Chapter 56

Chapter 56

He was this sort of man.

It meant that there was a suspicion that the evidence might have been fabricated, but no physical evidence was found.

“…”

The Emperor was displeased and fell into his thoughts as he rested his chin on one hand.

He was convinced that the Duke’s target was someone else.

Until now, Alderuan thought that his goal was to protect the Empress and use her background while the Crown Prince was still young.

“Well done, dismissed.”

And even though Alderuan tried to ruin the Empress’s reputation before, the Duke simply bowed his head.

But even if he insisted until the end that he did not plan to use such drugs in the Princess’s harmin tea, it would not be enough.

“Then should we proceed to the interrogation, Your Majesty?”

“Proceed.”

In addition to the situation in the meeting, it was as if Alderuan was openly talking about the talents of Siervian in front of the nobles and officials.

Because there was a chance that the nobles who supported the Crown Prince might check on the Princess in the future.

Of course, Alderuan the Emperor couldn’t just sit still.

The Emperor was concerned about Siervian, and ended up in a rough mood.

* * *

“Siervy, here’s a gift.”

Days passed after the secret hoard inside the doll was found.

Today, her father came out of nowhere and popped something out.

No matter how much she thought about it, she had never done anything to deserve a gift, so Siervian spoke carefully.

“But it’s not Sebi’s birthday.”

“Even if it’s not your birthday, I can still give you a present. Come on, open it.”

It was a small box the size of her palm.

Wrapped in a blue quality wrapping paper with a silver ribbon.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: How, every time I look, it’s like Siervy is getting cuter… Is there a Mana Spirit in my eyes?

Siervian tried to ask what the gift was, but stopped as soon as she saw the Emperor’s thoughts.

And with a cute puzzled expression, she carefully untied the ribbon.

Inside was a necklace with a small jewel.

“A necklace?”

“Yes it is, didn’t I promise? I’ll find a way to replace that tea.”

Although it was obviously a small jewel the size of her thumb, she sensed the necklace as if it was pulsing.

Curious, she kept looking at it as her father carefully lifted the necklace.

“I’ll hang it for you, it would be hard for you to do it alone.”

He explained that the blue jewel was called a sapphire.

Siervian loved the color so much she ran around the garden in circles.

“So Pwetty…!”

“There’s a magic barrier engraved inside that collects mana.”

“Wahh!”

She couldn’t believe he carved a magic barrier in such a small jewel. It must be something one could never do with ordinary skills.

“Don’t take it off your body even for a moment, so you won’t have to drink tea.”

“Yess!”

It was a necklace with almost no weight, but she felt strangely reassured.

Excited, Siervian subconsciously stretched out her arms wide and jumped toward her father.

“Hmm? Is the gift that good?”

The Emperor lifted her up with a straight face and asked casually.

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She quickly became dizzy with the windows filling her entire point of view.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve got a place to go for a moment.”

The Emperor hurried from the Princess’ Palace as if he had an emergency.

With Siervian in his arms, that is.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, never mind Siervy. About the containers that came in first, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“…”

The Emperor diligently wandered past the Princess’ Palace and near the low-ranking bureaucracy, which was always crowded with people.

“Your Majesty!”

“Let us do our jobs nicely. Don’t mind the Princess. About the containers that came in first, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“…”

Did the fact that the place he had to go for a moment was the whole Palace?

It wasn’t hard for Siervian to just be in her father’s arms, so she just remained still.

From time to time, Siervian nodded to the person looking at her as she had maintained her etiquette properly.

But it’s a bit annoying for her when there are more than ten people.

‘You wanted to show me to everyone.”

Siervian understood her father little by little.

“Let’s have you rest at the palace.”

“Yees!”

When she returned after the Emperor showed Siervian to the people, she enthusiastically agreed.

The father calmly took Siervian to the bedroom then quickly fell on one knee to set his eye level to hers.

“Siervy.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s live together in the Imperial Palace. Alright?”

At the unexpected request, she opened her eyes wide.

It was also touching because of the fact that she was trying to get out of the palace.

‘I should be worried since I will be going out there.’

And so, Siervian nodded mildly.

It’s a small greed but she still held out her pinky shyly.

“Yes. Promise!”

“Yes, I promise.”

“With a faint smile, her father hooked his finger with hers.

* * *

“You’re back, Your Majesty! I heard you went around the Palace with the Princess, is that true?”

“Well, Siervy was the first to cling with her arms and not fall off, so I had no choice but to bring her.”

“Is that…?”

Hex tilted his head and fell into doubt.

Because he didn’t think the shy Princess would ever do that.

“Oh, did you give it?”

“Yes, it worked as it should.”

The necklace was a product of repeated research by gathering the talents of the Lord of the Magic Tower, the Chancellor, the Court Doctor, and the Emperor.

“It’s a pity we can’t produce more.”

It was also a job to find such pure jewelry, but it was also a problem that the mana needed to create the necklace was so great.

“Yes, I guess it’s hard.”

Fortunately, the biggest goal of saving Siervy in the future was achieved.

But Alderuan did not like the image of the Empire relying so much on harmin tea, so he could not hide his regret.

“The lord of the magic tower is still exhausted from creating the necklace.”

Looking at the Pharim chaos in Garambell, the idea became more solid.

But he didn’t like the fact that it was the Duke who held the core of the alternative.

“Hmm, send him some medicine for the body.”

So they hoped for a new alternative, because it couldn’t be distributed to the entire Empire like this.

“The court doctor, who is supposed to be the one to give the medicine, is also exhausted from overwork.”

“… Let’s find a suitable reward for each of them.”

When the order was given, Hex, whose eyes darkened, looked at Alderuan eagerly.

He felt bad for those disgusting eyes, but of course, he did not forget to appreciate the hard work of the Chancellor, who struggled to find needed documents.

“And consider a reward for yourself, Chancellor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Shaking his hands as a sign to leave, the Chancellor staggered out like a man with endemic diseases.

Alderuan once again worried about the harmin grass as he was left all alone in his office.

‘Why did the first Emperor even tolerate such a deformed constitution.’

There was also information on the harmin grass which had been handed down to the Imperial family for generations.

However, the seeds of harmin grass, which were needed for new research, wouldn’t just simply flow from the Duke’s palace.

Having already wondered about this strange rule since he was a Crown Prince, he constantly tried to change it.

“If it weren’t for the Continental War.”

But coincidentally, during that time, the Southern Kingdom started a war.

Going to the battlefield on behalf of the old former Emperor, the young Alderuan had to wander around the continent for quite a long time.

But when he returned, the reform soon faded away due to a Duke and an Empress’ political marriage.

‘Even I thought it was the best time, but I was not fond of it.’

Of course, he obtained the seeds of the harmin grass in the political marriage.

However, it was not enough to be used in an experiment, and it was stored in a treasure trove with powerful preservation magic applied in case.

“How frustrating.”

Alderuan spouted as he raised his head harshly.

A servant waiting by his side like an assistant carefully put a cup of tea down in front of him.

Looking at the teacup reminded him of Siervian again.

“I should have raised Siervy on my own from the start.”

“… It’s not too late, Your Majesty.”

The Princess had enough wealth. The investment was successful as it has already made contact with the author.

And also those little things she gathered in the doll.

In those crude gems, Alderuan felt even more tense to see how emotionally driven Siervian was.

“It’s not too late.”

The Emperor gritted his teeth with his eyes shining faintly.

There was no certainty about what the Duke was aiming for.

However, if there is any sign of the Princess or the Crown Prince being victimized, the Emperor will surely not let it go.

* * *

“What did they say?”

At that time, in the Empress’ palace.

Although the Empress was in custody, the Duke visited to secretly talk to her.

“They have told me to wait.”

“I’ve had enough of this! And I can’t even barely say anything!”

“Calm down, Your Majesty.”

But the Empress could not overcome her anger, so she threw the tea cup in front of her.

And since the maids were sent out, there was no one to clean up the tea cup shards.

Even more furious at that fact, the Empress looked at her brother angrily.

“Why did you ask me to bring it?”

“… I don’t know what you mean, Your Majesty.”

The Empress had unconsciously asked about the treasure and was startled and suddenly got quiet.

There was a superstition that said that people should bite themselves in order to wake themselves up and to remove their ignorance.

And realizing her mistake, the Empress bit her well-manicured nails.

“It would be better to be self-conscious for the time being.”

“… Annoying girl. You’ve been dragging me into this palace and your mess for six months! And Your Majesty is so mean!”

The Duke unknowingly made an expression by squinting his eyes, looking at the Empress.

Of course, he knew that the work relating to the Princess would be annoying for him.

However, there was a bigger goal, but the Empress was blaming the past and doing useless things.

“So why did you do such a rash thing?”

“…”

In the first place, no one would know that the Emperor would immediately check the tea ingredients, ignoring the sacred duty.

The big mistake forced the Empress to gulp and accept the Duke’s scolding.

“Don’t forget that our secrets must come first, Your Majesty.”

“I know.”

The Duke hid his identity and quickly left the Empress’ palace.

Looking nervously at the pieces of teacup still remaining on the floor, the Empress gnashed her teeth.

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