Chapter 77

The capital was covered with the remains of creatures and a few knights, and the establishments had disintegrated, leaving just the most vital structures standing.

Vincenzo incinerated all of the creatures' remnants and assisted the knight in healing. Katherine aided the knights who were severely injured by teleporting them to Serio.

The sky started to darken and started to rain. Roven stayed outside looking around him.

'This war was worse than before...'

"What are you doing here?" Chrollo appeared walking behind him. "Are you still thinking about what my wife said?"

"No."

"HAHAHA you're still irritating as ever! You should go and see your daughter. Who knows... you might never heard her last words--"

Roven grasp Chrollo's neck,

If you do this, another war will break out, and it will be the beginning of another war. Do you believe you'll be able to win?"

Roven let go of Chrollo's neck.

"As I said, don't take my wife's word seriously. All the things she said weren't from Nash. She was just messing with you. Nash always considers what is best for her people, even if it means excluding herself."

The rain continued to fall,

"I should've looked over my daughter..."

"HAHAHA I think you raised her perfectly well. Did you know? Whenever I scold my son, she always mentions how grateful she is that you, her father, never scolded her. I was used to yelling at my bastard son till my voice was hoarse."

"And here I am, wishing that I should've scolded her more," Roven scoffs.

"You're lucky Nash didn't become a rebel, it shows that you really raised her well for her to think about what should be done correctly."

Chrollo sighed, he patted Roven's back hard, "Visit your daughter, I heard she's waiting for you."

Roven immediately looked at Chrollo, "You should've said so!"

Roven disappeared and went to the clinic.

Chrollo laughed, "You, emoting makes me forget my business here."

As soon as Roven arrived, he saw Nash was awake but weak. Nash immediately saw him and called him, "Father."

Ivelisse and Lilith were seated near Nash.

"What is it that you want?" Roven asked. Ivelisse and Lilith took a step back, allowing the two to converse.

Nash still looks pale and dead, "I want... my room to be renovated."

"What?" Roven didn't expect it.

"I already hate pink..."

"Then what color do you want?"

"Gray... like the color of rock, but make it lighter." Nash grinned.

"That's all?"

"I want to get rid of all the pink in my room... and I want a lot of pillows on my bed. Make one more bed for Dopey."

Roven grinned, 'This kid... really...'

"Is that all?"

Nash slowly nodded.

"Then I'll do as you wish," Nash's eyes closed as she completely lost her consciousness, "My princess..."

After that day, Nash didn't wake up for almost half a year.

...

4 months later.

Nash was still unconscious, the Empire had returned to normal. All the townspeople weren't injured as well as most of the villagers. A few knights have died and are given an honorable funeral.

Nash's body was lying in a guest room as her room was under renovation.

"Move the bed!" Maids worked together to shift the heavy bed, and a box was hidden beneath it.

Bea, Nash's personal maid, picked it up, "I'll hand it to the butler, I'll be back."

"Okay"

Bea began her search for Vernon when she noticed him exiting the Emperor's office.

"Butler Vernon!" Bea dashes over to Vernon and hands him the box, "This was discovered beneath the young princess' bed."

"I see, thank you."

Bea nodded and returned to Nash's room to assist them in cleaning.

Vernon knocked on the emperor's office, "It is I, Vernon, again, Your Majesty."

"Enter," Vernon entered holding the box,

"Did you forget something?"

Roven's office was crammed with important papers, most of which were regarding the empire's problems.

Vernon placed the box on Roven's table, "The young princess' personal maid found this box under her bed."

"I see, just leave that there."

Vernon stepped out of Roven's office. Roven kept working on the papers, but he was distracted by the box.

He grabbed for it and opened it, revealing plenty of folded papers with dates and illustrations, as well as copper coins.

Roven opened one letter,

January 18 XXXX

I think father got mad at me for running around the castle with dirt in my shoes. I tried to wipe the floor but ended up falling down which made father mad. Father, I'm sorry... I will never walk with shoes inside from now on.

Roven chuckled as he opened another.

April 4 XXXX

Father told me I ate too much, mother told me it was fine, so I listened to mother, because I can't help but eat food.

I'm sorry father, food is delicious!

He continued to open more letters, even though the handwriting was nearly impossible to read.

December 25 XXXX

Today is white day! It was so cold outside! My sister and I build a snowman, but brother Daniel sliced the snowman's head. I cried after that, but Sister Celeste helped me make another.

I wish brother Vincenzo was with us... I wonder if he hates me.

November 5 XXXX

Sister Celeste attended a tea party today. I was so jealous that she made me tea, but I vomited after. It doesn't taste good. Thankfully, Sir butler gave me a sweet candy.

Father was in a bad mood, He's face was so scary.

He read a couple more until he came to the last one, which was a letter he hadn't expected Nash to see.

August 1 XXXX

I spent the entire day today following Father. I didn't bother him because he appears to be angry. It was my first visit to a prison! The boys there were terrifying. I witnessed father yelling at a man; I don't understand what they were saying, but it ended with father cutting the man's head off.

I think that's what everyone calls killing? It's scary... the blood was the same color as my eyes. I also feel weird... It didn't scare me at all.

Is it because father was the one who killed the man?

Roven slid back the letters and closed the box. He massaged his temple, 'why didn't I notice her there?'

He began to overthink things, 'I guess I'm the worst father... letting my youngest child see such a gruesome scene.'

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, "It's me, Barcley."

Because he was sheltering inside the Imperial Palace during the war, Duke Barcley was unaware of what was going on. Roven told him about his wife and daughter after the war ended, which startled him the most. He had no idea what was going on with her daughter or that her wife was still alive.

Roven informed him that his daughter would be questioned by the temple and possibly imprisoned for a few months. Duke Barcley then permitted Roven to imprison his daughter, with Roven swearing that Katherine would not be harmed while in custody.

Katherine and the Duke once had a heart-to-heart conversation in which Katherine revealed everything.