Cledius smiled as he saw the meal being brought in. The smile was not due to the steaming hot food, but because of the news he had just heard.

“The poison spread faster than expected.”

All the symptoms Lebel had shown were signs of poisoning from the toxin Cledius had used. There could be several reasons for the dizziness and high fever. The doctors would likely diagnose it as a simple fever.

Kailem stood behind Cledius. His expression darkened as he listened to the Emperor’s words. He had expected it, but not to spread this quickly.

Dishes decorated in white and gold were placed one by one on the white tablecloth. Cledius muttered to himself as if he thought no one was around.

“I expected they would bring the Duke alive, not kill him.”

In truth, it didn’t matter if he was dead or alive. It would have been fine if Lebel had been beheaded on the spot, but since he was brought to the capital, Cledius intended to make the Duke pay the price for rebelling against the Emperor.

“I should give Tamiel a separate weekly wage. He’ll have more work starting next week.”

Fear was the easiest way to control the masses. Cledius knew this fact and intended to use fear to control public sentiment.

“What about the Empress? Has news of him reached the Empress’s palace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It should have reached there by now.”

“I wonder what kind of face she’s making now… I hope tonight will be the turning point. Ah, were there any coffins left in the hospital basement?”

For someone who coveted another’s possessions, it’s a rather quiet end. He should die more miserably, crawling at the bottom. But that level could be considered a wretched death.

Cledius let out a short laugh as he imagined Lebel’s impending death.

The red cross-section of the cut meat shone vividly on the white plate. The large, long table filled with death was peaceful beyond measure.

The Emperor, who felt neither fear nor guilt at the word death, slowly savored the taste and enjoyed his growing appetite.

**

People gathered along the large avenue leading to the imperial palace. The streets were bustling with those wanting to see the sight of the Duke of Le Rozen, who led the rebellion in Rozen, and the merchants who supported them being escorted.

Cecilia pushed her way through the line of spectators to move forward. Her gaze, scanning all around, was trembling anxiously.

“Here they come!”

Everyone’s eyes turned in one direction. At the end, the rebels were entering the street, bound and captive.

Some among the gathered crowd sent sympathetic glances. The fate of those who rebelled was obvious. They would likely be hanged in the middle of the square or have their heads cut off and hung on the city walls.

Cecilia carefully observed each of the bound individuals entering from among the crowd. There was even a sense of desperation, as if she were frantically searching for someone.

And finally, her eyes met Paulo’s.

Paulo could find his daughter at once even in the midst of the bustling crowd. He remembered Cecilia’s appearance exactly, even after all these years.

Slightly upturned eyes and clear purple eyes as transparent as glass. He used to sit young Cecilia on his knee and brush her long navy blue hair.

Sometimes he would even tie her hair with his clumsy skills. The image of Cecilia running around outside, saying it was fine even if it was crooked and stray hairs escaped, was vivid in his mind.

Someone once said that the first daughter resembles her father.

Paulo quite liked that saying. The people he worked with in the merchant group would always add this comment whenever they saw Cecilia.

‘Anyone can tell she’s your daughter, Paulo. Cecilia, even if you get lost in Rozen, people will take your hand and bring you to the Lanport merchant group, so don’t worry!’

Does Cecilia think the same? She headed towards where Paulo was walking, with a face that looked like she was about to cry. He deliberately turned his head, pretending not to notice.

“Father…”

Even amidst the noise, Cecilia’s voice could be heard clearly. Paulo unconsciously flinched. He muttered to himself that he shouldn’t look back. If he met her eyes, he felt he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

“Father!”

As the clear voice pierced through the noise, some people started to glance over. One of the soldiers who witnessed this scene poked Paulo and asked:

“Is that your child?”

Paulo’s lips trembled. How could he say it was his daughter? If he revealed they were family, would they give him even a moment to talk?

That’s unlikely. Besides, there were many watching eyes. If someone recognized Cecilia, it would obviously cause problems.

The soldier, who hadn’t noticed this fact yet, asked again:

“I’m asking if that’s your daughter.”

“…I don’t know that person at all.”

Paulo moved his feet without looking back. His feet, swollen from walking for a long time, stung, but not as painfully as pretending not to know his own child.

Cecilia called out to her father again and stepped forward, but there was a hand that blocked her and pulled her away.

She was suddenly pushed out of the crowd by a strong force. The owner of the hand pulled Cecilia into an alleyway.

Since everyone’s attention was focused on the escorted rebels, no one paid attention to the two of them.

“Cecilia.”

How long had he been following? Jin looked out at the situation outside the alley with urgent eyes.

Cecilia twisted her body, trying to escape the alley, but the firm grip didn’t easily let her go.

“Let go of this.”

“Calm down. If you misstep here, not only your father but you too will be in danger.”

“What does it matter to you? Since when did you care about my future? Do you know what I want, what I want to become? Do you even care?”

“Because I know!”

Jin’s hand gripping Cecilia’s arm tightened. Since Cecilia had entered the Icastel mansion, Jin had never raised his voice. The always gentle and affectionate elder brother Jin now looked only precarious.

Cecilia was reflected in his trembling eyes.

“If you step out now, you could be branded a rebel too. The daughter of a rebel leader? Anyone would love to tear you apart. If it’s revealed that you’re also the adopted daughter of Icastel, the entire family…”

“Even in this situation, you prioritize the family. As expected of you, Duke.”

Jin hung his head at Cecilia’s sarcastic tone.

“I know you volunteered when the expedition to Rozen was called. There must have been pressure from the family elders. People who emphasize that the duke’s honor is at stake and that we should set an example. Then at least… you could have given me a hint…”

When she heard from her mother that Jin had volunteered for the war with Rozen, she thought it couldn’t be helped. There were always elders insisting on living for the country, and her brother was the one bearing the weight of the family.

“…I’m sorry, Cecilia.”

Jin barely managed to utter in a trembling voice. A word that had been constantly troubling his conscience came out, but it didn’t lighten his heart.

Tears had already welled up in Cecilia’s eyes. She pushed Jin away and tried to leave, wiping her eyes with her hand.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Jin called out urgently, as if trying to grab her retreating figure. But Cecilia, without looking back, spoke to the brother who shared not a drop of blood with her.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

She remembered something her father had told her on the ship once. That the only person you can trust in this world is yourself.

She needs to go back to the mansion right away and meet her mother. If he’s imprisoned in the tower as is, he’ll be handed over to Tamiel.

If she can move the family elders, even if release is impossible, they might be able to at least block Tamiel.

Cecilia’s retreating figure grew more distant. Jin couldn’t follow her and leaned his hand against the empty wall. When would he be able to break his habit of hesitating and regretting? He stood there for a long time, giving in to the self-loathing that washed over him.

The prisoners soon disappeared from the street. The crowd dispersed back to their daily lives as if nothing had happened.

**

Lebel, lying on the bed, was only breathing heavily.

Ilarid gently placed her hand on his forehead. She quickly withdrew her hand due to the alien heat, unlike the warmth he usually possessed.

Leticia, who had checked Lebel’s condition in the hospital room, shook her head with a gloomy expression.

“Tonight seems to be the critical point.”

She had finished the diagnosis but couldn’t find a clear cause. Lailo and Eddie kept their mouths shut, trying to hide their desperate faces.

“Can’t you determine the cause?”

Ilarid’s calm voice pierced through the gloom. But perhaps because she had been crying while holding onto Lynette, her eyes were already red and swollen.

“We suspected an epidemic, but no symptoms have appeared in the mercenary members who lived together or the people from the Rozen region who were escorted. Even considering the incubation period, the timing doesn’t match.”

“Did Commander Lebel have any underlying conditions?”

“No. He didn’t even catch colds, let alone minor illnesses… We never thought he would collapse like this.”

Lailo’s head drooped further forward. Wasn’t the commander always the first to exhaust himself when things got tough? He had tried his best to take care of him, but it seems it wasn’t enough.

‘People should speak up when they’re struggling…’

Lailo lamented as he looked at Lebel lying on the bed.

For him, enduring and moving on was easier than breathing. He used to tell him out of habit to be honest and open up sometimes, because when things pile up, they become an illness.

Just you wait until you wake up. I’ll nag you ten times more than usual, whether it falls on deaf ears or not. But while he thought this, Lailo’s eyes were full of worry.

“Your Majesty the Empress, please return now. We will take turns…”

“I will stay.”

“Pardon? No, we are sufficient here.”

“I… have received much from him. Please.”

The voice she had been holding back finally trembled. Noticing Ilarid’s wavering, Lailo patted Eddie’s back and whispered softly.

“Eddie, let’s go out.”

“But…”

“We’ll vacate the room until tomorrow morning. Until then… please take care of the commander, Your Majesty the Empress.”

Lailo and Eddie bowed their heads in greeting and left the hospital room. Leticia, who had been watching with a worried face, explained how to nurse him and then left the room.

Finally, only the two of them remained in the hospital room. Only Lebel’s hot breath could be heard from the bed.

The cold compress that had been briefly placed on his forehead quickly warmed. She dipped the towel in the cold water she had brought.

“…Lebel.”

Ilarid softly called his name. And she looked at Lebel’s closed eyes. His black eyelashes were stopped in a beautiful curve under his eyelids.

“Can you hear me?”

No words came from the one lying down. Only breath heated by fever could be felt from his lips.

“Didn’t you say you would live for me?”

Ilarid gently placed her bare hand, not the one holding the wet towel, on his cheek. As soon as her cold palm touched his fever-filled skin, she immediately felt the hot energy.

“Commander Lebel, were you someone who broke promises?”

Tears she thought she had shed plenty of began to flow down her cheeks again, pooling at the tip of her chin. As the gathered teardrops grew larger, they wet the hem of her skirt.

Open those eyes and look at me. The one you said you fell for is here.

But those words did not reach the one who had lost consciousness and collapsed.

If only she could lean on Lebel’s shoulder and cry like before, would this sunken heart feel even a little better?

There were things she wanted to say when he returned. She was going to propose the ‘shadow’ and discuss future matters. She thought he would cooperate with her plans since he was the one who declared he would live for Ilarid.

Now it didn’t matter anymore. She just hoped Lebel would wake up. If only he would open his eyes and show those blue eyes mixed with gray. And speak in his usual kind voice. Saying, I’m back.

Ilarid gently took Lebel’s hand, full of wounds. And she conveyed her sincere feelings that might be the last. A faint voice flowed from the end of her tears.

“I too… have fallen for you.”

It was a small sincerity she had mustered the courage to express. If he was wandering in his unconsciousness, would he be able to hear these words? However, no words came from the lips of the one she wished would hear them.