There Is No Place For Fakes

“Glory to Belerov. Greetings from the sun of the Empire.”

“The protection of the sun god will be with his descendants forever…”

The emperor ignored all who greeted him and approached his daughter.

“Your Majesty, have you finished your business?”

Philomel asked with a broad smile.

“Yes. Let’s go back now.” The emperor, who was not interested in such a banquet, disappeared as soon as the ball began in earnest, as always.

He must have had important conversations behind the scenes with several high-ranking nobles, including the Duke of Avrydon. In the meantime, it was up to the princess to deal with the many nobles in the venue. The princess, who had been following the emperor, turned around to say goodbye to the people they left behind.

“I hope you all have a good night.”

An impeccably perfect greeting.

Princess Philomel left the ballroom with an elegant and straight gait, as always. As she returned to the palace, her clear and quiet voice filled the emperor’s carriage.

“The Countess of Lusan’s illness has been cured. Apparently, the treatment that was effective in Elita seems to have worked well this time as well. It seems that the epidemic is spreading to the southern part of the empire, which borders Elita, so shouldn’t we supply the treatment medicine? “

“Right. I will give instructions to those involved tomorrow.”

Philomel selected and summarized what she had seen and heard while Eustis was away. From the social news that the late Marquis Nugu had a daughter, to the political and diplomatic rumors that the Countess Mo was planning to have a relationship with a foreign ambassador. The type of information varied. However, information that did not necessarily need to be heard by the emperor was excluded. If she didn’t know if it was important, just briefly informed about it.

It took a lot of effort to get used to this simple but difficult task. When she finished her prepared words, Eustis’ deep blue eyes stared at Philomel.

“Good work.”

It was always a compliment what followed.

“Thank you.”

Philomel also responded in a familiar way.

In recent years, her relationship with Eustis has never been better. They often spent time together eating or drinking tea. Most of the time, it was requested from her side, but sometimes the emperor asked about the schedule first. Philomel always tried to be fair with a precarious feeling as if she was walking on a precipice. So far away so you don’t forget, so close so you don’t get intrusive.

The limits were clear. There was no way Philomel, who was not his blood relative, could be a beloved daughter like Ellencia. She just tried hard enough to not die, and she became an acceptable child in her own way.

“Come to think of it, it’s your birthday soon.”

She didn’t expect it, but Eustis spoke to her first. Perhaps Count Paul gave him a hint.

“Is there anything you would like to receive as a gift?”

The time had finally come. She gulped at the question Philomel had been waiting for. It was time for her to put her long-established plan into action.

Shouldn’t she show that she’s waited too long? She started by saying the words of the specification.

“It is a gift. You don’t have to take care of it every year. The ring you gave me last time is enough.”

Philomel stretched out her right hand.

The red jewel on her middle finger showed off its brilliant color. If one looked closely, it looked like a fire burning inside the jewel. An essential item for Philomel’s escape plan was the Ring of Prominence. On the last birthday, Eustis gave Philomel the ring as promised.

“Not that.”

The expected answer came back.

“If you say so…”

There were words that welled up in her throat, but she deliberately held back.

“Rather than what I want to receive, there is something I would like His Majesty to do.”

“What is it?”

“That, at Yutina’s villa…”

“Yutina’s separate palace? Come to think of it, you often visited it. Got it. I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

“No! That’s not it.”

The impatient emperor stopped him before gifting her the real palace. What would she do if she received a huge gift like a royal palace? She couldn’t even pick it up when it bounces.

“Then what?”

Philomel paused for a beat before she opened her mouth shyly.

“That’s… I want to go on a spring outing to the royal palace with His Majesty this time.”

“With me…?”

Eustis’s eyes widened slightly. She had asked for a meal and tea time together, but it was the first time she had asked for a few days outing together.

“It’s okay to refuse if you’re busy! I can go alone.”

Philomel’s gaze was directed somewhere down.

“I just… the last time I went to the palace, the scenery was so beautiful that I wanted to show it to His Majesty someday.”

The voice got smaller and smaller.

“Coming to think of it, we’ve never been on a trip together…”

She needed to create an atmosphere that was hard to refuse as much as possible.

“…But, after all, it’s impossible, right?”

There was no certainty. Philomel’s birthday was the anniversary of Empress Isabella’s death in childbirth. As each year approached that time, the Emperor’s mood rocked. Philomel’s birthday present was always brought by Count Pollan instead. However, there was a possibility of consent. For some reason, these days he tried to play the role of a protector, and he wasn’t the type to talk twice.

‘Please say you’re going! Say you’re going!’

Her heart skipped a beat as she watched Eustis open his mouth.

“…I didn’t say it was impossible. I will go with you.”

“Really? Thank you! I’m very happy!”

“Is it that good?”

“Ah. I’m sorry.”

She thought he was used to hiding her emotions, but she seemed excited as the end was near.

“You have nothing to apologize for. But on that day, there was a scheduled government meeting.”

Yes. A government meeting was scheduled for Philomel’s birthday. Philomel, who had recently been involved in political affairs, albeit slightly, knew this.

“It’s okay. You can go after the outing meeting. It’s not like the scenery disappears if you go a day or two late.”

What mattered was not the date, but taking Eustis there. In the first place, she did not expect Eustis to go on an outing on his wife’s death day.

“If I do that, I won’t be on your birthday.”

“Yes? Oh, that’s right. But country affairs are more important than that…”

Eustis narrowed his eyes at Philomel’s words.

Did she say something wrong? Looking back at the contents of the conversation, there was nothing unusual. She didn’t know about other agenda items, but diplomatic issues surrounding trade had to be discussed with the ministers as soon as an envoy arrived from Elita. It was said that the schedule of the meeting could not be advanced or postponed. So, of course, the procrastinator had to go out. Besides, even he would want to avoid his wife’s death date…

“The government meeting will be held at the royal palace.”

“….Pardon?”

“I will ask Elita’s envoy to come to Utina as well. If they come from the port, it will be the same.”

The distance was different from each other… Why bother with such a thing?

Philomel asked questions starting with the most questionable flaws.

.

“What will the ministers do?”

It was not something that can be done only by changing the destination of the envoys or the emperor alone.

“Of course they should follow me.”

As if asking why she was asking something obvious, he replied casually.

“Are you saying that ministers will follow you to Utina..?”

“Yes.”

‘Oh my gosh. They’re going to take me to the horde.’

There was no way the ministers would come without bags with their daughters since they were aristocrats. How many secretaries and servants to bring? A grand procession heading to Utina was drawn in her mind.

‘Isn’t it already an outing?’

“…Wouldn’t that be too complicated?”

“I only need to bring the ministers related to diplomacy. It’s not that there aren’t too many rooms in the villa, and it’s enough to accommodate ministers and their attendants.”

She had been visiting for several years and was well aware of the fact that Yutina’s villa was unnecessarily huge. Philomel, whose head hurts, tried to refute a little more, but quit.

Eutis said he would go to Yutina. Although the middle process was very absurd and irrational, there is no need to go against it.

“Yes. Let’s do so. It looks like this outing will be on a grand scale.”

“I’ll send the flies right away after the meeting.”

Until then… she had to live.

“The more people congratulate you, the better.”

She felt a little sympathy for the ministers who would follow them to the royal villa and would be treated as uninvited guests in order to not disturb her. But what could she do? The emperor they served was so selfish. Come to think of it, it seemed that the crowded side might be more helpful for the plan she had in mind.

But why was Eustis stubbornly insisting on Philomel’s birthday? 

She chose not to mind. She pretended his presence would be just a birthday present given to her. Philomel suppressed her feelings and turned her head away from the wagon.