“It’s a shame you missed your chance.”

Karsten said with a mocking tone. Hearing his words, Breti finally let go of the confusion she’d been carrying.

“I don’t consider someone’s life hanging by a thread to be an opportunity.”

At her answer, Karsten let out a low chuckle. This time, his laughter dragged on—nothing like the gentle smile he’d worn yesterday, but a smile sharp and unsettling enough to sour Breti’s mood.

“You’ve always had a quick tongue.”

“…That’s quite a talent for a doll, in any case, you saved my life, so I suppose I should thank you.”

The words of gratitude left Breti at a loss for how to reply. She could only fidget with the hem of her skirt, not knowing what to say.

Leaning back against the sofa, Karsten sipped his tea leisurely and continued.

“Thompson told me your medical skills are better than most physicians.”

“That’s too generous.”

“You have quite a gift.”

For some reason, his compliment made her uneasy. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he would use this as an excuse to demand something more from her.

“And on that note…”

Karsten set his teacup down on the table and went on,

“I have a new proposal for you.”

“A proposal…?”

“I’m withdrawing my previous demand for you to live as my sister’s stand-in.”

For a brief, wild moment, Breti’s heart pounded at the thought that his absurd proposal might be rescinded.

But Karsten’s next words crushed her hope completely.

“Instead, I want you to become Laterna—down to your very bones.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Forget everything about your life as Breti Harwin. From now on, you are Laterna.”

“…!”

“With Laterna’s name, you’ll have the power to accomplish anything—far more than you ever could with your shabby status.”

His words stung with shame, not because they weren’t true, but because it was him saying them.

“I’ll support whatever you want to do. So…”

“…”

“Just know that disappearing like you did yesterday will never be tolerated again.”

Karsten’s eyes flashed dangerously as he spoke.

“No matter where you run, I’ll find you and drag you back before my eyes.”

The glint in Karsten’s eyes sent a chill down Breti’s spine.

“If you want, after a certain period, I’ll make arrangements so you can leave the manor.”

“…”

“And just as I said before, I’ll make sure you have enough money to last a lifetime—even if you spent every day doing nothing, you’d never run out.”

Karsten poured himself another cup of tea, his tone almost lazy.

“With that much, you could even open your own clinic. Isn’t that a decent enough life?”

“What kind of life I choose to live is for me to decide.”

Breti replied, refusing to be intimidated by him.

“But…”

Karsten lifted his teacup, watching her closely.

“But?”

Biting her lower lip, Breti spoke with newfound resolve.

“I’ll do it. I’ll become the princess’s stand-in.”

The night before, she had finally broken the seal on the letter from the duchess—one she’d left unread for so long.

In it were words overflowing with longing and emotion, describing how desperately the duchess had missed her lost daughter, how her heart nearly burst with feeling.

Every line was filled with devotion and love.

As Breti read each word, the depth of the duchess’s yearning for her missing child made her chest ache.

She could feel, with every syllable, just how many days the duchess had spent hoping for news of her daughter.

When she finished the letter, Breti thought of her own mother, who had passed away long ago, and tears welled in her eyes.

Her mother had died when Breti was seven—attacked by a Haeriji while gathering herbs in the mountains.

In truth, the Haeriji’s real target had been Breti, but her mother had shielded her, saving her life.

Blinded by the poison used by the creature, her mother had never gotten up again.

‘Mother must have felt the same…’

If she, and not her mother, had died that day, her mother would have spent the rest of her life haunted by her lost child—just like the duchess.

The thought brought Breti’s resolve into sharp focus.

“I have no intention of becoming the princess down to my very bones, as you just said, I’ll play the part—just as long as Your Grace needs me—acting as the lady’s companion, nothing more.”

She’d made up her mind, just as Karsten wanted. It was only a façade, but if her presence could bring even a little peace to the duchess, then it would be her way of repaying Karsten for saving her life.

“Now we’re finally speaking the same language. Let’s wrap this up.”

Karsten pushed a sheet of parchment and a quill toward Breti’s side of the table.

“Write down what you want to receive once your role as a stand-in is finished. Whatever you wish for, I’ll grant it.”

“I don’t want anything.”

Her answer was clear and direct, making Karsten’s brow furrow.

“Nothing?”

“Yes. There’s nothing more I need from you, Your Grace.”

The clarity and calmness in her voice made Karsten’s heart pound in a way that felt almost foreign.

Her deep green eyes met his, unwavering. For a moment, he felt a wave of dizziness—almost as if he might be sick.

Why?

It reminded him of the feeling he’d had the night he brought her out of Aurora—only now, it was even stronger.

“…Why is that?”

He asked, doing his best to hide his confusion.

“All I ever wished for was to escape Aurora.”

“And?”

“You’ve already given me that, so that’s enough for me.”

“That’s all?”

“I don’t wish for anything else.”

There wasn’t the slightest hint of falsehood in Breti’s steady gaze.

Karsten didn’t like that for some reason; his brow furrowed again.

Seeing him frown, Breti reflexively lowered her head.

It was an instinctive reaction—Breti lowered her head because, in that moment, Karsten’s expression reminded her of the look Aba, the mistress of Aurora, wore just before striking her.

Karsten gazed quietly at the top of Breti’s bowed head.

‘She says she wants nothing.’

He scoffed inwardly, then dropped his gaze from her and rose from his seat.

“Fine. If that’s what you want, so be it.”

“…”

“You may go.”

“…Then, if you’ll excuse me.”

Breti said, bowing politely before moving toward the door.

Karsten’s eyes followed her every movement—the way she walked, the way her hand touched the door, even the fleeting glimpse of her profile as she stepped out.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he found himself still watching her, unable to look away until the door finally closed.

‘Regret…?’

The thought drifted through his mind for no reason at all.

“Useless thoughts.”

Karsten muttered, forcing himself to push the notion aside and moved to stand by the window.

Was there ever a more pointless thing to think about?

Yet, moments later, his gaze unconsciously drifted to Breti’s room beyond the window. He didn’t look away until he saw her silhouette return inside.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

“The number of Haeriji has dropped noticeably. Thanks to that, the people living near the border are beginning to find peace again. And so…”

“…”

Tess paused, uncertain if Karsten was even listening to his report.

Leaning by the window, Karsten kept his eyes fixed outside, his gaze holding a strange, inexplicable intensity.

“Your Grace?”

At last, Tess stopped his report and called out to Karsten carefully.

“Continue.”

Karsten replied without taking his eyes from the window.

“Ah, yes.”

Tess wisely added nothing more and resumed his report.

“All of the assets belonging to the mistress of Aurora, whom you turned over to the guards, have been confiscated. They’ve been distributed among those who were forced into labor, to help them rebuild their lives.”

“A foundation to rebuild…”

“Yes, there were quite a few people involved.”

“…I’m not surprised.”

“Most of them had been exploited since they were children. It will take some time for everyone to find true stability in their lives again.”

No sooner had Tess finished than Karsten let out a cold, quiet laugh.

“And yet she claims she wants nothing?”

His gaze remained fixed on the guest room across the way, where Breti was receiving lessons from Countess Abbott on how to act like a noblewoman.

‘She was exploited just the same — perhaps even more so — by people who had no sense at all. Yet she asks for nothing.’

He let out another small, incredulous laugh and spoke to Tess.

“You may go now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Tess bowed respectfully and left the office.

As soon as he was gone, Karsten’s mind returned to the words Breti had spoken the day before.

“All I ever wished for was to escape Aurora. You’ve already given me that, so that’s enough for me. I don’t wish for anything else.”

Breti’s voice echoed once more in his ears.

A faint frown creased Karsten’s brow.

“Brazen girl.”

Was there ever anyone as audacious as her?