"As the chief maid taught me, I came back after all the preparations."

  Perez’s quiet voice rang low as if it was buried in the wind.

  "I’m ashamed not to see you off."

  The chief maid Impigra came to the academy once a year around Perez’s birthday, with her decrepit body.

  And the last day she came.

  The chief maid Impigra said as if she knew it was her last day.

  "When you return to the Palace, you must prepare yourself. Because they’re probably all set up."

  In addition, the chief maid, who made various requests, bowed her head politely for the last time.

  "Please be a Holy Army, Your Majesty."

  It was treasonous for Emperor Jovanes to say such a thing when she was alive.

  It was absolutely not what the chief maid Impigra, who had devoted her life to the Imperial Family, would say.

  Nevertheless, it was probably because that was the last thing she wanted to say.

  Perez caressed the monument with a bitter face.

  He was remembered and embarrassed that he couldn’t give a specific answer, at that time.

  Perez also has too.

  Something he had to say, but he couldn’t.

  The lips, which had been flapping a few times, struggled to spit out the words.

  "Thank you."

  Even though the sick old woman ran the long way to the young man over and over again.

  Back then, Perez had never expressed his gratitude properly.

  And it left a deep regret in his heart.

  Finally, Perez, who was still pressing his forehead to the tombstone, rose from his seat shortly after.

  And spoke briefly to Lignite, who was waiting behind.

  "Now let’s go back to the Palace."

  * * *

  I decided to spend the last evening in my 17th with my father.

  As Gallahan’s Clothing Store gradually entered the stable zone, my father was taking care of what he had delayed one by one.

  Among them, the most urgent was the management of the Chesire Estate, which was awarded with the Order of the Founding Medal.

  My father, who had been in Chesire all this year, came back to Lombardy for my birthday.

  Maybe because he was tired from the long trip, he lost a little weight on his face, but my father is still handsome.

  No, as he entered his 40s, the scent of a middle-aged man radiated.

  Somehow, I was looking at it with pride, and my father, who was cutting steak, murmured blankly.

  "Our Tia is already an adult."

  Oh, you’re crying again.

  I knew this would happen, so I brought a handkerchief this time.

  It was to prevent a mishap in which my father wiped away tears with a napkin he used to wipe his mouth.

  But my father was surprisingly calm.

  "Now it’s really time to get out of your dad’s arms."

  Though with a bittersweet smile.

  Across the table, my father looked at me with friendly eyes.

  "Thank you for growing up well and strong under this poor father."

  "Dad……"

  "I was so clumsy and vulnerable that I made you suffer, child."

  Maybe he was talking about what happened before my father started his business.

  "I should have protected you more strongly……"

  "Don’t say that, Dad."

  I got up and sat next to my father.

  "My dad is a better man than anyone else in my memory."

  "……really?"

  "Don’t you remember? When we went to the Palace together, you said, ’My daughter was surprised’ to the Emperor because of the knights checked."

  "Oh, that’s what happened……"

  My father was scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

  "And most of all, you overcame incurable diseases for me. There’s nothing stronger than that."

  "Tia."

  My father swept the back of my hand.

  "How did such a beautiful daughter come to me?"

  "Hey. All the beautiful things are from my dad. Of course."

  "What? Haha!"

  My father burst into laughter.

  I laughed with such a father.

  "Oh, by the way, I have something for Tia."

  My father took a small box out of his arms and showed me what was in it.

  "Ring?"

  It was a thin gold ring made of round, large purple jewels.

  "It’s a purple sapphire."

  Father took out the ring himself and said.

  "It was something I prepared when I proposed to Shan. She was so happy to get this ring."

  My father’s eyes, looking at the shiny ring, were filled with longing.

  "I’ll give it to you for your 18th birthday, Tia."

  "But it’s a precious thing for you."

  My father didn’t deny what I said.

  "Yes, but I want our Tia, who is now an adult, to have what this ring means to Dad."

  "What’s that?"

  My father, who was choosing words for a while, smiled and touched the ring.

  "A person to love with all my heart."

  My warm father’s green eyes looked at me.

  "Although there are many regrets left, I don’t regret every moment I met your mother, Shan, and loved her. That’s how happy we were."

  Father put the ring down on my palm and said.

  "So whenever you’re ready, Dad wants this ring to bring someone to Tia one day. Just like your mother came into your dad’s life."

  My father seemed really happy to say that.

  And it looked refreshing somewhere.

  I nodded, holding the ring in my hand.

  And I carefully put the ring on my finger.+

  "Oh, it’s perfect."

  The ring fits perfectly as if it had been made for me.

  "Thank you, Dad."

  I gave my father a big hug.

  My father, who seemed a little surprised, hugged me and patted me on the back.

  I’m happy with the ring, of course, but in fact, my biggest birthday present is my father.

  It’s my first time celebrating my 18th birthday with my father.

  For this moment, it was so precious that I didn’t want to let go.

  * * *

  In the Imperial Palace, a conference was being held in which high-ranking nobles and Emperors gathered.

  A break in the middle of an hour-long meeting.

  Emperor Jovanes sat alone in the lounge next to the conference room, clearing his boredom.

  Nothing was interesting.

  Beautiful lovers, hunting that once made his heartbeat like crazy.

  It was no longer fun.

  "Hmm."

  The Emperor suddenly felt the emptiness of life.1

  At that time, the servant, who approached carefully, announced in a small voice.

  "Your Majesty."

  "What is it?"

  "Your Highness Second Prince is asking you to say hello."

  "Second Prince?"

  Jovanes jumped to his feet.

  "Tell him to come in."

  After a while, the door opened and Perez, dressed as if he had just returned from a trip, walked in.

  "Ha."

  Jovanes smiled in vain at the sight.

  Perez had really grown up as if he had taken over the image of the Former Emperor.

  Jovanes’s father, who was cold-hearted and had no mercy on his children.

  "The Second Prince, Perez, greets His Majesty."

  Perez fell on one knee and politely tightened his head.

  There was an oblique smile on one end of Jovanes’s lips.

  He liked how the Second Prince, who looked just like his father, always looking down at him with cynical eyes, bowed on his knees greetings.

  Jovanes suddenly became curious.

  What would the Former Emperor, who had died while saying, ’You’re not good enough to be an Emperor, but you’re lucky enough to be the eldest." said, if he saw his son, Perez.2

  The boredom that had made Jovanes lethargic a little while ago disappeared like a lie.

  "You graduated both Civil Servants and the Military Officers in 1st place, right?"

  "Yes."

  "And you cut a year and graduated early in five years?"

  "Yes."

  It was a completely different move from Astana’s accident-prone career.

  It’s worth seeing.

  Jovanes thought, recalling Astana, who is now in the conference room.

  Astana, who showed no interest other than hunting and women, had been attending a monthly conference for a while ago.

  It was the result of Astana’s own pleas over and over again.

  And there was no way Jovanes didn’t know what was going on.

  He wants to show himself sitting next to the Emperor at a conference where important issues of the Empire are dealt with.

  And he could also imagine that it would have come from the Empress’s head.

  Nevertheless, Jovanes was persuaded.

  It was because Angenas decided to hand over the newly discovered emerald mine to the Red’s Top.

  But Astana had nothing to do.

  Throughout the competition, he just sat there and failed to express his opinion among the experienced aristocrats.

  And the appearance of the First Prince was enough to touch the unpleasant memories of Jovanes sleeping deep inside.

  To the point where he won’t want to hand over what the First Prince and Angenas want.

  "Get up and follow me, Perez."

  Jovanes stood up and said.

  With Perez following silently, Jovanes opened the door to the conference room.

  "Huh?"

  "Is that the Second Prince?"

  The nobles who were talking quickly recognized Perez and became quiet.

  "Prince Perez, the Second Prince, graduated from the academy brilliantly and returned to the Palace."

  Jovanes, wearing a mask of a proud father, smiled broadly and declared.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

  "Good work, Your Highness Second Prince!"

  The nobles scrambled to offer congratulations.

  Perez stood with his hands behind his back and looked expressionless, but Jovanes liked Perez’s arrogance even more.

  "You’ve grown up in a few years."

  "The social world is going to be crazy soon, haha!"

  There were a lot of people joking around.

  As he did, Perez was still in a shabby outfit when he returned from the trip.

  He looks like a Prince.

  The nobles were instinctively feeling favored.

  Perez, who silently drew favorable attention toward him, found Lulak Lombardy in the crowd.

  At the moment, Perez’s red eyes sparkled without anyone knowing.

  Perez, who had been sticking to his noble attitude, paid his respects to Lulak.

  It was a distinctly different greeting from the way he nodded to other nobles.

  To others, he seemed to bow politely to his guardian, and they’re favorable for Perez grew even more.

  Jovanes sneaked a look at Astana.

  Sure enough.

  Astana’s face was already red, even though he tried to look calm.

  Astana can’t even control his facial expression even when he’s 23 years old.

  Jovanes kicked his tongue in disapproval.

  And spoke to Perez in a loud voice so that everyone could hear him.

  "Go back to Poirak Palace to rest today, and from next month, make sure that Second Prince is present at the conference."

  Coogong.

  It felt like a big rock was falling in the conference room.

  People stared at Astana unknowingly with startled eyes.

  It was because Astana was famous for winning the right to attend Emperor Jovanes at the conference.

  In that quiet mess, Jovanes slipped another word.

  "I’ll save you a seat next to the First Prince."

  Perez sat silent, looking at Astana’s red face, and turned toward the Emperor.

  Perez kneeled on one knee and bowed his head.

  Black cape flapped.

  And spoke in a polite voice.

  "I will obey your orders."

  It was something that Astana and Angenas hard to get but naturally flowed into Perez.