I stomped my foot at the spot where Lerrhagen had just been. Of course, it did absolutely nothing.

‘I really chose the wrong father.’

I muttered this while pressing my forehead.

* * *

At the southern edge of the continent where gentle breezes blow.

In a dragon’s lair that unauthorized people couldn’t even discover.

In a place so pristinely white it looked like a temple housing a deity, Lerrhagen appeared with Hasis.

“I’m going in now. I’m tired, so don’t disturb me.”

At these words that would have made others cower and back away, Hasis replied curtly:

“I know you’re not really tired. You don’t even sleep.”

“You’re being excessively disrespectful to your master.”

“Consider it payback for embedding me in the wall earlier.”

“How petty. Over something so trivial.”

“You just stood watching while I was getting beaten up, but the moment I pointed my sword at that… kid, you immediately appeared.”

“Perhaps.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Hasis’s face clearly showed his disbelief.

For good reason—Lerrhagen wasn’t the type to intervene directly. He was the kind of person who would watch with indifference even when Hasis got battered by outside intruders.

Behind his dislike of bothersome things lay a severe coldness, showing absolute disinterest in others.

Though he seemed to care somewhat for his disciple.

“What exactly is that kid?”

“The Emperor of Arsis.”

“No wonder the temperament was unusual… Wait, but why does the Emperor look like that?”

“If I knew the reason, I would have returned already, given that temperament.”

“Do you know that kid well? You normally wouldn’t even acknowledge a summons, yet you responded to this one.”

Lerrhagen remained silent at Hasis’s question. After some time, he smiled ambiguously, waved his hand, and disappeared.

Left alone, Hasis clicked his tongue. He hadn’t expected Lerrhagen to answer readily anyway.

“Dragging me into this too. What’s this all about?”

He muttered, but no answer came back.

* * *

The next morning.

I didn’t wake up to find myself magically transformed back into an adult overnight!

I stared blankly at the child in the mirror with a bedhead.

Perhaps yesterday’s events had taken their toll—despite sleeping well, I still felt tired.

‘No, I can’t be like this already.’

I had an important announcement today and couldn’t attend in this mental state.

While shaking my head to clear my mind, Rigan entered with a familiar knock.

“Your Majesty, did you cou—Gasp!”

He stepped back immediately upon seeing my disheveled appearance sitting on the bed. Of course, he calmly closed the door and entered when he saw my cold gaze.

“Did something happen last night?”

“Yes. Something major.”

“When I checked earlier, the knights said nothing happened.”

“Ah, I blocked the sound with magic. I originally planned to restrain him and call the knights.”

“Who… were you trying to restrain?”

“My half-brother.”

“…?”

Rigan’s face subtly changed. He seemed unable to understand what I was talking about.

I added, “Last night, Lerrhagen’s disciple accidentally entered my room. He apparently input the wrong coordinates.”

“How could that happen?”

“Exactly, how could that happen.”

Even if I had let him in, entering the Emperor’s chamber unauthorized was a serious crime. According to imperial law, it could result in the execution of one’s entire family.

But that dragon just does whatever he wants.

‘Yes, power is everything.’

While rubbing my temple with that thought, Rigan asked quite seriously:

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. But for complicated reasons, he discovered I’m not really a child. So I decided to bind him to my side as my half-brother.”

“Ah.”

“It’s the best excuse to keep him close. Plus, I can make him work for me.”

“Make him work…”

“Anyway, prepare another room next to Lerrhagen’s. We have another mouth to feed.”

“Understood.”

Rigan looked displeased. However, he quickly composed himself and handed me the stack of papers he’d been holding.

“Here’s the summons for the meeting at noon today.”

The paper stated that His Majesty the Emperor had urgent matters to announce regarding the succession issue and commanded immediate assembly. After confirming there were no issues with the content, I nodded.

“I can already picture the nobles’ expressions. Proceed with this. First, I need to wash up.”

“I’ll tell Sela to attend to you.”

“No, this is still officially the Emperor’s chamber. It would be strange if the Emperor weren’t here. Especially since no one has seen the Emperor leave this room.”

“Will you be alright alone?”

“What do you take me for? How many years have I lived without ladies-in-waiting?”

Naturally, no one wanted to serve a princess who had earned the Emperor’s hatred.

Those forced by command to attend to me did only the bare minimum to avoid punishment, and being conscious of their attitudes, I naturally developed the habit of doing everything myself.

Knowing this, Rigan’s lips tightened uncharacteristically, but he soon smiled again and said:

“Then I’ll have breakfast brought in.”

“Good.”

* * *

When I came out after washing, breakfast and a dress had been placed on the table, presumably left by Rigan.

After eating a light breakfast and changing clothes, I took a deep breath and extended my hand forward.

[Melieusbiet (Marionette).]

Becoming a princess didn’t solve everything. Estria still needed to maintain appearances before the nobles and even walk around normally just like before.

The best way to achieve this was puppet magic.

Though different from the offensive or defensive magic I typically used, it wasn’t difficult if I manipulated magical energy delicately.

Soon, a familiar figure slowly materialized along with a magic circle.

Tall stature, slender figure, pale white face.

Seeing the familiar appearance before me, I lowered my gaze and spoke:

“From now on, you are ‘Emperor Estria.’ Speak like me, act like me. But don’t think.”

It becomes problematic when a puppet starts thinking. Since two identical souls cannot exist in this world, if the puppet develops thoughts, it would replace me as Estria.

And I would die, of course.

‘But I won’t let that happen.’

Shortly after, the ‘puppet’ opened its eyes. My exact face, yet without a soul.

I was feeling satisfied with the cold gleam in her eyes when a voice came from behind me.

“Puppet magic. Interesting.”

I thought I’d gotten somewhat used to it, but apparently that was my mistake.

I flinched at the sudden voice and turned around. Sure enough, Lerrhagen was sitting on the windowsill, just like yesterday.

“You’re here.”

“You told me to come today, didn’t you?”

“I thought you wouldn’t come since you disappeared so arbitrarily last night.”

Of course, one of our deal conditions was that he had to fulfill his duties as my father, so he had no choice but to come.

But thinking about last night, I felt he had looked down on me as Emperor, which annoyed me, so I was being sarcastic.

Perhaps noticing this, Lerrhagen turned his head.

“You look sulky.”

“Sulky!”

“Are you still upset about the wrong coordinates?”

“That, and you left without properly answering my question.”

“Ah.”

I clicked my tongue at Lerrhagen’s attitude.

Even getting worked up over this dragon seemed ridiculous now.

I crossed my arms and asked him, “Tell me, you did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Perhaps.”

“You wanted to place Hasis beside me to use him like an attendant, but since I wouldn’t allow it, you did this?”

“…”

Though he didn’t answer, his face as he looked down at me with closed lips contained an affirmative response.

I shook my head, seemingly having expected this.

Until yesterday, I had been somewhat afraid of him, but now even that fear had been replaced by anger and bewilderment.

“You really do whatever you want.”

“That’s how I’ve always been.”

“That’s not something to be proud of.”

“But you’ve benefited from it. The Eye of Truth can be useful if used well.”

“That’s not wrong, but bringing a strange person into my room in the middle of the night and exposing my identity clearly violates our summoning conditions.”

“That’s why I said I’d grant your request. Stop nagging.”

“No. A request is a request, and a wrong is still wrong.”

Anyone listening would think my words were unreasonable. Yet I spoke confidently, and somehow, at that moment, a faint smile appeared on Lerrhagen’s lips.

‘Huh?’

Wondering if I had seen wrong, I opened my eyes wide. But just then, Rigan entered the room with a knock.

“Your Majesty, it’s time.”

Rigan hesitated when he saw me, my ‘puppet’ in front of me, and Lerrhagen on the windowsill.

But true to his role as my aide, he quickly composed himself.

“The Council of Elders has assembled.”

“Good. Lerrhagen, shall we go?”

“Do I have to go too?”

“Of course. That’s why you came here in the first place.”

At my command, the ‘puppet’ stood up. Following behind it as I left the room, I gazed at my chamber visible through the closing door.

And then—

Bang.

The door closed.

* * *

It’s not something to brag about, but having long considered the Council of Elders’ suffering my pleasure, I was now experiencing the happiest moment of my life.

“Y-Your Majesty, what is this—”

As soon as they saw me following the ‘puppet’ into the audience chamber, their expressions turned to shock, and when Lerrhagen entered casually like he owned the place, they looked ready to collapse.