Dietrian’s dark circles deepened with each passing day.
It was actually a natural outcome.
Recently, the Principality had been growing stronger day by day.
The Empire’s attacks had ceased, and Leticia’s wings worked for the Principality. The two forces created synergy, producing results several times greater.
It was the king’s duty to manage this rare prosperity, which had come for the first time in over a hundred years. Thus, Dietrian had been busier than ever.
In fact, many ministers had recently argued that Genos should be elevated to the status of an empire. There was no longer any need to be swayed by the Empire as a Principality.
Of course, such a transition required preparation.
Transforming the Principality into an empire was not something that could be done simply by changing its name. The Principality’s system had to be reformed.
However, there was no time to address that immediately.
This was because Genos was developing rapidly by the day. There was no time to step away from the Principality as work continuously poured in.
Even amidst such busyness, Dietrian tried to actively participate in parenting. Leticia, watching her husband smile with a weary face, felt a pang in her chest. She thought she was burdening him too much because of her own desires.
In the end, Leticia made a decision.
She decided to seek the help of the nannies.
“Leticia, I’m really fine. Don’t give up on your dreams because of me. This is a time that will never come back.”
Leticia spoke sincerely, trying to stop her husband, whose health had deteriorated due to his enthusiasm.
“I’m already happy enough as it is. Truly.”
It was true that she wanted to witness every moment of their children’s growth.
Having never experienced a mother’s love herself, she did not want to miss a single moment of parenting.
Yet, there was something more important to Leticia than her own dreams.
It was Dietrian.
“Everyone is very busy right now. Let’s be a little greedy again after the state affairs are settled. The children will still be growing by our side when that time comes.”
“But Abel and Lehira’s ‘today’ will never come back.”
With eyes full of regret, Dietrian gazed at the twins, who were lying side by side on the bed.
Parenting was difficult. However, it was such a radiant time that all the hardships were washed away.
Recently, the twins had been trying to roll over. Watching them wiggle their short limbs and purse their lips made all worries disappear.
Dietrian suddenly regretted being a king. As a king, he enjoyed many privileges.
But he also felt that many things were being taken away from him.
Dietrian embraced Leticia and buried his face in her shoulder. He sighed quietly and whispered.
“Leticia.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to be king anymore.”
“…What?”
“Because I’m king, I can’t stay by our children’s side. It feels unfair. I’ve already sacrificed enough, haven’t I? And now, I can’t even enjoy the joy of parenting. Isn’t this too much?”
Leticia stared at Dietrian, surprised. Not the pain of parenting, but the joy? She carefully studied Dietrian’s expression. Surprisingly, his gaze seemed sincere. He was genuinely regretful about the time spent away from the children.
“I think I should hand the throne over to my brother. To be fair, this position should have been his. Seven years, no, eight years—I’ve held on long enough, haven’t I?”
“Haha, it doesn’t work like that.”
Leticia burst into laughter at Dietrian’s whining. Unperturbed, Dietrian continued to groan in frustration. Leticia giggled as she cupped his cheeks and began kissing his face all over.
“I’ll give you a reward. Just endure a little longer. You can do that, right?”
Dietrian’s eyes narrowed.
As Leticia’s kisses continued, his gaze softened.
Still, he pretended to be disappointed and hardened his lips. Only when Leticia gently kissed his lips did he finally break into a smile.
“I guess I’ll have to complain more.”
“Hmm?”
“That way, I’ll get a bigger reward.”
Leticia, looking at him, couldn’t help but laugh in surrender.
Her husband was becoming more and more lovable.
She wondered if this love would ever have an end—it was a thought that crossed her mind.
* * *
After the nannies took over the childcare duties, Dietrian and Leticia both resumed fulfilling their duties as king and queen. Leticia, too, had no shortage of responsibilities. She was both a saint and a queen.
『To the beloved saint.』
Recently, the Empire had been sending letters every three days.
They were written by none other than Princess—no, Empress Dana herself.
Dana, who had become an avid supporter of Leticia in the Empire and pursued revenge in her stead, had pressured Callisto to create something incredible.
It was a portal that connected the Empire and the Principality in an instant.
『This is a gift from the Empress of the Empire to Your Majesty.』
A few months ago, just after the birth of the twins, Banessa returned from the Empire.
Banessa brought with him an overwhelming number of gifts, including something for Leticia.
It was a glossy, black, flat gemstone. Though it looked smooth and somewhat like a pebble at first glance, a closer look revealed otherwise.
Tiny granules adorned the surface of the gem, creating a mysterious array of colors as light struck it. Though it was undoubtedly black, it gave the impression of gazing at a very ornate jewel.
“With this gem, it seems possible to send items from the Empire to the Principality. For now, the size limit is about that of a pen.”
Leticia was astonished. Though she wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about magic, she knew that the item Banessa had brought was extraordinary.
The journey between the Empire and the Principality by land took a full month. One had to switch between two or three teleportation circles, and even then, it couldn’t be used consecutively.
But now, they had created an item that could bridge that vast distance in an instant. If the Tower’s mages knew about this, there would surely be an uproar.
What was even more astounding was that Callisto used the phrase “for now” when introducing the item. For now, it was only the size of a pen.
So, what’s next?
What kind of future would unfold from here?
Leticia began to fear what the two imperial royals might do next.
『To the beloved saint, I greet you after a long time.』
That night, Leticia discovered why Callisto had created such an item.
Dana’s letter had arrived.
As Banessa mentioned, it was rolled into a small scroll, about the size of a pen, with the latest news from the Empire densely written.
『The corrupt priests you mentioned earlier have all met an early demise. Sir Banessa worked hard, but there are still some remnants left. When they dared to seek the Goddess, we made sure they wouldn’t do so ever again…』
Dana’s letter brought Leticia quite a bit of joy.
At first, it was the delight of hearing detailed news about the Empire. She was thankful to Dana for sharing these updates.
But at some point, Leticia realized just how much Dana relied on her.
It was a strange feeling. All of her wings were precious to her, not just because they were loyal.
Leticia had never once thought of them as mere subordinates to be treated coldly.
To her, they were another family. Because they were family, they were always together. Just as Ahwin, Noel, Kailas, and Irene stayed in the Principality, the mere fact that someone was always there brought them strength.
But Dana was different.
Leticia suddenly realized just how lonely and burdened Dana must feel. Her younger brother, Callisto, probably wasn’t much help.
Dana’s letter was full of emotions, pressed down but still leaking out.
So, Leticia sent a letter back to Dana.
『Thanks to your concern, I am doing very well. By the way, Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask, if I may. Would it be all right if I called you by your name? Could we become friends?』
After much thought, Leticia sent the letter. The reply came immediately. “Of course!” It was followed by about twenty exclamation points. Leticia could almost see Dana’s expression as she wrote the letter.
From then on, Dana naturally began to discuss imperial affairs with Leticia.
Leticia, too, no longer drew a line between herself and the Empire’s matters.
She thought it better to intervene actively, to help root out Josephina’s influence and the corrupt priests, rather than to ignore it.
Time passed in a whirlwind.
Before she knew it, Abel and Lehira’s first birthday was approaching.
* * *
“Noel!”
“Shh!”
Noel, who was sitting on a bench, quickly pressed her index finger to her lips. The palace servant, in response, reflexively covered their mouth. Then, they mouthed the question.
‘The baby?’
Noel gave a slight nod and mouthed back.
‘The princess. She’s sleeping.’
The servant nodded enthusiastically, signaling they understood.
They tiptoed quietly away. Only after the servant entered the palace did Noel exhale the breath she had been holding.
Beside Noel, there was a red cradle. Under the shade of a tree, Lehira was peacefully asleep.
Noel, resting her chin on her hand, gazed at the sleeping princess. A smile naturally formed on her lips.
Leticia had become increasingly busy. So had Dietrian. Many people helped with childcare. Or rather, to be more accurate, they all clamored for a chance to participate.
Abel and Lehira.
The two children were treasures of the royal family. Everyone found excuses to be near them.
Noel was no exception.
At first, she had wanted to see the babies but couldn’t bring herself to do so.
That was because of Ahwin.
Though she longed for the adorable little ones, every time she saw them, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the marriage proposal she had rejected.
Whenever she was with Ahwin and the children, she felt so uneasy, unsure of what to do with herself.
For a while, she even avoided Ahwin.
But as they say, time heals all. Both Noel and Ahwin slowly grew accustomed to the situation. Noel became more comfortable visiting the children.
A smile crept onto Noel’s face as she looked down at Lehira. She couldn’t quite explain it. Babies had a strange power. Just looking at them filled her heart with warmth.
Unable to resist, Noel gently touched the tiny hand she had been holding. The soft, squishy sensation on her fingertips sent a wave of tenderness through her.
Then it happened.
Lehira suddenly opened her eyes. Noel quickly shielded the baby’s face with her hand, making sure to block the sunlight. Even under the shade of the tree, she felt protective.
At that moment, Noel felt something tug on her sleeve. With a curious expression, she looked down—and her eyes widened in surprise.
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