Eventually, the day of the heroes' return dawned.
Outside, the entire city was in celebration.
Rellia pulled her robe deep over her head and watched from afar as the people paraded in triumph.
Waaaah!
The cheers of the crowd were deafening. Rellia craned her neck over people's shoulders to peek through.
'It's Uncle!'
Uncle Carius, standing at the forefront, looked unchanged. Seeing him in good health put her mind at ease.
Behind him, the twin princes appeared, and Rut showed his face as well.
They smiled brightly, waving at the people who cheered and welcomed them.
The procession of heroes quickly passed through the main gate of the Imperial City.
Even after the parade ended, the people's faces were filled with lingering excitement. The heat of the festival was only just beginning.
Rellia observed the flushed faces of the people for a moment before turning away.
'The imperial palace banquet and festival start tomorrow, so there are 7 days left until D-Day, the final day of the banquet.'
Thus time passed, and the early morning arrived with D-Day, the final banquet day, just 3 days away.
A bleak dawn wind blew through the quiet streets.
Along with that wind, a large shadow of a figure was cast before the inn where Rellia stayed.
6 years ago.
The time when Rellia had just sent off Uncle Carius, whom she had grown close to, with the Light Dragon subjugation force and was deeply grieving.
Oscar, Calix, Griffith, and Romeo.
The four friends, excluding Rellia, reunited after 3 years in the sacred neutral zone.
Unlike when they parted, the boys now sixteen had grown significantly taller, becoming unrecognizable.
However, the expressions of the four boys of similar height were not bright.
Because of 'Leo's' death.
After hearing the news in their respective countries, they had been immersed in sorrow and anguish for a while.
To them, Leo was no different from a savior.
Fortunately, the sorrow did not last too long.
The four friends exchanged letters and rallied around a single goal.
'Leo's revenge.'
The emotion of sorrow had already turned to anger and became their driving force.
And finally, they gathered together again.
"Any new information obtained?"
At Calix's words, Griffith, who had been thinking deeply, answered.
"From what I heard. There's talk that Emperor Perseus was poisoned even before the rebellion started."
"Poisoned...."
"First, Emperor Perseus's side is the most suspicious. Or the nobles following him."
As Romeo spoke, imagining the face of Emperor Perseus he had never seen, Oscar, who had been silent, threw a question at his three friends.
"The last letter Leo sent, do you all remember?"
At those words, they all recalled a single word.
'Rellia Auroria.'
"I remember. But no one knew anything about that name."
At Romeo's words, the others' expressions grew even more serious.
"...That guy, when I asked how he knew a wolf would appear, he said he had a prophetic dream. Seeing that, he might have known the future in advance."
Calix muttered lowly.
Hearing those words, Griffith spoke up.
"He also said something like this once. I don't know if you all remember...."
"I said it back then too! I might not go to the subjugation force. I could die... die before that."
"...Is there a force targeting you?"
"Yes, there are those who covet the imperial throne I'm to inherit... and my body is weak too. That's why my father overprotects me."
Recalling that conversation, Calix clawed at his own head in anguish.
He regretted not paying more attention back then.
"Was there another imperial family member who could threaten Leo's position? It's clearly an imperial family name, yet no one knows it."
Calix, who had been tearing at his head, said.
"Since Emperor Perseus and the princes were said to be dead at the time... Leo probably didn't know that either."
"However we do it, I'll find the culprit and kill them."
At Romeo's answer, Calix ground his teeth.
The others' eyes also flashed sharply.
Thus the four boys grew within the Light Dragon subjugation force and began gathering information about the culprit who killed Leo.