Another person’s- Zushi recalled what sir Ramon said during the hunt. Could it be? Zushi felt her heartbeat increase when she heard those words and heard faint voices in her head.

‘-protect. This will protect you until we meet again. By then, I will have found a solution. Please just wait.’

Naomi continued speaking with a disturbed expression on her face. “It is very unusual for a person to have half their mana and half of another person’s. Empress, were you aware of this?”

“I-I think so,” Zushi replied, uncertainty.

There were many occasions in the past where it felt like half of her mana was not her own. But unfortunately, she did not have anybody who could advise her. All she could do was guess. However, there is something that came to mind.

“When I stayed at my husband’s home for a short time, I was very weak. It felt like I only had half the number of mana in my body.”

Naomi’s fingertips flowed green as she continued speaking of the time she stayed in her husband’s home. Zushi noticed how grim her expression was during the procedure by the minute.

Zushi wanted to ask some questions but felt that she would be disturbing the woman’s concentration, so she continued her tale instead.

“I see,” Naomi mumbled after a short while. “Just now, when I was trying to take away your fatigue, there was something foreign blocking my way. That foreign thing was battling the unknown half of your mana. This is very unusual, Empress; if people were to learn the state of your body, it would not surprise me if they tried to experiment on you.” Her voice carried a tint of fear as she carefully scanned her surroundings.

“Miss Naomi?”

“I do not think anybody heard, but it is hard to say. I suggest you turn to sir Lucas; he should know more about this than me.”

“Sir Lucas?”

“He might be able to remove that foreign substance even if it is just for a moment. If we identify the other mana inside your body, perhaps you can retain your memories.”

“Perhaps I am better off handling it myself,” Zushi mumbled.

She cannot possibly turn to sir Lucas for help when Miss Lillian’s condition is not good. Naomi must have sensed her distress since she spoke up.

“I heard there is a young master from the green eagles who knows a lot about herbal remedies. Perhaps he should know something.”

A young master from the green eagles? Now that she thought about it, didn’t sir Ramon explain that Miss Lillian gathered allies from every noble home?

It will not do any harm in helping her. Moreover, if it is the green eagle family heirs, she knows them quite well, those two siblings. Right now, they have a temporary alliance. It would do her some good to get some fresh air too.

…

A few hours later – In the green eagle’s territory-

Zushi did not know when was the last time she went out properly. Her visit to the Ageha family mansion was very short. Ever since she became the Empress, she has spent most of her days within the walls of the imperial castle.

The green eagle’s territory was located a bit of a distance from the capital, in the west.

When her sister Mo heard she would be traveling, she insisted that she would come along. But that request was not possible in her weak state.

‘The castle is short of knights right now due to the issue in the North. Empress, we cannot spare anybody as your escort.’

Although that works out better for her, how heartless can those people be leaving their new Empress unattended? Still, it reminded her of old times.

After paying for a carriage ride, she got out of the main city and then walked around for a while. She found another carriage and repeated the procedure.

It was a hassle that no carriages would take her the entire way, but she finally arrived here in the green eagle territory.

Unfortunately, the guards at the gate were stopping her from entering.

‘What should I do? Head back?’ But it took half a day to get here, and it is almost nightfall. It would not be safe for her to travel back or find the nearest town. Just as she thought that one of the guards tried to push her away, and she lost her footing. But somebody immediately caught her.

It was a young man with spiky green-colored hair and silver-colored eyes. He was looking at her with eyes. “Empress?”

“Oh hey, Dan,” Zushi said casually.

The guards immediately fell to the ground at the words Empress and mumbled how sorry they were.

“Hey? What on earth are you doing all the way out here. Where are your escorts?”

This person is Danielle, the second heir to the green eagles household. He was two years younger than her. He often visited her husband’s home, and they became acquainted when she was there.

“Uh, they couldn’t spare any people.” Zushi laughed as she awkwardly looked away.

It is hard to explain her current situation to those not living in the capital. She knew how others living outside were just relieved that they finally had an Empress.

Danielle frowned and sighed. “Even if it is busy, what are they thinking leaving the Empress alone?” He clicked his tongue, annoyed. “You must be tired. Let’s go inside and speak to my brother first; he can arrange your lodgings.”

“Oh, I was thinking of finding an inn nearby.”

“I would pass on that suggestion. Right now, dangerous beasts are lurking around in the territory.”

“Beasts?”

Danielle looked at her with a shocked expression. “You came here without knowing that this is a dangerous time?”

At those words, Zushi laughed, and Danielle continued to sigh. The guards opened the gate doors, and Danielle led her inside.

On their way to see his brother, Danielle explained to her how there are dangerous beasts that would appear out of nowhere in the past year. Right now, they were in the middle of preparations to conduct beast raids every night.

‘It does not seem like a good time to visit.’ But, she recalled Naomi’s distressed expression. It is still better to get this situation sorted out now.

The moment they reached his office, she immediately heard frantic footsteps and the doors opened the moment she turned the handle.

“I thought my butler was joking when he said, ‘It seems the Empress is here.'” Kain’s eyes twitched, annoyed when he saw her. “Empress, what game is this?”

“Hello, sir Kain, I have not seen you in a long time.”

This angry man in front of her is sir Kain, the current head of the green eagles household. People call him the head because the current head is currently missing. Anyhow he is the one in charge.. He is also a good friend of her husband’s.