“No matter what, this old man will cure your illness!”
Absolutely. At the very least, Jane.
He would never let her die in vain like Thomas. What use was that damned research?
She was a poor child who had lost her mother at birth and her father to illness before she was even ten.
“I will never give up until I find a doctor who understands your condition. I’ll try any medicine that might help! So don’t ever say something like that again! Do you understand?”
“……”
Jane gave no reply, only wore a sorrowful expression.
Oscar barely managed to calm his rising emotions and forced himself to speak as if nothing was wrong.
“…Jane, believe it or not, your grandfather is a councilor of the Privy Council. You do know what the Privy Council does, right?”
Jane weakly lifted her gaze.
“I know… It’s the only group in the empire allowed to advise His Majesty the Emperor.”
“That’s right. So just trust your grandfather and focus on getting better. That’s all you need to do.”
At last, Jane gave a small nod.
Oscar stroked his granddaughter’s head, then quickly pulled the blanket up to her neck.
“Now, go to sleep.”
Without a word, Jane nodded and closed her eyes.
After watching her for a moment, Oscar quietly left the room.
The old door of the aging house creaked shut behind him.
Standing in front of Jane’s room, Oscar let out a deep sigh.
‘I was foolish. I shouldn’t have added that comment to Nicola this morning.’
He was already on thin ice with him, which had led to a reduction in his salary.
‘At this rate, I might be stripped of my position…’
His mind swirled with worries. Oscar rubbed his forehead and finally stepped away from the door.
The house was so small that his own room was only a few paces from Jane’s.
When he opened the door, a messy and unorganized desk greeted him.
A single book lay in the corner.
It was The Empire and Its People, the first book he had ever written.
Oscar stared at it and, for no particular reason, brushed his finger across the faded cover.
‘I wish Grandfather would start researching again.’
Jane’s words from earlier came to mind.
“Research… research, huh.”
Once, he had been a promising sociologist and political scholar in the empire, known for his immense passion for knowledge and academia.
But ever since his son Thomas had fallen ill, he hadn’t been able to concentrate on his studies.
Oscar slowly withdrew his hand from the book, full of lingering regrets. Then he blew out the candle.
Darkness swallowed the room.
‘Let go of regret. For Jane’s sake.’
With that resolve, he silently climbed into the creaky bed.
“Oh my, milady, you look absolutely stunning!”
I gave Anna a sheepish smile as her eyes sparkled.
Turning my head, I caught sight of my own reflection in the mirror—so dazzling and grand.
My platinum blonde hair, styled carefully by Anna, shimmered softly above the crimson fabric of the gown.
I reached up and fiddled awkwardly with the earrings.
“Uh, so… how do I look? Is it okay?”
“Okay? You’ll be considered the most beautiful lady in the entire empire! You’re positively radiant!”
Anna exaggeratedly shielded her eyes and burst into giggles.
I couldn’t help but smile and looked back into the mirror.
‘Honestly…’
Even though it was my face, I had to admit—it was pretty.
As the years passed, my once youthful features had grown more refined and mature.
I touched my slightly flushed cheeks below my sparkling eyes, and Anna once again gasped dramatically.
“There will be at least twenty young lords blushing in secret tonight. No, thirty!”
At that, I couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a quiet puff of laughter.
A short knock sounded, and then the door opened. It was Father—dressed unusually in full uniform.
“Father!”
I ran brightly to the door, and he blinked in surprise.
“Selenea. Isn’t that outfit… a bit too flashy?”
Anna quickly interjected.
“I chose a bold color to match the grandeur of the opening ceremony.”
“…And the back is cut far too low.”
“Ah, that’s the fashion these days! Especially for parties where there’s dancing…”
“Dancing?”
Father cut her off, his voice sharp. Anna shrank a little and answered timidly.
“Y-yes, since the festival’s opening ceremony always includes a ball, I thought young lords might ask milady to dance…”
Her voice trailed off.
Father’s expression had grown steadily darker the more she spoke.
That’s when I, blinking blankly, chimed in.
“I don’t know how to dance.”
Anna’s eyes widened in shock. Father’s expression slightly brightened.
I chuckled awkwardly and added, “I tried practicing a few times, but I guess I’m just not talented at it.”
Father cleared his throat and quickly replied, “That’s fine. There’s no need to know how to dance.”
I nodded eagerly. “Exactly! I’d rather spend that time exercising. Right, Anna?”
Anna looked between the two of us with wide eyes, then quickly nodded.
“Y-you’re right! Come to think of it, exercise is much better than dancing.”
A tiny smile formed at the corner of Father’s lips.
“Then let’s get going.”
With a rather cheerful tone, he stepped out of the room. His steps seemed lighter than usual.
I exchanged a knowing glance with Anna and giggled before rushing out after him.
It was my first opening ceremony for the Thanksgiving Festival.
“Her Majesty the Empress arrives!”
Under the dazzling chandelier, conversations hushed as everyone turned toward one direction.
A woman descended gracefully down the spiral marble staircase, inlaid with gems.
“Behold Her Majesty, Mother of the Empire!”
The Duke of Belmart, the Empress’s father, led the chant. Cheers erupted throughout the hall.
“All hail Her Majesty the Empress!”
“Glory and radiance to the Empire!”
Wearing a dazzling smile, Grace paused midway down the stairs and nodded.
She slowly raised one hand, and silence instantly swept through the hall.
“Thank you, all of you, for gathering here today.”
With elegant poise, the Empress folded her hands at her chest. The rich fur trim on her shoulders swayed with her movements.
The trim gleamed gold—the symbol of the Imperial House.
“As you all know, the Thanksgiving Festival of Ervia is the most solemn and joyful celebration of the year.”
Her voice was warm yet carried weight.
“Now that the festival has begun, I hope you all enjoy it with joyful hearts. May the glory of Prater be with you all.”
As soon as she finished, thunderous applause filled the Great Hall.
Though her speech was short, the crowd looked deeply moved and shouted praises repeatedly.
“Radiance to Ervia!”
“Glory to Prater!”
Duke Belmart looked proudly at his daughter, the Empress.
Cardinal Paul, standing nearby, whispered with satisfaction, “Her Majesty shows such sincerity once again.”
Duke Belmart smiled leisurely. “Of course. The Empress is one of our own—she’s a Belmart.”
Paul nodded in agreement. At that moment, the Empress approached them from the stairs.
“Father.”
Grace’s smile made the Duke chuckle as he bowed.
“It feels like it’s been ages since I last saw your face, Your Majesty.”
“I’ve been a bit scarce, haven’t I? The palace has been busy preparing for the festival.”
Duke Belmart laughed heartily and waved it off as nothing. Just then—
“Oh my, Grace—no, Your Majesty!”
A woman nearby spotted the Empress and hurried over with a bright face.
It was Gloria Belmart, Grace’s elder sister and the Duke’s first daughter.
“How have you been? I’ve heard some things about the palace from my husband.”
The Empress beamed at her sister.
“I’ve been well. Watching the Crown Prince grow every day makes time fly. And you—”
Her eyes moved to the young woman standing next to Gloria.
Meg Kline blushed and held out her skirt in a formal curtsey.
“G-greetings, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, Meg. You’re wearing the dress I sent you, I see.”
Meg nodded and smiled shyly. As she twirled in place, the luxurious fabric of the dress shimmered.
The Empress smiled warmly.
“It suits you very well. If you ever need anything, just say the word. I’ll get you whatever I can.”
Meg’s smile grew even brighter.
She nodded and raised her chin proudly, giggling with satisfaction.
Whispers from nearby rang clearly in her ears.
“They say Duke Belmart treasures her—and clearly, Lady Kline is beloved by the Empress as well.”
“Well, it’s no surprise. The Empress and Lady Gloria have always been close. Of course, she’d dote on her niece.”
“Indeed. She’s often called the Princess of the Empire.”
Meg’s eyes sparkled with pride. Just as they said—she was a princess.
Her grandfather was the most powerful man in the empire, Duke Belmart. The Empress, too, adored her.
‘I haven’t had the chance to meet His Majesty up close yet…’
But if she won the upcoming charity competition and presented her armor made of ethylite, she was sure he’d be very pleased.
And this year, there were more foreign dignitaries than ever.
‘Landing a crown prince from a neighboring kingdom shouldn’t be too hard for someone like me.’
Meg recalled the list of visiting princes and royal heirs and smiled.
‘This time, I’ll make a proper match.’
If that happened, both her grandfather and the Empress would be proud of her.
She was immersed in her happy daydream when—
“The Duke of Tigris and Lady Selenea arrive!”
…What?
Again?
Meg’s expression instantly twisted into a deep frown as she turned her head.
