“It’s me. I’ll check this side, so search the other area.”

“Ah, understood, Your Grace!”

That cool voice!

The long arm wrapped around her waist.

And that familiar, refreshing woody scent!

Although she couldn’t see his face properly in the darkness, Dearlin knew immediately who it was.

‘Rian…’

His name never made it past her lips, trapped beneath the large hand covering her mouth.

“What are you doing here?”

Only once the knight had completely disappeared did Rian finally remove his hand from her mouth.

He fixed his gaze on Dearlin, who was barely covering herself with the loose fabric clutched around her body.

Perhaps because he had rushed over in haste, he stood there breathing heavily, with one hand braced against his waist.

Even in the darkness, his golden eyes gleamed with dangerous fury.

“I warned you not to leave the carriage. Why won’t you listen to me? Were you trying to run away again, just like you did five years ago? Say something, Dearlin.”

Rian gripped her slender shoulders and fired out the words rapidly, not giving her a chance to answer.

Yet, despite his harsh tone, his hands were trembling violently.

That wasn’t it at all.

“Th-The smell of blood was too strong… I just wanted to wash quickly and come back…”

Terrified that he would misunderstand and think she had tried to run away again, excuses spilled from her mouth first.

“I told you not to wander around alone. Did you even imagine what could’ve happened if someone saw you like this?”

“…I’m sorry.”

There was nothing else she could say.

Dearlin lowered her head deeply, hoping at the very least not to worsen his mood any further.

“Haah…”

Rian let out a long, frustrated sigh before finally removing his hands from her shoulders.

“Get dressed first.”

Only then did Dearlin realize, amidst all the chaos, that she had not even properly put her clothes back on.

“A-Ah… Okay!”

She quickly turned her back to Rian and hurriedly started to change her clothes.

She could feel his gaze lingering on her, instantly drying her throat and sending heat creeping all the way to her ears.

At least it was nighttime.

The cries of wild animals drowned out the sound of her nervous swallowing, while the darkness mercifully hid her reddened ears and flushed neck.

“R-Rian…”

“What.”

“Could you help me fasten just one button on the back? I can’t reach it…”

Of all things, why had he given her clothes like this?

No matter how many times she tried, she could not fasten the stubborn button, leaving her increasingly flustered.

‘What if Rian thinks I’m being troublesome?’

“Wait.”

“…Okay.”

Rian’s cold fingers brushed against her back.

Perhaps because the button was too small for his large hands, it took him longer than expected to fasten it.

Not a single word passed between them during that time.

Dearlin only flinched whenever she felt his faint breath graze her skin.

“…Done.”

Nothing inappropriate had ever happened between them in their roles as man and woman.

And yet, for some reason, the atmosphere had become unbearably strange.

When Dearlin finally turned to look at Rian, she could not make out his expression clearly in the darkness.

Nevertheless, she was certain he was not in a bad mood.

“Let’s go.”

After briefly checking his surroundings, Rian stepped out from behind the tree.

Dearlin followed quietly behind him.

As they walked through the forest, Rian strode ahead but stopped occasionally to check that Dearlin was still following.

Each time their eyes met—those golden eyes gleamed, even in the darkness of night.

Dearlin hurriedly lowered her gaze.

“Get in.”

“Thank you… really.”

Fortunately, by the time they returned to the area near the carriage, none of the knights seemed to be moving.

Rian held out his hand to her.

Dearlin hesitated briefly before carefully placing her hand in his.

With his help, she managed to climb into the carriage without losing her balance.

“I’ll warn you one more time. Don’t act on your own again.”

“……”

“My patience isn’t very generous, Dearlin.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Looking into his deeply sunken eyes, she knew this was his last warning.

If she disobeyed him again, she felt that the little kindness he still showed her would disappear completely.

Only when Dearlin had responded correctly did Rian finally close the carriage door.

“Has he gotten even bigger than before…?”

Even in situations like this, simply looking at Rian could bring back memories of the past without warning.

It was sometimes almost ridiculous to think that they might once have shared the kind of love spoken about in legends.

To Rian, she was probably just a former lover from long ago.

And yet she alone remained trapped in memories she could never fully let go of.

It was a painful feeling — one that she could not even pretend was bearable.

Dearlin removed her shoes, pulled her feet up onto the seat, and wrapped her arms tightly around them.

The carriage was spacious enough for her to lie down comfortably, but she had no desire to rest like that.

The loneliness that she had long grown numb to now came crashing over her in relentless waves, after years of resignation. Curling into herself like this somehow made it easier to endure.

Whether by choice or circumstance, standing beside Rian now only filled her with shame.

Watching the knights follow him with unwavering loyalty made it clear that he had inherited the title of Duke Sinaster perfectly.

Rian had always shone brilliantly.

Even in the past, standing beside him had sometimes been overwhelming, but she had never been ashamed to do so.

Dearlin slowly shook her head before squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

***

It took more than ten days to finally reach the Rovadium Empire.

The journey was already long, but it took even longer than expected.

They stopped to rest each night, which naturally slowed their pace, and the heavy carriage didn’t help.

That was probably why.

During those ten days, Dearlin rarely stepped outside the carriage unless it was absolutely necessary.

There were moments when she found herself wondering what had become of Arthur.

Was he still alive?

However, every time his name was mentioned, Rian’s mood turned dangerously cold, so she eventually stopped asking altogether.

She didn’t see Rian every day, either.

Still, there were exceptions.

Whenever Dearlin skipped meals because she had no appetite, Rian would come and see her.

Their conversations were never warm or pleasant, of course, but simply seeing him eased the anxiety tightening around her chest.

Because of that, there were times when she would deliberately refuse to eat.

The knights probably thought the queen of a defeated nation was being unnecessarily troublesome.

But she could not help it.

On nights when she didn’t see Rian at all, she would often fall asleep alone in the carriage and be consumed by terrible nightmares.

Knock, knock.

Someone tapped on the window of the carriage.

When she pulled back the curtain, she saw that it was Rian, seated on his horse.

She quietly opened the window.

“The moment we arrive at the Empire, we’ll head straight to the Sinaster estate.”

“Okay…”

“You’ll be staying there.”

At least it wasn’t the Imperial Palace.

She had visited the Sinaster estate so often since childhood that it felt almost more familiar than her own home.

At least she wouldn’t have to worry about being in an unfamiliar environment.

“And don’t wander around the estate however you please.”

“……”

“There isn’t a single person in House Sinaster who’ll welcome you.”

“I understand. I’ll stay quietly inside.”

If Rian hadn’t warned her beforehand, she might have misunderstood things again.

There was no way anyone loyal to him would like her.

It was better to face reality now than cling to a foolish hope and get hurt later.

As she sat quietly, lost in thought, the carriage finally stopped after moving without pause.

Once again, Rian opened the carriage door for her.

“Come down.”

The first thing that struck Dearlin when she took Rian’s hand and stepped out of the carriage was the fresh air.

The second was the imposing and grand Sinaster estate.

“We are relieved you arrived safely, Your Grace.”

She remembered the head butler from years ago.

Several other familiar faces stood nearby.

Four years was more than enough time for her and Rian to change completely.

Yet at the same time, she was reminded that for others, four years could pass in the blink of an eye.

“Please, come inside first.”

After greeting them, the head butler lifted his head to guide them forward—and his eyes met Dearlin’s.

“Ah…”

That cold gaze she could never grow accustomed to.

Eyes that made no effort to hide their disgust and contempt.

Even after enduring those same looks endlessly in the Kingdom of Orva, they still made her shrink every single time.

“Lady Dearlin has arrived. Young Master is waiting in the greenhouse.”

Perhaps it had been selfish of her to secretly hope that the head butler would still treat her as he once did.

Now, in the eyes of everyone here, she was nothing more than a prisoner from a defeated country.

A sudden chill ran through her.

Rubbing one arm with her other hand, she forced a faint, bitter smile.

They had only just arrived at the estate…and she was already thinking that it might have been easier to remain imprisoned in the Imperial Palace.

As she walked ahead beside the head butler, Rian suddenly looked back at her.

“What are you doing, Dearlin?”

“Hm?”

“Hurry up.”

He urged her forward after noticing her hesitating awkwardly while nervously watching everyone around her.

“Okay…”

Even as she answered, however, Dearlin showed no sign of walking any faster.

Rian let out a quiet sigh before turning around completely and walking back toward her.

“R-Rian…!”

Suddenly, his hand seized hers as she was nervously fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

He did it in full view of everyone.

Startled, Dearlin tried to pull her hand away, but it was impossible.

“Be quiet and walk.”

After that, she stopped resisting.

With her head lowered, she simply followed wherever Rian led her.

The backs of her ears and neck had turned bright red.

“This will be your room from now on.”

After leading her up to the second floor, Rian opened the door to one of the rooms and guided her inside.

“…I don’t want this room.”

To anyone else, it would have seemed luxurious and beautiful.

But it was far too extravagant for the queen of a defeated kingdom and a former lover who had broken her promises and abandoned him.

Dearlin, however, knew the meaning behind this room.

This was why she could not accept Rian’s gesture as an act of kindness.

“Why?”

The way he asked despite clearly already knowing the answer felt cruel.

“This is the room traditionally used by the Duchess of Sinaster.”