Isaac, having safely arrived in the Northern Territory and received the message, meant that Cyrus, his companion, had also arrived safely. Therefore, there was no need to ask separately about Cyrus’s well-being.

“It takes more than ten days to get to Dongryeong in a hurry, so I’m planning to depart right away. It’s a bit scary to go alone, so could you send Luina and Noah with me?”

“They are busy with training.”

Isaac narrowed his eyes and brought his face close to Cyrus’s face as if scrutinizing it.
“Why is it? Why does it seem like Your Excellency is trying to interfere in my affairs?”

“It’s not interference.”

Cyrus pushed Isaac’s face away with the palm of his hand.

“Because it’s true. I felt it when we were ambushed by Paganus this time. We are still unreasonably weak. There’s no time to dawdle.”

“Alright, then. I guess I’ll go alone.”

As if declaring that he would go to Dongryeong no matter what obstacle stood in his way, Isaac slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Going alone might get you killed.”

“Isaac…”

“Well then, Your Excellency, I’ll be going…”

As Isaac was about to bid a casual farewell, the door suddenly swung open. In the direction Isaac and Cyrus turned to, a handsome young man with sparkling black hair was standing.

It was Andrei Heren.

With clear amethyst-like eyes, Andrei spoke.

“I’ll accompany you. Since Your Excellency took time off while you were away, it’s only fair that I get a vacation too, right?”

+++

In the end, Cyrus assigned several knights to escort Isaac’s group for the journey to Dongryeong.

Cyrus watched Isaac’s party leave with a very displeased expression. Andrei, looking at Cyrus through the carriage window, said,

“Wow, really. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Cyrus show his emotions.”

“Is that so? He’s thawed!”

“Wow…”

The reason Andrei decided to accompany the journey to Dongryeong was what he heard from his father, Duke Heren.

[Dash]”Lei, it seems like Isaac is right. The Empress will be pregnant soon.”

[Dash]”What are you talking about, all of a sudden? Did you have a dream?”

[Dash]”You know that Your Excellency was very displeased with Paganus’s ambush, right?”

[Dash]”Yes, he seemed very irritated when he came in earlier.”

[Dash]”As soon as Your Excellency mentioned the name Princess Ariana White of Dongryeong, his expression softened a lot.”

[Dash]”Isn’t it just because he’s tired? Plus, he yawned.”

[Dash]”Moreover, as soon as he received a message from Princess Ariana, he seemed anxious and rushed to Isaac’s room.”

It might be an exaggeration to say he rushed. However, it was strange that Cyrus, who had heard about it on the way, didn’t handle the matter and headed to Isaac’s room instead.

So, having gone to Isaac’s room and overheard the conversation between Cyrus and Isaac, Andrei spoke.

“How is the Empress? Is she beautiful?”

“She is.”

“Compared to the Crown Princess?”

“I think the Crown Princess is a bit prettier, but maybe it’s just me. I’m not sure about Your Excellency. He seems quite firm. The Empress is the best in the world.”

“Is that so?”

“When the Empress appears in society, the whole world is expected to stir. That’s what Your Excellency is looking forward to.”

Andrei couldn’t believe it.

“Cyrus said that?”

“He did. It’s not a dream. You heard it earlier, didn’t you? He tried to stop me from leaving out of jealousy. If I’m not going with Your Excellency, it can’t be helped.”

Andrei couldn’t help but laugh.
Cyrus, Andrei, and Isaac have been together since they were born a few months apart. Andrei remembers Cyrus from their childhood.

Cyrus Carha, who laughed a lot and cried a lot.

When the previous Emperor and Empress died, Cyrus’s emotions died with them. Though Cyrus frowns and smiles, those expressions are all crafted to fit the situation.

Cyrus openly expressing raw emotions like this was truly a rare sight.

Andrei interlaced his fingers behind his head, leaning back and muttered,

“Dongryeong is a wonderful place. To meet the Empress there too, I’m looking forward to it.”

+++

“This can’t be true!”

Helena threw the newspaper.

On the front page of the newspaper published in the Empire, the start and results of Ariana’s custody trial were detailed.

The article, detailing everything from Ariana’s abuse to the reasons behind her decision to escape, was so long that it required several pages of the newspaper.

While the names Rachel, Helena, and Victoria were not mentioned, it was evident to anyone who knew them that they were Ariana’s mother and sisters.

But what angered Helena was something else.

“Why on earth did the Northern Empress help Ariana!”

At Barak’s outcry, the maids shrank their shoulders.

In their eyes, Helena’s fixation on the appearance of the ‘Northern Empress’ even in such a situation seemed pitiful.

“What is Ariana to interfere to the extent of the Northern Empress and the Emperor helping her? Who is Ariana, anyway?”

Helena couldn’t contain her boiling anger.

The Northern Empress Cyrus Carha, who, despite many women desperately wanting to meet him, never showed up at any party, earning a reputation as an elusive figure.

That very Cyrus was, in fact, present in the Northern Capital and went out of his way to help Ariana on his way back. He even protected her on her journey to Dongryeong.

The newspaper reporter dedicated half of the newspaper to Cyrus’s beautiful appearance, likening him to a painting that appeared at the trial.

While Helena gritted her teeth in frustration, someone knocked on the door.