The carriage Rellia boarded quickly departed from the Superion Territory.
Grandmother, grandfather, uncle, aunt, Becky, and the castle's servants and knights.
As she bid farewell to everyone, Rellia felt a peculiar emotion.
Even though she had said she would return soon, everyone showed tears, and Rellia ended up crying as well. It truly felt like she was becoming someone who was leaving.
Even the knights she had never been particularly close to were wiping away tears with their handkerchiefs.
It wasn't until the carriage reached the edge of the territory that Rellia finally stopped crying and composed herself.
'Still, I should reach the capital quickly.'
For the past nine years, Emperor Perseus had pursued policies to extensively cultivate the abilities of mages.
Thanks to this, teleportation magic circles had been installed throughout the empire, and using them, a journey that originally took a month could be shortened to two weeks.
It was an enormous advancement.
Rellia gazed out the carriage window. The merchant group was traveling safely under the escort of knights.
Her uncle-in-law, whom she was meeting for nearly the first time, was a very kind man.
He not only allowed her to ride a luxurious carriage by herself but also assigned her a maid from a business partner traveling with them.
However, throughout the journey to the capital, she never saw the face of this so-called business partner.
He kept staying inside the carriage and never came out.
When Rellia expressed curiosity, the maid explained.
"The master has developed a skin condition and cannot come outside the carriage."
Perhaps for that reason, only the servants and her uncle-in-law occasionally went in and out of the carriage.
Rellia soon lost interest.
In truth, this was not the time to be focusing her attention elsewhere.
She sank into deep thought.
She felt neither excitement nor fear, but it would be a lie to say she felt no burden.
Her family's safety rested in her hands.
It felt like only yesterday when she fled from the capital and met her grandfather....
'Now I need to get my head on straight.'
Rellia bit her lip firmly and her eyes gleamed with determination.
Until her arrival at the capital, Rellia carefully planned and revised her future course of action.
After several weeks passed like that.
Rellia finally arrived at the capital. It was her return after a full nine years.
The carriage came to a stop as it entered the capital's bustling district.
The merchant group's cargo wagons were at the capital's outskirts; this carriage had arrived separately to deliver Rellia.
Descending from the carriage, Rellia gathered her light luggage.
"Is your travel money sufficient? The merchant business is busy, so it would be difficult for us to stay together."
"No need, uncle-in-law. Thank you so much for bringing me. I'll see you later at the territory."
"Alright, then we'll meet later. Stay healthy and take care."
"Yes, please take care."
Perhaps the work was urgent, for her uncle-in-law dropped Rellia off and immediately departed toward where the merchant wagons were waiting.
Rellia looked around with a dazed expression. Over the past nine years, the capital had changed considerably.
"...."
Thinking that she was left alone in the middle of the capital, she felt strange. Somewhat fearful, yet overflowing with confidence. Her grandfather had tried to send a serving maid or knight with her, but Rellia had adamantly refused. It would interfere with her plans. When she said it was for the alchemy ingredients, her grandfather seemed to understand vaguely and reluctantly allowed it.
The capital was quite bustling.
It was because of the news that the heroes of the five empires had defeated the Mad Dragon and would soon return.
Everyone seemed preoccupied with preparing for the festival.
Merchants, customers, commoners, nobles—without exception, the faces of those passing by were all bright and overflowing with hope.
Feeling somehow like an outsider, Rellia pulled the hood of her robe deeply over her head.