Chapter 20
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Chapter 20
Crown Prince Kiaros finally met with the Emperor that night.
The Emperor appeared somewhat weary, yet not exhausted.
"Kiaros, how is your body? Are you well?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Crown Prince Kiaros spoke with proper courtesy.
"According to the Royal Physician, in just a few days there should be no problem using my arm."
At that, the Emperor let out a hearty laugh and waved his hand.
"No, not your arm. I meant you."
Only then did Crown Prince Kiaros realize the Emperor had been asking about his Dark Period.
Crown Prince Kiaros spoke in a dejected voice.
"I am not well, Your Majesty. And... my heart is troubled. The moment I revealed my Dark Period myself, this incident occurred."
"Ha ha, but you gained something from it, did you not?"
The Emperor spoke with his characteristic kindness.
"Had you not been attacked, we would have returned to the Capital without ever knowing of a group conducting such horrific experiments on monsters."
"Ah..."
"Experiments on monsters... how fortunate that we were able to stop it."
In the process of detonating their base, the Emperor himself had injured his leg and bled considerably, yet he remained composed as befitted an Emperor.
"The Dark Period... it must be frustrating and agonizing. My Dark Period came when I was twelve, and I still vividly remember that sensation of having my limbs severed. I suspect I shall never forget it for as long as I live."
The Emperor gently patted Crown Prince Kiaros's hand.
"Even when misfortune strikes, there are things to be gained. In the long view, you may even come to feel grateful for them."
"Ah..."
"When you come to understand how the world works, you become humble about life. Though such words may be difficult for you to grasp now."
The Emperor was a man incomparably strong compared to anyone else. Yet in his ordinary demeanor, he was gentle beyond measure to all.
He continued speaking with affection.
"Now then, shall we return to the Capital? It is time we began to consider your betrothed..."
Crown Prince Kiaros blinked slowly.
Traditionally, the Empress presided over the Crown Prince's betrothal. However, his biological mother—the Late Empress—had died giving birth to him.
Even now that Crown Prince Kiaros had reached ten years of age, the position of Empress remained vacant.
The affectionate Emperor seemed intent on personally overseeing Crown Prince Kiaros's betrothal.
"Is there perhaps a girl you have taken notice of? Anyone is acceptable, so speak freely and honestly."
Crown Prince Kiaros understood the reason the Emperor spoke this way.
The Emperor had been betrothed to Crown Prince Kiaros's biological mother at around his current age.
She was a princess from a distant foreign land. It was said they saw each other's faces for the first time on their wedding day.
"Truly, anyone is acceptable."
Yet before his marriage, the Emperor had harbored feelings for a woman for a long time.
He had been forced to abandon those feelings because of the betrothal made in his childhood.
"If you wish to delay further, that is also acceptable. I merely mention it because the time has come—do not burden yourself with this."
The records contained many accounts of the Emperor demanding an annulment and expressing his desire to marry the woman he loved.
But the woman the Emperor had given his heart to was a commoner orphan and a knight of mercenary origin. For this reason, the Imperial Family's opposition had been severe.
The Emperor had mentioned in passing several times that he hoped Crown Prince Kiaros would have a marriage filled with love.
"Ah.... Your Majesty, the truth is...."
Until recently, I would have answered, "There's nothing in particular, so let's proceed according to precedent."
But now Crown Prince Kiaros could no longer give such an answer.
Somehow, I had become bound by a promise.
Seeing Crown Prince Kiaros hesitate, the Emperor's eyes gleamed.
"...There is someone."
The Emperor's mouth began to open slowly.
"There's a woman, there is one.... Honestly, I thought there wasn't, but parents don't know everything about their children, do they?"
The Emperor spoke with his characteristic gentle laugh.
"I thought you'd say, 'There's nothing in particular, so let's proceed according to precedent, Your Majesty.' But here you are—a mere ten-year-old with barely a drop of blood shed, and you've already taken an interest in women."
"Your M-Majesty! But you told me to speak freely first!"
Crown Prince Kiaros cried out in panic without realizing it. The Emperor answered affectionately.
"Still, I never expected to be caught like this. Your father finds this absolutely hilarious. I'm restraining myself now out of consideration for your embarrassment, but once I return to my chambers, I plan to laugh until my sides split."
Laughter danced in the Emperor's eyes as he gazed at Crown Prince Kiaros.
"At your age, I didn't even understand what a betrothal meant.... Children these days truly mature quickly."
"Your M-Majesty! That's n-not what I m-meant!"
"In any case, who is this girl? If you don't tell me, your father will lose sleep tonight out of curiosity, and the effects of insomnia will plague my already weary and ailing body, leaving me bedridden tomorrow. So, who is she?"
Faced with the Emperor's gentle and soft words, Crown Prince Kiaros felt more flustered than ever. I muttered in a half-dazed state.
"That... the Mystery Girl who saved my life yesterday... and that Mystery Girl...."
But what was I supposed to say?
That the Mystery Girl said she wanted to marry a rich man, and it seems that man is me?
As Crown Prince Kiaros fell into thought and rolled his eyes, the Emperor laughed softly.
"Ah, a spoiled little brat who acted as though the whole world belonged to him, tasting life's bitterness for the first time, and then—like fate itself—a savior appears.... Yes. A beautiful narrative. One could easily fall for her at first sight."
"Your Majesty, it's not love at first sight.... I haven't even seen a single strand of her hair!"
"Is that so? Our son doesn't judge by appearances. You're just like me."
Crown Prince Kiaros tried to object but simply closed his mouth.
After all, this matter would be resolved once I found that girl.
She might refuse to marry me. So there was no need to pile on more words.
'Once I find her... things will work themselves out somehow. Once I find her.'
So Crown Prince Kiaros spoke with slumped shoulders.
"So, Your Majesty, until I find that girl, could you please postpone my betrothal...?"
"Of course. I had no intention of pressuring you about marriage in the first place."
The Emperor patted Crown Prince Kiaros's shoulder gently with a compassionate smile.
Crown Prince Kiaros smiled brightly at the Emperor.
A father who cherished even the child born of a woman he did not love—the strongest and most tender father in the world.
I too had something I wanted to say to that father.
"Then, Your Majesty, please don't worry and remarry."
"...What?"
"I mean Lady Fron."
"You... you... what...?"
His longtime guard, gravely wounded while attempting to save him.
A towering female knight of remarkable skill, though her movements would never again match their former grace—a warrior whose days as a knight were, in essence, behind her.
A commoner orphan turned mercenary knight, whom the Emperor had long harbored in his heart.
The Emperor had naturally concealed this fact from Crown Prince Kiaros.
Yet the rumors of the Imperial Palace could not be suppressed. Kiaros had already pieced together various clues and discerned the truth.
"I am well, Your Majesty. Truly."
The Emperor's expression betrayed rare bewilderment.
Kiaros swallowed the words: 'I am not so starved for women that I would fall head over heels for a girl I've never properly seen or spoken with.' Instead, he spoke gently to ease his father's mind.
He chose his words with care.
"Father protects my first love, after all. So I must protect Father's first love as well."
In truth, he didn't quite think of her as his first love...
But he wanted to ease his father's heart.
That was the moment his first love became official.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org