Chapter 72
First, I lifted the hem of my dress and paid my respects to the Emperor.
“I greet the sun of the Empire.”
“I’ve kept you waiting a long time. There’s a piece of advice I wanted to get from you.”
Seated high above, he lazily lowered his eyes to look down.
“Listen to my story. You see, I ordered the Hahin region to offer up its local specialty, but even after a year there was no word. So I sent someone to check, and they said it still wasn’t ready and asked me to wait longer. A whole year has passed! So I was going to give them a good scolding, but these two just kept blaming each other.”
Kyle tapped the armrest with an aggrieved expression.
“One is the count who’s responsible for the region, and the other is the fisherman who produces the specialty. In your opinion, which of the two is more at fault? Since you are to become the future Empress, I’d like to hear your thoughts.”
He finished speaking, then hastily added,
“Ah, and whoever Aileen points to, I’m thinking of giving them a very severe punishment.”
“A severe punishment?”
“Yes. They dragged this out for a whole year, so they should be thrown into prison and tortured. Cutting off one finger a day would be fine, don’t you think?”
Kyle said that with a faint smile. That brilliant smile looked more cruel than ever.
My expression hardened even further as I looked at him.
What on earth was this situation?
It was like putting me into a testing apparatus and watching to see what I would do.
The two men were trembling like mice before a cat, but my own situation wasn’t much different. If they were mice helplessly caught and injected with drugs, then I was a mouse trapped in a maze, forced to find the exit to survive.
Yes. Even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can live as long as you keep your wits about you.
As I remained silent, a heavy stillness settled over the audience chamber. I swallowed hard and asked Kyle,
“Who did you give the order to?”
“Of course, Count Haribo. There’s no way a mere commoner could receive the Emperor’s command. But the count says that it’s that commoner who actually makes the specialty.”
The Emperor pointed his finger at the count and the commoner in turn.
Each time that gesture—like the tip of a blade—pointed toward them, their shoulders flinched.
Looking more closely, I saw that the commoner had wounds all over his body. It seemed he had already been tortured once by the count before coming here.
“What exactly is the specialty?”
“Accessories made from pearls harvested from sea shells.”
“Ah.”
To demand such luxury items as tribute—was the Emperor out of his mind?
The very fact that he had created this situation already revealed the face of a tyrant.
“May I ask them a few questions?”
“Go ahead.”
With the Emperor’s permission, I stepped lightly toward the two men.
I asked the commoner first.
“Are you the artisan who makes the accessories?”
“Yes.”
“The count must have ordered you to—so why didn’t you make them?”
“We didn’t have nearly enough materials. Pink pearls are difficult to obtain, so we can only make the accessories once they’re supplied.”
Hmm. I see.
This time, I turned to the count.
“Then why didn’t you procure the pearls?”
“Pink pearls are hard to come by, and they’re extremely expensive.”
“That’s hardly an excuse. Wouldn’t it be the same for the artisan? In fact, as a commoner, it would be even harder for him to obtain them.”
“Th-that is…”
Up until then, the Emperor had been watching the situation with keen interest. I stepped back from them and stood closer to the throne.
“Oh? Have you decided?”
“Yes.”
“Very well. Which side is it?”
Before answering, I cast a brief glance at Kyle. He was grinning as if he were enjoying himself to death.
You lunatic.
Swallowing the curse in my mind, I spoke.
“I believe the count bears the greater fault. Responsibility ultimately lies with those above.”
“Oh? I see.”
“Therefore, one could say that the greater responsibility lies with Your Majesty.”
Kyle nodded, then froze.
The atmosphere in the audience chamber didn’t just turn cold—it completely froze over. I had touched the Emperor’s reverse scale; the officials standing nearby must have felt a chill run down their spines.
The corners of Kyle’s upturned mouth returned to neutral. His handsome lips twisted as they parted.
“My responsibility?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
“When you order additional tribute beyond the official taxes, the people inevitably suffer. That is precisely why this incident occurred.”
As I spoke these straightforward truths, Kyle crossed one leg over the other. His brows curved in displeasure.
“I wanted to have accessories made from pink pearls and give them to you as a gift. Is that still my fault?”
“I love a virtuous ruler more than I love gifts.”
“…”
A brief silence followed.
Now it was my turn to receive punishment.
Tense, I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut. Was a bolt of lightning about to strike?
But instead of lightning, I heard footsteps descending the steps, and then my chin was lifted upward. Kyle had grasped it. We faced each other at close range.
“What should I do to become a virtuous ruler?”
“You should forgive them.”
“And what about you? Do you not need to be forgiven?”
His blazing gaze made me hesitate for a moment. My lips moved honestly.
“May I speak with personal motives?”
“No. If you’re going to play at being an apostle of justice, you should take responsibility all the way to the end.”
How petty—he was the one who asked!
But since he was coming at me like this, I had no choice but to give in.
“Then do as you wish, Your Majesty.”
“Fine. I’ll do as you say.”
Kyle brushed away his low whisper and raised his voice.
“I will grant both of them a special pardon. The tribute of the specialty will be nullified.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The trembling voices, overwhelmed with gratitude at the thought of being spared, poured out their thanks.
“Everyone is to leave this place at once, without exception. Everyone except Aileen.”
“Yes. Understood.”
At the Emperor’s command, the two men and the officials hurriedly exited the audience chamber.
Now our fates diverged. Those two were completely freed. I, on the other hand, was completely bound.
“What shall I do if I don’t forgive you?”
Kyle paced back and forth in front of me, stroking his chin.
The reason I chose to take the punishment in their stead wasn’t some noble self-sacrifice. I knew the Emperor’s goal was to create a pretext to test me. Even if I made a choice this time, he would surely engineer another situation like this again. I wanted to reduce the needless sacrifice of innocent people.
Cold sweat beaded in my tightly clenched fist.
At this moment, I was the weak one thrown before a predator, my fate left to chance.
After pondering for a while, Kyle suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” and lifted his head.
“Yes. That will do nicely. Let’s go hunting together.”
“Hunting?”
My eyes widened at the unexpected verdict.
An imperial hunt…
I recalled something Claire had once told me—about that hunting pastime he went on once a week, taking only his closest attendants.
“Prepare yourself and come to the imperial palace tomorrow at noon. We’ll depart together.”
Kyle seemed serious as he drove the point home.
I had expected something far more severe to come down, but instead he invited me to hunt. I couldn’t begin to fathom what was going on in this madman’s head. Still, compared to a terrifying punishment, this was nothing—I seized the chance.
“Yes. Understood, Your Majesty.”
The worst scenario I wanted to avoid was the Emperor never letting go of me.
Because unlike Amelia, the original story’s heroine, I had neither the charm nor the ability to change the Emperor. If this dragged on, I would be the one pulled along—and if that happened, the Prales Empire would never escape tyranny. Needless to say, the Grand Duke’s situation would be no better.
Thinking that way made fear creep in. If things reached the worst possible outcome and I lost the Grand Duke, what would happen to me? Would the god who possessed me rewind time or something? The likelihood of that was extremely low, and it was impossible to confirm, so it was best to proceed along the most certain path available.
But saying it was easy—actually making it happen was not. Being dragged out to the hunting grounds today made that much clear.
I mounted the horse with the Emperor. He sat in front, and I sat behind him. To avoid falling off, I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his waist. He stroked my encircling arms once, then glanced back.
“Aileen. Once the hunt truly begins, we’ll be riding at full speed, so you’d best hold on tightly to my waist. Otherwise, you’ll fall.”
The Emperor offered me a meaningful warning.
Today’s hunting party included three nobles: Marquis Helikopter, Count Dump Truck, and Count Ambulance.
“To follow all the way out here—your courage is impressive.”
“Indeed. It must be the power of love, no? You two seem so close; it’s a lovely sight.”
“Since His Majesty is so dear to her, the young lady is clinging on like a cicada. Hahaha.”
They showered me with praise, trying to curry favor with the Emperor. Seeing me accompany him to the hunting grounds, they seemed to mistake it for devoted affection toward his fiancée.
“With all of you cheering so enthusiastically, doesn’t it seem like Aileen might be embarrassed?”
“Oh dear, we got ahead of ourselves. We won’t trouble you further—please, make yourselves comfortable.”
Instead of me, who could only manage an awkward smile, the Emperor stepped in and brushed them off.
At the hunting grounds, the Emperor used a bow and arrows rather than a sword. He rode at the front for quite some time before stopping his horse at a certain crossroads.
As the horses snorted and came to a halt, silence settled over the surroundings.
“Aileen. Don’t you hear something?”
“What kind of sound?”
In the forest, only the rustling of leaves rubbing together in the wind and the occasional birdcall could be heard.
Rustle—
At that moment, a bush off to the side shook, and a presence made itself known.
The Emperor drew the bowstring back fully and released it forcefully toward that spot.
Thwung. Thud.
As the arrow sank into thick flesh with a heavy sound, a shrill scream burst out. Soon after, something large and pitch-black began to flee swiftly down the path.
“Hold on tight!”
The Emperor lashed the reins sharply and spurred the horse into a rapid gallop.
