The two lips interlocked deeply. Breath scattered like faintly spreading smoke. A hand covering one cheek tilted the neck back.

“Ah…”

A bitter-sweet scent permeated the tip of the nose. It was a familiar yet languid sense of comfort. That eased the tension.

Hot breath moistened the inside of the mouth. One side blowing in breath, the other side thirstily drinking it in.

I’m thirsty. Give me more. It’s not enough.

They devoured each other. Like biting into fruit, they took a mouthful of each other’s traces.

They chewed that pulp. Like a child with sweet candy in their mouth, they chased those traces.

Still thirsty.

I want something deeper. A little more.

A stinging pain spread in the mouth.

He bit the lip weakly. The Adam’s apple vibrated, growling like a beast.

It was terribly like a snake.

While tightly entwining so she couldn’t escape, he soothed his fiancée in his arms so she wouldn’t be frightened.

Hot breath grazed the chin. Hot. Terribly hot.

That warmth pulled the limp Charlotte above water.

“Haa…”

Charlotte clung desperately, not realizing his shirt was getting wrinkled.

Benjamin tilted his chin and removed her hand. When he interlaced their fingers, the grip loosened.

“It’s alright.”

Charlotte slowly relaxed her body.

“It will be alright.”

Charlotte took a hasty breath. Her fingertips curled. Is it because of this close distance?

Looking into his eyes, it felt like her heart was being gently caressed.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

Apart from her resentment towards her father, Charlotte wished to be with someone.

She hoped this life would be peaceful.

Even if her outward life wasn’t peaceful, inwardly she prayed for this tranquility to last a little longer.

What could she do?

After dying miserably in a past life, was it wrong to wish for a brief respite in this one?

“I was in pain too.”

I endured as best I could.

“Enduring wasn’t the end, I found.”

Her hazy consciousness gradually sank.

Benjamin slowly withdrew his body.

The wheezing breath was very calm. Even his hardened expression softly relaxed.

‘What are you?’

What kind of dream could you be having to make such an expression?

Sometimes you seem like you would drive anyone to the edge of a cliff, but it also seems like you’re the one standing at the cliff’s edge.

Has the resentment underlying that expression faded? Or deepened?

Your expression is calm, but looking at you, I feel like you’re just…

“Like a child about to die”

Benjamin covered Charlotte’s eyes.

Harsh sunlight pours down. Is it a bit hot today? It was cold until yesterday, but now the heat in the room is stifling.

Charlotte curled her body to avoid the sunlight. It’s been a while since she slept this long.

Charlotte basked in the sunlight a little longer.

‘A hand?’

She saw an arm resting on her waist. The thick arm didn’t budge at all, just wrapped around her waist. But it wasn’t heavy. The back of the hand with blue veins showing was familiar. It was full of small scars from wielding a sword.

The sleeping Benjamin was beside her.

‘Did I see wrong?’

Charlotte was about to sigh softly but swallowed it. She thought he might wake up. When she reached out to touch his forehead, he furrowed his brow.

“When did I change clothes…”

She was wearing a thin nightgown. Just then, Benjamin woke up. Blinking his eyes drowsily, he stretched out his arm.

“The head maid changed you. It seemed uncomfortable to sleep like that.”

“Ah…”

“Was it improper?”

“No. It just feels like I slept soundly for the first time in a long while.”

Charlotte looked down at her nightgown and slowly pulled up the blanket.

“…Ah, I forgot to say I’d be late to my maternal family’s house.”

“I took care of that. I sent a messenger bird, so they’ll understand.”

“I fell into such a deep sleep.”

“The head maid said you curled up like a squirrel as soon as she changed you into the nightgown. You really did look like a squirrel.”

Charlotte scratched her head with an embarrassed laugh. Was it because it was early morning? It took time for her foggy head to clear. She recalled the deep black eyes from last night.

“Charlotte.”

Charlotte pulled the blanket up further.

“It seems like I did something terrible.”

“It’s just too early in the morning…”

Benjamin reached out his arm, seeing her reddening face.

“Are you hot?”

“A little.”

“Was the fire in the hearth too high?”

“The sunlight is harsh.”

It’s embarrassing to bring this up now. Charlotte brushed her nape once and hid her face with her crimson hair. He brushed her hair up to meet her eyes and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Even after marriage, there will be no other woman but you. Not for political reasons either. I won’t let you feel that sense of loss again. Instead, we’ll fulfill our duties as husband and wife, grow deeper, and do all the things we couldn’t do last night.”

“…”

“If you’re scared, just close your eyes and stay by my side. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Charlotte opened her eyes wide. He kissed her forehead and got up from the bed first.

“The nightgown is so thin, everything shows through. The head maid will help you, so wash up and come out. We skipped dinner too, so let’s eat first.”

After Benjamin left the room, the head maid entered leading the maids. Seeing their determined expressions, weren’t these people afraid of the emperor before? The maids put Charlotte in the bath water and poured in fragrant oils.

“Your hair is so beautiful. Yesterday, Your Grace fell into such a deep sleep, His Majesty stood by your side for a long while, gazing down at you. It was such a lovely sight. It seems a great celebration will come to the imperial family.”

Charlotte fiddled with her hair. Her hair had absorbed a lot of moisture and turned black. Charlotte dried her hair with a towel and pinned it up.

She put on a dress with pink fabric overlaid with lace and matching shoes. Where did this come from…

“It really suits you well. I’ve never seen His Majesty look so relaxed before, but now I see why. Even as a child, he never revealed his inner feelings…”

The head maid had been Benjamin’s childhood nanny.

Even if the imperial palace had been devoured by a pack of wolves, not all of them were corrupt. Most remained silent, waiting for this chaos to end, but there were those who kept their beliefs and loyalty even within the palace. The imperial physicians and priests were like that.

‘All of us in the imperial palace have sworn to the God of Medicine. We vow to practice medicine with faith and conviction, and not to misuse this art even if our lives are threatened. Please do not doubt our convictions.’

‘We are priests. We cannot do anything shameful before the God of Healing.’

It was even more so because all who learned medicine wrote their vows in the temple.

“Your preparations are complete. I will escort you to the dining area.”

The maids led Charlotte to the imperial palace’s back garden. Charlotte slowly took steps, looking around.

The wide flower garden was like a plaza. This vast area was full of grass, with a single pagoda tree standing tall.

“The head of the Windsor family and his son have arrived. His Majesty arrived first and is currently in conversation with the head of the family.”

“Someone came from my maternal family’s house?”

Charlotte hurried her steps. In the distance, Leandro was seated at the banquet table. As she stood staring blankly, Leandro turned his head and gestured.

“Come here.”

“Why…”

“Look at your uncle’s expression.”

Aster mumbled as if relieved when he saw Charlotte.

“I told you not to be too late, but you ended up staying out all night. Not thinking of the family waiting at home.”

“Your uncle has been overprotective lately.”

“Father. This isn’t me being excessive. Look at that child. It seems the imperial palace has put Charlotte to sleep like a hibernating bear.”

“Hibernating?”

“Look at those cheeks, round as the moon!”

Once Charlotte took her seat at the banquet table, the meal began.

“It seems we were needlessly worried.”

“Did you perhaps not receive the messenger bird?”

Aster answered this part instead.

“Ah, the messenger bird arrived. It’s just that our family members are particularly sensitive, so think of it that way.”

Benjamin seemed to have anticipated this from the beginning, preparing a place in the back garden. He may have expected it from when he sent the messenger bird last night.

The meal began, and the tableware clinked quietly. As the imperial family avoids stimulating spices, the banquet table was set with mild dishes.

“It seems the time has come for us to send our child away. Now it will be difficult to embrace her in our arms alone.”

Charlotte roughly understood which part he was talking about.

“From now on, it’s time to embrace the imperial palace with loyalty. It’s also good as a sign that the chaos has ended.”

Leandro carefully built up the steps. The steps that Charlotte would have to climb from now on.

“We must hasten the marriage to promote stability in the imperial palace. We’ve already confirmed where Charlotte’s heart is directed. To keep her by our side out of our own greed, we’ve already seen by whose side she shines more.”

Feeling both regretful and sorry. These mixed emotions always accompany me when I see this child.

“At first we brought her to the imperial palace to compose herself, but it seems Charlotte should have been here from the beginning.”

“I…”

“She’s grown too much to be called a child now. It’s time for me to change how I address her, but I don’t know why I’m like this.”

Charlotte smiled and swallowed her voice.

“It seems I was very worried.”

Benjamin and the others all left their seats.

“Human affairs are a series of moments of chance, and when chances accumulate, they become life.”

Leandro stood with his hands behind his back, blankly looking down at the imperial palace. As the back garden was like a hill, looking down gave a feeling of a wide open view.

“Do you remember what I told you yesterday?”

“I remember, grandfather.”

If you want to run away, then run away. If you run away, we will hide you.
If you want to go forward, don’t look back. We will push your back.

“Did you choose to run away? Or did you choose to go forward?”

“I chose to walk forward.”

Charlotte turned her head.

“If it’s hard, tell me once in a while.”

“And then?”

“Because I’ll be behind you. Isn’t it better than going alone, whatever it is?”

Down below, Benjamin approached leading his attendants.

“The Windsor family carriage is waiting below, is the conversation over?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for being considerate of our conversation between grandfather and grandchild.”

Charlotte watched the departing figures. In the past, she might have felt lonely.

“Charlotte is very sensitive to cold. Please be especially mindful of the fireplace at night.”

Leandro left only those words and turned his back. As he gradually moved away, he spoke as if he had just remembered something.

“Don’t go too far alone. Your uncle feels lonely. Your uncle isn’t usually like that…”