‘That won’t happen.’

Margharita was doing well, he’d been told. The child was growing up healthy. When asked if she seemed happy, his subordinate pondered before answering, ‘Her expression was bright.’

With her fellow countrywoman Geta and close friend Ipea by her side, it was probably true. Achilleon was satisfied with receiving periodic reports from his subordinate. But now…

“Your Majesty?”

Now, facing a wedding ceremony with a woman whose face was blurry even in his memory.

“You should start moving to the temple soon.”

His feet wouldn’t budge. He didn’t want to go.

Even after all this time had passed, why did that woman torment him so? A woman who had never loved him in the first place.

Margharita, you are cruel.

Even though we’re so far apart. Even though there aren’t any good memories, you who cause me pain are cruel.

His empty and powerless heart became anger, then turned back to sadness, and finally left him in despair.

Just then, came the sound of someone politely knocking on the door. Instead of Achilleon, who was staring endlessly out the window, Rainan greeted the visitor.

“Your Majesty, Lord Trinita has come with a congratulatory gift.”

Footsteps approached.

“Is this kind of thing between men a bit embarrassing, brother?”

Only then did Achilleon turn his empty face. Focus slowly returned to his dreamy eyes, like he had just woken from a dream.

“I sincerely congratulate you on your marriage. You’ve obtained everything you desired. May infinite glory fill Your Majesty’s future.”

Trinita stood with an expressionless face, holding a bouquet so large his torso was buried in it.

Obtained everything I desired?

Achilleon gazed at his distant cousin with a strange expression.

“Do you really think so?”

“Pardon? Well…”

“Rainan, where is Hari right now?”

Then he suddenly turned his head and asked Rainan. Though his tone was as indifferent as usual, Rainan felt an odd sense of unease. While he couldn’t say Achilleon was completely without impulsive tendencies since he was human, he had generally lived a life that never deviated from established rules and principles that must be upheld.

As a prince, as a war hero, to become king. He had meticulously planned and moved himself thoroughly according to that trajectory. But why now…

After serving Achilleon for over ten years, his senses sharpened at an ominous premonition he had never felt before.

Why was he asking about Miss Margharita now, two hours before the wedding ceremony?

“She should be passing the northeastern border by now. She left Lagonia around lunchtime yesterday. Why do you ask…”

At that moment, their gazes collided directly. Cold sweat ran down his spine. Soon the anxiety became reality.

“Rainan, prepare a horse. Right now.”

* * *

“Ugh, I’m dying…”

Inside the rattling carriage, Hari slumped in exhaustion. Her daughter, wrapped in a thick blanket, was sleeping soundly sprawled across Hari’s lap. Traveling with a young child was indeed difficult. Hari gently stroked the hair of Roye, who was sleeping with her mouth open. 

Still, she was proud of the three-year-old who had bravely held her mother’s hand and followed along without complaining once during the long journey from Kahilans to Lagonia.

How much strength she had gained from Roye saying in her clumsy pronunciation, ‘Mama tired?’, ‘Hold hand tight’, ‘I’ll give you mine’.

Roye was Hari’s treasure. Her big, bright eyes, fluffy cheeks that smelled of milk and chubby fingers, cute feet that toddled along, the small tongue she stuck out whenever she smiled. There wasn’t a single thing about her that wasn’t lovable.

Even her face that resembled Achilleon’s by half looked only beautiful.

Until the child was born, Geta and Ipea had stayed by her side. And after the child was born, she was too busy raising Roye to feel lonely, and with neighbors and priests lending many helping hands.

However, even while always surrounded by people, something unfulfilled remained in one corner of her heart. Empty and cold. Especially when she spent time alone after Roye fell asleep.

‘What weak talk am I making? I have a precious daughter.’

Hari gently stroked the small wound on Roye’s palm. Roye, who had insisted on following her mother despite being told to stay quietly at Aunt Geta’s house, carrying a small shovel and toddling along.

The mother and daughter had planted sacred fruit seeds together in the temple courtyard. And they spent a happy week-long vacation in Lagonia. Roye got along very well with Geta and Ipea, who cherished her dearly.

Even the Lagonian residents, who had initially been wary and tried to exclude Hari, fell for cute Roye and secretly slipped her food. With everyone wanting to look after the child, Hari could also take a honey-sweet rest, freed from childcare for once.

Just then, Roye, who had been squirming, rubbed her eyes and sat up.

“I want to eat the pie Aunt Geta made, Mama.”

“Auntie packed five whole bags for Roye.”

“Wow!”

Her face, now fully awake, beamed with smiles. Roye sat up her chubby torso and fumbled with the wrapping, then chewed the pie with her chick-like mouth. The sweet and sour raspberry scent filled the carriage covered in warm spring sunlight.

While she was patting the head of the child eating earnestly, the wheels smoothly stopped.

“From here you’ll need to transfer to a different carriage.”

The coachman shouted.

There was some distance to the next station, but it wasn’t too far to walk. The weather was nice too. After getting off the carriage with their luggage, Hari held Roye’s hand and walked slowly. 

The weather with spring in full bloom was clear, and the gentle breeze was warm. Dazzling ripples sparkled on the riverbank spread out beside the path.

“Roye, shall we rest a bit before going?”

“Yes!”

Though they hadn’t walked much, they still had to walk another thirty minutes and Hari was getting a bit hungry too. Fortunately, there was a clean restaurant nearby. Inside the spacious interior, customers sat sparsely.

It seemed strange for a woman to be traveling alone with a child in a place that wasn’t even a tourist destination. She could feel glances stealing looks at the mother and daughter. Since she had never received such looks in Kahilans, she naturally became tense.

She quickly ordered food and tightly fastened the hooded cloak she had loosened for Roye in case she felt stuffy.

“Mama, it’s hot.”

Perhaps sensing Hari’s anxiety, Roye fidgeted with her hood but didn’t take it off. Seeing her obediently munching on pie with her head down made Hari feel sorry.

“Let’s eat quickly and leave.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Feeling concerned, she was chewing her food half-heartedly when.

“Excuse me.”

A rough hand knocked on the table where Hari was sitting.

“Are you a traveler? Or do you live around here? I haven’t seen you before.”

The moment she smelled the musty wine odor from the man who suddenly approached, Hari pulled Roye into her arms. Then she quickly paid the restaurant owner and left the restaurant. 

She heard ‘Hey, wait’ from behind, but fortunately the drunk didn’t chase after Hari. Still, her heart was pounding.

“Mama? Why? Not eating?”

“No. Mama’s full now. Let’s hurry home.”

They ate the remaining pie sitting on a wooden bench by the riverbank. After catching her breath and taking Roye’s hand to start walking again. She felt a quiet presence following behind.

“……”

Hari quietly swallowed. Could that man from earlier have followed them here? When she turned around pretending not to notice, she saw a large figure wearing a dark navy hood pulled down to his head.

She couldn’t remember clearly, but was he that tall? Was it a different person rather than the unidentified man who had spoken to them at the restaurant?

The more questions arose, the more calmly her reason settled. Hari gripped Roye’s hand tightly. If it was a man who had never handled weapons, she might not be unable to deal with him.

‘Then let’s make a frontal breakthrough.’

She turned her head sharply, but the strange person had already disappeared without a trace. All her nerves stood on edge like needles. Who was it? For what purpose were they following them?

But then.

“…Roye?”

Suddenly feeling her hand was empty, she looked down to find the fern-like hand that always gripped Hari’s tightly was gone.

Feeling her blood run cold, she looked around.

Splash!

“Roye!”

The moment she saw the child struggling in the water, her mind went blank. At the end of the sloped riverbank, wildflowers were roughly broken on the soft grass.

She must have fallen in the water trying to pick flowers!

Without time to think, she ran down the grassy riverbank. The sloped grass was very slippery, perhaps from rain a few days ago. Running fast and falling made her pure white clothes dirty and her scraped forearm throb, but she couldn’t even feel the pain.

Just as she was about to throw herself into the river water. A strong wind blew from behind.

The edge of a dark robe fluttered into her view. The man who ran past Hari in an instant pulled Roye out with swift, efficient movements.