TWQA 03

Chapter 3

“I have actually been thinking about this for a while. One is opening the borders. The other is becoming a vassal state of the Empire.”

Lea looked at Aren with surprised eyes.

Lea had already been wondering how she should persuade Aren.

The solution Aren had thought of was the same as the best option Lea had reached after arguing with the King of Nortia.

“You had been thinking about it already?”

“Yes. But the opposition was extremely strong. If I brought it up publicly, I thought public opinion would become so divided that the country itself might split into two.”

Lea sighed. She had not known that Aren had been thinking about this during this time.

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

The two looked at each other silently.

The same thought crossed both their minds.

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

“The current Emperor changed the Empire’s conquest strategy from annexation to making countries into vassal states. A vassal state can at least be guaranteed a minimum level of self-government.”

“Our kingdom is small, and we do not have any special products that the Empire would want. The Empire’s pressure on us will probably be small.”

“Zephyros is a small desert kingdom, but it has 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 want to become a vassal state, the Emperor will welcome us with open arms.”

The siblings exchanged words back and forth, then smiled at each other.

“Brother. I will go to the Empire.”

There was someone Lea absolutely had to meet.

‘The Northern Eastern Commander, Fourth Prince Karion.’

He was the son of Nella, the King of Nortia.

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

Nella had stared into the distance with eyes full of regret before speaking.

⌜Save my son.⌟

Nella’s expression as she said those words was calm.

⌜That is all.⌟

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

Stopping her son’s death was more important than even preventing First Prince Enoch from ascending the throne.

Half a year later, Lea departed with her group as the representative of the Zephyros Kingdom’s delegation.

“Fifteen people in total? There are only three large rooms left. What are you going to do? You can sleep together if you squeeze in.”

“All the other inns are full. Is something happening?”

“The arena is going to open soon. Isn’t that why you came?”

“Ah, the arena. We are on our way to Elios.”

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

“Indeed. Give us the rooms first. How much is it for one day’s meals and feed for the horses?”

“Fifteen silver coins.”

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

The innkeeper scratched his head roughly, then smacked his lips and said,

“Let’s do that.”

Just as they had done until now, the group stood around blankly while Lea bargained.

After putting their luggage in the rooms, Lea said to Kasim,

“I’ll look around for a little while, so get some good rest.”

“Co, commander. Again, alone……”

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

Kasim reached out toward Lea’s back, but he could not say anything and lowered his hand.

He had come as her guard and protector, but instead, he felt as if he was the one being protected.

No matter how much he thought about it, he could not understand.

Why did a princess who had hardly ever left the royal castle know the geography of the continent so well?

And why was she not awkward at all when dealing with the locals?

He remembered the conversation he had with the King before they departed.

⌜That child has changed. You notice it too, don’t you?⌟

⌜Yes, Your Majesty.⌟

⌜She used to be so afraid that she could not even leave her bedroom after the sun went down. She was a gentle-hearted child who cried until her eyes became swollen when she saw a baby bird that had fallen from its nest and died. You know that too, don’t you?⌟

⌜……Yes, Your Majesty.⌟

⌜When did the little sister I thought I had to protect begin to have eyes that looked into the distance? Did Lea grow up because I was lacking?⌟

⌜Your Majesty. The princess has simply become an adult. She has reached that age.⌟

⌜But at some point, I began relying on that changed child. As her older brother, this is quite embarrassing.⌟

⌜Your Majesty. Her Highness will sincerely be happy that she can be of help to Your Majesty.⌟

⌜If Lea 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 task. Please take good care of her.⌟

⌜Yes, Your Majesty. I will protect Her Highness with my life.⌟

Kasim’s firm determination was soon put to the test.

“She disappeared!”

The next morning, Penny screamed as she brought the letter Lea had left behind.

—I will go to Poema first. There is something important I need to do there. I roughly drew the route to Poema below. Just follow it, and you should arrive within ten days. See you later.

‘Prrrrincess!’

He held the letter with trembling hands and roared inside his mind.

After climbing up a hill, Lea looked down at the endless plain.

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

She remembered the days when she could not let her guard down for even a moment in order to survive.

Then her relaxed heart tightened again.

The reason she was moving alone was to travel faster.

She had obtained important information at the market.

‘The Northern Eastern Commander is in Poema right now!’

The Zephyros Kingdom’s intelligence network had been unable to find his exact location.

So she had planned to go to Poema, the closest territory under the Northern Eastern Command, and search for him there.

But he happened to be there already.

She was lucky.

She had never met the Northern Eastern Commander, the Fourth Prince, before.

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

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

She was prepared to risk even her own life to prevent his death.

‘If I can repay the debt I owe her with just my life, then that is a cheap price.’

After traveling for five days, she arrived at the Northern Eastern Command’s military camp in Poema.

The camp’s security was strict, as she had roughly observed by sending spirits ahead.

Lea wanted to meet the Fourth Prince unofficially.

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

‘As expected, I have no choice but to sneak in. Please help me.’

She whispered to the spirit.

As if in response, the wind brushed against the back of her neck.

Lea smiled and took a step forward.

The spirit would show her a side path that could avoid people’s eyes.

Inside the office of the residence at the Poema military camp.

A man with jet-black hair was leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk, reading the imperial decree brought by the Emperor’s messenger.

—It seems the cold wind of the northeast has also frozen the commander’s loyalty. I can hardly even remember what your face looks like anymore. Enter the capital before the full moon and let me see your face. I shall give you a cup of warm tea.

A faint trace of ridicule appeared in his emotionless silver-gray eyes.

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

To the Emperor, his five sons were tools that made the Imperial authority look stronger and replaceable parts that could be discarded at any time.

Karion had been away for so long that the Emperor was simply trying to keep him under control, afraid that he might slip outside the range of his control.

He snapped his fingers.

Whoosh—

The Emperor’s decree flew into the air before falling to the floor.

Orbin, the intelligence officer, picked up the decree and said,

“Your Highness. You have already ignored two imperial orders. Next time, it will not be imperial messengers who come, but hunting dogs. You must go this time.”

The Fourth Prince Karion, Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Eastern Region of the Tera Empire, traveled throughout the year between military camps while managing the annexed and vassal states in the northeast.

He had become the Commander-in-Chief six years ago and left the capital.

For the past few years, whenever the Emperor called him, he had made excuses and sent the imperial messengers back.

“It is noisy outside.”

Karion turned his gaze toward his adjutant, Cedric, and said,

“Go check what is happening.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Not long after Cedric left, the noise outside became even louder.

It sounded as though someone shouted, ‘This way!’

The footsteps of several people running through the hallway echoed.

“Your Highness. Cancel your next patrol and—”

While Orbin was speaking, the door suddenly burst open.

Someone entered and closed the door behind them.

Their face could not be seen because they had pulled their hood deeply over their head.

Orbin drew his sword, his face twisting fiercely.

“Who are you?”

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

Orbin froze for a moment when he heard the beautiful voice coming from the intruder.

The stranger grabbed the hood and pushed it back.

The face of a woman with her hair tied behind her head was revealed.

Her sand-colored blonde hair, shining in the sunlight, was so thick that it covered her shoulders even though it was tied back.

Her bright skin seemed to glow on its own.

Her clear, water-colored green eyes sparkled like sunlight reflected on rippling water.

‘Oh.’

Orbin was genuinely impressed.

He had seen quite a few beautiful women, but this beauty felt different.

Should he call it healthy?

Or perhaps fresh and lively?

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

Orbin secretly glanced at Karion.

‘It can’t be, but still, maybe……’

There might be some kind of romantic problem between the prince and this woman, so he could not carelessly interfere.

“I am Lea, Princess of Zephyros. I have committed this rudeness because I wished to see Your Highness while avoiding the eyes of those around me.”

Karion looked her over as if he were examining an object before asking coldly,

“Princess of Zephyros?”

“Yes.”

Karion lowered his legs from the desk and stood up.

As he walked toward Lea, she did not move at all.

As the distance between them became smaller, Lea’s head naturally tilted upward as she continued to meet his gaze.

“An unexpected guest has come. If you really are the Princess of Zephyros.”

“The people who can prove my identity are on their way. The delegation officially sent by the kingdom will arrive within a few days.”

“Why would the Zephyros delegation come here instead of the capital?”

“I have something urgent to tell Your Highness.”

“If it is something that can be finished briefly in one sentence, then tell me.”

It was practically the same as telling her that he did not want to hear it and that she should leave immediately.

Lea was not intimidated by his cold reaction.

She met his gaze and spoke firmly.

“Marry me.”

Oh.

It almost seemed as though someone could not hold back a gasp of admiration.

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