There Is No Place For Fakes

‘It’s fine. It’s different from the contents of the book.’

‘Philomel’ could not give up the glory of the past and remained in the imperial palace, but she herself would not do that. In the first place, the position the emperor proposed was the princess, not the princess’s maid. It must have been the words given to Ellencia for Philomel. She was a child who cares about others and has a lot of remnants.

She thought, ‘She’s more of a mouthful than him. This human didn’t explain anything to Ellencia.’

As she recalled the face of Eustis, who had been talking about adopting her, her fingers tightened as she picked up her words.

In the end, the victory in the game went to Philomel, who reached the position of emperor first. It was an ironic result considering the future of Ellensia, who would later ascend to the throne as the sole heir. Even though they had only played one game, it was already close to night.

“Why hasn’t Daddy come yet?”

Ellencia, carrying her board and her horse, looked at her watch and asked.

Philomel said, “It seems that things are getting late. The princess and I should go away now.”

Usually at that time, there was no business that would keep the emperor tied up late. Especially in the case of Eustis, who preferred to work in his bedroom rather than his office.

‘I’m in the bedroom, so he can’t come.’

The last time she saw him, it seemed that he didn’t want to hear Philomel’s answer. When they came out of the bedroom, Elencia clapped her hands cheerfully.

“Oh, let’s go to my dad!”

“Huh? Now, wait a minute…!”

She grabbed Philomell by the wrist and started running, only to be dragged away.

“He’ll be in the office!”

“What are you going to do with His Majesty the Emperor?”

“I’m going to ask him to let Philomel be my handmaid!”

“I beg your pardon? But I’m fine!”

“You don’t have to say anything. You’re afraid Dad won’t approve, right? I tell you, Dad will listen!”

“Because it’s not like that!”

“It’s okay. Leave everything to me!”

They couldn’t communicate at all, as if they weren’t using the same language.

Strength was no joke than it looks. It was hard to shake off her hand. Maybe it was because she grew up running through mountains and fields, but her strength was different from Philomel.

“Oh, princesses! You can’t run! You’ll get hurt!”

The courtiers she encountered on her way stopped her, but Ellencia only hesitated for a moment but did not stop.

“Dad! I’m here!”

The door to the emperor’s office was violently opened. The emperor was sitting at his desk signing papers.

“Ellensia, how many times have you been asked to knock…”

He found Philomel behind Elencia.

“What are you two doing together?”

“That is…”

“Dad, please! Please allow Philomel to become my handmaid!”

“…?”

“Yes. I feel so sorry for Philomel, because she has to leave the imperial palace, which is like her home. If she becomes my maid, she won’t have to leave, and the work isn’t difficult either. So please allow it. I’ll take care of it, so there won’t be any problems.”

The Emperor’s gaze shifted from her daughter to Philomel. He seemed to mean roughly, ‘I don’t understand what this means, so you can explain it for me.’

Even Philomel was like that, she had no choice but to repeat what Elencia said to her in a coherent way.

“Sig…”

Eustis sighed deeply and pressed the back of his pen to his temple. The emperor rose from his seat and approached Elencia.

“So did Philomel accept your offer?”

“Yes? That’s not the case, but if father approves…”

“No. I do not intend to accept it.”

Philomel shook her head resolutely.

“What are you going to do by begging me to do something that the person concerned didn’t agree to? Is it what you want to do by forcing Philomel to be your maid?”

“…”

“Ellensia, no matter how you grew up, you are now a princess. Bring me a ridiculous problem and…”

“Sob…”

The sound of sobbing stopped the rebuking words.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Tears flowed down Ellencia’s cheeks.

“Ugh, I’m sorry… I’m lacking a lot… I let my dad down.”

Even the emperor became embarrassed as if there was no business in front of his crying daughter.

“Don’t cry. The imperial family shouldn’t show tears recklessly. And apologize. I’m not the one to do it.”

“Dad…”

“Hurry.”

Unable to withstand the awkward atmosphere, Philomel intervened.

“I’m fine. The princess must have made a mistake because she was too concerned about me.”

When she suddenly became involved in someone else’s uncomfortable family affairs, she just wanted to quickly settle things down and go back. Besides, she knew what would happen if she received an apology from Ellencia, who was loved by the whole world.

“… If you are fine, then.”

Eustis agreed with her hesitantly, then tapped Ellencia on the shoulder with his awkward hand.

“You don’t have to worry about Philomel’s future. She’s a child who can arrange a place for herself. If I register her, she’ll stay in the imperial palace forever.”

“…Are you going to register her? Does Dad like Philomel?”

She lifted her head, as Ellencia asked him to accept her.

“Yes.”

Eustis, noticing Mel’s stinging gaze, added an afterword to her.

“Only if she accepted it.”

At that point, just when she decided to definitely reject the story of her registration, Ellensia turned around.

“Are we going to be sisters then?”

Ellencia laughed with her tears still on her face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even know there was such a way… From now on, let’s get along well.”

The lamplight cast a deep female shadow on her face. It was the emperor who sorted out the situation.

“Anyway, it’s getting late. Both of you, go back now.”

“Yes. Good night, Dad.”

Ellensia, who replied cheerfully as if she would leave at any moment, stared at the emperor’s face.

“…?”

She gestured to the puzzled Eustis to bow his head. Just as she asked, his head was lowered, and her small lips touched the emperor’s cheek.

“Hehe. Good night kiss!”

Leaving Eustis and Philomel, who were hardened like statues, Ellencia left with her guns.

“…I can’t get used to that child’s sense of distance at all.”

Philomel felt the same way. She knew from reading the book that the relationship between father and daughter was so sweet, but seeing it in front of her eyes was a different feeling. If it’s Philomel, even if a knife goes into her throat, she wouldn’t do anything like that. 

“I will apologize on behalf of Elencia. I will teach her well.” said the emperor.

“Yes, well. It’s okay.”

This reaction was somewhat unexpected. What should she say, in the book, he was a father who was obsessed with his daughter and lost his mind. From what she just watched, it seemed to be far from that. She wondered if there was something she didn’t know about.

Philomel glanced at his profile and quit thinking.

‘What does it matter?’

Whatever is between the two, what does that mean? It was someone else’s business anyway.

“Your majesty. These are the words you said during the day.”

Eustis put the pen he was holding down on the desk as if tossing it.

“I told Countess Deles that I originally arranged for you to stay in your room. It would be more comfortable there than in my bedroom. I have to stop too. Then rest.”

He spat it out like a rapid-fire cannon, and then hurriedly covered his back and avoided the seat. He looked at Philo and turned. He glanced at the papers on the desk, but didn’t even bother signing. In the first place, it was not so urgent that the emperor had to deal with it until late at night. He had no choice but to go to his room.

‘When I left, he thought I would never come back.’

She looked around to see if she could run away right now, and she saw the courtiers wandering around the palace infrequently. As if they had been well educated, they politely bowed their heads without looking suspiciously at the fake princess who suddenly disappeared and appeared. However, in the corner of her field of vision, they were watching Philomel. If she tried to run again they would move to stop her.

The second run away didn’t seem easy, so her shoulders feel heavy.