A night filled only with pure moonlight.

Yuriella stopped in front of a cluster of wildflowers scattered across the ground.

Bending down, she picked one white violet. One lupine flower with its lavender flower spikes. Two golden fire lilies that had burst into bloom under a group of shrubs……

Thus, with every step, she bent down and gathered an armful of flowers until she found herself on top of the red hill.

The reason Colina Rosa was called the “red hill” was because the land here was made of red clay, so the hills and houses were all red.

The red earth was a blessed gift from God that allowed the barren north to endure the cold and hungry seasons.

The people of the north planted root crops like potatoes in that soil to survive times of famine due to cold damage. They also planted cold-hardy grapes to make the local specialty wine called ice wine.

Yuriella stood at the top of the red hill and quietly looked around.

The crops that should have been growing vigorously for the autumn harvest were nowhere to be seen.

There was also no trace of the flocks of sheep and cows that would have been leisurely grazing below before returning to their pens.

Only weeds and wildflowers with tough vitality had survived to bloom in clusters. The red hill, which should have been expecting abundant harvests, was empty…..

It was a painful scar left by the punitive force she had led a few months ago.

By her order alone, the red hill had become a tragic and sorrowful “hill of blood.”

The blood shed by the northern army and the people of Colina Rosa had formed rivers, and their corpses had formed mountains, to the point where it was difficult to even find the appearance of the red fertile soil.

She had heard that the fallen northern soldiers and victims of Colina Rosa were properly collected and solemnly buried by order of the Grand Duke.

All the priests and priestesses of the north were summoned to the joint funeral to honor the souls of those who died defending their land. It is said that the sound of sacred prayers asking for them to rest in eternal peace covered the entire hill.

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry……”

Yuriella recalled the final moments of her subordinates, which could not even be recovered.

Where are your resentful spirits wandering now?

“I, I did wrong. I’m sorry……”

Yuriella gently placed the flowers she had gathered, one by one, on the spots where her subordinates had died.

Along with the flowers, tears of remorse from the commander fell on those places.

From the entrance of the village to the hill, Frost walked slowly, following Yuriella’s footsteps at a constant distance.

Her small shoulders, filled with sorrow, looked so pitiful that his jaw ached from trying to hold back the urge to embrace her several times.

‘She said she had friends who died here in Colina Rosa.’

Is that why she’s unable to sleep, sprinkling flowers and shedding tears here on this red hill filled only with moonlight?

It was when she had been sitting on a wide rock at the top of the hill, staring blankly at the southern sky for a long time, that he approached Yuriella, making his presence known.

“……Your Highness?”

Yuriella turned around at the deliberate sound and opened her large eyes even wider.

“The night has grown deep.”

“……Since when have you been here……”

If I say I followed your footsteps in the moonlight all the way here, would you be uncomfortable?

“Unable to sleep, I was taking a walk and found myself here.”

Frost sat down with a thud in front of the rock where Yuriella was sitting and leaned back.

“It’s peaceful. Just a few months ago, it was called the hill of blood rather than the red hill.”

“……Under this red hill, it’s still the hill of blood, isn’t it?”

Frost turned his head to look up at her, hearing the wet, trembling voice.

“Even if the scars from the burns have all healed, Stella has forever lost her father…… And the life that Stella’s mother will have to endure will also be a succession of sorrow and hardship. The lives of the widows we saw during the day will be the same.”

Frost’s fist twitched, seeing Yuriella’s expression look so sad as she lowered her head.

It was quite difficult to suppress the desire to overlap his hands on her two hands, delicately folded together.

It would be troublesome to cross the line. If she allowed him to hold her hand, he would want to embrace that small body. And after embracing her, he would want to comfort her with a kiss.

“One step at a time, slowly, is fine. You don’t have to rush to comfort, or smile easily. In the end, hearts will connect naturally.”

“But……”

“You see, everyone has the power to be happy within themselves. Just believe in that. The people of Colina Rosa can be happier tomorrow than today.”

Frost looked up at the moon scattering bright light and smiled faintly.

Yuriella followed his gaze and looked up at the moon.

“Is that…… possible?”

“Of course. Rather than mourning what they’ve lost, our people of the north know how to fill that empty space, that loss, by holding each other’s hands and comforting each other. That’s the secret to how we’ve survived in this barren land, the strength that has protected us.”

“……”

“So, I was thinking.”

Frost smiled and tilted his head slightly. His handsome, straight face in the moonlight looked unusually vulnerable today.

“Tell me your story too. I want to hear it.”

Yuriella’s wet red eyes looked down at him blankly.

She bit her red lips hard, feeling as if the words overflowing in her heart would pour out towards him like a waterfall.

“Anything, whatever you feel like. Even if it’s just words you can say.”

Yuriella found it hard to refuse his request, which seemed desperate, perhaps even a plaintive plea.

“Here, my friends were…… here……”

Even if she couldn’t bring herself to say that they were the ones who mercilessly cut down, stabbed, and took the lives of his people.

“They were…… such good…… people.”

Remembering them not as slaughterers of the north, but simply as individuals – perhaps that could be forgiven? Cautiously, she tries opening the tightly closed latch of her heart.

Yuriella’s gaze turned to the bottom of the hill where she had placed the white violets.

“Nati…… was really good at cooking and sewing. She was an excellent cook who could make a feast out of just catching snakes and frogs.”

A faint smile appeared on Yuriella’s lips as she recalled the memory.

“Even though all her father left behind after failing in business was a widowed mother, six younger siblings, and debt, I never saw her complain even once. She loved her family…… so much.”

Probably by now, Nicon would have delivered medicine to Nati’s mother as she had ordered, and handed over a pouch of silver coins so that the six younger siblings could live with their widowed mother.

‘I hope Nati can be a little at ease……’

Next, Yuriella’s gaze moved to where she had placed the purple lupines.

“Drostan became a father a month ago. He was really hoping for a daughter who would look like his wife.”

The bear-like subordinate whose main weapon was a huge spear was a warrior who rampaged so fiercely on the battlefield that he earned the nickname “Devil’s Messenger,” but. In front of his rabbit-like wife, he became the gentlest lamb, often teased by his comrades as an elite knight of the Imperial Knights.

Nicon, who had gone to the islands, relayed through Aerie the news that Drostan’s wife had given birth to a pretty daughter who looked just like her mother, as he had wished.

“Drostan, is it. I knew someone by that name too.”

Frost murmured, sending his gaze to where the purple lupine flowers were placed.

“Perhaps the name of the elite Imperial Knight who died around there was also Drostan. I remember it was Drostan Bergoni, the third son of the Bergoni family.”

Yuriella’s fingertips trembled slightly.

Could it be, has she been found out?

But Frost didn’t seem to have reached the thought that this Drostan was that Drostan. Well. He would think that a wife from a dancer background who had never even been near the Imperial Palace couldn’t possibly know an Imperial Knight.

“He was a man who greatly resembled my superior.”

Frost’s blue eyes moved slowly as if tracing memories.

“Drostan Bergoni was a man who served Solas Moretti, not the Emperor. I tried to persuade him because his talent and character were tempting, but he didn’t budge at all.”

“……You tried to persuade him?”

I didn’t know. Drostan had never shown any sign of it.

“Several times. I reached out to several others besides Bergoni. I asked if they would still follow even though only dishonor and death ultimately awaited in the position led by Commander Solas. They all gave the same answer. That they couldn’t betray the commander, not the Emperor……”

Yuriella bit her lip hard, feeling pain like a giant iron rake scraping her heart as she heard about her subordinates that she hadn’t known about.

“Leo, who cut down Drostan with his own sword, said the same thing. That he was truly a knight too precious to kill……”

“……They lost their precious lives…… for the crime of having a foolish superior.”

Frost brushed off the dust and stood up, then sat down on the rock where Yuriella was sitting and stretched out his long legs.

“I know well that your evaluation of Commander Solas is harsh, but. I understand Solas.”

“……I don’t understand you, Your Highness. He harmed your land and people−.”

“He could have cut me down. He could have killed me and trampled all over the north to present it as a gift to the Emperor, and could have risen to the highest position under the Emperor. But he didn’t do that.”

“But−.”

“He gave me a chance. I am infinitely grateful for that chance.”

“A chance……?”

“A chance to survive. A chance to survive and be able to confront the Emperor. A chance to depose the Emperor and place someone worthy of being the master of the Empire in that position.”

“……!”

Clear moonlight reflected in blue eyes resembling Lake Islian.

And the distinct will contained within them was clearly reflected in Yuriella’s red eyes looking back at him.

“Your Highness. Those words……”

“Yes. I intend to depose Justin Della Ponti and enthrone Lewis Della Ponti in his place.”

“Lewis Della Ponti? He’s already……”

“His Highness Lewis is alive.”

“Alive……? But there’s His Highness’s tomb in the Imperial Cemetery−.”

“He is someone you know well.”

“Pardon?”

Looking at the red eyes filled with question, a gentle smile spread across Frost’s lips.

“Does the name Shavell ring a bell?”

“What? Shavell is……”

“Yes. Shavell is none other than His Highness Lewis, who was believed to be entombed in the Imperial Cemetery.”

Yuriella couldn’t hide her surprise and her lips just trembled.

My goodness. To think that the Grand Duke’s lover, who was being pointed at by the northerners, was actually His Highness Lewis who was thought to be dead……!

“Three years ago, when demon hordes attacked the western border villages. I heard that Commander Solas saved His Highness Lewis. That’s the second reason I’m grateful to Commander Solas. Solas saved the future of the Empire.”

Yuriella’s eyes widened greatly.

‘I saved His Highness Lewis three years ago?’

The people Solas saved in the west at that time were too numerous to count.

But if it was a youth with dazzling golden hair and pretty purple eyes that couldn’t be hidden despite his shabby appearance…..

Yes. I remember now.

It was just that Shavell’s acting as a lover was so excellent that I couldn’t think that youth and the Grand Duke’s lover were the same person.

“I never…… imagined. To think Shavell was His Highness Lewis……”

“Alexis and Rosalinne don’t know either. Only Leo knows.”

Frost put his index finger to his lips and smiled slyly as if it were a secret.

“Why to me…… such an important secret……, I’m the daughter of Duke Grande, and I’m not even your real wife…… Why would you tell a secret that you keep even from your butler and maid who are like family……”

Yuriella was more surprised that the Grand Duke had revealed such an important secret than the fact that Shavell was His Highness Lewis.

“You’re the type of person who, when you know one thing, you don’t know two or three. You make me want to keep looking back out of curiosity. In such cases, I usually kill to eliminate future trouble.”

Perhaps recalling the guys he had killed for that reason, a chilling killing intent flashed through the Grand Duke’s blue eyes.

“Then why……”

“The eyes. Because of these eyes.”

Frost raised his hand and lightly brushed Yuriella’s eyes.

“From the first time we met, these eyes have been on my mind. When I see these eyes that seem to trust me more than I trust myself, eyes that look like they would face even death for me…… I think, maybe I could entrust my back to you.”

Frost’s gaze was so deep as he stared intently that Yuriella could only stare back, unable to move as if captivated.

“For some reason, if it’s you, someone with eyes like these, I feel like we could watch each other’s backs with peace of mind, just like I did with Commander Solas.”

“Your Highness……”

“If you want to run away, now is the time, Yuriella. Shavell will soon find his real name again. When that time comes, the position of my wife where you are will be just as dangerous as where I am.”

Yuriella quietly shook her head and looked straight at Frost.

“I’m not running away. That position is the only one I want right now. Please allow me to stay by your side.”

Frost looked at his wife’s clear eyes, then suddenly raised his hand to remove a fire lily petal stuck in her hair.

The petal fell, but Frost’s hand lingered hesitantly on Yuriella’s glossy strawberry blonde hair.

Even though the position she wanted wasn’t that of a real wife, and even with the caveat of “now” attached.

Just her voice saying she didn’t want to run away and wanted to keep staying by his side stirred his heart sweetly.

Was it the magic of moonlight?

Completely forgetting his promise not to cross the line, Frost turned his body to trap Yuriella between his arms and gazed down at her red eyes filled with soft moonlight as if enchanted.

As Frost leaned in, his face came close enough to almost touch Yuriella’s face.

“Yuriella.”

The yearning breath softly calling her name tickled Yuriella’s forehead.

Yuriella’s wet eyelashes trembled faintly.

Frost lowered his lips to Yuriella’s eyes, which were red and swollen from crying. He wanted to take her shed tears into his own and wash them away cleanly.

“Yuriell−.”

But the magical moment gifted by the moonlight ended before his lips could even touch her.

− Meow!

It was because a black cat leaped as if flying into Yuriella’s skirt folds, then fiercely swung its two fluffy front paws toward the Grand Duke.

− Meow! Meow!