Chapter 298: Explosion (1)
The Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters are often at each other’s throats, but they aren’t outright enemies.
It’s more accurate to say they are in a state of rivalry. There are occasional gestures of goodwill, such as sending Hiriya to transfer to Halo Academy.
As a result, the teleportation facility is located near the royal palace, unlike Alvenheim. This means there’s no need for the hassle of going through customs, one can directly teleport to the palace.
Additionally, this matter will be handled in a trial format within the palace. I’ve heard that not only the involved parties but also numerous nobles will attend.
After all, it’s a significant issue when a princess of the realm has been struck. I expected this much, but I was surprised by what Rina said.
“There will be nobles defending you too. Notably, Count Camar.”
“Count Camar?”
“Yes. But it’s not for your sake, it’s to attack the royal family. It would be good if you could use that to your advantage, but it’s best to keep your mouth shut. You’re not experienced with this, and it shows on your face.”
I nodded at Rina’s words, not sure if they were advice or a warning. As she suggested, keeping silent might not be a bad idea.
Besides, this situation isn’t entirely against me since Hiriya also holds some blame. However, there’s something else that concerns me.
As I conversed with Rina, I glanced back. Behind us, Adelia and other bodyguards were following with disciplined steps. The bodyguards looked indifferent, but Adelia’s face seemed somewhat gloomy.
She probably thinks I’m suffering because of her. It’s obvious without needing to see.
‘There’s no need for her to worry.’
Even as we followed the guide to a private room, Adelia’s expression didn’t improve.
I too couldn’t relax and take in the royal palace, feeling stifled by the awkward atmosphere and unable to speak.
Despite the guide explaining things ahead, it all went in one ear and out the other. I was more worried about the guide recognizing Adelia.
‘No, they must have recognized her.’
The guide would know that the royal family treats Adelia as non-existent. So, even if they recognized her, they probably couldn’t acknowledge it openly.
Given the wrinkles on his face, it was clear the guide had extensive experience in the royal palace. In situations like this, it’s best to feign ignorance.
“Then, please enjoy your time here.”
Finally, we entered the guest room, and I found myself alone with Adelia. The room, befitting the royal palace, was lavishly decorated.
It wasn’t just a simple guest room, it had a bed and was almost like a bedroom. The room was more spacious than expected.
This indicated that the Kingdom of Ters was still treating me as a guest rather than a criminal.
While it was undeniable that I had slapped Hiriya, their treatment suggested they were willing to hear my side of the story.
Otherwise, it could simply be for show. Either way, royalty and nobles prioritize maintaining decorum.
However, the same nobles who treated Adelia poorly displayed a curious duality.
“…I’m sorry.”
As I marveled at the room, Adelia, who had been fidgeting behind me, spoke quietly.
When I turned around, puzzled, Adelia looked as if she was about to burst into tears.
She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, which made her look both endearing and pitiable.
“Sorry for what?”
“For causing all this… If it weren’t for me…”
Adelia, who had been bottling up her emotions for two weeks, began to sob. Her sky-blue eyes filled with tears.
She tried to hold back, but the tears streamed down her face, which she hurriedly wiped away.
On the outside, Adelia appeared strong, but inside, she was very fragile. She must have been tormenting herself with guilt the entire way here.
Adelia, with her fragile mental state, needed gentle handling, especially after breaking down.
“You don’t need to blame yourself. It’s not your fault at all, Noona. They were the ones who provoked first.”
“But…”
“There you go again, saying that. As I’ve told you many times, Noona, all you need to do is stay by my side. Should I give you a hug?”
“··· ···”
As I opened my arms and gently offered, the hesitant Adelia finally embraced me tightly. As I patted her back to reassure her, her sobbing gradually subsided.
She may look like a golden retriever, but her personality is extremely timid for her size. Perhaps that’s what makes her even cuter.
Knock knock knock
While I was comforting Adelia for a while, someone knocked on the door. As soon as the knock was heard, Adelia, who seemed to have calmed down, gently pulled away from my embrace. 𝔣𝖗𝔢𝖊𝔴𝖊𝔟𝔫𝔬𝖛𝔢𝖑.𝔠𝔬𝔪
At this time of day, except for Rina, there’s no one else who would visit. It’s certainly not likely to be Hiriya.
Adelia, knowing this, roughly wiped her tears and walked towards the door to open it.
“Ahem. Who is it?”
“Oh. Adelia Unnie? That sounds like Adelia Unnie’s voice.”
“Huh?”
The voice of a very young girl from outside reached us inside. Adelia also reacted with surprise as soon as she heard the voice.
Could it be someone they know? While Adelia was momentarily frozen, I quietly approached and asked the girl beyond the door.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Lara! But who is this speaking?”
“Lara?”
With a puzzled expression, I looked at Adelia, who identified herself as Lara. I’ve heard the name before, but I couldn’t remember who it was.
Seeing my expression, Adelia responded with a complex and subtle look, different from when she faced Hyria.
“…She’s my youngest sister. My much younger sister.”
“Unnie, open the door. I want to see your face, it’s been a long time.”
Lara’s whining from outside reached us inside. If we left her out there, it might attract attention, so it’s best to let her in for now. When I nodded in agreement, Adelia skillfully opened the door. As the door swung wide open, Lara appeared.
‘A doll?’
As soon as the door opened, an adorable doll-like figure appeared. She had sky-blue hair and sky-blue eyes, practically the symbols of the Ters royal family. Her bangs were cut straight across, and her long hair reached down to her waist, gleaming as if reflecting light.
Overall, she had finely detailed features, but her large eyes and chubby cheeks were the most noticeable. She was a girl who seemed to hold great promise for the future, and I couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Oh! Hello! I am Lara von Kurchers, the third princess of the Ters Kingdom!”
Lara, seemingly not expecting to see me, hurriedly greeted me as soon as she saw me. She grabbed the ends of her dress with both hands and bowed her head. Her voice was still high-pitched, indicating she hadn’t reached puberty yet. I returned her greeting with proper etiquette.
“Hello, Princess Lara. I am Isaac Ducker Michelle of the Minerva Empire. It is an honor to meet you, Princess.”
“I’m pleased to meet you too, Sir Isaac! But…”
After cheerfully greeting me, Lara looked back and forth between Adelia and me, tilting her head in confusion.
“Why are you with Adelia Unnie, Sir Isaac?”
“Um… someone might see us, so why don’t you come inside?”
Unlike the crown prince Laos and the princess Hiriya, Lara seemed to like Adelia. Come to think of it, even at the exhibition a year ago, Lara didn’t stay away from Adelia.
I remember she was stopped by Hiriya when she tried to run out. The memory was so vivid that it came back clearly. After checking once again if anyone was watching, I let Lara in. As she passed through the door, Lara bowed her head and expressed her thanks.
Her polite gesture made me wonder if she had been educated in the same household as Hiriya, who would have just ignored me and walked past.
“Unnie, have you been well?”
“Uh, yes… Have you been well too, Lara?”
“I’m about to enter the academy soon!”
“Is it already time for that?”
“In two years!”
“··· ···”
While I closed the door, Lara and Adelia started chatting. Unlike the awkward Adelia, Lara chatted away like a lark. It was only natural to question whether this girl was truly of the same royal lineage as Hiriya. Or perhaps Lara was completely unaware that Adelia was an illegitimate child.
I approached them, putting away my doubts one by one. As I got closer, the chattering Lara mentioned me.
“But Unnie, what’s your relationship with Sir Isaac? I heard from my brother that you decided to live in the Empire…”
“Dame Cross is currently serving as my personal maid, Princess. She is also acting as a bodyguard.”
“Ah, I see.”
Lara quickly accepted my explanation. She didn’t seem to mind what Adelia was doing.
However, just because she accepted it didn’t mean she had no complaints.
“Then you should have at least written to me. I was waiting all this time. Is it so hard to write a letter, Unnie?”
“Well, uh… I’m sorry. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had the time to write.”
Adelia was at a loss, trying to deal with Lara’s complaints. It felt like watching an older sister who is busy with work and her much younger sibling waiting for her.
However, there was a slight falsehood in Adelia’s answer, as all her letters would have been blocked anyway. But Lara seemed completely unaware of this fact. In a cautious voice, I asked her a question.
“Excuse me, Princess Lara. Could you please tell me how old you are?”
“I’m 15 years old.”
“Understood.”
So she’s a much younger sibling. Being born late and receiving plenty of love must be why she has such a cheerful personality.
However, the remarkable thing is not just her bright and cheerful nature but the fact that she doesn’t avoid Adelia, despite her being an illegitimate child. Surely, she must have heard endless warnings to stay away from Adelia and not to associate with an illegitimate child.
With that thought, I glanced at Adelia and, in a very cautious voice, asked another question.
“Princess, do you know anything about Dame Cross’s birth?”
As soon as I asked, Lara blinked her large eyes and answered.
“You mean that Adell Unnie doesn’t have a mother? Or that she has a different mother?”
“··· ···”
Like her doll-like appearance, she innocently delivered a harsh truth. Adelia looked at Lara with a bewildered expression, more surprised than angry.
Although I wasn’t sure what she had heard, her way of answering indicated that she had some understanding of Adelia’s background.
Meanwhile, Lara stood beside Adelia, grabbing her hem, and spoke in her distinct, clear voice.
“What does it matter? I just like you, Unnie.”
“Then haven’t you heard strange things from your other siblings?”
“I’ve heard that I shouldn’t get close to Adelia Unnie. I don’t understand why. Adelia Unnie is such a good person. Even if she has a different mother, she has the same father, right?”
“Uh… um…”
Her logic left me dumbfounded.
I wasn’t sure if it was because she was still only 15 and lacked discernment, or if she simply had a more enlightened perspective compared to others.
However, upon further thought, it was clear that Lara was an exception. Unlike the other Ters royals who either openly treated Adelia as a scapegoat or ignored her, Lara didn’t seem to mind.
Lara was the conscience of the Ters royal family. That was my first impression of her, which allowed me to feel relieved.
“Princess Lara, what do you like about Dame Cross?”
“I just like her! Where else can you find someone as pretty and kind as Unnie? Oh, please don’t tell my other siblings. I’ll get scolded.”
“I see. Then you must have been very disappointed when Dame Cross left.”
“Yes, but I’m glad I can see her face like this now!”
The more I talked with Lara, the more Adelia’s face lit up with happiness. No matter how old she got, to an older sister, her younger sibling would always be a child.
Perhaps the reason Adelia could endure her hellish life in the palace was because of Lara’s presence. Lara didn’t care about Adelia’s birth and only saw the person she was, making her an angel.
‘But does Lara not know why I’m here?’
By previous life standards, 15 years old is a teenage and protected age, but this world is different.
People have different personalities, but even at 15, they know what they need to know and develop a sense of awareness during puberty.
Just as Rina and Marie had been involved in social circles and entered the political world from a young age, Lara likely followed a similar path. However, judging by her current behavior, she seemed to be nothing more than a naive young girl.
Being a much younger daughter, she was likely raised with great care and affection, making her unaware of the outside world’s harsh realities.
“Sir Isaac, how long do you plan to stay in the Ters Kingdom? I hope you can stay for a long time…”
“Do you want to spend time with Dame Cross?”
“Oh, was I too obvious? Yes! I want to be with Unnie!”
“Well… to be honest, I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying.”
I truly don’t know, as there is a plan to confront them with a sharp dispute. It’s uncertain if they’ll believe I brought the original manuscript, and I have no idea how the trial will proceed. They might drag things out with absurd excuses to wear me down. Predicting anything is difficult.
“Oh no. Does that mean you could leave as early as tomorrow?”
“It’s uncertain, but it’s possible.”
“I see. It can’t be helped then. I’ll just have to play with Adelia Unnie until then.”
“Ha ha.”
Lara’s cute determination made me smile naturally. I wished other royals and nobles had such a conscience.
Of course, it didn’t take long to realize that was a futile hope.
“How dare you strike the noble face of the princess! He must be executed immediately!”
“Indeed! What was he thinking, not even inheriting a title yet!”
“Seeing that scoundrel, I can understand the lack of dignity in the Minerva Empire.”
I haven’t even said a word yet, you bastards.
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