“I greet His Majesty the Emperor, the most exalted sun god.”

At my crisp words, Kaisiel quickly gestured.

“The greetings are done, so sit down. The Empress will come a little later.”

I wanted to sit as far away from the Emperor as possible, but I didn’t show it. Father took the farthest seat, so I ended up sitting closest to the Emperor.

This is uncomfortable.

But I couldn’t let it show. We sat in order—Father, me, then Fazel—and Kaisiel planted himself right in front of me.

“Look at me.”

At his command, I raised my eyes and looked at the Emperor carefully.

Wow.

They say blood doesn’t lie.

Kaisiel and I looked remarkably alike.

“Truly fascinating. You’re the first person who resembles me this much.”

At Kaisiel’s words, I smiled and said.

“It’s my first time as well.”

“But what’s in that bag?”

Before coming here, they had inspected what was in the bag. I quickly took out the fruit from the bag. It was the fruit my godfathers had taken around to distribute to people and advertise.

“That fruit.”

The Emperor recognized it immediately.

“I brought some freshly harvested. The commercial products won’t be available until next month, so I brought these to give to Your Majesty as a gift.”

The Emperor laughed softly.

“Louelle was the one who suggested bringing them.”

Father said this while smiling warmly at me. Before bringing them, Saila had even inspected whether they were poisoned or not. 

I wouldn’t be foolish enough to bring poisoned fruit to a place like this, but protocol had to be followed. I didn’t know whether the Emperor would accept the fruit or not. 

I just felt awkward going empty-handed, so I thought I’d at least bring this fruit. And with just fruit, they wouldn’t have to eat it if they didn’t want to, so the Emperor and Empress’s guard wouldn’t be too high.

“I’ll enjoy them.”

At least the Emperor didn’t refuse the fruit. I smiled brightly at Kaisiel for accepting the gift.

“You really do resemble my sister.”

He spoke like he was lost in memories and asked me.

“Is there anything you want from me?”

“Something I want?”

“Yes.”

I pondered quietly. The only thing I wanted was to truly marry Fazel. And that was something I had to do myself, not something His Majesty should get involved in.

“Not really.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m happy now.”

Because these words are sincere. After saying that, I asked him one thing.

“Is there nothing Your Majesty wants from me?”

“Hm?”

“If it’s something I can do, I’ll do it.”

His eyes widened. After pondering for a moment, he looked at me.

“Do you think I want something?”

“Not necessarily, but if there’s something I can do for you, I’ll do it gladly.”

I don’t want anything, but the Emperor might want something from me.

“Usually people want things from me. Besides the Empress, no one has tried to give me what I want first.”

The Emperor laughed out loud.

“Ah, there was one other person. My sister was like that.”

The Emperor seemed to be remembering my mother.

* * *

Soon tea was prepared. The Emperor picked up his teacup. He gazed at Louelle.

Her golden hair hung down to her shoulders, and she looked at him with sparkling blue eyes.

Sister.

Before he became Emperor, there had been a massive purge of the imperial family and princes. 

The previous Emperor had many sons, but to give proper power to the heir, he killed all those who weren’t the heir. Kaisiel, who became the heir, had to inspect for poison every time and suspect people to survive. Everyone coveted the Emperor’s throne and threatened his life.

In the midst of all that, he couldn’t help but suspect even his sister who shared the same mother. But when his sister took poison, ended her own life, and severed ties with the imperial family, he regretted it to the point of madness.

This is what your position is. You know it can’t be helped.

His sister had said this gently before marrying the Count and leaving the palace. He regretted not saying a single kind word to his departing sister. He thought that if he had protected her more, she wouldn’t have died so early.

His niece who resembled that sister.

Louelle Asnel.

His feelings toward this child were complex. Because she was his sister’s daughter, he wanted to protect and guard her. But protecting someone unqualified would ruin that person’s life instead. 

He had seen many people collapse when given power they couldn’t handle, so he couldn’t approach easily. However, when the Count changed his mind and decided to make Louelle his heir, Kaisiel moved too. And he gave her a position in the imperial family.

Her actions after that were truly interesting. Seeing her choose not the Duke’s legitimate son but his illegitimate child, he thought the girl’s thoughts were unpredictable.

“Is there anything you want from me?”

He asked this. Since he thought Louelle wouldn’t ask for anything beyond her station, he was willing to grant most requests.

“Something I want?”

“Yes.”

Louelle thought about something and nodded.

“I want to give up my right to the throne.”

“What?”

“I think I’d be happier without succession rights.”

Seeing her smile sincerely reminded him of his sister’s last expression before marriage. 

Had his sister truly been happy? Had she lived resenting him? Was his niece, who grew up watching such a mother, refusing succession rights because she resented him too?

Countless thoughts flooded in.

“…Very well.”

That was the only answer he could give. For his sister he could no longer see, for his niece who resembled her.

“Thank you for granting what I wanted. But is there really nothing you want?”

“Do you think I want something?”

These weren’t words that could be said easily. Yet Louelle tilted her head slightly and sparkled her eyes.

“Not necessarily, but if there’s something I can do for you, I’ll do it gladly.”

He knew Louelle’s heart was sincere. Kaisiel felt a sting at the back of his head. His sister’s daughter truly resembled his sister. Her actions and way of speaking to him were so similar.

“My sister was like that.”

Seeing how Louelle treated him, it seemed his sister truly hadn’t hated him. She seemed nervous too, but the emotions she showed him were simple. After pondering, he spoke to Louelle. He wanted to put down all his scheming and speak honestly.

“I don’t want the same thing that happened with the previous Emperor to occur.”

“Oh, if it’s that, don’t worry. Like I said earlier, I’ll give up succession rights.”

Kaisiel smiled sharply.

“Are you confident you won’t regret it?”

The Emperor asked Louelle sharply. Having survived among people who changed so much, he couldn’t help but be this way. Fazel clenched his fist for a moment.

“Louelle is speaking sincerely.”

“Hm?”

“I apologize for interrupting. But truly, when Louelle says something once, she means it.”

Fazel recalled when the assassin appeared. She hadn’t run away leaving him behind but tried to save him. And she never demanded anything for it afterward. She was just relieved and happy that Fazel was safe, nothing more.

“Fazel, was it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll gladly accept punishment for interrupting.”

Kaisiel gazed at Aegis’s illegitimate son who, though frightened, said what needed to be said.

“What made you step forward?”

Kaisiel knew about Fazel too. He had heard the boy went to the ducal house for support, was abused, and left. Such a child would find it hard to trust others. He was curious why a child who was emotionally unstable and suspicious of others trusted Louelle this much.

“Ah, that’s because Louelle once saved my life.”

“I see.”

The Emperor seemed to know about this incident too. Then the story would be quick.

“Since then, Louelle has never demanded compensation for saving my life.”

Louelle had an expression wondering why she would demand that. Since the Emperor and Fazel were talking, she couldn’t interrupt and only conveyed it with her eyes. Then Fazel sent Louelle an affectionate look.

“You’ve seen Louelle’s expression and heard this anecdote, so you’ll know what kind of person she is.”

After saying that, Fazel stated his opinion to the Emperor.

“If you protect Louelle so she doesn’t change, things will work out as Your Majesty wishes.”

“I should protect her?”

“Yes, Louelle’s surroundings are complicated after all. Louelle might change according to situations she doesn’t want. You should protect her so that doesn’t happen, shouldn’t you?”

At Fazel’s sincere words, Kaisiel narrowed his eyes.

“I see.”

Kaisiel understood what Fazel was saying.

* * *

I was still young. Only fourteen years old. So Fazel’s words that adults should protect me before I changed made sense.

I’m touched.

He had stepped forward for me. Seeing his palms sweating, I silently held his hand.

“I don’t think Your Majesty will regret protecting me.”

I said this to Kaisiel. He looked at me and smiled faintly.

“You mean your heart to do something for me won’t change?”

“Of course.”

“Understood.”

Kaisiel nodded like he had realized something. Then he turned his gaze toward Father.

“Your daughter has grown up well.”

“She takes after her mother a lot.”

“Right. And her fiancé is smart too.”

“Thank you.”

Fazel squeezed the hand I was holding in relief. We looked at each other and smiled softly.

“The Empress said your fiancé is decent. She said he might become a man who can protect Louelle.”

Huh, when did that perception form? Saila must have said good things.

“I heard your swordsmanship is quite excellent?”

“He drew out Godfather Garen’s real skills.”

I bragged to Kaisiel excitedly.

“I heard. I was surprised too.”

Kaisiel looked at Fazel and tilted his head slightly before standing up from his seat.

“I called you to see my nephew, so I should show him to you.”

“I get to see the adorable Crown Prince.”

“It would have been better if it were a daughter.”

Kaisiel seemed a bit regretful. In the original story, Kaisiel had a daughter the second time, and there was a setting that he adored his daughter more. I knew the future but deliberately didn’t mention it.

“Then follow me.”

We followed Kaisiel down the corridor. We left the audience chamber, passed through the garden, and exited the palace to find a garden in full bloom.

“A barrier?”

Fazel muttered unconsciously. Kaisiel silently turned his head and gazed at Fazel.

“Good instincts. Even ordinary mages can’t detect it.”

“You flatter me.”