“I must see the princess immediately.”

The maid looked at the boy, who had been like a brother to the girl since childhood. Despair was written all over his face. Usually, she would have to inform the princess first, but this boy was a special person to her. When the late king passed away, the boy supported the girl.

The boy remembered the girl he had brought back. The maid did not ask questions and simply led him into the parlor.

“Please wait for a moment. Her Highness is still preparing.”

Suppressing the urge to rush into the bedroom and ask the girl what had happened, the boy sat quietly and waited. His body trembled slightly, and he clenched his fist tighter. His nails dug into his skin, but he couldn’t feel anything.

Soon, the door opened. The girl, dressed in black and wearing a black mesh veil, walked toward him calmly.

“Your Highness.”

“What is it, Your Grace?”

Without any greeting, her cold and direct voice sent chills down his spine. The boy, frozen in place, slowly raised his head, his movements creaking like an unlubricated iron door. There were empty, cold, golden eyes staring at him—eyes that made it hard to believe she had lost her parents. He realized something was terribly wrong.

“I heard about Her Majesty, the Queen. My deepest condolences.”

“I see.”

Even as she spoke of her mother’s death, the girl appeared indifferent, as though she were talking about someone else. Her voice, level and uninflected, left the boy confused. No matter how little contact she had with her mother, this felt out of place.

Just a year ago, the girl looked like her world had ended when her grandfather died. This was a completely different person. Her heavy makeup, neat attire, the veil that covered her face, and the black lace fan she held—everything about her was royal, and the boy couldn’t bring himself to think that her red eyes were hidden behind the makeup.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“No… I… I just…”

For once, the boy stumbled over his words.

The girl did not seek comfort, so he couldn’t offer any. She was genuinely indifferent, and that confused him even more. It felt like he had become nothing in her eyes, the distance between them unbearable.

Where had the girl gone, who had once quietly swallowed her tears? Or had she been crying alone in places he couldn’t see? But the stiffness of her back and the cold, emotionless expression made it impossible to imagine she was grieving. Her calm, golden eyes, as though nothing had happened, made him feel helpless. He couldn’t think of any words to say; he could only stare at her. Should he ask if she wasn’t too sad? Should he tell her he was there for her? Any words would surely pass her unnoticed because her gaze was so hollow.

“Your Grace?”

The girl’s call snapped him back to reality. He hadn’t hoped she would cry, but he hadn’t hoped she wouldn’t cry either. He didn’t want her to be sad, but he didn’t want her to seem unaffected.

He didn’t know where this indifference came from. He wanted to ask what had happened, but the girl wouldn’t let him come any closer. Yes, this was distance. She was keeping her distance from him. Just yesterday, the girl would have run to him whenever he arrived, but now, in the span of a day… The boy’s confusion grew more profound, and his head spun dizzy.

So, instead of prying into the girl’s heart, the boy focused on another goal that was clearer and more certain than hers. He asked cautiously.

“Lord Klein…”

“Ah, you mean that matter.”

Without waiting for him to finish, the girl opened her black fan. Half of her face was now hidden behind it. She had never used a fan to cover her face while speaking to him before. The ominous feeling grew stronger with every change.

“It’s true.”

Her voice was calm and steady. The boy clenched his teeth.

It couldn’t be true. He knew his master’s character better than anyone. No, everyone in the country knew how kind he was. The princess, especially, could not have been unaware. He was one of the few adults who occasionally visited the palace to show interest in the girl. His master had even wished for him to see the princess often, though he had also done so alone. Perhaps because the princess asked about his master occasionally, her face would light up with a gentle smile whenever his name came up.

That was the kind of person his master was. If he were ever told to kill the queen, he would instead take his own life. But kill the queen?

“That can’t be…”

His voice trembled in disbelief. Unable to bear it, the girl turned her gaze away.

Could it be that his master had actually assassinated the queen? Why? How could this be?

He remembered what his master had told him only a short while ago.

“It is because Queen Kate is here that this country remains peaceful. But I can’t help feeling guilty for burdening her with such a heavy responsibility.”

The person who had spoken such praise was his own master. Nothing made sense. The boy clutched his head, his mind in turmoil. His thoughts felt like they were on the verge of exploding. Yet, unfazed by his confusion, the girl’s calm voice continued, sounding even more out of place.

“Unfortunately, I witnessed it myself.”

“…You may have seen it wrong.”

“Are you denying me now?”

“Your Highness!”

“Calm down, Your Grace. Lord Klein is your master, but this rudeness is unacceptable.”

The boy’s head felt like it had been struck hard, and he was left dazed.

The princess, who had called his name so gently just yesterday, had vanished as if she had never existed. He had thought her recent sensitivity was due to the death of her grandfather, whom she had cared for. She was still recovering from that wound, he believed. But this… this was different.

The boy shook his head. He needed to regain his composure. His master’s life was hanging by a thread.

“I am not doubting Your Highness. But something is definitely wrong. My master…”

“Last night, Queen Kate consumed poison when the snowstorm briefly ceased. The poison that was delivered by your master, Lord Klein. He was the one present at the scene, and I witnessed everything. Are you going to deny this as well?”

The boy’s mind cleared in an instant.

If the snowstorm had briefly stopped, his master had been with him. They had been training in the backyard of his estate. They had waited for the storm to subside to resume their practice. He knew this better than anyone. The snow that had stopped for a while had started again shortly after, continuing until the morning.

The boy, as if regaining hope, spoke brightly.

“When the snowstorm momentarily stopped, my master was with me. We had to train late because we waited for the snow to cease.”

In an instant, one of the girl’s eyebrows shot up sharply.

“The snow…?”

The boy noticed her voice trembling slightly for a split second, but that was all. It quickly returned to its usual calm, expressionless tone.

“It seems it had stopped.”

The girl spoke, casting a brief glance out the window. The once confident princess couldn’t meet his gaze. The boy realized from the edge of her yellow eyes that she was lying.

He couldn’t understand the situation at all. His eyes wavered in confusion. She was lying to him, trying to frame his master for death.

Why? He couldn’t find a reason. Could it be that the princess hated his master so much she wanted him dead? That couldn’t be the case. The girl liked his master. She welcomed him warmly whenever he visited and was always happy to see him. She even asked about him when he wasn’t around. So why…?

But the girl, standing in front of the boy, remained resolute.

“The important thing is that Queen Kate consumed the poison your master delivered.”

The boy’s breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t speak. It felt as though his limbs were tangled in vines, trapping him. With an overwhelming sense of helplessness, he realized. The girl had made up her mind to kill his master. It was a resolution. She was determined to make sure he died. She had decided she could even confront him if needed. How terrifying is the resolve of royalty? A resolve that is destined to be fulfilled.

The boy clenched his fists. His nails dug into his skin, but he didn’t feel the pain. His hands were covered in blood, but it felt like someone else’s blood, the sticky sensation of it foreign to him. He gritted his teeth, his stiff jaw bearing the weight of his resolve.

“No.”