ISTF 12

Chapter 12

I am officially a bastard.

In principle, I could not inherit the title, but according to my mother’s will, I received the peerage. Even that alone was enough for me to be mocked and gossiped about my entire life.

Furthermore, the fact that there were three possible candidates for my father was a subject of reproach in aristocratic society, where a woman’s chastity was held in high regard.

‘But I don’t care about that.’

Those three men were my last hope.

If I could survive in the way I wanted, my reputation meant nothing to me.

However, the positions of those three might be different.

It was a situation ripe for ridicule.

I couldn’t expect them to be like me.

I waited for their answers with the same dread as if awaiting a death sentence.

Keith spoke first.

“I don’t care who gossips about Adel and us. That’s a personal matter. But if anyone dares to bully Daphne, I won’t stand idly by.”

Next, Lev said.

“The only ones who can speak about Adelaide are us. The same goes for the child.”

His words were calm but carried a clear resolve.

Albert agreed with the two of them.

“I feel the same way. I will do my utmost to ensure that this matter does not become a stain on Daphne.”

No one had ever taken care of me like this in my entire life. I buried my face in the blanket to hide the tears that suddenly welled up.

‘They are thinking of mine and my mother’s honor.’

The three people who were directly involved in a matter that everyone was eager to condemn said it was fine. They even said they would protect me.

I was grateful.

And… I was sorrowful.

‘This means that my being born wasn’t a mistake.’

That I wasn’t a useless life born by accident.

That no one should speak ill of me.

“Daph, are you asleep? You must be tired.”

Someone covered me with a thin blanket and patted my back.

I pretended to be asleep and held my breath, crying for a long time.

I had spent my whole life crying, wishing I had never been born.

But today, I cried for the opposite reason.

—

***

Several days had passed since we entered the Imperial Palace.

The three men, whom I had worried might clash while living together, were adapting quite well.

Albert was holed up in the library, saying he had things to look up, and Lev was busy sorting out his subordinates in Rexros to send them north.

Only Keith, who had nothing to do, spent his time entirely with me.

We would laze around in the shade of a tree during the mornings when the sun wasn’t too strong, and when we got bored, we’d snack or play with a ball.

Today, like usual, we were spending time under the linden tree with Keith and Odri.

A gentle breeze caressed my face pleasantly, and the chirping of birds sounded peaceful.

The meals and snacks provided by the palace were of the highest quality, and I could spend my days idly playing and then fall asleep safely in a soft bed at night.

I felt fantastic.

‘Ah, life is good.’

If it weren’t for the worries I had to resolve, this would truly be a heavenly existence.

“What should we do about that damned law?”

Keith shattered the peace and brought me back to reality.

He was lying down with his hands behind his head, his crossed legs dangling and kicking idly as he stared into the void.

He had seemed so carefree all along, but it appeared he was worried about the law that stood in his way.

The law stating that a parent’s status cannot be lower than their child’s.

A law that was probably necessary when it was enacted, but is now rarely used. Because of this outdated law, even if Keith is my biological father, he might not be recognized.

There is only one solution: amend the law.

But how could Keith, a gambler, possibly change such a law?

Just as my worries were deepening, Keith sprang up and stretched with a loud groan.

“Well, it’ll work out somehow. Daph, let’s go play ball!”

Right. It’s Keith. It’ll work out somehow. He is, after all, the luckiest man in the empire.

Without dwelling on it for long, I got up and followed Keith.

“Daph, here I come!”

A yellow ball arced through the air and landed at my feet.

I tried to catch it, but my head felt heavy and my movements were clumsy, so I failed.

“Ugh!”

I lost my balance and fell flat on my face.

“Daph! Are you okay?”

As I lifted my head at Keith’s worried voice, I saw Odri scurrying after the ball on her short legs.

“Peep!”

Odri’s appearance, more like rolling than running, looked like a dusty little lump that stirred a strange competitive spirit in me.

No matter how small I had become, I wanted to prove that I was faster than that tiny bird.

“I’ll get it!”

“Peep peep!”

*Thump-thump-bump!*

We both dashed for the ball at the same time, and the winner was me.

“Got it!”

I held the ball above my head and wiggled it excitedly towards Odri.

“Peep!”

Odri turned her head away in a huff.

Her sulky little baby bird appearance was absolutely adorable.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hahaha!”

Had I ever laughed out loud so freely like this before?

Once I started laughing, I couldn’t stop. I clutched my stomach and laughed until tears streamed down my face.

Keith laughed along with me.

“Daph, was it that funny? Hahaha!”

“Hahahaha!”

We were in the middle of such pointless laughter.

“His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, approaches!”

An unexpected person came looking for us.

The Emperor was walking over under the shade of a parasol held by Head Chamberlain Patrick. A line of attendants followed behind him.

‘Why would the Emperor come here at this hour?’

It couldn’t be a coincidence that the Emperor, who should be busy with state affairs, would make a point to come to this garden where we were, in this vast palace.

Well, considering the entire palace is the Emperor’s home, he can go wherever he pleases, but still…

“We greet His Imperial Majesty.”

Keith offered a clumsy bow.

I also tucked Odri into my pocket and bowed at the knee.

“We greet His Impwerial Majesty.”

“Rise.”

The Emperor clasped his hands behind his back and looked at us with a benevolent smile.

I had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.

“You seem to be having fun. Are you the type to raise your child yourself?”

“Well, I hear you have children of your own, Your Majesty. It seems you don’t play with the Crown Prince.”

“That’s more or less the case. I’m busy, and the imperial prince has many excellent teachers to impart fine qualities to him.”

“Not everyone is born with such affluent luck, I suppose.”

“Hahaha! That’s quite a bold answer, isn’t it?”

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

Keith was probably the only person who would speak so frankly to an Emperor who must have been used to hearing only pleasant words his whole life.

The Emperor’s eyes glinted sharply as he looked at Keith.

“I hear you were a formidable gambler in Orgo. What could a wanderer like you possibly be thinking, getting involved in this affair?”

Ah, so this is the real issue.

He came to find out what ulterior motive Keith had for getting involved in this matter.

As Albert had said, there was no end to the people wanting to meet us, now that we were staying at Abel Palace.

Keith hadn’t met with any of them, instead devoting his time to me. It seemed like he was avoiding those who tried to talk to him.

Perhaps that very behavior aroused the Emperor’s suspicions, prompting him to come in person.

“I simply wish to take my daughter with me.”

“Everyone wants to enter the palace hoping to snag a position for themselves. You, despite your rather modest title, managed to get in quite easily by using the child. And yet you claim to have no hidden agenda?”

I could understand the Emperor’s perspective.

He must have only met people trying to gain something from him his whole life, so suspicion was natural.

But from what I had experienced, Keith was not the type of person to be concerned with things like power.

He never tried to curry favor with anyone for gain, he simply lived comfortably, going with the flow.

Perhaps that’s why luck followed him.

“My sole purpose is to gain custody of Daphne, nothing more. However, I must ask, Your Majesty, what agenda are *you* hiding by posing such questions?”

Keith looked the Emperor straight in the eye.

I could hear the attendants behind them swallowing their breaths.

I was frozen stiff too.

‘What if he gets dragged away for insolence…!’

The Emperor’s expression didn’t change, but I could sense he was quite taken aback.

If Albert, who was well-versed in court etiquette, had been here, he would have been frothing at the mouth.

Not only did Keith question the Emperor, but he also dared to look him in the eye and await an answer.

The hellish moment of silence felt impossibly long.

The ambiguous, benevolent smile faded from the Emperor’s face, replaced by a heavy, somber expression.

Still, Keith did not back down.

The restless attendants could no longer contain themselves and shouted.

“Y-You insolent fool!”