Wooow...I don’t even know where to start.

This stupid Emperor never fails to surprise me. Looking at the couple, I feel all the blood in me boiling. 

“So, what you are trying to convey is that you, the Emperor found Lady Camillia buying groceries by the street. But the catch is that you remember her face as the fallen Kingdom, Aragon’s princess. Somehow, you two hit it off and the product is those two children in there.”

“Yes, Arthur. What you said is right...but calling them the product is a bit…”, the emperor tried to put in a word.

“I never gave you permission to tell me what is wrong and what is right.”

“...”, I notice his eyes get a bit cloudier at that sentence.

Ah...It weirdly feels good to do this. 

“I genuinely thought you were busy after mother’s deaths. But alas here you are with another woman and two children bearing your hair. You were busy trying to get them into the palace, weren’t you?”

“No, Arthur...please list”

*slam*

With my hand slamming the table, “Answer the goddamn question.”

“Your highness, it would be better to keep your calm”, due to my rude behavior, the  Emperor’s butler said those words.

“Hmmm...let me ask you a question, who are you in this palace?”, of course, I know he is the Emperor’s butler but I wanted to hear it from his mouth.

“I am his majesty’s, Emperor Augustus Zemira’s exclusive butler.”, he answered in a confused tone.

“Exactly...KNOW YOUR PLACE…”

“...”, the temperature dropped even further due to those words of mine.

“...leave…"

“Yes, your highness. Please forgive me.”

“I want all the knights to leave. Only the shadow guards can stay here.”

Emperor and Lady Camilla made a surprised face.

“Hmph...Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“...”, they were speechless.

“Moving on...Lady Camilla, can you answer a few questions of mine?”

“ah...Yes!...I mean...of course, your highness.”, she was startled by the sudden attention towards her.

“You attended mother’s burial, didn’t you?... You arrived at the last mingling with Barons.”

“Eh?...you are right, your highness.”

“Arthur, how did you know?”

“Is that a question or an order?”

“...”, startled by my unaltered hostility, he fell silent.

“Coming back to you, Lady Camilla, you know my mother, don’t you? I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that you both are friends.”

*clunk*, the table shook.

Was that too much of a shock?

“...How...how did you know?”

“Wait…Camilla, you have spoken with Helena?”

“...haha…”,  How great it would be if mom was here right now.

“Your highness?”

“No...it’s nothing. Anyway, I read the letters you sent to my mother. I think the first letter was about 8 years ago. A year later to William’s birth.”

“Ye...Yes, you are right, Your highness”

“The first few letters were filled with your apologizing words...but after mother’s constant pleading to let it go...you two-hit it off to become good friends...I couldn’t understand what you were apologizing for...but now everything makes sense”, unknowingly my mouth formed a small smile.

“You are right...You are absolutely right, your highness… Once I had Williams, the guilt in my heart grew to the point where I took a gamble. If Empress Helena were to become angry I even had the plan to flee the Empire...but...but...contrary to my expectations...she was an angel...she not only forgave…she also suggested me to become her friend…”, she broke down halfway through. 

“I see”, I smiled, “Lady Camilla, I guess you are going to be crowned as the Empress, so stay strong and make sure you are not intimidated by a ten-year-old like me.”

“...Yes...I will, your highness.”

“Good...please do remember that I can never accept you as my step-mother.”, and with that, the once good atmosphere broke down.

“Your highness?”

“The only one I accept as my parent is Helena Zemira...no one else”, this sentence made His Majesty’s face cloud even more.

“I...I understand, your highness”

Satisfied with her response, I moved on.

“...but I gladly accept the siblings...after all...they can’t be burdened with the sins of their parents.”

At this point, she stood up and bowed to me at a perfect 90 degree.

Though a fallen one...she is from royalty.

“Please raise your head, Lady Camilla.”

“Thank you...Thank you, your highness.”

“Now, please listen carefully. You are the future Empress, that means, you have to help the ones below you. Please be a leader and not a boss. My mother...cares deeply about the citizens. Though not up to her level, I expect you to do the same.”

“Yes, Your Highness...I will look after them with the utmost care”

“Great…”, I then moved my eyesight to the man sitting next to her.

“Do you realize the kind of woman you have cheated? Despite knowing everything, mother still forgave you. But do not expect the same from me.”

“...”, he looked at the ground pathetically.

As I was about to move away from the garden, one question suddenly surfaced itself in my head.

“...oh another thing...Do you have some other children without our knowledge out there?”

“...No, Arthur...I don’t...You three are the only ones I have.”

“Make it two.”

With that, I leave the garden without sparring another look at him. Sebastian was waiting with a satisfied face.

“You knew her already, didn’t you, Sebastian? You were worried about my reaction, right?”

“It is as you say, Your Highness.”, he said with a soft grin.