Ivonne chattered proudly about her strong aunt, further amplifying the children’s anticipation.

And Nia, watching this from the side, also joined hands in excitement like the other children.

It wasn’t the same expectation, but the magnificent appearance of her mother, which she had secretly watched only in the training ground connected to their accommodation.

Seeing that with friends and boasting that she is the daughter of that magnificent mother was another kind of thrill.

After a short walk, Leon stopped and waved the flag in his hand.

“Now, this is the last training ground, the Black Knights’ training ground.”

‘…Mom!’

At Leon’s introduction, Nia’s small heart started beating even more vigorously.

And they entered the training ground of the Black Knights.

The place was silent.

Then, with the grand sound of a horn to start,

From the two open doors on the sides, black horses and knights in black charged out with tremendous momentum.

They split into two teams and began to cross their long lances.

Even without seeing a single face, the outfits alone made it clear they were members of the Black Knights. The sound of metal scraping as lances met, the rough breathing of excited horses.

Unlike the shows they had enjoyed until now, the children’s palms were sweaty from the intense performance as if it were a real battlefield.

And then, someone appeared between the two parted teams.

In armor that looked like sleek obsidian, unlike other knights, there was a glinting arm piece set with a red gem.

And to finish this contest, the central figure leapt from the horse, thrusting his lance into the training ground, sending a small vibration that shook the children’s feet.

Then, the children’s cheers resounded throughout the training ground.

“Wowwwww!”

And so, the Black Knights’ performance ended, and the firstgrade students left.

Among them, a darkskinned child kept looking back.

Gilly and Vernon, realizing his reluctant steps, quickly took off their helmets and waved.

The child’s face brightened briefly but soon started searching for someone again.

However, the person he desperately sought still seemed nowhere to be found.

Ace, who had been watching this wistful figure to the end, finally covered his face with his hands in despair.

“Ugh… What is this melodrama? Don’t you agree, Captain?”

“Ha, it’s sad. Why do I feel like I’ve sinned? Captain, you can take off your helmet now. You’ve endured well.”

But the Captain gave no response.

Suddenly, Gilly and Vernon’s faces turned stiff.

“Could it be…!”

As they removed the helmet adorned with a red gem,

“!!!”

“!!!”

Hiss’s face blinked slowly like a cat.

Both Gilly and Vernon, equally surprised, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and yelled.

“You, what’s going on? Clearly, I saw the Captain’s sword aura! I clearly saw it!”

“I saw it too! There was a red light on the sword!”

Hiss casually waved the magic tool that looked like an unsheathed sword before his eyes.
Then, a sword glowing red like a cheering stick.

Yes.

Hees, whatever anyone says, follows Lucia’s commands.

Gili and Vernon, shocked at this, shouted towards Berl, who was satisfied.

“Big problem! The leader is missing!”

“Big problem! The unit commander is missing!”

Near the secret garden of the Imperial Palace.

While the children toured the greenhouse attached to the garden with Lion, the puppet masks had lunch first.

It was lavish food, but receiving a plate served like dog food, the puppet masks chuckled bitterly.

“So, this seems filled with emotion.”

“I’m clearly out of favor with His Majesty. Damn it, career growth is out!”

The despairing owl and lion violently threw away their masks.

Then, intricate fur expressions, flashing eyes, and sharp teeth.

The Imperial Knight rookies who turned their heads, feeling nauseous at the sight that looked as if blood would flow from the torn neck right away.

“Ah, if it wasn’t for the unit commander’s thoroughness, things wouldn’t have gone this far.”

“Ha, exactly. My mother would’ve been so pleased when I became an Imperial Guard.”

These rookies had clearly protested after seeing the finished puppet masks.

However, the Imperial Knight Commander was the epitome of conservatism.

To dare to depict the animal symbolizing the empire cutely?

The rookie who barely stopped him from almost tearing off animal skin was saying,

“But why is Jason so late? We need to leave soon.”

“Ah, was he stuck in the bathroom after all that chatting and wingflapping?”

“Haha, joking. Huh? There he comes. Big problem, he won’t even get to eat.”

“Will he just pass after seeing this state?”

“That’s true. Hey, Jason!”

Somehow, an indecisive eagle.

Seeming to find the way at the sound of his colleague, he was now casually walking over.

“Jason, look at this. You can’t eat this either, can you?”

“……”

When his colleague offers the dog food plate, the eagle remained silent for a while and shook its wing instead.

“Please don’t flap that wing. Are you trying to make the kids cry again?”

Then, the eagle’s wings slowly descended.

“Too much? Sorry. Let’s not do that anymore. Come on, let’s go where the kids are.”

The lion, who was annoyed by the eagle’s sulky appearance, reassured him by grabbing his shoulder.

But then, a sudden icy aura emanated from the eagle.

Startled by the chill, the lion whispered to the owl.

“Just now, bloodlust! It’s no joke, you felt it too, right?”

“Well, I don’t know? How did he manage in the bathroom? It must have been hard to undress.”

“Ah, so that’s why he’s angry. Ah, should have helped him……”

Both somehow empathized with the icy aura of the eagle and swallowed their melancholic tears.

“Wow, Your Highness! Is this the Imperial Garden?”

For once, Cesar was surprised and asked his partner for the day, Charle.

“Yes. Different than you expected?”

“Yes, I didn’t know the secret garden was a greenhouse.”

Indeed. The secret garden, only accessed by the royals, appeared to be hidden behind thickets resembling a maze. But inside, there was a warm greenhouse full of exotic plants.

Cesar closed his eyes, feeling the warm air and the sound of birds around him.

Charle, seeing Cesar like this, thought he was the most normal child among those he hung out with.

And he had a reason to think that,

“Waaa! What is this fish? Something weird is hanging!”

“Me, that thing! An exotic fruit, banana! I’ve seen it when making dessert! It’s really sweet!”

Roy and Ivann started running, intending to climb the rough tree.

Of course, they were stopped by the watching royal attendants.

Charle, who had been looking down on such children, was startled when he turned back.

Nia, with a very sad face, was there.

But Charle understood at once.

Because he too had struggled because of his mother.

“Nia, cheer up. Your mother must be busy. My mother won’t come either.”

“Uhhuh……. Is it okay?”

Nia pretended to be fine, but she clearly couldn’t hide her disappointed expression.

Then, Ivann suddenly came over.
“Come on! It’s so delicious and plentiful, cheer up!”

“Sneaked this for you, My Lady. Ah!”

Roy lifted a fruit that looked like a bomb, but dropped it due to its weight.

As the fruit broke upon hitting the floor, a startled Roy picked it up, getting pieces of ripe fruit smeared on his clothes like cream.

“…Smells like my dad’s feet.”

As Ivonne blocked her nostrils due to the foul smell emanating from the tropical fruit, the children slowly started to avoid Roy.

Fortunately, a watching servant took the fruit away, but the remaining smell lingered, making Roy seem as though he would burst into tears at any moment.

Then it happened.

“Her Majesty, Queen Robina, has arrived!”

A glamorous lady appeared at the entrance of the greenhouse.

Startled, Charles who was blocking his nose, dropped his handkerchief.

“What? Mother is…?”

“Charles!”

The Queen embraced Charles in front of everyone.