Chapter 32

“Rohana.”

When Rohana looked up, Bardi was gazing down at her with a somewhat gloomy expression.

“I’m sorry.”

Rohana was momentarily at a loss for words, then quickly adjusted her expression to a polite smile.

“Please don’t mention it.”

She truly meant it since it no longer mattered to her.

“For scaring you back then… and for lying about not changing for a while… everything.”

As Bardi continued speaking, Rohana barely held back a sigh.

“We were… destined from the start. So I didn’t really understand my feelings. I didn’t know they could change.”

Rohana looked up at Bardi. There’s no need to blush when saying goodbye.

“Yes.”

That was all she could say.

“Take care.”

A bitter smile appeared on Bardi’s lips. Maybe it’s because he’s the protagonist—despite all the horrible things he did, why does it feel like he’s the only one ending on a beautiful note?

If only Kaiden could also lose his feelings for Aurelia so he wouldn’t need to start a war. He didn’t seem like the type to do that, but who could ever truly know a person’s heart?

“Rohana, you take care too.”

“Yes.”

Rohana smiled. At that moment, Aurelia and Kaiden returned. Kaiden’s face was stern.

Could it be that he’s actually sad about parting with Aurelia? When Rohana cleared her throat for no reason, Kaiden’s expression hardened even more.

“Shall we go?”

At Bardi’s words, Aurelia nodded, slightly lifting her chin. As she watched the departing emperor and empress, Kaiden spoke first.

“Shall we depart?”

Rohana was about to nod when she suddenly realized something. At that moment, a flustered voice came from behind her. It was Jody.

“I’m sorry I’m late!”

Unlike Kaiden’s cold demeanor, Heath looked at her with his usual kind expression.

“Jody!”

Jody was beside herself, saying she had forgotten some belongings.

“Let’s set off.”

As Kaiden mounted his horse and gave the command, the sound of numerous hooves began to echo loudly.

They rode all afternoon, stopped at the village of Leaf for dinner, then rode for two more days to reach Nopthal the following day, as Heath explained.

With a mix of tension, relief, or perhaps something else, the carriage began to move. Turning his horse around, Kaiden leaned down to peer into the carriage.

“If the lady feels uncomfortable, inform the driver immediately. Sam, stop the carriage as soon as she says so. There’s no need to rush.”

Jody nodded vigorously as if her life depended on it, and Sam responded courteously.

“Understood.”

“It might be tiring, but don’t worry too much. We’ll take it easy, so there’s no need to overexert ourselves.”

Rohana gave an embarrassed smile, wondering what could be so tiring about just sitting still.

“Yes.”

Kaiden confirmed that Rohana was seated properly before closing the carriage door. The cold wind signaled the arrival of winter.

As Kaiden quickened the pace of his horse, the long procession followed behind. Rohana looked out the window. The palace receded faster than she had expected.

***

In the dim twilight within an oak forest, a black bird flapped its small wings, flying down to perch on the shoulder of a cloaked woman.

A small metal cylinder was attached to the bird’s leg.

<We will arrive in Pincheser this evening>.

With a small motion of her hand, a flame flickered from her fingertips. The memo instantly turned to ashes and scattered in the wind.

“Let’s go.”

At the woman’s low voice, several black horses began to move.

***

On a night lit by a bright full moon, the news of the nanny’s death was delivered. She hadn’t returned to the duchy for over five days, and then only the obituary came back.

For a hundred days, the young woman who had to pay the price in Rohana’s place during her adjustment to this world was gone like that. Without anyone knowing, without anyone’s attention.

Eight-year-old Rohana ran to the garden. Staying in that room made her feel like she would suffocate.

Murderers.

Even in the cold moonlight, she felt a burning sensation all over her body. It was then that she saw something moving in a hidden corner between the garden trees, where no one ever went.

Holding her breath, she approached slowly and was astonished by what she saw.

It was a boy.

Very small and very thin.

The boy with jet-black hair, who looked even younger than the eight-year-old Rohana, was slumped against a tree in the garden, covered in blood, as if dead.

Just then, voices of some men were heard from afar.

“Search the garden.”

It was a commanding voice.

“This is the Hanover Duke’s estate. It’s not…”

“Of course, you idiot. Shut up and just search.”

Whatever was going on, it was obvious what would happen to the boy.

Rohana cautiously moved her hand to the boy’s lips.

She felt a faint breath. Then, his bloodied, dry lips moved slightly.

“Get lost…”

“Shh.”

Rohana covered the boy’s mouth. She quickly began to think.

There was a passage through the garden trees just wide enough for an adult to squeeze through, leading to a path outside the forest. An empty space in the wide garden, as if by accident.

As she hesitated, the men’s voices grew closer, right next to the garden trees.

Rohana grabbed the boy’s body and dragged him from behind. As soon as his body was pulled into the passage, the men’s rough footsteps trampled through the dense trees on the other side.

It was a close call.

‘Military uniforms?’

Holding the boy tightly, Rohana didn’t move a muscle until the soldiers’ footsteps and curses faded into the distance.

How long had it been since things quieted down?

“Let go.”

The boy, breathing heavily, pulled himself away. Dark red liquid spilled onto the ground. The dirt clumped together. He was losing too much blood.

‘What should I do?’

Rohana looked around. There was no one to ask for help. Who would help a runaway servant or slave who had clearly been beaten?

His jet-black hair was stuck to his forehead, soaked with sweat and blood, and his wrists and ankles were bright red, swollen with cuff marks.

“Does it hurt, a lot?”

There was a large wound on the boy’s left side. It looked like he had been stabbed with a knife, and the bleeding was severe.

Rohana didn’t know what to do. With trembling hands, she pressed down on the gruesome wound, hoping to stop the bleeding, but the boy muttered a barely audible curse.

But it was no use. The bleeding didn’t stop.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and Rohana knew that feeling all too well.

She knew it far too well.

Lying on the cold asphalt, with the sound of a car engine fading into the distance, and in the corner of her vision, seeing her blood pooling while her neck was bent at an unnatural angle—she remembered that helplessness.

“Please, someone help me.”

But no one had been able to help her.

“I’m sorry, I needed you.”

Only the soft voice of a young boy echoed faintly in her fading consciousness. Remembering that moment, Rohana made up her mind and ran back to her room.

If she had entered this crazy world and caused the death of her nanny… perhaps this time, she could do something different for this person. Her small legs trembled, but it didn’t slow her down.

Because she had once been on the brink of death, she knew.

She knew that this boy didn’t have much time left.

***

Rohana awoke from a light sleep.

“How strange.”

It had been a long time since she had dreamt of something from 15 years ago. Looking outside, she saw that the carriage was still traveling along the long road through the forest. It was a long journey indeed.

As the sun began to set and she wondered how much farther they had to go, the carriage finally arrived at a midpoint called “Leaf.”

It was also the place ruled by the Pincheser family, a name she had only heard of in distant rumors.

“Their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Delcliff have arrived.”

Upon arriving at Leaf, the titles quickly changed to “Your Grace.”

Leaf was quite cold. It was evident they were moving eastward.

As Rohana stepped out of the carriage, she felt a chill. Tall, dense evergreens filled the landscape—it was the cedar forest, the symbol of Leaf.

At that moment, Kaiden approached.

“You must be cold.”

Kaiden handed a thick fur cloak to Jody, who then helped Rohana put it on. The deep charcoal color blended naturally with the surroundings.

“Welcome to Leaf.”

A lady with strikingly beautiful light green hair elegantly tied up and a soft shawl draped over her shoulders came out to greet them.

“I am Trudy Pincheser.”

Her voice was both elegant and resolute.

“Thank you for welcoming us,” Rohana replied.

Trudy gave a slightly stiff smile and extended her arm inward.

“You must be tired from the long journey.”

As they moved to the drawing room, Rohana shook her head.

“No, not at all.”

Though the ceilings were much lower than in the capital, the wooden building had a pleasant aroma. A room had been prepared just for Rohana.

After changing into a much thicker dress tailored specifically for the occasion, she came out to find a neatly prepared dinner waiting. The old but well-maintained tableware gleamed under the candlelight.

“Thank you, Countess.”

Rohana said.

“We’ve been eager to meet you. It is our honor.”

Trudy’s voice was polite but cold. As Rohana pondered where she had felt this familiar yet unfamiliar sensation before, she suddenly realized that Trudy bore a resemblance to Heath.

“The Duke suggested that we dine first without him.”

“Oh, did he?”

She had expected to dine together… Feeling a bit awkward, Rohana smiled even more brightly.

“When I heard that the young lady of the Hanover Duchy was to become the lady of Nopthal, I was truly surprised.”

The Countess spoke as the entrée was served.

“You were surprised?”

Well, it was understandable, Rohana thought to herself. For the past 15 years, it had been a foregone conclusion that the Hanover Duchy would become the family of the Empress.

“Yes, you must have some concerns as well.”

‘Concerns?’

“Concerns?”

Rohana’s question caused a slight twitch in Trudy’s brow.

“Oh…”

As Trudy hesitated, swirling the unusually wide wine glass in her hand, she finally spoke.

“No, it was nothing. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Rohana gazed at Trudy’s awkward smile for a moment. Only the sound of cutlery lightly clinking against plates broke the silence.

In that silence, Rohana finally began to understand where she had found herself.

Everyone was uncomfortable around her. It might have been inevitable.

Could she be of the Kark tribe too?

Rohana quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought and focused on finishing her meal.

After a quiet farewell with the Countess, who then returned to her quarters, Rohana spent some time idly in the drawing room, but neither Heath nor Kaiden showed any sign of coming in.

Thinking that the maids would benefit from an early rest, Rohana soon retired to bed.

Leaf was silent. Only the faint sound of wind rustling through the trees could be heard between the trunks.

Unlike the palace, where she was used to the constant noise of soldiers or servants, this atmosphere was entirely different, making Rohana toss and turn a bit in her bed.