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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Living with My Villainous Uncle
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“Your Majesty.”
My uncle rose first and greeted him.
“It's rare to see you in a private setting, Marquis.”
“As you know, I'm busy.”
I held my dress, stepped one leg back slightly, and curtsied.
“Hello, Your Majesty! I'm Aika de Valliat!”
Then I lifted my head.
“...So you're Aika.”
His Majesty the Emperor knelt on one knee to meet my gaze.
The clothes His Majesty wore were more magnificent than any I had seen on my way through the palace.
Winchester Gaia Celledor.
Mom had told me I must know the name of the Emperor, the sun of the Empire, so I had memorized it.
His purple eyes, said to be the symbol of the imperial family, were brilliant and even mystical.
Strangely, his hair, as black as the night sky, was the same color as mine.
Mom used to say it was the most beautiful color in the world.
The Emperor remained in that position, gazing at me intently for a long while.
And only after even more time had passed did he ask, as if struggling to get the words out.
“If you don't mind, may I give you a hug?”
I nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“Of course!”
It was a very easy thing to do.
But contrary to what I expected, the Emperor only opened his arms and hesitated.
Only after I took another step closer did a very, very big embrace envelop me.
A small tremor accompanied a low, long sigh, like someone who had been holding their breath.
“I didn't realize how much you've grown... I have long awaited the day I could meet you. Thank you for coming.”
I stayed in his arms for several minutes, as if time had stopped.
But how long am I supposed to stay like this?
Unable to wait any longer, I popped my head up and spoke.
“Your Majesty?”
“Ah, my apologies.”
The Emperor quickly pulled me away from his embrace, as if startled.
Even then, His Majesty was trembling like someone who was cold.
“It's okay.”
“You're a good child.”
His Majesty was smiling gently, but his expression was strange.
It was a face that held countless emotions, yet I couldn't pinpoint any single one.
I blinked slowly.
“...Are you really Mom's friend?”
“Of course. Ceria was a dear friend of mine, as is Cassel.”
“I see.”
I nodded, but I couldn't take my eyes off the black hair shimmering right in front of me.
The Emperor's gaze shifted to below my chin.
“That's a cute necklace.”
It was because of the necklace the size of a door.
I felt my face flush.
“U-Uncle told me to wear it.”
“It's quite splendid.”
“Oh!”
I suddenly remembered and quickly rummaged through my bag to take out the brooch.
“This is a gift.”
“...For me?”
The Emperor's eyes instantly doubled in size.
As he held out his hands, I carefully placed the brooch on them.
“Yes, thank you for inviting me. I made it myself!”
At that, the Emperor's eyes curved like crescent moons.
“Thank you. This is the most special gift I've ever received. I shall treasure it.”
“Okay!”
“Shall we have something delicious now?”
“Yes!”
“I'm not sure what you like.”
As he stood up, His Majesty beckoned to someone.
A short while later, far more drinks and snacks than were already on the table were served.
I sat next to my uncle and spent the time talking with the Emperor.
His Majesty was much warmer and laughed more than I had imagined, and he seemed to have many questions about me.
For instance, my favorite foods, colors, things, and activities.
“I think I understand why it's so hard to see you. If I were with Aika, I too would feel that time passing is a waste.”
“Nonsense.”
“Uncle doesn't play with me much.”
Seizing the opportunity, I reported my uncle's misdeeds.
They said he was higher than Grandfather and even higher than Mom, so it was a good time to tattle.
My uncle's eyebrow twitched, and the Emperor burst out laughing again.
“Cassel doesn't play with me much either. He always has many excuses about being busy.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. So it would be nice if Aika visited often to play with me.”
“Can I really come again?”
“Of course. You can come whenever you want. Your uncle will bring you. He can find out my schedule whenever he wants. Isn't that right, Cassel?”
“Why are you dragging me into this? It's a hassle.”
“Ahem, that's quite rude to Us.”
“I was speaking to a friend.”
His Majesty gave a good-natured smile, while my uncle pressed his temples with an exasperated look.
“So, does this mean His Majesty and I are friends now?”
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, then nodded just as I had.
“Of course. From now on, if your uncle bothers you, you can tell me.”
Gasp! Such a wonderful thing!
I was so happy I almost jumped for joy, but I glanced at my uncle and then gestured for the Emperor to lend me his ear.
“Um...”
“Yes?”
I cupped my hand and whispered into the ear of the Emperor, who had leaned toward me.
“If Uncle bothers you too, Your Majesty, you can tell me. Because we're friends.”
At that, the Emperor burst out laughing again.
“Hey, what did you say?”
my uncle asked, his face looking as if he bore all the world's grievances.
I rolled my eyes and shrugged.
“Oh, nothing.”
“It's a secret between us. Right?”
“That's right.”
I quickly bobbed my head up and down.
And looking at the Emperor, I thought it would be nice if he and my uncle could split their personalities right down the middle.
“Ah, that's right. Sola, please bring that.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A woman with dark green, bobbed hair and a neatly buttoned-up collar bowed deeply and quickly brought a small box.
The Emperor took it and offered it to me.
“Here, this is the gift I wanted to give you.”
It was a box covered in black velvet.
“What is it?”
When the Emperor opened the lid, a long silver key was revealed inside.
“It's the key to the Imperial Archives.”
“What's an archive?”
“It's a place with very old books. They hold wisdom we never knew and contain many things.”
“Wow, really?”
“A long time ago, Ceria asked me for this gift, saying Aika was very smart and would surely need it. I'm only giving it to you now.”
I reached for the key inside the box, then paused.
Mom?
“Mom?”
I looked back and forth between my uncle and the Emperor.
My uncle, not angry as he usually was, nodded as if to say it was okay.
“She said that Aika would be able to find something special inside that only Aika could understand.”
“Really... Mom said that?”
“Yes. You can come see it whenever you're curious. Besides this, you can ask me for anything. From now on.”
“Oh.”
A gift Mom asked for.
A gift from Mom.
I clasped the key in both hands and held it to my chest.
I felt as if I could feel Mom's warmth.
I held it for a long time until the key grew warm, then bowed my head deeply.
Oh, right. I have to thank him.
“Thank you!”
I put the key back in the box and gave it to my uncle.
“Uncle, this.”
Even though my uncle was a bit prickly, he was the only one I could trust.
“Now you're just ordering me around.”
“It would be a disaster if I lost it.”
“Lord Ruspe has arrived.”
I heard someone who seemed to be the Emperor's subordinate whisper in his ear.
“Oh, he's here. Show him in. I heard my nephew was at the palace, so I called him here thinking he could become friends with Aika.”
A short while later, the subordinate who had left quickly returned with a boy who looked to be my age.
“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor, the Sun of the Empire.”
The Emperor stood up as if to welcome him.
The boy, who had bowed low and greeted him with clear enunciation, walked a few more steps this way.
“Ruspe, welcome.”
His hair, which half-covered his eyebrows, was a very light silver.
‘It's like moonlight. So pretty.’
The ends were slightly curled, and it looked like it would be fluffy and soft to the touch.
And his purple eyes, the symbol of the imperial bloodline, were framed by sharp-looking eyes that gave him a prim look.
As the boy approached, he met my eyes and stopped in his tracks as if startled.
The eyes that had felt prim moments ago quickly became round and pretty.
Why is he looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?
