ORHML 11

Chapter 11

It was dark in front of me, and I couldn’t breathe.

Not so much because I was underwater, but as if something else was making it hard to breathe.

My mouth was filled with something soft, producing wet, sticky sounds. When I inhaled the warm air, a rose fragrance spread. My jaw hurt from moving my lips, but I ignored the pain and moved them intensely.

The sensation of something writhing inside was vivid, and overwhelmed with that pleasure, I gasped for breath. Then I slowly opened my eyes, and there was—

“I love you, Gracie.”

Clayton de Lavoie.

He looked younger, his hair neater than now.

“I love you.”

His hand caressed my cheek, and I leaned into it, liking the warmth. His face flushed bright red, all the way to his ears.

“…si!”

The voice sounded strange, as if underwater—but it wasn’t Clayton’s.

“Gra…cy!”

A desperate voice. Clayton’s face blurred and melted away like water.

“Gracie!”

When I opened my eyes, I was in the arms of a man I’d never seen before.

“Gracie!”

He looked to be in his late thirties, and resembled Kiira. His hair was a silvery pink, and his eyes a vivid pink.

[Quest Success! Check your reward below! ▼]

I had to check the quest reward first.

[▼ G Corp will cover your hospital bills!
In addition, you will receive the following benefits. ▼]

Hey! At least let me finish checking!

“Gracie!”

A sharp slap on my cheek snapped me back to myself. The man who slapped me looked on the verge of tears. Like me, he was drenched—as if he’d just pulled me out of the water.

“How could you do this again!”

Huh? Why does he talk like an old man?

He only looks late thirties, at most.

“Must this father truly watch you die?”

His wet hair clung to his cheeks. Water—or rather, tears—dripped from his face onto mine.

“You promised me you’d get your face back! How could you do this again!”

“…Dad?”

Damn, I should’ve said Father.

The Emperor stopped crying and looked at me in surprise.

“Yes, I’m your father. Are you alright, Gracie?”

And then his tears welled again. Honestly, this made no sense. A man in his late thirties having a twenty-something daughter? Impossible.

But since he wore emperor’s regalia when he saved me… he really must be my father.

“Um… why am I here? I was definitely on a ship…”

I had to act. My sister was the “good” one. I was the bad one. No one would believe me even if I said she pushed me. They’d just think I’d jumped on my own.

“How about my sister? Is she safe?”

“…Sister?”

“Yes! She was with me!”

She should be fine. She only pushed me.

I didn’t expect her to stab me in the back like that. She must’ve been confident. Seeing how everyone assumed I jumped myself.

“You’re in no position to worry about anyone!”

His sudden angry outburst made me freeze. So this family—the imperial family—is a mess too, huh.

“Dad.”

Strangely, despite the dire situation…

I wanted to say it. Dad.

“Dad, I hurt so much.”

It wasn’t the right time at all. But I just wanted to call him that once.

My chest felt strange.

“Let’s return to the palace.”

So my guess was right.

The one protecting Princess Gracie was the Emperor himself. Since arriving in this body, it was the first time I’d been treated so lavishly.

The heavy fur of a bear draped over my shoulders. On top of that, tiger skin. And I couldn’t even walk—he insisted on carrying me all the way in his arms to the palace.

Remembering I hadn’t finished checking the status window reward, I tapped the arrow.

[For the next 10 minutes, you can see everyone’s Affection Levels.
Time remaining… 61… 60… 59…]

What the hell! It’s been counting down since earlier?!

**[Hendrix Fletcher Gabriella Bastian
: Emperor

▼ Affection toward Gracie Fletcher Gabriella Bastian: 100%
▼ The Emperor prioritizes Princess Gracie’s life over his own.]**

Behind him, I caught sight of Francis’s pale, stricken face.

Oh right, what exactly did the one who swore to save me do?

**[Francis Patella
: Captain of the Guard

▼ Affection toward Gracie Fletcher Gabriella Bastian: 10%
▼ Affection toward Kiira Fletcher Gabriella Bastian: 0%
▼ Affection toward Duke Clayton de Lavoie: 50%]**

Wow. Clayton hates him, yet Francis has 50% affection for him?

They didn’t even seem that close… poor guy.

So affection isn’t limited to romantic feelings between men and women.

[10… 9…]

Lastly, I saw Leonil Graham in the distance, with my sister.

**[Leonil Graham
: Strategist

▼ Affection toward Kiira Fletcher Gabriella Bastian: 50%
▼ Affection toward Gracie Fletcher Gabriella Bastian: –50%]**

Not too bad. I thought it’d be –100%!

[Time is up. Thank you for using the service!]

“Gracie!”

My sister’s voice. I hadn’t realized she’d gotten so close while I was reading the status window. She was panting, as if she’d been running.

“Your Majesty!”

Ah, so she calls the Emperor Your Majesty.

“Please wait! Is Gracie unharmed, Your Majesty?!”

“Remove her.”

His cold reply made the knights behind him block Kiira. As I was carried farther away, I saw Leonil at her side—probably to console her.

Since my sister and I were both around twenty, the Emperor had to be over forty at least. But in this world, he looked younger.

So young, in fact, I felt like I should call him “big brother” rather than “Dad.”

But since I’d never once called anyone Dad in my life…

“Dad.”

“Yes. Dad’s right here.”

The tenderness in his voice made me feel warm, and I forgot I was supposed to be punishing my sister.

“I feel seasick.”

“Then hold on tight.”

I asked him to put me down, but he gently refused. I laughed at that, and wrapped my arms around his neck. Though trembling from the cold, he was trying hard to pretend he was fine.

When I lifted my head, Francis was close enough to touch. He, too, was wet—judging from the footprints he left, he had jumped into the water as well.

“My knight must be cold too.”

“You should be grateful I didn’t strike off his head.”

His tone was gentle, but the words were not.

“Dad, are you on my side?”

He stopped walking. I loosened my arms slightly. Our eyes met, and his looked just like mine—like the ones I’d seen in the mirror.

“Only I am on your side, Gracie. So never be with Kiira again.”

His earlier words about my face echoed in my mind, and I felt like I should believe him. But my sister’s affection level for me had been the same…

“That wicked girl has once again driven you to death’s door.”

“Has this… happened before?”

“Bring the physician. It seems worse than it looks.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

His worried gaze fell on me, his complexion darkening. Maybe I could use this to my advantage.

“I don’t remember well because I fell into the water.”

“Don’t worry. Dad will take care of everything.”

He patted my back, which oddly reminded me of Clayton. Maybe because of that illusion—or memory—I’d seen earlier.

[Quest!]

Ugh! Can’t I be sentimental for once?

[If Francis Patella continues like this, he will lose his knight title!
With your help, he can escape this crisis. Please choose one of the options below! ▼]

What nonsense is this? I don’t want to help him!

He hates me, and I hate him!

I could take this chance to have him dismissed and get a new knight I can manipulate…

But then I’d have to spend time taming the new one. He wouldn’t know anything about me, and I wouldn’t be able to get useful information from him.

“Ugh.”

[Option 1: Ask the Emperor for a favor.
Option 2: Cry and plead with the Emperor.
Option 3: Threaten the Emperor with your life.]

Of course, there’s no option to refuse.

As expected.

Option 1.

“Dad.”
“I’m listening.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

Even through the thick animal furs, his warm pats thudded against my back. I didn’t want that comforting touch to stop, but I had no choice.