The Ripple Effect of Change

How many people actually know this secret? For now, at least two: the person who shared it with me—Dahlia—is dead, so it’s just the biological father and myself. I don’t know where his father is, so if I just keep my mouth shut, I should be safe.

“He will protect you. No matter what situation arises, you must always believe in him.”

“Ah…….”

At the same time, I recall the image of my mother telling me to trust the Crown Prince. Does he… does he know the truth? Should I simply trust him, then?

But I was afraid. What if he doesn’t know at all? If I speak up, believing in him, only to see that expressionless face contort in shock, and for that shock to turn into cold contempt as he glares at me?

Life as Chase is far better now than when I lived as a prince. It hurts that Dahlia is gone, but back then, I was only a member of the Imperial family in name; I lived every single day walking on eggshells.

After much agonizing, I decided to keep the truth hidden. I could not be certain if the Crown Prince was even aware of this matter.

‘I must become an Alpha.’

If I become an Alpha, the Crown Prince won’t be able to discard me. Before, I wanted to become an Alpha to avoid being abandoned by him, but now, I needed to become an Alpha to survive the Crown Prince’s wrath.

I must examine the history books carefully again. Somewhere, there must be a way to become an Alpha written down. Or, there might be a common trait among those who became Alphas. I had to find it.

Having learned such a shocking truth, the eyes that had been dull and lifeless suddenly ignited with determination.

Seimus adjusted well to his new life at the academy. I couldn’t hide my satisfaction at how well he and Chase were getting along.

‘As expected, it’s following the original plot.’

Now that I’ve stopped interfering, I figured the two would nurture their love from this young age and be together by the time I died.

Today, we all gathered for class. Because of Ethan’s jealousy, we sat in pairs at different tables; that side was brimming with enthusiasm for learning, while this side was devoid of it.

Of course, it wasn’t that my attitude toward class was poor—though Ethan’s was a bit lackluster. While I mostly accepted whatever the teacher said, Seimus raised his hand to ask questions the moment he had any doubts.

Since he was also excellent at giving enthusiastic reactions, even I could tell it would be more rewarding to teach that side.

There were several moments where the teacher, who was supposed to focus on me first, would get so caught up in focusing on Seimus that he would suddenly realize my presence and jump in shock. He would glance at me nervously, but I didn’t particularly care.

In the past, I would have flared up instantly, asking if he dared to ignore me. But now, I understood his position, so I didn’t say anything.

“Ahem, so… Your Highness, do you have any questions?”

“None. Just carry on with the lesson without worrying about me.”

I meant it as a way to tell him to teach as he pleased rather than trying to coddle me, but I wonder how he took it—his face turned deathly pale.

The teacher’s qualifications were impeccable, but the reason he became my tutor was undoubtedly due to the Empress’s strong influence.

Being the sole tutor for the Crown Prince could make his career shine brilliantly, but if he were to be fired halfway through, it would likely remain a permanent stain on his record.

‘That’s why he can’t help but be nervous about how I feel.’

The other three, including myself, were practically my appendages. So, if I were to run to the Empress and complain that this teacher dared to ignore me during class, she would be furious and cast him out.

I sighed at his transparent thoughts and waved my hand at him, as he was sweating profusely and trembling in terror.

“There is no need to be so frightened. I just enjoy listening, so I am simply paying attention to the discussion you and Seimus are having about the lesson content.”

“W-well, that is.”

“You don’t have to worry about including me in that discussion. That’s what I meant when I said to proceed with the class without worrying about me.”

I repeatedly assured him that I wasn’t being sarcastic at all, and only after I gave him my word did he finally relax. After a few more bouts of tension, all the tutors eventually stopped walking on eggshells around me.

“Your Highness, you are truly kind. I had misunderstood you based only on rumors, and I am ashamed of my narrow-mindedness.”

Seeing Seimus bow his head in gratitude for allowing him to receive a high-level education reserved for the Imperial family, I felt a bit embarrassed. If I hadn’t regained my past memories, he would have been right to say I was no different from the rumors.

I happened to overhear that, thanks to my changed attitude, there was talk among the palace staff.

Initially, shortly after I took in Chase, they thought I would eventually lose my temper, but as time passed without any change in my behavior, they all seemed to share a sense of pity for me.

It was an act of lese-majeste to talk about the Crown Prince, but I didn’t punish them. Apart from the fact that they weren’t saying anything malicious, the memories of my previous life as an ordinary citizen made it difficult for me to be offended by such trifles.

‘Even the King gets talked about behind his back.’

I had become that “King,” but being able to empathize with their circumstances meant I couldn’t bring myself to punish them. I simply handled it by dropping a subtle hint to the head chamberlain or the chief lady-in-waiting, saying, “I hear this kind of talk going around lately.”

Seeing their faces turn pale, I knew they would be severely reprimanded. Well, isn’t it better if it ends with a scolding? At least it’s better than getting their heads cut off.

It is harsh to have one’s head cut off just for saying the wrong thing. Although, the fact that the person in question is the Crown Prince—the next Emperor—was a major issue.

Regardless, I have changed, and it was mostly for the better.

Perhaps pleased by this, the Empress called me for tea one day. She, in all her nobility, poured the tea herself and beamed at me.

“Crown Prince, I am very happy to hear such good things about you lately.”

“Is that so? I am embarrassed to have made the Empress’s ears weary with such trivial matters.”

“Not at all, ho ho. When you first said you would take that child in, I was very worried, but it turns out that was just me being overly anxious.”

She reached out and gently took my hand. Her hand, smooth and free of the rough wrinkles of labor, covered the back of my hand.

She looked at me with a wistful gaze, as if looking into the past, before smiling brightly again.

“You were so small when you were born from my womb… How have you grown so much?”

“…….”

“Crown Prince, still, do not lose your dignity before your subordinates. Being good and benevolent is fine, but if you lose your dignity, you become nothing at all.”

The Empress patted my hand. She was worried about me. If, in the past, she worried because I was too sharp and difficult, now she seemed to worry that I might be looked down upon for being too kind.

I turned my hand over and held hers, smiling.

“Do not worry, Empress. That will never happen.”

I was just more mellow than before; I still took immense pride in my position as an Imperial family member. I was not the type to just stand by and watch others challenge my authority.

Her smile deepened, seemingly reassured by my answer.

“Ah, come to think of it, the Holy Festival is soon. The Crown Prince will have to work hard again this time.”

“It is an honor for me.”

The Holy Festival is a day commemorating the first meeting between the first Emperor and God, an event where one member of the Imperial family takes on the role of the first Emperor and stays in the temple for a day. Usually, the Crown Prince of the generation takes on the role, and before entering the temple, they parade through the streets after being groomed. Starting the next day, there is a week-long festival outside, and a ball held inside the Imperial Palace for everyone to enjoy.

Because it is a major event involving God, not only domestic nobles but also foreign nobles visit as envoys to participate.

“Come to think of it, I heard the priestesses of the Great Forest are coming this year.”

“The priestesses of the Great Forest? I was under the impression that they… rarely ever left the Great Forest.”

“That is exactly what I mean. I don’t know why those stubborn things are coming.”

The Empress clicked her tongue, as if she didn’t like it. The priestesses of the Great Forest were another name for the Dragon’s Priestesses. And the Great Forest was also where the concubine Dahlia grew up. Since the events of the novel were written entirely from Chase’s perspective, things he didn’t know or didn’t see were not described. Therefore, it was through the Empress that I learned they were coming to this event.

‘……Nothing will happen, right?’

Dahlia the concubine was essentially chased out by the priestesses, so there was no reason for them to have any affection for Chase and move specifically to find him.

If anything, they would likely hold contempt and be angry if they met, so wouldn’t there be no problem if I just kept Chase hidden in the Crown Prince’s palace while they were here?

‘In the novel, it is they who reveal the fact that Chase is not a member of the Imperial family.’

They knew Chase’s biological father. The priestesses, who thought Dahlia had left the Great Forest and died somewhere, revealed the entire truth once they found out she had survived and even given birth to a son. This was supposed to happen a few years later.

‘Could this be a butterfly effect caused by me twisting the story?’