I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart

Hill Palace is an extremely private space.
It is a private building with the Emperor’s bedroom and private study.
It looks big from the outside, but when you go inside it feels small.

We were ushered to the parlor inside Hill Palace, but there was no one waiting to show that this meeting was really personal.

“It’s been a while, Euseniel.”

“Euseniel of Hardland greets the majestic pillar of the Empire.”

“Raise your head.”

As always, the Emperor had a kind tone, and the moment I saw the Emperor, I widened my eyes unknowingly.

Tess was the youngest, but the Emperor was older than my father, Duke Bonart and Marquis Xuen.

Nevertheless, he looked younger than his age.
But today he looked old enough that it was unbelievable that his original age was mid-40s.

He used to have fleshy cheeks but now it was slim, his eyes were sunken and dark around, and even the fingers that touched his chin were dry and wrinkled.

“I called because I have something to ask you.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do you like black hair?”

Even though I thought it was a very random question, I answered it with sincerity.

“Yes that’s right.”

“What about black eyes? No, in exact, your ideal type is someone with black hair and black eyes, Euseniel?”

How could even the Emperor know my taste?

“Yes, that’s right, but…….”

Did he just call me to ask this?

“Haha, ha.
Hahahahaha.
UHAHAHAHA!”

Suddenly the Emperor started laughing like crazy, and I glanced at my parents.
They were very stiff.

“Hahaha.
Look at this, Millen.
Did you hear it too?”

The Emperor, who had stopped laughing, straightened his posture.

“Are you still saying that your daughter is not the cause?”

“By all means, Your Majesty–”

“Didn’t I ask if it’s because of her that my son has changed that way! You saw how Tessvalun changed!”

My father, Millen, was unusually not answering.

“Even the priest has given up on that child! All he calls is your daughter’s name.”

The Emperor jumped up from his seat and pointed a finger at me.

“This unclean thing!”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard of a pathetic story that half-elf blood is unclean.”

Mother came to me.

“Even if she is of mixed race, the purity and cleanliness of the elves are still there, so did you forget that the sacred name of ‘El’ is allowed even for elven mixed race?”

The name ‘El’ is permitted to those who have mixed elven blood.
This is a well-known fact.

“Even I know that.
But, but, if not for that child, how could Telun have changed so much!”

“The choice is on your son.
It wasn’t my daughter who made it.”

Mother was as bitter as a frost.
The dark green eyes that were always warm were like ice.

“Speak properly, Emperor of the Northern Empire.
Euseniel didn’t force anything on your son.
Please don’t say that it’s because of Euseniel.”

“Ha…….”

The Emperor, who covered his face with both hands, staggered.
Father approached him as if trying to support him, but the Emperor eventually pulled back.

“I know.
What’s wrong with that little thing? Yes, I’m not even sure it’s the child’s fault.
But I…….”

After talking to himself unintelligibly for a long time, he rubbed his face and made a solemn expression.

“I’ll give you a choice, Millen.”

“What… are your intentions?”

“This is the last consideration for the Hardland family, who have been loyal to the imperial family.”

These words meant that he would let go of the Hardland family but not Euseniel Hardland.

“First, send Euseniel to Varen and lock her there.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Second, everyone with the surname of Hardland should go to Varen and live the rest of their lives there!”

Varen is an ice city located in the northernmost part of the Northern Empire.
It has been a famous exile from time immemorial.

I couldn’t figure out exactly what was wrong.
No, my body was moving forward before I could even figure out what the problem was.

“Your Majesty, just me alone!”

Father, who grabbed me as I stepped forward, carefully closed my mouth and answered.

“Which father would abandon his daughter?”

I struggled with all my might, but this small body could not stand up to an adult man.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

For the first time in this world, I cried because of my new family.
I don’t treat you like my parents, so why are you doing this for me?

Hearing a wheezing sound, Father lowered the hand that had covered my mouth and hugged me tightly.
I wanted to tell him something.

However, the only thing I could do was slap my father on the shoulder, as I was speechless.

Mother, who approached me, whispered, “Euel, you’ll hurt yourself,” and gently squeezed my hand.

A cold command fell from behind.

“Is anyone there!”

Immediately, the door opened and a man entered, and the Emperor had him write down his orders.
What is written down means that it is an Imperial Order.

The contents were:

[ Members of House Hardland should leave the Empire and depart for Varen.
]

The deadline is in one month.

* * *

Varen, in one month.
Considering the size of the family, we would never make it.

This treatment was like a crime of treason, although he did not cast Father out as Duke Hardland.

Father protested against this order, but the Emperor’s will was firm, and no Duke took the side of our family.
This means that they, too, inwardly agreed with the imperial order.

“It’s because of me…….”

I was crouching in the watchtower where I used to hide from Tess while everyone was busy packing things.

I didn’t see him, but Tess had changed, and the Emperor chose me as the cause.
Even my parents couldn’t deny it.

“So, the cause is me.”

What the hell was the problem?

Although the three Duchies were in favor of expelling our family, the Emperor did not give a clear reason for expelling our family.

So, the families below the Marquisate were in an uproar.

Moreover, since we got forcibly expelled, there is a high probability that the imperial power will be shaken.
Because it causes distrust in the subjects.

What was the reason for the Emperor to try to chase me away?

By now Father will be handing out the estate to his vassals and employees.
He could not take any privates with him to Varen, and there were few people who would follow him to such a distant place.

Even so, the people who worked in our family for a long time wanted to follow, but not all of them could join us.

– It’s okay, Euel.
It will be fun to live in a new environment.

– Varen is a snowy area, isn’t it? It is a place covered with snow all year round, so Mother is very excited.

My parents comforted me, but I know everything.

“Why did I reincarnate here?”

While my mind still misses the world of my previous life, my body has adapted to this place.

“Miiiissss! Miss Eusenieeellllll, where are you!”

May’s voice is heard from afar.
She is one of those who decided to go to Varen with us.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks and fanned my face.
I’m sure May and my parents will be sad to see my messed up face, so let’s pretend I don’t know anything, pretend I’m six.

It made me even more depressed that this is all I can do now.

“Miss, you have a visitor.
It’s nice to meet him, so why don’t you smile?”

At this time?

Who? It can’t be Tess, who is there?

“Euel.”

“Ethyl?”

The boy, one head taller than me, looked nervous, unlike his usual cheerful yet serious appearance.

“Euel.”

Ethyl approached me and hugged me tightly.

“I’m sorry, Euel.
I can’t help you.”

“No, Ethyl.
It’s not your fault.”

It’s a lie if I don’t have any resentment towards Duke Bonart, who was close to Father, but it’s not something Ethyl should apologize for.

“No.
If Father had taken the Duke’s side, such a terrible thing…..”

The dazzling brown eyes were filled with sadness.