The Crania Empire continued to face unprecedented events.
Not all who sat on the imperial throne for hundreds of years were great emperors. There were ordinary ones, foolish ones, and even madmen.
However, none could challenge the imperial authority established through treaties with magic tools and the evil dragon Gusalante. This is why Crania endured despite the occasional mad emperor on the throne.
Imperial authority reached its peak during the previous emperor’s reign. Surveillance through magic tools was so intense that one couldn’t even breathe in the emperor’s presence. When that emperor collapsed unexpectedly, the empire entered a period of transition.
Unexpected events kept occurring.
First, all the imperial family members, though few in number, went to Ostein Lanpalar Palace instead of the imperial palace, leaving behind the young emperor whose abilities remained unproven. The excuse was to avoid the cold winter.
But even when the emperor fumbled and made the mistake of reducing the Bayetta naval base while trying to please his future in-laws from the Keruzhan Kingdom, Lanpalar Palace showed no reaction.
There were even rumors that the Grand Duke of Lusenford, who should be guarding the north, was still at Lanpalar Palace.
The north was completely empty, despite the fact that the evil dragon Gusalante, who had been rampaging since the previous emperor’s time, and the fierce immigrant tribes beyond the border hadn’t disappeared.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Peon shook his head when his father-in-law asked about it, concerned that Lusenford would naturally be the first to be invaded.
“I have no intention of letting you hear that your daughter married a man with nothing.”
The first reason why Lusenford wouldn’t be invaded wasn’t because of its solid defenses, systematic training, or perfect preparation, but his wife’s honor. The father-in-law was momentarily speechless.
Peon knew well that Kaela had “chosen” him.
Kaela, who grew up with love and protection and could love many, was fundamentally different from him. She could live without him. Lanpalar Palace was full of things that caught her interest.
But Peon, accustomed to abuse and violence since childhood, couldn’t dare to choose. Kaela was his only one.
He wouldn’t even consider living without her. He would throw away his useless life. The scale was clearly tilted. So Peon had to become the best among everything Kaela possessed.
It wasn’t enough to just be handsome and function properly as a man. He needed to remain by Kaela’s side as an admirable husband, impressive enough to make her proud.
So despite not having particularly fond feelings for Lusenford, Peon intended to hold onto it. He needed to present the title of Grand Duchess to his wife, who was already a princess and would eventually become the Duchess of Ostein.
“If that’s the reason, I have no need to worry further.”
“Father-in-law, just do whatever you wish. However, I don’t recommend challenging the imperial authority.”
Unexpectedly, the Duke of Ostein burst into laughter.
“Why, does Kaela not want to be the next emperor?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you try?”
“She doesn’t want to be empress either. Too troublesome, she says.”
The Duke of Ostein burst into laughter again. He was the type who, when faced with something unmanageable, would only care for his family’s well-being without further ambition.
He had knowingly and unknowingly suffered all sorts of humiliation from the previous emperor, had no desire for imperial power, and lacked enough loyalty to prevent the empire from tearing apart.
He also understood his son-in-law’s reluctance about Lusenford. He himself didn’t have much affection for the Crania imperial family either.
If someone like a great natural disaster had decided to tear apart the empire, there was nothing to be done. The Duke of Ostein had neither the intention nor the desire to prevent such a natural disaster.
Rather, as a father with a daughter, he was quite satisfied. Like most ordinary parents, he was content as long as his child was happy, even without wealth and glory.
For the Duke of Ostein, who constantly worried about his delicate only daughter, a son-in-law who prioritized Kaela above honor or wealth was simply the best.
“Well, that settles it then.”
Adeo de Chasser decided not to worry anymore. His son-in-law wasn’t just speaking elegantly; his eyes had been following his distant daughter the entire time.
When Kaela laughed brightly, his stern son-in-law would slightly smile too. If Kaela’s cheeks seemed cold, he would immediately approach and embrace her. The number of men worrying about his daughter had increased. It was a good thing.
So he could just focus on enjoying the leisurely countryside life in Ostein, regardless of what happened to the empire.
It was a decent revenge against his half-brother who had despised him all his life, refused to treat him as a person, and eventually tried to kill him out of boredom. Humming a tune, he walked off to go fishing.
It was late autumn, the season of harvest.
****
Kaela stared at the table filled with seafood that she had eaten plenty of since coming to Ostein. The kitchen chef, delighted by the news that Her Highness the Princess was eating so well, had once again showcased his skills.
Grilled croaker, steamed flatfish, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, oysters – all sorts of delicacies were prepared, but Kaela pursed her lips. Hmm. Then she glanced at Peon.
Sure enough, having immediately noticed her subtle expression, he was already staring intently at her, leaning forward, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Yes, Kaela didn’t want to eat.
“Shall we eat a little later?”
Peon, an expert at using every means to make his wife eat even one more bite, asked with a gentle smile.
Unaware of his concern that her face, which had been filling out slightly since coming to Ostein, seemed to be losing weight again, Kaela quickly nodded. Seeing her expression turn bad as soon as the food arrived, forcing her to eat would likely cause problems.
Peon had the food removed and immediately took Kaela out. He planned to try to refresh her mood before suggesting different food.
“Honey, you know…”
Unexpectedly, Kaela pulled him closer and whispered. She looked very troubled and perplexed.
“I find fish a bit fishy now.”
“Fishy?”
“I’ve eaten too much. I should eat in moderation. How can they serve only seafood every day? I’m tired of lobster and cod now. Everyone gets excited and brings more when I say I like it, and I can’t bring myself to complain.”
“Oh dear. So anything not from the sea would be fine?”
Kaela looked up at him and shook her head. Then she swallowed and said:
“I want black francolin. Roasted, not as soup.”
Ah. This was something new. Peon looked at Kaela with amusement.
“What else?”
“Pumpkin pie, and apple ginger honey tea.”
All were foods commonly eaten in the northern regions during this season. Kaela murmured despondently:
“I think I lived in Lusenford for too long.”
Peon grinned.
“Tell the chef what side dishes you’d like. I’ll catch some black francolin ‘intact enough not to be used for soup’.”
Bird hunting was tricky, and badly damaged birds inevitably went straight into soup since they couldn’t be presented properly. So the roasted black francolin that Kaela wanted was considered a high-class autumn delicacy.
“Don’t forget the pumpkin and apples.”
“Just prepare to eat well.”
Waving his hand, Peon took a step to the side and disappeared. Kaela made a contemplative sound, then simply sat down heavily in a chair placed along the wall.
What else could “prepare to eat well” mean? It meant holding her empty, growling stomach and waiting for her husband to return. Peon probably wouldn’t take long.
She sat with her chin propped up, thinking about what to do with Peon during winter. These were no longer lists she made in her heart only to discard. Now they could actually be fulfilled.
“Have you been here the whole time?”
Lost in thought, Kaela blinked at Peon coming down from the stairs.
“It hasn’t even been five minutes?”
“How hard is it to catch a few francolins?”
He had just handed over some plump birds to the chef. Though the chef was somewhat deflated to hear that Her Highness wanted birds from cold regions today, he was nonetheless busy plucking francolin feathers.
“Let’s have pumpkin pie and honey tea as snacks later.”
Kaela’s expression brightened. He brought everything!
“This is the first time you’ve asked me to bring you something you wanted to eat.”
Peon sat down on the floor next to her chair.
“Is it?”
“It’s the first time you’ve told me.”
He stared quietly at the ceiling and murmured again.
“I finally feel somewhat useful as a husband.”
Hahaha, Kaela laughed and embraced his head. Peon willingly allowed himself to be pulled in by her slender arms.
“You’ve been such a great husband all this time, and that’s what makes you feel useful?”
“Bringing the food you want gives me the most proper feeling of providing for you.”
Finding his answer inexplicably amusing, Kaela kept laughing excitedly and then bent down to kiss him. Peon chuckled at the smack of her lips touching and leaving his cheek. The corners of his mouth showed no signs of turning down.
“See? Most rewarding, I tell you.”
While the chef was busy working, the two sat side by side, continuously laughing.
“If there’s anything else you want to eat…”
“Yes. I know.”
She smiled.
“I know you’ll bring me everything.”
She knew he would bring her not just food, but gold and silver treasures, flowers that defied seasons, precious art pieces, invaluable ancient books, and even countries to lay at her feet.
That was Peon’s pleasant hobby. Having caught ten plump francolins, he was very pleased to see Kaela chewing well-roasted meat thoroughly.
If his naturally small-appetited wife, who had grown up wealthy and easily tired of things, ate even a little more, today was a happy day.
Happiness wasn’t as grand as one might think, nor was it something that required immense effort to barely grasp a piece of. It was right there beside them.
“I’m full. I ate so much.”
After finally finishing even a slice of pumpkin pie, his wife exhaled deeply. Watching her, Peon smiled and extended his hand.
“Shall we go out?”
The stoic husband smiled often these days. He probably didn’t realize it, and Kaela had no intention of telling him. If she mentioned it and made him self-conscious, only Kaela, who liked his smiling face, would be disappointed.
She firmly held his hand and began their walk. The habit that had started from Lusenford Castle for Kaela’s health improvement continued at Ostein Lanpalar Palace. Peon walked holding Kaela’s hand.
There was no need for continuous conversation between them. Having become a couple for whom even silence was natural, they passed through the autumn garden and headed toward the coast.
“Let’s come here next winter too.”
Peon, who planned to stay here all winter for Kaela, murmured. They now had a future where they could make promises and plans.
“Next year too?”
“Next year too. The south is better for you in winter.”
But Kaela disagreed.
“I think Lusenford won’t be bad either once the expansion is complete.”
Peon looked down at her in disbelief.
“It’ll be fine this time even in winter, right?”
Kaela was already looking up at him. Peon often discovered precious things that couldn’t possibly exist in those blue eyes looking at him. Today, what he found in those eyes was a frail but distinct trust.
“…Always.”
How could he be trusted after everything that had happened? Peon, with a choked throat, nodded.
“It will always be fine.”
How long had it taken to be able to say this? They had to come all the way from the frozen north ruled by death to the abundant and peaceful south.
What restarted after the flames burning magic tools and the fierce snowstorms ravaging the abandoned tower was just a harsh winter.
What didn’t collapse in the face of winter was strength that endured even for the sake of more fragile love, willing to throw away life and revenge.
Goodness and justice overcame winter and even the crueler spring. The love that survived reached out to the winter knight in tatters, becoming a brilliant summer.
That’s how the desperate prayer of a starved soul was answered. The wish to save just one person was fulfilled because it was good.
Those who wanted to stand upright but fell because they were just, witnessed numerous other falls. Those black hands, whose wisdom was chipped away by arrogance, dropped one after another.
Even amidst that noisy collapse, the returned diamond was brilliant, the summer rose was splendid, and the newfound size and warmth of each other’s hands were gentle.
Sometimes even wailing was welcome in those days. Even if they returned to winter again, the two would make the same choices.
“I’m looking forward to it. Are you saying it’ll always be fine even when I’m a grandmother?”
“You’ll be the strongest and happiest grandmother in the world.”
“With the most handsome husband in the world by my side.”
Now they knew. After all the stars collapsed and the upheaval ended, all that remained was you. Only you.
Only after completely falling and losing everything did we truly face each other, and despite writhing in pain, we reached out.
Sometimes rejected, but eventually grasped. We couldn’t miss the only salvation to hold onto. The sea breeze brushed past their joined hands.
“Kaela.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll love you until then.”
At the end of all downfall, there you were.
There you were, enduring for me until your body was worn out.
I dedicate myself to you.
~End of the main story.~
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