I climbed up to the hallway of the new building where my room was.

From a room far away, loud shouting echoed.

The booming voices filled the corridor.

“So you’re saying you stole it!”

“That can’t be, Mrs. Sarah!”

Familiar voices.

Joffrey’s nanny and the nursery maid who had brought the fountain pen to my room.

‘Judging by how furious they are over there on Joffrey’s side, I don’t even need to get involved with the maids’ mess.’

Serves them right.

Today, my usual nursery maid was off, so another maid took care of me for bedtime.

“Miss, you’ve grown so much... It’s so touching.”

“Right? I told you so, Hilda!”

It was Hilda and Greta, who took care of me when I stayed at the main estate.

For the first time in a while, I finished preparing for bed under their gentle, meticulous care.

The conversation about Balderic’s jurisdiction lands went on deep into the night.

Balderic begged, pleaded, and implored, but it was no use.

Eventually, he fainted, and the meeting was paused.

After Balderic was carried out on the butler’s back, only Daymond, Marquis Debussy, and the Duke remained.

Daymond stared silently out the window for a long while.

Marquis Debussy asked,

“What are you thinking about?”

“That I am powerless.”

The Duke, rubbing his temple, glanced at Daymond.

His son had always been like a wild untamed beast.

He never cared for his own life and thus never bowed to anyone.

Because he did not crave, despite his great abilities, he had settled for where he was.

So hearing ‘powerless’ from such a son was surprising.

Marquis Debussy hesitated before speaking.

“To call the Empire’s strongest military power ‘powerless’ is... unexpected.”

“Even if Erilot were not my daughter but Grimier’s daughter, would Balderic have acted like that?”

“...”

“If it were not before the Duke, do you think Balderic’s child would have apologized to Erilot?”

“...”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

Daymond glanced sideways at the Duke while staring out the window.

‘We were lucky this time.’

The Duke was wary of Balderic’s power growing.

But this gave a chance to split the prosperous jurisdiction that was Balderic’s greatest strength.

So the Duke supported Daymond’s jurisdiction.

‘Had we been unlucky, Erilot would have gotten nothing but a pitiful apology.’

He had no power like the Duke to bring arrogant men under Erilot’s feet.

He despised the Duke, but he was an even worse father.

Power alone cannot protect what is precious to me.

I need greater power to protect the smiles of my children.

Daymond clenched his fists and suddenly stood up.

Marquis Debussy asked,

“Are you leaving? What about further discussion?”

“The area Erilot designated. No compromises.”

Daymond strode out of the meeting hall.

The door closed, and footsteps faded.

The Duke watched Daymond leave and burst out laughing.

Such hearty laughter from the Duke was something Marquis Debussy had never seen before.

He frowned.

“What’s so funny? I’m splitting Balderic’s jurisdiction and my head aches just thinking about it.”

“Isn’t it amusing?”

“Excuse me?”

“Erilot.”

“Why mention Erilot here?”

“He was the one who wouldn’t act no matter how many years I pushed. But Erilot changed my father completely in just three months.”

“That is...”

Marquis Debussy’s eyes narrowed.

Had the Duke ever shown such a pleased expression?

Erilot, the youngest granddaughter of the Duke, must be special.

The next day.

I woke early to see off my father.

Today, he was returning to his jurisdiction.

He kneeled before me and looked me in the eyes.

“Erilot.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like grapes?”

Is he going to buy grapes for me?

“I like grapes.”

“Good. This summer, you’ll get to eat plenty.”

He stood up and said,

“Take care.”

The three of us bowed to him and watched the carriage leave, then returned to the new building.

Exactly three months later.

At the best season for grapes, my father truly brought something.

...He tied up the king of the grape-producing country.

And annexed their territory as a bonus.

Seven months later.

I stared blankly at the massive pile of apples delivered to me.

‘Again? Seriously!’

“Do you like apples?”

When I said yes, he had conquered yet another region famous for apples.

It had been less than four months since I received the mountain of grapes.

My nursery maid, who had been replaced and then promoted again, Hilda and Greta blinked at the countless boxes of apples.

“Is it apples this time?”

“Last time he asked if I liked melons by letter...”

“I hate melons now!”

Where would he try to conquer next?

‘Is this some kind of land grab game?’

Even kids wouldn’t grab lands this fast.

‘Why has conquering suddenly become a hobby?’

But thanks to these conquests, my father’s status had soared insanely.

The War God.

First Knight of the Kalsoye Empire.

Completely different from when he only did exactly what grandfather ordered.

He even had his name listed in the palace’s official record.

Thanks to that...

“Joffrey, Erilot is here.”

“Eek!”

Joffrey couldn’t even meet my eyes and ran away the moment he saw me.

It may have been partly because Balderic lost half his jurisdiction and his power weakened.

Balzac, who was leaning on the railing, chuckled. Joshua snorted softly.

‘They really are growing fast.’

Compared to seven months ago, they seemed at least two finger-widths taller.

Well, they’d grow a lot more once adults.

The twins, teasing Joffrey, looked at me in unison.

“Baby, do you have cheek pouches? Your cheeks are puffed out.”

“No.”

I pressed my cheeks with both hands.

“Then why are they puffed out? Are you angry?”

“When is daddy coming?”

“He said he’d bring melons and blueberries too.”

“I hate fruit now.”

“Then nuts? The almond-growing region is nearby!”

“...”

When I looked at Balzac with a dull gaze, Joshua smiled softly.

“They’ll be here soon.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And a few days later is the fairy tea party, right?”

“Yes.”

The fairy tea party.

A children’s event held once every two years.

Simply put, a tea party only for girls under twelve.

A legend said if the party was held on the night of the full moon in November of odd years, fairies would come.

They would give gifts to good children.

Of course, that was just legend. Usually parents gave the gifts.

‘Like Christmas.’

Santa Claus giving presents to good children.

“Are you tired of the bunny doll now?”

Balzac asked with shining eyes.

Hilda and Greta behind me looked tearful.

The shabby bunny doll on my bed was a gift from them.

“I like the bunny doll.”

“What? Then I can’t buy a bear doll─”

Balzac complained, but Joshua quickly covered the child’s mouth.

‘Ah, so they want to gift a bear doll.’

Since father was away, the twins were probably trying to gift on his behalf.

I looked at the twins’ playful bickering with dull eyes and pretended not to notice.

Then,

Ding─ ding─.

The bell rang.

Thirty minutes until class starts.

“Miss! The bell!”

“Panni! Panni!”

I hurriedly grabbed my books and ran out, clutching them to my side.

Today was the day the girls gathered to learn social etiquette.

Noblewomen from the Zodiac social circle would teach it personally, so being late was absolutely not allowed.

“Do well, baby!”

“See you later, Erilot.”

The twins, who had to learn etiquette for boys, walked the opposite way as they spoke.

I waved vaguely at them and dashed down the hallway.

‘The etiquette room is so far.’

It was on the opposite side from my room, so it took a while to get there.

Finally arriving, I opened the etiquette room door.

“Erilot, over here.”

Dioneira raised her hand slightly.

She had changed so much over the past few months.

Her previously messy hair was now neatly pinned back, revealing her eyes more.

I liked Dioneira’s blue eyes. They were like a clear refreshing sea.

‘Before, she wouldn’t do this because Joffrey teased her for being ugly.’

That brat Joffrey...

I sat beside Dioneira.

Liangtin sat next to her.

Dioneira smiled brightly.

“Since Liangtin moved up to the intermediate class, it’s only been a month.”

Liangtin, who had been so eager to escape the beginner class, had achieved her goal a month ago.

“No more last-place class for me! Oh─hohohoho!”

Dioneira said.

“I thought she’d never come back after moving up. Right?”

“...”

Liangtin bit her lip tightly.

“The kids in intermediate class are awful.”

“Why?”

“They look down on the last-place kids!”

Dioneira nodded innocently, “Ah.”

“I didn’t like the last-place class so I went to intermediate, ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ but I’m last place there too.”

“Damn it...”

I stayed silent.

Three girls in the intermediate class sat opposite us.

One of them spoke up after hearing Liangtin.

“Damn it. Watch your language, Liangtin.”

“What?”

“If people knew all Astra kids were at your level...”

She fanned herself dramatically.

Winter was coming, and the weather was quite chilly.

During break, they sipped tea holding up a pinky finger.

Seeing her trembling pinky finger, I realized,

‘She’s going through middle school rebellion phase.’

Liangtin jumped up in anger, but I grabbed her.

“Why?”

“It hurts.”

“Juliana isn’t hurting. Not at all.”

“No.”

Thinking back to today would hurt my heart so much I’d cry into my blanket every night.

I was once a lonely Siberian wolf as Yoo Hyemin, so I understood well.

I looked at her pityingly.

Thankfully, there was no SNS here.

The intermediate class girls chattered.

“Lately it’s popular to leave notes on the shop district wall? Juliana went too.”

“Yeah. She wrote some poem lines.”

I silently sympathized with Juliana, who couldn’t even accept the one advantage this otherworld had.

Soon, the etiquette room door opened.

It was kept secret which noblewomen would come today.

Only whispers circulated that famous noblewomen from the Zodiac had arrived.

Because this etiquette class would be part of the evaluation.

‘Probably so they don’t exchange bribes.’

Two noblewomen entered.

One wore a luxurious red dress and curled her lips.

“I am Margherita Gonalong. I’m pleased to meet Astra’s young ladies.”

A woman in a yellow dress lightly bowed.

“I am Maria Mir.”

The Astra children spread their skirts and bowed.

“Welcome to Astra.”

“Welcome.”

“Welcome.”

The oldest child led the greeting, and the others repeated.

“Oh my, the young ladies are very well-mannered. I wonder if there’s more to teach.”

While the children exclaimed happily, I stiffened.

‘What? Why is Gonalong here?’

Margherita Gonalong was Ocelia Sunhwangbi’s secret closest aide.

Her role was to gather all social information and report to Ocelia.

And Ocelia Sunhwangbi was...

‘The sister of Marquis Bouschez who cursed Joshua and then committed suicide!’

And the mother of the Emperor’s Crown Prince.

“We will stay in Astra for ten days to teach etiquette to the young ladies. I hope it will be a pleasant time.”

‘Gonalong wouldn’t come for no reason.’

Because of Ocelia Sunhwangbi’s crackdown on the social circle, everyone was in chaos.

But staying for ten days here?

That made no sense.

‘She’s after something.’

I watched Gonalong carefully with sharp eyes.

The first etiquette class ended quickly.

Just introductions and greetings.

“See you tomorrow.”

After Gonalong and Mir left, the children dispersed.

Dioneira spoke to me.

“We’re going to see the tea leaves. Do you want to come?”

“I want to go back to my room.”

Dioneira looked very disappointed, but Liangtin hurried her along.

“Erilot is still too young to understand tea leaves. Come on, Dioneira!”

“Okay.”

After they left, I headed straight to my room.

Once I confirmed no one was inside, I sat on the bed.

Then I activated my Gaho.

Bing.Heuk.Son had progressed up to episode 10.

The real protagonist still hadn’t appeared by episode 10. If so, why even title it The Kalsoye Empire story?

└ Wouldn’t it be nice to have a novel like this?

└ Then don’t cheat with the book description — seriously.

The trolling comments continued.

I scrolled through them.

‘Gonalong. Someone’s talking about Gonalong...’

“The crown prince is so pitiful... He barely escaped, and they’re chasing him here too...”

‘It’s not about the first crown prince. Then...’

I flinched.

The time had finally come.

The male lead of this novel—the real eldest son of the emperor—Alexis—was about to appear.