* * *

Rafine, who visited the Crystal Palace, was having tea time with the Empress.

"Come on, Empress Dowager. Your Majesty the Emperor has come."

The maid smiled brightly and told the news. The Empress nodded, and Raphine got up from her seat.

'It seems to be the beginning again.'

Except during peak times, the Emperor visited his Majesty whenever he had spare time.

It wasn't the first time the two of us were interrupted.

To be honest, Raphine was still uncomfortable with the emperor.

'It's too good to say.'

Whenever I have spare time, I get pissed off at the Empress's Majesty and give a lot of tea.... To be honest, it was filthy from the point of view of the subordinates watching.

However, the Empress Dowager only smiled as if it was cute, looking at such an emperor as to what the heck was good.

"Raphine, you were here today."

The emperor, who entered the drawing room, said with a smile. Maybe it was thanks to Pabal, who arrived yesterday, and he seemed to be in a very good mood.

The war was progressing toward victory faster than expected.

The damage done to the allies was recorded at a surprising level that there is no precedent in the history books.

Raphine laughed at the news, but she was happy inside.

Again, the enemies could not use restraints recklessly. It was because the strongest weapon they had was the beast.

Many things happened to the temple, too, and most of the priests were executed.

After the war, the power of the temple would have been reduced to an unimaginable extent.

"What kind of tea are you drinking today?"

The emperor, sitting close to the empress, showed interest in the tea leaves Raffine had brought.

"Lemon flavored tea. Try it."

The emperor sips the tea, savoring the aroma. The empress looked at the emperor with a friendly gaze.

'The chicken meat couple.... Another start.'

Raphine closed her eyes tightly.

"It smells so good."

The emperor, who put down the teacup, laughed wildly and coughed in vain.

Raphine gently opened her eyes at the sound, and the emperor was beckoning to the surroundings. Then all the servants and maids in the drawing room escaped.

'What are you talking about?'

Raphine looked at the emperor with a puzzled look.

"Raphine, as you know, I am a shameful emperor."

Raphine's eyes widened.

"Why do you say that, Your Majesty?"

Raphine was restless at the unexpected words.

The Empress calmed her down by tapping the back of Raphine's hand. The emperor continued speaking in a heavy voice.

"I am going to repent of my past when I made a foolish choice and live my life with no regrets in the future."

"...."

"When Zerkan returns, I will go and live in the Lorelian estate with the Empress after doing good deeds."

Raphine listened to the emperor's story while bowing her head without answering. The Lorelian estate was the estate of the empress family.

The emperor continued with a stern voice.

"All my wealth will be recorded in the history books of the empire, and I plan to leave it to future generations so that such a thing will never happen again."

"... your majesty."

Raphine was startled. Even though... I never thought that the emperor would make such a choice.

Emperor Servan was more proud than his son Zerkan.

It's surprising that such an emperor admits his mistake, but to order it to be recorded in the history books...

Emperors always want to inflate their achievements and record them.

The mere acknowledgment of the emperor's own wrongdoing was a huge disgrace.

But the emperor nevertheless chose.

"...."

Raphine looked at the emperor who sincerely repented of his past. There was no hesitation in the smile of the determined emperor.

Rafine also returned a warm smile.

* * *

Just like Raffine looks at the emperor couple and pretends to be a chicken skin couple inside.

No one on the battlefield had a similar affliction.

"Even though it's hard...."

"What am I struggling with? Violet, you are harder."

"No, you both almost fell."

"Are you worried about Goya?"

Zerkan didn't understand the two people who dared to come to his barracks and eat chicken meat.

"...."

Zerkan thought seriously.

'What is the reason? What did I do to those two people?'

Adrian said in a charming voice.

"Yogi, yogi, I was sick. Call yourself."

Zerkan's forehead was wrinkled.

Did Adrian even have his tongue cut off? Even young Raphine had never made such a short tongue sound.

"Is that so? I will call you."

In the previous battle, Violet also had her tongue cut off.

Zerkan wanted to ask why those two people are doing this here without healing their severed tongue.... I didn't want to mix up the conversation with the two of them.

Violet and Adrian giggled face-to-face, then turned their gaze to Zerkan.

"Uh, I thought you were out...."

"Didn't you go to the aide?"

The two asked, puzzled. Zerkan said, holding back her bloated stomach.

"... Sorry, but this is my barracks. Whether I'm here or not, it's not a place for two people."

At that, Violet clicked her tongue.

"Ts. I was afraid that I would be lonely by myself, so I came here on purpose...."

"You don't need friends anymore."

Adrian stared at Zerkan with ferocious eyes.

"Yeah, because Raphine is there."

On the battlefield, the two were more respectful to Zerkan than anyone else, but in a private place like this, they showed great hatred.

Zerkan wanted to see Raffine more than ever.

* * *

late night. Raphine woke up and stared blankly at the ceiling.

'No, when the hell will it end?'

I was exhausted and I was going to die. In the meantime, Orphana also had no news.

Recently, Orphana has been very lazy. He did not deliver the news of the battlefield, nor did he do business diligently.

I just didn't do anything every day as if I was bored. He even ignored Raphine's call.

"Ehh...."

It was all because of Ruby's absence.

Whenever they were so anxious that they couldn't eat each other, Orphana fell into depression because there was no ruby.

If that's the case, then either follow Ruby from the beginning.

Orphana insisted that she didn't like it again.

Anyway, Raphine was also depressed.

I wanted to see Zerkan.

'I can't come and go secretly....'

Orphana was like that, so there was no way.

Raphine hugged her dear pillow and bit her lip.

After Zerkan left, Raphine realized how deeply he had been entrenched in her heart.

I don't know if it's slowly soaking in, or if it started when I first met him again.

'Maybe it was felt at first sight.'

To be honest, when I first met Zerkan, it was true that I was suffocated by her beauty.

Even when we got married by contract, honestly, that face canceled out all my worries and worries.

How could you have such a handsome man as your temporary husband.... I thought it was luck.

But now, as a real husband, I can live with that face for the rest of my life.

'Highest job satisfaction....'

Of course, unfortunately I can't see it now.

Raphine sighed and stared intently at the portrait of Zerkan hanging on the wall.

After he left, he purposely had a attendant and hung it up so that he could see it in his bed....

All of a sudden, the rumors spread.

Because of that, I couldn't attend the tea party for a while. Because everyone who sees it brings up the story as if it's sad.

'I'm dying to see you.'

* * *

It had been a year since the Empire started a war for cause.

The king of Themion Kingdom, who had endured, eventually declared surrender and admitted their sins.

The Imperial Army burned down the laboratory where they tested magical beasts, and executed all war criminals involved.

And today.

It was the day when the Crown Prince's knights, who had departed for the first time, finally returned to the capital.

Raphine tried to calm her trembling heart, but it was impossible.

A week before the news came, I couldn't sleep properly and I couldn't even eat.

Today too, I couldn't sit for half a day and wandered around the room, but I didn't feel any fatigue at all.

Only the faces I longed to meet again filled my mind.

But I needed to calm down. It was a time when Raphine was calming down with a cup of tea.

"Your Highness, the knights have crossed the main gate of the Imperial Castle!"

The servant's cry was heard. At the same time, a murmur sounded outside the window.