I Couldn’t Stop my Childhood Friend from Turning Into a Villain

“My lady, be serious. When you are serious, your presence is usually felt!”

Sarah, worried about me, said as she helped me dress.

Stepping out of the carriage, I did as she said and slowly scanned the imperial gardens, which looked at least four times as large as my house.

I can’t do this. I felt like I was going to die.

“Are you angry?”

Liel, who had followed me, asked, blinking.

“No, Sarah said my presence is felt when I am serious. What do you think, do I look a little stern?”

“……Yes.”

His answer was a little late, but at least it was an affirmation, so I decided to take Liel’s word for it.

The two of us followed the servant through the gardens and across the hallways of the palace, and soon found ourselves in front of the audience room.

“Go in. I have not yet been knighted, so it is impossible for me to accompany you as an escort.”

Liel stopped in his tracks and glanced at the knight standing in front of him.

“That’s why I’m coming alone…….”

There was a small scuffle before they left, when Liel refused to not follow her.

But for once, Liel was stubborn and unyielding.

He had heard from the Duke of Marsen that the number of demons entering the Empire was increasing.

Perhaps that is why Liel is so cautious.

“I have an acquaintance in the Imperial Knights, so I’m going to go and train, come back when I’m done.”

With that, Liel straightened my tie, which I had left loose out of frustration.

I had forgotten about it, and if it weren’t for Liel, I would have been a disheveled mess and would have been seen by the Empress.

The Marquises of Seywint have always been neutral between the imperial family and the nobility.

They valued right and wrong more than personal gain.

It had often caused friction with the previous Empress, but the current Empress was a good match for them, and they had grown quite close to my grandmother’s generation.

Perhaps the reason he called me here today is to talk about my grandmother.

⁂

As soon as I entered the palace, I was ushered into a small drawing room attached to the palace.

A long dining table was set with a sumptuous feast that made me wonder if I had made a mistake in the room I entered.

It was as if my tastes had been studied beforehand, since every single item was my favorite.

As I gazed in wonder at all the food, the current Empress, Her Majesty Lexion Rotania, who had followed me into the room, spoke up.

“Marquis Seywint, don’t you like the food?”

I, who had been seated and waiting for her, jumped to my feet and clapped my hands.

“What? No, Your Majesty. These are all my favorite foods.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad to hear that. I’m here to serve you, so don’t be so formal.”

As she spoke, the Empress smiled, a smile more beautiful than any other in the room.

I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by it, even though I had never seen her before.

At the same time, I realized that my world had been too small until now.

As far as I knew, the coolest person was my grandmother, and the most beautiful person was Liel.

But I decided not to change my standards so easily. I was too proud to admit it.

Anyway, it’s not polite to turn down an offer of food, so after a brief exchange of greetings, I tasted the carefully laid out dishes.

They all tasted as good as they looked, and my praise was unequivocal. When I mentioned this to the Empress, she was all smiles.

“I’m glad to hear it, good thing I had listened to Anise, who brags about her granddaughter whenever we meet.”

Apparently her grandmother and the Empress got along quite well.

The Empress had already finished her meal and was looking at me with a set jaw. She stopped moving her plate, wondering if I should stop eating too.

“Oh, never mind me, eat more. I didn’t call you here to make you uncomfortable.”

Then what the hell did you call me for…….

I was still a long way from being my grandmother, and I wasn’t bold enough to keep my composure while talking to someone this high up.

So I became more and more concerned with my facial expressions.

“I can’t help it if you’re already uncomfortable…….”

Her Majesty muttered something, but I couldn’t make it out due to the distance.

After another bite or two, I put down my fork and knife.

“Have you finished eating already?”

“Yes, thank you for the hospitality.”

I clasped my hands together and slid them down the table. Her Majesty still had a smile on her face.

The beautiful upturned corners of her mouth gave the illusion of a halo shining behind her.

I blinked brokenly and tried to regain my composure.

Just then, the butler next to me brought tea. As the aroma of the tea tickled the tip of my nose, Her Majesty spoke again.

“I am sorry to hear about Marquis Anise. I would have attended the funeral, but I feared that my presence might have been misunderstood. Forgive me if I pay my respects with only my heart.”

I nodded in silence at the Empress’s words.

As she said, I didn’t want my grandmother’s funeral to be politicized, so I decided that her heart was enough.

“Actually, I owe Anise a lot personally.”

Her Majesty’s red lips touched her teacup.

“My daughter is very fond of her, and she often plays with her instead of me.”

True to her word, my grandmother had often traveled in and out of the palace to care for the princess before I entered the Academy.

She was always fond of children, so she must have enjoyed those times.

At the time, I was studying for my entrance exams, so I didn’t hear much about her, but from what I heard, she was a very cute and loving person…….

“……I called you here because I wanted to ask you a favor.”

“A favor?”

As I vaguely imagined that I, too, would one day meet the princess, I saw the concern on her face.

I was surprised that she would ask me for a favor after meeting me for the first time today, but I was a little worried about what could possibly be causing her to look so bitter.

“It is not—”

“Princess, Her Majesty is currently speaking to a guest……!”

Just as he was about to get down to business, a small commotion erupted at the entrance to the drawing room.

I naturally turned my head to look at the door.

There, I saw a young girl, nicely dressed, and a group of maids scrambling to keep her out.

One of the maids, who seemed to have the highest rank, looked up quickly and began to excuse herself.

“……I apologize, Your Majesty. I shouldn’t have announced the Marquis’ entrance to the palace…….”

The maid’s excuse didn’t sound right.

My attention had already been drawn to the small blonde child standing below with a pouty expression.

“…….”

A child who looked exactly like the Empress herself was looking at me with green eyes that reminded me of a blade of fresh grass.

It was the Princess.

‘Her cheeks are so cute……. I want to poke her cheeks…….’

Apparently, I like children as much as my grandmother. The first time I saw her, she looked so cute.

She said she was four years old when I entered the academy, so she must be about five now.

“Chloe!”

What a surprise……!

As I was calculating the Princess’ age in my head, I heard a stern voice beside me that sounded unbelievably like Her Majesty, who had just been so kind to me.

I looked at the Empress and Princess Chloe in astonishment.

“Is that what your etiquette teacher taught you?”

Her Majesty’s face was more of like the Empress’s than a parent’s as she reprimanded her child with a stern expression.

I suddenly felt like I should be polite, too. Stunned, the Princess pursed her lips as if to protest, but then shut them.

“Go back to your room.”

“That’s …………. I’m sorry…….”

Soon, Princess Chloe sobbed and admitted her fault. The pitiful look on her face broke my heart.

But heartbreak is heartbreak, and education is education.

So I stood still and watched as Her Majesty spoke, and then the Princess glared at me.

To be honest, I found it more amusing than frightening, because she was cute as a kitten.

Perhaps the princess was impressed that I didn’t react when she was glaring at me.

Soon, the maid took the princess’ hand and led her away.

“Phew……. I’m sorry, Chloe is still young and sometimes acts impulsively like that.”

Her Majesty the Empress, her brow furrowed in distress, apologized politely, and I hastily assured her that it was no problem.

“No, she must have really liked my grandmother, if she’s heard the announcement and come to see me out of curiosity.”

I flashed her a bright smile in an attempt to lighten the mood, but all I got in return was a bitter look.

“Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, and it involves Chloe.”

“You mean the princess……?”

“Yes. Ever since Anise died, Chloe has been visibly depressed.”

Unlike when she was berating the princess, the Empress’s face changed to that of a parent with a child.

“I apologize for asking this of you at such a busy time of year, but I wonder if you could stop by the palace and play with Chloe, just as Marquis Anise did.”

“……me?”

“I’m asking because I believe she’ll follow you as well as she did with Marquis Anise, since she came to see you even though she knew she’ll be scolded by me.”

And you’re Anise’s granddaughter.

“As you’ve seen, Chloe gives me a harder time than anyone else.”

“…….”

“I’ve always had to be strict with Chloe, so it’s not easy for me…… to play with her, and at this rate, I’m afraid she’ll never call me mother.”

Princess Chloe was to be the next Empress.

She was still too young to become the crown princess, but it was clear from her attitude that she had already made up her mind to pass the torch to Princess Chloe.

So she must be even more strict with her.

“Of course, I’m not asking you to do this, but I promise you that one day, I will grant you anything you wish for.”

My eyes widened at the stakes.

“As long as it’s not a favor that involves the honor of the country.”

I chuckled bitterly at her joking tone.

I don’t have the capacity to ask for a favor like that……