The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 73: Bait-and-Switch (VII)

As soon as Eristella saw the previous emperor and empress, she realized what the really important event was in this fantasy world.

“Wasn’t the previous Emperor and Empress’s accident around this time?”

Heinricion also guessed the timing.

The previous emperor and empress passed away in a sudden accident.

“Isn’t there some time left before the two of them die?”

However, they weren’t seeing that right now.

The black magician must have been trying to show to Eristella the death of the former emperor and empress.

‘Why did you take the time to spare?’

Eristella’s face twitched slightly. She had been deeply engrossed in her own thoughts up to this point.

Several things before her parents’ deaths came to mind.
(TL/N: the below scenes are flashbacks, eri recalling the past while watching it.)

*******

When Little Eristella woke up from her nap, something felt strange.

“…Was it a dream?”

The child woke up dazed for a long time.

“Things to come… No, I think I’ve been through this before…”

So many scenes popped into her head all at once. It took time just to understand.

This was the moment when all memories returned.

There was no dramatic event or incident that triggered it.

When she woke up, an overwhelming amount of memories flooded in.

After gathering her senses to some extent, Eristella got down from her bed and trudged to the empress’s palace.

Then she went up to her mother.

As she was hugged by the empress, she spoke as if she had attained some enlightenment.

“Mom. Do not go to the inspection.”

“All of a sudden?”

“Yes. I want to be with Mom and Dad. If you go on inspection, I won’t be able to see you for several months.”

“You can look at us to your heart’s content after we’re back.”

“…Can’t you two just not go this year? Please?”

The young princess cuddled up to the empress.

“Our Lala will complain like this. Why?”

The empress did not scold her daughter for acting out but petted her as if she was cute.

The child eagerly searched for the reason, shifting her eyes and rolling her brain.

“Haven’t I grown taller in the past few months? I’ll definitely grow more in the next few months. Besides, magic training is also important now…”

She had to find an excuse, but she meant every word. If the two of them leave for inspection, they would never be able to see it. Forever.

“I want my mom and dad to watch over me right now.”

‘Please stay by my side for a long long time.’

The priority was to prevent the inspection, which drove the emperor and empress to their deaths.

It was more important to protect her parents, who were approaching death right before her eyes, rather than fixing her unhappy fate in the future.

“If Lala wants it that way, this time… Should I just stay by Lala’s side?”

“Really?”

Eristella’s eyes sparkled at the empress’s words.

“Our Lala has never asked for anything like this… how could I refuse? Instead, it’s only this year. Got it?”

“All right!”

It was when Eristella was hugging the empress tightly.

“Lala. What about Dad?”

The emperor, who stopped by for a moment even though he was busy, stretched out his arm and pretended to be sad. The child ran straight ahead and was immediately embraced by him.

The three people’s friendly laughter rang out.

*******

Eristella was in a good mood all day, full of confidence. All she had to do now to keep her parents safe was to stay vigilant until the day they went on an inspection.
(TL/N: not the inspection she stopped, but any future ones.)

So she took part in the garden banquets, from which she usually mischievously escaped.

It was an event where young lords and young ladies were invited to the Imperial Palace to interact with each other.

Of course, she did not last long and snuck out.

“I’m bored, why isn’t Heinricion here?”

Heinricion couldn’t come because he caught a cold. Despite knowing that, Eristella grumbled and she wandered around the garden by herself.

It was her clumsy way of expressing regret.

Just then, Eristella’s gaze caught a little boy walking from the other side.

“I see Your Highness the Princess.”

A young boy with fair skin and an innocent face that seemed somewhat sickly came up to Eristella and greeted her.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Emmett Sian. I’m from a small territory, but came to the capital briefly and was honored to be invited.”

“Right. This time, I invited all the young lords staying in the capital. Then, have fun!”

It was just when Eristella quickly lost interest and was about to go back.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

“Yes? Do you have something to say to me?”

“Your Highness is similar to me.”

“……?”

“I recognize people who are similar to me very well.”

“Yes. A lot of people say that. And this is the garden of the Princess Palace. This means that only those with my permission can enter. Goodbye.”

Eristella did not listen carefully. Many kids tried to find common ground with her to build a friendship.

She sloppily waved goodbye to Emmet, and turned around lightly.

While she was wandering around, she found Heinricion, who came late, and played with him. 

*******

‘Uh…? Why is it familiar?’

It was a part of her memory that Eristella had forgotten for a while.

So even as she watched, her memory was fuzzy. ‘I think I ran into someone at the garden banquet at that time…’

‘Right. I’ve met him before.’

Eristella, watching her younger self, couldn’t take her eyes off the boy named Emmet.

‘After that, I never saw him again, so I forgot about him… Why do I suddenly remember what he said?’

In the Prouthu territory, a black wizard was injured by Eristella. At that time, he had spoken with the intent of provoking Eristella to buy time.

“Your Highness. I have an amazing sense for the cursed.”

“Therefore?”

Among the black wizards, he could use the most powerful curse, so his claim was credible, but Eristella deliberately ignored it.

However, the guy continued with his words without even a little bit of hesitation.

“That means I know that Your Highness also has a curse.”

“…….”

“What an ironic fate.”

A crack appeared on Eristella’s face. As if to prevent him from speaking further, she attacked the broken man’s wounds.

He couldn’t completely avoid her strike and raised a corner of his mouth while wiping the blood.

He had a relentless will, to never shut his mouth even if she continued to attack him.

In the end, just as Eristella’s face distorted, the guy’s irritating mouth opened again.

“It’s the fate of not being able to be loved by anyone. I never thought I would sympathize with Your Highness the Princess.”

“Who needs your sympathy?”

Eristella fiercely shrugged it off and ignored it.

To be frank, she was very slightly surprised, since she didn’t know that he would notice her curse. However, she had lived for a long time ignoring such a ordeal.

Nonetheless, she didn’t like having the curse mentioned as if it was like a ‘weakness’ that had been uncovered. 

But he didn’t keep his mouth shut, as if he still hadn’t finished talking.

“Your Highness the Princess. Do you know who cast that curse of fate?”

“…I don’t care.”

Eristella didn’t know the truth.

She wasn’t aware of the fact that there was someone who cursed her.

She just thought it was a tribulation she had from birth. However, once it was mentioned, she thought that there might be someone who had placed this curse on her.

‘Then if I find that person and uncover a way to break the curse… Will the people I love like me?’

“As expected, you’re gaining hope?”

Her expression changed in one breath. If she even showed a little gap, he would bite like a dog.

Escaping from her flashbacks, Eristella suddenly wondered.

‘Why do the two look alike?’

‘That kid named Emmet and the black wizard’s face didn’t look alike at all. Surely the hair and eye color are different… Why do I have a bad feeling?’

‘No, let’s not think too deeply. It must be because I remember hearing similar words when I was young.’

Eristella tried to erase the uncomfortable feeling.

*******

‘Tomorrow, I’ll stick by mom’s side all day.’

Little Eristella made grand plans while preparing for bed.

As soon as she tucked herself into bed, she immediately closed her eyes, and it was time for her to drift into dreamland.

‘Where is this power coming from?’

Feeling something unusual, Eristella opened the window, blinking her sleepy eyes and looking outside. Just then, she felt a strange flow of magical power inside the Imperial Palace.

It was like magic generated by the momentary explosion of something different from the barrier that protects the Imperial Palace.

Others wouldn’t have noticed, but since Eristella was sensitive to magic, she could feel it. And it wasn’t common for magic of this extent to be used in the Imperial Palace.

‘Is something about to explode?’

An ominous feeling arose. Eristella looked at the location where she felt the magic.

‘That… Isn’t that where Dad and Mom are?’

Eristella immediately tried to inform the imperial knights.

‘Wait a minute.’

“There was an accident at the Imperial Palace before they left.”

As she muttered to herself lost in her thoughts, the pupils of her golden eyes shook.

Back then, the building collapsed and the emperor and empress were found buried nearby.

But the strange thing was that they couldn’t figure out why the emperor and empress were trapped, or why the building collapsed.

It was full of odd things, but what happened next was even more shocking, so she completely forgot about it.

‘I’ll check first before calling someone.’

Hence, Eristella ran towards the building where the magical energy was felt.

Ame: AP and I are really really trying out best to make all the scenes as clear as possible, but please do sound out in the comments if you’re confused! 

And bwahahaha, perhaps the novel heard my complaints and curiosity about the past/first timeline stuff, for we’re getting it now.

AP: I take no credit if you don’t understand cuz I barely understand as well.