The ground underfoot was sticky and tangled.

The symbol of the Imperial Family was distinct on the crimson coat draped over his shoulders.

With no one following behind or walking alongside him,

he walked alone.

The knight guarding the Eternal Rest Palace suddenly lifted his head.

“Your Majesty. You’ve been out walking since early dawn.”

“I will be alone, so do not follow me.”

“Without an escort… I understand.”

Dew clung to his hair. The weather was unusually chilly for the early morning.

As he exhaled, a white breath burst forth.

Benjamin took steps and stood in front of the Eternal Rest Palace.

After the deposed Crown Prince ascended to the throne, covering the Imperial Family in blood, his subsequent actions were crucial.

‘Was grandfather’s tomb moved?’

‘Yes. It has been relocated.’

He stood before the exhumed grave.

It had now been restored to its previous state.

‘Grandfather, are you at peace.’

Benjamin stood in front of someone’s tombstone.

The deposed Empress who was pushed away as if abandoned and lost her position.

Even in death, her corpse could not be properly retrieved, and she lost her honor with a burned body.

In the empty graveyard, a single tombstone was erected.

The tombstone bore the dates of her birth and death.

To comfort the deceased, a memorial tower stood tall in the center of the Eternal Rest Palace.

The last ‘goodness’ he could offer.

Benjamin turned his body and left the Eternal Rest Palace.

“Your Majesty, I will summon an escort for you.”

Even as the two sentry knights conversed,

Benjamin chose to walk alone once again.

[This is the timeline separator]

“The capital has changed a lot too.”

As Charlotte gazed out of the carriage, Aster replied from across her.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen the capital as well.”

“So much that it feels unfamiliar.”

“Since His Majesty’s ascension to the throne, the citizens of the empire have finally been able to breathe. Even the commoners who lived with tightened belts can now sigh in relief.”

The capital had a completely different atmosphere compared to when she left. Despite the heavy weight pressing down on the people, there was a sense of liveliness.

“Has the situation in the capital improved a lot?”

“The aristocrats consider the Imperial Palace’s threshold as the threshold to the afterlife, but for the commoners, if things have improved, it’s good. If not, it’s bad.”

Five years have passed. Charlotte opened the carriage window. The familiar scenery felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Amidst this, she heard a mumble, ‘His Majesty has become a bit strange,’ but Aster didn’t seem to register it.

“It must be suffocating for someone who frequently ventured outside the palace.”

Aster seemed to hesitate for a moment but didn’t say anything further.

“If that’s the case, then so be it.”

His tone was slightly detached.

“The emperor you knew before may be different now.”

“With how much time has passed, I don’t expect him to be exactly the same.”

The carriage arrived in front of the mansion. As she opened the carriage door and stepped out, she saw a familiar hand.

The hand was wrinkled, but its warmth would be as comforting as ever. Leandro gestured with his arm once more.

“Won’t you take it?”

Charlotte slowly grasped his hand.

“It’s been a long time.”

“You’re late.”

“I set out early, trying to depart quickly, but…”

As Charlotte’s words trailed off, Aster followed, stepping out of the carriage.

“Let’s feed the child first and then talk. The child has traveled a long distance in the carriage, so shouldn’t we feed her first?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Would you like to attend the memorial service together?”

Aster asked Charlotte, who had just finished her meal.

“Would it be a bit boring for you to accompany us?”

Charlotte smiled softly as she wiped her lips with a napkin. These people were still the same. If there were people who remained the same despite the passage of time, it was the Windsor family.

“If you’re not busy, then yes.”

“Then let’s go together in the evening.”

“And with grandfather?”

Leandro simply glanced up and nodded in agreement.

There was no need for a special adjustment period in the capital.

The room Charlotte used was still the same, and the servants took pride in maintaining their dignity.

As she opened the door, the room tidied up by the maids greeted her.

Charlotte stood quietly at the threshold, peering into the room, and Aster followed, asking,

“I told them to move all your luggage, is anything missing?”

“No. It’s just been a long time, so I was taking a moment to look.”

“You and your silly antics. Come down later in time for dinner.”

Charlotte pondered, stroking her chin.

She had purposely waited for her family to bring up the topic of Benjamin, but there was no particular mention of him.

Based on the conversation in the carriage, his reputation didn’t seem to be bad.

But it wasn’t particularly good either, so was this something she needed to find out by meeting him in person?

The carriage crossed the square. Beyond the window, the sun was just setting.

The memorial service began in the evening. Dusk settled thickly in the alleys.

A purple and reddish sunset spread beyond the hills.

Uncle and Grandfather got out of the carriage first, and Charlotte followed.

“You should have brought a thicker shawl, shouldn’t you?”

“I don’t often wear heavy clothes.”

“The estate must have been colder than the capital…”

Aster narrowed his eyes and asked,

“Did you go around like that?”

Responding with silence, Aster sighed, touching his forehead as if he understood.

“Just like Cosette.”

The streets were bustling with the memorial service. Street vendors selling lanterns for the service filled the streets.

For those who died unjustly during the previous emperor’s reign, and those who died of starvation.

This memorial service was to comfort the masses.

To tell them that the long turmoil had ended.

“There are already so many people even though it’s still early evening.”

Crowds gathered around the tower.

“Is that the central tower?”

This seemed to be the center of the square. That’s why there were more people gathered here.

Charlotte looked up at the tower placed in one spot of the square. Next to the central tower, an unfamiliar tower had been erected.

Charlotte stopped in her tracks, and Aster spoke beside her.

“It’s the Memorial Tower. There’s one in the Imperial Palace’s Eternal Rest Palace and one here in the central square of the Imperial City.”

“I see… I don’t remember seeing anything like this before.”

“You’ve been away from the capital for a while, so you wouldn’t have had the chance to see it. It hasn’t been long since His Majesty ascended the throne and had it built.”

Aster replied, looking up at the Memorial Tower.

The Memorial Tower was a tower built to comfort the loyal subjects and citizens of the empire who died unjustly during the previous emperor’s reign.

In those days, they couldn’t utter a word about the injustice and simply died,

and now, the Memorial Tower was erected in the central square to soothe their grievances.

‘I haven’t heard about something like this being built in his previous life…’

As Charlotte stared blankly at the tower, Aster glanced around.

“Charl.”

“Yes.”

“Come this way. If you get pushed into the crowd, you’ll get lost.”

On the Memorial Tower, the words ‘Rest for Them’ were inscribed in an ancient language.

The memorial service began. The priests chanted prayers.

Charlotte gently closed her eyes.

Mother, have you found peace now? There are people here who will mourn that death.

But when I died, there were no such people for me.

If only I had been granted a bit of this peace. I wouldn’t have had to feel such misery.

‘Rest for them.’

May all the deceased find peace.

“They’re raising the lanterns.”

Aster tilted his head back.

“Indeed.”

These lanterns serve as signposts, telling the deceased not to lose their way.

Lanterns that should have been raised long ago are being raised only now.

Charlotte felt a gaze behind her back. She suddenly turned her head.

The square was crowded with people.

And beyond that, their eyes met.

‘As if he would find me wherever I am.’

His eyes were fixed solely on Charlotte.

[This is the timeline separator]

A sharp aura flowed. It was a bit eerie.

Goosebumps formed on her skin as a chill brushed past her lower back.

His dark eyes stood out even in the darkness.

People subconsciously avoided him.

As if they instinctively knew that nothing good would come from coming into contact with this person.

“It’s His Majesty.”

Leandro also felt that gaze and turned to look at Benjamin.

“His presence may be fiercer than before. I was worried you might find it unfamiliar and be a bit hesitant…”

“Don’t worry.”

“Right. You’re Charlotte, so there’s nothing for me to worry about.”

Charlotte had previously compared him to a black snake.

Even now, he was similar to how he used to be.

However, there was something more blatant about him compared to before.

“He disappeared.”

“Yes. There are too many people.”

People were gathering here and there once again.

He vanished from sight. Buried in the crowd beyond.

“Charl.”

Leandro called out to her.

“If you space out like that, you’ll get lost.”

“I’m not a child, why would I get lost?”

“Even though the structure of the central square is simple, it becomes difficult to navigate when there are many people. Just look at the central tower right now, does it seem easy to find someone in this crowd?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Perhaps it was because there were too many people.

Charlotte was pushed away just like that.

“Charlotte…!”

She lost hold of his hand. Aster hastily reached out, but their fingertips missed each other.

Charlotte struggled to escape from the crowd pressing down on her body.

She brushed her long hair back with her hand and tried to retrace her steps, but the path was obscured by the people.

There were so many people in front of the Memorial Tower that only the top of the tower was barely visible.

“Getting pushed around like that.”

A voice rang out above her head.

“Are you trying to become a lost child here?”

Someone gently pulled Charlotte.

“Come this way.”

As Charlotte lifted her head, she saw a broad chest in front of her.

Tilting her head back further, his Adam’s apple came into view.

Black eyes followed her. His features exuded a strong presence even in the darkness.

He seemed a bit more solid. A little harder, perhaps.

His grip encircled her wrist.

Rough and firm calluses overlapped on her delicate skin.

The back of his hand was also covered in scars and injuries.

His shoulders had broadened, and his physique had grown. This is what you look like at this time.

Benjamin reached out and cupped her cheek.

Her entire cheek was covered by a single palm. That alone made her keenly aware of the extreme difference in their physiques.

Charlotte took a step back.

Benjamin gazed down at that single step and murmured,

“Charl.”

Charlotte tilted her neck and looked up at him.

“What if you walk around in a daze like that? Get your head on straight.”

Benjamin’s dark eyes were unusually deep today.

“You can’t walk alone here, Charl.”

He hadn’t just changed in physique, but in other aspects as well, it seemed.