I didn’t know how the meeting lasted or what they discussed. Only Jiun’s words were echoing in my head that was in the clouds.

As I never expected anything like this before, I didn’t know how to cope with or respond.

‘What is going on? What should I do in the future? ‘

I freaked out. Extreme horror seized me.

I heard somebody saying something to me, then raising my body cautiously. I walked along blankly, guided by someone’s gentle hands.

How long did I walk?

Suddenly, someone snatched my wrist roughly. Feeling creeped out, I turned around, pulling my hand from it. The person standing there was the crown prince with blue hair.

‘Crown Prince?’

At that moment, I felt like cold water was thrown on me.

‘What have I done?’

Only then did my lost senses come back, and I felt very hot. I hurriedly leaned forward and I opened my mouth, “I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.”

“That’s fine. By the way…”

As I dared to shake his hold, I had nothing to say even if I was punished. Fortunately, he did not appear angry.

After looking at me for a long time, he said in a low voice, “I was going to ask you to take some time out for me, but it looks like you are very tired. Take a break. Let me ask you later.”

Obviously, he came to see me to say something, but he told me to take some rest without saying anything about it. While I was hesitant, my father stepped forward and bowed to him on my behalf.

“Thanks so much for your warm consideration, Your Majesty. I’ll see you at the conference room tomorrow.”

Even after I got in the wagon with my father, he stood there and looked at me. His blue eyes facing mine with a glass window in between, were hollow.

“Tia.”

Some time after the wagon started, my father called me in a quiet voice.

“…You don’t have to act this way in front of me. So, take off your mask now. ”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

“Are you going to smile a ceremonial smile even before me? Tia, there are only two here, you and me. So, you can feel relaxed.”

“Ah… ”

Only then did I realize that I was still smiling the kind of smile I was used to in social circles. When I lowered my head and looked down, I saw my hands trembling. Not only my hands, but also my whole body was trembling like a leaf.

‘Was I in this condition all along after Jiun spoke to me?’

I suddenly felt drained and leaned on the back of my seat, while trying to keep my balance.

“Was it so shocking?”

“… ”

“It seems the crown prince was very much surprised by your pale face, given he told you to go home for rest.”

“…I see.”

Was that the reason he looked at me like that? Suddenly, I recalled his blue eyes looking at me outside the wagon window.

“… Ah.”

“… ”

“Tia?”

“… Pardon?”

“I know how worried you are, but don’t worry too much. I’ll make sure you’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“…Yes, Daddy.”

I replied feebly to my father looking anxiously at me.

But I was nervous deep down. All kinds of thoughts lingered in my head.

Can I work things out as I planned? As Jiun appeared early, I have to revise lots of plans I had made beforehand.

I grabbed my stinging head and looked out the window. Dazzling bright sunshine was shining in the streets in the afternoon, but oddly enough, they seemed dark to me today.

“Let me talk to you for a moment.”

Apparently, I closed my eyes on the bed, but I was standing before the imperial wagon center before I knew it. The young man with blue hair, who grabbed my wrist, said in a cold voice. As I didn’t hear his voice for a long time, I got cold feet unconsciously.

“How dare you try to enter the Imperial Palace with dirty blood in your body? I’m dumbfounded.”

Jiun, wearing a tiara that was shining brightly behind him, appeared before me. Hugging his shoulder kindly, she smiled brightly at me.

“In the past and even now, he is still mine.”

“Of course, Jiun. Did I ever say that I was not yours?”

“Oh, Rube. I’m ashamed to hear you saying that.”

Two people holding each other’s hands looked down at me coldly and pointed their fingers at me.

“How vulgar you are!”

“Vulgar blood.”

The two turned and sneered at me coldly. I squatted down on the ground and caught my breath as I felt stuffy. I tapped hard on my chest to ease my breathing, but I found it harder and harder to breathe easily. My eyes were getting more and more blurry.

Shortly before my breath stopped, my eyes opened.

The familiar ceiling and a curtain engraved with the family crest came into my view.

‘It was a dream.’

I looked out the window, breathing in hard. Suddenly, the dawn was breaking.

Was it because I had a nightmare? Even though the meeting was to open soon, I was still too tired. I felt heavy as if I was wearing a wet dress.

When I saw Jiun sitting next to Duke Jenna, I had mixed feelings about her. I never expected that she would return from the past like this. I was confident that I would control her as much as I wanted, but I couldn’t figure out what to do because she, too, returned with her past memories.

I sat blankly, waiting for the meeting to start. As soon as the meeting started, Marquis Ensil who asked for a say spoke.

“I have something to say before the meeting begins, Your Majesty.”

“What is it, Marquis Ensil?”

“I’m going to raise the issue of JIun Graspe’s seating arrangement.”

I felt the noble factions’ attention focused on his remarks. Smiling at them, the golden-haired young man said, with his green eyes glaring, “On the first day of the meeting, Earl Lanier told Lady Monique clearly that the person qualified to sit at the head table is the head of the family or someone who has the authority to represent the family, and that the daughter of a mere marquis should sit at the end of the table.”

“He clearly said that. So what?”

“Jiun Graspe de Jenna became Duke Jena’s foster daughter as of yesterday. So, she is only a duke’s daughter, not the head of his family or an agent representing the duke’s family. How can she sit at the head table?”

“Sure thing. What do you think, Duke Verita? ”

Turning his mouth up a bit, the emperor looked at Duke Verita because as prime minister, he was well versed in laws. Duke Verita nodded with a very serious look and said, “Obviously, Marquis Enesil has a point. In principle, anybody who is not the head of the family or the agent representing the family can’t sit at the head table.”

“Duke Jena’s daughter is a child of God’s prophecy. You can’t call her a mere daughter of Duke Jena…” Earl Lanier balked.

Duke Lars, with his red eyebrows raised up, cut him off. His red eyes clearly showed he was displeased.

“Earl Lanier, your actions betray your words. Just two days ago, you told Lady Monique, a child of God’s prophecy, was a daughter of a mere marquis, right? I hope you will be more prudent in the future. ”

“… ”

“Besides, even if she is a child of God’s prophecy, she became Duke Jena’s foster child as of yesterday. If she is the duke’s daughter, I think it is right for her to act duly according to the relevant law of the Empire. if not… ”

Duke Lars paused for a moment and said, looking at Duke Jena coldly.

“Duke Jena, are you going to make her the successor of your family instead of the existing successor? If that’s your intention, let me keep her place as it is now.”

“I think Duke Lars is right. Duke Jenna, what are you going to do? Are you going to make her your successor or have her sit in the right seat?”

As the emperor asked in a cheerful mood, Duke Jean paused for a moment and looked at Jiun, “Go to your seat.”

“… Got it, Daddy.”

She stood up, biting her lip slightly, and tried to look calm. While watching her moving to the end of the table, I turned my eyes at the head table.

Turning his mouth up slightly, the emperor, who was watching Jiun seated at the end, said, “Okay, as her seating issue was resolved, what is today’s agenda?”