Chapter 48
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Granting the Wish
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“Um... Is there some special reason you're staying in the palace? If you refused to join the registry, you're not a princess anymore, are you, Philomel?”
Ellensia quickly composed her expression and asked with a smile.
Philomel found that smile strangely awkward.
“Is there a law saying only princesses can stay in the palace?”
“But as far as I know, the state guesthouse is only for state guests...”
“You're right. But I was granted state guest privileges in recognition of my contributions this time.”
Philomel decided to play it bold. It seemed like the best way to unsettle Ellensia.
“...Contributions?”
“The contribution of bringing Princess Ellensia to His Majesty. He was so grateful, saying he never would have met you without me.”
“...Ah. That.”
“Thanks to my humble help, you've found the place you truly belong. It's a great honor.”
“...I see. Thank you.”
It was a curt, half-hearted expression of gratitude. Even though she'd chattered endlessly during their dice game.
Philomel vividly recalled how she'd talked nonstop the entire time.
A brief silence settled between them. Just as Philomel was about to bid farewell...
“How long do you plan to stay in the palace?”
Ellensia asked in a small voice.
“...Who knows. Until I feel like leaving? I'd like to stay as long as possible if I can. That way, I can see you often, Princess Ellensia.”
“That's perfect. I wanted to talk more with you, Philomel.”
“Surprisingly, we're of the same mind, Princess.”
The exchange was utterly devoid of sincerity.
This level of prodding wasn't enough to glimpse Ellensia's true nature.
Maybe I should push a little harder.
Philomel stared straight at Ellensia's face and spoke up.
“By the way, I went to see Katrin Hounds in prison today.”
“Katrin?”
Ellensia reacted reflexively, then quickly added an excuse.
“Ah, I mean my mom. She used a pseudonym when we were living together...”
Philomel had heard that Katrin hadn't changed her name, though.
“So, what about your mom?”
“...She seemed to miss you terribly. She kept desperately calling out for Ellen, Ellen.”
Ellensia pressed her hands to her face and sniffled.
“I wanted to go see her too... but Dad wouldn't allow it. It breaks my heart thinking about how much she's suffering there.”
For someone so concerned, she'd seemed to have forgotten all about her until Philomel brought it up.
“Is Mom healthy? She didn't look ill anywhere? Is she eating properly?”
Tears welled up in Ellensia's eyes as she earnestly inquired about Katrin's well-being.
“Fortunately, she looked haggard but didn't seem to have any serious illnesses.”
“Really? That's a relief.”
“But she said something a bit strange.”
“Strange?”
“Let me think... She said that at some point, you started acting like a completely different person, Princess Ellensia?”
“...What?”
It was just a split second, but Philomel clearly caught it. The perfect image of a dutiful daughter twisted in fury.
Feeling Philomel's unwavering gaze, Ellensia hurriedly smoothed her expression.
She patted Philomel's shoulder lightly and said in a casual tone.
“What are you talking about? A different person? That can't be. Mom must be sick and saying things she doesn't mean.”
It seemed she'd already forgotten that Philomel had just said Katrin wasn't ill.
Suspicious, after all.
A chill settled in one corner of Philomel's heart.
“More than that, I'm so worried about Mom. What if something really bad happens? I think we need to get her out of prison quickly.”
That was when it happened. Ellensia muttered in a hurried voice.
“Pardon? Get her out? That woman's crimes are hardly forgivable...”
“I'll just beg Dad! If I plead earnestly, he'll forgive Mom too.”
With that, she bolted toward the emperor's office before Philomel could stop her.
No!
Philomel realized what Ellensia was about to do and chased after her.
Emperor Justis utterly loathed Katrin. The fact that she'd been kept alive this long was a miracle.
For her own daughter—raised by Katrin after being kidnapped—to express worry for Katrin and beg for her release in front of him?
It was tantamount to pleading for Katrin to be put to death.
In Princess Ellensia, there were several scenes where Justis ground his teeth watching his daughter mourn Katrin's death.
“If I could, I'd dig her up from the grave and kill her again.”
The emperor hadn't fulfilled that wish simply because Katrin's dismembered corpse had been devoured by crows, leaving no grave.
“Please wait! Your Highness!”
Philomel shouted loudly, but Ellensia, who had already reached the end of the corridor, didn't look back.
Philomel gritted her teeth and sprinted down the hall.
If Katrin died, it would be a problem.
Not just because she was her birth mother. Nor out of guilt for causing her death with her words.
Philomel still had many questions for her. About how Ellensia had changed, and what secrets she was hiding.
To uncover those, Katrin was essential.
“How is she so fast?”
A moment later, Philomel finally staggered up to the office, gasping for breath.
Through the wide-open door, she could see two figures inside.
Ellensia was already clinging to her father, pleading her case.
“Dad! Please! Release Mom from prison!”
They were done for.
Philomel's arms fell limply to her sides as she reached for the door.
She hadn't made it in time.
Regret washed over her for provoking Ellensia so recklessly.
“...Is that truly what you want?”
The emperor gazed down at his daughter with a meaningful look. He seemed conflicted, even troubled.
“Yes! I love Mom... I know you hate her, Dad, but to me, she's more of a mother than my birth mother ever was.”
Good lord.
Philomel bit her lip hard.
There are things you say and things you don't. Why not just ask him to kill Katrin outright?
The entire empire knew how deeply Justis had loved the late empress. And yet, to say something like that?
On top of which, Katrin had swapped Ellensia and Philomel.
A vision of Katrin standing at the execution platform flickered before Philomel's eyes.
“I'll ask one last time. Is that truly what you desire?”
“Yes!”
Justis closed his eyes and let out a deep groan. Profound anguish emanated from him.
At that moment, he noticed Philomel standing at the door.
“What is it? Do you have more to say?”
“...No. While I was talking with Her Highness, she suddenly ran off, so I followed out of worry that she might be ill.”
“She's fine. In any case, you've arrived at just the right time.”
Just the right time? What did that mean?
“Sit down. You too, Ellensia.”
Philomel and Ellensia exchanged puzzled glances before sitting at the table.
“Polan. Are you there?”
“Yes. What are your orders?”
Shortly after Justis issued a separate command to Count Polan waiting outside, about ten people entered the office.
They ranged from knights to maids. The common thread was that they all worked in the palace. Among them was the guard Philomel had met that morning—the one in charge of Katrin.
Count Polan entered last and reported.
“Nanny is currently too ill to move, so I couldn't bring her.”
“That's unavoidable. Ellensia, you'll have to relay it yourself. After all, she's someone you keep by your side, staking your middle name on it.”
Philomel was stunned.
She staked her middle name just to keep Nanny in the palace?
A royal's middle name wasn't just any ordinary name; it was one bestowed by the gods.
Legend held that the founding emperor, upon receiving a divine revelation to establish the nation, was granted a new name by the god.
From then on, his descendants prayed to the gods upon a child's birth and used the name from the oracle as their middle name.
These days, with oracles rare, parents selected from names recommended by the high priest, but the symbolic weight of a royal middle name remained immense.
It invoked not only royal honor but also the divine grace bestowed upon them.
Since every royal was considered a descendant of the gods, even the emperor would usually yield when a middle name was invoked.
Of course, it wasn't omnipotent. There were cases of royals losing their divine power by staking it on impure matters or making false oaths with it.
Philomel, born without divine power, had heard the gossip, but for a royal to lose it in such a disgraceful way?
The end of their life as a royal. And total social ruin to boot.
It was no name to stake on someone like Nanny.
And Ellensia's middle name is the real deal!
According to Princess Ellensia, on the dawn of Ellensia's first appearance, the high priest dreamed of receiving a name from the god.
Upon hearing that the true princess had appeared, he realized it was her middle name.
Even though Philomel had accelerated her arrival by a year, it seemed the high priest had received the same revelation.
In other words, Ellensia was squandering a rare, genuine divine grace.
If you're going to do that, just give it to me! Philomel screamed inwardly.
Her own middle name was just a half-baked reference to the empress who first ascended the throne as a woman.
As a child, she'd even envied the real thing, asking the high priest every time she saw him if there were no oracles for her.
“Dad. Why did you call these people?”
Ellensia's question, looking around, snapped Philomel out of her reminiscing.
The emperor answered his daughter's query.
“To grant your wish.”