Chapter 14: The Companion
Emilia returned swiftly to the palace and immediately decided to assign Dyan to her personal knight squad.
With the slave contract now binding him, this Rank 7 Warrior would become a loyal sword that Emilia could fully trust. And besides, Dyan wasn't a man of vile nature — his honesty and unwavering devotion pleased her greatly.
For the price of five thousand gold coins, Emilia couldn't have been more satisfied.
At least, that old emperor had finally done something useful for once.
"So… She is a princess?"
Dyan, led by one of the palace knights to his new quarters, still couldn't calm the turmoil in his chest.
From the despair of thinking he'd become a noble's plaything… to now finding himself with a new position that is serving a beautiful princess, Dyan no longer knew whether to call himself fortunate or cursed.
"I just hope… my life will be better this time."
At the very least, he could hope for a future now, a stable job, decent pay, and enough to send back home so the children of his village would never again have to starve through winter.
"Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen Consort has sent over the preparation schedule for your debut ball."
The head maid, Helena, handed Emilia a long, detailed list.
"Whatever. On that day, just pick me a nice gown and let me take a stroll through the party," Emilia replied with a shrug.
"But there's one thing Your Highness must decide before the banquet!"
Helena didn't allow her princess to brush it off so easily.
"Have you chosen your companion for the debut ball yet?"
"Companion?" Emilia blinked in surprise.
She had never attended these kinds of noble gatherings before, and so she'd completely forgotten, every lady attending must be accompanied by a partner, and that same partner must join her in the opening dance.
"At the debut, Princess Milim has already invited Crown Prince Caesar as her companion. Does Your Highness plan to invite Prince Caesar as well?"
Caesar?
Emilia's thoughts drifted to her half-brother.
In truth, he never struck her as particularly clever, and Emilia had very little patience for fools.
The man who would escort her to such a grand event should be someone she truly admired. Aside from sharing a drop of blood, Caesar had nothing she valued.
"If only he were here…"
A familiar silhouette surfaced in Emilia's memory.
But that was impossible. She had already given up her path as an Astrologer, abandoned her studies and the days spent under his tutelage. Her teacher must have long since erased the name Emilia from his list of disciples.
For an Astrologer, to sever a bond was to sever it completely, best to never meet each other again.
Emilia's gaze wandered to the pale moonlight outside her window.
The cool glow reminded her of his gentle eyes, the way they softened whenever he guided her out of the forest to glimpse the world beyond.
"The only person I'd want by my side… is him."
If not for her teacher, Emilia might have become someone entirely different, shallow, ignorant, consumed only by hatred.
That was who she had been before she met him: a child whose heart knew nothing but vengeance.
The night was clear, yet heavy with unease.
Caesar couldn't sleep.
Earlier that day, Queen Consort Sophia had summoned him to speak about Emilia's debut ball.
"You were Milim's companion before," Sophia began wearily. "This time, I want you to accompany Emilia. It will improve the royal family's image and silence the rumors of discord among the heirs."
She leaned back in her chair with a sigh.
Who would ever want to make peace with that insolent girl?
But ever since Emilia's reappearance, vicious rumors had spread throughout the capital, whispers that the emperor was cruel to his own child, that Sophia schemed to overthrow Princess Emilia and the late Empress Liliane to secure her position.
The royal family could not afford such talk. Both Sophia and Emperor Arthur had been harshly criticized because of it.
"But I've barely spoken to her," Caesar frowned.
Though they'd crossed paths only twice, he could already sense the sharp hostility in Emilia's eyes.
She wasn't the kind of woman who would accept him as her escort simply because the royal court said so.
"I'll send her a letter," Sophia replied, confidence returning to her tone. "I'll explain how this will benefit her. After all, Emilia has just returned to the capital, she knows no noble of true influence. Who else could she possibly invite as her companion?"
At that, Sophia smiled with satisfaction.
Caesar would be Emilia's best and only choice.
More than that, by appearing beside Caesar, Emilia's position as a potential heir would appear weaker in the nobles' eyes, while Caesar's own prestige would rise.
Sophia was certain:
A country girl who grew up in the woods could never see through something so simple.