CHAPTER 49…..
The Great Sage flitted before my father and me, his thin white priest’s robe fluttering like a butterfly’s wings as he boasted about his own achievements.
It was surely the same fabric and color as Izeph’s robe, yet while it appeared elegant and dignified on Izeph, on Daniel it somehow looked frivolous and ostentatious.
Was it because his mannerisms were so flighty?
“Thanks to the divine tree I bestowed upon Lady Roziana, she was able to return from the Demon Realm. You could say she owes me a debt.”
Spewing his twisted logic with delight, Daniel went on and on.
Now that he’d grown, he’d only grown bolder. I was speechless.
Of all the changes since his return from the Demon Realm, the only one I could appreciate was his appearance—but for now, I chose to listen quietly. Until…
“What’s more, at the very moment Your Highness was in danger in the Demon Realm, I appeared—just like that!—and saved you!”
Oh, really?
When? You? It was As who saved me!
That’s what I screamed inwardly. But I was no longer a little princess.
A grown princess could hardly grab the collar of a foreign Great Sage or stoop to a petty shouting match.
So I simply stared at Daniel with an incredulous expression and swallowed my retort.
“In that moment, staring death in the face, I entrusted to you—no, to Her Highness—the divine tree, more precious to me than my own life!”
“Enough. How many times are you going to tell the same story? That’s enough, Great Sage.”
Father waved a hand to cut him off in my stead. It seemed Daniel had already been regaling Father with his so-called adventure in the Demon Realm before my return.
The five knight captains remained silent, their vacant expressions suggesting they, too, had been subjected to his endless tale.
“Surely, if I am not her benefactor, then who could be?”
He spread his arms wide as if delivering the grand finale of his speech.
He looked less like a Great Sage and more like the leader of some dubious sect.
Of course, I couldn’t deny that the divine tree he had brought played a significant role in my safe return to Dreath. That alone had been enough for Father to let him remain in the palace rather than sending him away—but wasn’t that enough?
Ha… so he still wants something more, does he?
Since I hadn’t said a word, the noisy interloper seemed even more emboldened. Well, it wasn’t so much excitement as it was a desperate, shameless attempt to claim credit for saving me.
Naturally, since I had returned carrying the half-dead As, no one actually believed Daniel’s version of events.
“So then, Great Sage—how exactly would you like me to repay this debt?”
My ears had had enough; I decided to pretend to humor him and hear his request. His intentions were obvious anyway, so I kept my own in check and asked.
“How about, Your Highness yourself personally returning the divine tree to His Holiness Gregoryum?”
Bang! Father’s face flushed with heat as he slammed the armrest of the throne.
“…Are you telling our Rozi to go to Graham? Without my permission?”
How dare he.
Crack! A jagged split ran through the fine wood and iron of the beautiful, precious throne.
“Don’t be angry, Father. Very well, Great Sage—let’s go.”
“Rozi!”
Daniel’s eyes lit up; Father looked aghast.
“Father, I have been curious about Graham myself. After all, my power does include divine force.”
I soothed Father, then turned to Daniel.
“But, Great Sage, that doesn’t mean it will be right now.”
“Th-then, when…?”
“You may take the divine tree ahead of me if you wish. When my knight commander has recovered, I’ll go with him to Graham to personally thank His Holiness for granting me the use of the tree.”
“Ah—n-no, that’s—!”
Daniel stammered, clearly flustered, but without any other excuse to persuade me, he fell silent.
But that was when the real problem began—something I had never considered.
“No. I will not permit it, Roziana.”
“…Father?”
Father’s expression was dark with true anger as he glared at Daniel. Then he waved at both the knight captains and Daniel.
“I have urgent matters to discuss with the princess. Everyone leave us.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Daniel’s white “butterfly” robes fluttered again as he was practically shooed out.
His face wore an expression of pitiful regret as the captains escorted him away, and for some reason the sight made me laugh.
Soon, only Father, Cedric, and I remained in the chamber. Father raised two fingers in front of me.
“Rozi. There are two reasons I forbid you from leaving the Empire.”
“I’m not allowed to leave the Empire at all?”
I was taken aback. It was Daniel who had angered Father, yet the fallout seemed to be landing on me.
“First—until you have chosen a marriage partner, you will not take a single step outside the palace. I will not allow it.”
Wait—what? How did this turn into that?
“What??”
I couldn’t help raising my voice in disbelief, but Father remained solemn upon the throne.
“Roziana, listen well. If you are to live as the Princess of Dreath, you must begin living that life in earnest from this day forward.”
When I thought about it, he wasn’t wrong.
Since returning to the past and saving my sisters, I had planned to remain in Dreath and try living as the princess for once.
Right… I’d decided to experience that life this time. To be here, as their daughter…
In the life of a witch, I had never had a mother, father, or brothers. As the Princess Roziana, I now had them—and I treasured that. I didn’t want to give it up.
Would it be too greedy to want to save my sisters and still be happy in this life?
“Rozi, if you care even a little about how we feel, you won’t complain about my stopping you.”
“Ah…”
For a moment, it felt like I’d been struck in the head.
Those were the very words I had wanted to throw at Asterios—that he had never thought about how I would feel being left behind.
I never even considered that, while I focused only on my fate and my sisters, my family here in Dreath would be worrying for me and missing me.
The resentment I held toward him for that—I had nearly created the same resentment in my own family.
I raised my head to meet Father’s eyes. Behind the stern imperial gaze, I saw genuine concern and sorrow.
Completely different from the cold look he’d given me when I was first born.
His voice carried warmth and worry, and I quickly bowed my head in apology.
“I’m sorry, Father. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Rozi, you don’t understand how much your mother has worried for you, because you weren’t here to see it. Your brothers as well.”
“You’re right. I’ve only thought about myself until now. I’ll stay by your side. But that doesn’t have to mean marriage or engagement right away. I’ll remain in the palace and spend plenty of time with you until you give your permission.”
Of course, from his perspective, nothing could tie me to the Empire more securely than marriage. But I had no intention of marrying yet. I wanted to go back to the past, save my sisters, and do more of the things I wished to do.
Once married, I’d surely lose some freedom.
But my answer didn’t seem to satisfy him—his brow stayed furrowed.
“Rozi, this time I won’t back down. I don’t want you to leave us so soon either, so an engagement will suffice.”
I already felt a headache coming on.
“You can have your debut and prepare slowly. I have no intention of sending you to another country—find someone within Dreath. Or at least someone who intends to live here after marriage. And furthermore…”
He sighed, then crooked a finger. Cedric handed him something on a golden tray.
“Having a strong fiancé will help protect you. Mephisto still hasn’t given up on you.”
Cedric, who had been silently listening this whole time, suddenly burst out,
“What! That blasphemous wretch!”
It was touching, in a way, to see him flare up like an uncle defending his niece.
“In fact, one reason I called you here was because of a letter from the Demon Realm.”
“A letter?”
Father, the Emperor, held an envelope I could hardly believe had come from Mephisto.
“It’s… pink?”
“Exactly. I wondered if someone was playing a joke.”
But it was indeed from Mephisto—because the moment he opened it, the seal broke, and a demon appeared before us to bow politely.
“Neyar, isn’t it?”
