“By the way, seeing it’s already this dark…… the night will be even more pitch black.”

The sky and surroundings were increasingly hiding in darkness.

‘Has the Karina Empire already fallen into darkness too?’

Even though the prophecy hadn’t been fully realized yet, countries other than the Kingdom of Delpheron were falling into darkness.

The date prophesied in the oracle was clearly approaching.

It was understandable why Harwin was somewhat rushing.

He had properly interpreted the prophecy. She had heard the Karina Empire managed their temples well.

He must have judged that he needed her for his country.

‘I should say I want to visit the temple.’

If she went to the temple here, she might meet the one who represents the power of god.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t coughed up blood once since coming here.’

It was strange.

“Kuhek.”

However, no sooner had she thought this than blood surged up with her cough.

Selvia pulled out her handkerchief and wiped her mouth, apparently used to it. The shadow that had been devouring the darkness rippled.

‘Don’t worry. I won’t die so easily.’

She was struggling to live more desperately than anyone.

But if she stayed here longer, she felt she would lose more blood.

“Let’s go back in.”

Selvia tried to turn her steps to return to her room.

“Ah, you were here?”

She stepped back one step at Harwin’s sudden appearance before her.

Selvia quickly hid the bloodstained handkerchief in her hand.

She really couldn’t predict when and where he would appear.

“Did you come out for a walk?”

She asked Harwin with a calm expression.

Harwin felt inwardly disappointed at her slightly clenched fist and unwavering voice.

She didn’t need to be so defensive. How much closer did he need to get for her to open her heart?

He didn’t want to approach out of stubbornness. He greatly hoped she would come to him on her own.

He wanted her to want him through her own thoughts and judgment, not by force.

“I came out to see Your Highness.”

“To see me?”

At his direct words, Selvia blinked slowly.

However, Harwin’s expression showed he didn’t care at all about the knights’ presence behind her.

“It’s dinner time anyway. I came to escort you.”

“That works out well. I had something to discuss too.”

“……Have you decided?”

“Yes, you’ll need to come back with me when I return.”

Harwin smiled at Selvia’s words.

“It will be a long dinner then. Ah, right, there’s one more surprise left for Your Highness.”

“There’s more to be surprised about?”

Selvia asked Harwin anxiously. However, he just shrugged without answering.

Harwin naturally extended his hand to Selvia.

“Well then, shall we go?”

She nodded while taking his offered hand.

“The knights must withdraw. His Majesty the Emperor is quite sensitive.”

“Let’s do that.”

They needed no interference to have a proper conversation.

It seemed Harwin planned to get the emperor’s certification for marriage with her.

* * *

Judging by the formal dinner setup, Harwin had already anticipated Selvia’s answer.

“……This seems too grand for a simple meal.”

“Haha, you think so? You’ll be even more surprised when you see tomorrow’s banquet.”

Harwin spoke while standing behind Selvia. Looking around, she saw no one else but her.

Selvia felt quite tense. So without sitting down, she asked Harwin.

“But where is Lord Belrocan, why are you alone?”

“He’ll come soon. Though I think you’re more curious about His Majesty the Emperor than Belrocan.”

“I see.”

She barely steadied her breathing and held her head high.

She must not lose her dignified and noble bearing. The emperor would surely assess her worth.

“You don’t need to be so tense. His Majesty will gladly accept you.”

“You must be highly trusted by the emperor, Lord Grey. Seeing how you know His Majesty’s thoughts.”

Harwin smiled as he gently pulled out a chair for Selvia.

“I have to be.”

At his words, Selvia tilted her head. Having sat down before she knew it, she looked at Harwin with a bewildered face.

“His Majesty hasn’t yet……”

However, she closed her mouth the moment she saw Harwin sit in the seat of honor.

“From the beginning, the Emperor of the Karina Empire doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.”

Harwin smiled broadly, interlocking his fingers and resting his chin on them.

Selvia turned her thoughts to grasp the situation. Soon after understanding the situation, Selvia’s expression gradually changed to confusion.

Knock knock.

Along with the knock came the attendant’s voice.

“Your Majesty, Advisor Belrocan is entering.”

Your Majesty?

Unable to calm her surprised heart, Selvia stared at Belrocan entering through the door.

“I greet Your Highness, the Queen of the Kingdom of Delpheron. Let me properly introduce myself again. I am Belrocan Bommel.”

That meant Belrocan’s position wasn’t a lie.

Belrocan noticed the change in atmosphere between the two was different from before.

He cleared his throat upon seeing Selvia glaring at Harwin with tightly closed lips.

“Ahem.”

Silence fell again.

Belrocan broke the awkward silence.

He brazenly introduced Harwin to Selvia.

“Your Highness. This is His Majesty Ratius Walter Hassel, Emperor of the Karina Empire.”

Ratius glanced at Selvia. Despite worrying endlessly about confessing his identity, the fortunate point was that he felt no hostility in her gaze.

“So the emperor’s certification wasn’t needed from the start.”

He nodded lightly.

“But you wanted me too, didn’t you? I’d like to hear the plan you’re thinking of.”

Selvia stared at Ratius while chewing meat.

“I plan to file for divorce. Before becoming a trophy, it would be better to leak my situation to everyone.”

“I’ll make sure nothing tarnishes you.”

“Will Beatus go along with it?”

“I’ll make it happen, so don’t worry. You won’t regret taking my hand.”

Ratius clapped his hands and floated a contract in the air.

It slowly settled in front of Selvia and a fountain pen appeared.

“This will be a good deal. Is there anything else you want?”

“First, please speak less formally. You’re no longer a duke.”

“If that makes you comfortable, I will.”

Just the change in speech style made the atmosphere noticeably different. She cleared her throat and said.

“I want to visit the empire’s temple.”

“You seem to be looking for something.”

“I cannot tell you about that, so I’d prefer you didn’t ask.”

Ratius shrugged at Selvia’s words.

“But you can’t be seen by others. Belrocan will guide you to the temple.”

Ratius glanced at Belrocan. He nodded as if it was fine.

“While you’re here, you can access the temple anytime. Is there anything else you need?”

At his words that anything was fine, Selvia hesitated for a moment.

Should she tell him about her physical condition? She considered it briefly but decided not to.

She didn’t fully trust him yet after all.

“Please arrange the divorce when the prophecy is fulfilled. We won’t need each other anymore then.”

“Divorce, you sau.”

“It would be cruel to spend a lifetime with a woman you brought as a trophy. I do have a conscience.”

“You’re the child of prophecy—who would object?”

“They will. Once the crisis passes, people will endlessly test me, the person who came to occupy Your Majesty’s side. Then I’ll take that as your agreement.”

Selvia signed and smiled with crescent eyes.

“This was my plan so far. Now I would like to hear Your Majesty’s plan as well.”

“The original plan was simple. Belrocan would kill the King and I would take you, but you wouldn’t want that, so let’s forget about it.”

“You must have had some plan?”

“I see you haven’t thought how everything has fallen into place too well to be coincidence.”

Looking back, he had acted as if he could foresee everything. He appeared when she needed him and gave her what she needed.

“Why did Your Majesty think I was the child of prophecy?”

He must have seen what Leliana possessed, yet he was convinced she was the child of prophecy. Until now, no one had thought Selvia was the child of prophecy.

Selvia was curious about why he was so certain of her identity.

“I received a prophecy.”

“……A prophecy?”

“I have the power to wield holy power. It’s a power that anyone of imperial blood inherits.”

“You can use the power of god?”

“Something like that.”

“For example?”

Ratius flicked his hand toward Belrocan. He silently approached Ratius.

“Belrocan. The music is nice. Perfect day for a waltz.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Belrocan started dancing as if he was really hearing waltz music.

“Hallucinations, imprinting. About the level of controlling as I wish?”

When he snapped his fingers, Belrocan seemed to come to his senses and looked around.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you agree not to use your power on me?”

He complained after realizing he had been briefly entranced.

Ratius winked apologetically and put the contract in an envelope.

Selvia thought that perhaps Ratius might be the one who represents the power of god that she had been looking for.

‘I should observe a bit more.’

Selvia seemed to have found one more reason to stay here.

“Shall we resume our meal then?”

Ratius cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and offered it to Selvia.

“That would be nice.”

Seeing Ratius’s melting smile, Selvia smiled back in response.