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Chapter 15
After the grand birthday banquet ended successfully, rumors spread across high society—just as Adeline had predicted.
“Have you heard? Countess Tamera was utterly humiliated this time!”
“Of course! I heard it was because her daughter behaved extremely rudely. Rumor has it she even insulted Her Highness the Princess… do you think that’s true?”
“True or not, it’s ridiculous either way. She used to brag endlessly that her daughter was chosen as a lady-in-waiting and could now serve close to Her Highness. I once had to listen to her boasting for an entire hour! It was unbearable.”
“So it happened to you too. Everyone exaggerates about their children, but Countess Tamera really took it too far. And didn’t the Marchioness of Conin also make a scene? I heard she made a blunder while defending her daughter.”
“Yes, indeed. She dared to speak of the ‘dignity of the Empire’ right in front of Her Highness! When the Princess responded, ‘Since when has the Empire’s dignity been so easily diminished?’—I swear, I got chills. Hearing that, I could truly feel she was the Emperor’s daughter.”
“Remarkable, isn’t it? How many young ladies could speak so sharply in front of a high-ranking Marchioness? Even debutantes older than her wouldn’t dare. And yet the Princess, who’s only just old enough to enter the Academy, did it so decisively… she’s clearly no ordinary girl.”
“She was already so impressive just from her birthday banquet—imagine how she’ll shine at Clionas Academy! She’ll surely make a name for herself with outstanding grades.”
“Perhaps so. But I do worry that expectations might be too high. Think about it—Clionas Academy gathers the brightest minds from across the Empire. My son has been there four years and hasn’t managed to take first place in any subject. The exams are brutal! It’s frustrating, really.”
“Now that you mention it, I recall how hard it was back when I studied there. No matter how hard I crammed all night, first place was always someone else’s. Ugh, enough of this depressing talk.”
“Agreed. Oh, but have you heard the other story? Speaking of the Academy—apparently Duke Oderon has decided to donate seventeen sacks of gold coins to Clionas! Is that true? I didn’t hear it myself because I was too busy admiring the gifts brought by the Ibadan envoys.”
“I heard it clearly. The Duke gifted Her Highness a yellow diamond for her birthday, but the Princess said she would dedicate it to the Academy instead. Moved by her words, the Duke pledged to support the Academy financially—seventeen sacks of gold!”
“My goodness! Both the Duke and the Princess truly are of the blood of Teraeden!”
While gossip swirled across high society, Charlotte was raging in her mansion, hurling anything she could get her hands on.
“Aaah! How dare she! How could she do this to me?!”
“Charlotte! My dear, please calm yourself!”
“Sob… Mother! How could Adeline do this to me? After everything I did to please her!”
“Oh, Charlotte… don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll go to the Imperial Palace myself today and speak to the Princess. We’ll sort this out, I promise. So please, calm down.”
“Calm down? How could I possibly do that? You know how much I’d been looking forward to that banquet! I can’t live with this humiliation!”
The Countess could only stroke her daughter’s trembling back with pity. After crying herself hoarse, Charlotte’s anger boiled over into fever, and she fell ill for three days—her rage literally making her sick.
Elsewhere, the Conin Marquisate was also in turmoil. The Marquis glared furiously at his wife.
“How could you speak of the Empire’s dignity before Her Highness? Have you lost all sense?”
“I’m sorry, dear. I only wanted to protect Isana…”
“To protect our daughter, you embarrassed us all! You should’ve stayed silent!”
“How could I? Isana is our daughter! You saw how the Princess tried to humiliate her. And instead of defending us, you scold me?”
“Humiliation? It was Isana’s own doing! If she hadn’t presumptuously asked the Princess to dance, none of this would have happened!”
“How can you say that’s her fault? She’s just a child—she didn’t know any better! It was Her Highness who ruined her reputation!”
“Hmph! Who would believe that? The entire society is saying Isana tried to humiliate the Princess on purpose! And because you spoke of the Empire’s dignity, our family’s honor is in shambles. How do you think His Majesty will see me now?”
At that, the Marchioness fell silent. She wanted to argue, but she had no words left. The Marquis, fuming, gave his next command coldly:
“From this day forward, Isana is forbidden from entering the Imperial Palace again. I’ll tell His Majesty today that she’ll resign from her position as lady-in-waiting.”
“Husband!”
“She’s also grounded for a month—no, until she enters Clionas Academy. She will not take a single step outside this house. And you—avoid social gatherings until the rumors die down.”
While chaos reigned in both noble households, the Imperial Palace was also thrown into commotion by an unexpected visitor.
“What did you say?” cried Chief Attendant Harry Rubin. “The former Duke of Bergen of the North is here? Are you certain?”
“Yes, sir! It’s true.”
“He came without any notice? What business could he have here… Fine. Escort him to the reception room. I’ll inform His Majesty at once.”
“About that, sir…” the attendant stammered. “I tried to lead him there, but the Duke refused. He went straight to Astia Palace! The Imperial Guard tried to stop him, but it was useless!”
“What?!”
The Chief Attendant felt his blood run cold. The former Duke had skipped his audience with the Emperor and gone directly to Her Highness’s palace? This was bad—terribly bad.
Everyone in the capital knew: since Empress Amelia’s death, relations between the Emperor and the Bergen family were worse than enmity. And now that very Duke was seeking out the young Princess? Who knew what might happen.
Surely he wouldn’t harm her—but what if, even by chance, he spoke ill of the Emperor before the child? The Logan Bergen he knew was a volatile man, fully capable of saying, “Your mother died because of your father.”
Panicked, the Chief Attendant ran with all his might, nearly coughing up blood by the time he reached Astia Palace. As he dashed through the corridors, someone blocked his way—it was Adeline’s nanny, Emma.
“Chief Attendant! Really now—should a man of your rank be sprinting through the halls like this?”
“Emma! Where is Her Highness? Wait—have you seen the former Duke of Bergen?”
“Why would he be here? Isn’t he at his northern fortress?”
“He just arrived—without warning! He entered the palace and went straight for the Princess’s quarters! Tell me quickly—where is she?”
“W–what! Her Highness is at the training grounds!”
“Then we must hurry!”
Unaware of the uproar at the palace gates, Adeline was indeed in the middle of her sword training. Sweat dripped down her chin, her breath steady, her body wreathed in faint heat haze. Yet she did not stop.
She hadn’t reached her limit yet—not even close. That was all that occupied her mind.
Just then, as she reset her stance, something caught her senses. Someone was watching. It wasn’t one of her guards. An intruder? In Astia Palace? Impossible—but the feeling was unmistakable.
Adeline calmly placed her wooden sword back on the rack… and reached for a real one.
“Whoever you are,” she said coolly, “come out.”
In the shadows, Logan Bergen’s brow furrowed. Could she truly have sensed me?
Before he could speak, Adeline drew her sword with a ringing metallic note.
“If you won’t show yourself, I’ll assume you’re an assassin.”
She had no intention of waiting long. Still, some part of her hesitated—surely there wouldn’t be an intruder here of all places? She decided to wait just a heartbeat longer, out of courtesy.
But the unseen watcher remained silent. Not retreating, not revealing themselves. Suspicious either way.
Adeline’s decision was immediate. She tightened her grip—and struck.
The training yard of Astia Palace was walled in stone but connected directly to the palace gardens, surrounded by tall trees. The presence was coming from there.
In an instant, Adeline kicked off the ground, scaling the wall and springing into the branches. Her sword thrust toward the neck of the man concealed among the leaves—a swift, precise strike, far beyond a child’s skill.
Logan barely managed to dodge, shocked beyond words. She went for my throat in an instant?! The chill of cold steel grazed his neck—it was no bluff.
This was no play-sparring. It was the killing precision of someone who had fought before.
“How dare you trespass into Astia Palace,” Adeline said, voice like ice. “Do you have a death wish?”
Her killing aura made even the veteran Duke shiver. What kind of threats had this child faced, to react so fiercely? His own granddaughter—treating him like an assassin!
As Logan stood speechless, Adeline’s eyes swept over his clothes.
“A northern uniform,” she muttered. “So you’re from the North. Who sent you? Are you a spy from Ascanas?”
Her voice was sharp and commanding, full of deadly confidence. Even seasoned knights on the battlefield rarely spoke with such force.
“So you won’t answer,” she said coldly. “Then die.”
Without hesitation, she lunged again. Logan barely twisted away, her blade slicing the air where his throat had been.
To think my first meeting with my granddaughter would be a sword fight, he thought bitterly.
And yet—when he saw her blade shift seamlessly mid-strike, his eyes widened. Such fluid movement! Even my elite northern knights can’t wield a sword like that!
Silent astonishment filled the heart of Logan Bergen, master of the northern fortress and a man known as a transcendent warrior.
