The Emperor’s eyes widened in surprise at his daughter’s response, and then he let out a wry laugh.
‘Yes, she probably doesn’t need what I’m offering anymore.’
He knew.
He knew that the words he had just spoken sounded like a way to alleviate his guilt before dying.
And that wasn’t entirely wrong.
It just so happened that he realized his mistakes at a point when death was not far off.
Yet, hearing Cornelia’s refusal like this made him feel uneasy.
The Emperor said with a bitter voice, “Well, I hope you live well and stay healthy in a foreign land.”
Cornelia shook her head and replied, “I won’t be going to Alshera. I plan to stay in the empire for a while.”
The unexpected response from Cornelia surprised the emperor, and he opened his eyes wide.
“What? Why?”
When the Emperor asked urgently, Cornelia put out the candle she was holding into her pocket and answered.
“Because there’s something weighing on my mind.”
“Something weighing on your mind?”
Cornelia whispered softly in response to the emperor’s question.
“Be careful of candles without the royal emblem.”
Then, after putting on her hat, Cornelia stepped back.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave now, Your Majesty.”
“Wait, just a moment!”
“Excuse me?”
Originally, he intended to say a farewell like, “Let’s meet again next time,” but the words wouldn’t come out as he thought.
“…What will you do about Marquis Arzen? He will undoubtedly impose restrictions on your actions.”
At this, Cornelia displayed a puzzled expression before replying coldly,
“You don’t need to worry about that, Your Majesty. It’s my business.”
Her cold demeanor made his heart sink.
The coldness in her tone made the Emperor’s heart drop.
The emperor soon realized where that boundary-setting attitude had come from.
<In front of others, don’t call me ‘father’ or ‘dad’; you must call me ‘Your Majesty.’ Do you understand?>
<Princess, didn’t I clearly say? You don’t need to concern yourself with political matters.>
Cornelia then spoke.
“I will really take my leave now, Your Majesty.”
Hearing the title “Your Majesty” instead of “father” made the emperor smile bitterly.
‘Yes, I brought this upon myself.’
At that time, he thought it was right not to show affection to his daughter.
As someone who would eventually leave the palace, it seemed advantageous not to get emotionally attached if he wanted to use her politically.
But now he deeply regrets that decision.
‘I should have treated her a bit more warmly.’
As he watched his daughter’s retreating figure with a mix of bitterness and regret, Cornelia suddenly turned her head slightly.
“I will come back soon.”
At those words, the emperor’s eyes widened.
Then, his face contorted.
‘Still, you worry about me, a foolish father, and even say you’ll come back to see me again.’
Perhaps misinterpreting his expression, Cornelia furrowed her brow and added, “Just to let you know, I will never help Fritz.”
After she spoke those stiff words, the emperor watched her quickly retreating figure with disappointment before turning away.
When the emperor returned to his room, he noticed a candle that had not yet been lit.
‘A candle without the royal emblem…’
The Emperor frowned as he inspected the candle.
‘Indeed. Such consumables often go unnoticed.’
Should he immediately call an alchemist to check its composition? For a moment he considered this, but then recalled Cornelia’s words.
<Just to be cautious, do not light any candles without the royal emblem until I tell you it’s safe.>
‘That means she’s advising me not to act rashly. She must be worried that there are spies within the palace.’
Cornelia would determine if it was poison. Until then, he must not reveal that he noticed the potential danger.
The Emperor called his most trusted aide among his attendants and asked the most pressing question.
“Is Marquis Arzen still besieging?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the situation?”
“Well, ever since the news of Marquis Arzen’s siege spread, there has been growing discontent among both the nobility and the common people.”
At that answer, the emperor clenched his fist tightly.
‘If it were up to me, I would want to get rid of him, but that would only escalate the controversy.’
Honestly, it wasn’t that there was no way to deal with Marquis Arzen. However, Cornelia’s safety was the priority for now.
Finally, he spoke. “Tell Marquis Philippe to deploy forces in preparation for a possible riot.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
“And who is responsible for managing the candles in my room?”
“That would be Cain.”
In an instant, the emperor’s gaze sharpened.
‘I could have him arrested and interrogated immediately.’
He recalled Cornelia speaking to him in secret.
‘She must be trying to figure out who the traitor is.’
The emperor then addressed the aide. “Maintain Cain’s duties, but from now on, secretly replace the candles with those from the royal artisan. It must not be discovered.”
“Yes, I will carry out your orders.”
“Dismissed.”
Once the aide exited, the emperor let out a cough he had been holding back.
With the candles removed, breathing was definitely easier than before, and his coughing had lessened.
‘Perhaps I might live longer than I expected.’
The child he loved wished for his swift death, while the neglected child was trying to save him instead.
‘I…’
Confusion mixed with the Emperor’s violet eyes.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
As I stepped out of the imperial palace, I clenched my fist tightly.
‘Marquis Arzen, how on earth did he find out my identity? I left the hotel without leaving any evidence.’
Moreover, he didn’t even confirm my identity, and yet he’s protesting like this. It’s suspicious.
‘In cases like this, there’s either a spy within the palace or someone has been monitoring me for a long time and informed Marquis Arzen. But who could it be?’
For a moment, Janet’s face flashed through my mind.
‘No, that can’t be. She may be Erich’s spy, but…’
As those thoughts crossed my mind, the words of the emperor I had just heard suddenly came back to me.
<You reckless fool, how dare you say such things to that girl… Cough, cough!>
<Don’t refuse, take it. At least, I want to be a father to you one last time.>
A pang of bitterness struck inside me.
‘Play the role of a father?’
In the past, I would have cried upon hearing his words.
I had been that desperate for the emperor’s recognition and attention.
But having gone through the previous life and experiencing this one as well, I had become thoroughly jaded.
So much so, I couldn’t accept his words as they were.
‘I no longer have the foolish delusion that I could be your daughter. It’s obvious you’re trying to bribe me to keep me quiet so that Fritz doesn’t gain any more flaws than he already has.’
Lost in thought as I walked, I suddenly noticed my surroundings and flinched.
I had found myself in the abandoned palace’s garden.
‘I always cry here.’
Yet now, strangely, I wasn’t shedding any tears.
‘Perhaps it’s because I’ve finally let go of the hope of being loved.’
Yes, I’m fine.
Just the fact that I’m not crying proves that I’m okay.
As I stepped on the faded memories of this abandoned palace, I soon wore a cynical smile.
‘So, you’re no longer needed. Not even the handkerchief you gave me.’
After leaving the palace, I immediately got into the carriage and said,
“Take me to the One Flower Workshop in the craft street.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Meanwhile, Reinhardt was sitting in the carriage, recalling what had happened.
<That crazy woman is back! She tried to shoot me with a gun!>
Originally, he had planned for Fritz to cause a commotion, prompting the emperor to call his subordinates to calm him down and then take the opportunity to subdue Fritz in style.
But it wasn’t long before an enraged Fritz burst out.
Fritz told the knights patrolling the imperial palace to go to the emperor’s palace immediately and arrest Cornelia.
<The Emperor isn’t in his right mind right now! Cornelia, that woman, tried to shoot me, and yet he sided with her! He might even shoot me himself!>
Of course, Fritz’s antics were notorious, and the attendant who rushed in quickly dissuaded the knights from arresting Cornelia.
In any case, what was important was that Cornelia had defeated Fritz all on her own.
‘I was trying to save her like a prince. Who would have thought she’d pull out a gun there?’
Reinhardt’s lips curved into a slight smile.
“Hehe, she really is fierce, isn’t she?”
That’s why Cornelia was so interesting and cute.
The sight of her standing her ground with her claws out, unlike an obedient woman, was both lovable and endearing.
Reinhardt felt he could understand the sentiment of humans who were enamored with capricious cats rather than loyal dogs.
‘Well, there are things that are more enticing than just being cute.’
The moment he recalled Cornelia’s fair skin, he felt his body stiffen and his cheeks flush.
‘If it were up to me, I’d want to make her mine right away.’
Knock, knock.
Reinhardt’s lips turned down at the sound of a knock.
“Report.”
The carriage door opened, and his subordinate bowed his head.
“The princess left the palace in a carriage a little while ago.”
Reinhardt nodded at those words and gave a cold command.
“Let’s depart.”
It wouldn’t be long now.
The day would come when he would cage the cute, fierce little black bird and make her only look at him.
‘Of course I’ll need to put in a bit more effort to make her love me.’
He grinned widely.
‘But that’s no problem.’
Since he was young, he had imagined the day he would have her.
He sometimes thought about taking her by force, but he instinctively knew that if he did, he would never see her beautiful smile again.
‘What I want is for that woman’s body, heart, and life to be perfectly subservient to me.’
Just imagine how lovely it would be to see that proud woman smiling sweetly and acting charmingly.
That’s why Reinhardt could endure for as long as it took.
‘I’m already looking forward to what expression you’ll have when you’re conquered. My little black cat.’
