¯ Siervian waited for the history teacher while fiddling with the magical quill pen, a pen that won¡¯t ever run dry. If her predictions were correct, her teacher would probably be an empress¡¯ spy, also. ¡®I worked hard in history class, but it was really difficult.¡¯ Of course, it was not easy to memorize the vast history. However, when she thought about it now, a lot of the information she memorized wasn¡¯t useful. ¡°Your Highness. I am Count Bianchet.¡± Perhaps because it was a class rather than a party, Count Bianchet entered wearing a tailcoat rather than a dress. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Bara Bianchet, Your Highness.¡± Just as she had experienced in her previous life, her overly stiff tone felt familiar to Siervian. Contrary to her harsh tone, her status window was normal. [Bara Bianchet] Job: The Princess¡¯ History teacher (Lv. 94) Thoughts: I keep getting annoying calls from the Princess¡¯ Palace. I just have to stick to my duties. ¡®She wasn¡¯t the empress¡¯ spy.¡¯ Siervian greeted her politely ¡®But, why was she so strict in my previous life?¡¯ She thought it was unfair. CH 91 *TL/N: I forgot to include this note in the previous chapter. Count Bianchet¡¯s gender is not specified. However, judging from Siervian¡¯s thought, ¡®wearing a tailcoat rather than a dress,¡¯ I¡¯ll refer to Bianchet with feminine pronouns until it is specified otherwise. ¡ª ¡°I hear you¡¯ve mastered reading.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Count Bianchet nodded sharply as if she liked the fact and immediately got to the point. There was still no such thing as a friendly attitude toward the royal family. Even Countess Dixie, who was hostile to her, treated her formally. ¡°First, we will learn with the ¡®Elverdotte Empire History Book¡¯ that I mentioned before.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Because the lessons are short, you will need to work hard to meet the target.¡± The count will probably set the same target as before in her previous life. So Siervian must digest more information in the class. ¡®She became even more strict!¡¯ She learned the lesson while being scolded by Count Bianchet. So she naturally assumed that she had a relationship with the empress. She might use the opportunity in class to bully her. ¡°I will continue repeating that historical literacy as a royal family is quite important.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Maybe she was just a strict person. Now that she thought about it, it was fortunate for her to have studied diligently in her past life. Suddenly, she saw something strange when she opened the book. [Bara Bianchet] Thoughts: She¡¯s just a child, but she is already being strictly supervised. She was bothered by the empress sending her to spy. Even Count Bianchet would be in trouble if she behaved like Countess Dixie. Unlike Countess Dixie. Count Bianchet¡¯s family was famous as a noble family full of prestigious scholars. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then I¡¯ll start the class right away. Please open your book. We will begin with the founding of our empire.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Responding bravely, Siervian showed motivation. It was so clear that Count Bianchet treated her neutrally despite the pressure from the empress. Well, they were different classes! Therefore, if she showed her willingness to work hard, the count will take good care of her even a little bit. She had already learned it once, but decided to study hard. ¡®There may be something I missed.¡¯ As she lifted her quill pen with enthusiasm, Count Bianchet lifted her eyebrows unexpectedly. [Bara Bianchet] Thoughts: She¡¯s more obedient than expected. She¡¯s pitiful, but His Majesty will know about it later. It¡¯ll be a different story if she¡¯s a child with no one to rely on, though. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡°¡­It¡¯s good to see your motivation¡­ If you look at the first page¡­¡± Count Bianchet suddenly complimented her. More than that, her innermost thoughts caught Siervian¡¯s attention. ¡®So if I had no one to rely on, she would be nicer?¡¯ It was a strange idea considering the strict character of Count Bianchet. Especially the feeling that she would care more if Siervian was such a child. In her previous life, she was such a child. She was not very close to her father, the emperor. But the empress, who seemed to be on good terms with her before, pressured Count Bianchet. Then suddenly, she remembered something that was said in her past life. ¡°As you dig through history, you can see the results¡­¡­ I hope it helps you.¡± It was an oddly warm word, an uncharacteristically nice word coming from Count Bianchet. At that time, Siervian was pressed to follow the class lessons, so she didn¡¯t have time to think deeply. Siervian had a strange look on her face at the sudden memory. In fact, didn¡¯t Siervian¡¯s life change very much thanks to Count Bianchet? ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to her learning history.¡¯ Count Bianchet had always been a scary person from start to the end. But she continued to teach Siervian despite the pressure from the empress until the end. ¡°It seems a lot at first glance, but you¡¯ll get used to it soon. If you read a book for five hours a day steadily¡­¡± At that time, Count Bianchet went on sternly, perhaps misunderstanding her strange expression. Five hours a day was ridiculous, but Siervian nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, I can do it!¡± ¡°Then, look at the table of contents from the beginning to the end of the book. This is a good habit to develop to keep track in advance.¡± Fortunately, Siervian still retained most of her historical knowledge. She quickly opened the book and looked at the table of contents as the count said. ¡®This history book is different.¡¯ At the end of the history book, there was also something about the kingdom of Garambel. In her previous life, it was clearly written as ¡®The Fall of Garambel and the Destruction of the West Coast.¡¯ ¡°You can see the determination of the empire that saved the kingdom of Garambell. If you look closely, there is also a reference to the Princess.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± What the Count had noted was the exact opposite of what she knew, from titles to content. There was still no evidence that the endemic disease was spread by a conspiracy, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel strange about it. ¡°Come to think of it, as a historian, I should thank the Princess. The Mosae Kingdom Royal Library has many rare books. I couldn¡¯t go to the west coast for years.¡± Siervian smiled awkwardly and nodded because it was like reading her own achievements. ¡°Now let¡¯s look at the founding myth again.¡± Perhaps thinking that the Count had said something useless, she glanced sideways at the magic watch on her arm and took a closer look at Siervian. Siervian obediently returned to the first page and started focusing. ¡°The first emperor and great mage, Elverdotte¡­¡± She had already heard it once, but she focused on the class. In a moderate tone, Count Bianchet proceeded without hesitation. ¡°The first emperor was acquainted with the elves.¡± After a long while they finally reached ¡®the beginning of the war¡¯ part, which was the start of the founding of the empire. Reading about the elves reminded her of the traces of them she saw in the Mage Tower. It felt different than when she read it. ¡°His great friend, the grand King Kasselov of the Elves, led the reinforcements in a dramatic moment¡­¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Siervian had been lost in thought and suddenly raised her head. The letter did not change even when she looked at it again in surprise. ¡®Kasselov?¡¯ Her eyes popped wide at the unexpected name and remained that way until the end of the class. *** ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t have to eat all of this, do I?¡± ¡°Do you want a macaron?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­¡± A few days later, Siervian sat face to face with Karmen in the drawing room of the Imperial Palace. They also prepared a mountain of cakes for Karmen, who was busy training and could not eat sweet snacks to his heart¡¯s content. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Cake is nice. ¡®Looking at his thoughts, I think cake was the right choice.¡¯ But his thoughts were a little strange so Siervian tilted her head. There¡¯s no one in the world who doesn¡¯t like sweets! ¡°¡­¡­Delicious.¡± ¡°Right?!¡± Concentrating on the thread and needle in her hand, Siervian couldn¡¯t look at Karmen¡¯s status window and answered. Originally, they were supposed to meet at the hideout again. However, because Siervian couldn¡¯t finish her embroidery homework in time, she invited Karmen to the Imperial Palace. Siervian could reply to his magic letters now, so a sudden schedule change was possible. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s homework. Wait. Um, here, do it like this, then¡­¡± Originally, she had not taken embroidery classes in her previous life. To be exact, the embroidery class that she had tried to take an interest in during her previous life had ended quickly. After finishing the first assignment, she told the empress that it was so much fun, but the class was ended for some reason. And until the day of Siervian¡¯s death, there was no further embroidery class. On the contrary, the number of etiquette classes were increased. ¡®I¡¯m sure she did it on purpose. She¡¯s mean!¡¯ It was an incident she still remembered. At the time, it had been a wonderful experience for Siervian to produce something with her own hands. She had forgotten how it felt since then because her life had been so hard. ¡°You don¡¯t have to learn embroidery, do you?¡± As Karmen said, the royal family usually did not learn embroidery skills. It was only necessary for the children of aristocratic families. In the first place, the hands of the royal family only needed to move well for magic. ¡°Yes. But I wanted to do it!¡± However, in this life, she became interested when she saw Jane embroidering. She wanted to make something herself and give it to her precious people as a small gift. ¡°Well, alright¡­¡± Karmen said in a bitter tone. Siervian raised her head in reaction to his tone and scratched her cheek awkwardly when she saw what Karmen was looking at. In her hand, there was a pattern that became more and more random the more it was embroidered. ¡°But it isn¡¯t going well¡­¡± When she held the needle, she felt her fingers move freely. When she confidently inserted the needle thinking it would work, only strangely disorganized patterns were created. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Karmen couldn¡¯t bear to say anything. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: If I ask her whether she was embroidering worms, will she get mad? Reading his status window, Siervian glared at Karmen. ¡°This is a Cassia flower.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I know. I thought so too. Wow, it¡¯s obviously a Cassia flower.¡± Siervian burst into a smile as she looked at Karmen, who spoke calmly. In fact, after she looked at it she realized. Her dexterity was really terrible. ¡°Does it look like a worm?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Karmen turned his head to avoid Siervian¡¯s gaze while she squinted as if questioning him. Karmen grew taller every time she saw him and was wearing a nice mage robe again today. The robe, which at first looked big, now fit him. ¡°So, how long do you have to do it? Let¡¯s play.¡± Before asking, he took a bite of the cake then put down his fork. ¡°You said I¡¯m not old enough to play with you!¡± When she repeated what Karmen had once said, he smiled brightly. ¡°But here I am waiting to play with you.¡± Siervian watched his wonderful smile for a moment then also smiled. By the way, she had just seen him in the morning for magic class, but then he called her again to the hideout. What was going on? CH 92 ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy these days?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy. I have to go to the mine again tomorrow. I won¡¯t return for a few days.¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: I¡¯m going to miss you, so I¡¯ll look at you a lot today. ¡­I need to take care of Damian tomorrow as well. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Siervian understood the situation after seeing his thoughts and scratched at her cheek again. Karmen had been thinking about that a lot lately. The mining problem was originally her brother¡¯s job, but he sent Karmen instead. ¡°Give me that. I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She needed to do homework herself. However Siervian, who had already been stabbed by the needles many times, was in agony. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: I came all the way here. I can¡¯t let her focus on that piece of cloth throughout our conversation. I need to get rid of it quickly. Still, Karmen looked upset. But Siervian, reading his thoughts, eventually held out her embroidered cloth as if she could not win. ¡®Well, the mine is too far away to send a magic message.¡¯ There was a distance limit to magic messages. The limit could increase when the two of them matured, but right now, they had to be together in the imperial palace to reach each other. ¡°You want to embroider Cassia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­How about the worms that move between Cassia flowers?¡± ¡°Karmen!¡± Siervian shouted at him as he deliberately teased her. Nevertheless, Karmen snorted once and quickly moved his hand. He had a different level of speed and ability from her. ¡°You¡¯re good at sewing.¡± ¡°Oh, my younger siblings often tore their clothing. I couldn¡¯t afford to buy them new clothes, so I worked hard to¡­ Hmm, I fixed it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Karmen¡¯s younger siblings had moved into Siervian¡¯s Welfare Foundation. Before that, they lived in a slum with Karmen. She had heard that his younger siblings weren¡¯t related by blood to each other. Her eyes turned again to Karmen¡¯s status window. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Well, it¡¯s pretty cute for a worm when I look at it again. I shouldn¡¯t have teased her. What if she gets upset? ¡®Hmm, can I ask him about this?¡¯ Siervian kept looking at his last name in the status window and ignored his thoughts about the worm. ¡®Is he related to Kasselov the Great?¡¯ When she first met Karmen, she felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu hearing that last name. Don¡¯t tell me it was felt because of what she had read in a history book. ¡°Karmen.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When did you start living with your younger siblings?¡± As a child, she withheld the question for a long time. Because he was just a child, she had borne the curiosity for a long time. Unlike before, she could ask the sensitive question now. Karmen looked at the embroidery cloth and answered the sudden question. His slightly furrowed brows seemed like his expression when something didn¡¯t go as he wanted. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve lived in the slums from my earliest memory, and my younger siblings gathered before I knew it. We have to stick together to survive.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Just in case, Siervian had already checked the last names of all nobles in the empire. Of course, there was no noble with the last name Kasselov. So she wondered if Karmen came from a distant kingdom. ¡°Why do you suddenly ask that?¡± ¡°Just because. I suddenly got curious while talking about your younger siblings.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Hmm, she had a bad teacher. Should I help her and take this class together with her? There seemed to be no reason for Karmen to deceive her about his origin. If he wanted to deceive her, she thought it would have been obvious. Siervian didn¡¯t pursue it any further, because she felt she was opening her friend¡¯s wounds for no reason. ¡®They said Elves weren¡¯t much different from humans on the surface. But I¡¯m not sure.¡¯ Siervian was troubled by the secret of his birth, which Karmen himself did not know. She hoped she could help him one day though. ¡°Okay, this is enough.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Surprisingly, the embroidery cloth, which used to be crawling with worms, now held the shapes of flowers. It was the same color as Cassia. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll outline another flower.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two agreed with a mischievous look on their faces. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat the cake?¡± ¡°Should we start eating?¡± ¡°Yes¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: I haven¡¯t eaten anything I like for quite a while now, so I should eat it and go play. Siervian smiled as she looked at his displeased expression and thoughts. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± ¡°Hurry and eat, I¡¯m busy!¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: Well, just sitting and laughing with her is not bad either. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Siervian smiled again and lifted her fork. Then suddenly, she remembered the thing he mentioned earlier. ¡°How many days will you be at the mine?¡± ¡°Well, about a week?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Karmen had been dispatched to the place where a large vein of Kurchad ore was buried. Kurchad ore was classified as a very important resource because it increases mana conductivity. That didn¡¯t mean the mages dug the ore themselves, so she was a bit curious about it. ¡°I need to do some things. I think there¡¯s some monster hanging around.¡± ¡°Monster?!¡± There were, of course, monsters in the snowy mountains outside the palace. But she didn¡¯t think her friend had something to do with those monsters, so Siervian was surprised and stopped eating. ¡°No, well, it appeared once. Just once.¡± ¡°Really?¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: There were more monsters than I thought, but I shouldn¡¯t tell her because she¡¯ll worry. Liar! She was surprised, but she couldn¡¯t bear to question him, so Siervian agonized inside. Of course Karmen will become a great mage in the future. He was already a very good mage. ¡®But he is still young now.¡¯ He was taller than Siervian, but he was young. Especially to her, a grown-up adult inside. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: It would have been easier if it wasn¡¯t for the mage who was dispatched with me. That person looks suspicious, how can I find out? ¡®Who?¡¯ It would be nice to see for herself the person dispatched with him. Planning to see him to find out, Siervian kept an eye on Karmen¡¯s expression. His beautiful silver eyes turned toward her. ¡°It¡¯s true. And even if a monster comes out, it¡¯s no match for me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She believed in his skills, but she was worried because there were many monsters. In her previous life, the Kurchad mine had been closed after a monster attack. ¡®That was because of Count Mirccino, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ So, if Count Mirccino used some magic tool and wasn¡¯t discovered, it wouldn¡¯t happen this time. He had employed it far away from the monster habitat. Because of this, the mine, which was near the habitat, was attacked. ¡°But still, be careful. Got it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about useless things.¡± Strangely, she kept worrying. She was afraid Karmen would be hurt. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be careful.¡± Siervian held out her pinky finger to him. Karmen held out his hand for a moment then reluctantly intertwined his fingers with hers. ¡°Yes, alright.¡± [Karmen Kasselov] Mood: Excited Thoughts: It¡¯s true. I should be a little more careful. Siervian smiled as she looked at his ears, which turned slightly red when he was embarrassed. ¡°Right, the teacher¡­¡± Siervian eventually parted ways with Karmen after chatting in the drawing room. Their brief conversation continued until the sun set. Karmen left, but he didn¡¯t actually want to leave. ¡°Oh, did you do it?¡± Ellie had appeared to clean the drawing room and asked in surprise seeing the embroidery cloth on the table. ¡°¡­Karmen helped me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ellie coughed for a moment and rushed to make excuses. ¡°No, of course, you¡¯re good¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I guess I¡¯m not good at embroidery.¡± Hearing her calm voice, Ellie and Jane exchanged gazes. Then they began to console her in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s alright, you¡¯re good at magic even if you¡¯re not good at this, and you¡¯re pretty!¡± ¡°Of course. Considering the princess¡¯ cuteness, it¡¯ll be a problem if you¡¯re good at this as well.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The direction of their consolation was strange, but Siervian decided to nod. She knew they wanted to console her anyway. ¡°Shall we take a bath now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They talked nonstop as they went up to the bedroom carrying the embroidery stuff. Since some time ago, the Princess Palace has been filled with lively conversations. ¡°By the way, our princess has already grown enough to embroider herself¡­¡± Suddenly, Ellie looked out the window and spoke. Siervian also felt strange because she could understand why Ellie said that. ¡°I thought so too. At first, I was worried because the princess was too thin, but these days, you¡¯re full of energy so it¡¯s nice.¡± As Jane said, Siervian was thin, and now she had such a busy schedule. Especially after establishing the welfare foundation. She needed to head there once a week. ¡°By the way, Princess. Do you know about Cassia flowers?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Madeleine said she¡¯s working on a study. Are you planning to publicize the results when it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°Probably. What¡¯s wrong?¡± CH 93 Chapter 93 Remembering Madeleine, Siervian asked lightly. Then Ellie told her what happened before. ¡°My friend¡¯s sibling fever didn¡¯t go down either, so I asked for some Cassia.¡± ¡°Ah, so how are they now?¡± Siervian gave her the mana-infused Cassia flower at Ellie¡¯s request the other day. ¡°Fortunately, they got better. Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Well, it might be too presumptive of me to say, but I think it would be better if more people knew about it.¡± Jane nodded in agreement with Ellie¡¯s comment. While listening carefully to her, Siervian was lost in thought. ¡®Is there anything that I can do for people who can¡¯t get mana treatment like Ellie suggested?¡¯ Siervian thought about the unexpected concern until she fell asleep. * * * The next day, Siervian headed to the welfare foundation in the commoner¡¯s district. It wasn¡¯t the day she had originally planned to go, but she had had an idea the day before. When she arrived at the building, Madeleine welcomed her with joy. ¡°You¡¯re here, Princess.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Siervian ran happily to her because she happened to have something to say to Madeleine. She immediately outlined her thinking to Madeleine, who always had dirt on her sleeves. Even if Siervian was a little more mature, the excitement was not easy to endure because she was eager all night. ¡°Madeleine, you know what¡­ Let¡¯s make a book!¡± ¡°A book?¡± There were two treatment options for sick people. One was to go to a mana treatment center, and the other was to go to a doctor like Madeleine. Depending on the disease, there were times when mana treatment was more effective. But there were also times when it was better to consume medicine. ¡°I think it would be nice to make a simple list of medicinal herbs for poor people.¡± However, some people were unable to choose anything. Children in the slums, in particular, were less likely to receive such benefits. That was why there was an overwhelming number of patients who ended up dying from fevers in the slums. They were in a situation where they couldn¡¯t pay for treatment when their fever rose. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea. There are doctors who would reduce the cost of treatment if they brought the herbs themselves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Standing before the Cassia flower garden, Siervian discussed it with Madeleine for a long time. Then suddenly, she noticed Madeleine¡¯s shopping basket in her arms. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, today is ¡®the original sin of greed.¡¯¡± ¡°The greed, what?¡± Siervian asked, tilting her head slightly at the sudden foreign term. Madeleine smiled tenderly and continued to explain. ¡°Did you know that the commoner¡¯s district market is held with different themes every day?¡± ¡°Oh, I know! The themes are food, valuables, plants and animals, entertainment, and, well, there are many great deals!¡± ¡°Yes. You understand it very well. Among them, when food ingredient market stalls were set up, the theme is called the original sin of greed.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± When she came to see it in disguise with her father, there were many animals and plants because that was the theme at that time. Siervian¡¯s eyes shone when she heard her explanation. So she looked at her escort, Sir Roid, who was guarding at the back. ¡°Can I go with you, too? Sir Roid, can I?¡± Every time she visited the welfare foundation, Sir Roid accompanied her. Hearing Siervian, he merely nodded his head as if he could not win against the princess¡¯ twinkling eyes. ¡°But I think it would be better to wear a little disguise.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Nodding her head, Siervian pulled a ring from her pocket. ¡°What is that, Princess?¡± ¡°Watch carefully.¡± As soon as it slid onto her finger, a faint light flashed. And then, there was Siervian with normal brown hair and eyes. ¡°Oh my!¡± Siervian had already felt the need for a disguise from before as she frequented the welfare foundation. So, while she was attending the magic class, she made a ring with the help of Karmen and her brother. But the effect was not very long-lasting yet. ¡°Hurry up and let¡¯s go!¡± Perhaps the magic was fascinating, so Madeleine could not take her eyes off Siervian¡¯s transformed face. She suddenly came to her senses and put a robe on Siervian. ¡°The robe is a little old, but I think it¡¯s better to cover your clothing because that¡¯s a luxurious outfit.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Siervian decided she should bring some more appropriate clothing to the welfare foundation later. ¡°How are the kids?¡± ¡°They¡¯re very healthy. It¡¯s the birthday of one of the children soon, so I¡¯m going out to buy some ingredients.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Sir Roid kept a distance from them, while Madeleine and Siervian walked side by side like a mother and daughter. As she walked around the corner from the building, she could see the complicated landscape of the market. ¡°There are a lot of people. There are usually a lot of people on the day of the original sin.¡± [Madeleine] Thoughts: I¡¯d like to hold her hand, can I? Madeleine hesitated, but she was worried about Siervian who was still child-sized. Seeing her status window, Siervian reached for Madeleine¡¯s hand first. ¡°Hold on tight.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± [Madeleine] Thoughts: I won¡¯t let go of the Princess¡¯ hand. She held me first¡­! She thought Madeleine would be a little bit better because she saw her often, but she had remained awestruck. Siervian smiled awkwardly but soon focused on the surrounding scenery. As it was a day to sell food ingredients, the streets were overflowing with all sorts of people. In particular, on one side of the street, stands selling snacks were densely lined up without gaps. ¡°It seems delicious!¡± Near the stand, children carefully holding coins were drooling and looking up at the stand. On the other side, a merchant promoting fresh meat shouted loudly. It was a lively scene where people with twinkling eyes were waiting to buy things a little cheaper. ¡®There are more buyers today.¡¯ During her last visit, there had been far more merchants than buyers. It was so amazing to know that the market changed drastically depending on the items sold. Then Sir Roid, who was walking at a distance, approached her. ¡°I¡¯ll guard you up close.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Siervian nodded at his careful words. He didn¡¯t use her title just in case someone was listening. Siervian suddenly became nervous and peeked at his status window. [Adante Roid] Thoughts: There are more people than I anticipated¡­ Well, if I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve increased the number of guards. Even he, a noble, seemed to have never expected such a crowd in the commoner¡¯s district. Siervian enjoyed the scenery while looking around with her eyes twinkling. Every time she concentrated on someone, their status window popped up, but now, she could control her ability to some extent. The trick was not to stare too long. ¡°Huh?¡± At that time, even though she didn¡¯t look at the person for a long time, she saw a far away status window. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± [Zecko] Occupation: Navafal¡¯s Spy (Lv. 4) He was a spy, but she kept forgetting him because of his low level. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Zecko. You have a great eye.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Well, Zecko was so far away that it was strange to find him at once. Fortunately, Madeleine didn¡¯t think it was strange. Hence Siervian smiled awkwardly and kept an eye on Zecko, who continued to move. [Zecko] Thoughts: Where did they go? ¡®Is he in the middle of spying?¡¯ She was even more nervous when she realized that. Who was he looking for in such a large crowd? ¡°Hmm, he said he was going to find his parents. I don¡¯t know if it went well.¡± ¡°His parents?¡± For a moment, she was suspicious. However, Siervian didn¡¯t say anything when she watched his status window change. [Zecko] Thoughts: Mom, Dad¡­ Why did you disappear without me? The imperial palace wasn¡¯t even good so why? ¡°Ah¡­¡± For a moment, Siervian remembered Hex¡¯ thoughts with a grim face. Some parents thought it was a better choice for their children¡¯s future to leave them here because it was backed by the imperial palace. ¡°Marco said they would still get support from the foundation even if they visited their parents. But we can¡¯t get in touch with Zecko¡¯s parents.¡± Madeleine explained that Zecko was the only one who didn¡¯t know the whereabouts of his parents at all. For a moment, Siervian felt emotional. Obviously, considering his status window, she still needed to be wary of the child. [Zecko] Mood: Sad. She couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with the child inside. Zecko disappeared into the crowd like a lost child. She watched him until she couldn¡¯t even see his hair, but her feelings did not disappear. Thus, throughout her trip back to the welfare foundation after the tour, his status window remained in her head. ¡°You¡¯re here, Princess.¡± Marco was waiting for Siervian at the building. ¡°Yes. Marco, hello.¡± Siervian continued to worry while greeting him. Strangely, she kept thinking about Zecko. ¡°Oh, Princess.¡± ¡°Hello Tanka.¡± Tanka was being held tightly by Marco so greeted her with difficulty. Both of them seemed to be busy with work. ¡°What happened out there?¡± Marco asked tactfully as Siervian returned with a serious look on her face. Come to think of it, key figures of this welfare foundation were gathered in this place. Thanks to this, Siervian, who had been busy worrying alone, finally opened her mouth. ¡°I have something important to say.¡± She had to choose. Should she treat Zecko as a spy and punish him, or should she try to embrace him? ¡°Zecko¡­¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t change her grim expression as she began to speak. She worried about how this would go. CH 94 Chapter 94 Zecko was sure his parents would¡¯ve met him if he waited there a little longer. However, they were not the people who came to Zecko as he waited in the dark alley. Back then, a person dressed as an imperial mage reached out his hand, and he lost his consciousness without time to resist. It was hell after that. ¡°Hey, kid. Look ahead!¡± He couldn¡¯t focus because he recalled the bad memory for a while. Zecko was criticized by a stranger in the middle of a huge market and stepped back with a big frown. ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s also your fault for not paying attention.¡± ¡°What? You punk!¡± Zecko began to run, avoiding the adult who looked back at him with an angry face. He was glad he could escape ¡®that¡¯ place and was fed up with the Empire. There were only mean adults everywhere. ¡°They¡¯re all the same.¡± The man wearing the imperial mage robe was a person who was seen quite often in the commoner¡¯s district. Zecko knew he wasn¡¯t a nice person and did not like the guy walking around with a smile. There was also a hideous rumor that the children who disappeared became the mage¡¯s disciples and did not return. Of course, there were plenty of children who gambled just so they could escape poverty. ¡®I¡¯m sure the princess won¡¯t be any different.¡¯ The welfare foundation¡¯s caretakers claimed that mage was the only bad guy. The imperial family realized it and saved them. But Zecko couldn¡¯t believe it. In the first place, no one really knew the truth. Maybe the foundation was made to bury the truth and settle the case. ¡®But why did they ask me to go to the foundation?¡¯ Actually, Zecko didn¡¯t even want to go there. Because he didn¡¯t want to be fooled by them again. He didn¡¯t know what it took to be a spy and wanted to end it at the Imperial Palace. However, these people asked him to head to the Princess¡¯ welfare foundation. ¡®I should¡¯ve quit.¡¯ But suddenly, he remembered the dark basement where he was locked up. Goosebumps sprang up all over his body as he trembled while running. ¡°Hmph. If I hide like this, they won¡¯t be able to find me.¡± Zecko deliberately bragged to himself and headed back to the slums again. Zecko still did not know the identity of the guys who bought the children and locked them in the basement, even though he was a spy at this moment. When the Crown Prince showed up, Zecko had agreed when he said he would send him back if he didn¡¯t carry out his tasks in the future. He remembered the dark basement he was locked up in again. ¡®I-I¡¯m not scared.¡¯ Zecko started running again to shake off the fear that threatened to overtake him. Soon after, shabby buildings began to come into sight as he headed to a dreary place in the commoner¡¯s district. That place was located on the edge of the magic circle, so the cold air of the North sometimes penetrated the slums. ¡®They¡¯re not here¡­ Not here.¡¯ Today, he even went to a person who was close to his parents and asked for their whereabouts, but it was in vain. Zecko was not originally from the slums. He wasn¡¯t all that rich but he was able to live without starving. But at some point, his parents¡¯ faces started to become somber all the time. Did they really want to abandon him? ¡®Is that why they didn¡¯t even leave a trace?¡¯ One of his friends at the welfare foundation said that their parents sold them to the mage themselves. The fact lingered in his head. He was afraid it was the case with his parents. ¡®But no, I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ The reason he followed the princess even though he didn¡¯t believe in the empire and the imperial family was because he still had hope about his parents. ¡°I missed the other child, so take him instead because we need enough children.¡± He recalled what the mage had said before he completely fainted. So there must have been some mistake. His parents wouldn¡¯t have sold him to a mage. ¡°Hey, you punk. Where are you hiding?¡± Zecko wandered aimlessly in the alley because he lost his way again. Then, like before, he ran into a passerby, and soon that person screamed at him. ¡°Huh? Hey you, ugh!¡± ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± However, unlike near the market earlier, he was immediately hit by a fist. He was hit fiercely as if the guy never intended to let go of a young child like him who looked about ten years old. Only then did Zecko realize how dangerous the slums are. ¡°Speak again, you little rat.¡± ¡°I- I¡­¡± This time he curled up reflexively as he was about to be kicked. His anger was constantly building up in his heart. He hoped this shitty empire and bad adults would fall into ruin. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°What? Who dares¡­ Huh?¡± Then he heard urgent steps. Zecko was lying down and heard a child¡¯s footsteps and inadvertently raised his head. ¡°Ptooey.¡± After that, he heard the clanging sound of armor. The rogue spotted the knight behind him rather than the child in front, hence, he immediately left Zecko and fled. Even though his kicks had stopped, Zecko still stared blankly ahead. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although the color of her eyes and hair were changed a bit, he couldn¡¯t help but recognize her face. She¡¯s a princess who should be in the imperial palace, why the hell was she here? Then, she held out her hand as if she was worried about him. Only then did Zecko, who suddenly came to his senses, hurriedly stand up. ¡°S-stop it!¡± If she does this, he might be in big trouble later. The knights behind them might grab Zecko at any moment. That made Zecko frantic. It was scary. ¡®How did they know I was here?¡¯ Zecko broke out in a cold sweat as he rushed between them. He ran out thoughtlessly to a place with bright sunlight and wandered around as if no one would find him. Zecko did not realize that running away suddenly made him seem more suspicious. ¡®It must be a coincidence.¡¯ It was not until when everyone returned home and the streets were quiet that Zecko came to his senses. ¡®The Princess must be walking around the city.¡¯ The Princess had originally been hard to see yet had been coming to the welfare foundation very often recently. Even though he was busy looking for his parents outside, Zecko knew of it. So it was just a coincidence that they encountered each other in the slums. In addition, his actions weren¡¯t suspicious until now so he shouldn¡¯t have been suspected. ¡®Where should I go?¡¯ Zecko wandered the streets until it was dark and eventually returned to the welfare foundation. He received nice clothes and bedding, but strangely, it didn¡¯t seem like a home. Nevertheless, he had to return because he had nowhere to go. ¡°Zecko! Are you okay?¡± As soon as he entered, his roommate approached him in surprise. ¡°M, mind your own business!¡± Hearing the uproar, Angel, the oldest child there, rushed to look at Zecko. As if they were annoying, Zecko waved his hands, but each child still made a fuss. They must¡¯ve thought there was a big problem because he came back in this state. ¡°I¡¯ll get Madeleine right away,¡± Angel said urgently after getting up. Finally, Zecko, who failed to acknowledge this unknown emotion, screamed loudly. ¡°Leave me alone!¡± It was only after he shouted that the children quieted. Their gaze made Zecko feel bad that he hurriedly slept in his own bed. It was a very chaotic day. * * * The slums were a place where people were beaten up just because of a slight mistake, but Zecko couldn¡¯t stop wandering around the slums. It was the last place he had seen his parents. And there was nowhere else to check. ¡®If only I had strength, I¡¯d easily beat them up. Right now, I¡¯m just putting up with it because I don¡¯t want to be suspicious.¡¯ He thought so, even though what he was doing now wasn¡¯t spying. Nevertheless, Zecko carefully wandered around the slums for days, working hard to justify his actions. It was a coincidence that he ran into the Princess that day, and he hadn¡¯t seen her since. Also, there was no news of his parents. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was snooping around and got into fights three more times within a few days. They even kicked him two times, but Zecko did not give up. He kept asking for news of his parents without pause. ¡°Hey you. Kid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me a kid.¡± How dare he call him a kid when he became a spy for scary people? All the guys here were stupidly running wild without knowing a thing about him. Zecko bragged inside while backing away with slight fear. ¡°Yes, you. You said you were looking for your parents.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± How did he know? Well in fact, it would easily be known if he observed and followed Zecko. Zecko approached him and was about to ask him his intention. ¡°I¡¯m an informant.¡± But before that, the person said so, and Zecko was convinced by his claim. As an informant, he could easily know about Zecko. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zecko asked as he leaned against the wall. Zecko often met adults who had bad intentions toward him, so it felt weird to be suddenly approached. ¡°I have that information.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Zecko rushed up to him, forgetting to deliberately act nonchalantly. Meanwhile, the big man had a weird smile on his face. ¡°Where are they?!¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t just give it to you. Do you have any money to pay for the information?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zecko did not have money. As he looked up at the informant without hiding his nervousness, the man sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, but I have to make money, too.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Zecko had only been there for a few days, but he knew a thing or two about the slums. Even though he had no money,the informant didn¡¯t turn his back because he needed him. When asked by Zecko, the informant smiled broadly and wrapped an arm around Zecko¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You said you live in the Princess¡¯ welfare foundation?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ CH 95 ¡°¡­Yes, so?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a lot I need there, why don¡¯t you help me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Surprised, Zecko tried to step back. However, his small body had already been captured and couldn¡¯t escape the man¡¯s grasp. ¡°Think it over. I heard there¡¯s a pile of gold hidden there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zecko was troubled as the man patted his cheek and informed him of the place and time, then left. The man¡¯s composure seemed as if he really had the information, so Zecko could only think it over and bite his lips. He agonized on the spot to the point where his lips were bleeding and eventually headed back to the welfare foundation with a firm expression. ¡®That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a spy anyway, so what¡¯s the problem?¡¯ The whereabouts of his parents seemed to be more important to him. * * * Later that night, Zecko, who had been lying down early and pretending to sleep, saw an opportunity. The children at the foundation didn¡¯t approach him after he yelled at those who were worried. ¡®I¡¯m not supposed to be close to them anyway.¡¯ Today was strangely cold, so Zecko pulled the blanket further around his neck and curled up. It was definitely a high-quality blanket, but the feel of it against his skin stung today. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After a while, the children in the same room with him tossed and turned, then finally fell asleep. It happened to be a cloudy night, so it was very dark outside. ¡®It¡¯s time.¡¯ Zecko rose carefully and crept from the room. The children¡¯s accommodation looked like an inn. Fortunately, the floor didn¡¯t creak because it was a new building. When he crossed the yard, he hid himself behind a wall. ¡®I should hide myself well.¡¯ As he moved without making a sound, he felt like time was passing very slowly. Nervously counting the minutes, Zecko hurried to the mercenary guild¡¯s building. He could see the door to the outside was locked tightly, but there was nothing blocking him from coming inside. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they really forgot to lock it. Foolish.¡¯ However, when he entered the mercenary guild¡¯s building and climbed the stairs, he had a lot of thoughts. Will he get caught? What if he gets caught and kicked out? Of course, he didn¡¯t want to stay in this imperial family¡¯s ¡®proud¡¯ foundation. Still, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if he left? ¡®No, it won¡¯t be. If I find my parents with the money I take from here, I will have a place to go.¡¯ Yes, that was all that mattered. Zecko climbed the stairs one by one and stopped pondering. During the day, the children went back and forth from the mercenary guild¡¯s building for one reason or another. He was also in charge of activities such as cleaning and organizing. Of course, the job paid him, but that was far from enough to buy information. Actually, he deliberately chose to clean this place during the day. Zecko was not in charge of cleaning the building today. But he could do it with a little bit of an excuse. He could also enter inside because he left the door open on purpose while waiting for Marco to return. Marco was relatively sloppy in locking the building¡¯s door because intrusion from outside was protected by a magic alarm anyway. ¡®I found it.¡¯ Zecko also knew the location of the safe. He immediately headed there, and hurriedly opened the safe as he took out the money bag inside. ¡®It¡¯s heavy ¡­Should I take more and give it to my parents?¡¯ Having found what he wanted, Zecko walked away happily. He didn¡¯t realize that it would be strange to open a safe that easily just because the door was opened. * * * ¡°Cough, cough.¡± He was sure he didn¡¯t do anything suspicious, but he was strangely impatient. So his pace kept getting faster as he headed toward the place that the informant had said. It was not long before the steps quickly turned into a sprint. Strangely, the purse in his hand felt really heavy. When he picked it up, he thought about many things, but now he just wanted to pass this heavy thing on to the informant. ¡®Just in time. I¡¯m not followed right?¡¯ It was a perfect plan even for him. It was only then that he felt sorry for the adults of the foundation who he had stolen the money from. Still, Zecko, who bit his lips, slowed down and trudged forward. He didn¡¯t want to show the informant that he was in a hurry. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In an imposing manner, Zecko faced the informant with arrogance. That way, he wouldn¡¯t be taken lightly as a child who rushed without properly fixing his pajamas. ¡°Did you bring the money?¡± ¡°¡­Give me the information first.¡± Still, Zecko didn¡¯t hand over the money hastily because he knew not to trust a stranger easily. However, the problem was that he didn¡¯t think of hiding the bag first. ¡°Hmm.¡± The informant came toward Zecko without hesitation. Zecko, intimidated by the pressure, stepped back cautiously. But the man who realized that Zecko really came here alone, laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you have enough money, huh?¡± ¡°N- no.¡± From the beginning, it didn¡¯t matter whether this child¡¯s parents were dead or alive. The man just found out about him when he heard that there was a strange child who came back after they beat him up in the slums. When he was rumored to be a child of the princess¡¯ welfare foundation, he had an idea. Wasn¡¯t there a rumor that the mercenary guild¡¯s leader there was very skillful, so they were accumulating money? ¡°Give it to me.¡± The man didn¡¯t expect much because this child was stupid. He was content with taking away anything he brought. He didn¡¯t expect that Zecko would come with a bag full of gold. The greedy swindler grabbed Zecko¡¯s neck, with the intention of taking the money forcefully. ¡°No! Ahh!¡± ¡°Hey! You punk!¡± Zecko, who thought something was wrong, reflexively bit the swindler¡¯s arm. Due to the pain, the man swung his arms recklessly. The small child¡¯s body swung and was thrown into the air. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°You rat!¡± He tried to shout quietly even though he was angry. They were close to the slums, so he had to be cautious just in case there were people who noticed this bag of gold. He strode up to the child with patience. Compared to his previous stupidity, the child was desperately hugging his money bag. ¡°Give it to me when I say it nicely!¡± ¡°If you tell me where my parents are, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± He was just a swindler, so there was no information he could give him in the first place. Well, there were rumors, but he wasn¡¯t sure. The child was suspicious of him, so it was unlikely that he would give in easily even if he told him. Therefore, it was best and more convenient to just take the money bag. ¡°No!¡± Zecko burst into tears, but he was pressed down. He was afraid and hoped that someone would save him. Hence Zecko still desperately clutched his bag, relying on a slight hope. ¡°You¡¯re annoying!¡± Finally, the swindler, who couldn¡¯t grab the bag, lifted his leg high. Zecko had a feeling that he would lose his consciousness if he was kicked, so he immediately closed his eyes. At that very moment, a bright light burst out from the dark alleyway. ¡°Don¡¯t bother Zecko!¡± It was magic. ¡°Ahh!¡± When the swindler saw the burst of lights in front of him, he stepped back in surprise. It wasn¡¯t until he stepped back that he realized it was just light magic, not fire or electricity. ¡°How¡­ ugh!¡± Light magic was the lowest form of magic. For this reason, the swindler, who was in the middle of evaluating the opponent¡¯s skills, took a step back again. ¡°Hold it!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± However, there was a line of knights behind the child who had used light magic in front of him. The sound of iron from the collision of armor and sword made the swindler afraid. In an instant, the guards caught him. The knight who commanded, ¡°Drag him¡± was also familiar to Zecko. He was a knight who always stuck to the Princess. But there was something more important than that. Zecko, who was crouching down, approached the Princess as if he was waiting on his knees. All the money bags he had been holding so preciously were thrown away. ¡°M- my parents.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Even though he had shaken off that hand just a while ago, the Princess asked him kindly. Thanks to this, Zecko could not hold back his tears. Emotions that had been forcibly suppressed burst out at once. The anger, frustration, and fear of being abandoned by his parents were too difficult for a child to handle alone. ¡°My father, my parents, he said¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I know where they are.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He knew the imperial family was doing everything they could. He had been helped a lot by them. But he needed something to resent. Otherwise, he could only cry. He thought he couldn¡¯t do anything if he kept crying. ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry, please, please¡­¡± Zecko cried like the child he was, letting go of all his emotions. Then, he showed his inner thoughts honestly and asked for help from the Princess who had been reaching out to him all the time. ¡°Please¡­¡± This time, it was just his true self who had stolen the money who spoke. No matter how kind the princess was, she would not care for him. Maybe he¡¯ll be taken away with that swindler. As expected, the Princess did not bat an eye at the swindler despite such pleas. Just as he was about to feel frustrated again, the Princess said something unexpected. ¡°I think I know where your parents are.¡± ¡°What?¡± Siervian¡¯s blue eyes shone beautifully, reflected in the eyes of the tearful Zecko. CH 96 ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re on the outskirts?¡± Zecko could only see Siervian, but in fact, it was not just the knights who followed her. Siervian had announced she was going to the city in the middle of the night, so the Crown Prince and the Tower Lord¡¯s apprentice followed her wordlessly. ¡°Yes, if the information that bad guy knew is correct.¡± When Karmen returned from the mine, he came to see Siervian and accompanied her. ¡°If it¡¯s the outskirts, it¡¯s definitely hard for a child to find them alone.¡± The crown prince shook his head at Siervian¡¯s determination. In the empire, the outskirts meant outside of the magic circle. If the slum was still under the protection of the magic circle, the outskirts were not. It was a harsh place where they would experience the cold wind of the north. ¡°What¡¯s the outskirts?¡± Zecko had been listening quietly and couldn¡¯t help but interrupt their conversation. Just where were his parents that they discussed it with such grim expressions? ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, when two fierce eyes looked back at him, Zecko stepped back and lowered his head. The gazes of the crown prince and the Tower Lord apprentice were very scary. He forgot because the Princess was so nice, but he actually was in no position to talk to her so easily. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Zecko!¡± ¡°No, Siervy. I¡¯m just trying to explain¡­¡± ¡°He keeps putting you in danger¡­ okay, fine.¡± Zecko had always defended himself by bluffing and found he couldn¡¯t in this situation because his defense had already been broken. He was nervous again. The experience of being surrounded by intimidating knights on a dark night made him more jittery. They reminded him of the guys who surrounded him in the dark basement. Besides, he had run out in pajamas, so the closer they got to the outskirts they talked about, the colder his body became. ¡°So what¡¯s the outskirts?¡± ¡°Do you know, Siervy?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ I have just heard of it, too.¡± The princess replied awkwardly to the prince¡¯s question. Even though Zecko thought it was strange, he carefully examined the crown prince¡¯s face. He wondered if his parents were really there. If so, could it be a dangerous place? Why were they there? ¡°We¡¯re here. This is the outskirts. It¡¯s pretty dangerous¡­¡± They were standing at the edge of the huge magic circle that covered the upper part of the city. It was impressive to see the border under his feet, shining subtly on purpose as if to show him the boundary. ¡°We need to leave the magic circle?¡± asked the princess, very surprised. Zecko was also surprised. The magic circle was essential for the city. If they left it, they had to be wary of monsters as well as the extreme cold. ¡°Yes, but this is near the capital. There are people who live in the gap between the magic circle and the outskirts.¡± Among the places in this empire, the situation in the southern part of the capital was better. First of all, there were fewer monsters. Hearing the explanation of the crown prince, the princess asked curiously, ¡°But why would they be there?¡± ¡°¡­ They might be criminals, or there might be other unavoidable circumstances.¡± At that moment, Zecko¡¯s heart sank. Why did his parents go there? ¡°Let¡¯s hurry for now.¡± The princess was a very strange person. How did she know that he was in such a hurry that she went ahead of him? The outskirts were generally similar to the slums. The old shanties were really close to each other as if trying to combat the coldness. There was a non-magical fire burning on a pile of wood in the middle, and people huddled around them. ¡°Be careful, Your Highness. It¡¯s a dangerous area.¡± The princess¡¯ escort, who often came here to arrest criminals, spoke. The people there showed signs of wariness, but Zecko didn¡¯t care and rushed forward. ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± They looked puzzled as Zecko ran toward them looking for his parents. He approached the people near the fire recklessly and looked into their faces, but no one was familiar. Everyone seemed uncomfortable with Zecko, but no one directly talked to him as they were wary of the knights behind him. ¡°Light!¡± The bright light he saw earlier burst out again. When he turned around, he could see the princess behind him with a floating sphere of light in her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking. Hurry!¡± Zecko burst into tears again and barely nodded his head. He felt it instinctively. If his parents were not here either, they would never be found elsewhere again. ¡°Mom! I¡¯m Zecko, Dad!¡± But no matter how much he looked at the people around the fire, he couldn¡¯t see his parents. It wasn¡¯t until he was about to sit down in despair that someone hissed in a harsh tone. ¡°Go to the back. They seem to be the couple you¡¯re looking for¡­ Don¡¯t wander around here making us uncomfortable.¡± His voice was barely audible to Zecko, as if he was conscious of the knights behind him. Zecko looked to that place as he was convinced and started running. The sound of small footsteps was also heard from behind. The princess followed him. ¡°Mom, Dad!¡± The place the man pointed to was behind a shady shack with no fire. He wondered if there would be anyone in such a cold place. Then, they saw some people lying there. ¡°Zecko¡­¡­?¡± They were his parents. ¡°Mom!¡± The voice called him without energy, but there was no way he wouldn¡¯t recognize it. At once, Zecko ran to his mother, who was lying on an old straw mat. She frowned as if the light that the princess had in her hand was too bright. Next to her was his father who was also sick. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Zecko¡­¡± Zecko, who finally had what he had dreamed of, was thrilled and tried to hug them. ¡­Only if it wasn¡¯t for what his father said next. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± His father woke up and was puzzled for a moment and suddenly looked at him coldly. Only then did his mother sigh. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I think you came here after a hard time, but isn¡¯t it time for you to understand?¡± Looking at the two haggard faces in a daze, Zecko only smiled. He couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Reading their windows, Siervian clearly understood the feelings of Zecko¡¯s parents. [Thoughts: How did he get this far? I didn¡¯t want to be a burden on purpose¡­ but he was always a brilliant kid.] [Thoughts: That¡¯s definitely knights with him. Like they said, Zecko must be treated well. If they know his parents are alive, he will be kicked out of the foundation.] ¡®What are those two thinking?¡¯ They said something more, but Siervian could grasp their situation and feelings. She didn¡¯t know what they had heard, but it was obvious that they were acting like this for Zecko. ¡°M- Mom, Dad, why¡­¡± ¡°Go back. We decided to stay here for a while then move to another city.¡± ¡°I, I, I¡­!¡± Finally, Siervian couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted, ¡°Why are you lying! It¡¯s not like that!¡± They might find out that she could see the status window, but she couldn¡¯t bear it. Zecko was about to break down. Startled by Siervien¡¯s shout, Zecko¡¯s mother looked up at her. She noticed Zecko¡¯s father holding his mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Zecko¡¯s father nervously, looking at her fine clothes and the knights behind her. He was shocked for a moment because he saw his son. But now that he noticed, Siervian, who even used magic, seemed to have an extraordinary status. ¡°Even if Zecko has parents, he would still receive support! Even with the support of the imperial family, it would be better for him to be with his parents!¡± Rather than answering the question, Siervian kept shouting. She thought they were acting strangely, and she couldn¡¯t stand it when she read their thoughts. It was like seeing her old self who didn¡¯t know her father¡¯s feelings and misunderstood him repeatedly. If Zecko misunderstood his parents and turned around, he would be wounded for the rest of his life. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s guaranteed by the princess!¡± They were visibly shaken by Siervian¡¯s words. They were also shocked that the status of the small child in front of them was greater than they thought. Then, Zecko, who had been holding his breath as if his world had crumbled down, asked again. ¡°Why, why¡­ is that it?¡± Zecko looked at his parents earnestly with confused eyes. They didn¡¯t want him to stay with them for material support. But he just wanted to be with his family, so he persisted until he became a spy. ¡°Tell him honestly! Zecko is sad!¡± The princess¡¯ words encouraged them. They burst into tears as they looked back at their actions. ¡°Forgive your parents, Zecko¡­¡± ¡°Cough.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± Eventually, Zecko crawled toward them tearfully. His parent¡¯s shaking hands finally grabbed him. ¡°Your father and mother have mana scarcity.¡± ¡°Wh- what¡­?¡± CH 97 Mana scarcity was a very unusual and incurable disease. First of all, there were no special symptoms other than losing strength from their body. However, it was a disease that would end in death if treatment wasn¡¯t continued. Although outbreak was more frequent in the empire due to the influence of the magic circle, it was a disease that appeared everywhere throughout the continent. ¡°Mana scarcity¡­!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Harmin tea was the medicine that helped to prevent death from mana scarcity before adulthood. Sometimes, however, people contracted mana scarcity as they aged, even if they had survived before thanks to Harmin tea. Both of them must be unlucky to catch a disease like that. ¡°You can cure it. I can even make money now!¡± ¡°Zecko¡­¡± There was one way to manage mana scarcity. It was to inject mana steadily through mana treatment. It was natural that a huge amount of money would be spent in the process. It was unfortunate if it occurred to a noble who could pay for those treatments, but it was a disaster for the commoners. ¡°Ordinary people like us can not afford that.¡± ¡°But ¡­!¡± Zecko¡¯s mother began to cry as well. Their situation was pitiable. [Karmen Kasselov] Thoughts: They have mana scarcity? How could that be? Besides, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re old enough to develop mana scarcity¡­ The most common occurrence of the disease was in the elderly. In addition, the frequency of mana scarcity in elderly was similar to that in the other empires and continents as well. Therefore, doctors diagnosed that the influence of the magic circle could be overcome with Harmin tea for some time but couldn¡¯t beat natural constitution. ¡°Do you know how to treat it, Karmen?¡± asked Siervian hastily, watching the situation from the side. Karmen glanced sideways at her and quietly opened his mouth. He didn¡¯t feel comfortable watching this family full of misfortune. ¡°They need constant mana treatment. If they want to live like normal people, they should get treated at least once a week.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± If it was that much, it would be a difficult treatment process without wealth to support it. Then, Zecko¡¯s father, who quietly tried to calm down, opened his mouth, ¡°I want to spend some time with my son before I go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± They said they chose this extreme method because they feared that Zecko would be evicted. They wanted to take care of their child for the rest of their lives. But they were worried about his situation after they died. If he was ousted from the foundation, they thought he couldn¡¯t go anywhere else. ¡°How could¡­¡± Zecko shed tears at his parents¡¯ choice. Karmen had silently watched their reunion next to him then clicked his tongue and used a magic spell. In an instant, their space warmed up. ¡°But what happened when I was kidnapped?¡± The reason why his parents didn¡¯t visit him was definitely shocking, but they were convinced. However, it was unclear why he had to wait for his parents in the slums after he was kidnapped. His father, recalling the time when Zecko disappeared, also shed tears. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed, but I was trying to make a living. I got a big debt under my name.¡± ¡°Was that why you were running away?¡± ¡°Yes, but you disappeared when we went to where you were waiting.¡± The couple, realizing that some of the children had been kidnapped that day, had searched desperately for Zecko. However, he could not be found after being dragged to the southern continent. As they continued to explain, they suddenly knelt down and bowed their heads toward the crown prince. ¡°Thank you very, very much for saving my son. Ugh.¡± As the air warmed up, their frozen heads could move a little bit. Siervian had identified herself as a princess. So it was easy to assume that the blue-eyed man next to her was the crown prince. ¡°Get up, everyone,¡± said the crown prince, who was equally uncomfortable observing the child¡¯s family reunion. Even if they cleared up the misunderstanding, they couldn¡¯t cure their illness. ¡°I knew it. You guys didn¡¯t abandon me, did you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we shouldn¡¯t have hidden so far away.¡± ¡°Yes, we shouldn¡¯t have done it recklessly because a good opportunity came.¡± Siervian felt strange hearing the words of the man who spoke mournfully. At the moment when she felt she needed to inquire about it, someone else asked the question, ¡°A good opportunity?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I heard that there was a way other than mana treatment, so¡­¡± The crying couple continued to answer, ¡°Well, thankfully, there was someone who wanted to give us some Harmin tea.¡± Karmen and the Crown Prince exchanged glances at the sudden mention of Harmin tea. Siervian, who continued to observe the couple, also frowned. They weren¡¯t lying, but it was an unbelievable story. They couldn¡¯t have been given the Harmin tea just like that. ¡°You were swindled.¡± When Karmen spoke firmly, the couple looked at each other again and were about to say something. Hearing those words, they hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°No, I went to the duke¡¯s mansion myself.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The crown prince urgently questioned the details. They borrowed money to receive mana treatment several times. One day, the couple who wanted to borrow money met a person from the duke¡¯s family who said that if they took Harmin tea, they would be able to slow the progress of the disease. With incredible luck, the couple decided to immediately head to the treatment center provided by the duchy. However, the duke¡¯s family instructed them to keep it a secret, and in the process, they had to keep moving as if they were running away without being able to pay off their debts. ¡°That was what happened. I was separated from Zecko in the process. I never imagined that he would be kidnapped while I took my eyes off him for a second. Then, after a while, I heard rumors that the crown prince had returned with the children.¡± Of course, they were going to meet Zecko again. However, the people of the duke¡¯s family found the couple again in a timely manner. They said they would give them the treatment they wanted then. When the couple said they would go to their son, the person didn¡¯t stop them. They just said something strange. ¡°¡­They said that if Zecko knew that his parents were alive, it would be difficult for him to receive support.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The unexpected statement stunned Siervian. The duke offered those who were allergic to Harmin tea. They didn¡¯t know he was doing such a thing. However, when she glanced sideways at her brother¡¯s status window, she had to be serious. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Using Harmin tea even though it¡¯s adult mana scarcity¡­? No way. Siervian suddenly remembered the mission she had entrusted to the Justice Guild. Everything surrounding the duke was suspicious. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Zecko¡¯s parents would be involved.¡± It was a strange coincidence. Anyway, Siervian managed to come to her senses and rushed to the knights behind her for help. However she could, she intended to take Zecko¡¯s parents out of this cold place. ¡°Help them!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Zecko¡¯s parents were further weakened by the cold and only moved with the help of the knights. At that time, the Crown Prince had been thinking about the matter and suddenly came up with a question. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: But how did Siervian know they were here? ¡®Oh my.¡¯ Siervian felt nervous seeing his questioning. She had taken off as soon as she saw the fraudster¡¯s status window, but it must¡¯ve looked suspicious. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Did she receive some help from the intelligence of the guild? Fortunately, her smart brother came up with a plausible excuse on his own. ¡®I need to be more careful.¡¯ That was how the incident ended. * * * A few days later, Siervian visited the Welfare Foundation. This was because she had heard that Zecko wanted to meet her, saying he had something to tell. As she entered the upper chamber where Marco was, she noticed Zecko, who was very nervous. ¡°Princess.¡± Siervian had something to negotiate with Zecko as well. When she asked how he was doing and sat face to face, Zecko looked more nervous. Then he told her straight away. ¡°I was, in fact, acting as a spy. I was also worried about hiding this fact until the end.¡± Fortunately, Zecko began to confess with a sincere look on his face. ¡°¡­I was secretly reporting the movements of the Princess Palace.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Siervian responded calmly with relief. Zecko looked at her in surprise as if he hadn¡¯t even thought of it. Then, realizing that all the adults near him knew this, he lowered his head again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Marco and Madeleine exchanged looks as they listened to the apology. They had been surprised when the Princess suddenly said that Zecko was acting strangely. They wondered if it was okay to leave the safe door open on purpose. When Zecko stole the money bag, they didn¡¯t expect this turn of events. However, as a result, Zecko found his parents. So they thought there must have been a misunderstanding. But he was really a spy? CH 98 ¡°How did it happen?¡± People¡¯s eyes moved to Zecko when he was asked by the princess. Gulping in tension, Zecko closed his eyes reflexively. He was instantly engulfed in darkness, and it reminded him of the dark basement. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t want to either.¡± ¡°Zecko, take your time and elaborate.¡± Madeleine couldn¡¯t hold back and stepped up to soothe him. Because she always took care of the children, she felt restless. It was a huge crime to be a spy against the imperial family. ¡°I lost consciousness after seeing a mage, and when I opened my eyes, I was inside a carriage.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°There were a lot of children besides me, and we were all trapped in a dark basement.¡± As he told the story, Zecko felt like he was back in that dark basement. It was an unpleasant dark place with a strange smell of iron. The children who were trapped there could only tremble. The people with black robes would occasionally take the children one by one. And once they were removed from the dark basement, no one returned. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hearing the tale, Madeleine and Siervian couldn¡¯t say anything with their mouths open. In particular, Siervian, saw the fear felt by Zecko at that time and was shocked. ¡°Did they tell you what group or kingdom they were from?¡± Sir Roid was watching him intently and asked Zecko. This child had already been questioned, but he had to do his job as a knight himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear. They just told me to go to a place at one time. A letter will be there, and if the envelope was stained with blood, the letter could be opened.¡± Inside the opened envelope was a blank sheet of paper. When his blood was smeared again, only then he could see the writing. Usually, they would ask basic questions like where their current location was, if there were any rumors, etc. They mostly asked about things Zecko thought were not very important. He answered everything he could, telling them the place and time when the next letter would be placed. ¡°Hmm. They use pretty tricky magic for a spy.¡± Sir Roid sighed as if he knew what kind of magic was used. Siervian was nervous for no reason and continued to keep her eyes on Zecko. Fortunately, Zecko did not tell a single lie. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­ I should have stopped my spy activities, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sir Roid raised his eyebrows slightly at Zecko¡¯s words of contrition. [Adante Roid] Thoughts: That¡¯s weird. Normally, I would place a ban restricting spies. ¡­¡­Should I really keep interrogating the child? Seeing the window, Siervian urgently asked Zecko. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to run away? Did they cast a spell on you?¡± In fact, she could save Zecko if she confirmed the fact. His low level proved that Zecko didn¡¯t want to be a spy. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Zecko suddenly lowered his head in response to her question. His head hurt when he recalled memories that were nothing short of trauma. When being dragged out of the dark basement, Zecko thought he was marked for death. When the children tried to rebel in fear, they knocked Zecko out. And when he opened his eyes again, he was forced to become a spy. He immediately accepted it because he didn¡¯t want to die. ¡°¡­In fact, I was afraid they would follow me, so I couldn¡¯t do anything. The letter was also placed inside the palace.¡± Even if Zecko thought about it, he didn¡¯t know what they believed in and why they would release him like that. However, unlike what he tried to believe, that they would never find him if he ran away, he was scared. The letter definitely existed, and someone had put it there. So he was probably under surveillance. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked the princess to help me. ¡­¡­I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m under surveillance.¡± It was also a crime to ask the imperial family for help like this. Because of that, Zecko, having revealed all of his sins, felt afraid again. He was worried about his parents who were in urgent need of treatment right now, and since he committed this crime, he may be dragged to a scarier place than the basement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t help but be honest. It was too hard to deceive the princess who kept trying to help him. ¡°But why did you say they¡¯re in the welfare foundation?¡± Marco had listened to the conversation in silence, and finally questioned him. Zecko could only answer the question in wonder as well, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I only saw the note telling me to go here.¡± ¡®Why did they ask him to come to the Welfare Foundation?¡¯ The person who delivered the letter was planted in the palace at best, so it was strange. From Zecko¡¯s status window, Siervian, who knew that they were from Navafal Kingdom, was even more confused. Why was a strong kingdom like Navafal watching her? ¡®Did they misunderstand this foundation as my father¡¯s business?¡¯ This was the most plausible assumption for now. After pondering briefly, Siervian told Zecko who had his eyes closed tightly as if waiting for the ruling, ¡°I want to ask my father to forgive Zecko. You must have been very scared.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± Zecko had thought he would be punished somehow and was surprised. And soon, his tears burst out as he was filled with many emotions. ¡°C-come to think of it, you helped me find my parents e-even though you knew I was a spy.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to punish him after seeing his sad eyes. ¡°You must be sad,¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t help it because he looked like a lost child. ¡°Thank you for being honest.¡± ¡°Sniffle¡­!¡± Zecko eventually hugged his knees and burst into tears. Madeleine ran and patted Zecko on the back. Sir Roid, who was watching the situation, said, ¡°I will report this to His Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Roid, please tell him that I feel sorry for Zecko.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Then, she asked Zecko the most important question, and he nodded with a frightened look. ¡°Well, when and where would the next order be?¡± * * * ¡°It is time soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The next order was days away. The place was one of the alleys where markets in the commoner¡¯s district were held. In the meantime, Siervian planned to find the spy with the help of the knights and Damian. The method was simple. She planned to place surveillance points around the market well in advance without anyone knowing. Of course, her father gave her permission after he received the report. After finding and persuading him directly, she managed to obtain permission on the condition that twice as many knights escorted her. ¡°Will they show up?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll probably think the movement is unusual. But Zecko has moved typically. There is a high possibility that they will arrive to confirm it.¡± Sir Roid seemed to be still considering whether Zecko had lied or not. However, she pushed ahead with the plan, because she knew that Zecko did not lie. At that time, they could see a person entering as they were looking inside the alley with magic from a distance. ¡°¡­Is that the person?¡± There were many people passing by because there were buildings such as inns and bars at the end of the alley. But the stated time was approaching. Siervian watched the man nervously. The man walked slowly down the alley with leisurely steps. Then, a piece of paper fell from his sleeve to the floor. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Get him, knights!¡± The knights disguised as commoners quickly emerged from the end of the alley and surrounded the man. In the meantime, Siervian and Damian quickly ran into the alley and secured the letter. ¡°Why, why are you doing this? Let me go!¡± said the man, looking genuinely bewildered. [Thought: Did they realize it?] But Siervian, reading his window, quickly said. ¡°You have to catch him!¡± The man¡¯s eyes changed in an instant even as he continued to act foolishly. And before Siervian could read the man¡¯s next thoughts, a moan was heard. ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°He swallowed poison! Mages!¡± The attending mage took action, but the man had already stopped breathing. He instantly died. Siervian opened her eyes wide in surprise because she hadn¡¯t expected him to kill himself at once. ¡°Take him right away. Are you all right, Siervy?¡± Damian quickly asked while covering her face. His eyes were full of worry. ¡°Uh, yes, yes.¡± Siervian¡¯s heart beat wildly and uneasily, but she nodded. She had experienced death, but she couldn¡¯t help but tremble at the sight of it. She desperately controlled the trembling of her young body, because there was still something important left to do. ¡°There¡¯s the letter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, wait a minute.¡± Damian gathered mana in his hands and created a complicated spell for a long time. The spell surrounding the letter gave a subtle glow. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡± Even though Damian had checked it, he still wouldn¡¯t let Siervian touch the letter. Then he took out a small bottle from his arms. It contained some of Zecko¡¯s blood, which was obtained with his cooperation. ¡°Be careful, Brother.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He poured a drop of blood carefully on the envelope. Then, the letter sparkled in a murky color and began to move wildly. ¡°Get back!¡± The letter began to burn with the envelope, as if something had gone wrong. It was a simple magic that did not affect the surroundings, but it disappeared without a trace, and they didn¡¯t have any time to touch it. ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°¡­How could this be?¡± Siervian asked the question, but she understood that the operation had failed. Even though she was sure that Zecko did not lie. ¡°Maybe something more was needed. There may be a special device that we can use.¡± ¡°Should I ask the teacher?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that.¡± Siervian felt some regret. She should have brought her teacher from the beginning. She only had a low level spying child as an informant. She didn¡¯t think there was anything to be so careful about. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll stay and look for more clues.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother. I¡¯m going back to the foundation.¡± CH 99 Damian was worried, so he sent most of the knights with her to protect Siervian. Meanwhile, Siervian was lost in her own thoughts as she quickly headed to the foundation with them. She wondered why Navafal suddenly planted a spy, but the chance to know the truth had been shattered today. However, it seemed like there was something that her father had hidden in the foundation. If she had such doubts, it wouldn¡¯t be good to leave it like this. ¡°How is it, Princess?¡± asked Marco with a grim face while greeting Siervian. She shook her head and decided to think positively. ¡°Where is Zecko?¡± Only one thing was clear, all of those who had threatened Zecko were gone now. This was because in addition to this encounter, all suspicious figures at the palace had been confirmed. ¡°He¡¯s in the yard with the other children.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Siervian ran out in a hurry and expected him to be relieved after hearing the good news. ¡°Zecko!¡± ¡°Princess.¡± Zecko had also been wandering around uneasily but saw her and ran toward her. And at that moment, Siervian discovered something very strange. ¡®Huh? Zecko¡­ why is he still a spy?¡¯ [Zecko] Occupation: Navafal¡¯s spy Mood: Anxious. She only thought she should tell him the news, but she didn¡¯t think about the status window. However, subconsciously, she thought that Zecko¡¯s occupation would be empty like other children. ¡®Could it be that he hasn¡¯t stopped spying yet? But that can¡¯t be.¡¯ Siervian was bewildered seeing the unexpected situation. How could it be? [Zecko] Mood: Frightened Thoughts: Did things fail? What should I do? I should have told them as soon as I returned. Even though he was often angry and had a fit, the people in the foundation were still good to him and worried about him. Also he could see the princess¡¯ frightened expression in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve caught everyone who could aim at you. But I failed to read the letter.¡± Siervian automatically reassured him. No one knew yet that she could see their status window. So she couldn¡¯t deceive him with such thoughts and tell him her honest feelings. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t lie!¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± So, she started thinking differently. Maybe Zecko needed another occupation to change the status window? The level hadn¡¯t changed, instead it was absent. ¡°Then, right now¡­¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about it. My father has granted permission, so Zecko can keep staying at the foundation. Don¡¯t worry about your parents¡¯ treatment.¡± However, just as she had noticed when she saw Lara¡¯s status window, it didn¡¯t tell her everything. So she decided to take a closer look at Zecko for the time being. Maybe she could discover the problem. ¡®What on earth was Navafal thinking?¡¯ When she said not to worry, children who had been standing at a little distance flocked in instantly. ¡°Sniffle¡­¡± ¡°Zecko, good for you!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Don¡¯t cry!¡± [Zecko] Thoughts: These are tears of joy. I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t understand. Perhaps a little relieved, Zecko started bluffing again. It was a very unconvincing bluff as she could see his crying face. ¡°Sniffle¡­¡± ¡°I was scared.¡± ¡°I- I¡¯m not scared, sniffle.¡± Perhaps he still had some questions, but the children politely remained silent. When she realized that fact, her heart filled with pride. Siervian, who stood naturally among the children, smiled brightly. * * * ¡°You¡¯re doing quite a lot of things in the duke¡¯s mansion.¡± Shortly after searching for the spy, the Crown Prince summoned Duke Pacour. Hearing the summons, the duke entered the palace full of curiosity. ¡°I have a lot of responsibilities. Your Highness.¡± However, the question he had asked was very strange. With a fake smile, the Duke tried to grasp the crown prince¡¯s intentions. ¡°Mana scarcity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you give Harmin tea to adults suffering from mana scarcity.¡± Even though he had intentionally hit the nail on the head, the Duke¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He faked a smile resembling the smile the prince¡¯s mother always wore. ¡°Well, that must be part of an ongoing research.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t manage all the details.¡± The evasive answer seemed impeccable for now. The prince clicked his tongue to himself and drank the tea in front of him. It was not Harmin tea, but nonetheless, he felt strange. ¡°Would you like me to do some research and give it to you?¡± ¡°No need.¡± He already knew about it. Since there was nothing to blame, he just called the Duke to see his reaction. It was not a good option to elaborate on Zecko¡¯s story, because the search for spies was conducted strictly under the leadership of the Crown Prince and the Princess. And most importantly, if the duke wanted to know something about the imperial family, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to do such a thing. ¡°May I talk about the visit to the Mosae Kingdom? I¡¯ve prepared a report just in case.¡± ¡°As expected, I believe the Duke would realize my intention.¡± The crown prince also faked a smile like his mother. ¡°As Your Highness is going this time¡­¡± The crown prince smiled inside as he listened to the upcoming massive national project. He thought of his sister who would be very happy to hear this news. * * * ¡°Really? Truly?¡± ¡°Yes. Siervy, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Summer was just around the corner. Normally, it would have been a season to focus only on studying magic. That would have been the case if her brother hadn¡¯t brought exciting news to the Imperial Palace. ¡°Can I really go to the Mosae Kingdom with you?¡± ¡°Haha. You like it that much?¡± He said it clearly. Because of the etiquette lessons that she had started to learn these days, she barely endured the cheers. Siervian had never been out of the empire in her previous life. She had hardly escaped from the Imperial Palace, let alone the Empire. Thinking about it, having no outside activity was bizarre. ¡°Then can I see the sea?¡± ¡°Well, I heard there¡¯s an ocean in Mosae, I¡¯ll try to help you.¡± Siervian¡¯s eyes glistened. Maybe she¡¯ll finally be able to see the sea. ¡°I like it so much, Brother!¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I should make a schedule to go to the sea even if it¡¯ll take some time. Of course, even if much had changed from her previous life, it was very unusual for a princess to leave the empire. ¡®The Prince of Garambell is really inviting us!¡¯ Prince Abrel of Garambell had accompanied the envoys and strongly requested to meet Siervian. She originally intended to invite him as promised, but for various reasons, it was agreed that they would meet in the kingdom of Mosae. ¡°I¡¯m curious about the kingdom of Garambell, but I can¡¯t help it because my father is worried.¡± There were still more issues to coordinate with the kingdom of Mosae regarding the grain agreement anyway. This was because the emperor vowed to phase out transactions with the southern kingdom. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the agreement would become this important.¡± The crown prince had been selected as a representative. Siervian had only started studying for a few months, so it was too much to take on such a heavy responsibility. ¡°Are you going with Karmen?¡± ¡°Well, I think Karmen will remain here because his job is important.¡± She thought he intentionally pushed Karmen to overwork like last time, but this time it didn¡¯t seem like it. Siervian heard rumors, too. The Kurchad mine had more reserves than expected. ¡®It won¡¯t be taken over by monsters like last time, so good for him.¡¯ She talked for a long time with a pounding heart, but it suddenly became noisy outside. ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Siervy.¡± Siervian could not control her excitement and ran straight into her father¡¯s arms. Of course she merely followed her heart, but soon regretted it. Now that she was taking etiquette classes, shouldn¡¯t she behave more maturely? [Alderuan Erveldotte] Thoughts: That¡¯s a relief. I was worried that she wouldn¡¯t even give me a hug because of those etiquette lessons. That would have made me reconsider the need for imperial etiquette. ¡­¡­She¡¯s fine. Among the nobles, Emperor Alderuan was famous for his ruthless temper. In particular, he was a person known to despise even a minute error in etiquette. This was also why Siervian in her previous life had desperately hung onto the forms of etiquette. But now, her father loved her, regardless of whether she was good at etiquette or not. Siervian was very happy with that fact. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Do you want to go to Garambell that much?¡± ¡°Dad, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Of course, she wanted to go to Garambell very much, but she said it just now because she liked her father. When she spoke confidently, her father only nodded as if it was something natural. [Alderuan Erveldotte] Favorability: +100 Favorability: +100 Thoughts: I¡¯m upset that I can¡¯t go with you. ¡­¡­Can¡¯t I go? Inside, he was scheming a way to go with her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for the meeting?¡± Hence, Siervian tried to make him forget it. At this rate, it would be difficult in many ways if the emperor himself said he would join the trip to the kingdom of Mosae. It would be nice, but it would be a big deal for the others. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± What her father handed her was an unknown pendant. The round silver decoration looked like it would be great as a necklace, but there was no necklace on it. ¡°It¡¯s a magic shield.¡± ¡°A magic shield?¡± Siervian opened her eyes wide at the sudden remark. She was only thinking of going to Mosae with a light heart, but what was this about? CH 100 ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. This is just in case you need to be prepared for something.¡± To put it lightly, the emperor¡¯s concern was real. After learning magic, his daughter noticeably became more active. This meant that the frequency of her doing some independent projects has increased. Although that was the way a mage lives, in his eyes, she was just a small child. ¡°I¡¯m already wearing a necklace, so I¡¯d like to put it on top of that.¡± The emperor suddenly recalled the time when one of the children in the foundation turned out to be a spy. She knew in advance and said he didn¡¯t need to worry. She even took more knights, but that didn¡¯t reassure him all. He would never have allowed this trip if he hadn¡¯t heard that Siervian would love it. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The round pendant fit snugly into the mana-accumulating necklace she wore around her neck. So, it looked like a blue jewel surrounded by a silvery moon. ¡°Thank you.¡± Taking the unexpected gift, Siervian tried to behave properly. This time, she politely replied to show off that she was doing well in class. However, he, full of fatherly emotions, felt disappointed instead. [Alderuan Elverdotte] Mood: My ?daughter?¡¯s growing up. It¡¯s sad. Thoughts: Why does it seem like she¡¯s trying to grow up so fast? I should¡¯ve made her study later. ¡®I know that I have been delaying my studies due to my mother¡¯s will¡­¡¯ But before she knew it, Siervian¡¯s study plans seemed to be mixed with her father¡¯s self-interest. Siervian had been agonizing for a while and quickly jumped into her father¡¯s arms with a smile again. ¡°I like my dad the most!¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re fussing over nothing.¡± She already understood etiquette perfectly, but she decided to take a little more time to act childish. [Alderuan Elverdotte] Thoughts: Hmm. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to create a sea within the empire? Siervian¡¯s father, still appearing to hold her in a cold and indifferent way nonchalantly, began to have such absurd thoughts. It would also be a great achievement that will remain in history for a long time. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: As expected, let¡¯s cancel all unnecessary schedules and go to the sea. After eating there, we should have Siervian¡¯s favorite dessert¡­ ¡­Meanwhile her brother was also struggling with a strange plan instead of thinking about his job. Siervian looked back and forth at the two people who seemed exactly like each other and scratched her cheek in embarrassment. ¡®Is it really okay to go to the Mosae Kingdom like this?¡¯ The trip to the Mosae Kingdom was arranged smoothly. A large number of people were mobilized as the trip was important. Among them was Marco, who was now treated like Siervian¡¯s vassal. ¡°I have contacted the mercenary guild branch of the Mosae Kingdom in advance. I think they can keep us informed about news in Garambell as well.¡± Everyone packed and gathered at the Imperial Palace to carry out the necessary procedures before they departed. Siervian could show up at the end, but she was curious about the process, so she arrived earlier. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Garambell also sends an envoy, so there won¡¯t be any problem with the transfer of information.¡± In fact, no matter how close the relationship between Mosae and Garambell was, it was a little unusual to see each other in the Mosae Kingdom. ¡°Is it alright to use Mosae Kingdom¡¯s branch like this?¡± When Siervian, who had a slightly broader view due to learning the heir¡¯s education, tilted her head, Marco repeated the news he had heard. ¡°Oh, technically, Garambell is not a complete outsider, so it¡¯s possible. We also took the first step in this grain agreement.¡± Garambell clearly realized how scary it would be if the epidemic spread from the previous incident. In addition, endemic diseases in the west weren¡¯t eradicated just by taking care of the surrounding environment. It was a disease that hadn¡¯t had a cure yet, which caused a problem. ¡°It would be beneficial in many ways if some trade groups brought the grain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± This was actually more efficient than going around the vast continent several times. In addition, it was more reassuring if the two kingdoms worked together. ¡°When you¡¯re working, I¡¯ll go to the mercenary guild in Mosae. I got permission in advance, so there should be no problem.¡± ¡°Yes, I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± A branch of the mercenary guild was established in the kingdom of Mosae. Siervian hadn¡¯t realized that the Konoa scented candle sold there was very popular. ¡®Was the scent that I myself mixed that popular?¡¯ ¡°Oh, they say we¡¯re leaving now. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She shook off her concern as they left together. Due to her father¡¯s simple request, the envoys raised the flag high and moved forward. All the south gates of the palace were open. Many people nearby came out to see the magnificent departure of the group. She was glad everyone looked bright. The grain agreement was widely known throughout the empire. Those who discovered the cause of the rising grain prices over the years had become hostile to the Southern Kingdom. So now, everyone was happy with the hope that the price of grain would go down even a little. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to ease my worries about my meals!¡± ¡°I know, right!¡± ¡°The princess is already so smart, isn¡¯t she?¡± Siervian could hear some people discussing her, but she ignored it firmly. The words of the people were not as scary as they used to be. ¡°Look! It¡¯s the princess¡¯ carriage!¡± ¡°Wow, I heard she¡¯s cute!¡± ¡°Yes! They say she is incredibly nice!¡± ¡°It could be both!¡± Above all, the hopeful voices of people and children seemed to give her positive energy. Soon afterward, the group moved smoothly toward the border. ¡°Siervy, it¡¯s dangerous to lean out of the window like that,¡± said Damian, who was riding a horse next to her carriage. The thousand-year-old garden where she went for a picnic was also quite far from the Imperial Palace. Siervian couldn¡¯t remain still when she reached the border, which was further away than that. ¡°But¡­!¡± She threw away etiquette and manners as she was fascinated by the scenery outside the window. Damian sighed as if he couldn¡¯t help it, then he smiled brightly again and kept riding the horse. ¡°The empire is so wonderful¡­!¡± The snow-covered mountain welcomed them wherever their eyes could reach. The capital of the empire was similar to a huge basin. Therefore, in order to get out of the capital and go to the border, they had to move along the long, long mountain path for a long time. Thus it was natural that the scenery of the high snow mountain waited for her. ¡°Haha. Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Jane followed her as a maid in the carriage behind her. Ellie had been left to manage the palace and anxiously had dressed Siervian warmly as if to relieve her resentment. Even now, her cheeks were a little flushed, but they were warm thanks to the thick hat and cape. The cape stretched over her back, wrapping her shoulders like a small wing. The thick hat had the ears of the blue wolf, which symbolized the Imperial family. ¡°Why is the road so wide?¡± Although it was called a mountain road, it had been a long time since the Empire had paved a road that was so wide that three carriages could move side by side. Seeing that there was only a little shaking, it was clear that some measures using magic were taken. ¡°Yes, the border road is the most important road. There is also a separate border guard that manages it.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± There were knights surrounding the entire temple as if escorting them when they entered the border road. She definitely heard about it before. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t I travel often then?¡¯ Suddenly, the time she spent in her previous life felt like a waste, and she thought she was going crazy. She couldn¡¯t believe she had to die without seeing such beautiful scenery. She needed to be stronger. Then her father would be less worried about going out of the country. This time, it was best to return safely. Even before they left, her father was busy worrying about her. He visited Princess¡¯ Palace several times to check that the pendant was working well. ¡°Stay in line!¡± Suddenly, there was a commotion in the back while she was thinking of her father. ¡°Knights! Come on!¡± Damian, still on his horse next to the carriage, hardened. Then he said calmly, turning his head around. ¡°I¡¯ll find out what¡¯s going on. You have to stay here, Siervy. Okay?¡± ¡°I can help you, too.¡± She heard the knights pulling their swords in unison in the distance. When Siervian nervously spoke out of concern for Damian, he replied firmly. ¡°No. Be sure to stay in the carriage. Okay?¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Mood: Firm Thoughts: I can never put Siervy in danger. ¡°Oh my God.¡± She could have been an unnecessary burden if she rushed forward. Siervian had discovered exactly how powerful Damian was while learning magic and nodded for the moment. When she nodded obediently, Damian smiled faintly and ran back. The horse, a breed about which the North often boasted, seemed as if it wasn¡¯t cold and bothered at all as it headed forward. ¡°It¡¯s just a Cariby! Take care of it right away!¡± ¡°Yes! Captain!¡± A loud cry came from behind. Siervian couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity upon hearing the name. ¡°Sir Roid. Cariby is a monster, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sir Roid approached the carriage as if to fill the crown prince¡¯s vacancy, looked behind him and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. It¡¯s not a very strong monster, so you needn¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Have you ever caught one?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the monster that knights catch most often in the first test to join as a knight.¡± Siervian, who was looking around, stuck her head out the window again. The journey had already stopped in place to deal with the monster. When she looked back with her head extended out as far as she could stretch, she saw a two-headed monster larger than humans. ¡°That¡¯s Cariby!¡± The Cariby leaped, showing its huge teeth that were sharper than the knights¡¯ swords. The four-legged Cariby was quite hideous. To the point where her heart pounded uneasily. ¡°Is there only one?¡± The Cariby was covered with blood, perhaps after the knights had dealt with it. The mages in the back also properly used magic to assist the knights. It was then that the Cariby, which had been rushing recklessly, slipped on the ground made more slick due to magic. But its whole body didn¡¯t fall. It rose angrier instead. Then, it charged forward from the slippery place but not in the direction it was going earlier. It moved toward the carriage behind her. ¡°Oh no, stop it!¡± ¡°Come out now!¡± ¡°Wait, there¡¯s Jane!¡± A bright light burst from Siervian¡¯s hand as soon as she shouted. CH 101 The blindingly bright light that had covered the surroundings quickly condensed into a spherical shape. The people inside the carriage heard the warning and opened the door. Unfortunately, however, they faced the monster directly because of that. ¡°Argh!¡± An imperial doctor who stepped out first screamed loudly. Then, Siervian saw the pale-faced Jane. ¡®I have to protect her!¡¯ Right now, the cariby rushed at a person nearby with its huge teeth. Siervian believed in Sir Roid beside her and quickly used a magic spell. She meant to distract its attention and turn it away. ¡°Urgg¡­!¡± The cariby was hit on the side of its head after running for a long time and laid down on the ground. Since Siervian couldn¡¯t use magic that well yet, her attack equaled only one punch. ¡°Cough.¡± But that was enough for now. The cariby shook its head a few times and got up. It was for a short while, but Siervian saw that the monster kept rushing only forward. So it was correct to expect that her provocation would lead to a vicious run toward her this time. After a few spins, the cariby opened its mouth and rushed at Siervian. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Sir Roid responded quickly and drew out his sword. Siervian believed in his skills, but she had lured that monster on purpose, so she felt bad. ¡°Sir Roid, I¡¯ll help you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right, Your Highness.¡± She had cried out resolutely, but Sir Roid merely responded leisurely. ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± Sir Roid gave his sword a light swing. In a blink of an eye, the dangerous situation was easily subdued. Blood splattered into the sky as Siervian saw a light a little different from her previous magic flash. The cariby¡¯s huge body, which was rushing this way again, slowly collapsed to the ground. ¡°Siervy!¡± Then, the crown prince, who had been scouting to make sure there were no other group of monsters around, ran toward her in surprise. He became even more panicked when he saw Sir Roid moving, when he was supposed to be standing still next to the princess. Hearing Damian¡¯s call, Siervian looked out of the carriage. Sir Roid returned to her side again, and the other knights rushed at the corpse of the cariby in unison. ¡°Brother! Jane!¡± Siervian left the carriage and quickly ran to confirm their safety. However, she had overlooked one thing. If she went that way, she would see the monster¡¯s body. ¡®Yuck.¡¯ The knights diligently moved the body. It was to confirm their killing and to loot the body. ¡°Cover the body now! Siervy, are you all right?¡± Damian came toward her, shouting in an angry voice as Siervian stopped running. The crown prince¡¯s anger instantly subdued his surroundings. They could only hear the cold wind swaying around the snowy mountain. [Damian Elverdotte] Mood: Furious Thoughts: How dare a monster go near Siervian. I won¡¯t let all the knights go! Her brother¡¯s status window was very similar to the cruel thoughts her father sometimes had. That was why Siervian exclaimed reflexively, ¡°I¡¯m all right, Brother!¡± Damian had a scary look on his face without realizing it, and when he saw Siervian, he wiped the look away. Siervian had said she was okay, but she certainly looked scared, so he got angry again. ¡°But there was a cariby charging at you¡­!¡± ¡°Brother, I lured the monster because it tried to hit Jane¡¯s carriage.¡± ¡°You lured it¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. I used a spell because I trusted Sir Roid.¡± In fact, Siervian was scared and shaking in fear. Monsters and blood. These were things she never experienced before. Those kinds of cruel scenes that she had never seen before had unfolded in front of her. But, Siervian clearly understood the situation now. In this circumstance, it would certainly not be good to blame the knights. Hence, she deliberately grabbed her brother¡¯s sleeve and whispered in his ear. ¡°Siervy is fine. Don¡¯t blame the knights okay?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± As Siervian spoke, Damian¡¯s face quickly became troubled. She was in trouble because her nice brother tried to be considerate of her. [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Siervy is cute, but discipline is still needed. ¡°Huh?¡± She didn¡¯t even consider it an issue requiring discipline though. Didn¡¯t the knights work hard in the first place to kill the monster before it reached Jane¡¯s carriage? He¡¯s a genius so he forgot that most people could not kill monsters so quickly. >b>[Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: But the discipline of the knights¡­! ¡°If you do it, Siervy will be upset.¡± Finally, Siervian, who had read Damian¡¯s status window, put her hands on her waist. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t.¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Ugh, it¡¯s a big deal if Siervy gets angry. In the end, Damian capitulated and nodded urgently to soothe his sister. Siervian had been angry at him once before. Back then, Damian and Karmen had a war of nerves in front of her. He tried to win the squabbling with magic. At that time, Siervian warned them not to play dangerously. ¡°If you keep fighting like that, I¡¯m not going to see your faces for a week!¡± After that, Siervian declared that she was angry, and the situation wasn¡¯t resolved. ¡°Princess!¡± Jane had been about to faint in the carriage and ran toward her. She ran past the monster. She gave the monster¡¯s body a few frightened glances as she tried to ignore it firmly. Jane knelt before Siervian, half-crying. ¡°Never again, never do that again!¡± [Jane Millas] Thoughts: Because of me¡­! My princess! Jane had seen clearly the moment the monster¡¯s teeth rushed toward her. However, the princess lured the monster away to save her. For a moment, the monster turned away, and she felt instinctively relieved, but her heart sank when those vicious teeth headed toward the princess. ¡°You mustn¡¯t do that. Please promise me, princess.¡± She knew that the princess¡¯ magic skills were excellent, but this should not be allowed. Even if Jane had to become a shield in an emergency, she would do it. But the princess betrayed her expectations. ¡°Stop that, Jane,¡± Damian said with a firm face, as he grasped what the maid was saying. ¡°The princess¡­!¡± ¡°Siervy¡­!¡± Siervian was embarrassed by the concerned attention. But she once again cast her eyes at the body of the cariby and opened her mouth with a firm attitude. ¡°Siervy is a mage and part of the royal family.¡± ¡°Yes, so¡­¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that Siervy should be protected from behind all the time. Father said so.¡± When she mentioned the emperor, all the protesting mouths closed. Siervian had deliberately brought up her father, so she smiled. ¡°Of course, Siervy won¡¯t do anything dangerous either. I just did it because I could. Sir Roid is a great knight. I was sure he would protect me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± Sir Roid replied in a slightly thrilled voice to hear that she had believed in him so much. Siervian looked back at him slightly and opened her mouth again. In order to relieve the now tense atmosphere and not to repeat the same thing again on future trips, she had to share her thoughts. ¡°Siervy hates an incompetent princess who only knows how to be protected. I want to be a princess who knows how to actively protect people.¡± Siervian didn¡¯t mean to say it so seriously, but she spoke with sincerity without realizing it. Then, she purposely looked at the monster¡¯s corpse to calm her trembling heart. ¡®It¡¯s scary, as expected!¡¯ Despite that, she wanted to overcome her fear. Siervian in her previous life had hoped she could do something like defeating monsters in the North as well. If only she could use magic and be loved by her family, maybe she could achieve it. And it was in this life that she achieved both of those desires. She wanted to be a stronger person for her precious people. She didn¡¯t want to be afraid of anything. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not gonna do anything dangerous, are you?¡± It was not long before Damian asked. Siervian nodded and replied loudly to her brother¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Yes!¡± At that moment, the status windows of the knights were seen nearby. [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +15] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +10] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +20] [Favorability: +25] [Favorability: +25] She quickly looked around in confusion, but it wasn¡¯t a bad response. Just now, she realized that she had been speaking as if she was giving a speech. She carefully grabbed Jane¡¯s skirt. In response to that, Jane, who was wearing a thick winter coat just like her, picked up Siervian in her arms. ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± Jane¡¯s voice still trembled, and she hugged her with a heavy heart. She was so grateful to the princess who still took a risk for her when she was at a loss. Then, her brother came into her line of sight wearing a childlike expression. [Damian Elverdotte] Mood: Bitter Thoughts: When did my sister grow up so much¡­ ¡®Brother, you¡¯re also still eleven years old¡­!¡¯ Siervian thought he was like an adult even though he was young. But she still couldn¡¯t believe that her brother would also think like that! In a strange mood, Siervian scrunched her face. In fact, while learning magic, her small body often felt tired. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m still eight years old!¡¯ Then one of the knights, who had been watching from behind, approached her and knelt on one knee. He politely offered what he had in his hand. ¡°I would like to give my honor to the princess.¡± Siervian had inadvertently seen what was in the knight¡¯s hand and opened her eyes wide. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± CH 102 It was a small, hard, jewel-like object. The surface was very rough, but it was transparent enough to see the inside. There was also a thin layer of blood coating the outside. ¡®Was it taken from the monster?¡¯ Siervian had barely calmed down so had her eyes wide open again. But she stepped back so that her expression wasn¡¯t seen. Looking closely, there was faint blood on the knight¡¯s hands. He must¡¯ve tried to clean it, but the thing was still covered in blood. ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯ll frighten Siervy! How could you behave like that in front of a child?¡± ¡°Gasp! I¡¯m guilty of death.¡± The knight had acted casually yet was surprised and quickly bowed his head. Only then did he realize that the person in front of him was an eight-year-old child who had only been out of the Imperial Palace for the first time. However, he was confused inside. [Thoughts: Didn¡¯t His Highness pull out the monster core himself when he was younger¡­?] She didn¡¯t know in detail, but it seemed the object was called a monster core. What was more surprising was how her brother had picked it up himself when he was younger. ¡°Siervy, are you alright?¡± Many of the thick furs she wore were made of monster¡¯s pelt. Nevertheless, it was the first time she had seen a monster, and then the monster dying directly. Siervian¡¯s surprise was inevitable. ¡®But I can¡¯t seem afraid. I¡¯m part of the imperial family! I have to be brave!¡¯ ¡°S- Siervy¡¯s fine,¡± said Siervian as she gracefully raised her chin to the sky, as she had learned from her etiquette lessons. Then, she grabbed Jane¡¯s skirt again. ¡°Thank you, Sir,¡± Siervian said, not forgetting to reply to the knight who gave her the honor with grace and courtesy. She clasped Jane¡¯s hand with both her own hands. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­Well, then excuse me. Your Highness.¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: Cute. [Adante Roid] Thoughts: How cute. [Jane Millas] Thoughts: She¡¯s so cute. ¡®Was there a problem with my manners? It can¡¯t be!¡¯ How could there be such reactions when she showed them her elegant and mature appearance? Was it because of her body synchronization? It was probably because of that! Then suddenly, one thing struck her. ¡°By the way, it was Sir Roid who took it.¡± He even got it himself! Didn¡¯t he slay the monster earlier as well? Of course, Sir Roid¡¯s swordsmanship was so great that it was worth believing. ¡°The glory of Your Highness is my glory,¡± said Sir Roid while lowering his head. ¡°I can take it for you, Siervy¡­ it¡¯s okay if you¡¯re scared¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± She thought it would be better to accept it under the circumstances, so Siervian quickly held out her hand. ¡°But what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the core of the monster. If we kill a monster, we are allowed to take it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She was forced to accept it. But strangely, this core had been bothering her since earlier. It looked very weird, yet it felt very similar to a magic tool she had. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look anything like it. It¡¯s strange.¡¯ She questioned it even more when she held it in her hand. Oddly, she felt an urge to keep caressing this core. ¡°What is this for?¡± Siervian asked as she observed the monster core. Then the knight in front of her answered, ¡°P-princess. The core of a monster is of no particular use. It¡¯s just a souvenir for killing a monster¡­¡± The knight was afraid of her getting angry because they gave her something useless. ¡®But Siervian continued to wonder. It¡¯s useless? Really?¡¯ She definitely felt a strange energy. But the knight¡¯s explanation was not wrong, seeing that her brother and Sir Roid nodded their heads. ¡°Thank you.¡± After that, Damian quickly gave orders, and the situation was moderately settled. ¡°Take care of the injured and prepare to move again.¡± ¡°Yes! Your Highness.¡± ¡°Move the Cariby¡¯s body away from the road.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The border guard, who was about to be reprimanded before, was relieved due to the princess who stepped in. * * * Their journey after that was uneventful. As a result of examining status windows, Siervian also learned that it was not common for monsters to appear there. The border was an important place after all, so it was strictly managed by them. However, that didn¡¯t mean that this Cariby¡¯s appearance was someone¡¯s fault either. She believed so because of the Cariby¡¯s characteristics. ¡®It had an impulsive personality and was often seen randomly¡­¡¯ Surprisingly, the characteristic of the Cariby that she read about was true. They said that once it was hurt, it often died after rushing recklessly. This was why the knights caught a lot of Cariby for their exams. Their behavior was predictable, and they were relatively easy to catch. ¡®That¡¯s why the Cariby was so bloodied.¡¯ The Cariby that appeared today was thought to have been caught in a hunter¡¯s trap near the road. As a result, the injured Cariby had moved to a crowded place with a lot of people out of anger. ¡°The carriage is ready, princess. Are you going to sleep now?¡± Because of the previous incident, she stayed here on the first day. Originally, she would have stayed at an inn on the outskirts of the empire, but the trip was delayed a little because of the Cariby adventure. Snowy nights were dangerous. That was why the crown prince chose to stay here even though it was the first day. The carriage carrying Siervian was designed to be comfortable in preparation for this occasion. ¡°Thank you, Jane.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Jane once again hugged the princess and then moved over to the other carriage while telling her to call her right away if something happened. As if to protect Siervian, several carriages surrounded hers. Siervian calmly climbed into the carriage and looked out blankly after opening the window. Meanwhile, the knights moved hurriedly and were preparing for dinner. On one side, firewood was collected to make a fire, and on the other side, several barracks were built. ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± To Siervian, who was used to living in the city, all of that activity was amazing. ¡°The moon at the top of the snowy mountain looks just like my father¡¯s eyes.¡± The clear moonlight made the dark forest brighter. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ Siervian grinned as she recalled her father, who worried until the moment she left. ¡°I need to get ready to sleep!¡± She already missed her father, but she tried to speak bravely. If she wanted to hurry up and move, she had to sleep early. Only then would she not be a burden. ¡®Let¡¯s focus.¡¯ Her clothes had been changed with Jane¡¯s help earlier. Siervian concentrated and tried a purification spell. It was one of the spells that her teacher taught her with all of his heart and soul when he heard she was going on a trip. ¡°Done!¡± After a long time, magic appeared on her fingertips. The light rising to the top of her head showered down like a brilliant starlight. Siervian could feel that her body was purified cleanly. ¡°Phew¡­¡± It was still a slightly difficult spell at her level. Still, she felt proud when she succeeded. Siervian was in a good mood and laid down with a smile. ¡°Oh, yes. I have this.¡± She focused on the core of the monster that the knight gave her earlier as she was lying down and looking at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s useless?¡± Since she first accepted the core, Siervian had been touching it for a long time. It was because when she touched it, her fingertips strangely felt warm. Usually, that kind of feeling was often related to mana. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± During the day, Siervian in the carriage didn¡¯t have much to do. So she asked her brother about the monster core again. His answer was the same as usual. Mages had researched this core from the monster¡¯s body thoroughly. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t find any use, so it was only used as a symbol of the bravery of knights now. This was because monsters had different shapes of core in their bodies depending on their characteristics and strength. ¡®There is still blood remaining.¡¯ Jane saw the core she received as a gift and wiped it and returned it to Siervian. However, she could still see the blood stains that were left at the bottom. Siervian thought for a while and measured the amount of mana she had left and focused again. ¡®I want to practice, I hope it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ She tried to use the purification spell that she succeeded using a while ago. This time, she focused it on the object in her palm, not her entire body. Perhaps because it was a different object from the other one she had worked with, she felt the group of lights hovering more subtly. As she focused her mind with her eyes closed slightly, the mana surrounding the monster core erased the remaining blood stains. ¡°Phew¡­¡± It was overwhelming to use a purification spell twice in a day. Nevertheless, she smiled proudly because she succeeded. ¡°I wish my time of awakening would come soon.¡± The time of awakening was proof that they truly had become a mage. Despite her outstanding talent, it was difficult to invoke magic like this, but she was assured she will get better soon. She heard that after awakening, her magic skills could suddenly increase by several levels. Siervian¡¯s anticipation grew as she listened to Karmen and her brother¡¯s experiences. Then, Siervian noticed something strange as she started to put the monster¡¯s core aside. ¡°Was it originally this transparent¡­?¡± Of course, the monster¡¯s core was transparent earlier. However, it was also cloudy. But now, the inside of the core seemed a little more refined than before. It seemed to be more transparent. CH 103 ¡®Purification spell¡­? No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ Unlike its name, a purification spell was intended to clean only the outward shell. It wouldn¡¯t have affected the core because it would only remove the dirt on the surface. Siervian had been watching for a while and began to worry as she looked at the core first under the moonlight and then under the light. However, the longer she looked at it, she could only see the murky core again, as if the appearance had been an illusion before. ¡®Oh, I must¡¯ve been mistaken because it¡¯s dark.¡¯ It was pretty dark even though there were magic lights. When Siervian finished arranging her thoughts, she yawned loudly. It was not proper etiquette, but she thought it was permissible because she was alone. She put down the monster¡¯s core that she kept caressing in her palm, and soon fell into a deep sleep. * * * The Mosae Kingdom was a place with a very unusual landscape. ¡®Finally¡­!¡¯ The month-long journey went smoothly except for the first day. This was because there was no bandit who dared to rob them, since they traveled with powerful mages and knights. Moreover, the youngest child there, Siervian, followed their schedule better than expected, so they were able to enter the Mosae kingdom earlier. ¡°Good work, Siervy,¡± Damien whispered as they passed through the walls. Siervian answered with a laugh. ¡°Siervy didn¡¯t do anything!¡± It wasn¡¯t humility, it was true. She was the only one who relaxed the most on the journey, to the point where she felt sorry to see knights struggling to set up campsites each night. As they crossed the large mountain range that separated the continent to the west, it was fun to see the scenery. If she was tired of the scenery, she would continue to practice magic in the carriage. Siervian didn¡¯t hate the journey. [Marco William] Thoughts: God of Mana, finally! After going this far, it would be worth living in the city. Siervian saw others¡¯ thoughts like Marco¡¯s. In the meantime, she cast another purification spell. Anyway, it had been a rough journey. ¡°That¡¯s Mosae¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Entering the capital of Mosae, she instantly noticed the different atmosphere. This was because this place was very different from the empire, starting from the architectural style to the culture. Unlike the empire, their pointed roofs were unique. In particular, it was amazing that splendid tapestries were seen everywhere. ¡°Pretty.¡± ¡°The atmosphere is very different from our empire.¡± The most important thing about the empire was its natural style. Because the people of the empire were influenced by the elves, they tended to put a lot of effort into colorful decorations using magic. On the other hand, Mosae Kingdom preferred glamorous decorations. However, compared to the empire, their magic resources were insufficient, so their glamorous decoration was made by human hands. ¡°Raise your flag high!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± The Crown Prince ordered as they entered the city filled with people. As the flag of the empire was held high, the people of the Mosae Kingdom began to cheer. They had once gained a favor from the empire. The empire helped them prevent an endemic disease that almost swept the west coast. The citizens threw flowers at the carriages, which entered slowly and leisurely. ¡®That¡¯s on the bridge, isn¡¯t it? A flower that¡¯s hard to see in the empire!¡¯ She felt good because there were some flowers that she had only seen in a book. She moved for a closer look at the flowers, but she still sat modestly and obediently in the carriage. She continued to watch outside carefully. ¡®There¡¯s no one suspicious.¡¯ There were many status windows, but fortunately no one appeared suspicious. ¡®I think it¡¯s a useful ability even in crowded places.¡¯ The carriages safely entered the castle. They were immediately escorted to the guest¡¯s palace, which would serve as a residence for them. Of course, it would take some time to face the king. It took about two months to get back and forth, but this was why the trip was expected to last half a year. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the city right away, princess. I need your permission.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to rest, Marco?¡± The maids were busy arranging and fixing the bedding given to Siervian, as they would stay for at least a few months. Marco had seemed to take a break for a while but suddenly came to her and said he would go to work right away. ¡°We have come earlier than the expected arrival date. So I need to adjust the schedule. I think it¡¯s better to relax after I return from work.¡± ¡°Okay. Be careful.¡± Marco had planned various things to take advantage of this journey. First of all, he was to supervise whether the place he established as a branch was operating properly. Then on the way back, he wanted to conduct a market survey to see if there were any goods that could be imported by workers who exported the Conoa scented candles. According to Siervian, famous flowers and plants on the west coast were first on the list. This was because their storage method was similar to the Conoa scented candles, so it was fine to use the same cart to bring the materials back. ¡°Hmm? There¡¯s a Conoa scented candle here, too¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In the V.I.P room assigned to the princess, there was also a Conoa scented candle. Marco had said that their goods were popular on the west coast, but Siervian found it hard to believe. ¡®Maybe it was brought on purpose to be polite?¡¯ Siervian stretched after Marco left. Looking leisurely out the window, she saw a garden with a very different style from the empire. Perhaps she will have nothing to do this time as well. Her brother will be in charge of important negotiations. But before long, Siervian realized that she was wrong. * * * ¡°Hahaha! Welcome.¡± The King of Mosae smiled broadly and opened his arms to welcome them with pleasure. ¡®I thought it would take more time to meet him¡­.¡¯ She was puzzled, but she greeted him politely and sneaked a glance at the king. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t guess why he had called her. ¡°I have seen the most brilliant scenery on the sand.¡± There were many reasons why the west coast was famous as a tourist destination. One of them was an unusually long dune along the coast. It was so wide that it seemed like a desert. In particular, the western empire, which was succeeded by the Mosae Kingdom, considered this desert-like dune sacred. This was due to the belief that they could have a vast granary as the dune prevented bad winds from coming from the sea. The Mosae Kingdom was bordered by Garambel with this dune between them. In fact, in her previous life, people used to speculate that the endemic disease did not spread to Mosae thanks to this dune. The belief may have had a surprising basis. Siervian was thinking about various things as she greeted him and looked carefully at the king again. [Abdirol Mosae] Occupation: King Mosae (Lv. 95) Favorability: 7,500 Mood: Curious Thoughts: So this is the princess that Abrel praised so much. Surprisingly, the Mosae King looked at her quite favorably. ¡®Did Prince Abrel give me so many compliments?¡¯ Siervian¡¯s favor also rose slightly, recalling Garambell¡¯s youngest prince who had shyly given her his favorite snack. ¡°I asked you to meet me because I¡¯m so curious about the princess, who my grandchild bragged about so much.¡± Siervian smiled shyly at the king, who smiled warmly in return. Before the welcoming banquet, the king wanted to meet her separately, so she was very nervous. It was possible for him to call the crown prince because he¡¯s an important figure in the negotiations, but it was very strange to also include her. ¡®He must be really curious.¡¯ Fortunately, the king was a relatively similar person on the outside and inside. ¡°Yes. You know our kingdom is putting a lot of effort into this grain agreement.¡± ¡°Of course. I think there will be a desirable result for our kingdom and empire.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After that, the crown prince and the king talked about the sensitive matters to be coordinated before entering negotiations. In the negotiations, officials will demonstrate specific skills based on the current dialogue. Siervian actually had nothing to do because she wasn¡¯t needed, but on the other hand, she thought it was a relief. [Abdirol Mosae] Thoughts: I thought the endemic situation was a ruse by the empire. It¡¯s a good thing that things went well anyway. The God of Mana is so generous. ¡®As expected, he doubted our empire.¡¯ It was natural to guess that it was the cause of a bad relationship between the empire and the Mosae Kingdom in her previous life. Examining it, she was relieved in her mind. ¡°Garambel¡¯s delegation will arrive in a few days. He asked me to tell you that he¡¯s sorry he couldn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we reached it faster than expected. We don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Haha. The crown prince of the empire is truly generous.¡± When the conversation was almost over, the king looked at Siervian again and said, ¡°I recommend you visit the granary, the pride of our kingdom, if you have time.¡± ¡°The granary?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a spectacular place.¡± Siervian nodded her head calmly in anticipation. She couldn¡¯t believe she could see the granary that she had only heard of. [Abdirol Mosae] Thoughts: She¡¯ll be very surprised when she goes there. She was a little surprised by his thoughts. Was it such a stunning place? In any case, Siervian felt some expectations for the Mosae kingdom. * * * A few days later, Garambel¡¯s delegation arrived smoothly. Siervian had been resting well at the assigned palace before moving in earnest and also went outside for the first time in a while. She was curious about Garambel¡¯s procession that Marco mentioned it to her nonchalantly. ¡®Will they really ride such a big animal?¡¯ Fortunately, when she said she wanted to see it, her brother allowed her and accompanied her. ¡°Here they come.¡± ¡°Wow, what a big animal!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a Gentusha right, Siervy?¡± The delegation rode large four-legged beasts called Gentusha. Prince Abrel sat on the Gentusha at the leadt. While observing the strange animal, Siervian naturally made eye contact with him. Then, Prince Abrel¡¯s status window popped up. She was so surprised that her eyes popped open wide. CH 104 ¡®No, how did he have this much favorability?¡¯ [Abrel Garambell] Occupation: Prince (Lv. 75) Favorability: 25,600 Mood: Very, extremely, excited. That was about the same level as Ellie. Ellie¡¯s favorability, which was only 10,000 back then, had gradually increased and was approaching 30,000. In many ways, it was quite a high number for a person who only met her once. ¡®Does he think I¡¯ve helped his family?¡¯ It was the most reasonable explanation for Siervian. It was pretty plausible that way. ¡°¡­Prince Abrel is really here.¡± ¡°Yes! He said he¡¯d definitely see me in the Mosae kingdom. Did you forget it already, Brother?¡± Her smart brother would¡¯ve remembered. Siervian thought it strange yet smiled brightly and looked back at him. ¡°Um, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± [Damian Elverdotte] Thoughts: I won¡¯t forget it. Prince Abrel. -.- His status window appeared, but it was still difficult to understand. Siervian, carefully looking up, realized something when she saw Prince Abrel approaching them in a hurry. ¡®Come to think of it, his level has gone up a lot. Did my brother feel the need to compete?¡¯ Even so, her brother was still the perfect prince. Maybe it was because he was still young. Siervian, the youngest child, shrugged her shoulders and thought so. ¡°Stop the Gentusha for a moment! I¡¯ll walk from here!¡± Suddenly the prince, who stopped at a distance, dismounted from the Gentusha. ¡°Your Highness!¡± A man who appeared to be his aide tried to dissuade him urgently, but the prince landed on the ground lightly. ¡°Princess!¡± Prince Abrel, with a slightly flushed face due to walking in the hot temperature, approached her urgently. Then, he stopped before Siervian and greeted her politely again. ¡°I greet the little moon of the Empire.¡± She had not seen Prince Abrel in a very long time, and he had grown considerably taller than before. Looking at him so close, she could see that he seemed to be her brother¡¯s age. It was to the point where his youthful face was nowhere to be seen. ¡°¡­ Prince. I¡¯m also here.¡± ¡°Gasp, I greet the little sun of the empire!¡± Of course, he was still as clumsy as ever. Siervian smiled for a moment seeing his child-like behavior and greeted him. ¡°Long time no see, prince.¡± ¡°Yes! Long time no see!¡± The prince spoke quickly as his face became redder and redder. She was worried he had heat stroke on the way. As soon as Siervian was about to be concerned, his aide got off urgently from the Gentusha. ¡°I greet the little sun and the little moon of the Empire.¡± When she looked back after receiving the greeting of the aide, the procession had stopped due to the prince who suddenly stepped down. ¡°Prince, if you suddenly get off like that¨C¡± ¡°I know, I know, I know!¡± In fact, it was only Abrel who got off in surprise as soon as he made eye contact with the princess. The princess he met after a long time was cuter than when he first met her. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the Gentusha. ¡®Ksa¡¯ won¡¯t listen unless it¡¯s you.¡± Prince Abrel¡¯s eyes fluttered because the aide said the right thing. Damian understood the situation and quickly said, ¡°Go now, prince. There will be a chance to see you officially soon.¡± As Siervian listened to her brother next to her she felt a strange coldness in his words. ¡®Was it just me?¡¯ She quickly looked at Damian, but her brother was still only smiling kindly. The status window didn¡¯t reveal much either. ¡°Ah, yes! Your Highness, then¡­ see you again soon, princess.¡± [Abrel Garambell] Mood: Very embarrassed Favorability: +50 Prince Abrel began to squirm again, as if he was very embarrassed by his sudden action. ¡°Yes, Prince. See you soon.¡± Siervian felt sorry for the child. So she said it softly, as if it was all right. But Prince Abrel¡¯s strangely flushed face didn¡¯t improve until he climbed aboard the Gentusha again. * * * The next day, Siervian planned to follow Marco around the capital of the Mosae kingdom. It was to visit the mana fairy mercenary guild. Normally, she would leave everything to Marco, but she was also curious. She didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to see the cities of other kingdoms. In the afternoon, she planned to go out to the city. Then, a maid from the Mosae Kingdom entered and said, ¡°Your Highness. Prince Abrel sent a message. May I deliver it?¡± ¡°Yes. What message?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, he¡¯d like to visit you this morning.¡± He said he¡¯d see her soon, but she didn¡¯t realize it¡¯d be this early, so she was confused. ¡°Okay. Tell him that he can come anytime.¡± However, she soon accepted lightly. She thought he had something to say. The maid left to give her answer at once. It was expected that he would not come until later, but Prince Abrel visited where Siervian was immediately, as if he had waited. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°You¡¯re early, Prince.¡± As they sat face to face in the drawing room, Siervian examined him anxiously. She was wondering if something urgent happened. But Prince Abrel, greatly perplexed by her comment, continued to stutter. ¡°Oh¨CI, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to come too early in the morning, bu¨Cbut¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t have a schedule today anyway, except to go to the city in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ in the afternoon you¡¯re going to the city.¡± He seemed embarrassed, but this time his expression became noticeably grim. The sudden change was fascinating. [Abrel Garambell] Thoughts: Ah¡­ I wanted to spend time with her, but she had a schedule. I should have checked it beforehand, but why didn¡¯t I think about it? The reason was obvious when she read the status window. Understanding the child¡¯s unique thoughts, Siervian smiled. ¡®Friends of my age are so cute! I know it!¡¯ Siervian thought of Prince Abrel¡¯s behavior with an adult mind. This was because the depressed prince acted as if he was going back without knowing what to do. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you join me in the morning?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes! Of course! It¡¯s my honor, no, it¡¯s great! No, it¡¯s good, it¡¯s good to spend time with the princess!¡± [Abrel Garambel] Thoughts: Everything¡¯s ruined! I¡¯m sure I look stupid. I practiced the etiquette, but I¡¯m stupid. ¡°I saw Gentusha yesterday, and it was really cool!¡± Siervian hurriedly changed the subject after seeing his pitiful expression. When she showed interest, Abrel¡¯s face brightened like a sunflower. His royal family¡¯s unique pale brown eyes creased nicely. His light brown hair, which was described as resembling the wheat field of the harvest season, also fluttered with excitement. Seeing such an honest person, Siervian was very glad to bring it up first. ¡°Would you like to go see it with me?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Seeing Prince Abrel, who was in a hurry, get bright again, Siervian began to get ready to go out. It would be a good time for her to see the wonderful creature of yesterday up close. * * * ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s bigger up close!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it is. Ksa is very big among Gentusha!¡± She was at the separate palace where Garambell¡¯s delegation stayed. As there were frequent exchanges, King Mosae granted the Garambell family a palace for their comfort and use. Of course, there was enough space to manage the Gentusha they rode every time. Passing before the Gentusha, the largest one, Siervian was slack-jawed at the sight of a creature with large eyes the size of her head. If it weren¡¯t for the etiquette she learned in her lessons, she would definitely show a shocked expression. ¡°Is this Gentusha¡¯s name Ksa?¡± The two talked a lot on their way here. Prince Abrel had surprisingly thought of a wide variety of conversation topics. Perhaps they taught him a lot of things since they sent him as the head of the mission. ¡°Oh! Yes! That¡¯s right. I named it because it¡¯s my own Gentusha. It means sand. Well, my brothers teased me that it was a strange name, but¡­¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a wonderful name.¡± Her reply made the prince blush, and his ears were noticeably red as he moved his eyes awkwardly away. [Abrel Garambell] Favorability: +50 Thoughts: The princess is a wonderful person! From Siervian¡¯s point of view, she thought it was cool for a prince to express his feelings so honestly. It probably meant that he was loved enough to be honest. Everyone survived in this life, so she was happy. Garambell was a source of Siervian¡¯s pride. They were the first people that she saved with her own hands. Then, from the moment they entered the Gentusha cage, a servant stepped into her line of sight. ¡®Huh? Who¡¯s that person?¡¯ The servant had looked strangely restless since arriving. His expression was strange, but the face was familiar when she looked closely. It was the prince¡¯s aide who rushed over when he got off from Gentusha. ¡®Is there something going on with Garambell?¡¯ CH 105 However, after seeing his thoughts, Siervian relaxed. [Thoughts: Oh my, Your Highness. Shouldn¡¯t you go to a better place like a tea house, instead of seeing Gentusha?] It was clear that the aide was concerned about the relationship between them. Perhaps he misunderstood that the princess herself was not interested in Gentusha. So, Siervian observed the Gentusha with even more enthusiasm. The Gentusha, seen up close, had a towering back. It was so high that one could not climb it without a rope ladder that was always attached to its back. Its four legs were as thick and sturdy as Siervian and Prince Abrel¡¯s thighs combined, and yet its feet were spread wide enough to walk easily even on sand. ¡°How can such a large creature exist?¡± ¡°Ah, there is a legend that says Gentusha were originally a monster that was tamed.¡± ¡°A monster?!¡± Siervian had thought that monsters could not be raised as livestock and was shocked by the statement. Prince Abrel had been staring at Siervian with round eyes and hastily blurted out his knowledge as if he was ready to reveal everything he knew. ¡°During the First Continental War, the great Agerios who founded the Western Empire personally tamed the monster Gentusha.¡± The First Continental War was also the war that gave birth to the Elverdotte Empire in the North. The continental factions, which fiercely fought at the time, entered into a truce, and as a result, the four most involved people in the war each established an empire in the East, West, South, and North. Agerios was one of them and was a powerful merchant who founded the Western Empire, according to legend. The Western Empire, unlike the Northern Empire which remained intact, was destroyed, so the depth of the legends was different. ¡°Wow¡­! Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, ahem, it¡¯s more like a legend, but all the kingdoms bordering the desert raise Gentusha. Also¡­¡± Prince Abrel continued to explain the greatness of the Western Empire with enthusiasm. Then, the aide who had been uneasy behind him started to sweat. [Thought: This is such a sensitive topic! Please, Your Highness, stop!] Actually, the prince¡¯s topic and word choice were not very appropriate diplomatically. Of course, Siervian found the stories about the Western Empire described from a perspective that could not be seen in the empire very interesting, but it was not appropriate to talk about how great the fallen empire was in front of the surviving empire. However, his aide couldn¡¯t even breathe properly and was sweating profusely. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She was trying to find a way to handle the situation in an adult-like manner when her gaze reached the grass the aide had been holding onto like a talisman since earlier. ¡°But what is that? Is it food for the Gentusha by any chance?¡± Even if someone who didn¡¯t know Gentusha came closer, they would be cute enough to blink their big eyes. They didn¡¯t seem to be eating the grass. Still pretending to be innocent and with a bright smile, she asked, and the aide showed her what he had in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s Farim, Your Highness. As you know.¡± ¡°Farim? Is someone sick?¡± Worriedly asking, the aide denied the suspicion with a friendly smile. Then, he handed the Farim he was holding to Prince Abrel and glared at him. [Abrel Garambell] Mood: Confused Thoughts: Ah, father said it¡¯s not good to say things like this, right! Siervian pretended not to notice his thoughts and looked back at the Gentusha again. As soon as Prince Abrel received the Farim, the Gentusha named Ksa pushed its head up, drooling from its mouth. ¡°Do they eat Farim?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not the main food for Gentusha though, it¡¯s like a snack. They will stay quiet and could be released after that.¡± Despite the approaching huge Gentusha, which could easily swallow the prince in one bite, he managed to push the familiar face of Ksa away with a pat on the head. The piece of Farim on the small boy¡¯s hand disappeared into Ksa¡¯s mouth in no time, in such a small amount that it seemed questionable if it even had a taste. ¡°Farim is a precious herb, so I can¡¯t give too much of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­¡­¡± Siervian stepped back a bit, eyeing the sharp teeth inside the Gentusha¡¯s mouth as it chewed the Farim. She thought that perhaps it could be true that it was originally a monster. [Abrel Garambell] Thoughts: Gentusha looks amazing, but if she were to ask to ride it¡­ [Please stay still, Your Highness!] Even as she read their windows, the prince and his aide communicated intensely through their eyes. Even a minor issue could escalate into a conflict between the empire and the kingdom, given the difference in status. Therefore, although Siervian was curious about the back of the Gentusha, she decided to not press the issue. ¡®I do want to ride it, but¡­¡¯ Above the Gentusha, there was a magnificent cushion. The soft cushions for the rider were embroidered with intricate patterns that could be seen from the city. The tops of the other Gentusha were adorned like a small tent, seeming to serve as a special saddle for royalty. ¡°What is the desert like? I¡¯m curious,¡± she asked. But Siervian found a suitable topic of conversation and avoided insisting on a ride. ¡°Ah! With a Gentusha, you can easily withstand the desert. Their feet don¡¯t sink in the sand, you know.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why they¡¯re so wide!¡± ¡°Yes, and the desert nights are very beautiful. Of course, if a storm blows, it can be quite difficult for a while.¡± ¡°Storm?¡± Siervian found it fascinating that storms could happen in the desert. It would be very different from the blizzards in the north. Abrel blushed again and spoke urgently in a hushed voice, ¡°If she¡¯s scared, what should I do?¡± [Abrel Garambell] Thoughts: What if she gets scared? ¡°However, it¡¯s not that common, and it¡¯s not dangerous if you rely on Gentusha.¡± At the prince¡¯s sudden concerns, Siervian looked at him with a puzzled expression. [Abrel Garambell] Thoughts: Ugh, my heart! ¡®Does his heart hurt?! Should I call the court doctor?¡¯ Startled by the sudden status window, Siervian looked at Abrel with concern. However, he spoke very vigorously for someone who was supposedly in pain. ¡°Uh, w-well, of course it would have been easier to use the Mana Stone of Sand that Agerios used, but¡­¡± ¡°Mana Stone of Sand?¡± ¡°Yes! When it comes to Agerios¡¯ sacred object, it¡¯s the Mana Stone of Sand and the giant sword! The mana stone can be used as long as there is mana sensitivity, so if it was still there¡­ no, that¡¯s not what I meant to say¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± [Abrel Garambell] Mood: Wants to cry Thoughts: I was about to talk about the Western Empire again! After taking a deep breath and calming himself for a moment, he finally spoke to Siervian with a stern expression, ¡°What I mean is¡­ so, please come to Garambell later, Your Highness.¡± ¡®Aha.¡¯ When she questioned why he was so nervous, he seemed worried that Siervian would be frightened by the sandstorm and would say she didn¡¯t want to visit Garambell. His childish behavior was endearing, and she also wanted to go to Garambell to see the sea. Siervian readily nodded her head and said, ¡°Yes, I also want to see the sea.¡± The prince¡¯s face lit up brightly. [Thoughts: You finally succeeded, Your Highness!] The aide behind them wiped at his eyes, but Siervian didn¡¯t notice as she was looking at the Gentusha. * * * In the afternoon, Prince Abrel escorted Siervian with a relieved expression on his face. He kindly escorted her to the place she was staying. ¡°Your Highness! Over here.¡± ¡°Marco!¡± Marco was waiting with a carriage in front of the palace where Siervian was staying. It was an imperial-style carriage brought from the empire. ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There were no knights blocking their movement, as if they had already gained permission in advance. Siervian, who was enjoying the view of the city as she rode in the carriage and toured the city, suddenly asked, ¡°How was the mercenary guild? Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes. The person I hired as a proxy did the job very well. I think he¡¯s a trustworthy person.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± There were limits to giving instructions through magic communication devices due to the physical distance, and since it was a place with a very different culture, Marco needed someone local to help him. So, he had to find someone to oversee the affairs on the western coast. ¡°He was very kind and hospitable to us, even though we arrived earlier than expected. His preparation was also impressive.¡± Marco kept complimenting the character of the proxy he had hired. Siervian¡¯s visit was also an opportunity to decide whether to continue employing this proxy or not. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Thanks to Marco¡¯s generous praise, Siervian also felt uplifted. If he was a really good person, he could be entrusted with this branch in the future as well. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Even in the city, as they entered the commercial district, a distinctly exotic atmosphere could be felt. The strong sunlight of the western region seemed to have influenced the distance between buildings, as tapestries with intricate designs were hung above the spaces between them. It gave the feeling that the ceiling was made of cloth, swaying gently in the wind. Among them, a building decorated in a neat manner stood out. And on it was written in the common language of the continent, ¡®Mana Fairy.¡¯ ¡°Welcome, Your Highness! We¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± A person with a strong impression unique to the western coast ran out as soon as they arrived, jumping with joy with the utmost delight on his face, as if he had no time to even put on his shoes. ¡°Sir Palton! Thank you for your warm welcome!¡± ¡°Haha, Sir Marco. Your face seems to have become more refined since we last met. Was it the wind of Mosae that has gilded your face?¡± He hugged Marco as if he was his own brother. ¡°It¡¯s people like you, Sir Palton, who bring out the best in others.¡± Marco was clearly pleased with such a friendly attitude. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ However, Siervian had exited the carriage with great expectations and couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollow laugh without realizing it. [Palton] Occupation: Con artist (Lv. 76) Mood: Extremely annoyed. How dare a con artist enter her mercenary guild? CH 106 ¡°Your Highness, my name is Palton Shaggy*. I have been looking forward to the day to finally meet you!¡± [*TL/N: His last name was actually ??? which is a play on the word ¡®con artist¡¯ in Korean. I¡¯ve got no idea how to convey that so I just gave him a similar name of how it was read and wrote a note lol.] ¡°Your Highness, he¡¯s the person I mentioned earlier.¡± [Marco William] Thoughts: Surely the princess will recognize his competence, right? [Palton] Thoughts: This stupid son of a bitch, he brought the real princess. I thought I explained it well enough for him to understand, but look at this inflexible Northern guy! ¡°¡­¡­¡± Both of them smiled at her in a friendly way, but their inner thoughts were vastly different. Caught off guard by their contrasting reactions, Siervian hesitated for a moment showing an awkward expression. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Princess?¡± The two of them asked in confusion as if there was something strange about her standing still. ¡°Hmm¡­ nice to meet you.¡± Although Siervian managed to suppress her frown and put on a natural smile as she stepped from the carriage, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡®Did he not know I was coming?¡¯ Marco had clearly made a meeting appointment, so the thought was strange. Of course, the most surprising thing was that even though he was cursing inwardly, he was still able to put on a happy expression. ¡°Haha. Today is such a joyous day! I will cherish this honor for generations to come.¡± Palton made exaggerated gestures as if he was deeply moved and couldn¡¯t contain his emotions. But to Siervian, who could see his inner thoughts clearly, it seemed like a theatrical performance. ¡°Truly, you had remarkable eyes that seemed to depict the Northern lakes¡­¡± [Palton] Thoughts: We definitely agreed to finish this among ourselves so that there wouldn¡¯t be a visit from the imperial family! ¡®Aha, I see.¡¯ Siervian understood the situation better after hearing another one of his exaggerated greetings. Marco had been silently listening to Palton¡¯s admiration for how much he had longed to meet the princess and suddenly beamed and interjected, ¡°Sir Palton admired Your Highness so much that he didn¡¯t dare to meet you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why I made an effort to bring the Princess here! I thought you would appreciate her even more if you saw her in person!¡± [Marco William] ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­I-Is that so?¡± [Palton] Thoughts: This dim-witted guy! It seemed that Palton was hesitant and refused to meet her directly, perhaps feeling burdened. However, Marco didn¡¯t realize any of this. Advertisements ¡°Besides, Sir Palton is part of Viscount Shaggy¡¯s family, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so¡­¡± His surname didn¡¯t appear in his status window. That meant the claim of him being a noble Shaggy was a lie. ¡°Now, don¡¯t stand there and come inside!¡± Palton talked with Marco for a while and then pointed inside the building with a slightly tired expression. Marco had expected him to guide the princess through every nook and cranny of the branch and didn¡¯t think that Palton would just show her around hastily and finish. ¡°Ah, Sir Palton. We have properly deposited the money you gave us earlier into the treasury. Since you didn¡¯t know the proper procedure, I¡¯ll explain it to you in detail while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for that.¡± [Palton] Thoughts: ¡­I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t even get it was a bribe! I thought he was such an easy target since he loves money, but who knew? It was certainly a serious situation, and Siervian had to make an effort not to laugh. Even for her, this was unexpected. Looking at the difference in their respective status screens, the situation became more understandable to Siervian. It was clear that Palton had used cunning tactics as low as that to manipulate Marco. Moreover, it was also a well-known rumor that Marco liked money very much. ¡°We¡¯re colleagues, so what¡¯s the big deal? Hahaha. Next time, I¡¯ll show you how to calculate rigorously to prepare for an audit!¡± However, Palton had overlooked the fact that Marco was innocent, to the point where embezzlement or bribery was unimaginable to him. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± Siervian thought she heard the sound of Palton¡¯s teeth grinding underneath his smile. ¡®Marco is an honest fool who only knows clean money!¡¯ It was not a pleasant feeling to see such a kind and virtuous person like Marco being cursed inwardly. She had kept Marco by her side for a long time because of his good character, so she couldn¡¯t bear to see him being taken advantage of by a con artist! ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The situation was quite difficult. Of course, Marco had acted quite carelessly, but that didn¡¯t mean he was someone who could be easily deceived by a cheap trick. So, the only thing Palton could do was to try to keep himself from being cleverly outsmarted by the princess or to offer a bribe. ¡®If I make an issue about the bribe, it could affect Marco as well.¡¯ He might have thought that she didn¡¯t believe in him and that she was prejudiced as a member of the imperial family. Especially since it was becoming increasingly difficult for those who worked with the Emperor, like him, to speak out. At least, those who worked with her father were afraid to challenge the Emperor. [Palton] Thoughts: Damn it, they arrived early, and as a result, I couldn¡¯t hide the ledger. And now, he even brought the princess along! However, as Siervian was trying to search for a solution, Palton¡¯s status window lit up and changed its contents. ¡®Aha.¡¯ It seemed that there was something to worry about more than that. ¡°How is it, Your Highness? They put special effort to decorate the branch according to the Empire¡¯s taste.¡± Advertisements ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± As Palton spoke again, Marco interrupted, ¡°I personally requested each one while talking together with the magic tool. I thought you would visit someday.¡± ¡°Marco had a good insight, but I suffered a lot because of it. Haha, just kidding. Just kidding!¡± [Palton] Thoughts: Those damn Empire guys were so meddlesome. We could only make more money if we had spent more! Hmm, but if they leave, we can still sell these magic lights. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As he reviewed his ambitious embezzlement plan, Siervian thought to herself. For the time being, she needed more clues to know what he had already done. ¡°Sir Roid.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°This place is really beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing. The security is too lax. Send more knights to guard it while I¡¯m in the Mosae Kingdom.¡± ¡°I will follow your orders. We will make sure there is no time for the knights to be lax.¡± To buy some time, Siervian resorted to a ploy. At her sudden order, Palton lost himself in thought. [Palton] Thoughts: A knight! And to keep watch over the place continuously! What nonsense! He barely managed to control his expression, but Siervian noticed this. ¡°Your Highness, what an outrageous thing to say. I fear that if these knights, who must protect you are here, it could lead to trouble. Please reconsider.¡± [Palton] Mood: Anxious. Thoughts: If these imperial knights stick to us all day, we won¡¯t be able to do anything! As expected, he had different thoughts from his words. Upon seeing his thoughts about not being able to hide the ledger earlier, she simply smiled. She tried to imitate Marco and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! This is a branch from my mercenary guild, this is natural!¡± ¡°B-but, Your Highness¡­!¡± ¡°Haha. Sir Palton, don¡¯t worry too much. We have many knights we brought here. You¡¯re even worried about me, how kind!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Thank you, Palton!¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± [Palton] Thoughts: Damn it! After that, many curses that she had neither heard nor seen before passed through his mind. Siervian watched it with wide eyes and smiled inwardly. * * * ¡°Marco, that Palton¡­ Shaggy, how did you meet him?¡± Later that evening, Siervian invited Marco to dinner and asked him about Palton. She had purposely stayed at the branch all afternoon and examined every detail in Palton¡¯s status window. Yet, she only saw curses more complex than a magic formula. Advertisements Unfortunately, she had not discovered anything else, so she decided to gather more clues. She was especially curious about how Marco had come to know that con artist. ¡°Oh! Palton was someone I met when I first traveled with the Garambell delegation,¡± replied Marco. ¡°Is that so?¡± Surprised by the unexpected connection, Siervian¡¯s eyes widened. Thinking that it was an interest in a new talent, Marco enthusiastically recounted the events of that time. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to buy some grain when I was accompanying the delegation back then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Before finalizing the grain import agreement, I was looking for potential buyers, and that¡¯s when I met Sir Palton.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Siervian cautiously wondered if he was already scammed back then. ¡°Although we couldn¡¯t finish the deal back then because the grain agreement went smoothly, Sir Palton and I have kept in touch ever since.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. You can tell how consistent and honest he is. Originally, he refused the job offer from the guild several times before taking it on.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Siervian had a vague sense of why Marco was showing such a great deal of trust. Even though Siervian couldn¡¯t understand the methods of con artists, she knew it was difficult to be objective when it came to long-standing relationships like this one. It was like her trusting the Empress until the very end. ¡°Hmm, but was there anything strange?¡± With one knight left behind for caution, Siervian subtly whispered to Sir Roid to give him a hint. Having been by her side for years now, Sir Roid knew Siervian¡¯s intentions well and promised to prevent even a single small item from leaving the branch. He said he would protect(?) Palton in particular. ¡°Oh, right. I have something to show you.¡± CH 107 As Siervian was testing her luck, Marco pulled something from his pocket suddenly. As expected, despite reading comments about how gullible Marco seemed, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was amiss. He retrieved a booklet made of paper from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the report that was sent just now.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Siervian couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was the ledger Palton had failed to conceal earlier. ¡°This is¡­¡± Siervian hastily unfolded the paper, as she had learned how to read ledgers from Marco before. ¡°It¡¯s an exceptionally well-kept ledger, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± However, contrary to expectations, Marco still didn¡¯t grasp any clues. ¡°Even when I worked in the finance department, I never came across such a meticulous ledger. Hm? Why do you look that way, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Siervian briefly looked at Marco with a melancholic gaze then continued to calmly peruse the accounting. Apparently, this wasn¡¯t the ledger that Palton had wanted to hide. It was most likely something that had been cleverly fabricated to appear genuine. ¡°Hmm? Something seems odd.¡± But the more she examined it slowly, the more she sensed that something was amiss, just as Marco had mentioned. ¡°Is there anything else you would like to know?¡± ¡°¡­There doesn¡¯t seem to be any particular issue.¡± In her view, there was nothing suspicious. She could clearly see the substantial profits realized from the Simbu coast. Could it be that they were trying to deceive her by making the ledger appear legitimate? ¡°Oh, by the way. The amount indicated there arrived safely in the Empire. We confirmed its arrival before we departed, and the remaining personnel there have also completed additional verifications. So, I am reporting it to you now.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± However, that wasn¡¯t it either. If they had presented fake gold coins, Marco would have noticed it first. ¡®Then what kind of scam did they pull off?¡¯ Advertisements It seemed that there was still something she needed to investigate. * * * The next day, Siervian purposely visited the branch without Marco. Without giving prior notice, she arrived, but Palton welcomed her with apparent delight. ¡°Your Highness! It¡¯s an honor to receive your visit for two consecutive days! What a joyful occasion!¡± [Palton] Thoughts: These Empire bastards! Why are they here again! Of course, his seemingly bright smile concealed such dark thoughts. ¡°Yes! I felt like it, so I purposely came.¡± Siervian also smiled and responded playfully to Palton¡¯s spoken greeting. ¡°Well¡­ Is that so?¡± [Palton] Favorability: -50 She had the rare opportunity to witness someone¡¯s favorability plummeting. ¡°Ahem, Your Highness. Since you¡¯re here, I want to discuss the matter of assigning a knight. I don¡¯t want to put you in trouble.¡± Since there was no way to prevent the owner of the branch from coming, Palton, who had nothing to hide, changed his goals. [Palton] Thoughts: I can¡¯t even get my hands on the ledger while that goddamn knight is glaring at me! ¡®As expected, it¡¯s good that I left the knight behind.¡¯ Of course, Siervian was clearly aware of the ruse and smiled innocently like Marco again. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all for Palton¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°¡­I apologize, Your Highness.¡± Advertisements Palton seemed like a seasoned con artist in possession of the ability to control his facial expressions. Despite openly teasing him like this, he could still smile so warmly! Siervian found it unsettling and quickly changed the subject. She felt sorry for Marco for being deceived. ¡°I saw the ledger yesterday.¡± ¡°Is that so, Your Highness?¡± She deliberately emphasized the word ¡®ledger¡¯ but Palton casually responded. Suspicious of his reaction, Siervian asked the question she had been pondering, ¡°It seems our Conoa candle sells really well.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Contrary to Siervian¡¯s expectations, Conoa candle was indeed surprisingly popular. Marco hadn¡¯t exaggerated for no reason. ¡°Over 2,000 units sold in just one month! I had no idea it was in such high demand!¡± Siervian had various motives behind her carefully chosen question. Because Palton was the only one capable of pulling off such a scam, she wanted to uncover the true sales figures and prices. Therefore, this question would inevitably reveal the ¡®actual¡¯ sales volume of Conoa candles. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s all thanks to Your Highness¡¯ virtue!¡± [Palton] Thoughts: They don¡¯t even realize that the actual sales are more than double that. Stupid Imperial fools. ¡®So that¡¯s how it is!¡¯ Ironically, the issue was that the fragrance developed by Siervian was simply too good. It attracted more attention than Marco or Siervian had anticipated, making it possible for Palton to divert a certain portion of the money without raising suspicion. Besides, with a significant amount of coins already returned to the Empire, there was no reason to suspect anything. [Palton] Thoughts: Those Empire folks still haven¡¯t grasped its true popularity. This will be a long-lasting product. So if he gradually reduces the money sent to the Empire, his share will increase. Hehehe. ¡°By the way, precisely how much was the sales volume last month?¡± Afterward, Siervian deliberately bombarded Palton with questions about the ledger. Perhaps due to her outward appearance as a young child, Palton answered politely. It seemed that he believed Siervian didn¡¯t fully understand the ledger. ¡®Hmm, the answers are perfect.¡¯ Advertisements Furthermore, as a skilled con artist, Palton showed no sign of hesitation in his responses. The contents matched exactly what Siervian remembered from the ledger Marco had shown her. It was a moment where the persistence Palton had shown in assisting Marco with the underlying work for years became apparent. [Palton] Mood: Irritation Thoughts: Damn it, I can¡¯t hide the real ledger like this. ¡­It won¡¯t work. Although he doesn¡¯t like it, he will have to rely on the guild¡­ After the tedious process of deliberately asking repetitive questions, Palton finally considered hiding the ledger himself. ¡®The guild?¡¯ Within that thought, Siervian discovered an unexpected fact, narrowing her eyes. * * * A few days later, the situation became much more significant than expected. ¡®Even con artists have guilds¡­!¡¯ Surprised by the mention of the guild, Siervian cautiously sought assistance from her surroundings. Through her investigations, she astonishingly discovered that con artists had formed guilds. ¡°Are you ready, Roid?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡­ it¡¯s dangerous, so I must accompany you, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They were looking at the ordinary guild building that the con artists were currently using as their hideout. Although it appeared to be a small merchant guild, their investigations had led them to suspect it was the con artists¡¯ lair. ¡°Princess, I will protect you at all costs!¡± Beside Siervian was Prince Abrel Garambell, who had officially offered assistance to the Mosae Kingdom. ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡± Siervian doubted whether they could handle the situation with just the knights, considering they didn¡¯t know how many swindlers were inside. Moreover, if they acted recklessly with their military forces in another kingdom, it could create significant diplomatic problems. Such collaboration was inevitable. [Abrel Garambell] Favorability: +50 However, once they passed along the truth to Mosae Kingdom, they were given additional information. It seemed that the con artist guild, to which Palton belonged, had been making efforts to infiltrate Mosae Kingdom recently. Listening to the misdeeds the scammers had committed in the capital, Siervian could understand how Palton had attempted to penetrate the upper echelons of the empire. ¡®¡­The con artists have extended their reach to Garambell. In my previous life, they would have hesitated due to the epidemic.¡¯ Siervian had never heard of such a large group of mountebanks before. It seemed to be a side effect of the altered history. ¡®Get a hold of yourself!¡¯ Nevertheless, thanks to that, having military forces, including Prince Garambell, was achieved. Roid, who had been observing the building, spoke in a low voice. ¡°There¡¯s the target.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Siervian used a simple magic spell, moving her fingers and bringing it before her eyes. As a result, she could see the distant location as if it were right in front of her. ¡®It¡¯s going according to plan.¡¯ The knight who had been placed in the branch was deliberately summoned to Siervian¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t forget to act like a young child around Palton and pretended it was a child¡¯s whim. She also discreetly had knights positioned around them. Feeling nervous due to her constant presence, Palton wished to move the ¡®ledger.¡¯ ¡°That¡­ is magic.¡± Standing beside her, Abrel Garambell murmured softly, and his face, which had been close to hers all along, turned slightly red. In truth, Siervian had wanted to leave him behind since it was a risky operation for a child to undertake. Of course, she didn¡¯t say it aloud as it wasn¡¯t appropriate for a young lady. Additionally, her busy schedule and the fact that her father couldn¡¯t accompany her made her sigh and suggest bringing the prince instead. ¡°Would you like to see?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Anyway, since the prince expressed his willingness to protect her, Siervian kindly brought her finger in front of him. [Abrel Garambell] Favorability: +50 Advertisements Today, his favorability seemed to be rising exceptionally well. ¡®Is it because the prince is nervous?¡¯ Since Siervian herself was also tense, she shifted her gaze again. Walking around inconspicuously, they naturally headed toward the branch building. Then, they began conversing with someone at the entrance. ¡°We will subdue them shortly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The knights provided by Mosae Kingdom silently moved toward the target building. The plan was to catch Palton entering the guild and hiding the item. At that moment, Palton¡¯s status window appeared before Siervian. [Palton] Thoughts: What? Knights from the palace? ¡®How did he find out?¡¯ Surprisingly, he had noticed the plan while conversing in front of the guild building. CH 108 Palton still calmly conversed with the person in front of the building. The person also responded naturally and effortlessly. ¡°Haha, yes, how is your daughter doing?¡± In front of the target building, a small market had been set up, appearing calm and ordinary to anyone unaware of the situation. ¡®They still haven¡¯t noticed.¡¯ The knights from the Mosae Kingdom and the Empire in the vicinity seemed oblivious to what was happening. Meanwhile, Palton¡¯s inner thoughts were constantly changing. [Palton] Thoughts: How much bribery has been involved, and how many knights have they mobilized¡­? Clearly, someone had conveyed a message to him, perhaps through magic or using seemingly ordinary conversation as codes. [Palton] Thoughts: I should pretend to enter and then escape through the secret passage inside. I need to get out of here for now. Witnessing Palton¡¯s decision, Siervian stood up suddenly without realizing it herself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Highness?¡± Since she had been sitting low to conceal herself, her sudden movement caught attention. Although she hadn¡¯t been noticed by the enemies due to her small stature, it was a close call. ¡°Roid, we need to launch a surprise attack right now.¡± In response to the knight¡¯s confusion, she spoke urgently. The place they were observing was a complex market district where buildings intertwined and pressed against each other due to continuous expansion. If Palton were to use a secret passage there, they might lose him in an instant. ¡°Yes? Hmm, understood. Everyone, proceed with the operation immediately.¡± Surprisingly, Roid didn¡¯t question her conviction and issued the order without hesitation. [Adante Roid] Mood: Trust. Thoughts: She must have a reason. The knights dispatched from the palace were the ones who appeared perplexed. They stared at the sudden turn of events, different from what was discussed, but it was already too late. Since they were already prepared to launch the attack, there was no other choice but to act together. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Prince Abrel also called to her, standing near her with a puzzled expression. ¡®What should I say to explain this?¡¯ In her haste, she had blurted it out without thinking. She needed to come up with a plausible excuse, but how could she do that now? However, a commotion occurred near the enemy¡¯s building just at that moment. ¡°Darn!¡± Surprisingly, as soon as the knights revealed themselves, everyone in the vicinity turned their attention toward them. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of being surprised by the knights¡¯ appearance. They all had drawn their swords and were actively preparing to attack. ¡°They¡¯re all enemies! Charge!¡± Siervian finally took a moment to assess their situation. As she had focused solely on watching Palton, she hadn¡¯t thought of checking the status windows of those around her, but now she realized something was highly suspicious. She overlooked the merchants, no, the other thieves on the market¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, subdue them!¡± ¡°Roid, we need to capture that guy first!¡± As soon as the knights appeared, Palton fled into the guild¡¯s building. It was clear he was heading toward the secret passage. The ledger he held was the most important evidence. Without clear proof, it would be problematic. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± In her haste, she quickly ran in a different direction from the knights. Though she didn¡¯t know where the secret passage was, she was certain that Palton would try to escape in the opposite direction from the knights. Naturally, Roid stuck closely behind her. Suddenly, the brave prince also unsheathed his sword. ¡°Where did he go?¡± In front of the con artist¡¯s building, chaos reigned. Merchants were throwing flowers and food while resisting the knights. Seeing their lack of affection for the items they were selling, it was clear they weren¡¯t truly merchants. ¡°There might be an alleyway over there.¡± At that moment, Prince Abriel pointed to a spot slightly away from where the knights were engaged in battle. Siervian looked in the direction he was pointing, but all she saw were tightly packed buildings. [Abriel Garambell] Thoughts: Judging by the appearance, there might be a passage leading to the neighboring building. However, due to the favor he received from his grandfather since childhood, Prince Abriel, who had often visited the Mosae Kingdom, had a different perspective. ¡°Your Highness, please take the lead!¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± If that¡¯s the case, she should follow the expert¡¯s words! Without hesitation, Siervian promptly followed the prince¡¯s instructions. Even though Roid had doubts, his judgment changed as soon as they entered a narrow alley. It was as the prince had said¡ªthe path from the guild building led precariously to the rooftop of another building. ¡°There, I see him!¡± At that moment, Roid, who was taller than them, spoke in a low voice. Despite being a bit out of breath from running, Siervian also looked in that direction. Indeed, Palton, leaning against a dusty tapestry, was fleeing toward the rooftop of another building in a precarious manner. Advertisements ¡°What should we do?¡± As someone who couldn¡¯t use a levitation spell yet, Siervian had no way to follow him. While she was fretting, Roid took a step forward and calmly asked, ¡°Princess, can your magic reach him?¡± ¡°Yes! But Siervy is not good at offensive magic yet¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can just immobilize his feet for a moment.¡± ¡°Okay, I can do that!¡± Siervian briefly considered then quickly used a spell. She twisted mana in various ways to form the desired shape, and aimed it at Palton who was now trying to disappear into another building. ¡°Now!¡± A bright cluster of light extended from her hand and moved forward. It was different from the spell she used to save Jane from the monster. This time, the sphere swiftly flew and adhered tightly behind Palton¡¯s knees. ¡°Ugh!¡± When he fell flat on his face, Sir Roid moved like lightning. Swiftly kicking off the wall and leaping, he reached the rooftop of the building where Palton had fled. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Having completely knocked out the fallen guy, he returned to Siervian¡¯s side not long after. * * * A few days later, the operation against the con artist guild went more smoothly than expected. ¡°According to the ledger he had, he embezzled almost half of the funds¡­.¡± ¡°That much?¡± Although Siervian already had a rough idea, she played innocent to Marco¡¯s comment. ¡°Yes¡­ we should have suspected the very foundation of the ledger. The calculations seemed accurate, but we were too focused on examining it.¡± The news of their plan to eradicate the con artist guild spread not long after from the Mosae Palace. It was the result of the bribed people witnessing knights being mobilized and then discreetly leaking the information. Naturally, those persons faced severe punishment, and she even received a direct apology from the King of Mosae. ¡®I hope this works in favor of the grain agreement.¡¯ Once again in a commanding manner King Mosae expressed his gratitude to Siervian. She had provided the decisive information about the swindler¡¯s guild that had been pursued by the kingdom for a long time. Numerous victims were discovered, but the important thing was to uncover information about the guild. Hence, it was easy to pinpoint the headquarters of the specific guild to which Palton, one of the crooks, belonged. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­ now that I think about it, the shady merchant and the entire market were all part of it¡­¡± Having learned the full extent of the situation, Marco¡¯s demeanor had been dismal ever since. His face had become so gaunt that it was unpleasant to look at. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I feel deeply ashamed, Your Highness.¡± [Marco William] Mood: Utter despair Thoughts: This is a problem that goes beyond simply reviewing ledgers in the Ministry of Finance. There was a reason why his father warned him that it would be difficult. From beginning to end, he was completely deceived, and he seemed to have lost all confidence. However, in Siervian¡¯s view, Marco was a capable one. From the start, he didn¡¯t blindly trust the ledger given by the guy. He made sure to carefully investigate the actual market situation. However, it was inconceivable that the entire guild of con artists could deceive one person. ¡°The way those mercenaries conducted business seemed skilled. There must have been more victims like you.¡± The people in front of the con artist¡¯s guild were all easily subdued. They never expected that so many knights would be mobilized due to the joint efforts of the princess and the prince at the palace. ¡°Bring in anyone with ambiguous affiliations from now on. I¡¯ll handle them.¡± Siervian knelt and sat beside Marco who kept blaming himself for his mistakes. She had been worried because Marco didn¡¯t listen despite her telling him it was okay. She didn¡¯t forget to pat his shoulder as well. [Marco William] Favorability: +50 Mood: Touched. Thoughts: I can¡¯t believe Princess is so forgiving of me¡­! On the verge of tears, Marco quickly corrected his posture as the princess sat beside him. Then, he became curious and asked, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. But how did you know he was a con artist?¡± Siervian knew this question would come and confidently presented her prepared answer. It was an excuse she had used several times since she was young, and surprisingly, it worked well. ¡°His face looked very suspicious.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Knowing the famous stories of the princess, Marco nodded with a wry smile and soon accepted it. Because she was a mage and a princess, it might be possible. He just accepted her reason. Fortunately, even the Mosae Kingdom didn¡¯t inquire deeply about it. They probably thought that Siervian¡¯s actions involved the Empire¡¯s intelligence and magic, and that prying into the Empire¡¯s secrets would cause trouble. ¡®It could have been a big problem.¡¯