The next morning.

Perhaps because of the rain the day before, but Philomel had caught a bad cold.

« Princess, it’s time to wake up, » said the Nanny, shaking Philomel.

« ….Nanny, I can’t get up. It hurts. I think I’ve caught a cold.  » said the little girl in a small voice, refraining from coughing. Her head was spinning, her throat was so sore that it was hard for her to swallow.  However, despite Philomel’s desperate call, the Nanny did not move.

« You’re still pretending to be sick, aren’t you? Do you think I’d let you through if you were ill? His Majesty the Emperor calls the Princess in relation to her behaviour yesterday. If you are so afraid to face the consequences of your actions, why did you behave this way? »

In the past, she was tired of the different classes she attended every day that she pretended to be sick in order to skip classes and rest.

« …. I’m not well. It really hurts. » Philomel replied in a hoarse voice.

It was definitely her fault because she had abused this excuse in the past but she felt sad that the nanny suspected her of being a fake sick person.

« Please wake up. »

She widened her eyes when she felt the temperature of the princess’ body as she touched her arm.

« You really do have a fever! »

After some time, the court doctor, whom the nanny had called to examine Philomel, diagnosed a simple fever.  He advised Philomel to rest and take her medication and that she would get better afterwards. The young princess unfortunately had little appetite because of the pain in her throat. She was content to drink a little of the soup. The nanny told Philomel, who had difficulty swallowing her medicine before lying down in bed.

« I told His Majesty that you have a cold. You know he wouldn’t come to see you because you’re sick, don’t you? »

« ……. »

« Yesterday, how many people must have thought the princess was an immature person? I can’t face it.  What was that all about? »

People seemed to regard Philomel’s sudden behaviour as a child’s whim.

‘It would have been so nice if it had been.’ Philomel thought in an absent-minded way.

« Get some rest. If you need anything, call the maids who are waiting next door. »

The nanny left the room. Shortly afterwards Philomel fell asleep quickly because of the medication. She didn’t know how long it had been, but her eyes opened on their own. Her whole body was covered in cold sweat. She had just had an awful dream. She was being executed and Eustis was looking at her, his fake daughter, dying with an indifferent expression with his real daughter at his side. Her little body trembled with terror.

She wanted to live.

She was afraid to die. She had never wanted to die.

« Will my father really kill me? »

She wanted to deny this fact like crazy but she was already beginning to answer this question.  What if she lived quietly, without doing anything stupid from now on? What if she became the perfect daughter that her father wanted?

Maybe the future could change. Even if she wasn’t his real daughter. Eustis had considered her his daughter for nine years. Maybe their relationship could become a little warmer. She wanted to go and check it out right away.

« I have to go… »

She still felt very heavy, she had a headache but that wasn’t enough to stop her from moving.

It was almost noon, the nanny had told her that in order for her to grow up well she was going to prepare her lunch two hours later. So even if she were to leave now, no one would notice. Philomel crossed the corridor discreetly so as not to get caught, the sound of a conversation in the next room reached her ear. This was the room where the maids were standing by.

« What’s wrong with you? » asked an irritated voice.

Philomel stopped without thinking about it and listened at the door.  Four or five people were talking.

« Who’s going to listen anyway?  The princess is bedridden with fever and sleeping because of the medicine. »

« I’m not wrong. If she hadn’t caused yesterday’s incident, we wouldn’t have had part of our salary cut. »

The person who had just spoken was Martin, the escort knight who was in charge of Philomel. He was neglecting his job to hang out with the maids.

« That’s right! » replied one of the maids.

« The nanny treats us like nothing, we’re always the ones who are scolded because of her, » Martin continued in a peculiar voice.

« It’s the madness of things down here. But if you’re so unhappy, be born as His Majesty’s daughter in your next life, » shouted one of the maidservants in a loud voice.

« Hey, that’ll be great! I really want to! I would be so loved by her Majesty for doing something wonderful! »

« Hey, you dream too big! » exclaimed one person, then laughter came into the room.

« Oh, I hate Philomel, » said one person.

The remark broke the little girl’s heart.

« Hey, are you crazy? What are you doing saying that name so lightly! »

« Why? Because she’s a princess?  A princess who is not even loved by the emperor? »

« But… »

« And Philomel has no divine power, which is the symbol of the imperial family… »

« She is the first princess of the imperial lineage born without divine power. »

« She has no royalty but the name. »

Philomel felt her shoulders fall under the weight of these words.

« I’m still jealous. Someone was slapped by the nanny because she was unable to prevent the incident. But the principal concerned is sleeping comfortably in her room. »

« She made quite a scene in front of many nobles because she wanted to see the festival. »

« If it goes on like this the Duke of Abriden will want to break off the engagement? »

« It is true that she does not deserve the prince known for being exceptionally intelligent. »

« Oh, you saw the look on his face when the princess served him a cake? »

« He hated it. »

« And the poor princess didn’t even notice. »

« If she had noticed, would she have been hated?

« It’s true.  Well, the last time, he… »

That’s enough!

Philomel walked away from the door because she didn’t want to hear any more. Tears ran down her cheeks, she remembered their affectionate faces, which had worried about her until now. No one was on her side.