Inside Estella’s Dress Shop in the capital of the Graham Empire.

Before departing for Chatori Island, Hector’s group was waiting for Tanner, who was changing into clothes that Charlie had custom-ordered.

“Should we cover the eyes as well……”

Hector muttered to himself, looking at Charlie’s reddened nose tip.

Charlie wrinkled her still-tingling nose bridge.

‘What kind of blizzard acts like a real blizzard.’

Unlike the mild southern region with four seasons, the north was winter for nearly half the year.

Moreover, the Hunt Royal Palace was at the northernmost point of the north, intensifying the cold.

[Why don’t you forget about tradition and move the palace south? I could help if needed.]

The Hunt royal family had a saying passed down for generations: ‘The strong face the blizzard first.’

[The Saintess would be blown away and turn to powder in the blizzard, wouldn’t she? Well, there’s no better method for confinement, I suppose.]

The words Kaisis had said to Hector as he left for the north were not nonsense after all.

Just now, if it weren’t for Hector, Charlie might have truly been blown away.

She hadn’t realized it before due to Hector’s magic and the fire magic stones filling the palace. The north was certainly not an easy place for Charlie, who was a Zero.

“Your Majesty, the blizzards have been unusually severe lately.”

Leon, standing nearby, spoke softly.

Even for the notoriously harsh northern blizzards, it wasn’t normal for a Master like Leon to stagger like today.

But Hector remained calm, only checking on Charlie.

After pondering for a moment, Leon added,

“Could it be that the Emperor……”

“It’s not that.”

Hector answered firmly.

It couldn’t be Kaisis’s doing.

This was precisely why he had come to see Hector today.

[You probably already know, but I sense light energy in the north. So, I was wondering if you’d let me investigate. If you don’t trust me, we can make a contract.]

Moreover, Kaisis had made a life-and-death contract with Hector, promising not to take any actions that would cause harm.

“Why Kaisis?”

Sniff–

Charlie, who had been watching the situation, asked while sniffling.

At the same time, Tanner, who was coming out after changing, Leon, and even Hector, who seemed overwhelmed with shock…

All eyes turned to Charlie at once.

“……”

“……”

The one who broke the silence that seemed to freeze time was Isabelle, who was coming out with Tanner’s handkerchief.

“Your Majesty the Queen, how does it loo……”

In an instant, sensing the unusual atmosphere, Isabelle’s eyes rolled towards Charlie.

But Charlie was equally clueless about what was happening.

“I will cancel the schedule.”

“I’ll bring Dr. Audrey right away!”

At Leon and Tanner’s simultaneous outbursts, Charlie, finally grasping the situation, grimaced.

“It’s just a little runny nose.”

A little while later.

“Sniff!”

“Sniff……”

“Harder. Sniiiff!”

“……”

To think the King would personally blow the Queen’s nose.

No, to think Hector would blow Charlie’s nose.

Isabelle thought she had seen countless cringe-worthy scenes and couldn’t be surprised anymore, but the scene unfolding before her eyes was truly shocking.

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

“You don’t have a headache or anything?”

“I’m really fine. Look, I’m not even coughing.”

Charlie shrugged her shoulders, but Hector’s worried gaze didn’t waver.

If I were really sick, it would be a disaster.

“It’s just my nose running from going from a cold place to a warm one. Dr. Audrey said this can happen temporarily.”

Hector eventually summoned Dr. Audrey using magic.

However, it was just a temporary symptom, and as Charlie said, both her temperature and blood pressure were normal.

But Hector remained on high alert, keeping a close eye on Charlie’s condition.

“You never know.”

Just when Isabelle was starting to feel overwhelmed by the thought of having to modify all the dresses for this social season to be ‘cold-resistant’ designs,

“Charlie!”

Hector quickly reached out and embraced Charlie. Simultaneously, a black light enveloped the dress shop.

Before they could even realize what was happening…

Boom-!

An intense vibration shook the ground.

“It’s an earthquake.”

Leon, who had rushed to the window in the blink of an eye, reported while surveying the situation outside.

Though not severe, stalls on the main street were toppling over, and the startled people were scattering in panic.

Of course, inside the dress shop, there wasn’t even the slightest tremor thanks to Hector’s magic.

“An earthquake?!”

Charlie’s eyes widened.

It was understandable, as this was the first time Charlie had experienced such a thing in this world.

In fact, it was also the first earthquake to occur since the Graham Empire had unified the continent.

“It’s nothing. Just the earth coughing.”

Hector said, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

The tension melted away from Charlie, who had been stiff with surprise.

“I hope it’s not a big cough.”

The corner of Charlie’s mouth curved up slightly. Following suit, Hector’s eyes formed an elegant line.

“It’s a temporary phenomenon, so there’s no need to worry.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Like Hector said, there were no more rumbling sounds.

The commotion outside had also quieted down.

After briefly sensing the flow of magic, Hector bent down to meet Charlie’s eyes.

“We’ll move to the cruiser using teleportation magic. Charlie.”

Charlie nodded and tightly closed her eyes. Keeping your eyes open during the teleportation tends to worsen motion sickness.

Hector gently patted Charlie’s back and said,

“The Commander of the Royal Guard will stay behind to assess the situation and then return.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“The representative will stay in the north for a while.”

The north?

Before Isabelle could ask about the meaning of Hector’s words,

A black teleportation circle engulfed the entire Estella’s Dress Shop.

* * *

Charlie arrived instantly at the Wilkins-owned port thanks to Hector’s teleportation magic.

Kieran and Noel’s younger brother, Abel Wilkins, who had been waiting, approached.

“We are honored to receive Your Majesty and the Queen. May Areis’s blessings always be with you.”

“May Areis’s blessings always be with you.”

Hector spoke to Abel and Kieran, who were paying their respects, signaling them to rise.

“It’s been a while, Abel Wilkins.”

Abel slowly raised his head to look up at the two.

An appearance similar yet different from Noel’s.

If Noel was like a free wind blowing over a sunset hill, Abel was heavier and darker, like the wind carrying loneliness late at night, just as described in the original work.

“Duke Noel Wilkins is traveling and couldn’t come along.”

“I know.”

Abel’s lips curled up slightly at Hector’s nonchalant response.

[See, I told you he’d know!]

When Hector revealed he was a Grand Master, Noel was jumping up and down while still wearing a bright smile.

[I’m going to take a little vacation.]

With that, Noel entrusted the family affairs to Abel and vanished without a trace, as if he had shaken off a heavy burden.

“He seems to have gone to the eastern forest.”

“…Pardon?”

Abel’s gaze wavered upon hearing Hector’s words. He didn’t know where Noel was traveling.

As if reading his thoughts, Hector added,

“The flowers he brought last time were from the east.”

[I found a flower that looks similar to you. The scent doesn’t compare to yours, of course. Hey, Minister of the Imperial Household, could you grow this in the greenhouse?]

Noel would often visit Charlie for a blessing and then disappear like the wind.

[I used too much ability while traveling, and now it feels like I can’t breathe and my chest is on fire. It hurts so much.]

‘That drugged-up Noel Wilkins, how did he know Charlie has a soft spot for the weak.’

Hector’s brow furrowed as the memory surfaced.

One of the Saintess’s roles was to bestow blessings upon the people of the empire.

Charlie had already performed the knotting ceremony with Hector.

Moreover, being a Miracle, Charlie could purify without even touching a hair.

Hence, Hector didn’t stop Charlie from giving blessings as a Saintess.

More accurately, he couldn’t break Charlie’s stubbornness.

But that didn’t mean it was okay to beg for blessings indiscriminately like Noel did.

“It’s an honor to be able to serve you.”

Kieran, sensing the change in Hector’s expression, hurriedly stepped forward.

“We’ve prepared quince tea inside the cruiser, Your Majesty.”

“Quince tea?”

Charlie tilted her head at Kieran’s words.

“Given the temperature difference between the north and south, I was concerned about Your Majesty’s health and prepared it. It should help prevent colds.”

“As expected of Dame Kieran.”

Charlie gave Kieran a thumbs up.

It was perfect timing, as she had been wondering how to appease Hector’s cough surveillance.

“We’ve also prepared alcohol and a feast for the knights, please enjoy.”

Kieran gave a brief nod to Luke.

Moments later, Hector and Charlie’s entourage boarded the cruiser.

Boom–

A resounding horn cut through the sky, signaling the start of the journey.

It was also the Hunt royal family’s first official visit to the south that’s not for war.

“Is this the leisure of a Grand Master?”

Abel said, watching the departing cruiser.

Kieran, standing beside him, smiled faintly.

“Isn’t it fortunate that we have two Grand Masters?”

Abel and Kieran had also felt the earthquake that shook the ground, along with an intense wave of light.

They intended to ask Hector about it when he arrived.

However, Hector, Charlie, and their entourage showed no signs of crisis.

On the contrary, they seemed excited like they were going on vacation.

The Hunt Knights were in high spirits, joking around saying, “Commander, are you slacking off somewhere instead of patrolling?” The neatly dressed Minister of the Imperial Household was the first to load a large purple sofa onto the cruiser.

“…Seeing them so calm, I suppose it’s nothing serious.”

“If it were something that the King of Hunt and the Emperor couldn’t handle, the head of the family would have come.”

Noel cared for the Wilkins family and their retainers more than anyone else.

If he had judged them to be in danger, he would have rushed back long ago.

In the first place, the reason Noel could entrust the family to Abel and travel freely was because an era of peace had arrived.

“Yes, if it were my brother, he certainly would have. By the way, he visits the Hunt Kingdom but never comes to the mansion…”

Should we be grateful just for his attendance at the grand council?

Abel was swallowing bitter saliva when,

“He did come.”

“What?”

Abel turned to Kieran in surprise.

Kieran, with rabbit-like eyes as if Abel’s reaction was strange, said,

“The flowers decorated in the office today… Weren’t they left by the head of the family?”

“What flowers?”

“He left a note saying to grow them in the garden, mentioning that they bloom only at night and their gloomy appearance resembles the Marquis… Didn’t you see it?”

“There was no such note on the desk!”

Wondering if he had overlooked a precious letter from his dear brother, Abel was racking his brain when Kieran added,

“It wasn’t on the desk, but written on the ceiling.”

“……”