Chapter 26
“You’re Uncle’s Princess?”
“…Ah.”
Anette, fidgeting with the hem of her dress while watching the Emperor’s family in their serious discussion, suddenly recalled Mikhail’s utterly absurd misunderstanding.
Charlotte, thinking of the same issue, furrowed her brow in realization.
At the same time, another scene came to mind, and she realized that her son’s reckless remark wasn’t solely because of Kardin’s words.
〈Oh my, Mikhail. You must behave politely. She’s going to be part of our family soon.〉
“Becoming part of the same family wasn’t supposed to mean that…”
She had thought he was just young and that it could be explained later, letting it slide as trivial—but she hadn’t imagined it would lead to this result.
Feeling the full weight of responsibility for the misleading remark, Charlotte advanced with a wry, uneasy smile.
“Mikhail, the princess is not your fiancée.”
“Wh-what…?”
“She’s going to be your aunt.”
Mikhail, sniffling and crying pitifully, looked utterly bewildered, clearly not understanding what she meant.
Finally, Charlotte leaned down and whispered something small into her son’s ear.
Mikhail’s eyes went wide as he looked at Anette in shock.
“Y-you mean… she’s my uncle’s princess?”
Impossible! She looks about my age!
Mikhail’s disbelief-filled gaze shifted from Anette to Kardin.
The look in his nephew’s eyes—always sparkling with affection and respect—was now strangely unsettling.
“Nephew? Why are you staring at your uncle like a pervert? There’s a reason for all this…”
Kardin tried to explain urgently, but he didn’t get a chance to finish.
“……!”
Without any warning, like a puppet with its strings cut, Mikhail collapsed forward completely.
Unlike Anette, who gasped in surprise, Lucius seemed to have expected this and caught Mikhail effortlessly.
“Princess, thank you again for what happened today. I know you must have many questions, but we’ll explain everything next time.”
Saying this, Lucius hurriedly turned.
Anette’s eyes wavered as she watched Mikhail, unconscious in the Emperor’s arms, and Charlotte following behind.
Noticing her unease, Kardin said,
“It’s fine. He’s just tired, that’s why he’s asleep.”
“But…”
“He’ll be fine once he wakes up.”
“…Then that’s a relief.”
Though still worried, Anette nodded, convinced by Kardin’s words for the moment.
“Then let’s go. We need to show your injuries to a physician quickly.”
“Yes… ah!”
Before she could even respond to Kardin, her body floated upward—he had lifted her effortlessly.
“W-what are you doing?! Put me down!”
Startled by the sudden change in height, Anette instinctively grabbed Kardin’s neck and shouted.
But Kardin strode calmly through the garden, entirely unflustered.
“You’re the patient.”
“My hand is hurt, not my leg.”
“Either way, this is faster. My legs are longer.”
“Ha…!”
Unable to deny his reasoning, Anette exhaled sharply.
She didn’t even need a mirror to know what it looked like: sitting in the arms of a Grand Duke, she must appear exactly like a daughter in her father’s arms—just as the Emperor had carried Mikhail moments ago!
The mixture of adult embarrassment, the strange feeling of being “given” by her fiancé, and the uneasy premonition that she would feel this way many times in the future left Anette pale.
〈What a weakling.〉
〈Father…〉
〈Do not call me that. Until you awaken your powers, you are not my son!〉
“…!”
Startled by the thunderous scolding, Lucius’ eyes snapped open.
He took a sharp breath, looking around.
The serene office came into view.
Only then did he remember why he had come late at night—to finish unfinished work while watching his wife and son sleep.
“Not even a child anymore…”
Lucius let out a low, amused laugh.
He had been dozing off for just a moment, yet had a dream—one of those long-forgotten, nightmare-like dreams.
He removed his glasses, washed his face, and stood.
He felt he needed some fresh air.
At times like this, his steps naturally led him somewhere—the secret garden, where the earlier chaos had occurred.
And as he arrived, he found…
“Kardin.”
He called to his younger brother, who stood staring blankly at a large tree. Kardin slowly turned his head.
Lucius’ face softened at the sight, but he quickly frowned.
“Isn’t it frustrating to stubbornly wear your mask when there’s no one here?”
Kardin touched his mask and let out a small laugh.
“Not really. I’m used to it now.”
“Alright… that’s enough.”
Truthfully, all Lucius wanted was just to see his brother’s face after a long time.
Kardin surely understood the unspoken meaning of the question, but feigned ignorance.
Normally, he might have scolded him a bit, reminding him that he could relax now that he was engaged to a princess—but not today.
Lucius sighed deeply and walked beside Kardin.
The garden, which had been chaotic earlier, now appeared peacefully restored, as if it had all been a dream.
Lucius realized the tree Kardin had been looking at—the same one Mikhail had nearly toppled, and the one Anette had assaulted—had been restored by powerful magic once they left the garden.
This was possible because the garden had been designed as a training ground for the royal family’s powers when the palace was constructed.
This was the same garden where Lucius had trained with the former Emperor to awaken his own powers.
〈You incompetent fool! Fifteen years old and still haven’t awakened your powers—you are a disgrace to Alkan.〉
〈…〉
〈No choice. Starting next week, Kardin will train alongside you.〉
〈What? But Your Majesty, Kardin is only three. How can you…〉
〈Age doesn’t matter. He’s still Alkan’s blood. The history books even record royal children awakening at five.〉
Though those children hadn’t faced mortal danger like Kardin did.
Lucius couldn’t bring himself to say that aloud, but he was anxious that his inexperience might endanger his younger brother.
The former Emperor, watching Lucius’ worried face, twisted his lips.
〈Are you afraid that bastard bastard will awaken his powers before you and challenge your position as Crown Prince?〉
〈What? No…〉
〈If you’re afraid, awaken your powers as soon as possible.〉
After saying only what he wanted, the former Emperor left. Lucius gritted his teeth.
That night, he awakened his powers.
The air around him shifted, flowing over his body and swirling around him. It was a wondrous, unforgettable experience.
He was truly happy—relieved that he would no longer disappoint his father and confident as Alkan’s Crown Prince.
But most of all, he was overjoyed to be able to protect his younger brother. He naively believed that once he awakened his powers, the former Emperor would stop pressuring or threatening Kardin.
He had no idea that awakening his powers would also sow seeds of misfortune and shackle him further…
“Brother.”
Kardin’s voice pulled Lucius from his thoughts.
Lucius looked up slightly at his younger brother, now taller than him.
The boy who had clung stubbornly to him like gum, insisting on studying together, had grown so much.
Lucius gave a wry smile as Kardin asked,
“You’ve kept Mikhail’s awakening a secret from everyone, right?”
“…Yes. Don’t even mention it. Your wife has already been nagging me enough about it.”
Lucius paused briefly at the blunt question, then answered lightly.
It wasn’t a lie. Charlotte had been angry at the Emperor for keeping Mikhail’s suffering a secret, realizing it was due to his powers awakening.
She also felt guilty for not recognizing the young boy’s pain while he labored alone in the garden.
“It’s natural. They probably expected the awakening around age ten…”
On average, royal powers awakened in the early teens, and Lucius himself had been late, so he assumed Mikhail might be delayed as well.
In truth, it didn’t matter if he never awakened. Lucius wanted to hand down a stable empire and position to his son, powers or not.
“So that’s why you kept it secret?”
“…Kardin.”
“Or is it because he has powers like the former Emperor?”
“….”
Reluctant to discuss it further, Lucius’ expression hardened as he passed over the topic lightly.
