1219-chapter-161
‘Karmin…?’
Her father also suspected that the real Karmin had been replaced with Harmin, just like Siervian. But upon hearing the word Karmin directly from the first Emperor’s memoir, deep wrinkles appeared on her father’s forehead.
“He didn’t disguise Harmin as Karmin. What on earth happened?”
However, in the confusion, there was something clearly visible in Siervian’s eyes.
[Just inform the truth at the appropriate time to prepare for the future.]
[Then the significance of Pacour’s existence will naturally disappear. Leaving this record here is a provision for those who will bear a great sacrifice.]
According to the diary, the Emperor set a timeline of about 200 years in the future as the “appropriate time” if the Empire could be maintained safely.
At that time, the Duke, who had performed sacred duties, would reveal the truth and quietly fade into history. So one thing was certain among the countless doubts.
‘The truth was never revealed.’
The history of the Empire spans 500 years. In his greed, the Duke intentionally concealed this fact until now.
‘So Pacour is the only one left of the five Dukes.’
The other Dukes naturally disappeared from history in an eerie manner. Perhaps they each fulfilled their “sacred duties” and vanished.
‘Pacour didn’t want to vanish like that.’
Recently, Siervian had seen in a record that one of the five Dukes rebelled against this disappearance and was brutally suppressed.
Siervian speculated that Pacour learned from that failure and found another way.
‘So he created a façade as if he were continuing to fulfill his sacred duties.’
Surely, this was a cruel sacrifice.
That’s why the Emperor didn’t leave this record in the Imperial Treasury.
To consider allowing them to choose their own disappearance.
“Ha.”
Her father couldn’t hide his anger at the massive deception that had lasted for 500 years. He didn’t expect to learn such a massive secret that even the Emperor didn’t know.
“For now, let’s go back.”
However, Alderuan wisely suggested that they carefully consider what they had just witnessed.
“Yes.”
As soon as the Emperor covered the Emperor’s record, the attendants who had been bowing rose again.
“Move everything here to the palace. But don’t open any records and seal them all.”
“Yes!”
Upon the Emperor’s order, they busily began to relocate the belongings in the room.
Siervian’s gaze, as she held her father’s hand exiting the room, naturally fell upon the items they were moving.
She noticed a guard clearing away an old box.
“Huh?”
And the familiar items behind it.
“Why are those here? Hm?”
Siervian was too surprised to hear her father’s question. She stood rooted to the spot. It had been a long time since her heart had raced like this, sending a warning to her.
“That is…!”
Reflexively, she grabbed her father’s hand tightly, searching for a lifeline.
“It’s an artifact, Your Majesty.”
Siervian had seen those familiar items in her previous life.
These were the very items hidden in the Imperial Palace, claiming to be evidence of the princess’ black magic.
“It’s scary.”
Her father looked at her with great curiosity at her reaction. But soon, he warmly enveloped the small hand he was holding.
“It seems you were surprised.”
“….”
“Handle the artifacts carefully, and seal them without touching them.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
When the guards found those items in the princess’ palace, the image of the hard expression of her previous life’s father came vividly to mind. But now, the warmth of the hand she was holding felt even closer.
‘Now that future no longer exists.’
Even black magic itself was shrouded in secrecy. So there couldn’t be any other black magic tools she knew of.
‘I finally exposed it completely.’
She had speculated, but when she finally had the evidence in front of her, her body trembled uncontrollably. The coldness of the underground prison seemed to muster a final resistance as it enveloped Siervian.
“Oh no.”
Her father saw that she was afraid and immediately embraced Siervian. In his warm embrace, she realized.
‘I changed the future.’
She successfully prevented one event that had made her anxious for a long time.
In the end, she survived.
* * *
‘What was the first emperor thinking?’
Having crossed the great mountain, doubts still lingered. Why did the emperor, in the first place, decide to let karmin be consumed by the entire empire?
There had been words, at some point, urging to reveal this truth and prepare for it, but the reason behind why it was used in the first place was missing.
Why of all things, the ingredient of dark magic.
“I heard my princess cried,” Ellie said cautiously as she tidied up Siervian’s disheveled hair.
Having traveled back and forth through the underground passage all day, Siervian’s clothes were covered in dust. Thus Ellie was helping with her grooming before they set out again.
[Ellie]
Thoughts: It’s frustrating. How dare those people make our princess cry… I should catch them and make them suffer…
Contrary to her cautious and gentle tone, harsh thoughts swirled inside Ellie.
Siervian initially denied Ellie’s suspicions.
With her adult composure, Siervian was mature on the inside. However, lately, it seemed she was receiving frequent assumptions about crying.
“I didn’t cry!”
She absolutely didn’t cry, just sniffled a little. Her father’s shoulders were slightly damp, but that was because it was underground and damp.
“Oh, is that so?”
[Ellie]
Thoughts: Well, our princess’ tears are like jewels. Come to think of it, she’s spilling jewels.
‘What is she talking about? She doesn’t believe me!’
Anyway, her body quickly became calm and warm under Ellie’s ministrations. Although her heart was still uncomfortable when thinking about the Duke of Pacour.
‘A curse flowing through the bloodline.’
Hannibel described it as a curse, a kind of magic that manifests through a bloodline. Even though it wasn’t a real curse, it sounded like black magic just by the explanation.
“Ugh… what kind of person was the first emperor exactly?”
Moreover, she still couldn’t understand why Navafal tried to steal the old staff of the reigning emperor.
Due to the remaining questions, she felt strangely uneasy and unsettled.
“Shall we go now?”
That feeling, too, was quickly forgotten, though.
“Where would Your Highness go at such a late hour?”
Now there was something more urgent. She decided to have a conversation with her family to ease her burdens.
“Hmm, I have something to tell Father.”
“I see.”
Rather than ask further questions, Ellie calmly led Siervian toward the imperial palace. Before they knew it, a long day had passed, and the sun was slowly setting.
“Princess Siervian has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
Her family’s blue eyes turned toward Siervian.
“You’ve worked hard today, Siervian.”
Damian had commanded the guards in the palace while Siervian followed their father and the Duke and now spoke kindly.
“Brother.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m fine.”
She had only been separated from her father while they changed paths, but she suddenly felt like she had returned from a long journey.
‘This is a strange feeling.’
After everyone in the reception room left at the Emperor’s gesture, her father asked softly.
“Now, there’s something you need to tell me, Siervy.”
Siervian just nodded, her throat tight.
Her family had been suspicious several times while uncovering Pacour’s plot, but they had waited for Siervian, trusting her.
So now, she had to reveal the secret she had hidden for so long.
Siervian took a deep breath and opened her mouth in a small voice.
“I… traveled back in time.”
As expected, their eyes widened in surprise.
[Alderuan Erveldotte]
Thoughts: It’s impossible to turn back time
But Siervy wouldn’t lie… Mana’s greatness truly knows no bounds.
[Damian Erveldotte]
Thoughts: Time…? There’s no way Siervy is lying. Then how much mana is needed to make such magic a reality?
After a long pause, she finally spoke, her hesitation as long as it had taken to open her mouth. But she soon found her courage, thanks to the two people who believed in her even as they expressed their surprise at her unbelievable story.
‘Even if I tell them everything, my family will believe me.’
Siervian had been agonizing over this moment for a long time, wondering how exactly to explain her ability to see the status window.
“When I went back in time, I was five years old. And from that moment on, I gained the eyes to see the truth.”
“Eyes to see the truth?”
At Damian’s question, she nodded firmly.
And then she recited the nature of her ability in a whisper.
“I can see people’s real names and occupations. So I could tell right away if someone was lying. And… their emotions are vaguely perceptible. I can also see hidden secret doors.”
[Damien Erveldotte]
Thoughts: That’s an incredible ability.
Despite the somewhat shocking nature of the tale, the two men listened silently without a hint of doubt. After a brief pause, her father posed a sharp question.
“But Siervy, how on earth did you manage to travel back in time?”
At that question, Siervian had to bite her lip to keep from trembling. However, she couldn’t hide the hands clinging to her skirt, trembling uncontrollably.
“Actually, I was called a criminal in my previous life.”
She recalled the time when no one had stood by her side. What if her father and brother didn’t believe her? The injustice of that time welled up within her. Her worry fueled her resentment.
“People misunderstood and hated me for things I didn’t do.”
She wondered if she would be seen as making excuses for a truly bad child in her previous life. That she had been pretending to be a good child ever since she regressed.
“And so, the day before I became an adult… Dad sentenced me to death.”
As she uttered the last words, Siervian squeezed her eyes shut without realizing it. Her father’s voice reached her ears.
“I can’t believe it.”
Startled, she reflexively raised her head and looked up. Before her, she saw her father’s status window, filled with disbelief.
[Alderuan Erveldotte]
Thoughts: Honestly, this is unbelievable.
—
