The Emperor had indeed asked Roderick indirectly about a successor, but he ultimately kept quiet, believing that the decision on who would be the next Emperor was solely his prerogative.
In fact, he thought that Hiram would be more suitable for the throne than Byron. But he never said that opinion out loud, and there was never any animosity in it.
From the beginning, Ophelia had no intention of accepting Byron's feelings, so even if it was called a love triangle, it was one-sided.
It was upsetting that he persisted despite her rejection, but Roderick was a man who knew how to clearly distinguish between public and private life.
Whatever the truth, he has been searching the empire for Byron, believing he must have taken Aila.
Suddenly, Winfred saw that kid in the big city.
Roderick, who thought it was strange, suddenly remembered a story he had heard from Alexia Dexen, a classmate and close friend who had studied swordsmanship with him.
There was a story about Winfred sneaking out of Bahaite and almost being assassinated by Cloud Air.
“...Are you talking about that time when you met the assassin?”
“Oh, that’s right. That girl named Aila saved my life back then.”
He couldn't figure out what was going on, but there was a girl named 'Aila Hailing' who was in the place where Cloud Air was.
That too, if she's a girl with silver hair and blue eyes.
It seemed very likely that the child was Aila Hailing Weishaffen, the daughter of Roderick and Ophelia.
“Is that child really the lost Princess?”
Winfred asked cautiously. Roderick, who was rubbing his wife’s back while she cried while deep in thought, nodded to Winfred’s question.
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s our daughter.”
Rodrick let out a hollow laugh.
He had been thinking that the girl Winfred had met might really be their daughter. But it only really felt real after he answered Winfred's question positively.
The feeling that Aila is alive.
And Winfred sighed deeply at Roderick's answer. He was finally able to complete all the homework that Aila had given him.
“Well, actually, that kid asked me for something.”
As Winfred opened his mouth, Roderick looked straight at Winfred as if he was listening. Ophelia, who had been shedding tears the whole time, wiped her tears away with a handkerchief and looked at Winfred.
“...She told me that if I ever find out who she is, I should definitely tell her parents. She also told me to keep it a secret from everyone else.”
A message that his daughter had asked him to deliver. Roderick and Ophelia held each other's hands tightly, waiting for Winfred to open his mouth.
“That’s what Aila said. She said she would go back to her parents, to her mother and father. She said she would definitely go back someday. Please tell them that.”
Winfred spoke, recalling Aila's solemn expression at that moment. Somehow, he felt like he was becoming as solemn as Aila.
And, after hearing his message, Roderick and Ophelia tightened their grip on each other's hands. Ophelia's tears, which had barely stopped, began to flow again.
There were tears of joy. So very, very happy. So blissful.
“...That kid said she was coming back.”
It was news from her daughter, who she had not heard from for 10 years. And it was news that she would definitely return someday.
Roderick and Ophelia looked at each other and shared a glance.
Ophelia's eyes were sparkling with tears, but the gaze they shared was filled with happiness.
No words were needed.
Returning to the palace after finishing his business, Winfred sat back deeply in his plush carriage seat.
No, rather than saying he was sitting, it would be more accurate to say he was glued to the chair. He had that much energy.
‘...I thought it would be a simple visit where I would just give them a gift and come back.’
He doesn't know how it happened, but he lost all his energy in just one day.
Of course, he was very happy to learn Aila's true identity. He was sincere.
He also told her parents the news, as Aila had asked him to, and seeing Roderick and Ophelia so happy made him feel very happy too. Everything was good.
But during that process, he felt like all his energy was sucked out.
'What a strange fate. Aila is the daughter of the Duke of Weishaffen.'
A bashful smile appeared on Winfred's face as he lay half-lying on the sofa, his body relaxed. He couldn't help but laugh because he never thought the answer would be so close.
'Wait a minute. So that baby I said I'd marry when I was little...?'
Isn't it true that the baby who had been shouting that he would take her as his bride when she was a child, but whom he doesn't even remember, was none other than Aila?
Who would have thought that his taste would be this consistent? Winfred placed both hands on his reddened cheeks.
Winfred, who had said that he would pretend not to remember such a childhood story, was nowhere to be found. He wanted to brag to everyone right away that he had fallen in love with that girl all over again.
But Winfred kept his mouth shut.
It was because of the words Roderick had left for him before he left the Duke's residence.
'Aila, there must be a reason why that child kept it a secret from everyone else. I'd like to keep this a secret between us for the time being.'
He said that.
Ah, Winfred let out a deep sigh as was his habit. His body sank even further into the sofa.
“Welcome, Director Eposher. Thank you for coming all this way.”
Roderick greeted the woman politely as she got out of the carriage.
The person who got out of the carriage was a tall and thin woman, as tall as an average adult man.
“How long has it been! How have you been, Roderick?”
The woman wearing round glasses smiled cheerfully, showing off her teeth.
Although he had extended his hand to escort her, his hand had lost its original purpose and was being held by Candice, shaking vigorously up and down.
She had gray hair that had grown out in a messy bun, and she was wearing a suit that only men in the empire wore. She looked a bit distracted.
Only the mysterious black eyes were shining with intelligence.
“Uh, yes. I’ve been doing well. But Director Eposher...”
“Again, you’re calling me director again. I told you to just call me by my name like before.”
Candice grinned playfully, nudging Roderick's ribs with her elbow.
Roderick smiled sheepishly and rubbed his side with his hand. It didn't hurt because his body was made of steel, but because she was so thin, her elbow felt sharper than others'.
“Ophelia is waiting impatiently. Go inside and finish your work.”
Roderick, who had found it strangely difficult to deal with Candice from the beginning, laughed and naturally led her inside.
It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with her or disliked her, but he felt like he was getting drawn into her more and more as he dealt with her.
Having been friends with the mischievous Hiram his whole life, he figured he could handle a fair amount of mischief, but Candice seemed to be out of that league.
“Ah! Then let’s go quickly! We can’t keep Ophelia waiting!”
Candice had already run ahead of Roderick and was grabbing his arm and dragging him along.
Candice hurried her steps, the hems of her long white coat billowing. She was missing her best friend so much that she hadn't seen him in years.
“Candice!”
“Ophelia!!!”
The two best friends, who had reunited after a long time, hugged each other with happy expressions on their faces.
Is it really that good? Roderick looked at the two friends with warm eyes. If Ophelia was happy, Roderick was twice as happy.
“You’re so good, baby. Really, really, really! I’ve missed you so, so much.”
Candice said, holding Ophelia's hands tightly and shaking them vigorously from side to side.
Although Ophelia had entered a stable period, Roderick was worried that it would be better to be careful and was considering whether to stop her.
“Oh, right. You told me you were pregnant. Get out of my mind. Sorry, sorry!”
Candice smiled brightly and scratched her head.
“Yeah, no. It’s okay now.”
Ophelia said with a kind smile.
Even though she said she was okay, the smile disappeared from Candice's face, which had been full of laughter. There was something she wanted to ask so badly, but her mouth wouldn't open.
“Is that true? Really...?”
"Huh."
She couldn't believe what was written in the letter she received before coming here. The changes that had occurred after Ophelia woke up from her collapse.
“How can that be?”
Candice looked as if she had lost the world. Ophelia just remained silent. She didn't know why either.
“Enough with that talk. Have you seen the room you’ll be staying in while you’re here? I’ll show you around.”
Ophelia said, intertwining her fingers with Candice's.
Even though the person in question was saying that, Candice couldn't keep her sad expression on her face, so she forced herself to smile and nod.
She didn't think a friend with a child needed to take action, but she felt like Ophelia had something to say to her alone.
“This is the room. How is it?”
The guest room prepared for Candice included a small reception room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and even a study so that she could conduct magical research while staying in the Peles Empire.
It was so magnificent that it had two floors and even had stairs inside the room. At this level, it could be considered a small house rather than a room.
In fact, he thought that Hiram would be more suitable for the throne than Byron. But he never said that opinion out loud, and there was never any animosity in it.
From the beginning, Ophelia had no intention of accepting Byron's feelings, so even if it was called a love triangle, it was one-sided.
It was upsetting that he persisted despite her rejection, but Roderick was a man who knew how to clearly distinguish between public and private life.
Whatever the truth, he has been searching the empire for Byron, believing he must have taken Aila.
Suddenly, Winfred saw that kid in the big city.
Roderick, who thought it was strange, suddenly remembered a story he had heard from Alexia Dexen, a classmate and close friend who had studied swordsmanship with him.
There was a story about Winfred sneaking out of Bahaite and almost being assassinated by Cloud Air.
“...Are you talking about that time when you met the assassin?”
“Oh, that’s right. That girl named Aila saved my life back then.”
He couldn't figure out what was going on, but there was a girl named 'Aila Hailing' who was in the place where Cloud Air was.
That too, if she's a girl with silver hair and blue eyes.
It seemed very likely that the child was Aila Hailing Weishaffen, the daughter of Roderick and Ophelia.
“Is that child really the lost Princess?”
Winfred asked cautiously. Roderick, who was rubbing his wife’s back while she cried while deep in thought, nodded to Winfred’s question.
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s our daughter.”
Rodrick let out a hollow laugh.
He had been thinking that the girl Winfred had met might really be their daughter. But it only really felt real after he answered Winfred's question positively.
The feeling that Aila is alive.
And Winfred sighed deeply at Roderick's answer. He was finally able to complete all the homework that Aila had given him.
“Well, actually, that kid asked me for something.”
As Winfred opened his mouth, Roderick looked straight at Winfred as if he was listening. Ophelia, who had been shedding tears the whole time, wiped her tears away with a handkerchief and looked at Winfred.
“...She told me that if I ever find out who she is, I should definitely tell her parents. She also told me to keep it a secret from everyone else.”
A message that his daughter had asked him to deliver. Roderick and Ophelia held each other's hands tightly, waiting for Winfred to open his mouth.
“That’s what Aila said. She said she would go back to her parents, to her mother and father. She said she would definitely go back someday. Please tell them that.”
Winfred spoke, recalling Aila's solemn expression at that moment. Somehow, he felt like he was becoming as solemn as Aila.
And, after hearing his message, Roderick and Ophelia tightened their grip on each other's hands. Ophelia's tears, which had barely stopped, began to flow again.
There were tears of joy. So very, very happy. So blissful.
“...That kid said she was coming back.”
It was news from her daughter, who she had not heard from for 10 years. And it was news that she would definitely return someday.
Roderick and Ophelia looked at each other and shared a glance.
Ophelia's eyes were sparkling with tears, but the gaze they shared was filled with happiness.
No words were needed.
***
Returning to the palace after finishing his business, Winfred sat back deeply in his plush carriage seat.
No, rather than saying he was sitting, it would be more accurate to say he was glued to the chair. He had that much energy.
‘...I thought it would be a simple visit where I would just give them a gift and come back.’
He doesn't know how it happened, but he lost all his energy in just one day.
Of course, he was very happy to learn Aila's true identity. He was sincere.
He also told her parents the news, as Aila had asked him to, and seeing Roderick and Ophelia so happy made him feel very happy too. Everything was good.
But during that process, he felt like all his energy was sucked out.
'What a strange fate. Aila is the daughter of the Duke of Weishaffen.'
A bashful smile appeared on Winfred's face as he lay half-lying on the sofa, his body relaxed. He couldn't help but laugh because he never thought the answer would be so close.
'Wait a minute. So that baby I said I'd marry when I was little...?'
Isn't it true that the baby who had been shouting that he would take her as his bride when she was a child, but whom he doesn't even remember, was none other than Aila?
Who would have thought that his taste would be this consistent? Winfred placed both hands on his reddened cheeks.
Winfred, who had said that he would pretend not to remember such a childhood story, was nowhere to be found. He wanted to brag to everyone right away that he had fallen in love with that girl all over again.
But Winfred kept his mouth shut.
It was because of the words Roderick had left for him before he left the Duke's residence.
'Aila, there must be a reason why that child kept it a secret from everyone else. I'd like to keep this a secret between us for the time being.'
He said that.
Ah, Winfred let out a deep sigh as was his habit. His body sank even further into the sofa.
***
“Welcome, Director Eposher. Thank you for coming all this way.”
Roderick greeted the woman politely as she got out of the carriage.
The person who got out of the carriage was a tall and thin woman, as tall as an average adult man.
“How long has it been! How have you been, Roderick?”
The woman wearing round glasses smiled cheerfully, showing off her teeth.
Although he had extended his hand to escort her, his hand had lost its original purpose and was being held by Candice, shaking vigorously up and down.
She had gray hair that had grown out in a messy bun, and she was wearing a suit that only men in the empire wore. She looked a bit distracted.
Only the mysterious black eyes were shining with intelligence.
“Uh, yes. I’ve been doing well. But Director Eposher...”
“Again, you’re calling me director again. I told you to just call me by my name like before.”
Candice grinned playfully, nudging Roderick's ribs with her elbow.
Roderick smiled sheepishly and rubbed his side with his hand. It didn't hurt because his body was made of steel, but because she was so thin, her elbow felt sharper than others'.
“Ophelia is waiting impatiently. Go inside and finish your work.”
Roderick, who had found it strangely difficult to deal with Candice from the beginning, laughed and naturally led her inside.
It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with her or disliked her, but he felt like he was getting drawn into her more and more as he dealt with her.
Having been friends with the mischievous Hiram his whole life, he figured he could handle a fair amount of mischief, but Candice seemed to be out of that league.
“Ah! Then let’s go quickly! We can’t keep Ophelia waiting!”
Candice had already run ahead of Roderick and was grabbing his arm and dragging him along.
Candice hurried her steps, the hems of her long white coat billowing. She was missing her best friend so much that she hadn't seen him in years.
“Candice!”
“Ophelia!!!”
The two best friends, who had reunited after a long time, hugged each other with happy expressions on their faces.
Is it really that good? Roderick looked at the two friends with warm eyes. If Ophelia was happy, Roderick was twice as happy.
“You’re so good, baby. Really, really, really! I’ve missed you so, so much.”
Candice said, holding Ophelia's hands tightly and shaking them vigorously from side to side.
Although Ophelia had entered a stable period, Roderick was worried that it would be better to be careful and was considering whether to stop her.
“Oh, right. You told me you were pregnant. Get out of my mind. Sorry, sorry!”
Candice smiled brightly and scratched her head.
“Yeah, no. It’s okay now.”
Ophelia said with a kind smile.
Even though she said she was okay, the smile disappeared from Candice's face, which had been full of laughter. There was something she wanted to ask so badly, but her mouth wouldn't open.
“Is that true? Really...?”
"Huh."
She couldn't believe what was written in the letter she received before coming here. The changes that had occurred after Ophelia woke up from her collapse.
“How can that be?”
Candice looked as if she had lost the world. Ophelia just remained silent. She didn't know why either.
“Enough with that talk. Have you seen the room you’ll be staying in while you’re here? I’ll show you around.”
Ophelia said, intertwining her fingers with Candice's.
Even though the person in question was saying that, Candice couldn't keep her sad expression on her face, so she forced herself to smile and nod.
She didn't think a friend with a child needed to take action, but she felt like Ophelia had something to say to her alone.
“This is the room. How is it?”
The guest room prepared for Candice included a small reception room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and even a study so that she could conduct magical research while staying in the Peles Empire.
It was so magnificent that it had two floors and even had stairs inside the room. At this level, it could be considered a small house rather than a room.
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