The White Crown Grand Duke is the Empire's Crown Prince.
And the Empire's de facto Emperor.
How could the son rule as Emperor when the most noble one is still alive and well?
To explain this, there's no need to mention the darkness of the imperial family, blood feuds, or power struggles that make the concept of blood ties irrelevant.
The reason the Crown Prince became the de facto Emperor?
It's because the Emperor has lived too long.
The imperial family's roots are human.
Though other races' blood has mixed in throughout history, humans still make up the largest portion of their noble lineage.
By human standards, the current Emperor has lived an exceptionally long life.
So long that the Crown Prince, palace officials, and even the Emperor himself find it awkward.
While longevity is considered a blessing from heaven, when a ruler lives too long, strange things happen. The royal succession path, meant to flow smoothly to the eldest son and grandson, begins to waver.
The Emperor isn't a senile old man who refuses to relinquish power.
Quite the opposite—he values family prestige over personal glory. He wants to build a rock-solid foundation for his descendants to live upon.
This stems from how the previous imperial family's final days were chaotic—a fact deeply etched into the souls of those who run the Empire. The details aren't important, but that's how it was.
It's been nearly ten years since Jiwoon and Hazel had an audience with the Grand Duke. Even then, the Crown Prince was already quite old.
The succession plan was already creaking at that point.
Yet the current Emperor couldn't simply set down his crown and scepter and abdicate.
Historically, culturally, and in terms of achievements and symbolism, it was impossible. Doing so would create a massive faction loyal to the former Emperor, splitting the palace. The imperial family didn't want that.
With no good solution in sight, while the Emperor's advisory council members were losing their hair from stress...
A grand coronation began.
Not for a human, but for a demon.
This was a crisis for the Empire, but an opportunity for the imperial family.
The Crown Prince became the primary contributor to stabilizing the Empire during this world-shaking crisis.
Using the glory of his achievements and his innate political acumen, he gradually pulled the Empire's power into his own hands.
Thus, while the occupant of the throne remained unchanged, the Empire's true ruler changed.
This was also one reason why the Crown Prince greatly favored the Hazel-Jun family.
Though they themselves were unaware of these behind-the-scenes machinations.
In any case, the Crown Prince is someone who succeeded in inheriting the Emperor's authority without becoming Emperor—a political monster.
Seeing through Hazel's commoner tendencies was child's play for such a person.
The Crown Prince moved carefully and deliberately.
He made Jiwoon the meritorious subject instead of Hazel, and rather than rewarding him with land and titles, he granted taxation rights. Not stopping there, he even collected the taxes himself and placed them directly in Hazel's hands.
Despite all this effort, he never pressured them to attend imperial events. In fact, he deliberately avoided giving such an impression.
Instead, he chose a different approach.
Every year, the Hazel-Jun family receives a letter with the same content.
It's a letter announcing the birthday of the White Crown Princess—the Grand Duke's beloved late-born only daughter.
It was a very gentle approach, subtly highlighting their common ground as parents of children the same age, while leaving the decision to accept the invitation entirely up to Hazel.
Furthermore, the Grand Duke wasn't inviting the Hazel-Jun family to a banquet.
The letter simply expressed his wish that they visit on a convenient day around the birthday to congratulate the child.
Though called an invitation, it was essentially an audience ticket with a reasonable excuse. Though who was having an audience with whom remained unclear.
It worked quite effectively on Hazel.
Enough to make her think, "Maybe it's okay to go just once?" despite the burden of an invitation from a powerful figure.
And so it came to be.
Children as living beings love going outside.
Even introverted children tend to have this inclination to some degree.
Humans are fundamentally designed to seek novelty, and children are the early models of humans. Unless they're truly unusual, they can't help but enjoy outings filled with fresh stimulation.
And Hazel loves all her children—the two she bore with pain and the one she bore in her heart.
When the children are happy, Hazel is happy.
That's why Hazel, who normally prefers lying in bed spacing out to going out, diligently takes the little hands and ventures outside. Because she wants the children to be happy.
Well, "venturing outside" isn't as grand as it sounds.
Usually, it's just light walks to scenic spots near home, and occasionally visits to nearby villages or towns to enjoy unfamiliar scenery.
Apart from these small outings, "real trips" worthy of the name typically took place during autumn.
Spring was busy for Hazel, summer was when Meredith visited, and winter was when the Squirrel Beastfolk hibernated.
But this year, the implicit rule was broken.
Hazel, the number one in the Hazel-Jun family hierarchy, announced a long-distance travel plan at the family meeting (dinner time).
The date was summer.
The destination was the Imperial Capital, the heart of the Empire.
"Wowww!"
"We're going on a trip!"
"Ahn, Lena, I know you're excited, but could you be a little quieter? Okay?"
The response was enthusiastic.
It was a perfect plan that no one objected to.
"Hey, I came all the way from the capital to see you, and now you want to go back?"
A perfect plan that no one objected to—
"Hazel, are you making fun of your master now?"
"Hehe..."
"So having two babies means you can't even hear your unmarried, aging master anymore, is that it?"
"Why are you getting hysterical with me for no reason!"
—was the plan.
"Mom, Mom!"
An excited Ahn patted Hazel's thigh as he sat beside her.
Though he'd been showing quite a composed demeanor as he grew older, it had been a while since he'd been this excited.
Feeling inexplicably pleased yet slightly pained (the child had grown stronger), Hazel pinched Ahn's cheek and pulled it.
"Ahn, you need to behave inside the carriage, okay? Look at Lena. Should a big brother be less well-behaved than his little sister? Should he?"
"Hueeee..."
"Answer me."
"No, I shouldn't..."
Hearing his slurred response, Hazel laughed and released his cheek.
She gently stroked the slightly reddened cheek, and Ahn turned his head toward the carriage window with a slightly pouty expression. Then again, "Huh..." he stared at the outside scenery with wide eyes.
The Imperial Capital has been the capital of the current Empire, was the capital of the old Empire, and before that, was the capital of powerful kingdoms.
Mighty hegemonies rose and fell, disappearing into the back pages of history, but the city endured through the long years, firmly holding its place.
For a long time, the Imperial Capital has reigned as the queen of cities.
Beautiful buildings lined up in rows, wide roads with clearly separated vehicle and pedestrian paths, and numerous people coming and going.
Even for grown adults, there's nothing quite like this spectacle. Needless to say for children.
That's why the children were stuck to the carriage windows like cicadas on a summer screen.
Unlike Ahn, who expressed his excitement with his whole body, Liya sat on Elysia's lap, resting her chin on one hand, quietly watching the passing scenery.
It wasn't that she was acting her age.
Rather, Liya had briefly stayed in the capital before, so the shock was less for her.
By that measure, the most adult-like person was none other than the youngest, Lena.
Judging by how her hands couldn't stay still, she seemed quite excited.
However, her expression revealed less of that emotion. Someone who didn't know Lena might mistakenly think, "Is she not impressed?"
Jiwoon gently held the child's hand.
Time changes many things.
The children changed little by little with the passage of time.
Lena, who has nearly caught up to her brother's height, often tries to act aloof like this.
Whether it's because she doesn't want to appear childish, or some strange habit she's developed, or perhaps she thinks it's cool, as children her age often do.
The child who used to run behind her brother and hide at the slightest thing has disappeared into the family's memories.
It was a feeling difficult to express in words.
Happy yet regretful, proud yet sad, and yet one couldn't spray preservatives to keep them from growing. Hazel somewhat understood Sesshomaru's feelings when he couldn't stop Rin from aging.
It wasn't just Lena.
Liya, now the smallest of the three children, pretends not to care about this fact while subtly being conscious of it.
She tries to assert her position as the eldest by sharing snacks with her younger siblings or helping Hazel or Elysia with their work.
Ahn, who will obviously be overtaken by Lena soon, also seems secretly anxious.
It shows in how he tries to go to bed early and eat calcium-rich foods.
These gradually changing relationships experienced another major upheaval after Ahn became a Sorcerer.
What each of them thinks, what feelings they harbor, what they intend to do.
Even Hazel and Jiwoon didn't know the details, but one thing was certain—changes were occurring beneath the surface.
And it wasn't just the children.
Mattrick, Onyxia, Altifel and Amiel—everyone started moving in their own directions following Ahn's awakening.
It felt like another huge wave was approaching.
This was one reason why Hazel, who had consistently declined the Grand Duke's invitations as burdensome, decided to accept this time.
People wearing robes became increasingly visible through the window.
The atmosphere of the streets changed from before. Though they should have been moving within the Imperial Capital, it suddenly felt like they'd entered a new city.
"Wow!"
"Amazing, isn't it? Yes, yes, first-time visitors can't help but feel that way."
And at some point, Meredith started showing off.
"If you're this impressed already, we're in trouble. The Academy looks good from the entrance, but the real sight is from Clock Tower Square. And the shopping district that stretches beside it is another attraction..."
There was a mysterious scent mixed in the air.
The carriage entered the Academy Education District.