Episode 3: Let’s Go to the Imperial Palace Now

‘Could it really be… the Emperor?’

Although I wasn’t as shocked as the investigator, my body trembled from the sheer surprise.

The few moments during which the man heavily planted his feet on the ground and started approaching felt like an eternity.

Finally, when he stood tall in front of the investigator, he spoke.

“How dare you.”

His low voice struck like thunder.

“How dare you block my path?”

Just hearing his voice made the expression of the enraged Emperor seem visible in my mind.

It wasn’t surprising that the investigator froze, as if rooted to the ground, unable to move.

“Your… Majesty! I-I-I apologize!”

“Your attitude is already unbearable, and now even your speech is displeasing. A man who represents people is so incompetent…”

With every word the Emperor spoke, the investigator’s knees weakened. His trembling legs buckled, almost bringing him to the ground, and at that moment, it was I who unexpectedly became the beneficiary.

My view, which had been blocked by the investigator, gradually started to clear.

Above the investigator’s messy hair, the Emperor’s handsome face peeked into view.

‘Definitely the male lead.’

I almost nodded in agreement, forgetting the situation.

Fortunately, I snapped back to my senses when the Emperor spoke again.

“I need to meet with the superior who hired you.”

Hmm. The emperor let out a lazy hum and rubbed his chin. Then, with a deliberately dramatic sigh, he slightly raised the hand wearing a ring next to his face.

It was the same ring as the one stamped on the letter he sent to me.

“Come to think of it—that superior is me.”

“Ugh… Your, Your Majesty…”

“Knight Commander!”

At the Emperor’s call, the knights waiting in front of the carriage rushed forward.

When the Emperor gestured, they swiftly knelt down and dragged the investigator by the shoulders, forcing him to leave.

After the knights had retreated, I suddenly realized:

‘Ah.’

I belatedly realized the shield between us had vanished.

It felt like I was being watched by countless eyes. I could barely face him, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground.

“…”

“…”

A long, chilling silence followed.

I wondered, would I be dragged away if I blocked the Emperor’s path? Should I apologize and step aside?

Just as I was about to take a hesitant step back…

“Your name.”

I immediately looked up, hearing the sound.

“What is your name?”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

After all, I was finally able to take in the full sight of the Emperor without any obstruction.

He had a tall, well-built figure, draped in an ornate uniform. The gold decorations hanging from the black fabric glittered intensely, but none of it was as striking as the Emperor’s golden hair.

His hair was neatly styled in a flawless pompadour, the most perfect shade of blonde I had ever seen in my life. The presence he exuded, the flawless skin of someone in their mid-thirties, and his features that looked unreal…

‘This really is a world from a novel.’

His appearance left me in awe.

What snapped me out of my daze, however, was fear.

This man was the Emperor, the male lead. Like all of my mother’s lovers, he had the obsessive traits of a possessive man.

I could already guess that if I offended him, my delicate neck would soon be in danger.

So I mustered up the courage to speak with my dry lips.

“I’m… Cheska.”

“Cheska… Cheska Monati.”

He already knew.

He knew I was my mother’s daughter.

The Emperor closed the distance between us, and shadows began to spread from his feet, enveloping me as if to swallow me whole.

“…Ah!”

As soon as he bent his knee, I gasped in surprise, but thankfully, he wasn’t kneeling to harm me.

Kneeling on one knee in the dirt, he brought himself to my eye level and studied me for a while.

It started with his neck, then his ears, and finally his eyes.

One by one, the Emperor’s face slowly turned red.

As his eyes became bloodshot and tears began to fall…

“There really was a daughter of Lorelei… A true daughter…”

The Emperor buried his face in his palm, crying like a child.

“Ugh… ugh.”

I was flustered, unable to speak, only letting out strange sounds of confusion.

The Emperor continued to sob, his cries echoing with sadness.

Honestly, the intimidating aura from earlier had vanished, leaving only a vulnerable figure before me.

“When I heard that there was a child at the scene… I couldn’t believe it.”

“Y-yes…”

“I thought it was just a child from a nearby family… or one she had become attached to and was caring for. Lorelei was a kind woman…”

“I see…”

“But seeing you now, it’s clear—you are truly Lorelei’s daughter. I never knew she had a child…”

“…”

“By the way, Cheska… how old are you?”

A wet, earnest gaze fell on my face. It felt surprisingly warm, almost unbearable to withstand.

“I’m… nine years old.”

Ughh! The Emperor broke down again, tears flooding his face.

He was utterly convinced that I was his daughter.

It was likely true, considering that just about nine years ago, my mother’s dating business was in full swing.

Of course, at the time, my mother had other men besides the Emperor, and he surely knew that well…

“My, what beautiful eyes you have… they look just like mine, so it must be… ugh! Oh, Lorelei, why did you keep this from me?”

The Emperor seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

Finally, after regaining some composure, he rose from his kneeling position. Wiping away his tears, his face soon became composed.

Then, without warning, he extended his hand toward me.

“Cheska. Let’s go to the Imperial Palace now.”

I stared at his large hand, wrapped in white silk gloves.

Since I was born into this world, I had never been close to anyone but my mother. My mother lived in hiding, and so did I.

Even with the neighbors, I had only exchanged distant greetings; I had never been so close to anyone like this.

I wasn’t sure if I should be scared of the Emperor, or if it was alright to take his hand.

So, I hesitated, unable to take it.

When I turned away, he seemed somewhat hurt, but fortunately, he didn’t cry this time.

“…I see. We’ll take our time and get to know each other. There’s no rush.”

He led me toward his carriage.

When I insisted that I wanted to return to the Monati house where I lived with my mother, the Emperor kindly drove his carriage there instead.

‘Phew.’

I had thought I would be forcibly taken to the Imperial Palace, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.

Thanks to my mother, the lesson that coercive obsession and restraint were not the answers seemed to have been engraved in the Emperor’s heart.

All thanks to my mother. She’s the best.

While traveling in the carriage, I realized a few things about the Emperor.

First: He was truly an emotional crybaby.

At first, I thought he was crying because he mistakenly believed he had found his daughter.

But that wasn’t it. This man just cried at any opportunity.

“…That day, I went for a walk in the lakeside park with your mother. The swans we saw there were so beautiful… sniffle!”

He cried because the swans were beautiful, because the weather was nice, because the chocolate was sweet. He cried because my hair was red, because my eyes were green, like the lush greenery of spring.

This led me to my second realization.

The charisma he displayed in front of the investigator earlier was all an act.

This man had no authority whatsoever, except for his impressive appearance!

If it weren’t for his terrifying looks, I would have ignored him altogether. Fortunately, I didn’t have to.

“We’re here. My house.”

“…So this is it.”

“It’s strange… it took so long.”

Even though the carriage wheels were much larger and the horses more numerous than the Investigation Bureau’s, it took even longer to arrive.

I had a reasonable suspicion that the Emperor had given orders for this, and looking at the green-eyed man fleeing, I could tell my suspicion was right.

The Emperor, who had gotten off the carriage before me, stopped the knight who was about to step forward and extended his hand to me.

“Would you like me to help you down?”

His hand, which earlier felt so intimidating, didn’t seem so scary now.

I hesitated for a moment, but when I did, his fingers awkwardly curled inward.

“…I see. Perhaps I’ve been too hasty—”

But just then, I placed my hand firmly into his palm.