In the instant a scream-like shout rang out, Edric turned his head—just as a bullet struck his shoulder. The pain that tore through his flesh was sharp and cold. Then it began to burn—hot, searing.

Time seemed to slow, moving sluggishly.

Soon after, another bullet hit slightly above the first. Edric let out a faint chuckle as he lost his balance and collapsed. A soldier beside him immediately began firing in the direction the bullets had come from.

Silence fell over the battlefield. The brutal chaos from moments ago had vanished, as if washed away. The Hetar soldier, who had spotted Edric during the retreat, had made one final desperate attack before dying.

The faces looking at Edric were filled with shock, as if they were witnessing the impossible. Soldiers rushed toward their fallen Supreme Commander.

“Your Excellency! Are you alright?!”

Edric gave a slight nod. But from his shoulder and upper right chest, dark red blood continued to gush out.

A tearing, searing pain coursed through his body. His burning shoulder and chest throbbed as if on fire. Strength slowly drained from him. The sensation in his right arm was steadily fading.

“Your Excellency!”

Edric slowly closed his eyes—then opened them again. As time passed, even the pain faded away. His body felt weightless, as if floating in midair, and the voices of the soldiers calling out to him grew more and more distant.

It felt almost as if he had become someone else entirely, watching this scene from afar.

‘If I die like this… Would it somehow help your life instead?’

Even though he knew it was a foolish thought, he couldn’t stop it.

He was filled with a belated regret for having left without seeing her face—lost in useless thoughts before the march.

Meeting the child she genuinely longed for, raising that child to become the Duke of Descartes, and watching them inherit the title… it didn’t seem so terrible. After all, that child would carry Yuis’s blood.

Perhaps that path would bring her more happiness.

A woman who deserved nothing but love had grown up under harsh poverty and cold indifference from her parents. That’s why he wished she would be happy now—overflowing with all the love she had missed, boldly embracing the wealth and power he could give her, and living a life of peace and dignity for the rest of her days.

When he imagined Yuis in another man’s arms, he wanted to tear that man apart then and there. But if he were dead, what meaning would that rage even have?

Maybe, if you’re happy… then maybe that’s enough. Maybe… that would be enough for him.

“Your Excellency! You must not close your eyes! Your Excellency!”

As the voice echoed faintly from far away, Edric tried to part his lips to respond—only for blood to gush out in a violent surge. From that moment on, he couldn’t speak.

Every breath reeked of blood. Breathing itself had become a torment, and sleep felt so tempting.

Thinking of Yuis, Edric slowly closed his eyes.

Even in that moment, he wanted to see Yuis. He wanted to hold her in his arms.

***

Kalang had won the war.

The eastern front had successfully blocked the Beart forces, and on the southern front, the bloodiest battlefield—Fetchif, located at the gateway to the capital—was successfully defended, bringing the fierce battles to a lull.

Failing to seize Fetchif, Hetar eventually sat down first at the table for truce negotiations. That table soon became the setting for an armistice.

Emperor Richard Ellenhower, who sat at that table, intended to seize everything possible.

Both wars had been initiated by Hetar, and Kalang had continuously declared its lack of intent for war. Despite this, Hetar had formed a southern coalition and launched an attack against Kalang.

It was glory marred with countless sacrifices and wounds soaked in blood—but it was still better than defeat.

Had they lost even after shedding so much blood, they would have had to surrender even more to Hetar.

The one who had made the greatest contribution in this war was, without question, Duke Edric Descartes.

Once again, Edric’s long-established strategy had proven effective.

To offer a bit of flesh and blood in exchange for victory. That was the price.

Upon hearing the news of Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Lennox, Richard mourned deeply.

Once again, he had successfully defended Kalang in this war. And once again, the man hailed as Kalang’s hero was the subject of countless daily articles.

Everyone praised him as a hero. Even though Edric had yet to return home.

***

The war was over, but the peace negotiations had yet to be finalized.

Kalang, trying to seize as much as possible, and Hetar, desperate not to lose anything more, remained locked in a standstill.

At times the Emperor himself took part, and at others, his aides and the military’s top brass engaged directly—but every attempt ended in failure.

Hetar still could not accept the outcome.

Richard demanded not only reparations, but also a portion of Hetar’s borderlands—and the marriage of Hetar’s princess.

To be wed to Count Endeavor of Kalang.

That was what the King of Hetar could not accept. It was a political union with far too wide a gap in status.

But the Emperor refused to back down. He needed the two nations bound—even if only through marriage. And he had no intention of finding a good match for that princess.

When he heard that the Duchess was waiting for Edric day after day—while Edric hovered between life and death—Richard was overwhelmed by an emotion he couldn’t even name.

In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to drive a bullet into the heart of the King of Hetar.

If he could have done it, he truly would have.

The man who dared to start two wars, and yet refused to give up even his own daughter—Richard was tormented by the urge to strike that arrogant head.

As Emperor, he had sent a friend into the jaws of death.
He had known all too well what choice Edric would make when faced with danger—just as he had always understood the choices the Descartes had made before.
And yet, he had still sent Edric to that place.

Regret surged through Richard like a bitter poison.

They said Edric still showed no sign of waking.

There was only one answer.

He had to tell the truth to the Duchess, who would be visiting the palace today.
He had to deliver a truth that was both horrifying and painful.

And the mere thought of having to say it himself twisted Richard’s face in agony.

***

Yuis took a sip of her tea as she looked out at a world blanketed in white snow.
The war had ended only at the tail end of winter.

She had held her place as a Descartes.
They had told her she didn’t need to do anything. That simply staying in that position gave them strength.

And still, Edric had not returned.

After reading the article about the armistice negotiations, Yuis finally contacted Hailey to say she would visit, and headed for the capital.

Seated at the tea table, Yuis remained composed, while Hailey’s face was filled with nothing but worry.

“Yuis.”

Hailey couldn’t even bring herself to ask how she was. The war—and the news about Edric—had come as a heavy blow to Hailey as well.

Another war had broken out so soon after the last one ended. Not even a year had passed since they’d rejoiced at Kalang’s unprecedented peace.

For a while, Yuis remained silent, her expression shadowed and dark. Then, at last, she met Hailey’s gaze.

“Hailey.”

Hailey responded softly to Yuis’s quiet call. Then, in a firm voice, Yuis spoke.

“Please… let me go to Edric.”

Edric still hadn’t returned. Though the armistice had been declared and peace talks were underway, Edric had not come home.

Something was clearly wrong.

“Yuis, that’s…”

“Edric hasn’t come back. Please let me go to him. I want to be with him. Right now… I want to see for myself how he’s doing.”

She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to see for herself. She had to find out why he hadn’t returned. Was he alive and well? That alone would be enough.

“Please, Hailey. I’m sorry I keep asking for things… but I just—can’t go on like this. Even if I can never see him again, I just want to know that he’s alright. Please…”

It didn’t matter anymore if he no longer wanted her.
Even if he turned her away, that was fine.

She just wanted to see him once.
Just to be sure.

As she met Hailey’s eyes, she saw them filled with amber-colored worry—for both Edric and Yuis.

And at that very moment, the sound of footsteps in polished shoes approached the tea table.