“Wow! Rowal Fawthe, you’we cool! Rowal Fawthe made it wain!” (Wow! Royal Father, you’re cool! Royal Father made it rain!)
“Mabel. You’re shaking, are you ok-.”
“Wooow. Hooway Rowal Fawthe!” (Wooow. Hooray Royal Father!)
My tearful show was to give the stand-in-Emperor all the credit.
The people, who were watching, began to raise their hands one by one and shout, whether it was through my sincere efforts or not.
“Hooray, Your Majesty!”
“His Majesty created a miracle!”
“Whooo-!”
The country began to praise the stand-in-Emperor, instigated by the agitator.
‘Good.’
I was relieved but not completely relaxed.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my shaking body couldn’t be seen due to the heavy rain. However, my body was burning and my eyes began to twitch.
Lissandro came up to the altar and covered me with an umbrella.
‘Euk, I can’t endure it anymore.’
The stand-in-Emperor’s voice was heard through the people’s shouts, as if they were mute.
“Lissandro. Take Mabel back to the barracks.”
“Yes?”
“Hurry!”
“Yes!”
Lissandro lifted me up and rushed me down the altar.
There were roars of joy between the increasingly distant rituals.
“God was so enthralled that it rained!”
“Your Majesty, may you have infinite glory!”
No one will know that I made it rain. I gently raised the corners of my mouth and buried my face in Lissandro’s arms. Hehe.
‘Anyway, it was a success.’
Even if the price for it was fainting.
***
The rain ritual was a huge success. There were even those who interpreted the rain as God’s response.
Those who praised the stand-in-Emperor for a long time returned home in excitement. When they return, they will spread the word to others who have not seen the great moment, and those people will spread the word even further.
It was pouring rain for a long time. The dark clouds were wide enough to pour rainwater into not only the sanctuary, but also the three nearby territories at the same time.
Due to the vast territory of the Ermano Empire, it did not affect the drought-prone areas. However, the fact that the royal family performed a rain ritual for the depressed area, and even more so that it actually rained, was enough to reveal their sacredness.
‘This is ridiculous.’
Duke Javier was in shock.
The sky was definitely clear. A cloud couldn’t be seen. How can a dark cloud suddenly appear and pour down rain.
“Is it magic…?”
However, he already knew that it was impossible to make it rain with magic.
The pouring of cats and dogs was still continuing.
No matter how pure and enormous the mana stone was, it was impossible to demonstrate magic to make it rain for such a long time. It was beyond human limitations.
At that time, Enrique came into the barracks.
“Father. It’s raining too much, so we’ll have to wait a little longer.”
“Yes…It’s raining too much to leave…”
The duke answered blankly and slowly raised his head. His young son came into his eyes. Water was dripping from his wet hair.
Tch, The Duke clicked his tongue.
“Enrique.”
“Yes.”
“Did you do what I told you to do?”
“However, Father-.”
“You’re useless.”
“……”
Enrique’s expression became very hazy. No matter how much he heard his father’s criticism, he couldn’t get used to it. However, his father’s order was too absurd to obey as he usually does.
He can’t believe he wanted him to seduce Her Majesty and take the Emperor’s seat.
‘I don’t want to approach her with such impure intentions.’
Enrique was afraid that his true feeling for wanting Mabel to be happy would be distorted. He began to doubt his feelings.
‘Am I really approaching her Majesty with pure intentions?’
Whenever he thought he was approaching her because of his father’s orders, unconsciously, he became disillusioned with himself.
Duke Javier’s voice, like frost, was stuck in Enrique’s ears.
“So incompetent. You can’t attract a two-year-old? I taught you that much.” (T/N: Maybe because she’s two?)
“Her Majesty… is not Father’s organ.”
“Where did you learn that? How dare you talk back to your father? Foul brat.”
Duke Javier looked at Enrique angrily. He didn’t like the weak son who was so intimidated that he couldn’t even lift his head.
‘How did I have a son like him?’
Javier was just a family of viscounts generations ago. It was revealed that a mine they owned was actually a gold mine, leading to their rapid rise as a Duke.
The gold mine was used as a cash cow to reach out to businesses one by one, and it was a huge success. A few generations ago, the Javier’s became skilled in business, and their wealth snowballed into a prominent asset in the Empire.
As with most pawns, Viscount Javier, who was overflowing in wealth, longed for honor. And just in time, an unprecedented drought hit the Empire, creating a financial problem.
Just in time, Javier reached out to help, and the Empire was able to overcome the crisis safely. In recognition of his contribution, he was raised to a Duke.
Perhaps because of the historical fact that the Imperial family was once beneath them, the patriarchs of Duke Javier have been arrogant for generations.
But somehow, Enrique didn’t fit the family’s character. He was too nice.
“You shave away the family’s honor.”
“…I apologize.”
“You can’t do anything I order right, tch.”
Duke Javier clicked his tongue in discontent and sighed in rage.
Under the pretext of the failure of the rain ritual, the plan to weaken the imperial family’s power and dampen the stand-in-Emperor momentum had passed. He ended up suffering a huge loss on his end.
The Duke calmly formed an alternative.
‘It’s okay. Whatever happened, we can raise the family’s reputation by donating and transporting supplies.’
However, it was inevitable that his heart ached. Duke Javier rose from his seat and looked down at his son, whom he could not trust.
“Enrique Javier.”
“Yes, Father.”
“A weak person like you doesn’t belong in Javier’s. If you don’t want to be a disgrace to your family, show your achievements. Do you understand?”
“……”
Looking down at his son who didn’t answer to the end, Duke Javier shook his head and left the barracks.
‘If Enrique doesn’t work, I’ll have to put Emily to it.’ (T/N: Duke Javier is using the word ‘work’ as in function, not work as in labor. Just thought that was important to show how Javier thinks of his kids)
It’ll be much better to use a girl than a boy.
Unlike Enrique who has a nice personality, his daughter’s personality, Emily, couldn’t be more ‘Javier.’
***
The noisy conversation woke me up.
“Check again. She doesn’t have a fever?!”
“T-the temperature is normal…!”
“Then why won’t my daughter wake up?”
“T-that-!”
“Are you trying to escape the situation of your poor skills by using your tongue?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty!”
One did not have to open their eyes to know the situation. One was the stand-in-Emperor and the other may be the quack doctor.
I opened my eyes to see if I guessed right.
‘Correct.’
The stand-in-Emperor was constantly pushing the quack doctor. The quack’s complexion was alternating between white and blue.
“Ah’m up.” (I’m up.)
“…Mabel!”
“Cough!”
The stand-in-Emperor threw the doctor on the floor without hesitation and ran at once. The doctor ran away from the barracks without looking back.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Ah’m a wittle dizthy.” (I’m a little dizzy.)
“Yes. Don’t overdo it, lie down and rest. Tell dad when you’re okay or not.”
When I nodded, the stand-in-Emperor swept my hair with his big hand. It was a careful touch that tickled.
“Look at this, Mabel. This is why I objected to bring you out of the Imperial Palace. It’s too dangerous outside for you since you’re so small and vulnerable.”
Technically speaking, I think it’s because I’m not good at controlling my ability rather than being weak.
‘I didn’t know I was that strong either.’
I usually only talked to animals, so I’d never used my ability properly since I manipulated the bees. Perhaps the stone I absorbed from Abelardo had some sort of effect.
“Ith okway. It doethn’t huwt a wot.” (It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt a lot.)
“What are you saying, Mabel. You’re still sweating this much.”
“Uung. Thweat…? (Uung. Sweat…?)
A cold sweat was forming on my forehead. I was worried about my heavy body since I suddenly used my divine power, but I didn’t expect cold sweat.
“It’s still raining a lot, so I don’t think we can go back to the Palace today. I’m thinking about stopping by a nearby feudal lord’s castle, how is that?”
“Ith waining now too?” (It’s raining now too?)
“Of course. It’s pouring so much that you can’t see it.”
“Keu…!”
I can hear it, I hear it!
‘The sound of my divine power draining away!’
I didn’t know what it was like, but I was really tired. If I fainted because of my ability, shouldn’t it have stopped raining? Why was it still raining?
‘Rain, stop!’
The moment I thought so, the sound of the heavy rain hitting the barracks suddenly stopped.
Drip, drop. The raindrops became quiet except for the sound of the rain dripping from the roofs.
“Did the rain stop?”
“Mawbe.” (Maybe.)
I wiped the sweat with my sleeve, answering naturally.
Perhaps because my divine power was no longer escaping, I definitely felt lighter. When I removed the blanked and lowered my leg from the cot, the stand-in-Emperor lifted me easily with one hand.
“Then we can go home now.”
“…home?”
“Yes, our home.”
I blinked my eyes. My heart stung strangely.
‘Home…our home at that.’
I once envied my friend who always had a place to go back to. Of course, the children who went back to their homes had family waiting for them. But that was all a part of a childhood. I wasn’t envious anymore when I realized the reality as I grew up.
‘Our home,’ there was no such thing for me. I only got hurt when I envied such a thing.
But…
“When we get back to the palace, we’ll feed you lots of healthy foods. Let’s try all the precious medicinal herbs in the continent. What do you think?”
Listening to the stand-in-Emperor, I wanted to keep my hopes up. Do I have a place to go back to?
I smiled awkwardly and shook my head.
“I dwon’t like thwat…” (I don’t like that…)
“Then let’s just eat half of them. Okay?”
I glanced desperately at the stand-in-Emperor and touched his fine silver hair. The courage that I never had before sprang up.
‘No matter what I do, will this man forgive me?’
I clenched my fist and disheveled his hair. Instead of getting angry, he smiled affectionately.
“Do you like my hair?”
“Ung. Ith shiny.” (Ung. It’s shiny.)
“Then I’ll have to cut it all off and give it to you.”
I opened my mouth when he said that he would voluntarily go bald. A bald stand-in-Emperor, that’s the only thing I need to prevent.
“H-hwair, nwo!” (H-hair, no!)
“You don’t want my hair…? Then I’ll burn-.”
“Ah don’ want bald Rowal Fawthe!” (I don’t want bald Royal Father!)
“Then…there’s nothing I can do.”
Fortunately, the stand-in-Emperor seemed to give up his bald dream. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Phew. That was close.’
He almost lost his beauty, the Imperial Palace’s specialty.