“Don’t take walks without me. If you don’t like that, at least take Rainan with you.”

“…What do you want from me?”

Hari couldn’t hold back and asked. She could no longer endure this situation.

“Want from you.”

“Why are you acting so kindly… so unlike yourself, Your Majesty?”

She really didn’t understand. What mattered wasn’t Achilleon’s intentions. She couldn’t understand why she felt so queasy, why her breathing quickened and her voice trembled.

“I betrayed you and I’m carrying a tr-, a traitor’s child. So why… why don’t you punish me or drive me away?”

“Are you certain that child is Antor’s bloodline?”

“…Yes.”

She thought he would finally explode in anger. She expected him to treat Hari like a worthless person again. But instead.

“Take good care of yourself.”

That was all. A bitter smile spread across his face. Achilleon moved his hand again to comb through Hari’s tangled hair. His touch held none of the contempt or violent coercion that Hari feared.

He seemed to be scolding her, wondering why she was getting doused with water when she should be receiving proper treatment in comfortable surroundings. Hari lowered her head and clasped her trembling hands together.

“You’re really a bad person.”

Her eyes grew hot. Only after her emotions settled did Hari look straight up at him.

“Do you still want me to become comfortable by your side?”

Achilleon gazed quietly at Hari as she whispered while trembling. Was it his imagination that her moisture-filled eyes looked desperate?

“No.”

Margharita, I wish you could be happy by my side. I wish you could love me.

Achilleon wished this. Like Radamut, the despised black serpent. Like that lowly beast that gazed endlessly up at the sacred tree, yearning for love.

However, Achilleon also knew. Margharita could not be happy by his side. His desire to keep this woman by his side forever might be wrong. The nobles would ignore and trample Hari. They would target her child who inherited royal blood.

Promises to protect her were fleeting. He had thought that becoming king would allow him to have Margharita completely. But a woman free like a bird could not be happy with him in this place. Everyone in Hitais would oppose their union.

Having climbed to the highest position, he wore the heaviest shackles.

“I want you to…”

Achilleon laughed emptily. Hari looked at him with reddened eyes. Those pitiful eyes that tore at his heart.

“Tell me.”

“I want you to be happy, but not by my side.”

Because that wouldn’t be possible.

“……”

At that moment, Hari’s eyes became completely empty. Like something had drained out in an instant.

“Then what?”

“Far away, as far as possible from this place. Somewhere I can’t think of you, somewhere I can’t reach you – I want you to be happy there.”

Hari’s lips moved slightly.

“Live the life you want with the child, Margharita.”

But in the end, no words came out.

* * *

Antor’s execution date was confirmed four days later. It was the day right after the king’s succession ceremony.

“Is Miss feeling unwell? Why is she like that?”

“She’s been staring blankly out the window since yesterday.”

“She’s barely eating her meals too…”

Julia and Ilisei exchanged worried glances. Even when they asked if she was uncomfortable anywhere, Hari just smiled and shook her head. Her face looked so hollow that it worried them even more.

“She seemed much more lively after becoming pregnant. I wonder what happened?”

Since she said not to worry, they couldn’t keep pressing her about it. While the maids were troubled that night, Hari quietly slipped out of the White Jade Palace.

She passed through the long corridor, crossed the dim garden, and headed toward the tower where Antor was imprisoned. The sacred bird concealed her body so the sentries didn’t notice her. Even as she passed the dozing guard and reached the solitary cell where Antor was confined.

Antor raised his sinister eyes in the darkness.

“……”

When their eyes met, he pulled up the corners of his mouth. Like he had expected she would eventually come to him of her own accord.

A short while later, Hari quietly left the tower just like she had come. It hadn’t been very long.

* * *

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“All the people are blessing and revering the new sun that has risen over Hitais.”

Prince Achilleon’s succession ceremony. A grand banquet continued until late at night in the main palace. The entire capital and all the towns were in a festive mood, and the nobles of high society enjoyed drinks while sharing their joy.

However, here was someone who couldn’t join the party atmosphere and was pitifully sipping wine alone in a corner.

“How boring.”

It was Selina Karnos. Her father had ultimately failed to cross the border.

‘It was a sloppy plan from the start, so they easily caught his tail.’

Contrary to expectations that his head would be chopped off immediately, the Third Prince… no, the new king of Hitais had not executed her father. Selina thought this was thanks to her contribution. Because she had helped find Hari.

Having somehow survived and gained the opportunity to attend this glorious party…

‘Where is she?’

What Selina had come to see wasn’t the new king but Hari, her friend. Since Achilleon hadn’t punished the criminal Hari yet, she must be somewhere. But even after searching the banquet hall with burning eyes, she wasn’t there.

It was the same when she lurked around the White Jade Palace or grabbed passing servants to ask.

‘Hari isn’t here?’

* * *

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”

During the height of the banquet. A tower sentry came running, gasping for breath. The sentry looked anxiously at Achilleon, who was exchanging pleasantries with nobles, rolling his eyes. 

With a face hesitating whether to say this in front of everyone. Only after Achilleon dismissed the nobles did he confess with a pale face.

“Prince Antor has escaped from prison!”

The sentry squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the thunderbolt that would soon fall. Since dignitaries from various countries had attended the succession ceremony, many soldiers guarding the tower had been deployed to the banquet hall.

Even so, failing to properly watch the prisoner was an unavoidable grave crime. Moreover, for the worst thing to happen on such a joyous day… He was trembling, thinking he couldn’t avoid severe punishment.

“……”

Achilleon neither harshly scolded nor punished him. With an emotionless face, he set down his wine cup and said.

“Rainan. You heard.”

“Yes, the soldiers who were standing by as ordered are in pursuit.”

The king’s aide appeared from behind a pillar like he had been waiting. His expression was calm, like he had foreseen such an event.

“Since we have justification now, this worked out well. The evidence of poisoning was unclear, so there would have been gossip even if we executed him.”

Meaningful words followed. The soldier’s expression brightened as he belatedly understood the meaning. But conversely, Achilleon’s expression rapidly darkened. A twisted expression like his mouth was full of something bitter.

His face looked so miserable and anguished that the soldier couldn’t say anything.

“Capture the escaped Second Prince. If he resists severely, you may kill him, but refrain from doing so in front of that woman. She might be too… shocked.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

* * *

This matter also wasn’t entirely unexpected. Would a woman who had run away once, twice, give up easily?

Especially a woman who hated him so much. Achilleon had entered Hari’s empty room. Proving she had been there until just moments ago, Hari’s warmth still lingered everywhere. Her belongings were still there too. Even the jewels and accessories he had once given her.

When he examined a secret space inside a small drawer, he found cash. It was probably money she had earned by secretly selling the jewels he had given her. The carefully saved cash was still there too.

How urgent must she have been.

He looked out the window at the swaying forest and smiled bitterly. On the day Hari went missing, he had only interrogated Doris.

The upright priest, whatever deal he had made with Hari, never opened his mouth about Hari’s whereabouts. However, while investigating his private room, they discovered Hari’s bird and learned of the sacred beast’s abilities. She must have used that to help Antor escape.

“Your Majesty! We’ve found the Second Prince’s location.”

Achilleon mounted his prepared horse.

“What about her… what should we do?”