“Well, if you say you just went for a short walk, you weren’t even visible nearby, and there are predators roaming around… Everyone thought you two had some accident in the forest. If you had come back any later, a search party was about to be organized.”

Margaret poured out her complaints like a dragon spewing fire. Adel silently sipped her tea.

“Drink more. All of it. We’ll be leaving soon, so this is your last chance to enjoy warm tea.”

“We’re leaving soon?”

“It seems they’re almost done clearing a few small rocks. Really, no matter how much you’re dying for each other… Both of you are in poor health.”

At Margaret’s nagging, the face of a maid tidying up the campsite nearby visibly reddened. Adel hastily waved her hands.

“No, it’s really not like that. We really just went for a walk nearby…”

Adel stammered out excuses with a bright red face.

She didn’t even know why she had to make such excuses, but if she didn’t say something, Valentin would be seen as the most shameless scoundrel in the world.

Margaret narrowed her eyes and gave them both a look that said they were in cahoots.

After Adel finished her tea without leaving any, Margaret carefully checked and gently pushed her back towards the carriage.

“…Please get in the carriage now. I’ll take this tea I’ve already brewed to the master as well.”

She climbed into the carriage, feeling greatly relieved that Margaret’s nagging had ended there.

A moment later, Margaret brought an enormous amount of blankets and bundled her up tightly.

“It’s stifling…”

“Unless you plan to lie in bed with a cold the whole time, bear with it.”

“Your Highness. We’ll be arriving in the capital soon.”

Adel woke up groggily to Margaret’s shaking.

Unusually, she couldn’t gather her wits even after waking. Perhaps because she had fallen asleep pressed down by blankets, her dreams had been tumultuous.

She was drenched in sweat, likely from being chased by an eerie black figure in her dream and then having a nightmare of being crushed.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Margaret asked, handing Adel a handkerchief. Adel nodded.

“Yes. I don’t remember well, but it seems so.”

“You might have such dreams when you’re nervous. Look at the scenery outside to cheer up a bit. It’s the Wall of Ingrida.”

Margaret said energetically as she opened the carriage window.

Outside the window, the massive white castle wall ‘Wall of Ingrida’, seemingly reaching the sky, stretched endlessly across the plains to the left and right.

The Wall of Ingrida, the last bastion built long ago to fend off the invasion of magical beasts, erected by the great sage Ingrida, looked like a shield held by a crouching giant.

Beyond that wall lies the prosperous land of Pragma and southern Bayern, where the emperor and central nobles reside.

“The wall seems to be opening.”

Margaret muttered quickly in an excited tone, pretending not to be.

It was a natural reaction, as opportunities to see the Wall of Ingrida were rare for those living in the north.

Although she had lived in Bayern for seventeen years, this was only the second time Adel had actually seen the ‘Wall of Ingrida’.

Buuuuu.

Finally, with a long, resonant horn blast, the entire massive wall slowly opened to the left and right.

Sunlight pooled dazzlingly at the top of the snow-white wall. Adel narrowed her eyes, shielding them with the back of her hand.

This sight was amazing no matter how many times one saw it.

“It’s the procession of Grand Duke Ansgar!”

Along with someone’s shout, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted, threatening to engulf the carriage.

Adel, startled, shrank back the head she had poked out the window. She could see citizens rushing towards the lead knights with flowers and flags.

“Eternal victory and glory to His Grace the Grand Duke!”

White petals scattered in the air, and people raised their hands high, cheering.

They waved whatever cloth they could, be it clothing or bedsheets.

“Be happy!”

“Blessings! Bestow blessings upon us too!”

Faces beaming with happiness, shouts asking for attention, and even scattered sobs of overwhelming emotion were mixed in.

She knew Valentin had achieved great merit in expanding the eastern border, but she hadn’t expected such a grand welcome.

“Look there! It’s Her Grace the Grand Duchess!”

“Your Grace, be healthy!”

Even words of blessing poured out towards her. Adel responded to the greetings by barely waving her hand with a stiff face.

“What is… all this commotion about? Was His Grace’s victory really that great?”

When she passed through here years ago on her way to Ansgar, she hadn’t seen even a hundredth of this crowd.

Even the few who had been out on the streets then were just riffraff hoping the newly married couple might throw some coins, as per the old custom.

“That’s part of it, but the rumor that he came back from death has also boosted His Grace’s fame.”

Margaret replied with a flushed face.

“They’re saying our lord has received Morig’s blessing, that he’s the incarnation of Morig.”

“I’d heard such rumors were circulating, but I didn’t expect this.”

“Actually, this is rather mild. Besides, it’s not entirely wrong. Such ‘resurrection’ would be difficult without Morig watching over our lord.”

Forgetting how she had looked at him as if he were the most shameless scoundrel in the world just hours ago, now he was ‘our lord’ again.

Margaret continued with a satisfied smile.

“Anyway, now we can finally rest like humans. We’ll rest for a day at the nearest inn, and if we enter the imperial palace around tomorrow morning, the schedule will be just right.”

However, as time passed, the welcoming crowd didn’t disperse but rather grew even denser.

Just as they were about to be unable to move, stuck in the throng of people, a group of knights arrived from the imperial palace.

Margaret, who had gotten out of the carriage saying she would find out what was happening, returned shortly after with an exhausted face.

“What did they say they came for?”

“It seems we won’t be unpacking at an inn and will go straight to the imperial palace. Apparently, the emperor has ordered us to enter the palace as soon as possible.”

After that, things were sorted out very quickly.

The knights pushed the gathered citizens to the outskirts of the road, securing enough space for the carriage to run.

Thanks to this, Ansgar’s horses were able to pass through the central square about three times faster than when they first encountered the blocked road.

After driving along the main road for a while, the high iron gates of the imperial palace finally came into view.

The knights lined up in front of the gate lowered their spears after confirming their banner.

“It’s the coat of arms of the Ansgar Grand Ducal family!”

“Open the way!”

The iron gates opened to both sides with a clanging sound. The carriage swiftly passed through the open gates and entered the imperial palace.

Adel looked at the interior of the imperial palace with eyes mixed with tension and curiosity.

Wide roads and splendid gardens on both sides, beautiful milky white buildings and spires…

Hundreds of glass windows were dazzlingly reflecting sunlight. Such a majestic sight was a first in her life.

‘I hope I don’t look too shabby.’

Adel anxiously clutched the hem of her dress.

The clothes she was wearing now were tailored with a focus on convenience for the long journey.

There wasn’t a single eye-catching decoration, and even that seemed to give off a sour smell from being soaked in sweat.

As she carefully lifted her sleeve to smell it, Margaret noticed and quickly said,

“They’ll probably give us one of the annexes attached to the main palace. After a proper bath, you’ll be able to change into the dress we prepared for the evening banquet.”

Adel nodded, but honestly, she was half skeptical.

Seeing the splendid imperial palace reminded her of how light and beautiful the clothes popular in Bayern and Pragma were.

In comparison, the new clothes Adel had tailored were beautiful but all focused on practicality.

To withstand the northern cold, the material was thick, and the cuffs came down long below the wrists.

They couldn’t afford to waste the budget on new dresses that could only be worn for one season, and even then only in the imperial palace.

“Well, we can always have new ones made if needed.”

Margaret muttered in an uncertain voice after seeing the noblewomen strolling in the garden.

Adel smiled faintly and instead comforted Margaret.

“It’s fine, we have at least one outfit tailored for the banquet. And since it’s still close to winter, the other clothes won’t look too out of place.”

“I hope so…”

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the long stairs of the main palace.

Adel froze when she saw the emperor and other nobles all gathered at the bottom of the stairs.

Among them were her birth father, the Count of Reichenau, and Charlotte.

“Adel.”

At last, the carriage door opened, and Valentin extended his hand into the carriage with an extremely courteous attitude.

She grasped Valentin’s hand and stepped down from the carriage as composedly as possible.

She had never felt so ashamed of her shabby, almost unkempt appearance.

“We greet Your Majesty.”

She knelt towards the emperor, standing beside Valentin, receiving everyone’s gaze.

Valentin showed surprisingly graceful etiquette.

“Come, come.”

The emperor personally grasped both of Valentin’s hands and raised him from his position.

Adel immediately noticed that the emperor’s black hair, golden eyes, and eye shape were strikingly similar to Valentin’s.

Of course, even if the same materials were used, Valentin’s side was closer to a perfectly sculpted statue.

In any case, if a stranger saw them, it wouldn’t be strange to mistake them for father and son.

The emperor patted the back of Valentin’s hand with a pleased smile.

“You made us worry with ominous rumors, but seeing you so well puts my heart at ease. Well, have you been faring well?”

“I have been well, thanks to Your Majesty’s concern.”

As soon as Valentin opened his mouth, all the nobles’ gazes turned to him.

Rumors that he had become an idiot from the shock of his resurrection had already spread widely in the capital.

Considering the usual time it takes for rumors from Ansgar to reach the capital, the speed at which malicious rumors about Valentin spread was excessively fast.

The mastermind behind it was so obvious there was no need to even think about it.

‘The Crown Prince.’

Adel deliberately ignored the gaze that was staring intently at her from beside the empress.

She turned her attention back to the conversation between Valentin and the emperor.

“I am at a loss for words at such excessive welcome. For Your Majesty to personally greet us like this, it is an honor beyond my desert.”

“Beyond your desert, you say.”

The emperor’s laughter was so big that all his teeth were visible.

“I rushed out of the council meeting as soon as I heard the Grand Duke was coming. Aren’t you the hero who led the Battle of Nordhofen to victory? You have already proven your qualities as a ruler.”

At those words, the atmosphere among the surrounding nobles noticeably chilled.