Her voice, tinged with moisture, lacked strength.
The sincerity of it seemed diluted, yet the weight of its meaning made it hard to call it a lie.
Thanks to this, Daniel came to understand.
Selvia was expressing a turmoil of emotions, amplified by the influence of alcohol.
She was merely acting out, hoping someone would notice her struggles, nothing more.
‘If she weren’t intoxicated, I doubt we would see this side of her.’
After all, Selvia was the Emperor of the Empire.
Having ascended to the throne that ruled over all, she must not show weakness to anyone.
For weakness implied an inability to rule others.
Thus, Selvia had always maintained an air of resilience.
Even when her elder brother sought to kill her in order to claim the throne, or when the nobles turned their backs on her, she consoled herself that it was fine.
She surely believed that once she became the Emperor, all problems would neatly resolve themselves.
She must have assumed, at least, that the resistance from the parliament and the nobles would eventually subside.
However, as Emperor, Selvia found the nobles not just turning away, but conspiring against her.
The National Assembly, meant to represent the people, consistently opposed her newly proposed policies.
And amidst all this, she learned, through her royal physician, that her father, Berthelm, would not live past the month.
It would be strange for her not to crumble.
Realizing that despite attaining the most exalted position in the Empire, none of the issues she wished resolved were, indeed, being solved.
The immense responsibility weighing her down and countless criticisms pulling her back—how many people could truly maintain sanity under such pressures?
Still, Selvia did not give up.
She devoted herself to governance, reducing her sleeping hours.
She catered to the nobles as much as she could, forcing smiles despite the difficulties.
She visited the Parliament to understand the grievances of the legislators.
She embarked on provincial tours to give speeches, attempting to gain the trust of citizens dissatisfied with having a female Emperor.
And amidst all this, Selvia strived to earn acceptance as the ruler of the Empire through numerous endeavors.
Yet, upon returning to the palace, instead of praise for her efforts, Selvia only encountered seditious rumors about her reign.
From Selvia’s perspective, it was already commendable that she did not lash out, thinking, ‘These reactionaries must be driven insane by my leniency; they ought to be purged entirely!’
Just as Daniel understood Selvia’s plight fully, he was about to offer her a consoling response.
“…Of course, I was joking.”
Before Daniel could respond, Selvia withdrew from their embrace, stepping back.
Whether the alcohol had worn off slightly or she was surprised by her own words, a peculiar sense of shame was evident on her face.
“I’m sorry about this. This wasn’t what I intended to say when I summoned you…”
A sigh escaped her delicate lips.
“Please don’t misunderstand. This gathering was meant solely to encourage the war hero destined for the Eastern Front. Therefore…”
Even now, Selvia clumsily concealed her true feelings.
All of a sudden, Daniel, kneeling on one knee, gazed steadily at her.
Her self-blaming demeanor reminded him somewhat of his past life.
After much contemplation, Daniel quietly began speaking.
“Your Majesty. Whether you believe me or not, I was a quite renowned person in my previous life, involved in a profession that put me in the public eye, which naturally drew many followers.”
Though an unexpected reference to his past life, Selvia was not particularly repelled by it.
She understood this was Daniel’s way of offering comfort.
“I enjoyed immense popularity. Although not quite to the extent of Your Majesty, walking down the street became a torment due to the attention. But popularity wasn’t everlasting.”
A bitter smile spread across Daniel’s lips.
“As a false rumor began to spread, everything went awry. Instead of determining if the rumor was true, people prioritized criticizing me. Consequently, I had to abandon everything and go into seclusion.”
It was then Daniel first realized how frightening the world could be.
“The connections with my acquaintances naturally dissolved, leaving me deeply lonely. Why couldn’t people seek the truth? Why were the journalists so intent on destroying me? For the first week, I couldn’t control my anger and took it out on inanimate objects.”
While the internet on his smartphone once praised him endlessly, it was now filled with hateful comments.
Repulsed by this, Daniel lashed out at the poor smartphone.
Only after a considerable time passed did the rumor prove false, and Daniel was exonerated, but nothing changed.
There was nothing left for Daniel, having been removed from all programs.
“My anger slowly abated, only to be replaced by profound sadness. Was it because I thought my life was ruined? Though partially true, that wasn’t the root cause. What saddened me most was that when everyone condemned me, not a single person said, ‘No, it’s not true.’”
If just one person had sincerely said, ‘I know it’s not your fault,’ how much better it would have been.
How much hope could have endured.
How much strength could have been gained.
“So…”
Even as Emperor, the ruler of all, the situation wouldn’t be much different.
Perceiving this instinctively, Daniel decided to offer Selvia the words she needed.
“Selvia. It’s not your fault.”
Upon hearing this, Selvia’s eyes widened.
Soon, a dewy mist began to form in her azure irises, reminiscent of a clear sea.
“When you started speaking nonsense, I thought—”
Pretending to be unaffected, but her voice trembled.
“Do you expect me to believe in this reincarnation story? Such unrealistic words as comfort?!”
Selvia’s composed expression began to falter.
As she clenched her teeth to suppress her tears, it proved futile.
A whimper escaped her lips, and before she could hold back any longer, Selvia ran toward Daniel.
For a brief moment, their bodies intertwined.
Selvia, tightly embracing Daniel, let out a flood of pent-up emotions.
Pouring out the sorrows she had endured as the Princess, and later as Emperor, of the Empire.
Daniel, in turn, embraced her gently, offering quiet words of solace.
“Even if the whole world criticizes you, Your Majesty, I will continue to believe in you.”
To which, Selvia responded not with words but tears, sobs, and a slight nod.
Through expressions devoid of language, Daniel softly stroked Selvia’s back.
For the time being, he thought of Selvia not as the Empire’s Emperor, but as a younger sister who had experienced the world’s harshness.
*
“…But really, reincarnation? Couldn’t you have thought of a more plausible comfort?”
With her tears dried, Selvia leaned against the wall and inquired.
Seated casually beside her, Daniel chuckled.
“That was all I could think of on the spot. If it didn’t suit your liking, I apologize.”
“It wasn’t that it didn’t suit me. I just felt it lacked realism.”
“That’s a relief then. I guess it just barely passed.”
As Daniel joked, Selvia let out a soft laugh.
Selvia tilted her head and glanced at Daniel.
In doing so, her platinum hair cascaded down over her shoulder.
As Daniel turned his head, their eyes met.
Selvia’s eyes, still slightly red from recent tears, caught Daniel’s attention.
After a brief silence, Selvia quietly spoke.
“Will it take long for you to return from the frontlines?”
“I don’t know precisely, given the unclear state of the battlefield.”
“Is that so…”
Muttering with an air of dissatisfaction, Selvia redirected her gaze forward.
“…Do you know what it felt like?”
“What exactly?”
“When you called me ‘Selvia.’ Rather presumptuously.”
Daniel stifled a cough, as if tickled.
Caught up in the moment, addressing her by her first name had been the cause.
Liable to punishment for blasphemy, Daniel felt the tension, but Selvia chuckled softly.
“I’m joking. In truth, it made me happy. Aside from my parents, no one calls me by my name. Back then, they all addressed me as Her Highness the Princess, and now it’s Her Majesty the Emperor. Honestly, I can’t tell if the ministers serve me or my background.”
But Daniel was different.
He saw the human inside the Emperor clearly.
“In that regard, would you agree to one promise?”
Selvia extended her pinky finger toward Daniel.
“Come back soon. And when you do, I’d like you to call my name again.”
Amused by her pure request, Daniel gave a hollow laugh.
Daniel raised his hand, forming a ring with Selvia’s pinky.
“Understood.”
Bathed in moonlight from the window, Selvia smiled brightly upon hearing Daniel’s response.
“Thank you.”
For some reason, tonight’s breeze wasn’t cold.
And so, the night quietly deepened, signaling the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
