APTB | Ch04

“I… I’ve lived my whole life inside the palace. It will take time for me to adapt to even the nearby territories, let alone rule over people who are so different from our culture…”
It was an undignified thing to say. Showing weakness wasn’t something a royal should do.
Plus, Karayan was now part of the empire, so it wasn’t something to be ashamed of.
Tia felt embarrassed, but she also knew that the Empress, her mother, could sometimes be a little softer with her since she was the youngest. So, she hoped to somehow cling to her, to stay by her side.
Her mother had just gotten up after being bedridden for a whole month, and Tia didn’t want to leave her side.
On the outside, the Empress still looked youthful and strong, despite being over fifty. It was hard to believe she was that old.
But Tia had once heard from the nurse that some people don’t seem to age for a long time, then suddenly, one day, they just seem to skip over the years and grow old.
Tia didn’t want to leave her mother. She wanted to stay by her side while she was still here, in this world.
“I don’t want to leave the palace.”
Of course, she couldn’t say this directly. She knew it would be considered spoiled, and she couldn’t ask for too much.
“Don’t defy me, Tia.”
But sometimes, when the Empress looked at her, Tia could feel a coldness in her eyes as though she was holding back contempt.
“Don’t make me give up on you, thinking you’re not worth leaving in this world.”
Tia had to bow her head quickly before her trembling lips could show any signs of her tears.
That day, leaving the audience room, Tia kept repeating to herself to stop the tears that were almost welling up.
Her mother loved her.
She was just a bit strict.
Her mother could never not love her.

“Tia, have you finished preparing for your trip? Is there anything I can help with?”
The day before Tia was supposed to leave the palace, Duke Devan showed up at her quarters early in the morning.
She was preparing for her trip to Karayan, where she was supposed to oversee Karios and discuss her marriage to Vicente Kalli, as ordered by the Empress.
But she never expected she’d be leaving the palace so soon.
“My maids are taking care of everything, Duke. What else could you do?”
“Don’t be so harsh! I’m worried because you’ll be away from the palace for months! Who am I going to confide in and rely on for advice now?”
The Duke looked almost childlike with his playful complaint.
Though in his late 30s, he didn’t look a day over his 20s. Even his sister, Duchess Natalia, would joke about how he never matured.
But he was a good man, and to Tia, he was always kind.
“You two really think alike. Natalia was here yesterday, complaining about the same thing. Oh, by the way, she gave you a fur coat as a gift, saying Karayan will need one even in the fall.”
At the mention of his sister, Devan’s face softened.
“Well… I came empty-handed.”
“But you brought me a travel journal and a quill the other day,” Tia said.
“I’ll visit you again the day after tomorrow to send you off. I’ll bring something even better then.”
“Duke, please, stop coming and just work. Don’t you feel bad for your people?”
“Stop scolding me. Geez.”
For a moment, Tia couldn’t believe she was actually leaving her mother, the palace, and everything behind.
Karayan. The far northern island.
Tia had never been outside the palace. Vellarenza had never left either, and even Osvaldo, who trained with the navy at sixteen, had stayed in the palace ever since.
Even the maids, who weren’t restricted from leaving, rarely went outside. After all, everything valuable and wonderful was inside the palace.
“Well, about Vicente Kalli…”
Devan carefully changed the subject.
“Don’t worry too much about him. He’s not as strange as the rumors say.”
Tia silently listened, stirring honey into the herbal tea in the porcelain cup that Devan had once given her.
“Some say he only wears a beast’s skin and carries an axe instead of a sword. All nonsense. I’ve met him before, and he was polite and normal.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, despite what others might say about him, he seemed like an ordinary guy when I met him.”
An ordinary guy.
Tia couldn’t help but smile slightly at his attempt to reassure her.
When Osvaldo married Princess Tiberos and Vellarenza got engaged to Prince Bayang, everyone had praised their extraordinary spouses, as if being ‘ordinary’ was an insult.
Well, that was strange.
“Is he really ordinary? I’ve heard Natalia say that the Empress has done a great favor to me by matching us.”
“Eh? Why would she say that?”
“She says a man should be big and handsome. So, she’s thankful to the Empress for choosing a man like Vicente and says I should be grateful for this marriage. Is she wrong?”
Devan’s frown turned into a laugh at her teasing.
“Ah, yes. That’s somewhat true! Vicente is quite a handsome guy, and his build is impressive.”
“Well, that’s good.”
Tia nodded in satisfaction.
There was no way a man praised by Natalia for his looks could be bad. She, too, loved beauty.
“Right. It’s all good, isn’t it? We trust the Empress’s judgment. She would never make a decision that would harm you, Tia.”
Devan smiled warmly, his eyes full of fatherly affection.
“Winter’s coming, so when you go to Karayan, you’ll get to see the snow. The view of the sea and the Northern Lights from the high castle will be amazing. It’ll be a great change of scenery for you.”
“I’ve always wanted to see snow. I’ll draw it in the journal you gave me.”
“Haha, I’m sure the journal will get plenty of use. I look forward to it.”
They exchanged light-hearted words, wishing her a pleasant journey.
But Tia knew Devan had strongly opposed this trip.
He had insisted that Vicente Kalli should be called to the palace first to meet her before she left, claiming that such a man, who lived recklessly and ignorantly, couldn’t possibly make her happy.
Even though Devan was always a loyal and obedient servant to the Empress, he had boldly spoken against her orders. Oriana had told Tia about it.
“…Anyway, this trip is going to be an important experience. I’m really grateful for the Empress’s decision.”
Tia quietly spoke, glancing at Marisol, who was sulking in the corner.
“The Empress loves me.”
Don’t cry, Marisol.
I can’t change my mother’s decision.
I just have to accept it with courage and do my best from now on.
I was born as a princess with the great Empress’s spirit.
Now, I will protect the empire, marry honorably, and rule distant lands with the will of the Empress. That will be my joy.