Time is the best medicine, and as I spent time with the Emperor, I felt like our relationship was slowly mending.
But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven and accepted everything about him. Honestly, I didn’t plan to go that far.
More than anything, I didn’t want to bear the risks of the Emperor living apart from the three of us.
This country… I couldn’t call it my country right now, but it was still the place where I spent my childhood. I didn’t want to see the Emperor turning it into an economic colony after separating from us.
I also understand this worry is… not very realistic.
Even if someone made a fortune with coins or stocks, it would be nearly impossible to hold sway over a nation’s economy. There are limits to the shares each company can have, and besides, the Emperor mentioned that he diversifies his investments across several companies. So, his influence over any single company would actually be diminished.
Yet, if I ask if the possibility is ‘completely’ nonexistent, I don’t think so.
I mean, it’s the Emperor we’re talking about. He might be able to sway public opinion with just that brilliant brain of his. It could take several years or even more than a decade, but if the Emperor sets his mind to it, I believe he could achieve it someday.
“……”
Since I acknowledged that even that faint possibility exists, we lived in the same place as the Emperor.
Being in the same place meant we couldn’t avoid facing each other, so naturally, we managed our relationship.
I felt like the Emperor thought the same, as we all gathered around the table for meals every day.
To be honest, it felt more like ‘an awkward dinner with three adult daughters and their father.’ If I looked at it in the best light, that is.
If I looked at it without glasses, it was more like ‘strangers having their first meal together.’
“Bulgogi is delicious!”
Still, we were all ‘trying.’ Claire, too, sometimes praised the cooking like this.
“It’s meat I bought from the grocery store. I’ve never bought it before, but the seasoning is just right.”
I gratefully rode along with Claire’s words.
“I guess I’ll have to go there often. It’s in the shopping district, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
Alice chimed in, and I nodded vigorously in reply.
“No matter how many times I eat it, food in this world is amazing.”
Even the Emperor joined in.
“Honestly, I think food in Azernar is way too messed up.”
“Hmm, did you feel that way?”
“Most of the food that isn’t meat doesn’t really pay much attention to taste.”
To me, how should I put it?
For some reason, it reminded me of ‘the cooking from the cyberpunk era where there are no ingredients, so they just fill you with nutrients.’ I’ve never actually eaten that kind of food, but the typical meals offered in Azernar were kind of like that.
“Alice, when we get back, we should create simple recipes so we can teach others. After all, the food situation itself isn’t that bad.”
“In fact, it’s hardly good.”
I rebutted the Emperor’s remark.
“Although food production has increased, the lives of the citizens are becoming increasingly severe. Laws to protect the people are also insufficient.”
“Hmm, is that what you think?”
The Emperor looked at me with a smile.
“Then what do you think we should do?”
“……How about gradually turning some of the royal treasury’s budget to improve the situation around the people of the capital? The royal assets are sturdier than you might think.”
“But much of that wealth comes from the colonies. And such an economic system can’t last forever. As soon as the colonies’ wealth dries up, it’ll collapse. Then what should we do?”
What comes to mind is wealth redistribution, but—
No, wait a minute.
Why did a casual conversation suddenly shift to discussing Azernar’s economy?
Coming to my senses, I noticed Claire and Alice were looking at me. Both of them had a grin on their faces.
We shouldn’t be discussing politics at the dinner table, to begin with.
“……I apologize for bringing that up during our meal.”
As I apologized, the Emperor smiled and resumed moving his chopsticks.
“No, I enjoyed it quite a bit. …Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I’ve had such a conversation.”
If this was a typical paternal relationship, one wouldn’t even think of having such conversations.
But I didn’t verbalize that thought.
After a moment of silence, the Emperor spoke up again.
“Speaking of which, we organized titles the last time we met. But now, I have one question.”
I lifted my gaze to look at the Emperor again.
He shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
“Claire is my niece, and you two are my daughters. Isn’t that the relationship here?”
“That’s right.”
“And the three of you have already grown up together like sisters, so you all just see each other as sisters, right?”
“……That’s correct.”
I responded after a moment’s thought.
What was he trying to say?
“So, who’s the eldest among you three? You’ll have to figure it out so I won’t get confused later on.”
“…….”
Alice and Claire exchanged glances.
I could swear I saw sparks flying in the air between them.
“Well, obviously she’s the youngest.”
“Of course, I’m the eldest!”
Claire and Alice spoke simultaneously, each taken aback that the other would say something like that.
“Sylvia, you are my sister. So you must be the youngest.”
That was Claire’s claim.
“What kind of nonsense is that? We need to clarify who’s who.”
“How exactly? Are you saying Sylvia isn’t your sister?”
“Of course Sylvia is my sister. She joined the royal family later than I did! No, more importantly, even if Sylvia were to be considered my older sister, what could justify me being your younger sister?”
“Well, obviously, there’s no room for anyone else between Sylvia and me.”
“What sort of logic is that?”
I merely picked up another piece of meat without saying a word.
The Emperor had no idea we were having these mundane conversations. His head was filled with thoughts of economics, politics, and the like, and he even had the hobby of plotting conspiracies.
“……Do they always do this?”
“Only when we’re deciding ‘who’s the eldest.’”
“Hmm.”
At my words, the Emperor let out a hum.
It was the first time I saw him look flustered like this.
Oh right. Being an Emperor, he probably spent a lot of time dining alone at a big table. Even if someone else joined, there wouldn’t be a cozy atmosphere like this.
So, this reaction of the Emperor… was kind of refreshing.
I didn’t think of it as acting. There would be no point in acting in this kind of situation.
“How about you share your thoughts, Your Majesty?”
At my question, both Alice and Claire stopped their chatter.
Then both looked at me, then at the Emperor.
“I…”
The Emperor was flustered under the intense gaze of two girls. At least that’s how it seemed to me.
Ah, this is kind of amusing.
For a moment, the bad feelings I had toward the Emperor lessened slightly.
“I… thought Sylvia was older than Alice.”
“…………Huh?”
Alice froze at the Emperor’s words.
Well.
For someone so skilled in politics and economics to be unable to manage his daughters, isn’t that just the quintessential father?
Though, of course, you’d have to actually try fatherhood to get that.
I silently picked up another piece of bulgogi.
“That… You’ve never called Sylvia your older sister, have you?”
“I’ve never called Sylvia my older sister either…?”
Alice responded, forgetting that she was a Crown Princess.
“Whenever you sulked, didn’t Sylvia always cheer you up?”
“Oh.”
Claire immediately reacted to that statement.
“Can I hear a bit more about that story? Uncle?”
I nearly spat out my drink.
I managed to avoid coughing and calmly set the cup down, looking at the Emperor.
The Emperor’s expression was much the same as usual, but there was a brief moment where he stared blankly at Claire.
“Uncle….”
Alice also looked at Claire.
“Um, that story….”
After overcoming a brief buffering pause, the Emperor started to speak again.
“Whenever Sylvia came to visit me, Alice would—”
“Father.”
Alice warned.
There was no hint of warning in her words, but with just her gaze, one could feel the potential for an assassination attempt against the Emperor.
I hoped there wouldn’t be any killings here. This is a place where forensic science is developed enough that unless you’re extremely lucky, it’s tough to hide a body.
“Um….”
“Uncle, please tell us!”
I think Claire’s persistence is something worth learning.
I’m not sure if I can follow her sparkling gaze perfectly, though.
“Father.”
“Uh…”
Alice’s eyes were dangerously gleaming again, and the Emperor cleared his throat.
…….
Still, today has a more ordinary family-like atmosphere.
I think this can be regarded as a positive thing.
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