Could this be a dream?

A bright halo shone behind the child. The sight of the child, visible through the deep darkness, was nothing short of mysterious. It felt so unreal that she completely forgot one of her hands was touching the child. She reached out toward the child’s innocent, smiling face, yet hesitated — afraid that if she touched him, he would vanish like an illusion.

Just meeting each other’s eyes brought back memories of a time when they had been happy, and her eyes grew hot.

‘Your younger self… the time when we were happy… I must have been longing for it.’

‘……’

If only he would say something. But the child merely shook his head, offering no voice.

In the end, Elizabeth dismissed it as a fantasy. After all, it was absurd for Luella flowers — which could never bloom in this season, in this place — to be scattering in the air, and for a child who resembled Burkhardt to appear. It felt like a projection of her own wish.

But what did it matter if it was an illusion? For Elizabeth, the mere chance to meet him from the past was enough to make her glad. She wished she could linger in that past a little longer.

‘Burke.’

The moment she spoke his name, the child’s face turned deathly pale.

Just as she began to wonder at the change in the child’s expression, the low murmur of voices abruptly cut off. Then came the sound of footsteps breaking through the stillness.

Step, step—

Ah… I’m hiding right now.

Only then did Elizabeth remember that she had to avoid Burkhardt.

Fear wrapped around her entire body. Cold beads of sweat rolled down her skin, her heart pounding fast. Her body temperature began to drop, and a chill crept over her.

Am I about to be discovered like this?

As she trembled in fear and tension, Elizabeth felt a faint movement in her hand.

‘Uh…?’

From the hand touching the child, warmth began to spread little by little, and the stiffness in her body slowly eased. Relief washed over her.

It wasn’t some illusion. The child who resembled Burkhardt was truly by her side.

Unlike just moments ago, when she hadn’t even dared to touch him, Elizabeth reached out her other hand toward the child.

Just before her hand could touch his face, the child wordlessly tightened his grip on her other hand — the one he was already holding — and yanked it sharply.

‘W-wait!’

While Elizabeth was still too dazed to gather her wits, the child seized her hand and took off running.

Gradually, the world that had been shrouded in dreadful darkness began to reveal its true form. The chirping of birds returned to her ears. A breeze swept past, warmly embracing her. The scent of flowers seeped dizzyingly into the tip of her nose.

As if it were all a lie, everything had come back.

Yet Elizabeth didn’t even realize it — because as she ran with the child, memories buried deep in her heart were resurfacing.

She had seen this scene before, sometime in the past.

While they were running, the child suddenly glanced back and flashed a bright smile. In that moment, Elizabeth remembered the day that had long frustrated her for slipping from memory.

It was the day she had fallen for Burke.

Elizabeth hadn’t liked Burkhardt from the very beginning. How could she, when he had suddenly ended up living in her house like an uninvited dependent?

What’s more, he was quick-witted enough to monopolize her parents’ affection — and every time he did, it had annoyed her to no end.

Then, one day, an incident occurred in which Burkhardt resorted to violence.

He had always been the sort who, not wanting to fall out of the adults’ favor, would quietly do whatever was asked without complaint.

But for the single reason that Elizabeth was being bullied, he had cast aside his pretense and laid hands on the lord’s deputy’s son.

The difference in their size didn’t matter.

If you send me the next Korean segment, I’ll continue the translation seamlessly so the tone and style remain perfectly consistent.

He fought so swiftly and skillfully that the lord’s deputy’s son burst into tears and ran home to tattle to his parents.

In the meantime, Burkhardt grabbed Elizabeth’s wrist and bolted.

From time to time, he would glance back to make sure she was keeping up, and the sight of his smile made her heart stir uncontrollably.

His hair, dyed red by the setting sun, fluttered in the wind — just like the child now running ahead of her.

When they had put some distance between themselves and stopped to catch their breath, Elizabeth asked him why he would go out of his way to help her and bring trouble upon himself.

Burkhardt answered with a bright smile. ‘You’re my family. I have to protect you.’

He had been someone she resented and envied.

She had thought he was someone who would take her place, but Burkhardt’s thoughts were different. To him, she had already been family.

In that moment, shame at her own pettiness brought heat to her face. Elizabeth feared her ugly feelings might be exposed. So she retorted to Burkhardt all the more harshly — that no matter how hard he tried, he could never be family, and that her parents could never be his parents.

‘Then… will you be my family instead? I don’t want to go through the experience of being abandoned ever again.’

How long had he agonized before saying those words?

It couldn’t have been easy for a boy his age to show his weakness to a girl his peer. Boys at that age were usually so intent on guarding their pride.

Even at such a young age, it seemed Burkhardt had chosen the most direct approach to win Elizabeth’s heart. Or perhaps he had simply been unable to endure his own circumstances and had laid bare his feelings to her.

Whatever the reason, the wall Elizabeth had built around her heart crumbled without resistance.

As time together grew longer, they naturally married and became a real family.

She had thought that relationship would last forever…

Elizabeth hated herself for never having given him her full trust. Her breath from running mingled with the swell of emotion in her chest, and she no longer wanted to keep running.

When she came to an abrupt stop, she met the gaze of the child, worry shining in his eyes.

Ah… why do you resemble Burke so much…

There had been a time when she had imagined, If I were to have a child who resembled Burkhardt…

Now, it felt as though she were seeing in the flesh the very child she had once pictured only in her imagination.

Suddenly, she thought of the child who had passed away before his time. To overlay that lost child onto this one — it was a cruel thing to both of them. She lowered her head bitterly.

‘…I should be going now. I can’t let myself be seen by others.’

The moment the child spoke, Elizabeth was pulled from her thoughts.

No — even that voice was so much like Burkhardt’s in his youth that she still felt as though she were drifting in the past.

Elizabeth found herself fascinated and curious about this child who had appeared so suddenly.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak to him, the child darted away into the vegetation.

‘Your Majesty! Where are you!’

From far off came Marianne’s voice, calling for Elizabeth.

It seemed the child had noticed Marianne’s approach and fled.

Elizabeth, caught up in the past, hadn’t had the presence of mind to look around — it was fortunate the child had realized it first.

Before she knew it, Marianne was right beside Elizabeth.

‘How in the world did you get all the way here? Weren’t we only going to pick flowers nearby?’

Marianne had come up to her side and began speaking with a touch of sternness.

Unlike her usual sharp responses, Elizabeth, lost in thoughts of the child, let the words pass over her.

‘That’s right.’

‘Were you… bewitched by something? Your expression is—’

‘Yes, I suppose I was bewitched by something.’

She wanted to ask about the child, but the words wouldn’t leave her lips.

Since coming here, Elizabeth had spoken to no one except Burkhardt’s close aides. In her position, was it even right to show interest in a child?

If it became known she had spoken to a stranger, her freedom might be restricted. The child could be harmed as well.

Believing that if it was fate, they would meet again someday, Elizabeth held her tongue.

Instead, to divert Marianne’s attention, she spoke sharply.

‘Wasn’t it the head lady-in-waiting who abandoned me, knowing I have no sense of direction? Do you know how long I searched, only for you to appear now!’

‘…You were looking for me? I’m sorry.’

‘You must have been truly desperate to come all the way to the pergola where His Majesty often appears. I’m exhausted from searching for you.’

Just then, the Wishing Pond came into view.

The place the child had led her to was the very pergola where she had first rested with Burkhardt. It was as good as saying that Burkhardt would be coming here soon.

Elizabeth could think of nothing but leaving this place at once.

It was because the words of Burkhardt’s physician came back to her.

‘Your Majesty. That is why you must not keep her by your side. His condition may worsen.’

The warning — that she must not stay by his side — echoed in her ears.

If his condition could worsen, it meant the illness had already progressed.

There had been no outward sign, and yet… he was ill.

What illness was it? Was it serious?

The knowledge that her very existence affected Burkhardt was painful. The more she tried to grow closer, the more his illness would deepen. Now, even the thought of trying made her hesitate.

‘Your Majesty, you must send that woman away. There is no need to confront the trauma.’

The physician’s words lingered in her mind.

Elizabeth found herself agreeing with him. After all, who would tell someone to keep close the very cause of their illness and try to overcome it?

If there had been even the slightest room to argue against it, her heart would not have felt this heavy.

Elizabeth simply didn’t have the courage to face Burkhardt.

If she were to meet him right now, she felt she might blurt out the absurd notion that she should leave for his sake.

Her desire to be with him clashed with the belief that she had to go for his own good.

She bit down hard on her lips.

Perhaps they had cracked from the dryness brought on by tension, for she tasted the metallic tang of blood. At the same time, a stinging sensation pricked her palm.

Only then did Elizabeth remember she had injured her hand.

‘Ah—!’

The sharp pain made her frown before she realized it.

When she opened her hand, she saw clumps of dirt, stained here and there with plant sap and drops of blood.

At the sight of the wound — which looked painful even to behold — Marianne’s expression hardened grimly.

‘Your Majesty! How did your palm end up in such a state?’

‘I must have been pricked by a thorn.’

She exaggerated her pain to draw Marianne’s attention. Fortunately, Marianne focused only on the injury, just as Elizabeth had intended.

‘This won’t do. I’ll inform His Majesty. As regrettable as it is, I think it’s best to postpone today’s walk.’

It was welcome news to hear. Elizabeth needed time to collect herself.

‘Then, I’ll leave it to you.’

Entrusting the matter to Marianne, Elizabeth turned toward her chambers.

Her steps grew heavy. Strength drained from her body — as if mirroring the turmoil in her heart.