In the previous cycle, I might have been the emperor.

‘Back then, I had little interest in astronomy, and I was busy running the country.’

This time, instead of answering, I nodded with an indifferent expression, gazing ahead. In the dim forest, faint but noticeable, yellow lights began to illuminate the surroundings like giant candles.

Flash dash!

‘There it is!’

A moment later, Lillis and I arrived near the location where the meteorite had fallen. Since there were many bushes around, making it impossible to know if someone was hiding nearby, we decided to approach cautiously, not going too close to the meteorite. We hid in a safe place, only extending our heads to observe.

‘The Tears of the Stars are still sparkling!’

In the middle of the ground, visibly concave from the impact, there was a meteorite about twice the size of a human head, glowing a deep red.

‘It’s not too late!’

Fortunately, the yellow rose that had bloomed on the small meteorite was intact. On the way here, I worried about scholars arriving first and taking the ‘Tears of the Stars’ for research purposes due to Lillis’s remark.

Rustle dash!

‘What?’

I couldn’t keep hanging on to the snake any longer, so I leaned close to his ear and whispered that he should let me down.

Suddenly, a noise was heard as one part of the thicket shook. It could have been a passing animal, but for some reason, it felt suspicious. Pobi, seeing my expression, tensed up and swallowed his breath.

‘Why is he here?’

Soon after, revealed not too far away, was surprisingly Sasha.

‘Vladimir’s territory is not close to the capital. It’s a few hours round trip by carriage. To come precisely to the place where the Tears of the Stars fell at this ambitious hour…’

A few months ago, I deduced that there might be something about the duke due to the things I saw and felt when visiting Vladimir Manor, even though there was no concrete evidence.

‘From Sasha’s gaze, atmosphere, and meticulous observations of the surroundings, it seems like he might have a deep interest in astronomy, and he came alone to see the Tears of the Stars.’

Perhaps Sasha wanted to come alone and might have hidden a carriage somewhere, instructing the coachman to wait. However, as expected, the suspicion that had once sprouted couldn’t be easily erased, and despite making plausible arguments, I shouted that it was not a sixth sense but rather common sense. I decided to silently observe what Sasha was up to.

He seemed to know how to collect information, taking out a piece of paper and using a pencil to sketch while pretending to casually enjoy the scene.

Tap dash!

‘!’

However, Sasha easily plucked the Tears of the Stars. It was an unbelievable sight.

As he effortlessly collected the ‘Tears of the Stars,’ as if breathing or brushing his hair, he intended to put them into an empty bottle he took out from a large pouch at his waist. At the same time, I felt the need to restrain him and took a step forward.

“Your Highness!”
Ignoring Lillis, who called my name in surprise from behind due to my abrupt actions, I walked as quickly as possible, staying within the limits my heart could handle.

‘What on earth are you?’

Certainly, even touching the perilous ‘Tears of the Stars’ that could cause burns when touched by an ordinary human did not harm me. Could Sasha be the person Lillis mentioned when he secretly went to see the World Tree in the previous cycle? Or was he someone who liked me?

If it feels like the former rather than the latter, is it due to my mood?

Will I finally get to see the real face hidden behind the veil?

Thud dash!

“Have you committed so many sins that you need this too?”

In an indescribably confused state of mind, unable to determine whether it was negative or positive, I grabbed Sasha’s wrist, who was holding a glass bottle.

Crash dash!

Then, as if on cue, the glass bottle fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Sasha, who seemed not to have thought at all that I would be here, hesitated for a few seconds, then twitched his eyebrows as if displeased with the unexpected situation.

“Who are you really?”

Unlike when we met as friends in the imperial city, Sasha looked at me coldly, openly exuding discomfort. Without immediately answering my question, he seemed to scrutinize me, as if asking if I dared to do something wrong.

I was convinced that Sasha did not come to collect the ‘Tears of the Stars’ with a pure academic interest.

“Kwaeak, kwaeeyaak!”

As the atmosphere grew tense and the air heavy, Pobi rushed over from behind in a hurry.

However, there was no time to deal with Pobi right now. Moreover, things I had to forget by pushing them back, even though they were uncertain and felt uneasy at the time, were fitting together like puzzle pieces.

The thought that something was in Vladimir Manor was not wrong.

Whoom dash!

So, after a while, Sasha and I, immersed in a serious silence, were staring at each other when a somewhat disrupting laughter was heard.

‘Ah, seriously.’