Despair finally crushed the woman. She could not accept that the resentment and betrayal she had harbored all along were in fact illusory emotions.

Natasha’s world slowly collapsed as she realized that everything surrounding her was built upon the misfortune of Sieghart Asthart.

Since when exactly?

She could not fathom.

Then, from where to where?

This too was an unfathomable realm.

Only one thing was certain. Everything was a denial and a flaw.

Even the misfortune of the woman who died and was resurrected ten times.

‘You said you’d do anything, so I’ll ask. Then, will you bring my family back to life? Sieghart.’

‘Bring my family back to life like you saved me. Even if you have to sacrifice yourself, by any means.’

‘Then I might consider forgiveness.’

And the hatred with which she despised that man.

The thorny words she had uttered to hurt Sieghart. Belatedly realizing the meaning of her own words, Natasha was swallowed by the waves. By the great blue composed of regret and despair.

Why, why on earth should she be swept away by such emotions?

She too was a victim. She had been made miserable by the man named Sieghart Asthart. He was the one who destroyed her foundation, shattered her homeland, and trampled on her last hope in life.

Even if that man had his life completely taken away by her family, that fact remained unchanged.

Why on earth?

“Huu, uh…!”

Is it quiet regret that overwhelms the woman?

The force of her hand scratching the marble became even more violent. Kyle Letius was busy mocking the other’s screams, but the woman herself had no room for shame.

Her palm grew hot. Her fingers, occasionally spitting out fresh blood, soon became flushed as if they had swallowed fire.

Opaque smoke rose and surrounded Natasha. She was suddenly trapped in a space made of smoke, separated from reality.

It was when she was standing blankly like an ignoramus, unable to understand the situation she was in.

Footsteps were heard from the other side. It sounded similar to a small animal going down a hill.

Turning her head towards the sound, Natasha soon faced a boy. The boy was running hurriedly, his hair that resembled the color of the night sky fluttering.

Natasha soon realized that it was Sieghart from his youth.

Then is this Sieghart’s life? Is the man’s life passing by like a panorama, just as when the past unfolded before the woman dying from poison?

No, more precisely, it was the life of Enoch Callent.

The boy who ran to the imperial palace did not properly realize what words he was spitting out. In his desperate struggle for survival, he swore to offer his blood and flesh to those devilish beings.

The boy who ultimately survived the hellish fighting pit became the loyal dog of the previous emperor. The man who was given the new name Sieghart Asthart wasted meaningless time sacrificing his talents to their missions.

It was when he was spending tediously identical days, digesting the same room, same clothes, same schedule.

The man, whose expressions had been minimal, was suddenly overcome with anger. Sieghart, who had been reading a letter placed on the table, stormed out of his seat.

Natasha picked up the letter that had fallen at her feet and read it.

“The treason of the Callent Count family was a false charge fabricated by the Charliee royal family.”

The man had finally realized the innocence of the Callent Count family and the target of his revenge.

Sieghart, who went out in an excited state, unexpectedly just walked. He walked, and walked, and walked, and walked again. Until his agitation calmed down.

The place where he stopped, as he advanced impassively, was a grave. More precisely, a memorial for spirits that could not be buried.

The man passing through the cemetery stopped in front of one place. A humble grave where even the last name was not written because the name Callent could not be used.

Sieghart knelt in front of it. He wailed louder than the sound of the pattering rain, strengthening his resolve.

Natasha, who could not bring herself to approach the other, watched him from afar. Although the roar was helplessly buried in the sound of rain, the woman could guess what his pledge might have been.

After the rain stopped, Sieghart got up silently and went to the emperor’s audience chamber. Approaching the new emperor, Kyle Letius, he announced that it was time to begin his revenge.

And finally, the day of the decisive battle.

Sieghart Asthart approached James Charliee with his helmet off and asked.

‘Do you remember me?’

‘….’

‘I’ve lived in torment every day unable to forget those eyes, but how about you? Do you remember my eyes?’

Natasha’s father and Sieghart’s sworn enemy, James Charliee, was too frightened to answer readily.

Sieghart, his patience worn thin, grabbed the man’s chin and asked again. He ordered him to look at his eyes clearly and waited for the answer to come back.

The eyes of the Callent Count family and the Charliee royal family were the same red color. Because of this, nobles supporting the Count family occasionally claimed that noble blood also flowed in the Callent Count family.

‘You are…!’

The king, James Charliee, was shocked upon realizing that Sieghart was a descendant of the Count family.

The man increased the strength of his hand gripping the other’s chin. He shouted fiercely at the other who was making a painful expression as if in agony.

‘Why did you do it, try to explain. I’ll listen to the last words of the dead to your heart’s content.’

‘….’

‘Why on earth did you kill my family? You plotted the downfall of innocent people and even tarnished their honor by framing them for treason. Why on earth did you do it!’

‘What would a young brat know! Your family was so filthy and selfish. The royal family merely made a choice for the royal family. Since the kingdom would collapse the moment the royalty fell, to protect everyone…’

James Charliee, who had already given up everything as if he anticipated that survival was impossible, did not surrender. Sieghart turned away from the king who was making excuses without knowing his place and stood up.

Saying to take care of the rest, he handed over authority to Kyle Letius and left the palace.

And just like the day he learned everything, Sieghart walked and walked again. He walked out of the ruined castle and wandered aimlessly through the wasteland.

Then suddenly he fell to his knees.

It’s finally over.

The man muttered softly.

But why, why do I feel so dirty, I don’t know.

His dejected voice echoed repeatedly.

Sieghart knew.

That Enoch Callent would never return.

The man also knew.

That his faded past, his innocence, his hope, his happiness would sink to the bottom of the sea along with the downfall of the Charliee royal family. That the beautiful relics buried like that could never be recovered.

The darkness that suddenly came engulfed Natasha.

When she opened her eyes again between the encroaching darkness, she faced the figure of a man passing through a snowstorm.

He went to the temple holding the sword bestowed by the Pope when he was selected as an honorary knight, and cried out as he struck down on a huge rock.

Please save Natasha Asthart.

Darkness came again.

When she opened her eyes, it was finally reality.

“Tch, how boring… Just wasted time!”

Kyle Letius, cursing that it was boring, returned to the banquet, leaving behind Natasha who seemed to have lost consciousness.

The woman’s fingers twitched at the sound of the door closing. Starting with that small movement, the woman slowly got up from the floor. She walked at a slow pace and leaned back on the couch. The bitter smell of tobacco leaves stung her nose.

And a little later, the door of the study that Natasha had been guarding opened. The sound of two pairs of footsteps was heard in succession, then stopped in front of Natasha.

It was Sir Dante and another knight.

“We have returned safely!”

After saluting Natasha, they soon reported the results of their exploration.

“The secret passage is quite large. It seems to take about half an hour on foot. We’ve marked the outer passage separately. It looks like it’s near the detached palace. We plan to explore that area tomorrow during the banquet, avoiding the guards’ surveillance.”

Those who returned safely reported that the next day, they would leave the main palace and investigate the detached palace. After finding the exit connected to the passage, they would focus on investigating that area.

“And it will be the entrance for us, so we’ll also consider how the knights can infiltrate through there.”

“I see. Good work, everyone.”

The group that had completed today’s mission dispersed. The knights went down through the window, and Natasha secretly went out when there were few people around and blended into the crowd.

Tomorrow was already the last day of the imperial banquet.

All the planned operations had ended successfully. Now they just needed to replenish their forces and carry out the plan as intended.

Sieghart confidently answered that the probability of this operation succeeding was 90%. Natasha also assured that this operation could not fail.

All that remained was to seize victory.

But why did her heart feel so heavy?

Natasha, who had been lying in bed, got up and headed to the terrace. She felt the cool night breeze and glanced slightly to the side. The terrace of the next room was empty.

‘Sieghart isn’t back yet.’

The two, being a married couple, were assigned rooms next to each other. But they were both busy, and since Natasha avoided meeting with the man, there was no point of contact at all.

Occasionally, Sieghart’s presence could be felt on the terrace or in the hallway, but each time, Natasha rather hid her own presence.

After realizing the time when the man usually appeared on the terrace, she didn’t even go near the terrace area during those hours.

Knowing that, why did Natasha appear here at this time?

“…There’s no reason to think about that man.”

Natasha, who had been pondering Sieghart’s whereabouts, smiled bitterly.

It’s not even funny. That I, of all people, should be thinking about that man. Thinking of him first and wishing to face someone who I’d be grateful if he disappeared from in front of me…

‘It must be because of that damn reminiscence.’

Yes, it’s because of that damn reminiscence.

No. Perhaps it’s because today’s stars are shining as brilliantly as the stars that Tisha Winter and Sieghart Asthart saw.

‘No, no, perhaps…’

No, that’s not it.

The truth is really…