Nian’s request was quite unexpected. Helping her choose a gift for an acquaintance. She was remarkably thoughtful as she selected what appeared to be a pocket watch for a young man.

Guessing who the watch might be for, Cain smiled bitterly. The reason a woman would choose a gift for a man was obvious.

It must be for the Emperor.

Feeling somewhat petty, Cain responded indifferently as Nian kept showing him various options.

“Oh come on, please look at them properly, Brother.”

“I’m telling you they’re all fine.”

“Pfft. I know they’re all fine. I’m asking which one is the best among them.”

Seeing Nian pouting her lips, Cain finally smiled as if conceding defeat. Then he carefully examined the two watches she had selected after much deliberation.

One was made entirely of platinum with a white background and ancient patterns engraved without gems, giving it an antique look, while the other was made of gold with occasional gems embedded, making it exceptionally ornate.

After pondering for a moment, Cain pointed to the platinum watch, and Nian smiled brightly.

“I knew you’d choose that one.”

Cain smiled with a sigh at her smile, which still made his heart flutter. Nian immediately asked the owner to wrap it, and the shopkeeper handed it over, packaged in a small wooden box wrapped in fine leather.

Nian held it close to her chest as if it were precious and left the shop.

The sun seemed to be setting, as the outside was filled with orange twilight. Cain, who had been walking silently with Nian, opened his mouth with a sorrowful voice.

“I hope he likes it.”

“?”

“Everyone has different tastes, you know.”

Well, judging by Ilena, the Emperor and himself might surprisingly share the same taste.

Nian looked at the suddenly dejected Cain with a somewhat bewildered expression before bursting into laughter.

“?”

After laughing for a while, she wiped away the tears that had escaped and spoke. Her tone still carried traces of laughter.

“My goodness, you’re still so dense, Brother Cain.”

When Cain looked at her quizzically, Nian shook her head as if there was no helping it.

“That must be why you made my childhood friend cry so much.”

“……”

“Do you know how much Lea cried because of you?”

“T-that’s—”

Cain’s face instantly reddened.

“Goodness, to release a love parrot given with affection just like that.”

“I-I didn’t know.”

Cain stammered in response, embarrassed by the old memory. Nian burst into laughter again at his reaction.

Of course, he did it partly because he didn’t understand Lea’s feelings, but even if he had known, his exceptionally kind nature wouldn’t have allowed him to keep a bird caged. He was always warm and gentle, both then and now.

Nian held back her laughter and handed him the watch box she had been holding. She had planned to give it to him on the day she left, but she didn’t want to make him feel bad for a long time.

Cain stared at Nian with a blank face, and she finally opened her mouth as if conceding.

“It’s for you, Brother.”

“……”

“It’s so insignificant compared to what you’ve done for me that I feel rather embarrassed.”

“This isn’t what I……”

As Cain seemed somewhat surprised and about to refuse, Nian quickly took his hand and placed the gift in it.

Nian smiled with satisfaction, lifting the corners of her mouth.

“I know you didn’t do it expecting anything in return. I just wanted to express my feelings somehow, so please accept it.”

At Nian’s words, Cain bit his lip and stopped in his tracks. Nian, walking with her head slightly bowed as if embarrassed, didn’t notice and continued walking slowly, while Cain watched her from behind.

Not expecting anything in return, she said.

Cain smiled bitterly. Then, as if somewhat upset, he quickly caught up with her who had walked ahead. Reaching her feet, he grabbed her wrist rather roughly.

Her body turned sharply, bringing them face to face.

Nian looked up at him, seemingly surprised by his sudden action. Cain looked down at her with a strange expression that seemed both angry and sad.

Nian was momentarily startled as she met his brown eyes, which resembled the current sunset, but soon smiled gently. Cain felt incredibly bitter at her defenseless smile, facing him without any tension despite being so close.

“The dense one isn’t me, but you, Ilena.”

“?”

“Who said I didn’t expect anything in return?”

“B-Brother.”

As he spoke mockingly, Nian’s black eyes trembled unmistakably. Cain raised his hand to cup her cheek.

“Only now do you look at me with the eyes I’ve wanted.”

‘Yes, I never once wished to be just a comfortable brother to you, Ilena.’

Cain slowly lowered his head. As they came close enough for their breaths to tangle, he whispered softly.

“I want something other than a watch, Ilena.”

He moved even closer, and Nian, trembling faintly, finally couldn’t bear it and turned her head away.

Cain smiled bitterly, as if he had expected this.

After that day, she had been consciously avoiding Cain, but now she sat with him at the dining table after quite a long time.

Silently eating her stew, Nian hesitated a bit before speaking.

“I’m thinking of going to the Kingdom of Samurin soon.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry for being such a burden until the end. I’ll definitely repay you.”

Cain’s expression darkened. He paused for a moment before speaking.

“If you’re worried about what happened the other day, you don’t need to be.”

Nian smiled faintly and shook her head.

“It’s not that, so don’t worry. I was planning to do this from the beginning. If anything, I’m late.”

Cain sighed softly. Whether as Empress or as Ilena, she was always a stern woman to him. He called to her again with a somewhat tense expression.

“Ilena.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t mention this earlier because it seemed too soon, but…… even though you’ve stepped down from the position of Empress, that doesn’t mean your life is over.”

“Yes. I know that, Brother.”

“Could I be part of your new life?”

Cain reached out and took Nian’s hand.

“I’m serious. And have been for quite some time. I should have done this from the beginning, and I’m sorry about last time.”

Feeling his warm sincerity, Nian felt even more apologetic. She took a moment to compose herself before smiling calmly.

“Proposing to marry a former deposed empress, you still seem immature.”

She continued in a rather mature tone.

“If the late Count had heard this, you would have already received several smacks on your back.”

“Hmph. That old man. He used to beat his grown son like that every day.”

Nian laughed softly.

“You don’t know how painful it is to live with someone who loves another. I don’t want you to experience that feeling, Brother.”

Nian continued, deliberately keeping her tone even.

“I’ll leave as soon as I’m ready.”

“Even if I say it doesn’t matter, you won’t stay, will you?”

“I’m sorry.”

Being with Cain would certainly be comfortable. Cain was extremely affectionate and kind. But he had been like a jewel shining brightly in her childhood. She didn’t want to hurt Cain.

Cain, who had been looking at Nian somewhat sadly, smiled bitterly.

“To reject a man like me, you must have quite poor judgment when it comes to men.”

“I suppose so. That must be why my fate is so unfortunate.”

They had somehow returned to being childhood friends again.

* * *

The Empress Dowager placed her hand on her wrinkled forehead and sighed. With the position of empress vacant, the empress’s duties had fallen entirely to her.

Yet her troublesome son kept delaying the appointment of a new empress, making this old body suffer even more.

Clearly, Nian had told her that her son couldn’t forget his former lover. That’s why she had set aside her own desires and tried to correct past mistakes according to her wishes, but for some reason, her son didn’t look happy at all.

Feeling frustrated, she had gone to her son to bring it up, but as soon as she mentioned the empress, he treated her so coldly that she couldn’t press the matter further.

“Wasn’t it because you took matters into your own hands without my permission, Mother? If you now intend to shift the responsibility to me, that’s out of the question, so please leave.”

Recalling her son’s sharp words, the Empress Dowager’s concerns grew. She realized something had gone wrong. After sighing deeply, she shook her head. A relationship has already passed.

It was something that couldn’t be reversed again. Moreover, the royal ball was soon to be held. That alone made time tight.

* * *

“Is there perhaps another reason?”

When Cain kept postponing her departure date, Nian finally asked him directly. At first, she thought he was doing it because he was reluctant to see her go, but seeing him delay again made her suspect he had other motives.

After hesitating, Cain finally spoke.

“Don’t you need to see him once more before you go?”

“Who?”

“His Majesty the Emperor.”