Then she buried her face in Susan’s embrace as the woman slept soundly holding her.

The scent of Susan, which she had always longed for, struck Vieta’s nose intensely.

Feeling her warm body temperature, she embraced her even more tightly.

‘I will never let you be taken away.’

Just as she made this firm resolution, Susan’s warm hand stroked Vieta’s head.

Realizing Susan was awake, she lifted her head from where she had burrowed into her embrace and gazed at her.

“Did I wake you?”

Susan shook her head in response to Vieta’s question.

Despite not yet being thirty years old, Susan’s face was haggard unlike other women her age.

Her sunken eyes, dry skin, and face that seemed completely drained of blood made her look even more like an invalid.

Vieta thought that in this life, it was finally time to rescue her mother from the gutter.

“You know, Mom.”

Susan nodded her head in response to her words instead of answering.

“Just wait a little longer. I’ll definitely get you out of here.”

Susan could only wear an expression filled with apology instead of a smile.

“Delicious food, nice clothes, wonderful places—I’ll take you to all of them.”

Her words were 100% genuine.

As if trying to prove the sincerity of her heart, Vieta began to talk one by one about the good places she had visited and the delicious foods she had eaten in her previous life.

“There’s a delicious dessert shop on Hering 3rd Street. Everything there is tasty, but the mont blanc that comes out only once a day at 3 o’clock is exceptional.”

Susan didn’t believe her words were true, but because her daughter’s eyes were shining in that moment, she stroked her head and nodded.

“Oh, and Madame Reina makes dresses really well. Every noble in the Empire entrusts their dresses to her, I tell you.”

“……”

“She’s not very famous now, but in ten years she will be. To the point where there won’t be anyone in the Empire who doesn’t know the name ‘Reina.'”

She fingered Vieta’s worn clothes and let out a small sigh.

Seeing Susan expressing her apologies to her, Vieta instead smiled brightly.

“By the way, in the south, there’s a sea that resembles my eyes. It’s a port city called Lehil. Always vibrant. It’s also famous as a resort.”

The more she spoke, the darker Susan’s face became. Vieta could no longer bear to see Susan’s face struggling with her sincerity.

She lowered her gaze from Susan and buried her head in her embrace again.

“Let’s live there. It’s my favorite place.”

※※※

Hesion was writing something on paper, but as if dissatisfied with it, he crumpled it up and threw it into the fireplace.

No matter what method he used, conflict with Leytan was unavoidable.

It was right that he should fight against him, risking his life.

Having put down his pen with difficulty, Hesion leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

Looking at the plaster ceiling that resembled a flower garden, he recalled memories from the past he had forgotten.

Once, at Esta’s request—who had become Vieta’s lady’s maid—he had invited her to the Rekton family.

Because Esta had gone to look at the flowers blooming in the garden, he and Vieta were unexpectedly left alone.

Hesion didn’t like Vieta, who had brought down the Lukbiche family and killed her family, but he showed her the courtesy of allowing her into the Rekton household for Esta’s sake.

Adorned from head to toe with expensive items, Vieta was the very embodiment of luxury.

‘She even comes to volunteer work looking like that. No wonder she draws criticism from the Empire’s citizens.’

He looked at Vieta, who was watching Esta running among the flowers.

But it was Vieta who spoke first.

“What a beautiful garden. I heard that the flowers blooming in the Rekton family’s garden are more varied than those in the imperial palace garden. It’s true.”

“My mother loves exotic flowers. The garden is the space she cherishes most.”

Vieta, who had been quietly listening to Hesion’s words, gazed at a butterfly that had flown into the gazebo.

The butterfly sat on the flower pattern embroidered on the tablecloth, slowly moving its wings.

“What a pretty butterfly. It pollinates flowers and plays an important role in plant reproduction.”

Vieta deliberately chased away the butterfly sitting on the flower pattern, and it flew back toward where Esta was.

“But before becoming an adult, it also gnaws on petals and lays eggs. Are the butterflies in your garden beneficial insects or pests?”

Hesion picked up his teacup, showing no interest in her solitary rambling.

“How much do you love Miss Esta?”

At this calm question, Hesion almost dropped the teacup he was holding.

“Isn’t that question rather out of context?”

“I’m just curious. If you don’t want to answer…”

“I love her enough to give her my heart.”

Vieta nodded at his grandiose answer.

Then she showed a brief smile.

“You’re even considering marriage, I suppose?”

“Not just considering—we’ve promised to marry.”

“……I see. Then, have you thought about expediting that marriage?”

Hesion’s ears had reddened at her rudeness.

What was this woman, merely the Emperor’s fiancée and not yet an Empress, saying to him?

Though Leytan had ordered that she be treated as an Empress, her attitude was excessive even if she were the Empress.

Hesion sighed after openly displaying his discomfort.

“Why should I do that?”

“Because I think it would be good for both you and me.”

“You’re being rude. And arrogant.”

“Then while I’m being rude, let me add another question.”

It was the moment when Vieta’s gaze, which had been fixed on Esta all along, rested on Hesion.

“Do you have any intention of becoming Emperor?”

At her piercing gaze that seemed to see through to his inner thoughts, Hesion showed his displeasure without restraint.

“Are you testing me?”

“If not, do you have any thoughts of leaving the Empire?”

“I have neither the intention to become Emperor nor to leave the Empire!”

“……I see.”

Hesion stood up abruptly and looked down at her.

Thinking that this viper-like woman might ruin his garden, he could not contain his anger.

As he was exhaling roughly, Esta appeared, carrying an armful of purple flowers.

“Your Highness. Look at this. These unusual flowers. I picked them because I wanted to give them to Your Highness.”

At Esta’s fresh smile, Hesion stepped back from Vieta’s side.

Vieta accepted the flowers Esta offered with words of thanks.

“Do you know the name of this flower?”

“It’s a columbine. The flower spurs resemble an eagle’s talons. Don’t they really?”

Vieta nodded at her words.

Then she struck her head with the bunch of columbines she was holding.

The purple petals scattered in all directions, leaving a red scratch on Esta’s soft cheek.

Hesion could still vividly see the purple petals that had fluttered before him.

After Vieta’s visit to the Rekton family, everything began to change uncontrollably and rapidly.

Esta had informed him of her pregnancy, and evidence of treason was found in the mansion. After that, his father died, his mother was tortured, and he too was dragged away to face death without even taking revenge.

That was when Hesion discovered that Marquis Beckford had been the one backing Leytan. 

Before the final t*rture, Beckford—not Leytan—had been the first to visit him.

The man who had barely survived by cleaning up after other nobles appeared with imperial servants as if he were the Emperor himself.

“Grand Duke Hesion Rekton.”

The Marquis leisurely called Hesion’s name as he looked down at him.

With both hands tied behind his back and forced to kneel, Hesion could only stare at him with the one eye that wasn’t swollen.

“Do you resent your dead father?”

Instead of answering, Hesion spat out the blood pooled in his mouth.

His blood stuck perfectly to the coat embroidered with gold thread.

“How dare you act so recklessly!”

The guard in charge of t*rture tried to kick Hesion’s back, but at Marquis Beckford’s gesture, he stepped back.

The Marquis took out a handkerchief, wiped off Hesion’s blood, and threw it toward the floor.

The handkerchief stained with his blood settled on the floor.

“Your father was such a fool. No matter how lacking in ambition he claimed to be, shouldn’t he have stood against Leytan for his family’s sake?”

After finishing his words, the Marquis smiled and dismissed the servants and guards.

Only the Marquis and Hesion remained in the damp, lightless space.

“I knew this would happen in the end. To protect your people, you need power. With power, no one can touch you.”

The Marquis smiled as he spoke in a teaching manner.

“That’s the sweetness of power.”

“Shut your mouth.”

Hesion remembered the Marquis who always lingered behind Leytan, keeping his distance. 

He had once believed the man stayed back to avoid bringing Leytan trouble, but the truth had been different—something he realized only when it was far too late.