May his soul rest in heaven

"You look pale. Are you okay?"

Selah nodded slightly while holding her head. "Just a little dizzy," he said.

Aeneas immediately asks Janette to call a healer. "The healer told you not to overthink," he warned.

"Yes, I know. So please don't grumble," Selah grumbled.

After being examined briefly by the healer, Selah was fine. Her heart rate and blood pressure were high, so she was asked to calm down.

"No one thought that King Tristan would die suddenly like this. I am surprised myself," said Aeneas. "If it's predictable, at least I can do something for you and Mother…"

"It would be odd if you knew the exact time he died, wouldn't it?" Selah said with her eyes closed. She was leaning against a pile of pillows in their room now, no longer alone in her room. This is their sign of peace. "Wait, then why are you still here? Shouldn't you be starting funerals?"

Aeneas shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "My pregnant wife is sick. It's better to take care of the living than the dead, right?" he said.

His words were true, but Aeneas would have been considered a brat if someone else had heard them.

Well, his words just now were indeed impudent. Even so, Selah still couldn't help but think, in the end, the lecherous king died too.

Selah had been waiting for this death since last spring before considering marrying and bearing Aeneas' child. How many seasons have passed? It felt so long ago–thinking like that was inappropriate for her.

Because for the man beside her, waiting for King Tristan's death must have felt really, really long. Aeneas has waited countless seasons for his father's death. So naturally, when death came, his face looked very happy.

"Set your expression properly, Your Highness," Selah said, poking Aeneas' forehead. "Don't tell me you were grinning like that at Blair."

Aeneas finally smiled broadly. "Not really. You know how good I act," he said confidently, making Selah roll her eyes. "The people of the Royal Palace know that my relationship with King Tristan is not good, so I don't need to bother shedding tears. Blair didn't cry either."

"But at least pretend to look sad or gloomy or something," Selah said. "A king's funeral will take a long procession. I hope you can maintain your attitude for that long."

"Of course. You don't need to worry," Aeneas said, then kissed Selah on the forehead. Right at that moment, the healer that Janette had summoned came. "I'm going to take care of the funeral first. You don't have to force yourself if you can't move, okay? Crown Prince Blair and I can take care of things."

Selah only answered him with a slight nod and immediately sent Aeneas away.

His ability to control his expressions was terrifying. At first, Aeneas looked happy and gloomy when the healer and Janette entered.

"I am sorry for the passing of His Majesty King Tristan, Your Highness," said the healer after examining her. "I hope Your Highness and family will be given fortitude and strength on His Majesty's passing."

"Thanks for the condolences," Selah said, trying to sound as glum as possible. "I will pass it on to Prince Aeneas later."

The healer smiled weakly at him. "May his soul rest in heaven..."

God, Selah wanted to laugh at those words.

King Tristan rest in heaven? Seriously? There is no place in heaven for parents who sleep with their children.

***

Selah was fortunate not to have an obligation to take care of King Tristan's funeral because she was ill. Just at that moment, she got a letter from Tullia. This time, Baron Tullia himself wrote the letter.

[...There were indeed many things that went out of control, and even I got hurt. But the help and prevention that I have prepared are going well. The injured have been treated, the mine that was damaged is in the process of being repaired, and I can write a letter to you.

The point is, things are now under control–although I'm sure you wouldn't believe it if you weren't here yourself.

As your uncle, I'm trying to say, take care of yourself. You're pregnant, and this winter looks like it might be stormy. Don't worry about me, and focus on yourself. Later, when winter is over, I promise to stay in Mesina for a long time to be with you.

Sorry for worrying you while you're pregnant. I hope your uncle can stop bothering you with the mining business.

Send warm regards,

Your uncle.]

Her uncle had said Selah would think Tullia's current situation was still a mess. That means only about 75% of the situation is under control. The exact cause of the chaos has not been found, and the rest is unknown.

But her uncle had emphasized that Selah should not worry. At a time like this, there was nothing else Selah could do but believe in her uncle.

It doesn't matter. King Tristan just died. Blair won't have time to cause another mess at the Tullia Mines, Selah thought, trying to calm herself.

The next day, it snowed again. This time, it snowed quite heavily. Even so, the news about the death of King Tristan Seneca of Balthasar, which had spread throughout Mesina, did not stop people from expressing their condolences. The knights on patrol had made announcements for the public to stay at home, but they still filled the front yard of the Palace with condolence flowers.

"If it continues like this, there could be another death."

Selah, who decided to participate in the funeral, suggested, "Just close the road leading to the Palace. Announce that people can send their condolences if it doesn't snow tomorrow."

"We will consider it, Your Highness. How about we start talking about which points need closing?"

"We should also start moving the patrolling knights then. Where are their posts closest to the Palace?"

The snow piled up on the streets, making things difficult. Having heard there was a minor accident on the road involving a courier carrying preparations for the king's funeral. As the funeral's direct caretaker, Blair was busy with it.

Meanwhile, Aeneas has finished with the matter of the hall of condolences. The plan is that tomorrow, the hall of condolences will open for nobles who wish to express their sorrow. Then, two days later, King Tristan's body will be placed there for three days. After that, just the funeral.

Selah does not remember that the funeral process will take much time like this. How she used to take care of her mother's funeral, huh? She didn't really remember.

"You look tired. How about I take you back to your room?"

The voice of rebuke may sound gentle. But in Selah's ears, the rebuke sounded terrible. Selah, sitting alone in the small hall after the road closure meeting, jumped up instantly.

She doesn't know since when Blair has been standing behind her.