Chapter 5.1
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After receiving a reply in just two days, Lucael was somewhat surprised.
“Look at this. The princess willingly accepts my request. Isn’t she truly a brilliant princess?”
‘Of course, she has no choice. You openly threatened her. You’re truly a wolf therianthrope who would make even the devil weep.’
“You just thought I’m a wolf therianthrope who would make even the devil weep, didn’t you?”
‘Has he mastered mind reading? No, that can’t be. I absolutely must not show any reaction!’
It was obvious that if he flinched or showed confusion, his head would fly off even though he was the emperor’s closest aide. Rihan had to put on his most relaxed act.
“Haha, Your Majesty, you jest. How could I possibly compare Your Majesty, who is like the heavens, to a mere devil? I offer my congratulations, Your Majesty. I’m as pleased as if it were my own affair that you will welcome the Harus Princess as your Empress, whom you so desired.”
‘Cunning fox. If he disappears, I’ll be the one troubled.’
“Rihan.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring the princess here immediately.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Are you already deaf? That’s troubling.”
“Ahem! I’m not deaf, Your Majesty. The day is already growing dark. More importantly, wouldn’t the Harus Princess need time to prepare herself mentally?”
“What preparation? I’ve already given her two days to think, haven’t I?”
Truly, there could be no more evil being than this. Rihan thought of the rabbit princess who would soon come to suffer here and decided to try buying more time for her sake. Rihan knew well that the emperor, who despised administrative work above all else, couldn’t do without him who handled those tedious tasks in his place.
“Your Majesty, how frightened must the Harus Princess be, coming to this empire full of carnivorous therianthropes right after coming of age, and how much she must miss her family. So please give her just five days.”
“That’s too long.”
“If you wait just five days, think about welcoming the princess you desire as your Empress.”
“…”
“If you allow her five days to spend with her family for the princess’s sake, she will see you differently.”
As Lucael’s expression softened slightly, Rihan sensed his strategy was working and decided to press on.
“If you score higher points with the princess before marriage, your honeymoon could only be better, wouldn’t it?”
“Fine then. Have them informed that I’ll send a carriage in five days.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, and tell the person who provided this portrait that I’ll return it when the princess arrives.”
“Yes. And that portrait was borrowed from Lady Alexia.”
“Did Marquis Alexia have a daughter?”
Marquis Alexia was a loyal subject among loyal subjects and the captain of the imperial guard. The emperor’s statement that he didn’t know the loyal subject who put the emperor’s safety before his own and his family’s lives had a daughter was truly shocking.
“Yes, she’s seventeen this year.”
“Why would the young lady have the princess’s portrait?”
“That would be the young lady’s hobby, so I wouldn’t know about that.”
“I don’t like your tone.”
“I apologize.”
“Just send the letter quickly.”
As Rihan left, Lucael gazed down at the portrait. He caressed the snow-white cheeks and stroked the slightly curly silver hair. The deep red eyes were more captivating the longer he looked.
“Truly, the more I look… I feel bewitched. Elena Harus.”
After stroking the face, Lucael removed his hand and put a cigar in his mouth.
“Sigh, having to wait five days. Isn’t there magic to make time pass faster? Tsk.”
The emperor, looking full of discontent, exhaled dense smoke. He examined the body of the rabbit therianthrope princess, who was as beautiful as her face, and smiled brightly.
***
The next morning, a swift reply came from the tyrant emperor.
“In five days, I’ll be going to a carnivorous therianthrope empire full of beasts…”
She had lived as a rabbit therianthrope princess for 20 years. In Harus, the herbivorous therianthrope kingdom, herbivorous therianthropes made up half the population, but occasionally, one could see carnivorous therianthropes like dogs, cats, and bears.
Most were carnivorous therianthropes who had married herbivorous therianthropes and naturalized, and they got along well with everyone to the point where one might wonder if they were truly carnivorous. Especially Astie, once a cat clan princess and now the first carnivorous therianthrope queen of the Harus Kingdom, possessed the physical traits of a powerful feline predator, yet remained extremely gentle and elegant, earning widespread adoration throughout the kingdom in her role as queen.
“Yes, perhaps contrary to rumors, he might be a… good person.”
Knock knock.
“Elena. May I have a word?”
“Please come in.”
Elena smiled and welcomed her sister-in-law, who entered, asking what brought her here.
“You must be troubled.”
“I’m feeling a bit better now.”
Astie took both of Elena’s hands in hers and stood facing her.
“I don’t want to frighten you. But I still want to tell you this.”
“Please speak.”
“I’ve seen the Rodelius Emperor just once. He was the Crown Prince then, not the Emperor. As you probably already know, the Emperor ascended to the throne at nineteen when the previous emperor passed away early.”
Since this was all information she already knew, Elena just nodded with a faint smile as Astie continued with a serious expression.
“The Emperor was famous not only outside but within the empire as well. To the point where it was said that with even a small mistake, not just one family but direct relatives too would be purged, and once you fall out of the Emperor’s favor, your entire race would truly face extinction. A prime example would be the Black Nine-tailed Fox clan.”
“The Black Nine-tailed…”
“Among the nine-tailed fox clan, I’m referring to the Black Nine-tailed Fox clan. It happened not long after the Rodelius Emperor ascended to the throne. When a Black Nine-tailed Fox remarked that a Crown Prince still wet behind the ears had taken the throne, his head was… After that, the Emperor drove the Black Nine-tailed Fox clan almost to extinction, and this anecdote is most famous. With this incident, the Emperor proved himself to be a merciless tyrant.”
Elena, who had been listening quietly, looked at Astie, who was stroking her own trembling arms.
“You must never upset the Emperor’s mood. Remember my words, Elena. Of course, I’m sure you’ll handle it well, but if something happens to you… everyone will be in danger. Please keep this in mind above all.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“What thanks… If anything, I should apologize. I’m truly sorry for adding to your burden.”
Astie wore a genuinely apologetic expression. Elena embraced her.
“I’ll be fine. So I hope Your Majesty will comfort my parents, my brother Rune, and my twin brothers on my behalf.”
“Elena.”
“I’ll miss you, Your Majesty.”
“Me too. And our children as well.”
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