“Get up. I have something to say to you.”

Justin’s blue eyes wistfully followed the small hand leaving his boiling forehead.

“Solas. Can’t you help me sit up? I’m having trouble mustering strength in my body.”

Raising the corners of his mouth in a pretty smile, the emperor wheedled. Yuriella frowned and let out a long sigh as she looked at him.

Without even thinking to wipe the copious tears from his face, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She simply couldn’t understand the master of the empire who acted as if the only thing that mattered was the woman in front of him.

Countless people had lost their lives because of the emperor.

Their families were shedding tears of blood over the unprepared farewells, and yet he was acting as if the only important thing was the one woman before his eyes.

“Stop this now.”

How much more unjust blood do you intend to soak this land with?

“Release Duke Yovel and reveal that the south is not responsible for the collapse of the iron mine.”

Do you, being so clever, really not know that that blood and those deaths are rotting and killing your soul?

Justin slowly sat up in bed. When he roughly wiped his wet face with his hand, a pale face devoid of laughter was revealed.

“Also formally explain what happened at the Magic Tower. Reveal the true culprit behind the self-destructive magic incident at the Magic Tower and mete out proper punishment.”

Let go of your mother’s hand that has stained you in darkness. You already know that even though the Empress Dowager may have given birth to you, she did not raise you as a true mother.

It was the Empress Dowager who plunged you into agony more painful than death.

“Step down from the throne yourself. You never liked that position anyway.”

Having served as his closest aide when she was Solas, she knew. In every moment that she could remember, Justin had never been pleased with the throne he sat upon.

No, she had often witnessed him expressing disgust towards that position.

At that time, she had only thought it was because he was tired of the sickening political strife with the shrewd nobles and the endlessly piling work was too much to handle.

She had never even imagined that behind that, there existed a horrific pain that she had not been able to fathom.

‘If I had known, would anything have changed?’

Speculating about times already passed is meaningless.

She could only fervently hope that this question was not too late now.

“Can’t you show courage as the emperor even once? Don’t you have any intention of atoning for everything yourself now?”

If Duke or King Lewis were to hear, they would chide her for attempting a clumsy compromise.

But if only the emperor could be stopped here. If only further innocent sacrifices could be prevented.

“If I stop. Will you be with me? Can you do that, Solas?”

Justin got out of bed and took a step closer to Yuriella.

“Abandon the Duke and share my fate with me to the end? If they throw stones at me, will you die with me by the stones? If they let me live, will you readily take my hand and set off with me on the long journey of exile from which we can never return?”

Having anticipated the proposal, Yuriella’s answer came immediately.

“If you stop now. Yes. I will be with you.”

Staring intently at Yuriella, Justin chuckled and then burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

“Solas. You should have at least practiced your expression before coming. You should have worn the sweet face of a woman promising to spend her life with someone. Even the face of one jumping into a fiery pit while hugging a bomb would look less solemn than your current expression.”

“I gave you the answer you wanted. Do I have to smile for you too?”

“Still, for me, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime decision. I wish you showed a bit more sincerity.”

“This is the best I can give you. It’s the last chance I can give you, and the last mercy.”

“Yes, alright. The chance you gave. Your last mercy. I’ll gratefully accept it.”

Justin tried to smile, but suddenly clutched his chest and doubled over in pain.

“Ugh…!”

Yuriella supported Justin as he crumpled, hand on his chest.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing…”

Even as his whole body trembled with pain that felt like it was splitting him apart, tears welled up in Justin’s eyes at Yuriella’s touch supporting him.

He was grateful for any emotion she gave him. Hatred, contempt. Even if it was mercy she had forcibly mustered to protect the Duke.

“Are you in a lot of pain…? Is it a side effect of black magic?”

If I say it’s because of petty jealousy, if I say it’s because my heart that hasn’t completely darkened yet loves you too much, you will be disgusted and immediately let go.

“It’s okay. When it really hurts, my body can’t bear it and I pass out right away.”

Yuriella frowned at his answer, and the emperor languidly blinked his golden eyelashes as he stared at her blankly.

‘Yes. I decided to be cautious this time. I decided never to let go.’

Justin slowly caught his breath.

‘Everything is going according to plan. So it’s okay. Don’t get blinded by jealousy and let her go again, Justin Della Ponti.’

Collapsing the northern iron mine and framing the south for the crime was based on strategic calculation, but that wasn’t the only reason.

Knowing Yuriella’s personality, he had guessed that she would surely come alone to meet him in order to save Yovel, and as expected, she had come to find him alone.

Using black magic to break the spell on her mage’s ring had also been a calculation for this very moment.

She would look back at least once.

She would probably hear from the Magic Tower Master or his sword’s spirit about how much excruciating pain a person’s soul must have endured to be tainted by such darkness.

Even if he were to meet his end at her hand, not all the memories they shared together would be horrifying, so if even a shred of mercy remained, she would surely come find him.

The Solas Moretti he loved was that kind of person.

Because even amidst the ruins of a shattered battlefield, she was the kind one who would dig through dirt and rubble until her nails fell off to try to save one surviving person.

Because she was the superior who would readily offer her slender shoulders to a monster for the sake of a traitor who would ultimately stab her in the back.

“Rest. You don’t seem to be in any condition to talk further.”

Even at the small mercy lurking at the end of her cold tone, tears spilled from Justin’s eyes again. It was so overwhelming and rapturous that he felt he could die like this.

“Okay. Thank you.”

Clicking her tongue, Yuriella turned her head away from the emperor, a glint catching her eye.

It was because she noticed the cat supplies that she had failed to register when entering the room.

A new feather fishing rod, a tower-shaped cat house, a water bowl. And the wooden stairs installed on the wall.

As Yuriella examined each item with questioning eyes, the emperor spoke.

“Dario recently picked up a lost cat, and the little guy was quite cute.”

Yuriella’s red eyes trembled finely as she turned to look at him.

“He doesn’t have a name yet, so Solas, would you like to name him? His fur is black and his eyes are emerald. The same beautiful green as your eyes used to be.”

“…Nero. That child’s name is Nero.”

“Nero? Is that a name you chose?”

Justin tilted his head askew as he picked up a butterfly-shaped fishing rod off the floor.

“No. The Magic Tower Master did.”

“No wonder I don’t like the name.”

Yuriella glared at the emperor with narrowed eyes.

“Where is Nero now?”

“Dario took him to give him a bath.”

“If I ask you to return him, you’ll refuse, won’t you?”

Justin smiled as prettily as if it had been painted.

“You can take him with you when you leave with me. He’s ours now.”

“…Don’t lay a finger on even a hair of that child.”

“How could I ever harm your precious child? From now on, don’t dangerously sneak in here looking for Nero. Come visit often to see him. I’ll protect him well so Mother doesn’t notice.”

Yuriella bit her lip and tightened her grip on the doorknob, unable to take a step.

Justin. You’re always like this. You only think of exploiting the other person’s weakness to the end. If things don’t go your way, you try to ruin them as you please again.

Just then, a loud noise was heard from outside the imperial palace.

− Step aside!

Yuriella’s eyes widened. It was the Duke’s voice.

− Your Grace, you mustn’t do this. His Majesty is bathing, and Her Grace the Duchess is not here…

− I said move!

“Solas. Hurry and go. If you delay any longer, I’ll have to lock up the Duke in the cell next to Yovel’s too.”

Justin opened the bedroom door wide with a honeyed smile, as if to say he could make this much of a concession.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill the Duke. I promise. I absolutely won’t do what you hate.”

Having lost any will to say anything further to the emperor who wore the expression of a child seeking praise, Yuriella turned away.

The closer she got to the entrance of the imperial palace, the louder grew the commotion between the Duke and the attendants.

From somewhere, the feisty meow of a cat mixed with those sounds, causing Yuriella’s steps toward the entrance to slow.

*

Yuriella grasped her dress hem and ran down the entrance stairs of the palace.

“Duke!”

Frost’s face, who had been contemplating whether to cut down the emperor’s shadows and attendants blocking his way, instantly brightened.

“Yuriella. Slowly.”

As if worried she might fall and get hurt from rushing, he had held his breath, but contrary to his concern, Yuriella ran towards him like a nimble, wet swallow without a single hair out of place.

− Neigh.

Blanca, who had been playing alone in the distance chasing butterflies, heard Yuriella’s voice and swiftly ran over, presenting her back.

Frost carefully lifted Yuriella as if handling a glass ornament and placed her on Blanca’s back before nimbly mounting himself.

− Neigh. Neigh.

Blanca neighed in protest, pawing the ground hard. She vigorously shook her head as if wanting to throw the Duke off immediately.

“Blanca.”

As Yuriella gently stroked her mane, Blanca, who had been unfazed by the murderous energy emanating from the Duke, instantly became a gentle lamb.

The mouths of the attendants, who had attempted to tie up Blanca only to be pummeled by her fierce front hooves, fell agape.

The Duke who did not fear the emperor, and the fierce steed who did not fear such a Duke, were both instantly subdued by the Duchess, which was simply amazing.

Indeed. Even His Majesty the Emperor, who ran amok as savagely as a horse with a loose bridle, would be rendered immobile by the Duchess.

Pure admiration filled the gazes of the emperor’s shadows and attendants as they blankly stared at the retreating ducal couple.

Frost, irritated by their trailing gazes, tightly wrapped his wife sitting in front of him with his cloak. He buried his face slightly in the nape of her neck and inhaled deeply. Her scent, which he was smelling after two days, was sweet.

His endlessly sinking heart also felt much lighter, as if it had been hauled up to the surface.

“Your face looks quite haggard. How about sleep? Meals? No pain anywhere?”

Yuriella’s red eyes rapidly scanned Frost from head to toe as she turned her head.

The corners of Frost’s mouth slackened and curled upward.

“I slept well. I didn’t skip any meals either.”

Judging by the crease forming on her round forehead where veins were visible, his lie didn’t seem to work.

Seeing her fingertips twitching towards her dress pocket, she probably wanted to stop the horse right away and take out a portable silver needle to treat him.

“If you undress in the middle of the street, people will all stare. I don’t mind, but will you be okay with that?”

At Frost’s words, Yuriella’s cheeks reddened.

“I was just anxious. Alright. Let’s go home for now.”

The phrase ‘our home’ was so sweet that his cheeks twitched, but Frost lowered the corners of his mouth and deliberately lowered his voice as well.

It was time to admonish his wife who did not take care of herself.

“I heard that as soon as I left for the north, you infiltrated the imperial palace and even went to the Swan Palace to meet Cassandra? Duke Greco told me.”

Flinch. Yuriella’s shoulders trembled. Her red eyes that had been looking straight at him rolled sideways.

“His Grace the Duke has quite a loose tongue.”

“And you take your own safety quite lightly.”

“I went to the Swan Palace with Airy. Airy protected me.”

Yuriella looked up at Frost as if protesting, but.

“Today you came alone without even Airy. What on earth did you have to keep secret from Airy?”

At the Duke’s sharp point, Yuriella slightly lowered her eyes.

She had not brought Airy along because she was going to make a proposal to the emperor that Airy would surely object to if she heard. But if she spoke frankly, the Duke would not stop at just objecting.

“The reason you did not bring Airy was probably, no, undoubtedly because you were going to make a proposal to the emperor that Airy would not let slide if she heard. Did you tell Justin that if he releases Duke Yovel and willingly steps down from the position of emperor, you would leave with him?”

Yuriella’s shoulders trembled again. Frost’s eyebrows twitched.

“No. Absolutely not.”

A spark flashed in Frost’s icily blue eyes.

“Yuriella. What am I to you?”