Chapter 71

(Note) Emma is fine.

I laid Emma, who insisted she was fine, down on the bed and, while gently wiping her sweat, she soon fell asleep with a thump.

Thinking about how much she must have pushed herself, my heart ached.

I want to take such good care of her, yet Emma always ends up in difficult situations.

It might be selfish of me to want her to rely on me more, given how she always tries to reassure and comfort others with her smile, even when she's enduring so much.

Currently, the royal castle is in a bit of a turmoil, so I don't have much time to spare at the academy, where I only attend classes.

Still, over the past two weeks, I could see that Emma was gradually losing her strength. During breaks, she would even rest her head on the desk.

When I called out to her, she would respond with her usual smile, saying she was fine, and I didn't press the matter further at the time. But today, she didn't seem fine enough to just brush it off.

Suddenly, when Emma spoke in the Imperial language, I was so shocked that I couldn't move.

The citizens of the kingdom cannot understand the Imperial language.

The pronunciation, grammar, and script are so different that it's said that one's ears, eyes, and brain lack the organs to recognize them. Even if one can barely make out a word, it's difficult to remember it.

This is not limited to the kingdom; many countries have been unable to communicate with the Empire.

The Empire has been in a state of near isolation for a long time, but due to poor weather last year, it has become difficult to produce enough food. A few months ago, a request for assistance was sent to the kingdom through the island nation of Baritu, one of the few places that can communicate with the Empire.

The kingdom, blessed with vast land and the legacy of generations of magicians, is rich in resources, which is why it was chosen.

There were not a few who opposed the establishment of diplomatic relations with the mysterious Empire, but the king decided to do it on a whim, thinking it would be interesting.

The first issue was, of course, the language barrier. Baritu, which acted as an intermediary, is far from the kingdom and has a laid-back national character, so the negotiations did not progress as smoothly as hoped.

Meanwhile, the stockpiled food supplies were dwindling, causing the Empire to become increasingly anxious.

The imperial family of the Empire is said to be revered by the people as divine beings due to their bloodline.

The prince, a god-like figure, learned the kingdom's language and came to the kingdom under the guise of studying to negotiate and establish diplomatic relations.

After all the hard work, it's no wonder the prince and the king were excited when Emma spoke the Imperial language at today's banquet.

However, when the king pressed Emma further, she seemed to stiffen for a moment.

Seeing where the king was holding her, I finally snapped out of my shock and tried to pull the king away, but it was too late.

Her smile was forced, and her voice was trembling.

Sweat was beading on her forehead, and she looked like she was about to collapse.

For the kingdom, it is urgent to understand why Emma can speak the Imperial language.

Whether she can understand the language, read and write, and how long it takes to translate it into the kingdom's language are all crucial pieces of information for the king and the nobles who know the situation.

This is a matter of national interest, and if other countries learn of her ability, they will surely target her.

But...

I couldn't bear to see Emma in front of me looking so distressed.

I didn't want anyone to see her like this.

...This is also my selfishness.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and the maid from earlier entered the room.

"Um, for Emma to change... I'm sorry, but if you'd like, you can use my nightgown. I thought it might be more comfortable than the dress..."

The maid handed the nightgown to Hilda timidly. It was a completely selfless act, something a maid wouldn't usually do.

I left the room while Emma was changing.

Emma doesn't change her attitude whether it's a maid or a prince.

While the way she addresses and greets people is different out of politeness, she doesn't treat the prince with excessive formality or look down on the maid.

She treats everyone with respect and kindness, without discrimination.

That's why everyone likes her.

After changing, Emma was still asleep when I returned to the room.

Hilda was holding her hand, looking worried.

"Even after changing, she hasn't regained consciousness. I wonder how much she has been pushing herself..."

The doctor who examined Emma also seemed a bit perplexed.

"The wounds themselves are completely healed, so there shouldn't be a problem... However, since the wounds were quite deep, there might be some internal effects. For now, the best thing to do is to let her rest and not push her too hard."

Even the doctor could only make guesses about the injuries.

She must have been enduring them alone without letting anyone notice.

After a while, Leonardo came to the castle to pick up Emma.

"Leonardo, I'm sorry. I was with her, and yet this happened..."

Hilda explained the situation to Leonardo and apologized.

"Mother, Emma will be fine. Our cat wasn't causing any trouble, so I'll take her home for now."

"......Cat? Huh? Cat?"

Leonardo and I called out to Emma, but she didn't respond. She looked like she was sleeping soundly. I could have woken her, but it would have been too pitiful, so I picked her up and wrapped her in the blanket I had brought.

"Then, I apologize for the trouble Emma has caused both the prince and you, Mother."

As Leonardo was about to leave the room, the prince hurriedly followed him, but stopped when he opened the door.

A dozen men were blocking the way.

"Lord Stewart, I have a few questions about Emma Stewart."

The nervous-looking man in front spoke to Leonardo, glancing at Emma in his arms.

"Now? I'm busy right now..."

Leonardo answered, looking troubled, but the man didn't back down.

"This is a matter of great importance to the kingdom. We need to understand the situation as soon as possible."

The men stepped forward, putting pressure on them.

"I want to take my daughter home and let her rest. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Leonardo, who was not intimidated by the pressure, smiled and said.

Physically, he was taller and stronger than the men, having faced monsters as a hunter. Even if the number of men doubled, the outcome would likely be the same.

"What are you doing! Move out of the way!"

The prince, who had been standing behind, stepped forward and scolded the men.

"Your Highness, this is a matter of national diplomacy. This is not a time for personal affairs. Please leave it to us, the diplomats."

The diplomat, who had seen Emma speaking the Imperial language, had rushed to the scene.

"Oliver DeFross, how rude! Your words to the second prince of the kingdom are quite disrespectful, are they not?"

Hilda came to Leonardo's aid from behind.

"Ah! Lady Hilda Salisbury! ...No matter what you say, we will fulfill our duties!"

The diplomat, who was momentarily intimidated by the notorious Lady Hilda, quickly regained his composure, using the nation's interests as his justification.

"Hmph, interesting. Emma is just a 13-year-old girl. She is unconscious and in pain. Why does she need to serve the nation? Moreover, are you planning to push the burden of cleaning up your mess onto my granddaughter, when none of you can speak the Imperial language?"

So far, only Leonardo knew that Emma was sleeping soundly.

"We are working for the kingdom! If you say any more, even the Duchess of Salisbury will be held accountable!"

Hilda's large, deep sigh stopped the diplomat's rant. It was a sigh that could make a princess tremble and even the king pause in his tracks.

"Oliver, and those behind you, Connor, Robinson, Bran, Mason, Kristen, Morrison, Austin, and... Hmph... If the parents are this disrespectful, I can't expect much from their daughters' manners. I've heard that they are of an age to start looking for suitors... This will be a topic of discussion at the next tea party."

"Are you threatening us!?"

A princess with poor manners has no prospects for marriage.

"You are the ones using the nation as a threat. I have merely noted a family with poor manners. Is that so wrong?"

"Ah! We are deeply sorry!"

The men, except for the leader, scattered.

"You! Don't run! Hey!"

The lone diplomat, still standing in front of the door, glared at Leonardo.

"Unfortunately, my daughter is more important to me than the kingdom. If I am to be punished for this, so be it."

Leonardo smiled down at the diplomat, who shuddered and fell to the ground, intimidated by the tense atmosphere.

"If you understand, I am grateful."

With the diplomat out of the way, Leonardo left the room, bowed to the prince and Hilda, and departed from the castle.

When Leonardo came to pick her up, Emma, who had woken up feeling refreshed, would learn that the commotion had grown even larger.