Three a.m. in the morning, in St. Petersburg time. Alexander was snoring loudly in his sleep. His right arm is placed over Anya, who was sleeping soundly with her thumb sucked on her mouth.

Sophie smiled at the adorable sight before, staring at them for a minute to etch it on her mind.

Sophie usually wakes up at three or four in the morning. It was a sleeping habit that she can't easily change. Whenever she woke up earlier than Alexander, sometimes she would stroke his hair and caressed it gently so as to not wake him up. But that was only when he was sleeping soundly. So instead of caressing Alexander's scalps, she caressed Anya's instead.

Doing this would make her feel sleepy, and thus return to sleep. Sometimes it won't work so to pass the time, she would often read books until dawn break.

While she was doing that, there was a gentle knock on the door. Sophie's gaze flickered at the door, and tilted her head to the side, wondering. Who would come to their bedchambers at this hour?

Normally, there are two Imperial Guards stationed at either side of the door, and the hallway is filled with Imperial Guards working twenty-four-seven. Should a person want to have an audience with the emperor or the empress, the Imperial Guards would ask for clearance. And when they clear it, then they'll be able to reach out to them.

'It must be important' Sophie thought. It's very unusual for Alexander to have an audience this late in the hour.

She removed the quilt covering her lower body and got up from the bed, stretching herself. After that, she ambled towards the door, her hands on her growing belly. She's seven months pregnant, and she's been keeping herself well in accordance with the advice of the doctors and Alexander. It's a shame that Sophie is in her pregnancy while the world is now trying to destroy each other where the Black Hand manipulates it behind the scenes.

Sophie reached for the doorknob and rotated it. The door slowly opened and there she saw Sergei, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Sergei bowed his head. "I apologize for the sudden visitation but there's something we need to inform His Majesty. Is he there by any chance? I went to your bedroom but the guard said you two are sleeping in Her Imperial Highness's bedroom."

"Uhm…yes he is here. May I ask what this is about?"

"It's about the war situation, Your Imperial Majesty. We have received news from our men in the Britannia Empire and I have to deliver it to His Majesty."

"May I know what it is?" Sophie asked.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I apologize but due to your current circumstances right now, being pregnant, it's best that you don't hear about any governmental affairs to avoid stress. I know we pulled you out of the Winter Palace when your husband is incapacitated but that was an emergency and we had no choice but to follow the constitution," Sergei explained.

"Okay, fine. Thank you for your compassionate words, Sergei. I'll wake him up now," Sophie closed the door and went over to the bed.​ "Alex..! Alex..!" Sophie shook him slightly, trying to wake him up.

Alexander's eyes flew open and looked around wildly. He took one look at his wife's worried face and sat up immediately.

"Sophie? What is it..?"

"Ah, there's someone looking for you outside. It's Sergei. He said he has something important to tell you about the war situation in the Britannia Empire," Sophie explained.

"Sergei…" Alexander muttered before running a hand over his face in exasperation. "What time is it?"

"It's nine minutes past three in the morning," Sophie answered.

Alexander sighed inwardly. "At this early hour?"

Before getting out of bed, Alexander pecked Anya's cheek and then headed toward the door.

He opened it and saw Sergei.

"Your Majesty…I know you told us not to disturb you as you wanted to get rest but this is important."

"You woke my wife up," Alexander said, ignoring his words. "Do you know that she is pregnant right?"

"I am aware of that, Your Majesty. But Her Imperial Highness was awake before I even arrived here."

Alexander remembered Sophie's sleeping pattern so he nodded in agreement. "Okay, you better make sure that this news is an emergency and not a waste of my time."

"We have a report from Rolan and his team. They found Her Majesty, Diana Rosemary Edinburgh, along with the other royal family.""Ah, that increases our chances of stopping this senseless war. Are they all alive?"

Sergei shook his head. "A lot of them died, Your Majesty. The emperor of the Deutschland Empire, Austrean Empire, and Sardegna Empire. President of the Francois Republic, and the King of Netherlands and Belgium."

Alexander's face turned pale after hearing that. They might have saved the others but it was too late for the rest.

"I'll speak to my wife first and then head to the Command Ops immediately," Alexander said.

"Yes Your Majesty, I shall announce your planned visit to the rest," Sergei bowed his head.

Before Sergei could leave, Alexander stopped him.

"Sergei, you should take a rest too. You're old and your body needs to rest."

Sergei turned around and faced Alexander. "Thank you, Your Majesty. But the Ruthenia Empire is in a state of war, so I don't have the luxury to take a rest while the war is going."

"Don't be stubborn, Sergei. You'll take a rest for the day. That's a direct order from the Emperor."

Sergei placed his hand on his chest and bowed his head. "I appreciate it, Your Majesty. Since it was a direct order, I will take a rest for the day. I'll be waiting on you on the Command Ops."

After that, Sergei left.

Alexander closed the door and walked up to Sophie.

"What is it? Was it important? Do you need to go now?" Sophie bombarded Alexander with questions.

Alexander nodded his head. "I need to go to the Command Ops. They need me there."

"You are going to stay there the whole day?" Sophie asked.

"No, I will return back here as soon as I finish my business there."

"Then, we'll wait for you."

With that, Alexander left Anya's bedroom and headed towards the Command Ops. He didn't want to tell Sophie that Kaiser Wilhelm died at the hands of the Black Hand. He doesn't want to stress her.

It's only fortunate that her parents didn't attend the crown ceremony, otherwise, this would affect her emotionally.

The situation of the world has now turned. Diana is alive and her state of being would play a major role today.