~ Chapter : 6.2 ~

And a few days later Philomel was invited to the Emperor’s table. It was lunchtime. Rare dishes were prepared and placed in front of the two members of the imperial family. Father and daughter sat opposite each other at the end of a long table.

Philomel was nervous enough not to even feel the taste of the food under the emperor’s sharp gaze, but she tried to remain calm.

‘Why did he call me?‘

It was not possible that he wanted to have a meal with his daughter. She could hardly believe it. So the emperor opened his mouth and said in a heavy voice;

« I heard a story that you were concentrating on your studies. That’s a good attitude. »

It took Philomel a while to notice that the emperor’s words were a compliment because he had a rather indifferent tone of voice.  Meals with her father, compliments from her father’s mouth, that was the first time. It was only now that she no longer made sense of them that the things she wanted most fell into her hands. Philomel replied politely.

« ………..Thank you. But there is still a long way to go. »

« Your teachers have sung your praises a lot. »

« It’s thanks to the great teachers that His Majesty has assigned me. »

His Majesty? The words seemed so incongruous in the little girl’s mouth that Eustis raised his eyebrows. Everyone called him that, but Philomel had always called him « Father ».

« ……. You’ve become quite mature in the meantime. »

« I have to work hard as a member of the imperial family so as not to tarnish its reputation. »

Philomel laughed.It was a smile that only lifted the corner of his lips gently without opening his lips so that his teeth were not visible.  The emperor looked at Philomel’s noble « smile ». If he knew his daughter a little, he would have realized that the recent changes in her behavior were extremely unnatural. However, Eustis, who knew nothing about it, just felt uncomfortable.

« Okay. Keep working hard in the future. »

« Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. »

« By the way, is your body getting better? Is your cold completely cured? »

Philomel’s fork, moving towards his plate, stopped for a moment. She didn’t know that Eustis would be interested in her condition.

« …… I’ve got better after taking the medicine you sent me. »

She felt strange because it seemed that Eustis was genuinely worried about her.

‘No, he wasn’t. I mustn’t be weak because the enemy is showing me a bit of favor.’ 

Philomel hardened his heart once again. If the emperor learned that she was a fake, he wouldn’t listen to her, he would kill her one day.

« That’s a relief. Your mother was very weak too. »

« …….Yes »

Just as the emperor was not her father, the empress, whom she had believed to be her mother for nearly a decade, was not her mother. Eustis, looking up for a short time, fixed his gaze on Philomel again.

« Tell me if there’s anything you need in terms of praise for your hard work or anything else. If you can’t, don’t. »

Praise, concern, and now reward.

Philomel swallows. What she had been waiting for finally arrived. The emperor made a real distinction between price and punishment when dealing with people. Severe punishment for the poor. Rewards for those who performed well.  It was for this reason that Philomel expected him to do the same.  But she was not to say what she wanted immediately.  For the time being Philomel was going to hide his feelings.

« It is an honor that His Majesty recognizes my efforts. »

The emperor took his glass and came to her mouth and said slowly.

« Humble.  But it is better to be moderately greedy to assume the crown. »

‘I won’t be able to do that.’

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Philomel pretended to be worried and said

« In fact, there is something I want to ask Your Majesty. May I say what I want? «

« What’s this? »

Philomel told the emperor of his long wish. It was the first time she had ever asked him anything. She hoped that her acting was as natural and sincere as possible.