TEWMDD10

Episode 10

Originally, I had planned to dash straight up to the Emperor and greet him with all the cheer and sparkle I could muster.
A little maneuver I liked to call Operation: Cute Distraction.

…Which, unfortunately, failed spectacularly before it even began.

Still, I’d derailed the original plotline, so wasn’t that a win in itself?

“…Cici?”

While I was busy glaring at the glitching scroll and swiping my finger under my nose, a quiet voice spoke from behind me.

I turned, forcing a sheepish smile.
“Hehe. Hi, Mom.”

Was this supposed to be a late send-off?
Or an early welcome instead?

“How in the world did you…?”

Before I could answer, my mother seized my arm and yanked me behind her.
Not even the Emperor’s presence could stop her—
That’s the kind of boldness you’d expect from one of the heroes who’d defeated the Demon King.

“It seems you followed us here all the way using one of Blake’s inventions.”

My father picked up the invisible cloak and tilted his head.

I froze.
Oh no. Dad can’t get his hands on that cloak!

If it were anyone else, I might have a chance of getting it back. But Harzen?
Not a chance. He’d keep it forever.
And who knew when I might need it again?

“Dad, Dad. I’ll take really good care of it and return it to Kyle later, okay?”
So… maybe you could just hand it back to me right now?
I’ll be good. Promise.

“Cecilia Miller.”

But even my big, round, pleading eyes couldn’t soften him this time. His gaze was cold as he spoke.
“Do you have any idea how reckless your actions were?”

“That’s not—”

“Learning to make excuses—who taught you that bad habit?”

He cut me off with an icy tone, one eyebrow twitching down.
“This time, even your mother can’t defend you.”

I looked up at her, hoping for some reprieve, but she only stared down at me with a stiff, stony face.

My courage faltered.
“I-I know…”

I did know it was reckless.
And it wasn’t an excuse.

“I just… I only…”

I only did it to save you, Mom.
Because if I didn’t, you’d die, and then Dad—and the others—would destroy the world.

Of course, they had no way of knowing that.
But still…

A wave of hurt swelled up from deep inside me. My vision blurred.

They have every reason to scold me, but…

Maybe it was the seven-year-old body.
Even if my mind understood them, tears kept spilling over.

“Huuuh-huh… Waaaah…”

I broke into loud, ugly sobs, unable to hold back.

Dad was so mean.
How could he look at me like that—so cold, so distant—when all I’d tried to do was save Mom?

Didn’t he know how devoted I was?

“Cecilia, stop crying.”

Mom crouched down on one knee to meet my eyes, her tone firm but clearly flustered by my sudden breakdown.
Even Dad’s gaze wavered now, his lips parting as if to speak.

“Uuuuhhh!”

I ignored them both and kept bawling.

Ever since my birthday, I’d been a bundle of nerves every single day.

What else was I supposed to do?!

They gave me no powers, told me to protect Mom, wouldn’t even let me say anything about it—
And then they blamed me for trying.

“You’re all… sniff… stupid… waaah…”

They should’ve told Dad instead of dumping it all on me.
What kind of nonsense was this?

I was still sniffling and sputtering when—

“…This is… unexpected.”

A deep, resonant voice rolled over from farther away.

And just like that, my mind snapped back into focus.
Right. The Emperor was still here.
I’d almost forgotten, hidden behind Mom like this.

This is no time for tears.

No matter how upset I was, my job hadn’t changed.
Mom’s safety came first—punishment or not.

Sniff.

I rubbed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Fine. Whatever.
They could keep scolding me.
I’d just do what needed to be done.

“Sorry for causing a disturbance,” I said.

Peeking around Mom’s shoulder, I spoke up clearly.

Her mouth fell open in shock.
Apparently, the sudden shift from wailing mess to polite young lady was… jarring.

“This kid’s not my daughter…” she muttered under her breath.

I took advantage of her daze to slip free of her grasp and step forward.

“My parents were startled because of me,” I continued, bowing politely. “They weren’t trying to cause trouble on purpose.”

Silence fell over the hall once again.

I straightened, sniffled once more, and thought back.

In the original story, the Emperor seemed like a man who valued proper manners.

It wasn’t spelled out exactly, but I remembered one particular line of his:

“What a rabble.”

Back then, Mom had just arrived here without knowing court etiquette, and Kyle and Derek had no manners to speak of.
Even Harzen, given his sour relationship with the Emperor, probably hadn’t behaved with much formality.

But Zion? He’d received praise and a royal sword.
Of course—he’d been part of the palace guard. Manners came with the territory.

So the conclusion was obvious—

Be on my best behavior in front of the Emperor.

…Wait. Should I have lifted my skirts instead of bowing?

“…This child,” the Emperor finally said, breaking the heavy quiet.
“She is your daughter?”

His gaze was fixed on my father.

Harzen stepped forward and put me behind him.
“She is my daughter.”

“I was asking whether she bears the blood of Einhalte.”

“Even if she does, what difference would that make?”

He took my hand in his and spoke firmly.
“I renounced the name Einhalte years ago.”

I tilted my head behind him.

That’s a strange answer.

Whether it was true or not, he could’ve just said “No.”
Instead, he emphasized that he’d abandoned the Einhalte name—almost like he wanted to keep them guessing.

Why?

“I never approved your renunciation,” the Emperor said.

“And as I have always said,” Harzen replied smoothly, “whether permitted or not, my decision stands.”

A tense silence followed, heavy enough to make even swallowing feel risky.

“…She looks exactly like her mother,” the Emperor said at last, his tone shifting.
“But her behavior is the spitting image of you as a child.”

My eyes went wide.
Wait—they weren’t on bad terms?
Since when was this the moment for nostalgia?

Ugh, I should’ve read the side stories.

Then I might actually understand what was going on here.

“…I’ll send her home,” Harzen began, ignoring the Emperor’s musings. “Her presence won’t interfere with the Empress’s treatment—”

“That won’t be necessary.”

The Emperor raised one hand, cutting him off.
“I permit your family to remain in the palace for the time being.”

His expression softened in a way that could almost be called benevolent.

I immediately checked the scroll.

Progress toward full activation:
Unable to measure due to error.

Phew.
Good. No suspicious triggers hidden in those words.

If I just survive the next few days and go home safely…
It seemed I’d left a good impression on the Emperor.
Maybe this would all resolve without any more conflict.

“…Ah, I see I’m too late.”

A new voice sounded from behind me.

I turned to see a man with short blond hair and an unmistakable air of arrogance.

“I heard my dear younger brother arrived at the palace after several years away,” he said.

And the moment he stepped in, the scroll updated—

[Key Character Detected]
Progress toward original story activation will soon be recalculated.

My eyes narrowed.
I knew this man. In the original, the Second Prince had always treated Harzen with unusual warmth.

Which could only mean one thing—

If he was flagged as a “key character,” then he must be deeply involved in Mom’s death.

Deeply enough to be… well… the core of it all.

Which meant—

I knew it!

The true mastermind had just appeared.