Sel, having recovered her health at the temple, entered the imperial palace.

The Emperor had regained his lost memories thanks to the moon shard Lavi had offered, and thus summoned Sel to the palace in haste.

Like Sel, the Emperor had been bedridden for several days before recovering and quickly proceeded to proclaim his younger sister as a princess.

Sel knew nothing of court etiquette or formalities, but the Emperor was eager to welcome family. And today was the day of that proclamation ceremony—the princess’s investiture—and preparations were currently underway.

The princess’s room, once wide and pristine, was now in chaos. Dress cases and boxes filled with jewelry were stacked haphazardly around the room. In the center stood a full-length mirror framed with ornate golden vines.

While seven handmaidens busily tended to their respective duties, Sel stood in front of the mirror, unmoving like a statue for thirty minutes.

“Your skin is like white jade—anything suits you beautifully, Your Highness!”

“This dress feels a bit too extravagant…”

Sel glanced down at the dress. The cream-colored silk, embroidered with golden thread, layered like peony petals along the skirt.

A translucent silk shawl draped over her bare shoulders. The fabric, embroidered with gemstones, shimmered like stars as it caught the light.

The handmaidens secured a red cloak lined with sable fur around Sel’s shoulders. While most women would stagger under the weight of such ornate accessories, Sel bore it with ease. The handmaidens were once again moved by Sel’s dignified appearance.

“I’ve never seen anyone pull off such a dazzling dress before.”

Her hair, long enough to drag on the ground, was braided and pinned up neatly by the handmaidens, and a gleaming crown sat atop her head. Sel stared into the mirror with an awkward expression.

For a moment, she recalled her childhood—secretly trying on her mother’s dresses—and then the memory faded.

Another vision appeared in the mirror. Her mother, dressed in a beautiful gown, stood proudly inside the imperial palace.

‘Mother?’

Sel’s tightly closed lips parted slightly. As she reached out toward the mirror, the image of her mother smiled gently and dispersed like mist.

Only Sel remained in the reflection. Though she had long braced herself for her mother’s death, the weight of it pressed heavier on her shoulders than expected.

The sparkle of jewels and the splendor of the gown briefly distracted her, but Sel had no leisure to admire her current position or status.

“The remains of Her Late Majesty the Empress are undergoing purification. The savage tribe’s sorcery clings persistently, so the purification ritual will take considerable time. The funeral cannot be held for at least three months.”

Recalling the High Priest’s words, Sel let out a sigh. Unaware of the thoughts behind her silence, the handmaidens continued their adorations while adding final touches.

“You look truly beautiful.”

Inheriting the renowned beauty of Creta, the most famed woman on the continent, and the composed demeanor of the former emperor, Sel looked as ethereal as the pale moon in the night sky.

“I think that’s enough jewels. I feel like a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.”

Sel, overwhelmed by the abundance of dangling gems, waved her hands dismissively. The handmaidens reluctantly stepped back.

Sel lifted one leg onto a nearby chair and pulled up her skirt. Her long, straight leg was revealed.

“Y-Your Highness?!”

Without a word, Sel strapped a gun holster to her thigh and loaded a manual pistol. The garter belt that held her stockings made it slightly uncomfortable, but it was bearable.

“W-What are you doing, Your Highness?!”

“I’m gathering my belongings.”

“N-No! Absolutely not!

The handmaidens tried desperately to stop her. Sel, not understanding the reason for their protest, tilted her head.

“You’ve covered me in all the heavy jewelry you wanted, so shouldn’t I be allowed to wear at least one thing I like?”

***

Sel turned toward the banquet hall where the investiture ceremony would take place. The handmaidens followed in formation, their faces pale.

The vast hall was crowded with nobles. At Sel’s entrance, the previously buzzing room fell instantly silent. Only a few gasps echoed in the air. They stared with open mouths, as if beholding a celestial being.

Sel’s steps toward the platform were not those of a lady, but closer to a nobleman’s. More precisely, they closely resembled Lavi’s gait. Though unfamiliar shoes made her steps uncomfortable, Sel, thanks to her well-trained athleticism, held her balance and walked forward with confidence.

“Selestia. My sister.”

The Emperor welcomed her from the platform, his face overcome with emotion. He had made time to dine and talk with Sel whenever possible.

Though they should have grown used to each other by now, he greeted her with warm delight each time. It made Sel smile wryly, feeling both grateful and awkward.

“You resemble our mother so much… Yet I failed to recognize you twice. I truly have no excuse.”

“You had lost your memory—of course you didn’t recognize me. Please stop repeating that every time we meet.”

She had already heard it more than ten times. Her brother, the Emperor of a great empire, seemed more soft-hearted than she had expected.

“I see… Thank you for understanding.”

“It’s an honor.”

“So… am I still hard to approach? You’re so formal, little sister. I thought we’d grown closer.”

The Emperor laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

But Sel remained serious.

“Of course, it’s still awkward and difficult. I’m even nervous around our village chief—how could I suddenly feel at ease with the Emperor of the Empire?”

“I mean… I’m only asking you to try, even a little…”

The Emperor had grown up lonely, with only his grandparents as family. So when a sister suddenly fell from the heavens, he couldn’t help but feel thrilled.

He had even imagined a lively and lovely little sister for a moment—but since it was Sel, he didn’t expect too much.

Yet this was too sharp and cold. And moreover…

“Um, Sel. The handmaidens told me… you came here with a gun strapped to your leg.”

“I requested Your Majesty’s permission beforehand.”

“Yes, yes, I did grant it—ha ha.”

‘I didn’t think you’d actually do it,’ he murmured under his breath.

“In a palace where they say you’ll lose your nose if you close your eyes, I need to be prepared to face the nobles who run rampant.”

“Well, it’s not as if we’re at war. What in the world are you expecting to happen…”

The words “Weapons are not allowed in front of the throne” lingered on his lips but never left his mouth.

“I heard the imperial palace is a place of political strife more terrifying than war.”

“No matter how intense the strife, isn’t a gun a bit much?”

Only the Imperial Guard was allowed to bear arms near the Emperor.

But Sel had spoken so firmly that the Emperor had no choice but to permit it.

“If we recall the succession ceremony of Duke Lavirus last time, weapons are exactly what’s needed on occasions like this.”

“…What?”

“What I’m best at is aiming between the legs of those who talk nonsense.”

Sel twisted one corner of her lips upward and stared straight ahead.

It wasn’t the gaze of someone attending a formal ceremony—it was the gaze of a general stepping onto a battlefield.

Ah. The Emperor sighed softly and kept his mouth shut.

***

The nobles assumed the imperial princess, being of common birth, would make mistakes during her investiture ceremony.

However, she completed it flawlessly.

Sel’s excellent memory of the entire process played a part, but what helped the most was recalling Lavi during his succession ceremony.

His beautifully sculpted face, combined with a masculine charisma in his demeanor, blended unexpectedly well. This uniquely charming princess captured the nobles’ attention.

After completing the ceremony, Sel stood on the stage and observed the nobles with indifferent eyes as the banquet began.

It was dazzling.

Their glittering jewels and luxurious fabrics were more vivid than the illustrations of a worn-out fairy tale book.

And so, it felt all the more unreal.

Seeing the emptiness in Sel’s eyes, the Emperor sitting beside her spoke.

“How does it feel to become the imperial princess, Sel?”

“It’s wonderful. I no longer worry about meals, the house is nice, and my name has four syllables now.”

Selestia. She quite liked the name, taken from the moon goddess in mythology.

It felt like the longer name gave her more strength.

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“I thought there might be… other benefits.”

The Emperor tried to keep the conversation going with his sister. After a brief silence, Sel gave a bitter smile.

“Ah. Not having to take responsibility is nice.”

“Responsibility? This position must come with more responsibilities than when you were a mercenary.”

“Well, back when I lived like a vagrant, even the passing wind was sometimes blamed on me. When it rained and the roads turned muddy, or when a coughing illness spread, people blamed me.”

“………”

“But now, no one can just drag me in and point fingers. My very existence no longer causes harm to others.”

The Emperor swallowed dryly.

Each word carried the weight of Sel’s miserable past.

“I’ve become someone who can rightfully receive and rightfully give.”

“…I see. That doesn’t sound as joyful as it should.”

“Why not? I’ve become rich.”

Sel smiled faintly. The Emperor’s brow furrowed.

“It just feels… empty. Like either the vagrant past or this future as a princess is a lie. I fought so hard to survive, and yet… ha.”

She herself hadn’t changed, but in a single night, her entire worth had shifted.

On the scale of her life, the extremes of emotion weighed against each other.

On one side sat overwhelming joy and pride.

And on the other, a hollow sense that her life was nothing more than someone’s plaything, and a fear that this place might vanish like a mirage tomorrow.

“This isn’t fiction or a dream. It’s the reality you found and the place where you belong. I hope you can be at peace now, Sel.”

The Emperor’s face darkened as he tried to comfort her.

His little sister had more wounds than he’d imagined.

“Whew… now, lift your face a bit, Sel. There’s someone over there who looks worried about you.”

The Emperor gestured with his chin toward one corner of the banquet hall.

There stood Lavi, wearing glasses, looking straight at Sel. His tall frame and broad shoulders already made him stand out, and his perfectly tailored formal attire overwhelmed the atmosphere around him.

Despite the rugged masculinity of his thick neck and arms, the thin frames perched on his prominent nose gave him an intellectual allure.

“Oh, he’s wearing glasses today. He usually doesn’t.”

Even in the mercenary corps, seeing Lavi in glasses had been rare.

“He’s probably making a statement not to approach him.”

“To whom?”

“Hmm. Maybe to the noblewomen clinging to him or the aristocrats who try to provoke him?”

“Pardon?”

“Duke Lavirus tends to attract attention in various ways. When that guy puts on glasses, it’s a warning that anyone who messes with him will get beaten. That’s probably why he’s able to roam freely.”

“He’s looking at me, though…”

“No way. As much of a rogue as he is, he wouldn’t dare threaten a princess. If he did, I’d step in and… wait a second.”

The Emperor suddenly recalled Lavi’s past encounter with him.

Even when Sel had been a commoner boy, Lavi had rushed in, claiming him as his person.

Now that she was an imperial princess, how much more bold would he be? Could it be that Lavi wore glasses today as a threat to the Emperor himself?

“How dare he… Ha. No. I can’t let this happen easily.”

She was his precious little sister. There was no way he could hand her over to that dark-hearted man. The Emperor gripped the armrest of his chair tightly.

But Lavi had different thoughts.

This was the first time he could officially stand before Sel as a princess.

Lavi had dressed up with great effort to impress her and attend the investiture ceremony.

But when Sel entered the banquet hall, he had to fumble through his inner pocket for his glasses.

He couldn’t breathe. Sel was already cute, lovely, and refreshing in his eyes.

But today, she looked like a goddess descended from the heavens.

Lavi needed the glasses just to prevent heart failure.

His blurry vision was a blessing. He couldn’t afford to die young—not when Sel was there.

And he wasn’t the only one awestruck by her.

Seeing men who looked like gingerbread cookies drooling at her annoyed him to no end. Lavi glared at each of those dandies one by one, sharpening his senses to the max.