MCFATTKM

126

"Sigh..."

Lelia laughed at him without realizing it.

Perseus' heart seemed to shatter from the cold laughter.

"I don't think you remember properly because it's been a long time."

"What?"

"In a situation where my residence was taken away, should I have survived like an animal in the Imperial Forest?""

"......"

His forehead wrinkled.

He recalled from a long time ago.

A small tower where a child used to live. That place was...

Yes, he remembered that one day the twins said they would make it a space for Julianna and started construction.

Did she get kicked out?

Why?

Why didn't he think about it then?

He was flustered for a moment.

"If you had told me, I would have saved you right away."

"And after that? Would life really have been smoother here?"

"......"

"For me, it was more dangerous here than outside of the imperial castle, where there were robbers and beasts."

"... What kind of...!"

"I ran away to survive."

"......"

"If I grew up in the Imperial Castle, would you have noticed the truth? No, I would have been sold to any aristocrat who paid a good price for me."

"... Ha."

Perseus sighed frustratedly and distorted his expression.

His heart was stuffy and hot, and he looked like a troubled person.

Tears flowed from his eyes as if he were pouring out resentment against someone.

Lelia was right.

At that time, Lelia was very young.

The nobles sought several ways to become closer to the emperor, and he regarded Lellia as a thorn in his eye.

One of them was marriage.

Aristocrats could even take the young child and sell her to neighboring countries as a fortune...

"No... No... That can't be. I wouldn't have done that..."

Emperor Perseus muttered in a troubled voice.

It was as if he were talking to himself.

Lelia looked at such an emperor with empty eyes and said, "To me, terrible things came from the Imperial Castle... I just want to make sure you know..."

"......"

"I don't need a father."

"......!!!"

"I've lived like that so far, and the same will continue in the future."

The emperor shook his head as if he didn't understand, as his forehead crumpled.

"But, why did you come then? The reason you came to the Imperial Castle while hiding your identity... Wasn't it to see me?"

"I just came to find what my mother left behind."

"No! I don't believe it... How can you say that? How!"