C 77
"Oh... Yes."
I don't think it's a lovely face, but well, it's been a long time since I've seen it.
"Have you seen the prince?"
"Yes."
"How was it?"
"It was fine."
In response to my brief answer, the emperor showed a perplexed expression.
He looked at me closely, chuckled, and then nodded. I tilted my head.
"Do you know that the empire was turned upside down because of you? Even the Imperial Knights weren't enough to stop that rabid dog."
I thought I knew who he was talking about.
"Well, you saved my son. If there's anything you want, I'll listen, so tell me."
"Something I want? There's nothing right now."
I rubbed my cheeks with my palm several times, shifted my legs, tilted my head, and then shook it because I still couldn't think of anything.
"I can't remember anything right now."
"Then, if you ever need something later, just let me know."
"Um, can I visit the imperial palace often then?"
"The imperial palace?"
"Yes, Enosh... No, I want to see the prince and Lily unnie."
Entering the imperial palace was only possible with permission from the imperial family.
"That's not difficult. Get a pass from the chamberlain before you go."
The elderly attendant who had brought me here bowed slightly and smiled.
"Was it the chamberlain...?"
Wouldn't he have a considerable rank if he were the chief chamberlain of the imperial family?
It was a bit strange for such a person to come to pick me up.
As if she were waiting for the emperor to finish his words, the woman beside him looked at me and spoke.
"We finally meet like this. I am Enosh's mother."
As expected, she was the empress.
She had beautiful ruby-colored eyes and her navy blue hair was tied up.
She was a very elegant-looking woman. Her voice was soft, her eyes kind, and her skin pale, similar to Enosh's of old.
"Thank you for saving Enosh. I'm not very strong, but if you ever need my help, please let me know."
"Yes!"
"Hehe, I think I know why Prince Etham, who hasn't shown any interest in other people for a long time, has been circling around you so much."
"Really?"
"He was very rebellious and seemed unable to function properly as a human being, but thanks to you, Prince Etham seems to be able to function as a human being at least. Be a good father."
Good fathers don't hand over billions and the headship to a 10-year-old.
It was embarrassing even to think about it again.
"I think I can understand why Duke Collin was so against entrusting you to Prince Etham."
She smiled with a very kind expression and spoke comfortably. It was a bit surprising that she felt comfortable talking about Erno Etham and Duke Collin.
As if she noticed my doubts, she spoke first.
"I know because I attended the same academy. His Majesty also attended during the same period."
Oh, that's why.
No wonder, otherwise he wouldn't let the assassin go at night, right?
"I heard that you became the matriarch of the family."
"Ah, yes..."
"He's been doing very crazy things since then. He did crazy things to the point where I wondered if a normal person could do such crazy things."
The emperor, who had been listening to the empress, interrupted.
"Yes..."
But I don't know why you're cursing my father.
It's okay when I do it, but it doesn't feel good when someone else does it.
"This is one of the craziest things I've seen."
Of course, I agree with this statement.
What ducal family in the world would hand over the headship to a ten-year-old girl?
Even while deceiving his father.
"Still... I can give you this gift by making you the matriarch of the family."
"A gift?"
"Yes, I will give you territory in the southern part of the Empire. The territory has the most fertile land and is a good place to rest, and its specialties are various fruits."
The emperor snapped his fingers, and the chamberlain came out with something.
It was a luxurious rolled-up parchment. When I opened my eyes wide, the chamberlain handed me the parchment and the seal.
"Oh... wow, thank you."
I accidentally accepted it.
"Your father has his eyes on you, so I decided to give it to you because I was afraid they might attack sooner or later."
"Ah..."
How the hell does my father's image reflect in the world?
When I awkwardly smiled, the emperor looked at me in incomprehension and then chuckled.
"I don't know how something so gentle ended up with him. No, maybe I should say it's lucky that there's something as gentle as you."
"What?"
The emperor shrugged at my question.
"I'm talking to myself."
"Yes."
"It's said that dragons have insight, and that's why you sensed the insect-infested illness in advance."
It's not actually like that, but let's allow it to be misunderstood.
I nodded awkwardly, and he let out a brief sigh.
"There will be storms around you in the future."
The emperor, who seemed tired, suddenly opened his mouth with a stiff expression.
"The Etham family, including Erno Etham, will protect you desperately, but still, there will be hands everywhere looking for you."
"..."
"You will see the dark side of humans in the future, and you will be favored with greed. You may have no choice but to constantly suspect someone."
His voice was firm and full of conviction. I looked at him silently.
"That's probably why the Etham family made you the head of the family, even though you're still young. Touching the matriarch of the Etham family would mean wanting to go to war against those monsters."
I looked at him and nodded slowly. It seemed like he knew what to expect.
"Even in novels, dragons are always in the center of storms."
The emperor chuckled lightly.
"You'll be blamed for not knowing in the future. So learn a lot. Only when you understand the flow of power and can read people's minds will you be able to survive."
"Yes."
"The Etham family summoned everyone, both direct and collateral, to the mansion after you woke up."
I opened my eyes.
It was a fact that I hadn't noticed at all, as I rarely left my room and the main mansion.
"The direct line of the Etham family stands out, but the collateral line also has formidable strength and power, so it can't be ignored."
Is that so?
Well, afterwards, when it turned into a political conflict, it was the Etham family that fought alongside the heroine.
"Come to think of it, betrayal won't happen anymore."
Since the second prince was alive and the emperor wasn't insane, the story wouldn't flow to a strange place.
"If they get angry, maybe it won't be difficult to turn a small kingdom into a disaster."
Do you mean that much?
Indeed, if you see Duke Miriel smashing a table with a single blow, you know it's not an unbelievable story.
"I don't know about the others..."
In fact, I never saw Callan or Silian using their power.
"Well, enough scolding. I want to get along with you for a long time."
I blinked at the emperor's words, who smiled slightly as before.
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"A favor?"
"Yes, please don't become a bad dragon."
A bad dragon?
I made a puzzled expression, but the emperor just smiled and said nothing more.
"Suddenly, an intruder will come."
"An intruder?"
"Yes, your father. It seems he entered the imperial palace."
"Ah..."
My eyes lit up at the news that Dad was coming. I don't know why I feel so good.
"Maybe it's because you're imprinted on him, but just hearing the word 'father' seems to make you feel good."
"What?"
"Erno Etham has been by your side for five years so as not to lose your imprint."
What is an imprint, and why did he do that?
"It's amazing considering how quickly he gets bored of anything."
Crack-
The door opened, and Erno Etham entered. It was a truly unpretentious visit.
"You still don't know what etiquette is, do you?"
At the emperor's words, Erno Etham looked at him and nodded with a smile.
"I see the sun, the splendor of the great empire."
The emperor frowned at Erno Etham's words.
"Why do you sound sarcastic every time you say that?"
"I don't know how things sound in your ears."
"... If you had died for insulting the imperial family, you would have died five hundred times over."
"I'm not dead, I'm alive."
".........."
Dad, who didn't exchange a word with the emperor, naturally entered and took me into his arms.
"Did you have fun, daughter?"
"Yes."
"That's good, then let's go back."
Dad kissed me gently on the cheek.
I nodded at his friendly voice and turned my gaze to the emperor, who puffed out his chest and said.
-
