Episode 122

Rose, in a daze, allowed the man to escort her to the imperial carriage. 

She continued to feel disconnected from reality, even as the carriage began to move. Her bewildered gaze briefly wandered around the interior of the carriage until she grasped the hem of her skirt tightly with her hand.

‘Why am I meeting the Emperor? Me? Now?’

It finally hit her that she had won the top award in the contest. 

She recalled Jasper telling her how he had confronted the Emperor right after winning the swordfighting competition.

‘But why am I alone? Why isn’t Senior Theo with me? Can I meet the Emperor like this? What if I make a mistake in front of the Emperor…?’

Her already petite frame seemed to shrink further. 

As the carriage approached the palace, her heart felt like it might jump out of her chest. Meeting the Emperor was a daunting prospect, especially with the weight of her recent actions.

Meeting the Emperor up close and personal was entirely new for Rose, and she had always considered the Emperor to be an ethereal figure, almost like a mythical presence rather than a tangible reality.

‘How did Jasper handle meeting the Emperor?’

If she had been brought to the palace after meeting Jasper, she might not have been as nervous. Rose stood on her tiptoes, fidgeting anxiously.

The carriage passed through the stern guard’s presence and entered the palace grounds. Rose didn’t even have a chance to take in the unfamiliar surroundings as she was preoccupied with the overwhelming desire to pass out from anxiety.

After a while, the carriage came to a halt. 

Rose had been keeping her head down, and as the carriage door opened, she took a deep breath before shrinking into herself.

“Miss Rose, we have arrived.”

The middle-aged man who had escorted Rose had a relaxed and composed demeanor.

“Yes, yes…”

Rose stepped down from the carriage under the man’s escort and anxiously looked around. 

Everything was covered in greenery, and it seemed like some distant part of the palace gardens. The fact that she wasn’t being taken to the meeting chamber yet was somewhat of a relief. 

The scent of grass in the air helped ease her tension a bit compared to when she first arrived.

“Please wait here for a moment.”

The man was about to go somewhere when Rose urgently addressed him.

“Um… is it okay to meet the Emperor in this state?”

She hadn’t had time to properly prepare herself, especially considering she had been up late studying for exams. The man shrugged.

“Her Majesty probably won’t mind such details.”

“Yes…”

The man left, and Rose stood there, clutching her hands tightly. 

She had no time to leisurely admire the beautifully landscaped garden. She quickly reviewed the etiquette she needed to follow when meeting royalty.

If she had had more time to prepare mentally, she might not have been this nervous. The rumors about the current Emperor being impatient seemed to be true.

About fifteen minutes passed, and she heard the footsteps of several people approaching from the other side of the garden. 

It was the Emperor and her attendants.

Rose, upon catching a glimpse of the Emperor from afar, immediately lowered her head and patiently waited. 

Her heart pounded, but she did her best not to show it on the surface.

‘It’s not because of any mistake.’

Rose had been summoned to meet the Emperor due to her winning the contest. She didn’t need to be anxious or jittery about this, but thoughts of her family’s past still loomed in her mind.

Her thoughts raced for a moment, and she wondered if she might faint at any moment. But then she remembered the reason she was here: to be recognized for her achievement.

She greeted the Emperor with a formal bow, her voice shaky as she spoke.

“I am honored to meet you, Your Majesty.”

With a soft and authoritative tone, the Emperor replied.

“Raise your head.”

Slowly, Rose lifted her head to meet the Emperor’s gaze. 

The Emperor appeared more casual than she had expected, dressed in an outfit that prioritized comfort and movement, with a jeweled crown on her head.

“First of all, congratulations on winning the contest.” 

The Emperor said with a hint of a smile. The soft features of the Emperor’s face combined with the aura of authority made Rose feel both at ease and overwhelmed in her presence.

Frozen for a moment, Rose regained her composure and lowered her head.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I suppose it must have been a surprise to be summoned so suddenly. How about we take a walk?”

With a gesture to her guards and attendants, the Emperor ordered them to keep their distance. The surroundings were still and quiet as they moved back, allowing the Emperor and Rose some space.

Rose, trying to control her trembling hands, nodded in agreement. 

She couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed in the presence of someone who held the power of life and death with a single word. The idea of walking alongside the most powerful person in the land, who could determine her fate with a single command, was both thrilling and terrifying.

The Emperor, taking a step back, indicated that Rose should follow. Walking behind the Emperor, Rose nervously followed her lead.

The Emperor began to speak as they strolled. 

“The contest results were unanimous and swift. No further deliberations were needed after the announcement today.”

Every word from the Emperor felt like a dream to Rose. 

Discussing the contest and her invention with the most powerful person in the land was an unexpected turn of events.

“It was highly creative and refined enough to be commercialized. Excellent.”

“Th-thank you…”

“What do you plan to do after graduation?”

Rose spoke, exerting strength in her legs that kept wanting to wobble. 

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Hmm, is that so? The Imperial Research Institute has been quite interested in you.”

“Me… me?”

She tried to maintain her composure but failed. Rose’s voice trembled all over the place. She almost hiccuped due to the rushed intake of breath.

The Emperor noticed Rose’s surprise, stopped in her tracks, and turned to look at her. A faint smile played on the Emperor’s lips.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Because I’ve never dared to imagine it….”

Rose’s throat went dry. In truth, she hadn’t imagined it.

In Quilts, she had unfolded the wings of her imagination countless times on her own. She had repeatedly imagined herself, rising to fame as a magic engineer, and working at the Empire’s top research institute, only to feel disheartened. 

It seemed like an empty dream.

The Imperial Research Institute was known for its rigorous selection process. As far as Rose knew, there had not been a commoner admitted to the Imperial Research Institute yet. The same applied to women.

But that dream was now approaching as if it could be grasped right before her eyes.

“It’s no longer a matter of not bringing someone like you in.”

Rose’s lips stiffened, making it difficult for words to come out easily.

“So, do you have the intention to enter the Institute?”

“I… If given the opportunity, of course… Of course… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m too overwhelmed to speak clearly…”

“If you could conduct research yourself, what would you do?”

Rose hesitated for a moment, then replied.

“I would like to research transportation methods, Your Majesty. The Empire’s transportation is at an incredibly high level, unmatched by any other nation, but there are still places without railways, and it takes a long time to travel by train from the capital to the northern border. So… I’d like to work on improving train engines, and if it’s technically feasible in the future, maybe even airships.”

A moment ago, she had been frozen and could hardly speak a word, but when the topic shifted to research, she spoke fluently without any hesitation.

“I’ve heard a few research institutes are attempting to invent airships. It’s not well-defined yet, but they are all focused on the engine aspect. However, in my opinion, it might be better to completely rethink the materials rather than just the engine…”

Rose was explaining rapidly, but then she paused.

‘Oh, I got carried away.’

Rose couldn’t help but bite her lip and glanced at the Emperor, her anxiety evident. 

The Emperor had been quietly listening to Rose’s story. She seemed to have a kind and attentive look, but she wrinkled her brows for no apparent reason.

When Rose’s words stopped, the Emperor tilted her head slightly.

“You can continue if you’d like. Of course, I may not understand everything perfectly, but go ahead. The world is changing too rapidly. That’s why people like you are even more necessary.”

“…You’re too kind, Your Majesty.”

“Your stature may be small, but your confidence is tremendous. I thought you were a timid child. Not many can speak fluently like you did in your first meeting.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s a compliment.”

Rose nodded her head slightly. The Emperor turned her body forward again as she spoke.

“I’d like to have you join the institute immediately after graduation, but circumstances may not permit that, so keep that in mind. For now, you are still a criminal.”

Rose followed the Emperor for a few steps and then stopped. Could it be? A sense of foreboding overwhelmed her.

“If any of your illegal activities were to become known, there may be many who would want to tear you apart. It’s better to wait a bit until the Noble Law reform passes.”

“Your… Your Majesty…”

Rose’s mind went blank for a moment. 

Had the Emperor already known who she was? Since when? It seemed as though receiving an award at the contest had attracted the Emperor’s attention. 

But why wasn’t she being punished?

The Emperor turned her head slightly to look at Rose and spoke.

“You seem surprised. Don’t worry; I have no intention of arresting you.” 

With a faint smile, the Emperor approached Rose closely and continued.

“I already know about you, Rosalie Verden.”

The name she had kept hidden emerged from the Emperor’s lips, causing Rose’s pupils to shake with astonishment.

“I know quite a bit about you. That you were Baron Verden’s daughter, unfortunately, that your father is a gambler, that you’re a genius who appears once in a few years…”

“…”

“…and even that you’ve completely captured the heart of a young man.”