Chapter 20: 19

Flowers to You (4)

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

A painting of a woman slaying a huge red dragon was hung in the Imperial Palace’s corridor.

Dante Renatus sealing Krusech. In front of that painting, I frowned.

“Err, isn’t it time to stop already?”

The person concerned is only embarrassed by the story that is being talked about even after 500 years have passed.

“You’ve been waiting for a long time. Her Majesty invites you in.”

While I was in a frivolous mood, the servant who had entered the room came out again.

I nodded slightly to the servant and entered the room through the open door.

That’s right.

I am now in the Imperial Palace to meet the empress.

***

I only saw the empress from a distance during the last gladiatorial competition.

Purple eyes with fiery red hair.

Contrary to the intense colors, the empress, whom I was currently in close contact with, had a rather gentle and relaxed atmosphere.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation, Princess. Welcome.”

“It is an honor to be invited by you, Your Majesty.”

I bowed down to the empress sitting in the upper seat and paid my respects. After that, I glanced to the right and greeted the person sitting there.

“Nice to see you again, Young Lady Brande.”

“I know, right. It seems we will see each other often, Princess Peresca.”

The empress wasn’t the only one in this room. Yulika Brande greeted me with a rather confident smile. Is it because she is carrying the empress behind her?

“Have you seen each other?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve only talked a few times.”

“I see. Young Lady Brande is faster than me.”

The empress smiled innocently and said.

“Today, I invited you girls just to have a chat. I hope you don’t find it difficult.”

“What do you mean difficult, Your Majesty? I’m just happy that you’re interested in me like this.”

“You are truly humble, despite being favored by the crown prince.”

“What ‘favored’? Your jokes are too much.”

I can’t believe anyone wants to be favored by Caesar. They don’t have a good eye.

“What do you mean by jokes? Didn’t you get a wreath this time?”

“Y-Your Majesty…!”

At those words, Yulika called the empress as if she was wrongly accused. At that, the empress gave Yulika a gaze with a smile without disruption.

“You need to work harder, young lady.”

“Ukh… My apologies.”

Yulika bowed her head, discouraged. Looking pitiful.

“Since he learned the sword with me, he must have wanted to share the joy as a colleague.”

I have explained it that way. The empress’s eyebrows shrugged at my words.

“You are truly humble.”

“I was just telling the truth.”

“Is that so? Fufu, Young Lady Brande, it seems that you should have studied swords rather than magic.”

After the empress joked, she covered her mouth with a fan and smield lightly.

‘Magic?’

I thought no one uses magic these days. This is because it is a very difficult study and it is not practical.

What’s this? She looks dense and blind, but surprisingly she has a head for studying.

“Oh, come to think of it, the weather is very nice today.”

As if the empress had just noticed, she said that while looking over the window.

“Why don’t we walk around the backyard for a while? There is something I want to show the two young girls.”

I don’t really want to see it though.

“I will be happy to be with you, Your Majesty.”

I laughed and said the opposite of the truth.

If I had known this would be the case, I would have practiced a little more ‘fake face’.

I just hope my facial muscles are working properly right now.

***

The backyard was filled with the dry scent of late autumn. The sound of the bird was cheerful. The sun was warm. And.

The sound of flying arrows was sharp.

‘Why are we in the archery hall all of a sudden?”

The three of us arrived at a temporary archery hall on one side of the backyard.

As we took our seats, a young, handsome male archer came over and nodded to us.

“He is the youngest archer in the Imperial Palace. I called him because I thought the two young girls would enjoy it too.”

Today’s youngsters have a wide range of tastes. What’s the point of enjoying archery?

I glanced at Yulika with that thought, but she looked as clueless as I was.

‘What the… So this is the empress’ taste?’

Anyway, for that reason, the three of us sat side by side and watched the archery.

“I heard Princess can handle a sword. How about a bow?”

“I tried it when I was young, but I didn’t learn it because of my lack of talent.”

During my mercenary days, I learned from a colleague who was dealing with bows. It was quite fun, but I quit because I didn’t think I could handle it as well as a sword no matter how hard I tried.

“If a girl can deal with a sword but cannot do so with a bow, it is because she’s simply tough but doesn’t know about the world and logical thinking.”

[T/N: The latter part is a metaphor and that is the result of my best effort]

Yulika has been counterattacking in a small way.

“Of course a dignified young lady should know how to use dance and poetry as her weapons, not swords and bows.”

After saying that, Yulika showed a proud expression as if she was satisfied with her words.

“My lady is right. I’m learning a lot.”

I smiled and agreed to that statement. Yulika’s expression became bewildered at my attitude of affirming so easily.

Why would I argue with you on such a humble subject? How bothersome.

“Young Lady Brande is a talented person who has been educated as the crown princess since she was young. I hope she will show us the dance of the crown princess someday.”

“Is that so? I’m looking forward to it.”

Piiing.

In the middle of the conversation, an arrow cut through the air and flew away.

My heart fluttered at the sound of that tearing sound. Unsurprisingly, Yulika lightly shuddered.

“On the other hand, Princess seems to have grown up really freely.”

“Because I’m far from the battlefield of power.”

“Yes. It is the privilege of the old nobles. I wish the Duke would keep that honorable position.”

The empress flapped her fan and smiled softly.

Piiing, Again the arrow cut the air.

“How about you, Princess? Do you have any desire for power? Or are you just like your father?”

“Do you mean politics?”

“The power of women. For example, the crown princess position.”

“Your Majesty, that’s—!”

At the words of the empress, Yulika got up in anger. However, the empress did not look at Yulika, but merely showed her palm to restrain her.

“Yes, I am not interested in matters of the imperial family.”

A slight relief spread across Yulika’s face at my answer. But the empress did not stop there.

“Can you swear?”

“What?”

“That you will not look into the position of the hostess of this imperial family. Can you swear?”

Piiing. Ping. Ping.

The arrow hit the target far away with a whistle-like sound.

Oh, now I see.

The empress’ intention to give a sharp arrow sound that bothers sensitive hearing in the quiet backyard.

This is an unspoken threat.

“…Your Majesty, in return for giving me a good tour, may I show you my talent before I answer?”

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I said, out of the blue, out of the topic. The empress smiled puzzledly and tilted her head.

“As much as you want.”

I got up from my seat and approached the archer. And I received a bow from him after a while.

I picked up an arrow and hung it on the string. It was as if the thin bowstring was about to break.

‘The target doesn’t move. It’s for entertainment, so the distance is short. This is a child’s play.’

The bow I used in the field during my mercenary days was much heavier and tighter than this.

Piiing.

The arrow I shot flew through the air and hit the center of the target.

But that doesn’t matter. What I was looking for was the ‘sound’. The sharp sound of an arrow that flew with great force, as if it were pierced into the eardrum. That pressure.

“…That’s amazing.”

The empress said with a rather stiff face.

Never again try to crush me with a threat. It seemed that the meaning was conveyed accurately.

“Your Majesty, my apologies, but I can’t give you the oath you want. I make deals, not oaths.”

“How dare you negotiate with Her Majesty? You’re being rude, Princess!”

Yulika was furious and shouted, but both I and the empress ignored her. No, rather, the empress smiled in an interesting way.

“Young Lady Brande.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“I think I left my earrings in the room. Why don’t you go with Lorca and pick them up?”

“…What?”

Yulika was bewildered and alternately looked at the empress and me. Soon after, her face turned bright red.

However, she could not refuse the empress’s orders, and after bowing her head, she followed the empress’ attendant and left.

Only the empress and I remained in the backyard.

“You have a lot of talent at a young age, and you have guts. You are truly unique.”

“I’m flattered.”

“It’s hard to believe that Young Lady Brande is of the same age.”

Oh, is she the same age as me? That surprises me too.

“What do you think about becoming a little closer to me?”

…Mm?

This question is unexpected.

“You don’t seem to know, but I am a close friend of the crown prince.”

“I know. He is also my proud son.”

The empress smiled brightly. She looks like she’s asking what the problem is.

“I am going home soon, so I am grateful for the request, but I think it’ll be hard to respond.”

“Distance is not an issue. Stay close to me and there will be no harm done, Princess.”

The empress’ purple eyes narrowed.

“Surely there will be no harm.”

Is it an euphemism for saying that if I refuse, I will be harmed?

‘How persistent.’

I’m not interested in the position of the crown princess, I’m going home quietly. Didn’t you want that, too?

‘Should I have just pretended not to know whether the empress’ words back then were a threat or not?’

But her word ‘to swear’ made me angry. It is the attitude of forcing the weak to choose with authority.

‘What should I do now? Overturn the cup?’

Thinking so, I sneakily slipped my hand toward the teacup.

But in the end, it didn’t work out.

It was because the large hand that stretched out from behind my back grabbed my hand.

“You’ve been in this kind of place.”

“…Your Highness?”

A familiar voice No, it was not familiar. It was a solemn and heavy voice I had never heard before. I looked back in surprise.

He was standing behind my back as if protecting me, looking at the empress, not me.

“If I had known there was such a great spot, I would have come sooner, Your Majesty.”

“Come anytime, Crown Prince. Would you like to drink tea with us since you’re here?”

“No thanks. The tea Your Majesty gave me doesn’t suit my taste.”

“Oh no. Tea is enjoyed by the smell, not the taste. You are still young, Crown Prince.”

Unlike Caesar, who roared openly, the empress responded with a smile. I got stuck between them and it was difficult.

“Don’t tease my friend too much. She’s not used to this kind of place.”

“Tease? How would Crown Prince, who is a man, know the joy between women?”

“Is that so? Then, you can tell me about the joy and see if I can accompany the Princess for a while.”

“Oh, my Look at this, Princess. Men are like this. There is no such thing as a delicate side.”

The empress looked at me with a smile in her eyes.

“I don’t want to cause my son’s wrath, so this mother should step down.”

This son, this mother, my butt.

She did not give birth to Caesar herself, but said such things so well without blinking.

I glanced at Caesar. He has a cold expression. However, it was the first time I’d ever seen his red eyes flicker so terribly.

“Today was a really good time. See you next time, Princess.”

The empress smiled and said to me.

While thinking which part of it was ‘good’, I had no choice but to smile in reply.

***

Caesar had a gloomy face the whole time. I don’t think there’s a need to be that gloomy. Nothing happened to me.

“How did you know I was here?”

Since it’s the Imperial Palace, I thought I should be polite, so I asked formally.

Caesar looked at me with a slightly startled look, and soon replied.

“Rowena told me. I thought my blood was going to cool down.”

Caesar sighed lightly as he ruffled his hair to calm his mood.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it to be so troublesome, but I didn’t expect the empress to come out…”

The momentum when having a war of nerves with the empress a while ago went somewhere and now only a face like a dog being scolded remained.

“You had a lot on your hands, too, Your Highness.”

You were dealing with a pretty annoying person.

A person like that who seems to be able to pass poison to her allies while smiling innocently.

“…Your Highness.”

“Huh?”

“If you wish, should I stay here and be by your side?”

At my words, Caesar raised his head with a firm expression.

Somehow I felt sorry for the tired-looking face.

Caesar, who had been silent for a while, finally smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“No. Helena can just live as she pleases. I’m not going to choose Helena.”

“You’re not going to choose?”

“I know things like this bothers you.”

Yeah, it’s annoying.

More precisely, it’s lame and boring.

I’m not interested in doing anything. I’m not motivated. Everything’s boring.

But.

“Caesar.”

Caesar smiled at my soft voice and tilted his head.

“The choice is made by me, not you.”

Having you as a disciple, making you an emperor. Both are a promise and a decision to be by your side.

“Student can just do what you want to do. This master will help you.”

Because seeing your smiling face is not boring or annoying at all.

Caesar raised himself at my words. He smiled as if he were in pain, tried to say something, but eventually couldn’t say anything and soon covered his own face.

Well, yes. I’m sure you’re very grateful that you’re speechless. Don’t be shy. I know what you mean.

With that in mind, I just stood by him.

For a long time, just standing still, until Rowena picks me up.

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