“Please, have mercy! Now, please, please…!”

Wriggling like maggots.

The servants murmured in the darkness.

“Is this what happens when you put ants in water?”

He had no pity anywhere.

Seeing dying ants, who would feel guilty here?

Crawling under his foot, begging for life; how pathetic are these guys?

“I’ll even lick my foot.”

He extended his sole.

“P-Please let us go. Then, we’ll run away far…!”

“The damn mongrels of the temple will chase you. Ah, right. That woman won’t miss them. I’ll kill these bastards and bury… Grrrr! I know. I know too! It’s because of the damn shackles these mongrels tied me up with!”

“L-Lady?”

“Be quiet. Quiet.”

Pyotr kept tapping his ears.

Twisting his neck and wetting his throat, he twisted his shoulders. The reversed pupils were eerie.

“No, no. This isn’t right. No. Go away. Even if I tell you to go away…!”
In the end, even the servants pleaded.

If you’re going to kill, please kill us gracefully.

Long silver hair flowed down below the waist. Leandro straightened his back. The tightly pulled wrinkles on his face made him look stern. The white abundant hair belonged to an elderly man, but perhaps due to the fact that Windsor had held swords for generations, his spirit was still fierce.

“What are you doing here?”

Aster knocked on the door.

“If you’re alone in a place without the owner, you might be misunderstood.”

The other rooms were plain, but this one was different. The light pink wallpaper exuded warmth as if it was soaked in heat. The wardrobe had its sharp edges rounded, and somewhere, the furniture showed signs of being touched by many hands.

To prevent drafts, a windproof cushion was placed on the windowsill, and there, a light pink curtain was drawn. The floor was bright and clean, and there was no dust on the furniture that the servants always cleaned.

However, there was no sign of people.

There were no traces of someone stepping on the floor, and although it was well-maintained, no one seemed to be using it.

“It seems like the moment the child stayed here has passed quickly.”

It became hazy like a hallucination.

“Should I have left them alone for a little longer?”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Both of them.”

Not as the Empress but as a granddaughter.

Not as a woman from another family but as my own daughter.

“The traces of their stay are quickly erased.”

“This is a room where the owner has already left.”

Aster replied while examining the empty room.

“It is not to be bothered. Please do not mind.”

Who has lived without regrets? Who among them hasn’t piled up regrets like the current Windsor?

“I thought it was the best, but I guess I won’t be forgiven even if I die.”

“…”

“If that child doesn’t forgive me.”

Leandro revealed his inner thoughts intermittently like a soliloquy.

“I don’t even know what forgiveness I should seek if I die.”

They cut each other off harshly.

After ending the cruel tie between them, even death turned their backs on each other.
“I’ve finished urgent tasks, and I have some free time to go out.”

As she covered herself with a shawl and finished preparing, Benjamin tied her hair up with a hairband from behind.

“Also, I’m not going alone.”

“Why is that?”

“It would be strange for me, a member of the Empress’s family, to sleep alone.”

Sharlov finally understood his meaning.

“Are you going to Windsor?”

“Yeah. I told them I’ll stay there for a day.”

“…Does that mean the palace will be empty for a day?”

“I said I’ll spend a day outside, so I guess it will be.”

Benjamin asked Shal about his expression.

“Do you dislike it?”

“No. No, I just didn’t expect to stay at home.”

His expression subtly loosened. It was evident that he was secretly pleased with the news. Sharlov, with a subtle tone as if realizing it belatedly, asked,

“Is this also a covert operation?”

“Well, if I hide my identity as a member of the Hwang family and go on an unofficial leave, isn’t this also a covert operation?”

Benjamin shorty affirmed, “Is that so?” and urged him.

“Our families have been avoiding each other lately. I don’t know why they keep circling around each other without saying a word, but they seem to like it. I sent the Information Officer to Windsor, and he was surprised to see how pleased the Chol family was. Even though you visited the mansion a few days ago, the disappointment at not being able to stay long was quite evident.”

Benjamin extended his arm, as if to grab something.

“Make sure to maintain a proper distance so that the guards don’t notice me. Follow me.”

The guards exchanged glances among themselves.

‘Is it possible to hide our presence from His Majesty in the first place?’

Although the guards continued their silent resistance, their resistance was ignored.

“It would be better to wear a robe.”

Sharlov hid her red hair under a robe. The deep color made it less noticeable.

It seemed challenging for the Empress to go on an outing outside the palace after becoming the Empress, depending on the era.

“Well, then I’ll see you again tomorrow morning.”

The courtier bid them farewell.

Later, the carriage arrived at the entrance of Windsor.

“You are waiting outside.”

As the carriage stopped, Benjamin got out first. The view opened beyond the narrow door.

The old man extended his arm, and that arm was firm. The gaze reached the wrinkled back of the hand.

Sharlov, who had covered herself with a robe, wet the hood. The deep red color flowed like a stream.

After a short silence, the maternal uncle asked.

“Aren’t you going to arrest her?”

A straight gesture urged Sharlov.

“…Were you waiting for me?”

“I just came out.”

The clasped arms were cold.