Etern stared silently at Ziggkart, dumbfounded.
His request was so unexpected that it took her a moment to process. She even wondered if she had misheard, but his expression confirmed that she hadn’t.
“You want to meet my Daddy?”
Ziggkart raised an eyebrow slightly. Though he didn’t say anything, the look in his eyes seemed to silently mock her.
Not ‘Father,’ but ‘Daddy’? You two must be a close-knit father-daughter pair, his expression seemed to imply, as though he found the idea amusing.
Snapping back to her senses, Etern’s lips moved a few times, as if trying to form words.
Wait a second…
Caught off guard by her former nemesis appearing before her as a child, she hadn’t thought this through. But now, she realized this might actually be an opportunity.
Maybe I can use Father’s reputation to send him away.
At this point, the reason Ziggkart had come all this way—alone, or so he claimed—was no longer relevant.
After all, Etern’s goal was to avoid encountering Ziggkart and live a peaceful life in this timeline.
I didn’t want to see his face, but that ship has already sailed. My priority now is making sure he doesn’t get forcibly tied to the Empire.
If she could send him away quickly, the Grand Duchy could remain at peace, and Ziggkart could enjoy his life as a young lord without being shaped into a tyrant.
With this goal in mind, Etern made up her mind. She placed her tiny fists on her hips and tilted her chin up like a little boss.
“Young Lord, what could a child like you possibly want with my Daddy? If you insist on meeting him, I won’t stop you, but you should be prepared. My Daddy is terrifying.”
Will that scare him?
“Who doesn’t know that?”
Darn it. It didn’t work.
Etern narrowed her eyes at Ziggkart, whose slight smirk made her question whether he was really just eight years old.
Fine. I didn’t expect him to back down so easily anyway.
Clearing her throat quietly, Etern spoke again.
“I admire your courage for wanting to meet my Daddy despite knowing that. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you’re so eager, head to the central palace. It’s right over there.”
Ziggkart, however, didn’t even glance in the direction she pointed. He simply blinked.
“What are you waiting for?”
When Etern asked, Ziggkart blinked even more deliberately, as if to say, Why should I say it? You already know.
“You’re supposed to escort me.”
With the elegance of a young noble, Ziggkart extended his small, pale hand and even mimicked a graceful bow.
Etern was so stunned that words failed her. Escort him? That was as absurd as asking her to drag him to prison.
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t know why you want to meet my Daddy.”
Noticing the subtle shift in Etern’s tone, Ziggkart’s playful demeanor vanished entirely. A chill ran down Etern’s spine.
It was only for a brief moment, but she saw it—the Ziggkart she knew all too well from her past life flickered in his expression.
Just then, a line of soldiers marched past in formation, changing shifts at the central palace. Worried they might notice her or Ziggkart, Etern subtly shifted position and adjusted her tone.
“Surely, as the esteemed Young Lord, you must have an important reason for making such a treacherous journey.”
“Oh? So we’re back to formal speech now? It was much more comfortable earlier, but I suppose I’ll have to adjust.”
“The way we speak isn’t the issue right now, Young Lord. It seems you’re unaware, so let me inform you. My da—His Majesty, the Emperor, has been quite curious about your visit ever since he heard you were coming.”
“As he should be.”
“That’s why it’s only proper for you to meet His Majesty directly and explain the reason for your journey. Since you came ‘alone,’ as you claim, you must be representing the Grand Duchy.”
In other words: You caused this mess, so you deal with it.
Ziggkart listened with an amused expression before nodding.
“Your Highness seems determined to dangle my life on a thread.”
“Yes, of course—no, Young Lord!”
Etern’s face turned crimson as her already large eyes widened.
“Could you please stop saying things that might lead to misunderstandings?”
“I doubt anyone would misunderstand. Think about it—would His Majesty, the Emperor, take the words of some minor Young Lord from the borderlands seriously? Especially someone like me…”
Ziggkart’s ruby-red eyes flicked over Etern from head to toe.
“I was born just one month before Your Highness. Surely, to the great Emperor of Sidernell, I must still appear as nothing more than a child.”
Then what is this child doing here?!
Is he okay? Or has he always been a little strange, even as a kid?
As the last of the soldiers passed, Etern quickly ushered Ziggkart into a more secluded corner, avoiding the gaze of passing servants.
“My mother always said to be wary of anyone leading you to secluded places…”
“Do you want a scolding?”
Etern clenched her tiny fist and glared, causing Ziggkart’s lips to twitch as he suppressed a laugh.
“I never heard that the Princess of Sidernell was such a violent little girl…”
“Who are you calling a little girl? If I’m a little girl, then you’re a little boy too!”
“I never said I wasn’t.”
“…Let’s just stop talking.”
What was she supposed to do? Leaving things as they were wasn’t an option, but neither could she grant Ziggkart’s outrageous request.
Demanding an audience with the Emperor and expecting her to lead the way—was he out of his mind?
I’ve only just started building a good relationship with Father. I can’t let this ruin it.
Until she fully won over her father’s trust, she needed to avoid anything that might upset him.
After a moment of contemplation, Etern looked at Ziggkart and spoke.
“First, I need to know why you’re here. I can’t decide whether to take you to Daddy or not without understanding your reasons.”
Ziggkart tilted his head, the movement so innocent that Etern found it oddly endearing. For all his sharp words, he was still undeniably just a child.
“It’s a long story to tell here.”
Etern snorted softly.
“I wasn’t planning to stand here and listen anyway. Follow me. Let’s go to my quarters.”
***
Etern carefully chose a route back to the princess’s palace that was unlikely to attract attention.
By the time they arrived, Dora—who had been furiously grilling the maids ever since realizing Etern had disappeared—nearly fainted at the sight of her holding hands with a young boy.
