He pushed more meat dishes toward Froy and pulled the vegetable dishes toward himself.

He asked the chef to heat the water more, and told Sansa to bring a blanket for Froy to cover himself while eating.

Compared to Froy’s house, the castle was warm, but even the castle seemed cold for melting the chill he was emitting.

“It’s not like you were buried in snow, so why is your body so cold?”

“Cal, he’s already much warmer than before.”

Rudbeckia said while chewing the meat from the thoroughly cooked stew.

“Oh, bear meat stew! This will boost your stamina! Froy. Eat it all, don’t leave anything!”

“Yes. Eat it all, don’t leave anything! Froy. Since you live in my territory, you’re my subject. I can’t stand seeing my subject, especially a sturdy man, looking so gaunt!”

“That’s right! Eat it all. If it’s not enough, have mine too. Being moderately thin is pretty, but Sir Froy, you’re too thin now!”

After Rudbeckia and Caleb, suddenly Sansa also shouted, and the table instantly became a sea of laughter.

Froy still moved slowly without strength, but a smile also began to bloom on his lips.

* * *

“Rud! Come in quickly. I missed you.”

As the door to Marquis Argen’s residence opened, Elfleda ran in her socks and hugged Rudbeckia tightly. Since she had sent a carrier pigeon in advance to notify her of the arrival date and time, Elfleda had been waiting for Rudbeckia without entering the palace.

“I missed you too. Ah, this is my guard knight. Froy Dyke.”

“Huh? Guard knight? For you?”

“It’s just… a formality. Well. Haha. If there’s a spare room……”

“What’s spare is rooms and what’s there are empty rooms. Sir Froy, nice to meet you. It’s nice and really nice to meet you, but first I have more to talk about with Rud. My lady-in-waiting will guide you to your room. Please rest first. You come up quickly. Let’s go up. I have so so so many things to talk about.”

“See you later, Froy!”

Elfleda fired words like a machine gun, grabbed Rudbeckia’s hand, and practically ran into her room on the second floor. Various desserts were already placed on the white marble table. She had clearly prepared to talk at length, with so many things to say.

“I want to die.”

“What?”

“I said I want to die.”

Her first statement didn’t match the sweet desserts.

“Right after you left, a paper arrived ordering me to enter the palace. But I didn’t want to. So I wrote a very polite, extremely polite letter of refusal and sent it. And what came back… was the head of the lady-in-waiting who delivered that letter.”

“What!?”

“Ha, just for delaying my entry to the palace… they killed someone and sent just the head? My parents turned pale and have been living in seclusion at home ever since. Not even going to the knight order.”

Then she was dishonorably discharged from the knight order for negligence of duty.

“But you loved the knight order……”

“Yes. It was my only joy……”

But as if that wasn’t all, Elfleda rubbed her forehead and continued.

“Still, I stayed quiet. I remained silent at home, as if I didn’t exist in the world. At least they wouldn’t raid our home with the eyes of other nobles watching. I was just waiting for time to pass……”

Elfleda swallowed hard. She bit her dry lips several times and took a sip of tea.

“Daniella… was kidnapped.”

What was this sudden news?

“Miss Daniella, the wind mage? By whom?”

“Who else? Baningo. He sent a lock of Daniella’s hair with a letter. Saying that the longer I delay entering the palace, the more time Daniella would spend with him.”

“How many days has it been?”

“Three days now. Anyway, there’s less than a month until the wedding. But he couldn’t wait and caused this trouble? I was about to enter the palace, but stayed home first because I heard you were coming. You came looking for me with something in mind, right?”

Elfleda grabbed Rudbeckia’s shoulders and shook her.

“Rud, you’re smart. No, not just smart. You’re the great sage herself. I don’t think you came all this way just to comfort me. You didn’t come just to hear my complaints, did you? You’re not the type to cry with someone and comfort them.”

“Ah… well, that’s not why I came. Dame Elda, you certainly have a firm image of me.”

“You don’t know how cold and scary you look when you speak with that expressionless face. No, sometimes your smile is even scarier.”

Rudbeckia raised one corner of her mouth and smiled down at her.

“Oh, yes, that smile! Like a predator about to devour its prey! Haa. Why is this smile so welcome today? Rud, what thoughts do you have that match that smile? Like a secret plan to kill Baningo.”

“Yes. Baningo is making things easier for us.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to rebel. I’ll bring down the imperial family. The preparations are complete, and soldiers are coming to the outskirts of King’s City.”

“Rebellion!?”

Elfleda’s eyes widened so much that the whites showed. Then, as if too shocked, she grabbed her chest and took a deep breath.

“Rebellion… Ah, that’s a word that shouldn’t even be uttered. Haha. But… haha. Am I crazy?”

Then she looked up at the ceiling and covered her eyes.

Her breathing was rough and the corners of her mouth were turned up, but somehow she looked like she was crying. Like a clown’s mouth.

“Oh really. Nothing else comes to mind except rebellion? Does this make sense? I’ve been loyal to Pergos my whole life. No, if we count as a family, we’ve been loyal to Pergos for hundreds of years. Regardless of the era or which Emperor!”

Her voice sounded wet with anger.

“Even when the imperial family made wrong choices, we helped guide them to the right path! We weren’t afraid to give honest counsel and didn’t hesitate to speak directly! They said that even if we were beheaded for it, if our death led Pergos to the right path, that too would be an honor… But, I. I don’t want that.”

Tears fell from between her fingers.

“Why am I so glad that you brought up the word rebellion? If our ancestors heard this, it would be a sin that heaven and earth would condemn, but I don’t want to disappear powerlessly under a tyrant.”

“Of course. There’s no such thing as a valuable death. Death is the end. You need to stay alive. Only by living do you have the power and opportunity to change the world. Glorious death. That’s all b*llshit.”

Rudbeckia said while embracing Elfleda.

“Caleb and I have already made all the plans. If you help us, this rebellion will never fail.”

“Even without my help, if you planned it, it won’t fail. Let me hear it. The plan. And what I need to do.”

Elfleda wiped away the few tears that had fallen and adjusted her posture. Rudbeckia began explaining the most suitable option for Elfleda from the numerous scenarios she had discussed with Caleb.

* * *

January 11th. The Europa continent entered its fifth season.

The snow that had accumulated during December sparkled beautifully in the sunlight, turning the whole world into a dreamlike fairy tale land.

The snow sitting on tree branches looked like flower blossoms, and the snow piled along the roads looked like carpets laid by fairies.

All four gates of the imperial palace located in the north, south, east, and west were opened.

The imperial family provided relief to celebrate Crown Prince Baningo Perron’s wedding. All knight orders were deployed on emergency duty for relief and security.

Nobles gathered at the Central Palace.

All dukes and marquises had assembled, while those of lower rank could only enter with invitations. Since the imperial family directly granted titles only up to marquis, only those with clear identities were allowed to enter as guests.

The garden surrounding the Central Palace was in full bloom with flowers typically seen in spring or autumn. They were magically cultivated. There were no tall trees. The tallest growth was merely a hydrangea bush.

The garden, decorated with purple hydrangeas and golden roses, continuously evoked exclamations of admiration no matter how many times one looked at it.

Wealthy nobles wore dresses made of new fabric from the Lily’s Dress Shop. Thin but warm. However, the area around the Central Palace was so warm that those clothes felt hot.

Though not in a glass greenhouse, the area where the wedding was held felt like spring, with who knows how many mages deployed and how much magical power poured in.

It was a warm spring. Spring with dazzling sunshine and everything lovely.

“The ceremony will now begin.”

At the announcer’s call, all the nobles stood watching the long red carpet. At the end stood a priest. Dressed in white vestments, wearing a tall hat, with a solemn expression, he waited for the two people who would approach him.

“His Highness Crown Prince Baningo Perron, Guardian of Peace protecting the Pergos Empire.”

Baningo appeared wearing a dark red suit. The fabric was so deep that it could be mistaken for black at a glance, with sparkling gold embroidery in brilliant patterns. The brooch fastening his white cravat was also gold, with clear, pure diamonds adding splendor here and there.

Having finished the Fabio War and passed the first winter. Considering that many people had no food to eat immediately after the war-ravaged cold winter, it was too extravagant, almost excessively luxurious.

However, only families like the Argen marquis family, who had stood against the war, frowned at his attire. Most nobles were gaping in admiration with envious glances.

“Miss Elfleda Argen, the beautiful little star illuminating the Pergos Empire.”