‘What? Jonathan killed the late Emperor, not me? What in the world does that mean?’

Sandra, who was entering Oaks Manor with her escort knights, froze in place upon hearing Killian’s cry. At Killian’s subsequent words, Sandra’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

‘…Oh my God! To think Jonathan was also the one who killed our Caspian!’

Sandra was so shocked that she could barely breathe from the rising anger. She pounded her clenched fist on the stone floor. Soon blood welled up on her skin.

“Your Highness! You’ll hurt yourself!”

The accompanying knight tried to stop Sandra, but she didn’t listen. Shaking off the strong knight’s hand in one motion, she struck the floor, her chest, the floor again, and then her own head.

“Ugh… Ungh! How could I have raised you like this! How much I’ve… how much…! Hnngh!”

To think the one who killed the son she bore was the son she raised! A surge of betrayal engulfed Sandra’s entire body.

“Your Highness! Someone’s coming. We need to hide you.”

Startled by approaching footsteps, the knights supported Sandra on either side and hid her body. In the chaotic atmosphere, it seemed they could easily be misunderstood if they weren’t careful.

“Damn it… Dammit! I’ve gone mad, mad! Shit!”

The one walking this way spewing harsh curses was none other than Jonathan. It seemed he was quietly slipping away alone, taking advantage of everyone’s attention being focused on Veronia who had fallen by his sword.

In that moment, Sandra’s mind became clearer than ever before. She absolutely could not miss this opportunity that had come to her as if giving her a chance.

She wiped her tears with a handkerchief, tidied her hair, and pulled on her robe. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she stepped forward.

“Your Majesty?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Jonathan’s shoulders twitched as he turned around. Realizing it was Sandra, he looked extremely tense.

“What brings Your Imperial Mother here?”

“I came to help you, as you seemed to be in trouble, Your Majesty. I had a feeling, so I followed, and it seems I was right to come. Let’s quickly get out of here. I’ll escort you to my carriage. This way, please.”

Seeing Sandra leading the way with hurried steps, Jonathan felt relieved. His tension eased and color gradually returned to his face.

“Thank you, Imperial Mother. Then I’ll be in your care.”

Sandra’s carriage was nearby. As the escorting knight opened the carriage door, Jonathan got in first.

“Phew…!”

Perhaps because he finally felt he had reached a safe place, Jonathan let out a big sigh of relief.

Now he just needed to return to the Imperial Palace in this carriage.

Once he arrived at the palace, he could clean up everything neatly. He could summon the entire Imperial Knight Order and immediately give the attack order. As he was carefully formulating plans in his head, it happened.

Sandra’s body tilted toward where he was sitting as if she had lost her balance while getting into the carriage. And in the very next moment, he felt cold metal against his neck, followed immediately by a searing pain.

“Ugh!”

Jonathan looked up at Sandra, clutching his neck with his palm. Sandra, who had stabbed a dagger into his neck, was smiling coldly.

“Imperial… Mother… Why…?”

Jonathan asked with bloodshot eyes. As if his question was absurd, Sandra let out a snicker.

“Why, you ask? Didn’t you anticipate even this much?”

“Ugh…”

Jonathan tried to hold onto his fading consciousness, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Strength drained from his entire body. Watching Jonathan lose his life force, Sandra spoke each syllable as if chewing on the words.

“All this time, I thought I had killed the late Emperor, but it wasn’t me. It was you who killed him!”

“Imperial… Mother! The temple… Please…!”

If he could go to the temple right now for treatment, he might still survive. Jonathan begged Sandra, but she acted as if she hadn’t heard.

“Why on earth did you kill Caspian? What did that child do wrong?! I think you must have been prepared to die yourself when killing others. I too am prepared.”

Just as a smile of victory spread across Sandra’s face, Jonathan’s body fell to the carriage floor with a thud. Sandra couldn’t hold back her laughter and laughed to her heart’s content.

“Hahaha, hahaha!”

It sounded like the laughter of an insane person. And soon Sandra’s face twisted with contempt. It was an expression like looking at a disgusting insect.

“Filthy thing! I must dispose of it!”

She immediately opened the carriage door. It was an extremely dangerous act to do in a fast-moving carriage, but perhaps because she was half out of her mind, she wasn’t afraid at all.

And without a moment’s hesitation, she pushed Jonathan’s body out with all her might.

Seeing Jonathan’s body rolling on the street, Sandra wore a cold smile for a moment before erasing her expression and closing the door.

As she calmly sat down, tears streamed down her face.

“Hic… My Caspian! My beloved Caspian! My poor Caspian! Huuuh!”

Sandra wailed as if coughing up blood.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘Finally, you’ve appeared!’

Yasen, who had been hiding in the shadows waiting all this time, began to move as soon as the man carrying Jediel appeared on top of the building.

“Ugh! Gack!”

Having precisely struck the man’s vital point, Yasen snatched Jediel from the arms of the collapsing man.

Jediel shrank his shoulders and trembled at the appearance of an unknown face. Yasen first set Jediel down on the ground and then knelt on one knee to match his eye level.

“Young Master Jediel, I am a servant of Prime Minister Killian and Imperial Princess Veronia… that is, Lady Nia.”

He explained the situation in the gentlest voice possible. Though he was a burly, unfamiliar-faced mister, he spoke with a heart hoping the child would please believe him.

“I will escort you to the Drea ducal residence. Will you allow me?”

“What about Mom? What about the Duke?”

“If Young Master returns safely to the ducal residence first, the two of them will return soon as well.”

Jediel looked at Yasen with tear-filled eyes. He seemed to be gauging whether he could trust the man before him.

“…Alright.”

Perhaps he had read Yasen’s sincerity. Jediel nodded obediently. Relieved, Yasen swiftly picked up the child and began to move quickly.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Where is the Saint? Where are the priests or priestesses? Aren’t there any healers? Anyone… Hurry!”

As Killian cried out while cradling the pale Veronia, his aide Windler quickly ran over and bowed his head as he answered.

“I’m sorry, Your Excellency. We were unable to bring healing personnel with us.”

“Then we must go to the nearest temple from here!”

This time Onyx approached and shouted.

“There’s a temple about 10 minutes away by carriage. Bring the carriage here!”

At Onyx’s order, the guild members following him quickly ran off.

“Veronia… Please…!”

Killian continued to shed tears in a daze.

[This is the timeline separator]

Veronia was staggering through the dark night streets. Blood flowing from her wound left stains on the ground.

[Veronia… Please…!]

She heard Killian’s voice. But no matter how much she looked around, Killian was nowhere to be seen. Only his voice desperately calling her name echoed in her ears.

“Killian, I’m here! Please come and save me!”

She tried shouting, but there was no response. As she walked, dragging her increasingly heavy legs, it happened.

From up ahead came a soft light along with a gentle woman’s voice.

[O woman of courage! O woman who changed fate!]

The moment she heard that voice, a wave of relief washed over Veronia’s entire body. Veronia was certain. This voice was undoubtedly that of the goddess who had come to save her. The voice continued.

[My will to help the child you conceive remains valid. So live, together with the child.]

“Child… you say?”

Child? To Veronia, Jediel was her only child. Startled, Veronia looked around, but Jediel was nowhere to be seen.

That’s when it happened. Her stomach, which had only been painful before, gradually grew warm. She could see a faint light seeping out from her belly. The wound that had been bleeding was slowly healing.

“Ah…! A child… has come to be. Oh my!”

Only then could Veronia understand. The fact that she was pregnant, and that her divine power was saving the child while simultaneously saving her.

Veronia looked up at the sky and spoke to the goddess who had bestowed divine power upon her.

“Thank you.”

And then, caressing her belly which was emitting a soft light, she spoke again.

“Thank you for protecting Mommy, baby.”

Veronia quietly murmured to herself with a gentle smile.

“Jediel has gotten a younger sibling. I hope Jediel will be happy about it.”

Veronia looked around the dim surroundings again with a tense expression. It was indeed strange for her to be alone in such a place. This was not where she should be.

“I have to go see Jediel! Killian will be waiting for me too. So… I have to go back from here! Pull yourself together, Veronia!”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ugh… Mmm!”

Veronia, who had been cradled in Killian’s arms, let out a faint groan and slowly opened her eyes. Killian’s eyes widened at the sight of Veronia regaining consciousness.

“Veronia!”

“…Killian!”

As Killian’s tears of relief wet Veronia’s face, it happened. A soft light began to emanate from the wound that had been bleeding. At that sight, not only Killian but also the watching knights’ mouths fell open.

“It’s, it’s divine power!”

“The goddess is saving Imperial Princess Veronia!”

The sight of the wound slowly healing, enveloped in bright light, was truly wondrous. The knights watching the scene all knelt down and began to offer prayers to the heavens.

“Oh God, thank you so much!”

“Thank you for saving Imperial Princess Veronia!”

At the scene of the accident where the late Emperor had met his death, Veronia survived with divine power despite suffering a fatal wound. A wave of emotion surged in the hearts of all who witnessed this miraculous sight.

“Long live the Imperial Princess!”

“Long live Imperial Princess Veronia!”

Voices filled with everyone’s earnest hearts repeatedly called out Veronia’s name.