“Gwen is a respected and accomplished saint. Even if you are a faithless man with the character to fire a gun at an unarmed person, you should show her a little more respect.”

“And what exactly have I done to Saint Gwen to deserve such criticism from you, Commander? I’m wounded.”

Helares let out an easy smile—wearing the face of someone who was clearly not wounded in the slightest.

“I’m merely the man who has saved the Saint’s life twice.”

Now that I think about it, wasn’t that the place where he got hurt saving me? He bled quite a lot.

The moment I thought about it, Jeremy clenched his teeth and pulled me tightly into his arms. I froze, startled, and all my thoughts scattered.

“Gwen is the woman I love.”

Even I was startled enough to turn and stare at Jeremy.

“When we return to the Holy Kingdom, I intend to propose to her. So I would appreciate it if you refrained from showing her any further interest.”

I was flustered, but I told myself this was Jeremy’s way of protecting me from Helares. I tried to relax my expression.

“I love Gwen with all my heart.”

Despite Jeremy’s deliberate provocation, Helares remained quiet and composed.

Or perhaps… he had gone completely still.

“And unlike some people, I don’t torment her with petty, filthy intentions. Isn’t that right, Gwen?”

For now, I decided to play along.

I smiled gently and nodded at Jeremy’s question.

“Then we’ll be leaving now.”

“No. I’ll excuse myself instead. My apologies for becoming an unnecessary disturbance between the two of you.”

With a politeness unlike anything he had shown before, Helares stepped past us. Then, as he passed—

“I only hope that while the Saint remains by your side, you will cherish her well—keep her from harm, and spare her suffering.”

With those parting words, he left the balcony.

I let out a long breath of relief.

My legs nearly gave way beneath me, and Jeremy caught me before I could stumble.

“Thankfully… I think we managed to get through that.”

And yet, for some reason, Helares’s calm, quiet expression would not leave my mind.

‘Did we really fool him?’

Even during the monarchy, on the eve of the revolution, he had attended state council meetings with that same ordinary, unreadable face.

However, this was a foreign palace, and I was under the protection of Prince Jeremy and the imperial guards.

No matter how bold Helares was, he couldn’t simply abduct a Saint who was an honored guest of the Empire.

“Still, Jeremy… why would you say something like that?”

Shaking off my unease, I looked up at him with mild reproach.

“I’m sorry, Sienna.”

Jeremy apologized without resistance for telling Helares that he loved me.

And yet, the smile on his face carried a faint bitterness.

“But I wanted to see how Helares would react. And if he starts thinking of you as a prince’s woman, he might lose interest in you. And…”

Jeremy trailed off, swallowing the rest of his words before they could leave his lips.

But somehow, I felt I already knew what he had been unable to say.

‘I wanted to say it, even if only like this.’

Still…

I had no choice but to pretend not to understand Jeremy’s feelings once again.

Even if that made me cowardly, there was nothing I could do.

“I’m fine. The one I’m worried about is you.”

I worried that if Jeremy ever fell in love or met someone he genuinely wanted to marry after I was gone, this might leave him with a needless scandal or damage his reputation.

“There you go again, worrying about things you don’t need to.”

As if he had seen straight through me, Jeremy pressed a finger lightly to my lips, telling me not to say another word.

“If you’re that worried, then save me for real. Otherwise, don’t say anything more.”

His words seemed to be a mixture of teasing and truth.

In the end, I could only smile and remain silent.

I had lost all desire to enjoy the ball, so we decided to go back to our rooms.

On the way, we crossed the garden on our way to the carriage that would take us back to the annex.

“Good evening, Your Highness. Saint. What a beautiful night.”

“It’s an honor to see you both.”

As we strolled through the garden, people greeted us warmly.

Their curious and admiring gazes felt heavy, yet their presence also brought an unexpected sense of comfort, as if they were quietly shielding me from Helares.

It was late winter, almost spring. The colors of the garden had faded with the season, yet it remained beautiful in its own subdued way.

The gentle sound of water flowing through the artificial stream filled the still night air.

For a brief moment, the crisp feel of the grass beneath my feet and the soft rustle it made lifted my spirits.

Then, a sudden sound, like water scattering from a fountain, echoed from above.

“Oh my!”

“Ah! Why is it raining all of a sudden?”

In an instant, rain came pouring down in heavy sheets, and the people in the garden hurried back toward the palace in confusion.

“Sienna. Let’s get somewhere covered first.”

Something warm and heavy settled over my head.

Jeremy had swiftly taken off his outer coat and draped it over me to shield me from the rain.

“If you get soaked like this, you’ll catch cold. Your body is weak enough as it is.”

Completely wrapped in Jeremy’s arms, I followed him into the pergola to take shelter.

“It must be a spring rain…”

Murmuring to myself, I held out a hand into the open air.

Tap, tap.

The raindrops striking my palm felt cold—and strangely ticklish.

“Stay here for a moment. I’ll have the carriage brought over.”

Jeremy stepped out of the pergola and called for an attendant.

The steady rush of rain filled the air, and its quiet rhythm had a strangely calming effect.

I leaned against a pillar of the pergola and took a deep breath. The scent of rain-soaked earth filled my lungs. The now empty garden had fallen silent — so silent that it almost felt like death.

“…Hm?”

But that fragile peace didn’t last long.

I narrowed my eyes.

It was a dark night, and at first, the figure was just a silhouette. His clothes blended so completely into the darkness that it almost felt like I was staring into empty space.

He stood there, letting the rain soak him through, and slowly approached from across the garden, stopping a short distance away.

He seemed strangely cautious.

It was almost absurd.

It was as if he were holding his breath, afraid his prey might run.

In that instant, everything he had done to possess me came rushing back: The obsession. The madness. The things that no sane person would ever do.

Having gone to such lengths just to claim me, of course he would be furious that I had deceived and escaped him.

To him, I was nothing more than a prize.

Fortunately, the carriage arrived at the pergola shortly afterwards.

“Sienna. Take my hand.”

Jeremy helped me up and guided me into the carriage.

While it was cold and rainy outside, the inside of the carriage was warm and cozy.

As I brushed the rainwater from my hair, I found myself looking out of the window.

There he stood, completely soaked, as if he had been submerged in water.

Yet he didn’t move.

He stood there like a statue.

For some reason, questions rose unbidden in my mind.

‘Why are you standing in the rain like that?
Why are you looking at me like that?
Why do you look so… pitiful? Like a child that’s been abandoned?’

Didn’t you come here to negotiate with the Empire? Then do that and leave.

Please, just leave me alone.

You caged me, forced me and hurt me.

Let me hate you properly.

Don’t make me think that you might feel anything other than resentment, pride, hatred or a desire for revenge towards me.

You shouldn’t.

Of all people, you shouldn’t.

Because I’m going to disappear from this world soon.

If you feel anything else towards me, it will only make things harder.

I don’t want my heart to waver in confusion.

I don’t want to feel indebted to you.

***

Rain-soaked, Reinhardt’s body trembled.

Not from the cold but from fear.

‘Don’t go. Don’t turn your back on me again.’

‘You’ve never been like that with me. Not once have you reached out first—never wrapped your arms around me, never taken my hand.’

‘Is it because I hurt you? Because I destroyed your country just to have you? Because I desired something that was never mine to claim?’

The image burned itself into his mind.

You in Jeremiah Linzer’s arms.

Your hand clasped in his.

The trust in your gaze.

The way you looked at him and smiled so beautifully…

You chose Jeremiah Linzer and walked away from me.

What does he have that I don’t?

He was fine without you. He only seeks you out when it suits him.

But I—

I had nothing but you.

My hatred, my desire, my hell — I am you.

It’s fine.

Just a little longer.

If I endure this, I can take you back.

You’ll come back to me.

The suffocating surge of jealousy could no longer be contained.

It poured out of Reinhardt, raw and unrestrained, consuming everything in its path.