“But why didn’t you stop me then?” 

 “I thought you might run away forever if I did.” 

 “……It wouldn’t have been that bad.” 

 Cedric made a meaningful expression. I became anxious and asked hurriedly. 

 “Was it really that bad? I wasn’t running because I was afraid of Your Highness……” 

 “Is that so?” 

 “I was caught secretly watching and ran away. It was embarrassing.” 

 If I had known he wasn’t aware of my following him, I wouldn’t have done it, but since he didn’t notice, I did. 

 I ended up covering my face with both hands. I couldn’t meet his eyes as the memory came back to me. 

 “Then that’s fine. As long as you weren’t running away because you were afraid.” 

 I peeked at him through my spread fingers. His blue eyes sparkled beautifully like sunlight reflecting off a lake’s surface. 

 “Are you still secretly watching me?” 

 He asked teasingly. I removed my hands from my face and met his gaze directly. 

 “There’s no need for that anymore.” 

 At my direct stare, Cedric tilted his head slightly and smiled. 

 Our gazes intertwined in the air. Even without words, it wasn’t uncomfortable. 

 Perhaps it was because even with our brief conversation, we had somewhat understood each other’s hearts? 

 Having an honest conversation with someone makes your heart feel warm and fuzzy. 

 Cedric and I talked about many things in the carriage. Most were about future plans, but occasionally our conversations were tinged with sincerity. 

 Actually, there weren’t any particularly important topics. Most were trivial conversations, and none were memorable enough to leave a lasting impression. 

 Just throughout the long journey to the capital, smiles never left our faces. 

 Before we knew it, the carriage arrived at Belodna, the capital of the Lendsa Empire, filled with fresh greenery. 

 We pressed our hats down firmly to avoid being noticed and stood in front of our lodgings. 

 “No matter how many times I come, I can’t get used to this scenery.” 

 I laughed softly at Cedric’s words. Unlike the North filled with pure white snow, Belodna had fresh trees visible everywhere. 

 Everywhere I turned my head, birds greeted me. 

 “Tweet tweet!”(Welcome! Are you Claire?) 

 “……” 

 I’m not sure how they recognized me, but it seems the birds had been talking about me as they flew around. 

 “Did something happen?” 

 Cedric asked me as I looked up at the trees. I shook my head and linked my arm with his. 

 “Let’s go inside. We shouldn’t be noticed.” 

 “Wife, if you want, I could make it like this.” 

 “Hmm, I prefer the North filled with pure white snow.” 

 Although the garden at the Grand Duke’s residence was far more beautiful and abundant than the capital’s streets, Belodna had trees everywhere you looked. 

 He looked at me with an expression of incomprehension. There weren’t many people who liked the North. 

 “Didn’t you say you hate the North because it’s cold?” 

 I quietly lowered my hand that was linked with his arm and interlaced our fingers. 

 “Your Highness is warm. Above all, I like your black hair contrasting with the pure white snow.” 

 In the North, only Cedric stood out. With his pure clear eyes and jet-black hair, he caught attention everywhere. 

 “I can see you well even from far away!” 

 A smile spread across his face. It wasn’t that I was happy about coming to the capital. I just enjoyed the conversations we had together in the carriage. 

 His thick fingers felt between mine dug in deeper. 

 “Your Highness, you may enter.” 

 At the servant’s words, Cedric and I entered our lodgings in the capital. 

 ❖ ❖ ❖ 

 The Emperor couldn’t contain his anger at the two knights who had returned. 

 Useless, worthless things. 

 He looked at the knights kneeling on the floor while barely containing the curses about to burst forth. 

 Though they didn’t say a word as they trembled, the Emperor already knew what had happened to them. 

 ‘Surely, I’m going to die. This is all because of that bastard child……!’ 

 ‘No matter what I say, I’m surely going to die. Since we didn’t come back with the divine beast, His Majesty must already be thinking of killing me.’ 

 Even knowing the Emperor could read thoughts, they couldn’t stop thinking. 

 ‘The restraints? What should I do about those. The Imperial property…… I failed the task His Majesty entrusted to me. Because of that woman, the Grand Duchess, I’m about to die!’ 

 ‘To think there would be monster traps…… They should have told us about that earlier, huk. What am I thinking.’ 

 ‘I might get beheaded. No, he’ll probably make me die painfully. Perhaps my family, at least my family……’ 

 It was too noisy to keep listening to their thoughts. He couldn’t determine whether they had known about it or stumbled into it by chance. 

 “Enough.” 

 At the Emperor’s voice, the knights’ thoughts suddenly stopped. 

 “It’s too noisy to listen anymore.” 

 “……We, we’re sorry.” 

 “What I want to hear isn’t your excuses.” 

 “The divine beast was startled by suddenly appearing animals and ran away, and while chasing after it to catch it, we fell into monster traps. We really didn’t know.” 

 “You may die for all I care, but you know well that’s not the case for the divine beast. You must also know that the reason for your existence is because of the divine beast.” 

 The Imperial Third Unit was assembled with those who manage divine beasts solely for the divine beasts. Their lives were no different than being dependent on the divine beasts. 

 “Ple-please spare us!” 

 “For those who abandoned the divine beast and came back, you talk too much. Even the restraints that I personally gave you, you lost those too?” 

 “Th-that’s in Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s hands!” 

 “……What?” 

 The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched. His anger surged at Claire’s unexpected appearance. 

 ‘That woman keeps getting in the way.’ 

 He couldn’t watch anymore. Actually, the divine beast would return to the palace on its own since it was bound, but the restraints were different. Those were difficult to make. Above all, the person who made them wasn’t in a sound state. 

 ‘She won’t return them willingly.’ 

 She would surely try to make an impossible deal. The Emperor gripped his chair’s armrest tightly while remembering Claire’s bright smile. 

 His whole body trembled with rage. He should have sent her to the old Count instead of the Grand Duke. 

 Then she wouldn’t have caused so much trouble like this. 

 With a knock, the advisor entered. He reported that the divine beast had just returned. 

 Hope spread across Hamel and Calom’s faces. They thought they could avoid death since the divine beast had returned. 

 “How is the divine beast’s condition?” 

 “Your Majesty, this is Commander Kameli of the Third Unit.” 

 Kameli adjusted his posture and spoke about the divine beast’s condition. 

 “There are no injuries. It’s calm, not agitated, and quietly returned to its room.” 

 “……Quietly?” 

 The Emperor couldn’t understand how the divine beast had returned quietly without restraints. 

 He knew how much effort he had put into restraining it himself, and though it was a binding achieved by deceiving the divine beast, he was uneasy since it wasn’t a contract. 

 “I must go see the divine beast right away.” 

 “Your Majesty, then these two people……” 

 The Emperor’s golden eyes swept over Hamel and Calom. 

 “Go back and reflect on your actions. There must not be a second mistake.” 

 “We are grateful for Your Majesty’s generosity! We will absolutely not disappoint you twice!” 

 The two shouted loudly while pressing their heads to the floor. 

 “Don’t forget the generosity I’ve shown.” 

 There were thorns in his words. The two glanced at the commander with their lips burning up. 

 The moment the murderous green eyes touched them, they realized trials remained ahead. 

 The Emperor went straight to the space where the divine beast was confined. The large building prepared behind the palace was a place solely for the divine beasts. 

 Only the Emperor and Commander Kameli of the Third Unit, who had the authority to care for the divine beasts, could enter. 

 “Your Majesty, actually the divine beast seemed too calm compared to usual. When I checked because it felt somehow comfortable, there were no restraints.” 

 “Do you think it’s comfortable because there are no restraints?” 

 “For now, that’s what I think. Moreover, I heard the restraints are with Her Highness the Grand Duchess. If you’re thinking of sending someone to the North, I will go.” 

 The Emperor’s eyes narrowed at Kameli’s words. It was the first time seeing him take initiative in matters not related to divine beasts. 

 “The reason.” 

 “The restraints are essential in handling divine beasts, aren’t they? I will take responsibility and bring them back.” 

 The Emperor didn’t answer even at Kameli’s words. Finally entering the building where the divine beast stayed, the Emperor quietly observed the divine beast. Besides the returned divine beast, the other divine beasts were too excited and acting up. 

 “Grrrr.”(Why is that bastard here again. This is all because of you.) 

 “Krung.”(Shut up.) 

 The large white tiger that had been anxiously pacing in its cage bared its teeth and defied the Emperor. 

 “Tsk, it’s so difficult to tame them like this. It’s strange that they’re too docile.” 

 “I think so too.” 

 “Roar! Grrrr!”(Get out! Get out! You hurry up and get excited too!) 

 “……Grrrr.”(No need to get excited.) 

 “Grrrr!”(Are you stupid? That’s how you avoid suspicion. Can’t you see those golden eyes flickering with madness?) 

 At the white tiger’s words, the dragon finally opened its eyes and looked at the Emperor’s expression. The dragon then spread its wings and exhaled through its nostrils. 

 “Kraaaang!”(Damn it!) 

 The dragon’s howl filled the building.