Chapter 83 : Overseas Travel (4)
by fnovelpia
Rose was mingled among the crowd gathered to witness the emperor’s coronation.
‘…If things were as they used to be, I would have been watching from the closest seat.’
Having lived for countless years, Rose had served many emperors.
Some were wise rulers, while others were tyrants.
‘The last emperor was a foolish tyrant.’
A ruler who was endlessly manipulated by himself, consumed by the stars.
The emperors before him had listened to the words of his star-consumed self only halfway, rejecting them if they seemed unwise.
The star had not revealed itself yet, seemingly waiting for the right time, so it had not opposed the commands of those previous emperors.
“…Uuugh…!!”
“Excuse me, your baby is crying.”
“…Ah, I’m sorry…”
Lost in thought, Rose was startled and quickly soothed Ga-eul.
“…Oh my dear son, there, there!”
“Waaah…!”
“…There, there.”
Never in her life did Rose imagine she would end up raising a baby.
But perhaps because she had given birth before, she could at least tell what Ga-eul needed.
“Don’t tell me… you’re hungry?”
Feeling a chill run down her spine, Rose began scanning her surroundings for a place to hide.
‘…I’d rather you just pooped instead!’
Hurriedly, she found a secluded corner.
“…Sorry, sorry, you must be really hungry.”
Once again, Rose fed Ga-eul and then sank into deep contemplation.
“Haaah…”
“Heehee. Ummaaa…”
“Yes, yes, I’m your mom. Let’s burp now, burp.”
Even when hit with the weight of reality, there were still things she needed to do.
She patted Ga-eul’s back as he started babbling.
After letting out a satisfying burp, Ga-eul snuggled into Rose’s embrace, looking as if he were the most precious thing in the world.
“Ugh, so exhausting.”
“Heehee.”
“You like it? What’s so funny?”
“Umma… Uuumma!”
As Ga-eul giggled and reached out his tiny hands to grasp at the air, Rose smiled warmly.
“…My son, do you want to see that friend of yours?”
“Eh?”
“Hmm, well, watching the emperor’s coronation comfortably from here seems impossible anyway…”
Ga-eul sucked on his fingers, tilting his head in confusion.
“It’s a bit shameless, but should we ask to join in?”
“Eh!”
“Besides, we’re moving there after the coronation anyway. We might as well go together now.”
Taking out the magic staff she had hidden away, Rose tapped it lightly against the ground.
Suddenly, a bright sky-blue light enveloped them.
“…?”
“……?”
“Who are you, lady?”
In an instant, they had appeared inside a luxurious carriage, where three people sat with dazed expressions.
Rose took a seat beside the empty spot next to Albinus and smiled.
“Since you’re traveling across the empire, I thought you might need a guide.”
As Rose grinned mischievously, Erses shot her a cold, cutting remark.
“Get away from my husband, you bitch.”
“El?!”
“Honey, do you know this woman?”
At that powerful statement—
“Waaahhhh!!”
Ga-eul burst into tears.
Well, this was a bit unexpected.
Suddenly, a flash of light flickered inside our carriage, and an unfamiliar woman holding a baby appeared, taking a seat next to my father.
Despite my presence, my mother, with a cold expression, let out a curse.
“…Ahem, sorry. I got a little carried away.”
Perhaps realizing her mistake, my mother moved seats and then politely apologized.
The woman showed no change in expression, simply smiling brightly.
“Wow~ Dragons really are scary.”
“…Has your tone changed a bit?”
“Well, raising a kid does that to you.”
The woman grinned mischievously, while my father simply stared at her with an unreadable expression.
Watching this, my mother leaned toward me and whispered about how cool my father looked when he was expressionless.
“Can I tag along? I don’t think I’ll be able to see the coronation properly from here.”
“…But this is our family trip…”
I mumbled, and the woman glanced at me with interest.
“Sorry about that.”
“…It’s okay.”
I didn’t know who this woman was, but since my father seemed to be acquainted with her, I couldn’t really object.
It was just a little disappointing.
Then again, we had already arrived in the empire, so I could just think of it as a tour guide joining us.
“Minho, El. I don’t know exactly what kind of Apostle she is, but she’s an Apostle nonetheless. Your name…?”
“Rose, Your Majesty.”
The woman smiled brightly.
“Ah, Apostle Rose. You helped treat the beastmen, didn’t you?”
“Really?”
That’s impressive.
Wait, do I call her an aunt…?
She seems too young to be called that.
“You’re an amazing lady!”
“Thanks~”
Apostle Rose ruffled my hair.
As I bowed my head under her touch, my eyes met those of the baby in her arms.
A tiny, adorable baby staring straight at me.
“A baby…?”
“Oh, do you want to say hello? He’s my son.”
“Aha…”
Smiling, I greeted the baby.
“Nio…”
“Hm?”
“Hehehe.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but he babbled at me before giggling joyfully.
Finding him unbearably cute, I kept watching him.
Then Apostle Rose spoke with a grin.
“Want to hold him?”
“…Yes!”
Feeling slightly nervous, I carefully took the baby into my arms.
He laughed brightly, as if delighted to be held.
“Wow…”
“Human babies are adorable.”
My mother had come closer, smiling as she watched with me.
She loves cute things, so she must have taken a liking to this child too.
“He’s going to be really handsome when he grows up.”
“Fufu, thank you.”
Apostle Rose smiled leisurely and took her baby back.
‘…What was that?’
For a moment, I felt a strange, nostalgic feeling in my chest.
A vague sense of déjà vu, like I had experienced something like this before.
But without knowing why, I could only feel confused.
‘Was the baby just too cute?’
I convinced myself that I was simply sad to part with such an adorable child.
“How old is he?”
My father, still expressionless, asked Apostle Rose.
“Can’t you tell? He hasn’t even had his first birthday yet. Hmm… Today makes exactly two months.”
Apostle Rose hugged her baby tightly, looking as if she were the happiest person in the world.
I wondered where the child’s father was but held my tongue, assuming there must be a story behind it.
Besides, asking would be rude.
Wait… he’s the same age as me?!
“…Huh? He’s my age—”
I muttered in shock, and my mother chuckled before patting my head.
“You just realized?”
Feeling embarrassed, I simply nodded.
The fact that I was the same age as that baby made me realize how dragons might perceive me.
“Are you going to accept the professor position?”
“Of course.”
“There’s another Apostle there, so you’ll probably get along well.”
“I see.”
So she’s planning to become a professor.
An academy professor—the dream position of all mages.
‘If I enroll in the academy later, I might end up taking classes with her.’
‘…It’d be nice if that kid came along too.’
As I watched the baby and thought about it, our carriage had already arrived at the massive gates of the empire.
“Stop! Stop! Identity verific—ugh! Dr-Drago—cough!”
“You idiot! Can’t you tell it’s a dragon’s carriage?! Get lost already!”
“Y-Yes, sir!!”
I could see a knight running toward us, shouting for us to stop, only to get smacked on the head by what seemed to be his senior.
The knight who had hit him quickly ran up to our carriage.
“Y-You may pass!!”
“…Be more careful next time.”
“Th-Thank you for your mercy!!!”
As my father opened the window and spoke in a displeased tone, the knight bowed at a 90-degree angle, expressing his gratitude.
‘…My dad is so cool.’
Even though dragons remain neutral, I could now clearly sense their standing in the world, and I silently applauded.
“Dragons really are scary~”
“Oh, don’t worry. Albi’s just like this.”
As the two mothers chuckled and chatted, my father let out an awkward cough.
“…It’s a matter of dragon pride.”
“Why are you acting so stiff, Albi?”
“Because we’re in front of humans.”
It seemed like he was deliberately acting dignified in front of humans.
Such pride… no, such a fine example of a dragon.
“The empire has changed a lot.”
“…Indeed.”
Apostle Rose nodded at my father’s words, but her expression looked somewhat bitter.
Almost as if she carried a sense of guilt.
On the streets, a crowd of people had gathered, staring at our carriage.
They must have recognized it as a carriage from the Dragon Kingdom.
Some were even keeping their distance.
“It looks like people are afraid.”
As I curiously observed the outside and spoke, my mother responded.
“We are dragons, after all. Humans are fragile, so it’s only natural for them to fear us.”
That made sense.
The only reason I wasn’t scared was that I was a dragon myself.
If I had been reborn as a human, I might have fainted at the sight of a dragon.
Thinking about that, I climbed onto my mother’s lap.
The empire’s scenery constantly shifted before my eyes.
People in suits, others in eastern-style clothing, and some in modern outfits.
An elf in a suit and another elf in filthy rags.
Dwarves shackled and hammering away, unable to leave their workplaces.
Former citizens of the Holy Kingdom being persecuted as heretics.
Behind the crowd admiring our carriage, such scenes unfolded.
A glimpse into the empire’s hypocrisy.
‘Even among the same species, there are nobles and slaves. And those from former nations are oppressed…’
The empire resembled a typical medieval society.
And I wasn’t the only one frowning at the sight.
“You don’t look too pleased,” my mother asked.
Apostle Rose let out a deep sigh.
“…It’s just sad to see how the empire has deteriorated.”
Her smile carried a bitter edge.
She genuinely seemed heartbroken over the empire’s decline.
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