When he pulled back the curtain, the night sky filled with red light came into view. It was too bright for the middle of the night. Faint screams and the sound of clashing metal mixed together in the air.

Achilleon bolted upright. Black flags were fluttering over the Queen’s Palace.

“You’re not even human.”

Realizing that all of this was Antor’s doing, Achilleon let out a bitter laugh. He had killed their father, surrounded the main palace before the funeral was even over, and kidnapped their mother. It must be because of the will.

“Rainan, take Margharita to the safe house.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hoperon, who had rushed in urgently afterward, delivered breaking news to Achilleon.

“This is a letter from Prince Alkeron.”

After breaking the wax seal and quickly checking the letter’s contents, Achilleon’s expression brightened momentarily. Having quickly changed into armor, he cupped the cheeks of Hari, who was trembling.

When the cool, hard texture touched her skin, Hari’s small body shrank even more.

“Your Highness…”

“I’ll come get you soon, so don’t be afraid and wait for me. It won’t take long.”

Despite his reassuring words that everything would be fine, Hari, who usually showed little emotional disturbance, was trembling strangely.

Her completely contracted body was stiff like a wooden block, and her eyes wandered anxiously without meeting his gaze.

“What’s happening?”

“Rainan will explain it to you. There’s no time to explain, Rainan. Take Margharita and evacuate immediately. Hari’s safety comes first.”

Sensing something serious was happening, Hari’s eyes grew moist as well. Seeing that face made his throat feel heavy. There were things he needed to ask, but Achilleon first wiped away the moisture from Hari’s eyes.

She wouldn’t want to experience war even in her dreams. As he comforted the trembling Hari, she spread her arms and pressed her body closer to his. Like a small cicada depending on a large tree. He unconsciously thought that he never wanted to be separated from her for even a moment.

True to that promise, he had to protect this woman without entrusting her to anyone else.

“Please be careful.”

The woman’s voice trembled thinly. Her clear eyes, swollen with tears, reflected him. Achilleon thought the deep pain in those eyes was due to memories of war. He held Hari’s distorted cheek and kissed her, making a promise.

“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”

* * *

“Are you uncomfortable?”

She didn’t know how long they had been riding. With her hood pulled down to her chin, she couldn’t see properly ahead and couldn’t tell where they were. From the smell of the forest, they seemed to be almost there.

Her vision was still blurry from the tears she had shed earlier.

Why did I do that? Why did I cry?

When Hari rubbed her eyelids hard with her sleeve, Rainan added worriedly.

“Please bear with it a little longer. I’d like to bring two horses if I could, but there’s a risk of being discovered by the enemy…”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry about it.”

He seemed sorry about traveling with just one horse. Judging by how he kept his distance to avoid physical contact.

“The Second Prince has taken control of the main palace. There’s nothing to worry about. His Highness has everything planned out, so you just need to wait safely at the safe house. Once the situation calms down a bit, I’ll come get you.”

Pale sparks were flying in the black sky. It seemed war had already begun. When they had just escaped through the castle’s back gate, small skirmishes were already taking place. Hari, trembling with fear, gripped the horse’s mane.

“His Highness… will be safe, won’t he?”

“Don’t worry. As far as I can remember, I’ve never seen the Third Prince lose a battle.”

But this war would be different. Whatever that plan was, Achilleon would fail. Not knowing there was a spy right beside him, blinded by her…

“Lady Hari, are you alright?”

Her body’s trembling had intensified. She kept looking back at the castle surrounded by black smoke. She had resolved to leave this place without looking back, telling herself she didn’t care about Achilleon’s safety, but she didn’t feel relieved.

It was like something sticky had grabbed her ankle.

Eventually, the two reached the safe house. Next to the curved tree full of round leaves was the thick tree she had climbed with Achilleon. Remembering that dazzling twilight moment, Hari’s face hardened like stone.

“Please come in quickly. In preparation for a long war, I’ve stored enough food in the underground pantry to last a month. Julia and Ilisei can’t come to the safe house right away, but His Highness said he would send them immediately after confirming a few things.”

Rainan quickly recited an incantation and activated the sacred artifact. The safe house was revealed like a thin membrane being peeled away from empty air.

Hari approached behind Rainan, who was leading the way.

“Once you go inside, please activate the inner sacred artifact. It will send a signal to His Highness.”

“Rainan.”

“Yes?”

She couldn’t stop now. She might regret it someday. No, she would definitely regret betraying Achilleon at least once. She had wanted to embrace him and feel the warmth he gave her. It had been a night she wished would never end.

However, before dawn could even break, the wheels had started turning, and perhaps the only man in this world who loved her would never return.

If this too, if this hateful feeling could be called love, then Achilleon would be the only man for whom she had felt something resembling love.

If asked when it started, Hari didn’t know either. She didn’t want to know. However, Hari had always had values more important than love.

She couldn’t abandon the plan she had carefully crafted to save that man by falling into momentary emotions. In the end, fate would flow according to the oracle.

“I’m sorry, Rainan.”

Her throat ached like she had swallowed something hot.

“Please forgive me. And His Highness too, please…”

Thud!

Feeling sharp pain stabbing the back of his neck, Rainan’s body collapsed with a thump.

* * *

“Your Highness was right! The Isthmian army was stationed in the eastern canyon.”

The expression of the subordinate who had urgently entered the audience chamber was bright.

“But how did you know that? With Your Highness’s strategy, we almost completely annihilated the Isthmian army. The damage will be significant, so they won’t be able to attack again right away. Those bat-like bastards, did they side with the Third Prince in the meantime?”

The results were satisfactory. Everyone was busy praising Antor’s foresight and reporting the victory.

Just like Hari’s prophecy, Isthmia had betrayed him and joined hands with the Third Prince. He didn’t know why those who had sworn firm alliance until the very end had suddenly changed their minds so urgently.

In the end, Hari’s advice was correct. The prediction that they would cross the Lagonian desert and come through the eastern canyon was also according to the prophecy. Thanks to that, they were able to deal with the enemies without a single casualty on their side.

Anyway, now that the Isthmian forces were annihilated, the numbers were much more favorable on their side. Dealing with Achilleon was just a matter of time.

Antor, who had taken control of the main palace of the royal castle one step ahead, burst into loud laughter.

“They say the Third Prince is coming this way.”

Has he finally come?

“The news is so late.”

Antor leisurely rose from the throne he had claimed in advance to personally greet his younger brother. Even though he had brazenly occupied the late king’s throne before the coronation ceremony, no one stopped him.

Even the captain of the royal guard, who had outstanding loyalty to the late king, only frowned slightly while just watching Antor’s unrestrained actions. 

Having won over even the neutral captain of the royal guard, there was nothing left to obstruct him.

At that moment, a good idea crossed his mind. Having just received news that Achilleon had passed through the main gate of the castle, Antor gestured to his aide.

“Bring the Third Prince’s mistress Hari to this place. Right now.”

This fight would end in his victory anyway, but Antor wanted to bring down Achilleon more decisively. He wanted to see not only bitter defeat but also complete mental collapse.

He felt like his anger would only be satisfied if he took away the one woman he loved and watched him struggle in the abyss of deep despair and betrayal with his own eyes. The wrapping of brotherly affection had been torn long ago.

To Antor, Achilleon was not a brother who shared even half his blood, but merely a foreign substance that had to be killed and eliminated by any means necessary.

The soldiers surrounding him all aimed their spears toward the door in unison. Achilleon appeared beyond the large arched doorway.

He quickly surveyed the main palace that Antor had taken control of.

“Where did you take Mother?”

The queen was nowhere to be seen, and the captain of the royal guard, who had devoted his life-like loyalty to the previous king, was beside Antor.

He could also see tall swordsmen covered in pure white armor from head to toe.