EURL CH 03

Chapter 3

I was tilting my head in confusion when Bianca, who had been listening to my conversation with Elphine, cut in between us. She rested her chin at an angle on her hand, her eyes narrowing.

“Elphine.”

“Yes, Sister?”

“Does the jeweler who sold you that bracelet have a noble title? You’re being awfully respectful, even when he’s not here.”

“Uh… maybe?”

“How much was it?”

“Pardon?”

Bianca pressed him further. At her words, Elphine’s eyes began darting wildly from side to side.

“I’m asking how much that precious jewel from that esteemed jeweler cost. You bought it, so you should at least know the price.”

“Uh… well…”

This was strange. Elphine was suddenly flustered. And he kept glancing at me…

Ah.

I understood immediately.

The bracelet must have been cheaper than expected.

Honestly, so what? If it was pretty and I liked it, that was enough.

I raised my hand to mediate.

“Unni, stop it. It’s rude to ask the price in front of the person who gave the gift. Oppa’s embarrassed.”

See? I’ve grown up.

I was calming the two of them in my most generous voice when the dining room door opened and someone strode toward us in long steps.

It was a footman. Carrying a silver tray, he approached Father with an urgent expression.

The tray likely held a letter or a list of visitors that required Father’s immediate attention.

After reading the letter, Father’s expression hardened slightly. He wiped his mouth once more with his napkin.

“It seems I must depart earlier than expected.”

Depart?

I blinked.

Mother, looking surprised, asked, “I thought you were entering at one in the afternoon?”

“It seems there is something I must personally oversee. On second thought, it would be better if you all came along as well. It appears Marquis Daim has already arrived at the Imperial Palace.”

“Yes.”

At Father’s words, Bianca and Elphine rose from their seats without a single question.

W-Where are we going?

“Wait… where are we going? Am I going too?”

I stood up, setting my gifts down, and asked.

Suddenly, everyone at the table looked at me.

What is this atmosphere?

Their eyes pierced me with disbelief, confusion, and exasperation, as if asking, You really don’t know?

After staring at me for a moment, Elphine frowned.

“…Where else?”

“Where are we going?”

“To the Imperial Palace.”

“What?!”

My mouth dropped open. The Imperial Palace?

I jumped up from where I stood.

“Why would I go there? No, I’m not going!”

“I understand how you feel, but you absolutely have to go today.”

Bianca smirked as a maid draped a sable shawl over her shoulders.

Now that I looked at them, I realized I wasn’t the only one dressed extravagantly this morning. Everyone was dressed up. I thought it was just because it was my birthday!

“Why? Why do I have to go?”

“Oh my, do you really not know what today is?”

“No! What is it?”

“It’s the coronation.”

“What?”

I whipped around as Elphine scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“The coronation… Crown Prince Rubellus is becoming the 14th Emperor of the Jahard Empire.”

“What?!”

I jumped again.

Emperor?!

Emperor!

Well, of course he was the Crown Prince, so becoming Emperor was only natural. Yes, he had faced many difficulties on his path to the throne, but still—that’s beside the point!

“No! I’m not going!”

“What are you talking about? It’s the coronation. Nobles from all over the country have been gathering in the capital for a week!”

Ah! So that’s why the capital has been so crowded!

“No! You go! I’m not going! I won’t go!”

Unable to control myself, I dropped to the floor and started rolling around.

“I’m not going! Even if I die, I’m not going! Why would I go there?!”

“Oh dear. She really doesn’t know. Father, you didn’t tell her?”

Bianca skillfully lifted her dress and one foot so I could roll freely, then turned to Father. Father shook his head.

“That can’t be. Aira, I told you three months ago.”

Three months?!

“When? When was that?!”

“The morning you went fox hunting.”

“That can’t be—”

I trailed off.

Come to think of it, one early morning, when I was half-asleep, Father had said something to me.

Someone was becoming something, and he asked if I would attend. I vaguely remember saying yes…

“—It’s not impossible…”

I muttered blankly, having stopped rolling.

Sighing, Elphine lifted me up to my feet.

“Aira, get up. You can’t be stubborn about this. You have to go.”

“But, Oppa—”

“You have to.”

Elphine cut me off firmly. Father, already near the doorway, nodded.

“Elphine is right, Aira. I understand your feelings. But you must go today. Before being a man or woman, you are his subject. Do not forget your duty of loyalty.”

Father’s eyes gleamed.

Whenever he spoke of this country, I saw pride in his eyes that he could never hide.

I knew very well that Father loved this nation.

And when he looked like that, I also knew I could never win against him.

“…Alright.”

I muttered weakly, dusting off my skirt. Elphine patted the back of my head as if I had made the right choice.

* * *

I am Aira Wildenbiston.

Youngest daughter of the prestigious Wildenbiston family of the Jahard Empire.

Once, I was the empire’s most notorious troublemaker, a shameless little villainess.

And now…

“Sniff… I really don’t want to go…”

Just some girl writhing around inside a carriage.

“Honestly, you’re making such a fuss. Do you know you’ve been at it for thirty minutes? It’s driving me crazy. I should’ve ridden in Bianca Unni’s carriage.”

The girl sitting across from me complained, frowning deeply.

Rainibonne Delion, nicknamed Reni, is the only daughter and heir of Count Delion. And my companion for today.

If you asked about her, she was absurdly smart. So smart was she that her reputation had spread throughout the capital. When you said “study,” you meant Reni, and when you said “Reni,” you meant study.

Her father, impressed by her extraordinary talent, had drawn up a contract when she was still young. It had only two clauses.

First, she would never change her surname by marrying into another family.

Second, if she married, it must be a husband who married into her family, and he would inherit nothing.

Reni had readily agreed. She had no intention of sharing her assets with a husband anyway. And after changes to election and inheritance laws, women now had the right to participate in politics and inherit titles.

“But it’s really embarrassing!”

“True. It is a little embarrassing. You went to the Imperial Palace every single day from the age of four. It left such an impression that my father once asked me, ‘Do you want to go to the palace too?’”

“Why would I go there?!”

I began punching the cushion beside me.

“You’re kicking up dust!”

Reni snapped and opened the carriage window.

Through the opening, the city came into view.

The entire capital was buzzing with excitement. People filled the streets, their faces glowing with joy. Some played flutes, some blew trumpets, and others handed out balloons.

It had been a long time since I’d seen the city so lively.

As I watched, someone passing by our carriage suddenly raised both hands and shouted:

“Long live the Jahard Empire!”

“Long live!”

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Long live!”

“Long live Emperor Rubellus—”

Bang!

The moment I heard his name, I lunged and slammed the window shut.

The carriage went dark again.

Reni and I stared at each other silently.

She looked at me quietly for a moment.

“…What?”

I asked defensively, expecting criticism.

She shrugged lightly.

“Even if you close the window, you can still hear them.”

“……”

True.

Seeing my expression, she nodded as if she had expected that.

“Well, I’ll try to understand.”

What is this strange feeling of defeat?

I collapsed back into my seat and flailed.

No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t stop the carriage from moving forward.

It rolled steadily on and soon arrived at the gates of the Imperial Palace.

Guards with fierce expressions and soldiers stood in formation, checking the identities and belongings of every noble. No one could enter without inspection.

“You may proceed.”

The guard who inspected us nodded.

Our carriage moved again. After passing through the gates, it joined a long line of carriages advancing slowly inside the palace grounds.

As we passed the inspection point, a sudden thought struck me. I sat up abruptly.

“If you’re carrying prohibited items, they send you home? I should’ve brought something forbidden!”

“You only thought of that now? I figured you were just talking big and actually wanted to see him.”

“……”

I shouldn’t even respond.

I waved her off and slumped back down onto the seat.

Reni made a sound as if holding back laughter.

Fine. Go ahead and laugh.