The Empire of Reimia (3)

Having reached Toutar's office, he sees a closed door in front of him and hears someone talking behind it. Out of curiosity, he decides to peek inside through the door's peephole. There, he sees his history and combat training instructors: Mari is leaning her chest against Yuki's back and rests her head on his shoulder. They are quietly laughing, rubbing their cheeks and noses against each other, and smiling broadly. They are exchanging affectionate words, discussing their routine, and then moving on to another topic. "How is His Majesty doing these days?" "To my delight, he has begun to look noticeably better. He still sleeps poorly and overworks himself, but his gaze is clear, as if he has gained a clear understanding of what to do next." "That's wonderful! My heart aches every time I see how tired he is." "Sometimes I can't help but blame myself for it. If it weren't for my decision to renounce the throne, he wouldn't have to go through all this. Especially this situation with Diascia. I can't imagine how I would have acted if I had to choose between you and the fate of millions of people in the empire." "Neither you, my love, nor he, nor your sister is obligated to exhaust yourselves just because of your blood. But if the question were to be posed in that way, then the rational answer should be obvious..." "The fate of a larger number of people is indeed more important than the fate of individuals, but... Even if I had to betray my ideals and even if you hated me for it, I would choose you." Avion Craig appears behind Toutar, puts his hand on his shoulder, and looks at him questioningly.