“Are you saying that I should be jealous of a woman who risked her life for a mere child? That foolish woman who died right after giving birth?”


  “I don’t think I said anything like that.”


  “This is none of your business. Shouldn’t you be holed up in some tower, weeping over your country’s ruin?”


  “My, you’re quite rude.”


  Things were getting a bit out of hand. What should I do? Should I stop them? I stomped my feet amid this sharp atmosphere. It would have been over if I had just endured and dealt with Tyrenia, but I was worried that Layla might be taking a toll on me.

  “Perhaps you are under the impression that we are equals since we live in the same harem, but let me make this clear to you, our positions differed completely. Do you understand?”


  How dare she! In the end, she’s just another accessory to Caitel!

  It was Layla who was insulted, but I also felt so angry. How dare she try to ridicule Layla?! I thought that I should just run and strike her with headbutt right now.

  “What is…”


  At that moment, a cold voice sank around the cold space.

  “… Going on here?”


  Elene stood beside me while gasping for her breath. It seemed like she ran so fast just to bring him here as soon as possible. The garden grew silent on his arrival. As I turned my head to that familiar voice, I saw the obvious outline of Caitel, who was my only father in this continent.

  Tears filled my eyes as I felt a twinge of delight within me. Why did my dad arrive just now!

  “I’m seeing someone who reached Evangelium.”


  “May you reach Evangelium.”


  The two princesses bowed their heads and lowered themselves to meet the emperor. Their entourage behind them did the same. I stood alone in the space where even Elene and Serira bent over. When he saw me, I ran into his arms.

  “Daddy!”


  When Caitel found me, he relaxed his stiffened expression. When I opened my arm, he held me naturally. I hugged my father’s neck and breathed a sigh of relief for a moment. I was sort of worried that something might happen!

  With me in his arms, Caitel shot his glare to those two princesses. I felt that the violence within him was stronger than usual. I was glad he’s here, but Caitel seemed furious upon seeing this situation. What if something like what happened the other time occurred again?

  It’s not that I liked princess Tyrenia. If anything, I hated her. Still, I didn’t want to see her die. More importantly, I couldn’t let Layla meet such a fate when she tried to help me. Well, there’s no choice but to sacrifice myself to save these ladies here.