Gardenia of Blooming Desire - Chapter 170: The Situation Reversed

The war had cost too much on both sides, but Golden Camellia was severely damaged, because the war took place within the territory of the Golden Camellia. There were many casualties, especially the drafted young men and just the military in general.

Almost all cities were destroyed, only leaving few that were still intact. Everyone was pointing fingers at their Emperor, demanding for an explanation. Because up until now, they were not given any information about the reason why the Great Arctyr decided to attack the country.

It was the moment when Elena, under Camille’s request, spread the news about the torture of Celine, Great Princess of Arctyr and her daughter, Camille. The news said that Emperor Audric III should’ve married Celine, but the Emperor already fell in love with his mistress, Eva. They schemed to replace Celine with Eva and the show carried on.

Celine and her daughter were locked inside the Cold Palace for years.

‘No wonder the Great Arctyr attacked us! Their Great Princess was abused!’

‘Emperor Audric III is so cruel! Ruthless! He let a fine noblewoman die in a cold palace while he married an evil mistress!’

‘He drafted young men to the war, but they died in vain because Emperor is so selfish! He didn’t want to admit his mistake and killed us all!’

‘Coward Emperor! Coward Emperor!’

Thousands of people who had lost their homes and their families rallied in huge protests outside of the ruined Golden Palace. The guards couldn’t do anything, because there were so little of them, most of the guards were either dead or heavily wounded.

The people tried to find the man in charge. But the Emperor, Empress and the Crown Prince already fled somewhere, leaving only some palace staff and Golden Princess Elena and Camille.

Because Elena was too old, Camille decided to stand in front of everyone. The ten years old girl stood in front of a hundred thousand masses, but she looked exceptionally calm.

The leader of the protester asked her, “Little girl, do you know where the Emperor is?”

“The Emperor is gone, I am the one in charge.”

“You?! How could it be!” the leader of the protester was dumbfounded. How could their Emperor have the heart to let a ten years old girl face against the angry masses in front of her.

But again, Camille looked calm, “It’s fine, sir, please state the concern of the people here.”

The leader was reluctant to voice the protest in front of the little girl, but looking at how collected this little girl was, finally he voiced the anger of the people. They wanted the Emperor to take responsibility for all damages and loss of family members or the sole breadwinner of the family because of the war.

Camille knew she couldn’t solve it easily, but she listened about the complaint and said loudly, “I am Golden Princess Camille, I may look foreign to everyone here, but I am the child that Great Princess Celine gave birth to.”

The people were shocked, because this girl and her mother had been the topic of the people. They were both pitied and despised, because they were the source of the war. Some of them hated the fact that the Emperor brought this woman called Celine to the empire and brought destruction to many cities.

But when they saw Camille, with her signature golden royal trait, golden hair, golden circle eyes and sculpted face. They didn’t have the heart to spout some of their harsh protest on her.

Camille continued her speech, “My father Emperor had fled with his Empress, so, I am the only one here…”

Camille’s voice started trembling, “I—I will try my best to—to help everyone! I just lost my mom after she was ignored and malnourished, and died sickly. So I understand the pain of the people who have lost their beloved one! I am sorry because my mom and I caused destruction here!”

Camille bowed her head, she was going to kneel and probably prostrated in front of the masses. It shocked everyone, because golden royals were treated almost like a god in Golden Camellia. They were exceptional human.

But this little girl, without any silly pride, dared to almost prostrate in front of dirty peasants’ feet.

The leader hurriedly held Camille, so she didn’t kneel to the people. He shook his head and said, “This is not your fault, princess.”

“But Empress said this is my fault! Everyone died because my mom and I exist!” Camille started sobbing, “I—I will try my best to take responsibility! I will beg for everyone’s forgiveness and I will help the people!”

Everyone became worried when they saw how a little heartbroken princess was crying and begging for forgiveness. Although it was definitely not her fault. The war had no connection with her at all, she was just a little girl born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet, her heart was so pure.

Maybe because they had been ruled by generations of imposing Emperors that made them intimidated, seeing the same golden blood cried and begging for forgiveness in front of them made their anger dissipate slowly.

‘Emperor and Empress are so despicable, after beating this little girl, they abandoned her when they escaped. Did they expect the people to kill a little girl?!’

The people were angered with their Emperor’s selfishness and adored the little Golden Princess.

After long negotiations, Camille finally decided to give compensation for the deceased family members and agreed to rebuild each home that had been destroyed in the war. It was indeed very costly, and Camille had to take Golden Camellia’s private fund that was hoarded by the Emperor and Empress for the prolonged war.

Golden Princess Elena signed the document for handling the Golden Camellia’s private fund. Because she was the most senior in this Golden Palace now. Camille then planned the system for the ministers to follow.

It was honestly strange that a little girl could stop a hundred thousand masses to completely destroy the Golden Palace, and even pacified them! Because she was the only Golden Royal in this palace now, they followed the order.

Surprisingly, after they followed the order of Golden Princess Camille and cooperated with the loss. The people finally stopped rallying and started to rebuild their home. In just a year, about a quarter of the destroyed houses were finally rebuilt.

The Emperor returned to Golden Palace alone without Empress Eva or Ludwig. Because the news spread around that she was the one who abused Celine and Camille. Thus, the people slandered her as slut, shameless hag, crazy woman, witch and so on. She couldn’t return to Golden Palace for now, maybe for a few more years.

He got the news about the Golden Camellia being rebuilt under the order of a ten years old girl every week, she was eleven now. She was like a miracle with her natural talent of governing. It made Emperor Leopold joyful that his daughter was this talented, yet it also made him guilty.

Because he treated her horrendously for her entire childhood. She was exceptional, really exceptional.

‘It’s okay, Camille is still adolescent. And Celine is dead now, so she will have no one to see as a parent figure other than me.’

Camille greeted the returning Emperor in front of the guards. She wore a white dress, like a white swan, curtsy for her Emperor father, “Welcome back, father, I hope you are well.”

The Emperor smiled and hugged his daughter, “My daughter Camille, I’m sorry for leaving you. I will protect you from now on, I will not let anyone harm you anymore!”

Camille was hugged by her father for the first time, but strangely, she didn’t feel any warmth, only contempt. A cold contempt.

But she played along and hugged her father, “Dad…”

Emperor Leopold’s heart melted. He finally understood how there was more than just his love to Eva. In fact, his love for Eva was scorching hot, passionate. But he realized that his paternal love to Camille was like a calm soothing water.

‘I will protect you, Camille! My daughter, I’m sorry I had been a bad father, I will not let you go anymore!’

Meanwhile, Camille was quite pleased with the development, because it was according to her exact calculation.

‘Emperor, you know that you don’t need to beg for forgiveness. Because you didn’t exist in my heart as a father figure, you exist as a good tool for me to control my surroundings.’

‘You disgust me.’

After the Emperor returned, Emperor Leopold and Golden Princess Camille went around the Empire to help the people who got affected by war. The mighty Emperor was very earnest with his mistake and asked for forgiveness in front of everyone, just like what Little Golden Princess did back then.

Slowly but sure, the people accepted his mistake, although they didn’t favour him as the Emperor anymore. But some of them had moved on, and they got generous compensation too.

Crown Prince Ludwig returned back two years later, but he was instantly drafted into the military by the Emperor to learn about the military and develop it after the war.

However, for Empress Eva, it took four more years after the Emperor to return back to Golden Camellia. When she returned, there was no ceremony, even the servants weren’t greeting her. She was treated like a regular noble visiting the Golden Palace.

There was one butler who bowed to her and said nothing, he just escorted her to her previous Empress room and then left. Empress Eva was cursing in her heart, because this was the treatment she got after she returned. This was really humiliating for an Empress.

“How dare they! I am the Empress! I will find Leopold for this humiliation and I will kill the servants!”

Empress Eva was cursing in front of the Empress room, then she opened the door.

“I believe you cannot punish the servants for doing so, Empress. Because I ordered them not to greet you.”

Empress Eva was shocked with the sudden appearance of a teenage princess in her room. She was sitting on the sofa leisurely, “Surprised? I am Camille, your step daughter.”

Camille was wearing a yellow dress. It was adorned with beautiful gems that sparkled under the sun. She was taller and her face was rosy and mesmerizing, much more than Celine. Empress Eva was raging.

“You! Slut kid! You dare to disrespect me like this!?” Empress Eva charged at Camille, wanting to beat her. But suddenly, there was a shadow guard who appeared out of nowhere and he reprimanded Empress Eva.

“You! What is this!? I AM THE EMPRESS!”

Camille chuckled, “Empress, you know that your reputation has been destroyed in Golden Camellia, right?”

Camille stood from the sofa and walked towards the Empress, she pinched Empress’ chin and chilly aura emanating from her, “Eva, you should know that I am a golden blood, and golden blood will repay your deed ten times more, for the better or worse. Let’s see how long your struggle will last.”