“Well, I gave birth to him and he resembles me a lot, but honestly, he’s a bit of a rascal in the way that he’s too confident—he got that from his father. But if it’s you though, Ducal Lady, I’m sure you’ll be able to make him cry at least once.”

“…I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t think too harshly of him. You never know, he might suit your taste someday.”

“……”

Although they hadn’t even exchanged formal marriage proposals, the empress’s words poured forth with great force.

“Well, let’s end the jesting here.”

“…Huh?”

The empress made a gentle gesture to her attendant standing nearby. So the conversation they had just shared was in jest?

Violet’s mind briefly wandered the cosmos before quickly returning back to earth with a small gesture from the empress.

The empress’s lady-in-waiting, Countess Halsella, quickly returned with a little girl in tow.

The child, who appeared to be a little over twelve, had a striking appearance that resembled a golden treasure.

Golden hair and golden eyes.

Violet recognized her immediately.

A presence hidden away as a secret in the imperial family.

The mute imperial princess who had never been exposed to the outside world since birth.

“Let me introduce you. This is Princess Rahacelia Ashilion L. Liddell. Celi, you should greet the ducal lady as well.”

The young girl, who still looked very young, said nothing and just stared at Violet. She had been introduced, so she should probably say hello.

Just as Violet was about to give a proper greeting, the young girl slowly lowered her head and nestled into her mother’s arms.

Her childlike behavior felt strangely out of place.

“Surprised? The princess doesn’t know how to speak.”

“…I see.”

“So, I have no idea what this child is thinking or what she wants. I tried to teach her how to read and write, but it failed every time… She’s either very childlike or not at all.”

“The fact that information about Her Highness is hidden…”

“It might be a secret, it might not be. My husband is a good person to me, but he’s also someone who has earned the resentment and curses of many. It’s like a form of curse, they say. I don’t know what sin this child has committed, but it’s truly pitiable.”

“……”

“I’ve never hidden this child away as a secret. My husband and Rajaden are much too overprotective, and they say all we need to do is treat her well. But I’d rather show her a bigger world,” the Empress spoke gently.

Violet recalled the crown prince mentioning his sister once and couldn’t help but wonder about such excessive protection.

“As for Rajaden, yes, he might carry a sense of guilt. According to the ancient texts, curses often target the firstborn. We thought it was completely lifted, but…”

The empress’s words left Violet intrigued.

In the imperial family, there were occasional instances of children born under a curse, typically affecting the firstborn and often manifesting as some form of madness, as it had with the empress’s second child.

“…I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear anything about this today.”

“No need to be so cautious,”

The empress reassured Violet as her fingers gently caressed the princess’s head, eliciting a bright smile from the young girl.

“I’ll likely die before her. I’m sure. When that happens, she’ll have to find her own way to survive. While I wish I could protect her in my arms for the rest of her life, it’s not possible…”

The empress’s gentle gaze turned to Violet.

“You know, too, right? The best life us women can hope for is to become someone’s wife and to be protected. So, I thought that was the only way.”

As the Empress explained, her voice was filled with a hint of sorrow.

For a mute princess, there wouldn’t be many choices in life.

Even if she were to marry a good man, it was hard to predict her future, and whether she truly desired such a life was a question that needed consideration.

That’s why the current emperor erased the princess’s existence. He made everyone forget about her, ensuring no rumors or speculations could circulate.

While it was an extreme form of protection, it was effective in preserving her safety.

“Is that so,” Violet responded softly, understanding the complexity of the situation.

“It’s a sad thing. In the end, her world has become smaller. She can’t venture into a wider world, see more things, and do what she wants because she’s not allowed to.”

The current emperor wasn’t the legitimate heir to the throne. He had eliminated all his siblings to ascend to the throne and had ruled with an iron fist.

While stability had returned over time, there were always lurking threats. Those who survived the purge would be waiting for the right moment to act, and the princess was not just someone to protect, but also a potential vulnerability in the imperial family.

“Celi, here you go.”

The young princess received a snack from the empress, her demeanor reflecting the innocence of a child, unaffected by the heavy matters that were being discussed.