Chapter 9

The Emperor must have given prior notice because the food began to be served right on time.

Kanis already knew from Jehel that they would be having dinner.

She waited appropriately until the Emperor picked up his spoon before grasping her fork, but the Emperor clicked his tongue as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Didn’t they say you’re six years old? Why are you so small?”

The Chamberlain beside him replied in a low voice.

“Children grow at different rates, Your Majesty, but Kanna is not particularly small for her age.”

“Hmph. No need to make excuses. Back in my day, no one was like that. How could someone like that grow up strong? Something must be wrong with her bloodline.”

Kanis glanced at Jehel.

Jehel avoided her gaze.

Kanis sighed internally.

Why is that old man so twisted again?

The meal, which began with such a chilly atmosphere, showed no signs of improving as time passed.

The Emperor coughed repeatedly throughout the meal.

It seemed true that his health had deteriorated further recently.

He began an unsolicited tirade, complaining that he couldn’t even die in peace because everything was in disarray.

He lamented that none of his descendants were proper.

His only remaining daughter was shut away in her room conspiring with shady characters, and his sole grandchild, despite being placed in the position of Crown Prince, was only getting worse.

The Emperor spoke only for himself, and Kanis hardly listened.

As the meal was nearing its end, the Emperor suddenly addressed Kanis, catching her off guard.

“Why aren’t you eating more?”

“I’m done.”

Only when she saw Jehel’s facial muscles twitching oddly did Kanis realize she had forgotten to add “yo” to the end of her sentence.

“Is that enough? Do you even plan on growing?”

“I’m full, though.”

“You’re full after eating that? Did the Master of the Mage Tower starve you?”

“She didn’t starve me.”

“…”

“…milord.”

The Emperor sighed in frustration.

“There’s not a single thing I like about you! Then again, would the Master of the Mage Tower have taught you table manners?”

It was clear he had no intention of viewing her favorably.

Calling a six-year-old to the table and harping on table manners…

“Do you even know what kind of expression you’re making right now?”

The Emperor twisted his mouth into a smirk.

“Is that the face of someone happy to meet their family? Tsk. Don’t you even know how to say you’ve been wanting to see your great grandfather when meeting him for the first time?”

Even as the Master of the Mage Tower, Kanis had found the old man to be an irritating type.

Even after being polite to every sentence, he still wanted more. Well, she had momentarily forgotten a few times. Several times, actually.

Kanis leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms.

Her expression had been at its most subdued since arriving at the Imperial Palace.

Watching this, Jehel’s face grew uneasy.

“Where’s your answer? Are you deaf or mute? Why won’t you answer me?!”

The Emperor’s already thin patience seemed to have completely run out.

He exploded as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Why are you so unfriendly?! I’ve received reports on everything you’ve been doing in the Crown Prince’s Palace!”

She had expected this. Kanis wasn’t even surprised.

“They say you carry a shadow around with you! You don’t talk much, your expressions lack variety, and you haven’t cried even once since arriving at the palace! …To hear such things from someone seeing you for the first time, and yet you don’t even flinch! Look at this indifference! Doesn’t that mean you’re used to being treated like this?”

The Emperor pointed a finger at Kanis.

“Do you even miss your mother?”

Kanis’s expression didn’t change, but Jehel noticed her right hand, which had been crossed over her chest, twitch slightly.

“Did you see your mother often while living confined in the Mage Tower? Did she ever talk to you? Share a meal with you?”

“…”

“A normal child wouldn’t avoid people who are kind to them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

As the Emperor’s impulsive anger gradually subsided, his face turned chillingly cold and domineering.

“Even if your mother were standing next to you right now, would you cry? I know kids like you all too well. You’ve never had anyone comfort you when you cried.”

It was then that Jehel pushed past the servants, knelt before the Emperor, and spoke.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. Please stop.”

The Emperor glanced at Jehel out of the corner of his eye before gesturing dismissively toward Kanis.

“That child is an abandoned one.”

Jehel, her head bowed, bit her lips tightly.

“…If you find my words disrespectful and wish to punish me, I will accept it. But, Your Majesty, I must ask you to retract your statement.”

The Emperor’s cold gaze fixed on Jehel.

“Kanna is warm, upright, and clumsy but kind. She is none other than the child of the Master of the Mage Tower and His Highness Michael. As the closest aide, I can attest to this.”

Jehel lifted his head to meet the Emperor’s eyes.

“Above all, no child deserves to hear such words.”

“…”

“Therefore, I ask you to show her respect.”

The Emperor neither lashed out nor agreed.

“Even if she is my blood, what difference does it make? Her father didn’t even know of her existence until she was this age, and her mother left her alone in the Mage Tower.”

“…”

“That’s what makes her an abandoned child. Do you think it’s anything else? Children like that don’t grow up properly. Even if they survive, darkness will always consume them. It’s easy for them to go astray.”

When Jehel remained defiant, unable to accept this, Kanis called out to her.

“Get up.”

“Shall I convince you?”

The Emperor turned his head toward Kanis with a mocking expression.

“Then tell me, what is the name of the person kneeling for you?”

“…”

A suffocating silence filled the room.

Kanis couldn’t answer.

“You don’t know how to care for others. Because no one has ever cared for you.”

The Emperor let out a short laugh.

“Taking in an abandoned child at the end of my life wouldn’t be difficult, but I cannot allow such a child to become the heir to my kingdom.”

The Emperor rose from his seat. He passed by Jehel and left the room.

In the ash-like silence that followed, Kanis remained still, then uncrossed her arms and let out a faint laugh.

She noticed a handprint on her left forearm.

Jehel, her eyes red, approached Kanis and crouched beside her chair.

“Kanna.”

The Emperor’s words had been rude from start to finish, but they were accurate.

Kanis was certainly not an ordinary six-year-old.

“I’m fine.”

She was just surprised.

Surprised at how easily she had been seen through.

Was I still trapped in that moment from all those years ago?

Even though three hundred years had passed.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t remember your name.”

Jehel sniffled.

“No, now that I think about it, I’ve never properly introduced myself. I’m sorry, Kanna.”

“Then why are you crying?”

Jehel didn’t seem inclined to explain.

She simply wiped her tears and looked at Kanis with serious eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kanna. I’m Jehel Evham. I look forward to working with you.”

Kanis silently looked down at Jehel.

The woman with red hair and a perpetually cheerful demeanor.

Now her nose was red, and her eyes drooped sadly.

“I…”

Kanis furrowed her brow and pressed her lips together before finally letting out a sigh and a resigned laugh.

“I’m… well, Kanna Riventi. Probably six years old.”

“Probably?”

Kanna smiled faintly and quietly observed Jehel.

Jehel found her gaze familiar.

“I’ll remember this time.”

Kanna hopped off the chair and glanced toward the door.

“Where did the Emperor go?”

“Well… At this hour, he’s probably out for an evening walk, but I can go and ask—”

Kanna stepped into the hallway.

She climbed onto the window ledge and looked outside.

She spotted the Emperor walking below.

Without hesitation, Kanna opened the window, stepped onto the frame, and leaped out.

Jehel, who had followed her, screamed in horror.

***

The first person to notice Kanna was the chamberlain.

He witnessed Kanna throwing herself out of the third-floor window and was so shocked that he froze, unable to even make a sound. This, however, caught the Emperor’s attention.

Everyone raised their heads without much thought, only to lose all color in their faces.

Kanna, who was falling, grabbed onto the second-floor railing like a flying squirrel. Only then did a couple of people finally scream.

Hanging from the railing, Kanna pushed off the building’s outer wall and smoothly leaped onto a tree.

She disappeared into the thick foliage of the tree’s branches.

Everyone could only stare at the tree.

A suffocating silence lasted for a few seconds. Leaves rustled and fell, and then Kanna landed on the ground.

She casually brushed off her shoulders and knees before standing up straight.

After a long moment, the Emperor let out a groan and staggered.

He eventually collapsed backward, only to be caught and supported by the servants and soldiers surrounding him.

The sound of footsteps approaching the Emperor was calm and light.

So was the small shadow leaning toward his chest.