Chapter 701

Epilogue - The Spring Palace

At some point, a cat began to live in the Imperial Capital.

A cat with fur as white as snow.

The reason it was known as a cat living in the Imperial Capital rather than the emperor's pet was that no one in the palace claimed to be raising the cat.

There was no dedicated maid to care for the cat, and neither the emperor nor the empress, or anyone else, seemed to be feeding it.

Its appearances were unpredictable.

Sometimes it would sit on the emperor's lap and yawn, other times it would snuggle in the archmage's arms while strolling through the palace. It was also found dozing on the desk in the minister's study, and even discovered atop the chandelier in the main hall of the central palace's Tetra – no one knew how it had gotten up there.

The cat was even found in places other than the central palace, such as the Spring Palace and other seasonal palaces.

Thus, it was a cat that considered the entire Imperial Capital its home.

Though the cat had the considerable privilege of being able to climb onto the emperor's lap whenever it wanted, it was unclear whether the emperor was truly raising the cat. After all, the emperor never gave any specific orders regarding the cat's care.

Moreover, the cat appeared very infrequently.

Although it clearly lived in the Imperial Capital, there were times when it would not be seen for days or even months.

Since the Imperial Capital was vast, everyone assumed the cat must be somewhere within its confines and didn't bother to look for it.

Then, every few months or even once a year, the cat would reappear.

Neither the emperor nor the empresses would search for the cat when it disappeared.

That's why it was known as a cat living in the Imperial Capital, not the emperor's pet.

The palace's only wild animal that would disappear and reappear on its own accord.

Though it was somewhat of a palace attraction, time passed without it being considered an important creature.

During that time, several significant events occurred in the empire.

One of the empresses became pregnant and gave birth.

With various incidents happening, time passed.

As time went by, the famous cat was eventually forgotten.

This was because the cat hadn't been seen for almost four years.

Rumors circulated that it may have died somewhere within the palace or got stuck between buildings or on a rooftop, but since neither the emperor nor the empress ordered anyone to look for the cat, no one searched for it.

However, the cat, which had disappeared so suddenly, reappeared once again.

The gradually forgotten cat began to roam the palace, looking exactly as people remembered it, leaving everyone wondering where it had been and what it had been doing all that time.

Around the same time, the emperor did something strange by bringing home an illegitimate child from somewhere. The palace was briefly abuzz, but the commotion subsided when the archmage willingly accepted the child without any fuss.

After that incident, more time passed.

"… Priscilla, haven't I told you more than once?"

"Yes…"

The second princess, Priscilla, was being scolded.

And it was her mother, the empress, the archmage who was doing the scolding.

Yet, even as the archmage reprimanded Priscilla, she couldn't help but look at the child sitting beside the princess.

The sight only made the archmage's expression more troubled.

The child had skin as white as snow, clear eyes, and shimmering, neatly braided black hair.

The face was as delicate as porcelain, carefully crafted by a master artisan.

Clad in an adorable frilly dress, the figure was so endearing that it became unbearable not to hug it.

However, Empress Harriet composed herself.

"How many times have I told you? Rune doesn't like this sort of thing."

"But still..."

Second Princess Priscilla pouted.

Among the Emperor's children, she was known to have inherited his unexpected and stubborn personality the most.

Everyone prayed that she would not inherit such traits, but they were in vain.

She had inherited that stubbornness that wouldn't be satisfied unless she did what she wanted.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"What...?"

"What did I do wrong?"

Second Princess Priscilla.

In the end, she pointed to her younger brother, who sat vacantly as if his soul had left him due to their mother's scolding.

"It's Rune's fault for being so adorable, even though he's a boy."

"…!"

Without realizing it, the Empress bit her tongue at those unexpected words.

Prince Rune merely sat there blankly, as if he was accustomed to his sister's outbursts.

In the end, Priscilla had to endure a three-hour-long scolding from her mother.

In the past.

Ellen, who had been out of touch for four years and whose whereabouts were unknown, entrusted her child to the Emperor.

The reason for her absence was that she had returned to her hometown, Rezaira, for some time.

The Emperor had no choice but to understand the reasons for her return and her silence.

After a long-awaited reunion and conversation, the Emperor returned to the palace.

'...So it's Ellen's child. Of course, it's also mine.'

The Archmage, surprised by the sudden appearance of the child, couldn't take her eyes off the little one.

The child, slightly frightened, huddled up and clung to the Emperor's hem, timidly revealing only the face.

The sight was so endearing that she wanted to embrace the child right away.

'How could... she have hidden such a beautiful daughter all this time?'

'...No.'

'...Huh? You knew?'

'I didn't know... that's not it...'

'If that's not it, then what?'

'It's not... a daughter.'

'????'

It was then that the Empress finally understood why the Emperor had such an expression.

It was also around that time that the white cat reappeared in the palace.

Three years had passed since the four-year-old prince arrived at the palace.

Empress Harriet, who was also an Archmage, accepted Rune, the illegitimate child the Emperor had brought, as her own son.

This was not only because she had the most experience in childcare among the royals, but also because she had strongly desired it.

However, the problem was with Second Princess Priscilla.

Everyone thought that she might have issues with her sudden new sibling due to dislike or jealousy, but it was quite the opposite.

She adored him too much, which was the problem.

However, her way of expressing her affection was quite peculiar.

She tried to dress him in girl's clothes whenever she had the chance and refused to be apart from him all day.

Just as Priscilla had inherited her father's eccentricities, Prince Rune had inherited his mother's taciturn nature to an extreme extent.

It was clear that he disliked Priscilla's actions, but his expressions were not strong, so Priscilla ended up doing as she pleased.

Thus, when the palace's inhabitants took their eyes off them for a moment, Priscilla would transform Prince Rune into a little girl so adorable that anyone would want to hug at first glance.

"…Tch."

Having been scolded a lot and told not to approach Rune for the entire day, Priscilla, visibly irritated, walked down the corridor of the spring palace.

Priscilla was in a terrible mood.

Since tomorrow was Monday, and she had to go to the temple, the only day she could play with Rune, who was too young to go to the temple, was Sunday.

But since her mother would undoubtedly be by Rune's side all day today, she felt utterly defeated.

In this disconcerted state, a high, sharp voice pierced Priscilla's ears.

"Judging by that scrunched-up face, you must've gotten scolded by the witch again, huh?"

A little taller than Priscilla, with dazzling platinum blonde hair and a beautiful face, but an annoying sneer that was far from that beauty.

Priscilla's expression filled with irritation.

"What do you want?"

"You don't want me to tell the witch again, do you?"

The daughter of the Holy Empress and the First Princess, Amelia, was there.

Amelia sneered at Priscilla, who was clearly in trouble.

"You should be careful what you say about my mother, too."

"What else should I call a witch but a witch?"

If there was one thing Priscilla loved more than anything else in the world, it was Rune. The one thing she hated most was Amelia, the wicked woman with a pretty face but a malicious personality.

"Why is my mom a witch, you idiotic wench!"

"What...? Idiotic? And wench?"

"Yeah, you idiotic, empty-headed wench!"

It was due to their long-standing arguments that Priscilla's language had become so coarse at such a young age.

The palace maids passing by didn't even bother to intervene.

It was common knowledge in the palace that whenever Priscilla and Rune were together, they'd end up playing dress-up, and whenever Priscilla and Amelia crossed paths, they'd always fight.

Here we go again...

With that thought, they sighed deeply and continued on their way.

But their childish fights were by no means polite.

Infuriated by being called an idiotic wench, Amelia rolled up her sleeves.

She was the daughter of the Holy Empress.

She inherited not only her looks but also an incredible talent for combat that bordered on ignorance.

"You're going down."

Amelia charged, and Priscilla gritted her teeth.

-Thwack!

"Ouch! Let go?!"

"Will you let go?"

Amelia, gripping Priscilla's hair roughly, began to wring her.

In a fistfight, Priscilla stood no chance against Amelia.

However, she wouldn't give in.

Admitting defeat would only lead to that insufferable pretty face being filled with even more mockery and arrogance, which would make her even angrier.

"Ah! Let go! Let me go, you crazy wench!"

"Call me your sister. Sister. Do it, you insolent wench."

"No way!"

"Then suffer."

-Aaaah!

"Aaaah! Ouch! Ouch!"

As the daughters of the most respected beings on the continent brawled like street thugs, the passing maids sighed and continued on their way.

It was that common an occurrence.

-Stop it! Can't you stop?!

Finally, the Archmage, having heard the commotion, rushed into the corridor, and only then did Amelia let go of Priscilla's hair.

"Mom! She did it again! She hit me again!"

Priscilla hid behind the empress and cried out, causing Amelia's expression to contort even more.

However, Harriet looked at Amelia with a sad expression, biting her lips.

"Amelia... I always tell you to get along well with each other."

"..."

At the empress's rebuke, Amelia's expression only grew more twisted.

"And she called Mom a witch again!"

"Be quiet, Priscilla."

One of the main reasons Priscilla hated Amelia was that she was so brazen and called her mother a witch, yet her mother never scolded Amelia.

She couldn't understand why.

Instead, her mother seemed even sadder when she looked at Amelia.

She couldn't tell why, but she felt as if her mother was somehow apologizing.

"Hmph...!"

In the end, Amelia bit her lip and turned away with those words.

Priscilla could think of countless instances of being bullied by Amelia since they were young.

That's why Priscilla almost had a fit whenever she saw Amelia, who had been relentlessly tormenting her for reasons she couldn't understand.

From a very young age, Amelia would pinch and hit her for no reason, and often blamed Priscilla for her own accidents.

Priscilla had always been the victim, but now she could no longer be silent and began to stand up to Amelia and shout.

"Priscilla, can't you please... get along with Amelia?"

Her mother looked at her with a sad expression and said those words.

"How can I get along when she starts it even when I'm just minding my own business?"

"..."

As Priscilla said, Amelia was the one who always picked fights for no reason.

From Priscilla's perspective, the injustice and sorrow she felt was inevitable. The accumulated resentment had led her to pick fights with Amelia as well.

Amelia had always tormented her without reason.

Not only did Amelia dislike her, but she also showed her dislike for their mother by calling her a witch.

While it might be because Amelia resembled her birth mother, the Holy Empress, there were still inexplicable aspects to her behavior.

One day.

Priscilla had seen it from afar.

In a hidden corner of the spring palace's garden, Amelia was sobbing while being held by her mother.

Even then, just as now.

Her mother, with a sad expression, held the weeping Amelia in her arms.

Priscilla couldn't understand why Amelia behaved that way, or why her mother was so tender toward the insolent Amelia.

There were two ways to keep Priscilla from tormenting Rune.

Either someone was always by Rune's side, or someone was always by Priscilla's side.

The archmage took a walk to soothe the angry Priscilla, and naturally, Prince Rune became free.

A total of four people lived in the spring palace, which had become the archmage's residence.

The owner of the palace, the archmage, Empress Harriet.

And all the emperor's children.

Amelia, who stayed in the Imperial Capital instead of the Holy Empire due to the Temple, Priscilla, and Rune, who had become Harriet's son, all lived together in the spring palace.

That's why the spring palace was bustling every day.

Prince Rune sat at a table in the peaceful tea-time hall of the palace, without his sister around.

It wasn't that he was particularly interested in drinking tea.

"Meow."

However, Rune simply sat at the table, his face close to the white cat, gently stroking its back.

The cat, as white as snow and quite pretty, basked in the sunlight, slowly swishing its tail with its eyes closed.

And Rune absentmindedly petted the cat.

Since the white cat had reappeared, it had often been by Rune's side, who had appeared around the same time.

First Prince Rune had always kept the cat with him.

As if it were family.

"Hmm…"

During this leisurely time, a voice from behind made Rune slowly turn his head.

First Princess Amelia, her arms folded, gazed at Rune.

"What, brat?"

Although she had been the one to look at him first, Amelia responded grumpily to Rune's gaze.

"…"

Rune, without saying a word, turned his head back towards the cat.

Amelia quarreled constantly with Priscilla, who, in turn, followed Rune around, doing all sorts of bizarre things.

Amelia didn't particularly torment First Prince Rune.

Nor did she follow him around like Priscilla.

Amelia acted as if she didn't pay much attention to First Prince Rune, treating him as if he were nothing more than a chicken or a cow.

Neither acting as if she disliked nor liked him.

However, Amelia approached Rune, who was preoccupied with the cat, and sat down in front of him.

Then, she looked around.

As if checking to see if anyone was nearby.

Upon confirming that no one was passing by, Amelia quietly grabbed Rune's hand.

"…?"

"Come here."

Amelia sat Rune on her lap and embraced him tightly.

"…"

"You're good… Yeah."

Then, she said nothing more.

As if just doing that was enough.

With a faint smile on her lips.

Rune, as if accustomed to it, continued to stroke the cat while embraced.

Neither striking up a conversation nor engaging in one.

Amelia, who wasn't expressive, adored the First Prince very much.

She was just clumsy in showing it.

The First Prince, who was naturally quiet.

The First Princess, who didn't know how to properly express her affection.

Priscilla kept Amelia from getting close to Rune.

Worried that Amelia might torment him as she had done to her, Priscilla sought to protect Rune. And Amelia didn't force herself to take Rune away from Priscilla, who blocked her as if trying to protect him.

Priscilla growled whenever Amelia passed by, unable to bear the thought of Rune suffering like she had.

Because she hated seeing that, Amelia avoided getting close to Rune when Priscilla was around.

She had no intention of tormenting such a cute and lovable youngest sibling.

However, when the Second Princess wasn't around, Amelia expressed her affection for her youngest sibling in her own way.

Embracing Rune, Amelia wore a happy smile on her face. The white cat watched them quietly, swishing its tail.

Just then, Amelia sensed someone's presence and carefully detached Rune from her embrace.

She couldn't understand why, but she found the scene too embarrassing for someone else to witness.

In front of others, she treated him like a mere chicken or cow.

Amelia's expression couldn't help but harden upon seeing the person who entered the tea-time hall.

"Amelia."

"Your… Your Highness…"

Amelia's mother.

The ruler of the Holy Empire, Empress Olivia.

Dressed in her priestess attire, Olivia exuded an air of sacred authority.

Although Priscilla and the Archmage were strikingly similar, Amelia and Olivia resembled each other as if cut from the same cloth.

"Shall we have a talk?"

"…Yes."

Hesitantly, Amelia followed her mother at a slow pace.

Her steps felt unusually heavy.

"…"

And Rune quietly watched Amelia's retreating footsteps as if being pulled away.

"Can't everyone… get along?"

"Meow."

At Rune's murmur, the white cat swished its tail quietly.