The Emperor held Sahara’s shoulders with both hands. Sahara, unsure if this was a dream or reality, struggled to keep her composure as she looked at the Emperor before her.
A tear fell from her eye.
“It is truly an honor, Your Majesty.”
Sahara said once more. Even in her dreams, she had never imagined such extraordinary hospitality and praise. When her subordinates had speculated about what might happen, she had thought that merely catching a glimpse of the Emperor’s face would be an honor. Yet here he was, kneeling on one knee before her, patting her shoulders, and expressing his gratitude. Her entire body tingled, and her heart pounded as if it might burst. For the first time, she realized that tears could fall not from pain, but from joy.
“Was life in the Land of Snow not harsh? Cold, barren… A woman as beautiful and skilled as you could have done anything, anywhere else.”
“I was born in a small village near the Land of Snow and raised there. My parents are from there as well.”
Sahara hesitantly reached inside her jacket collar. In an instant, the guard knights’ swords were pointed above her head. Sahara didn’t even blink, and the Emperor waved the knights back.
She broke off the necklace she had always worn and presented it to him.
“…This is…?”
The Emperor looked back and forth between the necklace and Sahara.
“These are keepsakes from my parents.”
She gazed tenderly at the two blue jewels, each no bigger than a pinky nail, resting in the Emperor’s palm.
“One was given by my mother, and one by my father. ―They both said they received them from Your Majesty when you were Crown Prince.”
The Emperor’s eyes widened at her words.
“Could it be… you’re Sylvia and Hawi’s daughter?”
Sahara blinked in surprise at hearing her parents’ names from the Emperor’s lips. She hadn’t expected him to remember them, let alone their names.
“You… remember my parents?”
“Of course I do! How could I forget? Those two made me vow to strengthen the nation…!”
The Emperor spoke in amazement at this incredible connection, and Sahara nodded.
“Father always spoke of that. He said Your Majesty made that promise.”
The Land of Snow is still harsh now, but it was worse forty years ago, they said. Her father survived by eating roots, and while her mother’s situation was slightly better, she lived in constant fear of the Norkans.
Then one day, when her mother was about to take her own life, thinking she would have to live as a slave until death after the Norkans had taken everything from her—
A golden-haired Crown Prince appeared on a black horse, drove away the Norkans, and saved her mother. According to her mother, the Crown Prince—now Emperor—held her hands, shed tears, and apologized, promising to do better so such things would never happen again. As a token of his promise, he gave her one of his cuff buttons.
It turned out that while one sleeve still had its cuff button, the other had already been given to her father when he was saved from death, having resorted to eating dirt due to starvation.
“Those two, are they now…”
Tears welled up in the Emperor’s eyes as well.
“They have both passed away. Due to an epidemic… But until their last breath, they expressed their gratitude to Your Majesty.”
Though there was an epidemic, they hadn’t lacked medicine or food. Even when blizzards raged, they had fuel for warmth. While the Norkans hadn’t completely disappeared, the Imperial Knights were stationed there to protect the people. They might not have had abundance, but they never went without. None of this would have been possible if the Emperor hadn’t visited.
“If it weren’t for Your Majesty, I wouldn’t have even been born. And even if I had somehow been born, I would have died before I could even hold a sword.”
Sahara had always lived with this thought. In a land far from the Empire, a place no one wanted except the Norkans, the Emperor had sent troops. And until Sahara grew up, learned swordsmanship, and completely drove out the Norkans, he had consistently sent supplies and support.
It didn’t matter whether the Empire remembered or not.
Sahara remembered. She never forgot how her life began, how it had continued.
“Therefore, my life belongs to Your Majesty and the Empire. I am simply grateful that I can offer my modest skills in loyal service.”
This part of her story was unknown even to Sahara’s subordinates. They all wondered why someone of her ability and character remained buried in the Land of Snow, burning with hatred for Knut and the Norkans, and why she showed such devoted loyalty to the Emperor and Empire.
Looking at the cuff buttons that had returned to the Emperor’s hands, Sahara felt her heart might burst with emotion. She had lived to return these buttons. Even in her sleep, she had never rested from training.
The capital was beautiful, and the Emperor was strong. It was already moving enough that he remembered her parents, but now he was overcome with emotion seeing their daughter, Sahara, return after fulfilling their legacy by ending the war and offering her loyalty to him.
Seeing the tears in his eyes, the hair on her arms and cheeks stood on end.
To be welcomed with such genuine feeling by the lord she had devoted her life to was more overwhelming than she had imagined.
“Sahara, not only have you achieved great things for the Empire, but you’ve also reminded me why I became Emperor and how I should rule this nation.”
“I am deeply humbled, Your Majesty.”
Sahara bowed her head even lower before him.
“Thank you. Thank you. I wish my other subjects were even half as devoted as you.”
The Emperor, greatly pleased, shot a quick glare at the subjects below the platform.
“I had planned to grant you the title of Baroness, but now I see that would be far from sufficient. I shall bestow upon you the title of Countess Illoud.”
His declaration caused a stir among the people, and Sahara stared at the Emperor with wide eyes. To rise from commoner to Countess—it was nearly equivalent to honoring a founding contributor of the empire. Overwhelmed by such excessive rewards, Sahara could only blink, but the Emperor wasn’t finished.
“I grant you one thousand hectares of fertile land in the eastern Billow region and will bestow monthly rewards in both money and goods over forty years. I hope this can repay even a fraction of your loyalty.”
“Your Majesty, I…”
Sahara swallowed her tears and spoke.
“Simply being in your presence is all the reward I could ever want.”
Needless to say, the Emperor was moved once again by her sincere words.
“If you had been a man, I would have offered you my daughter. What a pity. Not because you’re insufficient as a woman, but because I cannot take you as my son-in-law.”
The Emperor was genuinely disappointed. He shot fierce glares at his two sons. One was already married, and the other was too much of a scoundrel to burden such an honorable and loyal subject with.
The Emperor shook his head as he looked at his two useless sons, but then Sahara spoke.
“There is… one request I would like to make.”
“A request? From you? ―Speak freely.”
He sounded genuinely curious about what she might ask for. Sahara clasped her fingers tightly to stop them from fidgeting, a habit of hers, and spoke.
“I wish to work closer to Your Majesty. ―Even if it is outside the capital, somewhere closer than the Land of Snow. I do not need a title or land. If I can contribute even a little to Your Majesty’s governance of the nation, I will never forget the honor, even in death.”
The Land of Snow was too far away, and now there were no enemies left. At Sahara’s earnest plea, the Emperor asked again.
“You wish to work near me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Even the smallest task would be enough.”
Even if it meant folding sheets or blankets all night, she wouldn’t mind. But once again, the deeply moved Emperor gripped her shoulders firmly.
“How admirable, how truly admirable. ―Charles, Cavalry Commander!”
The Emperor called for the head of the military, who oversaw all the armed forces. From among the ministers, the pale-faced Cavalry Commander stepped forward and bowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I am Charles Tayman, Cavalry Commander.”
“Is there no position available near the capital or the palace? Not just for Sir Illoud, but for her entire knightly order?”
The Emperor’s question made the Cavalry Commander’s mind race. Someone of Sahara’s accomplishments couldn’t be placed just anywhere but assigning her to a highly prestigious position could stir up trouble. And it wasn’t just one person—it was a group of twenty knights.
“At the moment… it would be difficult. Sudden reorganizations, replacements, or promotions often cause internal discord.”
“And?”
“―I will ensure that a suitable position is arranged as quickly as possible.”
“Even if a new position must be created, ensure a solution is found before the banquet ends.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After hearing the Cavalry Commander’s response, the Emperor turned to Sahara and asked.
“Do you have any other wishes?”
“None, Your Majesty. As long as I have the opportunity to serve loyally, I will gladly accept anything.”
An opportunity. Even the smallest task, a thread to hold onto—that was enough. At Sahara’s resolute answer, the Emperor hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously.
“…By any chance, would you consider my son…”
“What?”
A son? As Sahara blinked in confusion, the Emperor quickly shook his head, saying, “No, no… forget I said anything.” His face looked deeply troubled, his voice heavy with regret.
“?”
“I misspoke. I cannot burden you with such a weight. It would be like repaying kindness with cruelty. ―Chancellor, handle the rest.”
A son? Cruelty? As Sahara looked on, puzzled, she noticed Cheshire laughing behind her.
From the Emperor’s left, at the forefront of the ministers, a plump middle-aged man stepped forward with a broad smile.
“His Majesty has personally overseen everything in detail, so please accept it with gratitude.”
It was Chancellor Pope. He generously distributed rewards to Sahara’s subordinates, ensuring they were all well-compensated.
Leave a Reply