‘From when Hadel suggested removing my heart and onward, I thought the Flame Attribute children were being experimented on in case of failure.’

But I never knew they were experimenting even with Ice Attributes like themselves.

“What about those children? Are they okay now?”

“They are receiving treatment. Since they don’t hope to return to their families, they seem to be going to work at the palace.”

“I see.”

‘Was it an experiment like the Ice monsters they created in the North?’

Not hoping to return to their families. With that one answer, the pain of the hardships the children had endured became painfully apparent.

As I furrowed my brows, thinking of the children, Hadel suggested gently,

“How about taking one of them with us on the upcoming Southern journey? Their Ice Attribute might be helpful in the hot region.”

“Oh, are they big enough to bring along?”
“There are almost adults among the children.”

I’m not going for a visit, but to fight against the mixed forces, so not only the mana attribute but also the personality is important. Still, I thought it might be okay to choose a reasonably good child and have Hadel take them.

“You organize it yourself.”

“Got it. Then, I’ll think carefully and organize the unit.”

A hundred years ago, during the time when I roamed the battlefield, I could have immediately called the person I wanted. Those who were in the same unit as me before would have eagerly volunteered to join the expedition.

‘Is it because I came to the palace? I keep thinking about those days.’

It’s like the dream I just had.

The engagement ceremony was very awkward. Even though I’m at this age, it was clear that neither I nor my fiancé had dreamed of such an engagement. In an awkward atmosphere, my fiancé put a large ring on my finger. And that ring flew away during the first battle.

‘I should have just left it in the palace. It would have been a valuable gem for sure.’

No, if that had happened, it might have been nicely decorated in my corner at the royal library.

‘Even so, I don’t really like that.’

Still, it felt strange that I had nothing to remember the fiancé I couldn’t recall his face.

It was when I twisted my body in the unfamiliar feeling that I had been feeling all along.

Hadel, who had been warmly hugging me, slowly got up and sat down.

“I thought you were going to fall asleep right away, so I was lying down, but it seems like you’re not sleepy…”

Hadel took out a very small square box from his embrace.

“What’s this?”

When Hadel opened the box, inside was a rugged-looking ring with a transparent round stone embedded in it. Hadel carefully put it on my finger. I stared at the ring with wide eyes.

“It’s a magic stone, right? How did you get such a high-purity one?”

Magic stone. Literally a stone that can store mana.

However, the mana storage capacity is influenced by purity and size, dominating everything. The fact that such a small-sized stone could contain a lot of mana meant that it was unbelievably pure.

And, of course, it was expensive. Even low-quality magic stones were incredibly valuable in reality.

Even though he handed me something more valuable than a diamond, Hadel answered as if it was nothing.

“I thought you might need it.”

It was something I really needed. Because I had to go down to the South without Hadel.

“Yeah, I was worried about suddenly turning into a chick. Thanks.”

‘How much mana can this magic stone store?’

I fiddled with the ring. Because I recalled the engagement ring from my past life, it had a different meaning.

‘I have to keep it safe. Don’t lose it, don’t break it.’

As I infused a bit of mana, a faint red energy circulated in the transparent stone. It was fascinating, and as I kept staring at it, Hadel spoke with a serious tone.
“I should contact the giants, as Evelyn suggested. You can’t continue to live like this indefinitely.”

“Is it really uncomfortable?”

I was pleased that Hadel took my situation seriously. I smiled broadly and hung onto Hadel’s arm.

“Rather, thanks to that wind, Hadel, there’s no way I can be away from you for an extended period.”

“Well, maybe so.”

Even as he answered like that, Hadel’s face didn’t relax. I reached out, patting Hadel’s head as I examined his complexion.

“Don’t worry, Hadel. Fighting by the seaside in a major battle is not new for me, and if it’s a mixed-race expedition, I already have experience.”

In response to my words, Hadel’s expression twisted in a different way than before.

“…How much were you on the front lines in your past life?”

“Haha.”

Who knows? The mischievous princess, forgetting how to even wear a dress for so long?

‘I wonder, if she had cried and complained about how scary it was, could she have returned home sooner?’

But that, too, was a meaningless assumption.