Since Sikar did not approve of me going to the battlefield, I returned midway to the Duke’s mansion.

The moment Seo Yeon saw me, she let out a sigh of relief and shed tears.

“I cannot express how relieved I am that you returned safely. Truly, it is such a blessing, Duchess.”

Andrea also stood beside me, his eyes red with emotion.

“It truly is a blessing, Madam.”

“By the way, how is Tucker? Andrea?”

“Tucker is resting due to severe hypothermia. He should recover in a few days.”

“Good. I’m glad everyone is safe. Andrea, you may now withdraw.”

“Yes, Madam.”

After Andrea left, Seo Yeon asked me the question she had been truly curious about.

“But what happened to Pasium? Did you destroy the cage?”

I was so grateful I could deliver the news she longed to hear. I replied with a joyful smile.

“Yes. Pasium is dead.”

I told her about meeting Sikar and how Durion would be arriving slowly on his low-flying broom.

Seo Yeon, who had been listening intently to my words, finally burst into a broad smile and wiped away her tears upon hearing about Durion approaching on his low-flying broom.

“Now I can truly smile in peace. Oh, by the way, I was preparing a meal while waiting for you.”

“A meal?”

Seo Yeon had been preparing food even while worrying something might go wrong, hoping earnestly for our safe return.

Her thoughtfulness moved me deeply, filling me with gratitude.

After finishing a simple meal, Durion arrived bearing a letter from Sikar.

It said everything had been resolved smoothly, that he would soon come to the Duke’s mansion, and we should rest without worry.

Hearing that everything had turned out well, sleep finally overcame me.

How long had I slept? Startled awake by a hand brushing my hair, I opened my eyes to see Sikar gazing down at me with calm eyes.

“Did you sleep well?”

At first, I thought I was dreaming, for Sikar’s face shimmered unusually brightly—but I soon realized sunlight was streaming down behind his back.

Overjoyed, I immediately reached out and embraced Sikar.

“Sikar!”

Apparently, he hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic welcome—he hesitated briefly, then pulled me tightly into his arms.

“I’m glad you were sleeping peacefully.”

“I received the letter saying everything went well—but what exactly happened?”

I tried to pull away to hear the rest of the story, but Sikar wouldn’t let me go.

“Just a moment. Let me hold you a little longer.”

Still holding me tightly, Sikar sighed deeply and began to speak.

The moment Rafe witnessed Gillian’s death, he began to flee—but Reidox chased him closely, caught him, and dragged him back.

Sikar stood before the fallen Gillian, raising his sword high and shouting aloud.

“Now, the Kingdom of Recador shall rewrite its history! I, Sikar Blake, obey the Mandate of Heaven! We shall serve a new sovereign! All shall pledge loyalty to Her Highness Veronia!”

“We pledge our full loyalty to Her Highness Veronia!”

But only Sikar’s followers swore loyalty to Veronia. The royal guards refused to follow Sikar, who had just swung his sword against their king before their very eyes.

Sikar raised his sword once more.

“Mercy to those who follow the new sovereign! Death to those who refuse!”

Veronia walked toward the hesitant royal guards, healing them one by one with her holy power.

“I promise you peace and prosperity for Recador!”

Moved by the princess’s compassionate holy power, more than half the royal guards knelt before Veronia.

“We pledge our full loyalty to the new sovereign!”

True to his word, Sikar reinstated the loyal guards as royal soldiers and imprisoned all who resisted.

Meanwhile, the royal guards who had carried the unconscious queen to the Queen’s Palace received word from soldiers that the throne had changed hands.

“Captain! Disaster has struck! Princess Veronia’s coup has succeeded!”

“What has become of His Majesty?”

“His Majesty appears to have perished!”

If the king was already dead, the throne had definitively changed. The captain had to make a decision—his wrong choice could cost everyone their lives.

The captain ordered the guards to follow the new sovereign.

“Even if the sovereign has changed, the king we serve is still of Recador’s royal bloodline! Therefore, all of you shall follow the new king!”

A few guards grumbled that loyalty to the king couldn’t be flipped like a palm, but most obeyed the captain’s command.

At that moment, a soldier who had been preparing Gillian’s body reported urgently to the captain.

“Captain! His Majesty the King still breathes!”

Though Sikar’s blade had pierced Gillian’s heart directly, his tenacious life refused to end easily. Even with his faint remaining consciousness, he continued healing himself.

Upon learning Gillian was still alive, Sikar chose not to behead him but instead imprisoned him in the underground dungeon of the royal palace where Veronia had once been held.

Diane, who had been unconscious, shouted in her sleep for someone to bring water—but when no one responded, she opened her eyes, realized she was in a prison, and panicked.

For a while, unable to accept reality, Diane screamed loudly while clutching the iron bars—until, exhausted, she sank to the floor. Rafe quietly awaited death.

Jeremi, who had gone to retrieve Pasium’s body, confirmed he was still alive—but Pasium remembered nothing.

“Why kill someone who has lost all memory? I shall take Pasium under my care.”

He admitted honestly that, had he not known Sikar could view memories, he would have claimed to retrieve Pasium’s corpse while intending to take him for himself.

Due to the shock of the cage’s destruction, Pasium could no longer wield magic as powerfully as before. Even if his memories returned, Jeremi was confident he could handle him.

But first, reporting to Veronia was paramount. Sikar asked Veronia how to deal with Pasium, but she commanded him to handle it as he saw fit, having granted him full authority.

Following Veronia’s will, Sikar swiftly handled all matters.

Above all, the throne could not remain vacant for long—so he hastened to prepare the coronation.

However, Veronia refused the throne.

“Seat Kian here immediately.”

Sikar was not the only one astonished.

“But Your Highness, the prince is still too young to manage state affairs.”

“My decision to abdicate in favor of my son is not based solely on trust in him—but on my trust that you will properly assist him.”

Since there was no lack of heirs, Veronia could not be forced to accept the throne. Yet, unsure whether her words were sincere or testing, Sikar asked once more to confirm her intention.

“Please reconsider, Your Highness.”

“I have already stated my decision—do not try to persuade me otherwise. You know as well as I that the sovereign’s seat cannot remain vacant long. Prepare Kian’s coronation as swiftly as possible.”

In the original story Yura remembered, Veronia had also not taken the throne—but at that time, Kian had been old enough to govern. Now, Kian was far too young to lead the nation alone.

“May I ask why Your Highness made such a choice?”

“I…”

Veronia trailed off, then spoke in a sorrowful tone.

“I miss my husband. Where is Valije now? Explain to me why only my child was raised by you.”

Sikar found it slightly odd that Veronia still did not know Valije had died.

In the past, he would have bluntly declared Valije was already dead—but now, Sikar hesitated.

He now understood, at least somewhat, how devastating Valije’s death would be to Veronia.

Though hesitant, Sikar knew this was something he must say.

“Lord Valije is in the Snow Mountains.”

Strangely, in the past, the word “dead” would have come easily to his lips—but now, it refused to emerge. Sikar realized how much he had changed.

He spoke again.

“Let me rephrase: Lord Valije Tahigon rests in the Snow Mountains.”

Tears streamed down Veronia’s face—she who had not shed a single tear even upon seeing her own son.

Her eyes did not look sad—only empty, as tears poured down relentlessly.

Watching her, Sikar’s heart grew heavy and conflicted.

“I must go to the Snow Mountains.”

“What?”

“I must go immediately to where my husband is.”

“But what of His Highness Prince Kian? How can you go to the Snow Mountains?”

“If Kian were the child of an ordinary family, I would have kept him by my side. But Kian is the last remaining royal of this nation—he is sovereign of this land before he is my son. My husband, however, is an ordinary man who, without me, has no one to tend his grave. I intend to live in the Snow Mountains, where my husband rests.”

“Lord Consort’s remains can simply be interred in the royal palace.”

“Do you understand the heart of a wife who failed to stand by her living husband, yet now wishes to stand beside his resting form?”

Veronia’s eyes were so sorrowful that Sikar could not utter a single word.

“I have heard that in the Snow Mountains, bodies do not decay. When I meet my own death, then place both our remains together in the royal palace.”

“……”

“I hear you, of the Sitar clan, raised my son—the son of a Spirit Master?”

“That is correct.”

“Your Sitar clan, able to command spirits at will, always looked down upon Spirit Masters. My father opposed Valije, a Spirit Master, becoming my husband, fearing the Blake family would become a laughingstock. Even you, as a child, knew that, did you not?”

“I knew… I did.”

“And yet—you, of all people, raised our Kian, son of a Spirit Master. How ironic that is.”

“Your Highness thinking so is not at all strange.”

“Whatever your purpose in raising my son, one thing is certain: my son ran headlong into danger to save your life.”

Remembering that moment, Sikar felt his emotions surge again.

“But I raised him for only a few years—and even then, my wife raised him most of the time while I was away on campaign.”

“I only gave birth to him—I never raised him for even a single day. Though, of course, I never forgot him for a single day.”

“It was beyond our control.”

“You took my son into your hands, and you placed him upon the throne. Now, you shall conduct the coronation with your own hands.”

Though nobles sometimes crown the king during coronations, the princess was clearly present now.

Sikar could not help but feel puzzled.

“What do you mean, Your Highness?”

“I mean I recognize you as my son’s royal father—and your wife as my son’s royal mother.”

Sikar felt another wave of deep emotion swell within him.

“You… you mean you recognize me as His Highness Prince Kian’s royal father…?”

“I mean you shall crown my son with your own hands.”

Such a thing had never happened before. Sikar stared blankly at Veronia, unaware tears were streaming down his own face, unable to even respond.

So that was it. Veronia had recognized Sikar and me as Kian’s parents—and yielded the parental role to us.

“Kian’s coronation will proceed soon. Are you prepared?”

Tears flowed as I heard Sikar’s question, delivered with a gentle smile.

Everything was over now.

I felt relief and gratitude that everything had ended safely and well.

Night had waned—only the rising of a new day remained.

Tomorrow, a new sun will rise gloriously.