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Chapter 7
Only moonlight was present during nights at the imperial palace, but today was different. And it was none other than in front of the Emperor’s palace, magic lights everywhere shining bright to make it seem like daytime.
“……”
The knights and palace guards kneeling on the floor closed their eyes in despair. They were brave warriors who had never closed their eyes even before great wars that had colored the entire continent with blood, but they couldn’t be compared one bit to the situation at present.
“Exactly what is the meaning of this, in the middle of the night! Do you know how surprised I was after being notified……”
“……I ask for your forgiveness, Hyung-nim.”
The Fourth Prince Tenon, the commander of the palace knights, wiped his dry face as the Second Prince Kirel hurriedly arrived. Though Kirel was family, Tenon didn’t have any excuses for his older brother since he was the one responsible as the commander.
“If His Majesty finds out, exactly how are you going to take responsibility-”
Bang!
Before Kirel even finished talking, the door opened as a silhouette appeared behind it. Though the imperial palace itself was a place more lavish and grand than any other, the individual who had shown up overwhelmed the level of the imperial palace’s magnificence.
“……”
He took off the silver helmet covering his head, and. platinum blond hair that was brighter than the moonlight fluttered in the night breeze.
A sharp nose and sleek jawline as if they had been chiselled.
But more than anything, it was his eyes that caught people’s attention.
They were the symbol of being a member of the Rohan royal family and the sign of being a legitimate successor.
As the wind blew and revealed his eyes, his presence was completely unveiled.
The cold gaze that resembled the empire’s founder’s clearly showed exactly who the ruler of the palace was.
“……You know, I heard something interesting on the way back. “
Step step.
Every time he took a restrained step, the Rohan Emperor Rashid’s aloof and chilly aura spread throughout the surroundings. Even his brothers lowered their heads, unable to withstand the pressure despite being blood-related.
“Your, Your Majesty.”
“That the one and only princess in this imperial palace, teeming with brothers, has disappeared?”
“……”
Shatter.
The sword that was originally at his waist was dragged across the floor.
It flashed as brightly as his eyes, the silver blade covered in fresh blood, unknown whether it was from an animal or human.
“It looks like I’m the only one who finds it amusing. Right?”
“……”
An indifferent smile briefly flashed across his face.
The others turned pale at the robust body exposed beneath the loose armor.
“……I have committed a grave sin.”
“Good that you know at least.”
The indifferent eyebrows furrowed slightly.
It was a very subtle change, but as he usually never showed any changes on his face, this was actually a very large distortion in his facial expression.
“Tell me. In detail.”
“……”
The Fourth Prince, Tenon, lowered his head at Rashid’s chilly voice.
“Yesterday evening Loam visited Haniel’s palace, and she hasn’t been heard from since then. Loam had asked the nanny and maids to leave them alone so the two left without anyone knowing…”
“I sure I didn’t appoint you to your position for just anyone to be able to dismiss people like Loam did.”
“……”
Rashid’s blood red eyes were colder than ever. It didn’t matter if he was blood-related, Loam had forgotten his place.
Tenon swallowed his deep sigh, his face bright red.
“Bu, but Hyung-nim, I mean, Your Majesty, you know as well, don’t you? Haniel is young and on top of that, easily frightened even if she catches a glimpse of the palace knights, so……”
“So, are you saying that the guards were dismissed because you, the commander of the knights, was afraid that a mere child would cry.”
“……Please calm yourself, Your Majesty, fortunately, there hasn’t been any change in the pulse stone in Haniel’s room.”
The second prince Kirel stepped in before matters worsened, pulling something out of his sleeves. The round, silver jewel in his hand steadily emitted a soft light.
“If something had happened to Haniel, the stone would have changed to black. Since it is something our deceased mother had her family make, we can believe that it works.”
“So you’d risk Haniel’s life on a mere rock?”
“……”
“You pathetic lot.”
The two younger brothers shut their mouths at Rashid’s cynical remarks.
Whether or not it had been made from the grand magician, Rashid was someone who wouldn’t believe anyone unless he’d witnessed with his own eyes.
“When did Loam leave?”
“Isn’t he someone who is difficult to track. This time as well, he returned to the palace without a word in advance……then he said he’d only come back to visit Haniel, and we haven’t seen her since.”
”……This.”
Rashid’s exclamation melted into the night breeze.
Loam, the Fifth Prince, had inherited his outstanding magic talent from their mother’s side and had shown his great abilities since childhood.
Several years ago, he disobeyed the order to inherit his granted title and ran away into hiding.
But every now and then he would drop by and show his face, and now, his actions had resulted in this debacle.
Kirel bit his mouth.
“Exactly what is he thinking, taking the child with him. He’s also someone who erases any traces of himself because he is annoyed of being tracked down, so what can we do?”
“Did you contact the magic tower?”
“Of course. I also sent a message to our mother’s family, so in the case that Loamheads over in their direction, we should be contacted very soon.”
“……Immediately order all magicians of the empire to search and track down after Loam. Move quickly before his magic traces get completely scattered!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Rashid, wearing a ferocious expression, raised his hand, and the kneeling knights immediately stood up and got into formation. Perhaps thinking that wasn’t enough, he glowered at the Fourth Prince.
“Those who were responsible will face punishment after this is over. See that every post at the border has a homing pigeon installed in secret to report back if needed. He probably hasn’t crossed the border with the child yet.”
“As you command. However, there are only a few people who would bea ble to recognize Haniel, since she hasn’t been out very much……”
“Hooh, what great elder brothers you all are!”
Rashid turned his head, his eyes lowered to the ground. As he saw his younger brothers bowing their heads down like wilted grass his voice became cold like a sheet of ice.
“She’s the royal family’s own flesh and blood, the one and only princess of the Rohan Empire! A girl with platinum blond hair and red eyes……”
His red eyes, cold and irritable, flinched for the first time that day.
“……How old is she again.”
◇ ◆ ◇
「Mommy？ Awe you weally my mommy？」
Gulp.
My throat dried, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. There was no way it could be true, but the baby swan was now clearly speaking in an adorable voice.
「……Who are you？」
I guess she’s an actual person.
And it was certain this was someone who’d been cursed.
Emptiness, disappointment, and anger overwhelmed me at the same time.．
「Did Rania do it to you too? For god’s sake! What could a child have done wrong!」
「Hmm? Wania?」
“Rania. Lady Rania. Did that bi-, no, that woman, make you like this?”
“……Uhh?”
The baby swan’s head swung from left to right.
It looked like it was trying to recall who Rania was, but it was too young for its act, as I could tell that it was only pretending to remember.
「It’s fine if you don’t know. But then, that means Rania didn’t do anything.」
「……I, I dwon know..」
The baby swan flinched when my voice grew louder involuntarily.
As the child wilted, thinking I was scolding it, I quickly reassured it that it wasn’t so.
「It’s okay. I’m not saying you did anything wrong……Ah ah, this isn’t going to work. What about your parents, where are they?」
「Pawents?」
「Mmhm.  Your mom and dad. Even if you were cursed, surely you weren’t cursed by yourself……maybe your father’s business failed, or maybe he disagreed with Rania, but if that’s not it……never mind.」
What could the child know?
After deliberating over my experience with other lake inhabitants, I shook my beak. Even if such things had occurred and led to this, it was impossible for a child to know. Rather, it’d be suspicious if one her age knew of such things.
「Child, how old are you？ Your age, I mean.」
「……M, mwy age? One, two-oo……」
「No, no. Never mind about that too.」
What could I expect from a swan.
I had exhausted a lot of energy after staring with all my strength and focus.
I was certainly not giving up because the child was ignorant.
Three and four-year-olds needed to count with their fingers one by one……this baby swan didn’t have fingers to bend.
In other words, no matter how many times I tried, I didn’t need to be told how old she was.
‘Ah ah……what is this.‘
My heart, which had been lifted to cloud nine, had dropped down to the bottom of my chest.
Well, what was I expecting, it’s me after all.
The me who had grown up as an orphan had been too greedy with my wish.
「Two-oo, Fwor…… 」
「…… 」
So why couldn’t you be a little less cute.
Then I wouldn’t have gotten so excited and filled with expectations.
I helplessly smiled at the swan that was still hopping around on its black feet.
First things first, finding its biological parents was first priority. It wasn’t too late to slowly decide whether or not they deserved to be the parents of this cute child.
「Do you know where your mom and dad are? And their names?」
「Uh huh. Daddy is……Daddy ishn’t here.」
「Huh?」
「They shaid Daddy wen to heaben.」
The baby swan stopped after shaking its feet for a long time, its ruffled feathers sinking back down.
Seeing it grow quiet and somber, I waited a moment before I approached the baby swan once more.
「I, I see..」
「Do you know what heaben is? It’s a pwace wiff lotsa stars. And wiff Sun-nim and Moon-nim too.」
「……Mmhm.」
One thing I knew for sure is that this child clearly didn’t know what heaven was.