Beyond the garden fence, five or six imperial knights clad in silver armor were passing by slowly, mounted on gallant warhorses.
The horses, adorned with red-plumed headgear and ornate armor bearing the imperial crest, had sturdy legs that seemed capable of galloping tirelessly for a whole day—impressive even to adults, let alone children.
“W-Wow.”
The effect was even greater than Parnes and Kasallin had anticipated.
Gilbert, invited to the imperial palace for the first time, seemed to be seeing the imperial knights in person for the first time as well.
His eyes sparkled with fresh awe, and exclamations of admiration flowed naturally from his mouth, while Kayan, glancing at him, subtly wore a satisfied expression.
Unable to stay idle in such a moment, Kasallin naturally spoke to Gilbert, loud enough for Kayan to hear.
“You seem quite interested in horses.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’m raising a foal myself. I feed it and brush its coat. It’s really splendid and fun.”
No matter how precocious, Gilbert was still a child at heart. He excitedly described how beautiful and wonderful his foal was, and Kayan, visibly surprised, widened his eyes.
Kayan, who moments ago seemed reluctant even to greet Gilbert, forgot all about it and spoke in an excited voice.
“A foal? Really?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Its name is Teri, a brown-haired one. It’s still small but very spirited.”
“There are foals in our palace too. There’s a training ground over there with ten of them.”
Kayan proudly spread his small fingers high above his head, and Gilbert, swallowing hard, could hardly believe it.
Kayan, with shoulders squared, straightened his back and put on a deliberately bold and solemn expression, clearly imitating his father.
“And I’ve ridden a big horse with Father before. I wasn’t scared at all.”
“A big horse? You mean the ones those knights are riding? That’s amazing!”
At the children’s adorable conversation, thrilled as if they owned the world just from seeing horses, Kasallin, Parnes, and even the stoic aides quietly stifled their laughter.
Kayan, as if he had never been shy, led Gilbert and ran toward Kasallin and Parnes, politely making a request.
“I want to go to the horse training ground with Gilbert. Mother, Father, may we?”
Kasallin, suppressing her amusement, nodded graciously toward the children.
“Of course, you may. But promise me: stay close to the escort knights and don’t do anything dangerous. Can you keep that promise?”
Kayan and Gilbert, without hesitation, answered “Yes!” with enthusiasm and began excitedly running toward the horse training ground in the outer castle, accompanied by the escort knights. They looked just like two fluffy chicks venturing out into the world.
“There’s no need to worry now. That was a brilliant idea, Your Majesty.”
As the surroundings grew quiet, Kasallin, lightening her steps toward the empress’s palace, spoke to Parnes. He walked beside her, silently shrugging his shoulders.
“I took some inspiration from how I bonded with my childhood friends. I’m glad it worked.”
“Your childhood, Your Majesty?”
Kasallin’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Parnes, feigning nonchalance, paused for a moment.
“It’s not exactly a story I’m proud of, but I was actually shyer than Kayan as a child. Or rather, I should say I was arrogant.”
“Arrogant?”
“Raised under my father’s values and strict education, I believed no one in the world could be my equal. But my first playmate changed that.”
Kasallin turned her head to follow Parnes’s gaze. Sir Antonio was following a few steps behind.
“You and Sir Antonio have known each other for quite a while, then. It must have taken a lot to become close.”
“It did.”
Parnes gave a wry smile, as if recalling an embarrassing memory, his brow slightly furrowed.
“We shared many interests, so once I opened up, we grew close rather easily. Like most boys, both Antonio and I were fond of swordsmanship and hunting.”
“So that’s why you still spar with him from time to time?”
“Exactly. Though it’s hardly practice anymore. We’ve known each other so long that we know each other’s swordplay and habits too well.”
Parnes was strict about separating public and private matters, so he rarely showed personal feelings toward Sir Antonio, treating him as a loyal subject.
Yet deep in his heart, where it wasn’t outwardly shown, he still seemed to regard Sir Antonio as an irreplaceable friend.
Kasallin was deeply pleased that he was not merely a lonely emperor.
“It’s a bit surprising that the late emperor allowed you to play with friends. From what you’ve told me, he didn’t seem to approve of wasting time on such things.”
“You’re right. My father never permitted me to focus on anything other than study and self-improvement.”
“Then how did you become close with Sir Antonio?”
“Thanks to my mother, who occasionally arranged moments away from my father’s watchful eye.”
Parnes stopped walking and cast his gaze toward where Kayan and Gilbert had disappeared. The once-blue sky was now tinged with the crimson of sunset.
“So when Kayan was born, I vowed never to let him become a lonely ruler like my father did to me.”
“…”
“Some believe the emperor’s seat is inherently solitary, that only then can one govern coldly, unswayed by emotions. I used to be one of those people.”
Parnes’s profile seemed to glow red in the sunset’s light. He focused his narrowed eyes on Kasallin.
“But meeting you shattered that belief.”
“…”
“As you once told me, I learned that an emperor, too, can grieve and feel loneliness. And I realized that people grow stronger when they’re not alone. Meeting you freed me from solitude.”
Parnes took Kasallin’s hands, holding them gently as he continued.
“I’m beyond words grateful to be with you today, you who changed me and brought me this realization.”
“Then only joyful days lie ahead. We’ll watch our Kayan grow up to become the brightest, most laughter-filled emperor in the world.”
Parnes smiled quietly and nodded. The two, playfully swinging their clasped hands, entered the empress’s palace.
Lowering their voices, they shared stories, their faces radiant with memories of happy days past and anticipation for the future.
Gilbert, officially Kayan’s playmate, was originally scheduled to visit the palace only once a week, per regulation.
But Kayan requested to play with Gilbert more often, and Kasallin, seeing no reason to refuse, ensured the two could build a deep friendship.
As time passed, Kayan and Gilbert grew genuinely fond of each other.
Gilbert, two years older, read books to Kayan and studied with him, helping to calm Kayan’s once-wild, foal-like behavior, even if just a little.
Kasallin’s expectation that Gilbert would be a good influence on Kayan proved exactly right.
“If this continues, in a few years, His Highness might appoint Gilbert Roman as an attendant or aide.”
At Loren Logia’s words, Kasallin nodded while inspecting the empress’s palace annex, where spring cleaning was in full swing.
“We’ll need to observe a bit longer, but it seems quite likely… Hmm?”
While speaking and looking around the room, Kasallin spotted something in a corner of the annex and widened her eyes.
Passing quietly by the busy maids organizing boxes and sorting items, she approached the corner. Loren Logia followed with a puzzled expression.
“Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”
“Goodness, to think this was here. How many years has it been…?”
What Kasallin found was an unfinished portrait of Parnes from long ago. It was left incomplete when Shallen injured his leg and was recovering in the imperial palace.
She had assumed it had been discarded, but it seemed Parnes had ordered it to be kept in the empress’s palace annex.
“Wow, the skill is impressive.”
“Not really.”
Kasallin couldn’t help but blush looking at her own painting. At the time, she thought she had done well, but now it seemed quite poor.
What bothered her more was that Parnes in the painting looked too dark and lonely compared to reality.
The Parnes she saw now wasn’t like this. If she were to paint it again, she’d use brighter colors overall.
The corners of his mouth would curve softly upward, and his eyes would have the unique arc of someone looking at something dear to capture his likeness better.
“Your Majesty, if you’re dissatisfied, why not call the Court Painter to create a family portrait?”
“A family portrait?”
Kasallin’s eyes sparkled as she turned to Loren Logia, who nodded.
“His Majesty is no longer alone. How about a large painting of all three of you to hang in the study?”
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium
