Chapter 68

Third Person’s POV

Earn sat stiffly in the driver’s seat, shifting for what felt like the hundredth time. Her fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel before she forced them still, jaw tightening as she kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

She could feel it.

That gaze.

It had been there since they left the palace—quiet, persistent, watching. And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it refused to go away.

Her eyes flickered upward to the rearview mirror.

And there it was.

Queen Miu, seated comfortably in the back, smiling at her—soft, sweet… and undeniably suspicious.

Earn nearly choked on her own breath. “W-what is it, Your Majesty?”

“Oh~ nothing,” Miu replied lightly, her voice far too innocent to be believable. “Nothing at all…”

That smile didn’t leave her face. If anything, it deepened.

Earn swallowed, her grip tightening on the wheel. That is absolutely not nothing.

Silence stretched between them again, thick and uncomfortable—at least for Earn. Miu, on the other hand, seemed perfectly content letting it linger.

Then—

“By the way, Earn…”

Earn flinched almost imperceptibly. “Y-yes, Your Majesty?”

“How are you getting along with Dr. Fahlada these days?”

Earn blinked, caught off guard. “With the doctor?”

“Yes, yes,” Miu nodded eagerly, leaning forward just a little, as if she couldn’t quite contain her curiosity. “You’re both very important to me now, so I do hope you two get along.”

Earn hesitated, her gaze drifting briefly toward the passing scenery outside before returning to the road. “Well… she’s your doctor, and I work closely with you, so… I suppose I’ve grown comfortable around her.”

It was a perfectly reasonable answer. Calm. Neutral. Safe.

And yet—

Silence.

Again.

Earn frowned slightly and glanced at the rearview mirror once more.

Miu was still smiling.

The same smile.

Unchanged.

Worse—now there was a glint in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Earn’s composure cracked. “W-why are you looking at me like that?” she stammered, her voice betraying her despite her best efforts.

Miu let out a soft, delighted chuckle.

Earn’s ears burned.

“What?~” Miu teased, tilting her head. “I’m just happy to hear you two are getting along so well.”

“That’s not—” Earn cut herself off, flustered, her words tangling in her throat. “P-Please stop that…!”

The attempt at authority fell flat the moment it left her lips.

Miu laughed a little more, clearly enjoying herself now.

“Please don’t laugh at me like that!” Earn protested, her voice rising just enough to give away her embarrassment.

But that only made Miu’s smile widen, her amusement impossible to hide as she leaned back against her seat, thoroughly pleased with herself.

And up front, Earn could only stare ahead, face steadily warming, wondering how a battlefield felt less dangerous than this conversation.

—

“Welcome, my lady!”

Ollie’s voice carried across the administrative hall the moment Miu stepped inside. The space looked nothing like it had during her last visit—where there had once been scattered debris and hurried arrangements, there was now structure. Order. Purpose.

Tables were neatly aligned, documents stacked with care, workers moving with direction instead of urgency. It wasn’t perfect yet—but it was progress. Real progress.

Miu’s eyes softened at the sight.

“Are you feeling well now?” Ollie continued, bowing respectfully before straightening. Concern lingered in his expression. “It has been quite some time since you collapsed. Everyone was worried. I do hope your health has improved before coming here. You’ve been working far too hard.”

Miu gave a small wave of her hand, brushing off the concern with a light smile. “I’m fine. I was just a bit tired, that’s all.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie—but it wasn’t the whole truth either.

“I should be the one apologizing,” she added, her tone softening. “I haven’t been able to visit for a while. Everyone must have been working tirelessly.” 

Her gaze drifted briefly across the hall before returning to him, brighter now. “There must be so much to review. Shall we get right to it?”

Ollie blinked, clearly caught off guard by her eagerness. For a brief second, he hesitated—perhaps expecting her to take it slow, to rest, to ease back into things.

But the look on her face told him otherwise.

“Ah—of course! Right this way, my lady.”

As they moved through the hall, that initial surprise slowly gave way to something else.

Admiration.

Because despite everything—her condition, her recent collapse, the weight she carried—she had come back not to be attended to, but to work. To see things through.

And Tungsten needed that.

Outside, the city unfolded before them in a different light than before. What was once a place marked by damage and uncertainty was now alive with motion. Workers moved in coordinated groups, tools clinking, voices calling out measurements and instructions.

Miu walked alongside Ollie, her pace steady as he guided her through each section.

They passed by long stretches of freshly dug trenches, where workers carefully laid out the sanitary lines she had personally requested. The once-neglected ground was now mapped with intention—systems designed not just for recovery, but for sustainability.

“These will connect to the main drainage system,” Ollie explained, gesturing toward the layout. “It should significantly reduce flooding during heavy rains.”

Miu nodded, crouching slightly to get a closer look despite Ollie’s subtle attempt to stop her. Her fingers hovered just above the soil, as if she could already picture the finished system beneath it.

“Well done,” she murmured.

They moved on.

Stub-outs marked future structures—homes, small businesses, facilities yet to rise. Structural frames had begun to take shape in some areas, skeletal outlines of what Tungsten would soon become again.

Further ahead, the land opened into wide stretches of newly cultivated fields, where rows of crops had begun to take root in careful alignment. Workers moved between them with practiced ease, tending to the soil, adjusting irrigation lines, and ensuring each patch received its share of water. 

The soft rustle of leaves and the steady rhythm of tools working through earth replaced the clamor of construction, carrying a quieter, steadier promise of renewal.

And everywhere—

There was effort.

Determination.

Hope.

Miu took it all in quietly as they walked, her expression soft but focused, asking questions here and there, offering small suggestions, acknowledging progress where it was due.

She did not rush.

But she did not slow down either.

And as Ollie watched her from the corner of his eye, he realized something.

This was not just someone inspecting a land.

This was someone who cared.

Someone who had chosen to be here, to understand every detail, to see every improvement with her own eyes.

By the time they reached the next section of the city, Ollie’s earlier concern had all but faded.

In its place was quiet certainty.

Tungsten would rise again.

—

“Whew~.”

Miu let out a quiet sigh as she finally lowered herself onto a wooden bench by the edge of the fields. The long hours of walking, observing, and speaking with the people had begun to settle into her limbs, a gentle heaviness she could no longer ignore.

The afternoon sun hung warm above them, its light spilling across the land in soft gold.

“Are you feeling alright? You seem a bit tired.”

Earn’s voice came from her side, edged with concern as she approached.

Miu looked up at her, offering a small, reassuring smile. One hand drifted instinctively to her stomach, resting there for just a moment before she let it fall back to her lap.

“I’m alright,” she said softly. “I haven’t been out in a while, that’s all.”

Her gaze shifted past Earn, settling on the vast stretch of land before them.

“My body may feel a bit tired,” she continued, her voice lighter now, “but I feel more energized than ever.”

A smile slowly bloomed on her face as she took in the sight.

Tungsten.

Alive.

“The city is truly returning to its former glory,” Miu murmured. “Even without me here to give orders.”

Her eyes traced the horizon—fields once barren now rich with life, rows of crops swaying gently under the breeze. Workers moved among them, laughter faint but present, their movements no longer weighed down by desperation but guided by purpose.

“All this land that was dry and empty just months ago… now it breathes again,” she said, almost in awe. “The crops are growing. The soil is healing.”

She paused, drawing in a slow breath, letting the scent of earth and greenery fill her lungs.

“The people who were once starving… who could barely stand from exhaustion…” Her voice softened. “Now they smile. They laugh. They live.”

For a moment, she simply watched them—families working side by side, children darting, their laughter carried by the wind.

“And they did this,” Miu added quietly. “Not because they were told to… but because they chose to stand back up.”

Her fingers curled lightly against her lap as she continued, her voice steady but filled with something deeper.

“I’m witnessing all the life this land has to offer… and the strength of the people who refused to let it die.”

She let out a small breath, almost a laugh.

“I thought I came here to help rebuild this place…” she admitted. “But it feels like I’m the one being reminded of what it means to keep going.”

Her smile widened then, bright and unguarded.

“I’m a bit—” she paused, shaking her head softly. “No… I’m very, very happy.”

Earn stood beside her, silent at first, her gaze lingering on Miu as she took in every word.

Then slowly, almost unconsciously, a gentle smile found its way onto her face.

She turned toward the fields as well, her voice quieter now. “Yes… it’s exactly as you said.”

The breeze swept through them again, softer this time, carrying with it the rustle of leaves and the distant hum of life moving forward.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

And in that silence, the weight they had both carried seemed to ease—if only just a little.

It felt like the world had finally allowed them to breathe.

Then—

“Help!”

The cry tore through the air, sharp and desperate, shattering the stillness in an instant.