Chapter 24

Seeing him, I couldn’t stop my face from relaxing. It’s nice to see his grey hair. In the meantime, his eyes had a restless glow to it as it was slightly reflected. I smiled openly and shook my head.

I didn’t feel okay, but now it’s a little better. While they were talking, I decided not to listen anymore. Ah, right. I should thank the emperor. I glanced up at her. It’s most likely her responsibility for the deployment of personnel in the palace. It was clear that the shadow was placed, but whether I suspected it or not, I should thank her anyways.

“What’s wrong, Sanya?”

The emperor, who quickly noticed my gaze, asked me. At the sight, I got out of bed.

… Well, I tried to get out. Since I’m small, I couldn’t really jump off at once. After trying to move around a couple of times while on my knees, I lowered my legs one by one, and I was able to get down with the help of a court lady.

“…Ha.”

I didn’t bother to find out who laughed at me. I roughly fixed my hair and bowed politely to the emperor.

“I heard that Your Majesty sent Dawn to me. He is a very bright person. Thank you.”

“Really?”

The answer that came back from my thanks was unexpectedly lively. I raised my head and saw her with her mouth wide open and eyes shining. She was expressionless. I stared blankly at her, forgetting my manners.

“…Um. Are you sure?”

I nodded and said enthusiastically.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. However, the emperor looked at me again. There seems to be an imaginary tail wagging behind her back. I was a little embarrassed at the sight. The emperor of the original work was affectionate towards Sanya, but that affection was warm like a parent, not an adoring puppy.

“I’m glad you like him. Mirina’s eyes are trustworthy.”

My face hardened at the words that followed. I can’t believe I overlooked that. The emperor shares everything with Mirina, and among them was the existence of the shadows. I mean, Mirina knows I have a shadow.

Damn it. Looks like I stepped on a landmine while trying to avoid it.

“Ah! Of course, I was the one who originally thought of sending Dawn to you. Do you understand?”

The emperor added, surprised by my face which hardened momentarily. I hid my wrinkled brow and smiled more broadly.

“Yes. I was just surprised.”

At my words and smile, the emperor looked speechless again. I tilted my head as if to check to see if I had pressed the pause button, and the emperor jumped as if she had touched a hedgehog. Soon she muttered while having a serious look on her face.

“How come…”

“…”

“How are you so cute?”

“… What?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Did she think I didn’t hear her? My body felt tired after experiencing this situation, even though I feel like I just woke up. I tried to come up with something to change the subject.

“Your Majesty, what brings you to this humble palace?”

“Oh, yes. Wait a minute. Dawn.”

The emperor called Go Woon as if she had only remembered what I said about him earlier. As he approached silently, the emperor took out a letter from his arms and held it out.

“It’s from your colleagues.” (I think she might’ve meant family… but the TL said colleagues.)

Seeing it, I couldn’t help but cringe inwardly. The emperor handed over the letter. It’s like all the servants in this country suddenly died. Can we just move on? (The emperor personally delivered a letter to Sanya and that’s supposed to be a servant’s job. Which is why everyone’s shocked.)

“Your Majesty, you claim to be worthy of your subordinates.”

Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who thought so as Seo Yeon said in a worried tone. The emperor’s eyes were wide open like a child caught stealing cookies.

“…That’s what it is.”

She then mumbled while avoiding everyone’s looks. I’ve seen that figure, it was what my previous dog looked like when he was scolded.

“It’s because I have nothing to do and I’m bored. Also, the palace is close to this place…”

“Do you mean that Hwaseon Palace and Hwarong Palace are close?”

“…Hm.”

I looked at Seo Yeon astonishingly. If my ears are not wrong, she spoke to the emperor in a very gentle voice. Nevertheless, her face was still relaxed.

‘… She’s a great person.’

While I was thinking that, I heard the sound of paper ripping. I turned my head and saw Go Woon tearing the paper. If my memory serves me correctly, the emperor didn’t hand him a paper, but a book.

‘…!’

Crazy.

“Dawn…?”

When I called him out with my bewildered eyes, Go Woon, who had his head lowered, met my eyes. He looked at me like a puppy in the rain for a while and then expressed something with his hands on the paper.

Unlike yesterday, it was a gesture that felt like some sort of language system. But I didn’t know it, so when I peeked at Seo Yeon, she whispered awkwardly.

“‘Should I eat it?’ He asked.”

At those words, I looked at him again. He had paper in his hand and was bringing it to his mouth immediately. I forgot the emperor was still here and shouted.

“Why are you eating that! No!”

“…!”

Go Woon was surprised when I shouted while grabbing his hand. The paper in his hand then dropped. I sighed when I saw his surprised eyes.

“Don’t eat paper. It doesn’t taste good and it’s not good for you.”

“…”

Go Woon’s gaze hardened and turned downward on my words. I was puzzled when I saw his lips trembling. He tried to express his intention by waving the hand that wasn’t being grabbed by me, but no one could understand. He struggled for a long time, and when he tried removing my hand from his, I gripped tighter.

“…?”

I looked at him with a delicate gaze.

‘Is he ashamed that he’s holding a girl’s hand for the first time?’

So cute.

I pressed down my lips and removed my hand. Then Go Woon let out a big breath. I had to struggle really hard not to laugh at the sight. I knew he was young, but I didn’t know he was such a baby.

“… Dawn?”

The emperor’s suspicious voice could then be heard. She was looking at him with a face where she couldn’t quite understand.

“Did you just stumble?”

Her words froze the atmosphere. The emperor’s face, which had begun to loosen comfortably, became expressionless. It was so cold contrary to her smiling softly earlier. The gaze was turned to Go Woon. I felt all the blood draining from my body and shivered.

‘What should I do?’

The emperor wasn’t that kind. Which is why she can change her attitude like flipping her palm. Go Woon is young, but he’s still a warrior, which is why he wasn’t supposed to be shaken by holding my hand. The emperor questioned him, and if he were to be deemed useless, he would just be thrown out.

I had to turn their eyes towards me somehow.

‘Let’s cry.’

That conclusion came quickly. If I cry in this situation, then everything else will be forgotten. Of course I would feel ashamed, but it’s not a big deal if I’m going to save someone. I took a deep breath. Tears had to come out so I could look like I’m sobbing.

I thought it would be difficult, but unexpectedly, my situation alone shed enough tears. I’ve been through so many unusual scenarios. I was suddenly pulled into a novel where my life was put on the line. What came back at me were gifts that I can’t use, assassination attempts, and post-traumatic stress disorder where it can’t be fixed because I don’t have a proper therapist.

And now that clueless emperor is trying to kill my only friend. My vision became blurry as tears piled up in my eyes and eventually started flowing down when I blinked. A sobbing sound was heard coming from the back of my throat.

It’s been awhile since I’ve cried out loud, but it wasn’t difficult. There were things I tried to think about that made me upset, and when I actually thought about it, I became unhappy. I could be rich if only this were a movie!

I saw the emperor shaking as my vision continued to cloud with tears.

“Why, why are you doing that? Is there anything you don’t like? Dawn? Is it because Dawn is weak? Do you want me to change him to another kid?”

“Wahhhh-”

The emperor was restless and tried to sooth me by saying so while I cried out loud. She then squatted down in front of me.

“Are you sick? Is there anything you want? Do you not like the palace? Do you want me to change it to a bigger place?”

No, I don’t need you. Get away from me. You’re a distraction in my life!

“Hic, hic, waaaaaa!”

I’m not sure if the sound of me crying was heard through walls, but the door opened and a surprised face appeared. Heesa approached me, forgetting the emperor.

“Miss! Hya, why are you crying? Don’t cry! Look! Peek-a-boo! I’m here!”

I cried even louder at the sight of Heesa, who covered and removed her hands from my face. Go away! I’m not a baby!

Then someone took my hand. The hands were a little rougher, smaller, and colder than others. I could recognize whose it was even without looking. It’s okay, but I have to cry a little more.

“Huuu…”

Usually, those who don’t have much experience taking care of kids won’t know what to do if their child cries recklessly, like the emperor right now. Then, if someone near them can calm the child down, they’ll leave the responsibility on that person and run away. As I tried to squeeze out a few more tears, I heard footsteps and someone appeared through the open door.

‘Why are you coming here?!’

Platinum-blond hair.

A blue blindfold.

His unexpected appearance surprised me so much that I stopped crying. However, hiccups now came out and tears continued to flow. Mirina’s body shook like the emperor’s when she first saw me crying too. He came up to me and knelt down as if he were possessed, making eye contact.

He looked at me with his mouth opened like a dork, then pulled out something from his head.

“I’ll give you this. Don’t cry.”

I was a hairpin. There is a dragon holding a bead carved at the end of the hairpin, and only those from the direct line of the imperial family can use it. To sum it up, what I have in my hand now is perhaps the most valuable thing I’ll ever touch.

“Hic.”

I stopped crying without realizing it. I was so surprised I kept hiccupping. Mirina laughed gently at my trembling lips and placed the hairpin in my hands. The delicately carved dragon head looked at me with its blank eyes.

Hic.

I hiccupped loudly once again.