I lowered my head and gave Vera a kiss on her forehead . She grabbed my face with her tiny hand . It was my first time seeing her smile so brightly . She desperately tried to kiss my face as I did to her . I picked her up . She moved her face close to mine and licked me . She then giggled as she hugged me .

Nona and Daisy, who were on the other side, watched me anxiously while making a scene for me to hold them . I noticed myself smiling brightly . Lucia sat to one side and watched me hold the girls whilst wearing a consoled smile herself . She softly said, “The girls really missed you . I couldn’t tell them where you were, so I could only comfort them . They couldn’t understand me, though; hence, they kept crying and making a ruckus…”

After a moment of lingering, I placed Daisy down and went over to Lucia’s side . I hugged her and she docilely leaned onto my chest . Daisy looked in our direction and shrieked, while Nona tried to reach us with all her might . Vera then began to cry . Lucia paused for a moment then got up to walk over to Vera . She wiped away Vera’s tears and softly laughed: “You hungry, Vera?”

Vera tugged on Lucia’s collar . Lucia undid her s.h.i.+rt with a smile and carried her back to my side . I noticed Vera flash a smug look at her sisters . Nona and Daisy looked stunned . I was utterly shocked . Vera took her time suckling .

“She’s not hungry at all! Wow… I can’t believe you’re aware of all this when you’re still just a kid… Vera is seriously frightening…” I realised .

I asked, “Lucia, what exactly happened in the palace? Why did I see such a large statue at Troy City made from pure gold? Who gave the order? I don’t believe Freya gave the order . Freya would never do something that foolish . Who was it? Who is the current ruler of the North?”

Lucia’s expression looked grim . She tried to find the words, but her expression turned grimmer, thereby worrying me .

“What exactly happened in the North? What’s going on in the palace?” I asked myself .

Nothing looked out of place in the Imperial Palace . I noticed the guards around me were still the same as usual . They still obeyed my commands, while the others didn’t seem to have changed . They were as calm as though nothing ever happened, but the statue at Troy City told me something happened . Otherwise, the people around me couldn’t possibly do such a thing!

“Lucia, tell me what exactly happened . The only place that can’t be in chaos in the North is the Imperial Palace . This is where you all reside; I must ensure your safety . There can’t be trouble in the Imperial Palace . Who exactly rules the North right now?!”

Lucia gave me a solemn answer: “Me . ”

“Huh?”

Lucia placed Vera aside . In an absolutely serious tone, she explained, “Your Highness, I, indeed, am the current ruler . I honestly did not want to do this . Freya initially acted as the regent, but she changed when you didn’t return . She killed lots of n.o.bles and brought their money back . She collected taxes at high rates to erect enormous statues here and in Troy City . You wouldn’t believe it, but the design of the statue in the palace towered over the mountains . It was made with pure gold and inlaid diamonds . She even considered reproducing low anthropoids to speed up its construction . Gerald and company tried to talk her out of it, only for her to hurt them . If I didn’t stop her then the North would’ve been destroyed!”

I gave Lucia a nod . I took in a deep breath and replied, “Lucia, what you did was right . I believe what you said . Indeed, Freya cannot continue as Regent if she did those sorts of things; that would certainly destroy the entire North and Troy City . Lucia, you did a great job . You did the right thing . Originally, I didn’t believe Freya was behind it . She went too far . I must punish her . I’m going to send her back to Troy City to reflect!”

I was genuinely very angry . What Freya did was destroying the foundation of the entire North . The North was still unstable . The anthropoids and we were two different races . We used the n.o.bles as a means of appeasing the people and building trust with them, which was why I didn’t lash out or complain despite them not lending me money last time . My purpose in the creation of laws was to stabilise the North in a controlled manner, but Freya ruined it all in just days .

Killing without reason, raising taxes, forcing people into labour and even wanting to reproduce low anthropoids are unforgiveable actions . How was Freya going to be a Regent when she did that? How would the n.o.bles in the North work with us henceforth? Their influence was more significant than ours in the North! All I could do was pray she killed them cleanly .

Lucia smiled helplessly . She grabbed hold of my hand and, in a soft voice, said, “Don’t be too harsh, Your Highness . Freya must have caught wind of your return by now . She missed you so much that she changed, so she’d definitely be the first to go see you, but she hasn’t . She locked herself in her room, which means she already knows how severe her mistake was . She must be blaming herself and in anguish right now . Don’t be too harsh on her . She ended up that way, because she loves you . You’re her only family, so I hope you be gentle with her . ”

I rubbed my face to calm myself down . What Freya did angered me enough to want to kill her . Lucia grabbed me and rubbed my face . Quietly, she explained, “Your Highness, be gentle when you go to her . Don’t make her feel too sad . She’s already sad enough as is . You’re her only family . I wouldn’t put suicide past her if you abandon her, too . ”

I nodded: “Okay . But Lucia, why haven’t I seen Nier and Tanya? Where have they gone?”

Lucia tightened her hold on my hand: “They… went to search for you . Before you returned, we had a quarrel when we got together . Nier and Tanya then decided to go and search for you afterwards . I believed that you would definitely come back, and I also had to take care of the girls, so I stayed behind… It wasn’t that I wasn’t worried about you . Your Highness, I waited day and night for your return . I missed you every day… But I had to stay here to take care of the g-”

I pulled Lucia into my tight embrace before she could finish . Nier and company all left in my absence, so Lucia had to hold the palace together with all she had . It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that everybody around me went crazy after I left . Nier abandoned her daughter to search for me; Vyvyan took me away; Mommy Elizabeth was severely wounded, and even Freya lost it . Lucia was the only one who maintained her composure . She, alone, held the North and palace together . How much did she suffer during my absence, I wondered . She had to keep everything together, take care of her and Nier’s children . In addition, she had to stop Freya from continuing to err . She was just an ordinary elf and an ordinary mother . Her mana was relatively inferior even in the elven lands .

I pulled her tightly into my chest and whispered, “It’s been hard on you, Lucia . ”

Lucia jolted then she leaned onto me . She tightly gripped my arm and silently cried . I stroked her back: “Sorry, Lucia . I’ve made you suffer so much . I’m so sorry . ”

Lucia had always been that way . She wasn’t good with words and wasn’t by my side every night, but she was always there to protect me whenever I was in trouble, and she’d always help me resolve all sorts of problems . She was always the first to step up to the platform when I needed someone . I think that was why I trusted Lucia and loved her so much .

Our romance seemed very plain and mundane, but neither of us would ever leave the other . We’d always go to each other’s side no matter who ran into trouble . Lucia once became a member of the Shadow Squad for my sake . Then, she ate gra.s.s and almost died . This time, she did her best for my sake to stabilise the North . She took care of three kids despite one not being hers .

“Don’t worry about it… Don’t worry about it… I’m your wife, Your Highness… I’m your wife… I should do this much… I can do anything for you…”

Lucia sniffled and blissfully rested on my chest .

While I wasn’t so faithful to her later on, Lucia continued to forgive me time and time again . Lucia loved me far too deeply, so deeply that she could forgive me for everything, stayed by my side no matter what and protected me at all times . I let Lucia down so many times and in so many ways .

Next to her ear and in a soft voice, I apologised: “Sorry, Lucia… Sorry… Lucia… Sorry…”

“No, I don’t mind Ying and Xia…”

“No… What I mean is… I might… die soon… very soon…”

I lowered my head and gave Vera a kiss on her forehead . She grabbed my face with her tiny hand . It was my first time seeing her smile so brightly . She desperately tried to kiss my face as I did to her . I picked her up . She moved her face close to mine and licked me . She then giggled as she hugged me

Nona and Daisy, who were on the other side, watched me anxiously while making a scene for me to hold them . I noticed myself smiling brightly . Lucia sat to one side and watched me hold the girls whilst wearing a consoled smile herself . She softly said, “The girls really missed you . I couldn’t tell them where you were, so I could only comfort them . They couldn’t understand me, though; hence, they kept crying and making a ruckus…”.

After a moment of lingering, I placed Daisy down and went over to Lucia’s side . I hugged her and she docilely leaned onto my chest . Daisy looked in our direction and shrieked, while Nona tried to reach us with all her might . Vera then began to cry . Lucia paused for a moment then got up to walk over to Vera . She wiped away Vera’s tears and softly laughed: “You hungry, Vera?”.

Vera tugged on Lucia’s collar . Lucia undid her s.h.i.+rt with a smile and carried her back to my side . I noticed Vera flash a smug look at her sisters . Nona and Daisy looked stunned . I was utterly shocked . Vera took her time suckling

“She’s not hungry at all! Wow… I can’t believe you’re aware of all this when you’re still just a kid… Vera is seriously frightening…” I realised

I asked, “Lucia, what exactly happened in the palace? Why did I see such a large statue at Troy City made from pure gold? Who gave the order? I don’t believe Freya gave the order . Freya would never do something that foolish . Who was it? Who is the current ruler of the North?”.

Lucia’s expression looked grim . She tried to find the words, but her expression turned grimmer, thereby worrying me

“What exactly happened in the North? What’s going on in the palace?” I asked myself

Nothing looked out of place in the Imperial Palace . I noticed the guards around me were still the same as usual . They still obeyed my commands, while the others didn’t seem to have changed . They were as calm as though nothing ever happened, but the statue at Troy City told me something happened . Otherwise, the people around me couldn’t possibly do such a thing!.

“Lucia, tell me what exactly happened . The only place that can’t be in chaos in the North is the Imperial Palace . This is where you all reside; I must ensure your safety . There can’t be trouble in the Imperial Palace . Who exactly rules the North right now?!”.

Lucia gave me a solemn answer: “Me . ”.

“Huh?”.

Lucia placed Vera aside . In an absolutely serious tone, she explained, “Your Highness, I, indeed, am the current ruler . I honestly did not want to do this . Freya initially acted as the regent, but she changed when you didn’t return . She killed lots of n.o.bles and brought their money back . She collected taxes at high rates to erect enormous statues here and in Troy City . You wouldn’t believe it, but the design of the statue in the palace towered over the mountains . It was made with pure gold and inlaid diamonds . She even considered reproducing low anthropoids to speed up its construction . Gerald and company tried to talk her out of it, only for her to hurt them . If I didn’t stop her then the North would’ve been destroyed!”.

I gave Lucia a nod . I took in a deep breath and replied, “Lucia, what you did was right . I believe what you said . Indeed, Freya cannot continue as Regent if she did those sorts of things; that would certainly destroy the entire North and Troy City . Lucia, you did a great job . You did the right thing . Originally, I didn’t believe Freya was behind it . She went too far . I must punish her . I’m going to send her back to Troy City to reflect!”.

I was genuinely very angry . What Freya did was destroying the foundation of the entire North . The North was still unstable . The anthropoids and we were two different races . We used the n.o.bles as a means of appeasing the people and building trust with them, which was why I didn’t lash out or complain despite them not lending me money last time . My purpose in the creation of laws was to stabilise the North in a controlled manner, but Freya ruined it all in just days

Killing without reason, raising taxes, forcing people into labour and even wanting to reproduce low anthropoids are unforgiveable actions . How was Freya going to be a Regent when she did that? How would the n.o.bles in the North work with us henceforth? Their influence was more significant than ours in the North! All I could do was pray she killed them cleanly

Lucia smiled helplessly . She grabbed hold of my hand and, in a soft voice, said, “Don’t be too harsh, Your Highness . Freya must have caught wind of your return by now . She missed you so much that she changed, so she’d definitely be the first to go see you, but she hasn’t . She locked herself in her room, which means she already knows how severe her mistake was . She must be blaming herself and in anguish right now . Don’t be too harsh on her . She ended up that way, because she loves you . You’re her only family, so I hope you be gentle with her . ”.

I rubbed my face to calm myself down . What Freya did angered me enough to want to kill her . Lucia grabbed me and rubbed my face . Quietly, she explained, “Your Highness, be gentle when you go to her . Don’t make her feel too sad . She’s already sad enough as is . You’re her only family . I wouldn’t put suicide past her if you abandon her, too . ”.

I nodded: “Okay . But Lucia, why haven’t I seen Nier and Tanya? Where have they gone?”.

Lucia tightened her hold on my hand: “They… went to search for you . Before you returned, we had a quarrel when we got together . Nier and Tanya then decided to go and search for you afterwards . I believed that you would definitely come back, and I also had to take care of the girls, so I stayed behind… It wasn’t that I wasn’t worried about you . Your Highness, I waited day and night for your return . I missed you every day… But I had to stay here to take care of the g-”.

I pulled Lucia into my tight embrace before she could finish . Nier and company all left in my absence, so Lucia had to hold the palace together with all she had . It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that everybody around me went crazy after I left . Nier abandoned her daughter to search for me; Vyvyan took me away; Mommy Elizabeth was severely wounded, and even Freya lost it . Lucia was the only one who maintained her composure . She, alone, held the North and palace together . How much did she suffer during my absence, I wondered . She had to keep everything together, take care of her and Nier’s children . In addition, she had to stop Freya from continuing to err . She was just an ordinary elf and an ordinary mother . Her mana was relatively inferior even in the elven lands

I pulled her tightly into my chest and whispered, “It’s been hard on you, Lucia . ”.

Lucia jolted then she leaned onto me . She tightly gripped my arm and silently cried . I stroked her back: “Sorry, Lucia . I’ve made you suffer so much . I’m so sorry . ”.

Lucia had always been that way . She wasn’t good with words and wasn’t by my side every night, but she was always there to protect me whenever I was in trouble, and she’d always help me resolve all sorts of problems . She was always the first to step up to the platform when I needed someone . I think that was why I trusted Lucia and loved her so much

Our romance seemed very plain and mundane, but neither of us would ever leave the other . We’d always go to each other’s side no matter who ran into trouble . Lucia once became a member of the Shadow Squad for my sake . Then, she ate gra.s.s and almost died . This time, she did her best for my sake to stabilise the North . She took care of three kids despite one not being hers

“Don’t worry about it… Don’t worry about it… I’m your wife, Your Highness… I’m your wife… I should do this much… I can do anything for you…”.

Lucia sniffled and blissfully rested on my chest

While I wasn’t so faithful to her later on, Lucia continued to forgive me time and time again . Lucia loved me far too deeply, so deeply that she could forgive me for everything, stayed by my side no matter what and protected me at all times . I let Lucia down so many times and in so many ways

Next to her ear and in a soft voice, I apologised: “Sorry, Lucia… Sorry… Lucia… Sorry…”.

“No, I don’t mind Ying and Xia…”.

“No… What I mean is… I might… die soon… very soon…”.