It was such a difficult question.
He is playful and mischievous, so he may seem a bit childish, but that doesn't mean he's mature.
When he was diligently looking after the affairs of state or occasionally giving advice to him, he seemed like a thoughtful and wise elder among elders.
“Hmm... there are parts like that, and parts like that.”
Winfred, who had been thinking for a long time, finally answered honestly.
“So, do you think I’m untrustworthy?”
He thought he could relax a little now that he had solved one difficult question, but then his father asked him another question.
Fortunately, this question was not too difficult to answer.
“No, that’s not true.”
"Look at that. This father couldn't resist the urge to play around and become more mature. Of course, I still have many shortcomings, and I can't say I'm a perfect adult... but I still think I'm a pretty trustworthy Emperor."
Hiram tilted his head and met Winfred's eyes as if seeking his son's agreement, and Winfred nodded as if to confirm his father's words.
"And if everyone grew equally serious and rigid as they got older, what fun would the world be? It's only with adults like me that the world becomes more colorful."
Hiram pointed at himself with his thumb and smiled mischievously, then quickly smiled kindly and gently patted his son on the back.
"So, you too... I hope you don't deny yourself in the name of becoming more mature. It's not a sin that you're still so innocent and pure. Has your personality ever interfered with the Crown Prince's duties? Have you ever caused trouble for anyone?"
“...I don’t think there is any.”
Hiram was right. Winfred may have been a bit childish, but that never caused anything to go wrong.
"It's okay to grow up a little slower. You're doing well, after all. Just stay where you are now, doing what you need to do, step by step. I hope this father will help you become the real you, not the person you've made up."
“...Yes, Father.”
Winfred nodded quietly.
His head was in turmoil. He still wanted to be a trustworthy man and earn Roderick's approval, but he realized the way he's been doing things was wrong.
Why did I only realize now that just being quiet and polite doesn't make you an adult?
Winfred, who had been quietly organizing his thoughts alone, opened his mouth again with his usual bright smile.
“But still, Father... I think you need to control your playfulness a bit.”
It was a sharp word that struck his father's bones.
“...What? This guy.”
As Hiram glared at his son with a sullen expression, Winfred chuckled mischievously. Hiram, who had been feigning displeasure, eventually burst into laughter at his son's laughter.
It was an incredibly harmonious time.
“You said you were attending the Marquis Silusen’s banquet, Rachel?”
Ophelia looked at her nephew and asked.
The Duke and Duchess, Aila, and Isidore's family—except for the newly born Noah—gathered for dinner.
“Yes, aunt.”
Rachel, who loved to play, nodded with sparkling eyes. Her eyes seemed to anticipate something, like a bean paste.
That expectation was never disappointed. Ophelia smiled, as if she could see right through her, and said, "It's cute."
"Then I'll have to get you a dress to wear. I'll call a designer, so pick out something you like."
“Really? My aunt is the best after all!!”
And Michelle, the second daughter who had been quietly observing the scene, opened her mouth with a look of bewilderment.
"Why do you want to buy clothes again? You packed so much at home. And I don't understand why you'd want to go to such a noisy banquet."
"What would you know? A boring girl like you. You know what? This girl was invited to a banquet attended by the Crown Prince of the Peles Empire."
Rachel made a cup with her hands on both cheeks and spoke as if in ecstasy, and Michelle's doubts grew as she did so.
Even though she had no interest in banquets and disliked crowded places, she could have predicted that the Crown Prince would not attend such a common banquet.
"How on earth did we get invited to such a grand banquet? To the imperial nobility, we're just foreign country bumpkins."
"Oh, just some foreign country bumpkin. Watch your language, Young Lady Michelle. I'm the niece of the Duchess of Weishaffen."
“...So you’re saying you sold your aunt’s name?”
As the sisters began to babble again, Ophelia and Roderick ignored them and resumed their meal, thinking, "Here we go again."
Because there wasn't a single day that Rachel and Michelle didn't argue since they came to the Empire.
However, Aila and Isidore couldn't concentrate on their meal for different reasons.
Isidore had been delirious even before his daughters began arguing. He had been losing sleep night after night, immersing himself in his research to find a way to lift Aila's curse without anyone noticing.
In fact, for a research addict who was routinely sleep-deprived, drowsiness wasn't a big deal. But the reason he was so lost now was because, despite all his hard work, he had struggled to find a way to break the curse.
After observing Aila's curse and analyzing the data left behind, it seems that a spell has been placed on her so that only the person who placed the curse can lift it.
So, all that was left was to wait for a call from the home country... But he was so worried about his daughter that he couldn’t face his younger sister, so he was just boiling inside.
And Aila... Funnily enough, she was so distracted by the news that the Crown Prince was coming to the banquet her cousin was attending.
She wonders how Winfred is doing. Does he think about her sometimes? She wonders if her uncle and aunt are safe.
Aila was so lost in the thoughts that kept coming to mind that she didn't even know where the food was going.
'I've never been to a banquet like that, but I imagine it'll be filled with beautiful young ladies dressed up like Rachel.'
As that thought occurred to her, Aila bit her lip in a fit of anxiety.
She couldn't figure out why she felt so uneasy, but the thought of Winfred surrounded by pretty women made her feel a pang of anger.
'Is this jealousy...?'
Aila, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was shocked when she realized what her feelings were.
She thought it was clear that she was jealous of Winfred enjoying freedom while she was living a life wrapped in heavy and dark things like revenge, curses, and assassination.
In fact, that wasn't the reason. In any case, Aila had strangely diagnosed her feelings that way.
Feeling jealous of your first friend's happiness, you berate yourself for being so narrow-minded.
“I, Aila, why...”
Roderick, sensing a change in his daughter, tried to speak to her, but Ophelia grabbed his arm and stopped him. She knew why, so she told him to leave her alone.
A mischievous smile crept across Ophelia's face as she looked at her daughter, who was lost in thought and had a flushed cheek.
“How is it? Do you like my actions?”
Hiram leaned against the table, his chin resting on his hand, his eyebrows cocked. It was a look of melancholy unbecoming of the Emperor of a great nation.
Roderick couldn't help but give a positive answer, even with a dazed laugh. It was frustrating, but Hiram's accomplishments were perfect.
“Yes, Your Majesty. You are indeed wise.”
Roderick carefully read the documents the Emperor had given him and was once again impressed.
It was a document that secretly monitored those who helped Byron, as reported by Aila, and carefully collected and organized evidence showing that they were involved in the treason.
At this rate, it would not be a problem to wipe out the rebels in one fell swoop.
"What did I do? Your daughter is so smart. She gathered all this evidence, one by one, with such a young body."
Hiram waved his hand coolly, exuding humility, but even his gesture seemed exaggerated and playful. Of course, his compliments to Aila were 100% genuine.
As an Emperor with a strong desire to gather talent, it was true that he was greedy for Aila.
In his memory, she was just a baby learning to walk, but when did she grow up so quickly and achieve such great things?
That's why the tragedy she had to endure was all the more heartbreaking, and he felt even more sorry.
"...It's frustrating to have to just watch, knowing they're preparing for rebellion. So, how's your daughter doing?"
Hiram was one of the few people who knew of Aila's curse. He couldn't keep such a momentous matter from the Emperor, and Roderick told Hiram because he was his closest friend.
“It’s going slowly. I’m trying my best, but... it seems difficult.”
Roderick, whose tongue felt bitter, opened his mouth with a tired expression.
"Yes. We need to lift that child's curse quickly. Only then can we deal with these traitors."
Hiram also smacked his lips with a bitter expression.
There had been times when the fact that the leader of the traitors was his blood brother had been unbearably painful, but now he seemed to have gotten used to it.
On sleepless nights, the self-loathing he felt for being dulled by his status as Emperor tormented him even more.
And he still feels that way.
To have to ask such a favor of his close friend and his favorite subject... The weight of the Emperor's position seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders.
“I’m hesitant to say this, but I think your daughter’s suggestion is a really good idea.”
He is playful and mischievous, so he may seem a bit childish, but that doesn't mean he's mature.
When he was diligently looking after the affairs of state or occasionally giving advice to him, he seemed like a thoughtful and wise elder among elders.
“Hmm... there are parts like that, and parts like that.”
Winfred, who had been thinking for a long time, finally answered honestly.
“So, do you think I’m untrustworthy?”
He thought he could relax a little now that he had solved one difficult question, but then his father asked him another question.
Fortunately, this question was not too difficult to answer.
“No, that’s not true.”
"Look at that. This father couldn't resist the urge to play around and become more mature. Of course, I still have many shortcomings, and I can't say I'm a perfect adult... but I still think I'm a pretty trustworthy Emperor."
Hiram tilted his head and met Winfred's eyes as if seeking his son's agreement, and Winfred nodded as if to confirm his father's words.
"And if everyone grew equally serious and rigid as they got older, what fun would the world be? It's only with adults like me that the world becomes more colorful."
Hiram pointed at himself with his thumb and smiled mischievously, then quickly smiled kindly and gently patted his son on the back.
"So, you too... I hope you don't deny yourself in the name of becoming more mature. It's not a sin that you're still so innocent and pure. Has your personality ever interfered with the Crown Prince's duties? Have you ever caused trouble for anyone?"
“...I don’t think there is any.”
Hiram was right. Winfred may have been a bit childish, but that never caused anything to go wrong.
"It's okay to grow up a little slower. You're doing well, after all. Just stay where you are now, doing what you need to do, step by step. I hope this father will help you become the real you, not the person you've made up."
“...Yes, Father.”
Winfred nodded quietly.
His head was in turmoil. He still wanted to be a trustworthy man and earn Roderick's approval, but he realized the way he's been doing things was wrong.
Why did I only realize now that just being quiet and polite doesn't make you an adult?
Winfred, who had been quietly organizing his thoughts alone, opened his mouth again with his usual bright smile.
“But still, Father... I think you need to control your playfulness a bit.”
It was a sharp word that struck his father's bones.
“...What? This guy.”
As Hiram glared at his son with a sullen expression, Winfred chuckled mischievously. Hiram, who had been feigning displeasure, eventually burst into laughter at his son's laughter.
It was an incredibly harmonious time.
***
“You said you were attending the Marquis Silusen’s banquet, Rachel?”
Ophelia looked at her nephew and asked.
The Duke and Duchess, Aila, and Isidore's family—except for the newly born Noah—gathered for dinner.
“Yes, aunt.”
Rachel, who loved to play, nodded with sparkling eyes. Her eyes seemed to anticipate something, like a bean paste.
That expectation was never disappointed. Ophelia smiled, as if she could see right through her, and said, "It's cute."
"Then I'll have to get you a dress to wear. I'll call a designer, so pick out something you like."
“Really? My aunt is the best after all!!”
And Michelle, the second daughter who had been quietly observing the scene, opened her mouth with a look of bewilderment.
"Why do you want to buy clothes again? You packed so much at home. And I don't understand why you'd want to go to such a noisy banquet."
"What would you know? A boring girl like you. You know what? This girl was invited to a banquet attended by the Crown Prince of the Peles Empire."
Rachel made a cup with her hands on both cheeks and spoke as if in ecstasy, and Michelle's doubts grew as she did so.
Even though she had no interest in banquets and disliked crowded places, she could have predicted that the Crown Prince would not attend such a common banquet.
"How on earth did we get invited to such a grand banquet? To the imperial nobility, we're just foreign country bumpkins."
"Oh, just some foreign country bumpkin. Watch your language, Young Lady Michelle. I'm the niece of the Duchess of Weishaffen."
“...So you’re saying you sold your aunt’s name?”
As the sisters began to babble again, Ophelia and Roderick ignored them and resumed their meal, thinking, "Here we go again."
Because there wasn't a single day that Rachel and Michelle didn't argue since they came to the Empire.
However, Aila and Isidore couldn't concentrate on their meal for different reasons.
Isidore had been delirious even before his daughters began arguing. He had been losing sleep night after night, immersing himself in his research to find a way to lift Aila's curse without anyone noticing.
In fact, for a research addict who was routinely sleep-deprived, drowsiness wasn't a big deal. But the reason he was so lost now was because, despite all his hard work, he had struggled to find a way to break the curse.
After observing Aila's curse and analyzing the data left behind, it seems that a spell has been placed on her so that only the person who placed the curse can lift it.
So, all that was left was to wait for a call from the home country... But he was so worried about his daughter that he couldn’t face his younger sister, so he was just boiling inside.
And Aila... Funnily enough, she was so distracted by the news that the Crown Prince was coming to the banquet her cousin was attending.
She wonders how Winfred is doing. Does he think about her sometimes? She wonders if her uncle and aunt are safe.
Aila was so lost in the thoughts that kept coming to mind that she didn't even know where the food was going.
'I've never been to a banquet like that, but I imagine it'll be filled with beautiful young ladies dressed up like Rachel.'
As that thought occurred to her, Aila bit her lip in a fit of anxiety.
She couldn't figure out why she felt so uneasy, but the thought of Winfred surrounded by pretty women made her feel a pang of anger.
'Is this jealousy...?'
Aila, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was shocked when she realized what her feelings were.
She thought it was clear that she was jealous of Winfred enjoying freedom while she was living a life wrapped in heavy and dark things like revenge, curses, and assassination.
In fact, that wasn't the reason. In any case, Aila had strangely diagnosed her feelings that way.
Feeling jealous of your first friend's happiness, you berate yourself for being so narrow-minded.
“I, Aila, why...”
Roderick, sensing a change in his daughter, tried to speak to her, but Ophelia grabbed his arm and stopped him. She knew why, so she told him to leave her alone.
A mischievous smile crept across Ophelia's face as she looked at her daughter, who was lost in thought and had a flushed cheek.
***
“How is it? Do you like my actions?”
Hiram leaned against the table, his chin resting on his hand, his eyebrows cocked. It was a look of melancholy unbecoming of the Emperor of a great nation.
Roderick couldn't help but give a positive answer, even with a dazed laugh. It was frustrating, but Hiram's accomplishments were perfect.
“Yes, Your Majesty. You are indeed wise.”
Roderick carefully read the documents the Emperor had given him and was once again impressed.
It was a document that secretly monitored those who helped Byron, as reported by Aila, and carefully collected and organized evidence showing that they were involved in the treason.
At this rate, it would not be a problem to wipe out the rebels in one fell swoop.
"What did I do? Your daughter is so smart. She gathered all this evidence, one by one, with such a young body."
Hiram waved his hand coolly, exuding humility, but even his gesture seemed exaggerated and playful. Of course, his compliments to Aila were 100% genuine.
As an Emperor with a strong desire to gather talent, it was true that he was greedy for Aila.
In his memory, she was just a baby learning to walk, but when did she grow up so quickly and achieve such great things?
That's why the tragedy she had to endure was all the more heartbreaking, and he felt even more sorry.
"...It's frustrating to have to just watch, knowing they're preparing for rebellion. So, how's your daughter doing?"
Hiram was one of the few people who knew of Aila's curse. He couldn't keep such a momentous matter from the Emperor, and Roderick told Hiram because he was his closest friend.
“It’s going slowly. I’m trying my best, but... it seems difficult.”
Roderick, whose tongue felt bitter, opened his mouth with a tired expression.
"Yes. We need to lift that child's curse quickly. Only then can we deal with these traitors."
Hiram also smacked his lips with a bitter expression.
There had been times when the fact that the leader of the traitors was his blood brother had been unbearably painful, but now he seemed to have gotten used to it.
On sleepless nights, the self-loathing he felt for being dulled by his status as Emperor tormented him even more.
And he still feels that way.
To have to ask such a favor of his close friend and his favorite subject... The weight of the Emperor's position seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders.
“I’m hesitant to say this, but I think your daughter’s suggestion is a really good idea.”
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