“Kasallin, my child. Come and greet him. This is His Royal Highness Crown Prince Shallen.”

The day he first met Kasallin at the debutante ball was without exaggeration one of the best moments of his entire boyhood.

Until then, he had scoffed when he heard that there was a girl called the greatest beauty in the Khan Kingdom.

Rumors were always exaggerated, and there were more than a few nobles who boasted to somehow make their daughters crown princess.

Shallen, who had grown tired of seeing those with outstanding beauty from childhood because of his father who had many mistresses, didn’t even have expectations as he politely approached her.

Still, he thought it wouldn’t be bad to at least see the face of the daughter of the Marquis Robepon family.

“I greet Your Royal Highness. I am Kasallin of the Robepon family. May there be infinite glory for the Khan Kingdom.”

What overwhelmed him first was her eyes that seemed to understand all the principles and logic of this world, which was unusual for a girl of barely sixteen who had just graduated from the royal academy.

Her pale pink dress fit her slender body perfectly as if they had been one from the beginning, and her noble black hair hung in curls down to her waist.

As soon as Shallen received her greeting, he made up his mind without any hesitation.

‘I must marry this child in the future.’

He was certain that those still immature features would become incomparably more beautiful when she turned twenty, and would remain dazzling even after forty.

Shouldn’t the legitimate wife of Shallen Riche, crown prince of the great Khan Kingdom, be at least this much?

Shallen courted Kasallin with an extremely satisfied heart.

To the Robepon family, whose fortunes were gradually declining after Marquis Robepon’s death, his presence must have been their only hope.

Nevertheless, Kasallin never acted coquettishly toward him.

She was proud, tended to maintain certain boundaries as they grew closer, and was very interested in national affairs.

Once he roughly understood her personality, Shallen realized two facts.

That Kasallin had no particular advantages that would stir a man’s heart, except for her remarkable appearance.

And that if he left her as she was, she would eventually suppress and dominate her husband.

After that, Shallen went through some wandering.

It couldn’t be helped.

When those with different charms from Kasallin were deliberately extending seductive hands from all directions, what man could refuse them?

But that didn’t mean he neglected Kasallin.

‘I am different from other men.’

He knew that other women were just brief connections for momentary amusement, and that Kasallin was his only true love.

He gave Kasallin generous gifts, carved out time from his busy schedule to please her, and showed her favor.

However, the result of all those long efforts came back as the disaster of miscarriage.

‘Someone who should always be careful about her behavior went outside and couldn’t even protect the child in her belly. Even the precious child who received the royal bloodline.’

Perhaps she paid the price for that time, Shallen thought.

That it wasn’t because she died from his push, but that it was destined to be this way from the beginning by God’s hammer.

He had to rationalize it that way or he couldn’t bear it.

.

.

.

“Your Majesty.”

Rose, who was lying face down half-buried in the cozy blanket, gently shook Shallen’s arm.

Shallen awoke from his half-dream state.

The plump sparrows sitting side by side on the windowsill were constantly chirping as if scolding the two people for oversleeping.

“What dream were you having that you were moaning?”

“Ah… did I do that?”

“Are you alright? Shall I bring you some cool water?”

“I’m fine. Rather, what time is it now?”

Rose picked up the pocket watch and showed it to him.

“There aren’t many days left until the funeral. I should hurry and prepare.”

“It’s still fine. The servants will prepare everything well. Let’s stay in bed a little longer with Rose.”

“I’d like to do that too, but I’m busy because I have to check the guest list. Queen, please get up and hurry too.”

Shallen received clothing assistance from the maids who came in at the right time.

Rose’s gaze, tinged with a faint sense of disappointment, touched his clean back without a single bruise or scar.

Shallen looked at himself gradually getting properly dressed through the well-polished mirror and spoke in a questioning tone.

“Speaking of which, it’s about time we heard some good news, but why is there no response at all?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Pregnancy.”

“Ah… luck hasn’t been following us so far. There will be news soon.”

“It’s been several months already. Please make some effort. I’ll do my best too as much as possible.”

Rose smiled unnaturally, pulling up the corners of her mouth.

“Yes. I will.”

After Shallen left the room, Rose, left alone in the bedroom, staggered into the bathroom.

Her recently dyed black hair messily covered her upper body.

Now she had both black hair and emerald eyes, but the familiar face reflected in the mirror didn’t resemble her dead sister at all.

「Black hair suits you quite well. How about continuing to dye it?」

「Try practicing to speak more calmly and elegantly. You’ll be much more queen-like.」

Every time she recalled the things Shallen had said, Rose’s face turned bright red as if she was about to cry.

She picked up the powder compact placed next to the sink.

No matter how much she dabbed white powder on the sponge and patted it on her face, what was reflected in the mirror was Rose, Kasallin’s younger sister, not Kasallin.

“Sister.”

Rose, who sat down on the cold floor, buried her face between her knees.

Even she herself couldn’t know what her sobbing meant.

“Your Majesty the Queen. This is Aster. I have completed my mission and returned.”

Aster, who had been away for months for investigation, entered the room announcing his safe return with a somewhat excited voice.

Rose, who was sitting in front of the mirror wearing a black veil and dark-colored dress, quickly got up.

“Aster! Welcome back. You didn’t return for so long that I was wondering if something had happened.”

“Sorry for being late. The Western Continent is quite vast. The investigation took time.”

“It’s fine. So how did it go? Where is that bastard Nelson and what is he doing?”

Aster smiled meaningfully, narrowing his eyes.

“I was able to obtain information about him with difficulty in the Renel Empire. Before returning to Khan, he seems to have caused trouble in that country and is in a detention center.”

“He’s being held in the Renel Empire?”

“Yes. I confirmed it myself. At least for the time being, he won’t be able to approach Your Majesty the Queen. This Aster will continue to watch and monitor him, so please be at ease.”

Rose quietly sighed in relief.

No wonder he hadn’t shown himself much since returning to the Khan Kingdom.

“You’ve worked hard, Lord Aster. Honestly, I was half-doubtful, but now I can trust and leave any matter to you.”

“I’m just happy to be of help to Your Majesty the Queen.”

With the source of the unpleasant discomfort that had settled in a corner of her heart cleanly resolved, Rose left the room with a much brighter face.

Today was scheduled to be incredibly busy.

Because it was the day of Kasallin’s funeral.

“How great must your grief be. I dare not know what words to offer.”

“I don’t know if this will be of any comfort, but please accept it thinking of it as our sentiment.”

Heavily filled purses poured in endlessly.

Rose pretended to continuously wipe her dry, cracked eyes with a handkerchief while exchanging greetings with the nobles who attended the funeral.

“Thank you all so much for coming. Sister Kasallin must surely be watching from somewhere in heaven.”

Each time she shared grief and sorrow over Kasallin’s death with each person, brilliant gold coins made pleasant jingling sounds as they filled the box without gaps.

Rose crossed the royal cemetery overgrown with old trees and stood before everyone on the platform with Shallen.

“Kasallin Robepon, who was the reliable eldest daughter of the Marquis Robepon family. Sister Kasallin, who was my only sister and most precious best friend, was a wonderful person who thought of the Khan Kingdom more than anyone else.”

Rose paused there for a moment and pretended to hold back tears.

Sighs of pity and sniffling sounds could be heard from here and there.

In their eyes, the young queen who had lost her sister so vainly overnight must have looked very pitiful.

“Sister who left our side due to an unfortunate accident that no one could have predicted, that even the god of fate could not prevent. Why did God take sister away so early? One thing that is certain is that it is no one’s fault. Sister Kasallin, whom I miss and long for! She surely went to a good place…”

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt while you’re speaking.”

That was when it happened.

A woman with her face covered by a dark veil raised her hand from among the crowd.

The startled gazes of the nobles all turned to one place at once.

They wondered who dared to interrupt at such an important moment when Her Majesty the Queen was speaking, not knowing the value of their life.

However, the words that followed were enough to shock everyone present.

“Is the body of Kasallin Robepon really in that coffin?”

The nobles’ faces turned pale.

Speaking that way about the deceased, who was both the queen’s sister and the king’s sister-in-law, was definitely the worst act of blasphemy toward the royal family.

In other words, it wouldn’t be strange to be executed immediately.

Shallen, who had been keeping quiet, suddenly became as hot as burning coal and pointed at the mysterious woman.

“How dare you speak such nonsense! What are the guards doing! Can’t you arrest that woman immediately!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Dozens of guards with gleaming spears surrounded the mysterious woman in a circle.

Shallen and Rose tried to maintain calm faces, but were actually extremely flustered inside.

How on earth did she know that the coffin surrounded by white flowers was empty?

Just as they thought they would immediately gag and kill her once they removed that veil to confirm her face.

“I apologize. I went on some foreign travel, so I was late to my own funeral.”

The veil covering her face fell to the ground, and her red lips drew a beautiful arc.

That person whom no one from the Khan Kingdom could fail to recognize.

It was Kasallin.