A Few Moments Later
Before Nightfall
In Front of the Royal Castle
Near the Main Staircase
That voice, which carried the true purity of Queen Lilian, echoed not only within his mind and surroundings but also seemed to resonate deep within his own confused essence.
The scene revealed the Count on his knees, surrounded by twelve knights, their blades pointed at his body, while above the staircase, at the last step of the castle, stood the graceful young Lilian.
Despite wearing only basic combat attire, she exuded an undeniable aura of royalty, as her garments were made of highly refined material.
The Count felt a deep tightness in his heart, as if being gently enveloped once more by that familiar, comforting breeze—
A sensation that only Luna in life, and now her youngest daughter Lilian, could naturally and uniquely radiate throughout the entire environment.
The real Lilian gazed down at him from the top of the stairs, clutching the middle of her chest tightly, knowing that if the test was successfully completed—
The Count would end up "breaking" inside in a way she never wished to cause, even if it was necessary to confirm that it was truly him and not a deception.
The false Lilian standing before him looked toward her real queen, positioned atop the stairs, her expression both pained and yet so imposing, so penetrating.
All the knights, with their respective blades still pointed at the Count, upon hearing the cry of the true Queen Lilian—
Shattered their shimmering swords, including the very blade held by the false Lilian before him.
Each of these weapons vanished into the air, dissolving into a subtly radiant mist that retreated into the center of their respective chests.
For these blades were but a physical manifestation of their essences in this world. Having successfully withdrawn them, all twelve knights surrounding the Count—
Simultaneously lowered their heads and placed one hand over their chests in respect to the presence of the true Lilian.
Then, with precise movements, each of them leaped backward, silently returning to their previous positions as guardians of that seemingly "abandoned" area.
In mere moments, they reached the rooftops of residences, shops, and the ruined buildings scattered throughout that region.
A subtle energy pulse rippled outward from the center of the castle, spreading in all directions, carrying a soft breeze wherever it passed.
This pulse effortlessly extended across a radius of two kilometers from the castle, which stood at the heart of the massive, ruined capital.
From this vantage point, much of the main avenue—where the Count had previously treaded with caution—became visible once more.
Previously overrun with sprawling roots and vegetation, the avenue now gradually transformed before his eyes, revealing a clearer path.
No longer obstructed by roots or plants, he remained with his back turned to the staircase leading to the royal castle's entrance—
And watched as the false Queen Lilian standing before him underwent a transformation.
Her illusionary equipment deactivated under the influence of the pulse, revealing her true face and combat attire—
A suit of black armor, far more reinforced and adaptive than those of the knights.
Before him stood a soldier of remarkable combat skill, possessing a prowess that only she—at the same age of thirteen as Queen Lilian—could wield.
This young woman respectfully bowed her head for a moment in acknowledgment of Queen Lilian's presence.
She had been assigned a single mission: to perfectly emulate Queen Lilian's appearance in every outwardly perceptible aspect.
However, there was one thing she could not replicate—her essence. And while imperceptible to most, the Count could distinguish it with ease.
[Young Soldier – Sincere & Respectful Voice] "...Forgive me." [Takes a Deep Breath]
The Count, mirroring the young soldier's gesture, lowered his head as well. She did so not only out of respect for her position within the Reginae faction—
But also because she held great admiration for him, as he was an inspiration to many in the new generation of Reginae soldiers.
Those who sought to bring an end to the war against the Inanis faction and their distorted ideals of vengeance against humanity for what had been done to Queen Luna in the past.
[Young Soldier – Sincere & Respectful Voice] "But it was necessary to continue the tests, Lord Count."
At the moment she leaped gracefully backward, he was struck by the sight of a smile of admiration for the Count, evident on her face and in her gaze directed at him.
And just like that, she vanished before his eyes, for she was none other than the leader of those twelve knights, far older in age.
They were part of the night watch, patrolling from dusk until dawn, leaping between the remaining structures of the capital.
Their duty was to guard the area surrounding the royal castle, which stood in complete ruins, its dilapidated appearance echoing with the rapid footsteps descending the stairs.
Meanwhile, the Count was seen rising to his feet, no longer kneeling with his back to the staircase. And in that very moment, as he finally stood up completely—
He was embraced by the young Queen Lilian, who stood only a meter and a half tall, while he towered over her at a height of one meter and ninety centimeters.
Being embraced so affectionately from behind, he calmly turned around at last, to hold close the one person he cherished the most.
That alone was enough to make him unknowingly smile in the most comforting way, while Lilian herself, disregarding all etiquette,
Began to cry, resting her face beside his. The Count held her, lifting her feet off the ground, cradling her with utmost care in his strong hands.
That embrace was the closest he had ever felt to what he understood as "paradise." Lilian seemed to nestle her head against his shoulder
In such a sweet and affectionate way that he could no longer hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.
And in the blink of an eye, his perspective shifted, the world spinning around him. With each complete turn, their appearances changed as they remained locked in their embrace, smiling.
It became clear that with every new spin, both Lilian and the Count grew older, their once-royal attire gradually transforming into something more fitting for battle than for the nobility.
Then, with the final turn, he gently placed her back on the ground, gazing at her with deep admiration—not just for how much more mature she appeared than five years ago—
But also for the fact that, despite all she had endured, her gaze remained just as kind and gentle.
Her once long, jet-black hair had changed slightly. Now, the tips of her hair had turned white—
A sign he noticed immediately, realizing that Lilian had reached puberty, and her maternal genetics had begun to manifest, albeit gradually.
Her once completely black hair would, by the end of her puberty, turn either fully white or entirely blonde.
It was a hereditary trait passed down through the generations on her mother's side—just like her middle sister, Urius, who had inherited their mother's golden hair.
Meanwhile, their eldest sister, Nox, had inherited their father's fiery red hair, despite being born with completely white locks.
She had kept them white until puberty, when their color shifted to deep crimson, making her even more beautiful now that she had fully grown—unlike her sisters, Urius and Lilian.
Noticing all of this, he smiled, genuinely happy at how much more beautiful she had become, making Lilian slightly flustered as she let out a soft, sweet laugh.
[Lilian - Whispering, Embarrassed] "You're looking at me the same way my sister Urius does. You're such a big meanie!"
The Count, upon hearing this, smiled and embraced her once again, catching her by surprise. As he held her, she heard him softly apologize for the delay in his return to the Oculi reality.
Upon hearing this, she instinctively placed one of her hands on the Count's head, resting on her shoulder, while he continued to embrace her, hiding his face and silent tears.
Lilian seemed to smile at the subtle tightening in her chest, which led her to gently stroke the Count's head with her hand.
As if, instinctively, she was accepting his apology—not because she needed to hear it, but because he needed to say it aloud.
After all this time "disappeared" on his secret mission, hidden even from everyone in the Reginae faction, except for the one who had assigned him to that mission in the human reality.
It was Lilian's own older sister, Lady Nox, who was leading Reginae's forces in the human reality against the agents of Inanis.
They sought to use humans in their experiments as a form of revenge for what had been done to Queen Luna.
That affectionate gesture on his head from Queen Lilian caused his last emotional defenses to crumble before his "greatest" weakness.
From a shifted perspective, pulling away from the two standing before the staircase leading to the castle's entrance, the middle sister, Urius, could be seen. Now 23 years old, she silently observed their reunion.
Behind her, a few elite combat agents stood as security. But they were not there to protect Urius—she alone had the power to destroy them all with ease. Instead, each of those agents kept their heads bowed in respect to Urius.
[(Urius - Grateful Mental Whisper) His return makes her happy... and makes her smile... (Subtle Tremor in Her Voice)]
In truth, they were there to guard Lilian, while allowing her the space to be genuinely honest and reciprocate her emotions and feelings toward the Count.
[(Urius - Grateful Mental Whisper) ...Much more than I can manage to do alone every day, being by her side. (Subtle Break in Her Voice)]
For Lilian, the current queen and rightful heir to the Oculi throne after the passing of her mother, Luna, had long ago become the person the Count secretly vowed to protect with his life.
Only Luna had known of this vow, for she had been the one to ask him, thirteen years ago, to be the secret godfather of her unborn daughter.
It was the second-greatest honor the Count had ever received in his life. The first would always be the honor of serving Queen Luna—and of being her best friend since childhood.
That tight and comforting embrace meant many things, but none of them involved royalty or formalities within Reginae.
It was simply a reunion between a great friend and a great friend—someone who loved him as true family, even though they shared no blood ties.
At that exact moment, as the Count remained embraced by Lilian, he felt his world slow down. Instinctively, his gaze was drawn toward the top of the staircase.
While still slightly bent in comparison to young Lilian, who was stroking his head, she stood with her back to the stairs, smiling in such a sweet and affectionate way.
She no longer held back her tears, letting them fall freely to the ground. The Count caught sight of a beautiful scene—Lady Urius turning toward the castle's interior, calmly walking as she spoke with a few guards.
For a brief moment, he glimpsed Urius subtly wiping her eyes with one hand, as if to hide the fact that this reunion with Lilian had also moved her emotionally.
So much so that she would reveal to no one that, deep inside, her heart had clenched in the warmth of the moment.
It made him feel that she was even happier than Lilian herself appeared to be. But for some personal reason, in her more reserved way,
Urius tried to restrain herself in front of everyone at that moment. Yet, he knew that she, too, longed to embrace him just as tightly as Lilian was doing now, smiling so brightly.
[(Count - Happy Mental Whisper) Even after all this time, you're still the same "tough" middle sister on the outside, Lady Urius.]