She had yearned so desperately, had given everything……

And now that she was exhausted and had let it all go, now he was looking at her.

Was someone playing a joke with her life? She had let go of her longing for him too long ago to even shed tears.

“……I hate it.”

She would no longer wish for anything.

“Even if I die, I will not become the second Empress.”

She would not wish for anything from this man, Rockfort, of all people.

“Please kill me instead.”

One lifetime of suffering terribly for the man before her now was enough.

“Do you…… hate becoming my Empress more than death?”

“Yes.”

Back then, Elia had poured out all her heart, and Rockfort had coldly turned away from her.

In the pitch-black solitude, Elia felt her soul becoming impoverished and quietly withered away.

“An answer without a moment’s hesitation.”

Even as he said this, Rockfort’s persistent amethyst eyes did not release Elia.

“But I also have no hesitation.”

Elia released a small breath.

“You have already become the only one for me. So, I cannot let you go.”

The Emperor was a selfish being. That alone remained unchanged even now.

“Gradually, I will take care…… to help you forget the pain in your heart. I will not let anyone blame you. I will cherish you as my precious Empress.”

Elia’s heart ached like when she had longed for Rockfort in her previous life.

Was a one-sided heart so pointless to the other person? Perhaps that’s why Elia’s feelings weren’t conveyed in her past life.

Just as Rockfort couldn’t move Elia’s heart now.

“Your Majesty.”

Rockfort nodded without withdrawing his gentleness.

“I hate it.”

Before he could speak again, Elia continued.

“I hate Your Majesty.”

As if time had stopped, Rockfort’s expression froze. He seemed unable to believe what he had just heard.

“That……”

“I hate Your Majesty. That’s why I hate becoming the empress.”

When Elia made it absolutely clear, Rockfort’s blank expression was quite a sight to behold. It was strange that he could have such an expression.

“Why.”

His low voice resonated eerily.

“It’s been that way from before.”

From before, which Rockfort didn’t know about, she had actually hated and disliked him.

It was the shadow cast on the other side of her desperate longing for him.

“But you’ve never met me before this incident.”

“Your Majesty is the most noble person in the Empire. So only your choices and decisions are important. Like now.”

Elia no longer averted her eyes.

“I have not lied to Your Majesty, so why do you speak falsehoods to me?”

The blue eyes looking at Rockfort’s hardened face were straight.

“You said you would take care to ease my suffering. You also said you would cherish me as your precious empress.”

“Yes, I said so.”

Elia let out an empty chuckle. She was still looking straight into his eyes.

“Your Majesty, do you truly know how to care for someone and cherish them?”

Huh, Rockfort’s mouth opened halfway.

“Your Majesty doesn’t know, do you?”

Elia mercilessly turned her gaze away from the frozen Rockfort. Anger frosted in his eyes. His large hand gripped Elia’s wrist.

“How dare you assert? What do you know about me?”

His words were right. Elia had never really known anything about the man called Rockfort.

“I know that the person before me now is His Majesty the Emperor.”

At this obvious statement, Rockfort frowned.

“Your Majesty is the most noble person in this world. Even if I and everyone else would risk our lives to understand your sacred heart and ease your suffering…… the opposite is impossible.”

Pausing, Rockfort stopped while still holding Elia’s wrist.

“Do you truly know how to soothe the heart of someone who is suffering? Have you ever done so?”

As Elia expected, he couldn’t answer.

“Or have you ever even thought about doing so?”

In the ensuing silence, Elia shook off his hand.

However, Rockfort felt perplexity rather than anger.

A question he had never even thought about once pierced through him.

“Have you ever given up anything…… to protect something you cherish?”

He was the Emperor. Such a thing should not and could not happen.

“I simply haven’t had such an opportunity yet.”

Elia shook her head at his confident words.

“Your Majesty doesn’t know. And you will never know.”

“Why do you presume that?”

“Because that’s the way of the world, and that’s the nature of Your Majesty’s nobility.”

Rockfort’s persistent amethyst eyes were still looking at Elia.

She naturally expected him to burst into anger, but as expected, Elia knew nothing about him.

“Yes, it has been so until now.”

Contrary to his words of easy admission, his eyes were intensely holding onto Elia.

“But from now on, I will show you. I will strive to soothe your troubled heart and cherish you more than anyone or anything else.”

Elia did not answer. The man she had seen in her previous life as Empress was a cold Emperor who exuded dignity through his very existence.

“In the end, do you hate me because I am the Emperor?”

“Yes. And I hate the current Your Majesty who is forcing this upon me so much.”

Huh, Rockfort let out a hollow laugh.

“Your willingness to risk death was genuine, I see.”

She couldn’t have spoken to him like this without putting her life on the line.

Even her common plea to the Emperor, “please kill me instead,” Elia had meant sincerely.

“How could I speak falsehoods?”

“That’s why I cannot let you go even more.”

A firm resolve was visible on Rockfort’s face.

Elia looked at him and heaved a deep sigh. He was entranced, unable to take his eyes off her face.

“Do as you wish.”

Elia bowed her head.

“Are you sincere? Surely, you won’t regret……”

“Yes, if I die, please put the empress’s crown on my corpse.”

Rockfort immediately frowned, but Elia didn’t even look at him and just lay down. She even pulled the blanket over her head and turned her back to him.

Rockfort couldn’t hide his dumbfounded expression at behavior he had never seen in his entire life. Not that it mattered, since Elia couldn’t see him anyway.

“D-Did you…… dare turn your back on me?”

“Yes, I committed an act worthy of death.”

At Elia’s calm voice, Rockfort felt his face burning hot.

In his entire life, had anyone ever treated him like this?

Even the Empress Dowager had maintained minimum courtesy toward Rockfort, heir to the imperial throne. Something beyond common sense was happening before his eyes.

“I’m not feeling well, so I need to rest now. If you want to kill me, do so, and if not, please leave.”

Rockfort openly let out a chuckle of disbelief, but Elia’s fragile back didn’t move at all.

He reached out to grab her small shoulder but felt his pride hurt for no reason and just rose from his seat.

“Don’t think this is the end.”

After throwing this low warning, Rockfort finally left Elia’s bedroom.

When his presence disappeared, Elia carefully raised her upper body again and sighed in relief.

“Did I……”

Only after he left did she realize what she had done. Her wrist, still warm from his touch, trembled.

“What did I just…… do…… to whom?”

Elia’s mouth slowly opened.

“What in the…… world……”

* * *

When the Emperor who had left the ducal mansion completely shut his mouth, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Not only Jayden but also the Crimson Knights guarding him had to endure the fearful silence.

Eventually, Rockfort returned to his chambers and silently entered his bedroom.

“I’ll guard here, the rest of you withdraw.”

“Yes, Commander.”

At Jayden’s words, the knights finally caught their breath. It was difficult enough normally, but standing guard beside the Emperor with such a hardened face was not something a person should have to do.

“Sir Jayden, has His Majesty gone inside?”

Marien, the Emperor’s longtime head lady-in-waiting, appeared like a savior.

“Yes. But he didn’t say a single word on the way back from the ducal mansion. His complexion seems somehow dark.”

Marien, now entering old age, nodded kindly. Having cared for Rockfort since he was a nursing infant, she must be accustomed to his moods.

“I’ll attend to him personally today.”

“Yes, that would be good. And…… if His Majesty’s mood improves, I need to report about the funeral procedures……”

“Ah, I see. Yes. The Empress Dowager will be coming to the Imperial Palace after a long time.”

That was precisely the problem. He had planned to report based on today’s situation, but he couldn’t bring himself to mention it to Rockfort, who was already in a sour mood.

“I’ll ask him when the opportunity arises.”

As Jayden bowed his head in gratitude, Marien waved her hand and, after knocking, entered Rockfort’s chambers.

“She’s impressive no matter when I see her.”

It seemed that no matter how brave a knight might be, they couldn’t exert stronger power than that gentle smile.

* * *

The next day, the funeral of the previous empress began.

However, it was conducted simply by a bishop in the underground chapel of the Imperial Palace, without the participation of the Emperor, the former Emperor, the Empress Dowager, or anyone from the imperial family.

“Your Majesty, I’m told the funeral procedures have ended.”

When Jayden reported, Rockfort indifferently nodded.