The first thought in Rhesus's mind wasn't to save the kingdom, but to do something about a certain girl in his cell. He knew that the situation was dangerous, and he couldn't keep his daughter locked in the cell. As soon as he thought about this, his expression became serious.

He glanced at the soldier and nodded. "Get ready as per the things I had planned." ​ ​

"But your majesty….." The soldier's face was pale. "What about the citizens?"

The king frowned. It was good that the servant had already told him about this war. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been prepared for this at all! So he glanced at the soldier sharply and said, "Do as I say. I'll handle the rest."

He had already planned to evacuate the citizens. Then he clapped as a few men wearing soldier's robes came to him. "Initiate evaluation. Quick."

After that, he got off of his throne and walked toward the corridor to his right at a faster pace. He knew things wouldn't be the same after this war, and he didn't even know if he could still be on the throne after today. So at least he could save his daughter's life to compensate for everything he had done to her.

He pursed his lips when he thought about it. He had ignored his precious daughter for the sake of a child that wasn't even his own. If someone else heard this, they would laugh at him. But the king's heart still belonged to that woman who was married to his late eldest brother.

He still remembered the first day they had met. It was a day filled with pink-colored flowers that showered their happiness as spring burst forth across the kingdom. It was at this time that his brother had brought home a crown princess who belonged to the half-magician clan in the kingdom.

Even though there weren't as many half-magicians as the aristocrats who weren't royals, their status was higher as they would take over the position of leader in several villages and towns. And this girl belonged to a family ruling over the smallest village.

Rhesus's first impression of her wasn't good because she didn't belong to a reputed family, but as days passed, he started to glance more toward her face, and he didn't even realize when he fell for her.

A sigh escaped his lips at that as a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes. When he had killed all of his brothers, he had intended to marry that woman, but who would've thought that she would curse him and die? The only thing she had left behind was her newborn baby, who looked naive and innocent.

So, instead of killing that toddler, who looked more like her than his father, Rhesus adopted him and made him his son. Subconsciously, he focused more on his son even after he got married and had a daughter.

Now that he thought about it, it seemed he still hadn't let go of her.

Soon, he reached the prison and glanced at the guards. "Enemies are at the gate. Take your positions."

The guards' eyes widened at that, and they nodded before heading away from the prison. For a few days, their king had given them all kinds of training, and even the guards standing at the prison were included.

There was a difference between regular guards and soldiers. The former was only required to stand at the gates to guard him against enemies, while the latter would be stationed at the towers, ready to attack. Some soldiers would even be available in case the king wanted to catch a criminal.

But a few of these people acted as both guards and soldiers. They had special combat training and were stationed all around the imperial palace. These were the soldiers who had come to capture Zion in servant form.

But a few days ago, the king initiated a tiring training session for all of his guards and soldiers, regardless of their status. Now that Rhesus suddenly said that they were being attacked, the guards who had been standing at the prison sweated while they ran into the corridor.

It seemed their king had anticipated a war for a few days.

Inside the prison, the king went and directly opened a familiar cell while glancing at his daughter. "Lia."

The princess still wore her shabby clothes as she drew circles on the dusty ground. When she heard her father's voice, she frowned and glanced at the man. "Why are you here?"

Her voice seemed unwelcoming as if she hated seeing this father of her.

"I'm sorry." These were the first words he spoke after meeting her face-to-face as he ignored her dull and hateful voice. When he was facing a critical situation of life and death, he realized that he would probably not be able to see his daughter anymore. He said, as his voice was choked with emotion, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ignored you like this. I shouldn't have, but it's too late."

The expressions on Lia's face changed all of a sudden. It almost seemed as if she had never expected something like this to happen. She looked at her father as her eyes widened slowly and her limbs froze. Then, in a soft voice, she said, "Why are you saying this, father? You're right. It's already too late to apologize."

Rhesus shook his head as he suppressed his urge to tear up at the spot. At this time, he couldn't tell her about what was going on in the palace. Since his daughter's childhood, he hadn't given her attention, and she grew up under the care of maids. So he had expected this kind of reply, but one good thing had happened. He knew that his daughter was likely far away from the kingdom's politics. And he wanted to keep it that way.

So he suppressed his emotions and said in a stern voice, "Escape this place as fast as possible and don't come back. If things are good, I'll write you a letter and post it in the chrysanthemum garden outside the kingdom. But if not, I'll still write you back. But stay away from the kingdom at all costs. Get married to someone else, but don't come back."

This garden was the Queen's favorite place that she often visited when Lia was in her womb. But soon after the Queen died, that place closed off. Only Lia would visit it once a year on her mother's anniversary.

Lia's expressions changed multiple times after hearing her father's words. She kept staring at her father for a long time before she got up and glanced at Rhesus while hiding her emotions. "I don't know what's happening in the kingdom, father, but you don't seem to trust my abilities."

"It's not a question about your abilities!" The king suddenly had a headache after seeing Lia's rebellious attitude. To be honest, he didn't trust her abilities because he had never given her professional guidance. So how could he let her stay when enemies were at the door? His glance became sharper as he stared at his daughter. "It's my order as a king. Go away. And if you were to refuse, I'd consider you a traitor."

A string of laughter escaped the girl's lips. "This is why I never thought of you as my father. You have always acted like a king in front of me." She paused and nodded while glancing at her father. "So your majesty, fine. I'll leave and never come back."

After that, she walked past him as if it were a natural thing for her to escape the prison right in front of the king. But behind her, the king's body was frozen as he continued to stare at the place where she stood a while ago with a dark laughter on her lips and hateful emotion floating in her eyes.