There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 34

‘It’s okay. It’s different from the book.’

‘Philomell’ couldn’t give up the glory of the past and remained in the Imperial Palace, but I won’t.

In the first place, the position the Emperor offered was a princess, not a princess’s lady-in-waiting.

Ellensia probably said that to help Philomell. She’s such a caring and sentimental child.

‘More than that, adoption is bull. This guy didn’t explain anything to Ellensia.’

Recalling Eustis’s face when he mentioned adoption, her fingers tightened around the game piece.

In the end, victory in the game went to Philomell, who reached the Emperor’s seat first. Considering Ellensia’s future as the sole heir to the throne, it was an ironic result.

Even though they only played one game, it was already close to night.

“Why isn’t Father coming yet?”

Ellensia, who was packing up the game board and pieces, asked, looking at the clock.

“It seems he’s delayed with work. It would be best if the Princess and I withdrew now.”

Usually, there isn’t any work that would keep the Emperor occupied late into the night at this time.

Especially in the case of Eustis, who prefers working in his bedroom rather than his office.

‘He probably can’t come because I’m in the bedroom.’

The last time she saw him, he seemed reluctant to hear Philomell’s answer.

When she came out of the bedroom, Ellensia clapped her hands cheerfully.

“Ah, let’s go to our Father!”

“Yes? W, wait a minute……!”

She grabbed Philomell’s wrist and started running, so Philomell had no choice but to be dragged along.

“He’ll be in his office!”

“What business do you have with His Majesty?”

“I’m going to ask him to let Philomell be my lady-in-waiting!”

“What? I told you I’m fine!”

“You don’t have to refuse. Are you worried Father won’t allow it? He’ll listen to me!”

“That’s not it!”

“It’s okay. Leave it all to me!”

It was questionable whether they were even using the same language; they just couldn’t communicate.

She was stronger than she looked, making it hard to shake her off. Maybe it was because she grew up running around mountains and fields, but her strength was different from Philomell’s.

“Oh, Princesses! You mustn’t run! You’ll get hurt!”

The palace staff they encountered tried to stop them, but Ellensia only paused for a moment and didn’t stop.

“Father! I’m here!”

The door to the Emperor’s office swung open. The Emperor was sitting at his desk, signing documents.

“Ellensia, how many times have I told you to knock…….”

He discovered Philomell behind Ellensia.

“What brings you two together?”

“That’s…….”

“Father, please! Allow Philomell to be my lady-in-waiting!”

“……Lady-in-waiting?”

“Yes. I feel so bad for Philomell. She has to leave the Imperial Palace, which is like her home. If she becomes a lady-in-waiting, she won’t have to leave, and the work won’t be hard either. So please allow it. I’ll take good care of her, so there won’t be any problems.”

The Emperor’s gaze shifted from his daughter to Philomell.

It roughly meant, ‘I have no idea what she’s talking about, so explain it for me.’

For Philomell, she had no choice but to neatly summarize and repeat what Ellensia had said.

“Ha…….”

Eustis sighed deeply and pressed his temple with the back of his pen.

The Emperor rose from his seat and approached Ellensia.

“So, Philomell accepted your offer?”

“Yes? Well, not exactly, but Philomell would if Father allowed it…….”

“No. I have no intention of accepting.”

Philomell shook her head firmly.

“What do you expect me to do by pestering me with something the person in question hasn’t even agreed to? Is forcing Philomell to be your lady-in-waiting what you want?”

“…….”

“Ellensia, no matter how you’ve grown up, you are now a princess. Bringing such ridiculous issues to me…….”

“Hic.”

The scolding stopped at the sound of sobbing.

“I, I’m sorry.”

Tears streamed down Ellensia’s cheeks.

“Hic, I’m sorry……. I have many shortcomings…… I’ve disappointed Father.”

The Emperor was at a loss in front of his crying daughter.

“Don’t cry. A member of the Imperial Family shouldn’t show tears so easily. And the person you should apologize to isn’t me.”

“Father…….”

“Go on.”

Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, Philomell intervened.

“I’m fine. The Princess must have been too concerned about me and made a mistake.”

She just wanted to quickly resolve the situation and return, now that she had inadvertently become involved in someone else’s uncomfortable family affair.

Besides, who knew what would happen if she received an apology from Ellensia, who was loved by the whole world.

“……If you say so.”

Eustis reluctantly agreed and awkwardly patted Ellensia’s shoulder.

“You don’t need to worry about Philomell’s future. She’s capable of finding her own place. If I adopt her, she’ll continue to stay in the Imperial Palace.”

“……Adoption? Are you saying you’re going to adopt Philomell?”

Ellensia raised her head, which had been lowered.

“That’s right.”

Eustis, noticing Philomell’s piercing gaze, added.

“Only if she accepts.”

Just as she was about to firmly reject the adoption, Ellensia turned to look at her.

“Does that mean we’ll be sisters?”

Ellensia smiled with tears still wet on her face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even know there was such a way……. Let’s get along well in the future.”

The lamplight cast deep shadows on her face.

The Emperor was the one who resolved the situation.

“Anyway, it’s late, so both of you should go back now.”

“Yes. Good night, Father.”

Ellensia, who answered cheerfully as if she would leave right away, stared intently at the Emperor’s face.

“……?”

She gestured for Eustis, who was wondering, to lower his head.

As he did so, her small lips touched the Emperor’s cheek with a peck.

“Hehe. It’s a goodnight kiss!”

Ellensia left quickly, leaving behind Eustis and Philomell, who were as stiff as statues.

“……I can never get used to that child’s lack of distance.”

Philomell agreed.

She knew from the book that the father and daughter were very affectionate, but seeing it in person gave her a different impression.

Philomell wouldn’t do such a thing even if a knife was held to her throat.

The Emperor said.

“I apologize on Ellensia’s behalf. I will educate her better in the future.”

“Yes, well. It’s okay.”

This reaction was somewhat unexpected.

What should she say, in the book, he was a fool for his daughter, completely out of his mind……. But based on what she had just witnessed, it seemed far from that.

Could there be something she didn’t know?

Philomell glanced at his profile before giving up.

‘What does it matter.’

Whatever was between them, what did it matter? It was someone else’s business anyway.

“Your Majesty. About the adoption you mentioned during the day.”

Thump! Eustis slammed the pen he was holding onto the desk.

“I’ve told Countess Delles to prepare your old room so you can stay there. It’ll be more comfortable than my bedroom. I should be going now. Rest well.”

He spat out the words like a machine gun and hurried away.

Philomell stared blankly at his retreating figure before turning her gaze to the documents on the desk.

He hadn’t even finished signing them. In the first place, there wasn’t any urgent matter that the Emperor had to deal with late into the night.

Having no other choice, she headed to the room she used to use.

‘I thought I would never return when I left.’

As she looked around, wondering if she should run away now, she could see palace staff walking around the Imperial Palace here and there.

Whether they were thoroughly trained or not, they politely bowed without suspicious glances even when they encountered the fake princess who had suddenly disappeared and reappeared.

However, they always kept Philomell in the corner of their vision. If she tried to run away, they would jump on her immediately.

A second escape didn’t seem easy at all, and her shoulders grew heavy.