Chapter 59
Huh? What is he talking about now?
I stood frozen in front of the open door, unable to take another step forward. I asked with a frown.
“Why am I suddenly His Majesty’s daughter…?”
“I’ve decided to make you my goddaughter,” the emperor replied. “But the Duchess said you were dead. Now that you’re an orphan, I guess you’re officially my responsibility.”
Let me explain what’s going on here.
We need to rewind time a bit. Just five hours ago.
Winter and I left Elahi village at dawn and headed straight for the imperial palace where Emperor Silis was staying.
“Urgh! Miss, I—I think I’m gonna throw up…”
“Swallow it! Loti, I can protect you from a lot of things, but if you throw up on the Grand Duke’s back, I can’t save you.”
“Loti! I’ll catch it! Throw up into my hands!”
“Urgh…”
“Ahh! Not you, sis! Nooo!”
Winter had transformed into a dragon and was flying with me, Rena, Loti, and Alfred all riding on his back.
These three had hidden in my wardrobe when the bandits attacked my room, so they saw everything through the cracks.
That made them crucial witnesses to prove the bandits actually attacked the mansion.
During the flight, Loti and Rena were nearly passed out from air sickness—or rather, dragon sickness.
Only Alfred was fine. He was doing his best to take care of the two of them.
Meanwhile, I was taking care of baby Sweet Potato.
I had wrapped him in a thick blanket and tied him to my chest with a sling made from a cloak we found at the mansion.
“Mm-mwa! Mm-mwa!”
So strange.
His face was soft and warm like a real baby, but a little lower down, his body was clearly rough like a real root vegetable.
I told everyone he was a “sweet potato spirit” that Winter summoned just for fun.
And honestly, in this world, there are sunflower spirits and even vault spirits. So a sweet potato spirit isn’t too crazy, right?
Sunflowers might feed hamsters, but sweet potatoes feed entire nations! They deserve a spirit too!
The only problem with this little guy is that he’s really picky.
On the ground, he kept whining. I thought he wanted to play, so I kept bouncing him like an airplane… but suddenly, roots started growing from his feet!
The roots grew super fast, and I realized they looked just like those huge roots I’d seen in the storage room.
That’s when I understood—he was hungry.
When I gave him water, he shrank back down, like nothing had happened.
Now, even during our flight, I carried several bottles of water just in case.
‘By the way, what should I name him?’
He might be part of my soul or even my future child, so I felt weirdly attached.
While I was deep in thought, Alfred called me.
“Um, Miss?”
“Whoa, whoa, Alfred. Don’t come closer. Just talk from there.”
Alfred had a very kind and innocent personality. But his body was the complete opposite—scary strong.
He had to take off his shirt because it got covered in Loti and Rena’s vomit.
And wow… His abs looked like chocolate bars.
Worried he might still hold a grudge, I stepped back. Alfred raised both hands to show he meant no harm.
“You’re… Lady Izana, right? The only daughter of the Rohia family?”
“Yes, I am.”
Alfred had a warm, friendly smile. He looked like a good-natured boy.
He looked concerned.
“Miss, the bandits came for you specifically. Why are you hiding that?”
Because the person who sent those bandits is the same woman who had the emperor’s only son.
Of course, I couldn’t say that.
So I just tilted my head and said,
“The Grand Duke told me to stay quiet. I don’t really know why, but he saved me. So I’m just doing what he says.”
Alfred frowned, clearly troubled by that.
Then he whispered, cupping his hands over his mouth.
“Miss, if the Grand Duke ever scares you or starts licking his lips weirdly, tell me right away.”
“…You do realize dragons can hear everything, right?”
Alfred immediately covered his mouth and glanced nervously at the dragon.
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“You’re kind of cute.”
When the words slipped out, Alfred blushed and covered his face.
“I’m guessing it was Loti who taught you to talk like that, right?”
Huh? Wait, what?
“She said the same thing the first day I met her.”
Too much information, Alfred.
He gently secured Loti and Rena so they wouldn’t fall off the dragon’s back, then said seriously,
“Anyway, Miss, if anything ever happens, tell me. I don’t know you well yet, but I’ll help you no matter what.”
“Why would you help someone you barely know?”
“Miss, you don’t need a reason to help a young girl in trouble.”
His answer came without hesitation. It was so kind that I almost forgot how cold the wind was up here.
“…You pass.”
“Sorry?”
I turned my head so he wouldn’t see my face and muttered,
“You pass as Loti’s boyfriend.”
“Haha! I’m honored, Miss! I’ll work hard to earn your full approval. Loti worries about you so much—when the bandits came, she wanted to rush out and help, but my sister and I barely managed to hold her back!”
Alright, I admit it. Alfred’s a good guy.
Normally I wouldn’t trust someone so quickly, but from head to toe, Alfred gave off this aura of pure goodness.
Like a real-life angel.
‘But if he’s that perfect, our Loti’s totally outmatched…’
Yeah, nope. Loti fails as a girlfriend. Disqualified.
But that’s okay.
Because now, she and I both have a mission—to save the world, whether we like it or not.
***
—Izana, surprisingly, she appears to be a relic of [Materia].
***
Suddenly, I remembered the image of Loti lying still with a blade in her chest.
It felt like a dream or a distant memory, but my chest tightened painfully.
I let out a quiet sigh and gently tickled baby Sweet Potato.
This guy is really ticklish. Judging by the way he didn’t grow roots, I think he’s enjoying it.
Seeing him like that helped calm me down.
Cute little things are the best.
‘How did he survive alone with so much fear?’
I stayed quiet, just watching the dragon’s giant head as we flew.
If my words could decide life or death for the people around me, then maybe I’d want to turn back time forever to save them.
As I idly traced the dragon’s cold scales with my fingers, I eventually placed my whole palm flat against them.
I hoped even a little warmth might reach him.
To the one whose heart had frozen from too much love.
To the one who could now only break to move forward.
***
We basically “stormed” the Western Empire’s palace.
For some reason, the entire city was on edge—even from far away, I could feel it in my bones.
Winter said it was because [Igrio] had gone to the Rohia family, and I believed him.
So we dropped off Loti, Rena, and Alfred at a nice guesthouse in the capital and headed for the palace.
Winter, now in his human form, dodged all the mages and knights with ease and landed us right on the emperor’s balcony.
Our only real problem?
Baby Sweet Potato, who kept babbling and giggling for no reason.
I was scared he’d grow roots if we got separated, so I brought him with me—but his laughter almost got us caught!
We finally reached Emperor Silis’s bedroom, but he wasn’t there.
Maybe he was in the bathroom?
After waiting a bit, we gave up and checked his office instead.
Of course, he was already hard at work.
“Hello, Your Majesty,” I said casually, even though I’d just appeared on his balcony in the middle of the night.
The emperor looked at us like he’d seen a ghost.
For a second, I worried he might order my execution for being disrespectful.
I’ve died enough times that my thoughts naturally lean toward the worst now.
Before I could blink, he had already crossed the room and picked me up in his arms.
Ignoring Winter completely, he muttered with a frown,
“You’re light.”
