Chapter 7
After hearing the report, the emperor let out a hearty laugh.
“Obsession, you say? It seems your worries have gotten the better of you. Killian is hardly the sort of child for that.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”
Seeing the emperor’s reaction, Bertholdt felt almost foolish for having been so tense. He let out a small, self-conscious laugh.
“He will likely grow bored of her soon enough. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about the girl. Still, now that we know he doesn’t mind it being a girl, I will begin searching for a more suitable candidate. In the meantime, the Eport girl can serve as a way to buy us some time.”
“Either way, this is a relief. I can rest a little easier now. To be honest, I hadn’t expected much.”
“His standards are… exceptionally high. He’s not one to choose just anything carelessly.”
At that, the emperor merely smiled.
High standards—a polite way of putting it.
Everyone knew that no matter how it was dressed up, the crown prince’s temperament was far from ordinary. No matter how much he disliked the situation, striking his own face hard enough to bruise himself…
For someone so young, there was something about Killian that could, at times, send a chill down one’s spine.
“If only that child had been born in a different era…”
After a long silence, the emperor spoke.
Compared to other children his age, his son’s eyes were far colder, as though some part of him lacked emotion altogether. Had this been a century ago, in the age of conquest, he might have become a truly great ruler.
But now, the entire continent lay subdued beneath the empire’s rule. It was an age of peace.
“In any case, the talk about Fabian should quiet down for now.”
At the name, Bertholdt’s expression stiffened slightly.
“…Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, would it not be better to make a decision?”
“You mean…”
The emperor gave a bitter smile.
“Are you suggesting I kill my only nephew?”
“Before he is Your Majesty’s nephew, he is the son of the former emperor.”
“Indeed. A son who resembles his father in no way at all.”
Understanding the implication, Bertholdt fell silent.
After a long and grueling war of conquest that had begun a century ago, the Deard Kingdom—once the empire’s greatest thorn—had been absorbed into what was now called the Northern Territories.
The surrendered king of Deard had been granted authority as the Grand Duke of the North.
As a symbol of peace and unity, it was decreed that whenever a daughter was born into the Deard family, she would be betrothed to the crown prince.
And that was where the problem began.
Generations passed.
The daughters of the grand ducal line continued to marry into the imperial family, producing heirs and eventually, something began to go wrong.
Barely a hundred years after the war’s end, a shadow of madness began to loom over the imperial bloodline.
To overthrow the deranged former emperor and seize the throne, the current emperor had needed the support of the Grand Duke. In exchange, the Grand Duke had demanded one thing: the life of his only grandson, Fabian Nachtmann.
“I understand your reasoning. But the moment harm comes to that child, the blades of the North will turn toward Killian.”
Even without that promise to the Grand Duke, he could not harm his nephew.
“In the North, they’re already saying it openly. That it isn’t Fabian who inherited the former emperor’s madness… but Killian.”
This wasn’t about familial affection.
The North, which had once risen in rebellion because of that very madness, was now questioning whether the current crown prince might carry the same flaw and using it to cast doubt on Killian, who was still only thirteen.
That was precisely why Killian needed to appear… more ordinary. He had to dull the edge of that finely honed blade, blend in with others, become someone unremarkable.
“Adelaide, was it? What is she like?”
“I haven’t met her personally, but from what I’ve heard, she’s an entirely ordinary child. She grew up in the countryside and received no noble education. That’s why her adoption application was rejected by the council.”
Ordinary. To the emperor, that single word sounded almost magical.
“A girl who is little different from a commoner, hm. That might paint quite a favorable picture to those who questioned Killian’s qualities.”
For now, the matter would remain secret.
But when it was eventually revealed, the image of the crown prince forming a bond of friendship without regard for status or gender.
It would make for a rather compelling narrative.
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