“Understand. You must know even if you’re causing such a commotion. Since you’ve already given orders to the governor we sent to the republic to be prepared and ordered to withdraw.”

“Yeah, no need to worry. I don’t know why you decided to step forward, but you probably wanted to prevent the pressure from the allied country from flowing into the empire.”

“…….”

Unlike the emperor who vented his anger even though he would do everything, they calmly understood her intentions.

Indeed, their thoughts were correct.

The situation would not be good for the empire, and amidst refusing all the pressure from the allied country, they needed to consider the empire’s position. So, her intention was probably not entirely for the empire’s troublesome position, but rather to prevent the pressure from the allied country from affecting the empire.
There were reasons that couldn’t be told to them, perhaps because there were extremely selfish motives behind it.

However, even after breaking the knight’s oath without any warning and not mentioning any disposal to the emperor, Lord Ferendel understood without saying anything.

Lucia, who had almost prepared to sever ties, couldn’t understand why they were so calm.

“So, the child in prison is not a lady.”

It was an explanation briefly mentioned when she was brought here like a captive from the Grand Temple.

“Yes. It seems someone cast a horoscope on the child to make them appear as the enemy leader. Those who knew the truth about that day must be the ones behind this.”

“I see. So that’s what happened. But even so, I don’t support your choice.”

As Lucia blinked at his words, Hubert explained.

“The kid spent a month pondering over how not to use Lucia.”

“…….?”

Looking at Lucia, the Lord smiled bitterly without saying a word.

“Well, that’s one way to put it. But now, more than that, we need to hear the real reason. Will you tell us?”

She hesitated.

The reason for leaving the empire she had spent her entire life in and becoming a conqueror.

It existed in her breast pocket right now.

In the early morning, she took out the letter with the seal of the Duchy that she had received from Heese as soon as she got it.

Once considered the most miserable child, now an ordinary child whose past memories had faded away every day.

That child was her daughter, Nia.

The surprising part was the short sentence in the letter.

Moreover, the content of the letter was not addressed to her daughter.

“To our baby, Agnes Arkis, who I wanted to protect with my own hands until the end when you returned.”

You returned.

That meant Lucia.

Although it was a short sentence, when overlapped with the story Button had told her, many things could be inferred, and she understood.

First of all, even without the suspicious words, it was apparent that the duke couple knew that a child with a completely different hair color from theirs was a saint even before the child was born.

So they kept all the information about the child a secret, and to prevent the black-haired child from being handed over, they even lost the trust of the goddess and banned the entry of priests.

Then, one of the couples might be someone who knew about the future like her.

But it wasn’t the only factor in her decision.

The fact that she, who wouldn’t easily step forward anywhere, had caused such a big trouble was because something had happened in the supposedly safe place.

Of course, even if Isobel, who knew that Nia was a saint, approached the child disguised as a lady, there was no possibility.

But regardless, the fact that their schemes reached the daughter’s sleeping hours meant that hiding and observing had reached its limit.

The lady was an insufficient child despite the overflowing blessings of the people of the Duchy.
Also, a child of the gods who, even when receiving the continent’s admiration as a saint, is still insufficient.

Therefore, the mother of such a child has decided.

To become an overwhelmingly imposing shadow, making sure that no one, under the child’s feet, dares to harbor any foolish thoughts.

Thus, nurturing everything the child should receive, wholeheartedly.

Now, Lucia looked directly at Hubert and Lord Ferendel and spoke.

“I cannot say. But now that I have decided to conquer the Duchy, as the Duchess, there is nothing more to do with the Empire other than protecting the trees.”

The woman with a plump face opened the firmly closed door herself and set off on her way.

And the remaining two burst into laughter as if amused by her indomitable words.

“Hahaha, did you hear the last words? My child is too conceited.”

“That’s right. Considering the things she did without looking back, it seems.”

“And you still don’t seem to know, do you?”

At Hubert’s question, Lord Ferendel raised the corners of his mouth again.

“Yeah, if you’ve left the vassal state, you’re now saying you’re a kingdom. You’ve become the owner of that land, claiming to be the king. It’s just like when you became a knight even though you hated war. Haha.”