“How does the Winterdell family become poison to me?”

“Currently, among the imperial faction nobles, Bashvir Winterdell is gaining attention as a leader. Since Lady Ivelina has been appointed as an aide.”

“……”

“If this situation continues, Bashvir will eventually monopolize the power of the imperial faction nobles.”

“So?”

“Bashvir is a person whose front and back are different. He will never be an ally solely for Your Majesty.”

Casius tilted his head sideways.

“Does the Empress now think that it would be better for Diarob to monopolize rather than Bashvir?”

“No. I am saying that after the Winterdell forces monopolize power, it will be a distant prospect for the imperial faction to gather in Rosemary as Your Majesty wishes.”

Showing a gap in the power struggle is no different from giving room for water.

Those who covet positions they cannot have should not be given even more bait.

Casius stared blankly at Vivian with a determined expression, as if bewitched.

He had planned to protect Rosemary by placing two forces on the scale for power checks, but it was the first time he had detailed the power war so specifically.

In fact, there was nothing wrong with the Empress’s words.

Casius knew it too. That someday when Bashvir’s power grew, the one he would stab would be himself and Rosemary.

That’s why he initially planned to have the two forces compete and gradually neutralize them.

And if there was any attack that could be directed at Rosemary, he intended to use it as an arrow catcher, and then employ Rosemary when the political situation stabilized.

Of course, the bleeding in between would be great, and in the process, the blade would hang over his own neck, but now that didn’t matter at all.

However, given this situation, it was clear that Rosemary could now come to the forefront immediately.

As Bashvir’s power decreased, the imperial faction personnel would naturally follow Lord Siron.

What was puzzling was that the Empress was once again helping Rosemary without fail.

“Unexpected. I didn’t think the Empress would speak for Rosemary.”

Rosemary was where Rachel, who was the subject of many rumors, Rachel who was still buried in his heart, was.

From the Empress’s standpoint, it should normally be unwelcome.

However, the Empress smiled a fresh smile resembling green leaves, as if such things didn’t matter.

“Because the path that benefits Rosemary is the path that benefits Your Majesty.”

The Empress’s clear eyes that had lowered her utensils narrowed softly.

“I can do anything for Your Majesty.”

Her solemn face looked as if she would even die for him.

Casius furrowed his brow at the uncontrollable questions rising up.

*

The way back to the palace was quiet but peaceful.

After hearing the reason for striking Winterdell, Casius seemed to accept it and didn’t ask any further questions.

The occasional words he spoke were awkward but contained kindness, and his escorting hand was courteous.

Like treating any precious lady.

That face looked somewhat unnatural, but it was perfect enough that others wouldn’t notice at all.

If someone saw from behind, it would look as if Casius and I were truly an affectionate couple.

‘Did the divine dragon really grant my wish?’

I felt sorry for calling it ungrateful.

On the way out of the carriage, he once again politely extended his hand to escort me.

The touching fingertips burn as if they’re about to catch fire.

At this small temperature, this brief touch, hope springs forth again. As always.

The love guide said to distinguish between kindness and love, but what else can I rely on if not that?

When I squeezed out the courage to ask him to love me in the carriage, how were his eyes?

In the blue eyes that seemed surprised, an unknown waveform was spreading.

Casius, who always suspected that I moved with some ulterior motive, would now know.

That at the end of all my movements is a desperation directed towards you.

So perhaps he’s become a little kinder than before.

Perhaps that’s why he’s offering even just his hand.

It’s ridiculous to think this way now after spending the first night together, but truly such thoughts came flooding in like the tide.

Finding pieces of hope among the ruins of despair was quite a joyful yet painful task.

As all hope accompanies torture.

Steps punctuated by deep thoughts moved towards the Empress’s palace with that much weight.

Unaware that Casius’s gaze was following from behind.

*

The Empress was truly a strange woman.

At first, when you hear the Empress’s words, everything seems reasonable, but when you think about it carefully, there are many questions.

A woman who asks to be loved mentions ‘Rosemary’ casually in front of him time and time again.

As if Rachel wasn’t even an uncomfortable subject at all.

‘Is she acting like this because she’s certain Rachel is dead?’

That would make sense.

If the purpose was to approach him by using Rosemary.

If planting rosemary in the clerk’s building, and even trying to empower Rosemary, was all part of begging for his affection…

Casius swallowed a painkiller for the headache that was rising again.

As the raging headache subsided somewhat, another statement came to mind.

“Tikan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What did you say the Empress babbled to you before?”

“Pardon?”

Tikan, who was rolling his eyes at the sudden question, soon grasped his lord’s intention and answered.

“She said she would be able to find my sister soon.”

Casius, who reacted like a seizure at the mere mention of Rachel’s name, frowned again today as well.

That she would find Rachel soon.

His eyes were bloodshot.

Convinced that Rachel had already disappeared from this world, yet pretending to care for Rosemary in front of him, what nonsense.

Love, she says.

Please love me, she says.

Right. Such love that she begs for, I just need to give it out like alms.

If I could become a bastard and destroy Diarob, if I could melt the snow of Snowfell, I could do it a hundred times, a thousand times.

Playing false love with the tip of my tongue is nothing.

The spire of the Empress’s palace caught the end of his gaze.

*

After returning to the Empress’s palace, Vivian blankly stared out the window.

Over the worn love guide, the number of folded pages increased one by one.

The folded pages, having lost their function, were torn out one by one and thrown onto the brazier.

Looking at the blackened ashes, contemplation on whether this was really okay also piled up like a tower.

Herself, fully contained in those blue eyes.

The waveform spreading in them…

The kindness clearly different from before crosses my mind.

Thinking back to when he first yelled at me, everything has noticeably changed.

No, it’s more than just changed.

The eyes that were only piercing when facing me now contained trembling light.

The blue gaze that only avoided me was now filled with me and wavering.

We went on vacation together, wrote words together on the wishing stone, and in all that time, he and I were together.

Although the beginning was a favor obtained through effort, the distance between him and me has clearly narrowed.

If we just take one more step closer like this from now on, won’t I be able to reach you soon?

Won’t I be able to look at you standing within arm’s reach where you can see me?

Won’t I be fully contained in your eyes? Won’t I be fully blooming in those thoughts?

No, it’s alright even if I don’t take root in your heart.

I’ll leave that as my share in this life.

Even if the depth is shallow, if I can just touch you a little so that you can live.

Over the torn-out pages, newly sprouted pages were rolled up in hand.

On them were written hopeful phrases.

1. He becomes kind. Either he looks at me with slight eye smiles or can’t look at me at all.

2. Time spent together increases.

3. There are more acceptances than rejections…]

The heart trembled grandly at the feeling that the path that seemed distant had come closer.

On a night covered in hope, the time of training continued long.

Soon, a knock sounded over the space where silence had deeply settled.

“Come in.”

Click- The door opened and careful footsteps entered through the gap.

The maid who came in carrying a tray with a teacup was Marianne.

I had told her to visit her sibling while we were on vacation, but it seems she had already returned.

But why? Marianne’s face as she brought the teacup was different from before.

An emaciated body, a haggard and tanned face, bloodshot eyes, a face covered in tears…

Marianne’s face was not good, to the point where one might wonder how it could change so much.

“Is your sibling’s condition not good?”

She looked at me with a startled expression and then answered slowly.

“No. Thanks to the healers’ efforts, they fortunately passed the crisis.”

Judging by her ashen face, it wasn’t fine at all.

‘Is she saying that so I won’t worry?’

Marianne was staring blankly into space without even thinking of putting down the tray.

As my gaze fell on her, she seemed to come to her senses and put down the tray with a small sigh of “Ah-“.

What was placed before me was jasmine tea, said to calm the mind.

‘Is she worried about me even in this situation?’

But.

Her arm trembled aimlessly as she put down the teacup.

As if she had committed a crime.