He had wished she’d remain ignorant of such matters, growing up in the Bronte estate, lovely and delicate like any other young lady.

He thought of Ariana, who had impassively observed the torture of captured assassins. Even Isabel, who was tough, couldn’t have watched such a scene unfazed.

Russel knew well how Jeor tortured enemies. Sometimes, it was so cruel that even Russel had to look away.

Ariana had watched as if it were a play.

“You look distressed.”

“Because of the princess?”

“Yes. How did she endure…”

“She’s overly smart, a bright young lady. She’ll be of great use.”

“I have no intention of using her for anything.”

“Hmm. But it seems like she wants to be used. Isn’t it better to let her do what she wants?”

“Her life has been difficult enough. She should just live comfortably from now on, wear pretty dresses, and enjoy parties like other children.”

Jeor recalled Ariana’s fiery eyes.

“I doubt she wants to live like a doll. By the way, Father, I returned victorious from the war, and you haven’t even praised me once?”

“Fine, well done.”

“Wow, that’s dry. Well, the princess is cute, beautiful, and overly clever. I can’t compare. Ah, I get it. I understand. She’s much more adorable than I am. Understandable.”

“Jeor…”

Jeor grinned at Russel, who seemed stunned.

“Don’t feel down, Father. You neglected the princess all these years. You deserve her hatred, and what a relief it is that you can even receive it.”

“…”

“If she hadn’t run away here, you would’ve never experienced that hatred. Now that you know she hates you, you can slowly seek forgiveness. Well, she probably won’t forgive easily.”

+++

Two days had passed since the kidnapping incident.
Ariana decided to accept that there was nothing she had to do in this mansion. With her wrist slightly bruised, there was no chance that people who made a fuss would burden her with unpleasant tasks.

“You can go wherever you want.”

When Ariana asked if she could use the library, Russell answered without hesitation.

Ariana was in the middle of reading, having brought a pile of books from the library the previous night and stacked them next to her bed.

Waking up whenever she wanted, eating meals brought by the maid in bed, and lazily reading in that state felt awkward and ticklish.

She was worried whether she should be enjoying her leisure so freely, but there was nothing she could do by being busy alone.

While half-reclining and reading, she started nodding off when a knock sounded.

“Ariana, may I come in?”

At Russell’s voice, Ariana quickly sat up. Still in her pajamas, she was uneasy, but she couldn’t keep the Emperor waiting.

“Yes, come in.”

Standing politely next to the bed, Ariana waited for Russell to enter. Upon entering the bedroom, Russell glanced once at Ariana and once at the crumpled blanket.

“You can stay in bed. You don’t have to get up every time I visit.”

“How could I dare to greet Your Highness lying in bed. Please forgive me for still being in my pajamas.”

“You don’t have to ask for forgiveness every time. Are you not bored?”

“No. Thanks to your permission, I’m reading many interesting books from the library.”

“If you wish, I could summon entertainers for you to watch and play with.”

“Thank you, I will do so when needed.”

The conversation ended there. Russell leaned back and quietly stared at Ariana.

Sensing he had something to say but couldn’t, Ariana asked first.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Ah, yes.”

Russell cleared his throat. Ariana noticed that Russell seemed a bit flustered.

‘Why is he acting like that? Is he trying to kick me out?’

Feeling suddenly anxious, she clenched her mouth shut when Russell extended something.

It was a gift wrapped in fancy paper and adorned with a large ribbon. Stunned by the unexpected item, Ariana opened her eyes wide.

“What is this…?”

“Happy birthday, Ariana.”

Thud—

“I must have been sending gifts to the Duchy of Bronthe on your birthdays, which you probably never received.”

Thud—

“It’s the first time I can celebrate your birthday in person.”

Thud—

Sounds of something landing kept coming. Those sounds were not from the outside but inside Ariana.

Something was pounding hard against the thick wall of ice that encased her heart. Though the robust wall did not break, it was trembling.

“Birthday…”

She had to handle this situation gracefully and unflinchingly, she thought.

“Celebrations like that…”

But she found it difficult to fully suppress the emotions seeping through the cracks.

“I’ve never received one. Not even once.”

Truly, not even once. Not even her birthday was remembered, let alone celebrated by anyone.

Until the day she died, Ariana would have lived forgetting she even had a birthday. Even as she celebrated Helena and Victoria’s grand birthdays, she didn’t know she had a birthday of her own.

“So, Your Highness.”

Ariana tightly gripped the birthday gift extended to her with trembling hands. She buried her face in the present.

“Please forgive me for not showing proper manners.”