And Rahelika felt some self-loathing. Should I be doing this at my age?

But there are not two, but three characters in this play. So she couldn’t back out, even though she had been sickeningly involved since she could walk on two legs.

“What? Please give Father a seat, Mother.”

When Iris sighed at her daughter’s whining that didn’t match her age, Rahelika felt a faint guilt towards Iris. She muttered to herself. I’m sorry for making you face that unpleasant face.

But if only Mother hadn’t chosen me, this wouldn’t have happened.

My two younger sisters, Thalia and Helena, didn’t need to do this. Whenever she had to act cute in broad daylight, bringing shame upon herself, Rahelika was more than envious of her two younger sisters – she was jealous.

How could only those two live according to their age? Looking at them made her feel pathetic for struggling so hard just for a normal daily life.

Though they seemed to feel exactly the opposite.

But what could she do? Rahelika cared for her two sisters in her own way. It could have been a meager guilt for children growing up watching discrimination under an indifferent mother, or it could have been an even lighter blood bond, but in any case, it was enough for her to try and not run away as their elder sister.

When she looked up at her mother again, Iris finally ordered the servant standing beside her.

“Go and bring one more chair.”

At those words, Levennen’s expression noticeably brightened. Rahelika smiled at Iris.

“Thank you, Mother.”

“Enough, Rahel. What mother doesn’t listen to her daughter’s request?”

But Mother, you didn’t even reply to Thalia’s letter last week asking to have dinner together.

Swallowing the words that had risen to her throat, Rahelika smiled. I’m so happy you said that, Mother. It was a voice as sweet as the sound of bells rung during festivals.

Iris, who had received a new teacup instead of the cooled tea, said to her daughter.

“Still, you should behave with proper manners in front of His Majesty the Emperor next time.”

“It’s alright. Rahel is my daughter. A daughter need not observe formalities in front of her father.”

Seeing Iris’s expression instantly harden at those words, Rahelika inwardly sighed. Father. Please read the room. I’ve been walking on eggshells around you two for nearly twenty years, how can you not stay calm for even twenty minutes?

Father, how filthy do you think I feel when you so casually trample on my efforts, being held hostage to your relationship my entire life?

However, my feelings are not considered in this play. Knowing this fact well, Rahelika just laughed like a thoughtless child. Oh, Father, don’t say that.

“Mother only said that out of concern for me. At twenty-six, a member of the imperial family should be more than old enough to be independent. I should act more mature.”

Look at Thalia and Helena. They’re already married and living on their own.

Iris spoke as soon as those words ended.

“Don’t compare yourself to them. Isn’t Orien, who’s three years older than you, still in the palace?”

“Well, elder brother Orien is the crown prince, isn’t he? He’ll live in the palace his whole life.”

“Are you saying you shouldn’t?”

Iris set down her teacup with trembling hands and said,

“Rahel, who told you to leave the palace?”

And Iris turned to look at her husband, whom she had been treating as if he didn’t exist all along. Her attitude was accusatory, as if she had directly heard him say such things.

Rahelika shook her head at her mother.

“No, Mother. I was just saying what came to mind.”

Only then did Iris’s expression soften.

“You scared me, thinking my daughter was going to leave this mother behind and go far away.”

And she picked up the teacup she had set down. Her hands were still trembling.

Rahelika hoped that the empress’s servant had discreetly added a sedative to her mother’s tea. Iris, who had not left the palace for nearly twenty years, became somewhat sensitive if she didn’t take her medicine on time.

After that, everything flowed as predetermined. Rahelika chose topics that would not irritate her mother while at the same time not offending her father, making them all appear like a harmonious family. Though both Iris and Levennen occasionally participated in the conversation, whenever Levennen opened his mouth, Iris would close hers, so their words never connected.

Finally, when some time had passed, Levennen rose from his seat.

“I’ll be going now. Rahel, would you come with your father for a moment?”

It was then that Iris spoke to Levennen for the first time.

“Where are you taking Rahel?”

“There are some new tribute items that have come in, and I want to let her choose something she likes. I’ll send her back soon, so don’t worry too much.”

Iris’s expression cooled again at the unsatisfactory answer. However, she seemed unwilling to continue conversing with her husband and turned her head forward once more.

Rahelika bowed her head to her mother.

“I’ll be back soon, Mother.”

As they left the Empress’s Palace and entered the Emperor’s Palace, Levennen constantly asked about Iris. Rahelika gave appropriate answers mixed with aegyo to her father, who was acting like a prisoner of great devotion.

“Actually, it’s not tribute items, but things I brought in to give to you that I wanted to show you.”

Levennen said this as they entered the reception room. Rahelika was not surprised that her father had not been honest. He had been a man who lied for over twenty years.

The reception room was filled with all sorts of luxurious items. From dressing tables made of amber and silver to silk embroidered with gold thread, it seemed like every kind of luxury item had been brought in by category.

Levennen sat her on the sofa and handed her a music box decorated with amethysts. Smiling as if she had received a gift on a special day, Rahelika opened the lid of the music box. Along with a wedding hymn, a small couple came out and spun around.

As Rahelika looked down at that abominable sculpture for a moment, Levennen handed her a box.

“I heard Iris lost her fan.”

She didn’t lose it, she threw it down a well.

The truth known to everyone in the palace rose to her throat, but Rahelika accepted the box her father was handing her and opened it. Inside was a fan studded with amethysts and pearls. It looked similar to the fan he had sent over twenty years ago, now buried at the bottom of some well.

“Would you deliver it on my behalf?”

What’s the point of delivering it for you? Anyone can clearly see who sent it.

However, the men around her tended to be selfish and stupid, so Rahelika was not surprised.

She took the box and smiled.

“Yes, I’d be glad to.”

“Good. Is there anything you want?”

But the man who said this did not grant what the person he loved actually wanted.

So Rahelika did not ask Levennen to jump into the well where the fan was, or to release her and her mother from the palace.

To his daughter who rolled her eyes without answering, Levennen spoke like a caring father.

“If you think of anything later, just tell me.”

That day, Levennen said he would escort her back to the Empress’s Palace. Rahelika took the hand of her father, who was kindly saying he would use her to catch his wife’s eye.

When they came out to the corridor of the Emperor’s Palace, they encountered Netepel.

“Why are you here?”

When Levennen barked loudly, Rahelika inadvertently tightened her grip on her father’s hand. It was because he had been speaking in a gentle voice until then.

Netepel, with his head bowed before them, said,

“I am here to see His Majesty the Emperor. I need a permit to leave the country.”

“Are you not going to greet the princess?”

Rahelika gently patted the back of her father’s hand, who was speaking deliberately loudly.

“It’s alright, Father.”

She said this not so much out of consideration for her half-brother in front of her, but because she was tired of being used in this way.

How can both son and father be so alike?

Once, Orien too had insulted the young man before her with a similar attitude. Rahelika asked on behalf of her father, who would surely not grant what the illegitimate son wanted, claiming he had clearly committed rudeness.

“Where are you trying to go that you need a permit to leave the country?”

“I have a friend beyond Aglante that I want to meet.”

It must be that Leden princess.

That princess who had been kind to the illegitimate son of a foreign country had recently married the Prince of Aglante. Recalling the news she had briefly overheard, Rahelika turned to Levennen.

“Father, I don’t think it would be bad to let him go. Mother would be pleased if you send him far away.”

Iris would prefer the creator of that illegitimate son to disappear rather than the illegitimate son himself, but Rahelika didn’t say that much.

Listening to her words, Levennen said,

“Thank the princess.”

When a letter came from Netepel, Ophelia realized that she had not opened his gift yet. She had forgotten about it due to having many other things on her mind.

Sure enough, from the first page of the letter, there was mention of it.

−I’m writing because I’m worried since I haven’t received a reply. Did something happen?

If by something, there was a lot. As she grew closer to Idren, Ophelia felt that the days were passing faster and faster. Before she knew it, the sun would set while she was busy doing this and that.

Moreover, she had many thoughts about Netepel as well. Recalling several facts she had learned about him, Ophelia said to the servant beside her,

“Bring me the gift from the 2nd Prince of Egelbamot among those received from the delegation.”