In the midst of the commotion, a knight bumped into the coffin, causing its tightly closed lid to open. Inside, instead of a corpse, it was filled with gold and jewels.

“Father? What are you doing?”

“Can’t you hear? My daughter’s vengeful spirit is crying out for revenge! Since we couldn’t even find her body, I’ll make all of you Lou’s companions in the afterlife!”

“What? A vengeful spirit?”

I approached and asked, but my Father didn’t even look at me. Instead, he roughly pushed me away, annoyed.

The Crown Prince, seeing me, opened his mouth in shock.

“Lou? Is it really you?”

“Don’t you dare utter that name….”

Then my Father also noticed me. He froze for a moment before throwing Pinion aside and running to grab my face.

“My poor daughter. You couldn’t even have a proper funeral and became a vengeful spirit?”

“What are you talking about…? Wait, is this my funeral?”

“Yes, daughter. Have you come to say your last goodbye, or am I seeing an illusion? No, it doesn’t matter. I’m just grateful to see your face like this….”

“I’m not dead!”

My shout drew everyone’s attention. I could feel people gasping as they looked at me. Even the knights stopped their fighting and rubbed their eyes.

While everyone was frozen in shock, the first to come to her senses was my Mother.

She pushed aside my Father, who was still crying and believing I was dead, and hugged me tightly. Her warm, comforting scent enveloped me.

“Lou! You’ve come back!”

The warmth and heartbeat of the closest family member in the world told me I was back in the land of the living.

I hugged my Mother tightly. Her embrace was as warm as the sunlight.

* * *

After an emotional reunion filled with tears, my Father apologized sincerely to Pinion.

“It’s alright. I can understand your feelings.”

Pinion looked at me for a moment before giving his characteristic cold smile.

But I noticed that he was barely holding back his emotions.

If no one had been watching, he might have hugged me right then.

“Come to the palace when you have time, Lou. I have something to give you.”

He probably wanted to return Enril’s necklace.

With those words, he left with the disheveled knights. The guests, who had been watching carefully, also awkwardly dispersed.

Regardless, my parents, still unable to believe it, kept laughing and crying, checking me over and over again, and sighing in relief.

“Don’t ever leave without a word again. Do you know how shocked we were when we heard you volunteered to go to Pontos?”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“No, we’re just grateful you came back healthy. It’s cold, let’s go inside.”

Although it felt like I had spent a long time in the Underworld, somehow, it was still winter here.

Through my parents, I confirmed that only a month had passed since the new year, and I was very surprised.

‘They say time flows differently in the Underworld and the land of the living.’

The moment I arrived on the surface, life returned to my body as if by magic, allowing me to spend the night catching up with my parents.

Hearing the full story, I realized how unfilial I had been.

My parents, who had returned to the capital from the territory and were shocked to find me missing, nearly fainted when they heard the oracle delivered on the winter solstice last year.

The oracle roughly stated that I had sacrificed myself for the world.

At first, my parents didn’t accept my death.

They searched everywhere to find my body, but remembering that without the fare, I couldn’t cross the River of Forgetfulness, they hurriedly prepared for my funeral.

They stayed up for several nights preparing for the funeral, eventually falling asleep from exhaustion after a few glasses of wine.

After taking them to their bedroom, I returned to my room.

Though I had left the mansion only a few months ago, it felt like a distant memory from a previous life.

Lying alone in bed felt so awkward and empty that I couldn’t bear it.

Although Shahar’s castle was just as silent, the mansion, where everyone was asleep, felt suffocatingly quiet.

“Shahar.”

Of course, there was no answer. I considered calling Seren but decided against it.

I pulled the blanket over my head and curled up tightly.

Even under in the stifling warmth, the emptiness didn’t go away. It was the first time I had ever felt such loneliness.

* * *

The next day, as soon as I opened my eyes, I headed to the Imperial Palace.

During my conversation with my parents yesterday, I learned that Pinion was no longer the Crown Prince. He had ascended to the throne immediately after returning from Pontos. And the former Empress was more desperate than ever to find a suitable Empress.

However, with the possibility of marriage with the two noble ladies he had been rumored with gone, she was now looking abroad for a bride.

Princesses from various countries were frequently visiting the palace, not minding the long journey.

Although they had various excuses, everyone knew they were aiming for the Emperor’s side.

This time, a princess from Sian had been invited to the palace. The princess of Sian was known for her beauty and kind nature.

‘She’s too good for Pinion. Hmph.’

Thinking that, I crossed the palace and saw the former Empress walking with the princess in the distance. The former Empress noticed me. When I bowed, she returned the greeting with a sour expression. I exchanged a brief greeting with the Princess of Sian as well.

Her eyes, looking at me, were a mix of interest and subtle wariness.

“I heard you served His Majesty for a long time. If you don’t mind, could you spare some time? As a foreigner, I need advice. There’s no one who knows His Majesty better than you.”

As expected, the princess subtly challenged me.

I no longer wanted to waste my energy on such matters.

I knew very well how to effectively drive people away.

“I love you. I fell for you at first sight. Forget the Emperor, how about dating me, Princess?”

“What, what…? Are you crazy?”

Flustered by my sudden confession, she turned red with anger and left, not knowing what to do.

After driving the princess away, I headed straight to the Emperor’s office.

“You look well.”

“Your Highness, no, Your Majesty, you look terrible.”

Pinion, sitting on the throne, looked haggard.

Whether my tastes had changed or because I had seen Shahar’s true self, I no longer felt anything for the man I once couldn’t help but acknowledge for his looks.

Pinion chuckled.

“Your sharp tongue hasn’t changed.”

“Despite being the Emperor, you were causing a ruckus at someone’s funeral?”

“I couldn’t let a living person be mistaken for a dead one. In the end, I think it was the right thing to do.”

“Well… thank you for that.”

“So, why did you come to see me? I doubt you came in such a hurry because you missed me.”

“I won’t waste your time with unnecessary words. I need to talk about Iscallion’s situation.”

As soon as I mentioned Iscallion’s name, Pinion’s face twisted.

“I kept him alive for now because of your request, but he deserves execution. How dare he try to kill the Crown Prince and a noble lady of the Empire? Even if I forgive him, the Holy Kingdom won’t.”

“You, no, Your Majesty, can protect him. You’re the Emperor now.”

“So, should I just tolerate that bastard walking around freely and hovering around you? And your negotiation skills are lacking, Lou. If you want me to show mercy to that bastard, you need to offer something in return.”

“Tell me what you want. I’ll give you anything I can.”

“Would you become my Empress?”

‘Is he crazy?’

Judging from his words, he seemed to have regained some of his memories, yet how could he shamelessly ask me to be his Empress?

Thanks to the narcissus flower, I knew exactly how he had killed me.

He had cut off my head, then the time turned back and he put on a pitiful show.

I took a deep breath.

“Your Majesty is consistently shameless. I can’t accept that proposal.”

“Isn’t your request unreasonable too?”

“At least I have a conscience. I wouldn’t shamelessly propose marriage to someone whose head I had cut off. I almost became a vengeful spirit because I couldn’t even have a proper funeral.”

The color drained from Pinion’s beautiful face.

“How do you know….”

He muttered in a daze, then quickly denied it.

“It was just a dream.”

“Believe what you want, Your Majesty. But no matter how much you deny it, the fact that I remember that time doesn’t change. And don’t think I don’t know you used Iscallion as an excuse to raid the dragon’s lair and take a hefty share. Do you really have a conscience?”

“…….”

With nothing left to say, Pinion finally handed back the necklace.

I left the palace and headed to the lair. Iscallion was lying peacefully in Enril and Lina’s bedroom.