At the entrance of Solsan, soldiers holding torches and Vicar were waiting for us.

Even before the carriage came into view, Vicar, who had keenly heard the carriage sound, knew that the Duke was coming.

Therefore, before the Duke got off the carriage, she went to greet him first and welcomed the Duke and Duchess.

Vicar’s usually cynical expression was noticeably darkened today.

“Have you arrived, Madam?”

“You’ve been through a lot waiting for us in this cold place.”

“Please come up. You’ll have to walk from here. The path is steep, so I’ll carry the young master up.”

Kian, who found Solsan again after a long time, looked around the mountain slowly as if it were unfamiliar.

“No, I can walk up myself.”

Although Kian tried to walk on his own, Sicar didn’t allow it because the mountain path was rugged.

So Kian was lifted by Vicar and, due to the slippery path, relied on Sicar’s support as he climbed up.

Vicar only put Kian down after reaching where Durion was. Kian walked towards the coffin near Durion, his gaze sinking into the deep snow.

Vicar only put Kian down after reaching where Durion was. Kian walked towards the coffin near Durion, his gaze sinking into the deep snow.

Vicar only put Kian down after reaching where Durion was. Kian walked towards the coffin near Durion, his gaze sinking into the deep snow.

Vicar only put Kian down after reaching where Durion was. Kian walked towards the coffin near Durion, his gaze sinking into the deep snow.

The lid of the coffin was open, and Valige lay inside as if he were asleep.

Truly, for the first time in a long while, Kian saw his father’s sleeping face.

Father, who always woke up first, took care of me all day, and then slept. The sight of Valige, with closed eyes, was only strange.

Kian walked to his father’s sleeping face, knelt beside it, and touched his father’s face.

‘Dad…’

The body was cold and lifeless, yet Kian could feel his father’s love, which had tried to protect him until the end.

In front of the corpse of his father, who had suffered only to raise him in this harsh Solsan and met death, Kian began to sob.

Tears, which he had been holding back, burst out like a flood.

In the harsh Solsan, where it was difficult to find chickens, his father had managed to bring chickens for him, making chicken soup because it was Kian’s favorite.

His warm and affectionate father, who made a snowman in the front yard for him, and caught white rabbits and squirrels in Solsan for Kian.

Kian cried loudly, calling his father.

“Dad… Dad…!”

Yura, who had been watching Kian crying, unable to hold back his tears, also couldn’t hold back his tears.
Sicar gently comforted the sobbing Yura’s shoulders.

Watching Kian wailing in front of his father’s corpse, Sicar recalled his own childhood.

It seemed like Kian was following Sicar’s footsteps, who, being young and weak, couldn’t protect his family.

Although Sicar had become the feared monster Duke, the thought of not wanting Kian to grow up that way strongly crossed his mind.

Sicar slowly approached and firmly pressed Kian’s shoulders, who was wailing. Yura also came closer, holding Kian’s hand, and they cried together.

Until Kian’s crying stopped, no one in Solsan could raise their heads.

When Kian, exhausted from crying for a long time, fell asleep, Sicar took Kian to a temporary tent and laid him down. He then spoke to Yura.

“It seems like we should leave Valige’s body here for now. If we leave Solsan, the body will decay. Veronia also needs to see Valige, and if Kian ascends to the throne, it would be better to move Valige to the royal palace at that time. He has the right to sleep in the palace as a former king.”

Yura, with still moist eyes, replied, sniffling.

“Let’s do that. It seems like the right thing to do, and Kian will understand.”

“If Gillian happens to find out, it might be troublesome. So, bury Valige by midnight tonight. Kian can say his farewell to Valige’s grave when he wakes up in the morning.”

“Thank you. I’ll ask for your help.”

“So now, you should get some rest too. You haven’t slept a wink today.”

Yura, more mentally exhausted than physically, was too tired today. However, she also had many questions.

“I want to hear too. How did you find Valige’s body?”

“Sure, let’s go together.”

Leaving the tent, Sicar first instructed the soldiers to bury the coffin containing Valige’s body in the snow. Seeing that scene, Yura couldn’t hide her sorrowful feelings.

Burying the body in the snow was faster than burying it underground, so the work proceeded quickly. Since Solsan’s snow didn’t melt, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to find the place where Valige was buried.

After finishing the work, everyone went into the warm tent with a stove. Sicar entered the tent where Vicar and Durion were, not the tent where Kian was.

“When did you find Valige’s body?”

Vicar, warming her hands in front of the stove, spoke with indifferent eyes.

“I received a report from the search team two days ago.”

“I see. Was there anything else?”