Lerrhagen responded leisurely to Sever’s seemingly accusatory words.

“Why would I bother with such troublesome matters?”

“Your Majesty…”

“Sever Kelliard, that’s between me and Estria. It doesn’t concern you.”

Lerrhagen cut off Sever’s words with an utterly indifferent expression, likely worried that Sever would keep pressing the issue.

I nodded slightly from behind, agreeing with Lerrhagen’s statement.

Eventually, Sever didn’t continue. I observed his expression carefully before speaking again.

“Did you come because of me, Duke? If so, tell me your business and I’ll relay it to Mother.”

No matter how I thought about it, I was the only reason Sever would rush here so urgently.

Of course, I couldn’t understand why news about me would make him so desperate, but whatever it was had clearly motivated him to come.

Sever looked at my face and spoke with a somewhat complicated expression.

“No. I simply came after hearing the news. I apologize for my rudeness, Your Highness.”

After finishing his words, Sever slowly turned around like someone who had made a major life decision.

The emotional state he had displayed just moments ago had completely disappeared, and he had returned to his usual cool demeanor.

When Rigan saw that Sever was about to leave, he eagerly guided him out, looking anxious to usher him away.

However, at that moment, I heard Sever murmuring to Rigan in a low voice.

“Tell Her Majesty that I will soon return to the knight order, and I request an audience with her in the near future.”

Wait, he’s returning to the knight order?

I unconsciously opened my mouth at his sudden decision, then closed it again.

‘After voluntarily giving up his position, he suddenly wants to return? Why? Could it be that he’s trying to meet me by any means necessary?’

The Sever I knew wasn’t someone who made impulsive decisions like this.

Unless he had taken some wrong medicine and gone mad, he must have something specific in mind.

As I watched him with somewhat anxious eyes, Sever glanced at me briefly before walking away.

Soon after Sever disappeared with Rigan, I finally stopped hiding behind Lerrhagen like a child and stepped forward.

“Has he gone mad?”

Hmm, as I exhaled deeply, I felt Lerrhagen glancing at me from the side.

“What is he plotting?”

The guy who had been staying in his territory suddenly came to the capital. Right when I made my appearance. It seemed too much to be mere coincidence.

I shook my head at the thought.

Just then, Hasis entered my field of vision, looking at me with narrowed eyebrows and a contemptuous expression.

“What are you looking at?”

I asked sharply, because his gaze seemed to suggest I was a complete idiot. Hasis shook his head and replied.

“Nothing. I was just thinking how well that body suits you.”

“What?”

“I mean you’re quite childish.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Is someone younger than me calling me childish?

I responded with mockery, finding his words ridiculous. Hasis raised one corner of his mouth and shook his head again.

I stared once more at the place where Sever had disappeared.

His sudden appearance was strange enough, but more than anything, his intention to return to the knights’ order was extremely suspicious.

‘And why did he look so desperate to meet me?’

In the end, I could only stare blankly at where Sever had disappeared, unable to resolve my curiosity.

I could feel Lerrhagen’s gaze watching me from the side, but I deliberately paid no attention to it.

* * *

After that day, news of my existence stirred up not only the Arsis Empire but the entire continent.

When people learned about the princess’s “half-brother,” they seemed even more surprised.

Of course, since he was Lerrhagen’s son, it had nothing to do with imperial succession, so it didn’t cause much controversy.

Thanks to this, the imperial palace was buried in gifts sent from various countries for the first time since my ascension.

“Wow, these are really cute and beautiful.”

Sela exclaimed in admiration at the various ornate and cute jeweled accessories, luxurious fabrics, and shoes placed before me.

But no matter how precious they were, they couldn’t compare to the gifts I received when I was emperor.

I rummaged through the gifts with an indifferent face and simply turned my head away disinterestedly.

“Many gifts have also arrived for Emperor Lerrhagen.”

“Gifts? More like bribes.”

Thanks to my efforts over the past few days to pronounce words correctly by focusing my mouth and mind, my pronunciation didn’t slip much as long as I stayed alert.

When I was younger, I remember crying while correcting my pronunciation. Fortunately, perhaps because I was an adult inside, it wasn’t so difficult this time.

Of course, I would have corrected it no matter how difficult it was.

At my muttering, Sela opened her eyes wide and then smiled brightly.

“Still, everyone is welcoming Your Highness so warmly.”

Do they really welcome me? They’re just afraid of Arsis’s national power.

Although I was called a tyrant by the nobles, I wasn’t an emperor who enjoyed war.

No, it’s more than not enjoying it. I practically despised war, which costs money and lives.

Human life is no joke. Having already stained my hands with enough blood, I didn’t want to increase my karmic burden by bloodying them further.

Of course, not waging war didn’t mean I neglected to strengthen the military.

After my ascension, the Arsis Empire boasted remarkable strength compared to not only other countries on the continent but also major powers on other continents.

“They must be scared. When I become emperor, unlike Mother, they don’t know what kind of temperament I have.”

Of course, “Esht” would never become emperor, but that’s what they would think.

Sela made a subtle expression at my words before smiling again and neatly organizing the gifts.

I casually scanned the pile of letters on one side. They were congratulatory letters sent by nobles over the past few days.

As I browsed through them one by one, I was pleased to see a rather noticeable name among them.

House Elvierts.

It was my maternal grandfather’s house and also the house that had contributed the most to my becoming emperor.

I opened the letter. Unlike other houses that had included dazzling seals, this letter contained only a signature, clearly written by my grandfather, Duke Elvierts.

[Coming soon!

Your grandfather.]

“How hastily did he write this?”

I put the letter back in the envelope, dumbfounded.

I thought I should tell Rigan to prepare for my grandfather’s arrival. Just then, Sela spoke up as if she had just remembered something.

“Oh, by the way, Your Highness, what do you plan to do about the crown?”

“Crown?”

I blinked. Come to think of it, whenever a new imperial family member was born, a custom-made crown was always created.

Of course, I wasn’t really newly born, but since I was a new imperial family member, I needed to maintain appearances.

“I heard that the crowns for princes and princesses are usually the responsibility of the empress or imperial consorts.”

“But there’s no… empress now.”

“Then, I suppose Lord Lerrhagen will make it? I’m excited to see what beautiful and precious things he’ll give to Your Highness.”

…I wonder?

In truth, the custom of making crowns was merely for show.

Usually, the value of the crown given to a child revealed the wealth and power of the mother.

So when I was young, all of my father’s concubines tried to create precious crowns for their children to show off to others when they were born.

For reference, I did have a crown too.

However, that crown was made by House Elvierts, and it was just an ostentatious piece with expensive jewels stuck all over it, which I had discarded long ago.

I didn’t think Lerrhagen would enthusiastically make something like that.

‘It’s not that important, so I should tell Rigan to have one made for appearances.’

However, it seemed I was the only one who thought that way.

Shortly after, Hasis suddenly knocked on my door and entered, summoning a mountain of jewels before me in the blink of an eye.

“What is all this?”

I asked with my mouth wide open at his bizarre action. Hasis replied indifferently.

“Your steward said something about needing to make a crown?”

“And?”

“So I’m having you choose jewels now.”

“…You?”

“Of course not. These are all from Master’s lair. He said to pick whatever you like.”

It seems he’s at least pretending to fulfill his fatherly duties after I asked him to maintain appearances.

I looked over the jewels with a slightly surprised expression.

Soon, I picked up a black jewel with golden waves rippling through it and examined it carefully.

Unlike any other jewel I had seen before, its effect of seemingly undulating waves had a strangely captivating charm.

Unconsciously staring at it like I was entranced, I asked Hasis.

“Is this a myoan stone?”

“Something similar.”

“It’s pretty and mysterious. But myoan stone isn’t a good choice for a crown. The people of this empire have vulgar tastes, preferring large and expensive jewels over beautiful ones.”

However, Hasis frowned at my words. He opened his mouth with an expression that questioned my sincerity.

“You… don’t think this is an ordinary myoan stone, do you?”

“What else would it be?”

“That was embedded in the Master’s dagger.”

“…?”

“It’s from a dagger that Divine Gela personally passed down to Master. Probably older than the empire’s history… Hey, are you okay?”

At that moment, the jewel I was holding slipped from my hand.

Hasis caught the jewel in alarm, just in time.

“What are you doing? This is precious. If it breaks, it can’t be restored.”

“Are you saying you want to put a jewel containing Divine Gela’s blessing in a princess’s crown?”

Is he in his right mind?

Hasis made a rare expression of agreement with me. He snorted with an almost disgusted look.