“When are we going back? It’s probably too late now, right?”

It was already past midnight.

‘Even though you’re this tired and exhausted, you’re already talking about going back.’

Heath awkwardly lowered his gaze and smiled.

“Well, if you do that, you’re going to get sick. Really. Let’s leave as soon as the sun rises.”

Ouch.

His heart ached in disbelief, and Heath sighed inwardly.

“Oh, right. I didn’t even consider how hard it’s been for you and said something ridiculous.”

Crackle, crackle—the fireplace gradually died down.

“Do you think Kaiden will be okay?”

Her lashes trembled slightly as she blurted out the question she had been unable to voice. She must have been worried all night.

“Of course. Didn’t they send a message saying he was perfectly fine?”

Though Heath had reassured her once already, she still looked anxious.

“I’ll go get some water.”

Heath smiled, trying to comfort her, and when he returned, she had fallen asleep, curled up just as she was. The medicine Marie gave her must have been strong, but for her, she had held out for quite some time.

Heath gently lifted her. He was extremely careful, not letting even a single strand of her hair fall out of place.

He slowly laid her down on the bed, which bore signs of her having rushed out.

Gently brushing the wound near her eye, Heath tightly closed his own.

The task he had to do was the same now as it had always been.

Loyalty to Kaiden Delcliff.

Which meant protecting her.

No room for other thoughts.

He quietly repeated the words he had recited countless times before, carefully tucking the blanket around her.

Hoping that her dreams would be at least a little more peaceful than before.

***

Late at night, the city was still noisy with the aftermath of war. Isla handed a glass to Kaiden, who hadn’t even thought of changing out of his battle-worn clothes, still caked with dirt and blood.

“Care for a drink?”

The human casualties were significant. Not to mention the property damage. Still, they had managed to avoid the kingdom’s collapse, so maybe they should count themselves lucky.

Kaiden accepted the glass and drank. The harsh liquor burned as it went down his throat and settled in his chest. He felt a little better.

“Should I call for a doctor?”

“This much is fine.”

Isla nodded slightly as if she had expected that response, looking up at him where he stood.

“I’m calling the doctor. Get treated in your room.”

He didn’t respond, just turned his gaze toward the south.

“With Heath by her side, she’ll be fine.”

“I know.”

“The Duchess is really quite an unusual person.”

Without realizing it, Isla continued speaking. Even after she had confessed what happened earlier, Kaiden merely furrowed his brow and raised his eyebrows, without saying much.

“I heard the Caladrius helped the Duke.”

“Yes.”

Isla habitually bit her thin lips.

“How could that happen?”

“I’m certain it wasn’t something I did.”

Kaiden replied while wiping his sword with a damp cloth brought by the maids. As he slumped onto the sofa, the taut muscles of his body became more pronounced.

“Did you give her any specific instructions or…?”

“She said she has always been hearing something. Ever since the Caladrius first appeared in the capital long ago. Back then, she didn’t realize what those sounds were.”

“I see.”

“I know that when it comes to incarnations, one gains power to control them, but at the risk of being killed by them at any time.”

Isla sighed quietly, surprised by how much he already knew.

“No, that’s not it.”

She thought back to the documents she had handed over to Rohana, excluding the dangerous parts. It seemed better that Rohana didn’t know about those.

Given her long experience, Isla had already noted the way Kaiden looked at Rohana, and how Rohana looked at him. It was only natural.

Rohana Hanover would undoubtedly side with the Kark faction. And when that happened, her power would be of great use.

“The only thing I’m sure of is that she needs to be on our side. Can you guarantee that?”

Kaiden tossed the now-clean sword cloth onto the basin beside him.

“We’ll see.”

His sharp jaw tightened. Isla’s green eyes flickered at his words.

Now she understood. The slight jealousy she had felt toward them at first had slowly turned into sympathy.

How could they be truly fine? She wasn’t naïve enough to be unaware of the limits that relationships bound to such inevitable conclusions would face.

Isla blinked slowly and spoke.

“All the decisions you made today.”

Kaiden turned his gaze from the terrace and looked at her.

“The ones for our Shatonwell, and for the Kark people, I won’t forget them.”

Isla met his dark eyes directly before slowly kneeling.

One knee bent, she lowered her head and waist in the highest gesture of respect known to Shatonwell.

“Your Majesty.”

“Saving Princess Serin, sending the Nopthal army to the front lines immediately, and, at the critical moment, choosing to defend the palace and the capital instead of pursuing the emperor’s forces.”

Her voice trembled slightly, but her pronunciation was clear and strong.

“As queen of Shatonwell, I swear, no matter what happens, I will stand by Kaiden Phillip Delcliff, lord of Nopthal.”

Kaiden narrowed his eyes and looked down at her for a moment. Then, finally, he knelt and drew his sword.

It was the highest of honors.

“You don’t have to go this far.”

Recalling the crumbling cliffs, Kaiden spoke grimly.

“From now on, I’m going to focus on just one thing… and next time, even if it’s Serin, I’m not sure I can let it slide.”

Isla gave a small nod at his harsh words, spoken in that same polite voice. His expression had changed. The die had been cast, and he was no longer the courteous imperial royal he once was.

The twilight began to deepen into a purplish dusk.

***

Heath and Rohana had been riding since early morning and finally arrived at the palace of Shatonwell.

Rohana, who had spent a sleepless night thinking about Kaiden working with Aurelia, still didn’t know exactly what to feel or what action to take.

She understood that it was probably the best choice for saving Serin. She was well aware that, as a member of the Arin people, she had no place here.

Before talking about summer days or anything else, perhaps it would be best to leave right away.

Rohana, momentarily distracted and nearly tripping several times, had finally arrived, thanks to Heath’s anxious care. Still, she hadn’t yet made up her mind.

Surprisingly, the first person to greet them was none other than Queen Isla.

“Your Majesty.”

Rohana knelt to pay her respects, and Isla gave a nod in return. It was then that she sensed someone running toward them from between the pillars.

It wasn’t because of the sound or scent, but the moment they met under the moonlight, she could tell who it was, as if his presence had been imprinted on her.

She felt a mix of relief and yet somehow found it hard to lift her head. Through her downcast gaze, she saw his boots striding across the pristine white corridor toward her.

Next to him, a hem of a blue dress swayed.

Of course, she loved that blue dress. Even the tiny glimpse of her toes peeking out looked so much like back then.

At the end of that summer, Bardi had introduced her with a bright smile.

“Say hello, Aurelia.”

Despite repeating to herself all morning that it was inevitable for saving Serin, just seeing the hem of her dress made her heart flutter.

But then something caught Rohana’s attention. Kaiden had stopped in his tracks. Despite hurrying over, his boots suddenly came to a halt.

Rohana slowly raised her eyes to meet his gaze.

His deep, dark eyes locked onto hers, wavering as if they were about to pull her in but never quite reaching her.

“Thanks to you, I was able to save my life.”

His cold voice was directed at her. Rohana stared at him, taken aback, then glanced over at Aurelia, who had followed behind him, before looking away again.

“Aren’t you going to ask if I’m okay?”

Rohana asked with a smile. Kaiden said nothing, merely blinking his sharp, long eyes slowly.

“Are you okay?”

His stiff demeanor, coupled with the faint smile on his face, made it clear that he had distanced himself even further from her, and Rohana felt a faint ache in her chest, as if something were slicing through her heart.

‘Don’t do this.’

“Yes.”

What should she say? The awkward silence that had settled between them was first broken by Kaiden.

“You’ve always had a knack for saving my life, both back then and now.”

Kaiden continued with a slightly blurred smile.

“Did Heath explain the situation to you?”

“Yes.”

‘Did you really think I would be shaken by such a minor alliance?’

Rohana swallowed the words she was about to say. Despite standing so close to her, Kaiden maintained a distant, cold voice.

“It may be difficult to deal with Aurelia properly.”

“Yes.”

“Then.”

Kaiden was the first to turn away. Rohana struggled to quickly hide her momentary dazed expression, and it was Franz who broke the silence among the group.

Climbing the stairs, Franz wore his characteristic wry and mischievous grin as he greeted them.

“Duchess, you saved my life as well.”

Though wearing the uniform of R.D., he was a man who couldn’t use magic. For some reason, he had been fighting against the imperial guards.

“Marquis Franz Soyez.”

Rohana addressed him properly, and he smiled as though satisfied, glancing at Kaiden’s retreating figure.

“Not at all.”

“I never expected the Duchess to actually join the battle. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

Franz ruffled his light blonde hair and casually extended his hand. When Rohana took it in a somewhat dazed handshake, she felt his strong grip.

Just then, Aurelia approached them. It had been a long time since Rohana had seen her, and she was still as beautiful as ever, making everything feel uncomfortable enough that she almost wanted to upend the entire situation.