TOPWL 273

“Reginald! My son!”

The deposed empress screamed his name at the top of her lungs. Whether from the shock of being hit or the shock that Yudit had hit him, Reginald lay sprawled on the ground for a long while, unable to regain his senses. As the commotion died down, Hiore gave Yudit a satisfied smile. It was a carefree smile, unlike the expression one would expect from someone just sentenced to death.

“So now you lose even to an omega, Reginald.”

Hiore chuckled.

“No matter how I think about it, that one probably won’t screw up the country as badly as you would. But what’s the point of worrying about things after you’re dead?”

“Hiore, you son of a bitch…”

“Stop cursing and let’s go take our medicine.”

His tone was so cheerful it sounded like he’d lost his mind. Hiore addressed the empress, who was still wailing and calling out to Reginald.

“Mother, don’t waste your efforts either. Keep that ring and necklace safe, then ask the guard for some poison. You won’t make it through winter, so what’s the point of living a few more months?”

“You mad bastard! You ruined our entire family, ruined Reginald, ruined me!”

“Well then, why did you ruin me? I’ll go first, so treat me kindly in the afterlife.”

Hiore burst out laughing upon seeing Reginald’s swollen face as he rose with others’ support.

“We’re leaving, Yudit.”

“……”

“Do your best.”

Hiore waved his handcuffed hand in greeting to Yudit. Before Yudit could return the gesture, Hiore turned and walked away with heavy steps. It was a walk that seemed almost joyful, filled with a sense of liberation.

* * *

“Ouch, ouch…”

“Who told you to hit so hard?”

Khalid scolded Yudit while treating ​Read on​his fist. Each time the linen soaked in disinfectant touched his knuckles, Yudit groaned.

“You don’t seem to blame me for hitting him.”

“Why would I? You did well. But leaving it to me would have yielded a better result.”

“……”

“Quite skilled with your fists, my emperor.”

“……Hearing that from Khalid is strange.”

After the trial ended, Yudit heard news of the emperor’s death. They said he drew his last breath five minutes before the trial concluded. Considering he’d been told he wouldn’t survive the night, the fact he clung to life for several more days made him wonder if his spirit had been stirred by the heat of his words.

With the emperor dead and his brothers also destined to die, Yudit naturally became the next emperor. The coronation ceremony had to be held immediately, so it was conducted in a simplified form the following day. The money saved by holding it simply was to be used to feed and clothe the people, who had been exhausted by the war.

Khalid, having finished his treatment, tucked Yudit’s disheveled hair behind his ear and spoke.

“How do you feel, Your Majesty?”

“I’m not sure.”

It felt like too many events had swept past in a whirlwind.

“It’s as if I simply survived, yet now I feel like I’ve become the supreme ruler…”

“Your Majesty, you flatter me. Please do not speak so humbly.”

“Haha. What is this, all of a sudden?”

As Yudit giggled, Khalid did not laugh but met his gaze silently. Only then did Yudit ask with a surprise expression.

“…Are you serious?”

Khalid nodded. Originally, as both were royalty, mutual honorifics or mutual informal speech was the rule. However, due to their considerable age difference, Yudit was accustomed to using formal speech with Khalid, while Khalid was accustomed to using informal speech with Yudit.

“There will be no one left who speaks informally to Your Majesty now. You must grow accustomed to that life.”

Khalid had actually used informal speech with him often before, so he was used to it. Hearing this kind of conversation feel a bit awkward now.

“Go ahead.”

“…Khalid.”

“Didn’t we call each other by name before?”

“Uh…”

Suddenly trying to use informal speech, the right words wouldn’t come to him. Yudit spoke in an awkward voice.

“Um… Thanks for healing me?”

At Yudit’s words, Khalid clutched his stomach and laughed. Feeling like he was teasing him too much, Yudit glared at him.

“Stop laughing.”

“Yes. My apologies.”

“But seriously, you won’t use informal speech anymore?”

“I won’t. I must ensure I never [Read on]use informal speech in front of others, even by mistake.”

I see. So now, no one will ever use formal speech with me. For some reason, Yudit felt a little wistful.

After finishing the treatment, he was about to slowly get up when someone knocked on the bedroom door.

“It’s Edmond.”

“Ah, Edmond. Come in.”

At Yudit’s invitation, Edmond cautiously opened the door and entered. His hair was slightly damp.

“Congratulations on becoming emperor.”

Edmond bowed his head to Yudit. Since they knew each other well enough, he didn’t offer any particular congratulations. Yudit nodded, then rose from his seat.

“Come here, Edmond.”

Yudit led Edmond deeper into the bedroom. Edmond followed him, surprised. He was heading toward where Ru lay.

“I thought you were asleep, but you were awake.”

Yudit smiled brightly at Ru, wrapped in a blanket and staring at the ceiling.

“Rudbeckia Friedrich Baldwin Adenauer. We just call her Ru.”

“Ah…”

Edmond blinked, looking down at the child. The baby’s eyes, a mysterious shade that seemed both blue and purple, stared back at him.

“The princess… isn’t crying.”

“I was surprised too. Babies don’t always cry or sleep, you know.”

“……”

“Do you want to hold her?”

“Ah, ah, ah, no.”

Edmon recoiled in fright.

“Well, I wasn’t asking.”

“Huh…?”

“Hold her.”

He handed Edmond the baby, still small but much bigger than when Yudit had given birth to her. Edmond looked clueless about how to hold the child. Yudit chuckled softly at his stiff, wooden movements.

“Her neck isn’t strong yet. Support her head and neck with one hand, and wrap the other hand around her waist and bottom.”

Edmond, who had suddenly found himself holding the baby, froze completely. He seemed unable to even breathe. After a moment, he adjusted slightly and turned his head just a little to look down at Ru. Edmond, who had been consistently gloomy since Garen’s death, looked noticeably better. But perhaps uncomfortable in his arms, the previously quiet Ru began to cry.

“Your… Your Majesty…!”

“Mmhmm, give her to me.”

Yudit took Ru and soothed her. Her crying subsided. Ru opened her eyes again and stared at Edmond.

“What do you think?”

“Small… and adorable.”

Edmond said, unable to take his eyes off the child.

“If you’re willing, would you become this child’s guardian?”

“Me? Me?”

“Yes. I plan to take Ru to the coronation ceremony tomorrow and announce it. I wanted to arrange her escort beforehand.”

“I… I can’t. I’m not skilled enough.”

Edmond’s expression darkened instantly. He seemed to be recalling that day.

“Of course, you alone won’t suffice; additional personnel will be assigned. But I thought it would be better to have at least one slightly younger person among them, rather than all being older. And among them, you’re the only one I know and can trust.”

“But I…”

“I heard. They say you took on four men Read on alone that day. That’s something most knights couldn’t manage.”

Ironically, Edmond’s talent had blossomed through war. The young master, raised in precious isolation under the promise of defeat, had now become a knight capable of doing the work of two.

“It was only because the narrow alleyway allowed me to take them one at a time. And my comrades… I couldn’t protect them.”

“I too mourn Garen’s loss, but it can’t compare to your grief, having grown up like brothers. However, Edmond, you can’t protect everyone. Whether comrade or foe, once you chose this path, witnessing death is inevitable. But this child… I want you to risk your life to protect her. Can you do that? This isn’t really a request either.”

Yudit’s rare firm stance left Edmond confused, yet he nodded. Just then, Ru’s fingers, poking out from the blanket, wiggled and grasped Edmond’s ring finger. Watching her tiny hand, barely able to wrap around the finger, made Edmond’s eyes redden. After a moment’s hesitation, Edmond spoke.