The Lutinas Empire was in utter shock.
All the society news pages across the empire had the disappearance of Diana Gray on the front page.
Rumors were rampant.
[What is the real story behind the disappearance of dame Gray, the commander of the Gray Knights?]
[The dangers of the Kratyn Forest: Is the Lutinas Empire safe as it is?]
[Anonymous tip claims demons appeared in Kratyn Forest…]
The disappearance of Diana Gray, the commander of the Gray Knights, was a significant matter.
No one believed that she had been taken down by monsters in Kratyn Forest.
Even though Diana had lost to Melsia Emblem and could not become the Emperor’s sword, her strength was acknowledged to be among the top five on the continent.
If Diana Gray had indeed fallen to a monster, it meant a creature that an ordinary human could never defeat had appeared.
[As the procession of refugees fleeing from Kratyn Forest continued endlessly, the Kingdom of Ferd sent a letter asking for help…]
The Emperor had already ordered the evacuation of the territory residents near Kratyn Forest.
He commanded all the lands of the Lutinas Empire to accommodate the refugees.
This included the capital, which became bustling with people coming from the territories near Kratyn Forest.
“…What should we do, really.”
I put down the society pages I was reading with a feeling of hopelessness.
Jessia, who was beside me, quickly gathered and cleared away the papers.
“So stop reading these. They only make you feel depressed.”
“But aunt Diana might come back, like a miracle.”
“If that happens, we’ll hear the news at the mansion first, not from these papers. Until then, stop reading these society pages that have no good news.”
Jessia was right. The night before the news of aunt Diana’s disappearance spread, my mother and grandfather had a big fight, knowing the fact in advance.
Since then, I hadn’t seen my mother or grandfather properly.
My grandfather was constantly summoned to the palace, and so was my mother.
I heard from the Emblem Knights during training that my mother and grandfather ignored each other at the palace.
It was no different at the mansion, so it wasn’t surprising.
“The atmosphere at the mansion is a mess.”
I threw myself onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow.
Tears and snot soaked the pillow.
I was scared.
I had finally found a loving family, and I was afraid it would falling apart. I was terrified aunt Diana might never return.
At seven years old, I couldn’t do anything, nor could I be of any help.
“Lady Cherrya…”
Jessia comforted me with a sad voice while patting me, but my gloomy feeling didn’t go away.
“Where’s my dad?”
“Sir Benedict has gone to the Emblem territory. They say they can’t handle the flood of refugees.”
“My dad gone, my mom gone, and my grandpa gone.”
Given the serious situation, no one could care for me.
I knew that acting mature and taking care of myself was the biggest filial duty I could do at my age.
But it was still depressing.
“But I’m here.”
“Jessia…”
I clung to Jessia’s embrace.
“Jessia, you can’t go anywhere, okay? You have to stay by my side forever.”
“Of course. Where would I go, leaving you, Lady Cherrya?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I found the affection and attention I lacked from Jessia.
That alone made me feel a bit better.
Jessia, who worried the most about my gloomy mood caused by the mansion’s recent unrest, always tolerated my whims generously.
Catching her in a good mood, I subtly asked her for a favor.
“Then can I visit the Gray mansion for a bit?”
“No.”
Jessia was firm. Her cold response left no room for negotiation, making me feel betrayed.
“Why not! You said you loved me!”
“No means no! Please remember that you are an Emblem!”
“What does being an Emblem have to do with this!”
“Do you think the people at the Gray mansion would welcome an Emblem now? You’d be lucky if you didn’t get hurt!”
At Jessia’s words, I bit my lip.
That’s right. The relationship between the Emblem and Gray families was already like water and oil, but now it was worse than ever.
We were at the point where it would be a miracle if we didn’t draw swords when we passed each other.
“The Duke of Gray is holding our master accountable for the disappearance of the commander of the Gray Knights. If you, Lady Cherrya, go to the Gray household now, it will look like we’re bowing down to them.”
“But…”
“No buts!”
Jessia shouted in a resounding voice.
Startled, I quickly sat up from my sprawled position on the bed.
Jessia’s fierce spirit was so intense that it made me kneel involuntarily.
“Our master is considering stepping down from the Emblem Dukedom, so you must support him!”
Jessia had every reason to be this angry.
After the disappearance of aunt Diana was made known, Jade Gray demanded that my grandfather, who had gone to Kratyn Forest under the Emperor’s orders, be stripped of the title of Duke of the Emblem.
The reason for this was that mt grandfather, who is a Swordmaster, failed to prevent aunt Diana’s disappearance.
“What can I do about it? Not even my mom can stop him.”
In his anger, my grandfather said he was so fed up with the dukedom that he would leave the empire altogether.
Nobles from across the empire protested and tried to persuade him, but they failed.
Even the emperor and my mother couldn’t stop him.
“Everyone’s given up on him.”
As a result, the Gray family has become the common enemy of everyone who loves the Emblem.
The Gray family, still mourning the loss of aunt Diana, blamed the Emblem for the situation.
“Besides, I’m Enoch’s fi…fi…fiancée, even if it’s just a preliminary engagement…”
“You can’t even say the word ‘fiancée’ properly. What kind of fiancée do you plan to be at the Gray mansion? The Gray family will vent all their anger on you, and that would mean war!”
Jessia clenched her fist as if she was ready to charge into the Gray mansion right then and there.
If I heard even a single harsh word from the Gray family, she seemed prepared to throw punches.
“There’s also a bond formed from animosity! Aren’t you worried about Enoch, Jessia?”
“No. I’m too busy worrying about you, Lady Cherrya.”
“That’s so heartless!”
This was a disaster. The relationship between the Emblem and the Gray families was beyond repair now.
I finally understood what it meant to be true archenemies.
The peace between the Emblem and Gray families had only existed due to the efforts of my mother and aunt Diana.
“I miss aunt Diana…”
“Oh, our poor Lady Cherrya. Come here.”
Jessia hugged me again, but it did nothing to relieve my overwhelming sadness.
‘Enoch was so happy that he could live with his mom…’
Despite all our fights, Enoch and I had grown up as childhood friends.
I was becoming increasingly worried about him.
That old soul would surely be pretending to be okay right now.
