The Place Where I Was Sold as a Slave Was the Imperial Palace

(60)

＜ Vain Crow ＞

* * *

The road back to the mansion was quiet.

Neither Rudy nor Levin said anything.

My stomach was empty because I had vomited it all up, but I couldn’t even think of eating anything.

Boris, too, did not particularly recommend food on this day.

My body shook every time the vibration of the rolling wagon hit my buttocks, and the face of the man who cried in the dungeon came to mind.

. . . Ah, yes, it was such a world where I lived.

Rudy looked up at the blue sky.

The clear sky is spotless and natural, but the world where humans live is so distorted.

Suddenly, the face of the blind heir came to mind.

Every time the emperor spoke to her, she had a look of joy, even though she didn’t know what to do.

Even if it’s fake, or if it’s used as a political piece, I hope it’s a peaceful time for that child.

When I arrived at the mansion and was about to get off the carriage, Levin started talking to me.

“Lord Rudy!”

Levin forced a smile with a drawn face.

“are you okay. Because this will pass quickly. In a month, I’ll forget everything.”

what is that

Rudy smiled involuntarily.

Levin seems to have been trying to lighten Rudy’s heart in his own way, but it’s stupid.

You can’t forget it. Boris showed it to me to remember it properly.

Worried that the real Levine would forget everything, Rudy got out of the carriage and looked up at his face.

“Levin, you must not forget. Don’t gather them all at once like the last time, remember them one by one and then retaliate step by step.”

Levin blinked and smiled shyly.

“Ah, that was my mistake. Next time, I’ll never do anything so stupid. I was really scolded by Boris-sama too. I will retaliate one by one as Rudy said. Yes, it really is.”

While Levin nodded, the carriage moved again. Levin turned away from the carriage and gave a small wave.

Then I bent over and covered my mouth again, as if my stomach was rumbling again.

The coachman was startled and immediately stopped the carriage.

Levin seems to have a knack for quickly turning a tragedy into a comedy.

After getting out of the carriage and spitting up some water, Levin got back into the carriage.

Seeing the wagon pull away, Rudy turned around.

I was about to enter the mansion, but I heard a croak, a croak, a bird from somewhere.

Turning his head to look, he saw two crows flying towards him.

“uh···.”

something is a little strange

Birds seldom run at people, but somehow that crow seemed to be flying towards Rudy.

Reflexively, the body took a defensive posture.

But then, suddenly, the crow’s body stiffened and fell to the floor.

The other one then opened its beak wide as if it were about to scream, then suddenly stopped moving. The bird immediately fell to the floor.

Crackling, white flames flew in a circle in the air.

The firebird seems to have killed the crow.

I quickly checked outside, but the carriage was already far enough out of sight. no one saw

It seems that Rudy’s behavior was a little dissatisfied.

As if a fire bird had flown right in front of Rudy’s eyes, sparks flew in the white space.

It’s like saying, I don’t think I even knew that.

“…okay, sorry.”

When Rudy speaks softly, sparks fly in small, tak-tak-tak.

Rudy walked to the spot where the crow landed.

The crow lying limp on the floor didn’t look very strange. Just like a normal bird.

But why did it attack people?

Could it be that there are some types of birds in this world that, unlike Earth, rush towards people?

Or maybe the bird has suddenly gone mad, or maybe there is a way to send a curse or something to the bird.

There is magic, but what is it?

Something invisible landed on Rudy’s shoulder. I feel a warm energy on my shoulder.

“Was it something strange?”

When Rudy asked, it felt like the air was vibrating.

It seems that even the firebird doesn’t know the feeling well.

It seems that it was not just a common bird.

That’s why the firebird must have reacted.

something is not nice Feeling disheveled, Rudy entered the mansion.

For some reason, Nadia Bhimama was with me.

Looking at the cloth on her knees, it seems that she is embroidering outside today because the sun is nice.

Long, shiny golden hair hung down her back.

She used to be perfectly dressed from head to toe, but these days she always wears loose clothes.

It must be because neither the emperor nor the court ladies are coming. For a long time there had been only Nanny and Mama Nadia, and now only Marie and two children had been added.

Seeing Rudy, Nadiagra smiled brightly. Even after having two children, she still looks like a girl in her mid-twenties.

Nadia Bea stopped embroidering and reached out for Rudy.

“Rico!”

He seems to think of Rudy as Rico today.

Rudy quietly approached her and kissed the back of Nadia’s hand.

“You don’t have to do that to your mother.”

Nadiagra smiled and hugged him.

Nanny slouched forward and smiled as she sewed beside Bhimama.

“Mama finished embroidering your shirt.”

Nadiagra opened her eyes wide and quietly looked around. And then he closes his eyes and says.

“Even if you’re a nanny, you can’t talk like that to Rico. Because this child is the child of His Majesty the Emperor. If Your Majesty sees it, it will be disrespectful.”

The nanny shrugged her shoulders, looking a little sad.

“…Yes, I’m sorry, Mama. Because I am getting older.”

“are you okay. But be careful. It would be a big deal if the empress knew. If the nanny is taken away again…”

Transparent water droplets formed in Nadiagra’s eyes as if she remembered the past.

“Oh, Mama!”

The nanny wipes Nadiagra’s eyes in embarrassment.

Rudy left the two of them and looked around.

In the past, Princess Lilitha couldn’t leave the mansion because of her nanny.

But since Rudy often brings her out, the princess can play outside occasionally.

The sunlight is nice today, so he’s probably out, but since he can’t be seen, he seems to be hiding.

When Nadiagra is awake, Princess Lilitha is often hiding somewhere.

just as expected.

Through the tall weeds, Princess Rilisha’s round buttocks were visible. Like an ostrich, he hid his face in the grass and his buttocks out.

“You have been out for too long today. You better go in now, Mama.”

“···huh.”

Nadiagra seems to have forgotten that Rudy is by her side.

Her mind had returned to the time when her nanny was taken away by the empress and beaten. Yeon-sin asks the nanny if her back is okay and if she has requested medicine from the Uiguk.

The nanny comforted the tearful Nadiagra, saying that a lot of time had passed since then and that it was okay.

As the nanny prepared to go inside, Rudy sneaked out.

I walked up behind the princess who was banging her head in the weeds and spoke quietly.

“princess! What are you doing?”

Lilitha lifted her head in surprise and put her little finger crookedly in her mouth.

“Sit! I’m mad at you.”

“are you okay. Bhimama is now in. Look over there.”

Princess Lilitha grabbed Rudy’s body and poked her head out.

Nadiagra was just entering the mansion with her nanny and sewing supplies.

Risha smiled brightly.

In this case, Princess Ririsha really resembles Nadia Bhimama.

When I was young, I thought I was a bit ugly, but as I grow up, I start to resemble my mother more and more. I think I will become a splendid beauty when I grow up.

‘Really… it’s like watching an ugly duckling become a swan.’

It’s kind of overwhelming.

Princess Lilitha put her head on Rudy’s body and hugged her tightly.

“roo! Magic!”

stick out your forehead

After lightly kissing the protruding white forehead, Rilisha rubbed her face against his body again.

“Your forehead is all over, princess.”

He pats the back of the princess who is rubbing hard and laughs involuntarily. It’s like a combination of a dog and a cat.

My mind, which had been severely disturbed a moment ago, seemed to brighten a little.

* * *

“Be careful, Norman. There are stones underneath.”

The hand of the attendant who was holding Norman’s hand was slightly tensed. Norman leaned on the attendant’s hand and took a few steps forward. The scent of flowers wafts from all directions.

“Come this way···. There is a chair right behind you.”

The attendant gently led him by the hand. As he did, he lowered himself and sank into the soft chair. Immediately, a warm blanket was placed over my lap.

The day is warm, but his body often gets chills. An attendant who knew this well tightened the small blanket over her lap.

A warm cup was held in his hand.

“It’s honey tea.”

He nodded slightly at the attendant’s warm voice, and the attendant covered the back of his hand holding the cup with his large hand.

The warm cup moves with little effort on your part, and you drink honey tea in one sip.

Many people see him as young because of his small body, but he was eight years old this year.

He had little memory of running away from his original place of residence. I can only remember people screaming and a big man striking a knife.

The knife that caught his eye then was the last thing Norman saw in this world.

Nothing seen since that day.

At that time, the person who ran away with Norman in his arms was my older brother, who had a large age difference.

We didn’t see each other often when we lived in the castle, but we’ve always been together since we went blind.

My older brother said that the name of the country and family he originally lived in should never be mentioned. told me to forget

Because my older brother spoke so terribly, I never once mentioned the name of the country or family after I lost my sight. I still vaguely remember it, but I don’t know exactly.

My older brother said he would buy medicine and left him at a strange man’s house and never returned.

After that, when I came to my senses, I was riding in a carriage. People’s voices changed every day and they ate liquids with strange tastes.

The man who was always by his side at that time and treated him kindly is the attendant next to him right now.

After this attendant was by my side, much of the pain went away.

Sometimes, when I was in great pain, a servant gently stroked my hair. In a friendly voice, he tells me he’s fine. There is nothing to be afraid of, he says, just leave everything to yourself.

Norman raised his face to the sky.

The warm sunlight poured down on his forehead and cheeks.

not hungry anymore There is no need to sleep in a cold place, and there are no sleepless nights from the pain digging into the eyes.

If it hurts, just say it hurts.

Then the attendant will make you drink a very bitter liquid, and the pain will disappear.

As the servant told him to do, he sometimes came out like this to bask in the sunlight, and greeted His Majesty the Emperor when he came.

Then you can rest in this warm and safe place every day. As long as the servant did what he was told, this place would not disappear like his older brother.

“Your Majesty has arrived. Even if it’s hard, please bear with me for a moment.”

“…”

I couldn’t answer the servant’s words.

A few days ago, my voice didn’t come out well. My throat hurt when I tried to speak.

They say it’s okay though The attendant said it was not necessary for Norman to speak.

[Just be still, a nod once in a while is okay.]

I was worried about whether it was okay in front of the emperor, but if the attendant said so, it would be fine.

As Norman stood up and waited, he heard the emperor’s familiar voice.

“Okay. No need to push yourself, just sit down.”

A large hand was placed on his shoulder.

the emperor’s hand

Only a servant or an emperor could touch him here.

The Emperor visited him once every few days. Come, say a few things, and leave.

And sometimes it seems like someone sneaks in. There were often people who referred to Norman as Eddieru-sama. Such a person was quickly attracted to someone.

The attendant told me not to worry.

If he says so, then so be it.

Norman was dazed and realized that an attendant had carried him into the building.

“His Majesty is gone. It seems to be in good condition today, but it may have been overworked after all. You’d better get some sleep now.”

“…”

I felt something thickly pouring from my eyes.

The attendant gently presses it with a cloth and wipes it off.

but it doesn’t hurt

“What are you interested in?”

“…”

I think I laughed without even realizing it. At the attendant’s question, this time she moved her lips slightly and smiled.

Sometimes you don’t know whether you’re making a face, crying or laughing. My older brother once said that it was because he couldn’t see.

As the attendant tried to get up, he struggled and grabbed him.

It’s scary when no one is there.

“it’s okay. I’m just going to get some ointment for a while.”

The attendant said and left, returning a moment later. Being careful not to get sick, the attendant applied the medicine around the eyes.

After that, until Norman fell asleep, the attendant gently stroked his hair.

Right before falling asleep, Norman suddenly muttered to himself.

‘I… I know… Edieru is the son of the Duke of Watling.’

Running away and wandering here and there, my older brother said just once. An evil country is looking for a successor to the Duke of Watoring.

At that time, my brother was like that.

[But unlike us, Lady Edieru will be treated well. Because he is a very special person. We will die if we are caught.]

My brother was probably caught.

Know.

Obviously not coming back…

“Don’t cry, Norman. it’s okay. There is nothing scary. You are safe here.”

The attendant continued to speak.

It’s not scary as long as you hear that voice.

···It’s okay···It’s safe here···It’s okay···It’s safe···.

Hearing the words over and over again, he fell asleep before he knew it.

＜ Empty Crow ＞ End