Ertel had visited this place before with Icarus.

Magrid was quite a mystical fortune-teller and had spoken sharp words back then. That made Amar wonder if it was right for Ertel to get her fortune told here. But then again, since she was bound to the Juan estate, there wasn’t much else she could do.

‘It’s just for fun, anyway.’

Amar wasn’t someone who blindly believed in fortune-telling.

“Your Grace, please go inside and have your fortune told. I’ll wait out here.”

He thought he could at least grant her this much freedom. After all, knowing her future wouldn’t change anything.

When Ertel entered the house hidden within the thicket, the lighting was dim, casting a shadowy atmosphere.

“Is anyone here?”

Amidst the eerie and mysterious ambiance, Magrid sat calmly. As Ertel approached, he spoke bluntly.

“My reason for existing might have been to wait for you all this time.”

“Excuse me?”

“You radiate a natural aurora.”

Suddenly, Magrid frowned slightly and clutched his left chest.

“It aches here.”

“……!”

“You feel the same, don’t you?”

Without any prior explanation, he acted as if he already knew Ertel’s secret. A chill ran down her arms and back. Momentarily startled and unable to speak, Ertel sat down across from him as if drawn by an unseen force.

She felt that there was no need to explain herself—this fortune-teller seemed to know everything about her already. Nervously, she opened her mouth.

“I happened to pass by and decided to stop in. My name is Ertel. I heard you’re the most famous fortune-teller in Elruk.”

“Is that what your servant said? Ah, though technically, he’s not really your servant. Someday, he’ll be the one holding a blade to your throat—what kind of servant is that?”

Even though Magrid couldn’t see, he could sense Ertel’s beauty and purity. Just being in her presence filled him with overwhelming emotions.

In this chaotic and complicated world, preserving one’s purity was no easy feat.

He could simply feel it—Ertel’s nobility. It wasn’t just her noble lineage; an aura beyond mere bloodline surrounded her.

“Ertel, you were born with a blessing.”

“A blessing…? Is that what it is? I’ve always thought I was born with a curse.”

No matter how hard she tried to think positively, Ertel couldn’t shake off the occasional feelings of resentment. These thoughts often crept in during the late hours before sleep.

Magrid pointed to his own eyes with his fingers.

“If you wanted, you could heal my blind eyes.”

Now that she looked closely, she noticed scars on his eyes. Slowly reaching out her hand, Ertel asked,

“Should I heal them for you?”

“No.”

“……!”

“That won’t be necessary.”

There was a reason he refused such an opportunity.

“Because of my blindness, I gained divine powers. This is something that was meant to be in my life. Even if you have the power, there’s no need to fix it.”

“I see….”

“You will face a day when you must make a choice.”

“A choice?”

He could feel the futures that would unfold above Ertel’s head.

“You will either choose death….”

“……!”

“Or you will have both of them.”

Before she could fully grasp what he meant, Amar, who had been waiting outside, called out impatiently.

“Your Grace, stop wasting time and come out now. We need to move to the next location.”

With no other choice, Ertel rose from her seat.

“I should get going.”

Even as she left, Magrid offered her one last piece of advice.

“Miss, loving your family is good, but I hope you’ll put yourself first.”

***

The Palace of Aronder.

The king spent his days dodging the knight commander’s constant nagging.

The commander pressed him with arguments, asking how he could consider incorporating Ertel into the royal family instead of removing the gemstone. He argued that, noble lineage or not, she could no longer live a normal life.

But Pedro’s resolve remained firm.

He was a man who, despite his usual easygoing demeanor, was unwavering when it came to making decisions. He believed there was only one way to save Ertel’s life.

He would declare her queen and publicly announce to the world that “Ertel possesses the gemstone.”

He concluded that making her presence known boldly and openly was the only way to ensure no one could harm or approach her recklessly. If she wasn’t by his side, the most powerful position in the kingdom, she would face danger for the rest of her life, no matter where she went.

But this was Pedro’s decision alone. Whether Ertel would accept his proposal was another matter entirely.

‘I do want to be with Ertel, but I didn’t want to propose under these circumstances….’

Legally, no matter how noble her title, the king could take her as his woman if he wished.

The fact that she belonged to the Juan family, however, would provoke massive backlash.

‘But there’s no other way.’

Eventually, he would have to confront the Juan family head-on.

‘This just brings that time forward.’

Standing in the loop hall, Pedro felt the wind blow as he sank into deep thought.

Soon, he heard footsteps approaching.

“What weighs so heavily on your mind, Your Majesty?”

Cogette approached him, her dress flowing behind her.

‘Even when he’s deep in thought, His Majesty looks so majestic.’

Unlike the deeply troubled Pedro, Cogette’s face was bright and innocent. Her pure and earnest gaze tugged at the king’s heart.

Just moments ago, he had been imagining the downfall of the Juan family.

Though he didn’t know when that day would come, until then, he resolved to treat her with respect and kindness.

“Cogette, have you eaten? It’s already noon.”

“I just finished dessert. And you, Your Majesty?”

“I ate something simple.”

She naturally took a seat beside him and turned her gaze to where he had been looking.

A vast lake and rolling green lands stretched out before them, a view so expansive it felt liberating just to look at it.

“I didn’t realize this before, but it seems you enjoy being alone, Your Majesty.”

“That’s right. I sent away all the attendants who insisted on following me here.”

“I enjoy being alone as well. More than being in a group.”

Perhaps because she had found a small commonality between them, the king’s warm gaze slowly settled on Cogette.

“You’re a woman who knows how to enjoy solitude.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t feel lonely. It’s just… well, that’s how it is.”

Cogette trailed off, swallowing her words. She had wanted to say that being near him would make complete solitude impossible.

“You feel lonely, do you? Then I should visit you more often. That might ease it a little.”

Today, Pedro seemed to be in a particularly good mood. Sensing this rare opportunity, Cogette decided to muster her courage.

“Your Majesty, I… actually have something that’s been bothering me.”

“What is it? Speak freely.”

“Lately, you haven’t come to listen to my harp performances. You once said you liked my voice… have you already lost interest?”

“Lost interest? How could you put it so coldly?”

“I feel like you’re troubled by something, and I want to help in any way I can.”

It was always Cogette who worried about Pedro’s well-being.

She constantly observed his mood and demeanor, adjusting her actions accordingly to avoid causing him any burden.

The king was well aware of her consideration and suddenly felt the desire to reciprocate, even just a little.

“Ah, Cogette. Come to think of it, your birthday is soon, isn’t it?”

“I’m touched that you remembered the date. That alone is enough to make me happy.”

“I’ll have a grand banquet prepared for the occasion. Before that, is there any gift you’d like? If you tell me in advance, I’ll do my best to grant your wish.”

Blushing, Cogette lowered her head. There was only one thing she had always wanted.

“What is it that makes you so shy?”

“It might be something I’ve asked for repeatedly.”

As a concubine, it was something she felt entitled to.

“To spend a night with Your Majesty….”

“……!”

“Please grant me an unforgettable night as my birthday gift.”

***

When Ertel returned from her outing, Icarus was waiting for her at the entrance.

Normally, the butler would greet the returning mistress, but Icarus himself had come to await her return.

Escorted by her aide, Ertel stepped into the front hall.

“Welcome back, Duchess.”

Icarus’s deep yet cheerful voice reached her. Ertel flinched slightly, surprised to see him standing right there.

‘Why is he waiting at the entrance?’

Even the household staff found his unusual behavior curious and watched in fascination.

Ertel, sensing their gazes, responded to Icarus with a polite smile.

“I had a pleasant outing with the aide’s assistance. What have you been up to, Duke?”

“I’ve been enjoying some rest at home and attending to personal matters. I was curious to know if your outing was satisfactory.”

“Thanks to Amar’s company, I was able to explore with peace of mind.”

“I hope it helped you refresh yourself.”

In front of the many onlookers, the two exchanged the kind of pleasantries typical of a married couple.

Ertel even gave a formal smile as she leaned into his embrace.