“Fooka! When did you get back!”

Fooka, who had returned after two months at sea, looked a bit thinner than before. But perhaps because he had lost the excess weight, he looked much younger.

Kukus approached his long-unseen friend with open arms and hugged him tightly.

Kukus couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at the firm body he could feel even through the clothes. The weight loss had changed his impression so much that it felt like hugging a different person.

“That’s disgusting, let go.”

Though Fooka grimaced, he didn’t push Kukus away. He too was glad to see his friend after so long. Kukus’s body reeked of sweat, suggesting he had come straight from work.

“So, did you find what you went looking for?”

Kukus, who had been examining his friend’s face like a mother seeing her son after a long time, suddenly remembered to ask.

After bringing back the werewolf boy’s father, he had abruptly left saying he would retrieve the wolf tribe’s stolen treasure.

“Sort of?”

Though he gave an evasive answer, Kukus, who knew Fooka’s personality better than anyone, could tell his friend had obtained what he wanted.

Since he wasn’t the type to show off openly, giving this kind of response meant he must have achieved something remarkable.

“Oh! I’m curious. Show me too.”

Kukus asked with a face full of anticipation. Though he held nothing in his hands, Kukus kept looking around Fooka.

“I can’t show it carelessly since I promised to return it to its owner.”

“Come on, it’s not going to wear out just from me looking at it?”

“Yes, it will. Don’t even dream about it.”

Though Kukus spoke smoothly, Fooka didn’t budge. Kukus looked disappointed but soon found himself smiling at his friend’s unchanging inflexibility and stubbornness.

“Has everything been well with Her Majesty the Empress?”

There was subtle anticipation in Fooka’s expression as he asked. Kukus, who had been studying his eyes carefully, grinned and asked probingly.

“Be honest. Are you curious about Her Majesty the Empress, or about Rudina?”

Fooka’s face stiffened at the sudden mention of Rudina’s name. There was definitely something different in Fooka’s gaze when he looked at Rudina.

Though Fooka himself might not have realized it, Kukus, who had been watching from the side, could clearly sense that Fooka had subtle feelings for Rudina.

“What nonsense. Hurry up and tell me. Has everything been alright?”

Fooka quickly changed the subject with reddened earlobes. If his skin hadn’t been so darkly tanned from sailing, Kukus would have teased him endlessly about it.

“Her Majesty the Empress is pregnant!”

Kukus answered joyfully, as though celebrating his own wife’s pregnancy.

“Really?”

The completely unexpected news made Fooka ask again with wide eyes.

“Yes! The whole country is in an uproar. They say only good things will happen to the Credion Empire from now on!”

“That’s wonderful! Really wonderful.”

Fooka was genuinely delighted.

“Ah, somehow I thought Princess Stella- I mean, Her Majesty the Empress was no ordinary person from when she first boarded our ship.”

“She was certainly different.”

Usually, a girl her age wouldn’t have endured life on a ship so well, where there were only rough men around and even standing was difficult.

Moreover, given her royal status, it was natural that they had no expectations of Stella.

“That’s why I treated her so well. Gave her delicious things every day.”

“You just made her work in the kitchen.”

“That was because she was lonely. Ugh! Those bastards! Those rotten bastards!”

Remembering past memories, curses about the King and Queen of Amalrune automatically spilled from Kukus’s mouth.

“What’s this? Your language has gotten much nicer.”

Usually, Kukus would use such horrible curses that one might worry their ears would rot from hearing them. But just now was very mild for Kukus’s standards.

“Because Her Majesty the Empress is pregnant.”

“What’s that got to do with you? Are you the one who’s pregnant?”

“Well…”

Kukus, who was about to answer, closed his mouth finding no suitable words. But his contemplation didn’t last long.

“Ah! Never mind, never mind. I’m just being careful, that’s all. For our prince to be born well.”

“How do you know it’s a prince, not a princess?”

“Well, if not a prince then a princess! If it’s a daughter who takes after Her Majesty the Empress, she’ll be incredibly beautiful. Don’t you think so?”

“A son would be beautiful too.”

Fooka answered while looking out the window with a satisfied expression. If the child took after Princess Stella, it would surely be lovely whether boy or girl.

They were complete strangers, not sharing a drop of blood. Their connection, if you could call it that, was just sharing a month-long sea journey to Credion and a few business dealings here, plus fulfilling the princess’s request.

But strangely, he felt just as happy as a brother whose sister was expecting a child.

“You know what the people are saying? They’re all saying Her Majesty the Empress must be a blessing to the empire!”

It wasn’t just empty words – on the day of Stella’s coronation as empress, abundant rain fell throughout the empire, the land became fertile, and that year’s harvest was bountiful.

“Everyone says it’s because Her Majesty the Empress received Terra Goddess’s blessing that the empire had such a good harvest. And that’s not all! Those tiny creatures around Her Majesty, and that huge bird… She’s definitely no ordinary person. Hahaha!”

On days when the imperial couple made public appearances, cute fairies would sit around the empress, and Bella would fly slowly above her head. To the people, the empress could only be a mysterious and wondrous being.

“Have you seen that bird yourself?”

Fooka had only heard rumors about Bella but had never seen her in person. He worried what if she suddenly snatched away Her Majesty the Empress like an eagle grabbing prey.

“Of course! When that bird flies overhead, it’s so big it casts a shadow below. Seeing a snow-white bird following Her Majesty the Empress for protection makes you feel respect even if you didn’t have any before.”

“What if such a huge creature suddenly turns violent and attacks Her Majesty?”

Kukus waved his hand dismissively at such needless worry and laughed loudly before rambling on.

“Though it looks really scary, in front of Her Majesty it acts as cute as a baby duck. Her Majesty must be the only one in this palace who finds that bird cute.”

Hearing the explanation made Fooka even more curious about Bella. Moreover, an empress who could handle such a bird at will.

“She’ll be very glad to know you’re here. I’ll send word to the palace so you can visit Her Majesty.”

With the emperor’s full support, Kukus’s trading company, which had helped Stella in every way possible, had grown notably in the capital.

The Moonlight Guild, which had grown to rival Ian Blake’s Red Bat Trading Company, had exclusive rights to the mysterious crops that Stella cultivated.

Though Ian had tried to intervene several times, it was impossible due to the strong bond between Kukus and Stella.

The Red Bat Trading Company was barely maintaining its current scale thanks to maintaining good relations with Marchioness Prindella.

Prindella thought very highly of Ian, who had helped Stella around the victory banquet. At least in front of her, Ian showed no emotions regarding Stella.

“How could someone like me appear before Her Majesty?”

Though Fooka wanted to see Stella too, she was no longer the outcast princess he had known before. She had become someone so high above that he dared not meet her eyes.

“What are you saying! Her Majesty said that journey would have been really difficult without us. You don’t know how much of a reliable support I’ve been to Her Majesty!”

In fact, Kai had deliberately nurtured Kukus’s trading company partly to give strength to Stella, who had no family or relatives in Credion.

Kukus, a born sailor and merchant, didn’t pass up this opportunity. Making full use of the luck that came his way, he quickly expanded his company’s scale, and now he had become the owner of a major trading company that even nobles couldn’t treat carelessly.

* * *

Though the fairy seed shone more beautifully in Stella’s hands, it was decided that the earth fairies would keep it for now. There was confidence that the fairies would take better care of it.

Indeed, after getting the fairy seed, the four fairies took turns guarding it one by one, like taking shifts.

It was very cute how they remained on high alert watching their surroundings, even though no one was going to steal it.

Iver even set up a password that had to be given to see the fairy seed, but ended up getting scolded by Oton for half a day when he forgot it himself.

The baby fairy that hadn’t even been born yet was becoming the most beloved being to the four friends.

The fairies’ care seemed to make a difference – the fairy seed’s color grew more beautiful by the day, and its sparkle increased.

The fairy seed, which sparkled with tiny diamond-like dust, would glow by itself like a firefly even when the sun wasn’t out.

Sometimes when Iver grumbled that it was too bright to sleep properly, the fairy seed would dim its light to create a soft glow around it, seemingly understanding his complaint.

Oton said the fairy to be born must be a genius, while Esta worried it might be a coward. But what was certain was that whether smart or foolish, it would receive the devoted love of the four fairies.

Whenever Stella saw the beautifully sparkling fairy seed, she was reminded of the pink bead that Grandfather Uhu had dropped on the Golden Bloom petals in her dream. As time passed, she became more convinced the baby would be a girl.

‘Riella.’

It was definitely Riella that Grandfather Uhu had mentioned.

‘Does he mean to use it as the child’s name?’

Though various thoughts came to Stella’s mind, she didn’t tell anyone for now.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for your examination.”

Since Stella’s body hadn’t fully recovered yet, Kai had Gregory check her condition once a day.

Though Stella said it was excessive, she was receiving examinations pretending to give in to Kai’s earnest request to get checked until her body stabilized.

“I come before Your Majesty.”

Gregory entered the empress’s room alone and bowed deeply in greeting. Usually he came with other senior doctors, but coming alone made him so extremely nervous that his heart felt like it would jump out of his mouth.

But since he couldn’t show his flustered state, Gregory maintained his expression as calm as possible and approached the empress with dignified steps.

Only when he arrived before the empress did he realize he hadn’t taken a single breath since passing through the door.

“Are you unwell?”

Stella asked with concern, seeing Gregory taking heavy breaths belatedly. Just looking at his complexion, it seemed like he needed the examination more than she did.

Gregory’s face, which had been pale white, turned red as though someone had lit a flame beneath his skin.

Gregory hurriedly shook his flushed face. Though it was a nervous moment, it was also an opportunity that could bring great changes to his life.

If he successfully helped with the empress’s delivery, his position as a doctor would become so solid that no one could challenge it. As his thoughts reached this point, Gregory’s somewhat unstable breathing quickly found stability.

“No, I am fine. I am just nervous being before Your Majesty who is as high as the heavens.”

Gregory joked while mixing in some truth. Though he was still incredibly nervous inside, his effort wasn’t in vain as a satisfied smile soon spread across Stella’s face as she looked at him.

Gregory’s examination proceeded carefully. He checked under Stella’s eyes, took her pulse to check her heartbeat, examined her complexion, and checked her fingernails to assess the empress’s nutritional status.

He measured her wrist and ankle circumferences to compare with average values for women her age, recorded them, and smiled with satisfaction at the increased measurements from a month ago. Though slow, the empress was gradually becoming healthier.

* * *

Clang! Clang!

Thud! Crack! Crash!

The training ground was full of knights training without rest. Rudina, who had come to the training ground to meet James whom she hadn’t seen for several days, just looked around not knowing where to find him.

She was at a loss how to find James among all those people wearing the same clothes.

Sweet and savory aromas wafted from the basket she was holding. They were cookies and pies that Rudina had personally prepared for James.

“Should I just go back?”

Just as she was about to give up, a voice suddenly came from behind Rudina.

“Rudina.”

The voice that resonated low like in a cave was James’s.