“What if I wanted to destroy a country?”

It was a shocking proposition. Though she knew how it could be interpreted, Helia’s tone was casual. She was testing him—to see how far the crown prince of an empire would go for her and what he would be willing to bear.

After a long silence, Cedric answered gravely.

“If that’s what you wish.”

His sincerity was unshakable. Helia lowered her gaze without expression. She asked no further questions. Yet Cedric instinctively knew he had crossed a particular barrier in her heart. Like spring flowers, a sense of conviction blossomed within him, alongside the hope that he might genuinely have a future with her.

The two spent the rest of the evening together, even dining side by side. The next day marked Helia’s departure, and a grand banquet was held in the main palace’s grand hall to bid farewell to the Bailey delegation. Though the emperor and empress did not attend, the crown prince and key imperial officials were present, creating a lively atmosphere.

Despite the array of luxurious dishes before her, Helia had no appetite. The chancellor’s expectant glances toward her were the reason. As the leader of the delegation, he was set to return home empty-handed. The Empire’s sole reason for hosting Bailey’s delegation was Helia. Though the chancellor had boasted he would use his diplomatic skills to secure benefits for Bailey, he had accomplished nothing. His only hope now lay in Helia becoming the Empire’s crown princess. Helia, however, had no intention of fulfilling those hopes.

The Bailey delegation felt like a looming reality that crushed Helia’s sense of peace. Though Cedric attentively ensured she ate a few spoonfuls, she soon gave up. While everyone else celebrated, she refrained from smiling alone.

When dinner concluded, Helia was the first to leave the table. Taking a moment to breathe in the night air, she headed toward the guest palace, only to be joined by Cedric, who offered to escort her. Together, they boarded a carriage.

“It’s hard to believe it’s already the last day.”

“Indeed.”

If it wasn’t her imagination, Helia looked somewhat regretful. Cedric asked her what had left the most profound impression on her during her stay in the Empire. Helia replied that everything had been pleasant—the neatly maintained gardens, the emperor’s warm greenhouse, and the exotic teas she had tried for the first time. Cedric smiled. It delighted him to no end that she spoke positively of his country.

The carriage quickly came to a halt in front of the guest palace. The journey had been brief since they were moving within the royal grounds. Reluctantly, Cedric stepped out of the carriage first and extended his hand to Helia.

Their parting was brief. Though they would meet again tomorrow for a farewell exchange, that would mark the end. Knowing they wouldn’t see each other again for a while made Cedric hesitate to leave.

Yet, it was time to go. Breathing in the cool night air, Cedric called out softly.

“Princess.“

“Yes.”

“When might I hear your answer to my feelings?”

“……”

“I don’t mean to rush you. I’m simply curious.”

Cedric smiled lightly. But Helia couldn’t smile in return. His words weighed on her like a burden.

In truth, her answer was practically predetermined. She had no intention of accepting his proposal. From the start, her purpose in coming here had been to block any potential Imperial inroads into Bailey. Any marriage proposal from the Empire to the royal family of Bailey would only serve as a misstep, especially for a nation destined to fall into revolution.

But Cedric seemed utterly uninterested in Bailey, and the emperor’s intentions appeared to stem from genuine admiration rather than diplomatic scheming. Now, standing here, Helia wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

In the end, she said nothing and had to let Cedric go.

“It’s late. Please rest well.“

“You too, Your Highness.“

“May you have a peaceful night.”

Cedric pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. The soft sensation of his lips reached her even through her gloves, as always.

✥✥✥

After a bath attended by Beth, Helia lay down on her bed. The bedroom was utterly quiet, with no one else around. The cool night air, which sharpened her dulled senses, made her body tense and her mind alert. It was the perfect state for intrusive thoughts to seep in.

All day, she thought about those red eyes fixed on her. Her once solid resolve had developed subtle cracks, and those cracks were beginning to tremble. Was she breaking down like this?

And yet, she couldn’t help but think: so what if she was? Helia wanted peace. For a princess who had spent her life betraying and being betrayed, Cedric’s calm was a sweet, irresistible magic.

But she couldn’t ignore her thoughts entirely. Her homeland, which now seemed so far away. That battlefield. The self who had fought in it. Was it truly all right to grow so distant from it? Was she merely running away? And if she was, did she even need a reason not to run?

Helia wrestled with her contradictions. Her mind was a whirlwind, and her heart was unsettled, making sleeping impossible. The night deepened, leaving her in turmoil.

It was then that she heard a soft tapping at the window. Too distinct to be mistaken for the wind, the sound was clear and deliberate.

What could it be?

Tense, Helia rose from her bed and approached the window. What she saw left her frozen. Standing outside was a silhouette she knew all too well.

“Ruben!”

Helia instinctively covered her mouth with both hands to stifle the shout. Of all things, Ruben Effenberg was standing outside her window.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Was she hallucinating? The man standing against the moonlight, staring back at her, seemed almost unreal.

Ruben gestured toward the window’s latch. The moment Helia noticed, she gasped sharply and rushed to unlock it. As the window swung open, the cold night air enveloped her. The scent of grass and soil from the gardens wafted in. The sensory details were vivid, yet Helia couldn’t grasp what was happening.

But regardless of her disbelief, the honest Ruben moved inside, brushing off his crumpled clothes as he entered. Turning to face Helia, he met her gaze. Their eyes locked, and Helia spoke before she could think.

“How…”

The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated his refined features and striking green eyes. It was unmistakable.

“Ruben Effenberg.”

“Yes.”

Even after calling his name, Helia couldn’t believe it. She covered her mouth again with her hand. Though she had heard his steadfast voice with her own ears, accepting this reality was difficult. Without realizing it, she reached out a hand. Ruben closed his eyes, letting her fingertips touch his cheek as if he were a fragile glasswork. Her trembling fingers brushed against his skin, convincing her this was real. The warmth of his flesh left no room for doubt.

“How in the world did you get here…”

Helia, struggling to finish her sentence, could only stare at Ruben. For his part, though he had come all this way without rest, he, too, couldn’t believe that Helia Bailey was genuinely standing before him.

This moment felt overwhelmingly real. Ruben fought the urge to embrace her, to hold her close. Instead, he etched every detail of her into his memory—the flowing waves of her red hair, her sunlit golden eyes, the sharp curve of her gaze, and the slender wrist she extended toward him. It was as if he were memorizing her, fearing he might never see her again.

Finally, Ruben met her gaze once more. Her golden eyes, brimming with questions, demanded an explanation.

What should I say to you? He thought. There’s so much I want to tell you, so much I’ve prepared to say. On my way here, those words were all I could think about. I rehearsed them endlessly, hoping to convey everything to you without misunderstanding. But now, standing before you, all of that feels meaningless.

Elegant reasoning, logical persuasion, and polished declarations—none felt sufficient. No matter what he said, the words seemed destined to scatter in the air, failing to reach her. How could I get you if you choose to shut yourself off?

If none of it was within his purview, then Ruben decided to follow the call of his heart.

Slowly, Ruben knelt on one knee. His deliberate movements stretched time. Helia’s eyes wavered violently as she watched Ruben Effenberg kneel before her. The moonlight streaming through the window softly enveloped him, making his figure appear almost sacred.

“I’ve come again to plead with you,“ he said, his deep voice trembling at the end. Helia instinctively felt the urge to wrap her arms around his sharply contoured shoulders to murmur, Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you—just don’t cry. She tried to reach out and wipe the tears that weren’t even there.

But Helia steadied herself. What was impossible remained impossible. The reality was mercilessly apparent, and for that, she was grateful. If not, she might have found herself hopelessly lost in a labyrinth with no way out.

“…This is Pteria,“ she said.

“I know. That’s why I snuck in,“ Ruben replied.