Word Count - 2,525 words
"She wishes not to have any investigation and to not catch whoever did that to her?"
Sir Levi was in great disbelief, hearing the news from his emperor. About Lady Y/n's request to just let the incident be forgotten.
"That is unacceptable, your majesty. How could the future empress of our empire turn a blind eye to a crime done towards her? It's a shame to the imperial throne."
Erwin picked up his cup of tea, his eyes were busy staring at the clear skies. Today's weather is great, it's windy and cloudy.
"She's protecting her family for the last time." The emperor spoke. Levi's brows shot-up, suddenly realizing the obvious.
"Once Lady Y/n leaves this royal palace, she's no longer a Tybur, but a royal lady of mine and the imperial throne, and the future mother of the Eldian empire. And once we get married, she'll officially forget about being a Marleyan and a Tybur, and embrace being an Eldian and Smith...that also means...all she can do is focus on her new surroundings, protecting herself, the royal twins and me, even. The imperial family, the inner court and our throne."
The emperor's eyes squinted when the wind blew their way, the scent of gardenias around the backyard of his residence bloomed when the wind had blown.
Sir Levi finally got what Erwin is trying to say. What Y/n requested of Erwin was the last protection she could give to her family.
"She won't be able to protect the Tyburs since anytime a conflict could break out and she'll have no choice but to choose us. This...request of her is the last thing she can do for her family, for Marley's kingdom."
The raven-haired man nodded, while keeping his stare on the emperor. It it just me but the emperor seems to be...different?
He's so relaxed.
"Where is Lady Y/n right now?" Levi asked.
Erwin finished his tea, he put his teacup down on the table then stood up. "At the throne room. Talking to her older brother."
--
King Willy's brows are furrowed a bit while he keeps his stare on the ground, his fists are clenched, tightly gripping on the sides of his throne. "I am very sorry, Y/n..."
Y/n is standing in front of him, from afar.
Her small wounds on the face and light bruises are still visible, Y/n wore a simple yet elegant dress for today, she's grateful that her dresses are long sleeves and long, they were able to cover up her injuries.
Except the ones on her face.
"I knew about what mother did to your mother...but I stayed quiet to ptotect the royal family, and the throne. Also to protect my own mother." The King looked at his younger sister, he felt frustrated, seeing no emotion on the h/c-haired lady's face.
Y/n kept her eyes nowhere, her hands are clasped together and resting in front of her down on her abdomen.
"Father knew, too. But even if he wanted to punish my mother for what my mother did to your mother...he couldn't do it because mother was the Queen and his legal spouse..."
The h/c-haired lady nodded, blinking slowly. "I understand, your majesty."
King Willy swallowed the lump on his throat. "When I heard about you getting kidnapped...I knew who could've done it, because the same thing happened to royal concubine Leticia." Y/n just stared at Willy.
She knew about the possibility of her older brother knowing about what really happened to her mother, after all, King Willy is the son of the Queen Dowager.
But...she stayed quiet for so long.
She turned a blind eye for so long.
"I asked my mother about it...and she confessed to me. She wanted to get rid of you, just like what she did to Lady Leticia. I'm really sorry, Y/n. Please forgive me..."
King Willy held his forehead, purposely covering his face as he was starting to tear up. "...I couldn't protect you like how our father and your mother protected you. Because I am weak...and I also have to protect someone I care for, other than you."
Y/n closed her eyes as she sighed.
"I don't wish to press on the incident any further, your majesty. Please do not worry, if you think I'm going to bring down the Queen Dowager."
King Willy was taken aback. "What...?"
The h/c-haired lady stared at him straight in the eyes. "I care for you, for Queen Clementia, for Princess Lara, for Princess Charlotte, for the people working inside this royal palace, for your kingdom...that's why I won't do anything to ruin what I care for. I am willing to stand back down. I'll keep quiet and blind, to protect all of you."
Y/n took a deep breath, before her lips turned up into a smile, though not genuine nor was it sarcasm. A smile that somehow the king can't even figure out what it means.
"I've talked to the emperor and he agreed about this, too. He will keep quiet and stay blind, though he gave a warning. I'm sure you already know what it could be."
The King wasn't able to say anything.
He began to feel nervous so suddenly.
"...Y/n...what are you trying to do?"
His sister sighed, not something out of annoyance of distress, but a relieved one.
"I'm glad you caught on, your majesty."
Y/n looked up at the king confidently.
"In return for my silence and blindness..." The h/c-haired lady boldly pointed at her older brother, which surprised Sir Gerald who has been standing beside King Willy.
"My lady! It is rude to point at the king!"
Sir Gerald exclaimed.
But Y/n ignored the royal knight.
"Pay my silence and blindness by abusing your power for something I desire..."
The h/c-haired lady smiled at her brother.
"...King Willy."
King Willy was just shocked.
Y/n had stopped calling him "your majesty."
And he knew...Y/n have changed.
She's no longer the quiet, obedient and overly respectful young lady of Tyburs...
But now...Y/n's a...
Fierce, confident empress to be of Eldia.
King Willy closed his eyes, his lips turning up into a smile. He isn't mad, the truth is, he's glad. Because Y/n is finally standing up for herself. "I'll grant any request you have, Lady Y/n. Please do tell me what you want."
Y/n sighed before she spoke.
"...I request you to promote the late royal concubine Leticia Seyfried to the position of Royal Consort of the previous king, and let Lionel Tybur become her adoptive son, and for Sir Lionel to become a royal prince."
Willy's eyes widened, even sir Gerald was shocked. They both immediately realized.
It's not them, nor the throne Y/n is trying to protect. But her younger brother, who is also in danger because of the Queen Dowager's evil schemes.
"...and one last thing..."
The h/c-haired lady glared at her brother.
"Send the queen dowager into an exile."
--
Erwin almost dropped the book he was reading, shocked by the news Sir Levi had brought to him.
It's already late at night, yet he's still awake, listening to a hot tea his royal knight is spilling.
"Lady Y/n...really requested those conditions from King Willy?"
The emperor asked, still surprised.
Sir Levi nodded his head. "Yes, I couldn't believe it, too. The King seemed to have no choice, but to agree with what Lady Y/n requested of him. Lady Y/n is quite scary."
Erwin closed his book, he stood up from sitting down on the chair of his office table.
The blonde man picked up his coat hanging on the side at the coat rack. "And where are you going, your majesty? It is already late..." Levi said, raising a brow at the emperor.
"I want to talk to Lady Y/n."
Sir Levi sighed as he shook his head.
He didn't have a choice but to follow Erwin.
--
"My lady! You can't leave without us!"
Danaya teared up, holding tight on her mistress' hand. Y/n have come to visit her and Sir Philip, and the h/c-haired lady also told them that she's already leaving in two days.
Though...Y/n informed them that they'll have to stay at Marley.
"I am your knight, my lady. How could I let you leave alone?" Sir Philip spoke.
Y/n smiled at her two most loyal people.
Sir Philip and Danaya have always been by her side, she treats them not only as her people, but also like they are family to her.
"Danaya...you've been serving me for so long, you're growing old, not any younger. It's time that you should live your own life, find a good man, get married and have lots of kids. You'll surely be a good mother."
Danaya shook her head, she looked down and cried even more. She doesn't want to be left in Marley, while her mistress is going to live in another place. "My lady..."
Y/n is trying her best not to cry.
Thinking it'll only make her tired.
"Please reconsider, my lady! I will not allow it. If you go somewhere, Danaya and I shall be with you. Let us stay with you, my lady."
The h/c-haired lady looked at Sir Philip.
She smirked, which is a surprise to her childhood friend/best friend/royal knight.
"Your father wouldn't want you to be away from him, Sir Philip...and the kingdom needs you more. You should also get married and have children, the Magath bloodline should never go extinct. Heh."
Sir Philip's brows furrowed as he stared at Y/n. He clenched his fist, his lips trembled and he knows he's about to cry. So he looked away, pretending to look annoyed.
"My lady...please bring us with you."
Y/n hugged Danaya, comforting her head lady-in-waiting. "Danaya...thank you for everything. You've the most beautiful and kind lady-in-waiting among the other ladies-in-waiting inside the royal palace."
Danaya cried more, she hugged back Y/n.
So tight, as she doesn't want to let go.
"Be happy, Danaya. That's my last request to you, live a life you'll forever be happy about. That'll make me very happy, too."
Y/n then looked at Sir Philip, she chuckled, seeing the red-haired man tearing up.
"Sir Philip, make sure to serve the kingdom and our people at your utmost best."
The red-haired man looked down as he nodded. This is...her last order for me.
"I understood...my lady."
--
Princess Lara stared at Lionel with worry and concern. The young man looks upset, as if every unlucky thing happened to him.
But Lionel thinks so, too.
He's heard about his sister's decisions.
Y/n won't take him to Paradis.
That made him upset.
"She did it for your own sake, Lio."
Lionel looked at her older sister.
He pursued his lips as he nodded.
"I know. But rather than becoming a prince, I wished for her to bring me with her. I would rather stay with her than stay here. How can I protect her when she's so far away from us?" Lionel let out a sigh.
Princess Lara smiled, she adores how Lionel is so dedicated to Y/n, she isn't wondering why. After all, Y/n did everything in her power to keep Lionel after Lady Leticia and the previous king died.
Y/n shielded Lionel from her envious mother.
And Lionel just wants to return the favor, even when there's no need to do so.
Because just by Lionel always being alive and well, he already paid back his beloved sister.
Princess Lara looked at the door, she kept silent even after seeing his younger sister.
"I'll go for now, Lio."
Lionel nodded, he let Lara leave, keeping his eyes at nowhere, and not knowing that his other sister is already approaching him.
"Are you mad at me?"
He was just surprised when Y/n spoke.
He looked up at his sister who's now beside him. "Sis..." Lionel mumbled. His brows furrowed, as his eyes became glossy while he stared at his older sister. "How could I?"
Y/n smiled as she sat beside Lionel.
She draped an arm over her brother's shoulder, and pulled him into an embrace.
"Your highness, I'm very proud of you."
Lionel closed his eyes, suddenly feeling emotional now that he's tearing up. His new title that Y/n called him also made him cry. He's always dreamed of being called like that. Like a real royal prince of Marley.
"Why are you so kind, sister?" Lionel asked.
Y/n chuckled. "Because I love my family. And I'm only kind to my family." Y/n said.
She let Lionel cry in her embrace, like a young boy who got teased on by his friends.
"Thank you for everything, sister. I will always repay you for all of the things you did for me."
--
Mom...I'm sorry for not giving you justice.
It doesn't mean you're not important to me.
But I had to do it, I chose the path of where I'm the only one hurting, not the others around me. I believe I did the right thing.
And I know you're proud of me.
This is what you'll do, too, right?
Because you're a natural kind person.
Y/n sat down beside the angel fountain.
She dipped her hand on the cold water, and felt the smooth movements of the liquid.
Karma will come to those people who hurt you. We don't need revenge, because karma will eventually come for all of them.
The people who had hurt us will be punished by their own fate.
We don't need to hurt ourselves, too, by getting revenge.
It may take a long time, but it'll be worth it once it landed on them.
Mom, let's laugh at them soon.
Y/n smiled as she stared at her reflection on the water. Though her smile faded away, the moment she saw Erwin behind her.
She immediately looked back at the blonde man, quickly standing up to curtsy.
"Your majesty."
Erwin held her arm to help her stand straight, she looked at Erwin with still a stunned expression on her face.
"I heard about what you requested from the King."
Y/n let Erwin sit down, the emperor motioned for her to sit back down so she did. She watched as Erwin dipped his hand on the cold water, the same way she did.
"You're an unpredictable lady, my lady. I never knew you had something hidden in your sleeves." Erwin then looked at her.
The blonde man smiled, his blue eyes seemed to have glowed in the night, the cold wind blew, blowing some thin strands of his hair that he didn't fix before leaving.
"I am astonished by you."
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