The moment they heard about the fire, the two rushed frantically to Richard Palace. Until he dismounted at the castle gate, Carlos thought it must be incorrect information.

How could a fire suddenly break out in Ines’s chambers? There was no way a fire could start there. Even if there was a fire, he believed it would be a small one that would be quickly contained. With so many people working there, they would have put it out right away.

Though he tried to reassure himself, Carlos’s steps were hurried, betraying his anxiety. When he looked up, black smoke was still rising from the direction of the Lily Palace. It was much larger than when seen from outside the castle. It was as if black storm clouds had consumed the palace.

For a moment his heart sank, but he quickly calmed himself again.

‘It’ll be fine.’

Even if there was a fire, they would have rescued Ines, the queen, first. There would be no problem with her safety. Having composed himself, Carlos quickly headed toward the Lily Palace.

As expected, by the time he arrived at the Lily Palace, the fire had already been mostly extinguished. However, sadly, the beautiful coral-colored outer walls had long since lost their original color, blackened by soot.

As if proving it had been a major fire, people were constantly going in and out of the burned palace, and those who had escaped the fire were sprawled across the garden.

Judging by their numbers, there didn’t seem to be many casualties. Somewhat relieved by this, Carlos began looking around for Ines.

‘Where is Ines?’

But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t see Ines. With so many maids having escaped, surely Ines would be outside catching her breath too. To shake off the creeping anxiety, Carlos called out Ines’s name.

“Ines!”

He searched for her repeatedly while crossing the garden.

“Ines…!”

But there was no answer. Instead, Jeff, who had belatedly spotted Carlos, rushed urgently to his side.

“Your Majesty!”

Carlos asked Jeff, as if this was fortunate timing.

“Jeff, where is Ines? I can’t find her anywhere.”

Perhaps she had been moved somewhere else for treatment? Yes, that could be it. They would have rescued the queen first and evacuated her to a safer place.

But Jeff’s following answer wasn’t what he had hoped for.

“Well, about that…”

Jeff avoided Carlos’s eyes as his words trailed off.

“…We cannot find Her Majesty anywhere.”

“What…?”

“No one has seen Her Majesty either. So, the knights just began searching for Her Majesty… Your Majesty!”

Before Jeff could finish speaking, Carlos ran into the palace where the fire had just been contained. As he tried to enter, knights blocked his path.

“Your Majesty, it’s still dangerous! Your Majesty!”

However, he didn’t stop, pushing aside the knights trying to hold him back. The moment he entered, acrid smoke enveloped him. The interior was dark with no flames left, and floating ashes stung his eyes sharply.

Carlos hurriedly covered his mouth and nose with his arm as he made his way to Ines’s bedroom by instinct.

‘Please.’

He prayed to God as he headed toward her room. Please let Ines not be where his feet would stop. Let anyone tell him that Ines was safe. He prayed to meet Ines walking out unharmed.

But contrary to his desperate wishes, he neither encountered Ines nor heard any shouts that the queen was safe. This fact was gradually constricting Carlos’s heart. He was afraid that a truly tragic scene would unfold before his eyes.

How many minutes passed that felt like an eternity? Carlos finally reached the bedroom and slowed his pace.

Strangely, there was chaos in front of the wide-open door. Knights with cloth covering their mouths and noses were going in and out of the room with grave expressions. Seeing this, Carlos’s arm dropped.

A knight who belatedly noticed Carlos muttered in a somber voice.

“Your Majesty…”

An ominous feeling overwhelmed him. Instinctively, he had a strong feeling that he shouldn’t go inside.

Perhaps it was from that moment that Carlos’s steps became slower.

“It would be better if you didn’t look. After we take care of things first…”

Carlos’s heaving shoulders, from running so quickly, gradually steadied at the knight’s words. Instead, his body began to tremble.

It was worse than when he had found Ines unconscious in the bloodied bathtub.

Carlos took slow steps. His feet felt heavy as if lead weights were attached to his ankles.

‘If there is a God, please.’

As he stepped toward the room, he made one last plea to God.

‘Please, don’t take Ines from me.’

Hadn’t He granted his wish last time? When he had begged for Ines to be safe then, God had granted his request as if by miracle. He had made Ines open her eyes. So he believed He would do so again this time. Because now he was even more desperate than before.

So Carlos prayed continuously to God. Just please let Ines live. Even if she was somewhat injured, just don’t take her life.

If only He would do that…

‘Give me a divorce.’

He would grant Ines’s request.

He would fulfill what Ines wanted.

He would disappear from her life as she wished. If she wanted his life, he would gladly give that too. So please…

It was just as Carlos was entering the room while desperately pleading in his heart. Something caught his foot.

Naturally, Carlos looked down. What he saw was someone’s unidentifiable corpse.

“…”

As Carlos stared blankly at it, a knight approached his side.

“It seems to be the body of the maid who was guarding this room…”

At the mournful voice, Carlos clenched his fist. The maid had collapsed near the door, as if she had been trying to escape.

Then Carlos raised his head and shifted his gaze toward where the bed was. And…

“Ah…”

At that moment, Carlos’s body swayed. A despairing sigh burst from his lips against his will.

“Your Majesty…!”

The startled knight quickly supported Carlos. Without the knight, he would have collapsed ungracefully right there.

Carlos barely steadied himself, shook off the knight, and approached the bed.

Then a completely blackened corpse came into his view. He staggered closer to the corpse, one step at a time. Then, as if trying to identify who it was, he fumbled to touch the body.

“…Who are you to be lying in Ines’s bed? This isn’t a place where just anyone can lie down, so why…”

Nonsensical words burst from his mouth as if denying reality.

He examined the body still as if in disbelief. Then he noticed the necklace around the neck. It was a familiar shape.

“…”

His hand reached for the pendant, trembling like an aspen leaf. As he finally grasped the pendant, the soot came off. Then a half-burned gemstone caught his eye.

It was a necklace he knew well, with a color that resembled Ines’s eyes. And he knew best who this necklace belonged to.

“Ines…?”

Only then did he have to accept it. The fact that this corpse, whose face was unrecognizable, was Ines.

He shook his head as if in disbelief.

“This can’t be, Ines couldn’t have…”

The horrifically burned corpse clawed at his heart. His trembling hand endlessly caressed the body.

“This can’t be Ines…”

He repeated the same words like a madman. That this corpse couldn’t be Ines. That Ines couldn’t have died so futilely. It was while he was muttering like this.

Soon his fingers caught on the handcuffs wrapped around the wrist. Then the knight beside Carlos continued in a grave voice.

“It seems she couldn’t escape in time because her hands were bound.”

“What?”

With the knight’s single sentence, Carlos’s heart plummeted to the floor.

“…Because of this?”

Carlos touched the handcuffs, trying to deny the reality. The clanking sound of metal made his skin crawl. The hesitating knight continued.

“…Yes, it seems the maid couldn’t escape in time while trying to unlock these.”

Ah.

With that brief realization, Carlos’s body finally collapsed.

“That means, I…”

Killed her.

It was as good as killing Ines with his own hands. Faced with the horrific reality, he tore at his hair.

“No, no, I, Ines… No…!”

Soon someone’s anguished scream echoed through the palace.