Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“What are you looking so intently at?”

The emperor asked Siervian, who was staring blankly at her father’s status window. His blue eyes, as cold as the wind of the north, pierced directly through hers.

It was the cold, heartless gaze she remembered.

“You’re not running away from me today.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Thoughts: She’s looking at me longer this time. Maybe she grew up a little. I should have come earlier. I’ll leave you alone this time, you damn Duke.

The Emperor walked closer to where Siervian was sitting and looked down at his daughter. A heavy silence descended upon the air around them.

She could remember what happened until this point.

But . . .

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

Thoughts: Everytime I see her, she gets lovelier and lovelier. I can’t believe how prettily she sparkles. Is the God of Mana playing tricks on me? As expected, I should celebrate this auspicious day. The festival should be named ‘Mana God’s Trick Anniversary’.

The silence stretched further. On the other hand, the status window was being too noisy.

She didn’t know which was more shocking, this or—no, no. This was infinitely more shocking.

‘My father? To me? Really? But why . . . ?’

Siervian’s clothes today were luxurious, but they didn’t look good on her at all. Well, it’s not to the point that anyone should be raving about it.

. . . She was terrified of him just a while ago, but seeing his thoughts like this made her fear go away.

‘I can’t believe it . . . If this is how Father thinks, then . . .’

A strange feeling enveloped Siervian. Was her father like this the entire time in her previous life?

No. He wouldn’t have let her die if that was the case.

“I need to go now.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Thoughts: Is this the limit? But we’ve been together for one whole minute today. I should order a memorial tree to be planted in my palace’s garden to commemorate this day.

Dreadfully confused, Siervian reflexively clenched the skirt of her dress.

As soon as the Emperor saw her small, tiny hands turning white, he thought that he should go and come back next time.

Feeling his gaze on her, Siervian soon figured out the situation.

‘Come to think of it, you said I wasn’t running away today.’

If she remembered right, was it at this time of the year that she was hiding from her father?

Still, her body wouldn’t move at all. It was exactly the behavior of a little girl who was scared.

“I’ll be back next week.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was then that Sarah’s strange status window appeared.

[ Sarah ]

Thoughts: Haaa, this week, too. Do you have to come here every time? Not much happens anyway.

Siervian’s father seemed to visit every week to check up on her. It must be that those dresses in her closet were meant to clothe her in some semblance of reasonable fashion.

“It’s a relief, Your Majesty. The Princess didn’t run away today.”

Chancellor Hex, who came here with the Emperor, suddenly talked to him in hushed excitement.

“Hmm.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

The emperor wanted Siervian to see him off, but he turned away without saying anything. Up until that moment, the floating status window that showed his innermost feelings was still there.

Wait, if you go like this, then . . . !

“Hm?”

Gasp.

Siervian could hear everyone around her stifle their astonishment.

Her small, dainty hand entered their sight, holding the Emperor’s collar with all her might.

“What’s wrong?”

Sievian took a small breath. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done, grabbing the Emperor’s collar without permission. She didn’t know why he wouldn’t just push her away if he didn’t like it.

However, she managed to pluck up the courage to do so after looking at the status window.

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Mood: ♡ My Daughter ♡ I’m – so – touched!

Thoughts: You know how to grab collars with your small hands! Now that I can see them closer, I can see that your hands look like mine. Siervian’s hands are sooo cute that I didn’t notice.

Maybe this status window was just a fever dream.

But if it was real, then . . .

‘If it is, then I want to confirm. Why was it like that in the past?’

She needed to talk to him very clearly and very coherently from now on.

‘Maybe the future can be changed.’

Give her a minute. She needed to speak like a well-educated princess. Formal. Calm.

But then, something unexpected came out of her lips.

“Bre-bread!”

That’s not it! What bread!

She was overcome by embarrassment. What she was trying to say was:

‘Your Majesty, please allow me a moment of your time. I want to have tea with you.’

No matter how unsynchronized her body was with her mind, where on earth did bread come from?!

At that moment, the Emperor’s eyes became harsh at her sudden exclamation. The status window didn’t show up this time, so Siervian let go of his collar at once, doubting herself.

She needs to shut herself up . . . she just made her father mad.

“Are the Princess’s meals insufficient?”

But contrary to Siervian’s concern, the Emperor’s heated gaze settled on Sarah instead.

It was Sarah who was practically starving her. The lady-in-waiting’s plump body trembled and her status window kept flickering, revealing her unease.

“T-that is not the case, Your Majesty.”

“Then why is Siervian looking for bread at this hour?”

The Emperor’s wrath was solely directed at Sarah. Bewildered, Siervian clasped her hands together and clenched tight.

‘You’re not mad at me?’

Just then, in her periphery, a status window popped up in front of Hex, who was standing next to the Emperor.

[ Hex ]

Occupation: Chancellor (Lv.89)

Favorability: +10

Siervian looked up in a daze, but Hex was looking elsewhere. Then, his status window changed.

[ Hex ]

Thoughts: Phew, I almost got caught staring at the Princess. I shouldn’t surprise her because she’s so wary around people. By the way, her hands are really cute.

Siervian could only gape wildly.

What’s wrong with everyone?

“Princess, do you want to have dinner with H-His Majesty?” Sarah stuttered nervously.

Siervian felt her body flinch at the mention of ‘dinner’. She remembered that she really hated dinner when she was young.

[ Sarah ]

Thoughts: Shit, you’re killing me here. But we’ll see. You’re scared of dinnertime, aren’t you? You’re in big trouble now.

Even Sarah seemed to know this well.

Thanks to this, Siervian confirmed it again. The status window really was telling the truth.

“. . . Is that so. It’ll be difficult.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

Favorability: +100

For someone who said he’d be inconvenienced, his status window sure expressed otherwise.

“I’ll check my schedule, then I’ll let you know.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

Favorability: +100

Siervian watched her father leave her palace with a baffled expression on her face.

* * *

“At the command of His Highness Emperor Alderuan Erveldotte, the glorious sun of the Empire, the presence of Her Highness Princess Siervian Erveldotte, the little moon of the Empire, is requested at the dining hall.”

Was it because they’re suddenly preparing dinner in the afternoon?

Due to the abrupt presence of the Emperor’s messenger, the Princess’s Palace was thrown into a state of panic.

“What the hell did you just do!”

“Owie . . . It hurts . . .”

Sarah combed Siervian with an enraged fervor. Because of her rough manhandling, Siervian’s neck was bent back, and it hurt so much that she started crying.

“It’s a good thing I handled it well. Do you know how much I hate it when you don’t behave yourself?”

[ Sarah ]

Favorability: 350

Sarah’s favorability went down by 50 from 400 to 350. Siervian began to wonder what would happen if that number dropped to 0.

Finally, the torturous combing ended. The jittery Sarah left Siervian to Ellie and scuttled away.

[ Sarah ]

Thoughts: Something big just happened. Something really big. I really won’t be able to survive this time.

Was it such a huge deal for Siervian to have dinner with her father?

‘And where exactly do you go every time you disappear?’

There were times when Sarah would rush off somewhere. She did this even though she really should focus on her work as the head maid in the Imperial Princess’s Palace.

“Let’s be on our way, Princess.”

“Mmm.”

Replying without any enthusiasm, Siervian trudged forward.

The unnecessarily luxurious, high-quality dress made it difficult for her to walk. Surely, she looked like an ugly ball from afar.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: Our Princess, you really look like a lovely lily of the valley . . .

Siervian apparently didn’t look ugly in Ellie’s eyes . . . but she still couldn’t get used to the intensity of the maid’s thoughts.

Anyway, she continued on her way because an order was an order.

‘This small body is already exhausted.’

“Princess, shall I call a carriage for you?”

Siervian shook her head right away.

The Emperor’s Palace was right around the corner. If she rode a carriage just to cross such a short distance, then she’d definitely be talked about as a Princess who treated her subordinates harshly.

That had been her reality.

Moving cautiously, Siervian pondered about the dinner with her father. As she walked along the road leading to the Emperor’s Palace, she finally remembered.

‘Around this time . . . I think I often had dinner with my father.’

Of course, she had never invited her father first because of his frighteningly frosty eyes.

Then, at some point, he had stopped eating with her.

“It’s been a long time since you had dinner together, Your Highness.”

“That’s wight.”

“How fortunate, Your Highness. His Majesty is going to have dinner again with you.”

Thanks to Ellie’s words, Siervian confirmed that at this point in time, they had already stopped having dinner regularly.

The dinners with the Emperor, which were halted so suddenly, began again when Siervian was around twelve years old. At that time, she was already surrounded by many bad rumors.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: Really. It’s such a relief.

For the first time since Siervian started seeing the status window, Ellie’s thoughts were uncharacteristically gentle. It seemed like she was genuinely relieved.

Siervian decided not to think about it deeply.

But then again, she remembered something.

‘Doesn’t Ellie have a sibling who’s sick?’

When Siervian found out about it before, Ellie’s sibling had already passed away. It lingered on her mind for a long time because Ellie, who had always been strict with Siervian, laughed bitterly when she talked about her deceased younger sibling.

“Where is Eri’s fwamily?”

After asking casually like that, Siervian immediately regretted it.

She wanted to ask more carefully, but children couldn’t keep their curiosity to themselves.

“I have one younger sibling . . .”

Ellie, who hesitated with great difficulty, continued talking.

“. . . who’s a bit sick.”

“I’m sowwy . . .”

“It’s alright, Princess.”

[ Ellie ]

Favorability: +20

Mood: Pained

It’s a good thing that Siervian apologized right away. Seeing the maid’s rise in favorability, it seemed like Ellie really was fine. However, Siervian still felt sorry for bringing it up.

Ellie spoke up as if to change the subject.

“By the way, His Highness the Crown Prince shall be joining you today.”

Recalling the memory of her indifferent older brother, Siervian clenched her fists secretly.

Siervian and the Crown Prince had different mothers.

Because she was a concubine’s child and because there were so many bad rumors about her, she couldn’t do anything about her brother’s disapproval.

“The Empwess, too?”

Nonetheless, she still looked for the Empress.

She wasn’t her real mother, but she had always been kind and warm.

“. . . Her Majesty the Empress said she won’t attend dinner tonight.”

If the Empress was there, then the atmosphere at the table would have been a little softer.

Hiding her dejection, Siervian only nodded.

“Your Majesty. Her Highness Princess Siervian has arrived.

“Come in.”

Upon her arrival at the Emperor’s Palace, the chief attendant announced her presence.

For some reason, Siervian was led to a place that wasn’t small in the slightest. It was the ‘Room of Mana’ where state guests were usually received.

Siervian was very nervous. She knew that she might not leave today’s dinner unscathed.

“Sit down.”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

In the middle of the big room was a colorful table.

Siervian greeted her father in a notably formal manner to make up for her bread mistake earlier.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“. . .”

[ Alderuan Erveldotte ]

Favorability: +100

Thoughts: I’m disappointed. So disappointed . . .

Here she was with her foot aching while she curtseyed, but Siervian couldn’t believe he got upset.

Still, Siervian thought, it was better now that she could see her father’s thoughts. In this life, she wouldn’t make any more mistakes. She wouldn’t let herself get executed again.

‘It’s too quiet.’

A terrible silence plunged down at the dining hall as Siervian approached.

“. . .”

It was stifling. Siervian took a furtive glance to the side where she could feel a burning gaze.

She wouldn’t be received well anyway, seeing as her brother was the one avoiding her gaze.

But then . . .

[ Damian Erveldotte ]

Occupation: Crown Prince (Lv.80)

Favorability: 90,000,087

Mood: Excited to see ♡ my sister ♡

Thoughts: I wanna talk to you TT^TT

Her brother’s status wasn’t normal either . . . ?

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