Baby Empress Chapter 9

'Morality?'

It sounded like something cool.

I caught the glimpse the Duke's a moment's hesitation. As if he didn't even intend to say this. But he already spoke of Noblesse Oblige, and I was looking up at the Duke, expecting an explanation.

“…Those who have. Yes, the privileges. We are the ones who have it.”

It was hard to understand.

The Duke perched on the table. The desk was so low that it was like a chair for my daddy. He picked up a blank piece of paper and reached out to me.

“Pen.”

“Ah, …. here.”

I felt ashamed as I offered my pen that was soiled with ink. If I'd known this would happen, I would have made it clean.

However, the Duke did not care and drew something on the paper with the pen I handed to him. The lines were still good even though his hand moved fast.

“Now, can you see it?”

“Yes.”

I looked down at the paper while shrugging my shoulders.

“This is a nobleman, this is a bourgeoisie, this is a commoner, this is a slave.”

There were four lines drawn on a large triangle. The Duke spoke whille drawing a crown on the highest top triangle.

“And the one at the top is the Emperor.” The Duke continued, “There is no Pope in the Haspelt Empire. The Emperor has the divine right. That's why, on top of this.”

The Duke said, drawing something on the pyramid, “It's only Shinsu.”

It looked like an animal, resembled a lion, and also looked like a dragon. It was difficult to recognize because the picture was not specific.

As I looked up, the Duke was staring at me. He pointed the tip of the pen at me and said.

“And you, you are above this Shinsu. “

“…Yes?”

“It's a famous proverb in the myth from the time when the Empire was builded. Shinsu is above the Emperor, and above the Shinsu—”

The Duke stopped talking.

“—there is a child of prophecy.”

The Duke wrote four letters of my name on the animal picture.

[ ADELE ]

“….I don't know.”

“If you don't know something, you'll find out about it soon. I heard from Ehin that your attitude in class is very good. Good job, keep doing that.”

Another praise. I opened my eyes round.

“It's one month. Just endure it for a month and it'll be over.”

The Duke rummaged in his arms. Then he soon took out a white handkerchief and wiped the ink off his hand.

'One month.'

I paused for a moment at the word that popped out again.

Come to think of it, Ehin also said before class, 'Please take good care of me for the next month.'.

As expected, will I … be abandoned after a month?

“Would you like to wipe it, too?”

The Duke asked me, sticking out his handkerchief. The handkerchief was picked up in ink. I nodded silently.

The handkerchief he handed over to me was embroidered with gold thread.

[ BEASIRTA ]

'…Bea…Sir…Ta.'

Inadvertently, I stuttered the letters engraved under the handkerchief.

Beasirta? It was probably the name of the person who presented the handkerchief.

The handkerchief looked very expensive. The fabric was smooth and soft to touch. The subtle scent calmed me down. The Duke's warmth was remained in the handkerchief, so I felt sorry for some reason while wiping it.

I raised my head to give it back. My daddy was looking at me with strange eyes.

“Thank you.” I returned the handkerchief and said.

The Duke held the handkerchief in his arms. He looked down at the picture drawn on the paper and spoke again.

“In this era, there are aristocrats who do not fulfill their obligation. Aristocrats are nobles, and therefore it ought to be able to give. Whether it is commoners or slaves, in the most urgent situation, we should give our lives for them.”

I stared closely at the Duke. It was because because it was the first time someone from the aristocracy said such words.

I still don't know why the child of prophecy should be a princess. I don't know how long I will be a Duke's daughter. I was happy because this Duke is my dad, even if it's short-lived.

'I see.'

I suddenly realized.

This is not a dream.

It's real. He's a real adult, my guardian, my dad. He's my family.

'I feel weird.'

I thought of him as my dad. I also called him daddy in front of others. Although I couldn't do it in front of the Duke.

But why is he like a real dad?

“You need to pay the price for this luxurious life someday. There are no people who will support the nobleman who only enjoys their privileges.”

That way, he said that naturally like I was also considered a noble.

He looks indifferent yet cool. It's amazing. I was low.

'Not long ago, I was just a commoner orphan.'

But wouldn't it be too soon to accept? Everyone calls me a princess, but I'm still more used to the warmth of sleeping with Madeleine.

But my daddy … he regarded me as a precious person.

“Noblesse oblige … I will definitely remember it.”

It was hard to bear because something tickled inside my heart. I breathed heavily. My eyebrows seemed to be tickled as if snowdrops had fallen down gently on it, and my cheeks flinched.

Just as I suddenly felt awkward when I was conscious of my breathing, I forgot how to hold my expression and I felt the Duke's gaze on me.

He was staring at me.

I made an expression. Perhaps because of the red eyes, the Duke's stare felt intense.

“I wish someone had told me this when I was young.”

The Duke leaned back languidly and rummaged in his arms. When I was about to be discouraged by his indifferent face, Michael, who was standing behind, stepped forward.

“Your Grace, smoking in front of a child—”

“I quit.”

The Duke cut Michael's words lightly. What he took out of his pocket was a long, white … candy. The Duke grabbed it between his index finger and his middle finger, then grumbled.

“Who told me that candy can hold me back?”

The Duke took the candy in his mouth and cursed the gums. His dark dignified face and the candy didn't match well.

“It's not delicious.”

The Duke had a serious face. With his fingers, he smashed the long candy into two pieces. The powder spilled.

Michael, who was watching, raised his eyebrow once and then lowered it and stepped back. The Duke raised his shoulders and rose from his seat.

“Are you going to go like this?”

“Then?”

The Duke asked Michael again. Michael looked at me. The Duke followed Michael's gaze and stared at me.

'Is he going to go?'

I got up from my seat. The chair was so high that I barely managed to get out of the ground with my toes up.

I walked in front of the Duke. I bowed down and said politely.

“Goodbye.”

“Look, she wants me to go.”

“Your Grace, that's not what I meant….”

“Then what.”

Michael shut his mouth. The Duke frowned and turned to me.

His figure is so big. It's like he was covering the rising moon on behalf of the sun.

I looked up at my dad.

I think we got closer than when we first met. And it was better.

Originally, I liked him because he was my family, but the longer time we spend together, the better I felt.

'Noblesse oblige.'

That's a really cool word. I mumbled what my dad said for the first time.

“Can you … can you hold out your hand?”

“Hand?”

“In the air, just like this….”

I showed a demonstration. It's just reaching out in the air. When Duke saw that, he pushed his arm into the air without hesitation. Then the Duke' palm was just slightly lower than my head.

I tucked my head underneath it and rubbed it in the Duke's palm.

His palm was warm.

Unlike the warmth I felt through the handkerchief, it was softer and more ticklish. I was rubbing my hair on my own, but I felt good as if he was patting it.

'When I had a family, I wanted them to pat my head first.'

The Duke looked at me with a dazed face.

It feels better than I imagined. Unlike my dreams, the texture is vivid.

Terra's face turned red as if she had seen a cute teddy bear.

“Argh! Break down the building!”

Terra, who only showed me her shy face, punched Fabian next to her and said that.

Fabian was beaten, but he stayed still and didn't say anything while staring. Not only Fabian, but everyone saw me.

I pulled my head back while looking around.

What if I offended him?

The Duke remained silent for a while with his hands still in the air, as if he was puzzled.

My dad soon turned his palm upside down and stared at his hand.

After silence, he opened his mouth.

“Did you wash your hair?”

If I hadn't washed my hair, he would have taken out a handkerchief like when he had ink on his hands.

I couldn't wash my hair often when I was in the orphanage, but I washed it every day after I came to the Duke's castle.

I nodded, recalling the memories I had before sleeping yesterday.

“Yes.”

Michael's expression was not very good.

The Duke pondered for a moment, then put his palm on my head.

'Oh, heavy.'

And he touched my head with a hand that was closer to hit my head rather than patting. It was too hurry. There was no tenderness at all.

“Child, you must have wanted to be praised.”

The touch was soon over. I don't know how I look because I can't look in the mirror. However, the Duke, looking down at me, soon smirked.

“Good night.”

“…The Duke too.”

The Duke really went away this time.

It was the same again this time as we got closer without saying much. My eyes met with Michael. Michael bowed politely to me and whispered sorry.

***

I'm happy. He just patted my head.

'It tickles.'

I couldn't help laughing.

'Studying is great.'

My faith in Michael has grown tremendously strong. As expected, purple eyes don't lie. Purple eyes are pretty.

Sarina carefully served me. The escorts who followed me were desperate. I was walking a little fast because I was in a good mood, but they looked worried that I might fall.

“I have to go to bed early.”

I said as soon as I arrived at the white building. Now what Michael said was true to me.

Sarina said softly, “Yes, Princess. I'll prepare the bath. The chef is preparing a special dessert for you to eat after bathing, so you can taste it before you go to bed. It hasn't been long since the sun went down.”

I opened my eyes wide at the word dessert.

“Dessert means snack. The chef is a cook.”

“Waa….”

Snack?

I'm alrady happy to only eat meals because I'm not a big eater, I can't believe there are even snacks.

My mouth was watering.

'I'm happy.'

Can I be this happy?

If I'm too happy, wouldn't I suddenly be punished for being a bad child?

However, no one ever punished me here.

I followed Sarina into the bath, dipped myself in the water, and and dozed off while holding a duck toy.

Everyone took care me until the moment my hair was dried and the dessert was placed in front of my eyes.

Nom.

I cut a piece of cake and put it in my mouth. The sweetness spread throughout my mouth.

I was happy.

T/N:

bourgeoisie: the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes. Actually the korean word is “중인/chungin”, the literal meaning is “middle people“. They were the upper middle class of the Joseon Dynasty in medieval and early modern Korean society. Their status was lower than the aristocracy but above the lower middle and working class commoners in social status.

Shinsu: 신수. I don't know how to exactly translate it so I left is as it is. Shin means god/divine, and shin-soo literally means 'divine water', but that would be weird I think. I tried to look for reference but all I could find is Tower of God one. Feel free to tell me if you have an idea!

also I'm sorry this took longer than I promised. It seemed like I jinxed myself everytime I said I'll do update regularly.

It has been raining every day on my city recently and I live in coastal area, the internet signal is really bad I'm going to complain to my provider. Be healthy and stay safe, everyone!

Chapter end