Chapter 164 - Camille & Ludwig II

"I will tell my dad!" Little Ludwig ran to the Golden Palace where his father, Emperor Leopold, was busy discussing the preparation of the war between Golden Camellia and Great Arctyr.

After a year of rejection from Golden Camellia, royal family of Great Arctyr had a hunch that something was not right. They were not able to contact Great Princess Celine because of five years old ban tradition. But after the tradition was lifted, they still couldn't see her.

Later on, Taron Hessel Signe, the fourth prince of Great Arctyr went to Golden Camellia unofficially and disguised himself. He asked around Roagelt city about the new empress, and he was shocked to hear that people thought the new empress was really ugly.

There was no way someone would say that Celine was ugly, unless that man was blind. The new Empress' title was Empress Eva, he thought it was just the title Golden Camellia gave for his sister. Turns out, when he saw the official painting of the new royal family, it was not Celine.

Emperor Audric III didn't marry the Great Princess of Arctyr.

He dispatched many spies as long as he could get any contact about the whereabouts of Celine. Many of them were never heard anymore, simply disappeared from existence. Until one spy returned with heavy wounds and said that Princess Celine had been kept inside Cold Palace for years, she was so thin and dying.

"S—She has a daughter, called Camille… but they are no better than a peasant."

Taron was enraged, but he knew if he went straight to the Golden Palace, Emperor Leopold would just detain him or probably execute him to hide the fact. Taron returned to Great Arctyr to share the news with his parents.

And it all escalated to this.

A war between two giant countries.

"Dad! Dad!" Little Ludwig pulled his father's shirt, he was pouting.

Emperor Leopold massaged his forehead, he looked at his son and responded, "What?"

"Big sis Camille said that his ugly mom is better than mum Empress!"

"Big sis Camille? Who is Camille?" Leopold frowned. He hadn't heard of this name before.

"That beautiful sister in ugly palace! She lived with her ugly people, but she is so beautiful! I didn't like it!" Ludwig said innocently.

'Ugly palace… Cold Palace?'

'Celine…'

Emperor Leopold crouched and asked, "Ludwig, can you show me where the ugly palace is?"

"Okay, dad!" Little Ludwig pulled his dad's finger and led him to the place he had predicted, Cold Palace.

He never actually visited this place, because he had no interest here anyway, but hearing a new name made him remember about the reason why the Great Arctyr and Golden Camellia went to war in the first place.

Emperor Leopold saw the two guards outside were surprised and then kneeled to greet him. Leopold and Ludwig went inside the rusty palace filled with creaking sound on the wooden floor.

The Cold Palace was really rusty and unfit for living, but the Emperor had another thing in mind. Whenever he went through one section to another the palace was filled with fluorescent flowers, the colors were dazzling and they grew healthily. Even the royal garden was not as beautiful as this.

Ludwig led him to a smaller courtyard, Emperor saw a woman with two maids prostrating in front of him, their body shivering out of fear. But there was no other kid like Ludwig.

"T—This lowly one greets Emperor Audric III of Golden Camellia, may Golden Camellia prosper until the last eternal petal falls," Celine greeted her husband, Emperor Leopold. This was the first time the Emperor entered this place.

"Raise your head," Emperor ordered. Celine raised her head and their eyes met.

'She is still beautiful, even after years…' Emperor Leopold thought in his heart. Celine's face was still perfect, just like the first time they met, only paler and a lot thinner. There was a trace of guilt in his heart, Emperor Leopold wanted to pull Celine up, but he saw Celine's tears fall suddenly and Celine lowered her head again.

"What does Your Majesty Emperor wish for in this palace?" Celine asked.

Leopold had no romantic feeling over Celine at all, at least after he found his love, Eva. But he couldn't return this woman to Great Arctyr either, because it would shame him and the entire Golden Camellia as unfaithful.

Thus, Leopold tried to shift the topic instead, "I come here because my son said that there is a girl called Camille, she just insulted my Empress."

"Y—Your Majesty, there is no little girl here. Crown Prince might have just heard the wrong thing!"

"Liar! Big sis Camille is here!" Ludwig was mad. He looked around, he knew that his sister must be hiding somewhere. He shouted, "Big sis Camille, show yourself or I will kill your ugly mom!"

"No!" Celine reacted, but the door behind them finally slid and there was a little girl who was standing there, frightened to the bone.

Leopold observed the little girl.

'Long golden hair, golden circle…' Emperor Leopold had just realised that he really had a daughter with Celine. An extremely beautiful daughter.

"There she is! Dad, that is Big sis Camille! Isn't she pretty? But she did a bad thing! You should punish her!"

"Little girl… what is your name?" Emperor asked.

"My name is… C—Camille, your majesty…"

"Come here."

Camille slowly approached Emperor Leopold. When she was in front of her, Emperor crouched and asked again, "Why are you here? Where are your parents?"

"Um… I live here with my mom and two maids…"

"Where is your dad?"

"Um… mom said, dad went to a heroic war and died there. He is a hero. Does Your Majesty know my dad's grave?"

Emperor was stunned, Celine tried to interrupt, "Y—Your Majesty, she is just a kid with no shame! Please just ignore her!"

Camille turned her head to her mother, "But mom, you said my dad is a handsome hero that died valiantly! His Majesty Emperor must've known about him!"

"Camille!" Celine tried to reach for Camille, but Emperor slapped her hand.

"Silence! I'm trying to talk with her!"

And the atmosphere was quiet, yet tense. Emperor Leopold asked again, "Well, I know about your father. But you must admit first, what did you say about Empress Eva?"

"Uhm… I just said that my mother looks better than the Empress," Camille said innocently.

"See! Dad! Punish him!" Ludwig pointed his finger at Camille.

"What kind of punishment do you want to give?"

"W—Well, she always refused to accompany me outside. She also ignores me a lot! I want her to be with me every day! I want her to talk to me every hour too! Punish him like that, dad!" Ludwig said. 

Emperor was a bit fl.u.s.tered. It seemed Ludwig had shown an attachment to his sister. Probably because he and Eva ignored him most of the time. Because of the imminent war.

"I see," Emperor nodded. "Camille, I will punish you. From now on, you must accompany my son every day. Listen to all his orders. And you must live inside the Golden Palace, so Ludwig can summon you anytime."

Camille nodded politely, she glanced at Ludwig who puffed his c.h.e.s.t, there was a smug expression on his face. As if he had done something commendable.

Camille lowered his head again, but not because of sadness. It was because she almost couldn't hold her grin, 'See, Ludwig is my ticket out.'

"Y—Your Majesty! Please spare my daughter! She—She is innocent!" Celine blocked the way of the Emperor, "Please let her stay here! I beg you!"

Emperor looked at her coldly, let go of Ludwig on his right hand and then pushed Celine with one hand until she fell to the ground, "What daughter? You don't have any," Emperor said before leaving.

Camille was staring at her wounded mom. Her heart was torn apart as her body almost reacted to help her mother.

She could only say something in her heart, 'Mom, I will help you. Camille will be strong! I will be strong so I can free you!'

Camille already planned everything, she knew the risk and she knew that her mother couldn't come with her. But it still pained her to see her beloved mother to be abused and humiliated by her own father like that.

***

Leopold brought Camille and Ludwig to an empty bedroom beside Ludwig's bedroom. He noticed that Camille's dress was just an old dress cut into many pieces to make a 'dress' for her. He called the servant, "Go call the palace tailor, give this little girl a new set of clothes. Give her dress the same material as the Crown Prince's."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Camille looked at this man innocently, then asked, "Why is Your Majesty so kind to me? I don't do anything…"

"It's because Big sis will be living with me! We don't like filthy things!" Ludwig said pridefully.

Emperor smiled, "What he said is true, but it's not only that."

"Before, you asked me about your father, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"He is still alive and well, he is in front of you, Camille."

Camille looked up to the majestic emperor, "Your Majesty should not lie. If Your Majesty is my father, how could I live in that palace with my mom? Why didn't we live here?"

Emperor Leopold's smile cracked, "Because your mom did a bad thing, she is worthless. Forget her, you are living with us here now. You should call me dad."

Camille said nothing, she only stared at her father and then said, "Yes… dad."

"Good girl," Emperor Leopold smiled and rubbed Camille's head gently.

Little did he know, there was a storm raging in Camille's heart.

'Emperor is a monster! A meanie! My mom is a good mom, and she loves me so much!'

'Did you really think I don't know about you? When I saw Ludwig, I instantly realised that we are siblings! We are so almost like twins!'

'Your Majesty, I swear, I never have a father.'