Chapter 37
“Your fame has spread not only through the Imperial Palace but all of Trinuada, Lady Jia. So many people wish to meet you.”
I see.
“I am so fortunate to be able to serve such a person.”
It’s no use telling me that…
Out of consideration, Jia gave short, polite replies, but inwardly, she was annoyed. She just wanted to rest and had no desire to contemplate the Emperor’s motives for summoning her. It was the first time he had called for her during the day, and a part of her was so afraid she wanted to run.
She was dressed in a pink gown that complemented her skin tone, her body laden with all manner of glittering jewelry.
“You’re so beautiful! His Majesty will be pleased. You look just like a delicate flower.”
Regina even clapped her hands as she praised her. Jia merely felt burdened by the excessive compliments.
“Yes, thank you…”
Her energy was completely drained. At this point, she thought it might be better to just go to the Emperor. Jia walked out the door at a rather brisk pace. The Straduvan brothers and Julia were waiting. The moment Regina saw Julia, her expression soured. She quickly bowed to Jia and then excused herself.
“…Why has His Majesty summoned me?”
“There is a reason for everything His Majesty does.”
Jia let out a small sigh at Tristan’s reply. All the way to the Emperor’s office, she clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to suppress her anxiety. Any new experience was frightening, especially here, in Erendia.
When she arrived at the office door, Jia took several deep breaths, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart.
Please let there be no kneeling prisoners. No corpses. No severed heads. Only after repeating the prayer over and over did she open the door.
A spacious office was revealed. Her eyes met those of the Emperor, who was sitting in a chair, holding a document. Jia bowed her head in greeting.
“I-I greet Your Majesty.”
“Come here.”
He immediately gestured to his desk. She glanced back at the closed door before heading where he indicated. The desk was covered in documents filled with complex information, some half-written. There were also several official letters.
Why does he want me to see this? Jia tilted her head.
“There are many countries in Erendia. Most use the Erendian language, but some do not.”
He pointed to one of the letters. Jia read its contents. It was a standard letter, affirming the friendship between their two nations and praising the Emperor.
“Can you read it?”
“…Yes.”
At the Emperor’s question, Jia finally started in surprise. Looking closely, she realized the script was different from the others. And yet, she had been able to read it without any problem.
“Did you understand all the words and writings as soon as you arrived here?”
“Yes, th-that’s right…”
At the time, she had simply considered it a relief. It would have been far more terrifying if she hadn’t been able to communicate. But thinking about it now, it was strange. How could she have instantly understood a language and a script she had never seen or learned before?
“So did I.”
At the Emperor’s words, Jia’s eyes wavered. …Another thing they had in common.
“From the moment I came into this world, I understood everything humans said.”
“…”
“I could comprehend any book after reading it once, and I understood languages without having to study them.”
The contents of a book…
Jia thought of the text on basic magic theory she had read before. She had struggled with the unfamiliar terms and the scientific standards that differed from Earth’s, but if it had been a book written according to Earth’s standards, she would have understood it immediately. On Earth, she had agonized over a single book, unable to grasp it, but here, she had devoured that thick tome in just two days.
The more she thought, the stranger everything seemed. The way her body healed instantly, the way it stayed clean without washing, the fact that she never felt hungry or had any issues without eating, that she understood a language she’d never learned, that she possessed both magic and holy power… all of it.
“What do you think, Jia? Don’t you think you and I are similar beings?”
Similar beings? What does that mean… Jia was confused. Was he saying she wasn’t human? No. She was human. On Earth, she had been perfectly normal. She got hurt, she got hungry, and she certainly couldn’t understand English.
“No, that’s not… On Earth… I wasn’t like this. It’s only since coming here that, strangely…”
“Do you think you can go back?”
The Emperor pulled her into his lap. Jia was trapped, unable to move, held fast in his arms.
“You won’t be able to. I have no intention of letting you go in the first place.”
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