Chapter 34: Audience

Having started working in a Maid uniform, it has already been a week.

“Ria, you’re working hard again today. Here, have some candy.”

“Okay! Thank you!”

I was living, receiving love from the maids.

It had already been a long time since my pockets were filled to bursting with snacks given by the maids and butlers. I only knew fruit as something sweet… I can’t resist this intense sweetness that feels like a brain strike called sugar…

Living here for a week, I realized many things.

First of all, Chloe. This woman is scary.

The moment you call Yudith by her name, she glares with eyes that could devour an elf.

She introduces Yudith as ‘my Milady’ without a shred of embarrassment. Chloe, who smiles every time she does that, is simply a figure of terror.

And Yudith…

It seems like this life has been a success. She has risen to the high position of Grand Duchess and is now going to meet the human Emperor. I can only trust that she kept her promise with Jim.

“Ria, aren’t you tired? Shall we take a break?”

“Okay, let’s do that.”

Chloe was an angel as long as you didn’t touch that, so it was something Jim could handle if he was careful.

At first, she bombarded me with questions like how I knew the scent and where I met her, but… when I explained, she understood everything. She only asked about the scent of Magical power, and I lied about meeting her in the Black Forest. It would be troublesome if it became known that we live beyond the edge of the world that humans call it.

Chloe, who had secretly entered my room, plopped down on the bed, took out candy from her pocket, and poured it onto Jim’s hand. When I turned my head to look at her face, she gave me permission to eat it with a smiling expression.

Indeed, Chloe is a kind human!!

“There’s only about a week left… I wonder if she’s coming by now?”

“Huh?”

“Milady, I mean.”

As if Yudith was about to arrive soon, Chloe looked out the window with a mournful expression. I don’t know what their relationship is, but it was clear that it wasn’t a shallow one.

I unwrapped a piece of candy, put it in my mouth, rolled it around, and looked at Chloe, who was blankly staring out the window next to me.

Unlike back then, I felt strangely proud of Yudith’s situation, who had made someone who would wait for her.

When I went to find her back then, it was already too late. The continent had already transformed into a gray world, and it felt like it would crumble into ashes at any moment.

At the very end, there was Yudith, exhausted from crying and collapsed.

Since Jim’s purpose and her wish coincided to some extent, I entrusted her with Jim’s purpose and used the root of the World Tree.

It took eight years to accept that information and bear fruit, but… if she has risen to such a high position, she must have kept her promise with Jim.

It’s definitely true, right…? Right?

I arrived at the Imperial Palace and was on my way to have an audience with the Emperor.

Since the Emperor is not a Wizard, all Wizards entering the Imperial Palace wear Magic Sealing Shackles to block Wizard terrorism.

Of course… even I, as the Grand Duchess, was no exception.

The feeling of the shackles on my coldly constricting wrists, the feeling of my Magical power circulation being blocked, making it feel like I was suffocating, reminded me of the past.

Seeing my inevitably frowning face, Damian whispered.

“Please, just don’t say anything and just bow your head. I’ll take care of the big stuff. Just answer what they ask.”

“I know…”

How many times has Damian said this nagging? I strongly felt like sewing up Damian’s mouth, who kept repeating the same words after arriving.

-Step, step

A Wizard wearing shackles, just like me, walked out from afar. Blond hair and red eyes. An elderly Wizard. Eight years had passed, but I couldn’t properly manage my expression at the familiar appearance that hadn’t changed.

‘…Why is he coming out from here?’

Damian also muttered, ‘Why is that human here?’

My Father. Count Sergia was walking down the corridor of the Imperial Palace. Count Sergia hadn’t seemed to be looking for me since then, but…

Seeing me as I am now… will he recognize me?

-Step

-Step

With the slowly approaching distance, I swallowed hard due to the tension. This is why I didn’t want to come to places like the capital…

“I see… Grand Duke Edmund.”

“…It’s been a while, Count Sergia.”

Making a clanging sound, Damian grabbed Count Sergia’s hand, which was extended with shackles, and shook it.

“I hope you’ve been well… You haven’t visited the capital lately-”

“I’m sorry, but I’m busy right now, so let’s talk later.”

“…I was being insensitive. I apologize.”

“It’s alright. Good work.”

Damian, who was trying to pass by quickly, let go of the Count’s hand and hurried to meet the Emperor. The Count’s chilling gaze, passing by me, felt like it was scanning my body.

I can’t hear the sound of the shackles moving from behind. If he had moved, I should have heard a clanging sound… The fact that I can’t hear it means that he’s standing there, looking at us.

“…He’s a human we’ll never see again anyway. You’re not coming back to the capital anyway, are you?”

“That’s right…”

“So… stop worrying about it. Focus on what’s to come.”

“Okay…”

The unexpected encounter with the Count gave me a big shock. What was the Count doing around this time in my past life…? I can’t remember.

There are too many differences to compare the present and the past, which have already changed a lot.

While I was thinking about various things, I ended up arriving at the audience chamber. I took a deep breath and relaxed. Damian gestured to the knight standing next to the audience chamber, and the knight shouted loudly.

“His Highness Grand Duke Damian Edmund! Her Highness Grand Duchess Yudith Edmund requests an audience with His Majesty the Emperor!!”

At the knight’s shout, the doors of the large audience chamber began to open. In the distance, I could see the Emperor’s face sitting on a high chair.

Seeing the Emperor looking down at Damian and me with an annoyed expression, Damian couldn’t manage his expression and frowned deeply.

He told me to do it properly, but as soon as we entered, Damian was about to cause an accident.

I nudged Damian’s side with my elbow, and only then did Damian start managing his expression and slowly entered the audience chamber.

I sighed softly and said a word to boost Damian’s motivation.

“If you do well here, I’ll grant you one wish, Damian.”

“…Finally, I get to hear you call me Father, I see.”

“Except for that.”

I was going to dig a mine with Magic, but he’s talking about being a Father.

The large audience chamber doors slowly began to close. At the Emperor’s gesture visible in the distance, Damian slowly began to move his feet.

The closer he got, the worse Damian’s expression became. The story with the Imperial Family that he hadn’t told me for eight years. What on earth is going on that…

He’s making such a sad expression that he’s never made in eight years.

The audience ended absurdly easily.

I didn’t say a word, just said my name, and it was over.

The Emperor didn’t seem to be very interested in Damian, who had created an heir. Damian, who was released more easily than expected, was dumbfounded and stared blankly out the window.

There is only one thing that annoys me…

“…Attend the Imperial-hosted ball in two days?”

“Well, it’s not a bad thing. It’s also an opportunity to build connections in the capital in case something happens…”

It’s because the Emperor requested that we attend the Imperial-hosted ball to be held in two days. At first, Damian tried to refuse, but…

‘…I refuse.’

‘You silently chose an heir and broke off the engagement with my daughter. Can’t you at least come to the ball? Anyway… that refusing personality…’

‘…I will attend.’

It was the first time I saw Damian so angry at that time, so it wasn’t an atmosphere where I could say I didn’t want to go. I told Chloe I’d be back within a month… If I leave right after the ball, will I be able to arrive just in time…?

Only a sigh came out. Damian’s expression continued to be bad. I also have secrets I can’t tell, so I have no intention of asking Damian to tell me about the past directly, but…

As if he felt my gaze, Damian looked out the window, smiled faintly, and waved his hand.

“Don’t worry about me, worry about yourself. You know you don’t have a dress, right? You know it’s going to be tight even if you order a ready-made one from now on.”

“Ah.”

“It’s going to be tight even if you go to the dress shop right now. Don’t say things like, ‘Can’t I just wear the dress I wore today again?’”

Damian, who cut me off, smiled mischievously. I only felt like a fool for worrying, and only a sigh came out.

“Okay… don’t worry…”

How can I not worry when he’s making such an uneasy expression? If I meet the Princess at the ball, I should carefully bring up Damian’s past story.

Come to think of it… what is the Princess doing with Erina right now? I should ask about that too.

I’m sorry to Chloe, but… she won’t say anything if I’m a day late, right?