‘Have you awakened today? Looking at your wounds, I see you haven’t. The great moment of rebirth will come someday!’

The memory of his face is still vivid, the strange expression he wore each time he looked at the marks of my torment, asking about my awakening as though confirming something, and muttering things that made no sense.

“We have no business with each other.”

My rather cold reply did nothing to faze him. Roned’s fine face lit up as he sent a remark that wore the costume of a compliment.

“What do you mean, no business? The flame of Rodencia’s revival stands right before me.”

You really never change. The dynasty has fallen and a new Emperor has risen, and you’re still saying the same things.

“Have you forgotten? A non-ability user of the royal family, an omen of the kingdom’s ruin. That’s what I am.”

“How could I forget! Do you have any idea how distressed I was every time you were tortured!”

What? Distressed? You followed me around every single time with your eyes gleaming, prying into everything with what seemed like delight, and now you say distressed?

He must have read my skeptical expression, because Roned glanced at me with an uncharacteristic look of self-consciousness and began to defend himself.

“I told Lewian, no, His Highness, multiple times that it was pointless and to stop!”

“Ha. Is that so?”

Whether he did or didn’t, what business does he have with me now? I’m not one to talk, but here he is dressed head to toe like a man of the Frianc Empire, and he has the nerve to put the words “Rodencia’s revival” in his mouth.

“You are the key to the prophecy. Rodencia was always a kingdom heading toward its end. It did not fall because of you. A non-ability user of the royal family is, in fact, a symbol of rebirth.”

“Pardon?”

“Have you forgotten the true power of a divine beast? Fire is only a secondary ability. The red bird’s true power is rebirth, is it not? That tenacious life force that rises even from death! The fact that you were born a non-ability user is a symbol of resurrection, proof that Rodencia can be reborn even from ruin!”

So all those times Roned visited Rodencia and trailed after me asking whether I had awakened yet, he wasn’t asking out of frustration that I hadn’t. He was asking because he was worried I might awaken before Rodencia fell?

Either way, it’s unpleasant. I want nothing more to do with this.

There were many who worshipped divine beasts besides Roned. He might be connected to them, and simply standing here exchanging words with him could cause trouble for Heliones.

“I have no interest whatsoever in Rodencia’s fall or its revival.”

“No interest! Is it not your homeland?”

At my blunt reply, Roned’s finely sculpted face began to twist in a strange way.

Do I love my homeland? Of course I do.

But what I love is not the Rodencian royal family. Not those terrible people who tortured and abused me every day.

I love only the land and the water, where heat haze shimmered across the ground each spring and seabirds played over the dazzling glitter of the waves beyond.

“To me, Rodencia is its red earth, its high sky, its blue sea, and the people who live within them. It is not the royal family. It does not matter who rules it. As long as the Rodencia I remember still exists there as it was, I have no more grievances.”

Please just go. Just leave. I don’t want to be tangled up with you, or with the past, any longer.

I let my irritation show openly, twisting the corners of my eyes, and looked away. I could feel Roned’s burning gaze fixed on my cheek, but I ignored it on purpose.

“You may remain as you are for now. But you will come to understand soon enough. Your true role. I am prepared to die willingly for that…”

“Lucian!”

The exchange with Roned had lasted barely two minutes. But for Hanna, who had lost sight of me, it must have felt like an eternity. I turned quickly at the sound of Hanna’s desperate voice, and Roned had vanished, gone without a trace.

“Hah, hah, I… I thought something had happened to you… hah…”

In just that short time, Hanna had imagined enough terrible things to bring tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry. My stomach suddenly felt so awful I was afraid I’d be sick right there on the main street, so I stepped into the alley. It happened so fast I couldn’t say anything. I’m really sorry.”

I was genuinely sorry for worrying a girl who cared so much about me. I took Hanna’s hand and offered her a heartfelt apology to calm her down.

Hanna finally burst into tears. I held her close and soothed her, saddened by her tears. I didn’t want to make her cry. Hanna is prettiest when she smiles.

Hanna had a warm heart but a resilient nature, and after a short cry she pulled herself together. She wiped her tears with spirit and scolded me in a way that was impossible to resent.

“Next time, just throw up on my skirt instead! I think that would be better!”

“Yes, yes. I’ll do exactly that!”

After calming Hanna down, we returned to the cathedral and left through the front entrance, where Elren was waiting with the carriage.

“Is there anywhere else you need to stop?”

I had accomplished my purpose, so there was nowhere in particular to go. But I did have one somewhat difficult request to make.

“No, nowhere to go. But could you perhaps send word to the imperial palace? I think I need to see His Majesty briefly. If he is busy, another time would be fine as well.”

“Understood. I will send someone right away.”

When we arrived back at the lodgings, the finished evening gown had already been delivered.

The designer greeted me with bright eyes and a confident expression. And with good reason. The finished garment was nothing short of dazzling. So much so that it almost felt like a shame the person wearing it had to be me.

“As you additionally requested, I added lace fabric along the sleeves and back.”

“Yes. The dyeing must have been difficult. Thank you for completing it so perfectly in such a short time.”

I gazed for a long while at the ivory gown, which shone with a soft but brilliant light like an early summer morning. I knew well that I was no longer in a position to wear such a luxurious gown, but I couldn’t help the smile that came to my lips at the sight of something so beautiful.

“Shall we do the final fitting?”

“Yes. We should.”

I took the gown with Hanna and went up to the bedroom on the second floor. The designer and her staff had apparently received prior word from Heliones, and they raised no questions about my insisting on dressing with only Hanna, though they were probably puzzled inside. We kept carrying the heavy evening gown up and down the stairs every single time, after all.

But my body carried marks I did not want others to see. Terrible marks that would make anyone who saw them instinctively frown. Hanna, the only one who knew of those marks, carefully helped me out of the chemise I was wearing and into a fresh one.

Her hands were as careful as ever, treating me like something that might break. This dear girl had never once asked about those marks. I could only feel her consideration through the gentleness and delicacy of her touch.

Next came the gown, with its lace layered along the back and sleeves. The feminine décolleté line and the richly draped skirt came together in a beautiful harmony.

How lovely.

I had felt a little pleased with myself at the tea party too, but an evening gown was on an entirely different level.

To feel this light, this lifted. Well, what of it. This was likely the last luxurious gown I would wear in my life, so feeling this way seemed more than fair.

When I came back down to the drawing room on the first floor, the designer nodded with satisfaction at her own work.

“Your complexion is so fine that the ivory fabric just comes alive on you. If you curl your red hair and put it up in a half-updo, the elegance and grace will simply pour out of you!”

I knew it was a merchant’s flattery, but praise is always welcome. All the more so because I had rarely had occasion to receive any throughout my life.

“It’s comfortable to move in as well, which is wonderful. I don’t think there’s anything that needs adjusting.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Then please wear it beautifully to the imperial palace banquet!”

“Pardon?”

Had I ever told the designer I was attending the imperial palace banquet? The fact of my attendance shouldn’t have been made public yet. What was this about?

I furrowed my brow slightly and looked at her with a puzzled expression. The designer gave an awkward smile, seeming to realize she had misspoken, and redirected.

“His Majesty’s birthday banquet is coming up soon, after all!”

Why bring up His Majesty’s birthday banquet out of nowhere? I had never even revealed who I was to this designer. We were strangers. Then again, the order had come from the imperial palace, so perhaps she had heard something. But if it came from the imperial palace, wouldn’t they have been more careful about keeping her quiet?

And besides, I had originally only intended to have a cocktail dress made for Delmir’s tea party.

Suddenly the image came back to me of the designer, from the very beginning, pressing me strongly to have an evening gown made instead. She had pushed with such conviction, the certainty of someone who already knew I would soon have occasion to wear one.

Could it be that His Majesty, from the very start…