Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Appointment Ceremony (1)

After that class, there were no lessons held the following week.

This was due to the busy preparations for the Grand Assembly in the latter half of the year, which caused quite a stir in the imperial capital.

Just like that, ten days flew by, and today had arrived.

I was preparing to enter the palace.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

My older sister praised my attire.

I wasn’t sure if it truly suited me.

I probably looked great no matter what I wore to her eyes, but I had never liked these elaborate outfits.

“Ah, this part is crooked.”

She reached out to adjust my collar.

It took quite a while since formal attire for such occasions was so intricately designed.

As I stood still, what I could see was the top of my sister’s head.

I hadn’t realized it before since I’d never really had the chance to compare, but my sister was shorter than I’d thought.

I always had the impression that she was tall, but seeing this made me feel oddly different.

It was in the midst of this when she spoke.

“Have you had something on your mind lately?”

Her sudden question startled me.

Truthfully, thoughts about Aria had been lingering in a corner of my mind.

I wasn’t thinking about it all the time, but now and then, the conversation we had that day would surface, leaving me feeling unsettled.

—Brother Hero is a warrior from the Cotton Candy Kingdom! He’s only hiding his identity because he’s worried the evil villains might harm me! So, Brother Hero isn’t a villain! Someday, he’ll defeat the bad guys and find the legendary cotton candy with Aria!

It was a child’s world.

But Aria was a child born into the imperial family, constantly under scrutiny.

She was precocious.

You could tell just by the way she treated the Crown Prince.

She must have had some vague understanding of her circumstances.

Could she truly be unaware of the rumors surrounding the imperial family?

So I couldn’t help but give meaning to the world she had created.

I wondered if there was some metaphorical significance in it or if part of the truth formed the foundation of that world she had made.

This had been troubling me, and I must have let it show.

I tried to dismiss it, making an excuse as I apologized to my sister.

“…I’m sorry. I’m just feeling a bit nervous.”

“I don’t think that’s it.”

“Pardon?”

With a slight, almost imperceptible smile, my sister continued in a soft tone.

“You’ve always been like this, ever since you were a child. Whenever something was bothering you or didn’t sit right with you, your brows would furrow, and you’d start staring at the floor or at nothing in particular. It’s not the same as being nervous.”

“Was I really like that?”

“Yes, you’ve always been that way. And…”

My sister lifted her head, her drooping eyes radiating warmth.

“Whenever you felt frustrated like that, you always ended up doing exactly what you wanted in the end.”

That boundless trust gave me a sense of reassurance.

However, in another way, it also added pressure.

‘But, sister, this time, I can’t do that.’

The Pharos family doesn’t meddle in power dynamics.

Our family’s unique position as the imperial historian’s house means that even a single misstep in speech could appear to be a criticism of the imperial family.

This is why we cannot get involved in the imperial succession or anything related to their marriages.

Moreover, I was only just being appointed as the Crown Prince’s tutor.

I had to be even more careful with my actions now.

A single rash decision on my part could tarnish the reputation of the Pharos family.

I had to bring honor to Pharos.

For that, I had to endure this time, just for today.

“I’ll let you know once I’ve sorted out my thoughts.”

My sister nodded at my response.

“Yes, that’s fine. I trust you. But just one thing—promise me this.”

“…What is it?”

“That you’ll make a choice you can be proud of, both as a Pharos and as a teacher.”

Her smile was so faint, it would have been easy to miss.

* * *

I entered the palace for the ceremony.

Welcoming me was Erilda, the Crown Prince’s closest ally.

No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t imagine ever getting along with her.

It wasn’t even about having opportunities to meet her, it was more about the fact that—

“Please be especially mindful of your words and actions today. There will be a lot of eyes on you.”

She had this habit of nagging endlessly, which was really annoying.

‘That’s the same as it was in the past.’

In truth, her nagging was all too familiar.

I had crossed paths with her in my previous life as well.

During the Imperial War, this woman didn’t claim the throne despite being the legitimate heir to the imperial throne.

She refused her imperial heritage and instead enlisted in the military, fighting with us until the later stages of the war.

Why did she do that again? Oh, right.

—With the military collapsing, someone needs to restore order. But the ones who could have done that either fled or died. All thanks to that damn Second Prince.

—But he’s still the emperor, right?

—Even in death, he’ll always be the Second Prince. He never acted like an emperor.

She said the battlefield command suited her better than the throne.

She wasn’t wrong.

By then, the empire was already too far gone for things to change even if she had taken the throne.

Moreover, she was a highly competent commander.

Without her, the empire probably would’ve fallen two years earlier.

Remembering these things also made me recall her fate.

‘The defense of Yuiten Fortress. That was when it happened.’

It was a situation where our strike forces had been scattered, and the Crown Prince and I had to take the field ourselves.

Erilda used her life as bait to draw in the enemy and launched a suicide attack with a large-scale explosive spell.

It happened six months before the fall of the empire.

But that was then, and this is now.

At present, her constant nagging was the most noticeable thing.

I decided to empty my mind and just listen.

“You’re stepping into the centre of the political arena as the Crown Prince’s tutor. You may already be aware, but you’ll need to be even more careful. You’re already seen as part of the Crown Prince’s faction to others. Any mistakes on your part could affect his standing.”

Whenever there was a chance, she would warn me to be careful about this and that.

Though I lost my mother early, I imagined even she wouldn’t have nagged me this much.

“Especially when dealing with the other members of the imperial family, you must think carefully. The Pharos family doesn’t participate in factional struggles, and you know that well. So, you need to project the image that your primary focus is educating the Crown Prince. Otherwise, if you show favor to any other members of the imperial family, it will create the impression that ‘Pharos has chosen sides,’ and you understand what that implies.”

“So, I guess it’s fine if I act like a hooligan as long as that’s not the case.”

“Exactly. It’s not about your character, it’s about the justification it provides.”

She really talks nonsense, doesn’t she?

Seriously.

If I act like a hooligan, it tarnishes the Crown Prince’s reputation.

But if I show kindness to another member of the imperial family, it’s seen as ‘Pharos making a choice.’

The underhandedness of this political landscape was chilling.

Whatever the case, I had only one thing to say.

“…I’ll do my best.”

“Don’t just try. Do it properly.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Erilda sighed.

Well, that made sense.

At this point in time, my reputation as a troublemaker was well-established.

From her perspective, I was no different from a ticking time bomb.

But from now on, I had no intention of causing any more incidents.

Would she believe me?

Judging by her expression, probably not.

After that, Erilda too left to make her own preparations.

Since the Grand Assembly was a formal event, the entire imperial family had to attend.

The waiting time was tedious.

My sister, who wasn’t participating in the ceremony, had already gone to the banquet hall to mingle with the nobles she knew.

I should have brought Emma along.

She’s no longer trembling in fear when she sees me these days.

Anyway, time passed even while I was idly daydreaming.

Before I knew it, it was time to move.

“Lord Pharos.”

“Ah, is it time to go?”

“Yes! But first…”

A group of palace servants appeared, adjusting my attire and draping ceremonial ornaments over me, while also giving me a list of things to be mindful of.

Only after all that was done could I finally move.

Ceremonies like these were so tiresome.

Standing at the banquet hall entrance, I could hear the sounds of the ceremony inside.

Soon, it was my turn.

My name was announced.

“Lord Yuren Pharos of the Pharos family is entering!”

Boom!

With the announcement, music echoed in my ears.

The banquet hall’s grand scene unfolded before my eyes.

At the far end, I could see the emperor.

Beside him, the Crown Prince was watching me, and Erilda gave me a nervous glance.

The Second Prince frowned, while the Second Princess and Third Prince looked disinterested.

But beyond all that, something else stood out.

‘Aria.’

The farthest corner seat.

That kid, sitting awkwardly in a big chair, with her head down, fidgeting.

She saw me and tried to smile brightly, but then, noticing the people around her, lowered her head again.

I saw that.

“Lord Pharos…!”

I stepped forward in response to his call.

Eyes from all directions were fixed on me.

Not a single mistake could be made.

Even so… truly, it’s hard to control where your mind goes.

Now that I’m here, my attention is completely drawn to that little kid.

Even if it’s an over-interpretation, I have no excuse.

I just couldn’t shake that thought.

―Aria is the princess of the Cotton Candy Kingdom! She’s on a secret mission, infiltrating the imperial palace… but this is top secret, only Pharos and I know about it!

A clueless child needed a reason to feel special.

―That’s why the noble and delicious Aria has to hide her identity! Otherwise, the villains will take over the Cotton Candy Kingdom!

There needed to be a reason to be hated.

For a mere six-year-old child, too many reasons were required.

And one more.

—Brother Hero is a warrior from the Cotton Candy Kingdom! He’s only hiding his identity because he’s worried the evil villains might harm me! So, Brother Hero isn’t a villain! Someday, he’ll defeat the bad guys and find the legendary cotton candy with Aria!

Simply because he didn’t hurt her.

Because, unlike others, he didn’t have malice.

That indifference alone was enough to make her feel grateful and affectionate toward him.

‘Is that…’

Was it really the right thing?

I wouldn’t have cared if it had been anyone else.

Why should I care if a little kid is unhappy?

I’m no saint.

I’m selfish and do whatever I want.

But, despite that, I can’t help but care.

Because I know.

Because I’ve talked to her.

I know how that kid will break, or at the very least, that her future holds only ruin.

More than anything, I know better than anyone what it feels like to cling to something that can never be.

It was at that moment that I finally understood why I cared so much about Aria.

‘Ah.’

What I felt toward Aria was a sense of kinship.

The restoration of Pharos that I longed for and the attention that child desired were similar.

We both clung to something that could never come true, and in doing so, we would both be shattered.

Knowing that, I just couldn’t leave her alone.

I stood up.

Erilda mouthed words.

‘Please! Do it right!’

She wanted me to do well.

But what exactly was doing well?

―Especially when dealing with the other members of the imperial family, you must think carefully. The Pharos family doesn’t participate in factional struggles, and you know that well. So, you need to project the image that your primary focus is educating the Crown Prince. Otherwise, if you show favor to any other members of the imperial family, it will create the impression that ‘Pharos has chosen sides,’ and you understand what that implies.

Is doing well ignoring it?

Avoiding it for now to save face?

I looked at the Crown Prince.

At that moment, the Crown Prince was looking at the 3rd Princess.

I didn’t know everything for sure, but one thing was clear.

‘This isn’t it.’

My personal feelings?

Of course, they were there.

I don’t deny that my sympathy and sense of kinship triggered these feelings.

Still, I needed to add one more thing.

To justify myself.

‘You’ll regret this.’

I knew that one day the Crown Prince would regret ignoring Aria like this.

I knew that staying still wasn’t a choice for me, the Crown Prince, or Aria.

Wasn’t that enough reason?

* * *

Aria was surprised to see Yuren being officially appointed.

It was the first time she realized how important he was, receiving a formal appointment from the Emperor.

And,

‘He’s on the same side as me!’

Yuren was on her side.

Since he was helping Callios, that meant he was surely on her side.

Aria’s heart felt a sense of relief.

Her hips wiggled in excitement.

But she held it in.

‘The villains must not find out!’

There were too many villains in the palace who were after the legendary Cotton Candy.

That’s why Callios was pretending not to know her here, to protect her.

Aria didn’t want to ruin all their efforts.

So she stayed still until the ceremony was over.

“This hereby declares Yuren of Pharos the official tutor to the Crown Prince…!”

The ceremony ended quickly.

What followed was the banquet.

The Emperor disappeared from the hall.

The other royal siblings began conversing with nobles.

Callios was lost among the crowd of people.

Yuren, too, was surrounded by many others nearby.

Only Aria was left sitting alone.

She clutched her skirt for no reason, then cautiously stood up and headed toward a corner of the banquet hall.

She tried to smile.

‘It’s okay!’

One day, Callios would overcome all the hard and tiring work and come to help her.

Yuren was just busy helping him.

Aria slowly approached the dessert table, grabbed a piece of cotton candy, and quietly went back to the corner.

“Hehe…”

Eating the sweet cotton candy made her feel better.

So she could endure.

That’s what she told herself as she bowed her head.

And then it happened.

“……”

A gaze pierced her.

Aria recognized this gaze.

It was cold and sharp, a terrifying gaze.

It didn’t end there.

Click, click.

She heard the sound of footsteps approaching her.

Aria froze.

She could tell just from the sound of the footsteps.

When she raised her head, she saw it even more clearly.

One of the people who regularly sent her letters.

One of the villains who made everyone’s eyes harsh whenever he showed up.

The pot-bellied villain was walking toward her, glaring directly at her.

Aria’s body trembled.

She shrank back, her head burying deeper into the floor.

She was cornered, nowhere left to run.

‘It’s okay…’

…It wasn’t okay.

To Aria, that villain was too terrifying a person.

Instead of thinking about the future, she wanted someone to help her right now.

But Aria also knew nothing would change.

She was too young yet knew far too much.

The moment she closed her eyes tightly…

Tap―

Someone took the cotton candy from her hand.

Was it the villain?

No, it felt different.

More than that, it became so quiet around her that she could even hear people breathing.

When the villains approach, the atmosphere usually becomes chaotic.

‘Huh…?’

What was going on?

Her fear grew even larger.

Because of that, the thought of checking it out entered her mind.

Aria slowly raised her head and opened her eyes.

And then, she saw something.

At that moment, for some reason, Aria felt like crying.

“Pharos…?”

“It’s not fair to eat something tasty all by yourself.”

Yuren had snatched her cotton candy and was eating it.

With a blank expression on his face.

Behind him, the villain had stopped dead in his tracks.

———