In the midst of cold moonlight casting over the blanket, his large hand slowly stroked Kasallin’s hair.

Unlike his gentle touch, his eyes glinting in the darkness seemed to hold flames within.

Kasallin couldn’t relax, feeling as if his gaze might swallow her whole at any moment.

He remained silent, lips tightly shut as if angry, and Kasallin thought it was because she had burdened him.

“Is it not heavy for you?”

She asked earnestly, but a scoff, as if finding it absurd, came from above her head.

Before she could ask why he laughed, he effortlessly adjusted his hold on her with both hands.

“Go to sleep. Now.”

“You sound like you’re telling me to hurry up and sleep because it’s bothersome.”

As she shifted slightly, his jaw tensed noticeably.

At that moment, his skin, felt through a single thin layer of clothing, was so hot that Kasallin quietly held her breath, her face flushing.

“May I ask something I’ve been curious about?”

“Go ahead and ask.”

“Why don’t you sleep early, Your Majesty? Is it a habit?”

“It’s partly a habit, but also because I don’t want to show my sleeping self to you, my lady.”

It felt as if a heavy rock rolled from her heart down to her stomach.

Before she could ask why, he continued.

“Like anyone else, I sometimes have nightmares. I want to show you only the perfect image of an emperor. To be honest, I’d rather you never see me defenseless and weak.”

“What if I want to know even that defenseless and weak side in detail?”

As if eager to put her to sleep quickly, his hand, which had been patting her back at regular intervals, froze in midair.

“I thought marriage would be the end of everything. But I realized it’s just the beginning. I’ve grown more curious about Your Majesty, and I want to share more with you.”

“…Are we not already doing enough as emperor and empress?”

“Not as the empress, but as Kasallin, I want to get closer to the person called Parnes. Is that not allowed?”

At that moment, even the mischievous waves seemed to hold their breath, and the sound of him swallowing dryly was clear.

He looked at Kasallin with a deeply confused expression, his face helplessly flushed.

It was a change so vivid it could be felt even in the darkness where the candle had gone out.

Kasallin couldn’t help but be surprised, as she had never seen him make such an expression before.

As if feverish, his flushed face seemed to hold a meaning she could grasp if she got just a bit closer.

“You…”

Parnes, with a trembling voice, seemed about to say something but, unable to hold back any longer, pushed Kasallin to one side.

Then he got out of bed, standing still in the darkened cabin, breathing irregularly for a long time.

“Your Majesty.”

“What did I say when we promised to marry?”

A chillingly low voice.

“Didn’t I say we would cooperate for mutual benefit, influencing each other positively, in a stable and balanced relationship?”

“…”

“I believe there’s no need for complicated emotions in this. No.”

Getting close personally will only lead to wounds in the future.

With those words, Parnes left the cabin and did not return.

Since that day, a subtle change occurred in their relationship with Parnes.

In some ways, it seemed better, but in others, it could be said to have worsened.

The conversation they had that night felt like a mere dream, as he cared for Kasallin and discussed state affairs as if nothing had happened.

But that was all.

He remained kind, but somehow, he showed even fewer openings than before.

It seemed he was constantly on edge, careful not to cross an invisible, precarious boundary.

Around the time their voyage reached its first week, Kasallin felt something was going wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause.

Feeling like a small boat that had lost its way, they arrived at their first destination, Tunsley Island.

As soon as she stepped onto the golden sandy beach from the galleon, a hot breeze, distinct from the sea, tickled her face.

While her gaze was stolen by the emerald-like seawater and the massive valley winding through the island,

“Your Majesty! How long has it been since we last met!”

From a distance, the sound of footsteps crunching on sand approached quickly, and a woman ran toward Parnes with evident joy.

At a glance, she was a beauty with an exotic aura.

Her skin was healthily tanned, soaked in sunlight, and her brightly tied hair was so light it was hard to tell if it was gold or silver.

She was the tallest woman Kasallin had ever seen, with a sturdy build like someone who exercised regularly, resembling a splendid general.

“I’ve been circling the coast for a week ever since I heard you were coming to Tunsley Island. Do you know how much I waited?”

“You’re as talkative as ever, Olivia.”

“And Your Majesty is the same as always!”

Kasallin was surprised watching the two exchange greetings.

Not only her, but seeing Parnes interact so casually with someone was almost a first.

The woman called Olivia treated Parnes less like an emperor and more like a dear friend she hadn’t seen in ages.

Watching the two, who matched like a painting, Kasallin felt an unfamiliar sensation, as if a part of her heart was uncomfortably twisting.

“And this beautiful lady is…?”

Noticing Kasallin belatedly, Olivia asked, and Parnes introduced her.

“My lady, this is Olivia Tunsley, the young lady of the Tunsley earl family that governs this island. Olivia, show proper respect. This is the empress of our Renel Empire.”

“Good heavens! I had a hunch, and I was right!”

Olivia clapped her hands and approached, kneeling at Kasallin’s feet like a loyal knight.

“I’m sorry for not recognizing you sooner, Your Majesty. I once served closely as a member of the royal guard. My dream was to become the guard captain and protect His Majesty for life, but it didn’t work out because of the war… Oh, am I talking too much?”

“You’re an interesting person, Lady Olivia. Nice to meet you.”

“The honor is mine. Would you like to tour the island right away? There’s so much I want to show you. The columnar cliffs and waterfall on the east side are spectacular. The village where the locals live and the pastures will surely please you. Especially the apples at Uncle Bill’s orchard are so delicious…”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Unable to keep up with her endless chatter, Parnes urged her on, sounding annoyed, and Olivia pouted but complied.

Even while walking along the beach, she endlessly asked Parnes about his well-being, laughing and joking.

Do you remember that incident? How is so-and-so doing?

They were topics Kasallin couldn’t relate to, from start to finish.

Their conversation proved that Parnes and Olivia shared more than a few memories.

Objectively, she was a very likable woman.

She knew how to liven up the mood, was charming, and had a personality that would be loved wherever she went.

As the daughter of a noble family, physically fit and strikingly beautiful, Kasallin suddenly thought:

Though she didn’t know how long they had known each other, if it weren’t for her, Parnes might have promised Olivia the empress’s seat.

“This is the largest village here. Your Majesty has been here once as a child, so you probably know, but…”

“It’s quite different from back then. It seems the pastures have expanded up to the mountainside. Probably because the fishing population has decreased.”

“Exactly. As you know, after the skirmishes with the Hismaia pirates, the eastern coast was restricted, and if you look over there…”

The two, who had been bickering like childhood friends, began discussing serious matters as lord and vassal.

Most of their conversation was about military matters, the one area Kasallin knew little about.

Unable to join in, she quietly listened and followed along.

Then, a rustling sound came from the bushes by the path, and a large snake lunged at Kasallin’s ankle with its jaws wide open.

Three seconds, no, perhaps just one second.

In that fleeting moment, Parnes swiftly lifted Kasallin with one arm, drew Sir Antonio’s sword from his waist, and pinned the snake’s head to the ground.

“It’s a venomous snake!”

As the headless snake thrashed, others finally rushed over in alarm.

Parnes had been engrossed in conversation with Olivia while walking ahead, so how had he noticed and acted so quickly?

“Kasallin, are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Parnes, looking far more startled than Kasallin herself, forgot formalities and asked.

Trying to appear calm, Kasallin nodded slowly, but her face soon twisted at the slight, sharp pain rising from her right ankle.

At that moment, Olivia, who had been walking ahead, ran back, pale with shock.

“Good heavens, Your Majesty, are you alright? Is your sacred body unharmed?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a slight twist, and it doesn’t hinder walking, so let’s continue.”

“No. You’re not alright.”

Parnes muttered in a low, heavy voice and carefully lifted Kasallin into his arms.

He wouldn’t let her walk on her own if she was even slightly startled or injured.

It seemed like a habit formed after the day she nearly died falling off a cliff because of Shallen.

Kasallin was about to say she was fine and could walk, but his frighteningly stern face silenced her.

Holding Kasallin’s slightly swollen ankle with one hand, Parnes spoke to Olivia in a cold voice.

“…Guide us to the mansion. For now, we’ll settle the empress there, and you and I will quickly complete the inspection.”