Goddess Kingmaker Chapter 7

“I’m sorry. What could I possibly say to you, baby?”

 

“Mmm.”

 

No, keep going.

 

I smiled brightly, my eyes crinkling, as if to say there was no need for that at all.

 

Seeing that, Roen, who had been completely melted by my expression, grabbed my hands tightly, as if she had forgotten all about her earlier gloom.

 

“See? How could I possibly leave you behind like this? Ah, if only things could always stay this way.”

 

“Mmm.”

 

Are you serious?

 

I lightly tapped the rough back of Roen’s hand before gripping the crib’s railing firmly.

 

Even though I’m stuck in the frail body of a baby right now, once a god, always a god.

 

Resentment and gratitude alike—I’ll repay them both twice over.

 

“Aaang!”

 

Okay, sister, I accept your wish!

 

◇ ◆ ◇

 

A new family member was arriving.

 

I never even dreamed of making my father the crown prince from the start. How could I, when I hadn’t even seen his face yet?

 

Since I had chosen the most difficult life possible, even among humans, I needed a more realistic plan.

 

‘First, I need to gather my own people!’

 

I wasn’t completely helpless, but in my current state, I was as good as without hands or feet. It was even more urgent. Not just for my own benefit, but also to improve Roen’s welfare—she was suffering under all the labor.

 

I needed to make her my exclusive caretaker.

 

And the opportunity came soon enough.

 

“Baby. Raise your head so I can get you dressed. Yes, just like that. Very good.”

 

Roen, who had applauded, smiled brightly at me as I poked my head out.

 

Although the clothes were too plain for the emperor’s granddaughter, Roen made sure to wash and iron them once a day.

 

I wriggled my shoulders at the clean scent of soap, and Roen’s lips stretched into a wistful smile.

 

“If only our baby could wear beautiful clothes like the young princess from the other palaces. You’d look like an angel.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Something like a dress with a big ribbon on it.”

 

Roen drew a large ribbon in the air with her fingers, then laughed as if she knew it was a foolish dream. Even she looked like she didn’t believe her own words.

 

Last time, she said that she got scolded while wandering around the palaces of other princes in case she could get some spare clothes.

 

“When I get my next paycheck, the first thing I’ll buy is fabric for your clothes. Right now, you may be here, but if His Majesty sees how angelic you are, then maybe—”

 

“What are you doing there?”

 

“P-Parma!”

 

Roen’s hopeful heart collapsed at the sharp voice of Parma from behind.

 

Parma’s already fierce expression was now downright terrifying, her dark eyebrows angled sharply.

 

“Why are you still here? This is not the time for this!”

 

“Yes? But I need to change the baby’s clothes…..”

 

“Oh my. Is this the kind of thing you call clothes?”

 

Parma burst into laughter as she looked at me in the cradle.

 

At least she should try giving me something better before criticizing it.

 

I glared at her in silent protest, but unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be very intimidating.

 

“Ha, this is ridiculous.”

 

“……”

 

When I see Parma laughing with such a fierce expression on her face…

 

“Anyway, hurry up. His Majesty is coming soon.”

 

“W-What? His Majesty? Why so suddenly…”

 

“How would I know that!”

 

Parma raised her voice impatiently, then reached out and forcibly pulled Roen up.

 

“The room is clean enough. Now go and get some proper clothes.”

 

“Wh-where am I supposed to get the clothes?”

 

“Why are you asking me? Try begging at Clayton Palace or Meyer Palace. And if that doesn’t work, steal them if you have to.”

 

With a glare, Parma shoved Roen toward the door.

 

Roen hesitated, her worried eyes turning to me as if to ask if it was okay to leave me alone.

 

I waved my hand dismissively.

 

“Ba-bye!”

 

Go quickly.

 

At my innocent farewell, Roen’s face became even more like she was about to cry, and she disappeared with tears welling up in her eyes.

 

I wanted to follow her and pat her on the back, but it was impossible because I couldn’t walk yet.

 

No, before that, the shadow blocking my path was long and dark.

 

“You.”

 

“……”

 

Now that no one else was around, she was speaking casually.

 

“Behave yourself. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble.”

 

“……”

 

“Do you understand?”

 

Parma bit her thick lower lip as she stared down at me.

 

As if that wasn’t enough, she made an even scarier face—but then she hesitated.

 

“Why are you smiling?”

 

“Aang?”

 

‘Why? Because I was happy, of course.’

 

I folded my eyes slightly and smiled brighter than I had done to Roen, waving my hands.

 

Parma, who looked even more flustered the more I did, eventually clicked her tongue out of habit.

 

“You really don’t understand the world, do you? Well, if you act like that in front of His Majesty, it won’t be too bad.”

 

As if she had something in mind, she shrugged and muttered about finding something before His Majesty arrived, then hurried out of the room.

 

“……”

 

Before she left, she cast one last suspicious look back—but all she saw was a nine-month-old baby gripping the cradle’s railing.

 

‘Goodbye!’

 

She didn’t know this would be the last time she’d ever see my baby face.

 

◇ ◆ ◇

 

“Your Majesty, according to the messenger, the conquest of Kirkus Heights is nearly complete.”

 

Count Montes, responsible for the defense and security of the Caronin Empire, placed the messenger’s report on the emperor’s desk.

 

The empire’s flag was now planted even in the once-impregnable Kirkus. His voice swelled with excitement.

 

“No matter how strong their defenses, they are powerless before the Royal Knights!”

 

Half true, half false.

 

No one disputed that the Caronin Empire had the strongest military across the continent.

 

There was no doubt that the military power of the Karonin Empire was the strongest across the continent, but it wasn’t necessarily because of the Royal Knights.

 

In every battle, leading the charge was always the empire’s fourth prince—Duke Targa Berk.

 

The Reaper of Death. The Bloodthirsty Monster.

 

The sight of him running around the battlefield with a sword flowing with energy was enough to crush the enemy’s morale.

 

However, he could not bring himself to say such a thing in front of His Majesty the Emperor.

 

For good reason.

 

“Where the hell has that brat disappeared to now?”

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

The emperor had been grinding his teeth over his youngest son for days.

 

Frustrated, he abruptly left his office, and Count Montes hurried after him.

 

“Did you send the letter correctly?”

 

“Y-Yes, but whether he actually read it, I can’t say. He disappears like the wind.”

 

“That idiot!”

 

Entering the vast imperial gardens, the emperor pressed his temples.

 

“If he wants to fight, he might as well stick around and take credit! Instead, he fights to the death and leaves others to reap the rewards?”

 

“…..Your Majesty.”

 

When the Emperor finally revealed what he found most offensive, the Count simply bowed his head in silence.

 

Targa Berk had never attended his own victory marches.

 

Just as the Emperor had said, Duke Berk would disappear like the wind when there were ‘no more enemies to kill.’

 

It had been like that ever since he was seventeen, when he was formally knighted.

 

He was everywhere and nowhere, spending half the year in blood-soaked war zones but never returning for celebrations.

 

It had become a habit—packing his belongings and vanishing again before anyone even realized he was back.

 

So, The emperor’s frustration was understandable.

 

“I tolerated it for long enough, but this is just too much.”

 

“Please calm yourself, Your Majesty.”

 

“If he had no ambition, he should have none at all. And yet, somehow, he still found the time to father a child….”

 

“……”

 

The emperor’s gaze subtly shifted toward a certain direction.

 

Though the imperial palace was vast, Count Montes immediately understood what he was looking at.

 

“Perhaps this would be a good time to visit the baby?”

 

“Why should I?”

 

“Well…”

 

‘After all, Your Majesty has been glancing toward the Layton Palace for days now.’

 

Count Montes masked his amusement with an awkward smile.

 

Having served as the emperor’s closest aide for a lifetime, he could read every subtle gesture and unspoken thought.

 

For days, despite venting his anger about his youngest son’s irresponsibility, he had been staring blankly toward the distant palace.

 

“That bastard left two children behind and disappeared!”

 

“But after the Duchess passed away from childbirth, wasn’t he the one who didn’t even look at women? That’s better than not being interested in women at all.”

 

“So why did it have to be that kind of woman?”

 

The emperor’s anger flared again.

 

If his son had to be so indifferent, he should have at least chosen a suitable bride, remarried, and settled down properly.

 

Everything about his youngest son frustrated him.

 

Yet, the greater problem was that none of his other sons pleased him much either.

 

“To think I’d be troubled by such concerns in my old age. The gods must be mocking me.”

 

“Y-Your Majesty! You mustn’t say such things!”

 

“What?”

 

“I-I mean… Wasn’t the Caronin Empire founded under the divine will of the noble goddess? Surely, there must be a reason behind all that happens.”

 

“That’s enough! If there had been a God from the beginning, I wouldn’t have had to worry about these things!”

 

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