The morning of the empire was not so beautiful.
The people constantly missed their past lives, the beauty of the past, everything from before.
Back then, the empire was thriving, and everyone could feel the hope and vision for a bright future and development.
But now, everyone wants to escape this place, to flee from this land of extortion and lawlessness.
This change has occurred in just one year.
It was also the change that came one year after they drove Emilia out.
What a pity… ever since the border lockdown order was issued, very few people have been able to leave.
They can only stew in this hell, reaping the consequences of their actions, regretting until the moment of their death.
“Your Majesty, I have returned. My apologies for wasting so much time. Your health remains as robust as ever.”
Duke Ole, arriving late and looking exhausted, spoke courteous and flattering words.
Perhaps due to his hurried journey, his clothes were disheveled.
In the grand palace hall, he respectfully bowed to Gerald, who sat smugly on the throne, though he appeared drained.
Given the current dominance of the nobility and his own status, Ole could have skipped the formalities, but he still bowed to give the other party face, avoiding potential trouble if Emilia were to return and Gerald held a grudge.
His eyes lowered slightly, carrying a trace of helplessness—not because he failed to bring back news of Emilia, but because of what he had learned.
As for how he obtained the information, it was through memory searching, or “soul searching.”
The stubborn old nun had been unyielding, her lips sealed tight.
Neither soft nor hard tactics worked, not even the usually infallible moral coercion that worked on devout believers.
Out of options, he resorted to this method…
After all, those who wield magic often dabble in dark magic to some extent, though they wouldn’t display it publicly.
It’s fair to say that dark magic and forbidden techniques are something you may not use, but you must possess.
Otherwise, you might not even know how you died—a lesson learned in blood.
Before Gerald, seated on the throne, could speak, he saw Ole half-kneeling.
Gerald was about to ask about Emilia’s whereabouts, anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Every day she delayed her return, the empire faced another day of crisis.
Even he, the emperor, had to continue groveling or enduring the people’s insults for another day.
He was fed up with the humiliation he’d borne during this time and longed to take revenge on these nobles, but for now, he couldn’t.
Killing recklessly wouldn’t solve the problem…
He regretted driving Emilia away every moment.
If Emilia were still here, would he be in such a state?
Pausing his thoughts, he noticed Ole had more to say.
Since Ole was the key figure in this matter, Gerald gave him the chance to speak.
“Your Majesty, this time I took action against your foster mother. I tried reasoning with her from Your Majesty’s perspective, but she was unyielding. For the future of the empire, for Your Majesty’s orders, to spare Your Majesty from further infamy, and for the people of the empire, I had no choice but to use soul searching to uncover Emilia’s whereabouts and clues.”
His words, one by one, seemed devoid of any selfish motive, entirely for the sake of the empire and the emperor—a testament to Duke Ole’s art of speech.
He spoke exactly what Gerald wanted to hear.
He added one final remark, deliberately downplaying the matter:
“But rest assured, Your Majesty, your foster mother is unharmed. She may be unconscious for a few days, and Daisy is by her side taking care of her. No need to worry.”
Hearing this, Gerald’s heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t press further.
He lacked the ability to hold Ole accountable.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his foster mother, but finding Emilia’s whereabouts was simply more worthwhile.
“Alright, considering your painstaking efforts, I’ll let this slide for now. Tell me about Emilia’s whereabouts. She’s probably playing hard to get, waiting for me to invite her back. Really, what a hassle.”
“What?”
Ole was bewildered, looking up at Gerald’s smug expression.
Has His Majesty gone mad?
He remembered that before he left, Gerald was full of regret and anguish over driving Emilia away, his face clouded with sorrow and resentment.
Now… Ole couldn’t comprehend it.
He let out an incredulous question: You don’t know what you did to her? Betrayal, abandonment, suspicion—any person would break under that. Are you even human?
“Playing hard to get? Your Majesty… I cannot agree.”
“Your Majesty, I believe we should take Lady Emilia seriously. Please show the proper attitude, not this nonchalant demeanor. Even I feel indignant on her behalf…”
Perhaps he had learned from the villagers’ mistakes, knowing that he himself had betrayed Emilia’s trust, leading to her expulsion from the empire.
If she could return, he’d be willing to go through fire and water for her.
But Gerald, lost in his fantasies, grew aggressive.
“Are you teaching me how to act, Duke Ole?”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Ole lowered his head but added meaningfully, tossing out a glass orb containing the old nun’s memories of seeing Emilia.
“Please, Your Majesty, review this before making any judgments.”
“Oh, alright.”
Still calm and composed, Gerald took the orb, skillfully using magic to view the memories.
Soon, the so-called smile vanished from his face, replaced by utter disbelief.
Duke Ole, delivering the final blow, spoke words that pierced his heart.
“It seems Lady Emilia has found a new love and plans to help him restore his kingdom or something. Her exact location is unclear, but from their conversation, it’s evident they’ve been together for about a year, quite close. It’s understandable, though. When love goes unreturned, and one’s efforts end in betrayal, moving on is only natural. That’s why I urged Your Majesty to take this seriously.”
“Impossible, absolutely impossible! Emilia loves me so much—she couldn’t possibly love someone else…”
All that remained was Gerald, his fantasies shattered, raving alone.
Ole tactfully withdrew.
Outside the hall, the nobles and church members seemed to be in quite a predicament, looking for a scapegoat, unaware of the impending disaster.
They appeared to hold Ole in contempt, disdainful of him.
A noble, yet not standing with the nobility.
Even helping outsiders against them.
But Ole didn’t care.
Out of kindness and his lingering attachment to the nobility, he offered one last piece of advice.
“Everyone, I suggest you work together to bring Emilia back. You still have a chance to be saved.”
“…”
All he received in return were sneers and mockery.
Little did they know, the more arrogant they were now, the more regret they would feel later.
Perhaps realizing the empire was beyond saving, with its leaders too short-sighted, Ole still saw it as his homeland, his home.
He crushed the hidden memory fragment in his hand, Emilia’s voice echoing in his ears.
“I’m going to the ruins of the Demon King’s Castle.”
He said nothing more, unwilling to share this with anyone.
With a sigh, he gazed out at the scenery beyond the window.
All that remained in his sight was the fading glow of the past, and he understood that he alone could not save the empire.