Whispering a false love designed as solidly as truth, then fleeing alone—it seemed to have shocked him quite badly.

“This is the last mercy I’ll show you. I’ll ask once more, Young Marquis of La Voletta. Who supplied you with the drugs?”

At Cardel’s interrogation, Hesion’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His clouded green eyes had long since lost their light.

Living wasn’t really living. He’d already lost the precious things in life. Despite being a young man with so much future still ahead of him.

“…The Duke of Arpi’s household.”

Finally, the mastermind spilled from Hesion’s lips. The Duke of Arpi’s household. So it really was their doing.

How long had they been chasing this? Evolaine felt elated at finally catching the Duke of Arpi’s long, long tail.

The evidence of drug trafficking was clear. They’d investigated everything through the Naoremi Guild—not just that Siana, the Young Lady of Arpi, and Hesion were close, but that they’d secretly met in the middle of the night to visit pleasure districts.

Since Astrian had also been involved in this case, securing the Emperor’s backing was practically a done deal.

The Empress wouldn’t be able to easily help the Duke of Arpi’s household now.

“Cardel.”

“Yeah.”

When Evolaine called, Cardel’s head turned toward her. His slightly wavy black hair fluttered in the wind blowing from the west.

Though his bangs obstructed his view, he didn’t frown. Like such things didn’t matter.

Cardel was looking straight at Evolaine alone.

“I think the time has finally come.”

“…Yeah.”

Cardel nodded at Evolaine’s words.

His golden eyes filled with the woman who had long navy-blue hair cascading down. Now, at the end of this long, long case, the two had already taken on the appearance of complete adults.

Watching them, Hesion’s head bowed toward the floor.

Despair, rage, emptiness. Negative emotions mixed together, wildly disturbing his heart.

Now that the truth was revealed and everything had been taken from him, he’d become a criminal who’d lost his purpose in life.

“So I was just a puppet in a puppet show, played by everyone from the start… Well, reality seems worse than any play.”

“……”

Hesion glared at them both with self-mockery. He’d lived his whole life as the legitimate son of the Marquisate of La Voletta and never once doubted it.

He’d been a noble from birth and would be a noble at the end. That’s what the world he’d learned was like, and his destiny had been sailing smoothly that way.

But the truth was he was a being born through sorcery, without a drop of the Marquis’s blood mixed in. What kind of absurdity was this?

If only that illegitimate daughter who was actually legitimate hadn’t appeared, he would’ve lived his whole life without knowing.

He would’ve lived heavily with unbearable duties on both shoulders, but he would’ve adapted well enough.

Really, he would have.

“Dame Evolaine, did you already know? That it would turn out like this?”

“……”

“You’re truly detestable, Dame. Your silence is because you knew everything and worked beneath the surface, isn’t it? Born with Kelic, yet you had to obtain everything you wanted to be satisfied… You’re truly greedy. My mother’s dream was to receive Father’s love and for me to lead the Marquisate well. You not only stole the dream of someone who wished for family peace and warm affection, but you trampled her soul before the world!”

Evolaine quietly watched Hesion as he vented his resentment.

Refuting his words one by one would consume too much of her emotions.

‘To you, who knew nothing, you’d wish this moment was a dream.’

But this was clearly reality. The destiny she’d realized after experiencing two regressions and meeting gruesome deaths. This was the result Evolaine had desperately fought for to change that fate.

“…Hesion, I’m sorry for you.”

May light shine on the rest of your life.

Hesion just stared blankly at Evolaine as she walked away with Cardel down the slope of the vast meadow.

He couldn’t say anything. Because Evolaine’s eyes as she offered him her final blessing looked so sorrowful.

Because he was, before her, endlessly ashamed.

Aaaaah—!

When Hesion tore at his hair and rolled on the grass in a rampage, knights rushed over.

Even as he was pinned to the ground and subdued to prevent him from struggling, Hesion couldn’t stop wailing.

His hollow crying, like he’d lost something precious, spread across the sunset meadow.

After Hesion was dragged away, Cardel, who’d been walking across the meadow, stopped.

When Evolaine also stopped, Cardel turned around and looked at her.

“It’s finally over.”

“Yes, it’s over.”

It had been such a long time. Looking back, she felt she’d carved away her own flesh and bone for survival.

It had been that painful and difficult a time.

“Do you feel relieved?”

“…I’m not sure.”

She’d thought she’d be happy when the revenge ended, when everything was settled. But she wasn’t.

One corner of her heart felt empty.

She felt like she’d missed something, like she was forgetting something, but she couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

“What are you thinking about?”

His golden eyes, dyed in the sunset, shone mysteriously.

They said the Radelicas were descendants of dragons.

Was the pupils narrowing vertically also a biological phenomenon that occurred because of that?

“…You’re beautiful.”

“What is?”

“You are.”

At the sudden compliment, Cardel’s face reddened.

His ears were so bright red they looked ready to burst.

‘Is he embarrassed?’

How cute. His jealousy too. His talkativeness and prickliness too. Everything was cute and lovable.

‘Ah.’

Yes, that was it. I’ve been in love with you.

It felt like the hole that had been empty somewhere all this time was being filled.

Plugging the leaking hole felt refreshing.

I’ve been holding you in my heart.

“Evolaine?”

“I like you.”

Because you look lovely in the sunset.

Because I’m grateful you’re always honest with me.

Because it’s reassuring how you always cheer me on.

“I like you, Cardel.”

I offer this to you. My confession I’ve held for so long.

Cardel’s eyes widened at Evolaine’s fastball.

He hadn’t expected her to confess right now.

“…I was going to do it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing there?”

What an idiot. When Cardel laughed like it was absurd, Evolaine burst out laughing too.

This moment of laughing happily without any worries felt precious.

“I like you too, Evolaine.”

Whether you’re a villain or a hero who’ll save the world.

I love you.

Hearing Cardel’s confession, Evolaine’s cheeks reddened. Her dark, deep blue irises changed to bright purple.

A person bad at hiding emotions. A person unafraid to express them.

Seeing that, Cardel realized. Perhaps the one who’d sworn a knight’s oath wasn’t Evolaine, but himself.

In this relationship, Evolaine was thoroughly in charge.

Yes, you’re in charge. In the past and in the future. You’ll be my master forever.

* * *

“Come to think of it, what did His Highness say to His Majesty?”

“Oh, at the end?”

“Yes.”

“It wasn’t much. He said the Second Prince was also a child born through sorcery like Hesion, so when he died, to make me Emperor.”

“What?!”

What was this about now? Evolaine jumped up and asked again as Cardel spoke calmly, like discussing yesterday’s dinner.

“No, why are you saying that so casually?”

“Well, I’m not interested in the Emperor’s position. If I’d had any attachment to titles, I would’ve competed with my sister for the family head position.”

That was true, but…

Wasn’t this the kind of story anyone would naturally be tempted by?

He really was an unpredictable person.

“If it were you.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think you would’ve become Emperor?”

At Cardel’s question, Evolaine fell deep in thought.

If it were me? Would I have wanted to become Emperor?

“Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“I’m not confident I could govern as well as His Majesty. I don’t know much about it, and even if I did, my personality is rather indecisive, so I don’t think I could make sharp decisions.”

“…You’re more self-aware than I expected.”

Cardel made an incredulous expression at her harsh self-assessment.

But what could she do about facts?

She had the talent of not being able to lie to herself, not the talent of being good at things.

Instead, she did have a thick face for saying what she wanted.

“I am rather exceptional at that.”

“Of course you are.”

When Evolaine shrugged shamelessly, Cardel chuckled and started descending the meadow again.

Evolaine followed down the meadow.

Wind blew behind them both.

Like urging them to move forward, like pushing their backs.

fin.