One autumn day, a letter arrived from Ulrich.

It said he would come to see Viveke on the day the festival began.

The manor made every preparation to receive the emperor in time for that day.

“Are you sure you will be all right on your own?”

The maid asked, brushing out her mistress’s platinum hair, the color of moonlight.

“I won’t be alone. His Majesty will be here, and he said he would bring palace attendants with him to stay during the festival.”

“Even so, we are more comfortable for you than the people who work in the imperial palace.”

“You really don’t need to worry. I’ll send the attendants to their quarters early. I want it to be just the two of us and I don’t want to be interrupted by anyone.”

“Still…….”

“The truth is, I’m going to tell His Majesty tonight.”

Viveke sat before the vanity and whispered shyly.

Her maid was overjoyed and, brimming with excitement, rolled up her sleeves and threw herself into tending to her mistress’s appearance with even more care than usual.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too much?”

When a fresh flower was tucked into the side of her half-braided updo, Viveke looked thoroughly uncomfortable.

“Everyone wears flower crowns and things during the festival. This much is the bare minimum! Do you know what day today is?”

“You’re right. Today is a special day.”

The deposed Empress murmured with a faint smile.

Having produced what she considered her greatest masterpiece in all her years of service, the maid clapped repeatedly and showered her with praise about how beautiful she looked.

Viveke, embarrassed, sent her out.

“Go on. You need to pack. It’s been a while since you’ve been home.”

“I packed everything last night.”

“Check whether the other servants are ready to leave too. It’s a rare holiday, and if anyone’s forgotten something, they’ll have to make the trouble of coming back. Make sure everything is locked up properly before you go.”

“I will. On my way down, I should check whether enough holiday food has been prepared as well.”

“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

After the maid left, Viveke sat alone in the room and stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

Then she slowly lifted the corners of her mouth into a beautiful smile.

She was pleased.

With this image of herself that would likely remain in the emperor’s memory for the rest of his life.

***

Ulrich arrived at the manor with the promised gifts.

Guided by the butler, he found Viveke sitting on the sofa knitting when he arrived.

It had taken on more of a shape than the last time he had seen it.

He kissed his wife on the cheek and settled onto the arm of the sofa.

“Doesn’t look like it’s coming along very well?”

His wife pouted at the teasing.

“I must have no talent for knitting whatsoever.”

“What are you trying to make?”

“A vest.”

“A vest?”

“I wanted to make you a vest to wear underneath before winter came. But at this rate, it seems hopeless.”

The unexpected answer made Ulrich’s chest feel warm and fluttery.

The thought that she had been struggling away with those small hands all this time to give him a gift made him feel a swell of emotion.

He felt sorry for teasing her without knowing.

“If this year is too hard, giving it to me next winter is fine too.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?”

His wife shot him a look, and he burst out laughing.

“I’m saying take it easy. It pains me to see you worrying yourself over it needlessly.”

“I’ll keep knitting at my slow pace, so Your Majesty can do whatever you like.”

“What else would I do with you right in front of me? Watching you is the most entertaining thing there is. But—”

Ulrich had been tilting his head in the direction she had turned in her sulk when he paused for a moment.

“Why are you even prettier today?”

“Oh, stop.”

“Why did you dress up like this? You even put flowers in your hair.”

“You’re only noticing now?”

“You’re always pretty. I only have eyes for you, so the extra details don’t really register.”

“You and your words.”

“Wait just a moment.”

Ulrich stood up as though something had just come to him.

Viveke was curious but kept knitting without looking back.

There was the sound of busy footsteps going back and forth, and then her husband returned.

He came up behind the sofa and covered her eyes with both hands.

“What is it?”

“Stand up with your eyes closed. I have something to show you.”

“Oh, honestly.”

Viveke stood up, feigning reluctance, letting him guide her.

Ulrich led her into the bathroom, and only when they reached the bathtub did he lower his hands.

“What is all this?”

“I promised to give you a gift, didn’t I?”

Candles of all shapes and sizes lined the edge of the bathtub where it met the wall.

At a rough count there were well over a dozen.

“You didn’t need to buy this many.”

“I didn’t know what scent you liked, so I bought them all.”

“Thank you. I’ll save them and try them one by one.”

“You don’t have to save them. I’ll buy more.”

Viveke smiled and naturally slipped her arm around his waist.

“There’s still more?”

“More?”

Ulrich took her hand and slid something onto her wrist.

It was the agate gemstone bracelet she had asked for.

The one he had bought was made of stone mixed with black, gray, and white, and was called the “bull’s eye” for its appearance.

Each variety of this stone was said to carry its own distinct power, and among them the bull’s eye was known as a stone that gave the instinct to survive.

Viveke immediately understood what meaning he had chosen it for.

‘I don’t want you to die.’

Live and stay by my side always.

It was a gift carrying Ulrich’s desperate wish.

“My goodness, it’s so beautiful! I’ll never take it off.”

What was this little stone, really.

Watching his wife so overjoyed by it, he felt the urge to bring her every jewel in the world and lay it all at her feet.

“It’s a bribe.”

Ulrich pulled her close against him, rested his chin on top of her head, and spoke.

“I’m sorry I can’t be with you today.”

“You said the same thing in your letter. It’s all right.”

“I wanted to spend the holiday with you.”

“I’ll celebrate with the people at the manor. Don’t worry.”

Today, Viveke had done nothing but lie.

She had gotten quite good at lying.

Seeing how everyone believed every word she said.

***

In the carriage on the way back to the imperial palace, Ulrich could not hide his reluctance.

He had intended to notify the palace that he would be resting at the villa during the festival, but the council of nobles had objected on the grounds of a welcoming ceremony for a foreign delegation.

Whether by some trick of fate, the timing had clashed at the worst possible moment.

Even this visit had been a brief escape carved out from a busy schedule.

He always felt reluctant leaving the manor, but today felt shorter than usual.

Whenever he was looking at Viveke’s face, it felt as though time moved faster there alone.

The world outside had already grown dark.

A festival procession had started in the plaza, and the streets were congested, so the carriage that had entered the city could not seem to move at all.

Ulrich stepped out of the carriage for a moment to get some air.

He was dressed in his incognito attire, so no one had any idea the emperor was passing through.

His escort knights followed at a short distance behind him.

Walking through the festival atmosphere, his eye caught the street vendors selling gemstone bracelets in every color.

He had already promised his wife that if he spotted bracelets on the way, he would buy more and send them to her.

He picked up a bracelet at a different stall from the one he had visited earlier, and the vendor struck up a conversation.

“Young man, are you married?”

“I am.”

“Buying it for the wife, then?”

“Yes. I’ll take everything you have here.”

The vendor grinned from ear to ear at the big spender and spoke warmly.

“She must be pregnant. Congratulations! When is the due date?”

“……Pardon?”

“These are really popular as baby gifts. Good for postpartum depression too.”

“…….”

“Since you bought so much, I’ll throw this in for free.”

The vendor, sweeping bracelets into a leather pouch, added a pair of baby booties as a gift.

In that instant, Ulrich’s mind went blank, as though he had been struck from behind.

He had only just realized what Viveke had been knitting.

“If we have a baby, I want to be the one to knit the baby booties.”

He now remembered his wife saying something like that before they were married.

He set down the money, left without collecting what he had bought, and ran straight to where the carriage was waiting.

Then he mounted one of the horses the knights had ridden in on and headed directly for the manor.

The voices of the knights calling after him did not reach his ears.

Viveke was pregnant.

He had been working to restore her to her position all this time, but the damned council of nobles had been holding out and it had not been easy.

He had been on the verge of dissolving the council entirely when a powerful reason emerged that they could no longer oppose.

But more important than that was this.

Viveke now had a reason to live.

Ulrich thanked God for the life that had come to them again.

He believed that nothing but happiness lay ahead for the two of them now.

And it did not take long for him to learn how wrong that belief was.

Beneath a night sky blanketed in pitch darkness, he could see the manor glowing red in the distance.

He rode like a madman, gripped by dread, and when he arrived, the manor was engulfed in flames.

Something was wrong.

The burning manor was eerily silent.

No one fleeing in screaming chaos, no one fighting the fire, no one calling out for help.

No one at all.

Ulrich dismounted and was about to throw himself into the manor when he stopped.

His eyes met Viveke’s, standing on the balcony.

His wife’s face was composed, as though she had been waiting for him.

“Viveke, what are you doing there? Jump down! I’ll, I’ll catch you……!”

His body was shaking so badly the words barely came out.

There was no telling when the flames might swallow her.

Viveke simply leaned against the railing and looked down at Ulrich.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“What?”

“Your revenge was nothing short of perfect. Did my unhappiness bring you comfort?”

Standing on the balcony of the burning manor, she asked him that.

For the first time, the face of her always indifferent husband contorted.

He had never once been on her side.

Seeing him shaken like that for the last time, she felt something in her chest ease.

“I know that what my father and brother did to you can never be forgiven.”

“Viveke, please…….”

“So I tried to understand you, but I’m sorry. I couldn’t manage it.”

From the moment I loved you, this hell began.

The love we shared, which I thought was paradise,

was a paradise built on the edge of a cliff.

An illusory paradise that could crumble and fall at any moment.

“You wanted to live too! This time, just this once, you wanted to live with our child, didn’t you? That’s why you said you wanted that bracelet, isn’t it?”

The emperor cried out.

Viveke faltered for a moment, feeling torn.

But she steadied herself and opened her mouth again.

“No. I did that to make you realize I was pregnant. You were deceived by me. Just as you deceived me.”

Ulrich looked up at his wife and slowly spread his arms wide.

“It’s not too late to undo all of it. I promise. Please come down from there……!”

“The dead do not come back. And we cannot go back to how we were.”

“I love you……. I love you, Viveke.”

The words she had longed to hear finally fell from his lips, but there was nothing left to undo.

“Then my revenge is a success. I will take myself from you. Losing me forever is the punishment given to you.”

I will erase myself from your life.

You will never see me again as long as you live.

Not even your child.

That is my revenge.

She walked slowly into the flames.

Now I will be free.

From you, and from this heart that loves you.

From this moment on, I hope you live in hell.

Just as I was cast into the abyss chasing hollow dreams and futile love.

I will always be praying.

For your misery.