The Emperor's Secret Map and the Father-in-Law's Warmth
The carriage arrived to fetch me from the imperial palace, and I boarded it with Adam, heading toward the capital.
The carriage seat was large compared to my small frame, but it felt wonderfully cushioned and comfortable.
“When you look at the empire’s map, the distance between the capital Cheran and Galnem seems quite far, but there was a shortcut through an underground cave that acted as a variable. His Majesty the Emperor used a brilliant strategy. He set aside everything and entered Galnem.”
Adam gazed out at the scenery and explained to me why Parmes had been in Galnem.
“The three princes who had been guarding the young fourth prince who was Emperor, thought His Majesty had abandoned the succession contest and gone into hiding. They didn’t know the truth—that His Majesty was laying out a grand plan.”
He said it had taken a full ten years. To become emperor of the empire, he had spent ten years in that rural village as ‘Uncle Zimmer’.
Even now, recalling that Uncle’s gentle smile made it hard to believe he was the tyrant Parmes.
“But…… wasn’t the original plan supposed to take longer than ten years?”
“Ah, you heard about that too. Originally it was expected to take twelve to thirteen years, but for some reason His Majesty rushed the plan. Because of that, it took an extra year to completely sweep away the enemies after he took the throne.”
Completely sweeping away people—it sent a chill down my spine.
“Th-that…… what about the three princes who were guarding His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Of course not.”
Adam smiled coldly.
“They’re by the side of the late emperor.”
“Hiiik!”
My spine tingled again.
Parmes Aslet really is a terrifying tyrant. He’s nothing like the Uncle I knew…….
‘I need to stay sharp, Arinell.’
* * *
In the imperial palace garden, the massive greenhouse was so enormous it was like birds could fly through it, filled with flowers as splendid and varied as the ones I’d seen in modern botanical gardens.
The scent of lush green grass and the sky visible through the high glass ceiling where clouds drifted.
But I couldn’t breathe in that clear air the plants created. Because…….
“……Arinell.”
That Uncle Zimmer.
Our current emperor, Parmes Aslet.
The man with beautiful silver hair and blood-red eyes, sitting there staring at me intently.
“……Yes, Your Majesty.”
Answering without looking at him, and with just the two of us there, it felt exactly like being with Uncle Zimmer.
We’d sat together over tea in the study, watching the drifting clouds and chatting…….
I stopped thinking about the past and shook my head vigorously.
This man isn’t Uncle Zimmer anymore.
If I treated him the same way I used to, it could put my life in danger…….
“……I’m sorry.”
I flinched at Parmes’s voice.
“Huh?”
Parmes’s red eyes were fixed on me.
They looked a little teary somehow?
“I used to come visit whenever I had a chance, but now Arinell won’t move until I come looking for her. Standing up from the study window every time I saw that golden hair flashing by…….”
His eyes, gazing at my hair, shimmered with something desolate.
“I hoped it was Arinell, got disappointed, and…… So I’ve been thinking about issuing a decree banning golden-haired people other than Arinell from the imperial palace.”
My mouth went dry for a moment as I stared at him blankly.
And after a while, I pointed a finger at myself and spoke up.
“……Me? You were waiting for me?”
Parmes tilted his head with an innocent expression, as if wondering what was strange.
His face was just like…… Uncle Zimmer, after all.
“But, Uncle, Your Majesty…….”
Without realizing it, the word ‘Uncle’ almost slipped out, and I barely caught myself.
“So His Majesty is now…….”
Busy, right?
It’s only natural for an emperor to be busy.
But Parmes shook his head with a melancholy look in his eyes.
“Yesterday too, from the study window I was searching for Arinell’s flashing shadow and stood up, but here.”
Parmes slightly rolled up the sleeve of his jacket.
Underneath it wasn’t the wrinkled shirt from before with stains, but the cuff of a high-quality silk fabric, revealing a faint scar.
I jumped in surprise and widened my eyes.
“……You got injured at the corner.”
That pitiful look in his eyes! And the tears that had formed in the blink of an eye—what was that?!
“I told you to be careful, didn’t I? Did you take another glance?”
I stood up abruptly from my seat without realizing it and approached Parmes.
And carefully examined the wound.
Parmes had the faint scent of peppermint, the same as Uncle Zimmer had.
“It doesn’t look like it’s torn. If you had ointment, it would be good, but I left it all at home…….”
Out of habit I reached into my pocket, but of course there was nothing there.
But I had to say it anyway, today as well.
“Please be careful. I’m really upset if Uncle gets hurt.”
In his eyes watching my overly stern scolding, joy began to linger.
Then he gave a faint smile.
I quickly stopped speaking and shut my mouth with a sharp inhale.
Parmes extended his large hand and placed it on top of my head.
Wait, is he confirming that my hair is still on my head?
“Arinell.”
Just like ending a joke, his voice came out gentle yet serious.
“You must have gone through a lot. Thank you for enduring it bravely.”
Gazing at me with trembling eyes looking up at himself, Parmes spoke in a warm and sincere tone.
“I’ve always wanted to see Arinell.”
* * *
On the way back home I slapped my own cheeks with both hands.
I can’t fall for that kind face and gentle smile.
“If Arinell doesn’t come, we’ll be moving the imperial palace right next to the Maila Marquisate. Then Arinell will be able to see us often, right?”
“Y-you can’t be saying such nonsense.”
“We’re family now, daughter-in-law. It’s only natural for family to visit each other actively.”
Parmes Aslet was a terrifying tyrant…….
“Calling me ‘Your Majesty’ is stiff, so you can call me ‘Father-in-law’. If it’s hard to pronounce, you can just ignore the ‘si’ letter.”
He was going to swallow the empire whole and commit a cruel tyranny, dyeing the world in blood…….
“I’ve sent the marriage contract you signed to the bishop. Since he only has one life, he’ll obediently declare the engagement, but for some reason it’s more trembling than when I got married. Arinell, aren’t you excited too?”
……
“How can Uncle Zimmer be a tyrant!!”
Parmes’s excited voice kept ringing in my ears, and I clutched my head and shouted.
In the quiet silence, I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry.
Clack, clack—the carriage left the imperial palace and rushed earnestly toward the Marquisate.
“Haa……”
I took a deep breath. Parmes Aslet really was Uncle Zimmer. I should admit it.
In the original story he was a horrifying tyrant, but…… right now he was still that Uncle who cherished me and liked me.
It was a little over the top, though.
Even if people have many sides, the two aspects of Uncle were so opposite that confusion was inevitable.
In the future I’d probably need to think hard and organize how to deal with him.
“……But why Britain.”
When I left the imperial palace, Parmes had said I should go meet Britain and come back, so I escaped from there like a fugitive.
I vividly remembered Britain’s face as he was calling out to me happily with his hand outstretched, as if he’d just been passing by.
I pretended not to notice and ran away, but……
“Oh, Lady……!”
I was still staring at his small outstretched hand.
Yesterday the maids bathed me, but my hands were still rough and tanned from the sun, dark.
Meanwhile Britain’s face and figure felt like he’d never even touched dirt before.
He’d probably grown up as a royal in the capital since he’d never seen the Galnem village, so compared to the elegantly raised young ladies here, I was quite rough.
‘If I stand with Britain, it’ll be like beauty and the beast. But I’m the beast, aren’t I.’
“……”
Sigh. I let out a long sigh and shook my head.
‘Maybe Britain doesn’t want this unwanted engagement either, but it might be unavoidable given Parmes’s orders.’
After all, I’m only eleven, and by empire law I have to be eighteen to marry…… so there’s still plenty of time.
During that time I’ll naturally have a boyfriend or two with a handsome prince. Then I’ll disappear from Britain’s center of attention…….
Thud—
The carriage stopped as we arrived at the Marquisate.
A moment later the door opened, and a hand in a white glove slid in at a slight angle to escort me inside.