The door to the study burst open, and Calisto paused to set down his book. The figure that confidently appeared was the Empress of the Pones Empire, Evelyn.

“What brings the Empress here at this late hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I asked for some tea. I heard that the lights were still on in your study.”

At Evelyn’s gesture, a maid brought in a tray. Two teacups were set on the table, and Evelyn spoke with a slight smile.

“It’s warm tea. Come and have some.”

“Very well.”

Calisto walked over with slow steps and sat opposite Evelyn, who then grasped her teacup.

“I haven’t seen Ian around lately…”

“He seemed unwell, so I told him to rest for a while.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Calisto’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“If you have something to say, say it now.”

“I think the time has come.”

Calisto narrowed his brow as if asking what she meant.

“I’m talking about Enoch. You should name him Crown Prince before the end of the year…”

“I can’t make Enoch the Crown Prince.”

“What?”

Evelyn blinked rapidly as if she couldn’t understand what she’d heard.

“I’m going to name Ian as the Crown Prince.”

“Your Majesty!”

“I didn’t want to make Ian the Crown Prince either, but…”

Evelyn’s arm, gripping the armrest, trembled. She bit her lower lip and glared at Calisto.

“You expect me to believe that now? You promised me that Enoch would be the next Emperor.”

Calisto thought, Evelyn might not believe me, but I never cared for this throne.

He’d wanted to abandon it many times for not being able to protect the woman he loved, while having to embrace a woman he did not love.

But he had made a promise with Violet.

‘Calisto, I wish Ian would never become the Emperor. Please protect our child to the end.’

All he could promise the dying Violet was to give his word.

The situation had changed. A curse had manifested in Ian.

Calisto had vowed when he first read the archives after becoming Emperor.

If my beloved son is afflicted by the curse, I’ll make him the Emperor.

Ironically, it was the best option.

Everyone afflicted with the curse had said the same.

They’d rather die early than live in this condition. But the curse made dying impossible and prolonged their agony.

‘Yes, it’s better to make Ian the Emperor rather than driving him mad.’

“A coronation ceremony will be held soon.”

“You can’t do this to me, Your Majesty.”

Loud footsteps ceased, and the study door firmly closed. Rising from his seat, Calisto sighed deeply.

“Step back, Senior.”

Ian stood in front of me, unsheathing his sword. A werebear, thick-armed compared to a human torso, raised its arm.

Then Ian’s sword glowed blue.

It was an aura.

With a light hop, Ian swung his blue-tinged sword. He cut down the hesitating werebear again, and the ground quaked as if an earthquake had occurred.

Seeing the lifeless werebear, I started to come to terms with the reality.

So, the person in front of me is Ian, who has become a Swordmaster?

I stepped forward, suppressing my trembling heart.

“Klein.”

Ian’s shoulders visibly flinched at my soft call.

“Do not approach.”

It was then that Ian, who had turned toward me, began to step back awkwardly.

“What?”

“I cannot stand in front of you, Senior.”

“What are you talking about?”

Ian answered by taking a few steps back from me.
You’ve come this far and you plan to leave just like this?

“Wait! At least explain what you mean. If you’re going to disappear in front of me like this……”

“I am… no different from a monster. Therefore, I cannot approach you. Please, do not come any closer.”

“Why would you…”

‘I can’t disclose everything to you, but there is a curse secretly descending on the royal family. The curse has manifested in me, and I don’t have the confidence to live with it.’

Could it be that he’s referring to himself as a monster because the curse has manifested?

What could this curse be?

“Do not put yourself in such danger again.”

“So you plan to keep running away like this?”

At my question, Ian paused for a moment.

“……”

“Do you not plan to see me anymore?”

Ian’s forehead deeply furrowed. The pain he felt was clearly evident on his face.

“I am…”

A palpable tension filled the air as his voice lowered.

“I’m afraid.”

“Of what?”

“I’m terrified of approaching you.”

As his trembling voice reached my ears, my heart sank. Although Ian was right before my eyes, it felt as if he could vanish in the blink of an eye.

All that filled my mind was the thought that I had to hold on to him. I felt like I would regret it if I let him go now.

I spoke, clutching my twitching fingertips tightly.

“Then just stay there. I’ll come to you.”

Ian instinctively hesitated as he tried to step back. Rosebelia’s face became increasingly clear as she approached him.

When her face completely filled his trembling gaze, he heard a hallucination.

‘Human blood is better than that.’

Please be quiet! Shut your mouth!

The moment he tightly closed his eyes, intending to grasp her face.

“Klain, are you alright? Your complexion is…”

Time seemed to stop. Incredibly, everything grew silent.

The static invaded his world, which had been noisy due to Nathan’s inner thoughts and the hallucinations.

It wasn’t just that. Every time the hallucinations came, an uncomfortable sensation would envelop him, but now a refreshing energy was flowing in.

Quickly lowering his gaze, Ian’s pupils widened. If it wasn’t his delusion, this energy was coming from Rosebelia’s arm, which he was holding.

‘What is this energy? Why has it suddenly gone quiet?’

Come to think of it, not once had he heard Rosebelia’s inner thoughts while he was with her. Ian recalled this fact and urgently called out to her.

“Senior.”

“Huh?”

“Please think something to yourself.”

“What?”

“Do it quickly.”

She frowned as if she didn’t understand, but sealed her lips tightly. Really, she was looking straight at Ian, thinking something.

“I did.”

“What did you think?”

“……That your face looks a bit pale.”

Ian’s eyes softened sorrowfully. Rosebelia looked equally pallid when he hadn’t seen her.

Yet, in his eyes, she was endlessly beautiful.

“Did you really think that?”

“Yes.”

Then why can’t I hear it?

As Rosebelia was brushing back her flying hair, another hallucination came.

‘Do you want to kill?’

Hesitating, he tried to step back, but Rosebelia suddenly reached up to his forehead.

“Are you not feeling well?”

As soon as her hand touched him, the refreshing energy flowed in. The hallucinations stopped as well.

‘Could it be that when Rosebelia touches me, everything goes quiet?’

As Rosebelia tried to pull her hand away, Ian hurriedly grabbed it.

“This doesn’t make sense……”

Incredible as it was, when he touched her, everything turned still.

A weary smile crossing his lips, Ian collapsed while still holding onto Rosebelia’s arm.

It was an impossible event. Something that shouldn’t happen.

Unless…
Could someone have heard my desperate wish?

Ian slowly lifted his gaze and seemed to caress Rosebelia’s face with his eyes.

Feeling his heart pounding wildly, he lightly pressed his eyelids down. Only now did he feel alive.

“Klain, are you okay?”

How could I dare to live without seeing this person?

Unexpectedly, a surge of emotion heated his throat.

“I was going to tell you…”

His mouth, which had been moving freely, snapped shut. He felt a presence from behind.

The moment he released Rosebelia’s arm, someone’s thoughts reached him.

‘He wasn’t at the fort, where could he have gone?’

It was Linat.

“Someone is coming.”

“Planning to run away again?”

As Ian tried to get up, Rosebelia quickly grabbed his arm. Meeting her worried eyes, Ian gently smiled.

“No, I won’t run away anymore.”

“Really?”

“I will stay near you, Senior. So don’t take risks like today.”

Turning as if to leave, Ian again stood before Rosebelia. Then he pressed his lips gently to the back of her hand.

“I will wait near the camp tomorrow night.”