episode_0221

Episode 221. Imperial Conference (6)

Afterward, Ariel had a conversation with Kyle. It was to decide what to do at tomorrow’s meeting through the evidence he had brought.

They reviewed and organized the content and made plans. After finishing his work, Kyle left Ariel’s room.

Ariel blankly watched him leave in the guise of a maid, and as his presence completely disappeared, she trudged to her bed.

“Aaaagh…!”

Then, she buried her face in the pillow and let out a scream mixed with self-loathing. The sound was so loud that it even caused the maid to be surprised and come in.

“What do I do, really….”

The embarrassing feelings continued, and her heart would not calm down. That state lasted for nearly 30 minutes. Even after barely organizing her thoughts, her red cheeks remained unchanged.

Who would have known? That he, a man, could imitate a woman so well.

However, there was also a slightly unfair aspect.

“That gaze, that behavior… he looked completely like a woman….”

Tears welling in his eyes, a voice filled with fear, trembling in the face of violence. An unforced naturalness that couldn’t be thought of as a man was evident in his words and actions.

There is a limit to doing your best in acting. How is that even possible?

That’s because men don’t know women, and women don’t know men. No matter how hard you study the other person and try to express them, there will be differences in the unconscious actions that come out.

In particular, Ariel knew those differences very well. She often saw them in the appearance of actors dressed as men and women when watching plays.

But Kyle was different.

“He was perfect. As if he had lived as a woman….”

An appearance in which the characteristics of a woman were perfectly infused. It is an appearance that can never be shown unless one is born and raised as a woman from the gender itself.

So, it was not unreasonable to really think of him as a woman along the way. Until he returned to his true form, he was a perfect woman, and her maid.

How is something like that even possible…?

“Ah, why am I….”

Suddenly, self-loathing rushes in for a different reason. She felt embarrassed because of the image she showed him, but now she feels embarrassed because of herself having these thoughts in the middle of the night.

“I want to erase my memories….”

Perhaps she will remember today’s events for the rest of her life, and they will come to mind every time she goes to sleep. And she might continue to feel similar emotions in the meantime.

But if you think about it well again.

“Building memories like this….”

Hmm, no. That’s too much of a stretch.

Ariel stopped talking in the middle and lay down on the bed. And she fell asleep for the meeting tomorrow.

“Ugh….”

It goes without saying, but Ariel couldn’t fall asleep easily.

***

Morning arrived. Bright sunlight streamed in through the window. Perhaps because it was summer, there wasn’t much of a chilly morning air.

“Kyle Arden, breakfast is ready.”

After a simple wash, the maid brings out breakfast. Since the meeting starts at noon, there was no need to rush. I spent time eating the breakfast that was brought.

It had been a while since I had received such treatment, so I enjoyed life in the Imperial Palace. When I was in the dormitory, I took care of almost everything myself. But the elated feeling didn’t last long.

“I’m bored….”

Life in the Imperial Palace is certainly comfortable and has many good points. However, I much prefer the dormitory, which allows for free activities and feels like a haven.

“I need to finish this quickly and go back.”

Above all, I miss Lana because I’m away from her. Of course, complaining on just the second day feels a bit much, but what does it matter if that’s how I feel.

Anyway, I left the room and took a walk. And when the clock pointed to 11 o’clock, I returned to my room to prepare to attend the Imperial Conference.

I headed to the conference hall on time, and just as I was almost there, I was able to meet Ariel walking from the opposite side of the hallway.

“Did you sleep well, Princess?”

“Oh, yes… I slept well….”

Ariel’s reaction was somehow strange. I don’t know why she turns her head and even avoids eye contact.

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no… there’s no problem….”

“Then why are you avoiding my eyes?”

“Well, that’s….”

Hmm, I really wonder why she’s acting like this. Of course, I could roughly guess the reason. Still, there was no need to reveal that we had met, so I turned it around slightly.

“It’s okay. People can make mistakes. From the Princess’s point of view….”

“N, no, it’s not like that!”

A voice that suddenly rises. Ariel realizes her mistake and hurriedly covers her mouth. I wondered if it was something to be so excited about, but when I thought of her appearance yesterday, I thought it was understandable to react so vehemently.

“Ariel. Your voice is full of energy today.”

At that time, a voice I had heard a few times cut in between us. When I turned my head, the Emperor’s first son, First Prince Kashan Tianis, was standing there.

I immediately greeted him.

“I greet the Prince.”

“Kyle, I wonder if you slept well last night. Ah, may I call you that?”

“Call me whatever the Prince is comfortable with.”

He is a member of the Imperial Family, and I am from the Arden family. There was no need to be unfriendly. In fact, in private settings, the Emperor and the head of Arden would treat each other comfortably.

“K, Kashan, what are you doing here….”

“Why, I came because of the meeting. More than that, it’s good to see you getting along well with him.”

“…Don’t tease me, Oppa.”

Ariel’s face flushed with embarrassment. Perhaps because of his younger sister’s rare appearance, a smile bloomed on his face. He has a very joyful face.

I knew very well why the First Prince was doing that.

Ariel was the youngest of the Imperial Family, and there was a 10-year age gap between them. So, as an older brother, all of his younger sibling’s, especially his younger sister’s, actions would be cute. Everything would look like aegyo.

“I’ll go ahead.”

“…Yes, please go in.”

“I’ll see you in a little while.”

The First Prince moved into the conference hall first. That left me and Ariel in the hallway. Of course, it wasn’t just us, and the nobles who had just arrived hurried inside.

After that, Ariel slowly opened her mouth.

“What Kashan Oppa said just now….”

“Yes?”

“…Just forget it. Act like you didn’t hear anything. Please….”

“Understood, Ariel.”

The words are always polite, but Ariel, who felt the playfulness contained within, lowered her head. And then, muttering quietly, she left me and entered the conference hall.

“Ugh. Yesterday, today too….”

I laughed at Ariel’s grumbling appearance. I knew why the First Prince found her so cute.

***

The second day of the Imperial Conference began with a slightly somber atmosphere. I caused such a ruckus yesterday, so it couldn’t be bright. Rather, it was fortunate that it even started.

Still, that atmosphere didn’t last forever. After the meeting started, everyone diligently concentrated.

In it, I examined the Emperor’s appearance.

‘He hasn’t found out anything yet.’

It’s certain that he hasn’t said anything about yesterday’s events.

Besides, it hasn’t even been a day since it was revealed that a member of the Imperial Family was involved. It’s only natural that he wouldn’t be able to find it right away unless he knew the whole story of the incident and the location of the crime scene like me.

In fact, in this episode, even after Ariel revealed it and the Emperor directly started the investigation, it took a week. And that was enough time for the Second Prince, Rayan Tianis, to hide all the evidence.

‘Well, I don’t intend to do that.’

Are Ariel and I crazy to let that go? Besides, now that the evidence is in our hands, there’s no reason to drag out the time.

However, I don’t intend to detonate it right away. I’m going to wait a little longer for the meeting to proceed and for the atmosphere to ripen. I quietly sent my gaze to Ariel and waited.

1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours….

Once started, the meeting did not stop. A long meeting lasting over 8 hours continued. They exchanged words without rest, which could have been exhausting, but even if the tone of their voices lowered, they were dedicated to the Imperial Conference.

Moreover, like what happened to me yesterday, there are some nobles who have nasty personalities. But seeing even those guys working hard, I thought there was no way the Empire would fall.

That’s how today’s last meeting topic ended.

“I will conclude today’s meeting here.”

And the moment the Emperor ended the meeting. I raised my voice slightly and opened my mouth.

“Your Majesty the Emperor. Do you really intend to end it like this?”

“…Do you have something to say?”

“Yes, I do. It’s about what I said yesterday.”

“If it’s about that matter, it is under investigation. I intend to announce it when everything is revealed.”

The Emperor said that, but as I said before, I had no intention of waiting for that time. I put the item I had placed in the subspace on the table.

“It’s a great relief that Your Majesty the Emperor has personally taken action. But as a subject of the Empire, as an eternal friend of the Imperial Family, and as a saint who desires peace in the continent, I can no longer stand by and watch.”

“What is that?”

“It’s evidence. Evidence containing the culprit of the kidnapping case.”

“…….”

The Emperor was silent.

“…….”

“…….”

The nobles were the same. The air in the conference hall hangs heavy like yesterday. I continued to speak in that atmosphere.

“To tell you the truth, I had no evidence. Not even until yesterday. I haven’t had this evidence for very long either. And there is only one reason why I am revealing this fact now.”

I put a little strength into my voice and said.

“The deeds committed by the culprit contained within this are too heinous. So much so that it reminds me of my hooligan days. No, I think it’s even worse than that. What he has committed.”

Again, the people in the conference hall were silent. Everyone kept their mouths shut, and only small breaths could be heard in the silence.

“So, Your Majesty the Emperor. For the sake of the Empire’s peace, would you allow me to play the scene contained within this at this meeting?”

Ultimately, it is the Emperor, the owner of the Empire, who hands down punishment for matters related to the Imperial Family. Therefore, I did not play the video right away and asked him.

“…….”

A slightly long silence follows. The nobles, the Emperor’s children, and even the maids and servants waiting nearby all looked only at his mouth.

And finally, the owner of the Empire opened his mouth.

“I permit it.”

I immediately aroused mana and activated the memory stone. The people in the conference hall who saw that fell into silence once again.

“Imprison the Second Prince, Rayan Tianis, in the underground dungeon.”

The Emperor gave the order to the Imperial Knights.