“Are you suggesting that we gamble on it now?”
Claret chuckled as if she found it ridiculous to even consider.
“Think about it, Princess Gennant. Do you really think His Majesty would give up on me, his own blood, and offer him to some insignificant noble lady?”
“I don’t know. The princess is still young.”
Tanya asked Claret in a giddy voice.
“Do you really think I wouldn’t be better at raising a puppy than the princess?”
“Sorry, but you’ll just play with Chris. The other trivial matters will be handled by the court ladies in your palace! Why are you even bringing age into this?”
“Don’t be angry, Your Highness.”
“I didn’t get angry.”
“Anyway, isn’t this a problem that can be solved by asking His Majesty?”
Tanya smiled and suggested to Claret.
“So let’s go ask, Your Highness. Then we’ll have a quick answer.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Tanya was still unaware of Jerald’s fear of dogs. Despite that, she confidently presented herself with a logical reasoning, stating that the dog was too big and the princess was still young.
‘How much His Majesty cherishes the princess.’
There was no way he would allow any potential risks within the palace.
Tanya predicted with confidence. And this prediction was exactly right.
“…Princess Gennant will take care of it and raise it.”
“Your Majesty!”
Claret protested to Jerald with a look on her face that the world had collapsed.
“How can you say such a thing?”
“I’m tired. Everyone, please leave.”
“Your Majesty!”
“Claret, dogs are dangerous.”
Jerald neatly dismissed Claret’s protest in a word.
“So give up.”
“Your Majesty!”
Claret called out Jerald like a scream, as if he couldn’t do this. But there was no room to change his mind in Jerald’s expression. Claret firmly planted her position as if she had no intention of giving up.
“Okay, if you come out like that, I’ll get another dog.”
“Your Highness!”
“I like Chris! I must raise Chris!”
Claret nailed on her claim as if she never intended to give up.
“Do as you please. If you don’t give me Chris, I’ll have a new dog!”
After saying that, Claret immediately stomped and went out of Jerald’s room. Pristin quickly chased Claret with a bewildered face.
“Princess!”
But Claret kept walking without stopping, and eventually Pristin was able to catch up with Claret after a few seconds of running. Pristin gasped and grabbed Claret.
“Calm down, Your Highness. I’m going to fall down.”
“I can’t calm down, Pristin!”
Claret asked in a voice that she was going to break down and die.
“How could my brother do this to me? I feel completely betrayed!”
“…”
After a moment of silence, Pristin opened her mouth.
“His Majesty has a point. In any case, an animal like a dog can bite a person…”
“It was the dog of the Emperor of Perk! Then I’m sure he’s well trained.”
Claret didn’t seem to understand the situation at all.
“This is ridiculous. How can you give Chris to Tanya, not to anyone else?”
“It’s probably because His Majesty cares so much for Your Highness. You don’t have to think too deeply.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t understand at all.”
Claret clenched her fist with a stiff look on her face.
“I must raise Chris. I can’t let that kind-hearted soul be raised by someone like Tanya!”
After shouting so, Claret started running out of the central palace again. Pristin tried to catch up and stop her, but she was already too far away. Pristin rubbed her forehead with a worried expression on her face.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
At the same time, Jerald’s room.
“Isn’t Princess Gennant leaving?”
Jerald looked directly at Tanya, openly expressing his dislike.
“I’m not feeling well right now, so I’d like you to leave.”
“Oh, are you sick?”
Tanya asked Jerald with a look of surprise at Jerald’s words.
“Should I call for the palace doctor?”
“No. Just get out.”
“Or perhaps I could provide you with some care…”
“Princess Gennant.”
Unable to bear it any longer, Gerald called out to Tanya in a low voice. The irritation dripping from his voice caused Tanya to involuntarily quiet down and hesitate.
“Don’t you hear what I’m saying?”
“…”
“I’ve done everything Princess Gennant wanted. So just leave.”
Normally, Tanya wouldn’t be the type to be cowed here. However, something felt off about the emperor today. He seemed different from usual. His voice was sharper, more sensitive, making it clear to anyone that the situation was not ideal.
Tanya thought she would retreat for now and opened her mouth.
“I apologize if I’ve offended you, Your Majesty.”
“…”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the puppy. It means a lot to me…”
“…”
“I shall take my leave now. Please get some rest.”
Tanya tried to use a pathetic voice and pretended to be devastated, but despite her efforts, Jerald did not hold her back. He was just grateful for the silence that had fallen in the tense situation, as it was time for him to resume his postponed duties.
The sound of someone slowly entering the room could be heard. Jerald automatically assumed it was Tanya and became irritated once again.
“I told you to leave…”
“Your Majesty.”
However, upon hearing the voice, Jerald unconsciously paused and turned around. Pristin was looking at him with worried eyes. Jerald’s expression stiffened for a moment, but he soon smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Pristin.”
His casual demeanor caused a pang in Pristin’s chest. She unknowingly bit her lower lip before slowly approaching Jerald. She struggled to open her lips and speak nonchalantly.
“The princess is deeply upset. Naturally, she thought Your Majesty would allow it.”
“Dogs are dangerous.”
Jerald said in a slightly tired voice.
“If it were a cat, I might have allowed it. But it’s not a cat. There are no hunting cats, but there are hounds.”
“I understand what you mean. I said the same thing… but it seems she’s not convinced.”
“Please convince her, Pristin.”
Jerald looked at Pristin with somewhat weakened eyes and spoke.
“I’m begging you.”
“…”
Pristin looked at him for a moment before finally mustering the courage to speak, her lips trembling.
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Earlier…”
Pristin hesitated and couldn’t continue her sentence easily. But instead of pressing her, Jerald patiently waited for her words to come out.
After much contemplation, Pristin opened her mouth again.
“Earlier…”
“The earlier incident.”
Just then, Jerald took the lead. Pristin looked at him with a bewildered expression.
“It’s nothing.”
“You startled me.”
Pristin said in a slightly trembling voice.
“I’ve never seen you like that before.”
“It’s nothing special.”
Jerald replied casually.
“I’m just a bit afraid of dogs. I had a bad experience when I was young.”
“…”
“That’s all.”
“Really… Is it that simple?”
“Yes. There’s no other reason.”
Jerald stared into Pristin’s eyes. And Pristin was momentarily taken aback. She couldn’t read his gaze.
Why? She had always been able to tell. It was never difficult to predict what he was thinking or feeling.
But for the first time, she couldn’t see into his soul. Pristin found it perplexing.
“There’s no other reason.”
The repeated words sounded almost stubborn. Pristin looked at Jerald as if questioning if it was really true, but he had nothing more to say. And seeing Pristin’s confusion, Jerald pretended to smile nonchalantly to boost the credibility of his words.
“You were startled, Pristin.”
“Anyone would have been.”
“Earlier, it helped. Thanks to that, I’m fine now.”
“I’m guessing you had a very unpleasant experience.”
Pristin mumbled in a low voice.
“Related to dogs.”
“Well, as you can assume.”
Jerald replied indifferently.
“It wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
Pristin sensed a slight tremor in his voice. But she couldn’t pry any further. It felt like she was softly butting against a wall.
For the first time, Pristin felt a distance from Jerald. And it felt awkward.
“More than that.”
Jerald eventually changed the subject.
“You did very well this time, Pristin. I’m proud of you. The members of the envoy seem to be very fond of you.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“They all seem to hope that you become the empress.”
“Part of my bloodline comes from the Perk Empire, so perhaps that’s why.”
“Even if that wasn’t the reason, it seemed like everyone had a favorable impression of you.”
Jerald smiled faintly as he looked at Pristin.
“I think it was a good thing to get you involved in the reception of the envoys.”
“Did you intend it?”
“I can’t deny it.”
“…”
Pristin remained silent for a moment. Uncertain about how to respond, she let the silence linger. Eventually, Jerald spoke first.
“I want to reward you.”
Upon hearing those words, Pristin’s lips trembled, and she opened her mouth.
“Your Majesty, I didn’t do it for the sake of rewards.”
“Rewards should follow accomplishments. That’s my principle.”
“Yes. So… I have a favor to ask.”
“I’m all ears. Whatever it is.”
“No need to make it grand.”
“Tell me.”
“I don’t know if you heard from Her Highness.”
Pristin gingerly brought up the story.
“I have a younger sister who went missing two years ago.”
“Younger sister?”
Jerald narrowed his eyebrows for a moment and made a reflective look. And after a while, he nodded as if he remembered.
“Oh, remember. You’ve often said that.”
“Yes.”
“But she went missing?”
“Two years ago…”
Pristin replied, briefly reminiscing about the past.
“After breaking up with Your Majesty, I stayed in Limburg for a while. But…”
“But?”
“My sister disappeared after leaving a note saying she would go to Perk Empire.”
Pristin said in a slightly grim voice. She hadn’t thought this story would hurt no matter how many times she talked about it.
“I searched everywhere I could think of for any signs of her after realizing that she was missing, but I couldn’t find even a trace of my sister. I don’t even know if she’s alive or…”
“Oh…”
“What I’d like to ask you to do.”
Pristin continued quietly.
“Can you spread my sister’s portrait to each local government office? So far, I’ve been regularly paying for missing flyers, but I think this would be more certain.”
“Of course, Pristin. I will give the order right away.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“But if she went missing on the way to Perk, shouldn’t you also spread missing leaflets to Perk?”
“Oh…”
Pristin was perplexed for a moment by Jerald’s question. But soon she answered, well, casually.
“In Perk… I’m distributing leaflets through someone I know. So you don’t have to worry about Perk.”
“Yes, I understand what you mean. Is there anything else you can ask me to do?”
“Yes. There is one more thing.”
“Tell me.”
“Actually, it’s my mother’s death anniversary soon.”
Pristin calmly stated the fact, and Jerald’s brow narrowed slightly.
