‘How can this be……? How on earth did you find out about that child? Why are you searching for that child that even I don’t look for?’

As the absurd situation continued, Sandra felt her head spinning. However, seemingly unconcerned with Sandra’s inner turmoil, Jonathan opened his mouth with a still smiling face.

“I will soon bring many good news to Your Majesty. Then Your Majesty will be able to be even more delighted.”

“……”

Do I look happy right now? What’s wrong with your eyes? Or is it your head? Sandra was dumbfounded by Jonathan’s incomprehensible reaction.

‘Is he crazy? Or is he pretending to be crazy?’

The old saying that dealing with a madman is several times harder than dealing with a vicious person was not wrong. Jonathan’s unpredictable behavior and his fanatically gleaming eyes choked Sandra.

“So please don’t rely too much on just Tate, Your Majesty, and trust and rely on me a little as well.”

She understood that he meant for her to let go of Tate and take his hand instead. Sandra nodded, trying hard to appear calm.

“I understand what you mean. I will do so. Then I’ll be waiting for the good news.”

As Sandra left Jonathan’s office, her whole body trembled, making it difficult to even take a step. For the first time, Sandra felt fear at the sight of Jonathan, whom she had thought to be stupid, using his head quite well.

‘I thought Tate was one step ahead in gathering information and acting strategically… but now I see Jonathan is no pushover either.’

Sandra quickly left the imperial palace, slowly rubbing her goosebump-covered arms. She didn’t want to stay a moment longer in this ominous place where sparks could fly at any moment.

The sun had risen, but the bedroom was dark with the curtains unopened. Killian looked at Veronia with wet eyes and quietly murmured.

“…Nia, you’re just sleeping, right? You’re sleeping this long because you’ve been so tired, right?”

Two days had passed since Veronia collapsed at the orphanage explosion site, but she still hadn’t regained consciousness. Although Evangelina had been healing her morning and evening, nothing had changed.

“When you’ve slept enough, when you’re completely rested… then you’ll open your eyes, right? Please promise me you will.”

Tears that rolled down Killian’s cheeks fell onto the back of Veronia’s hand that he was holding.

“Elder brother Aaron… please help Veronia.”

Killian called for his elder brother after a long time. It was a name he relied on whenever things were tough, a name that brought stability and comfort.

“Help her regain her strength and open her eyes. You’re invincible and can do anything, right? Just like you brought her to me… this time too, bring her back to me again. Elder brother Aaron, please…!”

It was while this earnest prayer was continuing. Knock knock, there was a knock at the door. It seemed Evangelina had arrived. Killian wiped his eyes with his sleeve and stood up.

“Please come in, Holy Maiden.”

“Hello, Your Excellency. How is Her Highness Veronia doing?”

“…The same.”

“…I see.”

Evangelina gazed intently at Killian’s face, shadowed by darkness. Killian’s face was extremely haggard, having neither slept nor eaten properly while watching over Veronia for the past two days.

Evangelina had many things she wanted to say, but decided to hold back for now. Veronia’s treatment was the priority at the moment.

“May I check on Her Highness’s condition for a moment?”

“Yes. Please do.”

After a brief treatment, Evangelina looked at Killian and softly opened her mouth. She intended to meddle just this once, for the first and last time. Because many people were worrying about Killian and fretting.

“Your Excellency, you haven’t been sleeping or eating at all lately, have you?”

“……”

Seeing him not answer, Evangelina let out a shallow sigh. Then she put emphasis on each syllable. Hoping everyone’s true feelings would reach him.

“I understand your sorrow. But you know too, don’t you? Her Highness Veronia will definitely open her eyes again.”

“……”

“You need to think about when Her Highness wakes up. If she finds out that you haven’t been sleeping or eating properly, just staying by her side like this, Her Highness will be very saddened. Is that what you want, Your Excellency?”

Killian just bowed his head. He knew it well too. That his current state was terribly miserable. That Veronia would surely be disappointed if she saw him.

“But… it’s all my fault that she was injured to such an extent. It should never have happened… I left her alone in a dangerous place. All of this is because of my short-sightedness.”

Killian, rubbing his face, looked like he might burst into tears at any moment. Evangelina felt very sorry for him.

“Your Excellency, you are truly foolish. All of this is not your fault, but the doing of that person who was the director of Michelson Orphanage. It wasn’t you who blew up the building to destroy evidence of illegal research in the basement, it was that director.”

“……”

“In fact, you know it well too, don’t you? That it’s not your fault.”

Evangelina gently took Killian’s hand. His hand was rough and cold.

“I don’t think this is the time to be sad, Your Excellency. Now is… the time to take care of the livelihood of the southern people devastated by an unknown epidemic. We also need to uncover the truth behind the illegal experiments conducted by the orphanage director. And… we need to make concrete plans for Her Highness Veronia’s future.”

“You are right, Holy Maiden.”

Finally, Killian nodded. There was nothing wrong with what Evangelina said. He had a lot to do, and all of it was also for Veronia who would wake up soon. It was time to pull himself together and get moving.

“I’m sorry for making you worry. This won’t happen again.”

As people were unable to engage in proper economic activities due to the epidemic, many citizens’ livelihoods were in danger. So the imperial family provided them with a certain amount of food every day.

A man with a long beard waiting for his turn at the supply station whispered to the bald man standing next to him.

“Have you heard that story?”

“What story?”

“You know… the story that Her Highness Veronia, who passed away 5 years ago, has returned alive.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! How can someone who has passed away come back to life?”

The bald man snickered with disbelief. Embarrassed by the strong rebuttal, the bearded man scratched his cheek and continued.

“Well… maybe she didn’t pass away in the first place?”

“They held a grand nationwide funeral, didn’t they? The tears shed by the people then could have formed a river and more? So stop talking nonsense.”

The bald man turned his head away, thinking it wasn’t worth listening to anymore. But in the bearded man’s eyes, an inexplicable light of certainty was clearly shining.

Rumors about Princess Veronia were heard elsewhere as well.

A red-haired girl who returned from the food supply station went straight to the kitchen and handed the food to her mother, opening her mouth.

“Mom, I heard a strange story at the supply station earlier.”

“What story?”

“They say Her Highness Veronia, who passed away, has come back to life.”

“What? Who’s saying such nonsense? How can someone who has passed away come back to life?”

“But they say it’s true. You know… that Michelson Orphanage that collapsed after burning down? They say she saved a child who almost died because they couldn’t escape from there?”

“Michelson Orphanage?”

She had heard the news that the orphanage had burned down. But for a princess who died 5 years ago to appear in such a place? It was nonsense. She shook her head and urged the girl.

“Stop chattering and go bring in the laundry.”

“…Okay.”

The girl was upset that her mother didn’t believe her, but inwardly she hoped the rumor was true.

‘It would be nice if Her Highness the Princess really came back to life. It would be just like a fairy tale!’

The red-haired girl wasn’t the only one who wanted to believe the story of the resurrected princess. Most young children accepted Veronia’s story like a heroic tale from a fairy tale.

Although it was a gloomy situation where people could barely make ends meet and many were dying from disease, the faces of children playing in the corner of the alley were still bright.

“Someone came out of a blazing building carrying a young child, but who was it?”

“I don’t know!”

“Who was it?”

“Tell us quickly.”

The children’s sparkling eyes turned towards the short-haired girl. Enjoying their attention, the girl spoke in a loud, booming voice.

“It was… Her Highness Veronia!”

“The Princess?”

“Princess Veronia?”

It seemed to be an unfamiliar name to the children. As the children tilted their heads and asked, the short-haired girl smiled broadly and added an explanation.

“Yes, that’s right! Princess Veronia! She passed away 5 years ago, when we were all tiny babies, but now she’s come back to life!”

“Wow! That’s amazing!”

“Dying and coming back to life! I didn’t know that was possible! She must be an incredibly strong person!”

The children’s mouths opened wide. Feeling unnecessarily proud, the short-haired girl shrugged her shoulders and continued.

“She’s an amazing person and incredibly strong! That’s why she saved a child from a burning building! Since she’s such a princess, she might be able to cure our diseases too.”

The children’s mouths opened even wider at the girl’s triumphant words. And they felt their mouths itching with the desire to quickly go home and tell their parents this incredible story.