The spring of Eregron instantly switches places with winter.

The beginning of spring was when the snow that had fallen and piled up for a week suddenly melted and disappeared without a trace.

Various stories have been created about this dramatic change since ancient times, but no one yet knows the exact reason.

“What on earth is happening?”

Just yesterday, the fierce blizzard stopped and the warm spring sun rose.

Alicia, who had been blankly staring at the scenery outside the window that changed in a day, turned her gaze to look down at the letter in her hand.

It was a letter written and sent by Killian himself.

Inside the letter, whose corners had become slightly frayed after reading it over and over since receiving it along with a paper flower bouquet, were letters that looked stiff and solid, resembling Killian’s personality.

“‘There’s been a problem with the newly discovered demon beasts. It would be best to return to the safe capital…’ is that so?”

Alicia tilted her head after reading aloud a part of the short letter that was only a few lines long.

When she first received this, she had the ridiculous misunderstanding of ‘Is he perhaps worried about me?’

Fortunately, thanks to quickly checking the contents after opening the letter, there was no mishap of voicing such a misunderstanding, but what came after reading the letter was an even bigger problem.

“New demon beasts? Safe capital? Demon beasts can’t cross the northern border, yet he’s talking about ‘safety’ here?”

Although she had berated herself for being stupid, she wasn’t so dumb as to not understand the hidden meaning in this short letter.

‘It means new demon beasts can appear here too, crossing over the fortress.’

No demon beast can cross the Griphul Fortress guarded by Diaz’s wolves and soldiers.

Why else would Griphul Fortress be called the Fortress of Lament?

On one wall of the fortress that had taken countless demon beast lives were engraved the screams, pain, and tears of the demon beasts.

She had never heard news of such an iron-walled fortress falling, yet he says to return to the ‘safe’ capital…

Alicia’s expression darkened at the implication that human lands were no longer safe from demon beasts.

‘And new demon beasts… This is a story I’ve never heard before returning.’

No matter how confidential information about demon beasts was handled, news of this magnitude would have spread in some way.

Moreover, Alicia before her regression was the emperor.

No matter how incompetent an emperor, there’s no way she wouldn’t have heard about the appearance of new demon beasts.

‘It might have some connection to my return to the past.’

A present different from the past.

Because Alicia made different choices, today she was living for the second time had a different appearance from the past.

But what if other problems arose because of her changes?

She had only corrected one mistake from the past.

Although that could cause Killian to show her a different side, it shouldn’t have affected the appearance of new demon beasts.

Then, the ‘method’ or ‘reason’ for her return to the past was likely to have had an impact.

“Why didn’t I think to investigate earlier…”

It’s an excuse to say she had no time to think of anything else because she was happy to have a new opportunity.

It was a mistake to avoid all problems related to him by trying not to think about Killian.

After vowing not to make mistakes, she made another mistake with an absurd excuse.

“Get it together. You can’t make another mistake. Past mistakes are natural, but you absolutely can’t make new ones.”

The second life is for Eregron.

For my beloved family.

That’s how I decided to use it.

So…

“There shouldn’t be a problem if we return together.”

At the end of the short letter Killian sent, there was an added note saying to return to the capital ‘together’ when winter ends.

Just looking at the content before and after the letter, one could understand the hidden meaning within.

It meant to return together for safety, as this place had now become dangerous.

Since there was no one in this Eregron as excellent at dealing with demon beasts as Killian, moving together was good for both of them and for this empire, even for the safety of the ‘imperial princess’.

However, her foolish self had momentarily misunderstood, wondering if perhaps Killian wanted to move together with her.

Even the paper flowers brightly decorating the low side table next to the window were like that.

What expectations did she have upon seeing the flowers sent as a get-well gift because sending just one letter seemed lacking…

When she expressed gratitude for the flowers at the dinner they shared again after recovering, Killian replied indifferently with an unconcerned face that it was sent to replace the frozen flowers.

It was already the umpteenth apology she had heard for ruining the greenhouse.

“I keep receiving apologies.”

An impatient heart invites mistakes, and mistakes call for apologies.

Alicia was the one who, despite being born of the noblest bloodline in the empire, was always anxious because she couldn’t win the heart of the person she liked.

So the one apologizing was always Alicia, and the one receiving apologies was always Killian.

But for some reason, the Killian she met again kept apologizing to Alicia.

“The demon beasts are strange, Killian is strange… and me thinking about Killian in this situation is beyond strange, I’m hopeless…”

Alicia, who had let out a long sigh without realizing it, turned her gaze towards the noisy door.

It was the noise created by the servants busily moving to prepare for the earlier-than-planned return.

It would take about four days for the melted snow and muddy roads to return to their original state.

While the roads towards the capital were well-maintained and posed no problem for carriages, the road leading to the main road from Rasa Castle was merely well-packed dirt, so those four days had to be used efficiently to make thorough preparations.

At first, Amy had cautiously opposed, suggesting it would be better to stay until summer, but now she was busy moving without even taking a breath, preparing for the return.

“Your Highness, why are you standing like that?”

“I was looking out the window because I felt stuffy.”

“Has a lot of snow melted?”

Mina, who unfailingly prepared Alicia’s meals and snacks even amidst the busy preparations for return, was entering the room carrying a large tray full of food.

“Today’s tea food is madeleines.”

After setting down the tray on the table in the center of the room, Mina quickly finished setting up and stepped back one step.

Alicia sat down at the table where warm black tea and well-baked yellow madeleines were placed ready to eat, and expressed her gratitude with a slightly smiling face.

“Are you very busy?”

“Is it because we couldn’t pack much when we came here in a hurry? It’s not terribly busy. Don’t worry!”

Even if packed in a hurry, it was the imperial princess’s luggage.

Having moved with the intention of spending an entire season, it was clear that quite a lot of luggage would have followed even if packed hurriedly.

Mina, who exaggerated as if it was nothing, perhaps fearing that Alicia might feel sorry, smiled brightly as she pushed the plate of madeleines a bit closer to Alicia.

“Um…”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“What about Duke Diaz’s party…”

“Ah! They finished preparations to leave long ago. It seems they never even unpacked in the first place… They said there’s even one piece of luggage they’re leaving behind.”

That was probably the cart used to transport the demon beast.

Alicia’s fingertips trembled slightly as she recalled the appearance of the demon beast she had encountered in the greenhouse.

To leave such intense fear just by recalling the memory…

‘If that’s a new demon beast… what do the original demon beasts look like?’

Alicia tilted her head, not knowing the difference between existing demon beasts and new ones, as this was the first time she had seen a demon beast in person.

“So Diaz’s wolves are helping us.”

“…Huh?”

Alicia, who had been thinking about demon beasts, raised her head to look at Mina.

Who’s helping whom?

“They said sitting still doesn’t suit their temperament, even though we said it was fine… They said it’s good to move their bodies by helping pack luggage instead.”

“…”

“You’re surprised too, right, Your Highness? Everyone was. It’s not like it’s anyone else, but Diaz’s wolves volunteering first to help someone other than themselves.”

“Y-yeah?”

The Badhulph unit members are loyal only to Killian and move only for him.

If sitting still made them antsy, they would rather do physical training or make bets among themselves to move their bodies, not do something like moving to help others.

But why?

Alicia furrowed her pretty brow upon discovering another strange point different from before turning back time.

“I guess they want to leave Rasa Castle quickly, even if it means doing that.”

“Helping because they want to leave quickly…”

If that’s the reason, it’s somewhat understandable… or is it? It doesn’t seem so.

Alicia, who had put down the teacup she was holding, rubbed her furrowed brow with her fingertips and fell into thought.

‘Could this also be because they feel sorry?’

There’s no way Diaz’s wolves made such a decision on their own.

They must be moving under Killian’s orders, but she couldn’t think of a proper reason why he would give such orders.

The only thing that came to mind was the continued ‘apologies’ since the greenhouse was ruined…

It’s strange enough that Killian apologizes to her, but repeating apologies for the same incident is really unlike him.

“Your Highness, does your head hurt? Should I prepare some medicine?”

“No. I just have something to think about. My body is fine, so don’t worry.”

Mina made a fuss after seeing Alicia’s furrowed face as she tried to organize her complicated thoughts that were tangled with various ideas.

She needs to become more composed there if she’s to inherit Amy’s position.

Alicia, recalling Amy sighing more and more over her chosen successor, temporarily cleared her complicated mind and leaned back against the chair, closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh.

‘Let’s think about it when we get back… when we get back.’

For now, let’s clear my mind and not worry about anything.

That’s what Alicia thought, postponing decisions for later.