Chapter 10

Originally, I was planning to run straight toward the Emperor and greet him loudly.

It was what I called my “Cute and Adorable Distraction Plan.”

It completely failed before it even started.

Still, I stopped the original story from progressing, so that’s what matters, right?

“…Cici?”

While I was looking at the scroll that had encountered an error and wiping under my nose with my finger, I heard a quiet voice behind me.

I turned around and gave an awkward smile.

“Hehe. Hi, Mommy.”

Sorry my goodbye came so late.

Wait.

Should I call this a welcome instead?

“How did you even get here…?”

Mom immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me behind her.

She wasn’t even afraid to do that while the Emperor was standing right in front of her!

She’s really a hero who defeated the Demon King!

“You must have followed us all the way here using Blake’s invention.”

Dad Harzen picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tilted his head.

I held my breath.

He can’t have the Invisibility Cloak!

If it were someone else, maybe it would be okay.

But if Dad Harzen had it, he would definitely never give it back to me.

I might need it again!

“Dad, Dad. I’ll keep it safe and give it back to Dad Kyle later.”

So could you please give it back to me?

I’ll be good. I promise…

“Cecilia Miller.”

But even my cute, pleading eyes didn’t work.

Dad looked at me coldly.

“You still don’t seem to understand how reckless what you did was.”

“That’s not it—”

“Who taught you the bad habit of making excuses before anything else?”

He frowned and spoke coldly.

“Even your mother can’t protect you this time.”

Mom was also looking down at me with a stiff expression.

I became frightened and took a small step backward.

“N-No…”

I knew what I had done was reckless.

I wasn’t trying to make excuses!

“I just…”

I had to save Mom.

If I didn’t do this, Mom would die and Dad and the others would destroy the world.

Of course, they don’t know that because I can’t tell them.

A deep feeling of sadness began to rise inside me.

My vision became blurry.

Mom and Dad have every right to scold me…

Maybe because I was still in a seven-year-old body.

My mind understood them, but tears kept coming anyway.

“Waaaaah…!”

In the end, I couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears.

Dad is so mean.

How can he look at me so coldly and talk to me like that?!

I was only trying to save Mom!

They don’t even know how devoted I am to my mother!

“Cecilia, stop crying.”

Mom seemed startled by my sudden crying.

She bent down on one knee so that our eyes were level and spoke firmly.

Dad also looked shaken now, his lips moving slightly.

“Waaaaah…!”

But I kept crying.

I’ve been worrying about this for days since my birthday.

What am I supposed to do?!

The system told me to protect Mom without giving me any useful ability!

It even stopped me from telling anyone!

Did I want things to turn out like this?!

“You’re all… sniffling… stupid… waaah…”

Why couldn’t the system have told Dad and the others instead of me?!

I cried so hard that my nose started running.

Then suddenly…

“…This is an unexpected situation.”

A deep, dignified voice came from far away.

I immediately snapped back to reality.

Oh, right.

I’m standing in front of the Emperor.

I almost forgot because Mom was blocking my view.

This isn’t the time to cry.

No matter how upset I was, there was still something I had to do.

Protecting Mom came first.

“Sniff.”

I wiped around my eyes and sniffed.

Fine.

Whatever.

Mom and Dad can keep scolding me.

I’m going to do what I need to do.

“I’m sorry for being noisy.”

I peeked over Mom’s shoulder and spoke.

Mom stared at me with her mouth open.

She seemed shocked that I had suddenly stopped crying and was acting mature.

“This child doesn’t seem like our daughter…”

Whatever.

While Mom was distracted, I pulled my hand away and stepped forward.

Then I bowed and spoke clearly.

“My parents were only surprised because of me. They didn’t cause a disturbance on purpose.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

The entire throne room fell into another deep silence.

I straightened my back and sniffed again.

From the original story, I remember that the Emperor seems to care a lot about proper manners.

It wasn’t specifically explained in the novel.

But I clearly remembered one line he had said.

“What a useless bunch.”

Mom had only recently possessed Yuria’s body, so she didn’t know the proper etiquette.

And Kyle and Derek had basically thrown manners out the window.

Harzen also had a bad relationship with the Emperor, so he probably hadn’t shown him proper respect either.

But the Emperor had praised Shion and even given him a famous sword.

Shion had originally been part of the Imperial Knights, so he obviously knew proper etiquette.

Although, considering how badly Shion was being treated now, that was a little strange.

Anyway, I had reached a conclusion.

Be very polite in front of the Emperor!

…Wait.

Should I have lifted my skirt instead of bowing?

“This child…”

The Emperor finally broke the silence.

“Is she your daughter?”

His eyes were fixed directly on Dad Harzen.

At the same time, Dad stepped forward and hid me behind his back.

“She is our daughter.”

“I asked whether she carries the blood of the Einhalt family.”

“Even if she does, what difference would that make?”

He tightly held my hand.

“I abandoned the Einhalt name several years ago.”

I stood behind him and tilted my head.

He’s being deliberately vague.

If the truth didn’t matter, Harzen could simply say no.

Instead of clearly answering whether I was his biological daughter, he brought up the fact that he had abandoned the Einhalt name.

Does he want to confuse the Emperor?

If so, why?

“I never approved your removal from the family.”

The Emperor tilted his head slightly.

Harzen calmly replied,

“Even if you did not approve it, my decision would not change. I’ve told you that many times.”

A tense silence followed.

Even swallowing felt dangerous.

Then the Emperor deliberately changed the subject.

“She looks exactly like her mother.”

He looked at me.

“But the way she behaves is exactly like you were when you were young.”

My eyes widened.

I thought these two had a bad relationship?

Why was the Emperor suddenly talking about Harzen’s childhood?

Ah!

I really should have read the side story!

If I had, I might actually understand what was happening right now!

“…I will send the child home again. It will not interfere with Her Majesty the Empress’s treatment—”

Harzen started speaking again, ignoring the Emperor’s comment.

But the Emperor raised one hand and stopped him.

“There is no need.”

Then he said,

“I permit your family to remain in the Imperial Palace for the time being.”

The Emperor had a strangely kind expression on his face.

As soon as he finished speaking, I immediately checked the scroll.

Progress remaining until full activation:

Unable to measure due to an error

Phew.

Thank goodness.

I was worried that his words might trigger something.

Maybe I just need to survive here for a few days and then safely go home.

It also looked like I had made a pretty good impression on the Emperor.

If everything could be resolved peacefully…

“This is unfortunate. I seem to have arrived a little late.”

Another voice suddenly came from behind us.

I turned around.

A proud-looking man with short blond hair was standing there.

“I heard that my precious younger brother had finally returned to the Imperial Palace after several years.”

The moment he appeared, the scroll changed.

[Key Character Has Appeared]

Taking various factors into account, the progress remaining until activation of the original story will soon be recalculated.

My eyes immediately narrowed.

That’s the Second Prince!

In the original story, he had treated Harzen unusually warmly.

If the Second Prince is a key character…

That means he is connected to Mom’s death.

And not just a little.

He must be connected to it in a very important way.

Which means…

AAAAAH!

My instincts were right!

The real mastermind has appeared!