While Eliya was off handling some delayed tasks, Judas sat there.
In the northern part of the barn where Yuel and the spotted puppies lived.
It was a vast field that spread out before him.
As usual, Amor was sitting on his lap.
Even at 9 years old, Amor’s love for her dad showed no signs of stopping.
“I wish it would always be like this…”
Every time he thought about how long it would last, his heart ached.
Nonetheless, Judas diligently braided Amor’s hair.
It was the hairstyle she had chosen for today.
Amor quietly entrusted her hair to him while drawing.
Mei was admiring from the side.
“Wow. What an incredibly skillful job! You’re really good at braiding Lady Amor’s hair.”
“I’ve gotten better at it since I do it every day.”
It wasn’t just Judas and Amor at the table.
Mei, along with her husband Dillon, the Captain of the Royal Guards, was also there.
On Dillon’s lap sat a 3-year-old boy.
His name was Patrick.
He was the son of the couple.
Judas glanced at Patrick while braiding.
“I wonder if Patrick and Amor will end up together someday…”
Indeed.
He was wary.
Meanwhile, Dillon was oblivious to Judas’ concerns.
“Hmmm… Patrick’s drawing skills are impressive. Should we start early education for him as an artist?”
He was too busy admiring Patrick’s drawing.
Judas sneaked a glance at the artwork.
It was a picture that could only be called doodles if nicely packaged.
“…Did I draw like that too?”
Getting expectations based on a child’s output and getting a bit mushy is a common characteristic of all parents.
“But my kids are definitely geniuses… Amor, in particular, is an undeniable genius, right? Or is this just my exaggerated delusion as Amor’s dad? No, really, Amor is a genius…”
Even when knowing the truth, it was hard to objectively reflect on oneself.
“What did you draw here?”
A woman beside him spoke up.
Beninita.
She was Richard’s wife.
The one sitting on her lap was their second son, Beirin.
“Mommy and Daddy.”
He was a relatively gentle boy who took after Beninita.
Two years younger than Amor, he was 7 years old.
Judas’ number one target of concern.
“You drew well. I should hang this at home.”
In this manner, those with children often gathered for meetings.
It was a kind of social activity.
Judas and Eliya hoped for their children to learn more through diverse experiences.
Given that they had to learn interpersonal relationships, they initially began socializing with relatively trustworthy people.
This was good news to Richard and Dillon, who were facing similar concerns about raising their children.
Thus, this social gathering had started about a year ago.
“I wonder how Fides is playing.”
Judas turned his head towards the field.
There, all the royal guards, except for Dillon, were playing with the two kids.
Fides, the second child of Judas and Eliya.
And Erin, the first daughter of Richard and Beninita.
Having Richard’s traits, Erin had a personality similar to Fides.
She was a lively and energetic child who loved physical and dynamic play.
Erin and Fides were currently receiving a lot of love from the royal guards.
To those energetic kids, the scent of sweat was something they couldn’t help but adore.
It was good for the parents too.
The children’s stamina and vitality were overwhelming for the adults to handle.
Thanks to all the guards playing together, they could engage with their kids without getting tired as quickly.
“Good, run fast!”
“Run faster! You can do it!”
“Fides! Over here!”
“Run, Lord!”
The spotted puppies were also mingled in with them.
Judas thought as he watched.
“…What exactly are they doing?”
They were running around chaotically, but he had no idea what was going on.
“Well, at least Fides looks like he’s having fun. It wouldn’t be anyone’s intention to let the kid get hurt.”
Although they were playing somewhat wildly, everyone prioritized the kids’ safety.
Even without Judas saying anything, everyone knew to protect them.
Initially, Eliya had been quite anxious, but she eventually understood just how sincerely the guards cared for the children.
“I miss Eliya. I want to see her soon.”
About that time, he finished braiding and tied it off neatly.
Her hair was braided into one.
Even from the back, it looked beautiful.
Just then, Amor raised her completed drawing.
“I’ve drawn it all!”
“Can Dad see it too?”
“Yeah, here!”
Judas affectionately pinched Amor’s cheek while checking the drawing.
“Hmm… Green land with a blue sky. Is this the field? These two people are me and Eliya. Next to them are Amor and Fides. So, me and Eliya are holding Spei and Donum.”
Next to Eliya was Maria.
Next to Judas was Gallahaid.
There was also the large Moon Deer, Yuel.
On the back of the black cat, Dust, sat the little pups: Banji, Il, Yi, Sam, and Hwang.
“Is that building beside us the Sky Palace? That red flower by the window… Is it the Anemone in the bedroom?”
Amor gave a brief explanation.
“We drew our family!”
Family.
Indeed, they were a family.
“That’s right. Mommy, Daddy, Amor, and all the family are together. Well done, our daughter.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
It was too much to describe how well she had drawn.
The pastel tone of the colors created a warm atmosphere.
The characters were portrayed distinctively yet expressively.
The animals were likewise well captured.
This drawing was undoubtedly destined to be a masterwork of the century.
“…Thinking about it, she really did draw well, huh?”
Judas slyly asked Amor.
“Amor, do you want to have an art exhibition?”
“An art exhibition…? What’s that?”
“Um… in simple terms, it’s where you display your drawings for people to see.”
“Um… That sounds embarrassing…”
“If Amor finds it embarrassing, then we shouldn’t do it.”
“But I still want to show it to Mom!”
“Mom would love it.”
Dillon smiled in agreement with Judas, who was grinning.
Now that he had a child, he felt he could understand his feelings.
Especially, he could grasp why Richard and Judas looked particularly happy and stable since they had children.
He couldn’t help but feel similar emotions himself.
Then, he took a moment to look at Amor’s drawing.
“…Are we really going to hold an art exhibition for that drawing?”
That thought soon turned into self-reflection.
“Could it be that I also drew like that before?”
Ultimately, they were just two similar fathers.
*
“A hot spring?”
The first topic Eliya brought up when returning around meal time.
“Yeah. There are several famous hot springs in the north. I thought it would be nice to go there together with the kids.”
“I agree. But are there other people there or something?”
“They provide each guest with individual villas for accommodation, and likewise, each villa has its own private hot spring.”
“Oh, that sounds nice.”
“What’s a hot spring?”
Amor suddenly chimed in while listening to the conversation.
“Um…”
While Judas was choosing his words, Eliya explained.
“It’s a natural well where warm water comes out from the ground. You can bathe there, and it melts away the cold on chilly days.”
“Warm water comes out from the ground? How?”
“Umm…”
Eliya didn’t know that reason either.
Eliya had the skill to smoothly change the subject in situations like this.
“True. I’m curious too. Shall we go together and find out?”
“Yeah! Sounds good!”
Amor readily agreed.
Fides didn’t quite grasp what they were discussing but laughed along since his sister was excited.
The hot spring trip was easily decided.
*
The most famous area for hot springs in the north was a place called “Valancien.”
It was a plain surrounded by large mountains, where lucky hot spring water erupted, developing into a tourist destination.
Wooden villas, spaced apart throughout the vast fields.
Each villa had its own independent hot spring.
It was the perfect place to soak in the open air and enjoy the beauty of nature.
The place that Judas and Eliya had come to visit this time was Valancien.
They arrived around noon when the sun was high.
After eating, they immediately moved on.
As guests, they arrived at the entrance to the Valancien hot spring area.
The local landowner and the supervisor in charge of hot spring tourism and guidance hurriedly came out to greet them.
“Your Majesty Eliya, the greatest leader in the history of mankind, who opened an era of eternal peace that will be remembered for generations…”
“Keep it short.”
“It is an honor to meet your greatness!”
Judas and Eliya had arranged the date in advance.
It seemed like they had carefully prepared their greeting for today, but it got trimmed down due to Eliya’s order.
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
Eliya replied accordingly.
“My name is Alexis, and I’ll be your guide from today until your departure.”
“I’m the landowner, Eduard.”
Originally, Eduard shouldn’t be present here.
However, he had come to get a glimpse of the powerful Eliya.
Knowing the weight his position carried, he was used to such flattery.
“I’m Fides!”
Fides, holding Eliya’s hand, boldly interjected.
Alexis smiled gently.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Prince.”
“Yes!”
Judas patted Fides’ head.
Alexis continued, speaking to the royal family.
“You will need to take a carriage to reach the facilities you wish to use; may I have your permission?”
As Alexis spoke, Eliya nodded.
He didn’t want to use teleportation since he didn’t know the exact coordinates.
More than anything, he wanted to admire the scenery of this place.
This was something they had already discussed as a family before coming.
“May you have a peaceful time during your stay.”
Eduard only escorted them to the entrance. Afterward, it was Alexis’s role to guide them.
It was more comfortable for Eliya and his family not to have someone trailing them too closely.
“This way.”
Passing through a building that stood guard like a checkpoint, breathtaking natural scenery unfolded.
The endless meadows were covered in snow.
The mountains that rose like walls on either side were also blanketed in white.
This was the result of a prolonged snowfall in the area recently.
The sunlight poured down on the snowy fields, making everything shimmer.
“Thanks to the appropriate snowfall, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the open-air baths.”
They hopped onto the carriage, following Alexis’ guidance.
Inside a typical carriage, the seating faced each other.
However, this carriage had two rows of seats all facing forward for easier viewing of the surroundings.
Eliya was seated with Fides and Spei in the front.
Judas shared the back seat with Amor and Donum.
Alexis drove the carriage while explaining.
“Our Valancien is a place where you can enjoy open-air baths facing nature, and many nobles visit for leisurely tourism. It’s particularly popular among those who are weary from socializing, mathematics, or work.”
His introduction bore a hint of pride.
However, the only listener was Eliya.
The children were too busy gazing around in excitement.
“Wow…”
“The surroundings are all white!”
“So much snow!”
Amor and Spei were relatively quiet in their awe, while Fides and Donum cheerfully chimed in.
“Oh look, a rabbit!”
And the last child, 29-year-old Judas, spotted a rabbit.
“Where? Where?”
The kids all turned to where Judas pointed.
A rabbit with shiny black fur was hopping around in the snowy field.
“Oh! A rabbit! It’s really a rabbit!”
Eliya chuckled as she listened to the commotion from her family.
“Everyone is so adorable. But a rabbit… I want to see it too.”
Glancing over, Eliya spotted the rabbit as well.
A white rabbit hopping playfully.
“Cute.”
Now that she’d confirmed its existence, she felt satisfied.
Eliya inquired of Alexis.
“Are there other guests here?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, the villas they are using are far apart, so it’s unlikely you will encounter them. If it’s inconvenient…”
“No, just leave them be. I just wanted to make sure.”
Eliya had no intention of dismissing other guests.
It felt wasteful to have this wide space all to themselves.
After all, there was hardly a chance they would meet.
Furthermore, the fact that royalty was present in this location was a secret known to only a very select few.
“We don’t have anyone at the villa we’ll be using, do we?”
“No, Your Majesty. As you directed, it has been left empty.”
“That’s all I need.”
Nobles typically do not do menial tasks.
They just receive services from others.
While there would be help waiting at the villa, Eliya declined that as well.
He wanted a moment just for his family.
As they traveled in silence for a bit, Judas’ touch was felt from behind.
He tickled her shoulder and then pinched her cheek.
Eliya playfully nibbled at his finger.
While she was playing with his finger, Eliya noticed a strange animal in the distance.
“…What is that?”
It had fluffy wool like a sheep but was much taller, with a long neck too.
“That’s called an alpaca, Your Majesty. It’s an animal brought from the adjacent continent, and it’s raised on the mountain above. Occasionally, they come down from the hills.”
“Hmm.”
It was long, cute, and hairy.
She remembered something she had read in reports.
Seeing it in person for the first time.
She recalled a flock of sheep she had once seen with Judas.
The puppies chasing after that flock as well.
‘Cute.’
Judas and the kids also found the alpaca intriguing.
The cheerful buzz filled the air as the carriage moved along.
*
The best view in Valancien featured a specially built luxurious villa.
This was the place where Judas and Eliya would be staying today.
The kids, curious about the new place, began exploring as soon as they arrived.
Despite living in the continent’s finest royal palace, staying in one place could become monotonous.
After exploring the interior, Judas unpacked their belongings.
With no servants, they had to handle various chores together.
Cooking was his responsibility.
“Can Dad really cook?”
Amor asked.
Now that she mentioned it, Judas realized he hadn’t tried cooking since having kids.
“Of course! What can’t Dad do?”
“Magic?”
His eldest daughter’s refusal to let a line go was undoubtedly a trait she inherited directly from her mother.
“…Bringing that up is unfair.”
Even though it had been a while, he still had the basics down.
Seeing his wife and child’s reactions as they enjoyed the meal made Judas smile with satisfaction.
After finishing dinner and exploring the area, it was late evening when they finally prepared to enter the hot spring.
A large tub arranged along the corridor leading to the villa.
The only surrounding barrier was a low fence, open to the surroundings.
It was quite bold for them to enter without any clothing.
Eliya, feeling a bit anxious, carefully used magic to scout the area.
There were no people nearby.
Only a few wild animals.
They could rest assured.
“Oh, it’s warm. And it’s not too deep.”
Judas was the first to step in and check the temperature and depth.
The water came up to roughly his thighs.
Just right.
“I’ll catch you one by one.”
First were Amor and Fides, who could stand alone.
He had the little Spei and Donum on his lap.
“Me too.”
Finally, Eliya spoiled herself, needing Judas’ assistance.
As he held her, Judas smiled.
Even with all six of them in the tub, there was still plenty of space.
‘Looks like Fides can swim around without a problem.’
Judas held Fides on his lap and cradled Donum with one arm while leaning back.
“Oh… this feels great.”
As his body relaxed in the warm water, the cool breeze touched his face, creating a strange but pleasant contrast.
Although the water around was melting the snow, the surrounding landscape was still covered in white.
Eliya sprinkled some warm water on Spei, who was snuggled in her arms.
“Are you cold?”
“Nope.”
Amor was quietly admiring the scenery next to Eliya.
The breathtaking view from the field to the mountain, leading into the sky was a rarity compared to what they saw near the royal palace.
Thus, the families quietly let the tranquility of the hot spring consume them.
The first one to break away from the calm was Fides.
He started poking at Judas’ body.
“Why?”
“Daddy’s muscles!”
“Are they amazing?”
Judas chuckled and flexed his chest.
Fides began poking and massaging that area.
“Oh… so hard!”
“Fides can also grow up to be like this someday.”
“Wow!”
Donum began poking at his muscles after following Fides’ lead.
“I want to be strong too!”
“Um…”
Judas kept his words close as he pondered his youngest daughter’s declaration.
Meanwhile, Amor shifted her gaze from the view to Eliya’s chest.
What floated there was something that carried the wonder of nature.
“I wonder if I can grow up as big as Mom when I’m an adult.”
“Who knows…”
Eliya wasn’t able to offer reassurance.
Unlike Judas’ physique, hers was purely something natural and innate.
There hadn’t been any effort tied to it.
The sudden topic about physical appearance naturally led to adulthood.
Amor and Fides began to talk about what kind of grown-ups they wanted to be and bragging about how they would look.
For Amor, Eliya was her aim.
For Fides, it was Judas.
Both parents smiled fondly.
“I have a feeling you’ll become even more amazing than Dad!”
“I’ll be a better person than Mom. I will!”
As a parent, hearing that their child admired them and wanted to live similarly was one of the greatest feelings.
And they hoped that their children would live better than they did.
“And I want to be able to fly like Mom does!”
None of the four siblings inherited the power of fire.
Eliya was certain that she would be the last to bear such power.
The kind of strength needed to defeat the Evil God.
Now that the Evil God was gone, there was no longer any reason for the world to continue on with it.
So, it was a relief.
This power, as strong as it was, led to a hefty responsibility and many tribulations.
She wished to do everything with this power and to pass everything she had achieved onto her children, concluding her journey.
In that sense, Eliya would not pass on the throne to her children.
She had decided to be the final empress of this world.
The power of being an empress required one to bear not only the enjoyment but also heavy responsibilities.
Moreover, the next empress would certainly be compared to Eliya.
This just wouldn’t do.
Eliya had no desire to pose as someone bound by a hierarchy, and she was already in discussions about it.
Though there had been fierce opposition during her ascension, she was steadily persuading people while managing strength and accomplishments.
It wouldn’t be easy, and it would take a long time, but Eliya had resolved to make it happen.
All for her children.
After a lengthy pause, Eliya finally responded.
“I might not be able to use magic at all?”
“Yeah… that makes sense…”
Before long, white snow began to flutter down from the sky.
The children started jumping around, trying to catch the flakes.
Especially Fides and Donum.
Judas took the two of them out for a quick trip to build a snowman.
Eliya remained quietly sitting with Amor and Spei.
Then, she used magic to create a giant snowman.
“Wow… that snowman is enormous.”
“You’re the best, Mom!”
It was easily three times bigger than the snowman they had rolled together.
Both Fides and Donum were unable to take their eyes off the giant snowman even after returning to the tub.
Judas felt the same way.
“Wow… that’s some impressive royal snowman.”
Eliya couldn’t help but chuckle at his reaction, so similar to the kids’.
Even after all these years together, she still found him utterly adorable.
Eliya patted his bottom.
Judas suddenly noticed the scenery as they both shared smiles.
Their family was gathered around the large tub.
Beside them stood a giant snowman.
Surrounding them was a vast expanse of bright white snow.
Flakes drifted down from the sky.
‘……’
As the snow touched the hot water, it quickly melted away.
The snow covering nearby would eventually do the same.
In time, it would melt into the earth and vanish.
Nothing in the world is eternal.
And this moment—filled with laughter and joy with his beloved wife and children in harmony—would someday come to an end too.
An ending that followed an inevitable fate.
‘…Tsk. Am I getting old? Why am I feeling such sentimental thoughts? Is this the feeling Gallahaid used to have…?’
He wished this moment could last forever.
He longed for this time spent with her to be repeated for an eternity beyond their lives.
But ultimately, an end would come.
A cold and bittersweet reality akin to this winter.
Judas wrapped an arm around Eliya’s waist in an attempt to shake off his thoughts.
Soft and warm belly.
Right now, all he wanted was to remain in this moment.
“Hmm? Judas, why?”
“…Just because.”
Judas merely smiled lightly.
But Eliya’s keen intuition didn’t miss the unusual mood he was in.
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