“I hope you’ll go to the imperial palace tomorrow as well. Take Lucy with you.”

Damian said, looking at his daughter lying in his spot.

“Tomorrow? But tomorrow… is the day you receive your reward at the palace…”

“I think it would be good for Lucy to know what kind of person her father is.”

“Ah… Right. Lucy said those things to you yesterday…”

Eriel lowered her gaze.

“It’s because I’m lacking.”

Eriel blamed herself, her expression quickly darkening.

Damian didn’t know why Eriel was blaming herself, but he thought it best to leave it be.
Because Eriel’s worried eyes finally looked at him fully.

*

“Lucy, you can’t shout or run to your father like you did then. Understood?”

Eriel instructed her on palace etiquette.

Eriel’s educational philosophy was to raise a bright child, not an ill-mannered one.

“Yes, I understand, Mom.”

Lucy nodded with a bright smile.

Normally, she wouldn’t have brought a child to such a place, but this time Eriel brought Lucy along because Damian had asked.
Fortunately, as Lucy was a child who followed instructions well, Eriel was able to relax as she moved to her seat.

“Duke of Genova…”

In the solemn atmosphere, Damian knelt on one knee before His Majesty the Emperor.
A long speech praising his merits in suppressing the rebellion and announcing the bestowal of rewards echoed through the hall.

Eriel stood up from her seat, holding Lucy’s hand tightly as she watched Damian.

The sunlight streaming through the glass windows beautifully illuminated Damian’s golden hair.
The same golden hair as Lucy’s…
His straight nose and blue eyes that held the sea, as if signifying his unwavering loyalty.

The living… Damian.

The warmth of the child’s hand she was holding made it somehow difficult for Eriel to look at her husband.
It wasn’t the first time she had watched Damian like this here, but was it because she came with their daughter?

She wanted to stop watching Damian receiving rewards, Damian kneeling before His Majesty the Emperor… now.

At first, she had been proud, the second time she was concerned, and the third time she seemed to have resigned herself a little.
Damian, who had led victories in frequent conquest wars, had become someone who boosted the morale of the knights.

It was perhaps the day of his second departure.
She had gone to the departing ship while pregnant with their child.

Barely overcoming the drowsiness caused by pregnancy, she had tied a handkerchief with their names embroidered large on it.
The words “Do you really have to go?” lingered in her throat, but she couldn’t say them in the end.
Seeing numerous knights board that ship, Eriel lowered her head.

After all, Damian wasn’t the only one who was someone’s precious husband.

“This war seems like it will be a long one.”

Damian said, looking at the ship with an expressionless face.

“Can’t you write letters this time?”

“Letters?”

“Even if it’s just a very short sentence, it’s fine. I just need to know you’re alive.”

“Is there really a need for that?”

Damian tilted his head and stared at the handkerchief Eriel had tied.
It was tied to his sword handle, but Damian untied it.

“Damian. That’s…”

“I didn’t know you believed in such superstitions. It’s more of a hindrance. That’s enough, go inside. You’re not alone anymore.”

“Yes…”

Eriel nodded and walked away. Fortunately, Damian returned victorious from that war.
He wasn’t by her side when she gave birth, and there were no letters, but it was enough that he returned safely to the mansion.

“…Mom?”

Lucy looked up at Eriel with a surprised face.

Eriel quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and smiled gently at Lucy.

“Dad is cool, isn’t he?”

Lucy’s green eyes blinked rapidly.

“…Yes. He’s cool.”

Lucy nodded and smiled brightly at Eriel, meeting her eyes.
That… that made Eriel even more choked up, and she bit her lower lip hard to hold back her tears.

“Mom seems to want to stop seeing Dad looking cool. Right?”

Eriel nodded, gripping Lucy’s small hand even tighter.
Even though she knew she shouldn’t show such a face to a mere seven-year-old child, the tears that kept flowing wouldn’t stop.

If he goes to war again.

If he doesn’t come back.

What if Damian leaves, leaving only me and Lucy behind?

She couldn’t shake off the disloyal thought that… this glorious occasion seemed to be pushing him into war.

“…Duchess of Genova.”

At the gentle voice, Eriel quickly wiped her face and turned her head.
Her Majesty the Empress had approached Eriel.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire.”

Eriel curtsied, trying her best to compose her expression that had just been crying.
It seemed Damian’s award ceremony had ended.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress of the Empire.”

Lucy, who curtsied beside Eriel, also kissed the Empress’s hand.

After the greetings were over, the Empress’s hand moved gently on Eriel’s shoulder. The hand that moved as lightly as a feather – tap, tap – comforted Eriel.

“You always have a heavy burden. While the Duke of Genova may have iron blood flowing through him, you do not. I certainly know that you’ve had many heartaches over the years.”

The Empress smiled bitterly.

“Not at all, Your Majesty.”

“Before being a duchess, you are a woman. I’m not unfamiliar with those feelings. When I was the Crown Princess, His Majesty participated in a war. I cried so much. Come to think of it, the Duke of Genova had just received his title then too. I married later than you, after all.”

Eriel quietly nodded.

“But since then, the Duke has gone to war continuously. His Majesty became Emperor, so it couldn’t be helped… Still, thanks to the Duke of Genova always lending his strength, many people of the Empire and this country are living happy lives.”

“Not at all. All peace is thanks to His Majesty the Emperor using proper politics and a broad mind. Genova is always grateful to be able to help as a subject.”

“Your eyes are still red.”

The Empress looked at Eriel’s eyes and comforted her with a gentle smile.

“I’ve been there too. There was a time when I got angry at the previous Emperor for the first time, asking if we couldn’t stop the wars. I understand how you feel. How would men understand? They don’t comprehend at all why it’s so hard to just wait in a safe place.”

“…Not at all.”

“But you know. That’s your husband’s heart. Wanting his wife to be safe in a safe place.”

Eriel blinked slowly and looked at the Empress.

“The Duke of Genova is always thinking of you. Oh my, I came to see because I heard you brought your daughter. The name was…”

“I apologize for the late introduction. Your Majesty the Empress, this is Lucy.”

Lucy curtsied once more to the Empress.

“She has the Duchess’s eyes. Lucy is seven years old, correct?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. She’s seven.”

“Our Crown Prince is eight. I think they could be good friends, what do you think?”

The Empress smiled at Lucy. Eriel, looking a bit flustered, gently pulled Lucy closer.

“Lucy is still young and unfamiliar with the palace. I’m worried she might inconvenience the Crown Prince… Rather than Lucy, our Derek from the Genova family is eight years old, the same age as the Crown Prince. Being a boy as well, wouldn’t he make a good friend?”

The Empress nodded at Eriel with a smile.

“Is that so. Then I think it would be nice to have tea with Lady Jessica next time. More than that, I’d like to stroll in the garden with Lucy, if that’s alright?”

“Ah…”

“I’d like that, Your Majesty the Empress. Mom, I’ll go for a walk in the garden with Her Majesty and come back.”

Lucy left Eriel’s hand. Eriel tried to grab her urgently, but Lucy’s movement was faster.

“Haha. I heard your daughter was a little Damian. Indeed, she is.”

“Mom! I’ll be back. Play with Dad!”

Eriel, left alone, stared blankly at Lucy’s receding figure.

She clenched her empty hand, anxiously watching the backs of Lucy and the Empress.

*

“I apologize for the late greeting, Duchess.”

“…Lord Charles.”

Eriel, unclenching her hand, smiled brightly at Charles.

He was the eldest son of Count Gorman, Damian’s direct subordinate.
In place of Damian, who found everything bothersome, Lord Charles would send letters every few years.
Not just greetings, but detailed explanations of whether Damian had been injured and what had happened recently, for which she was always grateful.

If there hadn’t even been such letters, she would have been truly anxious.

“Yesterday, at the victory banquet, I couldn’t attend because I had to meet with a doctor for a moment.”

“Oh my, so that’s why you weren’t there. You weren’t badly hurt, were you?”

“It wasn’t a major injury, so I’m fine. Just a scratch near my leg. Haha…”

“I’m glad.”

“Yes, then…”

Eriel, who had nodded, hurriedly opened her lips to Charles, who was about to turn away after finishing his greeting.

“Um, by any chance… Lord Charles, has the rebellion been completely suppressed?”

“Pardon? Ah! …Haha! Yes! You can consider this rebellion to be completely suppressed. Even if there’s another schedule in the future, I think it will be difficult for the Duke to go now.”

As soon as she heard Charles’s words, Eriel unconsciously broke into a radiant smile.
Then, quickly composing her expression, she carefully asked him.
She had already been disappointed many times in the past.
Even with this rebellion, no one thought Damian would go, after all.