The rain that had been falling for days finally stopped.
The plants, which couldn’t raise their heads in the pouring rain, bloomed wider than before when the rain stopped. The dark greens bore fruit, and the sky was high and a deep blue.
Autumn came earlier than usual.
After the heavy rain, the imperial people began to refurbish the streets again, and accelerated preparations for the founding festival.
With the Founding Day just around the corner, the Third Prince Palace began to get busy.
Rosena got a new outfit for the Founding Day banquet.
She thought there were already a lot of clothes in her closet, but the weather got chilly and she fell for Yerhan’s persuasion to consider the atmosphere of the event.
Rosena was worried at the thought of introducing Illian in front of a lot of people. However, Illian was more mature than Rosena thought.
Over the past few months, Illian had grown a lot, his features became more distinct, and his pronunciation became clearer. He looked exactly like Yerhan, but his smile was like an angel’s.
A few days ago, Illian began taking formal swordsmanship classes. Since there was no proper place to take swordsmanship classes at the Third Prince Palace, he took classes at a nearby training ground.
Every time Illian left the palace for class, Rosena felt strange. She couldn’t help but think that he had already grown so much.
And finally, the day of the Founding Day came.
“Hoaam…”
Rosena woke up early in the morning and started dressing up.
She took a bath in flower water, in which rose water and pearls were mixed to make her body smooth.
Three maids, including Ella, helped Rosena and groomed her from head to toe.
Her hair, which was often neatly pulled up, was hung down, and the sides were naturally curled and fixed.
The decoration of the head was finished with white flowers.
After dressing up, Rosena put on a new dress this time. It was a blend of Astania and empire designs, which gave a harmonious yet fresh feeling.
After everything was ready, Rosena got up from her seat. She felt exhausted already, but she still had a lot of work to do today.
On the first day of the founding day week, the imperial family left the imperial palace and marched through the capital. The scale was great, showing the dignity and power of the empire.
After the march was over, the imperial family briefly showed their faces to the imperial people on the wall of the square. According to the old tradition of the empire, it was the only day commoners could see the royal family.
In particular, these days, the status of the imperial family had risen, and everyone was excited to see the imperial family.
This was the first time Rosena made her appearance.
Still, the rumors about the third prince among the people of the empire were not good, so she couldn’t help but be nervous. So after much thought, she made some preparations. Now that she had told Yerhan, all she had to do was do it right.
After everything was ready, Rosena headed to Illian’s room.
Illian didn’t like receiving the touch of the maids, so Rosena had to decorate him herself. Still, he was a boy, so he didn’t need a lot of hands.
Rosena, who meticulously fastened every button, gently grabbed Illian’s shoulders.
“You look great today.”
Illian smiled brightly. His figure was so lovely that Rosena kissed his forehead.
Even though he had grown up a lot these days, her cute son had not changed.
“Shall we go?”
Rosena and Illian held hands and got into the prepared carriage. It was a carriage decorated with flowers, unlike usual.
As she was about to close the carriage door, a hand popped out.
“I’m glad it’s not too late.”
Yerhan said so as he got into the carriage. He was out of the palace early in the morning for work, but she didn’t know he would come just in time.
“Did you have a good trip?”
At that question, Yerhan’s lips rose slightly. It was an expression that meant he liked what Rosena asked.
“Yes, I had a good trip.”
Yerhan answered with a faint smile.
He stopped by the Imperial Palace in the early morning.
It had been seven years since he entered the Imperial Family, but Yerhan never attended the founding ceremony.
Whether he would attend or not was already decided, but the details were finalized today.
In fact, he thought the empress would oppose the decision, but she didn’t say much, so he was a little puzzled.
It was because she always kept Yerhan in check and spread malicious rumors by taking advantage of the fact that he did not show up in front of people.
The carriage carrying the family of the third prince began to roll slowly.
The golden carriage carrying the emperor and the empress, and the knights directly under the emperor stood on either side, took the lead.
The silver carriage in which the crown prince rode, surrounded by the imperial knights, followed behind.
Except for the emperor couple and the crown prince, the colors of the carriages were not specifically assigned.
The second prince and his family’s carriage was white. It glistened in light gold when reflected in the yellow sun.
The ambition of the second prince couple was explicitly revealed by one carriage.
The carriages left the palace and began to circle the capital slowly.
Thousands of imperial citizens poured out onto the streets, cheering and scattering flowers. It was as if they were welcoming a hero who made a big contribution in war.
Rosena looked out the window. Children with bright smiles were running along the carriages.
The carriage of the third prince’s family, who was in charge of the tail of the procession, had exceptionally few escort knights. This was done on purpose by the royal family.
The carriage of the third prince was not as flashy as other imperial families, but it was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, highlighting the owner’s aesthetic sense.
The carriage went around all the main streets of the capital and passed through the victory gate leading to Heroes’ Square.
The carriages of the imperial family lined up behind the square and stopped.
A large number of people had already gathered in front of the square. There were quite a few people who came out early in the morning just to secure a better place to view it.
Rosena held Illian’s hand and climbed the stairs leading up to the tower.
Chairs were provided on top of the tower, and the emperor and the empress sat side by side in that order.
The second prince, his wife and their children also sat on the chairs, leaving only one chair left.
When Yerhan glanced at the servant’s face, his complexion turned white.
“That, I was definitely prepared…”
The servant mumbled as if making excuses.
Then Asilia, who was already seated, covered her mouth and spoke eloquently.
“Oh my, there’s nowhere to sit, what do I do?”
Rosena glanced at Asilia, who was smiling widely.
Looking at the curved corners of her eyes, the chairs seemed to have been prepared according to her instructions.
Upon her childish act, Rosena sighed inwardly.
“Illiann, sit down.”
“Hmm, no. Mom, you sit down.”
Illian shook his head. Rosena stroked Illian’s head and whispered.
“Mom wants to stand up for a while.”
Then Illian reluctantly sat down. Rosena and Yerhan stood behind Illian.
It was fortunate that two seats were missing. If only one chair was missing, Yerhan would surely have given way to her.
“….I’ll have them get a chair now.”
As Yerhan spoke with an uncomfortable expression on his face, Rosena shook her head.
“It’s not bad to stand together like this.”
At Rosena’s words, Yerhan stopped. He stared at Rosena and whispered softly.
“So do I.”
Rosena belatedly thought about what she had said, then blushed.
When Yerhan and Rosena kept straight faces and didn’t get angry, Asilia frowned.
She ordered the chairs to be empty, but on the contrary, the two of them looked excited.
She didn’t do something bothersome just to see such a reaction.
It was not long before the deafening cheers filled the square, and the emperor and empress rose together.
As the blond hair, the symbol of the imperial family, shone brightly like the sun, shouts erupted among the people of the empire.
The emperor recited a congratulatory speech to mark the beginning of the founding country. It was a phrase that firmly declared that the Herbet Empire was a land of divinity.
When the crown prince’s turn came, an enthusiastic response returned.
The crown prince, known for subjugating monsters, was more popular than any other royal family member.
Rumors were inflated, so the crown prince became a god and a hero to the people of the empire.
The commoners could not distinguish the truth and believed the rumors.
Crown Prince Zigrit looked at the people with a mask-like smile, then slowly turned his head. As his eyes met Rosena’s eyes, his smile deepened. Rosena immediately averted her gaze.
Since the number of the imperial family was not so large, the second prince’s turn quickly ended and the family of the third prince, Yerhan, came.
Then the surroundings cooled down a bit. The enthusiastic reaction went in, and the cheers decreased.
Everyone was curious about the third prince who had never appeared before, but it was a negative reaction.
As Yerhan stepped forward, the empress gave a cold look. But she did not stop Yerhan.
As Yerhan slowly showed up, there was a moment of silence.
Shining blonde in the sun was undoubtedly an imperial family. But his face wasn’t as ugly as people thought. On the contrary, he was a handsome man who stood out even from a long distance.
Although he had a cold impression, he attracted attention with his clear features, smooth jawline, and wide shoulders.
At the end of the silence, the crowd began to stir violently.
“Is he, really the third prince?”
“No way. Isn’t he a stand-in?”
“They said the third prince is ugly.”
But none of the murmuring people had ever seen the third prince in person.
Someone gave out a cheer. Then the people who were in a row began to respond one by one.
A growing sound surrounded him.
Yerhan’s eyes slowly skimmed through the crowd and slowly backed away. Even though he disappeared, the sound continued.
Rosena glanced at Yerhan’s back.
Before Rosena met Yerhan, she believed the rumor straight away. It was fortunate that the truth was revealed, even if it happened only now.
And finally it was Rosena’s turn.
“…Haaa.”
Rosena, who was standing behind, exhaled a small breath and slowly stepped forward.
When Rosena stopped, she saw countless crowds.
Rosena reached out into the air. Then a shadow began to fall quickly over the blue sky.
The crowd all raised their heads high at the strange sight.
Light poured out in an instant as the hidden sun shined at once.
It was none other than Lagonia, which was an auspicious sign, that filled the sky and hid the sun.
It was a bird that rarely showed up in front of people, and just looking at it was said to bring good luck.
Numerous birds began to circle above Rosena’s head, enough to fill the sky. Then a few Lagonia flew lightly to Rosena’s side.
Everyone looked at the mysterious appearance.
It was not long before the birds were completely out of sight that a roar that could shake the heavens and the earth erupted.
Rosena was puzzled by the more enthusiastic response than when the crown prince appeared.
Asilia, who was watching from behind, clenched her fist. Just now, Asilia also looked at the scene in a moment of distraction.
That bird was called an auspicious bird because it was a kind that’s difficult to spot even a single one.
However, it was during Rosena’s turn that it had appeared in a swarm. It looked as if Rosena had called in the birds.
Asilia bit her lips in anger. If she had stepped up a little later, those birds could have been used.
Ignorant commoners were buzzing with only a few birds.
After Illian’s turn, the imperial family came down the wall one by one.
When everyone got on the carriages, Yerhan asked Rosena, who was sitting across from him.
“Did you call those birds?”
“Yes, that’s right. They were on their way down south, so it was easy to ask.”
Yerhan nodded. And he closed his eyes slowly, remembering the scene earlier.
“It was beautiful.”
Rosena swallowed her breath for a moment at his murmur.
She was sure he was talking about the birds, but it was as if he was talking about her.
Still, thanks to the birds, the public’s perception of Yerhan might have improved even a little.
The carriage headed into the Imperial Palace. It was to hold a divinity ceremony in the afternoon.
The Founding Day would last for a week, but the imperial celebration would end in three days.
On the first day, there was a march around the capital and the ritual of divinity, and banquets were held from the second day to the last.
The banquet on the second day was held in a grand scale, with all the imperial and foreign nobles gathered, and the third day was open for all to attend.
“Aren’t you tired, Illian?”
“I’m all right.”
Illian answered vigorously.
Rosena, who was proud of him, gently touched his cheek.
Illian glanced at Yerhan. But he didn’t respond much. In the past, he would have looked annoyed when Illian monopolized Rosena’s love.
Illian had a subtle feeling. It was clear that they were still not on good terms, but much of their sharp feelings seemed to have disappeared.
Like Yerhan, Illian gradually recognized him as a family member. There were a lot of squabbles over Rosena, but he didn’t hate it anymore.
“What’s the divinity ceremony like?”
Rosena, who was stroking Illian’s head, asked. Rosena didn’t know anything about the divinity ceremony.
“It’s my first time attending it, so I don’t know much.”
Yerhan slowly lowered his eyes.
“There is a fountain where the divinity washed his body when he appeared a long time ago. I only know that we do rituals through it.”
“I see.”
When she heard the word ‘divinity’, she remembered the words of the crown prince again.
Rosena tried to shake off the crown prince’s words.
Compared to the imperial people’s enthusiasm for divinity, Rosena had not been very interested in it since childhood.
Even if it was the land of divinity, it was just a myth that could not be proven.
She thought today’s ceremony was just an act of tradition, and it didn’t mean much.
Eventually, the carriages headed deep into the Imperial Palace. Turning right on the forked road, a giant arched door appeared.
They went through the door and another door came into view. It was as if there were layers of doors.
The carriages, which had been rolling for a long time, stopped completely. The door of the carriage opened, and Rosena got out of the carriage with the help of Yerhan.
It was a big space surrounded by walls everywhere. There was no building around, only a tall altar built in a terraced manner. And a golden carpet ran from the door to the altar.
The rain that had been falling for days finally stopped.
The plants, which couldn’t raise their heads in the pouring rain, bloomed wider than before when the rain stopped. The dark greens bore fruit, and the sky was high and a deep blue.
Autumn came earlier than usual.
After the heavy rain, the imperial people began to refurbish the streets again, and accelerated preparations for the founding festival.
With the Founding Day just around the corner, the Third Prince Palace began to get busy.
Rosena got a new outfit for the Founding Day banquet.
She thought there were already a lot of clothes in her closet, but the weather got chilly and she fell for Yerhan’s persuasion to consider the atmosphere of the event.
Rosena was worried at the thought of introducing Illian in front of a lot of people. However, Illian was more mature than Rosena thought.
Over the past few months, Illian had grown a lot, his features became more distinct, and his pronunciation became clearer. He looked exactly like Yerhan, but his smile was like an angel’s.
A few days ago, Illian began taking formal swordsmanship classes. Since there was no proper place to take swordsmanship classes at the Third Prince Palace, he took classes at a nearby training ground.
Every time Illian left the palace for class, Rosena felt strange. She couldn’t help but think that he had already grown so much.
And finally, the day of the Founding Day came.
“Hoaam…”
Rosena woke up early in the morning and started dressing up.
She took a bath in flower water, in which rose water and pearls were mixed to make her body smooth.
Three maids, including Ella, helped Rosena and groomed her from head to toe.
Her hair, which was often neatly pulled up, was hung down, and the sides were naturally curled and fixed.
The decoration of the head was finished with white flowers.
After dressing up, Rosena put on a new dress this time. It was a blend of Astania and empire designs, which gave a harmonious yet fresh feeling.
After everything was ready, Rosena got up from her seat. She felt exhausted already, but she still had a lot of work to do today.
On the first day of the founding day week, the imperial family left the imperial palace and marched through the capital. The scale was great, showing the dignity and power of the empire.
After the march was over, the imperial family briefly showed their faces to the imperial people on the wall of the square. According to the old tradition of the empire, it was the only day commoners could see the royal family.
In particular, these days, the status of the imperial family had risen, and everyone was excited to see the imperial family.
This was the first time Rosena made her appearance.
Still, the rumors about the third prince among the people of the empire were not good, so she couldn’t help but be nervous. So after much thought, she made some preparations. Now that she had told Yerhan, all she had to do was do it right.
After everything was ready, Rosena headed to Illian’s room.
Illian didn’t like receiving the touch of the maids, so Rosena had to decorate him herself. Still, he was a boy, so he didn’t need a lot of hands.
Rosena, who meticulously fastened every button, gently grabbed Illian’s shoulders.
“You look great today.”
Illian smiled brightly. His figure was so lovely that Rosena kissed his forehead.
Even though he had grown up a lot these days, her cute son had not changed.
“Shall we go?”
Rosena and Illian held hands and got into the prepared carriage. It was a carriage decorated with flowers, unlike usual.
As she was about to close the carriage door, a hand popped out.
“I’m glad it’s not too late.”
Yerhan said so as he got into the carriage. He was out of the palace early in the morning for work, but she didn’t know he would come just in time.
“Did you have a good trip?”
At that question, Yerhan’s lips rose slightly. It was an expression that meant he liked what Rosena asked.
“Yes, I had a good trip.”
Yerhan answered with a faint smile.
He stopped by the Imperial Palace in the early morning.
It had been seven years since he entered the Imperial Family, but Yerhan never attended the founding ceremony.
Whether he would attend or not was already decided, but the details were finalized today.
In fact, he thought the empress would oppose the decision, but she didn’t say much, so he was a little puzzled.
It was because she always kept Yerhan in check and spread malicious rumors by taking advantage of the fact that he did not show up in front of people.
The carriage carrying the family of the third prince began to roll slowly.
The golden carriage carrying the emperor and the empress, and the knights directly under the emperor stood on either side, took the lead.
The silver carriage in which the crown prince rode, surrounded by the imperial knights, followed behind.
Except for the emperor couple and the crown prince, the colors of the carriages were not specifically assigned.
The second prince and his family’s carriage was white. It glistened in light gold when reflected in the yellow sun.
The ambition of the second prince couple was explicitly revealed by one carriage.
The carriages left the palace and began to circle the capital slowly.
Thousands of imperial citizens poured out onto the streets, cheering and scattering flowers. It was as if they were welcoming a hero who made a big contribution in war.
Rosena looked out the window. Children with bright smiles were running along the carriages.
The carriage of the third prince’s family, who was in charge of the tail of the procession, had exceptionally few escort knights. This was done on purpose by the royal family.
The carriage of the third prince was not as flashy as other imperial families, but it was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, highlighting the owner’s aesthetic sense.
The carriage went around all the main streets of the capital and passed through the victory gate leading to Heroes’ Square.
The carriages of the imperial family lined up behind the square and stopped.
A large number of people had already gathered in front of the square. There were quite a few people who came out early in the morning just to secure a better place to view it.
Rosena held Illian’s hand and climbed the stairs leading up to the tower.
Chairs were provided on top of the tower, and the emperor and the empress sat side by side in that order.
The second prince, his wife and their children also sat on the chairs, leaving only one chair left.
When Yerhan glanced at the servant’s face, his complexion turned white.
“That, I was definitely prepared…”
The servant mumbled as if making excuses.
Then Asilia, who was already seated, covered her mouth and spoke eloquently.
“Oh my, there’s nowhere to sit, what do I do?”
Rosena glanced at Asilia, who was smiling widely.
Looking at the curved corners of her eyes, the chairs seemed to have been prepared according to her instructions.
Upon her childish act, Rosena sighed inwardly.
“Illiann, sit down.”
“Hmm, no. Mom, you sit down.”
Illian shook his head. Rosena stroked Illian’s head and whispered.
“Mom wants to stand up for a while.”
Then Illian reluctantly sat down. Rosena and Yerhan stood behind Illian.
It was fortunate that two seats were missing. If only one chair was missing, Yerhan would surely have given way to her.
“….I’ll have them get a chair now.”
As Yerhan spoke with an uncomfortable expression on his face, Rosena shook her head.
“It’s not bad to stand together like this.”
At Rosena’s words, Yerhan stopped. He stared at Rosena and whispered softly.
“So do I.”
Rosena belatedly thought about what she had said, then blushed.
When Yerhan and Rosena kept straight faces and didn’t get angry, Asilia frowned.
She ordered the chairs to be empty, but on the contrary, the two of them looked excited.
She didn’t do something bothersome just to see such a reaction.
It was not long before the deafening cheers filled the square, and the emperor and empress rose together.
As the blond hair, the symbol of the imperial family, shone brightly like the sun, shouts erupted among the people of the empire.
The emperor recited a congratulatory speech to mark the beginning of the founding country. It was a phrase that firmly declared that the Herbet Empire was a land of divinity.
When the crown prince’s turn came, an enthusiastic response returned.
The crown prince, known for subjugating monsters, was more popular than any other royal family member.
Rumors were inflated, so the crown prince became a god and a hero to the people of the empire.
The commoners could not distinguish the truth and believed the rumors.
Crown Prince Zigrit looked at the people with a mask-like smile, then slowly turned his head. As his eyes met Rosena’s eyes, his smile deepened. Rosena immediately averted her gaze.
Since the number of the imperial family was not so large, the second prince’s turn quickly ended and the family of the third prince, Yerhan, came.
Then the surroundings cooled down a bit. The enthusiastic reaction went in, and the cheers decreased.
Everyone was curious about the third prince who had never appeared before, but it was a negative reaction.
As Yerhan stepped forward, the empress gave a cold look. But she did not stop Yerhan.
As Yerhan slowly showed up, there was a moment of silence.
Shining blonde in the sun was undoubtedly an imperial family. But his face wasn’t as ugly as people thought. On the contrary, he was a handsome man who stood out even from a long distance.
Although he had a cold impression, he attracted attention with his clear features, smooth jawline, and wide shoulders.
At the end of the silence, the crowd began to stir violently.
“Is he, really the third prince?”
“No way. Isn’t he a stand-in?”
“They said the third prince is ugly.”
But none of the murmuring people had ever seen the third prince in person.
Someone gave out a cheer. Then the people who were in a row began to respond one by one.
A growing sound surrounded him.
Yerhan’s eyes slowly skimmed through the crowd and slowly backed away. Even though he disappeared, the sound continued.
Rosena glanced at Yerhan’s back.
Before Rosena met Yerhan, she believed the rumor straight away. It was fortunate that the truth was revealed, even if it happened only now.
And finally it was Rosena’s turn.
“…Haaa.”
Rosena, who was standing behind, exhaled a small breath and slowly stepped forward.
When Rosena stopped, she saw countless crowds.
Rosena reached out into the air. Then a shadow began to fall quickly over the blue sky.
The crowd all raised their heads high at the strange sight.
Light poured out in an instant as the hidden sun shined at once.
It was none other than Lagonia, which was an auspicious sign, that filled the sky and hid the sun.
It was a bird that rarely showed up in front of people, and just looking at it was said to bring good luck.
Numerous birds began to circle above Rosena’s head, enough to fill the sky. Then a few Lagonia flew lightly to Rosena’s side.
Everyone looked at the mysterious appearance.
It was not long before the birds were completely out of sight that a roar that could shake the heavens and the earth erupted.
Rosena was puzzled by the more enthusiastic response than when the crown prince appeared.
Asilia, who was watching from behind, clenched her fist. Just now, Asilia also looked at the scene in a moment of distraction.
That bird was called an auspicious bird because it was a kind that’s difficult to spot even a single one.
However, it was during Rosena’s turn that it had appeared in a swarm. It looked as if Rosena had called in the birds.
Asilia bit her lips in anger. If she had stepped up a little later, those birds could have been used.
Ignorant commoners were buzzing with only a few birds.
After Illian’s turn, the imperial family came down the wall one by one.
When everyone got on the carriages, Yerhan asked Rosena, who was sitting across from him.
“Did you call those birds?”
“Yes, that’s right. They were on their way down south, so it was easy to ask.”
Yerhan nodded. And he closed his eyes slowly, remembering the scene earlier.
“It was beautiful.”
Rosena swallowed her breath for a moment at his murmur.
She was sure he was talking about the birds, but it was as if he was talking about her.
Still, thanks to the birds, the public’s perception of Yerhan might have improved even a little.
The carriage headed into the Imperial Palace. It was to hold a divinity ceremony in the afternoon.
The Founding Day would last for a week, but the imperial celebration would end in three days.
On the first day, there was a march around the capital and the ritual of divinity, and banquets were held from the second day to the last.
The banquet on the second day was held in a grand scale, with all the imperial and foreign nobles gathered, and the third day was open for all to attend.
“Aren’t you tired, Illian?”
“I’m all right.”
Illian answered vigorously.
Rosena, who was proud of him, gently touched his cheek.
Illian glanced at Yerhan. But he didn’t respond much. In the past, he would have looked annoyed when Illian monopolized Rosena’s love.
Illian had a subtle feeling. It was clear that they were still not on good terms, but much of their sharp feelings seemed to have disappeared.
Like Yerhan, Illian gradually recognized him as a family member. There were a lot of squabbles over Rosena, but he didn’t hate it anymore.
“What’s the divinity ceremony like?”
Rosena, who was stroking Illian’s head, asked. Rosena didn’t know anything about the divinity ceremony.
“It’s my first time attending it, so I don’t know much.”
Yerhan slowly lowered his eyes.
“There is a fountain where the divinity washed his body when he appeared a long time ago. I only know that we do rituals through it.”
“I see.”
When she heard the word ‘divinity’, she remembered the words of the crown prince again.
Rosena tried to shake off the crown prince’s words.
Compared to the imperial people’s enthusiasm for divinity, Rosena had not been very interested in it since childhood.
Even if it was the land of divinity, it was just a myth that could not be proven.
She thought today’s ceremony was just an act of tradition, and it didn’t mean much.
Eventually, the carriages headed deep into the Imperial Palace. Turning right on the forked road, a giant arched door appeared.
They went through the door and another door came into view. It was as if there were layers of doors.
The carriages, which had been rolling for a long time, stopped completely. The door of the carriage opened, and Rosena got out of the carriage with the help of Yerhan.
It was a big space surrounded by walls everywhere. There was no building around, only a tall altar built in a terraced manner. And a golden carpet ran from the door to the altar.
