Chapter 25
Hertian picked up the man who slumped on the floor and threw him outside the door, then ordered the knight on guard.
“Bring it to Your Highness.”
Ariel, who was watching him, asked.
“Why did His Majesty sent the kidnapper?”
“Because he is competing with Your Highness for the position of the young lady’s foster father.”
“Foster? What is that?”
As Ariel tilted his head, Hertian just shrugged.
“It’s not something you need to worry about.”
Ariel gave a puzzled expression, but then nodded.
That’s not what’s important now.
“That is really strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“The thing that happened with your mother, a human. It must have been me, but why can’t I remember?”
Ariel sat down in the high chair and tapped the armrest.
“A God who has lost its memory…”
Hertian, who had been muttering quietly, said with a determined expression.
“I will ask search around if there is a similar precedent, my lady.”
“Good, you’re doing good!”
Ariel smiled happily at the sight of him voluntarily stepping in without being told.
* * *
And a week later…
Hertian whispered secretly.
“I made a request to a famous information dealer and inquired about it, but there was no story about a God who lost their memory, also if a God fell to the ground.”
It was disappointing news.
As Ariel’s expression hardened, Hertian hurriedly added.
“Instead, I came to know about a strange rumor floating around in a small village in the Kingdom of Oelle.”
“Oelle Kingdom?”
“It’s a small country located in the eastern part of the Empire.”
“So what rumors have you heard?”
Hertian looked at Ariel with quite serious eyes.
“There is another God besides the lady who cannot use divine power.”
“…What?”
Ariel jumped up in surprise.
“Who is that!”
“Gedeliof is the name. He committed a great sin and was banished from the Divine Realm with his divine power sealed.”
“…Who?”
Gedeliof.
It was a name she never heard of.
For a God with such a story, there was no way he wouldn’t be known.
‘Besides, it’s a seal of divine power.’
Divinity is the unique power possessed by Gods.
It was impossible to seal it, even for a fellow God.
Ariel asked softly.
“Where is the Gedeliof? Is he in the Kingdom of Oelle?”
“I still couldn’t figure it out. In the first place, even the story of the God Gedeliof is a rumor that only circulates in a very small rural village…”
“What are you saying, then he is not a real person?”
“I don’t know the truth. Originally, there are many false and exaggerated myths floating around among humans…”
Hertian lowered his head as if to apologize, and Ariel narrowed her brows.
“Find out more.”
“Yes, lady.”
Hertian replied immediately, but he didn’t look very confident.
He was a sword-wielding knight, not an information dealer.
It was then…
Hertian hardened his expression and drew the sword from his waist.
Ariel wasn’t surprised.
It happened a dozen or more times in the past week.
‘Your Majesty, why does that person keep doing this? If he’s going to send someone, at least send someone with some skill.’
It was pitiful to send them only to be captured by Hertian every time.
‘Well, it will be the same this time.’
Just as expected.
“Ugh!”
The kidnapper, who struggled against Hertian several times, was hit in the vitals and captured in vain.
The only difference is that he has more grit than the other kidnappers.
Laying on the floor with his arms bound, he cried out with his eyes wide open.
“His Majesty is waiting for the lady with a variety of desserts in addition to belof.”
Then he collapsed as if he had completed all of his duties.
Ariel jumped up and shouted sternly.
“Go to the imperial palace right now!”
“……”
A deep sigh escaped Hertian’s mouth.
* * *
Upon hearing the news, the Grand Duke rushed over and strongly opposed it, but Ariel was stubborn.
“I have to go, I have to go! I haven’t eaten belof since I came here!”
“Really, this child…”
In the end, the Grand Duke had no choice but to take Ariel to the palace.
“Ah, my little girl.”
The Emperor rushed to her with a sympathetic face and rubbed his cheek against Ariel.
“How long has it been since I’ve seen this face?”
Then, as always, after having Ariel sit on the throne, he presented what he had prepared.
From belof topped with whipped cream, to colorful and delicious desserts.
“Wow!”
Ariel, who’s touching her cheek, exclaimed and stretched out her hand.
When Ariel was eating a cake topped with honeyed nuts…
“Ariel, don’t you want to become my adopted daughter?”
“Anyopted Nyother?”
As Ariel mumbled with her mouth full, the Emperor replied.
“I mean daughter.”
“Yes?”
Ariel asked, swallowing the cake in her mouth.
“Your Majesty’s daughter? But I’m already a daughter?”
When she answered as if she couldn’t understand, the Grand Duke’s lips stretched into a smile.
The Emperor was barely able to straighten his distorted face and spoke softly.
“Wouldn’t it be okay to change that?”
“Can you change daddy?”
Ariel asked.
“Yes, of course!”
“Of course not!”
The Emperor and the Grand Duke shouted at the same time.
‘What, what is it? Why are you like that?’
Ariel’s shoulders trembled in surprise, and the two brothers glared at each other.
The Emperor, who had been putting up a fight for a while, spoke to Ariel as if tempting her.
“If you become my daughter, you can eat a lot of delicious belofs.”
“I can’t eat it because I am father’s daughter?”
“That’s how it is. Belof is a fruit that can only be grown in the Empress’ estate, and we decided not to deliver it to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“What, that won’t work!”
As the Emperor smiled coyly, Ariel grabbed both her cheeks and slapped armrest.
“Then I will be Your Majesty’s daughter!”
“Ariel!”
Ariel quickly changed her father, so the Grand Duke burst into a thunderous roar.
The Grand Duke’s pale green eyes were distorted with a sense of betrayal.
“What, what!”
Who are you screaming at?
It was her first time seeing the Grand Duke like that, so she was a little scared, but Ariel shouted without showing it.
“Are you dissatisfied with my will!”
“Are you thinking of giving up being my daughter and becoming His Majesty’s adopted daughter?”
“Then what will you do!”
Ariel pushed her chest out and raised her chin arrogantly.
The Emperor opened his mouth and laughed in satisfaction, and the Grand Duke closed his eyes tightly.
The Grand Duke, who had been silent for a long time as if in deep thought, suddenly opened his eyes.
“If you do, you won’t be able to eat your favorite chocolate anymore.”
“What? Why!”
“Because I monopolize the right to sell cacao, which is the raw material for chocolate.”
“What, how could that be…”
The Grand Duke grinned as Ariel, in shock, covered her mouth with her hands.
“Now, make your choice. Whose daughter will you be?”
Ariel made a puzzled expression.
‘Belof is the most delicious fruit in the world. I can never give it up. But without chocolate…’
She has to give up a lot of desserts.
Chocolate cookies, chocolate cake, chocolate fondue and chocolate milk.
Ariel cried and asked.
“…Then, can’t I just be the daughter of both Dad and His Majesty?”
“That’s impossible.”
“That’s unacceptable!”
The Grand Duke and the Emperor shouted at the same time, and Ariel touched her forehead.
“What should I do?”
She couldn’t really choose one.
Then, she remembered what Jane had taught her the other day. An easy way to pick one when there are multiple options.
‘Right, there was that method!’
Ariel, who nodded her head, stretched out her index finger.
She then muttered, pointing alternately to the two of them, who was eagerly fighting for her.
“Which one to choose, ding dong dang dong!”
“……”
“……”
* * *
The Grand Duke was fortunate enough to defend his position.
It was because Ariel’s finger landed on him when she shouted the word ‘dong’.
But naturally, the Emperor did not surrender.
“It’s unfair! Why did you start with that guy? If it started with me, I would have ended up with ‘dong’!”
The Empress, who came running after hearing the news belatedly, also nodded fiercely in agreement.
“I think so too, Ariel. This is not the right way.”
“Right, this is not fair!”
The second prince, Elvir, who followed the Empress, also followed his mother’s will.
In fact, Elvir didn’t quite understand why they had to bring Ariel into the family.
However, she was a benefactor who saved his mother’s life, and he agreed because her mother had no reason to oppose it.
It was at that time that the Grand Duke and the Emperor’s family were fighting fiercely…
“What’s this?”
A voice came from somewhere, and the tumultuous surroundings became quiet.
‘What is it?’
Ariel turned her head around and soon spotted a man standing in front of the door.
He has blond hair that shines like grains of sand in the middle of the day, and light green eyes with a cool tone.
“Jerrod?”
It was the Crown Prince, Jerrod.
The Emperor, who blankly blinked his eyes, asked in a puzzled voice.
“How did you came here, aren’t you in the northern border?”
“Didn’t Father sent a message to come immediately since Mother is in critical condition?”
“Ah, yes.”
The Emperor touched his forehead.
“I forgot to send another message. Fortunately, your mother…”
“I know. I just heard the news on the way.”
He bowed his head towards the Empress.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better, Mother. But…”
Jerrod suddenly twisted his mouth.
“Everyone seems to have a lot of time. Seeing you even argue about something that doesn’t even sound reasonable.”
“……”
“At the border, there is no time to rest even for a minute due to the continuous war, but all of you seems to be very relaxed.”
He looked at the Imperial family and the Grand Duke alternately, as if he was feeling pathetic.
Everyone was dumbfounded by his words.
Jerrod, who looked at each of them and reprimanded them silently, fixed his gaze on Ariel.
Right then…
An idea flashed in his eyes.
“How did you get here…”
“Yes?”
Ariel tilted her head.
‘What’s up with this guy?’
It’s definitely the first time Ariel have seen him, but why is he acting like they’re old friends?
‘Does he know me?’
The Grand Duke and the Emperor’s family were also puzzled.
“Crown Prince, do you know our lady?”
Even at the Emperor’s question, he remained silent.
Instead, he looked at Ariel, the Grand Duke, and the Emperor’s family with puzzled eyes.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He hugged Ariel and disappeared.
Those who had been watching the Crown Prince disappear at the speed of lightning, shouted belatedly.
“It’s a kidnapper!”
“Catch him!”
