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

(65)

author’s words

Rudy is 7 years old and Princess Lilitha is 5 years old.

＜ Farewell ＞

* * *

It was Buradov who delivered the order.

I was on my way home from work at the office. As I trudged down the hallway to get to the carriage ride, I met Buradov.

“It’s just fine.”

Since Rudi worked in the office, Buradov’s tone became more polite.

The same goes for everyone else in the office.

No one spoke ill of Rudy because he was a slave or because he was young. Even if you call him Rudy, the mother always ends politely.

Buradov’s order was simple.

Rudi, the golden slave, is ordered to move next to the emperor’s bed before dawn the next day.

The period of grace received was one night.

If you have any luggage to take with you, you can pack it up by dawn and leave it outside the mansion. If you have a lot of luggage, the attendant will carry it tomorrow.

Saying that, Buradov looked at him with a serious expression.

“Rudy, there are going to be some tough times ahead, but I believe you will do just fine. You don’t have to be too nervous. Just do it as usual.”

“yes.”

Buradov lowered himself slightly and looked into their eyes.

“Only one piece of advice: gold slaves are different from silver or servants. Although you are a slave, your body belongs to the emperor, so please do not look down on others.”

“all right.”

“Even if the officials who enter and leave the office are nobles, they understand that fact well, so it’s okay. However, some of the nobles and people from other countries who come to the imperial palace once or twice a year do not fully understand the meaning of the golden slave. Be careful when dealing with such people.”

When Rudy answered, Buradov smiled.

“All you have to do is do what Boris tells you to do. Oh, and the clothes you will wear in the future will be different from before, so when you come out of the concubine, leave everything except what you are wearing.”

Buradov’s gaze turned to Rudy’s neck.

Rudy didn’t wear a horse necklace because he was still young.

The one hanging around her neck now looks the same as the original necklace, but the magic stone is missing.

I heard that you wear a necklace without magic stones until your body stops growing.

“From tomorrow, you will be wearing a proper necklace.”

Rudy’s body twitched slightly.

The preparation for the horse necklace has not yet been made. I couldn’t find a way. No matter what, I couldn’t overwrite the magic formula on the magic tool that had already been activated.

“Is it a hemp necklace?”

Buradov shook his head slightly at Rudy’s question.

“no. As mentioned before, it becomes sweet after the growth of the body is over. What I’m doing tomorrow has a similar gem instead of a magic stone. The size will also be adjusted every year so that it fits perfectly on the neck, and it will be renewed.”

It fits pretty well now, but until earlier this year, Rudy’s necklace was pretty baggy.

Since it is the body of a child, it grows even after a few months.

Since you can’t change the necklace every time, the first gold necklace that was worn around the neck was made so loose that Rudi’s fist could fit into it.

Buradov stood up.

“It will be difficult to meet the concubines for a while. Sorry for not giving you enough time.”

“···are you okay.”

Buradov left, and Rudy moved toward the carriage again.

Even if I had to leave the concubine, I thought they would give me time to say hello, but it’s too urgent. I have a lot of things to organize and do in my own way, but I can’t do anything overnight.

‘I have no choice but to leave everything to Marie.’

A sigh came out spontaneously.

What should I say to Princess Rilisha…

As he recalled the princess’s face, Rudy’s shoulders drooped weakly.

‘I’m going to cry.’

She is a princess who sees the end if she cries once. This time, I don’t know how much Rudy will cry because he can’t go back. Maybe all day, until I fall asleep exhausted from crying…

The coachman, whose face he had seen every day, bowed his head when he saw Rudy.

Climb into the carriage and stare blankly into space. My mind was busy.

‘I’ll have to turn on the CCTV and set the temperature again so that the air conditioner doesn’t notice. Check the auto-adjustment once again… All demonic creatures are endowed with magical power… Oh, I need to get some ink too. and···.’

The wheels started rolling, and the carriage quickly left behind the large building of the imperial palace.

When the carriage arrived at the residence of the concubine, Nadia B, the things I had to do today were roughly organized in my head.

Except for how it would be nice to explain to the princess.

Maybe the princess wouldn’t understand even if Rudy explained it.

You might think you’re a liar when you find out later that the kiss on the forehead magic is no longer in effect.

With a deep sigh, Rudy entered the mansion.

As usual, as soon as I entered the mansion’s door, Princess Lilitha came running and hit me in the chest and embraced me.

“roo!”

“Princess, how many times do you say you are sick?”

Pretending not to know Rudy’s words, Princess Lilitha stuck out her forehead.

side!

As I kissed her round forehead, thinking that this would be the end for today, my mood sank to the ground.

The thought of leaving now makes even Rudy feel lonely. It will definitely add to the princess. In this small mansion world, Rudy’s presence is great for the princess.

I stroked the princess’ hair and looked up, and Marie smiled and spoke to me.

“You’ve been there.”

“…”

It’s over with this sound.

I heard the voices of Nanny and Nadia Mama from inside the building.

“Mama, shall we bring out a new embroidery pattern today?”

“Is that so? Nanny, that’s it, that’s it. It will be winter soon, so a pattern wishing for Rico’s health would be nice.”

“Pray for health, that’s good. I’ll bring out some more embroidery thread.”

The nanny patted her back and came out from the inside and saw Rudy. A face that had aged significantly in a year looked at him and smiled.

“…”

When I first arrived here, the mansion was a desolate and lonely place. Lonely and unhappy people were forced to live together.

It’s different now.

“…”

There is a princess who cries when she drops an egg while taking an egg from a chicken’s nest, and there is Marie who is happy even after working in the field all day, mending and touching clothes.

Bimama, who lives in the world of dreams, and nanny who believes in strange things and sometimes gets angry with her cheeks trembling, all live in Rudy’s heart without realizing it.

‘Ah, I’ve found my place here. Now you consider this place my home.’

My heart was sad.

This place, cut off from the outside world, had become his home before he knew it. If I could return someday, I would like to come to this place quietly nestled in the back of the concubine.

*

After explaining the situation to Nanny and Marie, and having dinner, we headed to Bhimama.

Bhimama was wearing a long loose one-piece dress and a thick gown. It’s starting to get dark, but I’m still holding on to the embroidery frame.

Seeing Rudy, Mama Nadia showed a bright smile. He reached out his white hand and called him closer and spoke affectionately.

“Rico! Come here. I started a new embroidery today. It’s for Rico’s health. This pattern is embroidered in the mother’s homeland in the hope that the child will grow up strong.”

“···mother.”

“Yes, your face is dark today. What’s going on?”

“no. It’s just, maybe I won’t be able to see you for a while.”

Nadia Mama’s eyes widened.

“What? Could it be that the empress…”

“No, no.”

Rudy took Mama Nadia’s hand and spoke the words she had prepared in advance. I thought that maybe these words would sound the most harmonious and pleasing to Nadia Mama.

“His Majesty called. For the time being, I decided to study and help by His Majesty’s side.”

“Your Majesty…”

Nadiagra blinked a few times and gave a small nod.

“Yes, Your Majesty… My mother’s older brothers also learned to study by their father’s side when they were young. Rico, your mother is happy. Even if you feel a little lonely, you have to endure it. It’s your duty as a prince.”

Nadiagra squeezed Rudy’s hand tightly as tears dripped down her face.

“My mother is lonely too, but she will endure it… You have to study hard.”

“yes.”

“Riko, you can’t buy His Majesty’s prosperity. Even if His Majesty does something a little bad, I endure it and smile. When you smile, most people are friendly. So when it’s hard, smile.”

“yes.”

Nadia Mama’s request continued for a while.

Most of them said to be patient, to smile, to count the stars if you are in pain, to brighten your heart when you see the blue sky.

Maybe it’s all what he’s been doing. It may have been something I comforted myself by repeating whenever I felt lonely and sad after coming to a remote place away from my home country.

After greeting Nadia Mama, the last thing is the princess.

Lilitha, unaware of anything, was dozing while holding the rag doll Marie had made for her.

The rag doll with embroidered eyes, nose and mouth had become dark from how many times she had been carrying it. I carry it with me when chasing chickens and trying to ride on the back of a goat. The doll also had traces of broken eggs attached to it.

But it can’t be washed because the princess won’t let go.

For Princess Lilitha, who has few toys of her own, this rag doll is her first treasure. didn’t put it out

Rudy climbed onto the chair where Princess Lilitha was curled up. I sat on a large chair with my hips pressed together and pulled Princess Lilitha’s body onto my lap.

“…Ugh… Yeah…”

As the doll almost fell, Princess Lilitha half-opened her eyes. However, she hugged the doll tightly with both arms and closed her eyes again.

Princess Lilitha, who had been curling up in a circle, stood up and blinked her big eyes several times. It seemed that he had finally noticed that he was being held by Rudy.

“Lou…”

The princess smiled brightly and burrowed into Rudy’s arms. Rudy spoke softly to the princess who was about to fall asleep again.

“Princess, I have something to tell you. I have to leave here now.”

“···yes···.”

Lilitha looked up at Rudy with a blank expression.

“leave···.”

“Yes, I won’t come back after I leave here. There is no magic anymore. sorry.”

“…is there no magic…?”

“yes. Because of Your Majesty’s orders, I cannot live here. I have to get out.”

“…how many nights?”

Princess Rilisha held out two fingers.

“this much?”

“no. More.”

“this much?”

stick out five fingers

Rudy opened the princess’s fingers ten, then ten again. And ten more…

“I can’t come any more after doing this much. I’m sorry, princess.”

I wouldn’t have understood it correctly. But for a very long time, they seemed to have understood that Rudy wasn’t coming back here.

The princess shook her head, threw the doll away, and clung to Rudy.

“No, no magic, no magic! eye patch!”

“princess!”

Words don’t work. I just cried and said no. I guess it’s fortunate that I don’t use evil. He didn’t let go, pulling him tight as if he thought he would run away if he let go now.

Rudy continued to sit in the chair, unable to move, holding the princess in his arms. Try to comfort the crying princess, and even threaten that she will never come again if she cries like this. But to no avail.

Time passed as the two sat in the chair.

Mama Nadia had been asleep for a long time, and Nanny and Marie went upstairs shaking their heads.

It was past the time for the princess to fall asleep. The night is deepening, but the princess’s weak cries do not intend to stop.

I can’t help it.

Rudy sighed and pressed his forehead against the princess’s.

“Princess, if you can keep the secret, I will give you another spell.”

“… black… black… oops… magic… black…”

Whimpering, the princess barely raised her face.

“Jerry! Will you please come out here?”

At Rudy’s call, Jerry the little mouse jumped up from the floor onto a chair.

A small light twinkled in the dark.

“mouse!”

The princess’s eyes widened. But he was still holding onto Rudy.

“This kid’s name is Jerry. Princess, I am in this.”

“…?”

Princess Rilisha opened her mouth in surprise.

He looked back and forth between Rudy and Jerry, then suddenly thrust his face into Jerry’s body.

Princess Lilitha stuck her head into the little mouse’s body, and it looked as if a mouse made of light was inside the princess’s mouth.

It seems that he is looking for Rudy in Jerry.

Princess Lilitha looked around and looked around, then raised her head again.

“There is no Lou…”

Tears rolled down again.

“Princess, wait a moment.”

Rudy quickly put his hand on Princess Lilitha’s finger before she burst into tears. Then, a very small amount of magical energy spilled onto Princess Rilisha’s fingertips.

“Hee!”

Princess Rilisha’s body flinched. You seem to be surprised.

“Did you feel the same thing when you just went inside Jerry’s body?”

This time, she slightly spreads magical energy through Jerry’s body.

Jerry’s glowing body rose and fell little by little here and there, like boiling lava. A small light seemed to go off.

“…”

Princess Lilitha looked at Jerry as if possessed.

Rudy placed the princess’s finger on the transparent body of the mouse and once again channeled magic into Jerry.

“It is the same, Princess. What’s in me is also in this little mouse’s body. With this child, I am just like I am here.”

“…”

Rudy kissed the princess on the forehead and spoke again.

“When the princess is in danger, when she is lonely, I will always be by her side. I’m going to leave a lot of me here. But you really shouldn’t tell anyone about this. It’s a secret from Nanny and Marie.”

Even if I tell you, you won’t believe it. A spell of concealment was placed on the demonic creature so that it could not be seen by people. A separate order not to appear in front of people was also given, so even if the princess talked to others, the demonic creature would not appear.

Rudy spoke into the void.

“Will everyone come here?”

When Rudy called, small demonic creatures came from all sides.

Everyone was hiding their faces, but perhaps they were happy to be by Rudy’s side, sparks smaller than ephemera sparked everywhere. It’s like fireflies made of light.

“You can only show yourself to the princess.”

As soon as Rudy’s words fell, the surroundings were filled with demonic creatures of light.

Princess Lilitha opened her eyes wide and looked around.

Monsters in the form of small bugs, birds, and animals roam around Rudy and Princess Lilitha. It looked like a living Christmas tree.

“If the princess goes to a dark place, I will turn on the light so that she is not afraid. When she cries, she will be by my side to comfort me, and when I miss her, these children will share her warmth.”

“…”

“Then stop crying, Princess.”

But the princess cried little by little until she fell asleep at dawn. Even after she fell asleep, she held tight to Rudy’s clothes.

＜ Farewell ＞ end