Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 42. The Fatal Weakness I Never Knew Because I Only Lived in the Imperial Palace (2)
Ten attendants and handmaidens to accompany me, thirty security personnel, plus Choco who could single-handedly kill a thousand, and the Chief Attendant Grandmother who could nag three thousand people all by herself.
The Imperial expedition team was absolutely flawless, and I boarded the airship dressed simply in travel clothes. It was touching how Prisoner and my friends chased after me all the way to the airfield to see me off. I sniffled while gazing out the window for a moment, and before long, I fell asleep from airship sickness.
“Bleeegh!”
I’d wake up, vomit, fall asleep, wake up, vomit—I did this for four straight days before finally arriving at the Imperial Capital. Skin and bones clinging together, I descended from the airship only to see a crowd of people welcoming us. There was a boy about my age dressed impeccably at the front, so he must be from the Astiages Royal Family.
As I stumbled down the stairs, the Little One embraced me with a diplomatic smile.
“Welcome, Princess of Kisomalos. I am the Fifth Prince of Astiages.”
“Uurgh.”
“…?”
“Bwaaaagh.”
“…?!”
I vomited on the Empire’s Fifth Prince. Dizzy and unable to face the consequences, I decided to play unconscious and rolled my eyes back before collapsing.
“Y-Your Highness the Princess!”
“Pisha!”
The Fifth Prince who had just been greeting me shrieked. I was quickly scooped up by Choco and transferred to the ceremonial car, while the Chief Attendant Grandmother rapidly apologized to the royal and slammed the car door shut, shouting for us to depart immediately.
A deathly silence filled the car, and only after I was moved to the Guest Palace of the Imperial Family, washed, and changed into fresh clothes could I finally come to my senses.
“You should have held it in! Vomiting right there! Are you in your right mind, Your Highness!”
“Ahahaha! Ahahaha! Hahaha!”
The Fifth Prince is of legitimate Empress lineage! What are we going to do about this! What on earth are we going to do!”
“Ahahaha! Hahaha! Ahahaha!”
“You were so courteous to some lowborn like Hesperus or whatever, yet you show such disgrace to someone of equal legitimate status!”
“Hahaha! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!”
“Choco, stop laughing!”
I kicked her shin hard, finding Choco’s continued laughter more infuriating than the Chamberlain’s nagging, but she made no effort to restrain herself and even shed tears.
“Did you see that Little One’s face? Insane, ahahaha! He looked like he’d never seen someone else’s vomit before!”
“Most people don’t see other people’s vomit!”
“Ahahaha! During the war, I see it every day when people get pierced! Hahahaha!”
Choco, why are you laughing while saying such things? You’re like a madwoman. When I expressed my disgust toward Choco, she suddenly stopped laughing and became completely serious.
“What do you mean I’m a madwoman. Chiron is worse.”
“You’re like a madwoman for that too.”
She laughed and then stopped, and because that side of her really did seem mad, I backed away. Choco immediately sprang up and chased after me, saying she’d devour me.
“Kyaaah! She’s a madwoman!”
“Grr! Since I’m a madwoman, I won’t devour Pisha!”
I scurried around the guest room in circles to escape, and Choco finally caught me, lifting me up and tossing me repeatedly. You really do enjoy throwing me around, don’t you, Choco.
“Stop being so rowdy. You’ll be meeting the Emperor, so prepare yourself.”
“Why are we doing that right after arriving?”
“So he’ll send you off quickly to recover from your journey.”
Madam Listo, who explained that this was the custom, deliberately pulled out her supervisor’s glasses and adjusted them with a snap.
Wow, so that’s how protocol and custom work. It means I need to go right away to buy myself rest time?
“Fine. The sickness has settled anyway, so let’s go quickly.”
I’d already changed into a pretty dress, so I stepped out of the room and turned left. When I’d arrived earlier, it seemed like the path to the largest palace was in this direction.
I walked forward confidently, but Choco lifted me up and corrected my direction.
“If the Main Palace is indeed the largest, the direction should be this way, miss.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. You were distracted earlier, so you must not have noticed.”
That wasn’t true—I had seen it—but since the Chief Attendant Grandmother also said this direction was correct, I figured I must have been mistaken and walked forward.
As I walked through the palace following the attendant assigned to me by the Empire, the differences between this place and Kisomalos became strikingly apparent. Being a nomadic people, they had an incredible amount of horse decorations! And so many bird ornaments symbolizing the nation. The Emperor’s Son had worn formal attire in a style widely used across the continent, so I hadn’t noticed, but the Palace Attendants’ clothing was different from ours too.
Even plain fabric had patterns densely woven throughout, and there were so many buttons. And they wore multiple layers of clothing. It must be because there are more cold days throughout the year. I’d brought a fur coat to prepare for the climate, but the wind still cut through. Wearing several thin layers like that would definitely be warmer.
“Wow!”
As I walked toward the Main Palace, I spotted a group of fluffy cats sunbathing outside the window.
“How can the cats here have such fluffy fur! They’re so cute! Their faces look so pitiful! Adorable!”
“The northern cats are mostly long-haired, aren’t they? Quite cute, miss.”
“They certainly are cute.”
As the Chief Attendant Grandmother, Choco, and I pressed ourselves against the window, praising the cats’ cuteness, I noticed the Imperial attendants nodding with pleased expressions. So these fluffy cats really were a source of pride for the Empire.
“If we make a good impression on His Imperial Majesty, wouldn’t he give us one? We could take it back as a gift.”
“They’re under breed management, so it would be impossible to export them abroad.”
“Tch.”
They were being awfully protective of one cat. But since fluffy cats like that weren’t common, I understood why they were so strict about it. Ugh, they’re so cute. All puffed up like that—their fur would be so soft and pleasant to touch. I wanted them. I wanted to pet them.
“If I may be so bold, His Majesty is waiting for you.”
Oh no, had we been looking at the cats for that long? If the attendant felt the need to hint at it, we really must have been staring for ages.
The three of us from Kisomalos felt awkward, so we cleared our throats and moved on.
As I entered the Main Palace—a structure that could only be described as a grand palace—I saw elegant decorations and an enormous door. It seemed they only used one Audience Chamber. A strategy of selection and concentration. It was impressively large and ornate, perfectly designed to intimidate foreign visitors.
“Your Highness, you remember the guidelines for conduct when meeting the Imperial Emperor, yes? Keep your answers as brief and simple as possible. Victory comes not from your lengthy speeches, but from your restraint.”
“How many times will you confirm this?”
I’m not that scatterbrained! I cursed the Chief Attendant Grandmother for being a fool, then instructed the Imperial attendant to announce my arrival. The doors opened shortly after, and I saw the Emperor sitting alone in the otherwise empty Audience Chamber.
So this really was protocol. They’d cleared everyone out just to rush through the greeting and let me rest.
I walked forward confidently, accompanied by Choco and the Chief Attendant. He was the Emperor of a great nation, but I was the Princess of Kisomalos. We were neither enemies nor allies—just nations of roughly equal standing—so excessive formality wasn’t necessary.
I wouldn’t kneel, wouldn’t bow deeply. Having come as the face of my nation, I wouldn’t lower my head. But considering he was my elder and of higher station, I would lower my eyes out of respect.
I gave a slight curtsy and made clear that I had come as his invited guest.
“I came with joy in response to your invitation. I am Vishnabel, Princess of Kisomalos.”
“May the radiance of the golden lamb shine upon you.”
“May wisdom dwell in the great wings.”
After exchanging blessings to our ancestral spirits, I expected to hear words of welcome for my journey and then be dismissed to rest. The Emperor, having confirmed I was just a child and was about to send me away, suddenly saw me holding my head high and his expression turned mischievous.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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