The reason the Imperial Family opposes the southern expedition is not just because everyone has their own reasons to oppose it, but also because there’s something they shouldn’t touch in the south.
Development can happen, but an expedition cannot.
While Mira-jen’s reasons for opposing the expedition differ a bit, there was something known only to the Crown Prince and the Emperor.
It was marked on this map, and while Mira-jen might think it’s just a place where non-human races live…
The truth is, there was a specific reason to mark where these non-human races reside.
‘Because a relic is over there.’
Originally, most of the continent belonged to the Empire.
Now, after its decline, it only occupies the northern part of the continent, but relics hidden all over the Empire still exist.
The Moon Stone, which is what triggered my reincarnation, is one of them, and the Temple of the Moon that Adrian mentioned is also part of such relics.
Mira-jen was unaware of this fact.
Whether it was hidden by the Crown Prince or discovered secretly by him, it was certain that she didn’t know about the existence of the relics at this point.
However, she considered the distribution of non-human races as a basis for her opposition to the expedition.
“Even if you send the Imperial Army, it would be tough to handle this level, right? That’s why you showed this. To oppose it with this.”
“That’s part of it, but I also wanted to show I’m on the Imperial Family’s side.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“To show that Taylor will change in the future.”
As I smiled slightly, Mira-jen stared at me intently.
The look of confusion from earlier was gone.
Instead, she seemed to be searching for what my intentions were, what I truly desired.
Of course, this was sincere. Up until now, Taylor was just the Taylor of Father and Yuria.
But I couldn’t say it would remain that way.
Now that I had decided to become the Head of the Family, I had to secure that position before taking on the Crown Prince.
Hence, I chose to approach the Princess in this manner.
It was a sort of loophole using what I had obtained in the last round, but there couldn’t be a more effective method than this.
Before Mira-jen could grasp my intentions, I opened my mouth first.
“I’m planning to become the Head of the Family.”
“…That doesn’t sound like a joke.”
“Because it’s not a joke. I will take the position of Lady of the House that Yuria Taylor holds and inherit Taylor.”
With such a bold attitude, Mira-jen seemed taken aback.
She must be curious about the basis for such a statement.
To do something with just a single map I provided, Yuria had solidified her position as Lady of the House too strongly.
But there’s no such thing as an unbreakable tree.
No matter how massive a tree is, if you keep striking at it, won’t it eventually fall?
Were there means to pull Yuria down from her position? There were plenty.
However, I didn’t plan to use them.
Attacking her directly and trying to pull her down would likely do more harm than good to Yuria’s heart.
“Just because you gave this map to the Imperial Family doesn’t mean you’ll be the Lady of the House of Taylor.”
“There’s a connection to the North.”
Adele Igrit, while not a confirmed matter, it was clear I had a connection with her.
Mira-jen’s eyes narrowed as she understood my implications.
The mention of the North was another way to refer to the Grand Duke; even the connection alone held considerable influence.
When I showed her the handkerchief that Adele had given me before, Mira-jen let out a wry smile while tapping her forehead.
As I showed her the handkerchief she had given me, Miragen let out a chuckle and touched her forehead.
“I should return this, but using it now shouldn’t be a problem.”
And she was aware that I was quite close with the Saint.
“Though I can’t call us friends yet, we’re on our way there.”
I have connections with Adrian, the Saint of the Moon Church that rules over 90% of the Empire, and Adele, the protector of the North.
Plus, my position as the firstborn of the only Duke family, Taylor, is already established.
Although my current status is unstable, can I really say that it will remain so in the future?
“And with the Imperial Family ties, it should happen soon enough.”
As I tapped the map and pushed it forward, Miragen smirked and accepted it.
After all, the ownership of the map wasn’t all that important.
As long as it’s in my head, how to utilize it is her responsibility.
It’s certain that it will eventually reach the Crown Prince, and I should be hearing from him soon.
That’s how connections with the Imperial Family are formed.
At this point, is there anyone more suitable than me to be the Head of House Taylor?
At least from the Imperial Family’s perspective, they would likely prefer someone like me, who is favorable towards them, rather than the Head of House or Lady of the House.
Could I really refuse?
Can I still brush off the notion of becoming the Head of House as a joke?
As I looked at Miragen with that intention, she brushed her face for a moment and let out a long sigh.
As if completely taken by surprise, she raised both hands and beamed a bright smile.
“Alright. I acknowledge that it would be much better for the Imperial Family for you to become the Head. So what we need is your support?”
“It’s not immediately necessary. I’ll start moving after the winter schedule ends and next spring rolls in.”
“…Alright, I never imagined I would hear such words today. Do you know what I thought when you said you wanted to meet and talk to me?”
“What did you think?”
“I thought, ‘Great, Taylor is going to pressure me again, and I’d end up with a headache, so I should just grab Adrian and talk all day.’ But now…”
She stared at me for a moment, then with a captivating smile, she added.
“You seem acceptable enough to be my beloved. What do you think, are you interested?”
“That’s unfortunate. I recently called off an engagement.”
“So you’re saying it’s not happening right now.”
Then Miragen nodded, acknowledging it as expected.
However, I got the feeling that this conversation was just the beginning.
She’d probably bring it up every time we met.
Given her personality, such comments wouldn’t be made lightly as a joke.
Rising from her seat, she stepped towards me and slipped something into my chest.
As I inspected it, I soon realized what it was and smirked.
A small artifact that allows us to contact each other; I know it’s quite pricey.
Is it alright for her to give me something like this?
“Let’s stay in touch. Even if it’s not about things like this, I’m sure you’d entertain my trivial talks.”
Miragen winked playfully.
While I shrugged at her remark, my mind was flooded with thoughts about the gains I made today.
How to interpret this kindness can be left for later events, but one thing was clear.
My plan to approach the Imperial Family has yielded excellent results.
#
I was slowly heading to find Adrian, hearing that she was on the rooftop.
So, I heard that Adrian is on the roof while looking for him.
Even if I’m going, I should at least say hello, right?
As I walked up the spiral staircase toward the open sky of the rooftop, there was a woman gazing blankly at the sky.
The cool wind fluttered a white cloth.
She wore the pure white robe from the last time we met, and as I paused to admire her dancing blonde hair, I cautiously spoke.
“The wind is chilly, isn’t it?”
It was that time of year when the traces of summer were gradually fading away, giving way to the prevalence of autumn.
When I asked about her clothes being quite thin, Adrian turned his head toward me and smiled slightly.
“Lord Taylor, I see. I heard some noise from below and was wondering who it was.”
“Thanks to you, I had a good conversation with Her Highness the Princess. I should express my gratitude.”
“It’s nothing. We should have met in the garden, but I insisted on calling you to the Moon Tower.”
As she said that, her gaze shifted back toward the direction of the moon.
I wondered if there was a reason to keep staring at the invisible moon.
Just then, Adrian’s lips began to move.
“Do you think the moon is still white?”
“…Is that a sudden question?”
“The last moon I remember was white. It always rose large and bright enough to fill my eyes.”
Thinking back, Adrian wasn’t always a saint from birth.
The Order had designated her as a saint after they realized her existence when she reached a certain age.
And since even God had chosen Adrian, blessings followed her throughout the Empire for the first time in ages.
So, she must remember.
The last moonlight she saw was surely the last moment she viewed the world.
Not knowing how to respond, I ended up looking at the moon with her and answered.
“It will probably continue to be white. It was white when the Empire was born, so it’s likely to remain that way until we die.”
“You’re kind. Usually, people don’t respond. Miragen would have answered me, but they tend to see me as too special.”
“Because you are special.”
“Lord Taylor doesn’t seem to think I’m that special. You teased me last time.”
Was last time when she screamed in surprise?
I never intended to tease her. I was just a little surprised that a saint would make such a sound.
After that incident, my attitude toward Adrian softened a bit.
I began to see her not just as a noble saint, but simply as a woman of her age.
“I didn’t mean to tease you. I don’t know if you’ll believe that.”
“I’ll believe you this time. But next time…”
“Next time?”
“…I’m not sure. I don’t really want to punish Lord Taylor.”
Adrian let out a small laugh and turned her gaze from the sky to me.
The faint moonlight illuminated her slightly pale face.
She wore a subtle smile, yet appeared somewhat melancholic. Was that just my imagination?
After gazing at me silently for a moment, Adrian quietly began to speak.
“You said there are things you can see even if you can’t see.”
“Yes, I heard that earlier.”
“Do you know what I see when I look at Lord Taylor?”
After a moment of thought, I replied that I didn’t know, and Adrian slowly stepped toward me.
Adrian slowly approached me, his footsteps echoing softly.
The top of the Moon Tower wasn’t very wide.
Just a few steps brought us completely closer, and before I knew it, he was right in front of me.
One more step, and we’d collide, yet it felt like I was still unapproachable.
As if he knew I was right there.
“I can’t see anything. It’s like I’m a dead person.”
With a voice that trembled gently, like ripples in a pond, he spoke.
As his hand brushed over my chest, I could see a faint anxiety on Adrian’s face.
Adrian’s hand touched my body.
It was as if he was trying to confirm that I was still here, and I watched his arm move continuously.
“…It’s strange, isn’t it? A person can’t just vanish in an instant. I think about that whenever I see Lord Taylor. When I can’t see anything, and if I can’t hear your voice, I wonder if you’ve disappeared somewhere. Do you understand the reason why I always say ‘let’s meet again’ when we part?”
“I think I understand a little.”
– I hope that when we meet next time, you won’t be hurt.
– See you again. I don’t know where we’ll see each other, but I have a feeling about it.
Looking back, Adrian always made sure to add that he wanted to meet again.
At that time, I thought it was merely a courteous phrase, but there was a deeper reason behind it.
The reason she couldn’t see anything in me was undoubtedly due to reincarnation.
If a person loses their obsession with life, they may become empty, like the dead.
Adrian, who had removed his hand from me, murmured softly when I didn’t say anything.
“I believe you are still here.”
“You can believe that. If I leave, I will let you know.”
Then, looking a bit more at ease, Adrian gazed toward my face from a slightly farther distance.
Though she looked slightly upward, unable to see, it was clear she was trying to make eye contact with me.
Unlike the pale expression from earlier, Adrian’s cheeks were slightly flushed now.
Waiting for her to say something, after a moment, her lips finally parted.
“When we meet next time… at that time, please call me Adrian.”
Adrian was her name.
What could be the true intent of a woman wanting to be called by her name?
However, on further thought, her intent was simply pure.
Just that she wanted to be called by name, for when we meet again.
At that time, it was an intention to become friends.
Even though I couldn’t see anything, I met eyes that seemed to see more than anything else.
Unable to lie to those transparent eyes, I smiled and replied honestly.
“I will do so.”
If we meet again, I probably wouldn’t be able to call her the Saintess anymore.
The smile that returned bore a brightness more radiant than anything else.
Though the moon was hardly visible today, I faced a brightness more brilliant than anyone.
None other than from the Moon Tower.
It was quite a good harvest.
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