Hic. Hic.

Yuriella, red up to her nape, hiccupped as her hand was held by Frost.

Two pairs of deep blue eyes glared at each other fiercely, clashing sharply in midair.

“Let’s go now. Hic.”

Yuriella gently shook the hand held by Frost and motioned around with her eyes.

Some noble ladies could be seen recognizing the Grand Duke of the North with his distinctive silver hair and whispering quietly.

“As you wish.”

Frost kissed the back of Yuriella’s hand and led her towards the entrance. Blatantly ignoring the Emperor who was staring blankly.

Justin couldn’t take his eyes off Yuriella until the Grand Duke’s party left the store, then looked back at the table full of cake plates where she had been sitting.

And slowly turned his gaze to the table where he had been sitting. There too, various colorful cakes were placed untouched, covering the table so the surface couldn’t be seen.

The cakes on the two tables were… identical.

They were all menu items that Solas had unfailingly ordered whenever she visited this store.

“Yuriella. …You never cease to surprise me.”

The Emperor’s eyes wavered.

‘Could it be.’

The large-scale coma incident instigated by the Empress Dowager out of concern for Solas’ reincarnation had calmed down and entered a phase of stability, but none of the patients had awakened.

The Empress Dowager’s subordinates were desperately trying to find traces of Solas by visiting patients’ homes, but that too was at a standstill, unable to find any clues.

The range of their disease spreading and search was limited to the empire’s capital.

Transferring a dead person’s soul to a new body was unprecedented to begin with, and even if possible, they said there was no way it would go beyond the empire.

Justin had dismissed it all as nonsense from the start.

He had even considered tearing out the tongue of the High Priest who had uttered the ravings that Solas’ completely extinguished star was faintly flickering again, but.

He had been turning a blind eye and tacitly consenting, hoping his mother, who had a habit of hurting people when anxious, would be satisfied with that much.

‘Could the Grand Duchess be Solas…?’

Solas’ soul went all the way to the far north beyond the Zenith Mountains?

‘That can’t be. How could such a thing…’

Justin recalled Solas’ red hair that had been as intense as a burning sunset.

The same color of flames as the Grand Duchess’ eyes.

Solas’ vivid green eyes that resembled verdure would sparkle dazzlingly with a sharp glint when facing those who threatened the Emperor.

Like the Grand Duchess’ eyes that burned red with undisguisable hostility when facing him.

Justin turned his gaze to Yuriella, who was mounting a black horse with Frost’s support beyond the window.

A faint blush rose to Yuriella’s snow-white cheeks as she leaned her back against the Grand Duke’s chest. The red eyes that had burned so fiercely when looking at the Emperor now sparkled shyly towards the Grand Duke.

Frost held Yuriella within his arms that held the reins, as if claiming her as his own, and set off vigorously.

Justin squeezed his eyes shut.

[Solas. Whenever, wherever, whatever form you take, I can recognize you.]

He had said such words to Solas once before.

While discussing the reincarnation beliefs of the Eastern Continent, Justin had confidently asserted. That he would be able to recognize her whenever, wherever, whatever form she took.

[They say you could be reborn as a rabbit or a snake? Don’t kill me unknowingly.] [Want to bet? Even if you’re born as a rabbit or snake, I will recognize you.]

He couldn’t bring himself to say that it was because he held her so deeply in his heart.

[Alright. If you don’t recognize me, give me Your Majesty’s treasured sword. The one made of steel that’s only found in the Dwarf Mountains. They say there are only two in the empire.]

At that time, Solas had laughed off his words as a silly joke and asked for the best thing she could request.

[If I recognize you, grant me one wish.] [A wish? What is it?] [That, I’ll think about it and tell you later.]

What he desired most was already before his eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.

Afraid she would back away prematurely. He chose to wait for her heart to grow, if only half as much, no, even a quarter as much as his own.

[I’m not sure if I have anything worthy to give to the master of the empire. But alright. If Your Majesty recognizes me even if I’m reincarnated in a completely different form, I’ll certainly grant you one wish.]

Was that why he couldn’t take his eyes off her?

‘Were you, Solas…?’

Was that the reason he couldn’t turn away time and time again?

Justin’s blue eyes, hidden under an ash-gray hood, wavered and darkened deeply.

If you are truly Solas…

“Sereno.”

As Justin called out quietly, the Emperor’s shadow, who had appeared at some point, knelt on one knee and awaited orders.

“Completely halt the tracking of coma patients. Declare black magician Cassandra Cabesa as the mastermind behind the comas and request her extradition. Before that, you go to the North and bring Cassandra to me after diverting her.”

If Yuriella is Solas. He must prepare.

Block the Empress Dowager and High Priest’s pursuit, and point to Frost Ielheim as the mastermind behind the black magician.

To obtain a single wish, a solution to remove two cumbersome obstacles quickly formed in the Emperor’s mind.

*

After seeing off the Grand Duke couple, the Master of the Magic Tower changed his appearance from a page to Yuriella using an illusion spell and headed to the kitchen of ‘Ti Bedo’.

It was to meet Nikon, whom Yuriella had planned to secretly rendezvous with, and hear his report instead.

[Master. Once, the sage of the desert said this. Love is not looking at each other, but looking in the same direction together…]

Popo consoled his master, who had received a sibling proposal from his first love, in a dejected voice.

[Don’t be discouraged, Master of the Magic Tower! You saved Yuriella. You’re the amazing man who gave Yuriella a second life!]

“Yes, Airy. I gave her a second life. I knew it in my head but not in my heart. That a second life is completely different from the first life.”

[What does that mean? Are you saying Solas is a completely different person from Yuriella?] [Popo. Are you stupid? Solas is Yuriella. Yuriella is Solas.]

“Solas’ life has already ended. Yuriella will now… create a life of her own. That life will be… completely different from when she was Solas.”

[Master of the Magic Tower! Are you saying you’re giving up on Yuriella?]

“No. I’m saying that I too will no longer just look at Solas’ shadow.”

Ricarion smiled at the spirits who sighed in relief, whew.

“I want her to enjoy this life to the fullest and live greedily this time. I’ll do everything I can for that. If I see her sacrificing herself for someone again, I’ll do it in her stead.”

[Huh?] [Hm?]

He’s not giving up, but he’ll sacrifice himself?

Airy whispered as she landed on Popo’s shell.

[Popo. What is your master saying now?]

Popo raised his drooping shell upright with tears welling up in his tiny eyes.

[Since the beginning of time, there has been no flower I couldn’t bloom on earth. This won’t do. I can’t just stand by and watch.]

Determination burned in the face of the earth spirit. He must fulfill the love of his lovely child that was about to wither before it even bloomed.

[Airy. You said there are love advisors for love idiots in the empire, right? Where is that place? Take us there right now!]

*

“Where are we going now?”

I turned to look at the Grand Duke who was gathering and tidying my hair that was disheveled by the wind behind my ear, and asked.

At the fork in the road leading out of the city, the Grand Duke steered Mars towards a narrow fir tree path instead of the main road to the mansion.

“There was a place I really wanted to show you when we came to the empire.”

After riding along the fir tree path for a while and passing through a small village with orange roofs clustered together, a sparsely populated river came into view.

I was momentarily lost in the peaceful sight of a man and his young son, who seemed to be from a nearby village, casting fishing rods side by side. The Grand Duke dismounted first and carefully lifted me down, holding me in his arms.

I was about to say I could get down by myself, but I closed my mouth.

The Grand Duke was smiling at me, lit by the sunlight reflected off the river.

Where had he been hiding such a sweet smile on that cold face that made barbarians wet themselves?

Thump. Thump.

Afraid he might hear my heartbeat that was audible even to my ears, I slightly turned my head away.

“It’s an unknown fishing spot.”

The Grand Duke took my hand and went to a wide rock, taking out a handkerchief and spreading it out.

“It’s really a wonderful view.”

The Grand Duke supported me so I could sit comfortably, and as he sat down beside me, he rubbed his face several times and moistened his dry lips as if embarrassed.

“Actually…”

It seemed like he was trying to choose words that were very difficult to say.

“…Actually, there was someone else I wanted to bring here. I heard that Lady Solas Moretti liked fishing. I thought she would like this place.”

‘Me? How did you know I liked fishing?’

The Grand Duke gazed at the flowing river, lost in thought.

“Perhaps, looking at the flowing river like this, she would have washed away all her worries. She would have washed away the memories of blood that had to be buried on the battlefield and let them flow away with the river.”

Hmm. That’s not it. Fishing is about the thrill! The taste of fish is sea bass! That’s why I went whenever I had spare time.

Feeling awkward that the interpretation was grander than the dream, I cleared my throat, ahem ahem, and the Grand Duke startled.

Thinking I was displeased, he even stumbled over his words as he ruffled his hair.

“I-I’m sorry. I thought… you would be upset hearing such words. But still, I didn’t want to keep any secrets from you.”

“Um. But. Why are you showing me something you wanted to show Solas…?”

“I wanted to confess.”

“Confess?”

“Solas Moretti was a woman.”

Huh? Is this maybe a leading question?

Is he trying to interrogate me about saying that Solas Moretti’s soul saved me from the assassin, and that she was a woman?

“…I liked her.”

“Uh…. You said you admired and respected her as a knight.”

Hmm. It’s embarrassing to praise myself with my own mouth, but it’s just repeating what the Grand Duke said.

“It was not just that. Actually…”

Looking even more flustered than before, the Grand Duke ruffled his hair several times and took deep breaths before finally continuing.

“…I fell for her.”

You fell for her? For me? No, for Solas? Ah. This is a bit confusing?

“On the day of the last battle. When her helmet shattered under my sword and… fiery red hair spilled out… When I saw her face for the first time that day, at that moment…. As if it was deeply embedded in my soul… I couldn’t forget, constantly.”

Perhaps thinking of that time, the Grand Duke was unable to continue speaking for a while, then let out a quiet sigh.

“I’m sorry…. I still can’t forget her.”

I don’t know what to say when he apologizes for not being able to forget me.

But it’s strange. My heart is subtly sharpening.

Am I getting angry because he said he’s sorry?

No. This isn’t anger.

I find the Grand Duke annoying for thinking of another woman while sitting me beside him, and I’m jealous of that woman. But I’m Solas, so it doesn’t make sense to be jealous of myself?

Has my expression sharpened a bit too?

The Grand Duke’s expression turned pale as he looked at me.

“But not anymore. No, it’s not that it’s not. It’s different.”

“What’s not, and what’s different?”

My voice came out a bit sharp too. Why am I acting like this?

The Grand Duke swept his disheveled hair back and let out a deep sigh.

“I was born with many things. I had heavy duties as much as high status and rights, and received as much envy and oppression as I had wealth and honor. None of those were things I wished for first. Until I met you… I hadn’t wanted anything on my own.”

The Grand Duke’s deep blue eyes were dark and deep, asking for understanding of the truth in his heart that he had only recently realized.

“If my feelings for Solas were admiration. You make me flutter, and shake me to the depths of my heart… You were all the scenes I wanted to have.”

I didn’t want to hear any more.

I tried to get up, feeling that if I heard more it would become too difficult to leave the Grand Duke’s side, but my knees wouldn’t move.

“From now on, I want you to be in every scenery I see.”

The Grand Duke took my hand and overlapped it with his own, raising his eyes to gaze at me straight on.

The Grand Duke’s eyes, smiling gently, perfectly captured me and the scenery around me.

“It’s the first wish I’ve had. Someday, I hope you too, like me… will find it natural for me to be in every scenery you see. That you’ll miss me when I’m not there. That you too will wish for all those sceneries.”

The Grand Duke looked at me quietly after finishing his heartfelt confession.

“That’s how my heart feels. You don’t need to feel any burden.”

It means I don’t need to feel any burden, not that it’s okay to have no reaction at all.

He must be curious about my reaction after difficultly confessing his deep inner feelings.

But I…