“I knew Charlotte would leave our embrace, but seeing it directly feels strange.”

Aster murmured quietly, gesturing towards the imperial palace.

“Didn’t she initially come to return together?”

“Was that so……”

“Wasn’t father the one who worried about Charlotte the most?”

Leandro stared out the carriage window for a while, seemingly lost in thought. The street trees passed by quickly, and the imperial palace grew more distant.

“Keeping that child in our embrace may have been our selfish desire.”

“How is that selfish?”

“She was a child who had trouble sleeping every night. In the morning, she’d look visibly tired. When day broke, she’d quietly hide her expression as if nothing had happened.”

Charlotte often suffers as if having nightmares when sleeping alone. Though she doesn’t seem to remember.

“At least, she didn’t hide herself when with His Majesty.”

Leandro closed his eyes. A refreshing yet heavy silence fell. Outside, the rain pattered down.

“When I die, I now have a few words to tell Cosette.”

[This is the timeline separator]

The head maid returned.

“The family?”

“They’ve all departed.”

Charlotte smiled softly. After all the family left, Charlotte remained at the imperial palace.

“They must have just passed through the castle gates.”

Outside, the rain was pouring.

“It’s raining. Shall we move inside?”

“It’s fine. I’ll stay like this for now.”

The sound of rain is pleasant. Pitter-patter. Droplets. The sound of water falling from the eaves could be heard.

The imperial palace is divided into east and west wings, with a garden pathway connecting them.

Charlotte took shelter from the rain underneath.

As raindrops fell on the flower bed, the petals trembled. The petals seemed to whimper as if cold.

Charlotte looked outside, waiting for the rain to stop.

Rainwater collected in the gutter flowed along the pathway.

When Charlotte stretched her arm out from under the eaves, rainwater pooled in her palm.

Pitter-patter.

The rhythmic sound of rain soon turned into a heavy downpour.

Dry leaves fell under the domed ceiling. Fallen leaves from the trees planted outside the pathway.

“It’s cold today.”

The head maid called out to Charlotte once more.

“Would you like to put on another layer?”

“I’ll stay like this for just a moment. Just a moment is fine.”

The head maid shifted her feet awkwardly. His Majesty the Emperor had told them to take good care of the young lady……

“Do you enjoy being in the rain?”

“Maybe. I think I used to like it.”

“Then, shall I bring an umbrella? We also have outerwear that won’t get wet in the rain. How about going for a walk warmly dressed?”

Charlotte slowly brushed her hair.

“Even though I said it’s fine……”

“I’ll go fetch them.”

The head maid had already been told by His Majesty the Emperor. That ‘it’s fine’ means it’s not fine, so she shouldn’t believe it as is.

The head maid hurried off to get outerwear and an umbrella. Charlotte shook her head watching her leave.

“Did His Majesty give any other orders?”

“We, we just…… He just ordered us to take good care.”

The maids shifted their feet nervously.

“Today, it might be nice to take a short walk with an umbrella.”

Charlotte only answered that much. She gazed down at the flower bed.

The delicate petals trembled under the raindrops.

The rainwater seeped into the soil, and the garden soil became muddy.

After some time.

Just as the rain splashing on the pathway slowly soaked into her dress.

“You make it so hard to take my eyes off you even for a moment when you’re like this.”

Charlotte turned towards the familiar voice as if drawn to it. Benjamin, walking out from the other end of the pathway, frowned upon seeing Charlotte.

“Were you trying to catch a cold here, in this state? Are you planning to be bedridden on your wedding day? Hm?”

“You can stop being so overprotective. When Your Majesty does that, even the servants start pacing anxiously.”

Benjamin’s gaze fell on the maids.

“We, we’re sorry, Your Majesty!”

“It’s fine. I can see she must have been stubborn.”

Soon the head maid came running with outerwear and an umbrella.

“Your, Your Majesty is here!”

“Give me the coat first.”

“Here it is.”

Benjamin took the coat and put it on Charlotte. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and took the umbrella.

“Don’t follow behind.”

Benjamin ordered that and stepped outside. Charlotte followed by his side.

The umbrella was adequate for one person, but a bit small for two.

“Were you standing alone in the rain that day too?”

“Was there a time I did that?”

“The day a mad black bear turned the area outside the hunting grounds into a wasteland, you were standing alone in the rain and almost became the bear’s prey. I almost saw you digested by that black bear.”

“That was when Your Majesty directly……”

“If you had missed the timing to run while shooting the crossbow, or if I had been late, the black bear might have really devoured you deliciously right there.”

Charlotte swallowed.

“Don’t do that again from now on.”

Charlotte shook her head.

“I’ll be careful.”

“You’re careless.”

“That’s why I was always within Your Majesty’s sight.”

The two stopped walking naturally. The rain grew heavier.

“The rain is getting heavier.”

Pitter-patter. The sound of rain grew louder, and some servants rushed inside to avoid the rain. Thinking their voices would be drowned out by the rain, they whispered.

“My existence felt like a sin. Everything about me was detestable. I thought the fact that I was born became shackles for someone, and that I was also the one who ruined that life.”

Back then, what Charlotte hated most wasn’t her father, his mistress, or that illegitimate child. It was herself.

“It’s like self-loathing. It wasn’t that I was careless, but because I hated myself so much…… I had no time to look back at myself.”

It was worse in her past life. Every dying day was filled with self-loathing, and the death granted at the end was like peace.

“Your birth being a sin? Who told you such nonsense? Was it those damn Tutors again…? Did they spout more nonsense and cloud your eyes again?”

Charlotte looked up and Benjamin was staring down at her.

“Did they make you have those eyes again?”

“It’s in the past now. I’m trying to bury those old memories in the back of my mind.”

The time that was like self-loathing has passed.

“There was never a moment when your existence was your sin. Don’t push yourself to the edge of a cliff, Charlotte.”

Perhaps because of the intensifying rain, the coat was soaked with moisture.

“You’re twisted somewhere, Charlotte.”

Charlotte belatedly examined Benjamin.

“I don’t know why you’re like this, but.”

Benjamin’s shoulders were already soaked. He tilted the umbrella towards Charlotte.

“If you who holds the sword loses direction, the sword will lose direction too.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your Majesty, are you listening?”

Rosquella cleared his throat.

“The royal wedding is set for the end of this month. As the symbolism shown to the outside is also important, this royal wedding will proceed without omitting any procedures.”

While most procedures were omitted for the previous engagement, this wedding is different.

Not only have the positions of the two changed, but if they hastily dealt with the wedding in this situation, it was obvious that the central elders or major ministers would whisper behind their backs. So they planned to thoroughly follow the royal wedding procedures.

“If Your Majesty’s mind is complicated, I will come back later.”

“No. It’s fine.”

“I will have warm tea brought. I’m worried you might catch a cold before the wedding.”

How shocked the head maid and butler were when the two came in soaking wet?

“Are you sincerely worried?”

“We can’t have any disruptions to the schedule.”

“There won’t be any, so proceed as planned.”

Rosquella nodded. If his lord says so, then so be it.

“Construction of the Empress’s palace will begin when the weather warms up. It seems the weather will get quite cold soon. Until then, the Ampalao Palace that the former Empress Dowager used……”

“Keep her by my side.”

Rosquella paused for a moment at those words.

“By your side, meaning?”

“She must not be left alone.”

“Perhaps, even after the marriage……”

“Is that not allowed?”

“According to palace etiquette, it’s not allowed.”

“Don’t bring up customs from over 100 years ago.”

According to palace etiquette, couples before marriage must not lie in the same bed, and even after marriage, except for consummation, they must lie with a dividing curtain between them.

‘If I bring up this etiquette, my head might fly off!’

He quickly shut his mouth.

“Make everything perfect.”

Benjamin recalled Charlotte he saw in the rain. The emptiness dwelling in those eyes gripped all his nerves.

Emptiness made of guilt and self-loathing.

The depression nestled within.

The reason for crying and sobbing in her sleep must also be related to self-loathing.

“What are you so sorry for……”

‘Mom, it’s okay to abandon someone like me.’

Do you depreciate yourself with such words?

“Now is the time to watch over her closely.”

The office became quiet once again.

Time passed gradually. The weather grew colder.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your hands are shaking. Are you nervous?”

Charlotte looked down at her hands in white lace gloves. The head maid fixed the wedding veil on her head.

“Your Majesty, then I’ll lower the veil.”

The maids helped. The bridal veil flowed down like flower petals. Charlotte hid her expression under the veil.

The wedding date set for the end of this month approached rapidly. The imperial family moved up the royal wedding date considering both domestic and foreign affairs, and the day finally dawned.

The atmosphere at the wedding venue was solemn. White flower petals were scattered one by one on the virgin road.

“The veil might be a bit heavy.”

Charlotte stood before the virgin road. Benjamin extended his hand from beside her.

“Are you scared?”

“Pardon?”

“Your neck is stiff.”

The choir’s prayer echoed in the ceremony hall. The prayer sounded like song lyrics gently spreading, yet also like someone whispering in one’s ear.

On the ceiling of the ceremony hall was a carving of the God of Healing symbolizing inclusion, and marble pillars supported such a ceiling.

The singing resonated like an echo. The long dress train dragged on the floor. The hem rustled with each small step.

The white veil flowed down softly like flower petals. The pope carefully sprinkled holy water and recited the marriage vows.

“May peace be upon the future of you two. May God’s providence be with you……”

Benjamin lifted the veil.

“How about softening your expression more?”

Benjamin cupped Charlotte’s cheeks with his hands. His hands cradling her chin gently tilted her neck.

Charlotte placed her hands on his chest.

The imperial family’s crest was clearly embroidered on his jet-black ceremonial attire. The red seal stood out distinctly as if declaring its existence.

Smooch.

Their lips met. As he breathed into her, it felt like her airways opened up.

Her hands grasped his clothes.

Her breath trembled. Her cheeks grew hot with heat and her neck flushed.

It was a fluffy yet sticky feeling.

It surged like waves, rough as if about to sweep away her delicate body.

“Ah……”

Benjamin was looking down at her.