The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

11 : Not the Same

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The meeting has finally come to an end. Darya yawned in boredom because the meeting was all about the markets that will be built in every estate. However, it made her even bored that most of the nobles were only thinking about the profit and their benefits from it. She wanted to scold them so badly and tell them straight to the point about their greed but she thought that her grandfather would surely find a solution for it.

She got tired of listening, maybe because she was dissatisfied and her body was still of a young girl. She left the meeting as soon as it ended after getting permission from her grandfather. With only Ejila and Alluka, her personal knight, she walked around to see the things she could not remember in her first life. It was pretty convenient that she can remember all her past life and she can now compare what had changed and what needed to be changed.

She looked at the uniforms of Ejila and Alluka. Ejila had a bright blue uniform and Alluka had a dark one. She then stopped walking as those two stopped as well.

"I would like to ask who was the designer of your uniforms and who made them?" She asked.

The two looked at each other. "It was the head maid who designed the uniform of the maids, Princess." Elija answered first.

"It was Lord Valky who had designed the Imperial knights' uniform, your highness," Alluka said.

She nodded before continuing to walk. She did not say anything that is why Ejila and Alluka could only look at each other in confusion. Just a while ago, the four-year old princess looked like a young leader who's concerned about her people.

Princess Darya was thinking about changing their uniforms but stopped upon hearing footsteps coming towards the opposite direction. She raised her head to see who's coming towards her as her eyes went wide to see the person she did not expect to meet sooner.

She inadvertently stopped walking. Her heart started crumpling as her hands started to tremble. Seeing him this young, he looks like a disciplined little lamb that is very delicate. As their eyes met, it felt like they were the only one in the world as everything became white.

The fourteen year-old Esteban stopped a meter away from Princess Darya upon recognizing her. "I greet her highness, Princess Darya."

Hearing his usual calm voice in his teen-age tone, she tried to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes. She bit her tongue to encourage herself to not get swayed by her feelings for him anymore. She will not love him, not in this life where she knows what is going to happen if she does not stop her feelings.

"That was the heir of the Garrett family, your highness." Alluka informed her as they walked away because she just ignored Esteban's greetings.

"Yes, I know." The Princess answered precisely.

Alluka and Ejila looked at each other because of the Princess' cold reply. Was the Princess not in a good mood because of the nobles' meeting? She usually greets everyone who greets her too.

Feeling like she wants to cry, Princess Darya was almost running when she decided to be alone. She went inside her room and locked it after telling Ejila and Alluka to stand by outside her room. Ejila might be worried about the Princess but Alluka knows that the Princess was crying alone.

Did the young master Garrett say something that made the Princess cry? He precisely just greeted the Princess. So why was the Princess crying?

On the other hand, Princess Darya decided to cry everything out to ease her heavy heart. She wanted to stop the lingering feelings she had. She aggressively demanded herself to change her feelings and not be swayed anymore. Seeing Esteban again, she could only think of that time he smiled to her one last time after making her drink poison. And their child...

"Princess!"

Ejila was catching her breathe when she found Princess Darya in the library. She looked so worried and at the same time afraid. But then, she sighed in relief when she saw Princess Darya just calmly reading in the imperial library.

Princess Darya just looked at Ejila at one glance and brought back her eyes to the book she was reading. Ejila then silently argued with Alluka because she was not informed that the Princess was going to the library. She looked for the Princess all over the palace, thinking that she might have lost her way since she could not see Alluka as well.

Reading one of the most confidential books in the Imperial library, Princess Darya could only nod with more information she had gotten day by day. She was studying war strategies. With the knowledge she has also gotten during her past lives, she can already tell what she is going to do in the future as the next Emperor.

A year has already passed since she came back to her first life. All she did was study about the Empire and conquering Kingdoms. She does not have time to play with kids and would only talk to people that she knows are knowledgeable. She got obsessed with saving the Empire in the future while avenging as well.

It was a banquet to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. She was dressed fancily as it is also her first time to debut in the social circle of the nobles. The Emperor picked her up in her room as they went to the banquet hall together.

"Welcome the Emperor Quillion Lysander Oswald and the First Princess, Lysadra Darya Oswald!"

With their heads bowed, the Emperor held Princess Darya's hand as they walked to the aisle and to the stage. The Emperor then took a glass of wine and raised his hand. "Hail to the Largoth Empire!"

"Hail to the Largoth Empire!" Everyone followed as they also raised their glasses with the Emperor.

After that, the Emperor had his small speech while Princess Darya was watching him with admiration. She even clapped her hands when her grandfather was done. It has been a while since she witnessed her grandfather's authority.

"You should enjoy the banquet, my dear Lysandra." The Emperor tapped her head, inviting her to socialize.

She nodded and kissed the Emperor's cheek. "That is my gift to you, grandpa." The Emperor giggled, "That is so sweet of you."

Princess Darya beamed before she walked towards the crowd as she was surrounded by both noble men and noble women, young and married. She clearly knows their purpose which is... to make a connection.

She entertained everyone who came to her and due to her intimidation and great talent in communication skills, those who were prideful avoided her and those who were persistent kept on talking to her. Until then, she decided to go to a group of young teen-agers. She walked closer to them as she faced Esteban who just stood up from his seat when he saw her coming close.

"We greet her highness, the First Princess," everyone of them lowered their heads.

"Are you students from the Academy?" She asked, unfazed that Esteban was there.

"Yes, your highness." Esteban answered, humbly.

Of course, Princess Darya knows that Esteban at this time is studying in the academy. He will make remarkable academic achievements and talent, making him popular among all the heirs of each noble family. She was not supposed to meet him until she was eight years old but maybe because she came back to her first life that something might also change.

"Was that Count Morata's daughter?" Princess Darya purposely looked at the left side where Lady Kathika was. She was with a group of noble ladies the same age as Esteban and his classmates.

Upon hearing Kathika's name, Princess Darya saw the glint of sparkle in Esteban's eyes as he turned his head towards Lady Kathika's direction. "Yes, your highness." Esteban replied to her, blushing.

Princess Darya smiled, "I know." She shrugged and just left the group, confused by her ambiguous response.

As Princess Darya turned her back, the smile on her face faded as it turned as cold as the ocean deep. Since the day she met Esteban for the first time in her fifteenth life, she will not be the same Darya before.

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END OF CHAPTER 11
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