"What is this...!"

The emperor was perplexed, and the knights nervously escorted the emperor and the empress.

Suddenly, a hazy mist spreads across the room, and a large drop of water appears and bursts out of it.

And just as it was drawn in the ancient spirit book, Orphana's real form appeared.

As if the water had created a statue, it was waving mysteriously.

Orpana began to mumble an unknown ancient language. Everyone was captivated by the mysterious appearance and couldn't take their eyes off them.

After a while. Orphana disappeared, absorbing all the water droplets and mist around it.

A thin stream of water swirled and disappeared over the back of Rafine's hand.

"...."

People looked at Raphine with big eyes. Some of the attendants were so startled that they collapsed in their seats.

Raphine hesitated.

"So, I made a contract with the spirit.... The prince grabbed my hair and took.... My spirit is angry...."

"Hahaha... It's a spirit! Is this the spirit temple that appeared after a few hundred years? Besides, this little boy...!"

The emperor said he was astonished, but couldn't hide his joy.

There was a saying that the reason why the spirits didn't appear in Hangan was because the emperor was not virtuous.

Even during the reign of the Emperor Emperor, there were no spirits, but the Emperor did not listen to them because he had enriched the empire through the war of conquest.

So, the current emperor, knowingly or unknowingly, harbored a feeling of inferiority.

It was to the extent that he was seriously concerned about whether the spirits were not appearing because he was not really virtuous.

But to see a spirit person appearing in front of you like this!

"...."

The Empress also seemed surprised, but had a bright expression. Since she was the empress who enjoyed divination more than anyone else, the appearance of the water spirit is bound to be a joy.

The emperor said to Antonio.

"Antonio, speak with your mouth now. Is it Raphine who made your wounds like that?"

"... Yes, that's right. your majesty."

Antonio, who had been keeping his mouth shut the whole time, nodded and muttered a little.

"Uh, what...!"

Empress Rebecca sat down in embarrassment and said nothing.

Raphine went straight to it, and approached the woman standing behind Empress Rebecca.

He was Antonio's teaching teacher.

"You were misunderstood because of me and you were in trouble. sorry."

Raphine nodded her head and apologized. The education teacher shook his head saying it was okay.

Raphine held her hand tight.

and muttered to himself.

'Orpana, what are you doing? Heal me.'

"Eh? I have no healing power, am I?"

"phew... I'll do it, baby."

Ruby had not yet appeared, but thanks to Orpana's appearance, even Ruby was able to use its power, although only slightly.

Sara....

A small light from the back of Raphine's hand rose over the red, bruised woman's cheek.

The wounds that had been struck by Empress Rebecca quickly disappeared without a trace.

The servants watched the scene with their eyes shining as if curiously.

Raphine is not pleased, but he also approached Antonio and healed his wounds.

"Prince Antonio, you must not hold people by their hair. But I'm sorry I hurt you."

Sorry for the 3:1 fight....

When he released his hand after healing, Antonio hesitated and looked down at his hand.

"The Empress should calm down, go back to the palace, and take care of herself. Dare to accuse the empress of accusing them of being investigated separately. What are you doing, without the empress!"

At the Emperor's command, the attendants took the Empress and Antonio out of the drawing room. The Empress was engulfed in shock the entire time, unable to say anything.

As they left, the Emperor happily grabbed Raffine and said:

"It is the slope of the empire. Is the Duke of Aston aware of this? Call the Duke of Aston right now!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

When the Empress spoke, the Emperor turned and took her hand and said,

"Isn't this all the virtue of the Empress? It is like a gift from heaven, moved by the heart of the Empress who warmly embraced the people of the frontier."

"... your majesty."

Raphine looked at the emperor couple exuding a sweet atmosphere with a shaky expression on their faces.

'By the way, if Mom and Dad find out....'

It was clear that the emperor would know about it first, and that his family would cause another uproar.

'It's a big deal.'

Raphine rubbed her forehead as if tired.

* * *

Soon after, the surprised mother and father came to visit.

Before returning home with Mom and Dad, the Emperor said he would have a solo session with Rafine.

Dad was not very fond of it, but Raphine gladly accepted.

"thanks."

The Emperor grabbed Raphine's hand and said, Then he coughed heavily and hesitated.

After hesitating for a long time, this is what he said.

"Now that I think about it, it is thanks to you that I reconciled with the Empress."

"My mom and dad don't fight."

"... greatness."

The emperor blushed in embarrassment. Raphine continued.

"When you two fight, Zerkan's older brother is sad."

"... What?"

"I saw it in a storybook, and seeing moms and dads fighting makes children anxious."

"...."

"Zerkan's brother is still a child."

At that, the king said firmly.

"... Zerkan will be fine. To become an emperor, you have to become stronger."

That was the reason the emperor was particularly cold to Zerkan.

The emperor also endured and overcame the discrimination and coldness of the former emperor when he was young, and ascended to the throne of my own.

In those tough times, he was able to strengthen his desire for power even more firmly.

Raphine asked.

"Like a sword?"

"yes?"

The emperor was puzzled by the sudden question, then stroked Raphine's head as if he was smart.

"Yeah, like a sword. In order to become stronger, it has to endure the scorching fire and the impact of a hard hammer over and over again."

"But my brother Zerkan is not an iron ore. He's a kid just like me."

"...."

The king seemed to be speechless for a moment.

"Man is not a sword. It will break if you do that."

"...."

"If you break it, you die."

Raphine looked straight into the Emperor's eyes and said.

'Stop being mean to Zerkan, you man!'

He shouted inwardly, as if threatening with his eyes.

The emperor thought for a moment.

As a young prince, he was also a boy who was always dissatisfied with his strict father.

But he had a kind and loving mother.

When his father gets angry, he goes to his sweet mother and says, 'Mom, you're too much.' and cried and hugged her in the width of her skirt.

His mother always comforted him warmly and whispered kind words to him.

'But for Zerkan....'

The empress did not have the kind and finite nature of his mother. Rather, he had a more determined and cold personality than himself.

Only then did I see Zerkan's situation.

A young son who does not receive warm affection and comfort anywhere.

At Raphine's words that he might break, he felt as if he had been hit in the head.

Until a great sword is born, many swords disappear as failures.

The thought that Zerkan might be like that made my eyes dizzy.

The child must walk on a solid road.

without any blemishes, safely.

The Emperor realized that his method had been wrong.

Artisans who make great swords used to say so.

He said, 'It's not a good thing to hit the sword hard, sometimes you have to be old and calm.'

It's like when you were a child, your father hurt you and your mother comforted you.

The emperor decided that he had to change his method even now.

If the Empress can't do the role that the Empress did when she was young.... that you should do it yourself

Upon attaining enlightenment, he stroked Raphine's head.

"You teach me many things. Okay, I'll give you a reward in return. If you want anything, just tell me."

"... really? Anything?"

"Yeah, don't listen to anything."

"then...."

Raphine said without hesitation.

"Please change Zerkan's brother's education teacher! I want to go out often, but that grandfather is so scared."

"Hmm, yes. he's too strict But is that just your wish?"

"Yeah. And... If you want to see my paintings again in the future, please tell Her Majesty."

"yes?"

"Because I will continue to learn painting with His Majesty the Empress from now on."

A smile was drawn on the emperor's lips at the innocent words.

"... Yes, I got it."

"Well then, bye. His Majesty the Emperor!"

"yes. See you again."

Raphine nodded and walked towards the door.

As the servant opened the door, I could see mom and dad waiting in front of the door in surprise.

Raphine looked at her mother and father alternately, startled.

'... No, I guess I was eavesdropping?'

The Empress standing next to her was smiling while covering her mouth with her hand.

Seeing the duke and the couple standing next to each other with their ears at the door the whole time, the Empress didn't know how much she couldn't hold back her laughter.

'No, Mom and Dad's book is so....'

After understanding the situation, Raphine quickly left Hwangseong while holding Mom and Dad's hand as if embarrassed.