The Princess Imprint A Traitor - Chapter 30: The One Awakened from the Dream within a Dream (4)

“I don’t want to lose you. Even if I don’t deserve it, I can’t give up this desire. So please… even someone like me… keep loving me.”

He didn’t care for the world’s forgiveness, only Eve’s acceptance. As always, his entire being was focused on her.

‘Am I that monstrous to you?’

What Mikael had done wasn’t something Eve could easily condone or overlook. He lowered his head again, unable to bear the thought of seeing disgust on her face. The fear of being hated, of being abandoned by her, was palpable in his eyes.

“Mikael, Mikael,” came the soft voice, paired with a gentle touch that cupped his face and lifted it. Mikael’s gaze was drawn upward to meet Eve’s warm smile.

“Don’t make that face. I’m not here to judge you or sentence you.”

If anything, Eve felt she wanted to find a way to comfort him, to show that she was on his side. After all, she had a good reason to forgive him for the past.

“It’s okay. This life’s Mikael is different from the one in the past.”

This wasn’t just her second chance; it was Mikael’s too. Punishing him for what he had done in a past life didn’t feel right anymore, and Eve made her decision, fully embracing this new resolve.

‘This is how it should have been from the start.’

And this decision wasn’t just limited to Mikael—it applied to others from their past lives too. Just then, Mikael, still sounding pained, spoke again.

“What if I regain my memories… What if I become like I was before? That’s why I’ve been hesitant about wanting my memories back.”

“You won’t change, Mikael. I know that.”

“But I’ve used my ignorance as a shield until now. If I remember everything, I won’t be ignorant anymore… I’ll have to take responsibility for everything from the past. I’m not sure I can handle that.”

In this life, Mikael was harsh on himself.

“There’s no need to worry. The past is over now, and as long as you don’t repeat it, that’s enough.”

“Eve…”

Eve embraced him tightly, her arms around his back, offering him comfort. In her embrace, Mikael began to relax, slowly releasing the tension he had been holding onto. Her gentle touch and soothing presence reassured him as he murmured,

“You don’t know how grateful I am for your kindness.”

“Hmmm… well, I wouldn’t say I’m all that kind,” Eve responded, lowering her gaze with a wry smile. She couldn’t deny that she felt a certain relief after hearing the truth about the child.

‘It’s almost sinful, isn’t it?’

Mikael was a complex figure in Eve’s life, stirring up a wide array of emotions in her—not all of them sweet, but some bittersweet. As Eve reflected, Mikael’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“In this life, I promise not to live in a way that goes against my honor as a knight.”

“Of course. You’ll always be my knight, Mikael.”

With a radiant smile, Eve encouraged him. Whether as sovereign and vassal or as lovers, they knew that as long as they were together, they wouldn’t stray from their path.

***

Eve was still too weak to participate in active exploration missions. For the past few days, she had remained at Dandelion, sending Mikael and the Punitive Knights out on scouting missions without her.

‘Now I feel like Rozy,’ she thought, frustrated by her temporary uselessness. It was unsettling, and she felt the growing need to contribute somehow.

‘Let’s find something I can do sitting down,’ she resolved.

In addition to meditating to stabilize her mana core, Eve threw herself into researching the sealing stones. Though these artifacts were over 300 years old, they were the collective product of ancient archmages and master alchemists. Studying their structure and function was a valuable pursuit.

‘If I can figure this out, I’ll be able to repair the damaged sealing stones.’

To that end, she closely examined the images of the three discovered sealing stones, using her magic to create detailed visual records. Her desk was covered in papers filled with drawings and notes. Her artistic skills, a basic part of her royal education, were impressive, and she felt a sense of determination.

‘While my siblings are risking their lives at the front, I should at least support them from the rear.’

Brigitte, her half-sister, was still frustrated that she hadn’t managed to take down both Eve and Rozenite in one blow. She was throwing herself into subjugating the monsters around Yggdrasil with ruthless intensity. With Eve’s mana core growing stronger and Brigitte finding no success in her missions, her mood had soured even further. Every time she returned from battle, her eyes grew darker, and her gaze lingered ominously on Eve’s chest. Eve often found herself instinctively covering her chest with her arms when she noticed Brigitte’s sinister look.

‘I need to stay on my guard.’

Her half-sister, already lacking in humanity, might do something dangerous if she became too obsessed with Eve’s growing mana core. As someone destined to become empress, Eve decided to keep her wits sharp.

After a while, she put down her quill and stretched, extending her arms and tilting her head back. Instead of the fabric of a tent, she saw the wooden beams and stone ceiling above her.

Her current residence wasn’t an improvised tent anymore but a proper building. Thanks to the efforts of the Luciad Construction Guild and the local villagers, Dandelion’s reconstruction was nearly complete. The shabby huts had been replaced with clean, organized housing, and a grand building now stood at the center, serving as the base’s main headquarters. Eve and the other royals had moved into spacious rooms on the second floor, while the homunculi knights and craftsmen were housed on the first floor.

‘It’s nice to have solid walls again,’ she thought, feeling the comfort and security they provided.

“Your Highness, please have some of this while you work.”

“Oh, Peony.”

Peony set down a tray of snacks on Eve’s desk. Recently, Peony had been experimenting with local ingredients to make odd dishes, almost like an alchemist herself. For the past few days, she had been serving up various types of black pudding made from monster blood. Today, she brought cookies instead. Eve picked one up, eyeing it suspiciously.

“What monster’s blood is in this one?”

“I’ve switched to plant ingredients this time,” Peony replied with a smile.

“Nepenthes, right?”

“Yes. But not from the swamp, from the lake, so it’s clean. You can eat it without worry.”

The idea of plant-based ingredients was certainly more palatable than those from beasts, though the thought of tentacle-like roots still gave her pause. Nonetheless, Eve appreciated Peony’s efforts to help her recover her strength, so she took a bite.

“Oh?”

Eve blinked in surprise.

“Peony, what did you use for the dough?”

“As the World Tree grows, it sheds its outer bark. When ground up, it’s almost like flour.”

“The World Tree? No wonder it tastes so unique.”

“What do you think of the taste? The dark bits are dried Nepenthes.”

“It looks and tastes a lot like Earl Grey cookies. These are actually delicious.”

“Right? I thought so too.”

Eve found herself reaching for more. It had been a long time since she had a proper treat, and she ate the cookies with such enjoyment that she suddenly stopped, struck by a thought.

“Rozy might be able to eat these too.”

Until now, Eve had been secretly mixing World Tree tea leaves into all of Rozenite’s meals through Peony and Silvestian. However, Rozy, with her picky palate, had become increasingly difficult to feed.

“Shall I send some to the 8th Princess as well?”

“Yes, that’d be great.”

As she said it, Eve realized how strange it felt that Rozenite was the first person who came to mind when she tasted something good. It was an unthinkable notion in the past. Peony, noticing the shift, smiled knowingly.

“You’re probably the only one who takes care of the 8th Princess, Your Highness.”

“Hah, well, someone has to. She’s not in her right mind.”

Eve justified her care for Rozy as something practical. She was, after all, the emperor’s favored daughter, Eve’s half-sister, and in a vulnerable state. It only made sense to look after her. Still, there was a part of Eve that felt like she was making excuses to herself.

Peony, seemingly unaware of Eve’s inner conflict, continued with news about Rozenite’s recent behavior.

“She’s doing much better now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. When I brought her food the other day, I found her tearing up a pillow. I think she remembers what she said and did to you.”

“Oh, I see.”

Thinking back, Eve realized Rozenite had been keeping to herself recently, probably out of embarrassment. Given that Eve herself had been too awkward to visit Rozy since the incident, it made sense that Rozenite was feeling even worse about her behavior.

“Let’s keep giving her space, then. But send the cookies right away.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Eve resisted the urge to eat more of the cookies herself, even though they were surprisingly good. Who knew Nepenthes could taste so delicious? No wonder her father, Emperor Desmond II, had been so impressed when she’d brought him World Tree sap—it was a royal delicacy.

As she buried herself back into her research, time flew by. Soon enough, the knights returned from their expedition.

“Your Highness, it’s me.”

“Come in, Mikael.”

Mikael entered the room and immediately narrowed his eyes, displeased by what he saw.

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I was bored just sitting around. Don’t worry, I’m not overdoing it.”

An overly fussy lover wasn’t attractive. Mikael sighed and swallowed his complaints, glancing at the scattered papers on her desk. His eyes caught sight of a diagram of the sealing stone’s structure.

“Speaking of which, I have good news.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“My squad discovered the fourth sealing stone. Unfortunately, it wasn’t broken.”

“Wow, only one more to go! Great work, Mikael. I’ll have to visit the Punitive Knights soon.”

“I’d appreciate it if you did. If you personally acknowledge their efforts, the knights will be honored.”

Mikael also brought up some other news.

“I ran into the 3rd Princess on my way here. She scolded everyone for causing such a ruckus, but when she heard the report, she looked rather displeased.”

“Brigitte did? Well, that’s certainly good news.”

A smile spread across Eve’s face.

“With her mana core acting up and us making progress in our search, no wonder Betty’s furious.”

“And to make matters worse, her unit hasn’t found anything yet.”

“Hmm, I’d better be careful for the time being.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll always protect you.”

“Are you sure I shouldn’t be the one protecting you?”

Though she joked, Eve’s words were half-serious. If Brigitte were to lash out, she was more likely to target Mikael, Eve’s closest knight, rather than Eve herself. It was the royal way, after all, and Brigitte would find it hard to directly harm Eve without consequences.

There was precedent for it too. Eve recalled how Brigitte had orchestrated events that had led to her and Mikael’s pretend night together. Mikael, remembering it as well, let a small smile slip.

“If she tries anything, you can just bury her with your gardening magic.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Back when Eve was just a powerless princess, Mikael had carried the burden of protecting her alone. But now, his trust in her protection had deepened considerably.

As the evening approached, Eve needed to wrap up her research. She gathered the scattered papers on her desk, and Mikael quickly snatched up a stray sheet that had floated to the floor. He glanced over the densely written content with a serious expression.

“I don’t understand a single word of this,” he admitted.

As a homunculus, he had no knowledge of alchemy, which was expected. He handed the paper back to Eve without hesitation, and she chuckled lightly.

“It’s actually quite simple.”

“I’d rather not commit the disloyalty of doubting my master’s words, but when it comes to alchemy, aren’t you considered a genius? It’s hard to trust the word ‘simple’ coming from a genius.”

“Hmph. Sit down in front of me, Mikael,” Eve said, patting the stool opposite her desk. Ever the obedient knight, Mikael sat down, though he still looked skeptical.

“I’m not sure homunculi are cut out to be alchemy students,” he muttered.

“Even learning the basics might help. We might find a damaged sealing stone one day, and you’ll need to know what to do.”

“If you say so.”