Episode 41
Elonia spent a considerable amount of time pondering why she had to make such a grand entrance.
“What sins did I commit in my past life?” she asked herself, and the answer, sadly, was “a lot.” Elonia had indeed committed many sins in her past life.
‘This is karma coming back to bite me.’
Still, considering her past transgressions, this current predicament was relatively bearable.
Held securely in Artius’s arms, Elonia surveyed the hall from a much higher vantage point than usual.
Everyone she saw seemed just as bewildered as she was, making her feel a strange sense of camaraderie.
“Hey, you surprised too?”
“Yeah, me too.”
As Elonia looked around curiously, Artius faltered, shifting his weight awkwardly.
“Elonia, are you uncomfortable?”
“…No.”
“You must tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”
Elonia nudged him with her foot, urging him to keep moving.
The truth was, she was embarrassed.
‘Why did I agree to this…!’
Elonia usually preferred comfortable clothes.
Even the most comfortable of dresses designed for celebrations were still adorned with numerous embellishments, making them inherently less comfortable.
She struggled to manage the cumbersome dress, on the verge of a meltdown as her carefully styled hair and accessories threatened to come undone.
That was when Artius, trying to break the awkward silence, asked cautiously,
“…Should I carry you on my back?”
“…”
She wanted to dismiss his ridiculous suggestion, but the unfamiliar, elaborate attire was indeed uncomfortable.
So she nodded absentmindedly, thinking she could just ask him to put her down once they reached the entrance. It was a naive miscalculation.
She had never imagined she would be carried in his arms like this.
Then again, being carried on his back might have been even more comical.
“Announcing His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Artius Antair Ravanta!”
“Announcing Her Imperial Highness, Princess Elonia Ainar Ravanta!”
The heralds’ voices boomed through the hall.
Artius strode confidently across the red carpet, ascending the platform and gently placing Elonia on a small golden chair that had been specially made for her.
The two knights followed, taking their positions on either side of her.
He was treating her with such care, as if she were a delicate flower that might break at the slightest touch.
The nobles, who had been ignoring Elonia just moments ago, exchanged bewildered glances.
Artius, his voice low but commanding, addressed the hushed crowd.
“I thank you all for taking the time to celebrate the birthday of my one and only daughter, Princess Elonia. Please, enjoy yourselves.”
His words were merely a formality, but the nobles bowed their heads even lower, overwhelmed by his unexpected display of affection.
Artius, after fulfilling his ceremonial duties, took his seat on the throne.
Elonia, seeing him acting like a cold and aloof ruler for the first time, felt a strange sense of dissonance.
Even though he had softened towards her, it seemed like that side of him was reserved for her alone.
Right now, he was the undisputed Emperor.
‘Well, it’s funny seeing him act all tough, but it’s better than being a pushover, even to his own nobles.’
Elonia settled into her small golden chair, observing the atmosphere in the hall.
Everyone seemed to be in a state of shock.
Even the Asta family looked like they couldn’t believe their eyes.
Artius spoke from beside her.
“Elonia, are you hungry?”
‘Ugh, he’s lost it.’
What was with that voice?
Elonia instinctively leaned away from him.
His voice was so gentle and warm, a stark contrast to the cold and commanding tone he had used just moments ago.
She wasn’t the only one who was taken aback.
“Pfft! Cough.”
Elonia saw a male noble spitting out his champagne in surprise.
She shuddered internally, but she knew that their task tonight was to present a united front, to appear as close as possible. So she played along, replying casually,
“I want snacks.”
She couldn’t bring herself to use such affectionate language as Artius.
But he was clearly delighted that she had responded to him after weeks of silence. He beamed at her, summoning a servant to bring her favorite pudding.
Elonia studied his expression.
‘…Is he really okay?’
Everyone knew that Elonia’s birthday coincided with Philemon’s death anniversary.
Elonia knew how much Artius had loved Philemon.
She had expected him to be melancholic, but it seemed like she had been worried for nothing.
He looked perfectly normal, even more cheerful than usual.
‘It’s become harder to read his expressions.’
Elonia focused on devouring her pudding.
By the time she had finished three plates, the celebration was in full swing, and the nobles began approaching her, bearing gifts.
“Happy birthday, Your Highness. This is a gift from the Karl family—”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness. This is a gift from the Fiona family. We hope you like it—”
“This is from the Hellington family—”
“And this is from the Langerus family—”
The procession of gifts seemed endless.
Elonia, forgetting about her snacks, tried to estimate their worth, but quickly gave up, overwhelmed by the sheer volume.
She nibbled on some savory meat dishes to cleanse her palate, her stomach already full from the sweet treats.
Just as she was starting to get bored, a familiar group appeared.
“We sincerely wish you a happy birthday, Your Highness.”
“Lady Asta!”
Lady Asta, accompanied by her two sons, knelt before Elonia.
Elonia, her face brightening with joy, greeted Lady Asta warmly.
She had already received gifts and congratulations from Llewellyn and Alberich the day before.
Llewellyn had gifted her a custom-made ink and fountain pen set, the ink a beautiful mint green shade that matched her hair, sprinkled with pearl dust. Alberich had given her a hand-embroidered handkerchief and a specially made self-defense spray.
‘Alberich is such a worrywart.’
He was probably still traumatized by the incident at the academy.
But Elonia secretly liked the gift.
The spray was enchanted with magic and incredibly effective, considering its hefty price tag.
‘It was so potent that it brought Rica to his knees.’
The moment she sprayed it in Ricardo’s eyes, he not only collapsed but was also paralyzed for ten minutes.
She felt a little bad for her only disciple, but at least it proved the spray’s effectiveness.
‘If it can do that to Rica, it’ll probably knock out anyone else.’
Elonia didn’t really need it, considering her own magical abilities, but she appreciated his thoughtfulness.
It might come in handy if she couldn’t use magic for some reason.
The Asta family always had excellent taste, so Elonia was excited to see what Lady Asta had brought her.
“We have prepared a humble gift from our family.”
Lady Asta smiled warmly, presenting a gift box.
Unlike when she received gifts from other nobles, Elonia’s face lit up with genuine anticipation.
Ethan, who had been standing stoically beside the golden throne, took the gift box from Lady Asta and presented it to Elonia.
She eagerly opened it.
Nestled inside the velvet-lined box was a beautiful gem that shimmered with iridescent colors under the light.
“This is…?”
“This is a family heirloom passed down through generations of the Asta family, the Fairy’s Wing.”
The nobles gasped.
Even though Elonia’s mother was from the Asta family, they couldn’t believe Lady Asta would offer such a precious heirloom.
Elonia was equally surprised.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was appropriate to accept such a gift. But refusing it in public would be disrespectful.
“Thank you, Lady Asta… I love it!”
“I’m glad you like it, Your Highness.”
Lady Asta smiled warmly, touched by Elonia’s genuine joy.
This public display of affection solidified the strong bond between the Asta family and Elonia, making it clear to the nobles that they were a force to be reckoned with.
The smarter nobles abandoned their hopes of securing the vacant position of the Empress.
But the rest, still clinging to a glimmer of hope, looked towards Artius.
It was his turn now.
Sensing their gazes, Artius rose from his throne.
At his signal, servants appeared, each carrying a box of varying sizes.
They opened the boxes simultaneously, revealing their contents to the stunned crowd.
“Gasp, those are…!”
The nobles gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief.
They whispered amongst themselves, recognizing the precious gems.
“Isn’t that purple diamond the ‘God’s Grapevine,’ the treasure of the imperial family since the founding of the Empire?”
“And that one, that’s the ‘Fruit of Madicte,’ gifted by the first Empress to her daughter.”
“That’s the ‘Saint’s Tear,’ said to have fallen from an ancient oak tree…!”
“Oh my god… Even the ‘Core of Holy Fire,’ which disappeared centuries ago…”
The gems Artius had presented to Elonia were legendary, appearing only in history books and myths.
These gems, each a piece of history or a mythical artifact, now belonged to the young princess.
Elonia was equally stunned.
‘I wanted a fortune, but not to this extent…!’
She couldn’t sell these legendary gems.
Any jeweler would dismiss them as fakes or report her as a thief for stealing imperial treasures.
Besides, inheriting these gems held a deeper significance than simply becoming wealthy.
‘The future Emperor.’
These were imperial treasures, passed down through generations of Emperors.
By gifting Elonia with these priceless gems, Artius was making a silent declaration that she was the future ruler, no matter what.
Even the most obtuse of individuals would have understood his message.
But Artius wasn’t done.
“And this is my personal gift to the princess.”
“…Father?”
What was he planning now?
Elonia stared at him with suspicion, and Artius smiled softly.
A mixture of regret, gratitude, joy, and sadness flickered in his eyes, but even Elonia could decipher the message behind his gaze.
In fact, only Elonia, who had always yearned for it, could truly understand.
‘…Family.’
Artius removed his crown and knelt before Elonia.
“…Gasp!”
How much further would this Emperor go to shock his audience?
No Emperor in the history of Ravanta had ever done such a thing.
Unfazed by their stunned reactions, Artius placed his crown on Elonia’s head.
“…!”
So that’s why he had been wearing his rarely used crown.
And somehow, he had enchanted it, making the heavy crown feel as light as a feather.
She sensed a familiar magical signature.
Elonia glanced at Ricardo.
‘He helped.’
Ricardo smirked, confirming her suspicions.
Artius, seeing Elonia speechless with surprise, chuckled ruefully and gently kissed the back of her hand.
“…Elonia, happy birthday.”
Elonia was speechless, overwhelmed by his actions.
Happy birthday.
She had heard those words countless times from the nameless nobles, her two knights, the Asta family, her slightly annoying new cousins, Sarah, and her maids.
All those who loved her, even though she was… well, her.
But this was the first time she had heard those words from her biological father.
“…Thank you.”
Elonia mumbled, her voice thick with emotion, holding the oversized crown in place with her small hand.
She couldn’t bring herself to call him “Father.”
Seeing her fighting back tears, Artius could only smile sadly, his face filled with guilt.
***
As evening approached, Elonia excused herself, claiming she was tired.
She removed the crown, shed the cumbersome dress and accessories, and sank into a warm bath.
Sarah, drying Elonia’s hair, asked,
“Your Highness, did you enjoy the celebration?”
“…It wasn’t bad.”
Elonia replied curtly, but Sarah knew that “not bad” meant “good” in Elonia’s vocabulary.
Elonia even brought the crown Artius had given her to her bedroom, placing it on her bedside table.
Sarah smiled warmly, continuing to dry her hair.
Elonia, enjoying Sarah’s gentle touch, finally spoke up.
There was something that had been bothering her.
“Sarah, I have a question.”
“Anything, Your Highness.”
“…Is Father really okay?”
Sarah’s hand stilled, her face etched with surprise.
“I know my birthday is Mother’s death anniversary. I might not be as sad as those who knew her, but it’s different for Father and you.”
“Your Highness…”
Sarah fidgeted, struggling to find the right words.
She wanted to reassure Elonia, to tell her that it wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t seem to articulate her thoughts.
Just as she was about to speak, Ricardo and Ethan, who were guarding the door, suddenly reported,
“Your Highness, His Majesty is here.”