Noisy screams could be heard. They were those who had been prolonging their lives by hiding in cowardly shadows. The justification had been created.

With this, Drake would become the hero who punished the rebels who killed the Empress. Leoni smiled grimly.

The high iron bars had been lowered, and the once-mighty imperial palace now lay beneath her feet.

All because of such things.

Because of people who had never even held a sword in their hands.

Leoni clenched her fist. She had believed she would feel relief after taking revenge, but knowing the truth left her heart hollow instead.

Unspent anger welled up inside her, with nowhere to go.

Leoni slowly closed her eyes.

And Leoni seemed to understand what that emotion was. No matter how hard one tries, the dead will never return.

**

Meanwhile.

“Wow. It’s really been a long time, right?”

The Princess of Jains turned to her husband with a bright smile. Jeremy sighed.

“Please watch where you’re walking. If you fall, who will you blame?”

Helena puffed her cheeks at Jeremy’s scolding.

“With so many strong men around.”

Helena looked back. There were three boys, including Jeremy, tanned dark by the sea breeze. The three boys grinned mischievously.

“You would catch me if I were about to fall, right?”

“Yes, Helena!”

The boys answered spiritedly.

It took a month for the children, who had spent the first few weeks crying and refusing to eat while looking for their parents, to resign themselves and accept Jeremy and Helena.

And the children who had grown healthily under the sun had grown about a span taller.

“See, Jeremy? The kids say they’ll catch me.”

“Sigh.”

Jeremy shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. Helena cheerfully linked arms with him.

“Don’t you think the north is still a bit cold? Why did Her Highness Princess Marian call us here?”

“I don’t know. It seems many things have changed during this time.”

“Indeed.”

Helena glanced at the children.

They were playing together but paused to tilt their heads in curiosity.

“No. Let’s go quickly.”

Marian calling Helena and Jeremy meant deciding what to do with those children. Helena let out a faint sigh.

It seems she had grown attached to them after spending several months together. Those children were more innocent and bright than she had expected. Though born closest to the imperial palace, the children knew nothing about it.

The children’s world consisted entirely of their parents.

At first, they seemed confident, as if they knew everything, but they didn’t even fully understand what their parents did.

Is that why? This feeling of pity.

“Oh, I can see the castle, Helena!”

The child was right. The castle was getting closer and closer.

**

Drake Castle.

Abel went down to the entrance after hearing news of guests. People were gathered near the entrance. Abel narrowed his eyes.

Helena, Jeremy, and Benjamin’s three sons.

Abel ran his hand through his hair.

“Why are they here?”

Albrecht glanced at Abel and swallowed. He knew they were coming today because Liebe had told him.

Liebe had been one step ahead of Albrecht.

Benjamin would have failed to meet his children, and in the meantime, Liebe had smuggled the children here.

“Haha. It seems to be Her Highness the Princess’s doing.”

“So you’re slower than Marian.”

Abel muttered coldly.

“That’s……”

Abel frowned. He had been planning to kill everyone if they made any foolish moves while monitoring Benjamin and the children.

But……

Abel’s gaze shifted to Marian.

Marian, who was exchanging greetings with Helena and smiling brightly.

The Marian who had recently seemed depressed and bored now appeared full of vitality.

“Sigh.”

Seeing Marian with such an expression, Abel realized he couldn’t go against her wishes.

Marian waved her hand toward Abel.

“Abel! Come down here!”

“……How.”

Albrecht carefully added.

“Should we get rid of those children from sight even now?”

Abel glanced at Albrecht. He was grinning annoyingly. He clearly intended to tease. Abel said stiffly.

“No need. Just do your job.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

Abel sighed once more and moved his steps.

His gaze turned toward Helena. More precisely, toward Helena’s swollen belly.

“Helena is pregnant, Abel!”

Marian spoke in a higher tone than usual. Now he understood why Marian’s mood seemed much better.

“Congratulations, Duke. On becoming a father.”

Helena offered her congratulations with a bright smile. Abel swallowed a groan. It was obvious without watching that Helena would help stabilize Marian.

Abel would not be able to drive away today’s guests.

“……We should prepare a dinner banquet.”

Abel muttered.

**

After the noisy dinner ended, Jeremy took the children to the bedroom.

And Helena had the leisure to drink tea with Marian.

“I was worried I might have asked for something too difficult.”

“Taking care of children turned out to be surprisingly fun. Well, maybe because Jeremy did all the difficult parts.”

Helena giggled softly.

Her lightly tanned face looked much healthier than before. And happier.

Unlike Marian, who trembled with uncertainty despite being pregnant.

“……How does it feel to be pregnant?”

“It’s a blessing.”

Helena spoke with firmly shining eyes. She hugged her belly.

“We’re waiting with one heart for this child to come into the world. The children said they’d like a girl. I think having one more mischievous child would be fine too.”

Helena smiled brightly.

“……Aren’t you afraid of giving birth?”

“Afraid? Oh, of course there are scary parts. I heard giving birth is quite painful. Ugh, just thinking about it scares me.”

“……What if the child is sick?”

“That could happen too. They might be born with disabilities. Hmm, maybe they could even be a troublemaker.”

Helena thought for a moment before continuing. Then she said something that would resonate heavily in Marian’s heart.

“But it’s still a child who resembles me and Jeremy. They’ll surely be lovable. No matter what kind of child they are.”

Marian bit her lip hard. It seems…… only Marian was weak.

**

Though she had decided to have the child quite some time ago, only now did she truly accept it.

This child wasn’t just Marian’s. The thought that Abel would be there for the child during difficult times was comforting.

The fact that no god was constraining Marian anymore also gave her the courage she needed.

Marian stroked her neck.

Abel had offered his abilities for her. Now, it was time for Marian to break down the walls she had built and step outside for Abel.

To create an ordinary family with Abel, as he wished, and to be happy… like everyone else.

Late that night, Marian decided to visit Abel to share this resolution with him.

She wanted to tell him that nothing in the world could ever come between them again, to express her thoughts and feelings.

But, as always, the world blindsided Marian.

“……What did you just say? What did you do in Jains?”

“Didn’t you hear? I gave up half my life. No one knows when I’ll die. Whether it’s five years later or ten years later. What’s certain is that my lifespan will be shorter than yours.”

Marian stopped breathing.

She couldn’t be sure if what she heard was correct.

Abel gave up what?

‘I made a deal with my ability. I’ll live half of my remaining life as an ordinary human. You’ll have to protect me then.’

Marian’s vision darkened. It was a feeling of emptiness, as if she couldn’t see anything despite having her eyes open.

‘It was a lie!’

Marian screamed inwardly. Abel had lied to her with a calm face. He had hidden that he took on the punishment Marian was supposed to receive!

“When that time comes, you’ll have to protect Marian and the child in my place.”

“What are you trying to push onto me? Your Grace, do such things yourself! Even if you’re dying, don’t die; even if you’re sick, don’t die; do it yourself!”

Albrecht’s shrill voice leaked through the door.

“Look. Do you think I’ll live forever? I’m just talking about an inevitable situation.”

“……Don’t you regret all the years you’ve endured? If you’re going to be like this, just go to the north, to Lorenzo. Go and start a war or ruin this empire! That’s not what I wanted!”

“I made a better choice. The best choice. I’ll enjoy what I’ve never enjoyed before, and I will continue to do so. I don’t understand you.”

“……Do you know what you’re saying right now?”

“I had no intention of leaving Drake’s bloodline in this world. I had decided to end this cursed bloodline with me.”

Abel revealed his innermost thoughts in an uncharacteristically gloomy voice.

Abel hadn’t been fine all this time. He had merely endured—for the sake of those who relied on him, dreaming of a future and revenge through him.

After achieving all of that, Abel simply wanted to die quietly, in a place where no one was around.

“Cursed bloodline?!”

“What else?”

Abel laughed softly.

“Did you think I would leave a monster like me in this world?”

“Your Grace!”

Marian stepped back. This was Abel’s true inner self, the side he had never shown her before.

Abel was no different from Marian.

Unintentionally, Marian made her presence known.

Abel opened the door and saw Marian standing there.

He let out a sigh.

“……Duchess……”

“Marian. What I just said is……”

“Hypocrite.”

Marian said sharply.

“You said everything would be fine! You talked as if it was nothing! You said this child would be fine!”

Abel’s face twisted as if it had been crumpled like paper.

He hadn’t been careless—he had simply let his guard down too much after gaining the upper hand.

All he had wanted was to warn Albrecht about what was coming.

Life was unpredictable.

“Marian, I……”

“You said it was in the Kingdom of Jains, right? If you met them, I can meet them too! I’ll restore everything. Why do you have to die?”

Marian cried out in a clear voice.

“Why do you die in my place! Did you think I would say thank you very much?”

“Marian!”

Abel grabbed her shoulders. Albrecht glanced around before making a run for it. He was too ordinary a human to handle the heat emanating from the magical power boiling between the two.

“Did you think I would just stand by and watch? When you might leave me? For heaven’s sake, Marian. I would have already died if it weren’t for you.”

Abel sneered coldly.