"Um... excuse me... who are you?"
"Let's see. In terms of blood relations, I'm your father's uncle, which makes me your great-uncle."
"G-Great... uncle...?"
"Yes."
"I have someone like that...? But you look so young..."
"I'm only ten years or so older than your father, after all. Your grandfather was the second-born son, while I am the thirteenth."
"...Um."
"What is it?"
"The second-born, the thirteenth-born... Could it be that what my father said was actually true?"
"I don't know what Genuine told you."
I offered that first before stating the truth plainly.
"Your grandfather was the former Crown Prince Albert Ararat, and I was the former Thirteenth Imperial Prince, now the Emperor."
"—!"
Canaan gasped.
The look on her face asked: So what my father said was really true...?
"R-Really..."
"Take all the time you need until you can wrap your head around it."
"............Um."
"What is it?"
"What will... happen to my father?"
"Hm?"
"My father left acting as if he's going to live in luxury from now on, but... that can't be right, can it...?"
Canaan asked, tentatively watching my expression.
I gazed at Canaan, observing her face and the sharp intelligence that lay behind it.
"Um... did I say something wrong?"
"You're perceptive."
"Huh?"
"I'm saying you're smart."
"Th-Then my father is—"
Canaan leaned forward, her expression growing rigid.
No matter how worthless he was, he was still her father, and she was clearly worried about him.
"Rest assured, this isn't a matter of taking his life."
"Huh? Th-Then..."
"To put it bluntly, if Genuine continues as he is, he'll be an absolute disgrace."
"Ah..."
Canaan held her tongue.
Having stayed by his side day in and day out, she likely understood better than anyone that he would bring shame upon our name.
That was why she couldn't offer a single word in his defense.
"On the other hand, I accepted a charge from his father—your grandfather. I promised to look after his children without executing them."
"Then..."
"He is a disgrace, yet I cannot kill him. Therefore, I will confine him to an estate under house arrest. I will provide for him so that he never wants for food, clothing, or shelter for the rest of his days. It is my way of balancing reality with my duty to the deceased."
"House arrest... I see..."
Canaan looked visibly relieved.
Even under confinement, his life would be spared, and that seemed to put her heart at ease.
"Now then, as for you."
"Y-Yes!"
Canaan flinched.
Her spine stiffened like a rod, and her shoulders hunched toward her ears.
I chuckled softly.
"Do not worry, it isn't bad news."
"Yes..."
"I cannot leave you as you are. Although this doesn't directly concern you, I cannot protect the child only to abandon the grandchild."
"Does that mean..."
"You haven't committed any wrongdoing, so the rest simply comes down to familial affection."
"Ah..."
Canaan's expression softened slightly.
The thought had never crossed her mind, but the reasoning was straightforward, and she seemed to accept it readily.
"That being said, Genuine is the way he is. If he keeps a daughter around, matters will only become complicated."
"—!"
Canaan flinched again.
It was as though she had been lifted up only to be dropped back down.
"Don't brace yourself. This isn't a punishment."
I repeated the reassurance.
Seeing her tense up at every little thing offered a glimpse into the strained dynamic between Canaan and Genuine.
"Then...?"
"I shall make you—my adopted daughter."
"..................Huh?"
Perhaps because the words were so entirely beyond her imagination, Canaan froze on the spot, petrified like stone.
☆
Night, inside the governor-general's estate.
Sitting on the sofa in the living room, I faced Audrey.
After hearing the whole story, Audrey looked at me with an enraptured gaze.
"You truly are... remarkable."
"Hm?"
"Your handling of those two, especially Canaan."
"Ah."
I nodded firmly.
First, the face of that man bearing Albert's likeness surfaced in my mind.
"I saw his face. There's no doubt he was Albert's son. Even without a shred of circumstantial evidence, that resemblance alone is proof enough."
"Yes."
"Albert's son, born of imperial blood. Even so, he's a complete wastrel. What would you do as the head of a family if a third or fourth son were living in total debauchery, teetering on the verge of crime?"
"Bring him back, lock him in the house, and never let him take another step outside for the rest of his days."
Audrey answered in a flat tone that bordered on chilling.
"Exactly. Any family head would haul a good-for-nothing son home and lock him up to keep him from causing trouble for others, and no law was ever written to forbid it. In fact, when it comes to the imperial family, internal house law explicitly states that they can be confined if they show no signs of remorse."
"You are incredible, Lord Noah."
"There are two steps to this. Acknowledge him and send him back to the imperial capital. After that, confine him to a decent estate. I'll see to that part; it's a trivial task, but one tied to our family's honor. If I leave the actual management to Dustin, he'll gladly handle it with ease."
"Yes."
"As for Canaan... At first, I intended to have someone else take her in. Someone like Kilo has already largely passed down his headship, so one more daughter wouldn't pose an issue. That was my initial thought."
However, I changed my mind, my tone implied.
Audrey looked surprised for a fleeting moment, but her expression quickly turned serious as she asked, "Could she be... a 'gem'?"
"She looked like a diamond in the rough to me."
I stated with absolute confidence.
Genuine's face faded from my thoughts, replaced by Canaan's.
Her reactions upon hearing my words, and the deductions she drew.
She possessed a sharp intelligence that was difficult to believe came from Genuine's flesh and blood.
"She lacks education, etiquette, and everything in between, but I could tell she has genuine natural wit."
"I see. How do you intend to treat her, then?"
"First, I'll have her educated. If she shows an aptitude for statecraft, I'll keep her on my side; if not, I'll entrust her to you."
"To me...?"
Audrey tilted her head in slight wonder.
"It fulfills my promise to you, after all."
"A promise?"
"A promise to give you more imperial princesses."
"Ah..."
A look of realization dawned on Audrey's face.
The request she had made of me directly not long ago—asking to increase the number of imperial princesses.
Audrey was the Empress, the mother of the nation who oversaw everything within the inner palace.
And she had harbored a genuine concern.
Imperial princesses were vital assets for statecraft and diplomacy, indispensable for marrying into other nations to maintain foreign relations.
At times, they married down to domestic subjects to cement loyalties.
In any case, imperial princesses were crucial figures for political marriages, which meant they had to receive an education befitting their station.
Instilling the proper mindset of an imperial princess was a given, but acquiring the necessary knowledge and refinement was just as essential.
Furthermore, education required continuous practice.
Without students to teach, the knowledge and skills of the instructors would eventually wither away.
Audrey, as the mistress of the inner palace, had worried over that reality and asked me to sire more children to increase our number of imperial princesses.
Now, that conversation returned to her mind.
"You remembered that..."
"It's to reward you; how could I ever forget?"
"Thank you very much..."
Audrey blushed, smiling bashfully in delight.
"It takes time to conceive and raise children, so I was looking into alternative methods."
"And that led to adoption..."
"Exactly. Adopting from collateral branches of the imperial family isn't unusual. Not just in Miles, but across history, you'd be hard-pressed to find a dynasty that hasn't done it."
"It is just as you say."
"Have you met Noufe yet?"
I shifted the topic slightly.
Audrey blinked in surprise.
Her expression seemed to ask: Why bring up Noufe now?
"No, I have only heard about her."
"I plan to do the same with that girl, but I'll be keeping her on my side. The rice and the seeds—both will turn into massive undertakings. When the time comes, having the status of an imperial princess will serve her well."
"To think that far ahead... You truly are extraordinary."
Audrey nodded, looking completely enraptured by me—even more so than usual.