Found It
Found It
The child could not fully understand Bertram's story.
It was not the kind of tale one could simply accept and move past after hearing an explanation.
But she could see the sorrow and guilt in Bertram's eyes.
Even though she could not know what Bertram intended to do to her, the child calmly spoke.
"......You look sad. Very much so."
Those words were filled with compassion.
Bertram, momentarily surprised by the child's composure, spoke.
"I am sorry for letting you be swept up in my sorrow. But you will save everyone. At least, I want to believe in such a future. And also......."
Bertram's hand slowly slid down from the child's shoulder.
"I will think of you and act toward you as if you were my own daughter. For I believe that is the only atonement for the sin I am about to commit."
Having said that, Bertram rose from his seat.
Because it felt as though talking with the child any longer would make him reverse his decision.
Bertram glanced at the doctor and nodded, as if signaling him to proceed.
"......Understood."
The doctor, having read Bertram's intention, took the child's hand and entered Selvia's room.
Soon the door closed, and the memory transfer took place.
All the while, Bertram stood before the door, simply waiting for the memory transfer to end.
After waiting for half a day in the empty corridor, the closed door opened.
Beyond the opened door stood the child who, only moments ago, had been conversing with him.
The child slowly raised her head and saw Bertram looking down at her with a deeply meaningful expression.
The child, who had been blinking her blue eyes vacantly, parted her small, delicate lips.
"......Father?"
Upon hearing those words, Bertram collapsed on the spot.
In the moment he heard the word father from the child's lips, he could feel in his bones how deep and hideous the sin he had committed truly was.
"Father? What is the matter?"
The child slowly approached the fallen Bertram.
Lifting his head through his sobs, Bertram saw the child's innocent eyes.
Having gazed wordlessly at the child, Bertram raised his trembling hands and embraced her.
"I'm sorry. I am truly so sorry......."
When Bertram began to weep, a slightly surprised look crossed the child's face.
But soon, she embraced him back and moved her lips.
"I do not know what has happened, but it is alright. After all......."
The child, recalling the 'memories' she had shared with Bertram, continued speaking.
"I am right here before you, Father."
*
Daniel, having seen all the memories, slowly opened his eyes.
Daniel, who had witnessed the shocking truth, turned to look at Selvia.
Selvia was frozen with her eyes open.
No words came from her slightly parted lips, and her pupils wandered aimlessly.
He wanted to calm Selvia down, but it did not seem like any words could provide comfort right now.
"Ah? Ah......."
Selvia, having let out a dazed sound, began to tremble.
Sensing that her condition was not good, Daniel tightened his grip on Selvia's hand.
"Your Majesty."
Startled, Selvia turned to Daniel.
Gasping for breath as if hyperventilating, Selvia lowered her gaze.
"Stop. Stop......."
Selvia's hand squirmed within Daniel's grasp.
A moan of pain escaped her lips, so Daniel released her hand.
At a glance, it seemed her condition had improved, but Selvia's breathing remained rough.
"......Are you alright?"
No answer came.
She simply took a step backward, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Your Majesty?"
Selvia, who had been wandering in confusion for some time, became aware of Daniel's gaze and raised her head.
"Ah, yes? Did you call for me? Ahaha......."
Selvia, having barely collected herself, let out a laugh as if it were nothing.
"Mm. I understand now. Why my brother called me a monster. Certainly, it is shocking, but I am, after all, this Empire's......."
The smile hanging on Selvia's lips distorted.
"This Empire's......."
The words that followed never came.
Even the smile that Selvia had been so stubbornly maintaining disappeared.
Unable to wear the mask any longer, Selvia muttered in a subdued tone.
"......I need time to think."
Having said that, Selvia walked past Daniel and moved toward the entrance of the Imperial Relic Repository.
The red cape that symbolized her status as the Emperor of the Empire seemed to flutter more forlornly than ever today.
Daniel wanted to follow her, but he could not bring himself to do so.
Because he thought she needed time to accept the truth.
It was about three hours after Selvia had left the Imperial Relic Repository that Daniel realized that judgment had been wrong.
"Excuse me? Wasn't His Majesty the Emperor together with Brigadier General Daniel?"
Worried about Selvia, he had gone to see the Chief of the Inner Court Office, only to be met with an absurd reply.
Daniel, about to ask why the Inner Court Office did not know the Emperor's whereabouts, could only shake his head.
Because Selvia knew how to use space movement magic.
Since she could instantly move to any location within her line of sight, shaking off the Inner Court Office personnel was child's play.
'The Imperial Guard, as well.......'
Since she had said she intended to visit the Imperial Relic Repository and needed no escort, they would be just as clueless about Selvia's location.
With his head aching, Daniel first spoke to the Chief of the Inner Court Office.
"Chief of the Inner Court Office. His Majesty the Emperor is currently missing."
"Wait a moment. M-missing, you say?"
"Yes. The last time I saw His Majesty the Emperor was three hours ago, inside the Imperial Relic Repository. Since her whereabouts have become unknown since then, it would seem advisable to begin a search at once."
The Chief of the Inner Court Office, although flustered, nodded.
"I will inform the Inner Court Office, of course, and also the Imperial Guard. I am headed there right now; will Brigadier General Daniel accompany us?"
Daniel shook his head.
"I will search on my own."
He had a few guesses where Selvia might be.
*
An emergency was declared in the Imperial Household, and countless personnel rushed out to search for Selvia.
The news that Emperor Selvia had gone missing was deeply shocking.
Even so, they could not even guess where Selvia might be.
While the personnel of the Imperial Household were running about in confusion, Selvia was in an abandoned outdoor garden.
It was a place where no one tended, so the flowers had withered and only weeds grew thickly. There was no better place to hide and gather one's thoughts in solitude.
As the moonlight illuminated the misery of the abandoned garden, Selvia walked slowly.
Selvia's complexion was deeply sunken as she crossed the garden with listless steps.
'I wonder who I am.......'
Selvia was recalling memories of the past.
─ Your Highness the Princess! You grasp two things as soon as you learn one! Your skill with the sword is so proficient that there is practically nothing left for me to teach you!
─ You say you have already finished reading this book? There must be many passages difficult to understand for one of Your Highness's age. Truly remarkable.
─ You say that politics is not a simple logic of power, but a matter of understanding people's hearts? Hahaha! How can one have such thoughts at this young age! I am nothing short of impressed!
Selvia had displayed genius from a young age.
Perhaps she studied even harder because she enjoyed receiving praise.
─ Selvia. My daughter. Seeing you grow more beautiful by the day, your father worries. I fear that men rushing to court you will overflow.
─ Who does she take after to be this beautiful? Might it be that she takes after me?
─ Hmm. I cannot deny that.
Selvia had been loved from a young age.
The Emperor and Empress were ideal parents, and Selvia had also considered that a blessing.
But that was not Selvia's memory.
It was, at best, merely the memory of the 'dead Selvia.'
Yet Selvia, having inherited those memories, could not possibly have known that.
So in order to maintain her genius, she read books and honed her swordsmanship while cutting back on sleep, and to be loved, she always behaved politely toward the Emperor and Empress.
As she lived, regarding the 'dead Selvia' as herself, an incident occurred.
In the year she turned ten, Arno killed a lady-in-waiting who attended Selvia.
At the time, Emperor Bertram came to the side of Selvia, who was engulfed in shock, and quietly spoke to her.
─ My beloved daughter. Your brother Arno feels not a shred of guilt over killing a person. What do you think will become of the Empire the moment your brother becomes Emperor?
Before she could even escape the shock of losing a cherished lady-in-waiting, Bertram whispered.
Become the Emperor.
Stop your brother and become the Emperor to lead the Empire into an era of peace.
At Bertram's earnest words, Selvia nodded.
From then on, Selvia became the Emperor she had so desperately wished to be.
The most noble existence who commanded respect from all and held the Empire beneath her feet.
That was Selvia von Amberg.
'But.......'
Selvia did not know whether that was an extension of the 'dead Selvia' or whether it was 'herself.'
She could not know whether the life she was currently enjoying was 'Bertram's decision' or 'her own decision.'
So everything was thrown into confusion.
Her chest tightened, suffocating her, and Selvia's footsteps halted before the railing of the outdoor garden.
Far in the distance, countless people were running about in search of Selvia.
As she watched that sight, Selvia suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Who, exactly, were they searching for?
The unanswerable question lingered in her heart.
Amid these unprecedented emotions, the pit of despair forming in her heart grew deeper and deeper.
Just as terrible thoughts began to seep out from that deepening pit, someone's voice reached her like an auditory hallucination.
Selvia flinched in surprise, but soon shook her head.
Because she thought there was no way anyone would come to such a place.
But as if to refute Selvia's thought, the voice rang out even louder.
"Edelweiss!"
Selvia, lifting her head in surprise, slowly turned to look behind her.
There stood a man, breathing roughly as if he had exhausted himself running.
"......Daniel?"
At Selvia's question, the man, though panting, let out a low laugh.
"You are finally looking this way. I thought you had gone deaf."
Though it was a lightly tossed remark, his voice was enough to halt Selvia's crumbling world.