“…That’s…”

Lars bit his lip and pressed his lips to Chohee’s eyelids. At the gentle kiss, tears leaked from Chohee’s eyes again.

“From now on, never listen to anything Karad says. Even if he tells the truth, processed and edited truth is close to lies or malicious truth. That’s worse than lies.”

Chohee nodded repeatedly at his words.

He was right. She knew well how dangerous it was for Claes to try protecting her against Karad, who wanted to t*rture her. Thinking of the emperor who had ordered her to be treated merely as a Breeding Vessel, Claes had to be prepared to lose his Crown Prince position.

“…Lars. But I hope Claes doesn’t lose his Crown Prince position. Think of how much effort Claes put into becoming Crown Prince, and all the things he did after ascending. If he loses it because of me, it would be too unfair.”

Lars shook his head.

“Now that we’ve come this far, the Crown Prince position isn’t important. Rather than overlooking you being tortured, he’d think it better to somehow get you out even if it means losing his position.”

‘Claes certainly seemed to intend that…’

Chohee felt turmoil in her chest and lowered her head deeply. Stroking her black hair, Lars whispered gently.

“Don’t worry. Lord Claes will handle it. If he can’t prevent the t*rture, he’ll find an escape route before it begins. So Chohee, please trust Lord Claes and me.”

At Lars’s kindness, embracing her while speaking encouraging words, Chohee’s tears slowly stopped. Lars was probably right.

Unlike Karad’s words that only highlighted painful truths to wound her, Lars was comforting Chohee with words that held hope for the future, even if they hadn’t yet become reality.

“…Lars.”

“Yes, Chohee.”

Chohee felt it was time to tell him her real name too. So she slowly chose her words carefully.

“From now on, please call me Chohee too, Lars.”

“Chohee… Was your original name Chohee?”

Chohee nodded.

She no longer wanted to be called by the Breeding Vessel name of Elysia by Lars, who led her with trust and always embraced her gently. At least by telling him her real name, she wanted to form a new relationship with him.

Her heart pounded violently inside.

She wanted to dream of a happy future with both of them as Claes and Lars’s one and only wife.

“Chohee.”

Lars placed her name on his tongue with a joyful expression. Like sweetly melting ice cream, the name ‘Chohee’ stuck perfectly.

“Chohee. My Chohee.”

Lars embraced her tightly once more. Pressing her delicate, slender body into his arms was always pleasant, but now it was even more special.

‘Now I’ll truly be loved by you too, Chohee.’

Did Claes also know the name Chohee? Even if so, he felt no jealousy. His elder brother would have earned enough trust to hear her true name.

“Excuse me, Lord Lars.”

But the knight spoke up.

“What is it?”

Seeing him return after briefly stepping away, Lars guessed he had something to say. Chohee closed her mouth again. She had been hiding from most palace people that she could speak, and was also concealing it for fear of falling into malicious schemes.

“I hear sounds from the stairway. If Lord Karad comes, something unpleasant might happen, so it would be better if you stepped outside the prison for a moment.”

Lars’s eyes widened briefly, then he nodded. He released his arms from around Chohee and slowly stood up. Chohee also let him go and gestured with her hands for him to leave quickly.

Lars left the prison and faced the knight in the corridor. Lars felt the need to bring this perceptive and favorable knight to his side. So he asked gently.

“What’s your name? I think I need someone as perceptive as you by my side.”

The knight raised the corners of his mouth slightly and bowed.

“I’m Tenens Berry. The second son of Baron Berry’s family.”

“Ah…”

Lars stood beside the knight and looked at the closing iron bars. How many minutes had passed? The footsteps from the stairs were heavy and slow.

“…D*mn it.”

Unlike when he had left in good spirits, Karad’s face was completely scrunched up. Even his hands were trembling. Seeing this, Lars and Tenens were slightly surprised but didn’t show it.

“Good day, brother.”

“…”

Karad glared at Lars with an expression of annoyance. And what he said was unexpected.

“Don’t think you’ve won.”

“Pardon?”

Lars looked at him with a puzzled face like he had question marks floating above his head, but Karad spat out each word.

“It’s cowardly if you keep using the fact that Lord Claes loves you as your weapon. Someday there will come a day when you’ll be evaluated alone, by your pure abilities. When that time comes, I’ll defeat you in one blow.”

“…I don’t understand what you’re saying. What exactly do you want to say?”

“…”

Karad now had a completely displeased expression.

He raised his hand and pressed it against Lars’s forehead, pushing firmly.

“Anyway, you’re lucky. Know that much.”

“…?”

Lars had a confused expression for a moment, but soon something seemed to flash through his mind as his face immediately brightened. But then he lowered his eyes again and murmured sadly.

“It’s sad news that His Majesty the Emperor has passed away.”

“…”

Karad looked at Lars with a fierce expression. He looked like he wanted to cut him down with a sword right there for getting the right answer.

But even though Lars had lower swordsmanship skills compared to him, he would no longer be able to harm Lars in any way. Claes would ascend to the throne following the dead emperor.

‘The emperor is dead?’

And Chohee, who had been listening to their conversation, felt trembling joy. Since the emperor who had forced her to accept the contradictory oracle treating her as a Breeding Vessel was dead, Claes would immediately reveal the oracle’s falsehood, ascend to the throne, and make her his one and only wife.

“Ha…”

Karad bit his lips repeatedly, then gripped his sword handle and left the prison again.

His appearance reminded her of a defeated male leopard hiding its tail. They were the ones who had won, and Chohee covered her happy face.

Now she didn’t have to follow the foolish emperor’s orders.

Claes would inherit the throne.

‘Duke Serow and the Empress must be furious right now too.’

The position of one and only consort that Claes had promised her.

Even the power and responsibility she would hold as his official empress, not a Breeding Vessel.

‘I want to accomplish all of that. Now for me, reality has become this dream world.’

She wondered if she was experiencing this development because this was a dream that would end happily, but no matter how hard she pinched her cheeks, the dream wouldn’t break. She listened for her phone alarm, but this was undeniably ‘reality.’

“Thank goodness. I was wondering what would happen if they really tortured you… Now we just need to wait for Lord Claes’s orders.”

No sooner had he spoken than sounds came from the stairway. Chohee and Lars turned their heads in that direction. A beautiful young man with flowing white silver hair quickly descended the stairs.

“Open the prison door.”

Even that simple command carried dignity that seemed to prove he was the next emperor. Chohee stood up with a pounding heart. Seeing her, the corners of Claes’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Elysia. No, Chohee.”

As soon as Claes entered the prison, he embraced her. Chohee also wrapped her arms around his waist. Claes held her for a while without saying or doing anything.

His touch stroking her back was careful, like handling his precious lover, like handling a glass sculpture. After burying his face in her black hair and breathing in the subtle hydrangea scent, he slowly raised his head.

“Now… you won’t have to worry anymore.”

He spoke gently, wearing the emperor’s crown.

Chohee held back tears that seemed ready to pour out again and looked up at him with a joyful expression. Understanding her feelings, Claes slowly smiled with emotion and took her hand, kissing her palm.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

Like calming his surging heart, a resounding voice came from the knight. Lars also joined in with a smile.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

Then the prisoners locked in the dungeon also shouted in succession.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live His Majesty Emperor Claes Seherta!”

Chohee closed her eyes.

Now she no longer had to worry about being a Breeding Vessel.

She wouldn’t experience Karad’s harsh words anymore.

He wouldn’t violate her either.

‘Only… I’ll be able to be involved with the people I love.’

Claes and Lars.

The oracle said to become the one and only consort of three princes, but Chohee didn’t want to associate with Karad, who had tried to t*rture her and furthermore caught her by spreading nets like a stray dog.

“I love you, Chohee.”

Claes whispered gently and lifted her up.

“Kyaa.”

When Chohee clung to his neck at the elevated view, Claes let out a soft laugh and stepped forward while holding her. Even as they strode out of the prison and climbed up, the sounds of “Long live His Majesty the Emperor” continued.

They came out of the tower. The subtle flower fragrance from the rose garden tickled her heart completely.

“Now this empire, I, and Lars are all in your hands.”

Savoring Claes’s sweet voice, Chohee quietly gazed at the scattering rose petals.

“As my complete consort, always stay by my side, Chohee.”

Claes set Chohee down and knelt on one knee. Chohee quietly gazed at him. Claes smiled gently and slipped a ring he had caressed for a long time from his chest onto Chohee’s fourth finger.

“I love you. My love. You who will become my one and only wife.”

A bright smile spread across Chohee’s face. Lars, who had just climbed the stairs, watched with a smile as Chohee collapsed into Claes’s embrace.

Ah, it was truly a happy day.

Feeling both heart-pounding excitement and the happiness of receiving a proposal, Chohee embraced him tightly. As the one and only consort of the Seherta Empire’s emperor before her. And while also being the consort of his brother Lars.

“I love you, Claes.”

And Lars.

Chohee whispered thus.

Joy spread across the two men’s faces, and one woman smiled brightly.

So they could enjoy happiness together forever.

Forever.

fin.