“An emergency assembly?”

At my question, Ecla nodded.

“His Highness Lucid has really gone and caused trouble this time.”

“Ah, I already heard about the massacre of foreigners in the village.”

It seemed word had spread quickly.

“No, that’s not the real issue.”

Ecla shook her head firmly.

“Olivia, don’t be startled. Listen carefully.”

“What?”

Ecla gripped my shoulders tightly and exhaled.

“His Highness Lucid set fire to the clinic Galahad was running.”

“What?”

Did he set fire to the clinic? Dear God! That mad prince! Surely there was an unspoken rule, even in wartime, that hospitals, schools and temples were never to be touched?

“Why would he suddenly set fire to a perfectly functioning clinic?”

“According to His Highness Lucid, treating foreigners during a civil war with them is treason. Besides, Galahad himself is an foreigner.”

‘Insane. He’s gone completely mad.’

“There were imperial citizens there too! Johan’s grandfather was receiving treatment there!”

“What’s the public sentiment?”

“Divided. Some say it was excessive, while others claim they were glad to see it gone.”

‘How did things come to this? Among foreigners, only a handful attack imperials. Why punish them all for the crimes of a few, as though by collective guilt?’

“Were there casualties?”

“No. Thankfully, Galahad evacuated everyone first. Patients who could walk helped carry the critical cases out. But… it seems Mr. Galahad was shot in the process.”

“Shot?!”

“Yes, His Highness Edmund took him to be examined by the palace physicians. He’s receiving treatment right now. You should go and see him. The assembly has only just begun, so it will be a while before it ends.”

Ecla gave me a light push on the back.

Of course I was worried. Whatever lies Galahad had told me, I knew how good a man he was. Always kind to others, always selfless. I was worried for him, but…

“No. I don’t need to go.”

“My, but he’s still your lover. Shouldn’t you see him? Surely His Highness Edmund would understand?”

But if I went to Galahad now, I would only give him false hope. Better to be cold, better to be clear.

“I’m nothing to Galahad anymore.”

“What?”

Ecla tilted her head, as if she couldn’t quite understand what I meant.

“We broke up.”

“What? Why?!”

Was my breakup really such a shock to Ecla? Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor as she stared blankly for a long moment before finally snapping back to herself.

“Don’t tell me… it’s because of the civil war? You were supposed to marry after it ended—why would you break up now?!”

Her voice rose so loud that even passersby peered inside to see what the commotion was about.

Honestly, it was embarrassing, but maybe it was better this way. Let the rumor spread quickly. After all, what did it matter to anyone else now that I knew Edmund was my master?

“It had nothing to do with the war. We just… misunderstood each other. We weren’t who we thought we were looking for.”

Galahad wasn’t my master. And I was certainly not an angel.

Since I couldn’t possibly explain all that, I chose to say nothing more.

Anxiously, I sat at my desk, staring at the clock.

‘Edmund, please come back soon.’

💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

“What on earth are you thinking?! A massacre of foreigners, and now burning down a clinic?!”

The Emperor slammed the table, his furious voice so sharp it made even the listeners’ spines tremble.

But Lucid remained perfectly calm. No—he looked almost carefree.

“Your Majesty, we can’t hope to resolve this civil war peacefully forever.”

“So what? Do you want us to massacre them all like they did fifteen years ago?”

“Massacre? Hardly. If you want to be exact, they were the ones who began it.”

Lucid stood up and boomed out his voice.

“They claim their vengeance is justified, that it’s retribution for the discrimination they endured. But tell me—since when does vengeance for discrimination mean harming the innocent?”

As if reciting from a script, his tongue moved with a smoothness completely unlike the Lucid they knew.

“There were children in that village. If I hadn’t happened to pass through, those children—who knew nothing of foreigners or of civil war—would have died there, without ever knowing why.”

His performance was so flawless that Edmund let out a derisive laugh.

“And that is why I will no longer sit idly by.”

“Even so, you burned a clinic? Since ancient times, even in war, hospitals have been spared. In the civil war fifteen years ago, they too never touched the hospitals or temples of our people!”

Lucid fell silent at that, unable to argue.

“Not only that, but our own citizens were being treated there, too! Even in the village you attacked today, three Imperials were being treated by the foreigner physician you tried to kill!”

The Emperor’s wrath shook the chamber.

“That… yes, perhaps I went too far. But in the end, were there any casualties?”

The utter lack of remorse made the Emperor’s face turn crimson, but Lucid seemed unbothered. After all, Galahad wasn’t dead.

‘I should have killed him outright.’

Lucid clenched his fist tightly beneath the table.

This had all been part of his plan. He had known the foreigners would attack that village. All he needed to do was wait nearby with his soldiers and then march in at the right moment.

To him, k*lling outsiders was no different from k*lling vermin. It hardly troubled his conscience. But to meet Olivia there—

‘If I had been even a moment later, she could have been stabbed by that blade.’

Even now, the thought made his blood surge in reverse.

“Still, it was too much. Burning down a clinic went too far.”

When Edmund spat out those words, Lucid chuckled quietly.

Edmund didn’t understand. If he had been there and seen Olivia about to be struck down, he would have drawn his sword or gun and killed without hesitation, too.

“Why this sudden outrage? Weren’t you the one who wanted Galahad gone more than anyone?”

“What?”

Edmund’s eyes narrowed dangerously. His lethal aura made those around them hold their breath.

But Lucid, unfazed, continued.

“Am I wrong? I thought more than anyone, it was you who wanted him gone.”

Edmund clenched his fist in silence. The creak of leather echoed through the hushed council chamber.

‘The man Olivia loved.’

If that man were gone, wouldn’t the chance fall to him instead? To say the thought had never crossed his mind would be a lie. But if that happened, Olivia would only be grieved.

“I… no. That’s not it.”

“Hah. Look at this paragon of virtue.”

Lucid muttered under his breath.

‘How could he not resent the man who had taken the woman he loved?’

Lucid couldn’t comprehend it. If you loved someone—if you wanted her—you should be willing to sweep aside anything in your way, no matter the cost.

“His Majesty loves foreigners, as does my brother, who has foreign blood in his veins. You may still wish to side with them in this situation. But I will not. I am an imperial. Imperials matter more to me than foreigners ever will.”

Lucid’s sharp green eyes fixed on the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, you must choose. The foreigners are not the woman you once loved. Can you not hear your people crying out beyond these walls? How can you hope to stand against those who rise in defiance while clinging to the illusion of restraint?”

The Emperor fell silent, staring at Lucid’s unusual display of strength.

For once, Lucid did not seem to be the careless boy he had always been.

In that silence, the Emperor’s thoughts turned to his policies and everything he had done up to that point.

He had wanted so desperately to grant his beloved wife’s dying wish, but now it all felt meaningless.

He lowered his gaze to his beloved son, Edmund.

The Emperor knew how deeply the Empire despised foreigners. For Edmund’s sake, he wanted to avoid any scandal involving them. If he was to one day place Edmund on the throne, there could be no suggestion of his association with foreigners.

But at this rate, the empire itself could collapse. Even worse, hatred of foreigners could grow so much that Edmund’s own hard-earned achievements might be dismissed and rejected.

The time had come to make a choice.

“Your Majesty!”

The heavy silence was shattered not by the Emperor or the princes, but by the imperial physician.

Sweat dripped from his brow as he rushed in to announce:

“Ashis, the Puglish trade representative, has awoken!”