Chapter 18

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Chess Piece
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“No!!!”

“Ahahaha. Look at your face. Don't worry. It's just a fairy tale. Your dad would never let his princess get stolen in the first place.”

But you do...

At least, in the original story...

“And even if she were, I wouldn't be stupid enough to become the bad king's subordinate. I'd just storm his castle, take him out, and rescue my princess.”

I don't think so. It's not that easy...

I hid my complicated feelings and spoke.

“Dad, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Ability users have to go to war if His Majesty the Emperor orders them to, right?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. That's right.”

“But didn't you say before? That I don't have to go?”

“That's right. My princess doesn't have to go.”

“Why? Since I'm your daughter, aren't I a super strong ability user? Then I should have to go.”

“Nope. You don't have to. Your dad has a plan.”

“What is it?”

“It's a secret. Anyway, oof, I'm sleepy.”

Dad avoided the question and pulled my head into a hug.

I swallowed a bitter laugh internally.

I didn't need to hear it to guess what his plan was.

He would soon go to have a private audience with the emperor. And with a 99.9% probability, he would ask for my military exemption.

The card he would play to negotiate with the emperor was obvious.

To become a dog who obeys the emperor's commands without complaint.

Go to war when told, do everything he's ordered to do...

'The good king had no choice but to become the bad king's subordinate.'

Because the protagonist has a weakness.

His daughter.

'The emperor must be looking for Dad now because of the war, too, right?'

To get his kidnapped daughter back, Enoch Rubinstein went to the battlefield countless times.

Then, upon learning that his daughter was dead, his blade turned toward the emperor.

'But even if I'm not kidnapped by the emperor, Dad still won't be free. He'll negotiate with the emperor to keep me off the battlefield.'

In the end, the good king will become the bad king's chess piece, fighting in a meaningless war of slaughter.

Dad, the protagonist, is a righteous man who detests the empire's tyranny, like its wars of conquest...

“You know, your dad can do anything for his princess.”

Yes, he was also a man who would gladly take up his sword for me.

“It's not a happy ending if the protagonist isn't happy, Lilis.”

“Your dad can't live without his princess.”

I was wrong to think that the 'daughter's' existence was merely a trigger for the original plot.

Living as the emperor's puppet.

Deciding to take revenge.

And finally succeeding in the revolution.

Every one of Dad's actions had a 'goal,' and that goal was always me.

The original story, which I had assumed was a happy ending, was a definite tragedy for the protagonist who ultimately lost his goal.

'He... he might have really followed me in death after the original story ended.'

In that case, what I have to do...

...is more than just helping Dad reach the peaceful ending of the original story.

'I have to survive. I have to be safe by Dad's side. No matter what.'

After the original story ends.

For the sake of the protagonist, Enoch Rubinstein's, happy ending.

Somehow.

“Dad, me too.”

With firm resolve, I snuggled deeper into my dad's embrace.

“I can do anything for you too, Dad...”

* * *

The highest rank, Dos.

And then,

Quarto.

Septima.

Octava.

Noveno.

And finally, the lowest rank, Dies.

There is one being who reigns over all ability users, who are classified into these six ranks.

That is,

Primera.

The existence of a Primera is the very source of magic.

An omnipotent being, closest to a god.

For that reason, only one is born in each generation.

Since the founding of the empire.

They have only ever come from the Pavilion imperial family,

the rank of the 'Emperor.'

* * *

“It has been determined that His Highness the 12th Prince is a Quarto.”

Crash—!

At his aide's report, the emperor shattered the glass he was holding.

Red blood stained his hand before healing in an instant, leaving no trace.

“Why has a Primera not appeared?”

The emperor had sired fourteen children so far, yet there was still no Primera.

The absence of the next Primera was causing unrest among the populace.

“Surely, it's not that one will never be born again.”

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. You are still young and healthy, so you will surely be able to see the next Primera.”

The aide soothed the enraged emperor.

The emperor, Nicholas von Pavilion, was a man of elegant beauty, with pale blond hair and green eyes.

He was forty-eight years old, but he looked as young as a man in his twenties.

This was because a Primera's lifespan was twice that of an ordinary person.

“Our Lord Enoch has returned, I hear.”

“Yes.”

“It is surprising that he returned so obediently.”

“According to the knights' report, his daughter wanted to live in the capital.”

“Hahahaha!”

The emperor burst out laughing.

“How amusing. She has no idea what her father was thinking when he fled with her seven years ago...”

He could picture Enoch, finally returning to the capital because of his clueless daughter's request.

“Well, this is for the best. It is what I had hoped for.”

Seven years ago, when Enoch deserted.

The emperor was furious.

His absence had been a tremendous loss of military strength.

But there was no way to force him to return. Enoch was simply too powerful an ability user...

“Good things come to those who wait. If I had lost my patience and tried to subjugate Enoch back then, I would probably have exhausted my life force and been in my grave long ago.”

The emperor laughed softly.

Unlike other ability users, Primeras were beings who consumed life force, not mana.

A Primera was omnipotent enough to brainwash other ability users into submission, but doing so required a considerable amount of life force.

Especially when the target was someone as strong as Enoch Rubinstein.

However.

“Does he have any idea what I've been feeling while waiting these seven years?”

There was a way to leash Enoch without brainwashing him.

The one thing Enoch had tried to protect when he vanished seven years ago was none other than his daughter.

The emperor knew his daughter would become his weakness, and so he waited quietly.

Waited until his daughter was the only thing left in Enoch's world.

Until she became a whip he could use to control him at will.

“Lord Enoch will soon bring me a splendid homecoming gift.”

A map covered one entire wall of the room.

The empire had nearly swallowed the continent whole.

Nevertheless, the few nations that had yet to be absorbed were a thorn in the side of Emperor Nicholas, who held the title of the Conqueror King.

But soon, only the empire's name would remain on the continent.

Because Enoch Rubinstein had returned.

* * *

The next morning.

“Oh, my, my. You look so pretty, my lady.”

“Which bag would you like to wear? The teddy bear backpack? Or the bunny shoulder bag?”

I began a busy day with the maids.

“The bunny one today!”

“Kya-ha-ha! The bunny that looks just like you, my lady!”

“Alright, the bunny it is!”

“What will you be playing today?”

“I have lessons in the morning... Can I have a snack after my lessons?”

“Of course, my lady. We'll have milk and chocolate macarons ready for you.”

“Then you'll be going to the study now, right? We'll get your supplies ready.”

While Jeti and Jun packed my school supplies, I sat on the bed, swinging my short legs back and forth.

'They're so short...'

Short. So ridiculously short.

They're not growing.

If I keep growing this slowly, my identity will be exposed to the whole world.

'I have to move quickly.'

First, I'll rescue Chessier as planned, then I'll enroll in the Ability User Training Center as soon as possible.

All ability users must go to the training center to receive the emperor's power before they can use their abilities.

This is because only the emperor can open the 'core' located in an ability user's heart.

And I needed to get my core opened quickly and use my abilities, no matter what they were.

Because I have to use my abilities and consume my life force to grow at a normal rate.

'That's the only way I can hide my identity...'

“By the way, did you hear the news, sis?”

“What?”

My ears perked up at the voices of the maids busily packing my things.

“It was another bust. They say the 12th Prince is a Quarto.”

“Oh my gosh. Really? I thought for sure it would be a Primera this time.”

As Jun spoke, Jeti's eyes went wide.

“People are saying the gods must have abandoned the imperial family. For a Primera to still not have appeared.”

“Nah, no way. One will appear soon enough.”

The two were talking about the imperial family.

I pretended to be uninterested, kicking my feet and humming a tune.

“But it's just so strange. Until now, it's always been the first or second child who was the Primera.”

“You're right. There are so many princes and princesses, but still no crown prince. I heard this is the first time this has ever happened.”

The Primera, an ability user of absolute power, with only one born per generation.

Until now, they had appeared exclusively from the imperial family, without a single exception.

Only a Primera among the emperor's children could become the crown prince.

However.

'That bastard emperor. He can have a hundred more kids. See if a Primera ever shows up.'

A Primera will not be born into the imperial family in this generation.

Because the one Primera born to this generation already...

“Don't tell me one was born into another family?”

...Correct.

“Pfft. Don't be ridiculous.”

“Hehe...”

A cold sweat trickled down my forehead.