Chapter 34

The 2nd Empress was very busy.

There have been no quiet days in recent years, but these few days were especially severe.

Elisha also checked her surroundings several times and worked hard to prepare.

“If anything happens to the 2nd Empress Palace while I am away, go to the Imperial Palace and follow the instruction of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What about Leon?”

It was decided that Leon would be joining on this external schedule.

This was specifically requested by Elisha from the Emperor, and the Emperor granted it without any objection.

“Mr. Georg told him a lot of things to be careful about outside Barossa. He has packed his luggage just as the 2nd Empress asked.”

The maid Marie knew how dangerous it would be for the young prince to go out of Barossa, so she was worried, but she did not express it.

“Alright.”

Elisha nodded her head and turned her gaze in the direction of The Great Hall. Leon was Leon. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince would be attending his first political meeting today.

She wondered if he was doing well.

“2nd Empress!”

The person Elisha was thinking of came to the entrance of the 2nd Empress Palace.

Elisha was about to welcome the black-haired and blue-eyed boy, but the boy was no longer stepping inside the entrance.

“Your Highness, is there anything wrong?”

When Elisha asked the question as if puzzled, Ascencio looked at Elisha.

“Today, I was recognized as the Crown Prince.”

He was the Crown Prince only in title, and had never played a role worthy of until today.

“How did you feel?”

“My heart raced. Even the nobles who usually said bad things about me all looked at me.”

“And?”

“I was focused. It seemed that what I said was worthwhile. It was as if I had the power to change something.”

“I’m sure it will happen.”

“It feels good.”

“It will get better.”

“2nd Empress means to continue using your sacrifices as a stepping stone?

“It is natural for the young child to rise above their parents. Why is that bad?”

“I…”

“All future reports from the West will pass through Crown Prince’s mouth and be announced at the political affairs meeting. The success is due to His Majesty’s reign, and I will do my best to accumulate the achievements of Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

As much as Elisha did her part, the Emperor also paid for it.

This is a down payment and a hostage.

How much and how the prince’s position would change depended on Elisha’s actions.

“Therefore, Your Highness the Crown Prince, run around to your heart’s content. I am strong. I will support you.”

And when you come here.

Why are you studying my face?

This is a place where you can come without permission.

As Elisha said, she stretched out her hand.

Ascencio entered the 2nd Empress Palace and stood in front of Elisha, and said.

“I want to be a good emperor. But more than that, I want to be a son you will be proud of.”

Elisha wrapped her hands around Ascencio’s cheeks and kissed the top of his head.

“Why do you think you’re not at this moment? I don’t know the former, but you’ve already achieved the latter.”

Aah.

Ascencio closed his eyes at the warmth that spread throughout his body.

So beautiful and strong. My mother.

Taking Ascencio’s hand, Elisha went to the annex.

As soon as he heard from Marie that Ascencio had arrived, Leon ran up to and hugged Ascencio.

“Prepare a simple dinner and let us dine here.”

“It will be done.”

After Marie left, the three members of the family, who would not see each other for a long time after tomorrow, sat in a circle and talked about various things.

Leon spoke the words while Ascencio answered most of the time, and one could tell just how hard Elisha was listening just from her pricked auricles.

Ascencio poked Leon and blinked his eyes.

Leon smiled bashfully and nodded his head.

The two of them already knew the habit of their mother, whose expression didn’t change much when she was absorbed in something.

A smile came to Elisha’s lips as she liked seeing the brothers who put their foreheads together like children of their age.

It was full of love all around.

***

The next morning, Elisha was found frowning in front of the gift box the Emperor had sent her.

“What else is this?”

It wasn’t long since she got into trouble with the jewel boxes, though they had, of course, been very well put to use.

Once she thought that this one might cause another kind of storm… Well…

It was a gift and she didn’t want to receive it, but what should she do?

One cannot refuse what the emperor has sent.

Elisha opened the lid of the box that was too big to hold.

“Is it clothes?”

She took it out and checked it out because she thought it was unique. It wasn’t a dress, but pants that had a shape similar to a riding suit.

Her decision was fast compared to the thought that it was bothersome.

That’s because Elisha knew how comfortable this outfit was compared to her dress. Flirting with the hem of her skirt in battle was very stupid.

However, Elisha had realized this only after quite some time had passed since the war for the throne began in earnest.

This time, she was glad that she was able to change clothes much faster than that and in the name of the Emperor’s gift without much fuss.

For this one thing, Elisha thought, she was very grateful to Kaiden no matter what his plans were.

Elisha began to change her clothes.

Tight trousers highlight Elisha’s slender and long legs.

Coupled with a jacket with a length that slightly covers her thighs and buttoned them up. The buttons were densely stretched all the way to the end of her neck.

When all the buttons were closed, the collar, two fingers high, stood stiffly and wrapped around Elisha’s thin neck.

It looked like she had worn enough, but there were still quite a few things left in the box.

Wriggling through the box, she pulled out a belt about half a span and put it on her waist.

She fastened the belt and put on leather shoes that covered her calves. There was only one thing left in the box.

Elisha picked it up and opened it wide.

A black cloak.

“What an awful taste.”

Elisha was wearing a blue jacket and white pants.

On top of that, the Imperial seal stamped on the cloak opening was added…

It was so much that anyone could see that Elisha belonged to the Emperor.

“Ever since the last jewel, I’ve been wondering if he is that kind of person in the first place.”

Elisha clicked her tongue.

But she didn’t want to wear her dress again, so she put the cloak over her shoulders. This was Elisha’s most comfortable and familiar appearance.

As she walked out of her room, everyone’s eyes were widened as if surprised.

She had said that she would check the emperor’s gift, and she came out wearing clothes no one had ever seen before.

She even wore the clothes she had never worn before by herself.

“Mo…ther?”

Leon, who found Elisha coming out of the central building, had been running to and fro as usual before his body froze.

“What is it? Does it look strange?”

When Elisha looked down at him and asked, Leon shook his head violently.

“N-No, Mother! It’s really… cool! It’s like the prettiest crow in the world!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Even if you brush your wings just once, everything around you will freeze and break into pieces!”

“Hmm. It won’t be easy, but I can try.”

“Are you really able to do it?”

“It’s hard to freeze things, but if the scope is narrow enough, I can break something.”

“Wow!”

Leon clasped his hands together and let out a clap.

The tip of Elisha’s chin lifted up slightly without realizing it.

Marie and the maids, who were watching the two people, thought something was strange, but it was difficult to pick and choose what it was.

Because everything was weird from one to ten.

Ascencio felt the same way, but instead of pointing out the odds, he decided to tell the obvious truth.

“You get along really well.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Elisha answered.

“It is said that the Western nobles who will accompany the 2nd Empress have arrived in front of Barossa. 2nd Empress should not be late because His Majesty also said that he would see you off for your trip to the west.”

However, he did not hasten his steps even as he spoke these words.

The regret was so obvious that Elisha tapped Ascencio on the shoulder.

Then they left the 2nd Empress Palace. As Elisha took the lead, Leon and Ascencio approached her left and right.

Behind the two children were Georg and Jillian, as well as the members of the 2nd Empress Palace.

The following shadow was long.

Elisha dragged the head of the black snake from the 2nd Empress Palace to the main gate of Barossa, Elisha felt the weight of her people.

[T/N: I’m sure at this point we all know that author-nim loves to use this kind of pretty illustrations, yeah? The head of the black snake is not a literal black snake, but the ‘illusion’ of the long train of people following her out of the palace. I may not point out more pretty words like this in the future and let you figure it out yourself :lmaocry:]

At the front door, an incomparable number of people were already seated and waiting for Elisha’s crowd.

As Elisha approached, those who had opened their mouths to rebuke her for not being punctual opened their mouths wider.

This was because the black and blue color that covered the sky blue eyes with silver hair cut out the surroundings in an eerie manner and boasted her presence.

Still, the nobles did not forget what they had to do.

“This… This…!”

“As an empress, what do you think of your body to wear such clothes…!”

The quality and shape that Barossa’s noblewomen would wear may be different from lowly mercenary women, who were not treated so well. But at the moment, Elisha seemed to be wearing their clothes.

Is there any way they can just let this pass?

But the Western aristocrats, who would be receiving her aid in the future, were conscious and did not participate in this farce.

The critique towards Elisha ended only after the Emperor came.

The Emperor was a little surprised because he did not expect that Elisha would choose that unconventional outfit and wear it here.

But he still maintained his calm as he looked at and headed towards Elisha.

“It’s better than I thought.”

“My thanks.”

Elisha sincerely answers. She even smiled a little.

It took a while for the Emperor to respond this time.

The Emperor once again scanned Elisha from top to bottom.

Then he said to not Elisha, but other nobles, especially Isabelle, who had come to the Imperial Palace saying that she would walk with him.

“The clothes of the 2nd Empress are modeled after Duke Katrina of the Zeon Empire, the only female swordmaster on the continent, so I hope there will be no disturbance for any reason. It is another story if the 2nd Empress’ future job is to attend banquets and show compassion to the people of the Empire as a Barossa woman.”

The Emperor turned his head and reached out to the deputy commander of the 1st Knights, who had been waiting, instead of Rohan.

The quick-witted second-in-command, Zeke, untied the entire leather belt that fastened the scabbard on his waist and offered it to the Emperor.

The Emperor picked it up and wrapped it around Elisha’s waist.

The emperor, who straightened up, spoke indifferently.

“The 2nd Empress is a person who fights against strong winds by stepping on dry land facing the desert, and she is also very good at swordsmanship. Isn’t it right?”

“That is right, Your Majesty.”

Since the Emperor himself had nailed it that far, there would be no one to argue with Elisha regarding this matter in the future.

This was the reason why Elisha came out wearing those clothes.

When everyone who came to greet them was finished, the Emperor moved.

Everyone rushed at his step as a signal.

Elisha also walked along with Leon, through the main gate of Barossa and toward the carriages lined up outside.

Since there were many difficulties in using a portal, the procession that would follow as they traveled entirely by land was endlessly long.

Even without the guidance of Marquis Rwanda, who was in charge of the 2nd Empress’s journey to the west, it was obvious where Elisha should get on.

Because the carriage surrounded by Rohan and the twenty knights, which is the 3rd division of the 1st Knights, must be Elisha’s.

“We will pass by the Verdin Duchy on our way to Eyim, Syuphl, and Rwanda, where the drought is most severe, so let’s organize our plans and move on there.”

What Marquis Rwanda was saying was reconfirming the previously announced plan, so Elisha nodded her head without thinking.

By the time Elisha was about to get into the carriage, the Emperor had finished seeing her off without going through the main gate and had disappeared, leaving only the 1st Empress and her kin, Ascencio and the 2nd Empress Palace staff, watching those who were about to leave.

Elisha stared at Ascencio.

With the Western Tower and Georg, and Marquis Blemir, he will be safe.

Elisha smiled at Ascencio and got into the carriage.

Leon also waved vigorously to his big brother and before getting into the same carriage as his mother.

As soon as Rohan closed the carriage door, the group left.

Elisha remembered the insidious gaze that followed every move she made.

“The 1st Empress will pay for anything.”

She had never seen such a face of the 1st Empress in her previous life.

The stench of rotting flowers wafted all around her.