The carriage ride back was silent. Alaric did not let go of Julian’s hand the entire time, his grip firm and steady.

Julian didn’t speak; he just leaned back and listened to the pulse in the Duke’s palm, letting the continuous beat of his heart ground him.

The palace walls finally faded into the distance, replaced by the white-clad streets of the Capital. It seemed like... even the trees were mourning the late Empress.

When they finally arrived at the manor, the heavy doors swung open. For the first time in weeks, Julian stepped into a space that didn’t feel like a cage. The entrance hall was quiet, but it was a different kind of quiet—the kind that belonged to a home waiting for its people to return.

Julian went up to his room first. He needed to see if it was true. What the system told him.

When he pushed the door open, he stopped. There, laid out neatly on his desk, were the items that had been tucked away in his system inventory. The stash of winterizing balms, the small trinkets, his alchemist tools, and the spare clothes were all there.

The system had kept its word.

The sight of it made him emotional again, but he did not cry. There was one thing he was looking for. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

In the center of the desk lay a book. Its cover was dark, but the title shimmered with a faint, steady light: The Chronicles of Astrea.

Julian reached out, his fingers trembling as they hovered over the leather. This was it. This was the plot of the novel he was living in.

He gulped, bracing himself for the unknown.

Julian was just about to pull it toward him when the door behind him burst open.

He turned right away and found Lucius, staring with tear-streaked eyes.

Lucius immediately ran with his small legs and threw himself at Julian’s waist, his small arms wrapping tightly around him.

The boy was shaking, his face buried in Julian’s coat as he began to sob. Lucius didn’t make a sound, but the way his shoulders heaved told Julian everything.

Julian knelt, pulling the boy into a tight hug. He rubbed Lucius’s back, whispering soft words to calm him. Then, he looked into the boy’s eyes, seeing the fear and the relief swirling there. He didn’t need a slate or a system notification to understand that Lucius had been terrified he would never come back.

He had blamed himself, he had fallen into depression... He could see all of it by the dark circles and the way his eyes were all puffy.

"I’m here, Lucius. I’m right here," Julian said. "And I’m not going anywhere ever again."

Lucien held him and sobbed even more, his cute blue eyes all puffy and red. He couldn’t stop crying even if he wanted to. He just... had a lot weighing on his big heart.

"Shhh," Julian patted his back, and slowly, the boy’s tears began to ease.

Julian glanced back at the book on the desk. Whatever secrets it held would have to wait. His priority was the child in his arms.

Later... he thought. I’ll read it later once I’m settled.

They began to prepare for the journey back to the North. Kaelen had already prepared most of everything on the Duke’s order while they were at the Sanctum.

So, all that was left was to drag their bodies into the carriage and leave.

Julian felt a weight in his chest as he thought of the palace. He felt a deep regret that he wouldn’t see the Prince and Princess one last time... those little rays of sunshine in his dark tunnel.

Their mother had been murdered, and even if he was innocent, his face, his body, had been in cahoots with the princess who killed her, so his conscience did not allow him to go visit them.

He couldn’t begin to imagine the pain they were in, and it hurt to know they were left in that cold palace with no one to truly comfort them.

But as the carriages were being loaded in the courtyard, a gold and white carriage pulled into the manor’s courtyard, escorted by a small group of the Golden Guards.

Alaric got on guard and shielded Julian, wondering if the Emperor was back to his old ways.

But as soon as the carriage stopped, Princess Liora and Prince Cassian stepped out. They were dressed in heavy white mourning clothes that made them look even smaller than they were.

Julian stood still, surprised to see them here. Then, he looked at the Duke and nodded.

He left Julian’s front and watched the two little royals walk over.

Their faces were pale, but they looked determined. They had heard the stories. They knew about the trial, the ’demon,’ who colluded with the princess to kill their mother, and they had heard of their tutor’s sudden departure.

They were sad, yes, but were they angry?

Children were quite simple. If one of the maids, on instructions from an outsider, had fed them with lies concerning Julian, they would want to confirm it. Or rather, the grief they were feeling from their mother’s loss would blind their innocent hearts and cause them to believe the maid.

After all, the heart feels better when there is a person to blame.

But as the children walked up to Julian, he did not think that was the case. Instead of coming to confirm a lie, or coming to point hateful fingers, they... were just sad.

"Master," Liora said, her voice small but clear. She looked up at Julian, her eyes red from crying, and this made Julian’s heart ache. "We heard you were leaving. We had to come."

Julian stepped forward and went down on one knee so he was at their level. "Your Highnesses... I didn’t think I would see you again."

"They told us what happened," Cassian said, trying to keep his chin up even though his lips were trembling. "They said a demon used you. We know it wasn’t you, Master. You wouldn’t hurt anyone. You wouldn’t hurt Mother. That wicked witch did it."

Julian felt a lump form in his throat. He should have been the one comforting them, yet here they were, trying to ease his guilt. He reached out, placing a hand on each of their heads.

"Thank you," Julian whispered. "Thank you for believing in me. Please, you must stay strong. Watch over each other, and grow up healthy. That is all I ask."

Liora couldn’t hold it back anymore. She leaned forward and hugged Julian’s neck, her tears soaking into his collar.

"Don’t go," she sobbed. "It’s so quiet now. Everything is so scary."

Julian held her, his heart breaking for the girl. Cassian gripped Julian’s sleeve until his small knuckles went white.

"I’ll come to the North," the Prince promised, his voice cracking. "When I’m older, I’ll come visit. I won’t stay in the Capital forever."

Julian appreciated that, but he should still remember that he was going to be Emperor. And once he had been crowned as crown prince, it would be difficult for him to travel without worrying about assassinations and danger threats.

But he could see the determination in the boy’s eyes. He could see that, even if there was a landslide, he would cross over just to come to him.

"Then, I shall wait for you, Your Highness. My classes... will always be open to you."

Cassian’s eyes caught Lucius, who was standing behind Alaric. The Prince let go of Julian and walked over to his cousin. He pulled Lucius into a hug, and Liora followed, the three children huddled together in the center of the courtyard.

"It was nice meeting you, Lucius," Liora said, wiping her eyes. "We will definitely come to the North. We’ll see the snow together and play lots, okay?"

Lucius smiled—a small, shy thing. He held out his hand, sticking out his pinky finger. Liora and Cassian understood immediately, and they hooked their fingers with his, sealing the promise in the way only children can.

The moment was cut short by the head of the Golden Guards. "Your Highnesses, it is time. The Emperor granted ten minutes for the goodbye. We must return to the palace now."

The children reluctantly pulled apart slowly. Liora and Cassian looked at Julian one last time before being led back to their carriage, waving with heavy hearts.

Julian watched them go, praying that the walls of the palace wouldn’t crush the kindness out of them, and that even if they were backed into different dark corners... There will still be some innocence and purity left in them.

Alaric walked over and put a hand on Julian’s shoulder.

"It’s time for us to go, too."

Julian nodded. He looked at the manor, then, as if on cue, the wind blew, carrying his worries, his woes, and his heart across the entire plain.

The system was gone, and the life he had lived in the capital before he went to the North had been completely shattered.

He had no place here... He never did.

And so, as he climbed into the carriage with Lucius and Alaric, he felt a strange sense of peace.

Though he had no place in the Capital, there was one place he felt he would truly belong.

The North.

Once a stranger, now a lover. This time... He had a place to welcome him back and call home.

{End of Volume one}