The Empress had been in seclusion in the Star Palace for three years.

People assumed she had been confined there since the gambling incident, but from that point on, she had diligently avoided all indulgence and luxury.

Perhaps it was wisdom gained with age, or perhaps it was the lifelong plan of the aging nursemaid who had raised Charle with love.

Regardless, Charle was greatly flustered when he encountered his absent mother in front of his friends.

And for her to show up during a kindergarten outing.

While running into parents working in the Imperial Palace might be inevitable, the Empress had not appeared here for such mundane reasons.

And as always, Charle began to feel anxious about what his ostentatious mother might do.

Soon enough, the teachers and children all grew formal, and even that felt burdensome to Charle.

“Why, why did you come?! Having a mother at an outing is embarrassing!”

The Empress looked sad at those words.

She had appeared discreetly when she saw an opportunity, but her spirit dampened by her daughter’s hasty misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry, Princess. But when our daughter’s friends are here, I can’t just stand back.”

Charle blushed at his mother’s words.

Deep down, he may have wished for his mother to appear for some reason, like Nia did.

However, the young Charle didn’t want to admit he was pleased.

“I suppose there’s no choice. Then, just greet the other parents and leave.”

“Okay, okay!”

Always sternfaced in front of her daughter, the Empress couldn’t help but smile broadly at her unusually timid appearance today.

Nia, who had been observing the Empress exchanging greetings with the sparrow class, stared intently.

Charle, who approached Nia, gave an awkward smile.

“Um, she usually never comes to these kinds of places, but she’s acting strange today.”

“…You really look like Her Majesty, the Empress. See it when we get home, it’s fine.”

Nia deliberately smiled brightly.

Whether her mother came or not, she was grateful that Charle cared about her.

“You’re Nia?”

“…Yes! Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress. I am Nia!”

“I heard you’re my daughter’s best friend.”

The eyes of the children who had been watching the Empress greeting people widened.

Among the children, friendship may be commonly spoken of, but it was a different matter for the Empress to officially acknowledge it.

Especially now that graduation wasn’t far away, the children who were wellaware of the hierarchical relations poured envious glances towards Nia.

However, Nia was lost in other thoughts as she looked at the Empress.

.

.

.

Finally, it was free lunchtime.

Nia sat under the largest palm tree.

A large mat and cushions were laid out for five people, and while the children received their picnic bags, Nia was left alone to hold the fort.

The child who had been deliberately cheerful, now alone, revealed her gloomy face.

Someone approached her.

“You must be sad not to see your mother.”

A deep young male voice.

Nia slowly lifted her head to look up at the tall man with silver hair approaching her side.

His tone was gentle and kind.

However, Nia felt like crying the more she was understood.

“…It’s fine. I’ll see her when I go home.”

“You’re a good kid.”

‘I’m not good, just enduring…’

Just like she was holding back her tears, she was merely enduring, not good.

Leon handed something sparkling to her.

“This is a magic stone that turns red when your mother is nearby.”

“…When mom comes?”

“Yes. I wish I had given it to you before going to the Battle Arena, but it’s unfortunate…”

With a bittersweet smile, Leon held the bracelet.

This black magic stone was a slightly modified tracking device attached to Lucia’s military uniform.

Prepared by the Black Knights as guides, knowing the children wouldn’t recognize their mother during the performance, he hadn’t been able to approach her.

Nevertheless, Leon had prepared the bracelet and now knelt on one knee to match eyes with the child.
Nia, who had finally locked eyes with someone with the same golden eyes as himself, remembered him in his mind.

“……!”

The man who had ridden the wagon with him during the kindergarten entrance ceremony.

And the unfamiliar gaze fixed on his mother, completely motionless.

At that time, he was too preoccupied with Getherin’s matter to think about anything else, but he remembered that deep gaze well.

The child quickly hid his hands behind his back with an inexplicable sense of black caution.

“Nia, it’s okay. Trust me. I’m your mother!”

It was an unusually sharp and resolute tone.

Sure enough, Leon, who had only ever seen her gentle side, could not even put away his awkward hand at this unexpected display.

And then, at that moment.

“Cesar! What are you doing over there? Hey, handsome brother!”

Upon Ivonne’s shout, Leon finally turned his eyes and noticed the brownhaired child staring at him.

Only then did Cesar hesitantly say what he had been hesitating to say.

“Thank you for the fountain pen!”

“Ah… yes, that’s right. You helped me out last time, Cesar.”