“Really? That’s great news.”

I showed a positive reaction first.

‘The Vladimir family also has branches living abroad, so with some effort, there shouldn’t be any medicine they can’t obtain.’

However, in one corner of my mind, suspicion raged like the eternal burning flames of the underworld teeming with demons.

Was it really true that Sasha’s sister had simply been very ill in an ordinary sense?

Because when I visited the Vladimir estate and toured the duke’s mansion under the pretext of using the bathroom, I strongly sensed the energy of the dead from that sister’s room.

Although my powers are not as mighty as in my first life in paradise, I realized in one of my subsequent lives that using them shortens my lifespan, so I’m not using my powers, but my abilities are almost the same, so I couldn’t have sensed it wrong.

Moreover, at that time, even without using my powers, the scent of death that anyone created by God’s hand would find repulsive was very strong, so I can say it was certain.

Furthermore, at that time, I clearly closed the bedroom door tightly after entering, fearing someone might peek through an open door, but this guy appeared right away shortly after, as if he had been following right behind me, watching.

‘How can I not be suspicious in this situation?’

The situation flowed unexpectedly, and at that time, I was so busy hiding, afraid that my lie would be exposed, that I broke out in a cold sweat while pretending to look for the bathroom, but now that I look back slowly, I want to ask why your house is in such a state.

‘But I can’t really ask.’

If I claim it alone, it’s over if the other party denies it. At times like this, I need someone who witnessed it together, but there isn’t anyone, so it was obvious that I might look like I’m doing something crazy alone.

Just like in a past life when I was nearly killed after being mistaken for a witch.

“When my sister recovers, I’ll come to greet the Crown Princess.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Meanwhile, Sasha’s expression brightened as if he had never worn that fierce look before.

‘This guy is only like that with me.’

I wish someone would recognize his two-faced nature. Everyone only sees his smiling face every time, so they think this handsome little boy is smart and has a good personality, expecting a bright future, right?

‘Considering that Duke Vladimir consults his son’s opinion on official duties and important matters, either he’s pretending not to notice his twisted side because he’s useful despite it, or he really doesn’t know…’

Come to think of it, why is Sasha the only one with red hair?

If his father has brown hair and his mother has golden hair, shouldn’t he take after one of them? Just as Sasha’s sister resembled the duchess with her blonde hair.

Moreover, in my past life when I was the emperor, I clearly saw with my own eyes that the entire Vladimir family, except for spouses, had brown hair.

In my case, since Jeff has light cream-colored hair with pink-tinged ends, and Hecate has bright blonde hair, I could brush it off as a combination of colors resulting from mixed genes, but Sasha had no such grounds at all.

Theoretically speaking, Sasha should have had khaki or ash-colored hair.

‘Could there be an ancestor with red hair on the maternal side?’

Why is everything about you filled with questions the more I peel back the layers, like an onion?

‘After all this suspicion, I’ll probably lose interest and become indifferent as time passes.’

But since I had a hunch, I decided not to completely ignore it and just keep my guard up loosely inside.

Because Sasha is the child of a family with powerful supporters who made great contributions in catching a spy seven years ago and greatly helped the imperial family.

In simple terms, it means that openly antagonizing him would be stupid.

It’s impossible to gauge how such a clever child would speak to the duke, and there’s a possibility that the political structure could collapse and the country could fall into chaos, so if possible, friction should be limited to the level of minor verbal disputes.

‘How could I let the country I built up decline by my own hands?’

Above all, I can’t let the land I raised into an empire in my past life, after crushing and unifying all the surrounding countries, walk the path of decline by my own hands.

If such a thing were to become reality, how much would I lament?

Even if Ulrika broke out of her tombstone and shouted at me asking what I was doing, I would have nothing to say.

‘I need to finish this quickly and rest.’

And suddenly I feel tired from focusing too hard.

‘When I was emperor, I didn’t even have this luxury.’

I often complain about how hard it is since becoming the heir to the throne, but the truth is it’s still bearable. So I’m just making things difficult for myself by filling my head with complicated thoughts like this.

“Your Highness, if you’re tired, shall we open them for you?”

“It’s fine. I’m still full of energy.”

I told the maid who approached with concern as my movements slowed down to take care of the other children instead.

Exactly two hours later.

“I give up.”

Ronowe fell backwards and flailed her arms and legs as if making a snow angel. Judging by her completely exhausted expression, she seemed to have no strength left to unwrap gift boxes.

“Me too.”

The next one to drop out was Berith.

Berith, who had initially burned with the most passion, collapsed onto the carpet with a thud and groaned. Anyone who saw would have mistaken it for carrying a heavy load on his shoulders after being forced into hard labor.

“Sis, do I look like a worm?”

But soon, as if something occurred to him, Berith’s eyes sparkled as he started to play a prank on Ronowe, wiggling his butt up towards the sky and then lowering it, trying to make his arms and legs look similar to a wriggling worm.

“Gross!”

And Ronowe, who had been lying on the floor watching this, suddenly got up and kicked Berith hard when he raised his butt high in the sky again.

“Why did you hit me!”

“Aren’t you thinking about the Crown Princess’s eyes? Do you think she likes bugs?”

“Ah, you’re right.”

I lost my patience watching Berith, who had gotten angry along with Ronowe but quickly calmed down.

‘This isn’t helpful at all.’

I clicked my tongue as I watched, and afterwards, Berith and Ronowe seemed to be opening gift boxes again but soon rolled around on the floor whining that it was boring.

If they’ve started, they should see it through properly, but seeing them like this, it seems they’ll need another three or four years to be useful.

Honestly, greater hardships might be waiting in the future, so wouldn’t it be good to cultivate patience along with it?

Am I raising them too harshly?

‘I should be grateful that at least they’re here.’

I turned my head away after watching the maid soothe the whining rascals.

Sasha and Carlyle seemed to glance at Ronowe and Berith for a moment, but they quickly pulled over the gift boxes left by the troublemakers and were opening them.

It was amusing to see Carlyle startle when opening a box with a snake-shaped toy that stuck out its tongue, but I pretended not to see it as I couldn’t laugh out loud.

“Phew…”

I decided to open just a few more and leave the rest to the maids. Then I grabbed a box at random, and it was quite large, so I thought the gift inside would be bulky too.

“Huh?”

But when I opened it, there was an unexpected item inside.

It was a leaf wrapped in an extraordinary golden aura.

“This is a leaf from the World Tree.”

The World Tree was a being that was established in paradise before me and a friend I made before Yongyongi. It did everything I asked and listened to me the best, and it was sad that it couldn’t come with me when I was banished from paradise.

“Why is this here?”

It was born in the form of a tree and was destined to exist as such, so it couldn’t leave paradise.

And although the paradise I lived in was on earth, it was different from the area where the second humanity took root.

Even though it was built on the same land, it was a place of a different caliber, so I had assumed that the World Tree would have been moved to God’s land along with God after I was driven out.

But the fact that a leaf from the World Tree came as a gift meant that a noble creation of God had fallen into the hands of the second humanity.

In other words, it meant that God had simply abandoned the World Tree in its place when leaving for the sanctuary with God’s land after banishing me from paradise.

‘I can’t believe it.’

The World Tree, which granted wishes unconditionally without asking for anything in return, was my first friend I had ever made, so I couldn’t forget it even after hundreds of years.

That’s why, contrary to my expectation that it would be well taken care of, I got chills down my spine at the thought that it might be rotting somewhere or commodified due to its sacred dignity.

‘There’s a letter too.’

I quickly unfolded the neatly folded paper, wanting to find out who dared to send a World Tree leaf as a gift.

[Your Highness, the leaves of this tree have been famous for bringing good luck since ancient times.] [I hope the little hawk’s future is filled with luck and happiness.] [−Diomer Ar Men−]

“What, it was sent from the temple?”

The new young High Priest who seems to get along well with Jeff sent it.

‘Then is the World Tree in the temple? Is it managed by the Ariel Temple?’

If so, I wondered why I hadn’t seen it then, and if I had had time to see the backyard, could I have encountered the World Tree? All sorts of thoughts jumbled in my head.

“Crown Princess.”

It was then.

“We’ve opened all the boxes.”

“Good job.”

While I was quietly holding the letter tightly, lost in thought for a moment, Carlyle approached, making his presence known.

“It ended faster than I expected? It’s good to have many people indeed. Thank you for helping.”

“I only did what was natural.”

I was slightly impressed that he and Sasha had finished even the boxes I was thinking of assigning to the maids, perhaps thinking they had to do the younger ones’ share too.

The thought of raising them well and using them to my heart’s content when they become emperors later became even stronger.

“Crown Princess, can we go home now?”

Look at these cunning ones getting up as soon as others have finished everything?

“Oh, go ahead.”

I found it vexing that the ones who had been rolling around and wouldn’t cheer up even when the maids tried to soothe them now had such happy faces as if they had been eagerly waiting for this moment.

“Then see you next time, Crown Princess!”

“Crown Princess, you seemed to be pushing yourself earlier, so please rest well.”

After exchanging farewells with the children and quickly sending them off, I sprawled out on the sofa.

“Clean up everything here.”

Phew, it’s draining. I was giving instructions to the maids when I suddenly remembered the World Tree leaf and quickly changed my words.

“Wait! Leave that box out. I want to examine it more.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Miranda and Hayley, who have served me for a long time and know my personality well, didn’t ask any more questions and quickly tidied up the mess the children had made while opening gifts.

‘Should I drink some cool juice when I get back?’

I thought while absentmindedly stroking Poppy’s soft fur, who had quietly come to sit beside me.

Suddenly feeling thirsty, I was about to gesture to a maid to bring me something to drink.

Knock, knock−.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door, so I told them to come in, and a familiar face peeked in.

“Daughter, are you very busy?”