The Emperor looked down at the small acorn for a long time and eventually burst out laughing.
'It's the object that most clearly contains the spirit of the old tree.'
The trees that have survived for a long time in the palace each have their own deep feelings.
Trees, which have lived rooted in the ground for a long time and have become the guardians of the land, absorb the earth's uneasy energy and transform it into clean energy.
That is why it is said that an old tree is a precious treasure that cannot be exchanged for anything.
Seeing Dorothea handing over the acorn with a look of regretful death, the Emperor must have been joking and handed the acorn to Will.
“You found the child and brought her back, so I will reward you with it.”
Will took it with a grin and thanked Dorothea.
It was a kind look in his eyes that made the innocence of a child so cute and lovely.
“Richard.”
Richard, who had been lying down, flinched at the stern voice.
“Get up.”
The Prince woke up at the sound of a solemn voice, and his blue lips trembled as if he had finally found his senses.
“I must ask why your palace maid took Dorothea away.”
Richard flinched again at the calm words he spoke while turning the large ring on his finger.
But soon, his head lifted up as if he had made up his mind.
“I don’t know why that child is slandering me like that. Even if the maid did something like that, it doesn’t mean I ordered it, right?”
“...”
The Emperor stared at his proud son, turned his head, and opened his mouth to Luke.
“Did the maid directly admit that this child gave instructions?”
“I haven’t heard anything like that.”
"I see. Then it might be unfair.”
Judging from his calm voice, he didn't seem to really believe Richard's words.
However, there seemed to be no intention of revealing all of the palace's dirty plots and tricks.
Even if you make matters worse, the honor of the imperial family will only be tarnished.
Dorothea, who was in the Marquis's arms, smiled brightly, breaking up the tense atmosphere.
“Sister maid is not bad. She was very kind. She said she would take me to the parlor, but she let me lose her hand.”
"Yes?"
The corners of Richard's mouth rose slightly.
The young thing still had a clear look of ridicule as he had no idea of the situation he was in.
Dorothea, who was smiling despite the ridicule, added with an innocent face as if she knew nothing.
“That’s what the sister said. The sister’s precious person is locked in a second cell deep in the Rose Palace, and I’m the only one who can free him!”
The Marquis's hand as he held her tightened as he heard his granddaughter chattering as if she were boasting.
The Marquis's gaze as he looked at Richard, who was completely white, was unusual.
If the Emperor had not been here.
He was so deeply angry that he might have chosen to let out his barely suppressed anger and go to jail.
Dorothea, who dropped the bomb with an innocent voice, happily danced her legs.
Just as she was about to yawn from the slowly approaching sleepiness, Will, who had been taking a step back and observing the situation, opened his mouth.
“It may be nothing more than a fantasy since it’s what a child said, but you should check it out. I will go to the basement of the Third Prince’s palace right now and check its existence.”
“Your Majesty, that is...”
When Richard approached, waving his hand as if trying to make an excuse, the Emperor coldly pushed him back.
"Good night. William, you should investigate it yourself.”
"Yes."
The emperor, who had sent William away with several knights, turned his gaze back to Dorothea.
“I think I should apologize to the Marquis for what happened today. I didn’t want to show you guys bitching and fighting among themselves.”
The Marquis simply lowered his head at the bitter voice.
The Emperor, who was looking at the old work that never uttered 'I'm sorry' or 'It's okay', suddenly made a suggestion.
“How about letting that child be the Princess’s playmate?”
"Your Majesty."
“The child’s origins will always be attached to her like a label, and some nobles will carry out radical attacks. Her status as the Princess’s childhood friend and playmate will offset all that.”
“Instead, it would be like pushing the child into another vortex. Your Majesty, please take back those words.”
The Marquis's voice trembled slightly.
His strong eyes, which showed his determination not to let the granddaughter he was finally holding in his arms be taken away, faced the Emperor.
The hand he was patting on the back was sweaty.
“Our family will protect this child at all costs. Even if something is said about the child’s origins, there will never be someone big enough to say that in front of the child.”
Well, she guesses there aren't many people who are big enough to want to openly fight with the Marquis of Highclere.
But you never know what will happen in the imperial palace.
The Emperor nodded slowly in response to the firm refusal.
“Yes, I guess so. If you really care about children, who would want to have them in the palace?”
Inside this dirty and terrible space.
The Emperor's face once again took on a bitter look.
“I just enjoyed the cheerfulness from earlier and thought that maybe the Marquis’ granddaughter could bring some cheerfulness to this palace as well. My thoughts were short.”
He nodded with a refreshing look on his face as if he had shaken off his regrets.
“I can fully understand your concerns. Don't worry. If it’s true what you said earlier, I will reap it.”
“I am just devastated by Your Majesty’s mistreatment and consideration.”
The frozen Emperor greeted Dorothea with a faint smile.
“This is enough for an audience. If you wish, you can leave the palace now.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
“Go to the 3rd Prince’s palace.”
At the Emperor's words, the attendants next to him bowed their heads and took the lead.
With everyone scattered, the only ones left were Luke, the Marquis, and Dorothea.
“I would like to express my gratitude to You Highness the 7th Prince.”
“I owe that kid something. I just paid it back.”
“For an old man, she is a granddaughter who cannot be exchanged for a thousand pieces of gold. Even if His Highness the Prince helped me for other reasons, to me, it is no different from saving my life.”
Luke responded to the Marquis' words as if he had received enough greetings.
“If she goes to the Empress’ palace, this child will probably be talked about by many people against her will, or she will be captured and forced to stay in the palace for other reasons. Please bring your wife. I will wait here with this child.”
“...”
The Marquis' eyes turned to Dorothea, who began to doze off.
Looking at the eyes closing against her will and the cute mouth yawning one after another, he nodded and accepted Luke's offer.
“Then, despite the shame, I will entrust the child to you.”
After a moment of hesitation, the Marquis handed over his granddaughter curled up in his arms to Luke.
The battlefield hero, who was fifteen this year, accepted Dorothea very skillfully.
Naturally, as if he had been with her for a long time.
***
“I have a question.”
Once the Marquis was out of sight, Luke's mouth opened.
The young Prince caught Dorothea rubbing her eyes
This little kid changed the situation in an instant.
Originally, he didn't think Richard would receive proper punishment.
He was not only the 3rd Prince, but also his half-brother under the protection of the Crown Prince, and the maid would not have revealed anything, even for the sake of the family who were held hostage.
“Did the maid who took you really say that? Did she recite a list of places where her precious people were being held?”
Dorothea blinked at Luke's question and smiled faintly.
“When I questioned her, she clearly seemed scared and threatened, but she did not seem to know the whereabouts of her family.”
“Hmm.”
Dorothea slightly stretched her body, which had been crouched the whole time, as if she was stretching, and shrugged her shoulders.
As a persistent gaze followed her, Dorothea tapped her lips with a deep smile.
“Sometimes, beings who cannot speak more than the living have information worth a fortune.”
Luke just nodded his head indifferently in response to the frightening answer.
"Right."
The boy with a convinced face asked quietly.
“So the person trapped underground is dead?”
This Prince was definitely quick-witted. Plus, the walls are big.
If it weren't for your status, it would have been okay for you to be my bridge.
Dorothea smiled with regret.
It was silence without any words, but Luke, who found the answer in it, nodded.
“In that case, he will get away without being severely punished.”
She's already had enough of her anger.
She had no intention of creating an even bigger grudge while they were not even going to see each other in the future.
Whether he is punished or not, what happens next is out of her hands.
“His death will not bring out the truth. Because the dead cannot refute any falsehood, and he cannot testify on his own behalf.”
“Yes, I guess so.”
Luke, who was pausing as he watched her agree, added.
“So dying is a loss.”
“I guess so.”
Luke looked down at the girl's legs, which were shaking as she lost stamina and her lukewarm body that was starting to develop a fever.
“So don’t die. Don’t let anyone defile you.”
It seems that this boy was more attached to her than she thought. All she could do was give a few words of advice in passing.
Dorothea just smiled at the seemingly earnest words.
"It's. Because I have no intention of dying. And as long as I think like that, I won’t die.”
For the first time, the corners of the blunt Prince's mouth rose just a little.
In the distance, the Marquis and Marchioness were approaching them.
***
As the Marquis requested, the Emperor did nothing.
He simply calmly approved listing Dorothea's name in the family register.
The emperor's actions, which came amid widespread expectations that he would bring Dorothea in as a playmate for the Princess's upcoming tenth birthday, were enough to perplex people.
“Maybe the kid didn’t look that good? As far as where she comes from...”
“Now that I think about it, didn’t the 7th Prince say that he happened to have an affair with that child? I heard that it was the 7th Prince who informed the marquis that he had a granddaughter.”
“Then maybe it was just a brief encounter when she saw the Prince’s face.”
“It’s bothering the Marquis too. With the Prince involved, he has to protect his granddaughter, whether he cares about her or not.”
Although some malicious words were exchanged, the Marquis' 'granddaughter' stayed in the mansion and rarely went out.
There were only a handful of people who had met her, and even those who kept quiet, saying they had been asked to do so by the Marquis, only spread their curiosity.
Then one day, a strange word circulated among people.
The news was that two people had died in the Marquis's mansion two months after bringing his granddaughter into the mansion.
Not only that, but the young children of the employees working at the mansion began to get sick all at once, the old woman's illness got worse, and ominous accidents kept happening one after another.
One of the investigators who was wandering around trying to find out the truth also shared his experience of fainting after seeing a white ghost in the mansion.
Soon, three months after Dorothea entered the Marquis' mansion, strange rumors began to circulate.
There was a rumor that the Marquis's granddaughter was possessed by a demon, harming people and placing curses every night.
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