Chapter 95 – You’re the Only One Not Here

It didn’t feel real.  

The long, long chain of ill-fated ties had completely been severed last night.  

Everything was still vivid, yet it all ended like a fleeting gust of strong wind.  

As much as had been lost, it had all ended so quickly.  

Compared to most wars, the casualties and injuries were strikingly few. But the fact that Luian had left their side was more significant than anything else.  

‘Stop thinking about it.’  

Seilia closed her eyes and calmly collected herself. She had to bury it deep in her heart. She couldn’t cry endlessly forever.  

She couldn’t keep soaking the seat of the Empress with tears.  

The carriage began moving slowly, its vibrations faintly felt.  

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Seilia reached out her hand toward the curtain of the window. It seemed she needed a bit of rest.  

Before completely drawing the curtain shut, the ruined image of the Kingdom of Faelin briefly appeared like a painting before disappearing from view.  

* * *

The carriage, which had been running for more than half a day, came to a screeching halt.  

Perhaps because it was a royal carriage, its massive body slowed down gradually, but the vibrations were transmitted entirely to those riding inside.  

“Your Majesty the Empress, it’s time to wake up.”  

Marse politely opened the door of the carriage and woke Seilia.  

The slightly stifling air inside the carriage mixed with the refreshing breeze outside, awakening her stiff body.  

“Where are we?”  

Seilia, who had stepped lightly out of the carriage, squinted her eyes and asked about their destination.  

“This is the Grand Duchy of Mirkan.”  

The Grand Duchy of Mirkan? Why the Grand Duchy of Mirkan?  

However, recalling what she had said the previous night, Seilia soon nodded.  

That’s right, I had mentioned stopping by the Grand Duchy of Mirkan before returning to the homeland.  

Though the idea of going back and forth twice was unappealing, especially for Seilia, who despised inconvenience, this place held Luian.  

Luian was resting here.  

As Seilia briefly looked around the Grand Duchy of Mirkan, a hand rested on her shoulder.  

She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was, so Seilia smiled brightly and spoke.  

“You came quickly.”  

“In terms of arrival, I got here before you.”  

Riding a horse directly was faster than traveling in a carriage that prioritized the comfort of its passengers.  

Failing to nitpick, Seilia eventually asked Leo the question she least wanted to ask but was most curious about.  

“Where is Luian?”  

Leo, whose smile had disappeared, silently took Seilia’s hand.  

But under her obvious gaze demanding an answer, Leo eventually responded.  

“Near Mirkan Castle, on a sunny field.”  

It was the place the messenger, who had brought the news of Luian’s death, had mentioned. Fortunately, the messenger had accompanied them, so finding the location would be easy.  

“Leo, if you have work to do, should I go there first?”  

Seilia carefully released the hand she held and asked.  

One of the purposes of visiting this place was to see Luian, but another was to inspect the Grand Duchy of Mirkan and discuss what to do with it.  

Thus, Seilia, who did not directly involve herself in state affairs, believed Leo was much busier at this moment.  

However, Leo shook his head.  

“No. Let’s go together.”  

After that, Seilia couldn’t clearly remember how they arrived at the location.  

At first, she had resolved to stay composed and not foolishly cry again.  

But as soon as she had to face the fact of Luian’s death and the grave where Luian rested, it became unbearably difficult.  

Seilia, who had struggled to take her final steps, saw Luian’s grave, which was slightly set apart from the numerous others buried there.  

Ah, she could feel her eyes turning red.  

Tilting her chin upward, Seilia took one more step closer.  

…She was really buried here. She had really died.  

At a glance, it could have been mistaken for just another grave. But next to her grave was a black sword, likely placed there by someone.  

Leo, standing beside her, remained silent as well.  

Both of them were merely trying to accept this reality, engraving every moment into their minds.  

Even though it was a painful time, Leo thought this was better than forgetting it all.  

Leo hadn’t cried much after Luian’s death.  

He had only shed a few faint tears. But expressing deep sorrow wasn’t limited to tears alone.  

How could such complex emotions be explained in just a few words, a few thousand words, or even a few million words?  

Letting out a pained breath, Leo steeled his gaze.  

When had she become such a natural part of their everyday lives?  

He remembered himself swinging his sword at Luian, who always joked around despite telling her to “just die.” He recalled the times he had told her to keep her distance, his cold gaze toward her.  

Everything came flooding back.  

Leo looked at Luian’s sword.  

The blade, still stained with dried blood, remained in its place.  

Seilia’s gaze overlapped with Leo’s.  

Whose blood was it?  

Was it Luian’s blood? Or was it the blood of the soldiers she had relentlessly cut down until the moment the blade was stained?  

Her eyes grew moist, and finally, hot tears began to flow.  

The sudden tears startled Seilia, who blinked and caught them in her palm.  

She was crying.  

She hadn’t kept her promise, just like Luian.  

She had vowed not to cry, but her heart wouldn’t listen. Now, even when she tried to speak, only sobs escaped her throat.  

Why was this happening?  

Seilia’s slender shoulders trembled violently.  

Tears filled with despair continued to flow uncontrollably.  

Just like the day she first heard of Luian’s death, Seilia nearly collapsed as her legs gave out. She barely managed to support herself by pressing her palms against the ground.  

Footsteps approached with steady strides.  

It was Leo, of course, and it was Leo who embraced her trembling body.  

The setting sun was warm, and the war had ended.  

Leo was still by her side, and though not completely, they had returned to the peaceful days of old.  

‘But you’re the only one not here. Only you.’  

Why weren’t you here?  

Seilia clutched her chest, overwhelmed by the suffocating pain.

***

After the short war between the Belton Empire and the Kingdom of Faelin.

Though it was an era of upheaval, everything had returned to normal within the Belton Empire. The conference hall of the empire was still filled with numerous people.  

Leo, taking only a brief moment to catch his breath, was doing his utmost to stabilize the chaotic atmosphere both inside and outside.  

“Then, was there anyone besides Luian who could inherit the position of the Grand Duke of Mirkan?”  

After the first break in the prolonged meeting, Leo sat on the throne and immediately tightened the already strained nerves of his ministers, who felt like their heads were about to explode.  

‘Does he never get tired…?’  

After taking a sip of cool water, his aide answered.  

“There was no one left to inherit, other than Lady Luian, who was the legitimate daughter. Even distant relatives are no longer alive.”  

“Then what was the former Grand Duke of Mirkan planning to do?”  

“It seems he wasn’t looking for anyone else. It appears he was determined to secure Lady Luian on that day.”  

The nobles and ministers, who had heard every detail of the day Luian fell into the trap set by the Grand Duke of Mirkan and the King of Faelin, let out exasperated sighs.  

Leo, who sighed along with them, furrowed his brow even more deeply.  

He had initially planned to return the Grand Duchy of Mirkan as soon as a new successor appeared. But with Luian gone, there was no one left to inherit it…  

“Is there truly no other option but for us to take it?”  

Although they had ended up acquiring a country that had nothing to do with them, Leo didn’t feel entirely pleased.  

It was possibly a place that could have been Luian’s own land.  

Rash decisions were never good, but this was already the second meeting held on this matter alone.  

The agenda and issues that needed to be addressed in future meetings would only continue to pile up.  

Thus, a decision had to be made now.  

Gripping the armrest of the throne firmly, Leo declared his final decision in a resolute voice.  

“I agree to make the Grand Duchy of Mirkan a vassal state. For now, send trustworthy individuals to organize the area and stabilize the anxious populace.”  

Leo suggested reviewing this agenda again tomorrow and moved on to the next item on the meeting’s schedule.  

Except for Leo, who remained composed, the ministers and nobles in the conference hall groaned in despair without exception.  

It was all meetings. One after another.

* * *

Seilia, basking lazily in the sunlight in the garden, heard the news that Leo was on his way to see her.  

“Why? The meeting isn’t even over yet.”

Unlike the Empress, who had the choice to attend state meetings, he was the Emperor.  

As far as she knew, he wouldn’t be able to leave the conference hall until sunset today. How could he be coming here?  

“It’s about time for the third break.”  

As the attendant glanced at the watch on his wrist and passed on the information, a deep, low voice tickled her ears from behind before he could finish speaking.  

“That’s right. So I came to see you during my break.” 

Leo, the owner of the voice, smiled warmly at Seilia as he looked at her.  

On the other hand, her expression was far from pleased…  

Even as Leo walked over and kissed her delicate forehead, Seilia’s face remained entirely discontented.