Judith Fan Monzania was the fulfillment of Ricardo’s oracle and the beginning of all tragedy.

The saint who was Rochester’s companion but failed to achieve his awakening.

The saint of Lesotia who would eventually become the empress of Dermaia.

Not long ago, the high priest left the imperial palace, leaving only the words that the appearance of the saint had been hastened. Even breaking his promise with Ricardo.

The reason the high temple, which had agreed to protect the Pennel family until now, suddenly changed its face was because it learned that Lienne was not only a manifester but also achieved Ricardo’s awakening.

An act against the will of God.

The high priest said so, truly trembling with fear.

“Yes, that would be so.”

As soon as the oracle that she was the saint appeared in the empire, the world would become noisy.

The imperial family would surely try to take her away somehow, with the oracle that she would become empress. Now Ricardo had to begin preparing for an unwanted battle to protect her.

To become emperor, and thus to keep his promise with Stuart.

Stuart gazed intently at Ricardo, who was standing silently beside him.

It wasn’t just the existence of the saint that he thought wouldn’t change even if time were turned back.

For example… Ricardo only awakening his power through the daughter of Pennel even if he returned to life, and where his gaze rested, such things.

“The emotion you’re feeling now… is it love?”

So he couldn’t help but ask.

While wishing for Ricardo’s happiness in his heart, he feared the answer that would come from him. That something Stuart, who had to be selfish for his children and wife, couldn’t handle was happening.

‘Is your love still valid? Have you really forgotten all the miserable feelings of having to watch the woman burn in fire?’

“No, it is not.”

At that moment, all the women who had crowded onto the balcony receded like the tide. Two men and women remained in that place again.

Walter slowly closing the gap, and the woman who was pushed back warily stopped in that place.

And the two faced each other.

Their smiling faces facing each other in the brightly moonlit place looked peaceful.

Ricardo’s voice penetrated that peaceful scene.

“Have you heard such a thing?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Happy ending.”

Stuart’s face slightly crumpled at words that didn’t fit this situation at all.

“An ending where everyone becomes comfortable and safe, an ending that’s enough with just that.”

The voice of the man saying it wasn’t love filled the night garden. As the voice alone couldn’t gauge emotions, Stuart looked up at Ricardo. His eyes were closed tightly.

“It’s just a matter of not taking it to heart.”

Stuart finally heard the answer to the question he couldn’t properly ask.

Ricardo had decided to protect her this time too.

Even just seeing her smiling shyly face to face with another, as if his eyes had shattered before him, he closed them tightly.

The following banquet was chaos itself.

When even Walter had left his seat and only the moonlight and I remained, Ricardo appeared on the balcony to pick me up as promised.

It seemed that even the dance order had ended, as soft music was flowing in the hall, and people were gathered in small groups talking.

Then the emperor stood up with a clamorous noise. After drawing everyone’s attention, he recited a toast and raised his glass high.

Surprisingly, that first glass went to the second prince, not his eldest son Stuart.

The nobles murmured, but this was just the beginning.

Next, the crown prince was given a chance to raise his glass.

“There was a small bet recently, Your Majesty.”

It didn’t sound like someone who had just officially lost his position as crown prince. People’s faces became even more astonished seeing his bright expression.

“It’s difficult to say what the bet was, but I can tell you the outcome of that bet.”

I reflexively checked Ricardo’s expression. Somehow, all of this didn’t seem unrelated to him. There was no perplexity entangled on his face.

“I lost spectacularly. I did.”

As the crown prince raised his hand, a servant holding a large box behind him stepped forward. I couldn’t guess what it was, but the people in the banquet hall seemed to recognize the object in the case at once.

The hall was quiet as if cold water had been poured, but soon irrepressible exclamations flowed from people’s mouths. Then I heard the whispers of people standing nearby.

“It’s Schneider’s treasure sword. Is he going to give it to the second prince?”

If so, wouldn’t that mean he too had accepted the emperor’s will, people’s voices were tinged with excitement. The crown prince’s firm voice continued through that commotion.

“So, I want to give this Schneider treasure sword, which I put up as a condition for the bet, to the winner of that day.”

With the word winner, Ricardo moved. It was natural that everyone’s eyes turned to him.

“Young Lord Rochester.”

As he called out familiarly, Ricardo answered loudly as if reciting lines from a predetermined play.

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince.” The voice answering resounded throughout the hall like news of victory in a war with a predetermined outcome.

‘A declaration of war.’

No matter how much I was born and raised in Lesotia, I knew about Schneider’s treasure sword. And what it meant.

Ricardo had finally decided to follow the oracle.

Ricardo, who would kill his father and become the sun in the sky. That pitiful and noble Ricardo slowly walked up to the platform where the crown prince was.

“I gladly give this to you. This spoil of victory.”

Along with the interest that had filled their faces until just now, a vague fear appeared on people’s faces.

“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

It was no different than the emperor declaring he would give the throne to his second son, and the crown prince declaring he would give it to Ricardo. There was one throne, and two to inherit it.

The emperor stood up and left the place, not hiding his displeasure.

Staring at that sight, Stuart continued speaking.

“Anyway, Schneider has always been hiding behind Rochester’s shield, so nothing will change even if you have it. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty.”

There was no answer to the crown prince’s provocative gaze and question.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to assess the situation.

Rochester’s successor, who had completed his awakening, decided to become emperor backed by the oracle. Hadeyma, who only follows God’s will, will surely raise Ricardo’s hand.

And soon when the saint who will complete his position appears, it’s only a matter of time before the oracle becomes reality.

It wasn’t difficult for high-ranking nobles who had grown up in the Dermaia Empire to face the current situation. It didn’t take long for people’s eyes, which had been shaking with various calculations, to calm down.

Time passed so frantically that I couldn’t even remember how the banquet ended and I got into the carriage. Only when we entered the dark forest road did my dazed mind start to come back a little.

Since Sabrina had already returned in the family carriage, I headed to the mansion with Ricardo.

The rattling sound of the carriage was the only noise inside.

I glanced at Ricardo’s face. He had been silently looking out the window since earlier.

The man who had kindly reached out his hand to me against the background of the garden lights was not here.

Only the person who would soon become emperor, and thus become more distant from me, remained. And I didn’t have a single way to bridge such a huge gap.

“I heard that the saint might come to the duke’s residence sooner than expected.”

Ricardo laughed softly at the silence I had barely broken.

“So I heard.”

Seeing his coolly subdued face, I couldn’t continue any more words.

The words I really wanted to ask swirled in my mouth.

Do you perhaps know when that might be?

After I leave, will you take the hand of her who has been your companion since birth and become emperor? Then what’s next? Will you be safe then? Will you no longer need to make such painful expressions?

Will you… be happy?

Swallowing the questions that would sound foolish, I slowly caught my breath. I had resolved to fully express my love as much as I could face him, but it was a useless resolution in front of his cold gaze.

Such meaningless questions were of no help to him.

Seven years ago, as I waved both hands watching him leave Lesotia, just like then, I could only pray for his well-being…

Powerless and incompetent, but with all my heart.

“What did you talk about with Walter?”

“Pardon?”

The words that came from Ricardo, who had been silent until now, completely missed my expectations. His gaze was still out the window.

Is he asking about what happened in the lounge? What did we talk about? Hadn’t I already told him everything about that?

After parting with Walter on the balcony, I completely reversed my previous assessment of Young Lord Chaplin. He was truly a heaven-sent gentleman. A warm person who endures another’s awkwardness together, though it has little to do with himself.

Yes, a good person. That’s how Walter was imprinted on me.

While I was thinking about him for a moment, Ricardo’s gaze turned to me.

“A good… person?”

“Hup.”