She was a special person just by existing. Ian realized, in the moment their eyes met, that the feeling of having one’s soul pierced was not just a literary expression.

Although he couldn’t explain it objectively, Ian felt a desire to possess her the moment he became aware of her existence.

He thought that if the thread of fate wasn’t connected to her, he would have to threaten the god of destiny to intertwine their threads of fate like a skein.

Nevertheless, Ian was always careful. He feared that his excessive desire and obsession for her might ruin their relationship.

He didn’t want to become like the Emperor. He didn’t want to live with just the empty shell of a body whose soul had dried up. Ian was greedier than the Emperor. He wanted to possess every drop of her soul completely.

So he didn’t approach her rashly. He was cautious and careful. He felt that if she were to meet eyes with the monster existing in his blood, she would lose her soul and disappear.

Instead of rushing forward, he acted as if she would approach and reach out first. She was weak to people who were hurt and pitiful.

Although she habitually said, “It’s just work to make a living,” she was someone who couldn’t ignore a person in pain before her eyes. Even while saying it was work to make money, she actually treated those without money by digging into her own pocket.

Ian was grateful for the fact that he had an illness. It was fine that his eyes turned red, or that he had annoying dreams along with high fever if he didn’t take his medicine properly.

After all, because of that illness, he was able to meet her, and because of that illness, he could keep her by his side.

The excuse that he couldn’t receive treatment from other healers was quite useful.

Since he started having recurring dreams recently, his desire to slowly possess her became urgent.

He was being consumed by anxiety that he might lose her. That’s why he proposed marriage using the dream as an excuse. She seemed to think it was a joke, but Ian was serious.

“I can go alone.”

Because of the servant urging her for an official meeting, Jane said she would return alone. Ian was anxious. It felt like if they parted like this, he would never see her again. It seemed as if a ferocious golden dragon would take her away.

Ian hoped that the ominous feeling he was experiencing now was just needless worry.

“Why is it raining so much? It’s not even the rainy season…”

I looked up at the pouring rain with a disgusted expression, as if there was a hole in the sky.

“Surely it won’t keep raining? Should I change the packaging then…”

I mixed the medicinal herbs I was going to send to Ian with well-dried tea leaves.

Since profits weren’t coming in from just medicinal herbs, I sold tea blended with dried fruits or flowers to add fragrance, targeting nobles at the shop.

It was popular among those looking for tea with unique flavors. It was a simpler task that required less attention than combining medicinal herbs where the efficacy varied greatly depending on the dosage.

Even those who couldn’t enjoy the bitter taste of tea due to the sweet aroma liked it, but I didn’t particularly enjoy this fruit-blended tea either. It felt empty, having a sweet scent but not really tasting sweet.

“Rather than drinking tea, it’s better to drink sweet fruit juice.”

Still, it wasn’t bad to drink warm tea on rainy or cold days like this. Just as I finished packaging the tea, the door opened and Simon, Ian’s head servant, entered.

“The rain is terrible.”

The head servant who entered after greeting still looked robust. His long white beard indirectly hinted at his age, but even though I heard he was older than my grandfather, it didn’t feel real.

He roughly shook his black umbrella and leaned it against the door. He was soaked to the bone, making it hard to believe he had used an umbrella.

“It’s been a while.”

His white hair, usually neatly combed, was now a mess, plastered to his forehead by the rain, and his smooth silk pants were splattered with muddy water.

He was someone who took pride in his role as head servant by always maintaining a well-groomed appearance no matter what, but it seems even he couldn’t handle this downpour.

I quickly found a dry towel in the drawer.

“Are you alright? It’s strange to have so much rain in winter.”

The winters in the Callovanian Empire were dry, and rain was rare. Since rainfall was mostly concentrated in spring and summer, it didn’t snow much in winter, nor did it rain often.

“They used to say that when it rains in winter, dragons come down to earth, work their magic, and return. It seems today will be a magical day. Even this old man feels a bit excited.”

While saying he was excited, his expression looked only bewildered.

I handed Simon the towel.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“It might be unfamiliar to Miss Jane. Even I only heard it from the village elders when I was young. Achoo!”

If he heard it when he was young, those who told the story must have lived in a time when many magicians existed. I found it interesting and wanted to ask more, but hurriedly lit the brazier at his cough.

“Sit there and wait for a moment. I’ll make you a warm drink right away.”

Considering Simon’s age, I worried he might suffer greatly if he caught a cold, so I wrapped him in a thick blanket to prevent his body temperature from dropping and quickly prepared some tea.

I poured wine into a kettle with sliced ginger, cinnamon, and dried citron, and brought it to a boil.

It was a drink commonly enjoyed to warm the body in countries with long winters. Though not a Callovanian style, it was a beverage my grandfather often made for me when I was young during winter.

The alcohol would evaporate when boiled, making it suitable for children, but I mixed in a little brandy for Simons. The alcohol would add warmth to his body.

“It seems brandy has been mixed in. The aroma is pleasant.”

As expected, he noticed immediately. I had heard before that he liked brandy with a subtle caramel scent, well-fermented in oak barrels, and kept brandy and a glass by his bedside to help him sleep on restless nights.

“I thought you’d like it. By the way, did you come here directly in this rain? You could have come after the rain stopped…”

At those words, Simons made an expression that made him look 10 years older and let out a deep sigh.

“His Majesty insisted that I must visit Miss Jane today. He said he had an unpleasant dream…”

Jane had heard about that dream. Was it about being crushed by a dragon? Even after hearing about it, nothing significant had happened. It made her wonder if the interpretation might be wrong.

Could that dream mean good fortune, like the expression ‘struck by money’? Dragons were often used as symbols of wealth, honor, absolute power, and emperors – generally good things.

While thinking there was nothing that could bring me such a windfall, I felt more expectant than anxious.

“He was so worried about checking on Miss Jane’s safety with his own eyes in this rain. If something hadn’t come up at the imperial palace, he would have come through this rain himself.”

“Did something happen?”

I took out a tin box full of cookies. They were gifts received from examining maids and servants working in noble houses. Sometimes, when they couldn’t afford the treatment fee, I would accept cookies as payment.

When I got cookies, I would give them as rewards to children in the back alleys for enduring pain well during treatment, but today I planned to eat them with tea while listening to Simons’ story.

Seventeen years ago, when I first met Simons, we were practically enemies.

Simons disliked how I treated Ian like a brother, being informal and friendly, while I didn’t like him for suddenly bringing me and my grandfather in and threatening us.

Moreover, he would nag about imperial etiquette no matter what I did, so I even cursed him as a stubborn old man.

But that’s all in the past now… Whether it’s because we feel a sense of camaraderie from sharing the same secret, or Simons has softened with age, or perhaps he’s given up on demanding etiquette from me, his nagging has decreased.

I’ve also become more mature as I’ve grown older. Of course, I was an old soul even when I was young. At least now I address Ian as ‘Your Majesty’ and use formal speech.

Anyway, having become close to Simons over these 17 years, I sometimes hear various stories from him when he comes to get medicine. Mostly about the imperial family or happenings in social circles.

Exchanging words with Simons over tea and snacks was one of my favorite activities.

Simons, who had to live his entire life being tight-lipped, seemed to enjoy being able to share various stories, so he would occasionally visit under the pretext of getting medicine to have conversations.