MYCDM 05

Chapter 05

Michael Eshkenazi was an adopted son of the Eshkenazi family, and at the age of 8, he became the fiancé of the 5-year-old Princess Aksa.

Of course, both Michael becoming an adopted son of the Eshkenazi family and becoming the Princess’s fiancé were all because of his exceptional Ring.

Although Princess Aksa’s disappearance had made his position somewhat precarious, Michael Eshkenazi overcame it as always.

‘I was lucky.’

Michael smiled as he looked at the sleeping Shia.

‘Of course, on the premise that all of this is truly luck.’

To find that Princess Aksa, who had gone missing at the age of five, fifteen years later.

And for the Princess to have been saved by Elihu, who had fled to Arune after falling out of the Emperor’s favor?

There were too many suspicious points for everything to be coincidence. Of course, since he couldn’t verify those suspicions now, he would have to set them aside for the time being.

After confirming that Shia was asleep, Michael left the room.

“Michael!”

“Lord Elihu.”

Michael put on his usual kind smile.

Elihu Diamant, the only son of Duchess Ronit Diamant, the Emperor’s younger sister.

Despite being a man, he was discussed as a candidate for the next Emperor due to his outstanding abilities. So Michael had secretly supported Elihu as the next imperial candidate.

Until Elihu’s subordinate accidentally killed the Emperor’s son, Yusuf, and Elihu fell out of the Emperor’s favor, Michael had intended to steadily support him.

Someone in an ambiguous position like himself needed to quickly find the next power holder. A strong backer who would look after him after the Emperor’s protection faded.

For now, he was clinging to the Emperor as the Emperor’s consort, but there was no knowing how long the Emperor’s reign would last.

He hadn’t expected Elihu, whom he had chosen, to completely collapse.

Still, whether it was Elihu’s luck or Michael’s luck, Elihu had found Princess Aksa, whose whereabouts had been unknown for fifteen years.

“Shia is Princess Aksa, right?”

In response to Elihu’s question, Michael smiled.

“Yes. Before Princess Aksa went missing, she left an imprint on me, her fiancé, did she not? Both I and Princess Aksa felt the traces of the imprint through close contact.”

Michael’s smile deepened.

Imprint.

It was like a brand that a person with high-level Ring abilities left on a specific person.

Once this mark was made, the Ring caster could feel and summon the imprinted person wherever they were. Though Michael had never been summoned once in fifteen years.

Today’s meeting confirmed it. The one who had left the imprint on him was alive, and that ‘Princess Aksa’ was the frail girl lying over there.

A laugh escaped him. To find the Princess like this.

He had found Aksa, the Emperor’s missing daughter.

This fact was very important to Michael.

Because the Princess Aksa, who would have priority over anyone else for the next Emperor, was returning.

Her current sickly and frail state didn’t matter. What mattered was that Aksa was the owner of an exceptional Ring, enough to leave an imprint on Michael at just five years old, and that she was the current Emperor’s only child.

The Emperor’s obsession with children was immeasurable. Her obsession with Aksa was the same.

‘I am currently the only husband of that Princess Aksa.’

Aksa had returned at just the right time.

He hadn’t expected this variable, but he was glad. Thanks to this, Michael’s future was brighter than ever.

“Michael, there’s something you need to know.”

Elihu lowered his voice.

“Hm?”

Michael, who had been about to drink his tea, put it down and looked at Elihu.

“Right now, Shia—that is, Princess Aksa—has someone she believes is her father.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve already completed the investigation. He looks exactly like Lord Simon.”

“Like Lord Simon?”

Simon was the person the Emperor had designated as Princess Aksa’s biological father.

He matched Aksa’s hair and eye color, and had already been found dead at the time of Aksa’s disappearance.

“His Majesty the Emperor even held Lord Simon’s funeral. That was fifteen years ago.”

It was a fact known to every noble of Tashin.

“What have you done with that man?”

“I caught him.”

Elihu grinned.

“His Majesty the Emperor isn’t someone who will just bury the disappearance case because Aksa was found. There’s still bloody revenge to be had against those who kidnapped Aksa.”

“Where is he, that man?”

Elihu said with a smile.

“I can’t tell you that. Since I made a mistake with His Majesty the Emperor and was exiled from Tashin, I have many things to make up for. No matter how much it’s you, that information is a bit difficult.”

“I won’t press, Lord Elihu.”

“Alright, alright.”

Elihu patted Michael’s shoulder, seeming pleased. Michael glanced at Elihu’s hand and then continued.

“But I don’t think you need to worry. After all, it was Lord Elihu who saved Princess Aksa.”

“With that, I’ve earned a justification to return to Tashin. Next is managing the kidnapper to solidify my position.”

Elihu too was a master of politics.

He didn’t just want a justification to return to Tashin. He intended to return carrying the grand banner of not only rescuing a member of the imperial family but also capturing the kidnapper.

Well, Elihu Diamant was also a member of the imperial family. Even if he was a master of political maneuvering, it was only natural.

“The reason I’m telling you about that kidnapper who resembles Lord Simon is….”

“Yes, please speak.”

“Shia—no, Princess Aksa—firmly believes that man will contact her, you see? I’ve already told her that he hasn’t contacted us, so you should go along with that too.”

“Ah.”

“Even though we know that bastard is a kidnapper, it seems the Princess isn’t in a state to handle it yet. I did hint at it, but she didn’t believe me. She’s certain. She thinks that bastard is her real father.”

“Yes. I’ll be careful about that part.”

“Shia… Ah, let’s just call her Shia here for now. Changing what we call her is troublesome too. Anyway, while Shia was unconscious, I had an Arune doctor examine her through a merchant, you know?”

Elihu continued with a twisted smile.

“Shia is malnourished and her body is abnormal. Though her arm was injured by an assassin hired by the kidnapper’s wife.”

Michael barely suppressed a sigh.

“We’ll need to have her examined by a Tashin doctor again, but the Arune doctor who briefly treated Shia for a few days said… that even though Shia is an adult, she has never menstruated.”

“Hmm….”

That meant she might have difficulty producing an heir.

The current Emperor of Tashin, Esti, had not had a child for over ten years, and Esti currently had no direct descendants. Because all had died.

The only child left now was Princess Aksa, ‘Shia,’ whom Michael had just met.

“That’s not all. Shia can’t read either—not even Arune script, let alone Tashin.”

“!”

Even Michael let out a sigh of disbelief.

“It’s not just because Aksa is my cousin, you know. Even I think those bastards are unforgivable.”

“I hope the kidnapper isn’t just one person.”

“Hm?”

“I don’t think His Majesty will be satisfied with just one.”

“Ah, that… Right.”

Elihu said, stroking his chin.

The current Emperor of Tashin, Esti Var Ivera.

She was the owner of such powerful abilities that she was called a living god, and her temperament was ferocious.

“I’ve also caught the woman who hired an assassin to kill Shia. That woman is pregnant, you know?”

“Hahaha.”

Michael laughed lightly.

“Now that it’s confirmed Shia is Princess Aksa, let’s take Shia and return to Tashin as soon as morning breaks.”

Elihu said with a grin.

Michael stared at Elihu.

“To Tashin?”

“Shia looked very relieved when she saw you. It’s because of the imprint, right?”

Michael remained silent, but Elihu patted his shoulder again as if he knew everything.

“Honestly, if you felt it, there’s no more certain proof than that.”

It was true.

The imprint left by a Tashin imperial family member exerts a powerful force. There was no more certain evidence than this.

“Will Princess Shia accept such an abrupt move?”

“Well, I don’t know. What matters is that the longer it takes to bring Shia—Princess Aksa—to Tashin, the more you and I will be reprimanded by His Majesty.”

“….”

“I’ll look into ship passage to Tashin tomorrow through an Arune merchant right now. You convince Shia.”

“Yes.”

Michael let out a small sigh and rose.

“If she hears that her father hasn’t been heard from for days, and that no one has come looking for her, she’ll accept it.”

“…Yes.”

Michael answered obediently.

Elihu clearly showed the traits of someone who had been fairly loved and had lived freely as the Emperor’s nephew. He gave orders as if it were natural, and even though Shia had been revealed as a Princess, he tried to move her whereabouts as he pleased.

‘Having always enjoyed such privileges, he acts on instinct.’

In fact, Michael was currently in a higher position than Elihu, who was practically in disgrace. He was the Emperor’s consort. The husband of that clueless Princess upstairs.

Now that Shia had been revealed as Princess Aksa, the highest-ranking person here was Shia, yet that attitude showed no interest whatsoever in her opinion.

‘The Princess seems to have become cowed and timid after living among Arune commoners for so long. That attitude will also be a problem in Tashin.’

Once Elihu left, Michael headed back to Shia’s room.

Malnutrition.

Her hair was a mess, cut haphazardly, and her nails were unkempt. It was easy to guess how she had been treated here.

As he organized his plans in his mind beside the sleeping Shia….

“Lord Michael.”

“Hm?”

A man presumed to be one of Elihu’s retainers called out to Michael.

“What is it?”

“Lady Rebecca and Senior Lady-in-Waiting Bvinnna, who served Princess Aksa, have come and wish to see Princess Shia.”