CHAPTER 412: THE QUEEN WHO COMES HOME

Primrose thought the blizzard had blinded the soldiers and maids so much that they wouldn’t notice the carriage swaying earlier, but it turned out she was completely wrong.

In fact, they had witnessed the whole thing from inside their tents! And they couldn’t stop thinking about it while preparing dinner after the storm had finally passed.

[I’m actually impressed they didn’t break the carriage,] Solene thought. [It looked like they were having way too much fun in there.]

[His Majesty’s mood has been so much better after that! He doesn’t even yell at us anymore!] one of the soldiers said.

Apparently, Edmund’s mood had been rather sour these past few days because he hadn’t been able to see his wife often and had too much bottled-up desire inside him.

At this point, everyone in the palace could easily tell whether the royal couple had been intimate or not just by the King’s mood and how he treated others.

"Y-Your Majesty, please drink this warm soup first," Marielle said, offering her a steaming bowl. "And are you sure you’re comfortable sitting on that log? I can set up the folding chair for you."

[She probably feels sore after all that fun with His Majesty earlier.]

[Why would he make her suffer like this in the middle of our trip?!]

"I’m fine, Marielle," Primrose said with a gentle smile, accepting the bowl with both hands. "You can change the cover on the carriage seat while I’m out here."

Marielle nodded and quickly hurried toward the carriage, carrying a clean cloth to replace the seat cover

Primrose didn’t really want to get out of the carriage, but since they had made quite a mess, it needed to be cleaned and aired out. Besides, the fire outside looked warm enough to keep her cozy for a while.

Meanwhile, Edmund and the other soldiers were patrolling the area around their temporary resting place to make sure no wild animals or bandits were nearby.

"So, Your Majesty," Salem began casually from where he sat beside her, "was the anti-nausea medicine I gave you really that effective? Judging from how energetic you were earlier, I’d say it worked perfectly."

Primrose almost choked on her soup, caught off guard by his bluntness. "Yes, Sir Vesper. Your medicine worked... very well."

She cleared her throat and quickly changed the topic. "Actually, why did you decide to come with us, Sir Vesper? Wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you to rest at the palace?"

For someone like Salem, wouldn’t he be happier when his superior wasn’t around? With no one watching, he could do whatever he pleased at the palace.

That was why Primrose didn’t quite believe him when he said he wanted to join them on the trip to Illvaris for vacation. Besides, his inner thoughts had already made it clear that he was planning to do something important there.

"Right, why would I even bother lying to you, Your Majesty," he said, leaning slightly toward her. "I actually want to visit the auction house in Illvaris."

"Oh? Why?" Primrose asked, frowning. "Is there something you want to buy there?"

"I’m not sure yet," Salem admitted honestly. "But sometimes, rare herbs for making medicine are put up for auction there, right? That auction house is truly incredible."

Salem wasn’t wrong. The auction house in Illvaris really was that incredible. Thanks to her father’s distillery business, the building had grown larger every year and now attracted countless people from all over the kingdoms.

"Yeah, there are a lot of things there," Primrose admitted.

"I used to visit that auction house all the time, but these past few years, your bastard Emperor has tightened the entry requirements for his empire," Salem sighed heavily. "It’s hard for beasts to get in now, especially if I don’t have the Lycan King’s approval with me."

"It’s such a headache having to get the Beast King’s permission every time I want to travel to Vellmoria," Salem continued. "So, I just decided to stop going there altogether. But now that you’re heading back, of course I won’t let that chance slip away!"

Primrose had also heard about that requirement before she married Edmund. The Emperor had said that due to the increasing number of crimes committed by beasts against humans, he decided to limit their access to the empire’s territory officially.

Everyone in the Vellmoria Empire rejoiced when they heard that decree. They clearly didn’t care about the beasts and believed it was for the best.

But in truth, the Emperor only wanted to deepen the hatred humans felt toward the beasts with that kind of rule. At the same time, the beasts would grow to despise humans even more. making the hatred between the two races everlasting.

"However, hasn’t that rule become more lenient since I married His Majesty?" Primrose asked.

"Yeah, a little," Salem replied with a shrug. "But there are still plenty of troublesome things we have to deal with, like answering endless questions meant to accuse all of us of being criminals."

Primrose lowered her head and murmured, "I’m sorry." She continued, "We shouldn’t have treated you that way."

Salem waved his hand casually. "Oh, Your Majesty, I was only complaining, not blaming you," he said. "Besides, the one who made that rule was the Emperor of Vellmoria, so you had nothing to do with it."

"But still..." Primrose said softly, "I’ll try my best to change how humans see all of you."

Salem smiled faintly at her words. "You’re too kind, Your Majesty. But changing the way humans think isn’t something that can be done overnight."

"I know," Primrose said, her gaze soft but determined. "Still, even a small change is worth trying for."

Salem looked into the flames for a while before speaking again. "If anyone can make that change, it’s probably you. After all, even the Lycan King listens when you speak."

Primrose chuckled softly. "That’s because he’s my husband."

Salem smiled. "Then perhaps the rest of the world just needs someone like you to remind them what compassion looks like."

Primrose didn’t reply, but her smile lingered as she stared into the fire, quietly wishing that one day, both humans and beasts could share warmth like this without fear or hatred.

===

After having dinner, Primrose returned to the carriage, followed by her husband, who had just come back from patrol and was finishing his meal on the way.

"Your face is so cold," Primrose said as she touched Edmund’s cheek with her warm palm, still heated from the campfire earlier. "Did you find anything strange out there?"

"No," Edmund shook his head gently. "Most of the dangerous animals have gone into hibernation, so they’re not a threat to us. And as for the bandits... I didn’t see any sign of them."

Primrose smiled softly. "That actually reminds me of when my carriage was ambushed by bandits on my way to Illvaris City." She paused before asking, "Do you... remember that, husband?"

Edmund knew about their first life through his wolf, so he most likely remembered it as well.

"I do," he said quietly, his gaze softening. "I met you when you returned to the palace. I’m sorry for what happened back then."

He continued in his mind, unable to say it out loud. [Every time I remember our past, I feel like cutting off my tongue... or maybe I really should do it now.]

"No, you don’t have to cut off your tongue!" Primrose said quickly. "It’s fine, really. Now I understand that you were just too worried about me back then but didn’t know how to show it kindly. Besides... you’re also the one who saved me, so instead of blaming you, I want to thank you."

Edmund looked at her in disbelief, his expression softening with guilt and relief all at once. "You’re still too kind," he murmured. "Even after everything I did."

Primrose couldn’t help but sigh, realizing that two people had already told her she was too kind today, but she knew she was anything but kind.

She then smiled faintly, her thumb brushing over the back of his hand. "Because I know you’ve changed. The man sitting beside me now isn’t the same one from before."

Edmund kissed the palm of her hand and whispered, "I’m not the same, but my love for you has never changed."

Primrose leaned in and kissed him deeply. "So do I," she murmured with a gentle smile. "I love you, Edmund."

He returned her kiss and confessed his love to her again and again, as if he wanted to worship her.

They didn’t go any further after that—just kissing and cuddling—because Primrose was too embarrassed to let anyone know about their intimate moments so openly.

The rest of their journey to the Vellmoria Empire passed in peaceful warmth.

After a week on the road, Primrose finally caught sight of the Vellmoria Empire in the distance. She opened the carriage window and leaned out slightly, her eyes lighting up as the familiar view came into sight.

A bright smile curved on her lips, but tears slipped down her cheeks at the same time. In a trembling voice, she whispered, "I’ve finally come home."