It was that sound again.

Rohana woke up, startled, in her bed.

It was the call of the Caladrius.

She hurriedly got out of bed and looked out the window. There was nothing visible yet, but she was certain it was that sound.

Whenever that sound appeared, something bad always followed.

“What could it be?”

Without realizing it, Rohana furrowed her brow and pulled back the curtains completely.

The rain, which had been falling like a summer shower, had stopped, and the air outside the window was crystal clear. The imperial palace seemed quieter than usual, yet there was a sense of busy urgency.

The next day was the former emperor’s funeral. It was the first time the Ardgold Empire had held a funeral for a former emperor, and everyone was on edge.

There were no signs that anyone had shared her bed. Perhaps he had slept elsewhere, or, true to his habit, fallen asleep sitting stiffly on a sofa in the drawing room.

Rohana let out a short sigh and dipped her hands into the basin of water the maid had brought in. The capital was already warm, so the cold water felt refreshing.

“Good morning.”

When she entered the dining room, Kaiden was sitting there, looking impeccable as always. His hair, which naturally hung loose in Nopthal, was now tied up again, revealing his clean forehead.

“You didn’t stay up all night again, did you?”

At Rohana’s teasing tone, Kaiden gave a faint smile.

“No, I didn’t.”

‘Of course, it was a lie.’

Rohana shook her head slightly and stirred sugar into her tea. Then a thought suddenly came to her.

“Has there been any word on when Aurelia and the R.D.s are supposed to arrive?”

“They should have arrived by now, actually,” Kaiden replied, a look of realization crossing his face.

“They probably wouldn’t bother to send word once they arrived. After all, this is the imperial palace, and security is tight.”

Although Kaiden spoke as if there was nothing to worry about, Rohana felt uneasy for some reason. Something seemed off.

“You said it was the Modin Trading Company, right?”

Kaiden gave a short nod in response to her question.

“I think it’d be best to check…”

“Is there really a need…?” Kaiden asked as he set down the cup he had been holding.

In truth, there wasn’t an urgent reason to verify it.

But based on past experience, something about it gnawed at her.

“You did say that you wouldn’t interfere with anything I do, as long as I tell you, right?”

At Rohana’s words, Kaiden furrowed his brow slightly.

“Yes, I did say that.”

Rohana knew that Kaiden couldn’t completely control her—not because he wasn’t capable, but because he prioritized respecting her as an equal party in their agreement.

“Then I’ll be honest with you. Just don’t interfere with what I’m about to do.”

Kaiden still looked displeased, staring at her as she spoke. Though he’d set down his cup, his hand remained on it, unmoving.

“You’re not planning to…”

“There’s an old friend of mine in the Modin Trading Company. It’s also one of the companies managed by the Duke of Hanover. I could just say I visited for old times’ sake, couldn’t I?”

Kaiden let out a deep sigh, finally releasing his grip on the cup and massaging his temple. It was clear he wanted to object but had no good reason to do so, leaving him frustrated.

“I heard the sound of the Caladrius today.”

Rohana confessed honestly. Kaiden raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll just check and come right back.”

Kaiden, without saying a word, let out a quiet sigh before nodding.

“Take the sword I gave you.”

“Of course.”

Rohana nodded, surprised that he had agreed so readily. Though it seemed odd, she was relieved the conversation had ended well.

“Good morning, milady.”

Heath entered the dining room with a smile, breaking the silence.

“You haven’t eaten anything again. Kaiden, you should remind her to eat more regularly.”

Kaiden opened his mouth, likely about to protest that they had just been talking, but then closed it again, shaking his head.

Rohana chuckled and bit into her bread. Now that she thought about it, Kaiden hadn’t touched much of his food either.

The former emperor was dead.

And Bardi was involved in it.

What on earth was Kaiden thinking? How could she get him to reveal his innermost thoughts?

As she pondered, Rohana realized with a pang of regret that she herself had never fully opened up to him. She lowered her eyes with a bitter expression.

“For now, let’s just focus on what needs to be done.”

Next time.

Even though she knew it was wrong, Rohana once again pushed everything aside to focus on the immediate task at hand.

***

“Oh my! You scared me!”

Rohana smiled brightly from beneath the veil of her small silk hat.

“It’s been a while.”

Amy, her dark brown hair hastily pinned up, was startled. With wide eyes like a frightened rabbit, she clutched her chest and struggled to calm herself, still holding her hand over her heart as she looked up at Rohana.

“My lady! No, Duchess!”

It took several more exclamations of “My goodness!” before Amy finally managed to calm down.

“Sorry, did I startle you?”

“Of course! This place is nearly unknown to anyone.”

Amy removed her soiled apron and began wiping down a chair.

“The whole capital is buzzing about the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Delcliff. It’s dangerous for you to come alone.”

Rohana stopped Amy from wiping the chair, dusted it off herself, and sat down. Amy shrugged and plopped down in the chair she had just cleaned.

“What’s the mood like?”

“It’s better for me because I’m an Arin… but among the Karks, the atmosphere is…”

Amy trailed off, and Rohana’s eyes told her she had expected as much. Amy nodded in agreement.

“On the other hand, there are quite a few Karks who are actually expecting Kaiden Delcliff to take control of the capital himself.”

Rohana listened quietly.

“Which side… are you on?”

“Kaiden?”

“Yes.”

“Well, as a member of the royal family, he had to come. And besides, the emperor invited him.”

Rohana gave a diplomatic answer, and Amy smacked her lips as if she had expected it.

“Am I being too political?”

At Rohana’s added comment, Amy widened her already deep eyes in surprise.

“We can’t attack each other politically in this situation. So, Kaiden is using this opportunity to reaffirm his status as royalty.”

Amy always enjoyed listening to Rohana’s various thoughts. Nodding in understanding, she exclaimed, “Ah, I see,” then posed a question to Rohana.

“But why did you come all the way here… to this small storage room where I’m hiding out?”

“Amy, could you be honest with me about something?”

“Of course, especially after what I just heard,” Amy replied, leaning forward.

“By any chance, has Aurelia… the former empress, shown up here?”

“What?”

Amy leaned in even closer, as if she hadn’t heard correctly.

“Aurelia Bree, the former empress,” Rohana clarified.

“No, not at all!”

Amy wasn’t the type to play dumb, and there was no reason for her to do so.

“Really? No word about her arrival either?”

“That woman… I mean, her,” Amy hastily corrected herself, as if realizing she needed to be more respectful.

“She’s now some sort of leader among the Karks, isn’t she?”

“I heard she was supposed to come here to request cooperation from the Modin Trading Company…” Rohana said, her expression puzzled. Amy’s eyes widened further in surprise.

“Well, that makes sense. After all, our company leader also came from the Karks and rose to such a position.”

“It’s a rare occurrence,” Rohana nodded.

“I mean, if they kept it a secret from me, I wouldn’t know, but…” Amy trailed off, thinking carefully. “They wouldn’t really have any reason to keep that from me…”

“I know. It’s been a long time since you two met,” Rohana said with a knowing smile.

Amy blushed, startled, and quickly covered her face with her hands.

“So, she hasn’t shown up. That’s odd.”

“Is it really that strange? She’s probably just being discreet during the funeral period, whatever her reason might be.”

That could be true, but something still felt off to Rohana. She stood up, her unease growing.

“Alright, thanks, Amy.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I should head back.”

As Amy opened the storage room door for her, she asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to see the company leader?”

“I’ve seen you, that’s enough,” Rohana shook her head. Since she had left at dusk, the twilight had already descended.

“Be careful on your way back,” Amy said, watching her leave.

Amy had often seen Rohana arrive quietly on horseback, her family’s crest hidden. Though the sight was familiar, today her actions felt more uneasy, probably because the times had changed so much.

“Make sure you head straight home. It’s already getting dark,” Amy called out.

“Thanks, Amy. You stay safe too.”

Waving goodbye, Amy watched as Rohana mounted her horse. The sound of hoofbeats echoed against the granite-paved harbor road.

Perhaps due to the former emperor’s passing, the harbor, which was usually bustling, was eerily quiet. People worked diligently, but there was a noticeable restraint in their actions.

Rohana fastened her cloak tighter and began to ride slowly. As she passed the harbor and the city square, entering a narrow alley to take the main road, she suddenly pulled sharply on the reins.

‘Ah!’

Her reflexes saved her from colliding with a luxurious carriage that had appeared out of nowhere.

‘A carriage shouldn’t be coming from this direction…’

Frowning, Rohana let out a surprised breath.

The door of the carriage clicked open.

Just as she was about to wonder if someone was coming out to argue, a familiar energy enveloped her.

The door remained open, but no one stepped out. Yet even in the dark, a pair of red eyes gleamed, staring directly at her.

“Care to chat for a moment?”

Rohana smirked, lifting the corner of her mouth. That familiar voice and gaze, always as if they held the entire world beneath them.

It was Lazar.

Though it had been a while, there was nothing remotely pleasant about seeing him again.