With an explosion, smoke billowed around Aksen.

What did Louise throw?

‘What is this—?’

Just as Aksen’s brow furrowed, familiar voices suddenly surged.

“Cursed wretch.”

“You demon!”

“…?”

Voices he thought he had long forgotten.

They were the words of the late Emperor and Empress from long ago.

Suddenly, Aksen felt the thorn lodged in his heart drive deeper, and he flinched slightly.

Why was this happening?

Even if he recalled their accusations, he thought it would no longer affect him.

‘Damn it.’

Bang!

Aksen struck the air, trying to escape the unsettling scene.

But the late Emperor and Empress continued to stare at him, as though he were filth, and before them, Aksen was nothing more than a small boy.

The past he never wanted to confront again played out vividly before his eyes.

Aksen’s eyes widened, and his jaw tightened.

It felt as if his heart was cracking.

“What have you done, Louise?”

Or was it Alec?

Aksen released his magic.

He didn’t want to stay here for even a second longer.

But instead of escaping, he felt himself being pulled deeper into the void.

This time, a woman whose face he had forgotten appeared before him.

“How could you, how could you harm the Crown Prince?”

“You should never kill anyone. But how could you—?”

“…!”

Aksen’s eyes flew wide open.

He thought he had forgotten her face entirely.

Yet he instantly recognized his mother.

Her silver hair gracefully flowing, her mystical purple eyes.

To see that woman’s face again like this…

Something overwhelming surged within him.

In front of his mother, whom he didn’t even want to think of as such, young Aksen stood with tear-filled eyes, spilling sorrow and rage.

“How could you do this to me, Mother? I told you, I didn’t mean to kill him. I don’t even know how it happened!”

“…….”

“I thought you, of all people, would believe me!”

“Silence! Don’t say another word. You… you can never atone for this mistake. Because of you, our entire family has suffered! Because of you, because of you—!”

His mother, consumed by anger, trembled violently.

Aksen had never realized that her once perfectly beautiful and mysterious face could twist so much in disgust.

Watching her like this felt like his heart was collapsing, just like when he was a child.

Why?

Why didn’t she believe me?

He was now the Emperor, with all of the Empire kneeling at his feet.

No one could hurt him anymore, and he wasn’t weak enough to be wounded by anything.

Yet, in this moment, Aksen felt the anger boiling inside him, as if he were a child once again.

It felt as if a barely healed wound was threatening to tear open, filling him with discomfort.

He never wanted to face these emotions again.

He never wanted to be reminded of them…!

As a boy, Aksen abandoned everything and left home to develop his magical power. Even then, thoughts of his mother and father lingered.

‘If they realize I’ve become powerful, will they forgive me? No, I don’t need parents anymore.’

‘I don’t care if no one loves me. It doesn’t matter to me.’

‘I’ll make everyone fear me.’

Young Aksen ground his teeth but also curled up in fear.

He wanted to become so strong that no one would dare look down on him.

If he could achieve that, those who scorned and hurt him would disappear.

He was a black mage.

Clearly, he was someone specially chosen by the heavens.

Bang!

At last, Aksen broke free from the attack Louise had thrown at him.

He wouldn’t allow himself to be provoked by these illusions any longer.

No matter who she was, even Louise wouldn’t be spared—he would sever her neck.

No matter where she tried to run, she would be lost in this place.

With a mere gesture, Aksen caused the bricks beneath him to grind and pile up layer upon layer.

He constructed a towering platform, almost like an altar.

From somewhere, Louise was dragged to this altar and dropped onto it.

“Ah!”

The stones protruded slightly, binding her wrists and ankles tightly.

Though she struggled to free herself, it was futile.

Realizing escape was impossible, Louise glared at him with a deadly look.

Aksen took a few steps toward her and spoke.

“You’ve been playing with some interesting toys.”

“…Don’t come any closer.”

Louise gritted her teeth, her voice sharp.

Even in her defiance, she was impossible to look away from.

A faint smile crept onto Aksen’s face.

“Do you really think you have a choice? No matter where you try to hide, you can’t escape my sight.”

“…….”

Louise’s gaze grew even colder.

“Why me?”

“……”

She scoffed, her voice icy as she continued.

“I’m the wife of that Alec you despise so much. Doesn’t it hurt your pride?”

“……”

Aksen clenched his teeth. A blue vein pulsed diagonally across his forehead.

‘Why me?’

Yes.

She was the woman of Alec, the man Aksen had despised endlessly.

Because of that, he had also looked down on Louise, but in the end, Aksen came to acknowledge her.

“You are.”

“……”

Aksen took a step closer, narrowing the distance between them.

“You are perfect.”

“……”

Louise’s expression twisted with even greater disgust.

Aksen gazed at her with slightly softened eyes.

Even as the wife of the fool Alec, Louise always embraced him warmly.

Aksen had thought she would run away within a month—no, less than a year of their marriage—but Louise remained by Alec’s side with grace and warmth.

Whenever people mocked and bullied Alec, she stood by him, comforting him.

Even after Alec lost his fortune, his estate, and his title, it was the same.

Aksen had been certain she would leave him by then.

But no, he couldn’t help but be shocked.

‘…How could she do that?’

It grated on his nerves.

He had thought, more than a hundred times, that she would run away. Yet, instead of blaming Alec, she shielded him.

Even when Aksen tried to provoke the nobles and drive a wedge between Alec and Louise, she remained steadfast and unwavering.

Two years ago, Aksen even framed Alec for a murder. But Louise maintained his innocence until the very end.

It was dull.

He had expected her to abandon Alec, but she didn’t, and that disappointed him.

He couldn’t understand why she trusted him so completely.

Alec wasn’t even loved by his own family.

His father had refused to acknowledge him as his son from a very young age.

Aksen knew that Alec’s mother was consumed with self-blame for giving birth to such a worthless child.

Even Eloise, his sister, ignored Alec entirely whenever they crossed paths.

So why?

Why could Louise, who hadn’t even known of Alec’s existence until just before their wedding, protect him so fiercely?

It made no sense.

Aksen couldn’t accept the two of them.

Because for him…

For him, there had never been anyone who unconditionally protected him.

“……!”

Aksen stretched out his hand, igniting his magic with a sudden burst.

He didn’t want to think about this anymore.

A large flame briefly flared in his palm before vanishing without a trace.

In its place appeared a brilliantly clear, dazzling ring.

The diamond, over 50 carats, refracted light into thousands of sparkling rays.

It was a ring crafted by one of the Empire’s most renowned artisans.

Louise’s fierce gaze flicked from Aksen’s face to the ring.

“……”

Only she was worthy of this ring.

“You’re the only woman fit to be Empress. I’ll free you from the life of being that fool Alec’s wife.”

Aksen released the magic that had bound Louise.

He intended for her to accept the ring of her own will.

Louise glared at him as she carefully rose to her feet.

The ring hovered before her, glittering in the air between them.

Her eyes fell on it.

She let out a cold, bitter laugh and slowly reached out to grab it.

“……!”

Aksen’s eyes widened with interest, thinking she might actually accept his offer.

“I.”

But Louise gripped the ring so tightly it looked like she was about to crush it, her expression filled with loathing.

“I despise men who abandon their wives the most.”

Bang!

She threw the ring with all her might.

The sharp sound of it crashing against the cold stone wall echoed ominously.

The ring, unscathed, rolled across the stone floor with a clear, ringing sound.

Aksen glanced at the ring with cold, sunken eyes, then shifted his gaze back to Louise.

Why?

What did that idiot Alec have that he didn’t?

Why did she shield Alec while rejecting him?

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