Chapter 155
Today, the emperor looked even more serious than usual, his face all stiff.
I asked with a small smile:
“Are you crying?”
“An emperor does not cry over something this small,” he replied.
I quickly jumped up and hugged him from behind, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Attacking the emperor’s back like this… in some cases, it could be punished by death, you know.”
But he just glanced at me from the side and laughed quietly.
“So do the same in the Northern Empire. If they throw you out, I’ll gladly take you back and raise you again.”
The emperor had never really bothered to give me proper etiquette lessons. Even when the departure date for the Northern Empire was set, and nobles tried to bring their wives to teach me, the emperor refused them all.
Instead, he invited Duchess Tradi. But whenever I met her, we just drank tea and gossiped instead of studying. She always complained about Oscar behind his back, and when she heard I was leaving for the Northern Empire, she was both regretful and strangely satisfied, saying it would be a “good lesson” for Oscar.
***
Before leaving, the emperor told old Grandpa Peres:
“If anything happens to Izana, contact me immediately.”
Grandpa Peres just grumbled, saying I should buy him a warm coat first.
The emperor had told him to return in a month, but Peres came back only after four whole months. He ignored the emperor’s order and took his time. In the end, the emperor had to send knights to drag him back.
When asked why he was late, Peres shamelessly answered:
“I was searching for medicine to cure impotence!”
I sighed. “Grandpa, at your age, do you really still want to remarry?”
The emperor’s face turned gray with embarrassment, but thanks to my begging, Peres became my personal doctor. And unlike what the emperor thought, Peres was not his man—he was mine.
He demanded some money here and there, but he really was a great doctor. Under his care, I became healthier and even looked like a normal child my age.
***
Half a year ago, I also started secretly visiting Raspecia, who was locked inside Rohia’s castle. I regularly gave her some of my blood.
‘At this speed, it will take over 20 years to restore her… maybe faster once I’m an adult.’
She never came out to meet me, only leaving out a glass container for the blood.
On the day of departure, Josef handed me a heavy pouch.
“Here, pocket money is exchanged into Northern Empire currency. Your favorite.”
I opened it, peeked inside, and almost gasped. Josef pretended not to notice, but I raised my thumb with trembling lips.
“You’re the best, brother.”
He then gave me another gift.
“This one’s from Boris.”
It was a huge stuffed spider doll, so realistic it made me grimace. Josef laughed and said Boris had made it himself. Despite the creepy look, the doll was soft, so I hugged it anyway.
When I asked where Boris was, Josef’s smile stiffened. After a pause, he said quietly:
“He couldn’t come today… you’ll see him next year in the Northern Empire.”
He waved and added jokingly:
“I’ll be waiting for another unfair snowball fight—dirty tricks and all.”
I wanted to ask more but couldn’t. Hugging the spider doll tightly, I just nodded.
Then Oscar suddenly came running, out of breath. Even though he had grown much stronger this past year, he looked like he had sprinted with all his might.
“I brought you a gift too!”
He handed me an ivory-colored dagger with a ribbon. It was clearly a valuable item. His eyes were full of determination as he said:
“I’ll visit often.”
Oscar had grown taller and more manly in just a year, but no matter what, he wasn’t my type.
I teased him: “Your mother is planning to get you engaged next year. Don’t make your fiancée suffer. Be polite and stay healthy.”
Oscar’s face turned red.
“The future is unpredictable! Who knows, maybe I’ll grow more handsome than the Grand Duke Orsias.”
Before I could reply, Duke Tradi muttered dryly:
“I’ll need to re-educate my son.”
The emperor chuckled: “Children should dream big. It’s a good attitude.”
Josef tried to comfort Oscar, while Winter, being dragged by Shuran, looked completely uninterested.
I patted Oscar’s shoulder, then held my gifts tightly and waved.
“I’ll visit soon! Stay healthy, everyone!”
***
Just then, the emperor called out, his voice trembling.
“Daughter.”
I turned back, a little shy.
“Yes?”
He gazed down at me with endless affection and said:
“Use only silverware, always check food for poison. In Northern high society, people are divided into ‘Emperor-face faction’ and ‘Grand Duke-face faction.’ Stick with the Emperor-face ladies. They’re mostly older married noblewomen, so they’ll find you cute and protect you. Avoid the Grand Duke faction—it’s full of young ladies and more dangerous.”
I gaped. “That’s… kind of shallow advice for an emperor, isn’t it?”
But he only smiled softly.
“Come often. I’ll always be waiting for you.”
His words made me feel strangely happy. I nodded hard.
“Yes!”
Waving to everyone one last time, I climbed into the carriage. As the door closed, I peeked through the curtain, looking back again and again.
Finally, as the carriage rolled away, I sat up straight, holding my gifts tightly.
At last—it was time to leave for the Northern Empire.
Wait, how much has Shuren grown over the year?