Chapter 322
Chapter 322
“When that brat is born, you will be utterly useless. No matter how hard you try or struggle, the position will eventually fall into his hands. You’re just a scarecrow and a puppet.”
“Mother.”
“Look, the man left everything to you to fool around with the empress every day. If you were stupid, he would have spent less time with that lowly woman!”
“…”
“Poor Exchetra. You thought you’d become the emperor. You will lose everything to Julius. You thought you could maintain the position as a Crown Princess if you had the ability, right?”
“…”
“Support for the unborn Julius is already shifting. Even if the emperor is foolish, he is the sun of the empire. Who dares to go against his decree?”
“…”
“No matter how hard you try, you’re just a worm. A worm that doesn’t die easily, even when stepped on. Exchetra, why don’t you wriggle around a bit?”
I already knew the fact that my mother was crazy.
However, I continued to visit her steadily, reporting on my daily activities and letting her know I was developing the virtues needed to be a great emperor.
It was difficult to accept that it was all futile and a misguided endeavor. I don’t know why it was difficult.
Knowing that my mother is crazy is entirely different from accepting it.
I returned to my palace, entered the dimly lit bedroom, and sat down with a heavy sigh.
It was okay. Anyway, the emperor was stupid, and many forces were supporting me. Even if, as my mother said, the nobles turned their backs on me, there was public support. My newly born sibling would just be a baby.
A newborn brother would not be a threat at all.
The surroundings were quiet, and the air felt humid. I pondered my mother’s words, feeling them engulfing me in the endless darkness.
The emperor had declared that he would pass the throne to the unborn child. He didn’t say it to me, but it was clear that he believed it should be done when the child grew up.
My existence was merely a proxy to ensure no problems arose in the empire until Julius grew up.
Exchetra often maintained a doll-like face, as if wearing a mask, to hide her emotions. Now, tears wouldn’t come out even when she wanted to cry.
Could it be that her life was twisted just because the mother who gave birth to her was different from Julius? Was all the effort he had made so far in vain?
What was she living for?
I dismantled everything that made my identity until I became a blank slate. My mother’s obsession clung to me like a vice, my father, who was dim and foolish, and even the empress, who always greeted me kindly when we crossed paths.
I let go of them all.
One thing came to mind after releasing everything and thinking of what I truly desired. Beyond everyone’s expectations, attachments, and desires.
The words lingering in her mind were only one.
“You are the child who will become the emperor.”
The Kalhai Empire is yours.
It was engraved into my being. I remembered the excitement the first time I heard it. What I initially thought was my mother’s obsession turned out to be my pure desire and dream.
I slowly lowered the hands that covered my face. Kneeling on the floor didn’t suit her.
Never again would I hesitate.
To no one will I bow.
***
After reviewing all the memories, a laugh escaped as I opened my eyes on the bed.
Oh, really. Pitiful Exchetra.
Now, that pitiful woman was me. In the past, she was an unfortunate girl who did not fit in. She was smart and capable but awkward, and even though she denied it, she sought after her parents’ affection.
All that love was directed towards the unborn half-sibling, and when she tried to take everything he had, she inevitably chose the path that would lead to ruin.
I sat back on her bed and stroked my hair. The fine locks flowed smoothly between my fingers.
It was a familiar story with familiar names. They brought back fragments of memories from my past life.
Back then, I made an effort to adapt to society. Sometimes, I had to appear like an ordinary student, so I went out to buy and read the book “The Protection of the Blue Dragon, Julius,” which my friends enthusiastically chatted about each day.
It was quite a popular web novel. its popularity increased even more when it was published as a physical book.
It was quite annoying, but when I entered the house with the book and saw the relieved expressions of my parents, I thought it was a reasonable choice. Before that, my parents were concerned that I was overly polite and studious, unlike other ‘normal’ students.