Four days had passed since they departed the capital.

The inspection procession included far more women than expected Clodine among them, along with her attendants. Perhaps for that reason, the route had been planned so that, even if it meant taking a longer path, the group could make use of both temporary outdoor tents and village inns at night.

But as they drew closer to their first destination, such conveniences became impossible. A night arrived when sleeping entirely outdoors was unavoidable.

“There is no need to trouble yourself so much, Merian. I abandoned any expectation of living as comfortably as in the capital the moment we set out.”

For hours, Merian had been rushing about, determined to make the inside of Clodine’s tent as pleasant and comfortable as possible. Feeling sorry for her, Clodine deliberately adopted a brighter, more cheerful tone and sat down casually on the dust-covered bed.

“Ah! Your Majesty, the bed has not yet been cleaned! Please rise at once!”

“No, truly, I am quite all right—”

“I am not all right! Please stand up! There is too much dust here. Kindly admire the stars outside until I come to escort you back in!”

Though Clodine insisted she was fine, Merian refused to yield and firmly ushered her toward the exit.

Driven out of the tent despite herself, Clodine laughed softly and shook her head.

“Your Majesty, why have you come outside?”

At some point, Valoran Lord, dressed in the uniform of the imperial guard’s commander, much like Cal Regerson appeared as if from thin air and approached her.

Clodine, long accustomed to his sudden arrivals, did not startle.

“My attendant has driven me out.”

“What? That woman dared to drive Your Majesty from the tent? I shall go in and reprimand—”

Clodine was momentarily taken aback at the ease with which Valoran referred to Merian as ‘that woman,’ though she chose to treat it as a slip and did not show it.

“No, Valoran. She did so for my sake. Do not misunderstand.”

Even though she smiled deliberately as she spoke, Valoran continued to glare toward the tent as though displeased. To distract him, she changed the subject.

“Sleeping outdoors in tents like this reminds me of the day we first crossed the Empire’s border.”

She spoke of years ago when they had hurried toward the Rotermann Kingdom to meet the rushed schedule of her wedding.

As expected, Valoran’s attention immediately shifted from the tent to her.

Truthfully, that memory was not a pleasant one for either of them.

“It was not so crowded with people then, was it?”

Clodine watched the soldiers nearby raising tents, inspecting weapons, preparing a late meal and smiled faintly.

“…Do you not feel wronged? Resentful?”

Valoran chose his words carefully, yet his eyes burned with an intensity that belied his restraint. A man of justice, he had clearly been unsettled by the Empire’s starkly shifting treatment of her depending on circumstance.

If she answered yes, it seemed he might at once carry her somewhere no one could ever find her.

As though seeing straight through his thoughts, Clodine shook her head.

“If there is a greater cause that must be protected, then someone like me must be sacrificed to preserve it. All the more so if it is for the peace and safety of the many.”

“But why must it always be Your Majesty who is sacrificed? Then and now… I cannot understand it.”

Her smile stiffened, tinged with quiet bitterness.

Valoran alone knew that, both then and now, she had been the one made to bear the cost. Realizing that once more, Clodine felt newly grateful for his presence.

“Before I married O’Neil Penelope, I was raised with the finest treatment among all the women of the Empire. If someone must be sacrificed, it seems only fair that it be the one who has enjoyed the most.”

“Your Majesty is truly…”

Valoran seemed to have much more he wished to say, yet he did not continue. Years spent by her side had taught him well the firmness of her resolve.

“Your Majesty is remarkably untroubled.”

He let out a faint, helpless laugh.

Clodine forced a bright smile in return.

“Let us stop hating now. I have decided to do so.”

Though he did not know precisely what she had chosen to stop hating, Valoran assumed she meant the Empire and nodded reluctantly.

Only then did Clodine seem to set aside the heaviness in her heart. She lifted her gaze to the sky and murmured lightly,

“There are so many stars. It feels as though they might fall at any moment.”

She had seen this same sky when she left the Empire for the Rotermann Kingdom. Yet her feelings were entirely different now.

Then, she had wished for the stars to fall and for the world to collapse with them.

Now, as she looked up, she realized her heart was no longer the same.

The stars shone too brilliantly too beautifully for her to wish for ruin, even in jest.

“Your Majesty, everything is prepared.”

At that moment, Merian stepped out of the tent and informed her that the sleeping quarters were ready.

Clodine gave a silent nod to Valoran Lord, who bowed faithfully in goodnight greeting, and turned toward the entrance of the tent.

***

After finishing a simple bath inside the tent and waiting until the attendants had tidied everything and left, Clodine finally lay down.

Only a minimal lamp remained lit. Warm steam from her bath still lingered in the enclosed space, filling the tent with a faint, hazy glow.

The cot beneath her was hard enough to make her back ache, yet here it was undeniably the best they could provide. Without complaint, she closed her eyes.

Just as she was about to drift into sleep, she sensed someone part the curtain and enter.

“Looks like you were tired.”

“Ahazan.”

The night air had grown cold with the sharp drop in temperature, and that chill clung to him. Having just bathed and still feeling the humid warmth in the tent, Clodine found the cool scent of wind on him unexpectedly refreshing.

“You were nowhere to be seen all evening. Where did you go?”

Since leaving the capital, Ahazan had not left her side for even a moment. Yet tonight, from early evening onward, he had not shown himself at all. Cal Regerson and the Pantheon Knights had been absent as well.

Ahazan loosened and removed the heavy outer coat draped over his armor, then ran a hand through his wind-tousled hair.

“It’s an area where barbarian incursions are frequent. I went on a patrol a little farther out.”

“You went yourself?”

“The soldiers have worked without rest these past days. Sometimes the Knights and I must share the burden.”

As though he meant to make up for the hours he had not seen her, Ahazan sat on the edge of her bed and gazed intently at her face.

“Did you eat well?”

“Yes.”

“Bathing must have been inconvenient. Being outdoors and all.”

“Not at all. And I do not need to bathe every single day. I would rather everyone not exhaust themselves solely for me.”

“Then it would be better if we bathed together from now on.”

Clodine narrowed her eyes at the shameless solution he proposed.

“How does the conversation end up there?”

Ahazan lifted his shoulders as if it were obvious.

“If the attendants must prepare bathwater for us twice a day in this tent life, they will suffer greatly.”

He raised one brow slightly, as if asking, ‘Was that not what you said you disliked?’

Since he was not entirely wrong, Clodine found herself momentarily at a loss. A beat later, she countered,

“I can bathe only on nights when we stay at an inn.”

It was not an unreasonable suggestion. Even in sweltering weather, no matter how much she moved, she did not perspire easily.

But Ahazan merely furrowed his brow in mock regret.

“We will be sleeping outdoors for at least five more days.”

“…”

At that, she had no argument left. She closed her mouth with an awkward expression.

Ahazan gave a low chuckle, as though he had been holding it in.

“So you are still shy before me.”

Knowing full well that he was deliberately teasing her, Clodine flopped down onto the bed and pulled the quilt up to her neck. She turned her back to him.

It may have looked like a sulking protest, but she sensed that continuing the conversation would only leave her at a disadvantage. Better to end it here tonight.

“I am tired. You must be as well. Go to sleep, Ahazan.”

She did not turn around as she spoke.

After a brief pause, his reply came.

“All right. Do not worry. Sleep.”

Despite wondering whether she could possibly fall asleep with him right behind her, Clodine soon drifted off, her breathing growing soft and even.

And as she slowly sank into deep slumber—

Ahazan’s face, which had been filled with laughter only moments ago, darkened as though that expression had never existed.

He remained seated without moving, staring at her back as she lay upon the cot.

Then, tilting his head slightly as if unable to comprehend something, he murmured in a dry, cold voice entirely unlike the one he used with her.

“Sacrifice…”

It was a word Clodine, lost in sleep, would never hear.