TBCPA 08

Chapter 8

‘T-too short…’

I was too small, so I couldn’t quite reach. There was no way I could see inside like this.

I sighed and looked around.

‘Is there a brick or something?’

Then I spotted a decorative rock placed nearby.

It was a bit sharp, but it looked like I could step on it.

That’s it!

I quickly approached and tried to lift it.

‘Uuuuuugh!’

It still won’t move?!

‘Uuuuuuhhh!’

Seriously, it won’t budge?

Even as I grunted and strained with all my strength—“Hyaaaah!”—it didn’t move at all. It only wobbled slightly.

I was straining so hard I couldn’t even make proper sounds, my face turned bright red, and my arms trembled.

‘Emilia! Emilia, look here!’

I mouthed words and frantically gestured toward Emilia. She quickly came over, understood the situation, and burst into laughter.

‘Shall I help you?’

We communicated silently.

‘Please lift it…’

I nodded vigorously.

There was no way I could lift that rock alone.

Emilia went “heave-ho” and carefully placed it under the window.

Still unnoticed, I happily sent her away again.

‘Now, let’s see.’

Ugh. I climbed onto the slightly sharp rock and peered into the room…

“Wow.”

Through the white curtains, I could see Kadelos’s face during class.

Unlike usual, he looked at the front with slightly brightened eyes.

His hair fluttered gently in the breeze coming through the window, and he looked incredibly beautiful.

“…When evaluating rulers, scholars often conclude that those who appear passive or indecisive are looked down upon.”

The man standing in front of Kadelos seemed to be his instructor.

I had heard various rumors about the imperial palace from Emilia, so I roughly knew who he was.

Count Duval. A man renowned at the academy for his lectures on monarchic theory.

‘His impression isn’t very good.’

He smiled faintly, but it somehow felt cruel.

I wasn’t sure why I thought that about a teacher during class.

“In that sense, His Majesty leaving Your Highness as you are now will also be recorded as a disgrace in history.”

What?

I almost doubted my ears and clenched my fist.

And then I realized.

Ah, I was holding onto the window frame—if I let go now…

“Then future generations will—”

“Eek!”

“—That idiot!”

I fell backward with a thud.

I lost my balance while standing on the sharp rock.

“Ha… haa…”

How badly did I scrape myself?

Before I could even open my eyes from fear of pain, something lightly poked my nose.

“…Idiot. Open your eyes.”

Only then did I open them.

And I saw Kadelos somehow right in front of me, having caught me as I fell.

“Eeeek, I’m sorry!”

I screamed and jumped up in panic.

Kadelos slowly stood up.

“So I wondered what you were doing at my study window… and it was just you being stupid.”

“Hehehe.”

I gave an awkward laugh.

Well, smiling faces don’t get slapped, right?

I only wanted to spy a little—I didn’t think it would end up like this.

“I should return.”

Kadelos seemed to think it inappropriate to stay in front of his teacher after window-peeking and headed toward the door.

“Who are you?”

Only then did I remember the man.

I saw Count Duval standing at the window, looking down at me with cold eyes.

‘The man who says strange things to Kadelos.’

He was not someone I could call a proper teacher.

Telling a cursed child that his father’s reputation would fall because of him.

Kadelos’s expression at that moment…

‘It was blank.’

He had been listening as if it were nothing, as if he was used to it.

‘If he hears that kind of thing every day…’

Of course his self-esteem would crumble.

If you hear thousands of insults, you start to wonder if you really are that kind of person.

If I hadn’t experienced my previous life, I might still be trapped under my uncle’s shadow.

‘You’re the reason.’

I had heard that phrase thousands of times.

‘Is this man the one ruining Kadelos?’

Suspicion made my gaze sharp.

“I am Alicia Ferdinand.”

“You were spying on His Highness’s study.”

I already knew I was spying, but hearing it from him made me feel even worse.

I suppressed my irritation and smiled brightly instead.

“I’m still not used to the palace.”

“And that’s why you were in such a state?”

“There was an open window, and I heard strange sounds from inside, so I was listening.”

Yeah, I heard all your nonsense, asshole.

As I smiled sweetly with that meaning, Count Duval looked at me strangely and then suddenly reached out.

He grabbed my arm near the window.

“Ah—ow!”

My arm hurts!

I screamed as it felt like my joints would break.

He leaned close and whispered into my ear.

“You came here with your parents, didn’t you? If you say anything about this, I will quietly kill you.”

“…!”

“Think about how sad your parents would be.”

Then he let go.

I panted and stepped back, glaring at him.

He must have used this tactic on many children before. He was physically larger too.

‘My parents are in heaven. They’d be proud I’m doing well.’

And I am also a count’s daughter.

Still a minor, so not fully empowered, but still.

‘Don’t underestimate me. I’ll make you pay.’

First, I needed information on this man.

After briefly thinking about why Kadelos tolerated this nonsense, I left the area.

“Are you alright, young lady?”

Emilia hurried over.

I nodded and smiled to reassure her.

“I want to see the Emperor.”

“Then we should go to the audience chamber.”

The Emperor wasn’t someone I could just meet anytime.

Fortunately, today he was already in a scheduled audience.

I sat in the waiting room outside.

Other nobles were also waiting.

“Who is that child?”

“No idea. She just walked in and went straight to the front.”

Their voices carried mild complaint, but they couldn’t say much because I was a child.

‘Long live privilege!’

The Emperor had given me a private maid, a guest room, and direct access whenever I came.

So every time I arrived, I sat at the very front while others were pushed back.

And when the door opened—I went in immediately.

Perfect queue-cutting. But officially approved queue-cutting.

“Lady Alicia Ferdinand, His Majesty will see you now.”

I smiled and stood up, walking into the room.

Today, instead of Lady Sophia, the head maid, her husband, Duke William, the head steward, was present.

“Hello!”

I greeted cheerfully.

Be a good, polite child.

But the pain in my shoulder flared slightly.

‘Ow.’

Still, crying about pain would be what amateurs do.

I didn’t come here just to complain about being mistreated.

First, I needed to confirm why Count Duval became Kadelos’s instructor.

Whether he had connections or simply volunteered.

‘If there’s a worse person behind him, I need to find out and remove them.’

No point just cutting off the tail.

I also needed to know how much trust the Emperor placed in him.

If Duval had imperial favor, I could end up in trouble.

‘But why isn’t he telling me to sit?’

The Emperor was looking at me more closely than usual.

I tilted my head. My hair swayed with the motion.

“What happened to your shoulder?”

The Emperor noticed immediately.

Duke William also narrowed his eyes slightly.

“I see handprints.”

Handprints?

I blinked in shock and covered my shoulder.

There was indeed a bruise shaped like a handprint from Count Duval.

I thought quickly about how to explain.

“You look troubled.”

The Emperor said bluntly.

I nodded nervously, fiddling with my fingers.

“I didn’t come here to complain—I came to brag about something.”

“Regardless, you are a child under my protection. And I was not informed of any injuries when you were brought into the palace.”

Of course it was a misunderstanding—but the Emperor looked unusually displeased.