For the first time, he called himself not ‘Barnetza’ but by the name ‘Aisha.’

Aisha bit her lips painfully.

Karaf, as if already convinced that the butterfly would leave him, wore an expression of complete resignation.

However, in the momentary gaze he cast upon himself, there was such a longing and welcoming expression that it seemed even more heartbreaking.

Aisha had never thought there would be such a secret about him.

She had never known that behind his always magnificent and imperial appearance, he thoroughly concealed any signs of weakness or pain because he wanted to show only a strong image.

She, too, had only seen the tyrant in him and had never tried to see his ‘real self.’

At that time, simply enduring and enduring her own pain was overwhelming enough…

No, perhaps she deliberately turned away.

He was just someone she wanted to avoid.

They were closer to each other than anyone, like flowers and butterflies, but they did not know each other.

They did not know about the pain each other felt, so they couldn’t empathize.

When did this relationship go so wrong…

Aisha felt a sense of despair.

Karaf’s eyes, which had welcomed her warmly, were soon filled with self-loathing.

He leaned on the cold floor, gasping for breath with teary eyes, murmuring.

“Hurry, get out of here… I might really… harm both of you…”

As soon as he finished speaking, he spewed blood.

His back heaved violently up and down with each breath, but every time he tried to lose consciousness by rolling his eyes, the crimson stamp engraved on his chest did not allow it.

Because he wished for him to endure all this pain to the end, the red stamp constantly kept waking him up and never let him sleep even for a moment.

Although he hadn’t eaten anything all day just to vomit out everything inside, saliva mixed with bile continuously flowed from his mouth.

He groaned, wrapping his arms around his face to prevent Aisha from seeing this dreadful and repulsive sight.

“Aisha… Send Aisha back to the palace… Duran…!”

As he yelled with force, Duran’s eyes became bloodshot.

“Your Majesty…”

He couldn’t imagine how much pain his lord was going through right now.

Perhaps because he had forcibly suppressed the symptoms with medicine, his condition looked three times more severe than usual.

It might take even longer for him to return to normal.

Karaf, now gasping for breath, said, “I don’t want to show this appearance anymore… I just… if I endure a little longer, it will be okay… So, please, quickly…”

He couldn’t continue his words due to the pain and gritted his teeth.

Tears trickled down from his tightly shut eyes.
Originally, she disliked herself, and she was afraid that if such a sight was revealed, she would truly come to loathe herself.

For her, she always had to provide the best and show the best side…

Like her mother who used to look at herself when she was young, she was most afraid that she would be stared at with hateful eyes, like looking at a bug.

Aisha stood by the door in shock, staring at him.

Karaf was the most beautiful and cruel rose ruling the Kingdom of Etzheim.

But now, enveloped in pain, he appeared nothing more than a pitiful human cursed.

And then it happened.

Karaf momentarily regained his sanity, then his gaze changed again suddenly.

He lifted his head slightly, and with completely different eyes from just now, he looked at Aisha.

As if the crimson light was flashing in the darkness, his eyes sparkled with a fluorescent red light.

The black pupils had now become vertically elongated, like the eyes of a snake.

He laughed chillingly like a madman and, rising from the floor, staggered towards Aisha.

It was as if a murderer was approaching to strangle her.

Duran hurriedly blocked his way.

He had seen such a scene before.

On the day of the Emperor’s coronation, Karaf had gone mad, slashing the throats of many who opposed him.

It was a terrifying scene, like dancing with a sword.

Duran believed that preventing the cursed Karaf from harming Barnetza was the only thing he could do for his lord.

If he allowed him to harm Barnetza with his own hands… he would probably suffer for a lifetime, tormenting himself.

That had to be prevented.

When Duran resolutely drew his sword from its sheath, Aisha took a step forward faster than him.

And in the next moment, Karaf’s red eyes widened.

Aisha embraced him and gently stroked his cold back.

As if comforting a crying child in a fit, she spoke calmly into his ear.

“It’s okay now. I’m here… everything will be okay. So… don’t cry.”

Aisha closed her eyes as she finished speaking.

In her eyes just now, Karaf looked like a forsaken child having a fit in a dream.

It seemed as if he was reaching out not to strangle her but to grab the hem of a departing child’s mother.

Karaf gradually regained clarity as his sharp eyes softened.

He slumped down, and his head fell onto Aisha’s shoulders.

Aisha swayed under his weight, but she steadfastly supported him, never stopping caressing his back.