Chapter 112
Lea recalled how the Emperor had granted her a palace. He had not given her the thing she wanted most, but he had provided her with a place to live and gold coins to spend.
In the past, she hadn’t known what that meant, but after her regression and as time went on, she was able to sense the Emperor’s intentions.
She was staying here as the Emperor’s guest. Therefore, the imperial family of Cantabria was obligated to treat her as a guest.
Bianca didn’t understand the meaning behind Lea’s words, but Calix and the head lady-in-waiting understood.
The Emperor’s guest, for as long as they stayed in the imperial palace, existed in a position higher than any member of the imperial family or nobility, except for the Emperor himself.
This was an old tradition of Cantabria. It was also meant to honor those who aided the first Emperor.
“Hah, then I advise the guest to behave like a guest and stay quiet.”
Ignorant of history and thus unaware of this fact, Bianca sneered, but the atmosphere had shifted from before.
Calix gazed at Lea with a peculiar expression. Why had such a wise woman behaved so foolishly until now?
Was it all just an act? If so, then why, in front of him, did she never say a word and only look around anxiously?
The look in his eyes as he watched her grew heavy.
“This isn’t some kind of wordplay. To call yourself His Majesty the Emperor’s guest is truly ridiculous. You’ve lived together since you were young, so you’re family.”
Bianca wanted the mood to be disrupted here. When she first heard the rumor that Calix and Lea had become entangled, she hadn’t believed it, but she thought it was for the best.
Her plan was to make the two of them into shameless beings in everyone’s eyes.
“No matter how you aren’t related by blood. How can the two of you, who are siblings…”
“Ah, so that’s what you wanted to say.”
The most surprised by Lea’s indifferent remark was Calix himself. Was this really the woman whose face had turned bright red from his kiss?
Bianca was also flustered, but stubbornly continued.
“Oh, Lea. I understand you might be starved for love and become confused. But haven’t you and Calix built up affection as siblings since childhood? What you two are doing now—if it’s not the work of beasts, then what is it?”
This was nonsense if ever there was nonsense. At this point, Lea began to seriously wonder if perhaps her mother wasn’t actually that clever.
Had she perhaps set her mother on too high a pedestal all this time, simply because she’d been suppressed by her since she was young?
“Well, it’s true I was starved for love.”
“Is that so? But there are things you can do and things you mustn’t do. If you’ve learned that now, you can start correcting yourself.”
At her mother’s suddenly benevolent tone, Lea couldn’t help but let out a laugh. As if she genuinely found it amusing.
“…Did you just laugh?”
“Pfft— No.”
Though her shoulders were visibly shaking, Lea insisted she wasn’t laughing. The others watched her strange behavior in silence. Calix, especially, couldn’t find a moment to interject, as Lea’s attitude was so different from the one she usually showed him.
“You!”
Unable to contain her temper, Bianca raised her voice, and Lea quietly replied.
“If you get that angry, it might startle the baby in your womb, Your Majesty.”
“…Th-that’s true.”
“You should be especially careful in the early stages.”
“Yes… thank you, but you ought to be the one being careful.”
“But Your Majesty’s words were simply too funny to ignore.”
“What exactly is so funny? I didn’t raise you this way. Did I raise you to act with such impudent behavior and to do such filthy things—”
Before Bianca could finish, Lea quietly cut her off.
“There’s something I need to correct you on. First, Your Majesty did indeed give birth to me, but you never raised me. And the biggest reason I was starved for love is because of the absence of my own mother.”
As she spoke, Lea locked eyes with Bianca, eyes exactly like her own. She added, because it was the most important thing to say.
“Lastly, please stop saying that the noble Imperial Crown Prince and I, who have no title, are siblings. The precious imperial heir may become confused in the future. Ah, I suppose the heir to be born will indeed be my sibling. At least half our blood will be shared, after all.”
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