“So, instead of staring out the window with a face that looks like you’re dying to see her, if you want to go, go.”

It was a perfect hit.

Inside the Crown Prince’s bedroom, the night’s melancholy lingered. It was because of the sound coming from Ibelia crouched on the bed.

Ibelia couldn’t stop crying. The story she heard from her father early in the morning had become like a stamp, not erasing from her mind.

“…I’m sorry, Eve.”

“….”
[I lied to you. At that time, you… It’s true that you were in the healing estate.]

The moment Ibelia heard Edwick’s unexpected words, it felt like the sky was falling apart.

Without having the presence of mind to respond, she replayed Felix’s words that naturally came to mind and recalled Khalif’s face, which seemed about to crumble at any moment.

He said that. That she couldn’t remember him. Even for a brief moment, there was no memory of him remaining.

Even though he desperately said so, she thought it was absurd. His face only remained as Rurian Petrov, the Crown Prince of the Empire, in her memories. The name Khalif Dwight was unfamiliar in any way.

But if those moments she believed were dreams were actually real, if Khalif existed in all the times when she felt not alone even though she was alone…

Ibelia tightly closed her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. The overwhelming guilt felt like her heart was being tortured.

“…Why did you do that? You said I was in the estate. Why… why did you say it was a dream?”

Ibelia asked in a voice filled with despair. Her closed eyes couldn’t open. The size of the rushing resentment was too great. She felt like she was about to pour out all the unfiltered resentment the moment she made eye contact with her father. But she couldn’t help opening her eyes when she heard her father’s voice.

“…I thought it was for your sake at that time.”

“So why! Why!! Why was that for my sake!”

Tears that had been barely held back fell uncontrollably. Her father, who had always been proud, was now unbearable to her for the first time.

Even if he hadn’t lied to her, it seemed like he wouldn’t have forgotten what happened in the estate. It seemed like she wouldn’t completely forget Khalif, like she did now.

The days of unbearable agony turned into resentment in an instant, and she directed her anger at Edwick. Even though she knew it was a cowardly act, Ibelia couldn’t stop herself.

It was too painful. If she didn’t do something like that, she really felt like she would die. The torment of the past few days, which was no different from hell, quickly transformed into resentment, and Ibelia protested against Edwick. Despite knowing it was an unfair thing to do, she couldn’t stop.

It was too painful. Even though there wasn’t a single vivid memory, the guilt toward Khalif swelled rapidly.

Ibelia writhed in pain, and Edwick’s expression watching her became even more distorted in agony.

He couldn’t speak for a long time. Lowering his head as if deeply regretting the choices of the past, he couldn’t even look at Ibelia.

But now Edwick knew there was no place to avoid anymore. He slowly raised his head, and with heavy lips, he spoke.

“The child you brought in, who lost consciousness… His face was too similar to the Emperor’s. That alone made him a dangerous child.”

“…”] [So, your father… hoped that you would forget about that child. Because he never dreamed that you would meet that child again.]

With those words, Edwick let out a heavy sigh. He already looked tormented enough. So, Ibelia couldn’t bear to face her father any longer.

He was so resentful, but at the same time, he was the father she loved so much. Even if he caused her wounds that couldn’t be erased, the fact that he was the father she loved remained unchanged.

Now, concluding the conversation with her father with words that she couldn’t remember, Ibelia immediately returned to her bedroom. She lay down on the bed without taking a sip of water.

Faelin sent a worried look, but she seemed to have sensed the gravity of the situation and didn’t approach Ibelia right away.

It was fortunate for Ibelia. Thanks to that, she could express overwhelming emotions without any interference.

Despite crying all day, her tears didn’t dry. Even if she could vomit out these painful emotions even a little, she thought she might regain some composure, but instead, the agony didn’t diminish at all.

Ibelia couldn’t stop sobbing. Helplessly, that was all she could do at this moment.

Even after hearing her father’s words, there was only one memory that Ibelia could recall.