He lowered his head, clenching his fists tightly atop his knees. He had stood on the princess’s side and fought for her, yet he had never once asked for anything. Not even the marquisate. Only hatred had driven him.

“This is my first and last request.”

“Zephion Baltgar.”

He closed his eyes slowly, then opened them again, meeting the emperor’s gaze directly.

He had agonized over it countless times.

While watching Reina sleep, he had thought it over thousands of times. Was it all a lie? Was there not even a grain of truth? Could he truly kill her?

Just once… he wanted to believe. To believe the feelings of the woman who had kept wearing the earrings until the end. To believe, just once, that at least in that moment, she had truly loved him.

“Haa…”

The woman let out a long sigh.

Perhaps she would describe it as a fleeting moment. Their time together had been brief. But hadn’t that brief period left a deep mark on him? He wanted to believe that it had for Reina, too.

‘If her love for me wasn’t a lie…’

Even if the feeling remained faint, wasn’t that enough?

She had spared his life. So perhaps, just this once, Zephion could do the same for her.

He had made countless excuses, even kneeling for Reina Berend. But there was only one conclusion.

He wanted to save her.

However, he had not been able to utterly destroy his hatred for the Berend house and Reina herself. It was a wretched, bitter truth. However, he could not simply stand by and watch her die.

Living with her might turn out to be the worst decision of his life.

‘No, it surely would be the worst.’

He gave a bitter smile. So long as she lived, he would one day regret that his revenge had not been fully complete.

And still, he wanted her to live.

Because letting her live would be the worst, but watching her die would be h*ll.

His life had not been long, but he had devoted it entirely to loving her. In truth, even now, he still loved her—enough to kneel like this.

He knew he couldn’t kill the woman he loved and then go on living sane. How could he spend the rest of his life mad?

“Marquis Baltgar. Do you love that woman?”

He couldn’t bring himself to answer that question. To say he loved her would have sounded laughable.

After all, he had vowed to kill her, had sworn he would drag her back if she tried to flee—and now here he was, on his knees, begging for her life.

As he bowed his head in silence, the emperor let out another long sigh.

“If I were to spare that woman, what would you do about the child?”

“…If Your Majesty permits, I will raise him as my own.”

“So you believe what Reina Berend said—that he’s yours?”

Truthfully, he did not believe it. And yet, he couldn’t deny the stir in his heart. She had spoken those words at the brink of death. It wasn’t something he could wholly believe… nor could he wholly dismiss it.

If only the boy had inherited his hair or his golden eyes—then perhaps he could accept it. But Aaron resembled only her. Pale-platinum hair, and violet eyes.

‘In a way, I considered it fortunate.’

At least there was nothing in him that recalled Kaelid. If the child had reminded him of that man, there would have been no hesitation, none at all. Even if Aaron truly were Reina’s.

“You know the danger that child carries.”

“I do.”

A child born of the enemy’s bloodline, one day destined to learn the truth and dream of vengeance.

“And still, you would take him in?”

“If Reina Berend keeps silent, no one will ever know.”

“So she’s the problem, then.”

“……”

“Yes. If Reina Berend says nothing, there will be no way for others to learn the truth.”

The emperor folded her arms, tilting her head slightly. A crooked smile touched her lips.

“Then I’ll kill Reina Berend… and spare the child.”

At those words, he clenched his teeth. Her gaze seemed to pierce right through him, and he lowered his head. Above him, a soft laugh rang out.

“You don’t care for the child alone, do you.”

“…Please spare her.”

“Do you think kneeling will make me grant you everything you ask?”

“…What must I do?”

His fists were clenched so tightly his hands ached. If it cost him his life, he was willing.

What expression would Reina make then?
Would she feel satisfied?
Would she laugh at him—mock him as a fool who had thrown his life away for a false love?

And yet, the thought that it would be all right shamed him.

After a long silence, the emperor brushed her hair back and murmured,

“I suppose I do owe that woman a small debt.”

A debt? What could she mean?
Did that mean she would spare her?
Zephion carefully raised his head.

“But I can’t simply let her live.”

The woman’s voice was resolute.

“I wonder… if I told you to give up your title, would you?”

“I would.”

The answer came without hesitation. He had never drawn his sword for the sake of regaining the marquisate. It had only been a byproduct of aiding the princess.

“And if I asked for your life?”

“If… if she…”

He bit down hard on his lip.

“If you promise to spare her, I will give you my life.”

Who would sacrifice their life for a woman who might not even love them? Yet he did not regret it.

“Haha.”

The emperor laughed aloud. It sounded almost like mockery.

“Then I’ll ask you just one last thing.”

“What is it?”

“If that woman were not whole… would you still be satisfied with simply sparing her life?”

‘Not whole?’

Zephion frowned faintly. He searched her expression, trying to discern the meaning, but could not fully grasp it.

As if sensing his confusion, the woman lowered her head slightly.

“I suppose Reina Berend thinks she loves you.”

“…No.”

All he wanted was to believe it: That she had loved him. That her feelings had been genuine during the time they had lived together, at least. He desperately wanted to believe that, but he could not be sure whether she had truly loved him.

“You would risk your life… for a woman who doesn’t even love you?”

He clenched his teeth tightly.

“Do you even realize what a foolish thing this is?”

“I do.”

“I was about to ask if you’d still be satisfied with her being spared… even if she didn’t love you.”

The emperor clicked her tongue.

“I don’t need to hear the answer. I already know.”

He lowered his gaze. It didn’t matter if she didn’t love him. Just the thought of losing her was enough to drive him mad.

“Haa. Then the debt I owed that woman is settled.”

She brushed her hair back and stepped away for a moment. When she returned, she handed Zephion a small glass vial.

“What is this?”

“Poison.”

“……”

“Let her drink it, and she’ll appear dead.”

“You mean… she won’t die?”

“She’ll wake again.”

He took the vial. The chill of the glass seeped into his hand. Inside, a blue liquid filled the bottle.

“But the ‘woman she was before’ will never open her eyes again.”

“…What do you mean?”

“She will lose her memory.”

His eyes widened.

“Didn’t I ask if you’d still want her spared, even if she didn’t love you?”

The emperor adjusted her robe slightly.

“She’ll never regain her memories. Every moment she shared with you—every memory—will belong to you alone for the rest of your life.”

“That’s fine.”

“If she forgets completely, then I can be at ease as well.”

“…Does that include Aaron?”

“Yes. Even the child.”

Zephion held the glass vial carefully in his hand.

“She truly will wake?”

“Perhaps.”

The woman tilted her head.

“If she never wakes again… then it only means her fate ended there.”

“……”

“There is no other way. Either feed her this and gamble… or cut her throat. The choice is yours.”

If given only those two options—certain death, or the chance she might awaken—of course he had no choice but to gamble.

As he tucked the vial into his br*ast, the emperor’s expression said plainly that she had expected as much.