“Why are you so desperate to die a pointless death?”

Rohana signaled Emily to continue with her calm gaze.

“Hah…”

Emily shrugged, seemingly exhausted by Rohana’s unbothered demeanor, despite her rude behavior and provocative words. Eventually, her tone softened as if a hint of sincerity crept in.

“Duchess, may I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“As you know, the Kark people are very aware, thanks to the stories passed down through generations. If it were possible to defeat the Arin tribe, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

“Did my nanny… or Cecile think the same way?”

“Yes.”

Emily’s expression turned sad, yet oddly peaceful.

“So, Duchess, if you still have the chance, return to your family now.”

Rohana raised an eyebrow. Return to her family? Memories of her life there flashed through her mind.

“Is there really any reason to deliberately put yourself in danger? Or are you just too sheltered to understand how dangerous the world really is?”

This time, rather than mocking her, Emily’s tone was filled with genuine pity, which made Rohana smile softly.

“You must be tired from your long journey.”

She meant it. She hadn’t intended to make Emily travel such a long way, nor had she expected her to still be in the capital.

“Rest as much as you need before heading back.”

Rohana finished the tea in her cup and rose from her seat. She heard Emily sigh behind her.

The evening sun cast a red glow over the horizon, and the silhouettes of coniferous trees stood in stark contrast against it. Just then, Rohana turned at the sound of a familiar voice she hadn’t heard in a long time.

“My lady.”

The bright sky-blue hair shimmered with a reddish hue in the sunset.

It had been four days since they returned from Shatonwell. Heath hadn’t been able to stay by Rohana’s side, as he was busy arranging a suitable hiding place for Marquis Franz Soyez and Aurelia.

“Heath.”

Rohana’s face instantly softened with joy at the sight of him.

“I heard you’ve found a place for Aurelia and Franz.”

Heath nodded.

“Yes. Frankly, this could have been handled by the R.D. division without getting me involved.”

Rohana nodded in understanding and finished his sentence.

“They probably want to solidify a strong alliance between Nopthal and the royal family, using the matter of Princess Serin.”

Heath nodded again. Then his gaze briefly shifted to the unfamiliar guest carriage outside.

“It seems you’ve already spoken with Emily.”

“Yes.”

When Rohana gave a short reply, Heath, as if he had expected this, continued speaking.

“May I ask what you discussed?”

Rohana hesitated for a moment. There was nothing she couldn’t tell him, but in the end, the conversation had come down to the same conclusion as always.

‘I shouldn’t be here.’

“I just… wanted to confirm a few things. Why she’s still in the capital, and why she’s sided with Emperor Bardi.”

“Ah,” Heath nodded, understanding clearly.

“What did Kaiden say?”

“I haven’t spoken to him yet.”

Ever since their return from Shatonwell, Rohana had felt that Kaiden was deliberately avoiding any conversation.

“How is Brandt Hanover doing?”

“He’s fine. Still confined to his room, but we take walks together during the day.”

The situation regarding Brandt Hanover had become tricky. He continued to claim ignorance, and Rohana believed him, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.

What was even stranger was the lack of communication from either Bardi’s side or Gregory Hanover’s.

Brandt might be considered a discarded pawn, but he was still the heir of the House of Hanover.

It seemed more likely that they were waiting for the right timing, rather than having abandoned him entirely.

“My lady, you’ve grown thinner.”

Heath’s voice pulled Rohana out of her thoughts.

“Have I?”

Rohana smiled faintly, while Heath looked at her with concern. Just then, a loud sound echoed from the main gate.

Kaiden was returning on horseback with Iz, Galad, and a few other subordinates. The setting sun accentuated the sharpness of his face. As Rohana watched him approach from afar, she couldn’t help but think how much thinner he had grown recently, too.

“What about Aurelia and Franz?”

Without even properly acknowledging Rohana, Kaiden addressed Heath first.

“I’ve arranged a suitable hiding place. It’s better than them staying out in the open like this.”

“And the R.D. situation?”

“It’s gotten better. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Rohana listened quietly to their conversation, arms crossed.

“Did you meet with her?”

Kaiden asked in a low voice.

Rohana nodded. She found it absurd how she still tensed up whenever she heard his voice, even now. Subconsciously, she pressed down on her elbow with her hand to ease her own nerves.

“Let’s go inside.”

When Kaiden suggested they go inside together, Rohana was a bit surprised. It had been a while since he made such a suggestion.

“How about we talk outside? The weather’s nice,” she said.

Despite the spring breeze, it was still cold in Nopthal. Kaiden, though taken aback by her unexpected suggestion, looked up at the sky where Rohana’s gaze had landed and understood. The sunset was quite beautiful.

“Here.”

With a polite bow, Heath withdrew, and at Kaiden’s brief command, maids and servants brought out blankets, refreshments, and water. Normally, Rohana would have declined such fuss, but this time she remained silent and accepted their care without a word.

Unlike the imperial palace, the Ducal House of Delcliff didn’t have a central garden, but the backyard was well-kept.

“So, how did your research go?” Kaiden asked, his tone ambiguous, as if teasing or mocking.

Rohana pressed her lips together. The moments from the battle of Shatonwell replayed in her mind, haunting her.

The sight of countless soldiers, both imperial and royal, being sucked down into the crevasse.

And Kaiden, falling with them.

Kaiden, seeing the seriousness in her expression, furrowed his brow, wondering if he had pushed too far.

Rohana lifted her teacup to take a sip, but her lips never touched the rim.

The question she had been dying to ask—“Why have you been avoiding me lately?”—stayed trapped in her throat.

What kind of question is that?

Since when had they ever cared for each other like that? It wasn’t like they were ever close enough for that.

“Rohana,” Kaiden leaned in toward her again, as was his habit. His warmth enveloped her as always.

“Yes?”

“Did I take the joke too far?”

His dark eyes studied her carefully. Rohana couldn’t read his thoughts. Or rather, she could, but she didn’t want to believe them.

She had promised herself never to fall for those eyes again.

“I just wanted us to be comfortable, as you wished. I didn’t want to pressure you,” Kaiden continued.

“But lately, your face seems darker, and you’ve been saying less.”

He gently brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen over her face. Summoning her courage, Rohana met his gaze again.

“I’ve been doing my research. Thanks to Emily, I’ve come to understand just how much the Kark people fear the Arin tribe.”

Kaiden nodded, as if he had expected this.

“And she probably told you to go back while there’s still time, didn’t she?”

Rohana’s eyes wavered. Seeing her furrowed brow, Kaiden smiled slightly and ran his long fingers over her forehead.

“It’s nothing serious. It’s the same conversation we always have, isn’t it?”

‘I know, but that’s not what I want to say right now.’

Rohana swallowed the words that threatened to spill out. Her decision to leave for Mid Summer was a promise she had made to herself. This time, she had to survive—*alone*.

Franz had been right. If she were to stay, she needed a reason to do so.

But since she wouldn’t be staying, she hadn’t let herself dwell on it. So why was she now summoning Emily to the capital, constantly gathering information?

She had read and re-read the book Queen Isla of Shatonwell had given her, trying to understand what it meant to become the incarnation of Caladrius.

And now, just a few days without speaking to Kaiden had her feeling so inexplicably low. Rohana found herself confused.

She had thought she could handle this relationship like a casual adult fling. That it would only be that.

“Are you in such a rush to leave before Mid Summer?”

Kaiden’s words, casually spoken as he sipped his drink and watched the sunset, left Rohana momentarily speechless.

“What?”

“As I said before, I can’t allow that,” he whispered in the same kind, yet bittersweet, voice.

“After that, I won’t have any say.”

With that, he leaned in toward her again, as if it were second nature. But Rohana stopped him.

At that moment, she knew exactly why she was so angry, despite his gentleness and the harmless words he spoke.

Right now, she didn’t want to share herself with him.

If he wasn’t the type to hold on, then now was the time to cut things off.

‘If I don’t, he might end up devouring me completely.’

Though, perhaps he already had. Rohana steadied herself.

“Ah…”

Perhaps thinking it was for a different reason, Kaiden pulled away quickly, as if to apologize. Rohana scrambled for something to say. That’s when she noticed the small door hidden between the garden trees.

“Oh, I didn’t realize there was a door there.”

Kaiden’s face stiffened with surprise, but Rohana, busy trying to change the subject and hide her emotions, didn’t notice.

“Yes.”

“How did you decorate it?”

Sensing that standing up would help break the tension, Rohana rose, but Kaiden’s large hand gently pulled her back.

“It’s nothing. Just a forgotten door,” he muttered quickly, uncharacteristically defensive.

“What?”

Rohana found his rushed explanation suspicious, but she sat back down.

Just then, they heard footsteps in the distance. It was Heath.

“Excuse me.”

Kaiden, seeing Heath’s teasing demeanor, urged him to get to the point.

“R.D. has formally requested a meeting for tomorrow. They’d very much like the Duchess of Delcliff to attend as well.”

A visit from Aurelia and Franz.

Rohana nodded, reflecting on how just a few hours ago she had been eager to gather more information. But now, it felt like she was observing herself from a distance.

She didn’t know why they wanted her presence, but she reminded herself of the one thing she needed to focus on.

*Surviving alone.*

Thinking about anything beyond that was a luxury for her, and too much to ask of Kaiden Delcliff. From now on, she would be careful to avoid getting too close to him.

Suddenly, her chest tightened, and without thinking, she pressed her hand against her ribs as if trying to soothe the ache.

The sun had set, and the sky had deepened into a heavy, dark blue.

“Rohana.”

Just as she was about to get up, he grabbed her once more.

“I’ll come find you after the war ends.”