“The Emperor abdicated? Is it true?”

I asked Popo several times in surprise.

I knew Justin wasn’t attached to the throne. But I didn’t expect him to step down from that position so quickly.

As if he had been waiting for it. So abruptly.

[It is true. Ricarion also can’t believe it and just left for the Capital.]

Popo’s image flickered transparently above the wind barrier Aery had set up in the air.

[Yuriella. Did you not hear anything separately from the Emperor? I heard you had a private audience with him before. Was there no strange sign?]

“Uh… not at all…”

[I see. I will contact you again if there is any new news.]

When the communication with Popo was cut off, Aery narrowed her eyes and flew right in front of my face.

[Suspicious. Suspicious.]

“…Wh-what is?”

[The day you had a private audience with the Emperor. You deliberately sent Aery to Popo, right? You were scheming something behind my back, right?]

“Wh-what. What would I have to scheme with the Emperor behind your back?”

[Look me in the eyes, Yuriella. Talk while looking into my eyes.]

“I’m serious. Didn’t you just see me get surprised after hearing Popo’s words?”

[You seemed surprised. But not like ‘Oh my! What a shock!’. It was more like ‘How did this happen? This is a bit different from what I expected?’ That was exactly your expression.]

Sharp fellow. To sensitively detect even such differences.

“Aery. Let’s hurry and go find Nikon. The Dukes and His Majesty Lewis in the Capital will handle the Emperor’s issue well.”

As I tried to get on Blanca, Aery grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled.

[What is it? What are you hiding?]

Seeing her raise her triangular eyes fiercely, it seemed she had no intention of letting it go easily.

“Actually, I told the Emperor to stop everything.”

[Did the Emperor decide to give up the crown because of Yuriella?]

“Not exactly because of me…”

[The condition?]

“Uh, well…”

[You said you would be with the Emperor? If he dies, you’ll die together, if he’s punished, you’ll be punished together, if he’s exiled, you’ll go together?]

“Aery. Why are you only sharp at times like this?”

Usually lacking awareness. But at crucial moments, she’s as sharp as the Duke.

[Can Yuriella break up with the Duke? Do you have the confidence to part ways forever without being heartbroken?]

“I’m fine. Really.”

[Lies.]

“If His Majesty Lewis becomes Emperor peacefully, the Duke can create the country he desires. The North will no longer have to shed blood. A war won without fighting is the true complete victory.”

[What about Yuriella’s happiness?]

“Protecting the Duke is my goal, and the new meaning of my life that I gained. So I can be happy.”

[Hmph. Wipe your tears and tell lies.]

“…I’m not crying.”

[The tears flowing from your eyes are like the Nereto Falls.]

“This is just because the sunlight is too dazzling.”

As I rubbed my wet face with the back of my hand, Aery pounded her chest with her fists.

[Oh no. Oh no!]

As two pairs of transparent wings flapped rapidly, a fierce wind blew.

A pile of lavender uprooted by the gale swirled in the wind. A broken branch flew from behind and hit my back hard.

“Ugh.”

[Yuriella! Are you okay?]

Aery, who hurriedly retracted the wind, blew on my back, not knowing what to do. The healing energy enveloping my whole body seeped warmly into my skin.

[Sorry. Are you hurt? Does it hurt a lot?]

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.”

[What’s okay again? While sweating profusely! While biting your lip until it bleeds foolishly!]

How strange.

It’s really okay.

I’ve endured moments more painful and distressing than this well.

Why do tears keep flowing uncontrollably?

Is there something wrong with my tear glands?

My tears finally dried up when the setting sun shone on the Mare Viola plains spread out like a sea of lavender.

Aery sighed as she blew on my swollen eyes.

[If you leave with the Emperor? You plan to part ways with Aery too?]

Aery is too smart today.

[You want to abandon me because I’m not a complete Holy Sword? Because Aery is useless?]

“Where did you hear that? No. Absolutely not.”

[Aery won’t break up. Aery will never leave Yuriella’s side!]

“…He’s strong. You might get hurt.”

[Tsk. Even if Yuriella hides tightly, Aery will find you. Because the wind blows everywhere! You better be prepared. Aery is fierce and persistent. You can never run away from me, Yuriella. You can’t even die without my permission! That’s the contract with the Holy Sword Aery.]

“…Come here, Aery.”

As I reached out my hand, Aery flew over and clung to my neck.

[Waaaah, Yuriella. You must never abandon me.]

Aery’s tears falling drop by drop covered my heart softly like big snowflakes.

“Thank you, Aery… I love you.”

The small warmth hugging me tightly, saying we’ll be together and never leave, was warm.

I also wanted to hug tightly and convey warm comfort to a face I suddenly missed, making my throat tighten.

The owner of the ice and snow kingdom, to whom big snowflakes suit very well.

My most beloved, the most wonderful scenery in the world.

However, my bloodstained footprints left on the white snowfield and the red earth exposed here and there like scars came to mind, making me close my eyes without realizing it.

I guess it wasn’t a good choice.

Closing my eyes, the winter scenery of Collina Rosa soaked in blood passed by more vividly one by one.

The blood-soaked castle walls, the nameless young soldiers who died without even closing their eyes, the trampled farmland, and the burning civilian homes…

They were wounds and scars that could never be covered even if big snowflakes fell all winter.

The name that the people of Collina Rosa and the North hated and cursed more than the Emperor, Solas Moretti. They were wounds inflicted by the Emperor’s dog.

My barely subsided tear glands burst again.

[Yuriella, stop crying. You’ll get exhausted from crying so much.]

Aery flew up lightly and wiped my eyes busily, worried.

[Aery has been short-sighted. I won’t tell you to divorce the Duke anymore. You two live together for a long, long time. If you have a daughter, Aery will be her godmother, and if you have a son, I’ll be his godfather. So don’t cry. Okay?]

“Aery. You can’t be a godfather. Only men can be godfathers.”

[Didn’t you know? Aery can become a woman and can also become a man.]

I was so surprised that my tears disappeared.

“Really?”

Aery explained that when the goddess Yustera bestowed self-awareness and the will to choose a master to the four Holy Swords, she also gave them the ability to freely change gender.

When the Holy Swords were first created, they had no self-awareness or gender, but since the Holy Swords are part of nature, they were made to exist as female, male, or even genderless according to the laws of nature.

“Right now…? Are you female or male?”

Remembering that I thoughtlessly changed clothes in front of Aery, I suspiciously looked at Aery while pushing her away a little with my fingertips.

[Female! Do you prefer male? Aery is also very cute and lovely as a male. Should I change to male?]

Aery started spinning round and round as if she would change her appearance right away.

I hurriedly stopped Aery and tapped her fluffy head.

“Just stay as female. And never tell the Duke that you can become male too. Understand?”

[Because Frost is petty?]

“The Duke is absolutely not petty. Just-”

[A petty, jealous man.]

I tried hard to find words to refute, but I couldn’t come up with a suitable expression until we reached the village with the inn.

“Well. That’s the Duke’s charm. If he’s too perfect, he would lack human qualities. Do you get it?”

I thought it was an unconvincing argument, but Aery nodded her head vigorously with sparkling eyes.

[Yeah! It’s like Yuriella is perfect but having a petty, jealous husband is her only flaw? That petty flaw makes Yuriella human.]

“…”

The arm bends inward, and even the primordial sacred spirit thinks one’s own child is the prettiest in the world.

[Do you miss the Duke? Should I connect you now? He’ll be waiting breathlessly for you to contact him.]

Aery took the initiative to do me a favor, which was unprecedented.

“No… later. I’m too tired today, so I just want to rest.”

I deliberately yawned loudly and quickened my pace. If I heard the Duke’s voice, I felt like I would foolishly shed tears first.

Look. Tears are coming out again. It’s really strange. My tear glands must be broken.

As I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, Blanca approached and rubbed her muzzle.

I brought her here because somehow she knew I was leaving far away and cried pitifully, slamming her body against the stable door and even hurting herself.

Seeing her white mane soiled with dust, I felt miserable for some reason and tears poured out again.

Why am I really like this?

*

“Your Grace. Please retire to your sleeping quarters now.”

Head butler Alexis pleaded earnestly.

“The night is deep.”

Since returning from the Imperial Palace, Frost had been holed up in his office for hours, staring intently at the green wind communication orb left by Aery.

Frost was sitting upright with his arms crossed, not moving a muscle.

If he could hear Yuriella’s voice, it seemed like his heart, raging like mad waves, would calm down a bit.

‘Is she very tired…?’

Where and how much hardship was that tireless woman enduring again?

The only person he wanted to show only good things and make her smile…

[Do you like my surprise gift, elder brother? I gave the gift of peace to the North. What is your answer?]

After dropping the bombshell announcement and leaving the Grand Council Chamber, the Emperor separately summoned Frost to the Imperial Palace.

[You’re saying you’re stepping down from the throne without any conditions?] [I have no conditions to impose on you, elder brother. So just accept my gift.] [I have no intention of gaining peace for the North by sacrificing my wife.] [Even if it’s not me, that woman won’t stay by your side. My Solas is a wonderful knight who can never turn a blind eye to the wounds and scars she left in the North.] [They are wounds you inflicted. Scars created because of you.] [I presented the answer Solas wanted, elder brother. Now it’s your turn.] [Do you intend to take her, my wife, as a hostage?] [Hostage?] [If my wife is with you… did you think I couldn’t harm you? Are you planning to hide behind her?]

Justin, who had been looking at him blankly, soon burst into laughter. As if he had heard a very amusing joke.

[Hahaha. Elder brother. No matter how crazy I am, I’m not that low.]

The Emperor, wiping away the tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, barely stifled his laughter.

[You don’t know Solas as much as I do, elder brother. Solas is someone who sacrifices everything for the one she has devoted her heart to. She will try to kill me, knowing I will surely be an unstable factor to you. Even if it means dying with me. Don’t you think that’s quite a spectacular end?]

While looking at her cold corpse hung high on the Imperial Palace walls, I thought about it every day. That I should have died with her. The moment her head fell, I should have also cut off my own head.

Justin recited as if whispering.

The reason he couldn’t do that was because he didn’t know where her soul had gone.

If she had become a wandering spirit, he would have gladly waited. If it was hell, he would have died right away.

But because it kept seeming like she would appear somewhere, he couldn’t even die and had gone crazy.

“Damn bastard!”

Frost stood up abruptly, and the energy he emitted shattered the glass windows, pushing them out to beyond the terrace.

The glass shards reflected by the moonlight fell like sparkling snow.

Leo, who was leaning against a tree in the garden looking up at his lord’s room, sighed, “Whew”.

Surprised by the loud explosion, Lewis opened the window of his room and came out, looking around, and his eyes met Leo’s.

As Leo pointed to the terrace of the Duke’s office, Lewis’s eyes darkly sank.

Today, the Emperor played the trump card of an abdication announcement at the Leone Hall.

Peace or war.

It was time to make a choice.