The horrifying truth I desperately hoped not to be true finally flowed from Revanpell’s lips.

‘Who on earth was Revanpell’s mother?’

Not only did she imprison her own child, severing ties with the world, but she also caused him pain, eventually subjecting him to the Perdix experiment.

“It’s the worst.”

The thought that I kept to myself slipped out of my mouth. I covered my mouth with my palm in surprise, and Revanpell seemed to agree as he smiled.

“To that woman, being called the worst is a compliment.”

“…Then, did your mother do the sealing ritual as well?”

“She hired someone who knew how to obtain the essence of the World Tree through a person and perform the sealing ritual. Quite an extraordinary person. She was someone who would always obtain what she wanted.”

Although Revanpell’s mother didn’t directly meet Generva, it meant she had contact with Generva’s follower.

“…Did your mother conduct the Perdix experiment on you to achieve something specific?”

I gripped Revanpell’s hand tightly, shaking it and raising my voice.

Seeing his mother’s actions, who had no regard for what she considered a person, made me both angry and disgusted. Revanpell’s calm laughter while telling this story only fueled my anger.

“Revanpell, you wanted to become the successor to the throne, right? She should have nurtured you precious if that was the case!”

“Are you worried about me now?”

Revanpell comforted me, rejecting my outburst. Ironically, the one who needed comforting was him.

“All my brothers who were already chosen as heirs were outstanding. It seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn’t catch up to my brothers. So, my mother wanted to prove something.”

“Prove?”

“She wanted to show the Emperor that I am the ruler this empire needs.”

“And that’s what the Perdix experiment was for?”

“If I succeeded in creating the World Tree… then.”

Revanpell’s eyes lost their light. His unfocused gaze showed no sign of life’s goals or meaning.

“Then, there would be no more certain proof than saving this world, right?”

“What are you saying…!”

Seeing Revanpell speak casually and indifferently, as if talking about someone else, flipped my stomach.

I tried hard to suppress the burning anger.

“If you die doing that! It would all be in vain!”

“If I couldn’t ascend to the throne anyway, my mother planned to kill me.”

“…What?”

“She thought raising me would be useless.”

I was dumbfounded. Useless after raising him?

What kind of thoughts did Revanpell’s mother have about the value of a person’s life?

“Don’t get angry.”

Revanpell pulled his hand, urging me to calm down. Hearing his indifferent and casual tone, I swallowed back what I was about to shout.

“Aren’t you angry at your mother?”

“I am.”

Suppressing the anger I wanted to unleash, Revanpell swept his thumb across the back of my hand, bluntly answering.
Warmth spread across the previously indifferent expression like watercolor. In the eyes that were once unclear about life’s goals and meanings, a bright light had now taken hold.

“…If I were Revanpell, you would have sought revenge.”

“I would have done the same.”

Revanpell seemed to be in a good mood as I vented my anger in his place, trying to endure his chuckles.

“But now, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Revanpell’s hand slowly moved up my hand. Then, using his fingers, he gently played with strands of my hair.

As my tilted head followed, his own hair flowed down.

“I have Empress now.”

It was a stark contrast to the cold expression when talking about his mother. His eyes, looking at me, were always warm.

Like the sweet and addictive sunlight melting the snow piled up in the harsh winter.

“What happened to your mother?”

“Well, it doesn’t seem important right now.”

Revanpell’s hand, which had been gently stroking my hair, moved slowly to caress the area around my neck. My shoulders involuntarily tensed at his meticulous touch.

“But now, this situation seems more important.”

Although Revanpell had been sitting far away, he had suddenly moved closer. It was a distance so close that our breaths could mix.

I didn’t even realize when he got this close.

‘He’s always like this.’

When I came to my senses, Revanpell was always in the same spot, looking at me and smiling. Just like flowers blooming naturally when spring arrives amidst despair.

Revanpell’s enchanting eyes were covered by long eyelashes. However, the end of that gaze was always me, relentlessly sticking to me like an obsession, almost suffocating.

“…Terry.”

His large hand enveloped me. I slowly placed my hand on Revanpell’s hand.

“If I kiss you now, will you ask me why I kissed you?”

Last time, I avoided it because it seemed unbearable. He said that.

I caressed Revanpell’s hand and parted my lips.

“…Yes.”

“Then, don’t avoid it this time and ask until the end. I’ll give you a proper answer.”

As if eagerly waiting for his words to finish, slightly chilly lips forcefully swallowed me.

As if waiting for too long, enduring it like always, Revanpell leaned affectionately towards me.