MYCDM 08

Chapter 08

‘Could it be, was I truly kidnapped? By the hands of a man with similar hair and eye color to mine?’

A chill ran down her spine.

“Actually, due to Princess Shia’s appearance, the public has speculated that your biological father is either Lord Luke or Lord Simon.”

“Lord Simon?”

Another unfamiliar name appeared.

“He was His Majesty’s eighth consort, a handsome man with silver hair and violet eyes. Though he was found dead at the time of Princess Aksa’s disappearance.”

“Oh….”

‘Dead?’

That was definitely a word meaning death.

“Since Imperial Consort Luke is waiting, I’m afraid I can’t speak at length.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I tried to be careful so that Princess Aksa wouldn’t be too shocked, but I thought it would be good for you to have some knowledge before meeting Lord Luke.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Shia held tightly to the hand she was holding with Michael.

Shia’s anxiety was vividly felt by Michael.

‘This is why I delayed telling her as much as possible, but would it have been better to tell her earlier? She’s scared.’

The hand gripping Michael was bony. He had tried to feed her well during that time, but it was impossible for her to gain weight in just a few days.

Still, by washing her face, hands, and feet with lotion morning and evening, dressing her in good clothes, and staying by her side to help with her studies, her gloomy impression seemed to have lessened somewhat.

‘She follows me especially closely, perhaps because of the imprint.’

Shia felt anxious when Michael wasn’t by her side. Michael, of course, was also pleased.

‘Above all, she is the one who clearly guarantees my future.’

Michael stroked the back of the hand he was holding with his thumb and spoke.

“Don’t worry. Lord Luke will surely be filled with affection for you. If anything seems like it might be a problem, tell me. I will help you.”

“Yes.”

Shia looked at Michael’s face and nodded. She didn’t know how fortunate she was to have Michael by her side.

“Um, but… am I really His Majesty the Emperor’s daughter?”

In truth, Shia was still afraid that someone would point a finger at her and call her a fake. So she asked Michael every day.

“I guarantee it. Didn’t you feel it yourself from the very first moment we met?”

“That’s true, but it still doesn’t feel real.”

“His Majesty the Emperor will also recognize you. Direct imperial family members can distinguish their children’s Rings as well.”

“!”

Shia looked back at Michael again.

“Wh-What if I go to the palace and His-His Majesty says I’m not the Princess?”

“That won’t happen.”

Michael stroked Shia’s head with his free hand, as if to reassure her.

“As I said before, no one knows Princess Aksa’s abilities more accurately than I do.”

“Oh….”

“The feeling you had when you met me is because you imprinted your ability on me fifteen years ago. It will remain as long as Princess Shia doesn’t take back the imprint’s power.”

“….”

“If you can’t trust yourself, trust me. The one who bears your imprint.”

Shia looked at Michael for a long moment and then nodded slightly.

“I will.”

Unlike the women of Tashin, Shia was frail and obedient. Perhaps it was because she had been isolated and lived in Arune for so long.

Michael liked that too. It felt like he was one step closer to becoming Shia’s First Imperial Consort in the future and wielding the imperial authority of Tashin.

“Now, shall we go?”

Michael led Shia’s hand with his characteristic gentle smile and left the ship.

—

* * *

—

As Michael had said, there was a group adorned in splendid attire in front of the pier. Along with several elegant carriages.

Among them, a silver-haired man stood out most prominently—a large man with tightly pressed lips that seemed stubborn.

‘A little scary.’

Shia quietly lowered her gaze to the ground.

She was grateful to be walking hand-in-hand with Michael. Her legs were trembling so much.

“I greet the First Imperial Consort.”

Michael said, bowing his head slightly.

Shia glanced at Michael and awkwardly bowed her head. This man seemed to be Luke, the first husband of her mother, as Michael had mentioned.

“Aksa.”

“!”

It was the name of the Emperor’s lost daughter.

Michael had said that in Tashin, she would likely be called by the name Aksa rather than Shia.

But it was still an unfamiliar name.

Shia answered in a trembling voice.

“…Yes.”

The man who stood before her like a massive mountain slowly lowered his body.

He knelt down, looked up at Shia, and spoke.

“Too late.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Shia was flustered, thinking she should have come to Tashin sooner.

“No.”

Luke’s face twisted. Seeing his furrowed brow, Shia didn’t know what to do.

“I was too late.”

Only then did Shia see that Luke’s eyes were becoming moist.

Shia was flustered by the tears of this unfamiliar man. Shia waved her hands and said.

“Oh, no.”

Luke shook his head and answered.

“I am indeed late. It’s my fault.”

Luke took Shia’s hands and pressed his forehead to her palms.

Shia felt sorrow in Luke’s attitude and could say nothing more.

A man who might be her biological father.

Honestly, this man had a young face for being her father. Of course, Oper also had an eerily young face.

Luke had a much more masculine, strong-featured face compared to Oper. She wasn’t sure if he resembled her skinny self.

“Imperial Consort, the Princess is so weakened that even standing here in the street like this is too much.”

At Michael’s words, Luke lifted his head.

“I was careless. I’m sorry, Aksa.”

“Oh, no.”

When Luke rose, Shia flinched. Luke was still holding both of Shia’s hands.

Luke looked at Shia’s hands resting on top of his.

“So thin.”

At Luke’s voice, Shia glanced at Michael. Michael smiled reassuringly at Shia’s anxious gaze.

Michael stepped forward and spoke.

“Her health has been poor, so she hasn’t been eating well, but since meeting me, her appetite has improved and she is gradually recovering.”

“Tsk.”

Luke clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

Shia flinched at the sound and cowered her shoulders.

“…Don’t be startled. It wasn’t directed at you.”

Luke said slowly in response to Shia’s reaction.

Shia still found this intimidating man frightening and couldn’t lift her head.

“Everyone knows of the Imperial Consort’s deep affection for the Princess, but Princess Aksa is meeting you here for the first time in fifteen years.”

Michael continued calmly.

“Please give her time to adjust.”

Only at Michael’s words did Luke finally release Shia’s hands.

As soon as Luke let go, Shia moved closer to Michael and clung to him.

At that, Luke’s expression twisted slightly, but he said nothing else.

—

Soon, the party followed Luke into the hotel.

Not long after being shown to her room, a Tashin doctor came to see Shia.

The doctor who bowed politely was a woman.

She hadn’t met many doctors while in Arune, but all the doctors Shia had encountered were men, so this was a somewhat unfamiliar situation.

Even the Arune doctor Elihu had brought was a man.

“I heard you injured your arm.”

The doctor unwrapped the bandage on Shia’s arm and examined the wound. She then asked Shia various questions, and Shia answered diligently.

She listened to the sounds of Shia’s back and abdomen with a stethoscope, and the doctor examined Shia in various ways.

Michael stood by the door, monitoring the examination. He only turned his body when Shia needed to remove her clothes.

Near the end of the examination, the doctor spoke.

“If the Princess permits, I would like to examine your body using a Ring.”

“Excuse me?”

As Shia looked up at the doctor without thinking, Michael stepped in.

“The Princess has not handled her abilities for a long time, so an explanation is necessary.”

At Michael’s words, the doctor nodded slightly and spoke.

“Doctors in Tashin who treat imperial family members, like myself, use Rings to check the Ring condition of their patients as well.”

“Ah.”

Shia still didn’t fully understand what a Ring was.

Ring.

An ability she had never used but was told she had.

The only time Shia had been aware of her ability was when she was with Michael.

A feeling similar to when she was with Oper. A feeling of being connected to something.

‘This must also be an ability of the Ring, right?’

It seemed Tashin doctors could examine even unexpected aspects using Rings.

“However, if the Princess does not permit it, I cannot check your condition. Observing the Ring of a stronger individual requires their consent.”

Shia nodded and spoke.

“Ah, I’m fine. Please examine me.”