After thoroughly giving orders so Yevar couldn’t escape, Seiden politely bowed only to Hestina before turning away.

“Thank you, Sir Seiden! We can talk all night!”

“Ah, no!”

“Let Sir go. Now I know that what I need isn’t Sir Seiden but you, Mage.”

As Seiden heard Hestina’s excited voice, he stepped onto the gate without hesitation. Though he heard Yevar’s horrified cry of “Nooooo,” that was no longer his concern. This way he could escape from Hestina’s numerous demands and requests for a while, that was all.

Though Hestina was the most plausible emperor candidate among the current candidates and had infinite potential for future development, she clearly wouldn’t make a good superior or colleague. Working with her would mean enduring passionate plans and demands all night long.

Of course, even excluding revenge against Yevar, it was also an undeniable fact that they needed Yevar to deal with Derent, who had emerged as a new troublemaker after Geril. Well, winning over his heart was entirely up to Hestina now.

Above all, it was quite enjoyable to imagine Yevar’s horror and distress at unknowingly becoming connected to the imperial family and getting caught up in the massive game of throne succession. Seiden decided to cleanly conclude his revenge against Yevar with this.

With an exceptionally refreshed mind, Seiden headed home where Bellota would be waiting. As he entered the cozy mansion, a pleasant sweet scent wafted over. Hearing that Seiden had returned, Bellota, who had been baking bread to distribute as Sacred Night gifts in the kitchen, hurriedly came out to greet him.

“Slowly.”

Anxious that Bellota might fall, Seiden rushed forward with even quicker steps and embraced her waist.

Feeling her belly, which had just started to swell, against his firm arms both excited Seiden to the heavens and simultaneously made him more composed than anyone.

“You must never run.”

At that solemn warning, laughter flowed from Bellota’s lips.

When she first learned of her pregnancy, Bellota couldn’t help but cry. Though she hadn’t shown it, she had been anxious that no child had come despite quite some time passing.

Because Bellota had been overjoyed and overwhelmingly grateful, Yevar was able to receive forgiveness quickly compared to the crime he had committed. Of course, Seiden too, upon hearing the news of Bellota’s pregnancy, spent the entire day embracing her without leaving the house.

“I’ve finished baking the bread. We can distribute it by evening.”

Personally baking bread from the day before to distribute to the hungry who visited the temple to celebrate Sacred Night was Bellota’s annual event and small joy. Knowing that love and service were Bellota’s great joys, Seiden had already made preparations for today.

The two headed to the temple with carriages full of bread that Bellota had baked for Sacred Night’s eve festival. Behind their carriage followed no less than thirty carriages. Those carriages were filled with expensive magical tools that could survive winter without stoves or firewood, and magical tools that could repel low-level monsters. These magical tools were scheduled to be delivered to impoverished areas across the continent in the Grand Temple’s name.

All this was what Seiden had obtained in exchange for agreeing to inherit the position of heir to the Blackwood marquis family. Though he hadn’t become the Emperor’s in-law, Marquis Blackwood, who had gained a saintess as his daughter-in-law, was desperate to get in Bellota’s good graces.

Bellota, completely unaware of their deal, simply believed that her father-in-law, Marquis Blackwood, had bestowed such generous charity out of joy for the news of the coming child.

When they finally arrived at the temple, they could already see crowds of people lined up.

“Saintess, Commander.”

Felton, who had been out early distributing items prepared by the temple, welcomed them warmly. As Bellota headed toward him with a welcoming smile, Seiden naturally followed behind.

“It’s been so long, it’s hard to see you since you’re so busy. I missed you.”

Though Bellota grabbed Felton’s hands warmly with both of hers in an affectionate greeting, Seiden’s expression didn’t change. Felton was one of the few men who could be near Bellota without drawing Seiden’s deep wariness.

“It’s a bit late, but congratulations on becoming Cardinal.”

Felton, who had earned merit by accompanying the subjugation force that eliminated the sources in the Forest of Death and Rubble Mountains, was recognized for all his achievements including those merits and became the youngest Cardinal a few months ago. Since he immediately went on pilgrimage after becoming Cardinal, there hadn’t been time to offer congratulations.

Still seeming shy about the title of Cardinal, Felton answered with an embarrassed smile.

“I too heard the news. Congratulations.”

Felton likewise hadn’t had a chance to offer congratulations after hearing of Bellota’s pregnancy.

When Felton heard the news of Bellota’s pregnancy during his pilgrimage, he prayed in gratitude to God all night long. Though it remained his secret that he had unknowingly shed tears of overwhelming joy.

“May I visit when the child is born?”

“Don’t ask such obvious things. Cardinal, you can come without such concerns.”

When Seiden replied in an incredulous voice, Felton’s mood lifted at those indifferent words.

Felton knew Seiden when his eyes had rolled with anger. He also knew how wary a man he was. It always felt good to receive such firm trust from such a man.

Bellota too smiled while lowering her head at his answer. It confirmed that Seiden’s jealousy didn’t occur indiscriminately regardless of time, place, or target.

Having encountered a familiar face, Bellota and Seiden, even more delighted, distributed carefully baked bread, milk, and holy water—symbolizing the celebration of Sacred Night—to those in line. The holy water was something Bellota had made every day without fail for the past month.

“Congratulations, Saintess!”

However, what the people in line had most earnestly waited for wasn’t the bread or milk, but Bellota and Seiden. A woman grabbed Bellota’s hands as she handed over bread, tears welling up as she offered congratulations. Everyone had clearly visited the temple since early evening wanting to offer these greetings.

“Your child will be so lovely.”

“Congratulations, Commander.”

As congratulations continued one after another, Bellota responded with a happy smile.

“Thank you.”

Even the corner of Seiden’s mouth curved subtly as he stuck close to Bellota’s side, taking care of everything so she wouldn’t overexert herself.

The food and holy water they had been prepared quickly ran out. Though Seiden and Bellota tried to enter the temple to prepare for evening mass, they stopped at the small hand that grabbed them.

“Hmm? What is it?”

When Bellota kindly asked the small child clutching her clothes, the child’s cheeks reddened. The child hesitated, wanting to say something, but finally just raised a finger instead.

Seiden and Bellota’s puzzled gazes followed where the child’s finger pointed. Then they saw numerous people busily taking out something they had kept in their pockets, inside their clothes, or tied at their waists.

It was truly a strange sight. Hundreds of people moving in unison preparing something. As Seiden slowly frowned, unable to guess at all what this bizarre scene meant—

As if they had planned it, everyone simultaneously opened small boxes with all their might and held them up toward the sky. Then hundreds of things that had been trapped in the boxes finally flew up into the sky.

“That’s……”

They were fireflies. Glowing dots moved busily as the sky in front of the temple became embroidered with fireflies that had regained their freedom. It was truly a magnificent sight. Bellota and Seiden held their breath as they watched the dreamlike scene.

At that moment, Seiden recalled a letter that came to Felton a month ago. It was a letter asking what Bellota and Seiden liked.

Seiden had replied to that letter listing things Bellota liked, along with the answer that he liked anything Bellota liked.

Early morning sunlight and clearly ringing bells, midday breeze, the stew they ate in Selento, clusters of stars on clear nights, and things like fireflies.

So that was the reason for that letter….. He raised the corner of his mouth wryly at the surprisingly thorough preparation.

“Blessings to the Saintess!”

Someone shouted in an overwhelmed voice. Starting with that, blessings for Bellota burst forth from everywhere as if competing. Bellota dazedly looked at those who were smiling happily while praying for her blessings.

“Blessings to the child to be born!”

Regardless of whether they were a noble or commoner, woman or man, elderly or child, everyone before her eyes prayed blessings for Bellota and Seiden, and the child to be born to them.

Clearly, all these people had caught fireflies with magic and waited to give this surprise gift to Bellota and Seiden. Thinking of those heartfelt intentions, a tearful emotion welled up in Bellota’s chest.

“Blessings to the Blackwood family!”

Seiden too looked at Bellota with a corner of his mouth raised and an amazed expression, as if he hadn’t expected this event at all.

As expected, overwhelming tears leaked from her blue eyes filled with deep emotion. Joy rose in Seiden’s throat at that face overcome with happiness.

Seiden embraced Bellota’s shoulders and kissed the cheek of the beautiful woman with brimming tears. Even greater cheers erupted at that.

Only then did Bellota’s gaze turn to her eternal knight beside her. Bellota knew at this moment that her husband was thinking the same thing as her. That the two of them, no, soon to be three, were recipients of God’s overwhelmingly grateful and enchanting blessing.

As the fireflies, like fragments of shattered stars, sparkled enchantingly above the two who pressed their foreheads together tenderly with happy smiles, it created an illusion of stardust showering upon them.

Three years ago, Saintess Bellota Rosebeth married Holy Knight Seiden Blackwood, and they were now known as the Blackwood couple. All imperial citizens revered the holy couple who, even after establishing their own family, struggled with imperial affairs as if they were their own, and who pitied and loved countless imperial citizens like their own children.

A noble and holy couple who nevertheless remained humble and merciful as always without becoming arrogant. And the surely lovely child to be born with everyone’s blessings.

All those were brilliant words describing the Rundhardt Empire’s couple.

—Thank you—