Chapter 701: Epilogue - The Spring Palace

Epilogue - The Spring Palace

At some point, a cat began to make its home in the imperial palace. Its fur was as white as freshly fallen snow. Known simply as the palace cat, it belonged to no one—not even the Emperor could claim ownership. No maid was assigned to care for it, and neither the Emperor, the five empresses, nor anyone else fed it.

There was no particular preferred spot for the cat where it could always be found. It could be found in the audience chamber, yawning on the Emperor’s lap, or being carried by the Archmage during a stroll around the palace, or even napping on the regent’s desk. It had even once been discovered atop the chandelier in the main hall of the central palace, though no one knew how it managed to get there.

It roamed about freely, appearing throughout the whole compound, including within the other four seasonal palaces, like the Spring Palace. This cat seemed to consider the entire imperial compound its home.

While the cat seemed to enjoy the unique privilege of sitting on the Emperor’s lap whenever it pleased, whether the Emperor actually owned the cat was a matter of debate. The Emperor never issued any instructions regarding the cat’s care. In fact, the cat appeared so infrequently that it was difficult to claim it was a pet at all.

It could not be argued that this cat lived in the palace, but its appearances were sporadic. It might be glimpsed here and there for a few days, only for it to then vanish for months on end.

Given the vastness of the imperial palace compound, everyone assumed the cat was somewhere within its walls and did not bother searching for it. Eventually, it would always reappear, perhaps once every few months or even just once a year.

Neither the Emperor nor the empresses went looking for the cat during its absences. Thus, it became known as the cat that lived in the palace, rather than the Emperor’s cat. It was the only wild creature in the palace that came and went as it pleased. While it was something of a curiosity, it wasn’t particularly important, and life went on.

During that period, the Empire was alive with celebrations. Several of the empresses became pregnant and gave birth. Time continued to flow, bringing with it various incidents and accidents.

As the years slipped by, the once-famous cat faded from memory. It hadn’t been seen in nearly four years, leading people to speculate that it might have died somewhere in the palace or become trapped between buildings or on a rooftop. Yet since neither the Emperor nor the empresses ever ordered a search, no one bothered to look for it.

Then, as if to prove it hadn’t perished, the cat reappeared just as suddenly as it had vanished. It roamed the palace once more, looking exactly like how everyone remembered it four years prior.

Around the same time, the Emperor did something unexpected: he introduced an illegitimate child into the imperial family. This caused a brief stir, but the Archmage accepted the child without hesitation, and the furore around the matter soon settled without much fuss.

.

.

More time passed.

“... Priscilla, haven’t I told you this more than once?”

“Yes...”

Princess Priscilla was being reprimanded by her mother, the Archmage Empress. But while the Archmage gave Priscilla a stern talking to, her gaze kept drifting to the child sitting quietly beside her.

The Archmage’s expression grew more troubled as she studied the child. With skin as white as snow, clear eyes, and shimmering black hair that was neatly braided, the child resembled a porcelain doll crafted by a master artisan. Moreover, dressed in a cute, frilly dress, the child was so adorable it was hard to resist the urge to scoop them up in a hug.

Empress Harriet took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Why do you keep doing this? I’ve told you countless times that Rune doesn’t like it.”

“But...” Princess Priscilla pouted, her lower lip jutting out defiantly.

Among the Emperor’s children, Priscilla was known for being the one who had inherited his impulsive and stubborn nature the most. Everyone had hoped she wouldn’t take after him in that way, but she did—perfectly. She had to do what she wanted to feel satisfied, a troublesome trait she couldn’t shake.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” she insisted.

Empress Harriet was taken aback. “What...?”

“What did I do wrong?” Priscilla challenged as she pointed to her sibling, who sat there staring blankly into space, as if their soul had drifted away.

“It’s Rune’s fault for being so cute, even though he’s a boy.”

“...!”

The Empress bit her tongue, caught off guard by the unexpected comment.

Prince Rune simply sat there, unfazed, as if he was accustomed to his sister’s antics.

In the end, Priscilla endured three hours of scolding from her mother.

***

Ellen, who had been out of touch for four years, had suddenly entrusted a child to the Emperor. She had returned to her hometown of Rijaiera for a while, which explained her absence.

The Emperor immediately understood why she had left previously, and why there had been no word from her. After their long-awaited reunion and a long conversation, the Emperor made his way back to the palace.

“Um... Apparently, it’s Ellen’s child. Uh. Of course, it’s my child too.”

The Archmage was taken aback by the unexpected mention of a child, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the little one.

The child, looking a little scared, peeked out from behind the Emperor’s pant leg, which it clung to tightly. It was so endearing that the Archmage felt an immediate urge to scoop it up in a hug.

“How could you keep such a beautiful daughter hidden all this time?”

“That’s not it...”

“Huh? Did you know about her all along?”

“No, I didn’t know... And it’s not that...”

“What do you mean, it’s not that?”

“He’s... not a daughter.”

The Empress finally understood why the Emperor had looked so bewildered.

Around that time, the white cat began to reappear around the palace.

***

Three years had passed since the four-year-old prince first arrived at the palace.

Empress and Archmage Harriet had embraced the Emperor’s illegitimate child, Rune, as her own son. While her decision was partly due to her extensive experience caring for children within the imperial family, it was mostly because she genuinely wanted to.

The real challenge, however, was Princess Priscilla. While everyone anticipated she might resent or feel jealous of her new sibling, the reality was quite the opposite. She adored him excessively, which became a problem in itself.

Her affection for Rune was rather peculiar. Whenever she could, she whisked him away to secluded spots, dressing him in girls’ clothes and refusing to leave his side. She dragged him around all day, treating him like a cherished doll.

Just as Priscilla had inherited some of the Emperor’s eccentric traits, Prince Rune had inherited a little too much of his mother’s reserved nature. He clearly disliked Priscilla’s antics, but his expressions were so subtle that Priscilla always ended up having her way.

If the palace staff ever looked away for even a moment, they’d find Priscilla dragging Rune around, dolled up in a way that made him look like a girl anyone would want to hug.

“Tsk.”

Eventually, Priscilla was thoroughly scolded and given strict orders to stay away from Rune for the rest of the day.

She sulked as she walked down the corridor of the Spring Palace. She was in a foul mood. Starting Monday, she would have to attend classes at the Temple, which meant Sunday would be her only chance to play with Rune, who was still too young to join her there. But with her mother likely to be hovering around Rune all day, her plans had been completely ruined.

A sharp, high-pitched voice cut through the air, piercing through the fog of Priscilla’s thoughts.

“Judging by that sulky face, you got scolded by the witch again for doing something perverted, didn’t you?”

The voice belonged to someone slightly taller than Priscilla. A cascade of shimmering platinum blonde hair framed a face that could have been beautiful if not for the sneer twisting her features. Her expression was one of pure irritation.

“What do you want now, twerp?” demanded Priscilla.

“I told you not to call me ‘twerp.’ Do you want the witch to smack you again?”

The taller girl was Amelia—the Holy Emperor’s daughter and First Imperial Princess. She was openly mocking Priscilla, who had clearly just been reprimanded.

“And I told you not to call my mom a witch!”

“What else am I supposed to call a witch? A saint?”

If Rune was what Priscilla loved most in the world, then what she hated most in the world was Amelia—the pretty-faced, venom-hearted villainess standing right in front of her.

“Why is my mom a witch, you thick-skulled hag!”

“W-what...? Thick-skulled? And did you just call me a hag?”

“That’s right, you thick-skulled, empty-brained hag!”

Priscilla’s sharp tongue, already well-honed at such a young age, was a result of her long-standing verbal sparring with Amelia.

The passing palace maids didn’t even consider stepping in when they witnessed the scene. It was well-known within the palace walls that whenever Priscilla and Rune were together, dress-up games were inevitable, and whenever Priscilla and Amelia crossed paths, arguments were sure to follow. They simply sighed and continued on their way.

However, these fights were far from gentle, even if they were just bickering among children.

Amelia, infuriated by being called thick-skulled, rolled up her sleeves. As the daughter of the Holy Empress, she had inherited not only her mother’s striking looks but also her formidable combat skills.

“You’re dead.”

Amelia lunged forward, and Priscilla braced herself, gritting her teeth.

Grasp!

Amelia seized Priscilla’s hair in a fierce grip, squeezing tightly.

“Ouch! Let go!”

In a physical fight, Priscilla knew she was outmatched. But surrender wasn’t an option. If she admitted defeat, a sheen of smug arrogance would be plastered over Amelia’s annoyingly perfect face, which would only fuel Priscilla’s anger even further.

“Let go! Let go, you crazy hag!”

“Call me

unnie

. Say it, you little brat!”

“As if I’d ever do that!”

“Then you’re as good as dead!”

Amelia tightened her grip.

“Ahhh! Let go! Let go!”

The daughters of the most esteemed family on the continent were brawling like commoners, while the maids merely sighed as they walked past. It was such a frequent occurrence.

—Stop! Stop it right now!

The Archmage, drawn by the commotion, was hurrying into the corridor. Only then did Amelia let go of Priscilla’s hair.

“Mom! She hit me again!” Priscilla cried, darting behind the Empress for protection. Amelia’s face twisted with frustration.

Harriet bit her lip, her eyes filled with disappointment as she looked at Amelia.

“Amelia... Don’t I always tell you to get along?”

“...”

Amelia’s expression only grew more strained at the Empress’s gentle reprimand.

“And she called you a witch again!”

“Shh. Quiet down, Priscilla.”

Priscilla’s frustration with Amelia ran deep. Despite Amelia’s unruly behavior and her habit of calling Priscilla’s mother a witch, her mother never scolded Amelia, and Priscilla couldn’t understand why. Instead of getting angry, her mother always looked sad when she saw Amelia, almost as if she felt sorry for her.

“Hmph...!” Amelia eventually bit her lip and turned away, leaving only that single burst of exasperation behind.

Whenever Priscilla thought about all the bullying she had endured from Amelia since childhood, the list of incidents seemed endless. That was why Priscilla almost lost her composure every time she saw Amelia; the relentless unfounded bullying had left its mark.

From a very young age, Amelia would pinch and hit Priscilla for no reason, often blaming her for things she hadn’t done. Priscilla, finally unable to just sit back and take it anymore, started shouting back.

“Priscilla, can’t you please... get along with Amelia?” her mother asked, her eyes filled with sadness.

“Even if I keep quiet, she starts it first. How can I get along?” Priscilla replied in frustration.

Her mother fell silent, unable to argue with the truth. Amelia was always the one to pick fights, even when Priscilla tried to keep the peace.

It was only natural that Priscilla felt wronged and resentful. The resentment had built up over time, and sometimes Priscilla would be the one to pick fights with Amelia, just as Amelia did to her.

Priscilla had always seen Amelia as nothing more than a bothersome presence. Amelia picked on her for no real reason, and it wasn’t just Priscilla she mocked—she even called her mother a witch, not bothering to hide her contempt. Priscilla could understand Amelia disliking

her

, but she couldn’t understand why she treated her mother the same way.

One day, though, Priscilla witnessed something unexpected. From a distance, she saw Amelia crying in her mother’s arms behind the garden of the Spring Palace, hidden from view.

Even then, her mother had held Amelia with a sorrowful expression, the same sorrowful expression she always had. Priscilla couldn’t comprehend why Amelia behaved the way she did, or why their mother showed her such tenderness.

***

There were two ways to keep Priscilla from bothering Rune: someone always had to be with Rune, or someone always had to be with Priscilla.

The Archmage had taken Priscilla for a walk to calm her down, leaving Prince Rune with some rare free time.

Four notable figures lived in the Spring Palace, which had become the Archmage’s residence. The palace was the residence of the empress and Archmage, Harriet, and it housed all of the Emperor’s children.

Amelia, who stayed in the imperial capital instead of the territory of the Holy Empire because she was enrolled in the Temple, along with Priscilla and Rune, Harriet’s adopted son, all lived together in the Spring Palace. Because of this, the Spring Palace was always lively.

While his second sister was away, Prince Rune sat alone at a table in the serene tea room of the palace.

He wasn’t drinking tea.

Meow.

He was sitting quietly, with his face close to the white cat lazing on the table, and was gently stroking its back. The cat, with fur as pristine and beautiful as freshly fallen snow, lazily wagged its tail, eyes closed in the warm sunlight.

Rune absentmindedly continued to pet the cat.

The white cat, which had reappeared around the same time Rune had shown up, often stayed by his side.

Prince Rune always carried the cat around, treating it like family.

“Hmm...”

Rune, who had been enjoying a peaceful moment, slowly turned his head at the sound of the voice behind him.

Princess Amelia stood there, arms crossed, watching him.

“What, kid?” she said curtly, despite being the one who had initiated the stare-down.

Rune silently turned his attention back to the cat, choosing not to respond.

Amelia often quarreled with Priscilla, who had a peculiar way of interacting with Rune.

Amelia didn’t trouble Prince Rune much, but she also didn’t attach herself to him like Priscilla did. She behaved as if she were indifferent to Prince Rune, neither liking nor disliking him. Yet this time, Amelia approached Rune, who was absorbed in playing with the cat, and sat down in front of him.

She glanced around, as if ensuring no one else was nearby.

Once she was sure no one was around, Amelia gently took Rune’s hand.

“...?”

“Come here,” she whispered.

Amelia pulled Rune onto her lap and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace.

“...”

“Good boy... yes,” she murmured softly.

She didn’t need to say anything else. A faint smile graced her lips, as if simply being together like this was all that mattered. Rune, as if used to it, stayed still in her embrace, still gently petting the cat.

They didn’t speak or exchange any words. Amelia, though not very expressive, was quite fond of Prince Rune. She just struggled to show it.

Prince Rune was naturally quiet, and Princess Amelia didn’t know how to express her affection.

Priscilla wouldn’t let Amelia get too close to Rune. She feared Amelia might bully him as she had done to her, so she tried to shield Rune from her, and Amelia never tried to take Rune away from Priscilla by force.

Whenever Amelia approached Rune, Priscilla would step in, as if to protect him. Priscilla couldn’t bear the idea of Rune enduring the same hardships she faced, so she would growl protectively whenever Amelia was nearby.

Amelia, in turn, avoided approaching Rune when Priscilla was present; Priscilla’s fierce protectiveness was too much for her.

She never had any intention of bullying her adorable and cherished youngest sibling. And so, when the domineering and troublesome Princess Priscilla was absent, Amelia found her own ways to show affection to Rune.

The white cat observed them quietly, its tail swaying, as Amelia held her young brother close, beaming happily.

Sensing a presence, Amelia gently released Rune from her embrace. For some reason, being caught in such a tender moment felt too embarrassing. She preferred to act indifferent in front of others.

But when Amelia saw who had entered the tea-time hall, her expression turned serious.

“Amelia.”

“Mo-Mother...”

Amelia’s mother was Holy Empress Olivia, the ruler of the Holy Empire. Clad in her regal robes, she radiated an aura of divine authority.

While Priscilla and the Archmage shared a striking resemblance, Amelia and Olivia looked as if they had been cast from the same mold.

“Shall we talk?” Olivia asked.

“... Yes,” Amelia replied hesitantly, before slowly answering her mother’s summons. Her steps felt unusually heavy.

Rune stood silently, watching Amelia’s retreating figure as she was being gently guided away.

“Can’t everyone... just get along?” Rune murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Meow.

The white cat, sensing the emotion in his words, gently wagged its tail in response.