Episode 169. Don't Call Me Father, It's Disgusting
A grand banquet was held in the palace to celebrate the Grand Duke's ascension to the throne.
The deposed Emperor's execution date was brought forward, and all of his closest associates were imprisoned.
The nobles, who had been committing all sorts of corruption and acting like scoundrels, were busy seeking a way to survive when the deposed Emperor's execution date was revealed.
As if they had never ignored Arteum, they suddenly turned like bats and began to act fawning.
"Oh, Your Majesty. Congratulations!"
A grand banquet was held in the palace to celebrate the Grand Duke's ascension to the throne.
The deposed Emperor's execution date was brought forward, and all of his closest associates were imprisoned.
The nobles, who had been committing all sorts of corruption and acting like scoundrels, were busy seeking a way to survive when the deposed Emperor's execution date was revealed.
As if they had never ignored Arteum, they suddenly turned like bats and began to act fawning.
"Oh, Your Majesty. Congratulations!"
One noble continued the barrage of gifts, rubbing his hands together until his fingerprints were worn away.
"Please accept my small gesture."
He bent down, almost touching the floor, and extended both arms toward Arteum. A large gift box was in the man's arms.
Arteum sat hunched over, one arm resting on his hand. He stared blankly at the man, seemingly unwilling to accept the gift he offered.
A bead of sweat ran down the man's back.
"Why aren't you accepting it?"
He wanted to raise his head and check Arteum's expression, but he was too scared to dare.
He was one of the nobles who had been receiving bean scraps from Duke Flice, and he had unknowingly mocked Arteum.
He hadn't done anything particularly serious to Arteum, but whenever they clashed, he would loudly mock Arteum. If he had just stayed still, he would have gotten halfway there, but he had overdone it, trying to please Duke Flice.
Even after a long time, Arteum just stared at the man with a cold expression.
'I can't go back like this.'
It was a matter of life and death.
The thought that if he made a mistake, he might die like Duke Flice or the other nobles swept over him.
It was scary to raise his face to check Arteum's expression, but even scarier to just walk away.
He walked forward, head down, his steps slow and steady.
The man, moving slowly, placed a gift at Arteum's feet.
"Please accept my small gesture."
He bent down, almost touching the floor, and extended both arms toward Arteum. A large gift box was in the man's arms.
Arteum sat hunched over, one arm resting on his hand. He stared blankly at the man, seemingly unwilling to accept the gift he offered.
A bead of sweat ran down the man's back.
"Why aren't you accepting it?"
He wanted to raise his head and check Arteum's expression, but he was too scared to dare.
He was one of the nobles who had been receiving bean scraps from Duke Flice, and he had unknowingly mocked Arteum.
He hadn't done anything particularly serious to Arteum, but whenever they clashed, he would loudly mock Arteum. If he had just stayed still, he would have gotten halfway there, but he had overdone it, trying to please Duke Flice.
Even after a long time, Arteum just stared at the man with a cold expression.
'I can't go back like this.'
It was a matter of life and death.
The thought that if he made a mistake, he might die like Duke Flice or the other nobles swept over him.
It was scary to raise his face to check Arteum's expression, but even scarier to just walk away.
He walked forward, head down, his steps slow and steady.
The man, moving slowly, placed a gift at Arteum's feet.
'If I go this far, he won't kill me immediately, at least for the sake of my sincerity.'
He glanced up and examined Arteum's expression. Fortunately, Arteum didn't impose any particular restrictions on his actions. However, his timid demeanor remained.
'This is enough to show my sincerity.'
He bowed his head again, satisfied with his courageous actions. As the man turned to return to the banquet hall, he was startled by a dull thud from behind.
Crunch!
"What's that sound?"
The man instinctively turned around. And,
"Hmph, hmph!"
The moment he turned, he saw a completely crushed gift.
Arteum had mercilessly trampled the gift the man had offered.
“Oh, my mistake. It was so small I couldn’t see it.”
Arteum gave him a cold look, the corners of his mouth raised.
The man, seeing Arteum’s innocent expression, turned pale and ran out of the banquet hall.
Arteum let out a low breath as he watched the man run away.
“Your Majesty, why are you being so grumpy?”
Neruan, who was next to him, spoke with a fixed mouth, as if practicing ventriloquism. He shook his head as if to tell him to stop.
“What did you say?”
“Have you forgotten? Today is Your Majesty’s day. So, just for today, please be generous, as befitting the sun of the empire.”
The deposed Emperor and his entourage were all imprisoned.
The rest of the ambiguous nobles were being watched to see what to do with them.
“You are venting your anger here because you were rejected by Rose? That is unbecoming of Your Majesty.”
Arteum didn’t even listen to Neruan’s words, continuing his indifferent attitude.
“I’m not venting my anger. I’m just scaring him.”
He was always the man who sneered at Arteum in her presence. So, it was obvious Neruan hadn’t remembered.
Behind the throne, a mountain of gifts lay piled high.
It was the nobles’ effort to impress the new Emperor.
Arteum, who had been grumbling and wearing a sullen expression, suddenly stood up when he saw the woman entering from afar.
As soon as Arteum stood, the nobles parted the way on either side, as if the sea had parted. Arteum strode out with brisk strides.
All eyes were fixed on the woman who had just entered and on Arteum.
“You have arrived.”
“Meet His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the empire.”
It was Rose who greeted him politely.
As soon as Rose appeared, a waltz began to flow out, as if it had been waiting for it.
“Let’s dance.”
Naturally, it was Rose who requested Arteum’s first dance.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Rose gently placed her hand on Arteum’s and smiled.
Rose was now quite adept at waltzing.
She moved leisurely to the beat, as graceful as a swan.
Arteum licked his dry lips and then cautiously opened his mouth.
“So, have you finalized your decision regarding my proposal?”
He stared at Rose with a tense expression.
Rose didn’t answer Arteum’s question right away.
“I do have specific plans for the proposal, but...”
Isn’t it customary for a marriage proposal to be a surprise?
'It’s no fun if you give it away in advance.'
Rose shrugged and smiled mysteriously.
“I’m not sure.”
Rose’s ambiguous answer made Arteum sullen. The first waltz ended. Rose politely bowed to Arteum.
Neruan, who was near Arteum and Rose, couldn't take his eyes off them even while dancing with his partner.
More precisely, he couldn't take his eyes off Rose.
'I should ask for the second waltz.'
He planned to approach Rose immediately after the first song.
Neruan, the sole survivor of the Berka family, was annihilated by the deposed Emperor.
Rumors spread quickly that he had survived hell and driven the deposed Emperor together with Arteum.
Neruan, the center of the rumors, was more handsome than expected, and the young ladies of his age showed considerable interest in him.
"Marquis Berka, you haven't even given your name. My name is Olivia."
"It was nice to meet you. Well, that's all."
Neruan gave a brief farewell to the woman, greeting him and turned to Rose.
He had given the first dance to Arteum, but he desperately wanted to ask for the second. At that moment, someone moved a step faster than Neruan. He suddenly reached out his hand in front of Rose.
“Huh?”
The moment Rose’s face brightened, he saw the face of the man who had reached out.
“Prince Julius!”
Julius, Arteum’s longtime friend. He had arrived at the banquet late.
“Lady, please grant me the honor of performing the second song with you.”
Julius appeared with a bright smile.
Rose took Julius’s hand. And at the same time, Arteum and Neruan opened their eyes wide and glared at Julius.
Julius merely winked, as if enjoying their gaze.
“It’s been a long time.”
“How have you been? I’ve heard good news from the kingdom. Now, I guess all that’s left is for you, Young Lady, to become Empress.”
“Ah.”
Rose blushed for no reason and answered shyly.
“Would it be too unlucky to say yes here?”
Julius let out a laugh at Rose's words and denied her.
"No. Everyone's saying you'll be the next Empress."
Arteum's insides churned as he saw Rose and Julius laughing.
"What are you talking about that makes you laugh like that?"
She had rejected his proposal, yet she smiled so beautifully in front of Julius.
He returned to the throne without dancing the second waltz with anyone, his eyes busy following Rose.
Arteum, who was looking at Rose with a pouty expression, muttered softly and sighed.
"Damn..."
Even in his anger, seeing Rose's smile softened his heart.
He lowered his flushed face and glanced at Rose.
She was so pretty.
He had to take her before some other man snatched her away...
Seeing Rose rejecting his proposal and acting no differently than before, he was honestly confused.
'Rose... I don't know what you're thinking.'
He had always thought he knew everything about Rose's thoughts.
Rose had planned her approach to him. Arteum knew full well that saving her and allowing her to stay at his mansion were all efforts to get closer to him.
He couldn't figure out why Rose, who had always been straightforward, had suddenly changed.
It wasn't Rose's straightforwardness; it was Arteum who still didn't realize that everything was his illusion.
Rose chatted with Julius, unaware that Arteum was staring at her intently.
"Anyway, Her Highness..."
Oh, Diana isn't a Princess anymore. Rose quickly shut her mouth and continued speaking.
"I guess the future Queen isn't coming with you?"
"Oh, Diana..."
Julius trailed off at Rose's words.
"Well, that's what happened."
He made an ambiguous expression and quickly changed the subject.
Rose tilted her head at Julius's attitude.
'Huh... You weren't fighting, were you?'
He visibly avoided talking about Diana. Rose looked at Julius with a worried expression.
While the palace banquet was in progress, someone in black robes hurriedly climbed the stairs.
"Huh... Huh..."
Despite her breath coming up to her chin, she continued climbing without stopping.
After climbing for a long time, she finally stopped when she reached the top of the tower.
It was the prison where Artaeum had been imprisoned until a while ago. And now, it was where the deposed Emperor resided.
The woman looked around, observing someone's movements.
The deposed Emperor, sitting beneath the bed, was so drunk he couldn't even control himself.
His eyes, battered and bruised, were as hollow as a rotting fish.
The sight brought a surge of emotion to the woman. With trembling hands, she grabbed the iron bars and shouted at the deposed Emperor.
"Father!"
It was Diana who had climbed up to the prison.
Diana's voice echoed.
The deposed Emperor, who had been staring into space, slowly turned his head at the sound of her call.
"Aren't you... Diana?"
The drunken deposed Emperor staggered to his feet upon seeing Diana.
"Father, it's me!"
Diana hastily took off her robes and reached into the prison. It was thanks to Artaeum's kindness that she was able to visit the deposed Emperor before his execution.
Diana, without any makeup, looked pale.
Her father was dying tomorrow, and she had no time for it.
The deposed emperor rose from his seat and walked towards her, unsteady and unable to keep his balance.
“Father... Father... sob... sob.”
Diana desperately reached out to the deposed Emperor. She stroked her father’s face, which was right in front of her.
Diana’s hands trembled. Tears flowed endlessly from his angelic blue eyes.
The deposed Emperor stared blankly at Diana, who was sobbing and calling him.
With an expression that made it impossible to read his thoughts, he simply stared intently at Diana’s face.
Diana’s tears must have brought him to tears, for his parched eyes had become moist.
A single tear flowed from the deposed Emperor’s eye, which looked as if it would not bleed even if pricked.
Today was the first time Diana had seen the deposed Emperor cry.
He hadn't shed a single tear when his own mother died, or when Artaeum's father, his older brother, died.
Yet, he, looking at her, wept.
Seeing the tears of her father, who had treated her so coldly, made Diana's heart ache even more.
Diana burst into tears, as sorrowful as a child. And then, the deposed Emperor, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.
"Don't... call me father. It's disgusting."
"!"
Diana froze in place at the unexpected, sharp voice.
He glanced up and examined Arteum's expression. Fortunately, Arteum didn't impose any particular restrictions on his actions. However, his timid demeanor remained.
'This is enough to show my sincerity.'
He bowed his head again, satisfied with his courageous actions. As the man turned to return to the banquet hall, he was startled by a dull thud from behind.
Crunch!
"What's that sound?"
The man instinctively turned around. And,
"Hmph, hmph!"
The moment he turned, he saw a completely crushed gift.
Arteum had mercilessly trampled the gift the man had offered.
“Oh, my mistake. It was so small I couldn’t see it.”
Arteum gave him a cold look, the corners of his mouth raised.
The man, seeing Arteum’s innocent expression, turned pale and ran out of the banquet hall.
Arteum let out a low breath as he watched the man run away.
“Your Majesty, why are you being so grumpy?”
Neruan, who was next to him, spoke with a fixed mouth, as if practicing ventriloquism. He shook his head as if to tell him to stop.
“What did you say?”
“Have you forgotten? Today is Your Majesty’s day. So, just for today, please be generous, as befitting the sun of the empire.”
The deposed Emperor and his entourage were all imprisoned.
The rest of the ambiguous nobles were being watched to see what to do with them.
“You are venting your anger here because you were rejected by Rose? That is unbecoming of Your Majesty.”
Arteum didn’t even listen to Neruan’s words, continuing his indifferent attitude.
“I’m not venting my anger. I’m just scaring him.”
He was always the man who sneered at Arteum in her presence. So, it was obvious Neruan hadn’t remembered.
Behind the throne, a mountain of gifts lay piled high.
It was the nobles’ effort to impress the new Emperor.
Arteum, who had been grumbling and wearing a sullen expression, suddenly stood up when he saw the woman entering from afar.
As soon as Arteum stood, the nobles parted the way on either side, as if the sea had parted. Arteum strode out with brisk strides.
All eyes were fixed on the woman who had just entered and on Arteum.
“You have arrived.”
“Meet His Majesty the Emperor, the sun of the empire.”
It was Rose who greeted him politely.
As soon as Rose appeared, a waltz began to flow out, as if it had been waiting for it.
“Let’s dance.”
Naturally, it was Rose who requested Arteum’s first dance.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Rose gently placed her hand on Arteum’s and smiled.
Rose was now quite adept at waltzing.
She moved leisurely to the beat, as graceful as a swan.
Arteum licked his dry lips and then cautiously opened his mouth.
“So, have you finalized your decision regarding my proposal?”
He stared at Rose with a tense expression.
Rose didn’t answer Arteum’s question right away.
“I do have specific plans for the proposal, but...”
Isn’t it customary for a marriage proposal to be a surprise?
'It’s no fun if you give it away in advance.'
Rose shrugged and smiled mysteriously.
“I’m not sure.”
Rose’s ambiguous answer made Arteum sullen. The first waltz ended. Rose politely bowed to Arteum.
Neruan, who was near Arteum and Rose, couldn't take his eyes off them even while dancing with his partner.
More precisely, he couldn't take his eyes off Rose.
'I should ask for the second waltz.'
He planned to approach Rose immediately after the first song.
Neruan, the sole survivor of the Berka family, was annihilated by the deposed Emperor.
Rumors spread quickly that he had survived hell and driven the deposed Emperor together with Arteum.
Neruan, the center of the rumors, was more handsome than expected, and the young ladies of his age showed considerable interest in him.
"Marquis Berka, you haven't even given your name. My name is Olivia."
"It was nice to meet you. Well, that's all."
Neruan gave a brief farewell to the woman, greeting him and turned to Rose.
He had given the first dance to Arteum, but he desperately wanted to ask for the second. At that moment, someone moved a step faster than Neruan. He suddenly reached out his hand in front of Rose.
“Huh?”
The moment Rose’s face brightened, he saw the face of the man who had reached out.
“Prince Julius!”
Julius, Arteum’s longtime friend. He had arrived at the banquet late.
“Lady, please grant me the honor of performing the second song with you.”
Julius appeared with a bright smile.
Rose took Julius’s hand. And at the same time, Arteum and Neruan opened their eyes wide and glared at Julius.
Julius merely winked, as if enjoying their gaze.
“It’s been a long time.”
“How have you been? I’ve heard good news from the kingdom. Now, I guess all that’s left is for you, Young Lady, to become Empress.”
“Ah.”
Rose blushed for no reason and answered shyly.
“Would it be too unlucky to say yes here?”
Julius let out a laugh at Rose's words and denied her.
"No. Everyone's saying you'll be the next Empress."
Arteum's insides churned as he saw Rose and Julius laughing.
"What are you talking about that makes you laugh like that?"
She had rejected his proposal, yet she smiled so beautifully in front of Julius.
He returned to the throne without dancing the second waltz with anyone, his eyes busy following Rose.
Arteum, who was looking at Rose with a pouty expression, muttered softly and sighed.
"Damn..."
Even in his anger, seeing Rose's smile softened his heart.
He lowered his flushed face and glanced at Rose.
She was so pretty.
He had to take her before some other man snatched her away...
Seeing Rose rejecting his proposal and acting no differently than before, he was honestly confused.
'Rose... I don't know what you're thinking.'
He had always thought he knew everything about Rose's thoughts.
Rose had planned her approach to him. Arteum knew full well that saving her and allowing her to stay at his mansion were all efforts to get closer to him.
He couldn't figure out why Rose, who had always been straightforward, had suddenly changed.
It wasn't Rose's straightforwardness; it was Arteum who still didn't realize that everything was his illusion.
Rose chatted with Julius, unaware that Arteum was staring at her intently.
"Anyway, Her Highness..."
Oh, Diana isn't a Princess anymore. Rose quickly shut her mouth and continued speaking.
"I guess the future Queen isn't coming with you?"
"Oh, Diana..."
Julius trailed off at Rose's words.
"Well, that's what happened."
He made an ambiguous expression and quickly changed the subject.
Rose tilted her head at Julius's attitude.
'Huh... You weren't fighting, were you?'
He visibly avoided talking about Diana. Rose looked at Julius with a worried expression.
***
While the palace banquet was in progress, someone in black robes hurriedly climbed the stairs.
"Huh... Huh..."
Despite her breath coming up to her chin, she continued climbing without stopping.
After climbing for a long time, she finally stopped when she reached the top of the tower.
It was the prison where Artaeum had been imprisoned until a while ago. And now, it was where the deposed Emperor resided.
The woman looked around, observing someone's movements.
The deposed Emperor, sitting beneath the bed, was so drunk he couldn't even control himself.
His eyes, battered and bruised, were as hollow as a rotting fish.
The sight brought a surge of emotion to the woman. With trembling hands, she grabbed the iron bars and shouted at the deposed Emperor.
"Father!"
It was Diana who had climbed up to the prison.
Diana's voice echoed.
The deposed Emperor, who had been staring into space, slowly turned his head at the sound of her call.
"Aren't you... Diana?"
The drunken deposed Emperor staggered to his feet upon seeing Diana.
"Father, it's me!"
Diana hastily took off her robes and reached into the prison. It was thanks to Artaeum's kindness that she was able to visit the deposed Emperor before his execution.
Diana, without any makeup, looked pale.
Her father was dying tomorrow, and she had no time for it.
The deposed emperor rose from his seat and walked towards her, unsteady and unable to keep his balance.
“Father... Father... sob... sob.”
Diana desperately reached out to the deposed Emperor. She stroked her father’s face, which was right in front of her.
Diana’s hands trembled. Tears flowed endlessly from his angelic blue eyes.
The deposed Emperor stared blankly at Diana, who was sobbing and calling him.
With an expression that made it impossible to read his thoughts, he simply stared intently at Diana’s face.
Diana’s tears must have brought him to tears, for his parched eyes had become moist.
A single tear flowed from the deposed Emperor’s eye, which looked as if it would not bleed even if pricked.
Today was the first time Diana had seen the deposed Emperor cry.
He hadn't shed a single tear when his own mother died, or when Artaeum's father, his older brother, died.
Yet, he, looking at her, wept.
Seeing the tears of her father, who had treated her so coldly, made Diana's heart ache even more.
Diana burst into tears, as sorrowful as a child. And then, the deposed Emperor, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.
"Don't... call me father. It's disgusting."
"!"
Diana froze in place at the unexpected, sharp voice.
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