Chapter 18: 18

The Emperor, Roger Gerard Beldea.

After being unable to escape the fate of those who have the blood of the Imperial Family, the current emperor ascended to the throne after he killed the previous emperor who went madly insane.  Two years after his ascension, the Valdemir Empire faced a glorious golden age, which strengthened the imperial power that was destroyed by the old Emperor.

All the people of the empire praised the new Emperor, and the people of other countries were afraid of him.  But none of them dared to call the Emperor’s middle name.  Only a few acquaintances were allowed.  But how did Ivanna know that?

“Ivanna, do you know His Majesty?”

Ivanna licked her cookie crumbs on her fingers.  Dante wiped the child’s fingers with a handkerchief.

“Majesty?”

“You just said Gerard.”

“Mom said Gerard was the Emperor.”

She really seemed to know.  Dante and the twins were amazed.  How did Ivanna know?

“How do you know him?”

“Mother’s friend. He came to the hut before.”

‘The Emperor, Gerard, had found Louise? And even met Ivanna?’

Dante was confused.  Even if we weren’t close to each other, why didn’t he tell me when I lost Louise and almost went crazy?

“He was really tall and black.”

“What was his eyes like?”

“It was yellow and red.  Like a bead.”

It was really Gerard. The eyes mixed with yellow and red were evidence of the Imperial Heir. Only Gerard and his son had it in this generation.

“Do you remember what Gerard said?”

Ivanna recalled that time.  Gerard visited her mother’s cabin a few months before her mother’s death.  She couldn’t remember the face well, but she definitely remembered his bead-like eyes.

“He got mad at my mom.  So I hit his leg in anger, and he said he was sorry.”

Gerard, the Emperor said he was sorry.  The image of Ivanna, a little girl, who was struggling while striking with the Emperor’s thick legs, and the Emperor, who was embarrassed and apologetic, was clearly reflected in his eyes.  Even though this was not the right moment, the twins bite their lips tightly, as laughter would burst if they did not hold it in.  Dante, on the other hand, focused only on the child’s words.

“And?”

“I hated him so much because he was mad at my mom, but he apologized and played with me so I forgave him.  When Gerard gave me his name, I laughed that I was the only one who could call the Emperor’s name.”

Dante felt something was strange.  Louise died two years ago, and Gerard was also crowned emperor two years ago.  However, the estimated date of Louise’s death was much earlier than when Gerard was crowned.  In other words, when Ivanna met Gerard, he was still the crown prince.  He couldn’t have been an emperor.

But Louise called him emperor.  Did she just say that because the next emperor was going to be Gerard anyway?

“Did he say anything else?”

“I had a lot of fun with him.  But I was sad that he didn’t sleep over and just left early.”

Dante thought his child was still three years old, so she didn’t remember it properly, but the reality was a little different.  Ivanna remembered her meeting with Gerard quite accurately, since it only happened in the second life.

Ivanna remember it exactly because it was her first time seeing him, but the problem was the timing.  It was not long after that she died in her first life and just returned to the past.  It was impossible to think properly because of the memories of the past and the present, the terrible life that began again, the confusion that tangled death and life, and the death of a mother who would sooner or later come again.

So the only thing she remember properly about the day was Gerard’s beaded eyes and that her mother whom he was talking with gave him a very warm hug.  It was a very sweet, gentle and warm embrace.

‘One I can’t have anymore.’

“Ivanna?”

Suddenly Ivanna’s shoulders drooped.  Sensitively aware of the change, Dante gently wrapped his daughter’s cheek and pulled it.  Tears were welling up in the child’s beautiful eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

As Dante’s fingers brushed under her eyes, clear tears fell.

“Daddy.”

Ivanna stretched out her arms.  Dante tightly held the child right away. Ivanna clasped Dante’s hem tightly.

“Daddy······.”

“Yes, Ivanna.  Daddy’s here.”

“Daddy······.”

“Yes.”

Ivanna had a hard time because of the occasional surge of regret and guilt.  A three-year-old who went back.

Would it have changed a lot if I told my mom she shouldn’t have died?

Could she have not died, nor taken away, nor have I suffered the same things, and would I have been able to meet her again?

I wonder if I could not only be held in the arms of my Dad like this now, but could also be held in the arms of my Mom. 

It was too painful to think of that. It was hard. I was so sorry for my Mom who died again.

When Ivanna fell silently in Dante’s arms, Dante and the twins hardened.  They didn’t even know why she was crying, and couldn’t even ask why.  The twins put down the snacks they had been eating and only looked at them.  Dante could only pat her back so that the child could cry more comfortably.

Knock, knock.

“Master.”

And Den, who did not know what was happening inside, and could not just leave the Emperor’s letter, knocked on the door one more time carefully.  Ivanna, who was crying sadly, flinched.  Dante glanced and Valerie got up right away to open the door.

“My sister is crying.”

At Valerie’s words, Den looked very embarrassed, while Valerie lifted her hand.  Den handed her the letter, and quietly added.

“Would you please tell the Master that His Majesty sent gifts to the Young Lady?”

“Gifts?”

“Yes, there are seven wagons in total.”

Seven wagons.  Since the Emperor sent it, of course it will not only be a single carriage.  If so, the number of presents must be immense.  But, far from admiring, Valerie clicked her tongue.

“Only seven wagons?  She’s the daughter of Lady Hugor!  I didn’t know His Majesty was a cheapskate.”

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“According to the letter Lord Maxian sent me, they broke the national treasury.”

However, at the words of Den that followed, Valerie could not help but close her mouth.  Yes, the opponent was Gerard, so the gift couldn’t be ordinary.  Valerie went to their father with a very sour face and delivered the message with the letter.  Dante, who devoted himself to appeasing Ivanna, nodded with satisfaction when he heard that he had robbed the state coffers.

“When you think of what Louise did for the Empire, that’s only natural.”

At those words, Valerie removed her cold air and nodded sympathetically.  Yes, even seven wagons were short, considering the compensation Louise didn’t get.

“Ivanna.  Gerard sent you a gift.”

Ivanna, who had moistened Dante’s front face with tears and runny nose, shook her head, then sniffed up and raised her head.

“Gift?”

Dante gently wiped her face with a new handkerchief.

“Yes, it’s all yours.  Would you like to go out and see it yourself, or should I ask them to bring it here?”

Ivanna couldn’t answer and only her lips trembled.

“If you’re afraid to go out yet, you don’t have to go out.  I will give all the things you want in here. But Ivanna, just remember this.”

“······.”

“Whether you are here or outside, Dad will protect you.  When you’re scared, you will always have your dad next to you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.  Remember, Dad broke the altar that harassed Ivanna?  I will always protect you just like that.”

‘Dad broke the altar.’

The altar, horribly broken by the hands of her father, brushed in front of her eyes.  Her father could not only break down the altar, but he also made it into powder.  All so that it can’t pull the power out of her again.

When Ivanna remembered an altar that was so broken that she couldn’t even recognize its shape, she finally felt at ease.  Ivanna blew her nose into Dante’s handkerchief and nodded.

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry, little sister.  We’ll protect you from both sides.”

“We can do it, sister.”

Valerie and Luan nipped in.  Ivanna looked at the two.

“Really?”

“Really, really.”

“Really, really.”

Valerie and Luan held Ivanna’s hands, who was still sniffling, and one by one kissed the back of her hand.  Ivanna opened her eyes wide with the soft feeling she felt at the same time.

“We promise.”

“We’ll always be there for you.”

Instead of answering, Ivanna slipped her hand out.  Both hands clasped Dante’s clothes again. The twins were very sorry for the warmth that quickly escaped.

“Yes.”

However, when Ivanna nodded her head, the disappointment was gone at once and the twins’ white cheeks were flushed.  Her shy and cute figure brought the twins straight to the light.

Just as she opened her heart to their father, the younger sister opened her heart to them a little more this time.  Even though it was a small change, the twins could clearly feel it because they were a family.

They were very happy.

***

There are people who wanted to protect her.  And even her dad, who broke the altar was with her, so Ivanna took courage to go outside.  However, no matter how much she was in Dante’s arms, she still felt scared.  Furthermore, this place was so gorgeous and flashy.

“Daddy······.”

“Yes, Ivanna.”

“I’m not getting my power pulled, am I?  You’re not going for my power, are you?”

Ivanna remembered clearly because she had been to such fancy places several times.  The houses of the people who took her were like this.  It was so wide, so colorful, and so shiny. It was completely different from the cabin where she lived with her mother.  They were like her dad’s house.

“You’re not going to the altar, are you?”

“Yes, we aren’t going.  Dad won’t take power, I won’t do it.  I will destroy all the altars.”

Nevertheless, Ivanna trembled in Dante’s arms as the fear would not go away.  Dante stopped walking.  He was worried if she was overdoing it.

“If you’re scared, shall we go back?”

“Yes, but Gerard gave me a present······.”

“I will tell them to bring it to the room.”

Ivanna looked up. 

The dad in front of her didn’t get angry, didn’t curse, didn’t hit. 

He’s not a bad guy.  He’s not a scary person. 

He’s my dad who hugs me like my mom.  He’s my dad who protects me.

Ivanna is again comforted in her father’s arms.

“No, it’s okay.”

“You don’t have to overdo it if you’re scared.”

Ivanna shook her head.  Dante left a kiss over her head with a tickling, sorrowful sensation.  Ivanna thought, ‘But kisses touched lightly and then felt off. I liked the arms that my father hugged me tightly more. It was safe here.’

Little by little, Ivanna’s trembling subsided.  She was still scared, but she was fine because her dad said he was going to protect her.

‘Is the world still gray like when I died, is it burning, is it covered with monsters?’

‘I really wanted to see if that shocking scene was still there.’

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