“Let’s begin.”

Vivian slowly rose and strode towards the center of the conference room.

On the round table, a testing device was placed.

The royal physician, Hilter, who entered shortly after, nervously placed the testing tools on the table under the focused gazes of the nobles.

Hilter carefully placed the testing tool on the Empress’s arm, observing her reaction.

The nobles in the room momentarily held their breaths at the sight of the Empress, who showed no movement at all.

They had only known her as a delicately raised, fragile young lady…

The Empress’s appearance in the conference room today brought tension to everyone.

Moreover, her bold demeanor… was enough to make her words seem true.

But if that’s the case, how could Duke Bashvir so confidently wager the Veilman Mine?

The entire room of nobles swallowed their saliva as they stared at the testing tool.

As the sharp needle pricked the Empress’s snow-white arm, a drop of blood flowed from the spot.

Soon, smoke began to rise from the testing tool, which was tinged with a dark red aura.

This testing device, often used exclusively by the nobles, was a magical tool that keenly detected changes in the body, greatly aiding in treatment.

If the smoke turned black, it indicated the Ilachino disease.

If it remained white, it signified a healthy state without illness.

In a brief moment, the smoke enveloped the space in a hazy veil.

It was pure white smoke.

‘…!’

Everyone in the room stared at the smoke in shock, but for different reasons.

*

After the Emperor and Empress left, the faces of the nobles leaving the conference room were divided into black and white.

Evelina, her face pale as a sheet, hurriedly fled outside as if escaping, while Diarob and his subordinates couldn’t hide their laughter.

Among them, Duke Bashvir, barely concealing his heated state, disappeared with a flushed face he couldn’t hide.

Thus, the Veilman Mine was transferred to the imperial family.

Everything was flowing according to Empress Vivian’s will.

Vivian slowly made her way to the Empress Palace.

Her elegantly extended gait and demeanor were relaxed, and her expression was composed as if she had predicted everything.

Casius also followed behind, carefully recalling the scenes from the conference room.

In his mind, the Empress’s image rushed in like a tidal wave.

The boldness to stand on a precarious summit and seize everything.

The meticulousness to move as if everything had been planned.

.

.

.

The Empress in the violet flower field.

On top of that, the Empress’s back as she sat docilely in the hideout.

Yes, it must be something like that, like it was covered in Rachel’s perfume.

That’s how it should be and must be, but…

The sunlight flickered over her blue hair, making it ripple in a golden hue.

Casius instinctively walked towards the Empress.

His heavy footsteps were rushing somewhere as if enchanted.

In the corridor where everyone had disappeared, there were only two people.

Casius Wolfdor and Vivian Snowfell.

The dazzling sunlight pouring towards the two was fragmented and fluttered through the window frames.

Casius, having caught up with Vivian’s steps, stopped at a distance of about one step away.

“Ray.”

At the name ringing in her ears, Vivian’s steps abruptly halted.

Ray was a nickname he had created long ago, derived from the name Rachel.

Casius often used to call me by that shortened name.

‘Why am I hearing that nickname here and now?’

Could it be that Casius has noticed me?

No, that can’t be. If that were the case, I should have been dead already.

The contractor is merciless when it comes to such contracts.

What should I do?

I hesitated for a moment, but in a space where only the two of us remained, it would have been strange to ignore his voice after hearing it.

As I turned around, Casius’s gaze collided with mine.

The vivid blue eyes shining on his face rippled as they held me.

In his wavering eyes, there was even a hint of desperation.

The eyes, etched with cracks as if about to cry at any moment, were piercingly beautiful.

The face containing all of that was as pale as it was transparent.

Just by looking, I could tell what he was thinking.

He is…

He sees Rachel in me.

As the scattered sunlight dyed his silver hair a reddish hue.

His languid voice, as if drenched in moisture, echoed through the space.

“Atasha e winoa ti amo.”

This sentence, incomprehensible even if someone heard it, held a meaning known only to Casius and me.

He and I had created a secret language to whisper our love for each other.

I had told him that one day he would boldly confess to me in the imperial language, but I had stopped him.

I thought in the eyes of others, our love would be seen as nothing more than the struggle of a woman crazed with ambition.

In the lie that I wanted us to use our own secret language, there was actually my flawed intention to hide everything.

The Casius of those days, who knew nothing, believed my words straightforwardly and created sentences that only the two of us would use for a lifetime.

But why are you standing before me and reciting that sentence again?

I am no longer Rachel.

I can’t recite the same words to you.

On top of those words, another sentence was added.

“Wi d gracio riponer.”

I clenched my fists tightly, fearing that my trembling eyes would be noticed.

I felt like I might blurt out the same words inadvertently.

When I look at Casius’s pale face.

When I think of him suffering alone in the room.

When I think of his past times of being broken and collapsed in pain.

Even so, when I think of you who still can’t forget and yearns for me…

With all my might, I too want to say it back.

Atasha e winoa ti amo

Wi d gracio riponer

But instead, I crush and shatter all of that.

It’s the only way to save you.

“Your Majesty.”

I tried hard to pull the corners of my mouth up into a full smile.

I recited with a face that showed no understanding at all.

“You don’t look well. I will summon Sir Hilter.”

Casius’s face instantly contorted.

Like a shattered piece, cracks spread across it.

The sunlight that had veiled his vision gradually lifted, and a dark shadow fell over the place where Rachel’s visage had been shrouded.

The transparent golden hair that had rippled like a mirage until a moment ago disappeared as if washed away, and a new color was layered on top of it.

The highly saturated blue hair had a color that could not be called anything else, even as a joke.

The fairy-like, fragile figure of Rachel was nowhere to be seen, and in its place stood a woman with a strong face, clenching her fists.

‘Hah…’

Casius gasped for breath and then let out a hollow laugh.

Has he really gone crazy?

Now, out of all things, he was clearly enchanted by something… or someone.

He could no longer fathom exactly where his mind had been so lost.

Casius, cursing inwardly, passed by the Empress with a stiff face.

Just as he was about to pass by, the Empress asked with concern.

“Are you alright?”

The Empress’s deeply worried face captured Casius’s gaze.

Now even that was sickening to him.

It twisted his mood to think that he was receiving such concern as if they were lovers in love.

It was true that he was a madman for accepting even worry in this way, but what could he do?

Since 7 years ago, the times he had been in his right mind could be counted on one hand.

No, had there ever been a time when he was in his right mind?

However, Casius draped a smile on his face, albeit disgustingly.

Repeating a single purpose of using her in his mind.

“Don’t you hate me?”

“Pardon?”

“It would be normal to hate me.”

“How could that be?”

Casius stared at the Empress intently.

Despite the monotonous tone, the voice contained a subtle difference from the tone in the conference room, filled with emotion.

As if she was genuinely concerned.

It couldn’t be anything but an absurdly great act.

No, now it was doubtful whether what the Empress was doing was even an act.

“In today’s conference room, the Empress conducted a humiliating test. I went along with it.”

The Empress seemed lost in thought for a moment, then soon showed a bright smile.

“Well, I don’t think it was that humiliating.”

The Empress took a step closer, draping a pure white smile on her lips.

“But it’s nice. Your Majesty is worrying about me to this extent. It was worth doing the test.”

Her innocent appearance made it unclear whether her head was made of a flower field or if it was just positivity.

Ah, perhaps it was because she had received something.

“You seem to be in a good mood after receiving the Veilman Mine.”

The Empress moved her characteristic cherry-colored lips and soon raised her strong eyes to look at him.

“It’s not mine, but rather being transferred to the imperial family.”

“Either way, the administrator will be designated as the Empress, so isn’t that what you were aiming for?”

“Even if I’m the administrator, I can’t use it as my private property. So, about that…”

The Empress rolled her characteristic violet eyes as if gauging his reaction, then continued.

Whenever the Empress was about to make an absurd request, her eyes would become like that.

With an ominous feeling, Casius frowned and asked.

“What is it?”