The history shows that Cransia’s golden period started after Emperor Lucretius the First executed the dowager empress Katleyanira.
Since his reign, the kingdom became prosperous. The following rulers, starting with Beatrice the First, managed to continue this golden period for the next five generations.
Beatrice the First.
It was a peaceful time. The most peaceful place in the castle was Lonez. The new female ruler Beatrice, who was twenty-three years old, loved her parents dearly and were devoted to them. It had been a year since her parents retired.
Recently, Beatrice tried to build a small theater in Lonez for her mother who loved operetta. However, former empress Bina refused as the theater would have been only for two people. Bina thought it unnecessary and too wasteful.
Bina knew how much her daughter loved her, and that was why she didn’t want Beatrice to be bothered with things like this. As the very first female ruler, Beatrice was going through hard times. Beatrice also recently went through the disaster of having to rebel against her useless husband.
Her now ex-husband Komodus was well known for his ineptness and immoral behaviors, so the public was slowly but surely accepting Beatrice as their new ruler. She was, without a doubt, a better choice. However, she still had a long way to go and any mistakes she made would be judged harshly. This was why Bina didn’t want Beatrice to spend any money from the treasury for unnecessary things.
Besides, Bina was perfectly happy with the way things were. The kingdom was peaceful and both of her children grew up to become fine young women. Bina felt like she lacked nothing.
Bina’s oldest daughter, Beatrice, managed to successfully become the new ruler of Cransia and she couldn’t be prouder.
Bina murmured excitedly, “Yes. I think it’s time.”
Bina smiled and looked out the window. It was a beautiful sunny day.
Bina felt a little apologetic to her daughters.
‘Sorry Beatrice and Lottie, but I worked for over 20 years, and I think I deserve to take a break now.’
Bina and Lucretius had been telling their daughters of their future plan since they were in their teens. They might have forgotten about it by now, but Bina felt sure that they would understand.
Bina returned to her writing the letter she was working on. The cleanly written letter wasn’t in Cransian, but in Korean.
Even if someone other than her daughters broke the seal, no one would be able to read the letter. In this world, only Bina, her husband, and her two daughters could read this language.
When Bina first started to teach Korean to her family, she did it because she wanted her family here to learn about her old family back in Korea. However, soon, it was clear that this could be a very useful secret code.
Bina smiled and wrote the last sentence.
[… We plan on spending our days in Bilenae, so please don’t worry about us. Also, please don’t get angry at your mom and dad for leaving you with all the work of running this kingdom. We worked very hard for the past twenty years, so we think we have done enough.
– Love, Mom.]
Bina could imagine what her daughters would look like when they read her letter. She tried not to laugh out loud.
Bina felt excited. Today was finally the day they had been waiting for; they had anticipated this day for twenty years! Bina and Lucretius had been working very hard for this day!
Bina sealed the letter with her seal ring. Then, she took off the ring and left it beside the letter.
In the letter was also an order to inherit the title of Duchess Bilenae to her second daughter Liselotte. Bina could imagine Lottie complaining of all the work she now had to do as the Duchess.
Just then, a man walked in. “Luc!”
Lucretius looked as handsome as ever. Time had dulled nothing in his appearance.
He was still very much in love. Whenever his green eyes saw his wife, they would fill with love and devotion.
The time they spent had strengthened their love. No one could ever come between them. Their trust in each other was unbreakable.
Lucretius walked towards Bina. “I’m done packing, Bina.”
Bina nodded and stood up. “Me too. I’m done with my letter as well.”
Lucretius smiled at Bina’s seal ring that was left on the table. The ring was what he used to propose to Bina.
The ring and the colony renamed Bilenae. These were gifts from Lucretius with hopes that Bina would know how he felt about her.
His dream came true. Now, the ring was no longer on Bina’s hand, but Lucretius didn’t feel anxious at all. He also no longer reached out for Bina desperately whenever he woke up from his sleep. He felt relaxed and reassured that Bina would never leave him.
They walked towards each other like magnets. Both remembered the day they first met. In that cruel and unfortunate situation, Lucretius offered his hand and Bina took it. He wasn’t perfect then. He was young, cold, and had many scars.
However, she took his hand time after time. In the end, she chose him.
Lucretius smiled gently and asked, “Should we go now?”
“Yes.”
They were dressed very simply. No one would think they were the former emperor and the empress. They wore hoods and cloaks to blend in with the average Cransians.
Lucretius looked excited. “I know we’ll go to Bilenae, but where should we go after?”
Bina also looked eager. She felt like she was a teenager again.
“There are so many places I want to see. First… I want to see the ocean! I have never seen one in this world. I wonder if it looks the same as the ones in my world.”
“And then?”
“Desert. I have never seen one even in my homeland. I want to see it with my own eyes.”
Bina leaned against her husband and they walked slowly together.
She asked, “What do you want to see, Luc?”
He whispered, “I want to see you seeing this world’s ocean for the first time. I also want to see you be surprised to see the desert for the first time.”
“…”
Bina became teary. Lucretius kissed her lightly and opened the door. No one followed them as they left. It was finally just the two of them and no one else.
Behind them were the sealed letter and the seal ring. The sunlight shined brightly on them.
The End
