My eyebrows wrinkled involuntarily.
“Anyway, I just took care of that child. All the excitement is gone now.”
Neinster continued his speech, brushing his forearm. I could see fine golden threads falling down from his navy-blue cloth.
So, you’re already using violence.
I poured out all kinds of curses within me. I can’t believe he is bullying someone.
“Who is that child?”
I became curious about the child who was being bullied. I wanted to help as much as possible if I could.
Although it’s not a fundamental solution.
“Why? Do you want to play with that child too? Just say it if you want. Let’s play together.”
After wiping the golden threads off his forearm, Neinster again began slaughtering the ants crawling on the floor.
“Sigh…”
I can’t talk to him anymore.
Looking at his smiling face while squashing the ants, I earnestly wished once again that he is not the only successor to this country.
“I have to go.”
I thought staying here would only make my mental health worse. I got up from my seat and brushed my knees.
“What? Hey!”
Ignoring the shouts coming from behind, I walked towards Elvin.
“Are you done playing? It’s okay to play more….”
“I think it’s time to go back to the duchy.”
“Why don’t you stay a little longer? You haven’t finished your snacks yet. I’ve prepared so many things here…….”
Like Cardin said, she is a very persistent woman. Asking me to stay when I clearly expressed that I wanted to go was an impolite manner.
“I’m sorry. I think Papa is waiting.”
I decided to take the last resort. I wanted to get out of this unpleasant place as soon as possible. Then suddenly the standing servants buzzed and made a commotion.
Could it be Cardin?
Among the attendants, I saw someone approaching our way quickly. I longed for it to be Cardin.
“Your Majesty the Emperor is entering!”
“Empress, I have come to see you!”
Oh, What a perfect timing.
The emperor, who appeared in the rose garden with a large crowd, was covered with colorful jewels, perhaps it was a set with Nine Mogris.
Emperor Sotney Heinzek Dandelkius, who reigned when Cardin was still the male lead, was the 21st emperor of Dandelkius.
Maybe the man running around in flashy jewels is the emperor.
Among the three siblings who existed during the reign of Emperor Sotney, the most talked about successors were the 1st Prince and 1st Princess.
Since both showed excellent academic knowledge in various fields, many people wondered which of the two would take the throne.
The other one of the three siblings, the second prince, was unfortunately a lazy man and only had a high sense of vanity.
If someone jokes about the possibility of the second prince being the successor, a passing dog will bite her on her knee and run away.
He had the title ‘the naughty prince’.
“The weather is good today, and the beauty of the empress is increasing day by day, and I feel very good. Hahaha!”
But why am I…
“No! Have you been enjoying this simple tea time? Hey, tell the chef to bring more dessert. The table is not full enough!”
Could it be that the emperor was the second prince?
The emperor, with dark golden hair and green eyes, was so large that his body looked dull.
His large size was filled with fat that was embarrassing to be called muscles, and when the emperor laughed, the flesh in his stomach sways along with it.
“Your Majesty… I heard that you were busy with government affairs today.”
Nine Mogris’ face was distorted beautifully.
At a glance, she was pretending to be smiling, but the curves of her mouth and cheeks were so unnatural. It was like Nine Mogris was unhappy with the emperor’s appearance.
“Haha, I’m sure there are talented people there. I’m already done with the things I need to do.”
“As expected, Your Majesty, I can’t believe you’ve finished so many government affairs in such a short time.”
“I’m a natural at dealing with things!”
The emperor’s roaring laughter reverberated throughout the garden. The only person who was genuinely smiling here was the emperor.
“Hmm? Who’s that kid?”
“Ah, this is Princess Emeliette Bardion. I invited her because I thought she could get along with Neinster.”
“…Bardion?”
The emperor’s laughter stopped.
The Emperor looked at her from head to toe. His straight mouth twitched, but no words were uttered.
“Well… Well, I see. Princess Bardion.”
“I see your Majesty; May the eternal sun be with you.”
I greeted the emperor according to the royal court etiquette. The top of my head has been stinging a lot since earlier.
“Then, did Duke Bardion also come?”
The emperor looked around the garden in astonishment. He was seen as a prey at the bottom of the food chain rather than an emperor of all who reigned at the top of the empire.
“I only invited Princess Bardion.”
“Oh, I see, Hmm. It’s been so long since I had a chat with the Duke of Bardion that I thought I’d be able to talk to him for the first time in a while, that’s a shame.”
When Nine Mogris announced only my existence, the emperor’s face suddenly turned into a bright color and he smiled in relief. His mouth was clearly expressing regret, but from his appearance, it seemed to match relief and joy rather than regret.
“Princess Bardion doesn’t resemble the Duke that much. Or… Hmm.”
“I think I resemble my mother more. your Majesty.”
On behalf of the emperor, who blurs his words, I gave him an answer first.
When I told him with a smile, the emperor coughed a few times and then sat down on his chair, saying yes.
“Your Majesty. Our Neinster and Princess Bardion look good together, they’re getting along really well. It’s like seeing Your Majesty and me.”
No, this lady? What are you talking about?
Nine Mogris put her soft hand on the emperor’s shoulder and spoke in a pleasant voice, then the emperor replied, and let out a big smile.
“Haha, there’s nothing that can compare to you, Empress, oh. She’s not quite as good as we are, but she’s a good fit.”
“Of course, isn’t it? From now on, Neinster and the princess will spend time together… ……”
Bang!
“D, Duke! Wait a minute. . ..”
A murmur from the place surrounded by servants gradually drew closer. When a loud bang was heard, everyone in the garden focused their eyes at the center of the commotion.
Among the servants, a black and huge figure appeared. When I saw the figure, my expression turned happy and naturally brightened.
It was Cardin.
Cardin’s black uniform, which I see every day, was a little messed up. But it wasn’t Cardin’s disheveled uniform that made everyone shut up. His frosty face was so terrifying that it felt like you would end up to the other world if you crossed him.
“Du, du, duke, it’s been a long time.”
The emperor’s pale face turned even more pale. The emperor smiled, wiping away the sweat running down his temple, but he wasn’t able to hide his trembling voice.
“May the sun… forever… be with you…Your Majesty.”
Cardin gave courtesy to the emperor. The emperor shivered with every broken syllable.
“Let’s have a drink together some other time, Haha. You’ve finished the Northern Expedition very well, but I couldn’t even congratulate you, myself properly.”
“Thank you, but I will only accept your heart. I have a lot of work to do.”
“Right, the Duke is very busy.”
After an awkward laugh, the emperor shut his mouth. Looking at Cardin’s stern reply and cold face, no one dared to speak. Cardin’s gaze reached Emiliette, who was standing next to the emperor.
“Come here,”
“Yes.”
Cardin stretched out his hand. I rushed to the place where Cardin was. As soon as I took Cardin’s hand, my vision suddenly went up. Cardin lifted her up with one hand and waited for her to get into a comfortable position.
I sat on his firm forearms, and embraced Cardin’s neck. It was the safest and most reliable nest in the world.
“Your Majesty,”
“Huh? Hmm! What’s the matter?”
The voice of Cardin calling the emperor softly was heard right in her ears.
“I think my daughter had a lot of fun at the Empress’s palace.”
“Oh, that’s right! At the invitation of the Empress, the Princess and the Neinster had a very good time…….”
“There was a very important event in the duchy.”
The emperor shut up again at the answer of Cardin, who spoke slowly with one syllable at a time. At this point, it was confusing who the emperor was.
“I will deal with the mistake of my daughter, who forgot a very important event and accepted the invitation of the Empress.”
“Well… so be it.”
“And… My daughter will have a lot of very important things to do in the future.
“I, I see,”
“The Empress did not know about this today, so she invited my daughter. I will be careful not to make such a mistake in the future.”
“…….”
You don’t know, so I’ll let it go this time. But not next time. Now that you know, I hope it won’t happen again
I think this is what he was trying to say to the Empress.
When I turned her head slightly, Nine Mogris’ face was about to become the same color as her hair.
Seeing her face turning red, Nine Mogris seemed to understand all the meaning of Cardin’s words. The emperor simply nodded his head saying that it was okay with a blank smile on his face, it was like watching a comedy.
“Then I’ll go.”
Cardin bowed lightly and walked across the rose garden. Many servants in the garden bowed their heads. When I turned my head slightly, I saw the imperial family staring at us with blank expressions on their faces.
“What did you do in the garden?”
“I just… ate cookies and looked around the garden.”
I answered in a murmur as if I committed a crime.
But I also had something to say.
How can I refuse when my opponent is the Empress?
“I guess you haven’t learned how not to follow people you don’t know.”
“That’s not true…….”
This is unfair.
“What.”
“The Emperor and Empress are higher than Papa.”
I couldn’t help but pout.
Do you think I went there because I wanted to?
I couldn’t refuse the order disguised as an invitation from the empress, so I just went because I thought I should go.
Cardin’s sharp eyes narrowed.
“I won.”
What did I just hear?
I loosened my hand a little around Cardin’s neck. I looked at Cardin’s face, his face remained unshakable.
It was kind of cool when Cardin said the bluffing words that elementary school students would say.
“Yeah. Papa won.”
Smiling, I rest my chin on Cardin’s shoulder. As I lowered my gaze a little, I saw my short legs swinging.
“But how did you get here?”
“I have contacted the duke through the magic channel.” replied Elvin, who followed them.
Ah, Elvin was also a mana holder with enough mana to use a communication tool.
“From now on, if the emperor and the empress do something troublesome like approaching her, you will take care of it. I will take responsibility.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I rolled her eyes and looked around. It was to see if anyone had heard their conversation that could lead to being taken away for contempt of the imperial family.
Although they were calm.
I continued looking around to see if there were people who might have heard Cardin as he continued to insult the imperial family.
You should keep her away from the palace!