The morning had long since passed.

  The sun had already climbed high into the sky.

  The day was slowly moving toward noon.

  Yet inside a horse-drawn carriage traveling along a dirt road toward the royal territory…

  two passengers had only just begun to wake from their sleep.

  The carriage swayed gently with the steps of the horses pulling it. The wooden wheels creaked occasionally, mixing with the sound of wind passing through the small window.

  Inside, Lily slowly opened her eyes.

  At first, her vision was still blurry.

  She blinked several times, trying to understand where she was.

  The wooden ceiling of the carriage came into view above her.

  A few seconds ter, Lily suddenly sat upright.

  Huh?

  Beside her, Sasa also began to stir.

  Sasa groaned softly before opening her eyes with a confused expression.

  Why does my head…?

  But when Sasa looked around—

  her expression immediately changed.

  Wait…

  Sasa turned toward the carriage window.

  The view of the road slowly moving outside could be seen.

  She then looked toward the front of the carriage.

  Then back at Lily.

  We’re… in a horse carriage?

  Lily gnced around again, clearly still trying to understand the situation.

  Weren’t we still at Mr. Gilbert’s house before?

  The carriage continued moving without stopping.

  Only then did the two of them notice one more person sitting inside the carriage with them.

  Rendara.

  He sat calmly on the seat across from them.

  His posture was rexed, his hands resting lightly on his knees.

  He had simply been watching them wake up.

  Without looking surprised.

  Without rushing to expin anything.

  As if everything had always been meant to happen like this.

  Lily frowned.

  Mr. Rendara…?

  Sasa pointed toward the window.

  Wait… where is this road going?

  The carriage shook slightly as it passed over an uneven part of the road.

  Rendara finally gnced toward the window for a moment.

  In the distance, the main road leading to a rger territory could already be seen.

  Then he looked back at the two of them.

  With an extremely calm tone, he said,

  The royal territory.

  Lily blinked.

  Sasa also froze for a few seconds.

  Then both of them shouted at the same time.

  The royal territory???Why so suddenly???Ahhh I haven’t even taken a bath yet!!What if we smell like this when we arrive at the royal territory?!

  Seeing Lily and Sasa’s frantic reaction, Rendara chose to remain silent for the moment until things calmed down.

  Because Lily and Sasa truly had no idea when this journey had started.

  The only thing they remembered was—

  a midnight meal, overwhelming drowsiness…

  and now suddenly they were already inside a carriage heading toward the kingdom.

  Lily and Sasa, who had been panicking earlier, finally tried to calm themselves.

  Then suddenly they both paused.

  Huh…?This smell…Whose clothes are these???

  Then Lily and Sasa slowly turned their attention toward Rendara.

  At the same time they both shouted,

  Mr. Rentaro!!!You pervert!!!

  Without saying anything further, Lily and Sasa simply grumbled while gring at Rendara as if he had done something terrible.

  Hmmmmmm!!

  Seeing the situation, Rendara finally expined,

  That’s right, Lily and Sasa.I’m the one who changed your clothes and dressed you up.Is that wrong?Or do the colors not suit you?Or maybe the makeup doesn’t look right?Sorry… but we had to hurry.I only tried to match what you were wearing before.Because I want to make this decision within three days.

  Hearing that expnation, Lily and Sasa were momentarily at a loss for words.

  Regardless of how Rendara had managed to change their clothes and prepare them—

  their attention shifted more toward how serious he sounded.

  Both of them fell silent, slightly embarrassed.

  And eventually the carriage arrived at the royal territory.

  The dirt road slowly turned into a well-paved stone road.

  Small scattered houses gradually changed into taller, denser buildings.

  Merchants lined the streets opening their shops, while city guards stood at several rge gates leading toward the center of the royal territory.

  The sun was already high, indicating the day was nearing noon.

  Seeing the bustling streets, Lily leaned slightly toward the carriage window.

  So… we really made it.

  Sasa also looked outside, noticing the royal fgs waving atop several stone towers.

  But the carriage did not stop for long.

  Once they stepped down, Rendara immediately walked a few steps away from it.

  Lily and Sasa followed behind him.

  Sasa looked confused as she gnced toward the heavily guarded pace gates.

  Don’t we usually have to go through the guards first?

  The royal pace stood magnificently in the center of the territory—surrounded by high stone walls and towering structures.

  Normally, no one could meet the king directly.

  There were procedures.

  Permissions.

  Many inspections.

  But Rendara did not seem interested in waiting for any of that.

  He stopped briefly in a quiet open courtyard near the path leading toward the pace.

  The midday wind blew softly.

  Rendara looked toward the distant pace building.

  Then he lifted his foot slightly.

  Stomp.

  His foot touched the ground with a light pressure.

  But a moment ter—

  the space around them seemed to vibrate faintly.

  The air folded for a brief instant.

  Lily’s eyes widened slightly.

  Sasa had not even managed to ask what was happening.

  In a single blink—

  the scenery around them changed.

  The open courtyard disappeared.

  It was repced by a massive chamber filled with towering pilrs, polished stone floors, and a long carpet stretching toward a throne.

  They were now standing inside the royal throne room.

  Several pace guards standing along the sides of the room were immediately shocked to see three people suddenly appear out of nowhere.

  Eh???You—

  Strangely, none of them could finish speaking.

  It was as if someone had deliberately sealed their voices with magic.

  Yet Rendara stood perfectly calm.

  At the far end of the room—

  the king sitting upon his throne looked directly at them.

  Without announcement.

  Without ceremony.

  Thanks to Rendara’s teleportation, the three of them were now standing directly before the king.

  The king stared at Rendara for a moment before speaking.

  That hair…

  Hearing the king mention hair, Lily and Sasa suddenly realized—

  Rendara’s hair had turned white.

  Inside their minds, questions began forming.

  Meanwhile the king, as if understanding everything already, greeted Rendara casually.

  What brings you here, young adventurer?

  Rendara answered calmly,

  It seems there are others more suited to expin.

  Then he gently pushed Lily and Sasa forward.

  Lily and Sasa, entrusted with the expnation, began speaking seriously in turns about why they had come.

  At the start—

  Lily looked slightly nervous.

  But after taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

  Your Majesty… we come from the territory of Aissuren.

  Several royal advisors immediately exchanged gnces.

  That name was rarely mentioned within the kingdom.

  Sasa continued after Lily paused.

  Aissuren has lived for a long time like a small territory that was never acknowledged. But the people there still live, work, and protect their nd.

  The king remained silent while listening.

  A moment ter, one of the royal advisors interrupted.

  The territory you mentioned… isn’t that simply an area currently recognized as outside the kingdom’s administrative structure?

  Sasa immediately responded.

  That’s exactly the problem.

  Lily continued.

  The territory exists. The people exist. But it’s as if they’ve never been acknowledged.

  A debate began.

  Some royal advisors questioned whether the territory was stable enough.

  Others asked about its popution.

  Some doubted whether such a pce could be trusted administratively.

  Lily answered as best as she could.

  Sasa occasionally jumped in when the questions became too sharp.

  Sometimes they spoke one after another.

  Sometimes they completed each other’s answers.

  At times their voices even grew slightly louder as they tried to convince the royal court.

  Time passed.

  One hour.

  Then two.

  What began as an expnation had turned into a long discussion involving the advisors, the court officials, and even some guards who had once heard rumors about the territory.

  Throughout all that time—

  Rendara barely spoke.

  He simply stood behind them.

  Watching.

  Occasionally gncing toward the tall windows where sunlight entered the throne room.

  As if he had only come to support them, not lead the conversation.

  Finally, after hours of debate…

  the room grew quiet again.

  The king leaned slightly back into his throne.

  He looked at Lily and Sasa standing before him.

  You have spoken for quite a long time.

  Lily and Sasa exchanged a brief gnce.

  Then Lily spoke again, her voice calmer but firmer.

  Your Majesty… we did not come to ask for many things.

  Sasa continued the sentence.

  We only want one thing.

  The room fell silent again.

  Lily took a small breath.

  Then together they spoke the conclusion they had come to deliver from the very beginning.

  That Aissuren be recognized again as an official territory.

  The request echoed softly through the throne room.

  All eyes turned toward the king.

  Some others looked slightly irritated, as if they held personal grievances toward Aissuren.

  Silence filled the room.

  Finally the king moved his hand slightly on the armrest of his throne.

  He looked at Lily and Sasa for a long moment before speaking calmly.

  A request like this… is not something that can be decided instantly.

  Lily held her breath.

  Sasa frowned slightly.

  But the king continued,

  I will need time to consider it.

  The sentence was simple.

  Not a rejection.

  But not an immediate approval either.

  The room fell quiet again.

  Lily looked slightly disappointed, though she nodded respectfully.

  Sasa exhaled softly before answering,

  Understood, Your Majesty.

  Behind them—

  Rendara stood with the same calm expression as before.

  He did not look worried.

  He did not look disappointed.

  As if he had already predicted the answer.

  Because to Rendara, what the king had just done was very easy to understand.

  The king was simply calming the atmosphere within the kingdom.

  The advisors.

  The officials.

  Everyone present.

  A decision made too quickly could provoke many reactions.

  But Rendara knew something Lily and Sasa might not yet fully realize.

  The king already knew the reason for his visit from the very beginning.

  Even before Lily and Sasa had spoken earlier.

  Rendara’s reputation as a hero was already well known in the kingdom—

  though at this moment only the king knew that the hero Rendara was currently disguising himself, even changing his hair to white.

  If he personally came to support something—

  then the final decision was likely already clear.

  It only needed to appear as a proper royal consideration.

  Rendara gnced slightly toward the throne room window.

  Daylight still shone brightly.

  Then he said quietly,

  Then… let’s go back.

  Lily and Sasa looked at him.

  Moments ter the three of them left the throne room.

  They exited the pace.

  Walking through the busy streets of the royal capital.

  Merchants were selling all kinds of goods.

  Small jewelry.

  Beautiful fabrics.

  Foods from different regions of the kingdom.

  Even the aroma of cooking from street stalls was tempting.

  Yet strangely—

  none of them stopped.

  No one bought any trinkets.

  No one bought food.

  No one truly enjoyed the capital city.

  Lily and Sasa simply walked for a while, leaving the center of the territory.

  Rendara did not force them to cheer up.

  Then—

  with a light stomp of his foot—

  space around them trembled once more.

  In a single blink…

  the three of them had returned to a much simpler pce.

  The territory of Aissuren.

  Or for Rendara—

  Geterds.