Chapter 26

“Are you okay?” I went over to help Kais up after sparring.

“…?”

Whereas he would’ve usually just stared, today he grabbed my hand. ‘Look at how calm he is.’

“Kais, are you okay?” I asked again. Kais nodded wordlessly. Maybe he was in shock from getting hit in the head too many times. I was worried that I might need to call for the doctor, but he grabbed my hand to stop me.

“…Thanks.”

“…?” What was he thankful for? He didn’t even say anything when I saved Harel. I gave him a confused look.

‘Was he thankful for the opportunity to spar? Even though he got beat up?’ There was a saying that people started changing when they were going to die and I couldn’t adjust to his changed personality. Was he going to die soon?

‘Was he thankful for the opportunity to spar? Even though he got beaten up?’ There was a saying that people would start to change when they were about to die. I couldn’t get used to his sudden change in personality. Was he going to die soon?

“Saintess, His Majesty is calling for you,” Luciana informed me. I nodded at her and started walking towards Miltiades. But suddenly, my body froze.

I felt a sharp glare on my back and turned around, “…?”

Kais was looking at me. His fists were clenched, his mouth was shut tight, and his eyes were sharp. It made me feel uneasy. ‘What’s going on? Is he finally realizing my charm?’

…I was mistaken. Kais wasn’t looking at me, but at the person behind me: Miltiades.

“…!” The reason for the sudden change in atmosphere dawned on me. ‘Kais is glaring at Miltiades like a madman!’

Kais’s glare wasn’t normal. It was on a whole other level. In fact, he looked like someone in love! I was only trying to improve their relationship, but my plans seemed to have gone awry.

‘Hello, I didn’t tell you to fall in love!’ I was desperate. ‘Is he trying to get at Daddy?’

I looked from Kais to Miltiades a few times. My head was spinning wildly, and there was an anxious look in my eyes…it was like being caught in the middle of a war of love.

I needed to let Kais know the hierarchy. Standing next to him, I whispered into his ear, “I picked him first. Don’t try to get between us.”

“…”

It took a lot to warn him, but he looked at me in disgust. ‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

Act 5. The Imperial Capital Helsarose

It goes without saying that the Northern Empire Rahel was in the northernmost part of the continent. When the imperial gates finally opened, a knight on a black horse passed in front of us. To the sides were Callian, Berrict, and their platoons, and behind them was a big black carriage. Everyone in the Rahel Empire knew who was inside the carriage.

“His Majesty has finally returned,” said Achillios, staring at the carriage that was headed towards the palace.

Most of the nobles were there to welcome the emperor back home—but not all.

“Grand Duke Noichrome is off in the northwest fighting beasts so he’s not present, but Duke Wayne isn’t here either?”

“Yes, My Lord. Duke Wayne said he was feeling under the weather.”

“…What an excuse.” This wasn’t the first time that Duke Wayne Edmund was absent. The only dukes present for the procession were Achillios and Duke Ravenhook.

Achillios clicked his tongue and looked at Duke Ravenhook. ‘That rat-like bastard.’ Duke Valentino Ravenhook looked at Achillios the same way. ‘What a snake-like man.’

Despite what they thought of each other privately, they were both adept at hiding their true feelings behind a smile.

“Duke Ravenhook, I heard you were back. It’s so nice to see you again.” ‘I heard you returned but why did it take you this long to appear?’

“Hoho, it’s been a while. You must have had a difficult time managing all the affairs of the palace on your own.” ‘You’re the only one here. Why would I come over? Did you have fun being in control?’

“Thank you for realizing my efforts. Well, it was nothing too difficult.” ‘Yeah, it was nice.’

“…” Valentino’s expression faltered.

Achillios smiled nonchalantly to himself for winning the mental battle.

“Now that I think about it, you’ve already met the Imperial Princess.”

“The Imperial Princess?” It was an annoying title. Duke Ravenhook made a face.

Smiling, Achillios continued, “Oh, did you hear? His Majesty has already ordered us to treat her as the princess.” Duke Ravenhook’s expression froze. It always gave Achillios pleasure to see him like this.

“Oh no, it seems like you didn’t know,” Achillios was enjoying himself. He knew that Duke Ravenhook didn’t know.

“It wasn’t an easy decision at all. She’s an adopted daughter so I didn’t think she would be qualified…”

“Apparently His Majesty liked her that much.”

“…”

While the two of them talked, the carriage entered the palace. Everyone turned in the same direction at the sound of the trumpet. The door of the carriage opened and Emperor Miltiades of Rahel emerged.

“May light and glory shine on Rahel,” The nobles knelt down and bowed before him. Miltiades’s cape fluttered in the wind, and everyone was still. They believed he would step on the red carpet and walk towards the palace, but he looked back into the carriage.

“Come down.”

“Okay!”

Upon hearing the voice of a child, the nobles looked at one another in shock. ‘Who would sit in the same carriage as His Majesty?’ This was unheard of in the strict climate of the palace. The nobles were even more surprised when they saw an adorable child step out of the carriage.

“Oof!” The child had barely landed on the floor with the help of the knights when she immediately went to Miltiades, “Hold me!”

The nobles’ eyes widened in amazement. ‘Another poor soul will perish today!’ They wanted to hold the child but they pitied her. They knew Miltiades would be infuriated at her.

As they silently prayed for the child, a surprising thing happened. Miltiades, whom they thought would ignore or lash out at the child, picked her up wordlessly instead.

“…!” Was the world coming to an ending? The nobles rubbed their eyes and pinched their cheeks in disbelief.

But it wasn’t a dream.

* * *

As soon as I got out of the carriage, all I saw was a huge flight of stairs. It looked just like a mountain to me, and there was no way I was climbing all those steps. I seriously thought that I would die if I tried. So I decided to ask my dad for help.

“Hold me!” I opened my arms. Miltiades bent down to pick me up. It was exciting to be able to command the emperor to do something so trivial.

“How could this…” I heard people gasping and muttering amongst themselves. They were all shocked to see Miltiades holding me. I was proud of myself for choosing a powerful dad.

As if feeling their gaze, Miltiades looked at me. I looked back at him and he asked, “What?”

There was no way he could have missed the sense of shock and the muttering, but he looked at me like he couldn’t hear anything. I gave him a slight smile and he laughed.

Ugh, he was breathtaking. I almost died from a heart attack. I clutched my chest and my breath stopped when Miltiades panicked, “Are you okay?”

“No, it’s hard to breathe…”

“Doctor!” At Miltiades’s command, Callian called for a doctor. Everyone was agitated by the sudden turn of events.

In the midst of this, Miltiades kept his eyes fixed on me. He was unlike himself—so unsure of everything. I thought he was adorable.

“Where does it hurt?”

“Um…”

Miltiades looked like he was going to destroy everything around him. The atmosphere around him was heavy, and it was getting hard to breathe.

“Haven’t you recovered yet?”

“This is different. You need to give it back.”

“Give it back? What’re you talking about?”

“My heart!”

Callian and the doctor, who were walking towards me, stopped in their tracks with their eyes wide in shock.

I started to cry, “Daddy, you stole my heart. You have to take responsibility for it.”

“…”

“How do you expect me to live without a heart?”

I sniffled slightly. The doctor looked from me to Miltiades a few times.

“Callian.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Not knowing how to react, Callian stayed silent.

Miltiades laid down an order, “Find a heart.” The emperor’s words shocked everyone, but Callian knelt down and said with a serious expression on his face, “I’ll find one at once.”

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