The Duchess declared she would elevate me to the rank of a saint, and I almost lost my life in the lake. Even so, what does that have to do with him?

“According to confidential information, the arrow shot at young master Rochester and you was the Emperor’s.”

“I had guessed as much.”

Walter nodded slightly and continued.

“A short while ago, that is, precisely after we met at the Imperial Palace, Her Highness the Crown Princess came to see me.”

For a moment, I recalled the incomprehensible reaction of the Crown Princess I had seen at the palace.

Upon hearing the news that the Grand Chancellor had left, she, who had been smiling leisurely, froze her face like someone whose laughter was false. She was afraid, as if she had just realized that the ground beneath her feet was entirely thin ice.

“I too did not fully understand everything Her Highness the Crown Princess said. However, Her Highness was concerned.”

“About what… exactly?”

At my question, he frowned for a moment, then said with a self-deprecating smile, ‘No, it’s nothing.’

“I feel ashamed at how incoherent my words have been. I apologize.”

Walter shook his head and took a moment to calm himself. Then he seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

“To be more honest, I don’t really understand the Crown Princess’s anxiety. Her Highness didn’t reveal everything, and anyway, it wasn’t an important issue for me. However……”

“……”

“I was worried about you.”

He kept his gaze on the teacup, not looking at me. The moment I finally heard him say he was worried about me, I felt even more uncomfortable than before.

I silently waited for his next words.

“What I know is, yes. I did consider whether I should say this or not. But I thought it was something I must say.”

“……”

“The Crown Princess said that young master Rochester must become Emperor, and the saint… would appear with the oracle that she would become Empress.”

How did the Crown Princess know that? That was the first thought that came to mind. The oracle was something no one could know in advance. Unless they had lived through the future.

While I sat there with a blank expression, Walter continued speaking.

“She also said that the oracle would be so clear that it would be impossible to avoid.”

“What does that… mean?”

“The name, the saint’s name will be specified in the oracle. And according to the Crown Princess’s explanation, it certainly won’t be Pennel.”

“……”

“The reason the saint couldn’t awaken Ricardo is… because she was destined to become Empress, just as Ricardo was destined to become Emperor. That’s what the Crown Princess believed.”

Ah, only then did all the moments when Ricardo had been pushing me away fall into place. Like a solid castle built with neatly stacked square stones, layer by layer. It was clear, without any room for doubt.

Ricardo too had known all of this.

Ricardo’s answer to my stupid question, which came without a moment’s hesitation, echoed in my ears.

It seemed there had been some hope that it might be me after all. Seeing my heart crumble again over something I thought I already knew.

“In truth, I… never gave much thought to the matter of Rochester’s engagement to Pennel. Not until I met you.”

“……”

“The Emperor ordered Pennel’s death, and Rochester decided to save her. This is all the information I have.”

“……”

“I vaguely assumed that Rochester, who had decided to protect Pennel until the saint appeared, would also be preparing for Pennel’s future.”

“That’s correct. There’s no other truth beyond that.”

I raised my teacup to moisten my throat, which had been getting dry. It tasted more bitter than usual, but it was the same tea I had been drinking. Not that I had been enjoying it, but it was smooth and exceptionally refined.

I straightened my back even more to avoid crumbling in the face of the words that were about to pour out.

“I hadn’t anticipated that… the saint’s name would be written in the oracle, but even so, nothing changes. And I really don’t understand what this has to do with Lord Chaplin.”

Only then did I fully understand what Ricardo had said before I fell into the lake. His words that nothing would change no matter what I did.

“I didn’t think you would necessarily be abandoned.”

It’s not about being abandoned, it’s certainly not like that. Why can’t I answer immediately?

“My Lord……”

“I thought perhaps Rochester truly intended to acknowledge you as his companion. But after hearing the Crown Princess’s words, my thoughts changed completely.”

“……”

“Yet yesterday, the Duchess declared she would elevate you to the rank of a saint, and the Emperor harmed you. Whether Rochester intended it or not, he put you in danger.”

“Even so, how is that related to Chaplin?”

Walter paused for a moment and raised his head to look at me.

“The moment the saint appears, you and your family must leave Dermeyer.”

“There’s nothing new about that. There’s nothing I didn’t already know. If you came to tell me this……”

Ricardo had clearly spoken of the end. Even as he asked me to go with him. So he hadn’t lied to me about anything, and yet… Sorrow kept welling up, and my vision was becoming blurry.

“If you came……”

That god-like figure had even decided on a name. Then why did he make me meet Ricardo first?

Because the saint must become Empress, so awakening is not the saint’s role. Is that what it means? Because she’s the companion of Ricardo, who must become Emperor while being Rochester?

It’s unfair. Disgustingly unfair.

At that moment, Walter grabbed my hand that was holding the teacup handle. Surprise came first, and then I noticed my hand trembling in his grasp.

I quickly raised my head to see aqua-green eyes firmly fixed on me, trembling intensely.

“I deliberately followed you in.”

‘What?’

“Into that lounge, to meet you. No, more precisely, because I wanted to confirm.”

“Please let go of this hand……”

“The moment I saw your eyes, I had to acknowledge it for certain.”

“What… are you saying?”

“Ricardo must have already known this fact.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

I asked sharply while pulling my hand away from him.

He looked at his empty hand and laughed hollowly, as if in disbelief. ‘How can this be?’ His voice was tinged with anger.

“Why of all things……”

I abruptly stood up and turned towards the door.

“If you have nothing more to say, it would be best if you left now.”

I tried my best not to show how flustered I was, but I couldn’t prevent my voice from trembling. Please. Though I didn’t say it out loud, such a plea was embedded in the end of my words. But Walter seemed to have no intention of granting my request.

He slowly rose from his seat and picked up the gloves he had taken off.

“Lienne. Please look at me for a moment.”

Though I hadn’t given permission for him to use my name, I didn’t have the emotional capacity to blame him for that. A shame I hadn’t felt even when receiving unwarranted insults from the women on the balcony now overwhelmed my heart completely.

Nevertheless, I turned my head and met his eyes.

I have lived with the determination to never be hurt by things I haven’t done wrong. This time will be no different.

“Speak.”

“Chaplin is different.”

“I remember asking you several times what you’re talking about.”

He stuffed the gloves he was holding into his pocket and pulled out something from inside his chest. I could immediately tell it was the lace shawl that had been mercilessly torn in his hands.

As he unfurled the object he was holding, the shawl, perfectly restored to its original state, hung down below Walter’s waist.

“Do you remember me saying I came here to discuss the safety of you and your family?”

As if not waiting for an answer, he slowly draped the shawl over my shoulders. My body, not yet fully recovered and still with a slight fever, welcomed the warmth he provided.

“If you allow it, I would like to take Rochester’s place.”

Ah, who was it that said the Dermeyer Empire was a country where high-class noble culture beautifully blossomed? Dermeyer is a jungle. Where you never know when or how your throat might be bitten if you let your guard down for just a moment.

“Are you saying you want to get engaged to me?”

“No, if you allow it, I will marry you. Without any conditions, without setting any time limit, with the promise of making you my only wife, wholly and solely.”

“Are you insane?”

He chuckled at my raised voice. ‘Perhaps I am.’ The man’s voice showed no sign of wavering.

“This is all I wanted to say. That Rochester’s is not the only ducal house where you and your family can hide from the Emperor’s threats.”

“……”

“That I won’t put you in danger under the pretext of protecting you. I won’t.”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

I couldn’t add anything to these unbelievable words. All I could say to him, who was clearly out of his mind, was just this much.