The Half-Elf’s Plea and the Imperial Sword’s Secret

Sharabelle parted her curly hair right in front of me, deliberately revealing her pointed ears.

She stated candidly, “I am a half-elf, a hybrid of human and elf, and I’ve been heavily discriminated against by the world.”

I stared at her blankly. Could someone as beautiful as her truly be discriminated against?

“Elves wouldn’t accept me, nor would humans. Only your Imperial Father took me in.”

“Eh…?”

“Your Imperial Father showed me exceptional kindness and recognition,” she said wistfully. “Throughout the long currents of history, no other emperor has truly set aside race and prejudice as he has.”

I fell silent, and she did too. I surmised she must have been recalling the first time she met my Imperial Father. What, then, had she endured before encountering him?

“He wishes to create a world where all six races can coexist peacefully. If anyone else harbored such a thought, I would surely deem them mad. But if it is him, perhaps he truly can achieve it. Perhaps one day, half-elves like me can live openly under the sun, free from discrimination. Princess, these are merely my own sentiments.”

Having heard her heartfelt words, I found myself without any immediate arguments to offer.

“Alright, perhaps he is a good emperor. But in my eyes, I don’t believe he is a good father…”

Sharabelle silently retrieved the short sword from within her long robe.

“Princess, do you know what this is?”

“Isn’t that the Imperial Sword?”

“After your Imperial Father became emperor, he did not forget his roots. He did not marry the daughter of a high-ranking official, but rather the commoner woman he met during his most difficult times, making her empress. And this sword is the token of love between your Imperial Father and your Imperial Mother.”

“Wait! My Imperial Father actually used his token of love as the reward for this hunt?”

“I am now entrusting it to you. You may pass it on to Maple; he has passed your Imperial Father’s test.”

I held it in my hand; it felt heavy.

‘Ugh, does he actually intend for this to be passed down through generations?’

And now he wants me to give this to a boy? How utterly humorous is that old man?

“Do you still believe your Imperial Father isn’t a good father?”

I pouted discontentedly. “Hmph, if my Imperial Father was so deeply devoted to my Imperial Mother, why did he have so many children with other women?”

“Do you think your Imperial Father wished for that? They are all products of the witches,” Sharabelle said meaningfully.

“What does ‘products of the witches’ mean???”

“You should ask your Imperial Father yourself.”

Why play such games!

She actually tried to flee! How cunning!

“Prime Minister, please wait!”

“What is it, Princess? Do you have any other questions?” She stood at the doorway, looking back at me.

“After my Imperial Mother passed away, my Imperial Father said, ‘I cannot even save one woman! Yet you ask me to care for all the people under heaven????’ Can you divine what happened next for me?”

Sharabelle paused for a long time before replying, “An old minister said, ‘For the sake of you and the Empress’s child, you must create an era of peace and prosperity!'”

“!?” I sat on the bed, utterly stunned. Sharabelle had already left, closing the door behind her, and I still hadn’t recovered my wits.

Then—

The door burst open with a bang!

Maple appeared before me, his eyes bandaged, leaning on an IV pole for support.

“They… they said you woke up…” he said, his voice trembling.

I was completely dumbfounded.

He couldn’t even see, yet he used an IV pole as a cane, fumbling his way step by step to my room?

At this point, what more could a princess like me possibly say?

“Congratulations, you won~”

I tossed the token of love—bah!—the Imperial Sword to Maple.