Ch.97Rose (9)

“I behold the exalted sun of the Empire.”

A respectful gesture accompanies the greeting.

Between each carefully articulated sentence lies a description of the man before me.

Familiar-colored hair flutters in the wind.

Leaf-like green eyes quietly look down at me.

‘Balkaros Lantana von Staufen.’

Does he need so many titles?

Emperor.

The one and only sun of the Staufen Empire.

The biological father of the unfortunate princesses, and the very person who imprisoned the cursed rose on a distant star.

I was standing before a cold heart.

‘Why is this person…’

Why is he here?

A sudden appearance.

While chewing on the question hanging at the end of my sentence, I waited for a response to my greeting.

Soon, the Emperor parts his lips with a gentle resonance.

“So it’s you. The new physician assigned to the Second Princess.”

A voice devoid of even a hint of vitality.

Only a cold breeze brushes against my neck.

Perhaps it was his meaningful tone.

Even though we hadn’t exchanged much yet, I instinctively knew that he was aware of everything.

Otherwise, he couldn’t be this composed.

‘Has he… known from the beginning?’

I swallow quietly to myself.

Originally, I wasn’t supposed to be here.

Since the matter of the rose was classified by the Emperor himself, this wasn’t a place where outsiders could freely enter.

That’s why access to the separate palace had been strictly controlled until now.

I had managed to enter with Charlotte’s help, but even that felt like sneaking in rather than following proper procedures.

‘In short.’

I was in a position that would be troublesome if discovered.

For this reason, I had been cautious, but it seems the sun’s eyes couldn’t be deceived.

Balkaros was already aware of my existence.

As I turn thoughts over in my head amid the silence, the middle-aged voice rings in my ears again.

“You may rise now.”

Permission to straighten my kneeling posture.

I bow my head once, then slowly rise from my lowered position.

Our gazes meet briefly.

“Young Lord Snakus.”

“Your Majesty.”

“I believe this is the first time we’re meeting face to face.”

“I didn’t expect Your Majesty to recognize me. I consider it an honor that will long remain in my family’s history.”

“When a guest visits one’s home, isn’t it proper for the host to welcome them? Even if they happen to be an uninvited visitor.”

“…So you did know.”

“Yes. I knew from the beginning.”

As expected.

The Emperor seemed to have already grasped the situation.

Even though I had followed the princess, I had still intruded into a forbidden area, so I added words of apology belatedly.

My expression remained solemn, without even the slightest smile.

“I am deeply sorry.”

“No need to bow your head. You were merely responding to the First Princess’s request, weren’t you? She has occasionally brought physicians to look after the Second Princess.”

Princess, or she.

Despite clearly referring to his child, the title was unbearably rigid.

His excessively cold tone added to the winter atmosphere.

As I feel the icy air…

The image of the Emperor as portrayed in the original work briefly comes to mind.

‘Well…’

He wasn’t a character whose story was elaborated on in detail.

Rather, information about the Emperor could only be inferred through episodes involving the princesses.

It was once a main point of speculation.

Balkaros.

A cold-blooded man who shows affection for nothing in this world.

In his mind exists only a scale that weighs practical benefits, and he extremely abhors being swayed by personal emotions.

No wonder his nickname in the original work was “Cold Heart.”

[Category: Free Board]

[Title: No matter how you look at it, the Emperor is the root of all evil in the Rose arc]

Seriously, there’s no excuse for this bastard

He neglected his only flesh and blood, his daughters, from childhood

Never easily showed his face to them

And if that wasn’t enough, when the 2nd Princess fell ill, he immediately exiled the 8-year-old child to Albano

In the end, the family was ruined

The once-good sisterly relationship was destroyed

Elise spent over 10 years battling illness in loneliness, falling into various mental disorders and self-harm addiction, and ultimately chose to end her life before her time was up

Charlotte was left traumatized by this, resulting in diminished social skills

In the story

If the Headmaster is the pinnacle of incompetence

This Emperor bastard is the pinnacle of hatred

[He truly is the epitome of a bastard]

-> Even beasts care for their offspring

-> Reading the side stories makes my hatred for the Emperor boil over

[Judas had good reason to destroy the Empire]

-> Now we’ve got Kyaru defenders popping up

-> Destruction? It’s “normalization,” isn’t it?

-> Great Judas

-> JOAT… Not particularly missed

[Headmaster vs Emperor]

-> A battle of unlikable characters where it’s impossible to pick a winner

-> Incompetent Prophet vs Hateful Supreme Leader OMG

-> Isn’t incompetence better at least?

-> No, the Emperor is better. Later on he provides military support and other help.

-> Meanwhile our Prophet has nothing to offer

[Emperor becomes cute after meeting Judas]

-> Shut up

-> Why are the arrows coming at me again?

-> Holy shit… so cool… lol

-> Here we go again with the weird jokes

I remember that his reputation among players wasn’t very good.

Though he wasn’t exactly portrayed as a villain, he was not only indifferent to his own flesh and blood, the princesses, to the point of neglect, but he even went so far as to imprison the cursed Elise in the separate palace.

Since this served as one axis of the tragic story, public opinion couldn’t possibly be favorable.

He even proudly ranked in the bottom tier in a popularity poll once held.

‘I disliked him too.’

Even I didn’t like him.

When I was producing videos for the Rose episode, I included insults about him several times.

The term “hateful emperor” was deeply ingrained.

But now.

‘What is this…?’

I couldn’t hide my confusion.

Something that had been bothering me all along. I finally found the reason for that sense of incongruity.

My gaze fixes on Balkaros standing opposite me.

“I’ve heard the news. There are signs of recovery, which is unusual?”

“Yes… that’s correct.”

“I stopped by to check on it myself.”

“……”

No.

How could this be possible?

Based on what was shown in the original work, this was impossible.

Balkaros was completely indifferent to the princesses.

It wasn’t that he hated them or wasn’t interested—it was as if they truly didn’t exist in his life.

To the point where one might wonder if he had forgotten he even had children.

As I mentioned earlier, while this wasn’t explicitly detailed, it could be inferred from fragmentary parts throughout the story.

Especially in Elise’s flashbacks, similar mentions were frequently scattered.

‘What kind of whim is this?’

My head filled with question marks.

As I wear a puzzled expression for a moment, the middle-aged voice continues with an explanation.

His unchangingly wintry resonance seems coated with frost.

“No need to be so tense. This truly is a visit without any ulterior motive.”

“I apologize. I was momentarily surprised.”

Surprised by what?

I didn’t commit the rudeness of voicing the reason.

It was a question involving the Second Princess, who was a disgrace the royal family needed to hide, a bloodline they had all but discarded.

I simply swallowed my thoughts in tight-lipped silence.

Perhaps reading the atmosphere vaguely, Balkaros slightly turns his head.

A brief silence follows.

Whoosh—

Only the night breeze erases the void.

The Emperor, frozen with lifeless eyes, casually shifts the conversation after a short while.

It was as pointed as an awl.

“Recovery… I heard that curse was incurable.”

“By conventional methods, yes.”

“Are you saying it’s possible through unconventional methods?”

“It’s difficult to say with certainty. However, I can tell you that we are in the process of attempting it.”

“Should I call it audacity? Using a princess of the nation as an experimental subject.”

“……”

Well, that’s true, but…

Aren’t you the last person who should be saying that…?

Is he deliberately trying to find fault? Otherwise, he wouldn’t mention the rose with his own mouth.

I carefully maintain my furrowed brow.

“I apologize.”

“Well… it doesn’t matter.”

He was a difficult person to understand.

If I were to compare him to someone… yes, similar to Charlotte.

There was a strange feeling that he existed in a different world all by himself.

“So.”

Green eyes glance at me.

They resemble rose leaves, but unlike hers, the color is withered.

“Can you really do it? The treatment.”

A question.

My answer is predetermined.

“I believe there is sufficient possibility.”

“Hmm… overflowing confidence.”

“An incurable disease doesn’t refer to something that can never be cured. It simply means the solution for treatment hasn’t been discovered yet.”

“It sounds as if you have that solution in your hands.”

“You may interpret it as you wish. Only time will provide the answer soon enough.”

“An interesting proposition.”

Balkaros nods.

Perhaps intrigued by my bold attitude, a light flashes across his characteristically empty pupils.

He was an adult, frozen and refrozen until he had shattered.

“It sounds like a dream.”

Is he still half-skeptical?

Normally, he would have dismissed it as nonsense, but having heard the news of actual recovery, he seemed confused.

An expression that suggested he was wondering which part to dismiss as absurd.

“…I hope that bravado turns out to be true.”

“Pardon?”

“If so, I could even hand over this entire empire to you.”

“That’s quite an excessive joke, Your Majesty.”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

“……”

I could only close my mouth.

The Emperor I was seeing in person differed from the image I had known since my previous life.

The overall atmosphere was as I remembered, but…

There were slight discrepancies in his reactions, attitude, and gaze.

‘He hopes my bravado turns out to be true?’

Doesn’t that sound like…

Like he’s hoping for a miracle to cure Elise’s illness.

Like he’s hoping the rose’s curse will be lifted.

The person I know isn’t at all the kind of man who would feel that way.

As I chew over these complicated thoughts, Balkaros, who had been standing quietly, turns his back.

It seemed he was about to leave.

“I should be going now.”

“Didn’t you come to see Princess Elise?”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“I look forward to seeing you on the next occasion.”

“Well… I’d prefer not to meet again if possible.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m leaving.”

Before the conversation could properly conclude.

The Emperor departs first.

Watching his back as he leaves the garden, various idle thoughts fill a section of my mind completely.

I mutter these thoughts to myself as if unraveling them.

‘I didn’t expect this.’

Could there be a backstory I don’t know about?

Contents beyond the Emperor that weren’t revealed in the original work.

I find myself smiling without realizing it.

“Ha.”

This truly was an interesting world.

I thought I knew everything, but when I actually approach, something completely different awaits.

Unknown things hide everywhere, waiting for me.

When ignorance is so full of vitality, how could I consider this world false?

Every scent that brushes my nose is genuine.

‘But.’

On the other hand, because of that…

I couldn’t treat everything carelessly.

When the time comes to leave before long, I would need to wither away without leaving scars on the things I loved.

Only keeping the scars from rose thorns on my fingertips.

After briefly savoring the lingering feeling, I take a step.

It was the path to my sleeping quarters.

‘Before bed… maybe I should check on her condition.’

Elise, who hadn’t been feeling well for the past few days.

Remembering that her pain worsens at night, I quietly made my way to the room where the rose stays.

As I freely traverse the cool air…

Before long, my feet reach the door at the end of the corridor.

“……”

A slightly open gap.

Through that space, a faint light leaks out.

A brightness that might come from just two or three candles.

Despite the time already passing into dawn, is the rose in the greenhouse unable to sleep?

I slowly open the closed door and enter the room.

“Haa, haa…”

Just as I step onto the soft carpet.

What I hear is the sound of breathing.

Respiration mixed with pitiful moans, as if suffering from pain.

“Ugh… urgh.”

The rose was not lying in bed.

Instead, she was sitting in the middle of the room, her body tightly curled up.

Shoulders trembling with each rough breath.

The red-haired girl seemed to be focused on something.

‘This is.’

I couldn’t help but harden my expression.

As a pungent smell brushes my nose, red traces fallen on the floor come into view.

What filled the room faintly was none other than the scent of blood.

“…hic.”

Tears dripping down.

Following the transparent drops, red spots originating from her wrist stain the carpet.

Through wounds that seem cleanly cut, countless roses bloom.

Despite already being covered in red petals, the girl moves her hand as if still unsatisfied.

At her fingertips hangs a pocket knife soaked with flower-like blood.

Rustle—

The bandage she had undone stretches out long.

The fabric that had been pure white just hours ago had forgotten the concept of regeneration and was now soiled with violence and wetness.

What remained at the end was only a thirst for self-destruction.

“Haaugh… ugh.”

Scratch, scratch—

The rose adding wound upon wound in a daze.

The girl, unable to even recognize another’s presence, was blankly spewing only blood and tears.

There is no vitality in her blinking eyelids.

The leaf-like green pupils seemed to be withering black.

“Your Highness.”

Despite my soft call, the rose continues to cry and self-harm.

She seemed unable to hear any other words.

I approach closer to the girl.

And then.

Grab!

I embrace her fragile body from behind.

At the same time, I silently grasp her wrist, which is becoming a mess.

“Ugh…! Urgh!”

Sudden restraint.

Though she struggles as if startled, the arm constraining the girl doesn’t show even the slightest tremor.

I calm her while holding the warm presence in my arms.

Bringing my lips close to her snow-white ear as if to kiss it, I whisper reassurance several times in a calm voice.

I also don’t forget to stroke her head with my hand.

“Shh… it’s alright.”

“Hic, ugh.”

“Everything is fine. Because I’m here beside you…”

And so.

The two people take a rest for a while, until the intense atmosphere subsides.

Melting into the lukewarm warmth.