Ion enjoyed fighting with Erika despite knowing he would suffer terrible pain.

Above all, what pleased him most was that whenever Gerick’s unit and Ion’s unit engaged in battle, Erika would naturally come for Ion first.

Ion wasn’t interested in winning or losing the imperial succession competition since he was participating not to become Emperor but by imperial command.

He only hoped Erika wouldn’t lose interest in fighting him.

So Ion trained his body more diligently than anyone and never neglected his sword training.

He feared that if his skills were inadequate, Erika might pass him over for someone else.

Ion’s efforts were rewarded as Erika continued to face him until the final battle of the imperial succession competition.

Even though his leg was broken.

‘Is this telling me to stop now……’

Looking at his broken leg, Ion realized his journey toward Erika had ended.

Gerick, having won the imperial succession competition, was appointed Crown Prince and would soon marry Erika.

Having lost the competition, Ion would soon receive a title and territory and have to leave the capital.

With Erika marrying Gerick and entering the palace while he left the capital to live confined to his territory, they would never cross paths again.

His broken leg felt like a signal to finally accept this reality, leaving him with mixed emotions.

Yet in some ways, he felt relieved.

He had done everything he could for someone he had fallen for.

The outcome was one he had clearly foreseen, so there were no regrets.

He could be satisfied knowing that all those days he spent orbiting Erika for nearly ten years had become memories that would give him strength to live.

Until he heard the news.

“What? Who’s marrying whom?”

The news that reached him during his busy preparations to depart for his territory infuriated him more than any other day since he had known Erika.

Anger that had never surfaced even when being rejected by Erika and becoming her enemy and getting beaten by her sword now erupted like a volcano from deep within his chest.

Though he had never liked Gerick, this was the first time he wanted to k*ll him.

‘That bastard dares to betray Erika?’

He wanted to rush over, grab Gerick by the collar, and strangle him.

He wanted to tear apart the mouth of Evelyn, who always inserted herself between Gerick and Erika claiming to be Erika’s friend.

He kept thinking that if he had known this would happen, he should have done whatever it took to win the imperial succession competition and become Crown Prince.

Never in his life had he felt so painfully powerless despite never having possessed great power before.

Ion gritted his teeth as he looked bitterly at his broken leg.

If only his leg were intact, he could do something—it was frustrating.

He even regretted being enemies with Erika.

If they had been friends, he could have stayed by her side, but as enemies, he was now going crazy wondering what Erika might be doing.

Ion called Puki, his right-hand man, to find out how Erika was doing.

“She’s just staying quietly at home? Is that all?”

“She seems to be assessing the situation, likely due to the severe shock.”

“What about the Duke of Sparta and Sir Hermes?”

“They’re quiet as well. They seem to be waiting for Dame Erika to make a decision.”

“Hmm……”

For the first time, Ion couldn’t understand Erika.

He couldn’t understand how someone with her personality could tolerate such unfair treatment.

Whether in terms of skill, beauty, or background—

Erika had nothing that made her inferior to Evelyn.

Ion couldn’t understand why Erika was simply enduring this treatment when she had nothing to bow down to, not even to Gerick who had just become Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, Gerick and Evelyn were reportedly out having fun together.

‘Looking at this now, is she actually an idiot?’

Just as Ion was reaching this disrespectful conclusion about Erika, a twist occurred.

Erika came to visit him secretly.

※※※

“We need to talk.”

“Me? With you? Why?”

“There you go being snarky again. Want your arm broken too?”

Ion scrunched his face and snapped at Erika.

“Lost the man you were pining after and now taking it out on me? Am I that easy a target?”

It wasn’t something he should be angry at Erika about, but his hurt feelings came out in a twisted way.

The fortunate thing was that Erika remained exactly as he knew her.

“I’ve never pined after anyone, but yes, you are an easy target. Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Somewhere we can be alone?”

Ion unconsciously frowned to hide his flushed face as he followed Erika.

She led Ion to a secluded spot deep in the imperial palace’s rear garden where people rarely ventured.

“What could you possibly need to say that requires bringing me to such a deserted place?”

“What? Scared I might hit you?”

“This is ridiculous. Just because I go easy on you for being a woman, you have no respect.”

“Heh~~ You go easy on me because I’m a woman? So that means you at least see me as a woman, right?”

Ion let out a hollow laugh in disbelief. He knew Erika was oblivious, but not to this extent.

To Ion, Erika had always been a woman, every single moment.

“Of course you’re a woman, what else? Biologically, you are definitely female.”

“True. Do you have a lover? Or have you promised to marry someone? Or perhaps there’s a family with whom marriage negotiations are taking place for a political marriage?”

“…………”

Ion couldn’t collect his thoughts at Erika’s sudden question.

His heart pounded as if it had been struck by something.

Even knowing it was impossible, his hands trembled with strange anticipation.

Ion hid his hands behind his back, afraid Erika might notice.

“I guess not, since you can’t answer.”

“Did any of you give me the chance? Between avoiding the traps you set and blocking the sword you openly wielded against me, did I have the mental capacity to meet women?”

“That’s true. I admit I was pretty harsh on you. So anyway, want to marry me?”

“What?”

“Po. Li. Ti. Cal. Mar. Riage. Let’s do that together.”

Ion felt like his breathing stopped for a moment.

Either his ears were malfunctioning or something was wrong with Erika.

Ion carefully placed his hand on Erika’s forehead.

“No fever…… Did you eat something bad?”

“Not that. Gerick is getting married, so I should too.”

“You…… Weren’t you supposed to enter as imperial consort when Gerick becomes Emperor?”

Erika burst out angrily. Her voice was filled with indignation.

“Imperial consort sounds nice, but isn’t that just a concubine? If it were a regular noble family, I’d just be a concubine.”

Ion’s eyes widened at Erika’s cynical accusation.

He had never thought about it, but Erika was always right.

At this moment, Ion wanted to confirm the most important thing once more.

“……So you’re not going to become Gerick’s imperial consort?”

“Are you crazy? What am I lacking that I should become a concubine? And why should I share my husband with another woman? When you get married, you should only look at each other. My principle is that you shouldn’t turn your eyes to anyone other than your spouse.”

Ion’s heart beat so fast it felt like it might burst.

The desire he had kept hidden escaped his heart and spread throughout his body.

Ion’s desperate yet hasty question followed.

“Does that apply to me too?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, if we have a political marriage, will we only look at each other?”

Erika rolled her eyes and looked Ion up and down.

“Isn’t that obvious? I’ll k*ll my husband immediately if he cheats, so tell me quickly if you’re going to do that. We can pretend this never happened.”

Trying to suppress his twitching lips, Ion grumbled instead.

“Geez, what a temper. Of course I wouldn’t.”

Ion hid his expression in the darkness and organized the conversation he had with Erika.

“So, you’re saying you want a political marriage with me? It’s a political marriage, but we’ll be each other’s only companion.”

“That’s right.”

“Since it’s a political marriage, we’ll need something like a contract, right?”

“Of course!”

At Erika’s energetic voice, Ion inwardly rejoiced.

‘Erika chose me! I’ve finally reached Erika!’

He had thought there would be an end to the path toward Erika. But that wasn’t the case.

The path that reached Erika continued on.

He would now walk that endless path together with Erika.

Ion couldn’t contain his happiness at this unbelievable reality.

Side Story: The Path to You – End