There Is No Place For Fakes

“As expected, it’s good that you made it here!”

Looking at the garden in full bloom, Philomel smiled contentedly. She was looking around the garden located in the backyard of the Imperial Palace. The flowers tended by the best gardeners were in full bloom.

‘Such a beautiful scene always brings a smile’.

It was no exaggeration to say that even the worst enemies are stunned when walking in the garden, so beautiful was it.

“Could you take a walk with me?”

The wish Philomel told Eustis was to take a walk. She had never taken a walk with him before.

‘While taking a walk, I’m letting him know how good of a person I am as a potential successor.’

However, the person who appeared in front of Philomel was not Eustis, but a completely different person. The boy, who looked two or three years younger than her, was looking at Philomel with his grumpy face.

“Hey!”, the boy yelled, “This is a place where only the imperial family can enter!”

“…?”

Philomel calmly guessed the boy’s identity. That was a garden that only the imperial family could enter. So, to enter the garden means to be a member of the collateral imperial family. And when she saw him with eyes of similar color to the imperial family, with his dull blond hair…

“How dare you ignore me? What kind of family are you? Don’t you know that just sneaking in here is a felony?”

The boy screamed, feeling that Philomel had ignored him.

‘Oh, that’s noisy. I don’t think he can’t be more of an idiot? Why don’t you think I’m a member of the royal family?’

Philomel tried to be patient with him so she said.

“Hey, lower your voice. And you’d better be polite…”

“Shut up!”

Suddenly, the strings of her patience broke in her heart.

Many people had secretly ignored Philomel, but this was the first time she had been treated with such an open insult. A cold, dry voice came out of her mouth.

“Hey, you shut up.”

“What, what? What did you just say……”

“Are your ears clogged? I want you to shut up. Liam Elos.”

“You, knowing who I am, dare to do that…”

“You? Do you know who I am?”

“How do I know you?”

Two figures appeared behind Liam as he shouted.

“Liam! What’s wrong? Did you get hurt somewhere?”

“It’s noisy. What the hell is going on?”

The first person to catch her eye was a woman with a parasol. She was characterized by light blonde hair and gray eyes. The person next to her was a boy who looked three or four years older than Philomel. The boy’s hair was a dull gold, like Liam Elros’s. The two were the Marquise of Elros and her eldest son, Logan Elros.

The former name of Sylvia Elros, the Marquis of Elros, was Belerov. In other words, she was the former princess Sylvia, the daughter of the emperor and half-sister of the current emperor. All of the children of the former emperor died or went into exile except for the current emperor and the Marquis of Elros, who quickly sided with Eustis, so they were the only collateral blood relatives.

‘I heard that the Marquis of Elros had two sons…’

She knew the eldest son’s face, but today was the first meeting with the second son. Since the Belerov family was not a friendly family, they rarely met each other outside of official occasions. Moreover, Liam Elos, the second son, was still young and had no chance to appear in public.

The Marquis de Elros, who found Philomel, greeted her.

“Oh, Philomel. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

Even though she was an aunt, speaking casually to the princess was disrespectful. Ordinarily, even members of the same imperial family would set a certain level of respect for direct imperial family members. There are times when she let go of words, but it’s a case where she was close or when she didn’t give others her permission. Next to her, Liam, startled, asked her mother.

“Yes? If it’s Philomel, is it the princess? But my mother said that the princess looks ugly… Eup!”

The Marquise hastily shut her son’s mouth.

“What is he talking about? He must have been mistaken.”

‘… That’s how you talk about me.’

Philo Mel’s gaze grew cold on its own. Logan Elos stepped forward to divert Philomel’s attention.

“Please forgive my brother’s rudeness with a big heart.”

Logan was more polite than his mother or his brother. However, as if he was lowering his upper body, he only nodded his head.

Logan Elros. He was the boy many predicted to be the next emperor. That was because Philomel had no divine powers, and her other qualities were also lacking. The fortune tellers clamored that the emperor would soon adopt his nephew, who was reputed to be clever, and make him his successor.

‘Even if Ellencia comes, she’ll be a dog chasing chickens.’

Philomel snorted inwardly at him and bowed her head to accept her greeting.

“If Her Highness allows it, we’ll leave. I’m here today to take a walk with my mother and brother.”

But at that moment. Liam, pulling his mother’s hand away, clung to his brother.

“Brother! Brother! Later, when my older brother becomes emperor, clear away this garden and turn it into a playground! I want to play war with my friends.”

“… Shhh! Don’t say things like that carelessly.”

She heard it all. He already thought he would become the next emperor. Philomel was troubled as she watched the three people who were arrogant. Enmity against these three was dangerous considering the future. Even if they could be stamped out with the authority of the princess right now, they were the ones who would reveal their fangs later if Philomel was found to be fake. Maybe it would be wise to just laugh it off for now.

‘But…’

How could there be an heir to the throne who could not move even after hearing such an insult from a collateral family member? Some warning seemed necessary.

‘If it gets into the emperor’s ears, he might consider me a disappointment again.’

And most of all, she didn’t want to live like that. Until she stepped down, she herself was a princess. Hardening her resolve, Philomel opened her mouth.

“Wait a moment. Before the three of you leave, make sure to greet me properly.”

The three hats looked at Philomel with puzzled expressions.

“I greeted you earlier.”

“The Marquise de Elros must have been greeted like that by the collateral royal family when she was the princess, right?”

“That, that’s…”

“And what was that nonsense you were talking about earlier? Speak straight up.”

An exclamation such as huh, huh, came out of the mouth of the marquise. But there would be nothing to say. Because that’s right.

“Yes, do whatever you want. Sylvia Elros greets Her Highness Philomel. Are we done now?”

To Sylvia, who lowered her head and shot her sharply, Philomel said one word, she said with strength.

“Get down.”

“What, what!”

“Get down. Isn’t that a formal greeting for the heir to the throne?”

In fact, it was rare for non-commoners or low-ranking nobles to receive such courteous treatment in a private setting.

Sylvia’s face burned red with shame. After her marriage, her status became marquise, but as a princess, she would have been treated as the highest among the nobles. Since the empress position was also vacant, the socialite was told that it was the world of the marquise. But the anger erupted elsewhere.

“My older brother will become the emperor, what kind of successor are you!”

Liam screamed as if to help his mother.

But at that moment.

“What a fuss.”

The emperor appeared. The faces of the Marquis de Elros and Logan became contemplative. Liam, who was still young, seemed unaware of how dangerous the words he had just uttered were. To think that a collateral imperial family, not the emperor’s children, would become the next emperor. It was a remark that could be considered a conspiracy.

‘Maybe he hasn’t heard Liam’s words!’

Philomel quickly approached the emperor and opened her mouth.

“Your majesty! Liam Elros said his brother will be the next emperor. Is it really? Can Logan overtake me, the first princess, and become the next Emperor?”

Embarrassed, the Marquise of Elros appealed with tears in her eyes.

“Your Majesty, no! My son never said anything like that!”

“…”

The emperor said nothing.

She believed that the Emperor would not forsake them, so Logan joined in as well.

“You’re right. Her Highness, the princess, heard it wrong.”

Finally the emperor said.

“…So you’re saying that the princess is lying?”

The marquise froze, then she gave a strange smile.

“I’m sorry, but it is. Don’t children often lie to get attention? But don’t scold Her Highness too much. Children are like that.”

“You’re right. It was just a small lie.”

The Marquise and Logan worked together to accuse Philomel of being a liar. A reliable successor should logically refute, but in an unexpected situation, the words to refute did not immediately come to mind. At times like that, she was infinitely sad that she was weak like a child.

“Ah, no… I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Tears welled up in Philomel’s eyes.