Of course, she understood he didn’t have many options. But even so…

‘How could he think of setting himself on fire?’

In front of all those people?

True to the Ainsler name, despite appearing so gentle, he had a temperamental streak.

But if he had gone that way, what would become of her, who had sincerely taught him magic, saying he too could create fire? How would she carry that weight?

Tatiana had much she wanted to say and felt like clicking her tongue, but she held back. It seemed inappropriate to intrude on the conversation between brothers.

Breaking the long silence, Gideon spoke first.

“At dawn, I will execute the Queen.”

This was followed by permission that, if Vaikal wished, he could see the Queen one last time accompanied by aides. However, Vaikal remained silent.

Gideon, either expecting this or not caring whether Vaikal would reconsider later, continued without concern. The main point was something else anyway.

“And you……”

“……”

“Go to the Magic Tower.”

Vaikal, who had been hanging his head, stared at Gideon at those words. Tatiana just rolled her eyes beside them.

Gideon told Vaikal that he was now officially dead. He was no longer royalty either, so he shouldn’t expect such treatment. His voice was cold. But Tatiana sensed this was a kind of mercy Gideon was extending to his half-brother.

Being dead meant no punishment, naturally. Not being royalty meant he could live freely. Moreover, his place of exile was the Magic Tower. Where could be better for Vaikal in the current situation?

But after staying quiet, Vaikal suddenly said something strange.

“What if I build up my skills there and later threaten your position, brother?”

Tatiana’s breath caught, and her eyes widened.

Why was he suddenly acting like this? Was he asking to be killed, or saying he would come back to kill Gideon later?

She was so bewildered that she started to wonder if he had hit his head badly when he fell.

Gideon also narrowed his eyes with an expression that seemed to say, “See what I mean?” However, he soon snickered.

He already knew this was a provocation with no real intent behind it. Even if it were sincere, he had no intention of falling for it.

He looked down at Vaikal as if he were ridiculous. It was exactly the look one gives a youngster.

“Go ahead and try. But while you’re struggling, I won’t be standing still.”

“……”

“Then we’ll see each other again when the time comes.”

With those final words, Gideon left the room. He seemed unwilling to talk longer or reconsider his decision.

Tatiana, who had been tense alongside him, sighed deeply and glared at Vaikal.

This time she really wanted to give him a smack.

‘Why provoke someone who’s being peaceful? Don’t you know how much His Highness has spared you?’

You turned out to have a bad personality too. Just pure Ainsler, through and through.

However, she couldn’t actually hit him and only wore a complicated expression. In many ways, she also felt sorry for him.

Tatiana knew that if Vaikal had even the slightest desire for the throne, he could have worn the crown. Of course, it would have ended as a three-day reign.

Similarly, if Gideon had wanted to kill his brother, he could have done so at any time.

That night when they left the castle was actually the perfect opportunity. Yet why had he left Vaikal alone and hurried away? Was it because he didn’t want to kill his brother, or did he highly value the sincerity Vaikal had desperately expressed when he secretly followed them out? Or did Gideon have a greater goal? Was it his characteristic temperament of not wanting to disrupt his plans?

Tatiana honestly wasn’t sure.

What was certain was only that Vaikal had consistently shown the same attitude before the throne, and as a result, Gideon had guaranteed his life.

The two would probably never see each other’s faces again. But… would they really never meet, not even once? It’s hard to say.

Tatiana smiled faintly and rose from her chair. Then she bid farewell to her brother-in-law.

“From now on, live doing all the research you want.”

“……”

“But I didn’t teach you how to make fire so you could do something like that.”

“……”

“Don’t do that where you’re going, and stay healthy.”

She saw something gradually filling Vaikal’s eyes. She worried about what to do if he cried, but even with glistening eyes, he just smiled gently as usual. Then he bowed deeply to Tatiana. It was a thank you filled with many pressed-down meanings.

As he bowed, the tears that had pooled in his eyes rolled down onto the edge of the blanket.

Tatiana pretended not to notice and silently patted the shoulder of her brother-in-law, who would now have to live a completely different life.

* * *

Tatiana entered the bedroom much later than her husband, who had left first. She wondered if he would be upset, asking what took her so long, but he seemed at ease.

Gideon was lying on his side as always, resting his chin on one hand, looking out the window.

The playful urge to push that hand away bubbled up again today.

However, since they had a basic principle of no violence between them—or to be more honest, since she still wasn’t confident she could win in hand-to-hand combat—she stroked his arm and said,

“This posture……”

But Tatiana stopped mid-sentence, hesitating. Something was slightly bothering her.

“You must be tired of me pointing out the same thing every time.”

But contrary to expectations, Gideon shook his head.

“Since I keep repeating the same behavior, you have no choice but to say the same thing. I won’t do it anymore.”

“……”

“I won’t rest my chin on my hand or cross my legs.”

As if to immediately put his words into practice, he pulled over a pillow and lay down in a proper position.

Tatiana made an impressed expression, saying “Hooh.”

“I thought I would have to repeat this for at least 20 more years……”

“I’m not that stupid.”

Tatiana knew this well. And while she said that, she hadn’t really planned to repeat it for 20 years. She was someone who believed stress was the root of all illness.

Even correct words or good advice, when repeated too much, become mentally taxing for the listener. If you’ve brought something up three or four times and see absolutely no sign of improvement from the other person, the speaker should consider, maybe this person is just happy living this way.

But this must be very encouraging for Gideon too.

Though he always smiled when talking about it, who knows how much he had worried inside about his perfect body balance being disrupted.

And when Tatiana was so openly pleased, Gideon couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘I guess that really bothered her.’

He thought he might have been continuously losing points with his wife over something insignificant. He had tried his best to look good, but was leaking points in unexpected areas.

Yet making up for it was surprisingly easy. She not only welcomed it but seemed moved, so he wanted to shamelessly demand a reward. Though he felt a bit childish.

“I was good, so give me a reward.”

Before Tatiana could ask “What reward?” Gideon pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

He also nuzzled his nose against her neck and inhaled. He seemed to be finding comfort in her familiar scent.

“This is a reward for Your Highness?”

“Mmm.”

Unlike usual, his slightly slurred pronunciation reflected his comfortable state of mind. He also seemed inwardly relieved.

It was understandable, having wrapped up complicated matters and with only the coronation ahead.

Tatiana felt similarly. She had been tense about everything, but now it was as if a burden had been lifted.

When leaving the principality, she felt somewhat regretful, but truly, there was no place as comfortable as home.

“Still, it feels good to be home, right?”

“Yes. But I miss not being in our original room.”

They were staying in an annex building instead of the Prince’s Palace.

After the fire, the Prince’s Palace had been left abandoned, blackened and skeletal.

Gideon used the excuse of risk of further collapse to prevent Tatiana from going anywhere near it. He remembered how disappointed she had looked at that building the night she left the castle.

In truth, he wasn’t entirely happy either. Showing his wife their completely burned newlywed home was honestly not a pleasant feeling for a man.

Moreover, he had belatedly realized something else he regretted.

While everything else was fine, he found it particularly bitter that Tatiana’s bedroom had burned down. That room was where they had first made love.