There Is No Place For Fakes - Chapter 8.2

As the tea tray was very hot and dangerous to be carried by a nine-year-old girl, it was the Countess who took care of it. Philomel had heard that yesterday the emperor was having a business dinner with the high-ranking aristocrats until late at night. So there was a strong probability that the emperor was suffering from that evening this morning. Philomel met Count Pollan on her way to the emperor’s chamber.

Count Pollan was moved to tears when he heard Philomel’s explanation.

« At last! Spring is finally beginning to blossom between the two of you…. It is soon time for His Majesty to rise. Let’s go. »

‘I knew it! He’s still in bed because of a hangover!’

Philomel was all cheerful as he made his way to the Emperor’s chamber. The Count opened the door and went in first.

« Your Majesty, look who’s here! »

A voice filled with distress answered him somewhere on the bed.

« ….. don’t shout, it’s resonating »

Eustis, who was lying down, found it difficult to stand up in bed.

‘It is the time!’

Philomel took the tea tray from the Countess’s hands and approached the bed.

« Your Majesty, how do you feel? »

She greeted him with the polite attitude she had practiced so hard. The unexpected voice surprised Eustis.

« Philomel? Why are you here? »

« I’ve brought you some sansalcho tea to help Your Majesty’s health. If you want, you can have a drink. »

Count Pollan helped her from behind.

« Her imperial highness is visiting us in person. His Highness’ filial piety is priceless. »

Eustis looked at the tea tray with a strange face. Perhaps because of the coppery smell, but the emperor’s face, already pale, became worse.  Although the juice of the world tree changed the taste, it did not change the smell of the sansalcho.

‘Oh no, does that mean he’s not going to drink it?’ Philomel immediately worried and stepped into bed to get closer.

« Although the smell is not famous, the taste is… ».

Ugh, Philomel frowned immediately.

‘It smells like alcohol!’

The smell of the liquor, which was not covered by the smell of sansalcho, came from the emperor. There were corpses of liquor bottles on the bedside table that the servants had not yet cleaned up.

‘Wait, did he drink that much even after dinner?’

Eustis’ eyes widened and, as if he was reading Philomel’s thoughts, he said to her.

« Get away from me. »

« But…. »

The tray that Philomel was holding at arm’s length began to shake.

‘It’s too heavy.’

It was unreasonable for a young child to carry a tray with a full teapot and teacups for that long.

« ……….. Give me that. »

Eustis sighed, took the tray from the little girl’s hands and put it on the bed. He looked at the tea for a moment as if to encourage himself to drink the mixture. He used a cup and emptied it as quickly as he could with frowning eyebrows.

« ………? »

The forehead that was frowned upon quickly became smooth.

« It doesn’t taste bad. »

Philomel smiled brightly at the reaction she was expecting.

« Doesn’t it? I made the bitter taste disappear by mixing it with the fruit of the world tree! »

« From the fruit of the world tree? »

« Yes! Your Majesty gave it to me! »

« ……Yes, for you to eat. »

« I’m not sick anymore. But Your Majesty often suffers from hangovers….. »

Count Pollan took the opportunity to confront the emperor.

« Look, her Imperial Highness is worried about you, think of her and reduce your alcohol consumption. Your Majesty is strong but you’ve been drinking alcohol for 10 years, your health will inevitably suffer. »

« Be quiet. »

« Your Majesty is still young…. »

« Shut up, you’re too noisy. »

Listening to their conversation, Philomel learned something new about the Emperor.

‘He has been drinking for a long time…’

She knew nothing about Eustis because she rarely saw him until recently.

‘And if he’s been drinking for ten years…’

That coincided with the birth of Philomel. And at the same time, it coincided with the year of Empress Isabella’s death.

It seemed that he drank just as heavily to survive the death of the empress.  He seemed fine on the outside, but on the inside he was depressed. Somehow Philomel felt her heart grow tight.

‘To think that in addition to the death of his wife, it turns out that his daughter was a fake!’

But Philomel shook her head hard to come to her senses.

‘Whom do I pity?’

The emperor was a person who was going to kill her one day. She would not let herself weaken before she fled.

« Philomel »

Eustis had put his cup of tea on the tray and called out in a low voice.

« Thanks to you, I was able to clear my mind. Tell me, if you want something. »

There we go !

That was what Philomel was waiting for.After all, the emperor was a man of price and punishment.  She wondered if she could ask for her wish since she had something good?

‘What should I ask?’ 

‘It’s much too early to ask for the treasure’.

Philomel finally said after a long moment of reflection what she wanted.