Reina forced down the anxiety twisting in her chest as she picked up the gazette.

It had been six months since the child was born. Nearly a year since the war had begun. In that time, much had changed. The emperor, who once seemed slightly in the lead, had gradually begun to crumble, and the princess had seized the advantage. The gazettes, which had strained to deliver good news about the emperor, now carried nothing but grim predictions.

‘Three, maybe four months at most.’

She bit down hard on her lip. The war would soon be over. Not that it could be called soon—countless lives had already been lost in the past year.

There was little left now for the emperor. With the princess advancing toward the capital, he might fall within the month.

Reina crumpled the gazette in her hands, shutting her eyes tightly before opening them again.

Once, she would have been able to smile and meet her end without fear. But now, she had a child. Not just anyone’s child—Zephion’s child.

Since the day he was born, Kaelid had spent most of his time at the front. Perhaps that was why he had failed to notice it, but the boy unmistakably resembled Zephion.

His name was Aaron. The fact that that man had chosen it displeased her, yet as the one marked as House Berend’s sole heir, she could not change it as she wished.

‘Aaron will die too.’

The emperor’s fall meant House Berend’s fall as well. The princess would never allow the child to live. And neither would she.

‘I never thought it would come to this.’

Had she known, she would have found some way—any way—to secure an escape. Reina let out a bitter smile.

When she had first agreed to help the princess, she had set only one condition: that her true identity never be revealed. The princess had honored that faithfully. She had kept the secret so thoroughly that even Kaelid remained unaware. But that same secrecy now made it impossible for Reina to be spared.

How could the princess grant pardon to the woman of the Marquis of Berend, one of the emperor’s most loyal and visible supporters, without reason? And she had left behind no proof of her covert aid. The princess, she was sure, had been just as careful to leave nothing behind.

Now there was no way to survive. The certainty of it weighed heavily on her.

If she had even suspected her future might end like this, she never would have steeled herself to face the end with House Berend.

Reina stared blankly out the window. If not for Aaron, she would have welcomed death without hesitation. But the thought that her child too would die—her chest constricted painfully. Because it would be none other than Zephion who would see to it.

‘Should I run?’

Her fist clenched tightly. Could she possibly flee with a child, when her leg was still so weak? Aaron couldn’t even crawl yet. Even if by some miracle she managed to escape on horseback, could he endure it?

There was only one small comfort: if she managed to escape now, Kaelid wouldn’t pursue. He had no freedom to spare while the war raged. And once it ended, she would already be dead by Zephion’s hand.

“Ha…”

A dry laugh slipped out. That was the one thing she liked about this war.

Her laughter faded, and she sank back into thought.

If she fled, would someone come after her? Perhaps the princess wouldn’t bother. Reina had helped her enough that she might turn a blind eye. But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Aaron’s face rose in her heart.

‘No, with Aaron, they would hunt me down.’

Even now she stood with the princess’s faction, but officially she had borne the child of Kaelid Berend. To eliminate every risk, they would surely pursue her.

If there were no child, everything would be simple.

Her brow furrowed. Even if she confessed now that Aaron was Zephion’s, would anyone believe her? She had no way to prove it—not even his resemblance could serve as undeniable evidence.

‘Even if I said he looks exactly like Zephion as a child, there’s no objective proof.’

If only the color of his eyes had resembled him.

‘If that had been the case, Aaron would have been killed the moment he was born.’

Because he resembled her, he had survived. And yet because he resembled her, his chances of survival were all but nonexistent. The irony of it almost made her laugh.

Would it be better to flee, hoping for some small mercy from the princess? She wondered how she could even attempt it. She couldn’t escape the way she once had with Zephion. With her injured leg, even mounting and dismounting a horse was nearly impossible. And now, with a baby in her arms, the only option left was a carriage.

If only Yuta were here. But after the war had turned against them, they had grown desperate for every man, and even he—kept until the end—had been dragged onto the battlefield.

Knowing it would be the last time they saw one another, he had come the night before, silently pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. She might have let him go with nothing more, but instead, she had cupped his cheek and kissed him lightly.

It had been possible only because she knew it was the last. Kaelid would lose, and Yuta would die in battle. He had looked at her as though wanting to speak, to say something from the depths of his heart, yet no words had come. She had been grateful for that.

Forcing the thought of Yuta from her mind, Reina let out a long sigh.

‘There’s only one choice.’

In truth, there was nothing to agonize over. There was only one way to save Aaron: to flee, and to pray they would not be caught. Her expression shadowed, she gripped her cane tightly.

***

“My lady, are you truly sure about this?”

“I’ll be fine, Rose. You’ve done so much for me.”

Reina squeezed the hand of the maid who had stayed by her side for so long. The darkness of war hung heavily over the capital, yet people still clung to fragments of daily life. Though the atmosphere was unsettled and the once spotless streets had grown dirtier, most shops remained open. Thanks to that, she could claim the excuse of an errand in the capital to take Aaron out.

“Wouldn’t it be better if I went with you?”

At that, Reina gave a brief smile. She could not guarantee what lay ahead. She might be caught and killed, or forced to live in hiding from then on. She couldn’t drag another into such a path.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

“But with your health…”

“I’m used to it now. It’s been years since I injured my leg.”

“You remember everything about caring for the young master, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Keep him warm.”

“I will.”

“My lady…”

Rose looked at her with eyes brimming with tears. The princess’s army was already at their doorstep. She had expected three or four months at most, but the advance had been faster than she imagined.

‘It took me a month just to prepare for escape.’

If her leg had been sound, she would have fled with the child the moment she decided. But that wasn’t possible, and so she had needed time to prepare—planning the route, how to avoid the eyes of House Berend, and every other detail. Only now, with rumors that the princess would soon arrive at the capital, had she been able to make the decision to leave.

The princess’s arrival meant the final battle with the emperor—and the fall of House Berend. This estate, too, would soon change hands, or else be burned.

Reina squeezed Rose’s hand tightly.

“They may not go so far as to harm the servants… but you never know. If things turn dangerous, run. Promise me.”

“Yes. Even if Lord Kaelid returns, I’ll run.”

“Good.”

“You won’t tell me where you’re going, will you?”

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

She gave a light smile and patted the maid’s back gently.

“It’s really time for me to go, Rose.”

“My lady… will I truly never see you again?”

“It’s better if you don’t.”