Chapter 26
I Won’t Let This Go
When I stared at her without saying anything, Sasha visibly wilted and dropped her head toward the floor.
“I’m sorry, sis.”
With a gloomy expression, Sasha bowed her head deeply.
“You don’t need to apologize. I was just curious. Is there a reason?”
“They said I have to stay quiet. Kids.”
“Huh? Who did?”
“The Tower Master…”
The name came out so suddenly that I couldn’t hide my surprise.
“The Tower Master?”
“Yes. He said that when you come to places like this, you have to be quiet. That at the Magic Tower, unless someone asks you something, you shouldn’t answer…”
Hadn’t they cherished her? I looked at Sasha for a moment, then tilted my head.
“So… the Tower Master said you had to stay quiet?”
“Yes. That I should always stay still when I’m outside… and be quiet…”
“Did you ever get scolded for not doing that?”
“I was hardly ever scolded! I just… saw my friends get scolded a lot. They wouldn’t even let them move. So… I did the same thing too… Was I wrong?”
I gently stroked Sasha’s head.
Now I finally understood the strange behavior she’d shown ever since coming to the imperial palace. Because of what that so-called Tower Master had said, Sasha had lost her confidence.
“No. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then… did I do something right?”
“Well… from now on, you don’t have to do that. It depends on the situation and the place, but you don’t need to shrink yourself wherever you go. If there ever is a situation where you should be careful, I’ll tell you.”
“Yes! Then I’m okay with that!”
Seeing her beam so brightly made my chest ache.
“So is that why you hated the Magic Tower?”
“…Yes…”
“Because it was oppressive?”
“B-But it wasn’t that bad! Except for a few people… Aside from the Tower Master and a few others, they treated me well.”
Those people… seriously. My hands trembled with anger. Except for a few people? How was that any different from what she went through at the count’s estate?
At least at the count’s house, they’d done it to Sasha directly. At the Magic Tower, it seemed they’d done it to her friends instead. That must be why she thought she had to stay quiet here too.
“No… wait…”
As I was thinking that the count’s family and the Tower Master were no different, something suddenly flashed through my mind.
“Did the Tower Master do things the same way your mother and father did?”
“Yes…”
That must have been the most convenient and ‘perfect’ way to control her.
“I see.”
“That’s why I’m okay now. I don’t have to go back to the Magic Tower. I’m a little worried about my friends, but… I’m happy I don’t have to see scary faces anymore!”
“…So that’s why…”
Was this why the count and countess preferred sending Sasha to the Magic Tower instead of the temple? They seemed to have some kind of connection with it.
Rage surged up inside me.
I thought that once she escaped the count’s household, she would at least be cherished at the temple or the Magic Tower. Apparently not.
“I won’t let this go. That damn Tower Master.”
“S-Sis?”
“Yes?”
“Are you angry… because Sasha told you everything?”
“No. It’s okay to tell me everything. Sasha. From now on, I’ll protect you. If there’s anyone else who treated you badly, tell me. Not all at once—little by little is fine.”
Only then did Sasha nod. She still looked hesitant, as if she didn’t fully believe me yet, but she seemed better than before.
“For Sasha’s sake, I can do anything.”
“I don’t like that. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me…”
“Well. It’s not like I’m only losing things. You saw it earlier, right? This palace, these people. I’m going to become the Empress here. And all of this is thanks to you.”
“B-Because of me? Not because I caused trouble?”
Sasha tilted her head, unable to understand.
“That’s right. If I’d stayed under my parents, do you think I could’ve even dreamed of something like this? It’s all thanks to you. I’m really happy right now.”
Knowing that Sasha tended to think her very existence was a mistake, I nodded more firmly than ever.
“That’s a relief… I thought I was only causing trouble for everyone.”
“No. Not at all.”
“But… I heard that marriage is something people do when they like each other. I hope you don’t have someone you like, but… You didn’t marry someone you don’t like, did you…? If marrying the Emperor makes you unhappy…”
I shook my head at her worried voice.
“Not at all. So don’t worry, okay?”
“Yes!”
“All Sasha has to do is grow up beautifully here, doing whatever she wants. That’s more than enough.”
That alone is enough.
Still, Sasha had many questions. Most of them were about whether I was happy. She was afraid I might be unhappy because of her. Afraid I might regret choosing this path because of her.
Even if I weren’t happy, I’d still be happy, Sasha. Strangely enough, watching you smile, watching you be happy, the guilt I carried has been slowly fading. So I’m fine… I’m really fine. I love this moment.
My dead younger sibling, Noah, couldn’t have been reborn as you—but through you, I’m slowly finding peace.
What if you were Noah? No… I hope Noah never comes back to this world.
My poor sibling, who lived such a miserable life. Noah… I just hope that child never has to be born into this filthy world again. I just hope they’re happy.
“Food will be here soon, so let’s eat and get some good rest.”
“Okay!”
As if on cue, the meal arrived. There was no need for formality with just the two of us. We ate together, more comfortably than ever, for a long time.
Three days later.
The Emperor came to visit.
“Are things going well with Rederlo?”
“He comes by once every morning, probably because of Your Majesty’s orders. He really just greets us and leaves.”
The Emperor must have meant for us to get acquainted and grow closer, but Rederlo would greet us and then hurry away.
“I should tell him to spend more time here.”
“It’s fine. He’ll open his heart eventually. Forcing it would only hurt both of us.”
“You seem more at ease than before.”
Because I’m already inside.
I’m not the Empress yet, but I have a place here now, and I’m no longer in danger of being cast out. How could I not feel relaxed?
I can teach Sasha about flowers. I can teach her letters.
“Yes. It’s all thanks to Your Majesty.”
“Good. It should be thanks to me.”
“Yes.”
“Ahem.”
There it was again—that constant ahem. Wondering what he wanted to say today, I simply stared at him and the teacups in front of us.
As if they’d been waiting for the Emperor’s arrival, the servants had already brought tea.
Just like last time at the count’s estate, he kept emptying his teacup as if possessed by the ghost of someone who’d died without drinking tea.
Since the servants had withdrawn to give us privacy, I kept refilling his cup.
Is he a hippo or something? No—a tea-drinking hippo. Why is he drinking so much?
“Is there something you wanted to say?”
“Rather than something to say, I came to see whether you were doing well.”
“Did you stay away until now to give Sasha and me some space?”
“No. I was simply busy.”
He gets shy like this sometimes. Maybe he doesn’t think this is something worth taking credit for.
“More importantly, there’s been contact.”
“With me?”
“More precisely, with Shanensia.”
His gaze shifted to Shanensia, who was still playing among the flowers nearby.
“The Magic Tower and the temple?”
“The Magic Tower contacted us first. The temple only reached out today.”
“Did they ask to see Sasha?”
“Yes. It seems the temple got its information from the Magic Tower. They contacted us a step later.”
I nodded quietly. It wasn’t hard to guess where the rumors had come from.
“My mother probably spread them. She needs money somehow—she might’ve even claimed I kidnapped her.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“The one who wants Sasha the most is probably the Tower Master.”
He nodded in response.
But the Tower Master was far more despicable than I’d imagined. I would never hand Sasha over to someone like that. I’d rather run far away with her if I had to.
“We should show her to them once. If you don’t show her at all, the claim that you kidnapped her will sound more convincing.”
“That’s true. If we’re just protecting her, there’s no reason not to show her.”
“Exactly.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
My unexpected decision made him look surprised.
“You’ll send her?”
“No. I’ll go with her.”
“You?”
“What’s the worst they can do—kidnap us? Other than being kidnapped together, nothing will happen.”
At my confident words, the Emperor just blinked in surprise.
“Kidnapping…”
“Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll contact you.”
“Through the pigeon assassin unit?”
“Well… yes.”
As if trying to lighten the mood, he brought up the pigeon assassins again. The mysterious pigeon assassins I still hadn’t seen myself.
According to Sasha, they traveled with us and built nests in the forest on the way.
Apparently, they liked this place because it was good for building homes—but I’d never seen them.
They say they’re shy about showing themselves to me. Why are they shy?
They even danced in front of the Emperor.
“That’s not a bad idea. They move surprisingly fast.”
“Really?”
“Did you not know?”
“Of course I did. A-Anyway, Your Majesty, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
I hurriedly drained my now-cold tea. Only now did the tension catch up to me, my throat slowly drying.
“I’d like you to look into something for me.”
“Look into something? You’re bold now.”
“Since we’re already in the same boat, wouldn’t it be nice if we helped each other?”
Whether it was because he’d met his child, or because he’d resigned himself to taking me as Empress, he didn’t comment even when I slightly crossed the line.
That was… unexpected.
He didn’t look like someone harboring hatred toward women, at least not right now.
“Fine. I’m curious what you’re going to say this time. I’ll listen—but I’m not saying I’ll do it, so choose your words carefully.”
So much for being softer.
“What is it? Have you lost your nerve?”
“No. Not at all. I was hoping you could look into the management practices of the Magic Tower.”
“Management practices? Why that all of a sudden?”
