Everyone held their breath as they watched the unidentified being emerge from the sealed room, breaking through the wall.

In that narrow space, the Empress and the Queen had engaged in a fierce battle, so surely only one of them could have survived, and the one emerging now must be that survivor.

Whether the Empress had hunted the Queen, or the Queen had hunted the Empress, all the members swallowed hard as they watched.

And upon confirmation:

“Her Majesty the Empress has hunted the final Queen!!”

With that cry from one of the members, the survivor turned out to be Yulia.

Martin approached Yulia as she walked out from inside the ice wall.

“How was the final battle?”

“It was intense. Worthy of being called the last battle.”

Inside the narrow sealed room, Yulia had fought against flames.

She covered the unquenchable fire with cold air again and again.

Just as her mind was starting to turn blank due to the gradually thinning air, the flame that seemed eternal finally extinguished.

Afterwards, she shattered the Queen’s core that remained alone, and was able to come out of the sealed room alive.

The members who had anxiously waited for the Empress outside cheered loudly, forgetting even that they were in a rift.

Now that the last Queen of the last rift had been eliminated, they no longer had to fight monsters.

This was humanity’s victory, and an event worthy of being recorded in history.

The excitement of being present at such a glorious moment, which would be passed down for a long time as the story of heroes who defeated the final Queen, was expressed through cheerful laughter and loud cheers.

It was in the midst of this commotion that Yulia suddenly stroked her belly and said to Martin:

“While fighting the monster, I thought about it. This child’s name.”

The name of the second child in her womb had not yet been decided.

But just now, while facing the flames, quite a good name had flashed through her mind.

“Brandt.”

“Brandt… A name meaning flame.”

Yulia nodded and replied.

“While facing the fire in that narrow space, I felt fear. It was bright, hot… and beautiful. Though that’s not something to say about a monster.”

“So you chose a name with the meaning of flame?”

“Yes, I want to give my child the name of that powerful being that frightened me. And above all, Your Majesty’s ability is also the ability of flame. I hope my child grows up to be a strong warrior like you.”

Martin murmured the name Brandt softly while stroking his chin.

“That’s good. If he accepts that name and grows up to be a hot, shining, and strong warrior, I couldn’t ask for more.”

“He certainly will. Because he’s our child.”

Martin kissed Yulia as if agreeing with those words.

It was the day when the long war against monsters ended and a shining name was given to a new life.

After the last rift of the empire closed, Yulia formally announced her retirement as a knight.

She judged that there was no need for her to continue living as a knight in this peaceful era where monsters had disappeared.

However, Yulia soon realized that the belief that they wouldn’t have to fight if only monsters were gone was just a hope.

A war with the neighboring country ‘Lunestia’ broke out unexpectedly and suddenly.

The cause was religion.

While Martin and Yulia had been focusing all their efforts on closing rifts, conflicts stemming from religious reasons had been festering secretly between the two countries, and they finally erupted.

Thus, Martin had to set out for war not long after the last rift was closed.

Yulia, who had already retired as a knight and had to take care of state affairs in Martin’s place, remained at the palace.

A season changed after she was left alone like that.

Prince Brandt was born.

Still, Martin did not return.

Brandt learned to walk and talk.

Yet Martin could not return.

Contrary to their hopes for him to be a healthy child, Brandt began to suffer from lung disease.

Martin was still on the battlefield.

During that long time, Yulia took care of state affairs and nursed Brandt along with the intelligent and brave first princess, Katharina.

After seasons changed so many times it became troublesome to count, when they faced early winter once again:

“Mother! It’s snowing outside! The first snow!”

Katharina, who was having breakfast with Yulia, shouted while pointing out the window.

The daughter, who was mature as the firstborn but showed innocent emotions like a child at times like this, asked with a voice full of excitement.

“Can I go out for a moment to feel the snow after breakfast?”

“Hmm, there’s no reason not to. If you promise to diligently attend all your lessons for today.”

Yulia allowed Katharina to go out without much worry.

Katharina, who possessed a strong body and outstanding abilities resembling Yulia and Martin, was always a child that put one’s mind at ease.

A child who was no less strong than well-trained knights despite her young age, so she wasn’t worried much in any situation and felt reassured.

That’s why Yulia allowed her to go out.

It was right after that when something worrisome happened.

“I want to go outside with my sister too.”

The second child, Brandt, who was having breakfast together, made that request in a quiet voice.

For a moment, Yulia couldn’t respond by saying he could.

The healthy Katharina and Brandt, who suffered from lung disease, were different.

Compared to Katharina who seemed capable of doing anything well, Brandt…

“It’s already terrible to imagine what might happen if you’re exposed to snow when even cold wind makes you cough. Going out on a day like this is absolutely not allowed.”

“…”

“Snow is meant to be admired from a warm place. Once you feel its coldness on your skin, it will only be painful.”

Brandt’s shoulders slumped in disappointment at Yulia’s firm refusal.

Yulia continued eating, deliberately ignoring her son’s reaction.

It was sad and regrettable that she couldn’t grant even this simple request to experience the first snow, but it couldn’t be helped.

If she gave in with a soft heart and granted Brandt’s request, an earlier death might come to this fragile child.

The child’s condition was rapidly worsening day by day.

Yulia knew deep down that her son wouldn’t live long.

She only wished for him to stay by her side a little longer, even if just a tiny bit longer.

So she ignored the request and finished breakfast, about to get up from her seat.

“Mother…”

Brandt, who had been eating half-heartedly, reached out his frail hand and grabbed Yulia’s sleeve.

Unable to shake off that small gesture, Yulia stopped, and Brandt spoke with a trembling voice.

“Please.”

“…”

“Even if it’s just for a moment. I want to feel the white snow that resembles you directly on my skin.”

Perhaps because Yulia’s ability was ice, Brandt especially loved snow.

Whenever it snowed, he would always insist on going outside.

Each time, Yulia would scold him sternly, but now she couldn’t for some reason.

Because Brandt’s eyes looked more desperate than usual.

“…Will it really be just for a moment?”

“Yes, I promise I won’t stay out long.”

“…”

Faced with Brandt’s pitiful gaze, Yulia finally let out a long sigh.

Then she called for a royal attendant and ordered them to dress Brandt in thick fur clothes.

On top of that, she added an even thicker fur cloak, boots, hat, and scarf.

Only after bundling Brandt up so tightly that there was no gap for cold wind to enter did Yulia finally come out to the garden with the children.

While Katharina played around like an excited puppy, Yulia stayed by Brandt’s side.

Worrying that he might collapse at any moment.

Contrary to her concerns, Brandt didn’t break into coughs.

He only looked up at the sky where snowflakes were falling, as if in wonder.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“It’s beautiful. Even the coldness feels lovely.”

“If you’re satisfied, shall we go back inside?”

“Just a little longer, please.”

Though hesitant for a moment, Yulia decided to indulge the child’s whim this time as well.

Believing it would be fine to stay out a bit longer since he was dressed warmly and didn’t seem to be coughing badly.

In the meantime, Brandt, who had been silently admiring the snow, suddenly broke the silence.

“Actually, there’s something I haven’t told you, Mother.”

“Oh?”

“I… I’ve awakened my ability.”

To the startled Yulia, Brandt continued.

“I thought if I told you this, you would surely try to seal my ability… So I couldn’t tell you until now. I’m sorry.”

“…”

Brandt’s words were true.

If Yulia had known Brandt had an ability, she would have used a sealing item to seal the child’s ability.

Using an ability requires consuming mana each time, and that could negatively impact Brandt’s health.

Although angry that he had hidden such an important fact from her, Yulia didn’t scold him.

She didn’t want to ruin his mood when he was enjoying the first snow so much.

So, postponing the scolding to this evening’s schedule, Yulia asked:

“What kind of ability is it?”

“An ability to travel through time.”

“Time…”

“I can visit the past. And I can also go to the future. But I can’t stay long. The time I can endure in the past or future is only about 30 seconds. After that time passes, I return to the present.”

It was an ability quite similar to the regression ability Yulia herself possessed.

Who would have thought Brandt would be born with a similar ability.

While Yulia was surprised, Brandt revealed an even more surprising story.

“So I’ve secretly gone to see you in the past, Mother.”

“Me?”

“Yes, on the day you and Father first met, in the rift called the Forest of Mirrors…”

“Ah.”

Finally finding the answer to a question she had harbored for a long time, Yulia murmured in a trembling voice.

“It was you. The child who suddenly appeared in the rift that day.”

The child who had suddenly appeared and disappeared in the Forest of Mirrors rift when she first entered it with Martin.

She learned the identity of the child, whose face she had even forgotten, unable to guess whether it was a monster or a messenger of god, at an unexpected moment.

That child smiled faintly, as if about to break, and said:

“I wanted to ask you to hug me then—”

Before Brandt could finish speaking, Yulia embraced him first.

In the past, not knowing his identity, she had only threatened him with her sword.

Now she finally gave the hug she couldn’t give then, to her heart’s content.

Held in Yulia’s arms, Brandt whispered:

“Everything I said then was true. You will face many crossroads of choice in the future, but in the end, you’ll live a life without regrets. I’ve seen it all from the future. And one more thing.”

To Yulia, who was waiting for his next words in bewilderment, Brandt delivered joyful news like a gift.

“This evening, Father will return to the palace. I’ve seen that in the future too.”

In conclusion, Brandt’s words were true.

That evening, Martin, who had spent a long time on the battlefield, returned to his family with news of victory.

The family, finally gathered in one place after a long time of patience, enjoyed their time together admiring the beautiful snow visible outside the window.

And the next day, Brandt did not wake up from his sleep.

His worsened condition had finally taken the young boy’s life.

Scholars who studied history in the distant future praised the life of Empress Yulia as beautiful.

They said it was a hero’s life that just shone silver without any flaws.

However, if you look closely at that silver life, you realize that it was not filled only with perfect happiness and glory.

Yulia’s life was made up of pieces of numerous successes and failures, joys and sorrows.