What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?

Vivian briefly closed her eyes and then opened them again. "It was when he married his wife, the Balka's Empress, Emily Wilhem, the daughter of the Wilhem family!"

Upon hearing this, Arthur gasped in surprise and took a moment to ponder.

He realized that the novel had never mentioned the name of Lucia's own mother, leaving him with a lack of information about Emperor Balka's wife, Emily Wilhem.

"So, Duke Wilhem and Emperor Balka could be said to be brothers in law?" Arthur looked at Vivian and asked curiously.

Vivian nodded and replied, "Exactly, but their relationship doesn't seem to be very good, especially since Emily Wilhem passed away."

She shook her head, releasing a soft sigh.

That being said, Duke Wilhem and Emperor Alex's relationship should have been amicable, but due to the incident involving Emily, their bond had turned cold.

"Can you tell me the reason behind Emily Wilhem's death?" Arthur asked curiously, his brow furrowing.

Perhaps by understanding the details of this event, he could find some clues and deduce Emperor Alex's intentions.

The novel itself does not explicitly reveal his plan; however, there is a slight spoiler in the battle scene during the last arc of the Balka Empire.

It hints at a plan to resurrect someone.

Regrettably, this crucial scene was omitted from the novel, leaving Arthur in the dark about the reasons behind the event's exclusion by the author.

Meanwhile, Vivian found herself torn between explaining or keeping the reason for Emily Wilhem's death a secret.

It was a weighty and confidential matter that only she knew the truth about.

As far as the public was concerned, Emily Wilhem, the empress, had passed away due to an illness.

However, Vivian couldn't bring herself to reveal the real reason to the public.

Seeing Vivian's hesitation, Arthur gently stroked her palm and pleaded with her.

"Don't you trust me, Mom?" His face adopted a feigned expression of sadness, which tugged at Vivian's heartstrings, ultimately making her melt.

"Alright, but you must promise me that you won't divulge this to anyone, okay?" Vivian glanced around cautiously, then turned her serious gaze back to Arthur, warning him emphatically.

Observing this, Arthur nodded casually and reassured Vivian, "Do I look like someone who would spill the beans?"

His relaxed and calm expression brought relief to Vivian.

Her hesitation wasn't about fearing Arthur would disclose the information; rather, it stemmed from the concern that revealing the truth might put his life in danger.

"Alright, please listen carefully, okay?" Vivian leaned in close to Arthur's ear, as if preparing to whisper.

"Okay, go ahead!" Arthur eagerly positioned his ear to hear every word.

"The reason Emily Wilhem died was... because my brother killed her himself!" Vivian whispered in a hushed tone, causing Arthur's eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Are you telling the truth, Mom?!" he asked, his face filled with incredulity.

Upon seeing Vivian's composed expression, Arthur knew that this was undoubtedly the truth.

"He truly is ruthless!" Arthur silently cursed, finding himself at a loss for words.

He looked at Vivian with confusion and asked, "Then, what led him to do such a thing to Emily Wilhem?"

His curiosity flared, and he felt as if he had stumbled upon a valuable piece of information.

As the saying goes, knowing your enemy's information well puts you one step closer to victory!

Hearing his question, Vivian took a small breath, preparing to explain.

However, before she could start, the carriage came to a sudden stop, and a knocking sound interrupted their conversation.

"Sorry to disturb you, Lady Vivian and Young Master Arthur!" A guard's voice sounded from outside.

Realizing that they might not be able to continue their conversation, Arthur shook his head at Vivian and then opened the carriage door.

As Arthur stepped out, followed closely by Vivian, he inquired, "What is it?"

Upon seeing them, the guard bowed his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, young master and lady."

"We have reached the town near the border between the Asvold family's territory and the Balka Imperial family!" The guard pointed ahead, where a medium-sized wall surrounded the city.

Arthur glanced up at the sky, which was already showing signs of the impending night, and then nodded to the guard.

"Very well, we will rest there and continue our journey to Arkham tomorrow!" Arthur ordered, and the guard bowed his head in acknowledgment.

After that, Vivian and Arthur settled back into their seats in the carriage.

"Mom, can you continue the story tomorrow?" Arthur looked at Vivian with anticipation.

Vivian smiled and nodded in response. "Of course!"

Feeling exhausted, she rested her head on Arthur's shoulder and began to close her eyes, unknowingly drifting off to sleep.

Arthur gazed at Vivian, realizing that she must be worn out.

He gently caressed her forehead and closed his own eyes as well.

In peaceful silence, the two of them fell asleep, the soft afternoon sunlight filtering through the gap in the horse-drawn carriage.

...

Fluxy Village

"Are you really going to leave again, dear?" Misa's face wore a mix of sadness and complaint as she pleaded with Rian to stay by her side on the bed.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I made a promise to my savior," Rian explained, gently embracing Misa.

Over a day had passed since the two reconciled, and Rian had received forgiveness from his wife.

He shared with her all his experiences and what had transpired during his encounter with Arthur, which had moved her to tears for several hours.

Now, however, Rian couldn't shake the feeling that he had already stayed too long, neglecting the crucial task that Arthur had entrusted him with.

So he resolved to finish his task immediately and fulfill his promise!

"I see..." Misa bowed her head sadly and fell silent.

She understood that Rian was bound by a promise to the person who had saved him, and there was little she could do to prevent him from leaving again.

Yet, despite this understanding, a powerful sense of longing still rooted itself in her heart, and her selfish desire to be with Rian in that moment began to intensify.

Sensing his wife's sadness, Rian flashed a sly smile and swiftly pushed her down, catching Misa off guard.

"Honey?!" Misa exclaimed in surprise, but Rian didn't let it last long as he silenced her with a deep, passionate kiss.

After the intense moment, Rian suggested, "Alright, how about before I leave, I'll entrust our second child to you?"

He wore a playful smile as he whispered these words to Misa.

Instantly, Misa's face turned as red as an apple, and she was at a loss for words.

Despite her current age, the desire to have a second child with Rian had always lingered in her heart, even after his previous disappearance.

Now, presented with this unexpected opportunity, she found herself feeling both excited and shy.

With a soft expression, she nodded in agreement while muttering, "Um~"

Seeing her consent, Rian's passion ignited, and they became deeply intimate that afternoon.

...

Nighttime

Arthur leisurely leaned against the window, gazing up at the enchanting night sky.

"The view here is truly beautiful," Arthur murmured softly.

He had rented out the most luxurious inn in the entire city, making it his lodging base for the night.

At present, he finds himself in the highest room on the top floor, with Vivian's room adjacent to his own.

"I never expected Emperor Alex's cruelty to be so severe," Arthur sighed, still contemplating the revelations his mother had shared with him.

"However, I wonder what could have driven him to treat his wife in such a manner, and does Lucia possess any knowledge of these events?" He mused, delving deep into his memories.

Suddenly, the robe lying on the table moved on its own, and Arthur, lost in his reverie, gasped in surprise.

"That's..." Arthur narrowed his eyes and looked at the robe, only to be astonished as a white fox emerged from it!

"Little fox?!"

"How did you appear there?" Arthur exclaimed and rushed over to embrace the fox.

In response to Arthur's exclamation, the fox, appearing as if it had just woken up, climbed onto his shoulders and affectionately rubbed its tail and head against his cheek.

"Huuaaa~" The fox curled up lightly, seemingly relishing the warmth of Arthur's presence.

Witnessing this endearing scene, Arthur chuckled, holding the little fox as he made his way to the bed.

"I had no idea you even existed," Arthur said in puzzlement while settling on the bed and stroking the fox's soft fur.

He hadn't noticed any added weight to his robe earlier, completely unaware that there was a white fox nestled within the inner pocket!

In response to Arthur's question, the white fox simply licked his palm and dozed off again.

Amused, Arthur noticed that this fox had been sleeping almost continuously since yesterday.

"Is she unwell, or has something unknown happened to her?" Arthur wondered aloud as he continued to caress the fur.

However, he decided to put aside these thoughts for now, feeling certain that, in due time, he would uncover the truth about the little fox.

After all, Arthur believed that the little fox would surely let him know if it felt unwell. 𝒃𝒆𝙙𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝙤𝙢

As he contemplated Emperor Alex once more, he tried to make sense of the ruler's actions.

"He loved his wife but killed her." Feeling perplexed and unable to find any clear answers, Arthur lay down, gazing up at the sky above.

"This guy is the only one who can befuddle me like this, sigh," he grumbled irritably as thoughts of Emperor Alex lingered in his mind.

While lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard a voice he hadn't heard in a long time.

"Master! I'm back!"