Chapter 67

Princess Chloe dragged me around here and there. We stopped by what they claimed was the best restaurant in the area, visited a cafe, and even went to a clothing store to shop for clothes. Although I just looked around without buying anything, Chloe wore a face that seemed satisfied with just that. For her, what mattered was the time spent together, not necessarily what we bought or ate.

Since getting to know Princess Chloe, it’s only been about half a year, but I already felt like I knew her to some extent. She yearned for the ordinary. Of course, she must know it herself. Being of royal blood already set her apart from the ordinary. But that’s why she sought what was ordinary.

“I want to spend my time at the academy without thinking about being royalty.”

“…”

“To be honest, I don’t even know why I want to be the Emperor. Maybe it’s just that I was educated to think I need to become Emperor to survive since I was a child.”

“I’ve only known you for less than half a year, Your Highness.”

“Hmm?”

“If anything dangerous happens to you, I will do everything in my power to protect you.”

It was a thoughtless statement, but I kept going because it was my sincere feeling. Yet, the princess merely gazed at me quietly.

“What if Lilian tells me not to help you?”

“…Still, I think I would help you.”

“Didn’t you just say the young lady’s will comes first?”

“…”

I closed my mouth at her teasing remark. I didn’t think Lilian would outright tell me not to help her, but if she ever wanted to reject the princess, what would I do? I felt pity for the current Lilian. I liked her and held affection for her. But it was safe to say there was no unconditional loyalty there.

What saved me wasn’t the current Lilian but “the young lady,” and it would be “the young lady” who would take my heart. It dawned on me why I couldn’t accept the princess’s feelings. I realized I had been clinging to someone who might as well be dead.

I wasn’t just clinging; I was trapped. I couldn’t escape the grip of the young lady, nor did I have the will to do so. Eight-year-old Catherine had been shackled by Lilian, living a satisfied life as a slave.

That life had ensnared even affection, leaving me with no love to give to another. The young lady was obsessed with me and restrained me but didn’t truly love me. She merely craved familial affection and tossed me the remnants of that love.

Suddenly, realizing that felt all too hollow. Memories of the young lady flooded back. Even while I spoke, her cold gaze met mine. When family came home, she would set aside the maids and bloom a smile toward her parents, who looked at her with icy eyes.

In stark contrast to how she always wore a bitter smile before me. After pouring her affection on parents who didn’t care for her, she unleashed her hatred for her indifferent family onto me.

The young lady’s will was my will. That meant I was entirely subordinate to her. But now it was different. “Lilian” was no longer my young lady. The “young lady” who had treated me like a slave was either dead or had vanished behind Lilian. My will was completely my own, and I had the right to claim my life.

As a modern person, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the late realization. The princess’s eyes widened in surprise at my laugh.

“You….”

“Excuse me?”

“Did you just smile?”

“Did I smile?”

“You did.”

The princess stared at me with a blank face as she pinched my cheeks and pulled at the corners of my mouth. Yet my expression remained as expressionless as ever. That made her begin to sulk.

“I’m surprised you can smile at all.”

“Really?”

I still couldn’t remember when my facial muscles had stopped working. I had been living with a blank expression since at least my first memory. I tried to subtly move my facial muscles, but they still wouldn’t cooperate. So what was that smile earlier? I just couldn’t grasp it.

“Speaking of which, since we’re out, shall we go meet Elia Bronwey?”

“Is Lady Bronwey outside?”

“I just thought it’d be better to keep her away from where incidents happen.”

As she spoke, the princess began to walk ahead. Did she know I was deep in thought until just now? She merely looked at me quietly. Honestly, I was a bit grateful to her at times like these. Yulia would have asked me what was wrong with a face full of concern. And with Lilian, she might have forced the truth out of me.

“It’s nothing big. I just realized what position I was in.”

“I see.”

“Oh, speaking of which, I think I need to correct what I said earlier.”

“What about?”

“My will is just my will. Wanting to follow the young lady is also my will. Helping you, Your Highness, is also my will.”

“Did you just realize that?”

The princess casually remarked with a light smirk, then gently took my arm. With that, the princess subtly linked her arm with mine and began to walk in sync.

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In a beautiful garden adorned with blooming flowers, a man and two beautiful women sat at a tea table. Yet, no conversation passed between them. There was a gentle breeze in the garden, but it felt like a cold snap had descended around them. Lilian shivered slightly, feeling like she was sitting on a bed of nails.

Clink. The sound of a teacup irritated her ears. When she glanced toward the sound, Prince Jeron was glaring at her with fiery eyes. Ignoring his gaze, Lilian turned to Yulia. Yet Yulia continued to look at Lilian with her innocent gaze.

Was she aware of the awkward tension or not? She likely was, at least to some degree. The prince’s open displays of affection made it clear why Yulia was trying to get away. But Yulia had no intention of running away at all. Yulia needed to align herself with the prince. Even knowing what feelings the current Yulia had for Catherine and how much things diverged from the original storyline, Lilian couldn’t pull back on this part.

After all, they had to prevent the world’s destruction. Yulia needed to awaken her divine power, and Jeron needed to awaken his magical power to defeat the Demon King. Knowing that, Lilian was all the more anxious. For some reason, Jeron was currently interested in Yulia.

Although she desperately wanted to disappear from this spot, she also couldn’t abandon Yulia, who was looking at her like that, so she was caught in a bind as Jeron once again placed his teacup down with a loud clink, expressing his displeasure with the situation, causing Lilian to finally close her eyes and stand up.

“I… I need to leave suddenly as something urgent has come up. Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness in leaving first.”

“Hmm. No problem.”

“‘No problem’ my foot. Who does he think he is, the Emperor?”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

Thinking such things in my head, I forced a smile as I slowly turned away. As Lilian walked away, Yulia briefly looked at her retreating figure before slowly placing her teacup down. Clink. The sound of the teacup once again tickled Lilian’s ears.

“So, what is it you want to say?”

“I know you’re avoiding me.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure why you think that. We have no connection at all, right?”

“Rather, it’s weird that we have no connection.”

Although I could hear those words coming from behind me, I ignored them and continued on. Once I completely closed the door, I sighed deeply. Was Jeron always this arrogant? Well, aside from Yulia, most characters were like that. Jeron identified his arrogance as a primary reason for never ascending to the throne.

In reality, Jeron had never once risen to the throne, having been overshadowed by the First Prince or Princess Chloe, even after awakening his magical powers. He might have outstanding personal abilities, but it was a well-established belief that those abilities didn’t signify the skill to rule a nation. Knowing this, he might have been pursuing Yulia more actively.

Of course, having played through the original game, I could only hope it wouldn’t be like that. With those thoughts, Lilian left the garden and made her way to her room. Above all, she hoped things would still flow in line with the original story from this point on.

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