The next day, when Karsten opened his eyes, a faint smile touched his lips at the warmth nestled in his arms.

He pressed a gentle kiss to the forehead of the sleeping Breti, who breathed softly in slumber. His lips trailed down the line of her nose, pressing again and again, until they lingered long upon her mouth.

“Breti.”

He called to her quietly, his voice low, as he intertwined his fingers with hers. Yet Breti remained fast asleep. With careful hands, Karsten brushed back the strands of hair that had fallen loose.

‘How much time has passed for me to finally hold this hand?’

He felt a pang of regret for his past hesitation, but because time could not be turned back, the present felt all the more precious. From now on, he resolved, he would shower Breti with unreserved love.

Suddenly, her tearful voice from the night before rang vividly in his ears.

“Is it truly all right for me to remain at Your Highness’s side, as a woman?”

The sight of her crying as she spoke had stirred emotions too deep to name.

‘So you felt the same.’

He pitied her—Breti, who had recognized her heart earlier than he had, and who had suffered for it. Karsten bent down and pressed a brief kiss to the back of her hand.

‘I’m sorry.’

Again and again, he kissed her hand, begging silently, promising that from this moment forward, he would be the one to try, not her.

But then his eyes fell upon her wrist. A bracelet he did not recall caught his attention.

‘Has she always worn something like this?’

The unusual pattern drew his gaze, and without thinking, he touched it. In that instant, he saw himself—n*ked, taking Breti, making her cry beneath him. Other troubling scenes flashed through his mind, leaving him unsettled.

Startled, Karsten pulled his hand away.

‘What is this…?’

The man who had appeared in those visions bore his own face, and yet—somehow, it had not felt like him.

“Mmm…”

Perhaps disturbed by his movement, Breti stirred. When she opened her eyes and found herself resting against his broad chest, embarrassment swept over her. Realizing she was unclothed, she hastily tried to cover herself with the blanket.

“I… I should get up now.”

But like a small bird caught in a cage, her attempt only made Karsten tighten his embrace, holding her still.

“Your Highness…”

He had no intention of letting her go. Instead, he pulled her closer, until their bare skin pressed together. Feeling every curve of herself against him, Breti’s cheeks flushed red.

Karsten kissed her softly on the cheek.

“Just stay like this a little longer.”

“But…”

“Can’t you simply answer yes, for once?”

His voice carried such quiet hurt that Breti could only reply faintly, “…Yes.”

She had meant to say that she needed to return quickly because she was worried about her mother, but wrapped in his arms and listening to his earnest plea, she could not bring herself to refuse. Instead, she buried her face in his chest and smiled happily.

As he felt her stir in his arms, Karsten’s smile suddenly faded.

“Breti.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I will be forced to call you Laterna again.”

Breti gave no reply, only nodding her head against him.

“Since it was I who sowed the seed, it is I who must reap it.”

He drew her closer still, stroking her hair.

“But one day, I will set everything right again.”

Breti raised her head slightly to meet his gaze. Karsten brushed her hair back behind her ear.

“Your Highness…”

“Above all, I will make sure to return your life to you.”

‘My life.’

Karsten’s eyes, as he spoke those words, were filled with unwavering certainty. Breti only nodded, showing that she trusted him completely.

“I will follow whatever Your Highness chooses to do.”

Her voice, pledging to do anything he wished, fell sweetly upon Karsten’s ears. Could there be a more tender voice than this?

Karsten pressed his lips to hers once again.

“Breti.”

She closed her eyes and surrendered to his kiss. She was afraid that if she opened them, it would all disappear like a dream. As if reading her mind, Karsten brushed his lips against her eyelids.

“I will never make you suffer.”

“…”

“Breti.”

The sound of her name, in that voice both cold and warm at once, was enough to anchor her in reality. Breti gave a small nod without speaking.

Their lips met again. This time, it was a deep kiss.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

By afternoon, the two returned to the Duke’s residence. They were not holding hands, and they kept a proper distance as they walked. Yet their faces looked unreasonably bright with happiness.

From the window of her room, Meliover gazed down at them. Pity was written plain in her eyes.

“Their fate… how cruelly fated it is.”

Could anything be more destined, and yet more tragic, than the two of them? Meliover clutched her heart, heavy with sorrow.

“My lady, are you all right?”

Startled, Rosand rushed to her side.

“Yes, I am fine. It is nothing.”

She reassured him, but her mind returned to the words she had heard from Tilda the night before.

“At that time, the young master was found not far from the Aurora Inn.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was in a shed on the hill just behind the inn.”

Until then, Meliover had believed Karsten had been saved long ago by a passing adult. But in truth, it had been the small girl Breti. Perhaps their fate had begun from that very moment.

Karsten seemed unaware of it still—but learning the truth was only a matter of time.

‘What am I going to do with you?’

‘How am I supposed to help two souls so lovely, and yet so pitiful?’

Meliover let out a long sigh.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

Tucked away in the remotest corner of the imperial palace stood Narki Palace, residence of the Second Prince Gabriel.

Seated in the garden there, Gabriel tapped the table with his fingers, lost in thought.

‘I do not believe Your Highness’s efforts will ever be in vain.’

‘That moment…!’

The sight of Karsten pressing his lips to hers kept tormenting Gabriel’s mind.

When word reached him that the two had disappeared during the hunting tournament, Gabriel had been unable to sit still. He searched from place to place until he finally found them. Or rather—he witnessed it. He saw Karsten kissing her.

And above all, when their lips finally parted, the look in Karsten’s eyes had not been the gaze a brother gives his sister.

‘Breti.’

When another name escaped Karsten’s lips, Gabriel realized the truth at last.

‘Ah… so she is not Karsten’s sister at all…’

Looking back, there had always been too many things that did not add up.

When Gabriel proposed an engagement to prevent Fedriol from interfering, Karsten’s refusal was far stronger than necessary. Given their long-standing enmity, Gabriel had assumed that Karsten would have agreed, if only to oppose Fedriol.

‘And above all…’

The way Karsten looked at her—there was no mistaking it. Those were not the eyes of a man looking at his sister.

Gabriel wondered if things had truly needed to go this far.

“Attend me.”

At his call, a servant quickly appeared.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I will go to the White Duke’s residence. Prepare at once.”

Whatever the truth might be, he would find his answers by asking his friend directly. Without delay, Gabriel set out for the White household.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

“Karsten, it’s been a while.”

Appearing without warning, Gabriel was met with Karsten’s puzzled expression.

“What brings you to the Duke’s estate so suddenly?”

“There’s something I need to discuss. Shall we speak elsewhere?”

Karsten tilted his head slightly but then led him to his office. The rare, grave expression on Gabriel’s face suggested he had something urgent to say. Without protest, Karsten guided him inside.

As soon as they arrived, Gabriel spoke first.

“Let me ask you straight, Karsten.”

“What is it?”

“Is Lady Laterna… truly your sister?”