Knox gave Hayden a sharp look. First Frederick and now Hayden—why were they acting like this? She was just a beautiful woman. They had destroyed many countries with their lord, and there had been many women in the same situation as the princess. Why did they only show such reactions to the princess of Sedas?

And what mattered wasn’t whether it was love or sympathy. Any emotion invites interest, and interest easily changes to affection. Thus, Knox thought that having any deep feelings for the princess itself was considered disloyal.

Moreover, from his perspective, Hayden’s feelings had already gone beyond sympathy. Knox sharply warned him,

“Sympathy? You need to practice lying better.”

“……”

“I’ve overlooked it until now, but don’t cross the line. There’s a limit to watching a comrade be disloyal.”

As Hayden tried to make some excuse at Knox’s words, a servant standing in front of the large door blew a trumpet. Soon, the sound of the chamberlain tapping his staff on the floor was heard, and today’s protagonist appeared.

“The great sun of the Empire, His Majesty the Emperor enters.”

“……His Majesty remains the same.”

“Indeed. I heard rumors that he had become more serious lately, but they were false.”

“Can a person change so easily? Tsk.”

People in the banquet hall looked at the emperor with contempt. This was because, despite it being his birthday, the emperor’s behavior was too unseemly.

“Your Majesty. Have another glass.”

“Haha! Yes. Since it’s from you, I must drink it.”

“My, then would you accept a glass from me as well?”

“You all seem determined to kill me today.”

The emperor, seated on the golden throne, drank alcohol with three concubines by his side. A face flushed red with intoxication. Women fawning beside the emperor. The nobles frowned at the scene that looked like something from a brothel.

“Come closer.”

But the emperor seemed unconcerned with people’s gazes. He looked vulgar, lifting the skirt of an already scantily clad concubine.

“Your choice was correct, Duke. Such behavior at a place like this. As they say, you can’t hide your origins…… I suppose this will be the last time we see such a spectacle.”

One of Duke Day’s close nobles clicked his tongue and spoke to the duke after watching the emperor’s behavior. At his careless words, Duke Day turned his head and gave him a fierce look.

“Shh. Be quiet. How can you speak so carelessly?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You seem drunk. Go home. Now.”

Duke Day’s reaction might have seemed overly sensitive. But he thought he needed to be even more cautious. The current situation was like walking on cracked ice.

‘Duke. The reason I urgently summoned you today is to tell you about my resolution.’

‘……’

‘I’ve been an unworthy emperor. I know. I know how hard you’ve tried to guide me on the right path.’

‘……Are you truly sincere?’

‘I realized through the Goddess’s words and your loyalty. That I shouldn’t live like this. I’ll change a lot. So please help me one last time. Hmm?’

Others didn’t know, but the duke knew. The emperor’s current behavior was an act. The emperor would soon…..

As the duke recalled what was about to happen, the emperor, who had been kissing a concubine, looked at him and raised the corner of his mouth. The duke slightly bent his waist at the emperor’s purple eyes.

The emperor’s gaze returned to the concubine. The duke exhaled softly and turned his head. This time, he made direct eye contact with Roshan who was receiving everyone’s attention in the middle of the hall.

Those red eyes seemed to see through everything. The duke flinched and averted his gaze. At that moment, the emperor abruptly stood up.

“Those who have gathered to congratulate me, I sincerely thank you.”

The emperor’s voice was loud and clear. So much so that it was hard to believe he was drunk. Everyone’s eyes fixed on the emperor. He looked around the crowd, then continued with a pretty eye-smile,

“I should greet everyone here, but time is short. So I’ve arranged a separate place for a few who have rendered great service to my empire.”

It wasn’t unusual for the emperor to call only high-ranking nobles and important figures separately on such days. But Emperor Kedrick had rarely held such gatherings as he was too busy enjoying himself during banquets. Therefore, people looked around at each other, exchanging glances about who might be called.

“Don’t feel slighted. It’s only natural to reward those who have rendered service.”

The emperor, who had elegantly gestured to the people, looked at the chamberlain. The chamberlain then unfolded a long scroll and announced,

“By order of His Majesty the Emperor. Those who are called, please wait and follow me.”

* * *

Belying the news of her death, Yerena quietly existed at the top floor of the tower. And beside her, instead of ‘Kian’ who always accompanied her, Frederick was present after a long time.

‘Why……’

Seeing Yerena after a while, Frederick felt an added weight pressing on his heart. This was because her demeanor had changed significantly.

The princess who had been upright despite being terrified and anxious was gone. She seemed somehow dazed, like a flower that had faded in strong light.

Her expression was softer than before, and her once nervous hand gestures had disappeared. But the vitality of before couldn’t be found in her figure as she sat quietly stringing beads. She looked like she might scatter and disappear into the air at any moment. That’s what Frederick thought as he watched the princess.

Her hand movements were incomparably faster than when she couldn’t see at all. Yerena’s hands, making decorations with beads, were like those of a skilled craftsman, and it could have been entertaining to watch. But there was something helpless about the way she strung beads of the same size over and over, like the song of a bird trapped in a cage.

‘Isn’t this something we shouldn’t do?’

Perhaps that’s why. Frederick found it distasteful that Yerena would soon lose her memories. She already looked like this…… If she forgot even the life she had lived. Even if those were painful memories, if they disappeared…..

He couldn’t shake the feeling of completely breaking a person and reassembling them as desired. The deception directed at the princess, both what had happened and what would happen, was terrible.

‘Am I not also part of this process?’

He also found himself disgusting, staying by the princess’s side on Roshan’s orders.

‘No. This path is right for the princess too.’

Suppressing the nausea rising in his throat, Frederick tried hard to convince himself. In the end, it would be good for the princess too. His lord loves the princess. Therefore, he won’t let her go. So rather than remembering everything, starting a new life, forgetting everything and living in a noble position with the best treatment would be happiness for the princess too.

But his self-persuasion ended in failure. What was the use of all that? Could one be happy with things done without one’s own will? Even if one became happy, would that be true happiness?

It was the worst. To have one’s choice taken away and memories erased to be made happy. There was no greater deception.

‘……But watching you lately suddenly reminds me of your sister. Your sister who fell from a supreme lord of the south to a mere rebel because she couldn’t overcome her emotions.’

Yet despite all these thoughts, despite biting his lip until it bled, Frederick was determined to keep his mouth shut. Whatever his true feelings were, there was only one path set. No matter what, he would never betray his lord.

“……Sir Frederick?”

“……”

“Sir?”

While Frederick was lost in thought, trying to gather his confused feelings, Yerena called him. It took him a while to realize she had called him, and he flinched, turning his head toward her.

“What…… What is it?”

But he couldn’t look directly at Yerena’s face. The emotion of guilt pricked at his chest.

“I have something to say……”

Unaware of Frederick’s inner thoughts, Yerena hesitated for a moment before speaking. Unable to face her empty eyes, Frederick looked at her lips. From a distance, they had appeared red and plump, looking fine, but up close, he could see scars that had torn and healed in places. Seeing this, he lowered his gaze further and said,

“……I’m listening.”

“That…… Thank you.”

“……”

“For treating me well all this time.”

Frederick raised his gaze in surprise at Yerena’s words of gratitude. And the moment he looked directly at her face, he saw it. The dim sickly appearance that hung over her.

It was like fog on a night road. Difficult to notice unless one looked carefully. But a thick fog hidden by darkness.

“To be honest, I still hate you. You know why, don’t you?”

“……”

“But as one human being to another, I felt I should thank you. Although I can’t become friends with you…… still, thank you for protecting me, for helping me all this time.”

Frederick clenched his fist. Did the princess have some inkling about her condition? Was that why she was speaking such kind words to him, an imperial knight? Whatever the reason, curses rose from within him.

‘D*mn it.’

Frederick cursed countless times inwardly as he looked at the princess’s hazy eyes. The princess who spoke to him like that would disappear? Losing her memories of him? It was hard to control his wavering heart.

‘Selling secrets to the prince of an enemy country? Committing treason because of mere emotions? Insane!’

He thought he could understand why his sister had made such a choice back then. He had thought her stupid, that he would never understand her…… His rounded nails painfully dug into his palm.

‘I hate this. Even if it’s just a fragment…… I wish she wouldn’t forget.’

Conflict clouded Frederick’s jewel-like eyes. Even if it meant betraying his lord, wouldn’t this be the right path? His own voice buzzed in his head. But just as his lips began to move, his own words from long ago dropped with a thud,

‘I am different from that traitor.’

* * *