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“I’m fine. It’s so nice here. Didn’t I say before that it would be nice to have a house on the outskirts of the capital? The mountains, the water, and the air are exactly what I wanted.”
[I’m glad.]
“Well… Any alcohol by any chance?”
[I don’t drink. I can’t even think about it anymore.]
“Good. What about cigarettes?”
[I don’t smoke. You threw it all away.]
“But you can always get it if you want to.”
[Why do you have so little faith?]
“Pfft. It’s a joke. I believe in you.”[…]
The conversation was interrupted for a moment. I felt something tingling in the lower part of my stomach…
As I tried to wiggle my toes for no reason, I felt Wishit next to me smiling. “It’s chilly, so dress appropriately and go in soon.” They touched my shoulder and walked away.
“Hmm. I didn’t know that such a useful spirit existed. I’ll have to thank the crown prince again later. He was worried about you more than I do.”
[Don’t praise the crown prince for me.]
“… What’s going on between you two?”
[Nothing. I just don’t like him.]
“Ah, why? He’s a really nice person.”
[…]
I couldn’t see his face, but I could clearly feel his dissatisfaction for some reason.
I shrugged and leaned lightly against the tree.
“Well… To tell you the truth, I was so busy right after I came here that I didn’t really think about you.”
[…]
“But hearing your voice after a long time… I think I missed you.”
[If you miss me, then just say you miss me. What’s with all the nonsense.]
“Yes. All right. I miss you.]
[…]
After a moment of silence, Dad spoke.
[Me too.]
As expected, this strange feeling I’d been feeling since a while ago was family love and longing. It was easy to be sure because it was a feeling I had felt before when I was Juliet Karenina.
I couldn’t see my mom for almost a year due to my murderous schedule, and when I spoke on the phone for the first time in a long time, I always cried profusely.
“It’s strange…”
[What is?]
Even though I had absorbed Rubette’s memories and emotions, I was clearly a completely different being who had lived a different life in a different world from her.
But… feeling this way towards a father who was like a stranger whom I only met for less than a year…
“I miss you.”
[…? Why is that weird?]
“I heard you can visit next week. Will you come? Are you still having a hard time going out? You’ll need to be in the carriage for a long time-”
[I’ll come. Don’t worry.]
“Oh, okay. I’ll be waiting for you.”
[All right.]
“I’ll call you again.”
[If I do it first, take it right away.]
“Okay.”
[Good night. Don’t skip meals.]
“… Yes.”
The conversation ended with a fatherly nonchalant goodbye. Still, I got a little depressed and couldn’t leave right away.
I never thought this isolation was a big deal because it felt more like a trip… but one year suddenly felt long because I had to stay apart from my dad.
***
The Imperial Palace.
As soon as the aristocratic meeting was over, Lark was summoned by the emperor.
When he arrived, he saw that the empress was also with him. They had tea time, and there was a half cup of tea left between them.
“Mother’s here, too?”
“Yes, Crown Prince. Your father says he has something urgent to say.”
The empress, who had been unable to eat or drink for nearly a month due to her own daughter, Lisbeth, looked a little better. Still, she stood up with an expression of discomfort for some reason.
“I’ll make room for you two. Do talk.”
“Why don’t you relax a bit, Empress?”
“I thought it was up to me, Your Majesty,” the empress looked back at the emperor, whose face resembled Lark, and said sullenly.
The empress, who was about to leave behind the sighing emperor, held onto Lark’s hand and whispered quietly, “Son. I think the amendment to the marriage law you proposed is really good. No matter what your father says, just go ahead and push.”
“… I will try,” Lark replied with a smile.
Eventually, when the empress left the room, the sharp gaze of the emperor flew over to Crown Prince Lark.
“Let’s hear what you’re thinking.” The emperor, sitting cross-legged, gestured to the file folder on the table with his chin.
It was the content of today’s aristocratic meeting, posted by the secretary of the meeting room. Perhaps the agenda regarding national marriage proposed by Lark was reported.
“Your Majesty must have felt something about Lisbeth’s incident this time. The imperial family’s fight over the throne has gone too far, and the antagonism between siblings who share blood is serious.”
“So? What does that have to do with the agenda you raised this time?” the emperor, frowning openly, added. “Should monogamy be applied to the emperor, too?”
“The number of members of the imperial family who have the right to succeed is excessive. To put an end to this bloody succession battle, apply the imperial law of monogamy to the emperor-”
“So we should reduce the number of members of the royal family?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand. I’m not an idiot, so do you have any other reason for saying this?”
“…”
“It is the emperor’s duty to produce as many members of the imperial family as possible, and it is the arrangement of the Descarde’s ancestors. What do you think is the biggest reason why we can stably rule the empire?”
“It must be thanks to the spirits.”
“Yes. There are many spirits, but you know best that they are not all the same.”
“…”
“Unless you are a contractor of the highest level of spirits, you will never be able to establish the dignity of an emperor or maintain the power of the Descarde family.”
There was numerous royalty. And beyond their number, there were countless spirits. One couldn’t bear to count all of them.
However, the highest level of spirits could be counted on one hand. All previous emperors of the Descarde Empire were contractors of the highest level of spirits.
“Even though you are aware of the problem of succession disputes, do you really not know why you have been forced to produce as many successors as possible?”
He knew. There was no way Lark, who had been a member of the imperial family all his life, would not know.
If he had only one spouse, he would naturally have fewer children. The odds of a contractor with the highest level of spirits among them were slim.
This was the reason why the emperors of the Descarde Empire tried to have as many children as possible by marrying at least five consorts.
“I know.”
“Do you know someone?”
“… To tell you the truth, Father.”
The emperor was taken aback at the unfamiliar title Lark had never called except when he was very young.
“I’m sorry that it’s for a very private reason, but having five wives is a personal discomfort for me.”
The emperor’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Five wives-”
“No, before that.”
The emperor, who jumped up, approached Lark. He looked rather surprised.
“You will be the leader of the empire.”
“…”
“What have I taught you all my life?”
“… You told me to live a life of sacrifice for the empire.”
“Yes. You were born to be an emperor, and you have a duty to sacrifice yourself for the empire. Private reasons? Personal discomfort?”
“…”
“They are never necessary for the virtues of a leader.”
“Didn’t you also ask for a revision of the marriage law during your successor days?”
“It’s a story of a time when I was immature.”
Looking at the emperor who calmly cut off his words, Lark said sadly, “In the end, the consorts were brought in, and there was a lot of antagonism with Mother…”
“Lark,” the emperor grabbed Lark’s shoulders. “Princess Diollus was involved in Lisbeth’s affair this time. When I heard that you heated up the commutation of the princess, I was happy to think that it was your choice that did not disappoint me.”
“…”
“At this point, there is no better marriage for you than the daughter of that family. So, I guessed and understood the reason why you have been putting off your wedding until now.”
“I didn’t help the princess with any intention. I just hoped that an innocent person would not be judged unjustly.”
The emperor’s expression completely crumpled.
“These… are the words coming out of the mouth of the prince I used to know?”
“…”
“Listen carefully. You were born perfect, and you must be perfect until the day you die and close your eyes. I can’t imagine any other child besides you taking my place.”
I was born perfect, and I have to be perfect until the day I die and close my eyes.
It was a word that Lark had heard and grown up hearing as if he had been brainwashed by the emperor since childhood.
“I saw it in the empress I cherish the most, she was smarter than anyone else, and she never disobeyed my words.”
“…”
“And to my surprise, you got the land spirit. All emperors who have left their names in the history books as sage kings were Landian’s contractors.”
“…”
“I couldn’t help but think of you as a perfect emperor sent from heaven.”
“I am…” Lark, who was about to say something, closed his mouth. It was because the emperor’s hand holding his shoulder was tightened.
“Please don’t disappoint me. As a perfect leader for me and this empire you love, live your life reigning and sacrificing.”
“Father, I…”
“Your Majesty.”
The emperor corrected the title in a sharp voice. Lark paused.
The face of the father facing him was, as always, wrapped in an obsession close to madness.
Lark, who had been looking at him quietly, soon lowered his head and let out a bitter smile.
“… Yes, Your Majesty.”
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