Late at night, the moonlight was intermittently hidden and revealed by the clouds, casting the room in cycles of darkness and light. Kaiden lit the candles by the bedside, filling the room with the sweet scent of flowers.

Rohana, lying on her stomach, gazed up at the duke.

His firm muscles and slim waist, even without his clothes, were impressive. The broad shoulders and back, clearly visible even under his thick Nopthal uniform, were undeniable, but it was his abs that still made her face flush after everything that had happened earlier.

Despite this, her heart sank as she noticed the many scars scattered across his perfect body.

Some looked like stab wounds, others were burns. Some were jagged, as if torn open without care.

Though the scars had faded over time, the long cut along his side from a sword was still visible.

What had happened to him?

She felt the same way as when she first recognized him at Pincheserr.

Should she ask?

Or should she wait?

Sensing the change in Rohana’s expression, Kaiden paused as he lit the candles and stared at her. She forced a smile, shaking her head lightly.

Not tonight.

She didn’t want to cast a shadow over his face, which seemed relaxed for the first time in a while.

She could ask later.

“Are you alright?” Kaiden asked as he returned to the bed after lighting all the candles.

Though she had always been faster than her younger brother Brandt when riding horses, this was too much. Her whole body was already sore and aching.

She lay in bed, basking in the pleasant fatigue, but even then, she felt utterly drained. She genuinely worried if she could even get up the next day.

“The fact that you’re asking such a question means you’re acknowledging it, aren’t you?”

Kaiden smiled faintly.

“I held back, considering tomorrow’s journey.”

His long, thick fingers brushed her chin gently before pressing a brief kiss to her lips. As Rohana responded, he leaned in closer as if ready to start again.

Though his soft breath was sweet, she knew she couldn’t take any more.

“Um… wait,” she muttered.

Kaiden quickly backed off, propping his head on one hand as he lay beside her, gazing down. His silver hair was tousled, and beneath it, his deep eyes glimmered with intensity.

For a moment, Rohana was entranced again before cautiously speaking.

“Kaiden.”

“Yes?”

He pulled the thick blanket up, covering her exposed shoulders, then wrapped an arm around her waist as he looked at her.

“I’ll go to the capital alone.”

His hand, which had been gently tracing her waist, immediately stilled. The softness in his gaze hardened.

“Absolutely not.”

“I think you should stay here in Nopthal,” she replied.

“There’s no need for that.”

“What if there is?”

At Rohana’s worried tone, Kaiden furrowed his brow. She began recounting the story of the “white bird” she had heard about in the square, something she thought she had witnessed herself.

“I’m certain it was that bird,” she said.

“Are you sure?” Kaiden asked, his expression serious.

Rohana nodded. Kaiden let out a long sigh.

“That’s why I think you should stay here.”

His sharp gaze pierced through her, but Rohana reached out and caressed his jaw. Her delicate hand moved down from his neck to rest on his firm chest.

“It’s an important and dangerous time. The lord can’t be absent,” she said.

Kaiden Delcliff, who usually remained composed, seemed strangely emotional. This both unsettled and comforted Rohana, yet she kept her focus on the situation at hand.

“Do you know what it is?” she asked.

“There have been various strange phenomena for a while now. But we have very little information about the ‘demon beasts’…” Kaiden trailed off, stroking Rohana’s hair.

“Even if demon beasts appear, as you know, we can engage in aerial combat. There are underground shelters as well. Nopthal is fully capable of defending itself, even without me.”

Rohana’s eyes widened in surprise.

She recalled Iz, with her indifferent face and platinum hair, who had effortlessly lifted her onto a horse with one hand at Pincheser despite her small frame.

“Of course, the offense might be different without me,” Kaiden added with a sly grin.

Rohana’s violet eyes sparkled as she whispered,

“Are you really sure?”

It wasn’t that she wanted to go alone, but if the “white bird” truly crossed over from the capital to here, then he had a land to protect. People to protect.

And besides, if she went to the capital, it would be easier to move alone.

“I’ll bring Emily back. I can do it. And if I go alone, I’ll be less watched. It’s better not to face the emperor directly right now, don’t you think?”

Kaiden’s face darkened further with every word she said. The furrowed brow cast a shadow over his handsome face.

“And if I still don’t agree?”

He pulled her back into his arms, the distance between them vanishing.

“It’s only three days. It’s nothing,” she assured him.

“With the travel time, it’ll be at least five,” he corrected.

“Still, it’s nothing.”

His deep sigh tickled her ear. His heart, which had been beating steadily, now thudded irregularly.

“I’ll take care of it and come back. Just wait for me,” she whispered.

Kaiden’s lips met hers again, and Rohana let out a soft moan as she bit her lip.

A quiet curse escaped his lips, the low rumble of his voice vibrating in her ear. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her again.

She felt anxious, yet she would endure. Even if it changed, for now, it was too sweet to resist.

It’s okay.

The contract will end soon enough.

Rohana reassured herself. Whatever it was, it seemed important to Kaiden, too, that they keep to that time.

After that, she would be safely alone.

* **

One week earlier, at the imperial palace.

Having just returned from Nopthal, Bardi rode nonstop for hours, forgetting the exhaustion of the journey.

“Hyah!”

His white horse kicked up a cloud of dust as it came to an abrupt halt. The servants and butlers, who had come out to greet him, gasped, but Bardi calmly dismounted and strode forward.

Bardi wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved that it was warmer here than in the bitter cold of Nopthal. He ran his hand through his auburn hair just as Silvius hurried over with quick steps.

“Did you find anything?” Bardi asked.

“I confirmed the address where the duke and duchess visited. They were looking for a woman named Emily,” Silvius reported.

“And who is she?”

“She’s the younger sister of the maid who died back then,” Silvius replied.

“Missing, you say?”

“Yes, officially. It seems they’re searching for her in Nopthal quite actively.”

Bardi clicked his tongue. ‘Emily’ could be a key to keeping Rohana close.

“Find her, no matter what.”

“Understood,” Silvius replied before hurrying off. Bardi watched him disappear and then turned toward his office, walking slowly. Servants and nobles alike bowed as they cleared the way for him.

Inside the office, ‘Aurelia’ was waiting. She wore a sky-blue dress, lavishly adorned with white lace and frills. Her pale hand clutched one of his letters so tightly that the paper was crumpled where she held it.

“Your Majesty, are you truly serious?” Aurelia asked in a strained voice, her pretty lips trembling.

“I am,” Bardi replied, sinking deeply into the large chair.

“Annulment? How could you say such a thing so easily…?” Her voice was filled with disbelief, and Bardi frowned at her tone.

“Empress.”

His dead blue eyes focused on her.

“Of all people, you shouldn’t be the one questioning me about this.”

Her golden eyes wavered.

“Your Majesty, what do you mean by that?” she asked.

“That’s enough.”

Bardi felt nothing but contempt. He had risen to become the crown prince and then emperor, relying solely on his cunning, not succumbing to distractions like a woman’s appearance—yet now, he had made a grave mistake. The pain of remembering what he had lost pricked at his heart once more.

He missed those elegant eyes, always filled with a kind of noble grace. Her face, fair as porcelain, contrasted sharply with her jet-black hair. Her violet eyes, glittering like jewels, stood out, and her plump, crimson lips seemed to always draw his gaze.

Above all…

Rohana had endured his foolishness for far longer than anyone else would have, never once suggesting breaking off their engagement while he was distracted by Aurelia.

If not for that disastrous scene in Aurelia’s room, Rohana might never have asked for their engagement to be dissolved. That thought made his chest tighten with a suffocating weight, and he irritably undid the top buttons of his collar.

He couldn’t count how many times he regretted that day, when the four of them had crossed paths.

“Bardi, you’re smart, but… your temper’s too short.”

His late father’s voice seemed to echo in his ears, and he shook his head sharply to dispel it.

If he hadn’t caught Aurelia and Kaiden together in that fateful moment, he wouldn’t have made such a foolish mistake. He had been utterly blinded.

A deep ache settled in his chest, and without realizing it, Bardi closed his eyes.

“Your Majesty,” Aurelia called softly.

It was time to fix all the mistakes he had made, to make everyone involved pay the price.

“If you’re displeased with me, please, say something. But to return from Nopthal and immediately—”

“First of all, I can’t forgive you for laying hands on Rohana,” he interrupted.

Aurelia bit her lip, her eyes downcast.

“And secondly, the fact that you are a Kark makes things… difficult.”

The blood drained from Aurelia’s face. Her hand clenched tightly around her dress, her knuckles turning white. Even her once steady posture began to tremble.

“Did you really think you could deceive me forever?” Bardi sneered.

“I let it slide because I was infatuated with you. Damn that pretty face and body of yours.”

Bardi tilted his head, the gesture casual yet dripping with arrogance. His expression exuded disdain as he continued,

“But I’m done with that now.”

Even if he could beat himself to death for the foolish drama he had created, it wouldn’t relieve the bitterness he felt. A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“So, wait quietly for your punishment.”

Aurelia clutched her dress harder, her small, beautiful face growing even paler.

“Empress, you must be worried,”

Bardi mused as he sat up straight, leaning his elbows on the desk.

“To the Kark people, you’re a traitor. And here, you’re nothing but a filthy, dangerous Kark. Quite the dilemma.”

Aurelia’s voice, now calm and steady, resonated through the room.

“Let’s make a deal.”

TL NOTE: Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories