TWQTFA CH 03

“In fact, I’ve been thinking about this for some time. One option is to open our borders. The other is to become a vassal state of the Empire.”

Leah stared at Aren in surprise.

She had already been wondering how she could persuade Aren.

The solution Aren had been considering was exactly the same conclusion Leah had reached after debating with Nella, King of Nortia.

“You’ve been thinking about this for a while?”

“Yes. But there was fierce opposition. If I had brought it up publicly, public opinion would have become so extremely divided that I feared the country itself might split in two.”

Leah sighed. She had never realized that Aren had been struggling with such concerns at this point in time.

“But the people who opposed it have all been swept away by this incident.”

The two looked at each other in silence.

The same thought crossed both their minds.

Had those who opposed it really done so for the sake of the national interest?

“The current Emperor changed the Empire’s strategy of conquest from annexation to a system of vassal states. A vassal state is at least guaranteed a minimum degree of autonomy.”

“Our kingdom is small, and we don’t possess any special products that the Empire would covet. The Empire’s pressure on us should be minimal.”

“Zephyrus is a small desert kingdom, but it does have something special. It traces its roots back to one of the four ancient kingdoms that ruled the continent long ago.”

“If we say that we intend to become a vassal state, the Emperor will welcome us with open arms.”

The siblings exchanged words back and forth before looking at each other and smiling.

“Brother. I’ll go to the Empire.”

There was someone Leah absolutely had to meet.

‘The Fourth Imperial Prince Karion, Grand Commander of the Northeast.’

He was the son of Nella, King of Nortia.

⌜Go back to the past. Correct your regrets. Prevent the destruction of your kingdom and save the people precious to you. And then…⌟

Nella had gazed into the distance with eyes filled with regret before speaking.

⌜Save my son.⌟

Nella’s expression had been calm as he said those words.

⌜That is all.⌟

‘Your Majesty. I will definitely save your son.’

Preventing his son’s death was even more important than stopping Enoch, the First Imperial Prince, from ascending the throne.

Half a year later, Leah departed with her companions as the head of the Zephyrus Kingdom’s delegation.

“There are fifteen of you in total? We’ve only got three large rooms left. What are you going to do? You can sleep packed together if you don’t mind.”

“The other inns are all full. Is something going on?”

“The arena is opening soon. Isn’t that why you came?”

“Ah, the arena. We’re actually on our way to Elios.”

“So you’re just passing through. You picked a bad time.”

“I suppose we did. Give us the rooms anyway. How much will it cost for one day, including meals and feed for the horses?”

“Fifteen silver coins.”

“I’ll pay in advance. Thirteen silver coins. We’ll leave early in the morning.”

The innkeeper scratched his head vigorously, then clicked his tongue before answering.

“Very well. Let’s do that.”

Just as they had done until now, the others simply stood around blankly while Leah negotiated.

After they had unpacked their luggage, Leah spoke to Kasim.

“I’m going to look around for a little while, so get some proper rest.”

“C-Commander, you’re going alone again…”

“Don’t worry. This city has decent security.”

Kasim reached out toward Leah’s retreating back, but lowered his hand without saying anything.

He had come along as her escort and protector, yet somehow, he felt as though he was the one being protected.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.

How could a princess who had barely ever left the royal palace know the geography of the continent so well? And why was she so comfortable dealing with the locals?

He recalled the conversation he had had with the king before their departure.

⌜That child has changed. You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you?⌟

⌜Yes, Your Majesty.⌟

⌜She used to be so timid that she couldn’t even leave her bedroom after sunset. She was such a tenderhearted child that she cried until her eyes were swollen after seeing a baby bird that had fallen from its nest and died. You remember that too, don’t you?⌟

⌜…Yes, Your Majesty.⌟

⌜When did my little sister, whom I thought I had to protect, begin looking toward distant places with those eyes? Did Leah grow up because I was lacking as a brother?⌟

⌜Your Majesty. The Princess has simply grown into an adult. She is at the age when that would naturally happen.⌟

⌜And yet, at some point, I began relying on that changed child. As her older brother, this is rather embarrassing for my dignity.⌟

⌜Your Majesty. The Princess will sincerely be happy that she can be of help to you.⌟

⌜If Leah goes to the Empire, she may be taken hostage. Even knowing that, I have no choice but to send her. There is no one better suited for this mission. Please take good care of her.⌟

⌜Yes, Your Majesty. I will protect the Princess with my life.⌟

Kasim’s firm resolve was put to the test sooner than expected.

“She’s gone!”

The next morning, Penny came screaming into the room with a letter Leah had left behind.

—I’ll go to Poema first. There’s something important I need to take care of there. I’ve roughly drawn the route to Poema below. Just follow it exactly, and you should arrive within ten days. See you later.

‘PRINCEEEEESS!’

He clutched the letter in his trembling hands and roared inwardly.

After climbing a hill, Leah looked down at the endless plains stretching out before her.

For the first time since returning to the past, she was alone.

The days when she had been unable to let her guard down for even a moment just to survive came flooding back to her.

Her previously relaxed heart tightened once more.

The reason she was traveling alone was to move faster.

She had obtained some important information at the marketplace.

‘The Grand Commander of the Northeast is in Poema right now!’

With the intelligence network of the Zephyrus Kingdom, they had been unable to determine his exact whereabouts.

That was why she had planned to search for him after going to Poema, the closest territory under the Northeast Command.

But as luck would have it, he was already there.

She had never met the Grand Commander of the Northeast, the Fourth Imperial Prince, before.

‘It doesn’t matter what kind of person you are.’

The only thing that mattered to Leah was that he was Nella’s son.

She was prepared to risk even her own life if that was what it took to prevent his death.

‘If I can repay the debt I owe Your Majesty with just my life, then it’s a small price to pay.’

After traveling for five days, she arrived at the military encampment in Poema.

The camp’s security was extremely tight, as far as Leah could tell from the spirit she had sent ahead to scout the area.

Leah wanted to meet the Fourth Imperial Prince unofficially.

There was no way she could meet him simply by requesting an audience without revealing her identity.

‘Looks like sneaking in is the only option. I’m counting on you.’

She whispered to the spirit.

As if answering her, the wind brushed lightly against the back of her neck.

Leah smiled and took a step forward.

The spirit would show her a hidden path that would allow her to avoid the eyes of the guards.

Inside the commander’s residence at the Poema encampment, a man with jet-black hair sat leaning back in his chair with his legs propped up on the desk, reading the imperial decree delivered by the Emperor’s envoy.

—It seems the cold winds of the northeast have frozen even the commander’s loyalty. I can scarcely remember what your face looks like anymore. Enter the capital before the full moon and let me see your complexion. I shall bestow upon you a warm cup of tea.

A faint trace of mockery appeared in his indifferent silver-gray eyes.

There was no way the Emperor had summoned him because he genuinely wanted to see his son.

To the Emperor, his five sons were tools that demonstrated the strength of his imperial authority and replaceable parts that could be discarded at any time.

Karion had been absent for so long that the Emperor was merely trying to keep him under control, afraid that he might slip beyond the Emperor’s sphere of influence.

He snapped his fingers.

Whoosh—

The imperial decree flew through the air before landing on the floor.

Orbin, the intelligence officer, picked up the decree and spoke.

“Your Highness. You have already refused to comply with two imperial commands. Next time, it won’t be an envoy who comes. It will be hunting dogs. You need to return to the capital this time.”

Karion, the Fourth Imperial Prince and Grand Commander of the Northeast of the Terra Empire, spent the entire year traveling between military encampments to manage the annexed and vassal states in the northeastern region.

He had become Grand Commander six years ago and left the capital.

For the past few years, whenever the Emperor summoned him, he had come up with excuses and sent the imperial envoys back.

“It’s noisy outside.”

Karion turned his gaze toward his adjutant, Cedric.

“Go see what’s going on.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Not long after Cedric left, the noise outside grew louder.

It sounded as though someone shouted, ‘This way!’ and the hurried footsteps of several people echoed through the corridor.

“Your Highness, cancel your next inspection tour and—”

Before Orbin could finish speaking, the door suddenly flew open, and someone rushed inside before closing it.

Their face was hidden beneath a deeply pulled hood.

Orbin drew his sword, his face twisting into a fierce expression.

“Who are you?”

“I have something urgent to tell His Highness the Imperial Prince.”

Orbin hesitated at the beautiful, clear voice coming from the intruder.

The stranger grabbed the hood and pushed it back, revealing the face of a woman with her hair tied behind her.

Her golden hair, the color of sunlit sand, was tied back, yet it was so thick and abundant that it still covered her shoulders.

Her fair skin seemed to glow on its own.

Her clear, water-green eyes sparkled like sunlight reflecting off rippling water.

‘Oh.’

Orbin was genuinely impressed.

He had seen more than his fair share of beautiful women, but this one felt different.

Should he call her healthy? Or perhaps vibrant?

She immediately caught the eye, and it was difficult to look away.

Orbin subtly glanced at Karion.

‘Surely not. But still, what if…’

It could possibly be some sort of romantic entanglement involving the Imperial Prince and this woman, so he hesitated to intervene.

“I am Leah, Princess of Zephyrus. I have acted discourteously by coming to see Your Highness while avoiding the eyes of those around me.”

Karion looked her over with the detached gaze of someone inspecting an object before asking coldly,

“Princess of Zephyrus?”

“Yes.”

Karion lowered his legs from the desk and stood up.

As he strode toward Leah, she did not move an inch.

As the distance between them narrowed, Leah’s head naturally tilted upward to maintain eye contact with him.

“An unexpected guest indeed. If you truly are the Princess of Zephyrus.”

“Someone who can prove my identity is on the way. The official delegation sent by the kingdom will arrive within a few days.”

“Why would the Zephyrus delegation come here instead of going to the capital?”

“I have something urgent to tell Your Highness.”

“If it is something that can be said in a single sentence, then let me hear it.”

It was essentially the same as telling her that he didn’t want to hear it and that she should leave immediately.

Leah was not intimidated by his cold response. Meeting his gaze, she spoke with determination.

“Marry me.”

Oh.

It almost seemed as though someone in the room had let out an involuntary gasp of admiration.