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CHAPTER 91…………….
It seemed inevitable that I would have to choose one of the two as my partner.
“…I…”
Both of their gazes turned to my small head.
“Your Maj… esty…”
“….”
Dmitri furrowed his brows slightly as he looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor, unaffected even by his son’s stare, flashed a grand, elegant smile and extended his hand to me.
“Let us go in.”
“Y-yes.”
After glancing briefly at Dmitri, I took the Emperor’s hand. His calloused, firm palm completely enveloped my small one.
At that moment, Dmitri quietly stepped closer and whispered.
“Happy birthday.”
“…Thank you.”
I grew shy and couldn’t meet his eyes properly as I murmured my thanks. Soon, with the herald’s loud declaration, the enormous doors swung open.
“His Imperial Majesty, Rius Epsilon Kaliburg, enters—!”
“His Imperial Highness, the First Prince, Dmitri Epsilon Kaliburg, enters—!”
“Her Imperial Highness, the First Princess, Lilien Sha Kaliburg, enters—!”
The noisy hall grew even more heated with our entrance.
All eyes turned to me, the Emperor, and Dmitri. Applause resounded, and then someone shouted:
“Blessings on Your Highness’s birth—!”
“May the light of the Goddess Eridium shine upon Your Highness—!”
“Please enjoy this day to its fullest!”
Unlike at the Orihalcon commemoration, the people’s goodwill toward me was openly apparent.
I changed, and so the world changed.
I smiled brightly. Amid the cheers, my gaze met two pairs of sharp eyes—those of the Empress and Yevgeny.
Yevgeny secretly ground her teeth, but the battle-hardened Empress quickly schooled her expression and clapped along.
Escorted by the Emperor, I stepped onto the landing. The Emperor proclaimed solemnly:
“Today is the day the star of the Empire was born. On this day, enemy and ally alike are one. Let there be no discord, only celebration.”
He patted my shoulder gently.
It was my turn to give a greeting. Clearing my throat, I swept my eyes across the hall.
Countless eyes, like predators hunting prey.
I met them head-on with a calm smile.
“May boundless glory rest upon the citizens of the Empire who have gathered for my birthday. Please enjoy the four days of festivities to your hearts’ content.”
I raised my hand, and the crowd erupted in cheers. And then—
Fwoosh—!
A burst of light exploded overhead. People shrank back, shielding their faces with their palms.
Even the Emperor’s eyes widened in surprise. Dmitri moved to shield me, but—
“It’s all right.”
I calmed the two of them. Both the Emperor and Dmitri turned their eyes to me.
Dmitri frowned slightly.
“All right? What do you mean?”
“You’ll see soon.”
I jerked my chin toward the sky.
Above, the blinding light receded, revealing what looked like enormous fireflies floating.
Gasps of astonishment filled the hall.
“Rodrigo…!”
As someone cried out, the light fully dispersed, and inside the glowing sphere appeared Adix Rodburigo, holding Jaester in his arms, looking directly at me.
A spectacular debut on the social stage.
I smiled sweetly.
“You really came?”
“My son pleaded with me. I had to repay him.”
Ah, so Jaester had done me a favor.
I looked at him.
He smiled bashfully and waved at me. I returned the smile.
What I had asked Jaester was simply… to plant a big kiss on Adix Rodburigo’s cheek.
‘And that was only something I whispered to him back at the Magic Tower.’
I recalled him paling and stammering, “C-can I really do that…?”
Adix caressed his right cheek affectionately, then landed softly, raising his gaze to meet mine.
“If you do it, I’ll give you a gift, little one.”
That moment—
“Little one?”
The Emperor’s eyes flared as he looked at Adix. Sparks seemed to crackle invisibly between the two.
Nobles quietly edged away from Adix Rodburigo.
I tugged sharply at the Emperor’s hand, glaring.
“No.”
“….”
“He’s always childish like this. Let’s just endure it.”
“I can hear you.”
“And the gift?”
Ignoring him, I pressed Adix. He grinned.
“My son will deliver that later. As for my gift—I’ll show you soon.”
What was it? Something grand?
While I puzzled, Adix turned toward the catering tables, piled food onto a plate, and began feeding Jaester.
People gawked, murmuring.
“Rodburigo… could it be the mad—no, the strongest of the Tower, Adix Rodburigo…?”
“So it was true—the First Princess had ties with the Tower’s successor…”
“Will this not stir up great change in the Empire…?”
Yes. If the Empire could forge friendship with the Tower…
‘Exactly.’
Spread the word far and wide. Even to foreign lands—let them know my standing has risen.
The nobles swallowed nervously. Perhaps they stood before something truly terrifying.
As soon as I descended the stairs, people surrounded me.
“Your Highness! Please accept my gift! A pearl fan from the maritime kingdom of Marotina—!”
“No, my gift first! The final work of the century’s greatest sculptor, Ariloma—!”
“Please, look at mine as well!”
Like newborn foals, the nobles rushed at me in a frenzy.
Without showing alarm, I passed the boxes to a waiting page one after another.
‘Business with the Tower…!’
‘High-class artifacts…!’
‘If I can use Tower mages through the Princess, my future is assured…!’
“Haha, I’m rather busy. Please give your gifts to my ladies-in-waiting.”
I cut them off firmly and slipped away.
Scanning the hall, I soon found the person I was looking for and hurried over.
“Emin!”
His small back stiffened.
When he saw me, he flinched as if seeing a ghost and tried to run. I grabbed his wrist quickly.
“…!”
“Come on. We can’t talk here.”
I glanced around. Nobles who had been watching hastily sipped wine, pretending not to stare, though their eyes followed us.
‘To a corner.’
Dragging Emin, I pulled him into an empty corner.
Though troubled, he let me lead him.
When we arrived, I faced him bluntly.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
“….”
“You said you were busy whenever I wrote. Have you been training all day?”
“….”
“What’s so urgent—wait, your hands…?”
I caught a glimpse of the hands he had been desperately hiding and seized his wrist.
He tried to pull back, but I saw it first: countless scars on his palms.
My expression hardened as I glared at his injured hands.
“You have been training all day. Your palms are torn.”
“That’s…”
“Why? Did someone say something to you? Look down on you for your birth? Who? Tell me—I’ll go—”
Before I could finish, Emin pulled his hand back and smiled awkwardly.
“It’s not that…”
“Then what? Did I do something wrong? I even visited you when you were sick…”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Is this because of the hunting festival?”
“….”
It must be. Emin lowered his head, biting his lips.
Only then did I notice his chapped lips.
“It wasn’t your fault. Someone—no, they sent assassins after me.”
“I saw… I saw you following a knight…”
“….”
“He was wearing the Imperial guard uniform, so I never suspected him…”
“….”
“I promised I’d protect you, but when you were truly in danger, I was useless…”
“….”
“If only I had known that knight was your would-be killer… you wouldn’t have suffered so much…”
His whole body shook as he bowed his head. What could I say?
I looked at his small head.
‘So he saw… That’s why…’
That guilt is why he avoided me. Letters unanswered, visits rebuffed with “out training.”
“Happy birthday…”
“Emin, I’m really fine.”
“No… even if you are, I’m not.”
“Emin, listen—”
Suddenly, he shoved a small box into my arms, smiling sheepishly.
“That’s why I’ll get so strong, I’ll beat Sir Iabel in one stroke someday.”
“Uh…”
“I’ve even increased my training hours. So don’t expect to see me much.”
“….”
“And… Her Majesty the Empress wants to send me to the frontier.”
“…What…?”
I almost dropped the gift in shock.
‘The frontier? The frontier?!’
Seeing my reaction, Emin gave a bitter smile.
“Seems she allied with some nobles. His Majesty opposed it in anger, but… I’ve decided to go.”
“No, wait—why? Why would you go?”
I gripped his shoulders, eyes trembling.
He only shook his head firmly, lips sealed. He wouldn’t tell me.
Instead, as my face twisted, he gently brushed it and said softly:
“I didn’t mean to tell you this today. Sorry. But you look beautiful, sister.”
“You…!”
“Don’t worry. I’m not foolish enough to obey the Empress blindly.”
He leaned close to whisper in my ear. My eyes widened.
“How about that? With this, you won’t be sad, right?”
“….”
“I’ll sharpen my blade quietly at the border. While I’m gone, live more freely.”
“….”
“I’ll be back soon!”
He grinned brightly. I clenched and unclenched my fists before nodding weakly.
“When you return, I’ll pinch your nose.”
“Really? Then I’ll look forward to it while I sharpen my sword.”
He chuckled and hugged me tightly.
In that familiar warmth, I resolved fiercely.
The Empress must die.
Emin excused himself, called away by Peters, the Marquis of Montbed’s second son.
Sniffling, I rubbed my nose and returned to the central hall. While brooding gloomily, someone approached.
“Your Highness!”
Emily hurried up, curtseyed, and smiled with her eyes.
Then she whispered.
“Do you see that group over there?”
I frowned, following her gesture.
It was a gathering of powerful families’ children. Among them was the man I’d once seen at the Empress’s palace.
At their center bloomed Yevgeny, smiling like a flower. I clicked my tongue inwardly.
“Those are heirs of the central political faction and candidates who passed the imperial civil service exams, right?”
“…Yes.”
“My goodness. It seems they’ve decided to side with Princess Yevgeny. Walking around with such an entourage… The guest of honor today is you, yet the atmosphere is all skewed by the Second Princess.”
Indeed, those who failed the exams glared bitterly at Yevgeny’s group while sipping wine.
“Could these be Her Majesty the Empress’s chosen protégés?”
“Perhaps. At least, with Duke Alfe overseeing the Administration Bureau, we can’t say her influence isn’t involved…”
Emily watched Yevgeny’s group with interest.
“Did you hear? Princess Yevgeny even chose a companion.”
“A… companion?”
The first I’d heard of it. I tilted my head—
“Haha! The Duchess of Kalipsa is truly resourceful!”
In the distance, noblewomen and family heads laughed together.
Emily and I looked over.
At the center, the Duchess of Kalipsa fluttered a purple fan, affectionately tapping her daughter’s shoulder.
“Why, of course! My daughter and Princess Yevgeny are as close as sisters. Her Highness personally chose Nakari, saying she wanted her as a companion.”
“Ohh.”
“How enviable. If only my child were that sociable…”
“If you mean Julia—why, Julia is quite sociable. I’ve learned much from Lady Julia Ehen myself.”
“My, Lady Kalipsa’s daughter has such a talent for charming speech.”
Nakari smiled sweetly.
Emily murmured.
“As you can see, the chosen companion is Lady Kalipsa.”
“I see…”
But something was strange.
‘In my previous life, wasn’t it Dina she picked? Not Nakari.’
If she chose Dina, she’d gain access to Richard.
Thinking back, I remembered the Empress’s palace gathering with Deina Rubis and Linaba Kalipsa. I looked toward the Duchess of Kalipsa, who was proudly praising her daughter.
‘Ah—so that’s it.’
To ensure Yevgeny, whom she nurtured, wouldn’t be ruined by me, the Empress needed Kalipsa’s firm backing.
Kalipsa had fully taken their side.
