Most of all, Raphine was puzzled by the fact that Empress Rebecca had defended the maid.

'Isn't Empress Rebecca blaming her subordinates for anything?'

Perhaps there must be a reason. Maybe it's because there's something only the maid knows.

Or maybe it's for Prince Antonio....

'Ugh, I don't know.'

Raphine gave up on more complicated thoughts.

No matter how much he denied the charges, there was no chance that Empress Rebecca would be acquitted.

'I don't think I believe so.'

Raphine left the Imperial Court and headed to the Sapphire Palace. The steps were heavy.

It was because the number of times I saw Zerkan recently decreased significantly.

Although she didn't say it directly, Raphine barely noticed the situation.

The empire was preparing for war.

The most important thing in war was a cause, and the Empire had a clear cause.

If you don't finish it now, Themion Kingdom will dig deeper and deeper into the Empire.

The emperor made the decision, and Zerkan assumed the commander of the war.

Although Themion Kingdom is rich and powerful, it is a small kingdom compared to the Empire.

In fact, in terms of the scale, it was not a war on the scale that Zerkan would directly engage in.

However, they were allied with the fighting peoples, the Ukmerin.

'Besides, he has a mutated witch....'

That was the biggest problem.

It was a war that could be guaranteed that it would never be defeated, but that it was not certain that it would end soon.

Raphine sighed and moved slowly.

'It's because Zerkan isn't there anyway, so why don't you want to go to the Sapphire Palace....'

Raphine thought so herself, but she already knew the answer.

There was one more reason why I didn't want to go back to the Sapphire Palace.

* * *

"Raphine!"

As soon as she entered the Sapphire Palace, Raphine frowned at the voice from above.

The owner of the voice was Luca Aston.

"Raphine! Who went out long. uh? My brother told me to go and get permission!"

"...."

"Without fear...! Raphine, you obviously signed it with your hand, you didn't! In the Sapphire Palace, you signed that our family will be the same as before!"

"Okay, I know...."

Raphine responded with no energy to the bombardment of nagging.

After Raphine wakes up.

The family came together like an army revolting.

"Raphine Aston, I have come to inform you."

"Yes, I have come to inform you."

For some reason, Luka and Lois, who were standing in front of Mom and Dad, spoke as the representative.

"Now, sign it."

Then I handed out a piece of paper.... Raphine blinked in bewilderment.

"We've been arguing with you all this time. You have to stay at Aston Mansion and commute to Hwangseong.>

"You rejected it all the way. So I decided. Our Aston family commutes here from today.>

At Luka's words, Lois followed only the last word.

"No, what is this....>

What kind of bullshit is this, bro....

Raphine shut her mouth as she was about to say that.

It was because I saw Mom and Dad crying behind Luca and Lois's back.

It was obvious how worried he must have been when he heard the news. The youngest daughter was kidnapped and nearly killed, but there were no healthy parents.

Raphine couldn't say anything to Mom and Dad, feeling sorry for her.

"Come on, sign it."

"Sign it."

Lois held out a pen to Raphine and forced her.

Raphine sighed. Then I looked at the contract. In the midst of this, Rafine read the contract carefully without signing it carelessly.

Luca and Lois flinched when they saw Raffine like that.

Unsurprisingly, Raffine, who was reading the documents, stopped.

"Wait, brother. What is this? Are you living like before marriage in the Sapphire Palace?>

"It is, so... We do not call you the Crown Prince, but 'Raphinee.' And it means that I will sing you affectionately.>

Raphine narrowed her eyes as if suspiciously and looked at Lois.

'Don't doubt your brother's love! Leave me worrying you like this!>

Luka and Lois began to distort their expressions as if they were about to cry at any moment.

"Ugh, Raphine....>

"How worried my mother was....>

Behind these two, Mom and Dad sobbed.

Raphine was eventually forced to sign. Thinking about what's going to make a big difference.

But that was a mistake.

The wording on the contract was... It meant that he would strictly control Raphine and nagging whenever he had a chance.

It was only then that Rafine realized what life was like at the Aston Mansion.

Escorts were basic whenever they went out, and curfew was strictly enforced.

Even when I went on a trip to find the holy relics after notifying only my mother, who was the only gentle person.

'It was Luka and Lois, Violet and Adrian who encouraged Zerkan to give the wanted order....'

As a result of signing the document, swayed by emotions, without even knowing it.

Raphine was suffering from the tremendous nagging of Luka and Lois.

Even now, there was so much uproar that he had been out of the Sapphire Palace for a while.

"Raphine, did you say that you would like to go with your brothers?"

Even her mother was no longer on Rafine's side.

"Yes, I am sorry. Mom."

But mom....

Why do you keep wearing Guards clothes? ...?

Raphine stared intently at her mother with a sword around her waist.

Like an escort knight, Mom glanced around and beckoned Raphine to go to her room.

"... phew."

Raphine sighed and walked to the bedroom, trembling.

It was time to open the door and go inside. Raphine's expression brightened when she saw someone.

"Sister Violet!"

"Raphine!"

Violet, who was sitting on the sofa in the living room, smiled brightly and approached Rafine.

"Now I can't seem to see it."

After that, Adrian also shrugged and came closer.

Raphine asked the two of them after giving them a deep hug.

"no way... Didn't you two come here to stay?"

"Well... Not a bad way, though. Unfortunately, that is not the case."

Violet answered, raising her eyebrows. Raphine exhaled a sigh of relief.

"We're leaving soon, Raphine."

said Adrian.

"What?"

It was before I could even breathe a sigh of relief. Raphine's complexion turned pale at the sudden remark.

"Where are you leaving?"

Raphine's voice trembled as she asked the question. Violet looked at Adrian and slapped him in the side.

"If you say that, Raphine is scared!"

"Ugh...."

Adrian rubbed his side and made an impression.

Violet took Raffine to the sofa, sat her down, and sat down next to her, talking sweetly.

"Let's go to war."

"What?"

Raphine's eyes widened.

Then Adrian frowned.

"Doesn't that make you more scared?"

"... greatness."

Violet coughed in embarrassment and then explained.

"As you may have heard, the two of us were also involved in the war against the kingdom of Themion. Because they hide their magical beasts, it seems like the war is going to get pretty big."

"...."

"As you know, the two of us cannot fall into a war against the beast. Actually, I don't know about Adrian... Am I a spirit warrior?"

As Violet spoke like a brat, Adrian's lips poked out.

Raphine let out a small sigh and clenched her fists. Violet continued.

"Zerkan will also go with you as the commander-in-chief."

"...."

"Luca and Lois also said that they would join the war, but we refused."

Raphine then raised her head and looked at her.

"Well.... I don't want to think about bad situations. Just because you don't know If we don't come back, I want Luka and Lois to stay by your side."

"Why would you say that...."

Raphine's eyes widened in an instant, and tears fell.

When Raphine started to cry, shaking her shoulder, Adrian stabbed Violet in the side, asking why she said that.

"If you don't know, I'll be honest with you. War is not something that can be guaranteed."

After saying that, Violet hugged Raphine by the shoulder and patted her on the back.

"Raphine, but we will try to get back to you. So you too are doing what you can and doing well."

"...."

"You have to protect the people of the empire."

Violet wiped Raphine's wet cheeks and whispered softly.

Raphine nodded, hugged Violet and did not let go of it for a while.

Just like one day in my childhood when I was always in Violet's arms.