Chapter 12: 12

Judging that she couldn’t get any useful information about <Princess Elencia> from Humphrey, Philomel moved on to the next question.

“Maybe a great wizard might be able to know exactly if he uses the Magic of Foresight?”

“No matter how great it is, to be exact, even if it’s the Master of the Magic Tower?”

The point Philomel wanted to ask was that.

Master of Magic Tower. A title referring to the owner of the Magic Tower. And he was also described as Philomel’s biological father in <Princess Ellencia>.

‘I can’t imagine what kind of person he is because there is so little related information…’

Humphrey said he had been in the Mage Tower until recently, so he must have known him well. However, Humphrey’s hand holding the cup trembled mercilessly.

“Who…?”

Who? …The Lord of the Magic Tower.

“Yeah. Lord of the Magic Tower.”

“Why is he…?”

“I wonder if even a great wizard like the Master of the Magic Tower can’t accurately see the future …”

‘But why are you reacting like this? As if I heard it even if I couldn’t hear it’

Philomel tilted her head and went on.

“By the way, who is the owner of the Magic Tower?”

“Hmm… he is a great wizard.”

“I know that.”

“And the Sage of the North.”

“I know that too.”

“And, and…”

Humphrey suddenly grabbed his stomach.

“Ugh, stomachache! I’m sorry. Your Highness. I’ll go back first.”

“Yeah? Oh, do it.”

Suddenly, Humphrey, still clutching his stomach, stepped out of the cage. Seeing his yellow face, saying that he had a stomach ache did not sound like a malingering disease.

‘What is it…??’

Left behind, Philomel drank tea and left the Madokan building without much income. After that, Philomel asked several court mages similar questions. However, it was all about the lack of nutritious information. Wizards sneered at the prophecies, and didn’t know anything about the mage tower master or kept silent.

‘As expected, I have no choice but to meet him in person.’

As she trudged along the road to the residence, Philomel made a promise. As soon as she ran away from her imperial palace, the first thing she planned to do was go see her father, who was said to be living in the tower. The greatest Mage Tower lord might know something about <Princess Ellensia>.

‘And…’

Philomel wondered what kind of man he was.

Returning to the residence, Philomel first checked to see if the <Princess Ellensia> in her custody was safe. For now, it was best to keep it there.

“Why did you come into my hands? Did you end up in my garden?”

Of course, no answer came back.

With a sigh of hers, Philo Mel closed her gold torture chamber.

* * *

Time passed again and Philomel was twelve years old. 

Entering the Emperor’s office, Philomel grabbed the edge of her dress and gently bowed to Eustis.

“Your Majesty, what a wonderful afternoon.”

“Yes.”

Eustis, who was sitting at the tea table, replied nonchalantly. Etiquette teacher praised her so that saliva dries up in her mouth, but Eustis did not show much reaction.

Still, Philomel did not disappoint him. Originally, the emperor was stingy with kind words. Had she been his daughter, she would have been sad that she had been put in the same category as her peers, but now she wondered where she was.

‘I’m just glad I’m not hated,’ she thought.

Today was tea time with Eustis, which happens once a week.

Perhaps because of the count’s nagging to cut down on his drinking, the emperor began to drink her tea often, but she took the opportunity and asked him to drink together, so somehow they stayed together.

Philomel looked at Eustis, feeling the warmth of the teacup in her hand. Eustis was busy drinking tea, looking at the papers in his hand. Even the imperial palace, Ansalim, which the emperor had to take charge of because he did not remarry, was entirely his to deal with.

“Are you busy?”

“…not really.”

‘It looks like a lot just by looking at it.’

Philomel got bored, so she wiggled her legs one after another that didn’t touch the floor and then, oops, she quit.

‘I’m not a kid anymore. I have to look dignified.’

Philomel, wanting to appear like a desirable heir with an advance interest in the Emperor’s business, asked.

“May I ask what kind of document it is?”

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“It is related to the Founding International event that will take place some time later. The date of the event was set.”

The answer that came out was suddenly cut off and an awkward silence passed.

The founding festival was an unpleasant topic for Philomel. Even now, people often say that Philomel’s behavior at the previous foundation festival was careless. As such, the foundation festival at the age of nine remained as the worst memory, so Philomel felt depressed even when she thought of the word ‘end’ until now.

Tuk-tuk.

A nervous sound came from the hard surface of the table where Eustis’ index finger was tapping. Judging from the oddly nervous look, it seemed that the other side wasn’t happy with this conversation either. Before the atmosphere got even weirder, Philomel said with a smile.

“Wow, it’s finally the founding festival! I can’t wait to see what this event will be like!”

“…is that so?”

“Yeah! Shall we have fireworks this year? They were really pretty last year.”

“It’s not in the plan, but I’ll ask them to add it.”

“I don’t think you have to go that far… There’s no need.”

“It’s a boring event with nothing much to do.”

‘You must be joking. It’s one of the three major anniversaries of the Empire.’

Philomel lightly continued, thinking that if the God Beleron heard it from the sky, he would be angry.

“Ah, it’s the founding day of the Belerov Empire. Of course it’s important. Your Majesty always gives a commemorative speech on that day.”

“I think the commemorative speech is the most annoying.”

“I like the time of His Majesty’s commemorative speech the most among the founding events.”

It was finished as soon as possible among the prepared events. Philomel smiled bashfully, hiding her true feelings.

“If I become the next emperor, I want to give a wonderful commemorative speech like Your Majesty.”

Eustis’ tired face straightened a little. It was the moment when Philomel’s flattery skills, which she had honed over the years, shined. But maybe it’s a law that people shouldn’t say things they don’t feel, flattery came back like a boomerang with an unexpected result.

“Then, will you try it this time?”

“Yes? What?”

“It is a memorial. There is no law that requires only the emperor to give a commemorative speech during the founding day. Even in the previous generation, the emperor and the crown prince each read commemorative speeches.”

“…Yeah? I-can I do something great like that?”

“Nothing. Just go out and say one or two words, it’s okay even if you… or don’t you want to?”

The answer that a prepared successor would give in such a situation was decided.

* * *

“Let’s think positively! What’s the point of a commemorative speech!”

With paper and pen in front of her, Philomel made a strong decision.

“It wasn’t meant to be, but this is an opportunity.”

As her relationship with the emperor improved, the courtiers who had ridiculed Philomel disappeared, but outside the palace, Philomel was still regarded as a spoiled princess. At a time like that, if she appeared at an international event and recited a wonderful speech, she would be accepted as the legitimate successor. And if she successfully completed that event…

‘I’ll be able to ask the emperor for that item!’

Recalling ‘that item’ essential to escape, Philomel scribbled her commemorative words on a piece of paper all night long. And after a few days, the founding day arrived.

Philomel trembled as she stood beneath the dais her emperor had ascended.

‘There are too many people!’

The vast outdoor venue was packed with attendees. It was expected, but the thought of giving a speech in front of these people seemed more.

Her heart pounded so hard that she couldn’t even hear Eustis’ speech. And Nassar, who was beside her, made a worried face.

“Your Highness, are you okay? Your complexion is not very good.”

“…Thank you for your concern. I was a little nervous, but no problem.”

Philomel responded resolutely, befitting her princess act. Then her attendant approached and hinted.

“Your Highness. Now it is your turn to leave.”

Before she knew it, Eustis’ speech was over.

She climbed onto the podium with a gait as stiff as Philomell’s log. Because of her tension, her foot and arm on the same side went out at the same time. The attendant placed the loudspeaker in front of Philomel. A loudspeaker was a magical item with a loudspeaker stone attached to the end of a long stick. The loudspeaker resonated with nearby sounds, making any sound more pervasive.

Philomel put her mouth in front of the amplifying stone and cleared her throat.

“Dear Bell, Belerov Empire 9…”

But a problem arose. That’s a very big problem. Philomel’s voice did not grow louder. The amplification stone was broken and did not function properly.

The attendant noticed, but he was equally flustered. There seemed to be no spare loudspeakers for Philomel’s height.

People groaned.

“Why don’t you speak?”

“As expected, it was unreasonable for Her Highness the Princess…”

Philomel’s head was painted white at the unexpected difficulty.

‘What to do, what to do, what to do?’

It was then. Philomel’s vision suddenly increased. Eustis had embraced Philomel. Eustis adjusted the height so that Philomel could use his loudspeaker in place of the broken one. The eyes of those who witnessed the scene were stained with astonishment. It was an attitude that did not suit an emperor, and seemed too friendly.

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