“Wow!”

“What is it?”

Ronowe and Berith, who had gone ahead first, pressed themselves against the window.

True to their curious and lively nature, the siblings’ eyes sparkled brightly with interest in something new.

Creak—.

‘Why are they sitting like that?’

I opened the large window wide with an expressionless face. Then, a huge cheer could be heard more vividly. The children’s view also widened, allowing them to properly observe the place where joy and excitement were emanating.

“What are you doing? Follow me.”

I gestured to the children behind and we all went out to the balcony. The procession of people filling the spaces between buildings like a swarm of ants was astonishing.

“It sounds like it’s coming from really far away…”

As I muttered to myself, Carlyle, standing behind the siblings, watched intently and said,

“It looks like a festival!”

Berith confidently added afterward. Even to the young boy, the atmosphere of celebration and excitement was evident at a glance.

‘If there was a festival, I, as a member of the imperial family, should know about it.’

Unlike the calm children, doubt blossomed in my mind.

‘But I haven’t received any reports.’

What could be going on? I narrowed my eyes and watched the scene. The noisy chatter of Ronowe and Berith was almost unbearably distracting, but I endured it all and observed the procession stretching from afar.

Flutter—.

Then, at the very front of the knights passing through the capital’s entrance and crossing the central square, there was a knight in black armor wearing a blue cape.

‘Just by looking, that one must be the Grand General.’

My experience as a knight and my past life as an emperor told me so. The person at the very front, leading the position, was undoubtedly the leader commanding the order of knights, judging by the atmosphere they exuded and their position.

Waaah—.

‘It reminds me of the old days.’

Amidst the empire’s flag fluttering proudly, the sight of the knights heading towards the imperial palace on horseback, receiving the respect and affection of the citizens, reminded me of the time when I had conquered several kingdoms and sounded consecutive victory drums in my past life.

‘That really felt amazing back then.’

I smiled unknowingly, and the applause celebrating success and victory didn’t stop even after the knights had completely entered the imperial palace.

‘Jeff will hold a banquet soon.’

My neck was stiff, so I returned to the room, not caring whether the children continued to watch or not.

And shortly after, as soon as Jeff heard the news of the knights’ return, he arranged a place to commend their efforts and hear the victory report.

* * *

Murmur— Murmur—.

While mingling with my companions, I suddenly found myself participating in an official event.

‘All the nobles have gathered. It doesn’t seem like a banquet though.’

Having sat through countless such occasions as an emperor in my past life, I felt indifferent rather than nervous. Since no one gave a clear answer when asked, I just calmly waited while holding Poppy.

“Infinite glory to the Hawk of Light!”

After waiting idly for who knows how long, finally, with the loud proclamation of the chamberlain, the doors of the Grand Hall opened. The nobles parted as if by agreement, and the shadows of two figures fell heavily on the red carpet embroidered with the lavish imperial pattern.

Clink, clink—.

The sound of heavy armor friction added solemnity to the quiet surroundings. I stared blankly at the knight who had stopped at a certain distance.

‘What? Why a knight?’

The sight of him kneeling down to pay respects reminded me of my past life. I too, as an emperor, had received reports in this manner.

“Your Majesty, as you commanded, we have completely suppressed the rebels.”

Soon, the knight with the blue cape at the front held out something.

“Indeed, Grand General. I would like to see the spoils of war you have brought up close.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

To think that person is the Grand General. As I was pondering how this situation came to be, I was suddenly startled by my body being lifted up.

‘What on earth is going on?’

There were too many eyes watching to make a fuss about why this was happening, so I maintained decorum and didn’t cause a commotion.

“Grand General.”

Meanwhile, Jeff called the knight with the voice of a majestic emperor and patted his shoulder with one hand.

“I never doubted that you would accomplish this.”

Jeff, who smiled gently, then spoke to the people gathered in the hall.

“I have urgent matters to discuss with my general, so everyone withdraw.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As he immediately dispersed the dozens of nobles gathered, I came to one conclusion.

‘It seems they’ve returned from a campaign.’

Jeff was still holding me tightly, and I stroked Poppy in my arms while glancing at the knight.

‘There shouldn’t be any land left to conquer on this continent. This is strange.’

The mention of suppressing rebels and other details gradually increased my curiosity that I wanted to resolve.

“Now that everyone has withdrawn, you can be at ease.”

As even the presence outside disappeared, Jeff suddenly smiled like a doting father.

“!”

The one who showed an unusual reaction to this was the blue-caped knight standing opposite.

“Then~ I won’t hold back!”

It happened in an instant. The blue-caped knight, whose atmosphere, tone, and accent suddenly became lively and bright, unexpectedly hugged Jeff and me tightly.

‘Aaaaargh~.’

I unconsciously screamed at the pain of my body seemingly being crushed thin by the strong force.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize my own strength…”

The blue-caped knight quickly let go and was at a loss, feeling sorry.

‘I almost died from suffocation. What’s going on now?’

The Grand General, suppression, sudden official occasion, and now the knight captain daring to hug the emperor intimately.

‘…Huh?’

As I was confused, unable to comprehend this with my common sense, the blue-caped knight looked around once and smoothly took off the helmet.

‘Hecate?’

The revealed identity was enough to make me faint.

“Mom surprised you, didn’t she?”

Hecate, one of the close aides who assisted me in my past life and the subordinate I cherished the most.

‘W-Wait a minute!’

Known as the ‘Blue Lion with Golden Hair’, she looked at me with affectionate eyes and stroked my head, making me feel like I’d been hit on the head with a hammer.

‘It’s surprising enough that Hecate is the Grand General, but she’s the Empress?’

When I was emperor, the two were rivals and far from romance.

The two, possessing considerable swordsmanship skills, would compete by sparring whenever they had the chance. I had seen it with my own eyes, so it was certain.

‘And now they’re married?’

Imagining these two wearing white formal attire, laughing haha-hoho and exuding a pink atmosphere, gave me a different kind of dissonance.

“Darling, I knew I was carrying you, but I had to go to the battlefield for the sake of our country.”

As I was trying to gather my confused thoughts from the successive shocks, Hecate explained why she had been absent from my side.

“You were born on that battlefield.”

A solemn air flowed from Hecate as she spoke of the past with a gloomy face, as if making a confession.

“I’ve always felt guilty for not being able to properly hold your small hand even once back then.”

Hecate, who couldn’t abandon her weighty duty as the Grand General protecting the empire and leading the knights before being a parent, gradually wore a pitiful expression as she spoke of heading to the dangerous battlefield.

“Empress…”

Jeff, who had been watching this, approached with a sympathetic face and comforted Hecate by wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“I returned from the brink of death. What kept me going there was Your Majesty and Darjeeling.”

Hecate, who seemed to be suppressing her emotions, closed her eyes and then opened them with a heavy face, as if she had much to say but was holding back.

‘If a capable knight like Hecate spent three years on the battlefield, it must have been a large-scale war.’

As I listened to the conversation and inferred information while letting the situation unfold on its own, I was enveloped in even greater doubts.

‘But the Hana Empire was strangely quiet. I suppose it’s because all the imperial citizens trust in the empire’s powerful military.’

It feels off. Something doesn’t seem to tie up neatly and feels awkwardly cut off.

‘Perhaps a day for new history to be recorded might come.’

As I was seriously contemplating and worrying about the future of the empire, the gloomy atmosphere softly changed.

“You must have had a hard time guarding this place alone. The past 3 years must have been really tough and long.”

“It wasn’t tough at all. Because I believed… you would definitely return.”

That’s because Hecate smiled and placed her hand over Jeff’s hand on her shoulder.

‘This is really unbearable.’

I felt suffocated by the ensuing scene of them exchanging goosebump-inducing gazes.

‘You two used to curse each other to go to hell and fight when you were young.’

Jeff and Hecate, who were enemies before being rivals. I can’t understand when these two developed such a bond.

“Lilith, continue to assist the Empress from now on.”

“How could I not? I will repay your trust in the future as well.”

After savoring their reunion to some extent, Jeff entrusted Hecate to the green-caped knight who had been quietly waiting.

‘Huh?’

Surely, it can’t be the Lilith I know. I harbored doubts at the familiar name and followed Jeff’s gaze.

‘What? It really is the snake!’

The only being who left the land created by God of their own accord, and an eccentric. Snake is another name for Lilith.

‘I thought she had died after suddenly disappearing in ancient times.’

I was surprised to see her with the same appearance unchanged.

Of course, to a third person’s eyes, Lilith’s external appearance is just that of an ordinary human. So they wouldn’t be able to distinguish, but isn’t she maintaining the same eyes, nose, mouth, hair, and voice that I saw when I was the first human?

I could instantly be certain that the knight assisting Hecate was the Lilith I knew.

‘How did it get tangled up like this?’

As I was in a daze, Hecate hugged me.

“By the way, it’s truly fortunate that Her Highness the Princess is healthy.”

“I was worried because it rained so much back then. Fortunately, she has grown up so healthy like this.”

I don’t know if she doesn’t recognize me or is pretending not to. I kept being bothered by Lilith.

“Is anyone outside?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Meanwhile, Jeff, perhaps thinking I didn’t need to be here any longer, called a maid to take me to the bedroom.

‘Lilith, that one. What on earth is she plotting?’

I asked to be put down as soon as the maid took a few steps carrying me.

“I’ll walk alone. Put me down.”

“Understood.”

The maid who obediently did as told then politely asked,

“Shall I read you a fairy tale when we return to the bedroom?”

“No.”

I blurted out as I walked steadily.

‘The snake never helps others without reason.’

As I watched Jeff, Hecate, and Lilith having an important conversation afterwards, all sorts of thoughts came to mind.

‘First, I need to find out why that one is here.’

I decided while glancing at Lilith from time to time.

‘Because the snake always appears where there is calamity.’

Wink—.

In the meantime, I unfortunately made eye contact with Lilith, who leisurely winked one eye, sending a signal. Her actions and expressions that twisted her insides made my skin crawl.

Her alone greeting me warmly makes me think her personality is still the same. Above all, it’s unbearable how she even exudes an atmosphere as if rose petals are fluttering around.

‘I don’t want to pretend I know her.’

That one used to do this every time we met in the old days too. I looked at the sly Lilith and pulled Poppy’s face sideways.