Staring at his mother with a disdainful look, Revenfell threw a water flask and bread into the cell. As if his mother had been waiting, she hastily shoved the bread into her mouth.

“I have something I want to ask you.”

Revenfell’s mother turned her head, her mouth full of bread.

Her eyes flickered through the disheveled hair. It seemed as if she was asking what he wanted to know.

“When Tenen Yeongae and the countess found out about Genevra’s follower and died. You blocked the investigation, right?”

Asking as if he expected, an uncomfortable truth that had been haunting him throughout the journey pierced Revenfell’s heart.

Thunk.
As Revenfell’s question came to an end, the bread that had been in his mother’s hand ominously fell to the floor. Unable to speak due to her cut tongue, her reaction served as a sufficient answer.

Simultaneously, Revenfell let out a disappointed breath.

“Why in the world…”

Revenfell distorted his face.

“…How should I see Tenen Yeong? What should I do about you?”

Revenfell clutched his head with both hands, looking tortured. His trembling breath sounded like a crying child who had lost his parents.

“Now, really.”

The hands covering his head dropped down. At the same time, tears rolled down his cheeks.

Revenfell mumbled while looking at his mother.

“I can’t spare you.”

The child who wanted to be loved, a boy.

As Emperor, he stared at his mother with a distorted face like a monster.

As the day brightened and morning approached, Mu returned.

Having been awake since dawn, I grabbed Mu, expressing my determination to heal Revenfell, save this world from destruction, and more.

“You’re crazy, kid.”

After hearing all my determination, Mu looked at me with strange eyes.

“Did I not tell you yesterday that I could die?”

“I heard, and I understood well. Can you not repeat it?”

“Still, every night, you’re going to put your vitality into that kid’s rotten power?”

The hamster Mu tilted its head seriously.

“Is it because your mother’s story was too shocking that it’s hard for you to think rationally?”

“Mother’s story was shocking, but am I crazy? If I leave Revenfell like that and get caught by someone else…”

I gestured as if cutting my throat with my fingernail.

“Revenfell will be executed immediately.”

“So, are you going to die instead of that kid?”

“If one of us has to die, it’ll be me. Not Revenfell.”

I turned to the window and stretched my arms, opening the window as if stretching.

“The morning air is nice!”

“Don’t you have a desire to live?”

From behind, I heard Mu sighing mixed with regret.

“Mu, actually, I never had a big goal in my life.”

The morning sunlight pouring through the window today was dazzling and warm. The clear sky was high, and the large cumulus clouds were beautiful.

In the previously empty left garden, newly blooming flowers and the flowers Clint brought were planted together.

“I didn’t even have a beloved mother. Those who call themselves family want to kill me and hate me. I’m confined to the palace. In such a situation, there was no beautiful dream or future that I could have.”

After that, birds were flying towards a large tree. Upon closer inspection, there were baby birds with wide-open beaks in the nest.

The couple of birds were flying continuously to feed the baby birds.

“For me, the goal of life that my mother left to me like a testament was just ‘somehow survive.’ I found it burdensome to live day by day.”
On a day when I had decided that it would be okay for me to die instead, the weather was exceptionally nice, and I became curious.

So, in response to Mu’s question, I almost unintentionally answered, ‘I want to live.’

“So, the question of whether I have a desire to live is strange. For the first time in my life, I have a goal right now—to save this world from destruction and change fate.”

“…”

“If I continue to live while ignoring everything, what will be left for me?”

I carefully scanned the beautiful world outside the window.

“Since coming here… after meeting Revenfell, I started seeing and feeling things. The beauty of the world, connections with others—everything. I don’t want to lose them by turning away.”

Mu approached with a sly smile, deliberately sticking out its tongue to make sure everything could be heard.

“Kid.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t people often say you can’t lie?”

“I’m really good at lying. Besides, I might not die.”

Mu turned its head.

“Originally, I was supposed to die, but my mother saved me. So, I was supposed to die, but I didn’t. Mu, didn’t you know that?”

“…”

“So, this time, I might not die again. This time, you might not know either.”

Mu had no response to my short rebuttal. It would be better if it at least gave some kind of answer.

Mu turned its head without saying a word, as if it had heard a pointless story.

“My mother said there is no fate that cannot be changed. So, don’t worry. Dying is an option after trying everything possible. It’s a choice at that point.”

“…You really resemble your mother.”

The swaying wind brushed through my hair.

Knock, knock.