Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I turned my body slightly to make my tear-streaked face more obvious.

“Firentia!”

“G-grandfather…”

I could see my grandfather’s anger building as he watched me cry.

“M-mother.”

At Mayron’s murmuring, I wiped my tears and looked past my grandfather to see Shananet approaching, her face equally enraged. Unlike my grandfather, who stopped in front of the prince and the knights, Shananet kept walking.

She stood before the prince’s knights and coldly commanded, “Step aside.”

Those two words were enough to make the royal knights listen. They took a step back, allowing Shananet to pass.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?”

Her tone was calm, but her voice was trembling. She must have been extremely worried, knowing the twins were with me.

I hung my head in shame.

“Tia,” Shananet asked gently as she wiped the tears from my cheeks, “were you scared?”

“N-no… I’m okay.”

Though I had blurted out the truth, Shananet seemed to think that I was trying to be brave. She patted my head a couple times before glaring coldly at Astana.

“I was expecting the prince to be at our house today. I was not prepared for such a rude guest,” she said.

Grandfather glanced at me once more before speaking.

“Has the prince not heard of the agreement between the Lombardis and the imperial family?”

“I have.”

Astana, perhaps intimidated by my grandfather’s presence, no longer held his head quite as high. However, he still did not seem to fully grasp the situation.

“Does my father know about this ridiculous rule? How can there be any piece of land in this empire that my knights cannot enter? Had he known, he would not stand for it.”

In that moment, I saw a deep rage flash across my grandfather’s face.

You’re so dead, you insolent brat.

“It was not your father Yovanes but the first emperor, Romatili Durelli, and the patriarch of the Lombardi family at the time, Benox Lombardi, who sealed the pact.”

“You… you cannot say my father’s name like…”

The prince seemed more shocked by how my grandfather had addressed the emperor than by the long-standing agreement between the two families.

It was true that one should not casually invoke the emperor’s name. However, my grandfather was an exception because he was the head of the Lombardi family.

The meaning of the long-standing pact was clear. Theirs was not merely a relationship between a monarch and a subject. It was a mutual pact of non-aggression, an alliance that needed to be maintained to ensure the survival of an empire.

That was the true relationship between the imperial family and the Lombardis.

Throughout the long history of the empire, many emperors had struggled to break free from the Lombardis’ power, but none had succeeded. This remained true for Emperor Yovanes, Astana’s father.

Grandfather, seeing Astana at a loss for words, turned his wrath on the nanny and the knights beside him.

“Just because the young prince cannot distinguish right from wrong does not excuse you from being swept up in such a folly!”

“We… we apologize.”

The nanny and the knights all bowed to Grandfather.

They’d had no choice in following the prince’s extremely persistent orders, but they were also well aware of the consequences that came with crossing the Lombardi family.

“I will consider this incident a mistake made by a young prince and let it pass.”

This meant that Grandfather would treat it as a matter between children and not formally complain to the emperor. Had he made a formal complaint, the emperor would have no choice but to apologize for the error directly.

My grandfather was showing a great deal of consideration by choosing to overlook the issue and preserve the emperor’s dignity.

My grandfather is so cool!

The awe-inspiring Lombardi way that my grandfather dealt with the issue sent chills down my spine. Then I felt a hand patting my shoulder.

“It’ll be alright. Don’t worry.”

Shananet seemed to think I was still scared.

Astana, however, had not given up his stubbornness. He pointed a finger at me and glared.

“But this all happened because that girl disobeyed my order! I told her to pick up my hat, and instead of getting it for me she tossed it even further!”

“Please watch your words, Prince,” Grandfather warned again, his eyes flashing. “It almost sounds as if you think that my granddaughter is a servant who should be fetching your hat.”

“Of course she…!”

The nanny grabbed the prince’s shoulder. She was signaling him to stop.

The prince, who was unable to control his temper, took a few deep breaths before shaking her off and slapping the nanny. Then he turned with such force that his clothes fluttered.

“Let’s go! I don’t want to stay in this wretched place any longer!”

He is insufferable to the very end.

The prince stomped away, and peace finally returned.

“I am so sorry, ma’am.”

“We could not intervene because we did not know how they would react…”

The guards who had been following the knights apologized repeatedly.

“It’s okay. Had you intervened, that brat… I mean… the prince would have probably drawn his sword.”

There was no doubt.

As I reassured the guards, I saw two people frantically running up the same stairs the prince had just descended. It was Viese and Bellezac, who had been waiting for the prince at the main gate.

“Father! What happened! Why is the prince leaving so angered…?”

“Firentia,” Grandfather called, completely ignoring Viese.

I’m getting punished, aren’t I?

I answered as politely as possible, hoping to get some pity.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“Good job.”

“What?”

“A Lombardi must act like a Lombardi no matter who they’re dealing with.”

With those words, he headed back to his office.

Though I doubted he truly meant “good job,” it still lifted my spirits. It made me appreciate my grandfather and fall more in love with the Lombardi family.

“I’m sure you are shaken up. Let’s go to your quarters,” Shananet said as I stood there watching Grandfather’s retreating figure.

“I’m really okay.”

Mentally I was okay, but it seemed my body was not. When I tried to walk, my legs gave way and I nearly collapsed.

Seeing this, Shananet sighed softly and turned to the guard standing nearby.

“Can you carry Firentia to her quarters?”

“Oh, yes! Of course!”

Eventually, the guard carried me back to my room. Somewhere along the way, I drifted off to sleep.

***

It was another chaotically busy day.

Gallahan rushed back home, skipping two-to-three steps at a time to see his daughter even a little bit sooner.

“Tia! Daddy’s here! Hmm? Sister? Why are you here?”

The unfamiliar sight of Shananet sitting in his drawing room made Gallahan take one step out of the house then back in again. He wanted to ensure he had come to the right house.

“Gallahan.”

“Yes?”

“Come and sit.”

The man swallowed so hard that his throat visibly moved. Something felt off.

Gallahan was able to confirm through Tia’s open door that she was fast asleep. He sat quietly on the sofa, as Shananet instructed.

“Seems Tia went to bed early today, haha.”

He tried to lighten the awkward atmosphere, but it had no effect on Shananet. She remained expressionless, watching as Gallahan wiped his sweaty palms on his knees.

“Firentia will be tired today. There was an incident earlier today that scared her.”

“An incident? What happened with Tia?” Gallahan asked loudly.

Shananet raised a finger to her lips.

“Are you trying to wake your daughter?”

Gallahan immediately shut his mouth.

“This morning…”

Shananet quietly explained what had happened. Contrary to her expectation that Gallahan would be furious, he simply let out a deep sigh and did not say a word.

“Gallahan, Firentia is a smart girl, but she is still young. She needs care,” Shananet said sternly. “Leaving her alone every day... Do you realize what you’re doing as her father?”

“I hadn’t thought it through,” Gallahan replied, unable to lift his head.

“Surely you’re not considering abandoning your current work to stay by Firentia’s side all the time, are you?”

“H-how did you…?”

“Such a feeble human,” Shananet said, shaking her head as if she had expected this. “How long do you expect Father to be healthy, Gallahan?”

Her question made the man’s shoulders visibly tense. Being born into a powerful family like the Lombardis meant his father’s lifespan had been his concern from an early age.

“Get rid of the foolish notion that you can avoid the storm by keeping your head down and staying out of sight.”

Both siblings were well aware of Viese’s immense ambitions. When the position of family head became vacant, that ambition would undoubtedly cause turmoil.

“Right now, you do not have the strength to protect Firentia. If something were to happen to Father, what do you think will happen to you and your daughter?”

This was the first time Shananet had stopped to give genuine advice to her youngest brother.

“Fortunately, you have a good head on your shoulders. You have looks that are naturally approachable, so dealing with people shouldn’t be too hard for you. Use these traits to your advantage and grow your strength, Gallahan.”

WIth that, Shananet rose from her seat.

Gallahan, who had been lost in thought, stood up hastily and bowed to his sister.

With graceful steps that were near silent, Shananet walked to the door. She paused and looked back.

“Starting tomorrow, when you are not at home, send Firentia to me. I don’t have as many obligations as you do.”

“T-thank you.”

Shananet noticed Gallahan’s surprised demeanor and gave him a rare, faint smile before leaving the room.

Now that they were alone, Gallahan carefully opened the door to Tia’s room. He touched his sleeping daughter’s forehead and watched her peaceful breathing.

“I’m sorry, Tia.”

He thought he had been providing enough love to cover for him and his late wife, but a parent’s role didn’t end there. As he stroked Tia’s forehead, Gallahan repeated a firm resolution to himself again and again.

No matter what happened, he would protect his daughter.

***

Back at the royal palace, Astana was summoned the moment he had finished changing his clothes.

The empress smiled brightly as she welcomed her son.

“How was your day, my prince?”

Has she not heard about the incident?

Astana stood there not knowing what to say.

The empress continued to smile and added, “You didn’t do as I said. I told you to act cautiously when you were at the Lombardis.”

“I... I’m sorry, Mother.”

The arrogant Astana turned into the most obedient and docile son when he stood before the empress.

“I’d like for you to drop by the Lombardi estate with an apology gift soon, okay?”

“But… Urgh!”

The empress gripped the prince’s jaw as he tried to protest.

“My prince.”

“Y-yes, Mother?”

“Today was quite humiliating, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

The empress gently caressed Astana’s face as if she had not been gripping it painfully moments before.

“Answer me, my prince.”

“Yes. It was humiliating.”

“What was?”

“I... I will be the crown prince and eventually inherit this empire. But... But they...”

“They act as if they rule over this empire, don’t they?”

The empress laughed as if it were a joke.

“That is what they are like. Backed by their wealth, they have lost respect for the royal family.”

Clear hostility shone in the empress’s eyes.

“Do not forget what happened to you today, my prince.”

I knew Mother would understand me!

“And this Firentia will learn to regret the insolence she showed you today. I will make sure of it.”

Astana nodded eagerly.

“I will do whatever it takes. You just need to listen to me.”

“Yes, Mother.”

The empress embraced Astana.

Purely on the surface, it looked like a beautiful scene between mother and son.