Chapter 74
When I turned my head, I saw the emperor looking pale like he was going to throw up.
“I still… still have time to stop this,” he muttered.
Huh? What?
Confused, I looked back at Lord Rad again. But what I saw were the knights behind him waving their arms in an X shape, like they were begging me not to do something.
Oscar was in the middle of them, almost crying, desperately shaking his arms too. The other knights even lifted him into the air to get my attention.
“Ahaha…”
I swallowed dryly.
“U-um, I really appreciate it, but I can’t take up your time, Lord Rad! I can just do some basic push-ups alone in a quiet corner…”
Lord Rad’s eyes widened in shock.
“Push-ups?! That’s not what you need right now! You definitely need someone to guide you!”
“Lord Rad! Please let me do it instead!” Oscar shouted.
“Silence, Eiger! I have three daughters!” Lord Rad snapped.
Oscar looked like someone just dropped a tuna can with a missing pull tab. He stared at me with the saddest face.
“It’s perfect that I’m here,” Lord Rad said, stroking his beard proudly. “Let’s meet here after breakfast every morning starting tomorrow.”
I blinked in a daze.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t,” the emperor said as he gently patted my shoulder. “You did your best…”
I overheard Oscar whisper something nearby.
“One of Lord Rad’s daughters is a top knight guarding the border, another is the vice-captain of the royal guard’s second squad, and the third…”
“And the third?” I asked.
“She ran away to the great plains and became a bandit leader… Lord Rad was furious and swore he’d wipe out the whole gang by himself.”
Wow…
I held back my tears and tried to stay positive.
Everyone who dreams of being in a fantasy world probably thinks about getting a cool job. Like becoming a knight or something romantic like that.
This must be a sign—I’m going to become a knight!
“I need to know how to protect myself anyway.”
If the greatest knight in the empire becomes my personal trainer, then I’ll become something too, right?
Yeah, this is a good thing!
I smiled confidently.
***
“Perez?” the emperor asked.
Finally, in the early evening, I got to the real reason why I came to find him.
The emperor was busy going through papers as always, and I somehow ended up sitting on his knee, nibbling on a cookie.
“Yes. The doctor-grandpa helped me a lot when I was in Rohia. I heard he’s still in Elahi, and I’m worried about him…”
“Hmmm.”
The emperor leaned back in his chair and slowly put down the papers.
“My daughter,” he said, grinning. “You’re lying.”
Huh?
I was so guilty because I had told so many little lies today that I didn’t even know which one he meant.
“You said Perez was kind to you,” he said. “But Perez is never kind to children—especially little girls. That’s how I know you’re lying.”
“N-No, it’s true! When I showed up in Elahi, he helped me escape! He really tried to help me!”
I tilted my head playfully, pretending innocence. The emperor muttered to himself.
“…Perez is from the royal palace anyway. It’s time for him to return. If he’s still alive, I’ll call him back and assign him as your personal doctor. He’s skilled, at least.”
“Really? Thank you, Your Majesty! You’re the best!”
I clapped like a happy seal, and the emperor laughed softly.
“But it’ll take more than a month to walk back, so don’t wait too eagerly. Also, remember the names on this paper.”
He pulled out a thin piece of paper from the pile and handed it to me. There were a few photos and names written on it.
“Soon, many people will start sticking close to you. But their kindness always comes with a price. If you accept it carelessly, it’ll hurt you later.”
I bit my cookie while reading the names.
“So only trust the people I tell you to trust. The ones on that paper are okay.”
That was thoughtful of him, but…
“There are only five names on here, Your Majesty?”
That’s right.
Even though the paper was big, only five names were written on it:
Ersha Haiga
Balto Haiga
Irina Haiga
Linton Hester
Perez Ovrin
Half the page was blank.
“It means you don’t need to trust anyone besides them.”
But I already knew all these names.
Irina Haiga was about my age and the granddaughter of the Haiga Marquis couple.
‘Wait… Winter’s not on here.’
I scratched my cheek and laughed awkwardly, understanding the emperor’s intentions.
Then he asked, “Do you like Oscar Tradi?”
“…Huh?”
“Well, Oscar’s father was once in the continent’s Most Handsome Men book, so the son must be good-looking too.”
“W-Wait, Your Majesty!”
I dropped the paper and waved my hands in front of him.
This man—no, this royal—always starts daydreaming nonsense, so I had to shut it down fast.
“I don’t think of Oscar that way! In fact, I just met him for the first time today!”
“You may not think that, but others might. Since you came here, the palace has been full of laughter from young nobles who came just to meet you.”
He shook his head.
Then he turned the chair so I could see out the big window.
When he opened it, a cool breeze brushed my face.
“You might not realize it, but the ones approaching you have different thoughts. Their parents probably told them to spy on you. Oscar too. His parents are loyal, but they’re very clever—almost scarily so.”
The palace gardens looked unusually crowded.
I suddenly choked on my cookie and coughed.
The emperor handed me a cup of orange juice and said,
“The way Oscar gave you a piggyback ride so quickly… he must’ve inherited that sneaky nature too. So don’t assume they’re all being kind just because they like you.”
Wow, the Emperor of the Western Empire really doesn’t trust people.
I sipped my juice, thinking.
Then why did he bring me here?
Why did he trust me after only meeting me once?
I set down the juice and asked him carefully,
“Your Majesty… may I ask why you brought me here?”
“…”
His gaze slowly shifted toward me.
“…Your name isn’t on this list, Your Majesty.”
He frowned and studied my expression closely.
“You think too much for such a small head.”
When I waved the paper at him, his lips twitched slightly.
“Smart girl,” he said.
I looked up at him, hoping for an answer. But instead, his large, warm hand roughly patted my head, pressing down until my vision was blocked.
“You can fit three pieces of bread in your mouth at once, remember?”
“Ugh—Ack!”
I quickly protected my hair from being messed up too badly.
“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.
“Not just anyone can do that.”
“Anyone can do that, even you, Your Majesty!”
“I’m an adult. You’re a child.”
I grabbed three croissants the size of morning rolls from my tray and held them out to him.
“Then let’s make it fair. Try it! Anyone can do this.”
He looked at the bread like it was gross, hesitated, picked one up, and then shook his head.
“I can’t.”
Why not?
“…Because I have to protect my dignity and honor.”
I stared at him, mouth open.
“I have honor too…”
“Ahem. Yours is fine as it is. I’ll build your honor for you. For now, your duty is to eat well and sleep well.”
He ruffled my hair again, dodging the question.
“I’m holding a contest in a week to choose your personal guard. Any knight with a title can join. It’ll be fun to watch, so take care of yourself until then.”
A tuna can without a pull tab? I have no idea what that means, but it makes me laugh.