#009

After passing through the city gate, the scenery changed completely. The road the carriage ran on changed from dirt to flat stone, and along both sides of the wide road, buildings lower than mansions stood packed tightly together, stretching on endlessly.

Between the many buildings lined up densely, many people were going about their daily lives. It was a city where people lived freely, something Andrea was seeing for the first time, having grown up in such a closed environment and lived such a monotonous life.

“There are really a lot of people. There are a lot of buildings too.”

Andrea said in admiration.

“Imperial Capital Shiroyan is one of the largest cities on the continent. It is also a glorious city where your majesty’s grace reaches directly.”

Andrea let Duke Fernan’s words go in one ear and out the other, and stared in a daze at the real “world where people live.” The sight of people in all kinds of clothing walking freely through the streets without restraint was very impressive. So this was what ordinary people living in the outside world looked like.

As the road went on, the buildings gradually changed. The modest one- or two-story buildings gradually disappeared, and instead large mansions emerged, as if proudly showing themselves off. It seemed that commoners lived on the outskirts of the city, and nobles settled closer and closer to the center of the imperial capital.

After running for a long time down the street lined with splendid mansions, the top of a huge building towering far ahead finally came into view.

“That is the imperial palace where your majesty resides.”

Duke Fernan said in a whisper.

“My goodness.”

Andrea admired the terribly magnificent building that slowly revealed itself as the carriage went on. It was beyond the imperial palace he had imagined while reading about it in books. How could humans build such a thing? If it were a place where gods lived, wouldn’t it be somewhere like that? Andrea stared at the imperial palace drawing closer with eyes full of wonder and gripped the window frame tightly.

By the time they reached the entrance to the imperial palace, the enormous gate was already wide open. The carriage rushed straight through the open gate. As they headed deeper into the center of the imperial palace, his heart began to thump. That was the place Andrea would have to live from now on.

When he realized he could not leave the mansion, and when he was moved to the monastery and imprisoned there, the helplessness and despair he had felt were completely different from this thrill that swept through his whole body. Andrea tried to calm his wildly beating heart and think calmly.

Am I truly free now? Or is that my new prison?

His range of movement had become much wider, but he would have to think of this as having entered a new prison as well. Only, there was one major difference here, in that the Empress Dowager and Duke Fernan, who had completely isolated Andrea from the world, were right beside him.

Andrea finally realized that he would have to live facing the huge shadows of oppression that had hung over his entire life. He pressed down hard on his hands, which had begun to tremble slightly.

The Empress Dowager, who had somehow managed to keep Andrea alive, and Duke Fernan, who had probably helped from behind the scenes.

Whether they would continue to oppress Andrea, who had become “Michael,” or allow him freedom, was something to watch and see slowly. As long as they were right beside him, there would at least be more than enough chance to struggle. For now, he needed to quietly become the “your majesty” they wanted and take stock of the situation.

Only after going half a circle around the huge fountain did the carriage stop.

“Remember this, your majesty. There is no one on this continent more noble than your majesty.”

Before getting out of the carriage, Duke Fernan instructed him in a low voice. Andrea nodded slightly as he watched the carriage door open.

Duke Fernan got out of the carriage first and held out his arm. Andrea placed his hand on that arm and stepped down from the carriage. In front of the splendid and magnificent white imperial palace, many people were lined up, looking at Andrea.

“Your majesty has returned!”

Supporting Andrea, Duke Fernan shouted as if making a declaration. Then the people who had been standing there and watching Andrea closely all at once dropped to one knee and bowed in respect. The sight of those who were clearly nobles willingly lowering their backs was chilling enough to make his spine go cold. Andrea unconsciously pressed his hand on Duke Fernan’s arm even tighter.

Not knowing what to do, his mind went blank. As his wavering eyes looked over the people bowed on the ground, one figure standing alone came into view, a woman in a splendid dress.

Andrea looked at her with puzzled eyes, then soon drew in a small gasp. A splendid blond head with some white hair mixed in, light green eyes. Above all, even a beautiful face resembling Michael’s. Andrea could tell who she was just by looking at that face.

“M... Mother?”

Andrea let go of Duke Fernan’s arm, which he had been clutching like a lifeline without realizing it, and walked toward the middle-aged woman with trembling steps. With every step Andrea took closer, tears welled up in the woman’s eyes.

“Mother?”

Andrea called to her in a clear voice, as if seeking confirmation. The woman loosened the hands she had been clutching tightly in front of her chest, and spread both arms wide as if welcoming him.

“Welcome back. My beautiful son.”

Those words were like magic. As if bewitched, Andrea went up to the Empress Dowager and threw his arms around her. The Empress Dowager embraced back the body trembling violently with emotion with strong force.

“You have returned to your mother’s side, my son.”

The Empress Dowager whispered in a voice soaked with moisture. Andrea closed his eyes to swallow the tears surging up in a rush.

“How much you must have suffered. How hard it must have been. My precious son. It will all be fine now.”

The words, while stroking and patting his back, were full of affection. The two held each other tightly for a long time before finally letting go. Only then did Andrea notice that the nobles had not yet risen, still maintaining their bows the entire time. Since it had turned into making them stand there for a long while, Andrea made a troubled expression.

“Everyone has been waiting with earnest hearts for your majesty to return safely. Tell them to rise.”

The Empress Dowager whispered softly.

“Everyone, rise.”

When Andrea spoke, the people finally got to their feet. But in the eyes of those looking at Andrea, there was not even a speck of displeasure or annoyance to be found. At least on the surface, that was how it was.

The Empress Dowager linked arms affectionately with Andrea and began walking into the imperial palace with its wide-open doors. Andrea was drawn along as she led him, looking at the Empress Dowager’s endlessly warm face.

“Are you so happy to see your mother?”

The Empress Dowager, having dabbed away her tears with a handkerchief, asked with a gentle smile. Andrea smiled bashfully instead of answering.

Andrea read a deep satisfaction flickering through the eyes of the Empress Dowager, who looked at him with benevolent eyes. Whether that was because she had reunited with her son after more than twenty years, or because of satisfaction toward the ‘your majesty’ who carried Fernan’s blood, he still could not tell.

In any case, what mattered was that, at least for now, the Empress Dowager welcomed Andrea and needed him.

***

It had been like that even at the hunting villa, but in the imperial palace, he was surrounded by far more people.

Nobles in elegant attire trailed after Andrea wherever he went. Even while he was drinking tea and chatting with the Empress Dowager, the nobles listened in on their conversation, and it was the same when he walked down the corridor.

For the being called the emperor, it seemed there was no time to be completely alone unless he was in bed. Of course, even then, attendants would be stationed beyond the curtains.

After Andrea spent time catching up with the Empress Dowager, the chief attendant saw his tired expression and guided him to the bedroom.

He had already thought the bedroom at the hunting villa was very large and splendid, but the emperor’s bedroom could not even be compared to it. It was truly a space that could be called the pinnacle of luxury and splendor.

He had been exposed to the persistent gazes of so many people for the first time in his life, so his mental fatigue was already severe. And now even the bed was this dazzling, to the point that he missed the tiny little room in the monastery where he could be completely alone.

“Are you very tired?”

The chief attendant asked as he set down a teacup steaming warmly and beautifully shaped snacks on the table.

“Yes.”

Andrea nodded slightly and lifted the teacup.

“After you drink your tea, please take a short nap. However, you must attend the evening banquet to show the nobles that your majesty is in good health.”

Andrea looked pleased at the word nap. But he could only quickly grow sullen at the evening banquet schedule that followed.