He made a subtle expression, as if he had heard a very pleasant or unpleasant story at the same time, and then rubbed his head.
"...Hoo."
"...I remember hearing from my grandfather that he had done something similar before."
Roselyn thinks it is an efficient method.
Once held captive like that, those who remember the terror do not even think of defying the Imperial Family.
However, the novices among those newly becoming heads of households or newcomers to aristocratic society probably wouldn't know.
So the Emperor intends to overthrow the empire once and for all in the near future.
"Do you know what? Thanks to the Princess, the epidemic was brought under control quite quietly, and the damage was extremely minimal. It was all thanks to the Princess... who happened to leave for Kaluta at the right time and brought back the medicinal herbs that serve as the antidote."
“That’s a good thing.”
"I'm saying it's fascinating. Even after searching through ancient texts, I've never heard of an Abyss like the Princess."
"Because the Abyss manifests according to its original characteristics."
"Rather, doesn't it seem like you've seen the future?"
Thump, it felt like her heart was dropping.
Roselyn raised her head with the most expressionless face possible.
"If that were possible, I would have changed my future first."
The tension was palpable.
No sooner had Roselyn spoken, tensing up, than the door burst open without warning.
"What are you doing, Your Majesty?"
"There is no affection in the way you address your father, youngest."
It was Arma.
"I apologize. His Highness the Third Prince kept ordering that it be opened..."
Roselyn slowly shifted her gaze.
The captain of the Imperial Guard bowed.
"No, never mind. Even I can't stop my son's stubbornness."
The Emperor waved his hand.
Arma brushed past him and was about to throw something onto the floor, but after glancing at Roselyn, he quietly put it down.
"Roselyn, did His Majesty bother you?"
"Why are you saying such hurtful things, youngest? We were just having a conversation. Isn't that right, Princess?"
"Yes, he spoke in a pressuring tone, but he wasn't right."
At the remark adding that it could be called a conversation, the Emperor looked at Roselyn with a look that seemed to say, "What kind of bastard is this?"
"...Your Majesty."
Arma glared at the Emperor. The Emperor let out a hollow laugh.
"They say raising children is useless, but you fell head over heels for a woman. What have you done to your father?"
"Roselyn, I have brought that... the kidnapper who abducted you, whom we captured the other day."
Arma ignored the Emperor and explained while kneeling on one knee in front of Roselyn.
The figure lying face down on the floor was missing one arm.
He gritted his teeth but still looked up at Roselyn.
His bulging eyes and gaunt skin clearly showed that he had not led a very enjoyable life.
Count Aximus Baldur.
He was the loyal henchman and right-hand man of the 'King' of Makluxa.
"...What about the person you caught at the gambling den back then?"
"Ah, he died during the interrogation. The priest did the same."
At Arma's nonchalant remark, Aximus quickly turned his head to look at him.
Who was it that showed no mercy and subjected me to torture disguised as an interrogation, even though I had already said everything that could be known?
"Sorry."
Roselyn shook her head at Arma's sullen words.
"No, it's fine."
"Miss, I'm giving you some advice: you'd better break up with this crazy guy as soon as possible. There's nothing good to be gained from getting close to him."
Aximus, with one hand tied behind his back, bared his teeth and spoke.
Roselyn nodded.
"I know."
"...Roselyn?"
"...Oh. You know."
Arma questioned Roselyn's words, and Aximus nodded with a flustered expression.
"Well then, that's a relief..."
He answered reluctantly.
"I have a question. Who is the King of Makluxa?"
"Oh my, would I say that?"
Aximus giggled.
He didn't seem to be expecting to survive, as there appeared to be no lingering attachment to life in his eyes.
There was absolutely no man to be seen holding the title of Count.
"My youngest, how lax must your supervision have been for a sinner like him to dare..."
The Emperor laughed fiercely.
"Are you saying you are holding your head high in front of my daughter-in-law?"
Thud.
The air became heavy.
Just as she thought she was struggling to breathe, someone carefully held Roselyn in their arms.
It was Arma.
"Shh, it's okay, Roselyn. If you calm down, you'll be able to breathe."
Roselyn, who opened her eyes at the sound of a gentle voice, only then realized that she hadn't even been able to breathe.
She slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding and opened her eyes wide at the sight over her shoulder.
Aximus was rolling on the floor with his neck twisted.
As if not even allowed to utter a sound.
The man's body repeatedly shriveled up and then expanded again.
Roselyn closed her mouth at the sight of tiny blood vessels bursting and eyes about to pop out.
It was because she felt like she knew the Emperor's Abyss.
While Roselyn was stiff with fear, the Emperor looked at Roselyn with a somewhat pleased expression.
"Why are you acting like this, Princess?"
Roselyn tried to answer that it was nothing.
"...I'm not a daughter-in-law."
That is, if it weren't for the fact that the words she intended to correct had slipped out because she was so nervous.
"...Ah."
A heavy silence descended.
***
"Are you alright, Lady Bellion?"
“Yes, it’s okay.”
Roselyn briefly nodded at the concern of the captain of the Royal Guard, who had been entrusted with escorting the carriage thanks to the consideration of the Emperor and the Third Prince.
Arma told Roselyn to go inside first, saying that if she had any questions, she would look them up herself.
If it weren't for him, the atmosphere would have become even more awkward.
Arma, who added that he was sorry he couldn't take her because she had a conversation with the Emperor, seemed to be in great shock.
'...I should have added a little more explanation.'
She said that since the engagement is going to be broken off, there will be no chance of me becoming a daughter-in-law.
Roselyn realized her mistake belatedly.
The Emperor likely used the Abyss to release his own stress, but outwardly, he cited the reason that it was 'for Roselyn'.
Saying that could have been problematic.
"These days, there is much talk about the young lady throughout the imperial palace."
“Is that so?”
Roselyn saw the captain of the Emperor's guard speaking to her in a friendly manner.
Skill level sufficient to be chosen as the commander of the Imperial Guard, a unit comprised of only the strongest within the royal family.
She heard that he had served the Emperor since childhood and was practically like a brother to him.
Even though he must have been in his late 40s, if you looked at his appearance alone, you could believe he was in his early 40s.
'Doesn't he ever get old?'
Aside from the faint wrinkles on his face and the beard on his chin, he didn't look like he was in his late 40s, no matter how you looked at him.
The numerous scars on the man's cheeks and hands showed how fiercely he had lived his life.
The fact that he had not stepped down as the commander of the Emperor's personal guard even at that age was because his competence was solid.
"Yes, I hear that the Princess is achieving results in many ways."
"Thank god."
"I heard that, especially thanks to the advance of Rishu brought from Kaluta, the epidemic rampant in the Empire was extinguished faster than expected, and the number of people who view Kaluta favorably has increased significantly."
“That’s a good thing too.”
The captain of the Royal Guard smiled faintly as he looked at Roselyn, whose expression remained unchanged even at the words of praise.
"It seems the old man has been foolishly rambling on with useless words."
"It's just that I'm not very good with words, so please don't mind."
Roselyn answered calmly.
"The Princess seems quite different from the Young Duke of Bellion."
"After all, I'm not that socially inept."
"Ah. That part is similar..."
Roselyn paused at the captain of the guard's words.
The captain of the guard belatedly stopped speaking, let out a chuckle, shook his head hurriedly, and added.
"It doesn't seem like that. The Princess is a little better."
Roselyn frowned.
“Yes. I know.”
As she nodded in satisfaction, the captain of the guard smiled at Roselyn with a subtle expression.
"But how did you know that the Rishu herb in Kaluta is effective against the epidemic?"
The captain of the guard asked as he carefully escorted Roselyn.
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