The ‘Lake Mountain’ of the former Count Lorel’s territory.

“I didn’t know His Majesty the Emperor cared so much for his people.”

“To think he wouldn’t shy away from such hard labor with his precious body…”

“Indeed, Emperor Maxwell is truly a gift from heaven.”

Voices filled with emotion praising the Emperor emerged from various parts of the forest.

The eyes of the people gathered to restore the fire-damaged forest were fixed on the young man working most actively here.

It was an unbelievable sight, even though they were seeing it with their own eyes. His Majesty Emperor Maxwell had personally come forward to help restore the forest.

In front of the territory residents clearing the traces of the fire set by a wretched arsonist, about a hundred soldiers of former Count Lorel appeared. They were accompanying Emperor Maxwell and about thirty imperial guards.

As they were just bowing their heads and waists in greeting, surprised that the Emperor had appeared at such a messy site, the Emperor spoke.

“From now on, the army will join the territory residents in the restoration work. Divide into teams under Sir Jacob’s command and carry out your respective roles.”

At the Emperor’s words about deploying the army, the territory residents gaped blankly, not understanding his intention.

When such natural disasters occurred, the cleanup was solely the responsibility of the territory residents. Especially in territories far from the central administration of the capital, the quality of people’s lives was determined entirely by the authority of the lords.

Former Count Lorel, who pursued only superficial splendor, brought the capital’s culture fastest, and the village was fashionable and prosperous.

However, he had little interest in managing nature such as mountains and rivers, and the territory’s economy was rotting away, unable to properly graze or farm fields.

Until now, the lush growth of ‘Lake Mountain’ had been purely a gift of nature.

“Indeed, working systematically like this is much easier.”

“It seems the time has been reduced to a quarter.”

“Now that we’re planting trees and building stone walls along the forest edge leading to the village, we don’t have to worry about floods or landslides.”

The expressions of the territory residents brightened as they carried out restoration work in teams, removing damaged trees and planting saplings.

And His Majesty the Emperor, who they believed would naturally return to the castle… had thrown off his uniform jacket and vest and was helping with the restoration work, shouldering large logs that had fallen due to the flames.

The Emperor exuded such an intense presence that it created the illusion that the late afternoon sun was following only him. He presented a feast of countless fine muscle contours rippling under his thin tunic, clinging with sweat, to the tired territory residents.

Every time thick beads of sweat traced his sharp jawline and flowed down his long neck, the women forgot to breathe for a moment, and every time his biceps and triceps bulged and raged as he lifted fallen logs from the ashes, the men had to roll down their rolled-up shirt sleeves.

“I thought he’d return to the castle soon, but it’s surprising that he’s personally helping with the work to this extent.”

“Wasn’t the restoration work not even in the plan at all?”

Sir Jacob and Sir Peter, sweating profusely despite the chilly late autumn weather, caught their breath while conversing.

As they turned their gaze to the Emperor who had momentarily paused while moving ash piles, his red eyes were fixed on one spot.

As if by agreement, the two knights followed his gaze and saw Arabel in the distance, giving water to and treating tired and injured wild animals.

As Arabel noticed the Emperor and smiled, the Emperor’s eyes and mouth simultaneously curved into arcs, and his steps were already heading towards her.

“Isn’t it hard?”

“No. Aren’t you tired, Your Majesty?”

“To ask if I’m tired from just this much. Do you not know who I am?”

“You are the most wise and excellent Emperor in the continent.”

The Emperor’s lips curled upwards at Arabel’s unhesitating answer filled with sincerity.

He used to be wary of those who lavished such flattering praise on him. But when he heard Arabel’s embarrassing compliments… he kept wanting to hear more. The Emperor thought as he tensed his twitching lips.

It was probably since hearing Arabel’s praise in the shabby dining room of Kander Castle, saying “Your Majesty is the best person I’ve ever met.” That it wouldn’t be bad to be seen as a good person by at least one person.

The Emperor had just returned from the boutique and changed into the shabby clothes he had brought in a bundle when he encountered Arabel coming down the stairs.

“I want to help restore the mountain too. I heard the villagers are gathered on the mountain now.”

“It’s the work of the people here, so why do you particularly want to go help? It would be better to rest today if you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“It’s not just the work of the people here. The mountain’s ecosystem is connected to everyone. If the mountain dies, it will greatly affect not only the life within it but also the village. I want to help, even if it’s small.”

Arabel spoke with force in her nostrils to the Emperor who was frowning as if displeased.

“Especially since I know it wasn’t a natural disaster but the work of an arsonist, I can’t help but help. As a fellow human, I feel so sorry for the burnt mountain.”

The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched for a moment at Arabel’s words, her fists clenched.

“How can you be sure of that? I thought it was a natural disaster.”

“I went to see for myself on the way back. They dropped embers between the trees in a diamond pattern so the forest fire could spread quickly. Moreover, they even poured maple oil to make the flames spread faster.”

The Emperor had forgotten. The girl who loved everything about the mountain, climbing rough mountains freely like a squirrel.

“What a bad person. The one who set the forest fire. They’re really bad.”

Bad person. The Emperor staggered for a moment as if struck in the abdomen by a large fist at the word Arabel uttered with her lips trembling.

“I’ll return by dawn tomorrow.”

As Arabel bowed her head in greeting, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“I’ll help.”

“My, how skillful your hands are… You know more about the land than us who have been doing rough field farming.”

“If Lady Arabel hadn’t taught us, we would have cut down all the burnt trees without knowing any better. We almost killed all those precious trees for nothing.”

“I’ve been climbing mountains for 40 years, but I’ve never seen someone with such extensive knowledge about mountains. To think you can distinguish between land that should be left for nature to resolve and land that needs human assistance.”

“Did you see? How the wild animals follow the young lady? The way she cares for them so kindly and attentively. I was moved just watching from the side.”

“I heard she was a candidate for Empress, so I thought she wouldn’t be able to do this kind of rough work at all. I’m simply amazed.”

“Oh, don’t even mention it. The noble daughters act like they’ll catch some disease just by being in the same place as us.”

“Such a person should ascend to the position of Empress…”

The soldiers nodded their heads as they heard the conversations of the territory residents busily moving with saplings.

“To be honest, when I heard we were being mobilized for restoration work, I wasn’t happy. I thought it was just one more bothersome task. But now that I’m actually helping, it feels good.”

As one soldier hesitantly spoke up, the gathered soldiers began to open up one by one.

“I felt bad when we set fire to the mountain. But after helping like this, my heart feels much lighter.”

“Honestly, I was surprised to find that this work suits me. Planting saplings and moving injured animals who lost their homes to safety. I want to study more when I return home, that’s how much I enjoy it.”

“It feels somehow fulfilling to have directly helped people.”

Sir Jacob and Sir Peter nodded in agreement to the soldiers’ words, though they didn’t speak.

“I’ll call for a physician.”

“No, there’s no need. Let’s return to the castle.”

Late at night, as the restoration work was wrapping up.

A large tree branch fell onto the Emperor’s shoulder. As Kyle, the aide, hastily spoke to the bleeding Emperor, the Emperor shook his head. Arabel’s face turned white as a sheet as she began to help stop the Emperor’s bleeding.

“I’ll escort you, Your Majesty.”

As Sir Peter brought a horse and spoke to the Emperor,

“Don’t make a fuss. I’m not injured to the point where I can’t ride a horse.”

After the Emperor mounted the white horse with one hand, he extended his hand to Arabel, but she shook her head.

“To avoid putting strain on your injured arm, I’ll ride separately.”

“What are you saying? Don’t you need to apply pressure to my shoulder with your hand? What if I bleed more while descending the mountain?”

As the Emperor didn’t withdraw his outstretched hand while making threats, Kyle cleared his throat and whispered to Arabel.

“His Majesty seems to be right. It could worsen on the way down, so would you please ride together?”

Arabel nodded and approached the Emperor, and in an instant, his strong arm grabbed her slender waist and placed her on the saddle.

“Here and here, no, a bit lower. Yes, there… Placing your hand like that will help stop the bleeding.”

On the way down the mountain, the Emperor took Arabel’s hand and traced over his injured areas.

She clearly knew only his left shoulder was injured. But the Emperor insisted his chest was also hurt, so Arabel had to return to the castle with both hands placed on his shoulder and chest.

It was quite an embarrassing posture if others were to see. The woman sitting in front was turned backward, facing the man and embracing him.

Every time Arabel’s hands curled up from feeling the Emperor’s bare skin through the thin tunic, the Emperor mercilessly spread her hands and placed them back.

The warmth of her small hands seemed to spread to his heart, somewhat improving his mood that had just been low.

As he was walking towards Arabel, who was kindly treating the injury of a boy with a hurt arm, his mood twisted for no reason, when suddenly, crack, thud! A tree branch suddenly broke and fell on his shoulder.

Blood was flowing, but it wasn’t a serious injury. However, seeing Arabel running towards him with a pale face, the Emperor’s mind began to work quickly.

It didn’t hurt that much, but it was still somewhat painful. Moreover, he had lost precious blood. As he frowned and complained of pain, Arabel’s gaze was fixed solely on the Emperor, with no room to pay attention to anything else.

Until just a moment ago, he had been displeased that her attention was stolen by injured animals and people, but now his red gaze softened as if somewhat relieved. The Emperor entrusted his body to Arabel’s hands, pulling down the corners of his mouth that kept trying to turn upwards.

“Where are you going?”

“Pardon…? I’m going to my bedroom…?”

The Emperor stopped Arabel as she was heading to her bedroom after returning to the castle, narrowing his eyebrows as he spoke.

“What about me, who was just severely injured? Are you planning to leave me without treatment?”

“You said you didn’t need a physician… Should I ask Kyle to call for one?”

“If I call for a physician, the territory residents will feel very guilty thinking I was badly hurt while helping them. They won’t be able to rest comfortably at home. And if by any chance the fact that I’m severely injured becomes known, it won’t be good for my safety either.”

Arabel nodded as if she finally understood the Emperor’s explanation emphasizing ‘severe injury’.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that.”

“If you’re sorry, then quickly come to my bedroom and treat my injury. That is, if you find my face contorted in pain distressing.”

Brown eyes tinged with concern took in the Emperor’s frowning face. Arabel clenched her fists and answered with a determined voice.

“Yes, I’ll do my best to treat you.”

The red pupils watching Arabel enter the bedroom with quick, small steps twinkled and danced.