For a moment, she thought she was stepping on the gently sloped edge of the road piled with fallen leaves.

“Eek!”

The spot she thought was the edge of a gentle path covered with fallen leaves turned out to be the edge of a low cliff.

“Ugh…”

Tumbling down the pile of leafy soil, leaves flew violently and covered her fallen body.

Soon, her vision blurred, and Karina lost consciousness.

Elisia’s luggage for leaving the Duke’s residence was minimal.

She was planning to leave the Empire by boat and head to the distant relative’s mansion on the Nanku continent, which had been taken over by the Uter Marquis.
The Hameuro Continent, where the Empire is located, and the Nanku Continent were about a week’s journey by boat.

Life in a completely new place.

The time Elisia had been waiting for had come.

It was the moment she permanently left the original work.

Constans Ebyong, located in the central part of the Hameuro Continent, was an inland port. Along the vast water, large ships frequented the harbor, tracing the bay deeply carved by erosion caused by glaciers.

The ships connecting Constans Ebyong and the introductory city, Berbe, at the easternmost tip of the Nanku Continent, did not sail often.

It was due to the influence of the currents.

The period when ships could come and go was only about ten days. After that period, due to the reverse currents flowing between the two continents, the ships would be trapped, unable to move forward, as if caught in the middle, swirling around.

To avoid that time, ships traveling between the two continents departed as if on a scheduled basis.

Since Elisia had escaped to the Duke’s residence just before the previous departure, she had to wait patiently for the next departure date.

Mariella bravely organized a small travel bag.

“This should be enough luggage.”

It consisted of a few changes of lightweight clothing, some dried snacks, and identification prepared just in case.

“It’s a first-class cabin, so you can ask the crew for food anytime. You won’t need money. Having money might even be risky.”

Nevertheless, Mariella secretly hid one gold coin, usable on the Nanku Continent, inside a leather bracelet and filled Elisia’s wrist with it.

Elisia, who had been watching Mariella silently like a doll, finally spoke.

“…Mom.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to go.”

“…Elisia?”

Elisia grabbed Mariella’s hem with both hands.

“Please. Can you listen to me for a moment?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Mariella said firmly.

“If you leave for the Nanku Continent, Sonatek will no longer interfere with you.”

“It’s running away. I’m tired of it now.”

“Tired? What on earth are you talking about? This is the first time you’ve run away. We’ve never been able to run away in the original work. Now is the first and last chance.”

“We? Do you really think of me, Illeone, as an equal?”

Elisia choked up.

“You said that once. You said people in this world look like ants to the possessors.”

Ants crawling hurriedly when you put cookie crumbs in front of them.

At times, an ant caught in a single misplaced droplet, just one droplet, could suffocate and die.

“So that’s why Sonatek finds me so amusing.”

“Yeah. So, I can’t beat him, who wants to protect you.”

“Then, Mom, you don’t really think of me and Illeone as equals, do you?”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“You said you wouldn’t know the heart of an ant. That’s why you’re in a position to step on ants.”

“Elisia.”
“I also have thoughts. I have feelings too.”

Elisia hoped Mariella would reciprocate her feelings.

“I really love him. I don’t want to leave.”

Illeon was still wandering in pain, searching for what he had forgotten.

She thought leaving was for his sake.

Elisia believed that as long as it wasn’t herself, Illeon would live a blessed life in the original work.

But that wasn’t the case.

Had Mariella’s consciousness somehow affected Elisia herself?

Did she really believe that everything would be fine if she just left, as Mariella said?

Instead of Carina, who could be reached if she reached out her hand, Illeon was searching for Elisia.

In the midst of the horrific pain that twisted his mind.

“He won’t give up on me. I can’t just leave Illeon like this.”

“Then. Are you suggesting taking him with you?”

“Oh, Mom.”

“Are you planning for both of you to embrace each other and die together?”

Mariella shot back with disdain.

“Is that what you’re saying to the mother who tried her best to save you for a lifetime? Just for one man, you might even die, but you want to stay here?”

“That’s not it.”

“What else could it be? Do you really not care about your mother’s heart?”

“Sob.”

Elisia huddled her shoulders.

She had never rebelled against Mariella’s will. Elisia always obediently followed what her mother ordered.

‘It was the first time.’

The first time she had opposed her mother’s wishes was now, thinking that she wanted to be with Illeon. That was the first time.

However, disappointingly, the conversation lingered in one place.

I’ve become a bad child who trampled on my mother’s feelings, who takes care of me.

When she tried to escape during the time when she mistakenly thought she was Won Yoon-ji, those words she said to Mariella might have been her suppressed true feelings.

Words she couldn’t say to her mom, who planned to abandon and move the foundation of her life for her sake.

Rather, don’t you think it’s better to die here?

What’s so scary about dying?

Shouldn’t you find a way to oppose them instead of running away?

But when the story of Sonatek came up, Mariella seemed almost nauseated, and Elisia didn’t want to burden her with her pain.

Now, to Mariella, who had come and, because of Illeon, was saying such hurtful words, was she really a bad daughter?

Is there really no way to love him without hurting Mariella? Really?

Elisia couldn’t figure it out.

“Let’s leave right away.”

“Mom.”

“Even if Princess Rev offered to help, it wouldn’t have been leaving you in this house. I should have found another way.”

Thinking of Odor’s help. I must be out of my mind. While muttering to herself and picking up her bag, Mariella wiped Elisia’s tears with a handkerchief.

“Love… If you can’t see it, it grows distant from the heart.”

“Please…”

“Derek!”

Mariella found the guards waiting outside the room.
“Tie up Elisia. That would be better.”

At the madam’s command, the guards fetched a thin rope, and Elisia felt like she was about to faint.

“Mom!”

There was no room to escape.

“Please, just once. If we think of another way together…”

“No. You would probably cling to Illeon and cry right away. Derek will keep an eye on you until the ship departs.”

“Wait, just a moment.”

Elisia kneeled in front of Mariella.

“Then… Please let me at least say farewell to Illeon. I have something to return to him.”

“…”

“After that, I’ll do as Mom commands. Sob.”

Mariella sighed deeply.

“Make it quick. We’ll depart soon.”

With teardrops falling steadily, Elisia nodded her head.

Amidst Derek guarding her as if escorting her, Elisia could barely enter Illeon’s room.

“…Illeon.”

Sensitive to any movement, he seemed to be sleeping as if he had fainted.

His hair was damp with cold sweat, sticking to his forehead in disarray.

Elisia pitifully removed the clinging strands and neatly tidied his hair.

“I’m sorry.”