Chapter 47 ā The Princeās First Seal
In my previous life, Empress Karin gave birth to her second son when I was eleven years old.
Not long after that, Tian was stripped of his title as Crown Prince.
He lost his position to his newborn younger brother and was forced out of the palace.
And that timing⦠it matched perfectly with when Hyana returned to Duke Longternās mansion.
I tried to recall the faint memories.
āYes⦠it was around then. How could I ever forget?ā
It was the moment when my peaceful life completely fell apart.
When Hyana appeared at the Longtern estate, I shut myself in my room.
Somehow, I already knew instinctivelyā
that there was no place left for me in that mansion.
āWhat? You came to the mansion seven years ago?ā
āYes⦠but it was completely empty. I begged to meet Father just once, but they thought I was a beggar and kicked me outā¦ā
Hyana had come to the mansion at the worst possible timeā
The one day when everyone in the house was gone, on a trip for my birthday.
Since no one recognized her, the servants threw her out.
And on that same day, she was sold to a slave trader.
After that, Hyana spent seven years living as a slave in another country.
When she finally came back and told her story, the entire household went into chaos.
Duke Lambert Longtern ordered an investigation and a blood test to confirm her identity.
Soon enough, the results proved that everything she said was true.
The atmosphere in the mansion changed overnight.
Even the few servants who used to quietly help clean my room stopped showing up.
There was nothing I could do anymore except stare out the window all day, watching the bustling world outside.
Thatās how I remembered it so clearly.
Because I saw him thenā
The man who visited Duke Longtern during that time.
āPlease, we beg for your support.ā
The man who came to see Duke Lambert Longtern introduced himself as the commander of the Guard.
Even though I was still young, I knew whatĀ GuarderĀ meant.
I had always been good at understanding politics.
GuarderāThe Empressās Shield.
They were the elite unit that had once protected the late Empress Miraena.
āEven though Her Majesty Miraena has passed away, the Guarder still remains loyal.
We plan to petition His Majesty to restore Prince Tianās position as Crown Prince.ā
Naturally, they served the late Empressās son, Tian.
Even if he had been dethroned, they still believed in him enough to fight for his return
āHer Majesty the Dowager Empress will surely side with us.
We came here today hoping that you, Duke, would lend us your strength as well.ā
From what I saw, Commander Logrio had been visiting powerful nobles across the Empire, asking for their cooperation.
He must have been desperateābecause that day, he even knelt down.
Not realizing that I was watching everything from the fourth floor.
***
āI beg of you. If I fail to protect Prince Tian, I will never have the face to see Her Majesty Miraena, even in death.ā
Logrio wasnāt just any knight.
He was the commander ofĀ Guarder, the strongest unit that had once stood right beside the Empress herself.
For someone like him to kneelāit was something that would never happen, not even before a duke.
But Logrio had thrown away his pride for the sake of restoring Tian.
There was only one problem.
He didnāt know the kind of man Duke Lambert Longtern really was.
āI understand your intentions. Iāll send my response by letter later, so please return for now.ā
After sending Logrio away, the Duke did write a letterā
but not to Logrio.
He sent it toĀ Empress Karin.
āThat man Logrio⦠I canāt tell if heās loyal or just a fool.ā
He didnāt even bother keeping it a secret.
Everyone in the mansion soon knew what the letter said.
It was simple.
That the former Empressās knight, Logrio, was plotting to restore the dethroned Crown Prince.
And that since there was already aĀ newĀ Crown Prince, Logrioās actions were clearly treasonous.
It was a report full of exaggerationsāa letter that framed Logrio for crimes he didnāt commit.
***
āFor the sake of a strong Imperial future, traitors must be punished.ā
Not long after, Logrio was executed.
Because of Duke Longternās letter.
The charge: treason.
Empress Karin claimed that Logrioās plan to restore Tian was a direct threat to the new Crown Prince.
The Emperor agreed without hesitation and approved the execution.
Even the Dowager Empress, who had supported Tian, was forced into seclusion.
That was how Tianās last remaining allies were destroyed.
āBut thatās still about six years away. Which means right now, the Guarder and Logrio are still aliveā¦ā
After organizing my thoughts, I smiled brightly at Tian.
āThen this is the perfect chance! Youāve never used your seal before, right? So use itĀ now!ā
āButā¦ā
āAnd I understandāthe Imperial Seal is super important. You canāt just stamp it anywhere, right?ā
Tian looked dazed.
āWell, yes, but stillā¦ā
āThen thatās even better!ā I clapped my hands.
āWow, this is great!ā
I pushed the medicine bottles toward him.
āHere, take these, Your Highness.ā
He stared at me in surprise.
I smiled confidently.
āOnce you try them, youāllĀ wantĀ to write that recommendation letter yourself!ā
I had no intention of forcing him to write it.
āIāll make him want to do it on his own.ā
Once Tian saw how well the medicine worked, heād write that letterĀ willingly.
āThis ointment goes on wounds, and the potion helps prevent infection,ā I explained.
Tian hesitated, looking at the bottles.
āā¦I see. But I donāt have any injuries. I donāt need medicine right now.
And if you just need the letter, I could write it even without using my sealāif you really want me toā¦ā
āWhat? No one around you is hurt either? Then you can give it to someone who needs it! I donāt mind at all!ā
Tian froze.
His eyes slowly returned to the bottles.
āCome on, think. ThereĀ isĀ someone you want to help, right?ā
Commander Logrio.
When he came to see Duke Longtern, he had been wearing a prosthetic left hand.
āHe was sent to a border conflict after the Empress died, under the Emperorās orders.ā
Thatās where he was injured.
It wasnāt a large wound, but it had become badly infected.
In the end, the infection spread, and he had to amputate his arm below the elbow.
I knew all this because, in my past life, Iād researched it myself after he was executed.
Logrio had left a strong impression on meā
because even when he had lost everything, he had still remained loyal to Tian.
āIf Iād had someone that loyal to me back then, maybe things wouldāve been different.ā
Now, it was the year 1287.
And the news about Logrio returning from the frontlines after losing his arm⦠would come out in August 1287.
āSeriously, Iāll never forget numbers. What a blessing of a brain.ā
I didnāt know who my biological parents were.
But for that at least, I was grateful.
As expected, Tianās eyes began to brighten.
āā¦Now that you mention it, there is someone hurt.ā
I silently cheered.
In my previous life, Logrio had stayed loyal to Tian until the very end.
Even after Tian was dethroned, he had tried to protect himāuntil it cost him his life.
With that kind of loyalty, it made sense heād still be keeping in touch with Tian now.
And sure enoughā
āThereās a knight I know,ā Tian said quietly. āHe used to serve my mother. Heās been sending me letters lately, even though I rarely reply.ā
Yes! Just as I thought!
Logrio was still reaching out to him.
āHe really is such a good manā¦ā
I could still picture him clearly, kneeling before Duke Longtern.
Even kneeling, he had looked noble.
If only he hadnāt been so straightforwardā
if only heād chosen a safer path instead of confronting the Duke head-onā
āHe might not have been executed in my past life.ā
āHe said a few weeks ago that he was injured. Maybe I could send him this medicineā¦ā
āWow! What a perfect coincidence! Thatās an amazing idea!ā
I clapped excitedly and pushed the bottles closer.
āGive these to your knight, and if he needs more, Iāll send more! I have plenty!ā
I jumped down from my chair and opened the wooden box in the corner of my room.
Inside, rows of Lubarina and Lubawen bottles filled the box to the brim.
Tian looked at them for a long moment, then finally nodded.
He picked up the two bottles from the table.
āAlright. Iāll do that.ā
āYes! Yes!ā
āAnd Iāll also write your recommendation letter. With my seal.ā






