The next act was about to begin: the reunion of Natalie and her lover, who had lost his memory. Rosie, anticipating the tragic love story about to unfold, unconsciously brushed away tears.

In the suffocating silence, the lights rose once more. Natalie stepped forward and bowed as she took her place on stage. Those who had been crying with her erupted into applause and cheers.

“Waaah!”
“Bravo!”

Still tearful, Rosie jumped to her feet, clapping and cheering loudly for the actress. No matter how many times she had seen it before, this pure, heart-aching love story always touched her.

***

Callios watched the play, completely absorbed and deeply frowning.

Each time the red-haired actress delivered her lines, pouring her heart into her desperate performance, he felt an inexplicable twisting inside.

What was this strange sense of déjà vu?

The discomfort prickled more sharply, becoming harder to ignore.

At that moment, the Emperor leaned in and whispered something to him.

But Callios didn’t hear, nor react, in time.

It was only a moment later that he realized the Emperor had been addressing him. He straightened his posture in a belated response.

“Well, well. Since when do you concentrate on a play?”

The emperor looked between the stage and Callios with genuine curiosity.

“Weren’t you always skeptical about watching plays? You were almost as skeptical about that as you are about dancing.”

In response to the Emperor’s amused remark, Callios shifted his gaze towards the red-haired woman pouring her soul into her performance.

He had seen her once before in the Islan brothels — he couldn’t remember her name — but afterwards, he had often noticed her around Rosie.

She had even come searching for Rosie in the earthquake-stricken district.

As he had watched her perform earlier, something had been gnawing at him.

It wasn’t the woman herself, but the lines of the play — the story, the emotions, the words.

With a displeased look, Callios admitted it frankly.

“The actress performs well.”

“Natalie’s exceptional. She’s the most sought-after actress in the theater scene these days. Even the Empress is quite fond of her.”

Natalie showed not the slightest hint of stage fright even before the imperial family. She poured her entire soul into the performance.

The emperor, impressed by her rare nerve, leaned toward Callios and whispered.

“Come to think of it, isn’t Natalie close with your former spouse?”

‘Former spouse.’

Callios’s brows drew together at the emperor’s choice of words—words that clearly implied divorce. It was true, of course. But he still hated hearing it.

The emperor chuckled and patted Callios on the shoulder.

“I’m glad I called you today. I thought you’d be moping around after your divorce.”

“…What exactly are you trying to say, Your Majesty.”

The emperor laughed outright at Callios’s expression, which clearly demanded he stop circling around the point.

“More and more people are claiming you have hidden motives, you see.”

“All because I skipped one military campaign? Those people must have nothing better to do.”

Callios’s cold retort made the emperor sigh deeply.

“To be honest, it’s not just any campaign. You know that better than anyone.”

“……”

“The Kuhote Kingdom expedition is our final agreement. If you don’t fulfil it, I’ll have no choice but to question you. This is particularly pertinent given that the Kuhote Kingdom is turning a blind eye to the border raids and repelling every unit we send. They’re cunning bastards who know how to use the terrain to their advantage.”

It wasn’t just the war mongers who were causing trouble. The troubled look in the emperor’s eyes revealed far more to Callios than words ever could.

“If it’s not you, we’ll struggle. So at least give me advance notice of when you intend to depart. That alone would help shut the warmongers up for a while.”

“I’ll leave soon. But I can’t guarantee the timing.”

Rosie had said she would wait for him. He couldn’t let that precious time slip through his fingers. In order to persuade her to return to him, to soothe the pain she was carrying and to prove his sincerity, he still needed more time.

“It won’t be right away.”

“…I see.”

“Most of all, we haven’t fully assessed the troops or the internal situation of the area. The scouts are gathering information, there should be a report soon.”

Callios added that, as this would be his final campaign, he wanted to proceed with caution.

Although he had indeed sent scouts, the report had come in a long time ago.

Half of what he said was a lie.

‘I can’t leave now.’

He didn’t know how long it would take for Rosie’s exhausted heart to make room for him again. He had apologized and finally shown his feelings, but it was far too late.

Rosie felt as though she had been burned to ash — she had nothing left to give. He would have to wait until she could be filled again.

‘Now, one by one, men had begun to hover around her.’

Since the divorce, he no longer had any official right to keep them away.

Before, he could hide behind the title of fiancé.

Now, he had nothing.

Seeing the infuriating warmonger Marquis Lockbell Midas approach Rosie earlier had almost caused him to lose control.

The man’s casual touch had made it painfully clear that Callios could not afford to let his guard down. If he left now, it would be like throwing her straight into the wolves’ den.

‘Absolutely not.’

After clawing his way up from the very bottom to reach this point and finally make her his, everything collapsed in an instant.

The precious woman he loved was destroyed the moment his attention slipped away. Of course she resented him. She was more than justified.

The more he thought about it, the closer he came to madness.

Night after night, Callios dreamed of Rosie crawling across the ground and screaming as a whip tore into her flesh. The nightmare never spared him.

In it, he was blocked by an invisible wall and was completely helpless. No matter how hard he pounded on that barrier — until blood splattered and bone showed — it would not so much as crack.

When the nightmare finally ended and he woke up, he couldn’t move a single finger.

Nothing was more excruciating than being forced to watch someone precious crying out in pain right in front of you, yet being unable to help.

Even now, the memory made his fingers tingle with cold numbness.

He clenched his trembling hand tightly to hide the weakness, then spoke on impulse.

He wanted to do something — anything — for her.

Even the smallest thing.

“Your Majesty. There is something I wish to request.”

“Oh? You’re the one initiating a request?”

Callios recalled the kingdom Rosie had desperately tried to go to, the place where her elder sister, Serena, had married. With a dry expression, he made his suggestion.

“Set pride aside for the moment and reopen trade with the Kingdom of Yones.”

It was a major producer of fine tea, and though trade had been banned by the Empire, backdoor dealings had continued in secret. The emperor frowned slightly at the unexpected request, then nodded.

“Hm. Not a bad idea. The Empress nags me about it daily, anyway. I was already considering it, so this works out.”

Then, as if sensing something unusual, the emperor studied Callios’s face.

“But why ask for that? Is it because of your former wife?”

Callios didn’t answer, but the emperor’s knowing smile deepened.

“Even someone as fierce as a wild hound has a weakness, it seems.”

The emperor gave a soft snort and turned his gaze towards the stage.

At that moment, the nobleman playing Natalie’s lover was hit by an arrow that had been intended for someone else. Chasing after him was a famed knight who had never been defeated in battle, and who was also the fiancé of the actress playing Natalie.

As he watched the knight’s large frame thunder after the nobleman, the emperor murmured.

“Seeing that knight reminds me… You’re also the type who completely annihilates whatever displeases you.”

Callios looked at him as if to ask what nonsense he was suddenly spouting. The emperor gave a wry smile.

“My elder brother — once the Empire’s pride and star — also died by your hand.”

The former crown prince, who had once driven Callios to the brink, ultimately met his end at his hands.

This happened after he had been stripped of his title. Although the emperor had technically granted permission, the situation was grim nonetheless.

The deposed prince, drunk and drugged to the point of insanity, challenged Callios to a duel.

He was so intoxicated that he could barely think; yet the emperor, having long since lost any trace of paternal affection, approved the duel without hesitation.

“The Empire cannot have two stars.”

Essentially, he had thrown his own son to his death.

Callios could have stopped him, but he didn’t.

He killed the deposed prince slowly and deliberately, torturing him until he begged for death.

He hunted him like prey.

Witnesses to the prince’s final moments claimed that Callios looked like the devil, gripping the man’s head and whispering something chilling before k*lling him.

From that day on, Callios’ infamy grew even greater.

He returned everything tenfold.

The boy who was once called the demon spawn of the training grounds for beating noble children senseless, both physically and verbally, had grown into a true monster.

Every battlefield he stepped onto was marked by his presence.

Enemies trembled the moment they heard he had arrived.

With his overwhelming power, serpent-like cunning, and merciless judgement, he carved out a ruthless legend that spread across nations.

Yet even a man like that was helpless when it came to his own home.

The emperor looked at Callios, who had recently begun to seem almost human, and frankly admitted…

“I wonder sometimes… What you said to my dying brother.”

Callios crossed his arms, recalling the day, and answered coolly.

“You would be harmed if you knew.”

The emperor hadn’t expected a real answer anyway, so he ended the conversation with playful ease.

“Well, since I don’t want to be harmed, I suppose I’ll remain ignorant.”

Callios turned back to the stage, remembering the revenge he had taken that day.

The former crown prince, now reduced to a trembling wreck, had looked pitiful in his final moments.

Once so arrogant and condescending, he had ended up sobbing and quivering with fear.

Seeing him like that made Callios bare his teeth in a grin.

Finally, he was getting rid of the b*stard — the thought alone filled him with grim satisfaction.

That day, Callios crouched low to inspect the remains of the mutilated body. Not a single part had been spared, and several pieces had already been completely severed.

Gripping a fistful of the prince’s hair while he begged miserably for his life, Callios said…

“Do you know why you’re dying? You have three charges.”