Chapter 139
The child who had been holding onto Clois looked at him with a startled expression.
He had never been cruel to children.
Once, he had prohibited children from entering the palace, and he had delayed the reopening of the Academy as long as possible.
He had done so because he knew that when he saw children of Ebbvien’s age, he would inevitably become weak.
But strangely, that was not the case now.
“Sniff….”
The child, who had been holding onto him, soon had red eyes and began to sob.
“Why are you crying?”
Tears filled with sorrow, as if questioning why he did not recognize her.
In any previous situation, he would have comforted a child who began to cry before him.
But now, he felt no desire at all to soothe her.
“Why?”
Clois knew the reason.
His gaze shifted back to Ebbvien.
Her face was bewildered, unable to comprehend what was happening.
When Ebbvien met his eyes, she spoke in a trembling voice.
“Y-Your Majesty…”
At that moment, Clois’s heart dropped.
No.
Ebbvien had not intended to call him that.
From the moment she arrived, she had been searching for her father. Her eyes had sparkled as she looked at him among his friends.
When he began the speech, she had murmured with eyes full of expectation.
Clois had clearly seen the movement of her lips.
Ebbvien had been trying to call him “Dad.”
And yet this child…
The long-suppressed ferocity within him surged.
Though it had only been a few months since he met Ebbvien, it felt as though he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
The moment he could declare in front of everyone that this child was his daughter and would live happily under his protection.
And yet, it felt as though everything had been stolen from him.
“Who is responsible?”
A low voice filled with anger escaped his lips.
“Who planned this audacious act?”
There had been many who had attempted such deeds in the past.
Even though they had not appeared for a while, he had expected that one day, they would try something ridiculous again.
Why did it have to happen today?
The violent tone of his voice, as if he could tear someone apart at any moment, made those holding hands with the Count of Aradman turn pale.
“Your Majesty! We understand why you are angry. But please, restrain your anger and look upon her with discerning eyes! She truly is Princess Ebbvien!”
Everyone knew that hesitation now would be disastrous.
“If I were going to back down at a glare, I wouldn’t have started this.”
They all understood the gravity of the situation.
Their lives, as well as the fate of their families, hung in the balance.
It was an incredibly risky endeavor.
But because of that risk, if they succeeded, the reward would be enormous.
“Aradman! Summon Count Aradman! He has proof that she is indeed Princess Ebbvien!”
“That’s right! Count Aradman can explain everything!”
They shouted desperately.
This, too, had been requested by Count Aradman himself.
The previous night, the Count had said to those gathered:
“It seems some have realized we intend to escort the Princess. And they will try to stop us.”
“Then if they know she is the Princess, shouldn’t they help?”
The Count clicked his tongue.
“If they were like the Viscount, loyal to overflowing, you might think that. But those who have only enjoyed privileges under His Majesty because of past achievements will think differently. They will guard against new individuals earning merit.”
He added that these people would surely try to block them, and would not stop until they had taken the Princess.
“They will tell the frightened Princess they will protect her and spend months earning her favor. A clever Princess—or even a young child—will naturally be drawn to someone treating her kindly in an unfamiliar and frightening place. That is how they will try to steal our credit.”
Then the Count lowered his voice further.
“If our information leaks… they will know we plan to escort the Princess tomorrow. We cannot foolishly let her be taken. So we must be cunning.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“That is….”
The Count revealed the plan.
The audacious ones would assume the Princess would accompany him, so he would send her in separately. And when she appeared at the festival, others would have to beg to see her.
“Then it will surely be chaotic. Honestly, it would be appreciated if Your Majesty immediately recognized the Princess, but there will still be confusion. At that time, a witness is required.”
He smiled.
“The witness will be brought separately, so be sure to call me.”
It was a clever method. Instead of sharing the credit, he ensured that the Princess could only be verified if he was present.
‘At least he gave them a choice.’
The Viscount and others, shouting for recognition of the Princess, looked toward the murmuring crowd.
Among them, some had been at the Count’s residence last night but did not step forward.
Those who had withdrawn at the last moment.
Yet they had now come forward. There was no turning back.
“Right, Count Aradman. So he planned this.”
Clois’s voice grew more lethal rather than calming.
He thought of his daughter, Izriella—the girl he had once grabbed by the hair and shaken until blood ran freely.
He had wanted to punish her more but refrained, thinking it would be wrong to let emotion dictate justice.
Yet now, he realized he should have punished her more harshly.
She should have been kept from gaining any foothold in the capital, or the Empire, to prevent such despicable acts.
At that moment, the Royal Knights guarding the area entered.
“Rommel.”
Clois called the stern-faced commander of the Royal Knights.
“Orders, Your Majesty.”
“Bring Count Aradman before me.”
“As you command.”
Rommel saluted with unparalleled precision and left immediately.
“The rest… escort them out. We cannot display execution before everyone on this fine day. There are also too many children here.”
The students’ faces turned pale at Clois’s words.
Just moments ago, they had been excited to enjoy the festival.
Now… such a situation.
They could not grumble; this place could become an execution ground.
At that moment, Ebb began to cry.
“Dad, why don’t you recognize me? I wanted to see you every day…”
Ebb’s tears fell freely, her cries full of genuine sorrow, drawing sympathetic glances from those nearby.
“Count said that Dad would surely be happy to see me. That I resemble Mom… and you resemble her too. So surely, you’ll recognize me right away.”
At the mention of “Mom,” Clois’s neck veins bulged.
The “Mom” she referred to could only be Lilian.
Clois stared at the child.
‘She said I resemble Lilian?’
He guessed the reason—her green eyes.
Yet many children had green eyes.
Many children had golden hair like him.
Even Ebb had those features.
He had always felt a certain warmth toward Ebb because she reminded him of Lilian.
Yet this child, with blonde hair and green eyes, stirred no such feelings.
At that moment, the banquet hall doors opened, and Rommel entered.
Beside him stood Count Aradman, fixing his disheveled clothes with visible irritation.
As the doors opened, he immediately changed his attitude and hurried to kneel before Clois.
“Your Majesty!”
“You planned this.”
Clois questioned, clearly uninterested in Aradman’s excuses.
“Wait! Just wait! I can prove it!”
He looked around desperately and finally spotted the person he was seeking.
“Dean Seraphina!”
“…Me?”
Seraphina, observing the scene incredulously, was taken aback.
“I’ve heard that the Dean’s magic can detect royal blood! Please, Dean, prove it!”
Clois looked at her.
“Is that true?”
“Yes… it is, though…”
Normally, the spell required preparation. But because Duke Kellen had requested it, she had memorized and prepared it in advance.
The issue was that Count Aradman was demanding it.
“Then verify it immediately.”
Clois instructed Rommel.
“Prepare your sword. I will handle it personally.”
He meant to execute immediate judgment depending on the spell’s result.
Even the once-confident Count Aradman swallowed dryly, nervous.
‘The festival is completely ruined.’
Seraphina sighed inwardly and approached the child.
The child, who had been crying while looking at Clois, now tensed as she saw Seraphina.
“Give me your hand.”
“….”
Though wary, she confidently extended her hand, clearly believing she was Princess Ebbvien.
On the back of her hand, the royal crest appeared clearly.
One look confirmed it.
‘She’s not a fake.’
A magic from the era of the first Emperor, passed down through bloodlines.
It could not be forged with a mere tattoo.
Seraphina first cast a simple spell, checking whether it was a magical illusion or if her hand was under any enchantment.
But she felt no magic.
“Seraphina.”
Clois called her name, coldly urging her on.
Her voice was so chilling that Seraphina checked her own neck, as if it were still attached properly.
She then cast the prepared spell.
Bright golden light gathered around her, and unknown runes appeared in the air.
The light swirled rapidly and concentrated on Ebb’s hand, glowing even more brilliantly.
My goodness.
Seraphina instinctively covered her mouth with her hands.
“The result?”
“…It is certainly the royal crest.”
The banquet hall stirred loudly at Seraphina’s words.
“So she really is Princess Ebbvien?”
“I heard Your Majesty confirmed the death personally.”
Among the murmuring crowd, Ebb finally stopped crying and smiled.
The Count had said that Seraphina would confirm the crest as genuine.
So now, her father would smile and welcome her.
As Ebb approached Clois again, he spoke:
“Being proven royal does not prove she is my daughter, does it?”
