“It doesn’t seem like there are any magical beasts inside for now.”

Benate came to this conclusion after checking how far the cave extended.

Ailie did not answer. She merely nodded and quietly turned her gaze towards the cave entrance.

At least the rain had eased somewhat compared to earlier, but that was all. There was still no sign that it would stop entirely.

What time could it be now?

With the sky so dark, it was impossible to tell. Maybe four or five hours had passed since they entered the forest.

‘Then it’s probably evening by now.’

Night would soon fall.

Even if the rain stopped, it would be impossible to wander through an unfamiliar forest in the dark. This wasn’t a place she knew well.

This meant that finding the villa today would be difficult.

‘Does that mean… we’ll have to spend the night in the cave?’

A night in a damp cave.

She knew it was unavoidable, and yet she still felt a quiet resistance rising within her.

Unlike Breni or Ricciardo, Ailie was not adventurous by nature, having grown up as the pampered youngest daughter of a count’s family.

Getting lost while exploring the mountains, sleeping in a stable instead of a proper bed or sitting in the corridor outside her father’s study for hours simply because she was bored were things she had never even imagined, let alone done.

Even before her possession, she had never enjoyed activities such as hiking or camping.

‘But that’s not the real issue.’

There was something else weighing far more heavily on her mind.

That was—

‘Benate.’

Ailie stole a sidelong glance at Benate, who stood in silence.

Although he was undoubtedly her husband, she had never shared a bed with him.

She had always been indifferent to the idea.

When he excused himself on their wedding night, citing sudden illness, she thought little of it. But no matter how much time passed, Benate never came to her chambers.

Until recently, they hadn’t even shared a single meal together, so what more was there to say?

‘And then I saw him in my bedroom with Donata Seidler. Of course I had no choice but to go to Her Majesty the Dowager Empress.’

In any case, the point was simple.

Sharing a bed with Benate would be unbearably awkward.

She would lie awake all night, unable to sleep.

Trying to keep some distance between them, Ailie slowly surveyed the inside of the cave. It was deeper than she had expected — surely she could manage somehow.

“Ailie.”

At that moment, Benate—who had been silent—called her name.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Go further inside. I’ll keep watch outside.”

Of all people, he was the one who suggested it first, even though she had deliberately kept her distance.

Yet she could not bring herself to agree so easily.

Her gaze lingered on his silver hair, pale and dripping with rainwater. They had spent hours in the relentless rain — of course he would look like that.

By contrast, thanks to the shawl Ricciardo had given her, Ailie’s head and shoulders were barely damp.

If one of them had to sleep near the entrance, exposed to the cold, it should be her.

In weather like this, catching a cold was almost inevitable, no matter where you slept.

“Won’t you be cold?”

“Well… winter has already passed.”

“That’s not what I meant. You’re soaked from the rain.”

Instead of answering, Benate swept his wet hair back.

Then he sat down near the mouth of the cave.

‘So stubborn.’

He had no intention of yielding. That much was clear.

“If you fall ill, that would be a serious problem, Your Majesty.”

As she spoke, Ailie curled up and sat down beside him.

He could be as stubborn as he liked, but if Benate fell ill, it would only make things worse. How was she supposed to care for him in the middle of a forest with nothing to hand? Even if they somehow managed to find the villa, how could she possibly support him on the journey?

If she had to abandon the Emperor and flee alone because he had fallen ill, wouldn’t that be grounds for her deposition?

Especially during a ritual meant to present the gods with the love of the imperial couple?

‘That must never happen…’

This concern wasn’t in Benate’s best interests.

It was purely selfish.

Having justified her actions to herself, Ailie met Benate’s gaze quietly.

“Please stay inside.”

“……A magical beast could come charging in. It’s better if I stay closer to the entrance.”

It was only then that Benate revealed his true reasoning.

The warning sign about magical beasts posted outside the cave had clearly been at the forefront of his mind.

They had only entered the cave out of necessity, intending merely to wait out the rain, but it was a dangerous place to sleep.

There was always the risk of a beast attacking them in their sleep.

Ailie rested her chin in her hand and pondered briefly before speaking.

“Then I’ll keep watch and warn you if anything happens.”

“Are you planning to stay awake all night?”

“And what about you, Your Majesty?”

“……”

Neither of them showed any intention of backing down.

In the end, Ailie sat down where she was and loosened the shawl around her shoulders.

She could feel Benate’s gaze fixed on her as she did so.

“Go inside already.”

“This is your last chance, Your Majesty. You should go in.”

“……”

“Fine. Then let’s stay here together all night. That works, doesn’t it?”

“…What?”

Benate stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Ailie let out a small laugh. She loosened the shawl, flicked it open, and draped one end over her shoulder. Then, with deliberate care, she settled the other end over Benate’s shoulder. At the unfamiliar contact, his shoulder twitched in surprise.

The shawl had been given to her by Ricciardo — she couldn’t just give it to Benate.

Sharing it like this was the only option.

If they were both determined to keep watch, they might as well stay awake together. In any case, neither of them would sleep well in such an awkward situation, so this arrangement was better.

“Ailie…”

Benate called her name with a hollow laugh, as though at a loss for words.

If Benate had no intention of backing down, then neither did Ailie.

“Until we find the villa, the only person I can rely on is you, Your Majesty. So please—take care of yourself as well.”

“……”

“Isn’t that right?”

Regardless of their personal feelings, they had to work together to find shelter as quickly as possible. This meant looking after themselves — and each other. Otherwise, they might become a burden.

Satisfied with her reasoning, Ailie nodded to herself repeatedly.

Benate, who had remained silent, widened his eyes and let out a quiet chuckle.

“You’re right. I wasn’t thinking it through.”

It was the first time she had heard such a light, almost amused tone from him.

***

—Drip… drip…

How much time had passed since then?

The torrential rain, which had poured down as though the sky itself had split open, had stopped as suddenly as it had started.

Droplets, trapped on leaves, fell one by one from the large puddles left behind by the storm; their soft sounds echoed in the stillness.

The forest was eerily quiet.

If only she had known, she might have been better off resting for another day in Karpa.

Ailie stared blankly out of the cave.

‘Even though the rain’s stopped, it’s still pitch-dark. What time could it be?’

At least the rain had stopped, but they would need daylight to find the villa.

She was worried about their scattered companions.

Still, at least they had the carriage. They could sleep inside it. They had stored supplies there as well, so they wouldn’t starve. There were three knights and a physician.

‘…There’s nothing to worry about.’

In fact, she and Benate were the ones truly at risk.

Only then did she understand how the others must have felt, standing helplessly on the opposite bank and not knowing what to do.

They had a spare pouch of gold coins between them, as well as Benate’s sword and a waterproof-magic-enchanted shawl.

‘Is that… really all?’

No matter how many times she counted, that was all there was.

Given the circumstances, it was almost astonishing how calm Benate remained. Having grown up as a crown prince, it was inconceivable that he could ever have been left alone in a forest with such limited resources.

Ailie looked up at his profile with quiet curiosity. When their gazes met, his pale blue eyes met hers steadily.

He didn’t look frightened or dejected at all.

Was that composure simply a quality befitting the Empire’s new emperor?

“I’m glad the rain stopped. I was worried it might keep pouring. This is fortunate.”

“As soon as it’s light enough to see outside, let’s move.”

“Agreed.”

Once they had found the villa and regrouped with the others, they just had to head back to the temple. Provided nothing else went wrong, they would arrive within two days.

‘How will the ritual proceed…?’

Now that the rain had stopped, she could finally afford to think ahead.

They were supposed to show love—to pray for the Empire’s peace.

‘…How do you show something that doesn’t exist?’

What if the gods were displeased? The thought made her uneasy.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

“Still… it’s a relief we weren’t separated. You said it was customary for us to travel together throughout the ritual.”

At that, Benate made an unreadable expression, then gave a small nod.

Ailie stretched lightly and looked out over the forest. With the rain gone, it was peaceful—truly serene.

No magical beasts. Nothing at all—

‘…Huh?’

Wait.

Praying she was mistaken, Ailie shifted her gaze behind the trees again.

‘That can’t be…’

Her trembling rose-colored eyes locked onto a single point.

To the right of the cave—emerging from behind a massive tree—

“Y-Your Majesty! Th-there—do you see that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Th-there, on the right—”

Glinting red eyes.

A massive, pitch-black beast stood before them, its gaunt frame betraying its hunger. Thick, dark-violet saliva dripped heavily from its jaws. This was no ordinary animal.

It was a dangerous magical creature that ruled the forest and hunted any humans foolish enough to enter its domain.

Thud. Thud… thud…

The beast, which had been concealing its presence, began to advance with heavy, deliberate steps. It had realized that they had seen it.

Ailie swallowed hard.

A chill raced down her spine.

She forced her trembling legs to move, struggling to stand, but there was nowhere to run. The cave ended in a solid wall, and if they fled outside, the beast would catch them instantly.

Then—

Without hesitation, Benate stepped in front of her, shielding her, and calmly drew the sword at his waist. The imperial crest engraved on the hilt flared with a brilliant flash.

Thud, thud, thud, thud…

The beast’s footsteps quickened. Like a predator tightening its grip on its prey, it closed the distance.

In the next instant, an immense black shadow swallowed her vision.