‘Exactly the same situation.’

Actually, when Jiun appeared in the past, it was Rose Palace where the crown prince let her stay.

Although I felt my present obviously changed from the past, though it did little by little, I felt like I was going back to the same old past with Jiun’s sudden appearance.

My hands and feet suddenly became cold, and I felt short of breath. My heart pounded like crazy. I lifted the silver cup to calm down, but my hand trembled so much that I couldn’t put it to my lips.

Looking at me quickly, the emperor said to my father, “Good job, Marquis. That’s enough. I appreciate your coming all the way down here.”

“I’m flattered, Your Majesty. Then, can I leave with my daughter?”

When I looked at him hesitantly, the emperor told me with a smile that I could leave.

I didn’t remember how I showed due manners when I got out. I just instinctively walked after my father. It was only when my father, who walked ahead for a long time, stopped walking and put both hands on my shoulder.

When I blinked blankly at his touch, I saw him looking at me with a worried expression.

“… Dad?”

“…Are you okay?”

“Pardon?”

“I guess you have been through so much here.”

Having said that, he suddenly hugged me.

When I was held in his arms, I felt greatly relieved as if I was relieved of all the troubles in this world. Only then did I realize that I was still trembling. When I heard he was whispering that I was okay, and that he would help me out, stroking my hair kindly, I felt refreshed and regained my good spirits. It looked like there was a ray of light in the darkness that bound me tightly.

“… Daddy.”

“Yes, honey.”

“Why did you come down? You are in charge of the defense of the capital… ”

“When I saw the woman with black hair who appeared suddenly, I recalled your dream. As it was a dream that left you with such a truma, I was concerned about you, just in case. Although the timing of her appearance was different, I was afraid that you might be shocked a lot if you heard the news about that woman. When the messenger left, I also wanted to come, but as I had to gather some more information, I arrived here just now. Don’t worry as I let Marquis Enesil take charge of defending the capital while I was away. By the way, are you really alright?”

When I heard his considerate questioning, I could feel he was gravely concerned about me. I could feel it even in his warm embrace and the hand stroking my hair.

Did my father come all the way down here for the past week with just one thought that I might be shocked? As Jiun really appeared, he might have thought that my dream wasn’t just a dream, but a prophetic dream. Nonetheless, it would have been hard for him to trust my dream. Was my father worried about me so much that he even left his official duty with Marquis Enesil?

“I wasn’t okay…”

“… ”

“But I’m okay now. Since you are with me, I’ve become convinced that everything will work out well. ”

“… Tia. ”

“Thank you very much, Daddy.”

My intense anxiety for the past three days went away quickly. As I snuggled into his arms like a child playing the baby, he tightened his grip on his arms embracing me.

Patting my back silently, he asked me after a while.

“Tia.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“As you heard a little while ago, the noble faction and the temple guys joined hands together and began to claim that the dark-haired woman was the child of God’s prophecy. If you go to the capital, you will hear lots of people arguing that the woman should be made the crown prince’s wife.”

His nave blue eyes were staring seriously at me. He said with a determined voice, “I don’t think the emperor will betray my expectation, but I would like to honor your decision.”

“… ”

“Do you intend to be the successor of my family like you said when you were a child? Or do you want me to make you the next empress by fighting with the pro-emperor faction? I will support your decision, whichever choice you want to make.”

“I want to…”

I thought that if someone asked me, I would say I would choose to be the successor of my family without hesitation, but when he asked like this, I found myself hesitant a bit. Although I didn’t see it directly, I felt my past was now being recreated before my eyes in the same manner, so my current path to be the successor of my family was the best choice. Nonetheless, I could not move my stupid mouth.

“I’m sorry, Tia.”

“Pardon?”

“It seems that I pressured you to make a quick decision on such an important matter because I was too impatient.”

“… ”

“I guess you are also confused a lot now. Let’s think about it slowly. ”

“… Thank you.”

I barely answered, closing my dry mouth, at his considerate words. Straightening up, he patted my shoulder gently and said, “I must prepare to go back to the capital.”

“By the way, Daddy.”

“Why?”

“The emperor seems to be very sick. Can he safely move to the capital?”

“His Majesty? That’s strange. When I saw him a little while ago, I didn’t feel that way. ”

When I briefly explained what happened over the past three days, he pondered over something and said with a smile, “It looks like the emperor has played pranked on you.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t you tell me he called you as soon as he heard it, right? Perhaps he pretended to be sick, so he could have you be around him to protect you.”

“I see…”

I was speechless when he said that, trying to mutter. Only when he told me to go back did I come to my senses and follow him.

Did he really try to deceive me by pretending to be sick? When I returned to my place after chatting with my father, the emperor was back in good shape and ordered his staff to be ready to go back to the capital. Although he made the decision hastily, those who knew the situation in the capital didn’t complain and busied themselves with preparing to return to the capital.

So, everyone was now busy preparing to return, packing their stuff and cleaning up. It took them seven days. In the end, the people who accompanied the emperor to the summer palace left for the capital, ending their stay at the summer palace

When I returned to the capital after a long time, it was so different from what I saw before leaving for the summer palace.

Was it because the emperor’s procession arrived in the afternoon? The streets seen through the wagon window were bleak. There was a haze rising on the well-paved roads, and the people welcoming back the emperor looked dispirited like withered grass.

I felt gloomy at the shocking scene of the capital. It was much more severe than I expected. As I stayed at the summer palace, I was not aware of the stark reality in the capital caused by the severe drought. What was the emperor thinking about, faced with this shocking situation? In this dire situation, how was the crown prince managing national affairs?

When I got out of the wagon, the air was so hot that I could hardly breathe. I swallowed unconsciously because of the burning sensation in my face and hands due to the sweltering weather.

‘The heat is so extreme!’

The sizzling sunshine was murder.

“I’m honored to see Your Majesty. Have you been well? ”

“I’m honored to see Your Majesty, the Sun of the empire. Glory to the empire! ”

Several nobles and the crown prince, who came out to the main gate of the Imperial Palace, showed due manners to the emperor, who just got off the wagon.

The crown prince, who I was seeing for the first time in a long time, looked a bit haggard. However, his uniquely cool voice and vibrant attitude were still the same as before.

“I felt great as I could look back on memories of the past. Especially since I spent the last few days very comfortably thanks to Lady Monique.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Your Majesty.”

“I hear it’s the best remedy for heat. The rose hips tea that you sent to my daughter-in-law was very effective in beating the heat. Thanks, my son. I really enjoyed the tea in a happy mood.”

At that moment, everybody turned their eyes toward me. The pro-emperor faction were looking at me warmly while the noble faction were casting a murderous glance at me. I saw the crown emperor making a faint smile among them.

‘Your daughter-in-law?’