Chapter 8: The Final Fragment of Truth (5)

His voice held the tone of someone ready to make a vow.

This had nothing to do with him—it was simply her strange constitution.

“Yes…?”

She must have let that doubt slip out unintentionally.

Terian, who had been quietly studying her expression, now wore that same pained look as before.

Why did he look so hurt?

“If you need anything, please tell me.”

Her mind felt blank.

So much had happened so early in the morning—it was overwhelming.

Was she dreaming a long dream?

As she turned her gaze blankly toward the window, Terian reached out again.

His fingers gently grasped her chin—were they trembling, or was that her imagination?

“Do you understand, my lady?”

“Yes…”

Even though she forced the answer, Terian didn’t move his hand away.

He only watched her with a deep gaze, as if to confirm her sincerity.

Those blue eyes, as if peering into her soul, made her uncomfortable.

To be having such a conversation with him, of all people.

There was no way she should expect anything from him.

“I’d… like to go see Rui now…”

Unable to bear the tension, Larie finally spoke.

Only then did Terian shift his weight and rise from above her.

He pulled the nearby blanket over her before heading to the other side of the bed to get his robe.

Before she could catch a glimpse of his exposed back, Larie quickly lowered her head.

Clutching the blanket around her, she sat blankly, trying to figure out how to return to normal.

Then he held out a glass of water.

“You must be very thirsty.”

He probably meant it as a morning courtesy, but for some reason, it felt like his words carried a different meaning.

It felt like bees were buzzing endlessly in her ears.

“…Thank… you.”

She was quite thirsty, so Larie carefully adjusted the blanket and drank.

The awkward position exposed the inside of her forearm as she lifted the glass.

For some reason, Terian, who had been staring intently even as she drank water, suddenly approached.

He casually took the empty glass from her and, without warning, gently grasped her arm—the same one that had just been exposed.

“Who did this to you?”

Following the furrowed intensity of Terian’s gaze, Larie looked at the inside of her own forearm.

There was an old scar there.

It stretched across the inner arm, roughly the width of a child’s hand.

Though rather large, it was in a spot not easily noticed, and because she had gotten it so young, it had faded with time.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?”

As she silently stared, saying nothing, he pressed again, his voice laced with urgency.

The emotion he kept revealing today—it felt so unfamiliar.

Come to think of it, didn’t he say he had uncovered her past?

How much did he really know?

After the incident with Rui’s secret being exposed, she hadn’t had the time to think about it properly.

Had he come to understand everything that had happened to her?

Just like the dreamlike haze that filled the room, a quiet spark of hope shimmered inside her—something she hadn’t been able to stop.

Hope sparkled like stars, but the moment Larie recognized it, she felt herself sinking slowly into a swamp.

It was the numbness that came from being conditioned.

“My Lady.”

Even if he had uncovered her entire past, believing it was another matter entirely.

Over the years, her family’s treatment of her had occasionally caught others’ attention.

Each time, Larie dared to hope—that someone might understand her situation.

But that hope was always shattered.

Her father’s usual behavior, their wealth, and the bias against Tromperie—all of it protected her family’s image.

Before long, it felt as if the whole world had gone deaf—except her.

She had already revealed one major secret to him.

And though he hadn’t said much in response, she couldn’t be sure he would believe everything—especially things about her family.

Because Larie, too, couldn’t bring herself to trust Terian completely.

And so, Larie parted her lips and let out a vague version of the truth.

“When I was little… I got hurt.”

But Terian, unwilling to let it go, immediately pressed again.

“Are you saying you were hurt alone?”

There was a dark edge to his voice. And yet, strangely, Larie didn’t feel herself recoil.

She couldn’t remember it clearly, but she must have been younger than seven. That day, Gafel had been in a foul mood for some reason.

He began throwing everything he could get his hands on at Larie in a fit of spite.

Unfortunately, among the things he threw, there had been a dagger.

“…Not exactly…”

Whether fortunate or not, nothing like that ever happened again.

Because after that, Larie had become a valuable product.

From then on, Gafel made sure never to leave a “mark” on her.

Just as her father had described her—word for word.

The one who had wrapped up her bleeding wound that day was the nanny who had raised her.

She was also the first person to scold Gafel harshly.

Not long after, the nanny disappeared. Perhaps she’d judged that working for the Tromperie was too dangerous.

That memory—of her nanny protecting her—was one of Larie’s few warm recollections.

And so, she hoped that her childhood nanny was living well somewhere.

“I see.”

When Larie showed no sign of continuing, Terian spoke in a low, somber tone.

Following the weight of his voice, Larie’s confidence plummeted.

Maybe it was better she hadn’t said more.

Just because he was acting differently today didn’t mean she should let her guard down.

Still, the urge to ask Do you believe me? flared up within her.

It was harder to suppress than it used to be, but Larie forced herself to push it down.

“……”

The urge settled back quietly at the bottom of her heart, but she felt cold.

Reflexively, Larie clutched the blanket around her with both hands.

“I’ll escort you.”

Seeing this, Terian didn’t press her any further.

Instead, he started to behave oddly.

“Wait.”

Though still in his robe, he picked up the emperor’s mantle that had been set aside.

Then, without warning, he draped it over Larie’s head.

The emperor’s mantle was a symbol of solemn law.

Instinctively, she accepted it carefully—but the next moment, her body was lifted into the air.

“Ugh…!”

He had picked her up in his arms.

With the mantle covering her, she couldn’t see and couldn’t flail recklessly either.

All she could manage to steady herself against was the firm wall of his chest.

Just as she flinched and tried to pull her hand away, he began to walk.

Reflexively, she clutched his collar to steady herself—but the direction he was heading felt strange.

“W-Wait…”

Before she could even tell him to put her down, Terian was already striding toward the terrace.

In an instant, the two of them were out in the garden.

Even with her body completely covered, she could clearly feel they were now outside.

Startled, Larie stiffened, but he only held her tighter and began explaining.

“I’ve made sure no one can enter the sacred grounds. You needn’t worry.”

“……”

At his quiet reassurance, Larie drew in a soft breath.

“I thought you wouldn’t like it if I called the maids here.”

Those words sounded as though he had prioritized her feelings above all else.

It truly was a strange day.

Still clinging to his collar, Larie slowly relaxed.

She forced herself to think: there’s no other choice now that I’ve come outside looking like this.

“……”

“……”

The path from the Emperor’s Palace to the Empress’s Palace wasn’t far.

Yet being carried in his arms like this made it feel like time had come to a stop.

The arms holding her were incredibly firm.

His broad frame wrapped around her with a comforting warmth.

Suddenly, the gentleness in him stirred something inside her again.

The vibration beneath her changed from the feel of grass to the hardness of marble.

As she quietly held her breath in his embrace, she was gently laid down onto something soft.

“No one is allowed in here for the time being, either.”

His large hand gently pulled back the mantle.

Suddenly, her view brightened—and it was filled entirely by Terian’s face.

He wore his usual impassive expression.

Yet Larie found herself scanning every inch of it, as if searching for something.

“If you need a maid, just pull the cord.”

As he said, the place was completely silent.

Just like the sacred grounds they had just passed through.

It felt as though the two of them were the only people left in the world.

His hand, hesitating slightly, slowly reached toward her ear—so slowly, it was clear he didn’t want to startle her.

“……”

Carefully, as though touching a tender blade of grass, he swept her disheveled hair behind her ear.

“Rest well.”

And with that, he turned away without hesitation.

Even dressed only in a robe, the dignity carried by his firm frame remained undiminished.

“……”

Suddenly left alone in the empress’s bedchamber, Larie stared blankly at the door he had disappeared through.

The way he brought her here was full of questions.

As if he didn’t want anyone—anyone—to see her with him.

If that truly was his intent, then it had all been in vain.

Because he had left his mantle behind.

Gently, Larie touched the cloak she was now sitting on.

It still held his warmth and scent, clinging softly to her hands.

“……”

The Terian she knew was a born noble.

Even before becoming emperor, he was of high standing—and now, he was the most exalted person in the empire.

Someone who shouldn’t have to trouble himself with anything personally.

And yet, he had carried her himself… and brought her all the way to the empress’s palace.

Larie knew full well how vulnerable she was to this kind of kindness.

“Ah…”

Realizing the stirrings within herself again, Larie lowered her gaze with a shadowed expression.

Foolish emotions kept trying to take hold of her again.

A pointless hope—wondering if he, of all people, might believe everything she said without doubt.

Even when he asked about the scar on her arm, that same hope had flashed irresponsibly.

Did she, perhaps, want to confess what her family had done to her?

To tell him, no matter what he had discovered about her past, that it had hurt—terribly so?

Hope always left people parched like this.

Still, this time was a little better.

Following the warmth he left in the mantle, Larie quietly tried to press her emotions back down.

Instead of accusing her, he had shown her this small act of care.

And that alone… was far better than what she had known before.

“……”

Larie tried, with all her might, to believe that.

And yet, her body began to grow cold again.

Longing for the warmth he left behind, she sat still, gently stroking the mantle.

***

“Phew…”

The walk back after leaving her in the Empress’s Palace felt like crossing a vast mountain range.

Eventually, he stopped at the edge of the lake and turned back.

His gaze fixed endlessly on the window of the room where she would be.

The sunlight had deepened, as if it would soon engulf the Empress’s Palace.

It was a scene so delicate and vivid, it felt like the gods were painting his path forward.

He had once feared even standing before her.

But after last night, he now had a path to walk.

Because he had learned that he could be of use to her—even if only once a month.

He had believed all his choices until now had only wounded her.

But at least now, he had done one thing right.

Of course, his first and most important goal was to take her pain away.

Until that time came, Terian had resolved to stay by her side—no matter what.

So she would never again wander that dark forest alone.

He cast all hesitation aside at the lake’s edge.

From now on, he would walk this new path without looking back.

“…Larie.”

Of course, she hadn’t opened her heart to him.

The scar on the inside of her arm was at an angle impossible to inflict alone, yet she hadn’t offered any real explanation.

It couldn’t be helped—

She had no reason to trust him.

But that would change now.

Terian would keep longing, keep striving,

until she could look him in the eyes without fear.

He would never again judge her by the words she didn’t say.