“The Duke does?”

At Calyx’s question, Reibella nodded.

“I’m not sure what it’s about. Could it be because of the marriage proposal story?”

“Did you tell him?”

“Yes.”

As Reibella nodded with a bright smile, Calyx gave her a somewhat worried look. He seemed curious about what she had been told.

“He said it’s a shame to send me away right now.”

‘Perhaps because we’ve spent so little time together as a family, I find it regrettable to send you away right away. Won’t you stay with this father a little longer?’

Just when they had started to feel like a family, Cassius and Royan had gone to the battlefield. After returning from their long struggles, they had to withstand the emperor’s fierce offensive without even having time to enjoy their happiness.

Through these series of events, their trust and reliance on each other as a family had grown, but the absolute time they spent together was lacking. Reibella agreed with Cassius’s words.

“So I said we’re not getting married right away. Is that okay?”

At Reibella’s question, he slowly nodded. Calyx, looking a bit sulky, somehow seemed cute.

Reibella linked her arm with Calyx’s and leaned against him.

“We can see each other often. I’ll come to the imperial palace every day.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, promise.”

When Reibella held out her pinky finger, Calyx hooked his finger with hers. Then he pressed his lips firmly against her finger.

Calyx looked up at Reibella in that position and said.

“I’ll miss you every day.”

Just as he had always done since the moment he met her.

“I’ll miss you too.”

Reibella answered in a warm voice and then her eyes sparkled. Suddenly, her face showed a mischievous look.

“So, I prepared a small gift.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. Look for it in your palace when I’m not there. I left a message.”

“Like before?”

“Yes. Like before.”

Reibella whispered softly to him.

“Find it, and be sure to answer.”

Looking at Calyx, who was wondering what message she had left, Reibella smiled deeply once more.

She was very much looking forward to the day they would meet again.

* * *

The next day, Reibella set off with Cassius and Royan toward the place where her mother, Duchess Felicity, was buried.

The monastery where she was buried was a place that could be reached after four days of travelling from the capital. In that place nestled deep in the forest, about ten people were staying and quietly offering prayers to God.

When Reibella arrived, the priests welcomed her and guided her to Duchess Felicity’s grave. Her mother was in a small cemetery behind the monastery.

“Your mother loved her daughter very much.”

Despite the priest’s words recalling the past Duchess Felicity, Reibella just stared blankly at her grave.

It felt somewhat unfamiliar and awkward, like becoming a baby with stranger anxiety. Despite meeting after more than a decade, it somehow didn’t feel real, and she even felt apologetic.

But then, a priest approached and handed Reibella her mother’s keepsake.

The pendant, which she reportedly couldn’t let go of until the moment of her death, had a picture of Reibella as a newborn.

The moment she saw that item, memories of her mother that she had temporarily forgotten came flooding back to Reibella’s mind.

‘My dear daughter, you’re looking at mom’s pendant even though I’m singing you a lullaby.’

‘Yes, it’s pretty.’

‘Rel must take after her mom. When I was little, I used to touch this pendant while listening to my grandmother’s lullaby. Because it was pretty.’

‘So is this grandmother’s?’

‘No, it’s mom’s. Mom will keep it safe and give it to you as a gift when you’re ready to get married.’

When Reibella was young, her mother would always lie beside her and sing lullabies when she went to sleep. At that time, she would fall asleep in her mother’s arms, fiddling with this pendant.

Tears began to fall as she was engulfed by the memories that came rushing in. The longing she had held back for so long burst out like an explosion.

The relief of finally meeting her again, along with the sadness of never seeing that kind smile again, made her cry for a long time.

Eventually, when Reibella had barely composed her sadness, Cassius approached her as she sat in front of the grave.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I keep showing you my crying face.”

Before coming here, Reibella had also visited her father’s grave as they left the capital.

It was to send her father’s grave to Reliccarve, Felicity’s territory, first.

She had cried like this then too.

And at that time too, Cassius had approached when Reibella was about to stop crying and patted her shoulder.

Cassius approached and wiped away the tears welling in Reibella’s eyes. Reibella looked at him with a weak smile at his gentle touch.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“For what?”

“Just… for everything.”

Reibella paused for a moment and then spoke again.

“Dad was the first. When I lost my family and everyone turned away, you were the first to reach out to me at my saddest moment.”

Thinking about it, that was the beginning.

It was the first light that shone on the life of Reibella Felicity, where everything had collapsed and nothing remained.

Thanks to him, who made the archivist, more solid than a fortress wall, kneel down and gave her the plant encyclopedia she had so desired, she found raffle and met Calyx while searching for it.

And through numerous hardships, she was able to reach where she is now.

“If it weren’t for you, Dad, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

Reibella smiled at him.

“I’m glad to be your daughter.”

Cassius stroked her head with a warm smile. As Reibella leaned into his touch, he looked at her with contentment.

“When I first decided to accept you as my daughter, I visited your birth father’s grave.”

“Really? I thought so. You seemed somewhat familiar with it when we went. You were a step ahead of me.”

“I would visit whenever I came to the capital.”

“I couldn’t go.”

She had thought about it occasionally but just buried those thoughts. She didn’t want to cause any misunderstandings by visiting her birth father.

So when she finally visited her birth father’s grave this time, she felt very sorry. For not being able to show her face despite being so close. For clearing his false charges so belatedly.

“Dad probably thought I had completely become a Vicheravali.”

“That would make me happy.”

Cassius answered readily and added.

“Both I and Royan think it’s truly fortunate that you became part of our family.”

Thanks to Reibella’s appearance, he too gained a true family once again. He could find the courage to live again.

“You’ve worked hard for us all this time. Not just for me and Royan, but all of Louvindisi is indebted to you.”

“Indebted? I was just doing what needed to be done. It was natural as a Vicheravali. We’re family.”

“Yes, we are family.”

He smiled contentedly and gazed at the grave in front of them.

“Rel, have you heard how your father met your mother?”

“Yes, I heard that Dad visited the Kingdom of Leya and fell in love with Mom at first sight at a banquet.”

“Yes, that’s right. He fell for your mother, who was the first princess of the Kingdom of Leya, and followed her around tirelessly. The Kingdom of Leya was turned upside down when he proposed to the princess who was first in line for succession.”

“Mom said she tried to run away but actually fell for Dad at first sight too.”

It was a meeting between the heir of a small kingdom and the heir of a ducal family whose name was known throughout the continent, beyond the empire. It was a relationship that could never be realized.

“But around that time, a prince was born in the Kingdom of Leya. The king was young, so he could continue his reign smoothly until the prince grew up. That’s why your mother readily gave up her right of succession and followed your father.”

He paused briefly and looked at Reibella.

“At that time, I asked her if she had any regrets. Do you know what your mother said?”

“What did she say?”

“She said it would be more interesting to raise a duke who would command the empire than to raise a king of a minor kingdom.”

‘Why would I have regrets? I’m rather excited. I have a man who loves me and whom I love by my side, and a world I’ve never seen before awaits me.’

‘Do you know what excites me most? It’s that I’ll be the mother of the future Duke Felicity. My child will bear the name of a great family recognized throughout the continent, beyond the empire. I’m very much looking forward to that meeting.’

“Your father was the same.”

‘Our Rel is a genius. Someone like me can’t even compare. She’ll be the greatest Felicity ever. When Rel becomes a duke, will the Vicheravalis even be a match?’

Uriah Felicity’s letters were always filled with love for his daughter and expectations for her future.

“Rel.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“There are many paths before you now. You can continue to be happy as my daughter, doing what you want, or you can become the emperor of the empire, as Calyx wishes.”

“……You knew?”

“Yes. That fellow told me. That he wants to crown you emperor.”

Reibella had also understood his intentions when she received the crown from him on the day the rebellion succeeded. However, since it was a position she had never considered, she pretended not to notice.

“I’m prepared to actively support you if you decide to become emperor.”

“Do you think I can do it?”

“You’ll do well. Aren’t you the one who protected Vicheravali more perfectly than anyone else?”

“It was only possible because everyone was there.”

Reibella deflected her accomplishments to everyone and continued speaking.

After receiving Calyx’s proposal, she had thought carefully about the future of becoming emperor.

But no clear picture formed. It just didn’t feel like her place.

When she opened her heart, Cassius asked back.

“Then, what about Duke Felicity?”

“What?”

“How about becoming Duke Felicity, Rel.”