“Farewell…… where is he going?”

“What does it matter to you where he’s going…… Ahem, he’s going to Elan. We’re still preparing the horses for the journey, so that should give you enough time to change clothes. Should I wake a maid?”

“No. Since you said I don’t need to dress up, I’ll prepare myself and come down soon.”

“Do as you wish. Well then.”

After Finn left the room, Eva checked the dress she had already selected to wear today, and with no intention of dressing differently, she sat in front of the mirror and simply combed her hair to make it neat.

—If you keep growing your hair like this, you’ll look like a princess from a fairy tale who escaped the tower by growing her hair! Of course, you’re not captured by a witch.

—Leon. The person trapped there wasn’t a princess, just a girl.

—If you were trapped there, you would definitely look like a princess!

Perhaps because she had woken up early and her mind wasn’t fully clear yet, the blurred memory of Leon looking at Eva in the mirror with curious eyes whenever she combed her hair came to mind. Her hair was much longer now than it was then, truly reaching a length that would make even the girl in the tower envious. Eva couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

“I should cut my hair a bit.”

It had grown so long that it was difficult to comb by herself. Back then, Charlotte would have stood beside her, combing her hair while she chatted happily with Leon, but now even the act of styling long hair seemed somehow unsuitable.

“I wonder if they returned safely, I should have sent a letter……”

By now, Charlotte should have arrived in Florin after an exciting journey, but there hadn’t been a single letter from her. Now that Fabian, who had hated even Eva’s longing for her hometown, was gone, she could have sent a letter to check if Charlotte had arrived safely in Florin, but she had been too preoccupied with other matters to think of it.

Perhaps Divlik would have allowed this too if she had begged, saying it was in exchange for that night.

After spending the night with Divlik, how long would she remain alive? Eva regretted only thinking of this now. Before dying, she wanted to know if her parents were doing well, at least that much.

“It’s too late now.”

Of course, if Divlik permitted her to send a letter using pigeons, it would be faster than having someone deliver it in person, but it was too late.

Everything, absolutely everything, was now…… far too late.

“Stop dawdling and come out quickly!”

Finn, whom she thought had already gone downstairs, urged her from outside the door.

Eva put down her comb and rose from her seat, reaching for a robe instead of the dress she had selected earlier. Before leaving the room, she didn’t forget to find an old cloth to cover her eyes.

* * *

“You’re finally coming out. I thought I might leave without seeing you.”

Even though Eva had only tidied her hair without changing clothes and came out to the fountain, Divlik had already completed preparations for riding.

Neigh.

The horse raised and lowered its front legs repeatedly, as if ready to gallop away at any moment. Divlik pulled the reins to skillfully calm the horse.

“I heard there wasn’t much time, but I couldn’t say farewell with tangled hair from just waking up. I ask forgiveness if I’ve delayed your departure.”

Eva placed both hands in front of her chest and bowed deeply, and Divlik lightly patted the horse’s neck as he looked down at Eva.

“You certainly look like you just got out of bed. You couldn’t even dress properly. This makes you look just like an empress who rushed out of bed to pray for the safety of her lord before his departure for battle. Haha.”

Divlik threw out a comment that could hardly be called a joke and then laughed without much joy.

“It was a joke I made because I’m nervous about meeting the fearsome Grand Duke Joseph. Will you accept it?”

“Nervous? Aren’t you the most feared person in the Bern continent right now, Lord Divlik?”

“That was also a joke. Being weak in the mornings and waking up so early makes me say all sorts of things.”

Eva wondered if Divlik’s succession of jokes, even less funny than usual, was because of yesterday’s incident. It was obvious with just a little thought that the medicine Eva had brought wasn’t poison. Perhaps he felt awkward after misunderstanding and getting angry without thinking. He might have even sought out Mia to check what was in the medicine.

Eva felt relieved seeing Divlik making trivial jokes instead of being sharp and cutting like yesterday. At least it seemed the misunderstanding about her trying to kill him had been cleared up.

“Perhaps you would like my blessing?”

Divlik, who had been laughing without any sign of joy, closed his mouth at Eva’s words, then after a pause, asked,

“Blessing……”

“I thought you might need a blessing for your safe return.”

She was implying that there was no reason he would want to see her face before departing.

“I only called for you because I thought it wouldn’t be right for a servant to sleep comfortably while her master is away……”

But Divlik’s voice trailed off there. If a wife who rushed out of bed looked like this, perhaps her lord might not have been able to leave at all. Eva’s infinitely clear and pure aura—how should he put it—made her seem like a precious and tender being that one couldn’t bear to leave behind for fear of her being damaged.

“That wouldn’t be bad either. Would you give me your hand, former empress.”

Divlik suddenly extended his hand toward Eva. When Eva reached out, following Divlik’s voice asking for it, Divlik pulled her hand and drew her close.

“Would you give me your blessing,”

Divlik bent down and briefly kissed the back of Eva’s hand. In a situation that would truly look like an emperor and empress before a military departure if anyone were watching, Divlik didn’t wait for Eva’s answer but leaned in from that position and whispered in her ear.

“That I might find Fabian there and bring back his head.”

He didn’t want to evoke such sentiments even by misunderstanding. Eva trembled slightly at Divlik’s suddenly cold voice, but Divlik continued to smile while still holding Eva’s hand.

“The promised time won’t be extended just because I’m briefly leaving the castle. The reason I’m hurrying so early in the morning is precisely for that reason. It means I don’t want to delay even a single day the night I’ll spend with you. Do you feel even a little how great my expectations are for our night? Now, please give your blessing. Fabian’s head is necessary, even for our perfect night.”

Eva neither smiled nor cried at his declaration that he would surely bring back her lord’s head. If that was what Divlik wanted, then so be it—a resignation like the settled dawn air that had not yet seen the sunrise emanated from Eva’s body.

“Again you show such an uninteresting reaction, former empress. I will return without delay. In the meantime, act as the mistress of this masterless castle for a change. I’m not sure if it will have any meaning, but it might serve as a diversion.”

As Divlik’s hand slipped from hers with a whisper, Eva strangely felt as if the ground was sinking, causing dizziness, and she suddenly gripped Divlik’s hand tightly.

“What’s the matter, former empress?”

Divlik looked alternately at Eva’s hand holding his and her face, showing a puzzled expression. Eva, confused by her own action, didn’t know what to do but couldn’t let go of Divlik’s hand.

“I’m sorry…… I’m sorry. Just a moment of dizziness……”

“My, I didn’t know you were also weak in the early morning. Please go back inside. This is enough for a farewell. I trust my message was properly conveyed that I will return before missing the important matter?”

Though he said his business was finished, Divlik also couldn’t readily let go of her hand.

To his eyes, Eva looked as if she might collapse and shatter if he let go of her hand. She seemed to have already partially crumbled just from the fact that she would spend the night with him.

“Finn. Wake the maid who attends to the deposed empress.”

“Yes, Lord Divlik.”

That wasn’t enough. Divlik wanted Eva to crumble more thoroughly here. It would have been worth seeing if she had begged to save the emperor, saying she would do anything. Perhaps all that talk about loyalty to her lord was just an excuse after all.

“I’m fine, Lord Divlik. I can return on my own.”

“I’d be troubled if you fell ill like this. Didn’t I tell you? My expectations for tomorrow night with you are great.”

In the end, Divlik held Eva’s hand and didn’t let go until Hannah came running out in her nightclothes.

“Eva! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Hannah. I’ve unintentionally woken you up.”

“What are you saying! You should have woken me much earlier. How did you come out here alone? With your eyes covered too.”

“The paths within the castle are clear even with my eyes closed. Someone else helped me as well.”

As Hannah put her arm around Eva’s shoulders, Divlik slowly released Eva’s hand and took the reins.

“I’ll return believing you’ve given your blessing.”

Divlik rode his horse through the castle gate, followed by Finn and several soldiers.