The completely suspicious attendant left nothing but incredibly suspicious evidence and an address.
Pastel turned pale with anxiety.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I didn’t stab our greatest dignity with a spear!”
I’m just a pure girl who came here to clarify with a single gold coin, not knowing anything about the royalists or the nobles!
Aaaah!
Why is there this misunderstanding about me!
She ran around the hospital room, flustered.
“Devil! This is a big deal! A really big deal! Going against the temper of the powerful on a specific issue and openly joining opposing forces are two different stories!”
I can truly empathize with Your Majesty’s heart as a ruler!
If it were Pastel, if a friend betrayed her once, it would be sadness, but if a friend genuinely joined the opposing forces, it would turn her expression to one of indifference.
Indifference!
Aaaah!
This is something that can’t happen in Pastel’s life!
“Calm down. It’s best to sit and assess the situation.”
The devil was bewildered by Pastel’s frantic running.
“Calm down! Calm down! I’m not able to calm down!”
Pastel kept running around. Her pink hair fluttered.
“What should I do! What should I do!”
A great crisis struck the innocent Pastel, who had been living kindly in the outskirts!
Warning signals were blaring.
It wasn’t that the brave Pastel, who had never felt a moment of fear in her life, sensed danger. As Pastel, fear surged within her.
The poor Pastel, with no support in central politics or human assets.
Even if the emperor, who is behind in factions, goes against the enemy unprepared, they will be crushed by political power. Since the Kraft clan originally supported the royalists, they are essentially betrayers. It’s easy to understand that the emperor might prepare another political strategy to use as an example.
As Pastel, who has a support base on the outskirts of Sky Island, is powerless in the political machinations occurring in the empire’s capital!
Having lived innocently on Sky Island, a warrant for treason could suddenly come flying down from the empire’s capital.
It didn’t matter whether she joined the powerful noble faction or not. The Kraft clan originally supported the royalists, thus they aren’t tightly linked to the noble faction. The leadership of the noble faction could covertly present Pastel as a bargaining chip after political dealings with the emperor.
The noble faction already offered a scapegoat that wasn’t one of their own to gain what they desired.
The emperor could easily deal with the betrayer and establish authority, which is a gain.
To keep on monitoring such schemes, it would be practically impossible for Pastel to do so from far-off Sky Island.
Pastel clutched her head and screamed.
“Aaaah!”
This incident feels so real!
I’m scared!
The scheming of the central political arena is so frightening!
Innocent Pastel is likely overwhelmed by the conniving strategists! Strategical plots that have already been prepared are likely tightening around my neck!
So, so!
What if the pepper shaker handed to me by the noble faction is actually fake?!
In the imperial capital, while Pastel might be unconscious, there was enough time and resources to create a duplicate of the pepper shaker.
Then the replica could be handed to Pastel to reassure her while the real evidence remained with the noble faction.
This way, when necessary later, they could threaten innocent Pastel by bringing out the evidence pepper shaker again and accusing her of staging a scheme. Or they could hand over the evidence to the emperor and engage in political dealings.
Huh.
Thinking about it feels like that would be the case!
If Pastel were the head of the noble faction, it would only make sense that such foundational schemes were made!
The Kraft clan, known for their betrayal and historically being royalists, would naturally keep one weakness as a management precaution!
“Aaaah!”
Pastel trembled as she checked the pepper shaker.
It looks exactly the same as the one she usually carries. But thinking about the dark depths of central politics, she couldn’t feel at ease.
Could it be that they even copied it so perfectly that I couldn’t tell?
Yes! Yes!
These people are so frightening!
Facing a political crisis, her instincts for power suddenly kicked in. An endless stream of ideas came to mind, only to be eliminated one by one.
Her pink eyes sparkled.
“Ha! That’s it!”
Instead of relying on the bad noble faction that collects the weaknesses of good Pastel, what if I lean towards the royalists?
Pastel pointed an accusing finger at the devil.
“The Kraft clan originally supports the royalists!”
“It is traditionally a royalist faction.”
“Yes! Royalists!”
Pastel’s expression changed to that of a loyal subject.
“Actually, I have admired Your Majesty since I was young! There’s no way I couldn’t be a royalist!”
Even though her family collapsed and her political assets vanished, the Kraft clan is undoubtedly a legitimate royalist faction with history and tradition. If she were to join the royalists, she would be able to receive sympathy votes as well.
The emperor might feel uncomfortable, but that would only prevent him from mistreating the Kraft clan. Simply pushing out a loyal clan that returned to the royalists after being betrayed, without a valid reason, would be a truly political misstep.
Huh.
How clever of me to think of this!
I’m so smart!
The devil’s expression turned strange.
“That person isn’t worthy of your admiration.”
“What?!”
Pastel pointed an accusing finger at the devil.
“How can you say such things in front of a loyal subject of the great emperor! I cannot leave this alone! Hyaa!”
Pastel ran up and poked the devil’s chest repeatedly. The devil looked bewildered.
“When did you become a loyal subject? Objectively, you have less respect for the royal family than the noble faction. You don’t act like a noble.”
“Such an insult! I can’t forgive it! Yump! Yump!”
Pastel’s soft punches tapped against the devil’s chest. The devil shook his head and picked up a parfait spoon.
“I’ll bring something to eat since you must be hungry. Even if it doesn’t hurt, lie down in bed for now. If you’ve collapsed, it’s better to rest.”
“Yes!”
The devil left.
Pastel lay down in bed obediently.
Then, since she listened to the devil’s words while lying down, she got up and began to wander the hospital room.
She crossed her arms and took on a serious expression.
“If the accusation of staging a scheme is smoothed over by Your Majesty as compensation for rejoining the royalists after being betrayed, there’s no problem!”
I’m not afraid of the genuine pepper shaker!
Yes, yes!
I’m so smart!
A knock came on the door.
“Uh! Is it you already, Devil?”
Upon opening the door, a strange blonde man stood with a bodyguard. His golden eyes briefly scanned and appraised Pastel.
Huh.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled warmly.
“You seem to be fine? I heard you collapsed while I was too busy to attend to dinner, and I was worried.”
Pastel became dazed.
I couldn’t take care of it because I was busy?
No way, no way!
The blonde hair and golden eyes caught her attention.
It was obvious he belonged to the royal family!
Even though he had a youthful face, being in the age range of around thirty, he must be the emperor!
Your Majesty!
Aaaah!
Suddenly facing the supreme authority, Pastel trembled. Her pink eyes widened and froze like a little animal.
“I—I admire you! So, I— I really respect you!”
Aaaah!
What am I saying?!
“Hmm?”
The emperor looked confused and then smiled.
“Thank you. But may I come in? It feels awkward standing here.”
“Ah! Yes! Yes!”
Pastel hurriedly stepped aside from the door.
The emperor stationed his bodyguard in the hall and then entered. His golden eyes scanned the hospital room before stopping on Pastel.
The emperor was amazed.
“You really resemble Blossom. I didn’t expect you to be at this level.”
“Oh, Mother?”
Pastel fidgeted, unsure how to respond as she touched her side hair.
Thank you?
Thanks?
The emperor’s hand reached out, lifting her chin to observe her face.
Huh?
The golden eyes steadily met hers.
Oh no.
This is the situation I was scared of.
Pastel shrank back.
The emperor, unbothered, scrutinized her appearance and marveled.
“If only I were ten years younger.”
With a hint of regret in his voice, his hand withdrew.
Pastel quickly took a step back. Her pink eyes trembled.
Oh no.
Lack of power.
The emperor watched her with an assessing gaze before smiling brightly.
“Viscount Pastel? I heard there were rumors of staging a scheme on my way here. What do you think?”
Huh.
Pastel was taken aback by the direct question that did not allow for time to adapt.
“Well, um, that is to say…”
The plans she had prepared flew out of her head due to the pressure of power.
Huh.
It felt like she had returned to being foolish.
“It’s not just in character; you really do resemble her.”
The emperor nodded to himself, placing his hands behind his back as he walked around the spacious hospital room. His wistful glance wrapped around the past.
“Blossom was often misunderstood. She struggled with her family’s notoriety and tried to reason things out, but it didn’t go well.”
Huh?
What does that mean?
The emperor became lost in a thought before making eye contact and smiling gently.
“As a friend, it is my duty to alleviate the burden on her child.”
He then winked and added:
“I will need to hear the exact situation from Demonios.”
Normal!
This is normal!
Pastel’s cheeks flushed. She clenched her fists tightly.
“Wow! Wow! Wow! Me! Me!”
She barely calmed her excited breaths and shouted.
“No one has met my gaze this properly on the first meeting!”
To think that someone could immediately recognize kind and innocent Pastel!
An achievement even the devil couldn’t manage!
Pastel felt touched and slightly teary-eyed. Her pink eyes glistened.
“Really? That’s great.”
The emperor smiled kindly.
“There’s no need for suspicion or worry; come to a safe haven swiftly.”
His arms spread wide.
“Yes!”
Pastel rushed forward and hugged him tightly. The reassuring warmth felt extremely cozy.
The emperor chuckled joyfully, clapping his hands. Serving maids carrying food entered the hospital room. In an instant, a small buffet was set up.
“I thought you might not have eaten properly, so I prepared this; would you like some?”
Huh.
How could you know me this well?
She lifted the pepper shaker.
“I would like to eat!”
It feels healing!
Long live Your Majesty!
You are the greatest adult in my life!
Meanwhile.
The devil was in the borrowed kitchen, making an apple pie that Pastel wouldn’t eat because she was full.
Apple pieces were carefully placed one by one on the pie crust.
“I wonder if one pie is enough. Though I can’t overstuff someone who fainted. Hmm.”
