Chapter 43

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 43

Siervian just wanted to let him know that she didn’t mean to interrupt the meeting. But then, this intention went in a completely different direction.

“Sebi is…”

As her father was holding her, he was strangely silent.

Scared, Siervian grabbed her father’s sleeve and gave it a small tug.

It was at that moment.

[ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ] [ Favorability: +100 ]

Huh?

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Mood: So. Very. Touched. because of the actions of ♡my daughter♡

Thoughts: Could there be any other child out there who’s as admirable and praiseworthy? I can’t believe you’re being patient enough that you don’t want to interrupt the meeting. Indeed, it is the virtue of a member of the imperial family.

But unlike the very loud status window, her father’s expression did not budge at all.

The serious glance he gave towards the rest of the people in the throne room could even be called arrogant.

While he still had Siervian on his lap.

‘No, I have to say I’ll go out now. I’m sure the ministers will have a lot to say!’

Siervian, alone in her urgency, peeped out of her father’s embrace and looked at the faces of the nobles.

Focusing on the people who hated her.

[ Thoughts: So adorable! ]

[ Thoughts: His Majesty has been bragging about how cute Her Highness is, but it’s all valid after all. ]

[ Thoughts: Mm-hmm, that’s definitely His Majesty’s daughter. Fufu. ]

What’s wrong with them all?

Surprisingly, the general atmosphere was friendly.

Anxious all this while, Siervian chose to keep quiet for now.

It seemed impossible for her to stand out even more than this.

“Minister of Finance, continue.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The import of grain from the Southern Kingdom has consumed ten percent of the budget more than usual, and…”

Fortunately, with just a few short words from her father, the throne room returned to a serious atmosphere.

The nobles concentrated again in an instant, as if Siervian had indeed become invisible.

She was also curious about how this huge empire was being run.

‘What a relief.’

In particular, she was afraid that her father would insist on asking why she was here, but he was quiet anyway.

Still, just in case, Siervian peeked at everyone’s status window from time to time.

In the eyes of the adults, it seemed like she was only looking around because she was amazed by the throne room she had come into for the first time.

‘The Minister of Finance is having a hard time.’

Unexpectedly, it’s a good thing that she could join this meeting, too.

She could see just how different the recorded facts she knew from her previous life compared to how reality really was.

Until now, there seemed to be no noticeable changes.

However, as she listened to them speak more, Siervian’s face also became serious.

‘The grain crisis… Is it going to be next year?’

The Minister of Finance reported that this year’s budget increase was unusual, but Siervian knew the truth of it.

She knew that the grain prices in the Southern Kingdom would continue to increase.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: This is going to be a long meeting.

Then, an unexpected status window appeared.

‘As expected, you’re worried about the budget, too, right?’

She didn’t know why, but her father continued to decide on the things he needed to tackle.

Indeed, the meeting lasted very, very long.

Until even Siervian, who was secretly listening intently to what they’re saying, became tired. She started nodding off.

“Also, I heard that your son has started taking social dance classes recently, Baron Cambi.”

She was about to doze off, but she woke up again at the random topic that her father brought up.

“I-I am doubtful that my son who lacks conviction is working hard, sire.”

As he answered, the Baron bowed his head and averted his gaze.

Why did something like a nobleman’s son’s social dancing classes come out of the emperor’s lips?

Or was it a roundabout warning that the family was under surveillance, and that they should watch themselves?

‘Is this something that’s also brought up in a council meeting?’

Blinking her eyes, Siervian peeped out again in curiosity.

Somehow, the minister’s face had a darker complexion compared to how he was a while ago.

And there was a great deal of weariness on his demeanor.

‘Has a lot of time passed?’

Once again, after the emperor’s seemingly random words, another unexpected topic was brought up.

The meeting, which should have ended a long time ago, had already gone one for several hours longer than how it should have just been.

“Her Highness the Princess is very cute.”

Then, the duke interrupted briefly, and silence ensued because of his words.

After he spoke, Siervian looked at him reflexively.

And, she was shocked.

[ Hannibel Pacour ]

Occupation: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

Favorability: 0

Mood: Bored

Thoughts: It’d be great if this meeting’s done and over with.

In a daze, she looked at his status window.

And what stood out here was his favorability, which was exactly zero.

Perhaps feeling her gaze, the duke turned his green eyes and looked at her squarely.

Those green eyes looked exactly like the empress’ eyes that Siervian felt a chill run down her spine.

‘It’s scary.’

Siervian pulled her father’s sleeve unconsciously.

And the emperor’s gentle arms covered her face.

It was funny that this just made the duke’s face covered a little, but she was strangely relieved.

“Duke.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Can’t you see that you startled the Princess. Avert your gaze.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

As soon as the emperor met the duke’s gaze, like a specter, he noticed that his daughter was frightened by the man.

And the duke could only gracefully do as he’s told when asked to lower his eyes.

Finding fault in the duke, the surrounding nobles’ eyes on him were not as gentle. The princess obviously flinched in front of him.

So, they just looked at him.

“Today’s meeting is adjourned.”

In any case, thanks to him, the emperor ended the meeting.

“……”

As if she’d become a statue, Siervian was stiff and motionless.

Nevertheless, she was able to go towards the Emperor’s Palace.

Because the emperor was carrying her in his arms.

‘Awkward!’

After they had visited the treasure room before, she fell asleep on the way back so there was no time for her to feel awkward.

But since she slept a lot before this, her eyes were wide open.

She thought her father would just lift her off his lap and start walking side by side, so she was very confused by this.

“Are you still scared, Siervy?”

“Huh?”

She was still waiting for the right moment to ask him to set her down on the floor, but at the sudden question, Siervian was startled like a baby rabbit.

‘I feel a bit awkward. Did I get caught?’

However, the emperor only misunderstood Siervian’s stiffness as something else.

“You were scared when you saw the Duke earlier.”

Only then did Siervian recall the duke’s green eyes again, and at this, she ducked down.

Then, with a hesitant touch, the emperor patted her on the back.

‘Did you just pat me?’

She was just about to say that it wasn’t like that.

But then the status window of the emperor, who seemed to be gritting his teeth, suddenly changed.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: I don’t think it’s because my daughter is feeling uncomfortable with me. That’s impossible. That duke, how could he? He frightened my child like this. I won’t let him go.

“…Yees. That’s right.”

So, Siervian just made a firm commitment to herself, saying that she’s ‘afraid of the duke’.

“Now. Can you sit here alone for a little while?”

Siervian was someone who could sit well alone any day, so it was a question that she didn’t expect.

She couldn’t just bother her father for no reason, so she answered more vigorously than she had intended.

“Yeees!”

“…Okay.”

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Mood: Disappointed

That wasn’t the right answer?

She was confused by her father’s strangely subdued expression.

Even so, what he asked her to do wasn’t difficult, but maybe he thought it was.

“Alright. Eat some of these.”

Upon hearing that she was visiting, the grand chamberlain of the Emperor’s Palace quickly set up a tea table and served many snacks.

Being someone who didn’t like sweets, the emperor didn’t even look at such refreshments.

It was purely for Siervian’s sake that the chef of the Emperor’s Palace had become so enthusiastic about snacks.

“What’s going on then? You came all the way here to my palace.”

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Mood: Excited, very much

By the tone of his voice, it sounded like he was scolding her for coming to visit without a notice.

Briefly recalling her previous life, Siervian carefully studied her father’s face.

‘No, he’s not scolding me.’

Of course, the status window also gave her a hint of the truth, that’s why she could also be sure.

However, for some reason unlike before, it seemed like she could read a bit of her father’s emotions on his expressionless face.

“Eat slowly and speak later.”

As she chewed on her snacks a little, Siervian carefully chose her words.

She wondered if it would be strange for her to know the exact name of the millenary garden.

So, she decided to go about it indirectly. It happened to be spring, and all.

“There’s something Sebi wanna do.”

“What is it.”

“It’s… Sebi wants to go on a spring picnic.”

The sudden remark made the father glance down on his daughter.

Before this, Siervian had already prepared herself for disappointment in case he’d say no.

‘Was I a bit too vague?’

Still though, if someone were to mention ‘spring picnic’ around this time, you’d immediately think of the millenary garden. She hesitated for a moment.

Of course, Siervian was going to pretend not to know exactly what it was.

“I see.”

“Yees…”

Her father had been silent for a while now, but he suddenly gave a snappy answer.

It was unclear whether he wanted her to go back already after saying her piece, or if this ‘I see’ meant that he’d allow her to go on a picnic.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Favorability: +100

Favorability: +100

Besides that, she wanted to see her father’s thoughts, but only words about his rising favorability could be seen. Because of this, it became even harder for her to understand him.

Dazedly, Siervian decided to just do what she could.

Munch, munch.

Eating cookies as best as she can was all she could do right now.

“Alright. Let’s have a spring picnic.”

While his favorability points quietly continued to rise, her father finally gave his permission.

With a cookie between her lips, the excited Siervian raised her head.

But the emperor did not end there. Out of nowhere, he dropped a bomb.

“In return, Siervy, you have to do a favor for me.”

At this, the cookie in Siervian’s lips fell to the ground as her mouth gaped open.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────