Side Story 2: Her Parents’ Legacy

The weather gradually grew hotter, and before long, it was midsummer.

Not long ago, Rui had ascended to the position of crown prince, but Larie’s daily life hadn’t changed much.

Each morning, she had brunch with Terian and Rui. After that, she handled documents necessary for managing the inner workings of the imperial palace, checking in on the two whenever she had a spare moment.

Tea parties hosted by the empress’s palace were held from time to time.

For the very first tea party, drafting the guest list had been difficult, but it held its own significance.

The mining of blue coal was progressing smoothly.

It was estimated that the vein in the Great Mountain Range held the largest deposit on the continent.

The very first piece mined was delivered directly to the imperial palace and placed in a glass display case, to commemorate the historic moment for generations to come.

The Rassium Empire had sent a delegation of apology.

It was Terian who had ultimately refused the treaty in the end, yet they still bowed deeply and pleaded for the mercy of both Terian and Larie.

Blue coal had now become a vital resource across the continent.

Those peaceful days continued to pass.

Today, however, was a rare day of change.

“Safe travels, my lady.”

Larie stood at the edge of the forest, holding Rui’s hand.

Her other hand was firmly held by Terian.

“You must send word.”

“…”

He spoke with great urgency. Though he told her to go, he showed no sign of letting go of her hand.

His stiff expression was grave.

At his insistence that she send a letter, Larie made a troubled face.

“If anything happens, please make sure to contact us.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Larie finally spoke.

“Your Majesty. It’s only two days.”

“I know that, but…”

Rui looked up at Terian curiously.

Despite his serious expression, Terian gently stroked the child’s hair.

Today, Larie was set to travel with Rui to the Ventus estate.

Because of her duties as empress, it was difficult for her to be away for long.

To save even a little travel time, she had decided to use the forest route.

That way, neither she nor Rui would be put in danger.

“I’ll be back before a letter could even arrive.”

Even though their time apart would be short, Terian remained deeply uneasy.

Watching his dark expression in silence, Larie let out a soft laugh without meaning to.

She didn’t dislike seeing him like this—it made things complicated.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

She gave his hand a firm tug.

Drawn in without resistance, Terian naturally pulled her gently into an embrace before letting her go.

“Yes. I’ll wait for you.”

Only then did Terian’s expression begin to ease.

Of course, even after that, he lingered for quite some time, visibly reluctant to part.

Leaving Terian behind, the three of them slowly walked deeper into the forest.

“Charelle, are you all right?”

“Y-Yes! It’s an honor, Your Majesty.”

Charelle was joining them for this journey.

While Larie tended to Rui, Charelle, holding a small basket, replied nervously.

Her flustered look made Larie smile softly.

From the moment the journey was confirmed, Charelle had been visibly excited—

She had asked several times if she too would get to experience the forest’s mysterious expedition like the soldiers.

Just as she had hoped, the forest unfolded in a variety of enchanting sights.

She kept gasping in wonder as she watched the sunlight pour through the brilliant leaves.

“…I’ve lived without knowing the forest could be this beautiful.”

After walking for about two hours, they neared the Ventus estate.

It was rough terrain, closer to mountains than forest, but they could tell they were almost there.

The thought that this was where her parents had once lived made her body tense slightly.

The scent of the place stirred something faint and wistful.

“Mom…?”

“Yes, Rui? Are you sleepy?”

“No…”

When Larie’s expression turned vacant, Rui, nestled in her arms, looked up with concern.

His small palm reached up and touched her cheek.

That tiny warmth melted her tension as if it had never existed.

“Grandfather will be waiting.”

“Gwandfa?”

“Yes.”

As she spoke with a faint smile, Rui’s face lit up as well.

The sunlight filtering through the branches danced atop the child’s hair—it was a lovely sight.

Larie steadied herself and began walking forward once more.

Before long, a small castle came into view, perched on the mountainside.

“You’ve come!”

“Gwandfa!”

They had arrived in a small clearing behind the castle.

There, Count Ventus greeted them with open arms and a bright smile.

“Grandfather.”

“Ah, come here, my dear. And our little Rui came too.”

How had he known they would come this way?

Just as she was about to ask, Larie realized—

He had likely welcomed many others who traveled through the forest like this.

“Come now, let’s head inside. I’ll carry Rui.”

“Yes. Have you been well?”

“Of course, perfectly well!”

He truly did seem much more energetic.

His booming voice echoed around the castle grounds as he declared his good health.

As Larie had told Terian, the three of them would be staying in the Ventus estate for about two days.

Afterward, all four of them, including the count, would return to the imperial palace through the forest.

It just so happened that Count Ventus had business in the capital.

“I’ve already instructed my attendants to depart ahead of us.”

“Yes. I’ve also notified the palace that someone from House Ventus will be arriving.”

“Thank you, my dear.”

It was a short visit for a first time, but that was all right.

Both Larie and her grandfather understood—

That this visit would not be the last.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Ventus estate’s lord’s manor was a modest castle.

A naturally formed plateau lay on the mountainside. From there, Ventus Castle overlooked the estate sprawled across the plains below.

“The terrain’s rather unique, isn’t it? I suppose that’s why Skade found her way here so easily.”

As soon as they arrived, they shared a meal together and exchanged recent news.

It was a meaningful time to talk in detail about the things that couldn’t be conveyed through letters.

The wine, a specialty of the Ventus estate, carried the fragrant essence of summer.

“Mother did?”

“Yes. One day, she suddenly dropped right into the very spot you came through earlier.”

After the meal, they toured the castle together.

The conversation naturally flowed into anecdotes about her parents.

Surrounded by mountains, the castle fascinated Rui, who looked around with wide, curious eyes.

“I met Skade after your father had already fallen head over heels. Until I agreed to let them marry, he even shut myself away in the mountains for a time.”

“Haha… Father did that?”

The castle interior wasn’t extravagant, but it was well maintained.

A place of deep history passed down from long ago, its main hall featured stained glass depicting the age of myths.

The columns and engraved doors held an air of dignity.

Count Ventus, who guided them through the castle, was visibly delighted.

He continued sharing stories about Larie’s parents without pause.

Larie welcomed those fragments of memory.

“Hearing you talk like this… I like it.”

“Good. I’ll tell you everything as it comes to mind.”

They soon reached the central part of the castle where the count resided.

Since Larie was his rightful successor, he thought it important she be familiar with its structure.

As they arrived at the central corridor near the count’s chambers, Rui, holding Larie’s hand and glancing around, suddenly fixed his gaze in one direction.

Then, with a small gasp, he let go of Larie’s hand and toddled off.

“Rui?”

Larie turned her gaze, puzzled as to why Rui had let go of her hand.

The child was heading toward a door on one side.

It had been left slightly ajar—perhaps the servants had forgotten to close it after cleaning.

“Ah, that room is…”

Count Ventus, seeing where Rui was going, let out a hesitant and troubled tone.

His reaction made Larie uneasy, and she quickly followed after Rui.

The child easily pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Sensing the urgency in Count Ventus’s approach behind her, Larie tensed for a moment.

“This is…?”

But her words trailed off as the scene inside the room came into view.

She had feared there might be something dangerous for a child, but it was quite the opposite.

The room was filled with items meant for a baby.

Had he prepared it for Rui?

The thought crossed her mind for a moment, but confusion soon followed.

The items here didn’t match Rui’s current age.

More precisely, it was a room prepared for a newborn.

“Mommy! Dolly…”

Inside, Rui spotted a small doll placed on the nightstand.

Reaching out as if he wanted it, he looked up at Larie.

It wouldn’t be difficult to give him the doll, but first, she turned to look at her grandfather.

He had followed them in and now stood there with a wistful look in his eyes.

After a brief hesitation, he slowly spoke.

“This room… was meant for you, Larie.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Larie notice the embroidery on the infant clothes laid out in the room.

It was a design that had been in fashion long before—well before now.

And that wasn’t the only thing that stood out.

A room prepared nearly twenty years ago had been kept utterly spotless.

It was clear someone had always been looking after it.

“Grandfather…”

A quiet heaviness settled in her chest.

Something about this indescribable feeling ached, and Larie gently lifted Rui into her arms.

But when she glanced back in concern, her grandfather was smiling instead.

“It’s all right.”

It was a smile that looked just like Larie’s.

“Gwandfa?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Rui quickly lost interest in the doll and reached out toward his grandfather.

When Larie gently handed him over, the count cradled Rui in his arms. His gaze moved back and forth between Rui and the room several times.

“Gwandfa, does it hurt?”

Then Rui wrapped his arms around Count Ventus’s neck and spoke.

Letting out another hearty laugh, the count soon replied with a sigh-like voice.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore, little one.”

And something about the way he said that—Larie felt she would never forget the sound of his voice.

❖ ❖ ❖

After touring the castle, Larie entrusted Rui to Charelle.

He had fallen asleep, tired from his long and exciting exploration.

“Shall we take a look around the estate?”

“Yes. It seems like a beautiful place from here.”

“Haha, it’s just an ordinary estate.”

Though Count Ventus said that, Larie knew the truth.

She knew how deeply he cared for his people.

The Ventus family, rooted in this region for generations, was well known for cherishing their citizens.

They kept taxes as low as possible and paid attention to even the smallest of issues.

That’s why many free people often wished to live under Ventus rule—

Even back when the count spent years wandering in search of his lost granddaughter.

“There’s only this one road leading up to the castle.”

“Yes. Otherwise, you’d have to cross the mountain from the direction you came.”

Larie and the count rode down into the estate in a carriage marked with the Ventus family crest.

To reach the castle atop the mountain, one had to take a winding road carved along the ridge.

It was a naturally defensible terrain, and it quickly became clear why the castle had been built there.

Even as the sun began to set, the estate was full of life.

The faces of those moving through the shops were cheerful, and the children running about wore clean clothes.

“This is the central plaza.”

The carriage moved slowly along the straight road.

Recognizing the crest of House Ventus, the townspeople stepped aside and offered respectful bows.

Their gazes were warm—just as if they had always looked at her grandfather with such eyes.

Suddenly, Larie felt a strong urge to see them more closely.

“May I take a brief walk around the plaza?”

“Of course, let’s do that. I already gave orders to stay on alert, just in case.”

It seemed the count had already considered that she might want to walk through the streets.

He readily agreed, and soon they arrived at the fountain in the center of the plaza.

As the carriage came to a stop, the townspeople looked on curiously.

“Let me help you down.”

“Haha… What a luxurious life I’m enjoying in my old age.”

Strictly speaking, it was against decorum for the empress to assist a count.

But having understood her heart, the count simply smiled and took his granddaughter’s hand.

As Larie’s silver hair appeared from the carriage, gasps could be heard from all around.

“Heavens…!”

“That hair…”

When the count stepped down after her, everyone immediately realized who she was.

After a brief silence, someone cried out in an emotional voice—

“She’s come back…!”

As if that cry had been a signal, cheers erupted from all directions.

Larie, who had only meant to take a quick look around the village, was startled.

Even as she looked around in confusion, the townspeople continued cheering.

“Haha… They’re all welcoming you.”

The count whispered quietly, as if he had expected this.

Even as more and more people gathered, he remained composed.

From a distance, the guards escorting them formed a protective circle around the carriage, just in case.

“Stand back!”

A soldier shouted sharply, apparently at someone trying to approach.

Larie caught a glimpse of a child in the crowd. She quickly intervened.

“It’s all right.”

The girl in the brown skirt looked frightened by the soldier’s shout.

As a path opened, she hesitantly stepped forward, slipping between the guards.

Seeing her timid approach, Larie bent down and met the child’s eyes.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

The fear in the girl’s gaze quickly turned to awe, her eyes sparkling.

Looking up at Larie, she held out the flower she had been clutching.

It was a small yellow bloom, no different from the wildflowers commonly found in the mountains.

“Welcome back, Your Majesty the Empress.”

But Larie smiled as if she had just been handed the rarest treasure in the world.

She gently accepted the flower.

“Thank you.”

Though she hadn’t had the chance to properly explore the town, Larie thought to herself—

She was truly glad she had come to the estate in person.

❖ ❖ ❖

Even the sweltering midsummer heat faded as night fell.

As the hour came when all had gone to sleep, only the stirring scent of the summer night remained.

“…”

After making sure Rui was sleeping soundly, Larie sat by the bedroom window.

From this room—once used by her mother—she had a clear view of the forest she had walked through.

The townspeople’s warm welcome had been unexpected.

But after today, she could fully feel it at last—

That this land was the origin of her roots.

‘Have you given any thought to the matter of succession?’

That was why she had asked her grandfather, casually, in the carriage on the way back.

Because she hoped this peaceful land and its people would remain safe and serene.

‘I’m considering a distant relative’s child.’

Though Larie and Rui were of the royal family, they were still eligible to inherit the title of Count of Ventus.

However, if that happened, management of the estate would likely fall to a steward.

Many nobles handled things this way.

But if so, it would be difficult to govern the estate with the same level of care as now.

As if he had read Larie’s thoughts, the count spoke with a somewhat playful expression.

‘I plan to wait a little longer.’

‘Wait for what?’

‘If Rui were to have a younger sibling someday, wouldn’t it be easier to entrust the countship to them in the far future?’

At the mention of Rui’s younger sibling, Larie’s cheeks flushed.

It wasn’t as though she had firmly decided to raise only Rui, but the idea still made her feel a bit embarrassed.

Even so, she soon gave a small nod.

‘…Then I should learn about managing the estate to some extent.’

So that she could teach the child later, if needed.

‘Haha! Yes, that sounds like a fine idea!’

The count beamed again, as if a long-held concern had finally been resolved.

He had understood what she hadn’t even fully spoken.

It had been a spontaneous promise—but she didn’t regret it.

“Hm hm hmm…”

Humming the lullaby she often sang to Rui, Larie continued gazing out the window.

She wanted to etch the view—one her mother had surely seen many times—deep into her heart.

“Hm?”

Just then, something curious caught her eye.

“What is that…?”

The wind was still. The air was calm and damp—yet a small blue something fluttered gently in the air,

as if it were riding the breeze all by itself.

Looking a little closer, she realized it was a small flower.

The very blue flower she loved.

“…”

Without even a moment to question how strange it was, Larie quietly rose to her feet.

Then she stepped out of the room and made her way to the clearing behind the forest.

The flower she’d seen floated softly into the woods.

As if enchanted, Larie followed it.

It might’ve been nothing more than a flower blown by a breeze she hadn’t noticed—still, it was an impulsive act.

But her steps were confident.

The midnight forest that might frighten others felt only familiar to her.

Listening to the rustling of the leaves, Larie found herself thinking—

Her mother must have often spent time in this forest too. It must have felt similar to her mountain.

“Ah.”

Just as she had that thought, the blue flower came to a sudden stop in front of a tree.

It hovered in midair like a fairy—undeniably strange.

And yet, it didn’t feel threatening. If anything, she felt an irresistible urge to go where the little flower floated.

Even as she recognized how strange she was acting, Larie cautiously stepped closer.

She reached out toward the flower, now just within her grasp.

Her fingertip brushed the petal with a soft touch.

The blue flower fluttered gently down to the ground.

“Ah…”

An inexplicable sense of loss welled up inside her.

She carefully caught the falling flower in her palm, but it didn’t rise again.

What had that been?

As the question lingered, Larie lifted her head from where it had been lowered.

And then—something entered her view.

In the trunk of the tree was a knot hole, just the size of a palm.

It sat almost exactly at her eye level.

“…”

At that moment, the moon, which had been hidden behind clouds, peeked out.

Its light filtered between the branches and clearly illuminated what was inside the hole.

“What is this…?”

She slowly reached in and pulled it out.

It was a small leather notebook, just a bit smaller than her palm.

Strangely, her heart pounded with hopeful anticipation.

This was the forest her parents had once roamed.

With slightly trembling fingers, she brushed the worn leather surface.

Though she couldn’t know how long it had been hidden here, the notebook was in surprisingly good condition.

She held it carefully with both hands.

After swallowing dryly, she opened to the first page—

And at that moment, Larie realized it.

—Skade said she had to return to her mountain to give birth. She said she’d go alone, but I couldn’t allow that. I even went days without eating to beg her, and only then did she finally agree to let me come.

This was her father’s writing.

“Ah…”

Tears welled up in an instant.

Though her vision blurred with tears mingled with moonlight, Larie kept reading the notebook.

She kept wiping her eyes, worried that the ink might smudge if her tears fell on the pages.

The contents of the notebook were not long.

It seemed to have been written during the few months after her mother became pregnant and before she left for the mountain to give birth.

But to Larie, it was more than enough.

It was truly enough to feel the love of the father she had lost.

—I’m really struggling with the baby’s name. I need to give her the most noble and beautiful name in the world.

Larie, Adela, Bea… I change my mind every day.

Maybe Larie is the best? In the distant mythic age, it meant “beloved child.”

I asked Skade if she could use her nymph powers to let me see the baby a bit earlier, and she smacked my back.

I want to meet the baby soon. I’ll cherish and love her more than anyone in the world.

“Hh-hk…”

—Even if it costs my life, I will. Without fail.

“Huaaah…”

Larie collapsed where she stood and burst into tears—

Crying as if she had suddenly become a child again, sorrowful and overwhelmed.

For a long time, she clutched the notebook, reading and rereading it.

Though tears streamed down, her soul felt heavier—in a way that made her feel whole, as if she had recovered a missing piece.

The moonlight gently caressed her shoulders throughout the night.

It felt as if her father were silently comforting her, saying she would be all right from now on.

 The End