There Is No Place For Fakes

However, Nassar showed no signs of accepting Ellencia.

“Okay, that looks a little dangerous. Where is Her Highness’ escort knight?” he murmured calmly.

In the meantime, Philomel and Nassar closed the distance between them and the tree. Philomel could now also see the outline of a cat hanging on the tree. Where Elencia stretched out her hand… A cat with silver fur was showing its teeth as if saying ‘Why are you out there!’

The cat continued to be hopeless. There was no way he could climb the tree and not come down. However, Ellencia seemed to be so mistaken.

Ellencia gave the cat a word of hope.

“Aren’t you scared? Wait a bit. Come down and I’ll give you some delicious fish, so don’t be afraid!”

Le Guin was engrossed in washing his face as a cat, regardless of who else below him.

“What are you doing there!”

Philomel unknowingly ran out. Only the determination to retrieve that cat quickly was firm.

“Miss Philomel!”

Nassar followed her.

As Philomel neared her tree, Le Guin spotted her and jumped down from the tree.

The cat came snugly into her bosom. it was successfully received.

“Alas! Ah…”

But at the impact Philomel stumbled and tripped on the roots of the tree, falling down on her buttock. But the bad luck didn’t stop there.

“Your Highness the Princess!”

Elencia, who was hanging on the tree previously, was falling. That’s right, on top of Philomel, who closed her eyes tightly. But the shock she had foreseen did not overtake her.

“Are you all right!”

When she opened her eyes, Nassar was looking down at Philomel anxiously. When Philomel did not answer, Nassar’s expression darkened even more.

“Are you seriously hurt?”

The answer to the question came from a completely different place.

Elencia shouted cheerfully.

“I’m fine!”

Landing on the floor, she gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt.

“Hello. Thank you for saving me. May I ask your name?”

Philomel realized that this is the moment where the two of them will fall in love with each other. She got up hastily and tried to get away from them. It was then that Jeremiah, who had been far away, came running to her. 

“You! Are you okay? Did you fall down?”

“It’s nothing, I’m fine. Let’s find a quick place to hide…”

Philomel didn’t intend to go far, she wanted to observe the two of them from a distance. It was a good opportunity to observe how Elencia reacted. However, things went the exact opposite of what was expected.

A familiar voice erupted from Philomel’s back.

“Wait!”

Nassar followed after Philomel, leaving Ellencia behind by the tree. 

“Why are you going? Your Highness?”

“I asked for your understanding to not refer to me by that title anymore, your grace. The title of the Imperial Princess belongs to their rightful owner. Please use my proper name to address me.”

“I’m sorry Miss Philomel I got carried away. But are you hurt anywhere? I apologize, if I had been a bit more alert, I could’ve prevented Miss Philomel from falling down.”

“It’s Alright now and I’m not hurt. But Nassar… Aren’t you in a strange mood right now?”

Philomel studied Nassar’s face for signs of his love.

“What does Miss Philomel mean by strange mood?”

“For example, is your heart pounding?”

“…A little bit.”

He averted his gaze.

Has he already fallen in love?

“Do you want to go to Princess Elencia?”

“…Do I have to go?”

For some reason, Nassar looked sad at Philomel’s suggestions to go back to Ellencia. 

“You don’t have to.”

“Then I’ll stay here.”

Nassar answered, taking a step closer to Philomel’s side. In the end, Philomel had no choice but to admit it. Nassar didn’t fall for Elencia. 

Another outcome that was different from <Princess Ellencia>.

* * *

Eustis, who was on his way back to his chambers after a political meeting, when Ellencia suddenly ran towards him and looked grim. 

“Daddy daddy!”

“What’s up?”

“I’m hurt here.”

She held out her right ankle. There were faint traces of something. She didn’t have any serious injuries or scars, but judging by her whimpering, she seemed pretty hurt.

“I need treatment. Call for a physician.”

“Anything else besides that?”

“…?”

“Dad, when you see my wounds, don’t you think you need to treat them?”

“Then what else do I need to think about?”

Ellencia’s face immediately distorted.

“Dad! Your daughter is hurt, how can you not worry?”

Ellencia, who got angry at the lack of the attention from her father, ran in the other direction. But judging by the way she jumped, Eustis concluded that she wasn’t seriously injured. 

Eustis said in a low voice.

“I have no idea what that kid is thinking.”

Count Pollan, who was watching from the side, cautiously spoke up.

“This is my guess, but I think her Highness probably wanted a warm response from Your Majesty.”

“A warm response?”

“Yes. His Majesty’s reaction is a bit businesslike.”

“Are you saying it’s wrong to treat an injury?”

“No, no. It’s not wrong, but Her Highness would be happy if you greeted her more warmly.”

Then the Emperor, who was briefly lost in thought, opened his mouth.

“Then you do it.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve got children, so you must know ‘that warm reaction’.I’m not sure, so show me an example.”

“Haha, why would I do something like that here…”

“Hurry.”

“How would you react if your child came to you injured?”

Polan knew from years of experience of serving the Emperor that he was very serious. And that he’ll get the short end of the stick if he showed his Majesty a poor demonstration. 

‘If my daughter came back with her ankle hurt, I would…’

Polan portrayed his imaginary daughter, lowered his stance, and put his heart into the performance.

“Oh, my daughter, are you hurt? Your legs are all damaged. Dad will protect you! Who dared to hurt our Princess? What kind of stone? I’ll throw it away!”

Halfway, the count got too engrossed. He imagined it way too realistically, and it ended up hurting his weak heart. 

Eustis’ contemptuous gaze turned to Pollan.

“…Really?”

“That’s right.”

“You have no face.”

“Yes! But how can you save face in expressing love to your children!”

“…Can’t I lose face.”

“At least that’s what I think. What if the child grows up and leaves after worrying about this and that and not being able to hear enough ‘I love you’. It’s so sad.” 

The Count explained his stand on the matter. 

“…I see. I did not know. I thought all fathers were like that.”

Seeing his lonely back, Polan chose his words.

“Even now, it’s not too late. No, even if it’s late, don’t stop approaching.”

“…I get it. I will try to do the same as you.”

“…?”

“The warm response you showed me, I will do it too.”

“…Wouldn’t it be a bit difficult to suddenly change like that? Moreover, Her Highness Princess Ellencia is not three years old like my daughter…”

“The basic gist is not different. The trick is grasped. Isn’t it just a matter of making an exaggerated fuss about the child’s wound, treating it, and then removing the cause of the wound?”

The Count questioned, ‘Is that how it is?’, but couldn’t actively dissuade the Emperor. It was because he was afraid to say anything else on the subject of actively recommending love for children while thinking about approaching them. But Pollan’s hesitation led to another incident.