Chapter 26: A Gift and a Warning

Schubert Imperial Palace.

From early morning, Lucretia busied herself with her toilette and headed for Amanda’s bedchamber.

Her flawless appearance, as perfect as if it were not early at all, never failed to astonish everyone in the Boronia Palace.

Knock, knock.

“Your Majesty the Empress, it’s Lucretia.”

She visited Amanda every morning, noon, and night.

They would share meals, talk together, and sometimes even go for walks, Lucretia pushing Amanda’s wheelchair.

For the rest of the day, she wandered the palace gathering information and sewing Amanda’s clothes to pass the time.

“Lucretia. You’re beautiful today, too.”

As she entered the room, Amanda greeted her with a gentle smile.

“Did you sleep well, Your Majesty?”

“Perhaps it’s because I got some sun these past days, but I slept deeply and my skin even seems to have improved.”

Unlike her son, Rohan.

Amanda treated Lucretia with great warmth and comfort.

“If you continue to eat well, sleep well, and take frequent walks like now, you’ll get even better.”

Lucretia smiled softly and held Amanda’s hand.

Her thin, branch-like hand was heartbreakingly frail.

Amanda truly was a good woman.

She had a gentle nature, was considerate of others, and possessed a warm heart.

Perhaps that was why? Whenever she saw Amanda, Lucretia was reminded of her late mother and her eyes would often well up.

‘How could someone like her...’

While staying at the Boronia Palace, she’d heard many stories.

Among them, stories of when Amanda first entered the palace.

How beautiful she was, how lively and healthy she had been.

‘They say the Marquess Fabian’s schemes played a part in Her Majesty’s condition.’

Just how far does that demon’s reach extend?

“Lucretia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“When do you think the Prince will return?”

“Do you miss His Highness very much?”

At Lucretia’s question, Amanda gave a faint smile.

“It’s long past the time when I could hold him in my arms… But I’ve never been apart from him for this long before. And since he hasn’t left on a lighthearted trip, of course I worry.”

Since he left to prove his qualifications as Prince, she must be praying for his success every day.

A mother’s heart, unable to do anything but lie in bed.

Though she tried not to show it, Lucretia could only imagine how anxious and restless she felt inside.

“Your Majesty.”

Lucretia squeezed Amanda’s hand.

“His Highness will surely do well and return.”

Truthfully, that was Lucretia’s wish as well.

If Rohan could prove his qualifications through this, his position in the Imperial Palace would rise, and as his ally, it would benefit her as well.

“I suppose you’re right? Ah, but in my heart, he’s still a child… And the Prince is so timid and sensitive.”

“……”

By age, he was on the younger side.

Yet the Empress saw Rohan as much more childish than he actually was.

“Timid and sensitive, huh.”

‘That’ Rohan?

If she had heard that from anyone other than Amanda, she would have burst out laughing.

After finishing her morning greeting with Amanda,

Lucretia slipped away from prying eyes to the empty rear garden and raised her hand high.

Keek!

At that moment, as if it had been waiting, a small hawk swooped down and perched on the back of her hand.

She pulled off the tiny note tied to the hawk’s leg and opened it.

“Hmm?”

But soon, she frowned.

“Marquess Fabian… is returning to the palace?”

He was supposed to stay away for two more months.

‘To be coming back so soon.’

The note crumpled in her grasp.

“Damn.”

Hurriedly, she set off somewhere.

---

Rohan rested for an entire day.

Of course, he’d been busy from the morning gathering supplies, but after lunch, there had been nothing else on his schedule.

He ate well, rested well.

Since returning to the past, he couldn’t remember a time he’d been so at ease.

And now it was time to depart.

“May you return safely, Your Highness. You’ve worked hard, and thank you.”

Dmico offered a heartfelt farewell to Rohan.

“You’ve had your share of hardships, too. Take care of yourself.”

Through this incident, Dmico had come to trust Rohan completely.

His wife, Bellata, and his family as well.

All of them looked at Rohan with eyes full of trust as they bid him farewell.

Everyone from the castle had come out to see off the young Prince.

Before boarding the carriage, Rohan pulled a small pouch from his chest with a nonchalant face.

“Until next time, Dmico. This is a gift.”

“Huh?”

Leaving the confused Dmico behind, Rohan climbed into the carriage.

Hyah!

The carriage set off, with the knights who’d accompanied him following after.

“What’s this, dear?”

“I’m not sure.”

A small leather pouch of unknown origin.

Without much thought, Dmico opened the pouch.

“T-this…!”

“Dear…?”

“It—it can’t be! In my hands…!”

Slip, thud!

“Dear, dear! What’s wrong?”

Startled, Bellata grabbed Dmico, who finally regained his composure.

In his hand was a tiny cube, just the length of a fingertip.

“Truly… Long live His Highness Rohan!”

He threw both hands up and shouted so loudly the mine could have collapsed.

The identity of the cube Dmico was holding—none other than mithril.

---

Meanwhile, inside the returning carriage.

“By the way, Your Highness, what exactly was that gift you gave the Baron? It looked very small.”

Martin asked, and Rohan gave a small chuckle.

“Something that will make Dmico faint from shock, I’d say.”

He’ll probably be overjoyed.

After all, he’d become the first human to possess mithril.

Even a tiny cube of mithril would be an invaluable treasure to Dmico.

“In exchange, I got this.”

“What’s that? Is that the thing you went to get yesterday?”

Come to think of it, Rohan had been holding something wrapped in cloth like a treasure ever since earlier.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Rohan took out the bundle and unwrapped it.

Inside was a dried flower.

“A flower…? It looks unusual. I’ve never seen one like this before.”

“It glows by itself in the darkness of caves. It’s called ‘Mineralis.’”

“How fascinating. A flower that glows on its own.”

It was originally the main ingredient for making luminous stones, but in fact, it held a far greater secret.

“So what are you going to use it for? It kind of looks like a poisonous plant…”

“Poisonous plant? Not at all. I’ll use it as medicine.”

“Huh? As medicine…?”

Martin blinked in surprise.

“I’ll give it to my mother.”

Rohan smiled and looked out the window.

‘By the way, she’s following along, right?’

Retina hadn’t shown herself since the night two days ago, not even at their departure.

But…

“She’ll manage to keep up just fine.”

He wasn’t worried.

She was a Blood Elphyrion with unparalleled physical abilities, no matter what anyone said.

---

The Second Prince is returning to the capital!

News of this quickly spread among the nobles of the capital.

Some had already started to line up early, knowing that if he succeeded in this mission, the Second Prince would become Crown Prince.

However, for now, the majority still supported the Third Prince, Elliot.

Naturally, they were becoming anxious.

“If he succeeded, does that mean the Second Prince becomes the Crown Prince?”

“Then what happens to Prince Elliot?”

“Whoo, there could be a bloody storm in the palace. Isn’t Prince Elliot the Marquess Fabian’s grandson? He won’t just sit by and watch.”

Everyone was waiting for the Second Prince’s return.

Some with hope, others with apprehension.

They speculated wildly about what would happen once the Second Prince returned.

“There’s no way he succeeded, right? He’s probably just coming back after killing time.”

“To think he’s back so soon, I bet he failed after all.”

Of course, most expected Rohan to fail.

‘Prince Rohan is returning.’

While strolling around the palace gathering rumors and information, Lucretia hastily made her way back to the Boronia Palace.

“…I wonder who’ll arrive first.”

Biting her nails, she paced the rear garden anxiously.

Just then—

Screech!

A hawk began circling above her head.

“Karlos.”

At her call, the hawk quickly settled on her hand.

“Good boy.”

Lucretia stroked the hawk’s head and pulled out the note attached to its leg.

“Marquess Fabian has left the territory of Silland.”

That meant there was still a little time left…

But then—

Flap!

“Huh? Why all of a sudden…”

The messenger hawk, Karlos, suddenly flew off.

“Lucretia.”

“…!”

Startled by the voice behind her, Lucretia hurriedly hid the note in her hand and sent the hawk away.

‘Ha, did she see everything?’

She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.

Then she turned with a smiling face.

“Your Majesty.”

“You could have been in danger. I was looking out the window when I saw a hawk circling around you.”

“Oh, is that so? Hoho.”

Lucretia concealed her embarrassment as she approached Amanda in her wheelchair.

Apparently, Amanda had been startled by the hawk and come out with a maid.

“But what are you doing here? No one uses this rear garden…”

“Ah, well…”

Lucretia scratched her cheek.

At that moment—

“Your Majesty!”

A maid rushed over, out of breath.

“Y-you must come quickly!”

“Hm? What’s going on?”

“His Highness the Prince is entering the palace!”

“What…?”

Amanda’s eyes widened.

“What did you say?”

Lucretia was just as shocked.

She hadn’t expected him until tomorrow, and yet he was already here?

“Quickly. Let’s go see him.”

At Amanda’s words, the maid hurriedly wheeled her away.

Lucretia’s pace quickened to match.

When they reached the front of the palace, a carriage was approaching in the distance.

Neigh!

At last, the carriage stopped.

Clack.

As the carriage door opened, a familiar face appeared.

“Prince!”

“Mother? How are you…?”

Rohan approached Amanda in surprise.

“You happened to be outside.”

Lucretia gave a brief explanation, and Rohan nodded with a slight smile.

It was a silent gesture of thanks for taking such good care of his mother.

“Are you well? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you, Your Highness?”

“I’m completely fine, Mother.”

Amanda’s first concern was Rohan’s health.

“Mother, the wind is chilly. Please go inside first. I’ll change and come up.”

“All right, all right.”

Amanda wiped her tearful eyes and returned to her room with the maid.

“Why was Mother like that?”

“She said she’s never been apart from you for so long. She was very worried.”

At Lucretia’s words, Rohan nodded, “Ah, that’s right.”

He’d forgotten, for a moment, that in his mother’s eyes he was still her timid, fragile fourteen-year-old son.

“Was everything all right here?”

As he handed his coat to the maids, Rohan asked.

“Well, rather than anything happening…”

Lucretia drew close and whispered.

“Marquess Fabian is coming to the palace.”

“What?”

At her words, Rohan’s eyes flashed wide.