“Today, the place you’ll be visiting is Mount Kalanysh, the symbol of the North. Although there isn’t a proper walking path yet, soon our lord will…”

Inside the reception room of Wiltsbrook Castle.

The guests, who had finished breakfast and prepared for the outing, were gathered with eyes full of anticipation.

While Vali was explaining the day’s schedule to the group, Alec could hardly hear anything.

Because he was facing a crisis of a lifetime.

“So, who are you, really?”

“Don’t come near me.”

Alec roughly ran his hand over his face.

The image of Louise, crying in despair the previous night, hadn’t left his mind.

Would it have been better to lie and say he was Alec?

No, he regretted not saying from the very beginning, the moment he woke up in this world, that he wasn’t Alec.

Had he done that, things wouldn’t have reached this point.

‘I’m going crazy.’

With a serious frown, he pressed his forehead.

Louise hadn’t appeared for breakfast.

What troubled him even more was that she seemed to be struggling far more than he had thought.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Brooks, standing nearby, suddenly asked.

Feigning composure, Alec shifted his posture and replied, “I think I need to go upstairs for a moment. Louise hasn’t eaten breakfast.”

“…Oh?”

At his words, Brooks’s eyes brightened slightly, as if teasing him for being part of a loving couple.

“Hurry up and go, then. It seems we don’t have much time before we leave.”

“……”

Alec didn’t respond, quietly rising from his seat.

As Vali continued his explanation, Alec’s departure caught the eyes of a few people.

Even Marianne and Harriet briefly looked at him curiously, but he paid no mind and left the reception room.

Louise probably didn’t want to face him right now.

However, he thought of asking Jane about Louise’s condition.

Though his level had increased significantly last night, nothing mattered to him more than Louise’s current state.

Her affection and trust levels remained frozen, showing no sign of change.

“Ah, Master!”

Just as he was about to ascend the stairs, he heard a familiar voice and turned to see Jane approaching.

“It’s good you’re out here.”

Jane spoke in a calm voice, without her usual smile.

“My lady asked me to tell you she’d like to see you briefly.”

“…Louise?”

“Yes, she’s in the greenhouse behind the castle.”

“…I understand.”

Alec answered softly, staring at Jane for a moment.

He considered asking about Louise’s condition but decided against it and headed toward the greenhouse.

The greenhouse had been newly constructed, temporarily set up inside the castle to cultivate flowers from the Lees Farm.

Now that they were in the North, there was a need to study the climate.

Fortunately, the research was going smoothly, and many other projects in the North were progressing without issues.

With a creak, Alec opened the greenhouse door, revealing rosebuds of every color.

According to Vali, even he had never seen roses here before.

“…Louise.”

Finally, he called her name softly.

Just saying her name caused his chest to ache.

At the sound of his voice, Louise’s shoulders flinched. She hesitated as if about to turn to face him but then fully turned away, showing him her back.

Only her silver hair reflected the sunlight streaming in from outside and the snow-covered grounds.

Was she refusing to even look at him?

Alec, keeping a modest distance, briefly bowed his head before gazing at her again.

“Have you eaten?”

“……”

No immediate answer came from Louise.

After a heavy silence, her voice finally broke through.

It was firm, yet cold.

“To others.”

“……”

“I won’t say anything about your true identity.”

“……”

“How you’ll explain things to Mother and Eloise is up to you. I won’t interfere. Whether you continue living as Alec or reveal the truth, that’s your choice.”

“……”

There wasn’t a single tremor in her voice.

From her tone, Alec could tell that she had already made up her mind.

Suddenly, Louise slowly turned to face him, meeting his gaze directly.

Under the bright greenhouse light, her mysterious figure briefly blurred his vision.

For the first time, her violet eyes felt colder than the northern chill.

“You said your goal is to kill the emperor, right? Then, go ahead and do it well. I… I’m going to end this marriage.”

“…What?”

He asked, somewhat bewildered.

What did she mean by ending the marriage?

Though he wasn’t the real ‘Alec’, the situation surrounding her and the household wasn’t good.

She needed his protection.

He couldn’t predict when the emperor might target her.

“Tell people that we’re getting a divorce.”

“What are you saying right now—?”

“I’m saying I’m going to divorce you and leave you, and this castle, behind.”

“…”

Suddenly, the faint background noise disappeared.

He had imagined various ways Louise might react in the future, but this was something he hadn’t anticipated.

He asked, slightly startled.

“Where do you plan to go?”

“…”

It couldn’t be…

Yet, Louise stood still as if affirming his worst fears.

Alec couldn’t close his mouth for a moment, but then he firmly replied.

“No.”

“…”

“Leaving here now is dangerous for you.”

“…”

“If you dislike seeing me, you don’t have to. Stay here until the situation improves.”

She knew perfectly well what he was saying.

No one understood better than him how great her heartbreak must be. But that didn’t make her safety any less important.

Louise suddenly opened her mouth, as if overwhelmed.

“Danger?”

“…”

“Do I look like I’m afraid of anything right now?”

“…”

“I’ve lost the one person I thought was my only hope in life. The happiness, the miracle, the love I believed in—it was all a lie.”

“…”

“With this kind of pain, do you really think I’d be scared of some danger and stay under your protection?”

“…”

“I don’t need anything. Right now, I’m not afraid of anything. I feel like smashing everything to pieces.”

Tears welled up in Louise’s clear eyes as if her emotions were overwhelming her.

Alec couldn’t say anything in response.

Was ‘Alec’ truly that important to her?

He knew Louise cared deeply for ‘Alec’, but he hadn’t imagined her heart would be so broken that she would want to leave everything behind.

Perhaps she was too shocked and confused to think rationally at the moment.

Alec decided to give in to her for now.

There was no point in provoking her right now.

“…Alright. You can’t leave right away, so it’s best to prepare here in the meantime.”

“…”

“I’ll explain everything to Eloise and mother.”

“Sure. Do that.”

Louise finally responded, her tone dry and devoid of emotion.

The cold fury that had been in her eyes had vanished, as if she had already said everything she wanted to.

Louise took a few steps as if she was about to leave the greenhouse.

Just as she was about to pass him, she suddenly stopped.

“One last question.”

“…”

“When you said you came from another world, what exactly did you mean?”

Louise didn’t even turn to face him.

Alec stood frozen, unable to speak, as if time had stopped.

This moment felt like it truly marked the end between him and her.

Should he just confront her now?

Should he tell her that everything she cherished and the happiness she had was because of him, not the real ‘Alec’?

What had the real ‘Alec’ ever done for her? Drink poison?

The urge to say these words boiled up inside him.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say such things to Louise.

Instead, he let out a deep sigh and spoke the words that had been pressing on him.

“I wanted to stand before you as my true self. I wanted your love to be for the real me, not ‘Alec’.”

“…”

“But now, I almost wish I really were ‘Alec’.”

‘If only that were possible, I would trade the world for it.’

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories