Chapter 44
I felt miserable.
Once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop. I broke into sobs. Blake looked down at me, stroking under his chin.
Neither the Emperor nor my father knew how to comfort someone.
Only Khan ever had the kind of face that understood what I was feeling.
“Your Majesty, Duke. May I ask that you give us a moment? If I’m alone with the young lady, I think I can calm her down.”
The Crown Prince spoke politely. The Emperor glanced at the Duke, and the Duke looked at me before replying,
“Very well.”
My father seemed to have expected this much. He rubbed his temples and left first.
The Emperor gave me a silent bow and followed after him.
“Prince, you too should give them space,” said the Crown Prince.
“…Being hated by my sister doesn’t sound so bad,” Blake replied coolly.
Even through my blurry tears, I stared up at him in disbelief. He gazed back at me.
“Even when you cry, you’re cute.”
“…Hic. You’re mean…”
But since Father had already agreed, Blake couldn’t defy the Crown Prince’s request.
My brother stroked my head once before leaving the room.
When only the Crown Prince and I were left, the air felt heavy.
Khan was my friend. But realizing that I could never treat him like I used to made me unbearably sad.
“Adele, look at me.”
I sniffled and looked up at his face. Now that I knew he was the Crown Prince, everything started to make sense.
Ehin had once told me the Crown Prince would soon become Emperor.
But how could that be, when the Emperor was still alive?
Back then, I hadn’t thought much of it—but now, everything was a question.
“I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” he said.
“…”
I didn’t answer. If I tried to speak, I’d only sob harder, and my words would come out all jumbled.
“The Duke was forbidden to tell you who I was. If I defend him—it was for your sake. He wanted you to be happy, even if you didn’t understand all the complicated things adults do. Please don’t be too upset with him.”
Complicated things adults do…
“…”
“I’ll explain it as simply as I can. I’ll skip the formalities. You must be protected by a Divine Beast. And only the Imperial Family is fully safe from them under the ‘Barrier of the Divine Beast.’ You’re someone who needs that protection.”
I didn’t understand what he meant. I shook my head.
Khan spoke patiently.
“‘They’ are after your life. But if you become part of the Imperial Family, you’ll never die by the hands of something that isn’t human.”
I didn’t even know who they were.
But Khan kept explaining.
“The Divine Beast only allows touch from the highest of royals—by rank, that’s either the Emperor or the Empress. So His Majesty will abdicate, I’ll ascend, and if you’re my consort, the condition will be met.”
Me, an Empress?
“And finally—the only one who can make a Pact with the Divine Beast and command it is the ‘Child of Prophecy.’”
“…”
“You said you could save Lady Beasirta if you handled the Divine Beast well, right?”
At the sound of my mother’s name, my tears stopped. I nodded.
“Just like that, you could save everyone. You could bring them all back.”
“…”
Khan seemed to be explaining in the simplest way possible, though it only made more questions pile up in my mind.
So that’s what the prophecy says, then?
And I was the “Child of Prophecy.”
“So, to put it in steps,” he said, “first—you must become royal and be completely safe under the ‘Barrier of the Divine Beast.’ Second—you must become the highest royal, the Empress, to be allowed the Beast’s touch. Third—after you fulfill all those conditions, you make the Pact.”
“That sounds… hard.”
“That’s why we didn’t tell you before.”
I’d stopped crying.
I didn’t understand everything, but his effort to explain it reached me.
None of them had wanted to hurt me. They hadn’t lied out of cruelty.
I wiped my tears with the back of my hand.
“So… I have to marry you, Khan?”
“No.”
“But you said I had to.”
“I’ll find another way.”
I looked at him.
Khan was someone I could trust.
I felt a little more at ease.
“Do I… have to use honorifics with you?”
“Only when you’re asking me for a favor. Otherwise, no. I’m your friend.”
At the first acknowledgment of “friend” from his lips, my chest warmed.
I lowered my head and bit my lip. The tears were completely gone now.
“I cried again.”
“You always cry.”
“…”
He didn’t avoid my gaze.
“You don’t need to understand everything right now. Even if you did, it would only make things harder. You’re eight. Learn slowly. If you learn all at once, it’ll hurt.”
I remembered Father saying, ‘The marriage will be in five years.’
During those five years, I’d attend the Academy’s special class.
“Then… I’ll go to the Academy now?” I asked carefully.
“Yeah.”
Even though I asked softly, Khan noticed my excitement and smiled faintly.
“Royal Fes Academy. You’ll be in the special class—and I promised to introduce you to Madelaine, remember? I’ll make sure she’s assigned to your class too.”
“Really?”
Then I realized what he meant, and gasped.
“You can do that?!”
“As Crown Prince, I have that much authority.”
“…Khan! You’re amazing! Thank you! I’m so happy!”
Madelaine!
I threw my arms around him, bursting with joy. He froze, then awkwardly let me hug him.
Madelaine would be thrilled! We’d always said we could never attend Royal Fes Academy—but now we could, together!
The tears from earlier felt like a distant memory as I jumped up and down in excitement.
Khan looked pleased, though somehow uneasy.
“Do you like Madelaine that much?”
“I love Madelaine!”
“…Well, I respect your tastes.”
Just thinking of studying with her made me so happy.
I’d always been curious about the Academy where my brother and tutors studied. I’d wanted to go, too.
Khan smiled faintly at my bright face.
“You’re as simple as ever.”
Then I remembered saying I hated Father and Brother.
I scratched my cheek with a finger.
“Then I guess… I cried for nothing.”
“Why?”
“They looked so sad.”
“That’s what we call reaping what you sow. They brought it on themselves.”
“Should I apologize?”
“No. Ignore them for a few days.”
For days? Why?
“That way, they’ll realize how precious you are.”
Oh.
Really?
I wasn’t entirely convinced, but I wanted to do what Khan said.
The earth spirit whispered to me—
<You can trust this one.>
“…Okay.”
“And it must be heavy—let go of me now.”
“Oh, sorry.”
I released Khan, and he smoothed his messy hair.
Like a cat that tolerated affection only to immediately fix its fur after.
“Can you still talk to me, though? Since we’re friends?”
“Yeah, because we’re friends.”
“Okay, thanks. But you know, I’m not in love with you.”
“Much appreciated.”
“But I might propose to you someday.”
“…What?”
I looked straight at him.
“There’s no other way, right? If there were, they wouldn’t have made me a noble girl. And even if there was, you’d die anyway.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I’m not stupid. I’ve read books—two of them! I can think. You’re the Crown Prince. If you don’t become Emperor, you’ll die. That’s how it always goes in stories.”
Khan looked at me oddly, half in surprise, half like Well, she is the Child of Prophecy.
“And if you propose, who says I’d accept?”
“I know you have the right to refuse. But books say if you want to make a deal, you need to offer something the other person wants.”
“Who taught you that?”
“A fairy tale.”
He stared at me for a moment, then said,
“Looking at you makes me doubt that saying—‘People are shaped by their environment.’”
“Anyway… the Divine Beast thing—it’s good to marry early, right?”
“…”
“Like, with the riding and rituals and all that. It’s all because of the Divine Beast, isn’t it? You need it to save Mom and the world, right?”
Khan’s voice dropped.
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
“You’re too young.”
“I’m going to save people.”
“…”
“Everyone who believed in me—I’ll keep my promises. Prophecy or whatever, I’ll make it come true. I won’t let anyone down. I’ll succeed.”
Khan seemed momentarily at a loss for words.
But I’d already decided this long ago. I couldn’t sit still knowing people were dying.
I spoke slowly.
“Fourteen. The minimum age for an Emperor. You were born in Imperial Year 818, right? So you can’t ascend for another two years. Correct?”
“…Yeah. Nice deduction.”
“I even got a perfect score.”
“In which subject?”
“Dictation…”
My voice trailed off, and Khan gave me a strange look—but didn’t laugh.
“You’re smart, you know that?”
“You said I’d have to be Empress to handle the Divine Beast. But if the law says you can’t be Emperor for two more years, that means I have two years too.”
“Right. That’s why the Duke told His Majesty he’d keep you for two years, not just one month.”
That sounded complicated.
But what I understood was that we didn’t have to marry right away.
They had wanted to make me Crown Princess in a month—but that was only to protect me from them.
“They only wanted to rush it to keep me safe. But the knights are strong, so I’ll be fine.”
“…”
“No matter how scary ‘they’ are, I’ll be careful. I won’t get hurt. I’ll survive.”
Khan said quietly,
“You don’t need my permission.”
And I replied just as quietly,
“I’m saying it because you’re my friend.”
When I looked straight at him, his face flushed red.
He eventually averted his gaze.
…You learned something huge, he must’ve been thinking.
After all this talking, my head was buzzing like I’d been hit.
All the secrets I’d wondered about were finally laid bare.
Still… it feels like everything turned out okay, doesn’t it?
I wouldn’t be abandoned after a month. I wouldn’t be sent back to the orphanage. I wouldn’t have to marry right away.
I’d go to the Academy’s special class—with my friend.
I’d live as a noble girl for two more years. That was something to be happy about.
Khan clearly didn’t want to continue this heavy topic anymore.
He changed the subject.
“You must be a really good friend to Madelaine.”
“…No. Madelaine’s the good friend.”
My heart thumped slowly.
I’ll go to the Academy.
With Madelaine.
And I won’t be abandoned.
Those three simple truths made happiness bloom in me at last.
“And you’re a good friend to me too, Khan.”
“…”
Khan’s gaze returned to me.
The Crown Prince reached out his hand—hesitant, careful.
Maybe to pat my head.
But in the end, his hand never touched me.
