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"I think we should open the capital to the refugees."
Charles's eyes turned sharp as he finished speaking.
Iana could read his mind instantly.
"You're worried His Majesty the Emperor won't allow it, aren't you?"
If refugees from the north entered the capital, it was clear that not only would material resources be strained, but the fear of war would also spread.
Charles sighed softly and continued.
"That's why I called you. If His Majesty hears from an Archmage who knows the situation in the north well, he might change his mind, even a little."
"I'll try my best to explain."
Iana smiled reassuringly.
The two walked towards the Imperial Palace, talking as they went.
Charles asked casually, as if throwing a stone into a pond, "I heard you met Count Dietrian? In your room..."
Iana looked at him, startled.
Then, looking around, she stood on tiptoe and whispered in Charles's ear, "How did you know? Did you put an informant on Carrion, or rather, Count Dietrian?"
This time, Charles looked around before lowering his head to whisper, "I did."
"Really? When?"
Iana's eyes widened as she asked in a small voice.
Amused by her intense reaction, Charles chuckled.
"I lied."
"Pardon?"
"When an enemy becomes an ally, the last thing you should do is tail and monitor them. Once trust is broken, it can't be recovered."
"I thought it was real. Let's go."
Iana was about to hurry on when Charles gently grabbed her shoulders with both hands and looked into her eyes.
"Did you cry?"
"N-No."
Iana lied, embarrassed that she had cried because of Carrion.
Charles narrowed his eyes and questioned her suspiciously.
"Don't lie. Your lower eyelids look red and swollen, like you've been crying."
"..."
"Your lower eyelids always swell up like that after you cry."
At Charles's words, Iana had no choice but to be honest.
"I did cry. It's not that Ca-, that person said anything, but while we were talking about the past, I got angry and upset on my own, and before I knew it..."
Mwah!
Before Iana could finish, Charles gently kissed her eyelid.
Softly and warmly, as if to comfort her.
"...!"
Iana was flustered and couldn't speak.
"Are you still upset about what happened back then?"
Charles asked carefully.
The weight Iana felt in her heart and the weight Charles perceived were different.
To Charles, who didn't know about her regression, Iana's married life had only lasted about two months.
And about half of that time was spent in Ervin.
"No. It's nothing like that."
Iana's face turned red, and she shook her head.
"Then don't go around crying. It upsets me a lot when you cry."
"Your Highness always treats me like a child... No, it's nothing."
Iana moved on, embarrassed to say more as Charles spoke as if he were soothing a child.
He followed her, saying playfully, "I'm the only one who indulges your whims, aren't I?"
"..."
Iana stopped and turned to look at him.
"You are the only one for me too. The only one who treats a grown adult like a child."
Charles gazed intently at Iana after speaking.
"Why, why are you looking at me like that?"
"I was wondering what a child who really looked like you would be like."
"A child?"
Iana's face turned as red as a tomato. She felt embarrassed and ashamed, but also a pang in her heart.
Her body had been sealed by powerful black magic for over ten years.
The chances of her having children were slim.
It was a story she would have to share with him seriously someday, but not now.
"They'd probably look exactly like me, just a different size."
Iana said playfully and ran quickly towards the Imperial Palace.
Amused by her reaction, Charles laughed and followed.
✦ ✦ ✦
A little later, Iana and Charles were in the Emperor's office, reporting on the situation in Ervin.
The Emperor's eyes turned sharp as he sat at his desk, listening to the report.
"The monsters are getting stronger, probably because more mutant monsters are appearing."
Charles continued from Iana's words.
"The territories in the northern region don't have the capacity to take in refugees, so we should accept them in the capital."
"Denied."
The Emperor cut off Charles's words with a single stroke.
"How will we afford the cost of so many refugees entering the capital? And what if pieces of Arika Vine are attached to the refugees?"
"But..."
"Above all, if the people of the capital see the refugees and mistakenly believe that the war in the north is serious, they will be shaken."
Fear was embedded in the Emperor's crazed eyes.
Iana was so dumbfounded that she blurted out, "Your Majesty, the war in the north is serious. It's being called the Third Monster War."
"What?"
The Emperor glared fiercely at Iana.
Charles stepped forward and changed the subject.
"Then please send The First Order of Knights, which specializes in monster wars, and additional reinforcements to the north."
"That is also denied."
The Emperor was firm.
"Your Majesty..."
Before Charles could speak, the Emperor rose from his seat.
Bang!
The Emperor slammed his fists hard on the desk.
"The First Order of Knights must protect me, the Emperor!"
The frightened and agitated Emperor was not easily reasoned with.
The Emperor strode over and roughly grabbed Charles by the collar.
"Imagine the people of the capital and the south seeing with their own eyes the sight of people who have come all the way here as refugees because they couldn't stop a single war."
"..."
"Do you think we'll be able to change Rubena into a theocratic political system?"
Charles asked with a calm face, without much agitation.
"Then what will you do with the northern Imperial citizens?"
The Emperor roughly swept back his gray hair.
"Isn't the north a place where monsters frequently appear anyway?"
Iana could understand the intention of those words exactly.
'So it doesn't matter if the refugees are attacked and killed by monsters.'
The Emperor, who had abandoned Ervin, had now abandoned the northern region.
All for the sake of a theocratic political system where he would become a god.
Just as Iana, angered, was about to step forward, Charles spoke first.
"I will follow Your Majesty's will."
"Your Highness!"
Iana tried to stop him, but Charles paid no attention.
The Emperor asked Charles with a suspicious look, "You say you will follow my words, is that sincere?"
"Yes, I will."
"Good. Then this time too, you should take the lead in organizing it. The procession of refugees coming to the capital..."
The Emperor passed on to Charles the task of dealing with something that would receive all kinds of criticism and blame.
Iana's clenched fists trembled.
'The Emperor is crazy. To think that such a person is the Emperor of a nation...'
The Emperor released his hands from Charles's collar and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. I will send Imperial Army reinforcements to the north in addition to The First Order of Knights."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Charles's face was expressionless, without any emotion.
After speaking, the Emperor went back to his desk and sat down. Soon, he pressed his temple with one hand and shouted in a neurotic voice.
"Secretary! Secretary!"
Thump-
The office door opened, and an elderly secretary entered.
"Your Majesty, did you call?"
"My head is splitting. Go and call a healer. Quickly!"
While the Emperor and the secretary were talking, Iana and Charles quietly left the office.
The two were silent as they walked from the Imperial Palace, through the garden, to the castle gate.
Iana recalled the sight of the territory's citizens, fleeing in a hurry from the swarm of monsters in Ervin.
A clear sky without a single cloud and the clear sound of birds. Even the cool breeze.
It was a memory that contrasted with the peaceful scenery of the Imperial Palace.
Iana couldn't bear it any longer and stopped walking.
"Your Highness..."
Just as Iana was about to speak, Charles suddenly hugged her tightly.
"...!"
Iana was surprised by his sudden action.
Was he upset by the Emperor's behavior? Charles said nothing.
Iana raised her hands and hugged him, as if to offer comfort.
Then Charles whispered in her ear as he held her.
"It seems we need to move a little earlier than expected."
"Pardon?"
Iana was puzzled by his voice, which was not as heavy as she had expected.
Charles hugged Iana even tighter and said, suppressing his voice as much as possible, "I will open the outer walls of the capital."
"..."
"So that refugees and those who plot rebellion can enter together."
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