“Even in this situation, she insists on not breaking off the political marriage with the Grand Duchy—is that truly what a mother should say? The empress dowager didn’t go to the Grand Duchy out of concern for Leticia; she went to maintain that marriage.”

He spoke with anger, like he’s reciting lines.

“She wants her bloodline to flow not only in the imperial heir but also in the heir to the Grand Duchy of Ern.”

He knew his mother’s inner thoughts better than anyone.

The empress dowager had openly shown him her power struggles since he was very young; while it was her own way of educating the heir, it only increased his antipathy.

“But since she is a sovereign ruler, and our ally at that…… to lie to us is too pathetic to even be angry about.”

His handsome eyebrows furrowed. If the Grand Duchy had properly handled their assigned area from the beginning as promised, he wouldn’t have had to depart for war again.

“Jayden, properly collect evidence that the Grand Duchy neglected its alliance obligations.”

“Yes, I’ve already ordered the knights to do so.”

“Record even the most trivial evidence, and collect samples.”

Rockfort apparently had no intention of forgiving the Grand Duchy of Ern.

It was a natural response, as they had effectively disrespected the Holy Petrion Empire, which held absolute hegemony on this continent.

“The Grand Duke of Ern dared to make my sister unhappy and mistreated her. But if I punish them for that reason, they’ll protest the lack of fairness. Their methods are predictable.”

“However, even a Grand Duke cannot deny evidence of failing to fulfill alliance obligations. How wise of you.”

“Is the reconnaissance team not back yet?”

“No. The remnants have burrowed so deeply into the ravine area…… I’m concerned that despite their small numbers, the eradication period will be prolonged.”

Rockfort let out a long sigh at those words.

Though the imperial army was far superior in strength, the enemy remnants, familiar with the geographical advantages of the area, had hidden deep in the ravines, making it time-consuming to track them down.

“Do you think we can return before the year ends?”

“At present…… we haven’t fully identified the remnants, so I cannot say. I apologize.”

“We already have more than enough combat troops, so divert some to reinforce the reconnaissance team. Information gathering takes priority now.”

Rockfort possessed innate battle instincts. Like his father Emperor Reyan, he could instinctively read the winds of the battlefield, and with his exceptionally robust physique, he had once swung his sword to cut down three men at once.

“Prolonging time on this battlefield is wasteful. Once the reconnaissance team identifies the hidden remnants, I’ll split the army and send them simultaneously to different locations. The main force with me will be sufficient.”

Normally, the emperor’s safety was the top priority on the battlefield, but like the bloodline of the Petrion imperial family throughout generations, Rockfort was also known as a war god on the battlefield.

Jayden dared not worry about or oppose Rockfort’s decision.

“It’s getting late. You should retire now.”

Jayden indirectly expressed his concern. In response, Rockfort tapped his finger on the letter he had been examining.

“Looking at this rubbish, even sleep eludes me.”

“Are you still reading the letter from the empress dowager?”

“The more I read it, the more absurd it becomes……”

Just earlier, a knight from the information unit managing carrier pigeons had presented a letter from the empress dowager to the emperor. Since then, Rockfort had been in this low mood.

“Even in this situation, she insists on not breaking off the political marriage with the Grand Duchy—is that truly what a mother should say? The empress dowager didn’t go to the Grand Duchy out of concern for Leticia; she went to maintain that marriage.”

He spoke with anger, almost like a recitation.

“She wants her bloodline to flow not only in the imperial heir but also in the heir to the Grand Duchy of Ern.”

He knew his mother’s inner thoughts better than anyone.

The empress dowager had openly shown him her power struggles since he was very young; while it was her own way of educating the heir, it only increased his antipathy.

“Your Majesty’s will is above all else, so the princess will be safe now. Isn’t that why you personally departed for this expedition?”

“That’s right. I spent all day eliminating trivial remnants, only to receive such dispiriting letters, which is annoying.”

It had been a week since his departure. Now that the emperor’s army had established their base, carrier pigeons should have been arriving, but from the imperial palace, there had been no letters except reports of well-being and a few matters from the council.

“Are the carrier pigeons being properly managed?”

“Yes.”

Jayden gave a sharp answer, oblivious to the mood.

“She said she would do it daily.”

Rockfort mumbled grumpily to himself.

“……Pardon?”

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

He was thinking of Elia. She had been the main reason he hesitated to leave the imperial palace.

—Not occasionally, not daily, but always, I will think of your well-being……

He had forced a promise from her, exploiting her upright character, yet he felt disappointed that not a single letter inquiring about his well-being had come from Elia.

“If there’s someone you’re curious about, why not send a letter yourself, Your Majesty? The princess must still be in the Grand Duchy.”

Jayden had only half-guessed his thoughts.

“Now that the base is established and the carrier pigeons are familiar with the route, you could send one immediately.”

Tsk, Rockfort made a peculiar sound. While there was nothing preventing him from sending a letter, he couldn’t help feeling like he would be losing somehow.

“Wouldn’t it be strange that there are no letters from the imperial palace when they must know this fact?”

“Didn’t I just present the letters from the imperial palace?”

Tsk, Rockfort clicked his tongue at Jayden. The letters he was referring to were not the annoying news from the council.

“Jayden, you haven’t forgotten that I have a fiancée, have you?”

“Ah.”

Jayden slapped his knee with a “thwack.”

“But what does Lady Elia have to do with letters?”

At times like this, despite being the commander of the empire’s finest knights, he seemed somewhat lacking, but Rockfort couldn’t teach someone to have innate tact.

“It’s been a week since I, her fiancé, came to the battlefield. Shouldn’t a fiancée naturally send a letter inquiring about my well-being?”

It was frustrating to have to spell this out, but with Jayden, there was no choice. Even now, seeing him blinking his eyes, it was clear he hadn’t thought about this aspect at all.

“With all due respect, how could the lady send a letter……”

“Her legs are broken, not her arms.”

“I know that.”

Jayden said with a remarkably confident face.

“But the lady doesn’t have a carrier pigeon.”

Rockfort’s brow furrowed at those words.

“……What?”

“The lady doesn’t have a carrier……”

“Why not?”

Jayden’s face stiffened slightly at Rockfort’s serious expression.

“Because we didn’t provide her with a carrier pigeon.”

“And why is that?”

“There was no order to do so.”

Hah…… Rockfort let out a laugh of disbelief. He wanted to hit Jayden with his confident expression, but he knew it was more his own fault for not personally taking care of it, knowing Jayden’s shortcomings.

“Prepare a carrier pigeon to send to the imperial palace. Immediately.”

“At this hour……”

“Jayden.”

Seeing Rockfort’s fierce gaze, Jayden bowed deeply and left the tent, almost as if fleeing.

“Bring a carrier pigeon for His Majesty!”

As always, his loud voice resonated powerfully.

“I knew he was a bit lacking before, but…”

Rockfort shook his head with a sigh.

It was a moment when the worries and disappointment he had harbored for days since establishing the base disappeared in the most absurd way.

* * *

Elia deliberately made herself busy, trying to reduce the time she spent alone.

When she stayed still, Rockfort kept coming to mind, and she grew resentful at his lack of news, so this was her way of coping.

“There seems to be no problem with the construction of the empress’s quarters.”

Marienne nodded at Elia’s words after she finished reading the construction progress report submitted by Victor.

Victor was the one who brought the report and summarized the situation outside, but it was Marienne who listened to Elia’s opinions, organized the decisions, and relayed them back.

“Since it’s a construction directly ordered by His Majesty, gathering skilled craftsmen from inside and outside the palace, there shouldn’t be major concerns.”

“I suppose so.”

“Also, there was one thing I needed to ask about…… Here it is.”

Marienne unfolded a paper and placed it on the table where Elia was looking.

It was a bird’s-eye view of the empress’s quarters garden, with a small area marked in blue in one corner.

“This is an original spring site, which you can either fill in and decorate as a garden, or preserve and decorate as is. Either way, my lady, the choice is yours.”

Marienne’s handling of matters was truly meticulous. Elia pointed at the blue-colored area with her finger and fell into thought for a moment.

“A spring……”

Come to think of it, she seemed to remember something like that when she stayed at the empress’s quarters in her past life.

Back then, the spring in the backyard of the empress’s quarters was covered with dry branches and fallen leaves, with no one to clean it, creating an even more desolate atmosphere.

“If it was originally there…… is it very old?”

“Yes. From what I’ve heard, when this palace was built, a sage declared it an auspicious spring site, so the empress’s quarters was built there.”

Just as Elia had changed, the spring could also become a beautiful scene if someone took care of it. Besides, it seemed a shame to remove a spring that had been there since the palace was built.

“Please ask them to decorate the spring to harmonize with the garden.”

“Yes. If you plant water lilies, it will create a beautiful scenery.”