Upon hearing the sudden voice and turning around, Perin and her group were standing there.

“Your Majesty the Empress, I am also quite knowledgeable in martial arts.”

Perin, who had approached at some point, smiled brightly while looking at Elaina.

“I even accompanied His Majesty the Emperor in the subjugation of Hister.”

“Your Majesty the Empress seems to be completely unaware of this.”

Voltaire said teasingly.

“That could be! I didn’t go through the underground waterway but entered by breaking down the castle walls with the soldiers. But I really fought with all my might.”

“Lady……”

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know. I was so happy just with the fact that the Empress escaped the castle safely. But actually, in all wars, lowly people like me are the most important. Surprising, isn’t it?”

“No, I know that very well. His Majesty told me a lot about it too.”

Elaina answered while tightly holding Perin’s hand with an affectionate expression.

“If I had been a little less busy, I would have exchanged a few words with Lady Perin. I’m sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for? At that time, you were almost unconscious, Your Majesty.”

That was certainly true.

“What I mean is, I also want to train in martial arts with Sir Lex and Duke Schuler.”

“If you do that for us, Lady, we will have the best instructor we could ask for. I’m so happy.”

“It may be a bit presumptuous of me to say this myself, but isn’t my family a prestigious one that has produced chancellors for generations?”

Voltaire, who had been silently listening to the conversation, casually intervened.

“Even though I may not look like it, I have also been educated since childhood. My most confident field is political science.”

“There is also a noble here who became the head of the family at a young age and suffered persecution throughout the reign of the previous emperor after expressing political views completely different from his father’s. To be clear, my views are very similar to the politics that the current emperor is trying to implement. I have quite a deep knowledge not only in political science but also in other disciplines. Of course, not as much as Sir Ryan.”

When even Marquis Dwain boasted while adding to the conversation, it was Lady Legers who became anxious alone for no reason.

“Should I show that a woman can live well enough even without a husband?”

At Lady Legers’ words, everyone present burst into laughter as if they couldn’t stop her.

“It would not be an exaggeration to say that you represent the social circles of Edenbell, milady. You can just teach the children things that will be useful at parties.”

Perin chimed in.

“In fact, even with military science or political science, Lady Legers’ lessons would be the most practical for the students.”

“I feel much more at ease now that you say that, Young Lady. Actually, I was discreetly looking around since earlier because I don’t have anything special I can do.”

Lady Legers let out a sigh of relief.

“Well, if it really doesn’t work out, I will support financially. Everyone in Edenbell knows that I am a lucky noble widow living a carefree life at a young age.”

It was not a false statement.

“Your Majesty the Empress, you were here.”

“We were looking for you, hearing that you went to rest for a while!”

The owners of the voices that suddenly rang out were none other than Lex and Chaz.

“Your Highness the Prince, your face looks incredibly better!”

Although Chaz hesitated for a moment, unfamiliar with Lady Legers’ flattery, he still answered with a smiling face.

“Yes, thanks to everyone’s help, I have safely recovered my health as well. I am grateful.”

“Oh my, but I wasn’t just talking about your health, you know?”

“Pardon?”

“You seem much more confident, brighter, and more energetic than before.”

Lady Legers was right. The pitiful youngest prince who was always pushed back and only looked around cautiously was now nowhere to be seen. There was only a bright boy just right for his age.

“…It’s thanks to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”

Chaz slowly moved his lips, his cheeks flushed red.

“Before… I just really disliked myself. But the two of them kept protecting me and gave me a lot of good advice. Hmm… So… Now I don’t dislike myself as much.”

Although Chaz had been bullied all his life by people like Hister, Elaina and Sinclair made him realize things he had never known before.

That Chaz Butler is a person who can receive such kind treatment and be allowed to listen to caring words.

And also that there are always people who worry about and think of him.

They informed him of those obvious facts and also taught him how to apologize when he made mistakes.

So it could only be thanks to those two.

“You look much better.”

Perin, who had been staring intently at Chaz, shrugged her shoulders and said.

“Your appearance seems to have improved a lot since you are walking around with your shoulders back like that. The young ladies in social circles will go crazy.”

“Re-really?”

“Yes. Don’t you think so?”

“If you venture into social circles, just leave it to me! I am confident I can help you as much as you need.”

Indeed, that would be the case. Everyone had the same thought while looking at Lady Legers making a fuss.

“Uh, ha, but let’s postpone that for a while. Because His Majesty has entrusted me with a task for the first time.”

“Really?”

Elaina’s eyes widened at the story she was hearing for the first time.

“Yes. It’s about the Astekans who remained in Edenbell.”

“Isn’t Asteka the homeland of the late former empress?”

Chaz nodded at Dwain’s question.

“His Majesty is thinking of granting them Edenbell citizenship. Of course, not all the surviving Astekans, but at least to those who have built trust over a long time, like Duke Lex…”

“…Were you an Astekan?”

At Ryan’s question, uttered as if it was unexpected while looking at him, Lex slowly nodded.

‘I see. So that’s why he kept helping Sinclair.’

Elaina made an expression as if she finally understood everything.

She remembered hearing from Sinclair once. That it was none other than the former emperor who brought about the downfall of the Astekan Empire.

As if that wasn’t enough, he even caused the death of the former empress, who was Astekan royalty, so it was only natural for the barely surviving Astekans to harbor ill feelings.

And they must have surely been of help to Sinclair. Just like Duke Lex had been.

“I sincerely thank you for your efforts, Duke. As the empress, I will also do my best to be of as much help as possible. Of course, I will fall short in many ways, but I can at least promise to do my utmost.”

“…Thank you.”

As always, Lex bowed his head while answering in a stiff tone, but everyone clearly saw it. A faint smile descending upon his face, cold as it may be.

“Anyway, let’s let go of the empress now. My gosh, we were holding onto her again when she left her seat to rest.”

“That’s right. If I had known this would happen, it would have been better to just visit her separately. It turned out like this because you all suddenly butted in.”

“Ha, look who’s talking the most. Anyone would think you didn’t say a word yourself.”

“What did you say? Did you finish talking now?”

Elaina let out a small laugh at the conversation between Lady Legers, Perin, and Voltaire. Ryan, Marquis Dwain, Chaz, and Lex were the same.

“Whenever I have time, I will invite each and every one of you without fail, so please be sure to visit.”

And Elaina said, looking at them with eyes full of affection.

“You are my very precious friends that I made for the first time in Edenbell, and also people I respect.”

“Your Majesty…”

“There were many times when I was really lonely and felt solitude… But now, those days feel so distant, as if they were from a previous life. I am truly grateful to you all.”

Watching the empress bowing her waist and politely expressing her sincerity, people slightly reddened their eyes.

“No, it is us who are so happy and joyful to have met you, Your Majesty.”

“That’s right. There will be no more sad days like that. No, even if there are, I believe we can overcome them well together.”

With Perin and Chaz’s words, they all bowed with courtesy, just as Elaina had done.

And not long after, the group smiled at each other’s faces.

Brighter than ever.

* * *

Elaina took a brief rest and returned to the square, organizing the remaining relief supplies with Judith and Anna.

It was a fact she learned belatedly, but according to the two, some people tried to wait until the end, saying they would see Elaina.

Hearing those words, Elaina felt very sorry, but Judith told her, “Don’t tire Her Majesty the Empress for nothing, you can see her again anyway,” and said that the others had taken them all away.

‘…It’s such a thankful thing.’

Having finished her bath and returned to the bedroom, Elaina sat on the bed and smiled softly as she ruminated alone on the magical things that happened today.

How many things had she experienced with Sinclair so far? And how many times had she despaired and been frustrated to reach this point today?

But now Elaina knew well. Such distressing days would never come back again.

Thinking that, strangely enough, she seemed to miss Sinclair even more.

‘Today, I will hug Sinclair tightly in my arms. Because he worked hard all day long.’

…No, should I stand in front of the door in advance? He might be a little surprised, but I think he would like it.

Elaina pondered for a moment, then slowly got up from her seat. Then, she stood in front of the door, muffling her footsteps as much as possible.

But very unfortunately, Elaina’s efforts were spectacularly foiled.

It was because of Sinclair, who opened the door and entered right away before she could do anything.