Just as they were about to say goodbye to the Araceli imperial family and move their steps to the secret passage that could lead to the Summer Palace, Rondimio stopped Louise.

“But he said he wanted to keep one portrait of us deep within the imperial family.”

“A portrait…?”

Louise hesitated at Rondimio’s words. What was he saying when all traces needed to be burned?

At the same time, at the mention of “our portrait,” Louise secretly thought she wanted to paint it herself.

While staying in the palace until now, she had often painted portraits of Rondimio, Dallin, and even Tenueis herself, but she had never painted a complete portrait of them.

Our portrait should include Rondimio, Louise herself, and Dallin, but it was quite cumbersome for Louise to paint it herself.

“There’s no need to hurry. I’d like you, Louise, to paint our last image. It will be the most beautiful in the world.”

At Rondimio’s additional words, Louise considered a bit more.

Even though the staged rebellion would give them enough time to escape, the timeframe was far too short to complete a family portrait of the three of them.

“Hmm, starting from scratch would be difficult, but I have a good idea.”

With those words, Louise ran to the art studio located in one corner of the empress’s palace where the three of them were gathered. When she flung open the door to the studio, the carefully preserved portraits of the three people greeted Louise.

Louise helped the close aides who were clearing away traces of the imperial family that would be recorded as a mere line in history books after today, throwing numerous portraits into the fire pit.

Keeping only three portraits.

In front of Dallin and Rondimio, who were adorably tilting their heads, Louise joined those three portraits together on a large canvas.

Her own portrait was the one Rondimio had liked the most among all she had painted so far, and Dallin’s portrait was the most recent one.

Finally, Rondimio’s portrait was one that she had never completed, from long ago when she loved him passionately, when she hated him more than anyone in the world, and even now when she loved him calmly.

Since it was truly a portrait that had only remained unfinished, after modifying the three portraits as if they had been one from the beginning, it finally became complete with just a few movements of her fingertips.

“Aunt. And both of you. I wanted to say goodbye one last time.”

Not long after the new portrait of the three was completed, Tenueis, who was working hard with the rebellion, came to visit.

Louise handed the large portrait that had just been completed to Tenueis. It would be fine to keep one portrait deep within the imperial family.

They could always paint another new portrait of the three of them someday.

Only then did Louise realize that this moment was truly the last.

“Tenueis. You will be a good emperor.”

“Thank you, Aunt.”

Louise, who was saying her final farewell to Tenueis beside Rondimio, suddenly had something she wanted to tell him and approached closer.

So, what I want to say lastly is.

“For that, it would be better not to love passionately.”

We made things this way because we loved each other so fiercely. We harmed everyone.

Whether he understood Louise’s words or not, Tenueis just smiled and drew the sword that had been hanging at his waist. Then he lightly tapped Louise and Rondimio’s shoulders with the blunt edge of the blade and stepped back.

“I hope the two of you and Dallin live happily for a long time.”

“If it’s on the opposite side of the world, it will be possible.”

Rondimio, who became a tyrant by ascending to the throne blinded by love, and Louise who loved him, officially died.

* * *

Louise, Rondimio, and Dallin used the palace’s secret passage to head to the Summer Palace and then boarded a large ship.

Now all that remained was just us.

One day, two days, three days. And for countless hours, they crossed new continents and sailed through seas of new colors.

Some days they slept in luxurious hotels in splendid cities, and other days they fell into exhausted sleep in small huts that seemed about to collapse.

To a place where no one would recognize them.

Clunk.

Finally, the carriage carrying the three came to a stop. Before their eyes, a pristine white beach and emerald sea welcomed the three who had traveled a long way.

Rondimio, who paid the coachman, helped Dallin down as she sparkled with curiosity about the new place as always, and then extended his hand to Louise, who remained sitting quietly in the carriage.

They planned to end their long journey now because Louise’s health was not good.

The Araceli Empire that had bound the two had become a distant foreign land, so anywhere was fine now. Having lived through such hardships, they could live well even in an unfamiliar place.

“Mom, are you okay? You seemed to be feeling unwell in the carriage the whole time……”

“Mom is fine, Dallin.”

“I don’t think so.”

Dallin looked worriedly at Louise, who was staggering as she got out of the carriage. But Rondimio, who held Louise firmly in his arms, wore a faint smile.

Unable to understand the meaning of his smile, Dallin just tilted her head.

“Dallin. Will you stay here with Mom for a moment? The coachman said this village has good security, so it should be fine.”

Rondimio, having spread a soft cloth neatly folded from the suitcase on the white beach, gently stroked the head of twelve-year-old Dallin before running to the opposite side of the shore.

At Rondimio’s sudden action, the mother and daughter looked at each other.

Realizing they had made eye contact at the same time, they burst into laughter. Louise laid Dallin, who was still so young, on her lap.

As the silver hair identical to Rondimio’s wrapped around her hand, she smiled involuntarily. The reason for this life. My precious treasure that will continue my life from now on.

Although they had obtained Dallin’s consent to fake the deaths of Rondimio, Louise, and Dallin, she felt bad about sacrificing the child’s freedom for adult circumstances.

She felt even more sorry because Dallin seemed to have matured quickly for her age since they started living in the palace from the seaside village. She wanted to make her happier than anyone else.

“Our Dallin liked living as a princess. I’m sorry Mom and Dad couldn’t provide that for you.”

Dallin, who had been listening quietly to Louise’s words, laughed as if it was absurd and hugged Louise tightly. It was such a strong embrace that it almost took her breath away, but she was only grateful.

Perhaps they had started a second life to meet this lovely child.

“I prefer being happy with Mom and Dad over being a princess.”

“But your existence has been erased from the world.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not Mom and Dad’s Dallin. I was happy living with Mom in the seaside village, and I was happy living in the Araceli palace. So I’m happy now too.”

The child spoke of memories from the past.

“I’m happy because Mom and Dad seem to love each other.”

Their lovely daughter spoke of the reality before her eyes.

“It seems even Dallin now acknowledges that we get along well? This is the day my long-held wish has come true.”

Rondimio, who had returned to the white beach, lifted Dallin up to sit on his knee and let Louise lean on his shoulder.

Then he gave Louise a bouquet of blue delphiniums he had secretly brought as a gift. It was a bouquet that matched perfectly with what he had planned to say today.

It had already been three months since they spent their last night in the Araceli palace. The symptoms hadn’t been severe enough to see a doctor until now, but somehow Louise felt certain.

“And also… it seems like another piece of good news will be added today. Actually, I……”

“Yes, I know too.”

“I think I’m pregnant. But how did you know that?”

“Because I had the prophetic dream.”

Louise’s mouth fell open, and Dallin, sitting on Rondimio’s lap, looked back and forth between her parents, who were mixed with joy and confusion.

What’s going on now?

“Come to think of it, I think I had the prophetic dream for our Dallin too. I just couldn’t recall it because my memory wasn’t complete.”

“What was my dream about?”

“It was a dream where Dad gave Mom lots of red dahlias. Cute rabbits were running around them… it was a beautiful scene.”

At Rondimio’s words, Dallin opened her eyes wide in wonder and smiled.

Day by day, she was becoming more like Rondimio. So much that she never wanted to let her go from her arms.

“Then what about my sibling?”

“It was a dream where Dad gave Mom blue delphiniums.”

Louise smiled and accepted the blue delphiniums that Rondimio handed her. She felt as if the child in her womb was also happy and moving.

This child, somehow, she thought would be a boy with platinum blonde hair and red eyes.

Louise leaned against Rondimio’s shoulder with a smiling gaze.

“Thank you, Rondimio. For loving me until the end.”

“That’s what I should say. I love you, Louise.”

This moment was so happy. Because it had been so difficult until now, she even felt confident that it would be okay for them to enjoy this much happiness.

At that moment, Dallin, who was in Rondimio’s arms, grumbled.

“Oh my goodness. Are you going to do this in front of your daughter?”

At that, Louise and Rondimio smiled brightly and both hugged the child tightly. You don’t know how hard we worked to meet you.

From now on, let’s really just look at each other and live happily.

“But I really do love you.”

Because they truly loved each other, they had loved each other even while deceiving one another.

<My Lovely Deceiver> The End.