Chapter 40
‘She’s pretty because she’s one of the lead characters.’
But what should I do, now?
What should I do!!
Not far away, the Empress was conversing with the nobles.
My mouth dropped wide as I watched it.
I thought we would meet someday.
Vallois, which was one of the four largest families, would inevitably run into Isilis, who was the Empress of the Rolls Empire.
‘But I didn’t expect to meet her this soon!’
I stopped walking and somehow froze in a strange pose.
“Princess, are you playing freeze tag?”
The nobles around me who noticed my existence laughed as if I was cute, but I couldn’t react.
‘If she runs into Dad like this.’
It’s terrifying just to imagine that.
It was then.
‘My gosh!’
While talking, the Empress’ gaze fell on Dad over there in the distance.
“It’s the main character of the banquet.”
“It looks like he was gone for a long time too, even for Your Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
“It’s been five years.”
Light green eyes flickered with curiosity.
Isilis whispered, glancing over Dad’s side, wondering if she had become curious about the host of this splendid banquet.
“Excuse me for a moment. I think I need to go to the restroom.”
Yep!
Her Imperial Majesty the Empress! Support, support!
Watching the risky conversation made me break out in a cold sweat.
“It was an honor to meet you.”
“May the infinite glory of the Rolls Empire be with you.”
Smiling benevolently at the courteous nobles, she spun around her body.
Her gorgeous hair and dress fluttered like flower petals.
But as soon as she went to the restroom, she was moving her steps towards Dad.
‘To think that she’s walking to her future murderer so confidently.’
No. Protect our precious Her Imperial Majesty the Empress!
“Who…?”
“Oops! I almost collided…!”
Run, runㅡ
The nobles, startled by my sprint, hesitated.
But there was no time to think.
As I frantically ran towards my destination, the Empress smiled lightly as she tried to greet Cassis.
‘I’d rather be an attention seeker than the Empress encountering Dad.’
Even though I’m a little hurt…!
I closed my eyes and twisted my legs with a solemn mind.
Thudㅡ
My round forehead fell in front of the heel of Isilis’ heels.
“?”
The Empress suddenly stopped walking.
Surprised eyes were felt over the top of my head.
“…O-Ouch. It hurts.”
Let’s give a belatedly awkward groan.
“My goodness!”
The bewildered Empress got down on her knees and tried to lift me, yet a hand, faster than hers, lifted my armpit.
“I’ll get her up.”
It was Dad.
He seemed to have managed to check on me from afar.
‘It’s ruined.’
“This is my daughter.”
He stared at the Empress with a dry expression.
He should have lowered his head first, but it seemed like he was distracted because of me.
“Oho.”
Isilis’ eyes widened abnormally.
“Your daughter. Is she the direct princess of Vallois?”
‘I tried to keep the two apart, yet I created a meeting place instead.’
A slight resentment cast down Cassis, but it wasn’t his fault.
‘Actually, the only thing Dad did wrong was that he was worried about me.’
In the end, I gave up and dug into his arms.
I didn’t know what would happen now.
‘I have to prevent the conversation from turning into the direction of divine power.’
“Yes, that’s right. I need to check on my child, then I’ll be going.”
It was when Dad was about to leave.
“I heard rumors that you came and went to the Tundra Islands. To search for me.”
Cassis’ footsteps came to a halt at the urgent voice.
Looking at Dad’s mouth opening less, it seemed that the past came to my mind only then.
‘It’s even more ruined.’
I leaned my cheek against Dad’s chest with tears streaming down my face.
There was only one thing I could do here.
‘…It’s petty, but.’
“Dad.”
“Hm?”
“Agasa called.”
Sorry. Agasa.
I apologized, remembering the aide who greeted Dad with a puzzled expression.
“Agasa called for you.”
“I will see you again. Then.”
When I looked at Dad with a rotten expression, he thought it was urgent, so he hugged me and left.
Fortunately, the Empress no longer caught us.
However, her clear gaze lingered behind Dad’s back for a long time.
“…Agasa must have been heavily scolded by Dad, right?”
After solving the case like that, I went straight to the restroom with a sudden chill.
I’m sorry for him, but there was no other solution at the time.
‘As expected, Agasa is a talented person.’
Applause for Agasa who protected Vallois once again!
Thinking that I should explain everything when we meet later, I hurriedly turned off the light in the restroom and came out.
“!”
It was then.
Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.
“Hmppph!”
I tried to resist, but a sweaty palm blocked my mouth.
A corridor of the silent castle.
I was sucked into the corner of the corridor.
At times like this, it was so horrible that I was 5 years old.
***
“Mmmph! Hmmmph!”
“Billie.”
Instead of immobile arms, I struggled with both legs.
Someone covered my mouth and took a deep breath.
I didn’t know I would end up like this!
This is Vallois Castle!
“Hmppph! Mmmmph!”
I’m trying to struggle to bite the palm of that hand.
“Billie. I’m Sian.”
“Siemmmph?”
“Mm. Please be quiet.”
A familiar low voice lingered near my ear.
The thought circuit stopped for a while at the sudden combination of kidnapping and Sian.
I grabbed the wrist, which covered my mouth, and it disappeared behind my face as if he knew what I meant.
“Sssssian! What are you doing right noooow!”
“That’s a relief.”
I turned my head and got angry.
“Looking at you being angry, you don’t seem to hurt anywhere.”
A gentle smile appeared on the pretty face that had been staring at me for a moment.
Sian smiled as if he was happy.
‘What kind of situation is this…’
However, his laughter didn’t last long.
“Billie, where is His Grace?”
“My dad?”
Sian, who suddenly became serious, took my wrist and stood up.
“I’ll explain later, so let’s go find someone, whether it’s His Grace or the Knight of Vallois. Even a maid should accompany you. Why did you go to the bathroom by yourself? First of all, it’s dangerous…”
It was then.
Sian, who had been unresponsive, hardened.
Did he check something approaching behind my shoulder?
A huge shadow fell over Sian’s face.
“Sian? What’s the matter?”
“Princess.”
“Me?”
It was a low-pitched tone that I thought was pretty from a while ago.
When I turned my head, the lights of the banquet shone like a halo behind the darkness.
Isilis smiled softly as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
She must have noticed us looking suspicious while coming out of the bathroom.
However.
‘Do they know each other?’
Originally, Sian was on the quiet side in front of people, but he didn’t harden like this.
I slightly gazed at Sian.
Although he was calm and expressionless as usual, his facial muscles were subtly contracted.
Then he was quietly looking down at the ground.
‘He looks like someone who went through a trauma.’
“You’re the Princess of Vallois, aren’t you? I just ran into you, but I didn’t expect to greet you again like this.”
“I’m greeting Your Imperial Majesty the Empress.”
‘I’ll have to send Her Imperial Majesty back and talk to him again.’
I brushed off my butt and stood up, raising the hem of my dress to show my respect.
Although she seemed a little surprised at the perfect manners of the young princess.
“You’re like a princess.”
Soon after, she smiled contentedly.
‘This is the aura of the Empress.’
I have to watch and learn.
“By the way, the child next to you is, hmm. Looking at the way he dresses,”
Light green eyes fixed on Sian standing behind me.
After staring at Sian for a long time, she turned on a strange smile.
“I don’t think he’s a servant.”
Sian’s face went pale.
‘Indeed. Even if it were me, I would do that if I saw Her Imperial Majesty.’
Anyone can see that he wasn’t a servant.
A simple gray tunic was worn for treatment.
Even the unfortunate bandages wrapped under the sleeve.
“…A slave?”
“Yes?”
“It doesn’t look like it’s a servant’s outfit, but it doesn’t look like he’s from a noble status either.”
She closed her mouth and demanded an explanation from me.
‘The slave trade is illegal in the Rolls Empire, so she might think it’s strange.’
However, it was true that Sian entered Vallois as a slave.
After thinking for a moment, I continued.
“This friend of mine was slightly injured due to a family mistake. He’s being treated in our castle!”
The term ‘slave’ wasn’t mentioned.
‘I should mention this much, shouldn’t I?’
Asking more from here could have belonged to the category of courtesy.
I thought that the Empress, who understood my intentions, would pass by roughly.
“I see.”
“He’s not a servant.”
Seeing her readily agreeing, I nodded my head.
He’s my friend, yep.
As I held Sian’s hand proudly, I could feel her surprised gaze directed toward the hand I was holding.
“Then I can buy that child.”
“…Eh?”
‘She’s straightforward.’
Again, the slave trade was illegal in the Rolls Empire.
‘Though, secretly, the slave trade is common among nobles.’
Sian’s hand was shaking at the direct words.
So was mine.
To be honest, I didn’t expect such ignorant words to come out of Isilis, who bore the title of Empress.
‘Could it be that the noble who secretly trades slaves is the Empress?’
Seeing her hand fiddling with her chin, she seemed to be talking to herself exactly.
“I think I can treat this child well with my divine power. If it’s a child who happens to be in an accident, I think I can take him.”
“…Pardon?”
I was dumbfounded for a moment and kept my mouth shut.
‘Who are you taking?’
He has just been treated.
He’s just getting better, though?
“I picked him up.”
“?”
I hesitantly said.
The empress’s eyebrows rose slowly at my bold remark.
She looked in disbelief that the person who dared to claim it in front of her was a 5-year-old.
But I grabbed Sian’s wrist as if I was showing off.
He obediently got up and suddenly became like hiding behind my back.
“That’s why, he’s mine.”
Ah.
‘I’m trying to become the daughter of a villain again.’
As the daughter of a villain, I never lose what I want.
That habit solidified for so long, came out unconsciously.
The purple eyes filled with monopoly desire instantly grew cold.
“And he’s not a slave.”
The way I emphasized it again was getting rough.
“…Oh my, it looks like I made a mistake.”
Isilis, who had a troubled expression on her face, lowered her head lightly and backed away.
“Your Imperial Majesty the Empress. If you need a slave, how about hiring an official servant?”
Only then did I let go of my guard and gave advice with a bashful smile.
“The slave trade is illegal in the Rolls Empire!”
“You know that? I’m sorry. I forgot about it for a while.”
At my advice, the Empress burst into laughter and stood up.
She must have been angry at my ferocious tone.
“Then. I’ll see you again.”
Hiding her expression, she was still smiling.
Her smile, which seemed pretty, was somehow scary.
