Side Story 10. [After Story] Autumn Festival (4)

    Lark’s family: his wife and three sons.

    It was believed that they had been captured and executed by Fernandez shortly after the “Imperial Succession Struggle” between Lark and Fernandez.

    But that was merely Fernandez’s cover story. Neither Lark, his wife, nor their three sons had been killed; they were all captured alive by Fernandez.

    However, after I defeated Fernandez in the Siege of the Imperial Capital, their whereabouts became unknown.

    Lark departed to the afterlife with Fernandez, and I, having known his family, searched everywhere for them to take care of them. But they vanished as if into thin air.

    Had they been caught up in the chaos and met with tragedy?

    Or had remnants of Fernandez’s faction kidnapped them?

    Despite my continued inquiries, Lark’s wife and three sons disappeared without a trace. I had more or less given up.

    And now, to learn that they were alive... at the westernmost edge of the world?

    ‘Why there?’

    I was bewildered, unable to make sense of it.

    ‘They disappeared without even giving me a hint, and now they’re living in hiding in such a far-off place?’

    Lucas was the one to answer my unspoken question.

    “It’s about the matter of imperial succession.”

    “...!”

    “With the deaths of First Prince Lark and Second Prince Fernandez, the imperial throne was naturally intended for you, my lord...”

    Under the Emperor’s declaration, I had been appointed as Crown Prince.

    “During this process, Lark’s family must have believed they were politically vulnerable and unable to protect themselves.”

    “What...?”

    I felt a cold sweat forming.

    “They thought I might eliminate them?”

    “Even if Your Highness had no such intention, from their perspective, they may have felt threatened.”

    Lucas replied, his tone returning to the cold, logical one of the seasoned knight I knew him to be—completely different from the doting husband and father he had been moments ago.

    “As a prince, collateral branches of the family are always a potential problem. After all, the Everblack Empire once sought to destroy the Bringar Duchy, which was also considered a collateral branch.”

    “...”

    The irony wasn’t lost on me. After all, the one who had commanded the operation to subjugate the Bringar Duchy had been none other than Lark himself.

    “And while it would be simpler if they were merely hiding out of fear of you, my lord, things could become far more sensitive if they have other intentions.” r?АNO??ВΕs?

    “Other intentions... you mean they might have their sights on the throne?”

    “Exactly. After all, Lark’s three sons are undeniably legitimate heirs to the imperial succession.”

    Lucas cast a sharp glance at me with his icy gaze.

    “The traditionalist nobles of the Imperial Capital might find Lark’s sons a more appealing option.”

    “I see...”

    Though I held the title of the hero who had saved the world, my origins were humble. My mother had been a slave, and my support base wasn’t in the central heart of the continent, where the Imperial Capital lay, but primarily in the south.

    The places where I had gained the people’s favor were Crossroad, the Bringar Duchy, and regions beyond the Empire’s borders. Among the nobles of the Imperial Capital, my popularity was far from as strong as it was in the frontier territories.

    To them, Lark’s three sons, with their noble bloodline, might indeed seem like a more attractive choice.

    Of course, my Father’s firm stance as the current Emperor left little room for major disruptions in the short term, but...

    ‘Politics is unpredictable. It can shift in an instant.’

    If Lark’s wife and three sons harbored any ambitions, they could easily become seeds of a new struggle for the throne—even if not now, then in generations to come.

    At that moment, Damien, who had been quietly listening, spoke softly.

    “They said they just want to live peacefully.”

    Everyone turned to look at Damien, who continued,

    “They told me they went into hiding because they wanted a quiet life. But...”

    “But?”

    “They also said there were forces constantly trying to use them. So, they had no choice but to keep running.”

    Forces trying to use them...

    Be it someone from within the Empire or outside of it, as legitimate heirs to the throne, they were certainly tempting targets.

    Lucas nodded.

    “The blood of the imperial family is a weapon in itself. Even if they harbor no ambitions, there will always be those who seek to use them.”

    “...”

    “It’s obvious they’ll become a source of trouble. It might be worth considering taking preemptive action to resolve this.”

    The current leader of the Goddess’s Order was Rosetta.

    After returning to the Order following the World Guardian Front, Rosetta had applied her signature strict and principled ways to its operations. She had pushed for the construction of temples in underserved areas and made personnel appointments solely based on merit.

    As a result, a temple was finally being built on the island of leprosy patients, a place that had long been shunned by followers of the Goddess’s Order. Torkel, a leprosy patient himself, had been appointed as its first priest-chief.

    “It’s a highly symbolic event.”

    “Indeed. That’s why I’ve decided to accompany Zenis there.”

    Damien said, smiling gently.

    “On the way, I plan to meet with some of our old comrades as well. I’ll pass on everyone’s regards.”

    “I’ll count on you for that. And make sure to take care of yourself, Damien!”

    Next was Junior.

    Studying history at the Ivory Tower, Junior seemed to be the most cheerful of the five of us.

    While the rest of us—me with politics, Damien with his travels, Evangeline with her duties as a lord, and Lucas as my attendant—carried traces of fatigue from our respective responsibilities, Junior looked radiant and energized.

    ‘She looks like a college student studying her favorite subject.’

    Back during the World Guardian Front, Junior had looked the most worn out among us. Now, she was the most vibrant. The twists and turns of life were truly unpredictable.

    “I’ve been working closely with Dearmudin at the Ivory Tower. I’ll keep doing my best until the day I become a proper historian!”

    Junior said, her face glowing as she clenched her fist enthusiastically.

    I clicked my tongue with a grin.

    “Enjoy it while it lasts. Once the Jupiter Foundation starts operating in full swing, I’m going to work you to the bone.”

    “I’ll be ready, Chairman!”

    Lastly, there was Evangeline.

    As both the lord of the city and the mother of two children, Evangeline was undoubtedly busy.

    While nibbling on her food, she shared her plans for the city’s future.

    “Since members of different races have always been scattered, there hasn’t been a central city to unite them. They seem to want Crossroad to take on that role, as it’s the place where all the kings once gathered. I’ve invited the kings of the various races to act as ambassadors.”

    “Oh, that’s a mutually beneficial move.”

    “And I’ve heard that the traveling troupe founded by the Gambler’s Club is gaining a lot of popularity in the central regions of the continent. I’m planning to ask them if they’d be interested in holding regular performances in Crossroad.”

    “So they finally made a troupe, huh?”

    “As for the kids... well, I’m sure we’ll figure it out as we go! My dear husband will help out, of course.”

    I chuckled.

    “Looks like Lucas will need some extra vacation time for a while.”

    Lucas flinched at my words, his shoulders trembling.

    “M-my duties come first, my lord...”

    Lucas quickly changed his tone as soon as he saw Evangeline staring at him with wide, rabbit-like eyes.

    “Of course, if you give me weekends off, I’ll gratefully accept them!”

    “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, kid...”

    Still, fathers should be able to take proper parental leave too. I was genuinely planning to grant Lucas plenty of vacation time. He might as well live here for a while.

    We continued to laugh and chat over our meal. The conversation stretched late into the night as we shared stories.

    For some reason, none of us wanted to part ways, so we decided to spend the next day—the third day of the Autumn Festival—together as well.

    The third day of the Autumn Festival.

    The five of us explored the festival together.

    Though Evangeline wasn’t fully recovered yet, and we only wandered around near the Lord’s Manor, it was more than enough to have fun.

    We bought snacks from the stalls, wore hats we won as prizes, drank refreshing beverages, and sang songs together.

    Just like during the World Guardian Front, we stood shoulder to shoulder, joking and teasing one another.

    And under the fireworks that marked the end of the Autumn Festival, we burst out laughing as we joined in the final event—the dance festival—and danced together.

    Though time passes and we all change little by little,

    The bond we share and the way we care for one another remain the same.

    Believing that we will meet again, we spent this joyful time together.

    And then,

    Another five years passed.

    –TL Notes–

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