“Where is Julian?”

“……. ”

“Julian!”

Instead of answering Bianca’s question, Raphin only dripped blue blood.

Is this what it feels like when your head is on fire with anxiety?

“I didn’t ask where Julian is!”

Bianca yelled, her face turning crimson.

Even then, Raphin, facing the trembling Bianca, spoke in an affectionate tone.

“Please don’t cry.”

“Julian, where is Julian?”

“I can offer my greetings.”

Raphin smiled, but with a face that seemed on the verge of tears, he kindly responded.

“What?”

Bianca felt her chest was about to burst.

Hot tears, flowing down her cheeks, cooled down at the tip of her chin.

Drip, drip.

The droplets falling on the tip of her toes not only didn’t decrease but seemed to be increasing.

“Don’t send him away. What’s the use of such pride? I should have pretended not to see it, but I caught him, the hurt one.”

Words were disjointed, and there was no proper sentence.

But Raphin listened quietly to Bianca, who poured out words like scattered fragments, dripping blue fluids.

“He may not die. If he endures until the end of this wave.”

“When the wave ends, will a new world open?”

‘I will end the winter.’

“There are high-grade potions on the border. I can’t get them now… If only I hadn’t used them that day… I guess it would have been fine even if I hadn’t used them…”

With tears drenching her, Bianca listened to Raphin’s self-blaming words.

“That day?”

“Shall we go to the 4th floor?”

“What day is it?”

Feeling strongly that it shouldn’t be revealed, Bianca blocked Raphin from turning around.

In the face of the story she was about to hear, Bianca had to suppress the urge to curse.

“Why did Karthan’s Izzar, who had never seen me before… Why?”

At that moment, Bianca’s eyes widened with a memory.

Ah.

It was the way out that overturned all the dirty emotions pouring out like sewage.

‘How dare you, to this Termina! Silas Valroc, that beast, gave me a hard time!’

‘The words I won’t say to someone like you! This insult is not acceptable! I have no reason to treat you like that, did you make a commotion in the garden again?’

‘How did you behave!’

I don’t know what the dispute was between Duke Silas Valroc and Sylas Valroc, but it was clearly the Emperor’s fault.

As always.

Even their problem was blamed on himself in the end, shouting at himself and turning the sound into a scream.

The sound was so overwhelming that for a moment, the reality seemed distant.

The tip of the foot felt suspended in the air, and the ears were so deafening that nothing could be heard.

But even then, when he passed by the waiting room, his gaze was so vivid.

It was an intense, persistent Sakaman gaze.

Amidst the distant world, only the man’s gaze was peculiarly clear.

But it disappeared in an instant.

All that remained in that place was the figure of a young king smiling with a friendly face.

All Bianca remembered was that. That was all.

Since he, the young king of a country, would never have come to such a vulgar reception, Bianca, who memorized the list of guests at the imperial receptions, was sure.

The young master of Karthan has never come to Termina’s reception, so their only connection was that.

But why would he send people to kidnap her, who was already the Duchess?

“What did I say…?”

It was a whisper that would have been missed if she hadn’t concentrated.

“What the hell is my jerk…?”

Although the tears that seemed to have stopped started to well up again, Bianca stubbornly held back the tears that filled both eyes.

“Ransack my house.”

‘The first “warmth” I’ve ever felt.’

The ‘favor’ of having it entirely to myself.

The ‘first knight’ who said he would follow me.

The ‘man’ who wants me.
Others might not see it that way, but for Bianca, it was more precious and radiant than anything else.

“Are you going to plant flowers in the South…?”

I won’t be swayed by false promises.

I will endure it as if nothing happened.

With a calm expression, Bianca wiped away the tears in her eyes and spoke to Raphin, who was waiting for her.

“Tell me what I can do, Sir Raphin.”

“I would appreciate it if you stayed by my side.”

Don’t say that.

As if nothing matters.

Bianca choked up at the touching words.

“Then lead the way. We can’t keep Julian waiting.”

The 4th floor was in ruins.

Both ends of the castle had collapsed miserably. Beyond numerous piles of rubble, Julian lay there.

“It’s cold!”

She tried not to cry, but when she saw a young maid lying covered in dust in a place where the wind blew, she couldn’t bear it any longer.

“It’s cold!!”

Bianca shouted with a hoarse voice, rushing to Julian in hurried steps.

A pale face, tightly closed eyes.

Even for Bianca, who knew nothing, Julian seemed beyond hope.

Is he alive?

Unable to ask out of fear, Bianca, trembling, was approached by O’Henery, who was sitting on the balcony, offering an answer.

“I promised to protect my lady.”

“I promised. I won’t die. If it’s dangerous, I’ll definitely run away and survive.”

“The maid didn’t die.”

“That’s good.”