"Your Highness?" Delphine's voice was laced with concern as she gently called out to Ceres.
Ceres groaned, rubbing her heavy eyelids before turning to face Delphine. Even her face was clouded with worry.
'Ori, what time is it?'
'7 AM, Your Highness.'
Ceres scowled. She hated waking up this early. If Delphine had gone so far as to wake her at this ungodly hour, something important must have happened.
"What is it?" she muttered, attempting to sit up. But the moment she did, she felt the weight in her limbs... the exhaustion settling in her bones.
Her HP had dropped to 51.
It had been ten days since Legion left, and three times now, he had returned to the palace to collect the food supplies she and Delphine prepared for the expedition.
She had been using her Monarch's Blessing on the food, giving her energy to the supplies to increase the chances of survival for those who weren't fighters. And now, her HP was paying the price.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Delphine murmured, already reaching for her robe to help her dress. "But I think you'll want to see who has arrived at the palace."
"Visitors?"
Ceres frowned. No one ever visited the Empress Palace.
Delphine simply nodded, offering no further explanation.
With a resigned sigh, Ceres forced herself out of bed, wrapping the robe tightly around herself as she followed Delphine down the grand staircase.
And that's when she saw them.
Children.
Twenty of them, only one older than nine, standing nervously in the main hall.
Among them was an elderly woman and a teenage boy, barely fifteen, leaning on a crutch... his leg missing below the knee.
Ceres's breath caught in her throat as she recognized some of them.
"Merry, Pippin, Lily, Noe," she called.
At the sound of her voice, the four little ones turned...
And with tears streaming down their faces, they ran to her, clinging to her legs.
"Your Highness!"
Ceres knelt, pulling them into her arms, her heart hammering in her chest.
"What happened? Where is your big sister?" she asked, gently wiping Noe's tear-streaked face.
The children said nothing. Instead, they turned their gaze toward the center of the room.
And that's when Ceres saw it.
A small, frail body lying motionless on the floor.
Her blood turned cold.
"Maureen," she gasped, rushing forward.
She froze when she saw the numbers above Maureen's head.
HP: 0.5
The reserve HP she had received from Ceres' apple was completely gone.
Which meant...
Maureen had already died once.
And now, even the extra life she had been given was fading.
Something was wrong.
"What happened?" Ceres demanded, turning to the elderly woman. "Tell me."
But the woman, Morgana, only stared at her... frozen, disbelieving.
Ceres ignored her silence and turned back to the girl, gently lifting Maureen's upper body.
"Maureen?" she whispered.
The child coughed weakly, eyes fluttering open.
"…Your… Highness…" she breathed, a frail smile tugging at her lips.
'Ori, what's happening to her?'
'It appears to be a bone fracture, Your Highness.'
A fracture? A simple fracture was doing this to her?
'Can I give her HP?'
'You can. But unless the damage is repaired, her HP will continue to drop, and you will have to use your Monarch's Blessing repeatedly.'
Ceres clenched her jaw.
She turned to Delphine, who was still comforting Maureen's younger siblings.
"Delphine," she called. "Heal her."
Delphine turned, eyes widening.
"I… I tried, Your Highness," Delphine whispered, voice shaking. "But my healing ability is too low-level. I... I can't heal the damage."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she desperately looked at Maureen.
Ceres exhaled sharply.
She had planned to save her energy, to use her gift only for the food supplies until Legion returned.
But she wasn't about to let a child die in front of her.
Without hesitation, she walked toward Delphine and gently wiped the tears from her face, activating her Monarch's Blessing.
A soft golden light enveloped them both as Ceres whispered,
"O light divine, so pure, so bright,
Heal the wounded, mend their plight.
Flesh restored, let pain take flight,
Bless this world in sacred light.
But should dark hearts seek to betray,
Let kindness twist, let warmth decay.
Mercy turned to sorrow deep,
May those who harm, the price now reap!"
A golden glow burst from Delphine's body, illuminating the entire hall.
And then...
The Voice of the World echoed in Delphine's mind.
NOTICE: NEW ABILITY GRANTED
🎖 Grace of the Sacred Light 🎖
✨ To Activate: Say "Heal" to mend wounds, and "Restore" to regenerate lost limbs and purify sickness.
🌟 Effect:
The Saintess's Blessing heals all in need, restoring wounds, lost limbs, and even cleansing disease. As long as she is treated with respect and kindness, her power remains a force of pure restoration. However... if she is betrayed, attacked, or threatened, her blessing will become a curse... draining life instead of restoring it.
Delphine gasped, her body trembling as the golden glow settled into her.
She looked at her hands, stunned. She could feel it... this overwhelming, sacred power flowing through her veins.
Then she turned to Maureen immediately.
Taking a deep breath, Delphine placed her hands gently over the child's fragile body.
"Heal."
A soft white light surrounded Maureen... warm, bright, and pure.
And then, as if time itself had rewound, the girl's labored breathing steadied. The pain in her small body melted away.
Her HP jumped from 0.5 to 80/100.
The fracture was gone.
A stunned silence filled the grand hall.
Even Delphine, despite being the one who performed the healing, could hardly believe the power of the Sacred Light she had just received.
But the moment of triumph was short-lived.
"Your Highness!" Merry gasped, rushing to Ceres just as she staggered, nearly collapsing.
Delphine darted forward, catching her with a deep frown.
"I'm fine," Ceres reassured them, forcing a smile as she steadied herself.
Maureen, now healed, ran toward her and wrapped her arms around her waist, sobbing.
Her transformation was remarkable.
Her frail, malnourished form was gone... replaced by a healthy, glowing little girl with soft, rosy cheeks and bright, sparkling eyes. The dry, cracked skin had healed completely, revealing a beauty hidden beneath years of neglect and suffering.
The other children stared in awe.
Ceres glanced at Morgana and the teenage boy, Eric.
"I don't have a proper receiving area since the palace has been left empty, so why don't we move to the dining hall? You can tell me everything there."
Morgana and Eric hesitated at first but eventually nodded.
Together, they led the group through the grand halls of the palace. The children carried the younger ones... one of them even cradled an infant... and followed behind Ceres and Delphine.
The thought of these children enduring the bitter cold and heavy snowfall just to reach the Empress Palace tightened something in Ceres's chest.
Once they arrived at the dining hall, she instructed Delphine to prepare a meal. She even asked some of the children to help, and their faces lit up at the thought of getting to eat.
When only a few of them remained in the dining hall, Morgana seemed to finally snap out of her daze.
Without warning, she fell to her knees and kowtowed before Ceres.
"Forgive our boldness, Your Highness," Morgana's voice trembled with emotion.
Immediately, the children followed her lead... even Maureen... though many of them didn't understand the action.
But they knew it was right.
"Please don't," Ceres said softly, moving to help Morgana up. The old woman hesitated before reluctantly rising.
"Please, all of you. Stand up," she urged. "If you want to show me respect, a simple bow will do. There's no need for this."
Once they were seated, Ceres turned to Maureen.
"What happened?" she asked gently.
Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes again, but Ceres simply opened her arms. Maureen climbed onto her lap, burying her face in her chest as she let out a quiet sob.
Ceres rubbed her back soothingly.
"It's okay, sweetheart," she whispered. "You're safe now."
When Maureen finally calmed, Ceres lifted her chin slightly.
"Do you feel a little better now?"
The child nodded.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Maureen sniffled and wiped her nose before speaking.
"The apples, Your Highness… the noble knights took them."
Ceres's expression darkened.
"Why?"
"They said it belonged to them. We told them you gave it to us," Maureen hiccupped, trying not to cry again.
Ceres narrowed her eyes.
"How did they find out about the apples?"
"They saw the trees we planted," Maureen explained. "We gave them some apples, but then they came back with more knights and took everything... the apples we picked, even the trees."
Ceres clenched her jaw.
'Ori? How did the trees grow so fast? It's only been two weeks.'
'It's because of the child's Plant Whisperer ability, Your Highness. She likely spoke to the trees, and in response, they grew faster.'
Ceres turned to Morgana, her gaze sharp.
"Do you know who these noble knights were?"
Morgana swallowed before nodding.
"They serve Baron Blackwater," she answered.
Ceres's eyes flashed.
"Blackwater? Isn't that the house of the Duke's fiancée?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Morgana confirmed grimly. "The one who ordered the knights to take the apples… was Lady Celestria Blackwater herself."
Ceres closed her eyes briefly.
This was exactly what she had feared.
This was why she hadn't simply handed out resources to the people.
Because the nobles would steal them.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Maureen sniffled, her voice small.
Ceres sighed and pressed a gentle kiss to the child's forehead.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Don't cry," she murmured. "It's just an apple. It's not even that delicious."
The children suddenly looked up at her, their eyes wide.
"But it was delicious, Your Highness," Eric said, his voice full of quiet conviction. "It was the best thing we've ever eaten."
Ceres blinked.
"So you shared it?"
Maureen nodded quickly. "Yes, Your Highness. You said that if someone hungry asked, we should share it."
She smiled, but there was a sadness in her eyes.
"And that's why it was delicious," she told them. "Because you shared it.
"But those knights… even if they take all the trees, even if they drown them in magic... the apples will never taste the same."
The children listened, hanging onto her every word.
"Do you remember what I told you when I gave you those apples?"
Maureen thought for a moment, then nodded.
"You said we should plant the seeds, give thirty apples to you, and share with those in need."
"What else?" Ceres prompted.
Maureen hesitated. Then her eyes widened.
"If we broke our promise, the apples would taste bitter and sour!"
Ceres smirked.
"That's right."
The children gasped in realization.
They weren't ordinary apples.
The noble knights may have stolen them... but they wouldn't get to enjoy them.
"They wew tawste awfuw," Noe whispered, giggling.
Ceres chuckled. "Exactly. Because they will not be able to keep the promise you make."
She squeezed Maureen's hands.
"So stop worrying about the apples. Instead, why don't you go and help big sister Delphine in the kitchen? So we can all eat."
Maureen beamed and immediately ran off to join Delphine and the other children.
As Maureen and the other children disappeared into the kitchen, Ceres turned her attention back to Morgana.
"Madame, can you tell me exactly what happened to Maureen?" she asked, her voice calm but sharp with intent. "I understand the situation with the apples, but I don't understand why her life was put in danger."
Morgana hesitated.
"Your Highness, please do not address me as 'Madame.' I am just a commoner, and if a noble were to overhear, it could bring you trouble," the old woman said, her voice laced with concern.
Ceres sighed but nodded.
"I understand. Then please excuse my informality."
Despite her spoiled upbringing on Earth, Ceres had always respected elders... especially those who had earned it, regardless of their status.
Morgana gave her a small, appreciative smile before her expression darkened again.
"It was Lady Celestria's sworn knight," Morgana admitted, voice heavy with sorrow. "He… kicked her."
Ceres's eyes hardened.
"He kicked her?" she repeated, her voice low but dangerous.
A knight had kicked a fragile six-year-old girl?
No wonder her HP had dropped to zero.
"She tried to protect these."
Morgana reached into the deep pockets of her skirt and carefully pulled out four apples, placing them on the table before the Empress.
"She and the other children set aside thirty apples to bring to you," Morgana continued, her voice trembling. "But when the knights came to take them, Maureen fought back. She bit the hand of Lady Celestria's sworn knight."
Tears rolled down Morgana's wrinkled face.
"So he kicked her."
Ceres stared at the apples.
She felt the anger in her bones.
Those knights… grown men had stolen food from starving children.
And in return, they had beaten one of them nearly to death.
They were thieves.
They were cowards.
And worst of all… they had the audacity to steal from her.
"When did this happen?" Ceres asked, her voice quiet but lethal.
"Yesterday, Your Highness," Eric answered.
Ceres's head snapped up.
"Yesterday?" she echoed, her voice dangerously low. "Then why did you only come here today?"
Morgana flinched and lowered her head in shame.
"I… I didn't believe them," she confessed. "I thought Maureen was only imagining things when she said she knew the Empress. When Merry and the others begged me to bring them here yesterday, I refused. I was afraid. Afraid that if we came here, we would be punished for daring to set foot in the palace."
Ceres's jaw clenched, but she took a deep breath.
She couldn't blame Morgana for her fear. The people of Aquilonis had been abandoned for years.
They had no reason to believe in their rulers.
No reason to believe in her.
"What changed?" she asked after a moment.
Eric shifted in his seat.
"I can see HP and MP, Your Highness," he admitted. "I saw Maureen's HP dropping lower and lower. At one point, it even hit zero, but then it went back to ten… and kept falling again."
He swallowed.
"She said she wanted to see you one last time… and bring you the apples she managed to hide."
Ceres exhaled slowly, forcing her rage down.
Morgana's voice was thick with emotion.
"I knew then that we had no choice but to gamble on Maureen's words," she murmured. "But I couldn't send the children alone. And I couldn't leave the others behind. So… I brought them all here."
Ceres reached across the table and took the old woman's hands, squeezing gently.
"Thank you," she said sincerely.
She turned to look at the children still sitting at the table... the children who had followed Morgana here.
Twenty children.
And not a single one of them had a safe home to return to.
She already knew the answer before she even asked.
"I assume their parents are part of the expedition?"
Morgana nodded.
"But some of them are orphans," she added softly.
Ceres inhaled deeply.
She had expected as much.
"I have a big palace," she finally said, gesturing around them. "As you can see, it's almost bare. But I will welcome you if you wish to stay here."
Morgana and Eric's eyes widened in shock.
"There are plenty of empty rooms," she continued. "They only have beds, but at least you won't have to worry about the cold.
"I only have a little, but I am willing to share what I can."
Morgana looked like she wanted to cry again.
"But Your Highness, are you sure?" Eric asked hesitantly. "We're just commoners… and some of the younger ones cry a lot."
Ceres chuckled softly.
"I'm sure they're like that because they're hungry."
She leaned back and smiled.
"I don't have money to offer you. But if you help Delphine with her tasks... so the work isn't too heavy on her... I can offer you a warm shelter and three meals a day, with snacks in between."
She met their stunned gazes.
"You may stay for as long as you want... until the day you decide to leave on your own."
Morgana's lips trembled.
And then, for the first time since they had arrived...
The old woman bowed her head to the Empress.
Not out of fear.
Not out of obligation.
But out of gratitude.