EWGEW SSS 01

Special Side Story 01

“-And so, after finishing all their adventures, the protagonists finally obtained the happiness they had dreamed of. Happy ever after.”

“Happy ever after? You said that last time too! What does that mean?”

Yudi asked with her eyes wide open.

Seeing how cute Yudi looked with her eyes opened wide, Camilla pulled Yudiela tightly into her arms.

“It means that they lived happily from then on.”

“They lived happily? Wow, that’s great!”

Yudi clapped her hands as she spoke.

The protagonists of the story she had been listening to with so much concern were going to live happily.

Yudi was truly happy for them, as if it were her own happiness.

Her cheeks turned bright red.

Her innocent, bright smile was so adorable that Camilla hugged Yudiela even more tightly.

“How was it? Was it a fun story, Yudi?”

Yudiela nodded vigorously.

“Mm-hmm. It was a fun story! Mother.”

At those words, Camilla smiled brightly again.

Oh my. She’s so cute.

Yudiela had started using polite speech with Camilla recently.

Before, she would cling to her side and chatter away, saying things like, “Mom, you know…”

But now she was holding herself back and trying to speak maturely.

Oh my, why are children so cute?

Yudiela kept sneaking glances at Camilla.

It was obvious that she wanted to immediately burrow into Camilla’s arms, giggle, and act spoiled.

It was incredibly obvious.

Just look at those tiny little fists clenched tightly.

“I won’t act spoiled. I’m seven years old, after all!”

She looked as though she had made that firm decision in her heart.

Seeing her like that, Camilla chuckled again.

She thought she knew why Yudi had suddenly started acting so grown-up.

It was probably because of her older brother, Edir, and older sister, Eritel.

“Oh, it looks like we’ve arrived.”

Camilla said that while glancing outside the carriage.

The carriage had already stopped.

Yudi’s face brightened.

It was her first time visiting the Imperial Palace.

“I’m excited! Ah! I’m excited…”

Yudi raised both arms and cheered, but then quickly corrected herself and tried to calm down.

“Yudiela.”

At that moment, a child sitting across from Yudiela calmly admonished her.

The child’s golden eyes were calm and composed.

I wonder if Esel was like this when he was young.

The child looked exactly like Eselade.

Short, neatly cut purple hair.

Large, sharp eyes without double eyelids.

A prominent nose despite his young age.

And tightly closed lips.

He was the first child, Edir.

He’s only nine years old, but he’s becoming more and more like his father.

Camilla slightly shook her head.

Her eldest son, Edir, was strict with his younger siblings.

At nine years old, Edir seemed to have inherited Eselade’s extraordinary talent, because he could already use his ability quite freely.

The sight of him wrapping wind around the blade of his sword and swinging it was quite valiant.

Every time he held a sword, his shining golden eyes sparkled brightly.

Whenever Camilla saw him training until his curly purple hair became soaked with sweat, she thought her child was truly admirable.

But admirable is admirable, and the way he cares about his younger siblings but can’t express it properly and instead acts so serious… he’s really just like his father.

Still, seeing a young child trying to act serious was adorable.

The sight of him trying to speak solemnly while moving his lips with his still-chubby cheeks…

How can he be so cute?

Camilla stared fondly at Edir.

Then Yudi carefully answered, cautiously watching his expression.

“Brother Edir.”

“We’re about to enter the Imperial Palace, so you shouldn’t move around so carelessly.”

Although there were only two years between them, Yudi found Edir intimidating.

Yudiela quietly straightened her posture.

Seeing that, Eritel grumbled.

“That can happen.”

Edir and Eritel were only one year apart, so perhaps because of that, Eritel did not like her brother always speaking so seriously.

Eritel stomped her feet and puffed out her cheeks.

“We haven’t even come to the Imperial Palace only once or twice. Yudiela is still a baby.”

Eritel said that while narrowing her eyes seriously.

But Eritel herself was only eight years old.

Yudiela was seven.

The moment Eritel called her a ‘baby,’ Yudiela’s face became sad.

“…I’m not a baby.”

She said it carefully, but in truth, Yudiela was still a little intimidated by both her older sister and brother.

Yudiela instinctively grabbed the hem of Camilla’s dress tightly.

Her tiny white hand rested against Camilla’s deep blue dress.

But Edir and Eritel paid no attention to Yudiela’s words.

Edir frowned and looked at Eritel.

“We’re almost at the Imperial Palace, so you need to behave properly. You have to be neat and dignified. We’re high-ranking nobles. We can’t bring shame to our family.”

At those words, Eritel sharply turned her head away.

Her ebony-black hair flowed down in a soft and elegant curve.

Her hair, reaching down to her chest, was neatly arranged.

Her face was still fair and delicate.

Her chubby cheeks were tinted pink.

That made her look extremely cute, but she was making a very sullen expression with her eyes narrowed fiercely.

Her light pink eyes sparkled stubbornly.

“You’re always like that, Brother. You’re so boring.”

“Have you ever considered that you’re the problem because you’re always trying to have fun?”

“Seriously, you!”

“You?”

Edir spoke coldly, and Eritel glared fiercely at her brother.

Then she cried, “Ugh!” and placed her palm against the seat.

Black shadows slowly spread from Eritel’s palm.

Seeing that, Edir frowned once and reached out his hand.

Sharp wind swirled around inside Edir’s hand.

“Oh dear.”

At that moment, Camilla’s shadow gently slipped between the two of them.

The purple-tinged shadow fluttered like flower petals, softly wrapping around Edir and Eritel.

“That’s enough now.”

Camilla grinned at Edir and Eritel.

She had known this would happen.

Ever since those children awakened their abilities, the estate had been noisy every single day.

Eritel and Edir often clashed like this.

“Now, everyone, we’ve arrived at the Imperial Palace, so let’s get out. And Yudi, this is your first time at the Imperial Palace, isn’t it?”

“Yes!”

Yudi, who had been watching her older brother and sister carefully, excitedly raised her hand.

Her light pink eyes, exactly like Camilla’s, sparkled brightly.

On top of that, Yudi’s hair was the same purple color as Camilla’s.

However, she had round eyes without double eyelids and adorable little lips, so she did not have the sharp atmosphere that Camilla had.

Instead, her round, rabbit-like face was so cute that Camilla could not help smiling whenever she looked at Yudi.

Then Camilla put on a stern expression again.

After all, causing a disturbance in the carriage had been wrong.

“So, Edir and Eritel. You both need to take good care of your younger sister. You mustn’t fight like this.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“…I understand.”

Edir obediently nodded and lowered his eyes.

Eritel pouted her lips before nodding as well.

Fighting in the carriage had been wrong, after all.

But she still felt somewhat dissatisfied.

Camilla smiled softly at the children and opened the carriage door.

It was a pleasant day, with warm sunlight shining down.

“Welcome, Your Highness the Grand Duke of Elcasist!”

The knight guarding the inner palace of the Imperial Palace greeted her energetically.

The white carriage was beautifully decorated with golden patterns.

A snake crest.

It meant that they were one of the proud high-ranking noble families of the Shmalitan Empire.

Moreover, very few families were allowed to place their crest in gold on a white carriage.

Seeing it, Hamel, the knight guarding the Imperial Palace gate, felt proud.

Elcasist.

The Elcasist family had been recognized for their contributions to the Empire and had been granted permission to partially use the imperial family’s color, ‘gold.’

Originally, they were supposed to use a purple snake crest.

However, because of Camilla’s achievements in saving the Empire, she had been granted the honor of allowing the family to use a golden crest for generations.

The change in the Elcasist family, which had once held the lowest position among the Five Great Noble Families, had actually become very popular among commoners and nobles from the frontier.

Camilla’s achievements after rising from Countess to Grand Duchess had been truly extraordinary, especially since it had once been openly rumored that she would never inherit an ability.

Hamel greeted her respectfully.

Seeing him, Camilla gave a small nod.

Her beautiful purple hair shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

“You’re working hard today as well.”

“Oh, n-not at all!”

“Then.”

Camilla turned toward the children and held out her hand.

“Come here.”

“Wow!”

Yudi moved right beside Camilla and cheered.

The Imperial Palace looked incredibly magnificent to Yudi.

A majestic dragon crest was engraved on the white outer walls.

The dragon in the crest had its wings spread wide.

They soon arrived in front of the Emperor’s private chambers.

Yudi’s heart seemed to beat rapidly.

She knew that His Majesty the Emperor had called for her, but her heart still began pounding again.

Seeing Yudi’s reaction, Eritel and Edir briefly laughed before returning to their sullen expressions.

Camilla held Yudi’s hand and walked forward step by step.

And when they finally stood before the huge door engraved with a dragon, Yudi felt as though her heart was about to burst.

“M-Mother. I’m really so…”

Yudi tightly held Camilla’s hand.

Her hands were still small, so she could only tightly grasp Camilla’s fingers, but Camilla could clearly feel how nervous Yudi was.

“It’s all right. He’s a good person.”

Camilla said that and gave a signal to the attendants standing before the door.

The attendants bowed their heads and opened the door.

And the door slowly opened—

“Camilla!”