53. The Baby Emperor’s Presence At The Subjects’ Feast
I barely managed to separate from Daddy, who insisted that we should sleep together, and returned to my bedroom.
The nanny smiled while taking my jacket off.
“I’ve prepared warm water. You must be tired since it was your first time out, so go to bed after your bath.”
“Thwank you, Nanny.”
When I entered the private bathroom, a bathtub with fragrant petals floating on top welcomed me. I soaked myself in the water for a long time, feeling my fatigue wash away.
“Enrique grew up so big.”
Enrique and Oscar exchanged letters for three years. In my head, Enrique was still a pretty boy. Of course, today’s unexpected meeting broke the fantasy in my head.
Enrique’s younger sister, Emily, looked cheerful and nice.
“I havth to get along with her.”
I would do official activities even if I didn’t want to, but I would welcome to have a lot of acquaintances.
“Hehe.”
Will I finally have a friend?
I was also excited because it was my first time meeting a girl about the same age as me.
When I finished taking my bath, my whole body was tired. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, dried my hair, and changed my clothes.
“Good night, Your Majesty.”
“Ung. Good night, Nanny. See you tomorrow.”
“Have sweet dreams.”
The nanny turned off all the lights in the bedroom and went out. I stared at the ceiling, forcing my eyes to close.
Blink, blink.
I closed my sleepy eyes and opened them again and again. How long had it been? I felt a presence right next to me.
“Aiden?”
As I turned my head, whispering quietly, I could see a doll under the moonlight. As I guessed, it was Aiden.
I didn’t even hear the windows or doors open. It was amazing how he could go around so secretly. How could he be so capable that he could bypass Lissandro and the other knights?
When I woke up with a small yawn, Aiden put a blanket around my shoulder.
“It is cold.”
“Thwank you.”
I patted the seat next to me while thanking him. Aiden, who hesitated, sat next to me.
We began our conversation sitting side by side on the bed. I immediately brought up the main subject.
“Aiden. What happened to what I asked?”
“I have confirmed Baron Mirke’s presence near Devlin’s border.”
“As I expected.”
Three years. I didn’t do nothing during the what-you-could-say-was-a-short-or-long time.
During the day, I played the role of an ordinary baby playing Emperor, and at night, I endured the sleepiness and did what I could.
First, we collected information through animals and robbed society. However, it wasn’t easy to use that information as Emperor.
So I created a new identity.
The information guild in the backstreet <Evil>.
The guild soon gained considerable power by taking control of information.
Aiden was mainly the head of the guild, known as Aedan, but I was the influential figure.
At first, we hit the back of the nobles’ heads and opened safes, but the size grew. As a result, guild members dedicated to collecting information were allocated, and the guild grew bigger and bigger. The information we had was amazing!
Actually, there was a limit to the information we could get.
There was no guarantee that the animals could be sent far away and that they would all do me a favor. In addition, it wasn’t easy for bugs or animals to enter most noble mansions because there was a decision to ban unauthorized people from invading them.
So half of the information I got and half of the information was collected by guild members.
“How ith it going looking for a spy from Devlin?”
“I haven’t found anything useful yet.”
“Be careful. I think there might be more than one.”
After the raid on the rain ritual procession three years ago, Devlin remained quiet. They had been keeping a close eye, but hadn’t made any significant moves.
I heard some news, but it wasn’t nutritious information.
If Viscount Targo had been alive, we could have dug something up, but unfortunately, that human wasn’t apart of this world anymore.
‘They said he suddenly died in prison.’
(T/N: If you don’t remember, Esteban killed him because he was so mad.)
He looked healthy, so it was strange.
As told by Aiden before, Devlin enjoyed playing in the back, so they may be quiet on the surface, but be planning another insidious plan behind the scenes.
“What is Duke Javier up to these days?”
“He is looking for a gold mine. I got information that he’s looking at a gold mine that was auctioned recently.”
“Wow. Let’s take it!”
“Yes.”
I was suddenly excited to be able to shoot Duke Javier after a long time.
“If the auction price is too high, just give it up. We can just secretly dig up all the gold.
Hehe. I laughed at the thrilling plan. How frustrating would it be to find out that the gold mine won from the bid was actually a mine with nothing it it?
“…the Duke will vomit blood again.”
“Well, ith karma.”
The karma from daring to touch me.
Now that I heard about Javier after Devlin, there was only one thing left.
“And, Abelardo… euk.”
I groaned, covering my head instead of speaking.
I forgot because I was distracted from preparing for the Founding Banquet these days.
Tomorrow was the day the priests of the Holy Kingdom visit to teach…!
***
“May God bless you. Yelium.”
“Hello.”
I waved to the gently priest. The priest’s face was filled with a saintly smile. Today was the weekly theology day. In fact, it was only a theology class in name and was actually a time to learn how to deal with divine power.
When I woke up three years ago after the rain ritual, Daddy eventually asked Abelardo for help.
Their condition was for us to acknowledge the holy name ‘Winter’, but when I woke up, I didn’t want to accept it.
So the alternative was to send a priest to teach classes.
For the Holy Kingdom, it was good to be able to exert influence on me, God’s seed, and for me, it was good to be able to monitor them and control my abilities at the same time.
Anyway, it was a deal with more gains than losses.
‘I learned to deal with my abilities and managed the information guild efficiently.’
Ahem.
“Did you do all the assignments I gave you?”
“I did.”
“Can you show me?”
I stood by the window and nodded my head. Then he stared at the dead tree, which was quite far away.
“Yab!”
When I spread my hands with a shout, leaves rose from the dead tree. Then, in an instant, it turned into a green tree like a midsummer’s tree.
‘How is it?’
I looked back at the priest with a proud face.
“… T-that’s great.”
“Thwank you.”
“It’s been a pleasure to see Your Majesty’s achievements, but I’m just sad I won’t be able to see them anymore.”
Among the conditions Daddy offered, there was a condition to send a different priest every half of a year, so my theology teacher was changed twice a year.
“Good work.”
I patted the priest on the arm to encourage him. Then the priest looked at me in tears.
I worked hard to appease the very determined priest.
‘I don’t know if I’m learning or teaching.’
I grumbled and prayed to the damn God.
May the next priest that comes be taciturn. Yelium.
***
The day of the Founding Banquet.
I was very nervous and prepared to attend the banquet from morning.
As soon as I woke up, I got a massage, took a warm bath full of flowers, and sprayed very expensive perfume on my body and hair.
Maybe that’s why every step I took, smelled sweet.
“Actually, we’re not sure yet. All the dresses are so pretty, so we don’t know which dress should be worn…”
Lalima, who was standing next to the deep-in-agony nanny, nodded hard.
“I know. It would all look good on our cute Emperor, it’s too harsh that only one can be chosen.”
“The yellow dress is so cute and the pink dress is so lovely. The blue dress is very cute, and that purple dress is mysterious and cute.”
“Oh my. Madam’s thoughts are my thoughts!”
I watched the nanny and Lalima discuss the dress with cold eyes.
‘These people have been picking out a dress for an hour…’
It was well past the starting time of the party. With a tired face, I grabbed Xavier’s finger, who was standing next to me.
“Xavier, what do you like?”
“M-me?”
“Ung.”
“I…”
The nanny and Lalima suddenly turned towards Xavier. Everyone’s eyes were suddenly on Xavier, and his face turned red.
“The light pink dress…?”
Good, it’s decided!
I waddled to embrace the light pink dress.
“I want to wear this. I like it!”
Then the nanny and Lalima looked at the other dresses as if they were sad.
“Of course that dress is pretty, however…”
“It’s somehow regretful…”
But they failed to break my opinion. The dress Duchess Donovan chose wasn’t uncomfortable to wear at all.
As I circled in front of the mirror, all the maids helping me with my decorations applauded with motherly smiles.
“So lovely!”
“So adorable. So cute. The best…!”
Since then, it’s been a bolt out of the blue. I couldn’t help but pick out accessories that the nanny and Lalima were agonizing over.
“Of course, that’s pretty; however, it’s regretful.”
“It’s okay, Madam. Our Majesty suits everything.”
That’s how all the preparations were completed.
“Your Majesty, his Majesty and Duchess Donovan are waiting outside.”
At the servant’s words, I let out a ‘hug’ and covered my mouth with my hands.
“S-since when?”
“It’s been about an hour.”
“Ah!”
I ran out of the room without even saying goodbye to the nanny.
As the servant said, Daddy and Duchess Donovan were waiting for me. Daddy’s eyes widened as soon as he saw me.
“…Am I finally dead?”
“Eung?”
“A baby angel is in front of me. Isn’t she so cute? It’s like I’m going blind, the baby angel, Mabel.”
“……”
I pretended not to hear Daddy’s words and looked at Duchess Donovan.
“I’m sorry for being late…”
Duchess Donovan looked down at me and nodded her head.
“I greet her Majesty, the Emperor. The banquet has begun so let us get going.”
“Yes.”
When the calm Duchess Donovan spoke, I put my hands on my chest and gave a short sigh of relief.
‘What a relief. She didn’t scold me.’
But the problem was from here.
The Founding Banquet. The first official appearance for all nobles.
Even though it was such an important event, I wasn’t educated separately. Even Duchess Donovan didn’t teach me how to feast or dance.
“Lord Donovan. Ith it okay I down’t learn anything?”
“It will be okay. No, it is okay.”
“However, shouldn’t I learn the basics?”
“Those are meaningless to Your Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“You will know by that day.”
Recalling the conversation I had with Duchess Donovan, I held Daddy’s hand tightly.
When I came to my senses, we were at the entrance of the hall.
“Let’s go in, Mabel.”
I stepped towards the central hall, where white light poured into my eyes.
***
The central hall, with the Imperial orchestra playing, was filled with the laughter and chatter of the aristocrats.
The Founding Banquet was also a place to meet others after a long time and resolve repentances as there were many aristocrats coming from each province.
At the Founding Banquet, the order to ban boys of a certain age by the stand-in-Emperor was withdrawn.
A place where people’s eyes were directed. The first thing that was seen was definitely the stand-in-Emperor, Esteban. And next to him, was Duchess Donovan.
They remembered the days before Prince Oscar was born. They thought time had gone back to those days. But the realization that it wasn’t was due to the wide distance between the man and woman.
A pink head rose between the stand-in-Emperor and Duchess Donovan, who was nicknamed the iron-blooded Duchess.
“……!!”
A fairy? Or an angel?
Wearing a light pink dress, the baby looked around the hall with her Daddy’s hand held tightly around her own hands.
“No way.”
“Her Majesty…?
Most of the nobles were shocked by the appearance of the famous Emperor.
‘The appearance of the baby Emperor at the banquet of her subjects…’
‘She’s so cute. They never said she was this cute!’
‘Look at her little hand tightly holding her dad’s hand!’
‘I want to swim in her blue eyes!’
When people were struggling with the baby Emperor’s cuteness, there were others with high noses.
“Yes. That’s right. She is none other than the Emperor! I’ve been seeing her five times a week!”
It was none other than the parliamentary aristocrats who attended the regular meetings.