Chapter 9
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Rudeness in the Garden
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"As expected, choosing this place was the right call!"
Looking at the flower-filled garden, Philomel smiled in satisfaction. She was touring the garden located in the backyard of the imperial palace.
Flowers tended by renowned gardeners were in full bloom.
'And such a beautiful vista stirs the mood.'
To exaggerate just a bit, even sworn enemies might lose themselves in a stroll through a garden this lovely.
"Would you join me for a walk?"
The wish Philomel had voiced to Emperor Justis was for a stroll. She had never once walked with him before.
'I'll show him during the walk just how capable a successor I can be.'
Yet the one who appeared before Philomel wasn't Justis, but someone entirely different. A boy who looked two or three years younger than her stared at her with a sullen face.
"Hey!"
The boy barked.
"This is a place only for imperial family members!"
"...?"
Philomel calmly tried to guess the boy's identity.
This was a garden only royals could enter. So for him to be here meant he was collateral royalty. And judging by his dull golden hair and similarly colored eyes...
"How dare you ignore me? Which family are you from? Don't you know sneaking in here is a grave crime?"
Thinking she'd ignored him, the boy flew into a rage and shouted.
'Ah, so annoying. Can't think straight. Is this kid an idiot? Why doesn't it occur to him I might be royal?'
Philomel tried to muster some patience as she spoke.
"Hey, lower your voice. And it might be best if you showed some manners..."
"Shut up!"
Snap. The thread of her patience broke.
There had been plenty who'd subtly belittled her up until now, but this was the first time anyone had been so openly insulting.
A cold, dry voice slipped from her lips naturally.
"Hey, you shut up."
"W-What? What did you just..."
"Ears clogged? I said you shut up. Liam Elos."
"You know who I am and still dare to..."
"And do you? Do you even know who I am?"
"How would I know some nobody like you?"
Two figures appeared from behind the yelling Liam.
"Liam! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Quiet. What happened?"
The first to catch the eye was a woman holding a parasol, with bright golden hair and grayish eyes.
Beside her was a boy who looked three or four years older than Philomel. His hair was the same dull gold as Liam Elos's.
The two were Marchioness Elos and her eldest son, Logan Elos.
Marchioness Elos, Sylvia Elos—her former surname was Belleroph.
In other words, she was Sylvia, the former princess and Emperor Justis's half-sister, daughter of the previous emperor.
All the previous emperor's children had either died or fled abroad, except for Marchioness Elos, who had swiftly sided with Justis. They were the only collateral blood relatives left.
'I'd heard Marchioness Elos had two sons...'
She knew the eldest's face, but this was her first meeting with the second son.
The Belleroph imperial family wasn't exactly harmonious, so they rarely crossed paths outside official events. And Liam Elos, the second son, was still too young for public appearances.
Spotting Philomel, Marchioness Elos offered a greeting.
"Oh my, Philomel. It's been a while. Have you been well?"
No matter that she was an aunt, speaking so casually to a princess was a breach of etiquette.
Even among royals, direct imperial family members were afforded a degree of respect. Casual speech was reserved for close relations, with permission, and away from prying eyes.
Liam, startled beside her, asked his mother.
"What? Philomel—the princess? But Mother, you said the princess was plain-looking... Mmph!"
The marchioness hurriedly covered her son's mouth.
"What nonsense is that? Must be a mix-up."
'...So that's what you've been saying about me.'
Philomel's gaze turned icy of its own accord.
To divert her attention, Logan Elos stepped forward.
"Greetings, Your Highness. Please forgive my brother's rudeness with your magnanimity."
Logan showed more decorum than his mother or younger brother. But even he only gave a perfunctory nod, barely bowing his upper body.
Logan Elos.
He was the boy many pegged as the next emperor. Because Philomel lacked divine power and other qualities.
Gossips claimed the emperor would soon adopt his clever nephew as heir.
'Either way, once Ellensia shows up, he'll be like a dog chasing a chicken.'
Philomel snorted inwardly and returned a cursory greeting.
"If Her Highness permits, we'll take our leave. We came for a mother-son stroll today."
But at that moment, Liam pulled away from his mother's hand and clung to his brother.
"Bro! Bro! When you become emperor later, tear down this garden and make it a playground! I wanna play war with my friends."
"...Shh! You can't just say things like that."
She'd heard every word. Already acting like emperor.
Philomel pondered as she watched the trio's arrogance pierce the heavens.
Making enemies of them could spell trouble down the line. She could crush them now with princessly authority, but if her fake identity came out later, they'd bare their fangs.
Wise to just laugh it off for now, perhaps.
'But...'
What successor to the throne would take such insults from collaterals lying down?
Some warning was in order.
'If it reaches the emperor's ears, he might see me as disappointing again.'
And above all, she didn't want to live like that. Until she stepped down, she was the princess.
With resolve, Philomel spoke.
"Wait. Before you go, all three of you—greet me properly."
The bewildered trio stared at her.
"We already greeted you earlier."
"Did Marchioness Elos receive such greetings from collateral royals when she was a princess?"
"T-That's..."
"And why the casual speech since earlier? Use proper respect."
Exclamations like "Heavens" and "Goodness" escaped the marchioness's lips. But she had no retort. It was right.
"Fine, as you wish. Sylvia Elos greets Your Highness Philomel. Satisfied now?"
Philomel emphasized each word to the marchioness, who bowed shallowly and snapped back.
"Prostrate yourselves."
"W-What?!"
"I said prostrate. Isn't that the formal greeting for the heir to the throne?"
In truth, outside private settings, even non-commoners or low nobles rarely went that far.
Humiliation flushed Sylvia's face red.
It must sting. Though a marchioness after marriage, as a former princess, she'd been treated as the top lady. With the empress position vacant, society was her domain, or so she'd heard.
But the fury erupted elsewhere.
"My brother's gonna be emperor, so what makes you the successor?!"
Liam shrieked in his mother's stead.
And at that instant.
"What is this commotion?"
The emperor appeared.
Marchioness Elos and Logan's faces drained of color.
The still-young Liam seemed oblivious to how dangerous his words were.
A collateral royal becoming next emperor? Utterly treasonous.
'He might have heard Liam!'
Philomel swiftly approached the emperor and spoke.
"Your Majesty! Liam Elos says his brother will be the next emperor. Is that true? Can Logan Elos become emperor over me, the First Princess?"
The panicked marchioness wailed in protest.
"Your Majesty, no! My son never said such a thing!"
"..."
The emperor said nothing.
Assuming he'd back them, Logan joined in.
"It's true. Your Highness must have misheard."
The emperor spoke.
"...So you're saying the princess is lying?"
The marchioness flinched, then flashed a sly smile.
"Regrettably, yes. Children often lie for attention, don't they? But please don't punish Her Highness too harshly. Kids will be kids."
"Mother's right. It was just a little white lie."
Marchioness and Logan teamed up to paint Philomel a liar.
A reliable successor would refute logically, but caught off guard, no comeback came to mind.
In moments like this, feeling like a weak child was endlessly frustrating.
"N-No, that's not... I really heard it, Your Majesty."
At last, tears welled in Philomel's eyes.