Chapter 5

On the day it was raining, dad asked me what my name was ‘What’s your name?’ he said… When I heard that I was going to the Imperial Palace ‘Are you the Emperor?’ I said while speaking informally. Most of the stories flowed similarly. Maybe? After coming to the Imperial Palace like that, I was suddenly washed and changed into clean clothes.

After dad told me he’s the Emperor and I’m his lost daughter, he gave me the name Bebeana and disappeared as soon as I came to the Imperial Palace. Instead, the life of a princess began when a man named Chamberlain guided me to this room and attached me to a maid who had been wiping my whole body with a towel since I first met her. But that was the fault of everything.

I lifted the book high. The white book cover. It’s the same color as the cat that dug into my arms that day. That day I held the shivering cat tightly in my arms until I arrived in this room. I didn’t have a place to put the cat down right away so I put several towels on the bed and fell asleep, but the next day the cat disappeared.

“Cat. Is it a dream or is that cat this book?”

Instead, this book was placed on the towel where the cat laid down. A book I’ve never seen before. There was no title or pattern on the cover unlike other books so I thought it was an interesting book. But I didn’t open it. After all I had never been to a world where I didn’t know and learned the letters. Of course, I thought I wouldn’t be able to read. But contrary to that thought, the untitled book began to be read like a dream as soon as it was opened. The contents of it. And when I realized what I suffered on the first day wasn’t that different from what happened in the book, I had no choice but to shout.

“Ugh. So annoying!”

I threw the book for no reason. Of course on the sofa, I’m afraid if I throw it on the floor the book will be ruined. Anyway, according to the contents of the book, I’m supposed to die. The story of Bebeana written in the book. A long time ago or about a decade ago, a concubine whose name wasn’t even remembered in the Imperial Palace gave birth to a child and died shortly after. Since she wasn’t a good concubine, there was only a midwife and a maid.

The peculiarity was that the concubine was the maid of the deceased Empress, but it didn’t  seem to be a very important memory for the Emperor. The Imperial Emperor had many concubines and so mamy children. But strangely children with royal blood engraved on them didn’t live easily. I wonder if there were many children who were born and died without even knowing the Emperor.

So the Emperor didn’t care much about the concubines giving birth. He only cared about them at first but in the end they all died. He sent a midwife three months earlier when a concubine said that she had a child. Because there were so many premature births. Some have said that children are dying because of the special blood of the royal family from the time of the first Emperor, but it wasn’t important for the Emperor.Because even he has been living with suspicious bloodline. Since he was the only remaining member of the royal family he became the emperor without a choice but  he was questioned whether he was of the royal family even after he becand Emperor

The maid knew that the Emperor didn’t value his blood very much and when she learned that the concubine had died as soon as she gave birth, she became greedy. The child was born barely seven months. So the Emperor didn’t know that the concubine gave birth. When her daughter was born with silver hair, which was said to appear only in the royal family, the maid swaps the two children. This is fate too.

More than 9 out of 10 children born to the royal family died. So the maid guaranteed that the child born to the concubine would also die. It was a pity that her daughter would had to live as a child without a father. So she changed the child. She finally did what she shouldn’t have done. And the real princess was abandoned in front of the orphanage. Normally, it was right for the Emperor to find out late but no one really knew. The concubine died before the Emperor came so only the maid knew that the child had changed.

“If the Chamberlain hadn’t found me with rare silver hair, he probably wouldn’t have known me until the end.”

It can’t help but be a great novel. At first I thought it was the growth of a real princess looking for her place, but… I shook my limbs as I lie on the floor.

“I hate it…!”

I got up from my seat and rushed to the dressing table after laying down and struggling like a crazy person. I need go get rid of my anger by looking at my pretty face. I wasn’t in a good mood because of the pig’s nest I saw earlier and I got angry again because of the contents of the book.

The face reflected in the mirror. As expected, this is a face that looks like it’s working hard everyday. I poked my cheek with my hand. Cheeks that goes wide like a soft marshmallow. I was born with such a pretty face, but I can’t believe how short-lived. That’s never going to happen. I just became such a pretty person…! I smiled broadly and poked both cheeks with my hands.

“No matter how you look at it, she’s prettier than Lilian. But the reason why they’re so hostile is probably because they think she’s really a rolling stone. Do they really think she’s not pretty?”

It’s not a confession, but it’s the truth. The basic background of being the Emperor’s daughter must be pretty. Dad doesn’t look like a human being. Actually the Emperor’s personality isn’t that great but… No, it’s seriously bad but it’s not important. What matters is that Bebeana is born with that appearance.

At the time I was immersed in my appearance and laughing like a fool, Lisbeth quietly opened the door and came into the room. Perhaps because she came late, the sun soon went down after she entered the room. The night came before I knew it and thanks to Lisbeth I washed thoroughly and came out of the shower, breathing a sigh as I looked out the window.

‘I want to go out.’

It’s like being trapped in a room like a prison as if no one calls. As I approached the window and looked out of the old building with my chin on the window sill. Lisbeth came out after cleaning up and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Do you want me to make up your bed?”

“Umm. You know. Lisbeth. You say we can go for a walk after this right?”

“Yes.”

Except for the Emperor and the first child, they all lived in the same palace so they had no choice but to be careful. If the trail overlaps with the Lilian, it’s a disaster even without having to see how crazy the pig’s dumpster will be.

“You can go on a walk anywhere. This is the palace where the princess lives.”

Lisbeth smiled broadly and nodded her head as soon as I talked about walking. She slightly turned to the side and made eye contact with me pointing her finger out of the window.

“The garden here is very beautiful. It’s said that Princess Rose who lived in this palace a long time ago loved a beautiful garden. So the Emperor at that time built the garden just for Princess Rose. This garden is the most beautiful in the Imperial Palace.”

“I see.”

“Aren’t you curious? Would you like to go out and look around the garden?”

“No. I don’t want to see other people.”

I’m very curious about the garden that were said to be so beautiful, but I absolutely hate the thought of seeing them. I shook my head and said no.

“Hmm. I think you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I heard that Princess Liliian and the other princes don’t go here often. It’s said that His Majesty The Emperor enjoys a walk in the Imperial Palace garden every night. I’ve seen it a few times.”

As soon as I heard that, a smile spread across on my face. I can go out without them. The frustration will disappear. I suddenly felt excited. I jumped up from my seat.

“Then let’s go for a walk!”

It was frustrating, but it was fine. It’s fine. Lisbeth looked at me for a while and smiled while bringing my outerwear from the inside. Then she started putting them on one by one and I had no choice but to regret saying let’s go for a walk, I shouldn’t have said that.

“Make sure to wear more clothes on. Wouldn’t it be cold?”

“Not at all. Can I stop wearing it?””

It’s rather hot. Obviously at first I only wore clothes like cardigans, but it became more and more exaggerated and now I’m like a fat cat with a lot of hair. Thanks to the endless layers of clothes by Lisbeth. Lastly, she closed her mouth and smiled as if she was satisfied only after putting on the fur coat she was holding.

I seemed to have really become a furry cat. Thanks to that, my body waddled back and forth as if reminiscent of a penguin every time I walked. I wanted to tell her to take everything off, but when I saw Lisbeth’s bright face I had no choice but to go out to the garden through the terrace without saying anything.

After walking for a long time thinking about her sincerity, I eventually stopped walking. It’s hot! I’m sweating just by walking. Lisbeth following me from the side tilted her head as if puzzled that I suddenly stopped.

“Princess would you like me to carry you if it’s difficult to walk?”

“No. Don’t do that. Just take this off…”

At that moment, a voice that I didn’t want to hear entered my ear.

“Papa. Lili likes Papa the mwost in the world!”

“Me too.”

“No. Lili said I’m the best.”

“Uh… Brother too. But Papa’s the mwost.”

Lilian in dad’s arms and brothers passed by as if they had intended it. I’m sure they don’t come this way often. I wanted to tell Lisbeth, but because of her standing with a more bewildered face than me I had no choice but to stare at them blankly. For such a long time. Fortunately, they didn’t know I was here.

As if the walk was over, they quickly turned around and went back. Looking at it, I felt an unknown distance as if they were the main characters in the novel and I became someone else. Of course, it didn’t hurt my heart. It’s just nice to see.

“That’s what family is, right?

“…Yes?”

“They look happy.”

Good. I looked and smiled slightly at them. I think it would be better for a thousand years and ten thousand years to pass with the image that we both love each other so much. In my current situation, not only the Emperor but also the princes shouldn’t have a good heart for me. Then, it was clear that there would be confusion at the place where the sacrifices were selected eight years later.