Delphine gently helped the Empress lie back down, concern etched across her face. The exhaustion was clear... visible in the sluggishness of her movements and the heaviness of her eyelids.
"Should I try to heal you, Your Highness?" Delphine asked hesitantly.
Ceres gave her a small, tired smile and shook her head.
"I don't think your healing will work on me. My body follows a different rule, remember?"
Delphine frowned, feeling frustrated with her own helplessness.
"I just wish there was something more I could do for you, Your Highness," she murmured, adjusting the Empress's blanket.
Ceres let out a soft chuckle, her eyes already half-lidded with sleep.
"You and your brother are already doing so much for me. I may not always say it, but I really appreciate it."
Her voice was growing faint, her words slower.
Delphine pursed her lips. Her HP must have dropped below 50 again. The Empress was clearly weaker than usual.
"Should I call Legion using one of his Armor Knights?" Delphine suggested, reluctant to leave her in this state.
"No," Ceres mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's not worry him. I just need to rest… five times longer than usual."
Delphine nodded, though she didn't look convinced. Still, she didn't argue... allowing the Empress the sleep she so desperately needed.
She turned to leave, but just as she reached the door, the Empress spoke again.
"Delphine."
Delphine paused, looking back.
"If you can… and as long as it doesn't harm you, try healing them," Ceres said softly.
There was no need to ask who "them" referred to.
Delphine's heart clenched.
"I will, Your Highness," she vowed.
The Empress didn't reply... her breathing had already evened out. She had fallen asleep.
When Delphine returned to the dining hall, she was met with the sight of children eating heartily, their small faces filled with relief and delight.
They were eating like they had never eaten before.
They probably hadn't.
"Hush, don't eat too much or your stomachs will hurt," Morgana gently scolded the children, watching as they eagerly refilled their bowls with the warm stew Delphine had prepared.
"It's so delicious, Grandma Morgana!" one of the younger boys mumbled through a mouthful of food.
Delphine smiled as she walked over to May, a little girl holding a baby in her arms.
The Empress had used her ability earlier to create a bottle feeder for the infant. Without it, May wouldn't have been able to eat properly.
Delphine carefully took the baby into her own arms, allowing May to focus on eating.
Morgana turned to her with a knowing smile.
"The Empress is truly a kind soul," she said warmly.
Delphine nodded.
"Yes… But she has endured more suffering than you can imagine," she murmured.
The older woman sighed.
"She must have, to carry such wisdom despite her youth."
Then, a young girl named Isabel spoke up, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"But… why do the people in town say that the Empress is ugly and fat?" Isabel asked innocently.
A hush fell over the table.
Delphine's expression darkened slightly, but before she could speak, Morgana chuckled softly.
"Isabel, you must remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder," the old woman explained patiently. "Some people are beautiful on the outside but rotten within. Others may lack outward beauty, but their hearts shine so brightly that they are far more beautiful than anyone else."
"But the Empress is both beautiful inside and out!" Eric blurted out, his face turning red.
Delphine raised a brow, amused.
"Oh?" she teased.
Eric quickly looked away, pretending to focus on his food.
Delphine let out a small laugh but then turned serious.
"Yes, she is kind… but the Empress is not always kind," Delphine warned, making sure the children listened carefully.
The younger ones perked up, curious.
"She has mood swings, and sometimes, she's in a really bad mood," Delphine continued. "So, while you are here, you must remember these rules."
The children nodded attentively.
"First, you can play anywhere in the palace, but never disturb the Empress when she is resting," Delphine said firmly. "Some days, she won't mind… but there are days like today when the pain and discomfort she feels is multiplied. Those are the days you must be especially careful."
The children swallowed, sensing the weight in Delphine's words.
"Second," she continued. "She hates repeating herself. So when she tells you something, you must listen carefully. Understand?"
The children nodded quickly.
"Good." Delphine sighed, then softened.
"She may not always show it, but she cares deeply about each and every one of you. So let's do our best to make things easier for her, okay?"
A chorus of "Yes, Big Sister Delphine!" echoed across the room.
Delphine smiled at their enthusiasm.
"After you're done eating, I'll show you to your rooms. The boys will share one, and the girls will share another… And since I don't have any clothes to give you right now, once we've cleaned the dining hall and kitchen and prepared your beds, let's all make some clothes for each of you, okay?"
"Okay!" The children cheered in excitement.
After finishing their meal, the children eagerly helped clean the dining hall, washing dishes and wiping down tables. Once everything was spotless, Delphine led them upstairs to the second floor, guiding them to the opposite wing of the Empress's chambers.
The moment they stepped inside, Maureen gasped.
"Big Sister, is this really our room?" she asked in disbelief, her wide eyes darting around the large chamber.
Morgana, too, looked utterly stunned.
"Delphine, are you sure? This is a noble's chamber," the old woman said in shock. "We can stay in the servants' quarters."
Delphine shook her head.
"This is the Empress's decision," she reassured them. "Don't worry. This room is far enough from the Empress's chambers, so even if baby Calisto cries at night, it won't disturb her." She gestured to the next room. "This one will be your room, Grandma Morgana, and just after yours is the boys' room."
The children rushed inside, their faces filled with wonder.
The bed was softer than anything they had ever slept on. Most of them were used to sleeping on cold, hard floors or thin straw mats, but here, even though it was snowing outside, the air was comfortably warm... thanks to the magic of the Empress's Golden Cherry Blossom.
However, there was only one bed, and they all knew it wouldn't fit them all.
"Since there's only one bed for now, you'll take turns using it," Delphine explained gently. "Once the Empress feels better, or when Big Brother Legion returns from the expedition, we'll ask him to make individual beds for everyone. Until then, you'll have to share, alright?"
The children eagerly nodded.
After showing Morgana and the boys to their rooms, Delphine did something she had promised the Empress.
She began healing them... one by one.
As expected, the same thing happened as with Maureen.
Their frail, malnourished bodies transformed... their pale, dry skin regained color, their bones no longer jutted out from hunger, and their eyes no longer looked dull and lifeless.
Their HP increased from below 10 to 80/100.
Even Morgana, despite her age, looked much healthier.
Then, it was Eric's turn.
Unlike the others, Eric had a more serious condition.
When he was only twelve, he had joined the expedition but was attacked by a monster. His leg was completely severed, leaving him crippled ever since.
Delphine took a deep breath.
"Restore."
Suddenly, Eric screamed out in pain.
A searing sensation spread from his severed limb, as if his flesh was burning from within. His entire body trembled, and he clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
The pain was unbearable.
The other children began crying, watching helplessly as Eric writhed in agony.
Delphine wrapped her arms around him, holding him steady, whispering reassurances into his ear.
"It's okay, Eric… It's okay. Just hold on a little longer," she murmured, stroking his back as his body shuddered.
And then...
The pain vanished.
A stunned silence fell over the room.
Eric froze.
Slowly, he lifted his head, eyes wide with disbelief.
The children gasped.
Eric looked down... and saw his leg.
His once severed limb was whole again.
It was real.
He could feel it.
He could move it.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Without thinking, he threw himself into Delphine's arms, sobbing.
"Thank you, Big Sister!" Eric cried, his voice breaking.
It had been so hard... living as a cripple in a kingdom where even the able-bodied struggled to survive.
But now...
Now, he could stand on his own two feet again.
Delphine hugged him back tightly.
"You don't have to thank me," she said softly. "I only did what the Empress asked me to do... to heal all of you."
Then, she turned serious, her eyes scanning each of them.
"But just because I healed you doesn't mean I will always be here to heal you again," Delphine warned. "So you must take care of yourselves, alright?"
The children nodded rapidly, wiping away their tears.
"Think of this as a precious gift from the Empress," she continued. "And we must not waste it."
Everyone solemnly agreed.
For the first time in their lives...
They were not just surviving. They were living.