“Please, ask.”

Kaiden’s blue eyes focused on Ellen. They were a deep navy, reminiscent of the sea before a storm.

“I wonder why you…”

“……”

Though he boldly brought up the topic, he couldn’t easily continue.

“So, why did you…”

Even after repeating the same words several times, he couldn’t say more.

The laughter that had lingered between them had vanished.

Kaiden took another sip of his drink.

Ellen called to the man before her.

“Your Highness.”

Kaiden’s eyes turned to her.

“It seems you’ve found something.”

“……”

“What you’re curious about is probably… why I informed you of his treachery.”

He remained silent in response to Ellen’s question.

Kaiden, who had been continuously emptying the bottle of strong brandy, finally spoke after a long pause.

“If you had stayed silent, you might have found yourself at the top of the empire. But why?”

He spoke as if he were a stranger lost in a city he had never visited before.

“I just… wanted to know.”

Ellen quietly observed him, a man who had experienced a betrayal like no other.

Many thoughts passed through her mind at that moment.

So many that it was difficult to pinpoint just one.

However, among the fleeting images, it was clear that the dead woman of the past and the man before her occupied many scenes.

“Your Highness.”

His gaze fixed on Ellen.

“I have no doubt that you are destined to be a wise ruler.”

“…That’s an unexpected compliment, and I thank you.”

“To answer your question, I didn’t want to see my people suffer under a tyrant’s rule. That’s the reason.”

“You believe Gillian will be a tyrant?”

“Yes.”

The two, thinking of the one who had broken their trust, looked at each other.

“So, Your Highness, trust not in people but in conditions and circumstances.”

“Not to trust people… That sounds like you’re telling me not to trust you either.”

“That’s correct.”

“Weren’t you hoping I would trust you?”

“I did hope so.”

“Then why say that?”

“Your trust in me is, of course, beneficial to me. But it isn’t for you.”

“……”

“It’s like using a rotten beam to prevent a collapse. Surely, at an unexpected moment, it will bring you down.”

Kaiden’s eyes wavered.

His pupils stood out sharply against his striking blue irises.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Ellen paused in silence at his question.

Right, why?

Why am I revealing all this to this man?

“Perhaps… because my dream is to live with my family under the rule of a true wise king.”

Or maybe I’m projecting myself onto you.

But Ellen kept those thoughts to herself.

“Do you wish for me to live in constant wariness, even of you?”

“Yes.”

“Even if it means you lose out?”

“I will always be competent under the conditions you require, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Ha, indeed.”

He laughed, forgetting the seriousness of his earlier questions.

“Our relationship will not change, Your Highness. I will do my utmost to assist you for my goals, and you must not let go of me for your stable foundation.”

“I’m still not sure. Will the throne I gain this way have any meaning…?”

His words were half resigned, almost like a soliloquy.

But Ellen understood.

His words now were from a man whose heart ached from confirmed betrayal.

“If it means survival, isn’t that enough?”

His confused demeanor…

Her first thought was that everything was going according to plan.

The Crown Prince had confirmed Gillian’s betrayal.

She considered it a good sign.

However, at the same time, indefinable emotions began to engulf her.

Ellen looked directly into Kaiden’s wavering eyes.

From the moment we both hoped for some form of affection from that man, we may have been walking the same path.

Perhaps that’s why we met.

But because wounds do not heal easily and because they will exist as the driving force that keeps us alive, we must live within the paradox of pursuing life through the pain of wanting to die.

She saw his face. He was trying hard to remain calm.

Yet, his eyes were teary from the alcohol, and he couldn’t hide his trembling hands.

Ellen firmly grasped his much larger hand and spoke.

“Your Highness. I know people who choose honor and loyalty over life, and I love them for it.”

“……”

“If you are the same.”

Ellen’s warm touch settled on the back of Kaiden’s hand.

“Make choices you won’t regret.”

This is a bond among the betrayed.

To survive, to kill before being killed.

“As long as we share the same goal, I will always be here…”

He held the hand, warm enough to feel almost hot, tightly over the hand chilled by the cold bottle.

Until the carriage stopped, and his hand no longer trembled, he held on.

* * *

The opulent imperial carriage stopped in front of Cheshire’s residence.

When the door opened, there was a drunkard and Ellen, holding his shoulder.

“Ted, please help His Highness.”

“No, I’m fine…”

“My goodness, Your Highness! How could you drink so much before the feast!”

“No… I really am fine…”

Kaiden struggled to steady himself as he spoke.

Ignoring his words, Terriard pried him away from Ellen and slung him over his shoulder.

“Ugh…!”

“Your Highness, you mustn’t throw up!”

“If you’re going to treat me like a drunkard, at least handle me delicately, Sir Cheshire…”

Upstairs in the drawing room, Spaniel Cheshire and Sir Morris Coenheim were waiting.

After exchanging brief greetings, everyone, including Ellen, settled in the drawing room.

Regardless of the guest’s state, everyone needed was present.

It was time to begin the meeting.

Soon, a servant brought up some honey water.

Kaiden took it and drank straight from the bottle, then spoke.

“…I’m sorry. I made a fool of myself.”

“It’s alright. But if you’re feeling better, could you explain now?”

Ellen’s smile remained kind.

But with Terriard’s disdainful gaze on him, Kaiden apologized repeatedly before finally getting to the point.

“Ah… So… the docks. Yes, you remember we found gunpowder, an unauthorized trade-banned item, among the seized goods at the docks. After inspecting all the cargo, we found muskets not manufactured by us.”

“Guns too…!”

Terriard murmured in surprise.

“However, the source seems thoroughly laundered, and we couldn’t pinpoint its origin.”

“I see.”

“Analysis of the gunpowder revealed that its composition differs from what Istazio traditionally uses.”

At Kaiden’s report, Ellen nodded slightly.

“It’s confirmed illegal. So, is it smuggled from another country, or is there an undisclosed saltpeter mine domestically…?”

“Exactly. We focused on the possibility of undisclosed mines. There are several suspects, but this investigation will take more time.”

“It’s unfortunate we don’t know the intermediary distribution route and origin.”

Ellen spoke with deep regret.

Gillian seemed to be a far more meticulous man than she had anticipated.

She hadn’t expected him to sever the connections so thoroughly to evade tracking.

“But fortunately, or perhaps not, we did make some progress in other areas.”

All eyes turned to Kaiden.

“We caught a suspicious lead in the less dangerous general weapons and large-scale supplies. The name that came up was…”

Kaiden turned his head to Ellen.

“Krembell.”

Pain was reflected in his eyes as he looked at her.

“Yes, it was indeed Krembell.”

“…I see.”

His fingers clenched tightly into a fist.

“Honestly, not everything is certain yet. I’m not sure if Gillian’s actions are truly linked to treason. But what is clear is that he deceived the imperial family… and I have no intention of letting that slide.”

With this, the Crown Prince confirmed Gillian’s betrayal and resolved to oppose him.

“So, what do you plan to do moving forward?”

“It’s difficult to take immediate action. There will undoubtedly be various objections, and losing a vote in the Meeting of the Lords would be a significant loss.”

“So, it’s still hard to let go for now. I agree.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Kaiden took another gulp of honey water and spoke.

“That’s why I’m bringing this up… How can I assist with your divorce?”

At Kaiden’s words, Terriard clapped his knee as if he had just realized something.

“Ah! If the divorce completely severs their ties with Crient, Krembell will have to back down!”

Indeed, that was true.

Among the many reasons Krembell could act so boldly, Crient’s strong support was a significant factor.

But Ellen only smiled bitterly.

“That’s true, but… I think I need to consider it a bit more. I was thinking of revealing myself as the one who reported this to the imperial family and seeking a divorce from Krembell…”

“So, it’s difficult because there’s no concrete evidence.”

Kaiden spoke heavily.