Ashes and Kingdoms

"Were you here, Master Senato?"

Nella called me back, and Senato looked up slightly shy. Soon the thought circled around the same place, and after a while, he was just staring at the garden blindly.

"I was wondering what happened because Master Varys is back and Master Senato is not in your room. I'm afraid I've disturbed your thinking, but I see a nostalgic customer."

Inform of the smile and visitors. The smile was starting to create a mature adult atmosphere compared to when we were hiding ourselves together. Even though he says he lives longer than the average person because he draws dragon blood, he seems quite old. Senato fumbled and wondered how Taz would feel if he saw her now.

"Thank you. Customers, no way, Taz?

"No. Speaking of which, I miss that one too. Although I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Is it not? Nella seems happy, so I thought so. Taz is so flirtatious."

"Dear Senato"

Calling with a grunting voice, Nella stares a little angry. Senato clapped his neck. I know what she's trying to say. It's not like they were in love otherwise, and Taz won't show his face to the royal palace, probably because he hasn't forgotten the concerns he said when he broke up.

(So there's really nothing to be clear about)

Beyond the guide, it may be clean away from Senato. Maybe I'm out of touch with a handy boy and full of hands in my own life. Taz is the only, careless friend for Senato, but not for him.

Senato got a little depressed, but he was in a good mood with Nella's words that went on.

"You can see Master Fernena."

"My mother!?

I smile unexpectedly and then, whoa, hold my mouth and look around. Fortunately, there was no shadow. Most of all, to the extent that someone would smile even if they heard it, they would still not have frowned as to whether they were meant to be part of the Dragon Hou family.

Senato soon walked out, almost with a small run of fast feet.

"Speaking of which, in a letter I received a while back, he said he wanted me to meet Efferna. Could it be..."

"Yeah, I'm with you. It's so adorable, it looks like you're looking at old Senato."

"I don't know much about that metaphor."

Senato leaked a complicated voice.

Efferna is his great-grandmother's name, but his little sister, who was born about two years ago, inherited it. I haven't seen my face once yet, but I guess it's cute because Nella says so. Maybe.

Senato headed that way because he said he had put him through to the guest room. As soon as I enter the room, my mother with her toddler blinds me. Nella was gone at some point, but he didn't realize it.

"Mother! Long time no see. Let me know and I'll pick you up."

"Oh, it's been a really long time, Senato"

Fernena gave a relieved look from the bottom of her heart and held Senato tight. Though he has also grown over the past few years, his mother is still much taller. Senato got embarrassed, but nostalgia won and returned a hug.

When Fernena releases Senato, she now hugs Efferna and introduces him to her brother.

"I'm so glad you look fine. Efferna, my brother. Here."

Senato took his little hand and held it gently, nervously all the time to his first sister to see him.

"Hello, Efferna"

Soft, small, fluffy, thin blonde hair. And the eyes are dark gray. As Nella said, it's the same trait as my brother. As Senato grinned, Efferna puffed her little round eyes and clung to her mother a little as confused.

"I'm a little familiar."

Fernena said to apologize, putting her daughter down on the couch and sitting down herself. Senato sat side by side. Fernena spoke slowly as she brought her daughter's round head to herself.

"Since the birth of this child, your grandfather has been increasingly blocked. It was a girl, I guess you didn't like it. So the air in the mansion was bad, and this kid was stuck all the time. Well, I think if you stay out there for a while, you'll be fine."

"How is your grandfather..."

"As always. You've been coming and going with the Quanos barracks a lot lately. You must be angry because Nakte's mansion has' ladies'. Looks like the only thing your grandfather wants right now is for you to be a fine emperor. Not to say something to you?

"No, not so much. The letter is also about once a month or so, and even if you come to the royal capital, it is often invisible to the royal palace. I think it's taken into account that I've become someone else's."

Or that's just what Senato wants to think. Councillors, their hipsters, etc., who are likely to be the ears and ears of their grandfather and circulate information, are finally in this royal capital. He will also be inside the royal palace. I just don't need to see him in person, etc. It gets so cold when I think about it.

Fernena shook her head with a spicy smile.

"If that's true, then you could crush your mind more on territorial management and security. Father... Rufus is tightening the discipline of the Legion around the territory, but there are many other problems that I can't get around. I wish you hadn't been a tough country when you became emperor."

"I don't think it's an easier job than it was originally. If you wanted peace of mind, you would have stayed in the Great Forest."

Senato answered that and then looked seriously at her mother in wonder. Fernena, noticing her gaze, tilts her neck as she asks what,. Senato blinked.

"Mother, a little... Somehow, the atmosphere has changed. Previously, it was more cautious… I can't really say."

"Was she an unreliable mother?

Fernena said herself with a bitter smile and gently stroked Senato's head in difficulty in responding.

"I've stopped being frightened by your grandfather's shadow. You used to collide with your grandfather about you and make me feel hard for you. I'm sorry."

"... that's not true"

Ambiguously Senato snapped. It was no surprise that my mother took into account not only her emotions, but also the state in which Senato had been placed at that time. At least my old mother didn't realize that any outrage at my grandfather was planking Senato and tormenting him.

Fernena smiled, attracting Senato's head and mouthing it.

And just there Nella came back. Take Varys.

"Your Majesty, you are in a good mood."

Fernena stood up softly, broke her knee and thanked her. Senato also stands up in a hurry. Varys urged Fernena to sit down with a hand gesture.

Varis sat across the street from his parents and children, hands on his knees, staring at Fernena in a quiet manner and asking.

"You think I have a secret story? Were you here before the building to see how Senato was doing?"

Senato looks at my mother in surprise. Only a calm side of her was something I had never seen before.

Fernena nodded deeply and spoke with a low voice.

"Nothing else, make it my father. I am talking about Naktedragon Hou Senato-Austra-Yerg, Your Majesty. As you already know, he has a deep grudge against the Imperial Capital since the Dragon Horse Council was dissolved by His Majesty's father, Lord Genus, and kept away from the venue of national politics. Of course there's nothing to be clear about, but it's a public secret that His Majesty is the one to be wary of. Here I am, and this Senato has come before you to ask His Majesty to exercise due diligence so that he may not be involved in it."

"Marquis Senato seems to have been hated in his body for a long time. I'm sorry."

Varis smiles with an ironic bitterness. But Fernena was in vain.

"It's not a matter of likes or dislikes. Please understand that my father and I have different political positions. As my husband, the Fourth Legion chief, Rufus' loyalty to the Empire, cannot be wavered. While it cannot be denied that many of the officers are under the authority of their father, Marquis Senato, all the corporals who essentially support the army will follow the life of Rufus. Since His Majesty's adoption of Senato, we have come to strengthen our connection with the western cities so that we can help His Majesty. I would like you to bear that in mind."

"... is that the word as the birth mother of the next emperor? Or should I take it from the next Yerg wife?"

"It is the latter," Fernena said clearly. "Whether you're the next emperor or not, you don't have to dare to say the thoughts of a mother who wants my child to be safe. I'm here now because..."

"Ma'am"

Nella, who was at the wall, whispered sharply, blocking the words. Fernena clasped her mouth in a whimsical manner, while Nella quickly embarked herself in the hallway and found one servant.

"What are you doing here?"

questioned, and the Dolphin servant let his black eyes glimmer as if surprised. I dedicate myself to a basin with fruit and water, and when I say I don't know why this is the situation, I am cautious and still come into the room without escape and hiding.

"The customer asked us to come and we brought water and fruit"

I didn't do anything wrong, isn't it my usual job? Put them on the table with a familiar behavior, looking around together with that said expression. Varys tried to order him to leave by hand, but Senato spoke earlier.

"Mion, is something wrong?"

"... what? No?"

In unexpected words, everyone looks surprised, not only the person questioned. Senato kept his eyes open from the other person and said only like a kind master.

"Because it seems kind of more blurry than usual. He looks like he's got a fever. Don't push me, give me a break."

"Was there a crude phase? I'm very sorry for your loss."

Mion bowed his head deeply and apologized, thanking the warmth before leaving the room. Senato waited until the footsteps disappeared and whispered with a low voice, Nera.

"Keep an eye on him"

"Yes."

Even without telling everyone, Nella leaves the room quickly, guessing. Varis and Fernena both had a sarcastic and puzzling look at it. In the wake of their gaze, which was questionable, Senato explained, noting the signs outside.

"Didn't Your Majesty notice? Sure, he looked a little different than usual."

"I'm not observing all servants like that"

I didn't even know the name of the current servant in the first place, Varys responds. The emperor's work doesn't even include domestic extraction, just that. Senato nodded.

"Right. They work quietly, naturally, like part of the landscape so as not to disturb the Lord. So no matter where or what you're doing, you're mostly unnoticed. But Mion usually responds a little more aptly. He's a servant of a nature who acts to keep us from distracting, but to make us remember better if he calls us. Never before has there been such a thing as a sky up there and your eyes wandering restlessly"

"Someone's hiring you to snitch on interactions in the mansion," he said?

"I'd like to think not. Either way, Nella will find out."

Senato answered carefully and bit his lip. The vain expression that Mion showed during very little time until Nella called him in and he came in was burning hard on his lid.

(Same)

With Fercius on the floor.

(No way, your grandfather did something to them...?

But the magician pulls him away from his grandfather and puts him in sight. Except for the “experiment” and the other day, I mostly just read the books, and it doesn't look like I'm doing anything.

"Nera is a dependable samurai, Your Majesty. Rest assured."

Fernena's voice broke Senato's thoughts. Not realizing Senato with her face up, she keeps talking to Varys.

"He's been serving the Austra Gate for a long time, he's an excellent clan man. Not only she, but also a number of samurai served their wives and children in many houses, and through each other's samurai comes the state of the family and so on in their ears. Several times a year, even a small tea party…. My father despises it as a chat for the women, but it is only with that tea party that I have been forced to connect with the nobles of the west over Nakte."

"Well, Austra is more said to be a woman's house than ever, but it wasn't just a malicious rumor."

"Let that word not be put into the ears of the present Lord. Because he abhors the history of our clan, where women often held power. In fact, not all women are as strong a gate as rumors. It's just that women are more connected to each other than other aristocrats, and they have more daughters to be born with."

Fernena smiled softly to silence Varis' sarcasm and glanced at her daughter, who was bored and squished her fingers. Varys also soothed his expression when he saw the unusual toddler, and when he nodded small, he stood up quietly to not surprise her as she was about to close her eyelids half way.

"Lord Fernena, your will has certainly been accepted. I would also like to thank Lord Rufus. As comfortable as the Fourth Regiment is under your command, Well, I'll be excused with this. It is painful not to disturb the first group of parents and children in a long time. Bye."

As he bowed gracefully, he took control of the standing Fernena with his hands and left the room. As soon as Efferna is done, she completely defeats the body she was brought to and falls asleep on her mother's lap. For the first time in its audacity, Senato was frightened.

"Mother, was I like this, too? Nella told me you look just like her."

It's just about appearance, asks anxiously.

"Oh, Nella said that."

Fernena just chuckled funny and didn't tell me about the facts of the past.