“No. I have already told the Empress. After this matter is over, don’t call me to the imperial palace again.”

“Levan!”

“I would be thankful if you would disown me from the Liranaf family. ……You won’t do that, will you?”

“Stop the nonsense! How long do you think I will tolerate you!”

“Don’t tolerate me, Father. I have found someone to replace me, so I will leave the mansion now.”

Levan lightly bowed and turned without hesitation. Whatever conversation went on inside, it was none of his concern.

It was when Levan had taken only a few steps.

“When will you give up everything like a fool because of your brother’s death!”

Duke Liranaf roared in rage from behind. That cry caught Levan’s ankle.

Levan stopped walking and threw back his upper body as if cursed.

For the first time, the eyes of the two father and son met. But in Levan’s eyes that met, there was no emotion.

Whenever he looked at his father, his eyes were always empty.

“Not only was he my brother, but he was also your son.”

“……What?”

“You might not think so, Father.”

Duke Liranaf had no answer to Levan’s words. Nor did he deny it. Levan’s eyes sank into darkness.

He realized what kind of person his father was after his brother’s death.

His father cried at his brother’s corpse and only pretended to grieve in front of people.

And every night, he called for him to forget his brother, to forget everything he saw that day, indoctrinating him like brainwashing.

Levan became a coward.

To escape his father’s surveillance. To escape Duke Liranaf’s suspicion.

“Father.”

“Yes.”

“The day my brother died. Was it true that alchemist Generba was witnessed?”

“What?”

Duke Liranaf’s face contorted. Levan examined his parent’s face emotionlessly and turned his body.

“I will go.”

But now it was time.

Levan left Liranaf’s mansion for the last time that day.

Duke Liranaf’s eyes, watching Levan’s receding figure, were filled with only a cold light.

(This is a time separator.)

Whatever he wanted, it was not good that Generba kept reaching into this empire.

Levanfell said he would go directly to call Clint Tenen, despite Jelim’s dissuasion. The territory where Tenen resided was far from the capital.

So there was a lot to prepare to leave the seat for a long time. Recently, Levanfell and Jelim had been busy working without even sleeping properly.

I had to prepare for Levanfell’s night, so Jelim and I also decided to move together.

Since Generba might spread a plague in the capital again, Elihu and some ministers volunteered to bless the vicinity of the capital and imperial palace for a while.

“Lisa. There are kids I want to show you.”

“Huh?”

I took the recovered Lisa to the kitchen where the chef was. Lisa was disguised in maid’s clothes so that others wouldn’t recognize her.

The back door of the kitchen leading to the vegetable garden.

There, the chef had made a cat’s nest with clumsy hands.

“……Wow.”
Lisa looked down at the two sleeping cats with her palm over her mouth, her eyes filled with emotion.

Though they were called divine beasts, they were no different from ordinary cats. They were said to have grown by consuming sacred energy, but according to the cook, they drank milk quite well.

“Isn’t it cute?”

“…… The fact that it’s really alive and breathing makes me so happy.”

They were light words, but they meant something special to Lisa.

Lisa couldn’t contain her inner excitement and laughed in a whisper. Seeing how much she liked it made me think that showing it to her was a good idea.

“Teriella.”

Looking at Lisa and smiling, she held my hand.

“I’m so grateful that I can’t even say thank you. Teriella. Whenever you need help, whatever it is, I’ll always be there to help you, barefoot. I’m serious. Even if it endangers the continent, I’ll take your side on anything.”

“Reassuring.”

“I mean it. You saved my life. I could die for you at any time.”

Lisa spoke as if she was swearing. I smiled, thankful for that noble oath.

“Thank you, Lisa.”

“Come visit the Eteria Empire later. Then I’ll teach you horse riding and swordsmanship. The plains of the Eteria Empire are wide, so it’s good for riding a horse.”

Lisa decided to return to the Eteria Empire before anyone else noticed.

The rumor that the Eteria Empire and Leonharta Great Empire had formed an alliance spread widely, causing some kingdoms to become uneasy and show resistance.

Some kingdoms raised their voices, questioning whether the two empires were planning to break the continental peace agreement and plunder and invade the entire continent.

“Always remember, Teriella. The Eteria Empire is always on your side.”

Lisa and the Emperor of Eteria left happily, leaving their greetings.

And after the sweet party ended, Raven left without hesitation, as he had warned.

Jaelim, who recognized his talent, put me forward and caught him several times, but Raven was relentless.

“If you call me in the palace, I have to respond wherever I am… Please don’t call me to the palace now, as promised, Your Majesty.”