There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 121

* * *

The ballroom buzzed with excitement.

“The Archmage of the Magic Tower?”

“I heard he never leaves the Magic Tower!”

“Did the Archmage bring those monsters?”

The people, already in a frenzy after spotting the wyvern outside the window, fell into even greater confusion with the Archmage’s appearance.

Philomell was also taken aback.

‘They didn’t say the wyvern was this big…!’

Moreover, she hadn’t heard anything about a golem.

Thump!

The golem, which had followed Le Guin to the entrance, set down a bundle on the floor and went back outside.

The people, who had been on edge because of the bizarre giant, were relieved.

Count Polan stepped forward to greet the unexpected visitor.

“Archmage, welcome. His Majesty the Emperor is also delighted by your visit.”

However, sitting on the throne, Eustis was far from pleased; he was glaring at Le Guin as if he wanted to kill him.

Even though he had given permission for the wyvern to enter beforehand, it didn’t mean he was happy about it.

When Philomell went to deliver the diary to the Emperor, she also revealed the identity of her biological father.

The Emperor’s permission was essential to fulfill Le Guin’s request.

“I see… so that’s how it was…”

The reaction was unexpected. He seemed taken aback, yet also as if he had guessed it.

When Philomell asked if he knew, he replied:

“I thought it was only a very slim possibility.”

In other words, he had made a vague guess about both reading the Book of God and about her biological father.

She had thought she was deceiving everyone well, but it was all possible because the Emperor had turned a blind eye.

Philomell excused herself, saying she would explain in detail later.

She wanted to tell him everything, starting with [the circumstances surrounding her regression], but she held back.

She didn’t want to further complicate the mind of someone who already had a lot to think about because of [the political turmoil and conspiracies within the empire].

Also, to talk about [her past life and regression], she would have to reveal the scene where he executed her.

…She wasn’t ready for that yet.

Swoosh! The sound of Le Guin tearing open the bundle with a knife brought Philomell back to the present.

Gifts wrapped in colorful paper poured out.

Le Guin picked up a box about the size of his palm. It was the smallest and had the most humble wrapping.

He tossed the small gift box toward Count Polan.

“Tell His Majesty the Emperor happy birthday. Here, a gift from me.”

“I will be sure to deliver it. But what about the things behind it…”

Count Polan, who had received the box, glanced at the bundle.

He had naturally assumed that all the gifts were for the Emperor, but he seemed puzzled that only one was handed over.

“Ah, this?”

Le Guin casually patted the bundle and smiled.

“These are gifts for my daughter.”

Philomell was startled.

‘No, the birthday person is someone else today, why are you giving them to me?’

Others were equally surprised.

“Daughter?”

“Did the Archmage have a child?”

“I think I vaguely heard a rumor that he had a son.”

“But why did he bring gifts for his daughter here?”

“Could his daughter be at this gathering…?”

The attendees looked at each other, scanning the hall.

Le Guin ignored the reactions of others and strode toward her.

As he walked, he bumped into the fake father, who was still standing next to Philomell, seemingly on purpose.

“Ugh!”

The man collapsed powerlessly.

Le Guin put a friendly hand on Philomell’s shoulder and turned to face the throne.

“Thank you for raising my daughter all this time. I’ll take care of her from now on, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

The wish he had for his daughter.

It was to reveal to the world that Philomell was his daughter.

To appear in the way he wanted, when many eyes were focused on them.

As 멋지게 [coolly] and 화려하게 [splendidly] as possible.

However, the 멋짐 [coolness] and 화려함 [splendor] that the Archmage had in mind were a bit different from common sense.

Originally, Philomell barely managed to dissuade him from coming with a legion of wizards and pet monsters, even planning to set off celebratory fireworks.

‘Are you trying to start a war?’

So, she compromised with just one wyvern….

It seemed that wasn’t enough to satisfy him, so he brought a golem along for the ride.

The people, who had been stunned by the shocking statement, began to murmur one by one.

“Does that mean Lady Philomell is the Archmage’s daughter?”

“Earlier, he said she was that man’s daughter!”

“Which one is the real father?”

Two fathers for one daughter. It was a ridiculous farce.

Le Guin’s murderous gaze turned to the man on the floor.

“Hmm, you’re my daughter’s father?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

The man trembled like an aspen, overwhelmed by the Archmage’s aura. He was completely different from how he had been, boasting fluent eloquence.

Le Guin rolled up his sleeves.

“Shall we decide who Phil’s real dad is with a duel? We can’t use magic in the Imperial Palace, so let’s use our fists.”

Koo-eh-eh-eh!

As if understanding its master’s competitive spirit, the wyvern roared fiercely. Even though it was outside, the screech shook the interior.

The man, who had covered his head with both arms, begged.

“I’m sorry! It was my mistake! Please forgive me!”

Philomell finally spoke.

“You were so sure earlier.”

The man shook his head violently.

“No! What I meant was…”

Le Guin exuded an aura of intimidation and spoke coldly.

“My daughter says so, how dare you say otherwise?”

“That’s, that…”

The man couldn’t find the words and just opened and closed his mouth before confessing.

“The truth is, I received an offer to pretend to be Lady Philomell’s father in exchange for money!”

Philomell called out to the woman who was subtly trying to escape.

“Young Lady Muriel.”

Thanks to Emily’s report, she had already learned that Elencia was plotting something with Sasha Muriel.

Jeremiah had scouted Sasha’s movements and found out that she was meeting with a certain man. However, she didn’t feel the need to stop their plot in advance.

The man was just an ordinary drunkard. He wasn’t an assassin, nor did he possess any great skills.

Even if Sasha disguised him as a servant of the household and brought him along, he didn’t seem to pose much of a threat.

Rather, she was curious. What exactly were they up to?

But the result was quite disappointing.

Even if today wasn’t the day Le Guin was supposed to appear, their plot wouldn’t have had any chance of harming Philomell.

‘If necessary, I can just reveal who my real father is.’

The reason she hadn’t done so until now was simply a matter of her own feelings. She wasn’t ready to accept Le Guin and her brothers as her true family.

Philomell spoke kindly to Sasha, who was making a tearful face.

“It would be better for you to tell me who is behind you. Then, I will try my best to ensure that you and your family are not harmed too much…”

Huh?

Philomell, who was looking around the hall, exclaimed softly. Perhaps Sasha’s confession wouldn’t be necessary.

The throne was empty.

Philomell was overcome with a sense of foreboding and reached out her hand to Le Guin.

“Can you take out the backpack I entrusted to you now?”

[A magical] Inventory expansion function. She had entrusted him with a backpack with that name.

Le Guin soon took out the backpack from his robe. The products that he and his brothers had researched and returned were inside.

Philomell, holding the backpack, pushed through the crowd and headed for the entrance.

Le Guin, Narsasar, and the brothers in the hall followed her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elencia ran through the bushes, not knowing where to go. She had only been near the entrance, but she could grasp how things were unfolding in the hall.

‘The Archmage acknowledged Philomell as his daughter! It can’t be!’

Her mind was completely tangled, and her thoughts were not clearly organized.

The only thought that drove her was that she had to get away from the ballroom as soon as possible. There was no point in staying there.

‘What if Sasha confesses everything?’

Well, she would have to deny it. This was all Sasha Muriel’s doing alone….

“Ah!”

Someone grabbed her shoulder forcefully and turned her around.

Elencia fell on her backside.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

It was the Emperor.

“I clearly told you to stay confined, why are you here?”

There was not a trace of warmth in his eyes as he looked down at his daughter.

“To think you would take my words so lightly. Well, you have been like that from the beginning.”

“That’s not it! I just wanted to celebrate Dad’s birthday somehow…”

Eustis spat out as if chewing.

“Stop calling me Dad.”

“…Dad?”

“You’re not my daughter.”

At those words, Elencia’s heart seemed to stop.

“What are you talking about! If not me, then who is your daughter! Is it Philomell? Are you saying I’m fake?”

“Why do you assume Philomell would say that?”

Elencia closed her mouth.

She had said things she shouldn’t have because she was too excited.

“…Well, she hates me.”

“Philomell probably hates you. And the words that you are not my daughter came from your own mouth.”

“When did I say that!”

“…After all, the Emperor doesn’t know the real Elencia.”

Elencia frowned at the incomprehensible words.

The Emperor continued in a calm tone.

“I have been inside this body since the first time I met the Emperor.”

She was so shocked that she forgot to breathe.

It was what she had said. She had definitely said those words when she went to find Philomell.