Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Her young body, which had been struggling to sit still for a while now, lost its grip on rational judgment the moment she heard her father’s words.

She wanted to live a life where she wouldn’t be misunderstood, but she was afraid that the Emperor would reprimand her ferociously that she’d be left in tears.

She was scared that she wouldn’t be able to hear that awkward nickname anymore.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: I didn’t know that you were such a smart child that you’d understand.

But before she cried, she managed to read the status window.

Still, her rationality wouldn’t return to her body. Even so, after reading this, she had one thought.

That her father’s decisions had the people’s best interests in mind all this time.

“I d-dun want people to get hurt. You have to p-pwomise.”

She wanted him to know that she wasn’t blaming him, but asking out of curiosity. Maybe that’s why the things she was thinking about in her head went straight out of her lips before she could cover her mouth.

‘I can’t do this!’

It wasn’t something she personally thought. It was proper etiquette. Moreover, it’s not like the Emperor needed to promise something like that.

But because of her body’s age, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Her mind had turned blank and she couldn’t come up with the right words.

‘What do I do…’

Eventually, her unwanted tears were about to burst the dam.

“Alright.”

Her father answered casually, as though it was nothing.

“I made a mwista… Huh?”

She was about to ask for forgiveness reflexively, but she widened her eyes and looked up.

The Emperor who was leaning back on his chair still looked indifferent. As if what his daughter had asked for was to have a different flavored macaron instead of something like that.

“Good faith is more important than anything else. The Princess knows this well.”

“……?”

“So go and deliver the order of the Princess immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Just now, the order that the Emperor had given under his authority was quickly nullified.

Cowering in this sudden situation, Siervian looked at the chancellor’s status window this time. She was sure that he wouldn’t like her because he didn’t approve of the idea earlier.

Apart from that, she had opposed the Emperor’s will and the order had become ‘The Princess’ order.’

‘I didn’t want this!’

Her mind was in disarray. She knew that this matter wasn’t something that a child should be involved in. That’s why she was scared to see his thoughts.

[ Hex ]

Thoughts: I can’t believe she’s already so virtuous. I wasn’t thinking straight earlier.

However, when she looked at his status window, Siervian could only widen her eyes in surprise.

What’s going on?

“Your hands got dirty. You can eat a new one here.”

A group of faint while lights flocked over to the hands that were holding the crumbled macaron. Just now, she forgot that she was scared, and she looked at her hands, captivated.

A refreshing small stream of water wrapped around her small hands, then soon disappeared. There was no trace of the crumbled macaron.

“Hurry up and eat now.”

“Okayy.”

Immersed in her own thoughts, she blindly picked up another macaron in front of her.

The Emperor looked calm as though he had never issued his own order a while ago. She was even about to cry already, but this was too different from what she expected.

‘Why didn’t he get angry?’

The Emperor’s authority was absolute, and Alderuan was considered to be the most powerful monarch in the empire ever since the first emperor.

But he changed his mind… just because his daughter said something?

“If you don’t like macarons, this time, you can try this one.”

“Yeah…”

“Chancellor, return to issue the order now. And make a follow-up report.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Siervian stared blankly at Hex as he turned around. But shouldn’t he oppose the inclusion of the Princess’ name on it even now?

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: You must have been frightened at the mention of an epidemic. But I’m glad you didn’t cry.

She felt awkward, thinking that her father wasn’t taking this situation seriously. Even so, she was happy that her father understood her rambling words even though she was scared.

‘It feels weird.’

Earlier, her father was definitely determined not to send any aid to Garambell. And in the history she knew, that’s why the kingdom fell to ruin, even if that wasn’t the intention of the empire.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: You’re so kind that you’re worried about people you don’t even know. That’s my daughter.

And it was even more strange that her words had this much effect on her father.

Her heart wasn’t at ease.

She kept feeling awkward and uncomfortable. To the point where she couldn’t even taste the sweetness of the macaron anymore.

Her body was relaxed though. She wasn’t against the Emperor thinking this way. Right now, she was just a scared child.

“Where are you going?”

“Pwetty flowers! I’ll go look at them!”

But as soon as she relaxed and let go of her anxiety, she soon lost control over her body.

In this serious situation, Siervian began to skip away cheerfully with a macaron still in one hand. She went straight to where she sat earlier and watched the flowers.

‘No!’

She needed to stay by her father’s side and be vigilant! She needed to observe him to see If he was offended!

Resenting her body for moving regardless of her will, she could only sigh inwardly.

‘This is something big.’

The Princess, who was only five years old, caused a great stir.

It wasn’t like the Emperor to have allowed this. Of course, the ministers were thrown into a state of chaos because they had to know what His Majesty was trying to do.

‘It’s not good to stand out.’

Hex seemed to have heard about those who were eagerly looking into why her name abruptly came up.

When the Princess changed the Emperor’s mind, there were a lot of terrifying rumors brought up.

“Won’t Your Highness go out today either?”

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: Is Your Highness feeling weak again today? This is bad.

It was impossible to forget this fact. Ever since that day, every time she went out, the eyes looking at her had become strange.

“I dun wanna go out…”

If it was only that, she could just pretend not to mind them. But then, Siervian could also read their thoughts one after another.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: You don’t have a fever… Maybe it’s a stomachache.

Siervian even refused to eat the snacks that Ellie had prepared, so she was very worried.

‘It’s not strange that Ellie’s worried like this.’

But she couldn’t smile this time. There were so many concerns that were bothering her.

‘What if history wouldn’t go the way they should?’

It was certainly good that many people in Garambell wouldn’t be in danger anymore.

However, if history would change because the epidemic didn’t break out, it would be a very dangerous situation for Siervian. It would look like the empire had suffered huge losses because the princess had begged to save Garambell.

‘But I couldn’t just stay still.’

No matter how much she thought about it, she still concluded that it was right to help out Garambell at this time. Her eyes quickly brimmed with tears.

The Imperial family was in that position. In an instant, a trivial act turned into a huge decision that would cause many rumors.

‘What if there’s a rumor again that I was a terrible princess?’

And she was very frightened that there would be a horrifying rumor about her changing the Emperor’s decision. She only wanted to live unnoticed, and as soon as she became an adult, she was going to leave right away.

Because of these worries, Siervian held onto the doll that she had been hugging for the past few days.

“Umm. Perhaps there is something that Your Highness wants to eat?”

“No… Nothwing…”

Strangely, she didn’t even have an appetite.

Coincidentally, breakfasts with her father and brother stopped a few days ago. There was only a message that they were busy dealing with the preparations for the storm season, and the problem of urgently dispatching medicinal herbs to Garambell.

‘It’ll be very difficult to go out when the storm season is close.’

She had never seen it, but she heard that even monsters would come out when the weather would grow turbulent.

Her brother was busy as well because she heard he was assisting the Emperor.

‘I don’t have any motivation.’

Thankfully, the Emperor’s Palace and the Crown Prince’s Palace had sent messengers in advance to inform the Princess of the news.

However, after she started eating breakfast alone again, she strangely had no appetite. It hadn’t been long since they started eating together, but it now felt empty eating alone.

‘I have to get it together.’

Touching the doll again, Siervian tried to control her state of mind.

She didn’t know when they would come again. Since the breakfasts they had together started so abruptly, it was entirely possible for it to end just as suddenly. So she shouldn’t be sad even if it was natural for no one to come anymore.

“Princess, I’ll bring you some warm milk.”

“Okayy…”

When she didn’t even eat snacks, Ellie went out. But Siervian saw how Ellie was having scary thoughts as she left the room.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: I’ll have to ask His Majesty.

Startled, Siervian got up in a hurry and grabbed Ellie. If she would send such a useless report to the busy Emperor, it would only be a disaster.

“Eri!”

“Do you want anything other than milk, Princess?”

“Nooo, don’t go.”

Because she was flustered, she couldn’t explain why she wanted Ellie to stay. It’s not like she could say that she read Ellie’s thoughts.

When Siervian clung to the maid’s clothes and recklessly begged her not to go, Ellie had a puzzled expression on her face.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: Your Highness doesn’t want to be alone. Okay, I’ll be here for you.