While Daphne alone might have gone unnoticed, together they couldn’t avoid suspicion, and moreover, Carl, who had to return to wolf form occasionally, found it harder to deceive people.

After wandering with Daphne for countless days, Carl suddenly realized something. That Daphne couldn’t be safe by his side.

So Carl left Daphne for her happiness and safety.

Daphne settled in a small village, and Carl entered the forest near that village.

At night when everyone was asleep, Daphne would come out to the yard to water her flowers. As if trying to show herself to someone who could only venture into the world at night.

During those times, the sound of stepping on branches would come from around the house, and the next morning, when she went to where the sound had been, food like hunted rabbits or medicinal herbs would be placed in front of her house.

Daphne lived alone without marrying anyone until the end of her life.

“Only when the girl was old and about to die could that poor beast enter her house. By then, even if his identity was discovered, she didn’t have much time left anyway.”

Carl, tracing his memories, closed his eyes gently. He could still hear the last conversation he had with Daphne as if it were echoing in his ears.

‘Carl, I’m all wrinkled like this…… But you look exactly the same as before.’

‘You’re still the same too, Daphne.’

‘Haha, that’s a lie. I’m glad you don’t age. When I look at you, it feels like I’ve gone back to that time.’

‘To me, now is no different from then. Daphne, it hasn’t been that long. The days we spent together are so short. Are you leaving already?’

‘I’m sorry, Carl.’

‘Daphne. Please. Don’t leave me behind. Without you, the days I have left mean nothing. Without you, I’d rather die.’

‘Carl, you know. They say humans can be reborn if they have a reason they must be reborn. If they leave behind someone they love…… if that connection isn’t broken. Carl, will you wait for me? Then I’ll surely find you in my next life too.’

‘Daphne……’

‘Carl. Looking back, I think I’ve loved you all these years. Every moment with you was overwhelmingly happy. So we’ll definitely meet again. If you don’t forget me… and keep loving me……’

Carl collapsed over Daphne. Daphne patted his back with her wrinkled hands and squeezed out words mixed with labored breaths and metallic sounds.

‘I promise, Carl. That I’ll be with you again next time.’

‘Yes, I won’t forget you either. I’ll wait for you. I’ll love only you forever……’

‘Then, sing for me.’

‘What?’

‘The song. The one I always sang to you.’

Barely swallowing the tears that welled up, Carl held Daphne’s wrinkled hand and softly sang in her ear. The song she always came out to the yard to sing to him when he prowled around her house late at night.

Listening to that song, Daphne closed her eyes with a peaceful smile. Murmuring ‘I love you, Carl’ as her final words……

After finishing the long story, Carl remained silent for quite some time.

Rozenne too could only remain immersed in the lingering emotions of the story.

After being quiet for a while, Carl suddenly looked at Rozenne and said brightly.

“That’s the end.”

Rozenne barely opened her mouth to ask.

“Is that your story?”

“It’s just an old tale, I said.”

The man smiled bitterly and looked up at the sky.

If his eyes appeared pitiful to her, was she going crazy?

Somewhere in his smiling expression, sadness seemed to seep through.

At this moment, Rozenne felt he was not a cruel conqueror, but like the poor boy in the story.

But Rozenne didn’t know.

That this was just a tiny fraction of their long and numerous stories.

⁕⁕⁕

The next day. The people of Wolfhard were busy decorating the royal villa that had found its master again after hundreds of years.

Because Rozenne had stated she wouldn’t stay in the queen’s palace, they prepared a residence exclusively for her in the royal villa. Rozenne expressed her intention to use it as her diplomatic mission as well.

Almost all the palace staff were assigned to the royal villa, and many people wore down the threshold carrying furniture and decorations in and out.

Among them was a new maid who had entered the palace for the first time this year and was experiencing such work for the first time.

“Um, Head Maid.”

Katie, a new maid in her first year at the palace, asked the head maid with eyes wide open like a child seeing another world at the splendid interior of the royal villa.

“Is the person who will use this royal villa really the one from the legend?”

The head maid, whose head ached at such an innocent question, turned around with a stern face and warned sharply.

“Shh. Katie. Mind your tongue. If you make a slip of the tongue in front of that person, our lord won’t leave it be.”

At those words, Katie quickly closed her mouth and nodded her head vigorously.

Inwardly thinking that the person who would become the master of this palace must truly be an important figure.

By the time the royal villa finished its decoration, Carl was taking Rozenne on a tour of the main palace structure.

After touring the glass greenhouse, library, music room, art hall, and ballroom, they now walked along a long corridor with a gallery attached. Behind Carl and Rozenne walking side by side, attendants including Jaken and Cynthia followed at a slight distance.

Carefully appreciating the portraits that filled both walls of the corridor, Rozenne couldn’t resist her curiosity and spoke.

“Who are those women in the portraits? Wolfhard’s royalty?”

The women in the portraits all had somewhat gloomy expressions. Some of them wore shabby dresses that didn’t befit royalty.

At Rozenne’s casual, indifferent question, Carl gave a bitter smile.

“Royalty, huh. They are women who passed through this place, so I suppose they could be seen that way.”

At his answer, Rozenne tilted her head.

“Then are they all your ancestors? Like your mother, or grandmother……”

“……Well.”

He only gave an ambiguous answer without providing any clear explanation.

Seeing the man’s somehow gloomy expression, Rozenne stopped asking questions. In the subdued atmosphere, Rozenne resumed walking after having stopped in front of a painting.

After leaving the main palace, they passed several buildings and headed to the most hidden grounds in the palace.

The royal villa was located in a secretive space surrounded by dense trees in the northwest of the palace’s back garden.

Only an arch-shaped marble tunnel connecting the royal villa and the main palace was the sole path to the villa, and as soon as one passed through the tunnel, the villa’s front yard appeared.

Standing in the yard with fountains and flower beds, Rozenne looked at the front of the royal villa densely engraved with relief sculptures.

Inside the wide-open main gate of the villa, a red carpet was laid, and servants were lined up on both sides.

At that sight, Rozenne felt both embarrassed and slightly bitter.

If she had safely completed the wedding and entered Sohara Palace, she would probably have had such a time with Harrieus. But having been dropped alone in another country as a prisoner and entering the enemy country’s royal villa, she couldn’t fully appreciate their hospitality.

As if reading Rozenne’s feelings, Carl didn’t enter the royal villa alongside her but stopped at the door. He extended his arm, gesturing for her to enter first.

Rozenne looked at him once and followed the path he had cleared for her to enter.

The servants, who had been slightly bowing their heads, exchanged glances as they stole looks at Rozenne’s back as she passed by.

“Do you like it?”

After Rozenne quickly looked around the splendid interior, Carl finally entered through the door and asked. Rozenne turned to look at him.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of taste you prefer, so I paid special attention.”

Having confirmed that Rozenne was Daphne’s reincarnation, nothing was too precious for him. He had the royal villa decorated with all sorts of treasures and rare items collected from across the continent, but Rozenne didn’t show a particularly surprised reaction. Rather, it was Cynthia, who was among the servants behind Carl, whose eyes widened as she continuously marveled at the interior.

“It’s too lavish to use as a diplomatic mission.”

At Rozenne’s indifferent tone, Carl let out a chuckle. Yes. This is just like you. Carl thought about how Rozenne wouldn’t like it as he stood beside her. Then, placing his hand lightly on the back of her waist, he said.

“Well, let’s go in. I’d like to show you the rooms personally.”

Carl took Rozenne to the front of the staircase that split into two branches from the central hall.

The servants tried to follow, but Carl raised his hand to stop them.

“We’ll go to the rooms alone.”

Rozenne reluctantly accepted Carl’s escort as she climbed the stairs. Looking up at the backs of the two people, Cynthia clenched her fist tightly.

[To be continued in the next volume]