Lumière deliberately tilted her head.

“Rather than for Sehera’s sake, it seems more like… he gave her an easy death to spare his sister from humiliation. What else could she have become but a plaything after Astaire’s death?”

Madame Marguerite’s lifeline would have been solely the new emperor’s mercy. But seeing Cassian’s attitude, there would have been no intention of salvation. It would fall under the ‘wrong things’ he just mentioned.

‘Cruel bastard.’

Though it wasn’t a sentiment Lumière, who had killed her husband, should feel, a strange disgust welled up. While Lumière had bloodied her hands, she hadn’t toyed with human hearts.

“Tsk. Well, I understand your thoughts anyway.”

“I hope you won’t feel hurt. I’ll consider other positions.”

“No, no. I seem to have made an unnecessary request.”

Finally rising, Lumière flicked open her fan to cover her lips.

“Would you escort me? As someone still called Mademoiselle, it’s quite embarrassing to walk alone without a guardian.”

Though it was sarcastic, he couldn’t possibly refuse.

* * *

During the reign of Astaire III, the palace greenhouse was a place managed by Madame Marguerite.

Though all the colorful roses Valentine had tended were uprooted, this place with its familiar temperature held special meaning for her. It had been her only refuge in that suffocating place.

While waiting for Lumière in the greenhouse, lost in memories of the old air, Valentine encountered an unexpected person.

A poke at the back of her hand. Startled by the somewhat rude gesture, Valentine turned around. There stood a small child, so small she had to lower her gaze considerably to meet his eyes.

Golden curly hair. A pair of large innocent eyes looking up at Valentine. A warm impression that naturally made one think this might have been how someone looked during his childhood.

Bastian, with his soft cheeks, was holding a flower as big as himself. A purple cyclamen that had bloomed in the winter greenhouse.

It wasn’t exactly a welcome encounter. Bastian’s very existence kept reminding her of something.

Her breath got caught. Valentine, frozen in place, blinked her bewildered eyes at Bastian.

But to her stare, the innocent Bastian simply shyly offered the flower.

“…Oh my.”

Inevitably, her voice trembled. She bent her knees to the floor to meet his eyes. The innocent small child met her gaze without avoiding it.

“Is this for me?”

When she asked in a small voice, Bastian nodded. Though he resembled someone she disliked, there was something that made her heart ache.

Valentine gladly accepted the single cyclamen. The purple flower entwined with her white fingertips.

“Thank you.”

When she kissed his soft cheek in gratitude, Bastian’s previously shy eyes and lips finally curved. Was he happy about the small gift, or proud of giving it? He smiled brightly as if he owned the world.

At that smile, her heart plummeted to the floor with a thud. The innocent young child was so lovely it completely tore her heart apart.

“Bastian.”

Her throat tightened when she spoke his name for the first time. Perhaps… really, perhaps…

It was a name she might have given to her child.

“May I… hug you?”

At that question that was nearly a whisper, Bastian willingly slipped into Valentine’s embrace. He clung tightly to her neck.

The soft warmth transmitted. The pleasant scent filling her nose. The quiet breathing sound in her ear. All these things tangled together as complex emotions rushed in.

Yet the first thought that came was only one:

‘If you hadn’t existed…’

It would have lived.

The echo that lost its destination shattered in her mouth.

If it was born safely, it would have been the same age as him. Would have grown up like this and hugged Valentine. Might have had blonde hair and blue eyes like this, might have had just this weight, would have smiled at Valentine, and given her a small flower just like now—

“Sister, you’re pretty.”

And called her mother.

She felt utterly devastated at that thought.

Even when the child passed away like that, even now, she had a story in her heart that she couldn’t tell anyone.

Days of sorrow that only she knew. Days that hurt and hurt, yet she couldn’t show it, couldn’t even receive comfort.

She thought that when everything was over, she could receive even a small comfort from Cassian. For the child that vanished without a trace, for the life she could never hold again, she thought she could at least say a small prayer.

But she was just abandoned in his beautiful time. Something to occasionally take out, reminisce about, and pretend to think about.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she momentarily returned to the past.

Even if she buried the past, forgot love, and dreamed only of revenge while forgetting those miserable times, there were things that couldn’t be erased. Such were the fragments of life she had carved with her wails.

Her hands tightened around Bastian. This scent, this warmth. She would never be able to have them.

I envy Amaryllis, and in proportion to that envy, it becomes even more unforgivable.

“Belle, I’ve been looking everywhere. The greenhouse is like a maze…”

At that voice calling her, Valentine sharply raised her head. Through her blurred vision, she saw a pair — Cassian and Lumière.

Soon Lumière’s startled voice rang out.

“Why are you crying?”

“Father!”

Before Valentine could respond, Bastian leaped from her arms and ran to Cassian. Cassian naturally lifted Bastian up.

After spinning once with Bastian in his arms, Cassian set him down. Bastian kissed Cassian’s cheek, just as he had done with Valentine. His face beaming with innocent laughter as if he owned the world.

But Cassian’s gaze remained fixed on Valentine. Those deep blue eyes, like the deep sea, held her.

‘Ah…’

Swallowing an inner groan, Valentine stared helplessly at the scene before her.

This tender scene that could have been hers.

The welling tears rolled down her cheeks once again.

“Why were you here, Bastian?”

The cruel man, oblivious to human anguish, finally turned his gaze. His eyes moved to the maid who had quietly followed behind Bastian.

“He discovered the greenhouse during his walk… Since it was cold, we just followed him in.”

‘……’

Valentine’s lips trembled. It felt like someone was stabbing her heart with a needle.

“What is the Empress doing?”

Her heart ached inevitably at his voice.

“She was conversing with Duke Blumir when His Highness went for his walk.”

Amaryllis and Liam, who understood each other better than anyone, were indeed close friends.

“Hmm,” Lumière hummed softly, looking at Valentine. Her gaze remained fixed. Her trembling, pitiful eyes contrasted with Bastian’s bright smile.

Lumière’s hand slowly moved to rest on Valentine’s shoulder.

“Belle.”

“…I’m terribly sorry, but I need to excuse myself.”

Valentine barely managed to reply before covering her mouth and turning away. Even Lumière had never seen such an expression on her face.

They watched her retreating figure. She looked ready to collapse.

“……”

Valentine had described Bastian as the being that drove her mad. She knew that the child was her sore spot.

While Lumière knew the pain of not being able to have children, she didn’t know the pain of losing one. Moreover, this wasn’t from an obligatory relationship born of political marriage, but the fruit of someone she had deeply loved at that time.

That feeling that occasionally shook that woman was a pain Lumière would never know in her lifetime.

With a soft sigh, Lumière waved her fan. Then suddenly─ she realized Cassian was staring at the same spot.

Those deep blue eyes held complex emotions. It was another expression she had never seen before.

Perhaps it was impossible not to be concerned.

He might instinctively sense why Valentine wore such an expression.

Lumière’s lips curved up gently.

“Cassian.”

“……”

“Cassian?”

Only when called again did he seem to hear Lumière’s voice, turning to look at her. His voice followed, half-dazed.

“Yes?”

“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you go after her?”

“…….”

Hearing that gentle suggestion, Cassian’s lips moved uselessly.

“Our Belle might need someone’s comfort.”

His eyes wavered at her casual addition.

It was because they looked alike—that was why the image of that woman holding Bastian lingered in his mind. In that distant past, it was a sight he had imagined when he heard news of Valentine.

But in Cassian’s imagination, Valentine had worn a beautiful smile. Holding a small child in her arms.

Unconsciously, he almost rolled her name that he cherished on his tongue. He wanted to ask why she was crying…

That’s why he watched her. Took her in. And finally, he became conscious of her.

Thus now, based on her response, his imagination of the past would have changed too. At least the image of the one walking through the past would remain crying for a while.

Finally bowing to Lumière, Cassian followed after the woman. Lumière, fanning herself, murmured aloud.

“Ah, how interesting.”

Bastian grabbed Lumière’s skirt. Looking up at her distantly, he whispered.

“Auntie, Auntie.”

“Yes?”

“Pretty like this. Sister.”

He managed to form words with his imprecise pronunciation. His careful fingers pointed to the flowers filling the greenhouse.