“Your Majesty!”

Descending slowly from the temporary outpost, Kasallin Robepon called out to him in a voice neither loud nor soft.Parnes Escalo’s steps halted abruptly on the trampled grass.

The wind blowing from the mountain peak ominously rustled the reed field, passing between the two of them.Kasallin, escorted by Vincent, cautiously approached where he stood.

“Taking his life here would be far too merciful an end for him.”

Kasallin looked down at Shallen Riche, writhing on the ground in excruciating pain.

In the end, he had failed in every way.He must have devised some intricate scheme to atone for past mistakes, but the situation had spiraled into an even worse disaster.

And Princess Rilen had likely already claimed the throne as the next ruler, fully prepared to crush him completely.

Kasallin had no desire to let him slip into peaceful rest without paying the price for all the wrongs and atrocities he had committed.

She wanted him to helplessly witness every glory and treasure slip from his grasp,to feel, even slightly, the anguish of those he had scorned.

“Your Majesty, please ensure he feels regret and shame until his final days, reflecting vainly on the path I’ve walked.He needs more time to suffer, even if it’s only half of what those he tormented endured.”

Having descended the hill, Kasallin spoke with a firm and clear voice.

Parnes glared at Shallen with fiery eyes, then gradually loosened his grip, which had been clutching the sword hilt as if to break it.The sword, released, plunged vertically into the wet earth.

“Kasallin, I…”

After a long silence, just as he opened his mouth to speak,Kasallin, who had been stepping toward him, suddenly swayed slightly.

A faint look of confusion crossed her face.She closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head slightly, trying to regain her composure.

Startled, Parnes lowered his head to check her complexion.

“Kasallin, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine.”

Was it the sudden release of tension?He began urgently shouting something in her ear, but she could hardly make out his words.

Her vision turned as white as a blank sheet.With a strange dizziness, as if her heart were pounding in her head, Kasallin fainted, sinking as if into a warm sea.

“I never expected the Khan royal family to accept the treaty terms so readily.It was as if they were waiting for it.”

“It’s largely because King Shallen’s spirit has been utterly broken.Physically and mentally, he’ll never rise again.For him, dying in this battle might have been better.”

“Indeed.”

Kasallin opened her eyes to the muffled voices of Vincent and Nigel coming through the tent.

The ceiling of a spacious tent, lined with thick furs, came into view.A brazier beside the simple cot burned with unevenly cut logs, turning black,and a wooden box at her feet held an array of medicine bottles.

“By the way, Her Majesty the Empress hasn’t woken up yet.”

“She’ll wake soon. It’s a relief there’s nothing wrong with her health.I’ll go in and change the water.”

Nigel’s footsteps approached. He lifted the curtain and entered.

Spotting Kasallin, who was sitting up on the cot, trying to shake off her daze, he rushed over in surprise.

“Oh, Your Majesty the Empress! Are you feeling better?”

At Nigel’s booming shout, people outside stirred and entered.Relief filled the faces of the vassals as they saw Kasallin safely awake.

“Is there anywhere you feel unwell? No headache?”

Nigel asked with deep concern.Kasallin replied that she was fine, instinctively touching her lower abdomen.

“Don’t worry. The doctor visited while you were resting.It was just a brief fainting spell due to stress and anemia.The baby inside is fine, too.”

“That’s a relief.”

Kasallin let out a sigh of relief, then anxiously scanned her surroundings.

“By the way, what happened? Is His Majesty alright?”

“His Majesty stayed by your side the whole time but left an hour or two ago to handle necessary procedures.He’s probably finalizing discussions with the other side now.”

“What were those terms mentioned earlier? What does it mean that the king’s spirit is broken?”

Hearing Kasallin’s question, Nigel paused briefly before continuing.

“His Majesty demanded that the King of Khan step down from the throne as a condition of the treaty.The king ultimately accepted, and their royal family expressed agreement.There are likely few nobles who would oppose it.”

“…”

“As for the current state of the King of Khan… it’s better if you see for yourself.”

Nigel stepped aside.With the support of her escort knights, Kasallin left the tent.

As if nothing had happened the day before, the great plain, bathed in golden sunset, was calm,with warm, humid winds rustling the reed field.

The surroundings were bustling.Squires hurriedly moved about the encampment, organizing supplies,while servants cleaned pots or gathered dry laundry.

Walking past them, she soon came upon a large tent with an unusually high roof.A guard stationed at the entrance spotted Kasallin, rushed over, and bowed deeply.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”

“You’re working hard. Is His Majesty the Emperor inside?”

“Yes, he is.”

“May I go in for a moment…”

Just as she was about to politely ask if she could enter, a loud crash came from inside the tent.Wondering what happened, Kasallin parted the curtain and stepped inside.

Though the sun had not yet set, the tent’s interior was dim, as if darkness had settled in.A stark, heavy air sent chills through the space.

On a round table, the seals of both nations were stamped side by side on a large, finalized treaty document.A translucent curtain hung like a partition in the middle.On one side stood Parnes and a few representatives from Rilen’s side;on the other, Princess Rilen and her entourage.

With all necessary procedures complete, the vassals were tidying up.Parnes and Princess Rilen, no longer needing to face each other, were just rising from their seats.

Amid this, the moment Kasallin entered, she saw Shallen, leaning on crutches, collapse as his strength gave out.

“Ah…!”

As he fell, dust rose like clouds from the carpet on the floor.A small lamp hanging from a pole creaked and swayed slightly.

All eyes in the tent turned to one spot.Princess Rilen gazed at Shallen with pity, but not the concern of a sister for her injured brother,and signaled her vassals with her eyes.

“Are you alright?”

At the princess’s command, vassals approached to help, but Shallen brushed them off, insisting he could manage.

Trembling with shame, Shallen struggled to pick up his crutches.After several faltering attempts with his unyielding knee, he finally stood on both feet.

Raising his head, he realized Kasallin had entered the tentand had silently witnessed his humiliating fall and struggle.

“…Kasallin.”

The name from his lips felt strangely unfamiliar, though it was undoubtedly her own.

Kasallin slowly scanned Shallen from head to toe.

To anyone watching, he looked not like a king but like a mere soldier,captured by the enemy and just now rescued, so utterly wretched was his state.

His once-admired, striking appearance, praised wherever he went, was long gone, replaced by haggard exhaustion.

His chest and shoulders, once held high with confidence, were now shrunken and timid.His lips, which had casually spewed mockery and insults, were dry and pinched.

And his injured leg, seemingly severe, made it nearly impossible to take a step without crutches.

‘So, how does it feel?’

Kasallin asked herself.

Once, when she had been pushed from a carriage and gravely injured her leg,he had dismissed it as a mere accident, telling her not to exaggerate.Now, seeing him stripped of the strength to move forward, what did she feel?

To that question, Kasallin could answer briefly and simply.

‘Surprisingly, I feel nothing at all.’

From this moment on, Shallen would lose everything, one by one.

Cast out from the throne, abandoned by trusted vassals,stripped of the people’s trust and even the last shred of honor.

Facing him now, she had vaguely thought she might feel a flicker of pity or sympathy.

But no. Kasallin had no desire to extend a hand to him,nor did she feel any value or need to answer his call.

The person who had tormented her life for years, controlling and crushing it,now felt like a stranger from a distant land across the sea.

Kasallin was grateful for this detachment.

She was relieved not to be swayed by foolish sentiments like,‘He’s a bit pitiful, though,’ or ‘He’s so injured, shouldn’t I at least help?’

Truly, it was a blessing.

As Kasallin stood silently, Shallen widened his eyes in panic.He seemed to expect her to hurl harsh words or mockery at him.