“Sandes?”

“Yes, Erina.”

When Erina first heard his voice, she thought she was hearing things because of how much she missed him.

Surprised, she called out again, and he answered gently.

Erina felt strange.

It was the first time since her parents passed away that she could see someone she had been longing for.

In her younger days, no matter how desperately she begged to see her deceased parents, she couldn’t.

After marriage, no matter how much she cried out wanting to see Peiron, whom she held in her heart, she couldn’t.

But Sandes kept reviving her dead hopes over and over again.

He made her expect things unnecessarily, made her think about their future unnecessarily.

“Sandes.”

“Did you miss me that much?”

Erina’s heart fluttered at his mischievous expression as he looked up at the balcony.

Just as Erina was about to say something to Sandes, the balcony door swung open and Heila called out to Erina.

“Erina! The Duke has been waiting!”

Erina couldn’t help but run past Heila.

Fearing he might disappear in a moment, Erina grabbed her dress and ran out recklessly.

As soon as Erina opened the mansion door and went out, Sandes was standing there smiling at her, having arrived at some unknown time.

“Erina.”

Like the day she returned from the tower, Erina ran and embraced him.

Sandes opened his arms wide and hugged her tightly as she ran to him.

Erina’s heart swelled as he warmly embraced her and buried his face in her shoulder.

She felt excited, feeling like she could rely on him a little as he gently leaned on her.

“I missed you too, Erina.”

The cool scent of the night air surrounding him seemed to soothe the end of a tiring day.

“What should I do.”

Erina mumbled softly while buried in his embrace.

“Why?”

“Sandes, I don’t want to let you go.”

Sandes laughed with his head still buried in her shoulder.

Her cautious attempt to get closer was adorably lovable.

“Oh my, me too.”

He wished she would be there when he opened his eyes, just like when Erina stayed at the Kerenik mansion.

He wished she existed in a place where he could see her whenever and wherever he wanted.

Knowing that it was even more impossible in this situation, Sandes let out a sigh, releasing his wistful feelings.

Erina left his embrace, held his hand, and faced him, asking.

“What brings you here?”

“Just, just because.”

Sandes gently kissed Erina’s forehead as she tilted her head in confusion.

“Really, just because. Suddenly, I missed Erina terribly, so I came.”

Sandes learned that she was attending the Borbom Marquis’s charity party at the end of a very busy day.

Several days had passed without meeting her due to the busy political situation making it difficult to find time.

Looking at the unnecessarily bright and clear moon, he missed her terribly today.

Sandes eventually couldn’t resist and headed to the Medelia Count’s residence.

He stopped Bertrel, who was about to inform Erina as soon as he saw him.

He didn’t want to disturb her if she was handling official duties.

As Sandes was about to leave, Erina’s balcony facing the mansion’s main gate opened, and she, whom he had been longing for, came out.

Sandes stood there for a long time, staring blankly at her shining figure in the moonlight, unable to even speak.

Then suddenly, she said she missed him.

Even though she wasn’t referring to him, his heart pounded like a naive boy at those words.

When he heard her say she missed him again, Sandes couldn’t resist and called out to her.

“It worked today.”

Her brightly smiling face was terribly lovable.

The two of them stood there for a long time, bathed in moonlight, looking at each other with the same feelings.

Even their wish for this moment to last longer seemed to be shared.

[This is the timeline separator]

Suddenly, the Empire made an announcement to the entire continent.

They declared they would start exporting magic stones, setting the price of magic stones the same for all as requested by the owner, but not bearing any transportation costs necessary for export.

All the surrounding kingdoms were in an uproar.

The kingdoms were excited about the fact that they could import magic stones at the same price as the Empire.

Of course, they had to bear all the transportation costs, but the fact that there was no premium price was an enormous benefit.

However, the content added as the most important condition caused an uproar in some countries, and not in a good way.

They stated that they would exclude all countries that had any trace of smuggling since the appearance of magic stones.

The Empire openly declared strict measures against smuggling.

This made the Small Kingdom Alliance, which had led most of the smuggling, hesitate.

Secretly smuggling magic stones consumed a lot of manpower and considerable funds.

With the Empire offering to export at the same price as the Empire, there was no reason to cling to the smuggling they had been reluctantly continuing.

The kingdoms that had been working with the Small Kingdom Alliance hastily cut ties out of fear.

Afterwards, the frightened kingdoms began sending delegations to the Empire one after another.

Those who hadn’t been deeply involved in the activities of the Small Kingdom Alliance moved to gain import routes, even if it meant begging the Empire and taking losses.

However, the Small Kingdom Alliance began to flounder in the suddenly burning situation.

Upon learning that other kingdoms were letting go of their hands and sending delegations to the Empire, the Small Kingdom Alliance, after a meeting, prepared to send a delegation, pretending to surrender.

Little did they know that the Empire was already aware of even this.

Rose, unaware of the heated movements surrounding the Empire, repeatedly tried to regain her prophecy out of habit.

“Achoo!”

Still unaccustomed to the pain, she bit the blanket and struggled to grasp the prophecy that was faintly scattering.

After continuously hearing meaningless prophecies, Rose clawed at the blanket to sharpen her mind for a slightly different prophecy.

[The Small Kingdom Alliance is for the Risky family… Those prepared… A problem to be overturned… Use them, Rose.]

“…Small Kingdom Alliance?”

Rose was skeptical about the unexpected mention of the Small Kingdom Alliance in the prophecy.

‘Knock knock-‘

Rose left the bed, biting her lip to endure the persistent pain at the sound of knocking.

“Come in.”

The one who entered Rose’s thoroughly messy room was none other than her father, Count Barinen Asila.

Barinen frowned at the unfamiliar blood scent filling the room.

According to Rose, it was an action to regain her prophecy, but he couldn’t hide his discomfort at the barbaric behavior.

“Did you recall any meaningful prophecies?”

Rose felt irritation rising at her father’s abrupt question.

Wiping her arms with a towel prepared beside the bed, Rose answered while rubbing ointment vigorously.

“Is that all you have to say upon seeing me?”

Rose had thought that at least some concern would come first, given that she was his daughter.

It was truly a vain expectation.

“Are you alright?”

Rose’s mood sank further at the answer that sounded like it was forced.

“Do I look alright?”

Barinen inwardly clicked his tongue at Rose’s vicious gaze.

Although annoyed by his daughter’s deliberately irritating behavior, he had to accommodate her since he had entrusted the future of the count’s family to her.

“I shall prepare a healing artifact.”

“It would have been nice if you had prepared it earlier.”

Rose muttered to herself while slowly pushing in her long green gloves.

Barinen asked again, not hiding his sigh.

“So, about the prophecy.”

When Rose didn’t answer immediately, Barinen, growing impatient, said.

“If there’s nothing meaningful, I’ll have to withdraw, so speak clearly, Rose Asila. The Empire’s reaction and the surroundings are not normal.”

“Is there a way to approach the Small Kingdom Alliance?”

“What?”

Barinen asked back incredulously at Rose’s sudden words.

“The Small Kingdom Alliance? Have you even read the morning newspaper?”

At Barinen’s words, Rose, now fully gloved, extended her hand.

He handed her the newspaper he had brought to assess the situation, impressed by her confident attitude.

Rose, taking the newspaper, scanned it from the front page and casually asked.

“When do you think the Small Kingdom Alliance’s delegation will arrive?”

“First, tell me what prophecy it is. I need to know whether to help or withdraw.”

Rose glared at Barinen, who nonchalantly thought of withdrawing without loss first.

He had come to this room not out of concern for his daughter, but simply worried about his own future.

Rose knew this fact, but having it confirmed so blatantly made her even more exasperated.

She couldn’t understand why she was so irritated.

“The Small Kingdom Alliance exists for the Risky family. We must approach them to use them.”

Barinen thought quietly.

At Enzo’s stern announcement, the Small Kingdom Alliance had been startled and taken a submissive stance.

He wondered if there was any chance of winning even if the Small Kingdom Alliance backed Rose.

“They say they’re sending a delegation to secure the import of magic stone mines.”

“That’s good, approach them.”

Barinen felt offended by Rose’s words, which were close to an order.

“Tell me what you plan to do by approaching the Small Kingdom Alliance.”

Rose raised the corners of her mouth, mocking Barinen thoroughly.

“Why? If you know, will you do it for me, Father?”

“If it’s something I can do, wouldn’t it be better for me to do it rather than approaching them unnecessarily?”

Rose smoothed her disheveled hair at Barinen’s words.

“Really? Then go and kill them.”

“What? Who? You, don’t tell me.”

“Go and kill Count Medelia, that woman Erina.”

Rose’s cold mockery was mixed with thick hatred.

“If you can’t do it, quietly think of a way to approach the delegation. That seems to be the only way for you and me to survive.”