It would be heartless not to consider the efforts that deserved to be remembered. As royalty, she held the responsibility of acknowledging and honoring their sacrifices. By doing so, she felt she had taken a step in the right direction, aligning with her role. This was a role she had never fulfilled since her parents had passed away, only now, after experiencing a future where the foundation they built had crumbled and she herself had nearly perished.

Though her path had been long and winding, perhaps this opportunity to set things right was a blessing from the goddess.

Dana Rowen spoke to Count Vicar with a serious expression.

“First of all, I need to know about the death of the late king. Who decided the return route back then, and how was it handled in the middle? I know nothing about it.”

“I will investigate thoroughly, starting from the departure from Khalid, and report back.”

“But please be careful. Those involved must not suspect anything.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

Count Vicar replied. Dana nodded and turned to the other two people.

“We’ve been discussing heavy topics for too long. Let’s enjoy dinner comfortably now.”

Countess Vicar smiled gently and said, “The food has gone cold. I’ll have it reheated.”

The countess quickly called for a servant. Dana was fine with it as it was, but she didn’t want to disregard the countess’s thoughtfulness, so she let it be.

During the remainder of the meal, light conversation flowed. Dana praised the chef’s skills, and the countess expressed her gladness at hearing it. Count Vicar, whose face had turned red from drinking wine, attempted to lighten the mood by recounting a foolish mistake his son had made during a battle, while his son, Vicar, looked like he wanted to leave the room immediately. Countess Vicar, watching her husband with a worried expression, shook her head as if she couldn’t stop him.

Observing this seemingly harmonious family with a smile, Dana recalled overhearing the knights’ conversations from her previous life’s future while confined to her room.

At the time of Rowen’s fall, she had heard that Count Vicar and his son couldn’t move south to stop the Heinz army from advancing into the central region because they were dealing with monsters descending from the Dorbas Mountains. For some reason, a massive number of monsters had come down from the north at that time. She had also heard that Vicar’s son died and Count Vicar was severely injured. What happened after that remained unknown to her.

‘At that time, they must have fought those monsters, feeling as if they were wielding swords into empty air, and died…’

Taras was so indifferent to the north that he didn’t even give them the treatment they deserved. Naturally, the people of the north must have felt it too. They must have realized they were being neglected, that their sacrifices were taken for granted. Like shadows cast behind them, their sacrifices and loyalty had become entities turned away from glory and honor.

Yet, they continued to hold their ground. Like ancient trees deeply rooted, they stood firm, blocking the harsh winds and obstacles blowing toward Rowen, enduring steadfastly.

Feeling the weight in her heart, Dana put down her fork and knife, which felt heavier, signaling the end of her meal with the Vicar family.

The first step wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t bad either.

* * *

“The night breeze is still chilly.”

Hilda said as she checked Dana’s attire, who was ready for bed. Behind her, the head maid and another maid finished tidying the bed and withdrew. Sitting on the bed, Dana looked at Hilda and the maids standing before her and spoke.

“Go and rest now. You must be tired after a long day.”

“Yes. Don’t worry about me.”

Hilda told Dana to call her if she needed anything and left with the maids. Dana was left alone in the bedroom. Kneeling by the bed, she offered a prayer of thanks for safely getting through the day and concluded it. Rising, she quietly looked around the room.

The patterns on the ceiling alternated between the Rowen royal family’s emblem and the Khalid ducal family’s emblem. The Rowen royal emblem featured the wings of a divine beast and a green shield inside a summoning circle. The Khalid ducal emblem also displayed a design within a summoning circle, showcasing Daischultz’s sword, the Sword of Promise, surrounded by plant decorations.

As the Rowen royal family moved south, Khalid became a land governed by the collateral branch of the Rowen royal family. The title of Duke of Khalid had been passed down to the king’s siblings. However, instead of sending Dana to the north, Taras married her off to a prince of Heinz. The title of Duke of Khalid remained vacant, and the place continued to be neglected.

‘Not anymore.’

Dana ran her hand over the smooth surface of the blanket. This was the room where her late mother had once stayed. Although the traces of her mother had long since faded, the room still held significance for her. Eluan Castle was the last place where she had shared happy moments with her deceased parents.

‘So, let’s cherish it even more.’

Rather than viewing it as a painful place that had taken her parents away, she wanted to remember it as a space filled with their last joyful memories. She wished to keep it in her heart as a precious place, one to protect and cherish, just like the Rowen Kingdom, her parents’ realm.

With these thoughts, Dana lay down on the bed. There was much to accomplish ahead. First, she needed to check the books in the library, learn about the northern lands protected by the Divine Beast Legion and the northern lords, and understand the current situation here.

In time, she might receive a message from Taras or the queen from the capital. Her plan was to tell them she wanted to stay here once she had settled in.

‘Yes, here. I will live here.’

She intended to put down roots in the place where those who protected Rowen had settled, where her last memories with her parents lingered. This was Khalid, the birthplace of Rowen, where the Rowen royals and people had stood together.

Khalid now needed a proper master.

‘Since I didn’t form a contract with the Divine Beast this time, Queen Cladimien won’t try to engage me to her son.’

However, in time, Taras would likely attempt to marry her off to someone. Just as before, he would probably try to arrange a marriage before she even reached adulthood.

But she couldn’t go through with marrying someone chosen by Taras again. She had to hold out until she became an adult and then strongly insist on marrying someone she had chosen herself.

‘If I must marry anyway.’

In this life, Dana intended to choose someone who was essential for her and for Rowen and marry him. She had already decided on that person in her heart.

‘Kaiden Leonas.’

The knight who continued to fight for the kingdom even after Rowen was attacked and she was captured.

Dana recalled the words she had spoken and heard about him in that dreadful future.

‘Brother, isn’t Sir Leonas fighting on the capital’s frontlines right now?’

‘Leonas? What can that lowborn possibly do!’

‘Rowen is finished. Even if that lowly knight is making a fuss, it won’t last long.’

Dana had known the knight’s name even before the war with Heinz. His name had begun to circulate at some point and had regularly become a topic in social circles.

He was a knight from the northern part of Rowen, originally a commoner without even a family name. Lacking a surname meant he was an orphan without parents. Orphans without surnames were said to be born in the depths where the light of the god Vican did not reach. However, he had made a name for himself solely through his abilities. His reputation had spread beyond the north and central regions to the capital.

Every spring and autumn during the monster subjugation seasons, his name was mentioned. His sword was said to be as swift as the wings of a Divine Beast, and the attacks of his soldiers were like fierce gales that quickly decimated enemies. It was said that no monsters survived when he appeared, making him the central figure among knights in the north.

Additionally, Kaiden Leonas was noted for his striking appearance. Those who had seen him spoke of his robust and tall build, his jet-black hair and sapphire-like eyes revealed when he removed his helmet, his sharp nose, and his smooth jawline.

Some claimed that there might not be another person with such looks across Rowen or even the entire continent. Others suggested that the most handsome ruler in Rowen’s history might have resembled him.

If the knight had learned the manners of a noble and could engage with the ladies of the social scene, he would have enjoyed even more popularity. He could have attracted more attention in Rowen’s various social circles.

However, Kaiden Leonas was said to have a difficult personality. Since he wasn’t originally a noble, he naturally lacked noble dignity, and it was said he had no refinement or manners.

Dana had heard much about how the knight’s great achievements and handsome appearance clashed with his rough nature, as well as his arrogance and rudeness toward others. People said that his exceptional skills and looks were overshadowed by his crude temperament and obsession with status.

‘Obsession. Yes.’

It was said that despite his remarkable abilities, Kaiden Leonas felt frustrated because the king refused to acknowledge him.