A Stepmother's Marchen

Prologue
The iron-blooded widow, the spider widow, the male hunter, the witch of
Neuschwanstein Castle, the shame of noble ladies... … .

Who are all those titles referring to? He was referring to none other than me, the
Marquis of Shuri von Neubanstein. Is there another rich man in our empire with the
nickname only me?

… … I know very well that it's not a nickname I'm proud of. But it's been a long time since
I didn't pay attention to what others were saying. It doesn't matter what people say or
say about me.

The only thing that mattered was the fact that I had safely protected the Neuwanstein
family and their children until this day.

Yes, I ended up keeping my promise to him.

Of course, in reality, it feels a bit awkward to call those who are the same age as my
younger brother and have no blood mixed with them as children. Even though they
have never called me mother yet, I have raised four children like carrion beasts in
them.

And tomorrow is the day when my hard work and hard work will finally bear fruit. What
day is it? It's the day her first son, Jeremy, gets married!

The messenger of the self-proclaimed Neubanstein and the sword of the crown prince,
as soon as the wedding vows are made, according to his father's will, he finally
becomes a full-fledged Marquis of Neubanstein. Moreover, the opponent is the
daughter of Duke Heinrich, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the zodiac.

Alas, tears of emotion fill up. It seems like just yesterday that the late kid was dying
from measles, but when did he grow up so much?

Countless days that I have come out of without being able to do it, I finally feel the
worth of the hard work! Let's celebrate the past and raise a toast!

… … That was just my huge misunderstanding.

Who did it? They say that when a person gets too close, they can't even think about
anything. My condition right now is exactly that. I don't even know what to think, let
alone say anything.

"What did you just say..."

"It's just as I said. He... asked my mother to tell me that he didn't have to attend the
wedding."

Grasping my whitened head and trying to keep my mouth shut, this beautiful lady who
calmly added, interrupting me, is Princess O'Hara von Heinrich, Jeremy's fiancée and
the main character of tomorrow's wedding of the century. Is it just my delusion that
the wavy pale platinum hair and the fantastically harmonious purple eyes look like
they have a strange light of compassion?

"Did Jeremy really say that? But why didn't he tell it directly..."

“You know how hectic he is right now.

"Wait, wait. No matter what he said, I have an obligation to attend the wedding of the
two of you. That's why he..."

"Exactly, I wanted it to be delivered like this."

The princess, who held her breath for a moment with a really unwilling expression,
spoke Jeremy's words as if spitting out clearly.

“The duty they always emphasize as a habit will end the moment we sign the oath
tomorrow, so wouldn’t it be more comfortable to throw it off as soon as possible?”

"……."

I was stunned for a moment, with my mouth half open. While I was acting in such a
disrespectful way, O'Hara only met my gaze with an expression of half regret and half
rebuke.
What should I say in return? What do you say? I've never experienced or imagined
anything like this, so I don't know what to answer.

The Jeremy I knew was not one to convey these words through others. It was better for
him to sit arrogantly and throw sarcastic remarks and smirks in his face. If that kind of
guy conveys this through her fiancée, not even my younger siblings... … .

Does it mean that he is tired of seeing each other face to face? I wonder if it's
annoying to even talk face-to-face, because tomorrow there will be no need for all the
ostentation. No way, no way... … . I opened my mouth to speak, but my voice hushed up.

"Why is that..."

"Honestly, it's a little too much. I thought so too. But what can I do with him being so
stubborn... And I'm sorry, but I think your wife has some responsibility for this."

It was quite a backhanded remark, but I felt puzzled rather than displeased. The
prospective daughter-in-law, who signed briefly as if frustrated, now lowered her long
eyelashes and reprimanded her mother-in-law, who was only four years older than me.

"I'm sure you don't know what your wife's image is like in the social world. Of course, I
know that my mother is a nice person, but most people don't think so. It's objectively
natural for him to resent her mother, so I can't help it. ."

“Does Jeremy resent me?”

"...Honestly, your wife is the one who brought in a lover a month after the death of the
former marquis. He said that he caused countless scandals and blocked even his
relatives who shared blood with him. A nephew's face. You kicked out my aunt who only
asked for buns... So I have no choice but to resent you. Why did you do that?"

So, why did I do that? There are many reasons. But not a word came out of his mouth.
No matter what excuses I had to hold onto O'Hara here, even if I now went on to
explain the reasons why I had to do it, what good would it really be?

The bridge of my nose tingles. I thought I was getting used to the indifference of
children, so why am I feeling so sad all over again?
"No matter what anyone says, I'm that kid..."

I swallowed the lump of arin stuck in my throat and barely managed to speak, but
O'Hara interrupted my words again.

"You know that he never considered his wife his mother, right? That's kind of
ridiculous, honestly."

… … Yes, of course. Common sense makes no sense that someone only two years
younger than me would think of me that way. I agree. But… … But… … .

"Of course, I want to get along with my mother as well as possible from now on. So, I
just want you to cooperate this time. I don't want any noise at the one-off wedding. Do
you understand?"

"……."

"Then I'll leave. I still have a lot to prepare... But I'll try my best to convince you. But
don't expect too much."

Lastly, I threw a sad look at me, and while O'Hara stood up, I just stood there in a daze,
not even thinking of seeing her off.

Jeremy, Jeremy... … .

A child who looked at me with eyes full of enemies from the first time I set foot in this
marquis' house at the age of fourteen. The kid who didn't shed a single tear at his
father's funeral. A child who secretly cried by himself in a place where no one was
looking. A child who suffered from measles and burned countless nights while
wandering between death and near death.

Even though he had never opened his heart to me, the boy I tried to protect with all
my body and mind.

The boy is now a grown-up young man who is completely unfamiliar... … was throwing
me off
***

They said that black-headed beasts were not harvested.

… … But Jeremy is blonde, so it's not her black hair. Doesn't it make sense? Yes, even if
you raise children, you don't need them all. Also, the ancestors are wise. Raising
children is all nonsense!

"Madam, are you all right?"

"No, Gwen. I really can't live. I think I'm going to die."

"마님……."

“……The world’s meanest bastard! The world’s meanest, most disgusting bastard! How
did I raise me!

In other words, I would hold on to the head maid and cry out loud. But I can't help it. It
is my lot that I have no friend to whom I can complain.

Ha ha, my situation is also very miserable. I didn't realize it because I had been
running far and wide without a chance to look back, but now I'm realizing how lonely
and lonely I am. Who do you blame? It is I who made it myself.

"How are they doing this to me!"

Truly heartless, neither the second Elias nor the youngest twins Leon and Rachel
showed any sign of convincing Jeremy. People say that they are always looking at
each other, but they say, “Don’t come.”

I was so sad I thought I was going crazy! No matter how it is, how did I raise them and
prevent them from seeing the wedding!

It's okay if you don't go to that wedding. But the problem isn't that it's gone. It's a
matter of how they view me!
I had no appetite because my stomach was noisy. Instead of eating dinner, I sat down
with a blanket wrapped around my feet, leaning against the window and staring
blankly at the sky.

It's been a long time since I've trembled like this. Perhaps because of my mood, it
looked exactly the same as the night sky nine years ago when I first came here.
Countless twinkling stars in the black ink-colored night sky... … . I didn't know at the
time that the countless stars were the amount of tears I shed in this place.

Every time I retrace my memory and think of my childhood, the same scenery just
passed by. A father crazy about gambling and dogfighting, an extravagant mother
who was busy ignoring the ugly reality, and an older brother who was likewise the bud
of a desirable playboy with no ability to perceive reality. I was the daughter of a
famous viscount in a rural village whose family was penniless with debts growing like a
snowball.

Ironically, it was my 14th birthday when my parents' wish was finally fulfilled, as they
were trying to marry their only daughter into the richest family possible. At a banquet
held at the mansion of her aunt in Wittelsbach, which I attended thanks to her mother,
who, to be precise, was eager to get me into the capital's social scene.

A man who said I looked so much like his first love. The man was my father's age, and
even had a history of being widowed by his ex-wife, but 'he' was the Marquis of Neu
Ivanstein. Instead of marrying me, he offered to pay off all our family debts, which the
family immediately agreed to, overjoyed.

… … Yes. I was sold by none other than my own family to a ragged widower who never
forgot his first love until he was old! My parents are the great people who beat me,
crying and weaving because I don't want to go, as a girl who doesn't know how to go.

To make matters worse, her husband had four children with his widowed ex-wife. The
eldest son Jeremy and the second son Elias, and the youngest fraternal twins Leon
and Rachel.

I must say that it is difficult to put into words the hostility and anger in their eyes from
the first day I set foot in this house. Jeremy, who openly treated me like nothing, was at
least a nobleman. Elias used to tease me with bullying under the guise of
unreasonable pranks, and her twins would do all sorts of outrageous things, asking
me to bring my real mother. Kheuk, only God knows how many relics I have
accumulated on my body during the years I have been living with them.
Could I, a person who has been sold like a sheep in a slaughterhouse, be able to love
my husband? He's a man the age of my father, and the reason he remarried me was
purely because my face resembled his first love?

Still, he was kind to me. He was always, always, overly kind and considerate. He had
never even touched my body, even though we were definitely a couple. Just because I
didn't want it. In a way, he was the same as buying me. I had never received such
consideration and respect, even from my own family.

Even though I didn't love him, I had a heart of gratitude and respect in my own way.
Until he died of pneumonia after just over two years of our marriage, our relationship
was kind and gentle.

After hearing the news that the marquis was in critical condition, he dismissed all his
relatives who had flocked to him and sent his children away. Maybe she was the last
consideration for me in her own way. A measure taken so that I, a young novice whom
no one treats as a real marquis, will be respected in this marquis' residence even after
he dies... … .

A heavy responsibility was placed on me.

I still remember each word clearly. All the powers of the family headship are
temporarily entrusted to the Marquis of Shuri von Neubanstein, and they remain in
effect until her eldest son Jeremy von Neubanstein passes the age of majority and
gets married. A short postscript that if the Marquise's wife died before then,
everything about the writer after Neu van Stein would be absorbed into the imperial
family.

It was a natural procedure for collateral members to turn over. Because the authority
of the family head is a tremendous authority that is on a different level from simple
inheritance. According to imperial law, that authority passed only to the eldest son or
the heir to the son-in-law of Darryl, and if the heir was too young, the uncle or uncle
would represent the authority until the coming-of-age ceremony. Besides, where is
Neubanstein from an ordinary aristocrat?

Nevertheless, the younger wife, who has just reached the age of majority, is entrusted
with all authority, including not only moving the knights, but also having a hand in all
large and small issues related to direct and collateral relations, and even being able
to take a seat in the council and have a voice. The will was signed and sealed by the
Marquis.

Everyone thought he was crazy. I also wondered what happened to his hair before he
died.
My husband asked me for my children before he died. The children, for whom it is
ridiculous to call me mother, and the grand marquess house, which did not suit me,
were left entirely to me. After he died, as if he had waited, he asked to be protected at
all costs from the collaborators who would try to devour the marquis family. made me
promise

It was an excessive trust that could be called recklessness. And I think I kept my
promise in return for that trust.

I won't bother mentioning how frightened I must have been at the age of sixteen,
surrounded by collaterals trying to force me to give up my sovereignty at any cost,
and prominent aristocrats who merely cast contemptuous glances at me. Because no
one would ever wonder how scared I was and how sad I was.

Nonetheless, I somehow found a way. My parents' family members who rushed to the
news that the woman they sold off had become an unprecedented widow, and the
collateral thugs, all of whom were trying to get me remarried to suit their taste, broke
into the mansion. Bringing in arch lovers was one of those ways.

Nobody knows The fact that those who took turns pretending to be my lover in the
first few months were actually mercenaries who were contracted for a certain amount
of money... … . haha.

That's how I've lived. I became a poisonous mistress to discipline the servants who
secretly looked down on me, and I did not know who might have planted the spies, so I
replaced the servants without hesitation. In order not to show off to anyone, she
became a cheeky young lady known in an aristocratic society where trickery is
rampant... … .

It wasn't enough to eat her husband at a young age and monopolize a prestigious
family, so she became a terrifying spider widow who replaced men like toys every day,
a male hunter and a witch of Neuschwanstein Castle.

I've been living so tenaciously and vehemently... … What's left of me now?

Yochen, I kept my promise to you. But what is left of me? Where the hell did something
go wrong?

***
puck!

"Quaaah!"

The intense pain that struck me in the back of my neck compelled me to fall straight
forward as I passed the stable. Reflexively, I raised my hand and wrapped it around
the back of my neck, feeling something warm running down my back.

"Elias! Are you crazy?!"

I barely lifted my head, and in my vision, blurred with tears, I saw Jeremy running from
the distance with a hard, white face, and Elias, standing frozen behind me, with a
puzzled face. She looked just like a five-year-old child, at a loss for what she had done.

"What if I throw a stone there, you idiot! Then people die!"

“I-I didn’t think I would get hit that hard… I-that idiot couldn’t avoid it because his
reflexes were dull!”

The screams of the two boys scrambled far away. I calmed down with blood dripping
from the nape of my neck.

There were countless times Elias played pranks on me that went too far, but there was
no such thing as this time that my body was injured. Fortunately, the bleeding stopped
quickly, but a scar remained on my back that would never be erased. From now on, I
would not be able to afford all the elegant hairstyles that are in vogue among the
noble ladies of the capital.

"Apologize to your mother."

The fact that tough boys who seemed to have nothing to do with the word fear could
turn into shrunken puppies in front of their father's stern face. At the same time, I felt
very uncomfortable despite the situation in which I myself became the target of
apology.
"Elias! Can't I apologize sooner! And Jemmy, what the hell were you doing while your
brother was doing that?"

"I'm sorry, father."

Jeremy had his head down so I couldn't see his expression. Likewise, Elias, who was
shaking her shoulders slightly and lowering his head, suddenly glared at her in my
direction and opened her mouth. The blazing fire-like gaze made me wonder if my
body would be split in half for a moment.

"That girl is not my mother! I won't admit it even if I die! No matter what my father
says..."

Damn!

I let out a short scream and put my hand to my mouth at the sharp sound of a gong
cutting through the air. It seemed that Elias, the person who had been beaten, was
also surprised. For a moment he just stared blankly up at his father with rippling eyes,
but he couldn't believe what had just happened. However, her husband's stare at the
second son was as cold as frost.

"I'll apologize for that nonsense."

Elias, who blinked blankly several times, glared at me again. The lightning-like rage in
his watery dark green eyes was vivid enough to be felt on his skin.

thud!

I saw 14-year-old Jeremy punching the wall, not willing to hit me. In all our years
together, that was the first and last time he had shown me such strong feelings.

"It's only been a month since my father passed away. Only a month! But what, sweetie?
Are you insane now?!"

"You're welcome, I'm doing this because I'm sane!"

"What the hell are you thinking? What are you thinking! If you're sane, how could you
fall in love with a vulgar wanderer with no roots?! Do you think I'd let you do that?"

"What if I don't leave you alone?! If you're worried about your inheritance, don't worry! I
have no intention of getting married anyway, and I'll hand it over to you just as your
proud father left behind!"

"Damn, that's not what you're talking about! Tell me what the hell you're up to! You
don't care what people are talking about?!"

"Speak? I am you? Ha, is that possible?"

"너……."

"Don't pretend to care now! Do you think I want to stay here and mess around with you
guys?! Do you think I want to be a mother to no avail! Whether you go hunting or curse
at me with your younger siblings, you can do as you please!"

Jeremy almost punched me, but I managed to hold it in with my teeth clenched.
Although it was blazing, the dark green eyes seemed to slowly sink, and then they
suddenly froze like green ice.

"...Of course it is. I do as you say, ma'am."

He turned his back, being sarcastic in a very polite tone, and as he left, he slammed
the door so hard that he wondered if the ceiling had cracked. And I sat down on the
floor and started sobbing to myself.

Too young All of us were children who were terribly lost and wandered around.

***

He seemed to have fallen asleep leaning against the window. When I opened my eyes,
it was already the bluish dawn of the time when I always wake up, the point of dawn.

It was snowing outside. I was surprised to see my face reflected in the white steamed
window as that of an old man.
Ha ha, not even a crowd. Because at some point, I always felt like an old man. I feel like
I'm already an old man in my sixties, even though I'm still twenty-three. They say that
old age makes you wiser, but I don't know what it is, I just feel old. Well, it's snowing.
Leon and Rachel will like it... … Oh, is that time over?

When the children were young, whenever it snowed like this, the four of us would run
out to the yard to play. Jeremy ran through the snow with his dogs while her twins
built snowmen and Elias rolled her snow and threw it all over her. And I used to watch
them play through the window here, in my quarters.

It's funny. It's even more ridiculous. I knew it from the beginning, but from the
beginning, I didn't have a place among them. I knew it from the beginning, but now I'm
upset all over again.

"Madam, are you awake? Can I bring you some tea?"

"Yes please...and Gwen, I have a favor for you."

The wedding of the century, which has been talked about by the people of the ecliptic
since a few months ago, will soon open its curtains. What a splendid and dazzling
landscape. It must be on a different level from my marriage, which ended simply by
signing wedding vows and signing documents.

I can guarantee that all the guests will be unable to take their eyes off the bride and
groom. Also to the groom's family. Literally, your eyes will be drenched in delight... … .

If there's one good thing about myself that I know, it's that I know how to accept that
when it's over, it's over.

Leon and Rachel were deeply saddened by the loss of both their parents at such a
young age. Elias was always mischievous, but couldn't hate him. And… … You, Jeremy,
always made me sleepy.

You never know. In the past, when you suffered from a high fever and were on the
verge of death, I spent countless nights by your side, even thinking that if I could trade
your life for mine, I would be happy to do so. I didn't even know that I would even think
that way for someone.

It is said that doing something in hopes of a reward leaves only bitterness like lye. So I
won't hold any grudge against you... … . You, too, must have your own reasons.
It's not something to worry about. Can the young guy who is still in the blue do well?
Will I be able to protect this splendid legacy just as my father did? For me, who had to
step into the world of adults too early, only worries and anxieties take precedence.

… … But that won't be my business anymore. It's okay, the kids will take care of
themselves. No matter who raised it!

"what?"

By the time I had arranged all the items on the table, Gwen, the maid, Robert, the
butler, and Albert, the knight commander, entered side by side. They are loyal vassals
who have supported this family for generations since a very long time ago, and are
the only beings I have trusted.

"I'm going down to Heidelberg. I'm leaving without anyone knowing, and I'm leaving
behind the kids, so get ready."

“To Heidelberg… I see. But how many days are you planning to stay?”

"I'm not coming back."

"……why?!"

The Marquis's villa in Heidelberg is, in a way, the only place that can be said to be fully
owned by me. Because her husband gave it to me as a wedding present. Even though
I've only been there once in the early days of my honeymoon.

Anyway, it was needless to say that the eyes of the three people who finally turned to
the table were wide open. There were treasures that I hadn't let go of for the past 7
years - the master key that could open all places in this mansion, the will box, and the
family head's seal.

“M-Mama, what the hell are you talking about?”

“I would be surprised even if the madam left for the recuperation car. What kind of
thunderbolt are you talking about?”
"Today is Jeremy's wedding. My oldest son is getting married, and as a mother, you
shouldn't have to give him a wedding present."

“what?"

"Because that bad boy must be longing for me to be gone."

As I put my hands on my hips and grinned, the faces of the three people who had
been trying to hold me back hardened as if they had made a promise at the same
time. Haha, this is true.

"Release your expressions. It's true, but what?"

"I'll take care of you while I'm gone... you know?"

"Hey, ma'am...!"

"Take good care of the new mistress, and from now on, Jeremy is your master, so don't
go against it. You know, he has a great temper."

"No, madam, this is nonsense. How did you raise the young lady with the young ladies!"

I froze in a daze for a moment at the plaintive cry of the butler Robert, which seemed
like he couldn't stand it any longer, and then burst into laughter again.

"I'm glad that even you guys recognized it. But don't say that in front of the kids? It'll
make you hateful."

"Come on, there's no time for this. All three of you, get down!"

My share here ends here. Phew, from now on, you should take care of yourself and eat
well and live well. I've never been in a proper relationship because I've been working
hard, but from now on I have to start anew for myself one by one. Yes, it's okay
Everything will be fine.
… … That was just one of my other delusions.

Oh God!

Chapter 1 - Restart is nonsense.

"……Ah!"

I opened my eyes in vain at the sensation of my body falling down the cliff. In the midst
of the blurry view, what comes to mind clearly is the fishy laughter of the bandits
brandishing their swords at the end.

I shook my head and tried to come to my senses. My blurred vision slowly settled down
and began to reflect the surrounding landscape, and I finally knew where I was.

… … It was my residence at the Marquis' residence. A splendid room that was once used
by the former marquise's wife who died early and has been occupied by me since I set
foot here.

How did I come back here? I remember being attacked by bandits on the way to
Heidelberg. Were you lucky enough to be rescued and brought here? But if I
remember correctly, all the acolytes died, so who saved me?

It was then that I noticed something strange in my eyes as I pressed my temples,

seized by a puzzling, half-dazed sensation. To be precise, an elegant golden dressing
table near a window with waving strawberry-colored curtains caught my eye.

How the hell is that thing here?

If you ask what the hell is wrong with the dressing table, there is no problem at all. The
problem is that the dressing table itself is something that cannot be here. Originally, it
had been quietly occupying that place, just as the former marquise had used it, but
about five years ago, Elias had been arguing with me, and she had smashed her
mirror while talking about her mother's belongings. black... … .
No, but how the heck did he get back here? Is it just something similar? But if that's the
case, who removed the rosewood dressing table instead?

Feeling reluctant and bewildered, I got down on the bed and approached the dressing
table. Then my face was reflected on the round and smooth surface of the mirror, and
I was once again seized by an indescribable, puzzling sensation.

It was definitely my reflection in the vanity mirror. The bright pink hair flowing down to
my waist and the pale green eyes definitely matched my face. By the way… … .

weird. What changed?

I half-consciously raised my hand and ran my fingers slowly over my face. There was
definitely something different, but it felt like I couldn't pinpoint what it was. Overall, it
feels like the lines on my face have softened. The cheeks also seem to have become a
bit more plump. It seems that the eyes have become rounder too... … .

Overall, it is that I look bizarrely younger than usual. What else could this be? Did you
suddenly rejuvenate after going through a big uproar? Isn't that usually the way to get
rid of it?

It was then that a knock sounded.

"마님?"

"Ah, Gwen! Come and get me..."

Before I could even follow through on my request to see it, I was once again amazed
and dumbfounded. The one who opened the door and entered quietly was definitely
our maid, Gwen. She was right... … .

"Gwen, have you lost weight?"

"예?"

Gwen, who seemed to be making an expression as if she was saying something bizarre,
was also very different from her usual appearance. She, Gwen, had grown quite a bit
lately, probably because she had a taste for sweet food, but she looked much younger
than her second only to be skinny like her old days in an instant. Is that really weird?
Did we all rejuvenate as a group?

"I don't know what you mean, but I don't have time anyway, ma'am."

I blinked. What felt more unfamiliar than her rejuvenated appearance was none other
than Gwen's attitude. To be precise, the way she looked at me and the way she spoke.

Gwen, the head maid, is one of the few people in this grand Neuschwanstein mansion
who understands me and knows how much I've worked hard for my children.

But why did Gwen suddenly treat me with such businesslike eyes and dry voice? Could
it be that I was deeply hurt by the fact that I had gone to Heidelberg and was about to
die?

"Gwen, what happened to me..."

"There are two hours left until the funeral. You must prepare quickly."

… … what?

"What the hell... are you talking about? A bottomless, top-down funeral? Wait, by any
chance, which of the kids isn't at fault? Could it be?!"

Oh my God, I almost died meeting a group of bandits, but what kind of trouble
happened to the guys who should be hanging out at the wedding hall? Oh God!

When I shouted at random in the panic that came over me in an instant, Gwen seemed
to flinch for a second, but then she stared at me with unpredictable, extremely strange
eyes. Then she spoke in a much softer tone.

“Madam…… I understand that you are shocked, but you have to accept the reality and
move on. The Marquis will want that too.”

"뭐?"
I was about to ask what he was talking about, but a strange feeling of déjà vu
suddenly came and clogged my throat.

Wait, I think I've seen this situation somewhere... … ? Where did you see it? What is the
true identity of this sense of déjà vu with no way to know the reason?

An old dressing table that has returned to the place where ghosts mourn. The scenery
of a room that seems familiar yet strangely unfamiliar. Just like myself, who looks
bizarrely younger than usual, Gwen suddenly looks younger. And the black clothes
Gwen is wearing... … .

After a short and long wandering, I finally realized the identity of this most ominous
sense of deja vu, and the next moment I took a deep breath. It was. it has realized
There was no jaw not to realize. Now this scenery... … .

It was very similar to the morning of my husband's funeral seven years ago.

***

The man who took me, just fourteen years old, into the magnificent Marquis
Neuwanstein, my husband, the Marquis Johannes von Neubanstein. The day of his
funeral was an indifferently sunny day. It was a clear and sunny autumn day, as if the
sky didn't care what happened to humans on the ground. I am probably the only
woman who has had to pay for the same husband's funeral twice.

… … God, what kind of phenomenon is this!

"The Marquis..."

"That woman is that..."

"Only the kids became pitiful. Phew, those pretty kids..."

"Is that woman the Marquise? Is that child?"

"It's clear that the Marquis was confused before he passed away. How can you make
such a ridiculous will..."

"I don't know, I seduced the Marquis that much, but it might not be an ordinary bet..."

"It's ridiculous nonsense. It's clear that the marquis went senile early."

"How can you be attracted to a girl like that without being firmly possessed..."

The whispers of the mourners who had gathered like black waves were also terribly
familiar. The sight of the huge chapel where the funeral was being held, the crowd of
people dressed in mourning, the mournful ringing of bells, and most of all... … .

"They say that the youngest is the eldest son. How can a child not shed a single tear..."

Even my legal children.

Twins Leon and Rachel, who are now only 10 years old, are weeping like children who
have always been honest with their feelings. Thirteen-year-old Elias struggles to stay
dignified but can't control his tears. And… … Just as I remember, a 14-year-old boy,
Jeremy, stands by the coffin with a blank face.

Wow, I never thought I'd see those guys' fresh(?) days again. The feeling is new again.

… … It's really going to be crazy. Why is this phenomenon happening? Am I dreaming?

After finally letting go of everything and quietly deciding to live for myself, a dream like
this, no, I'd rather be a dream. I went through such hardships and raised all my
children, but now that I have come back and restarted, it's unbelievable!

"Sigh……."

A sigh of lament escaped from my mouth. It was a small voice that I involuntarily spat
out, but somehow it seemed to be heard by Count Müller, who was standing behind
me, my husband's brother and the children's uncle.

"You look bored."

"……."

"Still, isn't it reasonable to endure this much? In the yard the goose that lays the
golden eggs has been taken over."

It's sarcasm that seems to be openly belittling. There was also a hint of glare mixed in.
Haha, how dare you argue like this.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"뭐요?"

"I think that's the only feeling I have to express at my older brother's funeral, but you
can leave. I'm too busy to listen to your whining."

Count Müller, instead of replying with 'what did you just say' or 'what a rude thing to
say', just stared at me with a blank look, as if he was so dumbfounded that he insisted
on saying nothing.

ok, it's not a big deal. Originally, at this time, I was just a child who was terrified and
didn't even know what to do yet. Ignoring the pitiful gaze that showed no sign of
leaving me, I rummaged through my complicated mind again.

If I'm really back in the past, this is a really serious problem. Because you have to
repeat what you did for the past 7 years. I don't want to repeat that high school
student that no one will recognize anyway... … !

The memorial service was over while I was brooding over my thoughts. The burial
ceremony was about to begin. So I waited for a while until the priest who was in charge
of the funeral mass had completely finished the prayer, and then moved to the
podium. The eyes of those who followed my movements could have stung, but it was
just a daze and numb feeling, as if I was drunk.

"Lady Neuwanstein?"

"Excuse me, Headmaster. I respectfully entreat everyone here to be alone with my

husband for a moment before the burial begins. You will understand, everyone."
The chatter spread. While each of the mourners cleared their throat or frowned, I
turned my gaze to the children. To be precise, I saw Jeremy. His face was still blank,
but I could clearly see that he was angry with me, as I had suffered from him for nearly
ten years. The dark green eyes that are frozen in the dark tell me clearly. Who are you
to make such a claim? Ugh, that bad guy anyway. Stare as hard as you can, Shiki. Do I
have a blind eye?

As I requested, only the faint scent of scented candles lingered in the quiet chapel,
which had all retreated. The top of the coffin was covered with Neuwanstein's symbol -
a drapery depicting a lion holding a sword. I looked at it for a moment, then quietly
knelt down beside the coffin.

"It's been a while, Yochen."

Whispering softly, I stroked the coffin lid, and the rough wood felt vividly in my gloved
palm. If this is really a dream, it is too specific.

Originally, at this point in the past, I did not reject the mourners asking for time, nor
did I sit alone like this and talk to the coffin of the dead. At that time, I was so terrified
and confused that I was praying in my heart that the funeral would be over soon so
that I could hide from people's eyes.

How many tears did she have to shed before transforming from that stupid and timid
girl from a viscountcy into a venomous witch of Neuschwanstein Castle.

Looking back now, it was a time when there were many mistakes and many accidents.
To the extent that I feel proud of myself for overcoming all of them. all of that... … .

"Would you believe me if I told you that I kept my promise to you? How brilliantly the
children you entrusted to me grew up, and... how cold they were. Can you believe it?"

They say the dead don't talk. I wasn't really looking for an answer either. The statues of
the Holy Father and the Virgin standing proudly on the left and right of the altar,
looking down, seemed to be laughing at me.

"Where did something go wrong? I have no intention of blaming you or blaming them. I
know how empty it is to say that it was all for you."
It was my husband who made me promise, but I was the one who did everything
heinous to keep that promise.

I just ran like a burning chariot with no thought of looking back or time to look
around. I was the one who accommodated the misunderstandings and conflicts that
piled up and piled up to become a wall of ice that couldn't be broken, so that the
rumors people were talking about me continued to swell. So there was nothing to be
ashamed of. only… … .

"But I can't do it twice. Now... I don't want to live like that, seeing all kinds of things and
hearing all kinds of curses. I'm too tired to do that."

I didn't know that the feeling of being unrequited would be so painful.

What kind of reward did I want from my children? thanks? respect? … … Can't do it, just
love?

“Okay? They said they couldn’t do it twice. …I really missed our Jeremy wedding.”

As she lowered her head, her long pink hair cascaded over the coffin. The feeling of
tears running down my cheeks was too vivid for a dream. If I really went back to the
past, wouldn't it be God's will to make a different choice than before? Otherwise, this
absurd phenomena cannot be explained... … .

I don't know how long it was. Alone in the coffin, I trembled for a long time and finally
got up slowly.

Goodbye now, Yochen. Please let this be our last farewell... … .

"……!"

At the very moment when I whimpered and turned around, I was confronted with a
completely unexpected person, so I almost screamed out loud. As the blood, which
had been calm as if drunk, circulated rapidly, the heart began to beat like a rabbit in
front of a beast.

There are no real ghosts. How long has that guy been here?
The boy standing about six steps away from me was none other than Jeremy. Not the
21-year-old sturdy young man I'm used to, but the fresh-faced Jeremy who is still
standing on the border between boy and young man. As the boy in front of my eyes
and the young man in my memories overlapped, a feeling of indescribable deadlines
rose up.

"Jeremy? Why did you come in?"

I hurriedly wiped away the tears with the back of my hand and asked in a dry tone, but
Jeremy did not respond. It was as if a confused light passed through the dark green
eyes that silently scanned my wet face. As she watched it, she was stunned. What's so
amazing, this guy? So did you think I'd be dancing over your father's coffin?

"... I guess I'll just have to go out."

Just as I was about to move on, swallowing a bitter smile, he grabbed my wrist as
suddenly as if Jeremy had appeared. I couldn't help but flinch at this unexpected act.

"Jeremy?"

There was silence for a moment. Jeremy just stared at my face without saying
anything for a while, and instead of arguing why I was like that, I just stared at his face
again. I couldn't believe it again. The fact that this boy, a hand and a half taller than
me, with the downy hair still on his face, would soon grow to the point where he would
have to throw his head back and look up.

Young ladies and young ladies who had just made their debut in the social world were
thrilled with their cheeks blushing. Seeing you, who grew up dazzlingly with the sword
of the crown prince and the lion of Neuwanstein, I always didn't show it, but I was full of
pride... … .

"너……."

When he finished, he opened his mouth, but for some reason his breath tightened.
Why, what else are you talking about to scratch my insides? However, Jeremy did
something completely unexpected for me instead of continuing what she was trying to
say. That is, the act of giving me a handkerchief that I took out of my coat pocket.
Then, in the face of my literally rabbit-eyed face, this was what he finally bluntly said.

“It smeared makeup.”

… … Thank you so much for that. Thanks to you, I was able to avoid embarrassment. ha
ha ha. Anyway, this budding yellow guy.

***

The three most important things that fell into my grasp after my husband was buried.
One was a master key that could open all the warehouses and doors of the marquis'
residence, one was the box where the will was stored, and the last one was the seal
engraved with the family crest.

The past me who took on them was literally sleepless at this point, because I had to
take care of the work my husband had been doing all by myself.

How to understand and handle various reports and petitions coming from the
marquis territory, guilds, and gold mines, how to calculate profits and profits, how to
organize the budget to be paid to the imperial family, how to manage books, and how
to manage the books issues related to salaries, penalties and awards, and so forth. In
order to acquire and deal with all of them in a short time, it was not enough to divide
the time between eating and sleeping.

If it had not been for the sincere help of the head maid and butler who had managed
Ansalim even before my husband and I married, I would have died of overwork sooner.

Of course, that was all a story in the past, and now I've reached a point where I can
immediately spot what's wrong and what's missing just by taking a quick glance at the
ledger with tiny letters embedded in it. The task of going through countless paper
documents and stamping them one by one could be done while drinking tea.

Just as Count Müller had been sarcastic, the Marquis of Neubanstein was the goose
that lays golden eggs. Aside from the historical reputation that had protected the
imperial family from the beginning of the country, the merchant guilds and gold mines
owned by the marquisate had astronomical revenues. In a nutshell, it is the imperial
family that governs the empire, but will there be a risky joke that it is Neubanstein who
gives the imperial family a beautiful gilding? Even the uniforms and military
equipment of the knights belonging to the marquis boasted splendour and
robustness comparable to that of the Imperial Guard.

However, the most valuable legacy left by Marquis Johannes von Neuwanstein during
his lifetime was not such material things.
The four children of the marquess, who lost both their parents at a young age and
were left with a stepmother who was the same age as her sister, all possessed
outstanding looks, as people said. When we occasionally attended official events
together, everyone, male and female, couldn't take their eyes off us.

Except for Elias, the only sibling who inherited red hair from his biological mother, all
of them boasted their family's unique gorgeous blond hair and dark green eyes like
flaming green jewels, and they grew up very quickly compared to other children.

Jeremy, in particular, was always the biggest among his peers. They grew so
terrifyingly like weeds that I even thought that if I had been a man, I would have felt
quite embarrassed.

Of course, it wasn't just her good looks. Jeremy, who was ordained a knight at the age
of 15 and went on a winning streak and was eventually nicknamed the sword of the
crown prince, Elias, who faithfully followed his older brother's procedures, and Rachel,
who showed great knowledge in fashion and art from a young age. Even the young
genius Leon, who remembered the contents of the book without omission... … . At this
point, I even feel that God is unfair.

But! There is a saying that God does not give everything. I don't know who came up
with it, but I can't help but respect that deep insight. To tell you my impressions of
having been harassed by them for nearly 10 years, the most distinctive feature of the
blood flowing in Neuwanstein Street is neither a beautiful appearance nor a great
talent, but a hot-blooded temperament!

The Leon and Rachel twins were naturally uncompromising and very honest about
their feelings, but that level was too much, and in situations they didn't like, they had
to overturn it unconditionally and let go of all kinds of evil to relieve their stomach. It
got worse after my husband died. Raw meat was not at a level that even veteran
nannies or private tutors could easily handle.

… … Well, since those two are young, that's possible. Let's kick it. What about Elias, who
always throws his fist at her no matter who the opponent is if it offends me. If my
chicks have been rotten for the last seven years because of their accidents, they don't
have enough hands!

Did I mention there is a flying guy on top of the running guy? If we had to pick the best
of siblings who are literally no different than beast cubs, it would be Jeremy. Jeremy
seemed unlikely, but he was the most impatient of the four. Instead of untying the
saddle knot by hand, it was at the level of cutting it off with a knife. He's the kind of guy
who won't listen even if you nag him countless times, telling him to act a little.

If Elias is a colt who can't control his blood and runs rampant, Jeremy can be said to
be a fierce beast that is determined and bites at the vital points.
… … Haha, I must have hated it because I had to wait seven years for that impatient
guy to inherit the title.

But it wasn't necessarily my fault. Cancer, no way. The beautiful Princess Heinrich, who
was said to have made countless young people suffer from love fever, was engaged to
her at the age of 17, who was comparable to her in all respects, in terms of family and
reputation, and it was he himself who had been trying to marry her for four years. It
was an engagement I had somehow made... … !

Anyway, it's a yard where I've been roasting and roasting with such nasty lion cubs for
almost 10 years, so it's not that I've lost my temper for nothing. Keuheuk, thanks to that,
I now have the confidence that I won't be inspired at all in front of people or situations.

***

A total of eight people gathered in the large, bright, and colorful parlor. Excluding me,
there are seven in total.

Count Muller and his wife, Marquis Friedrich, Count Fensler and his wife, and finally Sir
Valentino and Countess Sebastien. With the exception of Countess Müller and
Countess Pensler, they were all sisters of her deceased husband. Countess Sebastien,
the youngest of her siblings, was seven years older than me.

Yes. Those who almost represent the collaterals have all gathered here at this point
today to pressure me! Just as I remember.

It is a scene of beasts licking their lips leisurely while surrounding a frightened rabbit.
Predators who are confident that a slight growl and glimpse of fangs will suffice seem
truly relaxed.

Count Müller, as the eldest, was the first to speak. The snarky Count opened his mouth
with a condescending tone, as if he had forgotten the trivial friction that had occurred
at his funeral.

"It's been a long time since we've all been together here, so it reminds me of my
childhood. My older brother treasured this mansion where we all grew up together in
his lifetime."
“Haha, my older brother and my older brother used to fight all over the house all the
time.”

"That's right. Every time you ran to your father and told him, Otto."

"Really, I'm just saying this now, but my older brothers said they didn't have animals,
just like their mother said. Seriously..."

"Are you here to share your memories with me, everyone? As you know, I'm very busy."

When I interrupted in a nonchalant tone, all the people who were pretending to be
nostalgic faces quickly hardened their expressions and turned to me in unison. What
is the scene where the wild beasts, who used to be calm and calm, look serious at the
same time and flash their eyes? In the past, it would have felt quite intimidating, but
now I am not very impressed. After several years of fighting with ferocious lion cubs,
you will become the owner of this barren emotion. big.

At the end of the suffocating silence, Count Müller, who seemed to be carefully
exploring my indifferent face, changed his plan to start by overpowering the baseline,
or something, suddenly opened his mouth with a mildly discolored voice.

"Lady Neuwanstein. Now, I'll tell you frankly that we've gathered here. To add in
advance, it's absolutely not that we don't trust you, so please refrain from
misunderstandings. Rather, you're just worried."

"Are you worried?"

"It's right to be worried. As you know, the Neuwanstein family is not the most
prestigious noble lineage in the empire. Regardless of whether we trust you or not,
your wife is still pitifully young and has no children. It's also a base."

It was a very kind tone. A tone that even sounds kind at first glance, as if you were
sincerely claiming that you felt sorry for you. So I slightly opened my mouth and
lowered my eyes. As if I was genuinely impressed.

"It's not like I can't figure out what you're worried about."
"Of course it is. All of us here are afraid that the young lady might be seduced by
worn-out shady men and inadvertently put a blemish on the proud name of
Neuwanstein... Excuse me, ma'am, don't go out to social gatherings." Have you seen it?"

"...Three or four times, maybe."

"What is more terrifying than the noble ladies of society who are said to be more
terrifying than poisonous snakes is their husbands. They are men like us... They say
that even if a young woman like a wife obeys her husband's wishes, she sits in the seat
of the head of the house and sits in the council. I'd never see them do it, I'd rather be a
14-year-old fledgling boy a thousand times better for them."

That's right. Isn't that something I've already experienced?

Unless there was a war or a major disaster in the imperial family, the council of the
aristocrats was held once a month. This council, which is composed of the heads of
the most prestigious families and prominent cardinals among the aristocratic families
that are said to be the descendants of the imperial family, has a great influence on
determining the great and small events of the empire, centering on the Duke of
Nuremberg, the younger brother of the current empress. Even if it was the emperor or
the pope, it was difficult to ignore the opinion of the parliament. Would they have let
such a great gathering be occupied by a pale young widow like me?

They didn't throw me out right away. Armed with impeccable manners and
unparalleled elegance, I treated them with genuine smiles, but what came to me soon
was the hearing. A hearing that has become the subject of a play by bards for years to
come, in which the question of whether the will left by the deceased husband was
fabricated or not.

If His Majesty the Emperor had not raised my hand at that hearing, His Majesty the
Emperor and the Duke of Nuremberg would personally come forward and mention the
weight of the handwritten signature left by the Marquis, saying 'maintenance of the
former family', which has recently faded in meaning in aristocratic society. If I hadn't
been sharply reminded of the ordinance, I would probably have been deprived of my
California sovereignty in some way by collateral figures like the venomous snake at
that time.

I have no way of knowing what the emperor and the Duke of Nuremberg were thinking
at the time and sided with me by giving up the hearing. Even when I, who decided to
start poisoning in earnest with that incident as the starting point, shook off all kinds
of notoriety and stirred up the aristocratic society, those two left me alone.

In any case, if Count Müller had been trying to advise me at this moment out of sheer
concern, I would have pretended to accept it with pleasure.
They'd rather kill me and get rid of me. But for their good, I had to stay alive. I had to
live and move them according to their will. If I die, everything about the marquis family
will be absorbed into the imperial family. Even for their own benefit, they had to
protect me. How ironic is this reality?

What they want most is to guide the eldest son to the eldest son and then quietly take
on the role of housekeeper, as I usually do with any young widow. That's what it sounds
like if you package it plausibly. Or remarry someone they can sleep with as they
please.

It was common for a young family head who had lost his father early to be turned into
a puppet by his relatives. It was not just a matter of age, but a matter of experience
and connections. No matter how much one's status and lineage are superior to age,
one cannot underestimate the age accumulated over the years of life and the
proficiency in holding and shaking people. In particular, if the person called mother is
a young stepmother like me, rather than a lady with a certain amount of age and
social connections, it could be the worst situation.

Yochen must have expected that and left such a will... … . The one that made me
promise too.

What on earth did he trust and entrusted all of that to me? He would rather live a
comfortable social life with the legacy he left behind than endure all the hardships of
any man like me.

They weren't their children anyway, and it wasn't even a marriage made out of love, so
what kind of fool would dare to walk the thorny path to live comfortably? No one will
notice and all that remains is the fatal stigma of being a woman?

… … That fool was me. Damn it, looking back now, I realized that I wasn’t really reckless.

"I can only thank you for your warm concern, Count Müller. But I cannot violate the
wishes of my dead husband."

"I know. That's why I'm begging you to help us with your wife."

When he spoke softly with a slight smile, the spirit of attacking as if he had been
waiting was like a hunter attacking a beast with a bait. me really

"How are you helping me?"

"You only have to worry about Ansalim, as you have been doing until now. We will share
for the time being all complicated matters concerning the council and the Marquess.
The same goes for children's education. I'll add once again that none of us are in your
rightful authority. I have no intention of touching it. I just want to help out my brother
who passed away."

At this place in the past, I was trembling inside but blindly refused their appeasement.
A frightened cat swelled its tail and raised its claws, literally putting them away. I think
I was very courageous, like the young me of the past.

At that time, I did not yet know how to penetrate and coax others or use them
appropriately to suit my convenience. I was just blindly pushing through. I was anxious
to get poisoned somehow.

Sometimes it was so hard that I secretly cried in the middle of the night when no one
was watching, but I am who I am now because of the me of the past who bumped,
rolled, and kicked here and there.

And now I don't want to live the same way again. I'll have to decide how to live my life
from now on, but what's certain is that I want to decline being a high school student
like I used to be. I didn't want to hear any more criticism or resentment at the end.
especially from children.

"Well, I guess I'll have to think about it a bit. It's hard to decide all these things at once
when my husband has just been buried. Do you understand?"

The atmosphere, which had been heightened by my soft words, quickly subsided. It's
hard to push further here, but given the space anyway, I'll believe I've almost
succeeded. Look at those ardent eyes of Count Müller, who are now shining at me.
Tztz.

"Of course, of course I understand. But the situation is the situation, so I hope you
make a decision quickly..."

“Hey, can I ask you something else?”

It was none other than Countess Lucrezia von Sebastien who intervened with a
friendly and charming voice. She is a picture-like beauty with dark blond hair
gracefully upholstered and turquoise eyes like lakes. She is an aunt of children who
had earnestly asked me many times in the past if she would let me meet her children
just once.
"What is it?"

“As you know, my nieces and nephews have been seeing them since they were little, so
they are pretty close. So if I stay here for a while and spend time with the children, I
think the children will settle down quickly and the wife will feel more comfortable. How
is it?”

Why did I in the past unconditionally reject my children's relatives? Even if the greedy
uncles were there, why did they block the children from even meeting their beautiful
and affectionate aunt?

Maybe it was because of what my husband said. Words that I bitterly recited saying
that none of my younger siblings could be trusted. It was said that each hyena was
different from the outside. They said that they were wild beasts pretending to be lions.
And maybe it was very weak, mixed with his own feelings.

However, in the end, I was the one who everyone blamed.

Before I returned to this past, 21-year-old Jeremy, who was about to get married,
resented me. Resentful and ashamed of me to the point of not even attending her own
wedding through her fiancée. She said that was me in his, in everyone else's eyes. Iron-
Blooded Widow, Witch of Neuschwanstein Castle. Let's do what they want. Let's just let
them go their own way.

"I'm grateful if you're so considerate, but maybe your husband doesn't like it..."

"Oh, it's okay. I already told him."

In the atmosphere that started to warm up at once with Lucrezia smiling brightly, this
time, Sir Valentino came out with a momentum that seemed to insist that he could not
lose.

“Then, madam, I too would like to help in a small way.”

"What is it?"

"It's because I've had some free time these days. As the situation is, I want to see my
nephews often and help them improve their swordsmanship skills..."
"Jeremy already has a swordsman who's been with him since he was eight."

"I know that. But isn't Elias also in the middle of training?"

What's up? A stalwart knight who would not have been ordained a knight if it had not
been for the decoration of his birthplace in Neu-Banstein, a prostitute whose real job
is cinnamon and gambling, Valentino Horse Racing, trying to stay close to his
nephews. You'll know what to look for. I pretended to hesitate for a moment, then
nodded and smiled innocently.

"It doesn't seem like an easy opportunity. Then I'll take good care of you for the time
being."

In a way, it was a kind of test mixed with arrogance and indifference. Even as I
prepared to step off the stage and turn my back, a part of my heart was hoping that
my past choices were correct.

***

At this point in the past, it was normal to go to work all day, sleep for a short time at
dawn, and look at complicated documents and ledgers as soon as I woke up again.

A time when the eyes were open or closed, and the nerves of the whole body became
as sensitive as they become sensitive, and I was startled by the slightest sound. At that
time, when servants and knights put too much meaning into each look in their eyes,
the day I attended the first meeting of the House of Lords, as soon as I returned home,
I collapsed and fell asleep all day.

Then, as soon as I opened my eyes, I packed up the things I had brought when I first
set foot in this mansion and went out, as if I had been possessed from the dawn of
time.

What was so crazy, I.

It was the twins, Leon and Rachel, standing on the balcony rubbing their sleepy eyes
and staring at me intently, holding my steps as I recklessly ran out of this place, empty
and insane.

"Fake mom, where are you going...? You're always busy. Buy candy when you come."

A young brother and sister, who hadn't woken up from sleep, blinking their big green
eyes and waving their small, bracken-like hands side by side.

It was then that I suddenly came to my senses. It was only then that I saw the knights
who had been staring at me in awe, unable to even think of stopping my sudden and
crazy act.

So I turned my steps back, and as soon as I returned to the mansion, I summoned all
the servants and fired about half of them on the spot. No one dared to stop me.

However, now that I have time to take a walk in the backyard as dawn slowly rises in
the early morning, I will have to put off changing the servants for a while. Because
deciding my future path is an urgent priority.

I couldn't say that the current situation was the worst condition for me. There's no way
to know if I've really returned to the past, or if the events so far were actually vivid
precognitive dreams, but anyway, I can prepare for the big and small events that will
happen in the future to some extent. Like that damn hearing, hearing... … .

Even if it wasn't a hearing case, my reputation in the social world in the past was truly
miserable, so it was at the level of atrocity. Seriously, Jeremy would have made it
impossible for me to attend her wedding.

… … Keuheuk, that was sad, but it wasn't that I didn't understand it very much. Even if
it's good that I didn't care what others say about me, I think that was a bit excessive.
She didn't even think to explain the big and small misunderstandings, and she just
hugged and moaned to herself.

I was hated by everyone, but the situation was different with the children. People
wanted to hang out with the children, but they rejected me, and no matter what the
children heard or misunderstood about me, I did not try to dispel them or clear up any
misunderstandings. In the end, just as they hoped, I became an outsider, a public
enemy who couldn't fit in anywhere.
Looking back now, there were still a small number of people who were kind to me.
Compared to a newbie like me, they had a lot of age and experience. I was the one who
closed my eyes and closed my ears to the advice and help they offered. A young child
who isolated himself by saying that he didn't need the advice that people who don't
know anything would sit comfortably and say that he could do well on his own.

Had it not been for the dignity of the Neubanstein family, I would have been cast out
of society long ago and buried in aristocratic society itself. To be precise, if it weren't
for the existence of the young Neuwansteins under my parental authority.

It's such an ironic thing. It was the children who made me transform into the witch of
Neuschwanstein Castle, but also the ones who made me not fall to the floor.

No matter what other people think of me, I wondered if the children would someday
know my sincerity... … It was all just my delusion. If it wasn't for an illusion, the damn
wedding wouldn't have happened.

Ha ha, maybe it would be better to leave like this. In the past, something I couldn't do
until the kids kicked me out. Now that I have unexpectedly gone back in time, it might
be a good thing for me and everyone else to shake everything off early.

As I walked around thinking about this and that, I came to the middle of the support at
some point. In the middle of the back garden, where gypsophila, canola flowers, tulips
and roses were in harmony, there was a small fortress made of earth. It must have
been made by twins.

I once built a castle with the twins out of snow, not clay. Rachel folded colored paper
to make her flag while I built up the walls and columns. Leon tried to sculpt his eyes
into small pieces and create figures of people and animals. The atmosphere was fairly
decent until Elias popped out of nowhere and threw her tightly packed eyes into the
castle.

However, as soon as the castle she had worked so hard for collapsed, Rachel started
crying and raging and taking her anger out on me, a predestined sequence. At the
end, somehow, we were all throwing snowballs at each other.

I sat down on the floor with the shawl draped over my shoulders, captivated by the
creeping old gear. He then grabbed a handful of soft soil with his bare hands and
placed it on the tower of the unfinished citadel. After stacking it up a few times like
that, other parts also stood out. As I touched everything, including the unevenly
carved roofs and walls, the image of soldiers standing guard, etc., the bluish dawn had
receded before I knew it, and the surroundings were brightly lit.
I don't know how long I've been. It took me quite a while to realize that when I passed
by in groups of three or five after my early morning training, the knights would stop
and stare blankly at what I was doing. The waiters who had been diligently delivering
ingredients from early hours and the miscellaneous things that came out looking for
me didn't stop me, let alone stop me, and didn't think to look at me in a daze. It was
none other than an unexpected person who finally stopped me from playing in the dirt
like a child.

"Are you a kid?"

… … Who is the main character of this cheeky voice? Aren't you the second son of our
troublemaker?

I jumped up. I hurriedly turned around and, sure enough, there was Elias, who was
standing and glaring at me with that perverse expression on his face. Not the 20-year-
old horned colt I remember, but Elias, a thirteen-year-old boy.

The growl and roar of a red lion cub, both extremely familiar and unfamiliar at the
same time, rang faintly in the silent support.

"It was made by my younger siblings, so why do you touch it?"

Is that all it sounds like? Anyway, even a guy like you hasn't changed. I swallowed a
bitter smile and brushed off my dusty hands. After that, he smiled as he said, "What's
the big deal?"

"Hello, good morning to you too."

Elias hesitated for a moment at the strange reply that was not like me, but then
carefully glared at my face with searching eyes. And that's what you do-

"Who's playing with this?!"

It was to come closer and kick the earthen castle with its feet.

clattering!
Ah, why did I devote so much effort to something that would collapse in vain? It's like
this budding yellow guy who tried to do it. You son of a bitch, both you and your
brother, who would become famous knights, have such tempers, so what the hell are
you going to use them for?

In the past, I would have scolded him for what he was doing, but now I was in a very
awkward situation to be seriously angry at a thirteen-year-old boy. Cancer, isn't my
mind a twenty-three-year-old grown-up who has gone through all the prenatal trials?

So, he was only showing an awkward smile, but this guy was still widening his eyes with
the force of biting, as if his stomach wasn't resolved.

"Ooh, my father left a will for you to do something stupid like that?!"

That's an extremely careless and immoral remark. Since this guy is originally that kind
of guy, let's say that. But why are you stumbling around in anger? As if... … .

"I'm sorry."

"뭐?"

"I'm sorry."

He muttered quietly and took out a handkerchief and pressed it to his eyes. It was just
an act to steal sweat, but it seemed to be quite misleading in the eyes of this reckless
boy.

"What, what? Why are you suddenly screaming and fussing?!"

They must have misunderstood that I was crying. As I watched him roll his eyes from
side to side with his face dyed red, a sense of mischief suddenly kicked in. Come to
think of it, this guy was surprisingly weak against his tears, indeed. In any case, even
after he had been harassing her to the fullest, there was no change in her belated
appearance.

"My, why am I crying?! Don't cry!"

"Sorry, I just..."
As he covered his eyes with a handkerchief and shrugged his shoulders, Elias' face
changed into a shape that resembled a volcano about to erupt. Haha, it's a fresh look
that I haven't seen in a long time.

"Don't cry, you idiot! What kind of mess is that lump of mud that kids like to play with..."

"Elias!"

That wasn't my sound, of course. First of all, isn't my voice far from that of a boy who is
in the middle of a voice changer?

Concerning who might not be a brother, it was none other than Jeremy who suddenly
appeared and intervened. It seemed that he had been training with the other knights
since early in the morning, and he could clearly see the beads of sweat dripping down
his temples and nape, glistening in the morning sun.

"What else did you do?"

"I-I didn't do anything! He's suddenly whining on his own!"

If there is an opponent in the world that the reckless Elias can bend and fold, it will be
Jeremy, who is just as reckless as his younger brother, no, perhaps even more
reckless. The eldest son with a bad temper wants even the twins who can't be beaten
by their rudeness and voice, even for a moment, become docile.

“Then, was what I saw there a dream that I had after waking up?”

"It's because he touched Leon and Rachel's stuff! What is he..."

"You're a kid!"

"Why is hyung all of a sudden losing to me...!"

Whatever Elias was trying to say behind his back in anger, it all faded away in the
faintest light of Jeremy's ferocious appearance as he stood with a blank expression
asking him to do it if he could, and put a wooden sword on his shoulder. ok

“……I’m fucking hungry.”

Elias, who was mumbling so awkwardly and moving his steps with the momentum to
storm inward, stopped and looked at me for some reason. I wondered why he was
doing that, so when I stared at him, he mumbled something incomprehensible into his
mouth, and finally walked away. In fact, the moment when I look at the back of the
back of the back of the back of the back.

"너."

Alas, I'm sorry. I almost forgot about your existence.

"Huh? Why?"

"……."

Sharp, dark green eyes pierced my face, tucked beneath golden hair that glistened
like the pouring morning sun. I was very nervous to see him staring at me without
saying a word after calling him out, but I decided to just look at him in silence.

Could it be because of that damn wedding incident that happened right before I went
back to the past? It was strangely awkward to deal with this guy who still had the
appearance of a boy. No, I have to say it's awkward. For some reason, I averted my
gaze first.

The silence between us dragged on until, finally, when I thought I couldn't stand it any
longer, Jeremy finally spoke in a cautious tone that rarely suited me.

"What are you thinking?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Auntie."

… … What kind of new method of fertilisation is this? Their aunt said they wanted to
stay here, so they said yes, so why are they arguing all of a sudden? Anyway, the bad
guy. Hey, you young bastard Shiki, if you didn't, you would have resented me for that
later!

"It's your aunt. The twins seem to follow you very well, but she said she wanted to stay
with you guys here for a while."

"……."

Even so, Jeremy just stared at me with his eyes narrowed for a while longer. Anyway,
these things can't eat me in every way no matter what I do. I knew it from the
beginning, but... … .

"Ma'am, ma'am? Oh my, Jeremy."

It was then that Lucrezia, who seemed to have come looking for me, approached us
with a broad smile. Immediately kissing her nephew on the cheek, her wavy golden hair
matched the boy's tousled hair perfectly in color. To the point where I feel like it's
better for you to take on the role of her mother than me.

"You trained early, right? I heard you're the same as when you were little. You must be
hungry, so go have breakfast."

Jeremy, meekly accepting my aunt's honest greeting, gave me one last glance and
took the lead. Left behind like that, I grabbed the hand of Lucrezia, who was smiling
brightly.

"Isn't your wife eating?"

"No, I..."

As for me, after my husband's death, meals were usually taken separately at my place.
As soon as I sat down at the table with the children, war was bound to break out.

Imagine having a meal surrounded by twins who never stop complaining about side
dishes, such as "I don't want to eat this," "That smells weird," and a brother who can't
eat me in the same way as before. It is inevitable that you will not be able to tell
whether food goes into your nose or mouth.

… … oh my gosh After all, wouldn’t it be better to hand over everything and plan my
own life in peace?

"Because I have something to tell you. It's about children."

"A tutor?"

The dining room in the annex where children dine and the atelier far away. In the
midst of a seemingly plausible scene where two women are having breakfast, I set
down my teacup and opened my eyes wide. As for Lucrezia, she was smiling broadly as
if she had expected this kind of reaction.

"Yes. Twins."

"Twins have teachers for each subject from the beginning..."

"I know that. I'm talking about a special debutante teacher. Especially Rachel, she's
already ten years old."

Aha, was that what you meant?

In order to prepare young girls for their debut in the social world, special training
teachers were usually assigned from around the age of 12. In some cases sooner than
that, I too had in the past hired a special training teacher after Rachel passed her
twelfth birthday. The present Rachel was still ten years old, at an early age.

"I think it's still a bit early. Usually..."

“Ordinary young girls start around the age of 12 or 3. But as the children’s aunt, I
wonder if I’m a bit worried…. It’s nice that the twins are friendly, but I’m worried that the
longer they let each other do their own thing, the harder it will be to correct them. Yes.
In my eyes, as an aunt, Rachel is just as lovely, but in the eyes of others, she is not very
visible."
Lucrecia, who spoke softly, blinked wide as if she didn't know well.

I have nothing to say. It must have been clear to her eyes that she was a famous aunt.
The fact that once her twins started messing around, they would be able to destroy
even the sturdy Wittenberg Palace... … .

To be honest, among the twins, it was usually Rachel who set the example. Speaking of
Leon, rather than taking the lead, it was a problem because he copied whatever my
twin sister was doing. Fortunately, Leon stopped rambling like her child after he
reached a certain age, but Rachel made no progress at all until her social debut. If I
hadn't been a public enemy, maybe Rachel would have been pretty stigmatized as a
nasty ivy in society.

Heuk, yes, I took on the role of a villain by burning my body for the sake of my
daughter... … ! Let's just say it was!

"That makes sense. Do you have any recommendations?"

"Of course. There is a famous person in this field called Madame Loisel. Fortunately, I
am acquainted with her, so she will probably gladly agree."

As I looked at Lucrezia, who seemed to be waiting for it, I was lost in thought for a
moment. Rachel's special education teacher whom I had invited in the past was the
Countess of Bavaria, whom her husband had been best friends with. I remember her
as being quite sweet and gentle.

But as for Madame Loiselle, I had heard her name, but I knew nothing about her
personality. Would she be okay with just leaving it?

… … Well, as famous as it is, I'll do it right. Besides, there is some truth in what Lucrezia
said. After all, I might be completely out of hand sooner or later, so what's so bad
about bringing in a teacher early? Even worse, what could be worse if she conspired
with Lucrezia to drive me apart from her children?

Caught in such an indifferent and cold mood, I agreed, and from the very next day
Madame Loisel began to visit the marquise's house regularly.

The time of Suma, when the huge Neuschwanstein Castle is now immersed in silent
darkness. It is also very familiar to children to be awake at this time when they are
sleeping for a long time. If there was a difference from the past, it would be that
instead of rubbing my drooping eyelids like crazy and looking into even one more
character, I had finished the paperwork long ago and was clenching my thoughtful
brain.

"Huh, ma'am...?"

Robert, the butler who had been silently assisting me while I was quickly processing
the two-day worth of various reports, cautiously opened his mouth. I replied as I was
sitting with one hand on my chin and staring into space.

"What's the matter?"

“……No. How about taking a break now?”

"Go get some rest. I have a lot to think about."

I could clearly sense the butler holding the candlestick hesitating at the door. Why are
you like that? Do you wonder if I got it right because I was doing things so fast?

I only slightly turned my head and widened my eyes at Robert. Seeing my puzzled eyes,
the faithful butler seemed to be taken aback for a moment, then, as if he had made up
his mind, he made a spleen look in his eyes and uttered a completely unimaginable
sound.

"Madam, I'm presumptuous... are you okay?"

"Well, what's not okay? Why?"

“……No. Then rest early.”

Nam was a butler who made Nam bewildered and then withdrew. I tilted my head a bit,
and left the study with a mindset of getting some wind.

The midnight mansion was literally as quiet as a mouse dead. In the past, I'd even
thought about wandering this huge place nightly and counting the empty rooms. A
majestic castle where no one will know even if a murder occurs somewhere in the
countless rooms on the upper floor while a banquet is being held on the first floor. Of
course, it was impossible for that to actually happen. It looks like not a single ant
passes by, but under the water, the family knights take turns patrolling day and night.

Perhaps, in the past, the beings who came face-to-face with me most often in the past
were not children or servants, but rather knights.

Regardless of status or social position, if there is a decisive difference between

servants and knights from the point of view of the head of the household, it is
probably a difference of one-time use. Hiring a large number of loyal servants was a
difficult task, but it was even more difficult to lead loyal knights.

Knights who swore allegiance to the lion with the sword and wore golden epaulettes.
No matter who the family heads were, they were still Neuwanstein's claws. … … Even if
their loyalty is toward the children, not me, its value could never be measured in
money.

"……Kyaaaaa..."

As soon as I passed by the knights who seemed to be silently bowing down and came
out to the front yard, what greeted me was none other than a baptism of cold water.

charrrrr!

Starting from the top of my head, my whole body froze stiff in an instant. Alas, my
dead husband, my God! It's been a while since this feeling?! I raised my head and
looked up, sure enough there was a bucket hanging over the railing of a long balcony
and the twins' golden figures swaying faintly as they quickly disappeared. When I saw
it, I was stunned. Yes, yes, you guys have been quiet for days for some reason!

"What, what?!"

"마님?!"

"Madam, are you all right?"

My screams made the whole place noisy. Hey, what kind of fuss is this in the middle of
the night because of mischievous little kids? I roughly raised my hand toward the
knights who jumped out in a panic, then ran into the road. no, i was going to
"What's the matter?"

“Ah, Bocchan……!”

What the hell did he do without sleeping until this hour? Jeremy's long figure, still in
casual clothes, came into my field of vision, which was wet to the bone and shivering. I
was reluctant to deal with the guy who was making an expression that was so absurd
that he was so astonished.

"Are you twins again?"

Then, who else could be there besides your younger siblings?"

"I-I'm dying...!"

It was a very pitiful sound to hear even with my own ears. Mother is dying, you bastard!

Jeremy had a very puzzled look on his face, but he said nothing more and walked
away with his arm around my shoulder. It was possible because he was already much
bigger than me.

"그웬!"

At Jeremy's shouting, Gwen rushed out and frightened at my tail like a drowning
mouse, hurriedly lit the house and served hot tea. It was still cold even after I changed
my clothes, so I had to sip hot tea while curled up in front of the stove, wrapped in a
blanket. No, but... … .

"Are you okay?"

… … Why is this guy not going and talking about himself?

"Sah, it looks like I'm going to live, yes."

My teeth keep crashing and I can't even speak. What kind of fuss is this in the middle
of the night! It was my negligence that I did not expect that the little devilish twins had
not slept until this hour and were targeting me. I'm sorry, I'll never ignore you guys
again... … !

Swallowing back tears of grief, I glanced sideways to see the extremely serious face of
a boy sitting on one knee staring at me. Perhaps because of the reflection in the fire,
the dark green eyes looked as bright as mine.

"Don't let me do that next time. You keep going over it, so you keep doing that."

Well, regardless of how I deal with it, your younger siblings will be that way to the end.
exactly the same as you … … I couldn't say the words out of my mouth, so I just curled
up in the blanket in silence.

Jeremy still sat by my side for a while longer, staring at me gently before leaving. It was
the moment when I, who had finally been freed from that unknown and subtle gaze,
got up and walked over to the bed and collapsed.

"마님?"

"Ah, thank you Gwen. You can go to sleep now..."

"Come on, ma'am."

"응?"

I turned my head slightly to the side, buried in the soft goose-down pillow, and saw
Gwen standing by the doorway with a force that seemed quite similar to Robert from
earlier. what?

"What's the matter?"

“That… are you okay?”

"What do you mean?"

“……No. Please sleep well.”

Gwen, who politely greeted me, left, and I, who was left alone in the warm room, stared
blankly at the door for a while.

weird. Everyone is a bit weird. Why do you take turns asking all those stupid
questions? Whether I'm okay or not, there shouldn't be any problems at this point,
right?

"에취!"

Damn it, I think I caught a cold after all. No matter how thick the clothes were, chills
were a sure sign of a cold. She put her hand to Gwen's forehead and the nape of her
neck, then stuck her tongue out and insisted that she call her doctor.

"It's the perfect cold symptom. Eat well and get plenty of rest for a few days."

Just as the attending physician judged in a strangely loud tone, I was literally tied to
the bed for several days. While I was lying in bed, Lucrezia came several times and
wished me well. Lord Valentino came and went. I don't know who else came and went.

At first, I thought there was only coughing and chills, but later the fever came to a boil.
The line between dreams and reality became blurry as I continued to sleep in
excitement. If I get sick and die like this, will I open my eyes from the past or will I go
back to the future I know... … .

"Fake mother, are you faking it again?"

… … Who is this raspy voice? Where have you heard a lot? Ah, yes, this is our little Leon.
You bastard, who am I lying here for? What are you talking about? No, more than that,
why is he here?

“……Wen, Gwen!”

"Madame? Agumonina, Bocchan, you shouldn't be here."

"Why? I'm not going to do anything..."

"If you get infected, you'll be in big trouble. Come here quickly."

Fortunately, Leon was dragged out of the way instead of using raw as usual. I kept
falling asleep and waking up in a daze over and over again, and later lost the energy
to react to the sound of words next to me.

"I feel really dead."

"Shh. Be quiet."

"Brother, will your fake mother die too? Then go into the ground like your father?"

“Who dies? Who dies?

… … I just pretended not to hear the extremely immoral words muttered by Elias, our
budding fool, and Rachel, the invincible jingle. She didn't even have the energy to call
the maids. Ha ha, are these things to do next to a really sick person!

"You look serious. Is it really just a cold?"

"You'll be fine once the fever goes down. Don't worry too much, boy."

I was sick and I was tormented by dreams in which the reality, the past, or the future
were jumbled all the time I slept.

It took six full days for the fever of the cold to finally dissipate. Gwen's eyes were quite
dark under her eyes, as if she had suffered quite a bit while I was groaning in bed.

"Now the fever has gone down. I'm so glad you feel better."

"Yeah. Didn't everything happen?"

I asked without much thought as to what had happened in just six days, as I had
become accustomed to, but Gwen's hand as she changed my clothes seemed to stop
for a moment.

"그웬?"

"Ah, yes, yes. Are you hungry? I'll bring you a meal soon."

… … What is this sudden suspicious feeling? My eyes don't lie As for my sense of having
shared the joys and sorrows with our faithful head maid for a long time, her attitude
just now was more like she was vague about something she wasn't sure about, rather
than evasive to hide something.

… … Or is it just that I became sensitive after I got sick?

"마님……?"

I was seized with a half-dazed and doubtful feeling, but when I suddenly came to my
senses, I found myself slipping out of my quarters and heading for the restaurant in
the west annex. I don't know how the hell it got here. What is it that fascinates me?

"I'm glad you feel better."

I shook my head, trying to clear my mind. The ornate stairs and marble busts carved
with ivy on the balustrades felt unfamiliar to me. In my confused field of vision, as
always, the figures of knights guarding the entrance to the annex came into view. I
walked right past the entrance and went in. Then, half impulsively, I looked back. The
knights who had been staring at the back of my head with unknown, ambiguous gazes
quickly turned their eyes.

… … Why are they like that again? What the hell is this elusive atmosphere? It was
difficult to define where and how it was strange, but there was definitely an aura of
uncertainty hovering in the air. A kind of anxiety, or agitation... … ?

And it felt unfamiliar even to a person like me who had been tinkering with the small
details of this mansion for nearly 10 years. Obviously, even after the death of her
husband... … No, it's just that I'm sensitive.
As soon as I walked into the restaurant, Lucrezia, who was having a meal with the
children, jumped up from her seat and greeted me noisily.

"Oh, ma'am. I'm so glad you feel better!"

"Thank you. Has everything been okay?"

"What must have happened? Please sit down."

As I was sitting down smiling at Lucrecia, who kindly tapped the back of my hand,
Elias, who was brawling bravely against the roasted carrots, glanced at me and
muttered bluntly.

"I groaned as if I was going to run out of breath right away, but I came back to life."

"Elias, what's your habit of talking to your mother?"

I closed my eyes tightly at the sound of Lucrezia's soft blow. Oh my! Graceful Countess,
it would be better for all of us to have a peaceful morning if you refrain from such
words!

To put my worries about hitting the ground into one, instead of starting a war of
words like 'Why is that my mother? Needless to say, I glanced out the window,
wondering if the sun had risen in the west today.

What's wrong with that lazy guy? Just because I was a little sick, I'm not a tolerant guy
anymore... … . Oh, it seems like it's because it's in front of my aunt.

While the maids serving the meal set aside my share of cooking, I cast my gaze toward
the twins sitting side by side next to Elias. She looked quite cute and lovely as she
gnawed at the cranberry salad with her clean, curly golden hair shining as if she had
just finished taking a bath. … … Of course, I know very well now that I shouldn't be
fooled by that angelic appearance.

"What about Jeremy?"

"My older brother has already eaten."

I asked Lucrezia, but it was Leon who answered. She stirs the salad with one hand and
glances at me with her big emerald eyes, which is so unfamiliar that she just stares at
me.

"I don't want to eat this."

Yes Yes. I bet you do. It's not surprising anymore. It wasn't even a day or two that the
twins complained about food. … … No, it's a thought that comes to mind now, but
maybe he's doing that on purpose only in front of me.

"Oh, Rachel, you ate well until just now. You can't use side dishes if you complain."

Phew, let the benevolent aunt deal with it. I'm too lazy to haggle right now... … .

"Fake mom, did you hear me say I hate this?"

"Rachel!"

Oh, is that the power of a beautiful aunt, the power of blood ties? To my surprise,
Rachel said nothing more. Instead, she clattered her fork against the plate, displaying
a very uncomfortable feeling. Perhaps feeling my admiration, Lucrezia turned to me
and smiled with her true pride.

"If you're feeling well, why don't we go out together later in the afternoon? I just got an
invitation from Madame Louav's salon, so I guess we can start going out soon."

"Thank you, but it's okay."

“If you stay at home too much, you will be mentally exhausted. You have to share your
sorrow with people and go to social circles. I will."

That was right. It was also a pretty friendly remark. But why am I not willing? It would be
advantageous for me to set up a place in the social world with Lucrezia from now on,
in order to plan my own path as planned.

"Because I'm still a bit uncomfortable. I'll go with you next time."
"Okay, then. Are you sure to go with me next time?"

As soon as I finished eating, I left the dining room and headed for the study. I had to
hurry to get rid of the paperwork that had been overdue for three days. … … Ego, it
seems that there is nothing I can do about it. I have to finish the work quickly and
throw it away, so I won't be able to do it.

Anyway, how much time has passed already? Sooner or later, the day to attend the
House of Lords Council is approaching... … . I am not particularly anxious or afraid.
Because I know which of the many cardinals and nobles is the most hostile to me and
the most helpful to me. First of all, there is the Duke of Nuremberg, who was most
sympathetic to me in the past. If I ever see him again... … .

The problem arose around the time my thoughts went crazy there. It was to the point
where I really wondered if I had taken the wrong medicine or something. As I walked
past the beautiful stairs and corridors, my nerves in my whole body were on edge as I
felt the eyes from all directions.

It's not the first time I've been to this magnificent mansion with servants and knights
everywhere, and I've been around for the past nine years, but why am I feeling this
sensitive all over again? Is it really just me being sensitive? What is this obscure,
unpleasant atmosphere floating in the air? Isn't the phenomenon that such a
disturbing air surrounds me at the point when I'm sick and then recovering?

… … Could it really be like that?!

No, let's calm down. It would be right that I was unnecessarily sensitive. Cancer, you've
never been like this before. When my husband suddenly collapsed, when he died like
that, when the children were sick, when I was sick... … Even when I brought my contract
lover, there was no commotion that stirred up the whole mansion as much as this.

"Hey..."

"what?"

I was frightened by the sudden voice from behind and opened my eyes. However, soon
after realizing that the opponent was only a family knight, he immediately let go of his
expression.
"What's going on?"

There was no way for the knight to come up to me and talk to me. Their mission was to
thoroughly protect the mansion and its owners, and all reports and petitions were
bound to come in through the knight commander, and again through the report to
the head of the household. There were times when I received a written report, but it
was limited to the knight commanders and vice-captains. The knights themselves were
also on the side of thoroughly avoiding scandals that they might be involved in.

But why is this young knight, who seems to be in his late teens at best, holding onto my
feet with such a hesitant expression on his face?

“You dropped your handkerchief.”

A dainty yellow handkerchief drenched in lace was held in the thick fingertips of the
knight who carefully stretched out his arm. Instead of handing it over, I just started the
knight in the eye. That's because the handkerchief with such a tasteless design was
never mine. If I mistakenly believe that a knight here who is not able to control his
blood is playing tricks out of falling in love with me, few people will blame me.

However, the thought that popped into my head at that moment was not such a fresh
pink illusion.

"thanks."

He smiled slightly and leaned forward to receive the handkerchief. The very moment
she pulled herself back out, a very low whisper passed by her ears.

“The captain is asking for an audience.”

… … What is this again, it feels like it's getting more and more mysterious.

If the knight commander wants to see me, the procedure is very simple. After asking
the butler, come to me. But what is the reason for this unheard-of, unnecessarily
clandestine, and thoroughly cautious procedure? What the hell is going on, why is the
knight commander distrusting the butler? Before I knew it, my pulse started to beat
rapidly. I took a quick stride and headed for the study.
"Robert!"

"Did you find it, ma'am, I'm glad you're feeling well..."

"Call the knight commander and maid chief right now. Come back as quietly as
possible."

I don't know about anyone else, but the butler Robert and the maid Gwen are the ones
I can trust with certainty. Knight Commander Albert was the same. You'll find out
exactly what's going on under the still surface of the water if you gather the three of
them and listen. Perhaps sensing the unusual tone in my voice, Robert carried out his
mission without question.

How many minutes had passed since I had waited and tapped the mahogany desk
with my knuckles. Three people with tense faces entered one after another. I ordered
them to sit down and shut the door.

While Robert and Gwen exchanged glances of half nervousness and half puzzlement,
Albern just silently watched me. There was a glimmer of light in her calm, azure eyes. In
the past, there was a time when I was frightened just by looking at his rugged
appearance, but now I know that he is a knight who values honour more than anyone
else.

"Sir Albert."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Whose taste was the handkerchief?"

The silent knight commander was silent for a moment. I sighed and looked at the other
two.

"Gwen, Robert. Do you guys know something?"

"Yes? Madam, I apologize, but what handkerchief are you talking about..."
The bewildered look on Gwen's and Robert's faces was sincere. Speaking of Albern, he
was glancing at the two with a hesitant look. no matter what Because trust has not yet
built up between us.

“Sir Alvern, I know very well that you are a knight who values honor more than anyone
else. That you truly care for this family. If those two are in doubt, just trust me and tell
me right now. If the story involves children, there shouldn't be any delay."

The faithful butler and head maid, who had been supporting this family for
generations, were now glaring at the knight commander with spectacular expressions
on their faces. And the equally loyal knight commander wanted to stare into my eyes
for a moment, then finally opened his mouth with that bold voice.

“I thought that the madam knew something about it.”

"뭐를?"

"It's not a problem for me to step forward, but I've been hesitant all along, wondering if
the madam is conniving..."

"So what? What am I condoning?"

"……."

"Could it be that Sir Valentino or Countess Sebastian are involved? I brought them in
so that the children could settle down as quickly as possible. But judging from your
mood now, it seems to have gone the other way, but what the hell is going on? ?"

In the midst of the profound silence, the three exchanged glances for a moment.
Albern then continued with a completely different, strangely puzzled tone.

"That's it... Ma'am, there have been reports from several knights. You must know that
Sir Valentino visits every afternoon to teach Master Elias swordsmanship."

Don't you know, it's something I agreed to!

"This is an exaggerated statement, ma'am... It's a report that Lord Valentino is giving
Master Elias an excessive level of discipline. Of course, we're aware of the fact that it's
really none of our business, but..."

“No matter how much it is between uncle and nephew, it is only natural for a vassal to
express concern. So?”

"I'm sorry. It seems that the second boy suffers from quite severe corporal punishment
every day. As the madam knows, even the late Marquis did not treat the young
masters that way in his lifetime, so come here..."

Is this the sensation of blood rushing out of your feet in an instant? I closed my eyes
for a moment and took a deep breath. Let's stay calm. Whoa, whoa, let's calm down for
now. Let's calm down and think rationally.

"Sir Albert."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I can vouch for my confidence in Sir, but I must point out that there are a couple of
loopholes in the story. You know Elias is not a kid who would be easily beaten by
someone. It's clear that he was not going to get hit in the first place in some way. I
must have heard it."

"Yes, I was also curious. Why did the second young boy make such a request to the
knights?"

"Are you making a promise to God?"

"Yes. He issued a mutiny order not to inform anyone."

I couldn't help but be stunned. Elias What did he do? Why did you sit down with such
an inappropriate request? … … Could it be because of pride? What does that self-
esteem mean? What about the kids!

Neither I nor my husband ever hit the kids in my life. … … They've slapped Elias once
before, but they've never been beaten by their father! Albern, who seemed to be
watching me carefully as I grabbed my head that was starting to boil, cleared his
throat.
"And, ma'am, I wanted to ask this personally, but..."

"음?"

"I've heard rumors that the madam may be leaving soon."

“……What are you talking about?”

This time, my eyes were wide open the size of a plate. The three of them exchanged
glances again with me literally bewildered in front of me. It was none other than our
Robert who came next.

"Madam, then you weren't planning to leave either?"

"I don't understand what you guys are talking about right now."

"M-Mama. So you're going to stay here?"

How can I express this absurd phenomenon that even Gwen stepped up to help? Of
course, on the inside, I thought it might be better to leave dozens of times, but I never
said it out of my mouth! Even if I really leave, I will leave when I want, at the moment I
think is the most appropriate. It's not like I'm leaving as if I'm conforming to other
people's damn expectations.

"Who the hell... go, wait. Okay. Everyone has been assuming that I'm leaving?"

Nod. How are you?

"Who did you hear about that from?"

"That... because the young ladies and the young lady asked such a question..."

"Why on earth haven't you said a word to me about all this? Robert? Gwen? Sir Alvern?"
There was silence for a while. How many seconds had passed since the ice-like silence,
the three people who had been looking at me blankly before long started shouting in
front of each other.

"I've apparently asked the butler here to report in writing to the madam several times.
But not once in the last 15 days, so it seems that the servants have been bought out,
so today..."

"Well, is that true? Ma'am, I haven't received the request the Knight Commander is
talking about. It's the first time I've even heard about Master Elias. What the hell is
this..."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. The same goes for me. I was nervous at the thought that you might
leave, but I was too quick to ask, so I was sick again..."

It was just a laugh out loud. It's so ironic that you get angry and then laugh again.
Only then did I understand all the hints of the past. The head maid and butler who
seemed to be constantly watching me, the knights who weren't sure about anything,
the most bizarre commotion that hovered around the mansion... … .

"For now, all three of them pretend not to know. Robert, summon all the servants in
time for the siesta."

***

"Elias! Did you see Elias there?"

"Oh, no, ma'am..."

Why are Elias and Jeremy not at their place at a time like this? If you quietly stick to
the house even for a moment, where does it get worse? It was needless to say that the
knights who had been chatting while wiping their swords leisurely at the sight of me
running out to the gymnasium without wandering around the mansion and giving
away my hair, were on the brink of fainting.

"M-Madam? Why is that..."

"Elias! Have you seen our Elias?"

"Yes? Ah, if it's the second boy, it's probably in the backyard..."

Leaving the confused knights behind, I ran straight to the backyard. It doesn't matter
how I look now. What's important is... … !

"Elias!"

Elias was really there. He was there, but Jeremy was there too. To be precise, the two
of them were sitting awkwardly at the fountain, exchanging serious-looking faces.
When I saw them, I was completely speechless.

"Elias!"

Only then did Elias turn his head, startled as if he heard my call, and jumped up. And
then, isn't this bastard just running away?

"Where are you going! Aren't you coming here?"

"I hate it! Why is there a fuss all of a sudden?!"

"Elias von Neuwanstein! Can't you stop right now?"

"If it were you, would you stop! Oh, don't come!"

Even considering our age difference, there was no way I could match Elias' natural
legs with my legs. But God helped me, or whatever, the guy who ran away recklessly got
caught in the grass roots the next moment and fell down beautifully, and I jumped up
and grabbed him.

"Aww! Why, why?!"

"Why am I like this? Why am I like this?! I'm really curious too!"

I don't even know where this power came from. Had her dead husband seen my
unstoppable act of putting one hand on the shoulder of Elias as she screamed and
yanking up the hem of her shirt with her other, her dead husband would have made
her cross. .

And oh my god, the evidence was right there, intact. The bruises on the still fragile
back of a boy of about thirteen.

"Leave this..."

"You... you idiot, did you think that no one would notice if you hid it all by yourself? Why
didn't you tell me? Why did you stay still? Why was this guy who usually pretended to
be so strong and boastful, but didn't show his face and got beaten up? That's what I
mean!"

Elias, who had been floundering underneath me, widened his eyes as I fired at him,
barely suppressing the heat of Chimi. As she looked at it, she was even more amazed
at her. Is this kid real?

I wondered if I could feel a hand holding my waist, but it was then that I suddenly lifted
my body.

"Hey, calm down for now..."

"Don't let this go?!"

"No, start with my words... uh uh uh! Wait, wait, Shuri! Calm down and listen to the
explanation first!"

"You're the same, you fool! Can't you let go of this?!"

For the first time in my life, I would have crossed the cross dozens of times if my late
husband had seen the sight of him hitting the back of his precious firstborn son.
Likewise, as someone who is experiencing a rare experience that I could never have
imagined at all, I was so embarrassed that I couldn't stop or let go of it, and I was
screaming.
"Ok! Calm down! Uh, where are you kicking! Calm down! It's not like that!"

"What's not like that! These incorrigible idiots! Do you know how much your father
thought of you? You should have done at least half of what he usually does to me..."

"Otherwise you're leaving!"

I stopped talking for a moment and blinked my eyes at Elias' barbaric screaming out
of nowhere. It was only then that I saw tears welling up in the dark green eyes of the
boy in his early teens.

"What did this do right now..."

"I know everything! You didn't marry my father anyway because you liked it! You weren't
here because you liked it!"

"……뭐?"

"That we... always hurt because of us, that, you know that! That you, you hate us, that
you're annoying! So... that's why you know that we're weak, spoiled, annoying scum, so if
you don't change, you, too, You're leaving just like my parents!"

Elias cried out as if vomiting blood and began to cry. I just stared at Jeremy with blank
eyes at the terrible sight that I could not have imagined even in this dream.

Jeremy, who was rubbing his back as he had been beaten with excitement, coughed
and avoided his gaze. Needless to say, it was an act that was not like him at all.

"...Well, I wasn't sure either. That idiot keeps whining about it, but I can't just turn it over
and throw it away..."

"Huh huh ... ... I, why am I?

"No, then did my brother break it quickly? It was you who dragged me down while
holding onto me, you shameful bastard of this family!"
In the meantime, looking at the spectacle of the two lion cubs who never gave up
roaring, I felt as if someone had hit the back of my head with a hammer. It wasn't that
it wasn't, but the skull actually cracked and rang.

why... … ? Why, why did you come now... … ?

No, nothing has changed since then. Maybe it was like this from the beginning. What I
didn't realize as a child in the past may be what I see right now. The fact that, at least
so far, all of these children are just children who have recently lost both their mother
and their father.

Oh, it was. In the past, there was no way to know. I was young too, and I had never had
a conversation like this before. It was natural that I had no idea what the children were
thinking or what kind of ego they would be forming.

Feelings of anger, sadness, and pity mixed together, and my heart throbbed for no
apparent reason. At the same time, I was angry with myself. What the hell was he doing
while being obsessed with future events that haven't happened yet? As a result, it left
a scar that could not be erased forever.

Haha, I never wanted this way to prove that my past choices were right... … It was my
mistake.

"Did your uncle say that?"

When I asked calmly, Elias, who had been crying all by himself, shrugged his shoulders
and shook his head. A sigh escaped her. At the same time, her anger rose towards the
whisperer who had put all those words into the little boy's ear.

"Then why didn't you ask me directly?"

“……I, I……”

"Who told you to think and decide on your own?"

Elias just sobbed pitifully while Jeremy was kicking the dirty grass with his feet. The
twinkling autumn sunlight dyed the two boys' tangled hair with thread.
"Listen up. I... think you guys are terribly self-indulgent, arrogant, and inattentive, but
I've never thought of you as annoying scumbags. Okay? I can't care what anyone else
is talking about. There's nothing. And I'm not leaving you. Maybe someday, but not yet."

Words I hadn't thought of before were coming out on their own. I breathed heavily,
feeling the dark green eyes staring at me in dismay.

"Seeing as you've come to listen to such nonsense, it seems like you've been stabbed a
lot by me."

"……히끅."

Elias, who was wiping away tears with his sleeve, hiccupped. Jeremy scratched her
head and tried to clear her throat, then she looked me right in the eye with a strangely
soothing smile.

"So you're saying it was all bullshit? You really don't want to leave? It's just a show
between us, right?"

Holy Father and Mother! Would the current Jeremy know? The fact that the boy
smiling mischievously in front of me right now is the one who will send me away
someday when I grow up and turn 21.

Of course, there is no way to know. As much as I can't believe it. Even so, I couldn't help
but feel a sense of irony. Or is there something else I'm missing?

"Why, do you want the mean stepmother to leave soon, eldest son?"

As I put my hand on my waist and gave it a deliberately sarcastic tone, he shrugged

his shoulders and let out a giggle boyish laugh.

"It's not like that, ah, I was struggling to make it out of place... It's all because of you,
you idiot!"

"Hehehe...! Why are you blaming us for everything! How confident was that hyung
bastard! Hueong!"
Wait, 'we'?

"Is that all?"

"어?"

"Is that all you guys were hiding? There's nothing left, right?"

"That's all I know."

Jeremy's reply was swift indeed. Elias, on the other hand, did not. The red-haired boy
now lowered his eyes as he tugged down his rolled-up shirt. Sometime in the past,
even on the day of the terrible incident where Elias punched her second prince, her
attitude was not so immodest.

"Elias?"

As I stood with my arms crossed and Jeremy, who sensed something unusual, looked
at me side by side with my eyes narrowed, Elias suddenly raised his head in a fit of
rage, but he pathetically hesitated.

“……Rachel…… Hib, that is to say, the witch that Aunt Aunt brought.”

***

A luxurious drawing room decorated with oriental tapestries, which are collected as a
hobby by nobles who are wealthy enough to rot away money among nobles.

Unlike the drawing room in the main building, this place, which is used for more
personal or close encounters, was now sitting side by side with Lucrezia and Sir
Valentino.
Lucrezia, who had been playing hide and seek with the twins at my sudden call, and
Sir Valentino, who had visited as usual to help his nephew with his training, were just
smiling at each other. A no-nonsense attitude. It was the same for me too.

"I'll tell you without hesitation. As of today, the two of you will never set foot in this
mansion again. If you tell the brothers that, it will save me a lot of trouble, so it will be
much easier."

There was silence for a while. Neither Lucrezia nor Valentino seemed to understand
the meaning of my words for a moment. No, more than that, they seemed to question
whether what they understood was really what I was saying.

After a moment of extremely profound silence, it was Lucrezia who spoke first. The
graceful countess twisted her golden curls with her fingers, blinking wide in her
turquoise eyes.

"What do you mean, ma'am? If I make any mistakes while staying here...?"

It was a truly brilliant performance. I smiled softly as a sign of applause for the
performance.

"I have to say that it was quite surprising that you bribed the servants. I can't say I'm
conscious, but you know that."

"what……."

"Ah, I understand. Since you're the youngest two out of so many siblings, you must
have grown up with quite a bit of misery. Pity, how miserable you were, you couldn't
forget it even when you were all grown up, so I'd let my little nieces and nephews solve
it."

I didn't want to drag it on, and I wanted to get rid of the obvious bravado quickly, so I
deliberately spoke in a bold tone, and sure enough, Lucrezia's noble face turned white
in an instant. As for Sir Valentino, she wrapped one arm around my sister's shoulder
as if to protect it, but in an instant she began to stare at me with cold, hard green
eyes.

"You're talking too much. I wonder if you're the one who's been properly educated."
"It's my side that's questionable. I'm seriously thinking about digging up your name
from the genealogy. I'd be very sorry if I did."

I don't know how to describe the expression on Valentino's face right now. Is it a
confused face that seems to be doubting its own ears at the same time mixed with
anger and bewilderment? What is certain is that the red and green appearance is
truly ridiculous.

"By what right..."

"You must be suspicious of my words. As someone said, you are a cold-blooded person
who wants to leave behind the children he has raised for the past two years. Can't you
do something? Isn't that right? I hope we never see each other again. It's purely for
your comfort."

"This... a bitch like a prostitute who rolled in without even knowing the fountain!"

Unexpectedly, it was Lucrezia who initiated the action. As soon as I took off my usual
noble mask, it changed color so quickly that I was amazed that I was of Neubanstein
blood again.

"Lady Sebastien, I'm not one of your snub-nosed nephews. It's better for you to watch
your mouth."

It was literally an instant when Lucrezia's long hand slapped me on the cheek.

“How dare a bitch with no blood on her head dare to condescend to anyone?!”

… … I must say that I did not expect that I would not have self-control to this extent. I
don't know where that bloodline will go. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I've
been beaten by someone, but it feels like it's even fresh.

I blinked for a moment, then raised my hand and slapped Lucrezia hard on the cheek.
As hard as she was.

Didn't you think you'd be right? It's amazing how the blue-green eyes are about to pop
out. It's a shame because I've instructed the knights not to intervene no matter what
they hear, otherwise I'd do this to my subordinates... … .
"This devil's grandmother!"

It was only natural that I, Lucrezia, and Valentino all had the same facial expression as
if they had made a promise and looked back at the door at the same time, at the
unexpected and angry cry that came out of nowhere at that very moment.

… … Oh my God, I must have been strict not to let anyone in! Of course, it is impossible
for the knights to physically block the children, but even so... … !

There was no time to panic at the unexpected situation. Rachel, the leader of the three
children who rushed in while shaking off the knights who tried to dissuade her,
immediately jumped at Lucrecia and literally let out the roar of a lioness cub.

Like a bard who draws out his best skills for the ending of the play that the audience
has been waiting for, he howled and mercilessly brandished his fists, biting, and
kicking!

"You evil devil grandmother! Who is your aunt, who is harassing your fake mother!
What is it that makes your fake mother angry! My father liked your fake mother! He
loved you more than us! What is your aunt, who curses and hits your fake mother! Go
to hell! Go away!"

It was only natural for Lucrezia to fall to the floor screaming. Oh God!

Rachel cried and cried and uttered passionate words that I couldn't bear to list here,
such as saying that she didn't know how evil her aunt was, like a devil's grandmother,
the teacher of Luazel, even more like a devil's grandmother, and her uncle were all
going to hell. blew it all up. In the meantime, Leon's majestic cry, which began to roar
to leave the mansion after my twin sister, flowed like a variation at a ball.

In the midst of this unexpected turn of events, Sir Valentino seemed momentarily lost
in the scene unfolding before his eyes. Whether he was reminiscing about their
childhood or something, he quickly came to his senses.

The arch knight glared at me with a condescending face, as if he was asking what was
wrong with educating these bastards, and then went out to stop my sister from being
slaughtered. No, I was going to go out.

"Don't touch me. Baby, baby!"

It was never easy to separate Rachel, who was no different from an excited beast of
prey, from her prey. Lucrezia staggered to her feet as I barely held Rachel and turned
her tear-stained face toward me. She had a face that seemed to have lost her soul, but
she came to her senses surprisingly quickly. Lucrecia straightened her tousled hair
with her thread at an astonishing speed, and her next action was to cling to Elias, who
was glaring at her uncle with her shoulders trembling.

"Elias! I'm sorry, my dear nephew, baby. If I unintentionally hurt you, please be kind and
forgive me. You know how much I love and care about you."

It was truly spectacular to see Lucrezia, with her hair dishevelled and fingernail marks
on her cheeks, pouring kisses into her nephew's bewildered face. And then she held
Elias's head, pulling it close to her own, her voluptuous breasts, and pleading
incessantly.

"How could I deliberately hurt you guys... I just wished you all the best, but things went
wrong. Adults often make mistakes like that. Please understand."

The twins, who were weeping with the momentum to destroy the mansion, clung to me
and looked up at my face. An indescribable confusion and anxiety gleamed in the two
pairs of large emerald eyes.

Elias stood stiff in place, as if he had been disarmed for a moment. A light of
confusion, anxiety, and helplessness flashed quickly in Elias's eyes, who alternately
looked at her aunt, who was pleading with her tears, giving her kisses and hugs, and
at me, who was embracing the twins.

… … And the next moment, as Elias pulled back and hurried back to my side, another
voice burst into the theatrical scene.

"Wow, what are you doing? I thought you were a hatter."

Why did that guy show up again? Oops, troublesome... … .

Jeremy was marching in with dignity, leaving behind the puzzled knights. The guy must
have witnessed the scene from a while ago, so he immediately burst into an extremely
scathing laugh at Elias. And whatever Elias tried to shout through her flushed face, it
was cut off by Lucrecia's most plaintive voice.

"Jeremy, you're here. Please listen to this aunt at least."

Sir Valentino, who had gone up to his sister clearing his throat and handed her a
handkerchief, now looked at his eldest nephew with the utmost sympathy.

"There must have been some serious misunderstanding, and I think you should give
your stepmother some comfort. I don't know what the fuss is about."

"Jeremy, don't you know very well how much we think of you? I'm afraid to say it myself,
but I think your stepmother has a really ridiculous misunderstanding. Saying she
bought the servants or something, and then We're trying to make sure we can't even
see your face. Please convince me..."

If others see me as the current head of the household, Jeremy is a deserving

successor recognized by everyone, both in name and reality. It must have been a
decisive reason why Jeremy cleverly avoided the despicable operation that was
inflicted on Elias and her twins.

It was. They needed to make a good deal of the successor who would somehow throw
me away and make me their puppet. Buying a large number of servants to prevent
important reports from reaching my ears, giving severe discipline to the second son
and second daughter and brainwashing them that I would leave were all meticulous
alienation manoeuvres.

… … I almost had success.

Jeremy, who was giggling at Elias, blinked. After that, the sound of shrugging her
shoulders and speaking in her characteristic languid tone was this at best.

"If my mother says she hates you two, you should know that. As a son, if you challenge
your mother's authority, you won't be able to use it. If you run away saying you can't
live, then we'll be the only ones suffering. ."

Needless to say, at that moment I began to wonder what had become of Jeremy's
head. What did that kid just say? What, mother? mother?

Of course, legally, I am the mother of these guys. one! Why is it that I feel so awkward
and itchy all over my body right now when I am hearing that word that I have never
heard in my entire life and never expected to hear?
In the midst of the chaotic stillness where everyone literally went wild, it was definitely
Sir Valentino who first came to his senses. The arch knight opened his mouth with a
smile that seemed to claim that he was really shy and funny.

"They said it was a non-electronic battle... I understand that you're confused. You're
the one who's so bewitched by your big brother, so it must have been difficult for you
to just boil yourself. But..."

“I don’t understand what you mean, as I’m a bone-marrow body freak, but anyway,
what my uncle wants to say is that my mother actually intends to run away from home,
but she is lying and saying she won’t. Is this it?”

"No, I mean..."

"My mother can't lie. She's a very weak-minded person for that. And I'm a surprisingly
obedient son. Now, I'm planning to take a look at the filial son award at the end of the
year."

Elias said, 'Hyung, what bullshit... … ' A muttered voice echoed faintly. I also felt like
shouting similarly, but on the other hand, I laughed so hard watching them suffer from
the scratching and grinning inside that person. Feeling the green eyes of the four
children clinging to me, I winked at the knights holding each other outside the open
door. Then he finally exhaled calmly.

"I can't lend you a wagon, so go on your own. If you ever get close to my children again,
I'll dig them out of the genealogy right away, so keep that in mind."

What I did after kicking out Lucrezia and Sir Valentino was to sort out the bribed
servants and kick them out. As in the past, more than half of the users were reduced in
an instant, but there was nothing to worry about. The number of people who wanted
to work at Marquis Neuwanstein's residence was always overflowing. Compared to
other places, one pays a lot.

It was only natural that Madame Loisel was kicked out as well. The reason why Rachel
didn't tell me even though Rachel was beaten on her tender calves day after day was
also consistent with Elias's. Madame Roiselle belatedly changed her stance and
begged her for mercy by blaming everything on her Lucrezia, but I was determined to
make sure that she would never go anywhere else to work as a teacher of manners.

It was only after driving out the rats in that way that peaceful energy returned to the
mansion.
… … It's not peaceful in the sense of quiet, of course.

Udang-dang-dang-tang!

"This is mine, Short Legs!"

"Fake mother, mother! Little brother is stealing my candy!"

"Who touched my sword?! You told me not to touch mine!"

"I-didn't I?!"

"Oh, is that so? Then who else in my house would play with my sword but you!"

"Ahhhhhhhhh! Stop hitting me! Then, brother, don't even touch my stuff!"

“Your little brother has nothing to do with anything?

"Mom, the older brother keeps hitting the younger brother!"

… … There is no commotion in the morning. haha. If there comes a time when the
Marquis of Neubanstein is calm and quiet, then it will be the day when the empire's
destruction is imminent. Still, I'm glad if everyone is still the same. It's a relief that I
didn't get dark because of what the mean adults did.

"Stop it and start eating!"

"How about this, ma'am?"

"Hmm... I think it's a bit dull. It's time to take off my mourning clothes, but wouldn't it be
better to be bright?"
I'm going to have to revamp my dressing room sometime soon. Did my taste in the
past be like this? All of them are clothes that look too mature for their age.

… … no matter what At that time, I was anxious to act like an adult as soon as possible.
Before or after her husband's death, she tried to look like a dignified lady somehow. I
don't even consider what fits and what doesn't... … .

He would have to pay attention to his clothes and accessories if he was to gradually
secure a place in the social world. The advantage is that we know what will be trending
in the next seven years.

After fumbling around like that for a long time with Gwen, the one I finally picked out
was a cream-colored langlaise dress. The clothes her husband gave her on Christmas
last year. It's a bit out of fashion, but it's fine for formal occasions.

Jochen, give me strength. to do well. To go in a different direction than before... … .

After finishing my preparations, I went downstairs and tried to go straight to the front
door, but then I changed my mind and headed towards the dining room. And sure
enough there.

"I-I hate eggs! The chicken miscarried!"

"I heard that eggs are good for beauty? I don't know, it might make your pig- hair look
a little better."

"What? That big brother!"

"Anyway, hyung doesn't know how to look back at himself."

"No, but this blush head keeps pissing me off? Do you want to hit it with a fork?"

"……Guys."

As soon as I let out a sigh, all four of them, who had been sitting around the sacred
table and groaning, all turned to me. Leon, who was taking his twin sister's plate of
omelettes instead, shouted, widening her eyes.
"Mom, are you running away?"

"... it's not."

“Leon, don’t talk nonsense. But you look less ugly because you dress like that.”

Everyone giggled at the sound of Jeremy groaning at me instead of trying to hit Elias
with a fork. no, these?

"Anyway, you're talking pretty?"

"What's wrong? A son's compliments to his mother were enough. What are you talking
about?"

"Oldest brother, you're mean. Why do you keep teasing your mother? If your mother
runs away, it's your older brother's responsibility!"

"No, hey, what are you talking about..."

Great job! It's really just my daughter!

If there has been a change in the twins since the last incident, it is that 'fake' has been
removed from the title they call me. In addition, their attitude has changed a little for
reasons I can't understand.

… … It never means that you have become compliant. In exchange for the mischievous
prank, the pampering multiplied.

"Anyway, then I'll be back, so don't make any mistakes."

"Who's the kid... Oh, where are you really going?"

"The House of Nobles."

"Then when are you coming?"

"I'll come after lunchtime. Why, buy me some snacks?"

Everyone followed me to the front door, including Elias, who exclaimed, "I don't think
I'm Leon." The eyes of the acolyte knights waiting for the wagon were not very serious.
Why do you draw your name?

"Then I'll go."

"Come quickly, Mom! Buy candy when you come!"

"Don't be lazy and go home quickly! We met robbers!"

"Then the robber would be dangerous."

"Oh, that makes sense."

Seeing off from the twins waving side by side while playing candy, and the two
exchanging nonsensical sounds like that, I set off on the long-awaited road to the
House of Lords.

Chapter 2 - Winter's Dream (1)

Consisting of seven prominent cardinals, as well as six heads of prestigious families

among the resident nobility in Wittelsbach, the capital of Kaiserreich, it has the power
to debate various bills, discuss important national issues, and petition and petition
the imperial family and the Holy See. .
At first glance, it seemed that both sides represented the imperial and religious
powers, but in reality, they were closely entangled and rolled like a spider's web with
their own interests. Sitting in the aristocratic seat doesn't necessarily mean you're on
the side of the imperial authority, and sitting in the cardinal's seat doesn't mean you
unconditionally assert your authority. While the imperial family and the Vatican
repeatedly checked each other, the ultimate goal of the members of the parliament
was to cleverly take care of their own interests.

Fall had passed by quickly and we were entering early winter. The white Babenberg
Palace wrapped in the fresh and chilly morning air, and the appearance of prominent
figures entering the parliament hall one by one felt unfamiliar. They looked much
younger than I remember recently.

Whoa. There is no tension that paralyzes the body as much as it did in the past. A little
bit, a little bit thrilling. I hope everything goes well as planned... … .

"Ah, sorry..."

As I was about to enter the aisle, taking off the hat I wore over my long hair, I bumped
into someone's shoulder as I was walking fast. Occasionally, there were often people
who greeted me politely, handing out apologies on purpose, so I lowered my eyes and
reached for the hat that had fallen on the floor.

"……thank you."

I blinked for a moment as I faced the cardinal in his early twenties, standing in a jet-
black cassock and staring at my face with an equally pitch-dark gaze. It wasn't
because I was confused about who it was. He was a very familiar person.

I couldn't know Cardinal Richelieu, a promising young priest from a county family. As
for this clergyman, in the past, he would stare at me like this from time to time, but he
was always the kind of person who didn't say more than two words besides a prayer,
even when I tried to talk to him to see if he had something to say. He is so reticent that
he is nicknamed the Silent Servant. Even during my hearing, he was the author who
just stared at me without saying a word. By the way… … .

"Good morning, Your Excellency. Lady Neuwanstein? You're welcome. Welcome."

Thanks to the familiar voice that came from behind, I was able to get away from the
most uncomfortable opponent. As soon as I turned my head the next moment, I was
immediately met with solid, deep blue eyes.
"Duke of Nuremberg. Long time no see."

"I saw you at the funeral. I'm glad you look good."

"Thank you for your concern."

The younger brother of the current empress and the Duke of Nuremberg, the head of
the Nuremberg family. On the day of that damn hearing in the past, he was the one
who somehow aggressively defended me with His Majesty the Emperor.

Looking back now, it was a very strange and ironic thing. Emperor, let's say so.
Empress Elizabeth always disapproved of me and showed a clear hostility to me, so
why was this younger sister of hers so kind to me?

As we exchanged greetings, the Silent Servant had already gone inside empty-handed.
The Duke of Nurn-Bern, who had been looking down at me with eyes filled with warmth
that was hard to describe, eventually reached out his hand.

"Obviously said. Then let's enter."

After entering the council hall with the escort of the Duke of Nuremberg, we were the
last. To the left of the huge rectangular table, Duke Heinrich, the Marquis of Schweig,
the Count of Bavaria, and even the Count of Hartenstein were all sitting politely,
staring at me with piercing eyes.

To the right, seven cardinals dressed in black habit, centered on Cardinal Richelieu,
are seated with devout faces that are hard to read.

"Duke of Nuremberg, Lady Neuwanstein."

"Lady Neubastein, once again I express my condolences on the passing of your

husband."

"Lady Neubanstein."

"May the Father and the Blessed Mother give peace to the heart, Lady Neuwanstein"
Everyone was politely greeting each other with very polite faces, but deep inside they
were clearly astonished at the fact that I had actually appeared. A shaky and
reluctant atmosphere that I hadn't noticed in the past.

… … It wasn't even a crowd. Except for a few cardinals, the age of most of the people
here is at most the early 30s to the late 40s, and compared to my current mental age,
it wasn't as big of a difference as before. The two dukes, the Duke of Nuremberg and
the Duke of Heinrich, were also not yet 40 years old.

The incident involving the children's relatives from the other day would have spread
as it spread by now. It was obvious without looking at how they would have denounced
me as a cold-blooded man without blood or tears. Is it fortunate that the only person
here who is kind to me is the Duke of Nuremberg?

As for Duke Heinrich, who had been my in-laws in the past, he only wanted to be
married to Neuwanstein. Despite his lukewarm neutral attitude on the day of the
hearing, the only reason I pushed forward with Jeremy's engagement to his daughter,
O'Hara, was for the future of the children and the family.

… … Of course, the story will be different from now on.

Phew, it would have been nice if the Duke of Nuremberg had a girl. But as far as I know,
he has only one son, around Jeremy's age. The Wolf of Nuremberg, who will fight madly
with Jeremy for the position of the Empire's strongest knight in the near future.
Perhaps the reason the Duke is so generous to me is that he has a son like him.

No matter what I thought on the inside, I quietly smiled on the outside, exchanged
greetings, and sat down. It was the seat right next to the Duke of Nuremberg, who sat
in the center of the Neubanstein family seat. The position her husband had occupied
during his lifetime.

“Before the assembly begins, I would like to offer a prayer in memory of the deceased
who was here with me not too long ago. His Majesty Richelieu?”

At that remark, proclaimed in a strangely coercive tone by the Duke of Nuremberg, the
silent cardinal, who was staring at me with a black gaze that had no way of knowing
the meaning, crossed his mind. Then he began to recite prayers.

After the long and slow recitation of the prayer, while everyone made the sign of the
cross with a short sigh, I now turned my head to the Duke of Nuremberg and opened
my mouth with a light smile and a tone that I had just remembered.
"Oh, duke. I'm planning to hold a memorial banquet soon. I'm sending out an invitation,
so would you please come with your wife?"

This was originally a proposal that Duke Lee had given me in the past. I asked myself
what I was thinking about holding a memorial banquet in honor of the marquis. At
that time, I was hit by all kinds of things and I was crazy, so I said I would think about it
later. Now that I think about it, that was an opportunity to lay the groundwork for my
position... … .

The Grand Duke, who was strangely kind to me, wanted to touch the tip of his chin with
his hand for a moment, then smiled leisurely.

"You mean a memorial banquet...? That's, to say the least, a strange thing. I was about
to make a similar proposal to my wife."

"Thank you for caring. But I think it's the right thing to do on my side... Of course you'll
come, right?"

"Of course. In fact, His Majesty the Emperor misses the deceased quite a bit, so I was
about to discuss it with his wife."

"So much, that's Lady Neuwanstein? How do I feel like an outcast? When do you think
the time is right?"

I had to swallow the laughter of conversion at the sound that Duke Heinrich spat out
in a friendly way along with clearing his cough.

No matter what they thought about me in their hearts, Neuwanstein's position, which
occupied more than half of the shares in the imperial treasury, was not something
that could be easily diminished even if I was a fledgling widow. I, the temporary head
of the family, and the Duke of Nuremberg, the younger brother of the empress and the
uncle of the princes, are planning a memorial banquet in honor of the emperor's loyal
subjects, so if I can't show my face at it, it will hurt my face.

“Oh, is Duke Heinrich coming too?”

"That's right, isn't it obvious? Johenus was also my close friend."

"Ah, it's a banquet in honor of His Majesty's loyal subjects, and everyone should
attend."

First of all, the first step seems to have been taken somehow. This banquet would be
the key to preventing that damn hearing.

***

The painful sensation of being hit and bumping in the carriage as it rolled down with
the doors smashed was vivid. The smell of the blood of the knights scattered outside
stung my nose. Then, with a thump, I thought the door would be completely smashed,
and then a bandit's fishy smile attacked me with a bloody sword.

"Don't blame us too much. Your arms are twisted wrong."

I shut my eyes tight and screamed! For the first time since we got married, I screamed
and screamed like I did when I was a kid!

“……uuuuuuu!

When I opened my eyes wide open in surprise at my scream, the familiar ceiling of the
Marquis' residence was covering my vision. gasped for breath. Was it just a dream? His
back was wet with a cold sweat. But why is my body so heavy? It feels like you can't
even move as if you've been pressed by scissors.

"That, Gwen! Gween!"

I groaned in terror, and finally, barely raising my head, what caught my eye was none
other than the twins who had climbed onto my bed and sprawled out in a slumber. As
soon as the panic subsided, a bewildered groan escaped.

"Why are you..."

Did you say that lion cubs are cute when they sleep? The two children, who made me
go to the brink of stamping out and were sleeping comfortably, didn't really look like
baby angels. How nice it would be if you could keep this state even when you open
your eyes... … .

Udang-dang-dang-tang!

"M-Madam? Are you okay?"

"What, what, what, what?!"

"What, what?! What's going on?!"

… … Well, I guess my screams were quite loud. Except for our loyal maid, Jang, who
rushes in with her knights dragging her pale face, what about the two guys who
recklessly attack with sleepy eyes all over her head and magpies? I never thought I
would be the culprit causing a commotion in this mansion early in the morning.

“Um… what is it, mom?”

There was silence for a while. While all of us just stared blankly at the twins, who
rubbed their eyes and got up slowly, it was definitely the reliable eldest son who took
action first. Jeremy ran his hand through her tousled, golden hair and tried to make
her yawn, then burst out into a scathing laugh. It was a sneer full of mischief and
mischief.

"Puhahaha! Hey, Leon, even with Rachel, what are you doing here?! Phahahaha!"

Needless to say, Leon's face, which had been looking around with sleepy eyes, turned
red. Leon was still ten years old. Jeremy had a terrible knack for making him feel
ashamed, even though he was not at an age to be ashamed of the fact that he had
been unable to sleep at dawn and had come to his mother's residence.

"I-I'm just..."

"Quiet big brother! Don't make fun of my twin, you stupid idiot! Get out of here!"
"It's funny, but what to do! Puhahaha! By the way, you look really ugly when you wake
up."

"Th-that's the big brother!"

"Oh man, I thought I was catching a pig from the morning..."

"Little brother, if you tell your mother that, she might run away."

"You be quiet, Short Legs!"

"Your little brother is short-legged too!"

"Who's short-legged!"

"All of you are short-legged except me. Didn't you know?"

"Because your brother is the shortest?!"

"Oh, is that so? Do you want to be matched by a short guy?"

"Aaaagh! Why do you keep using violence and going crazy!"

… … Sigh. this should be normal it's my seller I glanced at the knights and Gwen, who
were exchanging extremely ambiguous glances, saying that it was okay. Then, ignoring
Jeremy and Elias, who had been chatting with each other since this early morning, he
embraced the energetic twins side by side with both arms.

"Leon, Rachel. Would you like to go out with me?"

"Where?"

"Look at pretty clothes. Shall we go together?"

"I don't know if there are any pretty ones that Rachel wears, but I'm going too."

“Kwaaaaaaaa...!

"Mom didn't ask the brothers!"

Jeremy, who was clasping Elias's head with his arm as he was pretending to die, finally
let go of his arm and frowned at that commanding strike Leon, who finally had a
chance to retaliate, shouted. And then she cried.

"Wow, you discriminate against children!"

"Right! Wow! How can a person do that?! I'm going to submit it to a magazine."

… … As a result, it is my fault for expecting something simple and peaceful.

After all, the ridiculous thing happened that the whole family went out together as
soon as they finished breakfast. Needless to say, the road to hell was unfolding in the
carriage all the way to the aristocratic exclusive streets, where famous dressing
rooms, salons, jewelers, and teahouses were concentrated.

"But why are you suddenly looking at clothes?"

"Jeremy, don't open the window. I told you it was for a banquet."

"What banquet? Where is it held? Who is coming?"

"Memorial banquet! Your father's memorial banquet. Everyone in the know will come...
Leon, that

It's not candy, so put it down."

"Ugh! Use this!"

"That's Hyangseok, short legs. Puhahaha! I don't need new clothes or anything.
Because I..."

“No matter what you wear, you look like a beggar.”

"You can't shut that mouth! It's better than your brother's bastard?!"

"Shit. Shall we crush your ugly face even more?"

"Mom, can't you just leave your brothers and go?"

I am deeply concerned about the safety of the eardrums of the faithful monks. I could
have just called the merchants to the mansion, but my somewhat childish desire to
show off to others by going out like this was the cause of this phenomenon today. big.

… … Even so, as soon as we got off the carriage, the eyes pouring down on us from all
directions made us feel a little proud. phew, yes Ever since I was little, my children have
been the subject of envious glances wherever they go. If you see the true face hidden
behind these beautiful appearances, everyone will be thrilled.

When my husband was alive, that is, before he was still ill, we would sometimes go out
together like this and go to famous restaurants. Come to think of it, the last time he
did that was already a year ago.

Perhaps it was because it had been a long time since they had gone outside, and both
Leon and Rachel were holding my hands tightly with their emerald eyes wide open, as
if they were slightly frightened. It was quite cute to see the strange buildings
surrounding it and the bewildered look not to respond to people's gaze. On the other
hand, the first son and the second son acted as if this was their living room with an
attitude as if it was a big deal.

"Oh, I'm so bored in a place like this. Any arms dealers here?"

"Jeremy, Elias. If you want to go to the arms dealer, go alone with the knights. We'll be
in the red roof building over there."

It would be beneficial for the owner of the dressing room and for our peace to
somehow separate the two guys who can't make fun of me and the twins for a while.
Fortunately, for some reason, Jeremy and Elias obediently obeyed my words, so I took
only the twins and entered the dressing room of Madame Melissa, one of the two
leading designers who are currently in the mouths of ladies in the capital. It was a bar
that had put a chimney in advance before coming.

“So, well, he… oh my.”

"Ma'am, ma'am. Look over there."

"Oh, my God... isn't that the Marquise's wife?"

"That's right. Those kids... Oh my gosh, my God."

"The child brought the child. How can I..."

Madame Melissa's dressing room is a famous place not only for ladies but also for
young boys and girls as a pioneer in the latest fashion. Plaster mannequins wearing
whalebone corsets and narrow-brimmed hats and gloves of all sizes were on display,
and many of the noble ladies who had been sitting at a table by the window chatting
while drinking tea all at once lowered their voices and started whispering. Ha ha, it
feels familiar indeed.

"Welcome, Lady Neuwanstein. Thank you for coming on time."

Madame Melissa jumps out from the inside and smiles brightly at me. I felt a bit
relieved when I saw the famous designer, who gave a warm impression with his curly
brown hair and bright brown eyes.

Of course, if Madame Melissa or any other famous clothing store has a fixed
relationship with our family, it would be a great thing, so I have no choice but to be
kind. That was one of the advantages I had as the head of Neubanstein. The fact that
prestige and money are overflowing.

"Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule."

"Nothing, I'm honored. Are you trying to match your denial and children's attire?"

"Yes. The other two will be coming soon. I don't know if I can find anything suitable."
"Let's measure the measurements first. Is there a design you want in particular?"

After taking measurements under the hands of the dressing room staff, I was about to
come out and look at the various catalogs that Madame Melissa showed me. Rachel,
who was taking measurements in the room across from her, suddenly let out a loud
roar as if declaring the whole area her territory! Madame Melissa half-bounced from
her seat, her staff were horrified, and tea-drinking ladies spilled their teacups. Leon,
who was looking at the mannequin with curious eyes while chewing on the cookies
given to him by the staff, screamed and kicked the mannequin. Oh God!

"What the hell is going on..."

"Mom, take me out of this pretty place! I hate being alone in a rat hole like this!"

Is it really that hard to be there for a while just to take measurements? That's why kids!
Eventually, I had to go and watch Rachel's side while she finished her measurements. I
pretended not to see Madame Melissa smile as if she was strangely amused. big.

Meanwhile, customers continued to enter the dressing room. Maybe it's just my
misunderstanding that I feel more people snooping around out of curiosity looking at
us from outside the huge window?

Just as I had taken all my measurements and managed to pick out my outfit and the
twins' outfits for the memorial banquet, Jeremy and Elias appeared. The two lion cubs
came straight to me, letting people's eyes pouring towards them and shy greetings
spilling over their ears. No, but why is Jeremy so sullen?

"Jeremy? What's wrong with your expression?"

"Oh, I was annoyed by someone!"

"Why? What's going on?"

Elias started explaining in place of Jeremy, who seemed to be quite feverish and
couldn't bear to speak. Elias said without hesitation, as if she were claiming that she
was actually suing her brother for shaking his teeth.
"Well, what kind of shorthair snatched the sword you liked first? That wasn't enough, so
he teased him as a laggard and ran away. That's why he's this kid."

"Shut up! Just try to stand out again! I'll rip off your legs and kill you on the spot!"

The staff and guests were now on the verge of fainting all at once. Jeremy, who had
been pouring out such individualistic profanity without any awareness that this was a
public place, now looked at me with a grin.

"Are you done playing with dolls?"

“……Jeremy. You and Elias go and measure.”

"Oh, why? I know my size!"

"It's called ashes because it might have grown up by then. It's a banquet in honor of
your father, so you should dress modestly."

"I don't know, but this guy wouldn't have grown up. Anyway, are other people's eyes so
important?"

"Yes! It's very, very important!"

When I finally lost my patience and brusquely shot at them, Jeremy and Elias wanted
to exchange glances with dazed faces for an instant, then shyly scratched their heads
and quietly followed the staff. Anyway, when you say something nice, where does it add
up?

"Anyway, I can't live because of my brothers."

It was truly spectacular to see Rachel lamenting with her hands on her hips, like a very
sophisticated little lady. Madame Melissa, who had been looking at me with eyes full of
laughter that had no way of knowing the meaning from earlier, cleared her throat.

"Big, Lady Neuwanstein. How long are you thinking of?"

"How long does it usually take?"

"Because it's five minutes...... It will be over within ten days to fifteen days at the earliest.
If before that time..."

"If you send it within 7 days, I'll pay you three times as much. I'll pay the staff's hard
work separately."

Did you say golden almighty? At my outspoken proposal, Madame Melissa did not
even look at the calendar with her detailed schedule inscribed on it, and she
immediately accepted. Needless to say, the faces of the staff who were busily coming
and going were very bright.

“Ah, Shuri, I need to buy a new hunting suit.”

After choosing the final design for the colt-like Elias and Jeremy's outfits, it was the
moment they took a breather sitting on a sofa far away from the tables the other
guests were sitting on. I froze on the spot at the shadow of something that shimmered
outside the huge window that almost covered the opposite wall.

"슈리?"

Jeremy, who had been talking about hunting clothes as he approached with a thump,
coughed and secretly began to look at me. I was just floundering in the panic that hit
me in an instant, without the strength to respond.

"Shuri, what's wrong? Are you mad?"

"……."

"It was just... Keun, I did it because I wanted to see you get angry. You know, I didn't
think about it."

… … It's a relief that you're aware of that, but it's not like that anyway. Damn it, I'm sure I
didn't see it wrong. Why, at a time like this... … I almost forgot... … !

"If mom runs away, it's all because of my older brother!"

"Eldest brother, you idiot! You always make fun of your mother! Oppa, you're in big
trouble now."

"Everything your brother does is like that."

"No, but this ㅅ...... big, ah, Shuri, are you really upset?"

I barely came to my senses and shook my head slowly. let's calm down The kids are
together.

"Jeremy."

"Uh, huh?"

"Would you like to see my younger siblings here for a second? I'll be back somewhere
soon."

"Where are you going? Let's go together!"

"Because I'm leaving soon."

"So where?"

In response to the persistent questions, I gently pressed my chest with one hand,
which began to thump. Let's calm down, calm down, whoa whoa. Jeremy is surprisingly
alert. If I show off even a little bit, I'm sure you'll notice something. So I grabbed
Jeremy's wrist with one hand and whispered lowly.

“……I’m going to buy women’s items. Stop asking me.”

"ah……!"

It was only then that Jeremy's blushing and making a bewildered noise was a
spectacle worth watching for a very long time, but now I didn't have time to relax.
I got out of the dressing room and walked down the a little quiet street in the back. I
stopped for a moment and looked around, but sure enough, a hand came out of
nowhere, grabbed my shoulder, and dragged me into a narrow alley.

"Long time no see, my sweet sister. Almost two years?"

It's been about 6 years since I experienced it. Staring at the weasel-like face of my
brother, Lucas von Ighoeffer, whom I met for the first time in almost six years, I felt new
again. Perhaps because I thought I would never see them again, I forgot the fact that
since I returned to the past, I would definitely bump into them at least once.

"Your expression isn't very welcome. It's sad, hey. To my one and only brother..."

"Why did you come to the capital?"

A chill trickled down my voice. Lucas seemed to have the same bright, grass-colored
eyes wide open as mine, but soon he started laughing.

"I came to see you, of course. I..."

“Why, did my father collapse? Or did my mother get hurt?

Lucas hesitated for a second as he spoke in a casual tone. As he watched it, his
laughter leaked out.

It was like this in the past. After her husband died, my parents, older brother, and
relatives scrambled to come and try to get a share. Although he kicked them out every
time, Lucas was particularly persistent. He frequently referred to his parents and
asked for money in any way. I remember taking care of him once or twice. In the end,
no matter how much he came outside the mansion and begged, he never met him.

"Why did you change as a person like this? No matter how many people say that you
change when you come to the capital, it wasn't like this originally."

"……."
"Ah, listen. I've been starving for three days now. Does that make sense? He's an
aristocratic youngsik, but his appearance has become ridiculous. The money is rotten
and overflowing, so help me out. Or let me stay at your house for a while-"

"You think I got hit in the head with a knife, can you accept that kind of trick? I've been
starving for three days and I'm falling asleep. Get away before I call the knights. I don't
have time to deal with you, so if you don't want to be treated badly, don't come back a
second time. Do you understand?"

I don't know how to describe the really stupid expression on Lucas' face right now. It
should have been. It should have been like this from the beginning... … . I was about to
go back to my children leaving behind the pitiful appearance of my brother, but he
suddenly grabbed my shoulder and pushed me hard against the wall. My back hit with
a thump and a painful sensation came over me.

"What is this..."

"Let's see, let's see, how dirty is this bitch telling her brother that she became a
marquise's wife? You're threatening me right now? You're staring at me saying how
good your bitch is? How long do you think the seat you're sitting in right now will last?
Anyway, you When you're kicked out, you'll never come back..."

"야!"

puck!

It was then that those scumbag words that Lucas snarled at me with mean, burning
eyes, pushing me like they were going to eat me, were cut off really clumsily. To put it
more precisely, someone who flew into the narrow alley where we were standing, no,
ran as if flying, kicked Lucas as it was.

I felt like the strength I was holding on my shoulder was crushed, and the next
moment, Lucas was rolling on the floor, letting out a very pitiful scream.

"Sheesh, these are new boots... Anyway, have you seen such a rude bastard?! You
looking like a weasel under the wheels of this wagon, that girl doesn't like you!"

… … The voice is strangely high and squeaky, perhaps because the transformer is
wrong. The next thing that came into my half-fazed, blank vision was none other than
a boy with a sword the size of himself.
He was tall, but he was obviously still a child, but at most Jeremy's age? She had a
strangely familiar face, but I couldn't remember exactly where I saw her. Spiky, tangled
black hair and cool blue eyes. I'm obviously familiar with it. Where did you see her... … ?

While I was bewildered, this out of the blue boy clicked his tongue and scratched his
head for a moment, but then moved forward without hesitation toward Lucas, who was
lying on the floor. Then, with one hand, he grabbed Lucas by the scruff of his neck,
and with the other, he pressed the blade of a sword he had apparently bought new
around here.

"Hey, no land."

"Aaaaaagh!"

A distraught Lucas started screaming in terror. … … For reference, Lucas was twenty-
one. How funny is this?

"Damn it, you're making noise. Shut up! Hey, shut up. Before you cut your tongue off."

"Uhaaaaa! Sa, save me..."

"I told you to shut up? Hey, look into my eyes. Look into my eyes."

"Huuuu can't you know who I am-"

"Even if you're the crown prince, fuck me. Shall I pull out all my teeth? Shall I pull out all
of my gums?"

“……Why, why are you like this?”

"Okay, don't touch that girl again. Don't be mean, don't run into me on the street, don't
think about it, don't see me in your dreams. If you don't want your lower part cut off."

Oh God! Indeed, it was a terrifying declaration that would send chills down the spine.
No, I thought only the kids in my family had bad mouths, but it seems all boys these
days are like that.
“Did you understand?

"Ah, ah, ah, I see."

Lucas, who was pale blue, hurriedly nodded his head up and down, and the boy finally
let go of the scruff of his neck. Right after that, as I watched my brother run amok, the
boy who had been clicking his tongue was now standing with his sword on one
shoulder and staring straight at me.

"Are you okay? How did you get involved with a guy like that?"

"...that's what you mean."

"어?"

"He's my brother. Anyway, thank you for helping me."

"Your brother? That guy?"

The boy stuck out his tongue in disbelief and blinked at me as he looked at me. Eyes
like the clear autumn sky scanned me quickly up and down, then stared at my face
and hair.

As for me, I was racking my brain trying to infer the identity of this boy. It's obviously
familiar, but why doesn't it immediately come to mind?

"Shh, it's cheap to be hurt by a brother like that, but isn't it because of me that you're
in trouble for no reason?"

It was strange to see him scratching his head while his threatening expression from a
moment ago had disappeared. Maybe it was because I felt strangely pure, and I
smiled without even realizing it.

"That's not going to happen. I'd rather see it as a good thing."

"I'm glad then... But do you know that your way of speaking is very unique? It feels like
talking to my mother."

… … ok, it's not a big deal. To this guy, I'm just a young lady of a similar age. Without
realizing it, I said it as if I was talking to the lion cubs in my house.

It was then that the boy, who had been staring at me with his head tilted, suddenly
smiled. Looking at this, the young apostle of justice, who has a pretty face, held out his
empty left hand to me with a sword the size of my body resting on one shoulder and
said in a friendly tone.

"Anyway, I'll take you to where you are. But what family are you from? There's no one
around me who looks like you."

“……Which house are you from?”

"Me? Refrain from a precious house."

I have nothing to say. It was clear that the sword he was holding, as well as his clothes
and shoes, were quite expensive even for a tolerable aristocrat. Even if the opponent
is the crown prince, it's to the point of asking what to do... … This guy's parents must be
pretty troublesome too.

Feeling a soaring sense of kinship with the parents of strangers, I gently grabbed the
rough hand that was spread out in front of me. Unexpectedly, warmth was circulating.

Calloused and rough-skinned, this guy seems to be as much a swordsman fanatic as

our proud eldest son... … .

Escorted by an unidentified boy, I reached the front of the dressing room, and for
some reason, Jeremy's golden hair, who had come out and was sitting on the stairs at
the entrance, was the first thing I noticed. next moment! The dark green eyes seemed
to be fixed on us, and then Jeremy, who jumped up to his feet, started shouting
without hesitation.

"Huh? You're the damned...!"

that before? When I turned my head with a puzzled expression, I saw the face of a
black-haired boy who started to laugh leisurely, wondering what was so interesting.

"Ooh, aren't you that laggard? Can you be an article on a topic that exploded so
slowly?"

"Are you really laughing at this mean child snatching other people's things? Does it
open in your mouth?"

"To be precise, it's mine, I bought it with money. If you're going to resent me, I'd say
resent your sluggish speed? Anyway, I don't have time to play with you..."

"Brother, master! When did you come all the way here? You've been looking for a long
time... Where are you running from?!"

A man who appeared to be an acolyte literally appeared out of nowhere and shouted
with lamentation, so fortunately the two boys didn't start fighting here. To be more
precise, the black-haired boy who made a clicking noise evaded his trainee at an
astounding speed and ran away. I barely managed to hold on to Jeremy, who was
trying to chase after him.

“Be gentle, you can buy another sword!”

"Oh, that goddamn wanderer ran away? Just try to get caught again!"

Jeremy, who had been grinding his teeth like that for a long time, looked into my eyes
with suddenly serious eyes.

"But how did he come with you?"

“……That’s right. I was saying hello to someone I know, so it happened that way.”

"Really? I don't know which house it is, but tell them to do some home training. Damn it."

… … My in-laws are talking.

***

A memorial banquet in honor of my husband, Johenus von Neuwanstein. In

preparation for this banquet, the interior of the entire first floor of the main building,
including the reception room, was almost renovated.

I couldn't count how many invitations there were. It was a luxurious edition that
exceeded the budget of most palace banquets. The capital's Nanda Ginda family
members and cardinals, as well as members of the imperial family, were scheduled to
come. First of all, the prince and our Jeremy have been close since childhood, and the
Duke of Nuremberg, who planned this banquet with me, is the younger brother of the
empress.

Therefore, it was not unreasonable that I trembled in Busan from early hours,
rechecked the banquet hall several times, and roasted the servants. But the hardest
thing was... … .

“Where are you going if you stay calm for a while?”

Shall we go to the sponsorship again and redecorate the twins, who are all dirty from
running around, to the point where it is pointless to have dressed up early? Jin is
gone. Why the hell do you need a sword at a banquet?!

"Stop being stubborn! You haven't even been ordained a knight yet!"

"Because you're going to get it?! You're probably going to get it next year?!"

"It's not yet, so please listen to me for just one day!"

"I'm a kid!"

"You're just a kid when you see him doing this?!"

Jeremy was very persistent, but I was no less. Why is a latent person with a reputation
who will know everything in the future anyway, so impatient?
In the end, I won this time. I was exhausted, but seeing the children dressed in the
banquet clothes I picked out from Madame Melissa's dressing room, I naturally smiled
with satisfaction.

Rachel and Leon in light green dresses and suits of the same color, Elias in blue
tailcoats, and Jeremy in scarlet boys' uniforms. However, one aspect must be
acknowledged. phew.

After confirming that the children had finished preparing, I also hurriedly dressed up.
The water-colored dress with a deep square neckline and ribbon-covered stormer
stood out, and it was a design that would remain in vogue until the second half of next
year. Her pink hair was braided down in thick braids and pinned in places. I deserved
to have a gorgeous up-do, which is popular these days, but it was impossible for me.
Because some nasty guy has left a very clear scar on the back of my back. big... … .

"I think we have to take on the role of protecting the guests from Shuri today, aww."

"Ohhh, that's right. To be precise, it should protect your eyesight."

… … be patient He said that if he endured three times, he would avoid murder. Anyway,
those burns.

It might seem a little ironic that even though it was a memorial banquet hosted by my
family, the blood relatives of the children and mine were thoroughly excluded.

In any case, despite my vague anxiety, guests dressed in splendor began to arrive one
after another in time for the banquet. While I did a pretty good job of being a friendly
host, exchanging long greetings, the guests responded with genuine smiles on the
outside, no matter what they were thinking on the inside. Should I put the enemy's
youthful gaze and whispers openly revealed at the funeral on hold? This banquet is a
search battle to judge each other.

"It looks like it will be a wonderful banquet indeed, ma'am."

"Duke Heinrich. You've come."

"Oh, this is my daughter. O'Hara?"

Seeing my former daughter-in-law, Princess O'Hara, fresh and 12-year-old, gave me a
new feeling. The platinum-haired girl, holding the hem of her skirt lightly and bowing in
an impeccable manner, was indeed pretty enough to grow up to be the most beautiful
woman in the capital.

… … Well, I think Rachel is much prettier in my eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Neuwanstein."

"Nice to meet you, young lady. I hope you enjoy it comfortably."

O'Hara, her cheeks blushing shyly, looked at the children standing beside me with
sparkling purple eyes. To be precise, I looked at Jeremy. As for Jeremy, she stood
there with a very bored look on her face, holding my pigtails with her fingers.

This guy is really... … ? A girl who might be your future fiancé is watching you. Of
course, that's up to you in the future, but... … .

In any case, I was determined not to promote the wedding of the children on my own,
as in the past. Everyone is still young, so if there's someone who likes them later, I'll
consider it then.

"Lady Neubanstein."

"Duke of Nuremberg, Duchess. Welcome. Welcome."

Unlike the duke who greeted me brightly with a benevolent smile, the duchess with a
rather fragile complexion just quietly looked at me with sad looking eyes. It wasn't in
the sense of condolences. In the past, the Duchess used to treat me with that
mysterious, sorrowful look every time. You should get used to it, but it felt a bit
awkward.

"This is my immature son. Please don't get into trouble here..."

"Why does my father always take me alone?"

I was unexpectedly taken aback and shocked by the grumbling boy who appeared out
of nowhere with the kind Duke of Nuremberg's unique introduction.

yes, that's right It was like that too. Why didn't she notice right away?

"Huh? You were at that time..."

It was only then that I realized the true identity of the apostle of justice from before,
and at the same time I began to feel great compassion for the Duke and Duchess of
Nuremberg while resenting my sense of being a step behind. No matter how much I
think about it, I think the reason the Duke of Steel is kind to me is because of this.

"Nora, how disrespectful are you to the Marquis?"

"Yes...? What? Is this the Marquise's wife?"

"This son of a bitch!"

It was. The spiky black-haired Confucius, dressed in a black boy's uniform and looking
at me with his blue eyes wide open, was none other than the boy who had ruthlessly
expelled Lucas the other day! Somehow I was familiar with it. Is this Nora von
Nuremberg, who will grow up to be Jeremy's only archenemy?

"Forgive me for the rudeness, ma'am. Have you ever met my son?"

"Yes? Ah, that's..."

Embarrassment set in. There is no such thing as a big disgrace if I tell you the details
of how the immature Confucius met me here... … ! I'm the only one who couldn't remind
myself of the Nuremberg family when I saw those transparent blue eyes... … .

As the young Confucius was silent with a profound expression on his face, whether he
had read the light of pleading in my eyes or not, it was none other than Elias who put
his first hand into the surface of the water on the eve of the storm. Elias looked just
like Leon, cracking goose liver crackers, and showing a look of astonishment, and then
she said at best that this was it.

"Hyung, isn't that guy the snatcher back then?"

“What……? What, why is he here?! Hey!”

Nora hesitated for a moment at Jeremy's roar, which was truly ferocious.

"Who is this, isn't that the laggard then? Was it Neuwanstein's son, you? It's a waste of a
family name, a family name."

"You've lived well on the topic that you've been able to get out of it. You're your family,
this mouse -like child!"

Stunned, I looked back and forth between the two. Is bad luck exactly what you're
talking about?

If Jeremy was the lion of Neubanstein, Nora was the hungry wolf of Nuremberg. The
swordsmanship competition of the National Foundation Day in 1118, where two people
of the same age faced each other for the first time, and the final match, which
dragged on for so long and eventually ended in a draw, can be said to be the
beginning of the rivalry. Everyone was cheering and screaming and fussing, probably.
At that time, I almost passed out because I was afraid that my eldest son would be cut
off somewhere... … .

"The more foolish the seed, the more he sees what he wants to see. Most of them
project his own image."

"What bullshit are you talking about? I thought you were good at taking me out, but
you turned out to be a great philosopher? Why don't you just attack me instead of just
talking?"

"Jeremy!"

"노라!"

In the end, the Duke of Nuremberg and I had to step in and stop this pathetic
scolding. The Duke punched his son in the head, and I slapped Jeremy on the back.

"Aagh!"
"Ah! It hurts!"

"Jeremy, what kind of disrespect are you to a customer? Apologize!"

"Why me?! That guy started first!"

"Nora, I'll apologize for the rudeness soon."

"Why am I? It's me who's been cheating on someone else's legitimate purchase... Alas!
Why are you hitting me again after hitting me?!"

"It must be a lot of trouble..."

Seriously, the shy Duchess would have said that to me. I'm talking about my in-laws,
but... … . Still, should I say I'm glad I got over how I ended up with Nora?

"His Highness the Crown Prince is eating it!"

At the loud announcement someone shouted, we, who were holding on to our sons
and daughters, and the guests who were watching us, sipping glasses in threes and
fives, all became quiet at the same time as if they had promised, and bowed politely.

"Meet the Young Eagles of the Empire."

"Meet the young eagle of the Empire, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The 17-year-old Crown Prince, Theobald von Baden Bismarck, who was accompanied
by an entourage. At his appearance, gasps and polite greetings poured out from here
and there. The prince came straight to us with his silvery white hair flying under the
chandelier light, and before long, his golden eyes curled and opened his mouth.

"It's finally nice to meet you, mother of lions. As I've heard, your hair is like cherry
blossoms and your eyes are like wild grass."
… … What is this unheard of and burdensome greeting? A mother of lions? Even in my
previous life, this prince had never called me that way. The sound of Elias's croaking
as he tried to suppress his laughter felt really mean.

“It is a great honor to have you visit me, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

"Sorry to say that. If I don't come, who else will come? Haha."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Uncle, aunt. Didn't you say I would come, haha... Oh, my cousin, it's been a while?
You've grown a lot?"

It felt like my mind and body were purified when I saw the polite and gentle prince who
had been dealing with the two boys who were like the cubs of beasts who had been
growling at each other with the momentum of biting them just now.

It was at that time that Nora, who was rubbing her hair from being beaten by her
father, glanced at the prince with blue eyes, and then let out an icy voice.

"Why are you envious?"

"노라……!"

"Leave it, aunt. Haha, it's still blunt."

"I've been consistent from the time I was born until now, and His Highness the Crown
Prince is as kind as I am obedient."

Confucius, who fired at him in a tone that was chilly but also arrogant, now turned
around and shot away. And the Duke of Nuremberg let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince. He's more toxic these days..."

"Ah, never mind. It's fine."

The friendly prince, who smiled a little awkwardly, fixed his soft golden gaze on me for
a moment, but then spoke to Jeremy, who was rubbing his back.

"It's been a while. I'm glad you look okay."

"What could not be okay with? I would have thought that this guy was Your Highness's
cousin..."

Jeremy, who grumbled softly, also turned around and walked away.

Holy Father and Mother! God bless the boys of this age! The prince, who had been
spurned side by side by the two young siks he had been closest to since childhood,
now literally looked at me with a stunned face.

"Why are they like that?"

Of course, it might be because of the appearance of a nemesis with a bad

relationship, but were my children originally so selfish even in front of other adults? I
don't think it was like this in the past, but I don't know why it feels more turbulent now
that I'm closer to my children than in the past. Fortunately, Elias and the twins are still
calm.

“Elias, please, will you watch over your little brothers?”

"Why me? That's your job..."

"You play better with twins than Jeremy."

"Isn't it? You're not playing?"

… … I was wrong for expecting something. While I was swallowing tears of grief, Prince
Theobald, who was watching me with strangely sparkling eyes, spoke to me kindly.

"You're in a lot of trouble."

"Ahaha..."

"I don't think you need to worry too much. There are a lot of kids my age, so why don't
we play on our own? Let's have a drink with me first."

It sounded oddly persuasive, probably because it was the words of a gentle prince. So,
I obediently took the glass Theobald handed me and moistened my lips with the
pungent wine.

"By the way, it's the first time I've actually met your wife, but it feels familiar, like I've met
you before. I hope you'll come to say hello..."

"It's an honor to meet you today. How is His Majesty the Emperor?"

"He's always healthy. Hahaha. Anyway, I don't know why Jeremy is so sullen today, but
I've been close with him since I was little, so I'll hang out with him and visit him often.
Please welcome him."

"It's a matter of course. The Crown Prince is always welcome."

When he replied with a soft smile, his golden eyes instantly became different. If I'm not
mistaken, it was clear that he sincerely wanted to keep his word. Hmmm, this is weird
again. Aside from that strange greeting earlier, was this prince originally so kind to
me?

… … Well, things are a bit different now than then.

The current Empress Elisabeth has only one child, the 2nd Prince. Crown Prince
Theobald was the son of a former empress who died early from childbirth fever.

Theobald and Jeremy had been in contact since before I came to this marquis' house,
when the children were younger than they are now. It was because of the
consideration of the emperor and my husband, who were trying to make the prince a
friend of his own age. Originally, the role should have gone to Princess Nora, the niece
of Empress Elizabeth, but if I remember correctly, the prince and the prince were not
very close.

… … From what I saw earlier, it seems that Nora unilaterally hates Theobald for some
reason.
Anyway, it can be said that Jeremy's relationship with Theobald had a great influence
on why he would later be called the Crown Prince's Sword, but even so, this gentle
prince was not particularly friendly to me or had never been so unreserved. of course.
He should have been avoided again. I was the one who turned the social world upside
down by bringing in a contract lover not long after her husband's death. The notoriety
I gained back then was great... … .

"Are you okay?"

"Yes? Ah..."

"Your eyes suddenly look sad. You seem to be thinking of the deceased."

Hmmm, Your Highness, the good Crown Prince, that is a very benevolent word, but you
misunderstood... … .

"You can grieve to your heart's content. You've been through a lot in the past month.
You're just about to celebrate your coming-of-age ceremony... I don't know how to
express the sadness I feel."

It was a surprisingly friendly tone. For a moment, I wondered why this person was
doing this to me. Perhaps it was because I never thought that someone would say
something like that to me.

… … why am i doing this Is it because of the alcohol?

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Both of us turned our heads side by side at the sudden voice that came from right
next to us. Then I met someone I hadn't even thought of.

"Ah, Cardinal Richelieu. His Eminence was also present. How is it?"

It was Cardinal Richelieu, the silent servant in the black clergyman's uniform. I didn't
expect that person to come for real. The jet-black eyes under the dark brown hair
dyed in bright light wanted to scan us alternately as we stood holding glasses, and
then, without fail, they came to my face. Then the eyes looked at me, and the words
were directed at Theobald.

“I have something to tell you about the tithing issue from the other day.”

"Uhhh, did you come here? Can you look after me? I really won't... Then, ma'am, excuse
me for a moment."

Seeing the good-natured crown prince, who grumbled mischievously but moved her
steps obediently, somehow made her feel very envious of Empress Elizabeth.

On the other hand, the silent servant didn't even greet me and just stared at me with
that grotesque gaze until the end. It was a gaze that was difficult to see through the
heart, and it was a very dark impression, so I felt very uncomfortable. I didn't really
care about it in the past, but now it's kind of annoying... … .

I put my empty glass down for a moment and stood there, looking over the huge hall
where the banquet was taking place. To be precise, we looked at the guests who were
in groups tasting delicacies from the mountains and seas, drinking alcohol, and
having conversations while playing variations of a specially invited orchestra.

Usually, the position of a person called me in such a situation was very ambiguous. A
young female temporary head of the family unprecedented in the history of the
Empire. There was no point in being part of a clique of young and sinful men, and it
was also not good to be part of a group of young ladies my age.

Although the average age for women from aristocratic families to get married is
between sixteen and twenty-three, young girls who married early at my age would
avoid such a position because they were newlyweds or had problems such as
pregnancy.

As for unmarried young ladies, it was difficult to form a consensus easily. It wasn't that
there weren't young ladies who were friendly with me in the past, but most of them
were just a group of people approaching me to eat bean curd. At that time, I didn't
even try to make a side.

The group I was aiming for now was none other than noble ladies. Women of some age
and with children. The young ladies, who were just about to debut in the social world,
exchanged glances with their peers, chatting happily and whispering among
themselves. I passed them and approached the ladies who had taken up seats on one
side of the banquet hall.
“Does the food suit your taste? Is there anything uncomfortable about it?”

The ladies who were chatting with Petit Four over a glass of wine all looked at me. They
had friendly smiles on their faces, but the light of search shone in their elegant eyes.
The Countess of Bavaria, who had a one-sided relationship, opened her mouth as her
lead. She is the wife I asked to be Rachel's special training teacher in the past.

"You seem to have good taste, Lady Neuwanstein. Thank you for inviting me."

"The wives responded to my invitation, so I'm really grateful. Well, I'll take good care of
you in the future. I'm really glad you came."

When I replied with a bright smile and an innocent manner like a childish girl, the eyes
with a look of meticulous judgment exchanged glances. While I sat next to the
Countess of Bavaria in a slightly agitated mood, one of the ladies exchanging
meaningful looks sneered at me.

"It's a warm hospitality that I didn't expect. But, madam, we've heard some strange
rumors."

"Strange rumors? About me?"

When I innocently raised my eyes and asked, a quick exchange of glances took place
once again. The next to take over the hilt were the Marquis of Schweig and the
Countess of Hartenstein.

"It's nothing special. I ran into Countess Sebastien by chance at the salon the other
day. I don't believe everything she said, but..."

"That's right, you shouldn't hastily listen to one side and judge. It's a law to listen to
both sides of anything."

"Ah... well, I think I know what you're talking about. It's all because of my immaturity."

When I threw it carefully, curious eyes came to me all at once. I swallowed a smile of
repentance and deliberately lowered my eyes awkwardly. Then, in a hesitant voice, he
stammered on.
"Actually... as you all know, my husband is a kind person. He has always been kind to
the children."

"That's right. We all know that the former Marquis was a good man."

"Thank you, Lady Bavaria. Actually, after my husband's funeral, I asked Madame
Sebastien to stay here and look after my nieces and nephews. I think that way the
children will settle down more quickly."

"Oh, I don't think it was an unreasonable request."

"Yes. But it turned out that his discipline policy did not match that of mine or my
husband's. I wonder if he was overly strict... I knew he didn't like me very much, but I
couldn't stand hurting my children because of that. I couldn't help it, so I think I
committed rudeness without even realizing it."

Already, I showed our image to people by visiting a famous clothing store with my
children. It was the same at this banquet today.

… … It was a bit noisy, but anyway, the wives in this room were all nerds who ate rust in
the social world, and at the same time were mothers. The surest way to embrace them
would be to form a bond of sympathy related to their children. The Duchess of
Nuremberg, who was staring at me with her characteristic sad eyes, nodded her head
abruptly.

"I understand. It's children's business."

"Lady Nuremberg is right. Oh my God, that's what happened. I wouldn't have stayed
quiet either. Isn't everyone like that?"

"It's obvious. I'd rather scold our Hunt myself, but I can't stand it being touched by
others. The outsiders don't seem to understand, but... Ayu, a swordsman teacher my
husband brought in a while ago, well, well, it's okay to hit our Hunt arbitrarily. isn't it?"

"Oh my God. Is that true, Lady Bavaria?"

"That's right. That's why I argued. Then, I heard that the shameless gangster was doing
it. Well, my husband allowed me to do whatever I wanted. Anyway. It's a shame that I
threatened my husband to scratch his eyeballs if he brought such a gangster one
more time on his own. Otherwise, my son might have run away by now.”
A roar of laughter erupted. In the sight of elegant ladies covering their mouths with
fans and laughing with tears in their eyes, the husbands gathered in the opposite
seat, smoking cigarettes and being polite, looked around in awe.

“Anyway, Mrs. Neuwanstein didn’t do anything wrong.

"Yes, I do have some regrets too. As you know, I don't have much experience or
knowledge... Well, if that happens in the future, may I seek wiser advice from the wives?"

"Of course. Eh, you're still young, so taking care of your ex-wife's children must be easy.
Feel free to consult with me."

Reactions mixed with a sense of homogeneity and superiority poured out as if they
were cute. It was exactly what I was hoping for. It worked for her to play a young widow
who is ignorant of the world and at the same time humble and eager to learn
anything. I, who is sitting in the same family leader as their husbands and is young
enough, approached them first without hesitation to ask for advice and fawn. How
could I not feel a sense of superiority?

In the past, when I didn't know anything, I used to act like a cat with its nose upright
and its claws up. I didn't know that being easygoing wasn't necessarily a bad thing,
and that pride wasn't the only thing that coaxed people into coming to my side.

The mainstream that forms the uppermost part of the social circle is noble ladies. No
matter how quickly the fashion went around and young young ladies came in, it was
impossible to bring down noble ladies who were no different from nerds in terms of
age and experience. Moreover, the long-standing tradition passed down throughout
the world, the most lethal and secret weapon, is their exclusive possession. I mean the
pillow head song. big. Somehow, my goal for today seems to have succeeded, albeit
roughly. Driven by this momentum... … .

"Quaaaaaaah!"

“Three, my God…!”

"Nu, someone stop me!"

It was at that time that the banquet hall, which had maintained a lively yet dignified
atmosphere, suddenly became noisy. To be precise, a number of beautifully dressed
young ladies screamed in astonishment as they jumped down from the stairs leading
to the balcony on the second floor. The mothers stood up in fright, the fathers
exchanged puzzled glances, and the children excitedly ran up the stairs with faces full
of curiosity.

God, what's up again this time? I hurried up to make sure that Jeremy hadn't started a
run-in with a future rival here. And finally, on the balcony on the second floor, Oh, my
God!

Crunchy bang bang!

"Jeremy!"

The balcony, lavishly decorated with new orchids and lanterns, had long been a wreck.

Jeremy was definitely among the four Youngshik who were fighting like crazy. The
thing that didn't match my expectations was that the opponent I was fighting didn't
seem to be the Prince of Nuremberg. Rather, it seemed that the two of them were
dealing with two other spirits. I don't know how the two of them got together... … !

Elias is usually the one who gets involved in this kind of fight, so why is Jeremy doing
this? No matter how similar hot-tempered Jeremy was, it wasn't her style to just throw
her fists at her. Not to mention she isn't a rival of fate... … .

"Brother, stop! Calm down!"

"Stop it, big brother! Mom scolds me!"

The scene where our horned colt-like Elias and the little twins are struggling to stop
the eldest son instead of helping them for some reason was quite admirable, but it
didn't have much effect. of course.

Jeremy and Nora were only fourteen years old. And the opponents were two youngsiks
who seemed to be in their late teens. Considering the age difference, it should not
have been compared, but the naturally boneless boys and the young people who
looked like they had only read books all their lives were in a very fierce match.

Needless to say, all the guests who hurriedly jumped up at the dramatic scene where
the well-dressed sons and daughters of noble families got tangled up like fighting
dogs at a night market and bitten fiercely, all of them were mesmerized. As for the
pious cardinals, they crossed themselves while muttering something like a prayer.

Just as I was about to intervene, Theobald approached me and grabbed me by the

shoulder and took a step ahead. The crown prince, who had no one to follow in terms
of status, shouted out with a loud and determined voice that cut off all the fuss.

"Hwangmyeong, everyone stop!"

The Duke of Nuremberg was speaking. The steel grand duke, who is in charge of one
of the two pillars of the aristocratic society, asked his son a question with a terrifyingly
stern face that I had never seen before.

"Why did you make such a fuss?"

In the drawing room on the first floor, where the turmoil subsided in an instant at
Theobald's death and the banquet continued as usual, my eldest son-in-law and the
son-in-law of the Duke of Nuremberg fought against the count's sons and daughters,
who were to be Duke Heinrich's nephews.

After I offered a sincere apology to Duke Heinrich, who bowed his head to apologize
instead, my family and the Nuremberg family gathered here separately.

In contrast to Theobald, who was just smiling heartily with his arms crossed, the Duke
and Duchess of Nuremberg were serious. The Duke was blowing cold air, and the
Duchess was constantly opening and closing his hands with a restless expression.

"Nora! Can't you hurry up and answer! No matter how immature you are, how could
you cause a commotion in the place where His Highness the Crown Prince is!"

Oh oh! Indeed, it was an unholy command, as if the chandelier on the ceiling was
shaking. It seems like it's been a long time since a grown man's screams resonated in
my house. Even so, the immature Confucius stood with a frown and wanted to glance
at me, but he still remained silent. It was the same with Jeremy who was silent for what
reason he had such a fierce gang fight.

"Oh my God, look at that lip! Jeremy, what the hell are you doing? Why did you fight?"
“……Ah, I don’t know. Those less-than-skilled bastards piss me off.”

"So what? What's so pissed off about?"

"……."

"Elias, do you know why your brother did that?"

Elias, who had been flicking his tongue at his brother with a really accusatory
expression, quickly shook his head from side to side.

"No. I only saw my brother and that Gongja talking on the balcony. I went to see the
twins as you said, wondering if the two had reconciled in a moment. Then later, the
young ladies woke up, so I went and found them fighting with the secretaries."

It wasn't very helpful information. I looked at the twins who were glaring at the eldest
brother triumphantly, but they didn't seem to know either.

“Jeremy, what the hell is the reason!”

"Ah, it's really nothing... Hatch! Cough, Cough! Shuri, I'm sick."

"Where is this guy going to pretend to be sick and get over it!"

"No, eh, ech! I'm really dizzy all of a sudden."

Watching Jeremy's spectacle behavior of burying his head on my shoulder as he

weakly clutched his head made me feel absurd. It was only natural to tell him to stop
working on repairs that would not even work, but at that moment, I suddenly thought
that this guy might have suffered from measles around this point, and my heart
weakened at once. Heuk, I guess I can't help it.

"Why is this guy who was fine up until now suddenly doing this? Where are you
looking..."

Damn!
At the harsh sound of gong that cut through the air sharply, both I and the offspring
looked the same, as if we had made a promise for a moment. What came into my half-
dazed field of vision was none other than Confucius with his head swung to one side,
and the Duke with an appearance of anger incarnated. Oh my gosh.

I could feel the twins gripping the hem of my skirt. Needless to say, the air in the room
froze in an instant. The Duke of Nuremberg pressed his forehead with his hand as if
trying to cool down the fever for a moment, but then gave a command in a calm voice.

"Please apologize for your rudeness to Mrs. Neuwanstein and His Highness the Crown
Prince."

"……."

"노라!"

Biting her bloody lips gently, Nora glanced sideways at Theobald with frozen blue eyes
as cold as her father's. It was unusual to see the white fist clenched to his side. Then
the Duke raised his hand again.

"This son of a bitch...!"

"Hey, Duke!"

The crown prince, who had been frozen with a puzzled expression, looked at me with
blank eyes for some reason. Either way, I grabbed the duke's arm and continued with a
half-pleading tone.

"Duke, please calm down. They're still kids. There must have been a reason for that."

Instead of admonishing me not to interfere in other people's chores, the Duke of

Nuremberg looked alternately at me, who had a desperate expression on his face, and
at my wife, who was pale and shivering, but fortunately, he withdrew his hand.

"Lady Neuwanstein. Your Highness the Crown Prince. I hope you will forgive my son for
his rudeness today. We will have to go back now."
"But Duke..."

"Excuse me. See you later, ma'am. You come here!"

"No, that, uncle, calm down..."

Watching the Duke of Nuremberg grabbing his son by the nape of his neck and
pushing him roughly, the Duchess biting his lip and following him, and the Crown
Prince chasing after him with a look of bewilderment, I felt an unknown pity for the
immature Confucius.

Phew, boys. My husband had hit Elias once for a problem with me, but it was a little
different then and now. It must be very embarrassing to be scolded so harshly in front
of other children of your age... … .

“Shuri, are you going to hit me like that too?”

"Why do you want to be beaten?"

"It's not like that, anyway, it's really scary because the duke is angry... Echwi! Click Coke!
Ugh, I'm really going to die."

It was said that ominous premonitions always come true. It must have been a sense of
déjà vu rather than a premonition, but from that day on, Jeremy really started to get
sick. The name of her illness was also measles.

***

Measles, the highest dignity of an infectious disease. I also had it when I was young, so
I knew how painful it was. The only people in our mansion who had already suffered
from measles were me and the butler Robert, so other servants and children had to be
thoroughly banned.

"What the hell is this... Cough Cough! Damn it, I feel really dirty."
It is strange to see him constantly complaining even in the midst of pain. Of course, it
wasn't long before I could talk like that. It was not easy to watch Jeremy who was
suffering from a high fever with red spots spreading from the nape of his neck down
to his entire body. He couldn't help but be afraid, even though he knew that he would
be completely healed. How ironic it is that even though he is the strongest knight of
the future, he has no choice in the face of illness.

While I stuck by Jeremy's side all day, Elias and the twins also seemed terrified and
downright downcast. The longed-for silence came to the Marquis' residence, but the
air was extremely uneasy. Why did I want my children to be a little gentler? I wanted to
regain the vibrancy that used to haunt the mansion from early morning.

“……Shuri. Are you there……?”

"Yes. I'm here."

"Am I dying...? I think I'm going to die."

"Don't be stupid. Why are you dying?"

"I see. I can't see you wanting to see you..."

When the body is sick, the mind is young. Jeremy muttered something like that in
between, repeating sleeping and waking up all day, seized by her excruciating fever. In
the end, with a strangely desperate expression in her feverish, hazy emerald eyes, she
even said things she would never normally do, about what had happened before her
husband died.

"It's not that I didn't really hate you... I was just jealous because my father seemed to
like you more than us."

"It's okay now. It doesn't matter if you hate it."

"I hated you using my mother's room for nothing. ...But, actually, I can't even remember
her face properly. What does my mother look like...? Shuri, do you know...?"
I knelt down by the bed, put my arms under the covers, and squeezed the boy's fiery
hand. Poor fellow, a boy of the age who desperately needs a real parent... … . But I was
the only one here. As I had done in the past, I ran my hand through her golden hair,
which was drenched in cold sweat, and kissed her pale forehead.

"I'm your mother now. Couldn't you remember my face instead...?"

Jeremy seemed to stare at my face with unfocused dark green eyes, but then wrapped
his arms around my neck and whispered in a deep voice.

"Let the fever go away, Shuri. Stop nagging the Holy Mother to stop bothering me."

How great would it be if I had the ability to do that. However, no matter how much I
had jumped through time, it was impossible to visit and argue with God.

In reality, people were kinder than God. While Jeremy was bedridden, letters of
concern, recommendation letters with advice, and unfamiliar medicines were sent
from various places. Among them, the special poppy candy sent by the Duchess of
Nuremberg along with a short note from her was invaluable in alleviating the pain of
the boy who was struggling with a high fever.

There was one more person to thank. When the incessant coughing and the bright red
spots had finally subsided, Prince Theobald came to visit. He smiled and said he was
sorry he couldn't come sooner.

"I've had measles too, so I'll be fine. I'd love to see that hot-blooded fellow get stuck and
groan."

There was no reason to give up. As a result, Theobald's visit had the effect of spurring
the slow-starting recovery. To be precise, she restored his usual self to Jeremy, who
had lost his spirits after a few days of illness.

"What is it.... what the hell is your highness doing here? It seems that the crown prince
is very idle."

“Why, are you envious?

"It's an abuse of status. You don't even know about noblesse oblige."
… … As usual, he was grinning, but there were very clear signs of recovery. Where will
that hateful rim go?

"Hurry up and get up. I'm going to go fox hunting. Look at the sunburn under your
mother's eyes, you son of a bitch."

“Any mother should be grateful to have a son as good as I am.”

“Well, when are you going to be humble?”

"If the day comes when Your Highness the Crown Prince beats me with swordsmanship,
I'll consider it. Shuri, I'm hungry."

It was just a conversation like that all day long, but Theobald visited Jeremy every day
until he was completely healed and talked to him. This gave me some time to turn my
attention to and soothe my three children, who had been completely anxious over the
course of a few days. It was a kindness to the point of feeling sorry for not knowing in
the past that he was such a good person.

"You, but why did you hit and run like that? It's because I'm really curious."

That was the question Theobald popped up on the evening of the tenth day after the
measles started, as I watched Jeremy eat chicken soup after I had made sure the
other three had finished. It was an incident that even I had half forgotten about.

Jeremy, who had been scratching at the soup plate as if taking resentment over
having not been able to eat properly for several days and was sick, frowned and
glared at the crown prince, but that was all he did.

"Why don't you ask your cousin?"

"Jeremy..."

I nag at a sick person, but I can't help but let out a sigh. It's to the point where it feels
like a pointless fool to have been weak in the past! At me who couldn't hold back tears
of grief, the good-natured prince smiled brightly as if he was really used to it.
"It's okay, ma'am. Haha. You and he are both keeping their mouths shut, so which one
should I bother with?"

“It seems that your cousin hates you quite a bit. But why does he hate you so much?”

"It's sad when you ask me so bluntly. I can't say I hate it. It's probably because I'm a
teenager."

“Unexpectedly, you have a strong tendency to escape from reality.”

"Keuk! Cowardly attack with facts!"

"Aagh! What are you doing to a patient cowardly?!"

I left the two of them tossing and turning on the bed and came out with the tray.

After handing the empty plates and cutlery to the maids, she stopped in the study to
sort through the papers she hadn't seen before, and when she finally came back, for
some reason, both of them were spread out and sleeping.

Suddenly, I noticed an open poppy candy jar lying on the chest of drawers. It was
crushed into powder and added to milk only a little bit, but I guess they thought it was
just candy. I let out a sigh when I looked at the talented people of the future who fell
asleep after chewing and swallowing medicinal candy. Aren't you both old enough to
eat candy?

I hesitated for a moment whether I should try to wake the crown prince, but then I
changed my mind and corrected the posture of the young man and boy who were
sleeping with their arms and legs stretched out indiscriminately, then covered them
with a blanket.

I never thought I would see my eldest son Naemi and the crown prince sleep
peacefully together. I will play with you forever. Watching the two guys who were so
anxious on the inside and soundly asleep on the outside, a common aspect of them
flashed through my mind. Come to think of it, both Theobald and Jeremy lost their
biological mothers at a young age, and were also heirs to the empire and prestigious
families, respectively. It wasn't unreasonable to get that close. Although Theobald's
biological father is still alive, the Emperor I knew was not very kind to his children.
… … Ah, by the way, what happened to the Prince of Nuremberg like that? is it okay The
Duke seems to be a surprisingly strict person... … .

I was humming a song, patting my hands on the soft silk blanket, while thoughts of
boys I hadn't known before raced through my head. It was a lullaby that he sometimes
sang to the twins sometime in the past.

… … Ha ha, I'm sure someone will laugh.

"Flowers already surround the bed

The sheep also entered the pen.

The night owl sings softly, sleep now.

Good night my sweetie my sweet baby.

Protected by angels in dreams,

Sleep well with sweet dreams of paradise, my baby... … ."

***

“……It’s really fortunate that you recovered safely.

"Thank you for your concern. I really enjoyed using the items you sent."

It was a brisk morning in early winter when the sickness that plagued our eldest son
repulsively had finally receded.

I visited the Duke of Nuremberg's residence from early in the morning, and I was sitting
in a drawing room with an antique style different from ours, facing the Duchess. I was
going to pay a visit once in a while to say thanks, but the Duchess first invited me over
for tea.

… … To be honest, I was a little surprised. The symbol of the Bismarck family is a white
eagle clutching the snout of a beast. Among the six predatory beasts that support the
eagle, the best is by far the wolf from the wall, the maternal family with the most royal
blood.
If our Neubanstein family has been responsible for the material support of the
imperial family, the Nuremberg family has been responsible for the stability of the
imperial power and political battles. In the end, the leader of the social world, whose
ranks were divided by family superiority, should definitely be the Duchess Heide von
Nuremberg, the sister-in-law of the current empress, but as I remember, she was not
the type to enjoy social gatherings very much. She was sickly and rather introverted,
she didn't join any faction and always adhered to absolute neutrality.

I still don't know why her eyes look so sad every time I see her, but anyway, why is such
a duchess sitting with a nervous expression on her face, as if hesitating to say
something, inviting me at this point?

Heide, the owner of thin, feeble sky blue hair and a pale, delicate body, looked like a
fragile wax figure. I am sympathetic to the thought that such a frail-looking person
must put so much effort into the backs of the two wolves. Finally, the tone of his
hesitant voice, matching his appearance, was also very quiet.

"Hey, Lady Neuwanstein... Actually, I have something I want to ask you."

"Please? I'll do whatever I can."

Whatever it was, it would be to my advantage to hold the hand she offered first. She
never thought the opportunity to capture the Duchess of the Neutral Zone would
come so soon.

"That's... it's a problem with my son."

I opened my eyes wide for a moment at the words of the Duchess, who whispered while
her pale hands were constantly fidgeting. What is there to ask of me regarding
Confucius-related matters?

"If it's a matter related to Confucius...?"

"... As you may have already noticed, our Nora is a lonely child. She has no siblings and
is not close to her cousins. I can't understand why she is like that, but if she continues
like this, she will only become more and more crooked. It's like..."

The Duchess, who let out a sigh, stared at me with watery eyes full of deep sorrow. I
just listened in bewilderment.
"That's why I wondered if my son would get along with the wife's children and he would
get better... I was amazed at how well your wife handled the children despite her young
age. It must have been natural for her. Mother Even though I'm a child who has closed
my heart to me for a long time, I thought that if you're like a wife and you're the same
age as me, maybe you might open up a bit."

It was a completely unexpected sound. Did I look like I was good with kids? Of course, it
should be much better than in the past, but it is still roasting and frying all day long.

"Um... well, so what exactly do you want me to do? I don't think I can do anything about
the problem of getting close to each other. There needs to be an opportunity for them
to get closer on their own..."

"So, what I want to say is... If it's not an unreasonable request, could you please talk to
my wife, Nora?"

"……네?"

"I know it's a troublesome request. I don't blame you if you refuse. My husband told me
not to do anything unnecessary, but... the heart of a mother and a father's heart are
bound to be different. Once you get closer to your wife, you'll naturally become
friendly with your children... ...."

It wasn't that I couldn't understand the feelings of the Duchess, who was telling me this
far. Nonetheless, it was an embarrassing thing. I've only met him twice, but I don't think
he's that incurable.

Besides, what would I believe that I, a newbie (at least in the eyes of others), would do if
I knew a guy who wouldn't listen to his parents? No matter how much I think about it, it
feels like there is some serious reason for that belief... … .

Even so, is it because of his affinity for the Duchess, or is it because of his compassion
for the boy who will become Jeremy's twin rival? It would have been right to refuse,
saying that my lion cubs were enough, but for some reason I was hesitant.

It was then that the butler's voice resonated with the thumping footsteps. Heide and I
turned our heads at the same time.

"Bocchan? Where did you go again without saying anything?"

"Never mind!"

… … It's really bizarre. It seems that the image has changed since the first time we met.
Back then, though he was a bit rough, he seemed like a nice guy... … ?

"Nora, where are you going? I need to say hello to the customer."

"Nice to meet you, Gongja."

Confucius, who was stomping up the stairs straight to the upper floor without turning
his head whether his mother called or not, suddenly stopped his steps and then
looked back in our direction.

Hmmm, this is a very awkward feeling. Please don't make such a bizarre face like
someone who saw something they couldn't bear to see. I didn't know that you were the
apostle of justice. this guy!

"Ha... it's getting more and more spectacle."

See what that guy has to say. What's so bad about it! It was heartbreaking to see the
Duchess' face pale like her corpse. While I quickly held her hand and smiled that it was
okay, the budding goofy Confucius made a sound of clicking her tongue, and then ran
up the stairs at her blankly. What is it? It's like watching Elias when he was 15 years old.

It was quite pitiful to see the Duchess holding out a handkerchief like blue butterfly
wings and wiping away tears without even opening her mouth. In the end, I felt like a
person who sold my soul to the devil and had to spit it out.

"Once... I'll try."

Undoubtedly, the eyes of the Duchess, who were full of tears, immediately lit up. I can't
help it anymore. I must have been destined to be in charge of other people's children...
…!

I happened to agree to the duchess's request, and for the time being I personally
visited the duke's residence and promised to spend an hour a day with the rebellious
wolf cub. The Duchess insisted that it be right to send Confucius to our mansion, but
who knows what kind of mess it would be if we randomly faced off against the rivals of
fate who were not very good from the first meeting.

"I'm grateful for just being able to do a favor, but how can it be such a hassle..."

"I think it would be better for me to come here for now. Let's see."

"But... then I'll send Nora over there for the first day only and ask her to come."

It seems that this feeble-minded wife is terrified at the thought that I might get away
with a suitable excuse after doing so. No, I shouldn't even dream about it.

***

"Don't follow me! Where's the guy who only gets in the way, can't figure out the subject
and can't tell where he's going?"

"Who's going to interfere?! I'm going to catch a lot more than you? Don't get in the
way!"

"I was laughing at a flying bird and crashed into the castle tower and sat down with a
faint sound. If you catch even one, I'm your sister!"

"Then the big brother will become the little brother?"

"What is he talking about again? Ah..."

"Mom, can't we tell the older brothers to go quickly?"

oh, don't be crazy Me and I, who are happy to see this commotion again.
On a fine early winter afternoon on a relatively warm day, Jeremy and Elias, who had
become so fine that they wondered if they had all died of measles, put on their newly
tailored hunting clothes and were getting ready to go on a fox hunt invited by Prince
Theobald. Haha, in the past, around this time, I started to get a taste for hunting.

Speaking of kind Prince Theobald, even after Jeremy fully recovered, he would often
visit our mansion. It is indeed the easy-going Crown Prince Dawoo who dares to take
the step of meeting outside like today or inviting Jeremy to her imperial palace.

… … Were you such an easy-going person from the start? It seems that the
phenomenon that is different from the past is becoming more and more frequent.

"Come on, all the foxes will run away while you wrestle like that. Hurry up! Be careful
and don't overdo it."

“If a fox or something ran away, would you be able to avoid a lion?”

Jeremy, proudly boasting like a talented person who is far from virtues such as
humility, burst out giggling. Then, as if showing off his quiver, he looked at me with
healthy, mischievous, sparkling emerald eyes.

"Wishing me luck. I'll make a fox scarf for the first one I caught."

"Yes, yes, I'm very looking forward to it."

"Come on, brothers! Bring me a baby fox to raise!"

"Mine too! Get two!"

"Ha! If you catch even one baby, I swear to you, I will call you big brother!"

"No, but this keeps going..."

The two guys on the horse, bickering until the end, and the knights following them
finally rushed out of the front door. I have to mourn in advance for my pitiful forest
friends who have to endure the chase of those ferocious lion cubs and young eagles.
During the daytime, which was finally free thanks to Jeremy and Elias' hunting trip, I
played with the twins to their heart's content until siesta time, when the Prince of
Nuremberg was scheduled to come. After horseback riding with a pony and playing
tag and hide-and-seek together, time had already passed.

After ordering the maids to feed the twins and give them a nap, I too prepared to visit
the duke's residence. All in all, it would be fortunate if it was fortunate that the two
sons went out early today just in time.

"Kuhm, madam?"

"응?"

I had Gwen brush my hair and looked back, but there was Robert with a puzzled look,
which is rare these days. Needless to say, my heart skipped a beat.

"What's going on? Maybe an accident..."

"No, ma'am. It's not like that... Right now outside the mansion are Viscount Yeghoeffer
and others claiming to be small children. What should we do?"

In an instant, my mind went white. My mother and brother came to visit... … ?

ah yes... … I almost forgot. In the meantime, I had instructed Robert to classify

everything on his own, not only from the Neubanstein collateral, but also from my
parents' side. It had only been a while since she had defeated her brother, and she
had no idea her mother would act so quickly.

Gwen, who was combing my hair with a silver brush, seemed to be looking very serious,
and sent a reprimanding look at Robert. Robert cleared his throat.

"I don't think there's any need to meet, ma'am. We'll send it back on our own..."

"no."

"예?"
"Send them into the drawing room on the annex side. We had to meet at least once
anyway."

It reminded me of the last time I saw my mother in the past. My contracted lover was
sitting beside me as I faced her mother, who called her a crazy bitch who didn't know
how to treat her.

At that time, the contract mercenary didn't even tell me, whether it was because he
was too obsessed with acting or because he felt sympathy for me, but he acted like a
scumbag on his own and made my mother run away in a shudder. That was the last
thing I remember of my mother.

It might have been better to just kick him out, but this time I wanted to make it clear
myself. So that he would never try to approach me, this mansion, or the children again
in the future. I never intended to let my own family fawn around my children.

Furthermore, at this point where a lot has changed since I went back in time, I had a
vague feeling that I might be able to find out something I didn't know before. Of
course, from a purely informational point of view.

Fortunately, the two sons are out and the twins are asleep. Confucius was still far from
arriving. And this was inside my mansion, lined with loyal knights. It wouldn't take long
before I dealt with my own family properly and threw them out completely.

Behind the scenes - the ending of a certain fairy tale (1)

"Are you insane? Are you really crazy? What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Oh, really, I mean, there was a reason for that!"

“What is the reason for that?! What was it that dares to punch the prince! If it went
wrong, your right hand would have been cut off by now!”

"It's fine if it doesn't get cut off! What does it matter if your hand isn't cut off?!"
"what?!"

The sound coming from upstairs was so loud that it could be heard all the way to the
backyard entrance where he was standing. Jeremy stood still and listened to him for a
moment, then glanced at the heavily sunken knights and moved on slowly.

Rachel was squatting alone in a corner of the garden in the backyard where it was
raining. He couldn't tell whether it was rain or tears that were streaming down his little
face, but Jeremy guessed in his heart that it was appropriate to cry. As he
approaches, she raises her head. While doing this, there were no chicks that fell into
the water.

“Did you decide to catch a cold?”

“……Huh, huh.”

"It's Elias, but why are you doing this? Did you hit me too?"

Rachel only whimpered and said nothing. Instead of saying something like, "Let's go
inside, I have a real cold," Jeremy wet her hair and wiped the rainwater with the back
of her hand, just looking at her sister.

“……Uh, whimper. Older brother.”

"왜?"

“Huh, is my brother the strongest knight in the empire? Isn’t my brother stronger than
the prince or the crown prince?”

“You say that?

When I answered, ignoring the existence of an annoying Confucius passing through

my head, Rachel widened her wet eyes. It was a look that rarely looked desperate and
desperate.
"Ugh heuk, then, hey, hey oppa-"

"……."

"If anyone tries to do bad things to my fake mother in the future, my brother will get rid
of it."

Jeremy closed his eyes for a moment because of the rainwater running into his eyes.
Suddenly, it flashed, and everything seemed to light up, followed by a rumbling sound
of thunder.

"I will."

"You really have to get rid of it. I swear as a knight."

"Yes. I swear."

At the time, Jeremy was seventeen and Rachel was thirteen. Their legal mother was
only nineteen years old one year.

***

The atmosphere at Marquis Neuwanstein's residence was miserable. Even when the
head of the family, a few years ago, caused a commotion by dragging some vagrant
lovers like street gangsters, it was not so much a mess and disturbing air that
engulfed it. And Elias von Neuwanstein was very aware that the cause of this was
himself.

"How are you?"

"Why don't you go and check it yourself?"

"Ah, a little..."
"You fell asleep exhausted from crying. Are you feeling refreshed?"

The young man with his long, red hair tied back gasped and swallowed a moan at the
elderly maid's merciless scolding. It wasn't unexpected, but how can I express the fact
that he was just as embarrassed as the person concerned?

Princess Heinrich's visit earlier in the day was the starting point of all these troubles.
As for what the two of them were talking about, when Shuri, who literally looked like a
corpse after the princess's death, called them and questioned them, Elias was just
puzzled, but she replied roughly as usual. maybe that was the problem

It was also something I hadn't heard or seen before, and I thought I wanted to make
fun of him halfway, so I just replied as usual, but I didn't expect to take it so seriously.

"I know that I don't have a brain..."

Leon, who was sitting next to Elias, who was muttering self-deprecatingly and
clutching his head, opened his mouth with an extremely serious expression.

"Hyung... did your eldest brother really tell your fake mother not to come to the
wedding?"

Elias thought for a moment that even these people who still stubbornly call them fake
mothers are funny. In that respect, she wasn't very proud of him either.

"How do I know that! Oh, that must be crazy..."

"I don't think so. Even if the older brother is as stupid as the younger brother, he's not
that much of an idiot, right?

It was Rachel who raised the objection. Lady Neubanstein, who had turned 17 last
spring, threw her golden, curly hair annoyedly over one shoulder and stared back and
forth at her two brothers.

“You talk a little harshly, you.”

“It must be the younger brother who is serious. Why did you say that there?”

"Right, I thought he was trying to be funny, but it wasn't funny at all."

As soon as my twin sister spoke on a topic that had been silent until a while ago, as if
she had been waiting for it, she helped out, and then Elias' mouth pierced a piercing
tongue-clicking sound at Leon's tyranny.

"Ah, then why didn't you guys step up and say it? Damn it, the culprit is actually
splashing and I'm the only one who gets hit by the sparks."

"Anyway, then what are you going to do? Is everyone just standing around like this?"

"What do you want to do, Rachel?"

"I don't have to go to my older brother and try and argue. I'll have to find out what the
fool is thinking."

“I really wonder when you were so good at acting.”

Despite grumbling, Elias found himself agreeing with his sister. It's not that it's not, the
older brother he knew was far from the personality of avoiding problems, but he was
far away. If he wanted to give such a notice, he would undoubtedly have vomited
himself.

"Okay, sweet sister. Then let's go and get rid of that gaudy idiot."

Jeremy was on duty at the imperial palace at that time. Despite the fact that the crown
prince gave her a day off, Elias thought that she was very inflexible as she persevered
in her work until the night before the wedding. Anyway, if you're stupid, your body
suffers, and hyung is really... … .

"Hey, aren't you the Neubanstein Young-Yoons? Good evening. Are you here to see Sir
Jeremy?"
Elias was momentarily troubled by the question asked by an administrative official
who was walking past the hall of the main palace and greeted him happily. She came
here on purpose, but what if that ferocious person is in a bad mood?

… … oops, i don't know

"Now, listen carefully, younger brothers. I'll go in first and get a feel for the
atmosphere, so you guys should wait outside."

The twins nodded their heads obediently, as if they had similar concerns. Elias bravely
entered her office, thinking that we are one blood, with the temperament of seeing her
recklessly on the subject of not even thinking about handling her back.

"Hey, the handsome Guards commander! Are you very busy?"

The young man, who had been sitting with his back turned and staring out the window
with the unit commander's journal casually thrown on the desk, slowly turned his head.

A tall young knight with gorgeous blond hair covering his ears, blazing dark green
eyes, and a sculptural appearance.

It was Jeremy von Neubanstein, the lion of Neuwanstein and the sword of the crown
prince, the strongest knight in the Empire, who was just one day ahead of the wedding
of the century.

The dark eyes, as if not recognizing the visitor, blinked several times before slowly
regaining focus.

"What is it? Why are you here?"

“I came to see if my one and only brother is okay.”

"What else wouldn't be okay?"

Jeremy sighed, and turned his gaze out the window again. It also doesn't look good. I
can't help but feel good... … . Swallowing her wry smile, Elias pulled a chair near her
and sat down on his own.

"You're finally getting married tomorrow, brother. You've been procrastinating for four
years, but have you finally made up your mind?"

"……."

In the midst of a silence that was difficult to describe in words, Elias managed to
suppress the urge to grab his brother by the collar and shake him roughly. Let's be
patient, he will be noisy inside, so let's be patient for a little bit out of consideration. I'm
never afraid to put up with it... … .

"Well, it's not like I don't know how you feel."

"……."

"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if he had just left."

“Why do you uselessly imagine things that never happened?”

"Your brother doesn't think so?"

"I used to do it sometimes. So, whenever I'm angry, it's a way to control myself."

"I didn't know you were such a self-controlled person."

Normally, something should have flown around here, but surprisingly, Jeremy didn't
react much. Seeing her uncharacteristic appearance, Elias again swallowed her bitter
smile, crossed her long legs, and sat back comfortably.

"Remember when we first met him? We were all turned upside down. Relatives
whispered that if he ever had a baby, we'd be left with a cold meal, and his father
clings to him every day, it wasn't even a fuss. What was so uneasy about?" I don't even
remember what I did now."
"We were all young, fools."

"...I was very young."

Including him, Elias muttered something behind his back as he followed his older
brother's gaze and looked out the window. By now it was snowing. The sight of the
dome roofs of the rugged imperial palace shrouded in darkness glowing white in the
snow felt uncommon.

It was too late when he realized that she was a child no different from them. The
environment around them had changed rapidly, the responsibilities on her girl's
shoulders were heavy, and equally strong barriers had been erected between the girl
and them.

"It's not like I don't know why you're so lazy."

Jeremy lowered his eyes bitterly as his younger brother's chatter flowed through one
ear. If she was Elias, of course she would know. I don't know if she knows Shuri.

If anyone asked what kind of existence Shuri was to them, they had nothing to say.
How should I answer such a question? Her emotional depth was far too deep to be
called a sister, but it was much more complicated to be called a mother. As such, there
was a deformed corner in their relationship.

It was 7 years. A total of nine years, including the years before their father's death.
They grew up with her for nearly a decade, starting in their early teens and half of
their lives until now. He is the eldest of the siblings, with a girl who is only two years
older than him and has the title of guardian.

It was never easy. At times, it was even disappointing. He was her direct successor and
he was a man, so why did she always stand up and try to take on everything? Why did
she try to take responsibility by herself, even after receiving all sorts of swearing?

Of course, he knew that he and his younger siblings were also responsible for that.
Because it was them who cut off the hand of the girl who had been approaching with a
smile from the beginning. You're not my mother, and she never will be. It was they who
teased her with her hurtful voices, her throwings, and her nasty pranks. The only
excuse is that they were all immature.

At the same time, would it be a contradiction if she feared that she would leave them
after her father died? Is the human mind so easy to control and so simple... … ?
When I was an immature boy, whenever I saw a girl who was always under the same
roof, always within reach, I would fall into a strange feeling. Sometimes she blamed
herself for not having her offspring, other times she prayed to her god that she
wouldn't be so annoyingly pretty.

Then, at some point, whenever others called her stepmother, she began to annoy her.
Why do writers who don't know anything treat other people's mothers as stepmothers
and stepmothers?

The complex mass of emotions that are difficult to express with any words has become
a deformed skein that is more tightly entangled rather than unraveling as the years
go by. It was to the point where I couldn't define who she was in one word. What was
certain was that she couldn't imagine leaving them, and that she couldn't bear to have
someone insult her.

It was probably the same for Elias. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have recklessly
punched the 2nd prince then... … .

All that she had done as their mother in those seven years. Did she really think they
knew nothing? Did you really think that they didn't know anything about it all and
wouldn't even bother to find out?

Another day, when Jeremy contracted measles and struggled in agony for countless
nights, did she even know how much the tears she shed beside him weighed on his
heart... … ?

"But it was going to be like this anyway. If that's the case, why are you so lazy? I'd rather
just quickly-"

"Do you have any thoughts?"

"I don't know, because the twins took all our brains."

"If I had gotten married right then, I would have become the head of a household, just
as people hoped. How can you see everyone getting excited?"

Needless to say, Elias' chin fell helplessly at Jeremy's act of speaking in a way that
lacked even such basic knowledge.
"Hyung... Then you're saying that you did it simply because you wanted to see what
other people liked? Hyung, what the hell...? What are you doing?!"

"Should you step on me like I did when I was young? As you know, I hate useless fights
and I hate politics. What if I got married at the age of 17?"

"어……."

"You think you know everything just because you're called Shuri? Are you pretending
not to know how many people grind their teeth at her, or did you really not know? Do
you think everything ends with a happy ending once you inherit the title? From then
on Don't you know it's the real beginning?"

"No, I..."

"Of course, I couldn't put it off any longer. The more I mess around with him, the harder
it gets for him. I just... damn it, I just wanted to put it on hold until I've built up the
ability to perfectly protect him after I've inherited everything. "

Elias was now sitting with a very speculative expression on his face. Seeing her tsk,
Jeremy now took off her gloves and began scrubbing the hilt of her sword resting in
her lap. It was a habit that popped out whenever her head was complicated.

“Anyway, I don’t want to get married, and being the head of a household doesn’t suit
my spirit, but my mother wants to take a break, right?

"……형."

"And why?"

"Then why did you tell him not to come to the wedding?"

There was a moment of silence as the two brothers exchanged glances. Jeremy said
that she stared at Elias for a long time with terrifying eyes, as if she had been asked a
pitiful question that she hadn't even listened to, and then she finally said this.
"What bullshit?"

It was then that the door to the tightly closed office suddenly opened without warning.
The only people who could have done this were twins. The twins, who apparently
overheard everything from outside the door, entered with an unusual force and
immediately started roaring at Jeremy.

"Brother, then, after all, you didn't say that? Are you saying you never told your fake
mother not to come to the wedding?"

"Big brother, explain what happened logically. Did your fiancee misinterpret
something, or is he just pretending not to know?"

“……Hey, what the hell are you all talking about right now? Who told you not to come to
the wedding?”

Seeing Jeremy literally stunned, Elias suddenly felt his heart thump and drop. Damn it!
It wasn't like that either! Now this might be a good-

"My older brother told his fake mother not to come to the wedding, and my brother's
fiancée said that? Are you saying that's not true?"

Perhaps it was because he was in the middle of a mystery novel these days, but thanks
to Leon's remarks thrown in an interrogation style, silence flowed once again. While
Elias froze with an indescribable expression on his face, Jeremy wanted to blink her
eyes for a moment before she slowly got up. And… … .

"What's wrong?!"

"Oh, brother, wait, wait!"

It was Rachel who hung on to Jeremy, who was about to run away with his sword in his
hand. Rachel yelled at her as she nearly clung to her older brother's arm.

"Calm down! Let's discuss how this happened! The opponent is my brother's fiancee!"

"I don't know what you're worried about, but I don't hit women anyway! Because that's
against chivalry..."
"If you look at my brother's momentum right now, do you think it's enough to kill him?
Cool your head and sit down!"

Rachel has often shouted in a tone similar to Shuri's lately, and fortunately it worked.
Elias and Leon exchanged stunned glances while Jeremy, who had immediately
rushed out and spewed bloody death threats that would have killed anyone, took a
long, deep breath and returned to his seat.

"Brother, you mean you didn't tell him not to come to the wedding or anything like
that?"

"You say that, now! Who am I getting married for!"

"Then do you have any idea why your fiancée said that?"

"No! I'm really going crazy!"

Jeremy, who responded with a tone of exasperation, let out a sigh that suppressed the
heat he was now engulfed in, and gently pressed his hand to the bloody temple.
Rachel let out a laugh.

"I knew this would happen someday. That's why I said I didn't like her!"

"Oh, dear sister, I don't think this is the time to be saying such things..."

"What do you know, little brother? You've grown up by talking nonsense!"

"What nonsense was that guy talking about?"

At Jeremy's question, which was asked in a more subdued tone, Elias desperately
began to shake his head, but Rachel clearly ignored it and confessed it straight away,
obediently.
"My fake mother asked us why my brother was like this and asked if we could say
something, but my little brother told us not to come back and said, wouldn't it be
funnier if he came and was embarrassed? So the fake mother cried-"

"Elias!"

"Ah, why do you only have me?! I was so flustered that I didn't know what to say!"

After the commotion had passed in that way, the four siblings were now sitting side by
side with their heads together with serious expressions on their faces.

The first to speak was Leon, who is known for being the brainiest of the siblings. The
young man, who looked exactly like Jeremy's seventeen-year-old, but more skinny and
studious, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and rhymed in a polite,
interrogative tone.

"Big brother, just don't get married. That seems like the best way."

"Yes, oppa. I'd rather just break off the engagement with a girl like that!"

Unlike Leon and Rachel, who inevitably grind their teeth alike, as if they were not twins,
Elias was giving shock and fear to the siblings by facing the problem more
realistically.

“If my older brother leaves the wedding day before the wedding day without any
reason that anyone can understand, such as a scandal on the part of the bride,
Princess Heinrich will have no such disgrace. The one who gets into trouble over that
issue must be Shuri, not my older brother."

"No, then the younger brother is telling the older brother to just marry such an
insidious woman?"

"Shouldn't you have figured out by now that she's such an insidious woman? It's not
even the kind of marriage you were going to marry because you really liked it anyway. I
mean, how many of our aristocrats marry because they really love each other? Damn
it, what the hell is that damn woman?" I don't know why he said such a thing, but kill
him or save him, or get a divorce, after you get married. If what you said to me earlier
is true!"
In the last paragraph, Elias' voice exploded. Jeremy stared blankly at her eldest
brother while her twins froze with her eyes wide open, then she said curtly.

"Are you mad at me now?"

“……No. You’re angry with that woman.”

"Anyway, there's a point in what you said. If I suddenly ask for a breakup, Shuri will end
up taking over all the trouble. It's obvious what other people who like biting will say."

“Then oppa, are you planning to just get married like this?”

Jeremy just put on a complicated look at Rachel's cautious tone of question. Then
Leon opened her mouth as if to sigh again.

"Big brother, I have a good idea."

“What is it, our scholar?”

"If my brother really just intends to get married, then pretend he doesn't know
anything and go to the wedding hall tomorrow. Then one of us goes home before the
ceremony and brings the fake mother. The trending one..."

“A surprise event?”

"Yes! That's right, Rachel. That. Surprise. Make it look like you're organizing a surprise
event. Then, wouldn't the fake mother be happy and her nose a little bit down?"

Udang-tang-tang!

Erias suddenly fell from the chair and fell to the ground, so Leon, who continued to
speak triumphantly, and Rachel, whose eyes began to twinkle, let out a short scream at
the same time. Either that or not, Elias jumped up gallantly and now rushed at her one
and only brother, her red hair in a high ponytail flying wildly.
"What a splendid piece of shit! It's our little scholar! Do you have any great ideas like
that!"

"Quaaaagh! I'm out of breath!"

It was then that Jeremy, who had been listening silently, hit his knee vigorously with
the palm of his hand. While the three younger brothers looked back at the same time,
Neuwanstein's lion opened his dark-green eyes terrifyingly and slowly, very slowly,
parted his lips. A gruesome growl came up through the neck.

"Does Shuri really like it?"

“……Maybe it is? There is no one who hates surprise events.”

"Damn it, I got it. Then I'll sacrifice myself to plan an event for his surprise or surprise."

"Um, eldest brother over there, I have an additional idea..."

It took some time for Rachel, whose eyes were shining bright like stars, as if she was
drenched in excitement, to continue her words. As the three no Ivanstein men waited
with her patience, Rachel finally gasped her breath and proposed.

"When the fake mother comes, then we all call her mother. How is it?"

“Aren’t you and Leon going to call you fake mothers again?”

"No! I'm just going to call you mom! So, call my older brothers 'mother' too! Don't
chuckle like usual! Say thank you with all your heart for raising me well!"

In that way, the Yeochajeocha event was planned. It was concluded that Rachel would
take on the role of picking up Shuri in the middle. And that special planning event
never saw the light of day.

***
The place where the wedding of the century, which has been on the lips of people for
several months, is held in the central cathedral of Wittelsbach. It was impossible to
count even the crowds gathered in the huge cathedral, which boasts a rich history
that was built in the early days of the founding of the country.

The wedding of Princess Heinrich, reputed to be the most beautiful woman in the
capital, and the heir to Neubanstein, who is also the object of envy of all ladies.

The status of the guests alone made the imperial palace banquet a luxury, and even
the princes attended it.

"Lady Neuwanstein hasn't been seen yet."

"Really. Perhaps..."

"Oh, oh. I can't believe it..."

Elias nervously checked the time, thinking, "I hope everyone just shut up." There are
only a few minutes left until the ceremony begins. Rachel: Why did that guy take so
long? How long does it take to get home from here... … !

"You haven't come yet?"

"Still."

Jeremy, dressed in a fancy white robe, also had an uneasy look in his eyes. Speaking
of Leon, she said she had to go with her too, and she sighed heavily.

"He'll only come in the middle of the ceremony. Isn't he coming when the reception
starts?"

"Well, I can't help it, but I hope people shut up."

"I think the only groom who wants the guests at his wedding to shut up is probably the
older brother."
In the end, Rachel didn't come back even after the ceremony.

The appearance of Princess Heinrich in a dazzling white dress that looked like it was
woven from spider webs was enough to make the men in the guest seats let out a sigh
of grief, but Jeremy was still engrossed in the two women who showed no signs of
appearing.

It might have been just his idea, but Shuri didn't even need a wedding dress to attract
people's attention. He didn't even need a smile. With just a frown on her face, she
could mesmerize every man around her.

… … I don't know if you know that or not.

Anyway, that was one of Jeremy's strengths and weaknesses. The fact that if you get
lost in one thought, you may not care about what is going on around you.

He really paid no attention to the fact that this moment was, in some ways, the most
important moment of his life, the moment when he finally emerged from an ill-fated
heir to a full-fledged marquis.

Perhaps it was because she felt the cold air flowing from his expressionless eyes,
O'Hara stood in front of the altar with a bright smile and gave some strength to her
clasped hands.

Jeremy glanced at her and gave her a knife-like smile. It was an act without much
thought, but for some reason, the priest's shoulders twitched.

"Jeremy von Neubanstein. You take O'Hara von Heinrich as your wife in front of the
Gods of the Father and the Holy Mother..."

thud!

As the door to the ceremony hall was violently thrown open without notice, the voice of
the priest who was officiating the ceremony was cut off abruptly. Jeremy looked back.
Elias and Leon, who were sitting impatiently in the guest seat, also jumped up and
looked back in unison. finally, finally... … !
"Oh, brother!"

For a moment, Jeremy thought it was because he was excited by Rachel's stubborn
position. The emerald-colored eyes that gleamed vividly from her pale face were
calling him anxiously.

But somehow, when he saw the Prince of Nuremberg standing beside his sister in a
stripe (secret police) uniform, he immediately and instinctively realized that something
was terribly wrong.

"Oh, brother! Brother!"

Elias and Leon were running towards Rachel, who knelt down on the floor and began
to struggle, sobbing. She couldn't hear what the hell she was talking about.

Confucius strode past the crowd, which quickly became noisy, and held out one hand
toward him with an expressionless face like an ice statue. Jeremy immediately
recognized the peridot brooch resting on the rough palm of a black glove. He couldn't
recognize him. It was something he had bought for her four years ago during her
country's founding celebration while visiting her marketplace. So to her, to Shuri, to
their mother.

"Brother!"

He stared blankly into the shadowy blue eyes in front of him and slowly turned his
head away. His sister was sitting on the floor and crying. My 13-year-old sister, who was
sitting alone in the rain in a corner of the garden, cried out to him.

"If anyone tries to do bad things to my fake mother in the future, my brother will get rid
of it."

Jeremy closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. She tries to answer, but
no voice comes out. She couldn't breathe better than that.

"I will."
"You really have to get rid of it. I swear as a knight."

"Yes, I swear."

Chapter 3 - Winter's Dream (2)

For two years after I married my husband, none of my family members came to visit
me. There was not even contact. I wouldn't have been able to do it even if I wanted to. It
would have been strange if he hadn't snooped around to see if anything else would
fall on the daughter he literally sold out, but there was a reason for not doing so. It
was crucial that her husband severely blocked access.

Now that her husband had died, it was not unusual for them to come running as if
they had been waiting.

Even if the father, who was crazy about gambling and fighting dogs, paid off his debts
for selling his daughter, there was no way that habit would go anywhere. As for my
mother and older brother, I couldn't forget the sweetness of making a fortune once I
tasted it.

Like my husband's collaterals, my parents' family had no regard for the well-being of
me or the children. My mother wanted her daughter, who had become the first widow
in history, to remarry whoever she wanted. When that failed, she instead hung on
miserably, making all sorts of material demands.

In the present, where I didn't have the irrational numbers of contract-hired lovers like
in the past, I had to cut off my blood relatives on my own.

"I'm sorry about the last time, hey. I got a little excited... You said too much."

Unlike Lucas, who constantly chatted and singled out while I sat silently and
expressionlessly, my mother's side was staring at me with a stiff face as if chewing
something. To be precise, he was examining me in a lavish outing dress and jewellery.
Bitterness came over me from the insidious light that flashed in the same bright green
eyes as mine. A person like this is the mother who gave birth to me... … .

“How do you respond when your brother apologizes so much?”

Unsurprisingly, the mother's voice, filled with disapproval, burst into laughter.

"Ah, mother, I'm fine..."

"What's okay, what's okay! Anyway, nothing cheap. Do you think that place is entirely
yours? Who made that place? A girl who doesn't even know the subject raises her nose
with a cheeky face like that?"

"Ah, mother. Don't do that. Calm down. Come on, relax a bit..."

Watching the hat like an actor performing a play, I wondered why I hadn't sensed such
a clumsy and cluttered atmosphere in the past. At the time, I had never felt so
indifferent and cold. Even though my parents had never treated me warmly, my heart
would weaken when I complained to them with tears even after making a fuss like that.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't moved by my parent's game against my own child. And
I was desperate to get out of disbelief.

Why is the parent-child relationship so complicated? The family members who

struggled to cut it off with my own hands while suffering from the clash of
contradictory emotions, and finally got rid of it by borrowing the help of others.

… … But now my family was only my children.

As I continued to keep a silent expression on my face, my mother wanted to keep an

eye on me, but quickly changed into a condescending tone.

"It's because I'm sad, I'm sad! My daughter-in-law, whom I've barely seen in two years,
doesn't seem to care about my poor mother! How could I have written a letter to Miu
and Gou, who are my children..."

"Get out."

There was silence for a while. While both my mother and Lucas stared at me with
suspicious expressions on their ears for a moment, I slightly raised the corner of my
mouth and spat out in a tone that sounded very similar to Jeremy's even though I
heard it with my own ears.
"I wanted to hear what you were going to say, but it was a waste of time. Mrs.
Yeghoeffer, you said that you were a foreigner. You said you had nothing to do with
me anymore. It's just a temporary house, so you have to keep everything well and
return it to your children. So, don't come all the way up here with your hard-earned
money, and live comfortably where you are with your son whom you love so much."

While I was talking, Lucas' face turned red, but he seemed to be barely restraining
himself, perhaps because he was conscious of the knights outside. But his mother
couldn't. I thought the tea cups on the table were overturning, but the next moment,
her strong grip was holding my hair!

"I don't know the grace that I gave birth and raises the beasts!

thud!

Whatever curse mother was about to spit was cut short by knights who rushed inside
without warning and without warning roughly crushed her torso on the table. A shrill
scream rang out.

“Madam, are you all right?”

I nodded, tidying up my scattered hair with my hand. Not paying attention to the
screaming Viscountess or the frozen Lucas, the knights who were examining me asked
again in cool, calm voices.

"How do I dispose of it?"

"That, what! No, hey, knights, how disrespectful is this?! I'm your master's mother! I'm
the grandma of the sons of this house!"

"Shut up."

At the sound of a sandy-haired knight drawing his sword and growling, the mother
stopped screaming and quickly fell silent.

I glanced at the knights to let them go, and then got up.
"You see, Viscountess. Don't come back again. If you wander around me or my children
one more time, then you'll be in even more trouble than you are now."

Although at one time in my childhood I loved her so much and longed for her
affection. The old saying that blood is thicker than water is ridiculous. What did she
wish for and let her into her? She knew for sure that she would end up like this
anyway... … .

The mother, who was finally freed from the iron-like hands of the knights, sat on the
floor gasping for breath. She did, but she let go of her throat and began to weep
loudly. While she sobbed and lamented all her circumstances, Lucas, moving quickly,
knelt on her floor and grabbed the hem of her dress with mine. I removed him and
raised his hand to the approaching knights, tilting his head slightly.

“Shuri, my dear sister, please don’t throw away your mother even for the sake of our
childhood. It was just because she was sad. That's right. It's still hard, but it seems like
you're ignoring me, so it's sad..."

"야!"

It was at that time that I heard a tremendous shout from an unexpected person who
resounded out of nowhere. Needless to say, I, who stood with a cold expression on my
face, Lucas, who begged me by the hem of my clothes, and my mother, who wept as if
the world had ended, both flinched and turned their heads at the same time. Speaking
of knights, they started exchanging glances with eyes that looked strangely flustered.

“No, Gongja-nim! The lady has ordered that no one enter this place…!”

The voice of our faithful Robert, who was scurrying after us, was indeed faintly muffled.
The elderly butler was now trying to avoid my reprimanding glances by adopting the
most sorrowful and pleading expression.

… … Of course, since the opponent is the opponent, there must have been a limit to
Robert's ability to stop him, but no, why the hell is that guy coming out of there?!

Little Wolf Confucius, who had no way of knowing why he had come so far ahead of the
scheduled time, had a glass of juice in one hand and a huge cookie in his mouth that
must have been given by the maids, but he shouted well.

"You sure I warned you... Damn it, wait, eat this."

Surprisingly, Nora, who dumped the giant cookie in one bite and chewed it down,
strode straight towards us. Then he growled with a terrifying force that sent chills
down the spine.

"You and I are all. This girl... No, I told you not to touch her!"

Lucas seemed to have come to his senses while I was panicking. He immediately
jumped up and stood proudly facing Gongja. … … Despite the age difference, the two
of them had similar physiques, so there was nothing particularly majestic about them.

"Mmm, you freshman with no blood in your head, get lost in adult affairs! She's my
sister?!"

"Old man? Do you think poop sacks are piled up this high these days? Did you forget
to warn me not to even think about it and not to see it in your dreams?!"

"This, this young son of a bitch dares to be around my sister..."

“Have you been an idiot since birth, or did you try to be that way?”

Confucius uttered an unheard-of sound and carefully set the juice glass down on the
table where the tea cups were scattered. Then, with a sudden and rough momentum
that didn't go well with the usual movements, Lucas lifted his leg and kicked Lucas in
the stomach, and Lucas had to collapse on the floor with a truly pitiful moan.

"Is it good because it's right? Is it dizzy? Your voice is low, son of a bitch!"

"Haaaaaagh!"

"Lucas!"

The mother ran to her screaming and kicking son, who immediately glared at me. Even
though my eyes are the same, I couldn't imagine that my eyes could be so ugly.
"So you're right, did you bring in such a young squire now? It's not enough to pamper
the knights for sitting in the marquess family..."

"What is this, this lady again. Her face is metaphysically terrible? Do the knights in this
house not work?"

The faithful knights were glaring at the young Confucius now with very speculative
expressions on their faces. It was at that time that I grabbed the arm of the confident
Confucius at the thought of coming to someone else's house and doing things on his
own.

"Prince of Nuremberg?"

The Prince of Nuremberg didn't answer for a while, just staring at my face with those
blue eyes, and then finally said this.

"It's just Nora."

… … I have nothing to say. Anyway, what happened last time is embarrassing enough,
but what kind of disgrace is this to show you like this again!

While I sighed and couldn't hold back the tears of grief, Robert stepped forward and
made a quick gesture towards the knights. While the knights moved as if they had
waited and dragged my mother and brother out, they made no further noise. No, I
wouldn't have done it even if I wanted to.

"Hey, if you really get caught just one more time, then I'll peel off your real skin. Keep it
in that ugly head!"

The fiercest gazes of our knights poured down on young Confucius, who growled
menacingly until the very end. For some reason, they looked like they didn't like it.

"Shit, anyway, adults these days can't understand what I'm saying..."

"……."

"Big, there, so, ma'am...? Are you okay?"

“……It’s okay. You arrived earlier than expected. I’m sorry to see you like this-”

"Why is your wife apologizing to me? There is a degree to being polite."

What the hell do kids these days eat to develop a talent for making others speechless?

I looked up, trying to calm my burning cheeks, and there were blue eyes like the clear
autumn sky staring at my face. At times like this, it's no different than a first
impression... … .

“Are those people really family?”

There was no such thing as a million-dollar question. I smiled bitterly and shook my
head.

"Not anymore."

"Well, I'm glad if you made up your mind..."

"Hey, Gongja. Could you just pretend you don't know what happened last time as well
as what happened today?"

"It's Nora. And don't worry. Who am I going to tell?"

No matter how you look at it, Confucius scratching his head and replying coolly was
on a different level from the rebellious look he saw at the duke's residence. Which one
of these boys is the real one?

"Oh, but why is my mother telling me to deny it and meet her? What kind of speaking
class is she talking about?"

… … Well, that must have been the excuse that the feeble-minded Duchess came up
with to coax her son. Rather, I think I should learn something from a boy whose
vocabulary and expressive power are phenomenal, right?
"Well, it's very obvious how my mother's thoughts are going, but... I hate being tied
down like that. So if your wife wants to get close to me at my mother's request, I'd say
no."

Ayu, is that so? It was a very crooked symbol, but it wasn't that I couldn't understand it.
Yes, well, from that point of view, of course it could be. That's when... … .

"Well, I can't say it's because of the Duchess's request. I've only been close to her for a
while... and above all, I wanted to thank Gongja for keeping quiet about what
happened last time."

As I spoke with a smile, the blue eyes stared straight into my eyes. It looked rather
suspicious. But my words were also somewhat sincere, so I had nothing to hold back.

"How many times do you say Nora?"

“……Okay. Then Nora, if Nora doesn’t want to talk to me, there’s nothing I can do.

There was silence for a moment. I was thinking about the future of this boy I knew, as
the delirious boy stared at me with sharp blue eyes.

Let's see, I was ordained a knight on the same day as Jeremy, so I'll be a knight next
year... … . Then later, Jeremy joined the imperial guard, but where did this guy go... … ?

"You don't have to show respect to me, but it's uncomfortable."

"……."

"Anyway, I'll think about it and make a decision. Today seems to be wrong, so I think it's
better to just rest. If they bother you again, feel free to contact me..."

"Do you like chocolate?"

"Oh, are you there?"

So, Nora devastated Nambu special chocolate at our house and went home. It was a
shame because there were plenty of other snacks left for the kids.

While young Confucius was leaving the mansion in a triumphant spirit, the expressions
of our knights glaring at him were not unusual. It was as if he was glaring at a wolf cub
that had crawled into an ownerless lion's den and stirred it up.

***

Jeremy and Elias returned late in the evening. As the twins screamed at the baby fox
and rushed forward, Jeremy leaped off the horse and roared loudly with the majestic
spirit of a triumphant general.

"Look, Shuri! I brought your fox scarf!"

So, the hunt was really successful. Not just one, but three! It was indeed a move worthy
of the strongest knight of the future. oh wow, that's special!

"I caught one!"

"Ha! Get rid of the gaudy work that won't even work, younger brother."

"Ah, that's right I caught it! So I was there earlier..."

"Why isn't there a baby fox?! I told you to bring me and Leon's!"

"Where is the baby fox this season, fool!"

"Mom! The brothers didn't keep their promise! My father said that a man must keep his
word!"

"Did you keep it?! You kept the word that I said I'd make you a fox scarf?!"
While the children clamored among themselves and ran inside to change their clothes,
I greeted Prince Theobald, who got off the horse with that good-natured smile.

"You must be tired, but I didn't go to the imperial palace right away..."

“Haha, since you lent your precious sons, you should say thank you and go.”

"Are you hungry? Would you like to have dinner with me?"

"That's a very welcome invitation."

Theobald nodded softly before suddenly standing and looking down at me with soft
golden eyes slightly frowning. As if he had something to say, he was just looking at him
with a puzzled expression, but the next moment, a strange sound that he could not
have imagined at all came out of nowhere.

"Ma'am. I think I have a crush on you too."

… … Yes?

While I didn't even think to ask a question and had a stupid face that was difficult to
describe, the unexpected prince blushed at the sudden thought, but started blinking
his golden eyes in bewilderment.

"No, that's why I'm sorry, I don't know, stop, all these examples..."

"……."

"That, that, forgive the rudeness. I never meant to play around with your wife... that's it,
I'm perfectly sincere, but uh, that, I guess I'll have to go."

I couldn't bear to hold on to Theobald's vague figure as he quickly turned around

after talking nonsense by himself, saying he had to leave, and I just stared at him. what
the hell just happened?
"Shuri, I'm hungry!"

If my eldest son hadn't screamed like I was some kind of cook after running down the
crappy stairs, I'd probably have stood there all night, completely bewildered.

I quickly came to my senses and shook my head. Calm down, calm down! I must have
misunderstood something, or the absurd prince just made a mistake. Cancer, because
the word "falling in love" can be interpreted in many ways... … .

"Oh, why did Theo just leave? He pretended to die of hunger."

"I kicked him out."

When I replied without a second's hesitation, Jeremy's sparkling emerald eyes instantly
widened.

"왜?"

“Well, Your Highness said that he wanted to eat fox meat, but he said that once I
decided on the menu, I couldn’t change it.”

"What? What is it, that hyung, I can't catch anything on my own, but now that I see it, I
can't help but be greedy!"

Sending my heartfelt condolences to the young eagle who became a greedy prince
who tried to eat other people's prey after he couldn't catch a single one, I led my two
sons to the restaurant.

Since the twins had already eaten dinner, only the three of us sat down at the table,
including me. Unlike me, who had lost my appetite due to an incident not too long ago,
my two sons devastated the food like animals at a local livestock fair.

"Oh, so I caught one!"

"He's making amends! I caught everything I caught last! Shuri, you don't have to listen
to this guy..."
"Why is your bastard always fretful that he can't take all the credit alone?! You mean
man!"

"...it must have been very interesting."

When I interrupted with a sigh, the two guys, who were both inhaling the pork dish and
screaming loudly at the same time, began to show off their contributions with green
jewel-like eyes.

"Don't even say it, it was so much fun! It would have been nice if this guy and Theo
didn't groan..."

"You're kidding, who made everyone run away from the start by squawking like a lion!"

"Oh man, when did I do that?!"

Ooh, I can imagine The image of Jeremy, who would have burst with pride and let out
a lion's roar at his poor forest friends. I really would have liked to see it. In the end,
Elias, who had been hit on the head with a knife by my brother, rubbed her hair
vigorously before suddenly turning her eyes toward me.

"Anyway, Shuri, next time you go too..."

"Absolutely not!"

Elias stopped talking and dropped his fork loudly as Jeremy suddenly let out a loud
roar while dissecting the stuffed pie. The maids pouring the milk almost spilled the
milk bottles on the tablecloth.

"Ah, surprise. Why is hyung suddenly screaming and making a fuss?!"

"It's because you keep talking bullshit, you idiot! Anyway, absolutely no way. It's
dangerous."

"Oh, it's a trend these days for young girls to participate in hunting, you slow-witted
human!"
"That's it! This is this!"

"What is that and this is this! Hyung is a bit out of it! I just need to protect him?!"

"Oh, is that so? A guy who's about to shoot an arrow on the ground is going to protect
who?"

Contrary to Jeremy's reckless reaction, Elias had a point. To be precise, it started to

be fashionable among noble ladies rather than young ladies, and rather than
participating in a real hunt, it was to go together and watch the men hunt and enjoy
dinner.

… … However, it is still a long way from being completely fashionable. Moreover, I was a
woman who had recently been separated from her current husband.

"Well, when you guys grow up, let's go together then."

Needless to say, both of them, who had been engaged in a courageous battle with
kitchen knives, instantly changed into very speculative expressions. Ha ha ha, how
does it taste, these. It's still a long way from you guys protecting me.

***

I certainly tried to pass it off as an overreaction, but contrary to what I thought, it

seemed Prince Theobald hadn't made a mistake that day. If it weren't for that, there's
no way he would come to me on this fine afternoon and sit with such a tense face on
his face.

The windows of the tightly closed parlor were steaming white. It was the time when the
amaryllis, which is called the living calendar, was in full bloom, and it was a time when
Christmas was soon to come.

It was only after the maids who had served hot tea and refreshments had completely
withdrawn that Theobald finally opened his mouth hesitantly.
"Lady Neuwanstein. I hope you will forgive me for my earlier rudeness. So I know very
well how many old... you are suffering right now. I never intended to be one of them."

How should I respond to these words?

As he said, there were a lot of people who approached me, the temporary head of the
Neubanstein family. There were writers who, regardless of their social status and age,
were openly and bluntly pushing forward. Seriously, in the past, I would have even put
in an irrational number of contract hires for my girlfriends.

Of course, now I have the strength to defeat such people on my own, but... … . It was
after he had instructed Robert to burn all the love letters flying in one after another
that looked like them. And Robert seemed to be carrying out the task very zealously.
No, but... … .

The prince, who had been talking nonsense with his head half bent, finally raised his
face. The soft golden eyes, the symbol of the imperial family, stared at my face with the
most strange emotion. It was an expression that looked affectionate, as if drawing
something, but was somewhere far away.

"It's the first time I've ever had anything like this, so I'm embarrassed... but when I look
at you, I think of my late mother."

"……예?"

"I'm serious. You're a person who reminds me of my mother, whose face I can't even
remember anymore. That's why I miss you and feel warm when I'm with you."

Should I call it an honor for the family to make the stern crown prince think of the
former empress? … ? I don't know how her former empress came to be, but I know that
the current Empress Elizabeth cherishes her stepson more than her real son. Of
course, that doesn't mean she can completely forget her birth mother. Just like my
children did. Phew, raising someone else's child isn't really easy... … .

In any case, it was an embarrassing situation. The young eagle, who will be the heir to
the throne, the central sphere responsible for the future of the empire, has the eyes of
a boy who fell in love for the first time with me in front of me today. Why did you leave
behind the countless young ladies who have been gritting their teeth since they were
young, intending to become the prince's companions... … ?
On the one hand, I was embarrassed and bewildered, but at the same time, a part of
my heart was strangely excited, perhaps because it had been a long time since I had
faced such pure emotions.

"It's an honor to be able to resemble your mother. Your Highness Haona, as you know, I
am now..."

“Yes, I know even if you don’t say anything. I am also well aware of the fact that you will
get into trouble if I act rashly. I want you to know that I am serious and sincere."

It seemed serious enough to die. The problem was that it didn't matter if he meant it or
not.

"Your Highness, it seems to me that you are right now...... presumptuously, but it seems
that you are temporarily mistaken. I don't know what part of me resembles the former
empress, but the longing for my mother and the affection between a man and a
woman are distinctly different. under……."

"I'm not at all mistaken!"

It's a surprise. It was amazing to see him so hot after always looking at his decent
appearance. While I opened my eyes wide, Theobald awkwardly began to touch the
corners of my mouth, as if wondering if I was surprised by my voice.

"Oh, oh my, sorry for yelling at you."

"It's okay, but..."

"It's not simply because you remind me of my mother. It's really the first time my heart
beats this much thinking of someone. It's really sad if you misinterpret my feelings as
an illusion."

It was Theobald who spoke in a heated tone that did not suit him at all. If I pointed out
that I was mistaken again, it would be a month later.

After all, no matter how much I am mentally older than I seem, how much do I know
about the love problem between a man and a woman. During my life until I was 23, I
hadn't had a proper relationship... … big.
"That's... I get it first. I'm sorry for speaking carelessly."

"No. It's only natural that your wife sees that... So it's not that I'm not serious, I
understand that you're feeling embarrassed and unsure. All I want from you is..."

Theobald, who seemed to take a long deep breath, now clenched one hand tightly with
a very sad face. It was a spleen that felt like a commander ahead of a decisive battle.

"It's just that, in the future, if you're ever willing to accept someone, I hope you'll
consider me a priority."

"……."

"I'll say it again, I'm not forcing it! I just wish it was."

Does the stern prince know how much of a burden it is for the other party just by
saying that it would be nice? In common sense, even if an ordinary aristocrat is not
Yeong-sik, and the crown prince, who will be reborn as the emperor of the empire in
the future, is a noble family, does it make sense for him to woo me as an outright
widow?

Of course, there were cases of marriages that transcended social status in the
imperial family. As for the former empress, who is the mother of this immature prince,
when she married the current emperor, she was a young lady from a male writer. She
caused quite a bit of backlash on her part at the time, but in the end, everyone
around her left her with chants saying 'I think I know why her Emperor is missing'.
However, she was from Youngae. Not a widow like me.

“Your Highness, the feelings you have for me right now are truly grateful and
honorable, but they will soon fade.

"That's not going to happen. My heart is not that light."

"... Even if you know how hot the water is, you can't know what will happen to your
feelings. If the words Your Highness told me today are really sincere, I beg you, please
try to forget them. I'm not the vessel to handle Your Highness the Crown Prince. ."

One of the most essential conditions for becoming the Crown Prince's companion is,
by far, pure virginity without any blemishes. To the extent that there is a separate
existence called a pure white priestess who confirms the purity of the prospective
crown prince or the empress. It was unimaginable that she would bring in a woman
who had been married once to such a place, no matter what the circumstances were.
So she had to make sure.

At my resolute words, Theobald seemed to be taken aback for a moment. It was very
pitiful to see his good-natured golden eyes drooping, but there was nothing he could
do about it. Me and the prince, does that make sense! Why do complicated things
keep happening that didn't even happen in the past?

“……I will try my best, but please don’t forget the request I gave you earlier.”

“Please?”

“I ask you to consider me as a priority if you ever feel like accepting someone in the
future. I will do my best to make that possible. So please…”

It didn't look like that at all, but it was persistent. To see the prince, no one else,
pleading with me with such sorrowful eyes. What the hell am I even doing this... … .

"I'll consider it. It's just a consideration to the end."

When I answered with a sigh, Theobald's face instantly brightened. It was as if the
gates of heaven had opened and the light of glory poured in. It's saying that you're
really considering it, but why are you so excited about it? God, look down on the
talented people of the future!

For some strange reason that I couldn't understand, Theobald, whose face was
brighter than when he had arrived, prepared to leave the mansion. I was about to
follow him to see him off. Looking at the insignia of the white eagle on the imperial
carriage waiting at the entrance, I realized the distance between us once again, but
the silver-haired young man, blinded by his first love, didn't seem to think so.

“There were a lot of rudeness today. I hope to see you more often in the future.

“……I understand. Take care of yourself and return.”

“Ha ha, what could be dangerous on the way to the imperial palace from here?”
Theobald, who replied coolly, didn't hurry up, and just glanced at me with the spirit of
having something more to say. Suddenly, the voices of our knights guarding the
entrance of the mansion, as if they were always present or not, sounded like
arguments.

"You're here again. What are you doing here?"

"I didn't come to see you, so don't mind."

… … Who is the main character of this cheeky voice? Does it look like someone I know?

My dazzled eyes now saw a boy with spiky black hair striding up the stairs at will. He
had no communication, and from the looks of it, he didn't seem to have come in a
wagon. Moreover, the atmosphere was dark as never before, and his expression was
not very serious, as if he was sick somewhere or something bad had happened.

"노라?"

Theobald, who had a puzzled expression on his face as well as mine, tilted his head
and called his cousin's name. Immediately, Nora, halfway up the stairs, raised her head
and looked at us, standing side by side. The blue eyes seemed to blink curiously, but
the next moment they flashed fiercely!

“What is this again…… What is Your Highness doing here?

"It's me... No, more than that, what are you doing here?"

"Should I confess all my personal affairs to Your Highness?"

"That's not what it means, crooked cousin. Why are you here..."

"Shuri, what are you doing? I'm hungry! Eh, when did your Highness come?"

At the appearance of Jeremy, who came running in sweaty condition with a sword in
hand, Theobald stopped talking to his cousin, who hated him very much, and started
blinking awkwardly. Jeremy, who had been scanning the prince with ambiguous eyes,
turned her gaze. To be precise, she saw the rival of her destiny, standing in the middle
of the white granite steps leading to the garden.

"What is it? Why are you following me?"

"……."

There was silence for a moment. While Theobald missed the timing to confess that he
had not actually come yet, but was now going, Jeremy, who alternately glanced at the
prince and his fateful rival with a curious look, swung the sword in one hand and
kicked it.

"Why are you even here? Your Highness, weren't you on good terms with him? How did
you two get along?"

"No, that's a bit complicated to explain..."

Whatever explanation the stern young eagle was trying to offer with a really puzzled
expression, it was cut short by the barbarism of the little wolf who, instead of silently
staring at the three of us, spit it out at the little lion.

“On the subject of a hungry bastard….”

"Hey? No, but this kid comes to someone else's house and starts a fight? Did he grow
up not receiving attention from his parents?"

"Jeremy!"

Unbeknownst to me, my voice rose dramatically. Jeremy, who was roaring with a
ferocious spirit about to hit his fateful rival with excitement with his training sword,
looked at me with his eyes wide open in an instant. Then he put on a look of
astonishment.

"Wow...! Hey, you son of a bitch, my mother is angry with me because of you, you
bastard, you bastard! How are you going to take responsibility for this?!"
Nora no longer responded to Jeremy's remarks, which he did not dare to listen to. The
self-indulgent Confucius turned around, but left the front door without looking back.
Her eldest son, Naemi, arrogantly frowned and stuck out her tongue.

"What is that? It's running away again? Why is that guy so consistent?"

"……."

"Kham, Shuri, are you mad?"

"……no."

When I replied with a sigh, Jeremy scratched his golden hair and looked at my
expression, then smiled as if he had waited.

How are you? Anyway, he's like a drugged-up guy.

"I'm hungry though."

If I'm hungry, I'll go and brush up on the chef and the attendants, why are you holding
on to me? At any rate, if it didn't bother me for a while, it seemed like moths would
sting.

"Let's have refreshments. Your Highness, would you like to attend too?"

"Yes? Ah, that's good. Ha ha ha!"

"But what is it really like, Your Highness? I didn't expect you to come today."

"Ahaha, of course... I came to hang out with you."

"Aren't you tired of it? Anyone who sees it would think that Her Highness is falling in
love with someone in our house."
"……켁켁!"

I almost forgot about it. The fact that my eldest son, who has no teeth, is surprisingly
quick-witted. Needless to say, Theobald, who had already emptied several cups of tea
before and had another cup of tea in his mouth, immediately became agitated. It
seems that he is not good at lying.

"Jeremy, what nonsense..."

"Nonsense!"

The good-natured prince seemed completely unaware of the fact that his vehement
denial was all the more awkward. Jeremy, who had narrowed her eyes as if in doubt
before shoving her cookie into her mouth, raised her body with a groan the next
moment. Her reaction was quite unexpected for a guy who couldn't be bothered to
make fun of me at all.

"What?! No, what about Shuri?!"

"Cool, no, I don't mean that, it's because your question is so absurd!"

"Or it's not. Why are you so hot-tempered?! I'm really, really dumbfounded! Anyway,
there are a lot of people who can't figure out what they're talking about, so it's a
problem!"

In both name and reality, Jeremy is probably the only one who can say that to the
second-ranked person in the Empire.

… … Only Jeremy and Nora.

Anyway, what on earth did Nora come for and then go away? It looked as if something
was wrong with her, and she was not at ease with being let go.

***
“……What kind of nonsense are you talking about cutting the budget for the Christmas
banquet?”

“This is the official position of the Vatican. It is better to reduce the budget for
extravagant banquets and to relieve the common people…”

"No matter how good you are, how can you cut the budget for a banquet hosted by
His Majesty the Emperor himself?"

"As you all know, this year's untimely famine caused quite a headache. If we hold a
luxurious festival like last year at a time when the public sentiment is bad, farmers will
not be the only ones to protest."

"In other words, the villains will be left to the imperial family and nobles, and the
church will act as if it is serving the people alone. Isn't that what it is?"

"You're talking too much, Duke Heinrich."

"Come, let's be quiet. Do you have any opinion on the matter, Lady Neuwanstein?"

The Duke of Nuremberg, who intervened in a mild yet high-handed tone, blurted out
and handed over the right to speak to me, so both the nobles who were ardently
expressing their dissatisfaction and the cardinals who responded in businesslike
tones all turned to me. Seeing the obvious light of contempt in most of the twelve pairs
of pupils in all, I swallowed a sigh inwardly and smiled outwardly as I opened my
mouth.

"It cannot be said that there is no justification for the position of the church. It is a
place that should be the main axis of faith for all people, regardless of social status.
Even if dissatisfaction arises, we must prevent even the church from receiving anger."

"No, ma'am, then..."

"The budget for this Christmas banquet will be provided by the Neuwanstein family, on
the condition that the church use the remaining funds for relief efforts."

In the past, conflicts arose over this issue, and it was concluded that the same budget
was appropriated as last year.
The voice of the people incident that occurred in early 1116 was the result of
accumulated dissatisfaction. The riot was suppressed relatively quickly, but almost all
nobles in the metropolitan area did not dare to step out of their homes for a while.
Even if they were accompanied by knights, there were no nobles who could handle the
pelting of stones, swearing, and baptism of raw eggs from all directions. My guess is
that even if a majority had agreed on the budget cuts at the time, the riots would still
have occurred.

What is relief work? The clergy were the ones who played the most extravagantly and
messily during the Christmas festival that lasted until the end of the year. Even at this
point, when the president of the parliament is heating up, I doubt that Cardinal
Richelieu, who remains silent and keeps an eye on me, will also play a part in it.

In any case, the proposal I gave was somewhat unconventional. Even the Neubanstein
family had never been willing to put up this kind of additional budget alone.

Both the imperial family and the church would have to bear the same amount of
psychological burden instead of preventing unexpected expenditures. To save
practicality or to save face, that would be the question.

Speaking completely from my point of view, there was nothing to lose at all. There was
no harm in spending this much. Furthermore, since the church raised its hand in
talking about relief activities, it can be seen that it saved face. Did you say golden
mammonism? Why didn't they dare to use their enormous assets for this in the past?

It was then that the Marquis of Schweig, who had been giving him a disapproving look,
opened his mouth with a hint of laughter.

"This is truly an unprecedented and unconventional proposal, ma'am. It's a proposal

that the Marquis had never imagined before."

"The Marquis of Schweig seems to want to express his impression that, unlike my
husband, I am quite liberal in my spending."

Coughing sound began to echo here and there. It had been a long time since I had
grown tired of the euphemisms where I twirled all sorts of rhetoric and poked at them,
so I just responded in a direct tone. It was unlikely that the mask for socializing, which
he had cultivated thoroughly since he was young, would break down so easily, but
because he was a young woman like me, he was able to see such a quick response.
The fact that I was sitting with them must have felt insulting enough, since my most
important privilege had been violated by my existence.
"You're welcome. I just expressed my concern, please refrain from taking too many
leaps. It's time to be sensitive..."

"If you're really that concerned, the Schweig family might be kind enough to cover the
budget. Then Neuwanstein will take care of the arms, so Schweig will ask for the rest."

The Marquis of Schweig cleared his throat as if he had a lot to say. Since he had
suddenly taken on this portion of the enormous budget, putting aside the
troublesome things, he would lose face if he objected as much as he first said that he
would pay for his arm from this side.

The Duke of Nuremberg, who had been just watching me with a smile that was
incomprehensible to me, finally nodded his head and intervened. The duke, who had
the same thick black hair and deep blue eyes as Nora's, said, deftly showing signs of
taking sides.

"Okay. Marquis Schweig, if you give and take in words, that's about it, then I
understand that Neuwanstein will be responsible for eighth of the budget for this
Christmas banquet. The Golden Lion is unlikely to have trouble buying children's
presents at that level. Church Please disclose the details of the relief activities
mentioned above by the first day of the new year. I will dispose of this article here."

Ground, ground, ground!

The pounding of the gavel resonated brightly indeed. While I smiled at the kind Duke
for no reason, the Silent Servant did not let go of his mysterious gaze. In the past, I just
dismissed it as disapproving of me and didn't care, but now that I'm going through it
again, it's quite burdensome. When the hell is he going to complain to me? Anyway,
everyone can't eat me, so I'm anxious... … .

The council was dismissed, and everyone exchanged greetings and left one by one. I
stayed alone and came out last. I didn't do it on purpose, I just hesitated to think
about it. The sudden confession of Prince Theobald from before, and thinking about
how to spend this Christmas more meaningfully, etc.

What to do with children's gifts? Jeremy must have a sword first, and should Elias get
a sword too? If the two of you gave the same thing, there would be an uproar. It was a
shame because the twins had already written down the gift list on their own. Since it's
the first anniversary with the kids since returning to the past, it would be nice to have
something special... … .
I was crossing the silent hallway, completely forgotten about Theobald's confession
because I was thinking about the children, but an unexpected person blocked me.

I almost screamed when I saw the young cardinal who had been waiting for me to
come out.

"Cardinal...?"

"……?"

"I'm surprised. What's going on?"

There was a moment of gloomy, uneasy silence. The servant of silence, who had been
silently scanning my face with his jet-black gaze, finally opened his mouth, and at the
same time, a low voice that seemed unfamiliar to me rang out.

“I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince has been visiting frequently lately.”

"...because he's close to our eldest son. Is there any problem...?"

This time, in case there was another dispute, he deliberately responded calmly, but his
brown eyebrows seemed to twitch for an instant. It would be nice if he could tell me
what he was so dissatisfied with, but as befits the owner of the nickname of the Silent
Servant, Cardinal Richelieu turned around and walked away from me.

I was dumbfounded when I saw that. No, why are all the guys in this country so selfish,
regardless of age? Are you only doing this to me? Why is everyone having so many
emotional problems?

I felt as if I had been tainted by the gloomy, gloomy atmosphere that the Silent Servant
gave off. It seemed that if I went home like this, I would infect the children who would
be bothering the tutors. So instead of going straight to the entrance of the Babenberg
Palace, where the carriage was waiting, I headed for the chapel relatively close to the
council hall. Okay, now that it's like this, come forward and take good care of the
children's future. Let's say a prayer and go.

The chapel, with its soaring stained-glass ceiling and majestically erected statues of
the Father and the Virgin overlooking the chapel, was unparalleled in silence. After all,
no one was going to come and go at this time.
… … is not it?

At first, I thought I was praying fervently while no one was watching, so I tried to leave
quietly. However, the boy who was kneeling on the steps and lying casually on top of
the altar was clearly not praying.

"Bong... Nora?"

Why Nora was here was literally only God knows. Oh, maybe he came to visit the Duke
of Nuremberg?

"Are you here to see your father?"

When I asked with a tilt of my head, the boy slowly raised his head and glanced at me.
The bright sunlight filtering through the stained glass colored the boy's face, which
was still fluffy, and made his dark hair appear bright brown.

“…I didn’t come here to meet that person.”

Was it my imagination if the boy's dark blue eyes seemed to glisten with water as he
shot with a tight voice? Without realizing it, I walked towards him with quick steps. As I
recalled an unusual appearance from not long ago, a worried mind rose up.

"Nora, what the hell is going on? Why are you doing this alone? Are you sick?"

Nora didn't respond. No matter how long his short and awkward silence had passed,
the boy's shoulders, which had just sighed in exhaustion as he lowered his head,
suddenly began to tremble violently. Holy Mother of God! Needless to say, I was
caught up in the feeling of my heart racing all of a sudden.

It was something I could never have imagined in the past. To see Confucius of
Nuremberg, Jeremy's only rival and the hungry wolf, sobbing in front of me in the form
of a young boy like this.

"Nora... Why is that? What the hell is going on?"

It's always embarrassing to see boys cry. Just like when she saw Jeremy weeping in
hiding alone one day in the dim past, Chimi felt compassion and at a loss as to what
to do.

To see such strong boys crying! What are you doing this for? I asked cautiously, but
the boy did not answer. The good news is that it doesn't shake my hand.

I sat down in front of the altar and gently knelt beside the sobbing boy. Then, he
carefully patted his shoulder and back with his hand. I don't know why he's doing this,
but I just want to comfort him.

"It's okay... it's okay, Nora. Everything will be fine..."

There was the sound of a hook and gasping for breath. Finally, the boy lifted his head
up and stared at me with watery blue eyes, then muttered in a choked voice.

“Sister… what the hell is growing old?”

How should I answer these questions? What's more, you're an older sister. I didn't
expect to hear all these absurd titles from Confucius, not from anyone else. However,
instead of pointing that out, I smiled awkwardly.

"Well. I'm not sure either."

What advice can I give in that area? Even in this life that has come back, it is a series
of surprises to discover new aspects... … .

I swallowed my words behind my back and took out a handkerchief and gently put it
on the boy's feverish cheek. He hesitated for a moment, staring into my eyes, then
lowered his head again. Then he let out a tired sigh as he rubbed his wet eyes with the
back of his hand.

"Rather... it would have been better for everyone if the crown prince was my father's
son."

"Your Highness? But you..."

"Does my sister think so too...? Do you think that I'm an incorrigible immature child, and
that I tell lies whenever I open my mouth?"

"No. Never."

Without even thinking about it, I answered firmly without a moment's hesitation. As if
she believed that only I was flawless among everyone else, Nora stared at my face with
a strangely desperate look in her blue eyes.

"Why do you ask such a question..."

"...because everyone says so."

"Who's making that claim?"

Nora didn't answer. He just turned his gaze to the floor and let out a groggy sigh. I
had no idea what the hell was going on in detail. I was only vaguely guessing.

As she recalled the scene she had seen at the memorial banquet the other day and
the Nuremberg family at that time, she guessed that something else must have
happened between Nora and the Duke. The Duke of Nuremberg was kind and
affectionate to me to the point of being rare, but as the current Empress' younger
brother and a member of the aristocratic society, he was far from a gentle and
affectionate disposition. In addition, he had a sickly, introverted wife and only one
child, Nora. Under such circumstances, it would not have been unreasonable to treat
his only son with excessive severity. But… … .

"No matter what anyone says, I don't think you're that kind of person."

“……How can you be so sure. You don’t even know me well.”

grunt It feels like hitting a wall. I'm so used to this crooked way of speaking that I get
tired of it thanks to anyone.

“Didn’t you help me even though you didn’t even know me well? You know what kind of
person I am.”

"……."
“So I believe you must be a good guy.”

“……It’s okay, then.”

As I watched the boy rubbing his eyes while muttering something incomprehensible, I
tried to recall the future I knew in more detail. After being ordained a knight sometime
next year, this young man would surely compete with Jeremy in a swordsmanship
match at the National Foundation Day the following year. And… … Yeah, if I remember
correctly, he must have been in the Imperial Secret Police Squadron. I remember that
there was a lot of talk about why the heir to the Grand Duke of Nuremberg, who was
not even a member of a single family, entered the rugged Streife.

"Whoa... I didn't mean to be like this, but I ended up showing a funny face."

It was funny and at the same time very pitiful to see him grumble in a locked voice
because his crying hadn't gone away yet. But should I say I'm glad that I recovered my
energy sooner than I thought?

"Anyone can do that, but even I did a funny thing to you twice."

"It's on a different level than that. A man's son doesn't even know he's ashamed, and
he's messing around. If my father knew about it, he would surely be a flagship."

"It's good when you can cry like that. There will be more times in the future when you
really want to cry but your tears won't come out."

As I slowly grew up, the wet blue eyes blinked and scanned my face again. Clear eyes
that still contain boyish innocence. There was no trace of the shadow of the dark and
dangerous man yet. I was a bit embarrassed because I thought I was talking like an
old man, but the next thing I heard was this.

“But why do you look sad every time I see you?”

"……응?"

“Well, it’s not something I would say, and only God knows why someone like my older
sister has such sad eyes, but I think you can go around with a more upright nose.
Are you trying to praise or be sarcastic? When do you cry like a child, anyway, why are
kids these days so out of the blue?

"I thought it looked rather shameless, but it seems not."

"You have to be that level to be shameless."

Shrugging his shoulders, he raised his body cheerfully and held out a hand, as if he
had just sobbed sadly. I hesitated for a moment, then took her hand and stood up.

"Thank you for meeting me today. Wish me some luck."

"luck?"

“I have to go home and fight my father. If I come back alive, I will give my sister the
honor.”

"What the hell is going on..."

"It's nothing special. It's always similar, but anyway, that's my problem, not your sister's."

Although the tone seemed insignificant, I couldn't help but feel worried. There may be
a proper line for meddling in other people's family affairs, but... … .

"Hey, Nora. Remember what I said last time? If you want to talk to someone, call me
anytime."

That was all I could meddle with. And the young Confucius only responded with a grin.

***
A few days after the first snow began to fall, the Christmas banquet was right around
the corner.

On Christmas Day, which commemorates the day when God the Father and God the
Holy Mother first descended into this world, it is truly amazing to see the twins who
came out early in the morning rubbing their sleepy eyes and looking up at the
mountain of gift boxes filling the hall. It was a pleasure. Is this how St. Clara feels when
she brings presents to good children every night before Christmas?

Of course, of course, it had been a long time since I stopped believing in the existence
of Saint Clara. It was the same with Jeremy and Elias. Take a look at the little girl who
has been determined to spoil the mood of her younger siblings since that morning.
There seemed to be not even a speck of Christmas spirit.

"Wow, hyung, look at this! The saintess must have known that I was a good child!"

"Who's good? Do you still believe in that old-fashioned tale?"

"What's so boring? Oppas aren't nice, so they can't receive presents and get jealous!"

"Who is jealous of jealousy! And I also have a present? The fake saint over there will
give it to you."

"Mom, my brothers keep blaspheming!"

I put my hand on my waist and glared at my two budding sons. After all, these are real.

"Jeremy, Elias. Why can't there be a saintess. If you don't want to miss a Christmas
present, you both have to be nice."

"I'm just trying to tell my ignorant younger siblings the harsh reality as soon as
possible? Are you saying it's okay for them to live as fools for the rest of their lives?"

"Yes! It would be great if I could become a fool just like you!"

Jeremy, who had been languishing with a laugh, and Elias, who had been scolding the
twins, exchanged glances with dazed expressions side by side. Then, scratching her
head awkwardly, she began to help her younger siblings unwrap the presents. Hey,
those burns.

"Big brother, isn't this your big brother?"

“What……? Eh, what is this?!”

What is it? A specially crafted sword for the swordsman's eldest son, who will become a
legend in the future. That precious thing is the dwarven longsword of Langennes. The
handle of the pure white sword body was made of gold and ruby, and the scabbard
was also a luxury product densely studded with sparkling emeralds and rubies. The
amount of budget it cost to get that thing made our faithful Robert gape in his mouth.

Jeremy, who immediately drew the sword with a skillful gesture and carefully examined
the dazzling white blade, looked at me with a half-fazed face. She was at the point of
bursting into laughter at the sight of her hesitation, which was not at all like him.

"Isn't the saintess still here?"

"Uhh... well, that's why... thank you..."

"Wow, doesn't hyung look like an acquaintance? I don't know the identity of the
saintess, but I think you need to raise your eyes a bit... uh uh uh!"

There was also a present for Elias, who had been beaten up by his brother for teasing.
It was definitely the same boneless, but I remembered that the second son of a colt
had more talent with other weapons than with a sword, so what I prepared was a
special crossbow. It even came with silver arrows as an option. If I had it, I would be
able to catch up with my older brother on a fox hunt in the future.

"Wahhahaha! Come on, you foolish brother! Since ancient times, long-range attacks
are the best in a duel!"

"Don't get excited and set it up and shoot yourself in the face, you ungrateful younger
brother. If you're a man with no knowledge, you have to fight with a sword! Shuri, can I
take this to the banquet?"

"me too!"
While my two sons behaved in such an indecent way, I just pretended not to see them
and turned my attention to the cute twins.

Unlike his older brothers, who are muscular even in the brain, little Leon, who had the
appearance of an intellectual from an early age, was at a loss as to what to do with
the new telescope and encyclopedia he had longed for. As for her Rachel, I was doing
her fashion show in front of her mirror with the shoes I had picked out for her. Rachel
always loved shoes. Although she may wear an outdated dress, she never goes out
unless she has new shoes.

Anyway, the kids might be nice, but Christmas was an event that cost money in many
ways. I had to prepare gifts not only for the children, but also for the servants and our
knights, as well as gifts for the church and the imperial palace. Furthermore, how
about the budget for the Christmas banquet that will be held today, and the
preparation of clothes and accessories to wear to the banquet? It was a shame
because the family was rotten when it came to money. After all, golden universalism is
the best.

It was then that an amazing thing happened. My daughter, who had been flaunting
herself while trying on dainty silk shoes, suddenly approached me and took something
out from the inside of her robe pocket.

"My older brothers said that the saintess wouldn't give me a present because my
mother is an adult."

Needless to say, I was momentarily speechless. I opened my eyes wide and looked up
to see if the others had joined the plan as well. Surprisingly, all of the sons and
daughters had the awkward faces claiming to be so! This is truly amazing.

What Rachel held in her tiny hand was none other than a handkerchief with crooked
embroidery. Four lion cubs and a rabbit were embroidered on the bright light green
towel.

… … It's all good, but why am I a rabbit?

"Thank you... Whoa, Rachel. What a pretty handkerchief."

"My brothers told me what to put, and Leon chose the thread color. I only have one
embroidered."
That said, in the end, he did it all. She gave me a know-it-all smile, while Rachel put on
a look of great pride as she looked back and forth between the three terribly
worthless siblings. Had her dead husband seen this scene, she would have been a very
presentable face.

***

The banquet at the imperial palace, which the Neubansteins and Schweigs each
covered with a budget of eight to two, was far more luxurious than I remembered.
Whether it was because he wanted to show his sincerity to the families who voluntarily
donated the budget, it seemed that a year's worth of relief funds for the poor could be
saved by removing just one jewel clustered in a fir tree soaring as if piercing the
ceiling with countless five-tiered chandeliers.

A simple dart table was installed at the entrance of the Crystal Palace where the
banquet was held. It was a game that gave out prizes wrapped in colorful wrapping
paper if you hit a wooden dart in the center of a rubber target with a swirl drawn on it.

Before the banquet began in earnest, while the early arrivals were playing darts or
chatting, Count Muller was the first to greet me, who had just arrived with the children.

… … The eldest son of my husband.

"It's been a while, Lady Neuwanstein."

That's it. Heck, since it was a Christmas banquet attended by most aristocrats in the
metropolitan area, there was no way I wouldn't run into collateral figures. So I
deliberately smiled and replied.

"Yes, it's been a while."

"Come on, can I talk to you for a minute? Just a minute."

I glanced over my shoulder briefly at the children who had flocked to the stone statue
from which drinks were spurting out, then nodded. Count Müller led me to a darts
table where young men and women were laughing and enjoying themselves, and
spoke in a low but coy tone.
“Madam, I heard about that unfortunate incident from the other day.

"Well, if it's an apology, the people involved should do it themselves."

Perhaps he sensed the sharpness mixed in my voice, and the Count's green eyes
narrowed for an instant. Why do they have the same eyes as my children? No matter
how bloody it was, I didn't like it at all.

“If your wife wants it, I will tell them to apologize.”

"I don't really want an apology that's not voluntary."

"Ma'am, I don't know what you think of us..."

"Wrong, Count. I don't even think about you. So there's nothing to do but think. What
do you want?"

In the eyes of others, we would look like a complicated sister-in-law and brother-in-law
greeting each other. The reality was completely different.

I had hoped that Count Müller would show his family's temperament intact here, like
his younger brothers, but he was surprisingly self-controlled.

That is, for Neubanstein. The dark green eyes, just like Jochen's, seemed to flash and
burn for a moment, but quickly regained a businesslike coolness.

"Okay, ma'am. Now, if I'm going to be honest with you..."

Push-!

"꺄악!"
Multiple people let out short screams at the same time. I almost screamed halfway, so I
said everything.

Not even a wooden dart for targeting, but a silver arrow that quickly passed us, or to
be precise, Earl Müller's ear just barely passed, and was lodged in the Damask wall!

"Oops, a mistake. It's enough to boast about hitting the target..."

It was only a brief commotion. Someone burst out laughing cheerfully, and the room
quickly turned upside down again. I blinked and turned my head. Count Müller, who
seemed to have frozen for a moment, also turned his head. Was it a mistake to let him
go because he insisted on bringing it? What came into my stunned field of vision was
none other than Jeremy, holding his brother's crossbow.

"It's been a while, Uncle. You've grown older since I haven't seen you. But why does your
expression look like that?"

Count Müller stared at his nephew as if speechless. Jeremy, on the other hand, had a
relaxed smile, a smile that seemed strangely unfamiliar to me.

"Oh, I think you're quite surprised. It's soothing. Could it be that I really did it to match
my esteemed uncle?"

Chapter 4 - Mother

“Sometimes I have a lot of respect for my older brother’s way of living.”

It was the impression that Elias had uttered. Jeremy shrugged her shoulders and
responded in a very smug tone.

"Learn it well, younger brother. This is the spirit of the lion family."

"It's funny and self-indulgent! Why is my brother taking form with my stuff?!"

"Well, if it were you, I'm sure it would have hit you right in the face!"
I don't know what the spirit of the lion family is, but in any case, Jeremy's rude and
reckless act just before was enough to make the insidious Count Müller gnashing his
teeth and retreating.

The sneering serpent Count seemed to be quite angry, and he let out gossips such as
'I drove you on a wooden horse when you were little', but Jeremy laughed, saying, 'What
kind of arrogance is this? Even if they are of the same hot-blooded lineage, it seems
that years and years of age are of no use to the antisocial spirit of the younger side.

"All right, all right, you two. The show can be over. Now put that crossbow in the
storage room. Put the arrows in!"

Jeremy and Elias grumbled at my relentless blow, but unexpectedly they took the
crossbow and turned around. All the nearby pre-teens' eyes were fixed on it as my two
sons walked away.

"It was a pretty impressive scene."

These were the impressions expressed by the Duke of Nuremberg, who had come over
here at some point, as if he had observed everything from a while ago. The Duke of
Steel was gazing at me softly as always, holding a mysterious smile in his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry for causing a commotion."

"No. It's a rather unique appearance. It would be nice if our immature son also showed
that kind of side."

"Ahaha..."

"Oh, he sent a gift to my son. I don't know how to thank him for all the hard work he put
into it."

… … It's not like I was expecting to hear a big thank you. I felt kind of cool.

The gift I sent to the duke's mansion for Nora was none other than a Zweihender
sword made in the same place as Jeremy's gift. I had been helped by Nora twice
unintentionally, and she was caught crying so sadly last time, so I did it in the hope
that it would be a little comforting to her. I was a little worried that the gift might be
too much, but I was fortunate that the duke's reaction was more than acceptable.

"I'm glad if Confucius liked it."

When I said this with a smile, the kind duke sighed and shook his head.

“Well, I mean…. He proudly said that since he had received a present from Saint Clara,
all of his sins for the year had been forgiven.

That must be the Christmas spirit of adolescent boys.

I couldn't bear to say it and just laughed awkwardly, just at the moment, a magnificent
trumpet sounded announcing the procession of the highest dignitaries of the empire.

"His Majesty eats it!"

As His Majesty the Emperor, the protector of the Empire, Empress Elizabeth, and our
Crown Prince Theobald and our 2nd Prince marched side by side, the people who were
gathering here and there and those who were enjoying the leisurely target game all
stopped talking and politely bowed.

"Christmas blessings to the Empire's guardian eagle."

"Christmas blessings to the Empire's Guardian Eagle, Your Majesty the Emperor."

The solemn golden eyes under the pure white silver hair, the symbol of the imperial
family, quickly scanned the images of the distinguished guests gathered in the
banquet hall. The golden gaze, like that of an eagle watching prey, came to me for a
moment and seemed to pierce me, but then it gently collapsed.

"A lot has happened in the past year. I express my gratitude to the messenger of the
Empire who willingly stepped forward to help me overcome my sadness and celebrate
this year's Christmas full of blessings."

"Hwang Eun is in awe, Your Majesty."

While Theobald gave his obeisance, thinking that it would be better if he stopped
looking at me with a smile like that, Empress Elizabeth was staring at me with her cold
eyes. She wasn't glaring, she was just staring, but she was already aware that she was
disapproving of me, so she had nothing to worry about. Sitting next to the empress
was our Elias and her age, Prince Letran. She looked like she was suffering from
sinusitis, sniffing her nose and frowning, in stark contrast to the crown prince, who was
like a model of elegance. was fulfilling It could be as well as everyone remembers.

"Come ye faithful, joyful triumphant, come,

Venite in Wittelsbach

Behold, the King of angels is born..."

"Lady Neuwanstein."

The choir's singing voice softly resounded, and the Christmas banquet began in
earnest. I smiled awkwardly at Theobald, who walked right up to me, passing through
countless people greeting me. I promised not to, but what should I do when I feel
awkward.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"It's a nice dress. Indeed, it was particularly dazzling today."

… … Unexpectedly, I wondered if you enjoyed reading romance novels.

Still, it didn't feel too bad. Am, isn’t praise supposed to make even an elephant dance?

"Thank you. Your Highness is also wonderful."

Indeed, the crown prince in a splendid silver robe had a figure that would make the
hearts of many young ladies flutter. At my heartfelt praise, Theobald blushed slightly,
but mumbled out of nowhere.

"Ma'am... do you like books?"

“It could be the one you like.”

"Ah, thank God. Actually, I want to show you my personal library."

Aha, is that so... … ? While it was funny to be so obvious, her innocence felt like a soft
feather tickling a corner of her heart. Maybe it's because it's been so long since
someone showed me such naive feelings.

"Your Highness the Prince. Lady Neuwanstein."

"Ah, Lady Nuremberg, long time no see."

While I was greeting the Duchess of Nuremberg, Theobald apologized and left. At the
same time, he looked at me with an extremely meaningful look, which seemed to mean
that we would meet later. ok

"Thank you for the gift you sent me."

It was the Duchess who spoke with those sad eyes. I thought for a while about how to
explain the promise I made then, but eventually said something different.

"I'm glad you received it well. But I can't see Gongja yet."

“……Yes, that is……”

It was a question I asked without much thought in case it would be delayed, but the
reaction of the ailing Duchess was very unusual. Take a look at this pitiful gesture of
chewing on your lips out of nowhere and clasping your hands tightly. Anyone who sees
it will think I sent a declaration of Yeongjijeon as a Christmas present.

"wife……?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't come today because Nora has some business."
What had happened to the Nuremberg family's only son and the Empress's nephew? I
wondered if it was like this in the past, but I couldn't come up with anything. Hey, at
that time, I was so busy with my own business that I didn't even have time to look after
other people's affairs... … .

"Did you get sick anywhere?"

"No, that's... so it's similar. Thanks for asking. And then, ma'am."

"네?"

"Please forget what I asked you to do the other day. I was thinking briefly."

I stared blankly at Heide's pale face for a moment. Then, without realizing it, I asked.

“Did the Duke scold you?”

"No, it's not like that... It's just that my wife, who is still young, must be distracted, but I
think I've burdened her unnecessarily."

Well, it seems that what the Duke of Steel said was right. Watching the slender woman
continue her words with a tight voice, she felt uneasy.

So why did you bother to tell your husband? Moreover, judging from what the duke
said earlier, I don't think Nora is sick... … . Could it be that the guy who would chew and
swallow that rebar didn't lie down after being beaten by my father? Ei, can't the duke
go that far... … .

"oh?"

“Oh, look at that.”

"Be cute too..."

The duchess and I looked side by side at the small murmur that suddenly spread
among the people. Needless to say, laughter burst out of her mouth the next moment.
The Christmas vocal music sung by the choir had come to an end, and a lively waltz
was playing. In the center of the still-secluded dance floor, our twins, Leon and Rachel,
stood hand in hand and danced together. They were still clumsy, but considering their
age, they were a pair of perfect little kids, that was it.

"Leon, be careful! Rachel is aiming for your instep... oh! Why are you hitting me?!"

My hand hit the back of Elias, who was determined to spoil the mood of his younger
siblings who were making a very cute appearance.

“Anyway, if you don’t spoil the good mood of others, thorns will grow out of your
mouth, right?”

"What kind of atmosphere is that? It's clumsy."

"Then why don't you go and teach me a lesson."

"Why me? That should be done by our eldest son!"

Jeremy responded without a moment's hesitation to Elias' clever act of turning the
arrow.

"I'm going to become a knight. I have no talent or interest in anything like dancing. In
that sense, why don't you go out, Shuri? Of course, assuming you have a partner..."

"Lady Neuwanstein, would you like me to dance with you at this Christmas banquet?"

Whatever nonsense Jeremy was planning to do next, it was mercilessly cut off by
Theobald who came out of nowhere and held out his hand to me. I sneered at the two
statues, who quickly turned into grimaces, and then meekly took the prince's hand and
headed to the dance floor. Before one knew it, many men and women were joining the
dance ranks.

"Unexpectedly, you're very skilled."

"Is that a compliment? Even the Crown Prince isn't formidable."

"Ahaha, don't make fun of me. How much I practiced for today."

After a short but cheerful waltz, I was thirsty and tried to leave for a drink, but
Theobald held my hand and led me. It was a passage leading outside the banquet
hall. Because there were so many eyes on me, I couldn't say anything, and I quietly
followed him.

"Where are you going..."

"That's what I said earlier. I'm going to show you that."

Are you talking about his personal library? Anyway, this guy is also very spontaneous.
No, should I say I don't know how to give up?

After all, it was just a book tour, and I dutifully followed Theobald to his private library,
thinking that there might be some books I could bring to our little intellectual, Leon.
There was no way I could refuse. So, isn't the opponent the crown prince? Heuk, what a
class system world is... … !

"와……!"

However, after reaching the personal library of the crown prince, the carefree mind
until now had completely disappeared.

Oh my goodness, how about a greenhouse garden made by overturning a terrace with

many bookshelves rising up to the ceiling in a transparent room made of glass all the
way to the ceiling? It was a place to be. I felt like I understood why this immature prince
was so eager to show me this place.

“Do you like it?”

Theobald, who was laughing awkwardly while I was admiring him, asked cautiously.
Wow, you seem like a fresh person.

"It's a beautiful place. I might spend all day reading here."

"You got it right. It's a mistake I often make. I like it indoors more than outdoors."

“Your Highness, what kind of books do you usually read?”

"That's mostly history and political science books, but sometimes-"

Theobald's voice as he approached the huge bookshelf while talking in a heated tone
was suddenly interrupted by a rattling noise. what else is this Who else is here besides
us... … ?

“Ah, oh my, Yeha. I was surprised. Did you come to find that old book again?”

The identity of the main culprit of the noise was a completely unexpected person,
Cardinal Richelieu. Unlike Theobald, who smiled casually as if there was some kind of
agreement between the two, the Silent Servant stared at us with that dim black gaze
and slowly nodded his head.

“Yes, but… I think it would be better to find it later.”

"Yes, then. As it is a Christmas banquet, you should enjoy a day like today, Cardinal."

In spite of Theobald's delightful remark, the Silent Servant sent a stinging look at me
as if he was displeased with it, and then leisurely left the library. Despite what I've been
through countless times, I felt very uncomfortable today. Same with that absurd
question last time, or is he misunderstanding that I'm trying to boil the prince right
now?

“It almost seemed like there would be an intruder.”

"...His Highness seems to be quite close to him."

"Well, rather than being close... He's a competent person, but you should be able to get
inside. He's so quiet."

That was something I also agreed to. So, no matter what you say, shouldn't you know
what your complaint is?
"But ma'am."

"예?"

"That... my cousin. The Prince of Nuremberg. Why did he come to the Marquis'
residence last time? It seems he didn't come to see Jeremy or Elias."

… … I didn't expect Theobald to ask me all these questions. While I was speechless and
stared at it for a moment, Theobald kept his gaze fixed on me, extended his arm, and
rummaged through the top of the bookshelf as he quickly added his words.

"Ah, of course, I know it's really none of my business, but actually, it would be nice to be
close to him... ah!"

"꺅!"

What happened was an instant. To be precise, Theobald, who was frantically flipping
through books with one foot on the table, felt like staggering for a second, then fell
straight into the pit! To be precise, it nearly attacked me and fell, so I naturally fell
violently to the floor. In an instant, I was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, my God, ma'am, are you okay?"

"Oh, it's okay..."

"Can I bring you some water?"

I fell to the floor, so why do I need water? While I groaned, gripping his elbow that had
been hit hard, Theobald hurriedly pulled himself away from me, flustered and
flustered. But that was then.

"What are you two doing here..."

I wondered if it sounded like a voice I wasn't really familiar with, but somehow it faded
subtly. And my eyes went wide. How the hell did Jeremy get here? How the hell do you
know we're here?

However, it didn't matter how he came to know. It was literally an instant when Jeremy's
dark green eyes, which had been looking at us alternately with a puzzled look on his
face, froze darkly while he was talking.

The eyes that glared at me lying on the floor with tears in my eyes and the look of the
crown prince who was moving away from me in an awkward posture were unfamiliar to
me. What kind of misunderstanding did you have? At that moment, the sensation of
cold fingers touching my back came over me.

"Ah, Jeremy, this is it..."

Neither Theobald nor I had time to explain the situation. The next thing Jeremy did,
frozen in place as if nailed to the spot, was to punch her fist at the prince!

puck!

"Jeremy!"

Needless to say, my attempts to jump right in and stop him were of no avail. My God,
the strength of a 14-year-old boy is so strong that no matter how hard I try to stop
him, Jeremy just punches Theobald with bloody momentum without any delay. And
Theobald was so flustered that for some reason he was just being beaten. Until, in the
end, the guards who heard the commotion separated him from the crippled prince.

It was serious indeed. The situation was even worse than on that terrible day in the
past when Elias punched her second prince.

At the time, there was at least one, and the opponent was the second prince, who even
his biological mother, the empress, had presented to the outside world. This incident
was on a different level from the one I managed to get away with by kneeling down in
front of the emperor and empress and budgeting for a three-year court banquet.

Elias wouldn't know it, but he really couldn't have imagined that Jeremy would cause
such a major accident.
"I don't think we can stop the trial."

These were the words the Duke of Nuremberg, who was visiting personally with the
Crown Prince, said to me as I sat clutching my head. Theobald, whose face was full of
traces of having been beaten with joy by Jeremy, also opened his mouth with an
expression of not knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Uncle and I have tried to persuade you somehow, but you're so
strong that I don't think you'll ever get a trial."

“……No, Your Highness. I just have no face.”

Of course, Theobald had nothing to be sorry for me. Because he was the victim of
assault that happened because of misunderstanding. I had to get down on my knees
to thank him for being so kind even after going through the horrific loss of a molar.

Empress Elizabeth's reaction was much more violent and unconventional than
expected. She said that the fact that a nobleman, Yeong-sik, had a hand in the
imperial family could be implicated in treason and attempted execution against the
imperial family. At least, considering the position of our family, the only measure given
was to cut off her right arm.

That was the content of the trial to be held tomorrow. Her Empress was in the process
of burning her will to cut off the right hand of my stepson, who somehow she touched
her own stepson. It was my hunch that there was some degree of her personal
animosity towards me. If Yochen had been alive, things wouldn't have gotten this far...
….

"First of all, I intend to try to make a statement against it in the Congress, but as much
as a majority vote decides, I don't think I can dare to say what will happen because the
momentum is not too strong."

The gravely subdued voice of the Duke of Nuremberg seemed to buzz in my ears. It
was only natural that it was very clear who the people who would cling to the empress'
side would be on this occasion.

Jeremy is already an outstanding talent recognized by everyone and a legitimate

successor. If his future was destroyed at this opportunity, the Neuwanstein family
would become prey for all kinds of people, with the young fledgling female temporary
head of the family combined with the crippled heir.
In particular, it was a perfect opportunity for collateral members who were looking for
an opportunity to monopolize the hometown, putting aside their hostility towards me.

It was only now that I came to think that it might have been better if I had not faithfully
followed my husband's will, had I given the sovereignty over to young Jeremy, whether
it was for death or for food. If Jeremy had been in the position of the head of the
family, rather than a mere yeongshik, she would have been able to apply for a duel of
honor according to the ordinance on the right to honor of the household.

Even so, it was not a solution for me to come now and lay down the California
sovereignty. As the will of her husband, the former head of the family, existed, it would
take a long time to go through the process. Approval from the emperor, empress, all
members of parliament, collateral families, and even the Holy See was required, and
above all, in the past, they would have approved it as if they had waited, but in this
situation, it was impossible to do so lightly.

I never meant to let things go the way they wished. If there's anything I can do, it's just...
….

“Duke, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Thank you for coming so personally, even
though it was an unpleasant matter. I don’t know how to express my gratitude and I
have no face… If you can’t stop the trial, I would like to ask you two one favor. It's
something only you can do."

Perhaps they felt the unusual energy in my voice, and the middle-aged duke, whose
blue eyes were shining sadly, and the young prince, who was restlessly examining my
complexion, both stared at me with tense eyes.

"wife……?"

"Before the trial proceeds, I intend to summon a witness. It will take the strength of two
of you to summon that witness."

***

"Older brother... is your eldest brother really losing his hand? Then you can't become a
knight?"
"Don't be silly. There's no way that could happen."

"But my eldest brother is the crown prince..."

"What are you worried about? It's okay. Shuri will do something about it."

While Jeremy is imprisoned in the Wittenberg Tower until the day of the trial, Elias and
the twins behave as never before, whispering uneasily among themselves. Even while
eating, he was unpretentious.

It was Elias who tried to reassure his younger siblings in a dignified manner, but he
was equally uneasy. Instead of asking every single question about why this happened,
he kept his eyes on me and was restless.

The servants and knights were also walking around looking very nervous and not
breathing, literally like the eve of a storm.

"Madam... well, a guest has arrived."

After the Duke of Nuremberg and Crown Prince Theobald had left, while I was
changing into my street clothes, Robert came and said these words.

It was already evening time when the sun was setting. I wondered if anyone else would
be visiting at this hour, but instead of inquiring, I half-dazed and followed the faithful
butler out into the front yard where visitors were waiting.

Thanks to the snow that had fallen overnight, the whole garden was dyed pure white.
The yard, which would normally have been occupied by children making snowmen and
having snowball fights, was bittersweetly quiet.

In the middle of a snowy field where three blond children and a red-haired child would
have been stirring together if it had not been for this situation, the sight of a black-
haired boy caught my eye unexpectedly caught my breath. No matter how long she
had been there, her earlobes, covered with spiky black hair, were flushed red.

"노라?"
A boy sitting on a rock by a camellia tree raised his head and looked at me. The way
he waved one hand and his blue eyes twinkled made me feel cheerful despite the
circumstances.

"How the hell..."

"I came to thank you for the Christmas present. I was also worried about what my sister
was doing..."

Once again, a corner of my heart felt numb. I was always grateful for the kindness of
others even though it might not be of practical help. Especially in this situation... … .

I sighed, approached him, and carefully sat down on the rock.

"I was worried because I didn't see you at the Christmas banquet."

"Well, it's kind of like going to such a noble place like this."

like this... … ? Then I looked straight into his face. A faintly colored flower bloomed on
the boy's left cheek as he lowered his eyes and slightly furrowed his brow. Rather than
having just formed, it looked like a bruise that was slowly healing over the course of
several days. Who would have dared to leave such scars on the face of the Prince of
Nuremberg?

"My God, what the hell is this..."

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing special. Anyway, I heard that your sister's laggard lion
beat up the fox-like crown prince to his heart's content? If I had been there, I would
have given it instead, but it's a pity."

It was strange to see him talking leisurely as if it was not a big deal. I stared blankly at
his face for a moment, then barely smiled along.

“That must have been a sight worth seeing. More than that, how did your face look like
that? Did you fight with His Highness, too?”

"If it did, you could call it a wound of glory, but chatting with my father is so
commonplace that it's not something to brag about."
"노라……."

I didn't know what to say, so I just looked at her with a pitiful look, while Nora teased
the white camellia flower on top of her head with her clumsy fingers. Then she looked
straight into my eyes.

"Nuna, would you like to run away with me?"

"……뭐?"

I don't know exactly what my expression was like at that moment, but it looked very
attractive. It was because the guy with a very serious expression started giggling as if
he had waited.

"Pahaha, look at his expression. I'm just kidding."

… … see this guy? Is there such a prank in this situation? It was right to raise an ax eye
and say that I wasn't kidding adults, but it seemed like it would make me look even
more funny if I did. So I stopped laughing after him.

"You are the epitome of romantic chivalry. Where do you want to run away to?"

“Well, doesn’t everyone think that way at least once? If it’s older sister, she won’t be the
type to run away, no matter what.”

I don't know what side of me Nora was so sure of, but she was right. If he could have
turned his back on and run away from trouble, he would have done it a long time ago.
me too he

After a moment of laughter passed, the boy jumped up as if he was about to return,
stopped putting on his hat and looked at me hesitantly for a moment. My heart sank
involuntarily as it seemed as if an unfamiliar shade had passed by in an instant in my
blue eyes that sparkled with joy.

"Are you leaving already...?"

"My sister seems to be busy too, but I have to go. Had I been a bit older, I would have
been able to think of a suitable encouragement to give at a time like this. As you know,
I'm still clumsy."

"It's not like that. I'm grateful enough with my heart."

Normally, I should be comforting this guy. It seems to have turned into the opposite.
After all of this... … .

"Thanks for your time. I wish my sister the best of luck, as well as that poor fellow's arm."

For a moment, nothing came out as if something had blocked his throat. All I could do
was nod my head with a squeezed smile.

Why was I speechless at that moment? Perhaps it was because he realized that out of
all the consolation poured out by countless people since the incident, only he was
perfectly sincere.

***

The Wittenberg Tower was a temporary prison where aristocrats or members of the
imperial family were usually imprisoned before trial. Unlike dungeons where ordinary
prisoners were imprisoned, the facilities were much more comfortable and the security
was loose.

But anyway, prison is prison. I nodded to the sentry who gave me a short salute and
went inside.

"Why did you come……?"

The inside of the prison was a rough stone wall. A blond-haired boy, sitting with his
long legs stretched out by the barred window and staring out, greeted me in a rather
brusque tone.

Dark green eyes flickered and looked at me in the dark and pleasant air of the prison.
"Why are you sitting there like that? Aren't you cold?"

"I'm sure you won't die from the cold wind. Anyway, what did you come for? What a
good spectacle this is."

I put the lantern I had brought on the floor, took off the shawl from my shoulders, and
put it on the boy's shoulders. There was an awkward silence for a while. Jeremy, who
had been staring at her right arm with her fists tightly clenched, finally opened her
mouth as if sighing.

"There's nothing for you to worry about. Even if you don't have a right hand, what's the
point of using a sword with your left hand? It's a pity that I couldn't cut off that damn
child's life. Damn it, somehow that child's eyes looking at you are unusual-"

"Jeremy..."

"Am I wrong? Even if I misunderstood at that moment, it's true that that bastard
harbored a sinister mind toward you anyway. Damn it, what a dog in the world—"

"Jeremy, it's not like that. It's just..."

Dark green eyes stared at my mouth. I hesitated for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"It's just... it's been so long, it's been so long since I've felt that way, so I was swept away
without even realizing it. As a result, I couldn't behave properly."

"Why is that son of a bitch now blaming you? If that's the case, tell me right away. I'll go
and get rid of it right now."

It was still as ferocious as it was ferocious towards the subject who was in a situation
where that brilliant future would be destroyed by tomorrow.

Even so, if what Jeremy said now and what he did made me happy, am I a selfish
woman? If I was happy enough to bring tears, would I be a selfish stepmother?
"Jeremy... actually, the day before your father's funeral... I had a strange dream."

"A strange dream...?"

“Yes. A strange dream. It was a very long… and sad dream.”

Even as I quietly exhaled, my breath trembled sharply. Why am I telling this story at
this moment? I don't even know myself. just maybe... … Perhaps by doing so, he was
trying to gain an understanding of what I was going to do in the future.

"At first I thought it might be a precognitive dream. It was so vivid."

"What kind of dream was it..."

"Well, is it about our future? In my dream, I became the head of household as I am now,
and you became a knight as I wished. All of you grew up to be young men and young
ladies who would not regret it no matter where they were placed... I was proud of it,
really. I was proud of it, but at the same time, I was under the illusion that you would
understand my feelings even if I didn't show anything. "

"무……."

"So, this story was so different from now. After all, on the day you all grew up and got
married, you didn't want me to come to your wedding, and I was hurt and decided to
leave on my own. It was such a dream."

Jeremy was now sitting with a very speculative expression on his face. The narrow
emerald eyes, those eyes that looked exactly like my father's, stared into my eyes with
the most ambiguous expression.

After a while, he finally spoke out with a slight trembling voice.

"Shuri, a dream is just a dream. No matter what you say to me or not, that can't
happen."

“Yes, a dream is just a dream. I just wanted to say… I was really happy when I woke up
from that dream and when you all opened up to me in a completely different way than
in a dream. For a second chance at life. I was really happy to feel..."
I raised my hand and removed the straw from the boy's curly golden hair. Then he
whispered in a low, subdued voice.

"So Jeremy...don't worry about your hands. I will definitely see you become a proud
knight like in my dreams."

Jeremy didn't even budge. She barely breathed. When I finally got him up and backed
off, he was still sitting frozen there, staring at the floor.

***

The morning of the day of the decisive battle was bright. I finished my bath early and
put on the black dress I had prepared for the trial. While I was gone, I had instructed
Gwen to have the children eat their usual meals and take lessons from the tutor.

"Shuri... are you really going alone? Are you really okay?"

These were the words of Elias, who inevitably insisted on going with me, but eventually
gave up on my formidable stubbornness. It was very strange to see the guy who
always looked like a horned colt looking at my complexion with such uneasy eyes. Did
you even feel something? It suddenly occurred to me that children's intuition is faster
than that of adults.

"Of course it's fine. Don't worry about anything. Take care of the house with your
younger siblings."

I deliberately smiled and said it, but the tip of my nose was frowning for no reason.
Seeing Elias still looking at me with anxious eyes, and seeing the twins clinging tightly
to their second brother like never before, with faces full of anxiety and confusion,
made my heart weaken.

"Okay? Stay calm until Jeremy comes."

"Mom? Is Mom coming with your older brother?"

Oh my God, even Rachel. I can't keep going like this.

“……of course. So don’t worry about anything and be nice?”

Nod. It was pitiful to see all three of them nodding their heads obediently.

I kept my eyes on the unfamiliar faces of the children for a long time, then finally
turned around and climbed into the carriage.

The place where the trial was held was the Bit Duen Palace. Located just east of
Babenberg Palace, where the parliament building is located. In a courtroom large
enough to hold hundreds of people, literally countless nobles sat in left and right
audience seats.

Among them, there will be people who came out just out of curiosity. It was a
landscape that reminded me of past hearings.

At first glance, it seemed like a mix of half supporters and half opponents, but in
reality it was not. Leaving aside the collateral members who were shining like hyenas
as if they had been waiting for this day, most of the nobles were just counting their
own gains from the decision to be made in this trial. After the fall of the golden lion, it
would naturally be easier for them to raise their status.

The insignia of a white eagle clutching the snout of a beast was looking down at them.
The emperor and empress were seated on a platform right below the curtain.
Theobald was there too, of course. Ever since he entered, he had been sending a very
earnest glance at his stepmother, but the empress had been completely ignoring her.
Unlike the empress, who stared intently at me, the emperor was furrowing his brow
with an incomprehensible look in his eyes. Rather than being angry at what had
happened to the prince, it seemed that he didn't like the situation itself.

As long as the empress withdrew this trial, it was something she could manage to get
over. But the Empress Elizabeth I knew was never such a person. She seemed to be
igniting on this occasion her personal animosity toward me rather than anger at the
beatings of her stepson, or at the downfall of her imperial dignity.

"Colonel the sinner."

As soon as the solemn voice of the emperor sounded, my eldest son was dragged
away by the silver uniformed guardsmen. In front of so many people's stern gaze,
without even a hint of being intimidated, just sitting in the defendant's seat with a
frown on his face, it was almost laughable.

"Jeremy von Neubanstein. Born in year 1101 of the Imperial calendar, the eldest son
and next heir of the Marquis of Neubanstein. You are charged with assault and
attempted murder of the Crown Prince of the Empire, Theobald von Baden Bismarck.
Admit it?"

Jeremy glanced at the audience seat, lowering his dark green eyes as if looking for
me, and then answered in a surprisingly calm tone.

"Your Majesty the Emperor. No. I do not approve."

“So, are you denying the charges now?”

"What I did was only to protect my mother's honor. Even as a member of the royal
family, how can I bear to tarnish my mother's honor? I had no intention of intentionally
hurting Her Highness, the crown prince."

oh my… … . While I involuntarily covered my face with my hand, a chatter spread among
the crowded nobles.

Needless to say, Theobald had come to stare at his childhood comrade with an
expression worthy of seeing. On the other hand, the emperor was adding to the sense
of intimidation by maintaining an extremely plain complexion.

"Jeremy von Neubanstein. According to the prince's claim, at the time of the incident,
the prince and your mother were observing books and chatting together. How can
that dishonor your mother's reputation?"

"There was something to be said for that."

"What do you mean?"

"While I was wandering around looking for my mother, I ran into a cardinal. According
to what he said, His Majesty the Crown Prince had forcibly dragged my mother into his
private study and was harassing her. Just in case, when I ran straight away, my mother
said to His Highness the Crown Prince You were crushed and fell down. But how can I
not misunderstand?"

Aside from the fact that the tone was calm enough to make me feel like a different
person, my eyes naturally widened at the content.

cardinal? What cardinal said that?

Certainly, there was something unusual about Jeremy's bursting into us that day.
Moreover, no matter how much he misunderstood, he punched Theobald with such a
confident attitude... … .

But what cardinal said that! There was only one person that immediately came to
mind.

The messy chatter was getting louder and louder. The emperor, who had struck the
baton once, now stared at my son with golden eyes that flashed with anger.

"Can you remember who the cardinal was?"

"I don't remember him well because he's wearing a hood. Anyway, since he's a cardinal,
I didn't think he would lie. ...Moreover, since my father died, it's hard to believe anyone
I've known."

I turned my gaze to look at Cardinal Richelieu, who was seated on the side of the
College of Cardinals. The silent servant, as always, was watching the defendant's seat
with an expressionless face.

Could it be that one? But if so, why... … ?

Then the empress opened her mouth.

"The accused has a really brazen attitude and even makes up nonsense. No matter
how young he is, there is a right line. It's obvious how the Marquis's wife ordered her
child's education. Let's do it..."

"sister!"
It was none other than the Duke of Nuremberg, who was sitting on the jury's side, who
struck a fierce blow. The empress's red lips immediately twisted in ridicule.

"Why did I say something wrong, Duke?"

It was a dripping cynicism that was difficult for me to understand. To that, the Duke of
Nuremberg replied in the same voice like an ice pick, as if they were not brother and
sister.

"Please refrain from speaking irrelevant to the trial, Empress. Your Majesty the
Emperor? I request permission from the defense attorney to speak."

While the empress snorted, the emperor silently nodded. So I got up and went to the
witness stand. The scribe would die if I were to mention the expressions in the
countless gazes fixed on me as I walked. ridicule, ridicule, disgust, hostility... … Or, I
straightened my posture, feeling the eyes mixed with pity and pity. Inside, my heart
was beating so fast that it was about to explode. I just hoped that the Duke of
Nuremberg would do my favor.

"Your Majesty the Emperor and Empress. As I, Shuri von Neuwanstein, temporary head
of the Neuwanstein family and mother of the accused Jeremy von Neuwanstein, I
request the attendance of witnesses and the presentation of additional evidence
before the trial begins."

"I allow it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

thank god. While I bowed my head to the emperor, a buzz was spreading once more. It
would have been absurd to suddenly appear as a witness in this situation where the
guilty and the nature of the crime were clear. As the courtroom was filled with low
sneers and clicking sounds, the witness I had earnestly requested from the duke and
crown prince finally showed up and entered.

"Good evening, His Majesty the Emperor. Empress Mama. May the Blessings of the
Holy Mother be with you."

There was silence for a while.

While the emperor looked as absurd as the other nobles, the Duke of Steel, the man
who kept the pact with me, was showing a very uncomfortable expression. Likewise, the
empress, who had been ridiculing her astonishing, opened her mouth in a sharp tone.

"Isn't it the pure white priestess? Why did you summon the pure white priestess as a
witness, Lady Neuwanstein? Do you intend to at least confirm my innocence here?"

"Empress Mama. I'm not here to play pranks on you."

Pure white priestesses who are in charge of a secret mission to check the purity of the
newly married empress or crown princess. It was beyond my power to summon even
one of them to this place. It would have been out of the question unless someone
closely related to the imperial family, such as the younger brother of the empress or
the prince.

"How could you do such an outrageous thing?! Does this trial look like a child's play?!"

I turned my head toward the emperor with a smile at the furious shouts that erupted
from the audience.

"Your Majesty the Emperor. I, Shuri von Neuwanstein, demand an annulment of the
marriage here."

Silence came once again in the tumultuous courtroom. A light of astonishment

appeared on the face of the Duke of Nuremberg, who was watching me with an
unusual expression. Likewise, the Emperor's solemn eyes were also beginning to
contain the light of doubt.

"What the hell are you talking about. You are the Imperial Law..."

"Of course, I am well aware that a woman cannot ask for a divorce under Imperial Law.
Likewise, I am well aware that under Imperial Law, either of the spouses can claim an
annulment of the marriage if it is proved that the couple has not had intercourse for
more than 500 days. there is."

"Now you are..."

“Yes, Your Majesty. The late Marquis Johenus von Neuwanstein and I have not slept
together even once in our marriage of about 800 days. According to the proof that the
pure white priestess will show us from now on, we will immediately cancel the
marriage."

I was trying my best not to look at the defendant's seat amidst the bleak silence that
was difficult to express in words. It was because he had no confidence to ascertain
what expression Jeremy was making at this moment. If I checked that figure, my heart
would probably not be able to bear it any longer and would break apart.

It was at that time that an angry cry broke out from the audience, which had become
quiet as if they had been doused with cold water.

"What nonsense...! Your Majesty, that woman is playing with the sacred court with
nonsense!"

"Could you give me a logical reason why my remark sounds nonsense, Lady
Sebastian?"

Jumping up, Lucrecia's turquoise eyes glared at me ferociously. How could those
beautiful eyes be so ugly... … .

"Your older brother, your deceased older brother, is not worthy of such an unfair
insult! Didn't he even have four children with his ex-wife! Your older brother was
undoubtedly more energetic than anyone else..."

"Did you ever have a hobby of snooping in your brother's bedroom, Lady Sebastian?
How do you know if my husband was full of energy or not?"

Clearing coughs and giggling erupted here and there, and Lucrezia's shardy white
face immediately flushed red. Looking at it, I felt strange all over again. When was the
last time you played such a benevolent aunt, would you not be able to cut off your
eldest niece's arm?

Even though it was the reality of an aristocratic society that even blood relatives
could bite each other by the nape of the neck, I couldn't help feeling bitter.

"Uh, does it make sense that you've never slept with a woman like that while living in
the same house?!"

"I take it as a compliment, Lady Sebastien. My witness here will attest on the matter."
I turned my gaze back to the emperor. I don't know how to describe the emperor's
expression as he sees me now. It was as if it were passing through me and looking at
someone else behind me.

"Lady Neuwanstein... do you think the deceased will be pleased with your actions now?"

I'm sorry, Yochen. But you would understand... … . Now I know that the children you left
behind are more precious than the warm memories of you.

Ha ha, I never thought I'd step back like this. What would happen if I came down from
where I am now? Is there one or two people who are grinding their teeth at me? Will he
survive?

"If it is the proof of the pure white priestess, no one will doubt it. Your Majesty, as soon
as the proof is completed, I will no longer be the Marquis of Neuwanstein, but will
return as Lady Shuri von Ighoeffer. Therefore, the Neuwanstein family The California
State Rights will revert to Jeremy von Neuwanstein, who sits in that dock, and the
accused will be able to request a trial in a duel of honor under the protection of the
State Honor Rights Ordinance."

Any of the knights belonging to Neuwanstein would be happy to referee the duel. If I
had watched them for nearly 10 years, they would undoubtedly give their lives for their
young family head.

I glanced sideways at the pure-white priestess standing silently beside me, then
turned my gaze toward the audience, now engulfed in a whirlwind of silence.

This seat was no longer a comedy stand to watch the fall of a family.

The California Honor Rights Ordinance is a crucial provision for all nobles. As it was a
precautionary measure made to protect the head of the aristocracy from the tyranny
of the imperial and hierarchical powers, of course no one would be able to express
opposition to the cause, and in the end, the faction would begin to split between the
aristocracy and the imperial family.

No matter what reason Jeremy had assaulted the crown prince, it was no longer an
important fact for the nobles who were thoroughly working for their own interests. It
was important that the boy who was reckless enough to assault the crown prince and
had no qualms about becoming the Marquis of Neubanstein. Everyone should move
quickly and tactfully... … .
"You see, everyone. The festival is over."

And I looked towards Empress Elizabeth for the last time. I thought that she would be
glaring at me with the same ferocity as Lutz Rechia, but the empress was surprisingly
staring at me with strange eyes that I hadn't expected at all. It was half blank, but it
was like seeing something unfamiliar again.

Ironically, his pity for her suddenly surged. No wonder she came out so strong. She
was the one who had lived in the shadow of the former empress, the woman whom the
emperor loved so much, and cared for her stepson more than her own. While enduring
the emperor's private life that she was promiscuous.

It was hard to believe that so many people had gathered in one place. How long and
solid the silence had passed. Finally, it was none other than Empress Elizabeth who
pierced the spear with all her might into this silent barrier. She raised herself up,
majestically letting the hem of her dark red dress fly like her dark red hair in her high
ponytail. She then said to her emperor, who was still staring at me as she sat there
frozen.

"your majesty."

“……What else?”

“I request the withdrawal of the trial.”

Despite the empress' request to withdraw the trial, literally out of the blue, the
courtroom was still as quiet as a mouse.

… … In this situation, it would be hard to say anything hastily. Anyway, as I watched her
with my eyes wide open, Empress Elisabeth turned her body around and spat out at
me for the last time.

"Lady Neuwanstein, I don't think you need to go through with annulment. You already
have the most appropriate seat."

"……."

I was only half lost. In the meantime, the emperor, who had been keeping an eye on me
with a silent demeanor, doubting whether he had properly listened to the empress,
finally turned his gaze and glared at his eldest son. To be precise, I wanted to
alternate between standing Theobald and the defendant's seat, but then he let out his
tongue in a kicking manner.

“Are you proud of being beaten by such a fledgling immature?”

"……."

Whatever the poor prince was trying to say with a face that was instantly stunned, it
was cut off by the stern emperor's remarks, striking hard with the baton.

"I order the trial to be withdrawn. The festival is over, so let's all go back and enjoy the
year-end vacation!"

… … Somehow, it sounds pretty similar to what I said a moment ago. More than that, I
have to say that the aspect of talking about the year-end vacation in the midst of that
is truly emperor-like.

It's the imperial family who actually staged the game, but now they're suddenly
withdrawing. Using this as an opportunity, 'Do you see us as water!' Nobles would not
be alone in protesting like a rainstorm. It was somewhat pitiful to see the emperor
leaving the post after announcing that he would put off that troublesome issue until
the New Year.

"Lady Neuwanstein."

"Lady Neuwanstein..."

Amidst the sound of greetings passing by one after another, the sound of chairs being
pushed and footsteps leaving, I suddenly looked in the direction of the cardinals.

There, that silent and dark gaze, the gaze that still did not know how to leave me, was
shining quietly like that of a beast crouching low.

***
“There is one thing I earnestly ask of you… Ma’am, since you have such a plan from
now on, could you please inform me in advance? Do you know how nervous I was?!”

yikes. He must have been quite surprised to see the calm Duke of Nuremberg shouting
like he was about to explode.

"I'm sorry. But I told you beforehand..."

"Huh, that's all right. You wouldn't have bothered to tell me all of that. I've been
suspicious ever since you suddenly asked me to bring a pure white priestess... I must
apologize."

There was no need for the duke to apologize on his behalf. More than that, even I
hadn't expected that the empress would turn the tables so quickly at the last minute.
There was no way she was unaware that by doing so, her cause on the part of the
imperial family would be shattered. Of course, it would be less dangerous than the
situation where the succession of the head of the household occurs at the same time
as my marriage cancellation, but... … .

No matter what the real inside story was, the position of the imperial family would go
through considerable difficulties for the time being. The empress who, as a
noblewoman, pushed her most private life to be revealed to the world along with
Crown Prince Dan, who was the temporary head of Neu Van Stein's house. Moreover,
since she recklessly withdrew the trial from there, it is no different than giving her
justification over to her side. Even if the great aristocrats, including Neubanstein,
came together and started growling, they were in a position where they had nothing to
say.

How ironic it was to unintentionally turn the nobles into one side. Even though I went
back in time, I can't even predict the future of this reality, which is going in a
completely different direction from the past... … .

"Your Majesty must be in a lot of trouble."

"Of course you'll get sick. Even if you get sick, it's cheap. Anyway, I hope that your wife
won't ever make a terrifying request like annulment of the marriage again. Seriously,
who cares...!"

I smiled as I looked up at the duke who was grumbling while washing his face. If it
wasn't for this person's help, I wouldn't have been able to write the same number
today. I was even more grateful than at the previous hearing that this person was kind
to me without knowing why. To the Emperor, of course.
That said, of course, it was not that I ventured into the matter with a reckless mind,
trusting only those who were kind to me and letting things happen. Although under
Imperial law a woman could not ask for a divorce, there was a whole trap in that law
that if she could prove that she had been unmarried for more than 500 days, she
could immediately seek an annulment of the marriage. The pitfall is that a person
other than the party to the marriage cannot be forced to make a choice, even if it is
the emperor or the pope. I don't know who it was made that way for, but it was a very
useful card for me, so I forced myself into such an irrational number.

"Thank you for keeping your pact with me. By the way, the duke."

"예?"

I hesitated for a moment as I met the blue eyes looking down at me, but then I made
up my mind and shook my head.

“……No. I hope you have a meaningful end of the year.”

I should put aside my doubts about the unknown reason that exists between the
empress and me. I was too sorry to hold on to the Duke any longer. More than
anything… … .

"마님……!"

As soon as he reached the wagon, his body staggered by itself, probably because the
tension was relieved all at once. I don't know how to interpret the facial expressions of
the ascetic knights rushing to help me.

Jeremy had been sent home first, and whatever had happened in the courtroom
would have already spread as word spread. Something felt awkward. He hadn't
thought until just now that he'd be riding this machi again. Feeling the gaze of the
knights looking at me with unfamiliar eyes, I barely said a single word.

"to home."
As soon as I returned to my 'house', I went straight to my quarters without even having
time to chat with our faithful butler who greeted me at the front door, the head maid,
and the knight commander. Then I let go of my mind and fell asleep.

I slept really well without any dreams for the first time in a while. When I finally opened
my eyes, it was the middle of the night, as time passed. I put on a robe and a shawl
over my chemise and headed downstairs carefully, muting her footsteps in case Gwen
heard my presence and woke up.

The appearance of the mansion shrouded in complete darkness would normally have
felt that it wouldn't be strange if a ghost popped out, but at this moment, it felt
somewhat comfortable.

… … Isn't it bad to go out and walk around when everyone is asleep?

When I moved to the backyard, I saw a charming scenery such as big and small
snowmen and clumsy snow castles built huddled in the middle of the snow-covered
garden. Did he come out and play while I was asleep? As long as the children
maintained their normal appearance, that was enough.

I thought I would never see you again. It seems I've been luckier than I thought. Hey,
how many people in the world get a second chance at life after dying once... … .

I looked up at the star-studded sky as if it were about to pour, sniffing uncool as the
cold air flowed into my nostrils.

If my dead husband was looking at me over there, what would he be thinking by now? I
don't think he would have been very upset with him, but even a saintly man would be
slightly offended if he was insulted in this way. Heck, I'm sorry, Yochen. but you me... … .

Paslock.

It was then that I heard the sound of footsteps stepping on the thick snow. I stood in
the middle of the back garden, looked up at the sky, and suddenly turned my head
away from trembling as I apologized to the deceased.

"Jeremy...? You haven't slept yet?"

The boy, who showed up in his pajamas and walked towards me in the cold night air,
suddenly stopped about five feet away and stared at me. His dark green eyes, which
always sparkled with boyish mischief, seemed to quiver strangely.

"You have to wear a gown. You'll catch a cold if you leave."

Then, to make someone suffer. It was the moment I took off the shawl draped over my
shoulders as I swallowed my backbiting. The boy who had been looking at me with a
strange expression that had no way of knowing the meaning in his eyes suddenly
opened his mouth, but he spat out a sound he had never heard before.

"If you want to meet Theo, meet him."

"……응?"

"So, whether it's the crown prince or whoever, if there's someone who likes you... and if
you like you too, meet. Even if you remarry, it doesn't matter."

Why are you suddenly saying this? Are you angry with me? Is it because I didn't behave
properly and was swayed by Theobald's courtship? Or because of what I said in court
earlier? It seemed like it was both. Hey, hey, from that guy's point of view, there's no
way he'll be offended enough... … .

"Jeremy... you said it wasn't like that. I just... it's been so long, it's been so long since I've
felt that way, so I was just briefly swept away. I'm not in a state to give my heart to
anyone yet."

"I don't mean that."

Shaking his head wildly, he came closer to me. The emerald-colored eyes that
shimmered in the darkness seemed to be burning for a moment, to the point that I
flinched involuntarily.

"That's not what I meant... I won't stop you even if you turn away from us now."

"what……."
"There will be enough good people who like you, who will treat you as you deserve,
even more so in the future. So... so I mean, Shuri..."

It took a long time before he spoke again. At first glance, it seemed that a faint
moisture was reflected in the dark green eyes that were seething with complex
emotions.

“The responsibility my father placed on you was unjust.”

"너……."

"Our family... it's true that we are responsible for our family. Whether it's death or food,
the reason you suffer so much... Just like in the dream you had, the immature children
of others who are in pain alone and don't know how to appreciate it. There's no reason
to be hurt because of it."

… … I'm not sure what my expression is right now, but it's probably quite similar to the
empress's expression in court earlier. What the hell is this guy talking about? Is the guy
in front of me right now Jeremy?

"What the hell are you talking about now..."

"You know best. The reason why I'm suffering from having to look after other people's
children with a short age gap with you... Like before, the reason to take the risk of
insulting your personal memory in front of people in order to protect something like
me... There's no reason to waste your life on us just to keep a person's will."

“……Jeremy.”

“Just like in the dream you experienced very vividly… don’t waste your precious life on
guys like us. Rather, believe that it was a precognitive dream, and from now on, do
whatever you want to live and do. Even if we do, we won't die, and we won't resent you
either..."

"……."

"Since you've already done enough, you're qualified to think only of yourself from now
on, so don't worry about our feelings or notice and do everything you want. Take
whatever you want and leave, and it doesn't matter if you remarry. So please, please
Let go while you can still let go.”
"……."

"Are you listening? Don't look back, don't hesitate, don't stop halfway... just think of
yourself...!"

I was out of breath. As I literally froze, Jeremy caught her breath and gave me a sad
look that I couldn't even fathom.

It was as if the water shimmering in the green wave-like eyes had moved to my eyes.
Blinking my blurry eyes, I stretched out my hand and wiped the water from the boy's
pale cheek. Then she laid the shawl she was holding in her other hand on his shoulder.

"Do you really want that? There are still more things I haven't been able to do for you. I
haven't been able to do anything I wanted to do for you or do anything I wanted to do
with you."

"……슈리."

“My foolish son, no matter how many times I wander in my dreams, no matter how
many times I live this life again, I will remain by your side the same way I have been
until now. Because it's the only way."

A cool breeze blew through and blew through our hair. The dark night was over and
the bluish dawn was slowly approaching. Our wandering childhood was also coming
to an end.

Chapter 5 - First family trip

"So this is..."

On the morning of the last day of the short and eventful year, I was standing in front
of me from the early hours before breakfast, dealing with our butler and head maid,
who were blinking their eyes burdensomely, no, dangerously. To be precise, I should
say that they are dealing with a dense sheet of paper that they are pushing amicably.
“……What is this?”

At the question I murmured with my chin half-dropped and stupid-looking face, our
loyal Gwen and Robert scrambled, shouting.

"This is a list of destinations. Ma'am! Please use this opportunity to relieve all your
hard work!"

"That's right, ma'am. You're a woman... No, the head maid and I put our heads together
all night!"

"Come on, pick the one you like!"

"...Hey, both of you should calm down for a moment, so what is this...?"

"A list of travel courses! I've included all the famous tourist spots that are popular
these days!"

“So, at this point today, go on a trip with me, is this sound?”

I tried to speak politely, but it seemed to have failed. Can you see the two people
nodding their heads as if they were waiting?

"What can't be done? If it's this season, all the other families will be playing similarly.
The lady should enjoy it and spend this opportunity with the youngsters and the
young lady as a closer family."

"Gwen, no matter how fashionable these days, if there's an accident..."

"Don't worry, ma'am! We'll protect you!"

Oh, what a surprise. The knights, who should have been silently guarding the spot as if
they were there or not, shouted loudly at first, and I flinched even without my bare
head.
No, wait a minute, but these… … ?

"I'm starting to have doubts that everything seems to be tricked..."

"You're mistaken, ma'am."

"I don't think it's an illusion."

“You are mistaken.”

I had to suppress my moaning as I looked at the faithful servants who answered

stubbornly. Did everyone eat something wrong? What kind of absurd trip is this?!

"What time is this now...!"

"It's holiday season, ma'am."

"Even so...!"

"Boys and ladies will like it. I'm sure. I bet my hair."

“……Robert, you don’t have much hair left.”

"Keuheuk! Ma'am, how can you say such ruthless words...!"

Since the loyal butler who has been supporting this family for generations started
shedding tears in the morning, I couldn't beat the bitterness and sweetness anymore
and had to head to the restaurant with his list of travel destinations. It seems like it's
on purpose, but... … .

"Oh, my Mama! What is that?"

Udangtang!

Elias, who had been slicing turkey with a voracious appetite since morning, suddenly
fell off the chair, and I was about to sit down, startled, and the twins, who had been
arguing to eat the skin, screamed at the same time. Either that or not, Elias, who
immediately jumped up to his feet, now glared at his brother with her eyes flashing
ferociously.

"What is it, hyung? Are you crazy since morning? What is that bizarre title that has no
sense at all?"

"I'm going to have to study Korean again, my foolish brother. Is it wrong for my son to
call his mother Mama?"

While Elias dropped his chin with an expression that was unbearable to even look at, I
silently sat down. Rachel, who was pulling the turkey skin close to her plate as if she
had been frightened, sighed.

"Your little brother's face looks really ugly."

right!

Elias, who immediately closed his jaw, crossed his arms and gave me a suspicious look.
To be precise, I stared alternately at me, who was setting down the plate beside her,
the memo in her hand, and at Jeremy, who was disassembling the pumpkin pie,
giggling as if it was no big deal. She then cried.

"What kind of deal was going on between the two of you?"

"Have a seat, you stupid brother. When adults eat, they sit quietly and wait."

"……."

I quietly opened my mouth, trying to ignore the pitiful look of Elias as he sat down
while muttering something like, "What the hell did you get?"

"Hey, our trusty eldest son."

"Why, Mother."

Jeremy, who had taken a bite of that large piece of pie in one bite, looked at me with a
lick of his lips. I hesitated for a moment, then shook the memo in my hand.

"I'd like to go on a short trip together. What does my eldest son think?"

"Travel? What kind of trip suddenly? Where are you going? What do you want to see?"

"The list is quite long... First of all, famous hot springs and watching gladiator shows.
You might like it..."

"No, wait, why are you talking about such an important issue just the two of you! I have
it, me too! Discriminate against children!"

"Little brother, my father didn't scream at the table..."

"What are you talking about, short legs!"

"Elias, what's short legs for your brother? Stop it and take a look at yourself. Which one
would be better."

As I sighed, Leon stuck out his tongue at Elias with a triumphant expression, and Elias
looked at the list of travel destinations while grumbling. No, she tried to peek. She did.

"Let's see... Wow, who wrote all of this?"

"Ah, let me see you too! Don't just look at hyung, you greedy human!"

“Ouch, where does the dog keep barking?”

With one hand pressing down on Elias's red hair and the other holding the note high
up, Jeremy looked through it thoughtfully for a while before finally letting out a sigh
that sounded like the wind blowing.
"There's nothing that really draws me to it other than watching a gladiator show. Aren't
these places that ladies and girls would like?"

"Aha, is that so? Then this problem is over..."

"No, let's go."

"You say you're not attracted to anything?"

"Soja made a mistake for a while. Please forgive me generously with the same heart as
Hahae. Oh, but what about a hot spring? You have to have been to know."

"Hot springs are a business of soaking in hot water and playing while swimming. It's
listed in the encyclopedia my mother bought for me."

This was the answer our little intellectual, Leon, came up with. It's a correct definition,
but somehow it seemed a bit deformed. Anyway, Elias, who was claiming to be feeling
like an outcast, exclaimed, while Jeremy nodded her head insincerely with an 'aha'.

"Are you wearing clothes?"

“No, take off all your clothes and go in.

"Eh? What the hell is that?! Men and women are unusual, what kind of monstrous fad
is..."

"It was written that each gender is separate. The younger brother is strange."

"Leave it alone. My little brother is like that. Mom, then can I take my shoes?"

"Then, of course. I'll go and buy a new one..."

"Ah, why are you all bullying me? What the hell is this atmosphere?"
Needless to say, there was silence for a moment at the loud roar of the little red lion.
As the twins and I looked at each other with wide-eyed eyes, Elias blinked awkwardly,
looking at the person responsible for the strange atmosphere, namely, Jeremy,
probably a little embarrassed after I shouted.

And that wasn't a very wise choice. The eldest son, who had quietly put down the knife,
spoke curtly, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Are you yelling at me now?"

“……No, I just asked our dear guardian.”

"No, but this bastard wants to see you, so don't you even know dining etiquette?

"Shi, Sissy, I hate it! Don't come! Don't come closer, you horrible human!"

While Jeremy held onto Elias and performed the joint flexion, I pretended not to see
them and drank milk with the twins after dinner.

By the time we left the dining room, the two of them were already tangled together,
running upstairs and running down the long hallway. Then, along with the sound of
the door closing roughly with a thud, I heard the triumphant voice of the second son
who had secured a safe zone.

"Damn it, my older brother will never get married when he grows up! What woman
would try to marry a domestic bully like him..."

"Did you just slam the door?! Open the door. You didn't open the door?!"

"Because it's not?! It's hard shut on its own?! And this is my room?!"

thump thump thump!

After all, children have to be raised to be strong. In the end, Elias's door had to be
replaced that day. It was just a wonder how the hell they could break the solid door.
While I was planning my three-day trip, I sorted out a mountain of paperwork in
advance and checked each and every New Year's card that flew in from here and
there. It's a lot more than I remember, so I was a little surprised. After looking at it for a
long time, it seemed that after the last trial, the movement to separate the aristocratic
faction from the imperial faction had begun to sprout. I should give my condolences in
advance to the imperial family, which would be troublesome enough even with the
Vatican's containment. Even to myself. Whew.

"What is this...?"

Unknowingly, I suddenly muttered something to myself. Of course, among the

innumerable New Year's cards, letters from the imperial family were mixed in. To be
precise, it was not the seal of an eagle that symbolized the emperor, but the seal of a
swan, the symbol of the empress. To think that Empress Elisabeth, no one else, sent me
a New Year's card... … ?

Suspicious and uneasy, I immediately opened the shiny white envelope and examined
the contents. Then I was stunned.

Let's have tea together sometime. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you.

… … Yes, that's right, Empress. I knew it from the start, but you're very consistent.
Clicking my tongue, I next opened the New Year's card from the Duke of Nuremberg. It
was a letter from the Duchess. The blue note paper in the black envelope gave off a
cool feeling.

I admired your courage. I am also trying to be brave. End the year well.

… … I don't know what kind of courage it is, but it would be good if the frail lady
cheered up a little, right?
It was only after reading the countless letters quickly and sending all the replies in
that way that it felt like it was finally finished. Of course, this is the real beginning, but
does it feel like the short and eventful winter has finally come to an end?

There were so many incidents. If I die someday, that is, if I really die and go to the
other world and meet my husband, I think it will be enough to wake up the day by
talking about the events of this winter. Ahem, you should brag a lot. Even if you look at
me like this, it's a woman the prince fell in love with even for a moment!

"Respected mother. I'm saying this from the bottom of my heart, but you worry too
much and get rid of it."

Oh, what a surprise. I looked around in amazement and saw the image of my eldest
son smiling leisurely with his head poked through the half-open door of the study.
What is it? Did I look worried?

"Then you'll get rid of it because you don't have too much to worry about."

"Shouldn't one of us have some proportions? What are you looking at?"

"Well, if I had to explain it, I was trying to respond with sincerity to the greetings that
were only pretending."

"Wow, there are many of them. Is it just my misunderstanding that there must be love
letters among all these greetings?"

"Why, would you like to be there?"

When I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, dark green eyes twinkled mischievously.

"It's not like that. I don't know if I have someone who loves you so much that I'm going
crazy..."

“If you have someone like that, you mean anyone is fine?”

“Well, whether I like it or not, it will depend on what that person does to you.”
How do you do it? I tilted my head a little, and smiled after him at the sudden sense of
playfulness.

“Are you saying you can’t accept a person who treats me badly?

"What else is there to be proud of? If there is such a person..."

The eldest son, who had quietly clicked his tongue, grinned again, scratching his
golden hair with his hand.

"I'm going to rip off his leg and kill him."

I stared at him blankly, then raised my hand and slapped him on the back. A shriek full
of ghastliness rang out.

***

"Please take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself, ma'am."

"Please be careful, ma'am. We will protect this place well."

With the faithful butler, head maid, and leader of the knights sending me off, I
embarked on a journey with my children for the first time in my past and present lives.
I felt like I was doing a lot of things I hadn't done before. I'm glad the kids seem to like it
though... … .

"I'll have a window seat! Get out of the way!"

"The one who sits down first is the owner, my dear sister, who is so lovely that I want to
bite her to death."
"Mom! My little brother is threatening to kill me!"

"Mom, I think I'm going to throw up all of a sudden."

"Pahahaha! Then why are you reading a book in the carriage, you idiot. If it's a long
journey..."

"It's Vicky, little brother! That's my seat!"

"Ah, Rachel, why are you mad only at me?! I'm so easygoing..."

"Who's rudely wailing and fussing in front of his strict mother?! Shut up everyone to get
some sleep!"

“……Mom, big brother, I’m scared.”

… … It didn't seem like it would be a smooth journey. oh my gosh

***

who did it The beauty of the golden omnipotence is that if you have money and
manpower, you can create heaven on earth.

In the magnificent mountain range of Berchtesgaden, which has recently emerged as

a popular resort among the aristocrats, it took a full day and a half day to finally
reach it. Holiday villas, hunting grounds, and magnificent hot spring houses are built
in an orderly fashion in the middle of a dizzying ridge. He was sitting and enjoying the
view.

Tired of the long carriage ride, the sight of the children dozing off and looking out the
window with their eyes wide open all at once can be quite interesting.
"This, this is crazy. I-I need to get out of here!"

… … is not it?

"Elias, why..."

"Ooh, we're all going to die! We're going to fall and die! I'm gonna get out of here! Let
me go home!"

… … Who would have imagined The fact that my second son, who is like a horned colt,
can't even use sideburns in the high mountains... … ! Even I, who had been watching
him for nearly 10 years, now know, but it's amazing.

"Mom, little brother, why are you doing that?"

"I'm going back! I'm going back! We're all going to die!"

"I don't want to go back! I love being here! Mom, little brother, tell me to go home
alone!"

"Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! If we are here, we all die! Turn the

wagon quickly! Shuri, we don't die!"

There was a little bit of a commotion thanks to Elias, who started a riot by shouting
unheard-of things like saying that we would all fall to our deaths and that we would all
be blown away by the wind. Needless to say, I was seriously contemplating whether I
should turn the wagon after coming this far. It was none other than the trustworthy
eldest son who calmed down the second son, who was terrified and scolding
inappropriately.

right!

"Ahh! Why are you hitting me?!"

"What? Is that something to say in front of our esteemed protector? Shut your mouth
and act like a man, you disgraceful little brother of the family. If you talk about him
dying just one more time, I'll rip your snout out."
Aww! Indeed, it was a terrifying declaration that sent chills down the spine. Then,
thrilled by Jeremy's dignified appearance, with one sleeve rolled up to her elbow,
calmly looking out of her window, Leon, anxious that she might turn her carriage
around, gave her a quick thumbs up.

It wasn't enough that he faced unexpected fear, so to speak of poor Elias, who even
got beaten up, he couldn't keep his mouth open anymore, perhaps the more fear
suppressed the existing fear. Instead, he maintained a stiff stance with a tense face
until he got off the carriage. Poor guy. Nevertheless, after passing through the guard
post and arriving at the villa I had reserved, everyone started liking it.

As it was exclusively reserved for nobles, the villa, which had a splendid style
comparable to the mansions of the imperial kingdom, was equipped with separate
accommodations for trainee knights as well as servants on behalf of servants. First of
all, I must say that the view is amazing. It should be said that it is a landscape full of
wild beauty different from that of the ecliptic. It was the first time I had ever been to an
alpine area as high as this, so the scenery of the mountains in harmony with red and
purple could not be felt so beautiful.

"This is my room because the curtains are pink! Don't come in!"

"Are there any sisters who are greedy like this? You're going to occupy this place all by
yourself? Do you get annoyed at the appearance of a ghost later..."

"Then, the younger brother can decide as he pleases!"

"Hey, Rachel. Can I go in too?"

"It's okay because you're my twin."

While the children ran around the luxurious and lavishly decorated bedrooms,
deciding where to sleep, I ordered the waiters to unpack and start thinking about
what to make for dinner. In my heart, I wanted to immediately jump into the warm
spring water and sleep without thinking, but that was not possible.

"Hey there, Mama."

"Why, my son."
"I heard that this area is famous for peacocks marinated in special spices. All the
restaurants over there must be the main dish?"

Oh, you mean? Why did this guy even investigate such a thing? I had to stop for the
next second as I looked back at my trustworthy eldest son with admirable eyes.

“……Jeremy, have you grown that much?”

"Is that so? I don't know. He must have grown up."

Jeremy, who tilted his head and ran his hand through his hair, had definitely grown a
little more in the meantime.

… … They were originally bigger than me, but I couldn't believe it, even though I knew
from the beginning that the level of development of these guys was no different from
that of weeds. It was hard to accept the sad reality that even Rachel, the smallest of
her siblings, would outgrow me in a few years. big... … .

"I grew up too! I grew up too!"

Elias, who came running up to me and started to condescendingly stood in front of

me, had definitely grown up. It was because her height, which had been quiet with me,
had risen by two fingers at some point.

Even so, I still have a long way to go before I catch up with my older brother, but the
sad reality that I will have to look up at these jerks sooner or later remains unchanged.

"Wahhaha! How is it, did you really grow up?"

"It's true. It will grow more in the future."

"You call that a horse! But when did Shuri grow up? You won't stay like this forever,
right?"

It was shocking to see Elias' disgusting act of pressing his hand against my head while
laughing heartily at the subject of making a fuss about this place just a moment ago.
Awesome, yes, one of you guys' bloodlines is awesome, awesome! How nice it would be
if the mind grew as much as the body grows!

It was at that time that Jeremy, who had been watching Elias with a laugh in his eyes,
suddenly raised his hand and struck his younger brother in the red head. She pucked,
she squealed with a screeching noise and she rang out.

"Aagh! What again?!"

"Where did this bastard get so cocky after touching his mother's hair? Do you want
your palms to fly off?"

"...Tongue, where the hell did you go wrong?! What did you eat wrong from a few days
ago?! What did you secretly receive from me?!"

To put Elias' cries of deep resentment to shame, I also had nothing to say about
Jeremy's out of the blue strange and subtle theatrical attitude. Even though I've
adjusted it once.

Anyway, how can I make that ignorant guy understand the complex sympathy that has
been going on between us since the last trial?

"I hate weird smelly dishes!"

"Me too! We can't eat spicy and smelly food!"

As befits a famous resort where not only families but also nobles come to enjoy a
secret holiday with the government, the luxury restaurant near the villa has a unique
structure with curtains drawn for each room.

If it was a place like this, there would be no getting offended by running into an enemy
family member while having a meal at a vacation spot, nor would people stare at
people while having a meal that wasn't hot with a young mistress. Of course, no matter
how secret it is, everyone who knows will know.

Anyway, like the other guests, they all sat around the round table with a curtain and
faced the main dish, which is a local specialty, and the twins began to grumble as if
they had been waiting. I felt sorry for the chef at the Marquis's house, who was
sweating blood every day to meet the two's tricky tastes. After I go back, I'll have to
take care of the New Year's bonus separately... … .

"Mom, I can't..."

“Leon, you can’t eat only what you want to eat forever.

"But..."

"Don't frown like a child, you short legs. I don't think it's too spicy..."

"Your little brother doesn't even touch you!"

Indeed, Jeremy was the only one acting casually in front of this unfamiliar dish he had
never seen before. Does the appetite of a boy who wants to become a knight who will
become a legend in the future overcome the unfamiliarity and heaviness?

Jeremy, who was slicing the thigh of a peacock dish with a unique scent, suddenly put
down the knife. He immediately glared at his younger siblings with terrifying eyes full
of annoyance, but then began to speak unheard of.

“Dear mother, with your mother’s permission, can I knock on things I don’t even know
about table etiquette?”

"Yes, my eldest son, do whatever you want."

"Did you hear? If you don't want to be beaten, just shut up and eat it!"

There was silence for a long time. As Elias glared at us with eyes that seemed to have
witnessed the destruction of the world, the twins began to work on their meal, looking
quite impressed by Jeremy's eccentric request for permission.

In conclusion, the peacock dish with unknown spices was surprisingly delicious. That
picky Rachel was about to empty three plates, so she said it all. She's going to enjoy it
anyway, but why is she complaining so much? … !
After having the raspberry pie and tea for dessert, everyone's eyelids got heavy. We
decided to visit the hot springs or other attractions tomorrow, and headed straight to
the accommodation on that road.

Rachel, who had declared the bedroom with its pink curtains her domain, ended up
sleeping with me.

The next morning, as was my custom, I woke up early, left the children to sleep in, and
went out with my loyal knights to visit the marketplaces lined up around the hot
springs. It was expected that by the time I left, I wouldn't even have time to look at the
souvenirs.

Moreover, since Elias was quiet as he was only walking around indoors, he didn't know
what kind of fuss he would start if he came out to the street where he could see the
far-off scenery.

… … Ha ha, these bastards I thought I knew better than anyone else, but somehow it
feels like it's getting more and more difficult. Is this why people shouldn't be
conceited? Cancer, yes, let's not be confident, after all, life is... … .

"Don't be afraid, ma'am. I will risk my life to protect you."

… … Well? Did I look frightened?

For some peculiar reason that is hard for me to understand, our loyal knights of
Neuwanstein followed me behind me, with their hands on the handles ready to draw
their swords, and wearing beastly faces that would not let anyone see them. Needless
to say, the merchants, who were preparing to make a living from early morning to
make a living against aristocratic travelers, started pretending to be busy with their
eyes down all at once.

"Sir Altz, Sir Wolfgang?"

"Please tell me, ma'am."

“……I don’t think there is a need to be so vigilant.”

"You don't have to worry about us."

"I mean, I think it'll be okay if you guys relax a little..."

"We know nothing of fear, ma'am."

"…….”

It seems that no matter what I say, it won't work. I looked around the market in
desperation, tightly tying the warm hooded cape made of fox fur that Jeremy had
caught earlier.

In a place like this, it is an unspoken rule to pretend not to know each other even if
you run into someone you know, but you can't help but stand out. For example, look at
Duke Heinrich giggling innocently with a woman my age at the scarf stand over there.
No matter how deeply the hat is pressed down, my eyes cannot be fooled. It was
unknown whether the person who had been widowed for less than half a year had
bought her a new lover, or had been seeing her before. If it's the latter, it makes sense
why rumors spread that Duchess Heinrich had committed suicide due to her
depression... … .

Phew, I feel like I can finally feel how people looked at me in the past. A woman who
brought her lovers in less than a month after her husband died... … .

"It's a thief!"

It was at that time that the marketplace in the hot spring area, which was brightly lit in
five colors, suddenly became noisy. The moment someone's sharp cry rang out, a
scruffy-looking man jumped out from the opposite side of the spot I was walking on,
followed by a knight in black uniform.

"Bee, get out of the way!"

At the very moment when the thief, who commanded so confidently, passed me by,
Lord Altz, who was behind me, tripped and tripped the blade thief.

Udangtang!

A nearby signboard collapsed noisily, and the merchant's gruff shouts rang out.
"Where did this son of a bitch decide to get in the way of other people's business!
Where is this place, pickpocket?!"

"Quaaaaaagh!"

While a merchant man hit a pickpocket on the head with an object that looked like a
pot lid, I looked away and turned away from the scene. A knight in a black uniform who
quickly reached this direction was sharing a knightly salute with my attendant knights.
Wait, I think I've seen that uniform somewhere... … .

"Sir Bettstein, too harshly... oh my?"

A lady with sky-blue hair, who was hurriedly approaching with another knight in a
black uniform, suddenly stopped, covered her mouth with her hand, and looked in my
direction. I was surprised as well.

"Lady Neuwanstein...? What are you doing here?"

… … What am I going to say?

"It's our first family trip."

It was said at the same time. That is, me, who was going out alone from early morning
to look around souvenirs, and the Duchess of Nuremberg, who came out for a similar
reason and met an unlucky pickpocket.

It seemed I wasn't the only one feeling a bit embarrassed. While our knights reliably
followed behind, the Duchess, who had moved her steps awkwardly like me, fiddling
with the hem of her cape, turned her words away awkwardly.

"Ma'am, I said it as a New Year's card, but..."

"Yes? Ah, yes. I received it well..."

“Yes, I wanted to tell you that the way you showed me at that time… gave me courage.”

Oh, you mean that part. I wondered what kind of courage that courage was, but I
didn't know if it would be rude, so I just smiled and nodded her head. pulled out

"That's what I told my husband."

"Yes? What are you saying..."

"I said for the first time. I couldn't take it anymore."

What can't you stand? Could it be that even that respectable Duke of Nuremberg
created a government like someone else? how much... … !

It was then that she, who had been staring at the ground all this time, suddenly raised
her head. I gulped down my dry saliva at the sight of the watery eyes, which had
always been saddened, flashing with an unusual light with unprecedented vitality. uh
huh

"So, I can't agree to that kind of discipline anymore, so shouldn't I believe my child's
words rather than what others say?"

"……."

"I should have said it sooner, but he seemed a bit surprised anyway. Talking like that
led me to plan a family trip."

The Duchess, who spoke in an amazingly quick tone, now looked at me with her
shoulders moving. Her watery eyes, which had always been sorrowful, shone dazzlingly
with pride. As for me, I was just out of my mind.

Well, in the eyes of others, it may not be a particularly important act. But it was hard to
fathom how much courage it must have taken for this frail wife, who was now in her
early thirties and whom I felt I had to protect, to stand up to her husband for the first
time in her life. At least in my opinion. How can I know everything about other people's
families... … .
"No... I'm glad Gongja seems to be doing well."

After barely expressing her feelings, she now smiled broadly. It was the first time I had
ever seen her and her bright smile made me feel like a teenage girl who had just gone
through her coming-of-age ceremony.

"I hope so."

by the way Assuming we're all not too late.

***

"Don't nobody talk to me!"

Legends about the efficacy of hot spring baths are said to have existed long ago,
dating back to the long history of the Kaiserreich Empire. It hasn't been long since
public hot springs like this have started to appear in earnest, but the moment has
finally arrived when everyone wants to enter the luxurious open-air baths, including
busts close to works of art. However, the second son, who was like a horned colt, was
in a strange condition.

"What else is the problem?"

"I don't know! Anyway, don't talk to me! Especially Shuri!"

… … That's why, judging from the state of our Elias, it seemed that he was firmly swollen.
I wish I knew the reason why she was sticking out her mouth so out of place.

"Jeremy, what's wrong with your brother?"

"I don't know. If I leave it alone, it will go away on its own. Oh, by the way, it's already
hot."
It was. As soon as I paid the entrance fee and went in, I almost forgot about the season
outside because of the hot heat coming from inside the magnificent dome-roofed
building.

"I'm going to go in separately from Rachel, so I hope the reliable eldest son will take
good care of the younger siblings."

"I'll try my best, dear mother. Ah, but don't they give you something to eat here?"

After Jeremy disappeared with his two younger brothers, arguing how long it had
been since he had lunch, I entered the ladies-only bath with Rachel. On the second
floor, made of granite and marble, there is a wide pool that can accommodate dozens
of people, and on the third floor, there are small pools that can be used individually
between the stone walls that have been built steadily.

No matter how popular it is these days, we didn't feel like playing in the water naked
with others, so we immediately changed into gowns and went up to the third floor to
occupy a pool. As soon as I took off my gown and entered the water, I immediately felt
the effect of bathing in the hot spring.

Oh God! This is paradise! Why didn't I know this good thing before? It was different
from bathing at home. Wouldn't it be the feeling that the skin is naturally firm along
with the dizzying sensation as if the whole body is loosened? It may be purely because
of my mood, but I feel really healthy.

"Mom, I'm hot. Is there cold water here?"

While I was in a ecstatic trance for the first time in my life, our little lady didn't seem to
be enjoying herself as much as I was. The sight of her chubby white cheeks flushing
rosy red before she noticed them splashing around in the water made her look quite
sad. Her curly golden hair was now drenched and straight.

"Be patient, baby. They say hot springs are good for beauty."

"Hot water makes you pretty? How?"

I'm at a loss as to what to explain, so I smiled and moved my arms in the water and
hugged the pouting girl by the shoulders. It won't be long before the little days of
trying to argue with anything like this... … .
"Well, they say it makes your skin whiter and shiny, gets rid of scars and itchiness in no
time, and makes your toenails shiny. Rachel, don't you want to be pretty?"

Rachel ran her fern-like hands through my hair and said nothing for a moment, but
then shook her golden hair with her characteristic stubborn voice.

"Mom is pretty even if she doesn't do these things. That's why I won't either. It's absurd
to have to put up with things I don't want to do in order to be pretty!"

Would you like to If you think this much is absurd, what will you do later? It's been a few
years since I've had to tighten my corset so hard that I can't breathe while going
through an annoying thing once a month.

… … Of course, I was going to figure it out again then. as in the past.

In the end, thanks to my daughter-in-law, who inevitably insisted that she would not
tolerate such absurd things (she would die from the heat), I had to leave the spa early.
My sons and daughters were still playing, so I returned to the lodge and Rachel and I
sat on the terrace, enjoying the scenery and snacking on refreshments. At night, when
everyone is asleep, I thought I should sneak back out alone. Ugh, this looks like a real
old man!

Anyway, it was a leisurely time. Thanks to the roaring stove, the terrace was permeated
with warmth. When it was time for her nap, she put the dozing Rachel in her bed and
returned to the terrace alone to browse through the magazines.

While I'm doing this, my house in the capital must be running well. Of course, if
something happened, I would be contacted right away, but... … . Heuk, how did I
become a workaholic who couldn't even play comfortably!

"mom!"

oh wow, that's a surprise At the sudden shout from the bottom of the terrace, I moved
slightly from the long chair I was sitting on and looked down the railing.

Unlike the mother and daughter, Leon, who seemed to have had a lot of fun, was
running towards the entrance of the villa, waving his hand vigorously with a white and
chubby face. Let's put aside the appearance of Elias, who was walking away with his
cheeks still swollen behind him. Jeremy seems to have made a friend of hers in the
meantime... … what?
"Hey, our dear Mother Shuri! Can we have dinner with her later?"

… … Do children become friends while fighting? I couldn't find anything to say for a
moment and just blinked my eyes. That would be the case, too, because the boy next
to my eldest son, who was walking briskly toward me with his still-dry golden hair flying,
was someone I knew very well. Hey, considering what happened this morning, it's
strange that we won't meet here... … .

"Hello, Lady Neuwanstein."

“……It’s nice to see you here, Gongja. Would you like to have dinner together?”

I don't know why my voice sounds so awkward. It wasn't that we broke up awkwardly
the last time we saw each other, so why do I feel this awkward?

Nora, standing next to our Jeremy and staring at us, didn't seem to have changed
much. The jagged black hair, just like my father's, and the slightly tanned complexion
of a boy who enjoys outdoor activities were still the same. If I had to pick something
that felt different... … It was that he seemed to have grown a bit taller, and that his cool
blue eyes had an unprecedented shade.

"Look, what did I say? Didn't I say that our beautiful mother would gladly agree?"

"I wasn't particularly suspicious, you sloth kitty."

"Ha! You're hot because you're embarrassed, you poop puppy. Shall we fight?"

"Eat dinner. We have to go now. See you then, ma'am!"

After Nora, who bowed her head politely and left quickly, Jeremy also quickly walked
inside and ran up the stairs with her younger siblings. The thump that rang in the
middle seemed to be the sound of Elias closing the door. damn, that's weird Why are
you still so sulky?

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was really fun! I had a diving match with the older brothers, and when the
older brother was about to win, the black-haired older brother suddenly came and
jumped in, so I won! The older brothers were very upset."

Leon breathlessly spit out the scene he was imagining, then grabbed a ginger cookie
on the table and walked over to sit next to his twin sister who was sleeping soundly on
the bed. Then he started biting off the rim of the cookie with eyes that would keep an
eye on my sister while she slept. Isn't that a lovely scene? Twin brothers and sisters
with identical twinkling emerald eyes and curly golden hair stuck together.

"But why did you guys come back so early? Were you bored than you thought?"

As I struggled to straighten the curls in my damp hair like a natural boy, Jeremy
slumped beside me as I approached. And I could only swallow tears of lamentation. I
thought it would be me and Rachel enjoying it, but somehow she seems to have
become the opposite.

"Because Rachel insists that bathing in the hot springs is absurd."

"What is that again?"

Swallowing a wry smile, he put down the magazine spread on his lap as if tossing it on
the table. Jeremy, who was yawning and blinking his eyes drowsily, the next moment
stretched out his upper body on the long chair and lay down. To be precise, by cutting
my knee. I froze for a moment, but then came back to my senses and calmly opened
my mouth.

"You seem to be getting more and more childish like someone?"

"Please look at me. The child has faithfully completed the given mission."

"mission?"

"I heard you take good care of your younger siblings? No one died and came back
alive, so you did well. Oh, I'm suddenly sleepy."

Sounds pretty plausible. There is no room for refutation. I agreed and decided to let
this big, distracted eldest son doze off on my lap. It didn't seem too bad to be doing
this. It's like something that makes my heart feel comfortable and soft... … .
"But there is."

"응?"

"That guy from a while ago. He's a poopy puppy and thinks he's a wolf."

“You mean Prince Nuremberg?”

A poop puppy who thinks he's a wolf, I should say it's a naming sense worthy of a rival
of destiny. As she laughed, she turned her gaze downward, but Jeremy, who had half-
closed her eyelids, kept her eyes on her unexpectedly unusual expression and
continued her words.

“His father must be very scared.”

"왜?"

“I saw him at the hot spring earlier, and his back was covered in blood. Why, like when
Elias was beaten by his uncle the other day?”

"Really?"

"That's right. Why was that at the banquet held at my house last time, you know. It's
obvious."

"Why... was it right?"

"I don't know. Will you tell me if I ask?"

I suddenly remembered the conversation I had with the Duchess this morning. After a
moment of hesitation, I carefully raised one of the many questions that passed
through my mind.
"But Confucius... Why is the relationship so bad with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Even though it wasn't a question with high expectations, Jeremy, who was expected to
respond right away with 'Don't bring that up!', blinked his green eyes earnestly and
nodded. Then she laughed mischievously and let go of her luck.

"Well, from what I've seen, I think it's because Theo is unlucky?"

"Are you unlucky?"

“I don’t know when that hyung is secretly, that is, when we’re close, but when I look
back, there’s a part of me that makes people feel bad. It's like someone who suffers.
Who doesn't seem to be able to tolerate getting more attention than they do?"

A guy who doesn't even care about other people's circumstances is showing all these
serious introspection for some reason. Well, surprisingly, he was quick-witted and had
been close to the prince since he was young, so it wasn't unreasonable that he
understood that aspect much better than others. It's a bit unexpected, but... … .

"Jeremy, you know, the cardinal you met then."

"Uh, what about him?"

"Are you sure you didn't see his face at all?"

"I told you then. I couldn't see properly because I was wearing a hood. I might
remember the voice, but..."

It was then that the rough footsteps rang out. As I looked back in amazement, Elias,
who appeared with a look that looked like he had a lot to say and was advancing
towards the terrace where we were sitting, paused on the spot and continued with her
smirk.

"What are the two of you doing? I thought you were a hatter."

Elias' elated expression of avenging the insult he had received earlier was
overshadowed, but Jeremy yawned and responded calmly.
"Why did you find all the right justice, foolish young man?"

“……Oh, what are the two of you really?! Why do you get along so well that they don’t
even match?! What are you planning on doing besides me?!”

"What are you plotting? Do you think there is a dark conspiracy lurking in everything
in the world?"

"Oh! That's right! It's definitely true! Especially hyung is the most dubious! He's making
strange names that don't suit him, and he's suddenly pretending to be an adult..."

"No, but this bastard keeps barking? If you can't call your mother mother as a son of
the empire, what kind of tragedy is that?"

"Who is my mother! My mother died 7 years ago! Why is she called my mother...!"

Elias, who had been shouting in anger, began to blink his eyes for a moment, blurring
his words. Excluding Rachel, who was soundly asleep, the terrace of the bedroom,
where the three brothers gathered together, quickly became a territory of silence.

thud!

Jeremy was the first to take action in the middle of the suffocating silence, where even
the person who uttered the words froze for an instant. Jeremy slammed his fist on the
long chair he was lying on and jumped up. Then he immediately began to flash his
eyes with ferocity and terrifying force.

"Tell me again. What?"

"I-I..."

Elias opened his mouth and hesitated to take a step back, then squealed again.

"What, what?! Did I say something wrong?"

"This bastard is really...!"

"Jeremy!"

Udang-tang-tang! Lastly, as Elias, who showed her final struggle, made her run away,
her hand grabbed the arm of Jeremy, who was immediately following him. The boy who
had been spewing bloody killings to the point of making her spine go cold, stopped
for a moment and looked at me. I said it as calmly as possible while looking into his
eyes.

"Leave it alone."

"What? But..."

"It's okay. It's really okay, so I think it's better to leave it alone for now."

It had been a long time since I was used to Elias' volubility, which showed no
consideration for the other person. Moreover, these guys aren't in a state of returning
with memories of the past like me, but are they just children of that age? Even Jeremy.
No matter how much Jeremy has approached me with a half-theatrical attitude over
the past few days, looking at it objectively, these guys and I are men and women, at
best brother and sister.

I didn't expect to be treated like a mother so easily, so there's nothing to be upset

about. But! Keuheuk, anyway, he looks like a bad guy! No matter how it is, do I really
have to say it like that! Inside, he seemed to smile casually, but Jeremy, who was
staring at me like that, twitched his golden eyebrows a little, then blurted out.

“Do you know the difference between the way you smile when you lie and when you
don’t?”

“……Don’t you know?”

"Damn it, I'm going to have to pull out that bastard's tongue sooner or later, won..."

It was strange to see him muttering and clicking his tongue without thinking. To be
able to control such a dog-like temper so meekly, should I say it's a great
development? Eh, yes, even Jeremy has developed to this extent… … .
Speaking of an intellectual sitting at the bedside, instead of rolling his big eyes
anxiously from side to side, he hesitantly approached me and held my sleeves with his
hands. I quickly smiled brightly, fearing that the agitation I was feeling might be
transmitted to the child, but this was what the little intellectual who was staring up at
me said.

"Mom, are you a little brother in puberty?"

"...it seems so."

"My liberal arts teacher said that these days, adolescents don't fit well, so they wear
masks."

Jeremy, who was holding a glass of water and gulping down it violently, started
coughing. I smiled and stroked Leon's hair. It's a shame because Rachel is sound
asleep, otherwise this place would have turned into the middle of the jungle by now.

Anyway, what should I do with that goby-like second son? Ha, when one goes silent,
another gets into trouble. It's my sale!!

***

As the sun went down, white snowflakes began to scatter. We went straight to the
restaurant we had reserved, wrapped in thick fur capes.

Elias, who had been confined in the room until then, followed without saying a word,
still sticking out his mouth, perhaps because he was hungry. Apart from me, Jeremy
didn't say anything to such a younger brother either.

"Oh, I guess this is the noblest seat?"

According to Jeremy's expression, the table where we had dinner was the most
expensive terrace seat of the restaurant on the top floor of the hot spring building.
Although it is a terrace, the thick glass walls block the outside air, so there was no cold
wind.
The gazes of the other people eating inside were a bit annoying, but anyway, to be
able to enjoy a warm dinner while admiring the magnificent view of the mountains
covered in snowstorms.

"Hey, are you here?"

Nora appeared as the steaming stew and boar in wine were served. Little Confucius
undid his sable fur scarf with one hand as if it were cumbersome, and came to the
terrace where we were sitting, but he immediately handed me a box.

"Your mother will bring it to you."

"Your wife...?"

"Yes. White chocolate or something. Anyway, thank you for inviting me."

Ho-oh, is there such a thing as white chocolate? It's just that we're having dinner
together, but he sent us all these things. I feel like I need to take care of something
else here too... … .

“By the way, Confucius… He must have been on a family trip, so is it okay to have a
separate meal like this?”

"My parents must have been desperate for me to disappear for a moment. I'll be in
here anyway, so you can say hello later."

Nora shrugged her shoulders and sat down next to Jeremy, who was giggling. To see
her fateful rivals sitting at the same table in such a friendly way, she can say that fate
is quite arbitrary.

"Welcome to the lion's den, crawling into my feet, asshole."

"Who said that the laggard is a poop puppy? Do you treat a wildcat cub as a lion these
days?"

"Ugh, let's try this?"

"That's what I'm going to say."

While the two doomed rivals kicked each other's legs under the table in childish ways,
the twins watched Nora with a curious look on their faces. In the meantime, she's still
alone, sullen, and decides not to look the other way as Elias stirs up a plate of stew
noisily.

But why do I keep feeling awkward? Nora was polite to me like never before, whether it
was because she was in front of our lion cubs or because she was conscious of others'
eyes, and I was the same. In any case, Nora, who was having a good appetite and
chatting with Jeremy, seemed to be okay. She looked so cheerful that she couldn't
believe the testimony she had heard from Jeremy earlier, or the scars on her face she
had seen the last time they met. Why does it feel like something strangely changed?

"Okay, after the meal, we'll have a proper sparring match. You poop puppy!"

"Don't whine about it, you manic kitty. Do you have a sword?"

"You call that a horse? If you're a knight, you'll never let go of your sword. If you're
talking about me, the famous sword that Saint Clara gave me as a Christmas
present..."

"Saint Clara seems to be much more lenient than is known."

Nora, who answered me indifferently, suddenly turned her gaze to me and smiled
slightly. It didn't matter if I said it, but I was amazed at the prudence of not bothering
to tell me that I had received a Christmas present here. See you again, this guy! I
thought I was as stubborn as my sons and daughters... … !

It was at that time that Elias, who had been sparring quietly against dessert pie as if
he had lost enemies with pie in his previous life, suddenly opened his mouth.

"Oh, it's really filthy noisy. Can't you just shut up the subject of interfering in someone
else's pleasant meal?"

Clink!
The sound of dropping the knife Jeremy was holding echoed loudly. Speaking of Nora,
who was the target of an unexpected sniping, she put on a surprisingly calm face and
slowly turned her head towards Elias.

"When talking, it's polite to look the other person in the eye and say it. It looks like you
just talked to me, didn't you, stupid kid?"

Needless to say, Elias, who had been treated as a fool all of a sudden, shoved the pie
dish violently in anger. Our red idiot jumped up from his seat and immediately let out
a roar that would bring down the entire restaurant.

"Why, do you have complaints?! If you have complaints, get out of here right away! You
bastard like a stray dog who can't even tell where to snuggle!"

Jeremy was reacting as if he couldn't stand it any longer while Nora was just frowning
at that reckless remark.

"Why did this bastard get angry again and vent his anger on the wrong thing?! Do you
really want to be beaten?!"

"Tongue, since when did you become friends with that bastard and take sides?!"

“Who’s on the side?!

“What kind of good mood is a good mood?!

"Elias!"

Unbeknownst to me, my voice rose dramatically. Even in the midst of this, the twins,
who had been steadfastly enjoying their own food, looked at me side by side with their
eyes wide open. Elias, who had been growling with her older brother, also flinched at
her shoulders, then opened her eyes wide and looked back at me. She was stunned
when she saw it.

"Where did you learn such rudeness?! Can't you apologize right away?!"

"S-I hate it! Why am I..."

"Don't you know how to listen to this son of a bitch?! No matter how you treat me, it's
an unchanging fact that I'm your protector, so do what I tell you to do! Do you want to
see stern people die after a fight between families because of you?! "

Of course, the possibility of a fight between my family and the Nuremberg family over
growling among the children was extremely slim. But aside from the fact that my
patience with that horned colt was gradually reaching its limit, it was too obvious who
would get blood if there was a commotion here.

Whatever her intentions, Nora was one of the few people who showed sincere concern
during the previous trial, and I didn't want him to have another fling with my father
when he happily came over to dinner and got caught up in a ridiculous venting of
anger.

While I exclaimed and gasped for breath, Elias just kept his mouth open, looking
completely stunned. At this point, Jeremy, who had been raising her arm with the
intention of pulling out her brother's tongue, muttered something like a prayer and
sat back in her seat. Dark green eyes that shimmered in confusion stared at me with a
complex subtle light.

In the meantime, Nora, who was biting her lips with a vague expression, quickly erased
that expression with a smile as soon as our eyes met. He stood up calmly, as if nothing
had happened, and immediately wrapped his sable-hair scarf around his hand.

"I'm done... I think it's better to go. I was rude in many ways."

"But Gongja..."

"It's okay. It was rude to interrupt someone else's family trip... It's a pity, but I'll have to
do it later, you laggard."

"Hey man, are you running away again?"

"If you're sorry, you can come visit me. Then I'm done!"

Jeremy didn't hold onto it any longer, as if he felt something unusual about his rival's
quick departure. Instead, she glared at her immature brother with her irritated eyes.
"Anyway, you gave me a dog without even noticing. You are a real family wrecker."

Instead of arguing about why he had suddenly been accused of being a home
wrecker, Elias just sat down with a motion that felt terribly awkward. Then I sighed and
turned to Jeremy.

"Jeremy, I'll be back first, so come and finish eating with your younger siblings.

"Oh, I ate it all too."

"I ate too, Mom."

"me too."

Apparently, everyone was quite shocked by my unresponsive ferocity. So we licked our

bitter taste and left the restaurant where the delicacies were prepared and went back
to the villa.

***

As soon as I got back to the dorm, it seemed that I fell asleep right away without even
realizing it. It was still in the middle of the night when I suddenly opened my eyes at the
feeling that I heard something sharp colliding with each other. I lay there blankly for a
while, staring at the ceiling, then jumped up. I must have heard something... … .

I didn't hear any nonsense in my dream. The sound was coming from very close by,
right outside the bedroom where I was lying. I staggered over to the window and
pulled back the curtains. Before long, the scenery that came into my yawning eyes was
none other than the images of two boys swinging swords excitedly in the dark snowy
field. The way they giggled and crossed swords unlike a rival of fate was truly amazing.

No, but these must be like this at night... … ?

The black hair dyed in the white moonlight and the golden hair gleamed pale side by
side. And the swords they were holding were none other than the ones I gave them.
Jeremy's longsword with a white blade and gold handle, and Nora's Zweihender with a
black blade and platinum handle... … .

I looked at the scene with a half-dazed feeling, then stumbled over to see if the other
children were sleeping. Then I was surprised. The pink curtained bedroom where
Rachel should be sleeping was empty. So did the other bedrooms. For some reason,
neither Leon nor Elias nor nose plucking was visible!

I ran downstairs that way and out into the back yard where the two boys were having a
blast. Seeing my frantic figure running out with only one winter chemise on, both of
them immediately stopped and turned around.

"Woke up because of us..."

"Jeremy, where are your brothers?"

Even in this cold weather, Jeremy, who was breathing heavily while wiping off the
dripping sweat, opened his eyes wide, as if asking what he was talking about. Her
heart sank at the sight of her.

"Were you all asleep until now?"

"Didn't you see me go out? There's no one inside right now!"

"뭐?"

There was an uproar. The ascetic knights, who had gathered at the inn and drank
molasses and burned the quiet night away, also seemed to have made up their minds
to get out, judging by the fact that they didn't notice the children leaving at all.
Unsurprisingly, the window toward the kitchen on the first floor was open. What the
heck did you sneak out through the window on this cold night? Even twins!

"Don't worry too much, ma'am. This area is well guarded, so you shouldn't have any
problems."

Even though I knew that this area was heavily guarded, I couldn't help but feel an out
of control panic. No matter how safe it is, it is definitely a place where pickpockets like
pickpockets roam. What if they ran into robbers? Or what if you slip off a cliff? Besides,
isn't Elias the owner of a fear of heights? Even the snow is piled high, and it is
dangerous everywhere. Where did you go?
"Calm down for now and wait a bit. He must have gone to see something useless. He'll
show up right away if he doesn't want his leg to break."

Jeremy, who said calmly while holding my shoulders as I was flustered with
nervousness, turned his head and looked at Nora. Nora, who was also standing there
with an expressionless expression, nodded her head.

"I'll look for our family knights together. They probably couldn't have gone far."

Even though I was unintentionally causing a nuisance, all I could do was nod my head.
All sorts of thoughts ran through my head as the two boys and the knights went out to
search for the three children. Maybe because of what I shouted earlier, he got angry
and ran away? Even if that was the case, why did he take the twins with him? Why do
you keep doing things you never did before? … !

"Lady Neuwanstein?"

How long had it been? I was sitting alone at the entrance of the villa, waiting in the
waiting room when the Duke of Nuremberg came to visit me. It would have been
strange if Nora had moved the knights there and went out with the knights on our
side.

"Duke."

"What the hell is this? It's quite noisy outside. Has my son had an accident?"

"No, it's not like that..."

While I was confused and confused about what Elias and the twins had disappeared,
the Duke of Steel listened in silence with a calm face, then smiled knowingly.

"That's right, that's what guys of that age would do. Don't worry too much. We'll be back
safely."
Is it because the opponent is the opponent? Even though it was a bit obvious, it felt
like the anxiety that had been standing on edge was a little subdued, perhaps
because it was said by an adult about my father's age. No matter how much I went
back in time, I must have come a long way from being compared to the mental age of
two minutes... … .

"Is it really so?"

"I'm sure he'll be caught crying and crying sooner or later. So wait inside. It's windy."

The duke responded with a strange expression of pity, took off his frock coat and put
it over my shoulder. The sensation of his limbs being frozen solid came over me all at
once, and I felt a bit embarrassed. It feels like I'm acting like a child on something
that's not a big deal... … .

“But did the duke wake up while sleeping…?”

"No. My wife went to sleep first, but I have a lot to think about. As you know, we'll all
start dying after this holiday."

It was the Duke who smiled with a slight furrow between his brows as if he was already
having a headache. It was hard to believe that such a gentle and elegant person
would capture his one and only son so much.

“Yes, your son… he is a very good boy.”

It was a word that came out of nowhere. At this, the duke tilted his head slightly and
looked at me, then sighed and laughed.

"I'm grateful if you've looked at it that way. Oh, I heard that my wife asked her about my
son in the last time, and I think I need to apologize again for that."

"No, there's no need to apologize... so it wasn't a particularly burdensome request."

"Wouldn't it be easy for your wife to take care of the children your age already have?
Just like now."
That was right. While I was at a loss for words and blinked awkwardly, the kind duke
stared at my face with a confused feeling of pity or bitterness in his deep blue eyes,
just like Nora's. A subtle gaze that I often encountered in the past. It was never a look
of impurity or vain emotion. just… … .

"마님!"

I thought the surroundings were brightly lit, and then I heard the sound of several
knights shouting at once. I immediately jumped up. And whoa, my God! On the other
side, I saw our older son advancing this way with torchbearers, and Elias with Jeremy's
hand gripped by the nape of his neck. But the twins... … ?!

"Elias! You...! Where the hell have you been?!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"What is this kid doing well right now, crying, crying?! Where are the younger siblings?!"

To put my ferocious screams to shame, Elias sat down on the floor with his legs
stretched out, wailing and shouting incomprehensible bizarre words. For me, who was
at a loss for words, it was definitely Jeremy who gave the explanation instead. Jeremy
kicked her tongue fiercely at her brother, but she got rid of her rhyme with her voice,
as if she were laughing.

"I climbed up to the ridge to pick flowers on a moonlit night, and I finally found him
who was trembling because he developed a fear of heights. Anyway, he does all kinds
of stupid things."

What did you go for... … ? It was only then that a pile of bright white flowers in Elias'
hand came into my bewildered eyes. Seeing the snow lily, a rare plant that grows only
in snowy alpine areas, blooming on the snow, radiates light alone in the middle of this
uproar, I feel even more invigorated.

"What kind of wind has you going to pick flowers this late at night?! Where are the
twins?!"

"Heuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu00uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu00uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu\u>"

"Where is this sneaking around again?!"

"It's not like that, it's just that my arm is really hurt! Huong, the twins, Leon, Seolryun,
heuhuhhh!"

It took me a long time to understand what Elias was trying to say. After putting
together the sounds that the guy who cried bitterly for doing something well, she was
like this.

While the twins were harassing Elias about work at dinner earlier, Leon mentioned a
rare flower he had seen in a book as a policy to relieve my anger, so the three of them
decided to go on an adventure to collect snow lilies. On the way up the ridge, Elias
loses his fear of heights and panics, so her twins say they'll get Jeremy, but she goes
first!

While I couldn't find anything to say and just kept my mouth wide open, the Duke of
Nuremberg, who had been watching with an expression as if he was desperately
holding back his laughter, opened his mouth to Jeremy.

"What about the rest of the search party?"

"Because I decided to split up with Confucius and look for them. I don't know where
they are wandering now, but I'll have to go back..."

"Mom!"

Jeremy, the duke, and the knights, who had spewed out white breath and continued
talking at the unwelcome voice that came out of nowhere at just the right time, all
turned their heads at the same time. I was the same.

"Leon! Rachel!"

God, thank you! The figure of a dark-haired boy came into my field of vision, filled with
tears of emotion. It was Nora with Rachel on her shoulder, a sword in one hand and
Leon's hand in the other!

Seeing the twins smiling brightly and waving their hands, whether or not they knew
that this fuss had taken place at night because of them, made me angry and at the
same time laugh ironically.
"Mom, little brother... uh, brother is there? But why are you crying?"

There was silence for a while. While I covered my face with my hands and swallowed my
sighs, Rachel and Leon, who jumped off Nora's shoulders, rushed forward and started
shouting.

"Mom, Mom, we got the snow! It really shines! This is Mom's!"

"Mom, are you still mad? The book said that women like flowers!"

The sound of Jeremy sticking out his tongue, saying, 'Put on a show, put on a show,'
echoed faintly.

As for Nora, who brought me back the twins, she just stared at me with a sunken
expression that was not at all heroic. That was until his father opened his mouth with a
sigh.

“If you had a problem like this, you should have said something. Why did you drag the
knights out on your own?”

"……."

"노라!"

“Well, Duke. I don’t know how to apologize for causing trouble unintentionally.

When I quickly intervened, the duke stopped raising his voice at his silent son, looked
back at me, and shook his head with a more relaxed expression.

"There's nothing to complain about. I'm just glad everyone came back safely."

"Thank you very much. Well, I'm so grateful to Gongja, but if you don't mind, can I treat
you to tea and send you back?"

Fortunately, the Duke of Steel meekly agreed, and so our family and young Confucius
entered the villa safely.
The twins, who had passed their bedtime for a long time, immediately lay down on the
bed and fell asleep. In the middle of the night, she went on an unsuitable flower-
gathering adventure, and it wasn't enough that she had a fear of heights. Where did
she slip? there was. She was embarrassed because she had brought her emergency
medication just in case. When Elias finally spoke, I had already finished applying
ointment to a minor cut on his arm.

"... Actually, I can't remember my mother's face anymore."

It was a truly unflattering voice. Come to think of it, Jeremy and she seemed to have
said something similar to that one day. She waited a moment, wondering what she
would say next, but Elias said nothing more. So I spoke up for her instead.

“I have no intention of erasing your mother from your memories and taking her place.”

"……."

"Are you sure? I have no intention of forcing you to do that. So you don't have to be
that anxious anymore."

By the way, how can I push these guys' real mothers away? He died giving birth to
these beautiful children. Not to mention the portrait of her that I once saw and I didn't
have the slightest resemblance. How can I possibly have that kind of greed... … .

Swallowing a bitter smile, he closed the lid of the ointment box and neatly collected
the snow lily clusters scattered on the table, but Elias suddenly spat out again.

"...but that doesn't mean you're not part of our family."

I hesitated for a moment, then smiled broadly at the boy who was still stubbornly
lowering his gaze.

"Know."
When Elias finally left the sleeping bedroom and entered the living room, the two boys,
the heroes of the night, were dozed off on a long sofa. Heck, he must have been tired
because he had gone through all the hardships at the wrong time in the middle of the
night.

The scene where the little lion and the little wolf, who would grow up to be rivals of
destiny, stretched out and fell asleep, felt both ironic and heartbreaking. Looking at it
this way, both of them are still children... … .

There was a crackling sound from the fireplace, the sound of logs bouncing. After a
moment of hesitation, I brought a thick blanket over them and straightened them up.
No, I was trying to fix it.

"... Uhm..."

It was then that Nora, sleeping in a similar position to Jeremy's with her sword in one
arm, began to let out a pained groan. She was unwillingly hit by her cold wind and was
about to carefully examine her, wondering if she had caught a cold.

“……Ugh, uhh……Father……”

"노라?"

"...I'm not like that. I'm not like that..."

Needless to say, my eyes were wide open on their own. While I froze, Nora, as if she was
dreaming, broke into a cold sweat and began to struggle for breath. Then she
murmured in a small, thin voice like a child.

"I'm really like that... Ha, I'm not like that... I'm not really lying, so why aren't you listening
to me...?"

Is this the sensation of choking your breath? I remembered the image of Nora I had
met in the chapel one day. The way she sat down by the altar and shed tears, and the
way I asked him if he thought he would lie if he opened his mouth to an incorrigible
immature thing. I even passed by her last visit to me after that horrible Christmas
banquet and her foolish pranks.

I thought I had to wake him up from the pain he was going through again, so I reached
out my hand and, without realizing it, I was about to put it on my limp arm under the
couch. I wanted to grab my hand with a clumsy hand, but the next moment the boy
raised his upper body as if frightened.

"No, Nora?"

"……."

Drenched in cold sweat from the nape of her neck, Nora, for a moment, looked as if
she had no idea where she was. Eyes that glowed blue in the darkness glared intently
at my face with an unfamiliar shade. I swallowed a dry saliva at those unusual looking
eyes.

“Nora, are you… are you okay?”

There was silence for a moment. Nora gasped for breath and stared at me for a long
while longer, and then the next thing she blurted out was this.

"Are you okay?'

… … I'm speechless. Rather, it feels a bit like the old days now. After all, did it feel
unfamiliar to him because he behaved in an unresponsive manner? While I hesitated,
Nora let go of her hand, looked around, and sat up with her body fully raised. Then he
ran his hand through his sweaty hair and smiled at me. It was an unbelievably calm
smile.

"You must have had a lot of trouble. Not one guy like me, but two of them, and two
noisy kids."

… … What was the right thing to say? Should I say that the suddenness is still the same?

"That's what you mean."

"You should know how lucky they are. Anyway, I think I fell asleep without realizing it, so
I'll have to go."

"Why, just go to sleep..."

"No. This was enough of a nuisance."

The nuisance was caused on our side. It would be fine if I just went to sleep, but Nora,
who was in a hurry to get up, suddenly stopped and looked back at me.

"Oh, and..."

"응?"

"That... during the trial. I wanted to say that you were really cool. Not everyone has that
kind of courage."

It was a voice that somehow felt deeper than usual. In the cool, bluish air of dawn, eyes
that glowed equally coolly peered into mine. What should I say in response to such a
statement? It feels like I am always speechless.

"Thank you... Whoa. The work you did today and everything... In many ways, I'm
indebted to you every time."

"It didn't do anything particularly great."

“……you will be fine, Nora.”

I stammered without even realizing it. Maybe it came out on its own because of
something I had just witnessed.

"So I mean... I think things will get better, but if there's anything I can do to help, feel
free to tell me."

Did you understand the meaning of my words? Nora tried to open those blue eyes
wide, but then a strange smile appeared on her lips. Her smile was an elusive smile
that looked both grown-up and poignant.

"I'm fine now."

***

After a short and eventful vacation, we were finally on our way home. On the way back,
the snowstorm had stopped and the sun was shining brightly.

"Anyway, you're just getting home."

"Ah, why do you keep threatening me?! It's already over!"

"Is it over? Who wants it to end? I'm not done yet?"

… … Well, I guess I should wish my second son a rest in advance. It seems that the
eldest son is eagerly waiting for it. But I have to say that I don't really want to dry it.
Haha.

The twins fell asleep as soon as they boarded the carriage, and Elias, who had been
watching his ferocious older brother with an anxious expression, also began to doze
off without realizing it. After confirming that my luggage was properly loaded, I
climbed into the carriage with the lollipop given to me by the villa attendant in my
mouth.

"How do you feel when your vacation is over, dear mother?"

I took the candy out of my mouth and rolled my eyes with a grim expression.

"Okay, Jeremy. You can quit the show too. I'm getting a little nauseous from listening to
it all the time."

Jeremy, who occupied a seat by the window and mischievously glared at me, took the
candy from my hand and threw it into my mouth. Then he started laughing.

"Haha, it would be a little unfair to be treated like an elderly mother already at your
age."
"You know that now?"

I struck back with the same mischievous tone, and he now grabbed my hand with one
hand and pulled me closer to him. Then he hummed his song and shook his hand.

"Yes. Well, whether the mother is the sister or the guardian, as long as the family stays
together from now on, isn't it?"

Yes, that was right. No matter what lies ahead of us from now on, no matter what
variables arise in the future, it was important to be together for now. After all, we are
family.

Behind the Scenes - A Prince and a Priest

<Some Prince>

When he was little, that is to say, when he was still a little over twelve years old, he had
seen ornately crafted pipes at his cousin's house. The pipe, which clearly looked like
an oriental product, was quite aesthetic in its iridescent glass body with unknown
colorful jewels delicately embedded in it. To the extent that even he, who is still far
from reaching adulthood, wants to try it once.

It wasn't something I particularly thought of. He was in a position where he could have
anything if he set his mind to it, but he hated being filmed with such an immature
image by coveting something that was obviously a valuable gift. Especially if the
opponent is his respected uncle. So he just tried to use it once. His original intention
was just that.

December 27, 1115 in the Kaiserreich calendar.

The evening of the day of the trial that could be used as a play for bards forever.
"His Highness the Crown Prince...?"

The scene where the attendants were carefully checking their eyes seemed especially
annoying today. It was not unreasonable, considering what happened earlier, but
Theobald, as always, dismissed the attendants who cared about him with a gentle
smile. Now I needed some alone time.

Anyone could see that he was in a state of disquiet now. In addition to spreading the
stigma of touching an unprecedented widow, there was even a rather shameful
misconception that he was beaten up and beaten by a 14-year-old marquis, Young-
shik. To make matters worse, the trial had ended in a way that was completely
unfavorable to the imperial family.

Nonetheless, the thoughts currently engulfing the 17-year-old prince's head were of a
different kind. Rather, he was completely unconcerned with the preceding matters.

The corridor covered with heavy curtains of purple velvet was a place I had rarely
looked into before. Even though it was a place I used to visit when I was young or
sometimes or very occasionally, I have been visiting it often lately.

Among the portraits hanging on the colorful walls, there was only one that he fixed his
eyes on. A portrait of his now-dead mother, former Empress Ludovica.

"후우……."

When he said he couldn't even remember his face anymore, it was only half true. He
could come here whenever he wanted and see his dead mother's face.

In contrast to his slightly chilled expression, the woman in the portrait was smiling
brightly. How much effort did the artist have to put into painting this portrait? Each
strand of her purple-tinted silver hair, and her sparkling lemon-colored eyes, as if they
contained stars, felt too vivid.

The woman in the portrait had a different hair color and eye color than the mistress of
the marquis. However, the features of her face were strikingly similar. It was no wonder
that his father or uncle was so soft towards the young marquise.

There were times when I had doubts. Why was the emperor, who had loved her
Ludovica so much, so indifferent to me, the child she gave birth to? Of course, such
questions were just childhood stories. It wasn't really a problem anymore. Like the fact
that his stepmother, Empress Elisabeth, externally pretended to give him the liver, but
actually felt more pity for her own son, Prince Letran.
No matter what their true intentions were deep in their hearts, all he was interested in
was the outward appearance. Seriously, what's the point of a heart that's not spoken
or shown in action? To him, the sincerity of others did not matter. It only mattered how
much you treated him first. With that notion, I was able to boast that I had lived a
somewhat satisfactory life up until now.

Even so... … At this moment, Theobald, for the first time in his life, was burning with the
desire to gain the sincerity of others.

His biological mother in the portrait bears a striking resemblance to the woman who
had turned the court upside down a moment ago. But Ludovika had never looked like
the woman before. It would be more correct to say that she never had a chance to
show. She died so early.

To be honest, at first I was only attracted by the appearance. A young marquise with a
beautiful appearance, rumors say that she seems to know why the late Marquis
Neubahnstein was belatedly blamed. Aside from his unique beauty, it was only the
appearance that was so similar to his mother's that drew attention. But as she
struggled with her children, the writer after her, she became more and more curious.
Specifically, the way she treats them.

How can a young woman who has just passed her coming-of-age ceremony treat her
ex-wife's children, immature children, with eyes full of sincere affection? It was
absolutely not a pretense or ostentation. Theobald could bet that his eyes could not
be fooled in such matters.

It was. His curiosity was piqued, and he frequently visited the marquis' residence. Then,
one day when the eldest son of the Marquis was ill, he visited as usual and fell asleep.
The sound of a sweet lullaby sounded like a dream, and his greed began to soar. It's
like when I started working with the heart of wanting to monopolize the affection of my
respected uncle when I was young.

However, it could not be seen that he had ill will towards the other children or that he
was deliberately scheming. Just as a person born left-handed naturally uses his left
hand, it was just his natural instinct.

The fact that he went to his uncle's house to play and tinkered with a luxurious pipe
when he was twelve years old was not something planned from the beginning. I just
wanted to smoke it once. As is often the case with boys of that age, he just wanted to
imitate adults. It was just my first time handling it, so I was inexperienced, and it was
just an unintentional mistake to throw it on the floor after taking a few sips of tobacco.
Neither the adults showing up at that time nor the young cousin playing nearby were
all unintentional.
He just acted instinctively. It was much easier for him to leave everything to his
younger cousin by his side than to be branded as an immature prince who did only
what he shouldn't do.

However, it seems that it was only then that I realized how comfortable it is to leave
the troublesome role to someone else, and how convenient it is to have a villain that
everyone acknowledges.

Surprisingly, there were many people who did not know that they could shine more
simply by always sticking to the position of a gentle and good victim. How could it be
wrong to merely try to monopolize affection? Compared to the sins of the world, there
was nothing wrong with it.

Moreover, he was the crown prince. As a future emperor, what's wrong with wanting to
be admired by as many people as possible?

It was worth it to go that way over and over again and finally turn his half-brother, his
cousin, into an incurable nuisance. That's because his position has risen even more.

So, he never had any doubts about his way of life. That is until today.

It was a very rare thing. His stepmother and uncle, whom he respected, had so easily
fallen for his wiles, and so easily, whatever her intentions, that she had turned against
her own children, and today, in a way she could not have imagined, she is seduced by
him. They hit everyone in the back, including them.

A soft sigh escaped Theobald's delicate lips.

"It's a big deal..."

I didn't mean to go this deep. I just intended to be a priority in all that attention and
treatment, as I have been doing so far.

… … Now, I'm starting to really like it.

The heart that tried to protect the foolish immature boy by revealing the solid
devotion and affection that is difficult for him to understand, and the most fatal
bedroom situation as a lady. How thrilling it would be if all of that was directed only to
him. How much more do you feel you want?
It was not entirely hopeless for him. Wasn't she holding her grudge against him? So
their relationship couldn't be said to be completely broken yet.

… … But from now on, I felt I had to change my method a little. And Theobald would find
a way. Just like it always has been.

<A Cleric>

The 'Chamber of Penance' is a place where priests confess their sins to God and scour
themselves. Not a whipping in the figurative sense, but a literal whipping. However,
that does not mean that cardinals practicing penance really existed. Most clerics took
the shortcut of hitting a wall with a whip to make a noise. How many people who
sincerely dipped their feet into the priesthood would dare to go through such pain.

Of course, there are a few exceptions everywhere. For example, it was surprisingly
common for young cardinals to blindly cling to the priesthood at a young age, such as
that young cardinal called the 'silent servant'.

The reason why he dares to endure suffering that others avoid even by using
expedients is, firstly, for peace of mind, and secondly, to gain the reputation that
comes with it.

"Yes, Your Excellency..."

"It's already been 4 hours."

"Phew, he's a very rare faithful person..."

However, today's silent servant, Cardinal Richelieu, although confined to his penance
room, was not committing sincere self-torture as usual. Despite the fact that no sound
has been heard for 4 hours, it is all thanks to the image that has been faithfully built
up on a daily basis that everyone shares concerns and admiration.
So what is the Silent Servant really doing?

No matter how ascetic the room was, the flexibility of lighting a fireplace in the cold
season was the basic common sense of the central monastery.

The twenty-one-year-old young cardinal had been sitting motionless for several hours,
staring at the roaring fire. It should be said that it is in an almost perfect freeze state,
except for the occasional movement to throw logs piled up when the flames have died
down.

To the left and right of the huge fireplace where orange flames flickered, there were
life-size statues of the Father and the Virgin with solemn faces facing the cardinal. The
cardinal's face, bathed in the warm light, was rather fine, but it gave off a rather
terrifying impression because of the dark eyes set in contrast under the bright brown
hair. The color isn't the problem, I'd say it's the ghastly madness that glows in the
darkness. Even senior cardinals, who are elderly, would take a cautious attitude when
dealing with him, comparable to an interview with the pope.

Cardinal Richelieu was such a man. Born as the youngest member of a family of five
brothers, and entering the priesthood at the age of six, he has been whipping himself
so that he has no shame in the eyes of the gods. Compared to the other priests who
pretended to be sincere on the outside but enjoyed all sorts of filthy pleasures behind
their backs, he was almost flawless. He could firmly believe that even if all the priests
in the capital fell into hellfire, they would be spared.

For him, the only truth in the world was the Bible, and he never had any doubts about
his faith even though he strictly kept all the difficult doctrines, poverty, and vows of
chastity. Occasionally, very occasionally, there were times when the desire of the flesh,
which was insufficient, attacked like a demon with an open mouth, but he had
thoroughly restrained himself.

No matter what beautiful woman he saw, no matter what promiscuous clerical feast he
faced, he had never been swayed by carnal lust. And that fact would have been clear
to the eyes of the Father and Mother Gods, who were standing prominently on the
other side.

By the way… … .

Black eyes staring intently at the statue of the Virgin Mary holding a baby angel in
one arm flashed as if burning. It was a passionate spark, almost furious.

Is it anger or resentment? Maybe you could call it despair. No matter how much he
stayed up all night praying, no matter how much he condemned himself and practiced
asceticism, the seeds of sin that had once settled inside him had no sign of
disappearing, and rather quickly sprouted tenacious seeds.

That Mother God knew better than anyone else that none of the people in the Empire
were as pious as that. By the way… … Why would you put him to the test in this way?
Why is it that even the flames burning with that tongue flicker look as beautiful as her
hair?

The first time Cardinal Richelieu saw Mrs. Neuwanstein was about two years ago, when
she and her husband came to pray. She was then only fourteen years old, but in
Richelieu's opinion she was prettier than Catherine, the pope's mistress.

Anyway, he was frightened by himself for not being able to take his eyes off the fairy-
like girl sitting next to the Marquis, and believing that his weak body was testing him
again, he ran straight to the prayer room and spent half a day atonement. And he
soon forgot her figure.

No, I thought I forgot. That is until she runs into her again when, after being widowed
by her husband, he becomes the temporary head of the writer's post and goes to her
council.

Sparks of a different dimension began to flicker in his dark eyes, which reminded him
of a woman who had grown more enchanting than the first time he saw them. If earlier
it was anger and resentment toward the gods, now she was burning with ardent
hatred and longing for a human being.

It wasn't just his own problem. At least in his opinion. The other cardinals who
attended her council, as well as the other heads of her aristocracy, refused to attend
her, and at the same time kept their eyes on her.

What a ridiculous and ironic landscape it was. If she had been her young lady who
had just made her debut in the social world, rather than her widow, her social world
would have been in an uproar by now, and her bloodshed would have been raging.
Even now, it's this jigyeong-I, but it's a joke.

It was beyond his ability to keep his eyes fixed on himself every time he met him, even
though he repeatedly promised to completely ignore him. It is embarrassing to repeat
to herself that she is the devil who has come to destroy him, but when she eats, prays,
reads the Bible, confesses, and even performs penance, her image flickers in front of
her eyes. it seemed

Her pink hair soaked in the sunlight, her bright grass-colored eyes, her delicately
shaped sweet face like a sugar doll, and every gesture that looked like a dove's wings
pursued him relentlessly, showing no sign of letting go.
Did the devil appear in her form to divert his eyes from the eternal and immortal faith?
Who but the devil could instill such longing in him?

Before he knew it, he was in such a dangerous state that he would throw everything he
had if he could just brush his fingertips through her hair.

In the meantime, a situation occurred where Crown Prince Theobald showed interest
in her. He had never liked a prince who was different from the outside, but this time he
was obsessed with a sense of duty to save the prince who was possessed by her witch.

… … No, he tried to brainwash himself into that. He brainwashed himself into believing
that his mission as a servant of God was to save the successor of the Empire, and not
out of secular jealousy.

Rather, if she had flirted with a certain idiot, she might have been able to dismiss it as
a witchy act and be cynical about it. However, the opponent was the crown prince. A
young cardinal who is firmly trusted by the pope, a crown prince who was born with a
much higher status than him.

He just couldn't stand to see it. So she gave a clue to the beautiful blond boy who
always had her eyes on her, to the little lion who always stuck by her side and
bothered her with his sly smile.

But… … Why are demons so much stronger than humans? Why can humans play with
souls in ways we can't even imagine? How could he be wearing such a holy and noble
image?

The woman's behavior in today's trial was of a kind that even he could not have
imagined.

What woman in the world, especially a younger second wife, would dare to do such a
thing in front of the whole world in order to protect her ex-wife's child?

According to the Bible, the devil comes to us in a form completely unexpected for
humans. That was true. Who would have imagined a demon seeking proof of a pure
white priestess to protect a boy's future?

He couldn't believe that what she was doing today was out of pure love or
motherhood. The boy who sat in her accusation seat was the next Marquis, who was
only two years older than her. I could never believe that their relationship would really
be as pure as it appears.

Thanks to what happened today, she will be in the spotlight even more in the future. It
was a treatment that was tantamount to proving her chastity, so she and the crown
prince would have nothing to distance themselves from. Her marquis, my boy, would
also blindly stick by her side.

Is it just an illusion that the flames of the roaring fireplace look like the flames of hell
at first glance? His hand gripped the rosary on his lap. It was so strong that veins were
protruding from the back of the hand.

Contrary to popular misunderstanding, Cardinal Richelieu was a man who was far
from worldly desires for power other than faith. The pope's trust and his reputation
among the clergy were all incidental rewards for his thoroughgoing faithfulness. At
least until today.

A suppressed sigh leaked from his lips. It was more like a moan of pain.

Father, have pity on us. Our Lady, have pity on us... … .

Driven to the brink of desperation, he had only two choices from now on. Take it
completely or destroy it completely. Either one.

Chapter 6 - That Summer (1)

The sound coming from inside the thick wooden walls was strangely consistent and
repetitive. Like the rattling noise, even the moaning at regular intervals.

There was nothing new about it now, but Rachel von Neuwanstein, the daughter of a
marquis who turned thirteen this spring, was listening with bated breath while trying
hard to reach out through the window directly above.

thud.
… … barely succeeded As she punched her window with all her might with her little fist,
she paused and breathed in, and at the same time the noise she heard from inside
her stopped. And.

“……Ah, Rachel, you again!”

Udang-tang-tang!

Leaving behind the clamor of footsteps, the blonde girl stuck out her tongue and
began to run. As I ran down the narrow and steep stairs and entered the garden
brightly colored with the greenery of early summer, a terrifying voice resounded right
behind me.

"Why do you keep peeping at the little crab?! Where are you running?!"

"Who peeps! It's so pathetic that I just interrupted you to do some work?! Which house
is the lady from again this time?!"

"What do you care!"

Embarrassed by her appearance, the young lady, who had been holding her breath in
the warehouse while the boy, whose face was as red as the color of his hair, circled
around the yard trying to catch his only sister, hurriedly put on her clothes and got
out. After a breathless chase, the squeaking scream of the girl who was finally caught
resounded cheerfully under the summer sky.

"Let it go! Let it go! It smells like a single parent! Get away!"

“What is this girl doing?!

"Because it's amazing, because it's amazing! How can you flirt with that face so well!"

Even though they are borderline, they don't even look human in the eyes of the
siblings who grew up together? Elias pondered for a moment whether she should give
her one-long speech about herself and her good looks, but then she decided to stop.
He let go of her sister and sat down on the grass, breathing heavily. Rachel also
clicked her tongue and sat down in front of him.
"My mother would be terrified if she heard it."

"Worrying about that, do you tell me every day?"

“Because I didn’t tell you? Even if I didn’t tell you, you would know everything clearly?

"Originally? Then, is it comparable to when I was a kid?"

Elias grumbled softly and lightly shook his long red hair in a ponytail. Thinking that it
looked like a real pony's tail, Rachel spit out her original purpose, the reason she had
come out to find her second brother, who had been hiding in the warehouse in broad
daylight and doing embarrassing things.

"Tomorrow is Mom's birthday. We shouldn't discuss what to do."

"You and Leon both took the brains of us, so if you decide among yourself, the best
idea will come out."

"Ah, hey! Leon says he needs something novel and refreshing. Don't you have a good
idea?"

Good idea. Elias swallowed her moans for a moment and scratched her head. What
should I do to make it a somewhat novel and refreshing event?

"What is your brother saying?"

"I haven't asked yet. I'll have to ask later."

"Then discuss it with your brother. I'm not really sure."

"Doesn't a famous playboy in the world know how to roll his head that way?"

"Ha! This body only grows popular on its own even when it's still, right? Even if you
don't give me trivial gifts or annoying events, it will come on its own!"
It was a statement overflowing with confidence. If Jeremy were in this position, she'd
undoubtedly slap him for 'shit'. A bitter groan escaped from Rachel's mouth as her jaw
dropped helplessly.

"I feel sorry for the woman who will marry my brother later. She will surely run away
within a year."

"Don't worry about yourself, pig."

"Why am I a pig?! Everywhere I look I'm a pig, blush! Anyway, there's not a single bit of
use!"

"Hey, isn't it too harsh for you to talk to your brother when he said to see you?"

"What's worse, that's right! Just know that my brother's existence itself is causing
serious harm to Leon and me emotional education!"

"Damn it? You know how to be grateful for having a wonderful brother like me!"

Rachel shook her head at the act of Elias, who thumped her chest with her hand and
responded in a benign way. It was my fault for expecting something from this person,
thinking that.

"It was a mistake to expect a bit of a brainy aspect from my younger brother from the
beginning."

Those were the words of Leon von Neubanstein, a boy who looked exactly like Jeremy's
when he was thirteen, but with a thinner, more intelligent appearance. In response,
Rachel nodded her head with the momentum that she couldn't agree more.

"Right. Do you remember what your little brother gave you for your mother's birthday
last year?"

"How could I forget that. It was horrible."

They were twins who seemed to be terrified side by side, as if just remembering what
had happened that day was terrifying.

"How on earth would anyone think of giving a mature woman like her mother such a
disappointing doll?"

"It's because my mother is weak and doesn't show it. I don't know how she has no sense
at all. Of course, we must have brought all the brains of our siblings."

"that's right."

The twins, who happily shared self-congratulations to each other, now began to put
their heads together with the same worried expression. It is the fate of the brain wave
to hold one's head and think seriously when others are just blinking their eyes in
comfort.

Perhaps it was because he had been agonizing with Leon until late at night, but he
couldn't sleep.

Muttering to herself, "When will this big brother come back?" Rachel exited her room
and began to stumble down the stairs in the silence of darkness. If she needed
anything, she could just pull the rope beside her bed and call for her maid, but now
she wasn't out with the intention of drinking or eating anything. Large emerald eyes
shone anxiously in the dark air.

"It's not going to happen again..."

To put her worries to shame, luckily the ground floor and backyard of the mansion
were empty tonight. Still, she looked around carefully again just in case, but the pink
figure, which would normally glow pale in the dark at this time, was nowhere to be
found. A sigh of relief escaped from her plump, rosy lips. Fortunately, tonight seems to
be fine.

You don't know how surprised I was at first. That is, when they first saw the woman,
their protector, wandering around the mansion in the middle of the night in a chemise.
At the time she found her at the sound of the head maid's careful call, Rachel thought
Shuri was just enjoying a night walk. However, she did not look back no matter how
many times she called, and she only wandered around as if she was possessed. Only
then did she realize that something was wrong. In the middle of the night, the culprit
who made the hearts of the brave knights tremble was asleep while walking.
When Rachel glanced up the very next day, Shuri didn't seem to remember anything
about it. Rachel, who had told the knights to let him know if it happened again, just in
case, soon came to think that it was a good thing. So, she didn't stop at once.

The attending physician said it was obvious sleepwalking. Of course, I secretly called
and asked. She and her brothers are her words. He did not express himself in the
slightest to the person concerned. The knights and servants were also thoroughly
clamped down. He thought that he must be terribly embarrassed to find out that he
was wandering around dreaming in the middle of the night.

"헉……!"

Rachel, who was moving her steps to return to her dorm safely, almost screamed the
next moment.

“……It’s a surprise! Did you decide to kill people by surprise?”

When did he appear, or how long had he been there, the person sitting on the sofa in
the dim hall dressed in street clothes was her older brother. From the splendid
epaulettes around her broad shoulders to the scabbard around her waist and her
hair, the same golden light shimmered.

"Shuri?"

"You seem to be sleeping soundly today. Why did you miss Mom so much?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

He responds shamelessly to a subject that could have surprised people. Clicking her
tongue, Rachel whistled closer to her brother who was sitting like a lion lurking in the
dark.

"Have you thought of a present for Mom's birthday? It's the last birthday of a teenager,
and it's not supposed to be something special."

"What have you guys been thinking about?"

"Little brother, as always, insisted that he had no brain, and Leon and I... I decided to
give him a picture I drew, and Leon decided to write a letter."

"Aha, is that something special you guys came up with?"

"A brother like that!"

Jeremy calmly shrugged at Rachel's hot flashes, but then smiled and crossed his arms.

“I think winning the swordsmanship competition at the National Foundation Day is the
best gift I can give you.”

"What a great idea, that. It's going to be a while after your birthday! What kind of
birthday present is that?!"

"Don't quack like a duckling, so you're trying to get the wisdom of your sister right now.
Would you like a necklace or an earring?"

Instead of being sarcastic, 'My brother just rolled his head that way for some reason,'
Rachel replied straight away.

"It's a necklace. Who doesn't allow mom to raise her hair? So, to make her stand out, it's
a necklace."

“You really don’t have any insight.

"That's right. At least, there must be only pathetic thoughts in your head about trying
to seduce a young lady from another house. Oppa, please tell me something."

Seeing his sister's talk in an informative tone with a bit of snoring, Jeremy nodded his
head seriously, not touching his chin with his hand.

"Okay. In return for solving my dilemma, I'll hand him over."

It got ugly! Rachel gave a hearty smile, devoid of even the slightest bit of sympathy for
her little brother, who was of no help at all, and then suddenly let out a sigh. Jeremy
tilted her head.

“Why are you sighing all of a sudden?”

“……No. Just looking at my brother’s size, I suddenly wondered if we grew up eating the
same thing.”

"I'm seventeen, kid. You and Leon are still far apart."

Despite feeling so sorry, Rachel was also quite tall compared to young girls her age.
I'm already in a state where I'm going to go to the middle of the day with their
guardian, so I'm done talking. It was a problem because the opponent was the
opponent.

"That's true, but... More than that, what the hell can you eat to get those gross muscles
all over your body?"

"You don't want to be like me, do you? Your role model should be our beautiful mother,
not me."

"I have absolutely no desire to be like you.

"Do you want me to be like Elias?"

"It's never like that, but the other girls keep annoying me by asking me to introduce
them to my brother."

"If I were you, my dear sister, instead of trying to weigh my feelings, I would have asked
if there were any nice friends I could introduce you to..."

It was then that Jeremy's voice, which had been sarcastically clicking his tongue,
suddenly became muffled. As Rachel was about to ask why, she held out one of her
hands and pretended to be quiet.

"brother?"
"Shh... again."

what? Rachel looked behind her hastily. There, sure enough, there was a slender figure
in a thin chemise and barefoot, slowly walking down the stairs. The moonlight
streaming in through her window dyed her wavy pink hair white.

"If you fall over like that..."

Jeremy stood up quietly as Rachel whispered nervously in one ear. While the two
siblings cautiously approached, the night walker was slowly stepping up the stairs
holding onto the railing with one hand. The dreamy atmosphere of the bright
moonlight was added to make it look like a living glass doll. She wondered how she
could walk so perfectly as she wandered through her dreams.

"brother……."

"Be quiet."

Jeremy scolded his younger sister for being annoying, and then slowly approached
the woman and studied her side face bathed in the white moonlight. As expected,
there was no focus in Shuri's eyes.

As soon as he carefully raised his hand and grabbed his shoulder, the movement of
his foot again down the stairs stopped. Shuri stood there, like a broken wind-up doll,
not moving anymore. Just as expected.

The two siblings exchanged glances for a moment, then immediately went into action.
While Jeremy took her Shuri in her arms and moved her steps, Rachel grabbed her
Shuri by the hand that was drooping beneath her and followed her.

"Should I have Gwence secretly lock her mother's door?"

"Well, I don't even know what kind of dream I'm dreaming, but what if I do something
else dangerous if I do it rashly."

“Dangerous?”
"They might try to jump out the window. Or they'd just run into the door."

I see! While Rachel, who hadn't thought about it until then, looked at her with thrilled
eyes, Jeremy was now looking at the woman lying on her bed with a complicated
expression. At least as far as Rachel knew, the only time her eldest brother showed
such uncharacteristic seriousness was in relation to their guardian. It can be really
funny, but at the same time touching.

"Brother... why does mom keep doing this these days? She's really fine during the day."

"Because you're the most attached, tell me. Have you noticed any signs of stress or
anxiety lately?"

It was a rare low-pitched voice. And Rachel had learned very well from many
experiences that she should never be sarcastic or gossipy at times like this.

"I don't think so... but it doesn't seem like he's worried. He's just perfectly fine.
Sometimes he looks complicated because of his little brother, but other than that..."

"You look complicated? Does that bastard have any accidents when I'm gone?"

"No, that's not it. I mean, that's what my mother said in passing before, but my little
brother said he wasn't like that, but he's changed strangely."

usually? Originally, I wonder if he was talking about his childhood? … … Or was it a

story from a dream I had confided to him some time ago, about three years ago?
Jeremy let out her moans, with a serious light uncharacteristic for his dark green eyes.
Is she or is she dreaming of that? She was unknown.

"brother?"

“……For now, you should go and sleep. As you have emphasized, tomorrow is an
important day.”

"What about my brother?"

"I'm going to watch a little longer and go to sleep."

Rachel nodded her head obediently. It was something she couldn't have imagined
before. Even when they were a little younger, Jeremy was the real thing that her
dodger couldn't stand for Rachel. This is the case with any mischievous brother four
years older. However, the day when the truth is felt reassuringly has arrived. After all,
people should live a long time.

Thinking about a thought uncharacteristic of a thirteen-year-old, Rachel tries to turn

around. Suddenly, he paused and blurted out without realizing it.

"What would others say if they knew...?"

Jeremy, who had dragged a chair by the bed and sat down intently looking down at
the sleeping woman's face, slowly turned his head and looked at her. The golden
eyebrows seemed to wriggle in an instant.

"Didn't everyone strictly shut down their mouths? Even if it leaked out, what's the point
of talking about people other than us?"

"It's not important, but it won't upset my mother."

I see! Jeremy, who hadn't even thought of her, stuck her tongue out without even
realizing it. His sister would occasionally hit the point in this way that he hadn't even
thought of. After all, it seemed that the twins must have taken all of their brains.

"brother."

"음?"

Rachel hesitated for a moment. Then, he continued with a mischievous smile.

"If someone tries to bully my mother, my brother will get rid of it."

"Are you saying that?"

"Tear your legs off like your brother's habit."

"Because I know."

***

Humans are said to be animals of adaptation. I don't know who said it, but I couldn't
help but respect his deep knowledge.

I, Shuri von Neubanstein, have gone back in time like a lie and returned to the past for
about three years. Without doing so, there was no way I could have been brooding
over the innocuous thought that the years passed by from the morning.

"Happy nineteenth birthday, ma'am!"

"Happy last teenager birthday, Mom!"

… … Yes. As of today, I have turned nineteen. It's me who has memories of being 23
years old, but I can't believe that fact again.

Anyway, let's put aside our loyal knights and servants who sang in chorus from the
morning with the momentum to destroy the mansion. The sight of the twins, who had
grown so much taller, holding out a huge 5-tiered cake that could be used for a
wedding ceremony was quite admirable.

"Wahhahaha, if it's your birthday, it's definitely birthday bread!"

"Kiaaaak! Little brother, what the hell are you doing?! We have to keep it like this until
evening!"

"Hyung really doesn't have the slightest bit of grace."

… … Let's just pretend we didn't see Elias trying to throw it at me after dipping the
Saehaan Great Cake, which must have been hard work since dawn, with his hands
without any dignity.
I barely said thank you while Rachel's dainty palm patted Elias' back mercilessly.

Keuheuk, if I were to express the emotion I am feeling right now in more detail, I think I
would burst into tears! These days, I keep dreaming of the old days and I'm going to
have a good time, but I'm going to have a good time like this!

"Congratulations, Mom! I'll give you a present at dinner!"

These were the words our lovely daughter-in-law said with her eyes shining brightly as
if to expect. Don't expect anything!

“Wahhaha, all the presents prepared by the little kids are there.

"You're not trying to come back with a terrible doll like last year, are you?"

"Oh man, that's terrible! How precious it is, you short legs who don't know the world!"

Was a rabbit doll the size of that person so precious? A moan leaked out of my mouth
as I recalled the stuffed rabbit that Elias had been carrying around this time last year.
Well, it was pretty soft and fluffy, so it was nice to cuddle and sleep, but think about my
age... … !

“Why am I short-legged?!

"Because it's short legs, it's short legs! It's still 10 years until you become the owner of
long legs like me, uh... ghah!"

Fuck!

It was only natural that Elias, who had been hit hard on the head at the same time as
the loud friction sound, began to squeak and flutter. A sneer hung over Leon's lips.

"Keuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu possible?!"
"So who said you were standing there in the way?"

Jeremy, who cleverly and deliberately left it to me to just say that I hit him because I
wanted to hit him, sat down at the table, brushing his wet golden hair with his hands.
Then she smiled at me, who sat across from me.

“How does it feel to be nineteen?”

"Um, won't you tell me."

"Oh, you must be savage. Anyway, that cake is big enough to be buried in. How is it?'

What else can I say... … ?

What happened was an instant. Before I could finally grasp the meaning and lift her
up, Jeremy was already coming this way with evil flashes of emerald eyes!

"Kyaaaaaagh! What are you doing! Don't do it! Don't do it!"

"Puhahaha! Why is hyung showing off all his senses like this!"

"Oh, what's wrong with my big brother?! I'm going to use this for dinner!"

Overshadowing the screams of Rachel and I, Jeremy lifted me up with one arm with
ease and threw me right on top of the huge cake! Oh God!

In the meantime, it would be better to ignore the truly indescribable conflict on the
faces of our faithful knights. Cancer, how can they stop this ferocious lion?

"Ugh, tweetww! You damned ones...!"

Jeremy and Elias just giggled while holding on to their stomachs as I, now covered in
cream, couldn't help but spit out the sweet lump in my mouth. Even Leon was directing
a colaji that was clearly trying to hold back his laughter. Heuk, as expected, the only
one with common sense is my daughter-in-law!

"My brothers are really mean and ate up!"

“Why would you do the same?”

"Kyaaaaa! Ha, don't do it!"

“You guys, twee, how is this so much fun?!”

puck! The chunk of cream I threw with all my might hit Jeremy's shoulder in a nice way.
And she would go without saying that that was her starting point.

In the end, the 5-layer special cake, the bloody sweat of our loyal chefs and kitchen
maids, was reduced to our snowball fight. While me and the four children were all
covered in cream and fighting, our feeble servants literally turned into faces on the
verge of dying, and the knights crossed themselves.

The bath took longer than usual to cleanly wash off the buttercream that had even
covered her hair. Gwen's eyes combing my hair as she clicked her tongue felt a bit
harsh. Heuk, I never expected that I would do such a childish thing... … .

smart.

When I finished dressing up and stood in front of the mirror to check how my sky blue
dress was going out, a knock rang out. I cried without even turning my head.

“Why don’t you just admit defeat now?”

"Who said what? If you're the winner, you should take the loot."

booty? Thinking that this was a joke again, I narrowed my eyes and looked back at the
open door.
"That's what..."

“Congratulations on your little mother’s 19th birthday.

The object in Jeremy's large right hand, who was playfully flirting, was none other than
a necklace. The necklace was a necklace, but I had never seen such a gorgeous
necklace. If you count the finely crafted and tightly woven light green jewels, it seemed
to be in the hundreds. It looked more like a scarf than a necklace. Oh my gosh.

"Peridot is better than emerald for the color of your eyes."

Peridot, come to think of it, this guy bought me a peridot brooch for the National
Foundation Day this year. At that time, for some reason, he wanted to give me all the
presents, so I accepted them without saying anything, but it was a bit late for a
birthday present. Unlike now.

My mind went blank for a moment, and while I was just dazed, Jeremy strode behind
me holding the necklace. As she looked at our reflection in the mirror, all of a sudden
she wondered when he had grown up so much.

Well, I knew from the beginning, but when I put them side by side like this, the
difference in size is too big! Or am I small? After all, mother nature is unfair.

“I heard that if you put it under your pillow at night and sleep, it will even get rid of
nightmares.”

Aha, okay? I'm still dreaming about it these days, but it's been good. I quickly came to
my senses and gathered up the long loose hair with one hand. The necklace, which
was so gorgeous that you couldn't take your eyes off it, luckily went well with the dress
she was wearing.

"Thank you...... Whoa. But where the hell did you get a necklace like this?"

"Do you think I could have sneaked somewhere? Would you believe me if I said I picked
it from the field?"

Hmmm, for some reason, this guy seems to be able to do that too. That is, growing
jewel necklaces in the fields. He is the one who started putting the world under his feet.
Similar parts of the past that I remember still remain. For example, the fact that
Jeremy was ordained a knight the year before last and participated in the battle to
subdue the bandits called the nameless flag that took place last year. The
commander-in-chief of the regular army was quite impressed with the two boys who
showed quite outstanding performance at the age of only 16.

Of course, there were a lot of things that have changed.

First of all, take a look at Elias's never-before-seen cinnamon-hunting. Who the hell did
he resemble to get into such a habit? He's a kid who touches all the young ladies in
the capital! To make matters worse, I will make sure that the ending is clear, but my
head still throbs when I think of the time when a certain lady's brother came and
challenged Elias to a duel not long ago!

It was the same with Jeremy. First of all, because the person who used to hang out with
him has changed. Originally, she always accompanied Prince Theobald, but now... … .

“My dear lady, I always say, but you have too many worries to wear.”

I was blown away from my thoughts by the cheerful voice I heard right behind me. I
can't say I was worried about it, though.

"Wouldn't that sound like the guy who threw Lady into the cake?"

"It was fun, but what are you doing? But where are you going?"

"I'm going to see the Empress. She suddenly asked me to come over for tea."

"Oh, you two are secretly close? Even though she almost cut off my arm?"

"Because they're not on good terms? And your arms are fine. Now, even if you're the
emperor, they won't be able to target your arms."

By the way, who would dare aim for this guy's arm now? If I hadn't been able to protect
his right arm like that at that time, hearing the voice of Neuwanstein's lion wouldn't
have happened already. When I just smiled at that thought, he grumbled something,
then giggled and kissed my cheek.
"Hey, you'd be good at dealing with that scary woman. Anyway, see you at dinner."

"You today..."

"Right, I've finally become like you. I mean, I have to endure the things I don't want to
do."

***

"Heh, I still have a bit of an old-fashioned taste."

"Thank you. Empress Mama, as always, has great taste."

"I don't know where on earth he got those crude trinkets, but it's certain that he wore
them to show off to me. However, no matter how corrupt Neuwanstein is, he's still a
long way from satisfying my eyes."

"Thank you for recognizing me. Mama's accessories are also unique."

… … If you ask me what the conversation between the empress and her marquis was
like, I have nothing to say. Because I don't know either.

After meeting several times over the past three years, it turned out that the
relationship between me and Elisabeth had taken on a form that was difficult to
explain. In the beginning, the other noble ladies, who had been shaking with the
momentum of fainting on the spot, now reacted with carefree smiles, saying that it was
just a start again. Alas, how could this have happened?

"What a beautiful necklace. Did you receive it as a gift?"

I smiled and nodded my head at the question posed by the friendly Countess of
Bavaria who was present with me today.
"Thank you. My oldest son gave it to me as a birthday present."

"oh……."

In contrast to the Countess, who was showing off a cute smile, Elisabeth only snorted.

"Was it like that? I thought it was a gift sent by a squire who had no eyes to see again
because he fell in love with his wife."

"Mama, if you're jealous, just be honest with me."

"Hey, who envy you! Do you know who doesn't have a son?"

yes yes Would you like to Madame Bavaria let out a shallow laugh while I shrugged her
shoulders and tipped the teacup, and Elisabeth snorted at her again. Then, suddenly,
she changed the subject.

"By the way, how will Mrs. Neubanstein decide to marry her children? Hasn't that
cheeky eldest son already passed the age of majority?"

"To be honest, Your Majesty, I don't know yet. It's just that I want them to be able to
bond with the person they want..."

"That sounds like a romance novel. It's not something I would say when the prince's
marriage is undecided.

His tone was brusque, as always, but there was something like subtle concern in the
sharp blue eyes that stared at me. And I was well aware of what she was worried about.

The age at which the people of the empire reach adulthood, regardless of gender, is
sixteen. It is said that a real adult is considered to be around 18, but legally, an adult is
an adult anyway. There was no way that there wouldn't be people talking about me
doing it on purpose in a situation where Jeremy, who had already passed the age of
majority, hadn't been engaged. That is to say, I am deliberately preventing marriage in
order to monopolize Neuwanstein's position as head of household. Isn't that
something that has already happened in the past? But anyway, now I didn't have the
slightest desire to force an arranged marriage on any of the children.
Of course, there was a lot of confusion pouring in against Jeremy. Among them, of
course, the Duke Heinrich was included. Just a few days ago, Princess Heinrich sent
me a bookmark gift, so I said it all.

At this time in the past, I promoted Jeremy and Princess Heinrich's engagement, and
as a result, Jeremy delayed the wedding day and night for four long years. At that
time, I vaguely wondered if there was another woman he had a crush on, but now that I
think about it, it seems that she couldn't stand being forced in that way because of his
personality.

… … Maybe that's why you didn't let me go to the wedding. Black.

***

The early summer sun, shining like a golden glare, colored the cobbled alleyway of the
Duke of Nuremberg's residence. Compared to Marquis Neubanstein's residence, it
seemed more plain, but it was a place that exudes an antique style.

After exchanging brief greetings with the Duchess, he immediately moved to his
friend's residence.

"Hey, what are you doing, you poop? What time is it, are you procrastinating?"

A black-haired young man sitting on the bedside slowly raised his head at the
atrocities of the lion, which had invaded the wolf's den from early hours and
commanded it with dignity. The sharp blue eyes full of drowsiness seemed to stare at
the other's soft, dark green eyes for a long time, but the words that finally came out
were this.

"I'm not going, you rabid kitty."

"I don't want to go either, but haven't the luxurious days passed when we both did what
we wanted to do?"

"Well, I haven't done much of what I wanted to do before. By the way, did you give him
the right gift?"
"Thanks. Move quickly. After work, let's go over to my house and have dinner."

"That's a very attractive proposition, but I don't like the middle part."

Regardless of whether or not the other person responded casually, Jeremy strode
over to the window and threw the curtains open. The dimly lit room was brightened up
in an instant.

The subjects of the hunting meeting to participate in today are the royal family and
the Vatican, that is, a group that is boring and even includes a few people who don't
want to look at it. Nevertheless, if invited, it was compulsory to attend. Especially when
it comes to the heirs of a particular family, such as the two of them. It was something I
was reluctant to do, but it can be said that there is some small fun in slowly raising the
medicine in the face of people who don't want to look at it.

"If you don't go, I won't go either?"

"Are you threatening me? There are not only the secret princes and our old
generation, but even a grandfather who has enough strength to glare at me even
though he's all old. Why don't you take your little brother who gave you a dog?"

“I am the same way that there are blood ties that I don’t like to look at, right?

The black-haired knight didn't say anything for a moment and just frowned as if his
eyes were dazzled. In response, the blonde knight hurled the huge sword hanging
from the wall at his friend and uttered a final sigh.

"Put on your clothes, comrade. Don't let me deal with them alone."

***

By the time I finally left the empress' palace, dusk was already beginning to fall all over
the place. I was hurrying on my way, fearing to be late for dinner, when I unexpectedly
ran into someone approaching the empress' palace.
"Lady Neuwanstein."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

It was Crown Prince Theobald, a silver-haired handsome young man, staring down at
me as I hurriedly prepared my manners. It's been a very long time since we met like
this. After the trial case three years ago, he no longer visited our mansion or
communicated with us. He was often only seen at official events. Fortunately, on the
other hand, I was a bit sad because I thought that the heart I had for me had cooled
down so quickly... … big.

"It's been a while. Are you on your way to see Mama?"

"Yes. Is His Highness on the way to a hunting trip?"

"It's like a hunter, something like that."

He replied with a soft tone, and smiled gracefully with golden eyes. It was a smile that
looked somewhat bitter and lonely, so I had no choice but to risk my rudeness and ask
this question.

“I guess you weren’t having too much fun.”

"Yes, well... It's an event hosted by Obama and His Holiness, but as you know, there are
so many people who hate me."

"No way. Who could hate someone like Her Highness?"

"Your wife is always kind. I couldn't ask for more if my cousin and childhood friend
thought the same way."

Cousin and childhood friend... … ? Ah, come to think of it, Nora and Jeremy must have
been there today. What happened with those guys?

If I remember correctly, the recent situation was also subtly different from the past I
had been through. After the trial that almost took the place of the damn hearing, the
parliament and the church authority began to show unprecedented solidarity and
check the imperial authority, and aside from that, other aristocrats were divided into
pro-royalty factions and anti-royalty factions and began to confront each other. And
at the center of the anti-imperial faction were the Lion of Neubanstein and the Wolf of
Nuremberg, who were like the rising sun.

Of course, it's not that those two guys were leading anything, it's just that the
atmosphere is like that. The fact that Jeremy, who had been close with the crown
prince since childhood, and Nora have been hanging out together in recent years,
also played a part in adjusting the atmosphere for the young heroes.

Could the fluttering of a tiny butterfly's wings cause a typhoon? Who would have
predicted that the prince's brief love affair would become the starting point that
would change the situation to such an extent? It wouldn't have happened if me and
Theobald hadn't gone into his private study at that time.

"Jeremy... it's not that I hate you. It's just that I'm surprisingly shy, so I can't find a way to
reconcile with you."

Certainly, Jeremy had already cleared up a misunderstanding about Theobald, not a

misunderstanding. Because I also explained it. However, it seemed that there was
another reason that even I couldn't figure out why he was still reluctant to his
childhood friend, the prince.

"Ahaha, I hope so. It makes me feel like an outcast. As you know, my cousin who's been
having fun with him lately hates me so much, I don't know if there's any chance."

"I don't think Confucius really hates His Highness..."

"Thank you for your kind words, but isn't that fact obvious to anyone?"

Theobald, who moved in a bitter tone, lowered his silver eyelashes sadly. It was a look
of strange sorrow, a lonely look that made the opponent feel sorry for themselves.

"Why so..."

"Well, there was an incident when we were young, and no matter how much I think
about it, it seems to be because of that."

"A job?"
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing... I went to my uncle's house to play when I was about 12.
My cousin was younger than me then. He was about 8 or 9 years old."

I was just silently listening. The lonely prince now had eyes full of melancholy and
continued to speak in a voice full of remorse.

"That guy broke it while playing with his uncle's favorite pipe. Even though I told him
not to touch it... it was bad luck that adults appeared at that moment."

"They must have been pretty fresh, both of you."

"Haha, is that so? Anyway, Nora started to say that I did it, maybe from her young
heart, but no one seemed to believe it very much. Now that I think about it, I should
have just taken her place. I was older and a prince, so that's it. It could have been
covered up instead of a minor accident, but it didn't. Isn't it a big deal?"

"아……."

"It must have been that the faith in the cousin you trusted and followed was shattered.
Who would have known that a trivial incident in childhood would lead to remnants to
this day."

He added a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of
a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of He looked into my eyes. Umm, on the other
hand, I can understand, is it because I'm not pure that I keep feeling suspicious about
something? I can't believe that Nora is someone who can still hold grudges over
something like that... … .

"Oh, my God, I've been holding on to you for too long. I'm sorry."

"no."

"Please go in carefully. By the way, happy birthday. Today seems to be wrong, so I'll
give you a present on the anniversary of the founding of Korea."

The young eagle, who politely greeted me, looked surprisingly relieved. I thanked him
and headed home.
***

“Why are you snooping around my house!”

The angry roar of our horned colt's second son resounded. Unlike me, who was
shocked, the intruder, who was the target of that fierce welcome, greeted me while
completely ignoring the roaring lion cub with foam on it.

"Happy birthday."

"Ugh, it's been a while. You rode nicely."

It is said that Jeremiah hangs out with me on a fictional day, but for me, it was about
seeing Nora for the first time in half a year. And Nora, whom he hadn't seen in a long
time, had grown to the point where he could no longer see her childhood. The blue
eyes that were staring at me seemed to be the same as those that felt strange again,
sparkling with a strange light. Ghm, I don't know if it's you guys, but I haven't changed.

In any case, the boy who was rough and pitiful like a puppy when he was young has
now become a wild young man who is difficult to approach. He's also so tall that it's
almost terrifying to see him and Jeremy standing side by side like this. Something like
a combination of a sun knight and a dark assassin... … big. Geez, what am I thinking.

"Oh, why is he here? I hate him! Shuri, I hate that dark guy! Get him out of here!"

"I hate your attitude more."

When I fired without hesitation for a moment, Elias immediately froze with a shocked
face instead of running amok with the momentum to bring a crossbow and shoot him.
The green eyes, the miasma of which had disappeared, began to shake helplessly as if
an earthquake had occurred. Tskz, then why are you messing around with customers?
But why do even our knights seem to be causing earthquakes in their pupils?

Anyway, in the midst of everyone sitting around in front of a specially selected dinner
of my favorite dishes for the first time in a long time, our little girl opened her mouth
by offering me a present.
"Happy birthday, Mom. This is a picture I drew. I worked hard on it, so I'll cherish it..."

"Rachel, if you've ever drawn them, they'll all be there! What are all the pictures you
draw of fictional me as a birthday present?"

"Oh, really little brother, shut up and stay still! Get out and die!"

“You seem to have a talent for drawing. That's cool.”

At that compliment the young wolf uttered leisurely, lowering his blue eyes, Rachel
stopped throwing a fork at Elias, who was exceptionally good at blowing candles, and
began to laugh shyly, as if she hadn't done it before.

"Rather than having talent... Hehe, it's just a hobby, well."

"I also once had a hobby in oil painting. It's all a thing of the past."

"Wow, did you have a hobby like that? I can't imagine."

"I'm talking about when I was young. I didn't realize sooner or later the nasty reality
that art is an explosion..."

"If it's an explosion, it's probably because you're an old man."

"Exactly."

While Jeremy and Nora scorned the stern Grand Duke in that way, this time Leon
handed me a present. It was a bunch of white summer roses and a five-page letter. Oh,
it's a letter, is it because I'm in the mood to remember last year's exchange diary
incident?

"Anyway, it's childish. What's all the scraps of letters for a birthday present?"
“Ah, what a great little brother you prepared!”

"At least it won't compare to a short-legged guy like you! Now, this is my gift!"

Elias shouted triumphantly and handed me a square object wrapped in some rough
paper. It looked just like a book, but I wondered why that goby had come up with such
a classy gift, so I immediately opened the package and tilted my head the next
moment.

"The cover is unusual. There is no title, and it is the first time I have seen a red cover..."

Udang-tang-tang!

It was at that time that the hall suddenly became noisy. Elias fell off her chair as if he
had eaten something wrong and Jeremy jumped her up! The twins screamed, and
Nora without a word snatched the book from my hand. What is this all of a sudden... … .

"Elias!"

"Oh, no, no! It's not like that! I must have confused you!"

"Are you saying that's an excuse right now?! You bastard, come here. Aren't you
coming?!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

While Elias was pounded excitedly by Jeremy's iron fist, I turned my blank gaze to
Nora. As for Nora, she was in the middle of a meaningful smile as she opened and
looked at the mysterious red-covered book with one hand. Have you eaten anything
wrong with these?

"What the hell is that?"

"This is a limited edition coloring book."

… … I'm not sure what my expression is like right now, but it's probably similar to the
chef from this morning. Indeed, he is our second son. I wonder if any madman in the
world could ever give her stepmother a coloring book as a gift.

Of course, the excuse that I did it because I was confused is not very convincing, but
even so, why did I order something like that! I guess I'll have to cut off my allowance for
a while... … .

"But how did you all know that? Just from the cover?"

"……."

***

"Mom, my little brother is out again."

After a raucous dinner, after ordering the maids to serve tea, I was heading towards
the parlor where the two young men were, when Leon came to me and whispered these
words. I paused and furrowed my brows.

"When the hell... are you going to meet someone again this time?"

"I don't know. But mom, my little brother took some gold coins and went out, but it
didn't look like we were going on a date."

… … I'm almost in awe. It would be better if I went out to have a tryst with the lady of the
house, but I don't think I've really tasted such a hobby these days, right?

The first time Elias went out silently every evening, I thought he was simply out on a
date. It's because he's developed so much these days... … .

But according to the clues that our little intellectual, Leon, gave us, it didn't look like
they were out on a date. When she questioned herself directly, Elias categorically
denied her. She said no, she was just going on a date. Still, she couldn't help but feel
suspicious.
Recently, a card game craze that is popular among young people. Could it be that
Elias even set foot there?

Just in case, he ordered the knights to follow him secretly, but somehow he knew that
he was out of the way and disappeared every time. When it came to gambling, I was
going crazy, as I already had loathsome memories of my father. Why do you keep
doing things you didn't do... … . Whoa, should I tell Jeremy about this or not. I've
decided to hold off until it's clear, but if it's really like that, it won't end with a little
beating.

When I entered the parlor while brooding over such complex thoughts, Jeremy and
Nora were sitting on the sofa with their long legs stretched out, growling in harmony.
Well, who would have imagined that these two would become as close as I am?

"As expected, the swordsmanship competition is the most anticipated. The winner is
already obvious, but..."

"So you mean it's clear that you're going to lose?"

"No, I mean it's clear that you're going to lose to me, asshole."

"Do you know that condescending guys like you are the first to drop out of the
primary?"

The highlight of the National Foundation Day, which is held every four years, is the
swordsmanship competition. I knew very well how the ending of this year's
swordsmanship tournament, which is the romance of all men and women at the same
time, would be. The end of the duel that made even foreign visitors gasp and cheer.
Hmm, my mouth is itching to see the two roaring triumphantly over the championship
already.

"You guys must be having fun. I already have a headache."

It was only a sneaky throw in a half-naughty mood, but both of them looked at me with
a straight face at the same time instead of looking at each other. Seeing the two pairs
of eyes staring at each other with completely different shapes and colors made me
feel somewhat embarrassed. I think something broke my colic?

"Why does your head hurt?"

"No, I mean, it's the biggest event ever. The thought of dealing with this or that is
already giving me headaches."

by the way Aside from having to face these and other unpleasant people, wasn't this
the same year that Elias punched her second prince? It was a very eventful year... … .
Hopefully this won't happen again?

It was then that Jeremy, who seemed to be silently observing my expression, suddenly
started to laugh, as if some kind of mischief was triggered. He took my hand, pulled
me in, kissed the back of his hand, and spoke politely.

"How about this? I'm going to get rid of all the people who bully you. Then I'm going to
blame it all on this shit puppy. How is it, shit puppy?"

At this brazen suggestion, the young Confucius stared at us with his eyes narrowed,
then threw his long arms over the back of the sofa and nodded with the utmost
seriousness.

"That's an honorable false accusation. There's nothing I can't do, I don't know if you'll
really do it."

"What else can I not do? Oh, I don't think it would be bad to completely change the
water, even the corpses and vultures that eat them."

"It's good to change the imperial power, and while doing it, push it to the Vatican."

"That's good, the two of us are taking over the empire like that. How about it, Shuri? If
you want, I'll make you the first empress of the empire."

One is the heir to the family of the Marquis of the Golden Lion, and the other is the
heir to the ducal family pretending to be the empress. These things shouldn't be right
in this part.

Still, a smile crept across my lips. I raised my hand and fidgeted with the peridot
necklace and responded in an equally playful way.

"It's not bad. The title of the first in the empire is my exclusive possession."
***

In many ways, the anniversary of the founding of Korea, which was different from the
past, was approaching.

As an aside, when it comes to the red book Elias gave me by mistake, it seemed that
Nora had taken it. I don't know why I took it.

Then, on a fine afternoon, the day before the anniversary, an unexpected visitor came
to visit me. It was the girl who was my future daughter-in-law in the past, Princess
Heinrich.

"Are you okay with lemon balm?"

"thank you."

A young princess who answered politely, O'Hara von Heinrich, who was not yet sixteen
years old, had no flaws, just like my memory. It should be said that theft was in every
little movement. In addition, elegantly braided platinum hair, cool purple eyes and the
latest fashion dress in the same color, it should be said that she was a young lady who
would be called the most beautiful woman in the capital.

… … Still, in my eyes, our Rachel is much prettier. Ahem.

While I was probing her, O'Hara was also probing me with a polite yet sharp eye. Just
the way I remember it.

Now that I think about it, she always treated me with the utmost courtesy, but I don't
think she was very pleased. Considering my reputation back then, it was only natural.
However, she didn't get along very well with Rachel, because she openly showed her
dislike of the prospective sister-in-law from Rachel's side every time.

Anyway, it's obvious what O'Hara was looking for at this point today... … .
"Sorry for the sudden visit."

"It's okay. Oh, I received the bookmark you sent. It's a unique design."

"I'm glad you liked it. Well, the reason I came here today is because I wanted to ask you
something."

I have to say that this is a bit unexpected. Are you asking? I don't think this arrogant
young lady intends to openly ask for a marriage contract here... … .

"I want you to be my teacher of etiquette."

Aha, something like that. I put down my teacup and leaned against the back of my
chair. The purple eyes staring at my face as if searching for it were slowly feeling
burdensome.

"I don't think there's anything I can teach the gongnyeo? Maybe if I ask the gongnyeo
for my daughter?"

"I didn't mean to burden you. I just wanted to get closer to you in that way."

"I should say it's a surprise rather than a burden. Why would a princess like a princess
want to be close to a boring wife like me?"

“You already know.”

After answering quickly, she gently folded her eyes and created a friendly smile. It was
a smile that could indeed make the hearts of many men flutter, but I was not
interested in women. Cancer, no way! I have to say it's pretty cute though.

"Okay, princess. Let's be honest. If you were a princess, you would have already found
a lot of good marriages, so why do you want to tie up with our family? Or is it just the
duke's will?"

Live and live, I never thought the day would come when I would use this kind of direct
speech in front of O'Hara. Why did this girl feel so difficult in the past?
When I opened my eyes to check the reaction, the princess's pale face was showing a
red blush that I hadn't expected. Aww?

“My will is also included. I know that there are many families who want to bond with
Neuwanstein. It is unladylike to step forward like this. Shouldn't we show a different
resolution?"

It was a tone full of confidence that could be reversed. It's like reciting a plausible line
from a book. Hmm, I'm sure I've never felt this young lady so fresh before. Did other
adults who saw me at that time feel the same way as I do now?

“I don’t think it requires a lot of determination. Anyone who hears it will know that our
family is truly a den of beasts.”

Swallowing a bitter smile and responding softly, the confident purple eyes seemed to
wince for a moment. Seriously, do ladies have a hobby of teasing young ladies with
this taste?

Just as the statuses of Heinrich and Nuremberg were different even though they were
the same duke, the height of the title was not unconditionally proportional to the
prestige. Neu Van Stein was a writer after him, but his dignity was comparable to that
of Duke Heinrich. Furthermore, in terms of financial aspects and the number of
enlisted soldiers, the only family that surpasses Neubanstein is Nuremberg.

"I mean that..."

"Now, answer honestly. Does the princess believe that she can handle our Jeremy?"

"I'm a leopard. I believe I can handle it and survive."

It was a resolute yet proud voice. I must say that this is not the answer I was hoping
for.

"What I meant was that I was confident that I could hold on to that child's heart.
Princess Heinrich, I don't want any of my children to fall prey to a loveless marriage of
convenience. That's probably true of the princess's father as well."
O'Hara wanted to examine me with that searching gaze for a moment, then asked a
question in a strangely suspicious voice.

"If I can move your son's heart, then will you gladly agree to our engagement?"

"Why do you think I'm giving you vain excuses that come out of romance novels out of
personal greed? Or am I just not confident?"

"You're welcome, I don't mean it in such a disturbing way..."

"If the two of you can connect, I'll make the wedding happen right away. As you know,
the seat I'm sitting in is very tiring."

There was silence for a moment. O'Hara, who was rolling her eyes with her ears dyed
red, opened her mouth again.

"As long as your wife keeps the promise... well, what's his taste?"

"Isn't that a matter for the princess to figure out on her own?"

"But your wife is rarely close to her children. Do you have any advice for the young
daughter-in-law-to-be?"

Apparently, even the wedding was over in this lady's head. Seriously, what do I know
about Jeremy's taste in women? She arranged marriages at best in the past, but she
didn't send a single flower until she nagged at each one. She's a guy with no romance
whatsoever.

Phew, Elias is a mask because he is too developed for that, and Jeremy is a mask
because he is not interested. So, I smiled bitterly again and answered as kindly as
possible.

"My son's taste in love is beyond my control."

***
"Wait for me, beautiful ladies! This body will warm your hearts tonight!"

… … I should have gotten used to it by this point, but I can't help but let out a sigh.

I got ready relatively slowly while my second son, who had risen early and was already
dressed in a gleaming fashion, was putting on a show like that, wearing a decorative
bow over his shoulder. I'm sure I'm on my way to attend a banquet, but I don't know
why I feel like a commander going into battle. In a half-drunk, dazed mood, I put on the
fancy light pink dress I had prepared for today, and when I finished getting my hair
done, Jeremy came to pick me up.

"Mirror, mirror, who is the prettiest in the world, are you doing something like that?
Why is it taking so long?"

"Yeah, that's right. I was actually doing that."

"So what is a mirror called?"

“They say that if I want to become the most beautiful woman in the empire, I have to
get rid of my daughter.”

“Looks like Mr. Mirror is blind.”

If I did my best to look beautiful, my eldest son, who was born with a proud lineage,
was indeed unfairly more gorgeous today. It might be because of his new uniform with
gold and scarlet accents. I should pray for the new hearts of the young ladies I will
meet at today's banquet in advance. Even to the Youngsiks, who will be in danger of
being robbed of Jeongin.

"You look bad. What else are you worried about?"

"No. Just curious how Ellie got to that point."

"Never mind. I'd rather fuck that up than do some other nonsense."
… … That, that's a very poignant remark. Yes, it would be better if he only had a taste
for gaining notoriety as the best playboy in the ecliptic. Just in case... … .

"Shuri, did you not tell me anything?"

Anyway, this guy looks like he's bursting with dullness, but he subtly kills one of his
notices. I hurriedly shook my head and spoke at random.

"It's not like that. Jeremy, how are you? Do you ever meet someone else?"

At this, Jeremy stood with his arms folded and his golden hair tilted slightly, but he
immediately frowned.

"Well, I still prefer a sword to a woman. But why is that all of a sudden?"

"No, well, if you have someone in your heart, it wouldn't be bad to decide your
marriage in advance..."

"Who says what? You don't even recognize your stepchildren's wives?"

… … I didn't say anything directly, but it wouldn't mean that those words wouldn't come
out at all. Even in the past when I decided to get married, it was the yard where people
said that it was all my fault that he delayed the wedding.

“It’s not like that… but I want you to be with the person you want. There are only a few
gossip about you.”

"What if I never want to get married?"

"You're the next one."

“Give that to Elias, what.”

He utters horrific noises very casually. I'd rather give it to the twins! While I shook my
head and smiled, Jeremy also giggled, his dark green eyes mischievously twinkling.
"Shuri, don't pay attention to what others are talking about."

My hand, which had been fiddling with the emerald earrings that matched the peridot
necklace as closely as possible, suddenly stopped. That would be true, too, because
those words were what I once said to my children.

"I don't care... I'm just worried that the arrow will return to you."

"Who's shooting the arrow? Just talk."

Jeremy stepped back from the doorway and approached me. Somehow relieved by
the warmth that came from her clasped hands, I responded in a similarly playful way.

"What if I tell you?"

"The thing I'm best at, tearing off all of my legs... I can get rid of them."

"If you react like that, you'll quickly become enemies on all sides."

"Let it be. We can get rid of everything until we are the only ones left in the world. Well,
then the era of true lions will come and we will rule the world. Now, let's not bring up
the story of that bastard's marriage again. Maybe I'm cheating I think it's gone. No way,
Mother Shuri, no way."

***

Since it is a celebration of the founding of the empire, which is held every four years,
officials from each country with diplomatic ties were also attending the banquet,
leading a splendid delegation of envoys. The princes and princesses of the Teutonic
Kingdom, including Prince Ali Pasha of Safavid, were showing off their exotic
appearances and catching the eyes of the empire.
In the meantime, if there was an entity that robbed all of those gazes as soon as they
appeared, it was definitely my family. The twins in suits and dresses tailored in gold,
Elias in a new black suit with a decorative bow, and Jeremy, the messenger of
Neuwanstein, the rising sun. Keuheuk, there is nothing to be proud of.

As soon as we arrive at the entrance of the banquet hall, look at the longing and envy
of the lion cubs, men and women of all ages. Of course, everyone would be shocked if
they knew the true face behind their beautiful appearance, but what about it? Jochen,
are you watching? The children you left behind have already grown this much.

"Hwiyu, the flower field is heaven and earth."

"Little brother, please don't be vulgar."

"Oh, why? What's vulgar? Why do you always do that to me?"

… … I wouldn't want anything more if my mental age grows up a little faster. Hey, what
about that second bastard?

"Hey, you're here early, poopy?"

"You're slow. Lady Neuwanstein?"

The young wolf of Nuremberg came up to us with a glass in one hand and looked at
me as if the nails were being driven away from us while the young wolf of Nuremberg
greeted me politely.

Today, Nora was wearing a uniform with blue and black accents, and while creating a
stark contrast to her best friend, she exuded a fiercely wild beauty, which didn't seem
good to the hearts of the women gathered around her.

Did you play with each other? The more these two friendly rivals stick together side by
side, the hearts of many young ladies will tremble and burn to black. what a pleasure
to the eyes

Unlike me, who was happy again, our Elias didn't seem to be happy at all.

“Why are you always everywhere?”

"Wouldn't you appear wherever I am. Just in case, I'll tell you in advance, I'm not
interested in sodomy."

"What is this black guy talking about?! Oh, why is he hanging out with a guy like this?!"

"I don't really want to take your advice on dating matters, you stupid brother. But
where are your parents?"

"It's not like asking someone else's parents carelessly."

"Aha. Sorry."

"Oh, I hate this guy!"

"whatever."

I don't know what kind of conversation it was, but somehow, in the middle of a friendly
chatter, Princess Heinrich, who was fanning herself proudly while surrounded by a
group of young ladies, approached me with a delightful smile. Her white blond hair,
with her gorgeous loose curls, was radiant, and her flushed face looked as fresh and
fresh as a newly bloomed tulip.

"Lady Neuwanstein."

"Princess Heinrich. The dress is nice."

"Thank you. Your wife isn't forgiving..."

It was then that she, who had been speaking gracefully, began to slant to one side as
if she had been suddenly pushed. To be precise, she stumbled suddenly, as if she had
stepped on the hem of her dress, and then she fell, almost dashing right into the
center of the spot where Jeremy, Nora, and Elias were snarling amicably!

"Oh my...!"
"Kyaaaagh!"

thud!

Fluffy!

There was silence for a while. As I froze with my arms half-extended and my mouth
open, the three men, who had snapped back with some amazing wits, now blinked and
looked in my direction. At the same time, the twins who were standing side by side on
my left and right watching the scene began to burst into truly evil laughter.

"Puhahahaha!"

"Ahahaha! Oppas should have accepted it! Puhaha!"

It was only natural for giggles to start echoing here and there at the flamboyant
laughter, ignoring the consideration for the gorgeous golden floor and the young lady
who was embracing her violently. So, I looked at my former daughter-in-law who
collapsed on the floor with a look of sympathy.

Anyway, it's like unkind things. Two of them are knights and one is the world's playboy,
so why is there no consideration for this?

"Gongnyeo, are you okay? Are you not hurt?"

Fortunately, the most beautiful girl in the capital didn't appear to be seriously injured.
Instead, it was very pitiful to see her face all red and quickly getting up and
disappearing.

"Ah, that's really funny... Puck-cuckoo!"

While the twins were still holding their stomachs and giggling, I put my hand on my
waist and glared at the guys who had given me nothing but consideration. As soon as
he did, all three of them opened their eyes wide with expressions that looked
genuinely innocent. How are you?
“Where does it go if I accept it?”

"Why me? That kind of thing should be done by my older brother, who is a knight."

"What are you talking about? It's against chivalry to touch a lady's body. Isn't that
right, dear friend?"

“Cancer, a true knight must conserve his strength. It’s not just one or two of us that
have been shattered by mishandling them…”

… … Those are very logical excuses. I can't refute it.

Behind the scenes - the ending of a certain fairy tale (2)

The sky full of dark clouds seen through the window was so gloomy that it seemed to
represent the present feelings of the people gathered here. That's also true, because
the festival of the century that I've been looking forward to for months has suddenly
become the seed of an unprecedented rift.

Even the people who always made it a trivial daily pleasure to find gossip and talk
about it, couldn't even dare to talk about this matter. Probably the first in the history
of the empire. It is an unprecedented situation in which the groom chokes the bride in
the middle of a wedding ceremony that is literally overflowing with blessings. If the
duke, who was right next to the groom at the time of the incident, hadn't intervened, it
might have been recorded that two noble women of the empire died in a single day.

"...So, is marriage okay? It's really questionable how much Kyung is aware of the weight
of that claim."

The person speaking was the emperor, Maximilian von Baden Bismarck, with a stern
expression on his face. Her golden eyes, like those of a bird of prey rushing after her
prey, were blazing and staring at the blond young man with a light of pity that was
hard to describe.
A total of three people gathered in the audience room, including the emperor, his
brother-in-law, Duke Albrecht von Nuremberg, and the minor Marquis Jeremy von
Neubanstein, who was at the center of all this. No, should I say Marquis now?

"I want to check the body..."

The young man, who had been silent for about half an hour without saying a word,
finally uttered as if muttering. The duke, who had been biting the pipe with a
devastated face, shook his head and stood up to stop him.

"Sir, they say your mother was horribly murdered. It's better to keep the same way you
were when you were alive. Both to you and to the deceased."

The young man did not respond. Dark green eyes, always sparkling with mischievous
vigor and youth, had sunk into a bleak, bleak darkness. On the other hand, his hand
resting on his lap is clenched into a fist as if to crush something invisible. He squeezed
so hard that veins bulged out from the knuckles of his knuckles. Then the emperor
opened his mouth again.

“Before leaving the marquess house, Sir’s mother left the seal and inheritance
certificate for Sir. ."

"……."

"...Why do you think Sir's father left such a will? Should I go against the will of the
deceased and keep the golden lion intact? How can I see the face of my best friend in
the other world?"

"It's not that there aren't any expedients, Your Majesty."

"Shortcut? What the hell is that, dear brother-in-law?"

In response to the emperor's harsh question, the duke explained in a businesslike

voice that contrasted sharply with the sorrowful eyes.

“‘The maintenance of the former head’. At this point, the former head of the household
is not Johenus, but Shree von Neuwanstein. Before the wedding ceremony, he left
behind a seal and an inheritance for his eldest son, so it should be regarded as her
will and respect. Under Imperial Law, there is a right to respect the maintenance of the
former family head, but there is no tradition of maintaining the former family head.”
The former head of state's retention law, which had played a major role in protecting
her family's sovereignty many years ago, was now being applied to herself and passed
on to her stepson. How ironic is this?

Of course, as the duke had previously added, it was a trick belonging to a kind of
expedient. Still, it was a fairly plausible move. The way to find a way out by twisting the
laws that were entangled like a net was the behavior of the Nuremberg family, who
were good at intriguing tricks.

"Do you really think that will work?"

"There's nothing I can't do. Furthermore, I think it's too harsh to live with a woman who
contributed greatly to driving my mother to death."

"Who wants to live with them for the rest of their lives? Why not divorce them at the
right time? Anyway, everyone wants to be so inflexible..."

There was some truth in the emperor's tongue-tied words. However, at least in the
Duke's opinion, if the marriage was truly established as it was, news of the discovery of
the body of the new bride at the Marquis Neuwanstein's residence might come sooner
or later. Didn't that young knight immediately lose his temper and strangle the priest
in front of all those people?

What about the ferocious siblings lined up under him? Since the entire marquis was
gnashing their teeth, it wouldn't be strange at all if a foolish priest died.

The bride in question had fallen into the abyss enough without having to give her
such a terrible life in her in-laws. Even if this marriage doesn't work out, finding a good
marriage position in the future is forever wrong. She is a woman who, not having
gotten married, went to the point of being strangled by the man who almost became
her husband. Only a handful of people knew about the cause, including the two
people gathered here, but the more they tried to hide it, the more speculative rumors
spread with one tail after another. Moreover, the Heinrich family has only one female.
It would be a bit of a headache for a while since it became very difficult to bring in a
decent son-in-law.

The duke, who pondered on such a thought and looked at the young man again, was
stunned involuntarily the next moment. The young man who seemed to be staring at
the floor with a blank, desolate gaze was now staring intently at middle-aged people
the age of his father with an expressionless face.
The duke was seized with a feeling of being relieved for an instant at the
unfathomable violence that nestled in the dark green eyes.

"So... who exactly is behind the murder of my mother?"

The Duke took his mouth off the pipe and looked at the Emperor. As for the emperor,
he concealed the agitation he was feeling by adopting the carefree attitude of raising
his hand and tying his beard.

“As soon as it is revealed, Kyung will be the first to know. The Stryfe side is diligently
embarking on an investigation, so it won’t take long. There won’t be one or two
guessers… but until the results come out, don’t act rashly. Restrain yourself. Come to
think of it, the duke's son played a big role in this matter."

The fact that this incident, which occurred near the mountain range exiting
Wittelsbach, was the first thing that caught the eye of the Streife crew was heavenly
luck, if anything. If it had not been for that, no matter who was behind it, it would have
ended in an unfortunate accident caused by the raid of bandits as hoped.

The opponents attacked were the Marquis and the Neu Bahnstein knights who were
escorting her. Even second to the number of bandits, there were not one or two
corners that were questionable. If there really was someone behind her, how he
guessed she would pass by at that time was also part of the problem.

Despite the duke's advice that it would be better not to look, Jeremy was on his way to
Streife's office in the northern tower. His youngest brother, Leon, followed him as he
walked with a dazed expression as if possessed by something. Even though she told
me that she was going alone, it should be said that the way she inevitably followed her,
dripping from her ear, is indeed an act worthy of one bloodline.

Instead of saying something like 'Rachel and Elias, what are they doing', Jeremy silently
walked down the dark basement hallway. Soon after, the person who stood in his way
was none other than the person who personally attended the wedding and informed
them of the tragedy, as well as the man who was his lifelong nemesis.

“This is not a place for dogs or cows.”

Jeremy responded with a similarly sarcastic tone to that sarcastic remark he spewed
out even though he clearly knew who he was talking to.
"I'm only here to see my mother, not you."

"Mother?"

The man, who repeated the words of his opponent, crossed his arms and stared at
him. Deep blue eyes glowed coolly in the dark, musty air of the subterranean district.

"It's so amazing. Why can't people bother to check a corpse that's no different from a
rotting piece of meat?"

thud!

"형!"

Despite Leon's cries of lamentation, Jeremy was already pressing hard against the
wall with one hand gripping Gongja's ink. In contrast to the blazing green eyes, the
blue eyes of the man who had been grabbed by the collar were completely dry and did
not shake at all.

"Why am I wrong?"

It was a voice full of ridicule that was still bitter. And for some reason, Jeremy was
suddenly seized with the feeling that her rage would dissipate in an instant.

Ha ha, a dejected laugh leaked from his mouth.

“If you just enter the stripe, will everyone become like you?”

"Well, I don't know. What about the others."

"You... don't you think you have any respect for the deceased? You're going to talk like
that to the body of the dead?"

"You know very well that people with bad backs are just as hot as you are? That when
a person dies, all that remains is a piece of rotting meat. What's the difference if you
hug and lament a corpse that has already passed away? Pay your respects to the
corpse and weep. If you do, will the dead come back?"

It was a sharp, bone-chilling blow. Jeremy let go of his hand and took a step back. He
had never really known about his supposed rival, but at this moment he could see why
this Confucius' reputation was so horrendous and terrible.

At least the other stripe members Jeremy knew weren't so insensitive to the dead. It is
a secret police organization that strictly obeys only the orders of the emperor, but as
all of them are former knights, they have their own honor and chivalry.

However, the guy in front of me seemed to have no sense of honor or morality.

There was a moment of silence like thin ice.

The silence between the two rivals glaring at each other finally ended when the wolf
spoke.

"Because the investigation of the corpse is still in the yard. Even if you are a bereaved
family, you can't show it without haste. If I were you, instead of wasting time here like
this, I'd look at your servants first. The death of your stepmother Is there one or two
people who wished for it?"

"you……."

"Assuming, of course, that one of your guys isn't the culprit."

It was as if something frightening flashed in her blue ice-like eyes. In response, Jeremy
frowned at her with her bow instead of straight forward as usual.

"One of us...?"

“The key to a true investigation is to exclude no one from the line of the dragon. Do
you think it will be any different?

It was a truly absurd and absurd remark. At the same time, it was also a very plausible
logic. Instead of boiling my blood, it felt like it cooled down even more. Caught up in
that sensation, Jeremy now gritted his teeth with a literal expression of
disenchantment.

“It makes me wonder if your acting skills are as good as your tongue teasing. All right,
then, go ahead with your investigation, Mr. Streife. "

Despite the terrifying warning that any normal person would have already lost his leg,
only ridicule bloomed on the face of the young Confucius. Jeremy turned her around
and left this damn place, leaving that shameless face behind.

On the way home, where the person I was always waiting for was no longer there, I felt
strangely numb and even indifferent all the way.

The sound of his younger brother's voice cautiously talking to him, the rolling sound of
the wheels of the wagon, and the sound of the horses' hooves seemed far away. In the
meantime, if there was anything that felt vivid, it was the feeling of the peridot brooch
held tightly in one hand.

Whoever was behind it was absolutely certain that their stepmother had been horribly
murdered. And Jeremy wanted to dig into the background. No, I had to dig.

The first suspects that came to mind were their relatives. After that, it might be other
people related to those relatives, or people from Shuri's parents' side. He didn't even
know that the duke of Heinrich in question was also involved.

Really, who killed her?

People talked about him as a knight who could see through the essence of the world.
But now he couldn't even figure out how to start, let alone see through anything. If
there was any sensation he was feeling at this moment, it was only one thing:
emptiness.

What the Prince of Nuremberg said was right. What's the point of being drenched in
sadness in front of a corpse whose soul has already left? No matter what he said, she
couldn't hear him anymore. Any apology, any thank you, any confession would be
nothing more than a futile echo.

Even if he now kills all the humans who could be behind him, will she be able to come
back? Will she be able to come back to life even if she makes everyone who
contributed even a little to her death pay her price?
Even though he knew that he would never see him again, and that he couldn't turn
back no matter what he did, his cruel urges were constantly attacking him with his jaw
wide open.

Jeremy swallowed a sigh and raised his hands and clutched his head. Her chest
tightened as if entangled in chains, and the pain began to choke her. She had never
imagined that she would be able to leave them this way. Like a child living in a fairy-
tale world, she was caught in the false illusion that she would remain with them
forever.

Did she believe she wouldn't die? Did she believe that she would always be there, that
she would be there, that her smile, her tears, and her nagging voice would always
remain? Even at this moment, that voice is so vivid in my ears... … .

"Oh, really, how many times have I told you not to sit cross-legged anywhere?"

“Please, don’t be hasty.

Jeremy really didn't want to talk about 'what if'. No, he didn't want to even think of what
if. But she really was her. If he had visited her right away the night before her wedding,
had he tried to talk her out of it to clear up all her misunderstandings, it might not
have happened that she would have left them.

But he didn't. As always, she blew her last chance because she was shy and didn't like
herself for being so awkward, or for being like a clumsy fool in front of her.

and she left All that's left now is... … It was just a promise he made with his sister
someday. Fulfilling that promise was also delayed, but he was better off doing nothing.

A suffocating groan leaked through his jaws. It was almost moaning. A terrified little
boy trembled and cried in his watery dark green eyes. he was screaming

People say I can see through the truth. That he always knows the answer, that he is a
true lion with nothing to fear. But now I can't see anything right. I don't know what to
do.

what should i do? what can i do Shuri, where are you?

***

"You've worked hard, Gongja. If it wasn't for Sir, it would have ended like this. I'll
delegate all investigation rights to you, so please try harder."

The Emperor's melancholy voice seemed more personal than simply mourning the
death of an old friend's second wife. It was the same with the duke who smoked a pipe
with a miserable face on his face, which was hardly suitable for him.

And Nora von Nuremberg knew very well why his late mother and father reacted in
such a similar way.

"I will do my best to reveal the background. Please leave it to me."

The voice that came out in a low voice was cold and businesslike even if you heard it
with your own ears. As always lately, he didn't care if the two grown-ups with whom he
was closest were grieving or not.

"노라."

Just as he was about to leave quietly, his father suddenly stopped him. As Nora
approached the exit from the audience room, she turned him slightly and looked at
the Duke with a questioning expression.

"... Stop by my house once. Your mother worries about you a lot."

Oh, is that so? Nora looked straight into his father's face, thinking that he wished the
Emperor hadn't looked at her with that expression. Unlike the father's eyes, which were
somewhat bitter and pitiful, the eyes of the son's eyes were cold without a trace of
warmth. Even though the shape and color of the eyes were the same, they couldn't
look that different.

"The more I snoop around the house, the more worried you will become. It's enough for
me to run into my father here from time to time."
"노라……."

"I think it would be better for both of us if we just keep it like this. Then I'm done."

Whatever the Duke wanted to say next, it was blocked by the atrocities of Confucius,
who moved forward without looking back. Needless to say, the emperor began to clear
his throat awkwardly.

Meanwhile, Nora, who came out of the audience room thinking that she must have
reached that point because of her age, had to face another unexpected person the
next moment. To be precise, the thin voice of a young lady who had hurriedly
approached him stopped his steps.

"Come on, Gongja..."

This time, wanting something again, Nora immediately looked around and the person
who came into her sight was none other than Princess Heinrich, who was at the core of
this case. Whether she came to plead for something or to follow Duke Heinrich, the
princess holding him in a simple dress with a scarf wrapped around her was lingering
with her cheeks flushed.

"What is it?"

"Um... it's nothing else, I just want to thank you for saving me then. I wonder if there's a
way to repay you..."

The woman, shyly stretching her tail, rolled her purple eyes under her lowered
eyelashes and examined his expression. At this obvious action, Nora tilted his head
slightly and smiled.

“Why do you think I saved the young lady?”

"Yes? Ah, but..."

"Well, I understand. In the face of the marriage cancellation crisis, he would have been
wrong to find a marriageable wife in the future... It's not unreasonable for him to hang
around holding on to Confucius, who seems to have fallen in love with the young lady."
It seemed that he hit the right spot. The princess, who hesitated and backed away
from her, began blinking her eyes as her face turned red.

"I'm just..."

“It would be difficult for a delicate person like a princess to handle a guy like me.

The blue eyes that murmured leisurely began to slowly scan the woman from the top
of her head to her toes. Feeling goosebumps for a moment, O'Hara involuntarily took
a step back. It was unfortunate that she did not expect her opponent to radiate her
animal charm to such an extent in her intended game.

"Be careful of your behavior, Princess. Your reputation is hitting rock bottom."

At the end of the cynical sarcasm, Nora turned away from the woman who was staring
at the white, unsteady body. Anyway, I'm going to have a misunderstanding.

Certainly, it was Nora who stopped Jeremy, who suddenly went blind at the wedding
hall and began choking the bride. However, that action was never due to universal
reasons such as chivalry or honor. At that time, Nora had said this while holding the
arm of the half-breasted lion.

"You don't deserve it."

It was. I was just holding on to let you know. Whether one of her foolish princesses died
in disgrace or not was none of his business. He just wanted to make his opponent
realize that. You don't deserve to be so angry.

When Prince Nora von Nuremberg was a child, when the whole world felt like a
fairyland, her cousin visited her house and broke the pipe that was decorating the
shelf.

I couldn't remember how important it was. The only thing he remembers is the
cowardly look of his older cousin, who blamed him for playing with a wooden sword
right next to him, and the fierce look of his father, who grabbed him by the shoulder
and looked into his eyes, urging him again.

"You're not like that? There's a witness right next to you, so no? Are you saying that His
Highness the Crown Prince is lying?"

In response to the stern questions pouring in succession, he recklessly shouted “no”

and sighed. And then, for the first time in his life, he was slapped on the cheek by his
father. He might have thought he was no big deal. It was a job when I was young, so
what's the big deal?

The problem was that the manipulative work of a human who became his cousin and
the crown prince of the empire did not stop at once.

Prince Theobald had been a model of elegance and kindness since he was young.
That's what he said on the surface. For the first few times, even Nora herself wondered
seriously if I had misunderstood something.

By the time he realized that his cousin, whom he had trusted and followed since
childhood, was discreetly alienating himself and his father, the trust between them was
already shattered. And the thing his strict father couldn't stand the most was lying.
From a certain moment, Nora became a troublesome boy among her relatives who
made excuses for others whenever she opened her mouth to an irredeemable child.
He tried to clear up the misunderstanding in his own way, but once he was
stigmatized, whatever he did only made it worse. The only hope was his mother, but he
was so sickly and feeble that he couldn't help him much.

It was indeed a dark and painful childhood. In a way, it was as if the people who should
have been on his side more than anyone else in the world turned their backs on him. It
was that fact that hurt him more than his father's harsh discipline, his mother's timid
coping. The people who gave birth to him do not believe in him, but who can truly be
on his side?

So Nora hated banquets. She hated all formal events, not just banquets. I hated
directing the image of a casual family on the spot, and most of all, facing my cousin
who would show up whenever he had a chance and skillfully put him down. However,
the more openly he showed it, the more he was the only one who saw blood.

Then one day, it was a Christmas day when he was about fourteen years old. At that
time, he had been left alone at home after having been threshed the previous day for
trying to have a big fight with his father. It was a good thing since he had originally
hated banquets, but he belatedly headed to the banquet hall of the imperial palace
with childish intentions to make trouble for his father. He didn't even think about
covering up the reddish bruises that covered one of his cheeks.

After arriving, I was a little scared, so I hesitated for a while, snooping around the
entrance to the banquet hall. He had come with a boyish spirit of kindness, but when
he came, he felt regret for some reason. I was embarrassed too. So, just as I was about
to go back, I saw a woman standing alone in a secluded garden some distance from
the entrance to the banquet hall.

The woman was alone and crying for some reason. Her white snow fell on her long,
light pink hair, and although her pale cheeks turned red from the cold wind, she stood
there crying, not even cold. And since he had never seen a girl that looked like that, he
approached her involuntarily, half-soaked in her curiosity.

"Why are you crying?"

It was a strange thing. As soon as he spoke to her, the woman who had been sobbing
silently, wondering what was so sad about her, immediately stopped her tears. Then
she quickly took out her handkerchief and wiped away her tears and smiled at him.

"I'm not crying. Where are your parents?"

It was a strange way of speaking. No matter how she looked at her, she seemed to be
about that age, but in terms of how she spoke, she was the same age as his mother.
While he hesitated, the woman turned completely this way, her wet, grassy eyes wide
open.

“Oh my god… you seem hurt, are you okay?”

"You're not hurt. Why are you crying?"

At his counter-question, she hesitated for a moment, then smiled with a slightly
reddened smile.

"Just, there are times in life when you have to do things you don't want to do. That's
why. Why are you crying?"

I'm crying... … ? he wasn't crying If it was last night when he had to sit on his knees for
hours because he had been whipped so that his back was peeling, maybe not now. But
why are you talking like that?

"Because I don't cry? I don't do anything that makes me cry unnecessarily unless it's
something I'm really interested in."

In the moment of a brusque shot, a cold, soft hand touched his bruised cheek. It was a
completely unexpected action, so he involuntarily shook off the hand and took a step
back.

"What, what are you doing...?"

She was still looking at him with a smile on her face, so he tried to tell me he wasn't
really crying. But then, a doll-like blond girl who came out from the inside interrupted
their encounter with a loud voice.

"Ah, my fake mother, my eldest brother is looking for it!"

"Oops, I'm sorry."

"I'm so tired I'm going to die!"

He stared blankly at the back of the woman who quietly followed after the blonde girl
who grumbled and took the lead. It wasn't long before Nora learned why the woman
she met was called 'fake mother' and why her tone was so strange.

Temporary head of the Marquis of Neubanstein and second wife of the deceased
former Marquis. The witch of Neu-Ivanstein Castle, the iron-blooded widow, who drove
out all her children's relatives as well as brought in her lovers within a month of her
husband's death. She was indeed the owner of great nicknames.

Even so, Nora couldn't believe that the woman he had met by chance, who had left the
banquet hall and was weeping alone, was a vicious and greedy witch, as rumored to
be.

That's why she's so sad... … It looked sweet. And no young lady he had ever seen was as
pretty as her.

Perhaps she too was suffering from such a terrible misunderstanding, just as he hid
himself in the chapel alone and wept because he had nowhere to confide in, the
thought that she was like that too. Of course, it could have been simply the deceptive
guess of a boy who was fascinated by her appearance, but as she observed the way
she looked at her and the way her stepsisters treated her, that guess became more
and more certain.

Ironically, it was part of what his father said to his mother in passing.

"It's a pitiful person. That friend of Yochen did a really bad thing and left."

Oh, it was. His father had a rather soft corner when it came to the Marquis of
Neubanstein. It was the same with his late emperor. However, his aunt, Empress
Elisabeth, was exactly the opposite, and it was only later, when he accidentally saw the
portrait of the former empress hanging on the wall of the emperor's office when he
volunteered for strife at the age of eighteen, that he found out why.

Empress Ludovika, who was born in a baron family and rose to the position of
empress. The former empress, who was also the biological mother of Crown Prince
Theobald, seemed to have firmly captured the hearts of the three men who were no
different from the core pillars of the empire when they were young. The emperor, the
Duke of Nuremberg, and even the Marquis of Neuwanstein.
I wondered if it was like that. She wondered if she was like everyone else because she
looked so much like her former empress.

Nora felt sorry for her, the mistress of the marquis. Everyone who was kind to her was
just thinking of someone else through her, and so were her hostile people.

Perhaps the only ones who would look at her for who she was were her stepchildren,
and from what he could see from a distance, there was something nasty and ironic
about how they treated her. Of course, it was impossible for him to know everything
about her other people's house. Just as others do not know his family circumstances.

The first time Nora said she would volunteer for the strife, the duke was furious. of
course. It was only natural that he would oppose the only heir of Nuremberg to
volunteer for Streife, which was said to be more dangerous and harsh than any other
order of knights.

Still, Nora secretly took the test, and eventually stuck. Unlike the duke, whose blood
pressure was on the verge of exploding, the emperor enjoyed it. Perhaps he saw it as a
kind of boyish rebellion, but he was glad that his nephew, who possessed the
strongest swordsmanship skills, had joined the secret police force directly under the
emperor.

But for Nora, it wasn't just an expression of rebellion. And perhaps more than he
expected, Streife's job in charge of all sorts of sordid and clandestine affairs in the
Empire suited him well. Of all the things, the one that interested him the most was the
one related to the Neuwanstein family.

The emperor and the marquis before the death were said to have been close friends
in their youth. Was that so? Is that why the emperor gave such secret instructions to
his direct troops to protect the support of his dead close friend? It was unknown.

In any case, it was by no means intentional that Nora had come to know everything
from the past to the present dynamics of all the people related to Neuwanstein in that
way. Because it was just a job. In the process, it was a bonus to look at the woman she
briefly met in her childhood with new eyes.

As a result, it must be said that his once-convinced guesses were correct. Behind all
that she had done, there were hidden truths that would be troubling her once they
were known. For example, illegally hiring mercenaries.
A strange sense of sympathy and sympathy arose, as well as a mysterious mind. It was
a strange thing, no, a strange person. How could she do this for her stepchildren, who
were not even her real children and whose age difference was not that small?

On the other hand, a feeling of cynicism rose towards the stepsisters. If she had been
in his family, he would never have treated her that way. She wouldn't have let her be
pointed at by her.

If his father and mother had shown him half the same affection as hers, he would have
been the most filial son in the empire by now.

How pathetic and limitless it is to say things you don't know even if you have someone
right by your side who will be by your side no matter what.

***

It was fortunate that it was the right time to hunt down the Safavival spies. The fact
that the accident that occurred in the Arop Mountains, the last pipeline exiting
Wittelsbach, was discovered so quickly was possible because a small number of elite
Streife crews were hiding nearby.

A broken wagon was found under the valley where the corpses of the knights who were
proud of being lion's claws were strewn about. The inside of the carriage was empty.
After searching all over the mountain, the body of the woman finally found near the
waterfall was much more horrifying than people expected.

What the hell was the plan for doing this, the body was horribly cut into pieces. It
seemed that he was trying to hide his identity. I could barely, very barely, even find the
head.

Nora gave instructions to the crew with her usual expressionless face. As the
dismembered body was being collected into a sack, a shiny object fell onto his lap. It
was a peridot brooch the same color as the eyes she had met the other day.

Haven't you found it yet? No, no matter how you look at it, it was not the work of a
bandit. All the circumstances said so.
He put the brooch into his inside pocket and picked up the body package. All the way
back to Wittelsbach, he kept his usual cold face, holding the package tightly in his
arms.

The lions that the wolf remembered were bright and beautiful like the main characters
in fairy tales. Dazzling children who are best suited to standing in the bright sunlight.
No matter what their inner circumstances were, everyone in the capital yearned for
and envied the Neuwanstein children.

But who made it possible for them to be like that? What was certain was that she, too,
would have been just as lonely in her lifetime. Just like how she was always in pain and
loneliness even though she was sitting in a place where no one else could be envied.

Even so, Nora did not dare to compare herself with herself. He was just a lonely,
miserable, cowardly wolf that had fallen out of the pack. It was no wonder that the
lumbering lion gave him such a displeased expression.

At one time, he was envious of him. Even now, in a different sense, I envied him. As soon
as he sat down in the marquis's seat as his father's and beautiful stepmother's will, he
began to destroy collateral families as if possessed by something, and he envied his
situation. Even though the noble families of the empire were in trouble one after
another, everyone was helpless, and he envied the ability and popularity of the guy
who wielded such an overwhelming blade of revenge.

Who would have predicted it? The fact that the main characters in fairy tales who
should have resented their stepmother actually had the opposite mind. The problem
was that it was all too late. Like his relationship with his father, it was forever too late
to make it right.

Why is it that everyone is seized with remorse after losing it? It was funny that they
were now seized with anger. It was funny and envious at the same time. At least
because they were loved. There will be warm memories that can't be replaced with
anything in the world... … Unlike him.

Nora put down her dagger and began to touch her chin with one hand. As he
uncovered one clue, other clues were coming out one after another like the stems of a
well-groomed mallow crop. There were too many entangled people and entangled
forces. What he couldn't understand above all was why even the Holy See seemed to
be involved in this. Was she hated on all sides to this extent? Was she marked as a
sacrifice by many like this? If this fact is revealed, what will be the fate of the current
city?

Neubanstein's feisty lion was half mad with longing for the dead woman. If that
unhesitating blade reaches the Vatican, then civil war becomes inevitable. If you
report this to the emperor, the emperor will undoubtedly ask you to bury him. After all,
he's the emperor. Private sorrow for the dead woman would not put the empire in
jeopardy.

But instead of the emperor, what if the lion's den, which is seething with anger, is first
informed? It's a pretty good ending. Isn't it? It was a really bad situation.

Nora looked up for a moment and looked around the base of the mountain. Winter
has passed and warm spring has arrived. It was good weather to go out and
horseback riding. And it's already been four months since she died on the spot.

A quiet whisper escaped his lips. It was a murmur that was almost like a prayer.

"Forgive me, Lady Neuwanstein. Everyone you would have loved in your lifetime will be
doomed..."

It wasn't out of a desire to help stupid bastards who realized too late how blessed they
were. Staying up all night for the past few months, the investigation was not for the
sake of the lesser emissaries left behind. only… … . Because that was the only thing he
could do.

Because it was the only tribute he could give to the woman who cried alone in the
snowy garden sometime ago, to the only person who wiped his tears. Furthermore, I
was very curious about how people would react to the sight of him striking the back of
the head, who was in a position to be loyal to the imperial family more than anyone
else.

In the eyes of others, it could have been truly vicious and despicable. But that was him,
Nora von Nuremberg.

How did it come to be like this? As a child, he just wanted to be someone's knight, and
that was all he ever wanted.

And yet, at this moment, he was about to do something completely contrary to his
childhood dream. The passionate and righteous protagonist he should have become
has long since melted away in the tears of his boyhood. For him, his honor was terribly
trampled upon in his childhood, as were his affections and loyalty to his blood kin. At
that time, the boy who knelt down alone on the altar and cried was no longer here.

If the empire is sacrificed for a ritual, will the dead come back to life? Can you come
back and correct all these mistakes?
… … It was, of course, a delusional question.

The spring breeze that blew after the cold had gone was warm. Soon the cherry
blossoms would start to bloom. Feeling the warm spring sun above her head, which
did not suit her at all, Nora spurred her mounted stallion.

The winter that covered everything in white is over. Now was the time to start the
bloody wind in earnest. In the process, his life could not be guaranteed, but it didn't
matter anyway. And he, at last, shed her tears just as she had once told her.

Chapter 7 - That Summer (2)

“It is an honor to meet you, Mother of Lions.”

… … At this point, I wonder if that kind of bizarre greeting is a necessary culture for
royalty around the world.

The person who suddenly appeared in the middle of a noisy banquet hall resounding
with the merry accompaniment of the court orchestra and minstrels and greeted me
with such a nauseous greeting was none other than Prince Ali Pasha of the Safavid
country.

Like a prince of a hot island country, his deeply tanned copper face, light green hair,
and sparkling pale yellow eyes gave off a fairly exotic atmosphere. I heard that he was
just sixteen, but he looked younger than his age, probably because of his rather cute
face compared to his height.

"I am honored, my prince. This is my daughter. Rachel?"

"Hello, Prince. This is Rachel von Neuwanstein."

Rachel, who was hovering beside me, eyeing the glass I was drinking with a hawk's eye,
gracefully greeted me with one hand on the voluminous skirt. She was the perfect little
lady you could ever imagine her being at home. Watching my one and only daughter
pretend to be a lady-in-waiting is one of my small pleasures lately... … No, but wait.
"And, indeed, the beauty of the women of the empire is worthy of being bewitched by
the gods, so it is true."

Needless to say, Rachel's refreshing face also started to turn red at the tremendous
praise that the foreign prince, who was staring at Rachel with wide eyes, stuttered out
of nowhere. Aww?

"Uh, so, Les, Lady Rachel? Would you like me to have the honor of having my first
dance with you in this beautiful foreign country?"

… … Apparently, this prince is a much more innocent boy than he appears. With his
copper-colored face dyed in a color worth seeing, the form of casually tossing and
looking at him was really fresh and unmatched.

Rachel's twinkling green eyes looked at me, and I smiled and nodded. After a while, a
rare scene unfolded as my daughter-in-law and the innocent prince of a foreign
country held hands and headed to the dance floor. Aah, how fresh is this?

“Every time I see the youngest lady, I get more and more beautiful.”

"Ah, Lady Nuremberg. How are you?"

"Thanks to you. It seems that the empress is waiting for her wife..."

"……."

Anyway, that bastard empress would get sick if she didn't bother me even in a place
like this. As she moved along with the Duchess in a carefree mood, sure enough,
Elizabeth, who was sitting on the fountain on the balcony that was dazzlingly
decorated and being fanned by her ladies-in-waiting, immediately let out a mocking
laugh.

"Anyway, you're arrogant. Do you really have to call me personally to come?"

“They say the one who feels regret loses, Mama.”

“Today, too, your taste in dresses is so outlandish that it makes no sense.

"If Mama eats it first, I'll listen."

“Why do you think I would poison you?”

"Isn't that possible enough? But why are you here? There are many foreign dignitaries."

"Have you seen your wild daughter-in-law and the envoys led by the fledgling prince
who is scattering pollen? Would you stand by and watch your husband flirt with
women from other countries?"

"Oops, I'm sorry."

"Hmph. A voice that is not even in my heart."

“I am perfectly sincere.”

Heide covered her mouth with a fan and smiled slightly while Elisabeth and I had this
kind of amicable conversation and gnawed at foreign sweets. Yeah, I don't even know
how I ended up in this situation... … .

"Oh, Lady Neuwanstein. Will the great Youngshik also attend this swordsmanship
competition?"

"They're already boasting as if they've won the championship. The same goes for
Gongja, right?"

"Yes, of course..."

"It's going to be a really worthwhile show. Lions and wolves are obviously of the same
wolf blood, so I don't know why my son has no talent for that."

The son Elisabeth was referring to was Prince Letran. The second prince, unlike her
half-brother Theobald, was so sickly and nervous that she rarely showed herself in
public.
"Still, His Highness the Prince is talented in other ways..."

"Put some clumsy consolation in it, sister-in-law. If I had a child to look forward to, it
would be the crown prince's side. It's the same thing for both to fall out while swinging
the sword..."

There was a strangely bitter aura in Elisabeth's blue eyes as she clicked her tongue.
And I decided to quit after imagining the two princes fighting with swords and falling
clumsily. Well, since they are the descendants of the imperial family, who have the King
of Heaven as their symbol, they probably don't need swordsmanship or anything like
that.

“Anyway, tell Confucius to visit the imperial palace more often.

At this blow, the sickly Duchess flinched as if she had been stabbed by something,
then let out a deep sigh.

"As Mama knows..."

“I know the fact that the arrogant nephew is anxious every time he sees the crown
prince. It seemed like it. Did your wife tell you to only ostracize the crown prince?"

"You got it right. If you're the heir to the Empire, you should also know the taste of
solitude."

"Hmph, that's a very plausible logic."

After chatting like that for a while, I stepped back to check on what my lion cubs were
doing. I didn't mean to be blatant, but I still can't help it. They must be so
troublesome... … big.

By the looks of it, Rachel seemed to get along pretty well with Prince Ali Pasha. Maybe
it's just my misunderstanding that the prince seems to have fallen in love with my
daughter-in-law at first sight?

Speaking of Leon, he was in the middle of a heated conversation with young children
of his age with a very academic look on his face, and Elias, as always these days, was
in the midst of young girls and was having a good time.
Whoa, that burn. Yes, I would rather have no wish if I just stopped doing that. That is, if
you don't turn a blind eye to other nonsense. Could it be that our Elias is really... … .

"Have you heard the legend of the Swan Hall?"

“……Yeha?”

It's a surprise. The person who stood by my side and suddenly asked me a question
that caught the cloud was someone I hadn't expected at all. That's because he's the
one I've had conversations with that I could barely count on my fingers all my life.

Unlike me who was surprised, the silent servant wanted to stare at my face with his
characteristic dark gaze, but then continued.

"This banquet hall was called the Swan Hall until 300 years ago. Originally, it was used
as the personal space of the empress."

I was aware of that fact as well. However, it was the first time that there was a legend
related to this place. No, by the way, why is this person talking to me for so long? Will
the question of the mysterious gaze of the past finally be solved?

"That's an interesting story. But what if it's a legend...?"

"It's about a woman who came in as empress before the swan hall was closed."

His voice sounded shrill and yet as if he was reciting a prayer, befitting a promising
priest who had already heard the voice of the next pope at a young age. I was just
listening. That was until the erratic Silent Servant looked me in the eye and said:

“Have you heard of the legend about a young empress who was found out by the
emperor and killed on the spot while having a crush on her stepson, the prince?”

I must say that I literally felt my blood run cold in that moment. It feels too malicious to
dismiss it as purely telling old stories.
Unbeknownst to me, my eyes narrowed.

"I thought it was nonsense made up by people who only had such and such thoughts
in their heads. It seems that Yeha is surprisingly interested in rumors."

“If you are a true servant of God, you know better than anyone about the world…”

Whatever the next thing Cardinal Richelieu was about to say in a perfectly reverent
tone was interrupted by an extremely rogue and carefree voice that came from
nowhere.

"Ah, it's a surprise. Why do you guys have to cover everything in black even in a place
like this? Didn't you almost throw it away thinking you were an assassin?"

Nora, who had come this way, talking about assassins over her holy robes, looked so
imposing that she could easily throw down three or four cardinals if she wanted to.
Talking about it with such a distracted person makes even a joke sound like a serious
one. Perhaps that's why Cardinal Richelieu frowned slightly, then left the place waving
the hem of his black robe. Nora, who had been silently watching her vague back,
looked at me, scratching her head with one of her hands.

"I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

"...no, good job."

"It's fortunate. Sister's expression didn't look good."

When the two of them were alone, it was still the same as calling her noona. Wouldn't it
be funny if I felt like I'm glad I'm still the same? I looked up into his twinkling blue eyes
and smiled.

"You don't seem to have much fun in a place like this."

"Well, my sister looks similar. I think a roadside festival suits my personality better than
this boring banquet."

“A street festival?”
"It's about running around the festival streets. Tomorrow will be the peak, so why don't
you go out? That lesser lion cub seems to have a similar plan."

Jeremy, the lesser lion, was standing with a serious expression on a seat near the
stage where dancers from the country of Safavid were performing exotic dances,
talking with the head of the Imperial Guard. Is he still considering a career in the
Imperial Guard? However, I don't think it will become the crown prince's sword this
time... … .

Perhaps feeling our gaze, Jeremy turned his head abruptly, grinning and waving
cheerfully. oops, yes our beautiful eldest son.

"I don't think it's bad... but wouldn't it be dangerous?"

"If you go with the two of us, there won't be any danger."

That was right. I giggled for a moment, then cautiously questioned a thought that
flashed through my mind.

"Hey, Nora. Just in case, I'm asking you, but you're popular among youngsters these
days... you know that?"

"네."

"...so what am I going to say?"

"Yeah, I know what it is. But why? I don't think that sloth kitty had a taste for that
hobby."

Standing with her arms crossed, Nora looked at me with her blue eyes carefully
lowered. I hesitated for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Well, I'm not sure yet... It seems like our Elias has fallen for that. Every evening, he
disappears somewhere, but it doesn't seem like he's going on a date."

"……."
"Great, of course I may be too fussy for you to see..."

"Have you been tailed?"

"I tried attaching it, but I don't know how I noticed it. Every time I shun it and
disappear. If I try to push myself, they just say no..."

I said it lightly, but in fact, it was the problem that was my biggest concern these days.
Gambling is a light entertainment that can pass as a temporary hobby? Why does
Elias keep doing things he didn't do in the past? If he's really into that kind of hobby,
that's a big deal... … .

Nora put her hand on my chin for a moment, studied my expression in silence, then
nodded her head as if she knew.

"I don't think that slowboy knows."

"Yeah. First of all, please don't tell me either."

"Okay. Shall I investigate that red colt?"

It was a proposal like sweet rain in a very dry drought. Of course, that doesn't mean
they're willing to accept it.

"No, that's too..."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. From my point of view, my sister's family knights are a
bit clumsy. If you want, I'll personally find out what kind of tryst that cheeky guy is
going to enjoy every night."

It was a statement that our loyal knights would have immediately rushed at with foam
on their heads if they had heard it. At the same time, it was also a statement that he
was able to make because he was this guy. Ah, who dares to look down on
Neuwanstein's claws but this guy, Jeremy's only real rival?
"I'd really appreciate it if you did, but it's just too much of a nuisance..."

"It's a nuisance, I've already done enough on my side. Anyway, if it really fell that way,
shouldn't I catch it as soon as possible? Personally, I want to see him get beaten up."

He responded cheerfully and gave a sly smile. If I really did, I wouldn't hesitate.

"Are you going out with us tomorrow instead?"

"Okay, then. Thank you very much in many ways."

Heuk, I guess meeting Nora was one of the good fortunes of my second life. Cancer, no
way. Wasn't he an apostle of justice from the first time we met? Who would have known
that the boy who hid himself in the chapel and cried sadly would grow up to be such a
dependable young man?

"Lady Neubanstein. Jongje."

Indeed, the one who interrupted the two of us exchanging hearty smiles was none
other than the elegant crown prince in a sky blue robe. While I was quickly polite, Nora
greeted me with a cool face whose smile vanished literally in an instant.

“What is it, that unheard-of title?”

“Then, Jongjenim is called Jongjenim, what do you say?”

In contrast to Theobald, who smiled kindly, Nora maintained a cold expression that
made the other person feel ashamed. When you see it like this, it's like a different
person.

"Are you here to use your new title?"

“I just wanted to say hello. Anyway, the tick-tack is still the same.”

"Your Highness is still pretending to be an adult who doesn't become anything."

"Well, if you put it that way, I'm an adult, right? I'm more of an adult than you."

“Because they are adults, these days, poop sacks are piled up this high.”

… … Certainly, Nora was taller than Theobald in terms of height.

Theobald, who dropped his chin halfway for an instant, blinked awkwardly at me. Then
he smiled as if he was more embarrassed.

"This is so..."

"Madame Neubanstein is not your highness's maid of honor. Why do you smile at a
stern person like that?"

Chi, bedroom maid. That's something I never thought of. No, more than that, an
accident will happen if we continue like this.

"Nora, Nora?"

I don't know why exactly, but when I carefully hold the wolf guy's arm, which is so sharp
when near Theobald Bay, his blue eyes blink and stare at me.

"Why don't you stop and dance? Even if I look like this, I made a name for myself when I
was younger."

… … I never thought the day would come when I asked Nora to dance like this. Life is
truly unpredictable. Chimi swallowed the tears of grief and tried to smile. What was
Nora thinking? Ouch, be nice... … !

It was then that Theobald, who had been staring at the two of us with his brow slightly
furrowed, opened his mouth again.

"Nora, I've been wondering, why do you hate me so much?"

It was an unusually sincere and sharp voice. While I froze with my mouth open, Nora
took my hand and looked back at Theobald, looking at me like a fiend.

"You call that a question, now?"

"No, I really don't know. If you explain the reason, can't I try to fix something myself?"

It was only natural for the surroundings to become stern, as if they had been doused
with cold water. Now I have to say that I have gone beyond what I can do. Jeremy, who
had been tilting her head in the distance while I was perplexed, strode toward us.

"Shuri, what's wrong?"

"No, that's..."

"Hey, what happened all of a sudden? Why are you straining your eyes so much?"

At the question of her close rival, Nora stared at Theobald silently with cold, frozen
eyes before finally opening her mouth. He grinned at Theobald to be exact.

"You're amazingly consistent."

"So what on earth? What's so disgusting about me? Is it because of work when I was
young?"

What did you do when you were young? Are you talking about what I said then... … ?

Glancing at Nora, Nora had a terrifying look in her eyes as she insisted that if it wasn't
for the crown prince, she would have been able to cut it in half a long time ago. Then,
a creepy growl came up through the neck.

"It's surprising that you bring that up with your own mouth."

"Don't be sarcastic, tell me honestly. If it's really because of that, you can talk about it
now and solve it."
“……Do you want to go out one more time?”

"뭐?"

“I asked if you would like another molar to come out.”

Nora's voice was calm, but the air around her suddenly turned bloody as it contained
a chill dripping with murder. Jeremy, who had touched the crown prince's molars a few
years ago, let out a coughing sound, and at the same time, I felt Nora's arm resting on
my hand and her strength tightening. Her stiff arm muscles began to twitch slightly.

Theobald seemed to flinch for a moment, then he let out a haha and laughed.

“If that makes you feel better, I might give you a few hits.”

… … It's increasingly taesan. Why am I feeling so stuffy in the face of a response that
could be described as being generous? Theobald didn't seem to be aware of the fact
that the more he came out like that, the more he irritated his opponent. It's the
remnants of my childhood, and I don't know why I'm holding on to it here. Why not have
that conversation in a more personal setting!

"What the hell is this?"

We all turned our gaze to the sudden voice. In the middle of a small commotion
around me, at some point, the Duke of Steel approached me with a frown on his eyes.

"Your Highness? Nora, what kind of commotion is this?"

Nora didn't answer. He didn't even look at my father, let alone answer.

In the dark blue eyes staring at the prince, the twisted light of murder was flickering
violently. Eyes that looked like the eyes of a hurricane, something in those tortured
blue eyes made my mouth dry.

Instead of the silent Confucius, it was the crown prince who answered. Theobald
sighed briefly, then shook his head with a smile on his face as if it was nothing.
“It’s nothing, uncle.

"What the hell happened... Nora, what disrespect did you commit again?!"

"……."

"노라!"

It seemed like I wasn't the only one feeling that something was going wrong. Otherwise,
Jeremy, who had been watching the scene blindly, would not look at me and engage in
a meaningful exchange of glances. So I opened my mouth with a mixed feeling of
frustration and urge for no way to know the reason.

"It's no big deal, Duke. Your Highness wanted to dance with Confucius, but I
interrupted without even understanding the atmosphere. I guess that's why there's a
saying that you have to die when you're old."

“……Puh ha ha ha!”

Needless to say, as Jeremy grabbed the boat and burst into laughter, Nora and
Theobald's bewildered, bewildered gazes were all fixed on me.

Yep, who said growling like children at a banquet with foreign dignitaries? Where did
you sell the construction division?

The Duke of Nuremberg looked at us alternately with eyes that were difficult to
describe for a moment, then cleared his throat in a strangely awkward way.

"wife……?"

"In that sense, I think the duke should spare me my embarrassment. A son's fan is also
a father's fan. Now, would you like to dance a song with me?"

"That's right... It's an honor beyond measure."

The duke, who responded flexibly, took my hand with a relaxed expression. It was
fortunate.

I glanced back as we headed to the dance floor, and the young wolf and eagle were
now looking at us with very speculative faces. Tsk, I didn't know that the day would
come when even that polite prince felt like an immature child.

Jeremy, who was still giggling on his stomach, put one arm around Nora's shoulder
and muttered something, and Nora's fist hit Jeremy weakly in the stomach. Meanwhile,
Theobald turned and left. It was a very suggestive landscape.

As Empress Elisabeth had expressed her concerns earlier, Nora was the closest
servant brother to the princes and at the same time the next head of the Nuremberg
dukedom. If the relationship between Nora and the crown prince was cold and hostile,
there would be nothing good for the imperial family in the long run.

Even so, the position of the imperial authority was greatly weakened. Even if the Duke
acts as a windbreak for now, who will do it later? Jeremy, a minor marquis, was not as
close to Theobald as before. The current Jeremy was cold towards Theobald, so it was
clear that he was reluctant.

The most ideal picture for the imperial family was to place Nuremberg and
Neubanstein on the left and right of the crown prince. Because there are no claws as
strong as wolves and lions in dealing with religious authority and maternal relatives.

However, the lion side, which is one of the essential requirements for cultivating such
an ideal future, was blown up based on three years ago, and the wolf side was blown
up in real time.

I couldn't possibly know everything about Nora and Theobald, but from what I've seen
so far, it seems that Theobald played a big part in Nora's complicated family life.
Should I say that I have a bad feeling about the pipe I was talking about back then?

***

A beautiful woman with bright blonde hair and purple eyes was talking. She supported
the teacup with one hand, stared at me with cold eyes, and spoke in an unbiased tone.
"I told you not to come to the wedding. He is."

I wanted to feel my heart tighten, but then the image of the princess was erased as my
eyes were dyed black. Then the scenery changed. The painful sensation of being hit
and bumping in the carriage as it rolled down with the doors smashed was vivid. The
smell of the blood of the knights scattered outside stung my nose.

Then, with a thump, I thought the door would be completely smashed, and then a
bandit's fishy smile attacked me with a bloody sword.

"Don't blame us too much. Your arms are twisted wrong."

“……Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

I jumped up in surprise at my screams again. A cold sweat drenched the nape of his
neck. He gasped for breath and turned his head. The bright morning sun was seeping
through the thick curtains.

Haha, these days, it seems like I have more dreams from the past. About the things
before I went back in time like this. In addition, it must have ended right before I died.
I'm trying not to think about those things as much as possible, but why do these
dreams keep coming?

I've never thought about it properly for the past three years, no, I didn't want to think
about it, but these days, when I dream about the past every day, there were times
when I had no choice but to dwell on the moment of my death. For example, when I just
woke up from a dream and it's like now.

And every time I think of that time, a question that has risen faintly has wriggled in my
heart.

… … How did the bandits subdue our family knights so easily?

Of course, at the time, the superiority and inferiority of numbers were certain. There
were a total of three knights escorting the wagon I rode in, and the number of bandits
was estimated to be 15 or so. But even so... … .

"mom mom!"

As soon as I heard my daughter's cheerful voice, I got out of my mind.

After a while, Rachel ran into my room with her face flushed red from the morning and
shouted with her emerald eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Mom, I was invited by Prince Ali today. Can I go out to play? He said I can ride the
elephant I brought from Safavid."

Aha, are you saying that? Yesterday at the banquet, the two of them stuck together
like that, and it seems that they have become very close.

"Huh? Mom, I'm confident I won't make a mistake. I'll never do anything against the
rules."

It was the look of a smile. Of course, I knew that Rachel could look like an elegant,
flawless yozo lady if she put her mind to it. But!

"Okay, Rachel. You may come, provided the quadruplets go with you."

Rachel, who was on the verge of jumping up, hesitated and blinked. And then, didn't
she immediately distort her expression as if she had chewed on something?

"With Leon? That's a bit..."

"Why? You guys have been very close since childhood."

“But that was when I was young, and I can only talk about boring things I read in books
every day when I wake up!
"It's impossible to go with Leon."

I smiled and spoke firmly, and Rachel grumbled for a moment, then nodded
obediently, came to me, put her arms around my neck, and kissed me on the cheek.

"Okay. But what should I wear? Wouldn't it be nice to wear the same thing I wore
yesterday?"

"How about that new green dress? It will go well with the color of your eyes."

“Do you really think that will be okay?”

Ah, it's fresh, it's fresh.

It was a moment when I watched Rachel's back as she rushed to her dorm with
excitement and smiled happily again. Out of nowhere, a roar that made me fear that
the entire mansion was collapsing, caused me to almost fall to the floor while trying to
get out of bed.

"Why are you at my house aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!"

… … Well, it seems that our second son's Cheolcheon enemy has come. No, but why is
that guy always doing bad things to customers? Anyway, just try to figure out what's
going on at night. If it's a real gamble, you're dead!

"Ah, why does that black guy come and go in and out of my house like his own house?!
He must have stole my books! Hyung, he's a thief!"

"You could call that a book too. That's cool."

"Ah, I hate that guy! Give me the stuff you stole, you perverted thief!"

"Wouldn't that be what the author who ordered it himself would say when he didn't
even have blood on his head?"

"What is this black wolf cub?! Who is ... ahhhh! Why are you only hitting me?"
"What the heck? Is that something to say to the mother who raised us?"

"I don't mean that... Ah! Ah!"

… … If our mansion had a quiet morning even for just one day, then it would truly be a
national emergency.

***

The weather on the second day of the National Foundation Day was dazzlingly sunny.
At this point today, when the entire ecliptic seemed to be dyed in a festive mood, our
family's schedules were divided as if they had been put together. The twins went to
visit the prince of a foreign country, and Elias proudly went out on a date with the
young ladies he met at the banquet yesterday.

And thanks to my casual consent yesterday, I went out to look around the festival
streets for the first time in my life. With Jeremy and Nora. For me to go on an outing
side by side with my close rivals, it's something I'll live to see for a long time.

"I just want to dress plainly, so plainly!"

If I had chosen the most plain brown satin dress, Jeremy, who insisted that it would not
be nice to dress well, was dressed in a rather simple hunting suit. It was the same with
Nora, but no one could hide the fact that she was an aristocrat. In addition, since they
were wearing the fancy swords that I gave to each of them as a gift three years ago,
they looked just like children of aristocrats who came out to see the festival streets.

"Is it really okay if I don't take the knights?"

"We're knights, what are you worried about? Wow, my heart was hurt."

“Are we so untrustworthy?”
"It's not like that... so what's the plan?"

"Ah, that's right. What's the plan, friend?"

"Why are you asking me that? You should know."

"Hey, if you're here to take your friend's mother for an outing, based on common sense,
wouldn't it be prudent to come up with a plan?"

"What are you talking about? Where are we?"

"Ah... that's right. None."

I was wrong for asking. There's no way the word plan exists in these guys' dictionaries.

In any case, going out alone with the three of us without any attendants felt awkward.
It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that it's an unfamiliar feeling. It's really my first time
going out like this.

After riding in a carriage and finally arriving at the middle of the Imperial Road, I
thought, Oh, indeed, a festival is a festival. On the left and right sides of the road,
which was lined with rags so that carriages could not pass, there were stalls selling
simple snacks and markets selling everything.

Furthermore, countless people dressed up and walking around, clowns and minstrels
performing in the middle of the street, and various theatrical groups were indeed
lively and noisy, a scene worthy of a real festival.

“How is it, did you have a good time coming?”

Jeremy's dark green eyes were literally twinkling as he looked back at me and spit out
triumphantly. Somehow, she seemed more excited than usual. Nora seemed oddly
excited as well, but for reasons other than purely outings.

Anyway, it certainly makes me feel safer with these two than with the other acolytes.
For some reason, it feels like nothing will happen even if a group of bandits appears.
More than that, I'm very worried about the eyes of the women who are already pouring
down on these two handsome guys.

"It sounds like fun... but I'm worried that you guys will be a little bored if you go out with
me."

"You look like a real old man when you say that. You're nineteen now."

At those words that Nora spat out with a strange smile on her lips, I widened my eyes
for an instant, and Jeremy narrowed them. In the midst of a moment of devastated
silence, Jeremy glared at her best rival with eyes that seemed to devour her, and then
said that she was at best.

"What are you? Why do you talk about your older sister to someone else's mother?"

To this sharp and bleak question, Nora replied boldly and well, not showing any signs
of trying to make up for the momentary blunder she had made.

"You bastard call me by your mother's name, don't you?"

"No, what I do is different from what you do!"

"What's different? Then, should I call someone older than my sister as aunt?"

"No, since you say you're my sister, I don't think I should call you that either!"

“Then you call it that too.”

"What kind of comedy is that when your mother becomes your sister?!"

"Guys, so are we going or not?"

I swallowed a sigh and tossed it, and both of them, who were performing a roaring skit
in the middle of the boulevard, stopped talking and looked at me at the same time.
"Okay, then let's go take over this place."

"Let's go."

The two guys, who spat out at the same time, reached out their hands to me side by
side. Are these guys doing this on purpose?

With two clumsy hands of similar size in my face, I now find myself in a new dilemma.
Whose hand should I hold?

I quietly moved my legs and took a few steps forward. Then he turned around and
clasped the giant hands of the two guys, who had become awkwardly outstretched
arms in the air, and smiled.

"Now, do you want to hold hands so that we don't lose each other?"

“……Aww!”

While the two guys let out a truly grotesque scream and vigorously shook each other's
hands as if they had touched something they couldn't bear to touch, I took the lead in
my rifle and moved on.

… … Caught up quickly, of course.

"Where is the mother who entrusts her one and only beautiful eldest son to an
outsider! I'm hurt!"

"Does it make sense to hold her mother's hand and follow her around at that age?!
Noona, just throw a guy like that under the bridge and go. You have to raise your
children to be strong."

"Shuri, hold my hand. What if I lose it?"

"I'm putting on a show on the theme of Guilchi. Noona, just hold my hand. It's
dangerous if you lose it..."
"You're not losing me, I'm losing you."

When I made a nonchalant remark, both of them wanted to exchange glances for a
moment, then nodded their heads obediently as if they understood. she said then

"Okay, then I'm scared, so can I hold your hand?"

“Then, since you are our guardian, so can I.”

… … Kids these days have no idea what they eat and how they get so good. Eventually,
unintentionally, I found myself buried in the crowds on the festival street, with my
hands caught in the hands of two large wards. How come the picture is a bit like that.

What seemed like an odd combination seemed to be the same in the eyes of others.
Everyone, regardless of gender or age, didn't know how to take their eyes off us, so it
was embarrassing. The women in particular were looking at the two men standing to
my left and right with expressions that seemed to take their breath away. Big, little
proud.

"Oh, I only ate a little lunch, so I'm starving to death."

Certainly we all ate a smaller lunch than usual. And Jeremy and Nora were always
hungry.

Grilled skewers and other snacks sold at street vendors looked quite appetizing.
However, the spirit's hygiene did not look good, and the two did not seem to have any
hesitation, unlike children of great aristocrats.

"Aww, what kind of meat is this and it's so tough? Your teeth will fall out."

"E-Thu, what is this? What's so empty?"

… … Of course, it's a different dimension to not having any hesitation and whether it
really suits your taste. While Jeremy competed against a chewy skewer that was unlike
her appearance, Nora took a big bite of her fish-stuffed pie of unknown origin, then
spat it out. Tsk tsk, I wonder if you are doing well. The food sold in a place like the Sea
Bay, which pays tribute to its adventurous spirit, can't possibly suit your picky palates.
Even so, the market said it was a side dish. After a rather large number of failures, they
started wandering around looking for foods that somehow fit their tastes and biting
them one by one. Jeremy was still wrestling with a bunch of her grilled skewers (he's
the one who's getting the hang of it in the weird part), and Nora managed to hold a
basket of fresh apples and devour one in almost two mouthfuls. It's so strange that
he's talking well at the same time.

"What is that? Why are chickens fighting? Wow, it has claws."

"It's fighting fighting, you ignorant lynx. It's supposed to be something like fighting
dogs."

"Aha, I have money to spend on things like that, and surprisingly everyone seems to be
doing well."

"It doesn't matter what your status or wealth is when you fall into gambling."

Nora clicked her tongue in response and suddenly glanced sideways at me with a
meaningful look. And I, too, returned a meaningful look. Well, anyway, that guy, Elias,
doesn't change the way he rots in the past or now... … .

"Go and see the new works of emerging artist Cranach! There's a terrifyingly beautiful
lady! Great to hang in the drawing room! Go and see the new works that transcend the
times!"

Is the terrifyingly beautiful Ladyra an exaggeration reserved for artists? Anyway, I felt
very sorry for the efforts of the painting street vendor who solicited us by waving his
arm very passionately, so I stopped for a moment to look around. Needless to say,
Jeremy started to grumble.

"Exactly what Rachel would like."

"Why don't you emulate a little of your sister's artistic talent?"

"Why me? I'm a knight, I don't know how to look at anything like a painting, and I don't
care."
"Isn't your friend a knight too? Nora, I think you said that you used to be interested in
drawing."

Unsurprisingly, Nora was looking around the stalls with a pretty serious expression,
unlike Jeremy, who didn't pay attention to the countless landscape canvases and only
touched the statues for no reason. It was a somewhat sad expression.

"That's true... I'm talking about when I was very young. I haven't given up on it for a
while now. As I said, I realized the reality that art is an explosion."

"Speaking of an explosion...?"

"The elders in my family hate it so much. We burned them all."

Nora responded softly, then looked away from the painting and turned away bored.
But why do I feel bad?

"It's a waste. I wanted to see it, but you drew it."

“I wasn’t particularly gifted.”

"Talent isn't essential for a hobby. I'm not very talented at embroidery either."

Nora looked at the floor for a moment without speaking, but then, as if thinking
something, she touched her mouth with her hand and smiled.

"At that time, I barely got a croquis book... but I'll show you if you promise not to laugh
at me."

"Don't laugh. Never. When have I ever laughed at you?"

dory dory. The way he shakes his head quickly is strangely cute even though it doesn't
match his size.

Just as I was about to open my mouth again, Jeremy, who was stirring around the
narrow stall, suddenly shouted,
"Wow, is this a nude statue? Shuri, look at this! Marble looks as stylish as I do! This is
true art, no, it's a scam?!"

"……."

In the square across from the painting stall, the clown show was in full swing. Jeremy,
who was leading the way, rubbing her back from being slapped by me, stopped her
abruptly and widened her eyes.

"What? Shuri, there's something that looks like you."

"What do you mean?"

"No, he really looks like you. Look."

I followed the tip of Jeremy's finger, pointing triumphantly, and turned my gaze, and
there was a pink fox doll with horns that looked just like me, protruding from the table
where the puppet show was being held. If only the color is pink, it's all me!

“Where did you find that to look like me?!”

"It's really the same. Hey, isn't it... What, where did this guy go again? Did he go to the
bathroom? Anyway, otherwise."

It was the moment I was contemplating whether to give Jeremy another slap on the
back as he was giggling. A single sentence shouted by the puppeteer, who skillfully
handled the dolls in front of the huddled children, made us all stop.

"Oh, poor and beautiful mother of lions, where did you come from? Daughter of
heaven or daughter of earth, if I could capture your heart, I could forsake my throne."

A white eagle doll was held in the other hand of the puppeteer, who was reciting lines
with cheerful melodies. Involuntarily, I held Jeremy's wrist tightly and stared blankly at
the puppet theater. The fox doll that was hanging around opposite the eagle doll
suddenly seemed to disappear below, and then a bright yellow lion doll popped out.
"A father's legacy is passed on to his son, and no one can take her away from me.
Come on, young chick! I'll chew everything up and eat you!"

A lion roared ferociously across the stage and attacked the eagle fiercely. As soon as
the eagle, flapping its wings, had disappeared, other small beasts of prey appeared
and pounced on the lion, and a black crow descended on it and sang a song.

"It's judgment, you sinners! The gods are angry! If you want to be saved, burn that
witch alive...
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaann~"

The puppeteer's crow's ridiculous scream made the children burst into laughter. While
the lion puppet struggled against other beasts, the wolf puppet popped out and bit
the crow's wing and swallowed it in one bite. The wolf puppet swallowed the eagle
puppet and the rest of the puppets, then attacked the lion one last time.

It was a very meaningful show in many ways. To see such an outrageous puppet show
being performed in the middle of a plaza where even nobles like us roam, I must say
that the puppeteer is also very extraordinary. Besides, a fox, in a den without lions, a
fox reigns supreme. What does this mean?

In any case, I couldn't enjoy the show until the end because Jeremy, who had been
silently watching the play as if frozen on the spot, suddenly started growling
ferociously.

"What kind of crazy..."

"Be patient, be patient! It's just a puppet show."

"Just a doll? That bastard has us now...!"

I had to hold on to Jeremy's arm with all my might, as he approached me with the
momentum to blow off the puppeteer's head on the spot. No, where the hell did Nora
go at this point?! No, should I say it's a mess because he doesn't exist?

"Please! It's just clowns putting on a show. It's going to take a day or two for those
people to play with the nobility and the imperial family like that? It's only funnier if you
react to them one by one!"
"Don't take it lightly! My bastard is just..."

"Your mother told you not to do it, you fool. Do you want to be the unfilial son of the
world?"

That wasn't what I said. of course. It was the sound Nora, who had disappeared
somewhere throughout the puppet show, came over and held her close friend by the
shoulder. At this, Jeremy thought for a moment to gawk at her best rival with those
terrifyingly burning dark-green eyes, before finally growling:

"Is that so...?"

"어."

"But where did you guys go?"

In response to Jeremy's rather dumb question, who lost his anger in an instant, as if he
had never done that before, Nora blinked a few times, then scratched her head with
one hand and looked in my direction awkwardly.

"To buy a birthday present."

"Isn't it my birthday?"

"Not you, but an idiot! My older sister's birthday present, I couldn't give it to you then."

What's up and what's up? I looked away in a distraught mood, and the next moment I
literally froze.

So… … The brooch, sitting in a really dainty position on Nora's rugged palm, was an
extremely familiar item to me. What Jeremy had bought me at this point in the past
was that peridot brooch!

Even the decorations in the shape of black butterfly wings wrapped around sparkling
grass-colored jewels were perfectly the same. I have to say it was a huge coincidence
that gave me goosebumps. I don't know how to describe the feeling I'm feeling right
now. Nora bringing back the same thing Jeremy bought for her in her previous life... … .
A mixture of joy and irony mixed in my head.

While I was lost for a moment, Jeremy reacted as usual. In other words, it was bugged.

"You son of a bitch! Why are you flattering someone else's mother?!"

"What are you saying, you rabid kitty. I also found out where your gift is!"

"Why are you bringing that up now?!"

"Didn't you start first!"

… … Well, it seems that some sort of deal has been going on between the two that I
don't know about. It seems that the necklace did not bloom in the field. So I tried to
look at the two with admirable eyes, but decided to just quit. It's because I couldn't
draw a picture because I was smiling heartily at the two gigantic beasts roaring and
strangling each other in the middle of the plaza.

"Big, anyway, I thought it would go well with the necklace given to me by my older sister
and her younger son."

"Ha! Does that compare to this? Shuri, the present I gave you is much better, right?"

To be honest, I have to say that I can't compare either one. Cancer, no way. Because
that necklace and this brooch mean a lot to me in different ways.

"Really... Thank you. I'll wear it carefully."

When the brooch was handed to her with a barely-there smile, Nora scratched her
head again, a bit embarrassed, then smiled broadly. It is so bright and pure that it
seems like childhood overlaps in an instant. And Jeremy, of course, grumbled.

"This is cheating! It's not like a knight!"

"If you're so unfair, you go and buy something too!"

"I've already used up my chance for a birthday present?! You lowly bastard!"

It was only natural that a considerable number of people's eyes would turn to us at the
spectacle of two fine-looking men shouting loudly in the middle of the plaza. So I had
to suffer from the urge to pretend to be a stranger with the guys, to the shame of the
emotion I had just a little while ago.

It was midsummer, so even though it was late in the afternoon, it was still bright
everywhere. We stopped at one of the clean and nice-looking restaurants, took out
our food, and took a seat under the cool shade of a tree on a hill overlooking the
festival street. There was sunny green all around, and cicadas chirped in the poplar
trees overhead.

"It's a swordsmanship competition in five days."

It was Jeremy muttering as he sprawled out on the grass. She did the opposite, but
Nora, who was leaning against a tree, nodded her head and hit her back.

“The day you will finally kneel.”

"You're funny, you must be kneeling down on me."

"Don't fall off in the middle."

“You guys will be waiting for you in the finals.”

It was just a conversation that made me laugh because I knew it would be a draw
anyway.

I said calmly as I opened the basket and peeled off the paper wrapping the meat-
stuffed bread.

"Whichever side wins, the mere fact that you all made it to the finals is meaningful."
"Oh, of course our benevolent Mother Shuri. But I will definitely give you a
championship trophy."

"That's a very enviable rant. Who would I like to dedicate the championship trophy to?"

“Of course, why don’t you give it to your parents?”

"Well, I don't really want to."

There was a moment of silence at the words Nora spoke in a calm tone. While I paused
my hand in her basket, Jeremy snuggled her upper body up and sat down. She then
jerked her body around to face her friend, but she made a completely unexpected
noise.

"Hey, but what the hell was Theo talking about yesterday? What were you doing when
you were little?"

"Well, there are so many, I don't know what you mean."

"Isn't there something that you can figure out?"

“You know what to do.”

"It's not something I'm trying to do. I'm just curious. Originally, the two of us should be
closest..."

"The same goes for you guys."

“See how he secretly passed it on to me?

At this rate, it was obvious that in the end it would lead to another banquet of
nonsense. So I cleared my throat a bit and cautiously intervened.

"Hey, I'm curious too."

While Jeremy, who had unexpectedly received reinforcements (?), crossed his arms
with a triumphant face, Nora silently stared at the distant mountains, biting a willow
leaf on the tip of her lips.

How much more meaningful and tense silence must have passed until finally Jeremy,
who had run out of patience, grabbed his friend by the collar and jumped up with a
shaking force, and at the same time I spoke again.

"Nora, by any chance, does Your Highness like pipes?"

Poof! This time, the response came out right. Jeremy looked at me as if he was saying
something out of the blue, and at the same time, Nora, who had been silently staring
at the whole view of the festival, also looked back at me with surprisingly intense
energy.

“Suddenly, what pipe?”

"How does your sister know about that story? No, what did you hear?"

“What kind of pipe is this? What is this atmosphere that only I don’t know about?”

Ignoring the ferocious eyes of the two guys who were rushing forward with a rushing
momentum, I calmly handed over the food that had been peeled off the paper
wrapper. Jeremy obediently snapped a bite of bread, still glaring at me, and Nora
glared at me, clutching her bread with a mighty force. What's wrong with food!

"I didn't listen because I wanted to hear it, but His Highness, the Crown Prince,
confided in me..."

"You confided in your sister? What the hell?"

"What are you talking about? When did Theo talk to you? When did he come to see
you?"

“……We ran into each other by chance when I went to see the Empress the other day.
Anyway, according to what I heard, when you were little, Nora got into an accident
playing around with a pipe or something you had at home...”
Nora was now standing with a very speculative expression. Her stunned, distorted
expression seemed to be slowly dissolving, followed by a laugh. Rather than being
unexpected, she was more than expected, so it was a laughable cynicism. She was
showing an expression that strongly insisted that Jeremy was so puzzled that she was
absurd.

“What is that, you said that when you briefly ran into each other? Did the two of you
share at least some in-depth knowledge about cigarettes in that short period of time?”

"Jeremy."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm a bit dumbfounded..."

“I don’t know why Your Highness told me about it. Anyway, I was a little embarrassed,
so I wanted to ask you directly.”

A sharp clicking sound escaped the young wolf's mouth. As if she couldn't stand it any
longer, she hit her knees hard with his palms and stared straight at me with eyes
darkened like a clouded sky before finally growling.

"It's exactly the opposite of what you hear."

"the opposite?"

"Yes. From the very beginning, I was at an age where I didn't even know if the damn
pipe was a pipe. I was about eight years old. My lesser cousin touched me to pretend
to be an adult. I wondered if it was a gift my father received from diplomat Safavid. I
don't know. No, I might have known, but anyway, that bastard's pipe died an honorable
death. It was smashed by the crown prince's hand."

Even though it was midsummer, the cold air seemed to encroach on the surroundings.
It seemed that Jeremy felt the same way. As our hat(?) exchanged the most mysterious
glances, Nora lowered her blue eyes and continued in a calmer voice.

“If you are a relative of the imperial family, it is natural for you to cover up the
mistakes of the imperial family, but I must have been too young to know that. Because
the act is a lie. But how could the prince, who said he respects my father, commit
disrespect with such a shameless face..."
Nora was speaking without feeling resentful. There was only bitterness in his calm
voice, like that of a commander who sentenced a prisoner to death.

"So how did it go?"

"What's going on? If it were you, which of the two of us would have looked like the
culprit? Of course, I was the only one who excitedly grabbed it and exploded."

"Nora... Just in case, was that the first and last time something like this happened?"

A moment of awkward silence followed my slow question. While Jeremy pondered with
his uncharacteristically sharp eyes, Nora took a savage bite of the mince-stuffed
bread in her hand. The yellow midsummer sun was dyeing the hair of the two young
men brightly.

Laughter is about to leak out. It was the feeling that clues about all the unusual
appearances of the Nuremberg family that I had seen so far were finally solved. Right.
It was like that. It was like that too... … .

Then Jeremy suddenly started rubbing his forearm with a tantrum as if he were
getting goosebumps.

"Ah, he kept saying it was weird... Then why the hell did Theo talk to Shuri in that way?
What the hell, that hyung? What are you doing? What kind of boy is that..."

"How do I know that? Why do you ask me why that human was born that way?"

After replying in an annoyed tone, Nora abruptly averted her eyes and glanced at me.
Jeremy, too, scratched her head and stared in my direction. Seeing these
incomprehensible burdensome gazes, I swallowed a sigh and spat out the following.

"Your Highness took my blessing away. The same goes for the Duke."

"Hmm, you're right. Your father doesn't look like that, but he's surprisingly insightful."
Jeremy nodded vigorously, as if he couldn't agree more, and now giggled and lightly
punched his friend on the shoulder.

"But why didn't you talk about that until now and keep it buried? Let's do it as a
warning."

“You have the most perfect protector in the world, what are you worried about?”

"That's true, but you don't have to know the inside story to get a sense of what's going
to happen in the future. Tsk tsk, it turned out that this bastard was pretty pitiful too."

“If you have that much pity, give it to me, your mother.”

"Leave aside the bullshit. But isn't it a bit cool to tell it?"

Nora didn't answer. A smile hung on his lips as he looked up at the sky in silence.

***

The third day of the National Foundation Day.

Early in the morning, after giving our faithful Gwen and Robert the holiday to enjoy the
festivities, I sat alone in my study, contemplating the gift that had been sent to me
anonymously the night before.

I have to say it's a really grandiose item even if it's a gift. It was an extravagant
platinum necklace with twelve diamonds the size of hazelnuts. It was even grander
than the peridot necklace Jeremy had given me the other day.

The postcard that came with the gift had neither the name nor the seal of the sender.
If it hadn't been for the small white eagle-shaped decoration on the necklace's loop, I
would never have noticed it.
"I'll give you a present on the anniversary of the founding of Korea."

What did you mean by that? Putting aside the fact that your birthday has passed a
long time, I don't think it's a bit excessive.

When it comes to money, even by the standards of our family, which is overflowing with
corruption, it is a luxurious accessory. In addition, only the imperial family could wear
eagle-patterned ornaments in the empire. It was a gift that only the fiancée of a prince
would receive, not a birthday present I deserved.

What was Theobald thinking when he sent me such a gift? Even though he is an
ornament that can be dazzling because he is not beautiful, he was uneasy. The
fledgling love he had for me a few years ago is probably long gone, but why… … .

smart smart

“Shuri, are you busy?”

Hearing Jeremy's cheery voice from beyond the door, I hurriedly stuffed the gorgeous
diamond necklace into the drawer and closed it. At the same time, Jeremy, dressed in
knightly uniform, opened the door and entered. It was really close timing.

"What are you doing?"

"I was just going through some papers. What's going on?"

When I asked back, trying to appear calm, Jeremy began to stare into my eyes,
narrowing his eyes as if he was suspicious of something. She then asked.

"Did we just have to see each other?"

"……."

“Khem, you don’t have to look so depressed, do you?”

"Where are you going to go early?"

"Hey, Lady Neuwanstein. Did you forget we're having an outdoor banquet later?"

ah… … hit. I forgot for a moment. An outdoor banquet was scheduled to be held on the
shores of Lake Alp from around noon today, a few days before the swordsmanship
competition. It should be said that it was more like a hunting event than a banquet.

While the men hunted in the woods near the lake, the women waited in gondolas and
had a party. Come to think of it, at this point, a craze for noble ladies to attend the
hunting festival began to blow.

"If you're a good knight like me, it's your duty to go first and scout the surroundings."

"Anyway, you're good. Are you going to eat and go out?"

"No. I'm going out with you. You're the only one in my family who will be awake at this
time."

That was right. Elias and the twins were probably still wandering in dreamland after
playing to their heart's content yesterday. So I smiled obediently and got up and left
the study... … No, I was going to go out. That is, until I stumbled uncool, wondering if I
had a cramp in my leg, sitting still and pondering over a gift from Theobald.

"으앗……!"

"Ah, be careful...!"

If Jeremy hadn't grabbed me quickly, I would have had a rough hug from the early
morning.

Instead, as I raised my head to say thank you, swallowing a sigh of relief, as I collided
violently with the solid chest of my reliable eldest son, Jeremy, who had been hugging
me for some reason, suddenly frowned and pushed me away. It wasn't just dropping
her body, it was literally pushing her. I almost fell over again at this sudden and violent
reaction, so I naturally had no choice but to open my eyes wide.
"너……."

“Ah, sorry, sorry. I’m really sorry.

A moan filled with lamentation flowed out of my mouth as I stared at Jeremy's

behavior as he hurriedly picked it up with his face half blushing as if he had never
done that.

"Tell me honestly... Do you smell my hair?"

"...it's not like that."

Thinking it might not be wrong, I took my hair and sniffed it. Fortunately, there was
nothing but the smell of balm. Hmm, even if it's not real, it's normal to tease him for
being right... … .

Anyway, after having breakfast alone with my eldest son, seeing off Jeremy, who
cheerfully waved to meet me later, and I was about to start preparing, an unexpected
visitor came.

"Madam, please..."

Looking at the expression of our drivers, who seemed to have chewed something, it
was easy to guess who was visiting. Yes. After the lion was gone, the wolf came... … ! Did
he stop by to meet up with Jeremy?

"Good morning, Nora. Are you looking for Jeremy? I'm already out."

"His face is pretty enough. I stopped by because I have something to report to my

sister."

The dark-haired young man with a faint smile, his eyes widened with fatigue, was also
dressed in a fancy knight's uniform. The word 'report' he spat out in a meaningful way
literally took me to my senses. Hopefully already... … ?

"Come here. Have you eaten?"

"Before I leave the house. It doesn't matter if I eat again."

The source of the problem was sleeping comfortably upstairs, and so were the twins. If
I had even calculated that Jeremy would have gone, I would have to say that it was a
truly thorough visit.

After ordering the maids to bring coffee and snacks, I took Nora to the drawing room
in the annex. My heart was already beating fast.

"Should I put sugar in my coffee?"

"I'm fine. Oh, this is what I said then."

While I was sipping a cup of sugary coffee to relax, Nora tilted her head slightly at the
tapestry hanging on one side. What she suddenly put down on the table was none
other than an old brown-covered croquis book. That's what I mentioned when the
three of us wandered around the festival streets.

"Did you really bring it?"

"I heard that you miss my sister. Did you just say that? Oops, my heart hurts..."

"No, no, I never thought you'd really show it to me."

As I did my best with sincerity, a mischievous smile spread across my blue eyes. No, I'm
not kidding adults, you bastard!

"Can I watch it now?"

"Wouldn't it be better to listen first?"

It was. However, at this moment when clues about Elias' dubious activities finally
arrived, I was somehow seized with an antinomic urge to withhold the possible truth.
Maybe he was really afraid to hear that Elias was into such and such hobbies.
Whether or not she read my thoughts, instead of starting her report on our second
lion cub, which she must have tracked down the night before, Nora sat silently and
studied my complexion. Phew, by the way, he wasn't tired after walking around like that
during the day yesterday. I'm sorry too... … .

"Then... did my foreboding premonition come true?"

"It's almost like that."

iced coffee… … I guessed it, but it feels like my head is spinning.

"Are you sure...? That's why our Elias..."

"Sister, have you ever told the people in this house about your family? Not your
current family, but your old family."

What kind of nonsense is this again? I stared into Nora's blue eyes and swallowed for a
moment. Come to think of it, Nora knows more about my parents than my stepsons. It
wasn't intentional, but somehow it happened. Even when we first met, my brother... … .

"No. I just said that we don't contact each other..."

"Then I'm sure you've never met him."

"Of course not. I did my best to prevent that from happening..."

“I don’t mean to make it a problem. The owner of the Monopoly room where my older
sister’s rude second son comes and goes is strangely familiar. He was a guy."

After speaking in a low tone, Nora added forcefully, leaning her upper body on the
table.

"That guy who claimed to be my older sister's brother. It was an atmosphere that
everyone didn't know."
"……뭐어?!"

I unknowingly jumped up, causing the table to shake and the coffee cup to fall
violently. This is what it means to wake up in the middle of the night. My brother is up
in the capital and running a gambling house? By what means? What kind of
connections and funds did that man have to set up such a business? Besides, Elias is
coming and going in and out of that gambling house... … !

"What kind of nonsense... The Viscount Ighoeffer's only connections in the capital are
my aunt! Besides, he doesn't have the ability to provide such support to his nephew.
But how can he..."

"sister."

It was then that Nora, who had been watching my violent reaction with her eyes
slightly wide open, suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist. Then I blinked and
looked down to see the remains of a shattered coffee cup strewn about my feet. Do
you have any of these hairless faces? But now I was in a state where I couldn't afford
to take a look at my body.

"What the hell is this..."

An almost tearful sigh leaked from my mouth. In the meantime, Nora, without saying a
word, grabbed her by the waist with both of her hands and, almost halfway up, sat me
in the seat next to her. Then, in a carefree voice, she called her attendant and
instructed her to sweep the floor, then took out her handkerchief and handed it to me.

There was silence for a moment. Nora sat silently watching me while I buried my
feverish face in a handkerchief and tried to organize my jumbled thoughts. I've never
felt so small since I went back in time.

"Are you okay?"

“……It’s okay. It’s embarrassing to see you like this.”

"It's just my opinion, but I think it's possible that someone from Neuwanstein's
collateral side might have approached my sister's parents' house. I don't know what
they were hoping for in the deal."
It was a very plausible inference. At the same time, it was also a phenomenon that I did
not understand. Neubanstein's collateral families have long been friends with this
side. Not only for me, but also for the kids. If they wanted to catch my weakness, why
did they approach a worthless village viscount? No matter how much my parents are,
they've been disconnected from me for a long time, and they won't be able to give you
any useful information about Neuwanstein?

It really feels like your brain is about to melt. Why, why do strange phenomena that go
against the past keep happening! What is the use of the experience so far!

Or is it just something I didn't know at the time? But back then, at least Elias wasn't
crooked like this. She made it clear that at least she wasn't addicted to gambling. That
said, although she was upset about punching just about anyone, she never went out
of her way in this way.

“The reason I got married into this family in the first place was because of my father’s
gambling debts.

"Not only him, but there are quite a few normal kids at home."

Nora, responding playfully to my bitter lament, raised one hand and began slowly
folding her fingers.

"Let's see, just the ones I witnessed last night were the second son of the Count of
Bavaria, the second son of the Marquis of Schweig, the second son of the Count of
Hartenstein, and Prince Letran. Oh, come to think of it, they're all second sons. Did
they even create a guild for the second sons?"

“……Prince Letran? His Highness the prince was there?”

"Yes. It felt like the head of a group of snuffers. They seemed pretty friendly, everyone."

No words came out. In this case, except for the Dukes of Nuremberg and the Dukes of
Heinrich, the children of super-famous families whose parents are members of the
parliament have formed a gambling club! To make matters worse, Prince Letran was
there too! God, what the hell is this a sign?

… … In the meantime, I, who was oddly relieved that Elias wasn't the only one who was
out of line, felt really mean. phew.
Anyway, things turned out to be much bigger than I thought. No, even if it's true, let's
assume that the second boys created a guild. Why not socialize in some other
wholesome way! Besides, why is it a gambling place run by my brother? If it's really just
a coincidence, it's even weirder on its own.

"I mean Elias, did you really not seem to know that the owner of the casino was my
brother?"

"I didn't seem to know from what I'd been watching the other night. Shes, or whatever,
was using a strange pseudonym, that person."

Should I consider this fortunate or not? Anyway, it was a really big deal. Not only Elias,
but also the children of noble families are harming each other to disgrace the family
name. Did these really get along well with each other?

"Did you only gamble there? So I mean..."

“The Monopoly game was played with cash, and it was all about drinking and playing,
but that’s the biggest problem. In fact, there are people I care about more than these
marquis and collateral members…”

"Who is that?"

Nora didn't answer. Instead, he lowered his lashes and spoke in a cautious tone.

"Anyway, I think it's better for you to pretend you don't know about this for the time
being. It's up to you to kill that inexperienced bastard, but if it turns out that your
sister's family is involved in the affair with the prince, it'll be quite a headache. It seems
like it."

That was right. Among the numerous gambling houses, how likely is it that the secret
place that the prince visits is, by chance, my brother's gambling house? No matter how
hard I tried to think of it as just a coincidence, I couldn't shake the feeling that some
malicious trap had been dug.

Really, who, what the hell did he want to do such a clever thing? Should I face my
brother? Just because that's the case, should I just blow the information?

No, that person would have been cheating on the contrary, as if he had waited. Since
it was not yet clear who was behind it, it could be a disaster if he made a hasty move.
Damn, if it hadn't been Nora who had been following Elias last night, I could have
missed this crucial fact! That is, if Nora hadn't volunteered to find out who our
troublemaker second tryst was.

Suddenly, I glanced sideways to see Nora's expression, and Nora just turned her head
to look at me. When her eyes met, he smiled calmly.

"Don't worry too much. It really could be pure coincidence. I guess we'll have to do
some more background research."

"No, I'm not going to trouble you again..."

"It's an issue that even involves the prince. It's not just a family issue. From what I've
seen, he's a relative of the imperial family."

That's logically correct. I can't resist So I sniffed awkwardly, then smiled weakly and
muttered gratitude with a grateful heart.

"You are a real knight."

"Cham, that's what I've always dreamed of. Someone's knight."

After Nora left, I took care of the croquis book he left behind and went straight to
meet Elias. Unlike me, who had a thousand dollars burning inside, my troublesome
second son yawned as if he had just woken up, his emerald eyes wide open.

“Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah? Good morning,
Shuri. But why is your expression like that since morning?”

I closed the door behind my back and went over to the side of the bed and crossed my
arms. In my heart, I wanted to shout at the moment, but reason barely restrained the
urge.
Seeing my frozen expression, Elias seemed to sense something out of the ordinary
then, tying his tangled red hair like a mop sack with a string and started to pick up
any words.

"Are you going to nag me about my love affair again? I'll take care of it myself, even if
you see me like this..."

"How much do you owe?"

"……뭐?"

"How much do you owe? At the gambling house."

There was silence for a while. As I stood with my arms crossed and stared into her
bulging eyes, Elias looked around her as if there was someone else here, then
scratched her head and murmured softly:

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Elias von Neuwanstein! You still don't know what situation you're in?! Now that I know
everything, come on and tell me!"

When I, whose patience had suddenly been severed, raised my voice and raised my
voice, Elias hesitated for one moment and wanted to step backwards on the bed, but
the next moment he shamelessly shouted the same.

"Ah, what am I doing?! Did I put rags behind me again?! Oh, really, don't do that! I have
a private life too!"

"Is that important right now? What kind of privacy is a guy who hasn't even come of
age yet! And if he's going to talk about his private life, at least don't do anything
embarrassing!"

"Why is that embarrassing?! Everyone else is doing it! And..."

"Others? Aha, yes, you're saying that you can do the same if you're doing the same for
the other families and the prince?"
It was only natural that the dark green eyes widened wide, as if asking how he knew
that. A sigh came out.

“Did you decide to create a guild for the second sons? Is that so?”

“……That, can’t we do that?! The eldest sons take away all the good things, so what’s
wrong with promoting friendship among ourselves?!”

"Who's bad? You're doing this because you're gambling as if you're trying to be
friendly!"

"Everyone is doing it, but why don't we do a little bit! So, let's spend some money that
way, uh, what is it, noblesse oblige..."

"Elias!"

Oops, blood pressure. Yochen, I don't think I can live up to my real name. Who the hell
does your second son look like to this point!

“Do you know who the owner of the casino you frequent is?”

"Well, what's the point of that?"

I took a deep breath in front of the guy who still had the face of a man with no sign of
remorse. Whoa, let's calm down, let's calm down... … .

"He's my older brother."

"……뭐?"

"As expected, you didn't know. Of course you didn't know, because I've never let you
guys meet. Anyway, he's a person who won't benefit you in the slightest. I still don't
know how that guy came to the ecliptic and set up a business like that, but Anyway,
there's nothing good about getting entangled. Especially you."
Trying to keep my cool, I spoke as calmly as possible. Elias blinked blankly at her for a
moment, as if he really didn't know about that fact, and then she said this next.

“Are you afraid that your brother might kidnap us?”

"It doesn't mean that..."

"I don't know if he has any connections, but anyway, what can a pimp from a village
viscount do to us?"

"Elias!"

"Ah, little. Don't make a fuss over trivial things. You don't get along with that person, so
what are you worried about? Hyung doesn't care what he does, he lets him hang out
with anyone, but why is he only doing this to me?"

"Why are you talking about Jeremy there? Is Jeremy addicted to gambling like you, or
is he messing around with tough girls?"

"Ah, yes. Since hyung is so handsome, he probably won't have time to snoop on such
nonsense. But what am I supposed to be like because I'm born like this?!"

Elias yelled out like an explosion, then wheezed on his shoulder and glared at me with
his gleaming green eyes. And I literally lost my mind. Is the guy in front of me right now
Elias?

"What the hell are you..."

"Why why, am I wrong?! Anyway, hyung is the one who will take care of everything on his
own even if he stays still! So I'll do whatever I want, but what's the big deal?!"

"I……."

"I know very well that you're not going to leave or leave because of me. So stop making
such petty threats! I know very well that all you need is an older brother!"
I was stunned by that unjust attack. Of course, he usually talked more with Jeremy
than with Elias, but that was entirely because Jeremy was older and the next head of
the household, suitable for discussing various issues.

Of the children, the one I am most attached to is Rachel, not Jeremy. Furthermore, it
was Elias who often turned outside these days, not me. No matter what they tried to
talk about, it was Elias who slipped away every time.

However, our Elias seemed to regard the sorrow others inflicted on him more fatally
than the sorrow he inflicted on others. No, rather than that, it was his life habit to say
things that hurt him first, while recklessly shouting at them when he found himself in a
disadvantageous position.

"What do you say that way? Of course you're all equally important to me. I don't know
what made you feel that way, but I..."

"Don't be ridiculous! You went so far as to call off your marriage to my father to
protect your arm! I know very well that you matter more than any of us! So no matter
what I go out and do, it's just that I get involved in something. I mean, leave it alone!"

***

The blue and transparent waves glisten in the golden sunlight. On the banks of the
great Lake Alp, in the middle of the forest, there were several elegant gondolas
adorned with summer roses, forming a stark contrast to the busy knights, stallions,
and hounds that roamed about, creating a quite heterogeneous combination.

"Hey, why are you late, you poop?"

Jeremy, who had just finished rechecking the boats that the empress and other noble
ladies would ride on, waved his hand at those lame words. Instead of scolding Nora for
not bragging about winning the day, she meekly admitted defeat.

“Because I found a lady in trouble on the way.”

“Aha, must I see that Lady was quite a beauty?

"That's probably what you know best, but anyway, a bunch of snuffers got caught."

“Oh, did the little kids in the new country try to get along well and unite?”

"Don't say a word, there's even a fluffy chick on its head."

They were two young men who were having a mysterious chat with serious expressions
on their faces. As a result, the other knights around him were starting to look
suspicious that the two promising knights had taken medicine together since the
morning, but they did not rush to ask any questions. Cancer, isn't the combination of a
drugged lion and a wolf truly dangerous? If they do, they may run into themselves.

Amid the misunderstanding that the two promising young men must have been drunk
on drugs, Jeremy looked at his friend's face brightly stained by the morning sunlight
with a rare serious face while the good knights sneaked away.

"Okay, what really happened? It looks like our house wasn't even attacked."

Nora tried to kick her tongue fiercely in response to her friend's dumbfounded speech,
which was now puzzling over the topic, which she had answered as if she had
understood everything, but decided to stop.

"It's worse than that. Your beautiful mother seems to be intending to hold off on
informing you until after the swordsmanship contest. Why don't you just finish it
before then?"

"What? What the hell happened that you know and I don't?"

"That's what a mother's love is."

At this nonsensical rim, Jeremy surprisingly showed a complacent expression on his

face and began scratching his head as if he was embarrassed. Nora, who was silently
watching her friend's behavior, who was reacting in a very affectionate way, muttered
with a warm smile.

"Do shit."
"But how serious is this problem? I don't know how the hell the problem with the
second prince is related to our family."

"It's not like there's no possibility at all, especially if your little brother who gave you a
dog is involved."

This time, the dark green eyes froze with fierce seriousness. The blue eyes that met
those eyes were also cold and frozen.

"If that bastard is involved... is it a woman's problem?"

"No, it's more serious. The second sons of the families that are the pillars of the empire
created a guild amicably. A gambling guild."

“……This, man, no matter how much you are, you talk like that in such a lively way……”

"But the bigger problem than that is that the human who contributed greatly to the
formation of that guild is the one who becomes your mother's brother."

“……Noraaaa! Please explain to me so I can understand what the hell is!”

To this mournful roar of her one and only best friend, Nora tutted and clicked her
tongue, and soon began to explain as briefly as possible.

“The second sons of the council families, including your immature brother, formed a
gambling guild together, but the head of the guild is the second prince, and to make
matters worse, the owner of the meeting place is your mother’s brother. Have you ever
seen it?"

It was a sound that would have grabbed Shuri's back if she had heard it. It was her
negligence if she did not know that one of the intriguing foundations of the late-
teenage knights' deep camaraderie involved the exchange of confidential information.

"No. I've asked about Shuri's original family in the past, but Shuri didn't seem to want
to talk about it much."
"Of course you would. Anyway, since the 2nd prince was involved, it would be just fine
to accuse them of treason. What do you think?"

There was a moment of desolate silence. That was until Jeremy, who blinked for a
second in her dark green eyes and seemed to be catching her breath, suddenly
placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and cried out, "That's it."

"... just take this bastard of mine!!"

"Hold on. Killing him is the only sea willing to encourage it. That's not a priority."

"What could be more important than this?!"

"The problem is that your loving mother doesn't know what you know. And the only
problem is that it's a problem that won't end with a dog or a kid she gave you. If we
want to solve it by ourselves, bear with it for now. The age to hide behind your
mother's skirt has not passed. ?"

At those words that the young Confucius calmly added, Jeremy immediately regained
his terrifying momentum to get on the horse and go straight to the house, and glared
at his friend with a bitter expression.

"Okay, so who should I start with? Is it the lesser second prince?"

"I don't think the 2nd prince is a person who can make such an elaborate plan. Even
taking the risk of being caught up in treason charges."

“Then who made a plate like this…”

"The person who will benefit the most from the worst outcome that will unfold from this
kind of arrangement. If this is revealed right away, all the families involved will have to
bend down. Isn't it a perfect way to re-strengthen the imperial power?"

Jeremy scratched his head, thinking that he could say such a great thing in such a
carefree manner.

“It must be the imperial family or the church.”

"I don't think the Vatican wants the position of the imperial power to grow again, right?
It's better for the clergy if the nobles take care of themselves and keep the imperial
power in check. If the position of the aristocratic faction has grown to the point of
becoming dangerous, it won't be known if they touch it yet. nothing."

“Then what is the probability that your father or His Majesty the Emperor were behind
it?”

"It's not like I didn't consider that possibility, but I don't think so."

"why?"

Why? The explanation for why they came to the conclusion that they don't seem to be
the two is quite complex. It was a fairly superficial and complex reasoning. So Nora
decided to wait for another reason.

"It looks meticulous, but it's surprisingly lax. It's a game where, with Prince Letran at the
head, the second sons of the great family secretly gather at night to gamble and
promote friendship with the guild. The owner of the gambling room is none other than
the stepmother's brother of a member of the guild. Aren't you the right person? Isn't it
too obvious who will be behind it? It's so obvious that it's suspicious."

"뭐……."

"If you're an old man I know, I'd advise the emperor to refrain from such obvious tricks.
The incident three years ago is enough for you to get backlashed and look ugly while
using clumsy moves."

"Oh, damn it. This is why I hate politics. Then what kind of fucking idiot set up a trap
for our Shuri?"

“Think about what it would be like for him.”

"뭐?"

“She was almost sold as the second wife of a man her age because of her father’s
gambling debts at the young age of 14. To make matters worse, her husband died
after two years and left all the troublesome powers as a will. Annoying and stupid
stepsons are a bonus. Nevertheless, she faithfully followed her husband's will, but the
eldest son touched the crown prince, so he almost shot himself in the portrait. I even
saved the eldest son, but now the second son is upset? Besides, he did the same thing
as his father, who was the culprit who put her in this situation?"

Jeremy's jaw dropped halfway with an indescribable look on his face as Nora spat out
that long-winded, fact-based mockery in a tone that could not be matched with
bitterness. She drove the last wedge into Nora, thinking that she looked like a stupid
lion beaten terribly by the hind legs of her prey.

"Isn't it more than enough to make all kinds of affection fall?"

"...Hey, you, don't make assumptions like that! Shuri will never...! No, even if that's true,
Shuri has me..."

"I know. But other people don't know that."

"Oh, what the hell are you trying to say..."

"A person who desperately wants to keep the aristocrats in check and at the same
time increase the relationship between your mother and your boys. He has the ability
to anonymously set up a gambling den for a delinquent from a village viscount, and
tries to make a snotty bastard cheat on him if necessary. Someone who is also
capable of blowing nonsense into it. All of this feels like a very familiar manipulative
operation, and I know one guy who was born with a talent that stands out in that
area."

A moment of devastated silence passed. Jeremy stood there as if frozen in place,

glaring at her Nora for a long time, until he finally managed to mumble.

"Pipe lover bastard?"

"Uh. It's a bigger chick."

“Why is that bastard trying to separate us from Shuri?

"It's still a mystery why that bastard tried to separate me from my old son."
"Damn it, what the hell are you doing, that?!"

The roar of a young lion in high blood, as if bursting into a tantrum, reverberated
through the thick forest. Stallions lined up quietly on one side raised their paws while
weeping, hounds started howling, and birds roaming the trees lazily flapped their
wings vigorously. Either way, Jeremy started to howl like an invisible dragon from
legend.

Nora, instead of hardening her face and turning away from her friend's rudeness, who
was spewing out swear words without breathing even from the harshest knights, was
kind enough to respond to them.

“Where are the kids with no blood in their ears getting bad winds! What, the second
boys’ guild?

“That would be a more appropriate name.”

"How the hell could such a stupid, no, stupid, no, brainless guy be my brother! At this
point, I can't tell if he's been that way since birth or if he's been using the dragon to be
that way!"

"I don't think it's something that can be done with ordinary effort. Maybe it's innate."

"This time, I'm going to break that little leg club... No, if that bastard leaves even
offspring, the future of the empire will be very bleak, so I'll make it so he can't function
as a man at all!"

"I commend you for your most chivalrous patriotism."

The other knights around them were now far away from the two of them, seldom
daring to come close. I don't know what caused the fuss, but I didn't know if they did
something wrong, they might not be able to function as men forever. And it was a very
terrible disaster.

Jeremy, who had been producing such a bloody roar for a while, finally took a rough
breath with a slightly subdued expression, while Nora turned her gaze to the lake and
let go of the rhyme in a serious tone.

“For now, be patient. The night before the swordsmanship competition will be even
bigger.”
"Is it getting bigger?"

"Because that's when the whole country starts playing with money. Even the money you
and me bet on would be an astronomical unit? I don't know who your stupid brother
will bet on."

Jeremy growled with an expression claiming that he was envious of a friend who had
no younger brother, instead of putting on a shy expression like an older brother who
had misplaced a younger brother.

"Then, we'll have to put an end to the snoring guild meeting that night."

***

As the sun set in the middle of the day, the shores of the lake began to become busily
crowded with people arriving one after another. The royal family, who arrived under
the escort of the imperial guard in silver uniforms, as well as the distinguished guests
from the Sabapi and Teutonic countries, the cardinals and other high-ranking nobles
and their children, were a considerable crowd.

Several buffet tables with white tablecloths were placed on a flat lawn overlooking the
lake where swans leisurely float by, and tents were put up around them to block out
the scorching sun.

Starting with the youngsters of an age capable of participating in the hunt, while all
the men gathered around the stallions, the noble ladies and young girls were
separated, greeting each other and exchanging fans while boarding the gondola.

As there were several lavishly decorated boats, there was a separate one dedicated to
the noble ladies who sat with the empress, and then each faction divided and
occupied one.

“Um… Sir Jeremy?”

Jeremy turned his head away from rechecking the horse's saddle at the shy voice that
came from right next to him. She turned around and saw a platinum-haired young
lady who was clearly familiar there, but whose name she couldn't quite remember.

"What do you need?"

“……No, that’s…… I want to give you this as a way to catch a lot without getting hurt.”

Blinking purple eyes, the young lady suddenly held out a handkerchief. A handkerchief
carefully embroidered with gold thread. And Jeremy pondered for a moment whether
to speak about the other handkerchiefs he had already received countless times
before. However, before he could even open his mouth, the young lady whose name he
couldn't remember gave him a handkerchief, but then hurried back while making a
rather strange snort.

Jeremy, who was watching that dim back with incomprehensible eyes, heard the
sarcasm of his close rival.

"If possible, why don't you take some of mine with you?"

Saying that, Nora also held a handkerchief in one hand that was too large to handle
and was using it to wipe the saddle. The fresh young ladies who handed it to me for
good luck would be terrified if they found out.

Jeremy clicked his tongue, saying 'You have no conscience', and just as he was roughly
stuffing a handkerchief into his saddle pocket, this time he heard a sharp cry from a
tomboyish young lady he knew just by hearing his voice.

"brother Brother!"

"Hey, my lovely sister. Aren't you ugly today?"

"……푸흡!"

While the other knights around her giggled, covering their mouths with their hands,
unable to laugh out loud, Rachel put her hand on her waist and glared at her brother
with fiercely bulging eyes. Her large emerald eyes flashed terrifyingly as if she would
slaughter them on the spot if anyone caught them laughing.
"Anyway, can't you just say something like that?"

"That's enough for my brother's compliments to his sister. What can I say? But are you
all here? Why can't I see Shuri?"

As Jeremy asked softly, in the distance came Elias's giggling with the second son of a
Bavarian count. He was carefree, unaware of the lightning that would strike me sooner
or later.

"My mom sent us first. Why did I miss her so much?"

"It's always me. Aren't you?"

"Me too. That's why, oppa, I think mom was crying."

At those words that Rachel whispered in a worried voice, Jeremy did not try to mount
the horse vigorously, but came to a halt.

"what's the matter?"

"I don't know either. But I think I had a fight with my little brother. My mother said no,
but the atmosphere was not very serious."

"……."

Jeremy turned his eyes and looked sideways in his friend's direction. The wolf
Confucius, who was on par with him in terms of his temperament, finished cleaning the
saddle and put leather gloves on his hands, looking at him with blue eyes filled with
unspoken pressure, 'Oh.

“……Thank you for the valuable information, my dear sister.

"Yeah, that's right! Brother, why do you understand right away? Has the sun risen in
the west?"
Rachel, who nodded her head as if she was really proud, now spits out that kind of
spectacle sound and starts running back and forth. It was the place where her twins
were, Prince Ali Pasha's party. Jeremy, who was tilting her head wondering when the
hell did they get so close to each other, eventually jumped on the back of her horse
and spat out.

"Did you hear? I have to go home for a bit. You should talk to your majesty."

"Go. Don't show it."

All in all, it was purely coincidental that a long, ear-piercing wail was heard at that very
moment.

The identity of the gigantic creatures that flew down high and hovered over people's
heads with majestic cries were not hunting hawks. They were wild eagles that
appeared at truly amazing timing. The creatures, symbols of the Bismarck family,
appeared at the right time as if they had received a revelation from God. Needless to
say, a big smile appeared on the emperor's lips as cheers burst out from here and
there.

Jeremy hesitated for a moment, then spat out one last word at his friend, who was
staring at the wild birds with eyes like those of a wolf measuring the angle of its prey
before pounced on it.

"That's what I'm going to say. You bastard stay calm!"

***

Since going back in time, nothing has gone the way I remember it. Nevertheless, as far
as children are concerned, it seems that there was an odd degree of certainty. I know
more than anyone about their tendencies, so I can understand them even if they do
something unexpected, and I can embrace them no matter what.

… … It seems that I have been deceived. Now I feel like I don't even know myself, let
alone the kids!

Jochen, who the hell does your second son look like?! The fact that he doesn't look like
me is as clear as it gets! None of this would have happened if you had been alive.
After sending the kids off first and wandering around alone for a while, I felt dizzy. She
wasn't crying because she was sad or angry. Her heart was filled with tears.

Did I really do something wrong? Did Elias fall into that path because of something
wrong without me knowing? … But even so, why gamble!

Even though I know it's difficult, it's only harder to come back and experience it in a
different way. Oh God!

I had to attend the event soon, but my body didn't move at all. I sat by the window of
the sunny drawing room, hunched over like an old man, staring blankly at Huwon
through the window, then reached out my hand toward the croquis book that was
placed on the table. It was the croquis book that Nora had left behind.

Halfway through the cute pictures drawn with a stone pen, such as quills, knives, dogs,
colts and birds, that would have been drawn by a young boy, I slowly came to my
senses and concentrated on looking into the croquis book.

Most of the contents of the croquis book were tools and animals commonly seen
around, but in the middle, there were many pictures that looked like a man. I couldn't
see his face properly because of his black hair, because he was almost sitting with his
back turned. Or it looks like it's sleeping.

The scene of a young boy with sparkling blue eyes sitting with a croquis book and
drawing the back of his busy father immediately came to mind. Was it because of the
flirtation with Elias a moment ago? I kept flipping through the picture of a man
showing only his back, but for some reason, a corner of my heart felt numb.

Maybe it was because of regret. If you show your face properly instead of working or
sleeping, where does it add up? If you keep putting it off until later, you will miss the
opportunity forever.

The boy who drew this picture might no longer exist. When he thought about it, he felt
sorry for him. He felt even more so after he remembered what he had heard yesterday.
Why did the duke, who looked so perfect, not take a good look at his son? Maybe I
made a similar mistake?

Could it be that I was entangled in the past that I remembered, and was just
comparing it to the image in my memory, not trying to properly understand why the
current Elias behaved like that? Maybe she didn't even know.
I was having a moment of reflection, not reflection, in a daze for a while, when an
unexpected voice suddenly rang.

"Respected mother Shuri! Where is the mother in the world who doesn't even cheer her
one and only beautiful eldest son on a hunt!"

… … Oh God. Why the hell is he back here at this time? I hurriedly closed the croquis
book, wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, and got up. At the same time, our
proud Lion of Neuwanstein entered with a jolly gait incongruous with his size.

"Hey, Shuri. Where are you sick? I was surprised that only the kids came first."

Did you come back here from Alp Lake just because of that? It may not be a big deal,
but I felt grateful again. Heuk, it seems that his mind has weakened considerably
because of what happened a little while ago.

In my heart, I wanted to tell Jeremy about all of this right away, but I couldn't bear it
because there was a swordsmanship competition in a few days. I already knew the
outcome, but I didn't want to make you think about other things until the big match
was over.

… … Instead, it was a case of unintentionally dragging Nora into it. Phew, why do these
troublesome things keep happening?

"Everyone lose their necks. Aren't you pitiful to be waiting for you?"

"Who is waiting for me?"

“There are not one or two people who are waiting for your smile. I can’t bear to say it
out loud.

It was really nonsense, but it made me laugh. I laughed out loud, and Jeremy giggled
mischievously as well, holding my hand and kissing her on the back of her hand.

"It's true. If you fall into it, everyone will be sad and lose interest in hunting and
everything. Especially me. My name is Neubanstein's lion, but isn't it a bit like if I come
last in the hunting event?"
Of course, I couldn't let it happen. In any case, as a member of Congress, I cannot
afford not to attend such an event. So, I tried to shake off the gloomy mood from a
while ago and headed to Alp Lake, the place of the banquet, with Jeremy.

By the time we arrived, it seemed that lunch was already in full swing. The panoramic
view of the lakeside dyed in the bright afternoon sunlight felt like a painting. The
people sitting around the tented buffet tables, the women floating around the shore in
gondolas, and the people riding horses back and forth through the woods all
seemed… … .

Wait, how is the atmosphere unusual?

"What is this atmosphere?"

Jeremy seemed to feel the same way. Boats rowed by sailors were arriving one by one
on the shore of the lake at the venue, which seemed to be somewhere chaotic.

Even from a distance, the complexions of Empress Elisabeth and the Duchess of
Nuremberg, who were the first to drop off, were unusual. Their husbands, who sat
around the table and had lunch, were also staring at the same place.

“The Empress?”

After getting off the carriage, I went straight to Elizabeth, and the Duchess, who was
standing next to me, stretched out her hand with a pale face and took my hand. She
was shaking so violently that her hand was vibrating with mine.

As for Elizabeth, she was frozen, unmoving, as if she had frozen on the spot. I
wondered if one of the princes had been injured while hunting, but Prince Letran was
sitting at the same table as his father, and Theobald was riding from the hunting
grounds with Prince Ali Pasha and other knights.

Behind them dragged a reindeer entangled in a net, shot in the thigh by an arrow.
Even though they had already successfully hunted, why did they all look so flustered?

After a while, I found out the cause of this icy atmosphere. To be precise, I saw a huge
stallion slowly emerging from behind Theobald's pack, and a man riding on the
stallion.
Up to that point, there had been no problems whatsoever. If there was a problem, it
was his act of rushing across the crown prince and the prince of a foreign country
and throwing the huge prey he was carrying on his shoulder to the ground. The sound
of urgent breathing in here and there echoed simultaneously.

"What the heck..."

dump!

The golden goblet in the emperor's hand fell powerlessly from a high altitude and
crashed violently into the grass. The Duke of Nuremberg also almost lost the pipe he
was holding in one hand. I don't know how to explain the look on those two people's
faces right now.

As for Heide, who held my hand tightly, I was now in a state where I was almost about
to collapse. Elizabeth, too, was biting her lip, with an expression claiming that she
wanted to faint too.

It was worth it. The living creature that swayed helplessly on the mash-up grass and
flapped its huge wings powerlessly was none other than the white eagle, the symbol of
the King of the Sky and the Bismarck family. God only knows how he managed to catch
that terrifying bird of prey.

Nora, who stopped talking casually at the subject of so many greetings at once,
turned her gaze to us, wiping the sweat from the nape of her neck with her gloved
hand.

“Do you think I won again?”

A sharp clicking sound came straight from Jeremy's mouth, who had an expression of
sympathy for the pitiful creature lying on the floor at that womanly remark.

"Who told someone not to show it... It's not like a knight to play while you're away for a
while! Anyway, how the hell did you catch that?"

"Well, I was chasing a wild boar in full swing, but I couldn't tell if it was going to be on it
or not, and I liked it and ran at it. I almost got a terrible scar on this pretty face."
"That's a waste. If it did, it would have been a bit more worthwhile."

Is it just an illusion that it looks like steam is rising over the head of the majestic Grand
Duke? On the other hand, the emperor looked as if he was contemplating which
expression to make in the current situation.

Let's clear up the situation. Even foreign dignitaries are present at this venue. And the
symbol of the Bismarck family is a pitiful white eagle lying on the grass.

The person who turned that noble creature, considered an auspicious phenomenon,
into an excellent game by treating it as an indistinguishable bird's head was none
other than the emperor's nephew and the only heir to the Duke of Nuremberg, and
none other than the closest member of the imperial family. It was a situation where
there was no point in getting angry hastily as it was committed by a guy who
pretended to be an in-law.

It was the prince who spoke on behalf of the emperor who was in a dilemma. The
elegant prince erased his serious expression before he knew it and opened her mouth
with a soft smile on his face.

"You guys are still mischievous. Did the two of you even try to trick me?"

Rarely was it a fairly straightforward tone. At this, Nora drew her dagger and cut the
knot in the quiver before giving a smile. It was an uncharacteristically bleak smile,
perhaps because it was something he did.

“Why are you attracting that guy?

"...Of course, it's just a wild animal anyway, but there's no need to go this far. You
should think about how it feels on this side."

"Well, I wouldn't be offended if someone came here skinning a wolf cub. If that's the
case, Your Highness would have committed a serious diplomatic disservice to Prince
Ali. Aren't reindeer the symbol of the pasha dynasty?"

"It should be, but in our country, we don't place unnecessarily serious meaning on
animal pictures that are particularly symbolic."
Prince Ali Pasha, who responded kindly, showed a kind smile toward the imperial
people who showed an unnecessarily serious reaction.

Glancing at the emperor again, the very troubled emperor was now putting one hand
on the duke's trembling shoulder, who was terrifyingly ready to throw a glass at his
son. If that steel duke is being thoroughly acted right now, I should say that it is a very
good way of life. It's a problem because I don't think it's acting.

“There is a right to everything, crooked servant.”

"You mean me? What do I mean? I'm getting tired of giving meaning to everything."

It was then that Confucius, who had been snarky and sarcastic, suddenly jerked and
drew the sword at his waist. As the air froze fiercely in an instant, along with someone's
gasp, Nora, ignoring the quickness of the guards who hurriedly approaching
Theobald, plunged her sword straight into the vital part of the vulture fluttering on the
ground. As dark red blood gushed out, the bird finally freed from pain did not even
scream.

"That's about it, Your Highness. Please, Your Highness, please keep the level."

Nora, who struck the final blow at the crown prince with a face distorted by her
spectacles, mounted her horse again vigorously. Then, without looking back, he
spurred on.

Jeremy was the first to move while the momentary exchange of bewildered glances
engulfed the area. No matter what expression Theobald was making, Jeremy strode
forward with a leisurely smile, picked up the huge bird scattered on the floor, and
examined it closely before opening his mouth.

"It's surprisingly neat, so it looks like it could be made into a stuffed animal, Your
Majesty. How do you see it?"

“……That’s not a bad suggestion. It would be perfect to put in Jim’s study.”

Indeed, the emperor, who responded calmly, let out a short sigh and turned to his
brother-in-law. The Duke of Steel, who was holding down his bloody temples with his
fingers, also let out a sigh.

“I have no face, Your Majesty.”

“Rather than that, find out why your son behaves like he lost the enemy to the crown
prince.

Elisabeth's eyebrows, which had been silently fanned by me, twitched in an instant.
What made it so was that the definition of one and only siblings was wrong. Because
there is also Prince Letran. In terms of blood, he was also a true servant brother.

However, as always, Prince Letran, whose presence was obscured, sneaked out every
night to spend the imperial assets and hold gambling gatherings for his second sons,
sitting quietly with a sickly face uncharacteristic of a big boy, sipping a glass of wine
while watching his father.

The long-awaited hunting banquet ended earlier than planned, leaving a dark
aftertaste with a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.

***

If you walk west along the road that runs parallel to the Danube River, a flower girl
standing on the corner between shabby buildings will point you to the back of the
road. It was an alley that could be called the flower of the zodiac.

… … It should be said that it is a flower that blooms in the sewer.

A place teeming with brothels and opium dens, dotted with pickpocketers and gangs
of robbers, as well as fortune-telling shops and strange pawnshops selling all sorts of
odds and ends, including stolen goods.

The Sheath House was a gambling den that stood side by side with relatively intact
buildings on the outskirts of this gloomy alley. It is a structure where you show a chip
to the swordsman guarding the entrance with a threatening expression, and when you
enter, the stairs that go down directly to the basement come out. God only knew what
was going on inside the many closed doors underground. Especially on a day like
today, the scale of the party was even bigger.

"Hey, what are you doing? Who are you betting on?"
The touch on his side made Elias quickly come to his senses instead of lost in thought.
She looked at the gold coins stacked on the table.

Since it is a swordsmanship competition held once every four years, the number of
warriors participating in the competition is staggering. However, the stakes were
usually in the minority. Mainly for prestigious knights or exotic warriors from other
countries. In particular, one of the dividends in this competition was none other than
his older brother.

What are his older brother's chances of winning a real championship trophy? No
matter how objectively I tried to judge it, I didn't want to bet on it at all. That's why I
don't even want to bet on the other side.

Elias swallowed a groan and fiddled with the bag of gold coins he had brought. As the
bet amount is an astronomical unit, it would be ridiculous to walk this much. All of a
sudden, she couldn't bring more than this thanks to Shuri getting sick a few days ago.

There were things to hang on to instead. of course.

A moment of agony lingered in his dark green eyes as he stared at the crossbow slung
over the back of the chair. It was a gift he received as a Christmas present when he
was thirteen. The person who gave it to me just a few days ago caused a wind of tears
because of it. When he thought of it again, his head hurt. He didn't mean to... … .

Anyway, the good thing was that he wasn't the only one who was worried about when
he would come home. All of the people seated in a circle at the round table and
frantically looking at the betting tables were novice boys their age or a few years
younger. Considering that even the silver-haired prince was among them, it was a
fairly noble group of novices.

"...I'd rather give a chance to a commoner warrior."

"Then why don't you call your brother?"

Swallowing the words Am I crazy, Elias set the bag of gold coins on the table. She then
picked up an ornate crossbow hanging from her chair. It was pretty upsetting. What
are the chances of getting this back... … .

"That's a sad thing."

At the words someone blurted out, Elias couldn't find a sense of reality for a moment
and just nodded. He would do that, too, because the voice he had just heard belonged
to a person who could not exist in this place itself.

By the time Elias slowly, very slowly, regained his sense of reality, the noisy table had
become quiet. The dancing dancers, who were giggling while passing drinks in cheap
petticoats, were also frozen as if possessed by something. A total of five pairs of
bewildered eyes from the boys stared blankly up at the tall young man, who had no
idea when or how he got inside.

The Midnight Intruder, on the other hand, was standing with his arms crossed, looking
down at the betting tables spread out on the table with a very laid-back expression.
Her emerald eyes, embracing a bleak light, briefly flashed with interest.

"Oh, never mind me, go on. Come on."

Meanwhile, the owner of the office upstairs, that is, this relatively neat, secretive, and
well-secured gambling house, was also facing a similar crisis.

bang!

On the eve of a swordsmanship competition, when all the casinos in the capital are
burning whiter than usual, what are the chances that some lunatic will break through
the locked office door without knocking? Even with a sword dripping with fresh blood?

"You, what are you..."

Before she could say 'what the fuck, lunatic', Sheth, no, Lucas, went to bed in the
middle of the night and found himself caught by the neck in the grip of a madman
who had invaded his gambling den.

The man's hand strangled him like a chain. I thought my vision would turn hazy in an
instant, but then I began to see the beautiful river flowing slowly and my ancestors
beckoning me from beyond the river. The man finally let go of his hand when Lucas'
complexion went from red to almost bluish. Exactly, it exploded.

Udangtang!
"Huh! Kuluk kuk kak kak kak kak! You, what are you, you crazy bastard?! Do you know
who I am! If you knew who was behind me, you'd regret this..."

Lucas' voice, which had been shouting out loud as he hurriedly inhaled air, faded for a
moment. The madman intruder of the night was now sitting at his desk, wiping the
bloodstained blade with a handkerchief, with a leisurely attitude, as if he had never
come to someone else's store to commit violence.

And Lucas, wisely, quickly figured out that the blood belonged to the swordsmen who
were supposed to be out there. It would not be an ordinary bet if he had dealt with
swordsmen who only paid money to kill people.

"Hey, why are you like this? I don't know what the misunderstanding was, but I didn't do
anything wrong. I'll give you anything you want."

To that mournful remark from Lucas, who quickly changed his attitude to humility, the
man who had been scrubbing his sword in a relaxed manner, far from the violence he
had just shown earlier, replied without turning his head.

"Keep talking."

"……예?"

"Keep talking about the person behind you."

The man's voice was perfectly calm, but his sunken blue eyes gave off a terrifying
energy.

And Lucas found himself seized with a sense of déjà vu for no apparent reason.
Something was strange. I must have seen that madman somewhere before, but I can't
remember where. Where did you see it?

That's how Lucas struggled for a while in an unknown sense of déjà vu, which brought
about bad results for him. Finally, after wiping the blade clean, the man carefully put
the blood-soaked handkerchief down on the corner of the desk, and then he raised
his long leg and kicked him in the stomach.

puck!
With the pain of regurgitation of organs in his stomach, Lucas finally realized where
he had seen the man who looked like a black panther who had gone mad. A scream of
pain and an almost screaming agony burst out of his mouth.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

"I think I told you not to think about it and not to see it in your dreams. What if you get
caught one more time?"

A moment of silence passed. While Lucas froze, recalling a nightmare from about
three years ago, the man who could no longer be called a child stood staring down at
him with a clean, shiny sword slung over one shoulder.

Lucas felt cold sweat running down his spine as he shrank his body under the blue
eyes that contained no emotion. It was like a herbivore that instinctively froze in front
of a carnivore. It was not at all difficult for him to instinctively realize that the madman
in front of him could take his life more easily than a child could tear off the wings of a
dragonfly.

"Go on. Why are you babbling?"

The young man's face was eerily calm.

The inside of the gambling hall, which had been quite lively with five boys and cheerful
dancers just a moment ago, was now enveloped in a solemn and melancholy
atmosphere comparable to that of the confessional room in the central church. Only
the sound of someone carefully swallowing dry saliva echoed faintly in the middle of
the thin ice-like silence.

Elias was just staring blankly at his brother with his pupils shaking helplessly, thinking
that it would be nice if the guild(?) members would stop looking at him with such
expressions.

On the other hand, Jeremy's eyes, intently facing such a younger brother, were colder
than frost.

"Isn't that what you meant to hang? It's a crossbow that looks familiar to you."
“……Did he tell his brother?”

How many seconds had passed in the brutal silence, like the eve of a storm. Jeremy,
who had just watched her with an expressionless face, finally took action at Elias'
stupid question. To be precise, without warning, she raised her hand and smacked her
brother in the head.

puck! Udangtang!

With a loud noise, suppressed screams erupted here and there as a sign that Elias
had fallen from the chair. The dancers screamed and ran out, while the rest of the
boys hurriedly got up and retreated awkwardly to one side of the wall.

Elias, who was seized with pain that made him think that his skull had caved in,
squeezed out his tears and stood up. No, she was trying to get up. It would have
worked had it not been for Jeremy, who had come this way, kicking him out of the blue
once again.

Puck, Puck! Courage!

As a result, Elias rolled on the floor, seized with a pain that was difficult to express in
human language. A faint moan escaped her half-open mouth.

"Ughueueek...."

“I told you to get up and sit down.

It was Jeremy who was very gentle with the subject of randomly kicking people like an
asshole.

And Elias was very aware of the fact that it was most dangerous when his brother
showed such an inconsistent side. If we continue like this, we may not be able to see
the sun rising tomorrow morning.

It was then that the half-open door burst open and someone else entered. Prince
Letran, who was restlessly stepping back toward the wall, raised his head and looked
at the doorway with an expression as if some kind of savior had appeared. Then, the
gold eyes with a pale blue tint widened to the size of a saucer in astonishment.
"Nora hyung? Why are you coming out of there again...?"

Nora didn't answer that stupid question, of course. Instead, he gestured toward the
other three boys, who were huddled in a corner and whitewashed. It was a signal to
turn off if you want to live.

In response to this resolute banquet, the three children from the noble family rushed
to the door as if their buttocks were on fire. It was painful to leave the gold coins and
trinkets piled up on the table, but it was a very cheap price for his life. According to
common sense, wouldn't it be much wiser to go home and sleep when they let go than
to deal with two wild beasts that are feverishly hot?

Prince Letran tried to move clumsily, as if he were included in the banquet, but his
cousin's demon-like figure raised his thick eyebrows as if to ask him to do it, and he
stopped and stayed there calmly.

Meanwhile, Jeremy turned away from his rolling brother and picked up a crossbow
that lay on the side of the table.

"Explain."

It was an eerie tone, as if he were going to use the two boys as practice targets. Elias,
who was breathing in pain, and Prince Letran, who was standing awkwardly with an
expression as if he had witnessed the destruction of the world, exchanged grim
glances side by side.

Now, when they blamed each other for their carelessness, it was nothing more than a
fratricide. One of the young men who broke in and turned the game upside down was
Elias' older brother, and the other was Letran's cousin. And the two young men did not
have a very mild reputation.

The first to speak was Prince Letran. Letran was terrified, but in the meantime, he
spoke in a determined voice that did not lose his pride as an imperial descendant.

“There is no need to report to the Lords about my hobbies, right?”

With a loud thud, the crossbow was slammed onto the table. Needless to say, both
Letran, who bravely reminded him of his position, and Elias, who had pinned a sliver of
hope on him, all flinched at his shoulders.
It was then that Nora, who had pulled up a chair and looked at the betting tables
spread out on the table with interest, opened her mouth. She murmured most calmly,
no, bleakly, placing her hand on the arm of her best friend, who was staring at the two
immature boys at any moment.

"You seem not to be aware of the situation you are in right now. Your Highness Letran,
don't you really know that a little boy who gathers the second sons of high-ranking
families every night and flirts with them can be accused of treason?"

"Rebel, such a grandiose..."

"What do you think would happen if I told the emperor that the second prince or
something like this had a secret meeting in the presence of the crown prince? Doesn't
he have that much of a brain, or did he get stained by that stone head?"

At this extremely cold, insulting, and down-to-earth blow, Letran's face instantly turned
earthy. It was the same for Elias, who was treated like a stone head that even dyed the
prince.

Nora let out a short sigh at those belated figures who figured out the situation.

“Now, Your Highness has a choice: either inform the imperial palace as it is, or have it
explode from me.”

"That, but..."

"First, let's explain how you started this gathering."

It was more like a threat than an appeasement, but Letran was already acutely aware
that he had no choice. In addition, the opponent was his cousin, the Prince of
Nuremberg. Aside from the fact that he was a ruthless human enough to hunt eagles
in front of members of the imperial family, even he, the prince, was not in a position to
be treated carelessly. So, after a moment of hesitation, the immature prince scratched
his head and began to speak obediently.

"I didn't start with any bad intentions... By the way, I brought this friend in. So..."
Elias was very impressed with that heartbreaking plea to seek mercy from his guild
members like a model guild leader, but the two knights were not very impressed. Nora
tutted and clicked her tongue while she twitched her eyebrows, with a look that
Jeremy saw all the fuck in her.

“Does this look like a friendship game situation?”

"Oh, no. So, at first, I just wanted to make some friends... To do that, I thought I needed
to know what's trending these days..."

"That's why you snooped around the gambling house."

"I didn't really mean to do it, I just watched it a few times out of curiosity... Then my
older brother, my older brother, caught me."

"……."

"As you know, I'm not very close with my older brother, but... my older brother said he
wouldn't tell my mother, and if he was going to do it, he introduced me to a safe place.
That's why it's the complete opposite of plotting a rebellion."

“Did you have any doubts about why the crown prince personally introduced the
gambling hall to His Highness?”

To this extremely pitiful question, Letran hesitated for a moment, then suddenly
replied in a tone full of resentment.

"I know that I'm being treated like a nerd anyway. So, I wanted to try something that
would allow my older brother to weave. As the person who introduced me to this place
is my older brother..."

"So, did you believe that the crown prince would readily admit the truth once this
terrible night expedition was uncovered? Would your aunt or uncle be willing to
believe only your highness' claims?"

"It's not like that... it's just like, embarrassing, but I think it was the urge to test the two
of you one last time."
Jeremy was now looking at Letran with a very speculative expression on his face. It
was the same with Nora, who was looking at all these fools.

"I don't understand very well, but His Highness Theobald would have been able to
calculate even such an obvious thought. Didn't you think that?"

"……."

“So what were you going to do if you tried it for the last time and it went bad?

"……."

"Did you think that someone would feel sorry for and apologize for playing like this
here? Did you hope for that and develop such a bad habit? A person called the prince
of a country?"

Letran made no reply to his cold cousin's pressing. It was pitiful to see him lowering his
head with his round eyes wide open.

At that time, Jeremy, who had been listening silently, changed the topic. That is, she
turned the arrow.

“Shuri cried because of you.”

Elias' face, which had been stinging with tears as he slowly raised himself up, suddenly
turned red. Although she was already blushing thanks to her flirtation a little while
ago.

"That, that's..."

"Are you trying to hand over the crossbow you received as a gift to the gambling
board when it's hard to take care of it? Are you still a human being?"

"...that doesn't mean much to him anyway."

It would have been better if he just kept his mouth shut. And that wasn't a very wise
choice. Whirik, a flying gold coin hit his forehead beautifully.

Fuck!

It was to the point where I wondered if my real skull would split at this rate.

"Are you saying that right now?!"

"Kwaaaagh! Uh, he only needs a hyung anyway! Neither does hyung!"

What kind of bullshit is this again? As Jeremy glared at her bewildered face, Elias, now
weeping at her, began screaming at her as if in spite of her.

"Honestly, hyung really thinks he's like a mother?! No way! I know why hyung doesn't
meet anyone, why he doesn't even think about getting married, and what kind of eyes
he looks at him! Everything, everyone talks like that! He If it wasn't for Do hyung, he
wouldn't have tried to cancel the marriage I had with my father like that three years
ago!

There was silence for a while. Prince Letran looked at the two brothers alternately with
a puzzled look on his face as if he couldn't understand what he was talking about. On
the other hand, Nora stared at her friend with expressionless eyes that could not tell
her thoughts.

Jeremy froze for a moment, then came to his senses as the fierce fire slowly began to
boil from within. The sound of what Elias had just said cut through a corner of his
chest like a sharp knife, but at the same time, a greater rage overshadowed it all.

No matter what anyone said, Shuri was 'mother' to him. From the moment he decided
to accept it three years ago until now, he has never had a vain thought. No, he tried
not to bear… … .

He knew all too well what she was willing to sacrifice to protect his future, and he knew
only too well that it was only right to have an equally pure heart in return for that pure
affection.

But that stupid younger brother dared to touch the sanctuary.

“Does your eyes only see it that way?”

"I-I..."

"I always knew you were the stupidest of us, but I never thought you'd be stupid
enough to take the word of those who want to attack us anyway. Have you ever
seriously thought about what kind of heart you're holding on to? You really don't know
that you're not worth teasing with your tongue like that, don't you?"

"……."

"You crazy bastard, I wondered what the hell was going on in your head, but you only
had delusions like that? So, while you were delusional alone, did you get angry and
take out your anger on your mother, who is undeserving of us? You'd rather come to
me and argue. Did you, then? Huh?"

Jeremy's voice, which he spit out as if chewing and spitting it out, was dripping cold in
contrast to the blazing dark green eyes.

A hiccup leaked out of Elias's mouth at the overwhelming killing force that pressed
him tightly in all directions. I tried to say it wasn't like that, but it was like that when it
comes to facts, so I had nothing to say. She thought she hadn't done much wrong, but
now she certainly felt that she had done something terribly wrong.

"I-I'm so..."

"Okay, you crossed the line on three occasions with this. One for dabbing in gambling,
one for trying to hand over a present from your mother, and one for listening to
others insulting her."

“……Heeep, geup.”

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't take care of you so that I wouldn't dare mess
with you for a while."

"……."
This time, the desperate gaze of Elias, who was truly beleaguered, turned to Letran.
However, Letran was also in no position to be of any help. Far from helping, the
appearance of her eyes glancing at the terrifying figure of her older cousin with
shrunken eyes was the exact same color of green on one side or the other.

***

A swordsmanship competition held during the last two days of the National
Foundation Festival. The preliminary and main rounds were held on the first day, and
the semi-finals and finals were held on the second day.

Should I say it was the first morning, no, dawn of the swordsmanship competition, a
literal ultra-special event that anyone between the ages of 16 and 29 who had the
coming-of-age ceremony could attend?

"Guys……?"

As usual, I opened my eyes early and was about to have a cup of coffee, but our
faithful Robert came to me with a very unusual expression. I went straight to the first
floor, wanting to know what was going on, and I saw her eldest son and her friend
sleeping peacefully, unaware of the world, spread out on the huge carpet sofa in the
hall leading to the drawing room. I don't know why these two guys are sleeping
stretched out here.

According to the testimonies of the family knights with shaking pupils, they saw the
return of Elias, who sneaked out again last night, but did not see these two come in.
Hmmm, is that really the case?

Anyway, I still had a lot of time before the game started, so it would be fine if I let her
sleep a little longer. I don't know what he was doing on the eve of this important day!
After all, boys!

Unlike Jeremy, who was lying in a relatively comfortable position hugging a cushion at
home, Nora, who was stretched out with one arm drooping to the floor, looked rather
uncomfortable.

If you sleep with the armrest like that, your neck will hurt later. Moreover, wouldn't it be
embarrassing if such an unfortunate incident occurred on an important day like
today? So I picked up another cushion and cautiously approached it. It seems that
neither of them has changed at all from when they were children.
"헛!"

… … Correct. It's clear that I haven't changed, not these guys. Originally, it's always the
style that I can't wake up until coffee is in the morning, but I never thought I would step
on the hem of my robe and create a bare-headed figure!

I reflexively closed my eyes at the feeling of my body leaning forward, then slowly
opened my eyes at the firm feeling that touched my face.

The thump, thump, and the sound of my heart beating came very vividly. As I
happened to have buried my face in Nora's chest, while I was still frozen for a moment,
the victim of the sudden attack let out a sound like a sigh in his sleep, then lifted one
arm from the bottom of the sofa and put it on her chest. To be precise, it slung over
my shoulder.

… … I don't know what people would think if they saw me now. I couldn't tell who exactly
the thumping, thumping sound of my pulse was. It was the moment of near-miss, when
all kinds of thoughts popped into my head. If I move to get rid of my body like this, I
think this guy will open his eyes right away, but what if he finds my awkward
appearance and seriously misunderstands something? No, Nora wouldn't mistake me
for something like that... … But what if you don't know? maybe good

Anyway, it's surprising that this guy's chest is this wide. I have to cancel the saying that
nothing has changed since I was young. His shoulders are also incredibly broad... …
Big, what am I thinking!

"Um..."

While I was struggling in a dilemma alone like that, Jeremy, who had been sleeping on
one side of the sofa hugging a cushion, turned over. As soon as he opened his eyes, I
jumped up. Naturally, Nora also opened her eyes. The green eyes and blue eyes full of
drowsiness seemed to look around for a moment as if they were confused, then
hurriedly headed to me as I was tidying up my hair.

"Hey Shuri. Good morning."

"Hello, older sister. You look like you've seen something I couldn't bear to see."
Fortunately, my ugliness from a moment ago seems to be buried as my own secret. I
also greeted those nonchalant greetings face-to-face in the same way.

“What are the nobility youngsters doing here?”

"Oh, I went up to my room and tried to sleep, but I must have stretched out here in the
middle."

Jeremy, who scratched his golden hair in response, yawned. Eolssigu, there is no lion
sunbathing.

"If you're going to sleep a little longer, go up and sleep. It's still a good time."

"I'm more hungry than that. Ah, I think I'm going to die of hunger."

"I don't know how long it's been since I've been so hungry."

I don't know what the hell they did last night, but anyway, I was shocked to see the two
staring at me with sad eyes like puppies that had starved for a day or three. no, are
these real?

"Please wash up and come out."

Keuheuk, as expected, I'm too weak to get rid of it.

By the time the two friendly rivals came out, fresh from sleep and with their hair
dripping wet, the other children also got up and came out one by one. The twins
seemed a little surprised to see Nora wandering around our mansion in the morning,
but they didn't really ask.

Come to think of it, when Nora is around, both Leon and Rachel seem strangely more
polite than usual... … No, it would have been more correct to say that he seemed to be
curiously observing rather than being deliberately polite. I don't know what's so
strange about it.

"Older brother, then, which of the older brother and that older brother won the
trophy? Is that the older brother?"
"You're hurting my heart, sweet little brother. Of course I'm picking on you! This asshole
is no match for me."

"That's what I'm going to say. Don't cry over losing, you pesky kitty."

“Mom, is that Confucius as old as your older brother?”

"Well, wouldn't it be advantageous to be a little more humble?"

At those words I spit out with a grin at Rachel, Jeremy immediately put on a very
humble expression, and then with one hand pressed down on the hind leg of the roast
pork with one hand and pulled it out through the barrel. Then she had her hind legs
taken away by her Nora, who was no less modest than him. Hey, these! Did even a
starving ghost cling to it!

"But is Elias still sleeping?"

When I muttered a question about the troublesome second son who showed no signs
of showing up even though it was almost breakfast time, Leon, who was pouring syrup
into the center of the round pancake, gave it a violent slap.

"I'm sure not? But Mom, my little brother seems to be sick."

"Sick? Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Anyway, I saw earlier that he was pretending to die in bed."

“I guess he had a fun night with another young lady. Anyway, I don’t know who the little
brother looks like and that’s how he got to that point.”

Rachel clicked her tongue and spat out those words as if lamenting.

The tiger also comes when I say it, and just then the second son in question entered
the restaurant.
"Good morning. Please sit down."

Trying not to recall the friction from a few days ago, I greeted her as brightly as
possible, and Elias, who had been approaching with a strangely hesitant gait, stopped
with a shrug of his shoulder. Then she mumbled in a muffled tone.

"...Uh, good morning."

what else is this He's not a great man to be embarrassed about having a fight with me.
After all, did you go to his gambling house again last night and incur a significant
loss? Is it like that? No, if it's something like that, he's the guy who'll do his best not to
show it again... … .

While I squinted my eyes, Elias approached the table with a truly awkward gait, but
quietly sat down with great caution, as if he was reluctant to all contact.

Not only that, but he didn't say anything when he saw Nora sitting across from Jeremy
at the table and enjoying the food amicably. Both me and the twins naturally tilted
their heads at the suspicious appearance that was not like him.

"Where are you sick?"

dory dory. As soon as he carefully asked, Elias shook his head and certainly didn't
seem to have a fever or illness. She must have had a bad night's sleep, although her
eyes were bloodshot red, but apart from looking a bit haggard, her face was okay. She
just seemed a bit uncomfortable somewhere... … .

It was then that Jeremy, who was about to bite into the crispy bread, suddenly cleared
his throat.

Jeremy doesn't pay attention to his younger brother's suspicious appearance, which is
not usual, and just clicks his tongue in a pathetic way.

“Why are you eating porridge from morning?

"I didn't expect to be treated as a guest by your brother. It seems like it's a new protest
against me."
At that remark, which the two knights, who did not seem to have lost their appetite at
all, exchanged food and exchanged food, Elias shrugged his shoulders again instead
of snarling as usual, but then slowly turned his head to look at me. And I became more
and more curious. It's really strange. Did it really hurt anywhere?

"Elias? What's wrong? Did something go wrong?"

“What, little brother, did you get kicked by someone last night?”

Elias didn't get angry despite Rachel's obvious scolding. She instead just opened her
watery mouth as she lowered her bloodshot eyes.

"...... No. I'm really fine. It's because the dream seat is a bit wild."

It would be fortunate if that was really the case, but the unusually decent appearance
was so suspicious that it was amazing. Anyway, I didn't ask any more questions, so I
went on eating without asking any more questions. uhh, i don't know Let's empty our
mind for a moment, empty it.

"I'll let you hear my roar! See you later, Shuri. Wish me luck."

"It's not a roar, it's a scream! Thank you for the meal, sister. Please cheer me on too."

The two guys, who will be playing the finals amicably tomorrow, left a kiss on my cheek
with such a lively greeting, and after leaving for the stadium, I also started preparing
to go to watch the game. Anyway, today is only the obvious preliminaries and finals,
but... … .

The number of participants in the swordsmanship competition was truly enormous,

but during the preliminaries, a large number of them fell away, and during the finals,
they were bound to fall further. Those who made it to the semifinals were mostly
promising knights or famous fighters from abroad.

From there, if you go through the semi-finals and make it to the final finals, whether
you win or not, you can already say that your future as a knight is solid.
It was no wonder that people were so upset when they ended up in a draw in such a
showdown. It would have been the same this time too.

Could it be? Maybe it's because it's changed so much from the past I remember, but
I'm not even sure about this. But what was certain was that he would be genuinely
happy whether Jeremy or Nora became the owner of the winning trophy. Cancer, one
is our pretty older son and the other is… … .

"Come on, Shuri."

Oh, what a surprise. Just as I was about to enter my living quarters, Elias, who was not
sure when he had arrived, grabbed me cautiously. There was still a little bit left until
the coming-of-age ceremony, but the immature son, who had already grown as much
as a tolerable young man, was hesitating uncharacteristically with his eyes down to
the floor.

"What do you need, Elias?"

"No. It's not like that... I just wanted to talk to you for a moment."

The dead voice was very unfamiliar. No matter where her usual confidence had gone,
even her droopy shoulders made her look pitiful. So I nodded and led him to my
quarters.

"So, what's wrong? Are you really sick?"

I pretended to sit down, but Elias did not sit down. Instead, she stood there, wondering
what was so troubling, rolling her bloodshot eyes.

The bright sunlight coming through the window was dyeing his red hair tied like a
colt's tail.

"That's... Shuri."

"응?"

"That's, so... I, I mean..."

What the hell are you putting in so much time for? After all, did you really play a big
surprise last night?

“……I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

Needless to say, for a moment I doubted my ears. Elias glanced at my expression and
took a long breath while I literally went into a state of flawless ice.

“So what I said to you… I know it was stupid. I didn’t mean it.

"……."

"And, uh, I really started doing it just for fun, but I didn't know I'd get into it that
deeply... Anyway, we all swore never to gamble again. Plus, the owner of that gambling
house ran away at night... ."

"They ran away at night? My brother?"

The words flowed out in a daze, in a feeling of bewilderment and disbelief. Elias
nodded vigorously at her neck.

"Uh. I'm not quite sure, but it must have had something to do with the leaf bank.
Anyway, it's gone too, and we're all too stumped to continue doing that..."

If it wasn't sponsored by anyone, but it was an act like my stupid brother, if it was a
gambling house that was entangled with the notorious Leaf Bank for private loans.

So, is this all just a coincidence? Like Nora said?

If the fact that the owner of the gambling house, where the 2nd prince and Elias came
and went in unity, was none other than my brother, if it was just a coincidence, then it
would be a wonderful coincidence.

But out of all those coincidences, how many coincidences feel this creepy? Why can't I
just believe that story? As if it was cleverly concocted... … .
“Anyway, I’m sorry for worrying you. What upset you… I was like, uh, embarrassing, but I
guess I just wanted to try something.”

"exam?"

“That…that, no matter what accident I have, you will still accept me…”

Aigoo, you bastard! What is to be said in response to these confessions? Seeing my

bewildered expression, the guy rushed to add.

"I know it's pathetic! Just looking back now, I think it was like that... To be honest, I'm
not as dependable to you as my older brother, but I'm past the age of fooling around
like twins..."

“Even when you were only Leon, you were far from being jae-rong.”

Elias, lost for words, blinked dumbfoundedly while blushing. A smile leaked out.

"Elias. I don't expect you to be like your older brother or like your twin. You have your
own strengths."

"……Do you really think so?"

"Of course, who else could turn my insides up like this? I still vividly remember running
away at night to pick flowers for you to give me."

Elias wanted to stare at me with blank eyes for a moment, but then started laughing
self-deprecatingly.

I too laughed out loud.

"Anyway, as long as you don't even think of the gambler anymore, I won't ask for
anything more."
"I won't even think about it. I won't even see it in my dreams."

Well, I don't think about it, and I don't see it in my dreams, I think I've heard it a lot. who
said it... … ?

"That's fortunate, but when did you, the prince, become so close? Did you really make
up your mind and set up a guild?"

Certainly, in the past, Elias had been punching the second prince just this year. But
now, the two of them were guild members (?). It is similar to how Jeremy and Nora, who
were originally rivals of fate, became best friends.

"It's not that I'm in a guild... I just happened to look at it, and it's surprisingly kind.
They're about the same age and in a similar situation..."

“Are you in a similar situation?”

“You mean having an unlucky older brother?”

Elias added a playful smile. It was a mischievous laugh that seemed a bit normal now.

So I went straight to the next question.

"So what really happened last night?"

"……."

Chapter 8 - Lies for you

I knew it from the time I started talking about the leaf bank. I did make it look pretty
cool though. As a result, Elias really didn't seem to know who exactly my brother was
running the gambling house for, and what had happened by now.
However, considering all the circumstances, it seemed that it had something to do
with the crown prince. Because the person who introduced the gambling hall to the
second prince was said to be the crown prince. In any case, only two of them would
know the definitive answer. Those two guys who broke into my brother's gambling
house the day before the swordsmanship competition.

After listening to Elias' brief summary of that night, I laughed out loud. Aside from the
fact that Nora told Jeremy about Elias' hobbies, what were they thinking?

Besides, why did he try to keep Elias completely silent while I didn't know about it?
Then it dawned on me that I, too, had tried to keep Elias' hobbies a secret from
Jeremy. Yeah, I guess we're all doggins.

"Ah, anyway, you can't tell my brother that I told you. Then I'm really going to die. This
time, I'm really going to die."

“Why do you die?

"No! I'm not fine! Only my face is fine!"

The look of Elias desperately pleading was pitiful. Well, it's rare for this guy to be
beaten by Jeremy, but it seems that the events of the night before have been
engraved as a terrible nightmare. Elias asked me what the hell she had been through.
Elias said she was reliving the nightmare, eyes as if she had seen the destruction of
the world, and she said that she probably wouldn't be able to sit properly for a week
or so. Tsk tsk.

Anyway, contrary to Elias' worries, I didn't have the slightest intention of arguing with
those two over this matter. of course. It was obvious to me that they would have
planned this kind of secret aftermath to keep me from paying attention.

… … To be honest, I was a little impressed. To Jeremy and to Nora. especially to Nora.

Unlike Jeremy, Nora wasn't even Elias's brother (actually, Elias was just a nuisance to
Nora), and in a way, she was in a position to wield the gamble as an opportunity to
dampen the spirits of the royal family and other families once and for all. . Even so, he
made such an effort.

Come to think of it, I feel like I've been obsessed with Nora until now. From the first
meeting until now. In contrast, I... … .
I thought while holding the croquis book that Nora had given me. What connection
could there be between Theobald and my brother? If the one who really supported my
brother was Theobald, what on earth did he want to do such a thing?

It wasn't entirely unpredictable. Several speculations arose at once. Had things gone
wrong, it would have been a great opportunity to break the influence of the
aristocrats. But for some reason, I had a hunch that that wasn't the only purpose.

At this point, the image of Theobald in me was far different from before. The aspects
she had seen so far, the stories Nora had briefly confided in, and this incident,
combined, made her no longer considered an innocent and upright person.

Jeremy and Nora. Elias and Letran. Originally, the guys who were no different from
Cheolcheon's enemies were getting along well, and only Theobald, who was originally
by Jeremy's side, was alone.

… … Why do I keep eating my flesh?

Anyway, in the drawer of my study, the diamond necklace Theobald had sent me as a
birthday present was still there. I'll have to find a way to return it safely as soon as
possible.

***

Fish were splashing on the sparkling surface of the Danube River, which flowed under
a thick stone bridge made of marble and granite.

Someone said that the scenery of the Danube at sunset is the most beautiful. That was
right. In this state, it certainly doesn't look like all the corpses from brothels and opium
dens are thrown away. A bard said that if he counted all the corpses that flowed down
the Danube, he wouldn't even have a chance to sing a song. So the corpse the two
threw here last night would be one of those common fish meals.

Even if he survived, he was a man with no use value at all. It was not even a tool that
could be used to bind the crown prince. Rather, if he was spared, there was a greater
chance that he would become an afterthought in the future.
And Jeremy wasn't the type to get weak even if the other person claimed to be his
maternal uncle. For her, the existence of a relative to him was always worse than not
being there. Not to mention, it's not really blood-mixed. If left alive, it was trash that
would make Shuri suffer.

Jeremy pondered that thought and glanced at the face of his friend standing beside
him. After the final match a little while ago, the two friends had arrived here amicably,
as if they had promised. Green is said to be the same color, but it seems that they had
similar thoughts... … .

“Are you still showing signs of sleepwalking?”

"Uh. I need to get better quickly, but I'm worried."

"Your brother will be a bit more awake, so maybe that'll help."

“If he is the cause of the disease, he should have been beaten more.”

"It's a shame. But what your stupid brother is talking about isn't just bullshit."

Jeremy naturally twitched his eyebrows at those words that Nora suddenly added
while standing with her arms crossed on the railing and staring at the flowing river
with somewhat bitter eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sounds about Shuri-noona and you."

For a moment, Jeremy looked suspicious that his best comrade was drugged. He knew
that there were cheaters who secretly sucked pills before competitions. no way… … ?

However, Nora's deep blue eyes staring at her with her head languidly turned were
sharp, not too bright for someone drunk with drugs. She was piercingly sharp.

"The fact that such words are being circulated in secret means that someone is
determined and arrogant..."
"I don't know what crazy bitches are plotting such tricks, but as soon as they get
caught, I'll rip off their legs and kill them."

"It's only the sea that I'm willing to encourage, isn't that what I'm curious about?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Is what your brother said yesterday complete bullshit?"

Uncharacteristically for this unexpected surprise, Jeremy froze on the spot for a
moment. He was literally seized with astonishment. The gaping mouth froze.

"what……."

"I just wanted to ask for sure."

If the opponent had been another human, he would have already been preyed on by
Jeremy as one of the fish down the river by now. But at this moment, Jeremy was
strangely immobilized. It was to the point where I couldn't even speak. Like a person
caught off guard at an unexpected moment, like a person who sees through
something... … .

"Honestly, hyung really thinks he's like a mother?! No way! I know why hyung doesn't
meet anyone, why he doesn't even think about getting married, and what kind of eyes
he looks at him! Everyone is talking like that!"

As he recalled Elias' nonsense, a shadow passed over Jeremy's face for the first time.
The creeping suspicion gradually turned into a lump of fear.

"You too... have you been thinking that way? Do you believe in such nonsense..."

"It doesn't matter what I think, it matters what you think. I have no doubts about how
Noona treats you. What I'm curious about is your heart."
"Damn, did you really spin?! What the hell are you asking me that question?!"

“Because you are my friend.”

Nora, who responded calmly, now crossed her arms and turned fully to face Jeremy. In
response, Jeremy stopped extending his hand as if to grip her best friend's neck.

"What..."

"And my next move will depend on that friend's mindset."

There was silence for a while. Nora stood there with a relatively calm expression on
her face while Jeremy blinked his dark green eyes and tried to understand what it
meant. These were the words that finally rang out after a long period of silence like a
plate of thin ice.

"What bullshit?"

This extremely dumb question gave Nora a pitiful look that made the other person feel
quite ashamed, which made Jeremy feel pretty bad.

"Where's the point if I tell you to understand a little bit?!"

"You have to make sure, you stupid lynx bastard! I don't know who is the younger
brother and not the older brother, so the brothers are in pairs..."

“Ah, why are you suddenly attacking people and fucking!”

"I won't hesitate to do anything for that sister, just like I've always done. But if you
suddenly become a variable in the middle, that's a pretty troublesome problem."

Silence fell once again. This time the silence was closer to astonishment. Nora didn't
use any plain, old-fashioned expressions like 'I'm in love' or 'I'm in love', but in the end, it
was no different than what she said, and Jeremy understood it that way.
“You… so I…”

"You may be family to my sister, but I am not. That doesn't mean I can't just watch you
dragging my sister down the mud. So tell me clearly here."

At this point, it was right that he had been properly understood. Jeremy involuntarily
let her moan out and bit her lip softly. It's all because of this stupid bastard. If it hadn't
been for his younger brother, who was no one else, who hadn't stirred up his insides
with such nonsense... … .

It shouldn't have been shaking like this.

I decided to accept you as a family. I decided to accept her as my mother. Still, it was
not his intention to meet her as his step-mother among so many women. It didn't
happen because he wanted to. Nevertheless, fate has erected a wall between them
that will never be broken. And if that wall collapsed, both sides would be crushed to
death. But, and yet... … .

Why are there no words coming out? Why can't I just shoot them to say something
crazy?

After a few hesitations, the words finally came out, almost clawing at the throat.
Jeremy exhaled, drawing in her breath at the thrill. if, if... … .

"What if...if both I and she want the same thing?"

It was a voice that sounded strangely desperate. To this, Nora raised her thick
eyebrows and writhed in reply.

"Do you need a guard dog to guard the lion's den? I'll gladly guard it. If that's really
what your sister wants."

"..."

"But if that's not the case, it's going to be the other way around."

silence. It was static again. On the evening of the first day of the swordsmanship
competition, on a bridge across the Danube in a pink twilight, the two young men
faced each other like that, engulfed in silence for a long time. Like little boys who lost
their way back home, like boys who are endlessly waiting for someone to pick them up.

The first to speak was the black-haired knight. Her blue eyes, which were swaying like
strong waves, wanted to close tightly for a moment, then she met her friend's green
eyes, shining cheerfully as if they had never happened.

"Okay then, see you tomorrow in the finals."

Jeremy didn't say anything. As if nothing had happened just moments ago, she
greeted her cheerfully and just stared at her friend's back as she turned around.

***

“If someone like you had been my father or brother, a lot would have been different.”

When I was still 14 years old and newly married, I was quite talkative back then.

"Seriously. Of course, I wouldn't have met you if I had."

Rather than being particularly talkative, I think she was just like any other normal girl
her age. Lying with her head slightly turned to the side, listening to my chatter, her
husband pulled a blanket over her and put it over my neck.

“Assuming that, what do you think you would have been doing by now?”

"Well, um, I think I have a lot of talent, but I'm not sure what I was doing. Maybe I was
preparing for a socialite debut like the girls from other families."
"It would have been nice to see you if you had debuted in the social world. I feel sorry
for the other guys."

"Don't make fun of me. Couldn't you tell me more about your first love? That person
who looks like me."

A typical lady would not beg her husband to tell him about his first love. However, the
relationship between me and my husband was quite different from that of a typical
married couple. And the story of her husband's first love was always limited to their
childhood. She never even said her name properly, let alone how she did it.

"I'll tell you later. I'm too tired today."

Avoidance of this kind was commonplace. As always, I nodded obediently and buried
my face in the pillow, then quietly whispered.

"Shall we sleep together?"

At that time, that word would pop out like a habit. Even though I don't want to, and I
know that he won't touch me unless I want to... … Fearing that I might be abandoned at
any time, fearing that I might be sent back to my terrible parental home, I often spit it
out without realizing it.

And each time he patted me on the shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"Thank you, but I'm fine."

He was at the same time the most Neubanstein-like and the least Neubanstein-like.
Uncharacteristically for the head of a family where hot-tempered blood is a trait, I've
only seen him angry twice. Once, when Elias left a scar on my back, and once... … .

"...!"

Eyes flashed open. I dreamed of the past again. This time, even after going back in
time, it was still a dream about the real past that hadn't changed. It's been a very long
time. I had a dream about Yochen.

There was a crackling sound and the sound of rain hitting the window. It was still
midnight, so it was all dark. Waking up in the middle of a dream has been quite rare
lately. what woke me up... … ?

"……Ugh!"

I didn't want to hear the sound of the rain, so I half-raised my body to draw the
curtains thicker. I almost gave up on my liver from one of the big guys sitting on a
chair right next to the bed. No, this son of a bitch... … ?!

"Jeremy? What are you doing here?"

“……Ah, sorry. Are you awake?”

Jeremy must have sat there and started to doze off for a while. I don't know what this
guy is about to come into my quarters and watch over his bed. As if they were spying
on me... … .

"Did you have a bad dream? Why are you here?"

"Uh, that's right. I had a bad dream."

"What dream was it?"

"A dream in which you run away."

It's such a great nightmare. I sat up with a weak smile. Dark green eyes that shimmered
faintly in the air in the dim room stared into my eyes. It was the same eyes as someone
in the dream.

"It's fine?"

"I guess that's the question I have to ask. Tomorrow is the final, what if I'm here like
this?"

“They say true knights aren’t bound by sleep.”

“Then I might lose to Nora.”

It was half a joke, but Jeremy didn't laugh for some reason. Instead, she stared intently
at me with strangely sunken eyes and said: To be precise, she raised one hand
abruptly and asked.

"Shuri, I have to ask you this. Where the hell did you get this from?"

Looking at the dazzling white diamond necklace even in the dark, I fell into serious
thought for a moment.

Now, can I take on the role of being angry with the eldest son for going after his
mother's library? I can't believe this guy rummaged through my study in the middle of
the night... … He wasn't the kind of kid to do that. But there's no way I could have
brought that.

Suddenly, the nape of my neck felt cold. In the past, I thought there was no
resemblance at all except for the looks, but this time, I thought that it was a non-
electronic battle.

"you……."

I was about to ask how he had it, but his voice fell silent. That's not the point. So that's
not what's important. Don't you know very well that even if you listen to such a thing,
you are just trying to avoid the core of the problem.
Jeremy was still sitting there, still, staring intently at me. The emerald eyes, sunk in the
dark, felt terribly familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. In the meantime, the
diamond necklace in his hand was emitting a leisurely white light. The platinum string,
the twelve diamonds drooping down, and the small hanging white eagle decoration
flashed as if they were sending a meaningful signal. Breathing quickened, and the next
moment the words came out.

“I was going to send it back quietly without anyone knowing. I don’t know what the
Crown Prince was thinking when he sent me such a grandiose gift, but it’s not
something I should have and it doesn’t mean anything to me. I didn't say anything, so I
really don't understand at all what they were thinking, sending something like that, but
what should I do if they sent it on their own? Anyway, I've been thinking about whether I
did something misleading on my side, but I just..."

“……Wait, wait.”

“Of course, it might seem suspicious since it happened three years ago, but as you
know, I stopped caring about that for a long time.

"Shuri!"

If Jeremy, who was staring at my face with an indescribable expression, hadn't

shouted out of nowhere and grabbed my shoulder, I'd probably have been talking
nonsense all along, not knowing exactly what I was talking about. I felt like my body
flinched, but my breath caught in my throat.

"what's the matter?"

"……uh?"

"Why? Are you afraid of me?"

Are you scared... … ? Are you afraid of our Jeremy?

I caught my breath and blinked my eyes. The tongue that had been rolling wildly
became stiff as if it had suddenly hardened. I wanted the panic that had come so
quickly to go away gradually, and then I came to my senses. My God, what kind of
stupid shit is this? What the hell did I just say in front of my eldest son?
Jeremy opened his mouth again. Her soft, yet somehow unusual voice reached my
ears quietly.

"I know that the only person who can present something like this to you at will is the
Crown Prince. I just asked for confirmation."

"Ah, yes, I know. Of course I do."

I tried to smile awkwardly and turn my head, but Jeremy showed no sign of letting go
of my shoulder. She stared into my eyes with a look that seemed sharper than before,
and then asked a question I hadn't even thought of.

“Shuri, did my father ever do anything bad to you?”

… … what? I looked up blankly at her son's face, wondering what the hell kind of
question this was, and immediately shook her head resolutely.

"What are you talking about? It couldn't have been. As you know, your father..."

"I know what my father was like. And I know that people can't always be the same. So
tell me, has my father ever been mean to you or even stabbed you once?"

In the dark green eyes that slowly pressed forward, a spark that I had often seen
before flickered. I wonder how I looked before asking this question. More than that, I
couldn't even figure out why the hell I did it.

Maybe because of a dream I had a moment ago, I was confused about who the other
person was? It's unlikely, but even if I was confused, I don't know why such a panic
came. It was so long ago, and it's such a trivial thing that I don't even remember it
anymore.

It really wasn't a big deal. It was early in my marriage, I didn't know what to do with a
ruby bracelet that someone had sent me anonymously, so I just hid it in a drawer and
her husband just found it.

At that time, when I was married at a young age and didn't know what to do, I came to
realize that everything about me, and all my movements, big and small, had no choice
but to be heard by my husband's ears.
What kind of husband would be silent knowing that someone secretly sent such a gift
to his wife? I don't remember exactly what happened to her then, but it really wasn't a
big deal anyway... … .

"It couldn't have happened. Jeremy, your father was the most kind person to me. I don't
know why you're suddenly saying that, but I just..."

"..."

“I was taken aback for a moment, afraid that you would get mad again and try to
target His Highness’s molars.”

Jeremy didn't say anything. She seemed to be barely breathing. So I suffered from the
most extreme embarrassment. Hey, I heard you can't even drink cold water in front of
the kids. The memory of the children's father is in danger of being insulted thanks to
the foolish appearance that I unknowingly showed. How foolish is this?

"It's really just like that, so don't think strangely. More than that, how the hell did you
find that out?"

"You're going... no, I had some papers to look for, so I stopped by your study and found
it by chance."

After answering surprisingly quickly, he now frowned slightly and glared at the
necklace in his hand. It was the momentum to cut his line as it was.

“I think it would be better for me to return this.”

"Well, I don't think that's a very good idea..."

"Why? Do you think I'm really going to brush out his molars?"

"It's not like I don't have to worry about that at all."

"Don't worry, I'll politely return it. And I think it's better for me to return it than you. He's
so dark inside, you don't know what else he'll do."
It was a plausible statement. Wouldn't that be a real trouble if I tried to give it back
and caught someone else's attention? I was trying my best not to think about the
suspicion that Theobald might still have feelings for me, but whatever his real
intentions were, I had to cut them off without giving them the slightest chance.
Looking at the situation so far... … .

"Okay. Then go to sleep. Tomorrow is an important day. Let's discuss it after everything
is over."

As if he understood my meaning correctly, Jeremy still stared at my face for a moment

longer, but then he obediently stood up.

"Yes, Shuri."

"yes?"

“……Do you still think that we don’t care about what people other than us are talking
about?”

At this sudden question, I tilted my head for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

"Isn't that a word you often use too? Of course."

“……Yes. Okay. Good night, Shuri.”

The touch of your lips lightly touching your forehead is hot. After Jeremy left, I laid
back on the bed and closed my eyes.

I thought I was different from the past and now, but looking back now, it doesn't seem
like much has changed. The only thing that has changed is the relationship between
me and the people around me.

But no matter how changed, how could I ever tell Jeremy about everything between
me and my husband?
The reason Jochen married me was purely because I resembled his first love.
Moreover, I had not properly fulfilled my duties as her wife, and I could never have had
a good relationship with her children.

That's why there were many times when I was alone and restless even in trivial matters.
In anxiety of not knowing when she will be abandoned... … . It was so natural. Maybe
that's still the case, I didn't know.

***

On the last day of the swordsmanship competition, there were heavy dark clouds all
over as if it would rain at any moment from the morning. Just as I remember. And no
matter how gloomy the weather, the number of people who filled the bleachers and
the enthusiasm remained the same.

A total of four people attended the semi-finals. Jeremy, Nora, a warrior named the
Commander of the Royal Guard of Safavid, and a knight from the Teutonic Kingdom. It
was a game where two locals and two foreigners faced each other as if they had been
concocting and hitting. The semi-finals, which were organized in that way, ended
surprisingly quickly. I was a little surprised as the scenery was exactly as I remembered
it, but the audience in the Empire, who suddenly became ablaze with patriotism,
began to cheer like crazy. I am already worried about how much more fuss there will
be after the finals.

"Ma'am, listen to this. The cream puffs are very sweet."

These were the words of my former future daughter-in-law, Princess Heinrich, who
approached the seat where I was sitting. Her purple eyes seemed especially darker,
perhaps because she was wearing a purple gown. A pastel-colored cream puff cake
was placed on a tray in the hand of her maid, who was standing next to her.

"Thank you, young lady."

"I hope it suits your taste. My Maya is very good at it. By the way, who do you think will
be the final winner? After all, your wife will support your son, right?"

“It should be, but whoever wins should celebrate together.”

"I gave you a handkerchief to wish for Sir Jeremy's victory. So please cheer for your
son's victory."

While O'Hara spoke in a very charming tone, Rachel, who had been looking straight
ahead with an expressionless face, abruptly raised one hand and began to stir the air.
I tilted my head.

"Rachel? Why?"

"It's not a big deal, I keep hearing bullshit buzzing."

… … It seems that these two girls are the only ones among us who reproduce the bad
relationship of the past. It was no wonder that O'Hara, who had been in a sudden
quarrel, immediately raised her ax eye and began to stare at my daughter-in-law. But
when Rachel, foremost in her temper, shot her in the face, her expression instantly
changed to a submissive expression.

"Lady Rachel? Are you just talking about me?"

Rachel responded as if she had been waiting for this question. In other words, he gave
an alumni answer.

"Princess O'Hara, do you covet my mother?"

"……Yes?"

"I feel like you've been coveting my mother for some reason since last time. But not
only me, but my ignorant older brother loves my mother the most in the world, so it's
going to be a bit difficult for her to take it away. It won't work as much as a
handkerchief-like bribe. "

“……Puff!”

Leon, who had been sitting quietly and seemed to be analyzing the game with sharp
intellectual eyes, hurriedly covered his mouth and let out a suppressed laugh. On the
other hand, Elias, a self-proclaimed playboy of the world, showed a relatively dignified
response. She doesn't react right away by blaming her.
“If hyung becomes the final winner, I will take the jang in my hand. No, I will argue with
the gods who urged such a terrible ending. !"

"Elias. More than that, can't you have a little bit of a mindset that you will
wholeheartedly support your older brother for the glory of your family and family?"

“Why me?

"So you're rooting for Nora?"

"I'm crazy! If I had my birthday a few months earlier, I would have been there and
flattened both of their noses! Wouldn't I?"

To Elias's boastful words that would not even work, Leon only responded with a
laughable look. So Elias began pouting her mouth in a look of great displeasure.

It wasn't a sight worth seeing, so I hurriedly turned my gaze toward Princess Heinrich,
who was returning to her seat. Behind her came Rachel, who was flicking her tongue at
her, winking at her as her eyes met. Oh yeah, it became a bit like blaming me for
something.

The seats my family sat on were right below the seats of the imperial family and to the
left. It is a situation where I am sitting with foreign dignitaries including Prince Ali
Pasha. On the right side, the family of the Duke of Nuremberg were sitting. Unlike our
rather simple family, all of our blue-eyed relatives were sitting solemnly, one by one,
creating a scene that felt burdensome. Expectations are quite high as I am the only
great-grandson, but if I were Nora, I would feel a bit burdened... … .

"Even if our warriors are incomplete, they are still incomplete. Actually, I also wanted to
participate in this tournament, but I think it was good to make a promise for 4 years
later."

These were the words of Prince Ali, who was sitting in the audience right next to my
family, with bright yellow eyes. Since it is a tournament that can only be attended once
in a lifetime, it could be said that it was a wise move to not be swept away by the heat
and pledged for the future. Similarly, Rachel, who had been listening with her eyes
sparkling, smiled.

"I don't think the warriors of Safavid are left behind at all. I really want to see the
prince fighting."
"That's a very thankful word. Anyway, now that our knowledge is running out, we will
pray for the victory of the young lady's older brother."

Oh my gosh, I mean. I have to pay a moment of silence for that pitiful warrior who has
been criticized for being cold-married by the prince of his own country. Even reaching
the semi-finals is a great feat.

Anyway, as I remember, Prince Ali will not be able to attend the swordsmanship
competition four years from now. Because by that time, Safavid and our empire had
entered a state of cold war... … .

"I miss the old days when the imperial family competed in front."

I turned my head and glanced at the audience seat on the imperial side.

Prince Theobald, who was sitting right next to him, smiled with an embarrassing smile
at the remark the emperor, who was sitting solemnly at the top, clicked his tongue as if
he was really sorry. On the other hand, Prince Letran, who was sitting next to the
Empress, sniffed her nose as if he hadn't heard or didn't care, his eyes shining brightly.

"Nora will win. Wouldn't it be, Mama?"

"Be modest, prince. This mother doesn't want to cheer for her cheeky nephew or the
arrogant lion."

"Could Soja be able to attend there like Nora-hyung someday? If he tries harder in the
future."

“The mother of the lions who sits arrogantly over there must have a better sense of
taste than this mother, what do you think, Lady Neuwanstein?”

Indeed, she is our empress. At this point, the appearance of turning an arrow at me as
if I had been waiting for it feels like everyday life. I replied to Elisabeth, who was glaring
at me, glaring at me.

"There's nothing I can't do. His Highness Letran is still young and has great potential."
"Oh, do you really think so? Mrs. Neuwanstein says that Letran has potential, what do
you see, Your Majesty?"

The emperor, who had been drinking with dignity, had an expression that he had no
idea why the arrow was suddenly returning to him, but he responded very
benevolently nonetheless. So he said this.

“If the prince wants, he can give you a new swordsmanship teacher. Under the
condition that he doesn’t get hit in the middle.”

Elisabeth said nothing more while Prince Letran laughed. Instead, she covered her
mouth with a fan and smiled slightly at me. I also smiled as I tried to ignore Theobald's
staring gaze.

In the meantime, the sound of the horn announcing the end of the intermission
sounded powerfully, and with tremendous cheers, the curtain of the final finals that
everyone had been waiting for finally opened. Two knights stood simultaneously on
top of the largest podium in the center of the flat arena. It was my eldest son and his
friend, of course.

Both of them were dressed in formal knight's plate armour, but the two men facing
each other under the hazy sky looked especially contrasting today. Jeremy feels
brighter than usual, perhaps because of his dazzling blonde hair and silver military
uniform. And Nora, who has black hair and feels darker than usual in navy blue
military uniform.

Anyway, as long as I wasn't in a situation where I didn't know who to cheer for, I was
maintaining a fairly calm mood. It was a game that would end in a draw anyway. Even
if there are variables, isn't it pleasant to have two good friends fight against each
other... … .

"What are you two talking about? Does this look like a friendship play situation?"

The sound of our Elias kicking was heard. Indeed, as soon as the referee lifted up the
white copper plate announcing the start of the game, the two guys were talking about
something while changing their helmets, rather than immediately engaging in a duel.
Precisely, it was as if Jeremy was saying something to Nora.

After a while, Nora, who had been silently standing and listening, suddenly swung her
sword with tremendous force, and at the same time thunder roared. Literally, I wanted
to go round in all directions, but thunder rumbled and thundered from the sky! Short
screams erupted from here and there.
"Kyaaak...!"

While I was staring blankly at her, Prince Ali suddenly hugged Rachel and threw himself
away. Rachel, who had been hugged by a prince from a foreign country, screaming in
confusion, also awkwardly corrected her posture.

Fortunately, Jeremy was not struck by Nora's sword. The two knights began clashing
swords with great force, not paying attention to whether the sky howled or not. Like
the image in my memory, no, maybe more intensely than in my memory.

Jeremy's sword skills were intense and at the same time had an elegant and beautiful
style that others could never imitate. On the other hand, Nora's swordsmanship was
rough, unlike that of a noble knight. Enough to hear the criticism that it is reckless. His
appearance in this game contributed greatly to the fact that he was nicknamed not
just the wolf of Nuremberg, but the hungry wolf. But somehow, now the two look almost
the same.

"It's amazing."

It was the muttering of our little intellectual as if moaning. That was true.

seven times. It was already the seventh. This is the story that the close duel between
the two knights down there has been going on for almost the seventh time. At first, the
audience seats, which were tumultuous with enthusiastic cheers, became a territory of
perfect silence. It was a situation of great national unity, with everyone holding their
sweaty hands tightly without breathing loudly. The referee, who is ruling the seventh
draw against the two knights who aimed their swords at each other's throats, also
looked quite bewildered.

And I was puzzled too. Originally, a decision had to be made after the fourth draw at
this point. So, at this point, the emperor had to make a decision.

However, the emperor was just staring at the arena with a tense face that was no
different from other people, perhaps because he was bewitched by that insanely
intense duel.

It was definitely a great show. There are quite a few participants who risk their all in
this competition. However, it was extremely rare to have the ability to show a bloody
and close confrontation at the same time that it would not be strange even if he
became a narrator for so long.
As soon as the referee lifted up the white copper plate, the two men started clashing
their swords violently again. Now both of them were holding their swords in both
hands, and it was almost impossible to see the movements of the swords properly.
Jeremy's sword slammed down quickly, and at the same time Nora raised her sword to
block it. After a brief contest of strength seemed to have passed, the confrontation
took place again.

If one of them gets hurt... … My worried eyes turned to the seats of the Duke of
Nuremberg. While the Duchess was holding both of his hands tightly together with a
white face, the Steel Duke was watching the arena with a nervous look on his lap with
one fist on his lap.

Rumble!

Thunder roared once more, and at the same time someone let out a short scream. I
looked ahead again. By now, raindrops were falling. A verdict must be made at this
point... … .

"Whoa..."

I could feel Elias sighing and grabbing my hand. His hand was just as wet as mine. In
our field of vision, side by side, we saw Nora swinging her sword so swiftly and violently
that it gave goosebumps, and Jeremy striking back with overwhelming force. A real
life-and-death confrontation between wild beasts, there is no such thing as a true duel
between a lion and a wolf!

"Please stop……."

A moan escaped from my mouth, and at the same time, a harsh roar of ka-kan
sounded. At the same time, the rain, which had fallen drop by drop or two, turned into
a torrential shower and began to pour over the crowd on the ground.

The rain trickled into his eyes, blurring his vision. I rubbed my eyes and jumped up.
Elias, who suddenly stood up after me, spread his palm over my head while muttering
something.

Jeremy, who had been pushed to the edge of the podium, was holding his sword in
one hand and shaking his shoulders. Standing across from her, Nora wanted to kick
her helmet off the floor, but then she abruptly turned her head and began to stare at
her seat. The rain was pouring so hard that she couldn't quite tell who exactly the
glowing blue eyes were looking at. All I could see was a wet dark-haired young man
and a blond young man in a helmet approaching him.
In the split second, Nora stopped Jeremy's sword from slashing down. There was
another roar, and this time Jeremy's helmet landed on the sodden floor of the podium.

I saw my son stumble and bend over. The next moment, Nora raised both arms holding
his sword in the air and struck it down quickly without hesitation. towards your friend's
arm.

Rumble! Boom!

Whoever else screamed, besides me, would have been buried amicably in the sound of
thunder ripping through the sky. The sound of the sword falling to the floor was the
same. It took us all a while to fully appreciate what had just happened.

Neither Jeremy, who was on one knee on the floor, nor Nora, who was standing on the
other side, were holding their swords anymore.

So, Nora didn't slap Jeremy on the wrist. All he had to do was hit the top of the handle
of the sword Jeremy was holding, causing it to drop. And then she let go of her handle
at the same time she struck down her sword as well.

"……Win……No……! It’s a draw! Both sides dropped their swords at the same time! Two
champions emerged! Holy Father and Mother, my God!”

In the middle of the suffocating silence, so solid that it was hard to believe that so
many people had gathered, the referee's terrifying shout echoed faintly. Everyone
slowly, very slowly came to their senses. And… … .

"Waaaaaaaaaa!"

A deafening roar began to shake the air. All the people who were soaked in the
pouring rain were enthusiastic regardless of gender. Even if it was tight, there wouldn't
be a show like this one. I thought I was really out of breath!

"Champion! Champion!"

"Nuremberg! Nuremberg!"
"Neubanstein! Neubanstein!"

Thunder roared once again, but it was no match for the maddened shouts of the
people on the ground. Some weak women even passed out, so I said everything.

Likewise, the scene of the two guys walking down the podium came into my eyes as I
sat down, feeling the strength in my knees draining away. As if they were not tired, the
two knights quickly crossed the arena without any hesitation, stepped on the stairs,
climbed into the audience, and knelt side by side at the emperor's feet.

The emperor, who was not wet in the slightest thanks to the high sunshade, was
looking at the two drenched young men with a smile on his face that looked genuinely
pleased. He was so happy that he said this in the midst of his family watching with
eyes wide open.

"How nice it would have been if Jim had a son like him. It was a great match to
remember and record. I don't know how long it's been since I've been so nervous.
Unfortunately, since it's a draw, I can't give anyone a trophy to honor fairness. ."

It was then that Elisabeth, who seemed to be watching the two knights with a
somewhat confused look, suddenly intervened.

"Do not take away the joy of a mother who accepts the token of glory her child gives
her, Your Majesty. What does winning or drawing mean without a trophy?"

At that remark, I was surprised, the emperor was surprised, and everyone was
surprised. Oh my God, what is the empress doing with Jeremy or No?

"It's a correct step, but it's a tradition of swordsmanship competitions..."

"Tradition is always a new way to be reborn. Isn't such a spectacle draw itself an
unprecedented event?"

"...That's right, Empress. However, even though a benevolent wife does not hold back
true advice in her husband's judgment, I don't know why it's so difficult for me to adapt
to the way you keep arguing against me. What exactly is a bar?"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, isn't it easy to make another trophy? Look at the sad
expression of the poor marquise's wife."

Elisabeth quickly fired at him with a tone of "didn't you think of that?" No, more than
that, when did I ever put on a sad face? Unexpectedly, the emperor, interrupted by her
delight, cleared his throat and glared at the empress in displeasure, but she did not
show her wrath at this point.

In that way, it happened that one more championship trophy was produced, a
conclusion that everyone was satisfied with.

***

"Hyung, I was short-tempered. Forgive me. I'll call you hyung-nim from now on!"

"I'm already worried about whether my older brother will continue to worry about this
for years to come..."

"I'm already sick of it. How many more young ladies will stir-fry me because of my older
brother... Tsk tsk."

Jeremy was just responding with a philosophical smile in the heartwarming situation
where the younger siblings were amicably throwing words of thanks one by one.

At the final banquet, where everyone changed their wet clothes, and in this noisy
atmosphere, where it was evident that both men and women wanted to talk to today's
champions, one responded indifferently and one ran away somewhere.

… … They said they got along well, and it was true.

"Jeremy."

Consistently lukewarm looking, I was a bit worried, so when I approached and talked to
him, Jeremy, who had just finished drinking, looked at me. Her dark green eyes, which
looked blurry as if something had been washed, slowly regained their clear vitality. I
snatched the wine glass from his hand.
"Looking at you, you've been drinking since earlier. I understand why you're nervous,
but I think you can stop at this point."

"A guy like me wouldn't get drunk even if he drank for free. If I had a trophy, I would
have drank it in it, but it's a pity."

"It'll happen soon. Why, do you regret not giving it to me right away?"

"It's only natural that you're sorry."

He grunted softly, lowering his eyes and looking down at his wrists. The hand that
would have made him famous if his opponent had slightly changed the angle.

“……A draw is a draw, but somehow I feel like I’ve lost. Damn it.”

“Is that why you were so sulky?”

"Who's sulking! I'm just following your advice faithfully."

"Advice?"

"Advice on the virtue of humility. Well, people like to talk about things we don't do, so I'll
take whatever I want to be humble or arrogant."

I smiled and put my hand on Jeremy's wrist. The feeling of the pulsating pulse was
transmitted intact to the fingertips. The fact that he was alive and unscathed was the
only thing I could have been more satisfied with.

"To be honest, Jeremy. Gold is already abundant in our family, so I don't really like
trophies made of gold. You yourself are the brightest trophy."

Jeremy looked down at my hand holding my wrist for a moment, then put his other
hand on top of it and smiled. Yes, it was that mischievous laugh.
"I just need you too."

How proud he would have been if his dead husband was here. At least, how nice it
would have been if our collateral relatives had been decent people. The fact that
there were few blood relatives to congratulate and feel proud of was so regrettable... …
. Still, we were us. I and the children knew very well that it was enough just for us.

Unlike my family, which was simple yet quite warm, the family of the Duke of
Nuremberg, where the family gathered together, had a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that
restrained the only great-grandson from being overly conceited. It's not like Nora
would get excited and arrogant, but anyway, there was nothing to say about praise or
ridicule because the person who should receive it was gone.

Nonetheless, I was able to meet Nora. To be exact, I found it. Today's wolf champion
sat alone with a glass in his hand, his back leaning against the back wall under the
northeast balcony of the banquet hall. The saying that it is dark under the lamp is a
word used in this situation.

As I approached, he raised his head, as if he had heard a sign. The ferocious and wild
appearance he showed at the stadium a while ago was incredibly elegant, but at the
same time, it felt dark and subdued. I must say that there are no real lone wolves.

"Nora."

"sister."

"What are you doing here? Everyone is so busy looking for you. Isn't it lonely when the
champion is like this?"

Nora didn't answer. I quietly approached, grabbed the hem of my dress carefully, and
squatted down beside him. It was a dishonorable act, but it was neither the mood nor
the circumstances to question it.

A soft summer breeze blew and tossed our hair. The panoramic view of the imperial
palace in the pink twilight felt far away like a dream.

"You're the winner, Nora. I know you missed the sword on purpose at the last minute."
Nora didn't really deny or affirm the softly thrown words. He just looked back at me
with those deep blue eyes. So I continued to speak.

"I don't know why you did that... but anyway, I wanted to say thank you. Not only this
time, but Elias and everything."

“……It looks like that bastard’s red-hot madness has blown it all over my sister. I made
her watch her mouth like that.”

"No, rather than blowing..."

"Anyway, it wasn't as big a deal as I was worried about. Don't worry, I got rid of the
human called my sister's brother."

"I'm not particularly concerned... but rather than that, I'm sorry that I keep dragging
you into my problems."

"Originally, a knight exists for a beautiful lady in trouble."

I laughed at the way he took it leisurely as if it was a big deal. Nora also smiled and
looked into my eyes. It was a strangely unfamiliar look.

At times like this, I can't help but remind myself of the fact that time flies, even though
it's already happened once. Today's game reminded me so much that neither Jeremy
nor Nora were the little boys I knew anymore. Where did those boys go then? Where
did the scarred boy I knew go? … ?

“So please help me with my chivalry maintenance.”

"yes……?"

"You'll need at least one person to watch over you. Call me whenever you need it. When
your kittens are upset or they're just useless."

It was a playful tone, but it was as serious as the calm blue eyes. And I couldn't answer
that. Maybe he didn't want to appear funny by reacting too seriously to what he said
as a joke. So I smiled just like him and replied:
"You've been my driver since the first time we met. Did you forget?"

***

After the long and eventful festival, the heat has subsided and autumn has begun to
approach. It was the time to let go of the lively and tumultuous summer, and the time
to appreciate the fallen leaves and start to get wet in a clean mood.

“……Sir! Madame!”

It's been a long time since I've slept soundly without any dreams. If it had not been for
Gwen, who anxiously woke me up early in the morning, I would have slept soundly until
late.

Usually Gwen didn't come to wake me up first like this. It was also rare for Robert to
stamp his feet impatiently at the door of my residence from this hour on.

“What… is it? Has something happened to the kids?”

When I asked as I hurriedly donned my gown in fear that was quickly overtaking me,
Robert shook his head. Huh, I'm glad if that's not the case... … .

“Madam, His Excellency the Duke of Nuremberg has come to visit us. It is urgent.”

who came... … ? I woke up as if cold water had been splashed on my head. I looked out
the window and saw that it was just getting dawn. If the duke came to visit at this early
hour, it must be an extremely urgent matter. What the hell is going on?

I ran out of the room with only a gown on over my chemise and quickly headed for the
drawing room. The Duke of Nuremberg, sitting in his chair and nervously measuring
his pipe, immediately got up and approached me.

"Lady Neuwanstein."
"Duke? What are you doing here since early hours? If something goes wrong in the
house..."

"No, it's not like that. Well, well, what the hell am I supposed to say about this..."

Uncharacteristically, the blue eyes of the duke who held my hand while serving in a
haphazard way burned like flames flowing. That was a sign that I was on the verge of a
shock. My heart started beating so fast it couldn't get out of control.

"...Madam, stay calm and listen carefully. A while ago, the Holy See announced the Holy
Inquisition."

"Yes?"

If it is a divine trial, it is a kind of ceremony similar to a hearing that the church

autonomously supervises separately from the imperial family. It was similar to a
hearing, but as it was a trial conducted by the church, it was more authoritative and
had a strong moral awareness. I know it's been more than 70 years since the last one
was held, but why the hell is the Holy Trial held out of the blue at this point today?

“Why… what happened?”

As if he didn't want to speak out loud, the duke let out a short sigh and held a piece of
paper with a crow's seal in my hand. I peered into it, trying to catch my trembling
breath.

Among the finely detailed letters, only two sentences were clearly visible:
'Qualifications and dangers of the current head of the Neuwanstein family' and
'Possibility of incest'.

Is this the feeling of being alone in the open sea?

Even in my previous life, when all sides were enemies, they were my enemies, not the
Neubanstein family. The people from the collateral families who were kicked out
because of me, and the many nobles who had nothing to do with it, all gnashed their
teeth at me alone, and did not turn the golden lion itself into an enemy.
The trial case three years ago was also something that Empress Elisabeth had carried
out unreasonably out of personal hostility towards me, but it was hard to see that the
imperial family itself had any intention of turning enemies against Neubanstein.

Even so... … I really never imagined that even the church would try to strangle me like
this. How could I have imagined that I would be charged with such filthy accusations?

Even if it was an allegation, it was ridiculous. The suspicion they presented to me was
the possibility of incest and my qualifications as a family head. Whether incest
actually happened or not, I'm going to look into whether or not there is a possibility of
it in the future. In the end, it was a game that was close to a joke.

It feels like standing alone in the middle of enemies on all sides. The isolated position I
was in touched my skin again.

If we had been in a state of solidarity with the collateral families, if the Neubanstein
collaterals and I hadn't been in a state of strife, this absurd and even unconventional
judgment might not have happened.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't figure out who the hell wanted
something like this. First of all, I had never even had an audience with the pope, and
the only members of the church around me were cardinals who were members of the
parliament. It was Cardinal Richelieu who came to mind in the middle of the vague
doubts, but even he had no idea what the hell he was planning to do. Was it that I was
so annoyed by the church that I was sitting in my present seat? I left it as it was in the
past, but why the hell now?

To say that the influence of the aristocratic faction, led by Neu Bahnstein, became
stronger, the more the aristocrats kept the imperial authority in check, the more the
clerical authority benefited. There is only one reason if there is no benefit to the
irrationality of holding a holy trial for the first time in 70 years. I mean, I was just trying
to label it.

It is said that there is a corner that believes that much to the extent of having a game
like this, but I did not even get a sense of what the hell it was. Even the Duke of
Nuremberg responded that he was completely lost, so he said everything. This side did
not give them any time to deal with it, and as soon as the festival was over, they went
ahead.

***
According to tradition, the Holy Trial held at Sacrosanth, the official papal court in
Kaiserreich, is attended by the emperor and the pope at the same time, and the
hearing is conducted by cardinals.

Only members of the House of Nobility are allowed to voluntarily testify, but they must
accept the disgrace of the judgment. In other words, if you testify against the charges,
if the verdict is made guilty, you lose face. And vice versa.

Which noble would be willing to turn the church into an enemy even at the cost of
losing face, which he values more than life? No matter how great the flying and
crawling families are, no one wants to make enemies of the deep-rooted faith of the
empire. No matter how corrupt the recent priests were, it was difficult for people to go
against the religious authority that had been handed down from their ancestors.

In that respect, the hearing I had already gone through once in my previous life and
this trial were on a different level. It was much more intense as it was the first divine
trial in nearly 70 years. People's reactions were the same.

"It's an insulting charge that's really hard to hear. How many women in the empire are
acting as stepmothers? If you're being held up on such a trivial charge, sooner or later
the empress will stand before this court too."

"I'm sorry to say, Your Majesty the Emperor, no one here has the slightest intention of
blaspheming the imperial family. The circumstances of the empress and Lady
Neubanstein are vastly different, even if they are qualitatively different. In addition,
such a scandal about Lady Neubanstein spreads secretly. The very fact that he is
going casts doubt on his qualities.”

"Huh, what's so different about it? And if you're just trying to judge someone's quality
with a scandal, then not one of everyone in this room will walk away unscathed?"

“The Empress has taken care of Her Highness the Crown Prince since she was a
toddler. Furthermore, she has Her Majesty the Emperor, who is the eagle of the
Empire, as her husband. Marquis Hana Neubahnstein, considering her age, cannot be
seen as equal to common stepmothers... ."

“How dare those who claim to be devoted to the Father and the Mother of God dare to
argue over someone else’s motherhood!”

Unlike the emperor, who lashed out at the cardinals with a clear expression of his
anger, the pope's face, wearing a triple crown, was calm. It was eerily calm. Even if the
complainant was the emperor, the appearance of sitting solemnly as if not caring
about it did not seem like the protagonist of the rumor that he periodically changed
governments and produced numerous illegitimate children.

Unlike the trial three years ago or the hearing in the previous life, which were
somewhat chaotic with curiosity and interest that obscured interests and gains and
losses, the atmosphere of the present audience gathered in the courtroom was
literally solemn. It was ironic to see the collateral members of the Count Muller family,
the Marquis Ludwig family, and the Count Sebastien family, who would have been
strange if they were not in such a place, all held their breath and tensed up.

If the denomination puts the social stigma of incest on the family, it will not be good
for the collaterals who have been pretending for a long time. This wasn't a matter of a
simple dispute over whether or not they pushed me out and took over the original
family. It was a question of a label that would remain in the future generations. If I went
down from this position, it would be a great thing for them, but it would be quite a
headache to deal with the aftermath. Furthermore, the confiscation of a certain
amount of property must be taken into account.

Even the paladins in blue uniforms standing in perfect order didn't move a single
muscle.

Richelieu was nowhere to be seen among the cardinals sitting in authority, as if they
really believed that they were representing God's judgment. She didn't know if she was
on trial on purpose or if she was hiding where she was watching.

Cardinal Richelieu once told me an anecdote about the Swan Hall. I couldn't believe
that he hadn't been in the least bit involved in this.

If this divine inquisition ruled against me, there was a strong possibility that I would be
stripped of my position as head of state and imprisoned in a convent of penance for
the atonement of sins.

Is that what he really wants? Bringing me down from my original position? To be

locked up in a convent? But why? What grudge do you have against me? Did it bother
me so much to have someone like me sit in the same council seat?

The Duke of Nuremberg, who was sitting in the parliamentary seat, stood up. The duke
opened his mouth without hesitation, maintaining a cool yet cynical smile, in stark
contrast to his brother-in-law, the emperor.

“Everyone here will remember the trial of the assault on the crown prince held three
years ago over Sir Jeremy von Neubanstein. His Holiness the Pope, it seems to me that
it is very contrary to the doctrine of venerating the Virgin Mary to accuse in this way
the noble motherhood of a noble lady who tried to protect her stepson even while
exposing her most personal privacy."

With a bang, a cardinal in his early 40s jumped off the podium and stood up.

"A blasphemous statement! And it is not known whether it was due to sublime
motherhood or purely love between a man and a woman!"

"Huh, His Majesty Dilte seems to be the owner of an extremely delicate sensibility that
knows how to feel the same way for His Maternal Mother."

"Did you just say that?! How dare you compare a stepmother who is only one or two
years old with a mother who went through labor herself and held her child in her
arms?!"

“Does that mean that my sister, who cares for Her Highness more than anyone else,
also lacks the qualifications for motherhood?”

"Well, that's not what I meant! Empress Mama and Mrs. Neuwanstein's circumstances
and conditions are completely different! Even if you look at their ages and the
allegations presented..."

"So who was the first to present the charge?"

Those weren't the words the duke said. of course. These were the words suddenly
thrown by Jeremy, who had been sitting in the reference seat, keeping quiet. At the
same time, the inside of the courtroom, where there was a lot of tension, cooled down
in an instant, as if cold water had been splashed on it.

"Yeah..."

The cardinal, who had opened his mouth confidently toward Jeremy, whose dark
green eyes were flashing brightly, then hesitantly looked away. It wasn't even a crowd.
If a person could be torn apart and killed with just a glance, that cardinal would have
already flowed down as a lump of meat that is difficult to recognize even in its original
form.

It is said that there are few people who do not participate in any tournaments and
know the clear skills of the paladins who strictly follow the authority. Jeremy was the
one who was watching even the paladins with terribly nervous eyes. Even if he does
not own any weapons as a reference, the lion of formidable skills is in a situation
where his eyes are shining right in front of his nose.

“Quite, isn’t it important to know who suggested it or not. Now, this is a place to
discuss the qualities of Marquis von Neuwanstein’s wife as head of household. Even if
nothing has happened so far, we don’t know what will happen in the future. If the
Marquis had really just wanted to continue her husband's will without the slightest
selflessness, she would have found a suitable marriage wife as soon as the heir
reached the age of majority. They do not have a normal and universal relationship
with the opposite sex. According to the allegations presented, the two appear to be
more like a romantic relationship than a mother-son relationship. Is there any
objection to this?"

"I don't have anything to say. All the young people of the Empire are about to wail that
they have to face the crime of incest simply because they have no dating experience."

"It may sound harsh, but I don't think you can compare your situation with those of
your children who grew up in a normal environment."

"I think it's a very normal family environment compared to an illegitimate child whose
father is a priest."

Jeremy's extremely cynical smirk made the majority of the cardinals, as well as the
Pope, turn black in an instant. It was no wonder that another cardinal jumped to his
feet with ferocious force.

"Ji, who do you dare to blaspheme against?"

“There was no given.”

"this person……!"

It was then that Elias, who had been sitting by his brother's side since the trial began
and had never looked up and stared at the floor, jumped up as well. While everyone
paused for a moment and turned their gazes, Elias looked back at his audience with a
terribly enraged face, gritted his teeth and growled.

“We are our mothers, but by what right do you guys talk about qualifications?
I should say that it is pointless to mention all the words Elias has uttered over and
over again. Elias, in pouring out so many immoral and blasphemous words, did not
take into account the look on the faces of all the authorities gathered here, and
therefore he was soon seized by the paladins and dragged out of the courtroom.

"Is this the end of the testimony of the witness?"

One of the cardinals raised his left hand at those words, which the pope clicked his
tongue with an expression of great boredom. After a while, a pretty blonde girl
appeared from the audience, breaking through the countless crowds, and lightly
approached the reference table. It was Rachel.

"Lady Rachel von Neubanstein, do you think there is even the slightest suspicious
portent between your mother and brother? The authority of the church protects you
no matter what you say here, so don't be afraid to tell the truth."

Rachel did not immediately respond to that coaxing remark of a half-naked cardinal.
She wanted to quietly put her hands together and close her eyes as if praying, but
then she started shaking her delicate shoulders. She was calm here and there as if she
had been waiting at the cardinal's side while her agitation lingered.

"Oh, you look quite frightened. It's okay, so don't be afraid and tell me honestly. Your
family reflected in your eyes..."

"Hehe, I'm sorry, Your Excellency. His Holiness the Pope. And His Majesty the Emperor.
Please don't take my mother away. If I lose my mother through a skit like this
nonsensical third-rate novel, I will... hehe! As everyone knows, I'm a grandparent at a
young age. He is the only person who has taken care of my brother and sister, who
have even turned their backs on me. Please don't take my mother away.

"No, I, young lady..."

“It is said that family is something that cannot be separated even by the heavenly
principles, but how are you giving us such an ordeal?

… … Only me and Jeremy would have noticed. At this moment, she realizes that Rachel
is acting very fiercely and skillfully.

Our little girl was, if far from, far from the disposition of crying out for sympathy in
that way. It was surprising that, like Elias, he hadn't blown the nutmeg in the middle of
the Holy Trial. Still, seeing her shed tears broke her heart.
In the middle of an atmosphere of sympathy and bewilderment, the tumult was
growing. At the plaintive appeal of the little girl, some ladies started patting their eyes
with handkerchiefs, and the other men also made faces that insisted on taking out
their handkerchiefs as well. If it had not been guided by her paladin, who cautiously
approached her following the direction of her cardinal, who beckoned her hurriedly,
perhaps Rachel would have taken this momentum and sat down on her floor to show
her howling. would have been

"Khmm, then I will ask the defendant herself. Lady Neuwanstein, you are currently
being charged with sharing a physical or mental bond with Sir Jeremy von
Neuwanstein, the eldest legal son, that can never be regarded as that of parent-child.
Considering the background you have lived in, the environment you are in, and your
current behavior, it cannot be dismissed as a ridiculous allegation. What kind of
counterarguments do you have to present to this allegation?"

Let alone physical problems, it was self-contradictory to discuss mental sympathy.

How can you prove your heart? And what do they know about how I lived there? I tried
to maintain a calm face, feeling countless gazes all at once focused on me.

"There is not."

"none?"

"There is nothing to argue with, since it is something that nature rejects to respond to
such suspicions about mothers. I would like to ask all mothers in my position."

Silence passed. After a long and short suffocation of silence like thin ice, winding
through the interior of the great domed courtroom, the cardinal, who had been
staring at me with piercing eyes, finally turned around and said:

“His Holiness, I will request the summons of witnesses.”

"I allow it."

At the same time as the sound of the massive mosaic door opening resounded, I
turned my gaze to see who the witness was. Just like everyone else. And it just froze.

"I, Stella von Ighoeffer, in the name of the Father and the Holy Mother, I swear to tell
only the truth in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor and His Holiness the Pope."
"Who is the author?"

The cardinal, who requested the summoning of witnesses, answered the emperor's
rather stunned question.

“I am Viscountess Ighoeffer, the mother of the Marquis of Neubanstein.”

"As far as Jim knows, there has been no communication since Mrs. Neuwanstein's
wedding until now, so what kind of testimony is possible?"

"We are informed that we have information about Mrs. Neuwanstein's married life and
the possibility of the allegations currently being raised."

A middle-aged woman with light pink hair and green eyes proudly walks into the
witness stand. Her true identity was my mother, Viscount Yeghoeffer.

There is no such thing as a great third-rate skit. Rani, a mother who testifies against
her deceased daughter and her daughter before the Holy Trial on charges of having
an affair with her stepson. For spectators, there is no other entertainment more
exciting than this.

What price were you promised for coming here? It is almost understandable how the
witch hunt, which was popular about 100 years ago, was so absurd.

"Information about marriage life and current suspicions... I wonder how much
information a mother who hasn't interacted with for years can have."

To my mother's surprise, my mother did not flinch at the sarcasm that the Duke of
Nuremberg uttered, not even trying to hide his contempt. Again, he smiled self-
deprecatingly and replied:

"I gave birth to a child with a stomachache. Even if my daughter threw me out of my
face for the past few years, would there be a mother who would not know about my
daughter?"

"I don't think that's something a mother would say to accuse a child who gave birth to
a sick stomach."
"I didn't come here with that intention. I just want my daughter to return to the path of
repentance as soon as possible. Stop making men choose the worst of themselves by
believing in their smooth appearance."

Unlike dukes and emperors whose expressions seemed as if they were seeing all these
creatures, the pope solemnly asked a question without any disturbance in his
authoritative expression.

"Your worst self? What exactly does that mean?"

"I apologize, Your Holiness. First of all, my daughter did not have a very smooth
married life despite having a wedding that could be considered undeserved in our
situation. If you are a man, you are a crazy child, so there is no way that he did not
have an accident."

“Do you know anything about the accident?”

"There is an incident that I still remember clearly. It was the winter of 1113..."

“Excuse me, Mrs. Yigghoeffer, you must have had a lot of alcohol before you came.
Judging from how you can’t tell the difference between delusion and reality. If it was
the winter of 1113, it would be the year that you pushed me to the wedding hall and
didn’t even peep my nose. . Countless witnesses about that part are alive and well in
the Marquis’s residence, so how dare you commit perjury for safety?”

A cold and cynical voice that didn't sound like mine at all came out. It was a strangely
indifferent feeling to see my mother standing here and there practicing the most
disgusting perjury against me. All of her love, hatred and resentment that she once
had for her, and even her faintly wriggling pity seemed to have evaporated without a
trace.

My mother jerked her head and glared at me. Grass-colored eyes, just like mine, were
blazing with an intense, mean flame.

"You brazen girl! Are you so stupid you can't remember, or are you so good at lying?!"

"I don't know who's brazen, but watch your mouth. Even in a place like this, that vulgar
tongue can't control itself."
Everyone in the courtroom was trying hard not to be conscious of watching the
mother and daughter play with excitement, but the mother's reaction was unusual.

It was something I could notice because I knew her so well, but now she seemed
somehow genuinely angry rather than furious at a sheer lie. There was no hint of my
mother's play habit of rolling her eyeballs to the right and wiggling her fingers. Or did
he get rid of the habit for this moment?

"Are you taking it off just because you don't remember right now? Without any
communication, you rushed in with a stage gun at dawn?"

"It looks like you've had a dream, but I'm just..."

"Ha! I thought it was just a dream? After all that mess, I can't remember now?! What's
wrong with that girl who came down without her husband's permission and made a
fuss about not wanting to go back?!"

What kind of new form of play is this? Stunned, I stared at my mother's red, distorted
face.

"If you're going to make up a story, make it more plausible. There's no way I'll go back
to you unless something goes wrong with my head..."

"You seem to have forgotten something because you've been stabbed! Something's
wrong with your head? Yes, I thought you really had something wrong with your head
at that time! You were talking so crazy that it took me a long time to understand!"

"What the hell..."

“If I had met someone like that in my life, I would have been grateful, but I wouldn’t
have been flattered. How could a married woman accept a gift from an outsider
without knowing how much?! What did you do so well that you ran away, you crazy
thing!"

what… … ?

There was no credence in the noise of the woman who was now my mother. of course.
Does it even make sense that something like that happened? It was unreasonable
nonsense. First of all, it was an impossible premise that I ran away to her parents'
house just because I had a fight with her husband. Because I never wanted to go back
to my parents' house.

But I don't know why I suddenly feel nauseous, as if I had been hit in the vitals. A dazed,
throbbing sensation took hold of me, as if my head had been thrown into the air.
When I looked down, my hands were shaking. Am I doing this because I am so angry?

I didn't know that my body reacted first because I couldn't control my anger. yes,
something like that What is that woman who dares to insult my husband with that
serpentine tongue? Even in front of my children... … !

"It's not unreasonable for you to turn your eyes to your stepson because you're such a
crazy bitch who can't attract all kinds of men! I don't know how long you intend to live
like that, but at this point..."

Mother could no longer speak. She couldn't even scream. She probably was because
she was too freaked out.

"Tell me again. What's wrong?"

Jeremy, who had been sitting silently in the reference seat, approached in the blink of
an eye and pointed the blade at my mother's neck. Possessing a weapon as a witness
is nonsense.

I turned my gaze behind it, and there was a paladin with a literal bewildered face
staring blankly at Jeremy as he snatched his sword.

"I-I..."

"What, what is this, Sir Jeremy!"

Needless to say, the inside of the courtroom, which was filled with heightened tension
and excitement, quickly turned into a crucible of fear. The sound of the paladins
pulling their swords out at the same time, who had been standing in place without
making a sound of breathing, pierced his ears sharply. In the meantime, one cardinal
jumped off the podium and tried to hide behind the paladin, but fell to the floor.

Either that or not, Jeremy was roaring and spewing vicious murders with his blazing,
flame-like gaze completely pointed down at my mother.
"Try to say it again."

I should say it's a relief that my mother didn't faint. The young lion had done so well to
insult his parents in front of them with eyes wide open, so it was only natural that he
would suffer like that. Even so, the reality that I can't leave it like this is so ironic.

"I, I, I..."

"Jeremy!"

My queasy stomach calmed down a bit, and I woke up. Jeremy, who was ready to tear
her step-grandmother to pieces at the sound of her cry, moved her head slightly and
looked this way. I shook my head sternly but earnestly.

"Calm down. It's okay. It's just a lie anyway."

by the way It's a lie. It's just a lie. If we were swayed by unbridled lies from people who
weren't us, we would only give them what they wanted.

Did you feel the van's determination in my voice? Jeremy stared at me with undulating
eyes for a moment, then she threw the sword at her floor. Sighs of relief erupted from
here and there at the same time as the clanging noise.

"What kind of blasphemous disrespect is this..."

"So what did Mrs. Ighoeffer do then?"

The hard voice of the Duke of Nuremberg cut off someone's fuss as if he had waited.

Aside from the emperor, who had an expression that couldn't be any more strange if it
were strange, the pope also seemed determined to ignore what had just happened.
Did he say he was a great friend?

My mother, who was pale and blue as if she would pass out at any moment, managed
to come to her senses. She now pressed one of her hands to her chest and stammered
in a tone full of resentment.
"Of course, I immediately went back to my husband and begged him to forgive me. I
don't know what happened to the daughter I gave birth to. If you need additional
witnesses, there are the maids in my house and my son, but I'm the only one. My son
went up to the capital a while ago and went missing. I don't know who did what, but he
disappeared without even knowing a mouse or a bird without contacting me. There
must be someone behind it..."

"Then, the only additional witnesses are the maids of the main family? Is that all you
have to testify?"

"I-I just want to save my daughter from the pit of evil. I really don't want to disgrace my
family with such terrible things..."

Buying the maids is a simple matter. And my older brother was a human being no
different from my mother. Anyway, that was a non-issue. The problem is that my
mother is such a stupid person.

Did she now have a proper grasp of what purpose she had been brought here for, and
the meaning of the cardinals' gleeful smiles?

The testimony she gave about me was nothing short of full of lies. Yet, damningly, she
was the mother who gave birth to me, and that fact helped make me the woman she
was talking about. At the same time, ironically, her contempt for her was growing by
the minute.

So, whoever plotted to force my mother into this courtroom was exactly what he was
after. Taking advantage of the fact that she is the closest blood relative I've seen since
childhood, and at the same time showing the whole world that I have such a vulgar
mother. To make it feel very plausible that under such a lowly mother, a mother who is
equally lowly, selfish to her stepson. It seemed that the strategy was already working.

No matter what price I was promised, it was clear that my mother's life would not stick
around for long. Her usefulness ends here.

Even if I were convicted, confiscated, and put in a convent, nothing would go to her.
She's like a stupid woman who doesn't even know how she's being used... … .

"Lady Neuwanstein, do you have any objections to present against your mother's
testimony?"
Neither Yochen touching me nor me returning to my parents' home have all
happened. Is the story that I made up at best just such nonsense? I was suddenly
exhausted.

Do they really want to make me prove that I am a pure white priestess? Even if I
received proof, it was obvious that I would continue to bite and hang on with the
sound of the possibility of the future that I mentioned earlier. Moreover, even though
she was a pure white priestess, it was unbelievable at this point. After all, they belong
to the church.

… … I didn't even know if I was aiming for the moment to claim my virginity like three
years ago and find a pure white priestess.

It was then that the tightly closed mosaic door suddenly opened and a man who
appeared to be a messenger jumped in. Ignoring the bewildered stares pouring down
on him, the man ran up the podium and whispered something in the pope's ear. No
matter what he heard, the Pope, who had been listening with his solemn lips slightly
twisted, finally opened his mouth, turning to the emperor.

“The Crown Prince is claiming to be a witness for the accused.”

“The prince…?”

Amidst a flurry of stunned agitation, Jeremy's gaze quickly intertwined with mine. It felt
like I was out of breath. It was clear that he was thinking the same thing as me. That
diamond necklace.

A laugh suddenly leaked out. Did he know this would happen and send me such a
necklace?

Cardinal Richelieu was the only person capable of influencing other priests and the
pope to hold such a hearing. Either in terms of ability or in terms of heart. Is Theobald
one of the masterminds behind this, collaborating with Richelieu, or did he notice
something and let it go, planning to act as my savior?

My intuition was shouting the latter, but either way, the ending was certain that he was
the only way out of the situation. But… … .

I don't know how to accept the expression in Jeremy's eyes as he stares into my eyes. It
looked like she was angry or maybe she was crying.
Jeremy did not want this ending. So did I. I don't know if he wants to end it all by doing
this.

"I guess we'll have to take a break until the witness arrives. Then..."

“There is no such thing, His Holiness.”

The pope, who had half-raised the torch in the air, paused and cast a stinging, gray-
brown gaze down at me. So did everyone else. The way he looks at my mouth nervously
and with interest seems to guess that I'm trying to do the same thing as three years
ago.

I got it right now. Contrary to my initial guess, this was not a play against a specific
family. It was completely a game against me. It's no different from before.

If my husband had been alive, or if I had a strong blood relationship, if at least I had
handed over sovereignty to my collaborators, this might not have happened.

In the court of this many people, the only ones who took my side formally were the
emperor and the Duke of Nuremberg. The rest of the council members, even Duke
Heinrich, who had been plotting to send his daughter to me to get married, just let go
of his hand and watched. No one actively challenged or defended me against this
nonsense.

It's understandable that you're sacrificing yourself. But are they unaware of the fact
that as much as I have been brought to this judgment by the authority of the church,
the possibility of that happening to them has also greatly increased?

"Lady Neuwanstein?"

"A malicious trial without conclusive evidence or witnesses like this is an anachronistic
prank that would have taken place 100 years ago. Am I a witch? Are you determined to
accuse me of being a witch like that time?"

"Now this seat is..."

"What on earth do you get by doing this? Do you want the assets of the Golden Lion?
Or are you just a young woman without a husband who doesn't depend on any of you,
and it's cold to see you squirm in the position of head of a marquess house? That's my
It may be a real sin, for I dared to encroach upon what you consider to be the most
important privilege."

A moment of silence passed. Even the Pope just stared at me with a terrifyingly frozen
face at that outrageous rant that I poured out without hesitation. If I could prey on
people with just my eyes, I would have disappeared without a trace long ago. Likewise,
one of the cardinals, who had been frozen on the spot, stepped forward.

"Mrs. Marquis, what kind of ridiculous rudeness..."

"The rudeness started there first. As the head of the Marquis of Neubanstein, I can't
stand these insults any longer. So I'm going to ask the Holy See to judge me in a duel
of honor."

A dueling referee of honor claimable under the California Honor Rights Ordinance.
After the witch-hunt frenzy, it was extremely rare that the ordinance, which was
created to protect the heads of the aristocracy from the tyranny of the imperial and
religious authority, was done against the religious authority, but it was not impossible
at all. As long as they take the risk of announcing the church authority as an enemy.

In an instant, tension like the north wind and cold snow took over the hall, and
someone quickly shouted.

"I beseech you, Your Holiness! At present, Sir Jeremy von Neuwanstein is a witness
implicated in the same charges as the accused! Hey, Sir Jeremy cannot stand as a
judge in a duel of honor!"

Whoever came up with this board deserves commendation in that it had a meticulous
approach. By tying up Jeremy, who made even the Paladins, who said it was
impossible to measure their skills, nervous, in this way, the odds of this side were
drastically reduced.

"You're right. If you say Lady Neuwanstein, your wife's knight of honor will have to come
up with one of the other knights. A family knight or..."

But there are always variables. And the variable was of a kind I hadn't even expected.
No, maybe I was subconsciously expecting it. I didn't even know I was pinning my
hopes on others for the first time since I went back in time.

"I don't think so!"

All of them turned their heads as if they had made a promise at the harsh voice that
suddenly came out. A man strode out of the crowd of people in the auditorium and
quickly walked up to me and stood next to me. She was exactly what she stood
between me and her own friends. Confucius with her black hair and cool blue eyes,
Nora is her word.

I don't know how to explain the Duke of Nuremberg's expression right now. Maybe it's
similar to my expression when I was half lost. It seems that everyone has gone out of
their minds.

"Since the Nuremberg and Neubanstein families are members of the same council,
there will be no legal issues with their eligibility to participate in the war. So, I, Nora
von Nuremberg, will gladly serve as Lady Neubanstein's knight of honor."

Inside the Sacred Court of Sacrosanct was once again a realm of silence.

***

Countless rubies and pearl eggs are scattered in all directions with a loud sound. I am
frozen with my eyes wide open. I try to say something, but I can't move, as if my whole
body is frozen, not just my tongue.

“Why did you hide it, saying you don’t know who sent it?

I don't quite understand what you mean. He's smiling, but I'm just frozen, motionless,
like a rabbit before a wild beast. The steel-like grip on his shoulder seems to be
pressing down on the hem of his clothes and burrowing into his flesh.

"mom?"

“……..!”
His eyes widened at the warm touch on his arm. The late-summer afternoon sun
bathed the surroundings brightly. It was a familiar landscape.

Rather, I don't know when I heard it in the morning. Turning her head to the side, she
caught sight of Rachel, wriggling over her bedside. My daughter-in-law, a girl as pretty
as a fraudulent doll with curly blonde hair.

"Are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?"

dream… … ? I think I had a dream, but I can't remember what it was. It seemed like I had
an old dream, but it felt like my head was floating in the air.

"You can sleep more. But eat something and sleep. You didn't eat anything and just
slept."

Did I... … ? Behind Rachel, who said that with a smile, the maids were entering, pushing
tray carts. I couldn't get my sense of reality back, so I shook my head and half-raised
my upper body.

“Thank you. What about you?”

"We just had lunch. My older brother told me to just leave Mom to sleep."

That's it... … Only then did my head slowly clear and I came to my senses.

He collapsed immediately after returning from the trial yesterday and seems to have
fallen asleep until now. It seems like it's been a really long time since I fell asleep like
this.

Rachel, who was sitting next to me with a smile on her face, asked abruptly while the
maids carefully prepared the meal.

"But Mom, didn't I kill my acting skills yesterday?"

I blinked slowly. This casual attitude was both benevolent and obligatory to say
something appropriate about the whole situation. But the only words that came out
were this.

“I thought we could come up with a new play for you.”

"Is that really true? Leon said he gave me goosebumps. I was scolded for holding back
my laughter at how funny people's expressions were at that time."

the girl added, and let out a cheerful giggle. I smiled too.

"everyone……."

"Ah, the younger brother was talking about the temple a while ago, holding a
crossbow, and got hit by the older brother. He must be on his way right now."

"Why bees...?"

“I was wielding a crossbow and started shooting at the tough knights. Anyway, Leon
and I must have taken all of our brains.”

… … ok How should I, as a loyal knight, deal with a crossbow shot in the face by a young
master of my own family? Poor knights of our family.

"Yes, Mom."

"yes?"

"Mom was happy to meet my father?"

Feeling suddenly suffocated, I stopped accepting the bowl of soup and stared blankly
at Rachel. Rachel was still laughing as if the whole situation hadn't mattered.
Nevertheless, the uneasy light flickering in the corner of her large emerald eyes could
not be concealed.
Why are you asking this question? Was it because of the perjury that a woman called
my mother poured out yesterday? Phew, like a damn woman.

"Of course...I do. I haven't been able to tell you for a while, but my parents are the ones
who will make up any lie for their own gain. I don't care about such nonsense. And
above all, meeting you is the greatest blessing in my life. hey."

Rachel stared at my face for a moment with incomprehensible eyes like sparkling
green jewels, as if trying to see if I was serious. Then she stretched out her arms and
wrapped them around my neck. Her chest, which seemed to be empty, finally filled up
with the warmth that touched her body, and her heart thumped.

"Me too."

***

"Anyway, everyone is making a fuss about something we didn't do, but at this point, I'm
starting to think what's wrong with doing what we're really talking about."

"Is that the lesson you learned from this?"

Jeremy didn't answer a friend's question. Instead, he glared hatefully at his friend and
rival who was perched on the wall in an awkward posture uncharacteristic of an
extremely precious duke.

unlucky kid.

The awkwardness that briefly lingered between the two immediately after the
swordsmanship competition had long since disappeared.

"I should have gone to the duel referee. I never thought the day would come when I
would envy you."

Even though he was joking around with his words, his inner state was not words. Was
there ever a moment when she felt so helpless? Was there ever a moment when he felt
resentful of his legal relationship with Shuri? She was madly envious of her friend who
took her place in a job she couldn't do, but at the same time, ironically, she couldn't
help but be grateful.

“So, are you confident to win?”

Nora didn't answer Jeremy's sarcastic questions. She turned her words around with a
shrug of her shoulders instead.

"At the end of the last minute, tell me about what a new baby was witness. What is the
necklace anyway?"

"I heard that bastard sent Shuri a diamond necklace with an eagle decoration on it. If
the match hadn't been turned upside down by the duel referee yesterday, it seems
that he was going to step out as a hidden courtier and claim himself as the Black
Knight..."

Jeremy's expression was surprisingly calm as he muttered as if he was spitting, but his
dark green eyes looked down and were blazing as he suppressed the heat.

"…… if the baby is somehow involved in this work …….”

"Well, it's next to impossible for that bird-headed bastard to interfere with church
authority affairs to that extent. It seems to me that he just sensed something and
made a plan. Even though I warned him not to do it, he doesn't seem to listen."

"That's ridiculous as it is. It must be quite bitter by now."

"It's ridiculous. Everyone seems to have misunderstood that Nuna would be easily
swept away."

It was the right advice. Those behind the scenes of the Holy Inquisition, those who
made plans to take advantage of the situation, and those who calmly sat and watched
and figured out how to make this situation more advantageous to them were all in a
great delusion.

What would happen if those who believed they controlled the movement of the
chessboard found out that they were just one of those countless pieces?
"Damn it, how dare you underestimate our Shuri. Whether it's the damn hierarchical
authority or the imperial authority, I'll show you the bitter taste as soon as this is over.
I'll make other nobles like bugs take this opportunity to properly taste the bitter taste."

"Ah, that's a very touching treatment. For that to happen, I'll have to settle it properly
tomorrow."

“So, are you, is your house okay?”

Thanks to Nora's arbitrary proclamation, which no one expected, the Duke of

Nuremberg was swept away in a storm that turned the church power into an enemy
along with the Marquis of Neubanstein without even being able to express it. It would
be a problem if Nora lost against a Knight of the Church in tomorrow's duel, but if she
won, then there would be no turning back.

"Why are you sorry again?"

To this mocking question, Jeremy responded with a chivalrous attitude of loyalty and
loyalty.

“Why am I sorry when you acted on your own?

"I wonder if they put pressure on them? Everyone scolded them, but what can we do
with a game that has already been committed. Let's play together hand in hand."

"Well, your father's expression was really good to see. Now that you know, isn't it just to
fuck your father?"

“There was some of that, too. It was a thrilling sight.”

A lion and a wolf suddenly danced hand in hand while trying to hunt a young widow
for a witch. So did the other nobles.

No matter how much Jeremy and Nora, the two young heirs, were the emerging
centers of anti-imperial aristocratic factions, the two had never really taken the lead.
In a way, it could be dismissed as a faction stemming from mere friendship play. In
addition, the fact that the imperial family claimed to weaken its prestige due to an
incident three years ago also played a role.
However, if the real bond between the two families is established, the situation will
change again. In the event that the current situation could be completely overturned,
there would be surprisingly many people who wished for the defeat of the Prince of
Nuremberg in tomorrow's duel. As he pondered that thought, Jeremy threw his arms
over the wall and stared intently into his friend and rival's blue eyes.

"As soon as the work is finished, I have work to do..."

"It's a pitch that knows I'm going to win."

"What bullshit? Then how does it make sense that you, the only guy who went
undefeated against me, would go and lose?

At Jeremy's shameless remark, which at the same time elevates the other person, Nora
just looked at her with a laugh in her eyes. And Jeremy continued her words, trying to
pretend not to see those eyes.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to do is..."

"What, help me to weed the chicks? Or find out behind the scenes and weed them?
That's what I'm willing to do..."

"It's both, but there's a slightly different problem than that."

Jeremy spat out in an incongruously awkward tone and lowered his golden eyelashes
again. In response, Nora raised her thick eyebrows involuntarily.

"Why are you so shy and condescending? If you're going to take this opportunity to
challenge your sister as a judge, right here..."

"That's what Viscountess Yigghoeffer said."

Jeremy, who for some reason didn't get angry and immediately calmly continued the
conversation, added with shaking eyes.

"Do you think the testimony is credible?"

Nora stared at her friend for a moment, then shook her head.

“I don’t know.

"I don't think I know anything in detail. I'd like to investigate more clearly than that. I
keep feeling like there's something, but I don't know exactly what it is."

"..."

"The other day. That diamond necklace. Shuri was holding it while she was walking
around again because of sleepwalking. That's how I found out, but when I asked where
I got it, the reaction was unusual."

"Isn't it serious?"

"Uh. It seemed like I was looking at someone other than myself... It's the first time I've
ever seen him make such gibberish excuses. It made me look like a wife caught
cheating on me, so I said it all."

Jeremy gave strength at the end of his words and clenched his fists tightly. Nora, who
was watching her, also gradually became an unusual expression of her.

"I'm not pretending that Shuri didn't know what the viscountess said. I don't think she
really remembers it. So I'm going to find out."

"Even though it's about your father?"

At that short but meaningful question, Jeremy breathed out and nodded.

"So I'm trying to find out more... if my father is really who I thought he was."

“I might regret it.”

"It doesn't matter. So you."

The lion's eyes met the wolf's eyes with a desperate light.

"We must win tomorrow."

"Because even if you don't look at it, I'll make sure you know."

***

The duel of honor against the clergy will take place at the Holy Knights' Gymnasium in
Sacrosanct. As it was a confrontation that would decide the future, a level of tension
and solemnity different from that of a swordsmanship competition enveloped the
audience with countless spectators.

The pope and emperor sitting at the top, the cardinals, the rest of the audience, and
the paladins covering all sides all had similar looking faces. A face that was trying
hard to hide its agitation.

From the morning, as if I had been drunk, I felt dazed and bewildered. All she could
feel was the warmth from the hand of Jeremy, who was escorting me.

No matter how others were looking at us, or rather, knowing that they were seeing us,
we stuck even closer. With the attitude that we don't care what delusions you have and
what you make up.

Anyway, I had to watch this duel straight. Not simply because I am a defendant, but
because it is the right thing to do for Nora, who stood up for me.

"Lady Neuwanstein."

Our reserved seats were at the very front of the audience. It was as if the people of the
Duke of Nuremberg were sitting nearby. The Duchess could not see, perhaps deciding
that she would be difficult to watch.
I thought I would receive quite resentful stares, but everyone was trying hard to fix
those blue gazes forward. It is said that he was swept away unintentionally, but since
the board had already become like this, it would be difficult to express his inner
feelings.

Anyway, the duke's eyes as he calmly greeted me and looked at me looked

complicated. Could it be because of the thought that his one and only son might die
here? I also had that anxiety. If Nora is wrong today, then... … .

I stared at her for a moment with eyes that looked exactly like Nora's, and then,
without realizing it, I handed one of the items I had brought into her hand. Jeremy
looked at me with a puzzled look, but she didn't particularly ask what it was. And the
duke tilted his head.

"wife……?"

“……Please watch it. Anytime.”

that was all i could say I had some doubts about whether this was a good thing to do,
but there was no other good time to hand it over.

"I never thought I'd get to see all of these rare sights before leaving. This is what the
continent's weather is all about."

Prince Ali Pasha, who was sitting right behind the seats where my family was seated,
expressed his feelings in a light but cheerful tone that did not sound rude. The prince
of a foreign country, who came to enjoy the celebration of the founding of the empire
and witnessed a series of rare incidents, kept the attitude that the incident itself was
just a clown game, putting aside the contents of the Holy Trial.

I was grateful for that attitude, but at the same time I thought it was possible because
he was a Safavid national. Even though he believes in the same religion, he is the
prince of a passionate island nation that is far more free-spirited than our empire,
which has the Vatican just around the corner.

"Is there a duel like this in Safavid?"

“There are duels of honor in Korea, too, but they are slightly different. First of all, it is a
duel between warriors and warriors, and they have different standards of honor, so
there are a lot of them. There are quite a few bizarre cases where they challenge you
to a duel for insulting you."
“Is thin hair an insult?”

"Isn't that pretty plausible? You have to be careful with those who carry swords there
at all times. It's easy to get into trouble with someone like Sir Jeremy. A man with a
great appearance is a public enemy. On the other hand, it seems that the Lady side is
more likely to get into trouble. only."

"You saw it correctly. Surprisingly, you have quite a bit of analytical skills."

"It's unexpected, even after seeing him, he's a prince who's in charge of diplomatic
missions."

Even in this thin ice-like atmosphere, I want to pay tribute to Jeremy and Prince Ali
and their innate cheerfulness. I smiled slightly, put my hand on my quivering chest,
and turned my gaze to the Cardinals. Cardinal Richelieu, who did not even show his
nose during the trial, was here today.

Even though the late summer sun was shining brightly on it, it was just like that, as if it
had been forcibly put together from paintings of different styles, and it seemed to
have a lonely and dark atmosphere. I wanted to see my eyes flashing like jet black and
stick to Jeremy, but they quickly passed by. Why did I not see you yesterday, but came
out today? Was it because he couldn't see with his own eyes how the game he had
played would come to an end?

As the pope raised the torch high into the air, it wasn't long before a long horn
sounded. After a while, a paladin from the Church side walked out from the door on
the right. He wasn't very tall, but he was a man with a thick scar across the middle of
his face and eyes shining brightly with an act of killing close to madness. He seemed
to believe that he was a pirate, not a paladin. I swallowed dry saliva.

And finally, my knight of honor appeared from the door on the left. Unlike the paladin
side, who was heavily armed with steel plate armor, for some reason Nora was wearing
an ebony knight's uniform rather than combat gear. Even so, I felt like I was going to
cry strangely while laughing at the sight of him walking out with a sword in a really
leisurely way. It was because the sword he was holding was too familiar.

It was the sword I gave you as a Christmas present three years ago. Zweihender, a
black steel sword with a sapphire embedded in the handle, he had obtained from
Langennes.

As soon as the two knights came up to the stage and faced each other, the sound of
the horn sounded again. It was the beginning of a duel.
thud!

The sound of swords and shields colliding rang loudly. Nora had already pulled
herself away when the paladin, who managed to block Nora's sword strike with her
shield, quickly moved her right hand and swung the sword. Unlike the swordsmanship
competition, which was more of an entertainment atmosphere, it was a real life-
threatening confrontation.

"Anyway, in case someone isn't a Pomsaeng Pomsa, what's wrong with wearing some
armor?"

It was Jeremy's playful muttering, as if he must have felt the sweat on my clasped
hands. He was an alumni. I'm afraid that I might be in a big trouble like that. Unlike the
paladins who were fully armed with armor and shields, Nora was wearing a simple
uniform and was holding only one Zweihender in each hand. At the same time, the
sight of him swinging his sword wildly with reckless momentum, without feeling the
slightest caution or prudence, made me dizzy. She thought it was good that the
Duchess was not here. If he had come out, he would have passed out several times by
now.

Cacan!

The two swords collided violently and at the same time, the paladin raised his arm
holding the shield high. One moment, screams erupted from all directions, but the
next moment, Nora, who narrowly avoided the collision by turning her body around,
smiled at the other person with an unmatched smile. If the intention was to raise the
medicine, it can be said that it has already succeeded. That terrifying bandit-like
paladin seemed irritated from the beginning.

On the other hand, Nora, who was constantly hitting and falling, put on a look that
was not fun. Are you just bluffing? What part of the paladin armed with
swordsmanship that secular humans are hard to fathom are they aiming for? No
matter how brilliant a knight Nora was, she was still only in her late teens, and her
opponent was a seasoned paladin with much more practical experience. By the way…
….

The moment the paladin lifted his shield again and secured his balance, he heard a
roaring sound and the helmet rolled on the floor. The sound of urgent breathing
could be heard from here and there. Jeremy, who was nervously watching the scene,
came out and blew a whistle while tightening her gripped hands.

"That's it! That's how I feel!"

… … Well, to be fair, Jeremy had knocked off Nora's helmet first. The difference is that
unlike the time when it was a battle between friends, now it is a real life-and-death
duel. So, it seemed that Nora had changed her power control. It was truly
overwhelming force.

After being hit in the head with a huge Zweihender blade and taking off his helmet,
the genital city blinked dizzy for a moment, then quickly backed away to gain some
distance. Nora ran right back. At the same time as he rushed forward recklessly and
quickly, he lowered his greatsword vertically.

With a roar of fukang, the shield shattered and scattered across the sandy floor. It
was almost the same time that the paladin, who was staggering backwards from the
violent impact that followed twice, swung his sword, and Nora quickly raised the sword
that struck her shield diagonally. A sharp crackling noise rang out briefly, and the
next moment a black flash flashed horizontally.

"Kyaaaagh!"

It was not unreasonable that the screams burst out. Because I also screamed briefly.
The same was true of the Paladin. The blood and flesh dripping onto the floor was
terrifying.

But the show didn't end there. Taking a quick step behind her, Nora gave her audience
a chance to catch her breath before raising her sword high into the air and striking it
down once more. To be precise, towards the arm that held the paladin's sword, which
stumbled across her blood-stained face. Blood splattered in all directions with a thud,
and another loud scream rang out.

"I don't really have any ill feelings on that side."

Nora, who grinned with sparkling blue eyes, looked like a slaughter demon, perhaps
because she was covered in a lot of blood from her opponent. No, I should say it looks
like a real hungry wolf.

Then he delivered the final blow to his opponent who was struggling in pain. It wasn't
enough that I cut off his wrists, so I plunged my sword straight into the nape of his
neck, just below his chin!

Seeing the blood gushing out like a fountain, I closed my eyes and opened them.
A moment of silence passed. It was a silence close to astonishment, on a completely
different level from the final match of the swordsmanship competition. After repeating
hit-and-run for a long time, everyone was instantly stunned by the scene where they
overpoweredly pushed and butchered their opponents at the last minute. As if to show
off... … Yes, it is a landscape that unfolds as if to be seen openly.

While everyone in the audience was mesmerized, Nora took out a handkerchief from
her inside pocket and wiped her blood-splattered face, not caring about the people's
expressions. His black hair, wet with sweat, glowed brown in the sun.

Apparently, the emperor sitting at the top was just mesmerized by the spectacle that
had unfolded so far, no different from the pope next to him. But no matter what she
was fascinated by, the trance soon dissipated. The emperor, unable to be more
certain of his nephew's victory, cleared his throat as if to listen to the clergy standing
side by side. The next moment, Jeremy, who was sitting next to me, jumped up and
thrust the first shovel with all his might into this pre-storm territory.

"Anyway, the real unlucky bastard bastard...!"

Only then did applause start pouring out from all directions, signaled by that cry of
praise or criticism. There were many people who pretended to cheer forcibly, but it
didn't matter anyway. In a duel of honor that God marks the winner, the Prince of
Nuremberg won. he defended my honor

My knight of honor, in front of this large crowd, wanted to take a look at his friend who
was treating him not as a terrifying wolf, but as a pup, and then immediately came
down from the podium and strode toward this direction.

Pak, the sword slammed into the dirt caused a loud vibration. Indeed, the knight who
sat on one knee politely on the floor immediately took my hand and kissed the back of
his hand. The smell of blood vibrated all over, but it didn't matter.

"With this, your honor is safe. Lady Neuwanstein, your innocence has been proven
before God and men. If anyone else babbles about this result, then things will be even
less interesting than today."

"How much more dreary can it be if it's less fun than this? Come on, you see, folks! The
festivities are over!"

The image of Jeremy roaring the same line I said three years ago was the highlight. I
was crying and laughing at the same time, and the two of them smiled shoulder to
shoulder with me. Cheerfully, as if no one else existed here, as if nothing mattered
except us.
Prince Ali, who must have been the only one in the crowd who watched the show with
an attitude of enjoyment, stood up and spoke in a voice filled with sincere impression
toward the winner of the day.

"I sincerely commend you for your uncompromising chivalry."

"That's the spirit of the empire."

***

"It's like a non-electronic war. It seems that history truly repeats itself."

These were the last words the emperor muttered meaningfully at the end of an
eventful day. That's right, thought Albrecht von Nuremberg. Are there any other
examples of non-electronic warfare more than this? It was a distant old story, the story
of fathers.

Maybe that was the decisive reason why I couldn't just laugh at the Holy Trial this time.
Not about the accused, but about her and the guys by her side. In that respect, the
peacock's eye was quite accurate.

Maybe I can be just like my fathers. The situation and conditions were different, but
the flow of emotions could be said to be the same.

A young lion who clearly fell in love with his stepmother, a young wolf who became an
honorary knight for his friend's stepmother, and a young eagle who showed unusual
signs toward the marquise's wife from three years ago. Even the appearance of the
woman they cherished was like that of their fathers.

"Whoa..."

The blue eyes of the duke, who was sitting on the sofa unraveling the cravat, flashed
intricately.
He didn't believe in fate very much, but at this moment, he couldn't stop thinking
about the bizarreness of fate. Furthermore, in this generation, it is also about whose
hand fate will raise.

When they first heard the news that Johenus had taken a young second wife, both
Albrecht and Maximilian reacted as if this friend had gone senile early.

However, as soon as I saw the appearance of the second wife, I was convinced. It
wasn't even a crowd. Even though the hair color and eyes were different, they couldn't
resemble each other... … . With the dead Ludovika.

Ludovika, who married Maximilian and became empress, ignited their youth and
ended it. When I closed her eyes and searched for her memories, that mischievous
voice from that time still seemed to come to mind vividly.

"Alb, I'm finally getting married! I'm going to do it first, so call me sister as promised!"

Wrapped in a white muslin dress, she was spinning around like an immature girl. she
died long ago Even so, all of them couldn't get out of her shadow for the rest of their
lives. That fact must have bothered Elisabeth, who became the emperor's second
empress. The former Marquis, who died before Johenus.

However, contrary to the thoughts of the people around him, Albrecht had long since
pushed his feelings towards Ludovika into old memories. No, I thought so. Every time
she saw the current marquise, she remembered her old memories and found herself
naturally softened, but rather than because of that, she could see that her
compassion was much greater.

At most, it was a little girl, the age of their children. It was a situation where such a
child was facing the storms of a difficult world alone, sitting in a position that even
men who had grown up with tolerable successor training could not handle. A girl who
looks like Ludovika.

Albrecht had no desire to insult his dead old friend. However, the strange sense of
incongruity he had felt from before had been greatly increased by the testimony
claimed by the Viscountess at yesterday's trial, to be exact.

As a friend he'd grown up with since childhood, he couldn't say for sure that his dead
friend didn't really do that. A low sigh escaped from between her half-parted lips.
"Who went first to ask for repentance instead..."

In that way, his thoughts of the current marquis for a long time eventually moved to
the object she had suddenly handed over to him today. An old croquis book that feels
familiar somewhere. It sure looks familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen it
before... … . Maybe you can think of it when you look at the contents.

So he measured the pipe, held the croquis book in one hand, and held it open. I did,
but as soon as I did, he immediately frowned. Somehow, I thought it was something I
had seen a lot somewhere. It was a painting style that I was not familiar with. No
matter how many years had passed, I could recognize it. His immature son took up a
hobby for a long time as a child. At that time, he thought it was all burned, but it
seems he managed to keep it.

But why the hell did this end up in the hands of the Marquis?

I couldn't quite remember what had led me to burn all the pictures at the time. The
family atmosphere that looked down on art itself must have played a part. Now that I
think about it, I think I could have just left it... … .

The duke's hand, which had been half-thoughtlessly flipping through the painting
while brooding over his thoughts, suddenly stopped.

Along with the hazy pipe smoke hovering in the air, the blue eyes that had sunk in a
haze gradually regained clarity and stared at the croquis book. It was a sketch drawn
by a child's clumsy hand, but it was clear who it was. It was immediately recognizable
by the painted surrounding furniture and surprisingly detailed clothing.

So, the person drawn there was none other than Albrecht himself. To be precise, he
was sitting with his back turned to the study.

He stared intently at the picture of his back for a moment, then slowly moved on to the
next page. A similar picture emerged later. It was the same after that and after that. It
occupied quite a few pages. A picture his son drew of him.

When did you draw all of this? Most of the sketches contained images of him working
hard. But that wasn't all. There were quite a few different types of him. The profile of
him as if he was in a meeting with his vassals, and even the look of him sitting in an
armchair and immersed in endless thoughts.
They were sketches that made it feel like they watched him carefully. However, the
proper front view never came out. Maybe it was natural. If he did, he would have
remembered.

What was the boy who drew this thinking at the time?

Suddenly, I felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on a corner of my chest. He

continued to flip through his old paper, trying to just ignore the sensation. And so on
until you have the last few blank pages on which nothing else is drawn. Then he
started flipping back again.

It's just a picture. It's just a picture... … .

Feeling a subtle quickness in his breath, he put down his pipe and raised his hand to
cover his mouth. A lump of something stinging was building up in his throat.

It was impossible. So, it was impossible at the moment. The fact that his son draws
such a picture is in itself. Because the relationship between father and son was colder
than frost.

It wasn't like that from the beginning. He was so different, even when his son was little,
than he is now. Once upon a time, when I came home from work, seeing a child leaping
out to greet me on small legs was my only pleasure in life. There was a time when the
boy who looked so much like him, with spiky black hair and sparkling blue eyes,
seemed like the whole world. There was a time when the little boy was sick with the flu
one day, and he would sit by and watch for days and nights, fearing that if he looked
away for a moment, things would go wrong.

What went wrong in the middle?

He furrowed his forehead as he felt something poking his brain. The headache, which
seemed to come to mind but did not come to mind, both familiar and extremely
unpleasant, began again.

In some of the countless sketches, rather familiar objects remained as crooked

drawings. Vases that are now gone, teacups that were popular back then, or pipes… … .

Oh, it was. there was a pipe And it wasn't just a regular pipe. The crystal pipe he
received as a diplomatic gift, and a clumsy painting that tried to embody the splendid
and delicate decoration as it was, remained here.
There was another reason why the pipe, which had disappeared many years ago,
remained vividly in my memory until now. The day it shattered was the day he laid his
hand on his son for the first time.

hit. At that time, his son said he was not like that. But as a witness, his step-nephew, the
crown prince, was right by his side. Theobald, the son of Ludovica, whom he once
loved so much.

I think it was from then. The fact that his son gradually developed a habit of telling lies
that he hadn't seen before.

The incident of that day was just the starting point, and gradually cracks began to
form between the father and son. No matter how severely he was disciplined, no
matter how harshly he was punished, there was no sign of improvement.

Looking back now, every time his son did something, someone was there. The same
person, Ludovica's son.

A low sigh similar to a moan escaped. If there is one thing the Duke of Nuremberg
considers to be the most important principle in the education of his children, it is
honesty. No, not just his children, but anyone who grew up in an environment where all
sorts of conspiracy tricks were prevalent from a young age.

By the way… … .

What if it wasn't like that? No, even if he was right, what would have happened if he
had reacted a little differently? Did he ever give priority to his son's words and not
others?

no, there wasn't Have you ever looked properly at the child who complained with
wounded blue eyes, who growled and snarled at the same stormy temper, fearing that
someone might not be rebellious?

As a result, there was none. Like the pictures in this croquis book, he always showed
only his back turned.

The boy who drew this picture might not exist anymore. It might have been a long time
since the once established love was shattered by anger and disappointment. No,
maybe he would have completely given up and turned his back on me as well, without
any regrets or feelings anymore.
And today, I almost lost that son forever. A child who once thanked God just for
growing up healthy. The child who had vowed not to become like the other common
aristocratic fathers, never to become a father who forgets even the name of his child
while meeting his face only once every few months.

Quietly, very quietly, silent tears flowed down the back of her hand that covered her
mouth as if it were pressing down on her.

Chapter 9 - Original Sin

"It didn't even show its nose, but now that it's showing up, it's clear that it managed to
escape here to avoid impatient visitors."

“You truly have the wisdom of every empress.”

“Hey, it seems that everyone is wandering around for a while. But did they know that
Letran was among the visitors?”

“Your Highness is a visitor to my son, not me, so this is an irrelevant issue.”

"You don't know since when our second sons became so close."

"Hereafter, alumni."

It feels like a really long time. A conversation like this. On the other hand, who is still
hated, why is it that the unchanging appearance feels warm again? As Elizabeth said, I
had been running away for a while from the nobles who frantically visited me, as if
insisting that I have to prove something on this occasion.

… … Not just that, but there were other reasons as well.

The garden outside the beautifully decorated balcony of the empress' palace was
already dyed in the golden light of autumn, after late summer had completely
receded. Now it's completely fall, all summer festivals are over.
By the way, Prince Ali Pasha also returned to Safavid. As they took turns, he and Rachel
both felt so sad that Elias clicked her tongue as they exchanged a long goodbye.
Hmm, I think we need to prevent Korea and Safavid from entering a cold war, even for
the sake of our daughter... … .

"Anyway, my arrogant nephew took care of things quite unconventionally. It's fortunate
that it ended well, but since my parents and your family joined hands inevitably, the
situation will be noisy for a while."

"You never know which one will be louder."

"You're still confident without being bitter. You're dealing with raccoon-like family
heads. You'll take care of yourself, but well, most of the ladies seem to be on your side,
so you shouldn't worry about them. Surely, after the trial, why didn't you side with me?
They must have tried to scratch their husband's eyeballs."

is it? I decided to stop trying to imagine a scene where the sweet and benevolent
Countess of Bavaria would try to claw her Countess in the eyeballs.

“So what are you planning to do next?”

“First of all, we have to drastically reduce our family spending. But Mama.”

"Why but?"

Elisabeth, who was elegantly raising the teacup, raised her dark red eyebrows as if
asking. I hesitated for a moment, then asked in a relatively cautious tone.

"About what His Highness tried to do as a witness at the end of that trial. Do you have
any guesses about what kind of testimony she was trying to testify?"

“……Well, to be honest, I don’t know too much about that. Because the prince knows
everything about me and isn’t the type to talk a lot.”

Aha, is that so? If that's the case, putting this aside, Elisabeth is completely unaware of
the last casino case. How can I get a handle on the matter so closely intertwined with
Theobald? Since the empress was very protective of her stepson, she could have
greatly offended her if she did something wrong.

Did Elizabeth really never feel any suspicion? Did she even have the slightest idea that
her own stepson was a man who had so many corners of her in her doubts?

While I was shaking my head like that, Elizabeth wanted to take a look at my
expression, but abruptly changed her words. To put it bluntly, she made an
unexpected statement.

"It might look funny if I say this out of my own mouth... Actually, the incident three years
ago was the same, and I did think that maybe the crown prince might still have
feelings for you like that."

"……Yes?"

“Thanks to the assault incident three years ago, I hope that I understand your mother
better than anyone else. When this incident happened, I was shocked, but I wasn’t
completely dumbfounded. ...."

"Yes?"

"Just like him, my arrogant nephew and the crown prince seem to have the same taste.
To be honest, you know that too. Even I, at first, only looked at your appearance and
judged it, so I felt hostility on my own. I burned it..."

I asked in the most polite tone I could use.

“Excuse me, Empress, but I don’t quite understand what you are talking about.

In response to my bewildered, half-stunned voice, Elizabeth fiddled with the teacup as

if she was somehow confused and looked at me without sighing. I had a completely
bewildered face.

The blue eyes seemed to flicker in wonder for a moment, and then slowly a bizarre
feeling of bewilderment began to form.
There was a moment of devastated silence. That was until Elizabeth, who had been
staring blankly at my eyes, which were beginning to twist to the point where it was
hard to put into words, said this in a strangely bewildered tone.

“Did you… you didn’t know at all?”

"So what do you mean?"

"No, that's why, your appearance, that, the person who resembles you..."

"Someone who looks like me? Does Mama know who it is?"

A lady-in-waiting sneaked up on her and said something to Elizabeth, but neither of

us paid any attention to it. Unlike the empress, who was at a loss not to be like her, I
hardened her face. And then it was.

"I thought I would be late, but it seems to have arrived surprisingly quickly, sister. Oh,
Lady Neuwanstein was also with you."

The two women naturally looked at the Duke of Nuremberg, who walked in gracefully
and greeted him politely.

So, it was only natural that the Duke of Steel, who unexpectedly faced the most
embarrassing difficulty of receiving both his sister's restless eyes and my burning eyes
at the same time, immediately turned a bewildered face.

"No, what the hell happened?"

that was what i was going to say

***

"Perhaps later we'll be tied up on charges of incest."

"Oh, come on, don't even say that horrible thing! I'm not in the mood to vomit?!"

"Aww! Who knows?! You're just pointing out the dirty reality of what might be!"

Leon, who was gripping the top of his foot that had been slammed down after talking
nonsense, protested in a voice full of complaints, but Rachel only looked at her with
her big eyes viciously glaring.

"Now that it's all over, that won't happen again. And my older brother will get rid of all
the people who bullied my mother!"

“Uh, I think it was that dark prince who decided to solve this issue…”

"That was a situation where my eldest brother couldn't act, so he acted instead!
Anyway, it won't happen again, so stop saying horrible things."

Arrows rained down in the courtyard opposite the stone steps where the twins were
sitting side by side. There wasn't a war, it was just that the red-hot idiot, who was
known for himself and others in this house, and the 2nd prince who visited
unexpectedly were having an archery match.

Why is there no quiet day in my house? Why do my older brothers only hang out with
people similar to them? It's all wrong to get married, it's wrong!

While thinking about that, Leon scratched his golden curls.

“Is your older brother that trustworthy?”

"Isn't it obvious? There is no other knight as strong as your older brother. Oh, that
Confucius would be similar, but since he's your friend, you'll be fine. But why? I'm
jealous?"

"It's a little better, but that's not the problem."

"Then what else is the problem?"

The men in my family are good at making people explode anyway. With all those
thoughts in mind, Rachel began to open her emerald eyes again. And Leon muttered
with a slightly ferocious expression, trying to avoid her twin sister's ferocious gaze.

“Does my older brother really see my mother as a mother?”

"What? What does that mean?"

"To be honest, my dear twins, I think you and I are the only ones among us who think of
mother as mother. Oh, and maybe little brother? It's a little bit… big, anyway."

Rachel now looked at Leon, who had been described as having the least common
sense among the men in the family, with eyes full of disbelief.

“What are you… what are you, are you suddenly crazy? Did you just sell mystery novels
and suddenly started to fantasize about that? Do you believe in that ridiculous trial,
right now?”

Leon had to shake his head hurriedly at the terrifying appearance of his sister, who
pressed forward as if he were going to scratch his eyeballs at any moment. To be
precise, he shook his head and nodded.

"No, no, it's not like that, so it's not the mother, it's the big brother. No, it's kind of a
problem, but anyway, honestly, haven't you ever felt that way?"

"What?"

"Kham, so do you think the eyes of the big brother looking at the mother are the same
as yours and mine? To be honest, whenever I look at the big brother, only the mother
follows the eyes. Well, objectively, the mother is only a year or two older than the big
brother, and she is also very pretty. So, it's not completely incomprehensible."

Rachel just stared at Leon's face with a slightly distorted expression for a moment. A
short silence seemed to pass over the two blond hair, but after a while, tears welled up
in the girl's eyes. And Leon was taken aback.

"Oh, no, don't cry! Why are you crying? Sorry, I-I just thought maybe..."
"Hey... if you say that, then someone else might bother your mom."

"No, I can't bully you! Absolutely! Like you said earlier, the big brother will get rid of
everything! There's also a little brother who only has the temperament of a
sharpshooter! That's why I'm crying..."

"Then you? Will you too?"

"It's true, people with muscles even their brains need talented people like me who are
in charge of intelligence! So, let the noise of others spill over your ears. After all, if it's
not us, we're all enemies."

Leon patted his chest excitedly and smiled. Rachel, sniffing at the tip of her red-hot
nose, also smiled.

"It really seemed like that."

"Yes. I also knew this for sure. Ah, we are innocent children who still have to live in a
world of fairy tales. This filthy world...!"

At this lamentation of the new wave, Rachel giggled and immediately deflated her
expression. Leon swallowed dry saliva, wanting something else.

"Why again..."

"Because I'm not a child? I'm a full-fledged lady now? Because my acting skills are
really good? Don't treat me as an immature single parent like you and your brothers!"

"..."

***
"So you're saying you need your father's help to get things done as smoothly as
possible?"

"That's true, but they're going to have no hope. You're a human who wears that bird's
head too much."

"Why?"

"How do I know that? Anyway, we'll have to figure it out on our own."

"Sorry. Anyway, then, right now, we have to solve the problem we're facing right now."

Technically, it was like being dragged into Jeremy's problem, but Nora didn't
particularly complain about it. He did not express any dissatisfaction about the fact
that he was able to ride a horse for half a day and enjoy the simple scenery of a rural
village that he had never heard of before.

The gazes of the two young men, who had been chattering while admiring the white
swaying reeds while standing on a foaming horse, turned to the carriage immediately
behind them.

It was a small, sturdy carriage that looked more like a carriage for convicts than a
carriage for common ladies. Turning his horse and approaching the carriage, Jeremy
tapped the window with his knuckles. Then her cover was quietly pulled back to reveal
a middle-aged woman trembling with her pale face.

In a way, this situation in which two sturdy young knights threatened a middle-aged
lady, shoved them into a convoy carriage, and came to a mountain village with nice
mountains and good water to drink, was very misleading in a way.

However, if it was a situation that saved his life, there was room for it to look somewhat
different. If they hadn't kidnapped her, she might have been found dead in a back
alley by now.

"So, where are the witnesses who can prove whether or not the testimony you've been
talking about is true?"

Jeremy's eyes as he asked leisurely were unexpectedly far from bloody. Again, it
seemed oddly complicated.
It was. Currently, Jeremy was suffering from a very complicated feeling about Shuri's
mother. To be precise, I should say that I feel needlessly weak.

It was not at all because of the fact that the other person was Shuri's inferior
biological mother. Damn it, it was because of those green eyes that looked so much
like Shuri. Nora, who rode her horse and approached her, seemed to have felt the
feelings of her close friend and rival.

"I don't think I was too weak against him then."

"Your eyes are different!"

"No. It was the same. My memory is correct."

"Yes? Then am I weird?"

"No, actually me too. Damn it."

"Damn it, this is a very discriminatory attitude. It seems that we too are helplessly
worldly knights."

"Hereinafter, alumni."

While the two fearsome knights exchanged smiles of warm friendship, Mrs. Stella von
Ighoeffer just stared blankly at them. Then, a dark black panther-like knight with
ferocious blue eyes suddenly stared at him, frightening him.

"Huh uh uh!"

"Oh, my ears hurt. Hey, ma'am, get directions quickly. We don't have time. I doubt there
are any real witnesses."

***
"...So I really misunderstood that I knew you from a long time ago, ha, but even if it was
before, I never overlap you with the deceased now. It's true."

"I also thought that you would know to some extent. Besides, it would be rude to bring
up such a story whether you know it or not... No, more than that, why did you bring up
such a thing?"

"I, it's me, just talking about this situation... No, why are you angry with me?! All of this,
even though you guys don't have a clue, you're still with that foxy woman-"

"Who are you calling a fox?! And why do you keep bringing up stories from the past!"

"An old story? Ha! An old story? It seems to me that it's still in progress!"

"It's been a long time since I've been in the past tense?!"

Who would have imagined That the strongest brother and sister in the empire would
be so flustered in front of me, not knowing what to do, that they would end up arguing
with each other.

As for me, I was just trying to put together what I had just heard while maintaining a
firm face.

To sum up what the Empress and the Duke of Nuremberg confided in a shy (?) attitude
that was completely unsuitable, it was that the Empress Ludovica and I were
terrifyingly similar. In other words, she was the former empress, the first love of my
dead husband, the woman who had never even heard her husband's name properly.
And judging from the reactions of those two now, it seems that the former empress is
even the former love of the Duke of Steel.

The emperor, the Duke of Nuremberg, and the woman who gave her heart to even my
late husband will become the former empress. That I am his incarnation.

haha… … I knew very well that the reason Yochen married me was because I resembled
someone, but I didn't even know what to think or how to feel when I saw the real thing. I
finally understood the reason why the Emperor and the Duke seemed so strangely soft
to me. I vaguely thought it was just because it was her close friend's wife... … . I finally
understood why Elizabeth had once been so hostile to me.
"Please stop."

When I quietly opened my mouth, the two people who had been aung daung, not much
different from our lion cubs, immediately stopped talking and started clearing their
coughs really awkwardly. A sigh leaked out.

"Now all the puzzles fit. Now I understand why everyone did it to me."

"No, but I'm not saying it's been a long time since I've seen you completely. I don't know
how it sounds, but in fact, I've been seeing you since the trial three years ago..."

"Of course, to be honest, I can say that there was some degree of that, but I've never
treated my wife like that..."

"Thank you both, but it doesn't matter."

As the two brothers and sisters scrambled to make excuses that were not excuses, and
calmly fired at them, Elizabeth began to blink, and the Duke cleared his throat
awkwardly again. It is a landscape worth remembering.

It wasn't that I didn't feel bitter. of course. The hostility and favor that others sent me
for no reason, I realized that it was purely because I resembled another person, so of
course my mouth was bitter. Besides, she's not just any noblewoman, but a former
empress... … .

On the other hand, I thought about the fact that without the emperor or duke's
kindness, I would have had a hard time sailing, whether it was in the past or now. If it
weren't for those two people, in the past I would have had my California sovereignty
taken away at the hearing, and everything would have been even more difficult now
that I came back. It may have been more difficult not only for me but also for the
children. If you think about it, you can think of it as nothing. only… … .

"Do your children know about this?"

Elizabeth nodded at this question, and the duke shook his head.
"If you're the prince, you must know. You can always see my birth mother's portrait in
the corridor."

Oh, he said he couldn't even remember his mother's face. Anyway, there is no other
shepherd boy.

"Well, my son probably doesn't know. First of all, I banned the story from the house..."

"Ahhhh? Why did you do that?"

"It's because of my wife, no, then did you think I would hang a portrait of an old love in
the house?"

"I thought it would stay like that, but it's surprising."

"Sister, please!"

In the end, Nora and Jeremy don't know, and Theobald of course knows. I don't know
why I'm strangely relieved that Jeremiah is obvious and Nora doesn't know either. Yes,
at least my children and Nora are kind enough to see me as just myself. So it's okay.
it's okay, it's okay... … .

But if the reason Theobald claimed to have fallen for me was purely because I
resembled his biological mother, then I wondered why he hadn't done so in the past.
What the hell was Theobald doing? Moreover, it was also questionable how much he
had been involved with Cardinal Richelieu in the previous incident.

“Keuheum, oh, oh, ma’am, the croquis book you gave me at that time. I wanted to say
thank you for doing so.”

The Duke of Steel, who was rather embarrassed to light a pipe while I was struggling to
organize my complex thoughts, suddenly said these words with his blue eyes shining
seriously. It was something I had forgotten for a while.

"I guess you've seen everything..."

"Yes. It's embarrassing, but... I understand why you made sure to watch it."
A somewhat bittersweet yet sweet light passed through his blue eyes as he spoke
quietly. And Elizabeth opened her same blue eyes wide.

"A croquis book? What is that all of a sudden?"

“Even if you don’t know… there is such a thing anyway.”

"If I knew a little bit, where would it be? And how many times have I told you that I don't
like acting?"

"It's an abuse of power."

When the whole series of events and circumstances were put together, it was clear
that Theobald played a big part in the gap between the Duke and Nora.

And if my intuition is right, maybe Prince Letran was also the victim of a sheer
misunderstanding. If the 2nd Prince is really neurotic and selfish as he is known, it's
because of Elias' personality, it's impossible to get along with him. Maybe the two of
them fought before my return because of some misunderstanding.

Sigh. If Empress Ludovica had been alive, she could have beaten Theobald on the
back dozens of times.

Theobald is the nephew of the Duke of Nuremberg and the stepson whom the
Empress cherishes more than her own son. Not too long ago, it was unthinkable to
cross these two over this issue. But now the situation and circumstances have
reversed. The diamond necklace case could easily be misunderstood, so even if it was
put on hold, it was worth talking about the gambling case.

At this point, the Duke of Nuremberg is an ally of our family, and it's a matter involving
Prince Letran as well. In addition, it was Jeremy and Nora who closed the case.

Were there really no doubts about Elizabeth and the duke? Have you really not felt
any discomfort in the past? even once?

… … No, real parents must have noticed something. Whatever the reason for closing
your eyes and turning away.
Whatever Theobald's true intentions were, he couldn't let them devise such puzzling
schemes any longer. I couldn't stand to see something that would engulf not only me
but also my children.

"Big, ma'am?"

"Why so... big, so it's not really like that now, so relax. Anyway, he's already deceased-"

"Empress, do you know anything about what kind of hobbies Prince Letran enjoyed
just a while ago?"

Two pairs of blue eyes gleamed side by side.

***

“If you want to use a handsome man, would it be better to have a younger maid?”

“Why is that good-looking thing necessary at this point in time?”

"Rather than being scared and forcing me to speak, I think I'll be able to hear a more
truthful story."

"Even though I'm looking for someone who would have been here that day five years
ago?"

"Oh right……!"

While Jeremy patted his forehead with the palm of his hand and nodded, Nora stared
at the dapper self-made house in front of her eyes, not showing any sign of pity. In
other words, there is no disagreement with the assumption that a handsome man is
possible for them.
In any case, as it was the home of a village viscount, compared to the mansions of the
imperial capital, it was very simple and unfashionable. Apart from the appearance, the
overall feeling itself was cluttered and dreary. It's hard to believe that Shuri was born
and raised in a place like this.

"No, but what the hell is the owner of this house doing? I can't even peep my nose while
my wife and son are doing their live show in the capital city."

"Because he's so crazy about gambling, he doesn't even care what happens to the
house. It's understandable."

"For today, I'd like you to stay here for a while. I think that's the fastest way..."

"Hey, who are the masters?"

It was a question carefully asked by a stocky middle-aged woman in a maid's uniform

who had crept in front of the gate, as if the appearance of the two knights, who looked
unusual at first glance, were exchanging amicably. Jeremy responded right away, not
paying much attention to her, even though her words were cut off.

"I came from Marquis Neubanstein's residence. Is Viscount Ighoeffer in?"

At this succinct self-introduction, the middle-aged maid blinked her eyes for a
moment, then put on an expression claiming to be a flagship.

"Yes? Noivan... Then, are you from Lady Shuri's house?"

“To put it roughly like that, what about the viscount?”

"My lord isn't home right now. How is the young lady?"

Jeremy and Nora exchanged glances for a moment, then asked back at the same
time.

"How long have you been working here?"

"Are you talking about that? It's been about 15 years now, but why...?"

"15 years, I must have seen it since I was quite young."

The drawing room of the Viscount's residence was decorated quite splendidly,
although it seemed narrow.

Nora sat calmly in charge of the aged head maid's questions, while Jeremy stared at
the majestic full-length painting of a small work that hung on one wall, which did not
even resemble the real thing.

Reasonably, Jeremy deserved to play that role, but for some reason the young lion
had maintained an ambiguous silence from the moment he set foot in the mansion.

"That's right. I've been with you since you were 4 years old until you got married. Are
you really doing well, lady?"

Nora rested her arm on the back of the chair for a moment and studied the maid's
face carefully. She has a good-natured look and her eyes are clear and clear. She
seemed far from being the kind to be flattered or to utter her mouthfuls.

"I'm assuming you're doing well. They must have been quite close."

"No. Schönne wasn't particularly helpful to the lady, so I can't say that."

"Any help?"

"That, the young lady wasn't very happy here. I, too, was afraid of the madam, so I
couldn't offer much comfort to the young lady..."

A bitter light passed over the wrinkled face of the head maid as she spoke quietly and
lowered her head. This was a fairly honest response.

“Has the Marquis ever visited this place since she got married?”
"I've only had it once, but..."

"When was that?"

Jeremy, who had been passing it on to his friend with his mouth shut, suddenly leaned
forward and snarled at the question. At this somewhat violent spirit, the middle-aged
maid, the chief, frightened for a moment, blinked at her blindly, but she stammered for
an answer.

"That's it, so it must have been winter about five years ago. That's right, it was the year
you got married..."

"alone?"

“Yes, he came alone through heavy snow almost at dawn. I remember everyone was
surprised because he came without communication.”

Jeremy's face gradually hardened. Nora stared at her friend's expression, then asked
again.

"Do you remember what the Marquis's condition was like then?"

The head maid of the Viscount's residence was becoming increasingly perplexed and
at a loss for what to do. She seemed to have a hard time telling the truth rather than
trying to hide something.

"If you try to hide something here or tell a lie even a little, you won't be able to see the
sun rising tomorrow morning. Tell me exactly what the Marquis was like that day and
why you came here so suddenly."

"Uh, what kind of safety would you lie about? Schönne was just... the lady's condition
that day was quite unreasonable..."

"Didn't you say that?"

Nora's voice was calm, but there was an indescribable sense of intimidation.
The head maid wanted to take turns looking at the two knights with nervous and
uneasy eyes for a moment, but then continued with her eyes looking so determined
that she was determined.

"How can I know the detailed circumstances of the people of high rank, but the lady
who suddenly visited that morning seemed very frightened. And she was crying."

“You were crying…?”

"Yes. She clung to the lady who came out of her sleep and begged that she did not
want to go back. There was a scolding, but what the hell was going on, it made her
look like she was half insane. I'd never seen a lady like that in my life, so everyone was
confused. I did. Even when the wedding date was set, it wasn't like that..."

"..."

"I-I haven't heard the details, but I remember that the madam was angry at that time,
saying, "Are you insane?" I put it in the bathtub..."

Jeremy sat motionless, staring at the maid's mouth. She barely breathed. she asked
again lazily, her Nora, who maintained her much calmer mood by comparison.

"I did?"

“……I apologize. How will you accept it……”

"I'll accept it as it is, so keep talking. Did you get hurt?"

At these words, her dark brown eyes widened as if she knew how.

"Yes. I don't know how it happened, but apart from the scar around the neck, the calf
was bruised and torn all over. It looked like it had been severely beaten. Who could
have done such a thing when she was a marquisess? I remember that we were quite
surprised by each other.”

"..."
“As soon as the day dawned, someone came from the Marquis of the Imperial Capital
early in the morning, and that was how it ended. It was the last day I saw you."

***

The scenery of the reed field, dyed in pink twilight with the sun slowly waning, looked
peaceful and warm. A cool eastern wind blew and tousled their hair. The leisurely
grazing horses looked at their masters with their heads tilted.

“……After all, it wasn’t a lie. The woman and the other servants didn’t contradict the
content.”

"..."

"Isn't it? Don't you think so too? Say something."

"..."

"So it's true that Shuri came back here five years ago. He cried. He said someone, ha,
someone hit him. Who could that be? Who else can do that? Who else? Huh?"

"..."

"Damn it, you really did!"

A tremendous, almost outrageous shout echoed through the swaying reeds.

Jeremy sat down on the ground in the overgrown bushes and cupped his head in his
hands as Nora just watched, blankly. Her hunched shoulders trembled violently and
uncontrollable tears poured from her distorted dark green eyes.
"Everything... they're all true... they said they came all the way here trembling alone.
They said they didn't want to go back while crying..."

"..."

"You know, my father never touched us. None of us ever hit him like that. But then what
the heck is that? Ha, but then, how is it different from a pet?”

"Jeremy."

"What the hell is the difference between my father and that viscount's family? What's
the real difference between her? How terrible was it that I can't even remember now?
Maybe that's not all. Then I, I...!"

Nora said nothing. What can he say in this situation. He just silently put his hand on
the shoulder of his friend who was kneeling on the floor and sobbing. His blue eyes
were also sunken with complex light.

The sky was now all colored purple. It's time to slowly go back.

Nora looked for a moment at her friend, who couldn't stop crying, then got up and
approached the carriage parked at the back of the hillside. As soon as the door
slammed open with a rattle, the Viscountess, who had been groaning while being tied
to the seat, shuddered in fright. She seems to be about to scream, but she's gagged,
so all she can do is grunt.

"Thanks for the information. By the way, Mrs. Ighoeffer."

“……up, upup……”

"Didn't you say that you couldn't even see the face of the priest approaching her, and
you didn't even know who it was?"

"Eup, up, up...!"

The lady, who had been struggling desperately, bobbed her head up and down with all
her might. Staring straight at the wide open eyes instead of the bound mouth, the
grass-colored eyes that looked just like someone but were so different at the same
time, Nora spat out in a cold voice that gave her chills.

“Then I’m sorry, but I have to die at this point.”

***

I got home just in time for dinner. Prince Letran, who had spent half a day at our
marquis's residence and looked like he was playing, was about to return to the
imperial palace just in time.

"Good evening, Lady Neuwanstein!"

"Mistress, cut your arm. Why are you so late?"

No matter what they did all day, Letran and Elias, who were massaging their forearms
side by side and greeting each other, exuded an atmosphere of deep friendship as if
they had given up on the evil in their previous lives. And I smiled, somehow feeling a
thread of pity towards Letran.

"Hello, Your Highness. Why don't we have dinner together..."

"No. Mama will be waiting, so I'll do it next time. Is that okay?"

That's what you mean. Moaning, watching the 2nd prince whimper because of sinusitis
and talk brightly, somehow my heart is heavy. Well, since it's all in the past, wouldn't
Elizabeth give Chidogon a step too late to this bright prince?

When I told them the whole story of the casino incident the other day, neither
Elisabeth nor the Duke of Nuremberg looked very sad and didn't say anything for a
while. I wondered if they were trying to frame the crown prince, but whether it was
because I was too surprised or because my relatives were witnesses, I just asked if I
could find my brother who played the role of the owner of the gambling house. And I
replied that I was looking for it now. As a matter of fact.
My mother had disappeared after the trial, and since my brother could hardly find a
trace, I ordered a few of the family's elite knights to search for them. Not only those
two, but also my father, who probably doesn't even know what he's doing now. As long
as my family members kept becoming a noose towards me in this way, I had to find out
and take action to prevent this from happening again.

Anyway, it should have been pretty messed up by now. Both Elizabeth and the Duke. It
is entirely up to them to decide what conclusions they will come to after thinking
about the story I confided in today.

With that thought in mind, I took my eyes off Prince Letran and looked at our second
son, who was like a horned colt.

"Where is your brother?"

It was a thoughtless question, but sure enough, Elias opened his mouth as if he knew
it.

“How do I know that? Why do you always look for hyung?

"When am I? Are you jealous again? Oh, did our L feel sad?"

"Ji, who's jealous of jealousy! Where are they being treated as children?!"

"Because you're acting like a child, you're treated like a child!"

"Wow! Child discrimination! Your Highness Letran, I live like this!"

"Well, as long as it's piercing, I understand. Originally, mothers are meant to only like
their eldest son."

"What, if that's the case, why did you give birth to me?"

did i give birth Shaking my head, I went straight to the residence to change clothes,
but Robert came to visit me. Our faithful butler said with trembling pupils.
“Madam, a guest has arrived.”

"At this time...? Who the hell is this time?"

“This is Cardinal Richelieu Ephesus.”

The hand that was removing the peridot brooch stopped. Who said he came with his
feet... … ?

***

"Are you okay?"

I couldn't tell if the question was directed at the horses sitting on the ground
struggling to foam, or at my friend looking up at the starry sky with wet eyes, looking
like he was about to sing a song from an unfortunate knight. It was nothing. So Jeremy
decided to just interpret it his own way.

"No. It's so miserable that I feel like digging into the ground and dying."

"But it's good that it's not as irritating as before. I don't have any hobbies to appease
the giant bastard."

“I don’t really want to cry in the arms of a dark boy.”

Nora could say she knew better than anyone the feeling of anger and disappointment
at her parents, whom she had believed were perfect, but the shock and helplessness
that Jeremy was feeling right now was a kind that was difficult to judge arbitrarily.

So Nora said no more and turned her gaze to the beautiful zodiacal night sky.
Unexpectedly, it was Jeremy who opened his mouth again.

"There's something my sister made me promise."

"What?"

"I told you to get rid of anyone who bullies Shuri. I promised I would. But... but if one of
them is our deceased father, I... what on earth am I supposed to do?"

It was quite pitiful for Jeremy, who was groping with anxious eyes, like a child who had
lost his way back home. To see her ferocious, hot-blooded knight rubbing her eyes
with her fists like her little child, no matter how cold-blooded she was, by this point her
frozen heart would melt and flow. So Chimi, Nora, looked at her friend with a look of
sympathy on her face and slowly opened her mouth.

"You're doing this on purpose."

“……What bullshit are you talking about? Do you know how I feel right now?”

"Even if I don't know everything, I understand it to some extent, but I feel like you're
secretly launching a sympathy strategy to urge me to ask for help from my old son
with a new kid."

Jeremy was neither affirming nor denying. She just stared blankly at her friend, her
weeping, dark-green eyes narrowing as if she didn't quite understand what she was
talking about. Eventually, a poignant clicking sound escaped from her mouth.

"Damn it, I know. You showed me your father's private parts, so now it's my turn. I don't
want to do it even if I die, but let's try this one time."

"What? But your father said it would be very difficult."

"Is there anything special, I have to push through somehow. Is that bastard's necklace
at home?"

"No, I have it now. Let's go then."

Nora decided not to say anything at Jeremy's behavior, as if he had waited. Instead,
she let out a groan and turned ferociously toward her panting horse. Jeremy followed
suit like a kitten hungry for her affection.
***

When my head is complicated, I desperately think about drinking. He wasn't much of a

drinker, but at times like this he desperately needed help from his drunkenness.
Ironically, however, I didn't feel the taste of alcohol at all today.

"Sigh……."

Theobald put down his glass, raised his hand and pressed it gently to his temple. A
self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips, and his fine golden eyes drooped.

At times like this, she looked exactly like the woman in the portrait on the other side of
the corridor. If he had been born as a princess in that portrait who took his birth
mother out of it, his father might have been the best of the empire by now. However,
the nasty reality of being born as a son whose appearance only resembles him when
downcast or sad is good luck if it's good luck and bad luck if it's bad luck.

In any case, Theobald was now looking very gloomy and pitiful to anyone. It was also
the feeling that the plan kept going wrong lately. As if someone was deliberately
interfering... … .

The plan to use his stupid half-brother and his immature second son's gang to break
the power of the aristocrats and at the same time widen the gap between the
Neuwanstein children and Shuri, went awry when the gambling house suddenly
evaporated overnight. The small work of Ighoeffer, who had been found and put in the
place of the gambler, had also disappeared without a trace. No matter how much he
unraveled every member of the night, he could not find out where he had
disappeared.

It was quite a coincidence that I recognized the unusual movement felt by the cult
during this summer festival. In the process of pursuing her Viscount Yighoeffer So, she
ordered to find out the whereabouts of her Viscountess, but for some reason, she
heard her report that her Order seemed to have taken her away.

With that in mind, Theobald visited some priests with whom he had built friendships
and took a sneak peek at them.

With the exception of the young, elite Cardinal, the Silent Servant, who had no idea
what he was thinking on a daily basis, it was very easy for a man like Theobald to
subtly slip clues from clerics who were fed up with the common world. They didn't seem
to know anything in detail, but clues like things like events for the first time in 70 years,
lions and incest were enough.

In a way, it was a good opportunity. He did not yet have the ability to interfere or
meddle in the affairs of the clergy, but he could devise a plan so that their plotting
would return entirely to his own advantage.

What could be surer to win the heart of the Marquis than to appear as the only savior
when everyone starts attacking and biting like dogs?

That's why I had sent her a necklace that was no different from a token of the prince's
affection... … .

"……Shit."

Unmatched swear words came out of nowhere. It was not he who benefited from this
situation, but none other than his cousin. Yes, that cousin, the Prince of Nuremberg,
who had been foolishly beaten by him since childhood. I really never imagined that he
would claim himself as the Marquis's honorary knight there. Who would have
imagined?

Hopefully, that guy too... … ?

A moan escaped from the mouth of the beautiful young man with his eyes wide open.

“……Are they really those fathers and their sons?”

It was quite a self-deprecating lament.

Anyway, when he asked his dumb steps-brother if he didn't gamble these days, Letran
just rolled his eyes and said he was tired of it. Was that really the only reason I quit? Is
it really a coincidence that Ighoeffer small works evaporated at the same moment?

To make matters worse, these days, Letran has shown a strange sign of following Nora
like never before. If Nora was also involved in the gambling house problem... … If so, did
Ighoeffer's minor work be handled there as well?
After thinking to that point, Theobald immediately got up and left the corridor. He had
no more time to waste. He had to make amends quickly. It would be easier for him to
write his hand in advance before making the first move on the other side. It is
unacceptable to allow a wolf pup, long since separated from the pack, to be bothered
in this way.

The Duke of Nuremberg was a place of childhood memories for Theobald. There were
traces of childhood hanging out with a three-year-old younger cousin in every corner
of the grand, antique mansion. Theobald at that time was very small and young
compared to now, and Nora was even younger.

I remembered the first time I saw my cousin brother. She was the way the Duchess,
much younger than she is now, had visited the empress' palace carrying her three-
year-old Confucius in her arms. Even then, Theobald had no feelings for his cousin
other than his curiosity.

It was later, when I visited the duke's residence one evening, that I saw a young boy
running out with sparkling blue eyes on the day I had stopped by with my esteemed
uncle. As a bonus, the duke who held the little boy in one arm and smiled brightly
without the world.

It was an unpleasant scene. It was because he had never even imagined such a
heartfelt parent-child relationship. Maybe from then... … .

"Ah, it's been a while since you visited, Your Highness. Have you eaten?"

Despite the sudden visit at a rather late hour, Theobald smiled and tried to shake off
his thoughts at the Duke's willingness to welcome him as usual. Anyway, I won't be able
to see that unpleasant scenery again.

While the duke, who led the prince directly to the parlor, sat down on the sofa and
measured his pipe, Theobald slowly took a sip of the tea served by the attendant. As
the belated drunkenness came up lightly, a languid and pleasant sensation spread
throughout my body.

"I'm sorry for coming late."

"That doesn't matter, but has something happened? You look bad."
Theobald smiled silently, then lowered his head for a moment, staring at the laurel-
painted teacup. It was no wonder that the duke's blue eyes flickered curiously at this
rather pitiful-looking figure.

“Your Highness? Do you have any concerns?”

"...Well, I don't know how it sounds, but actually I'm in a bit of a serious trouble. I came
here to see if I could ask for help from my uncle..."

"Tell me. What the hell is going on?"

The Grand Duke of Steel was calming down as usual, so Theobald naturally lowered
his gaze and slowly raised his gaze before opening his mouth in a hesitant manner.

“It seems that what I… foolishly began with good intentions took an unfortunate turn.”

“Is this a good intention?”

"Yes, that's actually me..."

"dismissal!"

"it's a good night!"

It was at that time that Theobald's words, which had continued smoothly, suddenly
came to a halt. To be precise, the voice of the butler of this mansion seemed to
resound urgently, and then a voice that I had heard a lot from somewhere rang out
loudly.

At the very moment when the two people, whose conversation was unexpectedly
interrupted, raised their heads in wonder, the door to the parlor opened, and a tall
blond knight, who had no way of knowing why he had come out of there, and a black-
haired knight, the heir to this family, strode in.

"Duke, I'm sorry for being late..."

Needless to say, the face of Jeremy, who had greeted him politely, immediately froze in
an instant. It was the same with Dunra, who silently followed her, keeping her mouth
shut. No, it froze even more brutally that way.

A moment of silence passed. While the two young men, facing each other in a parlor
chair, were engaged in an inexplicable snowball fight, the middle-aged duke quietly
put down his pipe and crossed his arms.

***

It's not that I haven't thought that I might be misunderstanding as long as it's only a
heart attack. Anyway, in the past, his silent gaze didn't do me any particular harm.

However, isn't the fact that it's already changed so much from the past, and that the
fact that it came on its own is proof that there is an ulterior motive?

While I pondered on those thoughts and maintained an expressionless face, Cardinal

Richelieu, who had visited unexpectedly, also sat quietly, not touching the teacup in
front of me, with his black eyes downcast. The light brown hair flowing down her
forehead made a stark contrast to her crow-like figure tucked under her jet-black
robe.

"Your Majesty once told me an anecdote about the Swan Hall."

Frustrated with not opening my mouth to the subject that came to me on my own, I
finally spoke up first, and sure enough, a jet-black gaze stared directly at my face.
Laughter leaked out.

“I don’t know if it was a warning or what, but I have to pay respect to His Excellency’s
ability. With such an unreasonable trick epilepsy, the Church held the Holy Trial for
the first time in 70 years. Are you so displeased? What did you hope to achieve by
going so far? If you were aiming for new hegemony or Neuwanstein's assets by doing
so, unfortunately, you got the exact opposite result. As long as it exists..."

"I don't care if they cut off some of the financial lines that flow into the religious
authority. I'd rather say that it's better since they're just making dirty pleasures with
those assets anyway."
Huh? I have to say that this is a bit of an odd statement. It's rather rare for a priest to
make such kind of fratricidal remarks.

"I don't think that's what a person who is consolidating power among such people
would say. Are you saying that eminence is an exception among them?"

"I am a person who has no shame in front of the Father and the Mother of God."

The cardinal responded slowly and forcefully, staring at me with glowing eyes. Did you
say jugaekjeondo? The one who should be angry is me, but why did the other side
seem more angry.

“I have no shame whatsoever.”

"As a minister of God, I have never broken any doctrines or oaths. I have no reason to
accept any criticism from people like you."

"...Are you like me?"

"I asked which part of you is so objectionable? Your existence itself is a harsh
judgment to me. Do you know how many people have fallen into sin because of your
existence alone?"

"what……."

"I tried to get you out of the world so that no one else could see you. But, as always,
you managed to get away with it every time. Not even your stepson was enough, and
you bewitched all the best men in the empire. You can't escape the eyes forever."

It feels like my chin is halfway down. Perhaps it was an accusation I could never have
imagined, but rather than being hurt, I was just taken aback.

The young cardinal, who had uttered such abusive words in front of people, was now
glaring at me like he was going to eat me with his eyes burning like a pit of darkness. I
could see the bluish veins coming up in one hand that was placed on the table.

A mischievous laugh leaked out.

“You seem to have forgotten which side won the duel of honor that the gods decide.”

"It's just the devil's trick."

"Then I am truly a servant of the devil. To Your Excellency, is the relationship between
all people in the world just like that? Do you see anything but extreme sin or extreme
innocence?"

"Human beings are inherently foolish beings born with original sin. Especially men who
are prone to succumb to carnal desires, any man can't help but be mesmerized by a
combination of demonic charms like yours. You don't even know who is a sinner. It's
like, there's a heaven for demons in this country, where they run as wild as hell, just like
you..."

"I don't know who I'm bewitching, but isn't Heaven for Devils the Order itself? Do you
think a humble widow like me is more dangerous than a clergyman who frequently
changes mistresses and produces illegitimate children? ?If Your Excellency is truly so
flawless, I wonder how you can't criticize it as wrong."

"Of course I think it's wrong. As the religious authority has fallen to this point, people
are more prone to sin than in the past. Your true enemy is not me, but this world and
yourself, who constantly make you commit sins."

"..."

"Sometimes I feel sorry for you and I feel like going crazy, but I feel sorry for myself who
suffers from hellish anguish because of existence like you. My body may be pure
because of you, but my soul has been polluted for a long time. Let go and get out of
the world, and I will help you.”

… … I wonder if the person sitting in front of me right now is that silent bell. Leaving
aside the fact that he was a reticent man who rarely spoke more than two words, no
one would have imagined that he had the temperament to pour out words so violently
and so violently that he writhed with boiling emotions.

While I froze to the point of popping out of my eyes, the young cleric stared at me with
a meaningful look, not out of breath.

The rage and anguish that flashed in her ebony-black eyes, and the light that seemed
to yearn for something, slowly, very slowly, sent chills down her spine. The next
moment, an ice-cold hand grabbed my hand, which I had casually placed next to the
teacup, and I shook it off and stood up.

“Do you think I don’t know what Your Excellency is thinking right now?”

"..."

"Was that the purpose? What were you trying to do by locking me up in a convent?
What did you want and what did you do? Did you see all these horribly pitiful people?
That petty arrogance of believing that you were above everyone else in the world. If
you believed such tricks would work, you'd be grossly mistaken. I'd rather die in the
fires of hell than belong to a human like you!"

The young cardinal flinched as he fired at him in a tone full of contempt, before
regaining his cold, ghastly expression.

"There are not one or two people who are targeting you. It is only a matter of time
before everything you have is taken away as long as the authority of the church is
turned into an enemy."

"It remains to be seen who will be on the side of being taken away. It will never be easy
to step through Neuwanstein and Nuremberg. Servants of God, if you hurt my children
one more time, then you will be ready for civil war, so you will have to work hard."

He spat out 'My children' with strength, but his mouth twisted as if he was laughing.

"You're claiming that you genuinely feel extreme motherhood for your children."

"I don't really care what a person like Yeha thinks."

"A woman like you..."

"what is this?!"

Whatever Cardinal Richelieu was about to say next was cut short by the red-hot lion
who burst through the drawing-room door and immediately let out a fiery roar.
Our Elias, without even a chance to stop me, began pouring down a truly unstoppable
declaration of war on the cardinal as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"What kind of safety is this place?! You're crawling in with that rotten, delusional head
to do something else?! No matter how much you try to come here, it's too late, it's a
holy war from now on! You foolish perverts!"

"L……."

"I say we are my mother, but what are you saying?! You mean my mother! A nerd who
grew up without parental attention. When they get jealous, they'll honestly say that
they're jealous. Where are they acting like shy housewives?! My mom No matter what
anyone says, you are my mother, you bastards who are going to make a fortune while
holding on to this statue of the Virgin Mary!"

"Hey...!"

"Huh...!"

I could see the knights who had gathered in front of the open door, all in awe, and
making the sign of the cross. Even Richelieu, who had been half stunned by that
ignorant, even ingenious rant, was staring blankly at Elias.

It was the same for me that I was stunned for a moment, but I quickly came to my
senses and grabbed the arm of my second son, who was poised to silence the Silent
Bell forever.

"Elias, it's okay. Don't get upset. I was just about to send you out anyway."

Elias still whimpered ferociously, but instead of replying with 'I was free when I came,
but not when I was going', to his surprise he said nothing more. I placed my hand on
the shoulder of my second son, who was now looking back at me with a pleading look,
and smiled forcefully.

"Ellie. It's okay."

yeah, that's fine everything is fine As Elias just said, we are one family no matter what
anyone says, I am the mother of these kids no matter what anyone says.
There was a huge difference between what I promised myself and what the children
believed, so despite the circumstances, a feeling of relief rose up that tickled my heart.
We would do anything to keep ourselves. Even if it is a war against religious authority.

***

"I'm getting out of here."

Jeremy quickly grabbed Nora's arm as she snarled and spit it out and then
immediately turned around.

"Ah, hey, you can't go away like that! We're comrades!"

"Sleeping with a comrade, what more can I do in this situation!"

"What the heck! You have to reveal the truth like a knight! Have courage, you can do
it!"

"Shut up, you rabid kitty!"

While the two knights were arguing like that, Theobald finally opened his mouth. The
silver-haired prince spoke in a tone that seemed soft and affectionate.

"They still look good. Jongje-sama doesn't seem to like me very much, but..."

Needless to say, Nora, who was on the verge of running out of the room, shaking off
her friend clinging to her anxiously, immediately glared at Theobald as if she were
going to eat it. It was a dangerous momentum that would make even a violent act right
here.

Jeremy looked back at the prince with an almost similar expression and grabbed
Nora's shoulder with a gesture that seemed to hurriedly stop him. Then she started
smirking in a very sharp voice.
"I don't know why Your Highness is here, but it's been great since there were so many
things I wanted to ask. What were you thinking of sending someone's mother such a
misleading gift? Was His Highness also involved in that damned Holy Trial? ?”

At this cold accusation, Theobald raised his silver eyebrows elegantly.

“How can I… no, more than that, a gift?”

"This one, this one! Isn't that what Your Highness sent you!"

Jeremy, his dark green eyes burning brightly, put down the necklace he had put in his
inside pocket on the table with the force of a real tantrum. Twelve thick diamonds and
small eagle decorations sparkled with a crackling sound.

Theobald glanced at the opulent necklace for a moment, then shrugged and squinted
his golden eyes in embarrassment.

"Why are you so sure I sent it?"

"Then, did His Majesty send this?! Eagle decorations are only possible for the royal
family..."

"I don't know. And there's another prince besides me. It seems like you've gotten pretty
close to your brother lately."

"Are you going to hand it over to your younger brother now? Why, tell me that the
gambling hall is actually all of His Majesty Letran's own plot!"

"casino?"

"Yes, do you remember Sojak Ighoeffer? My maternal uncle. I am very curious as to why
you even set up a gambling den for that bastard, and even brought my younger
brother and His Highness' younger brother into it-"

"I'm not sure what you're misunderstanding, but I was just a little helpful. I was worried
that Letran seemed to have a hobby for gambling, so I was just following him. He was
Mrs. Neubanstein's brother. How can I just ignore you? Whatever you think of me, I still
have you as a child-"

“What are you talking about, the author said that His Highness personally
approached and set up a gambling hall. Then-”

"I don't know what that person said, but I was just sorry and gave a little help. I was
worried because he suddenly disappeared, but were you guys like that? Then where is
Sojajak now? Surely he didn't do anything bad ?"

Jeremy paused for a moment and began to stare at Theobald with his dazed eyes. It is
also true that Jeremy had never had the experience of facing this kind of subtle,
difficult-to-express speech. Even though the opponent's fault is obvious, he feels like
he's become the bad guy, and he feels like he's being strangely swept away.

And it was a very unpleasant and dirty feeling. If it wasn't for the crown prince, it would
have been enough to tear the snout down to the ear even earlier.

On the other hand, Nora, who had a precedent of being subjected to such talkative
techniques quite a few times, was regaining a relatively calm expression. Nora roared
unrestrainedly with a cold dripping tone, her blue eyes hardened coldly.

"It's in the Danube. If he's still alive, he's obsessed with self-reflection about why he's so
stupid."

"What? No, then are you the one who touched the Viscountess?"

"Why is Your Highness curious about the whereabouts of the Viscountess?"

"After the trial, it was not serious, so I tried to argue with who the hell had captured me.
But it evaporated without a trace? Tell me, if you guys really killed that person..."

"I didn't kill him? I tried to kill him, but that clumsy lion cub talked about being a knight
and didn't let me kill him? I don't know if that could even be called a lady, but I heard
that the person who introduced the gambling house to Letran in the first place told
me to tell him right away... ."

"If you're caught doing something wrong, you can come up with any number of
excuses. Why would I force my only younger brother to do such a dangerous thing? I
wish I could find out why you guys hate me so much. Then what the hell did you do
with the Viscountess? You really didn't kill her?"

"You're wondering why you're so disapproving of me, but you don't believe me?"

“It’s not like that, but you, to be honest, like when refereeing a duel…”

"No, why is that story being brought up here? The reason this fellow did such a
slaughter in that duel was, of course, to warn them to look closely! If it wasn't for this
guy, I would have done it!"

"Stop it!"

The Duke, who had been watching this sparkly battle of words with a very speculative
expression, finally issued a thunderbolt-like fiery order as if he would not listen to it
any more. A moment of silence came. Amidst the simmering silence between the three
young men, the future of the empire, the middle-aged duke raised his hand to his
temple and let out a sigh.

"If everyone is talking like that, how can I understand what the hell is going on! Sir
Jeremy!"

"Yes?"

"Where the hell did you get that necklace from?"

“……My mother had it. She was going to return it, but I thought it would be better for me
to return it, so I brought it out.”

Unlike Jeremy, who responded with a relatively humble attitude, Nora was completely
ignoring her father, exhaling a cold chill. And Theobald raised his golden eyes wide
and looked at his respected uncle.

"Uncle, I don't know what the hell this is all about, but it's the first time I've seen it."

“Is it really something that has nothing to do with Your Highness?”

"Yes, I really..."

"But then, Your Highness, what were you trying to testify about at the end of the Holy
Trial?"

A moment of admiration passed over Jeremy's face at that question, which the Duke
asked in a rather calm voice, and Nora began to glare at her father with a slightly
surprised expression. And Theobald blinked.

"I just... have been close to the Neuwanstein children since I was a child, so of course I
tried to testify because it was a ridiculous accusation."

"Even though everyone knows that Your Highness and Sir Jeremy's relationship has
been strained for a long time?"

“I wanted to give it a try, even though there might not be much hope. First of all, I
thought the trial itself was absurd and unfair.”

"If so, wouldn't it have been better for you to have attended the trial from the
beginning?"

"Of course it is, but..."

"Very well, Your Highness. First of all, if neither Your Highness nor Your Highness
Letran really have anything to do with this necklace, we must begin an investigation
into who dared to use the imperial symbol at will. This could cause another
troublesome scandal. Neuban Stein and Nuremberg are now allies, so we can't let
such futility go on any longer."

The image of the duke nodding his head willingly and snatching out the luxurious
necklace gave off an indescribable strange sense of incongruity. So Nora glared at
her father with intense reluctance. Why is that human doing that? What are you up to
this time?

Theobald was also flustered. It could be seen that he was flustered in the opposite
sense to Nora, but in any case, he was like a bad brother in that he was flustered.

"Uncle, I think..."
“And Your Highness, about that gambling house problem. We don’t know what your
Highness’ intentions were to help Sojak Yigghoeffer, but running a gambling house
itself is absolutely illegal. You're the crown prince. Why didn't you consider another
way?"

A moment of embarrassment appeared on Theobald's elegant face, but it quickly

disappeared. The silver-haired prince skillfully captured his expression and lowered
his eyes.

"I know it's my negligence. Because of the compassion of the moment... I thought a little
financial help would be fine."

"So you're saying you tampered with the treasury in such an illegal matter?"

"...I'm sorry. I didn't expect that there would be a misunderstanding like this."

"Are you wrong?"

"Yes, I never imagined that my brother or Sir Jeremy's brother would end up going
there together. I'm sorry that I caused Sojajak such bad luck in the end. I didn't know
how the Marquise's wife would react if she found out, that she would really be killed...
Ah, of course, from Sir Jeremy's point of view, it's understandable that his younger
brother was addicted to gambling, so he'd be angry, but even so, how mercilessly... ."

Theobald's expression, wet with remorse, with the corners of his eyes gently folded,
looked very benevolent and gloomy. It seemed that he was upset that what started
with genuinely good intentions went wrong. Thus, Jeremy was again turning into a gut-
wrenching face, claiming that if it hadn't been for the Crown Prince, he would have
been able to rip her muzzle down to the bottom of her ear, and Nora was showing a
mockery of disgust.

On the other hand, the Grand Duchess of Steel stared at the prince with eyes that
were so calm that he even looked soft.

“What do you think is the seat you are sitting in?”

"Yes……?"
“Whoever dares to drag His Highness into the gambling den, Sojajak, is subject to
immediate punishment on the spot. Sir Jeremy and the son of Soshin also did what
they deserved as a knight of His Majesty the Emperor. How could a prince of the
empire do that? Don't you know that a single nonsense could lead you to be
considered as having personal involvement with Your Highness?"

"No, I..."

"How do you think His Majesty the Emperor would react if he found out about this?
Whether or not it was a coincidence that His Majesty Letran visited that gambling hall
by chance is not important. The fact that His Majesty the Crown Prince was involved in
any way is a problem in itself. Did you do it out of sympathy? To think that the person
who would sit on the throne sponsored an illegal business for a mere emotional
reason, in a situation where the imperial power is unstable, what could he think of
doing such a disappointing thing? Have you been punished?"

Now, the duke was not talking about siding with either side. Regardless of the motives
or reasons of both sides, it was in the process of making an extremely realistic and
cold-hearted blow based only on the outcome of the incident. So I couldn't ask for
anything. There is absolutely no room for rebuttal.

Jeremy turned to Nora and pretended to blink. Either that or not, Nora's eyes were
even more reluctant than before, even monstrous, staring intently at her father.

it's also weird If something is strange, it is very strange. That man must have other
plans. Unless... … .

As for Theobald, he was desperately swallowing dry saliva. Aside from the fact that this
was the first time he was confronted with such a stern face of the Duke, he did not
expect that the spark on this matter would return to him.

If he knew an uncle, it would have been better for him to be generous with the excuse
that he had made a mistake out of pure goodwill. In this way, it is not about digging in
with a distant and logical attitude. Disappointment, moreover, he never expected to
hear such a word.

While the prince's golden eyes shook as if an earthquake had occurred, the duke
sighed in exhaustion and looked blankly at the frozen knights.

"What happened to Viscount Yighoeffer?"

Jeremy and Nora exchanged glances for a moment. Nora was in no condition to open
her mouth, so Jeremy answered.

"It's out there."

"what?"

"That's right, I'm a knight by name, so killing a lady is against spirit chivalry, but I don't
want to make her run into my mother again in any way. I'm still thinking about how to
dispose of it. Can I borrow your knowledge..."

For some reason, the duke responded in an extremely blunt and businesslike tone to
that slow, flattering tone.

"Did you find out anything?"

"No, we also tried torture, no, interrogation to find out who the hell was recruited, but
we didn't come up with any useful information."

"As expected. In any case, there is a strong possibility that he will be the one to trap
the Lord's mother again in the future, so I think it would be better for him to be exiled
to the dukedom island. Rather than hiding it in the Marquisate, that would be more
certain."

Unexpectedly, Jeremy, who was forced to leave the troublesome problem to his best
friend's father, had no choice but to open his eyes wide.

"Yes? That's true... He's truly the Steel Wolf Duke!"

"I'm not trying to get compliments from you."

As Jeremy scratched his head shyly, the duke turned his gaze back to the crown
prince.

“And Your Highness, whatever the misunderstanding, since Neuwanstein regards the
sender of the necklace as Your Highness, you must put an end to this matter as soon
as possible. Please speak up here."
"But I..."

“As you know, the eagle ornament is strictly a symbol allowed only to the imperial
family. If not, not only the maker of this necklace, but also the person who received the
gift could be accused of treason. In the worst case, you may misunderstand that His
Highness and the church orchestrated this situation. If you keep touching the nose
hair of a lion that has already been put on the defensive once and escaped, what kind
of trouble will come? Your Highness must have guessed that much. So, if you know
anything, please tell me at least for the sake of the peace of the country and the
stability of the imperial authority."

While the young lion recalled a very cheerful and triumphant smile, the young wolf was
now developing a fearsome expression that is difficult to describe. He was in the mood
to grab hold of his sky-like father by the collar, shake him, and shout what kind of
scheme he was up to.

On the contrary, the young eagle side fell into a slope. If the Duke of Nuremberg made
up his mind and began investigating the source of the necklace, it would only be a
matter of time before it was exposed. I didn't know that I would be misunderstood that
I was really in the middle of the day. I had no idea why it was coming out so out of the
ordinary, but I had to deal with it somehow.

"I'm sorry...... I'm sorry, Uncle. I wasn't being honest."

The duke crossed his arms and looked blankly at the prince. Feeling the insipid dry
blue gaze that I couldn't understand, Theobald stammered with the face that looked
the only thing that resembled his biological mother, that dead face.

"Actually... I know who the original owner of that necklace was."

"Who is it."

“This is my… younger brother.”

Needless to say, a light of amazement appeared on the faces of the two knights side
by side. On the other hand, the duke was still maintaining a calm expressionless
expression.

"It's Your Highness Letran's."

"Yes. I don't know how it sounds, but... Actually, it seemed that my younger brother had
a young love for the marquise. Since she is so beautiful, the immature boy must have
had vain fantasies."

"..."

“They suddenly came and said they wanted to make a very special accessory. As I had
a clear idea of who I was going to send it to, I naturally refused, but I desperately
begged for it, so in the end, they connected me to a craftsman who makes jewelry. I
did, but I didn't expect to send it with an eagle decoration on it-"

"In that case, Your Highness, please visit Mrs. Neuwanstein with Your Highness Letran
right away, even tomorrow."

"……Yes?"

“Both the gambling and necklace cases were caused by the negligence of the two of
you. You must be aware that not only Her Highness Letran, but also the Crown Prince
are responsible. Please make sure to make sure that this kind of misunderstanding
doesn't happen again, okay?"

A most strange silence passed. The three young men now had the same expression
side by side, staring blankly at the middle-aged duke. It was ironic that the reasons
were different for each. Jeremy was literally in awe, Nora was completely distraught,
and Theobald was in a real quandary.

Strictly speaking, the Duke of Nuremberg had a lower status than the crown prince.
Theobald is under no obligation to follow those instructions straight away. But if he
didn't, it would be like admitting that what he said today was a lie. It would be a very
clear and fair solution if there were no lies, but other than that, there is no trap more
dangerous than this.

"Then I understand that you do. Your Highness. It is very late, so I think you should go
back to the imperial palace."

"Come on, Uncle..."

"I will tell you to prepare the wagon. Lucian!"

Indeed, it was an order of congratulations that was unparalleled. I felt like I had fallen
into a trap, but I couldn't see any way out, so I was left in a state of anxiety. Thus,
Theobald had no choice but to leave reluctantly, leaving behind the unpleasant
lingering aftertaste.

After the prince left, sweating mentally, there was a subtle silence for a while between
the remaining three. While the Duke measured his pipe with a pensive face on his face,
Jeremy quietly placed his hand on Nora's shoulder, which was about to explode. The
next moment, as Nora couldn't stand it any longer, she opened her mouth and the
Duke opened it again.

"Sir Jeremy. It seems Sir and my son have taken care of everything on their own."

"Um, rather than that..."

"It doesn't matter anyway, but it's better to tell the truth about the small intestine to
the sir's mother. Anyway, since we are his blood relatives, we have the right to know."

Jeremy shook his head.

"You're right, but..."

“If you were the mother of a kyung I know, even if kyung killed her mother-in-law in the
name of His Majesty the Emperor, I wouldn’t blame you for that. There is no such thing
as an eternal secret.

"Father, what are you planning on doing? If the crown prince doesn't follow your
father's instructions, what will you do then?"

In response to that sarcasm that Nora, who was just standing there staring at the
duke as if nailed to it, defiantly threw it, the duke tilted his head slightly and gently
looked at his son's murderous face.

"Well, what should I do?"

There was no bitterness in the duke's voice as he asked in a low voice. I don't know if
it's bittersweet. Again, it was like asking for a sincere opinion. Finally, Nora could no
longer endure this unaccustomed atmosphere and stormed out of the room. Jeremy
was perplexed.
"Ah, I..."

"Leave it. Rather than that, Sir, he will have to go home. Isn't Sir, his mother worried?"

It was. But instead of leaving the wolf's lair right away with a proper thank you, the
young lion hesitated as if he had something more to say. So the duke took the pipe
out of his mouth and frowned in wonder.

"Have you anything more to say to me, Sir Jeremy?"

“That…… Duke, I don’t know how it sounds, but I have something I want to ask you
separately.”

"..."

"I heard that the duke was my father's best friend since he was young. That's what
Viscount Yighoeffer's wife testified about during the trial."

The duke sat quietly and gazed intently at the son of an old friend with unfathomable
eyes. A young man who is stripped of the childhood memories of a friend he
remembers.

"The Duke... what exactly was the father you know?"

After knowing that the testimony is the truth anyway. Even so, Jeremy couldn't help but
ask. Even though she knew it was the truth, she couldn't understand herself feeling so
desperate.

There was silence for a moment. Facing the light of despair and confusion crossing
the young man's dark green eyes, the duke had to swallow a low moan.

How the hell am I supposed to answer this question? He had no intention of insulting
his dead friend in front of his friend's son. However, he did not have the slightest
desire to deceive the poor young man, who was already certain of something, with
clumsy white lies.
Who could have imagined how their sins would weigh down on their children? It was a
story from a very long time ago, the story of fathers. And they, all of them, just walked
in place endlessly. Caught in the frozen memories of the past, others were living with
old memories without knowing how to look back.

How many hearts have been shattered during that time that I didn't even recognize.

The duke blinked hard at the sudden feeling of being out of breath. The sins of his
dead close friend, the sins of his close friend who is now sitting on the throne, and
even his own sins were all entangled, and he felt as if his heart was tightly entangled
like a chain.

'Johenus, Maximilian. What the hell have we done to our children... … .'

“……You are a different person from your father.”

That was all the Duke could say. The blonde knight did not ask any further questions,
greeted them politely, and left.

***

“……I don’t like turnips! Only herbivores eat them!”

"Huh, Rachel, don't you think you're a real lioness?"

"Because you'd rather live as a real beast than become a colt with a bitch like your
little brother?"

"Who said this is a fool?! I'm a lion too?! Eat this, kid!"

Was it a mistake to ask for a late-night tooth decay-preventing, healthy turnip salad? I
don't know how the kids, huddled together and talking about turnips and herbivores
while I was looking at the papers, started tossing shredded turnips at each other.
Anyway, the relatively thick piece of turnip that Elias threw at Rachel with great vigor
flew across the air and flew over there, and, of course, it was supposed to hit Jeremy
who had just entered at that time... … It was obvious, but I was caught in Jeremy's
grasp.

"What is this?"

Jeremy, who had almost been hit by an unexpected late night look, was in a very bad
mood. No one would like to welcome a greeting like that.

In any case, it goes without saying that Jeremy's goblin-like figure, crushing a piece of
turnip with one hand and glaring at his younger siblings with terrifyingly glowing eyes,
made Elias and the twins jump up from their seats and make a quick run. Tsk tsk.

"It's late. Where have you been?"

“Just…why aren’t you all sleeping?”

"Because I have to go to the council tomorrow. Your younger siblings kept arguing
that they couldn't sleep, and it ended up like this. How are you? Aren't you hungry?"

When I asked with a smile, Jeremy wanted to stare at my face, but then he slowly
approached and sat down where Elias had been sitting before. To be exact, I sat in the
seat right in the middle of the table to the left of me. And then it was all over the place.

“……You know, Shuri. I have something to confess.”

confession? I immediately put down the papers in my hands and opened my eyes wide.
Jeremy, on the other hand, kept his eyes down as if avoiding my gaze. The way she
held her breath and opened and closed her fists seemed unusual. All of a sudden,
worry came over me. what? Could it be that he fought another fistfight with Theobald
over the diamond necklace?

"Jeremy? What's wrong? What's going on?"

"...Well, I don't know how to tell this..."

"What is it?'

“That… you know, I… killed your brother.”

There was silence for a moment. Jeremy was now looking down and examining my
expression as I tried to make sense of what I had just heard. My brother is dead? My
Jeremy killed my brother... … ?

"The gambling house that Elias and Prince Letran frequented... it was owned by that
person. It's complicated to say, but I decided that there would be no benefit to keeping
them alive..."

"..."

"I'm sorry I did it on my own. I just didn't want you to care about me in any way. So I just
disposed of it myself and dumped it in the Danube... I-I'm so sorry. Even if you say you
don't want to see me again, I have nothing to say. "

"..."

"Say something, Shuri. Please say something."

I shook my head slightly and closed my gaping chin. The shock gradually began to
subside as I met those dark green eyes that shook violently with anxiety, as if they were
being tortured. The Jeremy I knew wasn't the kind of guy who berated himself like this
or looked at his eyes and didn't know what to do. Oh my God, my God!

“My God, Jeremy, are you… are you okay?”

"……uh?"

"No, so, of course, you're a knight with real combat experience, and it's not the first
time you've killed someone... Oh my God, what the hell is this?

Jeremy was looking at me with a dazed look on his face while I ran my hands over my
head and talked nonsense.
"search……?"

"Huh? Ah, like the trial, don't you know what else will happen if I leave my family alone
like this... Anyway, you and Nora handled it, right? Huh, what kind of mess is this!"

"Sorry, I really..."

"No, no. It's my fault for not telling you what kind of people my original family was from
the start. I should have thought that something like this might happen someday. And
to drag Nora into it...!"

I don't know what others may think, but the fact that my brother died did not cause me
any pity or sadness. It may seem grim, but I was even relieved by this unexpected story.
It was just that the fact that the blood was on the hands of the people I treasured the
most made me feel complicated.

"Aren't you angry...? That's why I'm going to take care of your flesh and blood..."

"Why aren't you angry? Of course I am! I know what happened in that gambling house.
Your brother all blew up. I'm angry with my stupid brother for bringing blood on your
hands in the end, and I'm angry with myself. . To the Crown Prince, who must have been
involved in the matter in some way, and to all the parents who don't even know what
their children are doing on a daily basis. Only then can we tell you what's wrong with
you?"

I swallowed a sigh and got up. Then I went up to my proud eldest son, whose eyes were
a mixture of confusion and helplessness, which was hardly appropriate, and put my
arms around his head and gave him a pat. His body trembled greatly.

"Shuri...?"

"I know you did it for me. So there's no need to blame yourself. You've only done what
you had to do for your family."

by the way There are other people to blame. It's all because of the grown-ups who
didn't even know what was going on beneath their feet! Damn it, I also seem to be
lacking in discipline.
Jeremy wanted to stiffen up for a moment as if he was embarrassed, then hesitantly
lifted his arm and placed it on my body. It was warm. The warmth and stability that
people who had the same blood as me never gave. Feeling each other's warmth like
that, for the first time, we shared our feelings about his goddamn holy trial.

"I was... afraid of losing us."

"I did too."

"Shuri, just in case... If even a part of what your mother said was true, if my father did
something wrong to you even once, I..."

I shook my head, then raised a hand and ran a hand through her beautiful wavy
golden hair. If there is one thing that I have no regrets about in my previous life, it
would be the fact that I raised this guy this much.

"It's natural for everyone to want their parents to be the perfect human beings.
Jeremy, you don't have to blame yourself for that. Even if your father was a bad
person to me, that's a problem between the two of us. It's not a problem between you
and me. "

***

Usually, a young widow lady like me would enjoy a leisurely tea time with other like-
minded ladies on a fine autumn morning like this, or go see the latest fashion dress
with her pretty daughter who is entering puberty. It's not sitting in a council hall where
dark, scythe-skinned men sit sternly and engage in sparkly snowball fights.

Anyway, since it was the first parliament after the Holy Trials, it would have been
strange if the atmosphere wasn't bloody. The six heads of each family and the seven
cardinals, including myself, are all entangled in their own complicated interests and
are sharpening their blades at this point in time. To make matters worse, the
bombshell remarks had just come to the fore.

“……What kind of nonsense is it that you suddenly change the tax system at this point?”
“It is as I said. It has been decided to reduce the income tax, property tax and tithe of
the 15 guilds and gold mines owned by Neubanstein to below 50%. You can pay as
much as you can.”

Bondi Neubanstein family has paid higher interest rates than anyone else in the
capital for generations. There were many cases of reducing taxable income as much
as possible, but it was unprecedented to openly declare that I would reduce taxes like
I am now.

"No, ma'am. How can you proceed on your own without debating such a matter with
the council?"

"There seems to have been a precedent just a while ago in the case of proceeding
independently without discussion with the council members, Duke Heinrich."

I replied in a cynical tone, and sure enough, one of the cardinals immediately jumped
up.

"Lady Neuwanstein, what do you mean by what you just said?"

"I mean it literally. When has the denomination ever discussed a major national
question with members of Congress?"

"How dare I inform the Parliament first of a matter that the Holy Father is considering!"

"Is the matter the Emperor is considering not known in less than half a day? Is His
Majesty Kurakin a loyal servant of the Emperor, or do you only serve the Pope as your
lord?"

"You're talking too much, madam!"

"No, Mrs. Neubanstein is right. A detailed explanation of why your eminence did not
inform the Parliament about the issue of the Holy Inquisition in advance seems to be
the priority."

"What? Even the council, how dare you interfere with His Holiness' decisions? If the
Count of Bavaria was so dissatisfied, why did you keep your mouth shut on the day of
the trial?!"
“For the fact that I was only concerned about the safety of my family, I think it is better
than the most embarrassing thing to do to Mrs. Neuwanstein, or her eminent servants
who rushed forward without any valid evidence or witnesses. What is the point of your
eminence sitting here if all members of Parliament cannot debate the issues that are
brought to the judgment seat?"

"Did you just say that?!"

"Couldn't you all be a little gentler!"

The cardinals and family heads, who had been roaring in a snowball fight with the
gavel given by the president of the council with all their might, shut their mouths for a
moment and simultaneously looked at the person sitting in the chair of the council.
The Duke of Nuremberg, who suddenly became an ally with me because of the trial
situation.

"Duke of Nuremberg, do you think Madame Neubanstein's claim makes sense? Say
something!"

The Duke of Steel replied without a moment's hesitation to the words that Duke
Heinrich shouted with a roaring voice. That is, he said:

"If all the members of the parliament follow the Neuwanstein family's tax rate, there will
be no problem at all. Those who are discerning should pay a little more than the
original tax rate."

"What? No, but..."

"By the way, the Nuremberg family, as an ally of the Neuwanstein family, will participate
in the tax change. Please make your own decisions."

… … Needless to say, a scene unfolded where I wondered if everyone was determined to

show off the size of my mouth. Of course, it was extremely rare for Duke Nuremberg to
openly cut sides like this and to be bitterly sarcastic. No matter how solid we were, I
didn't know that he would take such a certain attitude, so I was very grateful.

“No, Duke of Nuremberg, as the head of the council, how do you encourage division in
the council?
"Duke Heinrich seems to have been impatient to bring his only daughter to
Neuwanstein's side. If he wanted to build a relationship with his in-laws, wouldn't it
have taken more effort than just leisurely watching the trial in question?"

"What?! Did you just say that?!"

"What if you're done?"

Duke Heinrich immediately glared at the Duke of Nuremberg with ferocious spirit to
throw at least an ashtray, but quickly lowered his eyes. A snowball fight is also a law to
cover the opponent.

Although the Duke of Nuremberg and the Duke of Heinrich had the same duchy, they
differed greatly in prestige and position. Aside from the advantage that Nuremberg
had been in-laws of the imperial family for generations, their personal abilities as
head of household were also very different, even if they were on a different level.

Unlike the Duke of Steel, who was a master of trickery to the core and never blinked an
eye no matter who the opponent was, Duke Heinrich would have been much better for
himself and others if he had been born as the second son. Notwithstanding my
personal resentment of his intolerance during the Holy Inquisition.

Anyway, judging from everyone's reaction, it seemed that I wasn't expecting to come
out here. Did he think that even if he went through such an incident, if he was
moderately coaxed, it would pass as if nothing had happened?

It was at that time that the low voice of the one who maintained silence alone in the
middle of the sparking battle suddenly rang out.

"Even if income tax and property tax are conceded, there is no compromise when it
comes to tithe and other religious taxes. Tithe is a loyal citizen and a believer, and is a
proof of faith that must be paid, especially if it has caused ethical controversy..."

"What did you just say?"

All eyes were on me as I jumped up from my seat. To be precise, I was alternately

pierced by Cardinal Richelieu, who was talking calmly with me, who was on the verge of
murder.
Perhaps it was because of his conviction that no one would believe me if I talked about
his visit the day before, but Richelieu followed suit, keeping his sullen expression on his
face.

“It wasn’t a statement referring to anyone in particular, but…”

I moved and walked towards him. An almost growling voice came through my teeth.

"Your Excellency Richelieu. Haven't you been taught that a true believer should never
have any doubts about the outcome of a duel of honor in which God decides the
winner? Or do you want to claim that the devil has played tricks on you?"

"I……."

"Does anyone else here have any doubts about the outcome of the duel trial?"

There was a tense silence that was difficult to describe. Even if I put aside my
appearance, which is rarely on the verge of an explosion, who can raise a flimsy
suspicion about it while the father of the winner of the duel watches with his eyes wide
open? After sneering, I looked straight into Richelieu's stiff face.

“As the patriarch of a great noble family, and as a member of the council, having been
insulted without warning, I cannot see any reason why I should continue to attend this
council where your eminents sit proudly. If any of you are If even one person has
doubts about the outcome of the trial, I have no intention of discussing the big and
small issues of the country with such a person. Do you understand?

"Your wife has no right to leave the council at will..."

"It's not withdrawal, it's a continuous absence. Unless His Majesty personally invites me
to do so, please don't ask me to come to this kind of meeting again."

After stabbing the wedge, he turned around and walked away. The Duke of
Nuremberg, who was watching his hall with unknown eyes, also got up and followed me
out of the assembly hall. The same was true of other family heads who were watching.
Even Duke Heinrich followed the aesthetic aesthetic belatedly.

"Lady Neuwanstein. Hold on..."

As I left the Babenberg Palace and walked quickly toward the carriage, the Duke of
Nuremberg grabbed me. It was an expression that seemed unusual.

"Duke?"

“Madam, did you hear anything from the imperial palace?”

"Speaking of communication...?"

“A communication that someone is going to visit, for example.”

"Well, when I checked this morning, there was no letter from the imperial palace. Why is
that?"

When I asked, tilting my head in a puzzled mood, the Duke touched his chin with his
hand for a moment and let out a hum. It was a subtle reaction as if he knew that, but
at the same time, the appearance of his blue eyes sinking coolly was unusual.

"Duke? What's going on?"

"...That's it, ma'am. That diamond necklace that flew to you."

"Yes? No, how could the Duke do that..."

“Actually, Sir Jeremy came to visit last night. All of a sudden, His Highness the Crown
Prince was at my house at the same time.”

What's up and what's up? The story the duke told me was roughly this. Jeremy and
Nora thought that Theobald and the Church might have been linked over the
necklace, so they came to the Duke to ask for advice, but all of a sudden, Theobald
was there at the time.

And Theobald claimed that the sender of the necklace was Letran. That's why the
Duke urged Theobald to visit me with Letran and explain... … .
Hey guys! I stared up at the duke's eyes for a moment, then realized that we were
thinking the same thing.

"I couldn't possibly see that His Highness Letran had such feelings for me. Let alone a
gift like that..."

"I don't think His Highness Letran did that either. But that's not going to happen, but if
the two princes really did meet their wives, would you please tell me exactly what the
conversation was about?"

"I will. But what did His Highness the Crown Prince say about the gambling house?"

"...That's, oh, she said the complete opposite of what she told me earlier. It's such a
ridiculous excuse that I can't even remember it properly."

The expression on the duke's face as he answered in a low voice was extremely
complex. It must be a jumbled expression that looks like it's angry or soaked in
remorse. Then he let out a groan that sounded like a moan.

"Why would you lie like that..."

I remembered what Nora had mentioned in passing the other day. About what the
Duke hates the most.

Perhaps all the trust built up over the years could be destroyed in an instant. If, for
whatever reason, the duke had begun to see through the parts he hadn't seen
properly, if he had started properly recognizing the sense of incongruity that he would
have felt at least once in the past years, he would have no idea what the results would
be in the future.

Does Theobald know? How he eats away at my flesh. The loss of Nora alone was a
great long-term loss to the crown prince. He even lost Jeremy a long time ago. In the
meantime, if even the Duke turns his back... … .

Clearly, Theobald played a big part in bringing the relationship between the Duke and
Nora to this point. Just looking at the pipe gun I heard the other day, I was able to
figure it out. Even if the responsibility lies entirely with the duke himself, if he realizes
how he has been manipulated by his nephew whom he has cherished, the storm
caused by the aftermath will never be light.
"What should I do?"

The gaze of the duke who suddenly asked me was miserable. It was a somewhat out of
the blue question, but I grasped the meaning of that short sentence and answered it
with sincerity and sincerity as much as possible.

"I don't know the details of the inside story... but no matter how difficult it is, don't give
up. Even if it's your son, the duke doesn't have the right to give up."

***

The first national event in early fall after the summer festival is Empress Elizabeth's
birthday banquet. It has been an annual event, but this year, especially since it was
the first official event after the Holy Trial, everyone was extremely nervous.

Of course, Elisabeth, who seemed to have nothing to do with that atmosphere,

responded to my inquiry about what would be a good birthday present, saying, “There
is no need for a gift that is not in her heart, so please attend or do it properly.” … … It
was clear that if he really went empty-handed, he would vomit.

Anyway, putting other complications aside, one of the joys of these formal events for
me was figuring out the dress and shoes to match Rachel. Big, my daughter is a kid
who looks good with anything, but it feels like she's playing with a doll... … .

"lady."

I was looking at the glass slipper design drawings for my daughter, who is a shoe
collector, when Knight Commander Albert and butler Robert came to visit me. It's
rather rare for these two people to visit me at the same time, so I started asking right
away.

"Did you finally find my father?"

"It's similar."
"Is it similar?"

"That's it, ma'am, now..."

Albern quickly interrupted and took the lead in explaining what Robert was about to
say.

“As a result of the search as instructed, we obtained information that they were being
held by a moonshine guild in the Louisville area, so we immediately sent a small
number of fast-moving elite knights there, but somehow it seems that they escaped
one step ahead of them. It was clear that it was coming up to the ecliptic, so I grabbed
it right away, no, while I was trying to bring it back..."

"I came here on my own. Yes, ma'am. A human claiming to be Viscount Yghoeffer has
arrived outside the door. Of course, I don't know if it's really him or not."

"Madame, if you've been involved with the moonshine guild in some way, you can see
that you've already gone as far as a noble. Whether or not the person outside the
door is the Viscount, I don't think you need to face it."

It was sensible advice. To think that my gambler father, who had been unknown for
years, had finally reached that point. Well, it wasn't unexpected, but I had a sense of
shame, wondering why all my family members were like that.

Anyway, since I was going to take measures to make sure I never saw them again, I had
to make sure. Having come to that conclusion, I put down the design book and got up.

"I'll have to check it out first. Where is it?"

***

“Why is running necessary for swordsmanship?”

"Stamina is the most basic foundation of all martial arts. Your Highness is so weak
that if you wield a sword from the first day..."
"But I'm pretty good at shooting my bow, so isn't my physical strength okay? Uh, even if
it's the simplest training..."

“Shooting a bow and holding a sword are completely different. I can understand why
you want to hold the sword right away, but if you recklessly swing the sword as you are
now, you will be in pain for days.”

"Oh, but..."

"Stop whining and run. Five laps."

In response to this relentless order, the 15-year-old prince couldn't bear to complain
anymore and started running through the well-polished gymnasium for the Royal
Guard. Jeremy, who had been watching her vague figure with his arms folded, finally
let out a giggle.

"Ah, I remember when I was young. When I first learned swordsmanship, I ran really
badly. How does it feel to be the teacher of His Highness the Prince?"

"Whoever wants to be a master is a master. Annoying. I'm just trying to give you a little
help."

“Well, he’s surprisingly docile anyway. It would be nice if my younger brother acted cute
like that too.”

"If your family's red-haired foal becomes docile, it would be a bit painful to see it as it
is."

"I see. Oh, by the way, you know you're a silent servant, right?"

Jeremy's rather abrupt change of topic made Nora immediately wince instead of
watching Letran pant at the subject of only two wheels.

"Is there anyone you don't know? But why?"

"Do you know anything in detail? About that person."

"Well, as it is widely known, he has a lock on his mouth, and he is an elite cardinal who
has been favored by the Pope at a young age. What's wrong? Is he even the leader of
the skit trial?"

"It's still unknown, but it's suspicious enough to see the little girl who came to visit
Shuri."

"What? When?"

“When we met the lion face-to-face with the crown prince. Shuri didn’t go into details
about what he was talking about, but from the looks of it, it seems certain that you
were behind it. I don’t know why.”

Reason is... … . Nora touched her chin for a moment, lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, a
memory flashed through her mind. The memory of the banquet on the anniversary of
the founding of the country, the image of the young cardinal talking at length to Shuri
at the women's party.

Meanwhile, Jeremy seemed to have misunderstood his friend's silence. Her young lion
approached her friend with her wary look, studied her face, and muttered in a coy
voice:

"No, I just asked because I thought you might know something more. There's no need
to talk to your father again, even though I'm reluctant to do so. Well, he seemed
surprisingly flexible, but..."

"Shut up, this baby! It's not going to be a suspicious thing."

"Ah, surprise. What? Suspicious?"

"It's suspicious because he suddenly does something he shouldn't do! Just looking at
what he did to the new kid, he's going crazy wondering if he's taken some medicine or
is already senile! Damn, he said hello to me all morning this morning. !

In general, it is very unreasonable to regard a father's good morning to his son as a

sign of senility or some trick. But instead of pointing it out, Jeremy tried to apologize
for bringing up the topic. I was just going to do it. That's it.
"In that sense, I'm going to take care of you at your house today."

Nora, who had been gnashing her teeth while burning her blue eyes for a while,
uttered that out of the blue announcement, of course, Jeremy immediately distorted
his expression.

"What? Hey, what kind of shelter is our house? You don't dare run into your father at
your house anyway-"

"Why do you think your house can still be yours?"

"what……?"

"You can say that I owe a lot of credit to the beautiful lady, who is the one who keeps
your home like a beast's den warm and warm, being able to be fully there now. Do you
mean leave it alone? It's not possible, it's absolutely not possible. Even if dirt gets in my
eyes, I won't be able to see it."

Jeremy was dazed for a moment and just stared at Nora with his lost eyes.

What did this bastard just say?

It could be said that this was the first time since the Holy Inquisition that the matter
had come to the fore again between the two. Because there were so many issues to
worry about, both sides had secretly declared a cease-fire rather than a truce. By the
way… … .

“Nora, heck, Nora hyung……!

The two knights would have continued their silent snowball fight until the sun went
down had it not been for Letran, who was on the verge of running out of breath just in
time, and hadn't approached with his round eyes twinkling and crying out sadly.

While Nora gave her cousin a most benevolent smile, Jeremy said a few words to
Letran before turning around and storming out.
I don't know what dark plan that wolf cub has, but I'll have to go and cling to my
stepmother who innocently blinks her eyes without knowing anything.

Jeremy, who was hurriedly stepping forward with such a promise, was soon caught by
an unwelcome person. To be precise, she tried to avoid it from a distance, but from
the other side, after all, the one who had the upper hand in terms of status shook her
hand first and shamelessly pretended to know her. How could she just ignore it?

"I didn't expect to meet you here."

"...I see. Rather, when are you planning to visit my mother with your brother, Your
Highness? You have to do it quickly, even today."

At that smirk that Jeremy threw with his arms crossed, Theobald hesitated for a
moment, then smiled gracefully again. And Jeremy began to think that if it wasn't for
the Crown Prince, she would have been able to tear that smile down to her ears.

"Well, isn't this more fun than that?"

"Your Highness's face doesn't evoke very pleasant feelings for me."

“……You seem to have no idea who your real enemy is.”

"What kind of pun are you talking about again?"

Perhaps he felt a hint of annoyance on the blonde knight's face, but the silver-haired
prince tried to soften his smile a little, then looked a little more serious.

"Do you know why my uncle and uncle are so kind to your stepmother?"

"……what?"

“Hey, your friend and I don’t think the word “non-electronic war” came about for
nothing.”

"What are you talking about now..."

"Jeremy, can I tell you one fun fact about the parents of all of us?"

Jeremy, now almost breathless, glared at the prince in front of him. On the other hand,
Theobald still had a relaxed expression.

“…I don’t really want to know.”

"I'm sure you're curious. Do you know why your father married your stepmother?"

"..."

"Can I show you something interesting?"

***

The house of Marquis Neubanstein, dyed in pink twilight, looked more like a small
castle from a fairy tale than a grandiose title of lion's den. It was rare to find a house
that was so grand and splendid and at the same time gave such a warm feeling.
Including his own house.

Nora, who was getting off the carriage, rejecting such a dreary impression, noticed a
disturbing corner in front of the gate of the huge marquis's house.

It was not new that the knights guarding the entrance to the lion's den were giving him
disapproving glances. But at this moment, Neuwanstein's claws were looking at the
wolf Confucius with half-welcome eyes instead of the hostile gaze. Perhaps the duel of
honor has played a big part in changing public opinion among the employees of this
house.

In any case, instead of responding with a warm smile to these rarely encountered
friendly faces, Nora calmly looked towards a middle-aged man who looked like a
homeless man sitting on the wall next to the gate. There's no way the drivers of this
house would let some tramp roll around in front of the door, and who the heck is it
that everyone just watches with a stern watch?
"what is this?"

The sound of Nora muttering quietly woke the homeless man who had been dozing off
with the smell of alcohol waking up, as if he had been addicted to alcohol since early
evening. The strangely familiar looking middle-aged man blinked his eyes wide for a
moment and looked up at the young man looking down at him, but the next moment
he jumped up.

"Is that you?!"

"what?"

"Yes, you're right! Judging by those blue eyes, there's no doubt! Yes, you bastard! You
raided my house! Where did you put my wife?! Where is my son?!"

The knights moved quickly and tried to seize the man, but Nora raised her hand to
stop them. I wondered where I saw it, and now I understand. At that time, the
bireongbang was strangely similar to Sojak.

"It's Viscount Yigghoeffer."

"Th-Did you know that now?! Who the hell did you get it from? Did my daughter do it?!
This, this guy who looks like a parasitic brother..."

Viscount Yghoeffer, whether it was because he was too drunk or out of genuine rage,
shouted randomly and attacked without considering the difference in size between
himself and the opponent. Therefore, Nora, naturally frowning at the pungent stench,
pulled back his body and naturally lifted her leg and kicked the mad Viscount.

"Ugh!"

It wasn't a very hard kick. On that point, the eyewitness accounts also agreed.
However, it was a problem if the fact that the viscount was excessively drunk, and that
the viscount, who had staggered backwards and fell down, had his head squarely
hammered into the ornate iron door.
A thump sounded like a majestic noise, and then blood began to flow from the top of
the head of the screaming viscount. At the same time, the leader of the knights and
the head of the house appeared on the stairs leading directly to the front yard.

"What is this... kyaaagh! Ah, father?!"

While Nora stood still in panic, Shuri hurriedly ran down the stairs with a short scream.
There was amazement in her bright eyes as she watched her fallen father with her
blood dripping from her head.

"Nu, nuna, this is what it is..."

"What are you all doing?! Move inside! Hurry up!"

***

The corridors of the crown prince's palace were not particularly different from those
of other aristocratic families. If I had to pick one, it would be the alcove, the splendor
of the frame, and the status of the people inside the frame.

In any case, there was no need to look at all these portraits of the imperial family. After
all, there was only one thing that caught my eye, and it was that of a certain woman
who boasted a unique presence among all these splendid portraits.

The thought that came into Jeremy's mind the moment he fixed his gaze on the
smiling woman in the portrait was, Why is there a portrait of his stepmother here?
Then came her realization that she was mistaken about something.

The woman in the portrait looked just like someone who would be in his house at this
point, but there were obvious differences.

The purple-tinted silver hair, the lemon-colored eyes, the puffiness of the cheeks, and
most of all, the smile itself was different. His stepmother was not one to laugh this way.

"this……."
"The late Empress Ludovika. She is my biological mother."

Theobald approached with a glass of wine and stood beside him, looking up at the
portrait side by side. Perhaps because of the chandelier lighting, the softly curved
golden eyes instantly looked just like the lemon-colored eyes of the woman in the
portrait.

"He fell in love with my strict father, your best friend's father, and even your deceased
father. Maybe it's an ongoing process?"

Jeremy just stared at the portrait with an expression of total bewilderment. Her dark
green eyes were completely blank.

"Surprised, isn't it? I understand. I was also very surprised at first. I can understand
why your deceased father remarried your stepmother."

"..."

“As for my current mom, of course, she harbors extreme hatred for this person, and my
aunt… I guess it’s something similar. Anyway, it’s not unreasonable to do that, but she
was a victim in her own way, so it’s a pity that she is hated so much sometimes.”

“……Are you a victim?”

At the question that the blonde knight finally uttered, the prince nodded as if he had
waited.

"The three best men in the empire, who have nothing to regret, wanted a woman at the
same time, how noisy the process must have been? In the end, the winner was my
father, but in my opinion, the one my biological mother really wanted was the father. It
doesn't seem like it. It could be your father, it could be your uncle..."

Theobald, with a long tail, turned his head to look directly into Jeremy's face.

"I'm speaking honestly because we're all alone, but don't we really feel like we're
fighting? Sometimes, I wonder if there's such a thing as fate."
"..."

"I don't know how much your best friend knows about this. Maybe your uncle wants his
son to win this time too. Maybe the rich man wants the same thing at the same time.
To be honest, they look a lot alike."

Jeremy looked away slowly, very slowly.

At the end of the gaze, where slow flames began to flicker, there was Theobald's
graceful smile.

“That… what do you mean, what the hell?”

"Well, I'm just considering all the possibilities. Maybe if it wasn't for your uncle's notice,
Obama would have been anxious to make your stepmother his mistress long ago?"

"..."

"In that regard, I don't see you as impure, even if you really have feelings for your
stepmother. Rather, you are on the pure side. It's different from anyone who's beaked."

"...I can't imagine that neither His Majesty the Emperor nor the Duke treat my mother
that way."

"You really think so? Even after seeing this? Just looking at your father's case, isn't the
answer obvious?"

"..."

"If things had gone wrong during this Holy Trial, you never know who would have fallen
for your stepmother. Actually, it was a bit strange that Nora had come forward as if
she had been waiting for it at that moment. All the conditions were so perfect. That’s
right. It’s like weaving and hitting.”

"..."
"You know very well that it's impossible for me to interfere in church affairs in any way. I
just want to be good rivals... if you don't mind. We've been very close since childhood."

For a while, Jeremy silently stared at the crown prince in front of him. Then, suddenly,
he raised his hand, grabbed Theobald's nape, and pushed him hard against the wall.

To be precise, I threw it half way. The sound was not very loud because of the thick
damask wool walls, but the impact was certain.

Theobald, who had been literally tossed halfway up and pinned against a wall, barely
stood upright on his own two feet. Jeremy advanced without giving her opponent a
chance to recover her senses, her eyes burning brightly and her real creepy grin on.

"Your Highness. I don't know where you heard the nonsense from, but my mother is my
mother. No matter how much I tell you, if you foolishly tease me and my mother, I can't
guarantee what crazy things I will do."

"I-I..."

“If you thought that this kind of alienation would work for me, you are very mistaken. It
seems that the bastard warfare only applies to Your Highness and His Majesty the
Emperor, who has no interest in You. It seems that you are desperate enough to insult
me, but unfortunately, even though I am a fool, I have eyes for people."

Jeremy's voice was low, but the searing life within him was overwhelming.

It was a terrifying force that seemed to split the prince's body from head to toe in this
spot. So, Theobald felt the cold sweat running down the nape of his neck and gulped
down his dry saliva.

"I'm just..."

"Also, Your Highness is mistaken. Your Highness' biological mother and my mother are
not very similar. Where do you dare to compare? I'll give it to you, okay? This is not a
warning, it's a threat."

Theobald did not make a sound, as if he had frozen on the spot. He could have called
the guards outside the door right away if he wanted to. However, the knight in front of
his eyes was spewing ghastly murderous blood without hesitation, even tearing the
guards to shreds.

It was an angry beast itself, a beast itself that made the whole body loose its strength
with just a glance.

As soon as Theobald could barely pretend to nod his head up and down, Jeremy
swung that way and got out of that damn place. It was because if she didn't, she might
end up brushing out all of the crown prince's teeth, something she hadn't been able to
do three years ago.

I felt like I was in ruins because my heart was shattered by the violent rush of anger
and sadness.

It was clear that any of his friends he knew did not yet know this. If you find out, how
will you react?

It was hard to say that Theobald's talk was just nonsense. Whether it's a non-electronic
war. However, Jeremy was extremely repulsed by such superficial expressions.

Shuri was not the former empress who died. They were all different beings, just as they
were not their fathers.

It had to be.

When he was overcome with guilt and remorse and didn't know what to do, Shuri
hugged him and said it was okay. When his father's sins weighed heavily on his
shoulders, Shuri comforted him by saying that it had nothing to do with you anyway.

No matter what happened, he had to remain a family forever, even for her who
embraced him no matter what happened. Even if the existence of her as her had made
him unable to long for another forever, he was determined to be content with that as
long as the link between them was not forever severed.

She had to be loved unconditionally and shine and be happy with whomever she met
in the future.

So he would stay where he is and make it that way.

***

"Father, father?!"

“You… you… I… you…!”

Whatever my father's last words were, they didn't follow through.

By the time the congressman arrived, it was already too late at the latest. His father's
head, which had been hit by a sharp iron door sculpture, had holes like jagged marks.

So he passed away very simply, leaving the bed sheets drenched in blood. His bulging
eyes and the bursting veins on his face looked more terrifying than anything he had
ever seen in his life. My arms were also covered in blood.

I don't remember what I said and sent all the servants and lawmakers out.

Anyway, I was sitting beside my father's dead body in a half-dazed, dazed state.

My brother is dead, and my father is also dead. My mother, too, was in a situation
where her life and death were unknown. Those who were once my closest blood
relatives met a terrible price for their attempts to approach me. And they have long
since ceased to be my family.

Still, it's been a while since I realized how narrow-minded bullshit the word family is. I
feel no pity or sorrow for their tragedy... … . But why do tears flow from my eyes?

Why does this sense of bewilderment and bewilderment overwhelm me when people
who have never been real family, people who are no better than anyone else?

A bloody smell stung my nose. All of a sudden, everything that had happened since I
had gone back in time passed by in front of my eyes, swirling all at once.

My breath trembled as I thought of all the changes, all the comedies and tragedies.
Through it all, I still survived. And truly, the only family left by my side were the children
Yochen left behind. But, and yet... … .

"……sister!"

Nora's urgent voice broke through the blurred sensation. A black-haired young man
rushed in, grabbed me, covered in my father's blood, and began to scan his face.

"Sister... haa, sorry. It's all my fault. I didn't do it on purpose, no, that's irrelevant
anyway. The fact that I killed my sister's father won't change. So will my sister's
brother..."

"..."

"I-I killed my sister's blood relatives on my own. I killed my sister's brother and father on
my own, and sent my sister's mother away. I don't know how I should ask for
forgiveness from my sister, but I..."

"……no."

"Yes?"

Slowly, slowly, I shook my head and looked up at the wildly shimmering blue eyes. A
dry, ragged voice escaped my open mouth.

"...I don't know if he wanted it to be like this... So it's no different than killing me. It's
just..."

"..."

"I wanted to ask you one last time why you did this to me... but I'm sorry I couldn't."

Why didn't you love me, why didn't you love me, your child. Even though I knew for sure
what kind of answer I would get if I asked.
Perhaps the fear that still lurks in the depths of my abyss may never go away. The fear
of being abandoned at some point.

Since my parents who gave birth to me abandoned me, I was always trembling in fear
of being abandoned by everyone. From her husband, from her children... … .

And I had memories of being abandoned by the children before I came back here.

Yes, that memory was the most intense. No matter how much I tried not to think about
it, I didn't even know that I was still wandering through the dreams of the past every
night because of the memories that popped up in my unconscious.

Maybe I'm not as maternal as others think.

Everything I've done for them, the reason I've given them so much affection since I
came back, may have been sheer selfish fear. Without my children, I would be nothing.
Because there is nowhere to go back to.

My husband was a sweet man, but the only reason he cared for me was because I
resembled his first love.

There was always a fear that no one would look back at me if I became just myself
instead of a woman resembling someone's affectionate first love or a loving
stepmother.

Ironically, it seems that the fear was at least offset on the day of the Holy Trial. The
moment the man in front of me now stepped forward as my knight of honor. He was a
man who had nothing to do with me but was willing to risk his life for me, a man whose
blood was on his hands because of me to this day.

Nora looked into my eyes for a moment as she held my face with both hands, then sat
down on a nearby chair and picked me up and put me on my lap. Then, holding my
upper body with one arm, he began to wipe the bloodstains from my body with a
handkerchief. I stayed still without resisting.

"...Now I can't even say I'm sorry to you."

"sorry……?"
"Your hands are covered in blood because of me."

"I am my sister's knight. I did it myself."

His soft touch was soft. He was as careful and delicate as handling fragile glassware.
In an instant, I choked up at that kindness.

"...If you continue to be by my side like this, countless similar things may happen in the
future."

"It's lively. Anyone wants to come again. Whether it's the imperial family or the church...
it doesn't matter if everything turns to dust."

"Then what about me? What can I do for you...?"

"Nuna, you just have to stay like this. Just like this... Safely, beautifully, and-"

His hand paused for a moment. In the dark blue eyes bent over me, the light of
longing, a violent and dark desire that I had never seen before, suddenly flashed.

The next moment, black hair seemed to cover my vision, and hot breath hit my ear.

“……Looking at me.”
Chapter 10 - Winds of Reform

It wasn't uncommon for the second prince's whimpering cries to be heard from the
empress' palace. It had been a frequent occurrence since ancient times for the
mischievous second prince to be greatly scolded by the stern Empress Elisabeth.
Therefore, the guards, court ladies, and attendants all had expressions that were far
from questionable. She was just exchanging whispers, such as that she should soon
become an adult, and that the prince should go away.

When Theobald went to the empress's palace to greet the evening as usual, Letran
was not there, as if he had already received a banquet order. Only the empress, who
was sitting at the tea table with a strange expression on her face, even with her maids
of honor, greeted him.
"Oh my mom...?"

“……Ah, prince.”

"What happened? I heard that Letran was scolded again."

Elizabeth did not immediately answer Ben Theobald's question of calm concern.
Instead she just stared probingly at her own stepson with her blue eyes that
contained the most obscure light. Theobald met her unfamiliar gaze with a calm smile
and sat down in front of her.

“You seem to be worried about something.”

“……As for the worries. I was just a little angry when I heard the Duke making a noise
during the day.”

Theobald, who had calmly reached out for the platter of madeleines placed
appetizingly, hesitated for a moment. Although it was only a fleeting moment.

Her golden eyes calmly met her stepmother's blue eyes with a smile of the most
natural virtue.

"Because what the hell did you hear?"

"... I heard that Letran took up a nasty hobby not too long ago. I heard that the prince
told the duke the details of the incident? Shouldn't you have told this mother in
advance? How surprised I was."

"I'm sorry. I also happened to get caught up in the game... I was thinking about how to
tell my mom. It's my negligence."

"What else does the crown prince have to apologize for? Anyway, since I've seen your
face, go ahead and rest. The night wind is cold, so I'll have to go to bed early."

The empress' voice, which continued quietly, was dry and devoid of any emotion.
However, in her blue eyes covered with a cool film, there was a flickering light that was
hard to notice, something like a meaningful sense of déjà vu.
While Theobald, who hadn't noticed it before, bowed politely and left, Elizabeth sat
there as if frozen in place, staring blankly at the back of the prince as he left the
empress' palace.

The expression on her face was not that of realizing something new, but rather that of
someone who is finally looking into a certain sense of incongruity, deja vu, and
suspicion that has been wriggling beneath the surface for a very long time.

***

"Are you really giving this to me?"

… … If anyone sees it, they'll think I've never given Rachel a pair of shoes. In any case, it
was certain that the reaction exceeded expectations. She was thrilled to see Rachel's
face, her chin almost dropping to the floor, her emerald eyes wide open.

"Then who else in my house could wear this other than you?"

“Wow… is this really made of glass?”

"Be careful, my lovely sister. If it happens, I won't be able to handle your weight and I'll
crush you... ghast!"

While Elias, who has a special knack for cheering up his little sister, was rubbing the
back that had been beaten by me, Rachel picked up fancy shoes made of diamonds
and glass and brought them to both cheeks, starting to scream that she was happy.

"Thank you, mom! I really, really love you! From now on, I will only wear these every day!"

"What do we have, Mom?"

“Would you like me to call you a pumpkin carriage?”

"This is child discrimination! Favoritism!"

"Right, right, favoritism!"

While Elias and Leon put out their mouths and grumbled, Rachel, who had finally
calmed down and seemed to calm down, let out a sad sigh.

“It would have been nice if Prince Ali came to the banquet, right?”

"Eh, are you still in touch with that weed-headed prince?"

"Can't we do that? Diplomatic camaraderie, raising family spirit, promoting friendship

among ourselves. What's wrong with you? You even kindly invited me to visit Safavi
once?"

"Your corset would all melt if you went to that hot town."

"What does it matter!"

Hmm, it seems that Leon, who rarely gets into a fight with his twin sister, feels jealous
when he looks so crooked. What are the kids anyway? No, but more than that... … .

"What's the difference between glass slippers and plain shoes?"

"The difference in material?"

… … Why is that guy hanging around in my house and leaving his own?

I don't know how I can accept the behavior of Nora, who has been trying not to think
about it for the past few days, and Nora, who has come and flirted with Jeremy in the
opposite way, that is, with the same brazenness as usual.

No, accepting it is second to none, and I'm dying of awkwardness! Wasn't that guy
awkward? Am I the only one struggling? Isn't it too shameless to make noise in people
and have such a carefree attitude?
Doesn't this make me feel like I'm overreacting to something that wasn't a big deal by
myself? I really want it, I'm stumped! I guess I should say something.

"How many times have I told you not to put your legs on the table?"

Jeremy, who had been giggling and flirting with my friend, flinched and cautiously put
down his long legs at that stroke I uttered as if I was sighing. On the other hand, Nora,
who was sitting in a very respectable posture, also flinched, but she smiled cautiously.
She threw her sneer at her friend, namely.

"Shall I take the etiquette training again?"

"Shut up, you asshole. You're drinking someone else's coffee. Isn't your mother looking
for you?"

“Because I am the original child.”

"Oh, that's right. Sorry."

Why do they always have such a conversation? While I couldn't hide my sigh, our Elias
seemed to have misinterpreted my sigh. He took one look at my expression, then
another look at my embarrassing older brother and his brazen face, and then, with a
triumphant expression on his face, he let out a roar:

"Go to your house, you dark bastard! What time is this now, and what kind of safety are
you wandering around here?!"

"Is that a way of thanking the knight for safely returning your protector to this house?"

At Nora's extremely carefree questioning, Elias opened his mouth as if he was at a loss
for words for a moment, but quickly regained his momentum. just like she always did

"That's that, and this is this! And if it wasn't for you, we would have done it ourselves?!"

"Who? You? Or your stupid knights?"

"Hey! Who's stupid?! How many of our family's knights..."

"Well, sooner or later there will be reports that the children of Neuwanstein are
ungrateful wildcats. Haa, it seems that there is a proverb that if you do something nice
to someone else, you will only be a hoe."

"What, what grace..."

"However, you guys, who are a mass of nuisances, don't seem to know that Hogu
originally has the profound meaning of a tiger's mouth. So why don't you come up with
a plausible logic for why you want to block my visit?"

Elias was on the verge of frothing. He seems to be in a dilemma where he wants to say
something a lot but doesn't know where to start. On the other hand, the absurd thing
was that Jeremy was the same.

"Who is this poopy son of a bitch now?"

"Let's see, even if it's something I'm involved in..."

"Now, all of you, hurry up and get ready! Jeremy, you too! You're all going to be late!
Can't you move quickly?!"

As I hurriedly clapped my hands and shouted, Elias, who didn't know what to do
because he was blushing at the same time, and the twins, who were staring blankly,
hurriedly headed upstairs. Jeremy, who was glaring at my friend with a young
expression on his face, also obediently raised her hands and left her seat at the sight
of my fierce eyes.

There was silence for a moment. That was until I cautiously spoke to Confucius, who
was still drinking coffee at someone else's house with a laid-back attitude.

"Huh, Nora?"

"Yes?"
I couldn't get used to the look of innocently blinking blue eyes. What the hell is this guy
thinking?

"Well, shouldn't you go home and prepare for the banquet? As you know, today is your
aunt's..."

"I'm here after finishing my preparations. As you can see."

Nora, who showed off her arms relaxedly, was clearly dressed from head to toe. The
deep blue tailcoat that wrapped around the body like a black panther suited her very
well... … no, this isn't it.

"But wouldn't your mother be sad if you go with us instead of your family?"

"I'm the original child, so it's okay."

"...but it seems like you rarely go home these days. Of course, you are always welcome
in our house, but your parents..."

"I don't see them very often, even at home."

"But on a day like today..."

"Since it's my noble aunt's birthday party, my older sister will dress up extra beautifully.
And as her knight, I have the duty to protect her from the drooling beasts."

… … What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Um, of course you're my knight no matter what anyone says, but..."

"It's a fact that my older sister admits and I admit to myself as well. But to me, it's like
I'm wrestling with wolves alone while I'm having fun clinging to my sister's well-dressed
hair. It can't be. I will never endure such an absurd treatment."
If there's one thing that's for sure in this situation, it's that my jaw is going to be really
stupidly open. Is the guy right in front of me right now Nora?

Nora put her coffee cup down on her mind and stood up while I looked like an idiot of
ice. Then, out of nowhere, she let out a sigh and lowered her head. The wind brought
the distance between their faces closer. My pulse started beating fast. I tried to avoid
his deep blue gaze and pursed his lips.

"I……."

"But you seem very uncomfortable, so I'll just have to be patient with you."

"uh……?"

"Anyway, at least you're seeing me now."

In an instant, my ears flared up. However, before I could come up with a pointless
rebuttal such as 'Then I'll look up at the ceiling instead of you', Nora kissed my cheek
briefly and lightly, but then turned away and left.

***

A banquet to celebrate Empress Elizabeth's birthday, the first official event after the
Holy Trial. Putting aside the whole story of the trial, since the empress' mother, the
main character of the day, was the Duke of Nuremberg, if it was an opportunity to
reveal her position more openly, it was an opportunity.

Anyway, all the nobles gathered at the ballroom were acting calmly as if they had
erased the trial case from their heads. It was the same for me too.

"Nice dress, Lady Neuwanstein."

"Thank you, Lady Bayern. By the way, is your son engaged this time?"
"Ayu, don't say anything. How much trouble you had in the process..."

If one thing is certain thanks to the Holy Trial, it is that I have succeeded in properly
forging solidarity with noble ladies in this lifetime. The relationship between me and
Empress Elisabeth as a bad friend, not a bad friend, contributed greatly to this, but
anyway, most of them were sympathetic to me, and I also treated them and their
husbands separately. After all, it was usually my husband's side that was the problem
for me.

"Khuhm, Lady Neuwanstein. It's nice to see you here. I couldn't tell you last time, but it's
better to separate the parliamentary issue and our children's issue..."

For example, like Duke Heinrich, who has already been drunk for a long time since the
banquet started, and brings up a marriage story between our children that I have not
said a word about.

"You seem to have drunk a lot."

"Ah, I'm drunk. I finally feel deep shame and shame for not being able to properly
present my wife when she was in trouble..."

"Big, big. Excuse me, Lady Neuwanstein. Lee is very drunk. Roshford, a little..."

If Duke Heinrich had been a woman, the fact that he was accompanied by a mistress
as young as his children to this empress's birthday banquet would have been
considered quite disrespectful. In any case, the duke's mistress seemed to be on the
alert and wary of my lover with any other young woman, and it spared me the further
drudgery of his drunkenness.

"O'Hara! Where are you?! Mrs. Neuwanstein is here, so say hello..."

Before Princess Heinrich came to me, I quickly retreated and ran towards the hero of
the day. Duke Heinrich still cried out incomprehensible sounds for a long time and
bought the eyes of others, but in the end he buried his face in the chest of his mistress
and wept bitterly. That was until the other people who had been ignoring the ugliness,
as if determined to ignore it, finally came forward and yelled at me for not being a
little more polite.

"If anyone sees it, they'll think it's your birthday, not mine. Have you got a boyfriend?"
"That's an exaggeration. Empress Mama really looks like the main character of the
day."

“Hey, did you bring this as a gift to use it somewhere?

Elizabeth, the main character of the day, seemed very uncomfortable. It's not even a
day or two, so there's nothing to be surprised about, but is it because of my mood that
I seem particularly uncomfortable today?

"I heard you haven't been sleeping well lately."

“Hey, how much tea can help you sleep better.”

"From a personal experience, it's pretty good. More than that, what makes your face
look so noisy on a fine day?"

"Oh, are you worried about me right now? It's like a cat worrying about a mouse."

“It should be called Dongbyeongsangryeon. Is it a matter for the prince?”

Instead of answering, Elizabeth just lowered her dark red eyelashes. A slight shade
flickered in the blue eyes beneath the lashes that drooped like a canopy.

It was the first time I had brought up the topic of the princes since I mentioned the
casino incident the other day. Regardless, I couldn't tell exactly what Elisabeth was
thinking right now, but I was certain that it looked pretty complicated.

“……Well, more than that, they say that you suffered a father’s death.

"thank you."

The story of my father coming to visit me in a drunken stupor, and misstepping in

front of the gate, had unfortunately passed away. No matter what the reality is,
everyone knows that. And I had clearly publicized my sorrow by holding a grand
funeral. Only those who know the real inside story... … .
I turned my gaze away from Elizabeth and looked at the Duchess of Nuremberg
standing quietly beside her. Her eyes met and she smiled her thin smile.

“My father’s funeral… You must have gone through a lot of hardships in many ways.”

“Thank you for your concern. Um… I don’t think I was able to properly apologize for
worrying you the other day.”

"Are you worried?"

“The work of Confucius. I-I also did not expect that Confucius would act as my knight
there…”

"What does your wife have to apologize to me for? It's all the child's choice. I'm sorry
that the child often seems to be indebted to the marquess."

She responded softly, rolling her watery eyes and smiling aloof. On the one hand,
there was a sense of relief, and on the other hand, useless questions rose at once.

"Come on, Lady Nuremberg."

"Yes……?"

"It's because I heard a story I didn't know about from the person who is today's main
character... Maybe the reason why your wife asked me that kind of request about
Confucius in the past... was that also the reason?"

Although I deliberately left it vague, Heide seemed to immediately understand what I

was trying to say. The watery eyes seemed to flinch for a moment, but then fell toward
the floor.

“……Even if your wife thinks so… I don’t have any excuses. I’m sorry if you felt
uncomfortable—”

“No, there’s nothing particularly unpleasant about it now.

It wasn't that I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Did she think that if I was so much like
her husband's first love, she would be able to open her heart to her son who looked so
much like him? My taste in non-electronic warfare, something like that... … ? But I'm
Nago and Nora is Nora... … .

"Well, what kind of person was he? The former empress I said resembled."

It may seem a bit odd to talk about the first love of our three husbands here, but why
did this duchess look so sad when she looked at me in the past, and why did she
suddenly ask me for Nora three years ago? Now that I have understood, at least
roughly, the curiosity about the deceased has risen again. Just what kind of person
was she that captured the hearts of the three best men in the empire so much?

"He was a kind and cheerful person. As much as he was my childhood friend..."

At those words, spoken by the Duchess in a rather bitter tone, Elizabeth's eyes, which
had been listening to our conversation with a sullen face, suddenly went up.

"Chiingu? Do you call that a friend?! Heide, you're just as frustrating as ever before!
They've got something to eat from you, so they're sticking together!"

"No, Mama. Ludovika, no, the former Empress really..."

"No, Mrs. Neubanstein, listen to me. Do you think it makes sense for a mere baron's
daughter to cling to the count's lady and condescendingly pretend to be of the same
status?"

"I think you've forgotten, but Empress, I'm also from a mere viscount family..."

“Isn’t that different from this!

"That's extremely true, but as you've been close to Mrs. Nuremberg since childhood,
wasn't there a reason for everything?"

"What's the reason! That's all because Heide is weak and introverted, so he's aiming for
an opportunity to feel lonely!"
Heide merely responded with a philosophical smile, as if he was extremely accustomed
to this reaction, and Elisabeth's blue eyes flashed furiously as if her anger soared.

“Anyway, my younger brother also had a blind eye, and he was completely fascinated
by a girl with nothing to see like that…”

“Um, I think you forgot again, Mama, that his face is my face…”

“Where are you comparing them? Even if you look a little alike, you’re a hundred times
better than a thousand times, so don’t worry!”

Should I take it as a compliment? I started scratching my head, trying to think of

something else. I just ate my heart like that.

"Thank you, aunt."

Hey, even tigers come when I say (?). Heide looked at her son with a smile while I looked
at her toes in a moment of bewilderment, and Elizabeth let out a sound like a sigh but
nodded her head at her only nephew.

"That's a sincere greeting. Live and live, my nephew came to me on his own feet and
greeted me. I don't know how long it's been since."

“Unexpectedly, there are quite a few. You don’t seem to remember.”

"Anyway, he's still arrogant. It seems that my younger brother, who eats raw meat, has
made a mistake when it comes to educating his children."

“Because I was originally a child. As your aunt knows.”

If hot-tempered temperament is a characteristic of Neubanstein blood, should we say

that Nuremberg blood trait is sarcastic? I feel very sorry for the Duchess letting out a
short sigh. No, more than that, I don't know why those two suddenly looked at me at
the same time instead of smirking. It seems like they want me to say something, but I
don't know if it's usual, but right now I'm in a very awkward mood... … !

"Lady Neuwanstein. May I ask for a song?"

Aside from my feeling of floundering in a sense of shame, Nora reached out to me with
a calm and weak attitude, wondering what the hell she was thinking. Therefore, I
couldn't bear to refuse and took his hand. I could clearly feel in the back of my head
that Elizabeth was glaring at me for leaving her, but I couldn't help it. I feel a little sorry
for Heide, who has to accept her temper alone. He said that it is not the duty of a lady
to refuse a knight's dance!

As I happened to see it, I joined the dance line at the center of the ball with Nora. I felt
the envious gazes of many young ladies on my body and cleared my throat.

"Well, come to think of it, I think it's the first time I've danced with you."

It was a joke I threw out to alleviate the awkwardness I was feeling alone, but Nora
replied with a playful laugh.

"It's the first time I've asked anyone to dance."

There is no such thing as glory. More than that, my purple dress felt somehow clunky. I
should have dressed a little more brightly. … … No, since when have I been conscious of
Nora's eyes!

The music had changed from a slow accompaniment to a fast waltz. I could feel the
strength of the hand holding my waist. Why do I suddenly feel a tingling in my spine?

"Well, well, it would have been much better if you applied for your first dance to the
young girls your age over there."

"Who said that? It's much better that way?"

“Even if no one said it, it wasn’t obvious.”

"Your sister is also my age. She seems to forget her age sometimes."

… … Regardless of my age, am I not a widow who has experienced the loss of her
husband? They are on a very different level from young young girls who have just
made their debut in the social world.
There were plenty of young ladies with better backgrounds and more beautiful than
me, and young ladies who could give more than I could. But why did this guy, out of all
the other women, have such a meaningful look in her eyes while holding onto me? The
look of longing for something, the look she would have called longing if I didn't know
better... … .

Her breathing quickened and her heart started beating wildly. It seemed to me that it
was futile to try to erase her memory of that day from her mind.

That day, when this guy sat me on my lap, covered in my father's blood, the look he
made and the words he whispered in my ear came to mind all at once, making me
nervous and thirsty at the same time. At that time, I was half insane. But now it is very
clear. But why... … Why do I keep feeling like I'm not myself when I'm in front of Nora... … ?

"it's okay?"

Wow, is there such a disgrace? I was confident that I was confident in my dancing, but I
tripped without realizing it and almost shot Nora's instep. Keuheuk, this unskilled
figure is not me!

Luckily, with the sound of hand clapping echoing at the right time, he grabbed my
waist, lifted me up in the air, and then put me down. I turned around once more and
looked at each other hand in hand. Maybe it was because of my mood, but my blue
eyes looked like they were full of playfulness.

“Your sister is also making mistakes.”

I can see my face turning red like a ripe sweet potato. Where is this son of a bitch
teasing adults!

It was then.

"It's a partner exchange."

It was a matter of course that the familiar voice heard at an unusual time and the
smile that appeared on Nora's face evaporated without a trace as if it had never
happened. And I was suddenly finding myself feeling a bit of annoyance. I don't know
what's missing, but anyway, isn't it very embarrassing to see the crown prince appear
in this situation?
"Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Your wife looks beautiful today. It's your turn to exchange partners. Would you like to
sing a song with me?"

There is no need for you to risk disrespect by refusing to do so here. However, before I
could say anything, Nora let out a voice dripping with cold air as she pulled my
clasped hands closer to me.

"Go find out elsewhere."

To this rude and cold-hearted response, Theobald opened his golden eyes wide, but
soon responded with his typical friendly smile.

“I want to dance a song with Mrs. Neuwanstein too.”

"Before that, did Your Highness have something else to do? With Her Highness Letran."

Well. For that matter, despite the days since the Duke had spoken to me, Theobald
had not a single hair on his head to this day. By the way… … .

"Me with my brother? Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I have something
else to tell you."

"If you don't know what kind of nefarious scheme it is, you'd better go and find out."

"Sneaky? Me? You're the one who looked at Mrs. Neuwanstein as if you were going to
eat her?"

Theobald, who responded calmly, looked at me with a very meaningful look, and I was
thus seized with a very perplexed feeling. Normally, I would have calmly followed him,
hoping to hear what he had to say, but I really didn't want to do that now. If I do that, I
feel like I'm betraying Nora... … .

"Hey, you're here, our beautiful mother! How about a song with the most handsome
son in the world?"
Oh, indeed, he is our eldest son, the most reliable man in the world! Theobald, who was
smiling naturally thanks to Jeremy who appeared at the right time and grabbed the
hand on the other side of me and led me, and Nora, who was glaring at Theobald as if
she was going to tear him apart, in an instant, looked at us with a confused expression
that was similar to that of chasing chickens. I just got to see. Heh, that's why there's a
saying that children can't win.

"What's wrong with you after dancing? You hated it in the past."

"Our benevolent protector is in trouble, and that's like dancing."

Oops, that's right. Because he's a good guy anyway. Anyway, today, dancing with Nora
for the first time wasn't enough, so I think I achieved the record of dancing with
Jeremy for the first time.

Aside from his distaste for dancing, Jeremy danced quite well, and I also entrusted
myself to the melody with a more comfortable feeling than before. Isn't this bad too?

"What is this, what the heck is this guy who hates dancing? Dance with me! Ah, Shurii,
let's dance with me too!"

After one song was over, I was thirsty and went to drink, but Elias quickly caught up
with us and started shouting. So I smiled with an apologetic smile.

"Come later. I'm going to die of thirst now."

"Wow, you favoritism your children!"

That guy seems to have a monopoly on his fondness for his children. It seems to have
gotten worse since becoming friends with Letran. Anyway, I was thirsty and my head
was complicated, so I took a glass of fruit wine and walked towards the quiet balcony.
Jeremy chased after me.

A cool early autumn wind was blowing. The courtyard below was already dyed golden,
and guard dogs with drooping ears waggled their tails among the guards who were
doing their duty even on a day like today.

“What else are you thinking about?”

Anyway, he's a quick-witted guy. I let out an idiotic laugh, and Jeremy smiled as he
threw one arm over her railing. Then he looked intently at my face with suddenly
sharpened eyes.

“What are you worried about?”

"Do I look troubled?"

"Well, it seems complicated. Is it because of that cardinal then? Fortunately, I didn't see
it today."

I shook my head. The question of Cardinal Richelieu is always troubling me, but it
probably wasn't the reason why my expression looked complicated now.

"Jeremy... you know, what do you think if I started dating someone? So just in case."

As soon as I asked cautiously without even realizing it, sure enough, his golden
eyebrows went up at once. Oops, this is... … .

"Why are you saying that all of a sudden? Are you concerned about the Holy
Inquisition?"

"No, it's not like that, it's just that you don't know about human affairs. It's just that I
suddenly remembered what you said to me a long time ago that it wouldn't matter if
you remarried..."

When I replied in a light tone, avoiding my gaze, Jeremy wanted to stare at me silently
for a moment, then smiled mischievously.

"Well, if you put your mind to it, there's no one you can't meet. Maybe it's faster for you
to remarry than for me to get married."

"No way. I've never seriously considered remarrying."

"As you said earlier, don't you know people's business? Why, did you even have a guy
you like?"

Are you thinking of me? Surprisingly, it was a strange feeling because the reaction was
so carefree. Compared to the past when I dragged my contracted girlfriends, I have to
say that they are really carefree. Of course, that and this are on a different level, but I
swallowed a dry saliva and shook my head.

"It's not like that... but if I happen to meet someone, it's never as good as this person, is
there such a thing?"

I didn't even know why I was asking these questions about Jeremy. According to
common sense, no matter how much my stepmother had paid for her husband, if she
tried to meet another man, who would she be willing to accept? much more... … .

When I slowly raised my lowered eyes, there was a mischievous glowing emerald-
colored gaze scanning my face.

"Well, unless the other person is married..."

"That is, of course, nonsense!"

Alas, I was wrong for expecting a serious reaction from this guy. What the hell are you
looking at me for?

"Okay, sorry. I was joking because you looked so serious."

"It wasn't that serious, was it?"

Actually, it was very serious, but anyway, I hated the way people giggled without
knowing the speed of others. Then he added in a more serious tone.

"Whether it's an old man who is dying or a novice who just went through a coming-of-
age ceremony, it's fine as long as you like it. But..."

"only?"
"But whoever that lucky guy is, he's bound to love you unconditionally and serve you
thoroughly."

"..."

"You have to put your happiness above all else and be completely loyal. If you don't,
this trustworthy eldest son, the strongest knight in the Empire, won't let you go."

Even though it was playful, it was a very nice and warm remark. A deliberately sincere
smile spread across the dark green eyes that leaned closer to me. I also felt the
warmth of their hands and smiled at each other.

"Kuhmm, Lady Neuwanstein?"

Who is disturbing this heartwarming moment? We held hands and turned our heads
at the same time. Standing there was the Duke of Nuremberg, who was as usual
elegant and dignified, with a somewhat complex smile on his face.

"I'm sorry to disturb the friendly time between mother and son... His Majesty the
Emperor is looking for you."

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes. I have something urgent to tell you."

***

A total of five figures were gathered in Eagle Hall, not far from the ballroom. Since
Jeremy, me, the Duke of Nuremberg, the Emperor and the Crown Prince are all
gathered in one place, it is natural that the atmosphere cannot be said to be very
good.

But the most embarrassing thing was none other than the solemn emperor's sudden
proposal to me.
"In other words, this is not the imperial name, but the Qing Dynasty. I want my wife and
her daughters to go as envoys to the Safavid country..."

How am I supposed to accept this behavior of subtly inserting even Rachel among the
many talents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? I couldn't help but think that the
emperor was conscious of the sympathy between our Rachel and Prince Ali. It wasn't
really something to hide.

But no matter how much it is, I'm only a child, so why did you single out me?

Looking back on past memories, it wasn't until a long time after this year's National
Foundation Day that the embers of the Cold War between the Safavid country and
Korea started to stir. It is far too early to worry about the severance of diplomatic ties.

However, now that many things have already changed from the past, it seems that
Safabi has started moving faster than I can remember. For what? Was it because of
the things Prince Ali saw and went to during his stay here? I didn't know that.

It was for religious reasons that the original Safavi Kingdom entered into a cold war
with Korea.

The loyalty and faith in the Holy See, which is centered on our empire, has been
faithfully followed for hundreds of years by the Safavids, like other allies. However, at
some point, they suddenly wanted to accept the fundamental skepticism of church
authority and heresy in vulgar terms, but in the end, the decisive cause of the cold war
was that they announced a severance with the Vatican by announcing a rebuttal
accusing the church of corruption. As far as I remember, it was.

This time Prince Ali witnessed with his own eyes the skit of the Holy Trial surrounding
me before returning home. As the cause of the Cold War between the two countries
was quite religious, the experience might have spurred something on.

Is that why the emperor chose me? It seemed that, among many, many people, I, who
was at the center of the skit, and Rachel, who was still in contact with Prince Ali, would
be able to convince me to quell the embers of resistance that were beginning in the
country of Safavid. The fire of resistance... … .

"The Safavid royal family is currently struggling with atrocities. A wife and her
daughters would be able to prevent the young prince who will succeed the decrepit
King Bayezit from being swayed by foolish tricks, so I asked for it. It's done."
Suddenly, a thought ran through me. The fruits and vegetables that the emperor is
now demanding of me were at the tipping point, an extremely dangerous idea.

"……It's not possible!"

It's a surprise. Jeremy, who was just as bewildered as I was, shouted her out loud,
causing everyone to wince simultaneously and look at our young lion.

There was silence for a while. Jeremy blinked at her eyes, claiming that I was startled
by my voice, but the stern Emperor now began to stroke his beard solemnly with one
hand and groan.

"No? What's no, Sir Jeremy?"

"Well, my mother... Anyway, no way! How can I send my mother and younger sister to
such a distant and harsh country at the same time! A family bond that is said to be
inseparable even by heavenly principles..."

"It's a heavenly principle, and who splits the kite? Further, I asked the mother of the
Lord, not the Lord."

“Your Majesty…!”

"Abama, then please allow Soja to accompany you. I would like to take this opportunity
to gain experience in diplomacy."

Needless to say, Theobald, who seemed to be thinking about something with a subtle
smile on his own, uttered that remark, and the hall froze in an instant.

As I held on to Jeremy's shaky wrist with one hand and watched with nervousness, the
Emperor groaned and turned his gaze toward the Duke of Nuremberg. It was a gaze
with an unspoken question about what to think. And the steel duke answered straight
away without a moment's hesitation.

"I don't think it's a very good idea for the Crown Prince to accompany you. As you know,
this envoy should be conducted in an informal and amicable way. Accompanying the
Crown Prince may be regarded as putting pressure on the other side."
"That makes sense."

"In that case, Your Majesty, please allow the conviction to accompany you..."

"That's not allowed!"

It was me who cut off Jeremy's solemn request at once. I said forcefully, looking at
Jeremy, who opened her eyes wide and stared at me.

"You should be in charge of the house while I'm gone."

"No, but..."

“You or me, who would I trust and leave?”

At this, Jeremy's face immediately became very thrilled, but he quickly came to his
senses and quickly changed the color to an expression that claimed to be astonished.

"I'd rather leave it to Rachel! Either me or someone else will protect you!"

"Rachel has to come with me."

"If you and Rachel aren't here, what are we going to do? Just imagining it is
horrifying..."

"You have to protect the family well with strong men. Did you know that an accident
would happen if you left only your younger siblings behind?"

"Ha, but I'm the eldest son! So, as the eldest son, I have a great duty to protect you..."

"Since you're the eldest son and heir, you won't have to take responsibility for
everything while I'm gone! Now, this conversation ends here! Your Majesty, I will honor
the girl Hwangmyeong."
It was only natural that a satisfied smile appeared on the emperor's face. Theobald
and Jeremy didn't.

***

"Where is my sister going...?"

If he gave up easily over this issue, it wouldn't be Jeremy. So, as soon as Jeremy got
out of the palace, she grabbed her one and only best friend and informed her of the
terrible news she had just heard. Upon hearing the sad news, his friend's reaction was
exactly as he expected.

"So you just listened stupidly?"

“What could I have done, Shuri said she would follow the Emperor! Anyway, it’s a big
deal, I can’t leave it like this!

Jeremy murmured for a moment and began to look around. In response to that
careful movement, Nora also touched her chin with her cautious gestures and let out
a sigh close to her moan.

"When my sister is sleeping... that's it, isn't there any improvement yet?"

"Yes. No matter how much Rachel will stick around, you might not know it. If there is an
accident on the way, or if you go there and get caught, think! I'm going to die of
shame! I can't leave it like this!"

"Damn it, there's only one way out of this predicament."

Jeremy became impatient with Nora's snarling growl and began to examine his
friend's face.

"You mean there's a way?"

"At this point, only one person has the authority to replace His Majesty the Emperor in
the diplomatic sector."

"Who is that? Could it be that he's not the crown prince?"

In response, Nora began to stare at Jeremy with very pitiful eyes, so Jeremy had to
apologize for saying something that didn't make sense.

"We're nerds."

Going to ask your friend's father for help is something you don't like. Especially if you
are not on good terms with your friends.

It's even more reluctant to go with a friend to ask for help from your father, with whom
you don't get along very well. Even more so if it was a father who hated seeing the
other person face to face.

Nevertheless, the two hot-blooded young knights risked their reluctance to face the
Iron Grand Duke at this point in time. This is exactly the second time. And both of them
were related to the comfort of only one woman.

The Duke of Nuremberg didn't seem surprised, even though his son, who seldom spoke
to him first, and his smirking friend, came to him without hesitation and started
staring at him in an inappropriate manner. As if he knew this would happen, he
crossed his arms and looked at the two knights.

"So what do you say?"

It was Nora who spoke first. Nora let out a sound that almost sounded like a growl,
staring hard at her father with her searing deep blue eyes.

"I want to accompany Mrs. Neubanstein's delegation. No, I have to accompany her."

"Is that why you came to me?"

"I didn't particularly want to ask my father for help, but if there was another way, I
would have done it by all means."

Nora's voice was icy and cold. It was far removed from her sonly manner of asking for
help from her father. She was nonetheless the first time she had been asking since all
these years. For the first time since she avoided even making eye contact.

The duke was able to see very clearly why his only son was making such a request. I
could understand that desperate feeling very well. He himself was once like that too…
….

And apart from that, the duke didn't want to disappoint his son again, who had been
asking for a favor after a long time.

"Yes. Go with me."

Is it because permission is so easily lost? Nora, who was on the verge of shaking her
father by the collar, had an expression closer to absurdity than relief, and froze on the
spot. On the other hand, Jeremy, who had a brighter face, quickly stepped out as the
next batter.

"Then Duke, I too..."

"No, Sir Jeremy. You must protect the family as your mother said. This is absolutely not
allowed."

"No, but the Duke..."

"Leaving aside the fact that both of the empire's most outstanding knights cannot be
sent out, since the current state is a current state, the Lord must never vacate the
Marquess's residence. This is what I say as the head of an allied family. Who's going to
take care of it? Don't even mention the names of Sir's snub-nosed children."

It was a very sensible statement. It was clear to anyone that even Jeremy, the next
head of the household, could not empty the marquess house in the current state of
affairs. Even so, Jeremy even mentioned why she was pretty lousy, and she found
herself hanging around. He should be like that, isn't this what it's like to leave the
sheep to the wolf!
“But, Duke, if anything happens to my mother, then the Neuwanstein family will truly be
over. A true catastrophe!”

“What kind of catastrophe is catastrophe?

"But Duke..."

"I understand the noble mind of a kyung, but if it's really for the family, you have to
stay behind and take care of the family. There's no way you wouldn't know how much
difference there is between having a kyung and not having one."

"Ha, but my mother and sister! Entrusting my mother to an outsider and letting her
stay at home comfortably is extremely inhuman and absurd, isn't it! I don't know,
mother is a son..."

"That's the privilege of being an outsider."

Jeremy's jaw dropped halfway and he began to stare at the duke with lost eyes. It
seemed that Nora was also stunned.

The reason might be a little different, but anyway, while the two friendly young men
were looking at each other with open mouths, the middle-aged duke gave a flowing
smile and finally nailed it.

“Now, let both of you do your best in your respective positions.”

***

Shuri's rather sudden and even inconsiderate departure to Safavid led the rest of the
Neubanstein men to react in a fairly normal manner, except for Jeremy, who had
already overcome frustration and reached the state of liberation. Leon became a face
on the verge of fainting, and Elias jumped out of the spot and began to hang on to
Shuri, saying that he would go too. Of course it was rejected.

"How can you allow such absurd and absurd things to happen! How can you just leave
us alone! And with that black wolf-like bastard!"
"Rachel, say something! What am I to do with those two beasts who don't even have the
slightest bit of common sense!"

However, Rachel, who was the only one of the siblings to accompany their guardian,
couldn't be more excited and smiled with a look of great joy and responded calmly.

"Leon, as the only brain wave while I'm gone, shouldn't you be supporting your older
brothers who have a lot of muscle mass right down to their brains? And it's obvious
that serious diplomatic problems will arise between the two countries if the younger
brother follows."

"Well, that's how it is."

"Hey!"

It was only natural that Elias' baptism of baptism began pouring down Leon's head,
who quickly nodded in understanding.

At the same time, Elias gave a heated sermon on how well he was a man who was both
talented in literature and martial arts, claiming that if he set his mind to it, he would
be able to conduct savage diplomacy unimaginable to the Grand Duke of Steel. Of
course she didn't even pretend to listen to anyone.

"It's the privilege of an outsider..."

While the younger siblings expressed their individual reactions in that way, Jeremy
just kept repeating those words with his bizarrely blank eyes, looking somewhat bitter
and at the same time bewildered. So Nora looked very concerned about her friend's
condition, and she asked softly.

"Are you jealous?"

“……I wonder since when did you and your father get along so well.”

"It's not that I'm going to die, I just agreed because it's a logically correct statement
that's hard to refute. And it would be a hundred times better for me to go with the
prince than to go with him?"
It was. Still, Jeremy was finding herself experiencing a painful sense of inferiority for
the second time in her life, because of his extramarital privileges. One is, of course,
during the last divine trial. In a duel of honor, to be exact.

"Damn it, if you can't protect your mother as a son, what's the use of the title of the
best knight in the empire?"

"It's a good proof that even you can't do everything. And you've been entrusted with a
job that I could never do."

"what is that?"

"While the talented mother is away, she doesn't have any accidents and quietly guards
the house."

It wasn't very comforting. It didn't sound like something she was trying to comfort her
with, but Jeremy let out a last earth sigh and began glaring at her friend with eyes
that instantly changed to terrifying.

"Yeah, at least it's fortunate that it's you. But, if anything happens to Shuri, remember
that I will separate your flesh from your bones then."

"Why don't you just admit that you're jealous?"

"You unlucky bastard...! Whoa, I have no choice but to ask you well. And as you know,
just in case..."

"Hey, you dark bastard! If even a single strand of Shuri's hair is damaged, a civil war
will break out from family to family!"

Elias' coveted warning wasn't very well-timed. Not to mention Jeremy, who was already
in a noisy state and her words were cut off, and Nora, who was listening to her with a
very serious expression, also started glaring at Elias with an annoyed face at the same
time.

Therefore, Elias quietly rolled his tail and began to put a headlock on Leon again, as if
he had interrupted the conversation between his older brother and his close friend.
Rachel, who watched her second brother's pitiful appearance with pity, no, with her
pitiful gaze, soon turned to her Jeremy and tapped her on the arm as if to comfort
her.

"I'm afraid something will happen while we're gone, but I'm sure my older brother is
taking care of himself."

"That's a tearful trust, dear sister."

"When mom sleeps... we'll take care of it somehow, so don't just cry over missing mom.
I'll buy you a present."

I don't know if I'm really crying. Jeremy swallowed her bitter laugh and shook her head.
She is Pan, who has already decided to get all her heart. The sooner she gets used to
it, the better for herself and everyone else. Besides, she didn't know that now that she
had become this way, her sleepwalking problem might not be too much of a concern.

Not from the light thought that Rachel and Nora knew about it, so they would take
care of it on their own, but because a fact that had strangely bothered him until now
had fully emerged in the middle of the abyss' sleep. One thing I've been trying hard not
to think about seriously.

The fact that it was a peaceful night whenever that unlucky wolf guy left his house and
crawled into the marquise's house and took care of him.

Of course, it could have been purely coincidental, as Shuri's sleepwalking symptoms

didn't happen every night. You'll have to watch it a bit more to find out.

Anyway, now I had to focus on the things I had to do while Shuri was away. Yes,
because she believes in him that much.

***

My first diplomatic mission in my life, the Sapa flight delegation departed five days
after Elizabeth's birthday banquet.
Unlike the sons and daughters who seemed a little downcast, the daughter who came
with me was excited and stayed up all night choosing the best dress and shoes she
had. So I couldn't bear to tell her that if I go to her safavi, I will be wearing her safavi
and her doubles.

As it was a small envoy, the number of attendants was not large, but it was composed
of the most elite escort knights. Three knights from my family, five escort knights from
the Imperial Guard, and the captain of the escort, Sir Joseph. The planned period
wasn't that long, but it was the first time I'd left the kids alone, so I couldn't help but
worry.

"Okay? Take care of the paperwork properly as you've seen so far, and if there's
something ambiguous, discuss it with Robert and Sir Albert or leave it alone. If
something happens, consult with the Duke of Nuremberg, and of course I think you'll
do well by yourself, but ah, and ...."

"Keep your master key and seal by your side at all times, whether you're sleeping or
waking up, don't let Leon leave vegetables, don't let Elias do anything stupid, don't put
your feet on the table, don't drink too much, don't fight, and don't do anything
dangerous, right? I don't know how many times. If you do it one more time, you'll get
thorns in your ears, dear mother."

"Did I say that much?"

Jeremy, who was pretending to be fed up, shrugged and looked at Leon. Our little
intellectual, who had been sticking his tongue out all the time, replied without a
moment's hesitation.

"It was exactly ninth. And I hate eating vegetables."

Jeremy grinned at my embarrassment, then leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"Beware of seasickness."

“……You guys should be taking good care of yourself too. Okay?”

"Again, again."

"Okay. Sorry."
Hey, I guess I should stop nagging at this point. Isn't it proof that you are so anxious
that you keep saying the same thing over and over again in the yard that you decided
to trust and leave it? Cancer, no way. Jeremy, the strongest knight in the Empire, Elias,
the genius archer, and Leon, the little intellectual, what to worry about! Who am I to
trust if not my sons and daughters-in-law!

In addition, there was a more realistic and difficult problem.

"Welcome, Mom, Rachel! Come buy me a present!"

"I have to come back before my coming-of-age ceremony! If you come even a day later
than the scheduled date, you know how to declare war with the Safavid country... Oh,
why do you hit me!"

"Wrestle with your new chick while I'm on vacation, you stupid lynx!"

"Don't get drunk with the sea breeze and jump into the waves, you asshole!"

I swallowed a sigh of relief as I looked sideways at Nora's side profile as she and
Jeremy were sharing bad words with each other. Why the hell is Nora accompanying
us!

It's not very incomprehensible. Perhaps the Duke of Nuremberg took this opportunity
to help his only son gain experience in diplomacy. Besides, since Nora is a relative of
the imperial family anyway, there is nothing strange about her joining the diplomatic
mission. The bottom line is that I'm the only one who feels uncomfortable with this
combination... … .

"Hwiu, as expected, those three useless idiots will be left out of positions that require
such highly intelligent diplomatic skills..."

"In that sense, the young lady must have suffered a lot on a regular basis."

"Ayu, don't even talk. It's more amazing that our eldest brother and Gongja are
friends."
… … It seems that I am the only one who is awkward. More than that, I don't know since
when Rachel and Nora got along so well. Why are you both so elated? What are you so
proud of?

After some pretty deafening greetings and mischievous booing, the delegation with
this strange combination set off for Safavi. It was my first foreign visit and first voyage
in my life.

***

"Mom, are you okay?"

“……It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just that I got motion sickness for a while.”

"I don't think so?"

The journey to the hot island nation of Safabi takes about five days. After a half-day
carriage ride, they were to arrive at the Kirov port, where they would take a boat.

However, less than half a day after our smooth start, when our wagon started passing
through the mountains with Wittelsbach at its back, we ran into an unexpected
difficulty.

"mom?"

I could feel Rachel's anxious grip on my hand. i don't know where i am wrong I'm sure I
didn't do this when I went on a family trip with my kids in the past, but why am I doing
this now? don't have kids? But what about Rachel?

No matter how much I tried to comfort myself, there was no way to stop my heart from
beating and turning white in my head.

The urge to turn the carriage around, no, to jump out of the carriage at any moment
reared its head. To be precise, I must say that I was caught in a panic with no way of
knowing the reason.
It was. I don't know why it's at this moment, but the moment I met death in my previous
life kept coming back to me, and it was interfering with my smooth mission. There is a
precedent that it was nothing on the road a few years ago to say that it was because I
passed the mountain road where I met my death. Why am I like this?

"Stop! Stop the carriage!"

Rachel shouted, apparently thinking that it would be impossible, and after a while the
carriage seemed to stop, and the door opened, and the solemn face of Sir Joseph, the
captain of the escort, appeared.

"Lady Neuwanstein? Are you all right?"

"It's okay... No. It's because I got motion sickness for a while."

"Then, we'll rest for a while and then we'll set off. Well, I think it'd be better to get some
fresh air. He's pale."

I stumbled out of the carriage, grabbed a nearby tree, and began to breathe deeply.
Whoa whoa, let's calm down, calm down. are you okay. Now is not the time. Anyway, it's
still a long way from that time... … .

But too many things have already changed.

I turned my gaze and began to look at the people. Our escort knights are nine in total.
The most elite knights, including our family knights, all flying long... … .

If the bandits show up then, what are the odds of this side winning? It seems there are
too few escort knights. Maybe we should have brought more knights from our family. If
we get attacked by bandits, we, Rachel... … .

"Lady Neuwanstein?"

"lady?"
My heart started beating faster than before. I could hear the knights glancing at me
with worried eyes and whispering. Meanwhile, my hand was constantly fiddling with the
peridot brooch on my chest. It was a semi-conscious act.

… … Come to think of it, wasn't I wearing this brooch when I died?

What was the cause of this sudden and embarrassing panic? I'm not leaving alone like
back then. He is on his way to Safavid for a diplomatic talk, and Rachel is with him. But
why are you so anxious? Is it similar to Yeji? What's going to happen soon?

Or is it because the kids aren't all together? But what the hell does that have to do
with it? Of course, it would be much more reassuring if one of them was a knight as
good as Jeremy, but that doesn't mean... … .

There are a total of three knights in our family, and a total of six guards assigned by
the emperor. What if those escort knights aren't just escort knights? What if those
bandits weren't just bandits then? Why are all these delusions suddenly coming up all
of a sudden? Who the hell am I supposed to trust... … ?

"Lady Neuwanstein?"

I raised my head excitedly at the familiar voice that suddenly came from right next to
me.

ah… … I had half forgotten. Nora had apparently gotten out of her wagon to check
what was going on, as the movement had suddenly stopped. A worried light flickered
in my dark blue eyes, as if I looked very strange as I stood holding on to the tree and
panting.

"Are you okay?"

I think he nodded his head. That was my intention. That's it.

"Uh... it's nothing special. So..."

I let go of the tree I was holding on to and tried to stand up straight, but my knees
faltered. I felt a hand grabbing my waist quickly. At the same time, my heart, which had
been beating madly and rapidly, slowly, very slowly, sank.
"What happen?"

What's going on? I blinked and looked around. We had stopped near a mountain road
overlooking the valley. A place far from where I died. Perhaps because he remembered
that fact, the panic that had engulfed his head slowly began to escape.

"I'm so... I'm worried... So, if someone attacks..."

I was just trying to say that I got some motion sickness, but somehow my tongue rolled.
Why can't I just say something reassuring? Why do these stupid words come out on
their own?

Nora stared down at my face, supporting me with one arm, then turned to our
carriage for some reason.

“I think it would be better for me to ride together.”

"What? Ah, but..."

"Come on, get ready to start again! Everyone, let's go back to our places!"

The knights, who were standing awkwardly and exchanging worried glances, quickly
returned to their original positions. As for me, I was led back to the carriage by Nora.
His strength was so strong that there was no time to resist. Nora put me back in the
carriage as lightly as a paper doll, and she also sat across from us.

"Mom, are you really okay? Is it because you suddenly got scared?"

Geum, indeed, our smart daughter-in-law. Judging by the fact that the obvious
speculation, which must have been thrown at random, hits me right in the middle.

"It's scary, why should I be scared?"

"My second brother says that bandits live in the mountains. Have you ever met
bandits?"
"I've dealt with the thieves before. If we meet, it'll be a show worth watching. Personally,
I'd like them to show up at boring cars."

Nora, who was sitting with her arms crossed and staring at me, answered jokingly. At
this, Rachel started laughing.

"Well, Confucius, since he's as strong as my older brother, the bandits must feel sorry
for him."

"Hmm, I don't know if you remember correctly, but I almost won the swordsmanship
competition..."

"Anyway, it's a tie. So the two are similar."

"Well, let's assume that's the case."

I sat with my hands together and closed my eyes. As suddenly as the panic had come, I
felt a strange sense of relief wrapped around my shoulders like a magic cloak.

It was an extraordinary phenomenon. Up until now, all kinds of crazy ideas had come
to my mind, but now they all just feel stupid. It was a bonus to feel sorry for having
doubts about the knights who knew nothing out there.

***

“Mom, is that person really okay?”

"Well, you look pretty pitiful."

"I don't understand why you guys are so sluggish."

The voyage to Safavi takes about four days. Contrary to my concerns, despite being
her first voyage, neither I nor Rachel suffered from seasickness. At least not yet.
Instead, our escort captain, Sir Joseph, was suffering from seasickness, and at first
glance the middle-aged knight, well versed in combat experience, responded to my
suggestion to go downstairs and get some rest, saying that he could not relax for a
second. Then, at intervals of ten minutes, he was entertaining his knights by grabbing
at his deck railing and gagging at him.

"Sir Torrio, Sir Zelda, are you all right?"

"Wahhaha, of course it's okay. Thank you for worrying... Woowook!"

Of course, Sir Joseph was not alone in suffering from seasickness. After about half a
day, most of the escort knights, who had watched their superior's suffering with great
satisfaction, began clinging to the railing with a similarly pale complexion. I decided to
just turn a blind eye to the fact that there were knights from my family among them.

Really, the most elite knights who don't seem to be afraid of anything normally can't
use the zero side on the ship. Our Rachel shook her head and let out a sigh.

"Would it be like that if the older brothers boarded the boat?

"I don't know. They say there's no particular correlation between being strong and
seasick."

“But isn’t that brother who is just as strong as his older brother?”

That was true. While most of the flying and crawling knights on the ground were
powerless in the middle of the sea, our Prince of Nuremberg, my knight of honor, sat
on one side of the deck with an apple crate overturned, brushing his sword in the sea
breeze. At the same time, admiration comes out at the appearance of casually sipping
a glass of rum from time to time.

“Confucius, I guess this is not your first experience.”

"It's a first experience, young lady. If it's my father, there will be many."

“You still don’t mind.”

"Young lady doesn't mind either."

"Because I'm such a strong lady."

Rachel raised the tip of her nose proudly as she spoke.

"That's true."

"By the way, did you follow the Duke because the Duke ordered you to? Or did you
follow him purely because he was my brother's friend?"

"Why are you curious about that?"

"I want to see if Gongja-nim is a man of loyalty."

He is a man of loyalty. Did Rachel forget who the person who decisively saved me from
the Divine Trial the other day was? As I watched with a sense of nervousness, Nora
seemed to concentrate on cleaning the blade without a word, then replied simply.

"Neither one."

"What is it, that!"

“If I had to say it, what I said was correct.”

He added with a teasing tone, then suddenly turned his gaze to me and smiled briefly.
Oops! Suddenly, it felt like both cheeks were burning up. I'd be lying if I said I didn't
expect it at all. It wasn't that I wasn't sure.

But what is this faint tickle that spreads in the corner of the heart at the moment when
the thread of premonition becomes certain? where the hell am i wrong?

After making sure Rachel was sprinting up to the cabin, I walked rather casually and
stood by Nora. It was all red, and the sun was falling on the distant horizon. Below the
railing, I could see the fins of sharks jutting out from the reddish water, and I could
hear seagulls chirping overhead. It must be said that the twilight that meets in the
middle of the sea is dreamy like a dream. A spontaneous exclamation leaked out.
"beautiful……."

"It's beautiful."

I wish I could have seen Jeremy and the kids together... … . Swallowing regret, I turned
her head to the side and saw a young man staring at my side face with her sword at
her feet. His blue eyes were shining purple, probably from the scarlet sunset, and the
cool sea breeze was blowing lightly through his disheveled dark hair on his forehead.

There was silence for a moment. While I was rummaging around in my head, he spoke
first.

"Looks like you're fine now."

"Uh... I'm sorry for worrying you. It's been such a long time since I've left the imperial
capital, so I'm nervous."

"Did you have any bad memories on that mountain road?"

In an instant, a hiccup was about to come out. I quickly shook my head and tried to
smile.

"No, of course not. I'm just too nervous... That's why, following the orders of His Majesty
the Emperor, we're on our way to stop the heretical movement spreading to other
countries."

"I heard about it from my father, but why did you accept it?"

"yes?"

"Why did you accept His Majesty's request meekly? It could have been sent by
someone else instead."

Are you thinking of me? If the other person was someone else, he would have just
given the reason for feigning appropriate patriotism and faith. But here is Nora. And
as for the reason for accepting this mission, I haven't been able to clearly conclude
even myself yet.

"Well...should I say it's purely out of curiosity?"

“Are you curious?”

"Something similar. I think it's better to talk about this later. Rather, I'm curious about
your story. How is the atmosphere at home these days?"

Nora stared at me with her eyes narrowed, then shrugged her shoulders and turned
her gaze to the horizon.

"...That's right, older sister. My father seems to have gone senile at an early age."

"Are you senile?"

"Yes. No matter how you look at it, it's a bit strange."

"Where are you weird?"

"No, don't the gentlemen who never did before say good-bye to the morning all of a
sudden, ask me trivial questions about who I'm hanging out with, whether there's a
young lady I like, how my day went, why do I hate the crown prince all day long? Don't
you ask, I'm going crazy because I can't adapt at all. If it wasn't for my mother, I would
have left home long ago.

It seems that our steel duke will have to suffer a lot for a while. So why did you not
believe in such a proud son and treat him so badly? It's a sin self-inflicted.

"So, are there any young girls you like?"

As soon as I asked, I was seized with the urge to put my hand over my mouth. Do you
have any questions like this? I guess I'm crazy. Or get drunk on the sea breeze!

“……Kyaaak!”
Whatever Nora was about to say next, staring at me with a stunned look in her eyes,
was fortunately blocked by the sudden jolting and loud swaying of the hull. To be
precise, I was stopped because I lost my balance and fell unknowingly.

"it's okay?"

"Oh, thank you..."

I was going to say thank you, but my voice got muffled. Wait, this posture is oddly
familiar?

Nora's quick hold of me prevented me from hugging the deck floor violently. Instead, I
was almost sprawling on his wide lap. Right in front of my nose was a blue gaze,
anxiously examining my face. too close... … . I was breathless for a moment.

"I almost collided with seaweed. Is everyone okay?"

At the same time as the captain's voice echoed, I quickly got up. It seems like your face
is on fire is an expression that you use at times like this. While I hurriedly ran into my
daughter's cabin, Sir Joseph's fearless shout reverberated through the hull.

"Cheerful, as a loyal knight of the empire, this level of difficulty is... uh, ueeeek!"

***

Except for the almost encounter with seaweed, our delegation arrived at the
Bosphorus, the capital of Safavid, without incident (those who suffered from
seasickness fortunately got used to it on the second day and became fine). Looking at
the exotic landscape full of unique buildings and palm trees at a glance, even the
weather blazing with heat felt nothing.

The royal palace of Safavid, who entered directly following the receptionist who
greeted us to the port, was uniquely located right on the hill overlooking the strait. It
wasn't as big as the imperial palace of our empire, but it never lagged behind in
showing off its unrivaled splendor.
As I entered the main palace while admiring the scenery of the royal cathedral
building boasting a golden bell tower and the detached palaces built with pink
marble, a hall decorated with elaborate and splendid mirrors appeared on all sides.
And… … .

"Welcome to Safavi. I don't know how to express my delight."

In the dazzlingly luxurious Hall of Mirrors, none other than Prince Ali Pasha came out
to meet us. … … Technically speaking, it seemed like he had come to meet Rachel.
Anyway, it went without saying that Rachel, who had just opened her mouth at the
exotic scenery of a strange land all the way here, immediately smiled broadly and
delivered her imperial greeting with the utmost elegance.

"I'm so honored that you welcomed me like this, I don't know what to do, prince. I think
you've grown taller."

"I am honored. The young lady has become even more beautiful."

Prince Ali continued to exchange deep glances with Rachel with sparkling eyes for a
long time, but soon turned to us as if he had come to his senses.

"Lady Neuwanstein. It is an honor for the mother of lions to visit this humble land."

"It's an honor to see you again, my lord."

"Hey, isn't this the Prince of Nuremberg? It's truly a knightly move of honor. I still
remember that duel from time to time."

At the mention of Prince Nuremberg, the gazes of the guardsmen, who were engaging
in a rather daring snowball fight with our escort knights, all flashed at once and
turned to the black-haired knight standing next to me. Shall we say the eyes mixed
with half curiosity and half sympathy? After all, there was a rather noisy duel of honor
against the Holy See, so it was not strange that rumors spread across the sea to
neighboring countries.

"Come on, then follow me. Obama is waiting for you."

The current ruler of Safavid, Bayezit Pasha, was already in his 60s and was a man
reminiscent of a solid old tree. Of course, he had several children, but four of the five
brothers above Prince Ali died in the princes' rebellion five years ago, and the
remaining one left home after being mad at the alchemy. In other words, only Prince
Ali was left as the deserving successor.

"They're unexpected guests."

The palace of Safavid, no, should I say the audience room? While Rachel rested in the
guest room prepared for us, the room in which Bayezit and Prince Ali, and Nora and I
sat, looked more like an ornate drawing room than an audience room. Beneath a
golden-leafed ceiling was a round ornate sofa, and we sat on it, sipping date tea.

Unlike Prince Ali, who always kept a smile on his face, King Bayezit had an
expressionless expression that was difficult to catch, but he constantly looked at me
and Nora with sharp pale yellow eyes like knots of wood.

As for me, my eyes were fixed on the golden cat dozing on the ornate cushion at his
feet. He was someone who somehow reminded me of Jeremy.

"Did you say Prince of Nuremberg? You look exactly like your father. How is that snarky
duke doing these days?"

“Thanks for your concern, I am doing well.”

"I wasn't particularly concerned. More than that, I'm curious as to why Emperor
Maximilian sent the rumored two as envoys."

"Speaking of the rumored two...?"

"Isn't the wife of the Marquis of Neubanstein the main character of the Holy Trial?
Confucius was a knight of honor for this lady. I didn't know about it, but both of them
are famous people. Anyway, seeing your wife in real life, why did it happen? I think I
know if I lost."

"The trial was purely a skit on the part of the Church. It's not very famous, isn't it?"
I almost got sick with the tea water. Despite the hot weather, the air seemed to freeze
in an instant. However, Nora, who was the one who spewed out such sarcasm, calmly
responded to King Bayezit's sharp gaze while maintaining a calm expression. After a
moment of silence, Bayezit spoke again.

"I was just expressing my admiration for your beauty. I apologize if you were offended."

"It's okay. Has Your Highness visited the Empire?"

“It was so long ago that I can hardly remember. This is more rare than that.”

"Is it rare?"

As I watched incredulously, Bayezit glared at us with that piercing gaze for a long time
before speaking out in a cool voice.

"Do you think we don't know why Emperor Maximalian sent his wife as an envoy?"

***

If you are a child of a noble aristocratic family located in the imperial capital, whether
you are a biological mother or a stepmother, you will not feel any major changes in
your daily life just because your mother is absent.

Youngsiks, especially at an age where their blood is boiling, will try to enjoy the
situation as much as possible with no one to stop them. For example, acquaintances
called acquaintances to commit crimes and hold promiscuous parties for days and
days, kick out important servants whom they did not like, or completely overhaul the
interior of the mansion to suit their tastes.

It was very nice weather. It was the afternoon when autumn prevailed, and the honey-
colored veil of clear sunlight gently covered the red buildings.

On an afternoon like this, perfect for hunting and picnicking with the blood-steaming
spirits, a young man who longs desperately for his stepmother in a foreign country
across the sea, locked in his mansion, would be treated as an outcast. Especially if he
is a knight who is receiving a lot of coveted attention from the society he came from.

To make matters worse, the person sitting in the parlor of the annex of his house was
neither a beautiful young lady nor a young man his age with yearning eyes. He was a
middle-aged man who became a tycoon of aristocratic society, the Grand Duke of
Steel, who would make most youngsiks nervous and mentally wipe the sweat off their
necks just by hearing his name.

It was. Presently, Jeremy found herself on this fine afternoon sitting across from the
father of her nefarious best friend and thinking in her head of the caregiver who had
left home. If it's unique, it can be unique.

"You want to know what exactly is going on in Safavid? Is that just why you asked me to
come?"

"No, if you say that, how can I be arrogant..."

"You're being arrogant. And to answer your question, it's a state secret. If you're
curious, ask your mother directly."

"Whoa, judging from what you're saying, it doesn't seem like a real secret."

The Duke's hand, which was lighting the pipe, stopped. Seeing his blue eyes slowly
distort, Jeremy quickly continued.

"It's not just because of that that I begged the Duke to visit me here."

“……Sir Jeremy. Tell me honestly what the hell is taking up my time so much.”

On the other hand, how did Shuri deal with this picky human so easily? Swallowing her
soaring lament, Jeremy obediently nodded her head.

“The Duke will do it first.”

"What kind of floating noise is that again?"

"Don't you want to ask me a lot? I'm a fool, but I'm not that ignorant."

"What the hell..."

"About your son, or your non-blood nephew. It seems quite complicated, lately."

A moment of silence passed. Jeremy's dark green eyes blinked innocently, while the
Steel Duke's blue eyes glowed coolly through the rising pipe smoke.

"You're interested in other people's family affairs."

"It's also deeply connected to my family life."

“Would you like to play twenty questions with me now?”

"It's true. It's because I found out a bit creepy the other day thanks to His Highness the
Crown Prince. Well, there are only one or two people in the world who resemble me. He
even tells me the sad first love story of my father and the people he was closest to in
his lifetime. What is it? It's not a very sweet truth."

There was silence once again, but contrary to Jeremy's guess, the Duke of Nuremberg
was not angry. Instead, he calmly removed his mouth from the pipe and said this.

"What did you say?"

"Yes?"

"What did Your Highness say when he showed you the portrait of Empress Ludovika?"

“Oh, how did you guess that…. Big, small war or something. It wasn’t a very tempting
remark. I heard that, but does that make sense? Ha ha ha..."

"That seems to have bothered you. Does my son know?"

The duke unexpectedly came out quite calm and smooth, making Jeremy more
humble at this point, less smirking to be precise.

"I didn't tell my son. And it didn't bother me too much. I knew from a long time ago that
the reason my father married Shuri... my mother was because of a problem with his
first love, but anyway, whether it was the duke or the emperor, that's enough, how to
say, I don't think they're being blamed. Just because they're close friends doesn't mean
they have to have similar personalities. For example, if you compare my exemplary
temperament, which is what chivalry itself is, with Nora's wild doglike temperament,
you'll get an answer."

Despite the fact that his son's temper was being downgraded by the son of an old
friend, the duke decided to adopt a more mature attitude instead of being enraged.

"Sir, I understand what you're worried about, but to me old memories are just old
memories."

"I'm sorry if I sounded rude. It's just that I didn't understand something."

"What do you not understand?"

"If it's really just old memories... I'm curious why you've been so willing to take care of
arrangements made by a bloodless prince instead of your real nephew, His Highness
Letran. Is it just loyalty or old memories?"

This time, the blue eyes froze fiercely. It was a scene that would have made most
people's hamstrings go numb, but Jeremy still kept her mischievous smile on her face.
At this point, she deserves to be called Cheongchuleoram.

“……Now that the story of my first love comes out, what is going on with Kyung’s first
love?”

It was an eerie tone that did not tolerate the slightest deception. Jeremy stared
blankly at his opponent's knife-like gaze for a moment, then she immediately lowered
her eyes.

"At this point, all I really want is for her to meet a good guy, to be loved and to live
happily ever after. She deserves it, you know."
“……Sir Jeremy, what on earth do you really want to say to me?”

"I'm sorry. I know that if the duke puts his mind to it, it's only a matter of time to destroy
such a mere kid."

"If I slam the kyung down, the kyung's mother will shatter me. Rather than that, I'll be a
little more honest at this point.

Only then did Jeremy erase his smirking smile and put on a serious and sincere
expression.

"Forgive me for my rudeness. No matter how young I am, I have no choice but to
sharpen my teeth as my chivalry is a life-and-death situation."

"If the knights had kept chivalry properly, chivalry itself would not have been born.
What kind of state of affairs do you have so many complaints about the current state
of affairs?"

"The first thing that comes to mind in chivalry is patriotism and loyalty to the emperor.
But the future of this country, which I have to fight for, keeps pushing me to abandon
chivalry."

"The future of this country..."

"Yes. I don't have the confidence to be loyal to the country ruled by the current crown
prince. No, I can't wait to see such a guy sit on the throne. At heart, it's him and the
Vatican, and even if I drink it hundreds of times, I won't be satisfied."

It was a rippling remark that would have struck me immediately if the opponent had
been someone else. It wasn't quite ambitious, it was even reckless. It is said that Nara-
nim also curses at a place where he is not present, but one of the two people present
is a relative of the imperial family, and the other is the next head of a family that has
been loyal to the imperial family for generations.

How long did the silence, like thin ice, pass? The middle-aged duke stared at the blond
young man with an incomprehensible expression for a long time, and then sorted out
the situation with frightening judgment.

"I'm curious about why you're revealing your true feelings to me."
"I love my family."

"Did you have a hobby of catching floating clouds?"

“I love the little intellectual Leon, I love the smart and passionate Rachel, I love the
mischievous idiot Elias… I love my stepmother who deserves more than anything in the
world.”

"..."

"How can I afford to see whoever is trying to tear my family apart continues to
dominate the Empire?"

“You mean revenge for hurting your family?”

"Don't you know that it's not just because of that? If someone like the crown prince sits
on the throne, the level of cheating that caused family discord in the Duke of
Nuremberg will become a scale that encompasses the entire country."

At this point, it was a remark that could be said to be close to an insult. Raising family
affairs in front of someone's face is something that is not easily tolerated, even among
nobles of a similar level. Even so, it was also a bone marrow-piercing step. If I was
angry or scolded here, it was obvious that I would be seen as one of those mediocre
people who were in a hurry to cover up their faults. So the Duke just spat out slowly.

"You're surprisingly smart."

"Well, I thought that the Duke would have made the right decision at this point. No, it's
strange that someone like the Duke didn't notice it long ago."

Jeremy's joking words turned into thorns and pierced Albrecht's heart. It was literally.
The diamond necklace incident, the gambling house incident, and how many other
things were going on behind the scenes before that, Albrecht couldn't even guess.

It was only recently that I had properly opened my eyes to the sense of incongruity
that I had been ignoring for the past dozen years. It was no mere coincidence that he
and his sister were suffering from the same anguish.
Moreover, it was none other than the Marquis of Shuri von Neubanstein who tipped
off the brothers and sisters about the whole story of the gambling house incident. It
was inconceivable that she, who had warmly embraced all four of her children left
behind by Johenus and raised them so brightly, had some impure intention on
purpose to harm Theobald.

Most of all, didn't she give him the croquis book... … .

"Duke? Are you okay?"

Albrecht blinked and stared blankly at the young man in front of him. Then he saw the
crystal clear light in those dark green eyes and smiled.

"Certainly... my son seems to have a better eye than I do."

"Ah, to be precise, I must have a good eye."

"But Sir Jeremy."

"Yes?"

"Are those the ones hanging outside the window right now the sir's brothers?"

Jeremy jerked his head toward the window, and at the same time there was a
crackling, crackling sound, followed by a thumping impact sound.

"Quaaaaagh! Get out of the way! Get out of my way!"

"My, my arm! I think I broke my arm! Aagh! Shuri! Mom! Father! My love!"

***
"I can't blame His Majesty. It's obvious that the Holy See would have wiped it out."

"Of course, I thought you might have guessed the reason for our visit, too."

"Yes. But I have to say that I was a bit surprised that Mrs. Neuwanstein came in
person."

It was only me and Prince Ali who spoke. Bayezit had been sitting motionless like an
old tree, staring at us, as if she had intended to completely entrust it to her son. As a
result, naturally, the two little princes and I managed to carry on a peaceful
conversation.

"How can I understand your wife's feelings, but when I look at it from my point of view,
it's not strange that you harbor any resentment in the church. It feels like you've had a
good meal."

“Why do you think I came here for the benefit of the Holy See?”

"Are you saying it's not like that?"

"Well, personally, I wonder how you are looking at the church that has been the basis
of faith in many countries for over a thousand years. I would like to know exactly what
you want."

I didn't say it with the intention of coaxing, it was sincere. If you were a faithful imperial
citizen and a believer, it would have been right to not be interested in heretical
ideology, but I can't be said to fall under either side. Prince Ali touched my mouth with
his hand for a moment, as if weighing my words, then suddenly turned his gaze to the
knight sitting next to me.

"Prince of Nuremberg. You must have been a believer from your mother's womb, like all
other citizens of the empire, right?"

To this question, Nora replied, pushing away the cat that had come over to him at
some point and was creeping up on his lap with one hand.

"I'm sorry to tell you, but I am a person who is quite far from the religious style."
"That's a pretty straightforward answer. You still believe in the God we all know, don't
you?"

“The father and mother are not very trustworthy.”

His tone was calm, but there was a cool bitterness in his voice. He must have sensed
my staring, so he turned his eyes to me and gave me a slight smile. It was the smile I
knew well, the smile that said nothing was wrong.

"It suits you well. Then how about Mrs. Neuwanstein?"

“Ah, I… well, I sometimes think that the God I know is very different from what the world
is known for.”

Not often, but always. According to common sense, who would believe that there is a
god who kills people once and then brings them back to the past? The problem is that
the living witness is me.

Prince Ali now picked up the cat that was creeping towards me with one hand and
nodded as he placed it on his shoulder.

"Thank you both for your honest answers."

"I just don't want to hurt each other with obvious chants at a place like this."

"It's the same here. Anyway, you're probably tired right now, so I think it's better to go
to the dorm and rest. We'll continue tomorrow at lunchtime... Uh, Rachel!"

It was only natural that at the sound of 'Rachel' I turned to the door to see if our
daughter had come. However, just like before, there were only two attendants
standing there.

It was only after a split second that I realized, rather embarrassingly, that the title
Prince Ali had shouted was referring to the cat that had just jumped off his shoulder.
There was silence for a while. While Nora and I stared at each other with the same
bewildered eyes, the Prince of Safavi began to growl, turning his youthful face bright
red, with the composure and dignity of a while ago completely gone.

"No, madam, that's, please don't misunderstand...:

"..."

They are saying that not even seeds will be eaten. It seems right that the prince had a
proper crush on my daughter. I never thought I'd even give a cat a name.

"I'd rather not bring that cat in front of my girlfriend."

"Yes? Why?"

"...Think of my daughter giving a puppy a lower name. How do you feel?"

"Uh... I think I'm in a good mood... isn't it?"

"..."

***

Dinner in a foreign country for the first time is long. Maybe it was the jet lag, but
anyway, after returning to the room, taking a bath, and finishing writing the letter to
be sent home, I was completely distracted.

"What are you doing, Mom? Write letters to your brothers?"

"Yes. Is there anything you want to say too?"

“There can be no such thing… Ah, write something to Leon not to touch my books.”
Unlike me, Rachel seemed to have accumulated quite a bit of travel poisoning, so
Rachel quickly burrowed into bed and fell asleep. She was dreaming of some kind of
good dream, and her sleeping face looked bright and cheerful as if the stars were
shining brightly. Hmm, is this the magic of first love?

I diligently folded the finished letter and got up. My hair was a bit complicated and I
wanted to get some fresh air, so I left the room and went straight to the terrace.

"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Aaaaaaaaap!"

The year in the tropics is long. It would have already been dark in the empire, but now
the twilight has begun to turn red. In the middle of an exotic yard full of palm trees
and jasmine, our escort knights and the local guards were excitedly competing for
supremacy by acting like fish in water.

"This is the spirit of the empire. Island seals!"

"Oh, it's pretty good for the subject of continent land!"

If Jeremy had come with him, he must have been there. She didn't want to be
disturbed, so she just wanted to watch quietly. One of the guardsmen, who was
brandishing a long sword proudly, looked up at me, and thanks to his grotesque
exclamation, everyone at once discovered that I was the intruder.

So I hurriedly backed away with a clumsy smile at those who were performing a
somewhat bizarre act of bowing upwards. No, I was trying to back off.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah, Nora... I just came out to have some air. I thought you'd be down there too, I'm
surprised?"

Nora seemed to have just finished taking a bath, her dark hair wet and wearing a
comfortable robe. Glancing at a group of passionate swordsmen gathered in the
courtyard below, he immediately shrugged.
"I know I'll get into some trouble then."

"Well, I'm sure not one or two people want to hang out with you."

There was silence for a moment. A salty sea breeze blew through our damp hair, and
the sound of swords clashing right below me and the waves of the strait coming from
far away mixed together to create a most exotic ensemble.

“……What do you think? So what Prince Ali said.”

It was a question that came out of nowhere. Standing on the railing with one arm
crossed, Nora blinks lazily into her blue eyes as she stares at the foreign strait.

"There's nothing to do but think. More than that, I'm curious about your thoughts."

"my thoughts?"

"It seems to me that you have no intention of meeting your Majesty's demands."

… … That was true. If it hadn't been for Nora, I would have acted more secretly, but the
fact that only Nora had come with me among so many people had ignited a spark in
my true heart.

In a previous life, he wouldn't have even dreamed of such an outrageous idea, but
things were quite different now. At this point, the political situation in Korea could be
seen as similar to the eve of a storm. Based on the Holy Inquisition, to be precise,
should I say that the whole power structure has been twisted unpredictably since the
honor duel incident?

If it hadn't been Nora, the Prince of Nuremberg, who had stepped forward then, things
might have been a little different.

The Duke of Nuremberg is the leading royal family in the empire and is a maternal
relative with the current duke's sister, Elizabeth, as their empress. If the Nuremberg
family had played the role of a cunning mediator between the parliament and the
imperial family, the Holy Trial incident would have resulted in a confrontation with the
church authority, one of the pillars of the council. With our Neubanstein family. It was
not unreasonable that the other families were confused.

No matter how many people disapproved of me, I was nominally the head of the
Neuwanstein family and an aristocrat. It is a situation where it has become clear that
any aristocrat can stand at the judgment seat, a sacred trial that was not fair to
anyone. If you stand on the side of the church authority here, you will lose face and
pride as an aristocrat, and you will make enemies of the two great families.

However, it is an embarrassing situation in which it is difficult to establish a

confrontation with the religious authority. If you can create divisions in the school at a
time like this... … .

"Did you see that?"

He smiled as if he had read my thoughts. Maybe it was because her hair was wet, but it
was a strange smile.

"Does that mean you trust me?"

“……Will you smile like that and stop asking me questions like that?”

"Yes?"

"Ah, no. Anyway... if I said I wanted to bring what started here to my country, what
would you say?"

Silence fell again. It felt like a long time before he finally opened his mouth after
staring into my eyes with an unknown expression for a while.

"There's nothing I can't do if it's my sister."

***
Probably because it is a hot country all year round, the dress here was basically a
halterneck style that completely exposed both arms, shoulders, and half of the back. It
is a design that would be unconventional in Korea, right in front of the Vatican.
Anyway, thanks to the thick halter that completely covered the nape of my neck, I was
able to pull my hair up for the first time in a long time.

"Wow, Mom looks like a different person!"

Did you say that your impression looks completely different with just one hairstyle?
Wearing a cool light blue halter dress and curling my hair up in a bun, I felt quite
unfamiliar even to myself. Should I say that I look more mature than usual? Heuk, if
only some goby-like guy hadn't scratched my backside... … .

"Thank you. You are very pretty too, Rachel."

In case anyone was of a superior bloodline, Rachel was tall and precocious for her
age. Then she dressed her in her fresh green dress and put her curly golden hair in a
tight braid, so her social debut didn't look too bad. Alas, years! My youngest is already
this big, I can't get used to it even if it's not my first time... … .

“……But aren’t those glass slippers?”

"Yeah. Doesn't this suit suit you? I don't think the young girls in this country have shoes
like these, right? I hear they wear weird shoes with exposed toes."

It's supposed to look good, but I don't know when the hell I brought those extravagant
shoes. Of course, since it's a gift from me, you should be happy, but since you've
already been hanging out in front of the mirror dozens of times in a row, I think there's
a reason other than trying to show off the fashion of the Empire to the women of this
country.

“Your prince will admire it.”

"Really? Is it really so?"

When I threw it playfully, it was exactly as I expected, with both cheeks dyed red and
making a fuss as if I had waited. If it were the prince, Rachel would be so pretty even if
she was only wearing clogs, and she would be at a loss for what to do. Maybe it's
because it's a situation worthy of my age, which I've never experienced before, so I'm
not worried, but I'm just happy.
"Of course you do. Come on, we'll be late for dinner. Let's go."

Following the guidance of the attendants in red horse uniforms and passing through
the ornate corridors and stairs, they arrived at the entrance of Arslan Hall, where the
banquet was to be held. At the entrance, where a stuffed reindeer, the symbol of the
Pasha Dynasty, stood magnificently on the left and right, looking down at the visitors,
two men dressed in typical Safavi costumes were flirting with each other.

"Oh, you're here..."

Prince Ali looked back at us instead of giggling at what was so funny, then began to
stare at Rachel with blank eyes. Similarly, Nora, who was turning her head this way,
also hesitated for a moment, but then stared at me with that deep blue gaze.

There was silence for a while. I found myself being swept away by a strange sensation
while Rachel eagerly faced the light green-haired prince with an expression claiming
to be no less breathless than the other.

No, I didn't think tropical clothing would suit him so well. Overall, the tight-fitting, thin
hemp costume accentuated her well-knit body, creating more wild beauty than usual,
and to make matters worse, her muscular arms were exposed thanks to the fancy
sleeveless vest. Standing side by side with relatively thin Prince Ali, it seemed even
more dangerous… … . Gee, what the hell am I thinking!

I can't remember which one of us cleared our throat first and who suggested we go in,
but after a while we woke up and found our delegation facing a table full of exotic
tropical fruits and a savory feast.

In the center of the hall, dancers in sheer clothes performed splendid dances to the
music of the musicians. It was a sight she would surely have loved if Elias had come
with her.

Throughout the dinner, King Bayezit did not say a word to us, and the public servants
also threw careful glances but did not speak first. So it seemed that the initiative of
this diplomatic dinner was completely left to Prince Ali.

“I must have been groaning that my little brother would like to see it.”

"I see. I'm worried about what you're doing right now."
"Anyway, he must be having an affair with a young lady from another family, or getting
beaten up by his older brother for doing something stupid."

Well, how did our Elias come to be imprinted as such a pitiful older brother to his only
sister? It's self-employed, but... … .

I poked my fork through the spicy-spiced meat dish and then glanced back at Nora.
As if he was aware that the beautiful dancers were staring at him, our Confucius was
just constantly sipping coconut wine from a dried coconut container and occasionally
looking at me. When our eyes met, he smiled.

"Why don't you take a few more clothes with you when you go back?"

“……Ahaha. If you wear clothes like this there, you will be scolded.”

"If it's my older sister, I'll be able to make it into a new fashion. It's the first time I've seen
her hair up..."

“But Gongja, why do you call my mother sister?”

Rachel, who seemed to be concentrating on the meal happily to see if Safavi's unique
spicy food suited her taste buds, suddenly asked that question, and I was taken aback
for a moment. Hana Nora, without a moment's hesitation, replied calmly and weakly.

"Because she's older than me."

"But it's weird when you call your friend's mother your sister."

"The young lady's brothers don't call her by her first name. And I knew my sister before
I got close to the young lady's brother. In other words, it's as if that laggard got in
between us."

"What? Really, Mom? Did your mom get to know that Gongjanim before your eldest
brother?"

"...If you say so, then it must be true."

"Really? How did you meet?"

How should I answer these questions? Our awkwardly smiling mind recalled our first
meeting, which I had forgotten. The bizarre encounter in that alley three years ago,
the boy who splendidly appeared by throwing a kick at my brother who was holding
me and threatening me. I didn't even know then... … .

"I'm glad the food seems to suit your taste."

I should say that it was fortunate that Prince Ali spoke to me just in time. Rachel's
attention, which had been gazing intently at her mouth, her emerald eyes shining,
turned to that.

"All of them are unique and delicious. I wish I could taste them every day in the Empire."

"If the lady wants, here every day... Big, big, radish, of course, the imperial cuisine is
great, but whenever you miss Safavi's food, please visit us anytime. The young lady is
always welcome."

"Oh, really?"

"Of course. I'm not a guy who talks nonsense out of etiquette."

yes, prince It's clear that it's not just what anyone is saying.

Just then, the existence of what seemed to be a fluffy tuft of hair roaming under my
feet began to annoy me. Is it the creature named after my daughter-in-law? Judging
by the way Nora frowns, it seems correct.

"Why does this keep sticking to other people's legs..."

"You look good, don't you feel like your friend and my eldest son?"

"It's certainly similar in terms of annoying people."

A laugh came out. If Jeremy heard it, she'd go straight back, 'What's bothering me, you
shit puppy!' She would have and she would have bummed out.

What is that guy doing right now? I don't have the slightest desire to be mean, but I'm
worried about how you're doing.

While I was thinking of my three sons, whom I had left behind at home, Prince Ali, who
was having a refreshing conversation with Rachel, suddenly turned to Nora and
grinned.

“The drink seems to suit your taste.”

"What kind of drink is this?"

"Ah, this is coconut wine. It's a common drink in this area."

"..."

"It's one of Korea's top three specialties."

"What about the other two?"

“An elephant chariot or pineapple fiber can be cited as an example, but at this point, it
should be seen as a spirit of reform against corrupt religion.”

"Do you think that reform is necessary because of the corruption of the church?"

“Of course, I think Confucius knows well how corrupt these self-proclaimed priests
are...”

"The strengthening of the royal authority completely separated from the interference
of the Empire would be a side benefit."

… … At times like these, I think I know why Nora is the son of the Duke of Nuremberg. Of
course, the dazzling sound of music suddenly stopped, as if it had been put together
and put together. As the dancers and band quietly withdrew, Prince Ali stared at Nora,
still smiling, and after a while said:

"Did you see that?"

"Independence from the hierarchical authority also means independence from the
Empire. It is impossible to separate the two."

“I think everyone dreams of becoming rich and strong. And if you put aside patriotism,
you probably don’t know how many innocent lives the religious authority has killed in
the name of faith over the past hundreds of years. "Where do you have the authority
to do that? Do you really think they are God's representatives? It's a doubt I've had for
a long time, but to be honest, the last Holy Trial I witnessed with my own eyes made it
even stronger. Who the hell is trying to judge who?" It was just ridiculous."

The prince, who spoke in a somewhat exasperated tone, lowered his eyes and looked
sideways at me. It seemed fitting that it had been moved forward because of the Holy
Trial. That's not all, though.

In any case, Nora's earlier remark was exactly what I had guessed.

The winds of reform occurring in Safavid, which will completely separate itself from the
religious authority and risk the Cold War with the Empire in the future, must have been
mixed with more sophisticated political reasons rather than simply a matter of
religious values or beliefs.

The reality is that those who raise their voices criticizing the corruption of the church,
the trafficking of priests and secular power, and the corruption of monasteries and
clergy are invariably branded as heretics and persecuted, so many people tremble.

However, in order to be completely in line with the religious authority that has been
the foundation of the country since the time of King Seonjo, the benefits and purposes
corresponding to it would have to be intertwined. In other words, there would be no
adventure as good as this for a young prince planning an independent rule in an
island nation supported by strong naval power.

Rachel, who had been listening attentively to the rather sudden change of topic with
her eyes shining, let out a small snort as if she recalled memories of the time.

"You're right. They'll take care of their private lives properly, but it's not even funny that
such people are servants of God."
“I can’t even imagine how much pain the young lady and her family must have suffered
at that time.

… … Correct. It seems that it was accelerated not simply because of the Holy Trial itself,
but because of Rachel. Indeed, my daughter-in-law is in the middle of the day. The two
young men and women exchanged more affectionate glances for a long time, then
came to their senses belatedly and awkwardly started clearing their coughs.

Nora, who was watching the two of them with a gaze almost similar to mine, picked up
an unknown fruit cut into a star shape, took a bite, and asked a question insinuatingly.

"Then, Your Majesty, you're protecting people with authority in that field, right?"

“Of course it is.”

"If we can meet... Cool!"

When Nora, who had been talking leisurely, suddenly put a hand near her chest and
started coughing, I just thought he was sick. Not just me, but everyone else too.

"Confucius? Are you okay..."

"It's okay... cool! Cool, cool, kek...!"

But it wasn't like saree. Far from stopping, at the moment when the coughing sound
gradually became more and more violent, Prince Ali stood up with a pale face, and
Rachel screamed at the same time.

"Kyaaaagh!"

Wow Jangchang!

It took no time for the banquet hall, which had a refreshing atmosphere, to transform
into a crucible of chaos. Everything happened in an instant. When I came to my
senses, I was sitting on my knees beside Nora, who had fallen to the floor and was
coughing up blood in agony. The blood that poured out of his mouth stained my light
blue skirt and made a dark red stain.

"Nora, Nora?!"

"Nu, heck...! Cool cool!"

"Cuisine! Bring the medical officer as soon as possible!"

The sound of Prince Ali's shouting sounded far away. For a moment, everything
around him felt unreal and numb. The only clear things were the thick smell of blood
piercing my nose and the painful struggle of the young man in my arms. Immediately
after that, fear overtook me.

Someone attempted to poison the imperial emperor's nephew and heir to a noble
family. It was only natural that the palace was literally turned upside down.

Even the court cooks, including attendants who served dinner, were arrested all at
once, and so were the dancers and bands. The guardsmen were running around
busily like the guardsmen, and the medical officers were busy going back and forth to
collect blood and determine the antidote.

A total of twenty people attended the dinner. If the bottle or the dish itself had been
poisoned, it didn't make sense that Nora was alone. Besides, Prince Ali also sat at the
same table as us, drank from the same bottle, and ate fruit from the same plate.

“How is it going?!”

"I'm sorry, but we don't know exactly what kind of poison it is, so we're very cautious
about using any antidote. This is the first time we've seen these symptoms..."

Is this your first time seeing these symptoms? I clung to the side of the bed, feeling all
the blood draining from my body.

Nora was half-conscious, covered in a cold sweat, and bleeding constantly every few
minutes, so the sheets and blankets were covered in blood. It was a terrible sight.
When I reached out and took his hand, God, there was no ice field.
"Try doing something! You guys can still be called the best medical officers in the
kingdom!"

Prince Ali, who was anxiously pacing around, also shouted as if he had a tantrum. If
he's going to put on a thoroughly show-stopping play right now, it could be said that
it's a pretty imaginary performance.

However, no matter how much the Safavid royal family dreamed of complete
independence from the empire and the papacy, there was no reason to make a
reckless attempt to assassinate a relative of the imperial family in this way. Because
there was nothing to be gained by doing so.

One of the youngest-looking medical officers, who seemed to be useless at all,

wondering what was so much to discuss in this terrible situation, hurriedly came here
after examining the blood on the shirt he had taken off.

"I have something to check. Could you all hold the patient for a moment?"

Everyone moved quickly. Two escort knights, who had been covering the bedroom with
terrifyingly stiff faces, stepped forward and held Nora firmly in the middle of the bed,
while the young doctor felt for the young man's stomach, covered in cold sweat and
blood, I started to press down on the point gently. Immediately there was a terrible
scream and a knight fell backwards!

"Hold the patient in place! It only takes a moment!"

It took three guards and Prince Ali to help hold Nora, who was frantically struggling
like a wounded beast. How on earth does it hurt to react like that? Hearing his
screams was torture itself.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I raised my hand to cover my ears. It felt like my heart
was in ruins because it couldn't be shattered. I felt like I would give my heart if I could
take even half of the pain he was experiencing. Nora is here because of me. So it was
because of me that Nora was suffering like that. As always, it was all because of me... …
.

After a short and long nightmare, Nora finally stopped coughing up blood and fell
asleep as if dead. He put his arm under the blanket and took his hand, and it felt
much warmer than before. Her breathing was shallow but even.
According to Prince Ali, as a result of the banquet hall inspection, poison with the
same ingredient was detected at the end of the armrest in the reserved seat where
Nora was sitting. When she sits down to eat, she naturally touches her armrest, and
without realizing it, Nora had poisoned her hands while eating and was defecation. It
was a much simpler and more subtle method than secretly mixing it into food or a
glass.

“The poison used on Confucius was a kind of poison rarely found in our kingdom.

In the sleeping quarters where everyone else had gone, only me, Prince Ali, and the
young doctor remained. As the person who saved Nora's life with a strange
prescription that mixed charcoal and kale, I deserved to show trust, but my voice in
questioning him was sharp.

"So you're claiming that someone on our side did it?"

"You're welcome. I don't mean it that way, I'm just stating the truth as it is. And even if
it's a poison that only exists in the Empire, it's not the kind that most people can
understand."

"What does that mean?"

"I came across it by chance while living in an imperial monastery, sir. I was lucky
enough to go through old books without the abbot's knowledge... Kum, have you ever
heard of Cantarella?"

Prince Ali shook his head and looked at me. I, too, was just shaking my head.

"Is that the poison's name?"

"Yes. It's nothing to say that it's fortunate, but it's exactly the same as Confucius's
symptoms. I don't know what to think, but I was interested in old data..."

"So what the hell is that Cinderella?"

"It's Cantarella. Eh, it's a bit strange. According to what I remember, it wasn't a poison
that was commonly known in the past. It's said to be a colorless, odorless poison that
was secretly circulated among high-ranking priests."
"Among the clergy?"

This time, both me and Prince Ali were wide-eyed.

“For what purpose are the high-ranking clergy…”

“It is said that it was used quite often, unexpectedly. For example, to remove political
opponents from thirsty cardinals ahead of the election of the pope, or to assassinate
the pope who had been supportive but acted recklessly without knowing grace. It must
have also been used to eliminate the cardinals and the imperial family."

"My God, anyway, the clergy were and still are the most greedy."

"That's perfectly true. It was only later that it was discovered that the antidote was just
charcoal, so quite a few people must have suffered. Anyway, I never thought that
anyone would use it in modern times, so it was quite surprising."

Judging from the fact that even the young medical officer has no qualms about
scorning (?) the religious authority, it seems that the flame of reform has been burning
in this country for a long time.

But now I couldn't afford to care about that fact, because a sudden suspicion started
to send a cold shudder down my spine.

Prince Ali, who had been cursing the clergy's abuses with his tongue, turned to me and
returned with a cautious tone.

"Madam, do you have any suspects behind it..."

I would be surprised, even the most reformed prince, to know exactly who the person
that popped into my head was. The shocking information that the medical officer gave
me just a moment ago and all the circumstances were in perfect harmony. A person in
the position of Cardinal Richelieu would have been able to know more about
Cantarella.
But why... … ? Why the hell did you target Nora? It was too reckless a move just to get
me into trouble. The same was true even if he tried to trap the Safavid royal family,
which showed signs of rebelling against the church authority. or not… … .

Suddenly, I thought of the cardinal who had visited me the other day, and I got
goosebumps on my forearms. To be precise, as I recalled the true intentions he
expressed to me at that time. Despite the encounter at that time, if I said I didn't know,
I would be blind with my eyes open.

No matter how hard I tried to find other excuses, all the senses in my body were
screaming for only one reason. He was offended by Nora.

"wife?"

“…First of all, Your Excellency, on the premise that what the medical officer just said is
true, it seems that the priority is to find out as soon as possible who is roaming
around this palace with such a terrible poison.”

I checked with Sir Joseph just in case, but there was absolutely no possibility that any
of our escort knights could have sneaked into the banquet hall before dinner. Rather,
the guards here had a better chance. Although it would make no sense to assume that
Cardinal Richelieu was behind it.

"As this is the time when the royal family started to set up a conflict in the church
authority, you can't say that there are no people who are secretly dissatisfied. Not only
for religious reasons, but also those who are not happy about the ensuing
strengthening of the royal authority. Certainly, they are in constant negotiations with
the Vatican. There must be someone doing it. Is there anyone you can guess among
the nobles who attended the banquet?"

The clear pale yellow eyes of the young prince, who had been listening intently, froze
fiercely in an instant. It was an astonishing discoloration. The playful and fresh
appearance he had seen so far disappeared completely, and he transformed into the
next monarch who was angry with the reactionary.

“……It’s not just a matter of cleaning up the lower ones.”

It was literally.
According to the medical officer, the crisis is over for now. Still, I couldn't leave her
until she opened her eyes again.

For two full days, except for sending letters to the house by borrowing a pigeon for the
court reception, I stuck to the unconscious young man's bedside. Meanwhile, the
investigation continued, and Rachel came and went, relaying what she had heard from
Prince Ali.

"You know, the prince seems to think his uncle is the most suspicious."

"...If you think so, then there must be a reason."

“The prince said that someone from the Holy See must be behind it. Is that really so?”

"For now, given the circumstances, there's a good chance..."

"Why are all the priests like that? I'd rather all of them be gone, including the Pope.
Then the world would be a little more peaceful."

Rachel came to me with a deep sigh and looked intently at the young man's face as if
he was dead.

“……I thought that if it was someone like this, even poison wouldn’t work.”

"Did you?"

"Yeah. I thought you wouldn't budge on something like that."

Rachel muttered in a whisper and began examining my expression while placing her
hand on one cheek.

Perhaps because she was born with such a strong nature, she did not seem
particularly frightened or shocked, despite seeing a person vomiting blood right in
front of her eyes. She just seemed to be troubled by some thought I couldn't figure out.

"Will you wake up like when?"

“……It will. It will.”

"It's troublesome when someone who seems to be able to make mom happy dies."

I almost squirted the water out of my throat instead of quenching my throat. Unlike
me, who had literally turned her to ice, Rachel turned her words away with such a
calmness that I doubted she understood what she meant.

“You know, the prince is planning to cut ties with the church altogether, but if that
happens, what will happen to our relationship with our country?

“……You can come here again whenever you want.”

"Really? Will it really happen?"

"Sure. Don't worry, it will happen."

When I answered confidently, Rachel smiled broadly, kissed me on the cheek, and left
the room.

It was meal time. Instead of me moving here, she was happily fulfilling her envoy role,
dining alone with her prince.

I think I have to boldly carry out the plan I have in my heart, even for the sake of my
daughter-in-law. Of course, that's not the only reason... … .

I bit my lower lip and looked over the bed. Despite the heat everywhere from the
tropical night, Nora lay pale under a pile of thick blankets. Cautiously, he reached out
and brushed the black hair that was disheveled over his sweaty forehead.

This made me look younger than usual. To the extent that I suddenly remember his
childhood image... … . It was a time that now felt like the distant past.
What would happen if Nora never opened her eyes like this, if she left forever like this?
what will i be I'll probably never forgive myself for the rest of my life. Because it was all
my fault that he became like this.

I put my hand under the blanket and took his limp hand. Then, as I lowered my head, a
low sigh flowed from my mouth.

“……Stand up, Nora. You said you were my knight. What should I do if the knight is
down…”

It was like that from the beginning. From the first time we met in that alley until now,
Nora has been my knight. Even so, I couldn't properly repay all that kindness.

What kind of existence was a person like me to him? Will he ever get a chance to repay
him? Will he even wake up?

At this point, no matter how I look at it, I couldn't help but think that God hates me
quite a bit. Or was it his punishment for not feeling any sorrow when my father died?

Ever since I came back alive, the road I've walked has been soaked with blood, and
there's no way that Nora's blood wouldn't have been added to it. If God hates me so
much, why on earth did he send me back to the past instead of putting me in
purgatory?

Why did I meet you... … .

"Do you think it's good that you met me...?"

There was no answer that came back to the muttered question like a sigh. of course.

It seemed that he had just fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes, it was dark all around
me. Through the half-open window, I could see an exotic night sky with innumerable
stars shining brightly as if they were about to pour down.

I raised my head, but hesitated for a moment at the feeling of something cold in my
hand. Then he realized that it was Nora's hand, and felt his heart skip a beat. Surely,
until just a little while ago, warmth was circulating, but now it is as cold as ice.
My hands started to tremble and tremble. I hurriedly leaned over the bed and
examined his face. No sound could be heard, and the eyelids covered with long
eyelashes, like a canopy, did not move.

A sense of fear seemed to paralyze the whole body. Was it right that he was
breathing? If he had gone forever while I was sleeping, then what should I do... … !

"Nora, Nora...?"

I cried and cried, but there was no response. of course. Finally, I pulled back the
blanket and pressed my ears close to his muscular chest. Please, God please, please
let me hear your heartbeat... … ! You can't do this to me... … ! Even Nora!

It was then that I suddenly felt as if something was touching my hair. At the same time,
the thump, thump, and the sound of life force pulsating hit me like a paralyzing
intoxication. I didn't know whose heart it was.

Slowly, very slowly, I raised my head… … . Then, in the dark, I met blue eyes that glowed
coolly.

"Nora... Oh my God, you...! Are you okay?!"

“……Who is Nora?”

I froze for a moment and stared at his face, but then I realized the mischief flickering
in his blue eyes and blushed. No, the son of Inomu?!

"That's all you can say after dying and coming back to life, isn't that?!"

"Ouch! Wait, wait, I'm still a patient..."

“I thought you were going to die…! I knew you were going to die… how… how…!”

I thought my voice was cracking, but laughter broke out suddenly. Laughter and
crying burst out at the same time. Nora opened her eyes wide to look at my funny
babble, then reached out and carefully laid her hand on my tear-drenched cheek.
"Look at me. Even if you look like this, you've come back doing your best. At least, I'll
follow my ancestors across the river..."

"No, it's not like that... Ha, Nora... Maybe I'm a real witch."

"Why? Because he has the ability to wake up even the dead?"

Laughter broke out again at the teasing voice I had known for a long time. I wiped
away the tears with the back of my hand and slashed.

"It's just... everything that's happened so far, it seems that God hates me quite a bit.
Otherwise, there's no way I'll keep bothering you just because you're by my side..."

"Who's bothering me?"

"You wouldn't have gone through this if you hadn't followed me this time. This isn't the
first time your life has been put in danger because of me. There's nothing good about
staying by my side, but I'd rather disappear somewhere alone forever." It might be
better for everyone... but sometimes I even feel like I don't deserve to be loved by
anyone. Honestly, I don't even know why you're so nice to me. Are you worth it to me?"

Perhaps it was because of the fact that I almost lost him forever, but the inner
thoughts that I had not been able to properly recognize until now poured out like a
raging water. Thoughts I had never looked into myself.

That it might have been better if he hadn't come back, that it might have been better if
he had died alone like that and never came back... … .

Nora was sitting with her upper body half raised, staring at my face. I lowered my head
and blinked hard in my swollen eyes.

"Did you think so until now...? You don't deserve it?"

"I don't know... I've been thinking about my children ever since my husband died, but if
all of this is God's will for me not to be presumptuous..."
"My sister's husband, although it's disrespectful to the deceased, is the one who took
in a girl the age of his daughter as his second wife and shoveled her distorted self-
esteem. Because of that, my sister lost the chance to remain a child forever."

"……what?"

My eyes widened at the cynical rage in his voice. It was the first time anyone had ever
spoken that way about Jochen to my face. Oddly enough, embarrassment rather than
anger preceded it.

"A crooked self-esteem..."

“Forcing a girl the age of a daughter to think of nothing but her family name and her
stepsons the size of her brother. I have no intention of insulting my sister’s affection
for them, but as I said before, I will look the other way. Aren't you afraid of what it will
cost if you turn around? Aren't you afraid of wanting something just for yourself?"

"I……."

"If not, why do you keep blaming yourself for my bad luck?"

It was a sharp word that stabbed the lungs. I tried to say it wasn't like that, but her
tongue seemed to have stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Nora looked at me for a long time with her dark, swaying gaze, then sighed and raised
a hand to run through her dark hair. Then she spoke in a softer voice.

"Everything I've done for my sister up to this point, I did it because I liked it and
because I wanted it. Even if I go back to those moments, I'll make the same choice, and
I can be confident that I won't have any regrets even if I die like this. I'm really sorry if I
made you feel unlucky..."

His eyes looked down into mine in the gloom of the starlit, starlit bedroom. It was
completely different from a moment ago, looking somewhere sad, painful eyes as if
they were being tortured.

"...But don't ask my sister if she's worth it. It's impossible for me to measure her value."
"..."

"I don't know why she treats me well... How can you say that. From the time we first met
until now, loving my older sister was more natural and natural than breathing... The
only luck in my life was meeting her. Even if you give me the whole world, it's useless if
you don't have a sister there."

Just at the moment our gazes intertwined, I felt something small break and melt inside
me. As if drunk, the blood circulated rapidly, and a sudden realization came rushing
in, as if a curtain covering the field of view suddenly opened.

The biggest change since coming back was Nora's existence.

It wasn't what my husband left for me, nor what I got through any interest or someone
else, from the moment I first met until now, the only one who saw me as someone else's
replacement or not confined to any frame, just as myself. Perhaps the only one among
all of them, an existence that I can call entirely my own. Someone who will stay by my
side even if the whole world throws stones at me. Someone who will never abandon me
as long as I live. The person who told me that it was okay to just be there without
expecting anything in return. The one and only thing that I don't want to be taken
away by anyone or anything... … .

my brave knight

"Me too."

The words flowed freely and at the same time, I realized what I really wanted. It was
almost a whisper, but Nora seemed to hear it. I saw him smiling. Then all of a sudden
everything went blurry. I said with a wide smile at the same time shedding tears.

“Me too… I don’t think I can do it without you.”

Chapter 11 - Fuse

The sound coming from beyond the door engraved with the graceful swan pattern was
quite loud. It was a commotion that didn't go well with a drowsy afternoon when light
drizzling rain mixed with hysterical screeching and screaming along with loud noises
like something was breaking. It was also a noise that is rarely heard here. So the Duke
of Nuremberg glanced at the stiff guards, pushed the door open, and entered.

"What the hell is this..."

Damn!

At the same time as the sharp banging sound, the short screams of the ladies-in-
waiting echoed. Albrecht, the man who had been slapped without hesitation, did not
make a sound again. He blinked his eyes a few times in amazement for a moment, then
opened his mouth in a mocking tone full of bitterness.

"Is this the new afternoon etiquette at the empress' palace?"

"get out!"

"My heart wants to do that, but my head says to tell my sister to keep up. What the hell
is this?"

"Get out! It's all because of you! It's because of you, because of your fucking advice!"

Fragments of shattered tea cups and dishes were scattered at the feet of the empress,
who was eating and screaming as if she had thrown away all her sins. It seemed that
the tea table had been overturned. Indeed, it is unusual in many ways.

"Can't you come to your senses? The advice I gave you is not just one or two, it's all
here..."

"So it's because of you! Because of you, I... I..."

Finally, Elisabeth cupped her head in her hands, leaned against the wall, sat down,
and began to sob.

Albrecht, who had been staring at the empress for a while, who seemed to have no
dignity at all, looked at the ladies-in-waiting with a breathless gesture, telling them all
to leave.
Only after hearing the clunky sound of a heavy door closing behind him, he slowly
approached his sister, who was sitting on the floor and crying. Then he let out a sound
that resembled a sigh.

“Why are you doing this?”

"It's because of you!"

"So what the hell is it?"

When Elisabeth, who had been shaking her shoulders with her dark red crown bowed
down for a long time, finally lifted her head, Albrecht was sitting beside her after
roughly pushing away the shards of porcelain scattered on the rug with her foot. As
they often did when they were both young.

“……you did that then. …!"

"I only told my sister to create such a public image, but I didn't advise her to turn away
from her real son."

"If you turn away, who will turn away! How did I give birth to our Letran!"

"..."

"Do you know what it's like to grind my teeth? I couldn't even hold my son to my heart's
content. I was always heartbroken and sorry for not caring enough! If only I'd given my
son half the attention I gave to Ludovika's son...! Our Rhett I mean, Ran wouldn't have
been branded as a troublemaker with no presence like that by now..."

My angry voice seemed to crack, but tears fell again. Albrecht wordlessly took out his
handkerchief from the pocket of his jacket and handed it to his sister. Elisabeth wiped
her tears with the handkerchief and blew her nose, muttering in her voice.

"I should have known from the start, I should have noticed from the start... I was an
idiot for naively thinking what was wrong with that child. That's why I reflected so
much... It seems I am a woman who doesn't deserve to be a mother. How much does
our Letran resent me inside?"
“Do you feel uncomfortable?”

"Even if you tell me, you won't understand. Mother and father are different."

"...it's not like that."

"what?"

"...it's not like that."

Albrecht, who uttered a low voice, lowered his head, covering his head with both
hands.

"That's just... that's what parents should have felt. Of course they should have noticed...
sister, I don't think I deserve to be a father either."

Elizabeth stared blankly at her sister's bowed head for a moment, then sniffed and
continued speaking in a more subdued tone.

“Alb, do you remember how meek a baby Letran was originally? He rarely cried. As he
grew up, everyone knew that he became irritable and irritable over trivial matters. "

"..."

“Looking back now, Theobald was always with me in all the big and small troubles that
led to Letran being branded as such a kid. There's never been a time when Theobald
wasn't involved whenever Letran was upset about something, just like that gambling
house thing."

"……Right."

"It wasn't that I didn't feel like something was wrong. But every time that happened, I
felt like I was the world's meanest stepmother, so I immediately shook it off. A good
stepmother should treat her child with affection, regardless of her feelings for her
mother. Because that's the way to do it... But it seems I went a little too far. The heart
that didn't want to be a bad stepmother covered my eyes and made me become a bad
mother."
"..."

"How are you? Did you make the same mistake as me? Is that so?"

Albrecht made no reply. Elisabeth let out her sigh mixed with a bitter sigh as she
turned her gaze to stare at the shards of teacup and bowl scattered around them.

“……I remember how cute my nephew was when he was little.”

"..."

"I still vividly remember the first time he showed up to an official banquet holding your
hand. He was probably about six years old then, and whenever people talked to him,
he would shyly smile and hide behind you. You look at your son like that and sigh. I
was really curious about how your relationship got to where it is now.”

“……I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, I’m far worse than my sister.”

Albrecht, who responded self-deprecatingly, moved one arm and wrapped his sister
around the shoulder. Then he chanted in a self-deprecating tone that didn't quite suit
him.

“Either my sister or I would be contradicting ourselves if we tried to blame a guy who

grew up crookedly.

“……Yes, indeed, we are of the same blood. In case someone came out of the same boat,
the brother and sister get along very well and are goofy.”

"Maybe it's a family history."

“Alb, what should I do? In my head I know you are right, but in my heart I can’t. My
heart breaks when I think of how sad our Letran must have been. Even though I know
it’s all my fault, Theobald I feel like I'm going to die of hatred. How did I treat him, and I
keep feeling betrayed that he played with me like that..."
Albrecht was unable to respond to Elisabeth's continuous sobbing whispers. Maybe he
was like that because he himself felt the same way.

I know it with my head. Responsibility is all their own. However, there was no way to
soothe the heart that was infested with guilt, remorse, and betrayal.

"Sister... do you remember when we were young? At that time, the entire aristocratic
society was far more naive and perverted than today."

"Don't remember. How could you forget?"

The empress, who had snorted in a tone of disgust, suddenly smiled and looked into
her sister's eyes with tears in her eyes.

"You were such a wonderful little brother back then. That you took over when this
tomboy sister burned down the garden. I didn't even ask you to."

"Ha... At least at the time, I thought it was a cool thing. The moment my father started
beating me to the point of going out of my soul, I immediately regretted it."

"But after that, you protected me every time. You were always on my side until
Ludovika appeared..."

"...to be honest, I made up my mind that if one day I became a father, I would never be
like my father. Often times I really felt the urge to kill my father. So if I ever got married
and had children, I would never be that kind of father. I mean, I promised. But..."

"..."

“By the way… Ha, it seems like I’ve become a father who surpasses my father in that
respect. Noona… How did I really become such a human being?”

A storm of anguish and bitterness raged in the blue eyes that dropped down.
Elisabeth placed her hand on her shoulder with little care as she saw her rarely seen
face of her brother's bereavement.

"Alb... what happened to you?"

"..."

"What's going on? Something seems out of the ordinary."

Quite a few people would not have noticed, but Elisabeth, a brother and sister who
had grown up together since childhood, realized belatedly that the current situation
of the Grand Duke of Steel was a bit strange. It wasn't just that she was in a state of
grief and remorse, she was now aware that there was something unusual about her
that made her look dazed and floating.

"Sorry for taking out your anger on you. So tell me. What the hell is going on?"

What's going on? Albrecht raised his eyes blankly and looked at the room that looked
like a shipwreck. What happened?

"That's... Sir Jeremy came to see me this morning. The little marquis."

"That guy who looks exactly like Johenus."

"They don't really resemble each other in personality. Anyway, he told me the news
from Safavi."

"At Safavid? Even if it's bad news..."

"My son could have been poisoned there."

Needless to say, Elizabeth's blue eyes suddenly widened in shock. In contrast,

Albrecht's blue eyes were still blank. He was blank and empty.

“Oh my god… so what happened?!”

“Fortunately, the crisis passed.”

"What kind of guy did such a shameless thing...! Did he catch the culprit?"
"No... Strangely, it wasn't a call from the Safabi royal family. It was a letter sent
personally by Mrs. Neuwanstein... It was written about what kind of poison my son had
been poisoned and what he almost suffered."

“The only heir to the Duke of Nuremberg in the world almost died in Safaby. What the
hell is the king doing?

"I think so. But sister."

"Why?"

"Have you any idea that the crown prince hangs out with members of the church these
days?"

It was a bit of an odd question. Elizabeth frowned slightly and tilted her head.

"Why is that? What the hell does the Church have to do with this problem? Was there
anything that would make you think that Theobald joined hands with the Church?"

there had to be The damn diamond necklace case.

“I said it felt like my heart was being ripped apart.”

"what?"

"It was like that earlier. It felt like my heart was being torn."

It was a voice that still sounded blank. Even so, unlike before, there was an aura like an
eerie blade mixed with it. As Elisabeth watched her with her eyes wide open, Albrecht
slowly turned her head to meet her sister's eyes.

"I feel just right right now. That's why I'm not going to leave anyone involved in
anything at all."
"..."

"I'm sorry I didn't pay attention to your sister's son."

Just like a moment ago, it was an outrageous remark. A sudden and at the same time
somewhat meaningful statement. It took me a while to fully understand the meaning of
those words. At last Elizabeth smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Me too, I'm sorry."

Chapter 12 - Opening

Thanks to Nora's safe awakening, the dark clouds of war that had hung over the
palace were lifted. It was only natural considering the ramifications of what would
have happened if he had gone wrong.

Thanks to the great thing about the Reformation of Faith, it was quite a headache just
to wrestle with internal divisions. King Bayezit and Prince Ali tried to send separate
envoys to the empire over this matter. But I stopped them. To be precise, he met Prince
Ali and negotiated all of this.

“I will take responsibility for the part that the Safavid royal family is not responsible for
the attempted poisoning of Prince Nuremberg, and I will definitely finish it. Because I
already know who is behind it. Could you give me one?"

"If you go that far, how on earth does your wife know about the booklet?"

Would you believe me if I told you that I came from the future? It was a fact that came
to the surface only a long time later that some heretic excommunicated priests came
to Safabi and were circulating booklets protesting against the shameless absurdity of
the church. Shortly after the fact was known, a full-scale cold war between our empire
and Safabi began, and the book never entered the empire.

I smiled and looked into the little prince's clear, buff eyes.

"You don't think I'll let the Holy See go unspeakably shameful to my children."
"But ma'am, the Empire and this place are different. If that booklet starts to circulate
within the ecliptic, the Imperial Palace will not stand still, let alone the imperial family.
Even if the Emperor grants tacit permission in the name of strengthening the imperial
power, they will not step forward and help. . You might be in dire danger."

"I know. But what I'm counting on is the same nobles."

"Aristocrats? But they..."

“The nobility of the empire have never once occupied the top tier of hegemony
because they are caught between the hierarchical and imperial powers. You know very
well that every struggle for supremacy requires a cause. I don't think there's a better
cause. Moreover, the Empress's own family, the Duke of Nuremberg, is currently allied
with the Neuwanstein family. If we find out who is behind the poisoning attempt
against the sole heir of the Nuremberg family, well, the Duke It doesn't look like you're
going to stay still."

Nora might not think so, but I was sure. The Duke of Nuremberg was agonizing with
remorse for the past and unspeakable pity for his son, and would not stand still if he
learned that his son had been nearly murdered by someone from the Church.

In that sense, it was a great fortune to be able to uncover the identity of the poison
used in this case. Whether it was Cantarella or whether the real mastermind was
Cardinal Richelieu or someone else, the clerical authority had touched something that
should not be touched.

Regarding the strengthening of the imperial power, strictly speaking, it was nothing
more than a sham trap. One of the greatest positions of the emperors of the Empire,
which has been passed down since the early days of the founding, was the nominal
legitimacy of being a guardian of the faith.

No matter how much they keep each other in check and cause conflict, if one of them
collapses, the other will also weaken. In other words, if the collapse of the hierarchical
authority occurred within the empire, it would naturally result in the weakening of the
pope's secular authority and the imperial authority at the same time, and as a result,
the greatest nobility would benefit the most.

As I confided these thoughts, Prince Ali listened with a rather serious face, then smiled
cheerfully and nodded his head as if he had never done that before.

"Okay. If you agree with us, please make sure to announce this."
"What do you mean?"

"The Pasha royal family of the Safavid kingdom will be behind the Neuwanstein family
from this moment on. By any chance, as soon as you touch even a hair of your wife or
children's hair in the name of persecution of heresy within the empire, the Safavid
Janissary Navy will You will tread upon the shores of the Empire."

"It's a solid backing that can be called unconventional. I don't know how to thank you."

"You're welcome. Just letting me meet my daughter... I'm pretty sure the life and death
of the new era is at stake for the safety of my wife and children."

Indeed, I must say that my daughter-in-law is the color of Gyeongguk. Aside from the
ideal of opening a new era and political interests, if it weren't for Rachel, this
passionate prince wouldn't have come this far. Is this the power of love? That
everything done under that name transcends good and evil?

***

After a short and long stay, our delegation boarded a ship to return to their
homeland. There were also a lot of gifts to give to various people, including sons and
daughters.

Like a hot island man in love, Prince Ali came out to see us off to the shipyard. He and
Rachel held each other's hands for so long and exchanged sad greetings, which made
everyone's heart pity.

The waves of the deep blue sea began to crash against the huge hull as it departed.
Squeaking seagulls hovered over the lofty sails while a refreshing sea breeze blew
through their hair.

The image of Rachel waving until the end toward the shipyard that was moving away
from the railing was enough to be believed as a scene from any fairy tale. It wasn't
until about the time the ship's captain was completely out of sight that she finally fell
off the railing and she ran up to me and hugged me and buried her face in my
shoulder.
“……Hey, what should I do, Mom! I already miss the prince very, very much!”

"We can meet again. You can write a letter every day. I will come to see you as soon as
the situation settles down."

"Is that so? Is that really so? But what if I fall in love with someone else in the
meantime? Besides, I'm not going to see those pretty dancers every day!"

"If that prince were a proper man, he wouldn't leave you and turn his eyes to another
woman. So, there's nothing to worry about. He gave you such a pretty pearl necklace."

“……Hey, mom, I actually gave something to the prince.”

"What did you give me?"

"The glass slippers my mother gave me. I gave you one. Bring them the next time you
see me."

… … Well. He must have read a novel in which a prince comes to the main character
with a pair of glass slippers. Rachel still whined while fiddling with her pearl necklace,
which she had received as a gift, and then she hurried back into the cabin, probably
because she wanted to be alone. A laugh came out. What thrilling imagination would
you have while looking into that necklace alone?

I walked across the deck and stood in front of the railing Rachel had been hanging
from a moment ago. It was a moment when he waved his hand while appreciating the
scenery of an island country that was getting farther and farther away.

"Um... Lady Neuwanstein?"

Blinking my eyes and looking back, there was an escort knight in his early twenties with
a somewhat awkward smile. It was a knight with brown hair and purple eyes that gave
off a lively and curious feeling.

"Sir Torrio? What's going on?"

"That's it..."

For some reason, the young knight continued to hesitate, which didn't match his
exuberant look, but after a while, he blushed and put his hand behind his back
forward. And then he shouted like this.

"I'm sorry, but please accept the letter from my heart!"

"..."

I stared at a piece of paper that looked like a love letter stuck in front of me with my
mouth slightly open. Then, he barely said it.

"Joke……?"

"No, I'm not kidding! How dare I play a joke on you... uh, so you're so beautiful and so
kind, eh, I'm so happy!"

what is this situation? Suddenly, a play I saw a long time ago came to my mind. A
comedy play that depicts the commotion that occurs after the mother of the main
character, Young-ae, takes a strange potion that makes men from all over the town
gather like dogs. … .

"Boo, I'm sorry if you were offended. But I can't stand it any longer..."

"I wasn't offended."

As he barely spoke, he looked at the young knight's red-hot face. To be honest, what
kind of woman would be offended by being courted by a wonderful knight? only… … .

"That, I was just a little surprised because it was an unexpected situation. How could
someone like Sir Torrio..."

"Yes? What kind of sad words... Boo, your wife is the goddess of all knights in the
Empire! But uh, that, your son... No, not this, anyway, I really fell in love with you!"
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart..."

I murmured and swallowed dry saliva. How can I reject someone who confesses so
frankly and shyly?

“……I’m sorry, Lord Torio. But I can’t accept this letter.”

Unsurprisingly, the young knight's eyes drooped straight down. Gh, he feels like
something bad.

"As expected, there's no way a guy like me would be attracted to someone like his
wife..."

"No, it's not like that... Actually, I already have someone in my heart."

Even when I said it, I was surprised. God, I never thought these words would come out
of my mouth! It was a semi-impulsive statement. As if I'm impatient because I can't let
the whole world know my true feelings... … .

"Yes? Really? Oh my God, if you ask who the lucky person is..."

“There was a commotion, so I wanted something, and this was it.”

At one baritone voice that came out of nowhere, I and Torio turned to rabbit eyes and
turned my head. Then he saw the dark-haired Confucius, who was staring at Sir Torrio
with a crooked smile.

"disturbance?"

"Ah, that, that..."

Unlike me, who had a puzzled look on his face, Sir Torio stammered for some reason,
looked at me and Nora in turn, but quickly jumped down to the deck. So my expression
became even more puzzled.

"A commotion? What was the commotion among the knights?"

"Ah, it's nothing special. They argued among themselves over who should get the love
letter to my sister first."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

"No. You don't seem to know your own popularity. I'm starting to feel anxious about
this..."

He stretched out his tail playfully and sat down on the railing, holding my hand with
one hand. My cheeks blushed a little and smiled at the pounding that came from his
clasped hands.

"I'm the one who should be worried, not you."

"why?"

"You're a Confucius who receives the envy of many young ladies. Not one or two
people have made up their minds to marry you..."

by the way Even if it wasn't a family name, Nora was a guy who caught the attention of
women wherever she went. Phew, the countless hearts he must have rang. He could fall
in love with anyone if he put his mind to it... … .

While I was absorbed in those gloomy thoughts, Nora seemed to examine my

expression with her eyes wide open. Then, after a while, didn't he suddenly throw his
head back and start laughing out of nowhere?

“……Puh ha ha ha!”

"What, what? Why are you laughing?"

"No, noona, puhahaha!"

"Why, why are you laughing?! What's funny?!"

Nam was quite serious, but I hated the way he laughed alone, so I opened my ax eyes
and glared at him, but Nora continued to giggle without any sign of stopping. As she
watched it, she was dumbfounded. No, because Inomu's son wants to see you?

"Anyway, for you and Jeremy, I'm the stick, very!"

How can these guys grow thorns in their mouths if they don't tease me for even a day!
It was a moment when he shot and turned his body around. The guy who had been
laughing so hard to see what was so funny, suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me
tight, so I almost screamed.

"It's because it's cute, because it's cute."

under! Are you cute? Even after all this, I am the one who heard the voice of the witch
in Neubanstein Castle in my previous life. How cute is that for me! I tried to glare at
him sullenly, but my face turned red and failed as he hugged me tightly and smiled
mischievously.

"Hey, let go of this. What are you going to do if someone sees it?"

"Look. There's no one here anyway."

It was. It's just the two of us on this deck right now.

"Still, if someone comes along..."

"I don't think there's a clause banning dating on a ship."

“Well, of course not, but still…”

“……I understand. It seems that you are afraid to be seen with me.”

Nora responded slowly, loosening her arms and letting me go. So I awkwardly adjusted
my clothes and started glancing at him.
I didn't know what exactly I was afraid of. Why do I keep hesitating when I've already
made up my mind? I was old and didn't know much about dating, so I had no idea how
to deal with this kind of excitement. Even thinking back to the time of her marriage to
her dead husband could not help.

What would normal young men and women of our age do on a deck with no one
around? He glanced up to see Nora's expression, but he kept her head down, looking
at his hand.

Am I offended... … ? I don't know how it could be like that. Hagiya, you confessed to me
so tenderly, and I also replied that I am too, but if you come out cold like this, of
course you will be offended. So I spoke cautiously with a nervous feeling.

"That's right."

"Yes……?"

"Big, so, as you said, this is a dangerous deck where no one is watching us. So... uh,
um..."

I was going to say it was OK to cuddle, but I thought it sounded so stupid. What the
hell does that mean? Are there any words that seem more certain but also thrilling?
That's what any normal couple would do... … . I guess I'll have to read some of Rachel's
favorite romance novels sooner or later.

While I grunted, Nora sat with her arms crossed and just watched me silently. Finally, I
spit it out at random.

"Anyway, you and I are big, so you're mine, so I won't get angry if you hug or kiss me."

There was silence for a while. As Nora stared blankly at me with indescribable eyes, I
succumbed to the urge to tie my hair. God, what the hell did I just say! No matter how
bitter it is, this is too much! I'm crazy, crazy! It's ruined, everything is ruined!

After an extremely awkward silence, my knight finally spoke.

"I don't like it."

“……What?! Why? Why?”

No matter how much I think about it, no matter how absurd it is, such a cold reaction!
Did the word 'mine' bother me? Or was it just that I was firmly misunderstanding
something on my own? The next word that came to my confused ears was this.

"Well, there are things that interest me more than a hug or a kiss."

“What is that?”

"What do you think it is?"

He leaned slightly forward with his arms crossed and looked at me with a strange
smile on his lips. And my pulse started beating faster and faster.

"Can I?"

can i do it What? I don't know what it is, but I nodded my head left and right. During a
brief moment of silence, we just stared at each other. He barely breathed. I don't know
who moved first. Anyway, when I came to my senses, Nora's hands were tightly gripping
my body, and his lips were pressing down on mine.

Whether it was because it was too sudden or because I was possessed by something, I
surrendered and accepted it as it was. My breath caught in my throat as his lips
opened naturally and his tongue touched mine. The feeling of my body falling far
below, the unfamiliar sensation of being hot and trembling, seemed to paralyze my
whole body. Antinomic feelings quickly crossed over, wanting him to stop and at the
same time wanting him to continue.

And finally, when we both fell, gasping for breath, an inexplicable regret came over us.

Of course, it was inevitable that at a moment like this, useless thoughts of the past
would come to mind. The life of her marriage to Jochen.

During my husband's lifetime, the only conjugal behavior between us was a light kiss.
so... … It was the first time in all my past and present lives that I felt passionate and
sweet. At the same time, there was a feeling of remorse that was difficult to express. It
might be a shame, but... … Oh my gosh! Why didn't I know this good thing?!
"sister?"

Actually, what's so special about a kiss? All they do is kiss each other's lips and push
their tongues. The secret that turned such an ordinary act into the most special magic
was right here, in the blue eyes of the guy who was examining my face while holding
my cheek. Even in my eyes reflected in those eyes. Not overlapping with someone else,
not just burning with possessiveness, but a dreamy, soft and sweet, enchanted feeling,
a heart that makes you want to meet again even if you are born again.

***

It felt so slow to go, but why does it feel so fast to go back? The voyage was almost
over. One more day to reach the empire. On the one hand, I missed the house where
my children would be waiting, and on the other hand, I felt strangely regretful.

I couldn't sleep at all, so I sat down next to Rachel, who was asleep in the cabin, and
started looking at the <Accusation> booklet.

Did you say that it is more scary when a friend becomes an enemy? This book, which is
currently rapidly becoming popular in Safavid, was filled with unconventional and
high-level criticism of the church authority as it was written by those who once
engaged in the clergy. Should I say that it grabs the attention of the viewer regardless
of whether they agree or not?

For example, the part that claims that 'all priests do not have any authority to forgive
sins other than preaching the contents of the holy war to the believers'. I was quite
attracted to the fact that each and every word felt right, and that it was an
unconventional content worthy of being branded as a heresy.

smart smart

No matter how long it had been, there was a knock on the door of the cabin, which
was quite comfortably decorated. Holding the booklet in one hand, I got up and
opened the door.

"Nora……?"
"I couldn't sleep very well. It seems that my sister is the same..."

A young man leaning against the doorway wearing a comfortable robe smiled with his
blue eyes relaxed. For a moment, I stared blankly at him without realizing it, seeing
that figure that was far from my usual dark and sharp feeling, and then came to my
senses.

"Well, I've been watching this. It's pretty interesting. Did you see it too?"

"I took a rough look earlier, but it's kind of interesting. I wouldn't say that's the most
interesting thing on this ship."

"Then what's the most interesting?"

Nora let out a low laugh, took my hand with one hand, and led me outside. After
quietly closing the door behind our backs, we held hands and came out onto the deck
overlooking the night sea.

The night on the sea was much more dreamy and beautiful than the one on land. The
black waves below the hull were calm, and in the ultramarine blue sky that seemed like
it could be touched if I stretched out my hand, a long tail of meteors passed through
the countless stars as if they were about to pour down.

It was a dreamlike scenery that I will never forget. Even the snoring of the sailors
sleeping on the hammock feels like part of the night sea.

"I came out a little while ago and was bruised, but I thought it was a waste to watch it
alone."

"It's really a wasteful scenery to see alone."

We stood side by side against the railing, holding hands. It felt safe, very comfortable.

Then I was surprised by myself. As soon as the ship touches the shores of the empire,
you have to face all kinds of complicated things, and you feel so calm. Maybe it's
because of the sea breeze.
"What do you think?"

“……Just. Thinking about what will happen once we arrive in the Empire.”

“Are you anxious?”

Are you anxious? I lowered my gaze from the sky. Nora was looking at me with her
elbow resting on her railing and her chin resting on that hand.

"...I'd be lying if I didn't. I'm going to set off not one but two bombs right now."

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"I nearly died from poisoning myself. What was the real reason you pointed someone
inside the church to be behind it? Not the reason that anyone could guess that it was
Cantarella, but the reason you were really so sure. ."

Feeling caught off guard at an unexpected moment, I hesitated for a moment. Can I
tell Nora? He hadn't told the details of Cardinal Richelieu, even to his children. It wasn't
that I was trying to hide it, it was that I didn't know what to say. Indeed, how could I
explain to anyone easily that the Silent Servant, now one of the most prestigious
clergymen in the Church, had such and such feelings for me?

Moreover, the opponent is Nora. The thought that I couldn't bear to say it, but on the
other hand, the antinomic urge to tell him everything arose. I also wondered how he
would react. Maybe it's nasty curiosity, but... … . After some hesitation, I finally got lucky.

"That's... someone came to my house after the Holy Trial. You know that Cardinal
Richelieu, right?"

"The Silent Servant or something. What did he say to your sister?"

“……Actually, from long ago, from long ago, whenever he saw me, he had an unusual
expression?
In this way, I happened to be able to confess all the suspicions about the cardinal that
had been mentioned during Jeremy's trial three years ago, and even what Richelieu
had said and done the last time he visited me. After confessing her sins, she felt
relieved.

"...That's why I started to think that he might have done it. Because you're by my side...
Because you're my knight of honor, from his point of view, you're the one who gets into
trouble for the Pasha royal family who rebel against the Vatican and at the same time
annoys you." I think it would have been considered a pretty wise move to get rid of . . . "

"..."

"Of course, others may think I'm in a great delusion, and maybe it's really all my
delusions..."

Stuttering at the end of my words, I quietly met Nora's eyes, who stood there as if
frozen. The deep blue eyes stared into my face, with no way of knowing what thoughts
were hidden underneath.

What are you thinking... … ?

A sudden feeling of anxiety arose. Unexplained anxiety began to stir and slowly eat
away at her breasts.

Ah, I think I've seen these eyes somewhere before... … .

“Of course I never gave him any excuses.”

"..."

"Nora... say something."

Did you hear the hint of plea in my voice? Nora, who had been immobilized for a long
time and stood still like a marble statue, finally spoke. no, she exclaimed.

“……What kind of son of a bitch is there!”

Udangtang!

thud!

"What, what?! What's going on?! I didn't do anything! I swear I slept peacefully!"

We stared blankly at the poor sailor who had fallen from the hammock for a moment,
then politely apologized for the disturbance. Nora tutted and clicked her tongue as
the red-headed sailor grumbled and climbed back onto the hammock to resume her
loud snoring.

"Damn it, I thought there was only one nasty paranoid patient..."

"Are you a new kid?"

"The Crown Prince. No, they don't even know the old saying, don't even look at a tree
you can't climb!"

"You did that..."

I was going to ask how you knew, but I stopped because it was a stupid question. It's
more like a new baby... … ! Nora wanted to pour out an outrageous swear word that
she was embarrassed to even listen to for a second.

"Now it's clear who exactly is responsible for whether it's his Divine Trial or Divine Skit.
It's just a pity. More than that, this is a bit disappointing."

"Disappointed...?"

When he opened his eyes wide, he nodded his head vigorously and made a grinding
noise.

“I was hoping that there might be some darker, more chaotic, and shady power behind
my poisoning attempt. It's coming out. It wouldn't even be a saga story."
Aha, are you disappointed that the picture didn't come out? Even though I was in no
situation to laugh at all, I burst out laughing. When I laughed, Nora gave out a soft
giggle too, then took my hand and kissed the back of it.

"Well, in the end, I guess I'll have to thank that cardinal."

"What? Why?"

"Because of that guy, I've been lost between death and death. And because I've been
lost between death and death, I've been able to communicate with my sister sincerely?
If he knew what he had done, he'd probably turn around with foam on his face."

"Hmm, as always, it's logically correct. I can't argue with it."

In the salty, salty night sea air, her deep blue eyes shone with the utmost kindness. He
leaned over and pressed his forehead against mine. The feeling of warm breath
touching your face... … . For some reason, tears welled up in my eyes.

"Nora... are you on my side? Will you continue to be on my side no matter what?"

It was a pretty silly, childish question. Still, Nora didn't laugh. She didn't even reply
right away. I just moved her hand and held mine warmly. It was a rough, calloused
hand, but it felt softer than anything else.

***

It was already midnight when they finally arrived at the ecliptic after a long journey. If
we wanted to stop by the imperial palace to report, we would have to put it off until
the next day anyway, so we headed straight home. And… … .

"It's been a week! I'm back with a week left for my coming-of-age ceremony! My gift?!
Where's the gift for the most handsome second son in the world?!"

"Rachel, Mom! Mom, while Mom was gone, the older brothers always harassed and
mistreated me! The younger brother always hit me, put an apple on my head, and
made me a human target! The older brother forced me to feed me broccoli every
morning! "What the hell is wrong with people?! They don't even treat domestic pets like
that! And my lucky red quill is missing, and I can't find it anywhere, no matter how
much I turn it upside down with the maids!"

"Hey, you short-legged man, when did I make you a human target?! What I used then
was just a rubber arrow!"

"Whether it's a rubber arrow or a real arrow, a target is a target! Is that what a human
would do to a younger brother! Taking advantage of the opportunity without a mother
to confess to his older brother, he took one after another...

Ouch, noisy, noisy. Nonetheless, it is a delightful uproar. Leon, who let out a sad roar
as soon as he saw me, and Elias, who measured her affection for her by the amount of
gifts, seemed to have accumulated a lot of resentment. Rachel, on the other hand, who
had just stepped out of her wagon, put one of her hands on her waist, shook her head,
and let out a sigh.

"Anyway, everyone hasn't changed."

"You went on a trip with your mom, so what do you know about my sadness! What do
you know about my heartache!"

"What kind of great change did you expect in just 15 days! Rachel, you're still perfect!
Wahahaha!"

“Your little brother is still filthy and stinky!”

"What?! Hey, aren't you talking too harshly to your brother?!"

Certainly not much has changed between all of us in 15 days. By the way, where is
Jeremy? Did she go out and not come in? I looked around in wonder for a while, but
soon I was shocked to see a young man staggering out from the inside with a corpse-
like face and a grotesque gait. God, my God!

"Jeremy...?"

“……Huh? Hey, our dear mother, Shurii! Sorry, my eyes aren’t rolling well right now…”
No matter what happened during the 15 days, Jeremy appeared with a half-defeated
face and clumsily waved his hands with his eyes out of focus before collapsing on the
stairs. I ran over and grabbed him. Oh, our golden eldest son! What the hell is this?!

Needless to say, my astounded gaze was directed directly at our faithful steward and
knights. The knights somehow exchanged awkward glances, and Robert reported
straight away in a voice full of powerful grief.

“It was actually two days ago, that is, before the lady arrived, they said that they had to
show us that they had completed all the paperwork perfectly…”

"Did you just watch that? I just have to come and finish it, but you should have
stopped it!"

"We also tried to appease him saying that he didn't have to do that, but the big boy
showed his strong will to show us the image of a reliable successor..."

"Puh ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

It was only natural that Nora, who had stood arm in arm by the carriage, watching with
interest at our family reunion, burst into laughter as she grabbed the boat.

Jeremy, who had been burying his head on my shoulder in silence at the sound of his
close friend's scathing ridicule, which must have been very familiar to me, immediately
raised his head. Her dark green eyes, which had been hazy as if she had fallen into a
drunken stupor, flashed and radiated light.

"Huh... This sounds like the laughter of my nerdy best friend? Isn't that rotten pup who
went to a foreign country, drank poison and wandered around and almost ended up
in the goal?"

“What kind of little kitty who crammed paperwork so she wouldn’t be scolded by her
mother?”

“……Shuri, that pretty bastard is teasing me.”

One thing is for sure, even if Jeremy hadn't been in such a drowsy state, the
conversation between the two would have been like that. I swallowed a bitter smile and
turned to Nora.
"Nora?"

Nora, who had been staring disapprovingly at the wandering Jeremy with her head
buried in my arm, turned her gaze to me and smiled. I, too, smiled.

"You should go home too. Your parents will be waiting for you."

"It's not a scenery I want to imagine very much. I'm already running out of sleep."

Nora replied softly, putting the hat back on top of her head and laughing.

Suddenly the urge came over me to put my arms around his broad shoulders and kiss
him on the cheek. But that couldn't be the case here. Not yet… … .

"Yeah! Hey hey! Go to the wolf's lair as a pup! I'm going to sleep in my beautiful
mother's arms!"

Jeremy, who seemed to be dozing off for a moment, suddenly heard that loud roar,
and Nora's languid smile immediately froze. And I was perplexed. Why is Inomu's son
making a fuss all of a sudden saying something disgusting?

right!

"Ouch! Why did you hit me?!"

"Stop talking nonsense and get up. You're just a corpse, a corpse! My deceased
ancestors are asking to be friends! What is the name of the strongest knight in the
empire like this? Then why do things that don't suit you... ."

"Huong, this sad world where even if you try to be filial, all you get back is nagging that
makes your brain cells melt..."

“……Okay. Sorry. Don’t cry.”

Whether it's because I stayed up all night for two days or because I've been away for a
full day, I feel like I've become more deft than usual. After all, he's just a big kid... … .

"Mom, you brought all those books for me, right? Are they all my presents?"

"Ha! Is there anyone else in my house looking at that piece of paper besides you,
short-legged?"

"Mom! My little brother is harassing me again!"

"What did I do?!"

"Ah, really, everyone act a bit polite! I'm so ashamed to see Gongja-nim!"

"Isn't it our family motto not to pay attention to what others say?"

"Confucius is not a man?!"

"Wow! What is it, Rachel, did you have a bloody brotherhood with that black guy over
there?!"

"I'm guessing brother and sister!"

In the midst of all the confusion from the roar of the lion cubs, I turned my head
slightly to look at Nora one last time. He had been watching us with a strange smile on
his lips, waved a hand, and jumped into his carriage. I also waved his hand and went
inside with the children.

***

It had been pouring rain since early morning. The sound of soft raindrops hitting the
study window feels like a merry waltz song.
Jeremy was looking at the booklet of <The Accusation>, looking clean and fresh,
perhaps because he had slept soundly for the first time in two days.
Uncharacteristically for a guy who is far from reading, it was strange to see her
peering into it with a look of interest. Jeremy, who seemed to be savoring her contents
for a long time, finally opened her mouth and said this at best.

"Aren't you supposed to memorize all of this?"

"...I just showed you to have a rough understanding."

"Whew, that's fortunate. For an idiot like me, it feels like my eyes are already falling out."

"I'll make a copy and distribute it anyway, but there's no need to memorize it. And why
are you stupid? I'm not proud of being stupid."

"But if you're perfect like me, shouldn't you have at least one flaw to look human?"

Anyway, the words are flowing water. When I opened my axe eyes and glanced at him,
he began to laugh as he quietly lowered his dark green eyes. How are you?

"Anyway, this is a book that is very popular in that island country where the scorching
sun is scorching.

"I'm sure. There'll be a lot of people protesting. It's going to be quite confusing."

"Still, it's not like there's no odds on this side at all. It's not that we're going to change
religions at all, it's just nominally a movement to reform the denomination. If anything,
there's a strong ally called the Safavid Navy. And you're right. Violent drug Anyone can
see that there is no choice but to connect with the Vatican. Nora almost ate that and
went to the goal, but her father won't stay still."

I smiled and looked into his eyes.

"Do you think so too?"

“I don’t know about anything else, but one thing I notice is amazing. As soon as he
heard the news that Nora was almost poisoned, he became very strange. Isn’t that
knife-like man holding the letter upside down and trying to read it, or almost bumping
into a door on his way? ...."

“Oh my, that must have been amazing.”

"It was a landscape that would surely be used in the future. Oh, you're good at it a long
time ago."

That's right. I swallowed a short sigh as I looked out the window overlooking the
raining yard. Then, realizing that dark green eyes were staring at me, I tilted his head.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

“……No, it just suddenly occurred to me that I might lose you to some filthy lucky guy.”

At an unexpected moment, the feeling of being stabbed right in the middle of the day
made my face feel hot.

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

"Come to think of it, Rachel was engrossed alone wearing an unheard-of pearl
necklace. Heck, I feel like I've come to realize that my ladies will leave me someday."

I laughed at him as he grumbled mischievously and pretended to cry. At the same

time, I was worried about how to confide in this guy about my relationship with Nora.
No matter how much Jeremy said to me the other day, it would be difficult for her to
accept it easily... … . Besides, since Jeremy and Nora are friends, I'll have to discuss it
with Nora before deciding. Cancer, it would make sense for the two of us to speak
together.

"Why are you leaving? You are the one who is married and don't say that nagging
stepmothers don't know me!"

"Such sad words. Where in the world is there a filial son like me! Elias is highly likely to
do that."
“Right, is your brother still playing Casanova these days?”

“There were quite a few young ladies who came to confess to me while you were away,
but would you believe me if I said that he stole them all in the middle?”

"Anyway, why the hell is he like that?"

“He seems to think I can be a real lion.”

For a while, we exchanged sighs side by side over our second son, who was such a jerk
without even the slightest hint of a gentlemanly side, and then we both laughed at the
same time and went back to the main topic.

“If we distribute the booklet through the merchant guilds belonging to our family, it will
spread across the country in an instant. In the meantime, it is urgent to attract nobles.
It might happen. Of course, we have to judge the possibility that those people will stick
to the church authority... but what do you think?"

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Isn’t it a long tradition in our aristocratic society
to hold hands, then strike back, then join hands? there won't be."

“If the nobles start to move in unity, the imperial family will decide somehow. Since we
don’t know what will happen, we need to bring the knights from the territory to the
imperial capital. You're quite popular among them."

"It's such a pity to say that there is. Everyone said that they couldn't get along with me?
How popular am I..."

"Yes, yes. Anyway, the time is almost up. I have to go to the duke's house, but what
about you?"

"I'll go with you. I'll be free until lunch anyway."

So, our hat(?) went amicably to the Duke of Nuremberg, where we had put the flue in
early in the morning.
***

"Welcome, Lady Neuwanstein. I'm glad you're back safely."

"Lady Nuremberg. How are you?"

The rain that had been drizzling since dawn had changed to a heavy downpour by the
time we reached the duke's residence.

As I greeted the sweet Duchess and handed over a gift from Safavi, Jeremy and Nora
started teasing and giggling at each other as soon as they saw each other, and then
began to share a wild encounter that we hadn't seen before. I don't think I'll ever
understand the friendship between those two guys.

“I heard that Nora took care of her with utmost sincerity while she was in serious
trouble there.”

"Ahaha... that's only natural."

"Come in. He's waiting in the parlor."

Our kindly Duchess greeted me with a welcoming expression, despite the fact that her
son, in a way, had been through a lot with me twice. So I felt very grateful.

I was immediately taken aback when I followed her in and arrived at the antique
drawing room, leaving the two noisily rolling around.

"Duke...?"

“……Ah, Lady Neuwanstein.”

Even if I had unknowingly raised my hand and started stirring it in the air, few would
be able to blame me for my rudeness. Thanks to the pouring rain, the luxurious
drawing room, with the windows tightly closed, was filled with acrid pipe smoke,
enough to believe that five or six people had gathered together to chain smoke.
To make matters worse, the man who had done this, the Duke of Steel, sat staring into
the sky with a grotesque light that could even be said to be dazed, unsuitable for
those solid blue eyes. Seeing my bewildered expression, Heide sighed.

“This… please understand. It’s been that way since the past few days.”

"iced coffee……."

"I'll ask the car to come out. You're talking."

After the Duchess withdrew, I strode over and sat across from the Duchess, trying to
maintain a calm expression. And spoke carefully.

"Duke? Are you okay?"

"..."

"Duke?"

"..."

"Duke Albrecht von Nuremberg!"

The Duke of Steel finally flinched a little, then turned his gaze to me and quietly put
down the pipe he was holding. Then he spoke in a muffled voice that was also
completely uncharacteristic of him.

"Oops, Lady Neuwanstein... Please forgive the rudeness."

"There's nothing to be rude about, but how much have you smoked since before?"

"Yes? Ah... I don't know."

“Have you had a conversation with your son?”

"I've heard a little about the renewal of school authority, but..."

"Other than that. Did you talk about how your son almost died? You must have been
very worried."

dory dory. Even the appearance of blankly shaking his head is unfamiliar to him.

"If your heart hurts too much, there are times when you don't feel anything."

"..."

"Aren't you glad that your son returned safely?"

"I'm glad."

"Then why can't you say that?"

"……I don't know. I'm a guy who originally looked like this."

The duke muttered something completely out of place, then put his elbows on the
table and cupped his head with both hands. I never thought I'd live to see this steel
grand duke create such a self-harming look. On the one hand, I was dumbfounded,
but on the other hand, I felt sorry for him.

"Duke? Are you okay?"

"... Now that I'm here, what can I say?"

"Yes?"
"I don't deserve anything. I don't even deserve your kind concern. So don't worry about
me. Had it not been for you from the start, I would have remained such an open-eyed
blind man to this day."

"Yes? What the hell are you talking about..."

"How can I say that I'm glad I came back safely. I..."

His harsh voice seemed to crack, but his hunched shoulders began to tremble slightly.
Needless to say, my mouth fell open by itself at the sound of low sobs that came soon
after.

This is a scene I would literally never have imagined. Who could have imagined that
the Duke of Nuremberg was crying in front of me? I froze for a while, wandering
through my whitened head, but I didn't know what to say. I have some confidence in
calming the kids, but I have no experience of calming dark adults. He just raised his
hesitant hand and carefully patted the shoulder of the middle-aged duke who was
sobbing low.

how long was that Finally, the duke, who had barely calmed down and stopped crying,
opened his mouth with a short breath.

"Madam. Is the poison used on my son really Cantarella?"

"That's right... Fortunately, one of the medical officers there had experience studying
abroad in the Empire..."

“Then I have no choice but to agree with you.”

To be honest, I was a little surprised by the lack of response.

Anyone who was sufficiently thorough would investigate in detail as to whether or not
the real mastermind was the Order, or whether they were concocted by Safabi and
framed the Order. Not to mention the Duke of Nuremberg... … .

Perhaps feeling my surprise, the duke lifted his bowed head. A bitter smile flickered in
his empty, watery blue eyes.
"Because my son wants it."

"ah……."

"My son seems to like his wife a lot. The guy who normally wouldn't talk to me begged
me to go with Safavi."

My ears started to tingle at the remark that stabbed me to the point. However, the
duke did not continue the subject and turned away.

"And if you look closely at the context, there's no doubt that the Holy See was behind
it, whether it was done alone or not."

"You're right, but..."

"How can I help you?"

I confided in detail the plan that Prince Ali had conceived, along with the pact he had
promised me. In the meantime, the Duke of Steel clinked his pipe again, as if asking
when he had forgotten his face and wept all morning, and listened in silence, and
finally opened his mouth again after a long time.

"The most urgent thing is to convince the nobles of the Council."

"Yes. Actually, Elias' coming-of-age ceremony is coming soon, so I'm thinking of setting
up a place to hold a banquet."

"I understand. But what do you plan to report to His Majesty the Emperor?"

"What do you think I should report?"

Emperor Maximilian is the Duke of Nuremberg's brother-in-law and long-time friend.

That meant that no one could guess the emperor's reaction as easily as the duke. But
instead of answering my question, the duke asked an absurd question.
"From your wife's point of view, how much do you think the prince is involved in the
matter?"

At this sudden question, I stared at him for a moment, swallowed a cough, and asked
the same question.

"Do you think His Highness was involved in your son's poisoning attempt?"

"Is there any reason not to?"

Well? The diamond necklace Theobald secretly sent to me and the out of the blue
decision to act as a decisive defense counsel at the Holy Trial, together, made it
possible to guess that he somehow guessed at the Holy Trial and deliberately set
himself up as my savior.

It didn't matter if he knew about it accidentally or if he was actually building

friendships with the church. It was important that he provided an excuse to think so.
That he had given me an excuse to assume that he was in liaison with the Holy See at
the same time as being selfish. But… … .

"However, even so..."

"I'll correct it. Whether or not the crown prince was involved in the matter doesn't
matter. The fact that I'm working with the group that touched my son is important."

My breath stopped at the sudden change in my voice. The Duke's anger was much
greater than I expected.

"Then, for the Duke..."

"Yes. Along with the collapse of the church authority, we plan to change the crown
prince. In that sense, your wife's will and mine are in line. My sister's as well."

At this point, I'm almost speechless. Will it come true in the end?

No matter how much the late Empress Ludovica was loved by the emperor, her
parents were only a minor baron. On the other hand, Letran's mother and Elizabeth's
parents were none other than the Duke of Nuremberg. If the power of the maternal
side, led by the Duke of Nuremberg, made up their mind and pushed forward, there
was a possibility that the replacement of the crown prince would be successful. If it is
combined with the collapse of school authority, it will create considerable synergy.

"The final problem will be His Majesty the Emperor."

"...It's about time for His Majesty to get out of the veil of the past. For now, I'll take care
of the report on the delegation, so don't say anything to your wife."

The duke, who spoke rather bitterly, lowered his gaze. It's a veil of the past... … . I smiled
and opened my mouth.

"But the duke."

"Yes……?"

"Why don't you say to your son what you just said?"

That son just happened to enter the drawing room with my son. It was only natural
that the expressions of the two young men who were striding in amicably were
distorted immediately by the smoky smoke that almost filled the room. As Jeremy put
her hand over her mouth and looked at me with her bewildered face, Nora, with a
bewildered face, started glaring at my father.

"What the hell is this... Father, what are you doing now? Are you hunting raccoons in
front of guests?"

The Steel Duke didn't say anything. Instead, his shoulders twitched slightly, but then he
subtly turned his head to look at me erratically. What to say to me! A person so full of
confidence seems so at a loss, he sees a lot of things he couldn't see today!

"Ahaha... the duke doesn't let go of the young pipe, probably because he's under a lot
of stress."

"You're stressed out, so why is this rude?"

"I'm fine, so don't be too angry."

He spoke in a soothing tone, and fortunately Nora didn't scream anymore. Instead, he
strode over and snatched the pipe that was held rather awkwardly in my father's hand.
Me and Jeremy's eyes widened naturally at this act, which could have seemed quite
provocative, but the Duke still didn't say anything, only blinking her eyes tremblingly.

After a while, Nora, who had finished putting the pipe down on the shelf, approaching
the window, and opening the window, looked back at us and opened her mouth in a
more subdued tone.

"So, where did the talk go?"

It was then that the unimaginable happened. The duke, who had been watching his
son with blank eyes similar to the one before, suddenly jumped up from his seat and
ran outside! He didn't run, but it looked like he was running away!

Silence passed between the remaining three of us. After a heavy silence that was
difficult to describe, Jeremy, who was the first to come to his senses, muttered in a
bewildered voice.

"You didn't complain about taking the pipe, did you?"

***

The 16th birthday of our second son, Elias, and the day of his coming-of-age
ceremony.

It was clear that if it was even a little less than what he had done on Jeremy's coming-
of-age ceremony, he would be pouting for a whole month, saying favoritism to his
children, so he deliberately planned the banquet with more effort than then.

The theme was a masquerade ball as the main character wanted. Even if you wear a
mask, everyone you recognize will recognize each other, but it also fits my plan in that
it is much easier to reveal your true feelings than when you are face-to-face.

Members of Parliament and nobles of other noble families sent invitations to Count
Müller, one of the collateral figures with whom he had cut off ties so far. As soon as I
returned, I sent a separate invitation to Empress Elizabeth, who must have
complained that she hadn't come to see her, along with a brief explanation of the
circumstances. If you don't, you'll be really pissed off.

"Wahhahaha, now this body is a real adult! When will you twins grow up, you little kids!"

… … It's hard to believe that that immature guy is already an adult, even though he's
already been through it. In addition, they scolded for this or that as a gift for the
coming-of-age ceremony, as if it was not enough even with the gift brought from
Safavi. How nice it would be if the mind grew at the same rate as the body grows! Still,
what is the point of not gambling anymore?

On the day of Elias' coming-of-age ceremony, I dressed up with more care than usual
early on before the guests arrived. She wore a red dress with long sleeves and a
narrow skirt, which was recently in vogue, and emerald earrings and a peridot
necklace. The hair was curled with a hot poker and rolled down. After putting all my
makeup on, I looked in the mirror and, oh, it looked pretty cool.

“Madam, who do you want to show your current appearance to first?”

Weirdly enough, the question that our maid, who would have just laughed at normally,
made a fuss of compliments without spitting on her lips, inadvertently asked. Maybe
it's because I realized the existence of someone who has been filling my head all this
time. I was proud of my fashion to a certain extent, but why do I care about my own
appearance today? After putting a coral-colored opera mask on top of her perfectly
dressed face, it felt like butterflies were flying wildly in her heart.

"Huh? Who are you? Where did our ugly Mother Shuri go?"

I swallowed a sigh and glared at my eldest son through the mask. Despite whining
about wearing a mask as a nuisance, she looked really good wearing a platinum mask
covering half of her face and a white tailcoat. If I had done my best to dress up with
great care, our handsome lion cubs were also producing really flashy looks.

"Looking at it now, Shuri seems to have the perfect aptitude for the masquerade ball."

It was the sound of the today's hero helping my brother and giggling. Wearing a
cream-colored suit and a flashy gold mask that covers the entire face, his boastful
appearance has made him an adult.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Ellie, you look great too. Congratulations on coming of
age."
"Right? Hahaha, this me..."

“Leon and Rachel will be soon too. The time for all of you to leave me is getting closer…”

When I deliberately lowered my head and raised a sad voice, Elias, who was
condescending, and Jeremy, who was laughing like a smile, and the twins all instantly
became embarrassed and started screaming in front of me.

"Wait, who's leaving! It's just a coming-of-age ceremony, so why are you suddenly so
sad?!"

"Hey! It's all because your bastard usually doesn't have good manners!"

"My, what am I?! I just..."

"I'm still thirteen, mom! According to social psychology, I'm still in need of a mom!"

"I don't know if it's a cheating colt-like little brother, but I won't leave my mother! I know
that my mother likes me the most!"

Hehehe. That's a pretty satisfying response. How does it taste, you guys? So why do
you keep teasing me?

***

"I still have a taste for being nerdy."

"Thank you for coming personally to such a humble place."

"As soon as I came back, I couldn't immediately come and say hello, but I shamelessly
told me to come and go. What can I do?
"Originally, it was said that the more regretful side loses. Oh, I brought a coral
necklace from Safavi to give to my mom, and I'm not sure if she'll like it."

"If it's what you chose, it's pretty obvious. Let's look."

Fortunately, most of the people who sent invitations attended the banquet, including
Empress Elizabeth. It was easy to recognize her even as she entered quietly, her face
hidden by her colorful feather mask. That would be the case, aside from the distinctive
dark red hair, of course, the swan mask, who could think of anyone other than the
empress.

No matter how quickly you recognize each other, pretending not to know who you are
is an unspoken rule of the masquerade party, but it is not strictly adhered to unless
you are young boys and girls looking for a mate of destiny under a fancy mask, or
idiots looking for an adult who is older. It is. Nonetheless, the beauty of the
masquerade was to watch people become more courageous or outspoken than would
normally be imagined simply by wearing a mask.

"Hey, it's been a while! You've lost your appetite while I haven't seen you."

… … Of course, there are guys who are just as unstoppable as usual. For example, our
Jeremy who smirks as he approaches the middle-aged man in the red mask who is
standing in the corner lonely and indifferent.

I immediately recognized who the man was. At Jeremy's deft greeting, Earl Muller
seemed to flinch for an instant, but then responded with an extremely disapproving
tone.

"Then you've become more arrogant while I haven't seen you."

"Where would that lineage go? Someone you know well."

“I watched a good match during the swordsmanship competition. It is indeed

Neuwanstein blood.”

"Ooh, did you see that?"

“……Who are you treating as an old man!”

The Count growled with a gasp, then cleared his throat and turned his gaze towards
me under the mask.

"……Long time no see."

"Yes, it's been a while. I have something to discuss, so please come and contact me."

"Yes... I was honestly a bit surprised when I received the invitation."

Of course you would be surprised. Anyway, since we came here, it can be said that it
was a good start. Thinking about that, I calmly smiled when someone approached me
and grabbed my arm.

"Why don't you join your handsome son's first adult dance?"

“There must be quite a few people who want to dance with you in your first adult
dance.”

"You danced with my brother last time and didn't dance with me! This is child
favoritism!"

Hey, I wondered why the words didn't come out. Anyway, I couldn't be branded as a
favored (?) mother at the pretty second son's coming-of-age ceremony, so I happily
headed to the dance floor with Elias.

It's just that it's hard to say that we're together for the first dance, the music has
changed to a waltz that's so fast that it's fun, and several men and women are already
dancing in groups. It was not a continuous dance with one partner, but a fast rotation
at regular intervals in pairs, regardless of gender. It was a scene of several pairs of
butterflies performing an acrobatics at once.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Even if I look like this, I've been in the middle of the past, baby."
"I'm a kid!"

“Because you act like a child, a child!”

Was it because I was wearing a mask, or was it because of Elias, who couldn't make fun
of me somehow. It was colorless for my momentary hesitation, but before I knew it, I
joined the cheerful dance and naturally surrendered my body to the upbeat tune. I felt
so free even though I only wore one mask. It was to the point where Elias expressed his
appreciation in a rare surprised voice.

“What, what, is it real?”

Laughter broke out. Then you thought it was a lie! If you ignore your mother, you know
that you will get a big nose injury! Anyway, it was the fun I felt after a long time. I don't
know how long it's been since I've enjoyed watching it without caring about any
attention.

Before I knew it, quite a few people were coming one after another and joining the
stage. In the middle of the excitement, where various men and women wearing masks
freely showed off their talents, I took turns holding hands with beautiful young girls
dressed in dazzling masks and fancy dresses and circling around the dance floor.

It was then that someone's arm grabbed me as I was spinning around in the opposite
direction after letting go of the hand I was holding, intoxicated with the upbeat music.

“You burn all your soy sauce.”

My breath, which was being exhaled heavily, stopped in an instant. A man wearing a
frock coat over a sleek khaki tailcoat. Her black hair, dyed in the light of the splendid
chandelier, shimmered, and her sapphire eyes, visible through a simple white opera
mask, were also sparkling.

"You... you're late!"

"Forgive me. I was just bruised for a moment because a certain lady was engrossed."

Nora joked back and smiled with one corner of her mouth raised. The fact that her
breathing quickened and her pulse began to beat rapidly was not due to the intense
dancing.
Glancing at Elias, today's heroine was already busy dancing surrounded by a group of
young ladies.

"Does the lady often mesmerize you?"

When asked casually, Nora let out a 'hmm' and replied that she didn't know. I raised my
hand and gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Ouch."

“It doesn’t hurt, but it kills you!”

"I'm really sick. Is this the lady I know? Maybe I should check under the mask."

A mischievous glinting gaze slowly scanned my flushed face before finally resting on
my lips. Her heart beat faster and faster.

“I remember the first time I came to a ball here.”

“I see… Ah, speaking of that.”

"Yes?"

"Why did you and Jeremy fight with other boys then?"

The mystery of the little commotion that happened that day was still unsolved. All in
all, as Jeremy started to suffer from measles that day, she was overdoing it, and I also
half forgot about it.

There were times when I asked Jeremy because it came to my mind from time to time,
but Jeremy only avoided answering every time. But now that Nora brought it up first,
wouldn't it be okay to ask... … ?
“Ah, that… it wasn’t a big deal.”

"If it wasn't a big deal...?"

"I didn't want to look like the crown prince, so I went upstairs, but Jeremy came and
kept harassing me, asking me to hand over his sword. Anyway, if you think about it,
he's been a stubborn guy ever since."

"Puhuh... did you?"

“Of course I told him to quit. But then, by chance, while I was dealing with
swordsmanship, I overheard some ladies talking nonsense about my sister.”

"About me? What did you say?"

"It's not something I'd like to hear from my sister... it was just a mess."

I had a rough idea of what kind it was. Hehe, to think that the mystery of that day
could be solved so easily... … . Still, I couldn't help but ask.

"But you... why did you fight together then? I mean, we didn't even know each other well
back then, and you knew that something bad would happen to you if you got into a
commotion like that."

That day, before returning home, Nora was slapped by her father in front of my family
and Theobald. I guess it wouldn't have ended with just that.

The hands holding my waist tightened up, and Nora pulled me closer to her chest in
time with the beat. Then he whispered low into my ear.

"I will. Why did I do that?"

***
"Is it a new trend these days for sickleheads to wail at someone's birthday
celebration?"

Those were the words Elizabeth clicked. To this Heide replied in a tone more
sympathetic than her sister-in-law's.

"I don't know either. Mrs. Neuwanstein?"

“Well, at this rate, it might definitely become a new trend.”

It was none other than Count Müller who was drawing people's eyes by crying out loud
in the middle of a fun masquerade ball. Whether it's because she drank too much or
she decided to act, the appearance of sobbing without taking off her mask is a
spectacle. Did that snarky Count decide to ruin his nephew's coming-of-age
ceremony?

"Count, why are you doing this?"

"Ah, madam, such a nuisance... ghastly!"

"What on earth is it that you are crying like this? Did Jeremy tease you about
something else?"

"No. It's just been a long time since I've been here... I'm sorry! I'm sorry.

From the looks of it, I don't think he has any ulterior motives to act this rudely. Have
you ever gotten weaker as you get older?

Scratching my head, I turned to Jeremy, who was standing there. You can't see them
because of the mask, but to guess the expression on Jeremy and Nora's faces right
now, it would be 'disgusting'.

"Am I the only one who feels that the kkondaes around us are getting more and more
tasteless these days?"

"Hereinafter, alumni."
After the two knights, who were exchanging amicably with a trembling expression,
obediently obeyed my silent signal and disappeared, leading the howling count, I
faced the empress and the duchess, who were shaking their heads side by side.

“Then I will excuse you for a moment.”

"Where in the world is the hostess who abandons her guests? What are we doing while
you're gone?"

"The play should have started upstairs by now. Please watch and wish me luck."

"Huh, what's luck?"

After the grumbling Empress and the kind Duchess left amicably, I gulped down a
glass of champagne, trying to get myself in the mood to prepare for the upcoming
party meeting. Then she put down her glass, took a few deep breaths, and finally took
her first step.

"long time no see."

The one who came up and talked to me was a young lady wearing a gorgeous purple
mask studded with amethyst. Thanks to the elegantly braided platinum hair and
purple eyes that could be seen through the holes in the mask, it was easy to recognize
who it was.

"It's been a while. How are you?"

"Not much."

I stopped smiling and paused. The beautiful princess, who was once a symbol of
elegance in my memory, must have been a bit drunk. It was obvious just by looking at
the reddened cheeks and the sharp voice that could be seen under the mask that
covered half of the face. Is this the power of the masquerade?

"You seem a bit drunk. It's good to have fun, but think about your body in
moderation..."
"Don't get drunk. Of course, unlike me, your wife won't do that."

"What else do you mean by that?"

"I know the kind of person my ex-wife is very well."

With a jerk, turning the purple mask towards me defiantly, she continued with a rather
outspoken, provocative tone.

“Anything would be easy for a wife. Even if you dance once, all the men stare at you in
awe. When you are in trouble, there are many knights who will come running to your
rescue. Isn't that what it is? Do you really have to be so greedy? Why are you trying to
shake the future of your children who are not even blood related?"

"What the hell..."

"I'm different from my wife. Do you know how hard I've been working? Is it just that you
don't like me, or do you want to lose control of your son? At least you don't want to
lose your seat. But..."

worst.

It was only natural that the hall became quiet for an instant. Isn't that the most fun
thing to do is watching other people's fights. As I crossed my arms and looked at
Rachel, O'Hara seemed to take a moment to understand what had just happened.
After a while, he finally realized that gooey apple juice had been poured over his head,
and the princess began to tremble all over her body.

"What, what is this..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that some lesser young girl who grew up with no parental
attention was telling me that it would be an honor to dare to talk to my mother.

At Rachel's grin, which was truly spooky, O'Hara shook her shoulders for a moment
before turning her gaze toward me. I swallowed a bitter smile and opened my mouth.
“It wouldn’t be easy for a father to see how he gets along with a girl his own age. … But
a princess.”

"..."

"If you're angry, you should go and argue with those two. If you come to a strict person
and act like a spoiled brat, no one will understand."

“……I, I……”

"And don't come and argue with me because the princess isn't to my son's liking. What
kind of vulgarity is this that doesn't suit you? How upset the princess's mother would
be if she saw it."

O'Hara said nothing. Instead, she began to slowly shake her shoulders. She was on the
verge of bursting into tears at any moment, but to make matters worse, Elias, who ran
to check what was going on, saw the princess drenched in juice and grabbed her
stomach and burst into laughter.

"Puhahahaha! What, is this Rachel's work?! Oh, it's terrifying!"

“……Keep it off!”

I swallowed a bitter smile again as I watched O'Hara's hazy back as she ran away
crying.

The hall soon became lively again. After all, this is the middle of the masquerade ball.
It was something to talk about the next day after something happened.

"Pahahaha! Hyung should have seen that!"

"Elias..."

"Ah why? That's funny! Puck-k-k-k-k-k..."

To be honest, it was funny. Is this why her mother's love is her daughter-in-law? I lightly
pinched Rachel's cheek as she smiled triumphantly, then turned her steps away.

***

"Is it exactly as you expected?"

Hearing the grinning voice behind him, O'Hara clenched her mask tightly and raised
her head without a whimper. Then, he immediately gave his full strength to his eyes.

"Did you come here to kill me?"

"It's not necessarily like that. Then why would you come to someone else's party and
fight with someone else's mother? My sister would have pulled all your hair out if it was
the same as before?"

It would have been more fun that way, he muttered, crossing his arms and giggling
again. O'Hara glared at his appearance, then sniffed her nose and gritted her teeth at
the same time.

“……Because I made a mistake because of the champagne?”

“You don’t know what a drunken talk is?”

"So what should we do! If you want to curse at me, just do it!"

"Looking at it now, it seems that he even has a bad taste for being criticized."

"Who said I'm having fun?! I just feel bad that no one knows my true feelings?! If your
mother understands my feelings even a little bit..."

“My Shuri is someone who won’t arbitrarily marry such lovely sons.
"What is that again..."

"You only like our hyung based on the external conditions, right? If you truly like our
hyung, you'll try to win him over somehow. It's not like he'll come to Shuri and whimper,
asking why he won't arrange a marriage of convenience."

At the strangely pointed remark, Ohara raised her wet purple eyes wide and began to
stare at her unrequited love (?), the promiscuous younger brother.

Unlike her, who took off her mask to wipe away the juice and tears dripping from the
top of her head, Elias was still standing with her colorful mask covering her face, tilting
her head. Her emerald eyes gleamed mischievously through her narrow eye sockets,
and her long red hair, in a high ponytail, swayed lightly, as if to reflect his personality.

The next moment, he abruptly held out a hand, and involuntarily, she stared blankly at
it, startled. Before long, that snarky and hateful voice was heard.

"Are you done trembling? Then let's go in and play. Today is my coming-of-age
ceremony."

***

“……Heukheukheukheuk!”

As members of the council gathered one after another on the northern balcony,
Count Muller, who had been invited to attend, still continued to sob incomprehensibly.
The picture was a bit like that, so we had no choice but to leave him sobbing over the
railing and proceed with the story.

“……There were quite a few things I wanted to ask. Madam, you should be aware that
there have been some pretty nasty rumors about you lately.”

"Well, the rumors about me have always been tiresome. Which rumors, exactly?"
"It's an unbelievable rumor, but it seems like your wife has suddenly become immersed
in heretical thoughts after she went to Safavi..."

"Huh, it seems that Duke Heinrich has been paying close attention to the Pope's eyes.
It's a waste of a family symbol."

The Duke of Nuremberg, who half covered his face with a navy blue fabric mask, spoke
sarcasticly in a voice dripping with cold air. Therefore, the atmosphere, which was just
full of doubts and doubts, was naturally tinged with perplexity.

“No… then, is the Duke of Nuremberg insisting that the current uproar in Safaby isn’t
the work of heretics?”

"Let's define heresy. Let's do a theological examination together."

“What……how do we define that?

"Certainly there are quite a few of us who have fallen as far from aristocratic pride as
possible."

"What? No, Count of Bavaria, whose side are you on right now?"

“I am on my family side. If I have to broaden the scope, I am on the side of the nobles.
How did our great nobles’ authority come to this…”

"Hmm, that's a reasonable tip."

"Illi?! Marquis of Schweig, is it time for such idle talk? The problem now is not authority,
but heresy!"

"It looks like you're interested in talking about this guy's heresy, but aren't those who
fight against illegitimate children who don't know who their fathers are heretics if they
get a chance on the subject of being God's agents?"

"Nure, Duke of Nuremberg!"

“……I was really curious, but is it really this bloody every time the parliament is open?”

Jeremy, who had been watching me with his tongue sticking out, swallowed the moan
that leaked out spontaneously at the carefully asked question.

"It doesn't happen often... It's probably because of the mask and the alcohol."

"I'm glad that my father isn't among them."

Nora, who was in the exact opposite position, stood with her head turned away as if
she were going to turn her back on her father, and raised her hand slightly to touch
the earring in my ear. He tilted his head casually as I looked up at the feeling of
tickling his earlobe.

"why?"

“……Ahem. Everyone, calm down, do you know about the <Snake in the Fortress>
booklet that has been secretly being spread among merchant guilds lately?”

"What is it?"

The one who asked the question was Hattenstein Young-yoon, who was standing next
to my father with a smirk. And Count Hartenstein received the word.

"Shame on you, Kyle! Of course, I've heard about that pamphlet, ma'am. It contains
quite dangerous content. It completely denies the authority of the Holy Father itself,
and says that the world and the faith must be thoroughly separated..."

"This is a book originally written by excommunicated clergy from the Vatican in exile in
Safavi. It's a document that gives detailed accusations about the corruption of the
church. I put the title on it."

"Yes? No, then..."

“At this rate, it will be distributed to people all over the country in an instant,
regardless of social status.
Silence passed. With the exception of the Duke of Nuremberg, who was already in the
same position as me, all the heads of the great noble families fell into frozen silence,
and finally the Bavarian Count was the first to speak.

"It's a joint work between Neubanstein and Nuremberg. Of course, Confucius went
there too... But there's one thing I don't understand."

"What is it?"

“The rumor that the Prince of Nuremberg almost suffered an attack while staying at
the Safavid Palace. Even if the Prince himself or Mrs. Neubanstein were the same, how
could the Duke of Nuremberg accept a group of ideas to harm his son?”

The voice of the Count of Bavaria, who asked quietly, was far from harsh or sarcastic.
Again, he seemed genuinely puzzled. At this, Nora calmly opened her mouth and Steel
Duke spat out in a boiling voice almost at the same time.

"That thing-"

"Would you believe it if the Vatican was behind the attempt to poison my son?"

For some reason, the part called 'my son' seemed to subtly put a lot of energy into it,
but Nora just clicked her tongue annoyedly as if she was displeased that her words
were cut off. And this time, everyone was shocked.

"what?!"

“Does anyone here know about Cantarella?”

"What is that?"

"Shame on you, Kyle! How the hell does the Duke know about that?"

“How on earth do you know Count Hartenstein?”

"Isn't that the body that almost became a cardinal at one time. Until my older brother
died suddenly... No, more than that, the poison used on Confucius was Cantarella,
then?"

"Khem, can you explain to me what the Cantarella is? I feel like an outcast."

After the explanation for the bewildered Count of Bavaria, Duke Heinrich, and Marquis
of Schweig was over, everyone was silent for a while and immersed themselves in their
thoughts. That was until I opened my mouth again.

“If you touch the Prince of Nuremberg, you probably understand that it means you can
touch any of the other nobles. Well, I think everyone is well aware of how the church
treats nobles with contempt, thanks to the last Holy Trial case. No. Is that so?"

"Big, ma'am, then..."

"I'm not trying to argue with anyone here about the matter at that time, Marquis
Schweig. At this rate, we nobles will never be able to escape the status of being bats
who are attached to the imperial power and then to the church power. The clergy are
reaping the enormous tithes and tax revenues that double the clergy. It's a bonus to
be terrified of when the threat of assassination will come."

"A bat, you're exaggerating a bit..."

"Are you uncomfortable with that analogy? More than the claim that every time you
throw money into the treasury, your soul will escape Purgatory? Really, how can riches,
which add to the extravagant pleasures of the priests, save our souls? Even if they
claim to have cut ties, the fact that most of them are from aristocrats will not change,
so they should be treated as second-in-command forever, as there is nothing they can
do without the imperial family, the church, and our great aristocrats. What do you do
if you draw a wild beast, something that has no real meaning!"

As he chanted in an unstoppable tone, clearing his throat erupted from here and
there. Rather than an act of expressing discomfort, it was closer to a rather cluttered
atmosphere, revealing bitter feelings. The Duke of Steel, who seemed to be silently
watching the reactions, received the next word.

“It is as Mrs. Neubanstein said. The lord to whom we owe our allegiance is not enough
for His Majesty the Emperor, who shares the same lineage as our great aristocrats.
Church reform, including .
The Duke of Nuremberg, who already had a thousand dollars in his heart, issued a
fiery decree as if he were about to explode, so Count Müller, who had been weeping
alone in a corner of the dark balcony where the conspiracies (?) of the great nobles
were coming and going, finally calmed down a bit and finally spoke.

"Forgive me for my rudeness. Actually, my son passed away a while ago, and seeing my
nieces and nephews after a long time, I thought of my son without realizing it..."

When I heard that Count Müller's son had died, both Jeremy and I were stunned. It was
natural that he didn't know, as he had completely cut himself off from collateral
figures, but if he hadn't invited the Count to this occasion today, he would never have
known. Looking at the atmosphere, it seemed like everyone, including us, had never
heard of it.

"How could something like that happen... why didn't you tell me? Even at a funeral..."

"Actually, the funeral hasn't even been held yet. So, it seems that he subconsciously
believed that if the funeral was not held by this evening, that idiot would come back to
life..."

Count Mueller, who took off his mask and rubbed his eyes with his fingers, tried to
continue his speech, and looked very sorry for the despicable squirrel he once was. If
he was the son of Count Müller, he would be the age of Jeremy or Elias at most… … .

It was at that time that Nora, who had been silently observing the count's appearance,
took out a handkerchief from her inside pocket and quietly handed it to him. At this
simple and rare act of kindness, Count Müller was startled and wanted to stare
blankly at the kind young man, but then he grabbed Nora's hand and began to weep.
This made Nora very upset.

"No, I..."

"Keuheuheuk! Our tote!"

"Hey, this..."

Jeremy, whose chin was halfway down, quickly closed his mouth when our gaze met
mine. She then approached, muttering her words like prayers, and she began to try to
calm my uncle, but she caught herself by the hand. In the end, the two young men had
no choice but to help the weeping count amicably and go outside.
Did I say that there is no eternal mountain in the face of eternity? It feels like people
who once looked so majestic are just ordinary people one by one.

After Count Müller exited, a strange atmosphere briefly lingered between the rest of
us. They didn't say it out loud, but they all seemed to be absorbed in similar thoughts.
It seemed that the fact that Count Müller had lost his son at this time, combined with
the incident Nora had gone through, raised the most odious suspicions.

The death of Müller Young-yoon at a young age was extremely regrettable, and there
was absolutely no possibility that the church was involved in it, but there was no need
for me to break the mood here. Anyway, after a moment of silence, Count Hartenstein
spoke first.

"Kuhm, what a pity... Anyway, it seems that the Neubanstein and Nuremberg families
are already in agreement. I wonder if you'll allow it."

"Your Majesty will have no choice but to allow it."

"But if the Vatican tries to start hunting heretics in earnest, even His Majesty will be in
trouble..."

"The pasha's royal court has made an agreement with Madame Neuwanstein that if
the Holy See tries to suppress the Neuwanstein family and their like-minded people,
Safavid's Janissary Navy will tread on the Imperial shores. So, This hand is pretty
good."

"It feels like the scale is getting bigger and bigger than expected. However, if the
emperor regards the agreement with Safavid as colluding with outside forces and
considers it an insult to the imperial family..."

"I said that His Majesty would have no choice but to allow it."

The Duke of Nuremberg, who responded with a cold ice pick-like tone, raised his hand
and took off his mask. Immediately, that blazing blue flame-like gaze was revealed.

"To avoid losing the peace of the empire and the comfort of my son at the same time."
***

"It seems that the first step went smoothly. Everyone will roll their heads for a while."

“Because it hastily rushed to the Vatican and went beyond the scope where anyone
could call it heresy. It’s a problem involving not only two families, but also a foreign
army with a dirty reputation and my aunt. I don't even have a card."

"I think it's quite tempting. Especially if the condition is met that the young prince who
seems to follow you very well these days, who seems easy to be swayed by in-laws, will
sit on the throne in the future."

As soon as I threw the words out, Nora immediately tilted her head.

"Your Highness Letran?"

The two of us got out of the public eye and stood side by side in the hallway on the
third floor where the banquet was being held on the first floor of the main building.
Standing with arms crossed on the railing of the winding spiral staircase, the
masquerade ballroom looked like a stage where sparkling glass dolls gathered to play
their roles.

"That's not going to be what anyone wants."

"It would have been ridiculous in the past, but now it's a possibility, especially if your
father, and no one else, pushes for it."

"So, first of all, the possibility itself of my father..."

"No, Nora. Your father suggested it first. More like a notice than a suggestion."

“……For what reason?”

“Well… it seems that the current crown prince seems too friendly with the church that
almost succeeded in poisoning you?”
After carefully continuing the conversation, Nora wanted to stare at me for a moment
with a wavering look, then shook her head.

"Whether or not that guy is really in love with the church, it's a very poor justification to
weave it into a situation that's just heartbreaking."

"That's right. I don't think cause is that important to your father."

"No, sister. No matter what, my father will attack Theobald..."

"From my point of view, it didn't seem like the entire issue was that Highness Theobald
might be allying with the group that tried to harm you. I guess something more
personal was involved..."

Nora said nothing for a moment. The mask covering half of her face made her nervous
because she couldn't tell what expression she was making. Perhaps feeling my
watchful gaze, he finally opened his mouth again.

"I don't know what the heck it was, but it's ridiculous that you've been taking care of it
for so long and now you're doing it."

under. From Nora's point of view, this is an irrefutable statement. Even if you regret it
now or try to correct your mistakes, you can never undo the things that have already
passed... … . Even now, it's better than doing nothing.

"Anyway, I'll leave off the unpleasant topic, and seeing it earlier, my sister is
unexpectedly quite outspoken."

"It's surprising, I'm naturally unstoppable. Are you surprised?"

“Rather than being surprised… should I say it was charming?”

Aww? I pulled myself away from the railing and stepped back a bit, grinning.

"Really? How attractive was that?"

“Do I really have to put it into words?”

"Yeah. Isn't it important to express anything?"

So, hurry up and express it,” he added playfully. The guy who made a 'hmm' sound
while touching his chin with a gloved hand suddenly turned his body completely
toward me, and I flinched for a second. The next moment, his arms gently wrapped
around my shoulders, and his hot lips, as if on fire, gently pressed down on mine. The
feather-like kiss made me shudder. And as if he had never done that, he quickly pulled
away and stepped back, and regret took over instead.

“To the extent that I want to do this.”

"..."

“Have you been able to express yourself?”

The way he asks with his blue eyes shining innocently is somehow disgusting. I put my
hand on the chest that started to thump and thump at will, and I stammered at will.

"You, you... what if someone sees it..."

"The beauty of the masquerade is that it doesn't matter who sees it."

"Um, of course that's true, but..."

"but?"

"...you don't have to do it right!"

I uttered it without hesitation, and soon I felt like I wanted to find a mouse hole. Oh no,
what the hell did I just say! I'm crazy, I'm crazy! It's a shame because he was wearing a
mask. If it wasn't for that, you would have been able to clearly see what my expression
was like now.
Nora seemed completely frozen in place while I couldn't pick up what I had already
said. It was a shame because I couldn't see his expression either.

After a moment of devastated silence, Nora finally spoke. In other words, he broke her
back and burst into laughter!

“……Puhahahahaha!”

"Ooh, don't laugh! Don't laugh!"

"Poo, noona, puh, puh hahaha!"

"Don't laugh! I-I'm going!"

Anyway, this guy will die of boredom without me! I was hurriedly passing by, but the
guy who had been giggling at me about what was so fun about me quickly grabbed
my hand. Then, holding the other hand, he said in a voice still full of laughter.

"That's why... it's because I'm not confident..."

"What if you're not confident?"

"...So if I did more than that, I thought it would be difficult to stop. I mean, I've been
barely holding it in the whole time."

did you notice? I glared at the corner of his smirking mouth for a moment with a sullen
face, but then I understood the meaning perfectly and blushed. What was that?!

“It was truly a fantastic dance that melted all my heart.”

"ah……."

I just hesitated with my face blushing, then suddenly turned my head away as I
thought I heard a sound coming from the stairs.
"sister?"

"Oh, no. I just wanted to know who was there..."

"Oh, are you worried that your sister's lion cubs will see you?"

Are you worried that your kids won't see you? Of course I'm worried. Exactly how the
kids will react. But it couldn't be postponed forever. Furthermore, it was impossible to
force Nora to be secretive like this forever. The reason why he is not revealing his
affairs with me to anyone is purely because of my request. It made me feel apologetic
that I was forcing secrecy as if I was doing something bad to a guy who had nothing to
hold me back from.

"Sooner or later... I'll set a suitable time. So that you don't have to worry about
everything."

"Don't worry about me."

Nora shrugged her shoulders in a non-trivial tone, kissed the tip of my finger, and
brought her hand to my cheek.

“Because I can wait forever until my sister is ready.”

I didn't even know that it wasn't up to my decision. When has the world ever turned out
exactly as you predicted? No matter how much I came from the future, the present was
not in the palm of my hand.

Chapter 13 - Sunlight and Moonlight

It was well past midnight when the ball, which had been successful in many ways,
ended.

The half-exhausted Count Müller was in no condition to go home, so he had been

moved to the guest room by the attendants. It is impossible to know what life is like
when a situation arises in which children's relatives are put to sleep in our house after
living and living.

Anyway, after saying goodbye to the departing guests one by one and exchanging
commemorative gifts, I was exhausted (Elizabeth threatened me as she left, saying
that if I didn't stop by within a few days, she would break off the relationship).

"Ahh, I thought I was going to die because I was stuffy."

"You managed to use it well though? I thought you would take it off and throw it away
in the middle."

"What are you talking about, it's against chivalry to ruin your mother's party."

The twins started yawning and complaining that they were sleepy while Jeremy
grumbled in a very peculiar way.

I ordered the maids to get the two of them ready for bed, and approached the hero of
the day who was sitting quietly on the sofa for some reason.

"You look tired? Or were you not having fun?"

"..."

"Ellie? Why is today's hero so quiet?"

It was the moment I reached out to remove the mask, wondering if I had fallen asleep
like this. Elias, who had maintained an uncharacteristically lofty silence until all of her
guests had left and we gathered in the cozy drawing room, suddenly took off her mask
and threw her core onto the floor, squealing her loud roar.

"Then you must have enjoyed it?!"

His eyes widened at the sight of his anger. Jeremy, who was wandering around for no
reason, holding a cane-shaped candy and biting down on it, and the twins, who had
just left the door, also turned around with dumbfounded faces.
"What is it, little brother. Are you crazy?"

“Did you throw your concept on the roof? Where are you going to scream and scream?

"I don't look like I'm going to use evil then?! Hyung really has eyes for making friends!"

“Is this really crazy?

"Am I crazy? Am I crazy? Ha, I guess that question should go to my brother's friend, not
me?"

“What are you talking about right now…”

"No, you don't even have to go there, just ask the person here! About what the hell
Shuri was doing with a guy who was a friend of my brother!"

Elias, who had shouted with the force of destroying the entire mansion, stared at me
with a glaring gaze. At the same time as my heart pounded, my hand went up and
covered my mouth. My God, my God! Then that was... … . While I froze on the spot,
Jeremy glared intently at my sister, biting down on her candy in her mouth. she said
then she said

"What bullshit?"

"……Damn it! My brother's friend was just cuddling with him! He was poking his snout!
Judging by the look on his face, he doesn't seem to have any intention of denying it!"

I could see how my complexion changed. Elias growled with even more ferocity as
Jeremy turned to literal frozen eyes and looked back at me.

"Since when did you start?! Since when did you start having a relationship with him like
that?! Since when?!"

"Ellie, I...well, listen to me first..."

"Aren't you both insane?! How could that be?!"

"Then why not?"

It was none other than Rachel who suddenly intervened. She was about to leave her
room and came this way with her twin, who had a bewildered and bewildered look on
their faces. And Elias took on a look that claimed she was bewildered because she was
dumbfounded.

"Why not? Are you saying that now?!"

“Why is my little brother making such a fuss?

"Hey! You don't look like you're scolding?! What time is it now, and I'm bewitched by
that guy..."

"When is it? And the little brother like that is always the kind of love that he likes!"

"My, why am I here?! Are that problem the same as this one!"

"What's different? It wasn't unexpected at all?! Considering everything that's happened

so far, that Confucius..."

"Whether you expected it or not, it's different! Whoever it is, it's absolutely
unacceptable! I can't accept it even if I die! How could that be..."

"Mom is a person too! Mom is a person too!"

Even Elias flinched at the tremendous roar emitted by the lioness, who was recognized
by others as she stomped her feet with all her might.

As for me, I was just looking at Rachel with blank eyes. No matter how much she
noticed something, I didn't know that Rachel, an unpredictable child, would actively
take her side and give it to me.

"Nu-who said he wasn't a person?! I just, so how long has my father passed away..."
"Because it's already been 3 years since Daddy was buried?! How old is Mommy, and
she wants her to stay sober for the rest of her life, what?!"

"Who wanted to stay quiet! It's my father's anniversary soon! But how could this be!"

"It's a death date and you're sleeping, what the hell does that matter?! A living person
shouldn't live!"

"Shut up! I don't know what you are, but I will never accept it! I will never accept it until
dirt gets in my eyes..."

"You really can't shut up?!"

Jeremy, still frozen in shock, yelled out loud. Rachel and Elias, who had been roaring
amicably at the wind, all looked back at Jeremy with startled faces.

Rachel seemed surprised that she wasn't the target of the command, and Elias
seemed to be the exact opposite.

"What, hyung... can't you just agree with what this guy is saying right now? He's your
friend! How can I let this go..."

"Take hold of all the knights claiming to be from the zodiac and ask. Eight out of ten
will answer that Shuri is my friend. Are you insisting that at most Shuri, who is our age,
play with middle-aged people my father's age?"

"Aaagh! I'm not saying that! I mean, how could he betray my father!"

In an instant, my head was spinning. Betrayal... … That's how you feel. He feels that I
have betrayed his father. A hollow laugh burst out as she felt something hot welling up
in her chest. It occurred to me that it would have been the same even if it had been
three years instead of a month, ten years instead of three years.

If I hadn't remembered the seven years since my husband's death, if I hadn't gone
through such a disastrous death and returned to the past, I might not have felt this
sadness.
I can understand Elias' reaction like that, but on the other hand, I think it's a strange
feeling of sadness that I think that's exactly what he wanted from me. Or am I also
changing because of Nora's presence?

Seeing my bitter laugh, Jeremy moved and stood next to me. Then she spat out in a
bizarre, breathtaking voice that seemed to be suppressing something in her, just
before it exploded.

"If you mention father one more time, I'll pull out my tongue."

“What, what…… What…… Why are you even acting like this?!

"It is an act of exceeding authority that we tolerate and talk about sleeping."

A moment of silence passed. While me and Elias stared at Jeremy with almost equally
lost faces, Leon, who had not said a word until now and just listened to her siblings
with a blank expression, quietly opened her mouth.

“Something… I thought we would always be the only ones.”

"Leon..."

"It's just like that. It's definitely not the development I was deducing."

And Leon quietly turned his back and left the room. Elias shouted again in a
triumphant tone before I could catch him.

"Even our smart guy doesn't like it! Are there only two normal people, me and Leon?"

“Well, rather than not liking Leon…”

"Shut up! You look like half of your twins! It seems like you've been possessed by
someone when you go to Safavi.
"If I rip your muzzle finely, you'll never be able to tell our sister to shut up again."

“……Ton, why is this only happening to me?! I honestly thought that you would turn the
corner the most!

Jeremy didn't respond to Elias' almost outrageous cry. He just looked at me with
complicated eyes.

I was barely able to keep my mouth shut. My heart was pounding to the point of
jumping out of my mouth.

"I've been thinking about how to explain it to you guys."

"..."

"I thought I wouldn't be able to accept it easily...but honestly, I was just confused as to
what had happened..."

"I like you?"

"uh?"

"Do you really like him. That guy."

Jeremy's voice, asking slowly, was gentle enough to feel a sense of incongruity. It's
more like she's trying to contain her own outbursts, rather than doing so to prevent
her opponent from exploding. Of course, I'm not in a situation where I'm going to
explode.

I caught my breath, feeling Elias' blazing stare at me. Then he answered in a half
pleading tone.

"I really like you... I don't want to apologize to you guys for that. Please understand..."

"Ha! It's all crazy, crazy! I can't admit it even if I die!"

Elias, who had screamed until the end, ran out. Behind him, Rachel quacked as well.

"Ah, that idiot goes all the way! Go ahead and slip and fall!"

Udangtang!

Sure enough, as soon as Rachel shouted, there was a loud roar and a short scream,
followed by the sound of swearing harshly. I cried reflexively.

"Aren't you hurt?"

“……Don’t mind!”

“Anyway, is that guy going to that level no matter what he does?”

Jeremy, who showed a tongue-tied look, eventually turned to me and smiled. It wasn't
the usual mischievous smile, but a soft, subdued smile.

"Never mind. He'll say that too."

"Jeremy..."

"Well, I wondered which lucky guy I'd become... Anyway, I'm going to go get some rest
today. You look tired. Let's talk again tomorrow."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded weakly. If I talk more in this state, what kind of
progress will there be? For now, I have to calm down and think about it carefully.

"Shuri?"

"yes?"
“……No. Good night.”

"... you sleep well too."

Usually, especially on a tiring night after an event like a banquet, it was rare for Elias
to barge into his brother's quarters in the middle of the night.

However, on this night when the truly amazing (?) truth was revealed, Elias found
himself boldly entering the room without knocking in search of his trembling brother.

"Talk to me!"

To his brother's unusual behavior, Jeremy, who had not yet changed his clothes and
was sitting by the bed, lost in thought, reacted in a very unusual way as well.

"sit down."

"..."

Of course, Elias, who knew something would fly right away, hesitated for a moment, as
if he had entered without hesitation, but then he obediently pulled a chair and sat
down. Then she groaned and she growled.

"How can you be so casual?!"

“……do I look okay in your eyes?”

"Ah, anyway, even if I get dirt in my eyes, I won't see him again! Next time I see him, I'll
definitely put an arrow through his condescending face..."

"It would be good for your mental health if you just shut up and let it go."

"What, what?"
“It would be good for your health if you accepted it as soon as possible.”

Jeremy's voice was terrifyingly low as he murmured softly.

Elias stared at Jeremy's bowed head with his mouth open for a moment, then growled
again.

"What on earth are you thinking? Shuri might end up leaving us because of him..."

"Is that what you're afraid of? That Shuri might leave?"

"Everything, of course. In a little while, it's my father's anniversary..."

"Did our father say betrayal knowing what kind of husbands you and my father were?"

This time, Elias flinched and opened his eyes wide. Something is strange. I don't know
what it is, but it's strange anyway. What is the yoga of that question?

"So that's why I don't know... No, but why is my father? At least as far as I can remember,
my father always only knew him. Every time he went somewhere, he gave him a dress or
a ring as a gift..."

"..."

"What, bro? Do you know something I don't know?"

It was then that the door, which had been firmly closed, was once again thrown open
at will.

There were only twins in the family who could do this other than Elias. As if he had
guessed that the two of them would be doing this, the twins, who had come in
amicably hugging pillows, walked in confidently and settled down in a corner of the
luxurious residence.
Rachel was the first to speak.

"Okay, everyone stop arguing. Especially little brother! What's so shocking and
scolding? I expected it to be like this a long time ago!"

"What? Hey, you..."

"I already told my eldest brother, but my mom never showed signs of sleepwalking
when I went to Safavi with my mom, on the way there, there, or on the way back, like
she did every time a particular guest stayed here. I guess that means something." ?"

Elias stared blankly at his sister's mouth for a while, then gave up.

"What, what do you mean! It's just a coincidence! Or did the condition disappear just in
time..."

“The main cause of sleepwalking is said to be anxiety inherent in the unconscious. I

checked and contrasted all the dates my mother took for a night walk so far, and as a
result, nothing happened every time the black prince was around. In other words, only
God knows about the mother’s anxiety. The cause of this is that the existence of that
Confucius somehow eliminates it."

Leon, chanting as if he were reading a mystery novel, pushed his glasses up the
bridge of his nose and glared at the brothers alternately. And Elias was now dazed
and her jaw dropped.

“Hey, what the heck is that…… does that make sense?!

"Let's see, first of all, needless to say about the Divine Trial, and this time, as well as my
mother going abroad, I followed her..."

"Ha, but that happened a long time ago! The symptoms of sleepwalking began before
that..."

“Only God knows why my mother feels relieved every time that Confucius is around.
Maybe even her mother doesn’t know, this requires more in-depth psychological
knowledge…”
“You, why are you suddenly changing your attitude?!

"Well, to be honest, I once had the naive thought that we would be alone forever, but
it's actually nonsense, isn't it?

Rachel nodded eagerly at Leon's words, and Elias's mouth opened wider and wider
until his chin reached the floor. She was ready to drool if she had to.

"Who...... Who wants to hug you?! Everyone is doing this because they couldn't see what
the two of them were doing earlier!

"Don't be vulgar, little brother. Who are you in a position to call your brother sneaky?"

"Hey!"

"what!"

As Elias and Rachel continued to grapple, Leon quietly turned his head to look at the
eldest brother, who was just watching the commotion with a wry smile.

"Older brother... are you okay now?"

Jeremy slightly wrinkled his eyes at the question he heard quietly from his little
intellectual brother. It was a strange question. Are you okay now, what the hell?

"Well, I expected it to end up like this."

Leon only responded with a meaningful look.

Jeremy also didn't say anything in particular expecting an answer, so he just laughed
self-deprecatingly and ran his hand through his golden hair.

yes. I figured it would work out in the end anyway. It's going to be like this, this is the
right procedure. In that way, I had already made up my mind, so the shock was not as
big as I thought.
Even the bitter feelings wriggling faintly at the bottom were tolerable. Nevertheless,
why does the fire keep soaring inside?

Having your family, who is more precious than anyone else, stolen from you by a
friend?

I had assumed that one day this would happen, but when it happened, I was furious.

According to common sense, how many people would be able to laugh it off and say,
"Heh heh, that's right," if one day a precious family member suddenly fell in love with
his friend?

In addition, the dramatic reaction that Elias is currently showing was contributing to
his irritation. Of course, since he's a guy who only knows how to feel, it's not that he
doesn't understand that kind of reaction.

But does it have to come out like that? Should he come out like that and force him to
expose their father's ugly side to his younger siblings? For whom?

Jeremy did not want his younger siblings to share the heavy burden that would hang
in the corner of his heart and never go away. He hoped that his younger siblings
would not feel the same feelings of grief, shame, and shame that he felt after knowing
the truth.

But if Elias continued to appear like that, he would have no choice but to speak. Do
you even know what kind of husband her father was, so none of us dared to let her
Shuri give up the happiness she felt.

“……Ah, anyway, I am absolutely against it!

… … I just want to beat that stupid younger brother at random so he can't whimper
anymore. I also want to beat my extremely unlucky friend. I also want to pursue my
father, who is already gone, to hell and commit immorality by beating him up.

It was. Currently, Jeremy has a lot of people he wants to beat.

***

From an early age, Nora, who had been subjected to intense mental pressure far from
friendly emotions by blood ties, and had a bad relationship with her father, as is
usually the case with the heir of a bad family, Nora did not like her relatives.

Especially if it was a grandfather who was so naive and selfish that even his father,
with whom he had a bad relationship, could not hide his disapproval, and had an
extraordinary knowledge of scratching people.

Such a grandfather visits from the wee hours of the morning without any
communication (no surprise here), mocking the interior of the hall as vulgar (no
surprise there either) When I tossed a portrait of a woman, Nora's reaction was, of
course, unpredictable.

"What is this?"

"How can this guy named the successor of Nuremberg have such a bad memory? Isn't
it the second princess of the Teutonic Kingdom who visited the last banquet to
commemorate the founding of the country?"

For a moment, Nora thought of the foreign visitors who visited the imperial palace at
the banquet to commemorate the founding of the country last summer. There were
Teutonic princes and princesses among them, of course. However, the reason why he
couldn't immediately recall their faces was not because his memory was bad, but
because he was completely focused on one person at the time.

“Hey, they say wolves are wolves even when you’re old. Are you planning to remarry
when you’re old?”

As if having fun, I laughed and smirked.

Nora clicked her tongue as she quickly ducked her head to avoid the ashtray.

"What's the point of being so shy?"

"Well, anyway, like teasing your snout! Who do you resemble to that point?!"
"He looks like his grandfather's son. Considering the age of the other princess, isn't
this a complete thief?"

"Who said he's my wife! It's yours, you guy who just looks at this guy makes my heart
explode!"

"That father... This seems too sudden..."

"Heide, you fall in love! Albrecht may have recognized you, but I am not. To be honest,
if you had been healthier and had seen more successors..."

"Don't shout at your mother."

When Nora, who had been laughing terribly and laughing, hardened her expression
and growled, the decrepit former duke withdrew his gaze from his pale daughter-in-
law and began to stare at his grandson again.

"Your age will already be eighteen by next June. It's more than enough time to get
married. It's better to marry a foreign princess than a daughter from a decent family
in the imperial family..."

"I have no intention of marrying anyone."

"Is this when you're sitting around talking nonsense like that!"

“If you are worried about the future of the Jeong-Gree family, why don’t your
grandfather get married himself?

"This, this son of a bitch!"

Whiririk!

What flew this time was none other than a staff. The rosewood wand flew past Nora's
shoulder, which she avoided by moving quickly once more, and was caught in the
hand of a third person who had just entered the room after hearing the commotion.
For a moment there was stillness. While even the person who threw the cane hesitated,
Duke Hyun, who deftly grabbed the weapon (?) that had flown in front of him with one
hand, glanced at the family gathered in the hall for a while, but before long, he spat
out in a way that was absurd.

"This is... No, Father, what the hell are you doing here without communication?"

"Ha! You're talking like you're invading a place I can't come to!"

“Strictly speaking, it is an invasion.

"Was the seat you were sitting in yours from the start?"

"It was planned from the beginning. Did you come so early in the morning to remind
me of humility?"

"Who came to see you and your son's arrogant face? Since you're sitting there with
your hands on your hands, didn't I come to set things right for my grandson?"

exclaimed the former duke furiously and pointed to the portrait on the table.

The Duke of Hyun stared at the portrait for a while, then suddenly turned his gaze to
his son. As for his son, he was glaring at his father and grandfather with dangerous
eyes on the verge of exploding.

"... By what right does a father straighten out his son's future?"

"Rights?! Are you talking about rights to me right now?!"

"We will decide our son's marriage. My father has no authority in that matter. That
period is over..."

"Isn't it time to say such carefree things! Anyway, that son is that father! Your son
passed the edge of death several times after being possessed by a certain widow, did
you even think of the old days while watching that?! I'd rather take this opportunity at
all than let it continue..."
"Don't bring up old stories. And if you're in such a hurry to get married, why don't you
do it yourself?"

"Albrecht!"

"Hey, you insidious bastard! You know for sure that you won't be hanging around by
this time, so just come out!"

The tremendous roar that came from out of nowhere and ripped through the air was
well-timed to be believable, even if it was intentional.

While the wolves gathered in the hall all looked the same, as if they had made a
promise together, a loud roar rang out once more, which was not at all suitable for
this place.

"Where are you hiding with your tail?! Can't you come out right away?! If you don't
come out within 10 seconds, I will absolutely cut you off today!"

It was a terrifying warning that would surely make a man's hamstrings tingle.

Nora met the eyes of the adults glaring at her for a moment, then swallowed a sigh
and strode out of the hall and approached the place where the source of the roar in
question was.

"What is it, the roar of misfortune from the morning? Do you think this is your area?"

Jeremy, who had given the knights of the Duke's residence absolute confusion and
fear by boldly storming into the front yard of the wolf's den from the dawn of time and
roaring at random at Nora's shameless remarks, which were both calm and weak, and
even showed signs of patheticness. jumped up Then he punched Nora, who was
halfway down the stairs.

peck!

Nora stumbled for a moment, then regained her balance and raised her hand to
touch her tingling mouth. For a brief moment, she wanted to pass a stunned look into
her blue eyes, but soon burst out laughing that she knew. And Jeremy, in her
astonishment, became a ferocious expression that seemed to claim that she was
stunned.

"Are you laughing? Are you laughing now?!"

“……No. If you want to hit more, hit now.”

"what?"

“If you want to hit it, hit it as much as you want.

Jeremy silently glared at his friend's shameless face for a moment, then obediently
followed his words.

puck!

And the courageous knights of the duke's residence became at a loss for what to do.
Judging by the atmosphere, it was not worth intervening, and even so, it was
impossible to abandon the duty to protect Confucius.

To make matters worse, the duke, who came out to find out what the hell was going on
in the courtyard of his house, pulled out a pipe with a look of absurdity, biting into it,
and watching, further amplifying the confusion of the knights.

Nora, who had been beaten meekly for three or four generations, suddenly raised her
hand and grabbed the flying fist of her friend. Then, before Jeremy could growl, 'Leave
this,' he declared.

"I'm canceling what I said earlier. I can't stand it anymore."

puck!

This time, Jeremy's body staggered greatly.

Soon the two young men, shouting incomprehensible curses at each other, got along
well, but tangled up, rolled down the stairs, and started tossing and turning on the
grass in the beautifully decorated yard.

This show, which took place with a group of dark knights and a middle-aged duke as
audiences, seemed more like a fight, rather than a fight.

"The very fact that you were born is a disaster for the empire. You sneaky bastard! Do
you think I will hand over our Shuri to you? You dare to covet your neighbor's mother,
you bastard!"

"What! Yes, I kissed your mother! Okay?! Call me Daddy!"

"You shameless son of a bitch! I'd rather be a son of a bitch who will go down in history
than have a father like you?!"

"I'd rather cut off the line than have a son like you!"

By the time the two knights, who had been fighting so madly for a long time,
complaining that they couldn't bear to be heard, finally gasped for breath and
declared a truce, the bluish dawn light was fading and dawn was slowly breaking out.

The image of the two people lying side by side on the mangled grass, battered and
mangled, was far from the romantic chivalry known to the world.

"Heh... heh... when the hell did it start?"

“……heh…… heck…… from Safavi.”

It was true that it was like leaving the sheep to the wolf. Jeremy swallowed tears of
grief as he lifted her leg and kicked her friend in the leg. Nora didn't lose either and
kicked him in the shin.

The two young men exchanged more childish kicks for a long time, until finally,
completely exhausted, they sprawled.

"Puhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, but how did you know?"

"Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu... There is a saying between parents and children that
pretending is pretending."

“……Puuu…… he’s fucking.”

A cool morning breeze blew through the sweaty hair of the two young men.

Jeremy held his breath for a while, stared at the sky as it gradually brightened, and
then sat up with his upper body jumped up. She then tapped her foot on Nora's foot
as she was still lying there.

"Hey."

"what."

"Are you sure?"

"what?"

“Are you sure you can make me happy? Can you promise not to make me sad no
matter what?”

Nora sat up quietly and met her friend's glowing eyes. Perhaps it was because of the
morning mist, but for a moment, it seemed that the dark green eyes were watery.

"If I said yes, would you believe me right away?"

“……Last night, the son of Elias went on a rampage with crab foam. It seems like he
happened to see the two of you.”

"..."
"The twins surprisingly didn't seem to have much resistance, but the problem is Elias.
Do you know what I was thinking while that stupid guy ran amok, asking Shuri how he
could do that?"

"What were you thinking?"

“I wonder if Shuri will suddenly come up with a memory that shouldn’t come to her
mind. Like she did the last time I put on that goddamn necklace, I wonder if she’ll
suddenly lose her mind, and then I’ll lose all my memories. Do you know if I was
nervous?"

Jeremy's face was miserable as he muttered in a bittersweet tone. She was miserable,
she was miserable. Nora just stared at that face in silence.

"Only God knows if Shuri really doesn't remember, or if she's pretending not to
remember. However, it's true that she doesn't remember when I see her. And I pray to
God, please, that those painful memories won't come back. And there's something I
didn't tell you..."

"..."

"It may be a coincidence, but even during the Safabi delegation period... I've never had
any symptoms of sleepwalking when you're around."

The murmur that flowed slowly was low. At the same time, it contained something like a
strange trembling. It was as if he was desperately suppressing his crying. After a
heavy, indescribable silence, Nora finally spoke up.

"So are you afraid that such a being will betray your sister? Do you think I will try to
swallow her alive like your father?"

"……I."

"I'm not going to swear anything just to ease your anxiety."

Jeremy immediately frowned at these remarks, which even sounded cold. Draw it or
not, Nora continued.
"I'll do my best. Even so, sometimes unintentionally disappointing my sister or making
her cry. I can guarantee that."

"..."

"But I swear I won't hurt you no matter what. And no matter what, I won't leave you."

The calm blue gaze calmly faced the wildly shimmering green one.

Jeremy, who had that expression in his eyes, lowered his gaze to the floor. Then, with
the back of her hand, she began rubbing her eyes roughly. Nora clicked her tongue,
thinking she didn't have a very nice view.

“Don’t be salty often.”

“……You didn’t salt it?!”

The Duchess of Nuremberg, which had been in a commotion since the dawn of time,
was once again immersed in a solemn yet calm atmosphere, as if it had never been
there. It was to the point of believing that nothing had happened, except for
Confucius' disfigured face as a result of the commotion.

Nora, who was running out of the mansion with her still throbbing jaw and her sword
loosely packed, was stopped by an unexpectedly unpleasant voice.

“Where are you going without eating?”

“Why are you so interested in where I am going?”

“Because I was curious about where he was going with that face on.”

Nora frowned at the sight of her father approaching with a low reply.

"I'm leaving the house. Are you okay?"

"Did your friend say let's run away together?"

"What reason would that guy have to run away? It's not like anyone else is suffering
from his grandfather who can't tell where to wear it."

"Then where are you going alone?"

"...I'm going to assassinate the crown prince. From what I've heard, there's a rumor that
the crown prince will be replaced sooner or later. It's better to take care of it in
advance."

Even though the provocation was clearly sarcastic, the duke simply lowered his eyes
with an ignorant face. It was a reaction she was not used to, so Nora twitched her
eyebrows.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

"Well, now that I've drawn my sword, I'll have to go all the way. I'm probably going to
assassinate the pope. This country won't need a pope anymore."

"That's an ambitious plan. And?"

“If I am lucky enough to survive, I will go to propose to the woman I love.”

"It's a romantic ending. It would be perfect if it stayed the same."

The duke slowly raised his head and expressed his appreciation in a slow but gentle
tone.

Nora bit her lip and avoided the Duke's gaze.

“……It’s not the perfect ending I think.”

"Yes? Why?"

"I'm a knight, not an assassin. I don't want to give her less than glorious flowers."

It was. Shuri should have been treated much better than that. Swallowing those
thoughts, Nora stared at her father with burning eyes.

“……I will never enter into a marriage contract with anyone I don’t want. No matter how
anxious my grandfather or father is.

"Is Mrs. Neubanstein very important to you?"

Are you that important?

Nora swallowed a laugh and clenched one fist. Even though he was never someone I
wanted to confide in, his words flowed freely, probably because he was boiling inside.

Perhaps it was because of a desperate sense of duty to persuade her, even for her
comfort. After all, for her sake, he would make her kneel before her father.

"She's the only one who breathes and animates me. A person like my father wouldn't
understand. Even if I got an entire empire, no, an entire world, it wouldn't do me any
good without her. Even if she stayed alive, I'd die mentally. Eventually, it will destroy
itself, shattering itself and everything around it.”

"Yeah...that's exactly how I feel."

Stretching out his horse's tail, the duke moved the corners of his mouth into a bitter
smile.

"If I lose you."

Silence passed. Unlike the Duke, who was staring at his son with solid, unwavering
eyes, Nora's eyes could not shake in confusion and were swaying like rough waves.
Something cracked and cracked as the two blue eyes collided. The voice that rang
after a while was also half cracked.

“……What do you want from me…?”

"Well."

Muttering bitterly, the Duke lowered his gaze again.

"For now... I just want you to tell me what you want. Just like before."

"You fought with Nora...?!"

"Don't worry too much. I hit you one more time."

"Jeremy!"

"Khem, actually I think I got another shot."

I was stunned by Jeremy's act of talking so eloquently with a face that was literally
ruined.

Oh my God, I wondered where he disappeared without a word from the puppet dawn,
did he go to fight Nora?

"What the hell... what kind of face is this? Oh my God, look at the cracked lips!"

"Ouch. Don't touch me too hard. It hurts."

"It didn't hurt when you were hit?!"

“It didn’t hurt!

I shook my head and ordered the maids to bring me a pot of medicine. While I
carefully dispensed the ointment from the round jar, Jeremy seemed to be watching
me, and then she asked in a cautious tone that didn't match at all.

“Hey…you’re not angry that I hit him, are you?”

"Let's be realistic. You didn't hit me, it was just a friendly exchange."

"Ah, anyway! You're not mad at me for having a fight with that guy, are you?"

"What are you talking about? You made our eldest son's golden face like this. If you
want to get angry, you should do it to him."

He said that, but on the inside, he felt sorry for Nora and didn't know what to do. Of
course, Jeremy and Nora are her friends, and from Jeremy's point of view, it's
something that he can go and play with, but... … . Well, what about men anyway!
Anyway, my answer must have been quite satisfactory, so Jeremy gave me a very
satisfied smile.

"That bastard's face was also formidable. No, it must be worse than me."

“……Hmm.”

"Why, why? Can't you believe it?! You think he's stronger than me? Is that so? Wow, that
kind of favoritism already! I'm hurt!"

Are you going to speak of favoritism to this guy now? On the other hand, I was grateful
that he was being playful like usual. If Jeremy had even started expressing her
disapproval or distancing herself from me over things between me and Nora, she
really wouldn't know what to do.

"Aww!"

"Stay still. They say that you have to apply all of this to get better quickly. So, what did
you talk about after fighting hard?"
"What are you talking about! I sat down on him and warned him to watch! If he brings
tears to your eyes, I'll rip his legs off right away!"

Well, Jeremy sitting on Nora and giving her a savage warning. It seems like something
is seriously distorted. Is it because of my mood? I smiled while ignoring the smoke of
disbelief rising from a corner of my heart.

“Did you come to say that…?”

"Then did you think I was going to make a fuss about getting away from you? Even if I
said that, no one would listen, but to be honest, no one cares for you as much as he
does. And over the past few days, you've seemed to be exceptionally shining. Well, if
you're happy, I have nothing more to ask for. ."

My hand, which was applying ointment around his bruised eye, hesitated. It seems that
he has become a foolish expression without even realizing it.

"What are you so surprised about? I've told you many times before."

"Jeremy..."

"I don't know how lucky that bastard was to win your heart, but whether he's my friend
or not doesn't really matter. What matters is how good he is to you. You have to be
happy or I won't let him go."

The kind and warm words brought tears to my eyes. I even forgot that I had been
applying the ointment a while ago and got up and put my arms around his head. Then
he kissed the soft golden crown of his head.

"Thank you, Jeremy. Thank you so much for saying that..."

It was then that completely unexpected voices were heard.

“Since when did your older brother talk so well?”

"It's a huge step forward. It's funny to talk seriously with a face like that."
“……Rachel? Leon?”

I don't know how long it had been there, but the twins who had been watching Jeremy
and me with their heads sticking out from the doorway rushed in. Then we took our
seats and sat down on the sofa one by one.

“Old brother, tell me honestly. Did you come here on purpose because you wanted to
antagonize your mother?”

"……My dear sister. You are hurting my heart. Actually, I wish it was like that!"

While Rachel and Jeremy were having such a heartwarming (?) conversation, I looked
at Leon with an uneasy feeling. It wasn't as good as Elias last night, but he was Leon,
who showed a rather bubbly reaction, so he had been thinking all night about what to
say.

However, Leon looked at me with a nonchalant face, cracking at the cookies placed in
the center of the table, and then grunted and asked this question.

"But Mom, then that Gongja will be my father?"

Silence fell. Jeremy, who was staring at Leon with her half-fazed face, how long the
awkward silence that was difficult to describe must have passed, and before long, he
let out a squealing roar.

"Daddy, who is the father?!"

"Ah, it's a surprise. Why is the big brother using evil?"

"Because you sound awful!"

"It's terrible, I'm definitely going to follow the genealogical facts that were
predestined..."

"Stop it!"
"Hagi, from the point of view of the eldest brother, it's a bit like that. Isn't that lower in
rank than a friend?"

“What are you talking about, sister! A son surpasses his father in every way… no, not
this!

A burst of laughter erupted from Jeremy scratching his arm as if imagining it was
terrifying. Rachel giggled while covering her mouth with her hand, and then looked
back at me with her eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad I met someone who can make my mom happy, right?"

"Thank you, my daughter."

Truly, my daughter is the best! I swallowed the tears of emotion and opened her arms
and hugged Rachel tightly. Then Leon shouted.

"Huh? What, big brother and Rachel did it, so why don't I do it? This is favoritism!"

… … It seems that the story of favoritism in our family is no longer the exclusive
property of Elias.

I smiled and put my other arm around Leon's shoulder and kissed his golden crown
tightly. To me, who said what others said, the recognition of these kids was the most
important thing. I'm glad, I'm really glad

… … I can't say I'm completely lucky yet, but I mean.

I swallowed a weak sigh as I glanced sideways at the southern wing where Elias'
residence was. Jeremy, apparently noticing my signs, cleared her throat.

"Never mind him, just leave him alone."

“……But I haven’t even had breakfast and I’m just shutting myself away… I can’t think of
anything like this.”
"What are you going to do?"

"I'll hold on to it and talk to you. I'm sure you'll be hungry, but I want to know how long
you're going to stay like that..."

"But mom, little brother, you're going to say something mean again...!"

"Haraji. He's originally that kind of guy, so what can I do?"

So I left behind the three siblings who were trying to dissuade me and headed straight
to Elias' residence.

Standing in front of the thick, tightly closed door, he took a short deep breath before
carefully raising his hand and knocking.

smart smart

"Ellie?"

"……go away!"

Unsurprisingly, a bitter laugh leaked out by itself at the immediately heard shouting.

"Ellie, talk to me."

"I have nothing to say! If I don't say I'm going to end it with him..."

"Come out first. You didn't even eat breakfast."

"It doesn't matter if you do or not!"

"If you don't want to talk to me, come out and have a meal. Also, don't go into the
kitchen and steal something..."

"My, when did I do that?! I won't eat anything until you finish it with him!"

Are you saying you're going to go on a hunger strike? With patience, I knocked on the
door once more.

"Ellie, don't do that, come out and talk to me. Please listen to me first..."

"What's there to do or not listen?! I'm not going to talk to you or even step out of this
room until you've finished with that dark bastard!"

"Are you threatening me? What kind of childish threat is the kid who said he became
an adult yesterday?"

"Think what you want! If you want to see me starve to death, do what you want!"

"Please don't talk nonsense. Why are you starving to death if you're starving to death?"

"Because he's going to die?! Whether he's starving or hanging, he's going to die, so try
to have a good time with him!"

"Ellie……."

"If you want to see me die in front of your eyes, why don't you keep playing with him!
Ha! If you want to be branded as a mother who killed her child because of a man..."

… … What's up and what's up?

For a moment, I thought my head was spinning. When I came to my senses the next
moment, for the first time since the gambling incident the other day, I was pushing
through Elias's door.
Immediately after that, Elias, who was sitting awkwardly by the window with only a
gown on, jumped down in fright.

"What, what?! What is this..."

"Die? Are you dying right in front of me?!"

"Oh, no, so you..."

"So your ultimate goal is to spread the word that I killed a bastard who only talked
about being distracted by a man? Is that so?!"

"No, that's just a metaphor..."

"How can you say something like that so casually! How did I raise you guys and then
say you'll die right in front of me? How can you say something like that to me?!"

"So I'm you..."

"Ha, it's my fault. It's all my fault. I'm going to die! By the way, I'm going to die, a wicked
stepmother who makes her stepson feel suicidal!"

In addition to being upset, my voice broke out involuntarily, probably because the
words Elias had said the day before came to mind and my emotions intensified. And
Elias' face went white in an instant.

"Shu, shuriii!"

"Mommy!"

"Mah, mani!"

My voice must have been a little too loud. Hey, I don't think I've ever screamed like this.
Anyway, while I was sitting on the floor and sobbing, children, servants, and knights all
rushed in and started making a fuss, not knowing what to do.
"Hey! I finally thought your baby would be going to work!"

"Ah, no, I just... Shu, Shuri, I did it wrong! I did it all wrong! I'm canceling the words of
dying! I just said it... Ahh! I really just did it!"

"Even if it's just something I've said, how can you say something like that?! Anyway, my
little brother says his snout is the problem!"

"Right, right! How could you say that to your mother?! Big brother, hit me some more!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah! It's wrong!

"No, don't you know that a frog is killed by a stone thrown as a joke?!"

“How can someone who has gone through the coming-of-age ceremony be so reckless,
no, careless, no, no conception?!”

"No, I, hey..."

"Are you feeling refreshed now? Why the hell does the young master boil his insides
like this every time?!"

Not only the children, but our maid and butler, as well as the knights, all helping each
other with a word, left Elias literally immobilized. She was just trying to protect her
head from her brother's flying fists, scurrying around.

I watched the pity for a while longer, and finally got up with a sob. Then he opened his
mouth while feeling the countless and nervous gazes pouring down all at once.

"Are you going to eat...?"

"I'll eat! I'll eat!"

Chapter 14 - The setting sun, the rising sun

"...another year goes like this."

These were the words Emperor Maximilian, who was standing with his hands behind
his back and gazing at the late autumn view of the imperial palace turning brown,
murmured after a while. Albrecht did not respond.

"Looks like Jim is getting older too. Seeing as every fall passes, he can't help but think
of the old days."

"..."

“You will remember. It was the autumn when the four of us went all the way to
Langennes to find the Philosopher’s Stone. It was so amazing..."

"...no one recognized who we were."

"That's why I think it was more fun. Thinking back, nothing was rough at that time. As
long as you and I, Johenus and Ludovica were together, I thought that anything in the
world was possible... I wasn't afraid of anything. Not even God."

"..."

"Maybe that's the power of youth. Han Jim's youth ended too soon... it ended the
moment she died. Leaving behind a clot of blood that couldn't even walk... My missing
son... Albrecht, is this your revenge on me? Revenge for having taken her from me?"

Albrecht quietly lowered the pipe. Standing upright, his old friend and lord's back
stared at his blue eyes, which were infinitely cold.

"I don't know if it's Yochen's friend or His Majesty, but her convictions are steeped in
distant memories, and she has no thoughts or hobbies to live up to her age. And if
something happens to His Highness Theobald, will His Majesty be the kind of person
who won't blink an eye?"
The emperor, who had been silently turning his back at the strange reproachful tone,
finally turned his head. The piercing golden gaze and the cold blue gaze collided
violently.

"After Ludovika died, you didn't say a word until Jim married your sister, and you just
stood by. Was this your goal after all? Having the imperial family taken over by
wolves...?"

"Did you see that?"

"What the hell are you up to? Jim sent Mrs. Neubanstein to Safavi for some reason,
and I hear reports that not only did she and the Safavi royal family hold hands, but
you fell in love with their ideology! What the hell! How can I bet that there is a true cult
behind your son's near death? Could it be that the Safavids plotted behind the
scenes!"

"..."

"That alone is enough to make you feel full, but now you're conspiring with the
empress to make Letran the crown prince? Jim has always thought that you and
Theobald had a pretty special relationship, but it seems they weren't! Or was it all just
a thorough play? Isn't it a cunning bloodline? See, it was all just a ruse? Who the hell
are you? I thought I knew you better than anyone else, but now I feel like I don't even
know who you are!"

Shouting as if vomiting blood, Maximilian raised his hand and struck hard at the
colorful damask fabric niche.

Albrecht looked up for a moment and looked at the platinum eagle pattern engraved
on the ceiling before calmly opening his mouth.

"There is nothing that will harm Your Majesty if the Church collapses. Isn't it Your
Majesty who gnashed his teeth at the Pope more than anyone else?"

"Are you treating me like an idiot now? Even a snoring kid would know what the
difference is between simply weakening the church power and having it disappear
altogether! In the end, only the nobles will benefit! You and those goddamn nobles!
Furthermore, Theobald Even if he gets close to some of the cardinals, that's just a
natural move as the crown prince of the empire! Are you going to pay for it by all
means by hanging around with social issues that you have to endure as a crown
prince?"
"..."

"You're right, I don't have much affection for my children. That doesn't mean that I
can't allow anyone to try to infringe on the rights of my bloodlines. Theobald is the
child Ludovica left behind! Her soul. In order to honor Theobald, he must inherit the
throne!"

"It seems that His Majesty still doesn't understand the nobles properly."

Albrecht sighed coldly and narrowed his eyes.

"Most of the nobility of the imperial capital have already begun to turn their backs on
the church. Not only the imperial capital, but also other regions. This means that anti-
papal sentiments are beginning to spread throughout the country. In this situation,
His Majesty will not depose His Highness Theobald as soon as possible. If you don't,
Your Highness will be embroiled in future conflicts and suffer great disgrace. It would
be better for you to give up the position of crown prince than to suffer humiliation
that is difficult to endure as a member of the royal family."

"Shame and humiliation, isn't it a declaration that if Jim eventually overturns the
ruined prince case, he will associate Theobald with the church and cause him to fall?
Is that the will of the nobles? What the hell does he have to do with him..."

“You are welcome, Your Majesty. It is completely based on your convictions.”

A moment of silence passed. While the emperor looked with eyes claiming that he was
seriously doubting his ears, the Duke of Steel added in a more subdued voice.

"I don't want to go that far, so I'm giving you a choice... considering your beliefs and
your majesty's friendship."

"What the hell... did you not love that child? That child is Ludovika's..."

"If you had turned your eyes to your children rather than to Ludovica's, if Your Majesty
had turned to your children rather than embraced by the women who fill Ludovica's
void, then Johenus If I hadn't put Ludovika's illusion on a little girl, I would have been
facing a different day than we all do."

Albrecht's voice, spoken in a bitter tone, was mixed with a strange resonance. As a
result, Maximilian's face also showed bewilderment instead of anger.
He would do that, too, because it was the first time he had ever seen a close friend he
had known all his life speak in such a self-deprecating and remorseful tone.

"You……."

"Do you know what's funny? After thinking that I was so different, in the end, I was a
human being no different from the two of you. I might not have known that until the
end. If someone who was the biggest scapegoat in that problem hadn't opened my
eyes. If I hadn't done that, I would have lost my son forever by now, just as you never
knew what a twisted man your son had grown up to be."

"how……."

"Do you believe me if Johenus's son told me he couldn't wait to see a world where
Ludovica's son sits on the throne?"

The golden eyes, which had been half dazed by this question, burst into flames. It was
a terrifying discoloration because it was so out of the blue, but for some reason
Albrecht showed an expression that he knew this would happen.

"How dare you! How dare you say that to him...!"

"Listen straight up. Not Johennus, but Johennus's son."

"Is that what it is?!"

"That's it? Did you just say that? How long will Your Majesty be locked up in the old
days, ignoring reason and running around on a treadmill? So, isn't His Highness
Theobald raised like that!"

Udangtang!

The duke narrowly avoided the chair thrown by the emperor. Next, there was an eerie
roar, but the emperor, who had drawn his sword, began brandishing the blade in
anger at his old friend in a rage.
"How dare you speak recklessly with a mouth that was pierced by what kind of safety?!
This time, I'm going to pluck out your disgusting tongue by the root!"

"Your Majesty's tongue is not your own tongue, it's only His Highness Theobald's
tongue!"

"Can't you shut up?! You're worried about your son!"

"My son has grown up very well, right?! His Majesty's son is the trouble of the empire,
and he's a dark shooter in case he's not a failure!"

"Who dares say that you are a cancer soldier?! Pretending to be noble by yourself, in
the end, aren't you the same as us! If the opponent wasn't Mrs. Neuwanstein, you
would have sided with me like this!"

"I want my son to do that, but then, as a father, can't you listen to his son's wishes?!
Wouldn't His Majesty, if it wasn't for Mrs. Neuwanstein, would have dragged him in and
confronted him?! Who is siding with whom..."

"Hey, what's wrong with that! With a face just like hers and bright eyes raised, I can't
help but feel weak and exhausted! Since when did you really care for your son-in-law!"

"Better than a mindless majesty!"

"You have no idea?! What's wrong with the subject of admonishing to blow away all the
foundations of the empire that has been built over a thousand years?!"

"What's the problem?! You'll have to lay a new foundation in the future, won't you!"

"That, his three tongues! That's easy! If you do, the important legitimacy of the
Bismarck family as guardians of the faith will be lost forever!"

"Instead, we can create a new legitimacy! Unrivaled legitimacy that is not subject to
religious interference! As the Emperor of the Empire, at this point, please do
something manly!"

"Albrecht!"
"Maximilian!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

As soon as Empress Elisabeth heard of this commotion and rushed in, shouting
sharply, the emperor, who was performing an unusually flamboyant sword dance in
the sacred throne room, and the duke, who had been dodging and growling, stopped
their movements at the same time as if they had promised. Even so, they still ate
ferociously and glared at each other with the energy to tear them apart.

Elisabeth, who stared blankly at the pathetic behavior for a while, immediately put a
hand on her waist and asked with a look of astonishment.

"Are you both sick with the plague? To the head."

“……The Duke dares not speak of fatherhood to Jim!”

"Sister, as you know..."

"Shut up, both of you. Adolescent snorers couldn't be more pitiful than this. I wondered
who the prince or Confucius resembled to that point, and it was just a failure."

“Speaking of the prince, Empress, I only knew that the empress cared for Theobald the
most. But...”

"I once thought that too, Your Majesty. Who do you blame? It's all your fault that things
have come to this point. So, if you want to scold me for being a bad mother, feel free
to do so. I'd rather be the wicked stepmother of the world than throw her away."

The emperor was speechless for a moment at those words Elizabeth writhed with her
red lips. He just stared at his wife from afar with eyes as if looking at a stranger.

"Do you understand? Theobald is His Majesty's biological son, not mine. What is so
surprising about someone who has not been able to find anything unfaithful even
after washing his eyes?"
Rather than being enraged by the empress' atrocities, which were literally fiercely shot
at, the emperor seemed to have been taken aback. As I looked alternately at the two
pairs of coldly shining blue eyes, it seemed as if the thin film covering the sharp
golden pupils was slowly crumbling away.

After a moment of heavy silence that was difficult to describe, the emperor put down
his sword as if tossing it, and slowly moved forward and sat down on a table placed in
the center of the audience room.

A hand with three rings engraved with the imperial family's seal in a row supported her
silver hair. Her golden eyes were shaking with a mass of emotions that were difficult to
describe.

After a long silence, the voice that finally resounded was surprisingly low and empty.

"Because what the hell happened..."

As Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, Albrecht raised a hand to stop her
sister. Then she opened her mouth in a much calmer tone.

"Okay. Your Majesty, Johenus, and I all made mistakes. All we have left to do is try to
right the wrongs, albeit belatedly. So, just this once, please make a decision with
responsibility for your children. ."

“Is it a responsible act as a father to disqualify the prince? Is it a responsible act to

allow you to stand against the religious authority?”

“You are asking me to protect you from me who is belatedly struggling.”

Albrecht's voice, speaking slowly and forcefully, was calm and gentle, but at the same
time, it contained a steel-like bone that could not be ignored. At this point, it was
difficult to call him a transaction or appeasement. Does he protect him by putting him
down from the position of crown prince, or does he just sit by the sidelines and throw
him into catastrophe as he has been doing up until now… … .

"... It seems that there was only one option given to Jim from the beginning."

"..."
“The same would be true for the issue of church authority.”

"Nothing will stand in the way for the generations below us to usher in a new era."

“……The pope will not stand still. They have already requested a cooperative
interrogation of Mrs. Neuwanstein.”

At these words, both Albrecht and Elisabeth frowned at the same time.

"It's not unexpected, but why is it only Mrs. Neuwanstein? I went to Safavie with Prince."

“……They seem to want to think that Confucius is only stained by her. Or they don’t
have the confidence to deal with the Duke of Nuremberg all at once. Anyway, they’re
clumsy and naive in many ways.”

Seeing the emperor click his tongue as if his teeth were shaking, the duke smiled
slightly and then nodded his head.

"You're not really smart. It's better. Accept the request for cooperative interrogation,
Your Majesty."

"Are you crazy? A little while ago, I... no, more than anything, Mrs. Neubanstein is my
people! The Holy Trial alone makes me angry, and if you make her suffer like that
again... And then the church recklessly pressured her. If it starts to go wild in Safaby,
where will the Holy See take responsibility?"

As soon as the emperor spoke in a voice like boiling lava, the empress came to her
sister's aid as if she had been waiting.

"I don't think His Majesty loves Mrs. Neubanstein so much because she is his people,
but it's an expected procedure, and if it's her, she'll be able to overturn the hand. Don't
we all know what happened every month?"

"Mama is right. It's a procedure you have to go through at least once anyway. The key
is how to turn the situation to your advantage, but Mrs. Neubanstein can do it."
Maximilian was now finding himself losing all room for refutation at the actions of the
wolf siblings, who took turns taking turns attacking each other, fearing that someone
might not be of the same blood. Even though there aren't any other options.

"Yes, that's right... She'll be able to do it. Then, what on earth is Jim going to do there?"

The peacock's eyes gleamed with profound light as he leaned over the table and met
the emperor's gaze.

"Anyway, all interrogations will be led by the cardinals. Your Majesty just seems to be
on the sidelines, but express your intention that you implicitly support the reform. If
you do, this reform will be imprinted on all people as a fight between the entire empire
and the corrupt clergy. is."

***

It was only once in my previous life, but it's already the third time in this life. To enter
the courtroom, swearing that I would only tell the truth before God and men.

Of course, the summons for interrogation this time was not unexpected, so unlike the
previous two cases, I felt more calm. It wasn't that there was no tension at all, though.

The fact that I was the only one requested by the church was not too surprising. It
wasn't that I wasn't uncomfortable. In any case, according to the correspondence from
the Duke of Nuremberg, it seemed that he no longer had to worry about the Emperor.
It meant that only priests had to deal with it.

Despite the fact that I had been working closely behind the scenes, I was a bit nervous
when the day of the hearing came.

I deliberately headed for the palace cathedral, where the trial was to be held, wearing
only a plain cream-colored dress and simple accessories.

The tension was doubled when I saw the crowds gathering around the cathedral and
the spectators filling the cascading seats on both sides of the hall on the second floor
where the hearing was held.
It's like the anxiety that everything I've been building up until now might be shattered if
I show even a little shaking here.

If the judges made me stand alone on the floor to deal with everyone at the top to put
pressure on me, then I could have succeeded to some extent. Of course, there were
spectators sitting in the back, but the judges' table, which took up almost half of the
hall, was designed so that no one other than the person being interrogated and his or
her belongings could be present.

So, as I had just stepped into the courtroom, I couldn't help but be stunned when I saw
the big guy standing proudly at the judges one step ahead of me.

"Nora……?"

"Ah, sister. I was worried that I would be late, but I was a little faster."

"But here..."

Before I could finish my words, a short and loud bell rang, and soon after, cardinals in
black robes entered one by one and began to sit in the judgment seat at the top.

Speaking of His Majesty the Emperor, he was sitting side by side with the two princes
at the upper level above the clergy.

Hmmm, Theobald, even so, to have Letran accompany you... … .

Suddenly, when I glanced over to examine Theobald's expression, the silver-haired

prince was just staring at me with an expressionless face, whether or not he knew what
was going to happen to him.

"Quiet, quiet!"

The solemn voice echoed with the sound of a mighty gavel, bang bang bang, the
agitated auditorium quickly became quiet.
I turned my gaze and looked up at a young cardinal sitting on the right at the top.
Somehow, I thought my nerves were on edge from a while ago, and sure enough, it was
Cardinal Richelieu, who didn't show up even during the Holy Trial. Indeed, it can be
said that it has been a long time.

The author almost killed Nora. Ha, at the subject of plotting poisoning insidiously, he
was sitting proudly in the judgment seat with such an impudent face on his face.

Cardinal Richelieu, perhaps because things didn't go his way, for some reason had
gotten more drawn out. The light brown hair that didn't match and the dark gaze that
was reluctant and unpleasant were still the same. What are you thinking behind that
shameless gaze? Suddenly, a ferocious urge arose to open the author's mouth and
pour a bowlful of cantarella into it. How did Nora almost die because of that human?
How painful was it... … .

It was then that the middle-aged cardinal, seated in the center of the judgment seat,
spoke.

"No one other than the subject of interrogation may be present in the judgment room.
Prince Nora von Nuremberg. Please leave immediately."

I blinked and looked back at Nora. As for Nora, despite the fact that the psychotic
criminal who tried to kill her and the childhood enemy of Cheoljeon were arrogant
side by side up there, she was just maintaining a natural smile for some reason.

“I understand that the only things allowed on the court are the accused and his
belongings.”

"Even knowing that..."

“I understand that the relationship between a knight and a lady is allowed within the
scope of possession and possession under Imperial law. As everyone here is well
aware, I am Lady Neuwanstein’s knight of honor. Therefore, here I am only Lady
Neubanstein. shall be regarded as the property of the

It was only natural that the spectators erupted in whistles, boos, and applause at that
absurd claim.

I was on the verge of dropping my chin and stared blankly at Nora's leisurely profile.
What's up?
It seemed that the cardinals could not hide their absurdity as well.

“No, what is this absurd… Confucius, are you intending to blaspheme the sacred
hearing right now?”

"You're welcome. I'm just claiming the right as a property through a thorough legal
process."

Cardinal Richelieu, who was silently silent, focused his gaze on Nora. Meanwhile, the
crowd was getting louder and louder.

"Ah, since ancient times, knights belong to the Lady!"

"Is that the knight's money or what?"

“I want to be possessed, too.”

"Just let me be by your side, little! It's time to burn!"

The cardinals, who had been glaring at Nora with a bewildered look on their faces,
soon turned around and began whispering among themselves.

I was quite embarrassed because I had never heard of such a case.

After a while, the cardinal who sat in the middle seat cleared his throat and glared at
me.

"Even if that condition is met, no one other than the designated defendant can
participate in the question-and-answer."

"I know. I'm not going to say a word anyway. It's just a possession."

Nora, who calmly replied as if she had waited, turned to me and winked one eye. As
she watched it, she laughed out loud. She would do this just for the sake of being with
her... … ! But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling well.
"Be quiet! Everyone be quiet!"

As the gavel struck once again, there was silence once more. It was the beginning of
the interrogation.

An early, half-naked cardinal held up a familiar pamphlet in one hand.

"Lady Neubanstein. Do you know about this <Snake in the Robe> booklet?"

"I know."

"Lady Neuwanstein, are you the author of this pamphlet?"

"no."

"Lady Neuwanstein, this pamphlet insulting the beliefs and doctrines of the Holy Order
was first circulated through Neuwanstein's merchant guilds. If not you, who else is the
author?"

"When I went to Safavie as an envoy by His Majesty's edict, I brought in some

interesting books that were popular there. They were quite impressive, so I sold and
distributed them through the guild leaders."

"As someone who has been to Safavie as an envoy in accordance with His Majesty's
edict, you must be well aware of what kind of obsession is currently dwelling there. Do
you know what this booklet contains?"

"I know."

The corner of the cardinal's mouth went up as if he had waited.

"Are you saying that you circulated it inside the empire where the Holy See is rooted
even though you knew that it was clearly a malicious document written by heretics?"
"Where do you mean malicious?"

The heightened tension melted and silence fell. As the cardinals' fierce, piercing eyes
glared at me in unison, I straightened my back, feeling Nora's presence beside me.
Just remembering that he was by my side felt like a step back from the surging
tension.

"As a loyal citizen of the empire and a believer, do you mean that you do not think that
the contents of this booklet are malicious?"

“As a loyal imperial citizen and believer, I read it a few times and it seemed to me that
it was no different from the magazines of scandal and gossip. Whether it was the
clerical hobbies, doctrines that had nothing to do with the Bible, or the former, It's just
that I wrote down the facts of the scandals of the current popes, etc. I didn't feel any
malicious intent."

"Facts? What do you mean by facts?"

"What do you think it means? Don't your eminence know better than me?"

I know it, they know it, everyone knows it. I just couldn't get it out of my mouth.

The courtroom started to stir. In the middle of the tumult spreading everywhere,
someone shouted for silence, and the hearing hall fell into silence again.

"Lady Neuwanstein. Is this an act based on some kind of retaliation for the previous
Holy Trial?"

"It's not like that, but I guess you consider it worthy of retaliation."

"What..."

"The entire empire knows the outcome of that unfair and absurd trial. But me and my
children have not received even the slightest apology for being unfairly insulted."
"What blasphemous remarks, that's it! The Holy See can at any time interrogate
suspected criminals, and God wills all consequences, so no responsibility is imposed!"

"I wonder how many innocent Imperial citizens have been killed and loyal nobles
dishonored by this or that doctrine."

A commotion broke out again here and there. The cardinal, seated in the center seat,
struck the gavel and shouted for silence, but the agitation only grew louder and
louder.

Then, all of a sudden, all the fuss stopped.

"Lady Neuwanstein, you have no right to challenge the authority of the Holy See."

It was because the Silent Servant, who was quite unexpected, had spoken.

A rough, bleak voice, like rubbing iron marbles against each other, resounded clearly
in the astonished courtroom.

“All doctrines and rules have been established since the beginning of the nation under
the name of the Father and the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are the laws that loyal
citizens of the Empire must abide by and obey. Anyone who raises doubts about them
is just a heretic swayed by the devil. "Do you intend to question the very foundations of
this country, madam?"

The jet-black gaze was blazing roaringly, staring at me as if it were going to eat me. I
met his gaze for a moment, then moved my hand to the side and grabbed the hand of
Nora standing next to mine.

I could feel Nora's eyes widening and looking at me. As for Richelieu, she had already
turned her gaze a little and was staring at our joined hands as if tearing them apart.

I opened my mouth calmly, holding that terrible shape in my eyes.

“The foundation of this country lies with His Majesty the first emperor who founded the
country and the heads of the six great families. shape."

"Kuhhmm!"
It was then that the emperor, who had not said a word and had been silently watching,
suddenly cleared his throat. As a signal, the hearing room, which had been silent for a
while, began to hum again. Then one of the cardinals jumped up.

"Lady Neuwanstein, isn't that what Richelieu said! It is undeniable that faith also has a
place at the foundation of this country!"

"Aren't it the priests of the present age who are leading the way in breaking the
traditional rules of the faith? Doesn't everyone know that all priests who have been
ordained under canon law must observe strict abstinence? How many illegitimate
children are there?"

"Poem, blasphemy!"

“The blasphemy seems to have been committed by them instead. As the book says, the
church and the pope at present are in serious self-contradiction and hypocrisy. Can
you use your right to wield the great nobles who have protected the imperial family
since the founding of the country?"

"That's right!"

"that's right!"

“Who is Cantarella?”

"How dare you poison a nobleman! How this country was built!"

Although not a word was said at this meeting, the whole story of the Prince of
Nuremberg's near-poisoning in Safavid was openly circulating among the nobility.

Since Cantarella itself is an unfamiliar substance and there is no physical evidence,

there were, of course, those who doubted it. However, as the Duke of Nuremberg was
convinced ahead of time, most of the great nobles also thought that the nobles' pride
was damaged just by the circumstance itself. whatever the real truth is.

Now, the sound that explodes in the audience can no longer be called a murmur.
Everyone was openly voicing their opinions out loud. Of course, there were people who
said heresy, but it was true, but it was buried in the scolding why it was a mess. All in
all, the placental abnormality seemed to be responding favorably to me.

Richelieu, who had been staring at me with eerie eyes in such a noisy situation, opened
his mouth again.

"Lady Neubanstein. If you hadn't been the head of a noble family, this booklet would
have been burned as soon as you brought it to the Empire. For the peace of the
Empire and the continuation of the faith, even now, all objections against the Church
would have been withdrawn. Do it, and the Holy See will no longer have a problem with
it."

The noisy hall became quiet. This time, it wasn’t because the body of the silent bell
spoke was strange, it was a silent silence filled with half curiosity and half trepidation,
watching what kind of answer I would give to what he said.

After I didn't say anything for a while, he added more forcefully.

"The Holy Father has said that he is willing to grant you a special pardon, if only to say
that you retract everything you have done since your return from Safavid and
everything you have said here."

You say so. Objectively, the pope's attitude was surprisingly moderate and generous.
Especially compared to the time of the Holy Trial. But!

"With all due respect, the pope has neither the authority nor the justification to grant
me a pardon. What are you pardoning for?"

“……Are you denying the crime of causing division within the empire?”

"I don't understand how bringing in a fashion magazine from a diplomatic partner
country and selling it through a guild can be a crime of incitement to division. If my
honest impression of the contents of the book expressed here was overly
straightforward, I'm sorry for hurting you guys. I think so, but I don't think it's a sin."

The jet-black gaze and mine collided violently. I had hoped that Richelieu would lose
his temper and explode here, but he remained surprisingly calm.

As for the other cardinals, they were glaring at me as if I were announcing that I would
take their testicles.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something, but it is treason to challenge the
sacred authority of the Empire and cause confusion among the people. If you do not
withdraw until the end…”

“For those who are angry at me for telling the truth, I will not withdraw my words until I
violate my conscience. If I, as a noble, are suspected of treason, it is entirely up to me
to seek mercy from nobles like His Majesty the Emperor, and to seek mercy from
corrupt priests. not this."

Shouts of 'That's right!' broke out again.

With that momentum on my back, I drove the wedge with one last force.

“As the head of the Neuwanstein family and a member of the great aristocracy, the
only people I have to give my allegiance to are my fellow nobles and the Bismarck
Imperial family. Faith there is only a matter between individuals and God, and the
clergy who raise doubts about faith more than anyone else That is the will of the
Neuwanstein family, to which I currently belong, and the will of the Nuremberg family,
to which the knight standing next to me belongs, and from the very beginning of the
founding of the country, I have served the imperial family, and I believe there is
nothing to do. It is the pride of all nobles who have built a foundation."

"That's right!"

"That's right!"

"Cancer, no way!"

Richelieu's ebony eyes blazed. If I could tear people apart with just a glance, I would
have been shattered into a thousand pieces long ago.

Either that or not, I turned away as if to proclaim that there was no reason to be here
any longer, and thus the interrogation came to an unwitting end.

The whole place was buzzing all the way out. It was much more fervent than I had
imagined, and I was bewildered.
"By what right do those in skirts judge noble bloodlines!"

"It's heresy!"

"What a heresy! You come down here!"

"As expected, she is the mother of lions! She doesn't blink an eye at threats from those
wearing skirts!"

***

"It was surprisingly quite good."

"It's too much praise."

"Hey, just looking at what you're doing to me, it's obvious that you have an
extraordinary skill at scratching people with a smile on the tip of your nose. Anyway,
this will completely reverse public opinion."

If you just say that you did well, where does it add up? Anyway, it seems like a person
who is not honest.

I swallowed my laughter and brought the pinkish blue mellow teacup to my lips, but
Elizabeth, who was staring at me with a mysterious look, suddenly asked, "Why?"

"But you... are you dating these days?"

“……Poop!”

It couldn't be helped even if I got sick and spewed out half of the tea water I had in my
mouth.
While I was giggling, Elizabeth narrowed her eyes instead of blaming me for my faults.

"Surely my eyes can't be fooled! It was like that! Who is the opponent? Huh? Hurry up
and tell me!"

The way she urged her with her eyes flashing was more like a teenage daughter than a
middle-aged empress.

I barely managed to cover up my cough and had no choice but to humbly confess. No,
I was going to confess.

"that is……."

"Are you my cheeky nephew after all?"

"No, how can I do that..."

“Hah!

Where do you like it?

I just stared at Elizabeth with blank eyes for a moment. It is frightening to see him with
his chin resting on his hands and his eyes shining brightly with his face blushing.

“You knew this, what do you mean by that?”

“Ah, why are you so shy all of a sudden? Just looking at what he’s been doing, it’s
obvious. Anyone can see that he has a crush on you, so how could you not know? So,
is he good at it? ?"

"M-Mama!"

As she screamed, her face flushed red, she began to giggle and laugh. When she did
this, she felt keenly that she and her Nora were of the same blood.
"Why are you shy all over again? Huhuhu, it's really nice to be in a relationship to see
that you also have this kind of side. Somehow, they said that flowers have bloomed on
your face these days! Ha, I'm envious. I had a time like that too."

Something made us realize the age difference between us.

I spoke cautiously to the empress, who now looked at me with a vague look.

"For Mama..."

“It was a long time ago. When I just debuted in the social world, I was so nervous that I
almost tripped and fell while dancing. I fell in love with Young-shik, a marquis who held
me back then, and for a while, whenever I met him, my heart was pounding. I've been
told since I was young that I should be the prince's spouse, but where does my heart
go as I want?"

“……It was a young age.”

"After all, neither I nor Maximilian had the slightest interest in each other from the
start. Max was obsessed with Ludovika, and so were my sister and your late husband.
After all, when Max and Ludovica got married, I finally I thought I would be completely
free from the pressures of the family... but when I came to my senses, who would have
known it would turn out like this? Who would have known that I would be none other
than Ludovica's child's stepmother?

Elizabeth, who added a bit bitterly, lowered her blue eyes and looked down at her
hand.

"Anyway, it's all in the past. Seeing that the two generations of rich people have similar
tastes, it seems that this is why they say they can't steal seeds. Of course, from my
point of view, you're much better."

“……Thank you very much for that, but I don’t feel very good when I think of it that way.”

"What's not good about it? It's just that they look a little alike, but everything else is
completely different."

Still, I didn't want to talk about it any more, so I changed the subject.
"Rather than that, Mama, it seems that the Duke intends to push for the replacement
of the crown prince, but is Mama okay?"

"Are you okay, what do you mean?"

“……The reason why Mama agrees to change the crown prince seems to be the same
kind as the duke’s.”

I was the one who threw the fire at them from the start. Although it was unexpected
that it would cause such an aftermath. Anyway, all I said was about the gambling
house incident. After that, there must have been a background that only they knew
about why the two people who were closest to Theobald suddenly started to burn like
this.

Elizabeth silently rattled her teacup for a while, then let out a deep sigh.

"Do you think I'm a bad mother?"

"How on earth am I supposed to judge that?"

“……What do you think of our Letran?”

I hesitated for a moment at the somewhat out of the blue question, then answered
honestly.

"He's still immature in many ways, but I think he's a kind and honest person. He's just
like an active boy of his age."

“Come to think of it, your second son and our Letran were close. Is he nervous?”

"No, if you're nervous, you might not be that close to our Elias in the first place..."

"If things don't go their way, don't they act badly?"

"Not at all. So, if that's the case, in the first place..."

"You're not lying?"

"...On the contrary, it seems like he's too honest, so it's a mask."

"Yes...... that's right... our Letran is such a child..."

She muttered in a bitter tone, lowering her head and covering her face with both
hands. I was just quietly watching it.

“... Right after I married Max and became empress, I decided that I would never be a
bad stepmother while watching Theobald, who was barely able to walk. A bad
stepmother who took out her anger on an innocent child because she was the child of
a woman she hated. I said I would never become a mother. I would even treat you
better than the child I would give birth to from my belly..."

"..."

"It seems like he pushed himself even more after Letran was born. Now that I think
about it, I was just anxious about how I would appear in the eyes of others, Max and
my younger brother... It wasn't pure affection. Maybe Theo, too. "I don't know if he knew
that. If he did, he would have acted that way. As a result, I've never been a good
mother to either of them."

"mama……."

"Who should I blame? It's all my fault. Knowing that the only ones to blame were myself
and Max, who had no fatherhood, even knowing... I thought that Theobald had used
my desperate sense of duty to destroy Letran. "

Her voice seemed to crack, and then her hunched shoulders began to tremble.
Whimpering sobs flowed as I sat and froze.

"M-M-M-M..."

“……Hehehehe…… From your point of view, it must be the most pathetic thing…… I know
that you are pathetic…… I also…
I don't know what to say. So I cautiously went to her side and started patting her
trembling shoulders.

… … A strange feeling of déjà vu arises. Maybe it's because they're brother and sister,
but they also cry alike.

By the time they managed to calm Elizabeth and finally left the empress' palace, it was
already dusk. Winter is just around the corner, so it feels like the sun is going down
quickly these days.

What will this Christmas be like? Regardless of the Vatican, Christmas is Christmas, so
will it be no different from the past? If Christmas Day were to disappear, the children
would miss it the most... … .

While I was immersed in such thoughts, I was walking with my cape tight in the air that
had already become cold. Suddenly, someone quickly approached me from behind
and hugged me from behind. For a moment I thought it was Nora. It was because he
knew that he was going to the imperial palace with my father today. But it wasn't Nora.

"Your Highness...? What the hell are you doing?"

It was none other than Theobald. I could tell just by looking at the silver crown of my
head buried in my shoulder. Terrified, I tried to pull myself out, but he didn't want to let
me go, with his arm tight.

"This! Let go! What are you doing?"

"..."

"Majesty!"

Is this man crazy!

Just as I was trying with all my might to shake off that arm, wondering if anyone would
see it, I let go of it as suddenly as he had approached me. So I just fell down in the
middle of the garden floor full of amaryllis. As the scent of flowers stung my nose, a
sharp collision spread to my palms and knees.

"What the hell is this..."

Just as I was about to shout what the hell was this about, another unexpected thing
happened.

Theobald, who was sitting on his knees with his silver hair bowed down in front of me
who had fallen to the floor, his shoulders began to tremble without hesitation. It was
so sudden that I thought for a moment that he might be laughing.

"Majesty?"

“……it’s black…… it’s black……”

… … I'll welcome you. Is it fashionable these days to just cry and watch without caring
about face? The duke and empress aren't enough, now Theobaltra, maybe sooner or
later we'll be able to see the emperor weeping.

I swallowed a low moan and sat down.

"Your Highness? Why are you crying?"

"..."

"What the hell is this... Whoa. I don't know what's inside of Your Highness."

"..."

"Does His Highness genuinely like me, or does he have other intentions? Why did he
send me the diamond necklace? Why did he use my brother to set up a gambling den?
What testimony did he intend to give during the Holy Trial? "I don't know if it's true or
why you hugged me just now. And honestly, I don't even know if the tears you're
shedding are real. If you don't tell me, I can't help but take my guess as fact."
When I spoke in a tone mixed with lamentation, he opened his mouth while still
lowering his head. A tight, jagged voice came out.

“……I want to see my mother.”

"..."

“If he were alive… he probably would never have abandoned me.”

I raised my hand and gently pressed my throbbing temple. Strictly speaking,

Theobald's current situation was self-inflicted.

Although I was somewhat involved. In any case, this situation would not have
happened if he had not made enemies of those who would serve as a windshield for
him in the future.

… … I can't say it's entirely his own responsibility, though.

“Your Highness is an adult.”

"..."

"There are others who, at a much younger age, felt abandoned by the whole world,
because of Your Highness. I think you understand what I'm talking about."

I remembered the dark-haired boy crying alone in the chapel three years ago. He had
no place to confide in, so Nora sat on her knees under his statue of the Virgin Mary
and cried.

“Your Highness, who did you join hands with in the church?

"I've never held hands with anyone in the church before."

Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, he finally raised his head slightly and
spoke. The entire area around her golden eyes was bloodshot red.
“There are a few priests I’ve been close to, but I’m not saying I’m really in touch with
anyone. I was just lucky enough to get information about the Holy Trial, so I gave that
necklace to my wife…”

"So, after sending the necklace, were you going to even claim to be my lover at the
trial? Aren't you forewarning me of that information?"

"..."

"What did you decide to do by using my brother to set up a gambling den? What were
you planning to do by dragging His Highness Letran and my son into it? Did you just
mean to get me into trouble, or did you mean to turn my insides up and start
animating with my son? , or was it both?"

"..."

"If your love for me was sincere, you wouldn't have done that. What were you planning
to do by forcing me to be yours? I'm sick and tired of such a relationship."

Theobald said nothing. He simply plucked the dry grass with his hands, his eyes down.
As he watched it, he let out a sigh.

"Is it so difficult to just be honest? Why can't you separate the people around you..."

“……I’ve never received a sincere heart from anyone.

"What kind of mindset do you think that you shouldn't enjoy it with others just because
you didn't enjoy it yourself!"

When I involuntarily squealed, he flinched. The anger that was bubbling at the sight of
his wet eyes wide open and staring blankly at him suddenly subsided. Not out of pity,
but because I suddenly felt like dealing with a child.

"At least His Majesty seems to be trying to protect His Highness."

A bitter, cynical light passed across his face.

“……Abama is trying to remove me from the position of crown prince.”

"If you don't, the Duke of Nuremberg will tear your Highness to pieces."

The golden eyes flinched again and began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred.
I got up with a wry smile.

"A bubble blown up by deceit will eventually burst."

"..."

"I think you should think about what's the best you can do in the future."

It was then that he was about to turn around. Theobald, who was sitting on the floor in
a daze, jumped up after me and grabbed my arm and began to stretch.

"Ma'am, wait a minute..."

"Leave this...!"

"But……."

"What are you doing?!"

… … That wasn't what I said.

Theobald and I both flinched at the tremendous shout that came out of nowhere and
turned our heads.

Then we saw Nora, her eyes burning, striding towards us with beastly momentum.
"No, Nora..."

Before I could say anything, Nora immediately grabbed Theobald by the scruff of the
neck and threw him to the floor.

Courage!

The silver-haired young man hugged the bottom of the bush and at the same time
something jumped up in the air and hit me on the back of my hand before falling to
the ground.

That stopped everyone. Nora, who was ready to turn Theobald into a bowl of porridge,
and I, who were trying to stop him, paused for a moment and looked at the thing that
had fallen on the floor.

It was an egg-sized rocket with an open lid that landed on the floor. The woman in the
portrait in her was looking up at me and smiling.

Silence fell for a moment. For a moment, there was silence as if we were all under a
spell.

"Are they very similar...?"

Theobald, who had fallen to the floor, raised Booth up and muttered to us, to be exact,
to Nora.

I just picked up the locket and stared at the woman in the portrait, half dazed and
possessed.

Even though I already knew it, seeing his face made me feel strange. The face of the
woman in the portrait, the former Empress Ludovica. She was really like me except for
the color of her hair and the color of her eyes.

“It’s what Obama carries with him day and night. … A portrait of my real mother. Isn’t it
very similar to your wife?

"..."
"Isn't it strange? I was also surprised at first. To think that the person my father, your
father, and your friend's father were all infatuated with was my biological mother... and
that there was someone who looked so much like him."

I took my eyes off the portrait and looked at Nora. Blinking her blue eyes, Nora, who
alternately looked at me and the rocket in my hand, slowly opened her mouth. The
next moment, to my surprise, a terribly cynical voice came out.

"What do you think resembles?"

"..."

Theobald, who looked up at Nora with a puzzled expression for a moment, mumbled in
a stuttering tone.

“Where do you think you look alike… Anyone can see that you look alike, right?”

"Not at all. Who says that?"

“……It’s a fact that even our fathers acknowledged.”

"I've known since long ago that all of our fathers have missing screws, but where do
you look? How do you look alike? Are you making such a claim just to talk nonsense
like saying that Shuri noona looked like the mother of a degraded person? "

Nora's cold, sarcastic expression didn't look like she was doing it on purpose.
Therefore, Theobald's face became even more puzzled.

"I-I'm just..."

"Nora, stop. Let's go. Huh?"

As I quickly grabbed my arm and begged, Nora stopped glaring at the bewildered
Theobald as if she were going to eat it.
I gently put the rocket I was holding in my other hand on the floor and hurriedly
moved on. As I went, I glanced back and saw Theobald standing up before I knew it
and looking at him with a devastated smile on his lips.

All the way up to the carriage Nora said not a word. Even when the door of the
carriage was closed and they began to set off, he sat down with his upper body on his
back, holding his forehead with one hand and not saying a word.

what to think As the silence continued, more and more anxiety came over me. Finally, I
couldn't bear it any longer and opened my mouth cautiously.

"Nora……?"

"..."

"Nora, are you mad...?"

At that, he shook his head. The dark blue eyes shimmered strangely, and the
conversation went cold for a moment.

Am I also misunderstanding? I said I gave you something... … ?

"I-I didn't do anything. Your Highness suddenly appeared and grabbed me. I went to
the imperial palace today to meet the empress."

"……I beg your pardon?"

“I was just on my way out of the empress’ palace. He suddenly appeared and grabbed
me. What should I do? If it was incomparable and I had to scream, I would have done it,
but if someone else saw it and misunderstood-"

Nora, who was staring at me with the most bizarre eyes as I quickly poured out words,
suddenly moved her arms and pulled me into her arms. She hugged him so tightly that
he could feel every single hard muscle carved into his body.
Nora placed her lips on the crown of my head and pressed it tightly. He could feel his
heart pounding wildly as the unknown panic that had been ferociously gnawing at his
head gradually receded. My heart was pounding as well. I had no idea what the hell
had just happened. what was i saying?

No matter how long it had been, Nora, who had been hugging me for a while, lowered
her head and pressed my forehead against mine. At the same time, a self-deprecating
laugh whispered into a ban two.

“……I was thinking about how to get rid of that son of a bitch so that rumors would
spread that he was good enough.

"ah……."

"Didn't he say something strange to you?"

sounds weird? I nodded as I tried to shake my head.

“……The era when you miss your birth mother.”

“Why are you holding on to your sister and looking for your mother? Anyway, every
time you make excuses…”

"Hey, Nora, do you really think me and that portrait don't look alike?"

When I asked cautiously, Nora raised her blue eyes slightly wide, but answered with a
strange tone.

“Of course. And whether or not you look alike, why does that matter?”

"...that's why my husband married me."

I whispered softly, closing my eyes and wrapping my arms around his neck. That's
right, Nora doesn't look alike at all... … .

As I felt a hand stroking my back, I felt a sense of relief for an unknown reason.
“Did she go blind early? So, the former empress was the first love of the Marquis
Neubanstein and His Majesty the Emperor, or something like that?”

"And also your father's first love."

"Ha! It's a bit surprising that that snarky father had those days, but I'm sure my eyes
are higher."

I laughed at the usual mischievous words. I giggled and he let out a low laugh too.
Then he put strength into the arm that was holding me.

"Can I have dinner at my sister's house tonight?"

"It's nice for me, but I'm a little worried about Elias... I don't say goodbye anymore like
the first time, but I don't know what will happen if I see you again."

"Hmm. Don't worry about that. I'll put up with anything you say."

He responded lazily, then untied his arms and raised one hand to stroke my
disheveled hair. A warm and full sense of relief rose from the unfamiliar yet friendly
movement. All the while his blue eyes were scanning my face.

"it's okay?"

"What's not okay? Are you okay?"

"...if it's me and sister, it's okay."

It was a word with a strange aftertaste. I waited a moment, but Nora said nothing
more. I couldn't catch the complicated clash of emotions behind the mischievous smile
of the blue eyes.

***
If you spend half a day imagining that the target is someone's face and shooting it
away fervently, by the time dinner is over, of course you'll be insanely hungry.

So, Elias, who was about to run quickly across the yard with his bow loosely strapped
to the ground, immediately stopped in his tracks when he saw the imaginary mug he
had targeted just a moment ago wandering around in his garden. And.

“You… you bastard! Where are you crawling in?!”

At this wild welcome, Nora, who was sitting on one knee and exchanging friendly
glances with the panting hounds trapped in cages, naturally turned her head and
looked at him.

"Hey, nice to meet you too."

“……I’m not happy at all?! Why are you creeping in here!”

"I didn't come to see you, so don't be so happy."

"Who, who came to see me?! And who's happy! My lesser brother may have recognized
you, but I'm not! I can't give our Shuri to a sneaky bastard like you! No, I can't give it to
anyone else!"

“I want to know who is sneaky about whom.”

Nora, tongue-tied, turned her head again and looked at the dogs in the pen. At the
same time, the way she raises her hand and touches the bridge of the nose of the dog
sticking out its snout is very carefree. So Elias naturally found himself bubbling even
more.

"I don't approve of you!"

"Yes, yes."
"Hey! Are you underestimating me! Get out of my house right now! Don't even visit me
again!"

"Hmm. Then I'll have to ask my sister to eat out. I think it'll be a good date."

"But, what kind of date is it? Don't even come close to Shuri! I don't know what he's
obsessed with you for, but as long as I'm here, things will never go your way?! I'll leave
you two apart!"

“The more hardships there are, the deeper the love.”

"Hey!"

Finally, Elias swung the bow he was holding - the oversized ivory bow Shuri brought
from Safavi - and struck Nora hard in the back of the head.

puck! After a majestic, dull friction sound, Nora, who was just about to get up, sat back
down, holding her head as it was.

There was silence for a while. Nora let out a low groan while Elias was momentarily
oblivious to what he had done and lifted her body up with one hand cupping her
head. Then she slowly turned to Elias in her direction.

In response, Elias swallowed dry saliva without even realizing it and took a step back.
It must be a fact she would never want to admit, but Nora's momentum was quite
terrifying. Its dark blue eyes glared at it with a terrifying glare, like a wolf weighing its
prey before attacking it.

It's okay, I hope he can't do anything to me in my house. Not to mention cancer... … . As

Elias tried to calm her thoughts as she tried to think of that, a terrifying growl finally
sounded in Elias' ears.

"……you."

"What, what..."

"How long are you going to live like that?"

"……what?"

"How long are you going to live as a kid who can't help but think?

Elias was furious with the remark that seemed to stab his bones, so he tried to scream,
but pitifully he hesitated, unable to open his mouth. It was because he had a hunch
that if he did, that brute might split him in two right here and there.

“Yes, what do you… do you care…?”

"under……."

Seeing Nora's distorted expression even more terrifying, Elias regretted it. Ah, maybe I
should have said nothing... … .

Nora, who had been glaring at Elias for a while as if she would tear her to death,
suddenly loosened her murderous eyes and changed her expression. As Elias stared
blankly at this and other things, she slumped to her knees on the floor as Nora,
clutching her head with her hands, seemed to have a concussion now. She then made
a tune she didn't quite fit.

"Awww!"

At the same time, another voice rang out.

"What are you all doing here... Nora?!"

The main character of that voice was none other than Shuri. Elias unknowingly hid the
bow she was holding behind her behind her back as her eyes widened as she ran
straight to her Nora sitting on her floor. Although she didn't cover it up like that.

"Ahh! It's okay. It's nothing special..."

"Oh my God, it's bleeding?! What the hell happened?!"

"Just a little..."

Nora muttered in a pitiful manner, and her gaze turned to Elias, who stood firm with
his mouth wide open. Therefore, Shuri's gaze also naturally went there. A light of
unbelief flashed in his green eyes.

"Elias you..."

“Ah, no, I… no, more than that, that guy is now…!”

"Elias von Neuwanstein! How could he do something like this anyway?!"

"No, that's why that bastard is on purpose..."

“What is on purpose?!

That was right. Didn't Elias himself hit that nasty bastard in the head with a bow? Even
so, Elias found himself swept away by an inexplicable resentment. That bastard, he
wasn't a wolf, was he?

"No, that's what I did..."

"Elias, please! If you want to get angry, just let it be on me. I really didn't know you
would go this far. I didn't know you were so ruthless!"

"Ah, no, that's why he is now..."

"Don't be angry, noona. I'm fine. Everyone gets along like this."

Nora, who rubbed her hair and stood up, spoke in a soothing tone, and Shuri sighed
deeply with her hand on her hip, then grabbed Nora's arm and headed inside.
Elias just stared at him with his mouth open like an idiot, and to make matters worse,
Nora, who was triumphantly following Shuri in, turned her head and winked at him with
one eye.

"...Hey, hey, hey! Hey, you son of a bitch!"

In the end, the roar of Elias, who was seized with inexpressible resentment, resounded
with the momentum to destroy the entire mansion.

Elias continued to pour out all sorts of uneducational and anti-social abuse for a long
time, and eventually, Jeremy overheard and came out and got hit and quieted down.

***

"So the nestling is dethroned after all?"

"Jeremy, speak nicely in front of your younger siblings."

"Why do you curse at the nestling? Because it's an eagle's nest, it's a nestling... Ah! My
back!"

"Anyway, he's a guy who earns hawks."

"Is that what you're talking about, you asshole!"

"Sister, can I have another pie?"

"I want another one too."

"Mom, I want to eat a pie too..."

"Me too, mom. I'm a lot of edges."

It was quite a hearty dinner. Everyone was chatting wildly until everyone started
talking about pie, only Elias didn't say a word. It was because I was thinking about how
to fuck that black guy.

Then, seeing all of them arguing about pies, my stomach hurt. Watching Shuri, who
was sitting in the high table, smiling and meekly cutting the remaining half of the
raspberry pie into appropriate sizes, made the fire even more intense. What kind of a
wolf like that fox is, why does sister and sister insist on eating one more of that!

Finally, Elias let out a ghastly growl with a voice that suppressed the killing force.

"Give me one too. I want a pie too."

"You too? Okay."

"Give me the largest portion of strawberries."

"Yes, yes."

"Two pieces. Give me some quickly."

"I understand. Anyway, pretending to be proud."

As everyone at the table giggled with forks in their mouths, Elias felt even more
exasperated. I wanted to scream at least, but if I did, I felt like I was going to get
beaten up by the four laughing idiots.

In addition, it seemed that Shuri, who acted carelessly, would get really angry this time.
She didn't know that maybe she would cry and get angry like last time.

After thinking that far, Elias decided to put the roar on hold for now. She instead
proceeded to slash her machete, plunging her knife into a delicious piece of pie that
had been placed on her own plate.

Shuri widened her eyes.

"Have you made enemies with Pi?"

"...it's just made in an easy-to-eat size."

"Okay, enjoy your meal."

"Don't treat me like a kid...!"

“Should I ask for more milk?”

I couldn't stand it any longer. How can you treat a child like this in a yard where you
are bursting with anger! Feeling her brain bubbling over, Elias began tearing at her
own empty milk glass and glaring at her to death.

Then the voice of his Cheolcheon enemy was heard.

"Nuna, can I have some more milk?"

"Then, as much as possible..."

"It's my milk!"

In the end, Elias committed an atrocity of screaming. Everyone took a moment to look
at the bloody lion with their eyes wide open.

After a while, everyone except for the angry culprit burst into laughter at once. Even
the maids who were bringing milk bottles hurriedly covered their mouths with their
hands.

"Puhahahaha! Aww, did you want to eat milk that much?!"

"Anyway, the younger brother is a child. What are you doing after the coming-of-age
ceremony?"
In the middle of a heartwarming situation where everyone was holding their stomachs
and giggling, Elias felt the urge to stop dying. I want to bring a crossbow and put an
arrow in the face of that condescending black Confucius! However, there was no
guarantee that the other party would receive it smoothly. So, Elias decided to throw a
glass instead of an arrow while he was giggling.

"Ellie? No one takes your milk. Then the glass will break."

"..."

not. If I threw the glass now, wouldn't the milk inside splash on me? Deciding to change
her strategy, Elias now glared at the dark enemy sitting across from her, clutching a
fork instead of a milk glass. Sensing that fierce gaze, he innocently blinked his blue
eyes.

“Shall I give you my pie?

“……Don’t act nice in front of Shuri!”

"Ellie, what's that tone? To someone who wants to yield. And you haven't eaten all of
yours yet."

"..."

Seeing Nora's shameless face, Elias felt a cruel urge to turn the table over. That kid is
really... … !

Then Jeremy, who finished his pie, moved his elbow and hit Nora's arm.

"Hey, can't you give me a concession?"

"You ate three. Overeating is bad for you."

"Is that what you mean?"

"Jeremy, don't put your legs on the table."

"I uploaded this guy too! I uploaded this guy too!"

"Isn't it? Isn't it? I didn't upload it?"

"Wow! You sneaky bastard!"

"Jeremy, some!"

“……Huh, this is favoritism! What are you saying only to me…”

“What kind of favoritism is this sudden favoritism?”

"What is favoritism!"

"So you were sad, our golden eldest son?"

"Wahhaha! Did you hear that? I am that kind of person!"

“I don’t think it’s a nickname I would particularly envy.”

Elias gritted his teeth, thinking that there was no real spectacle.

Everyone is fawning! On top of that, the eldest son is like gold, how can such a big
idiot look like gold!

It was then that I felt a hand stabbing my side. Elias turned around furiously and saw
Leon slipping an unheard-of bottle of medicine under the table.

"What is this...?"
"Anxiety medication that I made. Take one every time that Gongja is around."

"..."

***

"I'm going to die. This time, I'm really going to die!"

I can't stand it like this. I don't think I can bear it unless I somehow fuck that black guy.

Elias, caught in such a spleen, slightly bent his body and jumped down from where he
stood, and at the same time Shuri's high-pitched scream rang out.

"Ellie! What kind of stupid game is that?!"

"Sah, don't mind! This is what you call a thrill..."

"It's a thrill and you're sleeping, and then you're hurt and you're trying to boil
someone's inside!"

"What, what is that guy..."

Jeremy's eyes immediately widened as he jumped out immediately to see if his

mischievous younger brother would do something else.

Elias was happily descending on the rope after connecting the fountain statue in the
backyard and the eaves of the roof of the annex building. Jeremy shouted as he
looked at the tail.

"Wow, let me try some!"

"Hyung, go away!"

"Are you mean to be alone?! Get out of the way!"

"Ah! Jeremy, why are you like this?!"

Whether or not Shuri shouted that her insides were bursting, Jeremy started to join
Elias' atrocities, as if possessed by something. She even scrambled to join Leon, who
was suspicious of the side effects of the tranquilizer she was making.

A moment later, Shuri, who was on the verge of fainting from embarrassment and
glaring at the pathetic scenery, heard Nora's calm voice, which came a little late.

"What the hell is going on?"

“……No, Nora, look at what they are doing! What if you get hurt like that?”

Nora's cold gaze at Shuri's worry-filled lamentation went straight to the scene where
immature lion cubs, who might one day become her stepchildren, were performing
aerial tricks.

"Oh, that sounds like fun."

There was silence for a moment. While Shuri was glaring at him with truly astonished
eyes, Nora, who had been frankly admiring him without even knowing what to do,
started scratching her head in confusion, not knowing what to do.

"No, so of course it must be dangerous, but growing up like that..."

"Now I understand why men's average lifespans are so short."

Rachel, who was standing with an expression almost similar to Shuri's and glaring at
her brothers, clicked her tongue and spat out a blow. Shuri also kicked her tongue
and went inside.
When the two ladies, who had taken away the common sense in this family, left their
seats, a cool atmosphere arose among the remaining men. It was just the atmosphere.

"Yah-ho! I am the lord of the world!"

While the younger siblings were immersed in the air battle, Jeremy, who had come to
his senses first as the eldest son, approached his friend who was scratching his head
as well.

"Is your head okay? That idiot said he hit you? Why did he just hit you?"

"Then will you kill my sister's son?

"What? No, you hit me the other day!"

To Jeremy's brazen act of recklessly emphasizing fairness, Nora also brazenly

responded. In other words, Dongmunseo answered.

"Your brothers don't seem to know anything."

"What?!"

"Your father's work."

Jeremy's face, who grunted and kicked the cobblestone at his feet for no reason,
hardened in an instant. Nora just watched her friend's reaction with her calm gaze.

After a moment of silence, Jeremy opened his mouth first as if mumbling. Rather than
being angry at an unpleasant topic, he seemed to be making an excuse.

"...Yeah, then there's the possibility that Elias, that stupid bastard, will infuse Shuri with
guilt..."

“So, are you okay?”

Jeremy involuntarily frowned at this rather unexpected question.

"Are you okay? What else can I not be okay with?"

"Well, you're far from hugging yourself and grunting. That's why I asked."

After responding leisurely and playfully, Nora turned her gaze to the little kids in the
midst of aerial combat.

Jeremy glared blankly at his one and only best friend at the sight of something
unfamiliar, then suddenly muttered in a worried tone.

“You know, if by any chance Shuri can recall that memory…”

"That's my problem, not yours."

It was like a knife cutting. At this, Jeremy became even more dazed.

"But that's my father's..."

"So it's a problem I have to deal with. I wonder if the soul of the dead appears and
kneels down to apologize to my sister... Even if only the shock left from that time
suddenly pops out without memory, or even if, as you said, the memory of that time
suddenly returns, then It's going to depend on what I do. It's not up to you or your
brothers. After all, we're just us, not our fathers."

It seemed to tell you that you were not allowed the position. At the same time, it is also
a tone that seems to be trying to take all responsibility. So Jeremy was now dazed and
found himself caught up in her indescribable bewilderment.

“Hey… you, what happened?”

"What's the matter?"

"No? I think something happened? What is it? What is it? What the hell happened?
What happened with Shuri?"

Nora just turned away and turned her back on Jeremy's persistent clinging and
fussing behavior. Then, suddenly, he turned around and put his finger on the
forehead of his annoyingly whining friend and flicked it. Unknowingly, the lion that was
attacked by surprise let out a roar.

"Ugyaaaagh! What, what, this crazy..."

While Jeremy, seized by an unfamiliar pain that felt like his skull was sinking in,
couldn't bear to speak and whimpered, Nora just watched it with a very pitiful look,
then spat out playfully.

"Get on the subject. Where's the daddy telling you all about what happened with
mommy?"

Chapter 15 - Harvest Season

After the hearing incident, the fire of anti-papal sentiment spread surprisingly quickly.
As the aristocratic families, which had been intertwined with various complicated
political circumstances and interests, began to unite one after another, most of them
turned to the reformist side. Among them, there were even several collateral families
led by the Müller counts. It was only natural that the enemy families, who had been
impatient with each other for several generations, were declaring a temporary
alliance.

When the church power collapses, the new hegemony and enormous assets that will
roll into the hands of the great nobles, the pride of the nobles wounded by Nora's
poisoning attempt, and the signs of a replacement of the crown prince with the Duke
of Nuremberg and Empress Elisabeth at the fore all intertwine. It was creating an
overwhelming synergistic effect.

Of course, it wasn't just the majority of nobles who were changing. The merchant class,
who had been exposed to the <Snake in the Holy Robe> document before anyone else
in the empire, were also in a state of trembling at the tremendous amount of tax taken
away from the church.

Moreover, they were a class that understood the clergy's extravagant consumption
culture more closely than any other class. It was no surprise then that they too began
to inflame with anti-papal sentiment.
While all these embers were spreading, the Vatican wanted to remain silent without
making any statement, but soon arrested merchants and people of lower ranks at
random under the name of heresy trial.

It was a situation where they would face a backlash if they rashly touched the
aristocrats who were forming an unprecedented unity, so they started to arrest the
more easygoing lower classes.

The top tiers belonging to our family or other guilds of great families were able to
receive sufficient protection, but the top tiers who did not were able to hear howling
every day.

Then, the merchants who couldn't stand it anymore launched a counterattack. Soon
after, news came that monasteries across the country were attacked by rioters every
day.

So, the Vatican dispatched additional paladins to various places to catch the mob,
but the problem was that most of the places where the paladins were dispatched were
in a state where the guild and general guilds moved quickly and united.

Therefore, it became inevitable to avoid friction with the knights belonging to the
aristocratic family who were naturally protecting the top of the guild. And the conflict
was greatly contributed to the sense of benevolence that secretly flared up between
the Paladins belonging to the Church and the knights from the noble family after the
duel of honor at the trial of the Holy Trial.

Eventually, the conflict between the monastery and the lower merchant class spread
to a conflict between the Paladins and the Nobility Knights.

It was only natural that the nobles who heard the news that their knights had been
attacked began to send secret orders to the knights of each territory, telling them to
grind their teeth and get rid of the prominent paladins.

Therefore, in most areas except for Wittelsbach, where the imperial palace, the
Vatican, and the strongholds of the famous families were gathered side by side, fierce
conflicts were already spreading.

No one disagreed that it would not take long for the aftermath to hit the ecliptic.
If the emperor had belatedly sided with the church, the situation might have been a
little different. However, throughout all of this, the emperor remained silent to the
petitions and protests pouring in from the Holy See, and at the same time maintained
an indifferent attitude towards the reformist aristocrats.

In the meantime, the Safavid royal family, which was the most powerful ally in the past,
openly notified of the severance with the church and cut off all funds related to the
parish. The most important alliance among the Safavi-Teutonic kingdoms had
completely fallen away.

Given the circumstances, it was only natural that voices calling for the radical use of
force began to emerge. The unconventional claim to put an end to the invasion of the
Papal States of Sacrosanct by combining the troops of the nobles was mainly bursting
out among the young, energetic young people, especially the knights.

If the emperor hadn't given a strict order not to engage in armed conflict within the
imperial capital, he might have done it long ago. No matter how strong the troops
were, it was difficult to deal with both the Pope's army and the Emperor's army.

Meanwhile, autumn has passed and the chill of winter has begun to creep in. The
season of Christmas has set foot in the midst of a solemn atmosphere where the
entire ecliptic is bubbling with irritation and a sense of triumph that cannot be
erupted. And one day, about 15 days before Christmas Day, a loud signal flared up to
announce the end of all those risky restraints.

***

“Welcome, Lady Neuwanstein.

No matter what the circumstances of adults are, Christmas is Christmas. So, on this
shallow snowy afternoon, my twins and I went to visit Madame Melissa's dressing room
in an aristocratic-owned street full of salons.

It was to purchase clothes for me and the twins to wear at the large-scale banquet to
be held at the Duke of Nuremberg's residence on Christmas Day. Jeremy and Elias's
had been ordered separately from an adult men's clothing store.

"Mom, they said they opened a new bookstore over there. They brought in a lot of
foreign books."
"Mom, Mom, there's a new shop dedicated to women's shoes. I heard they only sell
shoes, but they're famous these days."

After all the measuring work, Leon and Rachel fussed with boredom while I looked
through the catalogue. Then, looking through the large windows, they saw stores
selling their Christmas gift lists, and started pouring out an impetuous chatter.

It seemed like it would take a long time, so I finally allowed them to stop by the shops I
wanted to go with my acolytes, and I was left alone.

"It seems like yesterday that I first came here with my children, but time really flies."

Madame Melissa, who sat across from me with warm tea and refreshments, smiled and
talked to me. I let out a sigh and nodded her head.

"I will. Since everyone has already grown so much..."

"Hehe, kids grow so fast. My son looks like a weed."

It's like a weed, an expression that deeply sympathizes with.

I took my eyes off the catalog for a moment and looked out the window of the dressing
room. The first day I stopped by this place three years ago was also the day I had my
first meeting with Nora. In the alley you see over there.

At the time, I never really imagined it would turn out like this.

What would be a good Christmas present for Nora this year?

"Don't you like the tea? Blue mellow, which is popular these days, should I serve you
something else?"

"No. It's fine."

Drenched in emotion, I picked up the teacup in front of me with a smile. After
squeezing the lemon, I drank the warm tea water, which was pinkish in color, and the
warmth naturally spread and I became sleepy.

***

I opened my eyes to the sound of something rattling and closing violently. I opened my
eyes, but it took a long time for my bodily sensations to return properly. It felt like a
lump of metal was tied to my body. In addition, the unfamiliar ceiling moved back and
forth in front of my eyes for a long time.

Where the hell is this place and why am I so sleepy and open my eyes? It was thanks to
a certain voice that flowed into my dumb ears that my confused mind finally woke up.

"...This will keep you from falling for the evil woman, from the glamorous words of a
foreign woman. Do not desire her beautiful color in your heart, and do not be
enchanted by her eyelids. Because of a prostitute, a man is left with only a piece of
bread, and fornication. A girl hunts for a precious life..."

It was an extremely strange and at the same time terribly familiar voice. I felt my
consciousness swell up tight as if I had been covered with cold water, and I sat up.

"you……!"

The cardinal, who was standing by the window muttering with his open temple in his
hand, turned his head to look at my shocked face. His eyes, like literal pits of darkness,
glistened with the firelight.

"You're awake. Finally."

"..."

"I'm sure you'll be quite satisfied."

My eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. It was a splendid room that hardly suited
the situation. All the furniture, including the bed I was sitting on, was of the highest
quality, and even the golden leaves adorning the ceiling and the thick tapestries
hanging on the walls were as luxurious as any other aristocratic bedroom. To the
point where the very presence of Cardinal Richelieu, who is standing here, feels
foreign.

"What the hell is this place..."

"This is the official residence for the Cardinals only. I have warned you in advance that
there is no point in screaming or rioting. No one can be disturbed here."

I bet you are. I quickly shook my head, which was still throbbing. Let's remember, I'm
sure I was in Madame Melissa's dressing room... … .

"Where are my children?"

Even with my ears, a chilly voice came out that was eerie.

At this, Richelieu furrowed his brow a little, closed his temple with a loud slap, and
turned completely toward me.

"It must be at the Marquis' residence. What do I know?"

What's up and how... … ?

I closed my eyes and took a long breath. wait… … That's right, Leon and Rachel were
with the knights. If it was true that I had lost her mind and taken her out of Madame
Melissa's dressing room, sending her twins out early was truly a godsend.

"Ha... I didn't expect that Madame Melissa to be such a stupid slut."

"She's just a true believer."

“What did that true believer promise in return for cooperating with you?”
Richelieu made no reply. Instead, she brought a chair by the stove closer to the bed,
sat down, and began to stare at my face with sad eyes. I got goosebumps at the sight
of the jumbled mixture of anger, shame, guilt and desire.

"You've managed to accomplish something impossible by yourself as a woman alone.

The unity of the dog-like nobility and the heretical movement... aren't you truly the
incarnation of the devil?"

"I'm not sure if I'm truly the devil's incarnation, but since you cooperated to some
extent with that, you must be the devil's servant."

"Cooperation……?"

"Because I had the guts to feed Cantarella to the Prince of Nuremberg. I have to admit
that I'm pretty good at it. I can't call it wise."

When I recalled the incident, instead of fear, anger soared. As soon as he remembered
that he almost lost Nora forever because of that person in front of him.

A faint sneer bloomed on my lips.

"If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have been able to convince others so easily, so I have to
say thank you."

"..."

“Thanks to the fact that I almost lost Confucius, and the fact that he perfectly
awakened my feelings for him.

"... The devil's trick is to stir up the will of all gods."

“Did the Holy Fathers and the Holy Mother even give you the mission to poison the
Prince of Nuremberg?

"I was trying to save his soul. To prevent him from committing the crime of committing
a witch called you..."
"I'm a witch? I don't even have a magic broom."

As he grinned with bitterness, the young cardinal's brown eyebrows twitched

terrifyingly. With his upper body leaning forward, the appearance of clasping and
opening his bloody right hand gave him an impetus to attack if necessary.

I lowered my gaze and glanced at the window, but he opened his mouth again with a
creepy voice that seemed to be rubbing iron balls against each other.

"I brought you here to save you. To completely wash away your physical and spiritual
sins and make you a new believer."

“Will my sins be forgiven if I fall into your arms?”

It was a question I asked because I was so dumbfounded, but he seemed to have

stabbed the inside properly, and he flinched at once. As he watched it, his groan
escaped.

"The priests must be very comfortable. Rape can be called salvation."

"I didn't say I would rape you."

"Cardinal Richelieu. What is the reason I am here?"

"..."

“You said earlier that your body may be pure because of me, but your soul has been
polluted for a long time. Did you feel a little better after blaming me?”

"...I've never been comfortable with you since I got to know you. I'd rather... I'd rather
have destroyed you at all costs in the first place. If that's the case, this country won't
be swept away by the devil's sewage and cults. I could have prevented it..."

The voice that came out as if squeezed was trembling slightly. As if he was desperately
suppressing something.
calm down… … You have to act carefully.

I spoke in a low tone, staring at the dark gaze that fluctuated in front of my eyes.

“There are only two possibilities that you did this despite knowing the agreement
between the Safavids and the Neubansteins. Either you did it on your own, or you
believe that a war will break out or that it has nothing to do with the Holy See. "

"Do you really believe that the army of heretical barbarians will truly cross the strait
just for you? ...Well, if you're the incarnation of a devil like you, it might be something
you can accomplish. Anyway, even if they invade, the Vatican still has the support of
religious allies. There is. Do you think the people of the empire will support you as they
are now, for bringing in foreign troops?"

That was something I didn't know. Anyway, Prince Ali's promise to me was used as a
pretty decent card in the early stages when persuading other timid nobles and
putting pressure on the church, and it was exactly what I wanted. The arrival of the
Janissary Army on the Imperial Beach was not something I wished for either. Putting
aside the fact that he does not want war, if he truly brings in foreign troops, he will
surely be shaken.

"You really don't know. But the church should be worried about not the external
enemy."

"..."

“Anyway, the fact that you brought me here must mean that you have no will to send
me out alive, so let’s hear what kind of game you are trying to play. ?"

The cardinal, who had been glaring at me in that goddamn silence again, slowly rose
from his chair. My pulse beat fast and my palms were sweaty, but I sat still, trying not
to show it.

"His Holiness wants to burn you alive."

"..."
"I want to use you as an example and return the followers who have fallen into the
Demon's Trial to their place. Of course, you have other business to do before you do
that. There are countless people in here who have a lot of business to do with you."

"..."

"But I can save you."

Coming closer to the bedside, he bent down and let out a cool breath in my ear as I
struggled to hold back the disgust.

"If you promise one thing."

“……What kind of promise is that?”

"If you promise to sever all ties with the world and become subordinate to me."

"..."

"There will be no more human suffering, no more being used by demons."

I slowly turned my gaze, which had been glancing at the window under my lowered
eyelashes. Then, slowly, slowly, he tilted his head back and let out a burst of laughter
as if he were letting go of the breath he had been holding in all at once.

"Puhahaha...!"

It was only natural that his face hardened into an indescribable expression at the
sight of me shaking my shoulder and smiling. Either that or not, I continued to laugh
and spat out in a tone very similar to our Elias, even though I heard it with my own
ears.

"I'm sorry, but just like you said, I'm a very worldly person, so I'll never be satisfied with a
guy like you, who's even worse than my knight's old stocking. It's just that I'd rather be
burned to death than stay by your side all my life!"
I thought my black eyes were burning like the flames of hell, but the next moment
Richelieu attacked me as fiercely as a cat.

I tossed and turned with him for a while in that state, then I lifted my knee and kicked it
as hard as I could, recalling the self-defense technique Jeremy taught me one day.

puck!

Fortunately, it seemed to have hit the vital points correctly. The cardinal's face, who
was holding me down with the momentum to crush me on the spot, turned pale
because he was tired of it, and his strength drained away. Taking advantage of that
gap, I quickly pulled myself out.

"You can't hurt me, twisted fledgling."

I ran straight to the window and saw the ground hidden beneath the sycamore tree
branches that nearly covered the window.

I caught my breath and grabbed the thick tapestry hanging from one wall. Then, with
her body broken in half, Richelieu, who had let out her moans, staggered and rushed
towards her, and at the same time threw her body out of her window!

It was a shame because he was wrapped in tapestry, otherwise he would have been
disfigured before reaching the ground, colliding with countless branches.

Then, a majestic and majestic shock wave rose, spreading pain like tingling and
numbness all over the body.

It was winter, so the ground was frozen solid. Even if the yellowed bushes and tapestry
acted as a cushion, it was not enough to completely prevent the pain of falling from
the height of the fourth floor. It was a hundred times better than nothing.

thud!

As I hobbled up, there was a loud roar that sounded like something else was falling
somewhere nearby. Maybe someone kidnapped like me jumped like me? Anyway, there
was no time to hesitate, so I picked up the hem of my tattered dress and started
running aimlessly.
Please, please, I hope the twins are home safe... … !

Fortunately, it was a dark night all around. Before long, I heard a commotion of
sentries with torches shouting and moving around, but I couldn't tell if it was looking
for me or if it was because of another crash I had just heard.

Standing on one side of the ornate terraced garden, hiding behind a huge statue of
the Virgin holding a cherub, peeping for a moment, I saw a group of desperate-
looking paladins rushing towards the area where I had just dropped.

I waited until they had all passed, then began to clamber over the statue of the Virgin.
Who would have imagined that they would dare to step on the statue of the Holy
Mother of God in this place?

In any case, it was a moment of balance, with one foot on the rather flat shoulder of
the Virgin and the other on the cherub's belly.

"Hey, who's there?!"

At the same time as a sharp cry was heard, I threw my body with all my might into the
wall that looked far away.

Holy Mother of God! You live and live and make me do things like this, what is the face
of a noble lady!

I clung to the wall and groaned until I finally managed to jump over the wall.
Fortunately, it wasn't very high, but I wondered if it was because of the shock from the
earlier jump that I might have broken my leg.

Anyway, I picked up my fallen shoes and limped around, looking around to see the
splendid buildings and towering walls of Sacrosanct on my left, and the towering
obelisk on my immediate right, with the entrance to an underground aqueduct barely
visible below.

I don't know what kind of high school student this is because of one crazy cardinal.

I blindly entered the canal and crawled through the narrow passage for a long time
before finally coming out. I was greeted by an alley near the outskirts of Wittelsbach
surrounded by the cold night air.
I stood blankly for a moment in the cold air of the alley. Then I heard the sound of a
carriage approaching from far away. As the carriage drew closer, the sounds of
several people shouting and humming loudly were heard.

"Born as a remnant of the empire! You said you could rip off the pope's head!"

"It's blasphemy! There's a heretic among us! Hello, skirt-clad, sole-licking paladins!
Take this guy!"

“No matter how you think about it, the pope and the emperor love each other.

"Ohhh, then all of this is just two people's sugar-sweetening... What? What a beautiful
lady!"

"What? Where, where?!"

"Lady in trouble! You seem lost. Can I give you a ride?"

"Wait a minute, I think I saw him somewhere..."

"This is a man every woman in the world knows, right? Lady, where are you going?"

"Can you drive me to Marquis Neuwanstein's place?"

There was silence for a while. Me, who was on the verge of collapsing, and a group of
knights, who were sitting with the roof of the carriage open in this cold weather and
were causing great harm to the peace of the midnight imperial capital, stared blankly
at each other for a moment.

Meanwhile, snowflakes began to fall from the sky one by one.

After a while, I sat between five or six knights, clad in my cloak, and finally managed to
catch my breath.
According to these noisy knights, they belonged to the night patrol, but there was a
commotion on the main street of Hwangdo and they were on their way there. We had
to cross the main street to get to our house anyway.

Indeed, as soon as the carriage pulled out of the outskirts and into the main street,
everything was noisy.

"Huh, this isn't unusual...? Isn't it the atmosphere where everyone is going to have a
fight?"

The first knight who recognized me was muttering with his tongue sticking out.

As the saying goes, torches were flickering here and there, and armed knights with
serious faces were talking to each other or going back and forth nervously. It didn't
take long for most of them to find out where they belonged.

“……Calm down for now. It’s better to wait until dawn……”

"Now my lover is standing at the crossroads of life and death, how long will I sit and
wait?!"

"Princess, the Bavarian counts also sent additional reinforcements..."

"Nora, Nora!"

At the sound of my shout, Nora, who had been standing with her back turned to her
knights, immediately turned around. When she met her blue eyes wide open in
amazement and relief, her tension melted away and tears suddenly welled up in her
eyes.

Just in time, the carriage stopped. I jumped off the wagon and before I even landed on
the floor, Nora had already reached in front of me and hugged me into a crushing
hug. I also threw myself into his arms that embraced me and held him as if he were
clinging to his neck.

"My God, sister! I'm a sister..."

"That cardinal, he kidnapped me. In that dressing room..."

"Sh-shurii?!"

Udu doo!

Jeremy, who ran like a darting with a tremendous roar, jumped straight at me. Hey,
you bastard!

"Shurii! My mother! Are you okay?! You're not hurt?! What happened to this..."

"Jeremy, Leon and Rachel..."

"They're both at home. Ha, that's good. God, thank you for the acquaintance! Get away
man, my mother!"

"You bastard, get away! You're my lover?!"

"Whoever wants"

oh, don't be crazy Yes, I thought I would never see your face again!

"Shu, Shuri."

I looked up instead of being caught between Jeremy and Nora. There stood our Elias,
dressed in full military uniform and holding a bow. Tears welled up in her emerald
eyes.

"Ellie."

"I, I... I mean... ha, I thought I'd never see you again... I knew that... I was so scared..."
"..."

"Hmm... Mmm, I'm glad you came back safely!"

Elias, who had been stuttering, suddenly burst into tears and rushed at me. To see
Elias, who doesn't say anything strange at all, was worried that he might be crushed to
death like this, but at the same time, a surprising and warm feeling arose.

"It's a mistress!"

"Mrs. Neubanstein..."

"The mistress has returned safely!"

"Oh, go away, little kids! Your mother is mine!"

"Huh, Ji, Giralma, this baby!"

“Why are you saying the right thing, brother?

Finally, hearing the voices of the people surrounding me, I felt the lines of my
consciousness slowly sever in the overflowing sense of relief.

***

To sum up what happened while I was kidnapped, when Leon and Rachel looked
around the shops and returned to the dressing room with the attendants, the
dressing room was empty, and neither I nor the staff nor Madame Melissa were to be
seen inside. that's it

So, everyone searched the area for a long time to find me, and eventually returned to
the Marquis' residence and informed Jeremy of the incident.
As a result of somehow guessing various circumstances, no one disputed the
reasoning that I, the leader of the reform forces, seemed to have been kidnapped by
the church.

The reason why the main street of the ecliptic was so chaotic that night was that some
aristocratic troops, centered on the Neubanstein and Nuremberg families, were
scouring the entire ecliptic like teeth, and were preparing to invade the Vatican if
necessary.

The identity of another crash I heard at the time of my escape was revealed early the
very next day. The aristocratic society was turned upside down by an incident in which
a young lady of a marquess who went to see her godfather, the cardinal, returned
home as a cold corpse.

The young lady was a daughter of a family belonging to the anti-reform faction, and
the church claimed that she complained of depression to her godfather, and then
jumped out of a 7th-floor window in a moment of inattention.

On the other hand, the bereaved family insisted that their daughter was a child who
had nothing to do with depression. In other words, no matter how you look at it, it was
forcibly thrown or it happened while he was trying to run away.

Exactly what happened after I was kidnapped was confided only to Nora and Jeremy,
while others were informed that the Vatican simply wanted to capture me and burn
me at the stake as an example. And as the above case and my abduction case
coincided, the reformist forces, which had been restraining their radical atmosphere,
finally exploded.

Ironically, however, it was the pope who ignited the civil war first. When the
atmosphere became bloody, he moved quickly and requested paladin reinforcements
from the Teutons and the Kingdom of Nara.

The emperor, who had seemed to ignore me, was enraged by my abduction and the
arbitrary atrocities of the pope who tried to send in foreign troops without consulting
him.

In the meantime, it was a bonus that the Safavid royal family sent a mocking letter to
the emperor asking if they would solve it on their own or if we should go help their
friends.

Eventually, the emperor allowed the boiling nobles to exercise their skills and hire
additional mercenaries. Civil wars have occurred several times in the history of the
Empire, but all of them were between clans, and an attack on the Papal States was
unprecedented. Therefore, the emperor's permission for armed conflict meant that he
would accept the collapse of the hierarchy.

Knights ordered to appear from all regions came up, mercenaries flocked, and Nara
and Teutonic Order reinforcements crossed the border, so I secretly took Rachel and
went down to the villa in the manor.

It was a conclusion reached after many discussions. I had already been kidnapped
once and had established myself as a symbol of the reformist aristocracy. It was
obvious that once the fight started, it would become more dangerous. Even Jeremy
and Nora agreed unanimously.

"With you, we can't fight in peace. What good is all this if something happens to you?"

“But I think our dukedom is a bit safer than the marquis territory…”

"What do you mean by that? Our family is inferior to yours? Is this?"

"That's not what I mean, if someone decides to go looking for my sister in case
something goes wrong, of course they're going to search all over the Marquis'
Territory, you stupid wild cat."

That was right. In the end, the decision was made to stay in one of the territories of the
Duchy of Nuremberg. Bondi decided to take Leon with him, but for some reason, Leon
insisted on staying in the imperial city.

"I'm also a Neubanstein man. Besides, the hyungs are muscles even their brains. A
brain wave like me should be by my side to assist."

"Because you won't have to use your pea-sized brain?! Shuri, just take him with you."

Of course, there wouldn't be anything that would use Leon's head. Even so, Leon didn't
break his stubbornness, and on the other hand, I thought that he was growing up so
fast that he was proud and worried.

"How can I go in peace because everyone is worried..."

"Don't worry, there's this sharpshooter with 100 shots! Wahahaha! You can shoot the
pope in the face!"

“Why is the old pope of color coming to battle?

"Mistress, that older brother is proud of himself for only going out a few times! Big,
anyway, don't worry! If someone attacks that lesser older brother or a friend he hangs
out with, this sharpshooter will personally protect him! Everyone is equal!"

It was only natural that everyone's eyes widened at Elias's actions as he patted me on
the chest while talking confidently (?) for some reason.

Nora gave a wry smile.

“I don’t know who protects whom, but why are you being nice?”

"Ha! What are you talking about? I'm always a good son? I'm only not nice to you!"

After replying with a snort, Elias laid down on my knees astride the sofa. And then she
let out a smile of her own goodness at Nora. So Nora's face grew more and more
distorted. She resembled the expression Jeremy used to make when I was dreaming
after he had stopped at me.

That Jeremy was laughing at his friend's distorted face, claiming that he would sue
and die.

"You're a long way from defeating us, you asshole."

"A unity among idiots. I will not become a childish father who competes with his
children."

"Who's who's Abbie?!"

"I'm glad the brothers didn't go together."

"Did you see it? This is why I have to be there."

Anyway, on the way to the Duchy of Erfurt, Confucius Nora was to accompany him.
After taking me and Rachel, do you have something to ask the vassals there?

Nora will then return to the ecliptic and join the allied forces in earnest.

Who would have known that what started as a half-hearted affair would eventually
lead to such a turn as a series of events and variables swelled up.

Well, has the world ever been predictable?

***

The winter of 1118, about ten days before Christmas. Erfurt, located in the southern
part of the empire, was a small and lyrical mountain country. It is far from the city and
a small number of residents are raising sheep and farming, so it feels like they have
escaped the heat of conflicts in other areas. Compared to the ecliptic, it was an
incredibly peaceful atmosphere.

"It's so pretty."

"I'm glad you like it. Actually, I've never been here before."

"Really? You've never been here before?"

"Me. I heard that my father used it as a place to run away whenever he fought with his
grandfather in the past. So it's the best place to hide comfortably...

"You look like a ghost!"

Rachel, who was staring up at the beautiful villa where we would be staying while I and
Nora were talking, suddenly shouted.
It didn't fit at all, so I looked at it in bewilderment, but Rachel bent over and grabbed
the snow that had accumulated on the floor with her gloved hands.

puck!

As Nora, who had been suddenly intercepted, stared down at her shoulder, where
snowflakes were dripping down, Rachel exclaimed, her emerald eyes sparkling, what
the hell was she thinking?

"No one beats me in a snowball fight in my house. What about you, Confucius?"

Nora said nothing to that remark, obviously provocative. Instead, he responded by

snatching a handful of snow from the floor and throwing it.

puck!

Then he burst into laughter at the sight of Rachel, whose golden curls looked like they
had been covered in white flour. Rachel let out her roar.

"It's shameful to hit the head!"

"Isn't that what the person who attacked first said?"

"Eee!"

A brawl erupted over it. Before I could say anything, snowballs started flying all over
the place.

Our family's attendant knights, who saw their daughter being attacked, stepped up to
help Rachel, and it was a bonus that the duke's attendant knights intervened.

The butler of the villa, who had just come out to meet us, had a very puzzled face at
this unexpected scuffle, but like a seasoned butler, he quickly came to his senses.

In other words, he shouted and jumped out.

"Oh, boy! It's such a mess every time you come!"

“……Isn’t this the first time we met? Who are you?”

"It's me, Fuche! What the hell did you fight with His Excellency again this time!"

"..."

Well. It seems that the elderly housekeeper is still staying in the past time zone.

Anyway, thanks to that, the snowball fight started by my daughter ended in an instant,
and we all quietly entered the villa. And before long, Rachel started shivering and
coughing from the cold.

"Chu, chu, ahchwi...!"

It seemed that he caught a cold whenever he was buried in the snow and having fun.
Soon, she broke out in a cold sweat and started coughing incessantly, and everyone
made a fuss about finding emergency medicine, bringing hot water, and keeping her
as warm as possible.

"I'm sorry about this."

"I just played with you, what do you have to be sorry for?"

After a lot of commotion, Rachel finally fell asleep in a room with a roaring stove,
wrapped in a thick blanket, with a much calmer face.

I leaned against the window and smiled back at Nora, who was embarrassed.

“I don’t usually do that… but maybe I wanted to get close to you.”

“Hmm, I thought we were already close, but I guess I misunderstood myself?”

After a playful reply, he walked over and sat down next to me.

We sat side by side like that for a while and looked at the girl who was lying on the bed
and sleeping soundly. I could see our human figures reflected in the window, and I felt
strange all of a sudden. It was as if we were all children's toy puppets, little fraudsters
with family play roles.

"What are you thinking?"

Nora, noticing the strange look on my face, put her arm around my shoulder and
asked a question. I blinked and shook my head.

"It's just… how to say, suddenly I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't married
the father of the kids. If I did, none of this would have happened."

And if it hadn't come back.

Now all the memories before coming back are far away. As if it was just a long
daydream, like it was just a dream of my worst fears... … .

Nora was not present in the dream. Nothing was entirely mine there, and neither was I
wholly myself to anyone.

I couldn't tell if I had changed or if the world had changed. Or is it just that I didn't
know something? Since returning, I have seen countless new aspects of people I
thought I already knew. maybe even from myself.

Suddenly, a knock rang. Then a voice came right away. It was the butler's voice.

"Are you a young boy?"

"……yes."

“Are you reading strange books with your friends in there again?
"..."

Nora lets out a short moan while I helplessly cover my mouth with my hand and clear
my throat vigorously.

"Where the hell is wrong, old man... It seems that the mental time zone is going back
and forth."

"Wait, should I say it's a living history? It's not unreasonable to confuse them because
they look so much alike."

"You say you look alike? Me? With my father?"

"Even though you're more handsome in my eyes."

At this, Nora looked very satisfied, then got up and left the room, talking about the old
man.

From the half-open door came the sound of chatter. I don't think it's any use
explaining that this youngster isn't that youngster.

It's a living history... … . Could it be living history, all of us someday?

Leaning back against the back of the armchair, I glanced around the large room. A
bookshelf occupying one wall was filled with books that looked like old books. I walked
over to see if I could find something to read that might help with the situation, and I
picked up a few books with interesting titles. <History of the Imperial Civil War>, <Faith
and Politics>, <Twilight of Nobles>, etc. Overall, it was old and moth-eaten in places,
but it was still well maintained.

I opened the book <Twilight of the Nobles> without much thought, feeling the stiff
texture of the paper, which is rarely used these days.

"……what is this?"

Then it slammed shut. Then she slowly unfolded it again.

Something was strange. Apparently, the cover had the fancy title Twilight of the
Nobles, but on the inside was another title with strange illustrations.

“……Are tutors hot?”

Even if I murmured in a dumbfounded voice without even realizing it, few would blame
me.

what the hell is this... … Isn't this something you'd only find under Elias' bed? Those red
books! The strange books the butler mentioned earlier!

"Sister, the meal is ready..."

I hurriedly closed the book with a thud as I heard Nora's voice suddenly. No, I was
trying to cover it up. It seems that I was too flustered, but the damn book, which was
quite thick in shape, slipped out of my hands and fell to the floor.

Fluffy!

All the while, the embarrassing illustration part, which is hard to even express, is
unfolded intact.

It was a natural result that Nora's eyes naturally turned toward me after watching my
clumsy movements.

"..."

"..."

I wish I could find a way to say something to Nora's face as she stares at me now. I
really wish it was.

It is awkward. very awkward Unlike me, who was awkward and didn't know what to do,
Nora didn't look very awkward. He smiled as usual and just said:
"If anything happens, call me right away. Even so, the back and forth old butler
handled things quickly."

"Yeah, you too..."

"Don't worry, I'll risk my life to protect my sister's foolish sons."

Then I looked up and met his dark blue eyes. He looked up at Nora, who was smiling
brightly after completing all preparations to return to the ecliptic, but his heart felt
uncontrollable.

It was ironic that I, the person who threw the topic, was hiding here at this moment
when the whole country was in a state of uprising.

It wasn't fair to have to hide alone while my loved ones fought. Nevertheless, the words
were right that if I remained in the ecliptic, it would be even more dangerous. Even
though I had promised myself not to do so, I stammered, on the verge of bursting into
tears.

“You have to be careful too… okay? Even if someone provokes you, don’t go over, and
no matter what happens, don’t move alone…”

"I'll be careful. I promise."

Nora answered in a pleasant tone, gently caressing my cheek with one hand and
kissing my forehead. A kiss as soft as cotton wool, a kiss meant to say goodbye for a
while.

"Hope we can finish before Christmas."

“……It will be the best Christmas present.”

Neither of us could say goodbye. As if they were afraid that if they did, it would be an
eternal farewell.
Soon after, he watched as the carriage he rode pulled away. My heart felt like it was
breaking into pieces.

Would it have been better if I hadn't started anything? Would everything have been
better if it had been?

I already knew the answer. Because this wasn't something I made out of my own will.
But… … .

"Mom... are you okay?"

Eventually, I grabbed Rachel, who was looking up at me with worried eyes, and began
to weep. Breaking up with Jeremy, breaking up with Elias and Leon was heartbreaking.
But there was another level of pain in breaking up with Nora. A pain that cannot be
expressed in words, a kind of pain that I feel for the first time in my life.

Chapter 16 - The End

"It's one o'clock in the afternoon."

On December 21, 1118, around 7 o'clock in the morning, the Duke of Nuremberg, who
was having a meeting with the leading leaders of the reformist faction, immediately fell
into trouble for a moment at the behavior of the blond kid who spit out things without
further explanation. Should I yell at them, or should I give them a reciprocal question?

"Did I ever have an appointment for lunch? I don't remember anything like that."

"This means that the allied forces, led by the Neubanstein and Nuremberg Alliances,
will begin to advance towards the walls of Sacrosanth at 1:00 PM today."

The Duke of Nuremberg did not say anything for a moment. Instead, the Count of
Bavaria, who was sitting on his right, opened his eyes wide.

"Who said that?"

“Including myself, the sons and nephews and nephews of those gathered here.”

“Huh, Sir Jeremy, what kind of sudden… did the Duke of Nuremberg order in advance?”

The Duke of Nuremberg did not answer questions from the parliamentarians. He
instead pointed towards the young knight, who was smiling brazenly.

"I'll try to explain why you guys made that decision between you, without insisting that
you can't control your blood."

"Large, the number of the Holy Knights and mercenaries combined is approximately
5,000. If reinforcements arrive from the Teutons and the country, it will be more than
that. The allied army is estimated at 20,000. However, it may be difficult to deal with the
walls of Sacrosant in the future and the foreign army in the back. If you hire additional
mercenaries and ask for support from Safavie, there will be no problem in increasing
the number of troops, but regardless, the Teutons or the country will have to deal with
us before the foreign invaders intervene. I think it's the best scenario at this point to
put an end to each other. Besides, there is a possibility that the Pope will escape in the
middle, so as soon as possible..."

"Is that a conclusion from your head, or from my son's head?"

"...it's both."

"It's only about four days until the troops of the Teutons and the country arrive."

"Yes. It's just Christmas when I'm older. To celebrate Christmas, I'll personally present
the Pope's triple crown to the Duke..."

"The looting of loot is prohibited. Do you think you can completely occupy the Papal
States in four days?"

“I think the duke knows better than anyone why the walls of Sacrosanct have never
been captured.”

"Why do you think there isn't?"

"Because there's no precedent for being attacked."

As soon as Jeremy finished answering, he raised a hand and scratched his golden
hair.

These words were, in fact, the same as Leon had thrown them the night before. At the
time Leon said it, Elias yelled at him saying he was playing with words, but in the end,
isn't that the right logic?

There was no precedent for an attack on the Papal States from within the Empire,
even during those vicious witch hunts. It was literally unprecedented in the history of
the empire.

The Duke of Nuremberg also believed that his words were not wrong. There was a
justification that anyone could understand that the church had summoned foreign
troops without first consulting the imperial family when the emperor permitted the
nobles to raise troops. And the emperor would not move the emperor's army to help
either side beyond that justification. That way, no matter which side loses, the imperial
family's position will be guaranteed.

Even if the aristocratic army was defeated, the imperial family would not take any
responsibility, and if the papal army was defeated, of course, there would be no harm
as it was permitted to raise the aristocratic army.

However, if the armies of the three countries, the Teutons, the Nara and the Safavids,
came together and clashed within the empire, the imperial family would not be able to
continue to remain neutral.

And if foreign armies and even the emperor’s army all begin to collide within the
empire, this civil war, which was aimed at the collapse of religious power, is highly likely
to turn into a chaotic proxy war by other countries who rush in in an instant, aiming
for a gap in chaos. did. The life and death of this reform is at stake in the remaining
four days. So, it is at this point that we must begin our advance. the problem is… … .

“We will have to capture the pope alive within four days by any means. Even if we
penetrate Sacrosanct, if the pope escapes, the political situation will be greatly
complicated. ."

"I understand. Then, assuming that everyone has agreed, we will begin the advance of
the entire army."

“……Maybe we should bring Sir’s mother back in the middle.”

At these words, Jeremy naturally furrowed his golden eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Why do you think this is so? Mrs. Neubanstein is currently a symbol of the reformists.
As she is the number one target to be eliminated, she is currently in hiding, but if the
siege shows signs of delay, you must return to the ecliptic. Safa It is she, the head of
Neuwanstein, who has been promised aid by the royal family, not our allies. It is her
and Sir's sister that the next monarch of Safavi is fascinated with, not the Sirs and us.
That is why she is here. It is said that you have to come back and be at the center of
the Revolutionary Army so that you can maintain your fighting spirit and draw out
Safabi's cooperation without difficulty if the four-day capture strategy fails."

"That's true, but even so..."

"Kyung's mother is a stronger person than Sir, so you shouldn't worry too much."

"No, but Duke, if Shurr... if something happens to my mother, then it's truly
catastrophic!"

The Duke of Nuremberg pressed his temple gently with his fingers, thinking that he
knew that his catastrophic sound would come out.

You could call it a real catastrophe. If something happens to her, that hot-blooded
lion will surely roll her eyes and point her sword at not only her church, but also at her
imperial family... … . There was one more person who would roll her eyes.

"So, for the sake of everyone's peace, doesn't it mean that we have to finish everything
within four days? Tell my son that too."

"I'm outside the door, so you can tell me directly."

Unknowingly, Jeremy, who defiantly responded right away, was immediately soaked in
regret, but it was already too late. The duke's expression immediately turned to a
puzzled one.

"What? Then why did you come alone and report?"

For a moment, Jeremy hesitated for a moment, feeling the stern stares of the elders
pouring down on him, but soon decided to confess openly as he did.

"Looking at the duke's face in the morning, I think I'm going to ruin my condition."

"..."

And Jeremy politely greeted the Duke of Steel, who was causing a helpless earthquake
in his pupils with a look that didn't suit him, and left the duke's residence.

"Is it as planned?"

"As planned. Your father seems pretty concerned."

"What?"

"you."

"You're laughing."

"But isn't it much better than before?"

"I'm not used to it now and I'm not happy about it."

"...but your father is better than my father, right?"

Seeing Jeremy muttering self-deprecatingly for some reason, Nora raised her
eyebrows for a moment, then smiled bitterly.

"If you are, then so be it."

The morning air was cool and clear. To put it to shame after a few days of fluttering
snow, the long-awaited bright sunlight was beating down.

The weather was not very suitable for starting a civil war with an authoritative
opponent who had been in this land for over a thousand years. It was a good weather
to dress warmly and go on a field trip or go fox hunting rather than going to battle.

The two knights stood side by side for a while and watched the morning of the ecliptic
through the window.

"It's been a very eventful year."

"Who would have guessed that this summer would turn out like this?"

"That's right... I thought the crown prince would sit on the throne arrogantly for the
rest of his life. I was sure that no matter what, my father would never abandon him."

"But in the end, he abandoned you and chose you. On the contrary, I found out that
my father is the world's idiot. This is it, I feel like you've won in every way."

"About that part, is that the reason why you started to organize your mind in earnest?"

It wasn't a question worth asking between people who once considered each other to
be rivals. Still, Nora asked, and Jeremy lowered her eyes for a moment before
answering in a hesitant tone.

"There's that too... Should I ironically say that Theobald was the decisive factor? He's
shown me strange things."

"Did I show you his portrait?"

Dark green eyes widened naturally at Nora's words.

"Eh... did you show it to me?"

"Rather than showing it to you, should I say I happened to see it. What the hell did he
say while showing it to you?"

It sounded like he was worried. Aside from the fact that she didn't suit Nora, she felt
grotesquely emotionally protected.

Jeremy twisted his brow, trying to blast the unfamiliar feeling into the sky.

"I don't really want to remember it, but anyway, we were saying that it's natural that all
three of us like Shuri or something... I tried to make your father and my father into
perverts... It was right after."

"Looks like he's had quite a bit of trouble. Anyway, he's good at epilepsy..."

"You don't seem very surprised?"

"I didn't even look like that. My sister is a hundred times prettier."

"Isn't that true?"

"And even if it's a bit similar, what's so important? It may be important to our fathers or
the crown prince of the mother complex, but it's not to me. What the hell does that
have to do with me? Aside from the genetic preference he claims, where is the guy who
has a crush on his sister? Are you one or two?"

It was. Jeremy nodded her head and turned her words away, feeling a strange sense
of relief rising from her.

"Do you think you can finish it in four days?"

"We have to finish it. Shouldn't we give our Goddess of Reformation the best Christmas
present? You say you're a filial son."

"The number one target for capture is, of course, the Pope, and the rest..."
"Cardinal Urbano, Cardinal Cyrano, and Cardinal Richelieu..."

"... just catch that goddamn silent servant or nabal, and I'll make you silent forever! I'll
rip your legs so you can neither cry nor laugh! I'll let you taste all the pain that humans
can feel!"

Jeremy, who seemed to be listening calmly like a child who listens well, suddenly lit up
his eyes and let out a growl that made his flesh tremble.

"Hereafter, he's an alumnus, but how do you think everyone will react if you tear his leg
off in front of all the troops?"

"However you react or not! Just tear it apart in secret!"

"I don't know how secretly tearing means tearing, but calm down anyway. He almost
succeeded in killing me, and not enough to openly humiliate my lover and my friend's
family, so he tried to kidnap and imprison me. It's not enough even if I tear off all the
limbs, but I'll have to win first."

"Damn it, can I win?"

"Do you remember what we said to my older sister in the past? You said that you would
push away the imperial family and the Vatican and make her empress."

Of course Jeremy remembered. She was talking about herself to comfort Shuri before
the banquet for the anniversary of the founding of the country.

“After all this is over, wouldn’t it be possible to stand at a similar peak, if not the
Empress.”

"Hmm, but pushing the Vatican was done in reality, but not the imperial family..."

"I can't say no. After we win with certainty, the imperial family will become scarecrows
for yours and ours, who initiated the reform. In exchange for maintaining a neutral
stance at a time when the balance of hegemony is being reestablished."

Nora's deep blue eyes gleamed with a certain certainty as she murmured slowly and
forcefully. So Jeremy's expression was similarly deeply convinced.
"Then it remains only to win for sure."

***

It had already been several days since I had arrived at this isolated country house in
this humble province. The day here passed surprisingly slowly. Maybe it's because the
things to do have drastically decreased compared to when I was in the ecliptic.

Reading the old books found inside the villa (real old books), looking at the
correspondence written on the current situation of the ecliptic, sitting by the fireside
with Rachel and making a doll praying for victory by weaving straw, the villa butler
announces that it is meal time from time to time. only his voice was heard.

Mr. Pouche, who mistook Nora for the Duke of Nuremberg.

As a result of staying for a few days and watching, it seemed that Mr. Fuche was often
confused between old memories and reality, perhaps because of his advanced age,
but he seemed to have no problem managing the villa and handling various things.
However, he occasionally grabbed me and said something that I couldn't tell whether
he was talking to me or someone from the past.

For example, these words.

"If you get to know our young master, he gets lonely a lot. How fortunate he is to have
a lady-like friend."

"ah……."

"It seems that the young master really likes the lady. Thank you for your support in
many ways."

… … I couldn't figure out who I was confused with. Is there only one more person?
To him, if Nora was the Duke of Nuremberg, then I was the former Empress Ludovica.

Anyway, judging from what he said, it seems that this villa was definitely a hideout for
key figures in the empire in the past. And it seemed that Ludovika, who at the time was
only the daughter of a baroness, had really received their affection in one body, to the
extent that she frequented them.

What kind of person was she? She was a person like me and she was so similar, so
naturally she couldn't help but be curious.

What kind of woman was she to receive such a deep and long affection? Too bad for
her, even after she died of illness at a young age, there were many people who
couldn't get out of her shadow for the rest of her life.

And imagine, if I had been her, and had seen from heaven what had happened after
her death, I would no doubt have been seized with the urge to stab the man who was
her husband. If only she had seen the twisted growth process the child she left behind
went through.

It's not his fault that he did that... … .

"Well made. What kind of doll is that?"

"A stuffed lion to give to my older brother as a souvenir. If you win, you should know
that you won thanks to this."

"Jeremy will like it."

"If you don't like something, I'll have it. Won't that big fool keep us here for Christmas?"

Well? Christmas is only two days away. It would be perfect if everything ended there,
but even if it didn't, it was inevitable. If this civil war showed signs of lengthening, I had
to return to the ecliptic and do what I could there. And… … .

"Rachel, how do you feel about staying in Safavi for the New Year's celebration?"

I asked casually, and sure enough, Rachel's emerald eyes, which immediately raised
her head and looked at me, blazed like stars.
"Safavié? With whom?"

“Maybe Leon and you two?”

"I'm worried that Leon won't adapt well, but I like it anyway."

indeed. Come to think of it, Rachel had been wearing the pearl necklace she had
received from Prince Ali all day until she came here.

Should I say I'm lucky? If the civil war was prolonged, it was unknown what would
happen to the political situation, so sending the twins to the safest place was
something to consider.

"But Mom."

"yes……?"

"Mom, how much do you like that Confucius?"

Uh, why are you asking such a question all of a sudden?

I found myself blushing face to face with my daughter, who stared into my face with
twinkling eyes. But before I could think of the right words, she spoke again.

“If my mother and the prince get married.”

"……what?"

"And I think I'll be a little jealous when I have a baby."

My jaw dropped weakly.

Aside from the fact that it's a problem I've never thought about before... … What a
baby! What a baby! Rachel has already thought that far!

Seeing my bewildered expression, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled. She
seemed calm, but she had a slightly dignified smile.

"Honestly, it's right to say that my mom is about the same as my older sister. It's funny
to see the age difference between my dad and me."

"Rachel……."

"Still, I'm glad you're my mother. Without her, I'd probably be a completely different
person. That's why I think I'd be jealous if she had a real baby."

How can I explain this feeling of being moved and embarrassed? I couldn't see an inch
ahead of what would happen to me and Nora. If, as Rachel said, I marry him, and I
have a child with him... … .

My heart trembles just by imagining it, but is it a possible future? Will I be allowed to
have such an ordinary yet dreamy future?

Could God be warning me? That evening, an urgent telegram came from the ecliptic.
During the attack on the Papal States, several key commanders were killed or seriously
injured, including our Jeremy. It was a telegram saying that the morale of the allied
forces was at a loss and that they had to return quickly as they would soon have to
deal with troops from other countries.

***

December 24th, the zodiac on Christmas Eve.

It doesn't feel good to be left behind. If you say rear, it's your own house, but anyway, in
the midst of a fierce fight in a place not far away, it was torture and an insult to stay at
home and watch your younger brother.
… … Anyway, I decided to consider it an insult. Elias.

"Damn it, are you treating me like a child!"

"Keuhum, the most important thing is the back of the manager..."

"You didn't tell your uncle, did you?"

In the face of irritation, the appearance of an uncle who is an ally for the first time in a
few years and secretly appears and keeps beating him is bound to be very annoying.
Elias, like him, fired at the pack without hesitation, and Count Muller, who had been
comforting his nephew in his own way, looked very displeased and left the seat while
babbling something.

Either that or not, Elias stood with his exclusive weapons lined up and began to
ponder which one would look the best to carry at the end.

What happened during the day could be dismissed as a series of bad news.

In the midst of a fierce battle, two noble knights who were in command of the allied
forces were killed by arrows shot by the defenders of Sacrosanct. To make matters
worse, Elias' older brother, a fool, injured his hand in the process. He was only slightly
injured by an arrow, but whatever.

Should it be said that the atmosphere of the entire coalition was completely turned
upside down due to the series of bad news? Usually, if the commanders were killed in
the middle of a fierce battle for several days, the morale system would also be blown
away.

Strictly speaking, it flew. If there was a difference, it would be that, contrary to the
general phenomenon, instead of losing morale and retreating, instead of losing
morale, it flew toward an explosion.

At this rate, I don't know if we can really negotiate before Christmas. With that thought
in mind, Elias, who was tidying up a crossbow to help create a dramatic production at
the crucial moment, heard that a young lady had come to visit him.
"Huh... Hey, I asked who it was, isn't it our princess? What's the matter here? Did you
come to see me?"

The face of the platinum-haired young lady, who was standing with her head bowed,
immediately turned red at the sight of Elias' slender figure waving one hand and
greeting her gently.

"Well, didn't you come here because you wanted to see me?"

“You didn’t come because you wanted to see my brother?

While Elias, who asked in a playful yet serious tone, crossed his arms and blinked, the
slightly unexpected visitor, Princess O'Hara von Heinrich, kept her mouth shut and
said nothing. She didn't seem angry or displeased, but rather seemed hesitant about
something.

After a while, Elias flinched as she, who had been biting her lips with her head lowered,
suddenly lifted her head.

I was even more startled by the grotesque horror in her eyes.

"What, what's going on..."

"Your stepmother is in danger."

"What? What the hell does that mean?!"

Even slightly annoyed, at Van Elias's prompting, O'Hara breathed heavily and looked
around a few times, then swallowed dryly and continued.

“I think there is an agent of the church among the servants in your family.”

"So what the hell is that..."

"I, I don't know! Anyway, my father is a weak person. As a daughter, I say it with my own
mouth... but he is a weak and cowardly person. Without doing so, there was no way he
would have been conspiring with the Church and other forces behind his back."

Elias suddenly tried to shout, but held back. She took one deep breath instead, and
with the most calm gesture she could, she asked in a calm tone, holding one hand on
her shoulder.

"Tell me what exactly happened. What happened?"

"Well, that's why... I overheard my father talking to some people a while ago, but they
seemed to be from your family's collateral."

"Our collaterals? Do you know who they are?"

"I don't know. Anyway, the content was unusual. Someone in the church seems to have
figured out that Mrs. Neuwanstein is not in the ecliptic, but I think she asked my father
to help kidnap her. My father talked about it with your relatives, and the cardinal was
alive. I want to take it over, but it won't be good for everyone if I keep it alive, and
there's no way to infiltrate assassins into the Duchy of Nuremberg, so it's best to make
them come back and attack them in the middle, before they set foot on the ecliptic. He
said something like this."

Elias' mind spun rapidly as he glared at O'Hara, who stuttered with tears in his eyes.

collateral greeting. Relatives, Relatives

His great-uncle had been here a little while ago. So maybe he isn't. But he had many
other relatives. He had too many people he could betray.

"Make me come back? What do you mean?"

"Now, I don't know, but he said he sent something to your mother, in the name of the
council. Since my father is also a member of the council... he's sure to come back right
away, then you can run over him on the way, but I'll catch you alive Instead of handing
it over to that cardinal, let's just get rid of it..."

“……Such an underworld bastard!”

Elias felt his head turn white in an instant and turned around. She has no time to be
like this. Go ahead and let me know... … But who should I tell first? Who would she like to
go straight to?

Emerald eyes rolled quickly. Currently, all troops in the imperial capital were
concentrated on the side of Sacrosanct. I'll just run there blindly and drag whoever I
come across first. Either his older brother or the iron battle enemy.

***

“Are you just leaving like this again?

After saying goodbye to Ms. Fuche, who gave an unfamiliar greeting, my mother and
daughter left the villa in Erfurt with a small number of elite attendants who remained
at the villa. It was to return to Wittelsbach.

"Don't be too anxious, mom. You weren't hurt that badly, but you're going to be sore
because you miss you. That idiot is really obnoxious."

It was Rachel's calming words to me who couldn't hide my anxious and anxious
expression throughout the way.

How nice it would be if that was all it really was... … ?

I tried to smile and raised my hand and gently pressed it against the throbbing chest.

Even though I tried to comfort myself that it wouldn't be a big deal, that the situation
wouldn't be as bad as I thought, there was no way to suppress the ominous feeling
eating away at my heart. Only the worst thoughts came to mind.

What if our Jeremy was seriously injured beyond repair? Even if you narrowly escaped
death, what if you suffered a fatal wound that you will have to carry for the rest of your
life? In addition, what if the momentum of the Allied Forces fizzled out and the
enthusiasm for reform that had begun collapsed, and what if the empire began to be
torn apart by foreign and internal forces?
Shouldn't have started anything from the beginning. Shouldn't she have come back in
the first place? Should I just let go of all her hands and leave her alone the moment I
came back? If so, would there be no conflict and everyone would live happily in their
original place?

Sitting in the carriage for a day and a half torturing myself with such thoughts was
exhausting.

As the wagon carrying us began to approach the foot of the Arop Mountains, the last
gateway before finally entering the ecliptic, my anxiety only grew. As if the body
reacted before the head due to a sudden panic, the heart jumped out of the body.

I got up, moved to the seat next to Rachel, who was dozing off by the window, and held
her warm hand in mine. It's okay, it won't be a big deal, it won't be a big deal... …
nothing will happen... … .

thud!

Suddenly, with a tremendous shock, the carriage shook violently. Then there was a
crackling sound and the breaking of twigs, and then the rocking wagon came to a
complete stop.

At the same time, the shouts of the knights and someone's screams were heard all at
once, and in an instant all around became noisy.

"What, what is it, Mom? What is this all of a sudden..."

"Bandits!"

"Bandits! Cover the wagon!"

"Cover the wagon!"

My corpse-like pale face was reflected in Rachel's wide green eyes filled with fear.

this is my nightmare The nightmare was coming back to reality.

***

"Get out of the way! Everyone get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Finally, even the 4th Cavalry Barricade, which was firmly surrounding the 1st main gate
of Sacrosant, began to collapse.

The knights trampled on the enemies and rushed like raging flames against the
ramparts. There is no way that even the seed will be eaten even if you shout out loud
to get out of the way as you pass through the alley that is full of mayhem.

However, Elias continued to roar and struggled to drive his horse through the mess.
Then, finally, when she reached the point where her familiar flags fluttered, she
screamed at her throat.

"Brother! And Gongja! Hey, you fools!"

A sudden personal attack by someone who obviously shouldn't be here, quickly

revealed the two men in question breaking through the waves of people like a herd of
angry beasts. The whole place was filled with loud shouts, so they all had to speak in
high pitched voices.

"Elias? What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Now that's not the problem! Catastrophe, catastrophe! World destruction. You fools!"

Elias immediately poured out the story he had just heard without holding his breath.
Needless to say, the faces of the two knights, who took a moment to catch their breath
and listened attentively in the middle of this mayhem of battle, were immediately
stained with astonishment.

"...So we have to go get them right away! Shuri and Rachel are in danger!"

"These bastards of the world!"

Someone grabbed Jeremy's shoulder straight away as he was about to run away with
furious momentum. It was Nora.

"Where are you going?!"

"Let go of this! Now Shuri..."

“Where is this guy with his injured hand going?! I’m going, so you stay here and keep
advancing…

"My family! My mother and sister!"

Nora squeezed the scruff of Jeremy's neck with one hand and pulled him closer as he
struggled and screamed. Then he spoke calmly in a chewing tone as he peered into
her dark green eyes, which were still wet and shimmering ferociously.

"Yes, your family. So you must remain here and lead the Allied forces to victory. Do you
understand? You cannot leave as heir to our Goddess of Reformation. Right there
hides the men who grossly tormented your mother. You haven't forgotten the promise
you made with your sister, have you?"

"Ha, but..."

"Elias! When exactly did they send the letter?!"

Elias, who was gasping for breath and watching the encounter with somewhat blank
eyes, answered right away.

"About three days ago, so..."

“If I sent a message to Erfurt three days ago, my sister must be on her way back by
now.”

“Well, then… they said they would finish it right before reaching the ecliptic…”
If the plan had been planned three days in advance to attack someone returning from
the Duchy of Erfurt to the ecliptic, there was only one place where the disguised
people would camp so that they could not find out who was behind them.

In Nora's mind, which quickly came to a conclusion, the strange figure Shuri suddenly
saw on the last trip to Safabi came to mind. The image of him trembling with anxiety
while passing through the mountain range, the last gateway to the ecliptic. Was it a
hunch?

The next moment Nora ran to the collapsed barricade and was jumping on the back
of a lost horse.

Jeremy's eyes widened.

"Nora?"

"I'll make sure to bring your mother and sister safely. So make sure you're winning
here."

Then Elias hurriedly followed him as he started to run. At the same time, a tremendous
shout erupted from the distance, like a thunderbolt. Finally, the first door was opened.

***

"Turn off... sure..."

The sound of the knights covered in blood and scattered on the ground pierced my
eardrums. It was a desperate groan from someone who was still breathing as they
made a last-ditch effort to move again somehow.

"Oh, Mom..."

I shove the weeping Rachel behind my back and tighten the hand holding the heavy
sword. It belonged to one of the fallen knights.
"Why don't you give up now?"

The faces that appeared countless times in my nightmares were talking. It was a tone
that was gradually annoyed and annoying. Even if I held a sword I didn't even know
how to use, there was no way I could be an opponent against the countless enemies
surrounding me. But I had Rachel to protect. My arms and shoulders were all tattered
from blocking their swords, but strangely, I didn't feel any pain.

Four years. I was twenty-three when I first met those faces, but now I am nineteen. We
met 4 years early. It was a way to leave then, and now it was a way to return.

"Who sent you?"

"Does it matter?"

A man with a stern expression who responded in a nonchalant manner took one step
closer to me, spinning a huge sword with one hand.

"It's great motherhood. Well, we don't really want to go this far, but what will your next
child do?"

Kang!

Then, the sword in my hand fell to the floor with a loud sound. The shock shattered me
and Rachel, who was standing close behind me, and the blade, which gleamed eerily in
the faint moonlight, rushed furiously toward me. Rachel screamed.

"mom!"

Dark blood trickled down as the blade pierced the flesh of his palm.

I gritted my teeth to hold back my screams and tightened my grip on the blade. The
guy who was pulling the knife towards me with a hissing sound lifted his foot and
kicked me in the stomach.
puck!

As the strength drained from his arms, a bewildered moan leaked out.

"Have you seen such a vicious bitch? If you just stay calm, you'll kill both of them nicely.
Why do you keep bothering me with being rebellious?!"

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

A series of wild kicks poured down on my body, which was tightly wrapped around
Rachel, who was sobbing and screaming like crazy.

All of my senses went numb for an instant. It felt like my whole body had turned into a
loose lump of clay. is this my destiny How much the situation changes, in the end to
die a meaningless death by the same guys?

However, even if my fate was so harsh, I couldn't let Rachel get caught up in it. It wasn't
just our Rachel.

The man who had been kicking me relentlessly for a long time finally wheezed and
raised the knife high again.

"Both of them get along well with each other..."

Pooh!

Whatever the man wanted to say next was cut off as soon as a strangely familiar noise
interrupted. To be precise, it was transformed into a scream.

"Kwaaaaagh! This, this...!"

"Hey, you bastards who wouldn't be enough even if you sliced sashimi alive!"
Am I hearing hallucinations? Something like the last vision before death?

“……Elias?”

"Little brother?!"

I doubted my ears. Before long, what came into our wide-eyed eyes was none other
than our Elias, who was sitting atop a foaming horse and firing crossbows valiantly.

The man who was about to strike us down became a hedgehog in an instant, and the
rest of the assassins, who were confused for a while at this sudden attack, immediately
raised their weapons and charged at Elias. Elias therefore soon had to put down her
crossbow and draw her sword.

"Come on, come on!"

"This damn kid..."

Puff!

As the assassin leaped high into the air and furiously charged at Elias, the assassin's
head was blown away, and blood splattered like a fountain. While Elias, covered in
blood, looked down at his hands with her bewildered face, the knight who intervened
without asking her understanding said,

"What are you doing? Is this your first time fighting?"

“……I was able to handle it on my own?! This unlucky……”

"No, Nora...?"

My knight, hearing my voice, turned his blue eyes and looked in my direction.

Then, enraged assassins attacked him in droves, and he swung his sword wildly to
deal with the charging enemies. Elias, who was spitting out swear words, also joined in
the sword dance.
The sound of sword clashing, shouting, screaming, etc. mixed together to create a
splendid ensemble. The foot of the mountain, where white snowflakes began to fall one
by one from the sky, became the territory of fierce battles for a while.

thud!

Finally, even the last person had fallen, and the two of them came straight up to us,
mother and daughter, who were frozen in the middle of dead bodies everywhere.

"sister!"

"Shuri! Rachel!"

"you guys……."

I tried to speak, but my voice cracked. As soon as Nora sat on her knees on the floor
and held me in her arms, she felt a surge of pain she had never felt before. A scream
erupted spontaneously.

"Aagh!"

"Are you okay?! Damn it, how can this..."

"Heh, whoaaaaang!"

It was then that Rachel, who had seemed frozen on the spot until now, suddenly burst
into tears. Elias, who approached her with a triumphant gesture like a triumphant
general, asked dumbfoundedly.

"What is it? I can't help but applaud..."

"Why did you come so late?! Mom, Mom, because of me..."

"No, hey, I ran to my death?! Do you know how many times I almost fell off my horse...
Aaaa! Aaah! Why are you hitting me?!"

"Heuuuuuuuu, I don't know! I don't know!"

Elias, who suffered an unexpected blow, looked at me as he tried to separate himself

from Rachel, who was beating him indiscriminately.

I barely opened my mouth as I wrapped my robe tightly around my battered body and
crouched in Nora's arms as she lifted me up.

"How are you..."

"Should it be attributed to my lucky lady? No, more than that..."

"What about Jeremy? Is Jeremy okay? How serious is the injury?"

Nora and Elias, who had been looking down at me blankly for a moment, exchanged
brief glances. Then, all at once, they muttered in a nonsensical tone.

“Who cares about whom now…”

"Your sister suffered the injury. Not him."

"What are you talking about? Are you all right?"

“I paid a price for wandering around to catch the flying arrow, but other than that, I
was too safe to wear a mask. Are they saying that he’s all dying?”

"Yeah. A letter came in... How the hell did you guys know to find us?"

"Wahhaha, it's thanks to this body's accumulation of virtue! Sprout yellow kites weaved
among themselves and touched the nose hairs of sleeping lions. That's what I mean!
Ha! When I go back, the first thing I do is make sashimi with them alive and have a
carnival... ...."
A roaring sound echoed from far away, which then turned into a booming explosion.
When I turned my gaze, I could see sparkling dots spreading across the sky of the
ecliptic.

"That's..."

"It's a firecracker for victory. My sister's eldest son, who is abusive, must have led the
allied forces to victory."

Nora, chanting playfully, peered deep into my wide open eyes with those dark blue
eyes. In an instant, a thousand questions lingered on the tip of her tongue. But the
only words that came out were this.

"...I can't believe you came all the way here to find me."

He lowered his head and our foreheads touched. As the tension collapsed all at once,
a jumble of joy, joy, and relief brought tears to my eyes.

"You'll have to get used to it. No matter where you are or what you look like, I'll
definitely find you."

Gorgeous fireworks coloring the sky of Wittelsbach were illuminating the dawn of
Christmas. It was the light announcing the end of all the past and the light
announcing a new era.

Epilogue - In the Courtyard of the New Era

"...So Sir Jeremy, I won't say anything more."

"..."

"Give me my sister!"
"It's not possible."

Jeremy's answer came very firmly and quickly, putting the opponent's spleen and
resolute attitude to shame. So there was a moment of silence.

That was until Jeremy, who was just glaring intently at Prince Ali Pasha's dazed face,
who was just desperately lowering his head, suddenly jumped up and overturned the
table.

Wow Jangchang!

"My, Sir Jeremy!"

"Tongue!"

“I would burst out of rage at having my one and only mother taken away by a dark wolf
with her eyes open, but now a deer from an island country took my sister away?! , As
an envoy of Neuwanstein, this is absolutely unacceptable! If you really want my sister
so much, then why not defeat me with swordsmanship..."

"Kyaaaagh! Older brother, are you crazy?! Why are you doing this all of a sudden?!"

"You're going to fall for it, sister. This brother is absolutely..."

"Are you taking your anger out on the prince for having my mother stolen and getting
married?! This is disrespectful, a serious diplomatic disrespect! Will you take
responsibility if a war breaks out like this?!"

"Wow, taking off your anger! Where the hell is this taking off your anger?!"

"You can't get angry with your mother, so you're taking it out on us for no reason!"

“……Why do you keep taking that guy’s side!

Despite Rachel's desperate dissuade, Jeremy hurriedly pulled out his sword and
shouted nonsense, such as 'I don't listen to people weaker than me,' and brandished a
sword at the prince of a neighboring country, committing a serious diplomatic
blunder.

In response, Prince Ali, who came to the sea to propose to the woman he loved, was
met with an unexpected disaster, and responded with a boldness worthy of the next
monarch of a hot island nation. In other words, he shouted loudly, dodging the
terrifyingly flying blades.

"But I do love my sister! I don't know if anything is acceptable in love and war..."

"I'm tired of talking about his love! Now is the time, and everyone is talking about his
romance..."

"Keep your eyes open and see, it's spring now! Sir Jeremy will soon be able to meet his
destined mate..."

"It's not that I can't meet you, I told you several times that I won't meet you!"

***

“A sword dance in the sacred palace, is it still the Imperial Guard?”

"You look like you're going to take away your one and only sister with her eyes open,
but can't you just skip the sword dance?"

"It's not that I don't understand that feeling, but if it was the same as before, you'd feel
downgraded."

"Demotion, probation, and that's not the point! To have your mother and sister taken
away at the same time within a year, there is no more terrible catastrophe for a man
than this! In that sense, the duke's son, be a good guard!"
The eyebrows of the Duke of Nuremberg, who had a very relaxed face, immediately
twitched at the remark that was extremely rude and showed no sign of remorse.

"bittern?"

“It is the responsibility of parents for the faults of their children, and since he dares to
covet our dear mother without even understanding the subject, isn’t it natural to hold
the Duke accountable?”

"What is it? No, why does my son carelessly talk about figuring out the subject? No
matter how much he is the mother of Sir, do you think it's easy to meet a man the size
of my son?"

"Ha! Do you know how easy it is to meet a woman like my mother? If only she wasn't my
friend..."

"Sir Jeremy!"

"Duke!"

"Can't both of you shut up?!"

The emperor, who was glaring at a middle-aged man and a young man with an
expression of astonishment at the fact that they were so absurd, suddenly issued a
fire order. Thanks to this, both Jeremy, who was ready to resume the sword dance
towards her friend's father, and the Duke, who was glaring at her with the momentum
to prey on Jeremy, both stopped the war of words at the same time.

The emperor sighed.

"Sir Jeremy, what you have done today is a serious diplomatic rudeness..."

"Coveting someone else's sister is a fatal diplomatic rudeness! I can't find a more
diplomatic rudeness than this..."

"It's probably faster to talk to Sir's mother."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive my rudeness. I won't do it again."

"You seem to think very little of Jim?"

"You're welcome. Chimi can't control her awe, so the words keep coming out in vain."

It was an arrogant and arrogant attitude that no one could see. However, in spite of
this attitude, which would have been like before, the emperor simply clucked his
tongue, and the Duke of Nuremberg did not step forward to criticize the young knight.
Instead, it was just a congratulatory order.

"Go out and find more things to mess with. Don't weave my son."

“He must be tying himself up before I can weave him.”

After the blond knight, who responded with sarcastic remarks to the end, left, there
was a moment of silence between the emperor and the duke. That was until Emperor
Maximilian, who was tying his beard with his pensive face, muttered abruptly, “That’s
it.”

“I envy you.”

"your majesty……?"

"It seems you're the only one among us who has succeeded in harvesting... but you
always win, don't you?"

There was no bitterness or mockery in Maximilian's voice, who muttered something

meaningful out of nowhere. That doesn't mean it's not mixed with resentment or
criticism.

All there was was bitterness. So Albrecht did not reply and turned his gaze out the
window.

Now toward the view of the imperial palace, which is ripening into the spring of a
completely new era.
Four years. To be exact, it's been a little over three years. Ever since that winter when
the fervor of the Reformation swept through the Kaiserreich Empire and its allies.

On the day of the massacre when Sacrosanct was engulfed in flames, the pope, who
tried to escape disguised as a woman, was discovered and caught because of his
clumsy gait, and 60% of the clergy within the walls were killed by the allied forces who
turned their eyes away.

As for other regions, the number of priests beaten to death by the mob exceeded the
number of priests who were brought to the imperial palace and executed after a fairly
formal trial.

There were also countless families who joined hands with the church during turbulent
times and then fell.

After going through the Sacrosanct invasion, which was the worst ordeal and
humiliation in the church's history, and the subsequent turbulent period, the Vatican
of the empire was no longer the Vatican, and the Bismarck imperial family was no
longer the same imperial family. As the religious and secular powers were separated
for the first time in history, the imperial family naturally lost its legitimacy as the
protector of faith.

And now, the church that has been controlling the life and death of the western
continent for over a thousand years has eventually been divided into various
denominations and scattered. The existing council, which was composed of cardinals
and nobles, also disappeared, and a council consisting only of the key families who
led the reform took its place.

Overall, rapid changes were taking place as a small number of great aristocrats who
had disintegrated church power shared hegemony and established a new custom of
separating religion and real life.

At the same time that religion lost its power, the domestic situation where it was
difficult to hold much wider freedom and power, young and smart people began to
look abroad, and in the past, trade related to countries with which they had no
diplomatic relations, for fear of being branded as heretics. The business was
prosperous one after another.

Furthermore, with fallen families and toothless families playing the game, a new
bourgeoisie began to rise from the aristocracy, which was much looser than before.
As a result, the imperial family succeeded in drawing the picture that had been the
most ideal for a long time. To put the two wings of Neubanstein and Nuremberg next
to the crown prince. Letran, newly crowned prince, could be said to have surpassed
his half-brother in that respect. Although she couldn't help the fact that no matter
who the crown prince became, she would one day become the puppet emperor.

It was the age of the lion and the wolf, the two families above the emperor. Perhaps, it
was a turbulent period that was highly likely to be prolonged by a fierce struggle for
supremacy between the two families, but ironically, thanks to the existence of a woman
who was the starting point of all of this, instead of a struggle for supremacy, it ended
with a blood alliance.

If it hadn't been for her, none of this might have happened. Therefore, her current
state of affairs was also a child she raised. If it were her, she would undoubtedly deny
it.

"The conviction did not win."

"what?"

"It's not about winning or losing, it's about this. I thought His Majesty would know by
now."

The emperor was silent for a moment. A light of young sadness passed through the
old eyes staring at the face of an old friend.

“……There will be nothing Jim can do about it now. The rest will rest on the shoulders of
our children.”

***

“Do you know what the power hierarchy of our empire is? Our beautiful lady is first,
Neubanstein is second, and Nuremberg is only third.”

"That's ridiculously ridiculous. You'll be our mistress soon, so Nuremberg is second. So

you guys are just stupid claws of the third!"
"Who is talking about your mistress now?! Our mistress will forever be our mistress!"

"Such a splendid time is over, you stupid jackals! You fools all over the world who
didn't even know what kind of guy Captain Jideul was..."

"Damn it, why are you talking about that now!"

Preparations for the joint review ceremony of knights belonging to Neubanstein and
Nuremberg were underway at the court gymnasium. And this rehearsal, conducted
under the incomprehensible gaze of the guardsmen, was more noisy than expected. It
was only natural that the knights on both sides, who had been impatient to eat each
other, were put together in a hot yard on a hot day.

To make matters worse, the masters, who were supposed to read the knights under his
command and keep order, were in a state of idle talk instead of being helpful.

"No, well, does that make sense! Even wearing a human mask and being shameless has
its limits, how can you confidently declare that you should give up your sister!”

"..."

“In addition, Rachel Go was on her side again.”

“……It must have been a sight worth seeing.”

"Am I outraged or not?!"

“Why didn’t you just squeeze and beat me up when I was so angry? Just like you did to
me.”

“What are you talking about, as the next head of Neuwanstein, you can’t commit such
a serious diplomatic rudeness!”

Jeremy was brazen enough to talk about the subject of a sword dance with the
momentum to slaughter him on the spot, even if he hadn't beaten him. Instead of
blaming her best friend for her faults, Nora clicked her tongue and tried to give her a
more positive outlook.
"It's not bad, right? If your sister becomes the queen of Safavid, it's a long-term benefit
for your family. Besides, your sister must also like the prince..."

"That's right! But!"

"Tell me honestly. Aren't you going to give that fledgling prince instead what's piled up
on me?"

Sure enough, Jeremy's mouth came out straight away. She wasn't all that coquettish,
so Nora continued, turning her gaze toward the cherry blossom trees that were
turning pink around her gymnasium.

"You think it's the best marriage, so what are you saying?"

"... Damn it, but a fever burst is a fever burst! Rachel, why is she only on his side there
again..."

"At least you're not going to be cheap with the enemy's family like the red-hot younger
brother who gave you dogs."

At the mention of Princess Heinrich, Jeremy frowned for a moment, then immediately
shrugged his shoulders and smiled dejectedly. Strictly speaking, the definition that
she is the wife of the Wonsu family is wrong. Because the Heinrich family had already
fallen into a position where even the title of enemy family would seem grandiose.

During the invasion of Sacrosanct, everyone now knew that Duke Heinrich, who was a
member of the council and one of the main pillars of the reformist group, joined
hands with several collateral families and churches of Neuwanstein to assassinate
Shuri.

All who participated in the betrayal were punished with deprivation of titles,
confiscation of property, and even public execution.

Judging from the historic name of the Heinrich family and Princess Heinrich, who
saved her from a great catastrophe thanks to her direct disclosure of her father's
betrayal, it was not without the possibility that Duke Heinrich would be pardoned.
However, unlike Neu van Stein's side, who took a benevolent stance that only her life
could be saved, Nuremberg's side came out so strongly that Duke Heinrich eventually
disappeared with the dew of her execution.
"The family of enemies, you're right about it. You're the one who shattered them so that
they couldn't become enemies."

"That guy, you also killed your relatives, didn't you? Excluding that one, who were you,
the people we caught and treated at the masquerade ball back then?"

"Oh, my uncle. I was honestly a bit surprised that he really didn't know anything. To
think that man had such a thing as loyalty."

"Rather than loyalty. In that respect, I'm more surprised by your unassuming younger
brother."

“Then, she is a woman who contributed, even indirectly, to saving our dear mother,
Shuri, and no matter how dumb she is, she should have that kind of loyalty.

As Nora pointed out, O'Hara, whose father had been executed and whose family had
fallen into disrepair, would have fallen into a miserable situation comparable to that
of a commoner if it had not been for Elias' protection. In that respect, Elias, who likes
to take credit for everything, took everyone by surprise.

“Then what about you?

In response to Nora's question, Jeremy looked away and began to stare intently at the
yard where the cherry blossoms were in full bloom as well. Then, a low grunt sound
escaped from between his pouting lips.

"Maybe I'll go on a voyage to find a new continent following the trend these days. Then
I'll meet a woman warrior from a foreign country who's hot enough to kill me. Isn't that
pretty cool?"

"Don't upset your mother by being held hostage by that female warrior."

"Ah, this bastard who's got a stomachache keeps...!"

"You two are still the same."

The two knights stopped their extremely unproductive talk and froze on the spot at
the sound of a voice that was both familiar and unwelcome at the same time,
interrupted out of nowhere.

"It's been a while. It looks like nothing has changed. If anything has changed, it would
be surprising, but..."

Jeremy instinctively, unconsciously, raised his hand and quickly grabbed his friend's
large shoulder. Then he took a step forward and opened her mouth in his
characteristic grinning tone.

"It's been a while, Your Highness the Deceased Crown Prince. What are you doing
here?"

"I'm back at my house, what's wrong?"

"Well, judging by the scenery, it seems that Nueva's climate is not very suitable. Did the
officials there conspire to ostracize Your Highness?"

The abducted prince, or Theobald, who returned home after 3 years of strife at
Jeremy's act of giving strength to the abolished prince on purpose, flinched for a
moment, but soon showed his characteristic relaxed smile.

“It was nice to meet you, so I tried to say hello, but they didn’t accept it.”

"What kind of sad words. I'm very happy to see you."

“……Oh, I bumped into Prince Ali Pasha in front of me earlier. He said he was having a
wedding talk with your sister? That’s great, congratulations.”

Jeremy's face, which had been languidly laughing at Theobald's leisurely remark,
immediately froze. Either way, Theobald grinned again, turning his gaze to the other
knight, Nora, who was staring at him with a sullen expression.

"Looks like you'll be there soon too. It's already spring in the ecliptic."

"..."
"I think the real winner among us is you after all. After all, your family has always been
a winner, hasn't it? Maybe it's because I didn't study history."

Nora said nothing. Her expression, which was infinitely cold, decayed as if she had
seen it, but she did not respond much. This is it.

"Well, then I hope both of you get along well. We'll be able to meet again when the kites
reach."

After Theobald, who had left an unheard-of greeting, left, a subtle silence passed
between the two friends. That was until Jeremy, who was glaring at the back of the
abolished prince with the same rotten expression as Nora, opened her mouth first.

"Anyway, his personality is still the same..."

"Why the hell is he here today at this point?"

"Isn't it just a short stop? The wall won't be big enough to sit in the imperial palace
while your father watches with his eyes wide open."

"What the hell does my father have to do with it?"

"Honestly, didn't your father's influence play a big part in that guy getting kicked out
of Nueva? No, you played a part. You said you didn't want to do business with him
again?"

Nora decided not to respond to Jeremy's teasing remark. She instead raised her hand
and snapped her finger hard at her friend's forehead, who was grinning viciously.

right!

"Ughyaaaaagh! What are you doing, you crazy bastard!"

“I just felt that the little guy you were talking about was a little too cocky to the future
father.”
"Daddy is your dad?! And I was born 3 months earlier than you?!"

"Age doesn't matter in rank."

“Did you see this shameless bastard! I will never hand over our Shuri to you!

"Why do I need your permission to propose to my sister? All I need is your permission."

"Hey, this shit dog is a baby!"

That day Jeremy cried a lot. The invisible dragon in the legend is said to be gone.

***

Although there was some noise, in the spring of 1122, the wedding between Lady Raisel
von Neuwanstein, who had just passed her 17th birthday, and Ali Pasha, the next
monarch of Safavid, proceeded swiftly.

According to the insistence of the bride, it was decided that the wedding ceremony
would be held in the imperial style before the end of spring, and therefore, the
imperial city of Wittelsbach was crowded with crowds from all over the country to
watch this international event, as well as a splendid delegation from Safavid. achieved
due to

It was the first national auspicious event since the invasion of Sacrosanct, and it was
the wedding of the century that literally made the eyes drenched in delight. No one
disputed that the wedding would not be the last festival of the year. Rumors were
already spreading rapidly among the noble ladies who had flocked to the wedding
hall, among the young ladies and young siks. Rumor has it that sooner or later we will
see another wedding of the century.

***
The iron-blooded widow, the spider widow, the male hunter, the witch of Neubanstein
Castle, the shame of noble ladies... … .

Those innumerable nicknames that once referred to this very me now feel like distant
words. Like old memories that are no longer vivid or haunting me in my nightly
dreams.

In any case, the past no longer mattered under the dazzling blue sky of the new era.
The only thing that matters is that I once again kept the promise I made to my late
husband, and at the same time found my own happiness.

"God, I thought Rachel would be the first of us to marry..."

"That's right. Prince Ali also has a sprained eyeball, how pretty is that terrifying girl..."

"But isn't it the same for the little hyung with a sprained eyeball?"

"Hey, why are you talking about me there?!"

But even if it wasn't a promise with my husband, if there's one thing I don't have any
regrets about in my past and present life, it's the fact that I met my children. To be
precise, the fact that I raised these children this much, the fact that I lived as their
mother.

"Oh really, everyone, please be a little more polite! Is it really necessary to come all the
way here?"

"I don't have the slightest bit of heart to help you with your lies, dear sister. Hey, Prince
Ali, be careful. If you do anything stupid, he will definitely shoot you in the back of the
head with a high heel!"

"Oh, thanks for the advice, Sir Elias. I'll have to refer to it in the future."

"Aww!"
There was a bit of a commotion with Rachel brawling with the long-timers who kept
sarcastic about what they were so dissatisfied with.

The beautiful new bride eventually calmed down after our sweetheart, Prince Ali,
interceded, and finally looked back at me and smiled broadly.

"I'll be sure to come during the National Foundation Day. After that, will my mother
come to see me? I'm the Crown Princess of Safabi from now on, so I'll let you have the
most luxurious trip."

"Rachel……."

"It's all thanks to my mother that I was able to grow this much. You know what?"

At those words Rachel threw with a smile on her face, a moment of silence came to the
dock, which had been in a rather playful atmosphere.

While the men of the Empire, who were laughing slyly, exchanged the most bizarre
glances, Prince Ali wrapped one arm around Rachel's shoulder, looked me in the eye,
and said.

"Thank you for giving me your precious daughter. I swear I will be the best husband in
the world."

"...that's reassuring."

I squeezed Rachel's hand as she smiled brightly, trying hard to smile.

"You're really going."

"It's not like I won't be able to see you at all. I'll come over often. Mom should come over
often too. Leave the older brothers alone, okay?"

“……I didn’t know it would be sent off so soon. Mom hasn’t done anything for you yet,
and I haven’t been able to do anything I want to do or do with you…”
Suddenly, his voice cracked and his vision blurred. The tears in my eyes seemed to
have moved to Rachel's beautiful emerald eyes. The next moment, I felt her slender
arms around her neck, and I felt her now taller than me, hugging me tightly.

"Thank you for raising me this much, Mom. It was nice to meet you."

The waves of the deep blue sea crashed into the huge hull that started sailing and
broke into white. Squeaking seagulls hovered over the lofty sails, and a crisp sea
breeze blew through our hair.

Rachel stood on the railing and waved until the ship receded and finally looked like a
dot. As she waved her hand toward Rachel, her joys and delights, her happiness and
regrets and an unknown sense of guilt crossed her in a jumbled mess.

And when she was finally out of sight, I buried my face in my hands and sobbed,
despite my promise not to. My three sons, who were taken aback by this, began
pouring out unheard-of sounds in an attempt to appease me.

"Shu, Shuri, don't cry! That guy is sure to live well and live happily! He'll always come
over and annoy people like that! I'll bet this reliable eldest son!"

"Yes, don't cry, Mom! I'm still there! I'll definitely get married in Korea!"

"Me, me too! I will definitely get married in Korea and live only in Korea! No, I won't get
married at all!"

"Your parents shouldn't have gotten married either."

Those were the words Nora, who had been watching with an expression that she would
see everything with an absurd view, clicked her tongue. And, of course, the arrow went
back there.

"It's your parents who shouldn't have married you!"

“How the hell did you become friends with that guy!

"Uh, I don't think my younger brother is in a position to say such a thing..."

"Why did you flatter him and fall for him again?!"

ok How can I express this situation where laughter bursts out even in the midst of
tears? Anyway, these guys... … .

It was then that a sky-blue handkerchief was thrust out in front of my tear-stained
eyes. I took it and looked up at the blue eyes looking down at me.

"Your daughter will be happy."

“……Is that really so?”

"Anyway, whose daughter is it?"

Heck, that was true. No matter who's daughter, of course I'm happy! Who is our Rachel!
Isn't she the lioness of the self-proclaimed Neu-Vanstein and the proud daughter of I!

I smiled wide with teary eyes, and Nora smiled too. Then I bent over her slightly and
kissed her on my forehead, whispering softly.

"I swear to be the best husband in the world, I'm confident."

It couldn't be helped even if I was speechless for a moment and made a really stupid
face. Likewise, it was futile to try to avoid the playful glinting blue gaze.

Nora has been waiting too long. Now it was my turn to answer. It was my turn to
answer from the bottom of my heart to all the sincerity he had shown me, to give me
the answer I had deliberately delayed until after Rachel's wedding.

In a previous life, Jeremy and O'Hara were due to get married just at the end of this
year.

However, in this life, Rachel became the crown princess of Safabi, and I was also
planning to hold someone's hand completely voluntarily, for the first time. And Jeremy
and O'Hara... … .
"Nora."

"Yes?"

Sometimes it all feels like a trick of fate. That none other than O'Hara was the one who
helped save my life, that Rachel became the next queen of a foreign country, that
Letran became the crown prince, that the church power collapsed.

It was the same with the fact that the person I thought of as an enemy in the past
became a friend, and that the person I thought of as a colleague turned out to be an
enemy in the past.

And that the futile death I once suffered was actually a carefully crafted conspiracy.

The identities of the 'bandits' who raided me were mercenaries disguised as bandits.
Who would have known that Duke Heinrich would grind his teeth at me so much, even
if he did not have collateral families such as Count Sebastien?

I knew he was a small person, but I didn't know how shocked I was when he confessed
that he couldn't stand it because he was too proud of me. Just as much as the fact
that Albern, the loyal knight commander he once trusted so much, regarded my
existence as a stain on Neubanstein.

All of them are dead now. As Elizabeth, who has now become my best friend, said,
'Standing in the wrong line'.

On the day Sacrosante was engulfed in flames, Cardinal Richelieu said he was caught
attempting suicide by poisoning at the window of his residence. It was Jeremy who
found him. And Jeremy must have faithfully fulfilled his usual habits.

In any case, his comrades met a similar end, and I heard that the commanders
struggled quite hard to stop the slaughter. There was no big difference whether he
died there or after the trial.

It may seem paradoxical, but on the day of the purge ceremony, I sneaked out of the
crowd and mingled with the onlookers. There, I bid farewell to the memories of the
past completely, holding in my eyes the final moments of those who were behind my
death and those who became the symbol of the corrupt Catholic church.
The memory of living in someone's shadow, the memory of a witch no one knew about,
and the bitter memory of death.

"...it's nice to meet you."

And if there's one thing I've done better than anything since I started my new life, and
if there's one greatest miracle, it's been Nora.

***

"I never thought I'd step back like this..."

"..."

"Anyway, congratulations, my eldest son. You are finally a worthy Marquis of

Neuwanstein. Although it may not be the way your father hoped, wouldn't this be
enough?"

do you mean that This was not enough, so it overflowed. In addition, his father has
nothing to say even if he has ten mouths on this matter. However, instead of letting
those thoughts out of her mouth, Jeremy smiled and stared at her stepmother in front
of her eyes. It was fortunate that old traditions and customs were losing their meaning
along with the collapse of church authority. Otherwise things would have been quite
complicated.

In any case, as Shuri became the number one powerhouse in the empire both in name
and reality, the process of laying down the sovereignty ended swiftly.

"You're the only one who deserves congratulations today, fool."

"What a sad sound. Isn't it a day you deserve to be celebrated as well? Of course, if it
was planned, it should have been your wedding instead of mine..."

"Whoever's wedding is what matters. As long as it's a wedding, isn't it?"

At his playful reproach, she opened her eyes wide for an instant, then smiled broadly.
Shuri, a woman like the goddess of spring wrapped in a dazzling white wedding dress.

"Okay, I can't refute you like I usually do. Then try that hard-to-refute logic. How do I
look?"

How do you look? Jeremy crossed her arms and gave her a look that claimed he was
thinking for a moment. how do you look now?

As usual, it's human nature to tease the ugly guy about where he's going. But at this
moment, I couldn't really play that kind of playfulness. Aside from the honest and
objective impression that seeing her shyly smiling and tying the hem of her wedding
dress was truly mesmerizing, it might have been because she thought that it should
have been like this from the beginning.

Yeah, it should have been like this from the start. To her, she is the same as her father,
she is not to marry his father like that, she is not to be the glare of the world and
become a young second wife... … She should have been this way from the start.

In this way, the wedding should have been blessed with a dazzlingly beautiful
appearance, with a smile shining brightly with excitement and happiness.

"...I can't recognize it, but I don't know where the nerd went. Nora will faint when he sees
it."

"Oh, why are you giving all the compliments?"

"Big, now you're a worthy marquis family head. As a famous family head, you should set
an example by treating your only mother with utmost care."

"Oh, that's right. You're so commendable. But even after becoming a marquis, you're
still a crybaby."

Crybaby, where the hell does he look like a crybaby! But before Jeremy could even
retort, Shuri, still smiling brightly, reached out her gloved hand and gently caressed
his stinging eye.
“You were always a teary-eyed guy. Even though you weren’t seen in front of others.”

Like a hot-blooded knight who is boneless to the bone, Jeremy tried to refute that
statement. But for some reason, the voice was locked up and it didn't come out well.
Even desperately suppressing the sore eyes seemed to be useless. Where did I go
wrong?

"Don't cry, Jeremy. I'm not going anywhere. Even if I become Mrs. Nuremberg instead of
Mrs. Neubanstein, I will always be your mother."

That was right. She wasn't going away like Rachel. The residence of the Duke of
Nuremberg is close enough to visit anytime.

All she had to do was drop the Neubanstein name and use the name of Nuremberg.
Even so, Jeremy found herself unable to hold back the tears that kept flowing
uncontrollably. Why are you doing this?

Because you think it should have been like this from the beginning? Because you think
it's right to be like this? Or do you know that now you really have to completely let go?

Maybe it was because of that.

Knowing that all the lingering feelings, all the longing, sorry, pity, and gratitude that I
once had in my childhood are over forever.

Now, he just wanted her to shine and be happy like this forever, standing next to the
friend he trusted more than anyone else, and enjoying the things she should have
enjoyed to the fullest.

It shouldn't be like this all the time. This might ruin Shuri's wedding. Jeremy, who had
so desperately grasped her heart, mumbled in a cracking voice as he rubbed the
corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.

"...it's because I'm already sad."

"Are you sad?"

"I thought if you had your real child, we'd all be left behind... Hehe!"
Needless to say, Shuri's smooth, white porcelain-like face immediately turned bright
red at Jeremy's brutality, pretending to cry playfully.

“What, what kind of stupid nonsense is that?!”

"Waah, that's right, if you and that guy have a child, I won't be the golden eldest son
anymore... Hehe!"

"What, what are you imagining?! And you're always my golden eldest son! Don't say you
don't know me like a nagging mother when you meet a pretty wife like this!"

“Such sad words, where in the world is there a filial son like me!”

"Something, do both of them in moderation!"

Shuri and Jeremy, who had been arguing with each other unexpectedly, turned their
gazes to the entrance to the waiting room at the tremendous roar that came out of
nowhere. Then, I witnessed the murderous appearance of the bloody (?) lion, which was
recognized by others.

“What are you?

“……Huh, my, when would I be!

"When did I?!"

"Did you see it?! You're squeezing with that size?!"

"When?! What hours, minutes, seconds?!"

The sight of two young men exchanging childish snarls with equally wide-eyed eyes
and sniffling looks was not something worth appreciating ahead of a splendid
wedding ceremony. So Shuri turned her attention to her youngest son, who was at
least maintaining a decent attitude on this first-of-its-kind event.
“I feel bad because you seem to be so sad.”

"The only thing I'm sad about is that I'm doing that because I'm afraid I won't be able to
monopolize my mother's affection in the future. The hyungs are a bit childish by
nature."

Leon, who pointed out with dignity, approached with a dignified gait and placed the
wreath he was holding on Shuri's head.

It was possible because he was much bigger than her now. The immature little boy who
once grabbed her by the hem of her skirt and begged for this has become a full-
fledged young man with a sense of learning.

"Congratulations on your wedding, Mom. If you want, I'm ready to call my husband
Daddy. Unlike my childish hyungs."

"Daddy! Who the hell is your father? Don't say anything terrible!"

“If the day comes when I call that black wolf man Daddy, it will undoubtedly be the day
of the impending end of the empire, you short-legged bastard!”

"Why am I short-legged?! I'm at odds with my brother now?!"

"Guys... are you going to keep fighting like that again?"

At that sound that Shuri muttered with a weak smile, the three Neuwanstein men
stopped arguing childishly in the sacred bridal waiting room and at the same time
shut their mouths as if they had promised. Then, all of a sudden, all of them smiled
and looked at the bride of the day.

"Guys……?"

It was not Shuri who could not see through the extremely dangerous and meaningful
eyes of her sons as she had been roasting and frying for a long time. So, at the
moment when she took a step backwards, not knowing what these signs were, the
three lions, who had grown so big that they couldn't even be called cubs, roared at the
same time and rushed at her.
"The bride is the main character in a wedding ceremony!"

"Kyaaaagh! Whoa, what is this?! My, put it down! Guys, put it down!"

The three Neuwanstein men amicably walked out of the waiting room with her on their
shoulders, holding her up proudly, overshadowing Shuri's twitches, all red-hot and at
a loss for what to do.

Then, as they went straight to the ceremony hall, countless guests of noble status who
filled the seats all had the same expression. In other words, they started boasting
about the width of their mouths.

Some of the musicians who were about to play music almost dropped their violin
bows, and the elderly Count Müller, who was wearing a solemn expression in front of
the podium to officiate, almost cleared his throat.

However, it is the Neubanstein children who do not care even a bit about how others
see them. We don't have to pay attention to what people other than us are talking
about!' was their hypothesis.

"Wahhaha! Everyone is so shiny! Ah, today is my little mother's wedding day!"

All the people who had been stunned for a moment at Elias' needlessly shouted shouts
came to their senses.

Soon after, the most romantic and tragic music was played, and the guests began to
clap in unison. No one knew why they were applauding.

And today's groom, who was standing in front of the aisle at the end of Virgin Road,
covered with pink roses, glared at the three men proudly carrying his bride with a
twisted smile as if claiming that he knew this would happen.

Facing Nora, who was dressed quite flashily as a groom, Jeremy exchanged glances
for a while and engaged in a silent conversation. The blazing dark green eyes and
deep blue eyes caused a fierce collision.

'Good job, bastard.'

'Just pass it quickly, you bastard.'

It made me sick to my stomach to hand over my precious stepmother like this to that
wolf who could clearly see what was going on in my head. However, apart from feeling
like a seller of souls to the devil, Jeremy meekly put down her shuri and handed her
slender hand that was tightly held in one hand into the mighty grip of her unlucky
friend.

The groom, who finally took over the bride, held her hand, looked into her eyes, and
smiled. She also showed her smile.

Wittelsbach Central Cathedral, which once boasted a majesty as high as the height of
the bell tower, and the sunlight that penetrated through the stained glass of the
historic building, which has now been reduced to relics for various events, was shining
brightly on the protagonists of the day.

Jeremy stepped back to the right of the bride along with her younger siblings, who
were glaring at the groom with their eyes on the heartbreaking scene.

Okay. Okay. It will be fine.

As soon as the wedding date was set, Elias, who went on hunger strike saying he was
absolutely against it, raised a white flag after half a day, Leonon, who was frustrated
that he would have to stay with his dumb brothers who are muscles from now on, and
Jeremy himself would be fine.

After all, he was a different person from his father. Exactly what the father of that
nasty friend once told him.

So Jeremy was fine. She may not be as good as Elias, but if she hangs out with women
her age, she will meet some nice people. And if one day such luck comes, the day will
come when you look into the face of a woman lying next to her bed in the morning of
her sunny day and remember that you love her.

But is this regret that subtly tickles a corner of my heart because of the words I
couldn't convey earlier?

"Nora von Nuremberg, do you swear in the name of Mother and Father that you will
take Shree von Neuwanstein as your wife and will cherish and love her only for the rest
of your life?"
"I swear."

Shuri, there's something I really want to say to you.

"Shree von Neubanstein, do you swear in the name of Mother and Father that you will
marry Prince Nora von Nuremberg and cherish and love him for the rest of your life?"

"I swear."

I'm so glad you're our mother.

Apocrypha 1-Honeymoon

I write it reluctantly because you guys are harassing me to write a letter.

The climate of the port city seemed to suit my sister well. It's fortunate. Both of us are
having a good time, so don't even think about starting a second. Who taught you the
habit of interrupting your parents while they are on their honeymoon? If you don't
have anything to do, go out and get some fresh air and meet some people, you stupid
sons. Since this is the last reply, it will be useless to write another whining letter.

PS Jeremy, don't sit cross-legged on the table.

"This, this, this... Ahhhh, the world's unlucky bastard!"

Wow!

The crumpled letter fell to the floor in Jeremy's mighty grip. Either way, Jeremy lets out
a roar of indignation as he unwittingly slides down her long legs, which he has draped
across her coffee table.
It is only natural that the self-proclaimed lion of Neuwanstein, the head of the lion's
den, was frightened not only by the servants but also his brothers who were preparing
for the day vigorously, rubbing their sleepy eyes at the travels that unfolded from the
dawn of time.

"What, what bro?! What the hell is going on?! Huh?!"

"Something happened to your mother?!"

Jeremy did not give any answer to his younger brother, who ran out in a panic and
ran out in his pajamas. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn't be able to let out a furious
roar.

Elias, who had been exchanging dazed glances with Leon for a while, soon picked up a
piece of paper that was rolling around at his brother's feet and began to read it.

"Let's see, that wolf... What, what, this? What you bastard, this?! What, son?! Who is
whose son?!"

Why is everyone in this mess again? Elias and Jeremy started blaming each other
while Leon, who had the least common sense among the three brothers left after
leaving his beloved sister and her mother, looked at the letter with a bewildered
expression.

"Isn't this all about you writing letters like that to piss us off!"

"Ah, why are you talking only to me?! Isn't this all because you made the wrong friends
in the first place?!"

"Are you in a position to advise me on who to date and not to date, you stone-headed
bastard!"

"Ah, then why didn't you use it?! He was talking nonsense about being shy and not out
of character..."

"No, but this bastard keeps climbing when he says let's see? Shall we step on him like
he did when he was little?"
"Well, then why are you talking only to me, you domestic violence!"

"How on earth do you youngsters look like this if only the madam wasn't around?!"

Just in time, the elderly butler's solemn scream rang out, and the two brothers, who
had had a great adverse effect on the hearing of the servants from early morning,
stopped the argument and calmed down. And Leon took advantage of this gap to
show his intellectual side. That is, he made a cautious remark toward the elderly
butler.

"The title is wrong. My eldest brother is no longer a young boy, and my mother..."

"Stop talking."

Jeremy, who interrupted Leon with a wave of his hand as if he was afraid to listen to
the next words, sighed heavily and looked back at Robert with the most pitiful eyes.

"How can I be quiet when my beloved mother never writes me a single letter? It must be
Nora who stole it..."

"Where the hell is anyone going on their honeymoon to contact their children?"

"..."

***

Emden, a port city emerging as an emerging tourist destination.

Not only the imperial people, but also the place was crowded with foreign tourists, so
every day felt like a festival. It's already been three days since I arrived here. The first
day I arrived was literally stretched out, and the next two days were hectic with
wandering around looking around. I haven't looked around yet... … .
"sister."

"Huh...? Ah, thank you."

"What are you thinking? You seem to be thinking about something else. Are you tired?"

"No, no. No way."

After accepting the cool lemonade Nora gave me, I started pretending to look around
the market that smelled like the sea.

Wow, was it so obvious that I was thinking about something else?

Nora wanted to take a look at my complexion for a while, but then, fearing that
someone might not be a knight, she started snooping in front of a stall selling
bizarrely designed weapon trinkets that pirates would enjoy using. The salty wind blew
softly through his black hair, and the brilliant afternoon sun colored his tanned face
golden. Phew, you're good, you're good. I wonder if the street vendor lady will stare at
me with her mouth open. He is indeed my groom.

So tonight I must make a decision!

It was. Since we arrived here, we hadn't yet had a good first night.

Heuk, on the first day I was so tired that I fainted as soon as I arrived at the resort,
and the next day I met some gang of robbers near the shipyard.

So, as I was determined to make a decision tonight, the object that Elizabeth had
given me as a wedding present shimmered dimly in my head.

Yes, a gift from our grumpy empress. As soon as I opened the package and checked
the contents, I was stunned. No, no matter how much it is, the empress has her face,
how could she think of giving me such a gift! What, is it fashionable these days?
Fashion has its limits! It was so embarrassing that I immediately shoved it back into
the box and hid it among the luggage.

The problem is that at this moment, the object is not able to linger in my head, and it
is encroaching on my head.
… … I must be going crazy. I shouldn't even dare to wear such embarrassing things, so
why do I keep wondering how Nora will react if I wear them?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

“Huh? … Ah, nothing.”

"Nothing?"

"Yeah. Nothing."

As I hurriedly averted my gaze, the guy came closer to me. In contrast to the sharply
narrowed blue eyes, a mischievous smile fluttered on his lips.

"I don't think it's anything. It's been very strange since before."

“……This is strange!”

"Tell me honestly. Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Why, I, Kum, I always, always, always like to look at you."

As soon as I said that, I felt the urge to shut my mouth.

Hey, where is Sukmaek going? Sounds really stupid even to me!

While I was trying to swallow the tears of grief, Nora, who was staring at me with
strange eyes that I couldn't understand, suddenly reached out and put her hand on
my cheek. Then, isn't it like pinching my cheeks and stretching them all the way?

"Ouch! What, what are you doing?!"

"...it's cold."

"what?"

"Because it's cute."

There was silence for a moment. As I rummaged through my confused mind about
what to say in this situation, Nora grinned, took my hand, and began to lead the way.

"Soon it'll be dark, so let's go eat. Oh, I'm hungry. I don't know how long it's been since
I've been this hungry."

Come to think of it, we didn't even eat our lunch properly. Well, I'm hungry too, but he'll
be even more hungry.

"How about the restaurant we went to yesterday?"

"It's good there, and it's good elsewhere. Is there anything you want to eat?"

I think I need to fill my stomach first and see. Cancer, no way. After the two of them had
dinner together... … .

Heuk, why do I keep thinking about that bastard's gift! This is all because of our
grumpy empress! You must have given me that gift to play tricks on me!

***

The beautiful white resort overlooking the beach was lined with restaurants catering
to aristocratic tourists. Among them, we went to the seafood restaurant we went to
yesterday and took a seat on the balcony. It was still early, so there were only a few
other customers besides us.

"……sister."
"yes?"

“Again, again, what are you thinking?”

"Oh, big, sorry. What did you say?"

"I was asking if the lobster dish I ate yesterday was okay... This is suspicious. What kind
of plan is this?"

It's really burdensome to see him tilting his head playfully while fanning himself with
the hand holding the menu board. No, rather than being burdensome, should I say it's
burdensome because it looks so good?

"Kuh, there's no such thing as a plan! What a pure person I am!"

“……Hmm.”

What is that reaction? Do you think I'm the kind of person who specializes in all sorts
of strife? However, the Nora family specializes in secret fighting! So now that's my
family name. Mrs Nuremberg. That was the title for me now. Not Mrs. Neuwanstein.

After we finished our order, we ate one after another with seafood salad, fragrant
clam soup, hot lobster marinated in butter and grilled fish with garlic bread.

If I had eaten my meal in the utmost moderation and formality, Nora approached the
meal with the attitude of the owner of the moniker of the starving wolf. It's a familiar
thing thanks to my sons, but I don't think I'll ever understand their endless appetite for
the rest of my life. And then it's not like I'm gaining weight, where is all that food going?

"Hey..."

Just then, a waiter in a neat tuxedo suit approached with another tray.

I involuntarily opened my eyes wide.

"Hmm? What is this? We never ordered this."

"It's a compliment from the chef. He admired your wife's beauty."

I barely managed to keep my mouth from going up to my ears while the waiter, half-
blushing and smiling shyly, set the salmon mousse on the table.

Cancer, have you ever seen someone who hates compliments on their beauty?

"sister."

“……Uh, huh?”

"It's going to go all the way down the ear."

… … ok As expected, I'm really bad at managing facial expressions.

Nora, laughing, came into my field of vision as tears of grief filled my eyes again.
Anyway, this guy won't be able to live without me because he's bored.

Anyway, the salmon mousse served was also very delicious. I only tasted a little
because I was full, but it was okay because Nora took care of it.

"Everything here looks delicious. Is it because it's a famous tourist destination?"

"I think it's delicious because it's just the two of us. Anyway, thanks to having a good
wife, it's nice to taste special dishes."

“……Puff!”

In an instant, he heard Sarae and lost the glass of water he was drinking. Nora, who
had just wiped her mouth with a napkin, got up and sat next to me.
"it's okay?"

"Cough, Cough......! Gwa, it's okay. It's just a little bit..."

He had been engrossed in thoughts of the desired dress Elizabeth had given him all
day, and his wife's voice made him tremble. I guess I have a long way to go. However,
Nora, who had no clue what kind of delusion was going on in my head, just watched
me anxiously and wiped my wet hands and arms with her handkerchief.

“Look at this, your clothes are all wet.”

It really was. Not only did her hands and arms get wet, but her front chest and belly
were also soaked.

Before I could say anything, Nora took off her coat, threw it over my shoulder, and
lifted me up.

“I need to go and change my clothes first.”

The meal was almost finished anyway. So we left the friendly restaurant that paid
tribute to my beauty and headed to the room.

***

"Whoa..."

After taking off the wet clothes with the help of the staff and taking a rough bath, I
stayed in the bedroom alone and stared at the clothes I had brought.

It's still a bit early in the evening, and I bet Nora won't ask me to go to bed already,
what should I wear? What would be the right clothes for a walk on the beach?
My head was trying to turn my thoughts around, but my eyes had only stayed in one
place for a while. In a large box under the colorful summer dresses.

I can't do this. Let's take a good look at it first. After seeing it for sure, I'll admit the
reality that Elisabeth was trying to trick me. So I opened the box and carefully took out
the clothes inside and began to examine them. It was only for a moment that I
intentionally narrowed my eyes and glanced at him because I was embarrassed.

"... what the hell is this...?"

I was shocked from the first glimpse, but after taking a closer look, I was even more
shocked. So this... … What should I say, for now, I can call it a chemise. However,
compared to the chemise I am currently wearing, it was very different even if it was on
a different level.

I don't know what it's made of, but it was incredibly thin and soft, and despite the black
fabric, when I put my hand on the inside, I could almost see through the flesh. The
sleeves and collar were woven with gorgeous black lace, and a large, beautiful red
chiffon ribbon hung across the chest. And the skirt was cut at knee length!

Are you giving me this as a gift? Indeed, it is our Elizabeth Mama. Would you like to
wear something like this? No, more than that, are there really people who wear things
like this? Even if it's pajamas... … .

At that point, I don't know if I should have just folded it up and put it away. But
curiosity overcame the absurdity.

When I came to my senses, I took off the ordinary white chemise I was wearing like
someone possessed and put my body into the monstrous chemise that Elisabeth had
gifted me. Then she walked over and stood in front of an elegant full-length mirror in
one corner of her bedroom.

"Oh my gosh……."

Oh, Holy Mother of God!

Is this why people think clothes are important? It was definitely me who was reflected
in the mirror. I was me, but it was unfamiliar because it was so different from the usual
appearance I was extremely familiar with.
Leaving aside the raunchy clothes design that reveals the curves of the body with
bare legs exposed, the overall atmosphere is like a night witch from a fairy tale. It was
bizarre, but at the same time, somehow I couldn't take my eyes off it.

Keuheuk, I have to admit that the clothes definitely have a bizarre charm. Anyway, isn't
this a bit much! Cancer, just go back to my ecliptic, go find this wicked empress and
immediately... … .

“Sister, are you sure you fell asleep?”

“……Kyaaak!”

I had forgotten that this huge, ornate bedroom was not my own. So the fact that I'm on
my honeymoon. The door burst open without warning and at the same time I let out a
short scream and froze on the spot. It's not that it's not, it really became ice on the
spot.

"..."

"..."

There was silence for a while. While Nora, who seemed almost frozen in place like me,
was staring at me with a strange expression that was difficult to understand, I felt the
sensation that my face was on fire and was seized with the urge to disappear into the
floor. At the same time, my heart started beating wildly.

"……That."

"..."

"That, that's... Haha... these days, it's popular, so I'm going to try it on..."

Nora just stared at me as I was sweating and laughing. Then, the next moment, he
slammed the door behind his back and started slowly moving towards me!

A dark blue gaze descended from my face to my neck and down, down to the legs
exposed under the short skirt. Then slowly climbed up again. I swallowed dry saliva.
Nora is like this... … It's like, it's the first time I've seen him look at me with a blatant look.
I couldn't tell if it was because I was afraid of my heart beating faster or if it was for
some other reason. No, even though it's scary, it's strange. So what have I to fear of
Nora?

"Ahaha... Hmm, it's a bit like that, right? So I mean... no matter how..."

"..."

“……Even if you’re newlyweds?

widely.

His hand grabbed my wrist, which was moving incoherently. I didn't hold it too hard,
but I hesitated and swallowed again.

"No, Nora...?"

"..."

"Ahaha, even if you say something..."

And I couldn't speak any more. The guy who had been glaring at me with eyes that
seemed like he was going to eat me suddenly pulled me in and began to press my lips
down with his lips. It was such a passionate kiss that I accepted it unsurprisingly.

It was a long night.

***
I slowly opened my eyes to the sunlight tickling my eyelids. As the unfamiliar ceiling
entered my field of vision, I remembered where this place was. It felt like melted
chocolate all over my body.

"……Ugh!"

Suddenly, the memory flooded in at once, and at the same time, I immediately jumped
up. No, I was trying to get it up.

"Um..."

… … Oh My God. Somehow, my body felt heavy.

Apparently feeling me flinch, the guy with one arm around me pulled me into his arms
while talking in his sleep. Then, listening blankly to the sound of my breathing
breathing, I tried to recall the memories of the night before.

yes, that's right I was wearing the dress Elizabeth gave me, and Nora kissed me, so we…
….

"……Ahhh."

Oh God! How many times have we done that! Indeed, the power of costumes is
amazing!

I take a little torso, trying to shake off the feeling of rushing blood to my face. And she
glared intently at her husband, who was soundly asleep. She's something I've thought
about before, but when she sleeps, she seems very childlike and docile. In contrast to
his boyish face, his body, covered with hard muscles, glowed golden brown in the sun.
It was a peaceful and sweet look.

It was the moment she cautiously reached out and brushed the disheveled hair over
his forehead.

"……sister?"

“……Ahaha. Good morning. You woke up.”

While I awkwardly tugged at the corner of my mouth and averted my gaze for no
reason, Nora just stared up at me, blinking those blue eyes. Heh heh, it suddenly gets
hot for some reason.

"Hey, would you like some coffee? First of all, clothes..."

Wait, where are my clothes? I am also the one who feels embarrassed and does not
know what to do about the topic that I saw everything I saw last night. Anyway, the
moment I secretly turn my body while pretending to find the clothes with the effect
that I don't know where I disappeared last night!

Nora grabbed me by the waist. Then he buried his face in the nape of my neck and
muttered in a sleepy voice.

"Don't go..."

As a result, it became a hot topic. The second leg following the night before.

***

“Hey, Neuban… no, aren’t you Mrs. Nuremberg?”

“……Oh, Count Hattenstein. What are you doing here?”

"Of course I came here on my honeymoon. It's nice to meet you here like this."

Count Hartenstein. It wasn't the elderly Count from before, but twenty-five-year-old
Kyle von Hattenstein, who had just succeeded him, greeted me very warmly. The young
man who had been fairly scorned by my father on Elias' coming-of-age ball a few years
ago.

"Nice to meet you too. I haven't heard that you're married..."

"Ahaha, I couldn't properly inform you because I rushed through the speeding
violation. It was fortunate that I was able to be buried quietly thanks to my wife's
wedding."

Facing the young Count, who smiled lightly and bit the tip of a cigarette, I suddenly
felt strange. So, in the past, I just felt like my co-worker's son, but now that I think about
it, aren't I in the same position as being older than me and going on a honeymoon?
Why did I feel so young before?

"Anyway, congratulations. This year has been all about celebration."

"Thank you. Haha, but where is that nasty friend?"

Are you a mean friend? The Count immediately explained, as if he had read the
question on my face. That is, he playfully cleared his throat and said:

"Well, actually, the person who becomes my husband is quite hated among people my
age."

"Are you hated?"

"Yes. You may not know it, but at one time most of us fell in love with her..."

“When I asked who it was, he didn’t feel ashamed.”

We both raised our heads at the same time at the voice that suddenly came from right
behind us. And Mr. Kyle, who does not know how to be ashamed, greeted me brightly.

"Now I see, the duke has a pretty extraordinary memory."

"Only for the part that impressed me. It looks like you're on your honeymoon. What are
you doing here alone?"

"It's not like stabbing someone in pain."

"Aha. Did you even fight?"

"It's a process that newlyweds often go through while traveling. Ha, it's really nothing
special..."

As we just stared at each other, Mr. Kyle started pouring out a stream of bitter
grievances, as if he were looking for someone to listen to. I didn't know you were such a
talkative person. Anyway, to say the conclusion, the cause of the count couple's fight
was none other than the dinner menu the night before.

"...So, I'm sure I asked twice if the trout dish was okay! But what the hell is the point of
complaining later after saying it's okay?! After that, when I went back to the room and
washed up, it was gone. What was it? He showed up after a while and took a walk on
the beach! Where is the nobleman who walks alone for two hours on the first day of his
honeymoon?!"

… … He said that he did not intervene in quarrels between other people's couples. For
the past countless years, I've been hanging out with noble ladies much older than me,
and I've heard more absurd couple fights than that, so I just laughed. But our wolf
didn't seem to find it very funny.

"Do you know the rules of the honeymoon, Count?"

“So I… Huh? What is that?”

“It is a law that when several newlywed couples come to the same destination, if one
couple fights, it spreads to the other couples as well.”

"Aha, all those strange rules..."

"So please go away. I'm afraid you might get infected."

Needless to say, both Kyle and I had our jaws drop at the same time at Nora's
atrocities, waving her hands as if the marital quarrel was an epidemic.

But after a while, Kyle, who was just blankly staring at Nora, gave a sudden knowing
smile and said this?
"Ahaha... I'm sorry to disturb you. Hahaha. I hope you have a meaningful trip. Then I'm
done!"

As I stared at the faint back of the young count disappearing like the wind, I heard a
voice that was extremely affectionate.

"are you not hungry?"

… … Of course it hurts. I can't help but feel hungry. Cancer, yes, no, but is this guy okay?
My face is already burning just thinking about what happened earlier, right?

"Go, Gopa."

"Yes? What? I can't hear you?"

I hated the way he tilted his head slyly, so I tried to glare at him with all my might, but
soon turned my head away and replied casually.

"What are you going to do with me then?"

"What then?"

“So, like the countess…… what are you going to do when you just disappear and then
show up?”

Dora stared at my face for a moment, blinking her blue eyes, then crossed her arms
like a Yuuza and made a look that claimed to be in trouble.

"In the first place... wouldn't it be okay if that didn't happen?"

"But you don't know what people do. That's why I don't know what to do."

"Aha. So you're going to leave me and go alone?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"I tried to hold it in, but I can't. I'll just have to hold it all day. I don't want to lose it."

Facing the strangely curved blue eyes, I felt my face heat up again. Why is the story
going that way!

"Oh, no, I mean..."

"Oh, no. I didn't lose my sister, she lost me, didn't I?"

Why are you talking about 4 years ago here again!

A helpless smile formed on my lips as I recalled the National Foundation Day four
years ago. Nora giggled too, took my hand and kissed her finger.

"Don't worry, you won't lose anything."

“……Tell me honestly. You haven’t been in a relationship before you met me, right?”

"What a sad question. It was a flower that was not broken single-mindedly."

An unbroken flower, a novel metaphor. No, but... … .

"But then, how did you do that from last night..."

"Yes?"

"...so how can you do that..."

I couldn't bear to keep talking behind my back, so I mumbled and turned my head
away. But Nora wouldn't let that happen.
"How what?"

“……No. Just……”

"How what? What is it?"

"No, just……."

"just?"

“……How are you so good at it!”

Silence passed. Amidst the stunned gazes of the people passing by around the
gorgeous lobby bathed in the bright morning sun, I wanted to wrap my head around
and sit down. I'm crazy, I'm crazy because I'm drunk with the sea breeze! Not to
mention cancer!

Indeed, how many seconds of embarrassing silence passed? Nora, who was just
staring at me with blank eyes, suddenly gave strength to the hand that held my hand
and pulled it closer to me. And then, this was the sound of doing it with a serious
expression.

"Did you like it that much?"

“……What? No, it’s big, it’s definitely not bad…”

"It wasn't bad?"

"No, rather than saying it wasn't bad, to be honest..."

"..."

"Joe, it's nice to ask such a question..."

“Because it was good… Oh, wait a minute.”

Nora, who was glaring at me with an ambiguous expression on whether she was angry
or holding back a laugh, immediately let go of my hand and turned away. Then, at his
act of washing his face dry out of the blue, I just widened my eyes in awe. Then I
realized that his ears were burning red.

"Nora?"

"..."

"Nora? Are you okay?"

“……Yes. It’s okay. Let’s go eat.”

My husband, who took the lead by holding my hand, was walking especially fast today.
So I followed him without seeing his expression properly until the end.

***

If you are a person in power who is planning to pass on your title to your newly
married son and finish the preparations to finish this and that handover, you and
your wife will spend a cozy old age together, you are always busy. In such a situation, it
is not at all reluctant to sit down with a step-grandson (?) who is nowhere to be found
on a leisurely afternoon. Even more so, if the opponent is a son who looks just like an
old friend.

Nonetheless, Albrecht found himself exercising patience, which is very rare at this
point in time. He was responding softly without shouting once.

"...So you're not qualified to point out why I'm arguing with the Sacred Council! Who is
this all about in the first place!"

"I didn't point out that you're being mean, I just pointed out that you shouldn't be
smirking at everything."
"That's what it is! No, in a world where there is no tithe, all of a sudden, Protestant
sponsorship, isn't that what happened to that guy's head?"

"The Marquis of Schweig's opinion is on a different level from Catholicism, and it must
be to show sincerity in commemoration of the beginning of Protestantism."

“We have to be sincere and refrain from pouring money into a specific religion by
large nobles as a group!

"Your opinion has some truth, but even you who are gentle with it, you're a
doggingaegin because you haven't done a single thing well. Everyone seems to be
quite worth seeing, in case someone isn't the age of a hot-blooded person."

"Huh, so you think your son would be different? If only Nora hadn't written that kind of
letter in the first place..."

"Do you know what your problem is?"

Albrecht lifted the pipe slightly from his mouth and asked in a more serious voice.
Seeing the eerie appearance of the Duke of Steel, Jeremy hesitated for a moment and
innocently blinked his eyes.

"What is it?"

“It must be boring.”

"……Yes?"

“There is no father who chatted with you on a fictitious day, and there is no mother
who accepted your foolishness, which is difficult for you to open your eyes. isn't it?"

Jeremy's jaw dropped halfway, and he stared at Albrecht with dazed, blank eyes.
Either that or not, Albrecht continued to speak in a voice full of pity as he was not at
ease.
"There's going to be a banquet at our mansion tonight. You're welcome to bring your
brothers. It's better if you come alone. You might find someone there to offset your
boredom and loneliness."

"..."

"Oh, and apologize when my son gets back."

“……Apologies, why am I……”

"That bastard's letter. You guys quarreled with me first, so that kind of reply came.
Whatever it was, I offended my son, so I'm going to apologize."

“……No, hey, would you live in sorrow for someone without a father?!”

"It's sad. You also have a father. My son."

"..."

***

"...it can't go on like this."

"...Certainly, it's dangerous at this rate."

“……Yeah. At this rate, we’ll just be like this for the entire trip.”

“……Ha, it’s all my fault.

“……No, it’s my fault. I didn’t know I was like this either.”

"sister!"

"Nora!"

We shouted at the same time and clung to each other hotly, but then we fell straight
away. At this rate, it's an extension again! Can not be done! I have a to-do list and a
shopping list here!

Nora picked up a glass of water from the table, grabbed the edge of the sheet with
one hand, and slung it over my shoulder. Then she handed her a glass of water and
muttered with a rather serious face.

"I think I'll have to write something special."

"A good idea came to me."

"What is it?"

“The two of you divide the drivers and take them away all day.

"But that's..."

“No matter how much I think about it, this is the only way. You don’t come up with any
other good numbers either, do you?”

At this, Nora made a very unhappy expression, but soon nodded her head obediently
and agreed.

"It's a surefire way. I don't like it."

"I don't like it either, but at this rate, there's no other room number."

Cancer, we are currently at a point where even just looking into each other's eyes will
set you on fire. It can't be like this! I shook my head as hard as I could and looked at
Nora with a hard look. Nora nodded her head with a spleen look in her eyes just as
much as I did.

"If so..."

"Until 8:00 PM. I won't run into you until then."

"And at dinner?"

“Let’s do it at 7 o’clock.”

"Six o'clock."

"No, it's 7 o'clock."

"Thirty six."

"……great."

We parted for a while with such a solemn promise. I decided to just ignore the fact that
the knights exchanged genuinely concerned glances at the sight of us moving apart
for the first time since coming here.

***

After walking all afternoon, I am exhausted. I deliberately walked around so that I was
exhausted, but it seems I was a bit excessive. In any case, it seemed that it somehow
worked as planned. Touring this beautiful tourist destination by myself, watching the
clowns, watching a beach play, and browsing the shops was more than I thought.

I don't know if it's because it's been so long since I've been around alone, but anyway,
the shopping was roughly successful.
I bought all sorts of presents for my relatives. A moment of silence for the forearms of
the knights who are struggling to follow me around with their luggage... … .

"Huh, Lady Nuremberg?"

By now the sun was going down. It was the moment I had just come out of the scarf
shop I had visited last, turning my eyes to the reddish streetscape. A beautiful brown-
haired woman in her early twenties approached from the opposite side of hers,
holding me and giving her a warm welcome.

“Oh, that…… Lady Halen?”

"Now this is Mrs. Hartenstein. Nice to see you here."

Ooh, so this is the guy who married the shameless Kyle over speeding?

"Nice to meet you too. Are you out shopping alone?"

"Yes. Your wife also...?"

"That's it."

“Did your wife fight too?”

Well. It seems that the couple's fight is still going on. While I couldn't find the words to
explain and smiled clumsily, Halen let out a short sigh as if he knew, but muttered
grimly.

"I understand. Actually, I also had a fight with my husband and came out alone."

"ah……."

"Why on earth are men like that! Whoa, I think it will be remembered for a long time as
the worst trip in my life."
"What the hell did you fight about..."

"No, well, listen to me. Last night..."

So Countess Hartenstein seized me and began to lament just as her mother-in-law

once did to me. It seemed similar to the story that Count Hartenstein had confided to
me and Nora, but in a quite different way.

“……No, I didn’t want to spoil the mood, but I said it was okay. After eating, it didn’t suit
my taste, so can’t I complain a bit?

“The Count has been a bit too much.”

"Isn't it? Huh, it's really nothing, but I was so sad and angry at the moment, I was so
pissed off that I went outside to cool my head. Well, after a few hours, I couldn't even
see any sign of coming out looking for me, as if I wasn't worried! You came back to
your room tired, but aren't you angry with me?"

"That's..."

"Of course, it's my fault for leaving without saying anything, but my pregnant wife has
disappeared, so isn't it reasonable to find it somehow?"

"That's right."

"Whoa, I hate to see you so badly, I haven't spoken a word from this morning until now!"

She poured out her food and drink in succession, looking straight at me with a much
relieved expression, her shoulders shaking as if she was out of breath.

“But why did you fight with your wife?”

"Yes? Ah, I..."

I tried to explain that it wasn't a fight, but for some reason it seemed like it would be
like pouring oil on a fire. So I started evasive as I moved her slowly, her stance with her
arm in arm, her posture.

"No, well... I am similar. Isn't everyone like that?"

"Whoa, it's kind of hard to say this, but it's comforting to know that I'm not the only one
like that. I'm on my honeymoon, but I'm not happy at all!"

Tskz, you look like a poor wife. Anyway, it seems that the popular belief that the place
where couples fight most frequently is the honeymoon destination.

"I was planning to enjoy it to the fullest before my body got heavy, but if it's like this..."

"Ahaha, but there's still a long way to go. Even if you overdo it..."

"That's right. Eh, it's just the beginning, and I'm already planning how many children I'll
have. It's funny. How many children are you thinking of?"

Hey, why is the story going that way?

Indeed, I clumsily tugged at the corners of my mouth, trying to imagine myself and
Nora's child. As I pictured myself holding a baby who looked like half and half of us, my
heart started pounding helplessly.

"Well, I..."

"Look over there!"

"Ohhh, the braves!"

My words were interrupted by the sudden uproar around me. A group of people
rushes past us and is heading somewhere all at once.

Both Halen and I naturally stopped our steps and looked around curiously.
"See what's over there?"

"Sure. Shall we go?"

It was said that the spectacle is the best in tourist destinations. The place we were
walking was a shopping street close to the beach. As we trotted toward the crowded
beach, we caught our eye at a towering spire that towered directly across from the
resorts. It was the tower that we could see right from the balcony of the resort where
we were staying. And on top of that... … .

"M-Mama?"

One of the knights who silently followed us called me with a funny voice. But I didn't
have the energy to answer that. It was probably the same for Halen. because… … .

“……Kyle?! What the hell are you doing there?!”

At the top of the elegantly towering spire was a statue in the shape of a huge whale.
And the humans who stand equally proudly on the back of the whale are none other
than

"No, nora?! What the hell are you doing up there?!"

They were our husbands! Oh God!

Apart from us, who literally fell into astonishment and horror, the shameless Mr. Kyle
glanced down this way with a bunch of things in his hands, then gave a roar. He
answered, almost shouting precisely because of the distance.

"You said your wish was to receive a fireworks event?! This place is perfect..."

"Can't you come down right away after sleeping on the fireworks?! Why did the Duke
drag you in?!"

"That's it! I was looking for someone to help me, so I ended up..."
"Nora! What the hell are you doing dangerously?! Can't you come down here right
now?!"

"Hey, sister, will you come up here too?! The view is amazing?!"

Is that guy crazy! No, what kind of childlike eccentricity is this all of a sudden! What if it
falls off!

"Kyle, come down now! Come down!"

"Nora, come down now! If you do, you'll be in trouble!"

"Ohhhh, look at those people!"

"That's great. Shall we go up too?"

Whether we were on the verge of bursting into death or not, the people who gathered
around us started cheering and even clapping their hands as if they were having fun.

I'm really crazy!

Just like me, Halen's hair was steaming up.

"Kyle! Shame on you! What will people think?!"

"They'll think I'm a groom mad in love!"

"Kayle! Are you doing this to get revenge on me?!"

"Retaliation! I'm just trying to grant your wish! It's unfair!"

"It's unfair, go to sleep, and come down, please!"

"Wahhaha, it's when you're in full flame! I was also young..."

"You guys stay still, little!"

God, what the hell is this all about!

I scattered my hair with my hand and turned around to look at our knights. The
knights, who had smiled and looked up for some bizarre reason that I could never
understand, were all shocked and serious.

"lady?!"

"That girl... No, do something to get those two to come down right away."

"Yes? Ah, yes. Big, sir! It's dangerous there, so come down quickly!"

Nora responded right away to the rather clumsy cries of the knights. In other words,
he waved one arm leisurely and shouted like this.

"I don't listen to knights weaker than me!"

"... are you saying?"

"Aagh! Nora, are you really going to keep doing this?!"

"The view here is really nice!"

"It's a prospect and I'm sleeping and then what if I fall off! Are you going to make me a
widow?! I might not do it once, but I can't do it twice! No, I won't!"

Surprisingly indeed, the effect of that remark was immediate. Nora, who had been
standing and smiling with no sign of coming down, immediately bent down and
grabbed the long fin of the whale and jumped down.
A short scream erupted from the crowd. I too covered my mouth with my hand and
screamed. That was until he landed safely on a cascading stone slab.

Nora descended so slowly, but Kyle, who was not ashamed, still seemed distraught.

"I'm not going down! I don't know, once you pull out your sword, you have to cut it at
least..."

"Kaiil!"

"……Okay! I got it! Tell me you love me and I'll go down!"

"What, what?!"

"If you say you love me, I'll go down!"

I'll welcome you. People couldn't cheer anymore, so they shouted and stomped their
feet. And I stole my eyes at the sympathy and sympathy toward Halen. Keuheuk, oh,
these burns! Nobility, what is this all about!

“……Sah, I love you!”

"What?! I can't hear you well..."

"I love you son of a bitch! Can't you come down right away?!"

Even Mr. Kyle, who was not ashamed of it, came down from the top of the terrifying
tower obediently.

My God, how did you get so old to do such a reckless thing just because you had a
couple fights!
"You did that on purpose?! You did it on purpose to retaliate for what I did yesterday?!
You mean son of a bitch!"

"Aaaaaah! No, you said you want to see the fireworks! I'll relieve you of your anger, look
at the view, see Mrs. Gyeomsa and pick mulberries... Aaaaa! It hurts!"

"Picking mulberries?! Picking mulberries?! I'll pick your mulberries today, you burn!"

It was only natural that the backs of the men, who had finally returned safely to the
ground, were showered with soft touches.

"Are you Annie?! Are you a kid?!"

"Ayaya! No, I'm purely for my sister... Ayaya! Wait, wait, calm down..."

"Don't make ridiculous excuses! Why do you go up there with a heart for me?!"

"No, that's why I made a bet with that friend... Ouch! I'm dying!"

In that way, the immature Count and Duke got along well and got beaten on the back,
and then returned to the resort, pretending to be downcast puppies. exactly pulled.
Even so, the sight of the two of them whispering something was very suspicious, so
when I opened my ax eye and glared at it, the sight of them falling straight away was
unremarkable.

"You've worked hard, Mrs. Hartenstein."

"Mrs. Nuremberg suffered a lot too. What kind of disgrace is this..."

"Aww! Ears! My, my ears! I'm so innocent..."

Mr. Kyle's desperate excuses that followed were scattered faintly into the air with the
majestic sound of the cabin door being slammed shut. Tsk tsu tsu.
"sister."

"..."

"Sister."

"……Do not talk to me!"

"Sister."

Where is this guy sneakily going over to aegyo! I lifted my ax eye and turned around,
and the guy with bright blue eyes mischievously raised his hands. I was stunned to see
it.

“Then why did you go up there? Do you know how nervous I was?!

"No, I mean, it was because of the bet..."

"How do you bet on something like that?! What a great bet it was!"

“Well, it was a very important bet.”

“Then what kind of bet is that…”

"But what the hell was your sister doing with that wife?"

"What? Of course I ran into him while shopping... No, but where is this guy sneaking
around?!"

"Oh, it doesn't work."

"Norah!"
"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I won't do that again."

Is that a trustworthy promise? While I stared at her bubbling expression, Nora

scratched her head and looked around for some reason before turning away again.

"But what did you buy so many?"

"...that's what you mean."

I feel like I'm caught up in something, but I bought too much even to my eyes. I don't
know what it was written for or what it was, but after wandering around all afternoon
looking at the things I bought, it was truly amazing. Now that I look at it, it seems that I
just bought everything that caught my eye. Kkeueung, the wall of consumption that I
see recklessly like this is not my exclusive possession!

"But what did you do? Until you did something stupid like climb up a tower."

"Ah, first, a present for the annoying cats..."

“……What? You bought presents for the kids? Really?”

"Yes. Why are you so surprised?"

"No, rather than being surprised... what gift did you buy?"

Unlike me, who wide-eyed, Nora looked at my reaction as if it were new.

"It's nothing special. It's just daggers and a new shorthand pen, whether it's a
millennium or fountain pen. If you buy one, you'll hear gossip."

No big deal! Nora might think it was no big deal, but I wasn't. Well, in a way, Nora and
Jeremy are friends, so it might not really be a big deal, but the fact that the guy who
became my husband took care of my sons presents was quite meaningful and deeply
impressive.
At the moment I was seized with overflowing emotions that put my anger to shame not
long ago, he tilted his head for a moment and examined my expression, then opened
his mouth as if he had remembered it, rummaging in his inner pocket.

"Oh, and this..."

"yes?"

“……This was that bet. I thought it was a limited edition, so I decided to buy it first and
then give it to the person who descends from the top of the tower later, but in the end,
I got my hands…… Big, I don’t know if my sister will like it.”

Don't know if you'll like it? You don't know if I'll like you? I was literally speechless. So… …
The object in Nora's hand was none other than a necklace. A luxurious necklace with
pure white pearls intertwined, platinum mother-of-pearl and thick sapphire
decorations intertwined.

Even the sapphire ring and set on my finger seemed to be enough.

"Well, it's not as good as what my eldest son gave me."

It seemed to be referring to that peridot necklace from four years ago.

Are you saying that... … ! Either way I... … No, more than that, is this really what caused
the commotion between the two of you? Was the fireworks show just an excuse?

"Anyway, it's like that..."

I tried to speak, but suddenly my throat choked and my voice couldn't come out
properly. While I hurriedly raised my hand and rubbed my sore eyes, Nora, who had
been watching me with her eyes wide open, sprinted to my side.

"Hey, noona, don't cry, I'm sorry, I really won't do that next time..."

"It's not like that! It's not like that..."

"Yes?"

“Haa, you really… you really…”

My vision blurred as the stuttering voice cracked. I didn't know why the tears were
pouring out of nowhere. thanks? Are you stupid? or both?

Nora just stared at me with a puzzled expression, blinking as if she had been taken
aback. But Nora then put her necklace aside and opened her arms to pull me into her
arms. A sigh escaped from the warmth that came from his solid body.

"...you're really stupid."

“I know.”

"Looking at it now, he wasn't the strongest knight in the empire, he was a fool."

"It's difficult to realize that far."

He answered as if moaning, and gently separated me and wiped the tears from my
eyes with his hand. And then he smiled. I, too, smiled.

"thanks……."

"Thank you, thank you. Thanks to you, a thrilling adventure for the first time in a while...
Okay, I won't."

Anyway, I hope you never do such a dangerous thing again. I can't be sure what I'll do
if Nora is wrong.

When I looked out the window, the sun had completely set before I knew it, and bluish
darkness colored the whole area. We sat holding hands for a while and watched the
scenery silently, and then we opened our mouths at the same time.

"sister."
"Nora."

"Your sister speaks first."

"No, you tell me first."

"No, sister go first."

You don't have to give up on this. I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder.

Then he said, looking up at the twinkling blue eyes that bent down on me, the eyes
that made his affection for him live on forever.

"I love you, Nora."

It may be an illusion, but for an instant, the blue eyes seemed to tremble slightly. After
a while, a kiss as light as cotton fell on my eyelids, and a voice that could not be more
friendly echoed.

"I love you too."

***

After a ten-day honeymoon, we finally returned to the ecliptic. And I received a very,
very warm welcome. of course.

"My good friend! Where is my present?! Give me my present! Hey, you black wolf, nice
meeting you! Shuri, do you know what kind of letter he wrote to us without your
knowledge?!"

"Ellie, you said..."

"Mom, it seems like our house is going to be a piece of shit without you! Grandpa the
butler says I'm going to have to retire soon! And my lucky quill is gone again and I
don't know where it is! Big brother also lost it a few days ago. They say they can't find
the gloves! There's no one else who can find them but Mom!

"No, well Shuri, listen to me first! That guy..."

"And I think I should refrain from saying that my little brother is that guy to my
mother's husband in the future!"

“What, what, you?!

“Even hyung like that often stops talking about his mother who is like the sky!”

"Hey! Why are you talking about that?!"

While the younger siblings roared in front of each other, the eldest son, who had
grown incredibly reliable over the past few days (?), had a rare, mature look with his
friend. So, roughly like this.

“I desperately wanted you to be swept away by the waves, but it’s a pity.”

"It's a younger son."

"Want a filial son for an evil stepfather? But what is this? What kind of dagger?"

"Yes, your gift. I thought it would be useful to use when you think this life is not zero."

“Is that what you would say to your son as a father?”

"I don't know, they say you have to raise your children to be strong."

“……Ahhhhh, Mother Shuri! That bastard told me to kill myself! How could you say such
heartless things!”
Nora glared at Jeremy, who pretended to cry while clinging to me with his large body.
Either that or not, Jeremy gave me a genuinely self-sufficient smile as he held my arm
and stretched it out.

"Shuri, I think that bad stepfather is already tearing us apart."

"Is this epilepsy?"

"I told you not to disturb our honeymoon and never dreamed of writing you a letter."

"Oh ho? Really?"

"That's right. Didn't you become an acquaintance?"

"I have it as proof! Wow haha! Look at this, that guy..."

"You guys, get out."

There was silence for a while.

Jeremina, who was flirting while clinging to me; He gave an eerie smile and said it
again.

"Get out of my house."

“……No, hey, what are you doing all of a sudden…”

"It's worth kicking out the kitties who tickle mom and dad. Get out. I don't want to get
angry in front of my sister."

At this point, Elias' roar of 'Why are you my father? I just groaned and couldn't say
anything.
After all three of them were kicked out the gate, scratching their heads amicably, I
went up to Nora and put my arms around her waist, holding back a giggle.

"So what letter did you write?"

“……No, those guys wrote it first and replied to it. What kind of things are you coming
back in three days, buying a present for them, telling your sister to write a letter right
away, and so on? I'd still be pissed off."

"The kids must have been very bored. Without you."

"What the hell does that have to do with my absence?"

"You're the only one who accepts that they do that. To be honest, if it were someone
else, you'd be angry sooner?"

"It's awful..."

He grunted softly, raising his hand and stroking my hair. Then, as if he couldn't help it,
he showed a meaningful yet strange smile.

"It will be worth seeing after having a younger brother. Isn't it?"

***

The image of a large lion squatting on the small stone steps in front of the splendid
gate of the duke's residence, spinning a dagger around, is not a very sad scene. But I
tried my best to put on a sad smile and approached my eldest son.

"what are you doing?"

“……I’m reflecting hard.”

Jeremy, who responded right away with a pout, relaxed his expression and smiled as if
he had never done that. I laughed and sat down next to him.

"It looks like you've been doing well. Aren't you tired?"

"It's what you always do. Did you enjoy traveling?"

"It's been an eventful trip. But it's been fun. How are you?"

"what?"

"Are you seeing anyone these days? All of you."

"Elias, he's always the same, Leon seems to prefer books to love so far, and I..."

The softly flowing tail of the horse seemed to fade away, but suddenly turned into an
incomprehensible mumble. At this, I immediately opened my eyes.

"Jeremy? Maybe?"

"...No, I can't say I've met them, but I think I've just found someone I've come to feel okay
with."

If you feel okay, you feel okay, what does it feel like to be okay?

As I watched Jeremy's unfamiliar appearance as he blushed and lowered his eyes to

the floor, a smile came naturally.

"That's great. Hey, my eldest son has finally developed that way too?"

“Ahem, if I put my mind to it… big, anyway, I’m not sure yet, but I’ll meet you later.”
"Yes, yes. Is this the lady of the house I know?"

“Maybe, maybe not.”

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

"He's from the Nuremberg side."

Aww? My eyes opened even wider. Jeremy followed her with her evasive tone as she
ran her hand through her golden hair, embarrassed.

"Well, Nora, my father invited me to a banquet at his house. But there..."

“You mean you met someone you like?”

"Well, that's roughly it. Even if you say it's collateral, it seems like they've split up at all,
but anyway, I was going to talk about that earlier, but Nora got upset..."

I want to know who complained to whom. I think it's this side that's been pouting hard
while we're gone.

I reached out and gently brushed the disheveled hair on his forehead.

"If you're happy with someone you meet, I don't want anything more."

“……Me too. That’s why, isn’t that mean guy being good to you?”

"Why are you suspicious?"

"It's more than suspicious, it's just nasty. He's the one who stole my mother."

Laughter broke out. When I laughed, Jeremy laughed too and playfully rested her
head on my shoulder. It was then.
"What, why are you two having a good time together again? This is favoritism!"

"Ellie... where did you guys go?"

"Ah, I went to watch after the fight in front of me."

Elias, who responded in a carefree tone, took a huge bite of an apple he didn't know
where he got it from, while Leon silently approached and sat down next to me. Then he
suddenly let out a deep sigh and murmured.

"Is he still mad?"

"I'm not angry, Leon. You guys keep joking around, so I'm just joking with you."

"But he looked really angry. I wonder if the younger brother couldn't say anything?"

"Hey! It's not that I couldn't do it, it's that I didn't do it?! If I set my mind to it, that guy... I
can take down that guy with one hand!"

Neither Leon nor Jeremy even pretended to listen to that argument. After a moment of
awkward silence, Elias turned his words to try to rectify the situation.

"But how long can we not go inside?"

"Well, wouldn't it depend on how you do it? Why, do you want to go in?"

"Can't you just come over to my house?"

"Ellie……."

"Sheesh."
Elias, who showed a sullen expression, squatted down in front of me. Her red ponytail-
like hair swayed lightly in the evening breeze.

"Oh, yes."

"yes?"

"I honestly liked it better when you were just my mother. I just miss those days."

"me too."

Leon, who had been looking up at the sky that was turning into a pink twilight with a
vague expression, helped as if he had been waiting. Jeremy didn't say anything, but
she looked at me with eyes that insisted on agreeing and smiled.

I smiled wide as I suddenly thought that it would be nice if Rachel was here too. Then
he reached out and stroked Elias's red hair as he answered.

"I also liked you guys better when they were younger."

Side Story 2 - Once upon a time

"Alb, I'm getting married! I'm finally getting married to Max!"

A woman spinning around like an immature girl, fluttering the hem of her white muslin
dress.

Ludovika was like a fairy who had flown in on the spring breeze. Although it was a
dreamlike landscape, Albrecht's heart didn't pound as usual, but instead he was
frozen and seized by the feeling of falling endlessly down and down.

"Since I got married before you, you should call me sister from now on, okay?"
He was unable to say anything to her smiling face as he approached her, hugging a
bunch of bright yellow tulips. Literally, and for the first time in my life, I was speechless.

***

The villa in Erfurt, duchy of Nuremberg, located in the southern region, was a favorite
place for Confucius to run away whenever there was friction with his father, the duke,
as he entered his turbulent teenage years.

From then until now, it has become a hideout for Confucius and his close friends.
However, this villa will no longer be a hideout for all four of them.

"Why have you been engrossed from earlier? It doesn't suit you."

Albrecht came to his senses at the sight of his friend kicking his knee and scolding
him instead of looking through the magazine while laughing. That is, instead of
staring blankly at the ceiling as he flicked his pipe, he turned his gaze to his friend's
mug.

“……Jochen, didn’t Max tell you anything?”

"What? What?"

Johenus's dark green eyes shook his head as he crossed his arms over the back of the
chair and shook his head. At this, Albrecht swallowed the moan that leaked out. It
seems that this child doesn't know yet. Well, there's no way I could be this carefree... … .

The three people who were closer than anyone since childhood when they were
holding sorghum cans and fighting swords.

One of them was Maximilian von Bismarck of Baden, the young Emperor who had just
recently ascended the throne;
The fact that three friends who knew each other better than anyone fell in love with
the same woman a few years ago, especially a baron and a young lady of low status,
could have been a terrible twist of fate.

Well, even if she didn't have a destiny, Ludovika was a woman that anyone could fall
for. The unique beauty that upended her social world was second only to her, and her
personality, like an adventurous tomboy, was also infinitely attractive. To think that
she would choose her Maximilian... … .

To put it mildly, Albrecht was more surprised by Maximilian. There would be a strong
backlash, but to think that everyone would risk their lives and choose to have
Ludovika as the empress. It seemed that Maximilian had no less feelings. And in that
respect, Johenus, another man who would never lag behind his two friends, still knew
nothing.

Thinking that something might happen when the wedding schedule is officially
announced, Albrecht put down the pipe he was holding and stretched out his long
legs. And likewise, he stared at the face of his friend who was tapping his knee with his
long legs snapping.

"Johenus."

“……What, why are you suddenly serious?”

"Listen calmly. Max..."

"Bocchan! Bocchan, the Lady of Hameln has come!"

what? At the report of Fuche, the butler of the villa, Albrecht stopped talking and
immediately jumped to his feet. So did Johenus.

"What, Ruby came? Did they contact you separately? Just the two of you?"

Albrecht had nothing to say in response to Johenus's question, which was heavily
studded with thorns. He, too, was not expecting her visit at all.

Ludovica used to frequent this villa as well, as it was the hideout of the Duke and his
friends, but it was now midnight and a blizzard was blowing outside. Apart from the
weather, there were only Albrecht and Johenus here. Her betrothed, nasty Maximilian,
was not here. she couldn't be Because he is now an emperor, not a prince who can
goof around like he used to.

Maybe something bad happened?

Albrecht, who jumped down to the hall on the first floor in a worried mood, instantly
covered Albrecht's vision with silver hair tinged with purple.

Then, full of the smell of the fresh forest and the snowstorm, the woman who ran in
started screaming brightly.

"Albuuu! Were you surprised?! We arrived later than planned, but the snow was
pouring so heavily that several times in the middle... oh, Yochen was there too? Good!"

Albrecht tried to stay awake while the lovely intruder of the night (?) clung to the two
distracted valiant men and showered them with gleeful greetings.

Come to your senses, now this guy is a friend's woman. In the future, she will become
the mother of this country... … .

"Ruby... Ruby, what the hell is going on here without communication?"

"Somehow, I went down to see my aunt, and on the way back to the ecliptic, I
remembered this place and stopped by! It might be the last time, but I'm glad both of
you are here."

“Last time, what do you mean all of a sudden?”

Johenus, who was wearing a bewildered smile as if he was possessed, fell silent for a
moment at the question he asked while blinking his eyes as if he was puzzled.

As Ludovika looked back and forth at the two men, her bright lemon-colored eyes wide
open, Albrecht missed the opportunity to step out. This is because Puche, who quickly
approached him, said this.

"And, young master, uh... His Excellency sent a telegram."

"What? What did you say?"

"Kum, if you don't return to your parents' house right away, I'll make you vomit blood
and regret it this time... Hey, boy, why don't you go back and talk to your Excellency?"

I'm going crazy. Albrecht gritted his teeth and ran a rough run through his dark hair
with one hand. Damn it, why at a time like this... … .

wait.

"young master……?"

“……Fuche. Prepare the wagon right now.”

Make me vomit blood and regret it. It's not just to make you regret it, nor is it a banal
warning that you'll break all your limbs like last time. The man Albrecht knew, his
father, was a do-it-yourself man. And at this point, he probably said something like
that… … .

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Hey, Alb, where are you going? I just came."

“……Some urgent business has come up. I’ll be back soon, so the two of us are playing.”

After speaking, Albrecht immediately ran out into the blizzard. without even putting on
his coat.

***

puck!
As soon as I entered the study, the ashtray would fly out, of course, it was expected.

He could have avoided it if he wanted to avoid it, but Albrecht did not bother to avoid
it. Thanks to that, my forehead throbbed quite a bit from being hit with a crystal
ashtray, but that wasn't the point right now.

"You always give me a grandiose welcome, Father."

"Is that all you're saying? How long do you plan on acting like an immature child?! Who
the hell do you resemble, Genji..."

"I look like my father."

There was silence for a while. While the enraged duke launched a brutal eye-glow
attack instead of a hundred shouts, Albrecht calmly responded to his gaze by rubbing
the blood flowing down his eyes with the back of his hand. On one side of the study,
where the gloomy gaze of a stuffed wolf's head hung on the wall, stood his sister
Elizabeth. It was quite obvious what conversation had taken place before he arrived.
Her sister's red-hot eyes, tightly pursed lips, and eagerly moving shoulders made it
very obvious.

Without taking his eyes off his father, he walked and stood beside his sister. At the
same time, the Duke opened his mouth.

"Looks like the Emperor intends to hold a wedding soon."

"..."

"It's obvious who the opponent is. They say they get along with each other, but His
Majesty seems to have decided to end the empire. Just like you guys."

It was a bitter mixture of seething anger and ridicule. It was worth it. According to
schedule, the woman to marry Emperor Maximilian was supposed to be Elizabeth. It
wasn't like a young lady from a mediocre baron family.

From the perspective of the Duke of Nuremberg, who had thoroughly educated her
only daughter as the next Empress since she was an infant, the situation was
understandably upsetting. It is obvious to see who the wolf's teeth will end up turning
after it has turned its eyes from insult and anger.
At this point, it was also clear which direction this conversation would take. That was
also the reason why Albrecht, uncharacteristically, ran straight to the eldest home
after hearing his father's threat, which was not a threat. Although he had some
intentions to protect his sister, who would be angry at Maximilian for not being able to
get a hold of him so far.

"It must be pretty heartbreaking for you, isn't it?"

"...what do you want from me?"

If he doesn't obey his father's orders again... … .

"What do I want? What do I want from you? Rather, I'm asking you a question! What the
hell does your guy want? What kind of family is our family, but this guy who claims to
be the heir in name is in vain being possessed by a lowly baron girl? I've been doing it
for years! And that's also for the girl who disgraced your sister like this!"

"..."

"You're already nineteen. Stop pretending to be silly romances and do your duty!"

Ludovika, she... … As soon as she takes the seat of Empress, she will go through a living
hell.

Like it or not, Albrecht, the heir to the Nuremberg family, who was also a master of
trickery to the core, could vividly foresee the storm that would hit her in the future. The
fact that her dazzling appearance, which she smiled brightly saying that she would
marry Max, would soon disappear without her shape.

Faced with his father staring at him with glowing blue eyes, Albrecht suddenly
swallowed a wry smile.

What an irony, Ruby. The only woman I want is you, but to keep your smile, I have to
hold another woman's hand... … .

"……All right."
Perhaps it was because he was so obedient, the duke's eyes flashed with the most
suspicious expression. On the other hand, Confucius' eyes were infinitely
expressionless.

"I'll do whatever your father wants. To come back to my place."

He felt Elizabeth staring at him with her wet eyes wide open. It seems that she didn't
expect her brother to come out so easily. Seeing that gaze, Albrecht just replied with a
wry smile. Rather, it might be good for everyone.

Ludovika would never be his forever anyway. From now on, she will live as Maximilian's
wife, the Empress of the Empire. Therefore, it would be better for him to follow his
father's will, marry for convenience, inherit the title, and develop the power to protect
his sister and friends in this place... … It will be good for everyone.

***

When Albrecht, who had concluded the deal with his father, finally arrived at the villa
in Erfurt, the childhood hideaway, neither Johennus nor Ludovica were already there.
According to Puche's report, Ludovika left first, and Johenus also left next, as if the
two had been fighting.

Apparently, Albrecht thought, they must have quarreled over his marital problems
after all. Anyway, he too went straight back to the ecliptic. Then he did not see any of
his friends until the day of the emperor's wedding.

***

The marriage between Maximilian von Baden Bismarck, the young Emperor of the
Empire, and Lady Ludovica von Hameln stirred up the entire social world long before
the wedding took place.

No matter how beautiful she was, there was a lot of talk both domestically and
internationally about an unprecedented marriage that a young lady from a baron
family would become an empress. Nevertheless, Maximilian pushed ahead with the
marriage to the end, whether or not all officials, including the parliament, opposed it,
and in the end, in the spring of the year 1095 of the imperial calendar, a wedding
ceremony was held with much talk and trouble.

Dressed in a pale purple wedding dress that matched the color of her hair, Ludovica
was so beautiful that she was said to be a goddess. So was her Maximilian. On the
surface, they were a really good pair.

"I'll reduce it, Your Majesty."

The reception went on in a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. In the middle of the
wedding reception, where even those who had been bothering Emperor Barak Barak,
asking him to reconsider until just before the wedding day, were gathered with
carefree smiles as if he had never done so, Albrecht approached his childhood friend
and lord and spoke to him after a long time. . And Maximilian, who was in the middle of
a conversation with the Marquis of Schweig, immediately put down his drink and
responded with an arm on his shoulder, indeed boldly.

"Where in the world have you been hiding and haven't been seen? Yochen, let's say
that, I didn't expect you to be so hard on yourself."

"You're pouting. I was just distracted because I was so busy that I couldn't open my
eyes."

"Didn't you deliberately avoid it?"

“……Where did Yochen go?”

"Well, I could see it until just now, but I can't. Now that I think about it, I want to ask you
something..."

Maximilian's golden eyes shone seriously as he dragged him to one side with his
horse's tail blurred.

"Do you know anything about what happened between Ruby and Yochen?"

"What do you mean...?"

"The two of you didn't even show off your nose, so I talked about it with Ruby, but I
think something happened between the two of you. It looks like you had a big fight, but
Ruby says that she doesn't want Yohen to come to the wedding."

Albrecht's blue eyes held a rare bewildered light. Did Ludovika really say that?

Common sense makes no sense that Johennus, the next head of Neubanstein, would
not attend the emperor's wedding. Moreover, Ludovika was not the type to hate or
hold a grudge against anyone. Even more so when she spoke of someone who was her
friend... … .

Was it a big fight that day? To the extent that Ludovika said so?

"Well, I don't know anything in particular... but it's very surprising."

"Isn't it? I'm surprised too. Nawon Oh, even when I ask what happened, they just say
that they had a little quarrel. How can I deal with that?"

"What does Jochen say?"

"I don't know, I haven't asked yet. Where did this friend disappear again..."

As the young emperor narrowed his brows and clicked his tongue, Albrecht's
expression became more and more unusual.

All three had been friends since childhood, but Albrecht had a better idea of Johenus'
temper than Maximilian. And the Johenus whom Albrecht knew was usually quite mild,
unlike those of Neuwanstein blood. Except for the occasional whirlwind. At those times,
he would really turn into a different person. If that bastard had just gone blind again
when he heard about the marriage... … .

"First, I'm going to hold onto that friend and ask him questions."

"Yeah, please do that. I don't even like alcohol because I'm so uncomfortable."
After Maximilian, who did not appear to be intoxicated at all, let him go, Albrecht went
straight to Ludovica.

Ludovika was sitting at the top of the dinner table and chatting with a few young
ladies her age.

As he approached, she immediately burst into a good-natured laugh and immediately

raised her body with her bright eyes wide open.

"Alb! Oh my God, how long has it been since this happened?"

“……I’ll shorten it, Mama.”

"Oh, something tickles when you call me that. What have you been doing, haven't you
seen it yet? I thought you were angry with me, so I was really nervous."

Does it make sense that I'm mad at you? Swallowing his wry smile, Albrecht cautiously
held out one of his arms.

"Speaking of that... Mama, would you like to walk with your convictions for a while?"

“Of course, my legs were going numb.”

The reception hall was located on the shores of Lake Alp. The two moved away from
the crowd and began walking slowly along the pink twilight lake shore.

It was a beautiful evening, and the sound of people talking in the distance, the sound
of brushing the bushes, and the sound of grass insects harmonized together to create
a quite dreamy ensemble. On the other side of the pink-tinted water surface, two
swans roamed close together. Ludovica, who watched the scenery with her sparkling
eyes, spoke first.

“Alve, you don’t know how much I missed you. Why didn’t you contact me?

“……Sorry. I’ve been a bit… busy.”

Unconsciously, Albrecht lowered his gaze to the floor as he answered in the same tone
as before.

Ludovika pretended to glance at him for a second, then smiled again.

"It's good that you look healthy though. I thought you and Jochen might be sick."

"... Speaking of Yochen, did the two of you ever quarrel? Max says it seems like that."

Ludovika's bright smile wavered slightly. Albrecht's eyes, which immediately sensed the
brief commotion, sank sharply.

"Ruby, what the hell is going on?"

“……It’s not a big deal, it’s just, that day at that villa…… I told you I was getting married.
That’s why I dealt with it.”

"How long have you been fighting?"

Ludovika kept her mouth shut for a moment and lowered her head. Staring at the
purple silver hair gently flowing from the top of his head, Albrecht felt himself getting
more and more nervous.

“What the hell… did that happen? Did he say something bad about you?”

"No, it's not like that..."

When she lifted her head again, her horsetail long, and looked at him, when he finally
met the terrified lemon-colored eyes, he was literally seized with a heart-stopping
sensation.

“Alb, I like Yohen… I think he’s a really good friend… I was really scared at the time.”

"What did he do to you? I won't tell Max. Tell me. What did he do to you?"
“That… it wasn’t like swearing at me or anything like that.”

"then?"

“I, I… I knew for the first time that people being angry while laughing was so scary, Alb…
I was so scared that I left immediately.”

There was silence for a moment. While today's bride, who had just become Empress,
nervously swallowed her dry saliva and blinked anxiously at her eyes, Albrecht stood
frozen in place and stared at her face intently. She was afraid that her words, rising
like boiling lava, would go down her throat. 'therefore? So what did he do?'

If that unpredictable bastard had even a little bit of violence against her... … .

"But don't be mad at Yohen, Alv. It's in the past now. I just want to get along well like
before."

Albrecht couldn't bear to say that he couldn't do it at the sight of Ludovika pleading in
an earnest tone while holding his arm. He couldn't even promise he wouldn't. She just
barely pulled in the corners of her mouth and nodded her head.

***

"Johenus!"

thud!

Except when he was very young, it was rare for Albrecht, Duke of Nuremberg, to visit
the Marquis of Neuwanstein at such a late hour. It was even rarer that they came in
with a terrifying force like a roaring fire.

“Go, Gongja-nim? What the hell are you doing….”

"Johenus! Where are you bastard?!"

It was past midnight, while the servants panicked at the small duke who had attacked
with a murderous force like an incarnation of anger, Albrecht pushed the door
roughly and strode into the mansion.

At the same time, Johenus, dressed as he was at the wedding, walked out from the
inside as if he had been waiting.

"What is it, what a mess in the middle of the night, you crazy..."

Without asking or questioning, Albrecht immediately punched him.

puck! puck! Udangtang!

The blow was so hard that Johennus fell backwards and tumbled mercilessly to the
floor. Either that or not, Albrecht strode over and grabbed his collapsing friend by the
collar and raised him up.

“What have you done?”

"Kuluk, kuluk... hey, you're like this..."

"What did you do that day!"

Albrecht's voice was not as loud as before, but the power contained in it was amplified
by a factor of two.

The green eyes staring at the blazing blue eyes opened wide, but soon a ha-ha, a false
laugh leaked out.

"Are you afraid I did something unbearable to her...?"

"Then spit it out of your mouth. Exactly what you did."

"I didn't do anything. I just, heard about his wedding and liked it for a while..."

"You know what I hate the most."

"..."

"Tell me the truth. What have you done?"

There is no way out. When Albrecht came out brutally like this because he was not
strong enough, he used to give up even that Maximilian. So Johenus raised his hand,
wiped his chapped lips, and spoke obediently.

“I was also… regretting it.”

"..."

“……Ha, so, when I came to my senses, I realized that I was trying to strangle him without
my knowledge.”

"what?"

"I woke up from him screaming... but then he left right away and I left after a while.
That's all."

The terrifyingly frozen blue eyes glared at her friend's green eyes for a long time. It
wasn't until around the time when the ice-like silence lasted forever that it seemed like
it would never end, and Albrecht's hand finally let go of Johenus' nape.

"Go and apologize."

"I was going to do that, but he..."

"It's not him, it's the empress. Come see me as soon as it dawns and apologize. Did you
understand? But what did you do well to hide and pretend to be a victim and fall for
yourself?"
Johenus hung his head and said nothing for a moment. The expression on his face as
he bit his chapped lips was terribly distorted. The voice that finally rang out was just
as miserable.

"You... how can you be so unconcerned?"

"what?"

"It's the same for you. You, me, and Max... Ha, even asking me to go and apologize
sounds like an apology because she's the empress. I knew you were cold-blooded, but
sometimes it's scary."

Are you okay? that he's okay? A sneering sneer appeared on the corners of the Duke's
mouth as he glared at his friend with eyes so distorted that it was difficult to describe.

“Do I look okay in the color of your eyes?”

"..."

"Don't whimper and wake up. Neither you nor I are in a position to struggle and shovel
through things that have ended."

What to do as the heir to the two great families. Now that the emperor has completed
his marriage, all personal feelings must be set aside and from now on, he must act
thoroughly for the sake of the family. Both of them were in that position. I was
educated and raised that way, and I deserved to live that way. The sweet memories of
childhood and all those vague emotions were over.

Albrecht left the Marquis's residence, leaving behind Johenus, who just smiled
dejectedly.

***
About a year after Maximilian and Ludovica got married, Albrecht also got married.
Heidewa, the daughter of Count Reinitz, who owns several enormous coal mines.

Funny enough, though he didn't mean it, Heide was close friends with Ludovika. And
soon Johenus also married a girl from the side of the family.

Even if their first love was taken away by a friend, and even if they got married after
being pushed back by their parents, their world went well. No matter how the world
worked, none of them budged, and nothing could break them.

Albrecht's wife, Heide, was a weak and introverted woman by nature. She was the
complete opposite of Ludovika, a lively fairy. Literally white and brittle feeling. She
looked so fragile that she was wary of even going through the first night.

Albrecht's father didn't seem to like it when his newly married daughter-in-law brought
him home. He clicked her tongue and said that if he had known that she would be so
stupid, he would have married Lady Neuvanstein, Johenus's sister. To this, Albrecht
replied without a moment's hesitation.

"Father, please open a book."

Fukang!

And the ashtray came flying. This time she was caught by Albrecht's hand.

In any case, Heide, who happened to be his wife, was far more reserved than he
vaguely remembered childhood. In the past, I had vaguely thought that Ludovica was
relatively calm because she was so lively, but she was much more easily hurt than I
expected, and she was always observant of her surroundings. And he didn't want his
wife to live with his eyes on him.

"Today... I decided to go to the salon with my older brother."

Although his wife constantly looked at him as if she was always intimidated, she
occasionally mustered up the courage to talk to him first. For example, at a breakfast
table with just the two of you.
At first, I didn't know how to react, so I just listened, but it took me a while to notice
that if he didn't respond, she wouldn't talk anymore either.

"Salon? Do I know?"

"That's Madame Rosé's dressing room..."

“……Ah. I don’t know if my sister is bothering me too much. If you don’t want to go, just
say no.

"I-I don't hate it. It's just..."

"Then it's fortunate, but if the two women get too close, I don't know if I'm the only one
left out."

It was nice to see a blush appearing on his pale face when he flung it playfully, and a
frown formed around his watery eyes. Occasionally, thoughts about what it would
have been like if the person sitting across from him popped up, but whenever that
happened, he immediately turned off the fire in his head and tried to block out the
lingering lingering feelings.

Ludovika is now the emperor's wife. And his wife was Heide. Not Ludovica.

***

"Promise me that if you succeed my father, I will marry whomever I want."

These were the words of Albrecht's sister Elisabeth on the day of his wedding. And he
promised he would. From an early age, he thought it was a natural thing to do for his
sister, who had been under pressure all her life to become the Emperor's consort.

However, he ultimately failed to keep that promise. Before he inherited the title, just
before he had the strength to keep his promise to his sister, the current empress,
Ludovica, passed away. In a cruel spring, less than three years after her marriage to
Maximilian, just a few months after the miscarriage of her first child, Theobald.

"Alb...... our Theo... please take care of me... I know you will protect me..."

Those were the last words she whispered as she looked up at him with blurry eyes
draining life. The warm, lemon-colored eyes that had once so captivated him seemed
devastated and chilling as he passed away. At the same time, it looked strangely
beautiful.

Albrecht had to desperately suppress the urge to kneel down and weep. He barely
suppressed the urge to cling to him, saying, "You shouldn't go away like this, and what
to do with the rest of us if you go like this?" and smiled calmly.

It was the same with Johenus who was desperately suppressing his sadness. Anyway,
both of her friends said a similar goodbye to her, and so she died in her husband's
arms with her smile more at ease.

Unlike the two friends, Maximilian couldn't contain his sadness. On the afternoon of
the day Ludovica passed away, people rushed in and barely separated the crazed
emperor, holding onto the body of the empress who had left her sobbing madly.

After that, Maximilian ran out of the imperial palace and did not return until late at
night. It was Albrecht who finally found the emperor who had disappeared into the
night and showed no signs of returning.

When Albrecht found Maximilian, the young emperor was lying motionless on the
shore of Lake Alp, where he had been married. In the sky shimmering above them,
countless stars were studded like frozen tears.

"The wind is blowing. Your Majesty. The forest at this time is dangerous."

"..."

"Stop the foolish idea of following her like this. The seat where His Majesty is sitting is
not a place for that."
Maximilian, who had stared blankly at the night sky with unfocused eyes, finally sat up
halfway up and looked back at him. There was an expression of tiredness in the
golden eyes that shone dimly in the gloomy air.

"...I think maybe this is all your plan."

"your majesty……?"

"Isn't it something your proud family did? If Ruby dies, you'll be able to push your sister.
I didn't know that wolves were exceptional at assassination."

It took Albrecht a little while to fully grasp the meaning of those words. that he
assassinated her? Did he sympathize with her death? He let it go like this?

After a brief silence, Albrecht jumped off the horse and punched his old friend and
lord.

Maximilian also accepted without losing. On the shore of the beautiful star-studded
Alp Lake, the two friends clashed like crazy for a long time, sobbing until they were
both on the verge of exhaustion.

A few days later, a grand funeral was held to honor the empress who had
unfortunately left at a young age. And soon, the movement to appoint Elisabeth, the
daughter of the Duke of Nuremberg, as the new empress began. In response,
Maximalian responded by telling him to be whatever he wanted.

Perhaps Ludovika had no idea what would happen after she died so early. She
wonders how her Maximilian will change after she leaves.

The emperor, who was a young man full of energy and enthusiasm, was transformed
into a gloomy and lethargic person in an instant. It was a bonus that he didn't even
pay attention to the young prince, who didn't even look like his wife and couldn't even
walk. If Theobald had been a daughter, and if she resembled her mother in any way,
things might have been different. It was a pity indeed.

It was also a pity for Elizabeth, who became the emperor's companion. On the day of
her wedding with Maximilian, Elizabeth burst into tears as soon as she was left alone
with her brother. All Albrecht could do for her sister was to give her a handkerchief
and a few words of advice from her about her future life. It was a pity for everyone,
Ludovika's death.
However, no matter how unfortunate deaths occur, time continues to flow, beautiful
memories of the dead fade away, and new lives continue to be born.

In the year 1101 of the Imperial Era, about three years after Ludovica's death, when the
bitter winter winds finally began to recede, Johenus saw his first son, Jeremy.

It was a baby born with dark green eyes that seemed to be burning like that bloodline
and a flawless figure.

"Congratulations, ma'am. You already look like you and hit me in the head."

"I'm talking about my in-laws. Aren't you guys soon too? Please pray for a daughter
who looks like your wife, not you."

"Well, it would be nice if the son didn't have any problems with the daughter."

"Well, this pregnancy was just one. I'm worried, but will I be able to have one?"

"Are you flaunting your first child, too?"

"I don't know, the more children the better. I'm dreaming of a big family."

In case anyone wasn't from the lion family, the Neuwansteins were famous for their
fertility.

Even Johenus, who was already condescending about seeing his first son, was the
eldest of five siblings. Dan Albrecht remembers that the brother and sister did not
have a very good friendship.

"Anyway, don't forget the kids' names while showing their faces at least once every half
year. Just like your father."
"Just like you and your father, don't be in a hurry to kill every single thing. ... It would
have been nice if the prince had been a princess without a ruby. Get my son engaged
early."

Despite the fact that it sounded like a joke, Albrecht stopped involuntarily and stared
into his friend's eyes. Johenus was still smiling lazily.

"Why are you looking at me like that again? I thought we all wished it was the same."

Well. One thing was certain: if that was true, Maximilian would have been the strongest
arm of the empire by now. It would have been nice if she had looked like her instead of
Jim, because her voice was Maximilian's habit. However, he did not know that Johenus
would have wished that as well.

"...I don't care if my friend's son is a daughter or a son."

"Yeah, I thought you would say that."

'Anyway, a heartless wolf child', slapping his friend on the shoulder, Albrecht tried to
shake off the strange feeling that was beginning to rise slowly. Ludovica's shadow was
still long. even after she died.

But unlike his two friends, who sought her shadow among countless mistresses and
prostitutes, Albrecht did not see the ghost of a woman who haunted him every
evening, rising far beyond the twilight. At least she was invisible, she thought. So he
went that way back to his wife's house.

About three months after Johenus' first son was born, a baby's cry rang in the Duke of
Nuremberg's residence. The baby was born after 8 months of pregnancy. Of course, at
that time, Albrecht, who was finishing the troublesome negotiations in Safaby over the
opening of the canal, hurriedly returned to the ecliptic.

You don't know how anxious I was all the way until I finally got home. Like Ludovika,
who died due to complications due to dystocia, I wondered if Heide would go away like
Ludovika.

The fear and remorse that gnawed at her heart like that melted away in an instant as
soon as she saw Heide lying there with a haggard but faint smile, and the tiny baby in
her arms.
"Heide..."

"honey."

Albrecht never lost his sense of what to say or how to act no matter what unexpected
situation came up, but at that moment, he didn't know what to say. All he could do was
sit awkwardly by the bed and stare blankly at his wife's fly-like face.

And when Heide placed their newborn son in his arms, the moment those same
sparkling blue eyes looked up into his eyes, he knew that his world had completely
changed, that nothing would be the same anymore. I realized the truth.

***

"honey"

"..."

"honey?"

“……Ah, dear. I’m sorry. How far have we been talking?”

"Are you talking?"

Only then did Albrecht come to his senses at the sound of applause from all
directions.

The curtain rises and falls as the finale of the opera begins, and a lady with aqua-blue
hair that is now graying sits beside him, looking at him with worried eyes.

"Are you asleep?"

"... Big, well, actually, things like this don't fit my spiritual aptitude."

"Yeah? Didn't you come every time because you liked it?"

I didn't hate it. It's because I lost my mind in the middle.

“Actually, I was thinking about the past for a while…”

"Any old thoughts?"

"...Let's get out of here."

It was raining outside the theater. It was the rainy season that came cool after the
sweltering heat. Come to think of it, I had rarely gone out with my family on a rainy day
like this before. Although he was very busy... … .

"Shall we have a cup of tea?"

Hearing his wife's voice asking if he wanted to leave right away, Albrecht, the former
Duke of Nuremberg, shook his head and tried to get out of his thoughts. Also, he
seems to be getting older. When I see old thoughts come to my mind. His stupid
friends and even more stupid himself... … .

"Sounds like a good idea. By the way... where are we going to drink?"

"There's a tea house right behind you."

"...It seems I've lost my senses. Maybe it's because I've been back in the ecliptic for too
long..."

"Anyway, it's only been a few months."

Albrecht scratched his head as he calmly followed behind Heide, who smiled and led
the gun. As she said, it was only a few months. And every time she returned to the
ecliptic, whether it was months or years, she couldn't help but feel anxious every time.
Although she was extremely useless anxiety.

“I need to buy some snacks for the kids while I stop by.”

"I mean... do you think the kids will like us...?"

"Are you saying that again? You're like this all the time anyway."

"Did I do this every time? I can't remember."

She glanced at him as he scratched his head again. Her eyes were dizzy.

“I wanted to see you, but why do you keep getting so nervous that you don’t fit in?”

Is it because he is a sinful father? Swallowing his words, he silently accepted the box of
cookies from his wife's hand.

The elderly couple walked out side by side, arm in arm, towards the misty entrance. A
faint singing voice came from inside, mingling with the sound of rain, resonating softly.

Go, my heart, on golden wings

Fly over the hill and sit down.

My old hometown with a warm and friendly wind and a fragrant scent... … .

"I'm glad the drought didn't last long."

"I see. If we were young, we would have done something like a prayer of repentance to
make rain in the Vatican..."

"Well, back then, when I really think about it now, nonsensical things were going on. But
didn't your wife go to confession pretty diligently back then?"
"Yes? No, Iiga...! Yes, why are you talking about the old days?"

"No, I'm talking about it now, but I was very displeased that the priests knew your
secret better than I, my husband, did."

"It wasn't a particularly big secret, was it?"

"Well, that's fortunate, but as you know, I'm a bit narrow-minded..."

It was then.

"Oh, Grandma! Grandpa!"

Unexpectedly, the eyes of the elderly couple who were bickering were simultaneously
directed to the front. Where their gaze ends, it is none other than

"Guys, slow down! Then you fall!"

"Anyway, whenever you come to the imperial capital, you always stop by here."

Be new, old memories

tell me the past

A girl with dark hair and a boy with light pink hair rushed excitedly. And right behind
them stood the tall duke with an umbrella in one hand and a languid smile, and the
duchess with a bright smile standing hand in hand with him.

When you reminisce about your past fate and defeat pain and sorrow,

God loves us and will give us strong courage.

"Michael, Leah! Our puppies!"

Truly, children like jewels. Albrecht, who had watched his wife hugging the children in
both arms and smiling warmly for a while, then moved closer to his son and his wife
while clearing his throat awkwardly. Before he could make up his mind on what to say,
Nora spoke first.

"Did you put some honey on this place?"

"It's not really like that, but..."

"Oh, Father, Nora asked me to come and pick her up first."

"My, when did I do that?!"

Maybe you're right, Max. Saying that I won in the end.

"Kemm, I didn't ask for it, so don't get me wrong, father. My sister asked me to do it, so I
just followed her."

"Anyway, I'm just as shy as my father."

"Sister!"

“Grandpa, Grandpa, what is that? Is it chocolate?”

"Chocolate? Me too, me too! Granny, me too..."

"Guys, slow down. You'll find out when you get home."
In terms of having a family that's too much for someone like me. And it was never
something to give up. As long as you're alive, there's nothing you can give up.

Extraversion 3 - The Christmas Crisis

"Well, it's very difficult to hear your voice once? How long will a guy called a knight be
mad at you?"

The world has gotten a lot better. It's because I can have a lively conversation with a
human across the mountain or across the sea as if it were right in front of me.

Now that the Age of Exploration is upon us, Elias, holding a rare imported messenger
that is said to be produced only in Nueva, exclaimed triumphantly as if the opponent
were right in front of him. Of course, it's not that the opponent is far enough to have to
cross a mountain or an ocean. Rather, they were living in a very close distance,
obviously within the same ecliptic.

Even so, the reason Elias dared to use the messenger from this puppet dawn was
because he personally received an approach ban from the other party a while ago. It
will be the fifth time this winter alone. I was warned not to come near the wolf's den.

"I'll have a look at your face soon. When is the time? Possible..."

-… … are you kidding me?

Contrary to Elias' voice, which was full of curiosity, the voice that came from the other
side was full of drowsiness and irritation. So Elias became even more elated.

“Ooh, I guess you slept comfortably all this time with the name Wolf Duke? Anyway,
wake up and listen, this body has something to say to you seriously? It's not, but life is
a life inevitably going through hardships that can't be avoided, so there's no choice..."

-… … what else have you been up to?

"Who, who are you treating as a child, you wolf son! Isn't that what it is?!"
-Then why are you fucking fucking from this puppet early in the morning?

"Are you sure someone contacted you because they wanted to hear your disgusting
voice?! Damn it, the ban on access is a piece of shit, anyway, it's just that it's so
shameless to be robbed of someone else's mother..."

-Hey.

Elias's voice, which had been elated with pride at the sudden low and bleak voice of
the other party, stopped for a moment.

"Why, why? Any complaints?"

For a while, no sound came from the messenger.

While Elias waited impatiently with his lips pouting, after a moment of silence, a nasty
voice that was unmatched at ease finally resounded.

-Your mother is lying next to me right now.

After that, the messenger sphere turned to a dark gray with the light fading. The hall
on the first floor of Marquis Neubanstein's residence, a place where splendid and
antique charm melted, became a territory of silence for a while.

And

"This, you son of a bitch! Aaaaaaaaa!"

It was only natural that the servants, as well as the knights, who were preparing for the
day vigorously, rubbing their sleepy eyes, were frightened by Elias' atrocities, who
roared in anger from the wee hours of the morning.

Either that or not, the blood-colored lion of Neubanstein could not control the anger
and grief he had brought upon himself and continued to howl, until finally being
beaten by his older brother who came out after hearing the sound, it became quiet.
***

It's really weird these days. Leon von Neuwanstein, a young man who is establishing
his identity as a self-proclaimed Neuwanstein family, is the only brain-pig and
intellectual, and furthermore, a detective. That is his younger brother, Elias.

Of course, Elias performing eccentricities far from the common sense of the world had
been a frequent occurrence since the siblings were young, so there was nothing new
to be surprised about, but even taking that into account, the recent Elias was
definitely a bit strange.

Doesn't he sit quietly and idly by himself without even trying to fit in, suddenly
clutching his head and saying, 'No, this isn't it!' The amount of time I was confined to
my home, refusing even all social activities, increased.

Leon was deeply concerned about Elias' condition, but Jeremy was only willing to go
ahead with this condition.

Leon wanted the same, but as a genius detective, he was very uncomfortable with
going on like this.

So, Leon approached his younger brother, who was living an uncharacteristically
quiet life, and tried to act as a counselor. He ate his heart like that and this is all the
talk.

"Hyung, did you take medicine? Why are you so calm these days?"

"Get out of here, you short-legged bastard!"

"Is it because you were banned from approaching the duke? Then why are you running
around with jealousy over your younger brother who hasn't been born yet? Anyway, I
knew that older brother was the most childish among us..."

Fuck! right!

And Leon quickly ran away to avoid the pouring baptism.

When I ask what's going on, they don't answer, and even if they say they'll listen to their
worries, they get annoyed and use violence. Finally, at this point, when Leon starts to
think about whether he should visit their benevolent mother, good news arrives from
Safavi.

It was the news that his twin sister, the queen of the country of Safavid, and Rachel, the
only one of their siblings who had a brain similar to him, would spend Christmas with
them and visit their mother who was about to give birth.

***

"Leon! My twin! How have you not changed at all?"

"Then how did you change so drastically? No, should I call you a vision now?"

"Don't do things that don't suit you. Phew, it's been a while since I've come and nothing
really seems to have changed. Is this why everyone treats them like their parents? Aww,
it's cold. I don't know how long it's been since I've been this cold."

Rachel, who expressed her feelings like that, didn't change much from the last look
Leon remembered. The only difference is that she seems to be slightly taller, and that
she is wearing Safa Bi-style clothes and accessories. She still had her golden hair in
the same curls as his. She also has sharp, twinkling emerald eyes.

"But they said they were coming quietly. What are those... dancers?"

"Aren't they dancers? They're my bodyguards. In Safabi, the queen's escort knights are
all women."

Is that so? The knights, who were new to the existence of female warriors, and even
Leon were silent for a moment, fixating their bewildered eyes on the exotic female
bodyguards of Safavi.

Leon's hand struck Rachel's back of the head relentlessly.

“Are you becoming like your little brother?”

"Ah! Isn't it like that?! It's just amazing..."

"It's been a while, Miss Rachel. No, Your Vision. You've become incredibly beautiful."

"Uh, Uncle Robert is still there?! I didn't know, but I wanted to give you a present..."

In that way, after completing the warm greeting process with the servants who had
seen Rachel since she was a little girl, Leon found an opportunity to hold on to the
twins he had met after a long time and express his grievances. To be precise, an
opportunity to express the mystery detective's suspicions.

"By the way, I guess all the older brothers have gone out? I have to go see my mother
first. Are you going too?"

"Of course you should, no, but more than that, did you get the reply I sent you?"

"Reply? Ah, right. That. Yes, what the hell is going on? Did the little brother have
another accident?"

“……I think it’s like that. It’s not unusual at all.”

Fortunately, both Jeremy and Elias were out just in time. The two twins held hands and
sat side by side on the steps in the backyard overlooking the garden. Except for the
size of the two, there was not much difference between when they were young and
now.

Rachel was the first to speak. She opened her words in a relaxed tone as Rachel gazed
at the glass greenhouse where flowers were in full bloom with a plaintive gaze,
somewhat nostalgic.

"I haven't been here in a while and it feels so strange. It feels like I've never left."

"I still can't believe you've left. That you and Mom aren't here anymore."
"Are you seeing anyone these days? What about your older brother?"

"What about me... I don't know yet, and I think someone has a big brother, but I don't
know because he didn't tell me in detail."

"Ohhh, so it seems that Duntang has finally started dating? I wonder what kind of
woman she is."

Leon didn't respond. He had already guessed what question would be asked next.

"Is your little brother still dating that woman?"

"It seems like that, but that's not the problem now."

"Then what's wrong?"

Even Leon himself could not give a clear answer to the question of what the problem
was. Anyway, Leon crossed her arms and put on a look that claimed to be quite
serious, so Rachel's expression also became quite serious.

"What is it? What did that idiot do again?"

"... I don't know, but looking at what you're doing, it's clear that you've had a major
accident. If you get caught, you'll be in trouble for months, so you can clearly see her
groaning alone? I'm even more worried because she's still a mother right now."

"What does your eldest brother say?"

"I don't think he really cared. The big brother is so simple. As you know, the two of us
took all the hair..."

"Well, that's how it is."

The twins, who had been shaking their heads side by side for a while, soon began to
focus on their duties as brainwaves with their eyes shining seriously again.

"This kind of problem needs to be resolved as soon as possible. You don't know how it
will flow into your mother's ears later, don't you?"

"Well, that's right. But... how do I solve it?"

"I'm going to grab that idiot for now! Do you know where he is now?"

Heck, if Rachel stepped up and started kicking her feet, even that red-headed
stubborn man would have to endure it. Leon swallowed the rising sneer and shook his
head vigorously at the same time.

"Maybe you went to see her?"

***

Contrary to Leon's reasoning (?), Elias was not meeting O'Hara. It wasn't that he was
dating someone else.

'Pub of Dorne' is a pub located on a street exclusively for the nobles, which is
decorated extravagantly for the approaching Christmas season.

The second son of Neuwanstein sat in the most sunny window seat there, fulfilling his
bad taste of drinking from the early evening. Surprisingly, he didn't really drink at
random, as his alcohol was weak.

Anyway, the figure of Elias, sitting with his chin resting on one hand and his shirt
sleeves rolled up to his elbow, staring endlessly out the window at the setting sun, is a
very plausible picture, with his eyes seething with unpredictable anguish and a
strange sorrowful atmosphere. has drawn

There was no other sad and romantic scion as if he was going through the pain of
intense first love. That is, if you keep your mouth shut.
It didn't take long for Mr. Dorne, who prayed that he would stay as he was, and the
earnest desire of the owner of this pub, who was used to dealing with aristocratic
brethren, to be shattered.

"What, hyung. Why are you holding on to shit like that?"

"It's been a while, oppa. Are you still ugly?"

Udangtang!

As soon as a beautiful blonde man and woman, who were clearly brother and sister,
opened the pub door and entered, Elias, who had been mesmerized by his dazed eyes,
passed back. Her appearance was quite majestic, and Mr. Dorne looked concerned
for the well-being of the chair.

"What, what, Rachel, when are you coming..."

"Are you pretending to be glad since I called you saying I'm coming? What did you do?"

"Who doesn't know that! I mean why are you here..."

Elias, who jumped up to his feet bravely, talking nonsense as if he had committed a
real crime, the next thing Elias took was to run away. She didn't exactly pass through
the passage blocked by her brothers, but she opened the window right next to her
and jumped out with nothing but aristocratic grace! In response, the twins, of course,
immediately ran outside.

"Ah, where are you going to run away?! Meeting your one and only sister after a long
time is the best way to run away?!"

"Whether it's been a while or not, it's because I'm amazed every time I see your face!"

"What?! You're still such a stinky and stinky oppa!"

"Ha! Come to think of it, you seem to have gained some weight?!"
"What's wrong?!"

"Looking at Safavi now, it seems that the water is not good?! Seeing how you've been
ruined... Eh!"

Elias, who was well tongue-tied at the subject of running away without hesitation, was
met with a correspondingly gruesome punishment in a matter of seconds. The queen's
escort knight, a Safavid female warrior who literally jumped out of nowhere, crossed
Elias' feet with an extremely unreserved attitude.

At this unstoppable act, Elias, of course, collapsed on the floor, and Leon raised his
thumb with a look on his face claiming that he could not control the overflowing awe.

"Choi, the best!"

"Woah, what is this again?! Oh, it hurts. What if something breaks like this..."

"So, who wants to run away? It seems like he committed a real crime?"

While the queen, who stood elegantly with her arms crossed, seemed to be foolish and
clenched her tongue, Elias whimpered and got up and tried to run away again. All this
talk that she only tried to do.

"Where are you going to run away from? What kind of accident did you get into this
mess again? Huh? What the hell did you do again? If you don't rot your mother for a
day, you'll get a thorn in your butt? Is it something like that?"

Just like a goddess of vengeance, Elias naturally swallowed dry saliva at the act of his
sister suddenly approaching and grabbing her neck and snarling. His dark green
eyes, helpless and seismic, rolled to and fro and fixed on her little brother who was
standing behind her. His eyes met hers, and Leon shrugged her shoulders.

"Hyung, what you've been doing these days is really weird. I've concluded that
something else must have happened, the two of us. Now, tell me. What else did you
do?"

“……You don’t think I’m a troublemaker!”

"uh."

"Exactly."

Elias's chin fell helplessly at the sight of his younger siblings' vigorous affirmation
without a moment's hesitation.

In the middle of the street, he was so embarrassed that he fell over and was caught by
his sister by the collar, and his figure with his mouth open gave passers-by a very
good spectacle.

"My, what's wrong with me..."

"Isn't it strange? Doesn't he behave out of character and not attend his favorite
parties?"

"Che, it's just that I'm grown up?!"

"..."

Since no one disagreed with the judgment that there were too many eyes, the three
siblings moved. Anyway, I just went back into the pub.

"Certainly, Korea seems to have the best beer. Although it's not as good as Safavi's
coconut liquor."

"Since you said that, it seems like you've already become a Safavid. Hey, give me some
more warm snacks here."

While the twins chatted and gnawed on beer and snacks, Elias buried his face in his
hands with his shoulders drooping, wondering where his usual dignified attitude had
gone.
In the eyes of others, they were younger siblings who couldn’t tease long-lost lovers in
front of them. Rachel poked Elias in the shoulder with the tip of her skewer of fruit, as if
feeling the distorted gazes of such people.

"Now, tell me. What's really going on?"

“……What is work?”

"Don't keep leaving me out. Come to think of it, you say you keep seeing her? Is it
something related to her?"

It seems to have hit the right spot. It was because Elias' shoulder, which had been
weakly withering, flinched. The eyes of the twins, who did not miss that fleeting
moment, flashed all at once.

"It's like that!"

"What is it, hyung, what the hell happened to him?! Do you think we should break up? If
that's the case, I'll gladly congratulate you."

"me too."

“……Hey, aren’t your words too harsh?”

"What did we do? It's just congratulations when we break up."

"Ah, these are really... and I didn't mean to break up with you?!"

"Then what is it? Why are you sulking out of place? Well, if hyung keeps going like this,
it should be good for me..."

Fuck!

In the end, Leon was beaten straight through the night by Elias's mighty fist, which
rose as soon as the medicine rose. Rachel asked in a calmer tone as Leon whimpered
while clutching his head.
"Then what the hell is going on? Well, there's no way that woman would ask her brother
to break up with her, if she knew what she was capable of..."

"You're talking harshly? It wasn't him. Did you forget that you and Shuri don't know
what happened back then?"

"Still, I don't like what I don't like. How rude that woman was to her mother in the past."

"Ah, damn it. That was a long time ago... She said that her whole family died because of
us helping her, and now, even if you all grumble, we won't break up?"

"Who wants to break up? It's just like that. Anyway, I'm going to die of frustration, so tell
me what's really going on. It's not like you had an accident like that with that girl,
right?"

There was silence for a while. Elias said nothing as her twins tilted their heads and
stared at her. She just rubbed the corners of her mouth roughly with the palm of her
hand and blinked her eyes rapidly. And.

"Are you familiar?!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"Ah, little! Do you have anything to advertise all over the place?!"

"I thought my only Christmas present would be my new sister."

The time of shock and amazement had passed, and Leon, whose face had become
much calmer than before, muttered in a low voice.

Rachel sighed in agreement and turned to Elias.

"What are you going to do?"

"..."

"First of all, you must have your own thoughts. What do you want to do?"

There was a strange power in Rachel's voice that made things seem more stable. So
both brothers were soaked in a feeling of relief.

"Of course I should get married. I even have a child..."

"Wow, I didn't expect such a normal sound to come out of my brother's mouth... Ah!"

"Anyway, I've already made up my mind to get married, but the problem is..."

A light of melancholy anguish flickered in the dark green eyes with red eyelashes like a
canopy.

Rachel took his word straight away.

“Are you worried about how everyone will react?”

"……yes."

"Why is my brother so worried?"

For some reason, Elias was not offended by Rachel's grinning. Instead, she washed her
face dry and in an unsuitable serious tone she began to speak gibberish.

"To be honest, I don't know what it would be like for Shuri even if hyung gave me
permission. Of course, Shuri, if I said I wanted it, he would be happy to do it. Maybe it'll
be easier than hyung. But I don't want him to begrudgingly agree. And hyung too. It's a
problem, but Nora, he's the biggest problem. I've thought about talking to him, but I
honestly don't know what to say. If he asks me how I'm going to marry the daughter of
a human being who was conspired to kill Shuri, I have nothing to say. And if he
opposes that much, then my older brother will probably also object. If things went
wrong like that, Shuri would be upset again because of me, but she's not single right
now, and I don't want to make her worry about that issue... Besides, even if it's because
of us, even if it's a marital fight. if……."

"..."

"Whoa, damn it, I can't figure out who to persuade first, really..."

A short silence passed. Leon and Rachel exchanged dazed glances for a moment, then
looked back at Elias' serious profile at the same time.

"Brother..."

"Brother..."

"Since when..."

“Did you care about the Duke?”

Unsurprisingly, Elias groaned as if he had never done that before.

"You don't care?! What kind of power does he have in this matter!"

“There is authority. Stepfather’s authority. So, isn’t hyung paying that much attention
right now? To be honest, I don’t know how the duke will come out. First of all, isn’t he
the one who destroyed the Heinrich family? ...."

"Ah, who's the dad?! And I'm crazy, so I'm pretty to him?! Even if dirt gets in my eyes..."

"I'll have to tell my eldest brother first. Then I'll have to hold on to the duke and either
inform him or persuade him."

Silence came again at the words Rachel uttered as she twisted her golden curls with
her fingers.
Unlike Leon, who raised his hand in agreement, Elias somehow seemed a bit
frightened.

“Will my brother accept it?”

"Well, I even violated the speed limit, so what can I do? Due to my older brother's
personality, I'm not the kind of person who would just tell me to throw it away...
Wouldn't it be okay if I just get slapped in moderation?"

"It's not your business, you say it calmly, you."

"So who's going to have an accident like that? I knew I would make a fuss about
marrying her anyway. I didn't expect it to turn out this way."

Apparently at a loss for words, Elias didn't respond. Instead, she gulped down the
foamy beer.

***

"Oh, has my queen come?"

The three siblings, who managed to get home after finishing the conspiracy, faced the
first difficulty right away. Neu Bahnstein's lion, who looks particularly happy today.

"Old brother! My God, how tall are you still growing? I think you're taller than last time?"

"Take it as a compliment. You seem smaller than last time? Doesn't the food there suit
your taste?"

"Oh right, I brought you a present for my brother! It's a sword made by a royal
artisan..."
While the eldest son and youngest son unfolded the scene of a rather heartwarming
reunion, Elias secretly took the appearance of trying to get out to his place. But Leon
held onto her second brother's arm and stretched out.

"They say take out the horns when they're sweet. Just shout it when you're in a good
mood, big brother."

“Ah, don’t you let this go?

“Isn’t it better than screaming when the pressure is low?

"By the way, where did you guys go? Didn't you come to eat? We were supposed to
have a meal together at Syrine's while Rachel was here."

Elias nearly bit his tongue at Jeremy's words as if he had just remembered them. She
said why didn't she think of that.

"I-I'm leaving. So you've taken a restraining order, right?"

It was only natural that Elias' actions, laughing awkwardly while mentioning an
approach ban that he had never properly observed, were really clumsy.

Leon and Rachel exchanged pitiful glances, and Jeremy snapped annoyed.

"What bullshit? Since when did you keep it obedient?"

"Ah, anyway, I think it's better to just fall in for today..."

"Shuri would be sad if you fell out? Our queen came a long time ago, so do you want to
fall in only at times like this? What are you going to do by yourself?"

“……Ah, whatever I do or don’t matter, hyung has nothing to do with it!”

"What is it? No, this bastard is suddenly screaming and fucking? You come over here."
Rachel quickly grabbed Jeremy's arm in the middle of the scene, where the warm
atmosphere from a while ago had completely disappeared and turned bloody in an
instant. She then exclaimed all hastily.

"Don't be angry, big brother! Little brother is doing that because he's noisy inside right
now!"

“What? No, let this go.

"My girlfriend is pregnant! So I'm thinking about how to tell my brother, so I'm saying
that!"

"Hee!"

"Hehe!"

Rachel's voice came out louder than she intended. Therefore, Leon and Elias, as well
as the knights who were guarding the door as usual and the servants nearby, all had
the same expression as if they had made a promise. In other words, they started
bragging about the size of their mouths.

In the midst of the near-miss silence, frozen in shock and fear, Jeremy seemed
momentarily unable to properly perceive what he had heard. Her emerald eyes, just
like those of her siblings, faded her bewildered light and she blinked.

"what?"

“……Oh-Hara. She said she was pregnant. So my little brother didn’t know how to tell his
brother and mother, so he was moaning… Kyaaagh!”

Wow Jangchang!

The teacup on the table flew like a shot and hit the wall. It was a natural result that
Elias, who had avoided the collision with her narrow-footedness, immediately began to
make her run. I wouldn't say it was a very smart choice.

"Elias!"
"Ahh! Calm down! Calm down, you crazy person! I didn't expect it to happen like this
either..."

"Is it an excuse now?! I thought you would buy this baby someday!"

"If you knew, you should have stopped it beforehand... Ahhh! No, that's why I didn't do it
on purpose!"

"Believe that bullshit right now?! I know you, but don't you think you don't know the
trick to pretend you were allowed to do it?! You crazy bastard! You shameful bastard!"

"No, so this time I really didn't do it on purpose! I'm going crazy too...
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaa)

Jeremy didn't care and smashed Elias down without hesitation, and Elias tried to run
away and strongly expressed his resentment.

This ugliness of the two brothers, like the symbol of the Marquis of Neubanstein,
continued for about 30 minutes. If it hadn't been for the strong reminder of reality by
the twins who had taken all the intelligence out of this family, I would have stayed that
way until the end of the day.

"Do that, all the older brothers! It's not going to be solved by doing it now! I'm going to
have a meal with my mom!"

"Yes, my mother will surely notice that the older brothers are acting strangely. We
shouldn't have to discuss how to reveal it."

Then, as if coming to his senses, Jeremy, who had been holding on to Elias and trying
to tear his legs apart, stopped moving and turned his flashing eyes to the twins.

Then, a terrifying growl came up through his neck.

“……Did you guys come back after conspiring with each other?”
“To sum it up, roughly.”

“Damn it, I wondered why you guys went out together.”

Despite saying that, Jeremy unexpectedly let go of Elias. Then she went over to the
sofa and sat down, clutching her head with both of her hands.

There was silence for a moment.

Elias rubbed his beaten head and sneaked closer to his brother. Before he could say
anything, Jeremy spoke first.

"What are you planning?"

“……I have to get married.”

"What did she say?"

“Of course… he said he wanted to marry me. But he seemed scared because everyone
would oppose it…”

“So, what is the plot among you? What are you planning to say to Shuri?”

Elias blinked and looked at Rachel, the person who threw the hwadu. And Rachel
looked at Leon.

Leon approached without speaking and sat across from Jeremy. Rachel followed and
sat next to Jeremy. Elias hesitated a little, then sat down on the edge of her couch.

Jeremy, who had been watching his younger siblings' movements with pitiful eyes,
growled nervously.

"Let's conspire from now on?"

Nod.

A lamented sigh escaped Jeremy's mouth. She almost moaned.

"Since Shuri has a big event ahead of her, you shouldn't rush to find out. Especially,
Ellie, if you whine that you're going to marry Shuri, I'll really kill you."

"Ah, you're not going to do that?! What do you look at people for? Of course I'm not
going to do that, so I was thinking about it..."

"You thought about it? You?"

"That, that's right! It's only natural that you worry! If that dark bastard insists on the
absolute opposite, only Shuri will get into trouble somewhere in the middle..."

“A bastard who knows that has an accident like this?”

"Ahh! So I didn't do that on purpose!"

Strictly speaking, who Elias married was definitely the Marquis of Neubanstein's
business, and the Duke of Nuremberg had no right to interfere. However, the fact that
the two families were firmly allied, and furthermore, the rather complicated
relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Nuremberg and the Marquis of
Neubanstein made the situation quite complicated.

As everyone guessed, Shuri would gladly accept Elias and O'Hara's marriage. Jeremy
also had no particular objection to Elias marrying O'Hara. I didn't expect her to come
out with a speeding card.

In any case, there was only one stumbling block in the current situation.

"Brother, what do you think the duke would say?"

“……I don’t know. He’s surprisingly difficult to predict.”

"Still, thanks to O'Hara, it's as if my mother and I were alive, so wouldn't it be surprising
to me to accept it? O'Hara's father died and he's a cheap guy, O'Hara isn't guilty."

"That's true... but people's hearts aren't all the same as ours."

The stigma of being the traitor's daughter was not something that could easily be
erased, no matter how much she claimed to be a whistleblower.

If it wasn't for the protection of the Neuwanstein family, including Elias, he might have
fallen to the bottom of the abyss long ago. In some ways, it was more controversial
than marrying a commoner woman.

In addition, the Duke of Nuremberg was the one responsible for destroying the
Heinrich family to that point. No matter how much they threw away the guilt-by-
association system, it would have been embarrassing.

Excluding all personal feelings and considering it rationally, it was the same as
marrying the daughter of the betraying family.

The accident was caused by that bastard, but it seems I have to deal with it. Jeremy let
out a long sigh as he swallowed the tears of self-destruction, saying, 'Is this how I was
born as the eldest son?

“First of all, don’t show off and stay still.

***

"Hey, come on, cats. Her Highness the Queen is also here."

"Taal!"

"Mom!"
The Duchess of Nuremberg, dyed in a pink twilight, had a warm atmosphere with the
Duke smiling warmly and the Duchess leaning on his arm and spreading her arms,
looking so lively that it was hard to believe that the end of the month was
approaching.

While Rachel ran straight ahead and had a thrilling reunion with Shuri, the three
Neuwanstein men just stared at the scene with a satisfied expression.

… … I was trying hard to appear like that. Even Nora's cat was not irritated by her
canal, but Nora's eyes naturally became puzzled at the uncharacteristic calm
reaction.

"Hey, sloth cat."

“……Huh? Why?”

"What is it? Did you eat something wrong while getting along?"

"What am I?"

Nora's sharp eyes stared intently at Jeremy's innocently blinking face.

As for Elias and Leon, they stood staring at their mother and sister with their backs
turned, intent on ignoring Nora altogether. So Nora looked even more suspicious.

“You… did you ruin the date?

“Isn’t that what you are, you poop puppy?!”

"Ah, surprise. Why are you suddenly screaming and making a fuss?"

"When I... is big, anyway, that's not the problem now, comrade. I have serious concerns
to tell you."

When Jeremy lowered his voice as if he had never done that and seriously glared at
his eyes, Nora changed into a really boring expression with a disgusted expression.
"What's the matter again? Is the date ruined?"

"Mistress, it's not like that!"

"Then what else? Oh, have you been stalked again?"

"No, it's not like that!"

Jeremy, who was shouting annoyedly and tossing his golden hair with his hands for no
reason, quickly grabbed Nora by the arm and dragged her to the side of the garden
as soon as he confirmed that his younger siblings and Shuri went inside in good
harmony.

At this sudden and rude act, Nora was dragged away, speechless.

Jeremy traversed the turquoise-covered garden of spruce and fir trees, reached a
bench near a frozen pond, and finally stopped, sat down on the bench, and began to
wash his face dry. Nora, on the other hand, was still standing.

"What on earth did you become so shy and self-absorbed that it didn't suit you? You're
going to freeze to death..."

“……Brother, do you speak so badly in front of Shuri?”

"I say shit. And I'm always nice? I'm only rough with you guys."

Nora's voice, which she retorted as saying she was talking about her in-laws, was now
filled with annoyance beyond doubt.

So, Jeremy started talking slowly, regretting not hitting his troublemaker younger
brother a little more.

"I think my brother will get married before me."

It was a voice that sounded like grief. In response, Nora Chimi looked at her friend with
her eyes full of sympathy.

"Did you realize that now? Anyone can see that your little brother who likes to play as
a lion..."

"Because I'm serious now?!"

"Because I'm serious too? And did you keep your form like that to say something like
that?"

"Saying that, it's a serious problem! That bastard, Ellie, dared to marry before this big
brother like the sky..."

"If you're angry, go ahead and propose marriage right now. Haven't you reached that
point yet?"

"No, it's not like that... Fuu, don't you want to know who the opponent is?"

“What does that have to do with who you date or marry?”

Because it was an extremely correct step, Jeremy lost his words for a moment and only
opened his mouth, then mumbled.

"Well, that's it, but... but if you're a stepfather, shouldn't you be concerned to some
extent?"

Nora's face was extremely distorted at this brazen questioning.

"I was expecting you to care? Sometimes I wonder what you guys really want from me..."

"No, who cares?! Don't care, you bastard! Whom I date or not!"

"Are you talking 20 questions with me now?"

It was an eerie growl that lost all playfulness in an instant. Well, at this point, the
annoyance is enough to reach the top of my head. As her blue eyes began to twist
coldly, Jeremy cleared her throat briefly and waved her hand away.

"It's not like that... it's just that I'm having a hard time figuring out what to say... Oh
damn, I didn't do it, so why..."

“Did Ellie have an accident?”

"……uh."

"What is it? It's like talking about marriage, isn't it an accident like that?"

"Ahaha, how did you know?"

There was silence for a moment. While the Marquis Lion was trying hard to cover up
the awkward laugh naturally, the Duke of Wolf just stared at the tail.

“……That, I knew it earlier too.”

"..."

"Well, even the twins know... Kum, for now, they decided not to say anything to Shuri.
Didn't they do well?"

A light of contempt flickered through his blue eyes. Jeremy flared up again.

"Oh, why?!"

"Your sister is hiding something between you guys. I can't even notice."

"No, I mean he has a surprisingly insensitive side..."

"Did I just tell my wife that she's dull?"

"No, it's not like that... Aah! Anyway, since everyone decided to crack down on speaking
thoroughly, putting that aside, how will we..."

"What should I do? I heard you said you were going to get married? Isn't that what
happened? These days, marriages against speed are not uncommon..."

"Of course that's it! We're all done with that! The problem is you, you!"

"No, but why does this bastard keep spinning around and whining? What am I? What
else are you sad about, bastard?"

"Ah, don't you even wonder who the opponent is, you?!"

"Aha, is that why you felt sad? Yes, I'm sorry. What family are you from?"

"Lady Heinrich!"

There was silence once again. It was a nervous silence that was on a different level
than before. A brief winter breeze passed between the two men staring at each other.

It was Nora who spoke first. She stared for a moment into the dark green eyes of her
friend, Nora shrugged her shoulders and stared intently into her own eyes, then she
slowly crossed her arms and opened her mouth in a low voice.

"It turns out that way after all."

"..."

"It's not unexpected...but then you don't seem to be interested in it? Well, it's the best
case to go into a decent family as a son-in-law.

“……No, hey, wait, wait, wait!”

"What else?"

Jeremy caught his breath and pulled himself up. I feel very resentful about something,
but I'm not sure exactly why. Anyway, I needed to make sure.

"So... are you alright?"

"what?"

“Isn’t it okay that Ellie is marrying O’Hara? I think anyone might object..."

"So, to put all your crazy words together, I'm afraid I might shout out against this
marriage, so you've been frantic for so long, isn't it?"

There was some silence for a while.

"...to sum it up roughly."

"Is that why Ellie was unsuitably pulling her tail down?"

Nod.

"So... if I said I was against it, would you say you don't know me?"

“Rather than that… isn’t it better to be blessed by everyone?

"..."

"Then how can I talk to Shuri well like this?"

“……Why are you asking me about it again?

"Oh, how does that happen?"

"It's obvious. Ask him to get slapped on the back for the first time in a while."

The two friends smirked at each other, but soon became serious at the same time. Not
because they came up with something important at the same time, but for a
completely different reason.

"Damn it, I didn't even know this was going to happen and I was moaning for nothing..."

"How strange do you guys think of me..."

Only then did Jeremy come to his senses when he saw Nora muttering in an
uncharacteristically weak voice as she put her hand on her forehead, and quickly
began to clear up the misunderstanding.

"I didn't think it was strange, but it could be a sensitive issue..."

"So you thought I would just ask you to throw away the wife your brother
impregnated?"

"No, why are you interpreting it so broadly again? It's not like it's because you'll get into
a lot of trouble if you oppose it, whether it's speeding or not!"

"Really? What's bothering you so much? It's definitely your chores, right?"

It was completely sarcastic. Jeremy began to stutter at will as he began to run out of
words.

"That, that... Of course, if you object... Shuri will be in trouble in the middle... We will feel
uncomfortable too... To be honest, Ellie didn't seem to know what to do if you took a
hard line... So what I said silver……."

It was then that the corners of Nora's lips curled up as she alluded to Neuwanstein's
lion languishing in a pathetic manner that others could not imagine.
It was an unusual smile for some reason, so Jeremy swallowed dry saliva without
realizing it.

"What, what is it. Why are you laughing..."

"...I'm stuck on the essential question of why you're here."

"what?"

"Why are all of you holding on to it and grimacing?

That's right! Dark green eyes opened wide, then slowly began to glow with an evil light.

The blue eyes that looked into them also flashed wickedly. It must be because there
are so many of them.

“It must be fun to see him stamping his feet.”

***

"there……."

“Do you have anything to say to me, you foolish young man?”

“Ah, really… it’s not like that, I have something to say to you quietly…”

"How long are you going to keep harassing me? It's time to get used to it.

'I don't think I'll be any more. Jeremy's atrocities in deferring her brother's
responsibilities to her brother for the first time in her life, saying 'You're on your own',
have led Elias to create a situation that no one in her family could have ever imagined
would actually happen. That is, she started following Nora around and trying to try
what she called a confidential conversation.

"Oh, so let's talk to me for a second!"

"Nope."

"What, what?"

"I said I didn't like it. I'm trying to scratch my temper by saying something else."

… … It didn't go very well. of course.

"Why is Ellie so close to Nora?"

"Looks like he's begging for pocket money. Oh, Mom, these are pajamas made of
pineapple fibers, perfect for summer nights. And these..."

It was a rather pleasant winter evening. In the spacious drawing room with a burning
fireplace, Shuri was busy chatting while sitting with local souvenirs brought by her
daughter, the Queen of Safavid.

Leon, who had heard of some conspiracy between his older brother and his step-dad,
had to sit with Jeremy, nibble on coconut chips, and watch Elias' pitiful tail, trying hard
not to catch his stomach.

"S-Isn't that nonsense?! It's a matter of three people's lives! Three people's lives..."

"I don't know what else is so grandiose, but if you want to have a conversation, why
don't you come out more politely?"

Contrary to the siblings' assumption that they would lose their temper and go wild in
less than 10 minutes, Elias surprisingly showed superhuman (?) patience.

He didn't yell or curse.

"Tongue, I'll call you brother. Let's talk for a moment."

"It's a bit tempting, but I still remember blowing up my sleep a few days ago thanks to
you guys."

"Ah, you really are such a newbie..."

"What's up?"

"... I'm just asking for a little bit..."

"..."

“I will never call you a bastard again.”

"..."

"I won't call you a baby."

"..."

"I won't even say half words... yo."

Maybe it's because they made a family(?). Seeing Elias' servility, which would have been
unimaginable in the past, Nora put on a look that insisted that she would listen.

It was only after a procedure similar to the one Jeremy had gone through that the
case came to an end.

“……What’s wrong?! What’s up with speed?!”

"Ah! No, that's why I didn't mean to do that on purpose...... Ahh! It hurts! Ahh!"

"Nu, nuna, calm down. Calm down! Getting angry is not good for you!"

"That's right, that's right! Even if you put off cutting that guy's toe until later... No, I'll do
it for you! If you allow me..."

So, after a rather full baptism of shoveling, conspiracy, back smashing, and nagging,
Elias was able to tell O'Hara the good news that he had positively resolved the
problem he had been worrying about for a month - the issue of getting marriage
permission from all his family members.

And soon after, Shuri gave birth to her first child.

It was Christmas Eve.

***

"What are you looking at?"

“……This is a statistic of how many noble ladies died of childbirth fever in the last five
years, and this is……”

"Oh, why are you looking into something like that?! Ominous?!"

match!

Rachel's palm struck Leon's back fiercely. She struck so hard that Elias, who was
pacing around nervously, flinched.

"Ahh! It's just because I'm nervous!"

"Do you know who doesn't?!"

As Rachel said, everyone at the duke's residence was nervous.

Elias, of course, O'Hara sitting quietly across from the twins, Jeremy chewing on his
lips as he wants to say something appropriate but doesn't know what to say, and
Nora, who looks more anxious than anyone else.

"It'll be fine... It'll be fine... Oh, it'll be fine."

"...is it really okay?"

"Don't think badly. Shuri is the mother of our lions."

Nora responded with a faint smile to Jeremy's mischievous remark.

I was really trying to believe that it would be okay, but I couldn't help the feeling of
anxiety growing by the minute as the labor pain lasted for nearly 13 hours.

Ironically, it was the former family, not the current one, who helped at least a little in
this situation. So, parents who have already been through similar situations like this.

The former Duke and Duchess of Nuremberg, Albrecht and Heide, had ascended to
the ecliptic just a day before the Christmas holidays. From the moment Shuri started
to feel the pain, Heide had been in the birthing room with her. Nora had never
expected the day to come when she felt comforted just by the fact that they were
there.

"……father."

"Oh, Nora."

In contrast to the hall cluttered with nervous young men, Albrecht, sitting on the
balcony and blowing his pipe, looked extremely calm and even relaxed. As Nora
approached, he smiled.
"Your mother suffered quite a bit when she gave birth to you."

“……Are you saying I’ve rotted that much?”

"You added more. It was a premature birth and your mother was very sickly."

Feeling a little guilty, Nora stared at the pipe in her father's hand.

"Would it make you feel better if you smoked it? It feels like this."

"Well, aren't you better than me anyway?"

"Are you better?"

"I couldn't be with your mother when she was in so much pain. I was on a business trip
then... and when I hurriedly came back, you were already in your mother's arms."

Albrecht spoke in a slow and gentle tone and handed over a freshly marinated pipe.

Nora took it, hesitated for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.

"I can't do it twice. Who the hell do you resemble so persistently torturing my mother..."

“Hey, are you already hating me?”

“Isn’t it natural that you hate it?”

“You will change your mind after meeting him.”

"How will it change?"

"Well... wouldn't your world itself be different? Just like I did when you were born, and
like my friend did when your friend was born."

"..."

"We should all never forget how it felt in that moment, and I'm sorry we didn't."

A bitter light of remorse flickered in his blue eyes. But in the other blue eyes that met
those eyes, there was no longer the same shadow as before.

"Hey, when did you start smoking this bastard?!"

Even a tiger will come if I say it. Jeremy, who had just stepped onto the balcony, saw
Nora holding her pipe and immediately let out her roar.

Nora glanced sideways at Jeremy's face, who seemed to be screaming that you were
just caught, and then asked his father a question.

"Come to think of it, my father must have seen this dumb lion when he was born? How
was it?"

At the mention of the secret(?) of his own birth, the bewildered lion's gleaming eyes
moved from the young wolf to the old one. It was the momentum to run away.

“No, what was it like when he was born?

"Your father must have been frustrated."

"What do you mean, our family has been famous for its good looks since ancient
times."

“Our family added more. In the first place, if the kittens were good…”

Albrecht smiled as he looked alternately at the two young men who were igniting a
useless sense of competition. And he said
"Both were so ugly that both times we went out for drinks by ourselves."

Silence passed. Before the two young men, literally frozen side by side, could think of
anything to say, the long-awaited cry finally came from within.

"Sir, sir, come on!"

"Brother! Come quickly!"

All three men gathered on the balcony rushed in without saying who was first.

To be precise, Nora ran first, followed by Jeremy and Albrecht side by side. And.

"sister!"

"……hi."

Shuri, who was sitting on a pile of pillows with a pale appearance, smiled faintly. She
was all covered in sweat and haggard, but her grass-colored eyes were shining
brightly.

Nora went straight to her side. He had never lost his sense of what to say or how to act
no matter what unexpected situation came up, but at this moment, he didn't know
what to say. All he could do was sit awkwardly by her bed, hold Shuri's hand, and gaze
blankly at her twinkling eyes.

“I… I will never… again…”

"Come on, say hello to Dad."

Dad? Nora blinked and looked away from her. She then met her mother's smile. She
came to see life only with her and the one in her arms.
"this……."

His blank gaze returned to Shuri's pale face. Shuri smiled. brighter than ever. warmer
than ever.

"Greetings. My son."

Nora took the baby slowly, dazed and dazed. Twinkling blue eyes, just like his, were
looking up into his eyes.

It was strange. Just at the moment when our deep blue eyes collided, the resentment I
had harbored for this little guy just moments ago disappeared like snow melting.
Instead, the sensation of something unbearably overflowing set in.

"Haha. I, so..."

"As we decided at the time, we decided to call you Michael... It's okay, isn't it?"

Nora held the baby in one arm and held Shuri's hand in the other, bowing her head.
Suddenly, he felt a soft hand caress his hair.

"Nora? Are you okay?"

“……It’s okay. I just…… Ha, thank you, sister. Really, really thank you……”

Heide, who had been quietly watching the son and his wife, got up and approached
her husband, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Unlike his wife, whose eyes
were blushing from her emotion, Albrecht was somehow half stunned. He seemed to be
no different from the lions who had been staring blankly at the leisurely moments
before.

It was then that Rachel, who had been standing quietly with her older brothers,
opened her mouth.

“Can I hug you too…?”

Shuri, who was looking at her husband and newborn son with the most sympathetic
eyes, turned her head.

Bright, grass-colored eyes twinkled at the grown children standing side by side with
open mouths.

"Of course. He's your younger brother."

With that, the strange spell that possessed everyone in the room was lifted.

Amidst all the chatter, the baby, who was quietly rolling her eyes as if a blonde woman
holding her in her arms, burst into tears.

"Shish, it's okay. Ai, you're pretty. I'm your older sister."

“… hyungs, won’t you hug me?”

“……I want to, but…… I can’t touch it because it will break if I touch it wrongly.”

"me too."

Unlike Rachel, who had no hesitation in hugging her newborn sister, and O'Hara, who
similarly approached and looked at her with twinkling eyes, the three Neubansteins
looked frightened.

At least Leon, an intellectual, hesitated a bit, but soon began to follow what his twin
sister did, and Elias, who was destined to become a father first among the brothers,
also hesitated to approach, perhaps because he felt the need for rehearsal, but
Jeremy was determined to approach him. I couldn't even pay.

It was none other than today's father himself who saved Jeremy, who was unable to
move, standing with bizarre eyes as if he were looking at a strange creature other
than a human baby.

Nora took turns hugging the twins, carefully carrying Michael, who had stopped
crying, and approached her frozen friend. As he approached, Jeremy backed her like
a little lion in front of her wolf.
"No, wait..."

“Did you forget that I almost beat you in the swordsmanship competition back then?”

"what?"

"I'm stronger than you. That's why I won't break even if you hug me."

Jeremy couldn't find room to refute the draw this time. The tips of his clumsy fingers
lifted hesitantly and very carefully lightly brushed the baby's twitching cheek.

The blue eyes blinked in bewilderment, staring at the dark green ones.

Even then, after hesitating for a long time, Jeremy was finally able to hold his youngest
brother in his arms. She held her so carefully that everyone who saw her was in awe.

"Wow, look at your hands... how can it be so small. It's amazing..."

"That's right. I'm also curious."

"I can't believe this guy will grow as much as we do... What color is his hair?"

"Your eyes look like mine, so I want your hair to look like my sister's."

"Well, if it's a guy who looks exactly like you, I'd be a bit mean."

Jeremy's gaze, which had even regained some time to slow down, moved from the
baby's face to his friend's face, then to Shuri's face sitting on the bed. Her eyes met his
and she was smiling hard to catch.

"My eldest son has another younger brother. How are you feeling?"
“……That’s…… Kuh-hum, thank you for giving me such a younger sister, benevolent
Mother Shuri. Now you’ve become a mother of lions and a mother of wolves, right?”

"Then am I a wolf father and a lion father?"

"Daddy's sister is my dad?!"

"Hey, don't shut your mouth... won't you be quiet? He's about to cry again."

"Oh, right. Sorry, sorry."

That's how Jeremy was tormented by the guilt of making his younger brother cry as he
had squeezed out the courage to hug him. But then, an amazing thing happened.

Michael, who had moved from Jeremy's arm to Nora's arm and finally from Heide's arm
to Albrecht's arm, stopped crying in an instant and began to smile. To make matters
worse, the former Duke of Steel skillfully picked up his grandson and began to wriggle
as if he had lost his mind at some point.

"Right right, yes. You have good hand strength. Do you want to become a knight? Your
father also had particularly good hand strength from an early age."

Seeing Nora's expression, Jeremy put his hand over his mouth trying hard not to
laugh out loud. So did others.

"No... no, wait a minute. Why is my son laughing at his father?! So, he's my son, so why
not at me but at him..."

“Well, isn’t it because everyone resembles you?

"My-when did I do that?! That kind of nonsense..."

"It's true, Nora. I still remember it very clearly."

"Mother!"
In the end, on the first day that Little Confucius Michael met his family, Nora was
literally knocked out of her soul by being hit with shock that her son had chosen his
grandfather, not himself, before he could get out of the shock of becoming a father.

While his father cried tears of betrayal in his mother's arms, little Michael moved from
place to place in the arms of countless families and finally returned to his mother's
side and fell asleep soundly.

It was the last event of the year and the first Christmas Rachel had spent in the Empire
since her wedding.
Gaiden 4-Father's day special

The wooden soldier flew away and rolled away with the sound of wa-dang-tang. I don't
know how many times it's already been this time.

Nora picked up the doll from the floor and played with it again.

"Just put one in at a time. Now, look."

"...dadaae."

"……stuffy?"

"It's okay."

"It's difficult if your temperament resembles me."

Nora murmured slowly, licking the poor soldier's mouth and putting it back in
Michael's hand.

Michael, who watched his father with a pouting mouth, immediately resumed playing.
It's a game of cracking nuts with nutcracker soldiers.

Click, wadeuk! Click, wadeuk!

For some reason, it seems closer to venting anger than play. Nora scratched her head
a little, then muttered as she slumped back in her armchair.

"Are you angry...?"

“……Oh, my God.”
"Your mother went to see the lion's daughter."

So it's inevitable that it's just you and me. Michael stared up at Nora's face, who
swallowed her words behind her and smiled bitterly. She may or may not be
dissatisfied with her expression in her round, lofty blue eyes. But, thinking she might
be dissatisfied too, she picked up a bar of chocolate from Nora's table and peeled her.

"I'm not that perfect. You'll inevitably find out..."

"..."

"Anyway, bear with me if I'm dissatisfied. I miss your mother the same way."

“…….

"Okay, I'll give it to you. Come on."

Michael's eyes were still staring at Nora's face as he chewed hard, clutching the
chocolate with both fern-like hands.

Nora, on the other hand, was running her hand through her hair at random, turning
her gaze toward the dimming window. She looked pretty tired. I couldn't say that the
reason why he was soaked in fatigue was because of the child.

***

“Oh, Prince Leon?”

“……Ah, isn’t it Lady Diane? Are you on your way to meet my older brother?”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

The blue eyes of the woman smiling brightly as she gave an enigmatic answer shone
meaningfully. Leon smiled faintly as she wondered why she had the same eyes as
someone she knew well.

"Well, I know the relationship between the two of you, so you don't even bother telling
me..."

"It's a little awkward to see the famous Marquis Neubanstein being filmed for negligent
duty. He's still a cat."

"...That's true, but I don't think anyone will say anything about your brother's
negligence."

"Sir Jeremy is so proud. Who is not a brother?"

"iced coffee……."

"Anyway, see you next time, smart boy."

What is this tone... … ? For a moment, Leon felt uncharacteristically embarrassed. To

be honest, he'd only talked to Diane on one hand so far.

Even that was just a simple greeting, so I thought it was just a woman who was
extraordinary enough to meet that lesser older brother, or something like that.

But what is the identity of this creeping sense of deja vu? It was a tone that reminded
him of someone he knew well. It's a tone that basically has a smirk, but it's not
strangely unpleasant... … .

Obsessed with such a sense of déjà vu, Leon faithfully fulfilled the purpose of visiting
the imperial palace from early afternoon. The purpose is to meet my lesser older
brother. It was something that could be done at home, but it should be easy to see
your face even at home these days.

"Ohh, my little scholar! What are you doing here? You can watch it at home."
Maybe it was because he had just met Jung-in, but Jeremy looked very happy. Despite
the fact that she had just committed negligence, she was bragging about the crown
prince and had no shame, but she looked pretty lively anyway.

"That's... big, good afternoon, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Ah, good afternoon. I thought it was Ellie again because he was Sir Jeremy's little
brother. I haven't seen him lately."

"It looks like parenting has become fun. It's grown up."

Letran paused his swordsmanship training for a while and tried to imagine 'Elias, who
has matured and devoted himself to raising children', but no matter how hard he tried,
it didn't work out. And that seemed to be the case for Jeremy as well.

"Bring some words to stick with. That guy won't grow old until he's done dying."

"No, he must have really matured. Because he said something wonderful."

"Is that a wonderful sound?"

"Well, it's not necessarily commendable... It's Father's Day soon. But, since Mom and
Rachel aren't here, the brothers and sisters asked us to gather together and have a
time to remember our late father..."

Leon's horse's tail actually faded faintly. Because the reaction was so unexpected.

In an instant, the expression disappeared from Jeremy's face. Her dark green eyes
began to glow with a terrifying light as her massive, well-formed body stiffened.

"what……?"

Of course, Leon was taken aback by the unexpected change, but calmly continued as
he did.
"So, my real father. It seems to me that my younger brother has become a father, and
lately, I keep thinking about him. Anyway, that's why..."

"no."

"……uh?"

"No. Stop thinking nonsense that doesn't suit you and tell your family to be good now."

"No... hyung, of course it's me and Rachel. I can't even remember my father's face very
well, but we..."

"Didn't you understand what I was saying? If you want to remember, tell him to do it
alone. I have no desire to be involved in that kind of bullshit."

At this relentless verbal abuse, not only Leon, but even Letran became puzzled and
exchanged glances for a moment.

“……Are you doing that because you’re afraid that Nora will be sad?”

“……I think the duke would be horrified at the very thought that he would be
disappointed.”

"Ah, that's right."

Either that or not, Jeremy threw away the sparring sword annoyedly and turned
away… … However, she was soon caught by her brother.

"Hyung, what the hell is going on? Don't you think I should explain something?"

"Ah, what an explanation!"

"Why does it always come out like this when it comes to talking about my father? To be
honest, I don't care if I do or not, but don't you understand what happened?"
"Shall we step on each other like we did when we were young? Since when did I have to
ask for your understanding?"

Leon was so absurd that he passed out. Of course, as the eldest son and the head of
the family, Jeremy had no reason to seek the understanding of her younger siblings,
but he wasn't suggesting doing something stupid, he was just asking for a family
gathering. What on earth would come out like this?

"No, hey, but bro..."

"Just listen."

“……Yes? No, but Your Highness……”

"Sir Jeremy must have some circumstances that he can't say. Bad memories that he
experienced alone... I don't know if it's Mother's Day, but I'm not very happy that it's
Father's Day."

It was Letran who soothed Leon with a rare calm yet sharp tone. Leon was speechless
for a moment. He just stared blankly at Letran's pale blue golden eyes.

"Uh, that, His Highness..."

“Aren’t there quite a few people around us who are not happy with me? "

That day, after a brief encounter with Leon, Jeremy fell into an unpleasant mood for
the first time in a long time. A dirty feeling that is hard to put into words, such as being
sad or angry. And Jeremy didn't like that feeling.

I don't know who would like it, but he was trying to shake off that feeling and end the
day with energy, when he suddenly found himself in the wolf's den.

"So, are you thinking of getting married?"

"Well, how about her side... how does it look to you?"

"Me, it'd be great if you were to marry a daughter of our side. We're already twenty and
five years old, you spoiled kitty. Hurry up."

"They say that a person's life begins at 30. That's why we haven't even been born yet."

"Some useless words...... Wait, wait, wait. It's my older sister!"

"what?!"

The messenger sphere placed quietly on one side of the table began to vibrate and
blink blue, so the two friends stopped their chatter and hurriedly ran towards it.

After a while, the clear voice of the number 1 in the Empire's hierarchy, who was on
vacation in an island country across the sea, resounded.

-Nora?

"Sister!"

"Shurii!"

-Oh, is Jeremy there too?

"Shurii! Well, listen to me. I'm thinking about how this golden eldest son can have a
marriage of the century that will remain in a beautiful story forever for the
maintenance of the family and the preservation of glory. He just laughs at the saying
that the one who has more adds up..."

"Ah, can't you just shut up. Sister, is it worth living there? Is it true that your son-in-law
is serving you with respect?"

- I'm glad that both of you are fine. It's very good here. Is Michael eating well? How is
Anabella? Is Ellie doing a good job as her father?
"Why don't you ask me if I'm eating well? This is favoritism! Discrimination against
children!"

-ha ha ha… … . Jeremy, are you sitting cross-legged at the table again?

There was no way to know how he knew that, but anyway, Jeremy immediately shut up
and inadvertently lowered the leg he had placed on it. This earned her the ridicule of
Nora, who sat in a very imitative position.

-Anyway, I'll be back soon. If there is anything you would like a gift for, let me know in
advance.

"Just come back quickly... Great, have fun and come back safely. Don't worry about
what's going on here."

- Doesn't that make you more concerned?

“……So that’s what I said. I miss you.”

-I miss you too.

After the communication ended quite warmly in that way, Nora stood motionless in a
sitting position with her head propped up with her hands for a moment, with the
messenger sphere returning to its original gray color in front of her. It was somehow
unusual, so Jeremy was about to talk to her quietly, but Nora opened her mouth first.

"Stop moving. I want to slowly raise my legs again."

“……Chi, it’s a habit, but what to do……”

"But didn't you have a date today? Why are you here?"

If it was sudden, Jeremy was taken aback for a moment at this sudden strike, but right
away he confidently insisted on it.
"The date is tomorrow, and today, while our dear mother, Shuri, is not around, my
stepfather and two younger siblings personally went to watch for any accident."

"..."

"...So I guess I missed my younger brother? Haha. Our Michael must be so pretty."

“Isn’t it natural that you look like me?”

"It's fucking. There's not a single corner that resembles you except for the eyes, right?"

"That's nice, but I'm already worried because he has the same temperament as mine.
Anyway, he's probably sleeping right now, so if you want to see him, wait a little longer
and go. Maybe he's eating."

"Aren't you eating?"

"I can't afford that right now."

"Let's see, did you stay up all night again? You keep doing that and you're in trouble? If
Shuri sees you now, she'll probably turn her back..."

"A knight won't die if he doesn't sleep for a few days."

Nora, who responded with a trembling tone, turned her gaze back to the pile of
papers piled up like a mountain. Jeremy just stared blankly at it.

"Can I help you...?"

"Don't say things you don't even mean to a guy who hates politics."

“Can overthrowing the Japanese Government-General be called politics?”

"...Having such a question itself means that you are not related to politics at all. It
means that it is a relationship that can never be continued."

"Ah, I still have one eye for people!"

"Your good-boy eyes may be quite useful, but it's not just the good guys we need here.
Oh, and, please, remind your red-blooded brother that nannies are smarter than him.
Call me often and ask who knows who." I tried to kill my daughter. Someone made her
cry, so please stop the fuss about killing this or saving it."

"Eh, did Ellie do that?"

"Yeah. That's what I'm talking about every morning, and I'm getting neurotic. I'm the
only father in the empire."

Jeremy knew that Elias had been slowly starting to show signs of failing lately. But I
guess that's about it. Besides, why did he have to hold on to Nora and lower the price
for her? Feeling apologetic for nothing, Jeremy scratched her head embarrassingly.

"Didn't he say something else to you?"

"Well, I thought what if my sister didn't come back from Safavi forever, knowing that it
would be my fault."

“……Don’t talk like that bastard-like bullshit, Kum, didn’t you say something about an
anniversary or something?”

"What anniversary?"

Nora's dark blue eyes frowned as she put down the pen holder, flickering with
irritation, fatigue, and an unfamiliar chill. It was a completely different feeling from
when I faced the messenger just a moment ago. Even though her words and actions
seemed to be the same as usual, it felt strangely unfamiliar, so Jeremy just shook her
head.

"No. Rather, what are your parents doing these days?"

"It looks like you've decided to go around the world. Why do you care about other
people's parents?"

“A stranger, why is it so sad between us… Sorry, look at things, things.

In the end, that evening, Jeremy, far from harassing his younger brother, was
embarrassed just watching his brother fall asleep, getting a meal and even falling
asleep. Compared to the past a few years ago, it was a completely different
phenomenon.

***

"That's why you have to listen to big brother's position to know..."

"You stay still! No, what the hell does this mean? How can any son-in-law in the world
talk about winning in honor of his deceased father! Isn't it?! Is that such a big
mistake?! Is it like that?!"

"Then why did you ask the duke for that?"

"Well, it's obvious that the idiot is obsessed with this human being! I'm not saying
anything about my wife honoring my parents! Because my parents are precious to
everyone! Am I wrong?!"

You should have recognized it when a slothful lion crept in last night. Who would have
known that a wolf's den would turn into a den for stray cats who lost their mothers
early in the morning?

The servants of the duke's residence had been exchanging glances since early
morning, saying that they would die of earaches, and the loyal knights were shaking
their pupils in anxiety that our family symbol might change from a wolf to a dog-cat
hybrid.

However, Nora, who was the one who had to deal with the kittens roaring tightly from
the time of dawn, was extremely calm, so she just listened in silence with an
expressionless face.
"Am I wrong?! If I'm wrong, why don't you correct me now?"

It was Elias who urged with a more subdued voice, as if the opponent's silence had
gradually become uneasy. In response, Nora, who had been sitting with her arms
crossed and listening calmly, finally opened her mouth.

"He's so cute."

“……Is that so? Wahaha, your eyes are very similar to mine? You will definitely become
the most beautiful woman in the empire.”

After draining the energy of others, she sits proudly proud of her daughter. No, more
than that, why did you bring a child to this place again, really. Leon clicked his tongue
and tried to apologize for his older brother's faults, which hadn't changed even at his
age, but Nora didn't seem particularly annoyed. Compared to usual, she was rather
generous, giving off the feeling that she was openly looking after her.

"I can't use it if I scream in front of such a pretty daughter-in-law."

“Isn’t this on purpose?”

In any case, as Nora said, Anabella in Elias's arms was lovely. A child with light
platinum curly hair and Neuwanstein's signature big dark green eyes. All the while my
father was screaming at the top of his voice, he was sucking his thumb and looking up
at the black wolf in front of him as if he was not afraid.

"Keuhmm... Oh, do you want to hug me?"

"..."

"What, those eyes?! Do you know what an honor it is to hold my daughter?!"

"I never said no."

It was then.
"Wow, that's great, my poop! Nora, look at her! Look at how your son is chasing me!
Whoa, oh my God this is happening, whoa..."

The combination of a huge blonde man making a fuss as he walked in, fresh from a
bath, and a little pink-haired boy jumping up and down behind him, was both comical
and oddly poignant. However, Elias' expression as he looked at the scenery was not
very affectionate.

“Why is my brother out there…?”

"Uh...? What is it? What are you two doing here?"

There was silence for a while.

In a situation where Jeremy, who had tilted his head in bewilderment for a moment,
slowly turned into a terrifying expression as if he had grasped the situation, Leon
moved quickly and grabbed Michael and began to grumble. And Elias moved a step
later than that.

"Oh, my Michael, say hello to my Ana. Now, come on like a gentleman. Isn't my Ana
really pretty?"

“……Elias.”

"Wahhaha, this older brother..."

"Elias."

“……Ah, why are you calling me?!”

"Did you get angry and fall for what you did right now? What the hell are you doing
here? What the hell are you doing by dragging the kids in line?"

"That, what is the hyung doing here after leaving the house empty? Do you think only
hyung has the right to stop by here?!"
“You’re qualified, and you’re sleeping, aren’t you crawling in just now to take out your
anger on a stern person?!”

“Because it’s not about taking out anger, it’s about taking revenge?!

"You think I'm the same guy as you?!"

And Leon was seized with the feeling of wanting to stop crying. It seemed that the
older brothers, whose brains were a mass of muscle, were planning to have another
catfight of that bastard at this point today. Even if it wasn't the first time doing this in
a wolf den, it was really the first time doing this in a wolf den without Shuri, so it was
unsettling.

"No, Nora, listen to me! That brainless, immature child is saying that he has become a
father, talking about his father's day, and insisting that now busy families get together
and celebrate the deceased. Isn't that right! Ha, I'm so dumbfounded!"

“Chungseu huh?! Is that something to say to the father who gave birth to us?!

"Do you remember my father's face properly?! And there's only one human being who
deserves to be called my father!"

“What the hell does that have to do with that?!

"You said that from the beginning, even if you didn't, this wouldn't have happened?!
And the guy who complains about excuses came here early in the morning to take
revenge on you, you ironic bastard?!"

Not only Leon, but also the faithful servants of the duke's residence gradually became
immersed in the feeling of walking on thin ice. All of a sudden, it was such a skit that
the eardrums were about to explode in the absence of the madam, so if things went
on like this, we might be able to see the duke's teenage years again for the first time in
a long time.

Aside from the crowd's chilling talk, Nora was still watching the deafening skit, her
expression unchanging.
As if they were not interested in the situation around them, the children sat across
from each other and tinkered with the wooden dolls.

In the end, Leon, who decided that he would be out of luck at this rate, secretly held
Anabella in his arms and intervened between the brothers who were roaring as the
whole mansion collapsed.

"Please, both of you, shut up and calm down! What kind of ugliness is this in front of
them, really!"

Still, Jeremy and Elias both kept their mouths shut for the time being, as if their
reason hadn't completely blown away. They were still glaring at each other as if they
were going to tear each other apart, but they were ready to rush at each other.

It can't be like this either. If we go on like this for even one more day, everything will
surely be ruined. Mother, where are you!

Swallowing soaring tears of grief, Leon carefully put down the nephew he had
returned to his father's arms. No, he was trying to put it down.

"Why don't you both sit down. Aren't you ashamed in front of your daughter, Ellie?"

When Nora finally opened her mouth, she sighed and picked Annabella up and sat her
on her lap. At this strange yet unexpected act, Elias first relaxed his expression and
sat down. Jeremy also sat down on the edge of her couch while eating.

"Tongue, you keep making me angry!"

"Me?! Who said bullshit first!"

"Stop fighting. It's to the point where you can't tell who the hell is the kid here. Elias."

"Why why?"

For some reason, Elias, who had been so calm and generous, wanted to finally
explode, so Elias swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.
"Even if you're a brother, you can't share the same feelings no matter who the target is.
Stop bullying your brother."

Are you bothering me? How the hell could that be bullying? A mixture of surprise and
bewilderment mingled on Elias' face.

"No, I didn't mean to bully you..."

"And Jeremy, if you tell me about this kind of problem in advance, what's going to
happen? Why are you talking about this in the morning?"

Jeremy, who was making a triumphant sneer at his younger brother, immediately
turned to an expression of embarrassment.

"Because you look so tired..."

"Aren't you tired of getting hit by lightning in the morning?"

“Ah, I mean, I was complicated in my own way.”

"So, who knows if you're going to scream a little evil in that complicated inside? I
understand 100%, but from your younger siblings' point of view, it's natural that it's
absurd."

"but……."

"I'd rather just explode everything right here."

This was completely unexpected, unconventional and ignorant, so Jeremy was so

surprised that he glared at his friend's eyes.

“What……? No, what the hell are you……”

"Make it clear whether you're going to make it something that never happened, or
whether you're going to keep flinching like this and then explode. That's why I'm not
going to do anything about it. To me, your younger siblings don't believe you even
after seeing your wounds, but what? Do you have me?"

It was a cold, yet oddly playful tone. Jeremy immediately looked relieved as he noticed
the insidious trap mixed into it. On the other hand, Elias and Leon, who were just
bewildered, fell right into the trap. That is, I began to fall into serious
misunderstandings.

"Um... I didn't even agree with the younger brother's plan from the beginning. I can't
remember my father's face properly."

“No, I… No, hyung, so I don’t know what the hell happened between you and my father,
but I was just saying it. This nerd took things unnecessarily seriously! I can’t even
remember my father’s face anymore. I'm not! It's true! I just said it because I wanted to
cure that wolf!"

Was it like that after all? The way he tries to raise medicine is also very unique. In any
case, Jeremy responded with an extremely warm and brazen attitude to the tearful
confessions of her younger brothers, who were scrambling to cover up her mysterious
wounds of her eldest brother.

"Whoa, I'm sorry for recklessly showing my temper. You guys didn't know anything...
anyway, you guys were too young..."

"Ah, no... I, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, bro! I couldn't even dream that my brother would have
such a painful past, and I only thought of myself! Damn, why am I like this?"

"Everything my little brother does is like that... Ah! Me too! I'm sorry too!"

The atmosphere became warm at once, to the point where even the nervous knights
with their hair bristled all over let out a sigh of relief and relaxed their muscles. If it
hadn't happened at that very moment, it would have gone all the way.

“……Go away!”

Michael, who had been silently observing the adulterous actions of the adults until
now, suddenly shouted with all his might and threw the wooden rabbit he was holding.
To be precise, he sniped at Anabella, who was sitting on Nora's lap, and threw it
vigorously.
It happened so quickly that if Nora hadn't reflexively reached out and snatched it, it
would have hit Anabella right in the head.

There was silence for a while. While everyone was momentarily unaware of what had
happened, Anabella, who had maintained her composure despite the noise around
her, burst into tears as if she couldn't stand her gear any longer. Elias was the first to
come to his senses.

"What the hell... T-daughter! It's okay! Daddy, Daddy! Oh god, is this karma? Hey,
Michael, you can't just throw things like that! My brother also committed sins in the
past..."

"My oh my oh!"

"Ooooh! Hey, hey!"

Elias, who was trying to soothe his crying daughter and at the same time trying to deal
with unexpected situations with common sense, ended up running away from his
stepsister's powerful kicks. Of course, how painful it must be for a small kid to hit you,
but fists are scary.

“No, poopy dog, why are you like this all of a sudden? Are you bored?

Biting with a few soft milk teeth doesn't feel severely painful. The problem was not the
pain, but the shock and bewilderment of the act. Jeremy's bewildered gaze met Leon's
studious gaze as she hurriedly withdrew her hand and stepped back.

“……No, why are you staring at me?”

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

"How do I know that? No matter how much of a genius I am, it's a bit unreasonable to
understand all of the child's psychology..."

"What are you doing?!"

Thanks to Nora, who was just as perplexed and stiff as the others, raised her voice for
the first time in the past few days, the little wolf who was kicking her brothers in the
shin vigorously, and the lions who were confused and confused all at once froze on
the spot with their eyes wide open. At times like this, it seems like a true bloodline.
Jeremy, who was the first to come to his senses because he was her eldest son,
hurriedly blocked Nora's way, which immediately raised her body.

Jeremy thought that it couldn't go on like this anyway, although he didn't know if the
string of tenacity he had barely endured had finally snapped, or if he was simply
angry at the child's actions. Aside from the fact that Nora's current condition was not
the same as usual, it was a situation that added to the irritation that if it was normal, it
would have exploded long ago. Moreover, to make matters worse, she was a Panguk
without even Shuri.

… … That seems to be the biggest problem.

"Whoah, calm down, calm down. He must be like, uh, he doesn't like people messing
around in his territory. I remember being like that when I was a kid."

“……So, did you also throw things at your sister for being invaded? Did you kick
anyone?”

"I-I don't remember that well, but Ana is fine and we're fine too, so please don't get mad
at me! There's nothing good for you to be angry right now! That fool and I who fought
in front of the kids in the first place were wrong, what is that, a bad example? I saw
you!"

It was Jeremy who was good at shouting at subjects he knew nothing about child
psychology. Fortunately, his tearful efforts paid off.

Nora bit her lip for a moment, looking at her friend's desperate face and her son's
frightened face, then, as if thinking something, she turned around and stormed away.

A desolate silence lingered for a while between the remaining sons (?).

And,

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

“Hey man, why are you crying again?

***

“……So you said you kidnapped Gongja-sama?”

"Rather than kidnapping... what should I do when he's in an unreasonable state? Then.
I'm worried."

"I'm rather curious that the duke sent you away."

It was as if he was saying who was worried about who on the topic that he had caused
such a nuisance from the dawn of time. It was an irrefutable blow, so Jeremy just
pouted her mouth.

The glass conservatory of the Lepyrian Palace was so beautiful that it left admiration.
While the two lovers stood side by side in front of a jasmine bush brought in from
Safavi, little Michael held her nurse's hand and tapped a full-blown mimosa. This one,
too, looked as depressed as his older brother (?).

“Do you think it’s hard for you to notice your father when your mother isn’t there?”

“Who is my father… Damn, I don’t know.

"What's your status?"

What condition are you in? Jeremy started chasing after a while for what to say.

“……It’s like a volcano that doesn’t know when it will erupt?”

“Even in such a state, it caused such a nuisance from the dawn of time, right?”

"I did it on purpose... It's strange that he's not the type to put up with Elias messing
around like that. It's the first time I've felt so foolish."
It's a statement worthy of being scolded by anyone who hears it, even if they look at it.
But instead of throwing such a scolding, Diane raised his hand and plucked a jasmine
flower. Then he put a white flower in the ear of the sullen lion and smiled.

"It seems that he realized that it would be dangerous if he did not completely liberate
himself."

"Is it dangerous?"

“They said it was in a volcanic state? It might explode, so you restrained yourself, didn’t
you?”

"why?"

"I don't know. You know better."

Jeremy stared gloomily into the air for a moment, with a flower in his hair. Elias and
Leon simply misunderstood that something serious had happened between their
father and eldest brother. It was a rather happy ending, but Jeremy still felt bad. And
Nora too, no, maybe she was even more upset than that.

"Damn it, anyway, Ellie is the problem now and then. Why on earth is she so anxious to
scratch her insides all the time! Even when she can't overcome it..."

"Isn't this an expression of your own? Your brother said that he often shows favoritism."

“……You mean you want attention?”

"It's obvious just by holding onto the duke and talking about his daughter on a
fictitious day. More than that, I find the duke the most amazing. With that personality, I
look after all of you."

In response, Jeremy asked another question instead of arguing, "What am I saying?"

"What's his personality like?"

“Even if your family is famous for being hot-tempered, you wouldn’t be able to keep up
with that temper, right?

It was clear that Diane wasn't the kind of person to be particularly cautious with the
head of the family, but Jeremy wisely chose to grumble rather than voice the idea.

“I know that his personality is dirty, I’ve seen it before, right?”

"Huh, is that so? Are you still sullen from shock?"

The way he pokes his cheek while reciting in a pitiful tone is both nasty and cute. A
small, fern-like hand tapped Jeremy's leg, convinced that he must have thoroughly
washed the pods.

"Mom, how are you?"

“……Hyung is also impatiently pointing his fingers. Why did you do that earlier than
that?

Jeremy was brazen enough to talk about the owner of a career in which he almost had
his arm cut off after beating the prince at the age of 14. Even though she didn't look
solemn at all because of the flowers in her hair.

"My dear, no, no."

Jeremy's jaw dropped helplessly at the sight of Michael growling, his big blue eyes
blinking dissatisfiedly. And Diane started giggling.

"That's right, since I'm the same age as my dad, what should I call my older brother,
uncle?"

“……No, hey, do you know how lucky I am to have such a wonderful older brother?!”

"My thong no!"

"This is real...! And why did you do that to Ana? Trying to mistreat such a pretty cousin,
you then later..."

"My dear Abyaa."

"what?"

"My abaya."

There was silence for a while. While Michael lifted his small shoulders and strained his
eyes, Jeremy and Diane stared blankly at the child's face for a moment, then looked at
each other at the same time.

"Was it like that?"

"I guess it was something like that."

"But then why even me... I mean, I can understand being jealous of Ana..."

“Kids are surprisingly better at seeing through situations than adults.”

“……I don’t quite understand what that means.”

"You and the duke looked like a warm father-son relationship to anyone."

Jeremy stared blankly into his lover's mischievous blue eyes for a moment. It was a
scene like a stupid lion being kicked nicely by the back kick of the prey. To that mug,
Diane let out a truly benign sneer.

“At this point, why don’t you all be a little more honest?”

"I'm always a straightforward guy."

“……I don’t know anything about the former marquis who passed away. But you said
with your own mouth that there was only one human in the underworld that could be
called father? , Why don’t you stop admitting it at this point?”

If the opponent had been someone else, Jeremy would have roared, 'What bullshit!'
However, since the opponent was Diane, Jeremy blinked his eyes stupidly instead of
roaring.

"What...?"

Diane did not respond to this pitiful question. It was Michael who responded. Michael
shouted as he slapped Jeremy's knee with his small palm.

"My baby, please!"

"Mistress, if you keep hitting me, it'll reach Nora?!"

"Hey baby!"

"Hey, you're being mean..."

***

"...just go and apologize for your mistake."

The wolf guy got angry. → He's not the kind of person who would be seriously angry with his son for
liking us. → Therefore, the person he was really angry with must have been me who caused some trouble
early in the morning.

While Elias, who reached the strange conclusion that he had reached the strange
conclusion, wrapped his head and pretended to die, O'Hara, who was watching with
pitiful eyes, felt sorry for the situation.
Elias, however, only muttered, clutching his head with the force of tearing out all of his
thick hair.

"That, he's so short-tempered that a sincere apology won't work!"

“Has your brother ever offered a sincere apology to anyone?”

"Shut up! What did you do without stopping there?!"

Oh Ha-ra clicked her tongue at her husband's pitiful disdain for taking out his anger
on his stern younger brother on the subject that he is not even a human to be told
that he will say.

Respect for Shuri, who raised not one but four gobies like this, rose again.

"Then why do you go to the early morning with something trivial and make a fuss
about it? Why did you take Ana with you?"

"That, that's because he's never once told me to bring my pretty daughter..."

"Oh my God, would he leave Michael and see the other kids now? Just go and say
you're sorry, kinda."

"That's not easy! As soon as you see it, you might be swearing that the hunting of my
brother's claw is a cub!"

It was a desperate roar as if vomiting blood. Both O'Hara and Leon's expression
became completely absurd.

"What the heck... what the heck does the duke call you normally?"

"What on earth does my brother think of the duke...?"

Just in time, the messenger orb, which began to vibrate, made Elias, who had been
moaning for hours, stand up. Although she immediately became a limp mug.
“……Ah, what is it? You’re my brother. I’m crazy right now?!

-Stop talking bullshit and come home for the weekend.

“Why me? I have a family.

-Who wants to see your dirty face? Do you want to lose your title?

"Are you threatening to take away what I gave you meanly?!"

-What if?

At Jeremy's growl, which evoked the dignity of the head of the Neubanstein family,
Elias briefly opened his mouth with a red-hot face. Before he could think of an
appropriate answer, Jeremy spoke again.

-If you don't come, I'll rip your legs off. Tell Leon to leave his schedule blank.

"Jji, tear it up! Who knows what to be afraid of?!"

The next action Elias, who showed his final struggle, was holding the stern messenger
ball and throwing it as hard as he could. And as a reward for venting his anger on the
precious thing, he was slapped on the back by his wife.

***

"This shameless bastard is real."

It was Jeremy's ghastly growl as he glared at the messenger sphere, whose

communication had been cut off after the death sentence. At this, the prince, who had
been glaring blankly at the marquis who was recklessly using noble imperial items for
personal use, calmly opened his mouth.
"Are you really going to rip your leg off?"

"...Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. He only lived on his tongue and looked
like a coward."

"Well, that's right. By the way, how did you solve the thing about Father's Day?"

"I'm not sure yet. How about His Highness?"

If it was a bit unexpected, Letran's expression darkened slightly at the unexpected

question.

"It doesn't mean much to me. It's just a formal day, just like any other event. Rather, I
hope you don't stop by with that excuse."

“……Did you say that His Highness Theobald was coming?”

"It's not certain yet, but it might be. Abamamama, you'll be glad to see it... Oh, damn it,
who the hell made the deal about that bastard's father's day?"

Jeremy smiled weakly as he looked at Letran, who was uncharacteristically wildly

annoyed. It would be a bigger problem if he came to the nervous yard all the time... … .
It felt like things were getting more complicated.

"That's not very good news."

"That's right. It's not going to happen, but it would be a big deal if I run into Nora-
hyung. My sister-in-law isn't even there..."

"Who said he was coming?"

Both of them, who had been idle since daylight, gulped dry saliva and slowly turned
around at the eerie voice that came from right behind them. There stood the empress,
who looked like a flame incarnate, holding her nephew and grandson in one arm.
“Oh, you said that kids are sick of it, but you seem to be getting along well with them.”

"You shut up. Prince, what did you say earlier?"

"I was saying that my respected half brother might soon appear in the imperial palace.
It's been 4 years, maybe."

Elizabeth frowned for a moment and said nothing. As her Letran sighed and
approached her window, Jeremy cleared his throat as he looked at Michael, who was
sleeping soundly in the arms of her aunt.

"Mama... what did you usually do on Father's Day when you were a young girl?"

"I resented the creator of Father's Day."

"Oops, I'm sorry."

"Put in the words that are not even in your heart. Anyway, mother and son are the
same."

At this sharp sarcasm, Jeremy hurriedly came to his senses after laughing shyly and
scratching his head. Come to think of it, even if she was Shuri, she would have
resented the human who created her Father's Day. God damn it, how can I get advice
with all of her family history?

“By the way, when are you planning to send this crybaby back?

"About tomorrow? More than that, there's something I want to ask you."

"Something else?"

“What do you think about coming next Sunday, the Crown Prince, avoiding his
unwelcome half-brother and spending time with his vassals?”
There was silence for a moment. Letran's expression was a mixture of surprise and
delight, and Elisabeth was subtly frowning at her.

"If it's coming Sunday..."

"Yes. That is the day."

"Are you saying you're going to steal the crown prince on that significant day?"

"Anyway, isn't His Majesty satisfied with the eldest son who is reunited after 4 years?

When it comes to other people's problems, not his own, Jeremy is a very smart person.
Elisabeth turned her attention to her son, thinking that there really was no electronic
warfare (?) for her. Letran smiled shyly.

"Well, if Mama agrees..."

"When did you ask for this mother's permission and gossip? If that's what the prince
really wants, do it. I don't know what else you're plotting."

"..."

***

- The kids took Michael?

"To sum it up roughly."

- You seem to be playing well together.

"They're on the same level, so that's understandable."

Nora chewed the ice in her mouth and swallowed it, speaking so well that if Jeremy
had heard it, she would have lit a twin wick in her eyes and rushed at it. While he was
refilling his empty glass, a soft voice came from the other side, which had been quiet
for a while.

-Nora. What have you been up to?

"Of course there is. First of all, you don't have a sister."

- What's the matter? Did the kids have another accident? If that's the case, you don't
have to cover it.

Nora hadn't the slightest desire to cover up the noise from the start, but Nora
groaned for a moment with her arms folded. How would you like me to explain this?
After hesitating for a long time, a simple answer finally came out of his mouth.

“……Ellie almost paid the karma for my sins.”

- Karma?

"The one I cut my sister's nape. My son almost cut his daughter's forehead. Fortunately,
he didn't get hurt, but... I guess it's true that history repeats itself."

There was silence for a moment. Instead of asking Shuri questions like how did that
happen, and what did Elias do, she seemed lost in thought.

In the ensuing silence, Nora raised her hands and cupped her head, letting out a low
sigh.

history repeats itself The secret that he and Jeremy promised to carry to the grave.
Perhaps the decisive reason might have been that Elias had reminded her of the
secret about her late father. Or maybe it was the situation that brought up an old
memory, or maybe both.

In any case, Nora found herself suddenly disgusted by Michael's violence at that
moment. Although it was a feeling close to her self-loathing. It may be a little
grandiose to call a child's ignorant clang-kang as violence, but thanks to that clang-
kang, Anabella was almost seriously injured. If I hadn't been careful, it might have been
a trauma that would remain forever. to that young, weak girl.

Of course, Michael was still a child, and there was no connection between Michael and
Johenus. Michael was purely of Nuremberg blood. The lineage of wolves that has
inherited violent tendencies from generation to generation as well as anyone else.

On the other hand, at the same time, he was afraid that he would become like his
father. A father who cared for other people's children more than his own... … .

It was a strange ambivalence. Maybe that's why he escaped the spot as if he was
running away like that then.

He was also in a state of having an affair with his father, and he had long since
pushed the past to a corner of his mind, but he was still not confident. If it hadn't been
for Shuri's absence, he wouldn't have even realized he wasn't there. The problem is,
how do you tell Shuri about such complicated information? … .

-Nora?

"……Yes?"

- I also made a lot of mistakes at first.

If it was out of the blue, it was out of the blue. Nora raised her bowed head and stared
at his herald's orb as if he could see his opponent.

- I mean the kids. I've never been good enough to begin with. There was a time when we
didn’t know any of them and misunderstood each other over and over again.

“……Your sister…… you were a child too.”

At this, Shuri laughed for a while, then continued with a playful, teasing tone.

-Age doesn't matter, does it? Everyone makes mistakes. Especially if it's a family, it's a
law more than others. I am still full of mistakes, and so are you. I don't want you to be
perfect from the start. Because we grow up together.
"You grow up together?"

- Growing up together. Do you remember how long ago you asked me what the hell
was growing up?

A faint smile bloomed in his dark blue eyes.

"Are you testing? How can I forget about that?"

- Hey, ha ha ha. Anyway, I don't think we've changed much between then and now. I still
don't know the answer to your question.

"It's a little comforting to know that you know everything you don't know."

-Won't you take comfort in that? But what about Ellie? Couldn't she shoot someone
else on the spot?

“……No. He was unexpectedly calm.”

-yes? It's a big deal.

"It's all because you don't have a sister. Because you don't have a sister, extraordinary
events keep happening. I wouldn't be surprised if sooner or later Jeremy shows a
great interest in politics or Ellie matures."

Even as she grumbled, Nora found herself giggling. Her face was clear of the cynical
weariness that had been haunting her for the past few days. Shuri also laughed out
loud.

- The kids seem to be relying on you a lot.

"Don't say terrible things. If you keep your will, you might catch someone."

-But you're the only one who accepts what they do. Anyway, are you okay now?
"What's not okay? Are you okay?"

- Of course I'm fine too. Hey, let's come together next time. All three of us... … .

It was then that Shuri's words, which flowed smoothly like flowing water, were cut off
and a loud noise was heard.

As Nora leaned forward on her own and opened her eyes wide, after a while, loud
voices resounded.

- Duchess! Beat my brothers while mom is here! You can beat it to your heart's content!
Please share some of my share! Those humans desperately need a hawk! Your
Highness, Your Highness, say hello quickly!

- How are you, old father-in-law? Have your rotten, rotten sons become a little
compliant? You will have a lot of trouble either way. Please visit us next time... … Oh
billion! No, why are you beating me?

-Are you saying hello or giving me medicine?

-Yes, of course the latter... … Heck, I'm sorry, father-in-law.

***

It's the third Sunday in June.

On the day when flowers and cards were hung in each house, and the children of each
family, regardless of social status, were seriously trying to figure out how to make the
most of their pocket money today as an excuse, little Michael returned home after
four days of mourning.
Nora did not show any particular displeasure at Jeremy's immature act of kidnapping
his younger brother and returning him after a few days without an interim report
saying what to do. She just said in a tone of scolding, slightly crinkling her brows.

“Looks like babysitting is right for you?

"Well, can't you just say I saw it? Haha..."

"Why did you come in such a rush again? Did Your Highness come here, or did you just
come across something by chance?"

“Ah, of course I came here because I have business with my brother.

It was the atmosphere that insisted that no one knew how to start, although they had
met at the lion's den by chance and made it to the wolf's den amicably. Even Jeremy,
who recklessly led the work, looks like he doesn't know what to do.

While the three lion brothers and one eagle were glancing at each other for no
reason, giving off an awkward and ambiguous atmosphere in that way, Michael waved
to his father, whom he had met in a few days, with an awkward expression that was no
different from the older brothers. Nora, who ran her hand through her son's head,
broke the strange silence by getting up.

"I don't know what it is, but let's go to the imperial palace and talk. Anyway, I'm going
there right now..."

"Whoa, wait! Where in the world is this crazy guy who goes to work on Sunday?!"

Nora immediately frowned at the accusation that Jeremy had hurriedly blocked his
way as if on fire.

“A lazy person like you, of course, may be free on Sundays, but I am not.

“That, you can report that to the messenger!”

"......Did you just throw the concept into the sky because you were just playing around,
you? Some crazy person in the world reports to His Majesty the Emperor by
messenger? That's such an important matter? Do you have an idea or not?"
Jeremy did not think of getting angry even though he was suddenly branded as an
aristocrat with no concept in the world. It was because she didn't even think it was
true.

“Well, but then it would be better around evening…”

"What else is there to postpone until then? It's better to finish it as soon as possible.
Your Highness, let's go."

"No, hey, Nora, wait a minute. I think Sir Jeremy has a point."

“……What did you just say?”

Nora's eyes became suspicious, wondering if everyone was taking drugs together now.
As his deep blue eyes began to flash terrifyingly, Letran gulped and exchanged urgent
glances with Jeremy.

In any case, it was absolutely necessary to prevent Nora from going to the imperial
palace. Putting aside the fact that the plan was ruined, it was because Letran's nasty
half-brother had arrived in the imperial palace. If we even run into each other... … .

"I mean, so Obama's in a very bad mood right now. So..."

"Whatever your Majesty's mood is, it's a matter of state affairs. Did Your Majesty even
claim that you don't want to work today?"

"No, that's not like that! But since I'm getting older lately, I've been getting sore all over
the place... Besides, today is the weekend. People who don't know should take a break
on the weekend..."

“……Are you going to think about idle things like that even after sitting on the throne?

Now chased by what he had to say, Letran turned his pitiful gaze to his friend. Elias
did not know the details of the situation, but she was aware of the fact that if Nora
and Theobald met, something would happen, so she bravely opened her mouth.
"Doesn't it look like your deceased ancestors are going to ask you to be friends?! You
say you're the strongest knight in the empire, what is that?! You need a rest!
Wahahaha! Isn't that so, brother?"

Leon responded calmly, wiping the sweat from his temple.

“Duke, Michael has been looking for his father a lot. But if he goes to work right after
seeing him, he will be sad. He will be hurt. ...."

"Are you also stained by the hyungs?"

“……No. I’m sorry. Well, I made a mistake.”

Michael, who didn't seem to be hurt at all, watched with pity at Leon's pitiful
appearance as he lowered his tail.

In the meantime, Nora clicked her tongue and passed by the young men who had
been exchanging hot glances amicably since Sunday morning. no, i was going to

"I'm Hwangmyeong! Don't take one step out of here!"

The mouths of the lions really opened up. A light of awe and impression flickered
across Elias' face when he finally remembered that his friend of nearly ten years was
the second most dignified person in the empire after the emperor.

However, Nora, who was the subject of that imperial title, did not look very impressed.
The head of the wolf's den looked around at the party for a moment with a puzzled
look on his face, then sat back down in his chair and sighed.

"Okay... what's going on this time? What kind of accident did the four of us get into
such a mess?"

"It wasn't an accident?! We're not some kind of kid..."

“If not, why do you even hear white noises from your stern cousin’s mouth?”
Even though it was a political situation where the dignity of the royal family had been
pierced by the claws of lions and wolves, it was a merciless abusive language.

However, both in name and reality, Crown Prince Letran quietly stepped behind
Jeremy instead of blaming his cousin for such disloyalty. To be precise, she was
caught between Elias and Leon, who were already close behind Jeremy. So Jeremy
had to smile very awkwardly.

“What Leon said is not a joke. Did Michael really look for you a lot? Seeing what he did
to Ana, he was jealous.

"What plan?"

"……uh?"

"He said he made a plan. What is that?"

Of course, there was no way he had planned that out in advance, so Jeremy just said
whatever came to his mind.

"Anna and Michael want to go to the zoo. Hahaha, the kids are reconciled, and you're
taking a break too, seeing you and picking mulberries..."

"My child is like that!"

"Ah, you said that earlier! If you keep being capricious, you can't use it, man, haha..."

"Anna, Caesar! Don't come here, dear! Caesar!"

Jeremy wanted to stop crying at Michael's behavior, which had been quiet and then
started acting again for an unknown reason. And Elias immediately grabbed her
brother, who was barely able to get over Jemurpak, and growled amicably.

"Hey! Where's my daughter?! Do you know how lucky I am to have a cousin like that,
you little bastard... Ugh!"
"Sea yea! Ungh ah yea yea! My abu ah ah!"

After swatting and beating Elias' legs with his bracken-like hands, Michael gave a
shout and then acted like a pink storm, sprinting and clinging to his father's legs.
Michael shrugged his shoulders as he buried his head tightly.

There was silence for a moment. Jeremy looked at her friend with a weak smile while
the two younger brothers and the prince exchanged bewildered glances.

"Oh, earlier you said you really wanted to go to the zoo."

"..."

"Even if it's not necessarily a zoo..."

"great."

It was no wonder that Jeremy suddenly doubted his ears. But he quickly came to his
senses and blinked his eyes innocently.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"Let's stick to your plan. Five boys and two kids going to the zoo."

***

“……Why is it so crowded?”

“……It’s Father’s Day. Maybe that’s why?”

"Today? Ah, has the time already gone that way?"

Apparently, Nora had lost her sense of the date as she had been living a life of
infirmity for the past few days. Therefore, Jeremy's expression became unable to
control the feeling of pity.

"So I'll help you. I'm good at my job? If you leave it to me..."

"Eong-ah, that's Gaa! My little girl!"

"This asshole is real! He's my friend too?! Whoa! Nora, he keeps hitting me!"

Anyway, according to Nora's impression, the Central Zoo in Wittelsbach, which had
just opened last year, was quite crowded. Most of them were aristocrats outing with
their families, so the sight of five young men and two children walking around
amicably was enough to attract attention.

"Wahhaha, beasts are everywhere. Now, daughter, Daddy will occupy this place today!"

"What are they selling there? Why are people eating cotton?"

"It's cotton candy, Your Highness. It's cloud-like candy."

"Ohhh, indeed an intellectual. Good, where should we start?!"

There were only two answers to that question that Letran exclaimed proudly with the
dignity of the crown prince.

"Of course, the lion first!"

"When you feel like it!"

The former was the cry of the three lions, and the latter was the cry of the little wolf.
Letran scratched his head.
"I'll have to look at the eagle first. There's an up and down even in cold water."

"What? Are you abusing your status in a mean way like this?!"

"Of course..."

"There are no eagles here, Your Highness."

Nora, who had been looking at the brochure relatively calmly, suddenly said
something that made Letran sulk. Elias, on the other hand, let out a scathing sneer.

"Wahhaha, this is a place I really like. Then let's start with the lion..."

"When you're young, what's up!"

"Ha, don't you know that the king of animals is a lion?! Of course, we have to have an
audience with the king first!"

"Use Sajamon Bird."

"What, what?! Hey! Are you talking to me right now?!"

"It's too late!"

"Because the lion comes first?!"

"It's time! Boo!"

"The lion came first! Who is this fool now..."

right!
The majestic shock felt in the back of his head forced Elias to stop behaving just like
his three-year-old brother.

Jeremy clenched his fists and looked at Nora while Elias trembled, clutching his head
with one hand.

"I think we'd better go see the wolves first."

"Why are you yielding?"

"...Otherwise, while you're gone, do you think the terrifying little wolf will punish us
terribly?"

The fearsome little wolf now clung to Nora's collar with both hands and glared at the
pack that had come along. If the need arises, he is ready to rush at it while howling.
Apparently, I didn't like this combination at all.

Nora looked around for a moment, then bent over and took Michael in one arm. For a
moment, not only Letran, but even the lions, had bizarre expressions at this strange
act.

"Why don't we just walk around being torn apart? At this rate, we'll keep fighting..."

"Let's go see the wolf first! I'm half a wolf too?!"

"I've always liked wolves. That's why I hate lions."

"Whether it's a wolf or a lion, the order doesn't matter, wahahaha! Isn't that right, taar?"

Thanks to everyone denying their identity (?) for some incomprehensible reason, the
childish scolding of lions, wolves, and birds came to an end there.

Instead, we started looking at the beasts in the cage in order, starting from the
nearest one.

"M, Meuuya? Meuya?"

"Giiri. Kirin."

Originally, it is said that children become friends by fighting. The grown-ups were
trying to eat cotton candy properly while Michael and Anabella looked at each other
wide-eyed, talking back and forth as if a one-sided quarrel had never existed between
them.

"Uh, you're sticky. Aren't you eating?"

"I'm fine. Eat as much as you like."

"...It's not like you to refrain from eating."

"Is that food? It's a snack."

Nora, pretending to be mischievous, lifted her arm holding Michael. Thus, Michael
appeared to be perched on one of his shoulders.

Jeremy stared blankly at the odd move for a moment, then cleared his throat and
turned his attention to a pair of giraffes roaming around in the cage.

"Wow, that neck is really long."

"..."

"Isn't it nice that the kids seem to like it?"

"Hey, you can feed them too! Daughter, let's feed the daddy and the giraffe!"

"What is the average lifespan of a giraffe?"

"It must have been around 20 years ago. Oh, but this is really sweet."
Somehow I got the feeling that these guys seemed to be more excited than the kids,
but instead of expressing that sentiment, Nora said something else.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? What?"

“……Ellie said something about your father. Are you okay?”

If it was sudden, it was a sudden question. Jeremy, instead of replying, twisted her
forehead and kicked the bars of the giraffe cage with his foot.

“Now what… Shit, you’re right.

"For some reason, it's commendable that you can even reflect on it. Now then, tell me
honestly."

"What, what?"

"I'm sure you didn't really want to see the beasts. Why did you ask to come?"

Fortunately, Jeremy was able to avoid answering thanks to Letran's intervention.

Letran shouted as he swung the cotton candy in his hand like a sword.

"Nora, there's an eagle over there?!"

"……okay."

"No, it's real! Look!"

"That's a hawk, not an eagle."

"Oh, is that so?"

"..."

"By the way, doesn't your arm hurt? I can hold you instead..."

"It's okay. There's no message coming."

Watching Letran scratch his head shyly, Jeremy had to resist the urge to hold on to
his stomach.

In the meantime, Leon, who had been snooping around us with a very studious
expression, also approached us.

"Oh, damn it. Bro, did you say that this is Count Hartenstein's property?"

"Why is that?"

"Tell him to be ashamed of himself. Biological knowledge is such a mess. Isn't it written
that a giraffe's lifespan is 40 years..."

“I was wondering what you were looking at so hard, so were you arguing about that?

"Because I'm better than my older brothers who have a lot of muscle even in their
brains? I'm the only intellectual in the family..."

"Wow, my Ana gave the elephant an apple! Wahaha! A mere beast must have fallen in
love with my daughter's beauty! You don't know how to do this, you little bastard!"

Michael, who suddenly got into a fight, naturally immediately became disapproving.
His blue eyes twinkled as he wielded a half-remaining cotton candy stick.

"Yuchiaeae."
"...Yu, you're childish..."

"It's sad, Abba, stay here."

Michael, who completely ignored Elias, who started to cause an earthquake in his
pupils, tore a piece of cotton candy with his hand and brought it to Nora's mouth. It
was a very loving and affectionate gesture.

“……It’s delicious. Thank you.”

In fact, it was so bitterly sweet that it felt like it was melting my teeth, but Nora said it
boldly and well. And this time, Jeremy had an expression of disapproval.

"You're so mean! You said you'd decline earlier?!"

Nora now looked genuinely concerned about her friend's state of mind.

"Are you in the process of regressing as an infant?"

“……It’s just something I’ve done?

Roughly that way, the bizarre combination continued their tour of the zoo. Except for
Elias' momentary momentary collapse in the presence of a real lion's roar, she
managed to get along.

"Ah, it's a bridge..."

"That's what a nerd's fate is. Tskz, with just this much..."

"Hya, there are so many people. Shall we set up a zoo? As a hobby."

"Arthur. If you don't want to growl with the embarrassing Count every time in
Parliament."

"But Nora, after I become emperor, can I change the imperial coat of arms?"

“……What would you like to change to?”

"Anything that isn't a bird. A white wolf or something..."

"Why don't you say you'd rather be a fox?"

"Uh, would that be okay?"

"You're seriously asking... Michael!"

Nora, who had been answering trivial questions in her own way, burst out screaming
and running away, which startled everyone in the party who had gathered near the
fountain and rested for a while. Then he was even more surprised to see Michael lying
at the feet of some noble lady. When did you go all the way there in the blink of an eye
for a moment?

"It's fine?!"

Miraculously, Michael did not cry despite falling straight to the floor. Even though
there was a red mark on his round forehead, he only blinked with his eyes wide open.

"He's so strong. Baby, are you okay?"

Nora hurriedly picked up the child and looked at the woman in front of her. She was a
young lady with a hat over her long flowing hair.

“……Excuse me.”

"It's okay. I turned around in surprise at the feeling that something was suddenly
caught on the hem of my skirt, and I stopped..."
The guys who hurriedly chased after Nora, who once again conveyed her sincere
apology, exchanged bewildered glances.

“Did my brother almost get kidnapped?”

“Yumma, what if someone chases after you like that?”

"But he's not even crying. It's great, Michael. He's dignified."

That praise Leon had kindly thrown at him soon lost its meaning. Michael, who had
just blankly blinked his eyes as if his forehead didn't even hurt when he hit the floor,
suddenly lowered his head and started whimpering. Therefore, the immature brothers
were perplexed.

"Hey! It's because you keep scolding him, you childish bastard!"

"My, what am I? I just can't chase anyone... It's all because you short-legged bastard!"

"What are you scolding me for?! I just praised you!"

"Uhhhhh!"

"Ah, surprise. Ah, Ana, why are you like this all of a sudden?!"

When one child cries, the other child also cries. This is why children are difficult.

Even Annabella started crying loudly, so the black men didn't know what to do and
stomped their feet. I should have brought the nannies with me.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

"Michael."
"Huh..."

Nora scratched her head a bit, then crouched down to pick up the whimpering child
and walked over to a bench to the side and sat down.

“Suddenly…… Mom Mea…… Mom Mea Inju Ah….”

"I know. It's okay."

"Uhhhhhhhhh. My mother, my dear, my dear... My son..."

"It's okay. It's okay."

"Huhhhhhh...!"

I thought it was soothing, but it seems to have gone the other way. Nora swallowed her
wry smile and burrowed into her arms, slowly patting the crying child on the back.
Then she saw four beasts glaring at her with bewildered faces.

“……Did you even make me want to cry with you?”

“……Why, if I said that, would you comfort me?”

"no."

"……Why?"

"You guys aren't cute."

"What, what?! You bastard, do you know how cute a lion is?!"

"Eagle is pretty cute too..."

Should I just throw all these bastards away? The Wolf Duke began to think seriously
again.

***

"Oh, it's a bridge. I don't know how long it's been since I've walked like this."

"Me too. Ugh, but I didn't know wolves were monogamous."

"I see. Then dogs are the same species, so why are they the way they are?"

"Did you learn it from a person? I never thought a giraffe's neck would be that long..."

After an eventful zoo experience, the whole group returned to the wolf's den. On the
subject of having invaded someone else's house without permission, the way they roll
around like a master's room and throw out their impressions of the day one by one is
like a picture.

"Oh man, I'm hungry. I don't know how long it's been since I've been this hungry. Aren't
you hungry?"

"I'm hungry. But that's not the problem now."

"Then what's wrong?"

“The question is, why are you guys still rolling around here on a day like today?”

"What kind of day is today?"

“…… Let’s stop. Why don’t we all go home at this point?”

"Why?"

Why?

Nora now found herself reaching the limit of her patience, but she managed to
restrain herself.

"This is the home of my family. Our Michael disapproves of you guys, but we can't leave
it as it is."

Udangtang!

Elias, who had been dozing on the sofa with his feet stretched out, fell to the floor with
a clamor.

Everyone stared at it with their eyes wide open, but Elias jumped up and stood up
vigorously. She and she shouted confidently pointing at the landlord.

"Who wants to have a family with you?!"

"..."

Leon moved and whispered into Letran's ear.

"Your Highness. I'm really curious, but do you really intend to keep being... best friends
with such an idiot?"

Letran had a very skeptical expression on his face, but he responded affectionately
nonetheless.

“What is his affection?”

"Kuhm, so what I mean is that I don't want to have a family, but I have no choice but to
do it..."
"Jeremy. Take your brothers and sisters out. Your Highness also."

It was the moment when Nora, who had let out a low pitched expression, turned her
back as she untied the tie roughly. Jeremy, who had been standing still with her mouth
open, roared with a force comparable to that of Elias from earlier.

"Michael is our little brother!"

"……by the way?"

"That, by the way! But where in the world is this kind of discrimination?!"

"……discrimination?"

"Yes! Discrimination! You did! Just now!"

It took Nora, staring incomprehensibly into her friend's ferocious face, to finally speak
again.

"What shall we do?"

"What the heck, I..."

"Don't let me go to work, grown-up guys begging us to go to some zoo. Then they keep
whining dirty all day about what they're complaining about, and then follow them all
the way home and roll around like they're in their own room. With such a topic, what
the hell is going on? Instead of explaining why it exists, you keep your mouth shut.
What are you trying to do?”

It was a cold voice with no warmth whatsoever. Rather than being in a state of danger,
it was purely a tone that seemed to be dripping with emotion. If you don't care, the
explosion isn't the problem, and you might be isolated forever. The foreboding
floating in the air made even Elias' complexion turn earthy in an instant.

"Rather than saying something is going on, we just..."

"What do you want to do with me, what the hell? If you have a complaint, just say it. I'm
getting tired of whining and whining around and around."

"When did we whine..."

"And let's say that, you guys. Why are you here to help, Your Highness?"

"My, what am I?"

"...You must be crazy. Just go. Tell them to turn off everything. Before I kick you out by
force..."

"Oh, we just wanted to hang out with you!"

A roar like vomiting blood. Today, the silent god who was summoned without trial and
error has descended once more.

The drawing room of the Duke of Nuremberg's residence, where warm beauty tailored
to the taste of the hostess melted, turned into a frozen territory.

"what?"

Nora's voice, which seemed to be very difficult, was unexpectedly very gentle.
Therefore, Jeremy also responded with a much milder tone.

“Today is the day, and you are the only person we can play with.”

"..."

"Well... as you know, me and the Crown Prince are like that, honestly, our biological
fathers are young... so what can I say, they're the ones I don't want to dedicate this day
to..."

"..."
“I also felt sorry that Michael had to fight with you because of us. Also… I also wished
that Ana and Michael became close like real cousins…”

"..."

“I was confused as to whether you were mad at Michael or at us…”

"..."

"Also, I was worried that you would continue to become a workaholic and fall down like
this... Of course, I'm doing a little bit of politics as well...

"..."

"And... and, of course, today, a young pipe-loving bastard stopped by the imperial
palace again... I was bored, bored, and depressing after all..."

growl.

All in all, the belly button clock that rang loudly at that moment blocked Jeremy's
mouth, who would kick the blanket hundreds of times later and speak very well.

I didn't know whose boat it was from. Anyway, everyone was hungry like a hungry beast.
People who do not know each other, regardless of rank or rank, become sad when
they are hungry. So, everyone unintentionally made a very sad expression and looked
at the heartless protagonist of the day who didn't know their speed.

The duke, who unintentionally became the hero of the day, let out a despairing sigh as
he ran his hand through his hair.

"Go quickly."

"That, but..."
"Go to the restaurant."

"yes!"

"Yes!"

***

"Checkmate."

“Ha, just step back.”

"It's a bunch."

"Even if it's Hwangmyeong?"

“It will become even more difficult.”

It's more human than human beings to become shameless after they're full. The four
nuisance Musketeers, who quickly destroyed the dishes prepared by the chef at the
duke's residence, were now sitting leisurely in the airy second-floor hall, playing as
they pleased.

While Letran and Leon sat face-to-face playing chess, Elias sat next to him giving
some pointless advice, and Jeremy was struggling as Jeremy did.

"You stop admitting it at this point. I'm your eldest brother!"

"My baby is sick!"

“……Not the father, but the tongue……”

"My baby is sick!"

"Oh, what is the desire to exclusivity of a small thing so sky-high? Your mother is my
mother, what should I do? If I had a younger sister, would you be very upset?"

"Do, Doohsae?"

"Yes, if your mother and father make a younger brother..."

“…… Caesar! Caesar!”

"Oops! Billions! Hey! Nora, look at her! She's a fan of me again!"

"Aren't you only picking out sounds that fit you?"

That was right, so Jeremy coughed a little awkwardly. Nora licked her tongue as she
approached her, wiping the moisture from her wet hair.

“Before you talk about your younger brother, think about making him a cousin.”

“I was still thinking about how to propose to you.”

"Yes, it's great. You've done all the troubles, and you're so proud."

"I'm sorry, I'm going to go to bed."

“……Jeremy, did you get jealous when you had a younger brother too?”

"What are you talking about, I've always been the broad-minded eldest son."

"It seems so."

"No!"

Then there was silence for a while. Nora lets out a short sigh as Michael, whimpering,
climbs onto Nora's lap and engages in a snowball fight with Jeremy. And Jeremy
misunderstood the meaning of her sigh.

"Ahem, so rather than trying to hide the fact that the new chick appeared..."

"It's none of my business whether or not the deposed prince visits the imperial palace."

"...Then what does it matter?"

"..."

"Oh, what is it? What's the problem then?"

Nora looked at Jeremy silently for a moment, then suddenly raised her finger and
snapped it on her friend's forehead.

Fuck!

"Ughyaaak! Hey you bastard, what the hell are you doing..."

"Speak well in front of your child. Oh, he's a nasty whiner. Has he gone through
puberty?"

"What kind of puberty at this age!"

“It’s okay, stop doing gross things that don’t suit you. Since when did you scold me for
looking at me?

Jeremy clutched his forehead and struggled while struggling to express his objection.
"I'm disgusted, where on earth am I disgusted?! Where is there a lovable human like
me!"

“……Are you serious? Do you want me to hit you more?”

"I-I'm just that, I'm just afraid you'll have a different mind..."

"What bullshit again."

“……You guys did a lot of useless things to the people gathered here, but we don’t have
anything.”

Nora's expression was now more and more beyond the range of expression.

"Were you aware of that?"

"Damn, I don't know! Doesn't even the little brother who said we're pretty at best now
say we're not brothers, and since you're not our Mother Shuri, people suddenly
become ruthless. It's mean! You mean wolves! I guess who isn't a cold-blooded family!"

It was Jeremy who roared as if he were crying, as if he felt quite sorry for not being
able to call his father father and younger brother brother. At the next word she heard,
she immediately lowered her tail, but

"I'm cold-hearted? I've been cold-hearted to you guys?"

"...So, rather than being ruthless, should I say that I felt something different from
usual..."

“Are you asking me to stay at the same level as you guys, who are always the same
without any improvement?”

"..."
Jeremy, lost for words, started pouting as he glared at Michael for no reason. It is a
landscape where it is difficult to distinguish which one is the older brother and which
is the younger one.

"My dear, don't make me cry!"

"What, oh, father? Where the hell did you learn that word?! And you think he's just your
father?! My friend!"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

"Hey! He's my stepson!"

"Hey go!"

"Go away, you asshole!"

Nora put her head in her hands and groaned. Fortunately, Elias stepped in just in time
to put an end to this pitiful fight. To be exact, he did his part.

"Geez, do a little bit! Do you know the sadness of not having a father?! You know the
sadness of a younger child living without a father in this harsh world... Eop!"

"What's a fure machine for a kid, a fure machine?"

"Ah, why are you fucking with a brother who's the same as a kid!"

"Words! Finely! Write! Bastard!"

"Aaaagh!"

“Duke, would you like to play a game of chess with me?

“Even cold water has its ups and downs. Nora-hyung, fight me first.”
"It's an abuse of status!"

Nora put the brakes on her somewhat violent urge to hammer the heads of these
rampaging brutes into lumps.

be patient be patient We've been patient up until now, so let's continue to be patient.
Who the hell is the creator of that bastard's Father's Day? If it wasn't for that guy, this
four months wouldn't have happened. The number of people who wanted to pursue
and beat him to hell increased by one more person.

“It hurts.”

… … Wait, come to think of it, since when did Michael know how to say dad? Given the
situation, he was not aware of it properly. Blue eyes that had been closed in
annoyance flashed open. The blue eyes that met them were also sparkling.

"It's bad, it's bad. It's time for Anaju."

Can't we just throw it all away and raise this one? Chimmy swallowed her tears of grief,
and her Nora sat on her lap and held her snuggle child tightly. I felt guilty, perhaps
because I was a father with a lot of lost children clinging to me.

"Hey there, Nora."

"What else?"

"……No."

this is something else Kittens, yes, but even that immature cousin is greenish-brown.

"If you call someone, speak up. I guess the crown prince of a country doesn't have that
much confidence..."
"People can be a little less confident, why are you killing our crown prince?!"

"I heard crawfish are on the side. It's a tearful friendship."

"Here, dear friend."

"What are you again?"

Indeed, it was overshadowed that he sang affectionately, but Jeremy was silent for a
while. Nora gritted her teeth as she felt the string of tenacity in her head snapping.

"What else? What else do you want to play with, you crazy brainy bastard?"

“……I want to fight.”

"what?"

"Ah, damn it, I'm going to die of boredom just watching the Crown Prince's
swordsmanship these days! I'm a knight! I need a thrilling duel!"

"Why am I secret?! Nora-hyung, I've made great progress even after seeing this! You'll
know when you see it!"

Nora quietly set Michael aside and stood up. It was a moment when the eyes that had
sunk in irritation suddenly started to burn fiercely like blue flames, and they swallowed
dry saliva all at once.

"Let's sparring, that's it."

"Yeah, yes."

"I've been itching thanks to you, but it's good. Follow me."
The sparring between the strongest knights of the two empires, which began in the
early evening, continued until late at night. In the middle, Letran and Elias intervened
in the middle of the development, but after being beaten to death by Nora, who had
accumulated quite a lot, they bravely retired.

In the meantime, Leon, an intellectual, wisely forgot chocolate with Michael and just
watched while holding his stomach.

It was Father's Day in 1126, when the four-year anniversary of the founding of Korea
was approaching, and it was a summer day in the last year of Michael's life as the
youngest child.

Side Story 5 - One spring day's commotion

As the only self-proclaimed intellectual of the Marquis Neubanstein family, it was a

pretty good start to working in the administration of the Imperial Palace. The problem
is that I didn't know that the nasty act of the bastard's declaration ceremony would
exist even in the administration.

After inhaling alcohol that he had not normally even touched, he passed out and woke
up with the sound of chirping birds. I saw the guards commander looking down at me.

"……Is it your house?"

"What do you see I'm wearing right now?"

“… Guard uniforms?”

"Did you see me at home wearing a work uniform?"

Leon, lost for words, put on his crooked glasses and struggled to get himself up, but it
didn't work out. It felt like a stone had been put on his head, and his stomach was
throbbing like crazy.
Jeremy, who was looking down at his younger brother, who was fussing like an
overturned cockroach, with extremely sad eyes, extended a hand as if he was
generous.

"Put on a show, put on a show. I wonder very much what our gracious mother will say
when she sees you now."

“……Damn it, it’s because of the ceremony?!

"Are you saying that? Hey, he's like a disgrace to the family..."

"You speak like someone who's never had a ceremony."

"Isn't that obvious? I don't listen to those weaker than me."

It sounded very plausible, so Leon began to seriously regret the incident of the night
before. Oh, I'll just shake it off and come out. Why did I obediently do as I was told?

"Gee, what time is it now?"

"The time when the sun rises in the middle of the sky. Being late from the first day, that
guy is indeed my brother."

"Ah, my head... don't tell my little brother."

"Nope?"

"A little..."

'Don't do that!' That's also because the person who just answered wasn't Jeremy.

“……What are you doing here?”

"Did you come to see my dad?"

Why does this guy keep talking like that? Is this why he's an ugly five year old? Leon
swallowed a low moan and twisted his body several times to keep his balance. It wasn't
a sight to behold, so Jeremy turned her gaze to her youngest brother and spoke
earnestly.

"Michael, don't you ever learn something like that."

"Yeah. My older brothers told me not to learn anything."

"What, what, man? Who did that?!"

"Sister."

Did you mean that, Rachel! It was the moment when the two lion brothers, seized by a
sense of betrayal, trembled side by side for a moment. There was a rustle behind the
little wolf, followed by something bursting through the chickweed bushes.

"what?!"

“……Ah, what is it? You’re a kid.”

Jeremy, who instinctively interrupted his younger siblings and pulled out his sword,
immediately turned into a sad face. It is also true that the identity of the person who
jumped out of her bush was a child the size of Michael. It seemed that an aristocratic
child who had come to see her parents like everyone else had gotten lost.

"Let go."

The boy, staggering as much as Leon at that remark that Michael spat out, hurriedly
let go of his hand while holding on to Michael's arm.

"Mi-sorry... I almost fell..."

"Hey, what's your name?"

“……Theo.”

Theora, a name that sounds very familiar. Throwing her miscellaneous thoughts into
the air, Jeremy asked the question again. If you find a missing child in the palace,
wouldn't it be your duty as the head of the guard to take her to her parents?

"Not just your first name. You should also give your last name."

The unidentified boy did not answer right away. Instead, he looked at Michael with a
strangely curious expression, as if seeing a child his age for the first time. And
Michael, of course, felt burdened by that gaze.

"Why are you looking at me?"

“……Huh? Ah, just…… what are you doing here?”

"What are you doing here?"

"I-I, my father told me to wait here..."

Leon grabbed his throbbing hair with one hand and approached his brother. Then he
whispered secretly.

"Brother, look at his eyes."

"saw."

"...but still don't you hear anything?"

"Gold eyes aren't exclusive to the royal family. You're a bookworm in the well."

“But your hair is also silver.”

"That's why silver-haired eyes aren't exclusive to the royal family."

"Is that so? Maybe I'm Your Majesty's hidden illegitimate son or something..."

"Think about how old your majesty is."

"Well, it's not just biologically impossible."

"That, don't sound awful."

"...that's kind of what I think."

The two young men continued to talk to each other as the two young men were fed up
side by side.

"How old are you?"

"Five years old. What about you?"

"You turn seven on Sunday. Do you live here? Are you the prince?"

"No. I came to see my dad. Where is your dad?"

"I don't know. I'm waiting for you because I told you to wait here."

"Did your father tell you to hide here?"

"No. I sneaked out because I was bored and got lost..."

Jeremy, feeling increasingly reluctant about something, intervened among the boys,
forgetting that he had given Leon a face a moment before.
"Little boy, what's your name?"

It wasn't meant to be intimidating, but his huge size and serious tone of voice made
the unidentified boy blink frightened for a moment. His eyes were dark gold, like
molten gold.

The hair flowing down his forehead was bright silver. Although still young, the overall
features of her face were also very similar to someone Jeremy knew well. Could it be
that His Majesty really is?! Jeremy put on a rather solemn expression as he tried to
shake off the creeping thoughts of her.

"How did you get in here?"

"..."

"Why didn't you say anything? How did you come in?"

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Perhaps sensing the unusual atmosphere, Michael asked with his blue eyes wide open.

Instead of answering, Jeremy sat on one knee on the floor, completely separating the
two boys. I don't know what it is, but I defend it.

"What's your father's name?"

"..."

"Oh, why no answer?"

"Hyung, when I saw you, it seems like you can't speak because you're scared. Kid, where
is your mother?"

The boy, who had been silent and hesitant, finally opened his mouth to that question
gently asked by Leon, who had the least common sense among the brothers.
“……Yes.”

"what?"

“……No. Mom.”

Leon and Jeremy exchanged glances for a moment.

"They say there's no mother..."

"I didn't even know that..."

It was at that time that Michael, who had been watching the older brothers who were
caught in deep reflection and lowering their heads with incomprehensible eyes,
stepped forward as the next hitter.

"Where is your father?"

"My father isn't here right now."

"I heard you were told to wait here? When did you get here?"

"Last night."

"Really? Where were you originally from?"

"Kisarov."

“Kisa…… older brother, where is it?”

Neither Leon nor Jeremy could answer that question Michael tilted his head at. Not
because they didn't know, but because the moment they heard the word Kisarov, they
were immediately seized with shock and fear.

"Hyung, if it's Kisarov..."

"……Do not say."

It was Jeremy, snarling with a tone of insistence that he couldn't bear to listen.
However, Leon continued to speak with courage.

“……of Nueva.”

"Don't tell me."

“……So that kid can’t be…… that……”

"..."

"Lung, lung fetus."

God, why did he do so many secret things from before! He said he couldn't change my
habit! Suppressing both the urge to grab a literal grab at the back of his neck and a
roar of chimi at the same time, Jeremy gritted his teeth. Still, should I say I'm glad the
emperor didn't do it?

***

"...I'm in a state of perplexity just as much as Sir. Anyway, I guess I'm glad the Sirs found
it."

"Anyway... it's okay, who, when, and how His Majesty Theobald fell in love with someone
in Nueva is out of her own interest. However, why she left her child in the imperial
palace is very questionable."
"I can understand what Kyung is worried about, but the child is clearly an illegitimate
child. An illegitimate child cannot be recognized as a member of the royal family..."

"That's not what Soshin is worried about! Isn't the child in danger! I'm sorry to tell you,
but the entire empire knows what the relationship is between His Highness Theobald
and the House of Soshin, and furthermore, the Nuremberg family. What on earth did
you believe and left the child here? It's possible that there will always be a group of
people who want to harm the child with the intention of making a good appearance
on this side..."

"Kyung is surprisingly kind. Would you say that even if the child wasn't an illegitimate
child?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

Then there was silence for a while. As Jeremy tried to calm her excitement and clear
his mind, Emperor Maximilian let out a short sigh.

"Theobald only recently found out. The birth mother of the child died a few years ago,
and it seems that he was raised by a woman named his aunt. Anyway, I will be
returning to my father's place within a few days, so the situation you are concerned
about will not happen."

“……Your Highness doesn’t know yet?”

"What would be good to know?"

It was. He would go back to Nueva in a few days anyway and live there for the rest of
his life, but if many people recognized him for no reason, it would only make noise. On
top of that, Jeremy exited her throne room, finding himself sinking into a gloomy
mood that somehow resembled his father.

***

"That's why I said it was strange..."

"Is that all you can express?"

“What are you going to do next?”

"What can I do, I'll stay here for a few days and then go back. Are you feeling better
inside?"

"No, I think I'm going to die from crying."

"Just go home and rest."

Lunchtime was approaching. On the opposite side of the stairs, where Jeremy, who
looked rather complicated, and Leon, who had a swarthy look, were standing side by
side, two children were amicably throwing water swallows into the pond. One is the
Prince of Nuremberg, and the other is the illegitimate son of an abolished prince. It
was a strange combination indeed.

"Should I say that I'm glad that I'm an illegitimate child...?"

It was a bit odd, but it was true. If that kid were Theobald's heir, the risk of dying would
have doubled.

“I told you to go home and rest, so why are you stretching out?”

"It's amazing, it's amazing."

"Is this your first time seeing him?"

"It's not like that... I have to say that I can't believe that little father is the same person
who made my mother hate me. To be honest, my brother and the duke are the son of a
man who trembles. But it's amazing to see him playing like that with Michael. ."

I and you are the same as we are the sons of men who tremble. Swallowing her bitter
smile, Jeremy shrugged her shoulders.
"There are many things to be amazed at."

At that time, the little wolf threw the pebbles he was holding in both hands on the floor
and came closer to his brothers.

“Jeremy, I want to go home.”

"Already? You're here to see your dad, aren't you?"

"Yeah. But I want to go home with him and have lunch."

"Uh, hey, I don't think that's a very good idea..."

"Why? My mom said I can bring my friend. Is it because hyung wants to go too?"

It was true that he wanted to go with me, but that wasn't the reason, so Jeremy
swallowed the leaking moans. God, what the hell is this a sign?

Once Michael starts to be stubborn, there is no one to stop him except Shuri. Besides,
no one seemed to care anyway, so it wouldn't be a problem if Theo followed Michael to
the Duke of Nuremberg's residence for a little while. only… … .

"Ugh, I have to go to my mother too. My head hurts and I can't take it anymore."

"What...? Oh yes, you go too."

Please, I hope that little boy is different from my father in terms of personality. just like
me Blowing away such thoughts like a prayer, the guards chief waved his hand at his
estranged younger brothers.

***
When the strange combination of Leon, Michael, and Theo arrived at the Duke of
Nuremberg's residence, Shuri happened to be with a guest. It was Countess
Hartenstein who came to play with her eldest son, Kai.

"mom!"

"Mom!"

"Oh, Michael. You came back early... Leon? Oh my God, what's that like?!"

"That, because of the ceremony... oh, good afternoon, Lady Hattenstein."

“It’s been a while, Gongja-nim. … Hmm, it looks like you had a lot of fun last night.”

"That's not what I wanted..."

"Hello, ma'am. Mom, Mom, Leon, he's homeless."

Michael immediately approached Shuri and hugged him and told him about his older
brother's dark history. Of course, Shuri started to stare at Leon with amazed eyes.
Under the terrifying eyes of his mother, Leon was seized with a terrible sense of self-
doubt. Shit, it was originally my job to tell the hyungs stupid things... … .

"Are you determined to be like Ellie now?"

"No, it's because of the ceremony... Mom, my head hurts."

“Where is this guy sneaking over…!”

"Oh, no, are you really going to die?"

"Mom, I'm here with a friend."

Fortunately, Michael's act of giving and giving medicine, which immediately diverted
Shuri's attention, allowed Leon to escape his mother's terrifying nagging. Somehow he
felt like he had been reduced to being like his older brothers, who were a mass of
muscle right down to their brains.

"friend……?"

"Oh, hello..."

The silver-haired boy, who had been standing still in the back and looking up at Shuri
with a blank face, belatedly greeted him in a hurry.

If you are an aristocrat who visits someone else's house, it is common sense to
introduce your family name to the first-time hostess, whether an adult or a child.
Therefore, Leon secretly began to watch Shuri's eyes. Of course, since I have a guest
with me, it is pointless to explain it here.

"Mom, can I have lunch with him?"

"Then, of course. Leon, you should wash up quickly and come out. Didn't you say that
today is your first day at work?"

“That, that… I’ll explain later.”

***

After a bout of ablution and lunch with a main dish of hot stew, I finally felt like I was
going to live a little longer. Resolving never to drink alcohol again, Leon began to
focus on acting like a mature intellectual.

… … It is the act of watching with a hawk's eye while the little children sit huddled on the
floor and play.

Cancer, if you're a mature older brother and uncle, you deserve to be a faithful
babysitter while the kids play.
There were five children in total. Seven-year-old Kai and Elias, who followed Countess
Hartenstein, and Anabella, whom O'Hara left while they were on a trip (because of
Elias, who insists that the nannies cannot be trusted), Michael, Leah, and Theo.

"Lea, what are you doing?"

"Hey, don't touch my brother. He's drawing."

"I'm older than you..."

"therefore?"

In response to Michael's response, saying, "Go away if you twist," Kai obediently left
Leah. He was already very picky when he was young, fearing that he might not be the
son of the most influential people in the empire.

Anyway, it seems like just yesterday that he was arguing about not wanting to have a
younger brother, but now seeing him acting like a full-fledged older brother made his
eyes hurt, Leon thought.

"Uncle, I want to draw with Leah too."

"Go away. I'm not your uncle."

"But Dad said we were related."

"It's a lie. Adults usually lie easily."

If Elias had seen it, it was a scene that would have caused him to froth and run amok.
Anabella sat on the floor with her weeping face as Michael, who had stabbed her with
her thread, turned his back and rummaged through her toy box.

"Ah, I'm sad."

A girl with soft, platinum curly hair tied in two pigtails poked out her mouth sullenly.
She glanced back at her, and the pink-haired boy cleared his throat awkwardly.

“……Sorry. It was a joke.”

"Then why don't you hang out with Leah?"

"Do whatever you feel like."

Yes man, be nice to me from a young age. Don't regret it later when you grow up. Leon
smiled again and turned his gaze to the silver-haired boy who was sitting quietly to
one side.

It seems to be very curious about the surrounding scenery as it constantly looks

around with its golden eyes sparkling. Judging by the way he spoke, his attitude, and
his atmosphere, Leon concluded that his mother's side was not a nobleman either. No
one would have believed that the child was the child of an aborted prince if it had not
been for the appearance of having his father's veins pulled out.

"What's this……?"

"Doll. Nutcracker. Don't you know?"

"Oh, it's the first time I've seen something like this."

"I'll show you. It's something I used to play with when I was little..."

It was Michael, who is now five years old, talking about his childhood and
demonstrating with the Nutcracker Soldier.

A look of awe flickered across Theo's face as the poor soldier shoved the walnut into
his mouth and chewed the shell clean.

"Wow... that's amazing."

"You can try it too. You can put it here like this and turn it here."
Regardless, Michael seemed to like his new friend quite a bit. Otherwise, I wouldn't
allow anyone else to tamper with my toys with that picky personality. Anyway, the kids
don't know.

***

“……The son of an abolished prince? Is that true?”

"Yeah. Me and my eldest brother were also surprised. We're going back to Nueva in a
few days."

“Oh my god… No, when did you have that kind of accident?”

"That's right. His Majesty said that he finally found out... Anyway, I'm not doing the
things everyone tells me to do. I don't know about noblesse oblige."

Shuri was speechless, but she didn't seem as surprised as expected. Looking at the
strange light of pity flickering in his bright grass-colored eyes, Leon smiled.

"Didn't the grumpy empress say anything to mom?"

"Well, for some reason, he called the torch from the morning to make sure to come
today..."

"Still, His Highness didn't work for me, so where is it? It's not right to be recognized as a
member of the royal family, so from a child's point of view, should I say it's fortunate?"

Shuri shook her head, then raised her hand and pretended to punch Leon in the
head. Leon, who quickly escaped the night and returned to the children's playroom,
was embarrassed by the completely different atmosphere from before.

"My dad is older."

"My dad is older!"

"My dad is stronger! Because my dad is a duke?! And the strongest knight in the
empire?!"

"Ooh, my dad even has a zoo?!"

"That zoo, my dad can keep ten more!"

"Sir, don't come to my dad's zoo from now on!"

"You don't come to my house to play either!"

In any case, the kids were the moment when Leon, tongue-tied, was sitting on the sofa
and leisurely chewing on cookies.

Kai, who was trying to think of something to say, seemingly resentful of losing (?) to a
two-year-old boy, suddenly turned his arrow the other way. That is, she asked abruptly
at Theo, who had been sitting quietly watching the other children play.

"But who is your father?"

Theo, of course, didn't answer, as if he had been warned not to make a fuss about who
his real father was.

Ah, even in front of that Jeremy, he kept his mouth shut, but he was not easily called
upon by a boy his age.

"Who is your father? Michael, what family is he from?"

"Hey? A precious house restraint."

"What is that? Hey, what's your family name?"

"Why do you keep arguing with my friend?"

"He keeps ignoring me!"

"I said it was rude to casually ask about other people's parents!"

"Ah, you're asking which family you're from, not regards!"

Kai, who stuttered and fired, glared at Theo with a disapproving look.

Theo just looked worried that Michael would fight because of him.

“Is your family Catholic?”

In today's world, asking someone in the face if they belong to the Catholic faith is the
equivalent of throwing a glove at a duel. It was an act that was tantamount to
ridiculing them for being a fallen family. However, such common sense would not work
for children. At this point, when Leon hesitated to intervene, Michael stepped forward
again.

"He doesn't know that. He came from a foreign country."

"A foreign country...? Where?"

"I told you my name, but I forgot."

"Then are your parents foreign? Or do they work for the Government General?"

"I don't know. My mom isn't there, and I don't know who the dad is."

Michael, who replied that he was not very curious, picked up a toy sword and began to
pretend to wield it. At that time, Kai, who was nodding her head with an expression
claiming to catch something, spit out the following to Theo.
"Ah, I see. Your mother is a vassal? Are you an illegitimate child?"

Udangtang!

Leon, who had just been getting up, slipped and fell to the floor. Fortunately, there was
a thick carpet, so it didn't hurt too much. However, Anabella and Leah, who had been
scribbling on the floor amicably, flinched.

"Oh my gosh... Mi-sorry, guys. Look at your work, look at your work."

"Huh..."

"Oooh, don't cry! That, I just fell down for a while, so please cry..."

slap.

There was silence for a while. After trying to calm the low, weeping Leah, Leon slowly
turned the whale around. And then Kai's eyes wide open came into his field of vision.

“Did you… just hit me?”

Theo, of course, didn't answer the question that he couldn't believe. Instead, he just
stared at his opponent with his eyes full of strength. And.

"Boys!"

"Ahhhh!"

If Leon hadn't thrown the two boys apart by almost throwing himself, Kai would have
hit Theo on the forehead with the block he was holding.

Needless to say, Leah, who was crying low at the loud movement, burst into tears.
Leon felt the hungover that had gone on even further as the boys began to pour out
words that were difficult to put into their mouths while struggling ferociously with loud
cries that would cause the chandelier on the ceiling to vibrate.

It was a natural result that the two wives, who had been drinking tea amicably from the
next room, immediately appeared, since this uproar had taken place.

"My God, what else is wrong?"

Before Leon could think of anything to say, Kai, who was being held by his arm, hurried
toward my mother. Then he burst into tears, no less loud than Leah's.

"Ahhh, Mom!"

"Oh my God, Kai, why are you crying? Why are you crying? What's going on?"

"He, he hit me! Huh!"

"what?"

Leon half-consciously moved his arm to hide the silver-haired boy behind his back.
She would have really done that if Shuri, who was hugging and patting Leah who was
approaching her while crying, hadn't sent her eyes demanding an explanation.

"That, that's how it happened..."

"Madame Nuremberg, who the hell is that child?"

To the countess's question, which seemed to be quite perplexing, Shuri answered

without hesitation.

"He's a relative on my parent's side. The child's father is..."

"sorry."
Why is he crying again? Leon gently untied his arm and raised him up. Then, Theo,
who was crying with his head bowed down, was completely revealed. I feel very sorry
for the way his small shoulders tremble.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong..."

"Why are you the only one apologizing? Mom, Kai said mean things to my friend first!
He kept arguing about his parents, saying that his mother wasn't there, so he said he
must be an illegitimate child!"

Leon was moved by the appearance of Michael, who already showed his deep loyalty
even though it had been a few hours since they had met. Although the mothers were
not very impressed.

“Sasaeng…… Kai, did you really say that?”

"Huh! I don't know!"

"Hey, hey! Who taught you such mean words?! Did your father say that?! Anyway, this
shameless man is really...!"

"Quaaaaaang!"

Oh oh oh, mother's cane. A moment of silence for the embarrassing count. Looking at
Kai, who felt the taste of her mother's sticky palms, Leon crossed the cross for a
moment.

In the meantime, Leah had stopped crying and was playing with Shuri's hair with her
hands. With a toy sword slung over one shoulder, Michael, who had a triumphant
expression on his face, ran up and clung to Shuri by the hem of Shuri's skirt.

Shuri bent down and kissed her son on the forehead before giving Leah a hand.
Michael, who skillfully picked up his younger brother with both arms, went straight to
Anabella and sat down, and the three of them started scribbling amicably.

"Mrs. Hattenstein, you can stop at this point..."

"Whoa, I have no face, ma'am."

"No, but it was wrong to hit him. Right, Theo?"

It was Shuri who smiled kindly and gently hugged Theo's shoulders. In response, Theo,
who had been staring blankly at Shuri with her wet eyes wide open, hurriedly nodded
her head.

"I'm sorry for hitting you."

Kai didn't answer. Because I wasn't in a position to answer. She half giggled, as if her
ass was on fire.

"Ew, I have to go now. Excuse me a lot."

"It might be like that when the kids are playing together. Please come visit again next
time. Bye, Kai"

“……Please stay.”

Alas, when you think about it, what an angel my mother is! She said we've never been
hit!

With a renewed thrill, Leon secretly clung to his angelic mother. Shuri looked back at
his expression and blinked her eyes curiously.

"Why are you crying again?"

"...that, it's not like that."

***
"Who did my son go home with?"

For some reason, it feels like a lot of strength was subtly put into the 'my son' part. So,
Jeremy involuntarily pouted at her and replied.

"It's a bird... Big, the son of the abolished crown prince and my eyes met. I left without a
chance to stop him."

"Are you telling me to believe now?"

“……If Michael is stubborn, there is no one to stop him, so what should I do then?”

"Well, that's how it is."

The view of the imperial palace in the middle of the day was beautiful. Jeremy pressed
her hand against the head of the guard dog's petty guard dog for no reason, looking
at the cherry blossoms in full bloom in the garden where her nerd and her brother
had collapsed in silence. She sat down with a solemn attitude and opened her eyes, as
if asking why the dog wagging her tail was taking out his anger here. The king of
beasts pretended not to see those eyes and quietly cleared his throat.

"I thought I was going to die of shock too. Who would have imagined that?"

"By the way, how old is the kid?"

"I hear you're turning seven this Sunday."

"Looks like you worked as soon as you were kicked out of Nueva."

"So. Anyway, he's... tskz, I'm afraid someone isn't a failure."

"By the way, did Michael say he would take Gal home first?"

"Yeah. Like having lunch together or something. I guess he liked it."

"Really...? It's a big deal."

Nora seemed to admit that Michael was a rather picky kid. It would be more correct to
say that he was shy rather than harsh, but it was quite unexpected that he got along
so freely with a child he had just met.

"It looks like your mother wasn't a noble. Look at it..."

"Yes, it's obvious. You'd be shocked to know how many half-Imperial illegitimate
children there are in Nuevana Haspa."

“……That, I don’t really want to know. Damn, I’m going to work hard. Anyway, he seems
nice.

“Hmm, looking nice is a basic Bismarck blood trait.”

Nora murmured, not sure if she was joking or serious, then bent over and started
petting the guard dog. Jeremy hesitated for a moment, then asked her quietly.

"You don't think that's bad, do you?"

"What?"

"... Michael getting close to that kid. It'll be gone in a few days anyway."

“I’m sorry, but what can I do?

I didn't mean that, but it was right anyway. Jeremy twisted her forehead for no reason
as she thought that somehow she seemed out of focus every time.

"What kind of heart did that new kid take care of the child and leave it at once? Won."

“It must have been to gain identity.”

"……what?"

"He's an illegitimate child. If you decide to acknowledge him as a son, then you have no
choice but to send him to the imperial palace. You won't be recognized as a member
of the imperial family, but if His Majesty gives you anything, he'll be treated well and
live there without much noise, that child."

"Is that really what it was meant to be? It's unbelievable that that young bastard would
have such an aspect..."

“Well, it could be really paternal love, or it could be an intention to save it for future
use.”

Although he couldn't believe it himself, Jeremy was finding himself wishing it was the
former. Nora read his expression and smiled faintly.

"Because people don't know what to do."

“……You have a bad taste that sometimes makes you think terrifying thoughts casually.”

"And you have a bad taste that just wants to stay in the sun. I'm afraid someone isn't a
stupid cat. I want you to know that my bad taste is getting worse while trying to
protect your hobby."

"Uh, you're stupid... How smart am I?!"

"It's not that he's quick-witted and has a bad brain, but he doesn't like to look at messy
problems. I think Leon is more talented in that respect."

“……I am a knight, not a schemer.”

"Isn't someone a knight?"

Feeling like he was running out of things to refute, Jeremy slipped away.
"Oh, well today, that talented Leon has been lying in the middle of there since
morning."

"……no way?"

“Yeah. It looks like they had a big ceremony once.”

"Tsutz, it's a shame for the lion family."

"That's right. Anyway, this is what nerds are all about..."

The two friends got along like that for a while, unnecessarily giving a scathing sneer at
the steady intellectual, and then at the same time showing serious expressions.

"I'm leaving work early, Guard Captain."

"What? Already why?"

“It is the duty of a head of household to come home early when there are strangers
visiting.”

"A guest, just a child..."

"So I'm worried that my sister will be annoying. I heard Ana and Leon are there too?"

“……Hey, Leon is twenty-three years old?”

"And you're twenty-seven. As for Ellie..."

"Do you treat them the same as kids, now!"

"If you don't want to be treated like a child, go first."

If you think about it that way, you wondered what Elias had become after marriage,
but Jeremy blushed instead of arguing about it.

"Go, are you going?! So, sooner or later..."

"Sooner or later, I'm tired of hearing him. Why the hell are you dragging on?

"Joe, because you like it?! No, because you love it?! How are we..."

"Then why do you keep being lazy?"

I couldn't help but feel like my head went white every time I heard this question.

Jeremy bit his lip and glared intently at his friend's bland face.

“……You know what I feel.”

“……Let’s do another 20 questions?”

"No, it's not like that, really...!"

"Hey, then what else? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you so psychologically
troubled, you bastard?!"

"Poem, what a lot of psychological problems! What a healthy body and mind I am!"

“Quit, quit.”

It was a moment when Nora, who was tongue-tied with a look of disgust, turned her
body around. Jeremy growled with a fierce force as he got past the guard dog who
was trying to follow the duke.

"It's scary!"
What kind of ghost is this again? As Nora looked back with a puzzled look, now with
her broad shoulders drooping, her former friend's pitiful tail entered.

"Is there anything you're afraid of?"

"……woah."

"What? I can't hear you."

"...I'm afraid I'll end up like our fathers."

There was silence for a while. As her Nora stared at her with one eye, almost frozen,
Jeremy raised her hand up and pressed her to the corner of her eye for no reason.

“Of course, it’s not like I still harbored such delusions.

"..."

“……That’s why, the same blood runs through me.”

"..."

“……I wondered if I might end up hurting her without even realizing it, or maybe hurting
my child.”

It's been a long time since the heart that I once cherished in childhood has faded into
distant memories. It wasn't that kind of problem. He wasn't insecure about his feelings
or some clichéd issue. Could it be because of the experience of witnessing bad
examples, including his own father, in too much detail? Or is it just perfectionism?

Jeremy couldn't possibly imagine 'his family' with anyone other than Diane.
People who seemed so perfect did things like that, so how could that not change that
much? No matter how much I tried to be faithful to my current feelings, that kind of
fear would open its mouth and attack me at any time.

It might be better to live single for the rest of my life. As Jeremy was trying to put those
gloomy thoughts together, Nora, who had been silently staring at her for a long time,
finally opened her mouth.

"Baby, I thought you were living without thinking..."

"……Hey!"

"Why are you fighting again?"

"……Ugh!"

Jeremy, who was roaring at the unexpected voice heard suddenly, and Nora, who was
clicking his tongue, both looked away in shock at the same time. And.

"Cheer, fighting. What a good son I am, aren't I?"

"Let's say that. Sister, did you come to see me?"

“You must be tired of watching a fictional day at home, but what kind of Shuri did you
come to see me, right?”

“……I came to see the empress.”

Seeing that extremely heartless answer given by Shuri, who squinted her eyes with one
hand on her waist, the two young men, who had been shyly shining their eyes, became
sullen expressions side by side.

"To abandon such a golden eldest son and choose a grumpy empress..."

"You lose yourself a little bit. Sister, the weather is nice, but my aunt just let me have
some time alone and come with me..."
“Get out of the way, you insidious bastard. Mother Shuri, I have a good idea, if you ask
me what it is…”

"You don't seem very busy."

"I'm not busy, I can't be busy..."

"I'm not busy either!"

"Good. Then, would you like to go home early? I left the kids alone, but I'm very worried."

A moment of silence passed.

“You have nannies.”

"Yeah, that's right. And isn't Leon also there?"

"That's true, but I've had the experience of raising four kids that even skilled nannies
struggle with."

Shuri replied with a teasing tone and smiled brightly. At this, Jeremy immediately gave
up. That is, she vigorously voiced her objections.

"How docile, angelic children we were!?!"

"..."

Not only Shuri, but also Nora had a very bleak expression at the claim that the
memory fabrication was suspicious. So embarrassed, Jeremy looked away and
exchanged sullen glances with her guard dog, whose presence had been forgotten.

"Then when will you come home?"

"Hmm? Well, if it doesn't get too long... I'm sure you've heard, but there's a guest in my
house right now, so it seems like you're upset about that."

Why bother with someone else's wife over a guy who will leave in a few days anyway?
Nora scratched her head, swallowing both resentment and bitter tears welling up
towards her aunt.

"You look good with Michael."

"Yeah. Well, Michael gave up the Nutcracker as well. I was going to take him to the
imperial palace, but he seemed to regret it so I left it to play a little longer..."

A strange expression flickered past Shuri's eyes as she spoke quietly. She had an
expression that looked like she was examining something, but also an expression that
looked worried. Sensing that expression on her face, Nora immediately smiled as
usual.

"What's that fussy guy saying? Then I'll just stay here with my sister..."

"Ahem hem, what are you trying to say again about the subject you announced that
you will be leaving work? Come on, go home, I will protect your mother as a reliable
captain of the guards..."

"That's when my sister is at home. Are you the only one who pretends to be diligent
when it's a lame subject?"

“Isn’t it because His Majesty himself expressed his grievances that he was anxious
when I wasn’t in the palace?”

“Didn’t you interpret the criticism that you are anxious about being there as you
please?”

"Hey!"

"Anyway, I'll be back after seeing Mama, so let's talk at home later. Jeremy, don't forget
that you're coming over for dinner with Diane tonight, okay?"
"No, sister. Wait! Where is the wife who abandons her husband and goes to another
woman?!"

"Why do mothers always abandon their sons?!"

"Don't say things that will misunderstand if anyone hears them."

"Yep."

"sorry."

The two young men, embarrassed once again, waved their hands side by side. It wasn't
until around the time Shuri's back had completely gone and disappeared that the two
glared at each other with serious faces as if they had never done that before.

"Damn it, why are there so many obstacles to my marriage..."

“I’m your aunt, how can you not be okay?”

"Rather than that, first of all, you guys are the most annoying, right?"

"What, what?!"

***

"Anyway, isn't it really great? Who would have imagined that the new bird...... big, the
illegitimate child of the abolished prince."

"Nari is more amazing than I am."

"Me? What am I?"

“Even though you have such a beautiful person as your lover, you haven’t seen any
sign of marriage until this day.

These days, when you're bored, the nagging of your loyal butler is showing signs of
resuming. Neu Van Stein's lion, who was quickly wondering how to get out this time,
opened his eyes wide and suddenly shouted.

"Uh, Robert, you have gray hair on your head...!"

“……Yes? No, what do you mean by gray hair on my head?”

"I just gave you some hope."

There was silence for a moment. While Jeremy looked very lively and smirking, Robert,
now in a state where gray hair itself could not grow, neither smiled nor frowned. He
was just saying this with a detached look in his eyes.

"This old man is going to retire. It seems that his time to die is near..."

"Hey, you're kidding, you're kidding...!"

There are things to joke about and things not to joke about.

Diane was just getting into the saddle when Jeremy, sweating profusely from
harassing the elderly butler, changed and came out to the front yard. Her dark blue
hair, curly, glowed light blue in the afternoon sun, and her blue eyes, the same color as
the sky blue dress, twinkled mischievously at him.

"Do you want to race? Who gets to the duke's residence first?"

"That's not a bad offer, but what's the prize if I win?"

"Anything. What if I win?"

"Anything. What do you want? Just say it."

While Jeremy, who gladly struck back, hopped on top of his share of the stallion, Diane
tilted her head for a moment, pretending to be worried.

"Hmm, well, maybe... you?"

“……That, if that’s the case!”

"But I think it's fun to do this kind of race with my mother. Let's just stop."

Jeremy almost fell off the saddle, but managed to regain his balance.

"Hey, I started horseback riding much earlier..."

"Just because you started first doesn't mean you're better."

“……That’s true, but be honest. Does Mother Shuri really ride better than me?”

"yes."

Jeremy pouted and grumbled at the stern answer, but he only grumbled a little
because the objective facts were clear.

“When did you two become so close?”

"Are you jealous now?"

"Gee, who's jealous! It's just because it's amazing. Mother's voice is already so good..."

"then no?"
"It's not that I can't, it's like I'm married... So do you want to marry me?"

It was a question that came out of nowhere. In fact, at the moment when Jeremy
hurriedly raised her hand to cover her mouth at the nonsense that came out of her
mind, Diane immediately replied with a slight frown on her face.

"That's a strange question."

"Sorry, I'm like..."

"It's a really weird question. It's not just a prodding, it sounds like you're asking out of
genuine curiosity."

"Of course it's not like stabbing or something..."

"Of course, there are few men with as good conditions as you. In that sense, yes, of
course I want to do it."

"..."

“Even if you look at it apart from the conditions, it’s okay.”

"That's a very touching sagittarius. Is it okay to lift and drop people like this?"

"You're the one who hears it, you idiot. Do you want to get married? It's a question for
me to ask, but I don't think it's something you'd like to ask, right?"

It was a sound that really hit the mark, so Jeremy couldn't find anything to say for a
moment and just stared blankly into his lover's blue eyes.

It's been several years since we met. Jeremy was now twenty-seven, and Diane was
twenty-four. It was a time when decisions had to be made. Of course, there were often
times when the word to get married came to the throat. like right now The problem is
that when she tries to express her feelings, her mind turns white in an instant and she
is caught in a panic for no reason.
"I……."

Then, Diane smiled and turned her head.

"Okay, let's go first. I don't know why you want to leave early, but I'm a little curious that
you're the illegitimate child of the abolished prince."

It was around 5:00 PM when the two lovers rode amicably and arrived at the wolf's den.
Contrary to Jeremy's guess, Nora hadn't returned home yet for some reason.

Shuri, even so, what is he doing that hasn't come yet? Feeling unnecessarily anxious,
Jeremy glared prey at any human she caught sight of as soon as he entered. The
opponent was naturally taken aback.

“What is it, hyung, why is your expression so rotten?”

“……Have you been hanging around here all day?”

"Because I was watching my younger siblings? Cuhmm, how are you, Lady Diane?"

"It's been a while. I heard that you had a hard time because of the ceremony. Are you
feeling better now?"

Did you say that to your lover? Leon's eyes flashed resentfully through his glasses, but
only a little, perhaps because he was conscious of Diane. And Jeremy, as always,
brazenly ignored her brother's resentful gaze.

"What are the kids doing?"

"Lea and Ana are taking a nap, and the rest are playing in the yard. Oh, but I don't
know if it's okay if the kid isn't sent back to the palace soon."

"Why are you worried when there's no one to say anything to?"
Let alone say anything, there would be nothing we could do about it even if we held on
to it until we sent it back to Nueva. It wouldn't happen, but if Nuremberg decided to
fight the child status issue, the imperial family would have no choice.

"Well, that's right. But what does the Duke say?"

"What can I say, I was just dumbfounded."

"Ah, that's right. Well, that was before..."

***

"Then that knight is your brother too?"

Theo, who was glancing at the three people who appeared on the balcony facing the
backyard, asked a sneaky question to see if he had recognized the captain of the
guards earlier. To this, Michael answered without raising his head.

"How did it happen?"

“There are so many families… I hope it will be fun.”

"It's fun sometimes. But it's not always good."

"Why?"

"They keep trying to take away my mom and dad. It's a big topic."

It was Michael who grumbled annoyedly and kicked the earthen castle he had built up
to knock it down. Disappointment flashed in his blue eyes, as if he hadn't expected it to
collapse so easily.
Theo, who was carefully examining Michael's eyes, asked quietly.

"Should I build it again?"

“……No. It was about to get boring anyway. You know how to ride a horse?”

"No. You?"

"I haven't learned it yet. But my mom and dad ride well. Do you want to go see the
horses?"

"Are there horses here?"

"Of course. There is no one in the world who doesn't raise horses."

Michael, who uttered words befitting an extremely young aristocratic child, took the
lead with great dignity. Therefore, after a while, the stable keeper, who was feeding the
horses at the right time, was embarrassed by the sudden attack of children.

"Hi, Paul!"

"Oh, boy. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to show my friend some horses."

"Is that so? Hehe, it's dangerous, so don't come in here."

"I know. I'll just watch."

Of course, I couldn't just watch it. While Michael jumped up on the fence and stroked
the well-maintained stallion's head, Theo just stared at it with an expression of
amazement and bewilderment.
"Isn't it cool? Daddy's favorite horse."

"Yeah, acquaintances are cool. They look very expensive..."

"Can you tell me something like that?"

"Before, the uncle next door took care of these horses... Are these all your parents'?"

"It's mine too. So everything that belongs to my mom and dad is mine, right? Paul?"

Paul, who was glancing sideways at Theo with a little strange glance, quickly nodded
his head with a warm smile.

It was then that I heard a voice shouting something from me. Of course, whether or
not such a sound was heard, the two children paid no attention as they were chatting
and watching the horses, so Paul took their place and got their attention.

"That old man is going to go out of his throat like that... Bocchan, it looks like His
Excellency has returned."

"Really? Oh, let's go!"

Michael immediately jumped off the fence and started storming toward the front yard.
Theo unknowingly ran after him. And.

"Hey, it's shabby, but come in."

“……Why don’t you start living here at all? Whose house is this….”

"Is that what a guy who crawled in at this hour disobeyed my mother's command to go
home early, that's..."

"Daddy! You're home!"

It could have been fortunate that Jeremy's grinning was cut off thanks to Michael
rushing in with his breath full. Nora, holding her hoppy son in one arm, glared at
Jeremy with a very disapproving look.

"I've been working. Unlike anyone else, I'm busy."

"You say you're going to leave work early, what are you doing?"

"Why are you nagging me so much? It's about a guest in my house. I've come back with
an old bird's head who didn't even say a word about such a serious matter."

If you are a loyal guard commander, you should blame your friend for daring to talk
about an old emperor over an emperor like the sky. But instead of blaming his friend
for his transgressions, Jeremy said something else.

"What did you say?"

"What do you think he would have said?"

“……You can’t.”

At that time, Michael jumped down and ran behind him and began to push Nora's
waist with both hands. Nora, of course, looked back with a puzzled expression.

"what's the matter?"

"……it's nothing."

"Nothing?"

"It's nothing... Dad, I made a friend."

Michael seemed impatient to quickly show off his new friend.

You wouldn't have to push too hard to see it, but the kid who was standing on one side
hurriedly greeted Nora, who was cleverly carrying Michael with one arm and riding a
horse on her shoulder. So I said this.

"Ah, hello. Nari..."

There was silence for a while. As Nora stared at the silver-haired boy, tilting her head
with her puzzled expression, Jeremy crept up to her and whispered softly into her
friend's ear.

"Doesn't it seem nice though?"

"Brother, go away!"

“……Ah, what’s wrong with me again?

"Your face is wrong!"

"What, what, what, what?!"

It was only natural that Jeremy, who had been praised for being handsome all his life,
was seized with a fairly refreshing shock.

The dark green eyes started shaking violently as if they had witnessed the destruction
of the world. Nora sent a very pitiful look at the cola.

“Do you guys fight whenever you meet?

"No, I didn't fight, this guy was one-sided...! If only you were around, he would be elated
and go to me...!"

"Welcome, Duke. Good evening."

"It's been a while, Duke."

"It's been a while, Lady Diane. Could you hurry up and take this bad-tempered cat?"

"Well, I guess I'll have to think about it some more."

"Well, it's a matter to consider carefully."

Jeremy, who had just expressed resentment at Nora and Diane's behavior, who were
exchanging sly greetings in case someone was not a relative, and Leon, who had been
greeting quite politely, had forgotten their existence and exchanged very lonely
glances. Since this is a fictional me, there was nothing to be sad about.

On the other hand, it seemed that Theo was also at a loss. She ran her hand through
Nora's hair and pulled it straight, then grabbed her by the shoulder and hung on to it.
Then Theo slipped closer to Michael, who was moving frantically as he tumbled down
and whirled around her.

"Hey, I think I'd better go now..."

"Huh? Why? Oh, that's right. Dad, can I have dinner with my friend? Mom said it would
be fine."

I feel like I subtly put a lot of energy into the part where my mother said it would be
okay. Maybe that's why, apart from the nervousness of the audience, Nora answered in
a surprisingly cool way.

"That's your heart. It's your friend."

"Wow, Dad says you can stay longer!"

“Ah… go, thank you…”

"Let's go get my brother! Come here."

Putting aside the fact that he was at an age where he couldn't get tired, Michael
belonged to the side with exceptionally good energy. Theo, on the other hand, seemed
completely out of his mind.
The scenery reminded Jeremy of his childhood. Before meeting Shuri, that is, in the
distant childhood when both of her biological parents were alive, when she was
hanging out with someone who was the crown prince at the time.

The memory of that time flickered, and at the same time, I felt uncomfortable. And
Jeremy hated her bad mood. I don't know who would like her.

"Here, dear friend."

"Why are you again?"

"Can we bring our friends as well?"

To the question of her friend, who was obviously grinning, Nora responded in the
same way as he did.

"You have no friends."

"Who said that?! Who spreads such rumors? Are you Leon?!"

"No, why me..."

***

By the time the day was about to end, Shuri had finally returned home. The Duchess,
who had listened to the laments of her mother's empress for half a day, was
confronted with the clamor of her offspring, who were in a state of considerable
resentment as soon as she arrived home.

"Shuri! Well, Michael told me that I was ugly! He told me that I was ugly! And Nora, he
just laughed at me saying that I don't have any friends..."
"Mom, I'm hungry, and Leah bit my finger. You're not getting tetanus, are you?"

"Mom, Ana keeps calling me uncle! Don't let me call you uncle! And you hyungs are
naughty! You keep yelling at dad and saying ugly things in front of us..."

"Madam, Ana is hungry."

"Why is my mother your grandmother?!"

"But..."

"If you are a stepfather, isn't it your duty as a human being to care whether your son
has few or many friends?"

"Uh, but isn't it true that you don't have a lot of friends? What I mean is that hyung
goes around a lot with others..."

"You stay still!"

"Brothers are noisy!"

In the midst of this mayhem, Diane, the only person with any common sense as a
guest, poked her lover's side with her finger, but to no avail. Shuri, the target of that
clamor, did not show any particular reaction. He seemed to be a bit tired for some
reason, as he only smiled uncharacteristically for being young.

"Guys, first I'll change my clothes..."

"Mom and older brother are weird! They say they keep whispering among themselves
when they see my friend! They say whispering behind people's back is what small
people do...!"

"Ooh, when did we do that?!"

In the end, Nora had to step in and drop the horde of beasts that were tenaciously
following Shuri. Precisely, he snarled solemnly, wedged between his wife and her
children (?).

"Guys, be quiet."

Everyone immediately stopped at this, but only Jeremy, of course, roared like an
indomitable lion who does not know how to give up.

"By what right do you have to be polite to me? I have the right as the golden oldest
son..."

"It's the father's right. The kids leave."

"..."

Jeremy didn't argue anymore, perhaps because he was dumbfounded or at a loss for
words to refute, but just stopped and looked like a dog chasing chickens at his
parents (?) as they disappeared upstairs. Diane, who was pathetically watching the
pathetic appearance, clicked her tongue.

"Our Marquis, so what's your daughter-in-law?"

“……Kuhm, I was just swept away without realizing it.”

"I'm sure you're right. Is it because of that kid that your condition has come to this
point?"

Diane, muttering slowly, glanced sideways at Theo, who had a somewhat similar
appearance to Jeremy. Jeremy cleared his throat awkwardly at the feeling that he had
been stabbed in the right direction.

“How is my condition?”

"You look like you're nervous and impatient. Are you so worried about him?
Considering the fact that you beat the father of that child dozens of years ago, it's
very surprising."
“I-I’m asking you to talk about that, but can you please not bring it up?”

"it's okay?"

"It's okay. It's just that my head is a little complicated."

Shuri let out a short sigh and went over to the sofa by the window and sat down. Nora
went over and sat down next to him, as if playing with the idea that Empress Elisabeth
must be the biggest hindrance to this marriage.

"I'm worried because there are so many people who want a sister... What does your
aunt say?"

"Well, it seems that you're complicated too. It's a child who will be leaving soon anyway,
and there shouldn't be anything that could stand in the way of Letran... but what's
wrong with that child? Phew, what did His Majesty say?"

"Once I told my father that I would tell him, his complexion changed to something
more attractive."

Actually, I didn't mean to tell you. Shuri smiled knowingly as Nora shook her head and
pretended to click her tongue.

"Well, His Majesty must be embarrassed because my son bought it on his own."

"Yeah, but it's a shame. It's something I don't know what kind of variable it will be in the
future.

“I agree with you up to that point, but apart from that, what do you think?”

"What if you say it's my opinion?"

"My Michael seemed to like it quite a bit, how do you think?"

If it's meaningful, it's a meaningful question. how does he look

To be honest, Nora didn't really have much of a sentiment. When I heard that he was
Theobald's illegitimate son, I naturally sneered at him, wondering if the guy who had
managed his image so thoroughly was just going out, but that was all. On top of that, I
was a bit surprised at how easygoing Michael got along.

As he sorted out his thoughts, he scratched his head for a while, paused, and finally
answered.

“First of all, this combination itself is not to my liking.”

"Then what are your hobbies?"

"Sister. I. And sister. Me...?"

It was Nora, who spread her clumsy hands out wide and pointed her fingers very
seriously.

Shuri let out a small sigh. Then she put her arms around Nora's neck and hugged her
tightly, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Actually, I was just thinking that we might need a little vacation just the two of us."

"It's not like it's necessary, it's desperately needed. First of all, my sister seems too tired
these days."

"Do you really think you need it for that?"

"...it's more selfish."

Nora let out a low moan and moved her arm in the same way, hugging Shuri's body
tightly and burying her face in the thin nape of her neck.
"Nora, are you really okay?"

"I wish I could tell you what complex thoughts and political calculations went through
the moment I faced Cheolcheon's archenemy, the bird-headed little boy? But I can't, I
really didn't think anything of it. The only thing that had been floating around in my
head all along the road was that tonight Leah would give up her mother to her father.”

“……Anyway, who likes people?”

Shuri put one arm around her husband's neck and deftly stroked his hair with the
other hand. A smile appeared on his lips that he couldn't stop.

"You look so tired, do you have time to think about what to do at night?"

“That and this are separate…… Kum, I’m just mentally exhausted because of my son
who is the same age as me.

"Right, have you talked about that? I don't know if they have any thoughts of getting
married.

"I'll take care of it when the time comes. He was originally a bit slow and exploded.
From the first time I met him, he's been damn consistent."

“Eh….. It’s not like you keep putting it off because you’re thinking about a great
proposal, right?”

"...That, that's also kind of plausible."

Of course, it wasn't really because of that, but anyway, the fact that Jeremy and Diane
really liked each other was certain, so that alone was fortunate.

Compared to the past, it's really a great improvement... … . In front of Shuri's eyes as
she pondered that thought, memories from the past flashed past like a kaleidoscope.

The old memories that have faded now, the knives of the past that I left there before
returning.
If she hadn't returned like that, if the world had gone on like that, the world would still
be shoveling under the Catholic rule, Theobald would still be the crown prince, and
none of the children downstairs would have been born. Michael, Anabella, Leah, and
Theo all.

I was really glad to be back. Because she would never have met her or Nora, otherwise
she would never have met each other or her children. We wouldn't have been able to
become a real family like this.

"Nora."

"Yes?"

“……I’m trying to urge His Majesty to take your long vacation, how is it?”

Nora did not respond to the proposal of the number 1 in the Empire in both name and
reality. Instead, he moved his head and kissed Shuri under the nape of her neck, near
the white shoulder.

***

After dinner was held in a somewhat calm (?) atmosphere, probably because Elias was
missing, Theo finally returned to the imperial palace.

The illegitimate son of the aborted prince, who greeted Michael amicably, seemed to
be ending his adventure in a strange land. Theo will leave for Nueva in a few days and
will stay there forever.

"hi."

"Goodbye. Let's play again."

It was Michael who was rubbing his sleepy eyes and waving his hands in succession, as
if he was very sad. Shuri, who was sitting on his lap behind him and holding his son
with one arm, smiled brightly at Theo, who waved his hand along the way.
"Look around, and if you want to play with Michael while you're staying in the palace,
come over anytime."

"thank you."

While Theo looked up at Shuri with rather dazed eyes and murmured, Nora also waved
in a very friendly way. That is, he said hello.

"Oh, don't feed that soldier too many walnuts. It broke a few times after that."

"Ah... yes. yes."

It was Theo who nodded his head with his eyes shining quite seriously at the words he
threw as a joke. To the point of giving him the Nutcracker Soldier he cherished so
much as a gift, Michael seems to have gotten quite fond of his new friend.

It was then that Leon, who stood silently beside Jeremy who admired himself saying
that he couldn't understand the inside of the children, and alternately looked at the
wolf family and the son of the deceased prince through the eyes of a hawk, quietly
whispered:

"Hmm, I think I know why Michael is so kind to that kid."

It's funny how you whisper eerily because you're afraid someone might not be a self-
proclaimed detective. Could this guy be jealous? After a while, will Leon also talk about
discrimination like anyone else?

Recalling such a question as if it were a joke, Jeremy gave a smirk like that.

"Oh, why are you doing that?"

"I'm serious now."

"I know that you are serious in everything. So what is the true truth that you have
realized?"
Leon answered firmly, trying to ignore the sarcasm in Jeremy's voice.

“He looks just like his mother, he.”

"……what?"

"Ah, I mean, they look like that because they're all side by side like that. Don't they look
a bit like your mother in terms of the eyes? You can believe that they are real relatives
on my mother's side."

Of course, that doesn't mean that the deceased prince looked like my mother, but
Jeremy didn't say anything for a while while Leon scratched his nose.

Considering who the child's grandmother was, it couldn't be said to be completely

nonsense. Even so, he had to refrain from letting all kinds of wild swear words run on
the tip of his tongue that his brother would never forget. Fortunately, Diane stepped in
just in time to get his attention.

"Jeremy. It hurts."

"……Oh sorry."

Unknowingly, it seems that I was putting my strength into the hand that I was holding
with my lover. Diane looked curiously at Jeremy's eyes, who hurriedly apologized and
relaxed.

"It's fine?"

It was a rare voice of concern. Jeremy just nodded her head without her thread and
squeezed her partner's hand like her baby. Be careful not to get sick.

***
Going to work after the embarrassing and reckless reporting ceremony is bound to be
accompanied by considerable embarrassment and awkwardness. Nonetheless, since
the ceremony was completed safely, from now on, they will be colleagues in earnest.
With such naive thoughts, Leon, who vigorously ventured to work for the first time,
encountered nothing but a loud baptism of laughter as soon as he arrived at the
imperial palace.

"Chuckling!"

"Puhahaha!"

… … So, it was a very strange atmosphere. Should I say that it was an atmosphere in
which not only the officials of the administration, but also the guards who
encountered each other in the vast imperial palace couldn't help but laugh at each
other. Rumors seemed to have spread about what kind of spectacle the intellectual of
Neu Vanstein had staged during his first initiation ceremony in his life.

Leon, who was not used to being ridiculed by others, went that way to the commander
of the guards and the prestigious Neuwanstein's messenger, and expressed his shame
and suffering. However, Jeremy, who contributed greatly to the spread of rumors of
the problem, simply responded with an extremely mocking expression of 'Welcome to
the imperial palace'.

So, Leon suddenly became annoyed.

"Ah, what kind of older brother is this?! My younger brother looks like he will always be
ridiculed in the imperial palace?!"

"Then what should I do, should you even threaten me not to make fun of my brother?

"I'm a kid?! Beg me to do something childish like a threat! If you're the captain of the
guards, you should urge the guards to keep their minds and bodies tense at all times
and not lose their strength in useless work!"

"I'm sorry, think of it the other way around. How can you be so happy about that if your
mind and body are usually dry?

Seeing Jeremy's atrocities of valuing the mere amusement of his co-workers more
than the family's tears of blood (?), Leon found himself feeling longing for Elias for the
first time in his life, along with tears of betrayal. She never thought she would miss
Elias as long as she lives.

If Elias had been there, he would have been ridiculed, even if he had to be ridiculed in
the same way, saying, 'Are these things sacrificing my younger brother as an object of
ridicule, how can we be so easy!'

As Jeremy said, it must have been nothing more than childish nepotism, but the
present Leon was not very skeptical of nepotism.

"Hyung, tell me honestly. Didn't hyung spread rumors about me being stretched out in
the courtyard of the main palace for that fucking ceremony?"

“……Muh, what are you talking about? More than that, everyone seems to be having
fun, so why don’t you just pass it on with an attitude of enjoyment?

"Look at this, that's my brother. God damn it, what kind of brother is this?! I'm going to
tell my mom!"

"No, not me!"

"You're right!"

After a somewhat intense battle like that, Jeremy eventually made a promise to crack
down on the guards not to smile meaningfully whenever they saw Leon in the future.

Of course, it was a promise that could not be kept, of course.

"Dear gentlemen, since my nerdy brother is on the high end of the medicine, don't
notice him any more for the time being and laugh at him as much as he wants.
Puhahaha!"

"Wahhahaha, you are indeed Neuwanstein's lion!"

If you are a trustworthy eldest son, it would be your duty to try to cover up the dark
history committed by your steady intellectual younger brother for the first time.
However, like all other brothers, Jeremy was a human being who knew how to give up
his own things for his brother's misfortune. And where are opportunities like this
common?

In that way, the few days passed very embarrassingly for Leon and pleasantly for
Jeremy. If it had not been for the emperor's strange call in the middle, Jeremy would
have had a very pleasant week, with all her unpleasant thoughts blown into the sky.

***

"...it's gone, what the hell do you mean by that?"

"That's literally it. I ordered them to be ready to send them off early tomorrow morning,
but they said they disappeared."

Emperor Maximilian had a spleen tone that even felt remorse somewhere, so Jeremy
also became a very spleen tone.

“How could that little boy be able to get away with the stalwart attendants and
disappear without even knowing a mouse or a bird?”

"How can Jim know that?"

“……I’m sorry.

"It's around noon."

At these words, Jeremy gave me a look of reprimand involuntarily.

"Half a day has passed...? Half a day has passed since the child disappeared, so why
did you inform me now?"

“…Like Kyung just said, I wondered if they were hiding somewhere and playing hide and
seek.
The emperor stroked his beard and replied casually, but there was a strange
nervousness mixed in his low voice. I don't know if it's because I'm worried about my
child, or if it's because I'm worried about other contingencies.

First of all, they thoroughly searched the interior and surroundings of Theo's villa, but
there was no success. It had been half a day since he disappeared, so there was no
way to know where he might have been hiding in the imperial palace by now.

It's lucky if you're quietly hiding somewhere alone. It was difficult to predict what kind
of unexpected situation would arise if he wandered around alone and caught the
attention of other nobles.

Thinking over the idea that the three generations were exactly the same in terms of
annoying people in many ways, Jeremy ordered the guards under his command to
search the entire palace like teeth.

"It's a silver-haired, seven-year-old boy. As soon as you find it, don't go through anyone
and bring it straight to me. If anyone asks, just say you're in emergency training."

On an afternoon that should have been as usual as usual, if the hawk-eyed guards
were moving busily here and there, naturally, puzzled eyes would pour out. Even with
that in mind, I had to find it as soon as possible.

Why are you making such a commotion after being quiet? And that, of course, the day
before returning home.

Could it be that Theobald, that pipe lover, had given him some close mission?
Something like stealing something from the imperial palace? Or did he decide to leave
something behind from the beginning?

Jeremy, trying to dispel the unpleasant suspicions creeping up on him, personally led
a search dog and began exploring the courtyard of the main palace where he had
first encountered the child. The chances of finding it there were slim, though.

Uncharacteristically unpleasant suspicions kept creeping up, it must have been

purely a whim. More precisely, it should be attributed to his reluctance towards the
person he is currently looking for.

The other day, Leon said that Shuri and Theo look alike. I couldn't tell where she saw
the resemblance, but considering who Theo's grandmother was, I couldn't call it
bullshit. But if the child doesn't resemble my grandmother, that is, if it resembles her
birth mother, not her grandmother... … .

Of course, there couldn't be that many people in the world who looked like him, but as
the speculations continued, Jeremy's stomach grew more and more sick. At the same
time, an indescribable feeling of depression and anger came over me. I didn't know
exactly who the anger was directed against.

After all, will the chain, once broken, continue as it is forever? Then, is it the same as
having no hope for him...? … .

“Did Your Majesty lose a chick?”

“……It’s pretty much the same.”

"What the hell are you so busy looking for? It's the first time I've seen ignorant
guardsmen look so serious about their appearance."

Leon, who was about to leave the palace, was using harsh language, as if he had
accumulated quite a lot of resentment towards the guards over the past few days.
Jeremy growled annoyedly as she blasted the impression that she didn't quite fit in
into the air.

"Someone whose pedigree is a nuisance itself has been rotting my insides for two
generations."

"Is that kid talking? He said he's leaving tomorrow? Did he suddenly disappear?"

"Damn it, can't you see?"

“……Why are you so annoyed? Maybe you sneaked out to have a look at it one last time
before you left.

Even though he had accumulated a lot of things, it was Leon who continued to speak
in a more cautious tone, perhaps because he was worried about his
uncharacteristically sharp appearance. To this, Jeremy responded much softer as
well.
"Is that the best assumption you can make as a detective?"

"Then what else could a seven-year-old kid have? He couldn't have gone to
assassinate His Majesty Letran."

At Leon's jokingly added words, Jeremy finally relaxed his expression a bit and
shrugged his shoulders.

"Find out where the kid can go. You say you're good at reasoning."

“……Didn’t you just do that? And looking for a lost child within the imperial palace is
definitely under the jurisdiction of the Royal Guard.

"I'll give you a chance to prove your usefulness to the family head."

"You don't need an opportunity like that?!"

"Captain of the Guard! I found it!"

Thanks to a guardsman who rushed here just in time, Leon was unexpectedly freed
from an embarrassing situation where he had to prove his worth.

In contrast, Jeremy's golden eyebrows suddenly began to twitch fiercely. The pitiful
guards, as well as Leon, gulped dry saliva at the scene where dark green eyes full of
annoyance flashed terrifyingly like burning flames.

"Let's see, what did I say? Oh, I think I told you to bring it to me as soon as you find it.
Am I remembering wrong?"

"Ah, no. It's not like that... that's now..."

***
"……Say something, Mama! I'm dying of frustration! If it's not that Obama paid for it,
then who the hell is this kid? Yeah?! I've never heard of a child like that!"

The situation in which Letran, who never raised his voice at all, almost growled and
slammed in front of his mother, in the empress' palace, was truly a spectacle worth
remembering.

Letran was about to scream like that when the captain of the guards, who had come
running in one step, had just stepped inside.

As for Empress Elizabeth, she was silent as she touched her temples with a puzzled
look on her face. She seemed at a loss as to how to explain it.

Whether bloodline recognizes bloodline, or Emperor Maximilian's behavior in the past

was so similar, or whatever, it seemed that Letran was firmly convinced that the child
he met by chance in the palace belonged to the same royal family as he was.

"Empress Mama. Your Highness the Crown Prince."

“……Ah, Sir Jeremy. Do you know who that guy is?

Jeremy's gaze went straight to the guardsman standing across the room. To be
precise, it was slammed down at the silver-haired boy who was clumsily hiding himself
behind the new guardsman, who had an expression claiming to be a flower.

"Ah, it's so frustrating I'm going crazy! Who the hell is that guy?!"

“I am your nephew.”

It wasn't Jeremy who answered. Leon, who had been chasing after his older brother in
a fit of gasp, answered in a daze. Jeremy strode straight across her room as Letran
paused and began to drop her jaw. She then snatched the shoulder of her child, who
had turned pale as a wax figure.

"What are you."

"……Yes Yes……?"
"What are you? What were you thinking... Damn, whoa, who told you to come out on
your own? Who told you to go into the womb?!"

This time, it was Leon's turn to open his mouth. Not only Leon, but also Letran,
Elisabeth, who had been holding back a sigh, and the guards all looked at Jeremy with
their eyes wide open.

As for Theo, he made no reply. It was clear that he was unable to answer. It looks like
he's going to pass out at any moment, as he's shivering and turning blue because he
can't be white. Finally, Leon hurriedly came out.

"Tongue, hyung. What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"

"Hey, Sir Jeremy, we didn't meet in the womb, we met while I was out for some air! Then I
brought you here, I."

To put it to shame that he had been rant about his true identity a while ago, it was
Letran who hurriedly stepped forward and corrected the misunderstanding(?).

Elizabeth, who was momentarily taken aback, also calmly helped after regaining her
composure.

"It looks like he was wandering alone, but the crown prince just found it. Anyway, he
found it, so it's done. Take him away and keep an eye on him. Anyway, in case someone
isn't a matchmaker, he puts his temper on it..."

It was very absurd to call this a mother-electronic war. If Shuri had been here, she
would have mercilessly slapped her eldest son on the back. It was only then that
Jeremy came up with the idea and managed to come to her senses.

"... stand..."

"what?"

Jeremy's dark green eyes blinked blankly. The child, with tears in her golden eyes,
stammered in a trembling voice trying to suppress her tears.
"Mi-Michael and the Duchess... I couldn't properly greet them."

There was some silence for a while.

"Eh, I want to see you one last time... but I don't know how to get there... so uh... just like
last time..."

“You mean you were walking around wondering if we would run into each other like
last time?

Leon, who quickly intervened, gave a genuinely kind smile, while Theo nodded
vigorously. It was an almost desperate gesture.

"I'm sorry..."

"Ahaha, no, no. You should have said it earlier. Didn't have time to say anything. Did
you hear, bro? You said we were meant to meet."

Facing Leon with a smile on his lips and a light of rebuke on his eyes, Jeremy was
seized with a sense of shame that was difficult to describe. For a moment, she had no
way of knowing what she was possessed by.

"... Let's get it straight. You mean you want to meet our mother and nasty little brother,
not us?"

"Either way doesn't change the fact that my brother acted like a villain in a fairy tale.
Anyway, what are you going to do now?"

What are you going to do? Jeremy looked hesitantly at Theo, then she shifted her
gaze towards the Empress. Elisabeth, who had been watching Theo with her strangely
complicated eyes, twitched her eyebrows.

"Something else?"

“……I’ll take you for a while.”

“Since when did you ask my permission for all these things?”

"We always prefer Mama over His Majesty..."

"Wait, wait. So, to sum up the situation, until now, everyone except me... knew about my
nephew's existence, right?"

There was another brief silence in response to Letran's question, which he claimed
was extremely confused.

While Jeremy and Leon exchanged glances, Elisabeth gave a wry smile and stood up.

"Let you guys explain."

"..."

***

After repeatedly explaining that they did not hide it intentionally, but that the
situation happened somehow, they calmed down Letran (it was not an easy task) and
took Theo to the wolf's lair. It was someone I had completely forgotten about.

"Hey, what, why are you dressed for work? Unlucky three. You brag about being the
captain of the guards? Leon, have you already left work?

The two blond brothers, who were staring at the tail with its red ponytail shaking
triumphantly, slowly turned their heads and looked at each other.

Why is that bastard already back?

"Ah, anyway, the hot springs are the best. Am I getting older too? Anyway, I was
originally going to stay for about three more days, but our pretty Ana kept stepping
on my eyes, so I came back early! Wahahaha! But who is that kid? It's a face I haven't
seen before. "

Elias, who had been laughing briskly while reciting unanswered questions, pointed to
the child standing next to the desolate brothers and asked a question. Jeremy and
Leon exchanged glances once again.

Leon was the first to speak.

"By the way, what are you doing here?"

"What are you talking about? Is it wrong for the son to come to his mother's house?"

"I'm not saying that, but why are you trembling in front of the gate. Could it be that
you've been kicked out again?"

Elias blushed right away, but strangely, he didn't refute anything. Therefore, Jeremy's
expression became even more bleak.

"What else did you do?"

“……Ah, I didn’t do anything?! Seeing him for the first time in a long time because his
affection was frightening, I felt that even that unlucky human was welcomed again, so I
just said hello, but that petty guy is angry alone?!”

Elias always seemed to forget the fact that that unlucky man and petty man was the
owner of the duke's mansion. At this point, she might be deliberately pretending to
forget.

"Ahem, anyway so who is he?"

Jeremy didn't want to talk anymore, so Leon answered again.

"My friend Michael."

"What? Does that guy with no buds have any friends? That's wonderful news. Which
family does he live in?"

“Death… He is said to be the son of His Highness Theobald.”

"Aha, that's right... It's not funny, you short-legged bastard! Can the administration
teach you a gag like that?!

Elias shrugged his shoulders triumphantly at the subject of barely getting married
after overcoming the fuss by speeding, and Jeremy's expression grew more and more
out of the range of expression. She was already sensitive, but her younger brother,
whom she didn't want to see much, showed up ahead of schedule and made her
annoyed.

"You have no eyes and no brains?"

"What? Why are you attacking people all of a sudden?! Then laugh at jokes like that?!"

"So it's proof that you're brainless."

There was silence for a while. Elias, frowning as if he had heard a joke he couldn't bear
to hear, stared at the small boy standing next to Leon for a long time. Then finally
mumbled.

"When did he get married again?"

"I heard you're not married."

"What, then. When the hell did that kind of accident..."

“I am not.”

"But then why the hell are you here? Did the aborted prince take a child to visit his
hometown?"

"No. He came alone."

"Why are you here alone?"

“I am not.”

"What on earth does your brother know? Anyway, there is no such thing as an ignorant
swordsman..."

“Is your body itching because you want to squeeze it after a long time?”

As if his body wasn't itchy, Elias quickly changed the topic. That is, she roared loudly
at the unexpected boy.

"Anyway, nice to meet you, boy! I'm the Bloody Lion of Neuwanstein! Wahahaha!"

… … Apparently, Elias had been coveting her older brother's nickname.

In any case, contrary to the brothers' concerns (?), the self-proclaimed bloody lion of
Neuwanstein was carefree and treated Theo with an unreserved attitude.

"Ah... hello."

"Yes, yes. But how did you come with these ferocious people? Did you even try to
seduce them? You seem innocent for Michael's friends. How old are you?"

"Soon I'll be seven years old..."

"Ooh, then you're not older than Michael? When is your birthday?"

Theo didn't answer right away. The way he rolls his golden eyes, wide open as if
frightened, gives off a hint of hesitation. So Leon spoke instead.

"It's coming Sunday.... Go ahead, it's tomorrow."

You never know if being sent home on your birthday is a good thing or a bad thing.
Neither Leon nor Jeremy could make a judgment on the matter. And Elias raised her
eyes exaggeratedly.

"Ah~ ha, tomorrow is your birthday? Congratulations in advance. Michael, ask him for
a nice present. Now that we're friends, we should use it at a time like this. Hahaha."

Jeremy swallowed a short moan and gave Leon a look, telling him to go in first.

After Leon obediently took Theo inside and headed inside first, the real Neuwanstein
lion held onto Elias, who tilted his head curiously, and opened his mouth quietly.

"He's going back to Nueva tomorrow."

"Eh? How long did you stay?"

"About five days. I brought you because I wanted to say goodbye to my friend one last
time."

"Really? The kids must feel sorry for each other. Wow, but when did he have that kind of
accident again? It looks like he did it as soon as he was kicked out of Nueva, but if
that's the case, I'd rather get married. Anyway, you bastard... Do you know His
Highness Letran?"

"uh."

"Puhahahaha! It must have been worth seeing! If I had known it would be like this, I
would have come back earlier!"

Whether it was because I had a child or just because of my unique simplicity, Elias was
always in a pleasant atmosphere. And while Jeremy was envious of her the way she
was, she felt deeply self-defeating about herself for feeling her envy of Elias.

"Anyway, then why did you really get kicked out again?"

"Wahaha... you weren't kicked out?! This time, you really took your anger out unjustly!"
"..."

Jeremy silently looked away and looked at the knights guarding the gates of the
magnificent duke's residence. Judging by the philosophical eyes, it seems that he has
decided to liberate himself at this point.

***

“Did he suddenly disappear?”

"He said so, Your Majesty."

"By the way, Highness Letran found it and was scolded?"

"To sum it up roughly."

"By the way, did you say you wanted to say hello to Michael?"

“……To be exact, to Michael and our benevolent mother? Ha ha ha.”

Why the hell did Shuri leave at a time like this? Swallowing her bitter feelings, Jeremy
tried to smile brightly.

Nora, as if she had seen through her friend's true intentions, spat out.

"Your lover robbed my wife."

“……Dian?”
"Yes. They said they went horseback riding together. By the way, your younger
brother's wife joined as well."

Nora looked uncharacteristically melancholy, probably because she was quite

regretful that her daughter-in-law (?) had taken her away.

As usual, he should have given a hearty laugh, but now Jeremy wasn't in the mood to
do that.

"So you kicked Ellie out of anger?"

"What if it were?"

"I'm not saying what to do... Anyway, this little gentleman wants to say goodbye before
he leaves."

The little gentleman was taking turns examining the two men in the library with a
somewhat restless expression. He had no way of knowing if he was just paying
attention or if he was anxious for some other reason.

"I'll have to wait until my sister comes anyway, so I'll tell the kids to play together then.
What did Her Highness say?"

"Whatever you said, it was just a reaction of disbelief. Anyway, I don't know what kind of
fuss this is all about. Please, Your Highness Letran, I just hope that you resemble your
temperament."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Because that means it's better than that?"

"Get out of my house."

"Hey, where in the world is the father who kicks out his son?"

"Here, why?"
“Okay, you can come back.”

"Have you seen such a fool?"

"……sorry."

That wasn't what Jeremy said, of course. Theo, who was looking at the two of them
nervously twitching his fingertips, blurted out as if he was about to cry. So, a moment
of silence came.

"I-I just... I was wondering if I could see you one last time. I didn't think I'd ever see you
again... That's why I was presumptuous..."

His dark blue gaze looked back at Jeremy with a puzzled look.

"Ann, why are you doing this again?"

“……Isn’t it because you look like you’re angry? Hey, kid, don’t cry.

"That, but..."

“And this place is no different from the original meeting square, so there’s nothing to
be said about being presumptuous.”

Nora's expression became very spectacle while Jeremy spoke impudently.

“A meeting… what?”

"Ahem hem, let's go, it's okay, so let's go and play with Michael. Hey, take the kid."

The faithful knight who was waiting outside the door looked at him as he was seriously
worried about whether or not to follow Jeremy's instructions, but since Nora didn't
stop him in particular, he obediently obeyed. If you are a servant in a family whose
genealogy is so complex, proper awareness and flexibility are essential.

After the child, who looked back anxiously until the end, left, there was a subtle silence
for a while between the two remaining friends. Then, almost simultaneously, they
opened their mouths.

"Just replaced..."

"It's because of me."

“……Why do you guys show all the admirable sides of you who know how to admit your
mistakes? So what is it because of you?

Totally sarcastic pitch. Jeremy's chin dropped down terribly.

"Don't say anything terrible. It's just... I was looking for that guy earlier and it exploded."

"There must be one or two occasions when you explode."

It was true, but it felt like it was starting to get out of focus again, so Jeremy forgot his
shame and confessed in great detail about what had happened earlier.

"...that's why you were scared because of me."

"..."

"Even I don't know what caught my eye at the moment... but the fact that in the end it
was no different than taking my anger out doesn't change. It really went against
chivalry."

Jeremy added gloomily, then raised his hand and dried his face. Nora, who was
staring at her pitiful figure, spoke in a warm voice before long.

"If you stop with the illegitimate son of Cheolcheon Marshal, you're at an appropriate
level as a guard commander. If you were like someone else..."
"Oh man, this cold-blooded bastard is for real!"

"I'm kidding, and if you're sorry, just apologize, you idiot. Why are you all so
unnecessarily active in shoveling? Rachel isn't like that."

"Leh, don't compare me to Rachel!"

"Then don't be compared. If you feel like you made a mistake, apologize and don't do it
again."

According to common sense, the fact that Marquis Neubahnstein apologized to the
illegitimate son of the abolished crown prince for something was absurd.

Nevertheless, Nora was urging such nonsensical behavior, and Jeremy also found
himself convinced.

"Would it be okay if I apologized?"

"Did you hit me?"

"what?"

“Did you hit me, earlier?”

“……Are you crazy?! What do you look at people for?

“If it wasn’t like that, why don’t you stop comparing yourself to that kind of person in
your head?

Jeremy dropped his chin slightly and glared blankly into Nora's hard eyes.

“What are you offended about?”

“Aren’t you offended by self-torture while comparing yourself to trash that is worthless
for a guy like you?”

It was unclear whether he was praising or cursing. So Jeremy confirmed again.

“So you… you think I’m a pretty nice guy?”

"get out."

"Oh, why? I don't like useless euphemisms to convey meaning!"

"This is my home. Whether I use euphemisms or direct expressions, I am completely

free."

It was an irrefutable blow, so Jeremy pouted and grumbled a little, then suddenly let
out a desperate sigh.

"If Shuri knew, she might be disappointed in me..."

"If my sister had been such a great person to be disappointed in, I would have
abandoned all of you long ago. Ha, if that was the case, I would have been a little
happier..."

"Hey!"

"Ana is the tagger again!"

"Yumma, are you going to keep pampering my daughter like that? If I do it instead..."

“Because it’s a tag game rule?

"What man?!"
"I'm sorry, go away."

"Ah, no...! My dad is just..."

"Come catch me soon!"

Children who are left and right are very strange beings. Annabella, who had
neutralized that Elias in one fell swoop, and Theo, who were having fun playing
together without even realizing it, were beyond amazing.

The most amazing thing was Michael, who was ticklish with Anabella about everything,
but played well when he was playing.

At least it was a shame because Leah was still a long way from being there.

“……Did my mother feel like this when we were young?”

To Leon's sneaky words, Jeremy also quietly replied.

“We were teenagers right? In other words, we added ten times over there.”

“……What should I do to be filial to my mother?”

"Isn't it the biggest filial piety that you guys disappear?"

As soon as she said that, Nora was immediately baptized with the roar of angry lions.
At this point, it can be said that he has reached the realm of true master-gaekjeondo.

"Don't judge Shuri's heart like Hahae for your own selfishness!"

"Wow, I haven't seen the Duke like that, but you're a very mean stepfather, right? This
was the truth!"
It's easy to say stepfather to the subject who is only four years older. It was absurd,
Nora thought, to have to take care of these big, disgusting creatures all the time. I
guess I'll have to plan a secret trip with Shuri sooner or later.

On the other hand, Elias, who must have been quite shocked by Anabella's order to
celebrate, was sitting in a corner with a very miserable appearance.

"Keuheuk... Taar... How could I abandon my father and choose someone else..."

"Be quiet when someone hears you and misunderstands you."

“……Hyung is scolding me for knowing something even though I don’t have children!

"Nora, do you know how he feels?"

"Well, I've never found out, and I have no desire to know."

When Shuri returned from her evening horseback riding with her daughter-in-law and
prospective daughter-in-law, the wolf's den was somehow maintaining a warm
atmosphere in about that way.

"Hey, our benevolent Mother Shuri."

"Oh, Jeremy. You left the palace early? Looks like you promised to see Diane?"

"Well, that's a combination of both... But did you fight again? Who won this time?"

"Of course, this mother won."

Shuri replied with a slightly satisfied expression, then took off her riding cap and
smiled brightly. Perhaps because of the exercise, her bright green eyes seemed to
shine even more today.

"But what happened? You look weak."

Doesn't it make sense that Neuwanstein's lion looks languid?

Jeremy tried to vehemently deny it right away, but somehow it felt futile and he just
kept his mouth shut. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly and wrapped her arms
around Shuri's shoulders. I was too old to do this. Come to think of it, even when she
was younger, she rarely did anything like this.

"Jeremy? What's wrong? What's wrong?"

There was a strange feeling of relief at the sound of the worried voice. He swallowed a
short sigh and shook his head.

"No, it's not like that... it's just..."

"Stop the motion. How does a grown-up guy cling to his mother so grossly?"

That was what Nora, who had just approached, glared at Jeremy with a very
disapproving look. And Jeremy, too, became her disapproving expression.

"Why do you disturb the mother-child reunion that even heavenly principles can't
prevent, you mean bastard?"

“Isn’t your older sister’s size too heavy for you?”

"Then shall I give it to you?"

"No, I don't like it. I just like being hugged by my sister."

In fact, Jeremy lost his fighting spirit at Nora's resolute response and pouted. In the
meantime, Shuri pretended to cover her head with his hands and let out a laugh.

"You guys are always good."

"Sah, where the hell are you going?!"

"Oh, sister. Michael's friend is here right now."

“A friend of Michael?”

"Yes. I came to say hello that I am leaving tomorrow. The kind captain of the guard
personally brought me. Didn't I?"

"..."

***

"I never thought I'd run into you here."

"I see. I wondered if you might be here..."

"That's a bit clumsy."

"Is that so?"

It was obviously clumsy even he thought about it, so Jeremy scratched his head
awkwardly. In contrast, Diane smiled leisurely and pointed her chin toward the
whirlwind stairs.

“Looks like it was brought in because of someone hanging out there.”

"No, rather than being dragged..."

In contrast to the two relatively fresh lovers, Elias, who had succeeded in getting
married long before his brother, showed a tendency to weep as soon as he saw his
wife.
"No, how can you abandon your father so coldly and follow that nasty guy!"

At this desperate cry, which seemed to vomit blood, Ohara simply clenched her
tongue.

"So why do you keep trying to interfere with the kids playing? Without notice."

"Nu, can't notice...! Wow! Wow! Shurii! Look at me! Everyone hates me! I'm just going to
die..."

"Ellie, I told you not to say anything weird when you have kids."

“……Sheesh, this is favoritism! Discrimination!”

His favoritism was Elias, who showed no signs of getting better no matter how old he
got.

On the other hand, Leon, the only one of them without a partner, began to feel a
tingling sensation for no reason. It seems that she will have to find a young lady who
likes mysteries sooner or later. She or she visits Safabi, who has her twin sister, and
meets the female warrior there… … .

"Kyahahaha!"

"The one who comes after is last!"

… … Really, there is no flash in the east and no flash in the west. I mean children. At
least, from Leon's point of view, there were no cubs of beasts flying around.

When I was a tadpole in a frog, the phrase "I can't think" is definitely used at times like
this.

"Hey, Mother. We're going home now..."

"Huh? It's almost meal time, so why don't we wait a little longer?"

"No, I've already taken care of myself... and I'm actually too tired..."

After all, as soon as I came back before the travel was over, I ran excitedly, so I was
sure to be fatigued. In addition, although it had been a while since she had become a
member of her family and she had become quite close to Shuri, Ohara still felt
awkward around Nora. Rather than being reluctant or uncomfortable, she was more of
a sheer nervousness. Of course, Nora didn't care at all, but Shuri was also aware of
that anyway, so she didn't hold on anymore. Instead, Elias began to stretch.

"I'm not going. Hey, everyone hates me..."

“……Anna, let’s go home. Leave Dad alone—”

"Why are you leaving me alone?! Where in the world is there a wife who abandons her
husband?!"

"Oh, Anna, are you going home already?"

"Uncle Seo Woo-nae?"

"Seo, who is sad! Fool!"

As Anabella and Michael ran into the parlor and chatted with each other, Theo
stopped at the entrance and watched the situation with bated breath. Jeremy quietly
approached him.

"there……."

"……Yes?"

I feel sorry for him as he immediately raises his head and raises his golden eyes as if
he is frightened.
Jeremy cleared his throat and glanced behind him, then took a few steps into the
hallway next to the entrance. An awkward voice flowed out, even for Jeremy himself.

"That's... I have something to tell you... to you."

"..."

Theo just stared blankly up at Jeremy with his eyes wide open. It's almost like crying.
And Jeremy felt the urge to run into her road. She's been talking to me, but how do I
start?

"So I..."

"..."

"It's big, so... what is that, that's what I was talking about earlier..."

"..."

"... Ahem hem, I'm sorry earlier. I mean, I yelled at you."

There was silence for a moment. While Jeremy, who had barely uttered the words of
apology, slowly looked at the other person's eyes, Theo just looked up at his face with
the same expression as if he hadn't heard him.

So Jeremy hesitantly added, finding himself even more hesitant.

"You must have been very surprised... Big. I'm sorry."

"..."

"... Hey, can I answer something? If you don't want to say anything, you can just hit me.
Hahaha."
At the same time as Jeremy smiled helplessly, the child who had been frozen like an
ice doll until then finally opened his mouth. She pursed her lips as if to say something
exactly, then she shut them back. And.

"Black..."

what is this? Jeremy blinked desperately at the thought that she had heard her
moment, but her heart sank as she witnessed the shocking scene unfolding before her
eyes.

"No, hey, you you..."

"Sobbing……."

"Why, why are you crying?!"

Oh God! What the hell did I say wrong?! Or, as the heartless wolf brother said, is the
face wrong?! Is it like that?!

Caught in chaos, Jeremy's pupil didn't know what to do and caused a violent
earthquake.

Theo wasn't kidding, he was really crying. She brought her fern-like hands together
and brought them to her eyes, her tears dripping from those large golden eyes.
Embarrassed for the first time in her life, Jeremy swallowed her dry saliva.

"Hey, kid, don't cry... no, why are you crying? I'm just apologizing... uh, did I make
another mistake?"

dory dory. To her surprise, the child shook her head quickly, caught her breath a little
as if to say something, and started sobbing again. Jeremy had so many younger
siblings and even a nephew, but he wasn't immune to this kind of situation, so it was
embarrassing. She's just gradually turning white in her head.

"I-don't cry for now! No, it's okay to cry, but I need a reason..."
Jeremy, who was lost and confused for a moment, stretched out his big paws (?) and
rubbed the child's cheek with his thick fingers. She didn't know what it was, but she felt
like she needed to wipe some of her tears.

"Hey, don't cry. Huh? I don't know what to do when the kids cry. Besides..."

"What are you guys doing there?"

It was almost at the same time that Nora's questionable voice, who hadn't followed her,
rang out, and Theo, who had been sobbing while holding his breath, burst into tears.
Thanks to that, it was only natural that in an instant everything was in a commotion.

"Huh, uhhhhh!"

"Oh, my eldest brother made the child cry!"

"Wow, what the hell did you do?! You made a child cry, anyway, that beast!"

"Theo, why are you crying? Did your brother bully you?"

"What the hell is this about?"

not me! Jeremy felt the urge to stop crying after her Theo. God, is this my karma?
Although I'm not sure what the karma is about... … .

“My God, what else is wrong?”

Shuri, who came straight through the group of children, gave Nora a look full of
wonder.

Nora shook her head hurriedly, meaning she didn't know anything. The gaze moved to
Jeremy. Jeremy nodded her head and shook her head at the same time. Her neck
muscles tingled as a result.

"I-I don't know either..."

"Theo? Baby, why are you crying?"

Theo, of course, didn't answer. Because he was in no condition to answer. He seems to

be trying to say something, but his voice doesn't seem to come out because he's
sobbing.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay…”

While Shuri was kneeling on the floor, carefully holding and comforting the child,
Jeremy just stared blankly at it. A strange expression flickered across Shuri's face as
she alternately looked at Jeremy and her child in her arms.

Destiny is so strange.

do you know If I hadn't come back, the father of a child other than this would have
been in front of you by now. This child would never have been born... … .

"I just want to apologize..."

"yes?"

"... I want to apologize for yelling at the kid..."

Mumbling rather poorly, Jeremy glanced sideways at Nora, who was standing across
from him. It was only then that Nora, who had a knowing look in her eyes, smiled
weakly.

"You're right."

"No, but I'm only really apologizing... So, with all my heart..."

"Wahhahaha! Even if hyung sincerely apologized, everyone would be there!"

“Hey, has that little brother ever sincerely apologized to anyone, even once?”
"What man?!"

Apart from the adults who were getting noisy, Theo stopped crying and was hiccuping
low. Shuri's hand gently patted the small back.

"Are you okay?"

“……Higuk…… don’t.”

"Huh? Can you say it again?"

"Higuk...... Mom. Higuk... I miss you..."

For an instant, silence fell. As the lion brothers exchanged solemn glances, Michael
quickly approached them. He then said very confidently, holding Shuri's arm with his
hand.

"Mom, you know, it's Theo's birthday tomorrow."

"……yes?"

"Yes. But he said he's leaving early in the morning. Home. So..."

***

"I thought you were crying too."

"What the hell are you looking at me for..."

"It really looked like it."

“Where are you looking?”

It's been a while since I've been so embarrassed, but does it make sense that we almost
cried together? Jeremy grumbled disapprovingly, and Diane's hand gripped the cheek
and stretched it out.

"Ouch!"

"So, have your concerns been resolved?"

Suddenly thinking, what does this mean? Jeremy's eyes twitched dumbfounded as he
rubbed his tingling cheek.

"What trouble?"

"I don't know. You should know better. Ever since I met that kid, you've been at a low
pressure, you. But now you look pretty good."

Did you mean that? Jeremy looked away shyly, thinking that what others were saying
could not be realized.

After the dinner, which was more luxurious than usual, Elias went back to their house,
and Leon sat on the sofa on the balcony and pretended to read a book, then
stretched out.

It was clear that Michael wanted to play more, but he couldn't control his drowsy eyes.
It was time for Theo to return to the imperial palace as well. After that, he couldn't
promise when he would be able to come back to the Empire.

"Are you worried?"

"yes?"

"Are you worried about him?"

"...A little? That's why I can't trust that guy who is his father..."

"But thanks to you, I made a good friend, so it's not such a bad situation, right?"

Of course, it was a problem that could be easily solved as long as Michael was there,
even if it seemed like there was no immediate promise. Because Michael will be able to
meet whenever he wants. Perhaps living apart from his father is possible. Of course, on
the condition that Theo himself wants it.

"Still, everyone treats them well. You, your siblings, and your parents too. Considering
the relationship with the deceased, it's amazing."

Jeremy was trying to refute the rich man in The Sound of Parents, but decided to just
quit. Instead, she licked her lips and pulled her lover close by her arm.

“The child did nothing wrong.”

"That's right. The child has nothing to do with it."

“……Yes, that’s right. Yes.”

"But do you have any intention of seeing your child?"

It was slightly mischievous, but the blue eyes that looked back at him were strangely
sincere.

Jeremy opened his mouth for a moment and stared into those eyes, then smiled and
said:

"Yes. If I'm with you."

Gaiden 6 - The Fellowship of the Ring and the Golden Bride

The figure of the lion radiating a dazzling golden light was majesty and mystery itself.

Blazing emerald eyes, a mane delicately embodied in every sweat, a mouth open as if
a loud roar could be heard at any moment, dense golden teeth and a tongue
embodied in detail, a muscular arm holding a sword menacingly... … .

“……Is this the Sphinx or what?”

The words Elias uttered with his tongue hanging out were accurate criticisms that
touched the hearts of the spectators gathered here, even though they were incorrect
definitions.

Jeremy, who seemed to be taken aback by the rising emotion, finally burst into tears
of emotion.

"What the hell did I do wrong!"

“Are you happy or frustrated?”

"You call that a question! Of course it's frustrating!"

"It's a pity to hear that there is a guy who gets frustrated after receiving a gold prize."

Nora, who was grinning like that, also had an uncommonly trembling look.

There is no one who hates receiving a golden statue, and a huge golden statue the
size of a real person as a gift.

Even so, the reaction of the left was not very good.

golden lion. The fact that it was the symbol of the Neubanstein family was known to
everyone in the empire, so there was no particular problem. Rather, it would be very
suitable as a wedding gift for the Neuwanstein family.
The problem was that it was not even a sphinx, but the opposite of the sphinx, namely
a lion's head and a human body.

The terrifyingly delicate touch of the producer melts into each stitch, and it is so
hyper-realistic that it makes you feel uncomfortable just looking at it.

On top of that, the life-sized size and extremely aggressive pose were added to it, and
I had the urge to laugh at the bravado of the owner rather than admire the maker's
passion and the amount of money the orderer must have poured into.

The problem was that Jeremy wasn't old enough to brag like that.

Even Elias, the most ostentatious member of the family, felt something very contrary to
pride when he saw that magnificent golden statue.

If it was just a lion statue, it would have been less embarrassing than it is now.

"What the hell is this! I'm not some kind of sentimental adolescent!"

"From what I've seen, it seems like a perfect gift for you..."

"Hey! Are you and your father doing this honestly?!"

"Did you see this baby? I can't thank you for the expensive money for your
grandchildren's marriage."

"Who the hell is the grandson of whose grandson?!"

Of course, Nora didn't know what her father was up to in sending her such a unique
wedding gift.

Did you really think you would like it?

"Calm down, hyung. First of all, it's a gift. It's your duty to receive it with gratitude."
Despite Leon's extremely reasonable blow, Jeremy let out an animal-like moan and
clutched his head.

Of course, since the sender was my friend's father and Shuri's father-in-law, I couldn't
swear at him, return it, or argue about what he was up to.

If the women who went out to play among themselves now came back and saw this
golden statue, it was obvious what their reaction would be.

Especially Diane and Rachel... … .

"I have to get rid of it."

Everyone had the same absurd expression at the spleen remarks that showed no
gratitude or courtesy to the gift giver.

"what?"

"Brother, are you crazy?"

"No, so I'm going to put my words in storage for now! You don't know if you leave it like
this and some greedy guy will take your eyeballs away, right?"

“Is that something you would say in front of loyal knights as the head of household?

The loyal knights of Neuwanstein only exchanged grim glances.

The person who received the gift was Jeremy, so they didn't know why they were
embarrassed and blushed.

If rumors about that statue of a lion spread, I would have to endure the ridicule of the
Nuremberg Knights for half a year.

“And to just leave the wedding presents from our family in the storage room, this isn’t
a challenge to a duel…”
It was Nora who naturally clicked her tongue. Jeremy was immediately furious.

"Ha, but what then!"

"What should I do, what should I do, I can just leave it here, the seat is perfect. Move
from the entrance of the hall with dignity..."

"Hey! You're not your business...! Your father sent it, so take it and keep it!"

"Say something sensible. Why am I taking the gift I sent you?"

"That's... Then, Elias, you...!"

"I hate it! My Ana will be scared and go crazy when she sees it, but am I crazy?!"

"You're going to be scared, don't forget that your daughter is definitely of lion blood.
The Neubanstein family is..."

"Don't fuck! I'm already an outsider!"

"Have you seen this world of the world! Returning the estate and a monk foreign cub!"

“Where is it that you give and take away, you crazy goju!”

After a long time of commotion like that, everyone became desperate and calmed
down and calmed down.

While Jeremy sat down with his bulky shoulders drooping down pitifully, Leon, who
could not take his eyes off the lion statue, opened his mouth quietly.

"If Rachel sees it..."

"Do not say."

"Then when mom sees it..."

"Don't even say that."

"Then, if the sisters see..."

"Just shut up!"

What was comforting was the fact that there were no women in the ecliptic who would
give absurd smiles and jeers upon seeing this.

Shuri, O'Hara, Dian, and even the Queen of Safabi, who visited the imperial family to
attend her older brother's wedding as an excuse to celebrate the founding of the
country.

Everyone was swept away by the opinion of Diane's last entertainment before
marriage and went on a long-awaited vacation to the spa area of the Nuremberg
estate.

Thus, they were the ones left on the ecliptic during the founding celebrations, along
with the children, who became more and more noisy with each passing year and
began to spill adult words over their ears.

Apart from feeling dissatisfied and lonely, he was just trying to live a small life while
preparing for the grand wedding coming at the end of the festival and taking care of
various security issues in the imperial capital.

Until a sudden emergency call from the prospective groom.

Surprisingly, it was extremely rare for Jeremy, who has a tendency to shovel while
suffering alone, to openly ask for help from his family (?).

So, Nora, the stepfather, and Elias, the brother who was a widower, dutifully (to ridicule
whatever the problem was) ran to one step, but they were greeted by a mongrel
golden statue that was too burdensome to look after.
Leon was originally at the Marquis' residence, so there was nothing to do but run.

"I'd rather just make a lion..."

It was Jeremy who couldn't bear to swear at his temper and just lamented.

It was gloomy how his fellow guardsmen would look at him once word spread about
this knight with a lion's head in pure gold.

"How about it, Lion of Neuwanstein. Wouldn't it be better to just be proud?"

"Can you do that?"

"It's kind of like that."

Nora scratched her head shyly. Even for the two most powerful people in the empire,
this is a very burdensome thing.

Even the imperial palace has no history of introducing a hyper-realistic hybrid image
like this, but if it didn't, it might gain a reputation as the best bluff family in the empire.

It might have been proud of it, since it was a family of high-ranking nerds, but... … .

It was a mystery why Albrecht, who knew it better than anyone else, had sent it as a
wedding gift.

Nora stabbed her downcast friend in the shoulder, trying to swallow the laughter that
kept leaking out.

"Hey, sloth cat."

"..."
“Comrade.”

“……Why. What.”

"Cheer up. What's wrong with a lion knight in the lion's den? It should be a little
burdensome to look at it..."

"Then you take it and turn it into a wolf's head."

"It's a dirty father's way to steal his stepson's wedding present."

Jeremy turned his head away, not wanting to say anything more.

In the meantime, Leon ordered the servants to cover the hybrid statue with a pure
white cloth.

It seemed that he couldn't stand it either.

"For now, let's cover it like this... Let's calmly plan what to do."

“……Do you have any good ideas, little scholar?”

"It's big brother's problem anyway, right? I have a mystery club meeting, so I have to
go."

"I knew that, short-legged short-legged bastard!"

Despite Elias' bold provocation, Leon left without even looking back without a second's
hesitation.

Jeremy, who had been staring blankly at that vague back figure, growled after a while.
"Is he dating these days?"

"What do I know? A short-legged bastard with no brotherhood."

It wasn't something Elias would say, but instead of pointing it out, Jeremy turned his
sad eyes to Nora, who was standing there.

Elias also naturally followed his brother and glared at Nora.

Nora was perplexed.

"You want to fight?"

“……Papa.”

"Wave what...?"

“Papa, I want a drink.”

"Ohh, what's wrong with you hyung! That's right! Marriage is just around the corner, so
it's best to have a cool drink among us! Be like a human being and watch the festival!
Wahahahaha!"

Jeremy glanced back at Elias, who was laughing with delight. Elias cleared his throat
right away, and she calmed down before speaking politely like never before.

"Papa, I'd like a drink too."

Nora unconsciously stroked the goose bumps on her forearm.

It seems that these are evolving more and more strangely as time goes on.

“Yes, drink among yourselves.”

"Oh why?! Are you going to turn away from these poor sons!"

"I've never had a son like you guys..."

"Wow, discrimination!"

"Look at the favoritism! Wow, have you seen such a mean stepfather! I'll tell Shuri
everything!"

As the sky was dyed in a mixture of purple and pink sunsets, the festival streets were
also colored with colorful lanterns.

No one spoke while passing the rows of street vendors, outdoor theatrical groups,
relief groups, and the lively, bustling crowd.

Jeremy, who had been looking around with eyes wet with inspiration, finally spoke up
as the starting runner.

"Hey, do you remember when we were kids?"

"……Well."

"The three of you, me, and Shuri went out to see the festival."

Nora, who had been keeping her mouth shut with a face that seemed to have lost her
soul, finally returned to a slightly more human expression.

"Of course I remember. How can I forget that?"

“Then you bought a cheap brooch and gave it to Shuri as a present?

"What, what are you talking about? The two of you came out to play at a place like this
with Shuri? Except for me?!
“You guys, Elias, were lost in their ignorance at that time, pretending to be a dream
tree.”

“Tazza was just a dumb gambler bastard.”

Seeing Jeremy and Nora ruthlessly revealing the old dark history, Elias went numb
and bit his tongue, then snarled again.

“What an example of an older brother like that!”

"Aren't you going to babysit your daughter, Elias?"

"The high-class nannies are taking care of you, and if I interfere, I'll only get in the
way?"

It seems like just yesterday that I was going around the neighborhood saying that I
couldn't trust the nannies, and doing all sorts of nuisance to the neighborhood.
Seeing the sudden change of attitude of trusting the nannies from one day onwards, it
seemed that even Elias could not bear the stubbornness of a child whose hair was
getting bigger and bigger.

Unexpectedly, Nora felt a new sense of identity.

Anyway, the place where the three of them, who had been enjoying a long-awaited
outing while chatting like that, stopped in front of a pub in Dorne, Elias's favorite shop
located in a corner of a street exclusively owned by the aristocrats.

Nora had an expression of disapproval.

"I'm just going to drink at home..."

"Anyway, he's not even funny. What's the point then?"

Elise, who threw a scolding as if she had waited, triumphantly took the lead and
pushed through the door.
There was mayhem all over the door.

***

slap slap.

"Um..."

"……me……."

slap slap.

"Ummm... that's good, ma'am."

"... Wake up!"

slap!

Elias' eyes widened at the small, sharp touch that hit his chest.

And when he faced the reality that the person standing right in front of him, basking
in the bright sunlight and smiling brightly, was not O'Hara, but his nasty little brother
with no buds, he screamed and fell off the sofa.

Udangtang!

"Quaaaaagh!"

“……Hey! What is it?! Is it an attack?!”

Suddenly from the back of the sofa, Jeremy's tousled head shot up.

It was as tattered and disheveled as Elias.

There was silence for a moment.

While the lion brothers, who had just woken up, looked on blankly with a confused
face, Michael moved leisurely and picked up the sketchbook on the sofa that Elias
had been lying on a moment ago.

Then he walked over and handed it to Anabella, who was standing at the entrance of
the hall.

Elias, who was looking at the scenery from a distance, suddenly realized that
something was strange.

Once Michael was here, the surrounding scenery was the drawing room of the Duke of
Nuremberg's residence.

In other words, they somehow came to the wolf's den last night and fell asleep, but how
is his precious daughter-in-law here?

“……Mi-Michael, you bastard! This little bastard dares to kidnap my daughter?!”

'I'll find you right now. Find... … .' It was none other than Anabella who stopped Elias,
who was about to launch a trembling threat.

Annabella didn't even look at her dad, but started to put Michael's head together and
open the sketchbook.

"My father kidnapped me."

"This little evil... Huh? What do you mean, daughter? I'm sure you'll take care of that
wicked guy now..."
“Dad kidnapped me here yesterday.”

A light of confusion and shock crossed Elias' crumbly face.

In the meantime, Jeremy staggered forward holding his heavy head. She was
desperate for water, water.

"Mu, water... Uh-huh!"

The water was right on the floor. It was unknown who had spilled it in his sleep.

Anyway, Jeremy stepped on the wet floor and slipped all the way and fell majestically.

Cranky! puck!

"Keah...!"

"Keep it...!"

Jeremy, who had escaped a concussion thanks to the human cushion, struggled for a
while.

That is, until Nora, feeling the fear of being crushed by an unexpected lightning strike,
kicked it out of nowhere.

"Daddy, damn it, you rabid cat, what else? What's wrong with you since morning?"

Nora jumped up and sat up, swearing in agony, and for some reason was wearing only
pants.

To make matters worse, he was wrapped around a tablecloth as a blanket. Jeremy

stammered at will, trying to bring her to her senses.
"Hey, speak nicely in front of the kids."

"what?"

Nora brushed her messy hair carelessly and turned her head away.

And only then did I see Michael and Anabella staring blankly at me.

Eventually, Michael let out a sigh, telling the ground to disappear.

"I'll pretend I didn't see it."

After that, the two kids walked amicably towards the gun barrel stairs.

The three adults just stared blankly at it with bewildered faces.

Finally, Jeremy mumbled with difficulty.

"Didn't your son like you very much?"

"……Yeah."

“What are you doing these days?”

“I must have reached puberty early.”

Just then, the sound of cheerful hand clapping rang out.

"Are you awake, sir? You two sir?"

It was none other than Eucrates, the butler of the duke's residence, who appeared in a
clean and decent appearance, completely different from the three noble men.
A look of disapproval melted into the wrinkled eyes.

"Yuke...? How did this happen..."

"I'm sure you won't claim now that you don't remember, Your Excellency, but
considering your state last night, it's not too surprising."

"How was I last night? No, more than that, why the hell am I wearing this while sleeping
here?"

Nora looked really puzzled.

Jeremy and Elias were no different.

Therefore, Eucrates sighed like Michael before and told the whole story of the incident
that had occurred the night before.

"... It was well past midnight. I was a little worried because His Excellency hadn't been
home so late lately, but since he was visiting the Marquis Neuwanstein's house, I
wondered if the conversation with the Marquis would be longer. Well, soon the
Marquis Isn't it your wedding day? Just as I was trying to organize the overdue
accounts, well, why did it suddenly become noisy outside? The old man's eyes
darkened and his heart sank, wondering if something had happened to the young
master or the young lady, but when I checked, I realized that your Excellency is drunk
and trying to climb over the fence of my house!"

Eucrates' spirit was so spleen and poignant that Nora dared to ask, 'Me?' I couldn't
bring myself to ask.

Elias and Jeremy laughed as they grabbed the painful goal.

"Puhahahaha!"

"Wahhahahaha!"
"Even you two don't deserve to laugh!"

The sneering stopped immediately. Eucrates now even threw his fist into the air,
accusing the atrocities of nobles less than three years old.

“To make matters worse, the Marquis, as a close friend, instead of stopping such a
dangerous act, is instead clapping and cheering loudly and loudly! He jumped down
on a horse! This old man was so blind and out of breath that he almost went to see the
old woman!"

Now it was Jeremy's turn to exchange awkward glances amicably with the same
expression as Nora's.

As for Elias, who was just about to burst into a triumphant victor's laugh again, he was
immediately speechless again.

“In addition, the count must have felt so much sorrow in the midst of that, so he was
sobbing and grabbing the knights of other people's houses and forcibly trying to hug
them? You don't know how cold the people must have been, how heartbroken this old
man was!"

"No, hey... that's me..."

"That's all in front of Lady Anabella watching over! Fortunately, the lady resembles her
elegant mother and maintains a calm demeanor throughout, but the poor nanny is so
blue that the old man's eyes fill with tears. Why did you bring the lady? When asked,
the only thing the Count said was, 'Well, we have to prove that Lady Anabella's
cuteness surpasses Lady Leia's.'

Finally, the butler of the wolf den stopped accusing him with deep resentment and
breathed heavily for a long time.

At this, the three immature nobles expressed concern that the butler might be in
danger of going to see the old woman again, but fortunately, such a situation did not
happen.

"Keuheum, first of all, Yuk. We were probably drunk enough to go crazy last night..."
"It's a shame because the madam was away. If the madam had witnessed the act of the
three of you, what kind of storms would have happened, this old man, I can't live with
my heart trembling! Did you do it, Your Excellency!"

“……I’m sorry.”

Even if he was the Duke of Nuremberg, he had no choice but to give up in front of the
elderly butler who had seen him since childhood. I have no choice but to pretend to
reflect hard. I couldn't remember at all, though.

It was the same with Jeremy. Anyway, Jeremy was feeling relieved that this was a wolf
den, not a lion's den.

If the place where they charged last night had been Marquis Neuwanstein's house, he
would have been the one who would be hanging his head in front of the aged butler
by now. Poor butlers.

Eucrates left after nagging for a long time. A moment of awkward silence passed
between the remaining three chapters.

Nora staggered to her feet and sat down on the conch that had been asleep when
Elias drool a moment ago. She felt like her bones were splitting from a hangover.

"Ah, my head... I don't know what all this is about. Do you guys remember anything?"

"I...well, I can only remember going into the pub yesterday. Elias?"

"I can't remember anything but that. Uu-san, how much did we drink?"

Grabbing their hangover-throbbing heads, no matter how much they pondered, they
couldn't remember the atrocities they had committed the day before. Rather, it only
made her head hurt more.

Nora picked up a shirt that had been thrown away randomly with swords in one
corner and put it on.

I never thought I'd look like a homeless person in front of my young son, and that
drinking was such a scary thing.
"Huu, my head hurts and I'm going to die... Anyway, I think we all had the taste to the
point that the accident stopped, but it's fortunate that it stopped with this much fuss.
After washing and doing a bit of detox, you'll come to mind."

Elias sat down on the floor, stretched out his limbs, and rolled his eyes to see Nora.

"Oh, I remembered something."

"What?"

“In that pub, my brother was teasing that he was getting married soon, and he paid for
all the human drinks there.”

“……Puff! Really? That guy?”

"Uh. You don't remember? I think you were arm wrestling with someone at the time."

"Have you ever been someone who wasn't you?"

"No, I was probably dancing on the table at the time. I remember watching the moths
throw so many coins at me."

Why can't I remember that important part? Nora burst into laughter, clutching her
aching head.

Elias, who would normally have been hot and swearing, muttered blankly, whether it
was because of a hangover or because he thought he was an idiot.

"I don't abstain from alcohol, but this is the first time I've ever been this drunk. I
kidnapped my daughter..."

"Hehehehe... your daughter is amazing too. I knew it wasn't normal."

"Haa, I don't think I'm really worthy of being a father. My daughter-in-law shows me
that kind of side..."

"What else are you so pessimistic about? Ana looks fine. I also said I looked ugly in
front of Mikhail a while ago. There is no shame like this."

For some reason, Jeremy was silent while Elias and Nora were making a warm
appearance that you would only see once a year.

He was alone, deep in thought, fidgeting. It was the moment when Nora, who began to
feel strange about her, raised her head to check.

“……This XXX, this is nonsense!”

"Ah, surprise. Why are you cursing all of a sudden? What came to mind?"

Jeremy slashed vigorously. Soon, the blood drained away and her face turned white. A
light of indescribable shock and fear flashed in his wide, wide-eyed eyes.

Nora and Elias exchanged glances, but at the same time asked a warm question.

"what's the matter?"

"Hey... I, what should I do... what should I do? I think I'm in real trouble."

"Why? What is it? Do you remember something very embarrassing?

Once again Jeremy slapped hard. Her pale blue face contorted as if crying.

"...is gone."

"what?"

"It's almost gone, a 20-carat wedding ring!"

After a moment of silence, Elias opened his mouth. Elias murmured with a bemused
look, claiming that she just didn't know what face to make.

"Why are you carrying that in the first place...?"

"Is that a problem now?!"

"No, that's true. Why do you carry on after you let go of that fuss just because you got
it right?"

"It's important, so I carried it with me. Why did I have to carry it with me!"

“Even so, even going out for a drink…”

“Did I know from the beginning that this would happen?

Of course, it was Jeremy who brought up the topic of wanting to drink in the first
place, but Jeremy didn't pay any attention to that fact. All her attention was on her
now vanished wedding ring, and her eyes were widening.

As it was a rather late proposal, it was a custom-made ring that took a long time to
pay special attention to.

Luxurious wedding ring with a 20-carat diamond and solid gold tiara decoration. It's a
treasure that I've been carrying around while waiting for the wedding day to hand it
over.

That's how it disappeared overnight.

"Haha, what should I do? What should I really do? If I don't have it, how will I get
married? What will I tell Diane? Huh? What should I do?"

"If you find another ring ring..."

"Say something sensible! It's not like any other ring would ever be! Goddammit, I don't
know what kind of overboard son of a bitch dared to snoop, but if I get caught, I'll rip
your leg off and kill you on the spot!"

It was Jeremy who struggled alone, burst into tantrums, and made all sorts of
scoldings.

Nora, who had been watching with a blank face no less than Elias, finally intervened
quietly.

"Calm down, idiot. We went out with the sword yesterday."

"What the hell does that have to do with it?!"

"If you combine the fact that there is no guy in the imperial capital who doesn't know
our faces and the fact that we were armed, it comes to the conclusion that unless you
were a guy who had no regrets in life, you couldn't have started pickpocketing. It's
absurd to say that, but where did you carry it?"

"In the inside pocket of my jacket. It was right here!"

Unlike Nora, who woke up half-naked, neither Jeremy nor Elias were wearing the same
clothes they had worn the day before.

Furthermore, Jeremy's jacket was buttoned up to his neck. If you've been walking
around like that all day yesterday, the chances of pickpocketing are very slim.

Really, what kind of madman would risk his life to pickpocket a Neuwanstein lion?

Besides, pubs in Dorne were not ordinary pubs with all sorts of people in and out.

"Are you missing anything, Elias?"

Elias shook his head and ran his hands over his body.
"I don't have it. Look, even the gold coins are still in my pocket. If someone tried to
steal it, they would have touched me first."

"There's a point. Then, the only hypothesis I can come up with is that that dumb cat
got drunk and handed it over to someone with my own hands..."

"Am I crazy?! No matter how drunk I am, I won't do crazy things like that!"

“I don’t even remember, so how can you be sure of that?”

"That, that's..."

"No, my older brother's claim is plausible. I said earlier, that he was drunk with
excitement about getting married. There's no way that a person who was only thinking
about getting married in the middle of that would have handed over his wedding ring
to just anyone."

Elias' confident support made Jeremy's expression very thrilled. Of course, it soon
turned into tears.

"If someone didn't sneak it, what really happened? What should I do? What should I
really do now? How the hell can't I remember anything?!"

"I told you to calm down. First of all, let's take a look at it step by step... First, it's better
to search all over the inside, and then check Elias's house."

Nora snapped her fingers at the suggestion, and Jeremy immediately began to stare
at his brother with murderous eyes.

Elias was frightened.

"Ah, no, why are you suspicious of me again?! I don't know why you're doing this, but I
really didn't do anything this time?!"

"...Ana is here. The fact that you kidnapped her here is proof that she stopped by your
house before we stormed our house yesterday. Who knows what that idiot might have
spilled there."
A little hope flashed in Jeremy's gloomy eyes.

Of course, hope was just hope. Just in case, I searched the inside of the duke's
mansion, including the drawing room where I slept all night, went to Elias's mansion
and repeated the same thing, but neither the ring nor the pouch I put the ring in was
found.

According to the testimonies of the servants with shaking pupils, Elias, who had come
last night wearing the Marquis of Neubahnstein and the Duke of Nuremberg,
recklessly picked up Anabella, who had been sleeping soundly next to her nanny, while
laughing and making noise. He then explained that he hadn't even heard of Jeremy's
ring.

Eventually, Jeremy collapsed on the floor and began to let out a roar of frustration.

"I'm ruined. I'm completely ruined now! I don't even deserve to live with such a stupid
stupid head! Diane, I'm sorry!"

"Yayaya, what are you doing?!"

"Calm down, hyung! Even if I try to explode my head, the ring won't come out!"

After barely tearing off Jeremy who was self-harming while banging his head on the
ground, the three of them decided that there was no answer to the memories that
could not come up no matter how much they squeezed their messy hair. It was in front
of the pub of

“……Is there a ring here?”

Nora tapped the shoulder of Jeremy, who muttered in a dejected voice bordering on
despair.

"Even if there isn't, there might be some important clues. We're drunk enough to be
unconscious right here. Let's retrace our history step by step. The truth always laughs
close by."
"Yes, brother. It's not quite over yet. We still have time and hope!"

Jeremy became a friend who regained hope a little at the uncharacteristic

appearance of a friend and younger brother who gave warm consolation after a long
time.

The three men strolled in front of the pub, creating a warm atmosphere that was rare.

Just then, Mr. Dorne, the owner, came out and was sweeping the door with a comb
himself. Elias waved her hand and greeted her with his usual snarky greeting.

"Hey, Dorne."

dump!

Mr. Dorne looked up at them and suddenly dropped the comb he was holding.

While everyone looked at him in bewilderment for a moment, Mr. Dorne seemed to turn
pale in an instant, and the next moment, he suddenly started to run away.

The reaction of the three nobles at the same time to this dubious reaction was as
follows.

"catch!"

"That bastard!"

cry and cry

The aristocratic-owned streets filled with neat and fancy shops were transformed into
such a bloody hunting ground for a while.

Mr. Dorne screamed and ran to save his life, but the middle-aged pub owner, who was
not on good terms with sports, even brain-dead. There was no way he could outrun
the two muscular knights and the arrowhead.
"Got it, you bastard!"

"Aaaaaagh!"

"Hey, boy, where's my ring?! Where did you buy it from! Do you know what it is?!"

Jeremy rushed right in, grabbed Mr. Dorne by the collar vigorously, shook him
mercilessly, and growled. It was a terrifying force that seemed to tear apart the owner
of a pub the age of his father on the spot.

Poor Mr. Dorne screamed loudly as his limbs floundered madly with his feet in the air.

"S-save me, Your Excellency! This lowly fellow is planning a third with his wife! I will
readily admit defeat, so please take two eggs..."

"I'm not interested in either of your eggs, you bastard!"

"Aaaagh! Please have mercy...! I will never dare to make a bet like that again!"

"What bullshit is this again?! Where is my ring? My ring!"

***

"Eat. Your hangover will go away in an instant."

An unpleasant stench rose from the cup containing the unknown black liquid.
Suspicions arose as to whether it was really a hangover drink or poison for the spleen,
but they all dutifully picked up their glasses as something had happened a while ago.

"Uh, what does it taste like..."

"Ugh..."

Jeremy and Elias, who bravely took a few sips, alternately sighed. Instead of tasting
the dubious drink, Nora spoke cautiously to the still grimacing hostess.

"So, this friend made a bet with you yesterday?"

"Well, that's how it happened. I was in a state of excitement too. I don't usually drink
alcohol, but I kept insisting that I was more confident than anyone else, so I somehow
ended up making a bet..."

"And you bet two eggs?"

“……It wasn’t because I wanted to bet. Because he insisted that if I lost, he would pick
two eggs… Such a bet was so common in a place like this that no one took it seriously.
Are you afraid to come around like that? Stop it..."

Elias burst into a scathing sneer, but then a shriek was heard, and a cackle sounded.
Jeremy looked very embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. You deserved to run away."

"Well, it's okay. You must have been suspicious."

Indeed, Mr. Dorne reacted generously and coolly, befitting the proprietor who had
been through all sorts of true aristocrats over the years.

The lions became thrilled, and Nora took one shot at a hangover cure drink as a way
of paying her respects. Then, holding his head, he shook it for a long time.

It was daytime, so the pub was not yet open, so there was no one inside except the
four of them. Nevertheless, Jeremy, who had finished the pretend to look around, now
opened his mouth with a more serious attitude.

"I don't suspect you, but actually we're looking for something."
"I think so. Is that the ring you are looking for?"

"What?! No, wait, how did you do that..."

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden? Didn't you just choke me to give me the ring!"

“……Ah, that’s right. I did. I’m sorry.”

Jeremy still looked very unwell. She didn't know it might be a side effect of banging her
head on the ground earlier. So, Elias came out with a sad tone, befitting a regular.

"Never mind, my brother is kind of like that. Anyway, all three of us don't remember
anything about what happened yesterday? So, can you tell us exactly what we did
here yesterday?"

"I hadn't even heard of the ring."

“……I thought so, but then just shake off what we said no matter what we did.”

"You really don't remember, do you?"

"Mistress, then what are we doing here from morning on with a shovel like this?"

Mr. Dorne looked at them alternately with disbelief for a moment, and then, in a sigh
mixed with tone, confessed what he had seen yesterday.

The three aristocrats who listened intently with bright eyes soon dropped their jaws
weakly with the same look.

According to Mr. Dorne's testimony, this is roughly what happened here yesterday.

At first, everyone was so gentle and respectful. It is said that Elias is a regular, so she
ordered a drink as usual, and the other two looked very uncomfortable and
exchanged greetings with other noble guests.
Then, at some point, Elias ordered a drink with a grandiose and powerful name called
'Lion's Roar'.

It seemed that it was somehow enviable and good, and other customers rushed to
order alcohol with all sorts of beasts.

It was said that soon everyone became drunk in an instant and began to celebrate.

While all the guests were chanting and dancing in a manner that had given away all of
their aristocratic dignity, Jeremy, equally drunk, jumped out of his seat and gave a
grand speech about life with grandiose bragging about his upcoming wedding. It is
said that he turned a 'lion's roar' to everyone in the pub by spreading a 'roar of a lion'.

In the meantime, Elias performed a flamboyant dance on the table and received an
enormous amount of gold coins.

And while Nora watched Elias dance with the other guests, she threw gold coins with
her. Then, when a man claiming to be a retired knight said about Elias, 'Young guys
these days are like clowns', Nora started arguing. said to have done

Somehow, it led to arm wrestling, not sparring, and in the end, he competed in arm
wrestling with everyone in the pub, and even extorted money for alcohol.

“……Well, after playing for a while like that, the Marquis suddenly grabbed me and
made the drinking bet I mentioned before. The result, as you know, I lost. "

"..."

“Anyway, after winning, he laughed heartily and said he was happy, and then he
grabbed my hand and burst into tears. And when he said that, he asked me to be his
father, the real father who went to hell and the stepfather who stole my mother. I didn't
like it, so please hold my hand and enter with me at the upcoming wedding ceremony.
It was just a strange joke."

Udangtang!

After falling off the chair, Elias grabbed his stomach and began to laugh out of
breath. And,
"Did you see such an immoral bastard!"

thud!

Nora's grip grabbed Jeremy's head and slammed it mercilessly against the wooden
table in the bar. Jeremy, who had been hit again where she had been injured earlier,
made her scream.

"Ahh! You don't even know what a drunken joke is!"

"It's a drunk story.

"Aah! I'm going to say this to Shuri! How much Shuri treats me like gold, you violent
bastard!"

It took quite a while for the three men with complicated genealogies to regain their
senses and sit down politely.

Mr. Dorne was becoming more and more difficult to understand them now, but he
added calmly nonetheless.

"Then, after a while, the three of them rushed out together. That's the last I remember
of the three of them."

"Wait, what time was it?"

"Well, it's probably a little before 7. It was time for the dinner menu to be served. I
offered to serve you, but the Duke said he had to go to a real festival and dragged the
other two away."

Jeremy's desperate gaze intertwined with Nora's blank gaze.

It was 7 o'clock in the evening, according to Lucian's testimony, it was early morning,
well past midnight, when they stormed the duke's residence.
Even with the stop at Elias' house and taking Anabella with him, there was still a lot of
time left.

What were they doing in the meantime?

***

"under……."

Jeremy staggered out of the pub and slumped on a nearby bench. Tears of
frustration and fear filled his emerald eyes.

"It's over. I'm over now. People like me have no choice but to just leave..."

Nora and Elias merely exchanged blank glances.

"Tell me since you're a regular. What's the probability that the owner lied?"

"The Mr. Dorne I know is a bit rough, but he's not the kind of man who would flirt with
aristocrats. Oh, by the way."

"Why? Did you suddenly think of something suspicious?"

"It's not like that. Why did you do that yesterday?"

"Yesterday? What did I do yesterday?"

"I heard you got mad when someone called me a clown. What's the reason?"

"..."
Nora stopped looking away from Elias and approached Jeremy.

The poor Neuwanstein's lion was ready to let go of his pride as a knight and burst into
tears in a public place.

"Hey, kitty. Come to your senses."

"I'm done... I've ruined everything... I've ruined everything..."

rumble.

In the meantime, the belly button clock was doing its job faithfully.

Nora spoke calmly, blocking the autumn sun with one hand.

"Let's start with a meal. Then, guess what each other remembers, one by one."

“……How is that possible? I still can’t think of anything…”

“The pub owner said that I should go to a real festival. I think we may have been
walking around the festival streets like in the old days.

"What do you think of when you fill your stomach?"

“There is a close correlation between sugar intake and memory.”

It sounded pretty plausible, so Jeremy looked up with teary eyes. The sky was very
clear today.

"Then what should I do...?"

For a moment, Nora stared blankly at the tearful face of the friend she couldn't bear
to look at, then spread her palm and rubbed Jeremy's bruised forehead.

"Let's do something from your magic."

***

Jeremy declared that he would never return home until he got the ring back. I insisted
that I would not go not only to my house, but also to my parents' house (?) and my
brother's house.

This self-tortured attitude forced Nora and Elias to get caught up in a situation where
they had to leave the mansion dinner and eat on the street.

"This soup tastes bad."

"That's right. The ham doesn't even smell that bad..."

Even so, the market said it was a side dish. A small restaurant in Dorne's pub
neighborhood boasts decent food.

After filling his stomach to some extent, Jeremy, who had come out of the restaurant
and was leading the way in the noisy plaza, seemed to have regained his senses, and
spoke in a much clearer voice.

"This is all because of you, Elias."

“……Why are you suddenly blaming me? What did I do?”

"If you hadn't put a strange spell like a lion's roar or scream in the first place, we
wouldn't have anything to take!"

“Mistress, did you know that I would end up like this?!

It was. Jeremy, speechless, turned the arrow at Nora this time.

"If your dad hadn't sent me that strange present, I wouldn't have wanted to drink so
much."

"This immoral bastard is fucking again. Is he complaining even if I give him a gift?"

"Because it's frustrating, because it's frustrating!"

"In the first place, even if you didn't uselessly carry it around, you wouldn't have lost
anything? Rather than leaving it alone, really!"

Jeremy pouted and turned his head at that point because he wasn't confident enough
to handle this gloomy situation by himself. Then, from earlier, she made eye contact
with the street vendor who seemed to be staring at them.

The merchant who met Jeremy's eyes immediately spoke with a friendly smile.

"What are you looking for?"

“……How did you do that……”

"What are you looking for? Just say anything."

Isn't it just a dew point? Jeremy, who has lost all sense of reality in her desperation,
sneaks closer to her street vendor.

"Whatever?"

"Yes, I'll find anything you want. Come on, tell me."

He seemed very confident and relaxed at the merchant who urged him with his hands
fluttering. A ray of hope shone in Jeremy's gloomy eyes.
"That's... I'm looking for some rings."

"Is this a gift for Bonama or Jeongin? What design are you looking for?"

how did you know that You must know something too. He didn't even know that there
was an information route shared between the street vendors and affiliated guilds.

Obsessed with that hope, Jeremy began to describe in detail what the missing ring
looked like.

In the meantime, Nora and Elias, who came after him wanting to do something, stared
at each other, speechless.

“……And there’s a 20-carat diamond embedded in it…”

"Oh, you're lucky. Just that kind of thing just came in."

“What……? Is that really true?!”

"Yes. Wait a minute, let's see..."

Jeremy clutched his throbbing chest and waited impatiently as the vendor bent over
and rummaged through the drawers under the stall.

After a while.

"Oh, here it is. It's a top-notch brand that just came in. It's 500 the cut."

There was silence for a while. While Jeremy was just staring at her, unable to
understand what the situation was, Elias, who had been watching her while clicking
her tongue, finally stepped up and gave up.

"How dare this son of a bitch sell drugs to aristocrats? Can you sleep at night if you do
such a trick with a piece of glass that can't even be 5 cuts?"
“……Sheesh. Not if you don’t want to buy it.”

Without the slightest hint of reflection, the merchant clicked his tongue shamelessly
and put the glass bead-plated ring back on. Jeremy just looked back at her brother
blankly.

"What the hell is this..."

"Ah, this is an act of soliciting guests. It's a tactic that the naive nobles who came out
to look at the streets during the festival season are surprisingly good at it. This
bastard must have been targeting us from a while ago."

Only then did Jeremy realize the truth that he had looked like a model of a foolish
aristocrat ignorant of the world driven by a sense of desperation.

However, the merchant was unexpectedly calm as if he were the owner of a huge wall,
so he only babbled with a shameless attitude.

"Anyway, I can't tell if they are nobles, and even if I pretend not to, they spend so much
on superstitious pseudo-astrologers, and they're not very picky about things like this..."

Nora, who was just giggling as if she was having fun, opened her eyes.

"Just say that again."

"No, what I mean is that we all want to live on our own. We'll stop talking about
nonsensical superstitions, but don't you leave these things behind? If you're going to
cut my throat, I can't help it, but... ."

"Your neck doesn't seem to be worth a decoration, so that's okay, what are you talking
about as a pseudo fortune teller?"

“Ah, I’m sorry if that comment offended you. It’s a habit of lowly merchants, so don’t
worry about it. It’s a fact that the lowest of us know that these servants are the most
vicious swindlers. Stop this..."
It was a face that didn't look sad at all, but that wasn't the point. Jeremy, who had
been staring at her, and Elias, who was raising her nose like a hero who saved the
country, had the same expression as Nora and exclaimed hastily.

"Where are you?!"

"Yes? What do you mean..."

"Where is that fortune teller or something!"

***

“……Did we really come here?”

After handing over a gold coin to the old merchant, following the information he
heard, he left the plaza and passed through an alley densely packed with small
workshops.

“It feels familiar here.”

"Uh, me too."

"Me too."

It was natural to feel a sense of deja vu. This alley had been the hideout of Elias, who
was in the middle of a gambler's game on a festival night many years ago.

Jeremy and Nora, the culprits who destroyed the gambling meeting, which had the
grandiose name of 'the second son's gathering', had a faint expression for a moment
at the old memories that slowly bloomed.

"We're really going to come and see all of these places."

"I see, I think I've been thinking about the old days while drunk."

Unlike the two of them, Elias, who could not regard the incident as a memory, took the
lead and entered the building.

As soon as I walked through the red curtain hanging behind the small wooden door
and entered, the smell of castor oil mixed with the scent of an unknown scented
candle stung my nose.

"What is this..."

The dark red room with no windows had no ventilation, making it difficult to breathe.
Stuffed rodents and pressed skulls decorated here and there created a gloomy and
mysterious atmosphere.

"You're back again, lonely strangers. Have a seat."

The Fellowship of the Ring was a little taken aback when a bag of rags crouched
behind a table with burning scented candles suddenly spoke.

Nora was about to say something, but a desperate Jeremy suddenly sat down on the
floor. Therefore, Nora and Elias also ended up sitting cross-legged side by side.

The fortune teller, wrapped in a rag bag, turned to sit and light a new candle. A
stronger scent than before came up. The aquiline nose entangled with warts was
twitching as if it was too much for her.

“Hey, hey, I’m sorry I interrupted you, but we…”

"Shh! Be quiet, flower boy. The spirits might be surprised and run away."

The flower boy frowned. Jeremy and Elias also frowned, implying that they couldn't
agree.

“I think my eyeballs are sprained.”

"I guess so."

"Let's see, the golden lion has lost something precious."

It was an abrupt throw from the fortuneteller who was sniffling and rustling something.
Jeremy involuntarily stuck her head forward.

“How did you do that…”

“I regret it with a feeling of vomiting blood, but once it is gone, it can never come back.
So, to vent my anger, I wanted to destroy everything, including myself.”

As silence encroached on the dreary room, a possessed voice overwhelmed the crowd.

“Remorse after loss is commonplace, and it alone cannot turn the clockwork of fate
back. However, another despairing lone knight intervened and tried to sacrifice this
world, leaving the burning empire dead. I dedicated it to the tomb of the king and
turned back the mainspring."

“……Who is that lone knight?”

"The thread of fate has been intertwined and brought about today's new era... hmm? A
flower boy."

"Mistress, what are you seriously asking! What is this impostor trying to do? Are we
funny?! Huh?!"

Udangtang!

Elias, who could no longer endure the churning air and the fortuneteller's bullshit,
jumped up and kicked the candle-lined table. Jeremy, who had been listening to her
with great enthusiasm in the wind, also came to her senses.

"Yes, you swindler old man! Seeing that guy from earlier on, I'm sure he's selfish, but
he's already married to my mother! He's my father!"
Nora shook her shoulder and giggled at Jeremy's remark, which she did not dare to
listen to. The fortune teller, who looked at the shattered table with a moment of
bewilderment, soon burst into anger.

"Aww, why are the young nobles going back and forth like this?! They liked it
yesterday!"

"what?"

“Yesterday, he even called me Lady because he thought it was strange, but he’s like
this!”

"Ooh, when will we..."

"Well, I knew it would be like this. Anyway, high-ranking people are all happy for a short
time."

The fortune teller added bitterly and began tidying up the scented candles that had
fallen on the floor. For some reason, the lion brothers just stared blankly for a
moment, feeling like they had become a terrible villain.

"We were here yesterday, right?"

"Is it just that you came?"

"Whoah, wait, wait. First of all, I apologize for my brother's rudeness. But we don't
remember anything about last night..."

“Even if you say that, I can’t return the money for the confinement. Well, why do people
who know about it?

"This old man is really...!"

Just as Jeremy was about to lash out again, Nora, barely suppressing her laughter,
staggered to her feet.
“We also have common sense. To pay for the table, is it possible with jewelry?”

"This place doesn't handle anything but cash, flower stones are in bloom. It doesn't
even accept bills."

"Really? Then I'm sure they gave you cash yesterday too."

“Ahmyo, that carrot-like person said that he earned money by dancing and gave me a
lot. Thanks to that, I was going to rest for a while…”

Elias' face immediately flushed red.

"Why is that black guy a flower stone and I'm a blush?!"

"Shut up, idiot. Are you sure? So we didn't give you anything other than that."

"You mean laughter, applause, praise?"

"For example, jeweled jewelry..."

"I don't accept jewelery as a service fee. There are so many swindlers in the pawnshops
around here. Let's not end it. Young people don't think about earning money
honestly..."

"...I don't think that's what you meant."

"The big tits who now treat someone as a swindler, I've been trying to figure it out even
in my previous life! It's all because of the karma from my previous life that I'm
struggling now, karma!"

"What's wrong?!"

Jeremy, enraged, lunged at the fortune teller, causing some commotion.

If Elias and Nora had not worked together to catch and pull out Jeremy, who was
rampaging along the road, the fortuneteller who hit the jackpot last night would have
died without ever spending the money.

"Calm down, wildcat bastard! If you react to the chatter of those breeds one by one,
you'll only lose yourself... OMG! Hey, where are you kicking?!"

"I can't let go of this! That old man must have stolen my ring, I can tell just by looking
at it!"

"Mistress, then let's search the pawnshops around here! Really, if someone had been
really good at groping your breasts, they would have gone to the pawnshops by now!"

Both Nora, who was desperately holding on to Jeremy for the unexpected issue that
Elias brought up after a long time, and Jeremy, who was struggling with twisting his
limbs, all became thrilled at the same time.

"Surely my brother!"

"Didn't you stutter?"

Nora had to dodge Elias's mighty kicks for the sin of unfounded suspicion.

After a while they started trudging back the way they had come.

"But where should there be one or two pawnshops..."

"You really don't mean to search all the pawnshops around here, do you? Common
sense suggests that someone groping your breasts doesn't make sense. Elias, didn't
you mean that too?"

Elias nodded at Nora's suspicious question.

"Uh, so that's what it should be... What is it, those things again?"
Elias frowned and raised his head. The people who had opened the windows on the
second floor of the workshop building in front and were staring at them rushed inside.

Needless to say, it was a suspicious landscape.

"What are those again?"

"Maybe it's because you guys keep babbling loudly. Let's get out of here."

Jeremy grabbed Nora's shoulder as she hurriedly responding as if joking, and

stopped her.

"No, wait. Aren't you weird?"

“Some aristocrats are making a lot of noise, and I’ll come out to watch even if it’s me.”

"It didn't feel like just watching. Those people might have seen us yesterday..."

"What else did you come here for?"

The three young men, who were about to put their heads together, were startled and
their eyes widened at the indignant voice that burst through the air.

Suddenly, the front door of the studio building in question opened and a middle-aged
man came out and glared at them, Jeremy to be exact.

Rather than being threatening or rude, it was a look of desperate sadness that I
couldn't understand for some reason.

“What is this bastard?

Despite Elias' bloody growl, the workshop owner, that is to say, the man who appeared
to be the studio owner, just glared at Jeremy without hesitation.
Instead of getting angry, Jeremy became bewildered.

"Have you ever met me..."

"If you've done that, aren't you done now? Do you still have something left to harass?
No matter how lowly we are, we know that it's not something we should do as knights!"

Thick tears fell from the studio owner's eyes as if vomiting blood. It was so painful and
distressing that it even pierced the heart of the viewer.

Nora, who was stiff with a blank face no different from her sons (?), cautiously
approached him.

"Hey, what the hell do you mean by that.... It's not something to do as a knight, does
that guy do anything here?"

"If I tell lies anyway, I'll slit my head. Yes, as much as you like. However, I have no shame
under heaven!"

"Why are you all scolding each other for offering your necks like this today... Listen
carefully, first of all, I'm not interested in your neck. I'm not interested in anything that's
decorative or not. But I don't know if that stupid guy did something uncharacteristic of
a knight. I need to know something."

The workshop owner breathed heavily for a moment and looked up at Nora's serious
face.

Then, wondering what he was thinking, he opened his mouth in a much less agitated
voice than before.

"Although you may not believe it, I have never broken the law or done anything
shameful under the sun in my entire life since I was a toddler."

“You do have a pretty honest face.”

“The family members of this workshop are just like all honest people who live hard
every day. But what crime did we commit, and what sins did we have to suffer such a
terrible misfortune on such an auspicious day? I just resent God. ."

"So what the hell is that..."

"What happened? Ask him directly! What did you do here with those great colleagues
in Kanban!"

Both Nora and Elias turned their heads side by side and looked at Jeremir.

Jeremy was just stunned and had a confused expression, as if he had been struck by
an unexpected lightning strike.

"What the hell did I do? What the hell happened here last night?"

"under……!"

The workshop owner, who had let out a sigh as if full of energy, now cried out in
sorrowful tears.

"Are you saying you don't know what you're doing now? You've destroyed our nest, this
place that's responsible for our livelihood, like that?"

"what?"

"Is that all? If that was all, we would have just been unlucky and made it through the
ordeal. But for talking back, a child like my son, a child we treated like a daughter, like
that! Tell me, what happened to those children? Are you still alive?"

It was an almost screaming scream. Jeremy's face was completely bewildered.

The chaotically opened emerald eyes shook with shock and fear.

"What the hell is that..."

"Hasn't the Lord taken them away, children like my own children! That child crying and
begging... is that the proud chivalry of the Empire? Is that the dignity and right of the
nobility? How could a man do that? you mean!"

***

The Fellowship of the Ring returned to the place where they woke up this morning, the
Duke of Nuremberg.

To be precise, Nora and Elias almost moved Jeremy.

It was because Jeremy was in no condition to think properly.

“There must have been a misunderstanding. Another person who looked similar… there
was no way my brother would have done that.

Jeremy couldn't come to his senses even at the words of Elias, who expressed his long-
awaited brotherly love.

The lion of Neuwanstein, who was resting on the sofa, had a terrible light of despair on
his face, whose soul had now been blown away.

"I-I really did that..."

"Stop talking nonsense! Obviously we've been together all night. It doesn't make any
realistic sense that you sneaked off on your own behind us and did that with some
sluts. Either someone got it wrong, or some crazy guy imitated you."

Jeremy blankly looked up at Nora's face, who was holding onto her shoulders and
asserting her strength.

“If I really did it…? We don’t remember anything about last night anyway.
"So it can't be..."

“Even if someone pretended to be me, how could we be so similar? "

“Maybe he pretended to be a knight, where are the three robbers who sell the names
of nobles at will? And it was in the middle of the night.

Despite Nora's tearful friendship-like persuasion, Jeremy just shook his head. Finally,
Elias stepped up again to help.

"Hyung, even if it was really hyung, you weren't crazy at the time. So I mean..."

"Being drunk is no excuse."

“……Well, that’s the case, but anyway, I don’t think you did that?!”

"No, I, I said I did it. I said I did such a terrible thing... I tortured some crazy people and
those poor people and dragged the children away...!"

Terrible tears welled up in his green eyes full of despair and fear. Elias and Nora were
just distant, so they just looked at it.

The next moment, Jeremy's hand grabbed Nora's arm. It was such a desperate gesture
that Nora couldn't even flinch.

“In the end, I guess I was no different from my father.”

"……Hey you……."

"In a way, it's better, because I know now. Someone like me doesn't deserve to marry
Diane. After all, I just have to live alone for the rest of my life and die."

“What are you talking about?

No answer came to Elias' bewildered question. Nora spoke as calmly as she could,
managing to suppress the urge to give Jeremy's weeping face a powerful blow.

"Won't you come to your senses? There's nothing confirmed yet, but you're going to dig
into the ground alone? I know you, but we know you, do you hear that?"

"But maybe I did! Even if I'm sure I never did it, even if everyone else believes it, what if
it's not true? What if I had some crazy genetic disease that I didn't even know I had? I
was drunk and it didn't happen." If it pops out..."

"No matter how drunk you are, you can't be a different person. Got it? We all did some
stupid things yesterday, but it was really just our own stupid things. You, my wife's son,
I know you, you're not the kind of person who would do such a thing. "

Only then did Jeremy regain his focus a little at Nora's assertion, full of unknown
certainty.

“……Do you really believe that?”

"That's right. You should start thinking about revealing your innocence no matter
what. If you're going to dig into the ground as if you've waited that long alone, just
beat them all up. As the head of the family, I can't hand over Diane to a weakling like
you."

It was then.

“Your Excellency, the third son has visited.”

Entering the drawing room, which was full of chaos, Nora immediately became
stunned at the report that the head butler quietly threw.

"Third what?"

"Duke, if you don't mind, give me some time...... What, why are the brothers here?"

Leon, following Eucrates, stopped on the spot with a look of bewilderment when he
saw his two brothers. It was a very new attitude, so if it was usual, he should have been
booed and ridiculed right away, but neither Elias nor Jeremy could afford to care
about such things.

Jeremy, in particular, was completely strewn with flavored courgettes and didn't even
look in Leon's direction.

"I don't know, I don't know anymore..."

"Hyung, wake up. What the hell are you talking about your father?"

Leon, who looked at his brothers in a serious atmosphere that didn't suit him, looked
tired and disheveled, which was rare.

It wasn't as much as the three of them who had been shoveling all day looking for that
ring before the hangover even went away, but it was certain that it was different
somewhere.

"Welcome. Why is it that way, did you stay out all night too?"

"Yes? Ah, the discussion at the meeting got a bit long..."

"It seems that his discussions don't even cover the holidays. Where else have you
spilled your glasses?"

"Ah, the frame broke, so I'm trying to get a new one..."

Leon, who was stuttering at the end of his words, awkwardly averted his gaze. I wanted
to look different, but now I see that he is not even wearing glasses.

Perhaps because of that, he looked more and more like my eldest brother today. Nora
stared earnestly at Leon, leaving Jeremy alone who was clutching at his arm with the
intention of breaking her.

There was silence for a moment. In the midst of a silence that felt somehow strange
and meaningful, Leon scratched his golden hair in a rather awkward motion and
spoke shyly.
"Well, you seem busy, but I think I'd better see you again next time."

"Why, didn't I have something to see?"

"Yes, but... it's nothing special. Just what I'll tell you next..."

"Leon."

"Yes?"

"You come closer."

Embarrassment spread across Leon's crumbly face. Elias, who was holding on to her
Jeremy and continuing to fuss, looked at Nora and Leon alternately with her blank
eyes, perhaps feeling that the atmosphere in her was unusual.

"Ah, why suddenly..."

"Hey, let go of this."

Nora hurriedly shook off Jeremy's hand and stood up, and now strode towards Leon.
The momentum was so strong that Leon hesitated and took a backward step without
realizing it.

"Ah, no, I did nothing wrong...!"

"What is this again? What's wrong with my brother all of a sudden, what did he do?!"

Leon had no time to be thrilled by Elias' long-awaited remarks. Didn't Nora, who
approached him at once, grab his left arm without asking for forgiveness? It was futile
to try to shake it off.

"No, Duke, this is..."

"Stay still."

The sleeves of the dress were rolled up. At that point, Leon had a look of despair. Elias
gave her gut-wrenching cackle as Nora watched Leon intently, holding her forearm.

“Mistress, what the hell is this?

"……no."

"Then what..."

"Jeremy, you can stop shoveling. Last night it became clear that it wasn't you."

Jeremy, who had been staring at the empty space with eyes that lost love at Nora's
declaration that resonated pleasantly, only then slowly turned his head.

"What is that..."

Nora, who had finally let go of Leon's arm, now stuck out her tongue with an admiring
smile.

"Ha, shit. I never thought his reasoning group would have been a stripe..."

"what?!"

Udangtang!

Elias, who jumped straight up, tripped and fell violently. However, Elias immediately
jumped up again with great courage, and she rushed as if to attack.

"What are you talking about?! Who the hell is a stripe?! You sucker short-legged?!
Nonsense!"
"What if there's a mark right here on the sea bay that pays homage to your
contradictory brotherhood?"

The mark was none other than a small tattoo on the inside of Leon's elbow. An eagle
with three pairs of wings spread like a seraph. It was a mark symbolizing the stripe, a
secret police force directly under the imperial family.

No one disputed that it would be difficult to tell if it was Jeremy or Leon if they met at
night after removing Leon's glasses and putting on a flashy striped uniform. Elias's
pupils caused a violent earthquake.

"Eh, that's ridiculous! Wasn't it possible for only knights to join the strike pen or the
striker?"

"It was reorganized last year."

"Why? Why did they needlessly reorganize?! How important is tradition..."

"Because the swordsman's efficiency is low? I heard that the twins took all the heads,
indeed."

Leon just put on an embarrassed expression. While Nora let out an extended
exclamation and tousled Leon's hair, Jeremy staggered towards him in the form of
chaos itself.

"What is this all about? Leon, is it true? Is it true?"

"Uh, well, it's true."

"If it's true, it's true, but what's true? Then, was that the reason you've been staying out
all night with insignificant excuses lately?"

"It is, but..."

"Wow, that's great, shit. I thought you were dating again! Why didn't you tell me about
that proud thing?"
"That's it..."

Leon, who, far from being proud, rolled his eyes as if he was about to die in
embarrassment, finally let out a deep sigh and continued his words with a
lamentation.

"I didn't mean to keep it a secret. It's just that I haven't been in for a while, and I was
going to tell you after something definitely worth mentioning."

"It's definitely worth mentioning, so why would you do that..."

“Yeah, to be honest, my older brother has done a lot of things and is famous enough
to be proud of his name itself, and my younger brother…. But even at this age, I don't
have anything to brag about, and I'm not particularly talented at anything, and even
bragging about one of these things would only be embarrassing. "

Jeremy and Nora, as well as Elias, who was caught up in a powerful denial of reality,
were thrilled by Leon's deep inner feelings that he had never even thought of. Of
course, it was only for a short time.

"But what the hell did you do last night? Yesterday in that studio, that's you, right? I
heard you broke down other people's houses and dragged away children?"

“That’s right! What the hell happened last night?!

"The older brothers... that's, big, a state secret."

There was some silence for a while. That was until Jeremy, who had been staring at
Leon with her dazed face, slowly raised the corners of her mouth and began
crunching her knuckles. Leon added hastily.

"It's related to Haspar's spy network. Don't ask any more."

"Does that make sense? Children are spies? If you've seen how resentful the workshop
owner looked..."
"What kind of kids are the kids in their late teens. The workshop issue there... I'm still
watching it just in case, but don't worry, we'll take care of it."

"Oh, look at what you're saying. I thought you were just a nerd, but you're pretty good
at the field, right?"

To put it to shame that he had despaired of digging into the ground just a moment
ago, Jeremy had regained his will to live and hope, feeling free before he knew it, and
was back full of his unique positive playfulness. On the other hand, Elias is still
annoyed.

"But why are you here? If you've worked overtime, you'll crawl home and sleep. Did you
come here to show off to Michael?"

"What are you saying, do you think I'm your older brother? I just came here to see if I
could talk to the duke. But the hyungs are here..."

Similarly, Nora, who had been patting Jeremy's shoulder with a hearty laugh, tilted her
head.

"Consultation?"

"That's the same with last night's mission... I started off with a good start, but I'm
getting more and more unsure if this job suits me. It's not like I started without knowing
it, so I'm not confident enough to be ruthless like my seniors, and I feel like I've backed
down needlessly. But if I give up so easily, I think I'll be disappointed in myself, and I'm
sorry to my mother..."

Leon, scratching his head and expressing his grievances, had become an adult
completely different from the child he had gone missing late at night during a hot
spring resort in Berchtesgaden and was finally found by Nora.

Unlike Nora, whose eyes became young with emotion and admiration, Jeremy and
Elias' eyes became dumbfounded and astounded.

"Look at this? So you kept it a secret from us and tried to consult with that bastard?
What a consultation? Leaving this guard captain behind?"

"This ungrateful short-legged bastard, who the hell is your brother? That black guy
isn't even a stripe, so what's the point of counseling..."
"That's right, because it's obvious that the hyungs will only laugh and tease me if I talk
to them! And the eldest hyung is just as withdrawn as I am, to be honest!"

"What are you talking about, how ruthless I am! If you're as merciless and cold-blooded
as I am, ask me to come and see you!"

Of course, Jeremy was never in the mood to back down. Dan Leon's organization
basically had a willing attitude toward chivalry.

It is a job that must be able to ruthlessly pressure not only the obvious enemy, but
also the underdog who sometimes seems to have nothing to do with it. It was a
contradiction that the closer the article was to perfection, the more inappropriate it
was.

“Ah, anyway… hyungs, what are you doing here? What’s wrong with you guys?”

Recalling the reality that there are still unresolved problems left by Leon's question to
divert the topic, Jeremy's face immediately turned gloomy again. Nora, who was
watching her giggle with her arms crossed, her blue eyes flashed.

"I think you'll need your stripe's analytical skills. Your brother lost his wedding ring."

"Yes? You lost your wedding ring?"

"We got drunk yesterday and did all sorts of crazy things that I can't remember, and in
the middle of that, your brother's wedding ring that he'd been carrying around his
chest disappeared."

"No, why the hell did you carry that in the first place?"

"That's right."

It was then that Eucrates, who disappeared immediately after posting the terrible
report of his third son, reappeared.
The old butler of the wolf's den said in a mysterious voice that now seemed detached
from his philosophical views.

"Are all the problems resolved, Your Excellency? Marquis?"

“……Why, do you want to lend me some wisdom?”

"It's not like that, but it's because the old man, the old man at the marquis's house,
keeps harassing this old man. It seems like he's worried a lot. I didn't ask in detail what
other terrible things he did there before he came here last night, but at this point the
marquis You yourself..."

Eucrates said only that far. To be precise, words were cut off in an instant. Because
Jeremy's reaction was so violent.

"Really?! Is that true?! We went over to my house last night?!"

"...Yes, well, according to old man Robert, it seems so, but you should ask yourself if
possible..."

"There! It was there!"

Udang-dang-dang-tang!

Led by Jeremy, who almost rolled his eyes, the Fellowship of the Ring hurriedly ran out.
Leon, too, hesitated for a while and then started following him recklessly.

The quiet lament of the now liberated butler resounded in the drawing room, which
quickly regained its tranquility.

"There are no quiet days, no quiet days..."

***
As soon as the Fellowship of the Ring ran into the lion's den, the immediate task was to
search Jeremy's quarters.

Leon's guess that 'probably hyung was drunk and left it where it was originally stored'
was decisive.

Just in case, I searched not only Jeremy's quarters, but also the study, the corridor,
and even the drawing room and the central hall.

"……doesn't exist!"

"doesn't exist!"

"Neither do I!"

After searching the area for a long time, none of the three gathered in the central hall
finally found a trace of a ring.

Jeremy was slowly getting his tantrum on his face again.

"Damn it, if not here, where are you?!"

"Well, if you can't seem to get the right answer, why don't you just get a new ring?"

"Say something sensible, little! Do you know what an ordinary ring is? It's a design I've
put all my heart and soul into! How do you get an identical ring like that in just a few
days?"

"Anyway, a good-looking stripe bastard."

At this time, Leon was depressed and shut his mouth at the behavior of the older
brothers who scrambled to give them face-to-face.
Nora, who was trying to think of something appropriate to say to comfort Leon,
suddenly noticed someone appearing at the entrance of the hall and staring at them.
I don't know how long I've been standing there like that.

"Looks like you're looking for something."

Robert, the butler of the Neuwanstein family, who spoke quietly, had a rather strange
look in his eyes.

It is the expression of a wise man who is profoundly mysterious, as if he is laughing at

something, as if he is pathetic, or as if he is reprimanding him. Therefore, the
Fellowship of the Ring was enveloped in an ominous mood for some reason.

"Robert, that's..."

“I just heard from old Yuk that he doesn’t remember anything about the night before.”

"Ahaha, that's about us."

"At first, I thought it was ridiculous, but I thought it might be better if I didn't remember
it, but I hope that's not a lie."

"Uh, huh? Of course not, I really can't remember! So, what did we do here yesterday..."

“Before discussing the issue, it seems that a special bonus should be given to all users,
including the drivers.”

"What? Why...?"

"As compensation for the mental pain the Marquis gave to the faithful knights last
night. FYI, some of the knights took sick leave. They said they would need to rest for a
while."

said Robert. Jeremy was now and again seized by her creeping confusion and fear,
her complexion turning white. Elias and Leon also blinked their eyes endlessly instead
of arguing about what had happened.
In the end, deciding that she couldn't handle another shovel, Nora stepped forward
and asked cautiously.

"That guy... what did we do?"

Robert's mouth drew a parabola. His smile was terrifying, as if he were asking if he
could handle the truth.

"Tell me. What the hell did we do? Could it be that one of us hurt the servants or
misbehaved..."

"It's not like that. Mentally, I can't deny it."

"So what is that..."

"Duke. You really don't even remember the duke? You obviously saw it with your own
two eyes yesterday."

Nora shook her head like an idiot, but then made up her mind and chose her words
carefully.

"Actually, I don't even know what I saw."

"That's the same for me. I'd rather just pretend I saw something."

"I don't know what to say to my wife."

"I feel exactly the same. There is a degree to injections. How can I tell you the fact that
my eldest son, who was raised so kindly, mocked me while holding onto a precious
gift?"

There was some silence for a while. Jeremy, who had been staring at Robert with a
blank expression on his face, finally managed to mumble.

“What did I… hold on to and what did I do?”

"It's a wedding present from my grandfather. They hugged, cried, kissed, and went wild.
Nawon, a fool, of course, chose a pure white cloth and covered it..."

The four men's heads turned slowly. At the end of their gaze, there was a golden statue
covered in a dazzling white cloth like a fluttering veil.

"ah……."

Only then, Jeremy stumbled holding onto the back of his neck for a while at the
memory of the night before that vividly passed before his eyes.

The self who completely tasted it and mistook something for Diane and messed
around, Elias who buried his face in a handkerchief and squeezed out tears, and even
Nora who giggled while popping champagne... … .

"Go, go."

It was at that time that Leon, who was looking back at the Fellowship of the Ring with a
puzzled expression, suddenly approached and pulled down the cloth that covered the
statue. A terrible scream rang out.

"summer solstice……!"

And it turns out. A brilliant and dazzling golden bride.

The head of a fiercely roaring lion and the body of a knight with powerfully raised
sword with muscular arms. The golden statue, which was added with extreme realism
to the point of being exaggerated, was unchanging and burdensome as it was
yesterday. However, there was another element that made the viewer's eyes even more
painful.

It was shining from the hand under the knight's left arm. It was a splendid 20-carat
diamond ring tucked in awkwardly at the tip of her scratched ring finger.

"……found."
“……I found it.”

“……Yeah, I found it.”

The awkward air flow that naturally found itself was only a fleeting moment as a
reversal that I could not have imagined and did not want to imagine was revealed.

Soon after, Jeremy rushed in with a vivacious spirit that seemed excessive, snatched
the ring, and inspected it carefully, bursting into tears of emotion.

"I found it! I finally found it! I made it!"

"Wahhahaha, look! I knew this would happen!"

"Great job! What did I say, the truth is always smiling close by?!"

"It's all thanks to you guys! I wouldn't have come this far without you guys! Thanks!"

"Come here too, cuddle! I knew I'd need your head at the critical moment!"

Intoxicated with a sense of thrill and victory, the Expedition of the Ring circled round
and round, embracing each other for a while.

Leon, who was swept away from being able to speak after being bitter and sweet, also
spun around with Elias' arm caught in a headlock. Robert left with a look on his face
insisting that he would rather give up his sight.

After a tsunami of excitement swept through, the four men relaxed and enjoyed the
burnout syndrome in an atmosphere where taboos that should not be spoken out
were secretly formed.

The golden statue in question had long since been covered with cloth again—this time
in black cloth—and moved to the annex.
"After that, I don't want to go through it again, but the road was an adventure I'll
remember."

"Anyway, one more memory that I will think of and clink glasses with one day has
increased."

"Duke, do you think it's okay to continue with that stripe?"

"The good side exists only when there is a dark side, Clever. If you have the confidence
to play the role of the dark side of the empire while taking on all the dirty work that
others are pointing at, stay behind, and if you dream of fame and popularity, get rid of
it before it's too late."

“……It’s difficult. I don’t know what Mum will think.”

"Even if you make it your profession to dance on pub tables, if that's your dream and
worthwhile, your mother will be happy to support you."

Jeremy, who was panting and caressing the ring, burst out giggling. Leon frowned
cryptically. Nora's tone was quite grandiose, but she was very difficult to understand
what she was trying to say. Besides, why dance at a pub table?

Elias, who jumped up with a face flushed red, paused instead of shouting, perhaps
thinking of War.

“……I heard, but what the hell were you talking about my father earlier?”

"If you know, you'll get hurt, bastard."

"Ah, what is it? What is it? What is it that only you know?"

Instead of replying, Jeremy just grinned. It was then.

"Duke, it's a messenger."

“……Well, Robert, the owner of this place is me, not him…”

"Who doesn't know that? I just said that because it's a scorpion looking for the Duke."

"What? Who the hell is calling my house to find someone else? Who the hell is he? What
the hell is that guy..."

"It's Yuk's inspiration."

Jeremy smiled shyly and scratched his head. Nora, who accepted her messenger orb
with a kiss, opened her mouth lightly.

"Tell me, Yuk."

-… … Have you got everything worked out?

"It's not been resolved, but it's just..."

- Well, that's very fortunate news. In fact, the lady and her party arrived shortly after
she ran out just like that. You were close.

Nora's eyes widened. The Neuwanstein men also stood up wide-eyed and gathered
around the messenger sphere.

"already?"

-Yes, you are back ahead of schedule. First of all, His Excellency and his sons all
pretended that they were out of the palace on urgent business. Is it true?

"Why do you ask me that, after you said so. Anyway, it's only you! Then I'll be back
soon..."

-Everyone is preparing to go see the flying lantern. Hurry up to catch up.

"Really? You don't seem to be tired either. Anyway, it's great... Anyway, thank you, see
you later!"

After that, the messenger sphere was darkly colored. The men, who were just about to
scatter again, hesitated for a moment at the sight of Robert clicking their tongues with
unknown eyes.

"An old saying says that alcohol is the drink of the devil, bringing out the worst of
nature."

"..."

“This old man is only fortunate that the worst natures of the three of you were like
that.”

I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or serious. In any case, everyone agreed that it was
fortunate. Anyway, how fortunate it is that the worst thing they did during the blackout
was to end up embarrassing themselves. For a while, I don't think I'll even look at
alcohol at all.

"Okay, then we all go back to our respective seats..."

"Before that, let's do something about our appearance."

***

The sky, which had been burning red, was gradually darkening, and the sun was
beginning to set completely. On a hillside field overlooking the Danube River, a group
of people holding colorful lanterns gathered and measured the time. It is a warm and
lively landscape.

"……What!"

Diane, who had been examining her blue lantern, wondering if she should have picked
a different color, turned around in surprise at the hand holding her shoulder.
"Oh my, who is this?"

"Nice to meet you too, my love."

“What happened…… child, why are you like this all of a sudden?”

"I can't believe that there are all these vulgar affections. I thought I was dying because
I missed you so much!"

Jeremy, who was antagonistic like a cat who had reunited with his owner, had returned
to his usual appearance as a perfect and decent captain of the guards. The smell of
balm wafted from her golden hair, which was still dry.

Diane watched what her lover was doing with suspicious eyes for a moment, then
smiled.

"Has anything good happened?"

"Yeah, that's you. You don't know how much I missed you while you were gone. I really
thought I was going to die."

"Hey, hahaha. It's good that you came back early. It tickles me a little."

Her clear blue eyes glisten happily in the evening breeze. No matter how drunk he was,
how could he have confused such a beautiful lover with such a hideous figure of gold?

Feeling ashamed of the atrocities he had tried to forget, Jeremy held Diane's hand
tightly and kissed the back of it.

"I really missed you. While you're gone... you won't know how much I, how much I love
you."

"oh……?"
"Thank you for agreeing to marry me."

“Yeah…… But what’s wrong with your forehead?”

While the prospective couple greeted such a friendly reunion, Elias, who was also
reunited with his family nearby, was experiencing some difficulties.

"My dear wife! And Taal!"

“……Oh, who is this? Isn’t he the world’s villain who kidnapped my daughter?

Elias, who had not yet calculated that it had reached his wife's ears, floundered for a
while with his arms outstretched in the air.

"That, that's... well, that's how it happened..."

"I was wondering if it's getting better these days, but as expected. No, if you want to
sleep with the kid, you can sleep at home. In the middle of the night, take the kid to the
duke's house and annoy, annoy... You said, crying."

What's up and what's up? Elias's harsh, seismic gaze met hers, and Anabella stuck out
her tongue and hid behind the hem of Ne O'Hara's skirt. It went without saying that
she didn't look scary at all.

"That's... I was a bit crazy, I was swept away by hyung..."

"Don't make excuses, Marquis."

"No, it's not an excuse... Big, but you seem to have become prettier since you've been
there, we..."

"Let's apologize to Ana first."

"Ha, but honey..."

In the meantime, Leon sneakily hurt the crowd gathered around him in search of his
twin. She's been around quite a bit, but finding Rachel was pretty easy.

"Sister, can't I trade it for my sister's?"

"Why? I think the one Leah picked is prettier than her sister's."

Leon quickly walked over and sat down next to his two sisters under the plane tree.

"You must be the queen."

“……Huh? What, what are you doing here?”

"It's Leon's brother!"

"It's not Leon, it's Leon. Oh, what the heck, I'm here to find you and mom. Aren't you all
tired?"

"It's been a long time since I came back comfortably, so what's tired? But why do you
look so tired?"

Rachel, who asked with her dark green eyes sparkling mischievously, was dressed as
an ordinary imperial aristocrat, but she could not hide the exotic atmosphere and
elegance that flowed naturally. It seems that the Safavids are all over now.

"Don't talk. It wasn't even a fuss."

Leon's gaze, sticking out his tongue and shaking his head, suddenly turned to a
woman standing silently nearby. She is dressed as a normal maid, but she is another
woman who cannot hide her unique atmosphere.

The woman met Leon's eyes, lowered her head, and gave a sneaky look. Leon's face
turned red. That was until Rachel's hand struck him mercilessly in the head.

"……100 million!"
"Where's the wink, wink at my precious escort?"

"No, I'm just glad I've seen you before..."

"Is that so? It was a few years ago, but did you even recognize it right away?"

"I'm smart! Tell me honestly, aren't you reputed to be the violent queen in Safavi?"

“What are you talking about, how dignified and elegant I am to be praised as a
queen?”

Leon was well aware of the fact that Rachel could transform into a thousand faces
whenever she wanted. He's still not quite sure what he's like. Maybe she would have
adapted better if Rachel had gone into the stripe... … .

"Brother, throw this together."

Leah, who was swinging a light purple lantern, tapped Leon's hand with her small
hand. It was so cute that it melted away.

“Huh, Jung If that’s the case, then this older brother will help out. … But where is mom?”

"Wait a minute, Michael is begging me to change the light to another one. The kids
can't figure it out anyway."

"Even if you say that, you like kids. What did you say the new prince's name was?"

"Bayezit, after winning the title of success. I really wanted to show it to my mother, but
I'll aim for the next opportunity."

"Next time I'll go see my mom and your family."

At the same time, it was Leon who secretly threw a meaningful smile in the direction of
the escort samurai, but luckily Rachel didn't notice it this time.

"Phew, anyway, I can't believe that stupid big brother is finally getting married."

"Me too. To think there was someone in the world who would accept my older brother..."

"Tell me honestly. Brothers, did you have an accident again?"

"Hey, don't even talk..."

Meanwhile, while the twins and Leah were whispering earnestly about today's events, a
hat with bright pink hair was choosing a new lantern in front of a stall selling lanterns
located a little away from them.

"You didn't like it because you were the same as your brother, did you, our Michael?"

"It's not like that... I just suddenly liked a different color."

"Then should we do it the same color as mom's?"

Anything would be fine as long as it wasn't golden. Swallowing such useless

sentiments, Nora crept right behind them.

Thanks to her hurried bathing and dressing up, she regained her usual clean and
well-groomed appearance, but she did not know if she would be able to make up for
the appearance she showed to Michael this morning.

“Then, with this red one… Kap!”

Suddenly, Shuri turned her head at the feeling of a hug from behind. The grass-
colored eyes seemed to widen like a surprised rabbit, but a smile soon came to mind.
Her Nora lifted her Shuri up above her shoulders, kissed her, and gently put her back
on the floor.

"It's a pity, Sir. The girl is already engaged."

"Ha, I'll have to challenge him to a duel. Did you enjoy the trip?"

"Yeah, it seems like you've had a good rest. How have you been?"

"Are you asking because you don't know? Of course I was crying profusely."

"Dad, Dad!"

The sound of Leah's shouting echoed from far away. Michael, on the other hand, was
staring up at Nora with a smug expression that somehow reminded him of Robert from
before.

"You change quickly, Dad."

"A man's transformation is innocent, our Confucius. Have you found a color that suits
you?"

"A transformation?"

"It's a bit long to explain, I just..."

Finally, the sound of the bell signaling the time rang through the festival streets and
up to the wide hill. The brightly colored lanterns seemed to come to mind one by one,
but gradually they became a cluster of countless stars and colored the evening sky
brilliantly. Exclamation, laughter, and applause erupted from all sides, waking up the
night of the festival, regardless of the high or low.

The unexpected adventure of the Fellowship of the Ring ended safely like that.

***
Marriage of the Marquis of Neubanstein and the daughter of the Marquis of
Anemone.

Not to mention the Neubanstein family, and since the Anemone family is also a
collateral family of the Duke of Nuremberg, the wedding ceremony was held as
grandly as the wedding ceremony of the current Duke and Duchess of Nuremberg.

After a long relationship, Jeremy was quite nervous and nervous as he finally signed
his wedding vows. She doesn't know how to fall in front of her mirror from a while ago,
and the way she stomps her feet is in stark contrast to her dignified and solemn image
known to the public.

"Oh, am I really okay? Am I really okay?"

"Don't worry, hyung. No matter how he decorates it, he's like an asshole."

Elias, who had been sitting on one side of the waiting room and chewing on cookies,
was soon running away from the enraged sirang's pursuit.

So, as the day is the day, Leon, who was preparing a witty and sarcastic joke about the
wedding ring, decided to just keep his mouth shut.

"Is it time to act like children? When are you guys going to grow up?"

“……Is that what you mean?”

"What am I? I am a model of how mature and respectful aristocratic knights are."

smirking Nora, sitting casually by the window in the waiting room, playing around with
boutonniere with her fingers. Finally, Jeremy snarled and snatched Boutonnier.

"Shuri needs to know your true color...!"

"I've always been sincere in front of my older sister..."

It was then that Nora, who had been slacking off, suddenly jumped out of the window
with her horse tail slurred. At the same time, a voice rang from the half-open door.

"You all look so excited?"

“Ah, don’t even talk.

"Ahaha, really? Jeremy?"

It was clear that Shuri had not seen the extremely sloppy and arrogant figure that
Nora was directing just a moment ago. And Nora stood very politely and clicked her
tongue with a look on her face, claiming that she had no idea what a thrill it would be
to be married to such a childish friend.

At this heinous act, the Neuwanstein brothers became one in accord for the first time
in a long time, and their jaws dropped helplessly.

“……But why are you guys opening your mouth like that?”

"I think my older sister is very happy. Isn't that a baby bird that just opens its mouth to
ask for food? I'm really, the big ones are distracted..."

right!

Jeremy, who hastily closed his jaw, glared at Nora viciously. Nora just blinked
innocently at her eyes.

"Why? Are you still anxious?"

“……Will everyone move over? I have something to say to my mother, Shuri.”

Surprisingly, everyone immediately moved out of the way. Even Nora, who was
supposed to be slower, left the waiting room without a word. So Jeremy was a little
embarrassed.

"I'm fine?"
"You're going to be more nervous than Diane, kid."

"Y-yeah? What's up with Diane?"

“Whatever it is, it looks like a dream.”

Shuri approached, teasing, and took the boutonniere out of Jeremy's hand casually
and put it where it should be. There was a faint light in the green eyes. A light that can
tell something... … .

"Hey, Shuri."

"Why?"

“That’s… great, thank you.”

"Hmm? What do you mean all of a sudden?"

I'm dying of awkwardness when I try to do it in front of my face. Jeremy hesitated for a
moment, rolling her eyes around, then she finally let out.

"For raising me this much?"

"..."

"So what I'm trying to say is, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be this… I wouldn't be who I
am today, and I wouldn't have gotten along with Diane this much. I'd have grown up to
be a total jerk. Maybe I would have lived a completely different life."

He may have degenerated into a guy similar to his father. She didn't know that maybe
she became like a new baby. Swallowing her back, Jeremy smiled at her. lightheartedly
and cheerfully.
"Thank you so much, mother."

Shuri stared blankly at Jeremy's smiling face for a moment. Memories that now felt
distant, sometimes just like bad daydreams, reminded her of the old guy overlapping
with the guy in front of her eyes.

They were young, clumsy, and prickly. At that time, they fell out of line, and she left
without seeing his wedding.

Now that so many things have changed, there is no way to know what was true and
what was covered by what happened then. But that made this marriage even more
special.

It wasn't just a promise with a dead ex-husband or a sense of duty, but everything was
done completely according to the children's will.

That included herself as well. She took Nora's hand, Rachel became queen of Safavi,
Elias married O'Hara, and Leon struggled to find his own identity and serve the order
of the empire. And Jeremy, who married Diane, seemed happy.

He seemed incomparably happy and full of confidence. She was celebrating a

wedding full of blessings with her dazzling self-confidence, with a smile shining
brightly with excitement and happiness. So, Shuri was also able to immerse herself in
her overflowing emotion and relief.

"Thank you too, our golden eldest son."

"Really, am I still the golden eldest son?"

"Huh? Of course."

"Really? More than Michael?"

“……Are you comparing yourself to your six-year-old brother? Seriously?”

"No, I'm not comparing..."

You have to hate Goh because he resembles someone. Wiping her tears, Jeremy
smiled shyly. Shuri, who pretended to roll her eyes, also burst into laughter. Her bright,
grassy eyes were already watery.

"Anyway, it's great to see you happy. Thank you for making me feel this way."

“Ah, what does that mean that you are happy because of me?”

"I can't deny it. Diane is such a good kid, you guys will live happily ever after... oh my, I'm
the main one."

"No, it's great, but... I guess you're a little sad?"

“Why do you want me to be sad?”

"It's not like that, but if you're too relieved, I think you'll be a little disappointed."

"Well, when I think of how you cried like a child at my wedding, um..."

"My, when did I say I cried a lot?!"

It was then that a loud noise resounded. It was the sound of someone who had been
eavesdropping intently outside the door and fell to the floor. Shuri, who smiled and
wiped her eyes, and Jeremy, who denied her dark history and searched for her
handkerchief, turned her head at the same time.

"Ghmm...... No, what is this again? Why are you crying when you say your brother is
getting married when you didn't cry at my wedding?! This is favoritism! Discrimination
against children!"

Elias must have forgotten all the commotion and fuss he went through to get married.
Since she was tolerant of herself, she could have been.

"Mom, don't be sad! I'm still here! I'm a long way from getting married! Or maybe I
won't!"
"What is this bastard saying again? Hey, it's not that he doesn't do it.

"Why am I short-legged? A hyung like that!"

"Guys, are you starting a day like today?"

***

A wedding where everyone who wishes is present. The blessing and playful wedding
that anyone could dream of was soon held.

A lively and romantic melody flowed in the wedding hall full of gorgeous guests,
including Safabi's delegation.

Finally, the pure white bride who appeared, Diane, wearing a dazzling white wedding
dress, began to slowly move forward with the hand of the Marquis Anemone. Jeremy,
who was swallowing dry saliva to hide his tension, had to desperately refrain from
tearing his mouth all the way down to his ears.

"……beautiful."

When I finally got my hand over, I couldn't help it and whispered softly. Through her
glistening, cobweb-like veil, Diane grinned. Then whispered to each other.

"Really?"

"of course……."

"More than a golden bride?"

Jeremy almost stepped on the hem of his golden robe and slipped. The former guards
commander, who was standing on the podium to watch her officiate, cleared his
throat and noticed.
Barely controlling himself, Jeremy glanced sideways at the guests for the last time. She
looked straight in the direction where her family was sitting.

The twins sitting next to each other with smiling faces, whether laughing or delighted,
Elias whispering something to his wife, Shuri looking at her with a smile on her face,
and Nora sitting with one arm wrapped around Shuri's shoulder.

… … I still hadn't figured out which snout it was. But he will surely find out. Find... … .

With that in mind, Jeremy now turned completely and stood facing the priest.

Diane, to the woman who will be his lifelong companion. The sunlight coming through
the stained glass was dyeing their hair brightly.

"...Of course, there's no comparison."

Diane smiled again. teasingly sweet.

"Jelimie von Neubanstein, do you swear in the name of Mother and Father that you
take Diane von Anemone as your wife and will cherish and love her only for the rest of
your life?"

"I swear."

"Diane von Anemone, do you take Jeremy von Neuwanstein as your husband and
swear in the name of Mother and Father that you will cherish and love him for the rest
of your life?"

"I swear."

A sparkling diamond ring was put on the bride's finger at the end of the vow
containing a simple yet pure oath. Finally, this time it went in perfectly.