Emperor’s Alternate - Chapter 87

“I didn’t have time to prepare a birthday gift. Things have been hectic lately.”

Lecan said this to me before we parted ways at the Dolce Temple. But truly, I didn’t mind. It wasn’t even my real birthday to begin with. And more than anyone, I understood just how busy a man Lecan was.

“I understand, Your Highness.”

“Instead… if you ever make a wish to me, whatever it may be, I’ll grant it.”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that? A wish granted by me is a precious thing. No one knows the weight of my authority better than you.”

“…It’s not that. It’s just… childish and funny, like something from long ago. I remember giving my parents birthday gifts like that when I was a kid.”

When I smiled faintly, Lecan reached out his arm again.

“A good daughter, then.”

Why did his hand, ruffling through my hair, feel so gentle? The words themselves were mundane — so why did they undo me so easily?

‘…A good daughter.’

The birthday celebration disguised as a date ended like that.

By the time I returned to the imperial palace, the moon was high and it was nearly dawn. I was wide awake, since it was technically my usual active hours, but today was a holiday, an unexpected stretch of freedom. Even if it was a fake birthday, it was still an official day off, and I wanted to savor it.

I took off the elegant yet uncomfortable dress and enjoyed a long, leisurely bath. I’m not a child, but I still scattered a bath bomb, stirred the foam, and played with a little toy duck. I missed those simpler times.

Now that I’d truly grown attached, I even went to visit Duchess de Trippé. The cat meowed at me like she was glad to see me, but, ever aloof, didn’t come close enough to be held.

“…You really are a familiar spirit, aren’t you.”

Meow.

“When you told me the owner of the handkerchief had died, the power you showed was real.”

Duchess de Trippé flicked her tail gently, and perhaps having lowered her guard, she slowly approached me. When I reached out to stroke her fur, I was reminded of the luxurious care she usually received — the sleek gloss of his coat was silky to the touch.

She purred softly, clearly pleased, then gradually settled into my lap. The warm, fluid softness of this living creature relaxed me deeply. At first, I’d been annoyed at how much budget was allocated for a single cat. But now, I simply liked Duchess de Trippé.

“…Thank you for letting me know.”

***

Time passed quickly. The political situation changed wildly from day to day. The ‘neutral faction,’ which had almost lost everything after trying to stay neutral, only grew more united and tightly knit.

Back then, we should have completely uprooted and crushed them, but since Lecan survived and returned, the failure was bound to cause backlash.

Even the “elitists” had firmly chosen their side by now, practically pledging allegiance to Lecan. The only opposition left was the “reformist faction.” Rumors kept pouring in that the Abel Empire, expecting a civil war to erupt here soon, was busily preparing for war.

Several skirmishes occurred near the border, with innocent young men dying unjustly. The public was furious, blaming the weak imperial authority for the homeland being looked down upon by foreign powers. People believed that only Lecan could save the country and that he alone would change everything.

Meanwhile, I was overwhelmed and busy beyond measure.

Despite everything, I remained a loyal servant of Teiles II. Perhaps because of my family’s wrongful accusation and downfall as traitors, I felt an even greater pressure to prove my loyalty. Except for the sweet respite of that one fake birthday, my time was consumed entirely by work, work, and more work.

‘More and more people are starting to believe the rumor that the Emperor is the illegitimate child of Grand Duke Rotea.’

The trend of public opinion surveys was also unsettling. At first, people dismissed the rumors as absurd, but now many began to believe that the true emperor might actually be descended from a traitor.

Aside from the personal grudges against the House Rotea, this was a serious matter. Investigations into the source of the rumors suggested that the Abel Empire had intentionally sown them to provoke civil war, but this was not confirmed. So it was premature to protest or act rashly.

Currently, Teiles II’s biggest support base was the “reformist faction,” backed secretly by the Abel Empire. It wouldn’t be wise to alienate them over uncertain information.

“Lady Leyesha.”

“…?”

“The Empress Dowager requests your presence.”

“…Ah.”

At the maid’s words, I stopped my work and slowly rose from my seat. As the chief maid of the Courtesan, I had no choice but to answer her summons.

‘How long has it been since I last stood up?’

For a moment, my mind spun dizzily.

Public sentiment was already deteriorating, and if news of Teiles II’s scandalous private life or his frequent drunkenness leaked out amidst all this, it would be disastrous. For the sake of the emperor’s image, I had diligently continued my research into magical theory even in the midst of work.

There were whispers among the “Neutral Faction” nobles about an anonymous figure working for the royal family, called the “Unknown.” As the term was gender-neutral, it seemed they hadn’t yet uncovered the identity or even the country involved.

Since this issue would need to be resolved eventually, I had to maintain my cover even more thoroughly.