"Well, did you find anything useful?"
Eustaf changed the subject, so Ran answered quickly with a breathtaking feeling.
"No, I haven't found it yet. As you can see, the records are mixed up in a mess, so I'm organizing them little by little. Since the winter in Lazia is long, wouldn't it work if we clean it up throughout the winter?"
"It must be hard for you to do everything by yourself."
He frowned and Ran shook her head.
"No, I don't really have anything to do anyway."
"You look at the papers every morning. And it's okay for you to be comfortable."
In Eustaf's words, Ran recalled games, sleds, and entertainment that she enjoyed in front of the hot fireplace.
"Well, I'll do my best in moderation."
At Ran's words, Eustaf smirked.
"And turn on the stove, which looks like it's a bit dry inside."
"Yes, but I'm afraid it'll be bad for parchment if it's dry, so I won't let it get cold enough. I'm okay because I've worn three layers of socks now."
And at Ran's words, Eustaf said, "But..."
He woke up with a tray after blurring his words.
"Okay, but don't work too long."
"Yes, thank you."
Worrying and respecting are both good. When Ran smiled and said, Eustaf took a breath and left the library.
Feeling much more energized as her stomach became stronger, Ran approached the document she was reading earlier.
'Are you going to spend this winter looking at the papers?'
But her expectations were completely shattered.
********
March was still a cold winter in Lazia. Spring winds must be blowing only in the capital, but the wind in Lazia is still a sharp wind.
So, the envoy of the imperial family was shaking his whole body.
When Eustaf gave up the automatic stove, the envoy stood close in front of it and warmed up the wet boots. The clothes he was wearing were black.
Ran, who was standing there with him as a postmortem, had a big heart attack.
'Is the Prince dead?'
When Sina came, the crown prince had already died, so Ran did not know exactly when the crown prince died.
However, even if he died at this point, it would not have been a problem. But the news from the envoy was completely different.
"Your Majesty has a carp."
Ran swallowed without realizing it. Eustaf said, picking up the black corvina from the messenger's hand.
"Lazia expresses deep sorrow. When exactly did you get in?"
"It's New Year's Day this year. I can't get in to Lazia at all, so I've been delayed."
"Then..."
Eustaf said, groping at half-mast.
"His Royal Highness must have ascended to the throne."
"Yes, he is. The new Emperor is easy!"
The messenger shouted loudly. Ran felt like someone hit her in the back of the head.
'Isn't Ruth dead? Your Majesty? No. - Why?'
Obviously, the present emperor was alive until Sina came.
'Did Olivia change her plan? Or is there another variable?'
"The coronation ceremony will take place in April. I hope the Duke of Lazia will attend."
The envoy then crossed the invitation and Eustaf accepted it and said.
"Thank you. Go in and rest."
The envoy bowed his head deeply and stepped back. As soon as he stepped down, Ran and Eustaf looked at each other.
Eustaf said,
"Do you have any idea what I'm thinking?"
"I'm thinking."
Ran said so and sighed deeply.
In any case, the new emperor was hostile to Lazia and it would not benefit him.
'What will he do at the ceremony?'
Ran thought so and bit her lips.
"Can we make it to April's coronation?"
"The road won't be good."
Eustaf said so and was lost in thought.
"I can't help but attend."
"That's not working. It's the best opportunity to understand what and why..."
Eustaf looked at her and said to Ran's murmur.
"I'm glad I became a Patriarch."
Her green eyes narrowed at the words.
"What? Because you don't think I can handle it?"
"No, because Ran doesn't have to suffer anything unpleasant."
Ran's forehead was frowned upon by his words.
"I don't want Lord to suffer such a thing."
"But I'm sure you will."
Eustaf spoke in a straightforward voice and looked up.
"Blaine."
Blaine, who was standing, bowed his head.
"Check the Knights of Blue flame. Cause I think we'll have to leave soon."
"Respect."
"You'd better let the other vassals know in advance. Count of Romia."
Ran quickly straightened up at the word he was calling her.
"Can I leave Lazia with you?"
Ran tried to protest reflexively without realizing it. No, you're leaving me now?
But in front of everyone, she's a vassal, and he's a patriarch.
When everyone is shouting "yes," can I shout "no" alone?
"Alright, I'll do it."
After barely answering, Eustaf smiled faintly.
"I'll talk to you later, My Lord."
Ran added that her smile deepened.
"I'm happy to."
Ran circled her head and waited for the end of Eustaf story.
Originally, as she knew, the crown prince should die, and the emperor should be alive.
But the prince lived and the emperor died. So, it's not like the Emperor died of natural causes, so it's about someone killing him-
'You mean Olivia killed the Emperor?'
Why the hell?
'Where'd she changes her mind? Is she going to put up with the Prince? But then the emperor... Why...?'
Wait.
Ran fixed her mind.
'Let's take the old story apart and think about it after looking at the moment.'
Now that Ruth is emperor, Olivia is empress. She became the number one woman in name and reality. It must have been a good place for the ambitious Olivia.
'But when you put up with the prince?'
Or did the prince come to his senses and make peace with Olivia? Then it might be troublesome.
"Ran"
Ran jumped up as Eustaf whispered. He blinked his eyes.
"I didn't expect you to be so surprised."
"No, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"I think so."
Eustaf grinned. Looking back, Ran and Eustaf were the only ones left in the room. Ran's tone of voice came off by itself.
"There's no one here right now, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't you take me? Don't you need someone to move in society?"
"I need it, but that dog-prince-, excuse me. Now that the trash has become emperor, he's definitely going for what he doesn't have. Besides, you are no longer a Lazian, you are a count. You're become more of a pushover."
Ran was a human being who struggled to get her hands on even when she was a Duchess. She must have thought more easily now that she was Earl/Count.
"In addition, Ran is my weakness, and I don't want to expose it to the outside world."
"But-"
Ran looked at Eustaf with discontented eyes.
"Anyway, I have to meet Ruth to be officially recognized as Earl. Youth gave me the title, but all titles need the approval of the Emperor anyway."
"Have you already forgotten what he did to you?"
"I didn't forget."
Ran said so after taking a deep breath.
"But I don't want to live without seeing his face shaking."
She hesitated to reach out and took his hand. I could feel Eustaf flinching.
"And I'll tell you in advance that this doesn't mean that. Yeah, I know. Anyway, I have Eus, right?"
Eustaf said, wrapping her hand in reverse.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I believe Eus."
Eustaf's upper body tilted. Seeing his close eyes, Ran opened her eyes wide and lowered them slightly. My eyelashes were shaking.
Eustaf said after smiling and kissing her in the eye.
"Thank you for saying that. But you can't still accompany me. The risk of emptying Lazia is too great. I could have the same thing."
At Eustaf's words, Ran rubbed her eyes and said.
"All..alright."
Eustaf laughed and let go of her hands when she answered in a gentle way.
"Then we'll talk about the details later."
Ran nodded at his words. I couldn't speak well. As he left, Ran pressed her lips and sighed.
'I thought you were going to kiss me.'
As soon as I thought, "I'm sorry I didn't do it," Ran shouted, "Ugh!" and wrapped my face in both hands.
"No, wake up, Ran Romia. That's not the time."
It's not the right time, but it's different from that, right?
Another voice whispered in my head.
If Eustaf likes Sina, she will definitely cry. Just hit the player.
'Oh, no. no. Stroke, wake up, Ran.'
Ran thought so and pressed her head hard.
Lumiere was waiting when he left the room. Ran looked up, "Ah."
"You've been waiting a long time, sorry."
"No, what happened to your story?"
"Well, I'm not going to the capital, I'm staying. But if I'm going to be crowned Earl, I'll have to see his face once."
"Who do you mean?"
"The new Emperor."
The coldness dropped from Ran's tone, making Lumiere's face not good either.
"What's going on?"
"Oh, well..."
How should I explain it? I just frankly told Lumiere. You'll find out anyway, but it's the nearest thing to hear from the person in charge.
Listening to the story, Lumiere struggled to control his emotions.
"That's why Eustaf is worried."
"I'm worried, too."
Lumiere's answer came out quickly.
For him, it did not feel real that the emperor was a man on cloud nine and how much power he had. However, he knew how cruel those people were when they tried to crush people.
No matter how much Lazia is a duke, isn't he the emperor?
It's a life where I've been eating dirt at the bottom. Even those who ruled over themselves were discouraged by aristocrats. Because they were far up in the air.
The same goes for Ran.
She is also a high person like a shining star, a high person who cannot reach her.
But Ran held his hand and kissed him on the back of his hand. As a human being, it allowed him to stand with his head up.
'If I can...'
If possible, I wanted to take her and run away from the empire very far away. But Ran will not run away.
Lumiere breathed out a long breath. Ran smiled lightly at his sigh.
"It's okay not to worry too much. It'll work out."
"I hope so."
Then Lumiere smiled and bowed his head.
"If you don't, Master has me."
Ran laughed at Lumiere, who was blinking.
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."
*******
Eustaf left a week later.
"It's better to leave when the ice is still frozen."
He said so, and Ran agreed. It's hard to run through a muddy field.
After Eustaf left, somehow the castle felt empty.
Eustaf led half of the Knights of Blue flame. He said several times that he would leave Blaine behind, Eustaf left Blaine without hesitation and took Ross instead.
Blaine spoke soothingly of Ran.
"Maybe there's another idiot who'll walk through the land."
"Well, that's true."
Ran sighed, answering like that. If the match was held, Ran's knowledge and experience were clear.
"But it is also true that I am worried about Eustaf who went up to the capital....."
She could no longer help himself, and the completely different situation from what she read made Ran more anxious.
But you shouldn't show such signs.
Eustaf created a new position as the General Manager and awarded it to Ran. It was the same position as the deputy head of Patriarch.
She decided that she had to cheer up as much as she had to work as an acting head. In fact, things soon got busy, so Ran worked like a log.
As the weather got warmer, the promised Dwarf technicians flocked.
"You can make your own place."
"Right, right."
The Dwarfs said so and began to "dig" their homes around the mine.
They decided to give the guest room to the Sky castle until they made a temporary residence, and they made them prepare food every day.
Then Lydia, a magic craftsman, told me.
"They want to live separately?"
When Ran approached, Lydia nodded.
"Living in a mansion is also a great consideration for the Lord, so thank you. But you know that the magic cleaner guild members are moving this way, right?"
Ran nodded at her question. After his fight with the Marquis of Cameron, he put a strong pressure on the Wizardry Guild.
So, the craftsmen ran out of the guild and entered the duchy of Lazia to form a small village.
Ran was willing to sell ice crystals and connect them to the top of the Golden Rose so that they could sell their magic work.
"I'm going to build a new guild, and I've been recommended as a guild leader."
Lydia's cheeks were red, but her eyes were sparkling.